Nirvana Hermit from Ancient Japan

Following each word of the girl in front of him wasn’t too easy, both because how complex the argument it was and for how she spoke, but Luka did his best to get at least the gist of it. Truly, a path that would lead to freedom from the gods’ sounded incredibly appealing for someone which had enough problems with one in his past, yet he couldn’t help but ponder a few things, one of which was voiced right away as the girl paused her words for long enough for Luka to open his mouth.

"But if the path of Tao is freedom from the gods…wouldn’t they do something about it?" As far as Luka knew, no god would simply let humans gain that much freedom. Look at his case, where achieving that nearly costed everyone’s life if it wasn’t for what him and the others did; wouldn’t the same happen in a place like this? Or there were things such as actual kind gods?

Taking a sip of the cup offered to him, he kept wondering about this. He knew well enough that the behavior of one person shouldn’t be bound to the whole race said person is from, but when it came to supposedly omnipotent creatures, was it the same thing? He truly hoped so, but he also knew better than blind himself from past experiences, especially after being tricked one too many times already.

Now that was an interesting question. It showed that the boy was at least giving this all a good amount of thought, which was more than she could have hoped for from the boy. A captive audience was always an exciting thing to have, so she nodded vigorously in response to his questioning.

"Verily, there may be the thought of some gods of this world taking offense to such actions by man. Indeed, it hath been some trouble to us that those of Buddhist temples care not for our inclinations, and they express thus in ways none too kindly." She shook her head slowly. The Taoists were not really looking to be competitive any longer with the Buddhists, but they couldn't seem to be able to avoid it. "However, for the gods themselves, nary a one hath taken matters upon themselves to strike out. In some ways, many are the gods in this world whom do not take action themselves, or they allow for us to continue unheeded. 'Tis their followers with whom our troubles lie."

There was a pause as Futo took a quick sip of her own tea. "If it should come that we need make plans in defense against a god, as I said 'tis in the way of Tao to reduce the line between man and god. Within are techniques to cut away the faith that sustains them and to combat them on an even level. At least 'tis such for those who have long since been masters."

redmoonrisesarchive

If he hadn’t hesitated, the match would have been his. But his rather unfortunate lack of forethought caused him to pause only momentarily to question if this particular leg of the race was fair. Though it appeared she had no problem finding a way around the obstacle meant for the brush of the gods.

But he would be kind enough to warn her of the other terribly dangerous obstacles. The poison filled pits, the needle filled rooms…oh yeah, the Demonic Wheels. Not one of the more popular parts of the Labyrinth.

He gave a light chuckle as he led her on through the hall, onward to the next challenge.

"We are reaching the half way point, though I must admit, they only get more challenging from here on out. This maze of ours tests many things. Strength, endurance, cleverness, and ones resolve to move forward. If someone has all of those things, then they can make it through our island and reach the peak."

"Mmm..." The hermit stretched her hands behind her head as the pair walked. The paper demon's words were certainly intriguing in this case. Only halfway? That seemed to imply an enormously long maze that they would be passing through. She had perceived the size of this fortress the first time that she arrived on the ramparts, but even so it struck her just how impressive the structure truly was. She would have to compliment the architect, should she ever have the opportunity to meet him.

That also brought up the question of whether or not it would be worthwhile to actually go through with the entirety of it with no real prize to be had at the end. Of course there was the thrill of competition, but at the same time it did seem terribly long ahead of her even now. However, her host appeared to be particularly invested in their little challenge. Had he so little competition, then? Well if she as a near-human could amuse him then she didn't mind all that much. It was a good test of her physical limits regardless.

"Verily, it doth appear to me that thou hast even more preparation of a challenge than I had first thought!" She smiled brightly as they came near to the next set of gates. "Mayhap thou wouldst suggest a wager at this time for the remainder? Thou hast not set a prize, but 'twould be greater incentive still to have some favor from the other upon victory, hm?"

#red moon rises

If Luka had chance to meet someone like the person in front of him in the past, even something as ‘simple’ as her using her own powers to brew tea from her own hands would have surprised and even scared him a little.

Instead, in the present time, his eyes just looked towards her hands with both curiosity and awe; In his world, magic was something that just a few people could control, and which required years of training to get the hang of it, such time often repaid by kings and queens hiring them as how rare these wizards were. But someone to use their powers not only so freely, but just so casually, for something simple as brewing tea…Gensokyo truly held surprise after surprise.

