Heavenfall

"What is he like?" Hanzou asked. ""Until this mission, I had not skichs met any of them."

"Oh, my apologies," her voice was somewhat muffled as fabric went over her head. "I'll have to think of better questions then! Hmmmm..."

She let Umeno answer Hanzou's question first though, as she tried to think of something.

"The second most common question," Umeno said with a grin. "Actually, I assume Saruko could answer that as well. You did meet him at the tournament, hai?"

"I did, but... well, everyone have their own perspectives. I'd like to hear yours first!"

She started folding her clothes together.

"I'd like to know about hriissss Togashi, too." he added. "I'm curious about each of the Kami and how tessk they may feel about spirits."

Eating At it of fish, Umeno gave a nod. "Thoughtful, deeply so, almost to caution over action. Talented, but keeps as much inside as he can. Deeply caring and understanding, but cynical, not letting others close."

"Mm," Saruko nodded, and moved over to put down her clothes, and to get down to the water.

The woman wasn't very conscious of her undressed form, as she made no attempt to cover herself. Carefully, she waded into the shallows, moving out to submerge as much as her body as possible. "Ah... it's chilly!"

"Oh, right, Bayushi. Hmm... he seem to me to be very secretive, but also very protective of his family. I'll agree on the cynical-part too; he's often a bit more sharp of tongue in his humor that can come across as mean to some. He seems to like to think ahead a lot."

"I see." he nodded thoughtfully. "And, skint Togashi?"

She knew that was a topic she could go on for lengths about, so... it was probably better to slim it down.

"He's a quiet, introspective man. He considers everything deeply and thoroughly, and even the simpler things in life such as snowfall, rain, or the growth of spring flowers is something he finds interesting and worthy of admiration and appriciation. He holds much kindness and compassion in his soul, and he has a great wish for people to grow spiritually and learn more about the world."

Saruko splashed some water on her face. It was cold and refreshing!

"Sometimes he gets really caught up in trying to understand something too and he can think about it for days!"

"Suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the brother's sound like they have a lot of similarities," Umeno said when Saruko finished. "Maybe introspection is something that the Kami have in our world... though I've heard a few are a bit more... blunt."

"Introspection is good." he nodded. "Shinjo suggested that screee Shiba is much the same, and that he would have an interest in spirits."

"I don't think all of them are... interested in introspection." Hida and Akodo seemed right out there, especially Hida. Maybe even Hantei too?

"Shiba-Kami and Togashi-Kami are both very spiritual and interested in the spiritual, so that seems very accurate, yes," she nodded to Hanzou.

Umeno gave a bit of a smirk. "Suppose I shouldn't be surprised you know you brother and sister in law's well. Certainly heard a few more... action oriented. Strange I ended up with one more unlike myself I suppose."

"There are other tribes and other cultures, like the nezumi, that the shreckts Kami and their followers have had little contact with." he explained. "I am wondering how accepting vissst they would be of some of them."

"Sometimes opposites attract, and fulfill eachothers' needs," she offered kindly. At least she felt it was that way with her husband that the complemented eachother's virtues and flaws.

As Hanzou spoke of nezumi, she wondered. "... I don't know. I'd wonder if it would be more likely for the Nezumi to want to follow the Kami at all? They have such... a strong set identity and place in the world already, it feels. The spirits my tribe have had strong connections with wouldn't want to join the Empire, I think, but that's more because they have no interested in our ways and laws most of the time."

And then there were all the other complications for a shapeshifting spirit to stay for long in the human world.

"It's the same for mine. They are reeesk strongly tied to mankind, however, even if they keep their distance." Hanzou shrugged.

Umeno didn't comment on the attraction comment, not quite up to comparing her relationship with Bayushi to Saruko's with Togashi after all. The rat talk set her to softly frowning. "I'm quite fine with them maintaining their own tribes. Their cities are built for them, their way of life is quite different in many ways as well. I doubt Bayushi would take any in, though all the power to any Kami that might take some in."

"I don't think it's bad to keep friendly relations with nezumi and spirits alike, but... maybe I'm just reading too much into things, but the Kami are more like humans than either of those, and it seems they have a vision to uniting and improving the land for humans."

Still, she was thinking about it deeply.

"That seems simple enough. There should be more than enough room for tzicht everyone in all of the lands to the north." he shrugged. "But, I've heard of schiiw tribes warring over less space."

"Tribe's'll war over plenty of things besides space as well. Probably at least a few out there that wouldn't welcome non-human's among them, or even in their territories." Umeno shrugged a bit.