31

There is tea set out on the table, as customary for receiving guests. Even unexpected ones.

Shiki sits quietly to her cousin's right, while his left remains conspicuously empty… for now. Kiyohira-sensei had winced, chagrined, when he belatedly caught sight of a shaken-looking Megumi-san on the training field with them. Probably because the young boy's reaction abruptly caused him to become incredibly conscious of the mess that he and Daisaku-sama were making behind them, blood dripping haphazardly everywhere.

Kiyohira-sensei had hurriedly excused himself to usher Megumi-san away, after that. Knowing her teacher, the man would probably leave the boy with his sister and drop both of them off with Yuzuki-san, before returning to take care of the unexpected matters that had just sprung up here.

Quite unexpected, really.

Shiki can't say that she'd anticipated Daisaku-sama making such a spectacularly bloody entrance like this. It's very surprising. For an elder who was constantly wary of Satoru-niichan's so-called ruthlessness, and had even verbally professed to such concerns in the past, wasn't this a little hypocritical of him?

If Daisaku-sama was aware of it, though, he certainly had no trouble preventing any of it from showing on his face. Across from them, the elder simply sits calmly by the table, while Ima-san kneels at his side a slight ways behind him.

… And atop the table, a pair of freshly-decapitated heads continue sluggishly bleeding all over the lacquered wood.

"I've held up my end of the agreement," Daisaku-sama says flatly, eventually breaking the silence. His voice is calm and controlled, but his gaze is piercing. "Satoru-sama, the perpetrators have been found. Please rescind your active orders regarding the clan's internal security. The Gojo Clan cannot take much more of this ongoing chaos any longer."

Agreement?

Oh, right, Satoru-niichan had mentioned something along those lines before. Something about the more clear-minded elders determinedly attempting to recoup from and do something about the chaos that had been caused in wake of Satoru-niichan's order to find the Kamo collaborators. Many elders and clansmen jumped on the perceived opportunity to attempt to use the situation to their own advantages. Shiki wasn't too interested in the political byplay and related details, but Yuzuki-san had been very animated when talking about it.

At any rate, Daisaku-sama had been the first to officially 'throw in the towel,' so to speak. He'd been the first to throw aside his pride and beg Satoru-niichan to lift the order. Shiki didn't know the precise details of what conditions Satoru-niichan gave him as his stipulations, but looking at the bloody heads… the answer seems to be rather self-evident.

"Yeah, sure, I'll lift the order," Satoru-niichan responds, breezy and lackadaisical. "Y'know, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think you really had it in you. I expected Takatomi to get back to me first."

"You–!" A sharp exhale. The elder closes his eyes and visibly forces down his irritation, refusing to rise to the bait. "… It's true that Takatomi was the first to discover them. But he hesitated."

"And you didn't, did you?" The young man raises his teacup slightly in a mocking toast, then takes an idle sip. "You're finally learning, now. Good for you. It certainly took you long enough to finally get around to doing something useful."

Daisaku-sama grimaces. "Satoru-sama, moderation is crucial, for the sake of properly maintaining the internal balance of power and cementing the clan's outward position of strength. I understand why you took the actions you did, but this does not change the fact that many alliances and relations within the clan have been damaged recently by your recklessness. It's not–"

"–something that I particularly care about," her cousin finishes for the tired-looking, distressed old man. "Don't you remember what I told you before? If you want either of us to play along with your games, then give us the incentive to do so. Otherwise… I, for one, certainly wouldn't mind tearing everything down and rebuilding again from the bottom up."

Daisaku-sama pales at that statement.

The thing is, the words are said jokingly… except they're not really a joke. Probably. Shiki gets the feeling that Satoru-niichan really would have no problem tearing the Gojo Clan apart… except it would be a hassle, and the clan would lose a lot of the political standing and power that Satoru-niichan presumably needs it for while that was going on. Her impression is that Satoru-niichan would most certainly prefer not to have to do anything drastic. So in some ways, this entire ordeal with 'uprooting Kamo spies' wasn't just for Jihei-san; it also served as a warning from Satoru-niichan to the clan elders.

… Clan politics, ugh.

"Don't look so scared," Satoru-niichan laughs at the way Daisaku-sama has suddenly gone stiff as a board. Shiki, for her part, hides a brief smile behind her hand at the elderly man's admittedly hilarious expression. "It's not a threat. Yet."

"Satoru-sama, please stop threatening the clan's elders," Kiyohira-sensei's voice sounds dryly from the doorway. The tall man enters and takes a seat beside his clan head. "I think you've already shaken up enough internal clan relations recently. Now is not the time to be exacerbating these issues any further, especially not while we still have the Kamo Clan to worry about."

Her cousin arches an eyebrow, "Is that really what you think?"

