[Video // Backdated to the 24th]

[incites]

Hello, residents of Death City - friends, comrades and fellow soldiers in this war. My name is Kato Kiyomasa and I come to you today bearing news that brings me great sorrow. I have been long overdue in making this known and perhaps it has already been realized by many of you - it is time for me to cease mourning my loss and bring forth the news that I have kept hidden for so long.

[Kiyomasa clears his throat, taking a breath before proceeding.]

To those who may recall him, a man known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi - perhaps better known to some of you as Hashiba Hideyoshi - has left this city. While some may find it a relief to know a friend has returned to his homeland, I must bear grave news - the man you may have come to know has been dead for some time. [He slowly exhales, it's a difficult thing to admit. After being filled with such elation and joy to witness the man alive here once more, to know he will not get the chance to laugh and serve by Hideyoshi's side again is a painful revelation.]

Lord Hideyoshi was a man I deeply respected, my loyalty to the House of Toyotomi is one that knows no bounds. Even in death, it is in his name that I serve. He was more than simply a Lord to me, more than a man who's ideals and values I was content to call my own - he took me in as a child, raised me as his own and for that, I looked to him as my own father.

Whenever a battle would occur, whenever a heavy siege would be brought down across our countryside, there was one belief my lord held - and it was that all things can be rebuilt. In the wake of this earthquake, I offer my services to those who wish to repair this city to its former glory. Though the damage has been light, there are still many districts that have fallen. In my Lord's name, I will assist in any way that I can.

[There's another small pause before he continues - he isn't certain how to make a private post, so this will have to do:]

To those from the other Hi-no-Moto... I feel there may be questions you have for me. I welcome them and shall answer with due honesty. [Though he was not necessarily lying when he arrived and told them he served the Tokugawa.]




[ooc: Thiiiiis is long, long overdue. Actually any Kiyomasa post as a whole is long overdue. In before "wait we still have a Kiyomasa?" because yes, we do. Tags might be a bit delayed, I am currently sick as dog and... will probably be going to lay down now.]

Comments

[Not here]

[reverencing]

[Mitsunari hears this announcement and all he can do is grimace. He'd known for some time that the other Hideyoshi had left but hearing it from a man who claimed to be a retainer to the Tokugawa is almost painful. How dare this man claim to serve in Lord Hideyoshi's name when so often he'd witnessed this stranger from the other Hi-no-Moto leap to Ieyasu's defence. He bares his teeth just a little but refrains from answering - he would deal with this in his own time.]

video;

[forbearanced]

...I see. You have my gratitude for informing us, Kato-san.

video;

[incites]

Katakura-dono... [He pauses a moment before bowing his head]

I feel that is you I owe a greater explanation to... I must stress that have not deceived you when I said I serve the Tokugawa.

video;

[forbearanced]

I will take your word for it. Still, an explanation would be appreciated.

video;

[incites]

[Kiyomasa bows his head once more, this time in gratitude.]

I thank you for the faith you place in me - but an explanation is still owed, you have been fair and honest with me in my time here, I owe you the same courtesy.

[He lifts his head and begins-]

As I have stated, I hold very deep roots with the Toyotomi - my loyalty towards Lord Hideyoshi is unmatched by any other. Yet as I have stated, the world it is that I come from, Lord Hideyoshi has been dead for some time. In his stead, in the struggle for power, it is Mitsunari who has chosen to rise up in an attempt to fulfil Hideyoshi's will... But his efforts are little more than an act of foolishness, a waste of a great man's ambition. It is by Mitsunari's command that the Toyotomi legacy shall see its ruin, so I have taken my brother and our armies towards the East, shaking off my pride and prostrating myself before the Tokugawa in order to preserve my Lord's dignity and the clan's honour.

In my heart, I shall always be a man of the Toyotomi. In name, I follow the Tokugawa... And it is my pride as a man of the Toyotomi, my duty as a man of Osaka, to preserve my Lord's house. I will always pursue my Lord's ambition - but Mitsunari is not my Lord.

