Lady Shiba, though nearly prevented by Lord Ikoma, has reached the dais. Standing ramrod straight, with her hands balled into fists and her eyes flashing white-hot anger, she shouts at the court. "The people of the Empire have endured this criminal farce long enough! I warned you one week ago that t...

The tension in Shiba Higashime's body had risen slowly as the debate had gone on, but as the suggestions for fishing tournaments and the Imperials voting on the Emperor began to gather steam, her hands tightened into fists, nails biting into her palms. She began to approach the floor.

Lady Shiba strode into the gallery, her eyes seemed to be burning with barely restrained anger as she looked from face to face on the dais. She strode to a position in the center of the gallery and stood, ramrod-straight, watching the debate unfold.

"From your lips to the ears of the multitude. The will of Heaven must be paramount."

Visibly disgusted with Shintaro's enthusiasm, Lady Shiba sheathes Ofushikai, nods once to get Yoshio's attention, and stalks into the night.

/exit.

Seppun Sadako wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 09, 2025 3:09 am

Sadako rises, dusts herself off.

"Lady Phoenix," she says, "are you stained?"

Lady Shiba flicks the blood from Ofushikai onto the ground and looks to Sadako.

"It is finished."

Kiuchi tried to resist, but an Emperor, even a dead one cast into the Realm of Hungering Ghosts, is too much for him. Willpower VOID | 4k4+1 ⇒ 18 (TN: 35) Shiba Higashime turns pitiless eyes on to the struggling Yogo. Without missing a second, a breath, Ofushikai sweeps through the air, the first s...

Lady Shiba drew Ofushikai and stood to Shintaro's right in a fairly classic Shiba stance.

He receives a glare from the next person to enter--no less than Shiba Higashime, who remembers well just who started this whole mess. She is accompanied by Isawa Yoshio, whose bookish presence is enhanced by his advanced height and total lack of mass. Rather than her everyday sword, Higashime bears ...

Higashime nods firmly. "It was for me as well. But what did you discover from it?"

Higashime looks at Mizohachi for confirmation, then back at Sanjuro. "If the other Champions are helping to address this issue, then the Phoenix will assist."

"What's a sixth wind and what does it have to do with Shiba's sword?"

But Lady Shiba's arrival was precisely on time. She stares down at the two Dragon intensely, her eyes finding first Mizohachi, then Sanjuro, then Mizohachi again.

"You have requested me?" she asks, full of steel.

"Very well, see to it, Shiba-san."

Shiba Higashime rises. "The Phoenix clan considers it unfortunate that no notice or opportunity for rebuttal has been extended to Kitsune Fumihito. Without this element, it is unclear whether the action taken would be just, or whether the court is acting on considered information. The Phoenix clan o...

"You may do so. Carefully. The capital is a forest of entanglements at the moment."

"That would be useful knowledge. Thank you, Shiba-san. This treaty has my approval."

"Anything that makes the Empire safer against pirates and gaijin is likely a good thing. Has the nature of the maps been discussed?"

"Mantis." Shiba Higashime nodded. "Sometimes, one must deal with the unsavory. The Tortoise are, of course, equally base. It amazes me that they seek to impair each other, but one cannot help but feel pleased that they do so."

[[Shibatron, engage morning protocols! Execute! Execute!]]

Another morning, another treaty. The efficiencies of the Phoenix delegation were a thing of beauty.