Moriko was accustomed to long walks and rough terrain, but the climb to the Shrine to Mori no Reiou was no ordinary trip. The young Phoenix was grateful to pause and take a deep drink from the water bottle she always carried before approaching the stone basin to purify herself.

She was wearing her armour and weapons, having gotten up and dressed before her brain had fully caught up to the idea that she wasn't supposed to be working today. She couldn't quite decide whether she was happy for the familiar feel of the light armour fitted close to her body, or if she would have been better off with something light, something that would wick away the sweat and make the humidity feel less oppressive.

Ten was sniffing about her feet curiously, and she fixed him with a firm look. "Stay here, okay? I won't be long." The shiba inu sat, and she scruffed his ears in approval.

Stepping into the shrine, Moriko took a deep breath, the air was deliciously cool and smelt pleasant. Almost immediately, Moriko felt better, more relaxed, moving forward to pay her respects.

Some moments later, the curious Phoenix girl could hear the sound of shuffling clothes, a young man dressed in white and red shrine-keeper's regalia appearing soon after. "Good morning, Shiba-san." A mellow voice called out, the figure offering her a customary bow. "And welcome to our humble shrine." His voice echoed in the otherwise empty shrine, the gilded statues glimmering in the morning light. "I am Asako Saneyuki." The question was implicit, curiosity glimmering in his grey eyes.

Moriko bowed respectfully, "good morning, Asako-sama." Though she knew a little about Shinri, this was the first time she'd made the journey to the isolated temple and, under the foreboding presence of the faceless statue, she felt a pang of awkward nervousness. "I, um," the Phoenix opened her mouth and closed it again a few times, finally exhaling a large breath. "Look, I'm part of the miai that's happening, and you know, I'm just," she had a few false starts on her thoughts, before lapsing into silence with an apologetic grimace.

"Don't be afraid, the Gilded King is a benevolent fortune." Saneyuki assured, his voice still soft. "He watches over us." Smiling, the young man regarded Moriko for a moment. "Would you not share your name with me? Seeing that we are in this together. The miai, that is."

Turning cherry-red, Moriko bobbed an awkward bow, "my apologies, I must have left my manners at the bottom of the cliff. I'm Shiba Moriko, I serve on the Futago Ranch." Raising her eyes, she took in the handsome face and grey eyes, a little surprised at his revelation.

"Well met Shiba-san." Saneyuki bobbed his head once more. "Ah yes. My elders thought that it was time for me to marry. I guess duty calls us all, sooner or later." He turned to glance at the large statue, seemingly lost in thought for a moment before snapping out of his reverie, brushing a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Here to seek guidance, perhaps? Would you have tea with me? We do not get visitors that often?"

"Yes, definitely, on, on all of those—" she pressed her lips together and gathered herself, "please, tea sounds lovely." She was suddenly self-conscious of her own hair; she'd pulled it back at the nape of her neck, braiding a few inches and tying it off with a long tail. But the walk had done its damage, and loose strands hung about her face and neck. She tried to smooth the flyaways back with one hand, but there was no taming the mess.

"Would you, or the Gilded King, be horribly offended if my companion joined us? My dog," she explained, "I don't like leaving him alone."

Saneyuki frowned for a moment, then offering Moriko a smile. "I am sure he would not mind, as long as he won't try to chew the fixtures." Mirth glimmered in his eyes, the young priest obviously joking. "By all means, please." Beckoning her to fetch her companion, Saneyuki waited for Moriko, eventually leading her through humid and poorly lit corridors, scent of mold heavy in the air. No wood survived on Asakaze for long, the spores eating into everything with ravenous hunger. It was a miracle that the temple still stood, some of the wood visibly soggy and soft.

Saneyuki led Moriko into a small room, asking her to sit down even as he turned to leave, promising to return soon with the tea. The room had a small red-lacquered table on the floor, several old pillows laying scattered around it. Religious scrolls hung from the walls, each of them reminding the faithful for the ephemeral nature of life.

Moriko sat, settling herself on her heels, brow furrowed. "Ten-kun," she scolded softly, "just lay down." She could sense the dog's unease, and that disturbed her as well. The dog was generally happy-go-lucky; an alert and agile hunter like his mistress, and she trusted his sense for danger, usually. With an understanding that was more instinct than training, the dog snorted, laying near the door, placing his chin on his paws and looking petulant.

Few moments later Saneyuki returned with a small tray on his hands, a small grey pot steaming on the tray with two cups taking what little space remained. "Sorry to make you wait." he quipped, laying the tray down on the table before sitting down cross-legged, reaching hand a cup to Moriko before grabbing the other cup and pulling it closer to himself. "Please." Picking the pot up, he filled her cup carefully before pouring for himself. Moriko could likely recognize the tea as Asako Yellow Label, the choice of the frugal as the commercials had it.

"Shiba-san said she serves on a farm, yes?" Saneyuki asked Moriko, bringing his cup to his lips as he looked at her, his voice still mellow as if the whole thing was but a strange dream.

Moriko inhaled the steam from the tea and sighed contentedly. She might have found the close quarters uncomfortable, but Saneyuki's voice was imparting a strange, other-worldly quality to the situation, and she was happy to go with the flow. "Yes, Asako-sama," she murmured, "I help guard the otori herds, or I would be doing that," this made her frown again, pausing to sip her tea.

"Obviously, the miai," she waved a hand vaguely, then wrapped it around the tea cup. She didn't mind the frugal tea; expensive tea was nice and all, but the Yellow Label was familiar, and there was comfort in that.