He may be one of my brothers but so long as there is blood that runs through these veins, I shall never follow that fool.

video;

[forbearanced]

[Listening carefully. There's a bit of a pause before he speaks.]

Have you spoken to the Mitsunari who happens to be in Death City at the moment?

video;

[incites]

To say I have spoken with the man would be a polite way of phrasing it. [Kiyomasa visibly grimaces. Even though the other Mitsunari is considerably different from his own, there is something very off-putting about him.]

My Lord requested that I do my best to get along with that particular Mitsunari. I did so by avoiding contact with him... As you may recall, he and I did not see eye to eye when we gathered some time ago for a meeting between our respective worlds.

video;

[forbearanced]

Ah, that is true. [Hm.] As it is, I am not expecting all denizens of Hi-no-Moto to be on friendly terms. I only hope that we do not compromise the safety of this place in our disagreements.

video;

[incites]

I intend to follow my Lord's request for civility, even if he is no longer among us. In the realms of Death City, we all fight the same war, regardless of our opinions of one and other in our home world.

voice

[conduit]

I've been looking for my drinking buddy for quite awhile. Thank you for telling me. [ Her voice is somewhat subdued. She didn't take to the network because it'd be a bit embarrassing to ask people to look for him for that sole reason but she still appreciated having him around. Hearing this was a heartbreak, not that it'd ever be visible to anyone but her. ]

voice

[incites]

Your drinking buddy...

[Kiyomasa repeats these words carefully, listening closely to the voice of the woman on the other end. "Drinking buddy" was potentially code for something his Lord was quite well known for, much to his wife's dismay. It makes Kiyomasa grimace but he decides to give this woman the benefit of the doubt.]

I do apologize... I am not familiar with you though it sounds as though you were indeed close with my Lord. I must offer my apologies for not bringing this news to your attention sooner.

Oh boy this is beautiful AHAHAHAHA

[conduit]

[ the way he states drinking buddy makes Rangiku's curiosity pique. She is pretty confused. ]

Yes. I'm his drinking buddy! We'd sometimes go out and drink and he'd always pay~! [ CLARIFICATION IS FOR THE IMPORTANT. ] It's all right though! There's no need to apologize!! We weren't too close so I wouldn't expect you to contact me specifically. Thank you for the news though.

He isn't a fan of daddy's mistresses :'(

[incites]

[She claims they weren't very close yet his Lord was always the one to buy her drinks. He's grateful that this is merely a voice-only conversation - the disappoint (and perhaps discomfort) across his face is quite evident.]

Ah... It seems he must have been quite fond of you then...

It's okay ): She most likely isn't!

[conduit]

[ Rangiku's voice remains chipper, completely unaware to the disappointment. ]

Yep! He'd buy me drinks! We'd talk, drink, and sometimes we'd dance or do normal things like go out to a restaurant. He was a really good friend

Rangiku are you my new mommy....

[incites]

It sounds like the two of you had quite the experience together... My Lord was very fond of surrounding himself with good company. [Even if it happened to be company Lady Nene would have disapproved of... Still, Kiyomasa lets out a short sigh and nods, even though there is no video feed. He might as well just accept this for what it is (or rather, what he's relatively convinced it is)]

I am certain you are among those my Lord will miss the most.

yes she is... || [video]

[conduit]

He had some of the best company he could imagine! I'll miss him very dearly you know! [ After this Rangiku switches the feed to video. There, Kato can see ...why Hideyoshi would like Rangiku so much. Blonde. Great assets. A nice smile. ]

I hope he returns one day so we can go out drinking again! Those will always be the days~!

[video]

[incites]

[As that video feed comes on, it's Kiyomasa's own natural reaction to turn the video on his end on as well - it would be rude not to do so and to disrespect someone Lord Hideyoshi was so fond of would be a great offence in itself.

She is quite the attractive woman. It's not difficult to see why Hideyoshi was so fond of her company. He does his best to remain respectful, not letting his dour mood show.]

I too would be elated if my Lord would return to this world before my own leave. There is still a great deal more I have to learn and experience by his side...

