#Kansaku

[soulflatter]

Mirana being Envy, was the one tasked with killing what was at the time the closest alternate to Jeanne. Specifically Haya, and many of them. She was built to be good against her, effective at hunting her down and even dealing with stray Aiharus.

Since she embodied Jeanne's envy, the envy she had for the 'what ifs' of someone similar simply born in a different time and place, with a different name and seeing her almost happy in each instance.

Envy had a lot of motivation built into her to complete these tasks, it would ultimately put her into an arms race with a woman named Helen Clapham as both moved from reality to reality, trying to kill or save that woman named Haya.

Stained in blood, they'd clash many times. Why though, beyond just killing this poor woman named Haya, would Helen chase so much.

Because they had the same face, and every version of Haya Helen would befriend, wouldn't realize it wasn't Helen at her door, before being killed.

Helen had dedicated everything to stopping Envy, though one of the worlds they'd both arrived at. Haya had already passed on, no reason for Envy to remain, Helen was slow to leave.

She stood before a grave of someone she cared so deeply about, but in every reality she was either killed or already dead.

That's when she met someone who knew her, but Helen had never seen her before. At least like this. A woman named Helen, named after her auntie who passed away a few years before.

Her full name was Haruna Helen Shimazu, she was Haya and Aiharu's daughter, she was raised by this world's Helen after her mother's passed being heroes. Not only was she partly raised by Helen, she was named after her, and all of them lived closely with each other for years.

The woman was familiar because in every reality when Haya was a magical girl, there was a little spirit named Zii who protected them. That Zii Helen had always known was their future daughter who never came to be. Not here she was, alive, normal, and confused as to why her auntie was here.

Things changed from here, Helen had someone else to live for, instead of endlessly changing a face that matched hers through the multiverse, and Envy had been recalled to her own galaxy as the Redbellion took off, half the collective shattering into an extermination matrix.

Having to focus on fighting her sisters, Envy would dedicate herself to this while Helen focused on getting to know Haruna.

While Sezja and Harune would come to recruit Helen for this side in this conflict, Envy would find herself visiting Gensokyo and becoming enthralled and enamored by someone just like her. A goddess of Jealousy. Or so she saw her.

Time passed, Envy found a home away from war here, and Helen someone to love as strange as it might be.

Their paths would cross once more over the Kansaku homeworld in Redbellion, a colossus positioning above to crack the planet. Both woman would show up, Envy trying to sabotage the planet cracker, knowing more assembly planets alive meant more resistance to the matrix and a benefit for them.

While Helen was there to stop it too, but most importantly, she heard who would be there, and jumped at the chance. The fought through the station, Envy setting charges and Helen trying to finish her off.

Clashing all over the bridge before the colossus exploded and crashed into the planet. Both of them surviving and continuing their decades old fight all the way into the caves nearby. Known for their magnetic interference, no calls for help could be heard from each side.

There finally without a way for Envy to escape or prolong their fight, she would suffer catastrophic damage to her android body. Several body parts all lost, shot and slumped to the ground before being kicked over.

Faced with the barrel of Helen's firearm, the woman couldn't bring herself to exact revenge on her. Despite all she'd done, she had just saved a planet of millions, even if she was part of the problem. Wanting to not repeat the cycle, not sure if killing her would free her to another body or not. She left Envy in that cave to die, unable to move, no way to call for help.

From there Helen returned home to Haruna, and together they finally got to live for something more than the past.

Envy on the other hand had made a promise to her goddess to make it back one day, laying there for weeks on end, slowly dying, her power draining. Never one for the magic her mother taught her, she put everything she had in her body, relying not on the android half of her soul but the one her horrible mother gifted her. She'd done her duty to Jeanne, to the collective, she just wanted to return to Parsee's side.

Managing to use that same portal magic she'd watched Jeanne use a thousand times, she rolled herself through that blue ring and to the shrine's deck. Before her goddess, she returned home. But without anything to fix her body or soul, she had to hibernate.

Though Parsee cleaned her up, dressed her and fixed her, she wouldn't wake. Even with arms and legs crafted by Alice, she remained sleeping. Simply lacking that little spark to wake up, she was approached by a little kamaitachi youkai looking for a home, so weak by itself it could just vanish. They made a deal in her slumbering depths.

You spark me to life and you can live with me, never vanishing, and I can return to my goddess and serve her faithfully.

Days later Envy awoke, Mirana awoke to once again by beside her goddess, tend to her shrine, her bridge.

From there she'd spend every day as a jealous shrine maiden, bridge keeper, and friend. She would even meet Eri through one of her other surviving sisters Lust. The pair alongside a third sister would not only save the boy from Deva, help a lost robot named Prime and Eri save a dear friend. But at some point she would even join her sisters for one last fight.

After living a fulfilling life with her goddess, she would depart with her blessing to fight Deva and Yuma, alongside her sisters. Not realizing that this would be the last time she saw her goddess, her specific Parsee ascending to be something more, just as Mirana decided to go be something more for someone else.

The sisters would win over Deva/Yuma, but at great cost. Losing their last sister Pride, Mirana would offer to take her somewhere she knew Pride liked to bury her.

Once she did, and she returned to find her goddess, seeing her gone, Mirana set back out without checking in on anyone. She set out on a journey to find herself, find answers, to find something else to pursue.

Through many worlds and misadventures, she's finally crossing paths with someone once again. A boy who now calls himself Rirune.

Though she's still the devoted envious jealous woman she is, Mirana's seen much more of the world in a sense. And with a large plate to clear still, with a lot she still owes to people. Perhaps it's time to once against help some familiar faces.

[finnish-art-gallery]

Kalastaja Utsukai Kansaku, Kunisada, 19??, Finnish National Gallery

http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=A+II+841%3A274

[illwork4anime]

Ship: GaaHina, KanSaku and TemaNeji

GaaHina

ship: ew / nonono / maybe / ship it / aww / otp / MY HEART - never even considered but that shitz is CUTE

KanSaku

ship: ew / nonono / maybe / ship it / aww / otp / MY HEART - oh yeah. This would be entertaining!

TemaNeji

ship: ew / nonono / maybe / ship it / aww / otp / MY HEART +hmm never concidered this either BUT I could see it being interesting depending on how it's written.

[usagienforcer]

An Inquisitive Sort

@magicaldreaming

It wasn’t the most pleasant of places, but far from the worst. It was the centre for refugees of the galactic war -- or, at least, Kansaku refugees. 

Helen was here for two reasons... Information -- a rumour, that the Queenslayer was still in Kansaku space, something somebody here may know about. The second was... Information, of a more mundane sort -- life in this galaxy, life as a refugee. Helen wasn’t well informed there, either.

So she was wandering about, a non-Kansaku citizen in the middle of the centre. She wanted to talk to somebody -- but she wasn’t sure who to talk to.

Except... Except for that person, one in ill-fitting civilian clothing. They stood out. Not by much, subtly so, but enough to catch Helen’s eye, an eye trained to spot subtle signs that would make one stand out from the riffraff. Perhaps theyknew things, perhaps not. Helen wouldn’t know unless she asked.

