Soshiki

[Kirin]

The bells at the temple tolled for the hour of the day. The ceremony was quiet as Makoto, dressed in the garments of a priestess led the ceremony with chanting. Incense was burned throughout the courtyard of the temple. Amaya's body was lying in rest, dressed in a pure white kimono. Her body looked small and it was surrounded by colorful and fragrant flowers. She looked peaceful. Tamotsu and his sister, Mai, were kneeling at the front of the procession. They both were seated above Chizuru under a tent. Kana and Kitano were kneeling to the right side of Amaya's body. Katsumi was at the left and Trydian was seated with Chizuru.

Everyone's heads were bowed in respect for Amaya. The funeral procession was small, as funerals for the Kakashigoto were to be very small. The head of the Eru clan was seated with Tamotsu and Mai. Everyone was unemotional and no one shed a tear until Makoto was finished with her chanting.

Chizuru's eyes opened as she watched monks carry Amaya's body solemnly to a stack of wood that was laid out like a bed for her. They carefully placed the flowers back to their original positions. Makoto's walk was slow and deliberate as she burned incense along the way. She had hoped to keep the spirits of the dead away. Tamotsu stepped down from his seat and bowed deeply to Makoto. A torch was handed to Tamotsu and without any sort of warning or ceremony, he lit the wood on fire.

Chizuru bowed her head and prayed silently that she would ascend to the stars like others have in the past. Her hands folded against one another. Collectively, Kitano, Kana, Mai and the Eru head bowed. Chizuru and all the women wore white kimono while all the men wore black kimono and hakama. Makoto was the only one wearing anything of color, a dull green priestess' kimono. She opened her eyes once more and sighed softly.

Kitano's head remained bowed. He had a high amount of respect for the woman. She had to deal with Chizuru on a daily basis, after all.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi knelt where he was supposed to be at,keeping his head low and not making eye contact with anyone.
He'd just sit it out playing along with everyone else and making sure he did things right,not wanting to disrespect anyone
or cause anymore problems then he already had.
His black hair hid his face,his pale skin seeming to stand out against the black clothing he so normally and comfortably wore at home.
The polish that covered his nails remained black as it always was..No one in his family wore any sort of colorful clothing,well any of the elders anyways,an exception for a few anyways.
He sighed softly.
He would not acknowledge Chizuru's presence,he would not speak to her..or even look at her.
He would only respond when spoken to,and even then his responses would be kept short with the professional manner he tried to keep up back at home.
He felt better at least now after his hunt,his hunger quenched for the while.

[Trydian]

The procession was strange and foreign. Trydian sat by Chizuru, watching everything turn in a smooth transition. It was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Amaya laid out, as if she were simply resting, which startled the full demon. He had never actually gazed at a corpse and wondered about its humanity. It was awkward seeing Katsumi again, the man didn't acknowledge much, but he did pay his respects. Trydian decided to let their racial tension disappear, as though it never existed.

Chizuru's tension could be felt, along with the feeling of remorse. For hiding their emotions, they did a poor job at it, but he did have a stranger connection. Emotions overwhelmed Trydian, which was something he normally evaded. Interrupting Chizuru's prayer, he took her hand in his, without thinking of it as an offense.

Watching the remains burn, he began to think of mortality on a different level. Her people had gone through so much, just to simply respect the death of someone so trusted. Trydian stared into the flames, entranced by the experience and his own thoughts.

[Kirin]

Chizuru's eyes opened and she glanced at Trydian briefly. She offered the slightest of smiles. The smell of burning wood, flowers and eventually flesh mingled into a strange stench that Chizuru only knew as funeral smell. Funeral smell always stayed with people for a few days no matter how much they bathed. She turned back to the fire, watching Tamotsu throw rice onto the fire from a bucket provided by Makoto. The entire process took an hour and a half. Makoto declared the funeral as finished and everyone was allowed to do as they wished.

Makoto approached Katsumi. "Come with me. You must finish your work." She said this with no sort of malice.

Kitano stood. He walked over to Katsumi with a tiny smile. "I have to help them pick the bones out of the ashes. Makoto is nice. You'll be fine."

