Act I: Our Slumber is Over

[Alvino Castillon]

Date: 1 Tolven, 1587
Time: 5:10 AM
Location: Imperial Palace, Tokasa

Hiraku Honda scowled as he marched down the hallway. As people attempted to intercept him, he gave them each a glare to scatter them back to the edges of the hallway. Even the guards, trained to suppress all expressions of emotion, showed signs of unease as he marched towards his destination. Behind him, hushed whispers began to arise.

"He looks infuriated." Well obviously he was. "I heard that he's going to pressure the Her Imperial Grace to fire them." Incorrect; he need not pressure her to do anything. "What if the Empress gets mad at him?" He stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway, dead in his tracks. The whispers fell silent at that moment as fear gripped the occupants of the hallway. Slowly, he turned, staring at a pair of people from whence he heard such a slight.

"That's Her Imperial Grace to you," He answered coldly, a bitter smile worming his way onto his face. "I will merely assume that I misheard though. My, deepest apologies." He turned around and continued his steady march without waiting for an answer; he never expected one anyways.

"He's pissed." He scowled further at this murmur, the destination within reach behind the golden doors coming into view. Pissed was a extremely improper way of describing his feelings at the turn of events that occurred just hours before. Whatever emotion he may have held for these events that awoke him from a fitful slumber a mere hour earlier he dared not show however. Not yet. Only when he crossed those golden doors... only then would he show just how "pissed" he is.

"Hiraku Honda, Chair of the Imperial Council and Trusted Adviser of Her Imperial Grace, Dragon Protocol." He held up his identification around his lanyard to the guards in front of the golden doors for inspection. One guard stepped forward, a male about his height. He reviewed it carefully, checking for the Dragon Seal pressed straight onto the card. Upon finding it, he saluted Chairman Honda before stepping back and allowing the other guard, a female about the same height, to step forward with a pillow and two gloves.

"You are permitted, Chairman Honda. Welcome to the Imperial Chambers." They bowed, then Hiraku took the gloves and slipped them onto his hands. Another bow followed before the female guard returned to the left of the door.

"Your welcome is appreciated," He replied, that scowl never leaving his face. "It would be most appreciated if you both were to clear this hallway of all occupants and seal it off, per protocol."

"At once Chairman," They replied in unison as they bowed. Moving in sync with one another, they flanked him on both sides and proceeded to go about their assigned task, leaving Hiraku to face the slumbering dragon alone. He opted not to explain why he wanted this protocol taken, a most unusual circumstance but not entirely unexpected. They clearly believed that he desired to protect them and the others in the hallway from the wrath of the dragon, and that was quite fine with him.

He took a step forward towards the door and placed his gloved hands upon it before taking a deep breath. Then, he pushed the doors forward and walked inside slowly into the lair of the beast. As he walked inside, a murmur came from within the room. Without responding, he turned and closed the doors behind him, before slipping the gloves off and placing them on a pillow on a nearby dresser.

Darkness. Nothing but himself, the darkness, and the dragon. Hiraku's scowl finally slipped away from his face as he took a deep breath. Slowly, he stepped closer towards the other end of the room, praying to Muze that he knew this floor well enough to avoid the squeaky floorboards. Thankfully, he had been in this room many a time before. "Yet another tradition shattered with 'reckless abandon.'" He thought with a bitter smirk.

Eventually, he reached the other end of the room and approached the side of the bed he knew she would be on. As he reached her side, he saw that one hand was sticking out beyond the edge. He knelt down next to it and gently clasped it, kissing it lightly before speaking ever so softly.

"Your Imperial Grace," He whispered calmly. "It is time to wake up."

For a few seconds, there was no reply. Then, her hand moved slightly, before realizing it was caught within Hiraku's grasp. A few seconds letter, she groaned, followed by the sounds of the sleeping dragon rising from its soft pillows to utter its majestic reply.

"Hiraku?" She mumbled blearily.

"Yes, Your Imperial Grace?" He responded wistfully.

"...Would ya stop fuckin' calling me that already!?" She yanked her hand out his grip and wormed her way out from under her warm sheets to give him a playful scowl, before freezing. "Wait. Is there anyone else-"

"Nope. But, unfortunately I come here on rather important business... no advisement today Mirai." She smirked for a moment before frowning, rolling herself up into a sitting position on the bed. Beckoning him with her hand, she reached down and helped him up onto the bed to sit next to her.

"Perhaps later. Now then Chairman, what important news is this that you have to wake me at..." She glanced at the clock before her eyes bulged. "Three in the morning!? This better be good." She glared at him silently and folded her arms, awaiting an answer. He nodded and obliged.