Luckily, even if his attention was focused onto the girl’s powers, her words weren’t meeting a deaf boy’s ears, but rather a very curious and interested kid’s ones. “A path of betterment?” He repeated with a whisper, listening to the rest of her explanation. More words which meaning escaped his knowledge were threw around, but he could still understand the gist of it; To manipulate energies that were in the world to improve oneself, and unlock unknown potential with them…it was something like that, right?

"I see…" He couldn’t really say much, but his eyes would probably show that he was truly interested in the argument, and just trying to understand all the informations given to him. Truly, it sounded like something that he wouldn’t mind practicing if he had the time, but there were still a lot of things he didn’t understand about it. Finally breaking his trance, he shyly smiled at the girl, answering her last question. “A-Ah, hot would be good for me, but I don’t really mind either way.” Truly, some hot tea now sounded great.

"If that is thine preference~" The woman's voice was warm like the steam coming from the tea that she finished pouring. Once the cup was full, she carefully slid it from the center of the table to Luka's side. Had he wanted cold tea then she would have chilled it once the brewing had finished, but he seemed happy to take it as is. It was easy to host someone so easygoing.

She then began to pour her own cup, smile remaining on her face from how captivated her guest seemed with her speaking. Perhaps she could explain it a little better, then. "Verily, upon this earth there are gods and men and beasts in their myriad forms. 'Tis common of man to see himself betwixt the others, a creature with high thought that falls in power to gods. However, the truth opposes this fact." She finished pouring and put the pot aside, taking up her own cup for a quick sip of the piping hot liquid.

A brief chuckle came from the woman as her gaze met his more directly. "In reality, 'tis but a small barrier between what is 'man' and what are 'gods'. In the same manner, with the path of Tao we approach this barrier ever more. Nary is the 'god' who was not once a mortal such as us, or who was not made by the faith of man. Through the Tao we then show that thou can grasp thine own destiny and direct thine own fate without the interference of 'god' beings who wouldst dictate upon others what can and cannot be accomplished." She paused, letting the information sink in. Hopefully he was able to keep up with that kind of answer. "Our path... 'tis freedom of will for all men who would follow upon it."

Sadly enough, even after the explanation of the girl, Luka couldn’t say that he got much of what Taotism was. Meditation? There was to wonder if what she was referencing was the same kind Luka used multiple times in the middle of his battles, to restore his strength during a long and draining fight, thought he doubted such thing. With an half smile, Luka had to also admit to himself that he knew nothing about these Hermit Arts either, so everything for him was just a mystery asking to be solved, for now.

Stopping behind the woman and waiting for her invite to enter, Luka continued to think about this Taotism affair, along with a few other things. First, exactly, where was him? He knew it was a temple, but where exactly was it located? Underground? Seemed odd, but it was also true that he saw far more odd things, so he didn’t want to discard the possibility so fast. In the end, he not only was in another world, but was a temple in the ground so strange for him? Well…no, not really.

Once he received the invite to sit, he entered the room and quickly took his place close to the table, putting the bags he was bringing around all this time behind him, making sure that they wouldn’t end up being bothersome for the girl. Last thing he wanted, of course, was her to trip onto his stuff, especially given how kind and calm she was up until now, something he really appreciated and that allowed him to take a breathe too, his nerves relaxing and his trembling disappearing; He was surely still on guard, but now far less than before.

"To work towards enlightenment?" He repeated, his eyes onto the woman as he wondered what exactly she meant by it. "What exactly does that consist of, if I can ask? I-I never heard these terms, so I’m a bit in the dark about this whole thing, I apologize." Yep, he was still trying to make conversation, and the fact that he was clearly going to learn something new made him even more curious about it.

"'Tis a path of betterment!" Futo exclaimed happily in response. It was nice that this boy seemed so interested, though she wasn't sure if he was inclined toward being a disciple or simply curious from her words. She carefully set the teapot down on the table, the sound of boiling water starting to come from within, and tied the crushed tea leaves into a paper wrapper. Then with a string she lowered the pouch into the water and took up the pot again, flames flicking up between her hand and the container once more.

