Scene #4927: Bushin - Reiji and Xiaomu

Owner	Pose
Setsuko Kaminagi	New Year's morning, a time of renewals, of family, especially in Japan. Many are here to undergo the traditional first shrine visit of the year, the crowds hustling and bustling to pray, to purify, to leave donations, to receive fortunes. Even with the slightly odd weather overhead; it's not uncommon for the skies to be overcast during the snowy months, but it's a bit more rare to hear the faint, occasional rumble of thunder. The storm doesn't seem to show much threat of opening up with rain or snow - just the low, distant bass as if to remind everyone it's there. One person in particular, sits on a bench outside the shrine, having already completed her visit. She stands out, if for no other reason than the white kimono she wears, decorated in a floral pattern done in soft, muted blues, and her shortish black hair hangs around her face in slender spikes. The woman currently sits, looking up at the sky, lost in thought - whether it's something that's bothering her, or just a way of passing the time, is difficult to tell.
Reiji Arisu	Hatsumode is one of the most important days of the year. Especially when you're ostensibly a priest and mediator of the divine yourself. Reiji Arisu and his partner are out on their first temple visits of the year. Now's the time to celebrate the world's renewal, the beginning of a new year, to reforge anew the bonds between man and god. Reiji is out in a heavy kimono, covered in thick layers of black and white and grey cloth. There are two... Swaddled bundles strapped to his back as well. That's odd. He shrugs slightly as he completes the long trek up the staircase and into the shrine. He glances skyward at the distant- and unseasonable- rumble of thunder. A lightning storm in the middle of winter is... Uncommon. A suspicious man might even call it an omen. Thus, Reiji immediately tries to figure out what it could mean. Maybe it means they should make a few more offerings than usual to Susanooh this year. Or maybe the world is a little more... unstable since the great multiversal crash. The latter would be worrying, given the present state of Tokyo, but... Well, it's worth investigating. Tomorrow. Today is a holiday. Also, it's technically the kids' first Hatsumode, so that's special.
Xiaomu	Ah, New Year's Day. One of the few times that Xiaomu actually DOESN'T fire up games or DVDs, and there's usually no anime on TV that day either. Of course, that might be partly because she's still worn out from the big year-end cleaning that is equally traditional to the first shrine visit of the year. But for all her flighty, fun-loving nature, Xiaomu knows the value of routine purifications and blessings as well, and she pays the New Year all the respect it deserves, even going out of her way to leave offerings at all the Inari shrines she can get to. But Inari will come later. This is the big 'family' shrine visit, and on the subject of family, the sage fox - swathed as she is in a relatively elaborate (and socially correct in all particulars) red and silver kimono - takes a moment to double-check the occupants of those two bundles. "You sure you don't need me to tote one of the tots, Reiji?" Xiaomu inquires. "I mean, technically I'm as much their mother as you're their father ..." A line which might draw some attention from passers-by if anyone happened to be listening. The occasional rumble of thunder is more likely to draw attention, though, and even Xiaomu still perks up an ear. It doesn't feel like it's about to rain, though. Maybe snow. Thundersnow is totally a thing, and the Yukikiri are still a worry for Xiaomu (if not for anyone else), but it doesn't feel like snow's going to start falling in the next five to ten minutes, either.
Setsuko Kaminagi	A mother and a father, the latter of whom is a priest. They cut quite a curious figure, and even the woman seated on the bench is seemingly pulled from her thoughts by this. After a second to decipher what she's seeing, she breaks into a soft but warm smile, giving them a wave. "Ah, sensei, ma'am. Good morning, and happy new year." It's as cheerful a greeting as any, the woman apparently glad to have a distraction. "The two of you must be very busy, between family and the new year. It's wonderful to see a family making time for each other."
