Heavenfall

Chisei was always one for rising bright and early, and beginning the business of the day. For his wife, that often meant hunting. Sometimes, Chisei would accompany her, and aid in the little tasks he could assist with. But today, Chisei was left to his own business.

Apparently, that meant sitting and staring at a river.

Chisei was kneeling on a rocky outcropping overlooking the water. At this spot, the river was especially fast, white water churning around rocks, making it too dangerous to swim. The sound of the rushing water was loud, but not overpowering, enough to engage the ears without deafening them.

He was silent and unmoving, frowning as he studied the rush of the water.

There weren't many locations that were a reminder of her childhood home, or her current home, but at least the river had a big appeal of being such an untouched point of nature here where much else was being turned into farmlands or dwellings.

Seeing that others had similar thoughts, Saruko approached the unmoving man to stand right behind him. And lean down to put her head at the same height as his head, to see what he was looking at.


---------

D1 EM Fluff Stealth to be vewy vewy quiet: 5d10o10k3 26

In deep thought, and with the sound of the river, Chisei was quite unaware of his impending monkey danger.

So far as it looked, Chisei was studying the river. There didn't seem to be anything that special about this section of the river, except that it was perhaps a little faster than other nearby sections. Chisei himself appeared lost in thought. Not pensive or gloomy, but mainly thinking very, very, hard.


----------------------------------------------------

D1EM See No Monkey, per/inv: 4d10o10k3 19

She stood there for a while, face almost right beside his as she studied the same point of the river as he did. Though perhaps he was more in his own thoughts than letting his thoughts go along with the rapids.

"Your thoughts churn louder than the river." She suddenly remarked calmly.

One advantage to quiet contemplation is that even when someone makes a sudden unexpected appearance, it is possible to be only somewhat surprised, rather than, say, panicking and leaping into the nearest body of water. And so, while Chisei was clearly startled, he managed to limited it to pulling away without rising, and his eyes widening noticeably.

"Goodness. You startled me." Smiling ruefully, he settle back into place. "How long have you been there?"

His smile grew at the comment on his thoughts. "Do they?" He looked back at the river. "I suppose they might. I have a great many of them rushing through my head right now. It is no placid lake."

She chuckled over his reaction, but resisted the urge to pat him on the head like she would sometimes do with her husband's students. "Mm, long enough to figure out that you weren't really looking at the river, but beyond it as you were lost in your own thoughts."

Unceremoniously she sat down beside him, her layered robes spreading out like petals. "It's good to think, but thoughts can distract us. Shouldn't you try to clear your mind?"

A little awkward, Chisei shifted, until he was half-facing her, half-facing the river. "Lost? Perhaps." He smiled. "Can one be lost if one has no destination? What if you do have a destination, but you don't know what it is? An exploration into the unknown, all taking place within the mind. I fancy that's what I was doing, anyway." He chuckled softly. "But in the dark, one can walk in circles, and never realize until the morning provides a fresh perspective."

His eyebrows went up. "Clear my mind? What do you mean?" He gave her an encouraging nod.

Neither had asked the others' name, Chisei noted, but that didn't seem especially important yet.

In times like these, when there seemed to be deeper philosophical thoughts at hand, names could wait.

"Does the river think about where it is going, or about possibilities of where it will go?" she offered with a light gesture to the rapids next to them. The river just kept on rolling like before, uncaring about the deeper meaning it had to the hoo-mans.

"Our thoughts are only as complex as we make them to be. Like a house full of things, or a cluttered room. Sometimes we need to tidy things up to find what we're looking for, or to recognize where we are. How can you appriciate what is there, when it is just a mess?"

"Hmm!" Chisei smiled. "Let us return to that question later. But that is one I have been considering."

He waved a hand. "But I think I see what you mean. It does little good to consider many questions at once, any more than heading out on a dozen journeys at the same time." He frowned thoughtfully. "But how do you choose what remains? Or..." The frown deepened. "Do you just remove items, and see what remains?"

"That depends, doesn't it?" she chuckled. "It would hardly be wise of me to linger on distant thoughts when there are others right in front of my nose!"

