Marie
Chiyoko found herself at the Crane Embassy once more, waiting outside of the Kakita dojo on the premises. It was odd to be back there after winning the Iaijutsu Tournament, since she didn't really recieve a lot of respect from the duelists there. It didn't help that she was a ronin, and no doubt there were rumors of lucky strikes or skullduggery. 

But, it was no matter. She won, fair and square, and now she was there to collect her prize. 

It was to be a blade of her choosing and design, crafted by the Crane. It would be a beautiful blade, no doubt, as she knew all too well that Crane craftsmanship was excellent. But, she was uncertain if she could work _with_ the crafters to get the blade made. 

For now, she just waited outside until someone was ready to meet with her. Her trusty daisho waited nearby, arms crossed, eye closed.

||
Dollie
The life of a duelist at a clan embassy was one of two constants: training and socializing. For as much as Kiyoko loved the former, she despised the latter. The many social calls she was obliged to attend as either a yojimbo or a participant were her least favorite duty by far. There was only so much tea one person could drink.

So it was that she was secretly relieved that the day's chores—social appearances, that is—were over with. A visiting dignitary had called upon Doji Rika, the new ambassador, and in turn she had called upon Kiyoko (along with several other samurai) to attend a tea ceremony to conclude the occasion. Kiyoko stepped out of the tea room as soon as it was proper to do so, sliding shut the rice-paper door behind her as the ceremony participants dispersed.

After that stiff and formal affair, the Kakita duelist had a mind to check on the dojo. At the very least, she could see whether anyone else was there and maybe observe—or if she was lucky, participate in—a sparring match or two. Or if no one was there, maybe she would center herself in meditation or performing kata.

That in mind, Kiyoko set off down the veranda and around the main embassy building. As she turned the corner and the dojo came into view, Kiyoko spotted a figure in the distance loitering near the entrance. At least the dojo would not be empty. The duelist drew nearer and noted the eye-patch the figure—a woman—wore, along with the haori of one employed by the Mantis clan. She recognized Chiyoko almost immediately, and thought it somewhat strange that she was in the embassy unescorted.

Kiyoko drew up to the dojo's entrance and paused. "Chiyoko-san," She said by way of greeting. "Your presence is unexpected. Is someone with you?"

||
Scott
After his meeting with the ambassador, Saizou devoted the next couple of days to walk around the city, hearing the rumors and establishing a footing for an informant network. Nothing too complicated yet, this was a new area and a very delicate one at that, with agents working for multiple factions hiding behind fake smiles and friendly demeanor. Nothing worse that recruiting an informant already employed by another clan; receiving compromised information and giving up your plans in the same interaction. 

As he was going back to the embassy, a strange figure gave him pause. A young woman, sporting the colours and symbols of the Mantis but with no family mon on them. Curious. Maybe a ronin in service of the Mantis? She herself was tall, almost as tall as he was, but very lithe and with a very distinctive patch covering her left eye. *I heard the story of a wave woman yojimbo winning a iaijutsu tournament here in these grounds. So this must be her.*, he thought.

Before he could decide if interact with the ronin or not, another woman appeared from the inside: this one, Saizou already saw once or twice around the compound. A Kakita duelist, through and through, she had a similar build to the other one, but her icy eyes and white hair very well distinguished her. She appeared to know the other woman, inquiring for her purpose here. 

The harrier decided to stay put and observe, for now. Probably, the visitor weren't here to cause trouble; her employment by the Mantis impeded so. Still, better to be ready than surprised.
Marie
In truth, Chiyōko was just about to do some "Deep meditation" (a bit of Dragon slang for 'taking a nap') when she heard her name called out. Looking up, it was none other than Kakita Kiyoko, by far one of the few Kakita Chiyōko held in high regard. 

"Ah, Kakita Kiyoko -sama." She stood to bow deeply, a small smile on her face. "Apologies if my arrival caused an issue. I was told I could come down to the dojo whenever I had time to commission my prize." 

