The Day of Thunder

[Nozomi]

"He's got his good traits, wouldn't have married him otherwise. Loves his family, even with a laugh or a smile, never shirks the work. Plenty to like."

Nodding along at Nozomi's non-retirement plans.
"Well, make sure you get a little rest here and there, easy to tire out otherwise. But if you're coming to help you'll be welcome. So long as you're okay with heights and the cold you can walk from one side of the empire to the other and never leave our lands. And we have lots of folks who could use help."

Continuing to nod as she thinks. "This other monk, she said she focused on medicine for the sick and building projects as needed. What's your approach?"

"Excellent traits in a father and husband." She nodded with a sad smile. She only wished she could be more honest sometimes, but fate was what it was. "A soul that understands its place and never shirks is a solid one."

"Once upon a time, there was a young girl who spent most of her life in the spine of the world, with the dregs of an old tribe that never quite caught up to the times. I imagine she wouldn't mind being up in the mountains, both for a bit of rest and for just a bit of good work." She said before she pondered that question. Hmmm, what had been the approach she'd taken?

"Would you believe me if I told you that I sought the truth of the universe in the act of being a mother?"

[Anjing]

"Would you believe me if I told you that I sought the truth of the universe in the act of being a mother?"

"..." Anjing blinks. "Might need you to explain it to me. Only truth I found was that being a mother was the hardest thing I've ever done, but maybe the best. Except when you haven't slept in a couple days because the babes just won't stop screaming. Then it was just hard."

Cocking her head. "So uh, what's the truth of the universe?"

[Nozomi]

"Would you believe me if I told you that I sought the truth of the universe in the act of being a mother?"

"..." Anjing blinks. "Might need you to explain it to me. Only truth I found was that being a mother was the hardest thing I've ever done, but maybe the best. Except when you haven't slept in a couple days because the babes just won't stop screaming. Then it was just hard."

Cocking her head. "So uh, what's the truth of the universe?"

"I will tell you if I ever find it," she mused with a bit of a knowing smirk. "But the secrets that I managed to glean were all things that came out of the joy of wanting to be there for my daughter, to help her be all that she could be, and to do whatever I could to keep her safe until she was old enough to strike out on her own."

She raised a hand and gestured a little, closing her eyes. The finger pointed back, to where a bird was pecking at seed by the river. "They say a mother needs eyes in the back of her head. Tell me, is there a bird about ten paces behind me?"

[Anjing]

"I will tell you if I ever find it," she mused with a bit of a knowing smirk. "But the secrets that I managed to glean were all things that came out of the joy of wanting to be there for my daughter, to help her be all that she could be, and to do whatever I could to keep her safe until she was old enough to strike out on her own."

She raised a hand and gestured a little, closing her eyes. The finger pointed back, to where a bird was pecking at seed by the river. "They say a mother needs eyes in the back of her head. Tell me, is there a bird about ten paces behind me?"

"I think I know the feeling. I'm sure she will be all that and more. Is it not the dream of every parent for their child to surpass them?"
Anjing looks back suprised at the bird.

"Oh, yes there is." She glances between Nozomi and the bird. "Is it bothering you? I've never fought a bird before, but I will if needs be."

[Nozomi]

-snip-

"I take reassurance to the idea that she will always be my greater," she said with just the tiniest hint of a bitter twist in her mouth. "Of course sometimes, it stings for your child to teach you a lesson or two you didn't want to hear. As for the bird, there's no need. I am just illustrating." Taking a strip of cloth, she covered her eyes as she spoke.

She picked up a little pebble and her body twisted, the rock slipping out to strike just barely at the stone the bird was on, the act showing as it fluttered away with a chirp of irritation, that she knew exactly where it was. "I metaphorically learned to have eyes in the back of my head, just to know where my precocious child was at all times."

[Anjing]

"I take reassurance to the idea that she will always be my greater," she said with just the tiniest hint of a bitter twist in her mouth. "Of course sometimes, it stings for your child to teach you a lesson or two you didn't want to hear. As for the bird, there's no need. I am just illustrating." Taking a strip of cloth, she covered her eyes as she spoke.

She picked up a little pebble and her body twisted, the rock slipping out to strike just barely at the stone the bird was on, the act showing as it fluttered away with a chirp of irritation, that she knew exactly where it was. "I metaphorically learned to have eyes in the back of my head, just to know where my precocious child was at all times."

"Great as she is, she'll always be your little girl. That's a mother's prerogative." She winks, watching the precise stone toss curiously.