Reiji Arisu	'Being a dad' is kind of a weird feeling to have, especially considering Reiji's... troubled upbringing. He seems to be handling it well, though. All that combat training means carrying a couple of snoozing babies is basically cake. "It's fine. We'd have to fuss with the straps, then. I'll be fine until we get back to the train." 'Babies on your back' is not the best plan when you're packed in with a few hundred other people in a very tight space, after all. But, man. D-does this basically make them married? ... Reiji doesn't think too hard about that. Someone else seems to recognize the very obvious 'family' vibes coming from these four, though. Reiji blinks at the... vaguely punk-y girl on the bench? "Ah, yes. Good morning, and happy new year," Reiji answers, bowing slightly. 'Sensei?' Does he really give off such a powerfully teacherly aura? He straightens and rubs idly at the white half of his hair. Maybe people just think he looks old. Hnn. Damn fox-scar. "Do you think so? It's only natural though, isn't it? Hatsumode is Hatsumode, after all." "I'm sorry," he inclines his head slightly, eyebrows knitting slightly. "Have we met before? You seem somewhat... familiar."
Xiaomu	Well, there WAS the time they posed as a couple getting married, Xiaomu still has the photos of herself in a wedding dress to prove it. And that dress is one of her favorite cosplay forms to boot. There's also the fact that they've been living together as more or less family for how many years now ... ? Not that kind of family, though. Xiaomu nods to Reiji, then turns and bows more deeply to the woman on the bench. "Happy New Year to you as well, ma'am," Xiaomu says. "May the gods grant many blessings to you and yours, and may demons and curses avoid all the places where you walk." Maybe she should have gone for miko robes instead of a formal kimono, especially if Reiji's being mistaken for a priest .... except, then they wouldn't be able to look like a couple. Decisions, decisions, ah well.
Setsuko Kaminagi	"I suppose you're right," the girl replies, smiling softly again. "Had I any family to meet, I would be. Ah, no, I've forgotten myself." She stands, and dips into a brief, formal bow, revealing herself to be close to Xiaomu's height in the process. "Suu. It's my pleasure to meet you both, and thank you for your blessings." She straightens up for a moment, and then looks contemplative. "...I wonder if I might impose? It would be nice to walk for a short while with a family. I may not have the chance again for a long time, it's been a long year for me." There is a moment, a brief and fleeting moment, where in she meets first Xiaomu's gaze, then Reiji's. With a pair of very clear, sky-blue eyes.
Reiji Arisu	Xiaomu dressing as a miko might be appropriate giving the circumstances, but that would just mean they'd get stopped every other minute by someone wanting a blessing or prayer or REALLY CREEPY PHOTOS or something like that. Best to keep that one stowed away until a less... busy time of year. Reiji feels a pang of guilt at the girl's answer. No family. That's... heartbreakingly familiar. "I see. My condolences. You'll need to take my word for it, but I know how difficult this must be," he inclines his head, then, his expression downcast. "Please, join us for Hatsumode today. Now is a time for new tomorrows, not to dwell on such painful things--" Those eyes. Reiji hesitates at the sight of those eyes. 'Suu.' No. It couldn't be-- could it? "...Setsuko?" It's little more than a whisper on his lips. But Reiji shakes his head, then. No. It couldn't be-- this is a big multiverse. Plenty of people could have eyes like that. But... It'd explain that feeling of deja vu. He takes a moment to steel himself, then offers the girl a hand, "Come along, then. 'Suu.' I am Reiji Arisu and this is my partner, Xiaomu. Let's walk together."
Xiaomu	Xiaomu looks briefly to Reiji, then back at Suu. "I don't have any --" Their eyes meat, and the sage fox is briefly taken aback by those intensely clear blue eyes. "-- objections," Xiaomu finishes, "if Reiji doesn't ... have you already offered your prayers, or were you organizing them in your mind first?" she asks. Maybe not the politest question possible, but ... "The year behind us may have been long and plagued by troubles, but that's the whole point: this is a new year, a fresh beginning; this is the best time to beseech the kami for their blessings, that the old may be put behind us and the new made clean and fresh, and for ourselves to be purified and blessed to meet what lies ahead without the taint of the old clinging to us."
Setsuko Kaminagi	There is the faintest twitch of one eyebrow when Reiji speaks that name. But she doesn't say a word. Simply takes the hand, nodding politely. Suu falls into step with the two, walking steadily, eyes skyward in contemplation. "A time of new beginnings... you're right, it is. Life's always been difficult for me. I lost my family young. And then I lost a great many friends. But every time I've lost something... I've gained something else. What does it say about me, I wonder." Her eyes close. "I would ask what the two of you would do, if you could fulfill a duty that has hung over you for ages, could right a wrong that has lingered for generations, in exchange for yielding up yourself... but I suspect I already know the answer." Her hair seems... a bit lighter. A very, very dark grey. Wasn't it black?
