A Flight Of Dragons (D1, LE. Dragon Only)

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

Agasha Poemu wrote:

"I-If... if I knew the full truth of the matter... of ALL of the matter... I would count myself enlightened... which I do not. My words are my own, even if they are influenced by others. The only way to make one's words certain is to learn. Perhaps a question of my own in turn, Togashi-dono?" She didn't wait for an answer, knowing the answer. "Do you know how Tengoku sees this? The line of the Hantei have always been blessed by them, uninterrupted for as far as I know. Surely this is an interruption of the gravest sort, whether the... other Hantei is right or wrong."

"Knowing that you do not know is the first step to knowing." He allows his finger to linger for a moment before lowering it. "A fisherman pulls his boat out to the lake and places his line in the water. As he waits, a storm begins to brew on the horizon, threatening rain. A large fish bites his line, and he struggles with the line to avoid being pulled into the lake as it splashes him with water."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"'Those who think to win the world by force--I see they will not succeed.
The world is a sacred vessel. It can’t be forced.
He who would force will damage it.
He who would seize it will lose it.'"

Myo-en half closes her eyes as she summons the verse from memory.

"The First Hantei knew this... but did all of his descendants?" This thought is voiced quietly, with a cautious frown.

Agasha Poemu · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:47 pm **Posts:** 896

Though she was the senior member of the delegation present, Poemu knew that the others present might have far more insight into their lord than she. As the finger withdrew, the Togashi seemed to trade tales, as it were. With a nod toward Myo-en and the others, she gave her silent permission for any to add their thoughts. She, for the moment, was a tad lost.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Mirumoto Wasako was a bit tardy for this answering, perhaps assuming that it wasn't going to start on time or maybe she was still trying to adjust to the local time. When her sensei told her that something that afoot here, she didn't exactly to walk into all of this on her first day.

She shuffled her way in and noticed all of the Dragons in attendance. While she wished she could say that it was good to see other Dragon, they weren't exactly familiar. Seeing the conversation in motion, she merely bowed deeply and positioned herself to have listen.

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 10:46 pm

Tsukimi nodded thoughtfully to the words of her lord and that of her fellow nun, seeing the wisdom in their words. She wondered briefly what Hoshi would have said or done in this situation. No, focus on finding your own answer.

"There are times to wait and times to act. To my eyes, untrained as they are and not yet as wise as others', this isn't a time to wait or sit idly. The Tao tells us: Winds blow, nations change, fortunes rise and fall, but the simple folk will always be asked to shoulder the weight. We can't stand by, and let the storm that is the Returned Emperor wreak havoc."

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

Motaro turns his head to look down at Tsukimi. "Would you spill the blood of a Hantei, Tsukimi?"

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:05 pm

Normally she would shrink away a little with others, out of consideration for normal people's reaction in seeing her marred skin. In this case, it was more because Togashi Motaro's presence was so fully imposing compared to most people she knew or had met.

It was a difficult question, and not one she answered easily. "To stop a great evil, to stand against this violation of the Kharmic Wheel and its divine cycle, then... yes. If that is what must be done, then yes, I would do it. Even at the cost to my own kharma. For in the end, I am but one person and one soul, weighed against the many that would otherwise suffer."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"Must it come to that?" Myo-en has now been sitting still for long enough that the crow apparently decides she is once again a suitable perch. She rocks just the slightest bit, adjusting her balance in a clearly habitual fashion, as the bird flaps back over to her shoulder and settles itself there, digging lightly into her bare skin with cool, blunt claws. She pauses her speech a bit until the flurry of feathers has stilled.

"If this unnatural Hantei is not right for the moment, it might be he will pull so hard at his hook that he upsets himself and is lost in the storm."

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

Togashi Tsukimi wrote:

It was a difficult question, and not one she answered easily. "To stop a great evil, to stand against this violation of the Kharmic Wheel and its divine cycle, then... yes. If that is what must be done, then yes, I would do it. Even at the cost to my own kharma. For in the end, I am but one person and one soul, weighed against the many that would otherwise suffer."

Motaro watched her carefully. "What is the difference between you, spilling the blood of a Hantei, and the returned Emperor, spilling the blood of a Hantei?"

Togashi Myo-en wrote:

"Must it come to that?" Myo-en has now been sitting still for long enough that the crow apparently decides she is once again a suitable perch. She rocks just the slightest bit, adjusting her balance in a clearly habitual fashion, as the bird flaps back over to her shoulder and settles itself there, digging lightly into her bare skin with cool, blunt claws. She pauses her speech a bit until the flurry of feathers has stilled.

"If this unnatural Hantei is not right for the moment, it might be he will pull so hard at his hook that he upsets himself and is lost in the storm."

Motaro looks toward the monk and her bird. "Why do you call this Hantei unnatural, crow-friend?"

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"He breaks the Wheel by being here among mankind," Myo-en answers, each word measured as though even the most minor articles have to be polished with careful thought. "One who has passed beyond should not return. Onward, not backward." Her brows draw together and her piercing eyes focus on empty space. "Only Tengoku, which rules over the humans of Ningen-do, might decree otherwise. But how could this be the action of Tengoku?"

