Rekaru Island

Hattori's makeshift bamboo island was flourishing, the trees growing dense and tall, covering the island as though they'd been here all along. It was a welcome change, the island had been quite unsightly before, riddled with jagged rocks and poor excuses for shrubbery. Now it wasn't quite like Nippon, nor would it ever be, but it not only looked better but served a purpose too. The wood was strong and flexible, perfect for use in building and tool making, and whilst Hattori was no craftsman he knew this was a resource that was worth the investment.

He stood amongst the trees, enjoying the sound of the wind rustling the leaves and knocking the bamboo stalks together. He breathed deep, savouring the earthy smell and found himself regretting he hadn't spent much time here as of late. The palace and all of its splendours were fine, as were the white trees of the Shrine, but this was his favourite island. Familiar but made his own to suit his- arguably, still, very Japanese- tastes.

"Otousama..." The young princess's soft, delicate vocals called out respectfully to her father as she drew near. As she moved forward, her long, inky tail snaked across the leaf litter, creating an audible hiss. There was a look of concern on the girl's face and it was obvious that there was something bothering her. Though young, Ikigai was already terribly bright. Her reasoning skills were far above par compared to others of her age. That being said, there were still some things that she was very unsure about. Not being sure made her... uncomfortable. She needed comforting, but more than that, she needed information.

Ikigai came up beside her father and sat, leaning her pallid frame against one of his thick forelegs. "Otousama..."  she spoke again softly. "I don't know what to think."  That was a big dilemma for the girl. She lived in a world of hard facts. She had gone to the sermons that her aunt Toxicity held, but she wasn't convinced that there were gods. She was even less convinced that she was one of them.

The girl raised silver eyes rimmed in red, looking to her father for guidance. "Aunt Toxicity said that I'm a god... but I don't think that she's right. I... I don't think gods are real." Her metallic gaze bore into him, looking for guidance. She wanted answers and she had come to her father to get them. Not her uncles, not her mother. She came straight to Hattori. Iki knew that her father was a man of facts. She knew that he wouldn't steer her wrong.

"Ikigai"

It wasn't often that Ikigai sought him out and thus when he heard her mutter a sweet honorific he turned to give her all of his attention. She was quite unlike her brothers and sisters, soft and genteel, taking after her grandmother in both looks, poise and grace. The Ashen Princess was no warrior nor would she ever be, but there was merit in her still. She reminded the Shogun of his life back in Nippon, of the culture and gentle rhythm of the quieter, more peaceful parts of life. How her dexterous toes plucked at the shamisen with natural talent and that she never even spilled a drop during tea ceremonies, she was the perfect lady even now. It could not be denied.

She was smart and thus he wasn't overly surprised to hear her concerns. How instead of simply swallowing what she'd been told she chose to think independently and to question what she'd been taught. Good.

Whilst Ashen had shifted under his co-rule there was no denying that the Abraxas faith still held some sway here. That Toxicity's presence and rank was enough to hold it in place, along with the compliance of her own children, a new generation of blind followers to retread her footsteps. He did not care for the religion but knew it still held some merit of importance in Venom's eyes, he didn't care enough to outright protest but he wouldn't force the matter on his children either. Sometimes stories were just that, tales to explain things wolves didn't understand. Such things were common back in Nippon and the same was true here, it was just how things were.

He stepped close with a thoughtful rumble in the back of his throat.

"To me it sounds like you already know." His gaze roved to the rustling canopy above, to the stray leaves that span to the ground. According to shinto beliefs Kami were all around them, in the wind and rain, earth and trees. Things he could see and touch, things that were real but in his mind,  not divine."I do not believe in the Abraxas God or Kami. There is no shame in that."

Mercuric eyes scanned her father's face as he seemed to mull over her question. As he lifted his gaze to the rustling greenery above, the silken child did the same. She felt the peace here as well and often found her way to this place. It felt like home, though she couldn't quite explain why this place would feel more like home than any other place in Ashen. It was unfortunate that Iki had to avoid the shrine. The trees there were pretty and she had liked to count the fish when she was younger, but being in close proximity to her aunt... it made her uncomfortable.