"It's what Jihei would say," the man answers bluntly. "… But he's not here to say it anymore, which is why it now falls to me to remind you instead. There is a time and place for these sorts of things, Satoru-sama. Please."

Satoru-niichan eyes the older sorcerer for a moment, then shrugs and sighs exaggeratedly. "You guys are all so boring."

"'Boring' has its uses," Kiyohira-sensei shakes his head. "But… that's not what we're here to talk about right now, is it?"

"Indeed, it is not." Daisaku-sama regards the swordsman with a considering eye, clearly assessing. "I am here for two matters. The first, delivering the heads of those who foolishly conspired with outsiders and acted against the interests of the Gojo Clan: Gojo Hirofumi, and Gojo Tadatsune."

Shiki blinks, "Who?"

The elder turns and gives her a flat look, then gestures pointedly towards the decapitated heads on the table.

"Gojo Hirofumi, one of the clan's honored elders, who dealt mostly in the clan's domestic affairs and disputes. He was the one who initially oversaw your case in the beginning when you were reintegrated into the clan, before the responsibility was then passed to me," Daisaku-sama pauses. "I can understand you not recognizing Hirofumi, since you only ever interacted with him that one time. But Gojo Tadatsune is one of the former clan head Hisayasu-sama's loyal supporters. Do you not recall him speaking out against Satoru-sama when he challenged Hisayasu-sama and declared himself clan head?"

Not really. Shiki glances down at the heads again. The features look vaguely familiar, but… they're not ringing very many bells for her, unfortunately. "Did he say anything important?"

Daisaku-sama makes an aborted, completely undignified sort of spluttering sound. Ima-san stiffens rigidly, twitching slightly. Kiyohira-sensei reaches up a hand and nurses his head as if to ward off an oncoming headache, while Satoru-niichan laughs.

"Obviously not, otherwise you'd remember him," he tells her with a grin, which mollifies her slightly. Good to know that at least her cousin is on her side here. "Hirofumi and Tadatsune… Tadatsune, I'm not too surprised about. I'd be surprised if Hisayasu didn't start trying to reach out to the other clans, after losing his cushy clan head position, and Tadatsune is so very loyal… I'm sure that all Hisayasu needed to do was drop an implication or two here and there, and then Tadatsune would jump on it. Hey, Kiyohira, what do you think about making an example out of Hisayasu?"

"I guarantee you that half the clan would riot, Satoru-sama," Kiyohira-sensei's voice is as withering as it is long-suffering. "Hisayasu-sama still retains a considerable amount of influence; you may have replaced him, but he was the previous clan head for decades."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's save that for a rainy day, then." The young man taps his chin mock-thoughtfully, while across from him Daisaku-sama quietly chokes on his tea. Ima-san silently hands him a handkerchief, and the elder accepts it with a shaky, trembling hand. It's a wonder that he doesn't spill his tea all over himself. "As for Hirofumi… I didn't think that he was the type to land himself in this sort of mess."

Shiki only has the faintest impression of Gojo Tadatsune, and absolutely none at all for Gojo Hirofumi. "What type of person would you say he was?"

"Quiet, for the most part. More of a mediator than anything else," Satoru-niichan shrugs. "He's the type of person who's usually unwilling to take risks unless he knows it's worth it."

… Which made Gojo Hirofumi's involvement in the whole Kamo situation rather unusual, was the unspoken implication here. Unusual, and therefore suspicious.

Daisaku-sama clears his throat. "I realize that it appears rather unlikely on the surface that someone like Gojo Hirofumi willingly and knowingly decided to cast in his lot with the Kamo Clan. But, there is irrefutable proof of his unauthorized correspondence with them implicating him as suspect. When I confronted him, he admitted to it and surrendered himself."

"And then you killed him?"

Daisaku-sama gives his clan head a strange look. "That is what you requested, Satoru-sama."

"… Yet somehow, you and the other elders always complain whenever I tend to take things a little too literally," the young man rolls his eyes. "Not to say that I would've kept Hirofumi alive after this, but… I hope you at least got some useful information out of him before directly jumping to execution, or I will be very displeased. Or are you trying to cover his tracks for him, hmm?"

"Certainly not!" Daisaku-sama's face pales slightly, but his instant response is undeniably resolute –and faintly outraged. "Satoru-sama, you may not agree with my methods, but swear that I've only ever acted in the Gojo Clan's best interests."

"You and every other elder," Satoru-niichan drawls, entirely unsympathetic. "That's half the reason why the entire situation is as much of a headache as it is."

"We're starting to get off track here," Kiyohira-sensei cuts in. "Daisaku-sama, if I may ask… just what did you learn from your investigations? What convinced the two of them that collaborating with the Kamo Clan was a good idea? Do you know what the Kamos are planning?"

