(D1, LM) Getting the Gang Together (Expecting)

[Bayushi Mitsu]

"You going to do anything to remind her not to interrupt you again then?" She glanced to the Shosuro then away.

"The Crane here are so serious, and ... prickly..."

"And since it's us and we rarely don't have anything going on behind the scenes then I ask if there's anything extra I need to be doing with my time other than drinking away my memory of being here."

"Indeed. I would hate to think we'll end up with the same kind of messy affair that happened in Tsuma. I am sympathetic to the occasional need to turn in a cousin, mind you," Mitsu added, turning his gaze on Minae, "but I'd rather we neatly avoid it."

He glanced aside at Luixian. "You know if you want to construct a graceful exit I am happy to assist..."

(Edit: missed the second 'you' in the last line)

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"You going to do anything to remind her not to interrupt you again then?" She glanced to the Shosuro then away.

Hikimasu didn't answer. Perhaps he thought a Mantis can make their own trouble for the Crane.

Or maybe he gave less than a crap either way

When Mitsu mentioned them being prickly. "You met the masked one, I see."

[Bayushi Mitsu]

When Mitsu mentioned them being prickly. "You met the masked one, I see."

"Ah!" He looked from Shosuro to the others, back and forth. "Ah!" He pointed at Shosuro. "See? Yes!"

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"He is simply full of himself and must be right", Hikimasu shrugged. "Terse comments don't allow him room to maneuver."

[Bayushi Minae]

"Indeed. I would hate to think we'll end up with the same kind of messy affair that happened in Tsuma. I am sympathetic to the occasional need to turn in a cousin, mind you," Mitsu added, turning his gaze on Minae, "but I'd rather we neatly avoid it."

He glanced aside at Luixian. "You know if you want to construct a graceful exit I am happy to assist..."

(Edit: missed the second 'you' in the last line)

Minae gave Mitsu her more winning smile.

"Oh of course, Bayushi-san. He was a dangerous rogue agent who sought to upset the Topaz championship itself for his own petty need for revenge. Can you imagine what would have happened had he not been caught red handed by last year's champion? Kakita Reina would have made the three cuts for her injuring her opponent. The Topaz Championship, one of the most prestigious events of the Empire owned by the Crane since time before counting, would have been sullied. It would have been a major source of embarrassment for the Crane." she related.

She fanned herself lightly.

"Oh how terrible that would have been. And, of course, the Scorpion clan would never be directly involved in a plot that failed so badly."


One got the distinct impression that the status of 'rogue agent' may have been firmly applied AFTER the plot failed openly.

[Bayushi Luixian]

He glanced aside at Luixian. "You know if you want to construct a graceful exit I am happy to assist..."

(Edit: missed the second 'you' in the last line)

"That is rather tempting but something tells me that a graceful exit from you would be less than liveable."

She answered. Then fell into silence. These courtly politic matters were above her head so she focused on listening rather than talking.