[D8, ME - Expecting] The Hole Story

[Daidoji Sae]

Jinkan's letter had been quite eccentric indeed (indeed, the word 'eccentric' was doing a lot of heavy lifting there). But, if what he wrote was true then it deserved at least a look.

Dressed in her formal Emerald Magistrate regalia, Sae headed for the Dragon House to see what (if anything) had actually happened.

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

A Dragon dressed in extremely fine brown silks, with a series of green layers beneath it greeted her with a smile and a wave to come in.

"Daidoji-sama! You look excellent, one finds your uniform very fetching. Really pulls out your cheekbones." Jinkan put a finger across his own, lightly brushing one of his scars in the process, and motioned how sharp her features were.

"Come in. My room is down in the back." He led her to the sliding door of his cubicle of a room, and then pointed at a kimono, gold and green, with fancy designs. "Used what we had to fill it in."

The hole is slightly hidden but obvious once you know it is there as the outline of the destroyed wall is framed by the parts of the kimono that are flopping in the wind.

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"Mirumoto-san." Sae bows politely with only a half second pause at the mention of cheekbones. "I...thank you, it is nice to know, I rarely consider them myself."
Carefully depositing her sandals she steps up into the house and follows Jinkan, looking around with interest, her mind flashing back to the previous intrusion into Crane House.

"So, this is the hole?" She leans down and gently pulls part of the kimono to the side and...indeed, a large hole! Well, that was a good start, much better than there not being one.
"How bizarre. When did this happen?"

She looks back into the room, then back at the opening, wondering who or what would choose to barrel through this wall.

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"I haven't the slightest clue. I woke up this morning feeling like I challenged a Togashi to a drinking contest again, and it was cold and drafty. A moments search revealed the hole." Jinkan pointed at it with an accusing finger.

"And Agasha-san assured me I was not throwing back bottles last night at dinner with the Fox. So I suspect I was drugged or otherwise put under and someone used the opportunity to walk around the Dragon House."

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"My, that would be quite the plan, but very clever. First they scout Dragon House, then they target a samurai with an external wall and finally, they drug him so they can enter unannounced."

Sae shakes her head, clearly the infiltrators were learning, improving their skills.
"We must then learn why they entered. Was anything taken from your delegation? Or anything added perhaps? Have you performed a search?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"We have looked around, no one touched my pillowbooks or other items." Jinkan gestured to a collection of literature that could be best described as spicy.

"I had not considered that something might have been left here, and we checked our rooms and the common room. I am hopeful this was a failed attempt at...something? I...will you promise to keep this a secret Daidoji-sama?" He said before leaning forward and cupping his mouth to whisper.

"I have been sending signals to Bayushi-ue that I am interested in her bones."

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

Sae, an embodiment of courage and duty, takes a half a step back from the pillowbooks.

"I will of course treat any secret as being in confidence."

After Jinkan elaborates there is a pause and then the softest sigh from the Crane.

"I, see. So you think that in the course of your...courtship of the Scorpion Champion she may have arranged for this to be done to send you a message?"
Reflecting for a few moments.
"I suppose that is not impossible, that she wanted to let you know in no uncertain terms she could get to you and you would be none the wiser. It is not particularly elegant but, nor is it impossible."

She looks back at the whole and then back at Jinkan.
"If that is the case I would suggest you cease such a course of action as I would prefer not to investigate your murder."
And it would be awkward if the next least liked Scorpion delegate was decapitated.

"Now, what have you do to improve security? Do you have guards you can set should the intruders return?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"Ah, no, I was thinking someone might be jealous and trying to break into my rooms to collect my Scorpion Champion poetry so that they could use it to woo Bayushi-ue." Jinkan scratched the top of his head with some confusion.

"Do you think she might not like my attentions?"

[Daidoji Sae]

"Ah, no, I was thinking someone might be jealous and trying to break into my rooms to collect my Scorpion Champion poetry so that they could use it to woo Bayushi-ue." Jinkan scratched the top of his head with some confusion.

"Do you think she might not like my attentions?"

Instantly. "No. I mean, an interesting suggestion Mirumoto-san, but uh, this rival for her affections, they would have to be very skilled..."

Sae now experiencing mild psychic pain.

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Instantly. "No. I mean, an interesting suggestion Mirumoto-san, but uh, this rival for her affections, they would have to be very skilled..."

Sae now experiencing mild psychic pain.

"You are right, plus they would have to know where to find me in the evening and be good enough to drug me without my knowledge. Probably not many people on the list there. In fact, I can't think of any who aren't Bayushi-ue..." Jinkan began stroking an imaginary beard that went down to his waist.

"Do you think she has a split personality which is keeping her from being happy because it wants her affection for itself? That seems unlikely. Maybe she found my last work unpleasant and this is like you said..."

[Daidoji Sae]

"You are right, plus they would have to know where to find me in the evening and be good enough to drug me without my knowledge. Probably not many people on the list there. In fact, I can't think of any who aren't Bayushi-ue..." Jinkan began stroking an imaginary beard that went down to his waist.

"Do you think she has a split personality which is keeping her from being happy because it wants her affection for itself? That seems unlikely. Maybe she found my last work unpleasant and this is like you said..."

