(D14, ME) Thank you, Dragon.

[Soshi Eiji]

After visiting Crab House, Eiji made his way to the Dragon house. He didn't have an appointment. Instead, he announced to the receptionist that he wished to offer both his and his delegation's heartfelt thanks to the Dragon and to discuss tomorrow's debate. If any could see him, it would be appreciated, if not, he understood and would simply leave his words of thanks.

[Togashi Mizohachi]

Eiji is shown into Togashi Mizohachi's office. The old man has a cup of sake pre-poured for the courtier, as though he knew Eiji was going to arrive.

"Please, come in," he says, "have a drink."

[Soshi Eiji]

While Scorpion traditions would hold that Eiji would provide his own cup, he wasn't so long ago a Lion that he would raise an objection to being offered a cup Of course, Togashi probably knew that already.

Eiji bowed respectfully.

"My thanks, Lord Togashi. And my thanks as well for being willing to see me at this hour with little notice on matters relatively small." he offered politely, taking the cup.

[Togashi Mizohachi]

"Matters of small import, hm?" Togashi Mizohachi smiled wryly. "As though tomorrow's debate can do anything but creep from the back of our minds to the forefront of our conversation. Have you not come to ask my opinion? And have you not heard opinions enough already from Lady Matsu, Lady Doji, Shiba Ryusei, Yasuki Ryoichi, and Kasuga Izumi? On the contrary, it is I who should be asking you of the prospect of tomorrow finding resolution in this matter."

[Soshi Eiji]

For the briefest of moments, Eiji was seriously impressed by the intelligence network of Togashi-sama.....until he named Kasuga-sama. He hadn't spoken to her in days. True, he was planning on swinging by the MCA house after Dragon house, but he was just as likely to meet with the Mantis, Boar, or Badger representatives. Still, it was still pretty impressive. He could have just named his friends amongst each of those clans, or the heads of those delegations, but he'd managed to guess correctly where he had spoken to a delegation head or to a friend.

"Ah, well, in truth Lord Togashi, I was thinking more about the offering of thanks for your delegations dealings, and in particular the most gracious presentation of the Dragon's case in all things presented by Agasha Yuna. She has been most pleasant to deal with, and though she is marrying into the Phoenix, her family deserves a great deal of praise. Compared to the succession, I would call those matters small indeed." he explained.

He smiled a bit.

"I would like to say that I do not have enough opinions yet, no. For when I take the opinions I have gathered, and set them side by side, I do not like the conclusions I draw, so I hold out hope that there is something I am missing." he admited.

"What I have gathered is that, for the most part, people have firmly fixed in their mind who they believe should be the next Empress, or at the very very least, who should not be. Some have done a great deal of analysis to reach their conclusions, and some have simply made the decision. Regardless their resolve is firm, yet they are divided in their opinions."

"I have heard a great deal on why they hold their beliefs. What I have heard much less of is people saying they are willing to support the next Empress whomever it may be. Especially if it is someone they believe it should not be. Of course, no one is going to say outloud they would not support an Empress. But the fervent grip on their beliefs as it stands now make me see more hardship than harmony in the coming year."

He shrugged.

"And so I come to you Lord Togashi, remaining hopeful that you have some bit of insight that will allow me to dismiss these concerns out of hand."

[Togashi Mizohachi]

"Nothing that wise, I am afraid. Your conclusions match mine. In fact, I have found that when I have spoken, the listener heard what they wished to in any case."

He smiled sadly. "We will end this court without an Empress. Of that much I am certain."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji frowned at that.

"Hrrrm. You are not the first person to say that to me, but you are certainly the most important, Lord Togashi." he said, also saddened by the fact.

He shook his head.

"The first was much earlier in the court, and I did not entertain it as a serious possibility. The Empire is strong, but one wonders how long the bureacracy can continue to move forward while missing it's head."