[Day 14, Mid-Morning] I Fucking Knew It (Open)

[Shiba Raizo]

"No promises. Of course, there's also the teeny, tiny problem of Shiba Raizo being betrothed to Shika Whoever-The-Fuck. I doubt the Phoenix will be too happy if I take a walk. So. I'm considering my options."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"No actually, promise me, Shiba Raizo-san."

Moshu's voice came with a sternness drink was averse to.

"You have no idea how much worse you will make your situation if you legitimately kill someone over this miai. A rejection of the miai can be excused and forgotten by both sides, you killing one of them over it will begin anywhere between your certain death to a blood feud."

[Shiba Raizo]

"Then they should have fucking thought their ridiculous goddamn process through before inviting a guy who's been doing nothing but kill people in squalid, ugly fights in the Phoenix hinterlands since getting his swords."

He let his breath hiss through his teeth.

"They've made me want to kill them, and I haven't wanted to kill any of the bandits, Yobanjin, Mantis, or other poor bastards I've run into. And I think you might underestimate the consequences of telling them their pairing is an act of fucking cruelty, both to me and to whichever poor idiot they've decided to fob off on me."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"They"

Moshu began with emphasis,

"Are a select minority within the clan, not the ones you'll likely be forced to face down. They'll be the poor bastards you were forced to fight, not the people you hate. And do you really think your clan would turn down not only a talented shugenja, but one of their more dedicated warriors coming back together? Do you really think they'd let a minor clan bully them so?"

[Shiba Raizo]

"I think, Kitsu-san, that the Phoenix would go, 'we ordered you to go to that miai, you rejected the pairing set for you and came back unwed, how the hell does that make us look?'"

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"If that is, truly and honestly, what they'd do,"

The Kitsu's disgust was obvious at this point,

"Then they don't deserve you. But I know the Phoenix more for genuine compassion than I do for the Crane courtesy you put forth, and so I imagine they will be happy to wed another Shugenja into their family."

...Was he going to do it again?

[Aimi]

"Well now," comes a voice from the doorway, "Ain't this a pretty sight."

Aimi is once again in her rough, practical travelling clothes, the fancy garments tucked away save for the needle in her hair. A heavy travelling pack hangs on one shoulder, and in her hands she carries her staff of ancient wood.

"You know, Raizo, I have to ask," she says, strolling over to take a seat at the table, "Were you planning to come and see me stinking drunk? Or was the plan to just avoid me entirely?"

[Shiba Raizo]

"Well now," comes a voice from the doorway, "Ain't this a pretty sight."

Aimi is once again in her rough, practical travelling clothes, the fancy garments tucked away save for the needle in her hair. A heavy travelling pack hangs on one shoulder, and in her hands she carries her staff of ancient wood.

"You know, Raizo, I have to ask," she says, strolling over to take a seat at the table, "Were you planning to come and see me stinking drunk? Or was the plan to just avoid me entirely?"

He cocked his head at her. Blinked.

Half-smiled, despite everything.

"See, this is why they fucked up, you call me on my crap, Aimi. Always did. I was actually planning on getting good and sauced, crying a lot, doing something stupid, and then, if I survived it, coming to see you. But as usual, you're ahead of me."

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"Well, I wish I could say that I don't know about finagling this half...or full way drunk in the morning, but that would be lying." Yoshi seems fairly unperturbed by the sight in play. He picks up a bottle from the counter and takes a long swig.

"Now...they send people to the Deer if you want someone to get married. You send someone to a Tortoise if you want people to get what they want."

Yoshi inclines a small bow to those gathered, particularly the "applicable parties".

"Shiba-san, Aimi-san, may I be bold in suggesting that...none of us particularly our first choices?"

[Aimi]

He cocked his head at her. Blinked.

Half-smiled, despite everything.

"See, this is why they fucked up, you call me on my crap, Aimi. Always did. I was actually planning on getting good and sauced, crying a lot, doing something stupid, and then, if I survived it, coming to see you. But as usual, you're ahead of me."

"Seems like you're lucky to have someone willing to put up with that, then," Aimi says with a wry smile, before nodding at Moshumaru, "And a friend to pull you out of the hole you seem so willing to dig for yourself. My thanks, Kitsu-san, for keeping my handsome idiot out of too much trouble."