Zokiro hesitates a moment before asking, "Master, are you well? I ask not to distract myself from your teaching, but only out of concern for your health."

"Hush. Do you see it my child? The flame and the candle Zokiro?" The monk keeps his hands upon each of them."See it. Focus on the candle. Focus. Make it move Zokiro. Focus upon the candle Setsuko" He coughs again. Some of the others turn and watch this.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:25, Fri 05 July 2019.

Zokiro focuses on the candle in her mind, at first still and serene, then pictures the flame drifting back and forth as if encountering the faintest of breezes.

Setsuko continues to focus on the candle, the world around her slowly falling away except for herself, the Master, Zokiro, and the flickering light of the candle.

"Yes Master," she intones, "I see the swaying flame."

As the monk is about to speak, he coughs several times but lets them know to keep focusing. He stands up, moving around each of them as if being able to see. And then a flame comes up from between then, ripping out of the ground. Several others watch on.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:34, Tue 16 July 2019.

Zokiro's eyes widened at this display of summoned fire.  She had no idea the Master could summon his ki that way!  She kept her eyes on the flame, watching it with awe and a touch of wariness.

In reply to Rokugan (msg # 30):

The feminine monk turns her attention to the new, larger flame and steps backwards quickly walking on her hands with her feet still crossed in the lotus position. "Master?" she whispers, surprised.

The flames go out as both stop focusing. The monk looks down at the ground."You stop focusing. Again." He looks in their general direction. All the other monks watch them. A eery silence."Nevermind. I must sleep." He turns towards the main area and moves towards them, slowly. One of the Sohei moves to him, hand upon his shoulder. The monk pauses and then keeps moving with the assistance. He coughs a few more times. The other monks start to head back inside as well as night begins to fall.

Setsuko bows low before the Master as he passes, "I...I am sorry to fail you yet again Master.
Please rest and rejuvenate yourself tonight, I promise not to fail you tomorrow."

After the passing of the Master and his companion, when she lifts her head again,
there is the track of a fallen tear on her cheek and deep regret in her eyes.

Zokiro had been trying to focus, but the Master's sudden withdrawl had caught her by surprise.  She bowed as he returned to the temple, schooling her features into smoothness.  When she raised her head and saw her kinswoman with the marks of tears, she rose and put her hand on her shoulder.  "We will do better tomorrow as we grow in understanding and inner strength.  We are young, still," she says, urging her cousin to her feet.  "We have long been in different parts of the temple.  I am Zokiro, and I have been training in the Tamori shugenja school."

The young monk graciously accepts the support of her clanswoman and
stands to walk beside her as they leave.

After Zokiro gives her name, she replies with a momentary bow,
"Thank you for your sympathy. Everyone, of course, knows who you are even if they don't know your given name.
I am honored that you choose to share it with me. I am Setsuko Osagai and I have been training here with the other monks in our codified traditions of combat practiced for self-defense, physical, mental and spiritual development."

With the two meeting up and then going their own ways, they rest for the night. The temple is shut down besides some of the guards watching the area upon the walls and some walking the grounds. Its not a castle but some guards are needed.

OOC
Make a listen check

Zokiro had eaten her sauced rice and vegetables at the evening meal, and drank her tea slowly, trying to concentrate on the Master's words, looking for other meanings in what he had said.  On her way back to her quarters, she concentrated on the world around her, trying to open herself to the elements.

OOC: 01:24, Today: Zokiro Mirumoto rolled 15 using 1d20+1.  Listen check.

In reply to Rokugan (msg # 37):

Setsuko went back to her chamber and meditated upon the Master's words and everything she did that was disrespectful to him. She tried to center herself and meditate by listening to the song of life around her but her feeling kept getting in her way.


01:17, Today: Setsuko Osagai rolled 11 using 1d20+8 ((3)) Listen check.

A few hours pass. Most are asleep or resting in their rooms. Both are in seperate rooms and none seem to hear anything. As light begins to form as day begins, a knock is heard upon Set's door.

Elsewhere, another knock is heard upon the door of Zok.

Setsuko quickly awakens just after hearing the knock at her door.
She unfolds from the resting half-lotus sitting position to fully stand up
taking only a few moments. She checks to see that her robes are secure before
she answers.

"Who is it? What is required from me this day?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:24, Tue 30 July 2019.

Zokiro rises from her mat, tightening her sash for modesty's sake before opening the door.  "What passes?" she asks, as she had just been about to rise for the day.

Both of them are ushered into the main eating hall. In the center is their mentor, sitting upon the floor with his head downwards. The ones who fetched them turn to leave.

The young monk bows once to the master then quickly and silently moves to sit on the
floor before him with her head downwards.

Zokiro bows to her master and inclines her head the briefest fraction to her kinswoman as she sits respectfully and awaits her master's wisdom.

The main door opens and in walks a cloaked form. It kneels down to his master, nodding his head but doesn't say a word.

The master speaks."I have a mission. It is simple. You three are to be a part of it. My daughter has grown ill. You are to find a special flower for me and to bring it back." He waits to see how they will respond.

"Of course, Master," Zokiro says with a bow of respect.  "My the spirits guard your daughter until we return.  What flower are we to seek, where does it grow, and who is the hooded one who is coming with us?"

She had no particular experience with travel, but a Master's word was law and the life of a young girl was at stake.  She was a loyal daughter of the clan, and she would obey.  Besides, they sought a flower, and she was an earth shugenja of the Tamori school; if she could not locate a flower, then she was not worthy of her magic.

She lifts her head and looks to the master. "Master, if you say that we are part of your mission, we are honored to serve in any way necessary." she bows respectfully once more and then looks back towards the master, "Any drops of wisdom or knowledge you could care to share that would assist us in this would be appreciated."

As he is about to speak, the man stands up and bows his head. He watches from beneath the hood and nods his head."I will be aiding you." A moment later and he pulls out a parchment and gives it to Set. It has a odd flower, that is red in color with the center of a dark green.

The monk speaks."It is believe to be to the north in the mountains. He will know what it is and is a known friend."

The flower wasn't immediately familiar, but if it was so rare it only grew in one place that would hardly be unusual.  She bowed in acquiescence to her Master.  "Master, we are honored to do as you ask."  She turns then to the newcomer (if the Master is ready to dismiss them).  "What may I call you, honored one?"