D0MM A short stroll

[Kaikoga Koi]

The Moth stood upon the Wall for a moment, her eyes scanning around her until she saw the Owl creature and smiled. There you are! And made her way to investigate, she nearly walked on a bunch of children running around but caught herself as she made a beeline towards the shadows.

What could this be? She thought, her mind filling with quizzical questions wanted to know more. Why? Why here? What makes this place special? She craved understanding more than perhaps she'd like to think.

Arriving at the rock, she'd begin to look around carefully.

[Saibankan]

The Moth stood upon the Wall for a moment, her eyes scanning around her until she saw the Owl creature and smiled. There you are! And made her way to investigate, she nearly walked on a bunch of children running around but caught herself as she made a beeline towards the shadows.

What could this be? She thought, her mind filling with quizzical questions wanted to know more. Why? Why here? What makes this place special? She craved understanding more than perhaps she'd like to think.

Arriving at the rock, she'd begin to look around carefully.

Looking around carefully,, there was little to see. Wall, path, tree-line, sky. Directing her gaze to where the shadow would be pointing, the only obvious thing within eyesight was a white-haired old peasant man clearing the path by gathering sticks that had fallen from the nearby trees into a bundle.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi stood uncertain for a moment if her eyes had seen what she had thought she had witnessed, a mild look of concerned contemplation on her face before she sighed. In for a zeni, in for a Koku She thought with determination, and she approached the peasant man.

"Excuse me, Ojiisan.." Koi bowed her head slightly, after all she is not a Great Clan and she knows the importance of Peasants in her day to day life, no need to be rude. "I see that you are busy, and I will not keep you too long. This one is Kaikoga Koi of the Moth Clan.." She bowed. "I am seeking some information about local folktales and stories, might I be able to ask you a few questions?"

[Saibankan]

Koi stood uncertain for a moment if her eyes had seen what she had thought she had witnessed, a mild look of concerned contemplation on her face before she sighed. In for a zeni, in for a Koku She thought with determination, and she approached the peasant man.

"Excuse me, Ojiisan.." Koi bowed her head slightly, after all she is not a Great Clan and she knows the importance of Peasants in her day to day life, no need to be rude. "I see that you are busy, and I will not keep you too long. This one is Kaikoga Koi of the Moth Clan.." She bowed. "I am seeking some information about local folktales and stories, might I be able to ask you a few questions?"

The old man smiled and bowed deeply to Moth.

"Of course, of course, Kaikoga-sama. There are as many local stories as there are drops of rain in a storm, and many a time in my long life have I been caught outside. What would Kaikoga-sama like to know?" he asked, his voice honestly cheerful at the prospect of chatting with the Moth.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi graced the old man with the kindest smile that she had within her, it was genuine and wholesome as she was immediately reminded her of her own Grandfather, admittedly she did not get to spend much time with before they returned to The Wheel. "Ah, thank you Ojiisan you are very kind." She said, warmly. "I have not been far from my lands but we study the dreams of the Empire, and I find myself curious about the land of the Deer. This land is filled with happiness, dreams, hope and passion it definitely seems blessed by the kami, so I find it hard to think the the spirits of Yume-do have not left a trace here as it is a very special place."

She looked around with a smile. "I believe I have been guided to speak with you, Ojiisan. Would you know any stories? Legends? Places of meaning that might have ties to Yume-do or any stories that refer to the Baku spirit?"

[Saibankan]

Koi graced the old man with the kindest smile that she had within her, it was genuine and wholesome as she was immediately reminded her of her own Grandfather, admittedly she did not get to spend much time with before they returned to The Wheel. "Ah, thank you Ojiisan you are very kind." She said, warmly. "I have not been far from my lands but we study the dreams of the Empire, and I find myself curious about the land of the Deer. This land is filled with happiness, dreams, hope and passion it definitely seems blessed by the kami, so I find it hard to think the the spirits of Yume-do have not left a trace here as it is a very special place."

