While no doubt still processing whatever has happened in court that day, Hoshiko had said she would follow up on the tales of the Kitsune daimyo (now deposed) chasing spiritual woes into the forest. With the ritual concluded, that at least freed up energy to return to that intention before the court ends entirely.

And so she finds herself at the door to the Minor Clan delegations' house asking after Kitsune Aiko.

"Asahina-san!" Aiko says as the Yamada heir reaches her. "A pleasure t' see you! What all c'n I do y' for?"

She gestures her inside towards a cushion. and takes one herself.

Hoshiko bows, a bow that's a touch deeper than it would have been a few days earlier, and moves to take the offered cushion when offered. "I'm here to ask mostly about your brother's ...researches? Obsession? If there's a true spiritual threat, do you think he's any more capable of managing it than he's been of managing the clan?"

"I don't b'lieve it's a threat, as such," Aiko says. "It ain't malevolent 'r nothin'. Just takes a person, like "

Hoshiko frowns a bit, "It's lost you a brother, by the sound of it, that's dangerous, even if not malevolent. Fire doesn't actively hate people in general, but it will happily burn your house around you."

"I don't mean to imply your folk can't handle it," except it seems maybe they can't. Or maybe they couldn't because of status and lines of command? "Hmm...does his um, demotion, make it easier for your own people to help him?"

"If we're thinkin' in terms o' fire," Aiko replies, "it's like he's a moth an' there's a big ol' bonfire there. It don't even notice him; he's flyin' at it somethin' fierce. But that ain't really right, b'cause it ain't gonna burn him.

"But, yeah, things'll ease up," she continues. "Won't have folks takin' somethin' he says outta context an' tryin' t' direct policy by it, now. Had some bad dealin's that way; took me months t' un-mess 'em."

Hoshiko nods. "Then it's mostly a risk to, other moths it sounds like, and that's more individual." She thinks of the strange Dragon and the trouble he could cause as a daimyo."

"For what it's worth, I apologize for speaking against an immediate appointment. I thought we would have a Hantei confirmed by season's end to have it properly done, and..." her hands lift with a helpless shrug, "I was quite wrong in that assessment. I still worry at the precedent, but it's good you will not have that additional burden in the troubled times to come."

"Look," Aiko says, "I know it's a oddity. An' I know it ain't somethin' th' Crane're likley t' face. But your a shugenja; you know th' spirits have their own ways, an' you know there's some as get too wrapped up in 'em.

"Y'ain't got nothin' t' 'pologize for, least not t' me."