"The Chikasun embassy contacted us a few hours ago. It appears that there is a vicious split within their Parliament over the fate of the trade agreements."

"This isn't really something to wake me up about-"

"Our embassy in the capitol also contacted us. It appears that protests have surrounded the embassy and chaos reigned in the capitol as of five hours ago." She stared silently at him, taking in the information.

"Then, what you are telling me is..." She trailed off to let him say the sweet words he had been dying to say for over an hour now. He took her hand and smiled calmly.

"Everything is going to plan."

[Alvino Castillon]

One Hour Later at the Orchyoto

Hushed whispers filled the Chamber of the National Council as many of its members spoke about the unfolding events. Some of its older members were already in their seats, stern-faced and prepared to fight for their points. A few older and younger members loitered near a continental breakfast table, grabbing coffee or tea to fuel themselves. The rest had largely paired off, discussing the matters of the day that have forced them to gather on a Sunday of all days.

At once, they all fell silent as an aide rushed in to flag them of the approach of the Empress. The members not already sitting rushed back to their seats, not desiring a repeat scolding from two weeks ago. The eldest members chuckled, amused at their demeanor.

At once, it all fell silent again as the doors swung open. Any signs of amusement were gone. Now was the time for action.

"Is the dossier ready?" Mirai Sekai asked the attendant, walking into the Chamber of the National Council. Behind her, Chairman Hiraku Honda of the National Council followed, hiding his glee behind a stern look. At once, the members of the National Council rose, bowing towards the Empress. She nodded and gracefully took the papers for the attendant, watching as they bowed out towards the edge of the room. She approached the circular table and walked around it, eyeing the members of the National Council for any... issues.

There were none to be found this time. She hid her relief and climbed to sit at the top of an elevated platform, overseeing the affairs below. Beneath her, Chairman Honda climbed up and stood at the podium.

"6:28 AM," He announced. "This Special Meeting of the National Council is called to order. You may be seated." As the members of the National Council sat down in their seats, he cleared his throat. "Thank you all for being here on short notice today. We are now in executive session and we will be suspending the rules. Please listen closely. Secretary of the Council, you are to read the summary."

"Yes Chairman Honda," Secretary Ayana Ito responded, her voice quivering slightly. She cleared her throat and began to read.

"At 12:00 AM local time in the Chikasun capitol of Eno, a large group protesters streamed out into the streets in opposition to the bilateral talks and trade agreements produced between the Chikasun Republic and the Imperial Republic of Kazemura. Their numbers are unverified but it is likely that they are in the thousands as reports of traffic jam and closed streets have dominated local news and posts on social media, especially Pipper. These protests were known to be in planning for some time now; however estimates produced by our advisers and by our counterparts in Eno about the scale seem to be wildly off base. There are reports of smaller protests in Eno in favor of the bilateral agreements. The protests have reached our embassy in Eno; our ambassador is unfortunately trapped within." Out of the corner of his eye, Hiraku noticed an older Councilman grumble and sit up, preparing to ask a question.

"Is there a possibility of-"

"The Chair reminds the body to hold all questions until the end of the report," Hiraku interrupted, glancing at no one in particular. A grumble responded to his request, before the Councilman settled back into his seat. "Please continue Secretary Ito."

"Of course Chairman Honda. We have been informed by the Chikasun government that they will be able to extradite the ambassador and the staff if needed. Although there have been reports on social media of small skirmishes, they are currently unverified. The Eno Police Department has informed local media that it has been largely nonviolent thus far." That did not seem to relieve anyone in the room as they were all very aware of how things like this worked. It was all well and fine...

"However, protests that have erupted in Nonsan, the capitol of the Autonomous Shimazu State, have been more violent according to local news outlets and posts on social media. These reports have been verified by the local police department."

...Until the other shoe dropped.

"Our consulate in Nonsan has been recently surrounded by protests favoring and opposing the bilateral agreements. It appears that the protesters that took to the streets of Nonsan and other major cities in the Shimazu State have been more balanced. While a notably higher percentage of Kazemurans in the Shimazu State seemed to lean more favorably towards the passage of the agreements, it does not seem to be devolving into a cultural tension as of yet. This seems to be merely political.

"At approximately 2:00 AM local time, an emergency session of Senate in the Chikasun Republic was called to order as was an emergency Council session in the Shimazu State. The Senate seems to be furiously debating the bilateral agreements at this time. President Kazue Maki of the Chikasun Republic has repeatedly expressed her intent to push forward on the passage of the bilateral agreements. Our ambassador is planning to make an appearance to lobby the Senators on the fence at this time. Our consul in Nonsan is also planning an appearance at the Shimazun Council; however we expect that they are still largely in support of the bilateral agreements. This concludes the report."

