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a-chuffed-floating-panda · 9 months ago

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A love in the eye of the hurricane ch36 (unedited)

(Originally posted 16 January 2023. Sleep deprived period. Slightly better edited chapter)

Training montage with Elder Sonam aftermath…

Gawa had until now not regained any feelings back into her legs. She’d almost face planted five times had it not been for Elder Sonam catching her. She’d tried, once, to catch herself by blowing air on the ground to shoot herself back up, but she overshot and ended up with a bump on the back of her head.

Elder Sonam chuckled every time though and took great amusement in this. She bristled, which only made her chuckle more. Gawa met few people in her time where she could judge someone’s character just by their grip alone. She can count them all on one hand exactly: Abbot Dorji, momo-la, popo-la, Amanthi and now, Elder Sonam.

Her grip firmed whenever she stumbled; apa always said a master swordsman’s hands were square, callused and gentle with whatever or whoever they touched. All qualities her hands had. Gawa felt all the training, all the sword swings, the infamous brutal Kushidera training and the life experiences through her grip and she remembered who currently was helping her walk.

The Ghost. A childhood idol. The reason she picked weapons as early as she did, and also the reason ama was on the verge of daily heart attacks from when she was two to five winters. She was in the presence of someone who achieved greatness within their body in a single lifetime. Had she achieved Samadhi? She wondered. The state of anatta, maybe? She noticed more details the more she paid attention. Some were so obvious that she wanted to facepalm for not catching on sooner.

Elder Sonam embodied the samurai spirit of the old Kushidera before monks and nuns became the norm. A protector…

Gawa swallowed the urge to scream.

She helped her sit down at the temple steps on the biggest pagoda. It gave them a view of the sky for when Jamyang came back. “I’ll be right back,” Elder Sonam said and withered away. She stared at the spot she stood in before teleporting away. Poof! Just like that. Awesome! She should ask her how she gained such mastery over the technique. To be like the wind, everywhere and nowhere at once. No one had achieved that except for her.

On second thought, the mysterious ‘Namthöse’ carved into the walls of mastery in the underground library must be her then; there wasn’t a ‘Sonam’ as high up on the wall as Namthöse. That name and ‘The Ghost’ were never far apart from each other.

Gawa never took the opportunity to sense when Elder Sonam teleported. It’s an odd sensation that she could only compare to ice cutting. Or reverse ice cutting? Was that a thing? If it was, then what Elder Sonam was doing was the spiritual equivalent. Her chi built up piece by piece before her body came too in a similar way.

Fascinating! So cool! Ahhhhhh! Her inner child was currently screaming.

She’s handed a cup of tea. How nice, Gawa mused. It smelled a lot like herbal. Healing properties maybe? Kushidera’s second largest export beside red sugi wood threngwa’s were their spices. Some of the spiciest among the temples; first and third in that category were Senso-ji and Kinkaku-ji. The mighty Kōfuku-ji was the eleventh.

“Have you heard of the philosophy of Dharmottāra?” Elder Sonam asked and sat down beside her. Gawa raised a brow at the question. “I’ve heard of the luohan quan, and I know he’s the one that started training the monks, however,” Aden expressed interest and was reading up on the style. “I haven’t heard of his philosophy as far as I know.” Hm, the tea was excellent. Jamyang didn’t joke around with her judgement. Refreshing. It reminded her of the warm underground healing waters.

“His wisdom is famous.” She said. “Many people say his words without knowing their origins. Do you know the rest of this quote? ‘The people of this world are deluded. They’re always longing for something- always, in a word, seeking-’”

The words flow out of her before she realized it. “-Because wanting is in the end the same as having nothing, because they can’t create anything.” She’s more familiar with the Ryeong’s cave version. They’re not that different from each other. Only in the beginning. The Ryeong’s cave version stemmed from a famous diplomat- ‘those that never give to others will someday be unable to receive anything from them-’ She didn’t remember the name. They were a Geshe or Geshema though, she remembered that much. It was a master requirement to study their treaties. Embarrassing that she didn’t remember the name.

