[LA11] - Closing Ceremonies - A Farewell to Future Heroes

[Ender]

A brazier is lit, allowing partcipants to write down their new names, and toss away the old. Kakita Toshimoko stands at the brazier, with representatives from all the Clans, whether they be judges or observers, stand near the dais, in their ceremonial clothing. The daisho for each participant ready to be presented as they choose their names.

However, the final name choosing ceremony is preceeded by the presentation of awards. A stand has been built. On either side of the podium, are two even spots for Akodo Michi and Kitsu Masaru, who each faced a finalist in the Iai tournament.

Slightly higher, was the space reserved for Suzume Rin. The Crane healers sent after the match had made sure to heal her of her broken limb. While tender, it was essentially as good as new. And then, the highest peak, for Ikoma Aya, the Topaz Champion.

Kakita Toshimoko bowed to both Kitsu Masaru and Akodo Michi. In his hands are two Omamori. "Akodo Michi-san. Kitsu Masaru-san. For your efforts and excellent showing, please, accept these with compliments from the Crane." His head dipped, handing them both their prize.

Moving to Suzume Rin, the Grey Crane bowed to her. "You should be proud. Your skill with the sword will serve your Lord, your Clan, and the Empire well. Please, as our gift to you." A Resplendent Tea Set, beautifully crafted by Kakita Artisans, as the award for second.

And lastly, he bows deep to Ikoma Aya. "The Bards will sing your name through the ages, an example for your Family, and the true spirit of what it means to be a Samurai." He nodded, and Utaku Enkhtuya arrived. Presenting to her, the azure and gold armor of the Topaz Champion. The pattern seems to shift, as the ebb and flow of the tides, a crashing of waves. Is it simply a trick of the light? The armor itself pulsed with energy.

OOC:
Akodo Michi and Kitsu Masaru each receive an Omamori (Book of Fukurokujin, pg. 245 Core rulebook) and an additional +3 Glory.

Suzume Rin receives a Resplendent Tea Set with the following quality - When performing either the Informal or Formal Tea Ceremony Ritual with this set, the user may add 1 kept ring die set to an opportunity. She also receives an additional +5 Glory

Ikoma Aya receives the Armor of the Topaz Champion, as well as the title of Topaz Champion. They also receive an additional +10 Glory.

At this time, you all may post in, allowing for the naming ceremony.

[Seppun Urusai]

In the appointed moment, the Seppun youth stands forward, bowing deeply at the appropriate times and to the appropriate persons.

He casts his old name into the flames and, from the hands of Seppun Hitomi receives daisho and bisento.

Bowing as he accepts them, he says simply "I, Ryuusei, son of Tokaji, pledge myself and my service to the Most Noble Family of Seppun and to the Son of Heaven, long may He Reign, whom that Family serves."

Bowing again, he tucks the daisho into his belt, the bisento under his arm, and withdraws.

[Kitsu Masaru]

When it was his time Masaru stepped down from his spot and bowed before the Ikoma accepting his daisho and gave her another bow after he secured it

"This one, Kitsu Fumikage takes his name in honor of his storied Lineage and seeks to do honor to his ancestors and his Clan. I pledge myself to service to my clan and the Empire body and soul."

He bows a final time to the Ikoma, to the hosts and lastly and most deeply to the Imperial host before returning to his place.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi practically sauntered over to collect her daisho/wakizashi [OOC: Storm Fleet Sailors don't get Katana as part of their deal, so not sure how many swords she's actually getting].

"Came here as Yukikaze no Kasumi. Safe t'say her time's up. Goodbye to alla that. Until I learn otherwise, reckon the Yukikaze's still this one's berth, so Yukikaze no Gyohime takes her name in honor'a both a certain honored ancestor an' th'lessons Tsuma's had t'teach."

The Misfit Princess made her bows, took her blade, turned on her heel, and returned to her place.

Fuck all of you.

[Asahina Sakura]

Awkwardly- but thankfully, without embarrassment- Sakura took her place and did what she was supposed to do with respect and reverence, following the protocol and ceremony expected of each of them.

The paper with her name is cast into the brasier as she announces her new name: "Today this one becomes Asahina Aozora? Called after her ancestor and guide, Yozora?" She dedicates herself to serving her Lord, the Emperor in however fashion He sees fit.

[Shiba Jiro]

Jiro stepped up for his turn during naming, his face neutral and his voice soft but not quiet. He bowed respectfully in recognition of the competition, participants, judges and tradition. He tosses the slip with his name int the fire, then accepts the ceremonial blade.

"Jiro is gone, but lessons learned and memories made by him are not forgotten. And like my ancestor Shiba Reijiro-no-shiryo he makes way for another. This one is Shiba Renjiro, and I give myself over to the service of the Empire, my clan and my lord."

