An Appreciation For Aesthetics(Rio/Fuuen)

It was odd to be anywhere other than the Shihoin estate, to slowly but surely free herself from the responsibilities she had undertaken so many years ago. She once believed that there was no path left to her other than to bear the weight of the family on her shoulders and keep everything from falling apart at the seams and yet, somehow, things seemed to right themselves in the end.

Rio was now aiming her trajectory towards living her life on her own terms. To explore this world, to embrace the unknown and experience what it was like to life for one's enjoyment rather than the sake of others. Of course, that was never to say she would stop caring. Family would remain family and with a mere message, she would be ready to rush to their aid. In the interim, however, she would enjoy life. That was the aim. That was the goal.

Rio had been exploring earth and recently bumped into her sister in Italy. A ride on a plane would have her within Japan, where she arrived and quickly entered a location on the outskirts of the city, to explore and gaze at the parts that were honored and maintained even with the advent of modern technology. A location where temples were found and one could appreciate a cherry blossom tree and relax, away from the areas filled to the brim with traffic.

Rio was not yet comfortable with the idea of operating in a setting filled with many people - namely in a place like Tokyo, a place known for it's frequent activity. No, for now... she found herself at peace, sitting at a temple as she meditated for a moment before leaning back and gazing at the moon.

It was all well and good for Fuuen to travel about, whether for his own reasons or for his duty as a substitute shinigami. However, there were still some matters that required he return to his roots. The city of Edo had never been a particularly pleasant place, and that had certainly remained true even now, long after its name had been changed to Tokyo. Frankly, Fuuen considered that a rather underwhelming name, but he'd hardly been the one to make that decision.

Instead, he simply brought himself to one of the few temples which had lasted the many years since his death. Quite many of them had been completely lost, whether that be to the simple sands of time or to the countless wars the country had seen since his death.

In a way, it surprised Fuuen to see another in this sacred place. It was hardly somewhere that he expected to find any company, out of the way as it was. Well, she seemed a bit caught up in her own thoughts for the moment, and besides, he had his own matters to attend to. Best not to disturb her, then, as he looked for a particular small shrine in the temple's main hall.

Fuuen's presence would immediately welcome the wandering gaze of the Shihoin as she turned her head towards the man, observing him with amber eyes as she studied his appearance. He walked with a measured air about him, a modest existence honoring her desire to remain unperturbed. His long flowing jet-black hair and choice of outfit seemed relatively distinct, nothing like the civilians of the city she had seen before.

If he were within the public setting of Tokyo, he would've stood out like a sore thumb, yet he seemed as though he fit quite well here among these temples. Curiosity compelled the woman to rise from her position by the temple and slowly approach him, though she kept herself at a distance out of mutual respect. If he aimed to seek a similar peace of mind, she held no desire to encroach upon that.

"It is quite the surprise to see someone other than myself in a sacred place such as this. Far be it from me to make assumptions, of course. I only understand so much about this country and it's inhabitants as it is. If you were aiming to find a similar peace of mind, I do hope that I'm not disturbing your peace of mind as you so graciously respected my own. Something about you just caught my attention, I suppose."

A swordsman such as Fuuen was not one to be caught by surprise when someone approached. He was, after all, a highly trained man, and he kept an awareness of his surroundings that bordered on a sixth sense. As the woman approached, Fuuen turned away from the small shrine that he'd come here for, shaking his head briefly to dissolve any concern that she'd bothered him.

"Rest assured, I am not here for any such meditations or the like. A man I knew long ago was a member of this temple, and I've come by to pay my respects. What brings a traveler such as yourself to this place lost to time?"

There was nothing accusatory in Fuuen's tone, of course. It wasn't as if he had some sort of right to privacy in this place, nor did it bother him that someone else would find themselves here. It was simply surprising to see that anyone would be here to begin with.

A warm smile lined the shihoin's lips, relieved to know she was not imposing on him in any way. Due diligence was always something she desired to uphold, even in settings outside of her station. From what she discerns, he seems to be here to pay his respects to a man who was a member of the temple. An honorable act, to be certain. He then posed a question as to why she traveled here; it was to be expected, Rio knew that the common traveler likely finds joy in the public setting of Tokyo rather than the outskirts of land where the sacred and ancient have been lost to time. Rio held an appreciation for the relics of the past. A time in the distant past, stripped of any modernity. Some may have considered such an appreciation old-fashioned, yet Rio would pay it no heed.

"Ah? Perhaps it may surprise you but during my travels here, I have come to develop an appreciation for these remnants of the past, even if they are considered lost to time. A more humorous reasoning would be that I prefer a place of tranquility compared to the more eventful settings of Japan. The flashing lights and loud noises don't suit me well, even if the civilians are warm and receptive. There is something sacred about a temple, something tranquil, and I find that brings me a peace of mind For what are we but aimless without our minds to guide us?"

"I suppose that is true, yes."

It was difficult for Fuuen to fully parse his opinion on this woman's response. At least on the surface, it felt as though he should have agreed with it, but there was something about it which did not entirely sit right with him. Something in her wording, perhaps? No, rather, it would simply be the idea that it was humorous to prefer a place such as this.

"Peace of mind is paramount in living our lives from one moment to the next, but that should not lead us to simply seek it out in external stimuli, or lack thereof. We should naturally be able to achieve such peace in any situation. Or, ideally, we should always exist in that sort of state of mind."

Fuuen was a welcoming presence. Certainly the type of individual the shihoin woman felt content in crossing paths with. He seemed to possess a wisdom that belied his youthful appearance and Rio found that to be a commendable trait. Indeed, he was correct. Peace of mind was something that ought to be maintained even without the use of external factors in play.

The concept had somewhat been lost to her when she was growing up, in those days when she desired to prove to her late father that she was more than worthy of leading her family into the next generation. Any peace of mind that would be gained in the future would be tested by other factors and so, Rio wondered if it was something she possessed or something she yearned for, even now.

A symbol of maturity though she was, it hardly equaled a tranquil state of mind. It only resulted in being more level-headed towards any given situation. Diligent? Perhaps. Peace? Questionable at best.

"I wholeheartedly agree. I must admit that I wonder if my own state of mind constantly exists within a peaceful state or if it's merely something I can only attain in moments of solitude. A true conundrum, indeed. In my youth, I was fierce, and I only simmered down when I matured with age and experience, when I knew what my purpose and role was in life. Judging by your aura, you to be a man who speaks from experience. Peaceful and unassuming as you are, were my senses any lesser, I might have never sensed your presence to begin with."