While the Druk’s nest version came from a high ranked guru from Tamshing. Shugi? No, Shugo? He had an entire wall dedicated to him in the caves of Agari. She also found centuries old texts from him which she hadn’t touched in fear of destroying it. The oldest Kyo she met while exploring said he lived up to his name. They were friends too.

“Those that want, spies, and delude themselves into thinking they’re greatness always, always die alone.” Every temple had their own add on to that quote. That was Taktsang’s.

“It’s used to explain the three poisons to the children.” She said and took another sip. Ah, delicious.

Elder Sonam hummed. “Kushi’s ending is different. And it’s used for that as well, but it also serves for a different purpose.”

“Oh?”

“It’s explains what the punishment is to those that spy on that which is not theirs.” Gawa looked at her when she noticed a tone change. “-And the ignorant mind, with its infinite afflictions, passions, wants, and evils, faces the wrath of the dorje tekpa when they look for and listen to secrets they’re not privy to. They always suffer in the end.” She huffed and circled her cup of tea; Gawa’s anxiety rose when the fluid almost sloshed over the rim of the cup. “Kushi has a long history of spies and lotus plants trying to enter the temple.” Oh. The sentiency of the Druk’s nest protected them from that. “They hammer the quote into our marrow from when we’re children. Never tolerate such acts. Show the consequences immediately.” Gawa’s heard of those consequences. Brutal and unforgiving; She heard of one who ended up sacrificing everyone who served him and he lost everything in the end, including his own life, when he was the only one left. The teachers said a much more child friendly version during the classes in her childhood. ‘Are you willing to sacrifice everything when you won’t achieve anything? Retreat is always an option, or if you stumbled upon something great, and know the worth, accept that you’ll never be alive to see it.’

There’s a distant look in Elder Sonam’s eyes as her shoulders shrugged. “They always say it’s for the greater good, but they can never say for who and end up suffering themselves instead of saving those they speak of saving.”

“Heh, trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist is a one-way lane to suffering.” Gawa smiled. She’s met people like. It’s easy to pick them out with her foresight. She always overcome with sadness or pity when they meet her eyes. “People like that never look inwards with a clear mind and blame everyone else.”

“Exactly!” she agreed. “They’re also incredibly annoying.”

“Have you dealt with people like that?” Elder Sonam scoffed mid sip. “Too many to count. Old priest Seigyo had us file up in a line and march around the temple grounds with our eyes open.” That’s good observation learning. “And asked at the end which of the people you thought were acting suspicious.”

“And there was always someone?”

“There rarely wasn’t.”

“What are they looking for, then?” She didn’t have friends from there. Nor had she visited. Most of what she knew came from her uncle and books that caught her interest. “No offence, I’ve just never visited.”

“None taken.” She put her cup down. “While Taktsang and the islands have the sentiency and spirituality. Kushi has the oracles and the most spiritually endowed rinpoche’s.” That sounded familiar- “Hey, I think I’ve read about that.”

“I’ve not met someone here who knows it. The other temples know and they’ve learned not to overstep.” That’s some history she should look for. It sounded bloody. “They’re the most heavily protected people at the temple. When they’re young, the rinpoche’s struggle to differentiate the past and the present.” Sage Bhuti struggled with something similar. It’s the reason his closest students- Yonten and Dudjom- always accompany him. “The spirit guides from Jiming Linggu are a great help to them.” Had Jamyang done that? She and Yara were both spirit guides now. She should ask when she sees them. It sounded interesting.

“Even if the self isn’t real,” she chuckled. “it’s stressed that they develop an identity that is theirs. Something to help ground them in the present.”

“And it becomes tainted when someone’s watching. It’s not theirs anymore.”

“Yep, we’ve learned that lesson many times.” Ooh, more bloody history to look for. “Never betray the spirits, swing the naginata with no anger to protect the secrets that hide within the blessed ones and hunt those that know to ensure that the secret stays a secret.”

The baby bison were adorable. The whitest fur and with the cutest little ’mrrs’ when she petted their fur. Gawa couldn’t say no to them. She whistled for the red panda cubs to come back and sat down to hug the nearest bison; it eagerly nudged its head into her embrace.