She was inferring to the Iaijutsu Tournament, which she narrowly won. While it was no Topaz Champion, Dueling Champion of Ryoko Owari Toshi had its merits. 

"I figured this hour would be less busy," She explained, "As I didn't want to make a scene. A Ronin champion is not appreciated well by anyone, it seems." She looked past Kiyoko, and thought she spotted someone else. But maybe just her imagination. "So, that is that. Once my weapon is commissioned, I'll be on my way and out of the dojo's hair."

||
Dollie
Kiyoko dismissed the apology with a wave of her hand. "No, no, it's fine."

It was hardly an inconvenience for *Her*, anyway.

For her part, the Kakita duelist's love of kenjutsu (iaijutsu included) precluded any thought that a ronin tournament champion was somehow lesser—skill was skill, regardless of social status. That may have been an uncommon viewpoint, but her years as a warrior-pilgrim had taught her that much, at least. She did rue that she had not arrived in Ryoko Owari in time to participate in the tournament herself, though; perhaps the opportunity would present itself in the future.

"Have you found the swordsmith?" Kiyoko asked. "Or should I have a servant go find him?"

Suddenly, the thought occurred to her: maybe she could convince Chiyoko to spar with her again before she left. She was starting to wear out her welcome in the dojo sparring with most of the embassy guards.

||
Marie
"Find, no. I spoke with some of the duelists, who in turn told me to wait here. 'The smith will see you when he's ready' was the way they explained it." Chiyoko sighed, but didn't look all that upset. "It's really not anything I didn't expect. A few years ago I scored well in a tournament of sorts up north. Ronin aren't supposed to defeat true Samurai. And Niten should _never_ best the Perfect Cut. So I'm definitely not appreciated around these parts, and I doubt Doji Daiki would want to see me especially."

She remembered that bout, and then the bout that happened after that with extra caveats. She held no grudge; letting go of these insignificant slights only led her to peace. But, she still knew that it was always this way with the Crane. 

All but Kiyoko, who was truly a lover of the blade, no matter the wielder. "Kakitka Kiyoko-sama," The ronin said, "I would hate to ask, but you may be able to expedite this. As I've said, I'm just here for my prize, rightly won, and then I'll be out of here to leave the dojo to its own devices. I'm starting to worry that if I tarry too long, there'll be a flock of Crane wanting to take on the champion. And I'd rather not deal with that." 

||
Scott
"Pardon me, I couldn't help but overhear"

The tournament champion certainly was an impressive warrior. He felt that she *Almost* Detected the harrier's presence. Even if he wasn't trying to actively hide from her, it was still a worthy feat. He didn't like the idea of having someone this sharp lingering around for long, and her excuse for doing so was totally justifiable too. Maybe he was being a bit paranoiac, but as per the letter Rika-sama slipped to Saizou, the Mantis' allegiances weren't clear yet. A highly skilled agent hanging around with plausible deniability was not good.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Daidoji Saizou of the Hiramori." He continued, with a deep bow to both the Kakita and the ronin. "Kakita-sama, Chiyoko-san, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, Chiyoko-san, accept my delayed congratulations for your impressive victory at the tournament".

He *Knew* That some of the most belligerent students of the Kakita style wouldn't be happy of being beaten by a ronin. And, as per her own confession, one practicing the Niten too. So she was either a exiled member of the Dragon or had one as a mentor. Interesting bit of information, he made a mental note to investigate it. Having some dirt over the personal bodyguard of the Mantis ambassador could prove useful later.

"Please, let me assist with your predicament. I'll have a talk with the smith while you wait. If you can entertain our guest in the meantime, Kakita-sama, it would be truly appreciated" 

He didn't knew much about Kiyoko, but she was also a highly skilled duelist who didn't had the chance to participate in the tournament. He could bet she was itching for having a go with the ronin. That could be useful to assess her skills personally too.

||
Dollie
Kiyoko laughed quietly at Chiyoko's words. "They would have to fight me first for the privilege," She said. The Kakita duelist could hear the weariness in the ronin's voice. Alright, she would forebear challenging her to a sparring match *This time*...Well, for the moment, anyway.

