Ice to meet you (D2-EM)

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

The shugenja looked up at the sky, the sun was still hidden behind the clouds that had brought upon the city the snow of the previous day. Still the last bits of snow seemed to fall on them even now. One of the flakes fell on the forehead of the lion, melting at contact with his skin.

He sighed deeply, "Month of the Sun, and he hide away from us" he said mostly to himself.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako found herself out in the gardens this morning for some fresh air. She had hoped to get a look at the gardens but it seemed that there was a fair bit snow piling up on the grounds, hiding much of the scenery. It wasn't so much of a bother to her, considering everything was often covered in snow where she was from. It still made for a brisk, if frigid morning stroll.

She perked up at the sight of another samurai in the gardens and bowed politely to greet him. "Ohayou, Lion-san."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

The head of the lion moved down, setting his eyes from the sky to the woman in front of him. He greets her with a respectful bow and kind words, "Ohayou, Dragon-sama."

She carries little with her, her daisho so she must be a warrior. He thinks to himself.

"My name is Kitsu Shukei, it is an honor to meet you Dragon-sama. I hope this morning finds you well."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She gave a small shake of her head at herself for forgetting her manners. Introducing herself to new people wasn't something she did often until yesterday.

"Pleased to meet you, Kitsu-san. This one is Mirumoto Wasako," she smiled apologetically as she approached closer. "Well enough, thank you. I hope the same for you? I see a lot of snow has fallen but I wonder what this might mean for the day."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"All this snow?" The lion reached closer to the dragon, up to a decent and respectful distance. "Well it seems that spring will be late, and probably we will have strong rivers this year. Hopefully the temperature rises a bit so that this guest situation in the city doesn't become harsher. I just hope this doesn't affect the still incoming refugees and that they can arrive safely."

There was worry in the face of the lion which he tried to hide and change with a coy smile. "But, no need to get gloomy, from what I hear the Empire is mostly on the same place and mindset. So that brings relief to my mind. What brings you to the city, Wasako-sama?"

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako found herself nodded thoughtfully at the mention of the refugees. She had her opportunity to get a look at the situation but she hadn't seen it as its worse yet.

Changing the topic, she offered Shukei a small smile as she brought her hands together. "I can't say I'm here based on a special occasion, as some of my kin were here to attend Winter Court. My sensei, in his great wisdom, has decided to send me here. I suppose he thought this was best for my continued growth although I wonder if he expected all of this. How about Kitsu-san, are you local to the region?"

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"Honestly," the samurai wanted to trust the woman so he spoke from his heart, "I was in the city prior to all the debacle. I had my reservations on the Steel Chrysanthemum and was looking for listening ears who would pay attention and understand that the spirits should had been stopped and not allowed to wander through the Empire. I am an adept in spirit lore and had doubts on all of this. I am sad to see I was right."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She raised her brows and brought up curiously, "I'm sure many of us were in the dark when it comes to how such a thing would be possible and what to do if they found themselves before a returned spirit. This is even more difficult when that spirit was an Emperor. I'm sure many of us are still in the dark on how to proceed although the carnage is undeniable. Is there precedence that Kitsu-san knows of?"

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"No" He thought back, "no precedence that I can recall, but... well, I have found spiritual beings before, and they never come bearing peace, more likely they escape from a harsh realm to a more gentle one, but their gained connection to the realm makes them cause problems. There might be beings from other kinder realms that visit ours, but normally they try to hide themselves and keep peace instead."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"It seems certain that this isn't one of those situations involving the latter type," she gave a few nods at that. "I feel this might be very silly to ask but how does one deal with a returned Emperor, in your opinion? I have previously thought that a returned Emperor would have jurisdiction on this world, given their lineage and history...which might have made for a case if He wasn't directly responsible for the murder of our Emperor."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"A returned spirit, to me, is still something that is impure and unprepared to return to Ningen-Do. It is the kharmic cycle that determines that." The shugenja looked for a place to sit in the garden, signaling for the woman to follow so that they could discuss in a more comfortable place.