"According to Tadatsune, his actions were only meant to inconvenience Satoru-sama. Which aligns with what we know of his motives, as it's something that Hisayasu-sama would benefit greatly from. But as for Hirofumi…" Daisaku-sama's voice trails off for a moment, and he slants his gaze towards the woman sitting behind him. "I believe Ima would provide a better explanation."

Ima-san?

… If it was already a surprise seeing Daisaku-sama show up unannounced, holding a bloody head in each hand, then it was a greater surprise to see Ima-san accompanying him.

This is Shiki's first time seeing her aunt again in years. The last time being when she'd briefly glimpsed the woman during that fateful clan meeting where Satoru-niichan had declared himself the head of the Gojo Clan. Although, Shiki and Ima-san hadn't exactly interacted with each other then, either. Jihei-san had brought it up briefly in the aftermath, something about Ima-san genuinely wanting to 'repair her relationship' with Shiki, but–

What relationship, really?

Shiki is indifferent towards the woman. She doubts that this will change anytime soon.

"Honored clan head, venerable elder." At the call of her name, Ima-san bends herself into a respectful bow towards both of the higher-ranked men in the room. Her gaze flickers briefly towards Shiki as she straightens again, but it's a quicksilver glance before she visibly reins herself in. "I… am the head of my branch family, as you well know. Things have been extremely difficult for us over the past years, and… Hirofumi-sama was kind enough to take me under his wing as an assistant. I was honored by the trust and the opportunity that was extended to–"

"We're already aware of your background, Ima," Daisaku-sama waves a hand impatiently. The relatively fragile position of the Tobiume branch family was nothing new, considering the lack of sorcerers born from their line for the past several generations. Their standing within the clan had improved during the brief time that Shiki lived with Ima-san, but after the Kamo incident that had nearly resulted in Shiki being handed over to the Kamo Clan on a silver platter, the situation had plummeted once more. This time, with the added ridicule of failing to properly care for the one sorcerer they had.

Then, when Ima-san had openly supported Satoru-niichan as clan head, the Tobiume branch family's precarious situation worsened.

Ima-san was the head of a branch family. There was nothing wrong with a branch head declaring their support for a favored heir candidate, and there was nothing wrong with supporting the honored one who'd been trained to take over the role of clan head someday. Except, it was also a problem, because Satoru-niichan wasn't willing to blindly follow the elders' plans, and clan elders usually tended not to react well when their power was challenged.

But Satoru-niichan was the Strongest. There's no one within the Gojo Clan capable of posing a match to him in strength. Discontented factions might not have the strength or courage to openly express their dissatisfaction with Satoru-niichan, but a weak, declining branch family? One that made themselves into an eyesore, rushing out to support Gojo Satoru as swiftly as they did? That was the perfect outlet for their frustrations, and so the Tobiume suffered for it.

Yuzuki-san had bluntly called it a ruthless, calculated guilt trip on Ima-san's part.

Jihei-san won't be able to maintain an objective perspective towards her, because of their past history. But any woman who holds a position of power in a sorcery clan –especially one who does not possess a cursed technique nor any aptitude in the sorcery arts– is not to be underestimated.

… Shiki still doesn't really understand how it qualified as a 'guilt trip,' or who it was even supposed to be tripping in the first place. She also doesn't understand just what was supposed to be 'calculated' about Ima-san deciding to plunge her branch family into dire straits, supporting Satoru-niichan the way she did. Yes, she was the head of a branch family and that meant she had influence –but that influence was limited, due to the Tobiume's fragile position. It would be one thing if the new clan head they were supporting was one who actively trusted and supported them in return, but Satoru-niichan was clearly just as apathetic towards them as Shiki was.

So what had Ima-san been trying to achieve, really? … To Shiki's eyes, it seemed more like a miscalculation than anything else.

At any rate, this wasn't exactly the time to be getting distracted by Ima-san's eccentricities and failings as the head of her branch family.

"Tell them what you told me of Hirofumi," Daisaku-sama commands the woman.

Ima-san takes in a deep breath, as if bracing herself, then squares her shoulders and looks up sharply.

"I will not."

The woman's unexpectedly steely voice rings clear and firm throughout the room. Quite uncharacteristically so, because Gojo Ima is someone who always carefully defers to those whose stations rank above her. For her to take this sort of rebellious tone against a clan elder, in front of the clan head…

Shiki might not know her aunt very well, but even so, she finds herself surprised once more.

Daisaku-sama appears stunned, his mouth hanging slightly agape at the unexpected disobedience. "What do you mean? You–"

"What I told you previously was a lie. Yes, it's true that I was permitted to handle some of Hirofumi-sama's more sensitive correspondences once I proved myself trustworthy, but none of those were related to the Kamo Clan. Make no mistake, the missives that you discovered were indeed real, Daisaku-sama. But the recipient? Was not Hirofumi-sama." The words come tumbling out of Ima-san's mouth in a rush, as her hands curl into white-knuckled fists upon her lap. Then, she turns and dismisses the elder entirely in favor of addressing Satoru-niichan directly. "Honored clan head, I will gladly offer the name of the one who was directly in contact with the higher echelons of the Kamo Clan. In return, please reinstate the Tobiume as a proper branch family, with the positions and resources that are due our station."