Just then, another Crane approached. Turning at the sound of his voice, she immediately noted the daisho at his hip. A lean man just a few inches taller than herself, Kiyoko didn't think she had met him before. Had she seen him around the embassy grounds? He may have been another newly-assigned samurai.

"Ah—Thank you, Hiramori-san, for sparing me the trouble," Kiyoko replied. Had she even met Doji Daiki, the smith, before? She would probably recognize him if someone pointed out who he was, anyway. Or this Saizou—strange that someone would volunteer to help strangers (one of them a ronin, at that) with a menial task. Perhaps he was the too-friendly sort. She would have to make sure to avoid him. She had not seen him in the dojo before, and that was the only place where the duelist did not prefer solitude.

||
Marie
"You are _much_ too eager to fight," Chiyoko chuckled, "But at least I know your challenge would come with no motives but the joy of the art." She gave a small nod with her compliment to Kiyoko, and went to say more. 

However, another Crane approached, one that Chiyoko had clocked earlier. Seemed he _had_ been watching her, then. She didn't get upset; in her past, if a ronin had been loitering around the embassy, she would've taken notice, too || Void 4: Self introspective||. She bowed deeply to the superior, and listened carefully to his words. "Ah, I thank you for your praise," She said politely, "And extend it to the Crane for hosting an honorable tournament. It has been a great aid to my personal journey." ||Etiquette 3|| 

At the Daidoji's offer, Chiyoko would refuse. "I would never ask someone to waste their time on my needs or wants," She said. But, in classic etiquette, she would relent and accept once the samurai insisted, following proper etiquette. "If you are insistent, I will not refuse. I appreciate your aid, Daidoji-sama." 

With that settled, she could just sit back for a moment, perhaps. 

 
||
Scott
After listening attentively to the responses from both samurai-ko, Saizou replied:

"Oh please, there's no trouble, Kakita-sama, Chiyoko-san. I've intended to speak with all personnel on the embassy anyways, so it's not an issue for me. And it doesn't look good for our clan to delay the prize you rightfully deserve. So I must insist on you allowing me to right this wrong." This whole dance bored him to death, but he knew better than to let it show. Especially to outsiders. 

Truth be told, he couldn't care less about the duelist tournament's prize. But establishing a link and a favor with this person could prove useful later. And also, this pettiness from the resident Kakita annoyed him a bit. The results of the tournament were already known; just swallow your pride, give away the prize and be done with it. Doji Rika-sama was right in admonishing the embassy's personnel, focusing their energies on little tournaments and stupid grudges instead on the important work that had yet to be done.

"If you excuse me, then".

||
Dollie
Kiyoko nodded to her fellow Crane. He made a good point: dragging out the process of claiming a duly-won prize was beneath the Crane clan. She waited until he departed, then glanced at Chiyoko. Having ruled out challenging the ronin to a sparring match, Kiyoko suddenly found herself without much to talk about. Well, other than that one affair...

"So, has your 'guest' in the cellar said anything else of interest since I visited?" She asked, referring to Gaijin Williams. "I plan on paying a visit to that teahouse he talked about soon."

||
Marie
Chiyoko returned to her seat, and prepared to speak about the tournament or swordplay with Kiyoko. She was a nice girl, but the ronin only knew that she loved the art of the blade. Not much else did they share in common. 

But, Kiyoko spoke of something else: Business. And the shady business that the Mantis and Crane were working on in tandem. The ronin took a glance to make certain the Daidoji wasn't around before she spoke. 

"Moshi-sama has reached out to her ally," She said softly, "But it seems they do not know much about the attacks. They're willing to gather information for our cause, all the same, and I can attest that they are good at what they do. As for the man in the cellar, he still lives. I wish we could just be done with him, but he has yet to be made worthless yet." 

She sighed. "I don't care much for the subterfuge and the rest. But that's the thing about dealing with a dishonorable lot. While we look to go through the proper ways of doing things, they can continue to break the law. Not to mention these gangs keep this tinderbox from catching aflame. It seems that truly it's a system for the Scorpion in mind." 