"No escape from mom I bet? Sounds like she was a trouble causer. Mine, I have 4 and they're loud. Could probably track them a whole Li just from the giggles and shouts alone. But it was when it got quiet I knew there was trouble. Thank the fortunes they were all bad liars, inherited both their parents subtlety."

Looking at Nozomi curiously.
"Is that a monk thing? The being able to see backwards stuff?"

[Nozomi]

-snip-

She couldn't say that, in many ways? Her daughter would never be her daughter again. Mayumi had been clear about that when she'd parted ways. Doing so would hold her back, would hold them both back, and her destiny demanded it. Yet, still? Maybe she was right about Nozomi, because she would always think of her as her daughter.

"She's her father's daughter," she mused with a thin laugh that carried some sadness. "As for what happens, I feel the connection of void that surrounds us, the connective tissue of the world to a limited extent. The range is not perfect, but I can experience out to some distance, eyes or none. It is not unlike a technique I learned of from an ... old friend of mine."

Well, she was going to at least call the Haka daimyo her friend, even if she'd only ever called her 'blind girl.'

[Anjing]

She couldn't say that, in many ways? Her daughter would never be her daughter again. Mayumi had been clear about that when she'd parted ways. Doing so would hold her back, would hold them both back, and her destiny demanded it. Yet, still? Maybe she was right about Nozomi, because she would always think of her as her daughter.

"She's her father's daughter," she mused with a thin laugh that carried some sadness. "As for what happens, I feel the connection of void that surrounds us, the connective tissue of the world to a limited extent. The range is not perfect, but I can experience out to some distance, eyes or none. It is not unlike a technique I learned of from an ... old friend of mine."

Well, she was going to at least call the Haka daimyo her friend, even if she'd only ever called her 'blind girl.'

"Eh, fathers don't now the half of it. Not like they carry anyone around inside of them."
Anjing waved dismissively.

"Hope he's a decent guy though." Clearly interested in this void technique. "That's....a lot. Must be nice to know nobody can sneak up on you, and of course it would be really handy in a fight." The Crab Daimyo was above all, practical.

"Is this something all monks can do or are you special?"

[Nozomi]

"Eh, fathers don't now the half of it. Not like they carry anyone around inside of them."
Anjing waved dismissively.

"Hope he's a decent guy though." Clearly interested in this void technique. "That's....a lot. Must be nice to know nobody can sneak up on you, and of course it would be really handy in a fight." The Crab Daimyo was above all, practical.

"Is this something all monks can do or are you special?"

"Her father ..." She breathed and smiled, glad for the blindfold. It helped the ruse. And, after as many years as she had done this, she was used to telling this old lie. "His father was a very good man. Sadly, those days when we were together like that have passed long ago, in the South." It wasn't entirely false. She and Shinsei didn't have the time to be together like that anymore, after all... though Mayumi's father would always remain 'Taka,' a guard who lost his life.

"It has its uses in its own way. There are many secrets of Ningen-Do, each of the five elements. This is one of the Void, and some have learned it, though no two paths of enlightenment are the same."

[Anjing]

"Her father ..." She breathed and smiled, glad for the blindfold. It helped the ruse. And, after as many years as she had done this, she was used to telling this old lie. "His father was a very good man. Sadly, those days when we were together like that have passed long ago, in the South." It wasn't entirely false. She and Shinsei didn't have the time to be together like that anymore, after all... though Mayumi's father would always remain 'Taka,' a guard who lost his life.

"It has its uses in its own way. There are many secrets of Ningen-Do, each of the five elements. This is one of the Void, and some have learned it, though no two paths of enlightenment are the same."

"Well, that's something, a better kind of regret to lose a good man than a bad one."

Anjing nods, being able to feel the tether of creation did seem very void, not that void was easy to understand.
"And are you one of those monks whose path to enlightenment includes the abilities to punch people through walls? Could use a few of those right about now."

[Nozomi]

"Well, that's something, a better kind of regret to lose a good man than a bad one."

Anjing nods, being able to feel the tether of creation did seem very void, not that void was easy to understand.
"And are you one of those monks whose path to enlightenment includes the abilities to punch people through walls? Could use a few of those right about now."

Boy, wasn't that statement going to potentially be prophetic in one day's time? Not that either woman could know that yet.

She laughed slightly. "No. My gifts are in healing, in bolstering the resolve of others, in moving with the flow of the Air like the wind. That said? These old cudgels can do a fair bit of harm to the wall in question, so they might very well get through it eventually."

[Anjing]

Boy, wasn't that statement going to potentially be prophetic in one day's time? Not that either woman could know that yet.