The elder stares at the woman, incredulous and disbelieving, as if this is the first time he's truly seeing her. And for all Shiki knows, perhaps it is. "… Are you even aware of what you're saying? Making such demands of your clan head –have you gone insane?"

Ima-san does not look back towards him. "I have no other choice. Despite my best efforts, the Tobiume is on the verge of dissolution. My every attempt, every action, all overlooked. The honored clan head chose not to reward the Tobiume branch's loyalty when he rose to power. Shiki still stubbornly refuses to recognize her family. Tell me, what else am I to do, in order to make you finally look at me?"

Towards the end, Ima-san's voice rises into a shout. Look at me, look at me. Her desperation is an ugly thing, but there's probably something to be said for her courage in daring to say such words right in front of her clan head while she's trying to force concessions out of him.

But there's a thin line between courage and foolishness.

"The decline of the Tobiume is not something that you can single-handedly turn around on your own like this," Daisaku-sama thunders, reproachful and chiding. "We are a clan of sorcerers. Without the power to maintain your status, anything that you receive will mean nothing, in the end. You've already had your chance with Shiki. A child with powerful cursed energy and cursed eyes, all that potential… and you squandered it, in your hastiness. You nearly handed her over to the Kamo Clan! You cannot possibly still believe that you would still be allowed to–"

"It was a mistake," Ima-san rapidly shakes her head in denial. "It was a mistake, I admit it! But… but the rest of the Tobiume has nothing to do with my personal missteps. They should not be punished for my failings with Shiki! Please, all these years… have we not been punished enough already?"

The elder gives her an incredulous look. "You think this is only about punishment?"

The woman ignores him entirely. She whirls around, switching targets. "Shiki, how long do you intend on watching your family suffer?"

…

The way these words flow from her so easily… evidently, this has been weighing on Ima-san's mind for quite some time. Her gaze falls unerringly upon Shiki, pleading and accusing in equal measures.

"Ima-san," Shiki sighs, and placidly tells her exactly what she'd told Jihei-san so long ago, "I don't care."

The woman stiffens, and her eyes narrow. "What do you…?"

"I honestly don't care about," Shiki makes a vague gesture in the air, "Any of this. You, or the Tobiume. Why should it mean anything to me?"

She's genuinely confused. Because… why does Ima-san act like this should matter to her? … Shiki is indifferent to Ima-san, and maybe that's cold of her, but shouldn't Ima-san already know about her attitude? After all, this indifference is one that goes both ways.

Ima-san has never truly cared for Shiki, either.

… Even now, it's clear that she still doesn't care for Shiki. What the woman does care about, are Shiki's cursed eyes. Her potential as a sorcerer. The benefits that she would bring to her beloved Tobiume family. Shiki might not be the best at reading other people, but she thinks that there's really no way to misread something as clear as this, especially when Ima-san is making it so blatantly clear.

There's a flash of disappointment that crosses over Ima-san's face, from Shiki's answer.

"Have you no heart?" the woman asks softly. The answer to that is obviously–

Kiyohira-sensei's hand slams down on his corner of the table. Shiki startles when the wooden surface actually splinters from the sudden bout of undeserved violence that's visited upon it.

"The one who's heartless is you!" Kiyohira-sensei roars. The woman pulls back in surprise at the abrupt outburst, as does unfortunate Daisaku-sama, who's regrettably caught in the crossfire by virtue of sitting in the same general direction. "Do you even see Shiki as her own person? Or is she just another tool for you to use? Jihei might've deliberately avoided mentioning it in my presence, but do you honestly think I haven't noticed any of the little movements you made over the years?"

"How dare you accuse me of being heartless," Ima-san responds icily, "When we all know that you're the one putting a sword into her hands and teaching her how to kill."

The man doesn't waver. "There is a difference between teaching her how to use a weapon, and literally seeing her as a weapon."

The woman scoffs. Then, in a silken offhand remark, "And which category did poor Ryoma-kun fall under, I wonder?"

… Shiki has no idea who 'Ryoma' is, but judging by the way Kiyohira-sensei immediately flinches at the mention of that name, it can't mean anything good. Ima-san's eyes glitter coldly in triumph, as she opens her mouth and–

Chokes, when Satoru-niichan's cursed energy flares up sharply in warning.

To the side, Daisaku-sama also winces. But since the focus isn't directed upon him, he's able to remain relatively unaffected. The pulse of energy is also enough to pull Kiyohira-sensei back from his momentary lapse in composure, and the man slowly sits down again from where he'd shot to his feet in an agitated, half-standing position.