Perhaps the three of us could enjoy a night together? [He clears his throat a little, hoping she does not get the wrong impression.] Drinking together. M-making merriment in the wake of his return.

[uninscribed]

[ the idea of anyone speaking of Toyotomi Hideyoshi with any kind of reverence and respect is odd (especially when this is clearly not Ishida Mitsunari) - it just leaves Yukimura blinking at the video feed. But what really catches his attention, and makes him reply, is -- ]

... The other Hi-no-Moto?

[incites]

[Kiyomasa nods at the inquiry.]

Yes... It appears that the land I am familiar with is both strikingly similar and vastly different from the one many others recall. [This man doesn't look entirely familiar yet there is a certain resemblance he cannot shake.]

I will take my guess and assume that you may come from the land that the others are familiar with... A land where Ishida Mitsunari fights for rule of the land against a young Tokugawa?

[uninscribed]

That is so.

[ Yukimura nods, there's little more he can do besides be straight forward about what he does know, even if there is much confusion over the idea of there being another Japan. ]

I, Sanada Yukimura stand with Ishida-dono and the Western Army against that man..!

[incites]

Sanada Yukimura... [It does look a bit like him. There are still very obvious differences between this man and the Yukimura that Kiyomasa himself was familiar with but in terms of their two worlds, this Yukimura was the closest to resembling the one from Kiyomasa's own. It's almost strange, considering how different every other man seemed - but he offers a slow and understanding nod.

This Yukimura has sided with the white-haired Mitsunari from the other Japan. The deranged Mitsunari. That spoke volumes about this Yukimura but the man of Osaka chooses to give him a base amount of respect for the time being - he isn't an enemy. Not this version.]

My name is Kato Kiyomasa... You likely are not familiar with me. It is unfortunate but to my knowledge, I do not exist in the land you recall. However - I am a man of the Toyotomi, you may regard me as you deem fit.

[uninscribed]

[ This Yukimura took up arms with the deranged Mitsunari because it is the only way for him to face Tokugawa Ieyasu... thanks...

But even so, he faces this new information head on, even if he now looks quite confused. ]

And yet you speak of those that I know with such familiarity! To not know you, Kato-dono, seems a grave misstep on my part... Nevertheless! My fealty to the Western Army and the Takeda holds firm - however, it is my desire to battle Tokugawa Ieyasu that fuels the flame of my spirit! Whether you be with the Toyotomi or the Tokugawa, know this to be tue!

[incites]

Odd though it may sound, I am familiar with another Sanada Yukimura who has also sworn an oath towards the Mitsunari I am familiar with... Though I cannot say with certainty if the grounds you sworn upon mirror that of the man I am familiar with. [And an enemy of.]

As I have said - we come from very similar lands yet there are vast differences that separate them. The Mitsunari you are familiar with is not the man I know... And the Lord Hideyoshi I have spoken of is nothing like the man you may recall. Whether you face off against the Toyotomi or the Tokugawa holds little meaning to me - in this world, this place known as Death City, the loyalties and ground we fight upon is meaningless. Here we unite beneath one banner, putting aside the differences we hold and aiding Shibusen in their own war.

[uninscribed]

Another... Sanada Yukimura?! How can such a thing be...

[ the idea is an affront, but if there are different world then, maybe? No, this is still too confusing - he shakes his head, eyes squeezed shut - and he'll focus on the one thing that Kiyomasa says that makes sense-- ]

Regardless of the circumstances, what you say is true - the war that this land faces is the most immediate to us all..!

[incites]

[He knows all too well that the words he's saying are difficult concepts to grasp - he himself had a great degree of difficulty understanding the mere idea of this other world, let alone the differences held between them. Focusing on the latter part of this conversation may be for the best.]

Exactly. It would be useless to squabble amongst ourselves and allow past grudges to overwhelm us. [Except in the case of a Mitsunari - if his Mitsunari were to arrive in this world, things would be decidedly different on that front.] I am pleased that you understand such ideals.