[LA 11] The Excursion

[Seidou Satone]

"If I had that ability, I don't think I would stay as a human very much."

She smiles at the thought

[Ko]

"Maybe you say that because you are a human," Ko said, with an air of good-natured practicality. "Two legs is only dull to us because we're this way all the time. Some beings might think it's a nice change."

She blinked a few times. Her eyes were re-adjusting to the deep forest gloom now, but purple and white spots still danced in the center of her field of vision.

[Jiyo Sora]

"There's also the matter of not rubbing a perceived superiority in their siblings' faces."

[Seidou Satone]

“Is there infighting between them? “

[Jiyo Sora]

"No."

Not yet. Not that we've seen.

"But they're a family. What family has ever been completely free of such concerns?"

[Ninube]

"I have never beheld Emperor Shiba taking the form of a Phoenix, and I am not certain that Hida would see much point in becoming a crab... so I am not sure this is a universal gift on their part."

"I dunno. If I was a giant crab, that could be useful. Even a regular Crab.... Enemies are walking along the beach, ignoring the crab scuttling along, then Surprise! Hida!" Ninube wonders if Fu Leng could teach her how to turn into a spider. She probably can't do it. It probably takes magic.

[Ko]

Ko had to laugh at that. "Crabs are only scary if you're another crab, or a small fish. They're good to eat... but I don't think I would want to turn in to something good to eat." Still grinning, she shook her head.

"Anyway, as far as I've heard it, they're all terribly strong in different ways. If Hida is a great fighter, what need does he have to turn into something else? A strong house is made of people who complement each other, they don't all have to be good at the same things."

[Seidou Satone]

"That is well said. I do not know what each is said to be good at however. Sora, do you?"

[Ninube]

Ninube shrugs. "I just figure it's a god thing. Doesn't mean they need to or even want to." Ninube looks at Ko thoughtfully. "Aren't the Clans named the way they are because they represent the Kami? I guess, it depends how. Is there a specific way to go into a certain form? Or are they reflecting themselves when they change?" It was an interesting topic. But.... "The only problem is it requires asking and I dunno. I think it feels a little rude. 'Hey, Fu Leng, can you turn into a spider?' I mean, is it rude? Seems like it might be."

[Hanzou]

"The Bat weren't named for tisss Ryoshun. Not really." Hanzou said. "Nazo lead his chech spirit into Meido. The way krirr bat spirits do for other lost spirits."

[Ninube]

"An exception?" Ninube shrugs. "I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just wondering if it is possible."

[Ko]

"You're asking the wrong person if you want to know more about the Kami, Ninube-who-writes," Ko chuckled. "You are the one who follows one of them. I didn't know what they were until last season."

[Ninube]

"Eh. I wasn't so much as asking as talking about my theories. One thing I have discovered on this trip is questioning how things work. It's so much more than what it used to be. Well, that I thought it used to be."

[Jiyo Sora]

"That is well said. I do not know what each is said to be good at however. Sora, do you?"

"Shiba is knowledgeable and has an open mind. He's also a hell of a swordsman. Togashi is also wise, but in a less... materially applied fashion. He also likes being cryptic for the sake of being cryptic. Doji's artistic and polite."

It's pretty clear what he thinks of the polite part.

"Hida is strong and durable, Shinjo is swift and compassionate, Hantei... is pretty good at a little bit of everything, and has a well-defined sense of order. Akodo is skilled at warfare, and has, if anything, an even more well-defined sense of order. Bayushi is intelligent, subtle, and apparently likes to advertise that he doesn't trust his own face not to betray him, so there's that. Those are the ones I've met. Fu Leng is evidently extremely knowledgeable about the Spirit Realms, and Reiko has been making a family for those who have nowhere else, which I doubt she'd do if she thought he'd mind. Ryoshun is... pretty chatty for a dead guy, apparently, but I have little direct knowledge of him."

[Seidou Satone]

"I see. And I believe many say Shinjo is the most kind and compassionate, which does not seem to me to translate to a majestic horse-creature. I think perhaps the ability may be tied to something else, then."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Well. They're children of the Sun and the Moon. Nothing about them is under any obligation to make a hell of a lot of sense to us."