[D5 EE] Final Rites (OPEN)

[Shiba Kaizen]

Kaizen knew he would be present for this as soon as he had heard what had happened. He wore his best kimono watching the ceremony with a somber expression. He did not know the deceased and had only seen her in passing. She died a heroes death as he had no doubt of the words that flowed from the scene of her last moments. It was all very strange though. An orochi in Ningen-do, why? Why attack? These thoughts ran in his mind along with the obvious source of amazement, To wrestle such a spirit, sacrifice yourself that companions may survive. I wonder...

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OOC Kaizen is lost in thought. Should you approach a PM would be appreciated.

[Shinjo Taichi]

Taichi was there, sitting astride Harukaze in his armour. He had fought beside her only a couple of days ago, and yet there she was. Lifeless. He'd heard a short version of what had transpired, and didn't know quite what to think.

I thought we'd gotten past all this.

Sadness mingled with anger and frustration as he kept his silence. Leave the talking to those who were better at it, or that knew her better. His duty was to those still alive.

[Usagi Tomoe]

The Hare joined the gathering, wearing a somber expression and dressed in the closest thing she had to an all white ensemble. She wasn't sure how she could honor Chi-Pu, who had been a noble samurai to the end.

This is too sad... darkness and death still follow the children of Shinjo, even after their return. Chi-Pu-sama, you were a beacon of honor, and now your light is gone... how will your kin fare without you?

[Togashi Udo]

Udo arrives and sees the gathering. He stands still, face looking a bit haunted.

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(PM me if you talk to Udo, please)

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

Monkhbaatar sat atop Meushi with a stoic expression. He nudged closer to the other mounted Unicorn, though didn't have anything to say. The beast that had killed her was dead and there was nothing more to be done than honor her sacrifice.

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj brings morin khur to the front of his saddle and offers a sun prayer glorifying Chi-pu's valor, popular among the Unicorn and thus easy to join in quiet throat singing.

(Prayer!)

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga had never met Chi-Pu, but he was there all the same. He stood next to his fellow Crab, Kaiu Hiroji, his expression somber, and his head respectfully lowered.

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Tomonaga had never met Chi-Pu, but he was there all the same. He stood next to his fellow Crab, Kaiu Hiroji, his expression somber, and his head respectfully lowered.

Hiroji forces himself to look at the dead Unicorn for a few more moments, before looking away, shaking his head. "Thank you for coming Tomonaga-sama, I..." He glances at Chi-Pu's body quickly again, before closing his eyes for a moment. "She was a great warrior, she shouldn't have been slain by a mere snake."

[Moto Khulun]

Butaj rides in on Huludai, armed and armored. His expression is solemn. His instruments are with him, attached to the saddle. He stops his horse behind Khulun.

Khulun gives a nod to Butaj noticing him behind her, she nudges Oguro slightly to give the man a better view of the pyre but otherwise was quiet and grim. Despite the silliness and happiness of the past few days, death was always a constant in the lives of the Unicorn.

Her resolve was hardening.

Udo arrives and sees the gathering. He stands still, face looking a bit haunted.

She had not seen Udo, but it had only been what a day… it was good to see him even if the time was dark and somber. She did not call attention to her gaze and returned her view back to the proceedings she had words building in her heart, and they would need release.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Hiroji forces himself to look at the dead Unicorn for a few more moments, before looking away, shaking his head. "Thank you for coming Tomonaga-sama, I..." He glances at Chi-Pu's body quickly again, before closing his eyes for a moment. "She was a great warrior, she shouldn't have been slain by a mere snake."

"Of course." Tomonaga said, his voice pitched low. He is silent for a few moments after that.

"It's good you're here, too. Not that I expected otherwise. But she died a hero. It seems appropriate that her last companions are here to see her off."

[Moto al-Kalb]

al-Kalb was not much of one for mourning. Death was death and the fate of everyone but he was still there to show his support. Clad in full armor and with his axe the massive warrior took up a silent post near the outside of the ceremony.

[Ide Samai]

Samai was also there, silent and in mourning. She didn't know the Otaku too well, but she still respected her, especially after what happened.

[OOC: please PM if approaching]

[Kaiu Hiroji]

"Of course." Tomonaga said, his voice pitched low. He is silent for a few moments after that.

"It's good you're here, too. Not that I expected otherwise. But she died a hero. It seems appropriate that her last companions are here to see her off."

Hiroji nodded. His face was hardened and betrayed no emotion, except a slight tinge of grief and pain visible in his eyes.
"Yes, she was a hero. Without her, this funeral might be for more than one person... But if I had done more.." He trails off. "She should not have died..." He finishes before he looks away.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha stands in the crowd. She hadn't packed any mourning clothes for the miai, a perfectly logical decision which has already come back to bite her once when she'd had to handle part of the rituals for the much quieter death of Iuchi Tareef, so instead she's in full regalia with a few extra white ribbons hastily added to the dangling trim of her priestly robe.

She'd known Otaku Chi-Pu more from reputation than from personal acquaintance--the only way anyone will know the woman henceforward, she supposes--so she's here as much for moral support for Dong-Ha and the Unicorn mourners as out of any personal sense of grief or connection. She looks around the gathered crowd, noting the watchers from other clans and wondering how many had actually known the dead warrior, and how many others are only here out of curiosity or a taste for spectacle.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Hiroji nodded. His face was hardened and betrayed no emotion, except a slight tinge of grief and pain visible in his eyes.
"Yes, she was a hero. Without her, this funeral might be for more than one person... But if I had done more.." He trails off. "She should not have died..." He finishes before he looks away.

"And if you'd done less, more might have. Was it not you who put it on the ground? Who finished it off? Crab always get the jobs no one else will take." One corner of his mouth twitched upward at the black humor, then settled again. "Her sacrifice gave you that chance. And so the rest of us live on. Like a stone cast into a lake, gone, but there is still a ripple, touching and changing everything."