The Lion pilot ensures a small table on the far side of the lounge is prepared with tea for his guest, and with branded on the way. As he awaits her arrival, he reviews Lion-approved news from the Crossroads system. As he nought have predicted, it sounds like little has changed.

Akihiko gives a thoughtful blink, but no indication he's surprised. He quickly rises, bows, then sits again.

"Welcome, Murame Shoan-san. Please sit. I am glad to see you well. I had heard yesterday that you were part of a rescue operation, but also that you had won a vintage game at the Retro Night event. So I hope all is well?" The Akodo had spoken a little quickly, but he shows genuine interest in the answer.

She settles herself carefully opposite the Akodo with a nod.

'Hai, it was an eventful day. I was able to demonstrate the Lion approach to war on both monsters and arcade cabinets. Hopefully it goes some way towards making up for my lack of success in other areas."

Shoans looks around the room curiously for a moment before refocusing on Akihiko
"And you Akodo-sama, is all well?"

Akihiko smiles at Shoan's attitude. He nods appreciatively at her "report" on the day, and he's quick to answer her question. "Hai, Murame-san, all is well." He looks thoughtfully at his tea cup for a moment, then up to Shoan. "I wanted to ask a philosophical question of you. A reflection on Bushido," he quickly clarifies, lest the dedicated soldier profess herself no philosopher.

"A samurai, and a good bushi especially, must show dedication to duty, lest they fail their lord and clan." Akihiko's words and tone would fit in any Lion dojo, training the next generation of devout warriors. "The duty of every commander is to honor their superior's commands and objectives, fulfilling their duty, but according to their best understanding of conditions on the field." He sounds much like the instructor in a Lion Clan officers academy, though the tone is more human, warmer--a bit like Akihiko's talking to himself, not Shoan, as the metaphorical cadet. "So, Murame-san, on the battlefield of this miai, and with my superior's orders to 'marry well for the clan,' how much command authority do I have to respond to conditions on theground? Or to phrase it differently, at what level of independence do I exceed my command authority here?"

Akihiko folds his hands in front of his face and looks at Shoan intently. After a moment, it's clear he's finished and waiting to hear from her.

Akihiko processes as the other Lion speaks, and it takes a short time after she finishes, before he begins to nod thoughtfully.

"I think that's wise counsel, Murame-san. Now, if you were the ranking Lion at this miai, and I asked you how to choose a match,what would you tell me?"

"Nice work, i managed a bit of a haul myself", he said with a confident grin.

The servant dropped off his in order. Egg toast and miso.

"Knocked a 1-1 pitch out of the park."

"It is, it is," he nods. A servant brings them the simple breakfast he had requested, and he waves to Shoan to eat as he takes a drink of weak tea.

"I appreciate you sharing these thoughts with me. I know it's not... comfortable to give advice to someone of higher rank, especially when you don't know them well. But I value your thinking, as a paragon of honor and Bushido, to help keep my own thoughts to those critical pillars." The flow of his voice doesn't suggest he's done speaking, but he takes a small bite of food and chews thoughtfully.

"Nice. Do you play baseball back home?" he asks the Spider.