"Mayhap thou wouldst prefer a better definition. Ah..." She pondered for a moment, free hand stroking her chin. "The way of the Tao... 'tis a course of action by which one aligns with the energies of the universe. Karma, luck, feng shui... these energies doth manifest in myriad ways, and the disciples and masters of Tao manipulate them for self-improvement and to seek the nature of the universe. The arts lead way to many mysterious abilities and techniques. Mine own body is a product of these powers."

She didn't give much indication of her physical nature beyond that, as she hurriedly set out the tall cups on the table. The tea was almost ready now, so the flames in her hand died down and she went to pour the steaming beverage into the cup before the boy and herself. "Pray tell, 'tis it more to your liking hot or cold? 'Twould be mine honor to accommodate."

#mononobe no futo #Touhou

cerastes

redmoonrisesarchive

Perhaps that was just the sign of how different demons could be. To them, a prize of survival was the best prize they could get, or it was at least up there with a really good bottle of sake. But the gatekeeper was more then glad to try something new. All these ideas she had to offer, they were really something!

Ah damn, he forgot about Kabegami’s statue. Flying over it was simple, but he hesitated momentarily. Would that ruin the fun? Should he maybe suggest they call it a draw and go around? He would be more then glad to explain the statue’s origin and purpose, though how it had ended up on the island was a mystery even to him. Kabegami statues didn’t seem like the type of thing that Ninetails could just pick up at the Demon Market.

Though before he could suggest it, she found a way to rocket up the wall, nearly causing him to stop and stare in amazement. Well then! That was certainly one way to get up there! He was quick to follow, feet barely touching the side of the wall as he effortlessly climbed to the top. It was easy to do so when he could make himself as light as a piece of paper.

"That is a statue of Kabegami." He replied, still hot on her trail. “In Nippon, there are thirteen Celestial Brush gods, each with their own unique ability. Kabegami is one of those gods, and her ability grants the user the ability to walk upon the walls. That statue signifies that her ability can be used on that space.”

That was a neat trick, Futo mused as she noticed the cursed charm mount the wall by running up the sheer surface. The hermit wondered shortly if she would be able to accomplish the same trick with her feng shui, but she quickly shook the thought aside. It was something to investigate later. She quickly backpedaled as Tobi mounted the top of the wall, intent on staying ahead of him for the time being.

The information was interesting at the least, even if the gatekeeper couldn't offer up more than just the basic information about the statue. Indeed, why would such a thing be on an island full of foul spirits and monsters? Maybe it was from some time before the master of this place had taken up residence. Still, either way she was not too concerned about it. The finish was a graciously short distance from the top of the wall, and she made quick work of closing the distance there. The woman skimmed through the gate with a long stride.

"Aha, yet another victory!" They were all close, though. She had a feeling that Tobi might have been a good sport about letting her run ahead this entire time. "For how much farther doth this contest persist? It hath the feel of not just a test of fitness, but will and endurance as well. Perchance the end is nigh, though?"

#red moon rises

The girl’s decision not to help Luka up was, in the end, a good one. Was Luka to be approached while down, his own phobia would have brought him to do something not too far from an evasive move, which would probably have ended in just him rolling over his own groceries. Luckily, such thing wasn’t the case, and Luka was now fine, sort of.

"A-Ah, I thank you for the welcome, Miss." He quickly answered. "A-And do now worry, there wasn’t really anything that should have shattered, a-and I should have landed properly myself, so it’s not your fault, a-ahah." Thanks Ilia—- some deity yet to find, he didn’t bought those eggs in the end.

With a nod, Luka began following the girl, a few questions coming to mind, one of which he actually voiced as they moved through the corridors of that temple. “Miss, I have to apologize but…What exactly is this Taoism you speak off?” It would probably sound like a silly question to the girl, but in Luka’s world such culture wasn’t present; Ilias’ religion was the only one that existed…and it wasn’t really a good one, in the end.

The hermit glanced over her shoulder with a pleasant smile at the question. The boy's energy had grown more erratic since he landed here, perhaps nervousness at being in a strange place with a strange woman, so she appreciated his efforts to communicate with her. His curiosity was also good to hear.

"The way of the Tao is a way of balance. By meditation, training, and observing techniques of those before us, we grow in strength and approach the divine state. If thou art familiar with hermetic arts, 'tis a similar thought. The strength of the Tao is that to protect, to serve, or to rule. There are many means of employing such a system."