“Did they abandon you?” She said when she heard robes rustle behind her. “Did they leave their newest member behind?” Jamyang chuckled and sat down beside her, hugging another bison, who purred in delight.

“I’d hope not.” The fur muffled her voice. “I’d need to find another group of reading bison if they did. I already have the birds, the red pandas and the lemurs. Finding a new group of baby bison isn’t difficult.” The bison she hugged pulled back and licked her. It almost looked like it was angry.

“Okay, okay,” Jamyang wiped the saliva off of her face. “I won’t find a new group of reading bison.” Gawa moved her head to the side so she could look at her. A small smile, reassuring pets to an annoyed baby bison and- Jamyang looked at her out of the corner of her eye and put an abrupt stop to her staring. Well, her instincts were good. Excellent even. That was great. The bad thing was that she couldn’t look without getting caught.

“What is it?” Uhhh… Gawa’s acutely aware of how hot her face was getting. Her brain stopped responding.

“I-,” her voice cracked, and she hid her face in the bison fur. How embarrassing. The bison purred, not at all bothered by her situation. “It’s-it’s nothing.” Gawa leaned back and rubbed her face. She’s so pretty, she’s so pretty- Ahhhhgg! “Don’t you have toddlers to teach?” She quickly followed up with. “Not that I don’t want you here. It’s just that you’re,” she flicked her hands around trying to find her words. Jamyang smiling didn’t make it anywhere easier, and it felt like the bison and red panda cubs all were smiling at her. One red panda cub even made a sound awfully similar to a snicker. Just like Cintsha. “You’re you.” Those were the words she settled for? She settled for that? There’s no hope for her.

“I’m me?” Jamyang’s eyes shined with mirth. “I am currently teaching them,” she pointed behind them and Gawa turned to see the children standing in a circle not too far away from them and holding hands; They were talking about rhythm or something like that. “But now I’m curious.” She moved closer. “Explain it to me,” she reached out and pushed strands of hair behind her ear. “I don’t understand the answer.” Gawa sputtered.

Jamyang was joking, right? She had to be.

Gawa shoved her when her facade broke, and she started giggling. “Ugh! Don’t do that.” Jamyang laughed, drew closer and pressed her nose against her cheek. Her skin tingled. She pulled back. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it often if it bothers you so much.”

“It’s not that!” She exclaimed. “You’re just-” her words failed her again. “You’re- you’re just really pretty and it’s just-,” Jamyang stroked her little finger across the bridge of her nose, stopping her rambling and stopping her from embarrassing herself even more. “I understand what you’re trying to say.”

“… good.”

“I think you’re pretty, too.”

“… Thanks.”

Jamyang tilted her head. “I came here for another reason too,”

“Oh? What is it?”

“The spring festival at the Eastern temple is coming up next month,” uh. “I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.” Uhhhh..

“Are you asking me out?”

“I am.” There’s not a hint of shame in her answer. “I’ve seen so many others bring their partners to that festival and, well,” she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s a nice first date idea. The celebrations soften the Eastern temple’s standards, so your first visit will be a lot nicer than Opame’s visit to the Northern temple.”

She remembered that. They’d accused her of cheating at bison polo. The referee, to be more accurate, accused her of cheating. Gawa didn’t understand how cheating at bison was possible, but then again, she wasn’t one of them. The bison of any water temple like Tanah lot were exceptionally good swimmers which then translated into swift flight. The best flyers were the people from Tanah lot. It’s a known fact they’re the best flyers among all the temples.

“Yes.” Gawa blurted out. “Yes, I uh, I accept your invitation?” She’d never actually been on a date before. She’d done everything, almost everything, besides that. Was that how you responded?

She must’ve said the right thing because Jamyang grinned. “Great! It takes around two days of flying from here, so we usually fly three days before to get there a head of time.” Then her grin turned into a thoughtful frown. “You’re staying for another…. two weeks? Did I remember right?”

“Two weeks and three days.” It wasn’t master duties or nun duties that pulled her away. Not temple duties either. She’d gotten her first painting commission; the emotion of an almost finished painting of a bison herd and the herder had captured the eye of a minor noble. Her parents and friends took her out to celebrate when they found out.

