Murasaki Aoi

"By the Grace of Lord Tsukiyo"

## Description

Aoi is young sheng female of average height, with cerulean colored eyes that seem to glaze over when stressed. She wears her hair long and tied behind her, and is usually sporting a dark blue miko outfit with long sleeves and short skirt that does not go past the knees for ease of movement.

## Story

Aoi was born to a prestigious clan of warriors that fell into hard times.  Her parents died fighting for the Chishiki clan in the war with the Kuchiku clan when she was still a young child.  As the Kuchiku armies marched upon their clan castle, an old servant of the family stole her away through a secret passage beneath the castle before the oni can get their hands on her.  The servant, Gen traveled with Aoi to Saishu along with other refugees, but grew ill during the journey.  By the time they had arrived, Gen was entirely bedridden, leaving Aoi to fend for both herself and the old man.  She started begging in the streets to support the two of them, and for several months that was sufficient for them to survive, but not enough to buy medicine to cure old Gen.  As his condition worsened, Aoi tried everything to get the money to buy him a cure.  She eventually resorted to stealing, and her target was a young noble that was wandering the city away from his family.  She was caught by a city guard, and as she was being hauled away, the young noble lied for her and told the guard they were playing together.  Afterwards he gave her everything he had on him, and also stole some food from his family's entourage for her. He also kept her company and made her laugh for the first time in a long while.  She spent in her memory happiest day of her life with this young man.

As she raced home to the slum building that she and Gen was staying, she cursed herself for not remembering to ask who this boy was.  But that thought drained from her mind when she got home, as old Gen had expired while she was out that day.  She mourned the old man for three days, unable to do anything other than stare at his decomposing body and sob.  Eventually the smell attracted the attention of other residents and they helped her bury the old man.  She stayed catatonic even after that, and the one of the residents took her to the temple of Tsukiyo to get her checked out, fearing that whatever killed the old man may have been contagious.

At the temple, she once again saw the boy who was so kind to her, although he did not notice her.  She was snapped out of her nightmare like state once again, and inquired with the priestess administering to her who the boy was and what he was doing.  The priestess replied that the boy was in the city for his father's funeral ceremony, and afterwards he is going up to the mountain monastery to train.  It dawned on her that this boy, barely a few years older than her, was keeping her company, trying his best to make her smile and laugh all day when he had just lost his own father and is being shipped away from the rest of his family.  At that point, Aoi fell for the boy, and asked the priest who he was, Ishiyama Kenji.

After that day, Aoi started volunteering at the temple of Tsukiyo, working there when she is not begging in the streets.  She also started learning from the priests there, and after a few years, they noticed she had talent and decided to teach her formally.  She moved into the temple and learned the use of magic and martial combat from various teachers there.  Every day she dreams of the time when she will meet Kenji-sama again, and trained extra hard so she can perhaps be his peer.  Every night, she sings a prayer to Gen, thanking him for watching over her.  During this time, Aoi begins developing the gift of foresight.

Training at the temple, Aoi made friends with a fellow student, Sasaki Tomoyo, and the two hit things off immediately.  Tomoyo was a daughter from a well to do family who want their daughter to become a miko (priestess).  Tomoyo herself is a dreamer, and has a vivid imagination.  She wants to become a writer and painter, but also wants to see more of the world to broaden her horizon.  The two shared many secrets, including Aoi's crush.  Unfortunately, being a dreamer, Tomoyo always fell behind in her studies, and Aoi had to bail her out on more than one occasion.  She is currently still at the temple, completing her training.

Two years ago, she learned through some of the other students from noble families that Kenji-sama had returned to Saishu, she also started hearing these horrible lies about how he is very popular at court, and was rumored to be a favorite among the more predatory ladies of the court.  She tried to shut the rumors out, but also wants to hear more about her beloved.  Unable to contain herself, she eventually borrowed a court kimono from her best friend, Tomoyo, and went to court.  She was rewarded when she met Kenji-sama again at court, but to her horror, he had two older women draping their arms all over him, (in her eyes) violating his half bare chest under his kimono.  She fled the nightmarish scene and back to her temple, and reapplied herself to her training.  Kenji-sama needs someone to save him from those temptresses.

With renewed vigor, she passed training with distinction.  All her teachers nodded their heads in approval due to her zeal and focus.  Aoi finished her training a full 2 years ahead of schedule, leaving the temple on Calistril 28th, 1000.  She immediately started searching out Kenji-sama, going to the Ishiyama land holdings outside of the city of Saishu.  When she arrived, she was informed that Kenji-sama had left on a prolonged journey to the east several months prior.  She resolved to find him and pledge her service to him so she can keep all the mushi(bugs) away from him.  The Ishiyama household was kind enough to provide money for her travels and her service to the clan.  After close to two months, the trail eventually leads to Haven.

## Personality

Aoi looks like a serious person on the outside. She is confident in her training and carries an air of resilence about her. Inside, she is a bit of a dreamer herself, which was why she loved Tomoyo and how she can be so open about her daydreaming. The hardships she endured during her childhood has hardened her, and she tends to be on the unemotional side. She does have a soft spot for the old and infirm. Unfortunately her normal composure flies out the window when Kenji is concerned, and she quickly turns from battle priestess to giddy teenager.

## Friends

Sasaki Tomoyo - best friend and fellow student at the temple Tomoyo is still studying there as she is an at my pace kind of person.

Ishiyama Kenji - Aoi's fantasy has her progressing a steady relationship with Kenji way too far out of proportion when in actual fact he only met her for one day years ago. She has placed him on this pedestal and no words or facts can dissuade her delusion.

## Enemies

Kuchiku Clan- They killed her family, but it was a long time ago. Furthermore, the temple of Tsukiyo is a firm supporter of the Chishiki Clan and their right to rule as descendants of Shizuru. They ingrain in their students a healthy(?) dislike for the Oni and for the Kuchiku.

## Aspirations

Marry Kenji, start a family, become a powerful miko that can help drive the Oni out of Sheng, grow old holding Kenji's hands, with many children and grandchildren in a warm home, it doesn't have to be big, just big enough for her 6 children and 24 grandchildren, Kyaaa!