The woman stopped at one of the doors, indistinguishable from the many that they had passed in the hall, and slid it open. Within was a simple tatami sitting room, with a few cushions and a small shelf on one side that held a teapot, cups, and a few other jars. Futo entered first, moving over to the shelf and taking the teapot in her hand. "I pray thee, sit down." A plug pulled from a small bamboo tube in the wall let loose a small stream of water with which she filled the pot. Once full, she closed the stopper again and held the teapot off to the side, flicks of red flame visible between her hand and the object. With her free hand she began to prepare the leaves from one of the jars.

"Ah, pardon... 'tis currently the goal of my companions and myself to strengthen ourselves and work toward enlightenment while bringing whatever others so wish along as well. That is the span of it."

Murine Meeting (@dowsingmouse)

dowsingmouse

Nazrin slumped on the desk of her stand, silengly enjoying the warm air. It seemed as though there were few in need of assistance today, but that wouldn’t stop her from using the stand as a means to get away from the temple while it was in full swing. It was simply too noisy for her, and too bothersome to boot.

Still, she straightened up her posture at the distinctive sound of someone walking down the path towards her, only to internally blanch at the sight of Mononobe no Futo. While she personally held no religious enmity towards the shikaisen, she had no love for her either, and the girl’s internal rating was decidedly near ‘enemy’. “Greetings. My presence in this ‘shack’ is due to me working as a locating service for the humans of the village. My talents as a dowser are well known.”

#dowsingmouse #futo's trying to be nice I swear #she's just not very good at it

Oh dear. Even if the mouse showed no real signs of aggression, the hermit could detect a small spike of hostility in her energy flow upon making eye contact. She would prefer to avoid any conflict here, necessarily, and save the fighting for when there was something worth actually coming to blows over. A mouse in a roadside stand was hardly a point to be cross over.

"Well met, then. 'Tis good that thou hast found use of thy strengths for the sake of others!" Even if it was more of a business than a volunteer service, it was still quite interesting to see youkai using their skills to help humans. Perhaps if it reached a point of humans not needing protection from youkai then the Taoists would be able to change their stance, but for now things were as they were.

"Pray tell me..." She searched her memory for the name of this individual. Surely she had heard it in many of the spats between their groups. "...Ichirin? Hast thou found much fortune in either items retrieved or payment for thy services?"

Murine Meeting (@dowsingmouse)

dowsingmouse

The late summer air greeted the hermit as she emerged from the earth along the path near the village. It was generally considered more appropriate to appear outside the village when travelling from Senkai simply in order to avoid scaring the human villagers, and such was her intent today. She dusted off her robes as the earth closed again behind her, seam closing upon itself. It was hot, but she had the benefit of a small breeze that she conjured for herself.

And so she set out walking toward the village from her emergence point, enjoying the sounds and the flow of energy in the nature around her. However, there was something around the next bend concealed by trees, a presence that she was pretty sure she had felt before. Upon turning the corner, though, she discovered a small stand next to the road. The presence here seemed to be a youkai, though visual confirmation showed that it was one that Futo knew specifically.

"Good day, mouse~!" Futo called cheerily, raising her arm in greeting to Nazrin. She had no reason for particular enmity with the Buddhists when it was not over religious subjects. "What dost thee in this wayside shack?"

#dowsingmouse #rp starter

Luka temporary smile, generated by the girl’s own grin and friendly behavior, quickly disappeared to leave a very confused and surprised Luka, which stared at the course of the events wondering exactly what was happening. Did the girl have some expertise with the ground elements? By her words it didn’t seem like so, but actually that she…uncorked the way for her home, not much unlike one would uncork a bottle.

Before he had even the chance gather himself up, the girl spoke and jumped into what looked like an entrance into the abyss, which Luka’s examination brought him to know that no, contrary to popular rumors, there was not a light at the end of the tunnel.

With a dubious sigh and by mustering up some courage, Luka in the end decided that he had to at least try to see if what the girl said was true, his curiosity pushing him even further. What exactly was waiting him on the other side? Well, he had to follow the hermit to find out, and thus he jumped into that pit, bracing for any kind of impact.

