Seeking Second (D2, EA)

[Utaku Mukai]

The commander had told her to give his regards to her chui. She suspected it was probably intended as an empty politeness but, still, she had intended to meet the Shinjo soon anyway so killing two birds with one stone seemed a proper approach.

Having made sure Meilin was not otherwise occupied she had announced herself and now awaited the response.

[Shinjo Meilin]

The commander had told her to give his regards to her chui. She suspected it was probably intended as an empty politeness but, still, she had intended to meet the Shinjo soon anyway so killing two birds with one stone seemed a proper approach.

Having made sure Meilin was not otherwise occupied she had announced herself and now awaited the response.

"Utaku-san." came a voice from behind Mukai. "Forgive the wait, I've just come from my morning ride."

Behind Mukai was, in fact, her superior officer, hair slightly mussed from the wind.

"Do come in." she offered after a quick, but functional bow. After executing such, she swiftly entered her own tent, which was a fairly orderly affair, most of the items not currently needed packed up for the upcoming march.

[Utaku Mukai]

"Utaku-san." came a voice from behind Mukai. "Forgive the wait, I've just come from my morning ride."

Behind Mukai was, in fact, her superior officer, hair slightly mussed from the wind.

"Do come in." she offered after a quick, but functional bow. After executing such, she swiftly entered her own tent, which was a fairly orderly affair, most of the items not currently needed packed up for the upcoming march.

"No apologies needed, Shinjo-sama, thank you." After a quick bow Mukai follows the other Unicorn into the tent.

[Shinjo Meilin]

"No apologies needed, Shinjo-sama, thank you." After a quick bow Mukai follows the other Unicorn into the tent.

Having seated herself, the Shinjo set some documents to side, and gave the Utaku an appraising glance.

"So, what can I do for you, Utaku-san?" she asked, curious for the reason for the visit.

[Utaku Mukai]

Having seated herself, the Shinjo set some documents to side, and gave the Utaku an appraising glance.

"So, what can I do for you, Utaku-san?" she asked, curious for the reason for the visit.

"I had intended to meet at some point to make sure I knew of any needs of the Kaisha beyond simple duty. Last night I chanced to encounter the commander and he asked me to pass along his regards. So it seemed as good a time as any to do both."

[Shinjo Meilin]

"I had intended to meet at some point to make sure I knew of any needs of the Kaisha beyond simple duty. Last night I chanced to encounter the commander and he asked me to pass along his regards. So it seemed as good a time as any to do both."

Melin nodded.

"Efficient. However, the second has the honor of serving as the scouts on this expedition. As a Unicorn, I expect you to be riding hard for as long as Lady Sun graces us, looking diligenty for any threats. Some may find that overzealous, but the Emerald Legions' reputation was not earned nor kept through inaction." she offered.

She tlted her head slightly.

"But I suppose that does leave a few hours when Utaku-san is not sleeping or attending to basic necessities, and who am I to turn down a volunteer? Would it be fair to assume that Utaku-san has taken iniative in seeking ways to boost the army's strength and discipline on her own accord?"

[Utaku Mukai]

Melin nodded.

"Efficient. However, the second has the honor of serving as the scouts on this expedition. As a Unicorn, I expect you to be riding hard for as long as Lady Sun graces us, looking diligenty for any threats. Some may find that overzealous, but the Emerald Legions' reputation was not earned nor kept through inaction." she offered.

She tlted her head slightly.

"But I suppose that does leave a few hours when Utaku-san is not sleeping or attending to basic necessities, and who am I to turn down a volunteer? Would it be fair to assume that Utaku-san has taken iniative in seeking ways to boost the army's strength and discipline on her own accord?"

"I have a good deal of experience with scouting so that won't be much of a problem and Hachiko does not tire easily either. Outside of that I have been assisting when and where I can. I was tending to the mounts, for instance, when I encountered Mirumoto-sama."

She pauses and considers.

