(D7, LA, Open) Tea with a friend?

[Soshi Eiji]

"Hm."

Ryusei nodded.

"I think the other issue I confront is.... I am uncertain as to the Scorpion Clan, or Soshi-sama's position on the succession, but the Phoenix have a very... our position making choices of influence somewhat complex."

The Scorpion considered his teacup for a couple moments before responding.

"Well, on the first day of court, Bayushi-ue impressed on the delegation very firmly that the succession was a matter to be decided by the Empress, and the Empress alone. While all clan champions and samurai indeed are loyal to the one who sits the throne, I feel that Bayushi-ue's loyalty ran deeper than even that. Perhaps more personal one might say." he muses.

He takes a sip of tea.

"Since the death of the Empress, Bayushi-ue has not held another delegation meeting to update our position on the matter. Whether this is because she expects the Empress or another supernatural entity to announce the decision post-mortem, or hopes that Kitsu-sama will commune with her for the answer, or there's a secret document somewhere that reveals the decision and she's searching for it personally, I cannot say."

A small shrug.

"Unsurprinsgly, perhaps, the Master of Secrets does not make their mind known readily. But I am curious about the complexities that Shiba-san and the Phoenix faces." he asked in return.

[Shiba Ryusei]

"Unsurprinsgly, perhaps, the Master of Secrets does not make their mind known readily. But I am curious about the complexities that Shiba-san and the Phoenix faces." he asked in return.

"Our directives are not that complex on the face of them- Shiba-ue is adamant that the succession be resolved according to the law. But it becomes complex in the absence of disinterested parties to arbitrate the law."

[Soshi Eiji]

"Unsurprinsgly, perhaps, the Master of Secrets does not make their mind known readily. But I am curious about the complexities that Shiba-san and the Phoenix faces." he asked in return.

"Our directives are not that complex on the face of them- Shiba-ue is adamant that the succession be resolved according to the law. But it becomes complex in the absence of disinterested parties to arbitrate the law."

Eiji frowned considering it from a legal perspective.

"In cases of law, especially concerning subjects of imperial interest, the Emerald Champion would be the final arbitrator of the law. I would suppose that were there a challenge to his decision, one of the wronged parties would have the right to challenge him to a duel to resolve the matter......" he mused.

He titled his head.

"The Phoenix are suggesting that the Emerald Champion may act in a dishonorable fashion?" he asked.

That was a surprise to Eiji, he would have thought that the Phoenix and Crane were close enough that that would not be under considertaion.

[Shiba Ryusei]

"The Phoenix are suggesting that the Emerald Champion may act in a dishonorable fashion?" he asked.

"No, no, absolutely not!"

Ryusei held a hand up.

"The Phoenix suggest nothing. Shiba-ue hjas expressed no views on the specifics of the matter I've been deemed worthy of. It is simply... from where I sit, in my own limited capacity, the Emerald Champion may well be an impossible position in this matter. Anyone would be. Especially as, were the law explicit in this matter, the succession wouldn't even be under discussion. How can it be resolved accroding to law when the law offers no concrete guidance on who should succeed?"

[Soshi Eiji]

"The Phoenix are suggesting that the Emerald Champion may act in a dishonorable fashion?" he asked.

"No, no, absolutely not!"

Ryusei held a hand up.

"The Phoenix suggest nothing. Shiba-ue hjas expressed no views on the specifics of the matter I've been deemed worthy of. It is simply... from where I sit, in my own limited capacity, the Emerald Champion may well be an impossible position in this matter. Anyone would be. Especially as, were the law explicit in this matter, the succession wouldn't even be under discussion. How can it be resolved accroding to law when the law offers no concrete guidance on who should succeed?"

Eiji nodded.

"Ah, my thanks in correcting my misunderstanding then Shiba-san." he offered. "The law's solution, I believe, would be that it should fall to the closest blood relative, as ruled upon by the relevant authority. The difficulty, in this case, being that these are very distant blood relatives. Perhaps it is an impossible position were it to fall to you or I...but it does not. The Emerald Champion, champion of the departed Empress, is the one she would have trusted most to make the decision in her absence. Though I will admit, given the difficulty of this case, I would not be entirely surprised that once a new occupant is installed on the throne and secure there may well be a call for a Tournament of the Emerald Champion."

He sipped his tea.

"Securing the peaceful transition of power and making way for the new Wind to have their own champion would be fitting I think, and I doubt anyone who argue he deserves to retire after this."

[Shiba Ryusei]

Guten Tag

"And my thanks for allowing me to explain my poorly-chosen words, Soshi-sama. Still, the unsettled situation is..."

Unsettling.

"A great deal to adjust to."

[Soshi Eiji]

Guten Tag

"And my thanks for allowing me to explain my poorly-chosen words, Soshi-sama. Still, the unsettled situation is..."

Unsettling.

"A great deal to adjust to."

Eiji chuckles.

"I know a friendly Dragon if you need someone to speak to you about the willow tree bending while the oak tree breaks, Shiba-san. She certainly knows how to put on a good meal too, to give you something to chew on and something to chew on." he suggests.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Eiji chuckles.

"I know a friendly Dragon if you need someone to speak to you about the willow tree bending while the oak tree breaks, Shiba-san. She certainly knows how to put on a good meal too, to give you something to chew on and something to chew on." he suggests.

Yuna.

"Would that Dragon happen to be my future wife?"

Can I talk about Yuna? Because Kami, Fortunes, and Ancestors, do I want to talk about Yuna.

[Soshi Eiji]

Yuna.

"Would that Dragon happen to be my future wife?"

Can I talk about Yuna? Because Kami, Fortunes, and Ancestors, do I want to talk about Yuna.

