My Interests to Protect [Hitoshi/Rio]

The shift in the power of nobility had certainly altered the landscape between each family. Some took it in stride, others thought the decision to strip them of their privileges and control over certain aspects of the Soul Society was despicable. Foolish. Short-sighted. Rio Shihoin fell between the neutral party. She was raised in a setting that humbled her in quick order, and thus the notion of noble pride really didn't hold value to her outside of maintaining a respectable image as a Shihoin.

Much was her surprise, then, to receive a summons - a request to discuss relations between the Shihoin and Kurata. As one of the Shihoin's proud representatives, it was her duty, at least, to honor the summons and meet him in person. Hopefully, she mused, he was of good company. Let it be someone who wasn't insufferable at least.

With a composed and measured gait, Hitoshi would likely see an approaching figure stepping toward the storefront. Adorned within the appropriate wear befitting a meeting of this nature, Rio would bow before the man, occupying a seat across the other side of the table.

"Good Afternoon, Hitoshi. I received your summons. You wish to speak about matters between the Shihoin and the Kurata?"

Golden eyes danced between Hitoshi and the sake bottle. As expected, his mannerisms were entirely professional. Carrying himself with anything other than the utmost propriety would be disadvantageous. A true first impression of the man remains elusive so far. With a graceful expression worn, Rio would accept the man's offer, filling her cup. Pressing her cup against his own in a cheer, the Shihoin woman absorbed each word that flowed from his mouth, observing the man studiously, a measured gaze that sought to aim beyond more than just the natural show of respect.

Normal circumstances would have allowed her to be far more welcoming, but this was no such case. Fortunately, the subject matter seemed simple enough. Support in the form of political backing. The proposal was direct, leaving little room for confusion. A background check allowed her to develop an idea of how of they operated at least.

On paper, they were a semi-affluent noble family with a respectable degree of wealth. She could only imagine, then, how much of a gift her family's support might be. Of course, Rio was not merely one who made decisions without due diligence when it concerned the Shihoin. She genuinely wished to know what they would receive in return. She wouldn't casually involve her family if there was any likelihood that such a connection would come back to haunt them. They had enough of that with Chidori and her foolish antics.

"As a whole, I find nothing wrong with offering our support to the Kurata, but as you well know, I act with my family's best interests in mind as well; I know there is little to offer in return given our wealth of resources, but I need something tangible to make this feel reasonable. I need assurance that nothing will reflect poorly on the Shihoin. If nothing else, I wish to know if I can trust you as well."

Quite simply, that was all it boiled down to. Rio held next to no personal knowledge of the Kurata outside of due diligence. They may as well be a wildcard. She wouldn't take the risk without assessing what they could be given in return. Such was negotiation. An offer for a counteroffer, two opposing minds seeking the best-case scenario for their respective families.

There it was. His counterplay. Golden eyes continued to study the Kurata male with a degree of interest as she noted his family's intent moving forward. Of all the things Rio expected to hear, aiding the Rukongai certainly was not one of them. Her interest piqued, Rio raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head, following his gesturing limb. Most nobles would tell him that the Rukongai mattered little to them, but Rio wasn't so heartless. He spoke at length about his family's desires to restore the reach of nobles in general, across all the houses. His ambitions as a whole were, without question, worthy of some measure of praise.

He hadn't approached this meeting half-heartedly. He spoke of their plans with all of the artistry of a true noble. Each word, each idea presented was explained in pristine detail. The Rukongai? The outer districts? Rio softly observed her surroundings, noting the peaceful atmosphere of the district they currently occupied. There was little commotion to be found outside of the civilians walking about and engaging in conversation with one another.

It was difficult to find a fault so far, truth be told, but that didn't mean he was entirely towards the finish line. Rio listened to him in silence while she contemplated further questioning. Mutually beneficial? It was difficult to imagine any of the noble houses ever reaching their former pinnacles of glory and control. Abalia had effectively stripped them of everything with her decision. It seemed that only the prestige of their name is what mattered now. Thus, she poses her next question, visibly curious to see how he intended to bring all of this to fruition, provided they would be offered the Shihoin's support.

"I don't quite recall traveling too far out into the outer districts, but I must admit, observing this place... it's quite peaceful. I certainly admire the noble cause the Kurata have in mind, and I've grown convinced with each minute, but I must gauge your intent a bit more before I present this idea to our family and make a decision. You speak of restoring the reach that was lost in recent years. How do you intend to do that? As I'm sure you are well aware, the power balance has been anything but kind to the noble houses. Do you mind speaking at length on what you'd have in mind to accomplish that beyond aiding the Rukongai?"

Rio leaned against the chair, crossing her legs as she quietly contemplated her next question, if any remained at this point. By now, his posture and disposition were quite respectful so far. Whether that was merely to earn her favor or truly genuine - she couldn't say for certain. He spoke a good game, and there was hardly anything detestable in the way he approached this. Rio was skeptical, still, about the feasibility of restoring the noble's reach over the soul society, even if the Kurata and Hitoshi were successful in exerting their influence over different districts in the Rukongai. If couldn't earn favor in the eyes of the people - or person - who robbed them of that power to begin with - then, speaking realistically, they could only go but so far.

There was also the matter of hoping that nothing reflected badly on the Shihioin as a whole. And, even if he happened to earn her favor, he would have to answer to the head which was... her sister. Truth be told, she was a prickly sort. Insufferable beyond repair. In lesser words, as much as she detested the term, an asshole. She'd made her fair share of changes, but it was quite fair to consider her an eternal work in progress. If he was meeting with the Shihoin, who then, did he intend to meet next? That was a source of interest in and of itself.

"You present a compelling case. Though, something you said just now caught my attention. You say this is the first meeting of many. Who else do you plan on meeting with next, Hitoshi?"

A last resort, hm? Well, she certainly understood the meaning behind his words at least. She hadn't really peered into the matters of the other noble clans, but each word certainly seemed to hold a measure of honesty. The Kuchiki were indeed a proud people, and the Tsunayashiro never really interacted with the public to any notable degree. In comparison, the Shihoin truly were the only viable option. Rio stroked her chin silently as she ruminated on what she ought to say next. Again, even if she approved, he'd have to answer to the head, even if she represented to an extent. Nothing would be approved until he'd made his way past Chidori, but she could at least put a good word in; there really wasn't anything else they could speak on by now. He had already voiced the Kurata's intentions, spoke of their plans, and how they aimed to achieve it. Anything else would only be wasting his time as well as her own. Sighing softly, she nodded her head.

"As a representative of the Shihoin, you have earned my support. I can certainly speak to them about your intentions, but as a representative, my words hold but so much weight. Know that I have their best intentions in mind at the end of the day, and if you were to do anything to jeopardize that, you'd have to deal with me. Furthermore, I'd recommend speaking to the head of the clan. She is my older sister, and I can earn you a seat at her table if I try, but nothing more than that. Her approval would certainly bring us to the table in our entirety, but at least my support is a start, no?"

That was her best offer. Whether he accepted it or not was entirely up to him.