"He did ask of any issues among the Second. I answered, truthfully, that I have not personally encountered any. If ever I have such an opportunity again are there any issues I should address?"

[Shinjo Meilin]

There is the briefest of frowns at the thought that there were any problems with the second kaisha, but it vanished a moment later as the Shinjo realized the context.

"Ah....you went on one of the general's walks." she says with comprehension.

"You probably needn't worry yourself about that on two counts, Utaku-san. The first is, of course there are no problems with the second kaisha...at least that I myself am aware of. Rest assured, this isn't the fifth or the sixth, I expect all under me to live up to the what it truly means the to serve in the Legion." she revealed.

She takes hold of a small water vessel, pouring some into one cup, and offering non-verbally to her guest. It had been a long ride after all.

"The second being you are incredibly unlikely to ever meet him again. The General has a habit of, from time to time, taking one of the rank and file soldiers on a walk. I believe that he wants to check how things look for the army far away from the command tent. Of course, he's far too busy to talk to every solider invidivually, so he chooses people seemingly at random. I believe his bodyguard also suggests such, not allowing a pattern to form that might risk his charge."

She shook her head.

"Of course, between the deference owed his rank, and the rather scary looking Seppun accompanying him, most soldiers say litte more than 'Yes general-sama' or "No general-sama' on the walk. The man is a mountain of wisdom and strategic thought, but few are willing to brave the dragon to claim anything but a few of Fukurokujin's coins." she reveals.

An inquiring look is given to the Utaku.

"Perhaps it was different for you Utaku-san. Might I ask if you discussed anything else?"

[Utaku Mukai]

"That makes sense. It's not a currency I tend to trade in though he did seem to try to impart it. He asked what I saw in the stars and which did I favor. I took the last part, though context is also not my strong suit, to refer to the current... concerns... about the throne."

She took the water and took a drink. She had talked more these last few days than she often did in weeks.

[Shinjo Meilin]

"That makes sense. It's not a currency I tend to trade in though he did seem to try to impart it. He asked what I saw in the stars and which did I favor. I took the last part, though context is also not my strong suit, to refer to the current... concerns... about the throne."

She took the water and took a drink. She had talked more these last few days than she often did in weeks.

Meilin nodded.

"And it's probably safe to assume you gleaned nothing from his thoughts on the matter." she offered. "Not that I blame you for that, Utaku-san, he has always kept his thoughts to himself and his inner circle. Still, it would be nice to know where someone of his standing is on the matter. I've heard a lot of discussion about the current state of affairs, and things are looking like they'll get worse before they get better."

[Utaku Mukai]

Meilin nodded.

"And it's probably safe to assume you gleaned nothing from his thoughts on the matter." she offered. "Not that I blame you for that, Utaku-san, he has always kept his thoughts to himself and his inner circle. Still, it would be nice to know where someone of his standing is on the matter. I've heard a lot of discussion about the current state of affairs, and things are looking like they'll get worse before they get better."

Mukai nods, "He ended the conversation at that point but I couldn't say if that was dissatisfaction with the response or if he was just done talking. As you said he's not easy to read... and I'm not that skilled a reader if I'm being honest."

[Shinjo Meilin]

Mukai nods, "He ended the conversation at that point but I couldn't say if that was dissatisfaction with the response or if he was just done talking. As you said he's not easy to read... and I'm not that skilled a reader if I'm being honest."

"Frankly, Utaku-san, I would be much more concerned if you said you weren't much of a rider." she admitted. "Suffice to say, I have very high expectations of you seriving under me. Not unreasonable expectations, mind, but even though we're all riding under the banner of the Emerald, it's still expected those in purple to watch out for each other a bit."

[Utaku Mukai]

"Frankly, Utaku-san, I would be much more concerned if you said you weren't much of a rider." she admitted. "Suffice to say, I have very high expectations of you seriving under me. Not unreasonable expectations, mind, but even though we're all riding under the banner of the Emerald, it's still expected those in purple to watch out for each other a bit."

