Yondaime Hoshikage Iwatani Yura [Pontificating] 
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Lord L Jin Tae-Yang [Acting] 
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Lord R Jin Jae-Wol [Annoyed]
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With Umashi believed to be the true Lord L and managing to earn an unlikely ally in Lord R, the two went about preparing for the ascension of one of them to the status of Shogun of the Lightning Country. While neither directly spoke on it, it was clear that neither actually wanted it. Umashi himself merely wanted to get his assignment over with so that he could mostly return to his well earned retired life. R on the other hand wanted to wash her hands of the whole entire situation and finally be free from the very political institution that was the reason for her birth. Little did either of them know that being done with the matter wouldn't actually come easy for either of them.
Managing to find an audience with them, the Hoshikage herself was allowed an audience with the two state heads despite the fact that most of the region was on a strict lockdown. What news she brought painted a far more grim picture of the recent events than they had wanted. Interjecting with well placed question, R stopped the Kage from continuing in a matter of fact that caused the Hoshikage's guard to reach a weapon that was no longer at his side. Umashi was glad that they were in a thoroughly vetted private chamber. Luxurious in the way that the former Shogun was known for, the room prominently featured many bookshelves, an entire wall of windows and a set of comfortable antique furniture pieces around a wood table for light refreshments. Thankfully the room was one in which he was able to use a small enough portion of his energies to reinforce with shinobi tricks using a small portion of his waning Natural Energy.
"You mean to tell me that we just buried not only our late father the Shogun along with a host of relatives and close family friends and you want us extend what protections we have even more thin by aiding you in Hoshigakure? I'll have to admit, you Kage are more brazen than I'd originally heard about." R scoffed as she picked up her cup of tea and leaned back in the decadent couch that she was sitting on. Reaching down to pick up a chocolate covered cookie, Umashi had to admit that the Hoshikage's request was a bit much, even for an ally. The entire Lightning Country was just on the brink of collapse with only Kumogakure among the few as a beacon of hope. Sitting next to R and hearing her explain just how spread thin they were via simple economics, Umashi despite sharing a couch with her, found that the gap widened between them immensely. Despite her not wanting the role, she was seemingly born with it as she brought a passion toward the plight of what might one day be called, her people, to light.
Carefully eating his cookie so as to not get crumbs on his garments, Umashi almost choked when the Hoshikage cut him the eye and spoke up, interrupting the interruption of R. "I wouldn't expect you to understand but Lord L here . . . he gets it. We're cut from the same cloth." Wincing, Umashi knew that it was about Lord L being from the Bear Country whereas Lord R was from the Marsh Country, a low blow for the sake of being a low blow, but R took it surprisingly well. Holding a hand up to calm things down, Umashi leaned forward and poured himself a small cup of tea as he mixed in honey leaned back to stir it all in. "We really do want to help but as my sister said, even if we wanted to help, we really can't afford it. The Tenouzan unfortunately got the better of us and with me just returning, I can't allow myself to . . . let regional ties bind me down. Perhaps after the ascension and after we're able to work with Kumogakure to stabilize the Country we can t-" Cutting him off the Hoshikage loudly tapped her stirring spoon on her teacup before loudly sipping it and setting it down on the table before them.
Sighing loudly she shook her head in apparent dismay. "I don't think you all get it. Hotaka and Kaede are confirmed dead. There's some group claiming to have founded a new shinobi village under the leadership of some figurehead called A. With all all due respect to Lord R, but Marsh is at this point a political state with no recognized leadership, also known as a failed state. We don't know who killed Hotaka and Kaede, whether it was the Tenouzan or this A individual and their supposed shinobi. Whoever did, when coupled with the attacks on the Lightning Country and the Bear Country, we are on the brink of a failed region instead of just a state. When Kumo and Hoshi fall, we'll have complete anarchy! Hoshi will fight, and I'll die to ensure that we prevail but without Lightning Country aid then should we prevail and Marsh still be in chaos . . . we'll have no choice but to seek reunification." Her last words were said with a tone implying an absolute statement.