Luckily for him, the girl wasn’t lying at all, and surely there was something on the other side of the black hole. Especially, there was a sturdy, clean wooden floor, something that he greeted by slamming him face into it. Luka, defeater of Goddesses and incredibly bad at keeping a good balance when landing onto the ground.

After a few moments used to recollect himself, the boy finally stood up, a red mark on his forehead and a crimson tint on his face being the proof of the failed landing. Trying not to make the other pay too much attention to that, he forced up a smile, picking his grocery bag up once again. “A-Ah, t-that’s surely a p-peculiar way to reach your home.”

Smooth, Luka. Smooth as a porcupine girl.

Futo's passage through the entrance to Senkai was as simple as moving through the front door of a house. Indeed, she was quite used to the exact distance and time between the land of Gensokyo and the sub-dimension of Senkai. As such she landed softly in the hall and took a few steps forward to clear the way for her guest. His landing was less than graceful, bringing a chuckle to the woman's frame. To her credit, though, it did not result in outright laughter.

"I bid thee welcome to the halls of Senkai, great bastion of instruction in the ways of Taoism," she chimed with a pleasant tone to her voice. She would have reached out to help him to his feet, but she suspected his reaction to it would probably be less than ideal given his shrinking away earlier. Above the pair a light clack of wood on wood signified the cieling closing back into place.

"'Tis my hope that none of thy supplies encountered damage. It would be upon me to restore any that were lost to you." She continued to smile, trusting that he would let her know if he had some concern about his things. With an arm held to the side in a gesture to follow she turned around to begin stepping down the hallway. "I pray thee follow me once more. My quarters for entertaining guests are near, though not oft made use of. 'Twill be a great pleasure to see the room worthwhile~"

#mononobe no futo #Touhou

yozapen

「「愛と死」」/「kaze」の漫画 [pixiv]

Ah, it was certainly of help that the hermit didn’t take any of Luka’s sudden movements or actions as a personal offense, his desire being not to be rude but just safe from possible attack. Sure, the girl in front of him didn’t seem to be a danger, but it wouldn’t be the first time that he had to deal with creatures that hid their real nature up until they got close enough to him. Yet, he couldn’t really act like that forever, not when he was the first person to preach for coexistence; How much of an hypocrite would he be if he talked left and right about it, then couldn’t come close to anyone of the opposite sex in fear that they would suddenly grow two or three tentacles and attack him?

"A-Ah, well…Yea, tea would be fine, and t-there’s no need for me to get back to my camp right away." Sure, the grocery bags were a bit heavy, but nothing Luka couldn’t carry with ease. "I-I thank you for your offering, miss. Please show me the way."

And Luka continued to be so very timid. It was interesting, given how he seemed more than powerful enough to handle any youkai in this area. That was the shikaisen's reckoning of it anyway. That he was so hesitant was almost cute, though she certainly had no interest in him along those lines. She simply wished to determine what it was exactly that seemed to weigh so heavily on his disposition. Well perhaps the tea would help.

"Well spoken, then~" A brief grin appeared on Futo's face as she turned away from Luka as if to lead him forward. However, rather than head down the path, she raised one knee up to her chest and stomped heavily on the ground, sending a small vibration all around her. Before her a square slab of the earth seemed to open up along a previously nonexistent seam and propped itself up, leaving a black void in the ground just before her.

"Verily, our home of Senkai doth lie in parallel to this very land, and sprawls out beneath in this manner. I pray thee follow me." Another quick glance over her shoulder showed an amused smile before the woman hopped lightly and descended into the blackness of the hole, leaving Luka to decide whether or not to follow.

Should he follow, though, then in mere seconds he would find himself landing on the wooden floors of a well-lit and ornate dojo hallway where Futo would be waiting for him.

At the mention of Celestials, Luka couldn’t help but wonder exactly if those were the same as his angels, or if in that world things worked differently. He could guess that, given how the girl in front of him was talking of her and her companions’ desire to become as such, they weren’t forcefully tied to his world’s own concept, so how much exactly were they different from Angels?

His questions were quickly thrown back into one dark corner of his mind as the other’s hand moved closer to him, her movement soliciting a few reflexes of the boy, which quickly stepped back a bit, which was able to notice his reaction just a few seconds later. A lucky thing that he had two bags of groceries in his hands, or probably he would have held his sword against the girl, too.

