Murasaki Yu

Murasaki Yu

Personal details
Birth date	7654
Birth place	Nushuwadara, Mirei, Sokoku
Nationality	Sokokan
Education	Toshi-bu kotan
Alma mater	Yakosei no Konchuu
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Years active	7687-present
Style	Kamisama
Height	157 cm
Predecessor	Nakamura Kari
Successor	incumbent
Mother	Murasaki Wan
Father	Murasaki Tayuo
Relatives	Qi (sister) b.7651

Murasaki Yu (むらさき ゆ in Kakuri and Bahaso) is the incumbent sensei kyoushi (senior mentor) of the Kakuri chapter of the Guso religion. While the Kakuri chapter actually is the smallest within the religious organisation, it is the most influential one because of the Kakuri origin of Guso. As such, she is the highest authority on religious matters for Guso clergy, thus the religious leader of 80-100 million people. In Kakuri naming style, Murasaki is her extended family, while Yu is her given name.

Early life

Yu was born in 7654 in Nushuwadara, Mirei, Sokoku as second daughter of Murasaki Wan and Murasaki Tayuo. She and her sister Qi got their unusual names in honor of the family heritage, having its roots in the former northern territories of the Fisks Islands, a territory currently under the jurisdiction of Kamura. As such, Yu is not ethnically Kakuri, but still a member of the Kakuri community.

Soul gatherer

While there were indications that Yu was a bearer of The Gift as defined in the Guso religion from age 13 on, she only was acknowledged as a potential soul keeper by the Yakosei no Konchuu congregation at the late age of 21. While many prospects in Yakoko debuted at a relatively high age (for Guso standards) Yu never got an opportunity within that congregation. Instead, she debuted two years later in a rather fringe group based in Dinl Chi, capital of Diyin Tsidii. The group was loosely associated with the Kuroi Hana congregation, which had few followers on the mainland. In 7669 she moved to Taumakan to pursue a solo career instead. Combining all sorts of jobs and assignments, she stepped in as support member for the A Kaiten congregation group Uribunya. She was allowed to combine solo performances with group appearances until 7672, when she completely transferred to A Kaiten.

Congregation leadership saw a larger potential for her in Berewan, closer to her native Mirei. So A Kaiten started a version of Uribunya in Berewan as well, with Yu in the role as senior member and trainer for the new prospects. From 7673 to 7676 she headed the group as an active soul gatherer. Instead of graduating towards the soul keeper stage of her assignment, she requested A Kaiten to also start a group Uribunya in Kyusigai. Between 7677 and 7684 she was the group leader, combining it with a re-sparked solo career.

Soul keeper

At age 30 she graduated as soul gatherer, being the most successful gatherer of the congregation of her generation. Like most soul keepers, she kept performing, in this case as a solo artist under her own name, albeit adapted to Garudah Murasaki Yu, or Gamuyu for short. The addition Garudah reflects the early stage of her career in Diyin Tsidii, hwere Garudah is the informal Bahaso name of the state.

She also kept on mentoring and coaching soul keepers and soul gatherers from different congregations, but mainly from Kakuri descent. As such, she got a reputation as a purist with the chapter and congregations, focusing on the mental aspects of the tasks of soul gatherers and keepers. She became also known for her black humor, which she tends to use in any circumstance or environment, often to the surprise of Guso clergy and other bystanders.

Senior mentor

When sensei kyoushi Nakamura Kari suddenly stepped down as chapter leader in 7687, Murasaki Yu was the ideal compromise candidate for her succession. Not preferred by any of the congregations within the Kakuri chapter, also because of her relative young age, she still was considered as an acceptable Plan C or Plan D by the Kakuri congregation leaders. Her roots within several large congregations, large experience on the federal level and the fact that she already was residing in Kyusigai all contributed to this. But the role her sister Qi has played behind the screens during her entire active career played an important part as well. Murasaki Qi has always acted as some sort of manager and personal assistant, building up a network of business contacts and providing a solid financial basis for her sister. This stability was important so Yu would be able to focus on her new role completely.

In 7687 both Yu and Qi moved into Hotel Exemplar Mirei, the Mirei state mission in Kyusigai and informal head quarters for the Kakuri chapter of Guso in Sokoku.

Performing versus leadership style

Murasaki Yu has been called "one of the most entertaining stage performers alive in this decade" by music critic Kohakusekai Kagari already in 7680. She is known for her theatrical stage performances as a solo artist, often using props like special microphones, spiked bats, torches, flags and masks to emphasise the contents of her songs. As a group member her role is more creating a safe platform for her colleagues to shine and engaging the audience to participate in the live experience. While it is not allowed for audience members to touch a soul keeper or gatherer, Murasaki Yu often engaged in physical contact with spectators, tapping them with her bat, grabbing ears, performing the thumb on head temple ritual or simply kicking in the chest with her trademark worker's boots.

But as outspoken and outgoing she is on stage, her off-stage personality is completely different. She has been labelled "borderline introvert", often expressing doubts about herself and her performances in meetings with followers or press interviews. She speaks with a soft voice, displaying a totally different character than her stage persona. But both on and off stage, she tends to speak in riddles, trying to simulate self evaluation and critical thinking instead of providing ready solutions. But according to critics, this is mainly to cover up for her inherit insecurity now she has stopped questioning herself in public.

She also shows the typical leadership style commonplace in Sokoku, functioning as an inspirational motivator avoiding on-the-edge executive decisions that can be made on a lower level. She has therefore a lot in common with the current president of Sokoku Ayaka Purnawati, also a woman of the same generation. But where Purnawati is a modernist in business attire and short haircut, Murasaki tends to dress in elaborate dresses with a lot of accessories, creating a historical aura of dignity and eloquence. Her immensely long hair with bangs is a typical physical characteristic of Yu.