Chiyoko looked back to her friend. "And you, Kakita-sama? Has the Crane come about any information I could pass over to my master?" 

||
Scott
After saying his piece, Saizou left both women to chat and went back to the embassy. As he was walking, something the Kakita said piqued his interest: a guest in the cellar. Now what could that be about? He thought of staying around and listen some more, but the yojimbo was cautious and checked around before continuing. He could try to hide and eavesdrop some more, but was it worth it? He managed to catch up something about "The attacks", then continued his stride. Too risky, not many places to overhear, and getting in the bad side of the Mantis clan right now could be counterproductive for later. || Stealth 6, 'Keen Hearing' Advantage ||

Nevertheless, what he managed to hear was interesting. There seemed to be an understanding between this Kiyoko and the ronin. Was she a double agent? Could be, but he doubted it. They were talking too openly about this. Now, it could be some sort of colaboration with the Mantis. He heard that they were the ones who brought the remains of one of the murdered Kakita to the embassy, and also something about a fairly heated discussion between both ambassadors in this very compound some days before his arrival. *Agh, I don't have enough information to go on. Need to talk with the shoi soon.*

Those were his thoughts while he walked into the forges. Around here, he asked around in order to get the best smith they had in hand. If this was going to be a prize from the Crane, it couldn't be less than excellent. There, the apprentices directed him to one Doji Daiki. When he explained the situation to him and mentioned Chiyoko's name, his face did a barely dissimulated grimace.

This could take some convincing, then.
Dollie
The Crane samurai-ko glanced at Chiyoko. "Some time, Chiyoko-san will have to tell me what the story behind that 'man in the cellar' is. How he came to be in Rokugan, and here in the city—and how he ended up in a cellar."

Kiyoko looked away again, her gaze wandering the grounds until it came to rest on a fixed point just beyond a juniper across the way. "I too prefer the straightforward way of a blade. But that is why I am not a courtier," She said. "I am afraid that I am unaware of anything new, either. I plan on visiting that teahouse the man in the cellar mentioned, but not just yet. And I think I will take a scout or a yojimbo or the like with me."

She turned to face Chiyoko and smiled wryly. "What do you think? Should I go in wearing my Kakita mon?"

Should could only imagine the disruption *That* Might cause, but it was an amusing thought nonetheless.

||
Marie
"The details of that man are beyond my knowledge," Chiyoko replied flatly. "What he did to gain favor enough to be Samurai is beyond my understanding. What he did to _damn_ that great honor is simple: he's a traitor." She crossed her arms, musing on the topic. "I've learned that gaijin are not entirely without their merits, if they recognize the Order and obey their betters. My own master is half-gaijin, and Lady Sun speaks to her. Plus, the Unicorn are... With their merits as well." She didn't elaborate on that. "But that said, those that don't wish to bend the knee need to be put down, same as any dishonorable Rokugani." 

On the topic of going into the situation with blade and battle, and Kiyoko's plan of action, the ronin chuckled. "You know, if I can give advice without disrespecting you, Kyoko-sama, you should really tone down the duelist panache. I know for a fact you are very skilled, but I can assure you, these are not mere bandits that will buckle after the first rising blade. On one occasion, they uses bolt weaponry with poison, cowardly tactics; hell, one of them tried to pull me out a window to my death. These people care not for an honorable duel. 

"If I were you, I would not wear my mon. A ronin goes more places unnoticed. Though, with that white hair, you're going to stand out nevertheless. All I can ask is that you act wisely and carefully; if I had my hand cut off and both my feet, I could still count the number of people in this city I deem on friendly terms, and you would be one of them." 

||
Dollie
Kiyoko's eyebrows rose in surprise. The gaijin had been a samurai? She wasn't sure whether that fact or that one of Moshi Mai's parents was a gaijin was more of a shock to her. Not that she had much experience with gaijin to begin with—Williams had been the first she had ever met, to her knowledge—but it seemed self-evident that foreign peoples did not belong in Rokugan. They were just that: foreign.