“G’afternoon,” the agent said, raising her glasses and giving a wink and smile to get the person’s attention. “I’m looking fer a conversation partner, ter be blunt. I can pay fer drinks or food, if yaouw know any place nearby. Are yaouw willing ter speak ter me, mis...?”

[soulwitch]

unwilling-ghost-lord‌:

He nods quietly. A spectral smile spreading across his face. Widening. He respected her. Not something that happened much anymore. Especially not for leaders of any sort. But her… yes. He could respect her.

“Well then, Admiral, If we never meet again it has been a pleasure. I don’t think I can bring anything back if this. Lets hope whatever god of death exists here has some form of pity eh?”

He pauses going silent for a little while.

“Lets not go quietly into this night ey?”

“Of course. Best of luck to you, if ever people fear you when you try to help. Tell them, the Grand Admiral has sent you. Fair journey.”

Departing, the two and their fleets, ships of all types, ghosts, ancient, automated and pirate. They set out in all directions. Beginning the largest ever defensive evacuation in galactic history, in any history.

The Aberrant Unbidden of the second portal were a tide of enemies, but they weren’t individually unbeatable. People fled and they bought time, saving as many lives as they could, though some stayed bravely to delay the tide there was nothing that could be done.

Encircled, brought to their knees by this tide of endless ships, even as the portals were closed, there was just too many unbidden, and not to mention the creatures brought forth by the reckoning of the Izalith. The Bammun Union was pushed back to two choke points. Glyderrum(15), with its now a fortress world of La Isabella. And Soudas in Goltara(39), the defiant colony that had already had beaten off a Colossus.

These planets and those behind it were packed with survivors, and fleets standing by to defend.

They waited for the unbidden, building up the entire system with hyper lane locks, batteries to defend, and anything they could get their hands on.

Whenever they were, they were ready to fight. One last hurrah into the night.

Only A Spirit Can

[stained-carmine]

Witnessing the execution of the Anfari ambassador at the hands of an Izalith priestess gave the young man pause in his plans. He had been thinking of approaching them, hopeful of forming something of an alliance with them, using them to his own ends. But after watching one of their priestesses obliterate the bio mass in such a ruthless fashion raised concern in his mind.

A dangerous lot they are. Have a rather strong feeling if they get wind of my nature, they’d turn hostile... He thought to himself with some annoyance as he re-evaluated his course of action. Having seen the reports, that the Senji had been all but annihilated and the Anfari had been wiped clean from the galaxy altogether, left him with fewer options. Pulling out the data slate and skimming through the latest reports of the Directive gaining further territory as they destroyed all who lay in their path, caused the man’s brow to furrow, eyes narrowing as a frown creased his lips.

What a nuisance... He scoffed to himself as he scrolled through the stellar maps that displayed the change in the tides of this galactic war. The Directive had half the system in its iron clutches. It seemed it wouldn’t be long now until their victory. Glancing over the map, he eyed the Red Collective’s territory, which seemed to be growing smaller and smaller by the day. While it brings me immeasurable joy to see that witch isn’t faring too well, I can’t say I much enjoy others taking my prize. He had been brought here by Harune, enlisted to search for a girl named Hakune who Jeanne had taken captive and hid away.  While he didn’t much care for a stranger’s fate, he wouldn’t dare pass up the opportunity to get back at that damned witch. The young man clicked his tongue in annoyance as he continued scrolling, trying to take his mind off that woman’s visage. Crimson eyes scanned the text for anything of use. The Kansaku have found a queen? Interesting, but not what I need right now. After a few more moments of perusing through digital documents, he let out a sigh. I might have no choice but to throw in with the Izalith by the looks of things... Sliding the data slate back into his pocket, he began to make his way to the cafeteria.

On his way there however, he spotted one of the representatives. That’s the...Velutarian was it? He looked the stranger over. He was alone at the moment, the perfect opportunity to approach him for information. Being the opportunist he was, he wasn’t going to let this chance pass him by. Seizing the opportunity, he approached the other.

“Hello there, would you mind if I borrowed a moment of your time to ask you a few questions?” A friendly approach. Hopefully the other would be receptive to it.

@soulwitch

[ameliaegschulz]

Slayer’s Log, 5-31

It’s over.

It’s finally over.

The Directive is gone. Core is gone. The threat to this galaxy and every other one around it and in each other universe is finally gone. We did it.

Oh, my mission control girl? Zak’yanna? She’s- I was about to say gone, but she saved me (and the galaxy) by merging into my new power suit and basically giving it an endless amount of power. So I guess she lives in there now? Probably. I still get messages that read like they’re from her every now and then. If she’s reading this, she again has my thanks. And the galaxy’s. And the Queen’s.

Oh, right. She’s gone too. Sadly. I was starting to genuinely like her. Am I cursed? To have everyone I take any amount of liking to be killed or have something weird or disturbing going on with them? I must be. Only explanation I can think of.

At any rate, the Kansaku troops and I are headed back to Solaris for all the formal proceedings I’m expecting to take place. I’ll be doing everything I can to find out if Rea can be brought back to life, or at least cloned, or something. Kansaku needs a Queen, after all. Watch Sha’laha be like “Oh, we used to have that technology but that Core meanie destroyed it all because reasons.” Oh god I hope I didn’t jinx it.

Actually we can clone people back at my Earth. Backup plan get.

Update later.

[twinfoxtails]

Redbellion: A Foreign Land

@soulwitch​

"Miss Hakune... Where are you?"

Eri was whispering to himself as he and Meiling were in a room in a cheap, small inn. The boy was sitting on the bed, while the elderly woman was lying her back against the wall.

The room itself is quite simple and… traditional, in a sense. Instead of using key-cards and fingerprints, it was just normal keys to lock the door. Pretty much what you’d find in a traditional inn back in Earth.

Still, this place… The United Federation of Arcadia, was it? It was just so much for him to take in on their first visit. Vehicles were flying on air, people tapping on ‘mini rectangles’ with their fingertips, and flashing signs on buildings, it really was stepping onto another planet.

However, what’s sad to the boy was that while the inn they stayed at still upheld the traditional values of old, the lack of greenery from trees to bushes around the inn made him slightly uncomfortable.

“You alright there, Eri?”

“A-Ah, yes… I suppose so…”

At least Meiling is a familiar face in this large, foreign world. He’s glad he was proven wrong on going on his own to find his lost friend.

“I’d be surprised if you got used to it, especially since we’re far away from home. Let’s see… Miko said about going to the ‘Assembly’ to find more information about our missing friends, didn’t she?”

“… Miss Hakune, Flandre, Mao, and Kasen…”

Right, Kasen and Mao. Those were the ones which Miko specifically told to find as well, on top of the other two. And with Eri looking for Hakune, and Flandre for Meiling, this turned out to be quite a search party, hasn’t it?

It was just as Miko requested back in Senkai an hour ago...

