Picnic at Tsubaki

===> COH <===> 8/8/2019, 12:54:37 PM <===

	Danny had invited Sae on an outing. A daytrip! Like the kind where they get in a car, listen to Bon Iver, stare meaningfully at each other, and pack a picnic lunch. Up into the mountains. Away from the smog and din of Prospect. Curiouser and curiouser!

Now this was unexpected, but at least it was during the day time. That means he's definitely not a creature of the night in the traditional respect, which means he's probably okay in her book. For her part, she dressed rather casually in a simple sundress that complements her mocha skin tone. She was pensive for most of the trip until they arrive as she glances about, taking it all in.

	Danny pulls the car off to the side into designated parking space, then exits. "I haven't been out here in ... a very long time." The shrine is very quiet, and very peaceful. Its early yet, and they were lucky to arrive before any tourists or pilgrims. Danny smiles and offers Sae a hand, "This way, then," he offers as he leads the woman out onto the Holy Ground. Let's see if either of them are unable to enter, or burst into flames! Or worse still, begin to rot!

No rotting. No hissing. No adverse reaction to the holy ground. She's still a mama's girl and a good Methodist at heart, and even though this place is consecrated to numerous gods, she doesn't seem to have an allergy to it. "It's rather nice here." she says, looking at the offered hand for a few moments before she takes it, letting her fingers entwine with his own.

	Danny stalks forward as if he was home. He's not, of course - the shrine is Japanese and shinto, not Chinese and a Taoist temple. But Holy is Holy, agents of the Creator are agents of the Creator, and home is where the heart is. Danny's heart, a small part of it at least, is home here. His cool fingers gives Sae's a reassuring squeeze as he leads her in. "Have you ever been up this way before? Idyllwyld a little further up, I mean."

"I can't say I have. I tend to spend most of my days at the office." Ahhh, the life of a Technocrat, doing techy things and making sure the world is safe from deviants and all those other bits and whatnot. "It does remind me of the time I spent that semester abroad in Japan though."

Yu Yan finishes the climb up the stone stairs and passes between the stone Lion Dog guardians.
Yu Yan has arrived.

	Danny and Sae had only just arrived. The taller man was leading the woman into the shrine, the two having a quiet conversation before any throngs of tourists or pilgrims arrived.

	Danny gives Sae a small nod. "The fact that this place exists, out here in the mountain wilds of California? Gives me at least a little hope that we all just might /not/ do the slow swirl down the toilet. A small shrug. "But even out here. There are monsters." A smile, "Not /here/, of course. This is holy ground. But near enough."

Yu Yan walks barfoot down the way as she hums something old that sounds Chinese, has the tempo of a drinking song to it. She does not seem to be bothered by the fact she is bare foot as sharp little stones and sticks dont seem to phase her in the slightest.

"I would be worried about what kind of monsters would be able to withstand a place like this." Sae admits ruefully as she runs her free hand through her dark curly locks as she continues to glance about. It's then that she raises her brows, "We don't need to be taking off our shoes or anything, do we?"

	"Not out here, not unless you want to. Some places in here, yes, and you'll see where." A smile from Danny to Sae as he continues the tour. "This way."

	Danny leads Sae towards the Haiden. "This way. We can leave our shoes at the door."

Yu Yan waves to the couple as she sees them offering a little smile. She then hops up on a railing over looking the shrine and half grips it with her toes as she squats and rest there balanced perfectly.

Raising her brows, Sae looks in Yu Yan's direction for a few moments and bows her head before she lets herself be led towards the Haiden. Slipping off her shoes, she leaves them by the door before heading inside.

Sae enters the Hall of Worship.
You enter the Hall of Worship.

Tsubaki Shrine - Hall of Worship
	The smell of incense, the sound of soft chimes and the prayers of the faithful fill this area. Polished redwood floors lead up to a stone statue of a figure either dancing or performing martial arts. This is the outer Shrine where people come to make offerings and worship the Kami housed deeper within the building. Only the senior monks are allowed further in from this point. The area has a serene feeling of a holy place.

Spirits of the man and their relationship with the divine move about this area in orderly fashion. Shaped by the worship of humanity a balance is maintained here by the will of Heaven. Glowing with jade light the Heavenly Mandates hang like tapestries on the walls.


Contents:
Sae
Obvious Exits:
  Shrine Grounds <O>

	Danny pauses once inside and takes a breath. He'll keep close to Sae, watching the young woman sidelong.

