(D3LM) Oh what a beautiful morning (open)

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi’s storytelling manages to speed the boring parts and extend the exciting parts into tapestries of sound and word. As the climactic battle of the story rages, her weaving hands suddenly spout yellow and blue flames as the Crab and his faithful Lion ally charge the menacing minions of Iuchiban. With a climactic CRACK of white light, the battle ends, the heroes having slain their opponents but died in the doing, destined only to be remembered by a single heimin family that has kept the Crab’s helmet safe, waiting one day for the Crab’s heir to return.

She holds her final pose, hands high (smoke drifting out her cuffs), head down.

[Seppun Unsei]

At the end of all that, Unsei started clapping happily.

"That was amazing! And the.. the uh... the fireworks! Yeah! Those were great, too! If that was. That might've been some work of the kami now that I think about it. They do enjoy stuff like this... But anyway! Loved it! Especially the part where the Lion picked up the Crab and threw them at the bandits, knocking them over like little saplings! That was just, awe, that was just amazing. Great storytelling, too. You were perfect!"

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi squeals excitedly, doing the sort of jump one would see in 80s/90s films about school: both hands over her head, face turned to one side and both legs kicking.

“Yay! You’re the first person that got it right on the first try! See, look!”

She’s so excited (and stressed) that she half-shrugs out of her kimono to show off her rig in excitement. Her body is very skinny underneath, with wiry muscles standing out.

“See, I have a pouch here! And one on the other side. And I took this flint and steel and realized I could make it spark if I twitched my wrist like this! Well actually, my dad did, he uses it to keep his potion bits bubbling and stuff, but o figured this was a more practical use for it! And it makes such cool effects! WOOSH! BOOM! And see? It runs up to here and then I…”

She’d continued shrugging out to where her dust pouches hang against her side as she realizes she’s nearly half out of her kimono in front of an Imperial and certainly not in a bath house.

Unsei now has confirmation that Inoshishi’s blushes begin at her toes. Or at least her belly button.

[Seppun Unsei]

Unsei was a proper gentlemen and kept his eyes focused on the rig as she showed it too him and seemed to not be looking anywhere else.

"Oh? Really? I thought that would've been the first guess for everyone? The Agasha are known for their fireworks and such like that, so I'm not sure why it would be so surprising to anybody really. But! I must say that this is incredible. Definitely can see the amount of work you've put into this, though I'd always be worried about catching my kimono on fire with it. While it seems sturdy, if you flick your wrist by accident, you'd probably get a few embers and that wouldn't be great. Or... oh by the Stars, if you accidentally shot it off in a building."

Would be worse than a Phoenix shugenja in a library...

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Or... oh by the Stars, if you accidentally shot it off in a building."
Would be worse than a Phoenix shugenja in a library...

Inoshishi straightens her kimono back to ordinary levels of propriety, still blushing furiously but grateful for the starry Seppun’s respectful posture.

“Yes, accidentally, that would be awful! Which is why I have it set so I have to do this and this” she shifts her hands twice, “before it’ll strike, see? There were some accidents, of course, when I was making it, but my father says that a home isn’t a home until it’s been burnt a bit. Which no one else every seems to understand. My sensei seemed horrified when I accidentally lit my bedroll on fire. I put it out, so I don’t see why he had to dump two buckets of water on my head and make me stand under a waterfall to ‘think about what I’d done’. Not like I did it on purpose. Tell me more about the stories of the stars! I want to learn!”

[Seppun Unsei]

"Oooooh, I think I get it!" They only sort of got it, but Unsei knew they didn't know much, so they didn't mind. "Makes sense to do it twice and all, but! I can't say that I would want to let my house burn a bit to make it a house. That's just me though and if it works for you then that's all that matters! Though, oh stars, I'd hate to have to stand under a waterfall. That's just too cold in my opinion. Plus, I'd also likely drown. Being physically fit isn't in my deacription." Unsei was, by all means, a very soft shugenja.

"Though, ah? Stories about the stars? I mean, I could try, but most of the stars are after an event in Rokugan, or Fortunes, so you've likely heard most of them anyway."

[Agasha Inoshishi]

"Though, oh stars, I'd hate to have to stand under a waterfall. That's just too cold in my opinion. Plus, I'd also likely drown. Being physically fit isn't in my deacription." Unsei was, by all means, a very soft shugenja.

"Though, ah? Stories about the stars? I mean, I could try, but most of the stars are after an event in Rokugan, or Fortunes, so you've likely heard most of them anyway."

She nods her head vigorously. “So cold! Swear I had icicles in my hair. And it’s not like I was going to burn the place down, barely even singed my sleeping mat!”

She cocks her head listening. “I don’t know that I’ve heard them all!” She ponders for a moment. “Is this like some kind of Seppun secret stories? I’d understand that. I’d be sad, but I’d understand. Do the stars tell you any stories? I always see you with books and paper and stuff. What’s in them if not stories?”