"Thank you Secretary Ito," Chairman Honda stated, adjusting his glasses. "As rules are suspended, members are free to speak openly. However, let's keep this civil and give everyone a chance to speak." He stepped back and flipped off his microphone as the debate began among the members of the National Council, debating over the best course of action.

However, it is all largely out of their hands, Chairman Honda thought with amusement. A great bit of wheeling and dealing has helped push along the course of debate already. The Empress had already decided the course of action to take a whole two months ago, arguably longer. He had already informed his key allies in the National Council of the thoughts of the Empress hours before and they in turn have sought to push those thoughts into proper action... for a favor or two.

Vultures, he thought to himself. No matter. Once this was all said and done, he and Mirai would stand alone at the top. Both of them knew the outcome that these events would take and the official stance the government would end up taking long before this debate began. Kazemura would stress the importance of these agreements. Then, Kazemura would applaud the Shimazu State for its continued efforts to "bring lasting peace to the region" and condemn the Chikasun Republic for its "unwillingness to resolve century-old matters of dispute" or something like that, threatening to cut off the trade it currently has with them. A little bit of pressure on the President of Chikasu, a little escalation of the protests here and there, and everything will be set for the cards to fall.

And then, the century-long slumber will be finally over.

[Ayzek]

Date: 1 Tolven, 1587
Time: 2:40 AM
Location: Chikasu National Senate, Chikasu

"This is a ridiculous waste of our night, ladies and gentlemen," boomed the voice of Yuuki Yamamoto. Yamamoto was the eldest member of the Chikasun Senate, at a impressive 73, and certainly had the views to match. A titian of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party and the hero of the Hatsayuki Naval Incident—the closest thing to a conflict Chikasu had experienced in decades—Yamamoto held considerable sway over the Senate and even the House of Representatives. Viewed favorably by the media, a father figure to many younger politicians, and commanding respect from even his critics, Yamamoto was a politician you'd want agreeing with your views. Unfortunately for President Kazue Maki and her Social Democratic Party, he was not on their side.

He abhorred the trade agreement negotiated by her government from the start, viewing it as little more than an avenue for Kazemura to gain control of the Shimazu State, if not the entirety of Chiaksu. He wouldn't doubt it for a moment, that Kazemura considered the trade deal as a stepping stone for greater control of Chikasu and beyond. It wasn't far from the truth, in any case, it was a fact that the trade deal had elements that favored Kazemuran industries more. Maybe if it was more balanced, he could at least accept it, for Chikasu's sake, but as it was...the only reason he didn't call it treason was that doing so would unleash a political maelstrom beyond anyone's ability to control.

"Who's brilliant idea was it to drag us out of bed at two in the morning for this?" Yamamoto was far from the only one who raced to the Senate in his pajamas when an aid relayed a specials summons for a "highly important meeting." He'd thought that some fool had declared war on Chikasu, or that a natural disaster had struck the Republic. He didn't realize that the Social Democratic Party had become so desperate it would call an 2 A.M. "special session" to discuss a few minor protests against its precious trade agreement.

The President pro tempore, a young women in a crisp suit and make up, at least had the decency to look sheepish. "These protests have the capability to greatly destabilize the country," she murmured. The loudspeakers didn't hide that even she didn't believe it. "The President urg—"

"The President!" Yamamoto barked, a vein popping onto his forehead, his jowls shaking. "Does not control this Senate." He finished his sentence far calmer. "To summon the legislature over a nonissue like this is abuse of your office, Miss Nomura. A protest of this scale is nothing the police force can't handle. The President should some faith in our fellow public servants."

The Chikasun were not so incompetent they would be unprepared for planned, organized protests. The Kazemuran embassy in the capital was well-protected by professional policemen and the ethnically mixed Chikasun-Kazemuran police force on Shimazu was doing its best to bring order back to the unexpectedly violent protests.

"I must agree with Mister Yamamoto," said another Senator, this one on the Social Democrats' side of the room. His desk's nameplate read Kaori Fukuda. "I hope the President did not seek to take advantage of these protests to in an attempt to push through the trade agreement with a late-night, emergency session." Such meetings could easily be missed and almost a quarter were in fact not present.

"Of course not!" Miss Nomura replied, despite the obviously perturbed look creeping onto her face.

Fukuda noticed it and scowled. "Miss Nomura—"

"The actions of your administration are growing increasingly worrying," Yamamoto interrupted, staring blankly into Nomura's soul. "I would remind the President that she is already under investigation for 'misconduct' and calling an special session at two in the morning to discuss her pet project will not help her cause."


