Day 3 | Late Evening | Cages | Expecting

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

After the hub-drum of the party had began to die down, yells being quelled into whispers and groans, Ichitaiyo found her perch on a balcony, watching over the lights of the city and the distant crashing of the waves, waiting for the host of the celebrations to finally drift over to converse.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

After the hub-drum of the party had began to die down, yells being quelled into whispers and groans, Ichitaiyo found her perch on a balcony, watching over the lights of the city and the distant crashing of the waves, waiting for the host of the celebrations to finally drift over to converse.

It takes a few minutes as Ochiba is alternatively chivvying people out the door and directing the extraction of various party paraphernalia (like, chocolate fountains) but the Mantis eventually makes her way out to the balcony, leaning back against it with a yawn.

“Now that was a party. And I am still pleasantly buzzed.”
Looking over with a smirk.
“Congratulations on your victory, oh mighty shogun. What’s up?”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

It takes a few minutes as Ochiba is alternatively chivvying people out the door and directing the extraction of various party paraphernalia (like, chocolate fountains) but the Mantis eventually makes her way out to the balcony, leaning back against it with a yawn.

“Now that was a party. And I am still pleasantly buzzed.”
Looking over with a smirk.
“Congratulations on your victory, oh mighty shogun. What’s up?”

"Just wanna talk about.. life. Woman to woman.." Ichitaiyo spoke with a, definitively a little more than buzzed, and a smudge of the late chocolate fountain on the corner of her lips, each word punctuated with a shift or move of her arms too wide. She was drunk drunk. "You.. feel wise. That you know something I don't."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Just wanna talk about.. life. Woman to woman.." Ichitaiyo spoke with a, definitively a little more than buzzed, and a smudge of the late chocolate fountain on the corner of her lips, each word punctuated with a shift or move of her arms too wide. She was drunk drunk. "You.. feel wise. That you know something I don't."

“Uh-wise?” Her eyebrows rise
“Umm. Well I don’t, I guess maybe at some stuff. Like big picture stuff? I know what I’m about at least, that’s pretty wide.”

She scoops a napkin off a nearby table and an empty cup of water.
“First step… you’re gonna wanna use these. Now, tell me what’s up? You met someone? Committed a crime? Considering committing crime?

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Uh-wise?” Her eyebrows rise
“Umm. Well I don’t, I guess maybe at some stuff. Like big picture stuff? I know what I’m about at least, that’s pretty wide.”

She scoops a napkin off a nearby table and an empty cup of water.
“First step… you’re gonna wanna use these. Now, tell me what’s up? You met someone? Committed a crime? Considering committing crime?

She holds out a hand and counts them over and over...

"Maybe.. the latter." she giggled, as if she hadn't admitted to something dangerous. She takes the glass of water and sips off it. "I.. well.. long story short, been realizing some parts of my life kinda suck, and I need some exit plans maybe. Or.. something to change things. Dunno."

She turns back to the lights.

"Are you up to listen to some personal stuff, or you'd rather keep it impersonal?

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

She holds out a hand and counts them over and over...

"Maybe.. the latter." she giggled, as if she hadn't admitted to something dangerous. She takes the glass of water and sips off it. "I.. well.. long story short, been realizing some parts of my life kinda suck, and I need some exit plans maybe. Or.. something to change things. Dunno."

She turns back to the lights.

"Are you up to listen to some personal stuff, or you'd rather keep it impersonal?

“Ooooh. I am absolutely intrigued, I thought you were kinda strait laced. But I’m so excited to hear you’re making plans.”

Lacing her hands behind her back and leaning back
“As you saw with Kuni-sama, apparently I’m just the kind of criminal you can talk to about stuff. He’s probably at home right now just visualising all the crimes I’m doing.”

She grabs a nearby half drunk beer and takes a swig
“Feel free to get personal, I’d feel a little hurt if someone couldn’t be honest with me wearing a dress like that.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Ooooh. I am absolutely intrigued, I thought you were kinda strait laced. But I’m so excited to hear you’re making plans.”