"Mmn. I suppose even they have their place in the Celestial Order," She conceded. Not having contact with them, it was hard to imagine that place, but Kiyoko liked to think that she was open-minded enough to at least allow for the possibility. Certainly, that made for a degree of tension in the young Crane bushi's thinking. On the one hand, they were foreign; on the other, even foreign things had their place.

The Kakita duelist waved aside Chiyoko's concern, her tone reassuring: "I speak in jest. You are right about my hair. I would hate to have to dye it—or hide it under a wig—but I do not intend to pick a fight with them just yet."

||
Scott
Apparently, the Doji was both a renowned smith and duelist. His gripe was that just when he was preparing for his participation on the tournament, he was summoned back to Crane lands, forcing him to bow down before unsheathing his sword once. He had met Chiyoko before, though, and had nothing but praises to sing about her. They even crossed blades, he said, although wooden ones, on a sparring match. That time, she got the best of him, and while he accepted that he lost fair and square, he seemed to regret missing the chance for a rematch on a more official setting. Duelist's pride, Saizou supposed. He never really got it. He didn't like to fight, much less as a sort of game. 

Nevertheless, when the smith heard about Chiyoko's predicament, he immediately agreed to work on it. He seemed to respect the ronin and was more than happy to oblige and forge a weapon worthy of her feat. Good. The sooner this matter was settled, the better. The mere presence of the Mantis' servant on the embassy unnerved Saizou. She seemed honourable enough, but until he was clear who's friend and foe in this city, he would prefer to avoid strangers here. He had already his plate's full just by sorting out the Crane people in the grounds.

With the Doji in tow, Saizou returned to the women, who were wrapping up their conversation. He only managed to catch the tail end on it, but it sparked his curiosity. *Dying her hair? Picking a fight? That doesn't appear to be small talk*. Still, he kept his neutral face and friendly demeanor when announcing himself:

"Pardon me for the interruption. I believe you are already acquainted, but please allow me to introduce Doji Daiki-sama, a most esteemed bladesmith just back from Crane lands. I'm confident he'll be more than able to fulfill your request to satisfaction, Chiyoko-san."

||
Marie
"As much as I hate the Scorpion, I can understand how subterfuge can be a benefit." Chiyoko crossed her arms, definitely not too keen on paying the Scorpion a compliment. "You're a duelist, so you know that most duelists lose because they underestimated their opponent. If I had a koku for every time a Samurai was livid that a mere ronin bested them in a duel, I'd have about... Twelve koku. And that's just the ones that got violent afterwards. So, if you forego pride to appear less impressive than you actually are, they may just underestimate _you."_ 

Soon after, the Daidoji fellow returned, and in tow was...

"Ah, Doji Daiki-sama." Chiyoko stood to bow to the weaponsmith, remaining cordial. She didn't have a lot of love for the fellow after their duels. And there was what she learned from Atsuko in her run-ins with the man. But she would respect that he was skilled in blade and smithing. That she could not criticize. "It is a pleasure to see you again. You look well." There, niceties were delivered, superiors sated. 

Doji Daiki seemed to want to get right to business, and ask her what she wished, then and there. He spoke of the many different techniques for making katanas and wakizashis in the Crane style, and spoke of Kakita folds that were, of course, off-limits to a Ronin. 

"Oh, well, if I may interrupt, I do not wish for a katana, nor wakizashi or tanto." There was some mild surprise on Daiki's face, and Chiyoko worried she might've just made a big mistake. "I have no need for another katana; Nameless and Little Nameless, by daisho, have served me well, and will do so far past the day our honor is restored. To have a new blade forged to replace them would be a dishonor to my longest friends. 

"No, if I am allowed to choose my blade, I choose... The Naginata." 

