Lawrence
Asako Kita approached the Mantis embassy early in the afternoon of the agreed upon day. She had on her pink and orange floral kimono, showing the mons of her clan and family. Her dark hair was pulled back today in a long braid, still adorned with its usual beaded comb. She had a few rolled-up papers in hand, notes that she probably wouldn't need, but having something to keep her hands occupied also helped calm the flutter of nerves she felt. 

She had been slowly making acquaintances around the city, but this visit would be different. She had a proposal to make, and while she felt it would benefit everyone involved, only time would tell if her words would be well received. At least the letter from Moshi Kana-sama's letter had made it seem that she was excited to hear what Kita had to say. 

Presenting herself at the entrance, she reached a hand to smooth her hair that already threatened to go wayward during the walk here. She was prepared to wait if needed, having realized that she had not specified a time other than 'afternoon'. 
"Asako Kita from the Phoenix Embassy, here to see Magistrate Moshi Kana."

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Josephine
A young boy who was at the door, his hair slightly messy and his clothes slightly worn, looked to the Phoenix. "Oh, uh, I'll let Moshi-sama know you're here. Oh! I mean I'll let her know you're here, Asako-sama." He bowed, and then scurried off down a hall, disappearing behind a sliding screen door. Moments later, a tall woman with a shaved head and orange kimono tied with a green Obi emerged. Her smile was bright and enthusiastic as she approached, bowing to Kita. "Asako-san, good day! Yuji-san here let me know you've arrived. I am Moshi Kana, magistrate of the Mantis Clan. It's good to have a proper introduction. Please, right this way!"

Gesturing back to where she emerged, Kana flitted down the hallway, and led the way into her office. A rather sizeable scroll satchel hung on the wall by a hook, and cabinets held many different writings. Shelves and free surfaces were decorated with cutesy carvings of various animals, such as cats, rabbits, dogs, and horses. At the desk were two cups and a teapot, as well as a rather sizeable platter of Takoyaki.

As soon as she entered, Kana quickly motioned for Kita to sit, pouring her tea first. "I trust the day has been treating you well so far?"

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Lawrence
Kita gave a bow in response to Kana's introduction, a little lower than the one given, and allowed herself a small smile at the tall woman's infectious energy. She followed Kana to the office she had emerged from,

"It is very nice to meet you Moshi Kana-sama. Thank you for meeting with me. My day has been very pleasant, I hope the same can be said for you?"

She took a quick look around the office as Kana motioned her to take a seat, her eyes lingering just a bit longer on the scroll satchel and writings then the carvings before returning her attention to her host. Before sitting, she held out one of the smaller rolls of paper she had been carrying, 

"A *Small* Token for you,"
The corner of Kita's mouth quirked up at the play on words. It was a miniature scroll of crisp linen paper, elegantly lettered in shimmering orange ink, in the corner the shadow of a blossom that had been pressed there to dry;

*A bird's sweet song rings 
Through the trees, a symphony 
Nature awakens*

*Green buds burst open 
Sunlight kisses new growth's face 
Springtime magic blooms*

"An excerpt from one of my favorite poetry books. The spring weather brought it to mind."
Josephine
"Oh, well it's been quite good! Got the first batch of Takoyaki this morning, and things are going well around the wharves, so I've no complaints. Speaking of, please feel free to help yourself!" She made no move to start taking the Takoyaki for herself; it'd be a decidedly ungracious move as the host to start digging in before her guest did, after all.

Her attention would be immediately drawn towards the tiny scroll she would be gifted, however, handling it with care as she read the words. "Oh! It's a wonderful gift, Asako-san! Thank you very much. A wonderful token of the season, and you've presented something special to you in a way that makes it all the more unique." She carefully placed it on the shelf behind her in a spot where it would remain prominently displayed, but away from any potential dangers posed by the meeting's refreshmnents.

Turning her attention back towards Kita, she sat in an upright, but relaxed posture. "So, you wanted to discuss with me the possibility of sanctioned duelling within the city? I have to say, your letter came as somewhat of a surprise. I wouldn't think the Phoenix clan would have interest in such an offering, personally. That said, I mean no criticism by it. Rather, I'm intrigues as to what your vision is."