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:37 pm

Myo-en's words were given a nod, out of reflex more than anything, as the two were of a similar mind.

"I make no claim that it would make be a good person to do it, if that is where fate leads us. I would prefer it not to come to it," she looked to Myo-en who had asked why it had been brought up, "but some men don't understand anything but the truth of steel."

"The nature of the returned Emperor worries me. Greatly. Reports from Kyuden Asako say that ancestral spirits from another realm were responsible for the disaster there - if the Returned Hantei shares their nature, then... is he truly still divine? Has he not then become corrupted?"

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

Togashi Myo-en wrote:

"He breaks the Wheel by being here among mankind," Myo-en answers, each word measured as though even the most minor articles have to be polished with careful thought. "One who has passed beyond should not return. Onward, not backward." Her brows draw together and her piercing eyes focus on empty space. "Only Tengoku, which rules over the humans of Ningen-do, might decree otherwise. But how could this be the action of Tengoku?"

"Were the first Hantei and his siblings not unnatural as well? Cast away from their rightful realm and hurled into the mortal world by actions beyond their control?"

Togashi Tsukimi wrote:

"I make no claim that it would make be a good person to do it, if that is where fate leads us. I would prefer it not to come to it," she looked to Myo-en who had asked why it had been brought up, "but some men don't understand anything but the truth of steel."

"The nature of the returned Emperor worries me. Greatly. Reports from Kyuden Asako say that ancestral spirits from another realm were responsible for the disaster there - if the Returned Hantei shares their nature, then... is he truly still divine? Has he not then become corrupted?"

"There is no fate but what you make for yourselves," Motaro says, his voice unusually heavy. "That is the gift of the mortal realm. And its curse."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

Togashi Motaro wrote:

Togashi Myo-en wrote:

"He breaks the Wheel by being here among mankind," Myo-en answers, each word measured as though even the most minor articles have to be polished with careful thought. "One who has passed beyond should not return. Onward, not backward." Her brows draw together and her piercing eyes focus on empty space. "Only Tengoku, which rules over the humans of Ningen-do, might decree otherwise. But how could this be the action of Tengoku?"

"Were the first Hantei and his siblings not unnatural as well? Cast away from their rightful realm and hurled into the mortal world by actions beyond their control?"

"Was that not also Heaven's action? To bring its order to Earth?" Myo-en opens her hands as if stretching a cat's-cradle web between her fingers.

"We are taught that the Empire takes Heaven as its model, not... other realms." She glances uneasily at Tsukimi, who so far has also hesitated to name the specific not-Earth-place mentioned in the flying rumors. "For that, we humans needed the Kami. When Earth's order comes from Heaven, that is natural, isn't it?" Her hands settle back on her knees as she lets the question float in the air. It seems to be a genuine one, not just rhetorical. "When other realms re-order the Earth, this isn't as it should be. But... is that what this is? I don't know. It sounds that way."

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

A faint smile plays at Motaro's lips. "That is what you were taught. That does not make it true."

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

So much philosophy and theology had Iko figuratively scratching her head, she was a Dragon by marriage and this depth of discussion was beyond her, though she tried to follow along as best she could.

So the actions of one are justification or precedent enough for another regardless of circumstance? No that can't be right this must be one of those koan…

Togashi Myo-en wrote:

"For that, we humans needed the Kami. When Earth's order comes from Heaven, that is natural, isn't it?" Her hands settle back on her knees as she lets the question float in the air. It seems to be a genuine one, not just rhetorical. "When other realms re-order the Earth, this isn't as it should be. But... is that what this is? I don't know. It sounds that way."

Eventually her confusion and curiosity gave way to speech. "Why?" She asked simply. "What gives any one realm the right to change another? Ningen-do is it's own realm as much as Tengoku or Chikushudo, yes?"

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2020 12:24 am

The heavy voice had given her pause, seeing no need to press the matter further, as there did not seem to be disagreement. To her, this was the usual Dragon-way. Of arguing philosophy, of asking questions, searching for the answers and the truths.

Tsukimi felt she had spoken too much at this point and picked up a cup of tea, to give the others a chance to chime in. It was probably a bit too much for those not trained in the Togashi order...?

Agasha Manami · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:19 am **Posts:** 34

Agasha Manami arrives just in time to hear "There is no fate but what you make for yourselves" from the inexplicably present Dragon champion. She and her silent yojimbo enter as unintrusively as possible as the conversation continues, heads bowed in something resembling deference.

Looking ill-rested and less-than-composed, Manami is happy to hold her tongue. Feeling some fatigue, she struggles to track the philosophical arguments, but a few lines strike a chord in her tired mind.

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

With the new arrival, Motaro seats himself once more, crossing his legs and falling silent.

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

Keen to document the moment before the opportunity, and wisdom, escaped her mortal mind, Iko lifted her furoshiki onto the table and unwrapped it, revealing a crystal box holding writing supplies.

Pulling out charcoal and parchment, she started to take down what she could remember so far.

Togashi Motaro · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:24 pm **Posts:** 12

Motaro doesn't even glance in Iko's direction.

"Put down the quill. Your masters do not need a report just yet."

A Flight Of Dragons (D1, LE. Dragon Only)

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