Shosuro Kasumi and Bayushi Kenji find Shosuro Shinobu, Shosuro Rei, and, another old colleague, Soshi Manami awaiting them in a side chamber.

"Well, that could have gone better," Shosuro Shinobu says as you enter, "but at least we're not a war."

Now that she was safe, Sakura let the mask of Crane civility fall. The tears now fell freely, as was the Scorpion custom.

"I try to bring the Clan a gift, and almost start a war. I made a terrible error in judgment. I brought the Courtier to help ensure a more believable pretense to our deal, but I did not expect her to act as she did. There will be no war, Kuwanan-Dono will not permit it ... this year. But I will need to act fast and well to undo the damage I have caused ..."

"I have been gone for too long ..."

Sakura took a deep breath.

[I'll pause there for now ...]

"It's not as bad as all that, Kasumi-chan," Shosuro Rei shrugs--always the more optimistic of the twins, "you can't expect the Crane and the Scorpion to put aside a millennium of rivalry and suspicion in a single meeting.  At least, now the Crane are seeing the Scorpion as a potential solution to their problems rather than another one they have to deal with.  Right, Shinobu-chan?"

"True, Rei-chan," Shinobu agrees, "it really is not that bad.  Really, it is a difference of styles that caused all the problems.  Daidoji Tsukiko-san prefers to negotiate in abstractions whereas Bayushi Tenma-san prefers to know the details of what he is agreeing to.  The differences are not irreconcilable and at least they are talking."

"Steps not your own, are the most difficult to predict. ", Manami quoted her sensei.  She meant it as both a warning and consolation; just as he did when he first quoted his master to her.

"I have been recently returned to Crane lands to assist matters here.  Perhaps I may be of use to you... Subtly ofcourse." , she smiled genuinely.  She took her duty to clan matters very seriously, and her upbringing left no doubts where her loyalties lay.

"As serious as this situation with the Crane is," Shosuro Rei says grimly, "there is a more pressing issue at hand.  Kasumi-chan, you mentioned at the meeting with Tenma-san, an incident with agents of the Shadow.  If you could, a more complete report would be appreciated."

Kasumi nodded her consent to her "Cousin's" request.

"We ran into an Imperial Herald on the way here. She was traveling alone, and gave us stories about bandits attacking her, in turn being attacked by strange shadow monsters. Both Kenji-San and I had an idea of what she was talking about, so our small group volunteered to escort her."

"We were attacked again, this time we were able to figure out what was going on. The 'bandits' were Daidoji Harriers, though I know nothing about that particular operation. However, they were attacked and slaughtered before we could react by those with obvious capability. Their footprints left death in their wake, much like those of our kin who have been branded with too many Shadowbrands."

"This was broad daylight -- with witnesses."

"I contacted my Master and he said that we had no operatives in the area. I was informed that Shadow Hunters would be dispatched immediately."

Sakura looked around for a moment.

"I do not know what those messages were; there were four of them, one of which was to the Lord of this City warning about the impending Lion assault. I do not know which message was so important for the Lying Darkness to have delivered, but that it operated in broad daylight is ... disturbing at best."

"What I do know is that, with the Lion in charge of this city things will be much more difficult for us to deal with. To spread such chaos, right after such a bloody war and right before the Emperor comes ..."

Sakura paused and took a breath before she continued.

"I do not know what is happening, but it can't be good."

"So long as I am under orders from Doji Kuwanan, we are at an advantage here in this city. I can arrange things that displease the governor, but so long as they are ... reasonable he can't say much."

"If the Lion take the city, that advantage is gone."

She then looked at the twins.

"By the way, please tell Tenma-Sama that my intent was to deliver the Clan a gift -- as well as reporting in the most expedient way possible. To serve the Clan, I must maintain and improve my reputation with the Crane. This might, conceivably, do both."

"If you can give me something that I can work with -- preferably an alliance, even if only for a few seasons -- then the Clan can be served from both directions. So long as it can be justified from within my cover's point of view I will work with it."

[Any external indications as to what Manami's "profession" is? i.e. does she dress like a Courtier, have a Shugenja pouch, ect.? If you haven't read her story yet (beginning of the OOC thread, page 2 I think but it could be earlier) Sakura is a Soshi Shugenja/Shosuro Deceiver).]

Then you might know her from Soshi Shugenja dojo.  She carries a scroll pouch, a school mon,  and wakisashi.  She is pure shugenja, with some info gathering skills.

[That depends on Manami's age. Sakura was "embedded" well before the Coup and hasn't been back to the Dojo since. She does carry a scroll pouch, but wears no Mon (other than the Daidoji Mon on the front and Crane Mon on the back). On the other hand, you have probably been given a "brief" by the twins ...]

[Were there any indications of Shadow in Tenma or the others?]

"The messages were addressed to Doji Kusanagi, the Lord of this city, Bayushi Tenma, Yoritomo Akuto, and Akodo Dorugi. I already know the contents of the message to Kusanagi-Sama, and it's not terribly useful ... a message from an Imperial friend warning him of the Lion's intentions. It would be good to know what is in the other three messages. It's possible that there is magic involved, hidden messages and that sort of thing."

"Something seems amiss about this whole situation," Shinobu says, "I am no expert on the Shadow, but it seems to me that a force so dangerous would not be particularly concerned with the political maneuverings of the Clans--except as they affected its own goals.  What does it gain from the Crane keeping this position?  Or, maybe we are looking at it the wrong way, what does it stand to lose from a successful Lion Clan?"

OOC:  no, there's been no sign of the Shadow in anyone you've met
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:37, Mon 21 Apr 2008.

