D5 | ME | Set the Board | Expecting

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

O_O

She let out a little snerk, as the card told a event that had occurred pretty much hours ago, pouring the spirits on the pond along Yoritomo-sama. And she very well understood who were the blessings- the connections she had been forming around- friends and allies. Indeed, as she once thought, Nakahama has been a place of auspice. She had never been connected to the Kami, not tried to pray for their blessings, however today she consulted with them via Kanna, and tried to find strength in Osano-wo.

Still, she never took anything for granted.

"Auspicious indeed, but I will have to not grow overconfident, and to further nurture my new blessings." Ichitaiyo commented, her eyes going for Kanna's, wondering if she had any comment on the regard.

[Tamori Kanna]

<3

Kanna smiled, glad to see Ichitaiyo seemed set on turning things around. "It seems you have the spirit to keep on track to reach the Star and its blessings. Let's see what else could be in store for you, neh? We have one more card."

The last card flipped, revealing Eight Swords. A card that depicted a woman tied up and blindfolded, with eight swords placed around her to restrict her movement as some kind of trap or prison. However, it seems as though whoever built the trap was a little lazy or hasty, leaving some open space where she could escape. But because of the blindfold preventing the woman from seeing, she has no way of finding her way out of this trap. The land around her is barren, and the sky is grey with despair. But despite the bleakness, it seemed that if the woman just worked at it and removed her blindfold, she could walk out of this situation.

Despite such a gloomy looking card, Kanna wasn't distressed. "The Eight of Swords shows the possibility for relapsing, giving up the hope that the Star provides. When you're unable to see your opportunities, or use your creative powers, you might feel trapped again; a victim. You may feel powerless because, in your mind, you feel that changing the situation might be beyond you. This feeling of helplessness, the feeling of no agency in your life, if you let it in it will make your situation worse than it already is.

"This card is a reminder to not surrender our power over to an unknown entity - be it fate or Kami - rather than holding on to our own personal responsibility to affect change. If you give away your agency, it will not go well. The good news is that because these traps are things that we create ourselves, we can also leave them if we put our minds to it. It is simply the matter of taking off the blindfold, and seeing beyond the limited perspective that we created for ourselves - to see the possibilities, and to recognize that you have your own internal power."

The normally very easy-going Kanna seemed, like when she had done Umiko's reading, much more serious when it came to delivering the news of divination. It was after all serious business to talk about someone's potential futures!

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

The key ingredient.

And this card... was a warning as well, to keep up her work, and dump the solutions where she sold herself.

"No escape marriages, no betrayals. I either am free as a Dragon, or free as myself." Ichitaiyo concluded. Yet, there was trepidation instead of blind confidence.

"And maybe I should use my time here on Nakahama to further connect with my spiritual side. I do believe it is.. sorely lacking." She offered as a counter thought.

[Tamori Kanna]

"And maybe I should use my time here on Nakahama to further connect with my spiritual side. I do believe it is.. sorely lacking." She offered as a counter thought.

"We are all deeply connected to the spiritual, whether we realize it or not," Kanna said, seeming a bit more eloquent than normal thanks to the fire kami increasing her intelligence. "Did you find this reading helpful to you?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"We are all deeply connected to the spiritual, whether we realize it or not," Kanna said, seeming a bit more eloquent than normal thanks to the fire kami increasing her intelligence. "Did you find this reading helpful to you?"

Ichitaiyo nodded sagely. "Yes, healing and insightful. And steers me away from dangerous paths I would have otherwise taken."

And she took her cup to sip. "I thank you deeply, Tamori-sama. If so you desire, you can call me by my given name."

[Tamori Kanna]

And she took her cup to sip. "I thank you deeply, Tamori-sama. If so you desire, you can call me by my given name."

"Only if you call me by mine, Ichitaiyo-san!" Kanna said cheerfully.

"But tell me, what have you been up to these past days, apart from finding yourself, hm? Anything exciting, or mysterious?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Only if you call me by mine, Ichitaiyo-san!" Kanna said cheerfully.

"But tell me, what have you been up to these past days, apart from finding yourself, hm? Anything exciting, or mysterious?"

Ichitaiyo set her chin on her fingers as she began to recollect.

"Well, plenty of my time is spent studying for the tasks we might face each day. I already set asides the bibliography for tomorrow's cooking contest. Also I have been building conections in general. I've met and befriended Kakita Haruhi, Soshi Kotori, Kaiu Ryosei and Yoritomo Ochiba. The latter I have built a solid trust with, revealing my situation to her, and plans to.. 'break free'. We both went together earlier to a pilgrimage into the storm, to give a few prayers to Osano-Wo."