She laughed slightly. "No. My gifts are in healing, in bolstering the resolve of others, in moving with the flow of the Air like the wind. That said? These old cudgels can do a fair bit of harm to the wall in question, so they might very well get through it eventually."

"Moving with the flow of the air like wind?"
Anjing blinks, looking back at where the bird had been.

"...Like a bird? Can you fly?" It wasn't entirely clear whether she was being serious.
"Good you can handle yourself, I said to the other monk that here you're either a warrior or you're not, and if you aren't it's the job of the warriors to protect you."

[Nozomi]

"Moving with the flow of the air like wind?"
Anjing blinks, looking back at where the bird had been.

"...Like a bird? Can you fly?" It wasn't entirely clear whether she was being serious.
"Good you can handle yourself, I said to the other monk that here you're either a warrior or you're not, and if you aren't it's the job of the warriors to protect you."

"That particular trick is ... above me for now," she said with a little smirk. "I am not sure that it is impossible for a monk to become to become so light as a feather they could ride the winds. But no, it is more the flow of the breeze on the ground, and how hard it can be to strike. As for what I am?"

She sighed and pulled the blindfold off, blinking once and regarding Anjing with a very sad smile. "I'm an old killer that the teacher found by the way and showed another path. But these hands still remember how to kill. Everyone who came from the mountains remembers the smell of blood, just as the Seidou once did. I doubt that smell's far from your nostrils either. Years don't soften warriors that much."

[Anjing]

"That particular trick is ... above me for now," she said with a little smirk. "I am not sure that it is impossible for a monk to become to become so light as a feather they could ride the winds. But no, it is more the flow of the breeze on the ground, and how hard it can be to strike. As for what I am?"

She sighed and pulled the blindfold off, blinking once and regarding Anjing with a very sad smile. "I'm an old killer that the teacher found by the way and showed another path. But these hands still remember how to kill. Everyone who came from the mountains remembers the smell of blood, just as the Seidou once did. I doubt that smell's far from your nostrils either. Years don't soften warriors that much."

Anjing frowns slightly.
"Just because you've killed don't make you a killer, anymore than taking the one rabbit makes you a hunter or growing the one crop makes you a farmer. Being a killer is a mindset, it's something you are, not something you do."

Gesturing at her own hands. "Killed plenty of people with these, but because they were being used to build something, something important." Wryly "Still remember the smell of blood though. No forgetting that, and I'm not yet old enough that it doesn't follow me wherever I go."

[Nozomi]

Anjing frowns slightly.
"Just because you've killed don't make you a killer, anymore than taking the one rabbit makes you a hunter or growing the one crop makes you a farmer. Being a killer is a mindset, it's something you are, not something you do."

Gesturing at her own hands. "Killed plenty of people with these, but because they were being used to build something, something important." Wryly "Still remember the smell of blood though. No forgetting that, and I'm not yet old enough that it doesn't follow me wherever I go."

"True," she admitted, looking off into the distance with a small, sad smile. "And I would not presume to speak to your mindset. I only speak to my own. I was what I was. For the tribe, I was one who was sent when someone had to stop being a thorn in the side of the tribe. I was very good at what I used to do. I did not think to build anything, not until I met the Teacher. Those who had wanted to build something had traveled north, to be with the Ki-Rin... or in one case? Heh, found himself building libraries."

"But, I imagine we will both be ready to fight when the time comes. It still comes naturally."

[Anjing]

"True," she admitted, looking off into the distance with a small, sad smile. "And I would not presume to speak to your mindset. I only speak to my own. I was what I was. For the tribe, I was one who was sent when someone had to stop being a thorn in the side of the tribe. I was very good at what I used to do. I did not think to build anything, not until I met the Teacher. Those who had wanted to build something had traveled north, to be with the Ki-Rin... or in one case? Heh, found himself building libraries."

"But, I imagine we will both be ready to fight when the time comes. It still comes naturally."

"That's a heavy duty to bear. In some ways even harder when you're good at it. But look at you, you've changed. The skills are still there, but that's not you anymore. When you fight, it's for something bigger, for the empire, for your kid."

Anjing stands with a clatter of armour and stretches her back with a clicking sound.
"Well, I've bothered you for long enough I reckon. You probably have enlightenment and what not to get back to."

Smiling slightly.
"I hope you find it, and a happy ending. Come call on me should you ever be in the proper north. But if not, Lady Sun bless you."

((Thanks for the RP /scene?))

[Nozomi]

"And you as well," she said with a return bow and a smile playing on her lips, rueful as always.

(OOC: Very fun. Hope to have more when we have time in the madness!)