---

“… And that’s why I’m asking you two. Any more people or anyone else, and this would catch the attention of most people in Gensokyo.”

“Verily! Like how word spreads with much haste on how the Crown Prince sucks her thumb when she sleeps-“

“Shut up, Futo!”

BZZT!

“GYAAAAAA!”

PLOP!

Ah, Tokiko just electrocuted her.

... Still, this was Senkai, wasn’t it?... Eri came here a few times, but only because Seiga invited him in. Both Meiling and Eri were in the grand meeting hall, with Futo, Tojiko, and of course, Miko.

“Ahem… Regardless, Meiling, Eri, the notes of the events which happened so far are written in that notebook. Feel free to write anything down on it should you come across any new information as well.”

“Well, umm…”

“… Don’t worry, Eri. I’ll handle that.”

“R-Right…”

He still couldn’t read and write, after all.

“So, Miss Miko, let me repeat. You want us to sneak into this ‘United… Frontline… Arcana-“

“United Federation of Arcadia! Geez! For a kitsune, you’re a bean for brains, huh?!”

“I-I’m sorry! Arcadia! You want us to sneak in to get information, yes…?”

“Correct, although I’m sure you’ll find a way in, as I don’t think they’ll take well of a child being there. You know what I’m trying to say, don’t you?”

“It means doing what kitsune does best! Shaking thy hips to seduce victims with thine body, and-…”

“Okay, ya dingus! Back to the other room with you!”

“CROWNNN PRINNCEEEEeee-…”

BZZT!

“... We’ll be at the other room if you need us.”

And the both of them left the room, with only the boy and the two other women inside. Miko couldn’t help but to give a chuckle from this, before turning back towards the duo, and tapping her baton on her palm gently.

“Ahem, anyways, you two will arrive in your destination the moment you step foot out of Senkai. All I can say is… best of luck, and I hope you rescue our friends.”

“Thank you, Miko. Well, let’s not waste any time, Eri. Let’s go.”

“…”

“... Eri, the meeting’s over.”

“H-Huh? A-Ah, I’m sorry, yes…”

“Ahem... one more thing. Eri? I know it’s hard to move on after what happened, but don’t forget, you have others behind you too.”

“I-I’ll keep that in mind, Miss Miko. Thank you.”

Getting up, the both of them waved their goodbyes to the hermit before entering towards the futuristic world of Arcadia…

---

But... Arcadia is just so big, it’s safe to say that the planet and easily larger than all of Gensokyo. And with the both of them being unable to fly, it just makes it harder to navigate.

“Where do we even begin? She said to go to the Assembly, but…”

“Judging by Miko’s description, that Assembly is that place you mistook for the moon when we first entered the planet, I’m sure.”

“Ah, that…”

Right, when they first came in, it looked like there was something orbiting around Arcadia, wasn’t there? So that entire… moon… was the Assembly?

… His head was just spinning, thinking about all this.

“By the way, Miss Meiling, if I may ask, are we not supposed to pay in the counter to get a room firs-…”

“Wait… Eri, be quiet.”

“…?”

Grabbing the boy effortlessly with an arm, Meiling quickly fled to the wardrobe at the corner of the room, and waited. Eri didn’t know what was going on at first, until a few moments later…

...

Tap tap...

“Phew, it’s finally over… This is so exhausting…”

What broke the silence in the room were a pair of footsteps entering, followed by the sound of the door locking. The voice sounded like it belonged to a young woman, confirmed when both Eri and Meiling peeked a little after sliding the wardrobe doors a bit.

Other than their limited vision, the both of them couldn’t hear anything but the sound of her undressing her clothes, followed by laying down on the bed with a loud sigh of exhaustion. It really has been a long day for her, hasn’t it?

“Things had been worse ever since the last Assembly meeting… Our High Priestess openly declared our hatred towards machines in the worst possible time, and even after Kansaku’s queen has been taken by the Collective… It’s not making my job any easier…”

There were a few mumbles coming out from her, such as the current state of her accounting job, the Extermination Directive, and just how much of an emotionless person the speaker was. Basic things.

“...”

As for how the hiding kitsune and gatekeeper were, Eri’s heart was pounding out from panic, hoping him and Meiling won’t be caught. The gatekeeper was calm and firm, while the boy was shaking a bit.

Still, for the woman, what better way to end the day with a nice, long bath? 

By some pure miracle, the woman didn’t check the wardrobe and went straight into the bathroom, leaving Eri and Meiling behind.

…

Nope, No such luck! She was about to get a change of clothes, and…!-

“Eeeee!-”

CHK!

Before the woman’s voice could alert the entire inn, Meiling quickly jumped out of the wardrobe, covered her mouth, and did a light chop on her neck, rendering her unconscious as the youkai caught her as she fell, all in one single movement.

… It’s no wonder she’s called ‘The Gatekeeper of the Scarlet Devil Mansion’.

“I-Is she… going to be okay?”

“She’ll be fine. The original plan was to take some clothes and flee before anyone got hurt, but… If only all things went out exactly as they planned, hm?”

Right… Because Miko did say that ID Cards were required to enter the Assembly, the only way both Meiling and Eri could do so is to steal them.

The original plan was to hide somewhere and steal their clothes, not harming anyone. Because the city outside was crowded, there were no places to ambush them, not even in alleyways. Which makes traditional inns like these the only viable place to do such a thing…

“I suppose so, Miss Meiling… Still, there is one problem…”

… It was that there’s only one person who came in, not two. In other words, there was only one ID Card to enter the Assembly in.

“… Eri, listen to me. You go ahead to the Assembly, alright?”

“Wait… what?”

“Who says that information is just limited to the place which Miko talked about? I’ll stay here and check around the city while you’re up there.”

“R-Really? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. These clothes won’t look good on me anyway, and they look like your kind of attire, see?”

Now that she mentioned it… Eri looked over to the unconscious woman on the floor, and her clothes on the bed. The clothes are what looks to be a kimono, while the woman looked quite similar to Eri, as she too shared both fox features, having four fox tails, and fox ears.

Miko talked about them, didn’t she? They were the… Ulinari, weren’t they? From the Izalith Syndicate?

The boy looked over at the unconscious body one last time. There’s no other choice, is there?...

“If you insist then, Miss Meiling… Please give me a moment, okay?”

Crouching next to the unconscious woman, Eri looked over quickly for details he could use, from her body shape, to her scent, so he could take her identity.

The gatekeeper, however, did not agree with this idea at all. Tapping his shoulder as she shook her head, the woman folded her arms as she looked at the boy in the eye.

“Hmm... I don’t think you should take her identity. How about taking someone else’s instead?”

“R-Really? But… won’t they question if it’s a face they’re not familiar with?”

“Think for a moment. You saw how many people there are in Arcadia, right? So it’s not like everyone knows every single person’s face, and you’ll also avoid running to acquaintances who know her.”

“That makes sense, but who…”

The boy tapped his chin for a moment, and a person immediately came into mind in the next second.

This woman’s measurements, along with the cutting of the kimono… There’s no other person, is there?

