video; un: maboroshi

[jigokumods]

[ Tenkohime doesn't really have a western style office, but rather begins her video in an opulent audience chamber, deep in Mizukume. Her phone is being held by one of her hand-maidens, one of the others preparing her pipe. It is eventually placed at her lips and lit with a single match... a few puffs later, and the woman finally speaks, her tails swishing lazily behind her. ]

Good day to all of you... [ Her voice drips with a dreamy softness, though lower in pitch. There is no mistaking her status from her words; she is the leader here.

She lets out a trial of smoke. ]

Like that oafish brute Toraguma, I'm making a few announcements with regards to the Night Parade, specifically what my clan is offering...

[ Another puff, another exhale. Her ears twitch. ]

Aside from some of the best festival food you will ever try, one our bathhouses along the parade route has offered itself up as a den for a gathering of wonderful... union~

[ What does that mean? ]

I know so many of you are worked up and could use a little relief... why not indulge? There are few kinks that a good orgy can't work out. [ She chuckles, brightly, tapping at the end of her pipe. ]

Of course, participating is voluntary... but if my workers desire, they can fill out a card for each satisfied participant they engage with, and I'll happily grant them a luxurious bonus for their efforts.

[ She looks pointedly at the camera, eyes narrowing. ] This, Toraguma, is how we show our pride... A follower of Tamamo will never show shame in being a bitch.

[ Her expression shifts back to something more pleasant. ]

And remember, darlings, have fun and be safe!

Comments

[jigokumods]

[ Hmm? ]

If you must. I've some time to spare.

[baofeng]

Right- in person, you mean? Or do I send a private message-?

[DOES HE GET TO BE IN TENKOHIME’S DMS????? IT FEELS ILLEGAL HE HASN’T EARNED THE PRIVILEGE]

[jigokumods]

Let one of the workers in Mizukume know you're here for a meeting with me. I'll inform them you're coming.

[baofeng]

Understood.

[When he appears in-person at the Mizukume there’s no blushing or platitudes- he knows the importance of brevity in such meetings, and the value of her time. Yizhi steps into whatever meeting room Tenko-hime’s handmaidens have set up for them, bows deeply, and immediately:]

Pardon if you’re already aware of the kappa’s activities, but I thought it was prudent to make sure. Lost Souls from other factions have snuck behind the blockade, and the ones I’ve heard from say the kappa are building some kind of machine that’s hooked up to the water systems.

[Hope this was what Senior Wei wanted out of the tip-off.]

[jigokumods]

[ Well then. That certainly was something that required some discretion, now wasn't it? Tenkohime sits for a moment, chewing on the end of her pipe before speaking again. ]

Did you see this, yourself?

[baofeng]

[ooc: For accountability’s sake, Yizhi’s two accounts are from Wei Wuxian and Dazai Osamu! The tagback delay was me confirming with the players what they would’ve told Yizhi at the end of the two threads.]

No, I haven’t the skillset for it. [Even in his initial pitch he didn’t claim otherwise.] I do have two separate accounts that both claim there’s some sort of construction in the sewers.

I don’t think they could both have lied, but even if they did… I’m not bringing this to you to actually make an accusation. You’re in the position to use this information best- I don’t have the wisdom or the understanding that you do of the whole situation.

How much to trust this is your call. I only present what I have.

[jigokumods]

[ The fox takes a long drag from her pipe, releasing the smoke in a slow exhale, the trail looking like a silver serpent, snaking through the air... ]

Tell me... Why do you distrust the Kappa? Assuming this machine exists, why do you feel it is suspicious?

[baofeng]

[He considers the question seriously, hands folded into the billowing hems of his sleeves.]

I suppose the time and place I come from has made me distrustful. When three parties can work together decently and one refuses to afford the rest even basic transparency, it's hard not to think they're hiding something to use against us.

[He pauses to think. What is the madam thinking? Which side of him should he show to her? He'll never know, so as he did with Li Shimin, Yizhi picks the angle he feels the best about and goes for it. His response is not heart-on-his-sleeve, but it's a measured sort of honesty.]

From what I've seen of how the four factions interact, we're not friends, though neither are we enemies at the moment. So I've been weirded out by the kappa's secrecy. [As have a whole bunch of other people, but he opts not to deflect the attention to those not in the room right now.] If I'm mistaken, I would be honoured to be given guidance. Would you consider the kappa's behaviour suspicious? Have they done this before?

[jigokumods]

[ She nods, generally approving of his disposition on this. He's not off, and it doesn't seem to be coming from a place of human-based distrust. ]

In truth, we have to all trust the Kappa on some level, given their connection to the utility functions of the city. Normally, we'd be right to assume this was simply something being developed to help the city to that end, but since the Kappa are part of the Alliance...

[ Another exhale of smoke, her tone dropping some. ]

You are also absolutely correct that we should not trust the Alliance, in any way. That Daitengu is a strange bird, to say the least, and it's generally impossible to tell what game they're playing.

[ Another touch of her pipe. ]

Toraguma is playing checkers. I'm playing chess. The Daitengu is playing shoji and constantly pretending to forget the rules...

[baofeng]

If they’re performing a utility upgrading project, why wouldn’t they just say so? They’d have nothing to hide.

[Honestly, even if they weren’t, is it so hard to just lie about it? Can kappa not do that or something?]

I don’t know. I just know that I’m only a pawn in this game right now, and I’m not prideful enough to pretend otherwise. Your vision of the board is clearer than mine.

[Having more or less said his piece, Yizhi exhales softly.]

I don’t plan to do anything other than be wary. Unless you have different instructions… [From the tone of his voice, he doubts it. He didn’t come here to get an immediate resolution, what is he, Toraguma? ]

[jigokumods]

Being wary is all we can do, at the moment. We can't simply accuse the Alliance of plotting something without more information...

[ But they both seemed to know that. She sighs. ]

Keep your eye on the movements of Sutoku for now. If anything happens, report, but for now, let's move ahead as planned.

just wrapping this up since it's kind of old

[baofeng]

I understand.

That will be all, then. Thank you for your time, Madam.