Tortoise Talk (9ME, expecting)

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

That evening, Ryoichi stepped through the doorway into the Old Man's Stump and looked around for the person he was meant to meet.

Spotting Kasuga Izumi's table, the slim Crab approached and bowed politely. "Kasuga-sama? I'm Yasuki Ryoichi. Could I buy us a round of sake?"

[Kasuga Izumi]

"A handsome young man like you," Izumi says, "I'll certainly let you buy."

She raises a hand, and the slab-faced men surrounding her make themselves somewhat scarce.

Sake is delivered and poured, and as she takes up her cup, Izumi asks "What brings you to me here, Yasuki-san?"

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

The Yasuki grinned at the praise and signaled the server to bring the promised sake.

"As it happens, the Imperial Matchmaker recommended to me that a young lady by the name of Kasuga Mineko could be an excellent match for a clanmate of mine by the name of Kuni Eijiro," Ryoichi explained. "I was hoping to discuss this subject with you - along with any other opportunities for cooperation between our clans that we might discover."

[Kasuga Izumi]

"She did, did she?" Izumi says. "Well, that's news to me."

She sips from her cup.

"Now, she'd be a fine match for many a man," Izumi continues. "Knows how to work--and how to work a coin, which I'm sure you can appreciate."

She points to his mon, her index finger lifting from her cup to do so.

"And I'll say it's a relief to be able to speak plainly about such things and not be misunderstood. The metaphors get tiring."

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

"She sounds like a fine woman," Ryoichi nodded. "And yes, being able to speak plainly about the value of money is important, eh? It's certain that miscommunication between clans causes no end of trouble."

"Speaking of which, are there ways the Crab could perhaps help the Tortoise?" he inquired. "In addition to the lovely Lady Mineko, I think my superiors would be interested in some naval cooperation, and perhaps other things."

[Kasuga Izumi]

"What kind of 'naval cooperation,' Yasuki-san?" Izumi asks, and it might be that her eyes narrow just a touch.

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

"Cooperation against pirates, mainly," Ryoichi replied. "And rescuing each other's distressed ships and shipwrecked sailors. As a Yasuki, my primary interest is to make sure our merchant ships can ply their trade safely. I hope that is something we have in common?" He raised an eyebrow to invite her response.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"Your hope is not unjustified, Yasuki-san," Izumi replies. "Active merchant fleets--brown-water, green-water, and blue-water alike--benefit the Empire as a whole. And mutual distress response is a worthy objective, to which no right-thinking person could object.

"But I'm curious about your comment about pirates," she continues. "I hadn't heard that the Crab had much in the way of that problem, Kaiu ingenuity and Hida brawn doing much to dissuade such from your waters."