While she'd chosen the path of wisdom rather than valor, and skipped the contest of raw athleticism today, Mumei did wish to seek some sense that the entire endeavor was worth persisting in, that the duty and reward for it would be worth it.

Cleansed at the baths and purified by the waters of the temple basin, she padded in on stockinged feet, welcoming the cool of all this stonework. She returns the bow of the vending initiate before finding her way to a cushion. She leaves a zeni in the offering plate and lights a stick of incense before offering her own prayers and meditating on the path before her.

An Asako came in not long after, moving with familiarity in the space.

Mal-Chin wanted to offer his prayers, after all, the site would be uploaded, and he'd have to face whatever criticism people had at that point.

Mumei finishes and sighs, still kneeling. "It's easier with the little spirits. They talk back, so you know you're heard. But Fortunes have so many voices in their ears."

"Kisada-kami," He responds to the words said, "Especially doesn't answer only prayers, from what the monks have told me over the years. It's when someone else or something else takes away your ability to keep going." He smiles at an old story.

"There once was a samurai who gave up his home and position in order to join an expedition that needed volunteers. Clan's not important, as there are similar stories in most clans over the centuries." His smile remains, voice one of reciting, if paraphrased, a historical tale told to him years ago.

"The mission was vital, but so dangerous that their lord did not wish to order those who were capable to do so. In fact, their lord needed them in the position they held, and would not quickly be able to replace them. But they were one of the few samurai available with all the skills needed. And so they made the sacrifice."

He looked up to the Fortune. "And on the day his ship was to bring him to the mission, someone drove into his vehicle, causing him to be late and miss his flight off planet. He did everything he could. Sold his belongings to rent space on a cargo freighter, and the cargo freighter ended up waylaid by pirates. He fought the pirates with everything he could, but was dealt a mortal blow. A monk there heard his last prayers. A monk who served Kisada. And who had, in a previous life, held the skills he'd been bringing to the mission."

"The monk wasn't supposed to be on the cargo freighter. He'd escaped from where the pirates had been holding him during the fighting, having been taken as a sort of good luck charm, kidnapped from his shrine. Such happenstance..." He looks to the statue again, waving a hand, "that is where the Fortune's voice is heard. Of creating a route forward when all seems lost."

"Well, I'm not nearly that hard up yet, so I might be kind of far down the priority list for any Fortune, honestly. But it never hurts to offer respect and prayer."

She offers a bow. "Nakauchi Mumei, most lately on the trader Far Winds and now here for the miai, like so many others."

A bow in return. "Asako Mal-Chin. Researcher, attache to Asakaze diplomats. Also here as part of the miai."

He looks up to the Fortune's statue. "And hai, respect and prayer is always worthwhile."

"Local then?" Her interest seems just a bit more focused. "I don't suppose local flora's a specialty?"

A nod, "Local. I can't say that fauna is my specialty. But I know a few things. Questions?"

"So earlier today in the gardens, we spotted some flowers that were charming in UV...with the visors they sell there. They seemed to flicker with movement. Very pretty. So I kind of...petted them." Her hands demonstrate, sweeping across the imaginary bed of flowers.

"Kuchiki-sama noticed a bed across the path flickered in response. It was fascinating. I'm wondering if you know what's going on there? Communication through roots, or air kami, or something else entirely?"

__________
(note that we just made the entire thing up a bit ago, so I think we can feel free to speculate with GM confirmation eventually)

He sits back and thinks about that.

"Well. First, I'd say be cautious about what you touch of the plant life here. Some of it is dangerous." He bites his bottom lip in thought. "But that's really just the standard local warning for visitors. I hmm. I have some footage I took of the plants there from earlier today. I doubt it was in the same area of the garden, but if they're behaving oddly today, it might be there."

A look over to Mumei. "What part of the garden?"

She pulls out her battered communicator, covered with worn lucky stickers. "I've still got the directions here." She shows him the message from Kuchiki Tsugihara. "And then we moved...like so from the stone," she paces off a few steps, and then a bit down that path like so... and the beds were there and there," she points.

"I admit, I probably shouldn't have touched them, particularly after all the folks getting sick from things at the ikebana demonstration yesterday." She holds up her arm. "But no ill effects!"

He nods a bit. "No...I was in a different area. Dang. It'd be a really neat effect to catch on camera...could probably time it right and set it to a beat for a video."

A slight shrug. "But what's in there that could do that?" He frowns thinking. Frustrated, he sighs. "I can't think of anything, I'm sorry. I don't spend enough time using the UV glasses to recognize the plants that way."

"Well, you're right that it could be lovely for a video, and I know at least one person here who works with a network. I'll make sure to pull out my holorecorder next time...and see if I can film through the visor, I suppose. Hmm..."

"Sorry to just kind of barge in and start asking you for help, Asako-sama."

"Do you know if there's a lot of locals here for the miai? I know there's an Osprey station here, but I haven't seen any of them. So I wasn't sure how far they were pulling folks from."

A short shake of his head, "No, that information's not been put in any area I can research. I am launching a site with answers to a survey by members of the miai, well, in a few days." He looks over, "I can send you a copy if you'd care to fill it out?"

"Oh...well, sure...I guess that would be fine. Like...everyone will see everyone's answers?" That would inform how she might answer a few things.

He nods briefly, "Only if they've also answered the questions." He shrugs a little, "Really, most of the survey was information about Asakaze and Shiro Yoake. But it gives a brief introduction between members of the miai, and lets people know a little of how everyone looks at the questions." He pulls out his densai, scrolling through.

Scrolling a bit and then pushing some things, she says, "there, my contact should be in broadcast mode to pickup now. But that sounds really useful, especially with the local information for everyone."

"I should definitely find out more about the local wild places before heading out again. I guess there are some dangers here and there. Do you travel out there much yourself?"

"Not as much as others, but my friend Asako Chiruha frequently does so. I've gone with a few times. And hai, there are some real dangers." He looks up to the shrine a moment.

There's a bit of hesitation in his voice. "Hai. Some real dangers." He takes a deep breath, chest rising and holding its place a second or two. "Though that's a tale I think I shouldn't spring on someone I've just met a second time."

She frowns a bit at that. "I mean, I'd rather know than not know, since I will definitely go out there again." She gestures at her lack of katana or sidearm or armor. "And I'm a bit soft and squishy when it comes to giant lizards and the like."

He nods briefly. "Juvenile reavers are the biggest threat. They're ambush predators, and younger ones are small enough that we'd actually make a meal for them. Adults are so large that they'd likely ignore you as you're not enough of a meal. The variety of fungi that can do strange things to your mind or leave spores in your body to cause illness later is immense; some parts of the forest are just marked off from travel because of it."

"Large animals falling from trees aren't a realistic threat, but are a potential one. A Megadon stampede is about the most frightening thing you can run into, as there's really no recourse. Basically, if you hear thunder and there's no clouds in the sky, get out of the area. Though they're not often in the forest, so it's rare. And the White Death will kill you in a number of ways, including cyanide gas." He shudders a bit, talking about the last one.