[Day 5, Late Evening] The Fortune of Bad Decisions (Expecting)

[Kitsu Murato]

"You know, Inari is blessing me right now," he says taking a sip. "You are the smith. That spends morning at the temple. Soyokaze, if I'm remembering right." They had seen each other around certainly, but neither looks much like they recall the other by Murato's estimation.

"I got no problem with you speaking to me." He was obviously exhausted at this point, and was really hoping this would be unimportant. More stress and he might collapse and pass out here and now.

[Asahina Soyokaze]

Oh you know exactly who I am you...

Taking a seat across from the bard he began weakly. "It concerns Kaito Oubaihime-san and I am probably overstepping my bounds but my conscious demands I say something. It is obvious that you care for her and she in turn cares for you, I do not know how deeply and it is not my place to know such things but this is a Miai. He struggled for a second, trying to fight back emotion with Crane training. "Our two great glans are often at crossed purposes, soon we will be at war with another, again." He was clearly fighting back the need to cry but for the moment he was winning. "Are you really comfortable with dragging Bai-chan into our war?" His words were genuine, his concern for the Shrine Maiden very real and he found the courage to look directly into the Kitsu's eyes as he waited for a response.

[Kitsu Murato]

"I hadn't realized that the two of you were so close," Murato replied, then leans in. "But then, if you were that close you'd realize she doesn't need to be saved by any man. That she is a strong woman that can make up her own mind about what she wants and who she cares for. All of the clans go to war so in the grand scheme she will always be at risk of it simply because she is a samurai in the empire. If you truly want her to be safe from war then you just need to end all war. But then, if you could do that I might fall in love with you," he says with a shrug before leaning back and taking another sip.

[Asahina Soyokaze]

"This isn't about SAVING her I am simply looking out for a friend. Yes, all clans go to war, it is a sad fact but a fact none the less. But the possibility of war is different from the certainty of of war and our two clans seem destined for war. Right now Bai-chan lives am almost idyllic life, I don't want that replaced with grinding attrition and worrying about if your new husband is going to come home or not. Yes, if I had the power I would stop this war, all wars, are the Kitsu not aware of what the Asahina stand for?" He glanced from Murato to the other who got in his face. "Peace and nonviolence are at our core and we maintain a strong connection to the Phoenix clan from which our founder came so I hope you can see there are more than just superficial reasons for my saying this. If you care for her at all you will do what you must to make sure she doesn't become a Lion. If all you want is a dutiful bride...then I was greatly mistaken on what kind of man you are."

[Shiba Raizo]

Oh Sweet Benten's Beautiful Backside, is THAT what this shit is about?!

...

No, no, best we let these schmucks work it out so long as they keep their fists to themselves... if they can, DAMMIT Soyokaze, that last shot would be hard for him to ignore if he were sober...

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Oh Sweet Benten's Beautiful Backside, is THAT what this shit is about?!

...

No, no, best we let these schmucks work it out so long as they keep their fists to themselves... if they can, DAMMIT Soyokaze, that last shot would be hard for him to ignore if he were sober...

He nodded to the Shiba - he would keep blades down and there would be no violence. That said...

"This isn't about SAVING her I am simply looking out for a friend. Yes, all clans go to war, it is a sad fact but a fact none the less. But the possibility of war is different from the certainty of of war and our two clans seem destined for war. Right now Bai-chan lives am almost idyllic life, I don't want that replaced with grinding attrition and worrying about if your new husband is going to come home or not. Yes, if I had the power I would stop this war, all wars, are the Kitsu not aware of what the Asahina stand for?" He glanced from Murato to the other who got in his face. "Peace and nonviolence are at our core and we maintain a strong connection to the Phoenix clan from which our founder came so I hope you can see there are more than just superficial reasons for my saying this. If you care for her at all you will do what you must to make sure she doesn't become a Lion. If all you want is a dutiful bride...then I was greatly mistaken on what kind of man you are."

The Lion sat down with an audible sigh before addressing the wayward Crane.

"If you truly wish to strive for peace," began Moshumaru, "Then demand Doji Oharu stop petitioning the Deer clan to join in this war. What potential war Kaito-san will get involved with, which will likely be none since neither of us are deployed anywhere near the frontlines, is but one potential loss by their union, by your best estimate."

"And yet, you have and will do nothing while one of your own attempts to draw an entire minor clan into your war. I imagine you know an entire minor clan getting involved will drastically multiply the deaths involved, no? I understand that you have not made any part, but I am willing to bet the Phoenix will agree that the pacifist that simply views the violence from afar spectates from a bloodstained parasol."

"To further explore this idea, what if the Deer makes her a Lion, supposing we go along with it? Will you demand the Deer defy their ancestor's work, while also demanding their sacrifice to save your face?"

A sip.

"Will you? Or will your family and Shiba-san mourn your mistakes here and now? It is because I trust Shiba-san that I will prevent this coming to blows."

- - - -
D5 LE - Pushing Agenda (Earth/Tactics/Social) - stop the Deer providing military assistance to the Crane (void for +1 ring) | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 3


Opps:
1 Opp to reduce Soyokaze's strife by 2
1 Opp to reduce Raizo's strife by 2 (if possible)
1 Opp to increase the TN of Soyokaze's next roll by 1

Trigger Heart of the Lion to Agitate, reducing own strife by 2 and increasing Soyo's by 2, resulting in a net 0 change.

Agenda roll passed, +1 points to agenda

[Kitsu Murato]

Murato leans over to Moshumaru. "Stop treating me like I need to be saved," he whispers. "Or I'll have Taiko slip into your room and shave your head while you sleep. I am not an invalid."

He otherwise waits for the next barrage, obviously annoyed at being treated like a damsel in distress by his family member. It honestly only served to make Murato look like he couldn't fight his own battles, which was more insulting than the opinion of a drunk man he barely knew.

[Asahina Soyokaze]

Soyokaze shot the unknown Kitsu the closest thing to a death glare he had likely ever produced before returning his gaze to Murato awaiting his rebuttal. Seeing none forthcoming he hesitated a moment before continuing. "Have you nothing to say? Perhaps I was wrong in my estimation of your interest in Bai-chan." The young Crane suddenly looked both exhausted and relieved.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Murato leans over to Moshumaru. "Stop treating me like I need to be saved," he whispers. "Or I'll have Taiko slip into your room and shave your head while you sleep. I am not an invalid."

"I had my own business with the Asahina - the floor for your battle is yours."

He leaned back, impervious to the Crane's glare.

[Kitsu Murato]

"No, I'm just making sure my cousin does not plan to try and speak in my stead again. He can be overzealous when protecting family, as all Lion are."

He pauses to look at Moshumaru.

"First and foremost, you should not assume anything about me. You and I haven't had a single personal conversation to discuss such personal details. Second, I don't care what kind of man you think I am, just like I don't care what color your favorite netsuke is. They are equally meaningless pieces of information to me. Third, if she does not wish to be a Lion then she can tell me that herself. You do not make decisions for her, and the fact that you are trying to decide what is best for her when you are merely a suitor shows that you are the one looking for a 'dutiful wife'. I reiterate, she can make her own decisions. I will not make them for her. Stop... trying... to... determine... her... path... for... her. Is that a clear enough answer? Because I'm not about to go into how I feel about her with a stranger. I'll leave such public displays to you."