Party: Daidoji Jinsoku, Doji Natsuki, Yoritomo Shohei, Hida Ganko, Togashi Amajino
The week leading up to the meeting with the Scorpion family heads is both eventful and quite calm.
A lot of the tensions in the city are still simmering, but with the combined forces of the Emerald Magistrates and the Thunder Guard out in force, few people try their hands at any shady dealings.
The party has some things happening...
A merchant known as Muji comes to Yoritomo Shohei, who has been identified as the key figure in the department of travel papers, and suggests he may be able to provide some useful additions to Shohei's stipend, but gets rebuked.
Ganko, chatting with Shosuro Jocho, is alerted to the presence of a spy. When the jig is up, the man tries to run away but is caught by Togashi Amajino who was in the vicinity. He turns out to be a Bayushi-sponsored hand-for-hire. Ganko hands the man over to Jocho for ... questioning.
During the rebranding and redecoration of the Kikyo, Mizuki and Natsuki seem to become closer friends, as Natsuki takes the Lion's advice about themed story nights, but bends it to suit the Crane Clan esthetics.
Doji Chi, now without the Moon Cult to threaten her, is doing well and remains doted on by all three of her uncles.
And on the larger scale, Ebi manages to tell the party that a Bayushi barge caught on fire in an unusual way - implying shugenja were involved - and Fade has carried out new raids on the Scorpion holdings outside of the city, bringing the price of opium up to a point where recreational use is down.
The clearing of the air brings to the fore the importance of the Eta Nightsoil workers.
Then, the group meets with the Scorpion clan families at Kikyo.
The conversation goes well, led by Shohei and Natsuki, though Bayushi Korechika proves to be an annoyance all around. A truce is suggested between the families and Shohei breaks off the countertop to chisel the wording on the base of it.
Korechika, furious at the idea of having to split some of his opium into a central warehouse, storms out.
Gyobu and Seiryoko both agree that their families stand to gain from less enmity between their sides, so they sign.
After a fruitful conversation, the Shosuro and Soshi both take their leave, while the party remains at the Geisha House.
Then, as all seems well, Mizuki bursts in to inform the party that Shosuro Kimi has been kidnapped while praying at the Temple of Benten (the Fortune of Romantic Love).