“Hm, so you need to fly four days a head of time? Two days from Taktsang to here and then another two- no, five days a head.”

“Why are you intent on having me there so early?” Jamyang blushed brightly and looked down. Gawa had never seen her blush so much in the years she’d known her. Her heart fluttered, knowing she was the reason for it. “I want to show you around and uh- “ she rubbed at her neck. “I want to spend time with you.”

“I’ll be there early then.”

Jamyang helped Tashi get up on the baby bison. “And then,” she guided her small hands to the fur around its neck. “You grab here, okay?”

“Okay.” The bison made a joyful sound and took off; Tashi’s laughter infectious laughter reverberated around them the higher up she got.

Gawa grabbed Dorje and placed him on another bison, and gave him the same instructions. Gaden and Tenzin rode together on different bison while Chesa, with no instructions, jumped on a bison and took off with more confidence than the other children had combined. She almost toppled off of the bison laughing- scaring her to bits- when a handful of red panda cubs flew around her.

Gawa approached her. “What game did you have them play earlier?”

“Oh, it’s not really a game. More of an exercise.”

“What for?”

“Balance.” She answered. “Sister Tsering and Sister Gyalwo had us do it when we were younger to prepare us for air ball. You hold hands and stand in a circle on one leg and you jump to the other in a rhythm of five beats and the goal is to not fall over or make anyone else in the circle fall over.” She finished. “A hard task for uncoordinated toddler legs.” Gawa snickered.

“So, like sand dancing?” Jamyang remembered joining in on a training session when she was younger and being utterly confused as to why they were dancing. It ended up being a lot more difficult than she’d imagined it to be. She hummed and nodded. “Yeah, it’s like sand dancing.”

“Were you good at the exercise?”

“Third best.” She grabbed her hand, and Gawa intertwined their fingers. “Ngawang and Pema beat me there. I was good at saving them from falling, although often at the expense of my balance.”

Gawa gave her a look. “I never pegged you as someone to do that. Bookworm and all.”

“I got bribed with sweets to be cooperative.” Sister Chomden’s might make the best momos, however Sister Tsering had talent for making dango.

“I’ll give you six skewers of dango and you can choose a book on my bookshelf to study.”

“Deal.”

“That sounds a lot like the teaching methods back home.”

“I guess. Sister Tsering studied under Elder Sonam and she interweaved her teachings with a lot of Kushi philosophy and training.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Ama said she had them climb the mountains without their bending and staff classes were always a bit ‘odd.’”

Jaya's behaviour was off when she got back from her little trip. She wasn't outright lying to her, just not really in depth about her visit. Jamyang wouldn't pry into her business, that still didn't meant she wasn't suspicious though.

Nyima answered letters from a fire nation hawk with an enthusiasm she hadn't see before. Ghamo would look over her shoulder and smile at whatever she wrote.

Hmm.

Jjongie groaned in greeting as she flew past the pagoda to the stables. Jamyang frowned when her sibling was nowhere in sight.

Gawa leaned into her side, her eyes following Jjongie until she was out of sight. “Yara’s here?” Jamyang looked around. No Yara. “Looks like it.” Sky bison with an owner didn’t really fly from one temple to another alone. Herds were a different topic because of the existence of a herder.

She spotted her on a different pagoda walking into the tower. “Come on, she’s on a different pagoda.” It’s weird that she hadn’t tower jumped with another person yet. Especially Gawa, with the amount of hand holding they did before making their feelings known to each other. They followed Yara into the tower at a distance.

Yara approached Elder Sonam while she was reading her lotus sutra. “Elder Jungney asked me to give you this,” she handed her a letter. Elder Sonam looked surprised and put her sutra scroll down. “Jampa did?” Her head twitched the moment the name left her mouth. It looked like she caught herself, but was too late into the act to stop.

Jampa was Elder Jungney’s first name. Jamyang wasn’t aware that they knew each other that well. Neither was Yara judging by that look on her face; slight frown and a raised eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware that you knew each other on that level.” Jamyang didn’t remember seeing them interact at all during their visits to the Eastern temple. Elder Sonam smiled sadly when she grabbed the letter. “Old habits are hard to break.” Gawa’s head moved in her peripheral vision.

