[D9, LM] Carve the Lands | Closed

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Bushi had remained quietly by the wayside. Unobtrusive and quiet. He was wearing a new outfit a full three piece suit in their clan's colors. The mask sat on his face for the first time since eny of them had seen him, his full daisho sat firmly on his hip, Ichitaiyo might even be able to tell he had a sidearm holstered under his jacket. Was it still him if he sat behind that threatenng visage?

"We can certainly arrange a meeting for you to recruit Susumu Sumiko to your efforts in this event."

The talkative, charming, flirty man was... why was he so still and high strung all of a sudden?

[Tamori Kanna]

"A Spider?" Kanna cocked her head, surprised, almost waiting for further elaboration.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Yes, a Susumu. She's a very talented IT expert. Approachable. But I would hurry were I in your shoes. The Mantis will probably be out there seeking alliances, as well."

With that she raises to her feet. "I have your contact info, Kitsuki san. I will call you as soon as possible with an answer. I have to run this by the rest of the delegation, as well." She offers a bow and turns to Kanna. Again with her stupidly sexy smirk. "Enchanted, Tamori san. I will be praying to the fortunes that we meet again. Hinata san will tell you more about Susumu san." She grins to her clanmate. "He seems rather knowledgeable."

With that she makes her exit.

(Senshu will call after a few post exchanges with a response)

[Bayushi Hinata]

As Senshuken makes her exit Hinata give her a bow. The amsk inscrutable in it's artificially threatening nature. The eyes shift as he turns towards the two dragons with his arms crossed. As the silence hangs something unexpected happens, they can both see the mask itself raises an eyebrow, the glowing golden eyes shift between the two with an almost imperceptible whirr.

"Let's say this is a token of our generosity. The spider have little hope for any prizes in this court. They are at odds with the crab as per usual, hence they will remain available as allies as long as you do not point them towards their pre-existing friends. The Crane for example. But iuf you offer her something worth her time, Ssusumu Sumiko-san is a perfectly capable hacker and programmer, her skillset may even allow for backdoor access to a few other systems."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"And, as long the Crab are not aware of our connection to them." Ichitaiyo pointed out, tilting her head softly.

"Sounds like.. you are allied to Susuma-san, yet, wary of the price of giving her a due."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"She's a far more useful ally in this event than myself. But she is not under our wing, if she calls for a price it'll be yours to pay." The mechanical voice declares in it's artificial tone. The young man looks imposing, imperious standing over the two seated dragon.

"The Scorpion can only promise their own aid, not that of those beyond our purview. But information we do manage. If you wish for an in-person meeting with Susumu-san, it can be arranged."

[Bayushi Senshuken]

A text from Senshuken to Ichitaiyo's communicator:

The Mantis raise the offer to two holdings. Do you see it?

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

A text from Senshuken to Ichitaiyo's communicator:

The Mantis raise the offer to two holdings. Do you see it?

Ichitaiyo frowned as she read the message, and extended it for Kanna to read.

"I say we match it."

[Tamori Kanna]

Ichitaiyo frowned as she read the message, and extended it for Kanna to read.

"I say we match it."

Accepting the communicator, Kanna read the message too. Her smile remained, but it was more forced now, a subtle shift visible to the Kitsuki. Was it... a touch of disappointment?

"Match, but no more," she agreed after a few moments thought, carefully weighing the possibilities. Already she felt a stone like regret in her stomach when she had said it, but it was too late now. Words were like swords, she had heard.

"She's a far more useful ally in this event than myself. But she is not under our wing, if she calls for a price it'll be yours to pay." The mechanical voice declares in it's artificial tone. The young man looks imposing, imperious standing over the two seated dragon.

"The Scorpion can only promise their own aid, not that of those beyond our purview. But information we do manage. If you wish for an in-person meeting with Susumu-san, it can be arranged."

"I think we will manage to find her, should we need her services. Your information has been noted, Bayushi-san," Kanna replied to Hinata as the attention returned to him. "Thank you." It was polite, as expected of Kanna.

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Kami favour your endeavours. There is much at stakje these last few days." He says, his voice brimming with static.

The Scorpion nods, then gives each of them a bow. The mask looks to the side before his body follows suit. Making his own exit, looking for the other Scorpion. It looked like a long day ahead.

/Exit

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Accepting the communicator, Kanna read the message too. Her smile remained, but it was more forced now, a subtle shift visible to the Kitsuki. Was it... a touch of disappointment?

"Match, but no more," she agreed after a few moments thought, carefully weighing the possibilities. Already she felt a stone like regret in her stomach when she had said it, but it was too late now. Words were like swords, she had heard.

"She's a far more useful ally in this event than myself. But she is not under our wing, if she calls for a price it'll be yours to pay." The mechanical voice declares in it's artificial tone. The young man looks imposing, imperious standing over the two seated dragon.

"The Scorpion can only promise their own aid, not that of those beyond our purview. But information we do manage. If you wish for an in-person meeting with Susumu-san, it can be arranged."

"I think we will manage to find her, should we need her services. Your information has been noted, Bayushi-san," Kanna replied to Hinata as the attention returned to him. "Thank you." It was polite, as expected of Kanna.

Ichitaiyo nodded gravely, and sent the respective message, closing the communicator and awaiting the response appropiatedly.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with Bayushi-sama as well. I cannot speak for Usagi-no-Yomogi, and time pressing enough that I needed your consent to take desicions."

And Ichitaiyo, formally as always, bowed before the member of higher status.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

It's a deal then!

Another text.