Now, this could be taken a lot of ways from a lot of people. Some could see it as an insult, wanting such a weapon after winning a _dueling_ competition. To speak to a sword smith and ask for not-a-sword? That could be most dishonorable. On the other hand, a naginata in construction was similar to the style of the katana, and it did not require that the smith use the same folding technique reserved for true katanas for true samurai, thus _not_ being dishonorable, as it allowed the losing clan some face. 

It was really up to the Crane to decide if that was so or not.

||
Dollie
Kiyoko nodded slowly, pondering the thought. She hated the idea of hiding her Kakita heritage—not that her naturally-white hair made it easy—especially after having only recently reclaimed her status as a Great Clan samurai-ko after returning from her warrior-pilgrimage. Really, a part of her wanted to flaunt that Kakita heritage in the faces of her kin's murderers. But on the other hand, what she was most proud of was her talent with the katana, and that would not be hidden simply by wearing a nondescript kimono. Nor would it be readily apparent to most unless she needed it to be, and by that point, the time for subterfuge would have already passed.

Wise advice, she decided. She nodded once more, this time more definitely. "I will keep that in mind."

As the Hiramori samurai returned, he brought another Crane samurai with whom Kiyoko was unfamiliar. So this must be Doji Daiki.

"Doji-san. A pleasure. I am Kakita Kiyoko, recently assigned here to the embassy. Welcome back," Kiyoko said, bowing in greeting. The duelist fell silent as Daiki and Chiyoko spoke. Interesting that Daiki was capable of forging a Kakita Blade. Her own katana, *Reitenseiya*, was one such Blade, passed down for generations in her family. As such, she was unsure that that particular skill of Daiki's would ever be relevant to her. Maybe if she wanted a matching wakizashi. Even so, it was good that such skilled swordsmiths were still present among the Crane, and that one of them was with them in Ryoko Owari.

The Kakita duelist found herself nodding in agreement with Chiyoko's assessment that her existing daisho was sufficient. In Chiyoko's place, Kiyoko would probably still have requested a katana, if only for display. A naginata was a good weapon, though, and Kiyoko's training at the Kakita Dueling Academy had given her a strong enough grasp of etiquette to see what her ronin friend was doing. She glanced at Daiki, curious to see his reaction.

||
Scott
The conversation between the ronin and the artisan took an interesting turn when the former asked a naginata instead of a sword from the later, giving him some pause. Saizou thought a bit about it. He didn't knew exactly what was offered in the tournament, but while it was certainly a tad unorthodox, it didn't seem a big ask to him. The naginata was, after all, a very proper samurai weapon. She wasn't asking for *Kusari-gama* Or other more exotic weaponry that would raise more eyebrows.

In the meantime, Saizou took a second to observe the other samurai-ko. Some of the bits and pieces he managed to catch were more interesting to him than the whole weaponry dilemma. Their discussion about picking a fight raised some obvious concerns, but the dying the hair part was even more interesting: it implied subterfuge, something the other families in his clan weren't very keen to use. Why discussing something like that, with a *Ronin*? Even worse, a ronin in service of another clan?. It was too openly to be treason, though, and the lack of information bugged him to no end. He could only wait and see. Still, completing the dossier on the embassy's personnel became a priority for the harrier. If nobody was doing the intelligence work properly here, then it fell on him to pick up the slack.

While his mind was occupied with that, the discussion between Chiyoko and Daiki continued. And after some deliberation, the smith nodded. He warned the duelist that his specialty were swords, but he was able to make a naginata nonetheless and it would be a top notch quality weapon. 

||
Marie
It seemed that Daiki accepted, with a little skepticism. Chiyoko was relieved, and thanked Doji Daiki with great gratitude. "I am pleased you understand my reasoning and will take my request," She said, "And please, do not make it a priority; I am in no rush, and would never want to take your skill away from a true Samurai for my sake." Daiki insisted that he'd much rather get it done as quickly as possible, but other than that, it was nice and cordial. He made a prodding joke that he might need to challenge her for a rematch, which Chiyoko laughed off (and politely declined). 

But, that was that. 

