Ishida Mitsunari | Saika Magoichi | 017

[insultea]

[And then he is not where he is supposed to be.

Mitsunari totters for a moment, off-kilter, blinking around him in a befuddled way. Last he remembered he had just received that dratted letter from Ieyasu's men--

But no, now he...

He was in a camp...?

...This was going to be very bad, wasn't it?]

Comments

[insultea]

[...He blinks, startled by that reaction.]

Excuse me?

[redbelltolls]

I have been employed by the Toyotomi more than once; I know what Ishida looks like.

[ Though she does note the genuine nature of that surprise. Either he is very good at faking it, or he really did smash his head somewhere. ]

[insultea]

Employed by the Toyotomi...

[He pauses, brow furrowing.]

I should remember your face if that were so.

[redbelltolls]

And I yours. So we've got ourselves a bit of a problem here.

[insultea]

[...hmm.]

I recognize your crest. The legendary Saika faction--

However, the lay of the land is strange, and I cannot recall how I came to be here.

[redbelltolls]

[ Well he gets some brownie points for the recognition; she never claimed not to be prideful. ]

Where were you before you found yourself here?

[insultea]

...Kitano Tenmangu. An audience of Tokugawa Ieyasu's choosing.

[His words are very carefully soft-spoken, but there's no missing the sharpened one on Ieyasu's name for the observant.]

[redbelltolls]

Of Tokugawa's?

[ Magoichi frowns, studying him intently again. ]

If you are Ishida Mitsunari, as you claim, why would you have audience with that man?

[insultea]

[....he doesn't like that question.

In a way, it implies that she knows of his distaste for Ieyasu, and that was not supposed to be public, common knowledge just yet--]

...It is a matter of courtesy to attend a requested audience.

[He is now watching her equally warily; he knows how this dance goes.]

[redbelltolls]

The Ishida I know has little care for courtesy, especially when it concerns his Lord's killer.

[ Magoichi has no love for politics or games, so she speaks it plainly. After all, to her, it is common knowledge, nothing worth keeping secret. ]

[insultea]

Hideyoshi-sama's--

[His brow furrows and he stares.

...is this woman deluded?]

As little love as I bear for cowardly Tanukis, my Lord was not killed by any man. He was stricken down by illness.

[redbelltolls]

[ Magoichi was wondering much the same about him. ]

Only if by 'sickness' you mean 'punched in the skull.'

[insultea]

[He tenses, frowning.]

None were strong enough to take my lord's life. I was present at his death.

[...this is hard to talk about, can they move on.]

[redbelltolls]

[ The woman leans forward, amber eyes unflinching as she observes those minute reactions.

Then she lets out a soft 'hmph,' stepping back and waving a hand at him. ]

Have a seat. This seems it might take a while.

[ Then she promptly sits herself on the wood of the platform without bothering to wait for him. Magoichi has perfect confidence in her authority; she does not feel a petty need to assert herself by making sure he kneels first.

Her men relax a bit themselves, going from their straight-backed attention to lounging around the perimeter, though their gazes make it obvious their guard has not truly lowered. ]

[insultea]

[He just nods quietly and joins this intimidating, powerful woman, sitting neatly before her, hands tidily in his lap.

He is used to this; this does not surprise him, even if Magoichi, in a way, does.]

...It would appear so. I'm afraid I must admit I have no idea what is going on.

[redbelltolls]

[ This man is so... quaint. It is almost cute.

One had to beware the quiet ones, however. ]

Let us say that there is a possibility you are who you say. Do you have any evidence of this aside from your words?

[insultea]

I...do not.

[A bow of his head, hair falling to frame his face.]

I have nothing but my words, I'm afraid, and the invitation from Tokugawa Ieyasu on me.

[redbelltolls]

I want to see this invitation.

[ Magoichi holds out her hand, expectant. ]

[insultea]

[And he reaches into a pocket, removing it quietly, handing it over equally quietly.

It is certainly Ieyasu's crest, and signed by the same, but the political nature of it is likely new; Tokugawa Ieyasu, doing the political dance.]

[redbelltolls]

[ It certainly looks legitimate. Yet all of the political subtext dripping from the words is almost sickening. Nothing like the Tokugawa she knows would write... just yet.

If he were settled into power, however, and his ambition truly shone through... ]

Interesting.

[ She returns it to him, a look of distaste plain on her face. ]

[insultea]

[He reads the distaste, and he chuckles, shaking his head.]

Interesting is one word for it, most certainly. There are others I could think of, however.

[redbelltolls]

[ His chuckle is reflected in a flash of amusement in her eyes. ]

You seem too delicate for the kind of words I would choose to use.

[insultea]

[He meets her gaze with some amusement, tilting his head.]

They are words I would merely choose not to use only because of the consequences.

But someday, I am quite certain there will be a cowardly Tanuki who will receive an earful.

[redbelltolls]

Hmm. Your words are nothing like the Ishida I know would speak, but the sentiments... those are quite similar.

[ Which makes him even more interesting now. Part of her is still stuck on what in the world was going on, but she is beginning to sense this is not merely a case of a simple madman. Something bigger was going on here. ]

[insultea]

[He tilts his head, glancing around.]

Likewise, this is not the Saika faction I know--

And yet the competency here is refreshing.

[It's not flattery so much as honesty--if he had negative to say, he would say it. He just does not--yet.]