Reiji Arisu	Thunder rumbles across the distant clouds. Reiji's lips draw into a thin, thoughtful line. Today started off so simply, too. Now... Well. "In life, nothing ever stays the same. Living means walking the wheel, it means that time goes by, and that one changes with the world." Reiji says, perhaps dispensing priestly advice to clear his own thoughts. "But you ask me a very interesting question. One I've thought much on for a very long time." Reiji sighs, touching gingerly at the scar on his head. It throbs lightly at his touch. If he notices anything about the girl's hair, he doesn't say as much. Instead, he begins, "When I was very young, someone important to me was faced with a choice. He... sacrificed himself for something more than himself. And ever since then, I've thought of what he must have thought. Why he did what he did. And while I can never ask him, I think I know what he would say." "No." Reiji's eyes turn toward 'Suu,' intense with the sting of old pain, but calm and clear. "Not without doing everything in my power to make things right without that kind of sacrifice. Losing yourself isn't just a personal loss. It affects everyone around you, everyone close to you. That is not a decision that can be made lightly. Maybe you could fulfill that duty; right that wrong. But to sacrifice yourself in the name of justice creates injustice elsewhere." "If, in the end, it truly cannot be helped, then the world will be as the world must be, and we must do with dignity what must be done" Reiji finishes. "Otherwise, we as the living must strive always to live and live well."
Xiaomu	Stab, twist. Xiaomu knows full damned well what Reiji is talking about when he mentions that 'someone important to him' - somebody who was just as important to the sage fox, somebody for whom she would gladly place her life on the line ... and yet, in the midst of the darkest hour of crisis, her life was the one that wasn't at stake. At least not individually. She's done a lot of living in her centuries upon this Earth. From China to Japan, she's studied, she's taught, she's fought, she's tried to heal. And yet as deeply as she's immersed herself in what she could of humanity ... Humans, with their limited lifespans, just live so much MORE than even the oldest and wisest youkai. She admires that about them, even cherishes it. And for all that the sage fox sees no point at all in hurrying to die, she would have let her centuries come to an end if it meant sparing her partner's life on that terrible, fateful day. Stab, twist. None of that makes Reiji's words now, in the light of day, at the dawn of a new year, any less true. It just drives the invisible blade deeper, twists it harder in a wound that bleeds not with blood, but with regret. "Nobody can turn back time," Xiaomu states quietly, after remaining silent more than long enough for Reiji to provide his answer to Suu.. "And the older a wrong is, the harder it is to make amends. Humans only have so many decades, the luckiest have a century or so - save those most wise sages, those who learn the secrets which surpass mortality ... if those secrets exist. But still ... if I sacrificed myself to right that ancient wrong, no matter how close to my heart it lay, I would also be sacrificing all the good that remains in the world that I could do if I continued to live." No blade bites so deep as the one wielded by the victim's own heart, nor any wound bleed so red, deeper and richer than the mortal eye perceive. Stab, twist.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Her hair has almost definitely gotten lighter. It now lingers in the neighborhood of dark grey as she walks, still taking it slow, listening in silence. And she almost seems... taller, somehow. "...An interesting answer," she concludes. "And true. To yield up one's life causes only grief to those left behind." Her voice grows soft. "A truth I know all too well." It's fortunate that their walk is taking them where the crowds have thinned - it would be more and more difficult to explain the slow, but steady change. Even her kimono has begun to subtly shift, the patches of white fading in favor of the blue, which both spreads and deepens. "But what if the sacrifice of your life didn't mean your death, per se...? What if it simply meant... 'giving up the life that you had led'?" At last, she stops; whether they notice immediately or walk a few paces first, she will be lingering there. "...I could have chosen death too, come to think of it. But in the end, were I the sort to choose death, I wouldn't be standing here."
