Zokiro rose from her own meditations, refreshed after being able to quiet her mind in the grotto sent into the mountains. Yet something had hovered at the edge of her peace, a faint hint of a shadow, that made her concerned.  She crossed to the master and knelt, bowing before him.  She waits until he has acknowledged her before speaking.

"Master, I sought peace in the grotto, as you had bade me, and found quiet and stillness there.  Yet a shadow sought to intrude upon my mind, one that seemed to be hovering from without, rather than within.  Master, has their been a disturbance in the earth that your greater wisdom has sensed?  I have worked hard at my arts, but there is much I have yet to learn and much more I have yet to experience," she says respectfully.

She had known little but the life of a follower of the Tao. It had surprised her to learn that not every woman had not studied all of their life to improve their body, mind, and spirit. Along with the duties of seeking the path to enlightenment, she was also tasked with the duties to the Dragon clan, and everyone’s duty to the Emperor.

However, all those cares washed away in the sensations of moving smoothly through the 58th form, feeling each part of her body moving in harmony to complete the movements of the set. Each cleansing breath filled her spirit as it also filled her lungs. The final move of the form ended with the bow to respect the ancestors.

Feeling her perspiration misting across her skin she quickly made her way to the hidden mountain fed pond. After prayers to its kami, she immersed herself within its cooling and soothing waters.  Dressing quickly afterward in proper attire, she made her way to the place of the Master and knelt as she awaited her turn to speak with him.

The monk does not turn, and his hood rests upon his head. He taps the ground, making a circle pattern."Young grasshopper, I sense nothing besides the birds and the trees. Nothing from the earth or sky. You must learn peace and serentity. Open your mind."

Peace and serenity.  The most precious jewel in any necklace, and a good one for any earth mage to seek.  But Zokiro had tried to cultivate the needed inner stillness, only to have a wave of unease fill her. Was it only the impatience of youth?  Or a prompting she should not ignore?

She bowed to the Master and scooted backwards as another in Dragon colors advanced with their own need for wisdom.  Curious.  She had not seen a new Dragon here for several weeks.  What had brought her?

Zokiro assumed an attitude of meditation, but kept her ears open for what was said...

As the previous supplicant was dismissed, Setsuko bowed to her as she passed then stood up and approached the Master until she had his attention.

Standing before him she quickly dropped to being seated on her bent knees and heels. From there she bowed deeply before the head monk. Only after she again sat upright dis she addressed him in a deeply respectful voice. "Master I have a faithful child of the temple and of our clan for as long as I can remember. In all this time while I have studied and searched for Enlightenment, I have sometimes felt out of place here." She paused briefly before continuing, "Master am I where I should be or should I perhaps seek greater understanding elsewhere?"

The master lowers his head, and draws a circle upon the ground. He then draws a point outside the circle, tilting his head. He looks in her general direction but not at her, his binding for his eyes making him look strange."Our art takes time. You cannot rush it but I can tell you are very impatient. It is a challenge I accepted. You are here." He points in the area outside the circle."Yet you wish to be here." The monk points at the center area of it."It takes time. Leaving here when you spent your entire life here is entering a world you do not know. Seeing things and trying to understand them will be very hard." He stands up, grabbing a staff and points it at the dot, drawing a line from it to the center."You want to leave so be it. But I will not teach you any further. Faith is something you need." The man sighs and rubs out the circle."If you stay, life may be boring but you will learn many things. This is a place for rest and meditation, a place to get away and find guidance." He looks up at the sky."My honor is hurt."

She quickly kowtows three times to show her respect. When she speaks her voice is stricken with regret, "Please forgive me, Master! I meant no disrespect! I didn't mean to hurt you! I just wanted to ask a question about my feelings. If you say that I am meant to be here, then, of course, I will follow your great wisdom. I am sorry for my feelings Master."

Zokiro bows as the Master passes his judgment on the other Dragon.  It is a hard thing indeed to have disappointed a teacher, and worse to hear that from their own lips.  To have to leave ones home is an unwelcome stage of life, no matter how necessary it is.  But perhaps the two of them could seek answers together?  Zokiro had felt certain there was a shadow lurking, and her cousin had felt a lack in herself.  Though Zokiro had managed to avoid drawing the Master's ire, that did not mean it had not fell upon her.  She needed to open her mind.  Her cousin needed to find faith.  Could not they do that together?

Zokiro waited until the other Dragon had withdrawn from the Master, and walked with her.

