[D3 EE Hotaru's yurt] Shochu, sweets and soothsaying

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"No, not at all," she said with a small chuckle as she admitted it. "This is actually my first time outside of the Scorpion lands, actually. It's quite the first step out, going beyond our neighbours and into the Unicorn lands. It's quite an opportunity to see other places with my own eyes and certainly something I'll treasure."

"That's understandable that you had to make do with everything around you and sometimes from the people around you too. The survival of your Clan should supersede other priorities." She nodded understandingly with a faint smile as she took a sip of tea. "So I guess it might be a few years where you'll still be milking animals are you're getting settled here. As you said before, it'll probably take some time before you can really make use of the lands."

"No, you didn't mention that at all. So there's a very good reason for your father would wish for you to become a sensei if no one in the family has taken steps to follow in his shoes, to continue on his proud lineage and refine your mystical arts. Perhaps a school would be more fitting, maybe that'll be indeed in your destiny?"

"Nooo, unfortunately..." She said reluctantly and reapplied her smile again. "I have few experiences when it comes to animals, save for petting stray cats. Sometimes, I even talk to them for company, as the kami allows me to bridge that gap. As to being on a horse, that's something I never thought of until my time here. From the looks of it, everyone is on horseback."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Mhmhm.." he nodded approvingly. Children on Shinjo all suffered from wanderlust and Dong-Ha could well understand the desire to see things.

"Most likely yes. I am sure the Ide have some plans for settlements and plantations... but I cannot see the Moto staying in a on place for a long time. Luckily our ancestral lands seem to be well suited for grazing... which means they could continue living a mostly nomadic life, if they chose to do so." Eventually there might be even cities, but for the time being, the Unicorn clan was settled in massive tent camps that still occasionally changed places.

"Well, yes, though my younger sister could take up the mantle as well, if the fate has me marrying out." The idea felt alien at the moment. Not that he was actually opposed to leaving Unicorn, but such a change just felt unfathomable for someone who had only knew one clan for the majority of his years. "Or my older sister, if she has to, though she married into Ide few years ago and they might want to keep her." he explained the possibilities, laying the almost empty cup on his lap. "Does Bayushi-san have siblings?"

"Ah.." Dong-Ha's eyes brightened momentarily as Hotaru admitted having never been on a horse. "We should rectify that matter then. Who knows, you might find yourself as my kinswoman sooner than you realize, because yes... everyone can ride." When you were a nomad, horsemanship was a necessary skill. "I have a mare, Poppy. She's gentle and not afraid of strangers. We could go riding some day." Eyeing Hotaru, Dong-Ha mused that she was likely lighter than the usual load his horse was forced to carry on her back.

"You said that the spirits.. let you bridge gap between animals. May I ask what you meant by that?" Ever curious, he could not let it lie.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

As she was nibbling on her dessert, she thought the Unicorn wanderlust was a strange trait to have, especially when they have land of their own now finally. A part of her wondered if they would respect the borders of their Rokugani kin, especially those Moto louts. She could imagine the Moto bumbling their way into various cities and courts, exclaiming that they were the best at everything and awesome, challenging ancestors that were long dead. That would be quite a nightmare for the rest of the Empire to endure...

"Ooohh? Well, I do recall that a majority of your kin seem keen on seeing the rest of the Empire. I think most of the Empire would be receptive to have you visit their lands, if that's what you truly wish," she giggled on an optimistic note.

"That would indeed leave it on either you or your sister's shoulders. I suppose the fates sometimes don't coincide to people's wishes, but sometimes they do. We just have to keep an open mind on the possibilities, I've learned. Setting strict expectations gives you a goal, but could potentially cause disappointment. When one door closes, there is always another that opens in its place. I could only imagine that your father will find a way to see his grand line realized one way or another." She smiled encouragingly.

"I do have siblings, fiv-four of them," she nodded quickly, more confident of her immediate corrections. "I am the only shugenja in the family, and Bayushi with talent for the kami are rare indeed. We are a rather diverse family and we all follow different paths when it comes to our careers. I think my parents appreciate the differences between us." Or, there were too busy managing the businesses. "Two of my siblings are courtiers, both brothers, though they recently are taken to mercantile ventures when they inherited my mother's businesses. My oldest brother is in Beiden and my oldest sister is something of a kabuki performer, she's constantly on the road."

