"Some tea then?" He asked before departing, it was only polite after all.

She nodded, "That would be lovely."

Oh. Oh this was too good. The fan flourished in front of his face. The revelation of an illegitimate daughter. The Bayushi trained courtier couldn't believe his luck. It was only by his training that he didn't just start cackling.

Soon, he would spread it like wildfire. Titters of gossip and heresay. And the best part? The information came from the Matchmakers own son!

And no one would know it came from him. The Scorpion was pleased.

Hinami got a very hostile look to the Kakita -nobody- that now was interfering between her and the dragon. What was about with everyone interfering with her and other people. This was getting Hinami a bit more on the defensive and nervous. Why was everyone trying to defend that nobody, Hinami could not understand.

Are they trying to go against the Imperial families? Hinami thought as she considered the Kakita that got behind her as a very hostile move. Are they coperating to attack her? In any case she returned her gaze towards the former Crane.

'' Nice words you said there, Agasha Utsusemi-san. A figure of speech I believe?'' She said. Once again in an arrogant way. '' Completely divorced from the reality of the Celestial Order if you ask me. I'm afraid i'm not familiarized with the author of that phrase, may I ask who said those words, Agasha Utsusemi-san, please enlighten me...''

The Kakita offered a polite bow to the Seppun. "My apologies Seppun-sama. I had no intent to startle you. I shall move to where it seems likely I am soon needed," she took a step or two back from the Seppun and circled around to stand a step behind and to the left of the Agasha.

"I'll be back in a few moments." He murmured, offering the woman a polite bow before departing. She smells like a old maid to me, someone should gift her a dozen cats already. His grandmother grumbled as they left the side of the gaijin. Apparently she had been wary of speaking around the gaijin.

Maybe it's best that Seppun didn't like you as well. She's cute enough for a tumble, but definitely not marriage material. A faint blush made it's way to his cheeks, at his grandmothers bold words, but Yasuhiro didn't comment as he made his way to the refreshment table and procured two cups, one of sake one of tea.

Looks like that dragon girl might have a whole brood of kids at home though, at least by the way she's talk. Tsk, those hips are cheating. Yasuhiro couldn't but sigh softly at that last comment, shaking his head softly as he made his way back to the tortoise.

He managed a polite smile when he returned, and offered Berena one of the cups. "Here you are Muhaki-san."

While Utsusemi appriciated the knowledge that she was not alone, and that others too were good honorable souls that would speak up to such scenes, her acknowledgement of Otsuka had to be kept to only the nescessary polite gestures. Hinami, despite her behaviour, was still of much higher rank than the Kakita.

"I believe it is one that stands very close to the heart of your noble Family, Seppun-san," she maintained a calm tone and posture, "at least I have been told that the word of Shinsei is most revered among them. Perhaps I was misinformed..."

Where it seems likely I am soon needed? Ah!, A glorified murderer already in action, eh?... Hinami thought as soon as the Kakita -who cares?- got beside Utsusemi. The Kakita's reply and attempt to lower the tension was laughable at best, her bloodlust could be felt from Kyuden Hida to here. She was not very perceptive...

But the same could be said about Hinami. She did not grasped the situation until it was too late, and now a Dragon former Crane was teaching her some lesson about humility. Her instinct was to continue this verbal bout, but she was not stupid. She already was defeated as the Dragon lady reminded her, A Seppun, about her own family's traditions and devotion to the Tao. To the daughter of the Seppun daimyo...Hinami was not pleased.

She stood up, slowly, as her junihitoe was quite heavy and bowed to the Dragon lady ' I apologize Agasha Utsusemi-san. I was not...myself. My behavior was not appropiate... '' She said, bitting her lips and her pride. She kept her bowing position for more than was expected from an imperial kuge. This was beyond humiliating from Hinami's perspective, but she was sincere.

After raising her head she covered again her mouth with her fan, while still looking at Utsusemi she spoke to her temporal bullying companions. '' Go and find yourselves useful in another table, now...'' She said, with a pissed tone behind her fan, to the sycophants that were just minutes ago laughing with her. They all quickly left her alone.

She was pissed about these people, she was pissed that she was taught a lesson about humility, but she was even more pissed about that she was to be engaged to some unknown person without her consent.

This was not the best of days for Hinami.

She thanked him with a nod, "Looks like either the Dragon's words or the Crane's scary demeanor made the young princess back down."

"Likely the first." Yasuhiro murmured as he took a sip of his sake. "Seppun Hinami-sama, isn't the type to back away from a woman with a scary look.about her."

