Pack tactics (D1, MM, Closed)

[Matsu Eriko]

"That's probably the long and short of it, I'd say. I don't think I could have said it better myself!" She smirked with a carefree shrug of her shoulders. While the kidnapping experience was pretty harrowing, she would have gone mad if she wasn't able to at least laugh at some of it. "Mushrooms weren't the worst of it, really. They made for some neat plushies. They got the guy who gave them a bad name, anyway. Otori steak was pretty to try once. It was really juicy. I don't think they export those anywhere."

"Survivors? Honeymoon? News to me, I didn't know there were others here. Maybe some of the swell people showed up and we can say hi. Of course, I'll leave that to you." She gave a thumb toward Hide's direction before addressing the other Lions as a whole. "Hide-san is something of a social butterfly, she seems to get really chummy with people like a duck to water. I bet that'll come really useful to a place like this. I don't say we're quite on a honeymoon, ourselves. I used to be Crab, so I'm pretty familiar with getting boots on the ground and back to work whenever needed."

[Matsu Hide]

"...Survivors?" Hide looked a bit intrigued by that descriptor. She did chance upon someone when she got into the city the night prior. "Ah, well, I did see a Scorpion from the miai here. She helped me out a bit. Didn't really know her prior to this, only saw her here and there back on Asakaze."

She didn't remember that Scorpion getting involved with the messier affairs on the planet, so she doubted that Kanna had talked to her. "Huh, who else is around?"

"As far as what Eriko-san has just said about me, I'm just used to spending some time in mixed company. It's easier to make connections when you take people to a place to unwind and have a couple of drinks." And also almost dying is another way, but Hide left that part out. Best to save that for the full story.

[Akodo Reki]

Reki didn't wince at the claws that scratched her leg through the uniform pants, it wasn't particularly deep. She listened as the discussion turned to the escapades on this world of Asakaze. Her own marriage had been far less eventful.

The Akodo was frowning now, lost in thought as the rest continued to speak around her. She continued to run a hand down the cat's back in an almost mechanical gesture. Her eyes weren't focused on any particular person.

"With that, I feel like we've all said our ice-breaking piece about ourselves... Except for you Akodo-sama."

Her attention shifted to the Kitsu, Reki's expression once again neutral. She raised an eyebrow and then spoke, "Myself? Chief Adjutant in the Operations staff of the 52nd Akodo Strike Legion. Presently engaged with the Mantis in Crossroads, though I am leave for the time. I hope to rejoin them soon."

[Kitsu Kanna]

Kanna was slightly amused by how casual the two Matsu were about these events:

"Usually the numbers of deaths, and kidnappings, and monster attacks, happening at a miai is zero you know?"

Then she recomposed herself and explained:

"There's at least one Imperial in town who's very vocal and very grumpy about the whole affair. Though there's also a couple of lovey-dovey Scorpions that seem to have lived an almost normal miai on this planet but for mushroom overdose.

It's absolutely possible it's all about narrative. Someone, maybe a single vengeful person maybe a bigger organization, wanting the Phoenix to look bad and thus me having me, and likely other journalists, meet, more or less fortuitously, an advocate of the Asakaze death trap side of the story. Someone else wanting to avoid a scandal and throwing in a testimony going the other way.

Likely, all are perfectly honest retelling of their own experience. But the Scorpions have entire shelves in their libraries on how the same facts can give completely opposite impressions depending on the angles they're witnessed and told and, not gonna lie, this is also part of any journalist training on any world.

If I am to do a paper on Asakaze, I'm gonna need more information of course. But mostly I require a narrative to pursue. Your story, Matsu-san, can be told in a way that would make you appear as a hero rising to fight against dangers no one could have been expected. It can be about clan cooperation. It can be a romance. It can be anything really.

Except untruthful. The Lion does not deal with falsehood. 4 can be written as 1+3 or 1+1+1+1 or 2+2 or 3+1 as is best. Write 4 as 2+3 once because it seems convenient at the time and the next day a flotilla explodes because the computer thought eight was ten."

Kanna adjusted her glasses, her eyes jumping from one face to the next:

"Of course, this is if we even want to do anything more with the mushroom miai. There might be a more urgent matters to care about. Though I'm not sure what after that introduction where we revealed ourselves to be minor paper pushers and soldiers on vacation."

[Tassu]

Reki didn't wince at the claws that scratched her leg through the uniform pants, it wasn't particularly deep. She listened as the discussion turned to the escapades on this world of Asakaze. Her own marriage had been far less eventful.

The Akodo was frowning now, lost in thought as the rest continued to speak around her. She continued to run a hand down the cat's back in an almost mechanical gesture. Her eyes weren't focused on any particular person.

Chiyo, once she had found what she deemed a comfortable position, laid her head down, closing her eyes. Soon her ears were twitching ever so gently, the elderly feline dreaming of mauling rats and a certain Scorpion courtier she still vehemently hated after all these years. Meanwhile, many a stray black hair now clung to Reki's garments.

[Matsu Eriko]

"To be fair, Asakaze is a frontier world and it was a bit rough in some spots. I don't think chances at miai are an absolute zero but it is unfortunate when they do happen, especially when you're the Phoenix host. There probably aren't that many exaggerations from what you're hearing out there but I suppose we did trip on a few outliers." She nodded at that.

After sparing a glance around the room to see where the refreshments were, Eriko spoke up once more. "Oh, if it's someone who has it out for the Phoenix, it's probably the Mantis! Or rather, some Mantis posing as ronin, I'm sure you might be familiar with the type in the Lion, no? You know, the sort that is pretty annoying and can appear out of nowhere at any time. They just have a habit of smuggling themselves in anywhere. So annoying." She shook her head before crossing her arms.