She rolled her sutra scroll back up and got up. “I will see to it and respond immediately.” And she walked away. Jamyang noticed the tense line in her shoulders. Hm.

“They were together once.” She looked at Gawa when she said that, bewildered. Yara shared her feelings on the matter, slowly turning her head and looking at her as if she had two heads. “A sad ending?” Her eyes locked onto Elder Sonam’s back until she turned a corner. “Definitely a sad ending.” She nodded to herself.

“What are you talking about? Elder Jungney has never been with someone as far as I know.”

“How are you so sure?”

Gawa shrugged her shoulders. “I just know. I always feel a sense of sadness when something like this occurs. Their reactions are always telling.”

Yara looked at them, really looked at them. She got up close to her face, too. “What?” She pulled back, looked at Gawa for five seconds and then back at her. “Are you two together?” Her finger moved between them. Gawa froze beside her and Jamyang wasn’t faring much better. “I, well, I, uh,” Yara’s eyes creased as a smile steadily grew on her lips. Jamyang looked helplessly at Gawa for help, but only got a panicked, wide-eyed and red face in reply.

“I don’t know yet.” There’s been no formal asking to be partners yet. Gawa said yes to both of her questions, so she’d been going the traditional route of dating- trying to at least- first and then asking the question.

That’s what the characters in the books did. And Gawa didn’t seem to mind what she was doing.

Yara’s mouth dropped, and she looked between the two of them rapidly. “You’re- you’re not joking?”

“Um,” Gawa hesitated and looked at her again. “I hope we’re not joking.” The fear in her eyes set something off in her. “No,” she said firmly. “We’re not joking.” Yara’s smiling. Unabashed, smiling. That type of smile you try to hide with your hand and fail miserably at. Jamyang turned to Gawa. “We’re getting there, right?” So many emotions swirled around in her eyes and she smiled, but Jamyang knew her well enough to notice that she was holding it back. If she’d let go, it’d be a full out grin.

“Yeah, we’re getting there.”

Yara clapped her hands together and mouthed- because there’s been a history of children hearing stuff they weren’t supposed to- ‘FINALLY!’

“Oh, it’s such an anticlimactic revelation since I’ve known that the two of you’d always end up together.” What??? “You’re not quite there yet, but I’m happy for the both of you, regardless.” She hugged both of them.

“Ask if you need anything.” Yara had boyfriends. She also had a girlfriend. And she also had other partners. Jamyang, on the other hand, didn’t, until now. She had small crushes and admired people- Amanthi had the honour of being the first person she admired- but never felt the need to act on them. She’d been content with her life and there’s never been a want for anything more until now. Jamyang knew what she was doing in theory. Theory and execution differed in this phase.

Sonam was so going to laugh at her when she found out. Sonam and Yara both knew what they were doing.

“I have no idea what I’m doing, so it’ll be often.”

Jamyang pulled Dorjee’s scroll out and started reading.

“…. Bringing anything physical into the spirit world isn’t impossible. Much to my shock and initial denial of the possibility. I learned it from a traveling yogi who’d reached a higher level of spirituality than me when I wandered after my life at the temple. It was fascinating to see him bring and leave things. I never reached his level. His secret was accepting the relationship between Brahman and atman.” Jamyang frowned. That was from old, really texts. She wrote them down on paper when she found it written on bamboo leaves. “I found this difficult with my upbringing at the temple. So I found something that worked for me. I can’t store things in the spirit world in the same way that yogi could, but I can bring something or someone physical with me.” So… she could bring Gawa with her to the red panda village? “I don’t have anyone to bring with me, but I tested it multiple times, and the method works for both objects and the living. It’s a bit of an unconventional approach since the focus is getting into the spirit world. And it might be distracting to visualise something else when aiming for the spirit world.”

Visualisation meditation? She put his scroll down and grabbed some empty scrolls and books, laid them out on the floor, grabbed her brush and ink, sat down, and continued reading. Jampo jumped down from her bed and leaned his head onto her leg, curious about what she was doing.

“It’s that simple. Visualisation meditation. It requires more focus and it might take longer because you’re bringing more than just yourself. The dhyana mudra has shown the quickest results.” She set the scroll down and did the aforementioned mudra.