"That's enough of that now, I think," Satoru-niichan says lightly, in a way that makes it clear that his words are not a suggestion whatsoever. "Ima, you do realize that you're not exactly building a great case for yourself here, right?"

Ima-san shakes her head and laughs bitterly. "I… know. Gods, I know. But… at this juncture in time, I have nothing left to lose. This is my gamble, for the future of the Tobiume. The information that I possess is useful to you, clan head. I know it's exactly what you're looking for, all this time. It's the entire reason why you've stirred things up in the clan, isn't it? You want to know who the Kamos are collaborating with. I will tell you what I discovered, if you grant my request for my family. I can tell you–"

"Nah, don't bother."

The woman freezes, her expression turning fixed as she's thrown for a loop by the clearly unexpected response. "… What?"

Satoru-niichan's voice is breezy and careless. His eyes, however, are utterly dispassionate. The young man leans back and props up the side of his face with a single hand in a lazy, idle gesture. "I can't tell if you're delusional or just outright stupid. It's kind of fascinating, really."

Ima-san tenses. "I don't–"

"Nu-uh. I think you've already said enough, now," Satoru-niichan waves a finger, shaking his head. "Daisaku, remind me again what the penalty is for coercion and extortion?"

The elder bows his head and very carefully does not look in Ima-san's direction. "Depending on the magnitude… anything from corporal punishment to execution."

"Mhm, and what would you say that an attempt on the clan head qualifies as?"

"That is not my intention!" Ima-san exclaims. She bites her lip, and hurriedly lowers her head. "Honored clan head, please. You are mistaken, I'm not truly attempting to–"

"You lied to Daisaku-sama in order to convince him to bring you with him so you could see Satoru-sama. You approached the clan head with the express intent of forcing him to agree to your conditions, in exchange for information that you know is vital to the clan's security." Kiyohira-sensei has finally found his voice again, and the words are spoken tightly. "You–"

"I had no choice!" The woman rapidly shakes her head, "I am not asking for unreasonable concessions! Please, I just… I only ask that the Tobiume receives what it rightfully deserves. I… I would never wish for it to come at the expense of the Gojo Clan at large, of course, but–"

"But that's exactly what you're doing right now, withholding information like this. And if you don't receive what you want… you're not going to give up what you know, are you?" Kiyohira-sensei growls darkly, and Ima-san falls silent.

"… I must act as my duty to my family commands me to," she eventually says quietly.

Daisaku-sama makes a 'tsk'-ing sound, disapproving. "Ima, your first and foremost duty is to your clan, not the wellbeing of your individual branch family. And, it's not as if the Tobiume are suffering to the extent that you've implied. It's not–"

"My entire life, the Tobiume have been looked down upon. Ridiculed, and tormented, for our powerlessness. For failing to contribute any sorcerers to the clan's forces," Ima-san's voice is soft, filled with grief, and… faintly regretful. "But it's a downward spiral, don't you see? The fewer sorcerers that come from our line, the fewer the number of others who are willing to associate with us, which dilutes our blood even further. Our dwindling influence, the lack of resources to support us… I have to do something, even if it means resorting to drastic measures. Even if it means that I will be forced to play the role of a villain for it."

The words are spoken with a certain sort of resolve that Shiki is faintly surprised to hear coming from Ima-san of all people. But then, perhaps she shouldn't be. After all, Ima-san has never made it a secret that her branch family is what she prioritizes above all else.

So… it makes sense, that she would see an opportunity and seize onto it, desperately. Wasn't that what she'd done with Shiki, in regards to that disastrous visit to the Kamo Clan so long ago? She'd seen a chance to improve the Tobiume family's social standing through associating themselves with the Kamo Clan, and so she'd jumped at the opportunity. Even though it hadn't turned out well for her in the end…

Shiki wonders what it says about the woman, that she still hasn't learned from her mistakes.

Being opportunistic isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, there are times when it's crucial for one to capitalize upon the opportunity that flashes before their eyes. But there's a difference between boldly acting upon an opportunity, and doing so foolishly.

To be fair, Ima-san isn't being entirely foolhardy and reckless in how she's currently going about making her demands. It's true that they do need the information that she's intentionally withholding from them. The ongoing chaos in the Gojo Clan is one that was deliberately engineered for several reasons… but its original purpose was to discover the 'Kamo leak.' This was crucial in order to properly trace things back to the Kamo Clan in the investigation of Jihei-san's death. Not to mention, with the added recent development of unsettling discoveries regarding Araya Souren and the Kamo Clan in regards to Shiki, making sense of this whole situation just gained another new layer of urgency.