The two Eru climbed down from their tent and walked to the remains of Amaya's body. The tent was moved to shield them from the sun and from onlookers. Tamotsu joined the Eru and everyone looked up, waiting for Kitano. Kitano gave Katsumi a hug, then quickly ran to the tent, where priests handed metal chopsticks to each person and the task of sorting the bones began. Makoto smiled and motioned for Katsumi to follow her.

Chizuru turned to Trydian and looked up at him. "This portion of the ceremony is a private one. The family sorts out the bones and places them in an urn to be buried with the rest of their family."

Kana approached Trydian and Chizuru with caution. She bowed deeply. Again, she had used magic to conceal her true appearance. She appeared as nothing more than a beautiful human woman. Her hair was piled upon her head in a traditional style and kanzashi, hair ornaments, decorated her head. She, like the Empress, wore a simple white kimono. However, unlike the Empress, she wore plain cotton rather than the expensive silk that the Empress wore. It would be insane to be clothed in richer fabric than the Empress. Chizuru was one of the few that knew her true appearance. The fey typically had a golden skin tone, and she appeared to boast heritage from The Valley and The Twin Countries, which was absurd. Considering that she was a fey. She wondered if there were more types of them that she didn't know about. She was aware of the presence of sidhe and she was also aware that The Valley had their own tales that involved fey-like creatures. She wasn't sure of which variety that Kana came from. Either way, Chizuru treated Kana with respect.

"You look beautiful today, Your Majesty. I am sorry for our meeting in these circumstances." Kana greeted Chizuru. She bowed briefly, as though she were an equal, to Trydian. "My name is Kana Owara. I am a simple wanderer."

"Ah, but you are more than a wanderer, Kana-san. You have taught me much about herbs from here and from The Valley. Your knowledge is invaluable, Kana-sensei."

Chizuru was excellent at flattery if need be.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi stood up once able to,he brushed a bit of his hair out of his face and turned to look at Makoto.

"Come with me. You must finish your work."


He nodded and then seen Kitano approach,he smiled warmly.

"I have to help them pick the bones out of the ashes. Makoto is nice. You'll be fine."


He nodded once more.


"Alright,Kitano-kun."

He said calmly,and hugged Kitano in return kissing him on the cheek before the hug was broke.
If Kitano had nothing more to say and once he ran off to help,Katsumi would turn to Makoto.


"Alright,we can go."


Still,he wouldn't bother to even approach Chizuru,and hadn't even batted an eye at the man who had taken her hand during the funeral.
He didn't care anymore..she was just another face in the crowd now.
He'd follow Makoto off to where needed be quietly,keeping to himself for now.
His expression remained blank,the only person who could seem to get him to do otherwise
was Kitano now.

[Trydian]

Trydian realized he was holding her hand and quickly took his away. Emotions sometimes got the better of him and this had been one of those times. Katsumi wasn't really making his presence known, but he did acknowledge the unfriendliness, that practically oozed out of his vampiric aura. Without expression, Trydian watched, as the family went about their private ceremony. Everything in this country seemed to have some type of ceremony attached to it. It seemed like a lot of trouble for the dead, now that he was back to his senses.

Kana introduced herself and was surprisingly welcoming. He could sense that she was different from the rest, but he didn't publicly act aware of it. The fey may have her reasons for concealing her identity and they certinaly didn't need more dramatic events. Trydian shared a knowing look with her and acted as though he could see through her disguise. The action would be a private one shared, but the demon would treat her like an average mortal girl attending a funeral.

I know what you are, you don't have to hide from me. I could smell and sense you, the moment you entered. Trydian shared private words with her, all the while he acted natural. It was awkward when she bowed to him and he felt like he should return the gesture.

The entire place was suffocating with a melancholy atmosphere. Demons normally enjoyed creating these emotions and fears, but not when it made Chizuru uncomfortable. “So, you're a wanderer? I'm a thief by trade...I'd check your pockets before you left.” Smirking, he decided to test her patience with him. Showing his fangs through a wide grin, Trydian wondered about confronting Katsumi on his own. He could always 'accidentally' come across him.

“I'm Trydian Xanathi... Chizuru's personal body guard.” Trydian practically gloated about his place with the empress and often failed to include her title when referencing her.

[Kirin]

Makoto waited patiently, then she led Katsumi to a separate quarry. There were different types of stones used for grave markers. She motioned to Katsumi.

"Pick the one that you like the best."

