[D0 LE Open]Missed but not forgotten

[Shiba Kuroneko]

Kuroneko decided that after the party give his prayers to the fortunes. He knew that the temple of Amaterasu wouldn't have the shrine to the one he prays often. His mother always told him to pray to Inari and to Megumi. He looked around the place and sighed as his heart became heavy to see it in such bad shape. "This is sad." He sighed.

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"A butterfly flaps its wings in the Islands of Spice and Silk. The Great Wave crashes on the Crane shore. A fishing village's shrine falls into disarray. Phoenix and Scorpion meet. The chain of events and consequences is a strange thing."

The voice came out of a small silhouette sat not far from the entrance, a writing case opened before her. Her owner bowed before the Shiba.

"This one is Shosuro Kaoru, daughter of Shosuro Nagisa, and cat person."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

The Shiba shook his head perhaps a bit startled."This one is Shiba Kuroneko, Son of Shiba Michiko." He tilted his head. "Mother told me stories about Bakeneko... but you don't look like one..."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"Aren't bakeneko reputed for their ability to disguise themselves into humans? Would you be able to tell if I was actually one?

I believe I'm but a human however. Sadly, as cat eyes would be quite useful that late in the day."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"There are features that become distinct of a spirit or half spirit." He nodded. "Visiting the lands where the line between the realms sometimes become a blur, one can learn a thing or two." He chuckled. "I don't think I would like to have cat eyes, perhaps a monkey tail to make it easier to climb trees."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"Never having wandered such lands myself, I'll bow to your expertise in that matter. I've heard there are places of strangeness in the Scorpion too, though likely not as many as in the Phoenix. But I fear the focus of my own education was more on the magic of numbers than on the magic of magic, so I've only got the hearsay. Are you a professional medium or something like that yourself?"

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Not a medium, more a protector of the animal spirits. My mother was from the Kitsune clan and taught me to seek guidance from the spirits and the fortunes. That is what brought me here to seek Megumi no kami's guidance and bring a small tribute to Inari no kami." He smiled. "I do know the ritual for divination though but I don't want to seek the future right now. I prefer to see what tomorrow brings and let the light of the fortunes guide my steps."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"I'm curious who the animal spirits would need protection from.

Most often, when you hear of them, it's as a lesson of humility for the humans. People do something they shouldn't have and anger the spirits, and then the village is plagued with catastrophes its inhabitants are powerless against until proper reparations are offered.

Does the reverse situation sometimes happen?"

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Some people do not know the difference between a spirit and a normal animal. Even if the spirit animal is more intelligent than most. Not all can shift into a human." He explained. "I doubt that many humans would cross over to Chikushudo and be hunted by the inhabitants but I haven't experienced such things."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"So, like, you can accidentally capture or kill an aquatic spirit when going fishing by confusing it with a strange-looking but otherwise mundane fish?

If so, what's the trick to differentiate a supernatural animal from a normal one easily? One cannot be expected to know all the variations of animals from all realms. They're just so many of them."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Some show human traits... Do you know the story of the Golden Carp?" He smiled. "Even in animal form in Ningen-Do they keep their intelligence and wisdom." He explained. "You can also try to stay away from places known to be in that threshold between the realms. Only experience hunter that can distinguish between spirit and normal animals are allowed to hunt in Kitsune Mori."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"I'm not familiar with the story of the Golden Carp, no. Mind telling me more?

While I wouldn't enter a spiritually unstable place of my own volition, I've read reports about criminals entering such location in hope the law wouldn't dare pursue them here, and magistrates proving them wrong. One never knows in advance where duty might guide you."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"A good story for a nice bonfire and nice cup of tea. It is a story about a fisherman that found a talking golden carp while fishing. The fish would grant him wishes." He tilted his head. "Do you seek to be a magistrate after this tournament?"

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"The career I'm set on for now is more that of an advisor, helping samurai of higher status gather all the required information to take the best decision. However, since that's a kind of services magistrates are quite fond of, it wouldn't be surprising if I was assigned from time to time to follow one or the other on the field.

So having a general idea of the dangers that can be found on site is a plus."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Know the dangers of a place is always a plus. Strategists and tacticians always find that information is the best weapon." Kuroneko nodded. "Do you know why this place is in such disarray and how we are to help in the betterment of the place?"

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"Not really. If I was to make an educated guess, I would make the hypothesis it is an indirect victim of the tsunami of a few years ago. To rebuild its ravaged coastline, the Crane had had to reroute a lot of money previously used elsewhere. The endowment to this very shrine was likely cut off quite a bit on that occasion.

But it is but speculation. We'll have to ask the monks for actual facts."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

Kuroneko nodded. "The resources go where they are most needed. Yet if one doesn't want to provoke the wrath of the fortunes one at least give a bit of love and care." He sighed. "We are hoping that we can do something about this."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"If the Phoenix has financial resources to spare, I'm sure the Crane will be happy to accept them after the diplomatic equivalent of the three refusals."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

He gave it a thought and smiled. "The Phoenix is always open to bring a bit of love and care to the shrines and the fortunes. I think my cousins would be very displeased with the state of this place and they would promptly change the disrepair without many resources."

[Shosuro Kaoru]

"If that's why there is such a high number of Shiba in town? You've arranged an expedition to restore all the shrines of the Crane to their full glory?"