D10EM, Command Performance (Closed)

[Seppun Sadako]

Sadako's head pivots at Shinnosuke's words, and the skin at the sides of her eyes tightens slightly.

"That is a good and relevant point, Doji-san," she says, a little edge creeping into her voice. "I suppose wards will have to be expanded and adjusted."

She takes a deep breath. "I will make sure it happens."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"Which prayer did you attempt against the spirit, Asahina-san?" Sadako asks. "There are a number of common ones that might apply.

"But if there is consistency among the incidents...we can hope a single ritual will work, once guided appropriately."

"Nothing terribly powerful. "Freedom of the Air, it's known among the Asahina. Simple cleansing for preparing shrines and homes. I wouldn't be surprised that a powerful spirit wouldn't be much affected, but having the air spirits just...stop. I've never had that happen before."

She listens to Shinnosuke's worry, and Sadako's response with some relief that there would be protection for the heirs. "If it feeds on love of power, or anxiety, or, well all the many things that have to be swirling around the heirs," she pauses, grasping for words and just sighs, "yeah," with a look that says she does not envy Sadako her duties this winter.

[Seppun Sadako]

"It would seem the first step would be to identify the spirit accurately," Sadako says. "Armed with that knowledge, corrective measures will be the more easily undertaken."

She pauses, considering.

"There is a Kuni among the delegates. Have you spoken with them?"

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"It would seem the first step would be to identify the spirit accurately," Sadako says. "Armed with that knowledge, corrective measures will be the more easily undertaken."

She pauses, considering.

"There is a Kuni among the delegates. Have you spoken with them?"

"Kuni Shiori-san? Hai. She was planning some research when we spoke last, but also didn't have a positive identification. But if any clan has a good compilation of test procedures, I'd imagine it's theirs." Though Shintaro's thrill for data would lean that was as well. "I'm continuing to scour the library as well."

[Seppun Sadako]

"Good," Sadako says, nodding. "Keep me informed."

She turns to Shinnosuke. "Do you have anything to add, Doji-san?"

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Shinnosuke frowns, unwontedly sober and thoughtful. "I don't think so, ma'am. My knowledge is little enough, and I'm not a priest--I got mixed into this because I asked Yamada-san and Kitsu-sama about the spirit wind and visions that happened six days ago. I will do anything I can to help, of course," he adds with a partial return of his usual energy.

Another thought occurs to him, and he adds, "Lady Seppun, do you have any idea how we might try to identify this spirit? If we can? Would, er... would other spirits know?"

[Seppun Sadako]

"Some," Sadako replies, "although it is not a specialty."

She continues "It is likely that the spirits know what kind of thing stalks among them, although whether they have words for it that we would understand or could even fully understand the questions we ask is an unfortunately open question. Asahina-san can attest to that for you, I think; air spirits are, pardon the pun, breezy, for one example. They might be able to be used more directly for discernment, but that would require the presence of the thing in question, since you have to have a thing on hand to study that thing."

She takes another of her deep breaths.

"It would be nice to have a simple, direct answer, wouldn't it? But even we obfuscate things, don't we?"

[Asahina Hoshiko]

Hoshiko nods at the excellent question. She doesn't know of a naturalist's key to the spirits of the realms, but perhaps the Seppun, with several hundred years of dedication to protecting a single person's safety... Ah, no. Well, then.

"That does lead to the unsettling option of learning how to, um...attract it, with someone nearby to question those spirits of the air for a formal introduction." She looks at the notes. "Names, many and none. Not the thing anyone expected this winter."

[Seppun Sadako]

"Remind me, please, Asahina-san, of the circumstances in which you encountered the spirit," Sadako says. "It may be something we can replicate."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

Hoshiko nods. "I was trying, much as tonight, to draw upon my connection to Meido. But in that case," she pauses a moment considering whether this would appear improper. Improper or not, a report was asked for. "In that case I wanted to see if there were noticeable effects upon the realm, given the recent transition of the Empress. As it happened, I learned nothing, and the spirit interrupted...possibly interferred?"

[Seppun Sadako]

"Were you attempting some ritual?" Sadako asks. "I've heard of such things, of course, but that's far outside my specialty."

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Shinnosuke listens carefully, fascinated although somewhat out of his depth. "Wasn't it an ordinary sort of divination ritual to begin with, Yamada-san? I thought you mentioned something like that."

Haku had been comparatively polite for the earlier part of this conversation, but as an aristocrat among dogs he's not much of a respecter of status among humans, and breakfast still hasn't arrived. So by this point he's staring openly at Shinnosuke from about two feet away, tongue lolling from his short muzzle, tassel of a tail fwopping on the tatami. Shin shushes him, trying to be inconspicuous about it.

[Seppun Sadako]

Sadako makes a little kissing sound and snaps her fingers, and Haku comes over to her.

Somehow, she has a little treat up her sleeve for the little guy.

[Asahina Hoshiko]

(Thank you..yes. I'm a bit scrambled in the post-work catching up and garbled that memory)

Hoshiko nods. "Not that divinations have been normal of late either."

Looking to Lady Seppun, "the passage into other realms is normally more like meditation or falling asleep. I thought it was dreams when that talent first made itself known." She frowns a bit, "with this realm fenced in by that of dreams, perhaps that's not too far off."

[Seppun Sadako]

"What do you mean, 'fenced in,' Asahina-san?" Sadako asks.

She also bends down slightly to give the pupper scritchies.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Haku snaffles the treat delightedly and flops onto the matting for full-body scritches. He's a noble beast in many respects, but his loyalty is easily bought when his tummy is hungry.

Shin continues to listen to the experts!

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"What do you mean, 'fenced in,' Asahina-san?" Sadako asks.

She also bends down slightly to give the pupper scritchies.

Hoshiko smiles at Haku receiving his due. True prince of Crane House that he is.

"One of the spirits said, 'The walls of Ningen-do are bound with sleep.' Which makes some sense when so many wander into Yume-do...or it wanders into our minds...there's some disagreement on that, I think," she says. "I'm thinking that part of what they said there...if Yume-do also borders other realms, it sounds like things can slip into the dream realm and from there to ours, even if normally they wouldn't have access."

[Seppun Sadako]

"I see," Sadako says. "The interactions of the Realms are not as charted as I might like, or at least not on the charts I've seen. I would wager the Lord Kitsu knows more."

A heavy breath. "I'll need to talk to him, too, it seems."

To Haku, she adds "Who's a good boy?"

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"I'll send him a copy of my notes here as well." Hoshiko says. "And yes, the intersections can't be mapped as we would a province or a river. One doesn't walk into another realm just by walking...except when they do."

Her stomach choses that moment to rumble slightly. Haku's not the only one late for their usual breakfast. Hoshiko covers the noise, shifting her page of notes and asks. "Would Seppun-sama prefer to continue the discussion over tea and breakfast?"

[Seppun Sadako]

"I would," Sadako says, "but my preferences must be set aside in favor of what is needed. I have other visits I must make."

She looks at both of them. "I shall look forward to the results."