Her smile was wide and bright. "And it's not good for the mind to dwell on things that cause us pain, or suffering. We acknowledge those thoughts, of course, because they play an important role in understanding and empathy, but we must also let go of them, until we can remain with only those thoughts that spark joy to you. If a farmer wishes to grow wheat, he will focus on the task of planting and nurturing wheat - in the end, he reaps what he sows."

"I see." Chisei said, smiling.

He tilted his head, regarding her. "To use your metaphor, you would seem to have a well-cultivated mind. I am impressed with your insights." Chisei gave a sort of seated bow. "May I have your name? I would be honored to know who it is that I am speaking to, that has developed such an understanding of the world."

"Cultivated mind? I'm not sure if all would agree, but thank you. That's a lovely compliment."

She presented her palms as she introduced herself. "Togashi Saruko of the Dragon. It's good to meet you, seeker."

Chisei's eyebrows went up. "Seppun Chisei, formerly of the Isawa." He held his hands up in a far approximation of her gesture. "It is good to meet you as well, Togashi Saruko."

He studied her for a few moments, his eyes curious. "May I ask you how you learned to think the way you do?" Chisei said suddenly. "I recognize that it is no small question." He smiled. "But if we are clearing our minds of clutter, perhaps it is fitting that only an important question remains."

"It's no small question I suppose, but I don't mind answering," she chuckled warmly. "My husband is very wise, and I've learned much from him since we met. I've also learned much from the little teacher known as Shinsei - who is here for the mission."

"Oh. Your husband." Chisei's eyes widened, then narrowed. "How remarkable." He considered a moment, then shook his head.

He frowned. "I do not know Shinsei. He is a wise man of some sort?"

"What is remarkable?" she questioned. "My husband, myself, or that we are married? Or something else?"

"As for Shinsei? Yes, he is a very wise man. Perhaps one of the most insightful I have had the chance to meet."

"Yes." Chisei said, smirked. "But more seriously, all those things seem remarkable. I recognize the name Togashi Saruko now. I didn't at first because I had no expectation of being surprised by you like this. A reminder that I should not let my expectations blind myself to the possibilities of our reality."

Chisei smiled almost playfully, but he kept his comment to himself. Yes, but you've only just now met me. He cleared his throat. "I have many questions about Shinsei. Instead of burying you under an avalanche of interrogation, perhaps I could ask you to tell me a little about him? Perhaps about your first meeting, or a conversation you've had with him."

"Ah... I didn't know my name had travelled much beyond our home," she admitted with a hint of embarrassment. "It's not so unusual. I do this quite often with those who wish to learn from my husband." That did bring back a memory that made her smile widely, as if she remembered something very funny.

"As for my first meeting with Shinsei? Hmm... it was at the Tournament of the Kami, five years ago. He was there too, observing, and I spoke with him there. He understands a lot about the world - the spiritual and the more mundane alike - and he's also been kind enough to share some of his lessons with me. Such as understanding that not all wisdom comes from reading or sitting around meditating about stuff. It's also doing, like making things! Like a beautiful song, or a poem, or a work of art. And by observing nature too, we can learn more about how connected we all are." Realising she was rambling a bit now, Saruko cleared her throat. "Ah, sorry... I'm not very good at conveying all he has taught me. You should speak with him, really! He's quite nice, and even the Kami listen to him."

"You married a god." Chisei said, amused. "That alone would make you noteworthy. But you are spoken of for more than just that relationship." He inclined his head respectfully.

Blinking, Chisei gave her a surprised look. "He was there? So was I, acting as a scribe for the Isawa. And yet, I remember nothing of him." Chisei's brows drew down; he almost looked disappointed.

He gave a tiny shake of his head. "I think you do a fine job conveying your thoughts. Putting one's experiences into words is the best we can do, but it is not the same as truly sharing an experience. For that, I do hope I have the opportunity to speak with him. And hearing more about songs, or works of art; I know little of those things."

It was an interesting notion that she was spoken of in terms other than being a Sun-Child's wife. She'd have to look more into that to find what people were saying. Hopefully more about what she was trying to teach, and less about the various monkey-attacks on unsuspecting students of Togashi.

"Not everyone needs to draw a lot of attention. Shinsei is very humble, and doesn't seek fame. Which is... well, that is what learning wisdom is about, no? Not for the sake of fame, or recognition, but for the benefit of our own understanding of the world."