D3: EM: Congee and throwing sticks (Expecting)

[Kaikoga Koi]

((Sorry about the wall of text, this took me 2 hours to write.))

Koi took the cards back and smiled.

"Thank you Yasu-san." She said softly, placing the cards in her hand now.

With a small flourish Koi produced a small bag from the sleeve of her kimono and opening revealed to be thicker, coarse grains of salt definitely not used for eating. Carefully Koi produced a small circle on the bench, and Koi took a moment to close her eyes focusing.

Circle of Dawn, I loop you within my words and draw you near,
Circle of Noon, I lure you to me so that you shall reveal any deceit,
Circle of Dusk, I draw you closer with affection and love to guide these cards,
Circle of Night, I provoke the enduring insight.
I draw you four here, weaving a tale and story for the future of Kuni Yasu."

Koi took a deep breath, and begin to place down cards. She placed eight cards face down, and selected three and placed them aside. She selected another two, and placed those aside and finally she picked another two cards. Leaving one card aside.

Koi placed the original three in the centre, still faced down. Two on the left, and two on the right vertically. The Last card she placed to one side.

Flipping the three cards in the centre revealed a picture of Jotei the Fortune of Morning dew, Kobiru-Tadashiko - Fortune of Understanding and Fukurokujin - Fortune of Wisdom and Mercy.

The ink in the cards though begin to shift and change, the ink almost like it was made from water before they each formed a new different picture.

Jotei turned into a Lord sitting upon a throne over looking his kingdom. "The Lord." Koi said softly.
Kobiru-Tadashiko turned into a flat field with surrounded by bleak looking forest with wolves howling at a full moon. "The Moon." Koi murmured.
Fukurokujin turned into shugenja with a very ornate head dress holding a staff and a scroll in one hand. "The Hierophant." Koi said, leaning closer to the card as she seems to be drifting deeper into thought as she investigated the spread.

Flipping the two on the left they revealed themselves to be Benten, the Fortune of Romantic Love and Musubi-no-Kami - Fortune of Marriage once again as soon as they flipped the cards begin to change and shift mysteriously as if made from living ink.

Benten turned into a Unicorn bushi on the back of a horse holding a banner as the Sun fills the background. "Oh, okay...The Sun." Koi thought for a moment before moving onto the next.
Musubi-no-kami turned into a bushi wrestling with a beast and a monster in a field littered with the dead. "The Strength." Koi nodded before moving on.

Finally she flipped the last two on the right - Natsu-Togamaru, fortune of Experiences and Travel and Saibankan - Fortune of Magistrates and Judges much like the others their appearance seem to change.

Natsu-Togamaru turned into Magistrate sitting upon a thrown with two bushi bowing before them, the magistrate holding a blade in one hand. "The Justice and finally..."
Saibankan turned into a wheel covered in symbols and markings of some arcane fashion surrounded by the sky and clouds. "The Wheel." Koi chewed her lip softly as she considered the cards before she spoke.

"Right, okay. Let's start in the middle with these three they tell me-" She tapped them gently. "A new challenges in your life, but to reach them you will have to apply your full potential. There is one particular barrier that you are unable to cross, and that slows you down considerably in your daily life. Do you know what it is? When you think about it, you seem resigned to the idea of taking this step. This is a big job, but you have the potential to get there; you mustn't doubt it. Life is full of events which follow one after the other."

"By doing this, the cards show that you are destined for a bright future." Koi said with a warm smile. "There is also this unshakable bond you have with a women. This person will illuminate your life and in the long term, she should allow you to benefit from all the love you deserve." Koi said that surprisingly, and smile before continues to lean over the cards tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "The cards highlight an enduring link and show that in the future, nothing seems to oppose your emotional fulfilment. The three cards are the guarantee of a happy and fulfilling future alongside someone who means a lot to you." Koi said with a chuckle, and smiled. "How about that, eh?"

Koi said looking at the Sun and the Strength card. "A proposal will be made that will surprise you for two reasons. First because of the person who will do it: you didn't expect that from them. Then by the proposal itself, which will be just for you and which will be totally unexpected. It will make you very happy, and you will be overwhelmed to be the subject of this proposal. "The innocent will have their hands full", as they say! Innocent because you were not expecting this. Hands full because it will fill you with joy." Koi said, smiling up at Yasu. "Is there someone like this at the miai you've grown fond of?"