"Perhaps , cohesion ?  If the Lion are successful, I doubt the Crane will be in a position to retaliate by force.  Dissention has long been our tool against the other clans.  So long as they battled each other, no one group was able to rise to supreme dominance.  Perhaps this enemy seeks to do the same ?  As long as the Crane hold out here, the Lion will never be truly at peace over the matter.  This will always be a point of contention; a point of contention that may serve to keep the Empire's eyes diverted from whatever the enemy's true aim is set upon. ", Manami offers.

"On the other hand, if the Lion succeed the matter is effectively resolved as a whole season of entrenchment will almost guarantee no amount of political manuevering will be of use. "

"I think" replied Sakura in a thoughtful tone, "that 'Why does the Lying Darkness wish to ensure such chaos with the Emperor's visit so close?' is the more pertinent question."

"Perhaps" Sakura shrugged, "I am merely being paranoid, however I doubt this is a coincidence. The Daidoji cannot and will not allow this city to fall without some reaction. They will try to retake the city if it falls, stopping only for the presence of the Emerald Legions. So the Lion will not have a chance to properly secure the city for His coming."

"The Lying Darkness is not our enemy -- yet -- but it is only a matter of time. I ..."

Sakura stopped, utterly lost in thought.

'What am I missing?'

"... it is a cunning enemy, one that plans over the course of centuries instead of seasons ..."

"I fear if we cast our net too wide... ", Manami invokes the imagery of the Soshi family mon, "we will invariably let too many precious things slip thru our grasp.  I feel that we need to address the Darkness in terms of surveillance where possible; yet, our immediate concern should be assisting the Crane hold this fortification.  Should the Lion succeed here, they will only press their advantage elsewhere content that nothing stands in their way.  We should use the Crane as a buffer against the Lion's ferocity.  Bolster the Crane where we can, and hinder the Lion where we cannot."

"There are too many unknowns here," Shosuro Rei says, her frustration showing clearly on her face, "too many factions that we don't understand.  The Lion move to take Toshi Ranbo.  The Imperials send word to warn the Crane.  The Daidoji move to stop the word from being delivered.  The Shadow moves against the Daidoji.  And the Crane move to keep Toshi Ranbo.  What are we missing?"

"Why," Shosuro Shinobu asks, her eyes narrowed in thought, "did the Imperials send word?  The Lion made no move to hide their intentions.  News of the impending attack would have arrived in time for the Crane to put up a passable defense regardless...especially with the Daidoji in residence...Rei-chan, what word did Tenma-sama receive?"

"I don't know?" Rei shrugs, "he wouldn't share it with me...You don't think it has anything to do with this do you?"

Shinobu's silence and a raised eyebrow is her only answer.

"There is one more detail, then, that might be important" Sakura replied quietly, "the Herald deliberately drew us through Lion territory ... and when we were there, she 'suggested' that we hide to make it through 'without incident'."

"Upon reflection, I get the impression that she wanted us to know about the Lion contingent set against us. I would suspect an Otomo plot had not the Shadow been involved."

"In any event, we should probably focus on reducing the number of unknowns. I will need to consult with my Master to see if there is something specific that the Clan wishes of me."

"Why must it be one or the other?" Shosuro Shinobu asks, "simply because the Shadow is involved does not preclude the possibility of an Otomo plot.  Were it not nearly treasonous to say so, one could almost think that the goals of the Otomo and the goals of the Shadow are not so different."

"I agree with the results of their actions being similar.  To prevent the Lion from becoming dominant, the Crane were alerted.  So continues the circle of strife.  In this, we too have sometimes had a hand.  But I digress, what is to be our goal in this predicament ?  How may I serve the Clan and my Clanmates in this matter ?" , Manami asked.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:06, Fri 02 May 2008.

Sakura sat quiet for a long moment.

"I don't know" she finally replied. "Shinobu-San is quite correct, there is no reason for the two to be separate. It may be that we must allow this place to fall, but how could we know ...?"

"I must consult with my Master when I can. It would be good if you could be assigned to aide us publicly in some small way, as a token of non-aggression. This would still be considered by Kuwanan-Dono a major feat and would aide the clan as well."

"But, in the end, though we are from the same school we take different roads. I was gone long before you began your training ... I don't even know if any of my old instructors are still alive."

"Until ordered otherwise, I must stay under cover. I am very concerned, but ..."

Sakura paused for another moment and then bowed to the ladies.

"I leave it to your creativity. For now, I must return to my duties but I will return. Perhaps we can have a treaty ready? If not, well, whatever benefits the clan ..."

Manami considers for a bit, "Perhaps I will request a courtier to be assigned to evaluate and handle the treaty ?  This will give the Crane something to do , and will soothe their egos to think that they earned such a boon.  It will also give me an excuse to be involved as part of the entourage, without calling undo attention to myself. I think the Daimyo would be please with this arrangement."

"We can't know," Shosuro Rei sighs, "and what may serve the Empire in the short term, may serve the Shadow in the long term.  Without that perspective, we can only go with our instincts..."

"I believe your approach is the correct one, Manami-san," Shinobu agrees, "we can arrange for some Scorpion 'advisors' to coordinate with the Crane while the details of the treaty are finalized.  That should appease both sides by giving the appearance of capitulation to the Crane but leaving the final details in our hands."

"Don't fret too much, Kasumi-chan," Rei grins unexpectedly, "you may not be home yet, but you're not alone anymore."

"Thank you" Kasumi said with a grateful smile, "That means a lot to me."

"Well, then, Manami-San I shall see you later."

[Assuming that there are no objections, she shall excuse herself.]

"Yes, I should go prepare for my extended stay and write a summary to send back to my mistress.  May the fortunes be with us all. ", Manami bows to her senior operatives before exiting.