Star Gazing a Constellations Omake 5

"Rowlr."

"Yes I shot the bow at the new year's festival and it was fun. But are you sure? I mean, this is going to take a lot of time from what I read and we are fairly busy." The miko, all lined up in front of the archery targets on their tripods next to the dry stone wall in the Shrine precinct, watched the conversation between what people were referring to as the Miko Jokai and the Okami.

It had been a whole 'thing'. Taylor didn't know why, at the time, but some of the trees from the second batch she had planted had been in a special section of the shrine precinct, closely spaced, that she and Sunny had danced over and glowed at. They had made a beautiful block of trees and had grown really fast. An oddity some of the University horticultural students had asked about, and who Taylor had referred to Sunny. Who gave no answers until a week ago? Another oddity had been the stand of bamboo planted near them. Indonesian bamboo. She still owed dad for those plants. Sunny would not use any other debit card than his. How she got the accounts set up was the question. No one would admit to being her thumbs for those. Taylor suspected Dinah. The bamboo had caused questions too as it stuck to its block of earth. Apparently bamboo liked to go wild and grow everywhere and was nearly impossible to stop?

Anyway, once the trees reached a certain size, after being blessed once a week, Sunny had made them do a bunch of ceremonies and then walk through the separate blocks until they found the tree and canes that 'called' to them individually. It was strange but relaxing. Then the miko had to cut them down in a fairly stylized way, do several more rituals to prepare them, and store them for a week in a blessed building in the shrine precinct, then they all became carpenters for a few days. Susan meanwhile worked on a glue with Sunny until she had one she approved of. Strings as well. Which were made from hemp, animals, and wax somehow. Well, not somehow, the miko had made them. Oh, and that had been glowed over, and blessed.

Then they got to be blacksmiths for a week making arrowheads. From iron sand. Another thing she owed Dad for. Now that Susan had a sample she and Sherrel made a thing which gave them all the iron sand they wanted, more really, piles of the stuff in a giant warehouse the shrine owned. Even with the metal mil using it.

Now they all had bows. Funny bows that were much taller than they were, made of cherry and bamboo laminates that they had made. Along with quivers, which were full of comically long arrows, made from bamboo shoots from the patch that grew after they cut the bigger canes, and here they were. With a Baachan who had been a Miko archer of some renown and a little old shriveled up Kyudoka, Master Archer.

Like the shriveled up old Master Swordsmith who had taught them how to make five different grades of iron and steel from pine charcoal, rice straw, and iron sand, quenched in water from Sunny's spring, while twenty tinkers, all the media, and an audience of billions, watched live, twenty four hours a day for all of spring break. The media whispering furiously into their microphones with expert commentary from every smith the worldwide media could round up. While doing ritual after ritual.

Susan and Sherrel then made a thing. Sunny glowed over it, and now it was a continuous process? Which ate forest of pine, Japanese black pine, as well as some species of native pine which Sunny had judged appropriate, the Japanese red pine, American white and some of the yellow, being reserved for carpentry, well, after Susan ran it through another thing which got the pitch and turpentine out of it and turned it into charcoal. It also ate fields of rice straw, the rejects from the tatami mats and paper processing. They were growing, dancing on, blessing, and glowing at, huge tracts of pine forest, and fields by rivers and streams. Leviathan sinking Newfoundland had emptied the low lying areas. Operative word being had. Oh, nobody lived there anymore, true enough, but people worked there. People and Paw Print tinker things. Clay mining too.

Then she found out they could have just ordered the metal from Japan. Though it was hugely expensive. Or had been, actually made in the traditional way still was, the stuff from the Paw Print tinkers was still tamahagane and shingane, or the five steels that made those with heating, beating and folding. Paw prints was only twenty times more expensive than normal steel, rather than fifty times before transportation.

Then, with what seemed a hundred rituals at every step, they had forged the iron and steel into arrowheads and blades while the Swordsmith worked an army of apprentices at the new Shrine smithy. The ringing of the hammers and pumping of the bellows had been very 'Zen' as Amy called it. Seven laminated layers for an arrowhead though?

Really making the bows should have been a hint, shriveled up master woodworker, hundreds of rituals, dances, traditional manufacture of laminating glues from exotic ingredients, same with oils and finishes for the woods, all of that. It was all sort of the same. Just substitute the master of whatever trade Sunny wanted them to learn next. Along with Susan and Sherrel analyzing it all and making a thing for each step. Minus growing the wood. That was all Sunny.

The tanto they made were pretty though. Then they moved on to big and little. Katana and wakizashi. Taylor was oblivious to the fact it should have taken months for each blade, or that they should have had five year apprenticeships before they touched the forge, or that they shouldn't have been female if you got right down to it. Or how exhausted the masters and their apprentices were keeping up with them, rather than the few months the whole thing had taken.

Taylor definitely should not have forged blades that were being talked about as the sixth through ninth blades under heaven. Sunny was very smug about it all.