She stopped paying attention to Katsumi and began to pay more attention to the sky. "Carve whatever you wish upon that stone, so long as Eru Amaya's name, birth date and date of death is upon that stone. Typically, we use small stones because the family graves can be crowded rather quickly."

Makoto's fingers tapped against her knee. She looked back at Katsumi. "Oi! So, you and Kitano are in love?" She asked with a small smile.

The priestess would have never thought Kitano. The priestess was one of the few that boasted silver hair that was puffy. She wore a hat to conceal her odd hairstyle today, though normally, it was wild. Her tail, ornamented with metal chain mail swayed slightly. She had silvery eyes to match her silvery hair. The woman was tall and she constantly carried a staff with her. The staff was decorated with feathers. Makoto was playful in appearance. She had attributes of a monkey, as she was the Monkey Princess. Her ears were that of a monkey, though her face was still humanoid in appearance.

She was rarely trifled with because she had, on more than a few occasions, tossed men distances that were unnatural. But the woman was of a playful and gentle nature.

Kana, meanwhile, realized that Trydian knew what she was and she knew what he was. She could smell him, different from humans and vampires. Her lips curved upwards in a genuine smile.

I can say the same for you. Chizuru knows of my true nature.

"Good thing I do not have pockets. I would be poorer by now." She replied with a wink and a soft laugh.

Chizuru smiled. "I believe it is a good time for a meal, neh?"

Kana and Chizuru had a very deep friendship and Chizuru didn't seem to feel any sort of jealousy towards Trydian. The fact of the matter was that Chizuru knew she had Trydian wrapped around her pinky and she also knew that Kana was very much not interested in a relationship after the last couple went south very quickly.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi followed Makoto to the quarry..
He stopped once she did,amber eyes peered around slowly seeming to be rather impressed
by all the different shapes,sizes and colors of the different rocks..
Even the most insignificant things,seemed to be beautiful to Katsumi.

"Pick the one that you like the best."


Katsumi nodded and began looking around..


"Carve whatever you wish upon that stone, so long as Eru Amaya's name, birth date and date of death is upon that stone. Typically, we use small stones because the family graves can be crowded rather quickly."


He nodded again as he continued looking around quietly,he grabbed one small stone staring at it..He could see the different quartz bits in it..It had been the first he found to even have any quartz in it..The rest he had seen were pretty,but this one stood out.

"Oi! So, you and Kitano are in love?"


Katsumi nearly dropped the rock,he caught it quickly however the weight not even a problem to Katsumi obviously.
He blushed horribly..Running his fingers along the rock's surface,he could feel all the different bumps..grooves and patterns in it...
The rock itself was of a decent size,it's width offering decent space for words but the rock itself wasn't too large..



"..Yes....he's so good to me and of course he's really cute..he doesn't want to push me away for anything..he hasn't even forgotten about me since the first time we met..He waited for me all this time..I want him to be in my life..I..I want to make him happy like he makes me happy."


He said as he stared down at the stone still,a small smile on his face as he'd look up at her.


"..This one,I'd like to use this one..I know what I want to put on it..but..what's her birthdate?....Were there any specific things you wanted me to use for the carving?..I don't want to do something you or the others wouldn't approve of."


He said.

[Trydian]

Trydian wasn't that hungry, but he knew it was meant for a distraction. He knew he'd be fast friends with Kana and she reminded him a little of his sister- back when she still held her innocence. Remembering his action earlier, he hugged Chizuru close, not minding if it was appropriate or not. He'd be damned if he cared about a mortals funeral. It would obviously take more than one, to change his mind on spirituality.

Kissing the empress, he knew she felt as an equal with him. Chizuru wasn't one to openly express her feelings, but that was the time to show his. “I want you to join me for Cha No Ya...I've prepared something special for you.” Trydian hadn't actually planned anything, but he naively assumed it would be easy to quickly assemble.

Kana would see the closeness and that he had no interest in seducing another. Trydian was the loyal type of man and not easily pursued like his father. Keeping Chizuru close, he didn't let her withdraw into her comfort zone.

[Kirin]

Makoto picked at her teeth and looked at Katsumi. "Oh, yeah? He's a good kid. Always has been a good kid. I remember when he used to help run a fancy teashop with his cousin. Man, they had the best tea. Turns out they stole it from foreigners. Oh well." She smiled. "I know all about that kid. He's always been a prodigy with that giant bow of his. You know, not many people can shoot a bow that size. Not only that, but he has an awesome singing voice. He even stopped smoking when I told him he was ruining his voice."

