D6EA/Horse: Flowers on Lunch Break (Open)

[Kakita Hana]

Hana takes a large bite and chews slowly, staring at the Tortoise.

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"Of course Otomo-sama. Alas, I have not had the" Yoshi pauses to select the proper word "auspicious occasion to have an audience with her since the beginning of the march. Her instructions to me were to keep scrupulous records, and as I did so I in fact know where the issue lies. The 4th's supplies were unaffected by the bandit raid, and in our good faith efforts to redistribute them received an excess of perishable food items from the other Kaisha's quartermasters in return." Yoshi clucks his tongue absently, as if sorry for those poor incompetents. "But it would be terribly rude to be ungrateful. So our camp followers prepared an excess to share at the start of the march to ensure it would not go to waste."

Yoshi smiles the dreamy smile of the servant who was a bit too fun to realize he was being vaguely threatened. "Her implied instructions were to not bother her with such trivialities, but if you wish to meet with her I am sure she would be delighted to hear so and I would do my best to arrange such if that is your wish."

Y

[Otomo Hana]

"I would not dream of having you go against her wishes to remain unidisturbed while you diligently execute her work, Kasuga-san." Hana assured with a small shake of the head. "I was merely curious. I've heard of her high standards for those who serve under her. If you have been meeting them so throughly, I don't doubt you will be assigned directly to her for a long time to come."

She took up a bit of her rice.

"Speaking of diligent service, I believe you were wanting to offering some throughts on ronin?"

[Isawa Hana]

"Yes," Hana says. "Do tell."

[Kakita Hana]

"I'm sure you've got a lot to say," Hana says.

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"I would not dream of having you go against her wishes to remain unidisturbed while you diligently execute her work, Kasuga-san." Hana assured with a small shake of the head. "I was merely curious. I've heard of her high standards for those who serve under her. If you have been meeting them so throughly, I don't doubt you will be assigned directly to her for a long time to come."

She took up a bit of her rice.

"Such a thing may come to pass. One must endeavor to be of service and the reward for good work is often more work." Yoshi does his best not to react, as having teeth knocked out sounds preferable to long term service with Karen-san.

"Speaking of diligent service, I believe you were wanting to offering some throughts on ronin?"

"Perhaps simply some insight as to why a ronin is heavily incentivized within with Imperial Legion system to remain loyal and why a commander might trust those incentives, along with the man, to place one in a position of authority. Perspective from one who is similarly lower than your nobles ladies."

"The Imperial Legions offer a way to rise in the eyes of the Empire. This is true of many: those who know they will not inherit, the ambitious, those in a dilemma they might not otherwise escape. While that is true for all, what other opportunities does a ronin have? If he has turn of fortune, to find work for coin. Perhaps, if very lucky, to find a Lord to serve. Yet, coin runs out. A Lord must also contend with his other samurai, those born with the right. The Legions...well I cannot remember a time when they would not take in men. We just did, in the last village. Of course, more than one noble samurai in our ranks may be sent to serve a term in the Legions to season them or win acclaim in the eyes of other Clans. Others may be called away for duties to their household, or for marriage. A ronin does not have those concerns. A ronin who rises to gunsho remains a gunsho if his commander departs. It is a stability that, once earned, is difficult to match for them."

"For betrayal...of whom? To whom? What coin or wealth can be awarded to a ronin that would keep them safe from the Judgement of Heavens, administered by those remaining who felt that betrayal's sting? What service can be awarded for betrayal of the Empire except for whoever had urged it on...and whoever serves as new Lord must know how easily that betrayal came."

"I am sure that some are so foolish. But there are ties unique to the Legions that can bind a ronin. If one has impressed a Rikugunshokan through dedicated service, those ties, and the commander's measure of the man...well, I can find little fault in that judgement."

Yoshi pauses. So far, these are things that he believes, but are generalities.

"But if you are speaking of a specific instance, there may be another reason."

Now it was to see if the flowers felt it was worthy to hear the second part.

[Otomo Hana]

Hana studied the back of her fan while she wondered if the Tortoise powered their ships via Yoshi's long-windedness. The other two had held their tongues long enough. The three had been together long enough that words weren't really needed to communicate her wishes. When she was bored, she'd either give a glance to the Isawa to heat things up, or to the Kakita to cut things off.

As it happened she glanced to the Isawa.

[Isawa Hana]

Hana says "Kasuga-san is clever. One wonders what that other reason might be."

She smiles a little at him, then delicately takes another bite of her meal.

Lunchtime is lunchtime, after all.

[Kakita Hana]

Hana says nothing, still chewing as she continues to look...coolly at the Tortoise.

She swallows, then takes another bite of her meal.

Lunchtime is lunchtime, after all.

[Kasuga Yoshi]

It didn't take much to see that this was a planned routine. They would always keep dancing around him. It was time to change the tempo.

"You say that you have watched the XO fight. The next time you have the chance, pay attention to his wakizashi. It's worn and faded, but the saya is green."

Yoshi pauses. "Add into that a man who fights with two blades, and who is reputed to have a long familiarity with Mirumoto-Rikugunshokan. It suggests a similar starting path, even as those roads have so diverged"

[Otomo Hana]

That got the Otomo's attention a little bit more.

"Ah, one wonders if you've been hanging out with Kitsuki-san, Kasuga-san. Perhaps you intend the field of supplies to become a famous magistrate? I've heard Slow Tide Harbor could use a few more of those." she suggests.

She took a bit of rice.

"It's not an unreasaonble supposition of facts, Kasuga-san, but not one I'd wish to argue before a magistrate without reasonable testimony. The Dragon clan are not the only clan that wears green..." she said with a faint smile.

"Unless you truly are Kitsuki Yoshi disguised as Kasuga Yoshi. Or if you were truly fanciful, perhaps you could suggest he is the former Emperor's secret brother who trained with the Mirumoto. Or he went shopping in a store overstocked with green sayas."

She shrugged a bit.

"Like I said, it's not bad logic...but it's also not proof."

[Isawa Hana]

Hana shakes her head and sighs ever so slightly.

[Kakita Hana]

Hana shakes her head.

"Maybe you're looking to add pillow books to your repertoire?" she says. "It'd be a good plot for one."

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"It is, to be honest, supposition. However, I am here to serve. From your words, you seemed to be searching for a thread to pursue for...whatever your purpose is." Yoshi does not seem put out. "If you'd request that I delve deeper on your behalf, I am a humble servant. If this conversation never happened..." He trails off, cocking his head slightly to see the reaction.

[Otomo Hana]

Well, his responses thus far at least kept the Otomo mildly entertained.

"Only in this matter, Kasuga-san? Humble servant is a somewhat specialized servant if all he is willing to do is track down ronin rumors." she questioned.

[Isawa Hana]

Hana smiles tightly.

"That might account for the humility, though," she says. "Knowing one's limitations would certainly be 'humble.'"

[Kakita Hana]

Hana smiles tightly.

"Virtuous, even."

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"Being humble is no flaw, so long as one does not use it to avoid greater challenges." Yoshi feels on more stable ground. "If your ladyship's have a specific task that you feel might expand my horizons I would endeavor to please you"

[Otomo Hana]

"Being humble is no flaw, so long as one does not use it to avoid greater challenges." Yoshi feels on more stable ground. "If your ladyship's have a specific task that you feel might expand my horizons I would endeavor to please you"

This provokes a small smile from the Otomo.

"One task for three laides, Kasuga-san? I thought you said 'humble servant' not 'lazy servant'." she teased.

[Isawa Hana]

Hana grins.

"Tortoises are noted to move, shall we say, deliberately," she quips.