Moments of Contemplation (Day 3 Mid Afternoon)

[Hiruma Daichi]

The bath had calmed Daichi enough to get him out of at least some of his funk. It wasn't yet all of it though, earthquakes were a devastating thing and mine collapses one of many horrible outcomes. Making his way into the temple distract he made his way to the fortune of Ebisu, to deliver some simple prayers.

Those he cherished most would be busy in the coming days, making repairs, treating injuries, and perhaps mourning their dead. His own efforts to prevent such things had done little good that day. So, the least he could do was offer a few prayers. After several minutes of silent devotions, he stepped away from the shrine, his eyes looking over the rest of the temple district.

Perhaps there was another shrine to visit this afternoon? Perhaps not.

[Jihen]

What his eyes found instead was a young monk in black returning to the temple after court. His footsteps had been slow… being lost in thought for much of the walk home.

He came rather close to the other man before noticing his proximity.

Stopping himself abruptly he looked up and bowed.

“Excuse me. I hope I didn’t get in your way.”

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Not at all." Daichi replied with a shake of his head. "I'd just paused finished in my prayers and was pondering my next course of action." He'd had some practice the last few days not walking into people, and he wasn't about to start now if he could avoid it.

He offered the monk a polite bow. "I'm Hiruma-ke no kashin Tetsumura Daichi by the way."

[Jihen]

“A strong name from start to finish.” He replies with a respectful bow.

“I am called Jihen. I am aide to Abbot Chou-sin of the Four Temples. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”

He then pauses for a moment, “It is certainly a day to cause reflection within us all, isn’t it?”

[Hiruma Daichi]

"An honor to meet you as well, Jihen-san." Daichi replied politely, before nodding along to the Monks next words.

"That it is." He agreed, casually wondering in the monk had guessed he might have to use some of the donations acquired yesterday the very next thing. "Earthquakes can be devastating things, and a heavy reminder of how dangerous earning the ire of a fortune can be."

"Reflecting on that can be a step to coming to terms with it, or so I've heard."

[Jihen]

“Such events step away from our normal routines and cause us to think and behave in ways that reveal our true nature.”

He nods his head slightly, “Coming to terms with the depth and breadth of these kind of events… is something I think takes lifetimes to really comprehend.”

[Hiruma Daichi]

"The path to enlightenment?" Daichi asked. That at least made a small amount if sense to him. Round and round on the Kharmic wheel until you knew all there was to know. Or something like that.

He might not be all that far along.

[Jihen]

He nods his head, "That is right Hiruma-sama."

He then asks, "What brings you to the temples today?"

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Those who suffer most during these times are often those that spend their life in toil. Whether in the fields or in the mines, or any of a million other tasks." He made a motion towards the Shrine of Ebisu

"I came to give The Fortune of Honest work thanks for the lives his watchful eyes have saved this day, and to all the work he over sees that lets us Samurai serve our Lords freely."

[Jihen]

"You have a kind and respectful heart Hiruma-sama. I think that Ebisu-no-kami would be glad to hear what you just said to me."

He nods contemplatively, "The events of the morning are undoubtedly another source of toil and suffering for those who both perished and survived this day. The world's imbalance appears to be crying out for us to take the approach that you have just expressed to me now... To remind us of our duty to this world and the people who inhabit it."

[Hiruma Daichi]

Daichi dipped his head in thanks at the compliment. "You are kind to say so, jihen-san." He offered in return.

"It is important to remember our duties." He agreed. "Even if at times it's hard to find the best way to do so. Or sometimes when completeing them earning the ire of others."

"I do wonder how you think we might bring things back into balance though. Especially if this imbalance angers the Kami enough to cause the devastation we have seen today."

[Jihen]

“That is something that has been on my mind too. It is hard to tell if these occurrences are rooted in something specific or too wide for us to understand.”

He pauses, “Everything in the world is connected in some way. We all are part of something greater than ourselves… and we all leave behind our own footprints on the world.”

He turned, “Would you mind a demonstration on the interconnection of beings to show my point?”

[Hiruma Daichi]

If the monk wasn't certain then he didn't have a shot of figuring that one out. He was more the type you pointed at to solve problems after all. Not the one that figured them out. Still, it gave him something to think about at the very least.

"Ah, I don't mind." Daichi offered after a moment. "Might get me thinking in a direction that's slightly more useful."

[Jihen]

"You see... as we stand here you see you and you see me. Then there's that rock over there and that tree and so on...." He points at the various things around them.

"There's also this space between us. With air and water and little bits of fire or heat all mixed in. Underneath our feet is earth and water and deeper down a well of fire..."

He looks back to the Hiruma, "But despite us seeing these all as very different things... From a different perspective... Someone could say that we are all part of this city. And this city is part of the province, which is part of the empire, which is part of the world... and so on and so on."

He looked around, "All of these things are different, but also can be part of the same. In fact the dividers between you and me and the rocks and the air... can all be touched and affected because we're all partly the same."

He pauses, "Let me demonstrate."

He closes his eyes, "Close your eyes and focus on your heart... The part of you that you feel to be entirely you. I will touch the oneness that we share to have it refresh your heart..."

After a moment Jihen exhales gently... and a surging sensation of refreshment would come bursting forward like a gentle breeze into Daichi's heart...

----

D3 Kiho Activation, To the Last Breath, Meditation | 8k4 ⇒ 32 (TN: 15)

-To the Last Breath-

With a simple exhalation, a monk can expend his energy to the universe around him, allowing others to partake of it as they wish. Any one selected individual within 20 feet when the Kiho is activated gains a Void Point on their next Turn. No target may benefit from this Kiho more than twice per day.

[Hiruma Daichi]

There was a rock over there, and a tree. He really didn't see any fire, but where there were monks there were candles, or so it was said. He wasn't entirely sure who had said it, but it had to have been someone.

Still, he nodded along at the monks' words and closed his eyes. Making an attempt at least at focusing on his heart, his core ideals. It wasn't something he was used to. Most people didn't really do much meditating out of the frontier. Try he did though.

The feeling when it hit was weird, and he couldn't help but shiver a bit. That was a new one certainly.

"That was an interesting sensation." He replied after a few moments, not quite sure of what else to say.

[Jihen]

"Think of it as a kind of first step... There's much to understand about the world that isn't just immediately thrust at our senses."

He bowed, "If you continue on the your path... there are sure to be more things to learn. One really never stops learning."

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Well, I suppose that's because there is no end to the number of things you can learn." Daichi mused his expression thoughtful.

"I should also thank you for the lesson. Maybe it was something of what I lacked when I tried my hand at meditation." He might have to try his hand at it again.

[Jihen]

"If you ever would like instruction... I would be happy to help. There's plenty each of us can learn once we tap into the space behind our eyes." He said while pointing to his head.

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Now you might be asking a bit too much out of a bushi with that." Daichi replied, that was probably meant as a joke. "I'll keep that in mind. I might need to learn a bit more about that. Maybe a thing or two about balance in general as well."

"Especially if being out of balance could lead to things like today."

[Jihen]

He nods, "It has both small and large applications... Much easier to start with the small, however."