[D13 LM] Well You Said This, but Also Said That (Open)

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"No trouble, I should not have gone on", he replied with a returned bow. "I would still be grateful for a reading."

[Seppun Unsei]

"You are fine, Shosuro-san. I shouldn't have brought it up. " They said before moving a few steps closer to a nearby rock that was flat enough. Then they sat.

"What type of reading would you like?"

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

As everyone will find out later that night, Hikimasu knows absolutely nothing about astrology.

"... what manner of readings are there?"

[Seppun Unsei]

"There's many different ones." They gestured for him to sit down across from them. "I truthfully use a bastard style because I felt it helped me the best. Each stone is marked with different constellations, letters, and other symbols. Divination with dice is called astragalomancy, or it's also known as cleromancy. However, I then deviate by putting them into certain positions based off of which die fell when rather than just reading off each die. Now even their positions mark something important. My parents always used to joke that I was a bastard child because they claim only a bastard child would use a bastard method of divination. It was always a tense subject, even though both of my parents never cheated on each other." Moving on swiftly...

They laid out three stones in a line. "The three star spread. It's simple enough. The Past. The Present. The Future."

They picked those stones up and then set down two in a line and then laid out five others in a half circle around them. "The relationship. What you think of the other person. What they think of you. The strengths in the relationship. The obstacles in the relationship. Where you are right now. What influences are likely to come into play. The potential final outcome."

They picked all of them up again and then set 6 of them in rows of 3, side by side. "Tell Me My Past Life. Who are you? Your younger years. Your occupation. Social status. Relationships. Death."

"I could go on and on, but there are many, many out there and even the different positions could mean something else depending on what you want. Even the three star spread could be used to figure out communication difficulties rather than past, present, and future. What the other person may want. What you want. Where the conversation is heading. Truth be told, I tried to use that to see what was going on between us and why every conversation ending in an argument, but the results were not as revealing as I wanted."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

He seemed thoughtful, watching the dice as Unsei spoke about it, an appreciative nod at their last comment. He thought maybe the priest may have asked the wrong question of the fortunes. He felt he could answer the question himself, but he found it not to his liking.

"Well, then I will trouble you with the matter at hand", he said. "I seek the hand of Usogawa Emiko-sama, heir of the Otter clan, and have resolved myself to marry into them, to help her do her duty and to fall in love with her. I feel this greatly, instinctively, and my decision feels as though it is a good one. Aside the obvious benefits of her being a beautiful woman of status, I see in her someone not only kind, but also very aware of her position and not giving to bouts of selfishness. She did not come here seeking love, but a match, as she should. She may even be too young at heart to be a true lover as yet."

That reservation was a difficult one for him to speak, but he said it quite analytically.

"The other weighing option is another, Utaku Kheree-san, who if I could marry into my clan, would not only be of a great benefit to my particular family because of her skills in the stable, but would be someone I could see myself looking after for the rest of my life, granting her wishes as best I can, and perhaps one day gaining a true feeling from her that is beyond trust and respect." He sighed. "Though that is only possibility, and I feel that my need to be of aid to her goes beyond what may be healthy, that in pursuing her I would give up everything I have stated over the other, in doing right by another, I discard myself...and it is me who I will also be spending there rest of my life with."

[Seppun Unsei]

They picked up their stones and went back to rubbing them between their fingers as they thought.

"I don't know if the stars could really help you figure that out." Sometimes just talking was better than any divination. Sometimes.

"You seem to care about them both and appear to want true love, but nothing you've said about either one appears that you would actually get that from them. With both of them, you claim that you want to help them, but then mention that neither one of them really... care for you more than just respect and friendship. This might be wrong of me to say, but if neither of them appear as if they would actually fall in love with you, then perhaps... just go for the match that you feel would benefit your clan and your spouse more... and then maybe... see if you can't find someone else to hold your heart while you hold theirs. It's not the greatest, I do admit, but if you are about yo marry someone who might maybe eventually fall for you, then I don't know if it's good to try to hold onto that hope. It might leave you resenting them in the future. That you gave them so much time and love, and all you got in return was just respect rather than a deeper connection."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"and a marriage that is quite hot now might have it's fuel reduced to ash before the couple reaches their new home", he said. "I have faith in both of them, but it is possible I am helping Utaku-san, and only seek love from her to fill that need." he sighed. "I must say there is still uncertainty, but as to love itself...I do not expect it, but I do cherish it. I can see a hundred outcomes where I do not get it but am still content...", he looked up at the Seppun. "just as well I could see many outcomes I receive it and am entirely unhappy. Though I will do my best, either way, and will choose love whenever I can."

[Seppun Unsei]

When he mentioned the love being reduced to ash, a touch of a frown tugged at their lips as they thought to their own love. Would it last? Or would it be nothing in the span of a few months? They had asked the stars no small amount of times and each answer was as unclear as the last.

Still, they pushed that back and focused on the Shosuro. "I can understand that, but... why waste potentially years to help someone only to not receive the one thing you desire? That's why I'm not saying don't marry either one of them, but I am saying that perhaps... you should consider being like most Rokugani. Being content in a marriage, but going elsewhere for love... unless you are truly okay with giving up so much for, yes, a happy marriage, but not what you crave. Even temporary."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Oh, no...my apologies, Unsei-sama", he said, shaking his head. "With Usogawa-sama, I know she has grown quite attached to me", he claimed. "Things can always change, or grow in a way no one intended, but my saying that is also akin to allowing the possibility that Lady Amaterasu may not rise tomorrow. All things are possible under heaven, but I think it most likely when she grows into full maturity, even older than I am now, there will be something very powerful there. My difficulty is in feeling...well...responsible for the other, for wanting to protect, love and stand by them. The feeling is very real for both the more I think on it. Hence a reading to help me see what may be best to decide."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Why are you apologizing? You haven't done anything."

Then they lapsed into silence, trying to think about a good way to try and read what he wanted.

"Maybe... a five spread? The pros and cons of each potential marriage and then what's to be considered with both. If you really wish for a reading."