Tree's Company

Tsumi could smell the meat cooking and his mouth watered. He felt the need to add pepper or something but didn't actually bring any seasonings with him. After all he hadn't actually planned on hunting today. Instead he had managed to make a friend and get dinner all at once. Still he would listen as she questioned him over what she had just seen. He always found it odd that humans didn't know much about spirits. It was common place knowledge for Yokai after all. They had grown up around it and were a part of it. Humans had shut themselves off to the spirit world a long time ago. Only their chakra connecting them to it now. They simply didn't wish to acknowledge that their greed had torn wounds into the spirits for generations. At least that was his aunts explanation. However Tsumi wasn't cold towards humans over it. If anything he pitied them. For they mostly didn't understand what happened after death. Especially to those who died peacefully. Old age and surrounded by family. It was more peaceful for them. Still he would fidget as he figure out how to explain it. He wasn't a well lit bulb after all.

"Well lets see...its not really like a ritual or anything like that. Or a jutsu. It's just about paying respects to what you hunted. That said, if it isn't done sometimes the animal passes on and sometimes it remains as a spirit. To be honest though helping those spirits along usually involves light fighting or even talking to them after death. It's kind of a common chore for young Yokai. If you land a blow on a spirit it disperses. See we are all...uh...right there is this energy that flows through all of us. A cycle of life right? When it's dispersed or dies peacefully its energy returns to the flow and becomes new life for a new being. Some say when dark spirits are dispersed the life they become is a cursed one. Destined for evil. I don't think so though. I think it's a relief for them just as much as the innocent to find peace. Even bad people deserve good things in the end ya know? No one wants to die alone with no dreams. It happens I guess but it's a hero's duty to see to it that life is fair to everyone around them. Even spirits."

While Tsumi explained how spirits worked, Yenn was busy checking on their lunch. About halfway through his explanation the meat looked well cooked and she would remove it from over the fire to cool a bit before they could eat it. She was pleased that it seemed like even she could pay respects to the animals she hunted and killed, and she didn’t need to be a Yokai or do any special rituals or anything. That made the process seem more believable and normal to her. It sounded similar to what she had heard of funerals, not that she’d ever been to one, but the respect and wishes for peace sounded the same.

What she didn’t like was the idea that even bad people deserved peace. She didn’t agree with that at all. Not any of the bad people that she’d had the distinct displeasure of interacting with. She didn’t say anything about it, but for a moment her jaw and fists clenched as she fought back the angry words that she didn’t want to say to him. She wasn’t angry with his point of view, he seemed a much kinder person than she was and she couldn’t fault him for it. She was angry that terrible people might have someone as wonderful as Tsumi wishing them peace and a good afterlife. As if they deserved it.

“So you can talk to spirits? Do they talk back? I mean, you know how you can talk to well. . . anything, like a house cat. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they understand you or could speak to you even if they could. Do they speak like how you and I are speaking right now?” She was definitely curious, and also her concentration on the aspect of spirit speech was helping to distract her from her anger. She had dismissed the notion that Quan and Tien could possibly just be the victims of some ‘dark spirits’ that were dispersed, somehow relieving them of responsibility for their actions. She hated that idea and moved away from it in her mind as quickly as she could.

Taking off a glove she would touch a finger to the cooked meat to test if it was cool enough to split apart. The lightning shaped scars that covered her hands unable to be hidden from view. “I think this is ready now, do you want to go first? Just tear off what you want, help yourself.”

Tsumi would listen as he sat back and leaned on his hands behind him. She had questions about things the Yokai learned as kids and he was beginning to understand that most humans did not consider this common knowledge. Which he found odd since they actually sent genin out on missions to exorcise troublesome spirits. Marcus had much the same reaction though his held more fear. For Tsumi he had always understood the connection. Being uniquely adjusted to it from birth. He would ponder her question a moment. Even some of the other Yokai were less attuned to spirits. They said spirits were tricksters and nuisances. At least the little ones. Still he would reply to her as he reflected his thoughts.

"Well most spirits aren't all that smart anymore. Just remnants of who they were. Animal spirits typically are just nuisances that trample gardens or chase children. The dark spirits mostly just follow one thought process. To destroy. They attack anyone who comes close. But they are all still...kinda physical. I guess. You disperse them back to the life force by hitting them hard enough. I've never met one myself but Nana says there are more powerful spirits in the world. She says they will speak to you but to be careful. Because they are clever and will try and trick you. Nana says they need a body to return to their true power so they try and take over. But they can only take over a body if invited in."