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Lawrence
"I am glad to hear things are going well for you. You had this made fresh here? It looks lovely." 
Kita nodded politely at the offer of the takoyaki, taking one to put in front of her, not wanting to appear too eager to dig into the snack, but nibbling as the conversation continued back on the matter at hand.

She tried to relax herself, letting some of the tension out of her shoulders as Kana's response continued in a friendly manner. She proceeded to start to answer the question,

"Yes- I will admit the idea is a bit unusual .Having a dueling organization would give that opportunity in a more consistent manner than is currently available, and promote those skills. But I believe it will have benefits beyond just an outlet for duelists to display their talents. I understand there are a fair number of duelists in the city, including some that you support?"

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|| reopening, for whenever you get a chance
Josephine
"Oh, I couldn't take credit for the takoyaki, I'm afraid, It's from one of the many food stands amongst the wharves. I like to think of it as partially doing my part to help give a bit more support and attention to some of our local businesses," She spoke. "To tell the truth of it, it's likely I'm a fairly significant part of their clientele on my own!"

Giggling, she reached for one of the morsels, taking a small bite so as not to seem overly eager or gluttonous to her guest. She found herself grateful that her mother had taught her so well about the importance of restraint in such matters.

Of course, she wouldn't let herself get distracted from the purpose of Kita's visit here. "Indeed, there are duelists whom I support. The Ronin in our employ, Chiyoko, showed herself to be Ryoko Owari Toshi's finest duelist in the spring Iajutsu tournament," She explained, beaming with pride as she did. "But what is this to do with the potential benefits of such a society?"

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Lawrence
Smiling at her host's enthusiasm, Kita took another bite of the treat herself, savoring the taste for a minute before replying again.

"The Steel Talons would be a Phoenix led dueling organization within the city of Ryoko Owari Toshi. We wish it to be open to any skilled samurai to be known as a champion duelist. The idea being to promote ongoing constructive interaction among the clans and individuals as well as develop skills of duelists within the city. We believe it would also provide incentive for dueling to be used as a way to resolve conflict, vs other, coarser methods of conflict resolution."

She had numbered off each of the named benefits on her fingers as she listed them, then folded her hands back in her lap. Her manner showed that she had given great thought to the matter, but she tried to keep her explanation concise.

"The project itself has approval, other than a few details. The finalization of those would benefit from a unified show of support from the clans that have skilled duelist to represent, like your ronin."

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Josephine
Kana listened to the pitch intently, holding her hands and nodding as she listened. She leaned forward slightly, and met Kita's gaze as she spoke. By the end of it, she had a clear understanding of where she and the Mantis fit into the whole affair. She wore a courteous smile as she listened, and it remained on her lips as she leaned back slightly to speak.

"I do see the wisdom in the idea, no doubt. Indeed, there are times when conflict does come to a head, and dueling is preferable to clan war, absolutely. Combat should never be the first resort, but when it becomes the only resort, it's best to limit it and conduct it honorably."

"I've some questions about how this will be implemented. If I'm understanding you correctly, you would see each clan nominate a designated duellist to be part of the society?"

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Lawrence
Kita was appreciative of Kana's attentiveness to what she had to say. She lapsed into silence for a short time with a contemplative expression. When she spoke again to answer the question, she watched her host to gauge her response,

"The proposal in its original form was to have 5 named champions-periodically open to challenge; asking the finalists from the Crane's most recent Iaijutsu tournament to serve as 4 of the Steel Talons, and have the Crane nominate their own representative as the 5th, recognizing that talent and expertise as our first champions. But a concern was raised with two of those finalists being ronin."

Kita was mindful to guard her expression, keeping her personal thoughts on learning of the tournament results and the resulting conversation to herself.

"We believe that with the support of the leadership of the clans, and clans sponsoring the ronin duelists, that we can overcome the objection. Excluding the ronin would disregard the skill of these individuals and remove some level of challenge from later contests for the title of Steel Talon to be retained or change hands."