If Ima-san refuses to tell them anything unless they meet her demands…

…

It's not impossible to bypass her and find out. Satoru-niichan has far more resources at his disposal than Ima-san does, and Shiki doubts that Daisaku-sama would sit aside idly in this case, either, given the embarrassment of being tricked by the woman. No matter how this situation turns out in the end, the Tobiume branch family would likely never see a single sign of assistance from Daisaku-sama ever again, but–

But in the here and now, it would mean wasting even more time on this venture. That meant more time for Araya and the Kamo Clan to plot and prepare, which wasn't a good thing… and was probably what Ima-san was banking on for Satoru-niichan to capitulate to her demands.

Shiki wants there to be proper justice for Jihei-san's death. She also wants to know just what is going on with Araya and the Kamo Clan –if the fact that she'd apparently been stalked from childhood was any indication of things, the Kamo Clan had plans for her. Shiki is pretty sure that she wants no part in those plans, whatever they are.

… The easiest solution to this standoff would be simply to give in to Ima-san's demands. To give her what she wants. But it's also not a real solution, because that would just open up a whole plethora of other problems: Namely, it would allow the rest of the Gojo Clan to realize that it was possible to blackmail Gojo Satoru. The elders would absolutely use this to stir up trouble. In light of the recent infighting, they'd have even more reason to be disgruntled with Satoru-niichan and actively cause trouble for him. Not to mention, conceding to Gojo Ima of all people, not even a respected elder or high-ranked clansman? That was a sign of weakness.

In a sorcery clan, any weakness is capitalized upon and torn to shreds.

The other options short of conducting their own investigations would be interrogation or torture, but that would also set a questionable precedent and waste time, which defeated the purpose–

Shiki being able to realize all of this on her own means that the four adults in this room are absolutely aware of it as well. Most likely to a far more detailed degree than her.

Ima-san knows the message that this would send, but she doesn't care about what this would mean for herself, or for Satoru-niichan –she only cares about her precious Tobiume. Daisaku-sama's look of consternation indicates that he is more concerned about what this would mean for the stability of Satoru-niichan's power. The elder might not have been particularly pleased when Satoru-niichan ascended to the position of clan head, but it doesn't change the fact that Satoru-niichan is the current head of the Gojo Clan. Despite his concerns and misgivings, Daisaku-sama had never once treated Satoru-niichan as anything less than his rank demanded.

"… Are you certain that this is how you're going to be playing things, Ima?" Kiyohira-sensei finally asks. There's still something angry coiled in his voice, one that Ima-san does not pay any heed to.

"I do not ask for anything unreasonable," she repeats herself, and lowers her gaze. The gesture is demure, but there's no mistaking that it's a mockery of subservience. "Please. I humbly beseech the honored clan head to grant my request."

"You have a funny way of asking for favors," Satoru-niichan tilts his head. "If this is what you're like, it's no wonder that you messed up as badly with Shiki as you did."

"Is that an agreement, honorable clan head?"

Rude. How rude. It's hard to imagine that this is the same woman who'd instructed Shiki on maintaining proper etiquette and showing respect to higher-ranked clansmen, once upon a time. But it's been six years, since then. Six years… a not-insignificant amount of time, enough to account for many changes.

"It's not," Satoru-niichan responds with a laugh. "Funny thing is… I don't actually need you for this, Ima. Sorry if I got your hopes up."

The young man flashes a sharp grin. Ima-san's mouth drops open slightly as she stares, uncomprehending.

"… What?"

"I don't need you," Satoru-niichan reiterates patiently. "The person who you're exposing as the true culprit corresponding with the Kamo Clan –it's 'Gojo Kansuke,' isn't it?"

Gojo Kansuke?

It takes Shiki a moment to place the name. That's… the clansman who'd been the one to extend an invitation from the Kamo Lady, wasn't it? He was the one who'd tricked Ima-san into bringing Shiki to the Kamo clan compound under the guise of an 'introduction' to jujutsu society, when in reality it was anything but.

Shiki distinctly recalled warning the man in the aftermath, but if he's still actively colluding with the Kamo Clan in spite of it… clearly, it hadn't been enough of a warning.

(… Back then, if she'd cut his lines. If only she'd chosen to sever his lines, instead of lightly tracing them in warning… would Jihei-san still be alive?)

Ima-san jerks back stiltedly, her features morphing into a rictus of open shock. "How do you–?"

"How do you know?" Daisaku-sama interrupts from the side, frowning. "As one of the clansmen with close Kamo bloodline relations, Kansuke was one of the very first to come under heavy scrutiny, when the investigations were launched. And I do mean heavy scrutiny, from multiple factions. If there was something to be found, it would've been impossible for him to hide evidence of his wrongdoings on… his… own…"

The elder's voice trails off, eyes widening in disbelieving realization.