Quickly undressing his clothes before the gatekeeper and folding them neatly without any worry about Meiling being embarrassed, it was then he shapeshifted into the person he believed to be the best fit for this situation…

...

And when the usual warm, blue glow which surrounded his body faded, Meiling didn’t look surprised at the form he took at all. 

“Are you really sure, Eri?”

“… I’m fine. These clothes fit her perfectly anyways.”

It was the only person which came to mind who could fit into these clothes without suspicion.

Harune, the Memory Weaver. As usual, his form looks exactly like her, right from her appearance to her scent. The boy was an especially talented shapeshifter, it may not be an exaggeration to say that he could fool even Hakune if she were here.

Regardless, Eri snapped back into reality quickly and started changing into the kimono on the spot, with Meiling helping ‘Harune’ getting dressed from the back and tying up the obi.

Overall, the clothes were a perfect fit, and inside the pocket of the kimono was a green, blank ID Card, and… a few bits of candy, half melted.

… Well, that seems to be everything.

“Alright, I’ll be off looking for information here. You head off to the Assembly, and if you get into any trouble, I’ll be sure to come running to you.”

“R-Really? How?...”

“Come now, have I let you down before? Trust me a bit, will you?”

And with a head pat from the gatekeeper, the kitsune nodded and with that, the both left the inn and went off their separate ways, leaving him alone in the streets of Arcadia.

… For a nation filled with so many people, he never felt so alone and lost.

But still, he had to go on. There were people to be found and returned back safely, after all.

“Now… Where is the Assembly?...”

As he looked around, a mechanical voice boomed around the entire nation, much like someone using a really loud megaphone.

‘ATTENTION: ALL ASSEMBLY PARTICIPANTS. AN URGENT BRIEFING HAS BEEN CALLED BY THE ASSEMBLY. PARTICIPATION IS MANDATORY. I REPEAT. ATTENTION: ALL ASSEMBLY PARTICIPANTS…-‘

“What?...”

Eri looked up at the sky, at the direction of the voice as he tried to process what he just heard. The people around him were also murmuring amongst themselves over this announcement.

“Ugh, what is it this time? I had plans today…”

“Hey, at least they’re letting us do something instead of keeping us in the dark. You know how it was like before, right?”

“The death toll has been getting higher lately, but it can’t be worse than what happened to Bammun, would it?...”

There were mixed receptions about what people thought about this, but… the message was clear to Eri. It really was as bad as Miko described it…

“Is it really that bad?...”

“I don’t know, but from how it sounds like, things are gonna be interesting.”

“Hm?...”

And right next to him was a man, who looked so much taller than him, perhaps even twice in size.

“Yeah, just a gut feeling I got... Anyways, what say you that after this little briefing of theirs, we go out for some drinks and maybe I could show you just how much manly the men of Tatari are compared to those back at Izalith? It’ll be the best night in your life, if ya know what I mean.”

Was that… what he thought it was? He know that Harune was quite the looker as she’s the hostess of her lodge, but he still felt extremely uncomfortable, although he doesn’t show it in his expression.

“… I’m not interested, thank you.”

“Tch, you women are all the same, acting so high and mighty, just like the ones from the Red Collective. Whatever, bitch.”

And with that, the man walked away with an annoyed expression on his face, as Eri watched him head towards where everyone was gathering. Further ahead was a gate, and multiple teleporters behind it.

Was that… the teleportation hub?

Although there were hundreds, if not, thousands of people heading towards the teleporters, there wasn’t a need to queue, as all the people need to do were to scan their ID cards at the gate, and enter.

Eri waited in line for only a few seconds, before he scanned the ID on the card reader. And in a single beep, the screen on the reader’s console flashed with a message.

ID RECOGNIZED. PLANET: IZALITH, SITULA. WELCOME BACK.

With the gate doors sliding open, Eri passed through and headed towards the teleporter. Pressing the only button inside, a white light engulfed his entire body, and in that instant…

FWIP!

Inside that beam of light, he felt his body becoming lighter for just a second, and when he came to, what stood before him was a dark, grey hallway. Multiple people from Izalith who came through the teleporters too walked towards the end.

Did he... make it inside? Probably.

“It’s going to be okay... Act natural...”

Gathering his nerves together as he hid his hands under the kimono’s sleeves, he too walked along the hallway with his fox kin, and when he reached the end…

“This…”

What awaited him was a large conference room. One could fit the entire Hakurei Shrine in it… No, maybe ten of them?

“… is amazing.”

Seeing so many people come together, it… was an impressive sight, for sure.

[chiga666]

#Repost @egenolfgalleryjapaneseprints • • • • • • The Ghost of The Cormorant Fisherman, by Yoshitoshi, 1885. The great Buddhist priest Nichiren and his attendant Nikko project peace and forgiveness as they pray for the blighted soul of the cormorant fisherman Kansaku, appearing in the form of the wretched apparition at left. The three-quarter moon, the attentive cormorants and the fire blazing against the lush river darkness combine masterfully to create the intended mood. Available, but not on our website yet. Catch us @portlandartmuseum for the upcoming Print Fair next weekend.  #刺青画 #浮世絵 #japaneseculture #asianart #woodblockprint #japanesewoodblockprint #japanesewoodblock #ukiyo-e #tsukiokayoshitoshi #ukiyoe #japaneseart #artfromjapan #hanga #japan #japanesestyle #japaneseaesthetic #japanesedesign #edoperiod #japaneseprints #japanesetattoo #yoshitoshi #moonviewing #yokai #yurei #viewsofthemoon #japaneseghosts #buddhistart https://www.instagram.com/p/B7pLk3Bl-PGWDi3lj55LlkJOB_meoGki97VsZA0/?igshid=k6edrha1ge5g

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 15, 2017

Sharpening vision by adapting to flicker. Arnold, D. H., Williams, J. D., Phipps, N. E., & Goodale, M. A. (2016). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(44), 12556–12561.

How Do Efficient Coding Strategies Depend on Origins of Noise in Neural Circuits? Brinkman, B. A. W., Weber, A. I., Rieke, F., & Shea-Brown, E. (2016). PLOS Computational Biology, 12(10), e1005150.

Temporal limits on rubber hand illusion reflect individuals’ temporal resolution in multisensory perception. Costantini, M., Robinson, J., Migliorati, D., Donno, B., Ferri, F., & Northoff, G. (2016). Cognition, 157, 39–48.

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[soulwitch]

theblueempath‌:

“I believe we can take care of ourselves. My abilities can keep us out of any unnecessary fights.” Emma had done a some reading before things had kicked off, so she knew the Asseimono were pirates, albeit peaceful ones at the moment.

“Though I’m guessing by the fact you’re concerned for who you send, it’s not going to be as easy as just asking them?”

“Raiders are still raiders. Even if they trade peacefully with the Kansaku. If they had a chance, they’d probably try to extort you or rob you. So having someone with a good head on their shoulders, and some capability to take care of themselves. Not only will you be safe, you’ll no doubt earn some respect with them.”

