Finding the Source (D9EE)

[Seppun Chisei]

(eggspecting)

The sun was beginning to go down, but plenty of light still found its way down to the pool at the base of the waterfall. Softened, it almost seemed to cast the pool in a sort of gentle glow. Chisei didn't know if this made any sort of spiritual difference, but he thought it might. And, well, it looked pretty.

The last time he had considered the nature of water, he'd merely sat by the banks, contemplating. Now, he waded out into it. This far from the waterfall, it rumbled almost companionably, like a friend sitting beside you, whispering. Perhaps it was whispering. Waist-deep, Chisei held out his hands, as though that might help him to understand.

It didn't.

Sighing, he splashed some water on himself, wincing slightly at the chill. Well, he did need to bathe, anyway.

[Togashi Saruko]

Figuring she needed to wash away the sweat of the day, Saruko returned to the waterfall. And was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face there, though this time she refrained from sneaking up on him again.

"Oh, hello there!"

[Seppun Chisei]

It took less time for Chisei to recognize the voice than it did for him to turn. By the time he was facing Saruko, his expression was pleasantly surprised.

"Good even,ing, Saruko-sama." Chisei said, smiling gently. "We meet again, by the water once more. I begin to wonder if there's some significance to that."

Bare to the waist, Chisei was actually quite fit, healthy and strong. He lacked the scars of warriors, or even of rougher tribes, but his left forearm had a number of them, thin, pale, and straight.

[Togashi Saruko]

"Water holds the key to life, some say, so maybe there's something to that?" she chuckled as she gave the pool a thoughtful look.

Noticing that he was somewhat stripped down, she regarded him curiously. "Are you going for an evening swim, huh? I'll join you!"

[Seppun Chisei]

"So it does." Chisei said, giving her another curious look. "Life, healing, time, memory... water has many relevant aspects."

He considered her curiously for a moment, before nodding with a smile. "Please do. I was just wishing for someone to share a conversation with. And we did say we'd speak again this journey, didn't we?"

Clearing his throat, he turned to look at the waterfall. It seemed like the polite thing to do.

[Togashi Saruko]

No sooner than he had indicated for her to join she was already stripping out of her robes without much thought to modesty.

"And movement, perceptiveness.... oh, you said time? I haven't heard that one before. Care to elaborate?" Occassionally her voice would be slightly muffled by clothing.

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei nodded, still keeping his eyes forward. Tribal differences, he reminded himself; the Isawa and Seppun both had at least mild nudity taboos, while the Ayakashi... well, they were the Ayakashi.

"Of all the elements, water gives the most sense of progress." He said, his voice taking on that gentle elevated tone it always did when explaining things. "A river may be fast or slow, but it is always moving forward, never backward. Such is our experience of time; it may feel fast, or slow, but it always moves forward."

He tilted his head, turning enough that his thoughtful frown was visible, his eyes flickering briefly over. "Except for through memory. Another aspect of water."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Huh."

Saruko folded up her clothes to put them somewhere safe.

"I suppose in comparison, earth just stays still and doesn't really change. What about air?"

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei's clothing was very neatly folded, and set a bit away from the edge of the water. His scroll case sat in the middle, as secure as he could make it.

"Air is ephemeral." Chisei said. "It is constantly in motion, but while we can see its effects, can we see the wind?" Smiling, he inhaled deeply, his chest expanding, only to deflate a moment later as he exhaled powerfully. To no visible effect, of course. "Thus is why air spirits do much with the illusory, or the unseen." He expected that fire might come next, but he would wait for her to ask. Besides, perhaps she already had familiarity with fire spirits, somehow.

[Togashi Saruko]

"Air is also... communication, yes? I recall cousin Yuzuru saying that the air kami let him speak to people far away, or speak with animals I think." Finding the shallow spot to wade in like earlier, there were sounds of water splashing and being moved about as she waded out to submerge herself while still having some footing under her feet.

"And... protection too?"

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei waited an appropriate amount of time after the splashing began to turn; it seemed sufficient to satisfy his propriety at least. He smiled gently. "Indeed. I think it is the connection to breath. When we speak, we use air." He inclined his head to her, as always impressed by her breadth of knowledge.