[Tamori Kanna]

Ichitaiyo nodded gravely, and sent the respective message, closing the communicator and awaiting the response appropiatedly.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with Bayushi-sama as well. I cannot speak for Usagi-no-Yomogi, and time pressing enough that I needed your consent to take desicions."

And Ichitaiyo, formally as always, bowed before the member of higher status.

"I understand, you don't need to apologize to me," Kanna nodded as she assured the Kitsuki, and took a sip of tea to allow some more time to pass after the Scorpion's departure.

"... I'm so disappointed in them, Ichitaiyo," she finally confessed after the silence. "Treating their allies so... harshly. Using the Mantis, our clans' rivals, to press us further like that. It's simply rude." This was probably some of the harshest words Kanna had ever spoken on this world, apart from the stuff she shouted at the kidnapper-serial-killer.

A part of her wished she could see the Scorpion knocked down a peg and lose the winning bid on Nakahama. But, her honor and nature just wouldn't allow herself to linger on it too long.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"I understand, you don't need to apologize to me," Kanna nodded as she assured the Kitsuki, and took a sip of tea to allow some more time to pass after the Scorpion's departure.

"... I'm so disappointed in them, Ichitaiyo," she finally confessed after the silence. "Treating their allies so... harshly. Using the Mantis, our clans' rivals, to press us further like that. It's simply rude." This was probably some of the harshest words Kanna had ever spoken on this world, apart from the stuff she shouted at the kidnapper-serial-killer.

A part of her wished she could see the Scorpion knocked down a peg and lose the winning bid on Nakahama. But, her honor and nature just wouldn't allow herself to linger on it too long.

"Alliances mean different things to different people, Kanna-sama, to some are friends, to others are trusted people you do business with, to others they are just pieces. And today Bayushi-sama had decided to liken herself closer to a yakuza rather than a sly courtier that precedes the Scorpion's reputation. I knew from the day I met her, that all relationships in her life are just utilitarian."

And with that, Ichitayo extended a silence to let that note finish their moment with Senshuken, before straightening up and facing her Dragon partner.

"I hope it is not undue, Kanna, but, may I.. speak of my own.. 'business'?" she requested, a tinge of trepidation and anxiety tinting her words.

[Tamori Kanna]

"I hope it is not undue, Kanna, but, may I.. speak of my own.. 'business'?" she requested, a tinge of trepidation and anxiety tinting her words.

She couldn't help but agree in Ichitaiyo's assessment of the Bayushi, as loathe as she was to admit that someone of such a noteworthy lineage was behaving that way. Truly, the Scorpion had managed to summon a rare feeling in Kanna - disgust.

The trepidation in Ichitaiyo's words caught her a little off-guard, and Kanna set down her teacup. "Of course, Ichitaiyo. You can speak freely with me!"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

She couldn't help but agree in Ichitaiyo's assessment of the Bayushi, as loathe as she was to admit that someone of such a noteworthy lineage was behaving that way. Truly, the Scorpion had managed to summon a rare feeling in Kanna - disgust.

The trepidation in Ichitaiyo's words caught her a little off-guard, and Kanna set down her teacup. "Of course, Ichitaiyo. You can speak freely with me!"

The warmth put the Inspector at ease and she nodded, straightening up, despite the bundle of nerves that knotted on her belly and tightened her breath.

"This is.. well, about my future. What we have spoken about. I would like to.. request, if you could use your position, a telling of my general performance and the rescue, to have your parents or your Lord, to request my services to my hierarchy."

A breath in.

"I will do any duty that the Tamoris request of me. Anything. All as long I can no longer be used as a rag by my own Lord."

[Tamori Kanna]

The warmth put the Inspector at ease and she nodded, straightening up, despite the bundle of nerves that knotted on her belly and tightened her breath.

"This is.. well, about my future. What we have spoken about. I would like to.. request, if you could use your position, a telling of my general performance and the rescue, to have your parents or your Lord, to request my services to my hierarchy."

A breath in.

"I will do any duty that the Tamoris request of me. Anything. All as long I can no longer be used as a rag by my own Lord."

Kanna had had a feeling that this question would come at some point. And to a certain degree she had been waiting for Ichitaiyo to decide if that was what she really wanted, after the tarot-reading she had done for her.

"I will brave the paperwork and ask my parents on your behalf, Ichitaiyo," she said with certainty. "If that is what you wish, I will do what is in my power to see your duties transferred to us."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Kanna had had a feeling that this question would come at some point. And to a certain degree she had been waiting for Ichitaiyo to decide if that was what she really wanted, after the tarot-reading she had done for her.

"I will brave the paperwork and ask my parents on your behalf, Ichitaiyo," she said with certainty. "If that is what you wish, I will do what is in my power to see your duties transferred to us."

Ichitaiyo stood from her seating and bent down past straight to Kanna, her white bangs concealing her expression.

"Thank you, Kanna.." The voice uttered, as if choked by something, overwhelmed..

[Tamori Kanna]

Ichitaiyo stood from her seating and bent down past straight to Kanna, her white bangs concealing her expression.

"Thank you, Kanna.." The voice uttered, as if choked by something, overwhelmed..

"Oh..." Kanna pressed her hands to her own mouth, feeling overwhelmed too at seeing how much it mattered to her friend. "Please, you're gonna make me cry..." she said with a laugh and started to fan her eyes.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Oh..." Kanna pressed her hands to her own mouth, feeling overwhelmed too at seeing how much it mattered to her friend. "Please, you're gonna make me cry..." she said with a laugh and started to fan her eyes.

"Oh. Well- Uhm. It's- I guess two of us.." Ichitaiyo chuckled among her choked self-restraint. "Can.. Can we hug it and not mention it ever?"