Teaching, take 2 [D6, LM, Expecting]

[Isawa Kyosei]

Kyosei nods. "There are several that think pain is the best tool for teaching. I don't agree, but I know those that do. And, it can be effective. If used judiciously."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Dad says the pain will come whether or not someone wants to try to use it, so he prefers to leave it."

[Isawa Kyosei]

Kyosei nods again. "Hai. He influenced my thinking that way, early on. Thus, I do not start with it, or use it in any but the most limited ways. But, to any with the gift of speaking with the elemental Spirits, learning to handle it is something that is required."

[Jiyo Sora]

"This is about the blood business, right?"

[Isawa Kyosei]

"Nothing in the world is free. Nothing. And the spirits, to do what a Spirit-speaker requests, require a payment of blood. Usually. I have found a way to speak with the Earth spirits without the payment, and several of us have been trying to find other payments we can do, but so far with little success. So, we must pay, and they take blood, freely given."

"Oh, and that is another lesson for you - if someone offers something for free, look to see who is paying. Because someone is. It may not be you, but someone, somewhere, is."

[Jiyo Sora]

That got an emphatic nod.

"Dad says there are always motives in play, for any action. That includes cost."

[Isawa Kyosei]

A nod is directed her way. "I deal more with commerce than him, so I view it thus. He deals more with the Courts, and thus sees those sorts of motives."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Well. There's also the other stuff he gets up to."

She cocked her head at Kyosei.

"The stuff he tries not to let us know about. I'm fine with it, I think he has his reasons, but Phi... Phi wants to help."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"hmm. And yourself? Do you want to help, or just avoid the whole situation?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"I think if Dad wanted our help, he would ask for it. He's never been shy about areas where he sees himself as, well... deficient."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"This is not an area he sees himself as deficient then. Or, it is an area where his is not the only voice of note. But, even he must realize that the next generation must be trained to follow, and to decide for themselves."

[Jiyo Sora]

She shrugged.

"Then Phi will wear him down. Whatever it is, I think he's trying to make it... a real choice, not something we just inherit."

[Isawa Kyosei]

A nod is the first response. "That is well. I have an inkling of what you are referring to, and it is something that must be decided for each person, not something that can, or should, be inherited."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Which tells me a lot."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"Are you sure? What do you think it tells you?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"One, that Phi and I aren't imagining it. Two, that you're involved in some way. Three, that whatever it is, the Emperor almost assuredly knows, because Dad keeps no secrets from him, therefore, whatever it is can't be a bad thing..."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"Anything else? Those may be true, but tells me very little of what it actually involves."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Probably some kind of advice that the Emperor gets that he doesn't want flaunted publicly."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"Which is never a bad thing. Always try to know more than others think you do. It helps, when things go wrong. And if I've found one thing out, it's that things will always, somehow, go wrong."

[Jiyo Sora]

"You sound like Dad."