Kiku question

NightAngel

Q: The Kiku, night's flower can cause a creature to inflict damage to itself equal to its power. The question is: is the source of the damage is Kiku (therefore black color), or is according to the creature being effected by the kiku?
Clarification: If its the second option, then a creature protected from black will be effected from the Kiku creature ability.

MatthewVII

The source of the damage is the creature itself. However, a creature with protection from black won't be killed, this is because protection from black means it cant be targeted by a black source and kiku can't hit it with its ability. However, say it was a white creature with protection from white. kiku could target it, the creature would put the damage on the stack which would then be prevented because the damage is from a white source. to recap, protection stops the following
Damage-damage to a protected creature fizzles
Enchantment + equipment-protected creature cant be enchanted by said colour, if protection from artifacts cant be equipped
Blocking-a protected creature cant be blocked by a creature of the protected colour
Targeting-protected creature cant be target of spell or ability originating from a source of the protected colour

NightAngel

Thanks a lot.