Brought in by the Storm

[Tamori Manji]

After the harrowing events along The Kami's Roads, Manji and Jun emerged from a large pool of water formed by the storm that assailed Kyuden Kasuga relentlessly. Despite being gone from Ningendo for no more than an instant, they had traveled through places normally unseen by mortal eyes and that left both men physically and mentally fatigued. We've arrived, finally. Come Daidoji-san, we have no time to lose, the fox said in a tired voice, taking the lead.

The strong winds that accompanied the heavy rain disheveled both clothes and hair of the weary travelers. When they arrived at the doors of the Tortoise's estate both were drenched from head to toe, Manji's hair had its long braid undone and was like a white blanket clinging wet to his face and body, while Jun's shoulder long black hair flowed freely with each gust of wind. No one could be seen at the entrance of Kyuden Kasuga. The guards were probably sheltered from the rain somewhere, both thought.

Thunder boomed in the distance. Amidst the darkness, Manji gathered his strength to shout out in an imperious voice, hoping to be heard despite thunder and rain, GUARDS! OPEN THE DOORS. I COME WITH A MESSAGE FOR KASUGA SHINOBU-SAMA!

[Kasuga Shinobu]

There was no answer for a long moment. The castle, if it could be called as such, may as well have been the shell of a real tortoise, asleep as usual. However, after that long moment the door creaked open. and a Tortoise stared out around the door almost shyly, or demurely. The black kimono was heavy, as a winter kimono, and it left much to the imagination. The effeminate face and soft, neutral voice left just as many questions.

"Ah... Manji-san, ohaiyo. Sumimasen, I fear the rain has left me weak and ill, but the shugenja assure me that I am not spreading at all." The door opened the rest of the way and the Tortoise gave a slow bow, slight, before coughing softly and straightening. "Please, Manji-san, Jun-sama, won't you come into the foyer? I have tea set. I have been expecting you for the past 2 hours."

[Kakita Mitsouko]

While the intriguing character showed himself/herself (and for the first time Jun wasn't able to tell) and spoke with soft voice, Jun was still trying to recover for the experience with Manji. Traveling through the narrow line between worlds (or it's what he interpreted for the experience) was excitant and thrilling. He had fear before, by several times and wasn't a stupid guy to pretend fear wasn't part of samurai life. That experience, however, showed him a different sort of fear. Being lost into the path they followed would not be a easy thing.
Please then, we would never dare to expose you to such weather. Forgive us for our delay, no excuses can be presented that justify the loss of your precious time. And the health of our host is important to us. Gladly we accept the invitation for a tea. Jun said with a bow.

[Tamori Manji]

Being received personally by Shinobu caught Manji off-guard, almost as much as his/her demure appearance. To recompose himself, he let the Crane, naturally more apt for unexpected social situations, take the lead.

Once out of the heavy rain, the fox said in a soft voice I'm sorry for the delay Shinobu-sama. It was not my intention to intrude upon your family at such late hours, but one can't always choose his own path, he bowed respectfully to his host, please, lead the way. We are at your disposal.

[Kasuga Shinobu]

Tea had been laid out in a very small, simple room, one that would remind one more of a simple peasant's main area rather than a court room or waiting room in a clan's main castle. The tea was simple as well, black, no sugar or flavoring in it, served in bamboo cups with a small black pot with some extra. Finely sliced sashimi lay on a wooden tray by the tea, a few small carrots and celery slices by the fish to compliment it.

Shinobu slowly sat, gracefully. The Tortoise Hatamoto looked up between the two before dark eyes rested once more on Manji. "My time is not so precious as to worry so over it, Jun-sama, Manji-san. You also need not worry about my being up. As I said, I have known you would be coming soon, so I have remained up just for the occasion."

Shinobu took a small sip of tea, setting the cup down gently. "Did you know that a Mantis has already been by here, Manji-san? Not only that, but one of the self professed Snake as well. It seems there is much the Tortoise can do, though so little that can be done..."