Then learning polishing from a different little old Japanese man and making the sheaths for swords from another? Why did miko even need full daisho? Including tanto? Though those knives were handy. Sharp as razors, sharper. Taylor had shaved pieces off the block of metal that was the anvil she had been given. Armsmaster had lost the ability to speak for a while. Which was good? he was back from his 'leave' anyway. Dad was coaching him on something. Lisa said not being an ass hat, but that was Lisa.

The polishing and, nearly microscopic, examination of her blades by many experts, along with their testing on pig and beef carcasses, confirming their place among the greatest blades, even beyond their stunning beauty. The distinctive broad hamans not like any of the other miko's, and calling to mind the horizon during the leviathan 'episode'. The high chromium and titanium content, and extremely low sulfur content was raved about.

The Master Smith had been deferential the whole time he was being an exacting task master, beyond a perfectionist. Like the others but more so? Like the polisher and sheath maker, just, more? Those poor apprentices. Poor sharks too. The apprentices had to do all that stuff in the traditional way every day now, and the sharks, or rays really, well, they tasted good? At least when that Baachann finished teaching them about that. He hadn't even snapped at Susan and Sherrel, and was interested in the things they made to duplicate his, all of their, crafts at speeds suitable for mass production. Though there was a waiting list to work with him and even Lung was respectful. Of course Lung was. Hey, why did Amy have a full daisho, tanto, bow, and arrows as well? "Amy?"

"Miko?" The girls giggled while Taylor rolled her eyes. There was a lot of that giggling when she was near Amy. Which was most of the time they were not in school. Some when they were, now that the PRT had basically strong armed her into Arcadia. Guilted her really. Lung and Kaiser nodding the whole time and agreeing with them. The traitors. Taylor had got them back though and taken her close group of girls with her. Ha! Winslow was in a 'transition' and a lower population of students helped. Transition to a whole new staff and lots of work for the Locals remodeling the dump.

Taylor looked at Sunny who smiled and lolled her tongue out the side of her mouth. She sighed and looked at the Kyudoka "Hai" She centered herself, nocked an arrow and drew the bow. She looked to the target and let the arrow fly. It struck true. Sunny's mouth snapped closed. Then "WOOOOOO!"

Lisa sighed. "Is there anything Japanese you aren't going to be good at?"

Taylor snorted "Achieving calmness around the FAA dweeb?" The Baachan cackled.

Taylor nocked another arrow, the cameras continued to roll. Taylor enjoyed the calmness archery brought, more than pumping the bellows or listening to the rhythm of the hammers, or making the rhythm herself even, and she really enjoyed that. It was different from the other shrine things and after concentrating on it for a while and the other miko helping she could let her hands and body work and think about other things. Very meditative?

They were up to a wedding a day, it seemed there was no other place for Shinto couples, or just the brides if the groom was anything other than Shinto, to marry in America. Ceremonies and dances nearly continuously, fortune telling, communing with dead children. Which was heartrending. Making and selling emma and offuda continuously. All that just in the shrine.

Setsuko, the underchief Miko, Pawprint shot caller, as the PRT styled her and the other first six Miko, was happily busy, and nearly as exhausted each day as she was, so were the others. Dinah included, being the younger Miko's shot caller.

Amy tuned them daily as they left. Amy didn't wear hakama and wide sleeved short kimono, however she was normally in red and white something. That short red kilt with the red topped thigh highs and fitted white silk blouse had been interesting. Taylor being shoved onto a bus or her bike after a certain amount of time, determined by the shot callers, every day, Amy got on the same bus, or her bike, too. Which was nice, though giggle producing like nothing else, aside from them holding hands which generated spectacular blushes and giggles among the herd.

Star Gazing

Emily looked around the room "What's next? Red and white samurai armor?"

Armsmaster nodded "An excellent idea. Though the 'full miko', as it is being called, from Pawprint exhibits some characteristics of armor already. Level two certainly. Headgear would easily take it to level three."

Emily gave him a glare. "Why? Not even going to ask how, ancient weapon tinker yes apparently. Why bows, a ranged weapon, other than the gohei, and full daisho, close weapons?"

Miss Militia shrugged "Miko have been attacked in the past. The original miko from what is now the Pawprint shrine was killed even."

Emily sighed and nodded "So we have a crazy cape who made up, or coopted a whole mythology, and did it well enough people raised in that mythology can't tell the difference and rate anything she does as priceless works of national importance, or, a God mastering a girl, and they have a dog who is a troll."

Velocity shrugged "Or a wolf who is a Goddess." He grinned.

Emily snorted. "Fine, all hail our Master, the Miko Jokai. Now what is she up to this week? Aside from keeping me up nights worrying about her shooting the Simurgh in orbit through the moon?" The Intel officer opened the Pawprint shrine web page and clicked on the calendar. Emily shook her head "There is being an out cape and then there is being crazy. Watch, she will exactly follow this calendar as well."

Armsmaster nodded "As will Locals 433 and 88. Or at least elements of them. Heavily armed elements. The other interested parties as well."

