Moto Ganbold figured getting a little help from the famously rough-and-tumble Fortune of Persistence was probably the shrewdest of all possible moves. Get in good with the kami day one, and day two probably wasn't gonna be a problem.

So he made his way to the shrine and conducted his prayers privately before excusing himself to take a quick look around the temple. Oooh, architecture! Neat!!

Deeper inside the Temple a much more slightly built man was knelt in prayer before one of the many small shrines contained within the larger structure. His hands were placed palm down on his knees and his head was bowed, eyes closed. The smoke of incense drifted around him.

Closer inspection revealed that a low conversation was going on beneath his breath. It was hard to make out from a distance.

Having read all the dispatches from home early in the morning, he had conflict in his heart. He needed something to help steady him and though he was aware there were dark powers he could petition for help, he decided that a particular Crab was who he needed the advice of.

Yes, even in Spider schools, the existence and importance of fortunes such as Kisada-no-kami are taught. Though there may or may not be a bit of blasphemy involving what exactly Persistence was a vassal of. >.>

He went into temple grounds, took his shoes off at the shrine entrance and found a place to sit down and give it all some thought. How do you find the endurance to deal with duty that is against your will, the young Daigotsu wondered.

He would ask a man who has made bigger decisions that have led to greater and more terrible results than he could imagine, yet was in the end has been regarded by billions.

Ganbold was a curious man. He brought himself a little closer, tuning his ears just a bit while trying to remain unobtrusive.

"Yes father. Well naturally, he is...was...your favourite Fortune."

A few moments passed.

"True, but there is only so much even a Fortune can do. The report said 'Vapourised'. Hmm?"

His eyes opened and he turned his head to look at the approaching Unicorn. With a smile he finished his prayers before offering the man a seated bow.

"Good morning to you, ah, Unicorn-san." He rose slowly and added a polite nod.

Ganbold grinned. "And to you, Firefly-san. Moto Ganbold's the name. Hope I wasn't disturbing you!"

Well, he gave it a go, but the best he could feel from the Great Bear was

hang in there, kiddo.

He stood up and bowed to the shrine, then went to go find somewhere to smoke and maybe do some real thinking.

Passing the Unicorn and Firefly on the way out he acknowledged them, but didn't interrupt their quiet discussion. It was a temple, no need to be nosy about other people's beliefs.

Atsumori was a good Phoenix boy at heart, so naturally enough, a dutiful visit to Shiro Yoake's temples was on the agenda for his first day on-planet. The Visitors' Guide he'd downloaded onto his densai in the station yesterday listed only two major ones, which surprised him slightly--you couldn't chuck a rock in a small town on the Grove or Ujimitsu without hitting at least that many, and Yoake was the capital settlement for a whole planet! Then again, this was a frontier world. Could be they went for quality of devotion over quantity of structures.

The Guide described Kisada's temple as much older than Fukurokujin's, and, stepping inside the building, Atsumori believed it. The place was dingy, infused in every crack of its worn concrete with decades of incense smoke... homey. Maybe this was a way to connect to the early settlers of Asakaze. What had the planet been like when they built this place? Did giant lizards and the mysterious White Death used to stalk right outside these temple doors?

Atsumori lit his vending-machine incense and went through the proper invocations as he considered these things.



"G'mornin'," he said, brightly to Kisada's other nearest devotee, as they were both standing up again.

"Samurai-sama", Shokomaru replied with a nod. "Finished with your devotions are you?"

Koseki looked briefly off to one side at the ghostly figure with folded arms and shook his head. "Not at all Moto-san. I like to make my prayers in the mornings and my honoured ancestors have always admired the Fortune of Persistence."

He walked closer. "Pleased to meet you, and I am Hotaru Koseki." He gave a polite bow to the other visitors as well as they passed.

"Well, it's also a pleasure for me! Asakaze is full of wonders, is it not? It is well that they honor the Great Bear. That's what I think, anyhow."

He nodded enthusiastically. "My people persist in the depths of space, it seems fitting to honour the Great Bear. Nice to see such a fine Temple here. This is only the second planet I have visited. Are they all so..." Weird? Unusual? "...wonderful?"

"Well, I'm afraid some are pretty boring, Hotaru-san. But most have something kinda neat about them, and there are plenty that have a lot of really cool stuff!"

He sighed. "I remember my second planet. Seems like an awful long time ago, but I guess it's only been three years. Wow!"

He considered that and nodded. "Asteroids are similar I suppose. But deep space? Never know what kind of weirdness you're going to find!" Not that anyone would believe you...

"It sounds like you've been to a lot of different places then Moto-san? What was your favourite?"

"Probably the Castle of the Winds." He beamed at the mention. "It's just so...so awesome! A feat of engineering and human ingenuity, you know? And SO BIG!"

"Oh ho! That is where the Utaka are based, yes?" He seemed to instantly perk up. "Some of the finest pilots in the galaxy come from there. It would be wonderful to see it one day."

He gestured towards the outer area of the Temple, conscious of avoiding too much disturbance within. "Are you a pilot then Moto-san? Or were you just passing through that system?"

"No, no, nothing that awesome. Just a marine, boarding specialist. We were passing on through on redeployment. What's your line, Hotaru-san?"

"Oh, well that's impressive in a different way." He gave a respectful nod. "My line? Hmm. Well we Firefly have to be adaptable. I'm in our explorer corps, so I get to fly and repair spacecraft, fight pirates, run security. I've even mined my share of asteroids."

You've barely begun my boy.

Ganbold smiles broadly. "A life of adventure, then! How exciting! I mean, fighting pirates is a thing I've done, but what goes into mining an asteroid?"

"Yes, but also no." Atsumori grinned, running a hand through his hair. "That's the Phoenix way, what?"