"Sure! Better sooner than later," she said on an eager note. "I had a conversation with Seppun Hideo not too long ago, a bushi from the Imperial family. It just seems natural that all guests should get some riding lessons so that they can either familiarize themselves with their future spouse or even future Clan. I would be more than willing to learn some horse handling skills."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"That... would probably depend on the visitor, no?" Dong-Ha chuckled awkwardly as Hotaru giggled, trying not to imagine what Moto delegates could achieve. "Though yes, most of us are curious about the Empire.. that we are now part of." he added, taking a bit of the chunk of yokan he held between his fingers.

"My condolences." he bobbed his head briefly, figuring that only reason to miscount your siblings was a recent death. "Sounds like Bayushi-san had an interesting childhood then, with some many siblings. I had... two more, too. But one day during the dark ride, their horse disappeared in the night... and while we could find the horse later, there was no sight of Hyun-Mi or Yu-Jin." hint of sadness crept into Dong-Ha's voice as he recalled the events. "Then again, everyone lost someone... parents, uncles, aunts, siblings... those were dark times." his shoulders slumped. The worst part had been that there had been no bodies to burn. That part he did not mention. He also wanted to ask about this khabug-acting but there simply wasn't enough time.

"So.. how was it to you the, when you realized you could talk to the spirits?"Dong-Ha tried to grasp a more pleasant topic. "Did your parents believe you?" Eager to learn as he was, Dong-Ha leaned towards Hotaru without actually pushing himself too close.

"Perhaps we could head for a small ride, say day after tomorrow?" he didn't want to monopolize her time, and figuring he'd see her at her clan's performance, Dong-Ha saw no reason to hurry things. "We can ride a bit further away from the camp so that you can try your hand at the reins without having others seeing if you tumble down." A mental note was made to figure a way to shorten the stirrups. There was no way her feet would reach stirrups that he used himself.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Did I say five? I thought I said four. Nevertheless, Hotaru didn't seem too shaken by the offered condolences and maintained her smile nevertheless. "That's quite all right, Iuchi-san. Thank you very much for your sympathies." She was probably adopted, anyways. "She's probably with my late father, now.""

"My condolences on your loss, if anything. It's one thing to be affected by loss, but another to endure terrible hardships too. Being as sheltered as I am in comparison, I can't even imagine what you had to go through during the Dark Ride! I hope you know that you're deserving of all of the good reception and respect you've receive. I don't think many here could have endured the same journey you went through and speak of it now." She gave him a deep nod and closed her eyes for a moment, whispering a small blessing to the fallen.

"Well...I guess it took a while. Apparently, it happened far before I could even make my earlier memories. My parents were perhaps more aghast at my strange behaviour and those that I was..." She paused for a moment for fine an appropriate word. Instead, she merely mouthed out the word without saying it. Slooow. "However! Thankfully there were some monks locally and they let them know the possibility that I had this special gift in me to see and talk to the kami around me. My parents were very supportive throughout my life and urged me to focus on my gifts whenever possible. It's part of the reason why I'm a shrine maiden today!" Instead of an owner of a highly successful business, apparently. "They knew that I was special and had to cherish this blessing, return my thanks to the kami and the Fortunes."

"Sure! That would very much like that!" She giggled with a few quick nods. "Now with the treats you've given me, I might be owing you a favour, even after I read your fortune!"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Well... there were also times when nothing happened." Dong-Ha began the story, moving the almost empty cup of tea on the floor between them. "Days after days of plains, hills, small woods... with nothing in sight. Nothing. And then some night..." his tone grew lower. "..some nights would be so dark that you could barely see your own fingers in torchlight. During those nights, some people would just disappear... to never appear again, or worse, appear but as is they were not themselves anymore, devoid of all memories and emotions." he shuddered softly, sighing. "Now it's over though. We are finally... at home." It was hard to phrase that sentence, for he had never known a true home.