Perhaps it's fortunate that the one advanced science that would allow her to see more, dimensional science, is not something she knows. Perhaps ignorance is bliss in that regard. Or perhaps she just doesn't believe in it. Either way, Sae hrmms, raising her brows as he keeps close as she continues to let herself be led within the shrine, keeping quiet to maintain the somber environs.

	Danny smiles, "A little piece of the middle kingdom, all the way out here." Slipping his hand into hers once more, he leads her up to the stone statue, where they'll stand in silent meditation for a few moments, breathing in the scent of incense, and listening to the sparkle of the chimes. He'll offer up a prayer in his native Cantonese for both of them.

For the most part, she understands the words he's saying even though she doesn't truly understand it's significance. REmaining quiet during the prayer, she closes her eyes and takes in a long and deep breath, offering a warm smile when all is said and done. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering how big the Asian population is in the city."

	"Its a good base from which to monitor the kin-jin out this way, I think." Another breath, and then he leads Sae back out towards the door. "C'mon, let's go have our picnic."

"The kin-jin?" It's not exactly a term she's familiar with and instead, she peers at him once more before letting him lead the way out.

Sae goes out onto the shrine grounds.
You walk out onto the shrine grounds.

Tsubaki Grand Shrine
	Stone Lion Dogs stand in watchful guardianship over this area. The scent of the nearby woods mixed with incense and gardens fills the air. All the elements of ritual and purification have been dropped into the California wilderness. At the outer edges of the grounds there are smaller shrines and the attendant buildings each layed out and placed in harmony and support of the central shrine building. The Haiden is a large open faced building containing the central hall of worship. There is where prayers are offered and donations to the shrine are placed. Behind it is the stone and wood reinforced building that is the home of the Kami. Fenced off and connected only by a small bridge from the Haiden it is sealed from the public to protect the sanctity of the shrine.

			(( +note/read here/Holy ))
Spirits of the man and their relationship with the divine move about this area in orderly fashion. Shaped by the worship of humanity a balance is maintained here by the will of Heaven. The Haiden in the umbra is a large opulent pagoda fit for a Kami's home. The area is patrolled by Lion Dogs to protect it from the profane and the impure.


Contents:
Sae
Obvious Exits:
  Stone Stairs <O>   Haiden <Ha>   Dojo <Do>   Kagura-den <Ka>   Shamusho <Sh>   Cemetery <Ce>   Onsen <On>

You follow a path downhill into the cemetery.

Tsubaki Shrine - Cemetery
	An open field of carefully manicured and cleaned paths. Small stone plinths rise out of the ground engraved with names in English, Japanese or both. In front of them are small bowls of sand for placing incense in. The air is still here and the weight of inevitability hangs around the necks of onlookers. This is a shrine to the mortality of human existance.

	(This room needs an Umbra desc. @mail building staff if you want to provide one.)


	(This room needs a Wraith desc. @mail building staff if you want to provide one.)

Obvious Exits:
  Shrine <O>
Sae comes down the path leading to the shrine.
Sae has arrived.

	Danny leads Sae out into the cemetery. An odd choice, perhaps, for a picnic. But for Danny? The Ancestor Spirits enjoy food and drink as much as they did when they were alive. That might explain all the extra in the basket. He'll lead her out to a remote part of the grounds, and then settle down to unpack.

	"The ... hemo? hemato? - phages." Danny unpacks snacks and drink, pouring on out to the Ancestors first, then Sae, them himself.

"The vampires." she says in common parlance as she glances about. It's definitely an unusual place for a picnic, but considering she's seen Dia De Los Muertos in her travels and is familiar with common ancestor worship in various cultures, it's not too much in left field for her. "So...I have to ask, what's the reason for inviting me out on this little excursion?"

	Danny chuckle-chortles. "The Lestats and the Bella Swans, yes." he passes a small plate over to Sae. "Because I wanted to share in something beautiful with you. Because it's important for me to remember why I do what I do. Because connections, old and new, are important."

There's a slow nod as she glances about once more. "So you're sharing a piece of yourself, functionally. I'm honored." Sae replies with a warm smile curling onto her lips.

	Danny nods, then takes a drink and shuts his eyes for a small bit, listening to the serenity of the cemetery, and whatever sounds might lie on the other side of the Shroud.

===> Server closed the connection. <===> 8/8/2019, 2:44:09 PM <===