(D14, LE) Thank you, MCA

[Soshi Eiji]

After visiting Dragon House, Eiji made his way to the MCA 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 any members of the MCA that his clan had worked with 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.

[Kasuga Izumi]

Kasuga Izumi happens to be passing through the common area at that, and she approaches.

"Soshi-san," she says, giving a short bow, "how pleasant to see you this evening! I trust the day treated you well?"

[Soshi Eiji]

Kasuga Izumi happens to be passing through the common area at that, and she approaches.

"Soshi-san," she says, giving a short bow, "how pleasant to see you this evening! I trust the day treated you well?"

He bowed at the Tortoise's approach.

"A busy day, certainly Kasuga-sama. Much running around, court and that finish to the Bowman's Wager? Quite remarkable." he offered. "How has the day treated you?"

[Kasuga Izumi]

"As well as might be expected, Soshi-san," Izumi replies, the events of the day still being uncertain so early in the IC cycle. "Fortunes won and lost, deeds done that will live in legend and others some will hope are never mentioned again. So a normal day at Court."

She smiles.

"What brings you to the Younger Clans this fine evening?"

[Soshi Eiji]

"As well as might be expected, Soshi-san," Izumi replies, the events of the day still being uncertain so early in the IC cycle. "Fortunes won and lost, deeds done that will live in legend and others some will hope are never mentioned again. So a normal day at Court."

She smiles.

"What brings you to the Younger Clans this fine evening?"

Eiji smiled.

"Goodwill mostly. It has been a very productive season this year, so before tomorrow's court, I wanted to spend some time thanking people for the opportunities we had to work with them. We've made treaties with the Mantis, Badger, Boar, and of course the Tortoise, and without them, the coming year would look very much different indeed."

"And, of course, I would be remiss if I did not speak of the pleasant intereactions with one Kasuga-sama. If tomorrow goes well, perhaps I will be able to write of what an outstanding samurai she is to her new champion?"

[Kasuga Izumi]

Izumi bows her head slightly.

"I would, of course, be pleased to be spoken well of to a new occupant of the Throne," she says, "and to the Kizoku. I am curious as to whom Soshi-san believes he will be making such a report."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji chuckled.

"Well, I am no betting man, Kasuga-sama, but if I were, the odds seem to favor Doji Noriko, but Seppun-sama might make a come from behind...or perhaps something truly unexpected will happen in court. It has been a surprising season." he offered.

"I'll admit, Kasuga-sama, I am curious what you think of that, both your view on what is to come tomorrow, and what might happen going forward. I have heard it said that there are those who think that Doji-sama might be too..."nice" to be Empress. But then again, a standard tatic to discrediting someone is to find a virtue and overpraise it." he asked.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"You're not wrong," Izumi says. "You're not wrong about any of it.

"But as to what I think about tomorrow," she continues, "I am doubtful that words alone will decide much of anything. Perhaps the field will narrow, but I do not think a resolution will be reached."

She shrugs.

"I might be wrong in that. It might be that the assembled mighty of the Empire arrive at a common recognition of Heaven's will. Just as it might be that the world will end. One never truly knows."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji whistled.

"I'll admit, Kasuga-sama, you're not the first person in this court to say such to me. But that was earlier in the season, I had hoped that more progress had been made than that. I wonder if those who argued so passionately against a regent considered what would happen should court end without a resolution. Granted, I'm pretty sure many of them were arguing because they felt that it would end up being Otomo Keihime and her first act as regent would be to recongize herself as Empress. How long do you think the Empire can function headless?" he offered.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"Longer than most will fear, less long than many will hope," Izumi replies. "Which I know is an unhelpful answer.

"I wonder, though, that people forget their histories. If they will be the Hantei, why not earn it as their ancestor did?"

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji chuckles.

"Have you been spending time at Dragon House, Kasuga-sama? That answer seemed worthy of a Togashi." he said good naturedly.

He tilted his head at the suggestion of a tournament of the kami.

"Hm, so Doji-sama in the role of Lady Doji, Seppun-sama as Togashi, Tatsuya-sama as Hida, Otomo Gorobei-sama as Akodo and Otomo Keihime-sama as Bayushi? We're short a couple of siblings, most notably the one who actually won the touranment." he suggested.

He shook his head.

"I don't think people have forgotten, it's just that the situation, while it has some commanalities, is too different in some ways. The kami were not mere mortals, nor were they rivals. They were siblings who were, in the end, working together to recreate their celestial home down here. You simply cannot see the same in the current possibilities."

[Kasuga Izumi]

"I may not," Izumi replies, "but it's less about what I see and more about what the principals see. And as to that, well," she shrugs, "who knows?"

[Soshi Eiji]

"Hm, perhaps." Eiji replied.

"But then again, when our Emerald Champion announced the punishment of Lion samurai, people far beneath him did stand up, made their voices heard, and the Emerald Champion had to change his mind."

He smiled a bit.

"There are many verses to the song of Kasuga-sama, but there is not one about her simply drifting along wherever the waves may carry her. She plots a course, hoists the sail, and with her hand on the tiller, she chooses where she goes. "

"The waves will do what they will, but where is Kasuga-sama charting a course to?" he asked.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"You did train among the Bards, didn't you?" Izumi says, smiling.

"I'm no stranger to laying a firm hand on a fulsome tiller, certainly," she continues. "But I'll put in first at my home port before sailing forth again. Cargo has to be taken on before any new journey, and different crews are needed for different purposes..

"Besides," she adds, "there's to be so much cooperation on the waves, now, we'll have to sail yet further to find our fortunes."

[Soshi Eiji]

A small shrug from Eiji.

"Calm waters better suit estblished merchants. Rough waves are the fate of those who seek something more than a fat purse." he offers.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"A fat purse buys a lot of rice," Izumi replies. "And a navy sails on its stomach no less than an army marches on its.

"But you're not entirely right about waters. Full calm moves nothing. There has to be enough difference to draw currents, both in the air and in the water, or to make plying the oars worth doing."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji considered that thoughtfully. She wasn't entirely wrong.

"A good point, Kasuga-sama. I would suppose that fully calm water provides little other than something to reflect upon. Perhaps moving to oneself as one might reflect upon their past lives in Meido, but leaving one unable to affect change upon this world in either case." he offered.

[Kasuga Izumi]

"Something like that," Izumi replies.

"Other than looking to which way the winds will blow," she continues, "what does Soshi-san have planned for after court? So skilled a diplomat must have some inkling of his next posting."

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji chuckles a bit at that.

"You honor me with your praise, Kasuga-sama. If we continue the nautical allegory, while Kasuga-sama is on a boat with a hand on the tiller, court has had me feeling more like I was pushed off a boat and have been swimming in the deep sea. More focused on keeping my head above water and reaching land than which inn I'll be staying at when I get there." he offered with a grin.

"I will serve where I am posted, but I believe it likely that I will be spending time as a diplomatic liason to the Lion somewhere. As a former Lion, I have a good deal of insight of how to deal with them....and I know where the good inns are as well."

[Kasuga Izumi]

Izumi nods.

"That's an important consideration," she says. "Good food and clean beds do more than many will admit for the work we must all do."