Mukai smiles and taps the Shinjo dojo mon near her heart, "I've learned from the best. So no worries there."

[Shinjo Meilin]

Mukai smiles and taps the Shinjo dojo mon near her heart, "I've learned from the best. So no worries there."

Meilin nods.

"Good. And it goes both ways, Utaku-san. I have a few moments if there is something you would like to ask me....beyond reporting walks with famous Dragon generals. A leader has a duty to make sure their soldiers are ready, which includes providing them the information they need to succeed." she offers.

[Utaku Mukai]

Meilin nods.

"Good. And it goes both ways, Utaku-san. I have a few moments if there is something you would like to ask me....beyond reporting walks with famous Dragon generals. A leader has a duty to make sure their soldiers are ready, which includes providing them the information they need to succeed." she offers.

Mukai considers this for a moment, "You mentioned issues with the Fifth and Sixth. I don't care about gossip, mind, but I suspect you don't either. So is there anything I should be watching for where a failing there might leave the greater whole vulnerable? Branches might shelter from the storm but if a branch is rotted its collapse will make you wish you had stayed in the rain."

[Shinjo Meilin]

Meilin frowned a bit at it.

"I don't have anything" that I'd care to duel over to prove, but there are a couple of concerns I have. I don't particularly have a lot of faith in the leaders of fifth and sixth kaisha. I could be wrong, but I get that feeling you have when you're considering crossing over a frozen lake and it's not going to bear the weight." she muses.

"Then there the question of where an army puts it's weakest soldiers. A particularly callous general might lead with his weakest to allow the enemy to tire themselves upon them before hitting them with their strongest...but Mirumoto-sama does not have that sort of reputation. With an army that expects friendly territory behind them, I would suspect the weaker soldiers to be in the rear guard.

She shrugs.

"Again, nothing solid, but those are my suspicions of fifth and sixth."

[Utaku Mukai]

Meilin frowned a bit at it.

"I don't have anything" that I'd care to duel over to prove, but there are a couple of concerns I have. I don't particularly have a lot of faith in the leaders of fifth and sixth kaisha. I could be wrong, but I get that feeling you have when you're considering crossing over a frozen lake and it's not going to bear the weight." she muses.

"Then there the question of where an army puts it's weakest soldiers. A particularly callous general might lead with his weakest to allow the enemy to tire themselves upon them before hitting them with their strongest...but Mirumoto-sama does not have that sort of reputation. With an army that expects friendly territory behind them, I would suspect the weaker soldiers to be in the rear guard.

She shrugs.

"Again, nothing solid, but those are my suspicions of fifth and sixth."

Mukai nods along, despite her earlier issues around troop movements she did have a basic understanding of tactics, "A wise review and I'll keep it in mind. Are there any other concerns, legion or otherwise, that I should know?"

[Shinjo Meilin]

Mukai nods along, despite her earlier issues around troop movements she did have a basic understanding of tactics, "A wise review and I'll keep it in mind. Are there any other concerns, legion or otherwise, that I should know?"

Meilin shook her head at that.

"I don't believe so, at least not within the legion. I have full confidence in the general to bring forth victory regardless of the enemy." she offered. "Of course, the matter of the emperor's succession hangs like a cloud over the Empire, but this is little enough one can do about that but ride out the storm."

[Utaku Mukai]

Meilin shook her head at that.

"I don't believe so, at least not within the legion. I have full confidence in the general to bring forth victory regardless of the enemy." she offered. "Of course, the matter of the emperor's succession hangs like a cloud over the Empire, but this is little enough one can do about that but ride out the storm."

Another nod. Mukai may have made a choice of, push come to shove, which side she landed on but she couldn't claim to be deeply invested in the outcome other than survival and rising above it.

"Well if anything comes up I'm happy to help another Unicorn." It was true. Even another Utaku... though the latter would be to prove they needed her help due to her path being superior....