She would invite him to tear off a chunk of meat and he would grin. Reaching out and tugging on the meat but out of inexperience only getting small strips at a time. It took him a minute of picking at the rabbit and sucking his burnt fingers before he had peeled off about half. Rabbits didn't have a ton of meat but it was enough. He would start nibbling at the smaller pieces as he glanced to the scars. Noticing them as his eyes lit up. His simple mind a little insensitive.

"Oh dude! Wicked scars my guy! You must have like an origin story. Lady thunder started off as a young woman with dreams of being the heroin of her story. One fateful night she stood before a mighty storm and called out to it! Claiming the power of thunder itself and becoming The mighty Lady thunder! Meeting other heros along her journey like The unstoppable force, The Hero of might and right. Tsumi the horned Hero!"

Yenn still didn’t exactly understand, she could see that Tsumi was trying his best to explain it to her, but she had only just learned of spirits today and it did take her a while with new concepts. What she did understand was the reverence that Tsumi held for his Nana, she had nothing to compare it to in her own life, but she could appreciate that he took what this woman said to heart. “Your Nana sounds like a very wise woman, I’m glad you have her, and that she has you.”

She would wait patiently as Tsumi tore off strips of meat from the cooked rabbit, in retrospect she realized she probably should have helped him with that, but she also didn’t want him to think that she thought he was incapable or anything. Once he seemed to have taken what he wanted she would begin tearing pieces off and eating them. The temperature didn’t bother her, she never really felt temperature changes from anything, unless it was from jutsu.

The attention he brought to her scars made her pause as she brought a piece of cooked meat to her mouth and her cheeks reddened noticeably. She had known that they would be visible as soon as she took her gloves off, but she was used to a much different reaction. A reaction that involved looks of pity or disgust from those that saw them. Tsumi’s reaction was. . . excitement? Tamwyn had been trying to instill in her that her scars were part of her beauty, and now Tsumi was inventing an outrageous story that made them seem almost impressive. Placing the meat in her mouth she would chew thoughtfully and tilt her head slightly as she looked at her Oni friend, whose name she finally knew. “Lady Thunder. Interesting name, I kinda like it. It’s a better story than the truth. In a way I did sort of claim the power of thunder, or at least learned to use it. I’m not proud of these. . .” She would turn her hand to look at the scars as she spoke. “. . .I got them when I was very young, and they’ve always sort of haunted me. I hate them actually, if I can help it I always keep them covered, they’re mostly everywhere. But the way you talk. . . believe me, one day when people are talking about Tsumi the Horned Hero, I would be honoured to be included in that story. You have an interesting way of looking at the world, and it’s refreshing. So who are the other heroes you mentioned? The Unstoppable Force and the Hero of Might and Right?”

Tsumi would quietly listen to her origin story as he continued to absent mindedly scarf down his share of the meat. However rabbits were not known for providing a great deal of meat to work with so he finished his food fairly quickly as she wrapped up her story. Asking him about other heros as he yawned and stretched. Shifting to lay on his side and prop his head up with his hand. The warmth of the fire and food in his belly was making him sleepy. Still he would consider what she said. She wasn't fond of the scars and the story behind them was unpleasant. He had brought up bad memories for her bringing it up and opening his big yap without thinking. Girls wanted to be pretty right? Maybe she thought the scars weren't pretty? Should he call her pretty? But that was something you said to girls you liked Nana had always said. He thought she was chill and fun to hang with but he wasn't like, trying to mate or anything so the pretty comment seemed ill conceived. Besides didn't she explain some dude or another that followed her around in the woods? Yellow eyes would lazily glance around them. He didn't see anyone but again...wasn't looking for a girlfriend.

She would question him about these heroes he spoke of and he blinked as he wondered what she meant. He had been referring to himself mostly but maybe she didn't read comic books like he did. In the comics the heroes always talked about themselves like that. Was it not the right way to word it? Regardless he would push another piece of wood into the fire now that the cooking was done. No need to worry about burning meat. Just comfortable warmth. He didn't even notice the slight storm gathering overhead. For him he was just a comfortable and happy idiot. It would have to start raining for him to really worry about weather. For now though he would reply to her. The sound of sleep in his voice ever so slightly.