He chuckled softly. "I, too, know a ritual for speaking to animals. They very much have their own little worlds, something I find refreshing."

At her question, Chisei cleared his throat. "To some extent, yes. Although each element protects in its own ways. Fire, for instance, protects rather... aggressively, I might say."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Oooh. I didn't think of it that way!" As if to confirm it to herself, she blew up her cheeks and let out a big breath of air. Then felt a little disappointed that her breath didn't cling to the air like it did in colder weather.

Stupid heat.

She wished briefly that she could talk to animals and understand their language fully.

"Fire is the element of aggression, so that makes sense."

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei smiled, amused, as Saruko attempted her own air-based experiment.

"Aggression." Chisei nodded. "But also inspiration and intelligence." He frowned. "But not creativity. That is part of air."

He waded a little deeper, waving his arms to keep his balance, scattering a few water droplets incidentally. "May I ask, Saruko-sama, which element do you feel you favor most?"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Huh, I thought fire was part of creativity, since we have the fires of creation. Bronze is heated with fire to take shape, and food is heated to make meals."

Having waded far enough to feel safe, she stopped. It seemed she didn't plan to swim.

"But I never really thought about which element I feel I favor the most. Maybe not earth, I feel - I move too much, I approach change easily. But I don't know if I'm like the water..."

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei shrugged. "It is an unclear line between innovation, which we consider to be part of fire, and creativity, which we consider to be part of air." He chewed his lip a moment. "In fact, I think there is less division between the elements than we think. And with Void binding them all together..."

Wading seemed to be all Chisei intended to do as well. He waved his arms slowly about, making tiny waves. "Might I suggest air? Air, like water, is ever-changing. But it is more playful. Air spirits might thoroughly enjoy sneaking up on someone deep in concentration." He grinned at her, a bit impudently.

[Togashi Saruko]

"Aha, good one! I suppose air does seem to fit me," she mused with a smile as she thought about it.

"Hmmm, but you got a good point about the elements being less divided than we think. Like, what element truly are plants?! They grow from the earth, and won't grow without having their roots in the earth, but they also need water. And sunlight! Which is fire, I think." Did plants need air? They were living things, so it would make sense that they did. Oh, to not know about photosynthesis at all.

"And you blow on the fires to make them burn better too!"

[Seppun Chisei]

"Exactly!" Chisei said, smiling. "Plants are a great example. Mud, fog, swamp... animals, people." He waved a hand again, scattering more droplets.

He hesitated a moment. "I think all living things are connected. But more than that, I think all things are connected, even if they're not what we think of as living. Bound together by the fifth element, which everything contains, on an even more basic level than the other four." He smiled. "I believe that. Proving it, on the other hand..."

[Togashi Saruko]

"I think so too!" She stood up more in the water, though thankfully for Chisei's sensibilities the water still covered most of her body. "We're all connected together. Not just by blood and bonds, but on a spiritual level too, I think."

And similarly to him, she didn't really know how to prove it.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to prove your theory! Maybe you just need to speak more with other people who study such things?"

[Seppun Chisei]

In fact, Chisei seemed entirely comfortable now; taboos were strange. "Yes..." Chisei frowned. "I have the same feeling. I wish I could explore it further, but..." He sighed. "I have many gifts, but I cannot commune with the void as some can."

He tilted his head, regarding her curiously. "Could you suggest any names? Oh, I did try speaking to Shinsei today, but..." Chisei cleared his throat, one eyebrow going up, "I think he was flirting with someone. Didn't seem to notice me."

[Togashi Saruko]

Shinsei flirting seemed... very out of character for her. Maybe Chisei had misunderstood Shinsei's sense of humor or friendly teasing, she figured.

"Well, I would suggest to try again. Hummm... of the people here, I don't know who. Maybe Nadare? He's very clever. But I'd be happy to introduce you to my husband when we return from this mission. Or my cousin Kara! She's good at the Void stuff." If she managed to make some sense and not space out.