Editing A Prayer for Omi

{{Era|ACSH|Memories}}
{{Spoilerhd|20 June 2025|[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]}}
{{Imageneed}}
{{Memory Infobox
|name = A Prayer for Omi
|image =
|description = ''Lady [[Oichi]] has invited [[Yasuke]] to the shrine on [[Shirahige]] to honor her [[Oda Nobunaga|brother]]'s memory. ''
|appearance = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''
|type = Main {{c|Chapter 10: The Hunt Continues}}
|reward = 
|fullsync = 
|heroclass = 
|previous = [[A Talk With a Lady]]
|next = [[The Wheel Unmasked]]
|concurrent = [[The Price of Rice]]<br>[[Nagahama Black Powder]]
|source = [[Yasuke]]
|location = [[Ōmi]], [[Japan]]
|date = Late June 1582
}}
'''A Prayer for Omi''' was a virtual representation of one of [[Yasuke]]'s [[Genetic memory|genetic memories]], relived through the [[Animus|Animus EGO]].<ref name="ACSH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''</ref>

==Description==
Yasuke travels to Isakiji Temple to meet with Lady [[Oichi]].

==Dialogue==
Yasuke found Lady Oichi waiting with her servant by the [[Lake Biwa|lake]] near the temple. He approached and greeted with a bow.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Greetings, Lady Oichi.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Yasuke! Are you ready for our boat trip?''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Definitely. I am ready to continue my [[samurai]] education, as you put it.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Wonderful! Follow me. We will row from Isakiji Temple to Shirahige Shrine. The lake itself is sacred. Crossing it will help us approach Shirahige in a respectful manner.''
Yasuke followed Lady Oichi to the boat. As she sat down as a pessenger, Yasuke became the rower and row the boat to the island.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Do you have lakes as large as this in your country?''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Yes. And they swell with the seasonal rains.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Lake Biwa is beautiful. Though I was born in {{Wiki|Owari Province|Owari}}, I have fallen in love with its enchanting views.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''They say its waters teem with monsters and water dragons.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Do not mock! The {{Wiki|Ōmukade|Omukade}}, a giant centipede, loves to eat heroes. Long ago there was a [[Fujiwara no Hidesato|brave hero]] nicknamed "Bag of Rice." This is how he got that name. Fujiwara no Hidesato was a courtier of noble rank who lived hundreds of years ago. On day, he crossed the [[Seta Bridge]], near [[Ōtsu]]. One of the famous views of [[Ōmi|Omi Province]], of course!''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I have seen it myself.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''As he crossed, he saw a dragon in the water. He spun around only to meet a strange figure on the bridge. The stranger had crimson hair and he wore a sea-green robe. On his head was a dragon-shaped crown! The figure said, "I am the Dragon King who lives in the {{Wiki|Ryūgū-jō|palace}} at the bottom of Lake Biwa.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Scary!''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Yes, the figure was fearsome, but Hidesato stood his ground. Politely, he answered, "Greetings, my lord."<br>"Good!" said the Dragon King. "You are not afraid. Everyone else runs away. Can you do a brave deed?" Hidesato was pleased. "Yes, my lord," he said. "Command me." And so, the Dragon King told Hidesato about the giant centipede Omukade from {{Wiki|Mount Mikami}}. Every month, the monster ate one of the Dragon King's children. Soon, there would none left!''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Unacceptable.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Hidesato promised to slay the monster. So the Dragon King invited him to his palace beneath Lake Biwa. For days he feasted, enjoying splendid lake fish. Then, one misty morning, the Omukade came. The monstrous centipede was as long as a mountain. its hide was tought as stone. The fangs dripped poison!''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''A formidable beast.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Brave Hidesato fired an [[arrow]] at it, but it bounced away! He fired another, but it also failed. The monster charged. Hidesato prayed to [[Hachiman]], spat upon his arrow, and fired a third shot. The arrow struck true! The Dragon King was so grateful for the monster's death that he gave Hidesato many treasures. Perhaps the greatest was the Bag of Rice. Every day, Hidesato emptied it of rice. Every night, it magically refilled! And that is the tale of how Fujiwara no Hidesato earned his nickname "Bag of Rice."''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''(laughs) Thank you for the story Lady Oichi. Such a bag would help the farmers of Omi.''
After a short boat ride, they reached the Shirahige Shrine at the opposite of the lake. After alighting, Yasuke accompanied Lady Oichi up the stairs and reached the entrance to the temple.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Here is Shirahige. Please follow the miko's direction for ritual purification.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Of course. I must attend to personal matters, and then will await you at the inner shrine.''