"…A-Ah! I’m sorry!" He quickly apologized, bowing a bit towards the girl. "It was an involuntary reflex, I-I unfortunately am used to people trying to attack me very suddenly…I-I guess I can say that’s why, even if I am trying my best, I can’t really be too much at ease around people, s-sorry." Well, it was an half truth. Take people and replace it with women, and you have his real reason.

#halfangelhalfhumanbutallshota

Goodness, his energy went incredibly erratic even at her touch! Her hand dropped down harmlessly to her side now, but her curiosity had been piqued even further. His flow felt strongly of distrust for her, even though she had not done anything to deserve it, though she also felt that it was not through any intentional action on his part. In other words, he simply seemed unable to help it. Well, it was a good thing that hermits were pretty good at peace and relaxation.

"Perchance thou wouldst join me for tea, then? 'Tis no great difficulty to reach our abode, and methinks it would do well to settle thine energies lest you shorten your life in stress." The woman chuckled lightly, folding her hands into her sleeves. "If thy burdens are of the type that require your haste, then I would be pleased to accompany you to deliver them first."

redmoonrisesarchive

"A prize? Huh, you know, we never really thought about that." The prize technically was getting an audience with the Demon Lord, and in the past, that usually ended one of two ways. A quick and painless death, or slow unbearable torture, depending on the fox’s mood.

"I guess the fare for failing is death, but we should change that to something a little less…permanent."

Perhaps then they could get more people to run the course. A decent prize and less terrifying payment for failure might just be the thing they needed to get the races going again. Of course, he would have to discuss it with Ninetails.

He was quick to follow her while he spoke, leaping unto the platforms that lined the corridor. At the other end, a lone statue of Kabegami sat, waiting for someone to call upon the Wallwalk brushstroke. But neither party could use the brush.

"Verily, for what great challenge carries not a prize for the victor?" The woman laughed heartily as she began to leap up the platforms. This area was far more vertical than the ones that came before, such that one might consider it completely impassable for a normal human if not for how unreasonable the course had been so far. Truly interesting, these games of demons. She would have to see what else they played at.

The sheer wall at the end left an even greater impression that this course was not meant for humans or anything resembling a normal creature. A moment's attention was paid to the statue residing there, bringing a curious frown to Futo's face. What strange energy emerged from it! She would have to investigate more later. However, for now her attention shifted back to the wall. Of course she could simply fly up, but that continued to seem contrary to the nature of the challenge. Her host was humoring her by jumping the platforms as well, so she imagined that using one of her abilities would be more appropriate. So then, it was the same technique with which she had scaled the outside wall.

When she reached the base of the wall, the woman leaped into the air. At the same time, a great rushing of wind filled her ears as a vortex of wind wrapped around her body and propelled her further upward rapidly. The hermit was rocketed to the top of the wall and landed lightly at the top, glancing back over her shoulder to see just how high it seemed from the edge. "What purpose hath that that statue at the base?" she called out as she resumed her motion toward the gate. "It doth appear quite distinct from the other items in the fortress." At least of the items that she had been able to see so far.

#red moon rises

Politeness from a stranger was always something welcomed, but also always followed by some wariness. It wasn’t unusual that monster girls or bandits used it to fool him into a sense of false security and then attempt to quickly restrain his movement, not even in the light of day and in the midst of a village. So with this person so randomly greeting him out of nowhere and speaking about their own title so freely, Luka was a bit confused on how to react. Luckily, he was kind of used to it, and he decided to act in the most polite way, forced smile still here to cover his uneasiness.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Futo." He began, hoping that he didn’t get her last name wrong, for then moving onto the matter of his actual race. It was kind of…weird how everyone was just able to sense his angelic powers without problems, when even him itself didn’t knew about it until a few months prior.

"A-Ah, I guess you’re right, a-ah. I’m human, but also part angel." Denying his heritage was something Luka wanted to avoid. Yes, he fought those with his same blood, but that blood was given him by his mother, thus refusing to acknowledge it would be an insult to her too, or so he thought.

"T-Though, I guess i-it’s nothing much compared to this world’s inhabitants. As for where I live, it’s more of just a camp than an home. It is in the forest as it allows me to get to the village or where I work far more easily." And allows him to avoid a great part of those dubious stares he kept receiving every time he traveled there. That too.