"Well then, Kakita-sama, Daidoji-sama," She said, "I thank you both for your assistance. Crane hospitality has always been very nice to me." This was a lie ||etiquette 3||, but a well-meaning one to show gratitude. "I will be sure to let Moshi Mai-sama know how well this went." She bowed to Saizou, and then to Kiyoko. "Kakita-sama, stay sharp and ready out there. And I would implore you, if you intend to seek out those villains, do not go alone. The Mantis Clan meant it when they said they would assist the Crane." 

With that, she would wait for them to dismiss her.

||
Dollie
The Kakita duelist gave the ronin a shallow bow. "I thank Chiyoko-san for her advice, and for the kind words she relays to Moshi Mai-sama," She said. 

Kiyoko glanced at Daiki and Saizou. Was it just her, or did there seem to be a faint tension between Daiki and Chiyoko? No matter; their prior run-ins with each other were unlikely to affect her. Even if there was bad blood between them—which would really have overstated the level of tension she felt in the air—Kiyoko was unlikely to end up being drawn into it. Both were capable duelists in their own right; neither would need her to champion them. Too bad, really. Her own technique had improved considerably since she had last sparred with Chiyoko, and she would have enjoyed the chance to show the ronin how quickly she had improved. She *Had* Told herself she wouldn't challenge Chiyoko to a match today, though. She *Really, really* Wanted to...

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as it finally slipped out: "I look forward to the next time we cross bokken, Chiyoko-san."

You could only temper a kenjutsu fanatic's enthusiasm for so long. At least she hadn't challenged the ronin to a sparring match then and there, right?

||
Scott
Saizou returned the bow to the ronin and answered, "Please, don't mention it, it was merely our duty as hosts. It was my honour to give whatever small aid I could. Be well, Chiyoko-san."

The words were polite enough, but the parting words of Chiyoko helped complete the picture in his head ||Investigation 6||. So, by the facts he collected thus far, it was the Mantis ambassador, together with a Lion, that found the remains of Kakita Yuzuki. She reported it here, with many Crane samurai present. Maybe Kiyoko was there too? Probably. It would explain the collaborative nature of their relationship with Chiyoko, who surely was also there as the ambassador's yojimbo. Some days later, the Mantis's ambassador returned and, apparently, had a screaming match with Rika-sama. But the impression the harrier had of his ambassador wasn't of a person simple enough to just chew other clan's dignitary just out of frustration. So, maybe an agreement was forged then? But not an alliance, not yet anyways. 

It *Had* To involve the Crane murders occurring in the city. Maybe even far away from here. There was the still unresolved matter of the killing of the champion's sister, Shizue-sama. He didn't knew much of that one, but there were rumors of Mantis involvement. 

Nonetheless, now the ronin pleaded with Kiyoko that she *Shouldn't face the villains alone*, and that *The Mantis would make good of their promise of assistance*. As far as he knew, Yuzuki's death was in the hands of one of the firefighter bands of the city and Arai's was unknown, but inflicted by an uncommon weapon. Gaijin-made, apparently. So, did the Kakita wanted revenge on one of these bands?

Mere speculation, but the facts fitted nicely. When the Mantis's servant went away, he addressed the Kakita, suddenly dropping the polite demeanor for a far colder one:

"Let me know if you need help with these "Villains" Of yours, Kakita-sama".

||
Dollie
The Kakita duelist watched Chiyoko depart, a twinge of sadness in her heart as she let an opportunity to spar with a competent swordswoman pass by. Kiyoko let the feeling pass, then turned to Saizou and looked the man over. He did not seem a particularly outstanding individual—just the sort to blend into a crowd. 

Although, what she really needed was a scout. A competent swordarm would help too, though the man's stance didn't really give her the impression he was particularly skilled with a blade. She would inquire about this Hiramori samurai with Koharu and Rika. A volunteer would certainly be better than ordering a reluctant ashigaru along.

Kiyoko nodded silently, gave a shallow bow, and turned to walk away. 

"Thank you, Hiramori-san. I will keep that in mind."

[End Scene]

||