Crime of Passion [Day 7, ME]

[Kuni Koyuki]

Walking the grounds was particularly odd sight. One which received glances of suspicion more often than any other. A Kuni woman in her prime, and with all the grit of veterancy held in the way she walked, a soldiers walk. Shoulders held high more from training than true pride, a stiffness of posture that only ever seems to relax intentionally. Always standing in such a way to maintain a powerful and secure stance that would keep her grounded.

A woman with a dark cloud hanging far over her head, held at bay with the curiosity that occupied her mind. That thinking she was now toying with after it all. Having come from the game she'd contended in Koyuki was left with a little time before she had to head to the embassy to dress and then to get to the castle afterwards. Leaving her time to wonder at the dark fortune for whom this shrine was devoted and all that entailed her supposed domain. Something told her this was not the right one, and yet a part of her wanted to understand it a bit more directly all the same. From lips of one who has known none of the same upbringing as she.

Yakumo could have told her, but they had more important things to talk about. As much as Koyuki's mind was made up on the thing.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Koyuki was not the only one who took a visit to the shrine Kazumi had been talking to one of the monks there for sometime, the Scorpion had gotten to know a few of the monks over the past couple of years. The two laughed and Kazumi gave him a bow in departure turning toward the entrance to the building they stopped on their tracks.

"Koyuki-san, this is quite a surprise. I would not expect a Kuni to venture to a temple to a dark fortune." They said with mildly raised eyebrows "but it is a pleasant surprise to see you." Kazumi gave her a bow.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I half wonder how you can have that opinion after every time we meet Kazumi-san," she says, humor of the statement a bit more evident in her tone than he might of remembered. Yet, a smile did not seem to be forthcoming to accompany it which was certainly no surprise. Offering a bow to him in turn, no lack in deference. Taking a glance around at the surrounding bustle of the shrine, monks and petitioners both. Getting a sense for herself of what was going on around her in this unfamiliar territory.

"Your performance was excellent the other day, Kazumi-san. I didn't expect something as-" she twists her lip- "it was good."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi shrugged putting hands in their jacket pockets "Well I guess I should just learn to expect the unexpected when it comes to you." They said with some mirth.

The look in their eyes turns a touch more bashful at the praise "Ah that, well thank you. I'm walking away with mixed reviews from what I'm hearing on the streets but everyone I've talked to about it seemed to enjoy it so I'll take it." An eyebrow raised as Kazumi caught up to her words "wait what didn't you expect?" They asked curiously

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Flashy?" Looking up in the direction of her raised brow. Little not-so-subtle sign that she is not sure at all what the right word for the sorta thing was, but it seemed like it fit more than well enough. At least, by what Kazumi could almost certainly put together based on what information about her she had.

[Soshi Kazumi]

At that a light laugh was heard "well yes, I guess I was outside of my usual aesthetic but when you're playing with intergalactic pop idols one has to dress the part." Kazumi winked at her

Kazumi looked about and back to Koyuki "So, to avoid more failed assumptions on my part what does bring you to the Shrine of Passion?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"You were not left behind," she says. Words given there were simple, yet there was always that gravity with the way that she spoke which gave them so much more feeling. One would not think she was simply uninterested by the conciseness of her speech, merely picking exactly the right words for the task and applying them.

"I came here to learn. Can only understand so much about a thing without ever interacting with it. I am curious how what is taught here, by-" she looks around, a subtle gesture vaguely about the room which implies all of the temple and almost assuredly so much more. "I want to understand how it shapes a person. I think."

[Soshi Kazumi]

the look Kazumi gave her was one of sincere gratitude and their voice was a bit softer "Well thank you for that." Koyuki could likely hear the little smile behind the mask.

Kazumi listened intently and nodded "Well that's an admirable quality to have Koyuki-san. Not everyone is so open minded." Kazumi spoke happily and chuckled a little "As for the rest though...I'm not sure how much of that I can tell you. I mean I can tell you some of what the monks have taught but how it shapes a person? That sounds like a pretty big question. I just know it helped me through a hard time."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"You may be praising me too swiftly, Kazumi-san," she says, a slight grimace. Wasn't like she was being altruistic as far as she thought, and not achieving some goal of just understanding others. If anything, her reasons were far too selfish. Does this have some sort of answer for her, or perhaps maybe it might even help her understand Yakumo, it was certainly not something to be commended on. No, she was just stuffing whatever gauze she could hope to find in the wound.