[Tamori Manji]

Manji finished drying his hair with a towel, then bound it in a loose ponytail with a black stripe of leather. He padded after the Tortoise and, following their arrival into the foyer, calmly sat in seiza before their host.

He listened to Shinobu patiently, while sipping the simple, but invigorating, hot black tea. Afterwards, he slowly placed his cup down and answered, in a soft tone, You are much too kind Shinobu-sama and your hospitality, however simple, is a soothing balm for our tired bodies. We thank you for your patience and care, the fox bowed slightly to Shinobu.

I knew about the Mantis envoy. The war placed its clansmen in a very difficult position when it directly opposed them to one of their best trading partners, the Crane. As such, the Mantis will have to play many different angles in order to minimize efficiently their losses and those of the Empire during this senseless conflict, Manji's voice assumed a serious tone, the presence of the self proclaimed Snakes is of no surprise either. I've heard whispers of their actions, and those of the vengeful Spiders, both from people and the Kami. I thank you for your valuable warning though. I am sure that a smart family like yours knows how to properly entertain these guests, the fox smiled slyly to Shinobu.

With the Great Clans busy warring, its natural for people to seek alternative ways of fulfilling their needs. I have no doubt that a resourceful family like the Kasuga will have much to do in the coming days, Manji took another sip of tea and let its warmth fill his body for a few instants. He continued, in a soft, but confident tone, which brings me to the reason why me and Daidoji Jun-sama are here. Thankfully, the Tortoise is known both for its discretion and its ingenuity and I am sure you'll be able to offer us interesting options to deal with our problems. The first matter we seek to discuss is the Mantis attack on Crane provinces. Many of the Captains who took this enterprise are determined to battle the Crane but preserve the lives of the heimin, for, as we all know, they are the base of our Empire. They also wish to stock food inconspicuously, in order to create reserves that may prevent the famine that can follow in the war's aftermath.

For this desire to be successful three things need to happen. First, the people "captured" must be relocated to safe places that will not be directly hit by the war. Second, as the Mantis resources are officially at Kaneka-sama's disposal, this food need to be discreetly stocked somewhere not on Mantis lands. Third, in order to avoid a collapse of our economy and a much harsher conclusion to this war, I imagine we would all benefit from the establishment of alternative trading routes, Manji bowed respectfully to both Shinobu and Jun, then looked again to Shinobu, what are your thoughts on this matter Shinobu-sama?

The fox carefully sipped from his teacup, while playing with a stubborn strand of his shaggy hair and waiting for Shinobu's answer.

[Kasuga Shinobu]

The Tortoise samurai had a distant, thoughtful look on his face as he listened to Manji's words. Finally, she spoke up softly as he finished. "Some of those matters are easier done than others, Manji-san. The easiest is the one that needs the least discussion in my eyes. The heimin of the Empire are ever under the protection of the Kasuga family. Should some become displaced, merely give them resource to a letter that will send them here. I have enough resources to sort of locations for heimin families that will leave no questions asked."

She paused to take a sip of tea, choking back a cough. His voice was ever weaker for just a moment. "The other things you ask of me will be a bit more difficult. The matter of relocating food away from the Mantis islands would be taking sides in the matter at hand, and I am not sure the Tortoise could afford even the possibility of being tied up in the war. The moment someone finds out we are helping one side or the other, we become a target."

He paused once again to sip tea. She seemed to be a little better, but it was clear it was a constant battle against his sickness. "The third is difficult because you assume we do not already HAVE alternate trade routes Manji-san. The Tortoise have many routes to bring things over land, as well as over the seas. The problem is that in times such as these, such shipments are by necessity small. If you are looking for more... public, large scale routes... that may prove more tricky."

[Tamori Manji]

Manji nipped sparingly at the food offered while listening attentively to Shinobu's answer. He grew silent for a couple of moments, thinking deeply about what he had just heard. He drank some more tea, to fight off the humid cold brought in by the storm and spoke in a apologetic tone, of course Shinobu-sama, it's far from my intentions to drag the Tortoise into the war. Feel free to point out any faults my ideas might have.