[Seppun Unsei]

She nods her head vigorously. “So cold! Swear I had icicles in my hair. And it’s not like I was going to burn the place down, barely even singed my sleeping mat!”

She cocks her head listening. “I don’t know that I’ve heard them all!” She ponders for a moment. “Is this like some kind of Seppun secret stories? I’d understand that. I’d be sad, but I’d understand. Do the stars tell you any stories? I always see you with books and paper and stuff. What’s in them if not stories?”

"Well, I guess with the Phoenix next door often burning everything down, they might not've wanted to take any chances." They smirked. "Ah, but that's probably rude to say. Oh well..."

Then they paused and then nodded. "Usually each constellation is based off of something. For instance,there is a constellation for every Kami, a few animals, a few important times, like when the Kami fell from the heavens, and even for people just like us. There's two stories that I think are sweet, but sorrowful, that have a star or a constellation named for them. One is central to the Star Festival of the Phoenix and involves the Weaver Star and the Cowherd Star. Another is much less well known here, but is known by a bit more people in the Crab and is called the Star of Duty. I could tell them if you wanted?"

[Agasha Inoshishi]

“Another is much less well known here, but is known by a bit more people in the Crab and is called the Star of Duty. I could tell them if you wanted?"

Her eyes glint with excitement as the Seppun mentions a lesser known story.

“I’d love to hear about the Star of Duty. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of something called that. It sounds so, so Crabby! All duty, all the time! Can you see it from the wall? I bet you can see it from the wall. Oh boy, this sounds so neat!”

She places both hands over her mouth, trying to keep her excitement from leaking out her lips.

[Seppun Unsei]

Her eyes glint with excitement as the Seppun mentions a lesser known story.

“I’d love to hear about the Star of Duty. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of something called that. It sounds so, so Crabby! All duty, all the time! Can you see it from the wall? I bet you can see it from the wall. Oh boy, this sounds so neat!”

She places both hands over her mouth, trying to keep her excitement from leaking out her lips.

"Oh, ahaha, well they don't have much of a choice, now do they? Death's more than three feet away at all times for them, but, ah... The story?" They smiled and straightened up a bit. Storytelling wasn't their forte, not by any means, but they were at least going to give it their all.

"Our story revolves around a Kuni Warden who was stalwart and firm in her training, knowing that if she slacked off, then it could mean the death of herself and countless others. So, she trained, trained, and trained. Constantly. In the morning, before sleeping, in the afternoon between watching over those in the barracks of the Damned. All of this which eventually led her to being in a nearby river for the purposes of withstanding it's freezing temperatures for some time while she swam... as best a rock could anyway.

"However, it was here that she stumbled upon a Hida. Rather... the Hida came flailing into the river after tripping on a rock while running to the river. Naturally, drawn by the slightly bigger rock now intruding, she swam over and they began talking. The two women immediately hit it off, which was bad. Wardens do not get married. After all, they've taken vows of celibacy. Yet, even knowing that, she couldn't hold back her feelings for the barreling Hida

"Countless months they spent side by side of each other, working together near or on the Wall, guarding others and each other from the monstrosities that lie so near. It wasn't very difficult to figure out, as even the blind Yasuki often commented on how often they spent together, and the Kuni did receive several warnings and reminders about her vows, which she did take seriously. But, it was difficult to toss away companionship in such a harsh place.

"And then, as all stories must go... tragedy struck. The Hida had become Tainted and the Kuni did everything she could to find a way to remove it, but there was nothing. Days went by while the Hida fought armorless out in the Shadowlands, returning every day to the Barracks of the Damned where her wounds were mended by her Kuni, who was growing increasingly desperate in her attempts to find a cure, very much against the wishes of her Hida who had long accepted her fate as one of the walking dead.

"Then it happened. After months of struggling against it, ignoring the sweet whispers of the Taint for so, so long... the Hida fell. All that was left now was a familiar husk now consumed by a monster.

"The husk fell moments later, beheaded at the hands of the Kuni, who had swore to her beloved to not allow her Hida's body to harm anyone after she was gone.

"It wasn't long after that that she was removed from her position at the Barracks of the Damned and sent further into Rokugan in order to, formally, watch over those who have minor amounts of Taint within the Golden Empire, but unofficially, to try and find somewhere peaceful enough to try and move on from her Hida.

"But, she never did. She couldn't ever work past such trauma and she couldn't move on from losing part of her soul. So just like her Hida's name had been struck from all records, as she had fallen to the corruption and now became one of the many Damned and nameless souls, the Kuni made sure her name was struck from every record so that she could be with her love always. Of course, after dying after several decades of service to the Crab, mourning the entire time." Unsei spoke softly, mournfully as they told the somber tale.

"And so that is why it is called the Star of Duty, for the Kuni and Hida who never once faltered in their individual duties in serving the Wall, even after such hardships."