"My questions are big, most often. They are never something one person can answer either but," she looks to him meaningfully, "what you do know could help me find a few of the pieces to this puzzle. If you would be kind enough to indulge me in some of what you know?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi nodded "Well yes I'd happily give you any pieces I can." The motioned into the vast temple "would you like to walk about while I tell you what I can about the dark lady?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

Nodding, "Lead the way, Kazumi-san."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi would start walking down the path of the old temple petitioners praying at various shrines and crimson clad monks tending to things here and there.

They walked for a bit so Koyuki could see things in the temple before they started talking "So what do you already know about Kyoso?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"You would be best served if you were to instruct me on it like a child," she says. Only her own demeanor suggesting the humor via juxtaposition in saying as much because of her generally hyper-mature presentation.

[Soshi Kazumi]

A sparkle of the humor showed in Kazumi's eyes as they looked to Koyuki but they continued walking and talking in an even pace "Well I'll do my best."

"Alright then well Kyoso is the dark fortune of Passion and also consuming obsession. Many kinds of people venerate her as passion is a virtue that takes many forms musicians, artists, warriors, most people can find value in passion. However here I'd say they mostly focus on her domain over Obssession, many of the people you see here are addicts of some kind, drugs, booze, gambling, the usual." Kazumi looked about seeing people praying to shrines and some walking around chanting their prayers.

"These people come to the shrine for help and guidance asking to be delivered from their vices. Many of the monks you see around are actually former doctors and therapists who help wayward souls that stumble through the door looking for guidance."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I understand."

Looking around, she matches faces to the information she was grasping at through Kazumi. Letting her mind wander a little with it, "Would revenge qualify, do you think? A type of obsession but not one that makes it into the list."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi thought for a minute "I suppose any obsession could fit things that Kyoso would have some claim over. I suppose it depends on what you're looking to do with it. Do you wish to be free from the need for revenge? I know some ask Kyoso for deliverance from many unwanted desires and the like."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I need to understand it better before I could answer such a thing. I do not know if I could define this idea as an obsession, because the act in question would be just. There are things that must be answered for, after all. This situation would be one such situation and yet," she grimaces, some additional gravity to her tone despite talking at the issue with some distance.

"What if you feel you must, but you do not want to?" she asks, looking to Kazumi directly. An earnest appeal.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi grimaced behind the mask but some of the expression likely bled through their gaze "That is....a difficult question to answer in general terms." They grew quiet for a moment and thought.

"I suppose if the cause is just and it is important to you then it's a good cause" they hesitate "though if you allow it to consume you....might not be the best thing. I have heard it said when you embark on a journey for revenge dig two graves." Kazumi repeated some wisdom they had been taught not long ago.

"I would ask myself why I have to be the one to carry out the sentence. I also don't know if I've ever felt the need to enact vengeance I didn't want to."

"I'm sorry I'm rambling, I don't know if any of that helped or made sense."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Considering it for no short amount of time Koyuki looks out over the space around them but there were no answers to be found there. No, everything she needed was already inside her own head. She'd dug those graves two years ago after she'd come back. For the last two years she wanted nothing more than to fill them and be done with the whole sordid mess. Put everyone in the ground together side by side like they belonged.

Now.. she still had to do it. For the others, the one's who can't make a choice anymore like she can. Right?

"That helps, thank you Kazumi-san. I know at least this is not the answer to that particular question," she says, sighing as the tension settles away from her for a moment. Refocusing on this moment, "Do you venerate her?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi looked at her for a time their eyes a little unreadable but then they nodded before answering "Well venerate is likely too strong a word. The monks here helped me through a particularly tough time in my life. I hit my rock bottom and the people here helped me bounce back and build, in my opinion, a better life than what I had before."

"I am incredibly grateful to the people who work here and by extension have respect for the teachings of Kyoso and will come here to pray from time to time."