He listened intently to her early memories, trying to fathom how it had to feel to hear voices in your head. How did you know you were not going insane? "It sounds that Bayushi-san very kind parents." something he considered a positive thing. If her parents were kind, she would likely make a good mother herself. The line of thought led him to ponder the mechanics that led to parenthood, causing him to blush. "Ahem..." Dong-Ha dropped his gaze, trying to hide the red that was creeping on his cheeks. "That sounds like an unique gift indeed..." he was a little bit envious of power he could not ever grasp.

"Did Bayushi-san something in her mind, then?" his dark eyes sought out hers.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

She gave a sympathetic nod to Dong-Ha's retelling of the Dark Ride. It made her wonder if all Unicorn were equally scarred in the same way by their experiences, which would make some of them rather hardened veterans of a war almost. Potentially even, damaged spouses. What could a few days tell her about them, potentially what might rear its ugly head in a few years after the children were born? "A home is what you make of it, Iuchi-san. Accept your place here, and you will be accepted."

"They were quite understanding and encouraging, which I was thankful to have their support as the youngest in the family," she said as she watched him get flustered for an unexplained reason, wondering if it was an awkward topic.

"Ah, well..." She reached for her satchel of various things, pulling out some custom coins and a container of sticks. "I just happen to be learned in many methods when it comes to reading the fates. Some people prefer astrology, but destiny is ever changing and routine readings are required to get a better read. For that reason, I personally use either counting sticks or coins to tell your destiny in the near future."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Some of the Unicorn were damaged good, one way or another. Meanwhile, others presented the fines their families had to offer. One just had to separate the grain from the chaff. "it will take some time to get used to the idea of having a home." he smiled shyly. "But I'll do my best, hai." He was somewhat worried of the dark tidings that had reached his ears over the past few days, but had not decided not to dwell on those. At least not when he had a chance to learn something new.

"So... which one you plan to use tonight?" he glanced at the coins and let his gaze drift towards the sticks before lifting his gaze. "...or perhaps both?" Dong-Ha sounded a little hopeful. "And are there any differences between coins and sticks?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"There's...'functional' differences between coins and sticks, if I were to choose a word for it. Mortal minds might see a difference between picking up sticks and deducting your answer that way or merely rollings coins in your hand to see what results you get, like dice. I usually like to do people's reading myself, with the sticks, and it's a slightly lengthy method. However, if people are feeling like they can take agency in their hands and determine their own fortune with coins, we can do that method too." She said with a faint smile.

"UItimately, both these methods are used to consult ancient scriptures, partly written by monks of ages past and partly taken from the Tao of Shinsei itself. I've painstakingly memorized each of them in my studies. There are a good handful of results, which make it seem like a finite process but each result is like a personal poem written to you." She gestures to him in a small flourish. "And the poems themselves might never be so simple when it comes to interpretation. One of death could merely be of change. Success could merely be about your rival's success. Of course, I know how to read them best after many divinations. That's why people come to me for their readings and trust me with their futures."

She held her hands out in a defensive gesture to grab his attention. "Just a precaution...To think you can get a different answer from the Fortunes would be a grave mistake and you would be receiving a false positive from them. I wouldn't recommend doing multiple readings, even with different diviners. I'd avoid the temptation to consult street-side diviners, even if they haggle you."

"Do you have any questions about the process?" She asked as she made a reach for the bundle of sticks, not taking it in her hands yet, in case Dong-Ha wanted to do the coin method.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Dong-Ha listened with an almost raptured smile on his face, pausing only to nod as Hotaru explained her methods. It all seemed so complicated and especially the part about learning scriptures by heart felt both dull... and daunting task. "Sounds like that still leaves quite a bit of room for interpretation..." he sounded somewhat doubtful. "Ahh, hai. I'll take your word for it." However he was rather tempted to just the opposite. How badly it could go anyway?

Seeing Hotaru reach for the sticks he merely nodded. "Please." A half nervous, half excited expression remained on his face.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"It does, why's it's not the methods used, but the diviner who matters." She smiled winningly. "Well then, let's begin!"