She fell quiet again, allowing Kana a chance to add her thoughts on the matter.

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Josephine
Kana knew she had to be careful here. After all, the Mantis and Crane were looking to be allies, and that meant there had to be some ground given to their sensibilities here. At the same time, she had seen the tournament. Even if she didn't consider Atsuko and Chiyoko both to be friends and allies, it was plain to her that they had been successful because they were the best. If an elite duelling society was to be established, that ought to have been the primary consideration.

But how to express it...

"Well, Kita-san, I would certainly support your initiative to have the ranks open to them. I would think the Crane in this city would welcome the challenge of placing amongst them. After all, the skill of the Crane samurai in this city is matched only by their bravery!"

There was a decidedly satsified smirk on her face as she reached for another octopus ball, and it remained on her face even as she munched on it. 

"I take it then, that you will be in support of these ronin having a place in this organization?"

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Lawrence
"Of course we support these ronin joining our organization!"

Her response was a little too forceful and a little too abrupt. Kita realized as soon as the words came out. Closing her mouth with a snap, she inclined her head toward Kana and let out a sigh.

"My apologies Moshi-sama. Yes-we, the Phoenix, support the ronin having a place in the Steel Talons. I, personally, have been more recently coming around to this idea, but I have been provided several reasons why it would be of benefit, which I've shared with you. So I will admit it, even in my own reluctance, their inclusion deserves my full support as well. They have proven themselves as some of the best duelists, and should be recognized as such." || Etiquette 5:Sincerity ||

Kita finished her statement with convincing sincerity; at least that's what she hoped would come across. She looked back up at Kana, watching for how her answer would be received. She had been working to change her own mindset about their inclusion since learning of the option to try to push forward with the original plan, and learning of Ambassador lemon-sama's specific request to include the ronin duelists. She was still working on it, even though she understood *Why*. And to be fair, presenting a united front for this cause would prove the case that the Steel Talons could be a unifying force within the city.

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Josephine
Kana did sense perhaps a little bit of trepidation in Kita, which was only confirmed when she spoke. The Phoenix were a traditionally minded clan, after all, and the idea of having Ronin be a part of such a group was decidedly... Progressive. Still, whatver Kana sensed, she also sensed that she was sincere in her desire to promote the society as it was pitched. Fun as it might be, veiled taunts about the Crane's duelling skill and courage would only go so far. 

"I appreciate your honesty and candor regarding this matter. Many would simply tailor their words to be what the speaker would most like to hear" She smiled genuinely. "As it stands, so long as the Steel Talons extend membership on the basis of merit, I would be happy to lend the Mantis' support to the initiative! That said, there are a few more questions I have. When not acting as designated clan duellists, what expectations and duties would there be for the membership?"

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Lawrence
Kita shot Kana a brief grateful look before turning back to take another of the snacks between them. Finishing a bite, she covered her mouth and cleared her throat daintily before answering. 

"There would be no 'duties' per se, expectations though, yes. There would be a token of membership-a medallion of sorts that they would be required to display to indicate their status as *Champion duelists*.
From there, they would be expected to compete at the following Steel Talons tournament to determine if they retain their title, or pass it along to the next worthy challenger who would defeat them."

She paused for a moment, the last exchange fresh on her mind, but with the Phoenix taking responsibility, and liability, for those wearing the title, it would be neglectful of her if it wasn't mentioned;

"And of course to conduct themselves in an honorable manner befitting all samurai.
What other questions might I be able to answer for you?"

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Josephine
"All fair expectations," Kana replied. "If we are presenting this group as the designated duellists for the clans, then of course they would need to present themselves accordingly. Though, I've another question. Let's assume that in the course of tournaments, one loses their position. Would that not leave a clan without a representative? Or do they only defend their position against those within their own clan? Please don't take my questioning as a lack of support; just trying to see how this would all work!"

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Lawrence
"Ah yes. Of course your questions are welcomed."

