Dressed in her uniform, Hyeon-ju knelt to silently offer her prayers. To Kisada-kami, but also for the spirit recently put to rest here; Matsu Chiyoko-san.

She hoped Chiyoko felt they had done right, in turning Shin over to the authorities, to be interrogated before executed.

She hoped Chiyoko approved of the match she wanted now, and would give her blessings.

And lastly, she hoped that Chiyoko's spirit had found rest before returning to the Wheel.

"I thank you for the time we were given together. It was a blessing, abeit a short one." The Utaku sighed, but with a sense of relief, feeling that the events of yesterday brought a sense of closure. "Now I just hope I can fulfill what your last hopes for me would be."

Shokomaru was also praying at the temple that morning. Persistence was, to him, often the truest form of strength. Success and failure were tied deeply to whether or not you gave up. Eventually though, he was through mumbling, despite the truth he knew, there was a point where enough was enough, and he got up and put his shoes back on to exit the temple.

Yet he spotted the Unicorn. He thought for a moment he'd just keep going, but what were his prayers for strength if he didn't try to test his mettle and improve a little. If she clearly had no words for him, he'd accept that, but it was in the attempt that there was growth and knowledge.

So he left a donation and had a word with one of the monks while waiting for her to be done. It was weird being there having this monk of a fortune tied so deeply to the crab give him thanks for all his help. Though it was what it was.

The Utaku remained for a while longer, silent in contemplation and prayer, before clapping her hands three times to complete the communion.

Rising to her feet again, she smoothed out the lines on her uniform before seeing the Spider. A bow was given, appropriate to his station. "Daigotsu-sama. Good morning."

Shokomaru shared a bow with the monks when Hyeon-ju approached and excused himself. Then he faced her and retuned the bow, also proper to her station.

"Utaku-san, I hope you've had rice today", he answered. And then spoke thoughtfully. "I suppose it is a good morning. The incense does wonders for the lively scent of Shiro Yoake, neh?"

"I have, yes. I hope the same for you." Hyeon-ju bobbed her head slightly in confirmation.

"It is certainly a nice change of pace from the smell of mushrooms..." Mushrooms were no longer a quaint new thing. Not after having fought mushroom-monsters. "Don't think I could get used to that smell in the long run, to be honest."

"Sadly, I've had worse", he chuckled and offered the path to her, wordlessly suggesting they don't linger in the middle of the temple. "Don't spend seven hours in an APC that has no AC or proper ventilation full of thirty-four grunts that haven't bathed in several days if you can avoid, I don't recommend."

She chuckled softly, walking at a decent pace so that they could keep a conversation while they moved.

"You say that as if pilots don't have a fair deal of funk themselves after a long tour. Can't say I recommend that either, Daigotsu-sama. The holos just don't talk about that in their news, and smell doesn't carry through it. But I'll take your word for it."

He continued the thoughtful look. "Hmm, I honestly had come to think that it was only spider hardware that lacked luxury and was made by the lowest bidder", he shrugged. "Military is military, makes sense."

After a few more steps he spoke up again.

"Have you found much fun and excitement in your time here?" He looked back at the shrine. "I heard it might have been a little tough here and there."

"There's a limit to how much fresh air can be circulated on a spaceship." She said with a shrug, but it was true that military was military.

"Hmmm..." her brows lowered a little. "It's been a mixed bag, I'll say. Our hosts did a good job in putting on entertaining contests, though. And I've met many interesting people. You?"

"The contests", he shook his head. "You know, I feel like a fortune has really been screwing with me this whole time, but..." a shrug. "Maybe I did something before coming here to deserve it."

And he knew what that was, but it was something you don't talk about. He almost went on, as there were some serious issues he had with these 'contests', especially the ones that risked life and limb for little to nothing, and often landed you in debt to your host. He thought it was a shit way to run things, but for some reason everyone else was fine with it, at least on the surface.

"As to other things though", he was suddenly smirking, like he could hold court over some other matters, maybe an interview with the Miya. "Yeah I think I've done fine. No matter what happens I'll marry well and benefit my clan. It's put my mind at ease today, I'll say that. You looking forward to Tanabata, Utaku-san?"

"That's a strange thing to say, Daigotsu-sama, but I'm no priest or expert on kharma. Though, I think my mom would say something like we make our own fortune."

She wasn't sure if the Spider would appriciate those words though. Hyeon-ju on the other hand had no issues with the contests - if people wished to be reckless, that was their choice.

"Good to hear it has put your mind at ease... as for me, I feel some unease, but that is more because I think it will be unlikely that I will be getting the chance to pick myself. Though for today, I am not worried - I do look forward to Tanabata. Do you celebrate it too in the Spider territories?"

He walked out the entrance to her onto the temple steps. The heat and mugginess even in the early morning was turned up quite a bit, but even in his necktie and coat, Shokomaru didn't look like he was suffering the weather much.

"Why feel unease if you can't pick yourself? Isn't it an honor to be chosen by someone above you?"

"It is an honor," she agreed, "I just wish fate was more in my own hands, so to speak. You say your prayers, appease the Fortunes, do what you can to impress - and in the end you wait for it all to work out."

She wasn't nervous as such, but there was an element of uncertainity she didn't like.

"I suppose it is like considering a battlefield where there are too many ifs and buts. Too many unknown factors."

He walked down the steps a little. "When facing the unknown, faith in your comrades is your best move, I feel." then he stopped and looked back up at her, to her eyes. "Being able to choose that rather than worry ourselves to an early defeat is the choice that's needed, eh?"

Her hazel-colored eyes faced him, unflinching.

"It's not worrying myself to an early defeat, Daigotsu-sama. I think you misunderstand my words. It is not a lack of faith in others, least of all my comrades. But, it's not like many are in a spot of picking you against your will."

It was a curious look he gave her, it was a bit incredulous. Not angry, but certainly confused. He shook his head, hands going into his pockets and he kept walking down the steps.

Then he stopped and looked at her again.

"I have faith my comrades will help me be able make the choice that I should. I'm suggesting you do the same, Utaku-san. I hope you understand now."

Then he continued down the steps again.

She stood looking at him, not sure if his words were an insult to herself, her kin, or just a general barb to rile her up.

"I don't think we look at this situation the same way at all, Daigotsu-sama."

Of course he couldn't understand, she thought, thinking he was probably too busy looking for women to sleep around with he actually needed support in being told what to pick. For her there had never been any doubt in how to pick.

He stopped again, much further away. He smiled then, it wasn't smug or tarnished with sarcasm. he did raise his voice a little, to be heard properly. "That's a start. Come, walk with me, I'd love to hear it."

He made an inviting gesture.

She walked down the stairs, and continued onward.

"I am not in need of help to make the best choice I can. But you are at the top, you do not have the concern of others picking you, or picking your choices before you do."

"Again, why are you back to being worried about someone picking you?" he fell in step with her. "You agreed it was an honor, though understandably, you wished for fate to be more in your own hands." He fished his smokes out of his pocket as he walked with her. "I have been trying to tell you, this whole time, that if you struggle and get others to help you, fate is often more on your side than you think."