At the Red House

"Why the blazes was that old coot there??" shouted Kazue Maki, esteemed President of the Chikasun Republic. The laptop an aid had placed on her desk so she could watch the special session had just broadcasted its dismissal, after a motion started by the infamous Yuuki Yamamato. "He wasn't supposed to be there!" Maki slammed her fist on her desk.

"Are you alright, Your Excellency?" came a voice through the door.

"Simply wonderful," she called back.

"Calm down," said the lady sitting in a chair beside her seat. "It was a miscalculation."

"A miscalculation?" Maki seethed. "This will kill us!" She dug her face into her palms, sinking into her seat. "Oh god, we won't survive the term."

Saki was a relatively young leader, at only 44 years old. She road into the Red House on a tidal wave of public support, the daughter of beloved national hero, Admiral Kaito Maki, who'd also played a role in the Hatsayuki Naval Incident. She was the first ethnic Kazemuran woman to become President of the Chikasun Republic and was on her third term. Perhaps she enjoyed her widespread support a little too much, as allegations of corruption began to trickle into the public light in early 1587. One of her close aids had already been convicted of it, and it was only a matter of time before the Parliamentary Investigation Committees wound their way to her. "Maybe I should just resign."

"Even if you resign," the lady said, "we're in far too deep to just walk away. They won't let you."

Saki frowned and rubbed her temples. "Hold me." She did.

"Your Excellency," came through her secretary's door. "We've received a call from the Kazemuran ambassador. He's requesting an urgent meeting and is already on his way." He was supposed to have spoken at the special session, though was luckily wise enough to not enter it after Yamamoto turned the atmosphere against the trade deal. Again.

"Have him enter through the back," she replied.


Time: 6:15 A.M.
Location: Nonsan, Autonomous Shimazu State, Chikasu

It was true that violence had erupted in the capital of the Autonomous Shimazu State. It began between the opposing protestors, of course. Someone had thrown a rock and another responded with a fist. A light blow became a scuffle and when word and misinformation spread, the various protests across the region became charged. The Shimazu Regional Police Bureau worked through the night, breaking up fight after fight and dispersing or arresting protestors.

Their swift and decisive action prevented isolated incidents from becoming full blown riots. Violent demonstrations were corralled and slowly picked apart. Tear gas was used only on two occasions where resistance was too great. The police did not hesitate to jam the protestors' cell phones after it became clear there was an effort to incite violence over social media. Those accounts would be investigated and the Police Bureau fully intended to press charges.

When dawn broke, there were still many demonstrations for both sides of the debate across Shimazu, under the police force's watchful eyes. Many violent cells were still in the process in the being disbanded, but the police largely had the situation under control. They were nonetheless spread thin, and so the Bureau quietly notified neighboring prefectures that they may need reinforcements should the situation develop unfavorably.

[Alvino Castillon]

Time: 6:30 AM
Location: Imperial Break Lounge of the Orchyoto

"I never thought that the National Council would be so... easily manipulated," Mirai said after the doors to the Break Lounge slammed shut. Hiraku chuckled and sat down, beckoning her to join him. She smirked and obliged, leaning against him intentionally.

"Indeed Mi-chan," Hiraku replied, wrapping an arm around her. She gave him a funny look before returning to looking out towards the fireplace in front of them. He blinked for a moment before asking, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, not at all. You just, haven't called me that in a long time."

"Well, my apologies Your I-"

"Call me that again and my imperial foot is going so far up your ass you won't be sitting right for a week." He snorted in response to her rather direct threat and she harrumphed. "Mi-chan is fine in private. You know this. But to get back to the point... they're so divided over a course of action when it's quite obvious that the best way forward would be to hold the line. Let this spiral well 'out of control' and begin our return to grace."

"All the actors are playing their parts nicely then," Hiraku noted, stroking her shoulder. "Letting them think they run things for now is a good way to fly under the radar as we set them up for their collapse in influence. Only when things are at the brink will you swoop in and save them from themselves, increasing your influence ten fold while I wrangle up the votes needed to pass the resolution."

"And once you 'convince' them and the lower house to pass the resolution, you earn a private audience with Her Imperial Majesty herself," Mirai added, smirking. "And things just bloom from there. All the while we prepare for the inevitable clash that will decide whether we restore the Eden of the East or fall from the Heavens for good." They chuckled and sat there quietly, mulling over next steps until a knock at the door interrupted them. A quick glance at one another was followed by a reluctant separation, with Hiraku moving to sit in a nearby chair.

