Quartering and Mastering (D1, EA)

[Togashi Saruko]

There was still so much left to do. Goodness. How did Anjing manage to deal with so many people at once, Saruko wondered... the Dragon didn't have nearly as many people to coordinate about.

"Alright!" She had taken off her outer layer of robes, because it was much warmer here in the south than she was used to, so it was easy for her to do roll up her sleeves to get to work.

"Focus, everyone!" Her voice, used to speaking so that everyone could hear, drew attention. "Split up into groups of three to work together instead of just milling about like lost children, yes?" Now that she had their attention fully, she began dividing them up to go and work on specific tasks.

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D1 Packing for the Expedition. Courtier/Awareness. +3k0 Tattoo. +1k1 Void. +1 from Sora's assistance. 3 Raises. TN 35: 9d10o10k5+1 44: +4 Provision Points

[Jiyo Sora]

An evil-eyed man in Imperial colors wandered past- and blinked. Then smiled.

He'd met her as Shirayuki, but Saruko had visited Shiba more than once in the past five years so the name didn't trip him up.

He spotted some confusion as the group tried to sort itself into threes.

"Oi! This isn't the Capital and you're not raising a family the other two in your three, it's just to get the work done!"

That got a bit of appreciative laughter and appeared to smooth over some minor disagreements.

He grinned, then made his way toward his friend.

"Saruko! It's been a while!"

[Togashi Saruko]

Sora's unique form of diplomacy elicited a warm laugh from the woman. "As charming as ever, friend Sora. It's a joy to see you again!" Smiling she presented her palms in greeting, then remembered the newer customs that were being all the rage now, and gave him a bow.

"Thank you for the assistance. You know, some years ago when we first met, I didn't think either of us would be here doing..." she gestured to their surroundings, "all of this."

[Jiyo Sora]

"When we first met, I expected to be lying dead on a hillside somewhere by this age!"

He matched her bow, then shrugged, and held his arms wide.

"How's the family?"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Oh, come now, you're built of tougher stuff than that! At least you could've given yourself another ten years or so!" she teased him with a big grin.

The question about the family did make her homesick, and it was evident. "... They're doing well. The children are growing so fast already, and... I think fatherhood is a new mystery to understand. We've been very blessed."

"But what of yourself? When will I be invited to your wedding, Sora?!"

[Jiyo Sora]

He quirked an eyebrow.

"At my present rate of progress, never, my friend. I don't know if it's escaped your notice, but I can- shocking, I know- be hard to get along with."

[Togashi Saruko]

She gasped dramatically. "You, Sora? I'm shocked. Shocked! Well, okay, not that shocked."

Another warm chuckle. "But how is everyone? It's been years since I've seen all of you. Yuzuru, Kara, Tsubo, and little Chiyo."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Yuzuru is well- helps keep Shiba sane, that's for sure. Keeps the Court lively, too, as I'm sure you can imagine- Han-Han won't stand on too much formality. Chiyo's growing like a weed, but don't they all? Tsubo actually spends a fair amount of time helping train our new recruits, since he has the knack for it."

He chuckled.

"And Karanoko and I still can't stand each other, but since we both love all of the same people, more or less, we try not dwell on it."

[Togashi Saruko]

Thinking of what Han-Han might be up to made her giggle softly.

"Hey, be nice to Kara, ok? That's my precious cousin you're talking about. She just means well, you know... but she just hears things we can't because she can understand some of the great nothingness of the universe. It makes her special." For various forms of special.

Saruko sighed wistfully. "I'll have to find some time to visit again, when all this is done. It's good to walk about again and see the world change as Shiba-Kami's empire grows. Can you believe that this is a castle they're building here? I never thought I would actually see anything like this in this realm."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Nothingness of the universe" is literally the best description of Karanoko's mind I have ever heard.

He looked around. Shrugged.

"Given Hida's penchant for making people stack rocks on top of each other, I can't say it's that big a surprise, but if they get ogres down here, I suppose it makes more sense than it does in most places. Still. Still. Walls are only as good as the warriors manning them."

He nodded in the general direction of the farmlands.

"Securing one point just channels aggression into others. In the bad old days, Chosaku would have looked at this big thing, said, 'well, they must have at least a few of their warriors inside it so nobody steals it,' and then directed us to ravage somewhere else. I hope they build up a mobile reserve to go with the fortress, but one thing at a time, I suppose."

Like, say, a march into an apocalyptic hellscape to rescue a trapped deity.

"But anyway, enough of that- I KNOW the children would love it if you managed a visit, and I've been trying to break them of the habit of calling your esteemed spouse 'Uncle Baldy.'"

