[D5, EE, expecting] Wind of clarity?

[Akodo Kawauso]

The tall Lion bushi, Akodo Kawauso, looked out over the gardens as she'd done plenty of times during her stay in the capital. Her face was a mix of the curious-otter-like eyes that some samurai were beginning to associate with her and a strongly set jaw, suggesting some kind of determination.

With the wind occasionally pulling at her cloak and the sunny sky behind her, it would make a noble looking painting. But Kawauso wasn't modeling anything just now. She was looking across the garden, to see who she might see now that the crowd observing Shinsei had thinned significantly.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

A bit further away from where the Lion was, Yatsufusa was strolling around the gardens. He likes to be connected to nature, although this garden, while full of life, was different from what he was accustomed. Although he had been learning about plants in general, and how to properly treat them, a topic he found fascinating.

As he walked around, slowly, he noticed the Lion and decided to approach. He was not sure if she was occupied with something or not, so he politely approached from a distance and slightly bowed to her in order to be acknowledged.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso quickly notices the pretty Dragon man and smiles, turning to face him fully. She bows in return and says, "Saru-san, it's nice to see you again." When she straightens the wind has tugged loose a couple wisps of her dark hair, but the warm smile remains.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

Yatsufusa approached slowly '' Akodo-sama.'' He bowed to her respectfully. '' This one hopes that you had been blessed by Amaterasu-no-kami today.'' Yatsu asked politely.

'' How has been the court treating you today? Interesting conversations have been happening, although i must say, thy might have been quite more complicated that i can comprehend.'' He chuckled. Yatsu took a quick look to the garden surroundings.

[Akodo Kawauso]

"I am well blessed," the woman says. With a chuckle, she adds, "By the glory of Lady Sun, and the kind Dragon who calls me -sama." Her smirk shifts toward a tired smile. "I am no one of great importance. Certainly not in the world of wise sages who converse with god emperors," she concludes, gesturing up toward the castle.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' But you are still here, and you still have some sort of destiny to play out.'' He said to her. '' Perhaps not in the area of wisdom, but no one can be so sure, destiny is full of forks.''

'' You should not downplay yourself. Even a small pebble can change the course of a mighty river, given time.'' He adds. '' But, hai, it has been quite a complex conversation the one that Shinsei-san and the Emperor are having. I tried to get notes about it, but i lost my focus and ended up writting nonsense...'' He chuckles.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso smiles lightly at the Dragon's wisdom, it offering the same calming she remembered from the ball.

"I am sure that these complex conversations," she begins, putting just a touch of scorn on the words, "are important, but I am not sure what they offer to the people back in my village. What do you think, Saru-san, the common folk will gain from all the furious writing today?"

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' Who knows? Difficult to say...'' He thought for a moment, as he adopted a relax pose, leaning on his walking stick. '' Maybe some interesting developments that we cannot currently see will be dictated after the Emperor see if there is value on the words of Shinsei-san.'' He said.

'' Or perhaps nothing will come out of it, not now, but perhaps in the future someone will pick up whatever is being disucssed and apply it in forms that we cannot even currently imagine, Akodo-sama'' He adds. '' Shinsei-san seems a good man, and my Daimyo is very fond of his teachings. So i really cannot say...''

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Saru-san is wise to think of the long term. That is... not a strength of mine," Kawauso confesses. She doesn't seem very troubled by it, as she continues, "Back home, the river is the center of everything we do. It is always moving, so the river people live with it as it is now, and we leave the future river to the future."

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' Well, nothing wrong with that.'' He nods. '' Living on the present is also a way to move forwards. Some times i do wonder what would had my life would had been without my abilities for example.'' He said to her.

'' Because of them, in a way, i was forced to not think to much on the present but rather into the future. My sensei always told me to detach myself from the current moment, in order to see beyond.'' Yatsu remembered his training as an ishiken.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso tilts her head as she looks at the Dragon. "What sort of abilities are those, if I may ask? So far we have mostly talked about Saru-san's wisdom... and his ability to make a simple river girl feel seen."

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' I assume you are familiar with the elemental theory of five elements? Air, Water, Earth, Fire and Void.'' He began. '' Well, i can pray to the elemental kami that live everywhere and make effects out of them, like any other priest. My closest affinity is air while earth is my contrary.'' He adds.