"Enter," He boomed towards the door. The door opened slowly and an assistant slipped inside, bowing his head towards Chairman Honda and Her Imperial Majesty. The assistant was shaking, terrified of the news he was ordered to report and swearing that he drew the shortest straw out of all the assistants.

"Your Imperial Majesty and Chairman Honda, I apologize for the intrusion," He began, his voice cracking. "The uh, Chikasu National Senate special session report you have both requested is ready." He swallowed hard and scurried across the room, handing them the reports and quickly bowing his way towards the exit.

"Hold," The two said in unison and the assistant froze, terrified of their combined wrath. Quietly, he turned to face them and watched as they read the report before giving each other a glance. Their faces said it all: there shall be nothing but fury. This Senator Yamamoto, an influential figure within Chikasu, dared to halt what was supposed to be the beginnings of a grand peace to end longstanding tensions. And he dared to halt them all because he believed that the trade agreements were supposedly unbalanced!? Months of arduous negotiation that required the gentle and fair hand of the Empress herself to continue would have been for naught then!

At least, that's what their faces said to anyone who didn't know better. To the two of them however, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, they were gleeful for the turn of events. Senator Yamamoto removed a major hurdle for them; everything was going even better than they had expected! Slowly, they turned their attention towards the assistant and watched as he shook in terror.

"Name," Chairman Honda intoned. The assistant stood straight at attention and stuttered for a solid moment before he squeaked out his name.

"S-Souta Nakashima!" The assistant squeaked before saluting them both.

"You drew the short straw didn't you?" Chairman Honda asked, standing slowly. He watched as Souta nodded and then chuckled softly. "Yeah, I figured. I remember drawing the short straw. Don't worry, you're fine. But you best inform the staff to get the Councilmembers again. We're starting up sooner than I had expected." The assistant nodded and scurried away without another word. Behind Hiraku, Mirai stood and walked over to him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Well, just as expected. Let's get back to it then."


20 Minutes Later in the Chambers of the National Council

"The Chikasun government has proven themselves unwilling to support months of fervent negotiation even after all the concessions we gave!" Councilwoman Koharu Fukui exclaimed, slamming her fist on the table. "They do not seem to understand that we are the more stable economic player and that they have more to gain than we do. They decry this as unfair and unbalanced when their idea of fair and balanced is to fuel their economic growth at the expense of our own!" Chairman Honda hid his expression behind his clasped hands as the Councilwoman spoke. A younger member of National Council, she was far more willing to apply pressures on Kazemura's neighbors to ensure its continued growth and influence. She was a fervent federationist as well which fit very well with his and the Empress' ambitions. She knew they wanted to pursue a possible supranational organization down the road and she offered them unwavering support for such a concept.

However, the other members of the National Council were not so easily swayed, hence this ongoing bickering about a mere trade agreement. As the Councilmembers seemed to argue, he prepared to bang the gavel to call for silence, but stopped short when the silence came on its own. A lone figure stood in the Chambers of the National Council, silencing everyone with mere presence alone.

"If I may speak," Councilman Taichi Matsuoka stated, "That would be wonderful." Inwardly, Chairman Honda swore. Of course he had to speak up. Of course, the eldest member of the National Council and the only politician whose influence surpassed his own had to come to some form of a decision. This was a man who chastised a previous Chairman in the middle of an open session for not performing a mundane protocol during roll call. This was a man who had been known as "The Scale of the Council" as he has more often than not ended the debate right then and there. Very rarely did he not call the question after he spoke and quite often he had been a thorn in the side of Chairman Honda and Empress Mirai, even before their ascendance into their respective offices.

"Chairman Honda," Matsuoka began, turning his full attention towards him. "I find it extremely sickening that on a Sunday of all days you whisk us away in the middle of the night to forcibly discuss mere protests. As if this trade agreement that has been forcibly wormed in by your hands was in such danger by a few measly protesters in our neighbor's cities! It speaks volumes that you would have the audacity to force us all to be here on a Sunday for something as mundane as this!" Matsuoka banged his fist on the table a few times at the end of his sentence, his face reddening. "On whose authority was it decided that you drag us out of bed to protect your pet project!?" Usually, Matsuoka would have the final word and end the debate in his favor. Today however...

"On mine."

He was up against a force far greater than his own, and the way the color drained from his face showed it. It was hard for Chairman Honda to hide a smirk but somehow he succeeded, letting the voice that boomed forth from behind dominate the room and silence even Matsuoka.