Two books, three scrolls, inkwell, brush and- Jampo? What was he doing? He glowed a bright gold in her mind’s eye. Was he trying to warm her? He’d never done that before while she meditated. She’d woken up to him sleeping on her before, but not this. What’s he doing-

Jamyang opened her eyes to see the familiar bright colours of the spirit world. She’s holding the books and scrolls, the inkwell and brush were in her right hand; Jampo was on the ground to her right, looking expectantly up at her.

“What did you do?” He made this weird sound between a quack and a snort. The commotion of the red panda village drew her attention, and she started running.

The lōng, flat tone, was flying over the village. She still had time.

…

Jamyang got there just in time for when the lōng started his dance. “Yes! I made it!” Jampo went and climbed the bamboo stalks with the other red pandas.

“I wasn’t expecting you.” She got startled at the sound of Guru Panda standing a few feet behind her. “Me neither. I wanted to test something.” Her grip tightened around her books and scrolls. “If that’s okay.”

“Of course it is. “

The lōng came down lower and continued his dance. Jamyang gasped, “Look, look!” She heard the scratching of the bamboo as Jampo climbed and the thud and the indignant quack he let out as he fell.

She put her stuff down. “Where do I start?”

The lōng moved closer and she could see the horns and bright red scales.

Amazing!

Jamyang stole a kiss in a hallway when Gawa dragged her out for another training session.

“You know what you’re doing.” Gawa bit her lip when she pulled away, her gaze lingering on her mouth. Tempting, so tempting.

“Blame Sonam, she’s a good teacher.”

“I’d rather praise her.”

“She’s fond of that, too.”

The bright red scabbard she’s holding caught her attention. She’s holding the famous black lined mempo in her left hand. “I’ve always wanted to teach you ever since you were a child.” Elder Sonam said, her eyes soft. The words surprised her. “What?”

“I’ve wanted to teach both you and Yara ever since you were children.” She said. “Take you on as apprentices and teach you everything I know. I would’ve if this was a different temple.”

Jamyang stood there, stunned. Gawa stared at the side of her head. She didn’t need to look at her to know her eyes said ‘Accept it, accept it, accept!’ “I, uh, you can still teach me. I’d accept the offer in a heartbeat.” Elder Sonam looked between them, smiled, and put the mempo on. The change in her expression was immediate. “Not right now. I’ll start teaching you later.” That’s fine too. Totally. Totally.

She looked down when her foot inched forward. This- this, she wasn’t doing anything. What? Each breath got heavier than the last. Her hands started shaking. What was this?

Gawa grabbed and rubbed the back of her hand with her thumb.

Was this what she was talking about?

‘No, you don’t understand. She’s terrifying.’

“I’ll go-,” she vaguely pointed to her right. “Train. It’s arm day.” She looked back at Elder Sonam, there’s warmth in her eyes regardless of her blank expression. The scabbard was so red. “Good luck.” Gawa squeezed her hand in response.

A pair of black linen shoes and the end of a blue robe appeared in her line of sight mid handstand.

She had a pair in brown. It went well with the orange and yellow colour scheme of the robes at the temple.

“Nice form.” Anong said. “You’ve been holding it for a couple of minutes now. You must be really strong.”

“I know I am, but I’ve never tested it, though.” She came down from the handstand. “Are you here to spar?” She got up on her feet and brushed her robes.

“Mind reader.”

“No, I just had a feeling. The mind reader is Gawa.”

“You’re friends with Dölma’s cousin?”

“… sort of,” she explained, more at her eyebrow raise. “We’re in the in-between phase of a relationship. We’re getting there.” She shuffled on the spot.

“Aw, how adorable.” She cooed and pinched her cheek. Anong pulled her hand back. “But yes, I wanted to spar with you. What are you comfortable with?”

“Wing chun.” Jamyang knew baji quan and xingyi quan from her multiple stays at Yonggungsa and Zixiao. She knew the baji quan forms with a jian, too. She was also familiar with liuhebafa, the Tanah lot variant and the southern Druk’s nest variant, but wing chun was the one she practised most. The mu ren zhuang’s were easily accessible in the hidden rooms in the mountain grottos.

