Friends in all beliefs

Posts : 757

To study, to fast, to come to terms with oneself, to become apart of something bigger than numbers and letters, to understand that life might be more than just chance. Shinjin wanted to find the answers to the questions that he had wondered on for so long. Mysteries and truths and the unequivocal but elusive answer to life. What did it mean to be a human being, placed on this earth? To solve a task or a puzzle, the ability to build and hunt... Are humans so higher than the other animals of the world that the very word animal did not mean human as well? To be called an animal was to be lesser than. Yet when Shinjin looked at humans all he saw was an animal, an animal that had come to the ability to question its surroundings. Not ruled by the primal instincts of the brain. A little more thought survival. To eat, an animal would think, is to live. But a human understood that eating was only means to and end. Something larger existed beyond that.

To ponder on these thoughts in the cool robes of a monk, at the base of a large fruit tree was relaxing. Each time the wind blew he could feel his mind grow quiet as if nature was hushing him. Listen boy, listen to me and you will find all the answers you need. Listen to me and your well will not run dry. The animals who had homes in the tree had not been bothered by his presence at all. Squirrels and such ran up to him, ran away, again and again until they realized he was no threat. Birds found seeds inches way from his legs hopped around him to find more and flew away when they realized he had been sitting on all of the good ones. Sweet notes of the ambiance danced around his ears when a mocking jay landed. It sung a song it had heard from another, passing a beautiful tale.

Shinjin understood that the idea of a divine Creator was not entirely hogwash. There was truth to it, or at least enough questions that could not be answered for there to be a possible truth. But what he did not understand was the idea that worship and hard prayer and rules were all apart of it. Shinjin understood what prayer really was, it was simply the hope in a future for oneself or another, to wish good upon someone. A fond thought. He felt no need to ask someone for that. His mind fell on a time when he had seen a congregation leave a church in droves. These people whom he had seen around the village were suddenly dressed, pressed and prettied up only for a single day. Why? Is it not the purpose of the Creator to see his creation live? Why did that purpose include a day of worship? An divine Creator certainly knew the thoughts of his creations by their understanding, so why did they have to remind the Creator that they had not forgotten him? Shinjin began to believe that every rule in organize religion had been just that, a way to organize it.

Shinjin felt that true belief was not in the Creator, but rather the people. The Creator was responsible for humanity, he would rightfully be aware of the good and evil that it could cause. What were did human laws and rules fit into that? To worship, to prostrate, those things he did not want to do. Shinjin could not see him self spreading the 'gospel' to others or constructing rules and guidelines for people to follow. He believed that the true purpose of humans was to discover humanity and to spread goodness and wealth in knowledge. Each tenant of every religion had been nigh identical when he studied them. Remove titles, remove the rules and you have the naked truth. The truth as simple as day light. A Creator no matter how strong or all knowing only goal in creating humanity was not for his creation to follow them, it would be to see if they could work together. Come side by side and be as great as they wanted to be. The famous writers and poets, the song composers and singers, those who were remembered through time... That was the pinnacle of humanity. To become so close with an art form or job that whenever the conversation of music had been brought up, the best singer was always mentioned Not for the sake of fame, but rather to show the power of affinity. Like a tree is to mother nature, a fish is to river. To become one with your direction in life on that level, that was to know humanity. A person's will turned into intention to resolve. Shinjin believed that is what the Creator wanted.

Shinjin was content in spreading that message. Be whatever you want, do what made you smile, all while loving ones brother and sister in humanity. He understood that there may be some uncharacteristic examples, but to smile upon a fellow and think only hope and good tidings in his or her future would not allow for the complete image to become sullied.. The intention to do positively in the sake of humanity, that was all that he required.

Dusk had began to settle in the world around him. Sunlight began to blot out of the horizon. Tiny fractured lights began to come in to view, the forest standing out against the gloaming night sky. For hours he had sat there, meditating on belief, unaware of how the current of time flowed on around him. Meditation had been akin to a slumber from the real world, the white noise that clouded out his mind, every thought of a chore or task.. human work. Now it was time to awaken from sleep and complete these things.

For an hour he walked out of the country side to the road ahead of him. It narrowly wove between hills and a single mountain, serrated on the sides by homes of country folk. There were pigs and cows out to pasture, some sleeping some running. Fires lit warm the houses that he walked by, each cold wind stoked them larger and larger. This place was much more peaceful than the richest parts of Kirigakure. There was the tingling sensation of freedom here. Open and exposed to the world. Naked beauty slept everywhere.

Before long, Shinjin could hear the crunch of grass step behind him and the sound of breathing pant around him. The mind of a young Suuin District boy gripped on to survival. His muscles tightened into hard knots on his body and he would attack if attacked, or attack if he thought his enemiy to be weak enough. Take one out quickly when being threatened, demoralize the enemy that way and then break the rest. Shinjin turned around to see who had approached him. Who had dared to disturb his time of peace with violence?

Behind him was a small boy who looked to be about ten years old, but had the height of someone half that age. His feet were bare, his shirt was dirty and there was blood caked on his eye. Shinjin could see that his lip had been almost broken in two and he tried to keep as still as possible to keep it from hurting anymore than it already was. He had seen to many children like this before in the Suuin district back home. They reminded him of a time where he was homeless and hungry and survived for a piece of bread or drippings from an empty soup pot. Shinjin had now become a fat in their eyes. He had thick hair, strong cheeks, big muscles and white teeth. A rich glutton. For some reason he began to feel shame over come him and he did not know why.

“Mister...” he said.

“What happened to you?” Shinjin asked.

The boy almost began to cry. “I.. I got attacked by a boar and I got separated from my mama and papa,” he began to sob uncontrollably and rushed over to Shinjin's long robes to wipe his face and dirty tears with. He clung to his leg as if he never wanted to experience what being lost felt like ever again.