"Cousin," she says quietly, greeting her as a clanswoman.  "Perhaps with can find faith and serenity together?  I feel as though a shadow is lurking, but perhaps I see danger where there is none.  The two of us may be able to find what we need in seeking each other's devils."

"Go. This is your home but if you wish to dishonor me and my hospitality then perhaps this is no longer a place for you." The monk sighs and he looks down upon the ground. He tilts his head and kneels down, placing a hand to it. He scoops up some sand where he sits and throws it into the air for some unknown reason."Peace. That is all I sense. I do not wish for the shadow to come here. You believe you sense this, but that does not mean it you do. Relax. Focus."

Setsuko stared with regret and horror at the feet of the Master. After kowtowing twice more she then turned to address her clan sister. "Please excuse me, kinswoman. I...I have overreached greater than I could have ever believed possible in speaking the truth of my feelings to our honored Master." Shame weighted heavy in her voice as she continued, "Now, I have offended our honored Master and he has sent me away. I would help you as I could but as you have been told to stay, I fear our paths will no longer cross."

"You had dishonored me but I will not send you away. But I will not teach you any further until you provide me a reason to regain my honor with you." The monk looks up at the sky and raises his hand up. Odd.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:15, Sun 23 June 2019.

Zokiro keeps a respectful distance as the Master speaks. Could her restless thoughts merely be that of a mind imperfectly aligned with serenity, too focused on the now to reach into the Void? When her cousin spoke, her disappointment was palpable, and Zokiro wondered if this instance, right now, was the disturbance she had been sensing.  Zokiro did not consider herself a teacher, certainly not of the wisdom that the Master tried to instill in his students, but...

When the Master was done speaking to her kinswoman, Zokiro spoke again.  "I have not yet learned to let go, and the Master says you need something he will not teach you. Perhaps there is something here that we can attempt together, that the shadows I sense were not outside the temple, but within me and you?"

Setsuko kowtowed thrice more to the Master. "Please accept my deepest soul-felt apologies for any offense towards you, most honorable Master. As I have dishonored such that you will not teach me, I will go from your sight and seek a way to bring you such honor as you require. Excuse me." with that she bowed once more before backing out his presence.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:21, Wed 26 June 2019.

Reaching out a hand towards the monk, the master waits for her to come to him. He is silent, looking at the sky."Let me see your face. Come. Yet you have dishonored me, I view you as my own child. It bothers me hence why I wish for you to remain." He doesn't respond to the fact that the two girls seem to want to leave.

As bidden by the Master she approaches to within easy reach. "Master, I am here at your request. Only your desire keeps me here. Of course, you may touch my face."

Zokiro bowed her head as the Master spoke.  She had thought it necessary to leave, that the shadows she had thought she had sensed would make it necessary for her to seek them out, but the Master's wisdom made her doubt.  Maybe the only shadows were within herself and her kinswoman; it had been arrogant to think that she might know more about the Master when it came to attuning herself to the world around her, regardless of her training.  There was much they could do together here, even if her kinswoman would no longer receive training from the Master...  Zokiro thought that likely the same would be true for her.  A period of humility could help them both.

The monk moves his hands to her forehead then her chin and nods his head."You are forgiven but something bothers you. Darkness. Though why? You are safe here in the monestary. And your friend? Come here."

Zokiro approaches the Master, bows, and kneels, sitting on her heels.  "We are safe here, Master, I have never felt safer.  I don't know why I think of shadows; perhaps I worry that I must tend to duty, or that I will fail in my charge."

"Thank you for your infinite forgiveness. I will go and meditate upon the wisdom you have imparted to me. I still hope to someday earn your willingness to teach me again." said Setsuko with a bow. She stepped aside just enough to let her clanswoman approach the Master.

"You have no leader, no one to follow. And are safe. Perhaps that is what you need. A leader. I am no leader, just a guide. Simple." The man rests one hand on her shoulder before sitting back down indian style."Sit, both of you sit."

Zokiro moves closer to the Master and bows her head.  Had she managed to set back her own training with her doubts as well?

In reply to Rokugan (msg # 21):

The perplexed young monk immediately did as she was directed to by the Master. Sitting next to her clan sister in the lotus position she bowed her head as she asked, "Please, please Master grace us with your wisdom as we seek our path."

The man goes to rest each hand upon his two students. He looks up at the sky then back to the ground."Rest. Focus on me. Use your chi energy. Focus. Let your mind picture a candle. It glows with a bright light. Focus on the flame." The man coughs a few times.

As she is directed by the Master monk, she first focuses on him then she lets her eyes come to rest on a candle. "Yes, Master I see the candle."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Fri 05 July 2019.