The Meeting of the Faiths

[Niamh Sionnaigh]

There's a sick sort of pleasure Niamh experiences when she watches others make the terrible realization that there's a monster standing there, just visable out of the corner of their eye.

It's moments like this that Niamh feels powerful, unstopible....and everything but human.

Hanging back, Niamh listens as they exclude her from the conversation, more powerful personalities taking the forefront. Noting booths and signs, making a mental reminder to visit the ones that have been spoken of. If they are impressive enough to hold the unbeating hearts of these kindred they might be worthwhile to investigate them, not only to learn more of the world, and the kindred present but to see if she could settle her own and spirit.

The world was large when she was alive, and now she was dead it only seemed to grow. Especially now that she was on land.

She opens her mouth to speak-hesitates.

Not only did she not know what to say, but would any words from her be wanted?

[Takeda Katsumi]

"Do as thou wilt? Is that the whole of your law?" Takeda asked the giant, a sardonic note entering her voice, if not her expression. "I must admit, I find such a focus upon the self to be very arrogant and short sighted. What can be achieved, after all, that will not one day fade? The seasons change. Flowers wither, snow melts, and even stone is ground into dust by water and wind. One must consider this, even as we must consider the present moment, for that is the way to find true understanding."

She trailed off, glancing towards the monster lurking on the fringes of the gathering in its shabby human disguise.

"At least," she continued, glancing back to the two men, "that is how I see things. Just as, in my mind, animals do have morality. I do not believe they are merely bundles of prearranged chemical reactions, or that they are fleshy things put here for our use. They merely follow a different path, that of the beast. I know it as Chikushōdō, and the reward you describe is merely their enslavement to their own attachment, whether it be to food, companionship, or even mating."

She paused once again, and then turned to the lurking monster once again. Niamh Sionnaigh

"What of you? Do beasts appear in you religious outlook?"

[Lawrence Taft]

Taft smiles at what may have been a chastisement - from the small woman to the large man. He can't say if he agrees. Entirely. Certainly in that one must not focus solely on the self... but without the self one is nothing. Some great cosmic wheel may exist, but it turns with - or without - any one person. If the universe doesn't care about the individual, the individual should become their own universe.

The big man answers well enough. A rebuttal not to challenge Takeda's beliefs; it challenges her understanding of his. Taft, at last, offers his own insight. After all; this is damned interesting. "What I see is that selflessness is dead. In deed and purpose. Altruism, at best, empowers the self and quiets the demons of isolation. In the end, every act serves the self. No amount of idealism can change that." Of course, their Asian counterpart likely isn't an idealist. Just one who values the external forces more than Westerners care to.

There, again, is a reminder of just how far removed Takeda is from Taft's own, conventionally influenced mindset. Animals with what? Souls? A purpose beyond the uses mankind has for them. "If an animal ever decides to correct my point of view, I'll be sure to listen." A wry smile. With the driest of wit.

Again the raggedy creature is offered a 'seat' in their circle. Curiosity begs that she does, soon. Or Taft will simply have to take a more direct route.

His attention returns to the present conversation, though his eyes linger on the outsider for an uncomfortable moment longer - even as he addresses Krieg. "Sounds like you consider it something to be explored, rather than dreaded. Fear of one's own mortality certainly drives the masses from pursuing the prospect. But I'll bite; suppose one could cross into the other realm. Would he learn the secrets of the universe? Or perhaps be confronted with terror so deep he loses his mind? I, for one, would like to delay the 'finding out' as long as I can." If he plays his cards right, that could be a very long time indeed.

[Niamh Sionnaigh]

"An icebreaker it is not." her voice so different then those present, the accent carried more by the strange final inflections. "It's been entertaining and enlightening listening to ya talk, that's for sure. My companions before I came here avoided any religious talk, like it was on fire." blithely admits, and wonders if anyone would flinch from the word.

"Mother raises me Catholic, Gran was opposed to the idea." she says, allowing them to pull their own conclusions, withholding her own indecision about it all. Indecision was a weakness.

And Niamh isn't going to let them know about that.

[Takeda Katsumi]

When the giant's hand strayed closer to her, the smaller haunt immediately locked eyes with him. A fool would focus upon the hand, and a novice would focus upon the body, a true warrior would not focus upon only the flesh. Before every moment of bloodshed came the projection of an aura, and it was the aura, the energy, the intent, that Takeda was waiting for.

Her aura, her intent, of course, was already quite clear.

"If you truly wish to discover the path to the Underworld, bring your hand closer to me," Takeda declared, her voice as smooth and refined as the edge of her blade.

The conversation, as interesting as it had become, would have to wait until the giant made his choice.

[Lawrence Taft]

What elapses between Haunts entrances Taft. He is unable to keep a straight face, as one eyebrow strays from its normal position. His mouth resembles the thinnest of smiles. Rapt interest in his eyes as he observes this darkening Danse. Now he does have the opportunity to hold his breath. One threat answered by another. Neither seeming cowed. If violence were to erupt in this very moment, who would emerge victorious?

Unfortunately fortunately neither of the two are foolish enough to shed blood in public. A place of worship, no less.

At last, the lurking one speaks. An Irish Catholic. Of all the things discussed tonight, that has to be the most tame. Mainstream. Unless, of course, there is more to it. Taft smiles as welcomingly as he can manage. "Those are two views: your mother and grandmother. But where do you sit? Do you feel Catholicism to be your true calling?" ​

[Niamh Sionnaigh]

The threat of her flees the minds of others as voice and action take center stage.

It's one thing when it is under the surface, subtle and instinct, but something overt to something so seemingly simple...

Like a bbabling brook, words continue to flow. Behemoth and Spider dismiss the interrupted violence and Niamh claims them fools. Perhaps it was a women's instinct, somewhat rusty and unpractised by Niamh, but the sea wolf had a feeling that Takeda was not going to forget this. Not the ceasing of the approaching hand, but the forceful momentum, the dismissal of action. Or reaction from the orental haunt.

Niamh is content to watch, until she's drawn back into the conversation.

Before continuing or draining breath she needed to form words, Niamh looks the Asian Haunt in the eye and inclines her head, pausing to see if their would be action or reaction from her, only proceeding if it's made clear she dose not.

First to the behemoth, "How is my being raised in an Irish Catholic family new to anyone? I know there's jokes about such things now,"

Then to the Spider, "Oh, I think I can rightly say, I don't hold favor to Catholicism anymore." though she dose elaborate, finding it amusing to see them ask after a lonely little savage.

[Takeda Katsumi]

Takeda did not appear to relax, no matter that the giant had chosen to withdraw his challenge. Rather, she simply allowed the challenge to be withdrawn and directed her attention back to the other Demons near her, the giant held in the peripheries of her eyes.

"What we believe in often proves to be contrary to the true way, distorted as it is by our tendencies to favor our own thoughts and views. Acknowledge this and you will come to view things in an all-encompassing sense," she quoted, drawing upon the book of the Void, though she doubted the others would recognize it.

"This is, I believe, is similar to your emphasis upon curiosity, doubt, and exploration, is it not? Or losing favor in one view of the world. Though, I am curious; if you lose favor in one view of the world, does that not require you to have found favor in another?"