"My orders were the ones to call the National Council to order this morning," Her Imperial Grace replied, slowly rising from her seat. Councilman Matsuoka gripped the table, trying to steel his nerve but this was the one person he couldn't readily defeat. Not yet anyway. Her Imperial Grace continued, "On my orders did Chairman Honda assemble this meeting as it was made clear that the Chikasun Senate and the Shimazun Council were also meeting as I speak. They will have their decision very soon. We shall not wait to respond. They expect us to be unprepared. So long as this Empress lives on behalf of Muze shall that not happen; as an esteemed Councilman of Kazemura, you should not either Matsuoka-kun." A chill rushed through the room as all eyes returned to Matsuoka.

"Her Imperial Grace is not finished speaking!" She boomed, forcing all eyes back on her save Chairman Honda's; he dared not to move a muscle to defy Her Imperial Grace. "Four months of these petty squabbles have run my patience dry. Instead of coming to a sensible conclusion, your continuous finger pointing has come to a head, aimed to the only person in this room that has shown any effort in keeping Her Imperial Grace involved in the matters of the state and seeking a proper solution!" She slammed her fist, fury coursing through her eyes. "In the next twenty minutes, there will be a decision. Either it shall be by the Council or by the hand of Her Imperial Grace alone! Stop playing with the lives of our people and DO. YOUR. JOBS!" She banged the podium thrice, once for each point at the end of her statement. Baring her teeth, she dared for anyone in the room to defy the dragon.

Of course, one dared.

"Empress Mirai seems to show favor to Chairman Honda," Councilman Matsuoka retorted, showing a smirk. "Perhaps the Empress is fancying him as her consort? If not, it would be best to follow the standard of her predecessor with regards to the National Council." He had presumed that her influence within the National Council would still be weak only four months into her reign. Under normal circumstances, he would be correct; the first two months they seemed to chafe at the Empress' insistence to sit in on National Council meetings, something her predecessor opted to avoid. However, the work of Chairman Honda and Councilwoman Fukui in whipping the National Council over the four months had finally borne fruit. Private audiences with Her Imperial Grace, favors, and a bit of coercion had built up the Imperial influence within the National Council to an extent never before seen in its history.

In short, most agreed with Chairman Honda and Her Imperial Grace and the ones that didn't were far in the minority. Today's clash would seal the National Council's fate, as had been intended. However, Matsuoka had gone two steps too far and had given both Chairman Honda and Her Imperial Grace something far more than they had expected. The door to total influence had been swung open, as had the door to the everlasting union they dreamed of since the very beginning.

"Favor is shown to those that serve dutifully Matsuoka-chan," Her Imperial Grace replied, a wicked smile creeping up on her face as no one dared gasp in horror at the degrading insult. "Which is why Her Imperial Grace shows no favor to you today." She slowly looks downwards to the top of Chairman Honda's head. "I must say though, fancying the Chairman as a consort... hm. His Imperial Grace, Emperor Hiraku of Kazemura. Nice ring to it." She turned her gaze upwards, glaring straight at Matsuoka. "However, that does not excuse your disgusting behavior. And that does not authorize you to speak ill of Her Imperial Grace. Clearly, your fellow Councilmembers agree with Her Imperial Grace. Which means they will agree with the edict Her Imperial Grace shall give." She cleared her throat and clasped the sides of the podium.

"Members of the National Council, you shall vote to pursue the trade agreements. We shall let our ambassador and consul speak with the Chikasun and Shimazun leaders respectively; should neither government support the agreements in their current form we will authorize our representatives to pursue new negotiations. However, should the Shimazu Council vote in favor of the current trade agreements, we shall not give an inch. The Chikasun Republic will fold or it will risk inciting a new rise in tensions. Does anyone defy the Edict of Her Imperial Grace? If so, speak now or carry out the Edict of Her Imperial Grace." Silence followed as each Councilmember slowly shook their heads. Even Councilman Matsuoka was cowed to shake his head. Her Imperial Grace slowly sat in her seat cross-legged, hands clasped on her knees.

"With no further debate, we move to a vote," Chairman Honda stated, voice resolute in the face of divine intervention.


At the Red House in Eno, Chikasu

Ambassador Rei Ueno swore under her breath as she walked down the hallway towards the Office of the President. This was not where she was expecting to be at this hour. She had been ordered to go to the Senate to speak with those who were defying the trade agreements and convince them that this in everyone's best interest. However, she was stopped en-route with new orders from Her Imperial Grace herself. She was to speed to the Red House right away and convince her to push forward with the trade agreements so meticulously planned out. Nothing less than that would be acceptable for the Imperial Republic at this point.

That is, unless the Shimazun Council voted no as well, she thought with irritation. If both the Senate and the Council voted to refuse the trade agreements, the Imperial Republic would have to consider other options. It was possible they could be salvaged but it was just as likely that they would pull out of further negotiations and take other paths to resolve the ongoing disputes that existed between their nations.