Reiji Arisu	Wounds opened ten years hence can still feel fresh in the world of today. Is it worse for one who measures their life in centuries? Reiji can't say. Even if he works tirelessly every day to ensure harmony between mortal and spirit, he is ultimately but a man. Someday, he too will almost certainly die. He and Xiaomu both know it, but even so. Doesn't mean they need to cut it short any time soon. His hand reaches for hers when he notices the pain. It's not hard- fox ears can't lie. The exorcist's expression is unreadable, but certainly remorseful-- and more than a little pained. Loss is loss, no matter how much strength one might be able to draw from it. But as they continue on, and the crowds begin to thin, Reiji watches from the corner of his eye as the girl they met on that bench slowly begins to change. Growing up, even, as they make their way down the path. "...That would depend," he would say, then, measuring his response. "On what would come next-- on the life you receive in exchange for the one you give away." "And so, Setsuko Kaminagi, I am glad to see you alive. But--" he says with greater certainty. "If I might be allowed to ask. What did you surrender, and what did you gain?"
Xiaomu	If there were any way for the Xiaomu of 'now' to turn back the clock - to give Reiji back his father, to sacrifice herself instead - it would mean that Reiji was still deprived of part of his family. It would mean that neither Shogo nor Reiji had their sage fox ally. And it would mean that Xiaomu never got to see Reiji grow from a boy into a man. None of that makes it worth Shogo's death, in her opinion. "You know," Xiaomu says quietly as Reiji's hand takes hers, "some people would say that in that sense - we give up the life we'd been leading every day, every hour, every time we make a decision. 'The only constant is change,' and all that." She pauses, looking at Suu ... And whatever old regrets are gnawing at her heart, they disappear - at least outwardly - as she grins at Setsuko. "Good to see you again. So you pulled through ... one way or another. Figured you would." In the back of her head, Xiaomu adds one more thing to the list: if she had been the one who died, that'd be another ten years of anime and manga and video games and imageboards and pro wrestling she wouldn't have had the chance to appreciate. Those humans and their marvelously intense living, their unparalleled creativity ... yeah, she's not sorry to be alive. Her only regret is that somebody who should still be here isn't - and she can't go back and change that.
Setsuko Kaminagi	In response to Reiji, Suu... Setsuko, closes her eyes. "A thousand years ago, the God of Treachery, Ura, slew the God of Honorable War. It was an act of treachery, striking by playing at the War God's honor, but at the same time... to claim a God's mantle, you must best that God at their own domain. And to best a God of War means to slay them." As she speaks, the wind blows softly, and far above, the thunder rumbles - closer, but still not threatening, somehow. "The chosen clan of the God of War, the Kaminagi, suffered a thousand years of decline, as the rival Kingdom of Emberwood suddenly gained a new patron. They... we fought. Our sheer prowess enabled us to last a thousand years with no god's blessing. But in the end, the stronghold of the Kaminagi fell to poison in its river and a midnight attack, ordered by the King of Emberwood. Only five survived that night, including the daughter of the last Kaminagi general. Twelve years later, all of them died as well... but one of them then stood back up." Her hands shift in an old, familiar way, and... there is an old, familiar blade there to meet them. Scabbard, hilt, both rest under the hands to which they belong. "The lingering spirit of the dead Former God of War offered her the last of his power, his blade. A chance to avenge herself against the King of Emberwood, though she did not yet know he would be her target. In exchange, she agreed to redress the wrong of a thousand years past, and slay the God of Treacherous War, Ura." The kimono has become a coat, blue and flowing, trimmed with gold, with small black spikes at the shoulders. Her old cargo pants and combat boots are replaced with white and black, presenting a more striking picture. A uniform. A general's uniform, perhaps. Her hair is as it was but weeks past, save for one thing - it's now symmetrical, short on /both/ sides, not just one. She opens her eyes again, and remarks simply, "I'm sure you've realized it already. I didn't, until I learned just days ago how the succession of Gods happens. To best a God in their domain, is to earn the right to their mantle. And besting a God of War..." There's a new scar on her face. From the middle of her forehad, down over her right eye and onto her cheek. "...It's good to see you both," she agrees with Xiaomu. "However brief it may be. I did want to spend at least a little of Hatsumode with family." There's the softest hint of a smile.