“There’s two ways to go about this, I can arrange transport to Bammun, on their border. Or you can speak to their representative and see about setting something up. Being outsiders, they might be more akin to speaking with you than some Acadian Politician like me.”

[chanoyu-to-wa]

Rikyū Chanoyu Sho, Book 6 (Part 10c):  from the Sōtan Nikki [宗湛日記], (1590) Ninth Month, 20th Day; Midday (Part 2).

[The charcoal utensils used for the sumi-temae at the beginning of the sho-za¹.]

￮ Sumi-tori:  hyōtan [炭斗 ・ 瓢簞]²; ◦ hane:  wrapped with bamboo-sheath³; ◦ kuwa-e suji [クワヱ筋]⁴.

￮ Within the dōko [道籠]⁵: ◦ [on the shelf] the nakatsugi, inserted into a fukuro, and aligned with the exact center of the [cha]wan⁶; ◦ [and] below, mizusashi, beside which was the mizu-koboshi⁷.

￮ At the beginning, the hishaku was [placed on the shelf together with the chawan and nakatsugi] facing upward⁸, and afterward it was hung on the wall [of the dōko]⁹.

◎ Things that were discussed [during the gathering]¹⁰:

    With respect to the matter of resting the chashaku on top of [the lid of] the katatsuki, this [practice] was first proposed by [Shu]kō¹¹.  He began doing this with [the kansaku-karamono katatsuki called] Nage-zukin [ナケ頭巾]¹².

    It was also with [the shifuku for] this same [Nage-zukin chaire] that [Shukō] began tying the o [緒] in an abbreviated manner¹³.  Following the [precedent established by the] Nage-zukin [chaire], the ways [we continue] to do these things were all laid down by Shukō.¹⁴

▵ In the shoin¹⁵, on the dashi-zukue [ダシツクヱ]¹⁶:

◦ [With respect to the pair of bun-chin [文鎮]¹⁷, they are] 1-shaku 1- or 2-sun long, and they have a delicate design [etched] within the [upper face]¹⁸.

[Sōtan’s sketch of the objects arranged on Rikyū’s dashi-fu-zukue (built-in writing desk).  The writing reads (from the right, above to below):  suri-kake no sumi nari (スリカケノ墨ナリ)¹⁹; soto suji-kaete (ソトスヂカヘテ)²⁰; kane no ningyō (カネノ人形)²¹; Kōrai-hitsu nari (髙ライ筆也)²²; kane no ushi (カネノ牛)²³; maru-suzuri (丸スヾリ)²⁴; umi ・ usagi (海 ・ ウサギ)²⁵.]

[This is the end of Kamiya Sōtan’s record of this gathering in the Sōtan Nikki.  The reader will notice that Sōtan has made no mention of the menu of the kaiseki, concentrating his remarks primarily on the things that interested him.]

_________________________

¹I added this sentence to clarify when, during the gathering, the sumi-dōgu were used (since Sōtan’s way of organizing this entry does not make this clear).

²Sumi-tori ・ hyōtan [炭斗 ・ 瓢簞]*.

    That is, a fukube [ふくべ = 瓢], to use the name used by Jōō and Rikyū.  A sumi-tori made from a large dried gourd.

    According to his writings, when the kama was suspended from the ceiling, Rikyū used a te-fukube [手ふくべ = 手瓢] -- a gourd with a handle-like portion of the skin left to over-arch the mouth -- since the kan were not available to help stabilize the hibashi when they rested across the mouth of the sumi-tori. __________ *Hyōtan [瓢簞] technically means an hour-glass-shaped bottle-gourd.  This is different from a fukube, which is shaped like a large bowl.

³Hane ・ take-no-kawa ni te tsutsumite [羽 ・ 竹ノ皮ニテ包ミテ].

    Hane [羽] is another name for the habōki [羽箒].  Sōtan is describing the fact that the handle of the habōki was wrapped by bamboo-sheath (and tied by two or three paper cords).

    In the small room, Rikyū always used a habōki made from feathers that were 5-sun long.  Thus this kind of habōki is often called a go-sun-hane [五寸羽].

    Traditionally the feathers of the striped owl (shima-bukuro [縞梟]) were used for the go-sun-hane (as in the example shown above).

    The habōki would have been placed on the shelf in the dōko before the sumi-temae, perhaps in association with the kōgō.

⁴Kuwa-e suji* [クワヱ筋].

    Hibashi [火箸] with handles (e [柄]) made of mulberry (kuwa [桑]) wood.

    Rikyū’s ro-yō no hibashi [爐用の火箸] are shown above.

    It is likely that Rikyū also used his su-yaki [素焼] hai-hōroku [灰炮烙]† and a lacquered copper haisaji [灰匙] -- also sporting a mulberry-wood handle -- which are shown above‡. ___________ *Suji [筋] is a classical word for hashi [箸], and specifically was the word used to refer to the hibashi by followers of the Shino school of incense -- hence Jōō’s adoption of the term for use in the context of the chakai during his middle years (the period when his influence on chanoyu outside of the Kyōto-Ōsaka-Sakai area was most pervasive).

†This hai-hōroku was made for Rikyū by Chōjirō.

‡Since Sōtan does not mention a kōgō -- and since he probably would have remembered Rikyū’s ruri-suzume kōgō [瑠璃雀香盒] -- it is at least possible that Rikyū did not use one, opting to place the piece of neri-kō on the hai-saji (since this gathering was being held in the middle of the day following a morning gathering, thus the sumi-temae would have been more a matter of repairing the fire, hence abbreviations of this sort would have been appropriate).

⁵Dōko ni ha [道籠ニハ].

    Sōtan is referring to the dōko [洞庫] -- a sliding-door cupboard located in the wall on the left side of the utensil mat, in which the utensils could be arranged for ready access from the host’s seat -- and he is going to describe how the utensils were arranged in it.

    Note that this was an ordinary dōko (of the type created by Jōō)*, which has a wooden floor, not a mizuya-dōko [水屋洞庫] such as Rikyū had in his Mozuno ko-yashiki.  (When the room has a mizuya-dōko, the host does not need a mizu-koboshi, since he pours the used water directly into the dōko.) ___________ *Jōō’s dōko-dana [洞庫 棚] was like that shown below:  it was a simple box, with a top, a bottom, two sides, and a shelf that crossed from side to side slightly above the middle (this shelf did not extend all the way to the front edge of the box on the side facing the tearoom, however, thus leaving room for a bamboo peg to be nailed into the wall on the upper side of the dōko-dana -- from which the hishaku could be suspended at the end of the temae).

    The front side of the dōko-dana was completely open (the sliding door that obscured its contents from being viewed by the guests, was held in tracks that were installed in the tearoom itself; and the dōko-dana was simply placed next to the opening in the wall that was covered by the sliding door), and the back side was usually hinged (so that the interior could be accessed from outside the room -- usually from within the katte).

     The original dōko-dana had a pair of sliding doors on the katte-side of the tana, while later versions had a single hinged door that swung into the katte (sometimes with a smaller hinged door opening in one corner of the larger panel, through which the koboshi could be removed as soon as it was placed in the dōko at the end of the temae without disturbing the guests or host).