But hopefully, at least one body would vote for these trade agreements, and hopefully she could convince President Maki to hold strong and settle the debate in the Senate. Ambassador Ueno at last reached the door, escorted by an assistant that worked at the Red House, and knocked softly. She took two steps back and waited for permission to enter.

[Ayzek]

"Enter."

The ambassador's escort opened the door and followed after signaling her to enter first. The trip from the Senate to the Red House was short, barely five minutes in late night traffic, so not much had changed in the President's office. President Maki and her adviser, Akane Kuno, were still the only two persons there. They'd now had tea and biscuits, however, likely delivered by the young man that excused himself in a mumble and left shortly after the ambassador entered.

"Miss Ueno," Maki began, rising from her seat and stepping around her desk, "welcome to the Red House." She took one step and met the ambassador close to her desk with a firm handshake. Chikasu had largely westernized, with regards to diplomatic conduct. "Please, sit with us." She guided her guest to the small table in the corner of her office, where the snacks waited. She dismissed the escort with a nod, before taking a seat in the center armchair around the table. Kuno took the one to her right, leaving the the third for the ambassador. Kuno served the tea.

"I'm sure you saw," Maki continued, frowning. "Yamamoto managed to poison the session against the trade treaty." She glanced momentarily at Kuno. It'd been her idea and Maki hadn't made an effort to see where she received her advice. It was because Kuno had told her of Yamamoto's heavy nightly medications that Maki had agreed to the risky emergency session plan and it had backfired. "I'm afraid it will become quite a fiasco by this afternoon."

That the President and her close supporters was being investigated by the Chikasun Parliament for corruption was no secret, and her approval rating had been on a downward trend since the beginning of the year. It was now hovering just over 30%, and if the media spun the story right, the failed attempt to get the trade deal passed in a special session would make her grave quite a bit deeper. She saw this and had no doubts her Kazemuran supporters saw it as well.


(OOC: I'll post about the Shimazu legislature thing after their meeting. -- a thinly veiled attempt to buy himself more time.)

[Alvino Castillon]

"Enter."

Ambassador Ueno entered as requested, the escort following right behind her. Inside were President Make and her... adviser, whom she recognized as Akane Kuno. She hid her irritation at the situation, having expected to have a chance to speak one on one with the President herself. It appears that won't be happening, she mused deep within her thoughts.

Pleasantries were exchanged and so were handshakes. Soon she was sitting with the President of the Chikasun Republic and her adviser, the latter opting to serve the tea. As President Maki spoke, Ambassador Ueno listened, masking her true feelings on the matter deep within. Senator Yamamoto's "poisoning" of the fate of the trade agreements were troubling, but more so was the rather chaotic way this matter was handled. Why had this vote been held at this time? It was clearly a calculated effort to pass the trade agreements through a rather backroom play. If the President had been more popular this would have been fine; this was not the case though. President Maki was slowly digging her own grave even deeper than before; she did not have that much popularity to play with and she was under investigation for corruption allegations. This failed attempt would be a major blow that would surely sink the ship. It was now Ambassador Ueno's job to make sure Kazemura could salvage something from this.

However, she had been given explicit orders to continue pushing for the passage of the trade agreements. While she would usually balk at such a concept, the orders came from Her Imperial Grace herself; those were not orders she was ready to defy. Regardless of her position on the matter, she would hold the line until the Shimazun Council had their vote as instructed.

"You Excellency," Ambassador Ueno began, setting down her tea cup. "I must admit I am perturbed about the recent developments. I had not realized Senator Yamamoto felt so strongly about these trade agreements, despite the meticulous detail that went into their creation. Unfortunately, our government has strong feelings on these trade agreements as well, although admittedly in the opposite direction." She smiled sadly and clasped her hands together in her lap.

"We are hopeful that the Chikasun Senate will reconsider the trade agreements in a more favorable light. I am willing to do whatever it takes to see these trade agreements come to your desk as soon as possible. Is it possible to get an idea of what the potential vote would look like at this time? If so, we could perhaps plan a strategy to whip the last few votes needed to get this passed through your Senate."

[Ayzek]

"It is far from in our favor," Maki replied, after a moment of thought. "Kazemura is currently quite unpopular in Chikasu. Perhaps its the lack of a balance of power, or maybe it's the resurgence of imperial political power in Kazemura. The simple fact is that Chikasuns are worried that Kazemura will use this treaty as a stepping stone to dominating Chikasu. This fear, as unfounded as it is, has made even members of my own party oppose the trade deal. It's arguably to the point where pursuing it is pointless, unlikely to bear any good fruit. I'm afraid tonight was likely the only opportunity to get it through the Senate."

