Ring of Air - Magistrates at Midnight

[Vardaen]

OOC

I did not delete the post. However with the issues, perhaps something happened with the timing.

Umeko rises from her bow and looks to watch the screen as it is pushed open by a gentle female hand. Bowling her way into the chamber is a young woman, perhaps only a year or two past her gempukku, but with all the fire and confidence of a veteran. Into the room, followed closely by one of the Shiba guards, and an other man, comes Shiba Fuiji. She throws her arms wide and shouts, louder than is required at this late hour. Her tone suggests she's speaking extra loud so the old magistrate can hear her, but there is sarcasim in the voice, "Grandfather! How good of you to be waiting up to see me safely arrive! I always liked you best."

The Shiba's hair hands in wild tulmets of raven hair down her back, floating about her almost as if held aloft by the kami of air or fire perhaps. She glances only for a second at Umeko kneeling on the floor, and then back at the other man escorting her, "I am safely arrived Ryuchi, you managed to do your duty!" The girl waves at the man with her, using the familiar -suffix with him even when she shouldn't.

OOC

Welcome Hayabusa to the game! Hayabusa please post your entry into the room now. Welcome to the game!

[Hayabusa]

A samurai follows the guard in the room. He's clad in emerald green colors. The Dragon Clans mon is visible on his haori and the torso armor shows the symbol of the Kitsuki. He wears a dark green armor consisting of cuirass, gauntlets, greaves and kusazuri which are all painted with simulated, conventionalized scales.
The armor's ledges are decorated with golden paint and golden relief form the mons of his family on the front and the back of his torso armor. Underneath he wears a green kimono covered with dozens of palm sized Kitsuki Family and Dragon Clan mons. Two swords are stuck in his obi, both have the saya covered with a golden dragon flowing from the tip of the sheath to the koiguchi. Either has a golden tsuba and kashira and the hilt is wrapped in red silk. The Kitsuki has his head shaven except for a circle beard and a forward pointed section of his bluish black hair on top of his head which ends in a short ponytal. His piercing dark green eyes move calmly.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Shiba-sama. We were so excited of our arrival tonight that we couldn't await to see you."
Ryuichi bows deep towards the magistrate, while he's standing in the opening of the room. Small clouds of dirt raise from his armor and his kimono when he stops his movements. It seems he didn't even had the time to clean off the dirt from their travel before he entered the magistrates office.
He only bows his head swiftly towards the Crab and waits for the magistrates response.

[mackaber]

OOC

Welcome Hayabusa. Your in for quite an adventure. Guess the crash could have something to do with it, come to think of it I think i posted and then turned my machine of so I might have missed if anything went wrong

Umeko inclines her head slightly to the new entrants, she looks somewhat exhausted but underneath that a perceptive observer could see slight annoyance in her pretty face for the untimely appearance of this rather rude duo.

[Vardaen]

The old magistrate gives Umeko a look, it speaks volumes as to how he feels about this. It also says 'I'm sorry' without him uttering a word. "Fuiji-chan, how nice of you to say such things." He nods to Ryuichi, "Domo Arigato Kitsuki-san for escorting my grand daughter all the way from the Phoenix provinces, I'm certain the trip could not have been and easy one," he adds at the last moment,"this time of year."

"Oh who cares about Ryuichi!" the young woman throws her hands up in feign disgust, "What about me grandfather? I nearly died out there in the wild. I just couldn't wait to be here in the Toshi Ranbo, so grand and civilized." She then notices Umeko for the first time, "Who's this? Oh nevermind, I don't supposed you'd tell me anyhow."

The old mangistrate doesn't reply to the jibes from his granddaughter. "My Little Iris, why don't you go out back and ask the servants to draw you a bath, and get you something to eat. I'm certain you could use the luxuries not found on the road."

She leaps up from the floor, "A grand idea grandfather!" She crinkles her eyes at Ryuichi and Shiba Dorimutsu catches the look. "Kituski Ryuichi, please stay here and fill me in on your travels." The girl then kisses her grandfather on the forehead most inappropriately in front of company, and then races off in the back rooms. You can hear her shouting at the servants for the next twenty minutes before finally her shouts are so muffled you can ignore them completely.

The old magistrate motions for the Dragon to take a seat, and then looks at the Crab. "My applogzies for the girl, she is too young to have had her gempukku, but her mother insisted. Now then, where were we." He rubs his bald head with a wrinkled hand.

[mackaber]

Umeko raises her voice gently more as a question she says "Yes the incident this night. Perhaps you might be interested in investigating the warehouse?"
then after a short pause her facial features more serious and her voice grim with a look towards the bottle of poison "Perhaps it would be wise to not destroy this immediatly, the antidote can only be used to save few... "
she is very careful in choosing her words for insulting the old man wouldnot be wise in the least.

[Hayabusa]

"I see you have to take care of something more important right now, so I'll make it short." Ryuichi kneels down where he stands. "To put it mildly your granddaughter was bothersome, complaining constantly about the accommodations and the meals and urging to travel faster. But when there was a hot spring on our way she insisted to relax from the exhausting travel."

He grabs slowly into his traveling pack to avoid startling the watchful Crab and pulls out a scroll.
"A letter from your nephew." Ryuichi mentions as he hands it to the magistrate.

[Vardaen]

The magistrate first hears Umeko, "Yes the warehouse, hmmm." Then turns to Ryuichi. The magistrate shifts from one person to another with skill and ease, he's done this before. "That sounds very much like my Little Iris." He takes the scroll and places it to his side, not looking at it now. "Your task is finished noy Kitsuki-san, but another has come to my attention." He points with an open hand at Umeko. "Just tonight, a terrible crime has happened and this samurai-ko has brought it to my attention. A thief of daisho, and poisoning of honorable samurai as well. My hands are tied with too many issues in Toshi Ranbo with so many people flooding it these days." He touches his chin, as if to think. "Do me one last favor Kitsuki-san, and I promise I shall never ask you to escort my granddaughter anywhere again. Would you look into the matter for me?"

[Hayabusa]

"I'll do as you wish, Shiba-sama", Ryuichi says without hesitation. "As I serve my lord, my clan and my family, I don't forget my obligation towards the Shiba, because they are also my honorable kin."
"And I am grateful for the opportunity of never looking after Shiba Fuiji again", he adds after a few seconds. "Though it was a privilege to travel in her distracting presence."

[Vardaen]

The old magistrate rubs his head and smiles, "Yes, I'm sure you learned alot from the Granddaughter." His tone hints at a joke, but he is too serious to joke about his family so boldly. "So there you are Hiruma Umeko-san. Kitsuke Ryuichi shall assit you, in whatever investigation you need to continue with. I am growing tired, and stiff sitting here. Tell me Crab-san, what further do you need from me?"

[mackaber]

Umeko draws forth a scroll from her sleeve and quickly unrolls the papers, and again sinks into a low bow before the magistrate. "These traveling papers were found in the warehouse. Apparently whoever was responsible for the theft of the weapons had planned transporting them someplace. Perhaps those who signed these papers could inform as to whom is behind this crime. Of course if you have more pressing duties I am sure Kitsuki Ryuchi and myself could enquire about this with your permission Shiba Dorimutsu-sama."