"Uh well...those are just more titles I made up for me. I don't really know many people and those I do know aren't interested in being heroes like the ones from the comics. They think I'm a little silly for it. But I don't think so. I think everyone can be a hero. From just feeding the hungry to fighting evil there are every day opportunities to be a hero to someone. I guess I just don't want to miss those. One day when I am gone and in the dirt, I want to be remembered for all the good I did in the world. I want to be a legend so that others are inspired by me. The horned hero spoke of with excitement by the next generation. Creating heroes to stand against the darkness in humans. So a brighter future is always possible. Oh and I have a lot of aunts. No one knows who my parents are so the clan raised me. It's up to me to show they raised me right. Ya know?"

Yenn could see that the warmth from the fire and the food was making the man sleepy. Part of her wondered if perhaps it wasn’t that at all and she was just boring him, but she tried to push those thoughts away. Taking all of the makeshift tools in hand that she had used to cook the rabbit, she broke them into smaller pieces and placed them into the still burning fire. She always tried to leave no traces of impact on the land after she spent time outdoors. Partly for practical reasons, as it made her more difficult to find should anyone come looking again. But also because it was the respectful and kind way to treat the forest that provided so much to her.

As Tsumi expanded on his names for different heroes, Yenn listened with interest while still moving around and cleaning up the camp. “Those are good names I think. And I don’t think it’s silly at all to want to be a hero. It’s a good goal and one that I think you’ll easily be able to achieve. You have the heart for it, Tsumi.” When she heard him casually say that he didn’t know who his parents were, she felt sad and she didn’t know how to help him. The only thing she could think of was to be a friend, and maybe one day she’d come up with something that would actually help. “They definitely raised you right, Tsumi. It’s getting late and I need to head home, but I would love to do this again if you’d like. Actually that tree house you helped with? That’s yours now. You did all the heavy lifting anyway, it wouldn’t be right for it to belong to anyone but you.” She would stand as she spoke, making ready to leave. If he came with her she would take the time to thoroughly put out the campfire before going back to the village. If not she would let him take care of it, since he did appear to know about how to take care of a campfire. “It was very nice to meet you Tsumi, and I’d like to spend time with you again. You can come visit me whenever you like, my door is always open to you.” She would smile warmly and explain where she lived before picking up her boots and heading back to her home, excited to tell Tamwyn that she had actually made a friend.  

[Exit Thread]

Tsumi would lazily smile as he stretched out next to the warm fire. It wasn't like anyone was expecting him home soon. The clan provided an apartment for him but beyond that no one really paid him much mind unless it was in passing. They said he was an adult now so it was up to him to decide for himself what he would do with his days. Some days it was missions when he was low on food but most of the time it was working out and improving his body. Today he supposed had been a good day. Any day one made friends was a good day. He was sleepy as she spoke but felt warmed by her words...or the fire? Possibly the fire. Either way it was a nice day. He enjoyed her company and now was drowsy after working out and eating. She would bid him goodbye and gift him the tree house before rattling off her address. For him it was like he blinked and she was gone. Truthfully he had dozed off as she left and woke up with the fire almost dead. He groaned a little as the cold had started to press in with the death of the fire.

The clouds that had gathered overhead now began to drizzle rain which quickly roused him as he sat up and rubbed his arms. Blinking awake before looking around. It was winter and it was getting dark which meant it was getting cold. With Yenn gone out here in the woods felt lonely. So he would get up and glance fondly to the tree house. He made another friend....today was a good day. Still he would kick dirt over the embers before turning and running back to the village. By the time he reached the walls it was a downpour and by the time he reached his apartment he was soaked and cold. He would open the door to an almost completely empty apartment. A few dishes in the sink and a bed roll on the floor. No TV or books but a stack of comics. Bare and empty walls and a pile of clothes in one corner. He would dig in the clothes to find something dry before changing and laying down on his bed roll. The silence settling in around him as he stared at the ceiling. Alone again in his apartment as he looked to his fist. He could be a hero...his new friend believed in him. To be something other than a failure alone in this empty place...He smiled before rolling to his side. Going back to sleep as he dreamed of his friends....of maybe one day having family.

exit thread
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