The second of Tolven was the first workday after the Chikasun golden week and the date the Chikasun Parliament would return to session. While it was not scheduled to discuss the trade agreement with Kazemura until the third, Maki doubted the political atmosphere would change much in her favor. Quite the opposite, she feared that the Parliament would return with enough evidence of her wrongdoings to finish her. They certainly had a few more bullets to use against her now.

The more she thought about it, the more attractive simply resigning seemed. Where did things go wrong? She went from the most popular President in Chikasun history to one days, perhaps hours from impeachment. From surrounded with the brightest minds of Chikasu to only her partner and a foreign ambassador. Her partner and an ambassador....

"We don't have much to work with," she continued, setting that line of thought aside. "My political clout is exhausted, my public support is on its death bed. The media pounces at me at every opportunity. The intelligence services are investigating me." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "The only persons who haven't turned their back are maybe the old guard, thank my late father."

[Alvino Castillon]

Ueno listened carefully as Maki talked about the current standing of the trade agreements. As Maki mentioned that pursuing the agreements any further would not bear fruit, Ueno frowned, hiding it through a sip of her tea. That's not good at all, she thought, before placing the tea cup down on the table again.

Ueno knew that her ambassadorship and even her very career was on the line at the moment. At the beginning of the year, she had been on the rise, a superstar in the diplomatic corps. She had steeled her way through comprehensive negotiations with quite a few nations and the Chikasun government agreeing to discuss trade agreements was a major coup for her. Empress Aoi (May she find peace with Muze, she mused) had given her full control over these negotiations and had hinted at her being considered to head the Foreign Ministry itself within a year or so.

Six months ago however, Empress Aoi passed away and Her Imperial Grace took the throne. The new Empress had expressed skepticism of the talks in private and the Chikasun government had expressed skepticism of working with the Kazemuran government after such a turnover. The Empress' decision to run military exercises and announce a refitting of the military's weapons hadn't helped matters either; the Kazemuran government noted that the exercises was due to Ramzan's aggressive stance in the West but the Chikasun government was still skeptical.

Ueno begged and pleaded with the Empress to agree to conclude the talks and finally got her to agree. She had staked her reputation and the future of her career on this on the very outcome of this; if she failed she would have no future in government, possibly anywhere.

As Ueno started to consider the best way to get herself out of this mess, Maki talked about the current situation. Ueno listened quietly, already preparing her death bed when Maki mentioned the old guard being in support of her still. She fell silent at that point, leaving Ueno to mull everything over.

She was right; the pieces were not in their favor. Maki was likely to end up in prison. Ueno was likely to have her career ruined. And relations between the two nations were going to just keep deteriorating, culminating in a bitter war down the road. That was not the way towards reunification, Ueno thought bitterly. She was a unionist, but a pragmatic one. She favored the rise of a supranational organization to bring the Heiwanan people back under one flag rather than the brutality of war. But clearly, the Chikasun government did not agree. They'd rather keep the archipelago weak and divided.

Maki was pragmatic though. She saw the need to come together in defense of one another. Sure she was shady but she understood that for the archipelago to survive foreign influences, they had to work together in some fashion. She clearly saw the bigger picture... right?

"I see," Ueno replied, picking up her tea cup. "So it's just the old guard that supports you readily now." She sipped her tea to hide her hesitation. What she was going to consider was nothing short of treachery. However, her political career was on the line now... and so was the life of another.

"It seems that you are considering calling it quits. I am incorrect in that assumption?"

[Ayzek]

"It may be for the best," Maki answered, dispirited. She touched her tea cup but hesitated to take it. In that moment, she suddenly remembered who exactly was present. While she'd discussed affairs with Akane every night, a foreign ambassador had no business knowing intimate details of her administration, much less an ongoing investigation. Maki regained her composure over a sip of her drink. "I should do at least that much for my country, at this point."

[Alvino Castillon]

Ueno listened to the dispirited answer and sipped her tea quietly. After she regained her composure and finished the answer, Ueno nodded and placed the empty cup down. How unfortunate, she mused bitterly. There may not be a way out of this crisis, and that would mean the death knell of her career and... no. There had to be a way. Right?

There is, she pondered. The old guard supported her. Maybe, just maybe... there was nothing else going for her now, so what the Hell.

"An unfortunate thing to hear," Ueno replied, before leaning a bit forward. "If I am being sincere, and off the record of course, I always appreciated your pragmatic stance, especially when it came to ending the disputes that have haunted our nations. Few have had the courage to push forward to lasting peace; you are one of those few."