She looked around with a smile. "I believe I have been guided to speak with you, Ojiisan. Would you know any stories? Legends? Places of meaning that might have ties to Yume-do or any stories that refer to the Baku spirit?"

The old man chuckled a bit.

"Ah, the forest is full of spirits, Kaikoga-sama. So many you couldn't throw a rock without hitting one. Probably shouldn't do that though. Hit 'em with rocks that is. They're mostly rather protective spirits, as long as you don't wish harm against the Deer. A few trickster spirits in the mix, mind, but the worst they get up to is reminding the overly proud that even they play the fool sometimes."

He tightened the tie on his bundle of sticks a bit.

"Dreams though, Kyuden's full of them too, especially during a miai. Most of them good, dreams of finding the perfect spouse, creating a perfect life together. Some not so good though, dreams about being trapped with someone you don't love, or treats you wrong. I reckon they get stronger too towards the end of the miai as they get closer to becoming a reality. I betcha there's some spirits affected by that too."

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi listened calmly, with a tentative smile she stood on the side the path out of the way, her hands held before her. "Have you heard any stories that are odd involving Baku spirits within the city? Like anything at all that might be worth note? Or a place?"

She remained still, poetically beautiful. "Anything maybe involving nightmares?"

[Saibankan]

Koi listened calmly, with a tentative smile she stood on the side the path out of the way, her hands held before her. "Have you heard any stories that are odd involving Baku spirits within the city? Like anything at all that might be worth note? Or a place?"

She remained still, poetically beautiful. "Anything maybe involving nightmares?"

The old man thought about it.

"Hmph, have you seen that painting in the hallways, Kaikoga-sama? Nightmare-fuel if there ever was. Not my place to comment on what a samurai likes, mind, but I'm going to give that thing a wide berth whenever I can, you can be sure of that." he relayed.

"Hmm, I have heard that about those who sleep in the shrine overnight having prophetic dreams about their future spouse. Some say Shika-sama himself must have rested there because of how clearly he pictured his future bride. And there's other stories about people plagued with nightmares sleeping beneath the great old trees of the garden and finding respite at least while they slept there from bad dreams." he offered.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi nodded, listening to the old man as she mentally laid out plans to investigate those areas perhaps even do some experimentation there as it might produce results.

The trees were an interesting perspective, she never thought cedar trees would intimidating or at least spooky but she could be wrong. I often am.

"Just to clarify Ojiisan, the cedar trees in the Garden they both caused nightmares but prevented nightmares depending on what afflictions an individual was having at the time?" She said, not confused but puzzled. "Such specific polar opposite things, hm. Would you know anyone that might had this experience? A relative? A friend?

Everything else was something to consider, and to investigate. Art was subjective to the individual and the fact the peasant was uneducated and older in generation might explain the issue but it was worth investigating. She might even pose the kami in that direction.

Same with the temple, perhaps the individual spends time praying in the shrine and vocalises it and that is picked up by a servant before being passed to Pei-pei. The Moth would consider that at least worth more to her studies than the paintings, at face level.

The Moth pondered. "Is there else you can think of that might be of assistance? Or anyone else that would know more?"

[Saibankan]

"Ah I must have misspoke, Kaikoga-sama. Forgive an old man whose mind wanders at times." he said, not willing to tell a samurai she was wrong. "Prophetic dreams from those sleeping beneath the branches of the tree in the shrine, protection from bad dreams for those sleeping beneath the trees in the garden."

He chuckles a bit.

"I'm just a simple old man, Kaikoga-sama, won't be hard for you to find someone who knows more than me. From Shika-dono at the top of the castle, to Koi-sama in the teahouse, they each travel from Kyuden Shika to Yume-do every night and back again. "

He hefts up his bundle of sticks.

"Each story a stick. Not much scattered about, but collect them together, and you've got something stronger than the individual." he suggested.