Office Hours--Divinations

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

Kusuriyuri decided it had been long enough since he had opened his office. There were other factors influencing this decision, but a good part of it was he felt he was neglecting his duty.

Outside his office door and several other places around the school, signs appeared declaring the Divinations office open for any students who wished to talk, to consult, or who just happened to wander by.

Kusuriyuri knelt behind his table, shincha brewing as it was the season for it, waiting for any who would come in, wondering if a particular one would come in.

OOC: Yeah, this is a 'trap' for a particular character, but is also regular office hours. And, if you're particularly interested in a type of divination or anything else you'd like to see Kusu teach, feel free to mention it :D

Comments

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

"I understand," Coraline said, thoughtful. Creatures that took different shapes depending on who saw them... yes, she knew about that. "So what happened at the battle? What were the three suitors like?" She imagined there had been two unpleasant ones and one nice one who deserved to win. Though maybe not. This was a true story, not a made-up one.

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

"Ah, the suitors? One was a samurai, one was a merchant, and one was a farmer. Before the answer could be revealed, the lady was found to be killed," he said, watching her carefully. "But, the suitors were not seeking her hand, in truth. They were seeking the family's treasure, the Toudaiji, a rare incense that is highly valued. They requested this one to continue the battle."

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

Coraline gasped at the part about the lady's death, one hand covering her mouth for a moment. It was mainly shocking because she'd thought this was a different kind of story. "That's horrible," she said, meaning the death and the fact that none of the men had cared about the lady after all. "What did you do?" Personally Coraline thought she would have left them to it, but that wouldn't be much of a story.

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

Kusuriyuri nodded. "It was terrible," he agreed. "What could this one do but proceed. There was something, but it had to be drawn out and the way to draw it out was to continue with the game. Each of the suitors were a part of it, their desire feeding into the hunger of the thing that had drawn them. Another battle, this time it was to the suitors to name the scents this one prepared for them." A slight smirk curved his lips. "The scent of their sins, the scent of death, drew their confessions." He picked up his tea cup. "None of them were alive, only memories, an illusion to draw in more to feed the monster behind them. They were part of the nue. The nue was created by the toudaiji, its pride turning it into a monster."

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

Coraline's eyes widened. "They were created by the - toudaiji? The incense? How -?" She didn't quite want to ask how could it be alive. Buttons could be alive, and corridors, after all. She knew that already. But the question was obvious.

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

"It was the desire for it that those around it had that made it alive. Their desire, their jealousies, their longing for it made it alive and when it became alive, it longed to stay that way, so it had to continue to be desired, even if that desire was an illusion," Kusuriyuri explained as though he were pulling the pieces together while they spoke.

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I - understand, I think." She felt a little sorry for the creature now, knowing it would disappear if people stopped fighting over it. "Did it kill the lady? Why would it do that?"

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

"Saa," Kusuriyuri murmured. "When this one found it, they had been long dead. This one only knows what he found and what was revealed during the process."

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, she was part of it too. I get it now." Berry nudged against her and Coraline petted her, solemn. "That's a sad story."

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

"That is so," Kusuriyuri replied. "When mononoke are involved, the results are often sad." He looked at her a moment. "This one does not know many happy stories," he apologized.

[braveexplorer.livejournal.com]

Coraline shook her head. "It was a good story too. Thank you."

[edomedpeddler.livejournal.com]

"A good story should be equally rewarded," Kusuriyuri replied, bowing to her. "This one only returned what was offered him. Thank you for your sharing and listening."