Imperial Summons [D8, Early Evening] (Horo's Room - Closed)

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"There's too much fear and hatred for many to see that, neh!. I confess that, if I had the change to injury the Steel Chrysanthemum, I would not do it. Eto. That's not my duty. Now. I won't allow his troops to destroy the less fortunate and the very fabric of our Empire."

She takes a sushi roll and says, before nomming it with great joy, "Other Families have different views of their sacred duty and sense of honor. I believe Otomo-san should have an idea of how to navigate these troubled waters."

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

"I do actually. It's fairly simple. We remind the clans of their oaths and duty. Nothing unites people quite like reminding them of their traditions."

Ryuji consumed the remaining water in his cup.

"Samurai are servants. Servants are bound to the service to their lord. A simple reminder and push in the direction of that should get people in line. Of course, I may speak as an idealist but what then do we have besides our ideals? Military tactics? Fancy words in court? Some shugenja spouting words from a scroll or a monk uttering prayers? All of it is nothing without having some sense, call of duty. The only real failure in all that is not doing it at all."

Ryuji eyed the spread. His hunger was now getting the better of him.

"Those who choose the Steel Chrysanthemum because they think its right, let them have it. They will learn that doing something personally right is not the best way to serve."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"Ne. Otomo-san..." Horonigai finishes eating the sushi, and asks, "What to do with this ostensive violence of the Matsu against honorable allies: surely influencing the Lion, and that can become the norm in an Empire led by that Family in the background?"

She gently licks her lower lip after the bite.

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

"I'm sure the same would be said if there was a Hida or a Daidoji, or even a Bayushi. There will be some stereotypical norms and what is our norm as the Imperial Families? To protect the line, to be the message of that line, and to insure the power structure of the line. All of those aspects require us to be the stewards of the very foundations and traditions of the Empire. Will some stray from that? Very possible. We are to make sure that such straying doesn't become lost."

He looked to the rice.

"I think I may partake of the rice."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"Douzo, douzo." She nods at his affirmation to partake on food with encouragement.

"The salmon nigiri are told to be specially tasty around here." Horonigai recommends, and stretches the previous though wider with a nod, "Un! Otomo-san is correct. If any other Family could have the power that the Matsu might be granted with the Empress ruling over the Empire, they would instill their culture over the others, thus moving away from the current structure we have, that is based on the balance that the Hantei line established, with the Imperial Families as the countermeasure and maintainers of his harmony."

She takes a morsel out of one of the nigiri she mention, takes a moment to savor it and continues, "That is why I am skeptical of a government fully endorsed by the Matsu, without constraints. It is giving the Lion too much power in detriment of the others. There must be balance."

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

Ryuji collected a bowl of rice and some of the salmon nigiri per Horonigai's suggestion. He was extra careful to not touch any of the shrimp that was there.

"The Matsu are certainly a mighty force. The are the largest family and they are fierce in battle. While they have the numbers and the might, they certainly do not hold all the power. This is the opportunity in which we Imperials come into play."

Ryuji took chopsticks and ate a bite of rice.

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

She looks at him with a 'tell me more' kind of face, still nibbing on the food.

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

"The Matsu are strong, fierce but they can be controlled. This is where the use of the Crane and Scorpion come into play. The Matsu may rule but where is there might in a courtroom? Sure they have the Ikoma but braggadocios tales about some ancestor from long ago does not facilitate trade and commerce, it does not help in matters of diplomacy."

Another bite.

"The Lion certainly may roar and roar quite loudly but do they think? The children of Doji and Bayushi will outthink them, the Crab are too busy chasing myths and legends, the Unicorn returned but who really knows and trust them? Phoenix bury their noses in scrolls, and the Dragon are a contemplation of utter confusion. This is an opportunity for the Imperial Families to simply be the voice of guidance and reason. There is enough of a recipe here set and maintain balance of power."

Ryuji tried the nigiri. He gave a faint smile of approval of its deliciousness.

"We simply stir the pot. The Matsu may be the head, we just need to make sure that we are the neck that supports it. Without a neck the head cannot turn, it cannot lift up, and it cannot bow. We Imperials will just had to make sure the stable mobility of the head."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

Noticing her invitees predilection, she makes sure that the shrimps are dealt with merciless, yet polite bites.