Anong’s feet slid into a stance, and she had her hands raised and palms open. She looked expectantly at her.

Jamyang gave them a light punch before assuming her stance.

Anong smirked. “Good luck.”

“You too.”

…

There was a result from her daily practise. Jamyang was proud of herself.

A bruise was growing on the side of Anong’s face and her lip busted after three repeated palm strikes to the face. Jamyang’s nose started bleeding after a hard palm strike to the face and she felt multiple minor bruises all over her torso. They’re both winded.

The slashes and clangs of Gawa and Elder Sonam’s sword were suddenly much more distant to her ears.

“You’re good.” Jamyang was close, but she didn’t have the title of master yet. Anong did. It was clear in how she carried herself. She had a head start, though. The people of Tirta emul started way earlier than she did at seven winters.

“You’re good too.”

“Have you helped a rinpoche out of a past life before?” Gawa laid her head on her lap. Jamyang moved her book so she could look down at her. “I’ve assisted and witnessed it, but never led such a ceremony though. Why are you asking?” She bookmarked the book, laid it to the side, and focused on her.

“Just curiosity. Elder Sonam mentioned that Kushidera and Jiming Linggu have a special bond after the attack by Haru rinpoche.”

“Ah, the time Sogen was head priest.” She said. His blood letter still existed after six hundred years. A bit of an oddity too. A non combat monk from a primarily combat temple. “What’s it like to witness something like that?”

“It’s…. an enlightening experience.” She started. “They rinpoche’s of Kushi are all so connected to their past lives where they struggle to differentiate the past and future, their present self and past self.” One rinpoche accused her, in a delirious state, of being a spy during a visit. “They struggle to sleep and they struggle to function normally because of the regrets and pain of their previous lives.” Jamyang remembered playing with a rinpoche, a young boy at two winters. He’d happily been playing with his relics and tears suddenly started streaming down from his face and she’d remembered how confused he looked.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘No sad.’ He put his relics down and wiped his face. ‘I no sad. I no sad. Not me.’ And then, something in him shifted, body and expression. He hunched over and started sobbing. Heart wrenching sobs and weak punches to her shoulder as if he wanted to fight the world itself.

“The identity of the present needed to be accumulated without outside interference. Sogen stressed the need for the rinpoche to have something that was theirs, untouched by the three poisons.” She said and ranked her fingers through Gawa’s hair. “We carve custom masks and paint them to honour the past lives. We hold ceremonies where the spirit guides and oracles talk with the past lives with the help of the masks and attempt to ease their pain. It’s saddening to listen to their pain.”

“In the situation of Haru Rinpoche, his identity got lost within himself. His name was never his in the end and all of his past lives fought over the control over his body. Sogen’s biggest regret was allowing a monk from the Northern temple into Kushi when Haru Rinpoche was a child. I don’t know the exact details, but the monk was a lotus member and subtly manipulated his life choices so that he’d be what the organization wanted.”

“No.”

“Yeah,” Jamyang nodded. “Nothing belonged to him, nothing was ever his. It’s believed he said ‘I am no one, it’s clear to me that my worth is equal to the dirt you step on,’ when the Elders tried to prevent him from leaving. He, it’s doubted that it actually was him, eventually attacked Kushi for the betrayal.”

Elder Sonam’s words echoed in her mind. “Never betray the spirits, swing the naginata with no anger to protect the secrets that hide within the blessed ones and hunt those that know to ensure that the secret stays a secret.”

No wonder she didn’t have friends from Kushi.

“Do you want the hidden blades back?” They were in the hidden cabinet in her room, together with her other temple contrabands.

“I rather you keep them. I have multiple blue prints and can make my own.”

She handed Gawa the last armful of red panda cubs who placed them in Asahi’s saddle. “No one’s missing, right?” Gawa double checked before floating down. “It’s all of them. No one’s missing.”

Jampo should’ve been here. Where was he, anyway? He’s a great conversation starter. They looked at each other, and Jamyang had no idea what to say. Asahi shifted on his feet. He shielded them from the people out currently.