"Still, nothing as exciting as facing the beast you did."

[Tamori Kanna]

"Still, nothing as exciting as facing the beast you did."

"Well, that wasn't exactly planned," she huffed a little, "that thing interrupted our onsen visit, and now we might not be able to go to the onsen again for a while because it wrecked a lot of stuff."

Kanna picked up the cards now, slowly shuffling them back into the deck. "Kaiu Ryosei-san seems pretty nice. Met him on a hike on Mount Nakahama while I was there with Agasha Sorato-san, and he seems very nice and friendly. And of course I know Ochiba-san! She has become a very good friend of mine too! I'm glad she's nice to you as well and has become your friend."

It was good to make new friends. No wonder why Ichitaiyo was finding her strength if she had met Ochiba! That Mantis woman had strength in spades.

"... You don't think they're going to ask us to cook tomorrow, right?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

I use Pot of Greed

"I doubt it, the original show followed Chefs as leaders of teams not as cooks themselves." Ichitaiyo replied, refilling her cup, her movements now.. light, free of the weight she dragged around to all places.

"Has.. anyone caught your interest? Sometimes it feels all clans sent their cutest or alluring people for these bids."

[Tamori Kanna]

"Has.. anyone caught your interest? Sometimes it feels all clans sent their cutest or alluring people for these bids."

"Interest?" Kanna wondrered. "Well, Ochiba-san is very interesting! I like spending time with her. And Yasuki Honoka-sama is amazing, she knows a lot about crabs and she is very nice and sweet." She thought a bit more. "Then there's Suh-Hyun-san, and Bayushi Kazuki-sama, they are very interesting too."

"Oh, and Agasha Sorato-san too! He knows so much about animals and nature, he is fun to be around. I think Suzume Hitomi-san is interesting, but I haven't been able to spend much time with her yet. Oh, and Ki-kun! I- I mean, Kakita Hiroki-san! He's a member of Usagi Drop and they're so amazing!"

And then she finally took a sip of tea.

"And there's Kaiu Nagisa who runs an auto repair shop and she is very cool and skillful! And lastly, Kuni Iwane! He is kind of serious, but very interesting and seems to know a lot about medicinal plants and herbalism."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Interest?" Kanna wondrered. "Well, Ochiba-san is very interesting! I like spending time with her. And Yasuki Honoka-sama is amazing, she knows a lot about crabs and she is very nice and sweet." She thought a bit more. "Then there's Suh-Hyun-san, and Bayushi Kazuki-sama, they are very interesting too."

"Oh, and Agasha Sorato-san too! He knows so much about animals and nature, he is fun to be around. I think Suzume Hitomi-san is interesting, but I haven't been able to spend much time with her yet. Oh, and Ki-kun! I- I mean, Kakita Hiroki-san! He's a member of Usagi Drop and they're so amazing!"

And then she finally took a sip of tea.

"And there's Kaiu Nagisa who runs an auto repair shop and she is very cool and skillful! And lastly, Kuni Iwane! He is kind of serious, but very interesting and seems to know a lot about medicinal plants and herbalism."

Ichitaiyo chuckled, as Kanna either went over her message or decided to not tug that line, all the same, she continued the conversation.

"Now that makes me realize I have not made time to explore the jungles and forests from up close, just seen then from Utaku Itsuka's floatplane."

[Tamori Kanna]

Ichitaiyo chuckled, as Kanna either went over her message or decided to not tug that line, all the same, she continued the conversation.

"Now that makes me realize I have not made time to explore the jungles and forests from up close, just seen then from Utaku Itsuka's floatplane."

"The nature here is really beautiful. Sea, mountain, jungle... so diverse and interesting! It would make a wonderful place for any business, but I hope I can see a branch of Usagi no Yomogi open here. It would be so nice, and maybe I could be stationed here too..." she sighed happily, dreaming of the future. It really would be nice because there were no visitors outside the Dragon to Dragon's Eye, but here she could meet all sorts of people.

"I really recommend taking some trips out there while you have the chance. Not that the air is bad in the city here, but it's much nicer out there! But have you had the chance to try those Flying Battle Carps?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"The nature here is really beautiful. Sea, mountain, jungle... so diverse and interesting! It would make a wonderful place for any business, but I hope I can see a branch of Usagi no Yomogi open here. It would be so nice, and maybe I could be stationed here too..." she sighed happily, dreaming of the future. It really would be nice because there were no visitors outside the Dragon to Dragon's Eye, but here she could meet all sorts of people.