True, Sora had been the one to come up with the nickname in an unguarded moment, but there was no sense dwelling on that.

"Besides, given Shiba's interest in matters spiritual, if you could coax his brother into paying him a call, I think it would help them both to relax a little."

[Togashi Saruko]

As always, Sora provided a different point of view than hers, and she considered his words with the same carefulness she did the words of others. "I see..."

The words 'uncle baldy' did earn a surprised laugh. "Ah, well, I will see what I can do. With our own children, we've not had much want to travel far from home lately - though I am quite enjoying being out and about again." Really, it was a joy to be able to walk far and see sights again. "Perhaps when the children are a little bit older to make such a journey, we'll come visit. It would be good for them to see their extended family."

She eyed Sora with a grin. "You know, I never imagined you to be the doting and caring guardian for children. You keep surprising me, my friend."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Bah, children are the only ones with a valid excuse for what they do! Of COURSE I like them! They also don't have... well. Etiquette crap keeping them from asking questions they really want to ask, and likewise, they don't expect it in the answers they get. It's refreshing. A fresh start is something to be savored. No regrets cluttering up your interactions."

He chuckled.

"Besides, I don't know if I ever told you, but of everyone I killed during my time with the Hikaru, there was only one I ever took pride in. Bastard was trying to steal a couple of children. So it makes a nice throughline to my past."

[Togashi Saruko]

There was a brief moment of shock and disgust on her face, and then sadness. "Why... why would someone want to steal children? That's terrible..."

She knew there were some who desperately wanted children of their own, only for their wishes to be denied one way or another, but surely kidnapping was no way to about it...

[Jiyo Sora]

"I didn't really take the time to ask, was too busy running him down. But stealing people is something that many Tribes got up to, and he could have had any number of motives."

He nodded to their surroundings.

"How much of this would be built by slave labor if it were purely a Seidou project, hm? Don't answer if you don't feel up to it, it's a rhetorical question. If we weren't such scum to each other, the Kami would have had less to offer us when they fell."

[Togashi Saruko]

"It's unwise to shy away from questions merely because they make us uncomfortable, Sora. It's why I always appriciate your insights." Sure, they weren't always kind or pleasant, but even that had a place and importance.

"Some of us joined the Kami for different reasons though. My tribe was in comparison very sheltered from such dangers or abominations as raiding tribes or slavery - for the Ayakashi, following the Kami felt more like a natural step in our way of life in many ways. For myself, having seen what could be, sights even greater than this castle here, it felt only right."

[Hanzou]

"It's like chirchir downhill in the dark. It makes no sense." He was begining to understand things now. Hanzou explained his ideas again, which seemed to help. The men he was talking to still looked at him oddly, but nodded and moved to follow his instructions.

- - -
Packing for the Expedition, Quartering and Mastering (D1, EA), Organizing the effort, Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness TN 20, Untrained, VP +1k1: 4d10 23

[Jiyo Sora]

"It's unwise to shy away from questions merely because they make us uncomfortable, Sora. It's why I always appriciate your insights." Sure, they weren't always kind or pleasant, but even that had a place and importance.

"Some of us joined the Kami for different reasons though. My tribe was in comparison very sheltered from such dangers or abominations as raiding tribes or slavery - for the Ayakashi, following the Kami felt more like a natural step in our way of life in many ways. For myself, having seen what could be, sights even greater than this castle here, it felt only right."

"I think it safe to say tribes that felt safe were a minority. Change is a universal constant, but most humans seem to fear it- and yet look at what has happened in just the past five years."

He gestured to their marginally less-chaotic surroundings.

"Not one of these people is hitting my in the head with a rock. Amazing!"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Oh, I won't deny that the Ayakashi were probably a minority with our safe home and bountiful land," she said with a nod. She was wiser now than she was five years ago, after all, and had learned more about the other tribes. "But yes, you're right that there is a certain amount of fear in people when it comes to change... I suppose that makes me even stranger in that I sought change."

Saruko laughed. "Maybe if we were to stay longer, it might happen? Even if you seem to have softened up around the edges, Sora."

Noticing another helping out the tasks, she gave a nod to the small young man. "It's good to see that so many tribes and clans are coming together for a common cause though. Think of all we can accomplish if Shiba-Kami can keep uniting us in this way."

[Jiyo Sora]

"One thing at a time, my friend, one thing at a time. After all, we're only human- we may not live to see the long-term changes that are coming."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Perhaps not you and me, but our children and their children perhaps. And the Kami themselves too maybe... who knows how long such divine entities will live here in our world."

It was a question she had wondered many times.