"An important duty, no doubt." There was no irony in his voice. "They should be returning soon, no? I think tomorrow? I have heard the governor plants to make it a number." Saneyuki sounded bemused. "Undoubtedly he'll involve us, one way or another." Just how the young man knew that was not evident in the slightest, though with the sect having members in the city, perhaps Saneyuki had friends in right places.

"Mhmm. It's an important step. Just like stepping in the dojo the first time is, or taking your name on the day you become an adult. No wonder one feels some trepidation." he admitted, smirking softly as he sipped his tea once more. "And it is an honor, of sorts." Whether he had wanted the honor or not was not quite clear, the young man keeping his face straight. As he spoke, a cowled figure walked paste the room, bobbing his or her head at the two before moving on, the foot steps slowly dying in the distance.

In the small space, Moriko could feel Ten shift, watching the passing figure. "I'm hoping so," she admitted, excitement creeping into her voice. "I need to do something to impress the nakōdo, right? I'm good with otori, that's a good thing, isn't it? I mean, I'm not particularly studious, like yourself?"

"Is there something wrong with the tea?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice, turning his own cup in his hand, his slender fingers brushing against the hardened clay. "Ah yes. The nakado and the governor." Saneyuki smirked. "He doesn't care much for my likes, but that is all fine. In the end, Fortunes watch over us all."

"But yes, I am to believe that we are help the herders tomorrow, one way or another. I'll be just watching though, those critters are bit too feisty for me, I have to admit." Saneyuki added, smiling sheepishly.

Gasping, "oh, no, not at all," Moriko assured, taking another sip, "it's just right." She nodded, earnestly, "I don't suppose likes really factors into it, does it?" The thought made her pause, and she sipped at her tea once more. "I don't suppose it all matters, I just don't want to leave." A sort of forlornness came over the girl and she stared into the depths of her tea cup.


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[D1 LM] The Chalice from the Palace (Raw Stamina TN20): 2d10o10k2 17

"Good, good. We brew it from the the water we draw form our own wells. Not that strange filtered stuff you get in the city, but groundwater." There was a hint of pride in his voice. "Pure water, if you may. We believe that one cannot truly find oneself in the city, at least not without getting lost. Our ancestors did not live like that." Saneyuki seemed to imply that people were not meant to live 'like that'.

"Likes, no. I don't think they will. Nor that they should. It is an arrangement, in many ways. An arrangement that involves someone else, but arrangement nonetheless. We must trust the nakado do justice to us - to know better than we do. After all, would you not rather no have a pilot fly your shuttle, instead of a heimin picked from the streets? I feel like marriage is like that, easy for us to... crash." he chuckled softly. "The sect arranged my parent's marriage. Their parents too. And they seem to get along well enough."

Moriko blinked slowly, finishing her tea, she felt almost out of focus, like a soft blur filter, "no, no, you get it. You do," she insisted, "my sister lives inside the walls, but no, that's not for me," she shook her head firmly, pursing her lips. "I can't breath in there."

She waved the thought away impatiently, "I'm not worried about the marriage thing. I'm worried about ending up on some," she screwed up her face and lowered her voice, "like, Spider deathworld." She shuddered, "oh, no, that would be bad."

"Mhmhm. With too many things around us, we fail often to see what is truly important." Saneyuki nodded eagerly. "We lose ourselves in the world, and that, that is not a good thing. There are all the distractions out there, all the vices, all the temptations. Things that keep yourself busy so that you don't have to think too much. Or too hard." Perhaps the simplicity of the sect's views explained its popularity. "Here we worship the gilded king so that he could show us the way."

"Oh, that. Mhmhm. The Spider are samurai too, are they not? Different, but same. Remind us of what we could be. In a way, something many have forgotten. Now, perhaps not the best example in their bloodthirsty ways, but still. A lesson for us. We are reborn every morning, what once was, gone. And perhaps, if taken to such a place, Shiba-san could show them the light." It was as if he had all the faith in Moriko, even if he hardly knew her. "Wouldn't that be something. Show someone the ways of the Shiba-kami. Perhaps that is what the Empire needs in times like these."

Moriko tilted her head to one side, "don't get me wrong, Asako-sama, I just don't want to suffocate somewhere cold and lifeless." She drummed her fingers on the sides of her teacup, and her dark eyes took on a shining, liquid quality, like she was on the verge of tears. "Is that really so bad?" she implored, "how am I supposed to know I'm on the right path?"

"I suppose there is that." He laid his cup down. "Though, I wonder if their homes are truly cold and desolate. Who could live like that, from year to another?" Saneyuki asked, seemingly pondering his own words. "Their values and fortunes might be different, but they are still human. You would think they would seek some comfort, like we all do." The long, dexterous fingers patted a pillow next to him. "Only the monks sit on a stone floor when there's a pillow to be had. Perhaps you should talk with one of them? See how they are? That's how we learn."

"That bad? Perhaps. Our part is not to find Enlightenment, but live good lives. Or, we can try, but with our duties and obligations, how can be live in a way we should? Shinei himself addressed this problem. This is why we have the Brotherhood - so that souls could find salvation. Lay monks like myself, we are nothing but a stepping stone for the soul - on the way towards the Yomi. And so are you, a stepping stone, as long as you live your life well. In time, your soul will be reborn as someone more virtuous, again and again, until it can pass to the Yomi." Saneyuki replied, bringing his cup to his lips again. "Do you meditate? Do you eat simple food? Do you spend time in the wild? All these things are good for the soul."