[Day 7, Early Afternoon- Hirame's Room] With Friends Like These... (Closed)

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi just... smiled.

""Lemme just point out that Lord Yoritomo's actions're th'only reason anyone in th'Crane Clan knows who we are in partic'lar. But if it makes y'comfortable t'feel that way, then by all means, Kakita-san. But ask yourself, why do only we benefit from this gen'rosity? Why not th'Tortoise?"

Who both had plentiful maritime interests and hadn't attacked the Crane while they were down.

"Why not th' other Minor Clans? Some effort t'flatter us like it'll stick? Don't think it's gonna work if that's th'plan. If y'think we don't recognize a passin' gesture as opposed t'firm commitments, well..."

A shrug.

"We got experience in what polite gestures're worth. An' we got ears."

No amount of "you get rooms like a great clan" would change what the Crane muttered behind their fans, and every Mantis knew it.

[Kakita Ahiru]

"You are merely trying to shift the points I am making without directly refuting or disproving what I am saying, Kasumi-san," Ahiru chided gently, as such conversational techniques was not something unknown to her.

"But, I'm sorry, I should try to speak more plain and honest with you; I am trying to talk with you about this because I do care. Especially if I must become a Mantis myself - as you said yourself, I would be useful to the Mantis. But what I see is how can I be useful if the entire clan is just leaning on the benefit of having one exceptional man and believing he is making the world spin around them? Without understanding exactly how the clans think, and how the flow of the courts move, and why they do so."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi shook her head.

"I can't disprove what you're sayin' without sayin' things that conflict with my loyalties, Kakita-san. But if I gave you th'impression that this is 'bout Lord Yoritomo, then I've led you astray. My point 'bout him is that whatever your courtiers say about 'im, he made 'is play- and it worked. You got yer feathers up when I pointed out he owes nobody but the Emperor and th' Mantis anything. But y'can't say that's wrong. An' efforts t'reel us in, t'make us dance t'th' Crane's tune by gestures with no real respect behind 'em? We ain't impressed by that."

She shrugged.

"So. If y'claim th'other Clans don't take us seriously? That'd be part'a your job. You claim t'know this stuff y'say we don't. Prove why we should. Show us ways t'get what we want that ain't about pure leverage."

A grin.

"An' y'wonder what good y'might do? I swear, there'd be no end to it!"

[Kakita Ahiru]

"I alone can't convince everyone else when no one else in the clan cares," she said with a frown, feeling frustrated at talking to what felt like a particularly stubborn rock.

Damnit, why had she hoped that Kasumi would understand?

"But..." she took a breath, "you and I are not going to agree now. And I don't think it's a good idea for us to stand around here to have this discussion when Hirame could be returning at any point."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Thing is, Kakita-san..."

Kasumi gave another shrug.

"Thing with th' Mantis is, y'show us somethin' works, we tend t'go for it. But you're right that it's prob'ly a gam fr'another time."