She had a great respect for Kitano, only because she watched over him like a mother would. Seeing as Kitano had no mother or father, he lived at the temple for most of his life until the Hinode elder found him. Kitano was trained in the art of espionage and stealth according to the Hinode ways.

Makoto gave Katsumi the birthdate. She shrugged. "You can write whatever you want as long as it is respectful."

She looked over to the Empress for a moment, seeming confused.

Chizuru was very much confused. She hugged him back, surprised by the invasion of her space. "I..I..You can do the ceremony?" She stammered. "Did Tamotsu tell you how?"

Kana smirked. Oh, this is amusing.

Chizuru kissed Trydian with a blush, then pulled back. "Well, that is wonderful! Maybe when the moon is bright, we can have cha-no-ya, neh?"

That should give you a little time to learn.

Chizuru tried to stand, to brush off what had happened, but she realized that she couldn't. Showing her feelings so openly was something she was unused to. Chizuru now was just seeming to play along as she hugged Trydian.

[Katsumi Viora]

"Oh, yeah? He's a good kid. Always has been a good kid. I remember when he used to help run a fancy teashop with his cousin. Man, they had the best tea. Turns out they stole it from foreigners. Oh well." She smiled. "I know all about that kid. He's always been a prodigy with that giant bow of his. You know, not many people can shoot a bow that size. Not only that, but he has an awesome singing voice. He even stopped smoking when I told him he was ruining his voice."

Katsumi listened to Makoto talk about Kitano..When she mentioned Kitano could sing,Katsumi seemed to perk up a bit.
He was of course impressed by Kitano's other achievements but singing/playing instruments was something highly valued in his family just like their wings.

"He's been gifted with such talents..Plus a singing voice to go along with everything.."


He blushed horribly as he looked down at the stone in his hands..When it came right down to it,passed all the professional,follow orders,do your work sort of personality Katsumi had..He was just like everyone else..and able to show emotions just like the others could..

"...I bet he has such a beautiful singing voice..."


He swooned,blushing horribly still..trailing off for a moment before he shook his head.


"You can write whatever you want as long as it is respectful."


Katsumi shook his head and looked up..


"Oh..right right,sorry..yes of course.."


He said and went over to where he could,looking at the tools it was easy to figure out after a moment of looking things over..He was quiet as he worked,making sure to utilize all the space the stone gave him..He started off with Amaya's name and then her birth-date/death-date..it took him a bit,he was rather precise with how he wrote things..His writing was surprisingly rather neat/orderly.
After a while he finished with the first part,making sure everything was clean looking..He'd then start off with the little quote for the rest of the stone..It would take him a bit,just as long as it had been with the first part..if not longer..But once he was finished he'd make sure like the beginning,it was clean..neat and orderly..He'd also make sure the corners/edges etc were nice looking before he'd carry it over to Makoto to show her..The quote read...


Death makes angels of us all
& gives us wings
where we had shoulders
smooth as raven's
claws


He smiled,canting his head.


"What do you think?"


He asked..

[Trydian]

Trydian thought of a way to keep his expression neutral. Kana spoke to him directly, understanding his intentions almost immediately. Glaring at her quickly, he looked back to Chizuru. “He's shown me everything...I wanted to surprise you, but I couldn't resist letting you know.” Looking briefly toward Kana, he spoke to her through his mind.

I can keep my act up, as long as you can hold your disguise.

He was not in a mood for games, but rather motivated to please Chizuru. After such a solemn afternoon, he decided she should be cheered up. Tamotsu would probably beat him for it, but maybe he could give him a brief lesson of the ceremony. After all, if a mortal could do it, why couldn't he?

Kana definitely gave him a sense of rivalry, but more in a sibling sense. She was amused, and her body language said it all. The smirk across her face just confirmed it. Trydian wanted to wipe that smirk off her face and put her in her place- but he didn't dare. He already had a bad name for himself and he was still trying to justify his current actions.

“I want us to spend a private evening together, so I've arranged for it.” They really had little time for private moments, but this fact didn't surprise him. Since the chaos, Chizuru was barely allowed any time for herself, let alone him. If he could accomplish the ceremony, maybe she would be more willing to spend time with him.