“Calm down, which why did your mom and dad go? How did you get separated from them?” he asked.

“We were on a camping trip and I went to go get some fire wood and I remember papa said don't go alone but I was wanted to be a big boy and I went anyways and when I got lost in the woods I tried to find them and a big boar came out of the woods and trampled me and hit me in the eye and I hid in a tree and then I kept running until I could find someone.”

Mercy on this child. Shinjin could barely understand what he was saying, he spoke way too fast and cried between almost every word. Shinjin scooped the child up in his arms and placed his legs around his head so he could sit on the back of his neck. The child didn't protest at all and gripped him by his hair and began to slowly stop crying. Shinjin wondered if this was some trial for him by the Creator. He washed the thought from his mind as it came. This was the work of humans, he did not need a Creator to do good, because what the Creator would want was for him to do good without needing to think about it in the first place.

“You can see everything up there right?”

“Mhm.”

“Now look around. You came running up behind me so that means the forest is back some where behind us. Do you see anything familiar ahead of us? Do you see the houses over the hills and about the way? Does anything remind you of something?”

“Ummm, I don't know...”

Shinjin chuckled and began to walk. Hopefully the child would catch on. To go back and search the forest would be a huge waste of time, Shinjin had to take him back to the city where they could search in the morning. There were no provisions out here for them to survive on and the lights in the distance only put the city about a mile away from them. His parents would either already be headed in that direction most likely to get help from shinobi. Plus the boy may have other family that lived within the city as well.

Shinjin toted the boy on his shoulders for an hour or so. He'd asked him several times if he wanted to walk beside him but each time he protested. Shinjin didn't think he was heavy or bothersome, but only wanted to see if the boy was feeling better and had the ability to walk. He sensed that he did, but Shinjin could also just as easily tell that he wanted to be with an adult, almost like he had not been with one in a very long time. Longer than the time he had spent with his parents. Even in the dead of night the city had been thick with people. The dirty boy riding on a clean monk had gotten plenty of stares. Shinjin didn't care, the only thing that mattered was the safety of the boy. Luckily for the little one, Shinjin had a friend here that could take care of him. One of Kyu's friends.

“Where are we going mister?”

“To a friends house. You need some medical attention kid, and something warm to eat. Plus I've been smelling your feet for about an hour now and they're stinky and you need a bath.” he chuckled.

“But...Mama and Papa.....” his voice was melancholy.

“You know as well as I know you don't have a mama and papa. You're an orphan.”

Busted. He could feel the muscles in the boys thigh squeeze, he had tried to jump off of his head and run away. Shinjin grabbed him by his tiny ankles and held on. It had been obvious since the first moment he saw them that he was not a child away on a camping trip. Boars did not give black eyes and busted lips if provoked. Even if he had attacked on by accident, the boar would have definitely bruised him in other areas after scaring him off. And who went camping without shoes? No, this child had been attacked by some bullies, the knuckled black eye was a testament to that. He was a poor little street urchin.

Posts : 757

Shinjin rounded a corner to a house with a single flame lit. It was a small humble abode, carved directly into a massive rock wall. The window itself had no glass frame, just a single drape on the inside that kept the light out. Each hinge on the loose wooden door tugged on the rock frame it had been attached to when he knocked. He could see the fire began to lift itself and a silhouette of a woman apporach under the light. The door jiggled open and a lady in robes stepped to greet them. She pulled back her hood and let her hair down, she ushered them to come in.

“Shinjin. Who's your friend?”

Shinjin let the boy down and put him in a chair. He stood with his back to the door so he couldn't scamper off into the streets.

“He tried to trick me into finding his parents in the woods. Probably so he could rob me and lose me in the woods at the same time. I know a street child when I see one, I was one.”

The boy turned his eyes to a fireplace and crossed his arms. The gig was up. Shinjin reached into his pocket and pulled out two massive rolls of money and handed one to the woman for his upkeep. There was plenty more where that came from -because it came from Kyu- even though he probably wouldn't need to return to give more. He approached the child and took a knee, to meet him eye to eye. He placed the other wad of money in his hand, now he had his attention.

“Don't say anything. I know it's hard growing up on the streets but you can't make a living this way. This money, you keep it. I don't want to hear a report about you robbing or stealing or tricking people ever again. You have no reason to. This kind lady where will take you into the village tomorrow and you'll live with her for a little while until you can get yourself a job. Before you fall asleep tonight I want you to think about what you can do with that money to change things for people. For boys and girls just like you. Whether you take it and help people with it or con someone with it I won't be upset. Just remember the feeling you had when I gave it to you. Do that for someone else.”

The boy might have wanted to cry and throw himself around his neck and thank him but he didn't. He was too smart for that. There was no need for him to sell his surprise even further, he knew not to push it. Shinjin's faith didn't resolve around making someone think tat the Creator was watching over them pressuring them to do the right thing. True free will was accepting the chance for a person to do good and bad, to not sway them to either side, but simply allow them to understand that in unity more than one person could prosper. This child had every excuse to steal the money from the woman, run down the street and do whatever pleased him first. But yet he wouldn't. Shinjin knew it.

Shinjin kissed her on the cheeks and thanked her for opening her doors to him and a stranger at such a late time. He apologized, but she would not hear any more on it. The boy watched the robes sway back and forth in the wind as the monk left back the way he came. He looked out of the window at him and looked back down to all the money and gripped it. Shinjin was the first person to believe in him, the only person who had ever really trusted him. If a complete stranger could do that... He could only imagine the good he would do for the orphans back at home.

Religious Belief/Devout Faith/Friends in all places: