Heavenfall

“A god is all powerful. Thus, they should all be able to do such as I challenged. The alternative suggested was we both smash a rock. I have met many who were stronger than me, so I did not feel it an appropriate test.”

"I don't think any of the Kami have claimed to be all-powerful, but that doesn't mean they aren't divine." Saruko shrugged. She did have the unfair advantage of having seen the Heavens and spoken with the dragons there, so she herself had no such doubts in her heart. But she could not show that answer to Satone, who probably wouldn't believe her, or would want to explain it away, or so it seemed to her.

She had to try to embody the most important part of her husband's teachings, which was to help Satone find the answers herself. If Saruko could do that or not was an entirely different question.

"But it seems to me you decided for yourself what was an appropriate test, without wanting to listen to them what their strengths are. Have you had a chance to speak with any of the Kami at length, of what they believe in, of what they want to accomplish, and of your concerns?" A pause. "Without the added threat of forcing them to do something they didn't want to, that is."

" I did not challenge them until after I had asked them to explain themselves. Also, if Shinjo was going to demonstrate her power by smashing a rock, I think that her power would have been equally shown by hitting me...I mean, if you think about it, being able to reduce a rock to dust should mean you could knock out a human in one blow."

"Not nescessarily the same thing. You forget that the Kami are persons with feelings and values as well," she reminded gently. "It is much easier to display one's strength on an inanimate object. A smashed rock could then be repurposed for other needs, such as circling our campfires. Being told to give it your all on another living being... not everyone has it in them to do that. Now I'm not very strong myself, but even if I did, I'd have a hard time of wanting to do that."

She mused for a moment. "For a woman who speaks passionately of not wanting others to force their will on you, perhaps you should also consider that you enforced your will on the two of them? You wanted to force them both to do something they might not have wanted to do, after all. To paraphrase a friend of mine, strange women whacking people with hammers is no basis for establishing divinity."

Saruko shrugged. "Just something to think about. Things are more complex than we think, but also easier than we think. If you want, I'd happily bring you and Haruyo to visit and speak with my husband after all this is over, or to speak with Emperor Shiba. I cannot give you all the answers, but I can aid your search."

"I did not force her though, she could have said no, much like Hantei did. By accepting, I believe that Shinjo was willing to do the challenge without reservation. She even seemed....distraught? that she had failed."

Satone thinks for a moment before answering the question.

"Meeting with them would be helpful I suppose. Though, I do wonder if it will be more of the same as you are saying now. I admit, I feel much like a child being chastised by a parent from our conversation so far. I understand you have the utmost faith in the kami, unshakable and resolute, but I do not. It feels almost as if you are scoffing at me for not sharing your faith, though my own immediate experiences have given me no reason to believe as you do."

"I have seen their truth and purity with my own eyes, in many ways, but you need to come to the answers in your own way. I can tell you why I have such faith in them, if you wish, but I don't know if my answer will sway you," she offered honestly.

"If I come across that way, I apologise. I'm still new to being a teacher, and I'm not as good as Shinsei, or others I know. But, what I mean is to challenge why you think the way you do, because I wish for you to answer me truly, and to truly think of your answers as well and why I'm questioning them. In the same way that we can't become physically stronger without challenging our bodies, it's the same with our minds - we need to be challenged about how we think to come to new conclusions and discoveries."

She smiled fondly for a brief moment. "When I first met my husband, he did not give me simple answers to my questions. Rather, he asked me questions, in an effort to help me find the answers myself. He could've simply told me, yes, but I grew to learn and understand more by doing it myself."

"I can certainly see the merit in that. It is always good to ask questions and engage the mind."

Satone thinks again for a little while before asking

"I would like to hear why you have such faith in them. Though my own test has been failed, perhaps hearing your own experience can help put more pieces into the puzzle. "

Glad that it seemed Satone might be considering a different way of thinking, she nodded.

"I'm not a shaman myself, but I have some... connection to the realms beyond our own. My spirit is able to leave my body, and move to those worlds outside of our own. Like, the realm of the dead, to mention one, though that's not a place I like to visit." Dead people often had an uncomfortable about them. "In my tribe's lands, I would easily find connections to these other realms, where many animal spirits live."

"When I first met the Kami, I could... feel the aura of another realm around them, but not one I had visited before. As I meditated beside them, my spirit was able to trace their otherworldly connection, like a golden light, all the way up to the Heavens themselves." She had to take a moment to actually be able to put her emotions into words, as she seemed so touched by the experience. Then again, Saruko did seem to have an almost fain otherworldly glow to herself as well.

"It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. Above the clouds, and the blackness of the evening, so high up I could feel my spirit soaring away. Until I passed through more clouds, and finally found myself standing on a golden road, surrounded by swirling clouds. The path led onwards and I saw a palace - much much much larger than the castle they've built in Great Mountain City. And of such... beauty. Try as I might, I can't put it into words how incredible the sight was. Even as I try to draw or paint it, I can't replicate just how it was. The great palace itself was beyond words, and everwhere I looked there were flowers in full majestic bloom, seemingly growing out of the clouds themselves, and that it seemed to stretch on forever. The light was bright and warm, the air felt fresh and fragrant. It was like imagening the perfect summer day, and then seeing it become real and surpassing your expectations. The place just felt noble and regal. Like the kind of place that could only exist in the most spectacular imaginations, or dreams or stories."

"And of course, dragons. Seeing a celestial dragon fly through the sky there. I was completely awestruck. And I saw many other spirits, all alight with a heavenly glow, milling about at some great tasks I couldn't understand. I wish I had had time to ask them, but before I could, one of the dragons descended down to me from the clouds, and kind of... weeeeeell, to put it mildly, booted me out politely for trespassing into the highest of all the Realms."

Saruko grinned. "Not that it stopped me from going back a second time though. As I learned that on the hill in Seppun lands where the Kami first appeared, there is also a strong connection to the Heaven. Nanzi had been given a quest to win the hand of Lady Doji whom he wished to court, and the idea was that he would ask Lady Sun herself for her blessing. I had my own wish to fulfill by going too. So... on Seppun Hill I managed to guide Nanzi's spirit along the golden pathway up to the Heavens again. We were once more met by a dragon, who seemed to be on guard, but we managed to speak with it, to plead our case. Nanzi requested a token from Lady Sun to give to her daughter, and recieved a letter written by Amaterasu herself. I asked for something that once belonged to Togashi or was of great importance to him, that I could bring back to him, which I was given as well."

There was a brief but happy sigh as she was reminiscing of those little escapades five years ago.

"So to me, I've seen their home first-hand, and I feel their connection to the divine still. There was never any room for doubt in my mind after having witnessed that. I need only stand by my husband, or any of the Kami, and let my spirit feel the presence of divinity that their very being exudes."

"That is quite the story, and I could see how it would convince you. However, I must ask...If you can travel to other realms, what is to say that they are not simply travelers as well? Spirits, but not gods? I know you said you were able to get tokens from Amaterasu herself, but I have also heard in my travels of a realm known for playing tricks on us all. Could this not be an elaborate ruse?"

She shrugs.

"I'm not saying it is, or that is what I think happened, mind you, but it could."

"Only my spirit can travel, my body cannot, as far as I know. And well, I have plenty of experience with trickster spirits myself..." most of her tribe did, really. And Saruko had had a long-long history with that. "Most spirits that stay for longer periods in our world must follow many strict rules and self-imposed taboos, from what I've seen, and I've not seen any similar behaviour with these."

"Lastly, to me, my ability allows me to have a sense of the nature of a realm. Like, in the same way we both can feel that fire is hot, and snow is cold, I can feel the essence of the realm. And the realm of tricksters is one I've faced many times before, and it was nothing like that."

She thought for a moment, then remembered she had one more point. "And lastly-lastly! Ok, this is the real lastly; I know by looking at my children."

Satone raised an eyebrow.

"Your children? How?"

And now she was caught in her own conundrum. She'd be so willing to share her story, and now she was overstepping a bit... she knew her children were... strange, even by Ayakashi standards, and she was secretly a little worried about how others might react to them.

"I've seen many children in my life who are touched by the otherworldly. A childhood friend of mine certainly must've had a fox spirit as a parent, as he has... ears and a little bit of fur. Probably have a tail hidden away too, that scoundrel." She held up her hands to mimic what a fox's ears would look like on a human.

"My children though, are much more than that. I knew the moment they were born that they were not ordinary, not even in comparison with my friend and what I had seen before. Their eyes had the same divine light I saw in the Heavens, the same radiance about them." She hesitated. "... I'm sorry, but my children are very precious to me, and... it's not that I don't trust you, but I don't trust who else might be listening in. If you come to visit, with Haruyo, then it would be easier for me to show, instead of me trying to explain to you."

"I think I understand, though it does make me wonder more if the Kami are not just some powerful spirit instead of gods. You just described how a fox spirit and a human may have child, and then described your own children in much a similar way."

"I suppose I see it differently, as I have had many years of experience with the realms and the children of animal spirits. This is... different. I admit there are similarities, but for me, it would be like comparing a small flower to a giant tree. They're both plants, yet so very different." She pondered it a little bit.

"But if you doubt them still, I suppose you can go and challenge each and everyone of them to knock you out? I can't many any promises of how it will go though, as not all are inclined towards violence when there are more sensible options. Though maybe let them display their strengths and abilities, which can be far more impressive than just striking someone down."

"I am happy to listen and let them demonstrate their ability, but I will be doing no more challenging. I already have my answer from that."

"You must consider yourself incredibly blessed, from having both married, and had the children of, someone the masses see as a god. It must be quite a powerful feeling. How do you think it has changed you, compared to who you were say, seven years ago?"

She wasn't sure what answer Satone had from it, but she hoped the woman wouldn't stop looking for more answers. "Well I hope you get the chance to find other opportunities and answers," Saruko said warmly in a friendly tone.

At the questions, she thought for a moment. "It's... strange, I admit. Not something I imagined for myself at all years ago when I was just a goat-herder and storyteller. I knew I was interested in... something more, than just the calm and peaceful lives we had in the vale, but I didn't know what. Hmmm... I don't think I've changed that much from who I've always been, but saying I haven't changed at all wouldn't be true either. I guess I've... grown more. Become a bit surer of myself and who I am even as I'm still trying to truly find my place in the world - which is a never ending journey of learning and self-discovery."

She took a moment to think some more.

"With people looking to me as a leader of sorts too, I try to do much more to be of help. At least, what I can do. I'm no warrior or scholar, but I have some things I know and believe can be of value."

“Well, I thank you for your time. It has given me much to think on. I suppose I only have one last question. Jin, if the Unicorn gave me the idea. Do you think your husband would be interested in gaining a new family? One that has the ideals I have listed tonight?”

"Maybe?" Saruko shrugged. "Maybe not? There's nothing wrong with asking him, of course. If you feel that's the right path for yourself and Haruyo. The only way to find out is to speak with him and ask."

"If you want the opinions of others in the clan, I recommend speaking with Wu or Togashi Nadare. I believe they can both offer different perspectives than mine."

"I will try to remember to seek them out. Who knows what all of this conversation I will even remember tomorrow with my head the way it is."

She gives a playful, joking laugh.

"In earnest though, I will. Thank you for the food and the conversation."

She chuckled warmly as well. "Ah well, if you don't remember all, or just want to talk about something else, I'm always willing to talk again." Saruko offered.

"And you're welcome. I hope you feel better soon, Satone."

Rising, she smoothed out her robes a little, getting ready to leave. "Get some rest for the night."