Praying For The Best (D16, LM. Open)

[Seidou Satone]

"I don't have much of a say anymore. The ideas I had and were working toward all have been either poorly accepted, or do not interest her. Wu offered me a place in the Dragon, to make a family if your Kami approved. Jin a place inside his family, and Sora an audience with Shiba but...at the end of the day, because I have sworn my life to her, it is her decision no matter what I think. I do appreciate your well wishes though."

"What of you? When this is finished, what are you going to do?"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Mm, it seems many roads are open before the both of you, and it might prove useful."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Me? Once I get back home, I'm going to spend some time with my family." Saruko took a deep breath, reminded of how terribly she missed her children and her husband. "After that... maybe I should be more of a leader to the ones who have come to the mountains, interested in what I have to say and teach. Find them a place that is theirs."

[Seidou Satone]

"Have you taught before? It is a..unique challenge. I haven't, but watching Haruyo has given me some insight into it"

[Togashi Saruko]

She chuckled, and shook her head. "Not really, no. It's a different thing to teach someone a thing or two, compared to teaching... well, so much more. I want those who come to me to learn what I believe in, to learn to read and write, to learn to make the world a kinder place and a more joyful place."

"I've seen my husband teach for some time now, and while I've learned a lot from watching, I must also find my own way of doing things."

[Seidou Satone]

"Those all sound admirable goals, I think you will find success with that mindset in your heart."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Thank you. I hope that too." It was still strange that others looked to her for guidance, but she was slowly becoming more used to it. Oddly enough, this expedition had helped it somewhat.

"Are you going to pray too, before today's battle?"

[Seidou Satone]

"I have said a few words already in private, though not at a shrine. I personally have never quite understood them. Gods and spirits can hear your prayers anywhere, can they not?"

[Togashi Saruko]

"It's true. Small kami exist everywhere in the world, but very often they don't understand much about humans and our way of things, and their attention is fleeting. From what I understand, a shrine like this, is like... a house! Where the kami can visit. Because it's purified by the priests, they tend to like it there, and because it's a place they like and that is pleasing to them, it's easier for them to listen to us." She wasn't a mystic herself, but she did the best to explain how she understood it.

"And when you pray to the bigger spirits, such as the Fortunes here, the sanctified figurines serve as a conduit for them to hear you more clearly. It's not that they can't hear your prayers elsewhere, but there's a lot of noise, so to speak, from everyone praying to them. This way, it's a more... private thing, I suppose."

She chuckled. "I'm sure some Seppun or Isawa would say that the ritual and ceremony of the prayer too entices the kami and Fortunes alike! It shows you give more respect and thought to how you approach them."

[Seidou Satone]

"Hm. I see. Well, how did you just pray? Perhaps I could mimic that then."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Yeah! First, you clap three times - this is to get the spirits' attention. You don't have to say your prayer out loud, if you don't want to, but after clapping three times then you pray to the spirits. Earlier, I prayed to Lady Sun to watch over us and particularly over her children today, and help them become a united family again."

Saruko went through the motions she had done of clapping, though rather softly since she wasn't actually calling on their attention now, and she kept her hands together afterwards when she spoke of doing the actual praying.

"And then, when you're done, you clap three times again to let them know that they can return to what they were doing."

[Seidou Satone]

"Ah, I see. That seems simple enough. Is there any certain way one should pray? In my own ways, I just...speak... like a normal conversation. "

[Togashi Saruko]

She gave a slight shrug. "I try to approach it as a respectful conversation myself. Like... I'll give my thanks for previous blessings before I pray for anything new. How do you normally pray yourself?"

[Seidou Satone]

"I just...talk. Ask them for guidance or protection or luck. Help with a task to see it succeed. I will give thanks usually after the task is completed successfully. "

[Togashi Saruko]

"Sounds pretty fine to me then," she smiled encouragingly for Satone to give it a try.

[Seidou Satone]

Satone nods and kneels before the shrine, closing her eyes. She claps thrice and is silent for some time before opening her eyes, nodding her head, and clapping thrice again.

"Hopefully they can hear over the close influence of hell."

[Togashi Saruko]

"We hope. It's... not a nice place to be, that's for sure," she cast an unwary glance in the direction of the pit. Her senses as a medium had been rather on edge for many days now.

"But, I have a feeling that the Heavens will be watching today. Today will be a day that can change destiny."

[Seidou Satone]

"I admire your optimism. I hope we all can take example from you."

Satone smiles warmly at Saruko

[Togashi Saruko]

"When faced with darkness, it's important we hold onto the light, Satone," she smiled warmly in return. "If I have managed to keep up the spirits of the people here, to keep the light still bright, then I feel I've done my part, however small."

[Seidou Satone]

"Even with hard conversations, they few times we have spoken you are doing exactly that."

Satone stands and looks off into the distance.

"I will be glad to leave this blasted land when we are done here. No one should ever have to endure such destruction as this."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Thank you. That means a lot to me to hear," she nodded once, grateful for the praise.

"Agreed. It will be good to leave this place behind us... and hopefully better than it has been, given that we succeed on all points of our plans. I hate to think what will happen if we can't seal the rift. It could reach all the way to the Nezumi's city. All the way to the Crab lands..."