 Kita reassured her, and sought to explain, 

"Not every clan would be represented at once, and only 5 Talons would be named at any one time. So there may be a more considerable incentive to have a worthy candidate, or for individuals to improve such skills for when the contest comes around. I suppose it could be entirely possible for a single clan to gain all the positions... Although unlikely."

 She finished her thought about, speaking almost more to herself as she did, absently rubbing at her hand where a nearly faded ink stain faintly showed.

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Josephine
"Ah... So that's the mechanism by which you'll encourage more duelling. If a clan does not participate or does not hone their skills, then they don't get represented!" She nodded. "I admit, I wasn't entirely sure how this would encourage participation, but I think tapping in to the sense of competition that exists here is exactly the right way to do it! With the standards of conduct you mentioned earlier, I think this also provides additional incentive to avoid excessive subterfuge. After all, sooner or later, one will have to defend their position, and one who is undeserving would humiliate their clan if they did not acquit themselves properly in the duel."

She nodded along, her enthusiasm seeming to grow as she reasoned out how all this would work. Her eyes did widen for a brief moment, though, as she seemed to come to a realization.

"Though I must ask... What is the protocol around, for example, if someone were to continually issue challeneges to the same Talon?" While she didn't speak it out loud, she hoped that her meaning would be caught. After all, Kita had mentioned herself there was opposition to the inclusion of Ronin.

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Lawrence
Kita was pleased with the path the conversation had taken overall. The visit had been enjoyable, the proposal well received, her host enthusiastic about pledging her support. This was a good start. She nodded along with Kana's thought process, connecting the dots of how she hoped things would come into play.

"Yes, exactly. The rotation and not providing an automatic spot for any one clan or samurai should makes it that much more of a challenge, and hopefully, prize to be won."

At Kana's addition concern, Kita grew thoughtful. 

"Hmm, yes. A consideration that should be accounted for... Some kind of process to prevent such an issue."

She mused on the problem for a moment, toying with the remainder of her takoyaki. Looking back up at her host,

"That will need to be addressed, but I don't have a precise answer for you right now. Possibly when a challenge is made there is a name drawn of which Talon will be dueling against them, or possibly assigned by myself or other administrators? But whatever the case, some process would be determined prior to any challenge being allowed."

She bowed her head slightly, then straightened. 
"I do appreciate you voicing the concern, so that it can be rightly addressed."

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Josephine
"I think that will be a good start for now, then!" She smiled. "So, tell me, what would the first steps be? I'm certain I can speak to Chiyoko by the end of the day to discuss the idea with her. I think she would be honored to take such a position!" Grabbing another takoyaki, she waited a bit before munching on it.

"What else would you require of the Mantis besides our participation? I imagine an endeavor such as this requires more than just me stating I like the idea."

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Lawrence
Kita frowned slightly, still thoughtful on the various moving pieces the project would entail. 

"Oh- well, I won't tell you how to do things, but i might suggest to wait to extend the invitation to Chiyoko-san. Although letting her known of the idea surely wouldn't cause any harm while it's still a work-in-progress.

I have to speak still to the other clan representatives, and with their support, take the request back to City Hall for the final approval.
Having your pledge of support in writing will make both things go more smoothly. As you said, versus just stating you like the plan. I don't see any other need from the Mantis at the moment. Although if something comes up, I appreciate the offer and will most certainly let you know."

An excited smile had returned to her face. If things could fall into place, this project could be a great success, both for her first assignment, as well as a win for the Phoenix. She was hopeful. 

"And I will certainly let you know once that is complete and the Steel Talons are ready to take flight!"

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Josephine
Finishing the morsel, Kana returned Kita's smile. "Very well. I'll temper myself until things are more in place, but let Chiyoko know of the plans in the meantime. If it comes to speaking with other clans, do let me know if I can be of aid there! While I'm not certain I can be of much use with say, the Scorpion, there are clans that we've ties with who I think I'd be able to put in a good word for. " She gestured to the plate. "By the way, feel free to take as many as you like! I know I really shouldn't be having them all to myself."

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