With that, she began to take the bundle of sticks, feeling them in her hands. She took a small breath in and closed her eyes, as if channelling her intent into the sticks or using them as a conduit to feel the fate and what they had in store for the Iuchi. Once she found her place, her eyes opened slightly but her eyelid remained downcast on the sticks themselves. She set the sticks into two separate piles, there doesn't seem to be an exact way or method she chose those piles, then set a single stick perpendicular to the two piles to link them together. "Heaven. Man. Earth. We are the conduit that ties the Heavens to this plane, but also swayed by each as well." With a wave of one hand, she indicated the single stick in between as 'Man'.

"The celestial heavens shape us, often predetermined in each cycle in what we are and become..." She reached over and picked up the sticks in the 'Heaven' pile and began sorting them, dividing four at a time. into another separate pile. "Each stick for a season, four for a year...We grow and mature, the fates weave closer and strengthen their grip..." After the fours were extracted, she set the remainder next to the single stick. Then she did the same with the 'Earth' pile, withdrawing carefully four at a time. "However, we are also made by the actions that we chose. Each action in a choice but weaves a karma that will determine the results of that choice, done by us but entirely out of our control, even decades later..."

Once that was done, separated the single stick with the remainders and started the whole process once again. All the sticks are taken into one pile and separated once more into their individual parts. This went on until she was able to derive the individual results for each round, or transformation.

"Let's see what the Heavens and fates have in store for you, Iuchi-san..." she said cryptically, as she mulled over the results in her head.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

His eyes followed her hands, taking note of how small they looked. However his attention was on the sticks themselves, trying to decipher the markings scribbled on them. He wasn't sure of the categories she had chosen, but they made sense in the grand scheme of things. Seasons, elements, both groups of four. Two groups of four made eight, an auspicious number. In hopes of seeing better what she was doing, Dong-Ha leaned ever closer.

"Yes...?" Dong-Ha whispered with baited breath.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Hm," Hotaru murmured out loud in the middle of her reading, as she sensed something concerning.

"It seems the Fortunes have directed your fate toward an event of great coordination where your direction will be required," she spoke with her eyes still downcast. "Do you have event or a great project in your heart that you wish to achieve? The attention placed on this aspect seems to indicate that your immediate action or hand is needed. Hesitate and the opportunity will be gone. Worst of all, chaos might take your place in its previous order."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Uhum..." Dong-Ha's eyes widened as her words struck true. "Yes, yes!" How had she known? "I mean.. hmm..." the young mystic frowned, bringing his hand to his chin as he pondered her words. He had no reasons to doubt the veracity of the reading, but the instructions left him somewhat flustered. He had thought he had been doing what was expected of him, but perhaps more was needed. "It makes perfect sense. Thank you Bayushi-san." Excited as Dong-Ha was, he reached to firmly pat her arm. It was an act that would have not been out of place among the Unicorn. Bayushi, however, probably had her own opinion on the matter.

Yes.. the young mystic decided to ask someone out, tonight if possible. It didn't matter who it was, as long as he took action. Hesitation was not acceptable, it would only lead to chaos as Hotaru had said. The Fortunes favored the bold, and as Iuchi had said, everything was one. The meant that Fortunes were him.. and he was Fortunes. "I shall take heed of your words." his wide smile brimmed with gratitude.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru finally looked up when she finished verifying her reading, trying to gauge his reaction from her words and seeing how well they were taken. The thing with reading futures, it couldn't be entirely a lie when it hasn't happened, at least that's how she reasoned it in her mind. Seeing as something seemed to dawned in Dong-Ha's mind, she smiled encouragingly and nodded along. In her role, she didn't always have to connect the whole picture for her clients, they usually did a good job of doing that themselves. "Wonderful, wonderful. It sounds like to me that the Fortunes have granted you not only a vision, but direction as well! Sometimes, people know little about how to proceed with their fates. I'm glad to hear that you're pleased with the reading, Iuchi-san. My job is done."

She blinked twice at the touch that was given to her, putting things on a slightly awkward note. However, she forcibly brushed it away to prevent things from betting too awkward. At least, he didn't touch my hand or started shaking it vigorously or anything...

She maintained a small smile on her lips as she packed away the yarrow sticks back into its container. Once that was done, she reached for her cup of tea again and took a sip. Whew, that saved me a dramatic headache or sudden faint as my contingency plan...