As Oichi left, Yasuke begin perfoming the purification process. He first stood in front of the ''torii'' and prayed.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I must show respect to the {{Wiki|kami}} who dwell here.''
Going up the stairs, he found Lady Oichi talking to one of the miko.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''How fares the Shrine? I do worry.''
*'''Shinto Maiden 1:''' ''Why do you worry, Lady Oichi?''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''With my [[Oda Nobunaga|brother]]'s death, the [[Oda clan]] splits into factions. War may return to Omi.''
*'''Shinto Maiden 1:''' ''It may, but what of it? Our lives are more brief than the morning dew.''
Yasuke went to the nearby well, taking a ladle of the water to cleanse himself and drink.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''That is as clean as I get.''
He then went up to a Shinto priest at the right side of the shrine.
*'''Shinto Priest:''' ''Great. Bright. Virtuous. Honor the {{Wiki|Sarutahiko Ōkami|kami}} of Shirahige with a gofu.''
Yasuke spoke to him.
*'''Shinto Priest:''' ''Gentle guest, may I present you with a gofu?''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Yes, please.''
The priest handed an amulet to Yasuke.
*'''Shinto Priest:''' ''Here. May the Great Apparent Kami of Shirahige bless your journeys.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''A tutelary amulet. Thank you. I will need it.''
*'''Shinto Priest:''' ''Bright and virtuous is the kami of Shirahige.''
Yasuke then went to the other side of the shrine and found a miko.
*'''Shinto Maiden 2:''' ''Display charity! The generous hand earns the blessing of Shirahige!''
Yasuke approached her.
*'''Shinto Maiden 2:''' ''Greetings, sir. Please show a generous heart and donate to our humble shrine.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Gladly.''
*'''Shinto Maiden 2:''' ''The spirits of mountain, lake, and heaven protect you!''
Having finished the process, Yasuke returned to Lady Oichi in the middle of the shrine.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''I see you are done. Come. Join me, Yasuke.''
The two entered the main shrine and kneeled down to pray for a certain period of time. After completing, the two left the hall and made their way out of the shrine.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I hold many fond memories of my time at [[Azuchi Castle|Azuchi]], Lady Oichi. I am grateful for my training and all that I experienced there. The {{Wiko|Taira no Atsumori|Taira}} for example -''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Did you enjoy that? Atsumori was a young Taira warrior killed in the {{Wiki|Genpei Wars}} five hundred years ago. In the play, they have only that one night left. In the morning, they know they will die. There is always dew on the grass. And always it fades. And here we are.''
The two reached the harbor looking out at the ''tori'' and the lake.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Thank you for letting me honor your brother's memory here. I owe him much.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''As children, I was his favorite sister. But he was a difficult and dangerous man. He married me off to a rival, [[Azai Nagamasa]]. That was expected. It was my duty.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''[[Odani|Odani Castle]], that was your husband's home?''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Yes. He was brave, kind, loyal. Everything a [[daimyo]] should be. Three daughters. Four years of bliss. Then husband and elder brother went to war. Elder brother won, for who could resist the Demon of Owari? They burned Odani Castle to the ground, killed my husband, slaughtered the entire clan.<br>He made my husband's skull an ornament for a feast.''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I have found Japan to be full of dangerous and difficult men.''
Oichi took out a {{Wiki|wakizashi}}.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''My brother's wakizashi. It fell into my hands after the [[Honnō-ji incident|Honnoji incident]].''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I remeber that blade.''
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''Blades are for vengeance, but vengeance and mercy cannot stand together. Sometimes we make hard choices. If you knew your castle would fall tomorrow, how would you live your last night?''
*'''Yasuke:''' ''I would prepare all night for the fight to come. And if need be, prepare to die.''
Oichi thought about Yasuke's words.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''You have grown the heart of a samurai.<br>I must go. Farewell, Yasuke.''
Yasuke bid her farewell with a bow.
*'''Yasuke:''' ''Thank you, Lady Oichi.''
As she went up the stairs, she stopped to speak to Yasuke.
*'''Lady Oichi:''' ''About the leader of the [[Shinbakufu]], I can tell you only this. People say that [[Ashikaga Yoshiaki|he]] is among the highest in the land. Be careful.''
Having said that, Oichi left.

==Outcome==
Yasuke visited the Shirahige Shrine with Lady Oichi and spent a day taking part in the purification rituals. The two also spent some time talking about their past.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACSHMemories}}
[[Category:Memories of Yasuke]]
[[Category:Memories relived using the Animus EGO]]