[Day 5 - Early Afternoon, Tearoom] Tea, Just Tea (Open)

[Bayushi Hoshi]

She frowned under her mask. "Mm...Were you present at the meeting yesterday Iuchi-san?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Well, yes... Erm.. can't say I understood it all. Something about a cult." he muttered.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"And apparently a cult that was a great deal to both this Kingdom and our Empire. Since they've been successful with this one, we have to consider the possibility that they might even some grudges. Maybe a likely fact ne?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"That maybe so... Though, can't really say the place felt that hostile. Well, barring the weather." Iuchi muttered, referring to the weather outside. "And the Empire is far away... what would a strange gaijin cult want? Other than power in their own lands."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi thought back to her conversation with her friend last night. "Whatever they want, they don't seem content enough to take slaves here...And they should be smart enough to know that samurai make for poor slaves."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"They have been raiding for slaves then?" he asked, puzzled. "Do we even know how strong they are? The daimyo here should be able to quench such uprisings... no?"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi gave a shake of her head, “Iie. I get the feeling that their threat has little need for slaves at all and many of their rulers have fallen in recent history, maybe not many have been even given the chance to surrender. It’s a cult that sprung from oblivion and now stands to dominate the Ivory Kingdoms...They’ve had their eye on Rokugan before too.”

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hmm... are you suggesting that the mainland could be threatened? " he asked, he face betraying how swiftly he had dismissed such thought.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Only that this Cult had a history as a threat to the Empire, from the Mantis Clan's involvement."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"So what happened the last time? The cult was not destroyed?"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi gave him a glance. "-Ah...Iuchi-san, my history of the Mantis Clan is poor, I wish I could know all of the details for certainty. From what Usagi-san shared with me, they were wiped out by both the locals here and the Mantis." And they must have done a poor job. "...And here they are."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Hmm.. rabbit stew..

"Usagi-san, eh. He did seem very knowledgeable about various things..." the man nodded. "Though, the wiped-out part does seem to sound like a exaggeration."

Sighing, he sipped his cooling tea. "And here they are again, eh..."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

“Most tend to sleep easier when the villain of the story is defeated for good.” And credit a job well done on part of the Mantis. ”Even in Rokugan, we cannot always be sure when a threat is gone for good ne? It matters little now, we can ticker with that detail once and if this needs to be dealt with, however the captain wishes to approach it.”

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"And approach we do then, I guess." He lifted the tea cup to his lips, emptying it. "Let's just hope we are not poking the proverbial hornets nest here."

That sentiment, was of course, woefully late. Certain Isawa has already managed to find a prodder, and the nest, and done something that so very typical to them. Done something he shouldn't have.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Upon his empty cup being set back down, Hoshi was quick to intercept it with a pour of hot tea. "You don't have to hope Iuchi-san. I think we've already poked our heads into this by discovering our survivor at sea, then by landing here. Trouble is usually a timing issue of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, the Fortunes can be humourous like that ne? In the case of discovering this cult's return, it could be a fortune accident. We won't know until our return."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

The Iuchi nodded his thanks to her, accepting the third cup. "Well, as long as we don't cause anything unwanted here... I'll be fine. And yes, the Fortunes tend to do as they will. Man can only pray their will doesn't conflict with his or hers."

Sipping his tea again, he continued. "Well, fortune in misfortune, really. Can't really consider an alien invader, as ridiculous as the idea is, as a fortunate incident."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi gave a shake of her head, "That's where we might see it differently Iuchi-san. In my lands, some may think that it's better to know of a bandit is sneaking up on you, than consider yourself lucky that you've never encountered the bandit at all. I think we were very fortunate. The next thing to ask of the Fortunes, would be hoping you can deal with said intruder."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"I cannot say I do not see your point, but..." Man leaned his elbow to the table, supporting his head with his palm. "But for it's fortunate to avoid all and any bandits."

"And yes. Dealing with them... As much as they were a threat, Mantis alone were enough to defeat them the last time. Cannot see how they could be threat to the Empire. Some of these holding maybe, but... the Empire, I doubt it."

The notion that as a Mantis, the captain had personal reasons to see the threat thwarted, was tactfully avoided.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Do you live in a city or a busy town Iuchi-san?" Hoshi asked as a sudden question.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"On the road, most of the time, Bayushi-san." he chuckled. "But our estates are in the countryside. Well, most of Unicorn lands are countryside, really. That and plains."