Once they left, he would meet up with Tamotsu again and explain the situation. He had no doubt that he could master it in a few days time.

[Kirin]

"I think it's appropriate." Makoto was paying more attention to a passing butterfly. She was easily distracted. Her tail moved to catch up with the butterfly, wanting to hold the small creature.

She smiled happily. "Oh, he does sing beautifully, but he is shy about his singing voice." She caught the butterfly and brought it up to almost eye level. Makoto was smiling and laughing playfully. "Do you like butterflies, Katsumi no Viora?"

Makoto turned her attention to Katsumi. "We don't really have angels here. They are a type of kami, but kami do exist here." She gently lifted the butterfly to her finger and moved her hand out to Katsumi very slowly. "You see, humans are very fragile, sort of like this butterfly. Everything about them is fragile, even their emotions." The orange and black butterfly fluttered its wings, startled by the movement. "I don't know. I had something wise to say there, but I forget what it is."

She patted Katsumi on the should after the butterfly fluttered off. Makoto's shoulder pats were like getting punched in the shoulder and she didn't realize it. "Sorry." She said sheepishly. "But don't dwell too long on things or you'll lose everything important to you in the present."

The bone picking ceremony was over and Tamotsu and Kitano were off to the side, speaking to one another. Kitano presented the kunai from Momoko's attack to Tamotsu. Tamotsu's face paled and he looked like he was on the verge of collapsing.

"Sh..Shino-san!" He pressed a hand to his chest, then hugged Kitano. "He's alive. I just have to find him."

Kitano hugged Tamotsu in return. Tamotsu bowed, thanking Kitano for his find before walking back to the palace.

Chizuru laughed and her blush was seen from underneath her makeup. She pressed her hands together. "Thank you. I'd like that. I'd like to see how much you've learned from Tamotsu-san. He is an expert in cha-no-ya." Honestly, she had never experienced a tea ceremony for herself. She was excited. "You have given me something to look forward to." She held his gaze with one that was full of excitement. Like a child's.

Kana brushed a wayward bit of hair from her face. She was silent through the whole exchange. Seeing Chizuru so happy was something that was uncommon for her. It was a refreshing change from someone so somber. Tamotsu met up with Kana, Chizuru and Trydian on their way out. He also seemed quite a bit happier than before despite the funeral. Kana smiled once she saw Tamotsu and she bowed to him briefly.

[Katsumi Viora]

"Do you like butterflies, Katsumi no Viora?"

Katsumi looked at the butterfly,he canted his head..With the stone under one arm
he'd lift his other hand trying to touch the butterfly,but it would flutter away.





"Yes,they remind me of my little brother Yuki...Back at my home."

He said softly..

"You see, humans are very fragile, sort of like this butterfly. Everything about them is fragile, even their emotions."


"...Humans are so new to me..back at home..they're food..we don't try to socialize with them..they hate us."

He said and then canted his head..

"We don't really have angels here. They are a type of kami, but kami do exist here."


"..Kami?"


He arched a brow,confused.

"I don't know. I had something wise to say there, but I forget what it is."

"It's fine.."

He laughed softly and then flinched,making a bit of a face.

"Sorry."


"You didn't mean it,it's alright."


He said,rubbing his shoulder.

"But don't dwell too long on things or you'll lose everything important to you in the present."



"Understood."


He said,nodding a small smile on his face as he looked at Makoto.

[Trydian]

Trydian walked out with Chizuru, Kana and Tamotsu. He had been overwhelmed by the funeral, but he was suddenly revisiting his stoic nature. Chizuru brought out his humor and caring nature, even if it was rarely shown. Pulling Tamotsu aside, he pretended that they were discussing the funeral and its ceremonial process.

Making sure that Chizuru was being entertained by Kana, he confessed his mistake to Tamotsu- albeit shamefully. “I told the empress that I had already mastered the Cha Na Ya...can you give me a lesson tonight? I told her that I would perform the ritual in the next day.” It would be an impossible feat, but maybe with enough stubbornness and motivation, he could accomplish the task. Chizuru had to see him in a different light, even if it meant adopting her culture and religion. Trydian wasn't the type of man to be defeated so easily, even when it could destroy his pride.

“Just tell me what to do...give me a briefing.” Trydian made it sound like they were preparing for war and they might as well have been.