Koi said warningly. "Then it's up to you to think about the consequences of this request: to accept? to refuse? It's up to you. Whatever happens, you'll have to give an answer. Take the time to think, because the answer you give will engage you for months in a pattern that you will not be able to get out of easily."

Finally, Koi taking a moment to sip her tea just to water her throat. "And finally, The Justice and the Wheel."

She tapped them softly, and explained. "Recently, you have been thinking about having new things in your personal life. The cards show that you are in a transitional period during which you have learned the lessons of the past. Now you want to use your life experience, the things you have lived through, to renew yourself on a personal level and to start new projects. During the Autumn, the cards you chose show that you have the opportunity to change things, to discover new horizons and meet new people. As part of this you should meet a person whose uniqueness will really attract you. Initially you will give little importance to this person but with time they could play an important role in your daily life."

Koi raised a finger, and said softly. "In Winter, the cards also show the achievement of new objectives that you have been thinking about for several weeks now. These are projects you are really committed to and for which you have great hopes. Their realization should bring you a lot of joy and personal satisfaction. I must say that this year has not been easy, you have encountered personal difficulties that you would like to leave behind. Achieving these new objectives should allow you to make a new start, and to tilt the odds in your favor. In this regard, your draw highlights a beautiful light that represents the moments of happiness and friendliness that you should share with your loved ones. They seem essential to your personal balance and form the backbone of this new beginning."

Koi smiled finishing her reading, and sat back smiling.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Right, okay. Let's start in the middle with these three they tell me-" She tapped them gently. "A new challenges in your life, but to reach them you will have to apply your full potential. There is one particular barrier that you are unable to cross, and that slows you down considerably in your daily life. Do you know what it is? When you think about it, you seem resigned to the idea of taking this step. This is a big job, but you have the potential to get there; you mustn't doubt it. Life is full of events which follow one after the other."

"By doing this, the cards show that you are destined for a bright future." Koi said with a warm smile. "There is also this unshakable bond you have with a women. This person will illuminate your life and in the long term, she should allow you to benefit from all the love you deserve." Koi said that surprisingly, and smile before continues to lean over the cards tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "The cards highlight an enduring link and show that in the future, nothing seems to oppose your emotional fulfilment. The three cards are the guarantee of a happy and fulfilling future alongside someone who means a lot to you." Koi said with a chuckle, and smiled. "How about that, eh?"

The shifting of the cards was fascinating to see, certainly nothing Yasu had seen used in divinations before. They were beautiful and definitely made you feel that they were, perhaps, more capable than other methods of truly looking into the future. Though she wondered at her patron fortune withholding her touch. Perhaps she didn’t really need to offer more commentary than the mark left at birth.

New challenges? Yasu huffs a small amused sound. Sounds like this entire festival But she’s uncertain of the big barrier in the way, perhaps she can’t see it so well from the inside?

But the rest sounds rather lovely and fulfilling. Though she knew that long term divination was always a bit wobbly. “Definitely a fortunate reading when at a miai.”

Koi said looking at the Sun and the Strength card. "A proposal will be made that will surprise you for two reasons. First because of the person who will do it: you didn't expect that from them. Then by the proposal itself, which will be just for you and which will be totally unexpected. It will make you very happy, and you will be overwhelmed to be the subject of this proposal. "The innocent will have their hands full", as they say! Innocent because you were not expecting this. Hands full because it will fill you with joy." Koi said, smiling up at Yasu. "Is there someone like this at the miai you've grown fond of?"

Koi said warningly. "Then it's up to you to think about the consequences of this request: to accept? to refuse? It's up to you. Whatever happens, you'll have to give an answer. Take the time to think, because the answer you give will engage you for months in a pattern that you will not be able to get out of easily."

These were Fortunes one might expect to see, and the things they indicated…that seemed normal. Yasu smiles at the thought. Certainly it was a bit early, but she had some fond moments already. “Here and there, there’s some folks who’d fit among the Crab that I wouldn’t mind bringing home.”

“Almost any proposal here seems likely to run into the months ahead. So it’s good to keep that in mind, how long-lasting the bonds here might be…even between folks who aren’t matched in the end.”