Reiji Arisu	Humanity has had a few thousand years to get very good at passing down what's important to it. Its limited lifespan is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, they never truly bear witness to all that their work will amount to- after all, an artist is only truly appreciated after their death. However, that means that they were forced to develop means of living beyond their own lives. For some people, that could mean teaching, or writing a book, or studying the universe. And for others, that means anime, manga, videogames and/or shitposting. Life takes all kinds. But they can wax philosophical about that kind of thing later. Setsuko is speaking-- and explaining her... Her situation. Her history, the history of her clan and her people and her god. The story of her blade. The success of her revenge. And... And the loss of Setsuko Kaminagi the Demigod. And the rise of Setsuko Kaminagi, Goddess of War. "...I see." Reiji says, rubbing at the bridge of his nose with his one free hand. He sighs long into his hand, but finally allows it to fall after a moment. "So that's what you meant after our duel, when you said you'd be busy. I see now, and I am very glad to hear of your success. You don't know how relieved I am to see that you're safe, after all that's happened." Though I'm also... not sure how much this changes things-- you mentioned, before, that this may be the last opportunity you'd have to spend with family for a while, so..." Reiji inclines his head, "...Well, at the very least, I know two things. One is that you'll always be welcome here, regardless." "Second, is that I can't exactly call you Setsuko Kaminagi anymore." Beat. Reiji huffs and leans back ever so slightly. "'Setsuko Kami-ni-nare' is more appropriate now, I think."
Xiaomu	"Or just go with Setsuko Kaminari," Xiaomu suggests with a more typical mischeisvous grin. "That strikes me as a pretty bold name." Fortunately for everybody concerned, she lays off the punning there. " ... but 'Kaminagi' isn't wrong," the sage fox points out. "I mean, even if she's a god now, she's still in a position to cleave them - or even more of a position, I guess?" Just so long as she doesn't try cleaving the two kids who are currently mounted on Reiji's back. Besides, Setsuko's just done some major exposition on her family history and her own history. "You don't really need to call ahead for an invitation," Xiaomu says, her tone more serious again. But not by that much. She actually tries to pull Setsuko into a quick (but respectful!) hug, like a sister who's been away for way too long. "Just to make sure we can find a futon for you, if you need it. Y'know, I think we could even try to get you qualified as a Shinra agent on retainer, if you thought it'd be useful to have some extra contacts in this city ... ?" That might be the point where Reiji needs to rein Xiaomu in, if he didn't do it at Kaminari.
Reiji Arisu	Nope. Setsuko's getting to ride this crazy train all the way.
Setsuko Kaminagi	There's a quiet breath of amusement at Reiji's declaration. And surprisingly enough, from a woman who was far too stiff just two weeks ago, she briefly returns the hug. But after a heartbeat, the demigod... no, the goddess, takes a breath. "Not inaccurate. Particularly yours, Xiaomu. But..." "I am the Sword of the War God, I am the Oncoming Storm. "I am the daughter of the slash, whose blade can mow down the gods themselves. "I am Kiri-no-Musume Kaminagi-no-Tachi. "...But Setsuko Kaminagi will still do for a name, among friends." Her eyes close again, her expression growing almost... sad. "But here we come to that which I have given up. I could have chosen death. I could have let both mantles move on to someone more worthy - Treachery is gone, I won fairly and justly. But War..." She shakes her head. "My world needs its Goddess of War. I must see to my world, must set it right with my guidance. Already, my first task awaits me. I must storm the gates of Hell and set free a thousand years of Kaminagi, trapped in limbo. We refused to worship another god. We were proud like that." Once again, the clouds above rumble. "And when I storm the gates..." Setsuko whistles. The storm answers. There is a rumble of thunder that sounds at the same time like a horse's cry. Moments later, there's a soft clatter of hooves, as a midnight steed rounds the corner. A tremendous war horse, solidly-built and powerful, fitted with the saddle of a field commander. With every step it takes, its hooves crackle, tiny and faint little arcs of electricity. It saunters up to Setsuko, who idly reaches up to rest a hand against its neck - and then turns an eye on Reiji and Xiaomu, and snorts a derisive snort. "Kuro-no-Tatsumaki. Be nice. They're allies."