"Gojo Hirofumi?" The elderly man sounds incredulous, and his gaze flickers down towards one of the decapitated heads sitting on the table. Something akin to chagrined regret twists over his lips in a grimace, but he swiftly erases the expression as he looks up again. "But why would he ever cover for Kansuke?"

"Hm? Isn't that obvious?" Satoru-niichan responds carelessly. "Gojo Kansuke is the son of Gojo Kaichi and Kamo Kikuhime. Gojo Kaichi might be long dead now, but he was Hirofumi's son."

"Hirofumi's son?" Daisaku-sama's reaction is utterly aghast. "… No. No, Hirofumi never had any children! He was not–"

"What's with that scandalized tone? Aren't you used to seeing illegitimate children running around?" Satoru-niichan lets out a small laugh.

Daisaku-sama makes a face and shakes his head slowly, disbelievingly. "But… Hirofumi… he really…?"

"I'm surprised that this is such a shock to you. With how you elders constantly ferret out each other's dirty little secrets and gossip about them, I thought you'd know about this already," the young man tilts his head. "Guess Hirofumi did a pretty good job of hiding it, then."

Daisaku-sama winces, "I never thought that he of all people would… are you absolutely certain about this, Satoru-sama?"

"The Six Eyes see a lot more than just the flow of cursed energy. And most people really aren't as good at keeping secrets as they think they are," is all Satoru-niichan offers in response.

The elder nods slowly in acceptance. "I… see. When did you pinpoint Kansuke as the culprit?"

"When I saw you walking towards us carrying Hirofumi's head, actually."

That response earns him a dubious, skeptical look from Daisaku-sama. "Really, now?"

"If you're just talking about when I put the puzzle together, yeah. But if you're talking about when I started keeping an eye on Kansuke… then that would be a few weeks back. Long story short, I had Mei Mei looking into things on the Kamo end for me, while you guys were merrily making a mess of things in the clan here–" Daisaku-sama suddenly breaks into a set of severe coughing, while Kiyohira-sensei makes a choking sound. Satoru-niichan blithely ignores the both of them. "–and her investigations suggested that there might be something going on with him. Still, we lacked the evidence to really prove things one way or another, so it's nice to be able to finally confirm everything now."

The elder smiles dryly, just a touch self-deprecating. "You… didn't really need me to do anything for you at all, did you?"

"I mean, I wouldn't call it nothing," Satoru-niichan flashes a sharp little grin. "I hope you're ready for Takatomi to set his eyes on you. Snatching the prize right out from under his nose like this when he blinked? He's the type to take that as a declaration of war."

Daisaku-sama grimaces. "Please don't remind me. But… you know why I did it, don't you?"

"I do, yeah." Satoru-niichan confirms. Then, his gaze slides over to Ima-san. The woman has been completely silent since the reveal that Satoru-niichan had known everything all along. There's something tense in the way she sits so stiffly, almost as if petrified. "As for her, though… Jihei was way off with his assessment on her. I kind of want to say I'm surprised, but I'm also really not."

Ima-san bites her lip, trembling slightly now that she evidently has no cards left to play. "If you… if you already knew that it was Gojo Kansuke collaborating with the Kamo Clan, then… why didn't you say anything, earlier? Why did you let me just… just…"

"I mean, I was going to, but you seemed like you had a lot to say," Satoru-niichan shrugs nonchalantly.

Ima-san's face pales.

"Now that we're at this point, though… what do you think?" Satoru-niichan turns towards Shiki. "We don't really have a Disciplinary Pit like the Zenins do, but I'm sure we could figure something out for her that's an appropriate penalty for her little stunt. Execution would be easiest, of course, except we'd probably get complaints about going overboard."

There's a distinct tremble to Ima-san's frame at the mention of 'execution.' Now that it's become blatantly obvious that the one advantage she'd been counting on is one that holds no weight at all… the ramifications of her situation are finally dawning on her. The attempt she'd made to extort concessions from the clan head, finally sinking in.

"Probably not execution," Shiki agrees. Despite what Ima-san had tried to do, it wasn't as if she had actually succeeded in her efforts. More importantly, if Satoru-niichan set the precedent of execution for every slight against him, then the clan's reactions to that… would end up being more trouble than it was worth. "But punishment is still warranted."

"That much is certain," her cousin nods. "So, any thoughts?"

He wants her opinion? Why? Given how Satoru-niichan clearly had the entire situation in control directly from the start, Shiki finds it a little hard to believe that he doesn't already have a plan in mind for Ima-san. The girl gives her cousin a look, but only receives a guileless smile in response.

… Fine.

If he's really serious about asking her, then, "In light of Ima-san's behavior and actions, she has shown herself unfit to carry out the duties expected of the head of a branch family. I recommend that she should be demoted so that a more suitable candidate may replace her–"

"No!"

