He had found a blade that looked like his brother's. He brought it to the sword to The Temple of the Ancestors. He would offer a prayer and wondered if it can be checked by the shugenja in the temple.

One of the monks in the temple would meet Shigeru after a while, bowing to him respectfully. It was a man in his fifties with a few visible scars in his face, likely the heritage of 'interesting times' in his life before retiring to the temple.

"Mirumoto-san", he would say in a flat and very soft tone. "I have been informed you were looking for help with an item from your family. Was it something belonging to one of your Ancestors?"

Shigure smiled at the man and nodded. "Yes... I am just wondering... about it." He looked at his side and shook his head. "I don't know... they might be."

"Might be?" The monk raises one eyebrow, but soon lifts a hand gesturing for Shigure to follow him further inside. "One of our priests may be able to help you, Mirumoto-san. But we may need to know more about these swords, so that the spirits answer the right questions."

After walking through some corridors, they arrive at a small room, where a hooded shugenja in black robes, a golden mask apparently covering her eyes completely, lies in waiting.

"Yogo Takara-sama", the monk says, bowing. "Mirumoto-san here would like some guidance regarding a pair of swords. Possibly a family heirloom", he adds, looking at the Dragon as if to confirm the latter.


The priestess bows slightly before speaking, her voice deep and strong despite her speaking softly.
"Mirumoto-san. We will be glad to help however we can", she says - although the way she sounds 'glad' may not be the best way to put it. "I shall need to see the swords in question. And... what can you tell me about them? What is it you seek to know?"

The Mirumoto nodded and followed the old monk. "They look similar to my brother's... my twin..." He frowned. Shigure bowed to the nun and sighed. "I found them in the Desolation... I was told my brother for some reason went there a few weeks ago." The Mirumoto explained. "I am Mirumoto Shigure and who I believe this swords help us to is Shigeru of the Mirumoto as well."

Mirumoto Shigure wrote: ↑

Tue May 03, 2022 11:51 am

The Mirumoto nodded and followed the old monk. "They look similar to my brother's... my twin..." He frowned. Shigure bowed to the nun and sighed. "I found them in the Desolation... I was told my brother for some reason went there a few weeks ago." The Mirumoto explained. "I am Mirumoto Shigure and who I believe this swords help us to is Shigeru of the Mirumoto as well."

"Your twin. I see." The masked face turns towards the Mirumoto, "It's an important connection, what you share." She keeps quiet, head moving slightly, as if she were observing something, although it's hard to tell with her eyes covered by the golden mask. "Will you let me see the swords, Mirumoto-san?", she asked. The word see might sound strange, considering, but it was said with no modulation to her voice.

"What type of relationship did you have?", she asks as she extends her hands forward, as if to start a prayer of some sort.

Shigure looked to the side. "We share an ancestral bond... We like animals." He gave the swords to the nun. "We used him play together... but our path were to be forked and he went to study with the Unicorn... I worry with the tension between clans..." Shigure shook his head. "I hope nothing is wrong with him."

Mirumoto Shigure wrote: ↑

Tue May 03, 2022 5:14 pm

Shigure looked to the side. "We share an ancestral bond... We like animals." He gave the swords to the nun. "We used him play together... but our path were to be forked and he went to study with the Unicorn... I worry with the tension between clans..." Shigure shook his head. "I hope nothing is wrong with him."

The masked face nods very slightly as the Dragon speaks. She then slowly takes her right hand to the hilt of one of the blades, reaching it easily despite the mask apparently covering her eyes.

"Tension. I understand. Tension and Bond are often side by side. Love and suffering. Pleasure and pain".

She falls silent, tilts her head upwards, then whispers something.

She turns her head to one side, then another, as if taking in a scene. A long silence, then the soft but deep voice is heard again, her head still tilted upwards.

"I see... a woman. Grinning. Rejoicing. Dancing. Your eyes shine on hers. Her colours are... dulled. Uncertain. But not her spirit. It shines brightly, and eyes like yours shine within it."

Silence.

"The dancing stops. A scream. The woman... hurt. Gone? Not clear. Swords are drawn. Red stains scattered. Roof giles falling. Bricks. More red stains. Swords fall down. A whole house falls down. So do your eyes. They hurt. They look up. A collapsed ceiling. A collapsed spirit."

More silence.

"Hurt."

Silence again.

"Hope. A memory of dancing. Silhouettes. Seem to be chanting. Your eyes look up. The colour of a sweet scent. The woman's? But it's soon gone. There's just a hint of a scent. The faces of a few people. A tug. Another one. Then the collapsed House, and loneliness".

Her head still keeps up for half a minute as if she were in a trance of some sort. Finally, she lowers her head again.

"This I see, Mirumoto-san. Is this what you seek?"

Shigure frowned. It was odd. He looked beside him and nodded. "Not quite but then again the spirits can be fickle and the swords perspective in a different way." The young Dragon reply

The masked woman nods. "Swords, spirits, people. All experience different angles of being"

She falls silent, for a long time. "Yet it is all reality. Even mists are reality, in their own way. Even clear heads find delirium - and sometimes rejoice in it"

She takes a step back. "Mirumoto-san seems troubled. I suggest you say a prayer to lead your way. Perhaps chanting. Voice may guide where eyes do not"

With that, she bows to the Dragon. "Can this temple aid you in any other way, Mirumoto-san?"

"I suppose not... even if I am curious enough to ask about the Desolation... But I don't think I want to know." Shigure sighed. "It's okay for the past be just that." The Mirumoto took the blades back. "I shall pray to our ancestors and hope they protect my brother wherever he is." He closed his eyes and started to pray.

"A prayer is always welcome. I'm sure your brother will be thankful wherever he is."

And with that they leave him to his prayers.

(/scene? If you want to ask something about this in your PF feel free to!)