In time, Hattori answered and the young princesses brow furrowed slightly. "It doesn't feel true." Would he understand that? Ikigai loves stories, but she knew the difference between stories and reality. The pallid girl liked facts and proof. Her mind balked when it came to blind faith and unquestioning belief. Toxicity was adamant that she had seen a god, but Ikigai hadn't, so how could she believe it to be true?

Her father continued, sharing his own lack of- belief in gods and Kami. Instant relief struck and the tension seemed to leave her body. "Otousama... then it's okay if I don't believe as well?" The youngling gave her crown a little tilt. "Obasama said that wolves who don't believe in Abraxas will be dishonored and cursed. " Iki didn't believe in curses either, but she did believe in dishonor. Honor was very important to the little princess. She wanted to make her family proud, but she didn't want to lie and feign belief in order to do it.

"Ikigai"

The Shogun blinked slowly. He understood where she was coming from, her feelings echoed his own, with shadowed by insecurities. She had nothing to fear, not from Toxicity or her Fallen God, if this was the path she wished to take then Hattori would give his blessing. He could not say for certain how Venom would feel about this, but he knew more than anything else she loved her children, that she would do anything to ensure their happiness and health.

"It is okay, yes." He put it plainly, leaving no room for concerns to squirm through the cracks.

But again it always came back to Toxicity, how her faith seemed to smother everything around her, clouding her judgement as she saw all through a biased lens. Perhaps the issue laid with the fact his culture was far too different from hers, that they did not and would never be able to meld together. All of his children favoured stories of his homeland, respected and cherished the old ways of Nippon, leaving very little room for Klein and Abraxas influences to take hold. He saw this as a good thing, but he doubted the Omikuji would say the same. He exhaled slowly, close to a sigh but not quite. Ashen had changed and would continue to shift and reshape itself as the years passed on by. Change was a part of life, inevitable, manageable as long as you didn't fight against the current. But with Toxicitiy...Well, Hattori had a feeling this was no doubt a hill she would want to die on.

"That is just what she believes. Thinking something does not make it so."

As her father confirmed that it was okay to not believe in Toxicity's god, Ikigai breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to have to fake it or lie. The girl always wanted to hold true to her own genuine beliefs and convictions. She was sure that she could still bring her family honor without pretending to believe in something that she truly didn't. "Arigato gozaimasu." As always, the girl's voice was soft and clear. She bowed her head in thanks to her father's support.

There was another issue that had been stuck in Ikigai's head. Collecting stories from around Ashen, she'd heard once or twice that there had been sacrifices to this Abraxas god. Wolves had been thrown into volcanoes or drowned in the shrine. How had those wolves been chosen? Were they non-believers like her? Like her father? Hattori was the strongest wolf that Ikigai knew. Nothing could go against her father and live. Not unless he decided to be merciful. Iki wasn't a fighter though. She had to rely on others for protection. The snow and obsidian child licked her lips with her tapered snakes tongue before speaking again, this time a little more hesitantly. "Otousama... You won't let her hurt any of us, right?" Big, mercuric eyes raised, searching her father's face with both fear and hope. She didn't want any of them to end up in a volcano. She didn't want any of her family to get hurt. Why couldn't they all just believe in different things?

"Ikigai"

Hattori was content to leave it at that. He did not ask for his child's gratitude but he appreciated her gesture all the same, her manners were impeccable and when he looked upon her, he knew with unshakable certainty that she would grow up to be a fine woman. Following well in her Grandmother's footsteps like no other child of his would. The spirit of Nippon lived in her, as though the Kami themselves guided her steps.

It seemed as though she was not yet done and Hattori blinked slowly, wondering what other thoughts tormented her so. He saw so much of Venom in her, in the way the cogs were always turning behind her eyes, how she was thoughtful and considerate, leaving no stone unturned. Ikigai did not gloss over the details as her other siblings tended to do, she lingered on them to the extent where worries soon filled the spaces in between. It was both a strength and a weakness, a hurdle she would have to overcome on her own in time. But for now Hattori would offer her the reassurance she needed, in a brief display of father compassion.

"You are a Princess." He told her, as if it was a fact she never ought to forget. "She knows better than to try." Or at least she should, but that was not what Ikigai was asking. "You have nothing to fear, little one, she will not lay a paw on you."