About A Story (D13, LA)

[Togashi Saruko]

(looking for Hantei)

Feeling the need to rest her fingers a bit from all the sewing and needlework, Saruko took the time to seek out Hantei. She just hoped he wasn't gone too, since Shinsei and Shinjo had gone away!

"Hello?" she inquired as she approached, looking around for signs of the shiny Kami.

With the sudden rain coming in, she dashed in to the entrance as soon as she saw one raindrop singe through a part of her straw-hat.

[Hantei]

As she dashed into the tent Saruko would see the shining Kami she had come seeking. Hantei had just exited his sleeping quarters and regarded his sister with slightly raised eyebrows "Yes come in Saruko-san, how are you today?"

[Togashi Saruko]

She stood for a moment with a shocked expression on her face as she saw that, indeed, it was raining acid. "... Something's wrong with the rain," she murmured, as if that answered his question.

"Right." Saruko took a deep breath. "Sorry for barging in! But... well, the rain."

[Hantei]

Hantei only replied with a small smile for a moment his face that same unreadable mask of formality he always wore. An example for some an infuriating behavior for others "Do not apologize Saruko-san, I told you you are always welcome."

His expression shifted to he slightly more somber as he continued "Yes i had noticed the rain was wrong. This corruption truly twists and fouls everything it can."

[Togashi Saruko]

"It certainly does," she agreed, a touch concerned that even the weather would be so twisted. "Jigoku does seem to twist everything it touches... it's... well, some of the reason I'm here."

Saruko took a deep breath. This time it didn't seem she had anything to say against Hantei, but rather, she seemed concerned about him.

"I'm worried about Reiko-san. And your brother, Fu Leng-Kami. That Jigoku might have an effect on them both... even if they haven't been touched by its corruption."

[Hantei]

Hantei paused for a moment seemingly in thought "Yes, it is certainly possible. My brother's divine nature should still be intact since he landed in a spiritual realm and that would help in fighting off the corrupting touch of the realm of eavil." he paused ".....even so ten years is a long time to fight its influence, Reiko-san talking to him might help but we will not know until we get there."

[Togashi Saruko]

She nodded cautiously, letting Hantei think about it while the two of them sat down.

"The reason I'm saying it is..." Saruko sighed, "I don't want to come off as some sort of tattle-tale, but I'm worried because of what Reiko has said when speaking to me, in private."

Even if Sora had said it was best to let Hantei know, it still felt like she was betraying some level of trust.

"She distrusts your presence here, brother Hantei. Furthermore, she claimed to me that it was no accident that your brother fell further from you and your siblings - that you threw him further away on purpose." Judging by her tone, it wasn't a telling of the tale that Saruko personally believed in. "I don't know if she thinks this herself, or if Fu Leng told her... but I suspect the latter to be more true."

"I don't think she means harm by thinking this way, but rather... she cares so deeply about your brother. It might affect the way she understands and sees things."

[Hantei]

Hantei grew very quiet and still for a moment nothing but the sound of thick rain drops hitting the tent. When he looked to Saruko his eyes were unusually expressive even if he was managing to moderate his expression. Anger, regret, and possibly shame were found swirling together in his golden eyes.

Hantei took a deep breath and let it out slowly "I.......am not surprised he would think that." The shining man said, his voice strained "I am pained that he thinks i did it intentionally but it is, my fault he was separated from us."

Hantei looked down observing the floor intently a deep sadness in his features "As I freed my brothers and sisters from our fathers stomach my father managed to catch Fu Leng as he fell. To save him I severed fathers arm and in his panic Fu Leng grabbed me and dragged me out of heaven as well. In the confusion and chaos of it all we struggled in the air and perhaps in the moment part of me was furious at Fu Leng for pulling me down with them and I kicked him off of me not realizing what doing such a thing would lead to." Hantei was quiet for a long while after that "That is why I insist on being here, I feel responsible for what happened to him, I do not like my brother but i love my family and I cannot allow him to rot in there knowing it was by something I did."

[Togashi Saruko]

Saruko let him take his time, understanding that while the people spoke of the Kami's fall as a great moment in recent history, it was undoubtedly a traumatic experience for them. Especially for Hantei who had been the one who had to fight his own father, with the weight of saving his own siblings put on his shoulders alone.

Even as she understood that it all had happened as fate had decided, it still didn't lessen her sympathy for them. "I'm sorry for bringing up such painful memories for you, brother." Her voice was soft and delicate, quieted down with sadness.

"I won't blame you for actions done in a moment of panic, and desperation, when you already had so much weighing on you. And, I'm sure your siblings won't either. But Jigoku is a realm of evil, and... if your brother felt hurt by your actions, no doubt has the realm been preying on those emotions for the years he's been trapped..."

She took a deep breath. "It is risky, maybe, but I do believe that the greater role you play in his rescue, perhaps greater the chance for you two to mend the wound between you."

[Hantei]

Hantei nodded gratitude showing through his features before he cleared his throught and took a few seconds as the mask of serenity once again regained control of his features, the emotions held only a few seconds ago washed away as if they were never even there. "Thank you for your understanding Saruko-san, I fear there are others who would be less so. As for my my hand in his rescue" he paused a moment before looking at her and very seriously saying "I plan to jump into that hole and pry him from Jigoku with my own two hands."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Perhaps so, but... I believe in my husband when he says that everything happen for a reason, and... while it was a terrible ordeal for you and your family, all that happened that led to it, I believe it was your destiny to come to this realm." And sadly it was the destiny of one of you to fall in darkness.

Hantei's seriousness and statement took her by surprise somewhat as she stared at him wide-eyed.

"While I think your presence in the rescue will be greatly important, I ask you to be cautious too. Please. One of my worst fears here is that we lose you or sister Shinjo... or that you and your brother begin to fight."

[Hantei]

Hantei nodded "I have spoken to my brother about destiny a great number of times as he helped me come to terms with our ordeal. I have come to accept that no matter what we do some patterns must be adhered to, we can change their form and maybe how they happen but certain events are simply fated to occur and nothing we can do to change it merely adapt to it." he said with a thoughtful look.

"Should something happen to one of us it will be as fate intended." he said with a grim but somewhat comforting certainty.

[Togashi Saruko]

"Yet remember that you need not face it alone," she said gently, a small smile forming on her features. "You have family here with you. And friends. And you dear wife."

What victory would it be to save one Kami only to lose another one? though she worried that for Reiko the answer was that as long as she had her Fu Leng, she didn't care what happened to the others.

"Believe in the power of all of us to shape destiny with our own hands."