video; un: eraserhead

[eyedrop]

[ Aizawa's lolling against some tree somewhere. Terrible, slumped posture; hair wild about his face. His expression is neutral, bordering on irritable, and his voice is an exhausted monotone. He sits with one leg folded over the other, idly tossing a cat figurine from hand to hand. ]

Hey. Myself and a few others did some looking around. Apparently, both the sea clan and the mountain clan have their allies--but they're not within easy reach. In the case of the sea clan, the empress's brother is married to some far-off queen. The mountain clan's allies aren't too nearby, either.

[ He shifts minutely. His eyes flutter briefly shut, and he sighs. ]

Point being, war between these two would be irrational. The old man we spoke with said no one really wants to start anything, but I don't know how true that is. I haven't tried to approach the nobles.

[ He really doesn't look or act the part, and he knows it. Nor does he have an escort. ]

If you've spoken to any of them, what's the mood? What do they want?

[ He cards a hand through his hair, frowning slightly. ]

They're the key to this, I think. Certainly the key to actually meeting that empress of theirs. So if you've got info, or if you've made any connections, spill it.

Comments

[spiritgun]

Yeesh. Regular people are going to get a raw deal if the nobles' get the Empress to step up to the plate.

[ though yusuke still isn't wholly convinced people aren't somewhat resentful about the attack. ]

Can you tell if the Empress is gonna cave or not?

[mitthrawnaruto]

No.

[The heaviness in Thrawn's voice when he responds isn't from either anger or impatience; more obvious is a note of disappointment. An unhappiness that lies in a lack of information, and his current inability to directly obtain it.]

There are rumors, of course— but they are only that. Nothing I would dare to trust in the midst of such a delicate situation. [Too much stock placed in hearsay is often times a recipe for disaster, after all.]

I worry that for all the clan's rushing to discuss a verdict, our own haste to stem the tide too quickly might do more harm than good.

[spiritgun]

So what, you think we ought to let them get a few shots in?

[mitthrawnaruto]

Not exactly.

But consider, if we gain a more immediate audience with the Empress and convince her to accept peace as the optimal solution, only for more attacks to take place, how viable will our counsel be considered in her eyes?

[spiritgun]

[ this is a little above his level someone help. ]

Then why don't we just stop the attacks?

[mitthrawnaruto]

[No one can save you now. Prepare for Discourse.]

A noble goal. Yet not one easily managed when we are so unfamiliar with this region and its people.

[spiritgun]

How hard is it to protect one place? We can get familiar with the region.