Eiji grins.

"I DO believe I heard something in court about naming Shiba Ryusei 'The Luckiest Man Alive'." he offered, because of course it was Yuna.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Eiji grins.

"I DO believe I heard something in court about naming Shiba Ryusei 'The Luckiest Man Alive'." he offered, because of course it was Yuna.

The young Phoenix sighed.
Happily.

"I really am. She's... amazing. Besides being intelligent, beautiful, pious, graceful, poised, and observant, she.... I'm better around her. She's... always looking out for the greater good in any situation, it's..."

He chuckled.

"I mean, you've met her. I could be jabbering until sunrise."

[Soshi Eiji]

The young Phoenix sighed.
Happily.

"I really am. She's... amazing. Besides being intelligent, beautiful, pious, graceful, poised, and observant, she.... I'm better around her. She's... always looking out for the greater good in any situation, it's..."

He chuckled.

"I mean, you've met her. I could be jabbering until sunrise."

Eiji clucked his tongue.

"Ah see, this is the problem with coming into a story halfway told. I missed the opening where Shiba-san was terrorizing the Dragon mountains in the fashion of Asahina before he was tamed by the gentle touch of a Dragon librarian." he said, good naturedly.

"But I mostly agree with your assessment, Shiba-san. I think she brings out the best in many people. Perhaps even in a certain young and brash Lion. Without spending sufficient years in lesser courts to temper the fires of youth, this may be a dose of humility she learns before insulting someone who would find cause to duel to the death rather than to first blood." he offered.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Eiji clucked his tongue.

"Ah see, this is the problem with coming into a story halfway told. I missed the opening where Shiba-san was terrorizing the Dragon mountains in the fashion of Asahina before he was tamed by the gentle touch of a Dragon librarian." he said, good naturedly.

"But I mostly agree with your assessment, Shiba-san. I think she brings out the best in many people. Perhaps even in a certain young and brash Lion. Without spending sufficient years in lesser courts to temper the fires of youth, this may be a dose of humility she learns before insulting someone who would find cause to duel to the death rather than to first blood." he offered.

"It was certainly... difficult to maintain my own sense of decorum."

[Soshi Eiji]

"It was certainly... difficult to maintain my own sense of decorum."

Eiji nods.

"As a Shiba, I'm sure your protective nature was on alert, but when a Togashi appears in the story, things become uncertain." he offers.

And offers a slightly reassuring smile (Well, probably, it reached his eyes at least beyond the mask).

"I'm sure Shiba-san will have many opportunities to keep Agasha-san safe in the years to come. Think of this as a parting gift from a father to a daughter. In the years to come, Togashi-ue will not be there. Or perhaps he will, because...togashi monks." he said, confdent in the Shiba's protective nature, less so on the nature of togashi monks.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Eiji nods."I'm sure Shiba-san will have many opportunities to keep Agasha-san safe in the years to come. Think of this as a parting gift from a father to a daughter. In the years to come, Togashi-ue will not be there. Or perhaps he will, because...togashi monks." he said, confdent in the Shiba's protective nature, less so on the nature of togashi monks.

"As a Shiba, as a man, and as a fiancee. it was... I am sure,a foretaste of the pangs duty might bring in the years ahead."

He sighed, then shook his head.

"I'm no great duelist, you know. Adequate, but no more. And getting mixed up in a tiff between the Lion and the Dragon on personal grounds would... well. It might have caused my Champion to reevaluate a promise I made her when she consented to the match. But... it was hard."

[Soshi Eiji]

"As a Shiba, as a man, and as a fiancee. it was... I am sure,a foretaste of the pangs duty might bring in the years ahead."

He sighed, then shook his head.

"I'm no great duelist, you know. Adequate, but no more. And getting mixed up in a tiff between the Lion and the Dragon on personal grounds would... well. It might have caused my Champion to reevaluate a promise I made her when she consented to the match. But... it was hard."

Eiji nodded.

"Not to spoil you on the story I am presenting tommorrow, Shiba-san, but part of it's message is that sometimes SOMETIMES, you have to yield to protect that which is most important to you."

He grinned.

"It'll make more sense when you hear the rest of the story."

[Shiba Ryusei]

Skerpity Chat!

"You do spin a good yarn, Soshi-sama... and it's a point that not only I, but many here might want to consider."


He half-smiled.

"As the Little Teacher said, 'Humility is the greatest teacher.' And it applies in many contexts... such as cediing ground to bait an opponent into a weaker positon than the one they occupy..."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji nods.

"Truly. Again we look to the Heavens for the answers. I'm honestly not certain what sort of outcome Agasha-san is hoping for. I can't see her being happy with pain being inflicted either way over something that could have easily been resolved with a five minute chat, rather than an open declaration in court that the honor of the host clan was being lessened." he said.

[Shiba Ryusei]

"I suppose we'll find out. It strikes me more as a rash young bushi trying to make a name."

Sip.

"Not that I'd know anything about that sort of thing."

[Soshi Eiji]

"I suppose we'll find out. It strikes me more as a rash young bushi trying to make a name."

Sip.

"Not that I'd know anything about that sort of thing."

Eiji grinned at that.

"Ah yes, the vast wisdom that in the years he's lived since his far forgotten youth that Shiba-san has. All...what, two of them?" he joked.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Eiji grinned at that.

"Ah yes, the vast wisdom that in the years he's lived since his far forgotten youth that Shiba-san has. All...what, two of them?" he joked.

"Maybe a year and a half?"

He grinned back.

"Luckily for all concerned, I believe Lord Togashi prioritizes education over harsh examples..."