(D9, LE) Hair of the Lion

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

The Yogo looked blankly at the Lion for a few beats. In the heart of the chaos and disaster, being asked for something pleasant was quite the order.

"Uhhhhhh.....I received an appointment to serve a clan magistrate as a yoriki?" she finally came up with.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"That is good news," she nodded. She tried to consider her own good news. "I'm... not dead?"

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

What ensued was a fairly awkward pause as the Yogo waited for Tani to inquire about the appointment, or boast about what she did to remain alive, or talk about her boyfriend who was back home. There was a reason that the Yogo and Matsu families were not masters of court. They sucked at small talk.

When it became abundantly clear to even Aya no more was forthcoming, she offered.

"Well, good news for the Empire, bad news for it's enemies." she offered lifting her cup in toast. "May there be many more such happenings."

"So....having closed a portal to toshigoku is the plan to now simply send the forces of the Steel Chrysantemum back the traditional way?"

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Without a boyfriend back home, that certainly was off the table. The lack of conversation was, admittedly, a bit awkard, but Tani smiled through it. She lifted her cup in a nod. "For both of us." Her smile became a bit lospided, but still she drank.

"It's the only way at this point," she noted in regards to the Steel Chrysanthemum's forces. "But the other option was to ask them very nicely to just go back into the portal themselves, and I think experience tells us they were not very keen on that."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya smirks at that a bit.

"From what I've heard there are certain feathered samurai who would ask that question even while the enemies hands wrap around their throats." she muses.

She sips a bit.

"So will the Lion stand alone against the forces assaulting us, or will they seek to integrate samurai of other clans into their battle plans?"

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"So far as I am aware, the Lion have every intention of using all resources that are available. But such a question is not truly useful to ask of a simple Nikutai." Sip.

"Unfortunately, my job in a fight is to stab things and make sure the four or five people under me are in the correct place to stab things. I do not often get invited to strategic meetings."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya raised an eyebrow at that choice of prhasing?

"Unfortunately? For you or for me, Tani-san?" she asked, mildly curious. Tani had seemed much more Matsu at the beginning of the meeting, but a Matsu saying that their duty being to stab things seemed odd.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

She shrugged at that. "You, I suppose, though only because it makes me a poor source of information for future planning." She smirked a bit. "Do not get me wrong, I am not disappointed at my role on the battlefield. I am a warrior, not a tactician, as much as some of my sensei might wish otherwise."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya nodded at that.

"We all have the things we are best at. If someone tries to dig a mine with a sword and fails, that does not make the sword a bad sword, it just means the wielder is foolish." she offers.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"Certainly so," she nodded. "It just means that it creates frustration when trying to assist me with meeting the baseline competency for the Lion's Pride," she laughed. "Apparently my understanding is such that I would 'have more success trying to bat the pieces around the board like a kitten.'"

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya smiles a bit.

"So, what you're saying is, is that if I ever wanted to be able to brag about beating a Matsu Nikutai at Go, you would be my ideal opponent?" she asks teasing a bit.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"You'd certainly have a better chance at me than most," she grinned in return, polishing off the cup.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya casts about.

"This doesn't seem the kind of place that would have a go board. But I would definitely pit my no-skill against your lack of talent at a time and place of your choosing Tani-san." she offers, amused.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"Skillless versus skillless," she grinned. "It will be a battle that historians try their absolute best to forget."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

That warranted a wry grin from the Yogo.

"Perhaps, perhaps."

She sipped her sake.

"So when not out fighting the forces of toshigoku, or training for that, or yet again making your senseis facepalm when you order your theoretical archers to charge for the third time that day, what sort of things interest you, Tani-san?"

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"I have taken a certain shine to dancing," she admits. "Though, I am afraid if you are looking for me to have some form of impressive, surprising hobby, you may be disappointed." She smirked, "I am learning to find some other interests, though. Being away from the main military body means I have a frustrating amount of free time."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya shrugs.

"Not at all. Mogami-san and I had a rather nice conversation about things she reads besides Leadership." Aya suggested.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"Ah, well. Most of my extracurricular reading is... not well for polite company," she admitted. Not that this was polite company.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya rolled her eyes at that.

"Believe me, Tani-san. There is nothing you have read that can possibly compare to some of the things I read in Ryoko Owari. Try me." she encouraged.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani was just inebriated enough that this didn't seem like a bad idea. "Well, there is Two vs One, which of course tells a story of Kakita, Mirumoto, and Mirumoto Hojatsu. Roar of the Lion, a story about Akodo and Matsu." Of course. "And 'Evening Ride,' a story about one of Otaku and Shinjo's rides before they left for the Sands." All of these stories were, of course, trashy romance novels of some variety or other.

(D9, LE) Hair of the Lion

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