To say that he was pleased to hear there was a new Lord Magistrate was an understatement. But he was not one to gloat on it. Ryuu sent word, again, requesting to meet the new Lord Magistrate.

As he arrived at the Castle, he wondered if he would continue to be met with the same disdain.

A servant would appear. A servant would stutter, nervous as she'd lead the Daigotsu samurai to the door that was likely familiar to him by now. Just as before, the servant would knock the door and scurry away.

"Please come in." A warm, calm voice beckoned, the office just as before. It seemed that the new lord magistrate had not had the time to decorate her office yet, even if there were fewer densai on the table now. "Please sit down." Masako eyed the Spider samurai, frown marring her pleasant features.

Ryuu entered when beckoned, bowing deeply to the Lord Magistrate, before taking the seat as instructed.

"Good Morning, Lord Magistrate. Thank you for allowing me a few moments of your day." He sat, straight and tall, hands folded in his lap. "I am Daigotsu Ryuu, Doshin, from Shiragiku. I... wished to introduce myself, to avoid getting off on the wrong foot, as I had with your predecessor."

"Well, I am not sure why Daigotsu-san thinks I need to meet him, but I assumed that he had something tell me about the kerfuffle by the shrine." she asked, tilting her head to the side. "This is why Daigotsu-san came here, yes?"

"Well. Yes. Partly." He adjusted. "Obviously not wanting to step on the toes of your own capable magistrates, the previous interactions had left lingering questions, which led to the... situation yesterday."

The Spider looked to her directly, taking a breath. He relayed the details as he knew them, adding his testimony. "As a personal note, I was glad to see the dedication and thoroughness of the magistrates sent. They should be commended, and should be an example to all who wish to execute the Law."

"Lingering questions?" Masako tilted her head to the side. "What makes Daigotsu-san think he is the right person to ask such question?" she looked at him, distaste visible in her eyes. "Kindan is now a monk and it is not entirely appropriate to discuss her former persona." The etiquette regarding this varied a lot and while Phoenix aspired to spend the last years of their lives in a monastery, Spider had been bred to die for Daigotsu. "Well, one is happy to hear good words spoken for her people, but truthfully, what Daigotsu-san thinks about us matters a little."

"Err, no, I did not mean that I still had lingering questions, the matter isnresolved. Only that my reasoning for being at the event was... well, as you have said, I am in no place to have any questions." He nodded, "No. You are right, my words do not matter in that regard."

He maintained a stoic demeanor, yet he wanted to sigh, frustration at his inability to communicate effectively. He would not show it, and simply process it later.

"I am aware that should things proceed as I think they are, from my understanding, I am sure my lord will be transferring and communicating any details to you, about my potential here. I only seek to serve, and to do things properly."

"Good." Masako folded her arms in her lap. "Daigotsu-san did what was right and that is all there is to it, yes?" That particular question had only one answer, manners and decorum largely dictating what one could say. "We are still investigating the matters - and I expect that to last for a good while." The sect had a fair a few members and while most of them were victims, not everyone was.

"Hum? Daigotsu-san sounds all too sure about that. There is some local whom you have been matched with, then?" the lord magistrate smirked.

"Well. We will know for certain by the end of this but..." that odd smile crept onto his face, "... there is a good match potential between myself snd one Shiba Moriko-san. We will see what the nakodo believe, and hope for the best, as well as the potential for improved relations between our clans, but that is not my place to say." He snapped his On back into place.

"I did what any good samurai would do, and am glad to be of service. Should it be deemed to be of service in the matter in the future, I hope I can be, in whatever capacity."

"Shiba-san? One has to admit they do not know this Shiba as they do not work for us." Masako noted, her voice soft. "Still, one supposed that congratulations are in place." She looked at Ryuu for a moment as if she was thinking of something. "Daigotsu-san might have a fair bit of work ahead, then. With the Mantis being the disgraceful lot they are and with the Spider very much needing their support, building any sort of rapport might not be that easy." The lord magistrate seemed rather bemused.

"Does Daigotsu-san know what it means to be a Phoenix?" Masako asked, her eyes still intent on the Spider.

"I understand that it may be a long road ahead of me, but I walk it gladly." His reply was determined, but the objective was clear. "My homeworld and Asakaze have very comparable traits, trade relations may be easier to help build than rapport, I would do all I could in whatever capacity to aid that."

His eyes focused on her, and he remembered to blink a little more often, to appear more natural than he normally did.

"To be reborn as one gains knowledge, to take in that new information, new insights, and grow. At least, that is the beginning of my knowledge. I very much would like to learn, to know what would be expected of me."

"Yes, that would be more or less correct." Masako murmured, sounding a little bit surprised. "We die and are reborn so that we would not need to die in vain." Smacking her lips, she paused for a moment. "Does Daigotsu-san understand what that means?"

"The Kharmic Wheel. The experiences of what we do in this life, determine where we are in the next. In striving to adhere to Bushido, in serving dutifully, we make steps closer on that path towards enlightenment... right?" He was not as sure on his answer here as before, but it seemed correct, or at least, a starting point.

He could also be way off, but Ryuu surmised it was best to go with the first answer on instinct.

"Yes... and no." Masako smirked, exhaling softly. "There are many kinds of deaths. Death of self, that the monks seek. Death of body, that is inevitable. Death of duty, failure to serve. Death of purpose, the most sinister of all deaths, leaving you like a fish on dry ground. Mentally speaking, neh." The lord magistrate seemed bemused.

"I assume that Daigotsu-san is following, yes?" she asked, waiting to see if Ryuu would catch up.

"There are some deaths we would wish to avoid. But only by being reborn we can truly stay back the proverbial death. It pains us to realize that we have failed - that we have been wrong. But there is no alternative. To not be reborn is the same as die."

"I follow." He was listening to her, his focus intent on every word. Resonating deep within. He could harmonize those thoughts with his own beliefs. It made sense,.

"To not learn from those errors, is the same as committing them again. To forsake what was revealed, what was uncovered, is to destroy any chance to improve. I... believe I understand." He was not a deeply intelligent man, or rather, no more so than the average samurai, but there were things he took to.

Such as the Law.

"Yes. But also, consider the failure to grow as a person. Clinging to what you know, confident that whatever you know will carry you through." Tapping her index finger on the table, Masako drew the kanji for 'center' on the wood.

中

"It is no coincidence that the character for center is pierced. To be reborn, we must die... and so we must seek death. Death of self and the death of us of the day before. Failure to do so is tantamount to giving up." There was a short pause. "Daigotsu-san is not one to give up, is he?"

"Never, Asako-sama." He shook his head. "When I seek to engage, I follow through. Grit, determination. In all things, I am anathema to failure." Those intense blue eyes maintained focus on her.

"Every day is the opportunity to be better than the day before."

"Good." she gave him a marked look. "We shall see how orange suits, I supposed." Masako smirked. "Not just opportunity. Obligation."

"Yes, we shall. I may still keep some black, a hint of green, but I will dutifully, and loyally, serve in orange." Ryuu replied, respectfully, cooly. "Obligations are meant to be served, and I do so with dedication."

He paused, considering. "I know today is a busy day, and I will not waste any more of your time. It may take a few lessons, but I will learn quickly."