[Day 1 - Late Afternoon - Open] Tending to the Field

[Kuni Takeshi]

One of Takeshi's tasks included looking for the kami. Whether they were missing something or whether something had upset them. Since the little rice that the farmers cultivated here was important, he took this duty dead serious.

So he went to the fields, dressed in his priestly robes. He greeted the farmers working in the fields and took a small bowl of seed.

He stood in front of the rice field and spread the seeds as an offering for an earth kami, to whom he said a prayer.

"Oh wise kami of the earth: Is there anything that upsets you, recently? Have any of Jigoku's servants been around here lately? Please answer my call."

[D1:LA] Cast: Commune(Earth Kami) 1CR for Clarity; TN15: 5d10o10k3 51

[Dapper Dog]

The earth answered with a voice that sounded like tumbling rocks, "The evils of that realm have not befouled this.... place."

[Kuni Takeshi]

"This is very good, wise kami. Is there something else that upsets you, recently?"

[Dapper Dog]

"There was a mighty stone that was here for many passings of the light and dark, it was moved by man. I miss that stone, it was my friend," the Earth replied in the rumbling of rocks.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"I see. I thank you for your time, great kami" Takeshi said and bowed before the manifestation. The Farmers have probably moved the Stone away. Something he wold need to adress, or at the very least have resolved with a major offering for the earth kami of the fields.

[Dapper Dog]

"Goodbye," the stones called.

[Amika]

At the same time that the Kuni was talking to the spirits of earth and giving his farewell to them, a lone wolf was travelling through the countryside of this province. She already had started her research about the territories of the Crab clan in order to faithfully depict some of it for her idea about the painting she was requested to do for the inn of the village.

The ronin walks around, she was carrying a lone piece of paper and some brushes and a vial of ink on her hands, in case she needed to make some notes or found something that caught her interest.

[Kuni Takeshi]

Takeshi put the scroll back into a scroll pocket and spread the remaining seeds and said a prayer of thanks to the earth kami.
He then looked around, seeing, yet again, an unfamilar face.

He watched the woman a little from a distance. The clothing was not the best, but the way she walked radiated grace. A ronin? Perhaps? But wasn't it much more likely that it was a bog hag?

He thought about pulling out the jade strike scroll, ....

But wait. The Earth kami said no servant Jigoku was here, at least not recently,...
With some paranoia, he approached the lordless, saying nothing, only his green eyes wandering suspiciously over them.

[Amika]

As Amika noticed the man's gaze over her, the ronin not only moved a few feet to her side, in order to clear the path for the clan samurai but she also bowed, very low towards him as a sign of respect. She kept her head low, never raising her head.

She recognized the pattern of paint on the man's face, as she had heard that Kuni family members traditionally do it, so she thought that this man was a Kuni priest, most likely.

Amika remained silent as the higher status clan samurai walked towards hers...

[Kuni Takeshi]

When Takeshi was closer to the unknown, he could not see any clan mons or other signs of identification. His assumption that it must be a ronin seemed to be confirmed.

"Who are you?" he asked.

[Amika]

'' This one's name is Amika, honorable Crab-sama.'' She replied with a sweet and respectful tone. The ronin does not raise her head, still bowing towards him. '' A ronin painter that is currently visiting your Clan's lands, Crab-sama'' She adds.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"I am Kuni Takeshi, Son of Kuni Satoshi and Kuni Shinoha, court physician and spiritual advisor of Hida Kitusuchi. Please straighten up. What brings you here, Amika-san?" he asked, neutrally.

[Amika]

'' It is an honor to meet you Kuni Takeshi-sama, son of Kuni Satoshi-sama and Kuni Shinoha-sama...'' She said in extremely formal way. '' This one hopes that you had received the blessings from Inari-no-kami.'' She adds.

After her formal presentation, and being ordered to raise, she did so. '' This one is currently visiting your Clan's lands, since she heard that there was going to be a wedding, and this one thought that she could offer her skills, if someone would honor this one with such privilege, Kuni Takeshi-sama'' She said to him.

'' In fact, this one is currently making some research as someone already requested some work from me...'' She adds.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"I see. I guess the work you do is painting something for someone?" he asked, relaxing his tone a bit.

