Kasumi fell in step with her comrades in investigation, fresh off of a late night of chasing details.

She idly wondered what Asahina-sama would make of them turning up like this...

Shinko looks a bit tired but still offers a haggard look of triumph.

"You know 'Sumi-chan, I half expected that you'd have tried to convince Jun to go directly to the source, but hey, I'm happy to hand it off"

A Mantis, a Scorpion, two Dragon, a Lion, a cart full of confiscated opium and a multiclassed commoner/merchant/smuggler/witness/prisoner enter a Crane palace... That would make for the strangest setup for a joke. And it sure made for an equation with way too many unknowns. Kaoru wasn't sure about anything that would happen next but for the fact she and the Scorpion were sure to gain nothing of it if she didn't take part in it.

Togashi Shinko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 29, 2021 11:21 pm

Shinko looks a bit tired but still offers a haggard look of triumph.

"You know 'Sumi-chan, I half expected that you'd have tried to convince Jun to go directly to the source, but hey, I'm happy to hand it off"

"Too much paperwork for me. Best t'hand it off and get on with our lives, yeah?"

If the Ikoma felt haggard he did not look it, he appeared crisp and ordered an easy air about him as he strode in with the other competitors that worked through the night to figure out the mystery.

He looked to the pair talking "Yes, there were many ways we could have handled things but turning our information over to the local authority has the least headache for everyone involved."

Jun is almost annoyingly brisk and chipper as the gang make their way across town and clump together outside the magistrate's office.

"Exactly! Knowing when it's somebody else's job to do the paperwork is an important skill for an illustrious career, Kasumi-san," he says with a grin, indulging one last flash of boyish enthusiasm before carefully assuming a more sober and adult mien for the talk ahead.

The group was ushered through the halls to the room that derved as the office of Asahina Tenshin. His yohimbo was standing at th door, while the courtier sat at a desk, transcribing some scrolls.

"Ah, good morning young ones." He was smiling brightly as he looked at the gang. "I hope Inari-no-kami has blessed you all. Is there something I can do for you?"

Kasumi bowed as was appropriate.

"We, uh, got a line on th' opium smugglin'."

"Asahina-sama." Jun bows respectfully. "Not exactly. Or... you could say we're in need of your expert advice, actually. About some questionable activities we observed in the bazaar late last night." Or was it very early this morning? Both/and.

"We're all guests in your jurisdiction and, well..." he glances at the others, each of them sword-less--and never more obviously young than now, when they've all been up running around since before dawn."We have no post or offices between us, so we haven't taken any action yet. But Asahina-sama might see fit to act on our observations."

---
Off to bed, the rest of the team are free to either actually do the exposition or handwave it with "we do the exposition," at your leisure.

"About a week ago, at the backdrop of the inaugural banquet of this year's Topaz Championship, you asked of us competitors to keep an eye open for any unusual occurrence that might help with the ongoing investigation regarding opium trafficking within the city of Tsuma.

A few hours ago, the light of dawn did not only shed apart the natural darkness but also some of the obfuscating shadows surrounded that affair. By way of... colorful methods imported from our varied clans, we have been able to identify, isolate, and corner one of the routes through which the drug travels the city.

This route appears to be leading straight to one man. Though we lack the legally admissible direct testimony from a samurai to give relevant weight to our suspicions, we thought you might still be interested in casually hearing of them."

Shinko does her best to loom of Jun, portraying a...what did they call it. Ah yes, The Muscle

"Kasuga Touji's the guy. Shippin' it in usin' counterfeit gaijin wares t'contain it. Shame, really, I like his shop."

The others seemed to have the details covered so Masaru simply nodded to lend his approval to the testimony

Tenshin listened to the accounting. "While you do not have direct testimony, you have done fine work. A starting point, for my yoriki and I to see this through." He nodded, looking to his yojimbo.

"Kasuga Touji-san... is not unknown to me. Without what you have uncovered, I could not move closer in imvestigating him, due to the purview of the Tortoise. But after we speak with some in the bazaar..." he looked at the gang.

"You have done well, and are a credit to your families." He bowed to them.

"We will take it from here. I would... speak with you all again after your gempukku." There was a knowing smile to his face.

Outcome: With reporting things to the proper authorities, the five here have gained Asahina Tenshin as an Ally Distinction. They have also gained 5 honor, for doing their duty to the Empire.

And one more item, after the Championship.