"Well, let us consider the question from another angle. Have you ever had a conversation with her?"
Raising a hand.
"And by conversation I mean the two of you speaking to one another for at least several minutes at a time? That can often be a good indication of someone's affections?"

Don't ask about the last work, don't ask about the last work, don't ask about-
"Your last work?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"No, the only time we spoke she told me she was done with talking after about thirty seconds, and then dismissed me." Jinkan said now rubbing his imaginary beard with thoughtful strokes.

"She did seem awfully busy, it was yesterday when they announced the ronin guy. Wind-wave man. Lord of himself-wind. I forget his name." The Mirumoto said after finishing the stroking. Instead he had now turned to find a few pieces of paper to show the Daidoji. Written in black on green paper are some scribbles, at least one of which is a drawing of a face with its mouth open in horror and its eyes rolled back. At the bottom he found it.

"Ah, here:
You are super pretty
Really I mean it, you are
Don't doubt it ever
Turning heads when you pass by
I always notice your walk"

He read aloud to the Crane and then looked for her reaction.

[Daidoji Sae]

"No, the only time we spoke she told me she was done with talking after about thirty seconds, and then dismissed me." Jinkan said now rubbing his imaginary beard with thoughtful strokes.

"She did seem awfully busy, it was yesterday when they announced the ronin guy. Wind-wave man. Lord of himself-wind. I forget his name." The Mirumoto said after finishing the stroking. Instead he had now turned to find a few pieces of paper to show the Daidoji. Written in black on green paper are some scribbles, at least one of which is a drawing of a face with its mouth open in horror and its eyes rolled back. At the bottom he found it.

"Ah, here:
You are super pretty
Really I mean it, you are
Don't doubt it ever
Turning heads when you pass by
I always notice your walk"

He read aloud to the Crane and then looked for her reaction.

"Yes, it was a rather busy day in the court, I am sure her duties were extensive."
Considering the Bayushi in question, 30 seconds and then merely dismissing him wasn't that bad.

As for the poem, Sae blinks in surprise.
"It is unorthodox, yes. But clearly from the heart and not crude in the sense of impropriety. There are samurai I know who would not be unhappy to receive this. Although, if I may, this might be best exchanged between two current partners?"

Eyeing Jinkan.
"So, you have been writing Bayushi-sama poetry?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"Yes, it was a rather busy day in the court, I am sure her duties were extensive."
Considering the Bayushi in question, 30 seconds and then merely dismissing him wasn't that bad.

As for the poem, Sae blinks in surprise.
"It is unorthodox, yes. But clearly from the heart and not crude in the sense of impropriety. There are samurai I know who would not be unhappy to receive this. Although, if I may, this might be best exchanged between two current partners?"

Eyeing Jinkan.
"So, you have been writing Bayushi-sama poetry?"

"Hai, this and others." Jinkan said nodding. "Here I have my notebook."

He lifted his bedroll to pull out a notebook next to a book titled: The Foxgirl and the Samurai.

The notebook looks worn, and on the inside are several drawings and poems. The drawings looked like nightmares, while the poems that weren't crossed out were all slanted and hurriedly written. He fingered one of them.

"I die again, too
The summer heat from your skin
My only warmth now"

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

Sae makes absolutely no movement to examine the notebook, performing a very distant ocular pat down.

"Again, the poem is quite good. I can imagine a suitor being charmed with it rather than..."
She gestures at the large hole in the wall.

"Perhaps you could offer something like this? At the right time and place, probably best not to jump out from around a corner or to yell it across a courtyard. Maybe you could send it to her as part of the Game of Letters?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"I will do just that and I have been composing some other poems about her eyes but I haven't found anything that rhymes with blood-curdled." The Mirumoto said, putting his notebook back under his bedroll.

"Wait...maybe. Uh, you remember how I looked at the threads of fate for you at the beginning of the winter court? I have been continuing my work..." Jinkan's eyes were wide as he went back to the bedroll and underneath his smut was a very slim, almost unnoticeable black notebook.

He opened it to look through the jagged writing for a couple of seconds. "What if someone wanted my notes on other people's fates?"

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

Sae's mind flashes back as she cocks her head.

"Yes, I do recall. You have recorded notes on...many peoples' fates? Exactly how many? And did you provide particularly dire omens to someone capable of this?"
The hole again, becomes the target of a gesture.

"It would be an unusual motive, but not impossible?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"A number..." Jinkan said with a fake smile. "A few observations about the winds...the earthquake...Togashi-ue...some other winds..."

[Daidoji Sae]

"A number..." Jinkan said with a fake smile. "A few observations about the winds...the earthquake...Togashi-ue...some other winds..."

"I see, so nobody specific comes to mind? I think perhaps it is not a case of divinations at all then."

Sighing and refocusing on more practical matters.
"Would you like me to take this investigation further? Or do the Dragon prefer it remains contained? With the current uncertainty rumours could prove dangerous if not properly managed."

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"We would prefer that the Lion think you are just visiting to see some art. Otherwise they might end up killing a couple more of their own men." Jinkan shrugged.

"I had hoped something immediate would occur to you...oh, you should know something really bad is about to happen to Doji Noriko. Someone should look at her guard..." the Mirumoto finished with a second shrug.