The Day of Thunder

With how stressful and unrestful sleep has been among the people, Huan decides to try a bit of meditation before bed to prepare his mind to resist the effects of what may try to invade his mind. He sits by a small fire in contemplation and seeks to find peace before he searches for rest. It doesn't come as easily as he hopes, but it does come in the end.

D3 LE, Meditation Void Recovery | 7k4 ⇒ 20 (TN: 20) 2 VP Recovered

A cloaked and be-hatted figure approaches.

"Hello th' fire," comes a voice, and the figure steps into the firelight.

Hand touches hat-brim, and "Mind some comp'ny?" is asked.

"Please, join me. There is more than enough warmth to share," Huan replies with a gentle nod as he opens his eyes. "I am Ryoshun Huan. How is your evening?"

"Otomo Akutou," he says. "An it's goin' decently 'nough, thank you kindly. An' yourn?"

"Just preparing for bed. It's been a bit choppy the last few nights, so I'm hoping a bit of centering and clearing my mind will help me find better sleep tonight," he admits. "Not sure if it will help, given the nature of what is happening but it can't help to make the mind more resilient and prepared."

"There's been a lot I'm that goin' round," Akutou allows. "I've done well s' far, but I ain't countin' on that continuin'."

He sits.

"Been tryin' t' learn t' meditate," he adds. "Don't know how good a student I am, though."

"It's simultaneously simple and difficult to learn how to do so properly. The techniques and ways of meditating are... myriad. But it's important to find the way that works best for you personally. I am capable of sitting down and quieting my mind with silence, relaxation, and release of thoughts. Others I've known do better with repetition of koans or prayers to silence their internal voice. Others have had an easier time with focusing on steady external stimuli like the sound of flowing water, crackling fire, pattering rain, or insect and animal noises at the edge of civilization. Do any of those things sound more relaxing to you than others?" Huan asks, curious if he might be able to help.

"I tend t' outside sounds, m'self," Akutou says. "But that's a bit mixed. Always gotta listen f'r game an' such."

He considers, and another thought occurs.

"How's Yukara doin'? I knew she's hurt bad. She any better?"

"I do not know. I feel I've been very distant from my Ryoshun cousin and have been distracted from most of the goings on here. It's something I need to rectify. I've found myself quite lost in this current situation. It's a... personal failure. I spent the last half decade living in a monastery with my instructor and the monks of the Order of Heroes and to be honest they did not give me any real freedom to interact with others. I'm recently learning that I'm not as prepared for social interaction as most people my age. It's disconcerting..." and infuriating that they let me become this estranged from my people. He keeps the internalized anger in and well hidden, but he doesn't even try to hide his vocal disapproval of how unprepared he is for what they are facing together based on his social isolation in the past.

Akutou nods

"I know a bit 'bout bein' apart," he says. "I'm a Hunter by trainin', which y' might imagine takes me away fr'm folks.

"And I un'erstan' ' bout bein' sep'rate fr'm family. Ain't no easy thing.

"F'r what it's worth, I'm sorry it happened t' you."

"It's a price I paid for being given a gift from the heavens. Not much of a gift if you have to pay for it though," Huan says with a somewhat sardonic smirk.

Akutou snorts a laugh.

"Ain't that the truth," he adds.

"What gift did it buy you, if'n I c'n ask?"

"The ability to connect with the void and use rare magic. The opportunity to learn to control my elements allowing me to walk on water or leap large distances," Huan replies. "Which are apparently not common, and I appreciate that fact. But I was also not given the choice and if I had been I'd probably still be living with my mother and sister. Destiny is a bit rude, no?"

Akutou cannot help but laugh at that.

"Y' ain't wrong!" he exclaims, perhaps a little louder than is ideal.

He sighs.

"But if th' priests I've known are right, then you an' I both did somethin' in an earlier life that means we deserve what all we've got here. I'm purty sure I've got comin' what all I've got. Mebbe next time 'round'll be easier if'n I c'n do some good this time 'round."

He shrugs.

"Even if it ain't, can't but try, even if it's a pain in th' ass t' do it."

He grins.

"An' it's occasion'ly been a pain in m' ass, too. Sat down on a hell of a splinter one time."

"Yeah. Apparently I was Taochusu. His destiny didn't treat him too kindly," Huan replies in a more sober tone. "I don't even know what I am doing, truth be told. If I'm supposed to do something heroic like die for other people, or just support the folks that will end up being the heroes of whatever's going on here. I... it's so much and none of it is clear. Probably why I got so good at meditating, so I can just put it all out of my head."

Despite all of this, he seems to brighten up with his next question, but only slightly, as though he wants his world to be brighter and so he's trying to make it so. "What is home like for you Otomo Akutou? Like, when you see it in your dreams or think about it fondly?"

Ryoshun Huan wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 04, 2023 2:11 am

Despite all of this, he seems to brighten up with his next question, but only slightly, as though he wants his world to be brighter and so he's trying to make it so. "What is home like for you Otomo Akutou? Like, when you see it in your dreams or think about it fondly?"

Skilled in the social graces, Akutou is very much not.

That said, he's not blithe, and he recognizes a deep desire to change a subject when he hears it.

He's done it often enough himself.

"F'r me," he answers, "home's not s' much a given buildin' 'r anythin' like that. Nah, f'r me, it's th' land. I know there's...disagreement 'bout where th' Stag live now, though that happened afore th' Otomo joined up an' all. E'en wi' all that, though, I've spent years out in th' western parts o' Stag lands, blazin' trails, reconnoiterin', beatin' th' boundaries, an' seein' what all's there. F'r me, home's th' next ridge, th' next hill, an' th' promise of a hot meal on a visit back t' th' village 'r th' city.

"I tell you, friend, this's been just 'bout th' longest I've not moved my tent since I received m' last waza."

"Seems like an adventurous way to live. Anybody making hot meals for you that you prefer?" he asks. "Or any hot meal does the job?"

Akutou takes the meaning and chuckles a bit.

"There've been some as've whupped up a good breakfast f'r me fr'm time t' time," he says. "But there ain't a spouse, nor yet a long-term pardner.

"An' it weren't a euphemism, truth be told. I very much 'preciate a hot meal. Part o' why I've been likin' it here, f'r th' most part. Cookin's good."

He slaps his belly a couple of times. There's no jiggle when he does.

"Speakin' of, what kinda eatin' d' you prefer?"

He grins.

"Euphemisitc'ly or otherwise."

"A lot of rice and root vegetables. Before I moved to the capital it was goat meat, after moving there it was fish. But the monks in the capital did not use much spice," he replies with a grimace. "I miss the spicy goat soup my mother makes. I bet my sister has mastered it by now. Neither of them can write though, so my news comes rarely from the old chief. Something I will be having words with him about in the future. Maybe some fists too. I always looked up to him as a kid and it turns out he's a jerk."

Akutou nods. "Some folks need a good whuppin'. Honestly, does most folks some good ev'ry now an' again. Keeps 'em humble.

"Mebbe after this's all done, if'n we ain't dead, I c'n come get some o' that soup. Sounds like good eatin'."