[Amika]

'' hai '' She replied. '' Perhaps Kuni Takeshi-sama could help this one, if Kuni Takeshi-sama would honor me.'' The ronin said.

'' I'm currently researching about Hida-no-kami and the Wall. I was hired, sort of, to paint Hida-no-kami in all his glory commanding troops and fulfilling his Divine Duty. While this one knows the general description of how Hida-no-kami looked like, it would be a disservice, and quite possibly a dishonor from my part, to paint my own interpretation of how Hida-no-kami looked like.'' She said sincerely. '' Having input from the source, his Clan and his children on how he truly was instead of what i heard about him would be much more truthful in the sense of depicting his and the Crab Clan's glory.'' The wolf woman adds.

'' Also, this one has no experience with how the Carpenter's Wall looks like, since this one has never visited it. So in that regard, i have no knowledge whatsoever about it into how depicting it.''

[Kuni Takeshi]

"Hmmmm" Takeshi pondered. "I'll gladly help you with that. But only if you could hold this for me, for a second."

Takeshi took of his pendant and presented it to Amika.

jade_pedant.png (17.04 KiB) Viewed 3813 times

[Amika]

Amika looked at the Kuni, there was no distinct reaction in her expression towards what the priest was asking from her. '' As you wish, Kuni Takeshi-sama.'' The wolf extended her hands and gracefully grabbed the jade pendant.

There was no reaction, at all. Amika found this petition somewhat strange, but she was not here to judge a higher status samurai and if this was all that was asked in return for gathering some information that would help her in her painting then she was glad to do so. She was clueless about the true meaning of what she was doing.

Amika waited until she was ordered to do otherwise.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"Ahh perfect, you can give it back" he said, with a much more friendlier attitude than before.

"So you want to know how Kami Hida and the carpenter wall looks like? Nothing easier than that. Do you wish to discuss this matter now or would you like to meet up for a tea?"

[Amika]

Amika nods to the Kuni's question and also returns the jade pendant to him '' As you prefer, Kuni Takeshi-sama. Taking time away from your duties is not something that this one would like to be causing to you. Whenever you have some free time for a ronin i would be honored to listen to the history of your estemeed clan and the Divine Son of Heavens.'' She said bowing again towards him.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"Hmmmm" he pondered. "You could accompany me on my way back to the Village and i could tell you the stories i know and what i have seen from the wall." he offered.

[Amika]

'' That seems fine, Kuni Takeshi-sama'' She nods to the Crab priest and decided to follow him towards the village. Amika was curious about what he was going to tell her about Hida-no-kami and the Wall. This research will be prove crucial for her mural painting at the inn.

She takes out her fan from her obi, but didn't open it up.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"Where is the best place to start?" he said putting a finger to chin. "Kami Hida was the largest and, physically, strongest of the Kami. He was known for his ferocity and his imposing nature. Hida could slay as many opponenents as any other twenty men combined, and was even capable of crushing the life out of an Ogre with his bare hands. But he was also a wise, thoughtful man who was open to reason. Amika-san should be familiar that Kami Hida found out through the little teacher how he turned his weaknesses into strengths?"

[Amika]

Amika nods as she listened to the Kuni's story about Hida. It seems that what she had learned was similar to what the Kuni was explaining to her '' Hmmm, this one does not remember that particular part. Did he spoke to the Little Teacher as well?'' She was really clueless about it.

[Kuni Takeshi]

"Yes, at the beginning of the Empire, at the Celestial Tournament, Kami Hida lost to Shinjo, although he was by far bigger and stronger than anyone else. Affected by his failure, Kami Hida retreated. But when the little teacher showed up, he showed Kami Hida how he could turn his weaknesses into strengths. It was also when he decided to protect the emperor's realm against the danger of Fu Leng." he told her.

[Amika]

Amika covered herself, with her fan when the Kuni spoke openly about the Ninth Kami. Even though she was a ronin, she still was a 'northerner' from that perspective and openly discussion of the ninth, was something she was not very familiar nor comfortable with.

Nonetheless, she didn't say anything. It was not her place.

'' I see, that sounds like very important step towards personal growth, from Hida-no-kami...'' She said. Even gods could growth? she thought for a while. Then she went for her next question. '' How about the Wall Kuni Takeshi-sama? This one has not had the opportunity to watch it, only had been described from stories and rumours...'' She asked about the wall.