Act I
The beginning of a life is much more simple then most people realize. Thinking that one must go through
such a long process, but in truth, the souls are already in line. It all depends which people go first.
In such a case such as this, no couple prayed, and Tentei never answered just a single person's prayers,
but, instead, he answered an entire Kingdom's.
The fruit that grew on the west side of the Shashinboku was in a very akward place, it hung over
a ledge. If to strong a wind were to blow, then the life inside would plundge to it's death. That is, if it
didn't have something to protect it.
If someone were to take a hike down the length of the holy tree, they would find a small, well tended
path, near the marigold garden. If they stayed on that dirt trail, they would come to the opening of a
cavern. Inside the cavern is pitch black, and musty old stone stairs lead down deep into the earth.
It lead to the very bottom roots of the Shashinboku.
The inner cavern is even darker, except for the faint, silvery glow of the roots, that unlike those
on the trunk, were long and slender.
Growing toward the west side, near the wall, there grew another fruit. This fruit was no more
then an after thought, it was quite large, and was a pale yellow.
Inside the fruit there grew a creature, who was born for one purpose, who was made
for one duty alone.
The creature, was a Nyokai.
Nyokai are very curious beings, quiet and always female. After they are born, they stand guard, with
no food or water, for ten months. Gazing at the fruit on the branches of the Shashinboku
with such love and care it couldn't help but warm the hearts of anyone who laid eyes on her.
Two days after the ranka was concieved, the egg beneth the earth will hatch. From within the
glass-like shards, a chimera-esque creature will emerge.
A nin'you is a creature that is between a youma and a ningen(human), No one knows how, like
youma, they are born. Though the one's born of the Shashinboku are given the title of Nyokai.
A type of surrogant parent to the being inside the egg above, the more animals that are mixed
to make up their form, the better "parent" they will be.
No one knows why, it just is.
Going back up the old, well worn stairs, one would encounter gardens of all sorts, flowers and
vegtables. They are standing on the outskirts of Renrou --formerly Hourou-- Palace, the place
where the Nyosen dwell.
Nyosen are labeled as Hisen, meaning that they are immortals that do not serve a ruler nor were they
not put on the Immortal Register by a ruler, if they had, they would be known as Chisen.
Always female, a Nyosen's sole duty in her long life, is to care for her many masters, the kirin.
As they grow and mature.
Caring for a kirin is one of the most important jobs in the world, so they are choosen by the
reigning Goddess of Mt. Ren, Seibou, very carefully. After selection the female in question is put
under the leadership of the Divine Hisen Hekikagenkun, more commonly known as Lady Gyoukyou.
Not only will you find no meat on Mt. Ren, but you will also find no grain. As Hisen have
abstained from the food, and all kirin despise meat.
Mt. Ren seems to be locked in eternal good weather, always sunny and the wind always seems
to carry the faint brine smell of the sea. Growing only more potent as it intertwines in the
carefully constructed Labyrinth which protects the Palace from unwelcome outsiders. The giant
maze seems to stretch on forever, although, one can easily navigate through it if they simply
follow the path the sun takes.
No matter where you look, you will find no Nyosen wandering around at present,
they are not tending the gardens, nor are they drawing water from Kaidou Spring.
All of the Nyosen, about fifty or so, are standing by the Shashinboku.
They are watching the new ranka of Sou.