Gempukku
The party was not as extravagant as
Bayushi gatherings but the Shosuro knew how to celebrate. Keshijo saw his friends and family and quite
a few strangers, even Unicorn and Lion bushi.
He had spent the better of two months preparing his gifts for those he
knew among the attendees and several for strangers. It was Scorpion tradition to invite almost
anyone to a Gempukku ceremony. Scorpion
Coming of Age ceremonies were quite the opposite of the often-solemn affairs
the other clans had. At least, they were
to those who had not had one of their own.
For his father, Shinjo, and his
uncle, Jubei, Keshijo had copied several scrolls from Shinto temples across
Shosuro lands. His mother, Katame,
received selection of potent herbal teas from the public areas of the Shosuro
gardens. His brother, Joten, and sister,
Kajira, each received a pendant he obtained from the monks who tended the
shrines of the Kamis of Luck. He created
wards to keep out evil spirits for the rest of the Scorpions present. The rest of the guests received samples of
Keshijo's finest cooking. He was
surprised that so many had come. Indeed,
Keshijo had no idea his humble home would hold so many. Indeed, he has trouble recognizing some of
his neighbors without their masks on. Only
his father, as head of the family left his mask on, showing the clan would
always hold some secrets. There was
enough Sake to most of the province drunk and enough food to feed a small army. He spoke with everyone there, as was Scorpion
tradition. The party continued well into
the night. The real Gempukku began after
the party was finished.
Keshijo had returned to his room
hoping for a good night's rest. He found
Shinjo and Jubei waiting for him.
"Today my son, you have become a man" Shinjo began. "Now we shall see if you have become a
Scorpion as well. Tell me how everyone
reacted to your gifts. Start with your
older brother."
Keshijo looked up and was suddenly
relieved he had been to busy attending to the guests to drink much
himself. "Joten was happy and
surprised. He seemed disappointed at
first, since the pendant does seem rather meager but once I told him what it
was he was much happier with it."
"That is true Keshijo"
Jubei chimed in. "Your brother
wears the pendant even now, right over his heart. Now tell us of your sister."
"Kajira was excited. She knew what the pendant was right
away."
The questioning continued until
Keshijo had to answer only about his father and uncle. "Uncle Jubei showed surprise on his face
but his eyes told me he knew what I had gotten both of you. And you, father. Even behind your mask, I could see the skin
along your jaw come to smile and I saw the pride in your eyes."
"We Scorpions wear our masks so
others know we are keeping the secrets of the empire" Shinjo started. "Everyone in Rokugan wears a mask as
well. The difference is that ours is
plain and not as crippling. The Crab's
mask, what is it and why do they wear it?"
"The Crab's mask is duty. They hide behind it because they know their
strength, their physical strength and size, is no match for cunning. That is why they hate us."
"And the Crane?" Jubei
asked.
"The Crane hide behind a mask
of beauty and nobility. They hide their
love of vices behind it."
"Now the Phoenix."
"The Phoenix have enlightenment
for a mask. They hide their lack of
heart behind it."
"Dragons?"
"Dragons hide their fear of commitment with a
mask of isolation."
"Lion."
"The Lions have two masks. The first mask is courage. It hides their fear. The fear that we are right about honor, glory
and courage. The second is honor. It hides their doubt in their lords, their
families and the Emperor."
"And the Unicorn?"
"They are the strangest of
all. They hide behind the mask of the
past, when they were the Ki-Rin. They
hide their true identity, that they are changed or possibly even gaijin."
"That is good my son. You have learned well. You will wake up tomorrow a man, a Scorpion,
and most of all, a Shosuro. You have
begun to realize your sting. Now we will
teach you swim before you poison the frog.
You will spend a year at the Butei School in the Painted City. Then you will have to survive the
Gauntlet. Then Jubei and I will proudly
show you the way of the Mystic Demon Hunters.
For now though, I need you to clean up after our guests."
Jubei smiled. His nephew would have a great destiny in
front of him and he would have the pleasure of preparing him for it.