Heavenfall

Satone still sat against the stump near her tent, now sipping on some water. She felt better than before, especially after her afternoon with Jin, but now and then she still felt nausea when turning her head to fast, and a headache permeated her thoughts.

It had been a bit of a buzz going through camp of a Seidou challenging both Kami early in the morning. And she had heard the results as well.

Figuring that Satone was much more hurt than she currently was, Saruko decided to bring over a serving of her own rations, thinking that the woman hadn't had a chance to eat supper.

"Seidou Satone?" the woman asked dressed in flowing robes of colorful geometric patterns as she approached the tent and saw the person sitting next to it.

Satone looks up and nods.

"Yes, and who might you be?"

"Togashi Saruko, of the Dragon," she offered as introduction, presenting her hands that held a bowl of food. "I figured you might be in need of something to eat, because of, uh, you know, all the talk about you fighting the Kami and that you were pretty badly hurt."

Satone seemed to be in better condition than she had feared at first.

"Food would be nice. Thank you. And, while she did not meet my challenge of knocking me out in a single blow, she still has made my head ring worse than anything I have ever felt. I think if not for the healer, Jin, I would not have been able to do much more today than simply sleep. "

Saruko laughed softly as she handed over the bowl to Satone. It contained a mix of dried meat, dried fruits, dried berries, and nuts.

"Now what possessed you to ask the most compassionate of the Kami to try to kill you in one blow? Especially the one more renowned for her swiftness rather than brute strength."

"I needed proof that they were divine beings. A god should be able to do such a thing. She was not. So now I know they are no longer gods. Perhaps they were at one time, but now, they are mortals. Just incredibly strong, or blessed mortals. But still, mortals. "

She takes a few bites from the bowl and chews them slowly.

"What clan are you from? Or are you like me, seeking to find a home?"

A soft chuckle. "You have a curious way of regarding strength."

"But I suppose she did give you a good knock on the head. As I said, I'm of the Dragon. Togashi-kami's Clan."

Satone blinks.

"Oh, you are right, you already told me that. I'm sorry. It is fortunate you are here, I actually wanted to speak with you. Sora said I should. You are Togashi's wife no? Why did you choose to follow him and marry him?"

Another few bites of food from the bowl are consumed, slowly.

"Mm, Sora is a good friend."

She gave a shrug. "There are many reasons why I followed him, and spoke favorably of him to my tribe. When I first met him five years ago, and all the times I spoke with him then, he always tried to guide me to find the answers I sought myself rather than telling me his answer."

"To me, that shows that he really wishes for us to grow and learn. To become so much more than we are."

"I hear the same from them all, that they wish to uplift us all. But none have said anything about preserving the ways of life we have all already worked hard for. I was told that Togashi didn't even want a clan, and he doesn't care all all what his followers do or believe. Is that true?"

"At first, he didn't want followers or disciplies, that's true. But when people started to look to him for wisdom and guidance, he felt that it was a proper course to take - to become a leader to those who wish to follow him. It's not... quite true to say that he doesn't care what is his followers do or believe - he does care, because he cares for humanity." She knew others might not see it from her point of view. "However, he doesn't seek to forcefully change the world; change happens naturally. Many of my tribe chose to follow him, because we saw he held a lot of the same values we did, while also being a teacher and guide in this changing world. We aren't afraid of change, just like we aren't afraid of the changing of the seasons."

Saruko looked curiously at Satone. "But, I'm curious, what is it about the ways of life you have you feel are important to preserve? That you worry so much about?"

"All of it, really. It is difficult to explain, because I do not even know if my way of life is different than what the Kami wish. For example, perhaps I worship a god of the sea, and then the kami one day say it is wrong? My charge, who is my biggest concern, is a spiritual leader for what is left of the Seidou. What if the Kami come to tell her her guidance is incorrect and her ways false? I can say for certain that one thing I absolutely am appalled at is this notion that someone must use a sword and dstrike their opponent first to be considered correct in any form of dispute. Sora tells me than Nanzi and his wife, Doji, are trying to make it the standard for this new Empire, and I do not agree."

She listened, and there were some concern in there she felt was understandable, and then there was... outlandish weird claims. So the woman blinked incomprehensibly a few times.

"I... have not heard of such a thing being taught by the Kami?" another couple of confused blinks before she rubbed her forehead to end stop it.

"Hmmm... let me put it this way - the Kami, just like you and me, are all different people. Just like you and I are different people with different ideas. So it is with them. Many of them have different ideas of what a great Empire can, could, and should be like. From my interactions with Lady Doji, my understanding of her ways, is that she wishes to see much of the Celestial Heavens' ways reflected in our world."

"I can't say I really fault her for it. Having glimpsed Heaven myself, it is a beautiful place of peace and order." Well, except for the whole Moon eating his own children thing. That part she didn't like very much.

"However, as Shiba became the Kami's leader, it falls on him to listen to the suggestions and council of his siblings, and deciding what ways to follow, to create this new Empire. And as far as I know, no such sword-fighting-law has been put into place."

“I don’t think it has yet, but more is intended to be. If you had to pick, which kami do you believe would allow the most freedom and adherence to old ways instead of their new ones?”

"Hmmm... I would say that could apply to many of them, depending on how you look at things. Hida seem to hold many of the same values as your tribe does, no?" Or had Hida said or done something recently that she didn't know about.

"But you seem to be very afraid, Satone of Seidou. Why do you let fear take such hold of you?"

“Because I have seen what happens when people are conquered, and it is frightening. The Kami feel like a polite version of it. Honey, sweet tasting at first, but later revealing it was a toxic poison”

"Oh? I don't know too much about the history of the Seidou, so I'm ignorant of who were doing the conquering and who were the conquered. I'd like to hear more." Anjing had never mentioned anything about that to her.

"Small infighting between various villages within the tribe, where one leader would take over after the village was beaten. Many times ideas, customs, and spiritual beliefs would get pushed aside because they did not agree with the new leader. Additionally, the fighting between the Ogres, Trolls, and Nezumi. The winner often enslaving or slaughtering the other."

"It sounds to me, quite barbaric. But wouldn't you then say that your tribe has done such things to others? Taking Nezumi children, or taking over other villages, to impose your will on them by force and then force them to labor for you?" Saruko avoided sounding like she was levelling accusations. Her tone was calm, thoughtful. Inquisitive even.

"It could perhaps be that the Kami wish to show us a better way, help us lead a better life that doesn't make us do that to eachother?"