⁶Nakatsugi, fukuro ni irete, wan to mannaka ni oki-awasete [中續、袋ニ入、碗トマン中ニ置合テ].

    The nakatsugi was tied into its shifuku, and then aligned with the chawan on the shelf (inside the dōko, as shown in the sketch below).

⁷Waki ni mizu-koboshi [ワキニ水下].

    The mizu-koboshi was placed on the floor of the dōko, on the left (“lower*”) side of the mizusashi (as shown above).

    The futaoki was placed inside the mizu-koboshi. ___________ *The “upper side” of the dōko is the side toward the head of the utensil mat, where the temae is performed; the “lower side” is the side closest to the katte-guchi.

⁸Hishaku ha saki ni ao-mukete [ヒシヤクハサキニ仰テ].

    Saki ni [先に] means at the beginning (of the temae).

    The hishaku was placed on the shelf (together with the chawan and the nakatsugi) when Rikyū prepared the dōko for the go-za.

    This is also shown in the above sketch of the initial arrangement of the dōko.

⁹Ato ni ha kabe ni kakaru [後ニハカベニカヽル].

    Ato ni [後に] means afterward -- at the end of the temae.

    At the end of the temae, the hishaku was hung on a bamboo peg that was nailed into the side-wall of the dōko, while the futaoki was placed on the floor of the dōko near its handle.

    The disposition of the various utensils in the toko at the end of the temae is shown above -- the mizusashi, meanwhile, was probably left on the utensil mat, beside the mukō-ro (according to what is written in Rikyū’s densho).

    However, some commentators argue that, rather than hanging the hishaku in the dōko, Rikyū had nailed a bamboo peg into the wall on the left side of the room, and that kabe ni kakaru [かべに掛る] refers to hanging the hishaku on this peg (probably with the futaoki placed on the mat near its handle).  The problem here is that the fusuma that covers the front of the dōko needs to slide along the wall, making the peg arrangement almost impossible.  If the dōko was especially small, this might be a possibility; but in other rooms that Rikyū built around this time, the dōko was fully 3-shaku wide (and so much larger than the dōko that Jōō included in his 4.5-mat room*), and so the fusuma would have to slide completely to the corner at the far end of the mat.

    This difficulty could be avoided by making the dōko have two doors, perhaps, but dōko of that sort were created by Sen no Sōtan; Rikyū’s dōko, like those of his teacher Jōō, only had a single sliding door. ___________ *While Jōō‘s dōko was smaller, it nevertheless was situated so that the mouth of the dōko reached the lower corner of the temae-za.  And the reason why it was made smaller was because the katte-guchi (= sadō-guchi) had to be able to open fully (on the back side of the wall); thus the dōko had to fit between the lower corner of the temae-za and the point reached by the katte-guchi when it was opened completely (so the host could enter or exit the room).

    Since the present room has its katte-guchi at the foot of the mat (rather than in the wall to the left of the mat as in the ordinary 4.5-mat room), the door will have no impact on the size of the dōko.  But since the idea is that utensils lifted out of the dōko are then placed immediately onto the temae-za (without the host having to move forward on his knees to reach the temae-za), locating a small-sized dōko at the lower end of the utensil mat (just so that there would be room for a bamboo peg to be nailed into the wall on the far side of the track for the fusuma) would defeat the entire purpose of having a dōko.

¹⁰Go-zatsudan-goto [御雜談㕝].

    Zatsudan [雜談 -- it is usually written “雑談” today] means to carry on an informal conversation, chat.  Koto [㕝] is an alternate way of writing koto [事], which means “matter” or “affair.”  In other words, “matters that were discussed.”

    What follows this heading are brief notes that describe Rikyū’s answers to Sōtan’s questions -- which he would have brought up while Rikyū was serving him usucha.

¹¹Kō no shide-sōrō [光ノ仕出候].

    Kō [光] is an abbreviation of Shukō's name.

    Shide [仕出] means to bring something forth -- in other words, create or initiate a practice.

¹²Nage-zukin [投げ頭巾].

    This was a kansaku-karamono* katatsuki chaire, that is now lost.

    According to an Edo period description, the chaire stood 2-sun 9-bu tall, and was approximately 2-sun 3-bu in diameter -- and so slightly larger than a ko-tsubo, but smaller than a large katatsuki†.  This text (including its accompanying sketch) is shown above, along with a Chinese copy of the Nage-zukin chaire (made to order for a Japanese customer during the Edo period‡).

    However, the chaire’s inherent beauty aside, it was probably because the piece deviated from the demands of kane-wari that Shukō decided to use the chaire in the rather casual manner described (i.e., resting the chashaku on top of the lid).  It was likely for this reason, too, that Shukō made the himo for its shifuku short (see footnote 13, below) -- so that it could not be tied in the elaborate knots that were used when displaying a chaire that conformed with the orthodox teachings.

    The name Nage-zukin [投げ頭巾] means "to throw down ones zukin [頭巾]**":  it is said that after Shukō came to Japan, while he was searching for suitable tea utensils, someone offered him this little jar.  So struck was he at its beauty, that he took off his cap (a mark of respect, suggesting that he was effacing himself, or his understanding of the orthodox teachings of chanoyu, in its presence -- only people of low estate went bareheaded††) and threw it on the floor.  The name was derived (some say by Shukō himself) from this anecdote. __________ *Kansaku-karamono pieces were made in Korea during the first half of the fifteenth century.  Consequently, they better reflect the demands of chanoyu than chaire imported from China (which were made for other purposes than tea, usually for the souvenir trade -- holding single servings of medicinal liquor for men that was supposed to increase sexual potency, or special hair-oil for women reputed to have aphrodisiac properties -- the little containers were used as chaire in Korea after the contents had been consumed, since that was all that was left of the gift).

†Technically speaking, a ko-tsubo was 2-sun 2-bu in diameter or smaller; and a large katatsuki was 2-sun 5-bu in diameter or larger.

‡This practice seems to have been fairly common, especially among the daimyō owners of famous utensils (which sometimes had to be returned to the shōgunate upon the death of the individual to whom they had been presented), for whom it may have been a sort of insurance policy (since, if the chaire could not be returned because it had been lost or broken, the family might be required to forfeit a vast sum of money to the shōgun as an apology -- in addition to which a major investigation would likely have been launched, which could inflict all sorts of collateral damage on the family and its legacy).

    In his book CHANOYU: the Japanese Tea Ceremony, A. L. Sadler describes an incident related to another famous chaire (in that case, the Hakata-bunrin [博多文琳] that formerly belonged to Kamiya Sōtan, but which was at the time of the story in the possession of the Kuroda family, the daimyō of the Fukuoka-han [福岡藩] -- into which fief Hakata had been incorporated):

    “Takahashi Sōan, when recently making a complete survey of all the famous ‘Meibutsu’ for his work the ‘Taisho Meiki-kwan’ and taking photographs of them, was unable to get one of this Bunrin for it is still only displayed on the occasion of the succession of the heir, and it was explained to him that some misfortune would happen if they showed it at any other time.  One who saw it when it was on view related that it was put in a row with five others so exactly like it that it was impossible to say which it was.”