"I really recommend taking some trips out there while you have the chance. Not that the air is bad in the city here, but it's much nicer out there! But have you had the chance to try those Flying Battle Carps?"

"I scheduled a demostration tomorrow with the Hostess of the event. They look entertaining enough. Do you participate on the competition as well?" Ichitaiyo replied, carefully taking on a gentle sip.

[Tamori Kanna]

"I scheduled a demostration tomorrow with the Hostess of the event. They look entertaining enough. Do you participate on the competition as well?" Ichitaiyo replied, carefully taking on a gentle sip.

"Oh, I didn't know there was a competition as such. I watched a lot of folks play with them on the Azure Dragon the other day, and it looked pretty neat. Is it hard to do, I wonder..." Kanna had been a bit worried about accidentally running the drone into people or birds.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Oh, I didn't know there was a competition as such. I watched a lot of folks play with them on the Azure Dragon the other day, and it looked pretty neat. Is it hard to do, I wonder..." Kanna had been a bit worried about accidentally running the drone into people or birds.

"It is easy enough to not crash it, at least they are disposed to lend you one for a few laps before inviting you to buy one for yourself." And she set her jaw a little. "They are.. quite more expensive than I expected."

[Tamori Kanna]

"It is easy enough to not crash it, at least they are disposed to lend you one for a few laps before inviting you to buy one for yourself." And she set her jaw a little. "They are.. quite more expensive than I expected."

"Oh? How expensive?"

Then a moment of insight. "Do let me need if you need some support, Ichitaiyo-san. We're here to work together, so I'm more than happy to help you cover the cost for these things, since it's necessary for our work!"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Oh? How expensive?"

Then a moment of insight. "Do let me need if you need some support, Ichitaiyo-san. We're here to work together, so I'm more than happy to help you cover the cost for these things, since it's necessary for our work!"

"Four Koku, which definitively is not a kid's allowance..." Ichitaiyo replied, rubbing her cheek as if the mere utterance of the cost pained her. "Can you believe they have 12 koku models too?"

"And I will take it on mind, for any future expenses, Kanna. Thank you."

[Tamori Kanna]

"Four Koku, which definitively is not a kid's allowance..." Ichitaiyo replied, rubbing her cheek as if the mere utterance of the cost pained her. "Can you believe they have 12 koku models too?"

"And I will take it on mind, for any future expenses, Kanna. Thank you."

"12 koku? That's... no, that is a silly price." Kanna shook her head with dismay. Guess the reputation of the Yasuki were well-deserved some times. It wasn't that she didn't have that kind of money, but that was quite a steep price in her opinion.

"... I wonder if it is a marked up price because of the governor's invitations, to make up for not being that successful? Or is it like a very upscale place?" Now she did wonder how popular it was with the locals too. Maybe she should've done more market research here?

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"12 koku? That's... no, that is a silly price." Kanna shook her head with dismay. Guess the reputation of the Yasuki were well-deserved some times. It wasn't that she didn't have that kind of money, but that was quite a steep price in her opinion.

"... I wonder if it is a marked up price because of the governor's invitations, to make up for not being that successful? Or is it like a very upscale place?" Now she did wonder how popular it was with the locals too. Maybe she should've done more market research here?

"To all rights looks like a hobby store, like the places where you can obtain Gunbai and Mechpla figures.. but I guess it makes sense, given that drones can get expensive on their own, and these are more durable than the usual fare." Ichitaiyo commented. "First comer prices are always high, as with any new kind of tech. As it gets adopted in mass, prices go lower.. i hope."

[Tamori Kanna]

"To all rights looks like a hobby store, like the places where you can obtain Gunbai and Mechpla figures.. but I guess it makes sense, given that drones can get expensive on their own, and these are more durable than the usual fare." Ichitaiyo commented. "First comer prices are always high, as with any new kind of tech. As it gets adopted in mass, prices go lower.. i hope."

"One can hope. I've seen some pretty expensive Mechpla models on the market, but they're like... rare collectibles! But as you say, it makes sense that a drone is a bit expensive, I guess."

Kanna sipped her tea again, finding its notes very satisfying.

"But, I guess we should try harder to show that we are indeed friends and allies of the Crab. I'll be putting in my efforts at the temple of Daikoku, as Umiko-sama asked me to do," Kanna nodded firmly, "and, we should arrange to have some kind of more formal meetings I guess. I'll try to talk to Nagisa-san, or Honoka-sama maybe about that in the coming days. I don't want to speak for you, but my family has greenlit any potential marriage-offers for me at least."

Not that she was super-excited about marriage, but duty was duty, and Kanna was dutiful!