The Day of Thunder

[Anjing]

Anjing's expression was stony as she strode across the camp towards the Emperor's tent. A few flecks of red and green blood were still visible on her armour and there was a new notch in the handle of her club. Such was the way of things after a fight.

When she reaches the tent the guards get a look, but her tone is polite.
"Anjing of the Crab, I am here to speak to Shiba before either he passes from this world, or I do."

[Canary]

She's escorted in and Shiba rises, bowing to her. "Anjing-san, thank you for coming. I understand that you prefer directness to niceties, so I will get right to the point. First, as one of the ranking daimyo, I would like to hear your perspective on what happened in Blue Lotus Village."

"Second..." He bowed deeply. "I wish to apologize."

[Anjing]

She's escorted in and Shiba rises, bowing to her. "Anjing-san, thank you for coming. I understand that you prefer directness to niceties, so I will get right to the point. First, as one of the ranking daimyo, I would like to hear your perspective on what happened in Blue Lotus Village."

"Second..." He bowed deeply. "I wish to apologize."

Anjing bows back.

"Well Emperor, first we-" then she stops, blinking. "Could we actually start at the second thing?" Her expression wavers between concern (he must be dying faster than she had heard), incredulity (did he actually say apologize?) and something ever so slightly warmer that is trying to break through.

[Canary]

He nodded. "Absolutely."

He straightened and sighed. "I apologize for moving your Clan across the Empire. In particular, those of the Crab who were once Seidou. Your people were particularly tied to the land of your home, so being forced out would naturally affect you and them more than most. More than that, the move itself was hard on them, and very young and elderly in particular. It is a testament to the strength and tenacity of them, but it is not a testament they should have had to make."

He shook his head. "I believed it to be the best of a set of bad options; that still means it was a bad option, and you and your people still deserve an apology for it. I have no doubt that that strength and unfailing tenacity will see you through, but even still, I would like to extend a boon to the Crab. If I can do anything to help mitigate some of the damage, I will do what I can."

[Anjing]

He nodded. "Absolutely."

He straightened and sighed. "I apologize for moving your Clan across the Empire. In particular, those of the Crab who were once Seidou. Your people were particularly tied to the land of your home, so being forced out would naturally affect you and them more than most. More than that, the move itself was hard on them, and very young and elderly in particular. It is a testament to the strength and tenacity of them, but it is not a testament they should have had to make."

He shook his head. "I believed it to be the best of a set of bad options; that still means it was a bad option, and you and your people still deserve an apology for it. I have no doubt that that strength and unfailing tenacity will see you through, but even still, I would like to extend a boon to the Crab. If I can do anything to help mitigate some of the damage, I will do what I can."

Anjing is silent for a few long moments her face unreadable as she looks up at the Kami.

Finally, she nods slightly. "Apology accepted. Your family lost their home once too, you know what it is like to find yourself with nothing in a strange new land.I will tell my people of this. In time as things improve and with your words, they might begin to heal."

A deep breath as she thinks. "We have found a new home in the north, and beyond the mountains are harsh and beautiful lands. Already the Imperial Court has provided the Crab with the rights to the majority of them them. I ask those rights be extended and granted in perpetuity and funds provided for the construction of the roads, cities and castles we need to garrison the north and connect it with outposts in those new lands. We will build something new in our new home, something great. If you do so, then we will see we are not forgotten, that we are not alone. If you do so then as long as the Empire keeps faith with us we shall keep faith with it."

[Canary]

Anjing is silent for a few long moments her face unreadable as she looks up at the Kami.

Finally, she nods slightly. "Apology accepted. Your family lost their home once too, you know what it is like to find yourself with nothing in a strange new land.I will tell my people of this. In time as things improve and with your words, they might begin to heal."

A deep breath as she thinks. "We have found a new home in the north, and beyond the mountains are harsh and beautiful lands. Already the Imperial Court has provided the Crab with the rights to the majority of them them. I ask those rights be extended and granted in perpetuity and funds provided for the construction of the roads, cities and castles we need to garrison the north and connect it with outposts in those new lands. We will build something new in our new home, something great. If you do so, then we will see we are not forgotten, that we are not alone. If you do so then as long as the Empire keeps faith with us we shall keep faith with it."

