ROLEPLAY

Yokao's mother vacillated between amusement and concern as she listened to her daughter recount her tour of countries as an ambassador. She tried to summarize what she had heard:

- So you were appointed ambassador to the Matis, but you went and put your mask on in other countries too.
- It was just me! I was only there to see, at first. But who knows where the Theocracy has kept its other ambassadors. Too much free access to mushrooms, no doubt.
- ... and you laughed at everyone?
- Born, born. I just enjoyed the shows I was offered. Which were often very funny, and sometimes a little pathetic. But I didn't commit any diplomatic blunders, I know how to behave.
- ... You gave alcohol to the Tryker ambassador without telling her what it was and let the Matisse alchemist think it was poison.
- Poor Lorlyn was completely sober, I couldn't leave a colleague in that state. Can you imagine attending a political meeting sober? What a horror! As for what Canillia deduced from the vial in question... well, I agree: bambooka¹ is so bad that it's one hell of a poison, but it was the only thing I had in my first-aid kit and it's usually more useful for disinfecting my tools. I couldn't give a tryker what I take; that would have looked bad.
- ... Then you took part in the Jena prayer among the matis. Even though you are an official representative of the Theocracy.
- It's not my fault that the Theocracy only has its Karavanieres to send out to perform. And I'll end up convincing the officials to reform the state.
- Girl, you're on your own with the revolution, and our Wise Ones aren't the type to take it lying down. I wish you were more...
- Wiser? More awake?
- ... At least a little more discreet.
- Don't worry, mi. Nothing bad will happen to me. Can you imagine Nikuya's face if I were put in prison? Initiates can be cruel, but no one will openly challenge the most ferocious Awakener of our generation.
- And if she finds out you're using her, she'll chop you into little pieces.
- Born. Born, I don't use her. I wish I'd spared her the trouble, really. That's why I don't make so many waves. But I can't deny myself for love, any more than I can deny the love we have for each other. I'll do what I can to ensure that Karavaners and Jenaists have their place in this country. Gently, I promise. I'm not going to convince the cousins to attack Zora... we all know it's pointless anyway. Instead, I'll take my cue from Sève and use reason and emotion to convince them.

The mother sighed. Yokao had always been a hothead, a non-conformist mask in the extreme. For a while, she'd thought her daughter would settle down when she joined the Healers of the Soul², a government body for normalizing Zoraie society if ever there was one, but even the excellent Misuno-ko hadn't managed to turn her wayward daughter into an honorable initiate. Initiated nonetheless; it was still better than the dreadful rumors she'd heard about Yokao's life when she was in Yrkanis. Were they rumors at all, when they were reported by the girl's own uncle? Oh, despair... And now this ambassadorship, which could have filled the mother's heart with pride, if it weren't for the anguish over what Yokao would generate as a catastrophe this time.

- At least tell me you've written your report to the Theocracy in a slightly more... compliant way.
- Report? What report? Hoooo, mi. Nobody reads these reports. So why bother writing them? Born, born, if they want reports, we'll have to talk. And if we do talk, it'll be about a little more than reports.

Still, Yokao felt a little sorry for his mother's dismayed expression:
- We'll be fine. The government doesn't have any kind of foreign policy anyway, and couldn't care less what happens in other countries. The previous ambassador almost started a war with the Trykers and she didn't even get a lecture for it. So, whatever I may do or say in my role as ambassador... it's not going to disturb the meditations of the Sages and the Great Mask. It's just... a great opportunity to have some fun. And I intend to make the most of it!