[Suzume Rin]

Rin looks down at what she felt was a waste of perfectly good paper before carefully folding it and dropping the slip into the offered fire.

"Ummm, I came here as Rin of the Suzume. Now I'm leaving someone else, an adult. Someone with real responsibilities and real duties. But real friends too. Rin is gone, so uhh, now I'm Suzume Rinako. Just like my grandmother, you know there's a funny story about her...."

The Sparrow reaffirms her allegiance even as she moves aside to make room for the others.

[Kakita Ahiru]

The Kakita maiden stepped forward. Her hair had been trimmed this morning, marking her appearance as an adult rather than a youth on the cusp between childhood and adulthood, and today her makeup had been done as an adult in the colors of resplendent red and black. A beautiful hakama was paired with a colorful furisode- its long sleeves decorated with crashing waves and scattered cherry blossoms. In excellent calligraphy, she wrote her childhood name for the last time, and discarded it into the fire. The paper curled around the symbol as it began to burn.

柿田 鴨

On the next piece of paper, the brush moved elegantly across in a fluid motion as she wrote her new name.

柿田 絢佳司

"I thank my parents, Kakita Takeshi and Kakita Sayomi for gifting me the name I have used for all my life up until now. I would not be here today if not for them."

She bowed and accepted her daisho, feeling the temptation to draw the blade and look at it. No, she supressed that desire. This was not the time nor the place. Not now.

"I return to them not as Ahiru, but as Kakita Ayakazu, as I begin my journey as a fully-fledged samurai, in service to my lord, the Emperor, and the Empire. I stand proud, as a contestant of this tournament, as the future-wife of my betrothed, as my parents' daughter, and as a samurai of Rokugan." Finishing her part of the ceremony, the girl who was once a duckling, bowed to the Imperial host and to Kakita Toshimoko. And then to the Topaz Champion.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Well. Here they all were.

Hirame stood, wearing his fine new green robe once more. His hair was done in a simple ponytail. Watching the others present themselves, present their new names, Hirame frowned. Did taking a new name make a difference? His lips shifted, just a little, as he heard a few voices. Kasumi. Rin. Ahiru... would he see them differently, now? He couldn't be sure.

And then it was his turn.

Chin up, Hirame's expression was confident as he stepped forward. "No matter where I go in this life, I want to remember where I came from. From now on, instead of Funegao no Hirame, I'll be Funegao no Genkai (元海)."

Oh. It does feel different. As though speaking the words made it real, the difference between child and adult was suddenly there. Solemnly, he accepted the pair of blades that was passed to him, and with that same solemnity, he tucked them into the fine obi he wore. The piratical weapons mixed interestingly with the high Rokugan formality of the ceremonial robes; quite suitable for the young Mantis, actually.

One more glance, smiling, at his friends, at his future wife, and Hirame... no, Genkai, stepped back. He made it.

[Nekoma Seto]

The Cat was now dressed in the extravagant performing clothes of the Nekoma Troupes. He stepped forward to receive his daisho knowing that nothing could be broken this day. No teapot. No bonsai. No weakened weapons. Only a Cat child that would be gone in but a moment.

Seto began his oath to the Nekoma, but it was Shuichi that completed it.

Blades acquired, name claimed, he stepped back.

[Doji Nanako]

Nanako couldn't even look at the topaz armor. It was so golden, so bright, so hopeful.

Of course it couldn't be hers.

She cast the paper with her old name, her old life, into the brazier. The wind blew, the flames rose, licking at the Doji girl's outstretched hand.

But she didn't flinch. Her childhood had prepared her well for the vagaries and cruelty of the world.

"From this day, I will be Doji Hisako."

[Kaiu Taura]

This one can only hope the Lion live up to their reputation as honorable defenders of the Empire.

Taura watched the others, admiring their poise, she still felt like a child. She looked at her name, carefully written on blue paper and folded it precisely. This is the last time this one will be Taura, soon, she will be an adult with adult responsibilities. She walked carefully, even now, especially now, wanting to show her clan in the best light.

She cast her childhood name aside and watched the paper flare, momentarily saddened. She bowed deeply and accepted her daisho. "This one, Kaiu Niji, vows to serve her Clan, defend the Empire and use her skills to build it into a better place." With a measured pace she left the limelight and prepared, mentally, to return to her duty.

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko watched the honors given, memorized names in case they came up in her dives through the Void in the future, and waited with her customary patience to step forward. She wore her best layered kimono, the translucent gold over deep orange appeared to flicker as she moved, and the phoenix embroidered in the former layer moved over the bright flowers on the latter.

There were so many people to bow to. So many important eyes on them that hadn't been expected. The ill omen of Shahai's presence still bothered her, but it wasn't something to show. The Emperor allowed her here and that was that.