She tapped them softly, and explained. "Recently, you have been thinking about having new things in your personal life. The cards show that you are in a transitional period during which you have learned the lessons of the past. Now you want to use your life experience, the things you have lived through, to renew yourself on a personal level and to start new projects. During the Autumn, the cards you chose show that you have the opportunity to change things, to discover new horizons and meet new people. As part of this you should meet a person whose uniqueness will really attract you. Initially you will give little importance to this person but with time they could play an important role in your daily life."

Koi raised a finger, and said softly. "In Winter, the cards also show the achievement of new objectives that you have been thinking about for several weeks now. These are projects you are really committed to and for which you have great hopes. Their realization should bring you a lot of joy and personal satisfaction. I must say that this year has not been easy, you have encountered personal difficulties that you would like to leave behind. Achieving these new objectives should allow you to make a new start, and to tilt the odds in your favor. In this regard, your draw highlights a beautiful light that represents the moments of happiness and friendliness that you should share with your loved ones. They seem essential to your personal balance and form the backbone of this new beginning."

Koi smiled finishing her reading, and sat back smiling.

Yasu shakes her head slightly in wonderment. “There’s so much more there. Though I imagine that’s the difference so much training makes. I can imagine this last certainly sounds like it’s past time I pushed for the sort of research that starts finishing my apprenticeship.” She sighs then chuckles. “Which I honestly already knew if I listened to myself.”

She looks over the cards again. “Though honestly, with a deck of fortunes, are the tales they tell ever the negative parts? I kept waiting for the death and maiming parts.”

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi let out a chuckle that was warm and filled with a knowing mirth to it as she reshuffled the cards for a moment before placing them in their container, allowing Yasu to work through the divination in her own way.

"Well, I did you a romance reading Yasu-san." She said softly. "How you format the reading depends on the nature of the results, that was for romance and love which I deemed perhaps the most relevant in our current situation."

Koi looked at the deck for a moment, and shook her head. "My deck rarely ever directly implies doom and gloom, the death card if it does appear symbolises change in largely most cases but sometimes the fortunes do direct those that stray from their path the dangers that course will take."

She thought for a moment, in the grand scale of all her readings how many times potentially it has lead to someone's demise. "I would say I have had 3 to 5 cases where the Fortunes display unhappiness in any really dramatic way."

Koi took a long sip of her tea afterwards, readings always drained her of energy as she has to give a portion of herself to make the cards flow and weave. "But I will say, I have even less seen something wholly positive such as this one Yasu-san. You are truly blessed."

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu glances down, almost embarrassed to, perhaps, have such good fortune though no blush shows through the paint. "If I am, well, I should accept all the blessings that come to me if they aid in the duties ahead. Even romance has its place in the way it can strengthen bonds." The almost forgotten bun is remembered and snacked upon as she considers the intricacies of the reading.

"My readings more often warn of dangers. But...that is perhaps simply a more common worry for us," she grins, "and romance seldom shows up in my little set. It's not really geared to it, now that I think of it.

"It sounds like Diviniation is something your immediate family is invested in. Does everyone use cards? And particularly such magical ones?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi smiled softly, at the reaction to Yasu and nibbles on a bun with mirth in her expression. "It takes wisdom and understanding to accept guidance given to you from any kind of source so I think that is the first step. May the fortunes blessing grant you happiness, strengthen your clans position and bring you joy, inspiration and glory in all that you do, Yasu-san." She said softly, and glanced around them the stall was busy but they seemed to have some element of privacy.

"I think it's how you look at a situation, I would believe your clan is more in tune with the Earth Kami. It is direct, alert, prepared for anything at any time. Resolute. The picture of fortitude." She said, politely and raised a finger. "Where as my clan are attuned to the water, we flow and change, shifting with the season. We are adapt at flexibility in the readings." Koi pondered it. "I think that may be the reason your readings are as such but it's only an educated guess, nothing more than that but an interesting topic to investigate."

"Well, yes it pretty much is." She said openly. "My clan are heavily involved in scrying, and divining with ties into the study of Yume-do I suppose where as I expect you are taught by your clan when communing with the kami to adapt it to be more combative, I was tried to use divination in multitudes of ways." She says this with a little annoyance. "Though, I would have loved to be taught how to at least to have one use for the kami to defend oneself but I suppose I shall just teach myself."