The Crane wasn't even all that frightening either. Cute was probably a better word.

While the courtiers did their thing, Kaiya explicitly avoided the most heated of arguments. At some point, managing some time among the crowd previously to find some friendly sorts to talk about the future, something that she felt mattered compared to most of the rest of it, but right now she and Sakia moved about the guests. Sakia making polite conversation on Kaiya's behalf, the Crane herself taking a more active role today from the looks of it. Hands moving she directed Sakia through a deal of the affairs meanwhile keeping her eye out for anyone that would be... less than friendly.

Which was to say, such a ruckus as the main event happening surely caught her eye and the young woman couldn't help but note the amount of Crane surrounding the situation. Bringing a hand up to her hair she brushed it absentmindedly, looking off to the group. They almost seemed so separate from her now. With her hair dark, as it always had been, there was hardly any feature she possessed that stood out as Crane over Imperial.

Sakia's words cut through her thoughts and brought her attention back to a few other somebodies that melded into the crowd. Tossing on a proper look she attended to their attentions quickly.

If Hinami's rants followed by Utsusemi's scolding caused a stir that could be likened to a stone being thrown to a pond, sending ripples of gasps, centrifugal relocation and fan-opening, what Edogawa had said was like throwing a boulder that would silence everything around until the wave would not crest and crush with a roar. The roar was delayed because Odorihime had been on the other end of the garden but when all she could hear at some point was a humming giraffe and the fall of Zazu's snack back on the tray she turned around sharply, seeing her own son in the middle of impact. Her moment of incredulity would not last long.

Edogawa! Damnit!

Suihime had just been enjoying a conversation with a Phoenix about the practicality of Rokugani fashions in the climates of other areas when she heard her brothers comment. Her On dropped for the slightest moment, and she said "forgive me Asako-san, I must bring our conversation to an end early. Perhaps we can meet for tea later to discuss more? Your insight is quite fascinating."

The woman agreed, they bowed, and Suihime made her way to her brothers side, bowing.

"Good afternoon mina-san. Ah, Edogawa-san, forgive me for interupting your conversation but I need to have a moment of your time." She then gave Edogawa her best Odorihome stare, one both siblings knew well; he was in trouble.

"Your lad has just sputtered something truly ludicrous, Miya-san. You shouldn't be getting drinks for real men anywhere near him. He has a penchant for nonsense."

Ryoshida suddenly stepped in, like a good businessman grasping an opportunity when it presented itself.

"He's not your finest accomplishment. Your daughter is."

His clear eye focused on the pair of siblings, the golden disk shimmering.

"I'm not too sure... I've seen the type like that before. All bark, little bite. When the reality of where her words were taking her hit her, she turned around rather quickly, and only after the duelist lady stepped forward. The evidence would suggest it played a significant role." She replied.

"But it matters little... it appears the other fire might be more troublesome than the last."

Haruka arrived fashionably late, moving to make up for lost time and mingle with the crowd. Had to keep up appearances, after all, even if she was just in town on official business.

"I didn't think there could be something I could agree on with Lord Gusai, but she's very fine indeed."

Zazu rolled out from behind his half-desolated tray to enter the fray.

"Perhaps you are right, in both regards. I've only met Seppun-Sama once after all, and then briefly after all." He paused to take a sip of his sake.

Shifting his eye over the Imperial pair he frowned softly. "The more troublesome by far."

Oh dear. Hikari had only noticed the commotion her sister was causing when it was already too late. It wasn't as if Hinami was the sort that needed watching, after all. Of the twins, Hikari was normally far more likely to cause a scene, after all. Still, after a moment's worth of amused thoughts at the reversal, she realized the potential seriousness... not to mention what it was likely doing to Hinami's emotional state.

By the time she arrived by her sister's side in order to provide some moral support however, Hinami had already apologized. Still, Hikari could perhaps offer herself up as a distraction so that the little spat was quickly forgotten.

"Sister," she gave her a familiar bow before looking at the Dragon. "Agasha-san, I don't believe we've met have we. I'm Seppun Hikari, this is..."

And then she became aware of the fact that many of the gasps and whispers were in fact caused by *another* scandal, and she turned her head in that direction.

"Uhm..."

And back to the Dragon before it seemed too rude. "...quite the party, isn't it?" She gave a friendly chuckle, to lighten the mood.

What in Jigoku is going on?!

Edogawa remained silent for the moment. It hadn't been the sake, not alone. The barrage of questions and their manipulative tone had irritated him. He had just wanted out of the conversation and had tried to give a full and final statement on the matter.

He had said far too much. He wished he was fully drunk.