Reiji Arisu	Damnit, he should have gotten Kaminari. It's even a thunder pun! That would have been perfect. Alas, Reiji is still several hundred years too green to beat a sage fox at wordplay. The exorcist most certainly does not groan at the joke, because he did kind of bring this upon himself. Such is the folly of the mortal man, to tempt fate and the gods. ALAS, ALAS, WOE IS HE. Well, it could always be worse. Reiji watches in silent surprise and maybe just a little bit of awe as Setsuko reintroduces herself... And her new friend. Reiji inclines his head ever so slightly at the appearance of the SUDDEN WAR STEED. "Black Tornado, huh? A good name for a fine steed. Hmn. I assume that he's just as swift as his namesake." And maybe just as snooty, too. He shakes his head, then. "You know we'd offer to help with that if you'd let us. Storming the gates, that is. Though since you managed to get this far on your own, I'm sure you'll handle the rest just fine." Of course, 'Hell' is a step above 'Killing a God.' But then, 'Goddess' is a step above 'Demigod' so who knows? "But one thing doesn't quite make sense to me, Setsuko. You say that whoever kills a god also inherits their mantle, and the god you killed had /two./ So, you're Setsuko Kaminagi, Goddess of War. But... If your just and fair victory means that you didn't inherit the mantle of Treachery, then what became of it? Those kinds of things don't just disappear."
Xiaomu	"I'm pretty sure Sun Tzu could shed some light on the place of treachery within just and fair victories in warfare," Xiaomu observes. "Or more likely, in the thwarting of underhanded and treacherous methods. That seems like something that Setsuko could definitely use." Meanwhile, holy thunder horse. Xiaomu actually gives the horse a more respectful look than she gives most gods, and bows her head politely to Kuro-no-Tatsumaki. "Good name," she asides to both the horse and the swordswoman; she reaches inside a fold of her kimono -- And removes a package of fried tofu which should NOT have been able to fit inside that part of her kimono without making an almost obscenely obvious bulge. The package is carefully pulled open, a rectangle of fried tofu extracted, and the munchy is offered to Kuro-no-Tatsumaki. ... It's tofu, ergo it's vegan, ergo a horse should be willing to eat it. Horses are all herbivores, right? Besides, all she was going to do with the rest of the tofu was offer it at the Inari shrines and munch on some of it for herself. She's got plenty for both. .... at least to start.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Tatsumaki seems to have been pacified, somewhat, by the praise. "He is. He is the Storm Courser, with the speed of the howling wind. And, in one sense, he is also an aspect of Kiri-no-Musume's existence. Astride him, the skies are mine." But Reiji posits another question, one to which the deity shakes her head. "No, you're misunderstanding," Setsuko replies. "I said that whoever /bests a god within their domain/ takes their mantle. It simply happens that that's how you best a War God at War." She looks to the skies. "Treachery... will find someone else, in time. There may be no God of Treachery for a while, but when someone comes to embody it, it will find them. And, I suppose, that is as it should be." She smiles faintly at Xiaomu. "Oh, strategy and tactics are all a part of war. Trickery, even. But the knife in the back, poison in the river... those are what I would need to lay claim to Treachery. I would much sooner put the fear of God into the next bearer of the mantle." The goddess puts a foot up, and slings herself into the saddle. And in that moment, thunder rumbles, and her divine presence finally shines forth... but far more controlled than before, like a bright beacon rather than a bonfire. "I've tarried enough. If you ever have need of me, come to the land of Pugna. The country of Seiryuu is my home, my chosen people. But so is the Duchy of Bran. Archduchess Elsa von Bran is perhaps my oldest friend, and if I myself can't help you, she surely will. But for now..." She flicks her hand, as if to make a toss. To both Reiji and Xiaomu, a pendant is tossed - a golden necklace set with a gemstone the color of Setsuko's eyes. "They contain no particular power, save that they have been touched by Storm and War. Keepsakes, if you want them. Fare you well, Xiaomu, Reiji Arisu." Kuro-no-Tatsumaki rears, uttering a thunderous cry, and the goddess turns her beast to begin a charge into the heavens that quickly races out of sight. And as she goes... ...the storm goes with her, slowly but surely.
Reiji Arisu	Reiji catches Setsuko's final(?!) boon and turns it over in his hand. So this is... Farewell for now, then. Or is it 'until we meet again?' Reiji sighs, "You know. It was tough enough fighting a demigoddess of war. Duelling a full goddess might well be suicide. But maybe someday. Until then, Setsuko Kaminagi." Maybe they'll have to pay a visit one of these days. ...But until then, he will remember those names, and those places. And as he watches the storm depart, he hopes he'll get the chance to visit one of these days. ...And then there's an awful cry because SOMEONE'S HORSE was loud enough to STARTLE THE CHILDREN. Damnit Kaminagi.