Heavenfall

Just back from the ruins, Sora went looking for the Monkey Queen of the Dragon Clan, and the first friend he had made outside of the Hikaru.

A lot had happened since their last conversation, and he needed to catch up.

It was easy to find the Monkey Queen, Mother of Dragons, Teller of Stories, and Lady of the Dragon Clan, etc by her tent, hard at work with... painting a statue?

Given the hot weather, she was dressed down and had pinned her hair back in a tight braid. And didn't seem to notice Sora looking for her.

He cocked his head to the side as he spotted her. Shook his head and smiled.

"Is there any artistic endeavor you don't do?"

"Weeeell, there's lots of stuff I haven't tried yet, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around this flower arrangement thing that Doji spoke of once." There were a couple of others too that still didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Your kinsman, Ayumu, is working on this shrine with the Seven Great Fortunes. I'm just helping out. A small place of worship these days seem like a fine idea, no?"

"I've never been terribly pious, but if it helps our group's morale, it's a good idea."

He half-smiled.

"Ayumu's good at that sort of thing."

"Oh? Maybe you should try it sometime... Reiko holds a lot of belief in the prayers, especially when we keep Fu Leng in them."

Bringing it up marred her positivity for a moment, and she settled into a more neutral expression.

"I spoke with Shinsei about the library-idea, and he was very enthusiastic about it too - I even suggested he might be one of the first contributors to it, seeing that he has so much to teach."

"Well, that's good, because I definitely wanted his wisdom included. I've also asked Anjing Xia if she wouldn't mind running the place once we get it built- she has the youth to see it through, and has more.... actual skill with the written word than I do."

A pause.

"Plus, a post of honor like that will allow us to make some small amends to the Crab for the way in which this expedition supplied itself. I had also thought of the Takemori- you know, Ryoko's tribe? I think their caravans could be a good way to carry the lore and information throughout the Empire.""

"A central place sounds good, yes, though in time, I would hope for it to spread all over the Empire too. So that anyone can have the chance to learn and grow, even if they aren't able to travel far."

She raised an eyebrow with some curiosity.

"Firstly, what do you mean how this expedition supplied itself. And secondly, who is Ryoko? I don't think I've heard of the Takemori..."

"Oh, long term, I would have libraries in every corner of the Empire, free for any to visit as they needed."

At her questions, he shrugged.

"I happen to know that many with us procured supplies by either theft or intimidation. It is not a thing the Crab will forget. As to Ryoko and the Takemori- she's the horned girl? Comes from a tribe of nomadic herders, who have a gift for music. It seemed a good fit."

"Oh." She had seen the horned girl once at the firecamps. "... Wouldn't a herd move somewhat slow? Well... hmmm... I suppose it depends on what they're herding. Goats were rather stubborn to be herded, in my experience."

Saruko tapped her fingers against the statue between her hands. Luckily missing any painted area. "We also need to be able to copy up enough to distribute that way. Enough paper, enough writers to write copies."

"I don't know that herders in wagons move much slower than people on foot... but it's an idea, at any rate."

He nodded at the second point.

"I might ask Kinyôbi to round up some of her peers- we'd probably need to ask the Isawa, I don't know who else could muster enough scribes."

"Mm, I don't know either." Most of the people she had known most of her life didn't know how to read and write at all, though a few were slowly changing that.

"But it's an idea, yes. Once we have information that can be distributed, it's certainly something to keep in mind." At that point, it was a little bit out of her hands. Her writing wasn't that good enough yet to be used as a decent scribing.

"... How are you doing otherwise, Sora? Anything else that's developed?"

"Oh, more of the same, more of the same- although the better I get to know our Nezumi comrades, the more I like them."

That made her laugh at least, easing her concerns. "Why am I not surprised that you're getting on well with our furry friends. Anything in particular that has come up to cause this newfound brotherhood?"

"They're direct. None of this polite bullshit Doji and Nanzi seem to think is a good thing. You always know where you stand."

"That is good to know. Some people like to confuse themselves, even those who think they're direct sometimes," she chuckled a little.

"... Oh, right. There was something I wanted to show you, since we were talking about teaching and knowledge. I know a lot of the other followers of the Kami have started writing their own opinions on things, and... well... since some people have started to look to me for guidance, and I've had a lot of time to think and write after the birth of my children... I've been writing too."

"Good. I'd rather read a list of your laundry than some blithering about how we need to turn Ningen-Do into a perfect reflection of Tengoku."

"I hope you will find it a bit more enlightening than just mere scribbles," she chided playfully and found the text to pass it over to Sora.


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More or less the gist of it: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24&p=824#p824

He scanned it. Gave a sort of sad half-smile.

"I like it. I could never live it, but I like it a lot."

"I'm glad you like it." She actually seemed relieved at the positive feedback. "But why do you look sad?"