Ima-san's sudden shout is saturated with panic, and there's a stricken look in her eyes as she spins towards Shiki. Unadulterated shock, before it morphs into something more accusing –and then it all disappears under a wave of fear, when Satoru-niichan pointedly raises his cursed energy again in unsubtle warning.

"Your reasoning?" he asks her, proceeding to ignore the terrified woman completely.

… Is he really making her say this aloud? Shiki doubts that he's unaware of her reasoning on this. When it comes to clan politics, Satoru-niichan is far more astute than she is, despite his self-professed distaste for it. Is it just because they're technically in a 'formal meeting,' so everything needs to be laid out explicitly?

"Execution for a first offense like hers will be regarded as too excessive of a response," Shiki gamely follows along with her cousin's prompting. "Physical punishment is an option, but it's also likely to raise protests since she is the head of a branch family. Definitely from other branch heads, at the very least. There are other penalties for a branch head, but… there's no guarantee of her learning from her mistakes, and it would still leave her free to act similarly in the future. Stripping her of her position will prevent similar situations from occurring, and effectively ensure that everyone will know the consequences of such infractions. I presume that the Tobiume could also do with a change in leadership."

"All valid points," Satoru-niichan nods. He flicks his gaze over towards Daisaku-sama. "Do you have anything else that you'd like to add to this?"

The elder stares at Shiki for a long moment, with a strange expression that she can't quite decipher. Then he smiles faintly, in a manner that Shiki would almost call resigned, except for some reason Daisaku-sama seemed to be a little too happy for his expression to really qualify as such.

"I have no objections," the wizened old man inclines his head. "Her logic is sound, and the judgment is fair. It would suffice as punishment."

"You cannot possibly–" Ima-san's voice falters, wavering. Despair. "I… I've only ever worked for what was best for my family!"

… Shiki doesn't understand why Ima-san is so obsessed with the idea of 'restoring' the Tobiume branch family. But if her words were true –if Ima-san only wanted to improve her branch family's standing– then, there was still no reason for her to react with denial and horror.

There was a fundamental difference between proposing a deal with Satoru-niichan as Daisaku-sama had done, and outright attempting to extort the clan head. Shiki doesn't know what Ima-san had been thinking –had the woman even been thinking at all?

… Still, one thing was clear: Ima-san might profess to want the best for her beloved Tobiume, but evidently she failed to realize that she wasn't necessarily what was best for her branch family. Even putting aside the stunt she'd just attempted, one only had to look at the current state of the Tobiume branch family to see that Ima-san's methodology wasn't very effective in improving the family's situation.

Daisaku-sama slowly shakes his head. "… I should've seen this coming earlier. It's no wonder that the Tobiume are still struggling under your leadership, despite Shiki being born of your bloodline."

"Please, this isn't– you can't–!"

"'Can't what,' exactly?" The elder arches an eyebrow, his disapproval clear. "Are you even aware of how grossly you overstepped yourself?"

"Obviously not," Kiyohira-sensei growls. He flexes his fingers slowly, "Ima. You won't be talking your way out of this one."

Ima-san laughs.

A slight chuckle, at first. Almost a hiccup, a slight little sound that's barely audible. Then, it starts increasing in volume, growing into something loud and hysterical.

"All of you, all of you –why can't you understand?!"

"The only one who doesn't understand the situation here is you, Ima."

… There's something that's almost pitiful about the woman in this moment, as she so gracelessly breaks down before them, wretched and weeping. If Shiki were a better person, perhaps she'd be able to find it in herself to feel sympathetic towards Ima-san –towards her relative by blood– but that is unfortunately not the case. To be honest, Shiki doesn't really feel much of anything right now, even as she watches the woman wail like her world has just collapsed around her.

Perhaps that's not too far off from the truth. Ima-san had assumed the role of family head at a fairly young age, and strove to better her branch family ever since, to the best of her ability. No matter what it cost her, if Jihei-san's words were to be believed. For the sake of her goals, she willingly abandoned personal fulfillment and familial relations alike.

Although… if this was what Ima-san's 'best' was, Shiki privately thinks that the Tobiume family would've been better off had Ima-san not been trying her best. Is that a little too harsh? That's probably too harsh. But, it doesn't change the truth of what just occurred –that Gojo Ima had attempted to coerce the clan head. In all honesty, dissolving all remnants of the entire dwindling Tobiume branch family wouldn't be unreasonable, in terms of punishment for such a transgression. However, Shiki is aware that lower-ranked clansmen and affiliated subordinates often don't have a say in what's decided by their leaders.

Gojo Ima should shoulder the consequences of her own mistakes, and demoting her to a regular clansman would serve that purpose. As for the Tobiume… whether or not the branch family would be able to struggle to its feet again thereafter was none of Shiki's concern.

…

Ima-san is still laughing, when Kiyohira-sensei drags her bodily out of the room.

.

.

…

.