Emily nodded "This is the final of course? We have the next six weeks of calendars as well? That Australian Colonel needs a bottle of bourbon for getting her people to publish these and update them for us."

The Ops officer nodded "With the normal excursions for vandalism projected."

"Hardly vandalism when the property owners make 'donations' for it." Emily huffed. "Besides which she is about out of buildings here in town. It's a good time for more planting though, have we asked them about that? I bet she is going to expand the cherry tree zone soon. Panacea has slowed her right down on that though. Using up a bunch of her time on couple things."

The Intel officer nodded "There are a couple of dates in the notes. Several for walks, one to the movies."

Emily frowned "What routes and which theater, let's get those checked. If we know someone else will. Not all the villains are terrified, some of them will be stupid."

Assault barked a laugh, "After what happened to Coil and the Elite they would have to be. Plus now Kaiser along with Lung? Those two would compete over how many pieces they could tear an idiot into. My money is on lung, that is if individual particles of ash count as pieces."

Emily was perusing the schedule "What is this item? Blessings for case fifty threes?"

Miss Militia spoke up "Word about what they did with Echidna is spreading."

Star Gazing.

Oni Lee looked over the group. They were shaping nicely. These were the unskilled, so they were the shock troops of the 433. Unskilled wasn't exactly the correct term, these ones skills lie in the martial arts. Yes much better. The Masters he had found had them shaping nicely. Soon no one would dare insult the Miko again. Once these moved from bokken to live blades. Certainly her father and Kenta had punished these last, but they were far from the only idiots in the world.

Star Gazing

Kaiser watched the morning training. He smiled. Local 88 would rise. Never again would the Miko or Okami be impugned.

Star Gazing

"Armor? Like Dad's samurai?" Taylor, sitting on the top of the offering steps asked.

Lisa nodded. Sunny had perked right up and got a look. Then she took off. Taylor sighed. The other girls looked puzzled. Then gaped when Sunny showed back up muddy and with a great tome in her jaws. Taylor sighed "Dinah-"

Dinah reached in her pink, hey pink was red and white so was allowed, back pack and came out with Sunny's brush.

"Thank you."

Lisa had taken the book and was leafing through it. She whistled. "Whelp, lacquer, we already make, leather, lots of silk, we will have to get some worms, got mulberry trees around, all the steels, good thing the tinkers built the thing. wow, laminates of steel out the wazoo Would normally take ten years, so when Sunny comes up with the appropriate masters we should be ready for Behemoth."

Sunny growled and trotted off. Taylor frowned, brush in hand. Sunny trotted back with another tome, the one with the charms in it this time. Everyone watched as she pawed through it to a page and then sat. Taylor looked "An exorcism. Good, not sure Bessie is up to an Oni."

Setsuka groaned "We have to come up with a better name for your katana. Kaiju goroshi would be good. Anything, Bessie just isn't dignified." Taylor graped the hilt of Bessie which was poking out of her obi and pouted."

Amy grunted "Not happening. Kill aura. Taylor can bless the shit out of him, from a distance."

Lisa nodded "I'll have to talk to some people, see where we think he might show up. Dinah can give us the numbers on the choices and we can paper the top five in exorcisms."

Melissa nodded "I'll get some big paper and ink in. Brush the Kami Miko, we are going to need lots of pole brushes."

Rune was looking a the exorcism and whistled "This is going to be a work out. Its like fifteen Kanji. They have to be done in order too."

Taylor looked as Sunny sat and she started brushing "I'll work on one after I'm through with Sunny." She got a small crease in her forehead "Some music would be nice. Flute I think. Drums maybe. Suza for the dancers maybe, lets go all out."

Amy mushed Sunny's face between her hands "And Sunny you glow your fur off!"

Star Gazing

Carolyn, watching through the remote she had in the temple complex called up a program and then cleared her throat "Colin?"

Armsmaster in his lab looked up at the Monitor Dragon normally used "Carolyn?"

"I'm going to be using the predictive program. I'm going to refine it for Behemoth."

Colin frowned. "It never predicts him well, we have only gotten regions for him."

Carolyn smiled "The paw print thinkers are going to help."

Colin nodded. "Good, let me know what they come up with?"

Carolyn nodded "Of course, I'll let everyone know. Ready for tonight?"

Colin smiled "I have my points plotted."

Carolyn laughed "Still min maxing then. You are going to make the DM mad at you."

Star Gazing

Paul looked at Keith covered in colors and the piece of rice paper Arthur was holding up "Is that an offuda?"

Arthur grinned "It is! Come on lets take it to the shrine and get Miko to look at it."

Paul pinched the bridge of his nose "Is that going to come off Keith?"

"Finger paint, duh."

Star Gazing

Kevin looked from the television screen to the golden man hovering beside him "That is what I meant about doing good."

A soft golden light played over Kevin "Yeah like that, heal man. Do good."

AN: Well, this has to be considered an AU branch of the excellent and still continuing 'Constellations' by UnwelcomeStorm now. Go read hers, it's better.