Lacing her hands behind her back and leaning back
“As you saw with Kuni-sama, apparently I’m just the kind of criminal you can talk to about stuff. He’s probably at home right now just visualising all the crimes I’m doing.”

She grabs a nearby half drunk beer and takes a swig
“Feel free to get personal, I’d feel a little hurt if someone couldn’t be honest with me wearing a dress like that.”

Ichitaiyo snorted and set her green reptilian eyes over the Mantis. "The long and short of it is that my dad loved my mom and married it. But she was a peasant. He could take the hit and glares, he was a big shot.. but my old folks passed some years ago, after my gempukku, nobody wanted me serving them, and the one who did is a bitch who likes to remind me I'm worthless and steals my work."

Kami, she could use another swig of wine.

"I'm going to rock the fuck out of all this business for the Dragon's favor, and still I'm going back home, and get shit on.. I'm tired. Real tired..."

And she raised a finger. "And no, I'm not gonna marry the first person that comes across me to get out- don't wanna use somebody like that."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

[
Ichitaiyo snorted and set her green reptilian eyes over the Mantis. "The long and short of it is that my dad loved my mom and married it. But she was a peasant. He could take the hit and glares, he was a big shot.. but my old folks passed some years ago, after my gempukku, nobody wanted me serving them, and the one who did is a bitch who likes to remind me I'm worthless and steals my work."

Kami, she could use another swig of wine.

"I'm going to rock the fuck out of all this business for the Dragon's favor, and still I'm going back home, and get shit on.. I'm tired. Real tired..."

And she raised a finger. "And no, I'm not gonna marry the first person that comes across me to get out- don't wanna use somebody like that."

“…Damn, I had the rings ready to go and everything.”
She offers the now 2/3 dunk beer bottle over

“So, you’re kinda fucked?… damn. Peasant mom, tough shit. She must have been one hell of a woman. And your boss is bad news too? Mmmhm.”

Nodding slowly
“And you can’t take it anymore, and you’re pretty buzzed and you’re thinking about doing something stupid and reckless because the thought of going back is just so horrible?”

Pause
“Hell. Yeah. There’s gonna be a way out of this. Whether you call in some favours or you know, you deal with stuff a bit more directly. But your days of getting trod on are gonna come to an end one way or the other.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“…Damn, I had the rings ready to go and everything.”
She offers the now 2/3 dunk beer bottle over

“So, you’re kinda fucked?… damn. Peasant mom, tough shit. She must have been one hell of a woman. And your boss is bad news too? Mmmhm.”

Nodding slowly
“And you can’t take it anymore, and you’re pretty buzzed and you’re thinking about doing something stupid and reckless because the thought of going back is just so horrible?”

Pause
“Hell. Yeah. There’s gonna be a way out of this. Whether you call in some favours or you know, you deal with stuff a bit more directly. But your days of getting trod on are gonna come to an end one way or the other.”

She takes the lukewarm beer, and brings down a very unladylike gulp from it.

"If I don't find a solution, might as well go back. Shoot her myself, and let the magistrates take me down in a blaze of glory." and let out a weary sigh.

She knew she was too much of a coward to do it.

"So, yeah, I'm looking for other perspectives, and I feel you're the one I've met that isn't going to sell me on some huggey-woogey conciliatory bull."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

She takes the lukewarm beer, and brings down a very unladylike gulp from it.

"If I don't find a solution, might as well go back. Shoot her myself, and let the magistrates take me down in a blaze of glory." and let out a weary sigh.

She knew she was too much of a coward to do it.

"So, yeah, I'm looking for other perspectives, and I feel you're the one I've met that isn't going to sell me on some huggey-woogey conciliatory bull."

“Oh yeah. Screw that, what you’re gonna hug it out and then she’s gonna start treating you right?”
Fiercely
“This empire doesn’t give you shit if you aren’t born to it. You have to take it for yourself. Not for your family, not for your clan, you.”