Had a pin dropped then would have surely been deafening and while everyone completely understood what she meant, it was Umashi who corrected her for the record. "You mean annexation, a treaty breaking offense and one that would force the Lightning Country to act." Staring daggers into the woman, Umashi didn't know all about the history of the country but he completely understood the implications of a forced reunification of Bear and Marsh. The Hoshikage tried to clean up her answer via a veiled retort. "I mean that we will do what's necessary to stabilize the region." R was quick to call her out. "She means blackmail us into keeping her Star wars from becoming a Star trek. Papa was a rolling stone but he didn't raise a dummy. You've crossed the line Yura!" "Yeodongsaeng Jae-Wol, don't presume to be so familiar. I don't answer to you." "But you will respect me, ma'am. Feel free to leave my house before I have you tossed out!" "I do believe that that is against quite a few treaties milady." "Well then consider your invite revoked." As the women began to go back and forth, the Hoshikage's guard looked to Umashi and shrugged as the senior of the two Miya-Shogun was forced to rein in the discussion.
"How about this . . . you provide us with intel on who this A figure is and we agree to send a regiment of samurai to help fortify Hoshi. We'll also need your written word that you'll leave the situation going on in Marsh to us. If we receive word that you've moved so much as a stone post, we'll call in favors from the Fire Country." Historically, it was always assumed that the Fire Country backed Marsh but even beyond that, Kumo and Konoha were on good terms and calling in a favor from Kumo was as easy a request as any currently. The terms weren't especially fair but they were the best that Umashi could offer and they were more or less what the Hoshikage was asking for. As she sat and pondered over it, Umashi could tell that she was trying to keep her face straight as she weighed her options. She could go along with the terms and get something or risk it all and get nothing. Leaning over to whisper something into her ear, the guard seemed to help allay whatever fears she was having as she soon spoke up. "We'll need two regiments but in the meantime, A isn't a lone person, it's a group of people all masquerading as one individual." Allowing her to continue, Umashi and R gathered what intel they could and signed the acknowledged understanding of the meeting that had been had.
Later on in the evening, while still lost in thought in the study, when R finally was ready to call it a night, she put up the book that she'd been reading and headed towards the door but not before stopping to speak to Umashi before leaving. "Do you really believe that whole thing about A and some village hidden in a cove? It seems a bit far fetched to me and I don't trust that Yura was being forthcoming with all that she knew. I think that she's playing both sides against the middle." Looking up from his book, Umashi sat it down and shrugged. "You could be right but honestly, I've been around the block to know that Iriegakure seems like just the sort of wretched hive of villainy and scum that the shinobi of lore spring up from. We have to investigate if it's real or not. Besides, no offense but Hotaka and Kaede were horrible leaders and the Kagetsu Treaty that prevented a shinobi village in Marsh until now is unreasonably draconian and harsh in this day and age. I feel like she should be helping them but . . . since Bear and Marsh were once one but it was bound to happen eventually that Marsh would have a reckoning." Sighing and rubbing at his temples, Umashi put down his book and got up as well.
"They'll need support from a good state head. Nobody is going to support a rogue shinobi village without somebody to speak for them. Not like this at least." While it was true that most of the so called Great Shinobi Villages of the world sprung up out of the blue so to speak, there was the simple fact that in the current political climate, such a situation would draw the ire of the other regional powers and usually cause the budding shinobi village to be nothing more than a minor note in a history book. This Iriegakure would need a leader beyond a Kage to speak for them to the rest of the shinobi world. That was usually the way of the world. Perhaps if he could get R to use her leadership skills for the betterment of her mother's native country. "I hear that Bear's Queen is still alive and kicking, ever thought about adding a crown to that scepter?" Pointing at the tool that R always seemed to keep on her person, he nodded at it knowingly.
Clutching her scepter close to herself, R shook her head in a sway that indicated that there was more of a story to be told. "Nobody respects a Queen in a world of men." Shrugging, Umashi shook his head and put a knowing hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, that's half the problem with the world. Men and their dogmatic opinions. Too bad you can't just be a King, you know?" Dejectedly shrugging, R agreed. "Yeah, too bad." Yawning, the girl moved to continue leaving the study. "Get some sleep though. We can worry about the the game of thrones after we finish off these Tenouzan fanatics. The last thing that we need to do is not aim for the head while we can." Stifling a yawn, Umashi agreed with a grin. "Yeah, no kidding. I'll draft up the orders for the Raikage tomorrow. For now though . . . a midnight snack and sleep!" Laughing, R shook her head. "You are really going to eat up all the Hanu beef huh? Have at it! Later bro!" "Goodnight sis."