Meetings Marked

Abstract

Adopted into a monastery as a child, Rune grew up under the care of a monk who methodically tattooed the scripture of his ancient religion onto her body. These texts form a bramble of interwoven marks which cover her skin—unreadable to anyone but the girl herself. When the monastery is burned due to the Meiji emperor's shinbutsu bunri policy, Rune is the only survivor and begins a journey across the country to escape detection. Unsure of this new role as prophet and feeling that her adopted father has transformed her body into an artifact, Rune meets five guides who offer her advice as to whether she should reproduce the texts which her skin harbors.