Ochiba slams a fist into her palm for emphasis.


“So, options. You can try and force another posting, you can look at bribes or blackmail or you try and take her out.”
Glancing over
“I don’t do that sort of stuff myself, but it’s a big empire. You got any leverage with anyone?”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Oh yeah. Screw that, what you’re gonna hug it out and then she’s gonna start treating you right?”
Fiercely
“This empire doesn’t give you shit if you aren’t born to it. You have to take it for yourself. Not for your family, not for your clan, you.”

Ochiba slams a fist into her palm for emphasis.


“So, options. You can try and force another posting, you can look at bribes or blackmail or you try and take her out.”
Glancing over
“I don’t do that sort of stuff myself, but it’s a big empire. You got any leverage with anyone?”

"To have another posting, somebody has to want and desire me. For that, I still have to show I am worth having by fulfilling my duties with excellence. That, or desire to punish me by sending me to a bad post. Which, frankly, it is very possible." The Dragon co-conspired. "Blackmail.. well, if you didn't know, I am not a mere adjutant, but a Fixer. I do whatever cannot be seen.. however, any of it comes out, I'm the one that will take the fall, even if it was under orders."

She hummed, thinking. "But Green Carp is the perfect place to make contacts and connections all the same."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

“Funny how ‘just following orders’ never works for the folks who can’t say no but always seems to save their superiors. No shame in being a professional shitkicker though.”

Pondering
“Tamori Kanna is from quite a wealthy family. They probably could use the service of a fixer… honestly she might as well. But she’s done me some favours so I’d expect her to be treated right.”

Ochiba’s tone indicates she’s not messing around on that.

“Then you could always get the Crab to offer the Dragon something but on the condition you had to be the one to oversee. Get the clan to create you a position here. Might be worth throwing yourself on the governor for that, not literally though, that’s my job.”

Continuing on
“Or, amass enough favours here you can just setup your own shop. Lot of out of clanners hanging around islands doing their thing.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Funny how ‘just following orders’ never works for the folks who can’t say no but always seems to save their superiors. No shame in being a professional shitkicker though.”

Pondering
“Tamori Kanna is from quite a wealthy family. They probably could use the service of a fixer… honestly she might as well. But she’s done me some favours so I’d expect her to be treated right.”

Ochiba’s tone indicates she’s not messing around on that.

“Then you could always get the Crab to offer the Dragon something but on the condition you had to be the one to oversee. Get the clan to create you a position here. Might be worth throwing yourself on the governor for that, not literally though, that’s my job.”

Continuing on
“Or, amass enough favours here you can just setup your own shop. Lot of out of clanners hanging around islands doing their thing.”

"Don't worry, if I'm not involving Kanna-sama yet, is because I want her to have a whole picture of the situation if I'm going for that angle. And any friendship must be real too. I can play dirty, but not with her." The Fixer replied, reaching for the warm beer again and sipping. She was going to regret this tomorrow.

"I hadn't thought of the Crab angle.. good one. I just.. have to find the way to make myself useful. Maybe we can combine it two ways. I move the pieces so all my tokens go to the Tamoris, they get their leg in Green Carp, given that she has built better relations with the.. more publicly nice parts of the governance, at the piece of a post here. Kitsukis might be pissed, but it's not like they can't be any worse with me, and it is still loyal to the Dragon. I like that."

And a beat of pause. "And finally, just outta curiosity, what would I have to do to earn the favors with you?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

And a beat of pause. "And finally, just outta curiosity, what would I have to do to earn the favors with you?"
[/quote]

“Me?” Grinning lazily “that’s hard. You ain’t got enough money for a bribe, I don’t think you can kill anyone I can’t kill and I don’t need a fixer right now.”

Shrugging slightly
“Dunno, give me some pointers on getting in with Governor, like useful info, or help the Clan out with all this investment stuff. Risky though if it’s public. I’m a simple woman, and now I’m flush it takes a pretty powerful samurai to be able to offer me anything worth causing trouble over.

