Gisei no Hoshichou
Gisei no Hoshichou ❝we're stronger in the places we've been broken❞
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
Demeanor: XXX
A P P E A R A N C E
N I N J A
Demeanor: XXX
A S T R O L O G I A N
❝Beyond the mists, to a lake not near nor far, to the shaman's hut, where the marked will be sanctified.❞
The Memory:
It had been the child's fifth winter. Snow had fallen and left the village in a winter wonderland. That day, none of the other children played. The fog had thickened that sun and left the forest nearly unseen. It the warmth of her home, Hoshichou stood upon a stool with a rather bored expression. She watched as her mother and father rushed around the home in preparation. The young child left in nothing but her silk sleeping gown and her fur shawl. Quietly, Hoshichou shuffled her feet awkwardly and she watched her mother whiz by once more. Rather abruptly, she was scooped into her father's arms and carried over to the heated bath. She was stripped and then set into a heat akin to her bed. There was little time to enjoy it as her mother took over. The young girl was bathed with little play. Long ginger hair was conditioned with scents of lavender and cherry blossom. Her flesh was scrubbed free of all specks of dirt. Hands were drawn out, nails clipped, cleaned, and then painted. Hoshichou wondered why one would clean nails if the dirt beneath would have been painted over. Yet, she dared not ask due to her mother's muttering. After her primping, the tiny girl had been yanked from the warmth, and carried back to her stool. Her father wrapped her hair and body in a towel. Alas, the outdoor chill still seeped through the cracks in the walls and caused Hoshi to shiver. A soft chuckle rumbled in her father's chest but it stopped short when he received a sharp glare from his wife. Hoshichou's shoulders drooped and she looked to the floor. The young girl had known better, even at such a young age, to find herself on the side of her mother's scorn. It was a side that seemed readily available that evening. When her mother returned she carried a traditional gown. It was midnight blue as a color base but there was light and medium blues that swirled around in it. Stars patterned the entire fabric alongside suns and moons. Hoshichou could name most of the constellations that she saw on it from her father's teachings but she still chewed on her tongue. Paired with it had been a gold ribbon that was to be tied around her waist. Her father removed the towels from Hoshichou's form, folded them, and then set them near the fire to dry. Silently, the girl wondered why they couldn't have set her near the fire. "You'll not dirty this," her mother both warned and ordered. "It is very old." It was also slightly too big. Her mother seemed disappointed in that fact and Chou could hear the whispers of a curse. Once more, the young child looked down sadly only to see her father enter her view. He assisted with properly pulling the gown shut. The golden ribbon was wrapped around her torso until her mother took it from him and tied it into a bountiful bow. He leaned back and looked up at his daughter while her mother tended to her hair. "You are going to be the most beautiful girl the geki has ever laid eyes upon," he assured her. The words brought a smile to Hoshichou's features. Though, it fell with a wince as her mother tugged on her hair. Another low chuckle rumbled in her father's throat before he moved aside to continue preparation. A few more evening bells had passed before they tolled ten. By that point, the gifts had been prepared. Hoshichou's hair had been put up into a thick bun. One braid crowned the bun while two more fell over ear shoulder. The braids were decorated with ceremonial flowers and beads. Her upper lip was painted black with only the center of her bottom lip to match. There were small dots beneath lined eyes and an odd symbol between her brows. Even her lashes were thickened with mascara. "Come, child," her mother spoke more tenderly. "It is time to go." "Okay mommy," the young Hoshichou agreed before she slipped from her seat. The family exited the home to the village lined up outside their door. Chou felt nervous butterflies build up in her stomach and throat. She swiftly cast her eyes to the snowy floors. A flash of movement caught her attention and caused her gaze to rise. The features of a boy who couldn't have been much older than her brought a soft smile to her lips. Though, her attention was stolen from him as her parents started to walk down the makeshift aisle. Hoshichou bowed her head and followed them. As she walked, some of the village members tossed flowers and rice, while others just held lanterns and murmured blessings. The children had always been banned from playing near the river. Yet, that night Hoshichou was led by her parents down to the dock. Both were rigid and glanced around nervously. Feeding from her parents' anxious behavior the small child started to look around for a sense of comfort. The boy from before had followed in the shadows. Oddly, his familiarity caused her shoulders to relax. She turned her attention back to her family as they stopped beside a canoe. The boat had a lantern to light the shadows and was anchored to the dock so it hadn't been pulled by the river's flow. Hoshichou was hoisted from the wood and set upon a pillow. The gifts were laid at her feet. "The river will take you beyond the mists," her mother explained, "to a lake not near nor far. You'll go to the geki's hut and there you will be sanctified." "I don't want to go," Hoshichou murmured as her panic arised. "I don't want to go!" "You must, child!" her mother exclaimed fretfully. "It is okay, my daughter," her father stepped in more calmly. "You can consider this your first step at showing your bravery. You are my daughter. You are chosen. You have the strength to overcome this. I believe in you." Her father's pride brought little contentment to the child's fears but she nodded her head, if only to not disappoint him. With that, the rope was untied, and the canoe was pushed further into the river waters. It rocked threateningly and Chou grabbed onto the seat with fear. Panicked, she looked around in an attempt to see through the fog. Yet, there had only been the shadows of trees. The ride continued in silence for several long minutes. It hadn't been until the village had been far from sight had Hoshichou's journey truly demanded her bravery. A plop in the waters caused her to look in the sound's direction. She studied blackened waters but saw nothing. A shrill tore through the forest and the child threw herself off the ship's seat and hugged the pillow to her. She tried her best not to cry and ruin her mother's make-up. Alas, she failed. The shrieks only got louder. Shadows in the mist whipped around her as she traveled down the waters. The lantern flickered until a cold wind stole even that from her. Hoshichou's heart raced faster as she tried to hide behind her pillow. The screams, the whispers, the shadows, they all fought to disturb the boat and its path. The boat rocked more harshly but she had been too frightened to tell if that had been what haunted her or the river currents. Oddly, when the mists had faded, so, too, had the voices and along with them the river's violence. The flame returned to the lantern once she exited the fog. For another mid-bell she journeyed down the river until she came to the lake her mother had mentioned. She was deposited into it and as she slowly rose to take her seat the small child could see the hut in the distance. She sniffled back the lingering sensation to cry and glanced over her shoulder. How was she supposed to get back home? The thought was short lived as she looked to the stars. A small smile touched her lips. Unlike the village, she had been able to see them better from the lake. The sound of the waters being disturbed drew her attention back forward. A lantern lit canoe joined her and within it an odd looking man. His dress had been different than those at the village but the pattern of his robe matched hers. A charmed smile touched his lips as he settled the canoe beside hers. He looked her over with a curious stare and then nodded his head. "Ah yes," he confirmed, "you are special. . ."
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