Heavenfall

That actually brought a quiet chuckle out of the serious woman. "I am usually the self sufficient sort anyway, but arigato, both of you. And Umeno will do. I'm no 'lady' certainly."

"Ah, but if we're all going to be marching into the nightmarish ruins of the Nezumi empire together, then addressing you respectfully is the least we can do, hm?"

"I'm all for simplicity myself. But an increasing number of people visiting Shiba's domain insist we call them by both their family founder's name and their own, and some even request that we throw a few extra flourish in the mix. Better to be polite than to be rude.

All members of this road trip I've met so far have been refreshingly uncomplicated in their naming habits though."

She nodded a bit at Ayumu's words before giving Sora a sharp look. "Respect is my name, just ask was given, far as I'm concerned. Might be those who wish to revel in their vassalege, but far as I'm concerned, I'm still my own woman...." She paused to smirk a bit. "...old man."

"As you like, Umeno-san."

A grin.

"But if that's so, you may find yourself exasperated often in the days ahead, since you appear to be Bayushi's primary representative here. If you'll take some advice from an old man, I think you will find that most people who meet you will come to care far more about who you stand for than who you are."

He snorted.

"But that's nothing new. There was a woman at the tournament who seemed incapable of recalling my name, and felt that 'hill man' was somehow a suitable substitute, and for most of my life, the only people who cared to apply a label other than 'Hikaru' to me were other Hikaru. Your vassalage is no more a straightjacket than your tribe was. Possibly less, actually, since the Empire is still so new that you get to teach people what your patron's name should mean to them. It's an opportunity I would capitalize upon with anyone who presses the issue."

Umeno waves a hand a bit dismissively. "Oh, I don't doubt it. There'll certainly be those that call me Bayushi instead of Umeno, or only include the later with the former, as if it's a compliment. In truth, I probably won't push most that insist on doing so. My lord would likely appreciate the recognition, and I'll know who cares more about him than me."

"It's easier with you both because you asked."

"You'll find that a habit with those close to the Emperor. Besides his own impeccable courtesy, he many ties to the former Ayakashi encourage a certain... open and honest curiosity about how others would be approached."

he chuckled.

"Part of why I followed him, truth be told."

That brought a faint smirk again. "Mmm, not surprising you're not following Bayushi then I suppose. Open and honest indeed..."

She glanced over toward Ayumu. "What about you Ayumu? Why'd you sign up with Shiba?"

"I'm not exactly sure myself. That just felt like the right thing to do. The world is changing and Shiba is in some way the center of this new world. He simply drives people toward him.

I think I could have followed a totally different Kami had things took a different turn a few years ago. Probably not Bayushi though. From my understanding, it's not in his character to stand a the center of things, opened to all."

"Well, I also went with Shiba for... oracular reasons."

Umeno nodded, then looked to Sora puzzled. "Eye reasons? I don't get it."

At least, that's what she thought he meant.

"Quite literally, in my case."

He gave a thin smile, but didn't elaborate further.

Umeno peered closer, then grunted. "Ah, right, sure. I suppose there are those that are all superstitious about that sort of thing. I've never thought such matters worth worrying about, but I can see how someone like Shiba not caring about it might seem different. Take it your former tribemate's didn't see the matter the same way."

"Let us say that they liked what it could do, but they didn't like having it around the rest of the time."