What would you be convincing me to off anyway? Can’t imagine you want a life of salvaging between the stars.”

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

And a beat of pause. "And finally, just outta curiosity, what would I have to do to earn the favors with you?"

“Me?” Grinning lazily “that’s hard. You ain’t got enough money for a bribe, I don’t think you can kill anyone I can’t kill and I don’t need a fixer right now.”

Shrugging slightly
“Dunno, give me some pointers on getting in with Governor, like useful info, or help the Clan out with all this investment stuff. Risky though if it’s public. I’m a simple woman, and now I’m flush it takes a pretty powerful samurai to be able to offer me anything worth causing trouble over.

What would you be convincing me to off anyway? Can’t imagine you want a life of salvaging between the stars.”
[/quote]

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Me?” Grinning lazily “that’s hard. You ain’t got enough money for a bribe, I don’t think you can kill anyone I can’t kill and I don’t need a fixer right now.”

Shrugging slightly
“Dunno, give me some pointers on getting in with Governor, like useful info, or help the Clan out with all this investment stuff. Risky though if it’s public. I’m a simple woman, and now I’m flush it takes a pretty powerful samurai to be able to offer me anything worth causing trouble over.

What would you be convincing me to off anyway? Can’t imagine you want a life of salvaging between the stars.”

Ichitaiyo shrugged. "I need to keep all options open. More exit strategies, the better. But I'm not gonna go back there, that's for sure."

"Well, that was most of my piece. A big fat declaration of intent, drunken ravings and knowing that somebody is on my side without judging me for it."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

[snip

Ichitaiyo shrugged. "I need to keep all options open. More exit strategies, the better. But I'm not gonna go back there, that's for sure."

"Well, that was most of my piece. A big fat declaration of intent, drunken ravings and knowing that somebody is on my side without judging me for it."
[/quote]

“Well we can always take you on as a crewman, but let’s save that as absolute last resort.”

Shaking her head with a smile
“Made a few drunken declarations of intent in my time. Maybe I was judged maybe I wasn’t. But it was nice to be on the other side. I’m rooting for you Kitsuki-san, let me know if there anything else I can help with. If only to stick it to the powers that be.”

Yawning
“Speaking of, am I calling you a cab? Otherwise I got a couple guest rooms that have to be more comfortable than wherever you’re bunking. I think one is all leopard print if that’s your style?”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Well we can always take you on as a crewman, but let’s save that as absolute last resort.”

Shaking her head with a smile
“Made a few drunken declarations of intent in my time. Maybe I was judged maybe I wasn’t. But it was nice to be on the other side. I’m rooting for you Kitsuki-san, let me know if there anything else I can help with. If only to stick it to the powers that be.”

Yawning
“Speaking of, am I calling you a cab? Otherwise I got a couple guest rooms that have to be more comfortable than wherever you’re bunking. I think one is all leopard print if that’s your style?”

Ichitaiyo barked a sharp laugh at the image of a leopard print bed, her train of thought derrailed by the garish and systemic choice of guest beddings.

"You're gonna tell me that also they are the rotating kind of beds, no?" she added between snickers.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Ichitaiyo barked a sharp laugh at the image of a leopard print bed, her train of thought derrailed by the garish and systemic choice of guest beddings.

"You're gonna tell me that also they are the rotating kind of beds, no?" she added between snickers.

"Rotating? No don't be silly." Grinning "That one just has speakers and some personalized lighting, first night here it started strobing me, thought I was having a stroke. I mashed the controls and now it projects sunsets and shit...too scared to fiddle with it again, frankly."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Rotating? No don't be silly." Grinning "That one just has speakers and some personalized lighting, first night here it started strobing me, thought I was having a stroke. I mashed the controls and now it projects sunsets and shit...too scared to fiddle with it again, frankly."

Ichitaiyo snorted again, and with a very unwise notion, she decided to down the rest of the beer. "I think I'll take your guest room, as long I don't wake up with a dick on my face."