“I, uh,” she walked up and pulled her into a hug, bending down so it was easier for her to wrap her arms around her shoulders. “This is what you do, right?” She felt Gawa smile into the cleft of her shoulder. “It is,” she pulled back and her fingers stroked her jaw. Gawa looked up at her and then down at her lips and she leaned in-

The sweet scent of wisteria incense entered her nostrils. Gawa’s touch made her skin tingle- it always had. That’s not normal, right?- and her heart beat faster and faster. She’s so grateful for being able to do this with her. It’s soft, a little longer than a peck and she nipped on her lower lip when pulling away. “I’ll see you at the festival?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Write to me in the meantime.” Gawa patted her cheek. “Of course.” Jumped on to Asahi and took off with a wave over her shoulder.

A stupid smile broke out across her face.

A body barreled into her side. “You two are adorable!” Yara gushed. “I mean it!” Jamyang started laughing, and so did Yara, when she saw her face. “I’ve never seen you so red before!”

“Me neither.”

Notes:

Jampo sleeps high up in a tree while Jamyang struggles to have a conversation with Gawa. I'm thinking 10-15 more chapters of this and the story is finished, and then I'll start another work were its just them. They're young adults here and they'll be around late thirties early forties when Yangchen is a child if my math is correct. So I want to write moments where the main point is them, Jamyang growing and honing her skills in combat, and becoming the person I have in my mind. And then there's the topic of children... they will both be having children, just not now. Later in their life, in another work. It's never specified, but from my understanding Kushidera temple in Ghost of Tsushima either practice Tendai buddhism or zen budhism from the robes they wear. So I've decided that Elder Sonam comes from a mainly Tendai buddhist background which is Mahayana with vajrayana practices like esoteric rituals and tantric manuscripts. The tendai school emphasizes the importance of the lotus sutra, hence this term 'namu ichijō myōhō renge kyō' being used a lot. The regrets of a monk (Sogen of Kushidera) gives some back story to this chapter. It was an impulse post and I wrote it at four in the morning in 45 minutes to an hour or so. I guess it's a scenario where it goes in a completely different direction when a white lotus member is watching you, but from the head priest perspective. The two quotes in this chapter are from Boddhidharma and the half of Gawa's response is quote from Yushiro from kny. I scoured the internet to look for a gif to give Elder Sonam's teleporting an image and the only thing I found I was this gif It's not exactly like that, Elder Sonam's technique is a lot faster, more of a flicker and there's no crows, but it gives a picture. Slight ace jamyang, I think? Graysexual? Demisexual? Is it demisexual? I have a whole folder for this for when I get to writing about Yangchen, but I mix the terms up all the time. There's so many terms! She's content with herself basically, but if it happens, it happens and she likes you, she won't say no. Jamyang and Jampo falling in the spirit world both in gray scale and in colour by gabriel_stratulat on instagram Words: Dharmottāra: Tibetan for Boddhidharma momo-la: grandmother popo-la: grandfather luohan quan: arhat fist, general name for styles named after holy buddhist figures Geshe and geshema: it's the same as a buddhist phd. You need to study a years to achieve it Kyo: Korean earth dragon three poisons: Greed, hatred and delusion dorje tekpa: vajrayana buddhism Rinpoche: title for a reincarnated teacher Brahman and atman: Atman is the individual self and brahman is the spirit of the universe; atman is the water droplet while brahman is the ocean baji quan: one of four main styles of kung fu taught in the wudang mountains, the three others are xingyi quan, tai chi and baguazhang xingyi quan: second style taught in the wudang mountains liuhebafa: An internal Chinese martial arts, often referred to as 'water boxing' because of the principles. The taoist sage Chen tuan is often credited for creating the style mu ren zhuang: wing chun dummy Samadhi: highest state of mental realization you can achieve while bound to your body The state of anatta: a stage of cultivation where the mind is in a calm state, completely free of the constraints caused by ones surroundings.

#a love in the eye of the hurricane #Aliteoth original chapters #oc fanfiction #atla oc fanfiction #oc centric #airbenders & airbending #oc jamyang #stories from people at ordinary temples #stories from people at ordinary temples series

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