"Well...I'm sure this is the part where we're supposed to pool our information on the potential mission at hand, talk about who we met, and potentially who we could work on when it comes to this season's court, eh? Of course, I tend to leave that stuff to the more organized genius and clever cookies, such as my wife here." She smirked as she gave Hide another nudge with her elbow.

[Akodo Inasa]

"If this goes anything like some of the other incidents I've witnessed, I doubt you will lack for something to write about for long. Circumstance and action can turn someone from a minor figure into someone the Empire knows before we know it," he noted. "But you likely know that better than I."

He glanced around to see who might speak up about what Eriko was referring to - who they met and anything about court.

[Ikoma Nishi]

Running late, as usual, Nishi blustered into the meeting room with a passing knock on the doorframe. She bowed quickly to everyone in the room - even the cat.
"Hi, uh, ohayo, everyone, my fellow samurai. Ikoma Nishi, documentarian and researcher," she introduced herself and found a seat, getting familiar with faces. "Apologies, and honours," she offered with a raise of eyebrows and a mild shrug, as if that was explanation enough for her tardiness.
She wears a dark coloured jacket with an incredibly high neckline, though it's unzipped to reveal the standard Lion-shade of mustard yellow by way of a collared blouse underneath, and slender gold rings flash on her fingers as she talks.

[Matsu Hide]

"We stumbled into almost all the outliers, let's be real here." Hide paused a moment, there was something they didn't have to deal with. "Ah, right, Kitsune Izumi-sama and Na- errr, Shinjo Mumei-san, did inform me of a weird cult situation at one point or another."

With the entrance of the new face, the Matsu marine rose and offered a bow. "At least you have made the meeting, Ikoma-san."

"Now as far as people... I haven't really had the chance to talk to many. I did just get here last night." Hide sat herself down as she looked to Eriko a bit bashfully. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't hit it off with people on my transport shuttle this time."

[Akodo Reki]

A nod is given to the Ikoma, a slow subtle movement...and it communicated a very important piece of news: there is a cat on my lap, and I don't want to wake it up

"My situation is similar to Matsu Hide-san's...my own arrival was very recent. I met a few individuals during the festival." She tapped the table softly with her finger, "Including the rather famous Susumu Yakumo and one of the members of the Crane band Usagi Drop. Unexpected but I suppose this place attracts the glamorous."

"Other then that a member of the Hare's embassy. A rather pleasant fellow, though I imagine a nice demeanor and friendly smile are a common mask worn on planet."

"As for what we can do? This place practically pulses with information, hidden behind the sweet scent of lies and distraction." She looked at each in turn, "Whatever one my hear or learn, insignificant as it maybe, could prove valuable to our superiors. My experience with intelligence is that it very rarely is one coherent picture, more a thousand thousand little pieces that have to be assembled into something one can understand."

[Matsu Eriko]

Eriko bowed politely when the Ikoma joined them and gave a look across the table. "Looks like we have quite a number of people here but I'm still sure we can't be everywhere at once, not as much as the Scorpions. Has anyone given any thoughts to potentially subcontracting some...hired help?"

[Akodo Inasa]

He bowed as the newcomer arrived. "Akodo Inasa. Pleased to meet you, Ikoma-san."

Eriko bowed politely when the Ikoma joined them and gave a look across the table. "Looks like we have quite a number of people here but I'm still sure we can't be everywhere at once, not as much as the Scorpions. Has anyone given any thoughts to potentially subcontracting some...hired help?"

"I would like to handle that if the need arises, unless anyone has any objections," he piped up. "I am meant to assist, after all. If something goes wrong, the honor of the Lion as a group needs to be maintained. That's easier when only one person is behind something like that."

[Ikoma Nishi]

She flashed a small smile and nodded quickly, "Hai, I only just arrived early this morning, I haven't met anyone but you lovely lionesses yet," she spoke a bit rushed.

A raised eyebrow was sent to Inasa at their offer and nodded again, "That seems fair, yes?"

[Matsu Eriko]

"Hey, no objections from me, Akodo-san," she smiled appreciatively at that. "I figured it would be tended to eventually but I just wondered whether or not contracting was exactly in hmm...our treatise? Stratagem? Battle plans?"

Her gaze went around the room momentarily as she tried to get a feel of which word to use on the matter as a Lion. "I'll help however I can as I'll be mostly around. If you need me, you can either just call me or Hide-san. I might not be available all the time but I'm pretty easygoing at the very least."

[Akodo Reki]

Reki let out a sigh, not particularly thrilled with the current topic. But it was a necessary one.

"The demands of Honor must be met of course in any of these dealings." She nodded to her fellow Akodo. An unspoken so don't tell anyone important if they aren't was left hanging.

[Akodo Inasa]

"Naturally, Akodo-sama," he replied, bowing in his seat, expression one of polite neutrality. He knew his job that well, at least. And how to avoid anything coming back on the rest if things went south.

"As far as stratagem goes, in my own opinion, it would be best to keep up with the other Clans, at least. Good intelligence is vital."

[Matsu Eriko]

"Gotcha, I'll be sure to not step on your toes then, Akodo-san," she bobbed her head twice in Inasa's direction. "Hm! Is anything else we need to cover today?"

Her gaze went about the room to see if anyone else had something to add, starting with Akodo Reki. Not that she was going to tell anyone (other than Hide) but it was good to find an escape out of the meeting before it ate up the whole morning.

[Ikoma Nishi]

Having missed most of the meeting, Nishi had questions but nothing more to add at this time, so she sat back with her lips in a thin line, gaze ticking from one face to the next to see if anyone had something. "Uh, no, but I look forward to getting to know you each better while we're all on-planet."