"Indeed we do."

He nodded, expression grave. "It will be the Crab's duty going forward to tame the lands of North, and we will do everything we can to support them in this duty. This duty means that the lands up to five hundred miles north of the mountains will be granted to the Crab in perpetuity, with further discoveries tentatively so unless unforeseen circumstances should occur, including whatever may be found and utilized there. Taxes on the Crab will be reduced until such time as they are properly established to the standard of the mean of other Great Clan holdings. Funds will be provided to supplement the construction of roads, cities, and castles, barring extreme circumstances such as severe food shortages, so that they may effectively execute their new duties and create a solid logistical network. This will also be effective until such time as they are well established to the standard of the mean of other Great Clan holdings."

"Is this acceptable?"

[Anjing]

"Indeed we do."

He nodded, expression grave. "It will be the Crab's duty going forward to tame the lands of North, and we will do everything we can to support them in this duty. This duty means that the lands up to five hundred miles north of the mountains will be granted to the Crab in perpetuity, with further discoveries tentatively so unless unforeseen circumstances should occur, including whatever may be found and utilized there. Taxes on the Crab will be reduced until such time as they are properly established to the standard of the mean of other Great Clan holdings. Funds will be provided to supplement the construction of roads, cities, and castles, barring extreme circumstances such as severe food shortages, so that they may effectively execute their new duties and create a solid logistical network. This will also be effective until such time as they are well established to the standard of the mean of other Great Clan holdings."

"Is this acceptable?"

"It is." She pauses. "And, thank you. It is no small thing for an emperor to apologise." She bows, deeply this time. "In that spirit I will say that I have kept anger in my heart. It has warmed me in the cold and kept me going whenever my body wished that I stop. It was anger at you, at this empire, at the callousness of destiny itself."

Straightening. "The fire of anger is a powerful thing, but like any fire it needs something to burn, something inside you. I am tired of being burned, tired of a great many things. So I will do a way with this anger, or at least try. And I will say to you that I am sorry I have let anger drive me. Sorry perhaps it took so long for this conversation."

[Canary]

"It is." She pauses. "And, thank you. It is no small thing for an emperor to apologise." She bows, deeply this time. "In that spirit I will say that I have kept anger in my heart. It has warmed me in the cold and kept me going whenever my body wished that I stop. It was anger at you, at this empire, at the callousness of destiny itself."

Straightening. "The fire of anger is a powerful thing, but like any fire it needs something to burn, something inside you. I am tired of being burned, tired of a great many things. So I will do a way with this anger, or at least try. And I will say to you that I am sorry I have let anger drive me. Sorry perhaps it took so long for this conversation."

After silently listening to what she had to say, he shook his head. "It was my fault, as well. I should have gone north and spoke to you long before now. there are very few conflicts where only one person has a part to play. We share a duty to protect the Empire and its people." He bowed. "I will do my best on my part to ensure that in the future we can work together on that duty as partners in it rather than adversaries. I am glad we could talk, and I look forward to working with you going forward."

[Anjing]

“Likewise. We cannot change the past, but we can live in the future. I’ll provide a written report to you on what occurred in the village. I think you would be… proud, at the end. Despite everything every clan came together. All gave some, some gave all.”

She bows again. “I look forward to working with you and your family in the future we are creating together.”

[Canary]

“Likewise. We cannot change the past, but we can live in the future. I’ll provide a written report to you on what occurred in the village. I think you would be… proud, at the end. Despite everything every clan came together. All gave some, some gave all.”

She bows again. “I look forward to working with you and your family in the future we are creating together.”

He nodded. "Indeed. Thank you, Anjing-san. I don't doubt that I will be. Everyone here is a hero. Ningen-do would be lost without the people who went to that village."

He rose and bowed in return. "I do, as well. There is much to do, but I have no doubt that our people will be up to the task."

[Anjing]

“That they will. They have good models.”
She nods at him and strides to the exit. Before adding one last comment over her shoulder. “Take care of yourself, even when there is so much to do. Especially when there is so much to do.”

And with that, she exists.

((Thank you for the scene ))

[Canary]

He nodded and smiled a little. "I will bear that in mind."

/scene

((NP, thank you for joining me!))