Like many days, Shiba Ryushi prayed to Fukurokujin. He always asked the Fortune for wisdom that never comes to the poor soul. He continues to contemplate what have he done or his ancestors done to annoy the fortunes mostly venerated by the Phoenix. Maybe it was poor judgement of just the Fortune retaliation for an unwise decision who knows.


D7 LM Lore Theology/ void 0VP 0CR let the Fortune troll me | 4k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 20) wrote the wrong TN because forgot the +5 from Curse. But passed.

Whatever has become of the gunso Ryushi saved so long ago?

Ryusei happened by after his breakfast with Yuna, walking on air, and keenly aware that he had a lot to thank the Fortunes for.

He spotted his fellow Shiba and blinked.

He had barely spoken to most of his fellow Phoenix since Court had begun.

Still time to fix that.

He approached Ryushi, but tried not to.... interrupt anything.

Ryushi sighed and shook his head. The scene of the man taking the arrow to the soul just to help a man that was his superior hurt in more ways than knots. The Shiba noted his fellow Phoenix that he had seen around court and had recommended to be the face of the clan delegation. The man gave his cousin a bow. "Shiba sama... hope the fortunes bless you today."

"No 'sama' here, my friend. And as it happens, the Fortunes have blessed me so abundantly that I'm here to thank them... you?"

"Fortunes favor this one when they have good humor and need a bag to kick." Ryushi said as a joke. "No offense to them though I just some times feel like the rear of some entity that just wish me the worst. Thus I pray for guidance."

Ryusei... blinked.

"Have you considered thanking them for their blessings? I seem to recall you having some musical aptitude...."

"I always thank them for the blessings that they give me but sometimes the fortunes like to toy with me." Ryushi shrugged. "I really don't mind. I believe that I carry this karma for doing something that I believed was right. Sacrifice leads our clan."

"Hm. Well. If the Fortunes are punishing you that sounds less like sacrifice than some offense- maybe in a prior life?"

Ryushi just shook his head. "If it was a previous life I would like to remedy that before my soul is reborn or ends up in Yomi." The man looked at the shirne and wondered. "I made a decision once, cousin, that affected my soul and my connection with the fortunes and the spirit realms." The Shiba explained.

"Oh? It is something you feel you can speak about, or is it perhaps a topic we should politely move on from?"

"Depends on how you feel listening to stories of nonsense and oddity." Ryushi smirked.

"I live on the coast in a castle that last got seriously repaired during the First War. Trust and believe, nonsense and oddity are something I'm familiar with."

"Well... her ot goes. You know when your instincts tell you to do something but your are too loyal to your ideals that you end up in a worse situation than you began with?" Ryushi asked rhetorically. "That is my case."

Ryusei cocked his head to the side.

"I'm not sure I follow. In my experience, denying instinct is more or less at the heart of being a samurai."

Ryushi sighed. "A samurai shouldn't be choosing between their spiritual wellbeing or saving a man. Decisions made in brashly make you pay the prize." The Shiba explained. "A sacrifice I carry and a debt that is barely recognized." He realized his words were poorly chosen. "Is not that...I am corrupted by sin... rather...hmmm...I don't know how to explain it."

Ryusei still wasn't getting it.

"In saving a man, do you believe you angered the Fortunes? Or did you anger them by letting a man die?"

"Saving the man triggered more than the anger of the fortunes but a realm." Ryushi sighed. "So now pay my respects to the Fortune... but I know it isn't enough."

That... got another blink.

"You angered an entire spiritual realm by saving a man's life? That's... I think I need the full story, Shiba-san."

"Not just any man... My commanding officer, the gunzo of the legion I was part off..." The cursed man sighed. "It is not an easy story to tell, cousin but I will do my best." It was painful for Ryushi because it was a heated battle where brash decisions were made for a man who tends to have a clear mind. "Let's find a place to sit. I will tell you about that scar."