"For some reason there was an opening between our realm and that of the Emperor, and that allowed him and others to come. But his past, as we know it, does not speak in his favor and could mean that he was not in a kind and peaceful realm. Actually if my guess is correct, the SC might have come from the realm of slaughter and could be even more dangerous than before." He sighed, he was still not sure if that were true or of the full extension of what that could mean but he sensed it was dangerous all together. "All realms have a hold on those who have lived there and not gone through reincarnation properly. This spirit at hand as well, and will turn our realm into chaos."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako was more than willing to take his lead, assuming he knew his way more around the snow-covered gardens than she did.

"I suppose I could see that now...you'd assume that all Emperors were destined for Tengoku by their standings and sacred title as well. For the Heavens to even reject an Emperor would mean that they have taken notice and perhaps considered his deeds inexcusable," she said on a cautious note, not wanting to full assumed she knew everything or had the right opinions. "I suppose it may seem easy to consider him more monster than Emperor, given his previous origins alone..."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

The lion let out a breath of relief "someone who understand at last." he said, "since my status was not high enough, I could not get anyone to hear me out, at least not anyone with that could do anything, and nobody would believe me anyway, he was an Emperor after all."

He let out a second breath long and slowly as if releasing a heavy weight upon his chest, "Sometimes being right is a bit of a curse. But now there is no turning back, so we must just face the reality and take him back to his place, don't you think?"

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I wouldn't think that you would have a shortage of allies in that regard, Kitsu-san," she said quizzically. "It seems a majority of people seemed decided that the returned Emperor should be stopped. However, they might be divided on how to approach the matter. Do you think we're already too late? What could have been done before?"

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"Well, I meant before he murdered the Emperor, not now. Of course after that everyone would distrust him, but before he did that, it was hard to get anything said against him. Everyone said that I should hold my tongue and not talk ill of a Hantei." He shrugged his shoulders, "we can't be sure that he won't be a danger, he will most probably come looking for a fight eventually. And it is united that we can only hold him off."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I could imagine it was an extremely difficult position to find yourself in, especially with the lineage involved," she nodded in realization what he fully meant. "Especially, when his history is hardly a memory. Or perhaps they had thought that his actions was more attributed to the circumstances than his personality."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"Reality is that was the past, and there is no use to regret anything, all that can be done is face the situation now and learn from what has been done." He leaned softly back with his eyes set in front of him. "Sorry to have brought all this upon you." He added with soft tone, "Please tell me more about you, I feel I spoke much about myself already, are you a warrior" He asks at the glimpse of the full set of daisho.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I wouldn't say that speaking about the past would be considered regret, depending on what we could gain from it. Retrospection can be as valuable as introspection, as my sensei might say. I suppose it might be unlikely that we will find ourselves in such a situation again. This is...very extraordinary, at least compared to what I'm used to. I can this this isn't the norm in the south."

Wasako let out a small chuckle with a wave of her hand to dismiss the claim. "I don't know if I'd consider myself a warrior. Just a bushi, first and foremost, for now at least. If I could be upfront, I have yet to see war after all those years at the dojo with my sensei, which may be part of his reasoning for sending me here. I don't know if it's coincidence or actually his intention, which would require great foresight."

Kitsu Shukei · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:01 pm **Posts:** 115

"I see." He said with an apologetic tone, had I brought something up by saying a warrior? He took another glance at her. "I am sorry, I thought that you might have been at the Shinomen forest when we fought the Naga. That was my first battle, but then again, I am a bit older than you so it would make sense that you were still finishing up your instruction."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"No apologies needed on your part, Kitsu-san," she said with a wave of her hand. Perhaps she had gone in too strongly on semantics. "Yes, that might be the case and no, I can't say I've participated in the Shinomen Forest war...or any war for that matter. Seeing as you've taken part of that campaign, I imagine that you're actually wiser by many years compared to most people even."

She wondered if she should be surprised if a shugenja has seen more than she ever had but she supposed he was a Lion shugenja after all.

Ice to meet you (D2-EM)

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