**Up until Rikyū's day chajin traditionally wore some sort of head-covering when performing the temae.  (Covering ones head with a cap that signified ones social rank was a Korean custom that persisted until the early 20th century.)

    When made of cloth (which material perhaps designated a member of the merchant class), this cap was termed a zukin [頭巾].  (Members of the governing class wore stiff caps made from the long hairs of a horse's tail woven into a sort of gauzy fabric, which was then stiffened with lacquered.)

    Wearing a zukin also helped to prevent hair from falling into the tea.

    In the present day, the only people who usually effect a zukin are monks and laymen who have shaved their heads (become nyūdō [入道]).

††As can be seen from the photo of the copy of the Nage-zukin, the coloring of this chaire was extremely dramatic -- especially when compared with the majority of the ō-meibutsu pieces (which were mostly either very dark brown or black, or a lighter brown with the nadare suggested by darker patches -- such as is the case with the Hatsu-hana katatsuki [初花肩衝], shown above).

    Hideyoshi’s swooning over Sōtan’s Hakata-bunrin [博多文琳] (shown under footnote 1 in the previous post) was likely caused by a similar effect in the case of that other visually remarkable chaire.  Modern-made pieces with their strongly contrasting nadare were the direct offshoot of these famous examples of the potter’s art.

¹³Onaji o wo mijikaku musubi sōrō-koto [同緒ヲ短クムスヒ候㕝].

    Literally, “in the same case, the cord was tied so that it was shorter.”

    In other words, Shukō shortened the length of the cord*, and began to tie it with the simple knot that is still used today. __________ *According to Jōō's explanation that was quoted by Uesugi Kenshin in his commentary on the Chanoyu San-byak’ka Jō [茶湯三百箇條] (Three Hundred Lines of Chanoyu), Shukō determined the length of the himo in this way:  he measured the width of the shifuku (A→B, in the sketch below), and then measured the length of the seam on the front and back sides of the shifuku from the base to the place where the sides of the shifuku separate (C→D, and E→F, respectively).

    Adding these measurements together gives the length of the himo from the wa [輪] to the uchi-dome [打止] (below).

    According to Shukō, the knot used to tie the shifuku is called a tsune no tonbo-musubi [常の蜻蛉結び], meaning an ordinary dragonfly knot.  The sides of the knot are intended to suggest the wings of a dragonfly, the knot its head and eyes, and so the length of the himo beyond the uchi-dome should be appropriate to the length of the body of a dragonfly with a wingspan of this size.

¹⁴Nage-zukin yori, kono shitsuke itsure mo Shukō no shide sōrō nari [ナケツキンヨリ、此仕付イツレモ珠光ノ仕出候也].

    Some versions of the Sōtan Nikki add the words hajime nari [始ナリ] to the first phrase:  nage-zukin yori hajime nari, kono shitsuke itsure mo Shukō no shide sōrō nari [ナケツキンヨリ始ナリ、此仕付イツレモ彼ノ仕出候也].  While this version emphasizes that these practices* began specifically with the Nage-zukin katatsuki, it does not really change the meaning of the sentence. __________ *In other words:

◦ resting the chashaku on top of the lid of the katatsuki; and,

◦ making the himo shorter so that it can be tied with a simplified knot.

¹⁵Shoin ni [書院ニ].

    Sōtan here returns to his description of the arrangements.

    This part of the entry refers to the 18-mat hiroma that adjoined the 2-mat ko-zashiki through the 6-mat katte (and 8-mat tsugi-no-ma [次の間]).  A sketch of this part of Rikyū’s residence, based on Edo period documents, is shown below.

    The hiroma is at the top with the 8-mat tsugi-no-ma below it; the 6-mat katte (where the kaiseki was served during gatherings held in the 2-mat room) is to the left of the tsugi-no-ma in this sketch, with the 2-mat room at the bottom left.

    In the shoin (hiroma), the dashi-fu-zukue [出し文机] (built-in writing desk) is located above the 2-mat jō-dan [上段] (where Hideyoshi would have sat when attending a function in this room).  The probable location of the daisu is also indicated, adjacent to the jō-dan.

     And while modern versions of this room usually have a ro cut in the floor (Omotesenke’s Zangetsu-tei [殘月亭] is supposed to be a reconstruction of Rikyū’s Iro-shoin [色書院], “Colored Shoin”), there is no good evidence that Rikyū’s room actually had one.  In Rikyū’s day, the shin-daisu was never used with the ro; but a shin-daisu was always used when serving tea in this large shoin.

¹⁶Dashi-zukue [ダシツクヱ].

    The dashi-fu-zukue [出し文机], the built-in writing desk (which, during chakai, was typically used to display an assortment of antique writing equipment, old books, and so forth, for the guests delectation).

¹⁷Bun-chin [文鎮].

    This sentence refers to the two long, rectangular objects visible on the right side of Sōtan’s sketch (with a third object resting on top of them).

    Bun-chin are paperweights, used to keep the length of writing paper* flat and smooth while writing.  Since the roll of paper was on the writer’s left, and the free end on his right, the paperweights were placed lengthwise on top of the two ends of the paper, to keep it smooth, and also to prevent it from rolling up while the person was writing.

    Sōtan does not identify the bun-chin by name because this diary was only for his own reference, and he naturally would have known to what he was referring.  Neither does he state what the bun-chin are made of:  bronze was probably most common, though other metals such as silver and gold (and even iron), and also jade, were used for this purpose on occasion. ___________ *Rikyū was not a painter, so the purpose to which he put the collection of objects displayed on his dashi-fu-zukue (built-in writing desk) was writing letters.

    Letter paper came in long rolls, and a length of the paper was spread out on the desk (the free end was on the person’s right, and the roll was on his left, as shown above), held down by the paperweights, in preparation for writing.  When one approached the paperweight on the left side, the right weight was removed, the paper rolled up loosely (the ink could still be damp), and this was moved toward the right, so that a clean surface was opened up in front of the person, who continued until he was finished.  Only then was the letter cut away from the roll (by custom, a certain amount of blank paper was supposed to remain to the left of the writer’s signature -- to show that the letter as received was intact, and that a postscript had not been removed by someone else prior to delivery).

¹⁸Nagasa isshaku ichi- ni-sun, uchi ni komaka ni mon ari  [長サ一尺一二寸、内ニ細ニモンアリ].

    Sōtan appears to be less skilled at estimating the size of objects than some of his contemporaries, so he guesses that the paperweights are 1-shaku 1- or 2-sun long (between 33.3 cm [a little over 13 inches], and 36.4 cm [roughly 14.3 inches]).

    Uchi ni [内に] -- on the interior (of the upper face).  This means that the design was only etched in the middle of the face, and did not extend to the edges.  The pair of bun-chin shown below illustrate the effect that Sōtan is describing.