She excuses herself for her contradiction to his words, saying, "Shitsurei shimasu, ne, Otomo-san. I hope this leash you're referring to the Imperial Families can provide is strong enough to hold the feral beast that is being currently fed at bay. A boasted up Lion clan was already able to 'snatch' plenty of territory. A Lion backed by a ruling Empress... They'll seek battle, and if they don't find one, they'll fight whomever is different from them."

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

"Hmmm..." Ryuji sat the bowl down and dabbed his mouth with a cloth.

"Its not that we need a leash Seppun-sama. A leash is a clear sign of control. You can control without leashes You need proper behavioral training. Get the animal to trust you, like you. When they do, they will obey you. They will come when you call. They will do what you command. Reward them when their behavior is correct, punish them when the behavior is not as it should be."

Ryuji took a drink of water.

"If the animal wants to play, then offer them a playmate. There are many military clans who would be happy to play with them and of course the Lion have a long time playmate in the Crane which keeps both of them distracted in their power struggle. We don't have to worry about the fight, we just need to fix the outcome. Minimize the damage, if need be make the battle too costly. We only need to keep them from creating an iron rule."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"I might not be a sage, but I can tell the difference of my cat from a real lion. I honestly think one should not underestimate the instincts, will and hunger of the Lion. It will never be a house pet. One needs a whip, cage and trainers armed with spears to deal with such a creature in case things go astray, neh!" Horonigai hover her chopsticks, deciding what to taste next.

"Minimizing the damage is something that definitely needs to be done. The post battle will already be too costly for the Imperial Families. Again, we need balance to return. The Otomo's way."

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

Ryuji gave a very, very light chuckle.

"No Seppun-sama. What I suggest is not domesticating the Lion. Take a lesson from Shinsei's story to Bayushi about the Scorpion and The Frog. Did the scorpion domestic the frog? No! the scorpion used the frog for its strengths and when that use was no longer needed, the scorpion let the Lion go."

Ryuji picked up his bowl of rice again and chopsticks.

"Seppun-sama, Let the Lion be strong, mighty, fierce in battle. Let's use their strength to our advantage and when their usefulness runs out or if they are getting too haughty, we simply remove the problem. I am sure that if we sow the seeds of discord now between say the Lion and Unicorn, their plans for any dominant rule will be snuffed out."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"Nani?" She shakes her head a bit, and asks, rather skeptically, "The Unicorn?"

There's a moment that she processes how the strongest army already in the Empire would just become even more stronger, and potentially unstoppable for at least 15 years under the rule of a Matsu ruler. No other Clan would be able to defeat it.

She thinks on the Unicorn again, and reminds herself after she fetches another sashimi, "Eto. They left. What remained of them is what previously was Fox, I was told. The Lion is already have no parallel in military terms. A Spirit Army, perhaps. As bad as it looks like."

She bites it and smiles again to Ryuji, showing she's enjoying the chat and the company, even if they diverge.

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

Ryuji allowed himself to offer a faint smile to the Seppun princess to acknowledge he too enjoyed the company.

"Very interesting..."

Ryuji took another bite of nigiri.

"If you were faced with an opponent who overpowered you, what would you do to win the fight?"

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"Defend with all I can, until the opponent opens up the guard. Then I strike mercilessly without letting any air left to breath."

Horonigai's senses enter in an alert sate, and her eyes go up, just behind Ryuji's back. A strange noise can be heard at the window. As if someone was outside scratching the window.

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

"Something the matter, Seppun-sama?"

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

"Shitsurei, ne!" She excuses herself and lifts up, going to the window slowly. Her hand carefully reaches the window handle. Little by little, she opens the sound from the rain outside starts to get louder in the room. There's a thunder and the light from outside showed a dark silhouette standing at the window's rim.

A dark creature with dampened fur mudded claws. It shows its sharp fangs while opening a gapping mouth to them.

"Meaow!"

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

Ryuji settled himself from being nearly startled. He took a drink of water the sat his cup back down.

"You have a cat. Interesting."

Seppun Horonigai · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 4:03 pm **Posts:** 1054

Horonigai takes a piece of cloth to dry up the cat, then wraps it up and takes the feline on her lap.

Sitting back down again, she nods to the other Imperial. "Hai. This is Kuchihige... eto... sama." Her giggles chime as she mentions the treatment.

The black cat with the wide wiskers looks at Ryuji as if looking to a servant.

Otomo Ryuji · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:41 am **Posts:** 289

Ryuji gave a small nod.

"Very nice. I'd ask to pet your cat but I recall most cats do not like to be touched."

Imperial Summons [D8, Early Evening] (Horo's Room - Closed)

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