Heavenfall

The crow snatched up a cake and began eating voraciously, while Shinsei listened to Kakuro. "Three wanderers and a crow, sounds like the beginning of an odd tale."

Taking the liberty to relax, he leaned against the side of the nearby house. "I teach to those who will listen, and when none will listen further, or I am no longer needed, I move on. If you've heard of me, then likely it is from my presence at the tournament some few years ago."

Taochusu eats one of the remaining ones since the other two didn't seem interested in them, and tucks away the rest. His much bigger mouth and appetite made it easy to finish his quicker than the crow.

"Hey buddy. I'm going to get back to chopping once you're done with that." It might seem weird to most people that he seemed comfortable talking to an animal. But Taochusu knew the truth... that he would have gone mad a long time ago if he didn't have pretend conversations with animals that he had observed during his long years mostly alone. He knew that they didn't really understand him, but he could pretend and that helped.

"The question I have is what do you teach? And is it something I can learn while chopping wood for the old couple here? There's lots of stuff to learn in this world."

Shinsei pondered the question for a time, closing his eyes as he mulled over every possible answer he could give in exchange. His body began to lean more heavily against the building beside him as he sank deeper into his meditation, his mind pouring over every little detail it could fathom. Certainly whatever wisdom was to come in answer would be among the most profound of lessons imaginable.

After some few minutes, Shinsei finally opened his mouth.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....."

"Yeah. Makes sense," he says with a nod. After he is sure Karasu is done with his snack, "I'm gonna get back to chores now. My shoulder's gonna be moving around a lot so it might not be comfortable."

He goes to retrieve the axe, pulling it free from the chopping block.

Kakuro instead first checked if Shinsei was truly asleep, not touching him, but from close by. Then he sat right in front of him, waiting. The chores could wait for some minutes. He took out his pipe, put some herbs inside of it, lit it and started smoking while observing Shinsei.

Kakuro himself wanted to share his ideas about the essence of universe and the relationship between people and the Heavens. Waiting for another wanderer to see what he has to share was normal for him. Also that people consider this person as worthy to listen to, made him curious.

Shinsei's breathing was soft and even enough to believably be asleep, but on a particularly deep inhale, one eye popped open to regard Kakuro as a tendril of smoke hovered near his nostrils.

"I find it's less that I teach and more that I learn. Often times my words simply spark others into rediscovery of fundamental truths they already knew, or the simple changing of one's perspective. So perhaps it's better to say that I guid, and in truth teach very little."

Once he's ready to go again he starts chopping, though is comfortable enough with the chore that he can still converse.

"Learning and teaching happens a lot of different ways. My mother taught me directly how to play the guqin. My father pushed me to be more active which allowed me to learn how to swim and climb. And the wilds taught me how to follow game trails. Don't matter if you are hands on or hands off as a teacher, long as people are learning thanks to you. Been spending my entire life learning and will keep doing it until I'm dead. Even then, I'll learn how I died."

'' Indeed....'' Kakuro nods to Taochusu's comment. '' Learning can take many forms and one never really stops to learn in one's lifetime and even then perhaps we continue to learn once our spirit moves to the Spirit realms beyond this world.'' He said and then smoked a bit.

'' Giving guidance is no less important than teaching, or rather, i consider them one and the same. One can show someone some path, offering your assistance to them, but only them can cross that path, should they want it, or not...''

Shinsei nodded his agreement. "It's true, one can only impress so much upon another before their will begins to rebel. Only the willing ever truly take a lesson to heart."

Standing up a little straighter, the hooded wanderer took on a wholly different set of body language, more confidence and certainty than the lax aloofness he'd shown before.

"I've seen much in this world that amazes me, enough to know how little I know, and how strong the hands of man in a world of spirits and demons. I have, as many have by now, seen gods fall from the sky to awe us in their divine perfection, but seen those same gods bow before the wisdom of mankind just as surely as any other." He held out his hands, looking intensely at his palms. "I wonder what these hands might wreak upon the earth, seeing what they've already done. I wonder what other hands might fashion in their stead." At this he held one hand out towards Kakuro, and the other towards Taochusu. "But a step in either direction, and I am no more or less than any other man, but no less powerful."

"Different things can make someone willing. Desparation, survival and curiosity can all get the job done," Taochusu says to the first statement.

"And are these gods really that perfect? I've never met one. Is it more a perfect way of life or are they just perfect at certain things? Or do they just seem perfect because they're more perfect than folks that aren't gods? We're helping one of them that landed in the wrong place right? Guess he didn't have perfect aim when he was landing? I guess... I just never liked that word. Always seemed weird to me."