    Komaka ni mon ari [細に紋有り]:  komaka ni [細に] means things like “delicate,” “fine,” “minute,” and so forth.  Mon [紋] means a decorative pattern.  While perhaps rather simple, the silver and gold inlay on the above pair of bun-chin give an idea of the sort of decoration that Sōtan is talking about.

¹⁹Suri-kake no sumi nari [スリカケノ墨ナリ].

    Suri-kake no sumi [磨り掛けの墨] seems to mean a stick of ink that has been partially rubbed down*.  In other words, rather than arranging things for display, Rikyū seems to have left his desk more or less as it was, giving a hint of informality and intimacy to the meeting of these two men. __________ *As the stick is rubbed against the suzuri [硯] to make ink, this means that the stick of ink that is resting on the bun-chin is the ink that he uses when writing letters.  It is a used stick of ink (rather than something like a costly imported ink-stick that was only placed out for decoration).

²⁰Soto suji-kaete [ソトスヂカヘテ].

    Suji-kaete [筋違えて] means to orient something on a diagonal. Soto suji-kaete, then, means that the handle of the brush is resting on a diagonal inclined toward the outside -- that is, toward the right.

²¹Kane no ningyō [カネノ人形].

    The hikka [筆架] (brush-rest) is shaped like a man.  It was made of metal (probably bronze), hence most likely either of Chinese or Korean origin.

²²Kōrai-hitsu nari [髙ライ筆也].

    The writing brush was made in Korea (Kōrai [高麗]).

    In Sōtan’s sketch, the head of the brush appears to be covered with a sheath (called a fude-kutsugae [筆覆]) made of a piece of thin bamboo with a slit down one side, which protects the bristles from accidental contact, as well as dust.  This suggests that Rikyū had put his things away -- rather than having been interrupted while writing.

²³Kane no ushi [カネノ牛].

    This is the suiteki [水滴], water dropper.  It is made of metal (probably bronze*), and shaped like a cow. __________ *And so was imported from either China or Korea.

²⁴Maru-suzuri [丸スヾリ].

    Maru-suzuri [丸硯] means a round ink-stone.  Rikyū's suzuri is perhaps shaped like the full moon (hence the rabbit:  in East Asia it is not a man-in-the-moon, but a rabbit*). __________ *Sometimes the rabbit is said to be pounding sticky-rice into mochi.  Which is why rice-cakes are also associated with the moon.

²⁵Umi ・ usagi [海 ・ ウサギ].

    Umi [海]* refers to the well of the ink-stone†.  The well was carved -- in this case -- to resemble the body of the rabbit (usagi [うさぎ = 兎]). __________ *Umi [海] literally means “sea.”

†Most modern suzuri are merely functional, and so have the umi located rigidly at one end.  But old ink-stones are often more imaginatively shaped; and while the umi is usually toward one end, it is frequently delicately carved, not only as a depression that collects the ink, but with various ridges and fenestrations that are used to shape the brush into a point after it has become saturated with ink.

[finnish-art-gallery]

Kalastaja Utsukai Kansaku, Kunisada, 19??, Finnish National Gallery

http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=A+II+841%3A274

[soulwitch]

“I wonder if I would of equipped more of the Acadians and Kansaku with suits, would they have fared better?”

[usagienforcer]

“My life seems ter be one of quiet deeds. It’s a life of shadow, maybe. I try my best ter be a good person who does good things, but my profession means few will ever learn of what I do.”

“In a way, I’m a very selfish person. Almost everything I’m doing is fer my own future happiness. But I can’t see a future where I can be happy — alone. My happiness comes from the safety and delight of others, my friends... Leading ter this. Ending the turmoil of the Kansaku, finding the heir, restoring order ter an entire stellar confederacy. All because my end goal is ter stop a threat that may hurt somebody I love. Fer these efforts... I return ter the shadow and anonymity, from which I came.”

“Perhaps, it’s fer the best.”

[stained-carmine]

Watching the Assembly unfold. A tall young man with black hair and narrow red eyes remained silent, gaze focused on the reactions of the various people in attendance, sizing them up to locate a suitable target.

He watched as the Izalith reacted with anger and outrage at the fact they’d been cut out and disgust at the fact that the Senji had been taking under protection. They’re a fierce people. Bigoted, but they seem all too easily swayed by their emotions. They’d likely be easy game with a few sweet words... Turning his gaze to the other factions in attendance, he was greeted with mixed reactions between the people. Some were joyous that no longer would their empires sit idly by as both Collective and Directive forces took more and more from them, while others were apprehensive as to the course the voters had chosen, unsure if diving headfirst into this conflict was truly the best thing to do. Some cried in anger at choices their nations had made while others threw up cheers in support of mobilizing against their enemies who had up till now had free reign to do as they pleased as the leaders of the various stellar empires sat idly by out of fear of bringing about another galatic war. To think it took the loss of a queen to finally provoke action from these people...they’re far too fearful for their own good. He thought as he recalled the events before the prior meeting, overhearing the shouting and glancing in its direction to witness angry citizens attack the Red Collective representative to no avail.

Looking to the aforementioned androids, he would find them doing precisely what he was, silently observing, and not really taking any action or actively participating in the discussion. Those two...Why does this Assembly allow them to attend? Surely they don’t actually believe they want peace? After what both has done, it’s clear they’re not here to make friends. Glancing over the data slate at his fingertips, the young man browsed the various documents which detailed the events that had occurred prior to his arrival in this galaxy. The Directive had massacred an entire populace, and the Collective had assassinated the Kansaku Queen.

Really, these people are truly foolish to let those things in here. Does it not occur to them that they are here to spy upon this Federation’s actions? That’s the only reason for them to be here if they have no intentions of ceasing hostilities. Kuh...It really is irksome how much mortals ignore the obvious truth in favor of illusory hopes. With a narrowed gaze, he turned his attention to the motions that had previously been tabled. Lifting his gaze from the data slate, his eyes searched the room for the Velutarian representative. Hmm... Glancing back at the slate for further information—which wasn’t actually much considering the secretive nature of the Archivists—he’d take note of the man’s name. Sha’Shuan huh...He could be useful too. Perhaps I should consider questioning him... Thinking back to the circumstances that brought him here, he gave a reaffirming smile to himself.

Yes, that seems like a good plan moving forward. I’ll need all the information I can get if I’m to keep my word to that woman. If what she said is true, and that psychotic bitch took her for a reason, then getting her back would surely throw a wrench in whatever scheme that witch has going. With Jeanne’s visage appearing in his mind, anger rose within him. That damned witch...! I can’t wait to wipe that smug look of her face once and for all... As the meeting came to a close, the crimson eyed man rose from his seat and exited the assembly hall, intent to finally make his first move towards getting his revenge upon that woman. With the various powers of the galaxy finally taking action to fight against the threat to their home, things were sure to get a lot more interesting from here on out. This should be quite fun...and maybe if I play my cards right I can take that red bitch down myself. Heheh~ I look forward to it!