"Look," Aiko says, "I know it's a oddity. An' I know it ain't somethin' th' Crane're likley t' face. But your a shugenja; you know th' spirits have their own ways, an' you know there's some as get too wrapped up in 'em.

"Y'ain't got nothin' t' 'pologize for, least not t' me."

"If we're thinkin' in terms o' fire," Aiko replies, "it's like he's a moth an' there's a big ol' bonfire there. It don't even notice him; he's flyin' at it somethin' fierce. But that ain't really right, b'cause it ain't gonna burn him. "But, yeah, things'll ease up," she continues. "Won't have folks...

"I don't b'lieve it's a threat, as such," Aiko says. "It ain't malevolent 'r nothin'. Just takes a person, like "

"It's a 'xample o' one o' them 'folk metaphors' you's talkin' 'bout," Aiko replies. "Havin' oil on y'r noodles's a good thing, right? So if that don't just oil y'r noodles, that's makin' things good f'r you. Y' get me?"

"Oh, we got all kinds o' that kinda thing," Aiko replies. "Don't that just oil y'r noodles?"

It's up.

Kitsune Aiko steps forward, as planned. "Well, m' lords an' ladies," she says, "I got an' item o' business as might seem small t' y'all, but looms awful large f'r us in th' Fox. Y'see, my brother, Kitsune Fumihito, has found hisself in a way as he can't rightly do th' work o' Championin' th' Fox Cla...

"What all's vinegar got t' do w' any o' that?" Aiko asks.

One can easily imagine the stalk of grass drooping.

"Wouldn't know," Aiko says. "Ain't never been w' nobody but m' husband."

Ooh! I got one!

"That there is kind of you," Aiko says. "Good t' see in th' world."

(Feels like we're getting to /scene)

"Hadn't talked w' Izumi," Aiko says. "Maybe oughta do that afore court ends."

She nods.

"Thanks much, Kitsu-san!" she adds.

"Well," Aiko says, "I got use f'r th' followin' m'terials:
2 units copper
2 units jade
3 units iron

"Ifn' y' know who all's got any o' that."

((The GM needs to check his spreadsheet better. Whoops.))

"You want th' full list, Kitsu-san?" Aiko asks. "'cause I have that handy, ifn y' do."

Aiko smirks.

"I notice y' didn't argue 'bout th' pretty boy part," she says. "Is there some special someone f'r ya?"

"Oh, yeah, sure!" the Fox man says. "Folks love Aiko-sama! She's doin' a bang-up job keepin' everythin' movin' back t' home an' here!"

The stalk of grass fairly leaps about as he talks.

"She's gotta do it, on account of 'er brother an' all."

"Now, I don't believe that f'r a minute," Aiko says. "Charmin', y'are. Harmless? Seen too many pretty boys go through an' leave broke hearts behind 'em t' think you're harmless."

She does, at least, smile as she says it.

"Trade's been decent," Aiko says, nodding thanks for the refill. "Could be better, o' course, but ain't that always the case? Still some stuff we need t' get t'gether, but might end up just tradin' among th' Younger Clans ag'in. Been did more'n once afore."

"There's always some as'll get snippy 'bout someone steppin' in front of 'em," Aiko says.

"I'll speak to it when it comes up," Aiko says, bowing from her seat. "Don't wanna have folks thinkin' I'm gettin' uppity."