He caught himself wondering about his host's health for a while, after a coughing fit. Such chills were dangerous, for they could become life threatening if not properly treated. Maybe I should broach the subject, once our negotiations are concluded, thought Manji, but, instead, he spoke, in a grateful tone, I thank you for the help you've offered with the heimin. That alone will make a great difference to our Empire.

He offered a respectful bow to Shinobu, then said, in a cautious voice, a good part of the resources I've mentioned will probably be taken from Crane lands and should be aboard Mantis ships. Maybe, when the heimin seek refuge through your contacts, they can carry extra supplies of food with them. That would surely draw less attention than going to Mantis lands or having flagships deliver those resources directly. Certain captains among the fleet are also adept at delivering goods while unseen, which may be an option, the fox paused for an instant, trying to find the right words, the catch, with our third problem, is which trade routes, if any, can be used to supply the ravaged regions without drawing unneeded attention. There will come a time during the war, when the Clans whose lands are in the heart of this conflict, namely the Crane and the Lion, will need great support to avoid famine and plague. Not to mention Toshi Ranbo and the Hub Villages, once the worst of this conflict is past.

Manji sipped from his teacup again, while thinking carefully about how to best tackle these problems without endangering the delicate neutral position in which the Tortoise was.

[Kasuga Shinobu]

Shinobu had listened intently while Manji had spoke, though there was an occasional sip of tea. The coughs seemed to have lessened for the time being, and it was enough that Shinobu could speak evenly.

"To the second problem first, Manji-san... the problem comes back to the plight of those lower on the Celestial order. The problem is that, as long as they remain in Crane or Lion lands, for instance, helping them will be seen as helping the clan in question. While I can understand relocating peasants in danger, it would be quite a bit more hard to take starving peasants from such a large area and trying to move them, or feed them with no knowledge of the act."

"To the former... that is a bit trickier still. It may perhaps be easier to use contacts I have that are not aligned to any clan to move the goods, though they are by necessity somewhat less reliable. While I appreciate your thoughts of discretion Manji-san, the very moment a Tortoise vessel carries goods from any side to another, for the benefit of one side or another, the possibility is there of discovery. Surely you understand my position...."

Shinobu looked down shyly, blushing a little.

[Tamori Manji]

Which are the contacts not directly related to any Clan that I can use? the fox thought, while trying to puzzle the problems he faced without revealing his game.

After long moments, he spoke with a distant voice, clearly still deep in thought, Yes, Shinobu-sama, I can understand your caution, he paused, took a sip of hot tea, nipped at a sashimi and some carrots, then mused, during my travels, I've met many people, some of which still owe me favors. A few are reliable, others would require a certain... delicate approach. Maybe if we were to execute the more dangerous part of the business through intermediaries not related to any of the Great Clans, the chances of success would improve, he paused again for a moment, then added, of course, this may carry problems of its own, especially concerning the integrity of the products transported, but these persons are of the tight lipped sort and, given the nature of the business, I am sure of their loyalty.

I wouldn't, of course, want to put you under any direct risk or turn your lands into a refugee camp, his voice assumed a resolute tone, so, the help of your family would be needed, chiefly, in finding the correct places to where both people and resources could be redirected and helping to ensure the efficiency of this network. And I assure you I'm not simply asking you or demanding anything. You'll be properly compensated for any efforts you undertake, in a manner of your choosing.

I'm afraid that this is the best I have to work with, Manji said in a apologetic tone, Shinobu-sama, given the sensitive circumstances, which, among the needs I have, may you help me with? the fox smiled and bowed respectfully, without diverting his eyes from the Tortoise.