Natsuko was offered to the flame, a hint of which reflected from her icy eyes for the long moments she watched the paper, her name, become ash. It was a vulnerable moment, in a way...nameless before the Void for a time; until she bows and accepts her blades as Isawa Suzu.

[Shosuro Kaoru]

Kaoru was wondering about the armor. How did it work exactly? The champions couldn't all have the same height, weight, body type. Armors didn't need to be tailor-made and could be adjusted with padding and straps of course, but only within reasonable limits.

How the armor could fit any champion so well was probably a matter of magic. To be expected of an item that old and that revered. It likely had other powers in addition of being shiny and always fitting. Need to check in archives in there are records of champions surviving blows that should definitely have killed them under normal circumstances while wearing it. Actually, did any Topaz Champion ever die during their one year of fame? To be checked too.

Oh yes, names. What was it already? It's not like she wasn't going to keep it for long anyway. Names were but another mask, and as a Shosuro she was to be able to change hers as naturally as she switched clothes.

Haruka will do. Just a declination on the same theme, but sounding different enough to symbolize change.

A change without a change. As it always has been and always will be in the eternal empire.

[Ikoma Aya]

Aya's confidence as she moves to stand at the podium is as solid as a flowing river. She... tries. She does her best, and keeps her on controlled - mostly. But her eyes keep wandering the room, looking from person from person among those she'd shared this week and a half with, from table to table, from part from part of the ground, now and then squinting, giving a hint as to how she feels inside.

She bows back to Toshimoko with great respect. The Lion and Crane might have serious issues elsewhere and in other circumstances, but there were no enemies in this room.

"May... may the Bards will have reason to sing of all of us in this room, Kakita-ue", she said, head low. "I... I hope to be worthy of the great honour of carrying this title, and this armour, for this year! And I... we shall all inspire others through the rightful path, ne?" Her head is still somewhat lowered at the last words, but her eyes clearly go from Rin, to Masaru, to Michi, to Yuji, Kasumi, Hirame, Kaoru, Ahiru and others she'd spent time with here, and eventually to others she'd shared less time with. "May we be the future the Empire deserves!"

-----
During the naming ceremony, it takes a while until her turn comes. When it does, she walks forward to receive her Daisho and the remainder of the Rokugani equivalent of a swiss army knife (Katana, Wakizashi, Yari, Yoroidoshi, Nodachi, Gao... phew!), bowing low and humbly again.

She writes her name in the slip of paper provided. Maybe for the last time? It was odd to think of that. That was the only name Yume-chan had ever called her by... she would know her by this new name, right?

生駒 恵

The slip of paper hanged, held on her fingers for a moment.

...She'd mentioned the idea to Yume-chan. She remembered it well now. By the river, again, when she'd visited early last year. She was...

The paper with the slip rushes to her eyes for a quick moment as she blinks.

She had told her. She would surely know.

Hands as steady as the moment would allow, she writes her new name in another slip of paper.

Three deep breaths.

One. The image of a young Yume-chan smiling as they run along the river, their parents playing the biwa and singing nearby.

Two. The image of them both rushing back to the village, a flustered but thankful samurai-ko besides them, both of them worried, but proud.

Three. Aya introducing a surprisingly shy Koi-kun to Yumeyo, and Yume-chan taunting her to no end afterwards, smiling and laughing despite what she was already facing then...

The first slip went into the flame. She raised the new one, then folded it before stacking it into a small pouch on her obi.

生駒 潔歩

"This one has been blessed since birth, by family and ancestors follow a tradition of simple, but proud work. This blessing has guided us through hardship and doubt... and I cannot express how thankful I am. As this one goes into adult life, though, I must leave the blessing and wisdom I received from my family, and find my own way through a rightful path. Thus now Aya (恵*) lives in the past, and this one steps into the future as Ikoma Kiyoho (潔歩**). I hope to serve clan and Empire with wisdom and righteousness, honouring my ancestors as I carry on our lineage's humble, but important traditional tasks... or however the Empire needs me most".


*恵 "blessing, wisdom, enlightenment"
** 潔歩 "pure step"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

The skinny Kuni girl, dressed in her best but looking obviously trepidatious, follows the same steps as the others. Her friends and competitors are a comforting presence, but she still feels a sense of uncertainty about the future.

Mitsuko struggles with a few words before symbolically casting the old life into the fire. She stops and stares into the flame a bit longer than the others did, but it seems to help settle her and when the newest true samurai of the Crab Clan speaks...

"This one, Kuni Tsuneyu, with reverence to all her noble ancestors, pledges her life to serve the clan of the kami Hida himself, in the first and greatest duty of defense of the empire."

When Tsuneyu steps back, completes her bows and then departs, her Kuni facepaint is held a little higher than it ever was for Mitsuko.