'' Many few have the capacity to tap the fifth element, void. I can do so.'' Yatsu explained. '' It is not an easy process and piercing the veil of everything is a tasking effort to the mind. When i was found to be able to do so, i was sent away from my family in order to train in a secluded enviroment with only my sensei. No attachments.''

'' That is why i was trained to let go. Because it is imperative for the mind that can see the Void to be without any sort of distractions or else dire consequences could happen.''

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso's eyes get large as Yatsufusa explains. His serenity is a touch unsettling for the young woman who knows nothing of shugenja.

"No attachments, no distractions," she repeats. Her expression is thoughtful, like she can see both advantages and disadvantages to that philosophy.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' It is not easy, after all i'm still a ningen. Although i have learned to let go in the moments that i need to enter the void. In my case each time i do so, how do i explain it...'' He wondered for a moment.

'' It is like to hear the sound of a droplet of water falling into a calm pond. Three times actually. My sensei call them bells, basically it is the process in which we allow ourselves to let the world embrace us and see the void. It is a weird sensation, one that i guess i will never master completely.'' He chuckled. '' But in order to do so, it is a process of detachment from the world itself.''

'' Sound contradictory though, right? In order to see the world, we must detach from the world''

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso shakes her head, though with a kind smile across her face.

"I don't... Saru-san, I don't believe I understand what you're saying enough to call it weird." She chuckles politely. "Perhaps in the vaguest way I understand, just from those exceptionally aware moments when you can feel what your body is doing, in harmony with the elements, and you are able to feel that little something extra flow through you as well." She pauses. "But besides that, I am not sure if any of the river people could understand this power you are trying to tap."

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' Indeed. The difference between me and other people is that i can tap on it directly, but other people use it all the time. Whether it is a moment of inspiration, or clarity, or any other time when one feels connected to something greater is people entering into the void.'' He explained.

'' Well, one would never know. Perhaps one of your kin has the gift already, it is just that is has not been found. Time will tell.'' He said. '' But enough of this, i'm more interested in what your people do and how they live, Akodo-sama.'' Yatsu was being honest. '' I have seen the great rivers once i went down the mountains, but i have not experienced what is the life around them.''

'' Might you share an anecdote? Of course, only if you wish. Don't feel comply to.''

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso smiles warmly. "Saru-san, I will happily talk about the river and my people for as long as anyone will listen." She chuckles. "My people live in harmony with the river and the lands around it. The river provides a bountiful range of food, and between the river and local woodlands, we want for nothing. It is much the same as before the kami came, though we have seen improvements." She glances down and chuckles again. "I could spend an hour or more just speaking of our spear techniques, but Saru-san might have some other topic of slightly greater interest I should start with?"

[Saru Yatsufusa]

Yatsufusa listened to what the Lion was telling him. '' The Fortunes give plentiful fruits to those that live in harmony.'' He commented about it. '' Please Akodo-sama, i might not seen as a, fighting type, but i still interested in how you and your people live. Speaking about your spear techniques is fine, please...'' He adds politely.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso, not used to so much leave to speak as she wishes, expresses briefly the importance to her of the river people's traditional methods, often using different styles of spears for fighting, throwing and fishing, in addition to other tools.

"River guardians really have to be the masters of all these things, to protect the river, the animals, and the people. It's a very dynamic life," she chuckles, understating a bit, "but it's fulfilling." She looks to the Dragon. "What work does Saru-san find fulfillment in?"

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' Sounds indeed as an interesting way of life. Connected with the elements and nature.'' He nods. He then wondered about the Lioness question.

'' Hmmm, difficult to say...'' He thought. '' Well, i suppose that mantaining balance and harmony, and personal relationships are fulfilling to me? I don't know how to explain but i find that enjoying time with people are what fulfills me more, which is hard since in my training i have to detach from possesions, including relationships.''

'' Spending time with my friends, like the falcon Reimei, or simply having a conversation is just enough for me.'' He told her. '' Exploring other realms is something that is specially fascinating for me, usually discovering new things about the spiritual realms and the beings that inhabit them as well, sometimes even forming bonds with them.''