She thinks. "My clan uses various methods, it comes down largely to the individual and their education. Card reading such as these was passed down from my ancestors of my direct family, these cards were my Grandmother's and she was given these as a wedding gift when she was much younger. She taught me how to read them, to lay them out and their meaning." She smiled. "The void finds it easier to manipulate the ink in them and reveal to me a divination, this has no other fantastical properties than that. My nephew uses sticks, my third cousin uses tea leaves and my great Aunt Lu-lu uses a pillow case and duck feathers.." She smiled. "That is a joke, my Aunt is an owner of an Inn and has never been able to use any tools but has a good sense for business and a good read on a person."

[Kuni Yasu]

"Makes a lot of sense. The Kuni are very pragmatic in our approach to most things." She nods, as the explanation certainly feels right. "We use divination more to train our observational skills and tap hidden knowledge. There's a thoughtful silence for a few moments as she considers something while pulling off another bit of bun.

"I'd be happy to teach you what I know of commanding the kami into providing defense and protection, mostly against things that are not of this world*. Those are lessons we'd see spread as far as they can go."

************
*Kuni school writeups are pretty explicit about that openness to share their stuff in ways most schools will not. Mechanically, still requires xp and any prerequisites be met. Can't teach non-shugenja to Jade Strike, for example.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi mused. "I always wanted to learn with the Kuni, I find their practicality and approach to mysteries very appealing compared to the style of the Dragon Clan as our closest neighbour." Koi raised a brow. "So, you haven't told me yet is there anyone you particularly like at the miai?" She said this in a friendly way, as a girlfriend might do talking to another younger girlfriend. Talking amongst themselves but never daring to break the covenant of friendship beyond that.

Koi also took a moment to chew on a bun before she was surprised. "Oh?! I would be honoured Yasu-san, as long as it doesn't take up your time and bother's you to much. I'd hate to be a burden."

Koi might struggle, she and the earth kami were on a "speak only if needed too" basis due to not being very practiced with it.

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OOC: Thanks for letting me know!!

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu laughs a bit. "Hai, met a Dragon down near Kyuden Hida a while back. I don't know that I'd have much luck learning from them, they're rather odd in their take on almost everything. But it's no trouble to teach, and so far, our hosts haven't seemed inclined to burden us with a heavy schedule."

A sip of her tea lets her organize her thoughts on the rest. "It's early yet, but I'm meeting a few tonight that've seemed interesting at least. Susaki Tanabe-san's a wrestler, and his cheer is something to experience," she says with a fond smile, "while Kitsu Murato-san has some insight into spirits I'm looking forward to, though I'd be a little concerned there that the Kitsu don't marry out as much, and I've no wish to leave the Kuni."

"I hope you're finding some reasonable candidates among the crowd?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi allowed the most playful of grins to slip across her face as she sipped her tea. "All good candidates I see you even considered a Minor Clan worth which brings me hope." Koi teased, clearly being playful.

"Well, I have enjoyed the charm and kindness of Shika Nesshin considerably wonderful. He has this smile that is just wonderful." Koi admitted.

She thought. "Kasuga Yoshi is an interesting potential, as much as Tortoise get a bad reputation at times he seems to genuinely care about me. He treats me like I matter." She smiled softly, it was a soft smile that lingered there for just a moment.

That smile appeared again, it was filled with mischievous glee. "And well there is one more person but I dunno..." Koi said clearly playing as she smiled. "You." She said it with a smile but there was honesty in her words.

[Kuni Yasu]

"I think those who would reject a minor clan are kind of missing the point of a minor clan miai, neh?" Yasu says with a grin, nodding along with mention of minor clan participants she hadn't gotten to meet yet, though the names were familiar by now. Her eyes widen over her tea with a little surprise as Koi wraps up her list, the paint at their edges crinkling with the smile that reaches them.

The smile remains as she lowers the cup, with its red-stained rim. Any blush hides beneath the painted one. "You're beautiful, and really wonderful to talk to." Her smile shifts a bit more serious. "I can't say that I'd mind that match, but I worry about how you'd find the Wastes, which are pretty much the opposite of all the spirit-soaked green here." She doesn't much question that in a pairing of great and minor clans, she'd easily have her wish to remain with the Kuni.