Ambassador from the Dragon

[Togashi Eizo]

Kitsune Mori

A door slid open to reveal a small man wearing the clothes of peasant in service of the Kitsune family. “Kitsune-sama!” he said before touching his head to the ground. “A visitor has arrived for you. He is dressed like a monk, and has made a request to speak to you.” The man then rose to a kneeling position before his lord, which made him seem all the smaller in comparison. “He said his name was Togashi Eizo, and in his words, claimed you knew him ‘When flowers bloomed without competition from the weeds.’”
The small man’s voice then began to take on an air of incredulity “He also made a strange request for a bed immediately after he gave us his name and purpose. No sooner than he was given one, he fell asleep!” The man glanced back towards the hall he had arrived from. “I have never seen a man so exhausted before” said the peasant, half to himself and half to his lord. “A letter he was carrying is addressed to you from Tamori Manji also. What should we do about him, Kitsune-sama?”

[Kitsune Poxo]

Daichi had scrolls spread out all over the table infront of him. Some seemed to hold incantations in the tongues of shugenjas others seemed to be records of events in history. A common theme seemed to hold to mysterious disappearances within the area surrounding the Kitsune Mori of more recent time.

Daichi’s discolored eyes rose to bore into the one that had disturbed his concentration. His stern demeanor quickly melted into his characteristically grin. “He seems to be getting slower, must have been a few extra checkpoints. Either way, see to his request and have him moved to a bed. He should be up sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, bring me the letter he has brought.”

[Togashi Eizo]

The kneeling man rose from his position and retrieved a small scroll from the floor next to him. It held the mon of the Dragon Clan alongside of Tamori Manji's personal mon. The peasant bowed his head as he offered to Daichi.


"Most esteemed Kitsune Daichi-sama, daimyo of the Kitsune family,

I, Tamori Manji, son of Tamori Ryuuji and Kitsune Maya, humbly write you to inform that one of the honorable monks of our Togashi family, Togashi Eizo, has been formally appointed as a political representative and ambassador of the Dragon Clan. He, like many of our brothers and sisters, has departed our lands with the mission of finding ways for us to minimize the losses of our beloved Empire during this gruesome war and mend our collective wounds, be they physical, mental or spiritual. It would do us great honor if you, the leader of one of the mainland Mantis families and one of their most important representatives, could receive him within the halls of your family's castle. I hope this letter finds you well.

May the Fortunes bless you and the Kitsune,

Tamori Manji,
Hatamoto of the Tamori family of the Dragon Clan"

[Kitsune Poxo]

Daichi took the letter from the peasant and dismissed him to make sure that the guest was moved to a bed. The daimyo opened the letter and read it over, his discolored eyes moving back and forth over it. “I hope he holds good news when he awakes then. Wisdom of the Dragon is not something to be tossed aside.” He said to himself as he closed the letter up then turned to return to his work.

[Togashi Eizo]

The Next Morning,

The door to the room slid open to reveal the same man from the previous day. The peasant bows from the waist saying “Kitsune-Sama, Togashi Eizo of the Dragon is here to see you” before standing aside to let him enter. The first thing that anyone would notice is his shaven head and tattoo of a dragon across the side of his face. With his monk robes, this marks him as one of the ise zumi. He is a little taller than the average Rokugani, but he is still dwarfed by the only other man in the room, Kitsune Daichi.

Togashi Eizo bows deeply. “Greetings Kitsune-San” he says as he rises. “How have the weeds been treating you?” Smiling at this, he turns and looks at all the scrolls scattered about. “Apparently you have gotten much busier since last we met. The monks of that Phoenix shrine still speak of how clean the statues were when you left.” The monk lets out a laugh, short but filled with genuine mirth.

[Kitsune Poxo]

"Ah Togashi-san, you have awakened…” Daichi said looking up from his cup of tea. “Those statues were only so clean because no one else could reach the high spots.”

He gave a bit of his own laugh. “Now Eizo-san, please sit awhile. I believe I was going by a different name last we met but please it is Daichi this time. Don’t mind the mess, I am doing some research, I guess you could call it. I’ve gone a long way since that Musha Shugyo. Now it seems clean temples and fortunes’ blessings are the least of my worries. Even the ronin outside seem to fall short of what seems to be coming.”

[Togashi Eizo]

“Ah, well I suppose the pleasantries are over then Daichi-san.” Eizo said as his smile faded. “As you know by the letter Tamori Manji-san sent with me, I have been appointed as ambassador to the Mantis clan. Given that this position is new to me, I thought it best to find the familiar path rather than wander into the wilderness.” Eizo constantly adjusted his position as he spoke, appearing to be nervous. Anyone who dealt with him before knew that it was no such thing. Merely that the blessings of his tattoos provided him with a desire to constantly move.

Eizo looked out the window toward a small bird sitting on a branch. “This war has affected everyone in Rokugan. Alliances have been formed, and lines have been drawn. The hurricane is here and will destroy much in its path, but the trees will eventually give fruit again. The same fruit they have always given. The Dragon hope that this storm will not destroy the fruit of the friendly relations our clans have had.”

[Kitsune Poxo]

“Now are you talking to the Mantis Clan as a whole or the Fox Clan? Seems plenty are keen on keeping us separate even in our unification. Granted if I remember correctly the Dragon Clan hasn’t exactly had many bad relationships throughout history. I would like to point out that while you are correct an apple tree will always bare apples, those apples due change with every generation.”

Daichi took a hearty gulp from his tea before placing it on the table in front of him. He crossed his hands and leaned forward. ”If the season was rainy the apples can be rather juicy, while if it is dry you can find them to be harder as an attempt to lose less moisture. Fruit is always reactive to its environment.”