[Kakita Mitsouko]

Neither Jun was able to avert eyes of the gracious figure before him. "She", as he started to think of Shinobu, possesses the most charming voice and manner Jun found in a woman outside his own clan. And finding it in Kyuden Kasuga was surprising enough to make Jun to review his misconception. Even her slight cough make him shudder in concern about her health.
He tried to push this feelings aside, to better concentrate in the negotiation. He knew it would be delicate, but not...delicate. All they need was Kasuga's services and one more thing only the gaijin could provide. Jun was ready to merge in the underground, able to find his end making what was necessary for his clan. That was what he was trained for. He, however, never thought that dealing with Kasuga would be that sweet torture.
After Manji explained sincerely some of their needs, he waited her response, trying to figure who was "she" and why the hell he prefered he wasn't dealing with her in that situation.

[Kasuga Shinobu]

Shinobu moved over to a window, looking out as Manji spoke. Finally, he turned around, looking at Manji with a curious expression. "As I have said, Manji-san, I can move people, and goods. I can even store them. There are few problems in finding ways to get such things done. It is not an issue of compensation or not, not at the moment."

She walks over, glancing at Jun for a second before looking back at Manji. "I have many contacts... as I am sure you do. I can guarantee those that I use would transport the goods safely and securely, though I could not guarantee that you would appreciate dealing with them. Either way... no amount of compensation could overcome the risk to my clan transporting such things in Mantis ships, Manji-san."

[Tamori Manji]

[OOC: Shinobu, I've seen your post in the CBox about the colors, does green look better to you?]

Manji was beginning to wonder if his Crane companion was waiting for the right moment to intervene or if he was simply entranced by Shinobu's company. Being a fox, he was aware of the dangers a sweet smile and apparent fragility may carry, especially to those who know how to admire beauty. It didn't make their situation any less unexpected though and Manji felt it was part of the Tortoise's game. When Shinobu graciously moved to the window, Manji looked briefly to Jun, trying to gauge his intentions, but decided it would be best to say nothing until the negotiations were over.

You wouldn't have to, Manji said with a calm voice, I am sure the Captains involved have no more wish to be discovered than you, for few would understand the sacrifice they are willing to make. But I completely understand your caution and I guarantee you that no ship bearing Mantis' colors, banners or mon would deal directly with you or any of your intermediaries.

As for me dealing with them, you don't need to concern yourself about that. They are not mine to deal with, I was merely sent to forge a deal. People far more capable than I will conduct the business itself, the fox smiled slyly.

[Kakita Mitsouko]

Forgive me the interruption, I just wish to say we are open to hear what of the matters we presented until now, you can do for us; and more properly, if you wish to, of course. There’s no need to discuss how if you don’t wish to detail it to us. Maybe it can make things comfortable to everyone: there are other things we wish from so fine merchants as your clan is, that probably depends on how receptive Kasuga family is to our needs.

What I can assure is, and he said it staring a little longer to her face that the shadows of war will not befall over your house.

He sipped his tea, savoring the hot beverage for a while and said:

You already know we aren’t here officially in behalf of any clan. Better said, some personalities and friends have reasons to believe Kasuga is right now capable to ease things to valuable customers. Like maybe my friends out there can be from now.

I think that risky business are for bold people like your family is, and no matter the reasons, it should be worth of the effort. Our friends will be able to compensate what is believed to be not compensable. Believe me. New possibilities can be either opened, or closed for a long time, depending much of the next days. And of your reply this night.

[Kasuga Shinobu]

(( I don't mind either color, just the right light blue for the most part ))

Shinobu looked between the two. The soft eyes rested on Manji first. "Manji-san, that is why I would feel better using a neutral third party, such as a pirate group or heimin fishermen, to transport goods. Using any clan's ships, no matter how discreet, carries with it a certain risk. Still... they are the Mantis' and Crane's goods in the end. I will work to make them more secure should it be needed."

Shinobu's gaze moved over to Jun, and a soft blush blossomed on those cheeks. "Jun-sama is too kind. I am seeking to do all I can for you and your clan, I assure you..." A small cough. "I am honored that you realize my position and the position of my clan. I have high hopes that things can be worked out, officially or unofficially..."