Because someone should [Open/Ping Ai]

[Ao Ai]

Lady Ao Ai

It was a warm day in spring, the flowers and trees in the south of Jing province were just starting to bloom in their full wonder. They were having a good season spurred on by a strong rainfall all thew the season. It was just such a pleasing sight one could for just a moment forget the terrible things that were happening away from this sanctuary of peace payed for by her fathers fortune. Ao Ai lady of the house and young daughter of Ao Ling looked away from the window. On a day like this she just wanted to be outside but it had been far too long since she seriously studied and her father was getting worried. He had insisted if she was going to keep up her 'nocturnal activities' as he referred to them she must also keep up with her school work. He still wanted her to be well educated but today, it seemed bitterly cruel to force such a fate on her. Instead of her guide to 'the regional politics of Jingzhou' she had pushed aside the lengthy volume to reveal a hidden book. This far more interesting volume was titled 'the secret magics of the Tao' a religious work she found far more compelling. Not necessarily out of any religious yearning but a secret need to know there was still something mystic in this world. One day she was determined to find out if there was any truth to the rituals this book described. Putting he elbows onto the table and sighing loudly in the most un-ladylike way she yawned loudly. Looking back to the window she just wished for an excuse to get out of her fathers manor, to see the world as she had always wanted.

"My lord, trouble the river has swallowed the local village." A group of peasants from the local township of Gao Ang came running thew the large gate. They stood outside in the courtyard being held back by the guards. Unbeknown to them their shouts would be in vain, her father had gone to visit friends. That left his steward in charge, who be reluctant to offer help on his own inititive. That meant this was up to her, if no one else would help she would. "because someone should." She said to herself as she grabbed her boots, replacing her more delicate house shoes. Jumping out of her window she landed nimbly on the ledge showing the grace one might expect for an acrobat rather than a lady, her nocturnal activities were paying dividends now. She fell to the ground with hardly a sound and used the distraction of the peasants to sneak out unseen from the house. She would get her horse and ride at once to the village, maybe taking some medical supplies from the house. If the rainfall had caused the river to flood the people would need help and soon. Packing what she could she mounted her steed 'swift runner'. Kicking her spurs in she headed to the town of Gao Ang.

Gao Ang township

When she arrived she found a ruin, the river had washed away half the buildings, many of the locals also swept away by the strong current. Those that remained lay stricken and exhausted by the bank where the river had ended up. However they would not be safe there. Because of her studies, those she had been avoided she knew the river would continue to expand, they had to get further clear and fast. Leaving her horse unattended she dismounted, pulling her skirt up a little to give her room to run she dashed over.

"No, you cant stay here. We have to move." Ao Ai called out reaching for the first civilian she could find. A young boy, scared out of his mind. She took his hand leading him up to higher ground. So many still remained she didn't think she could help them all alone, but someone should. She felt tears in her eyes she was far to young to have to deal with this but would do what she could.

[Lady Ping]

Lady Ping, on a mission to convert the world to Buddhism, was travelling through Southern Jing province. The air was moist with the recent rain and this made the whole area refreshing to her. She walked, the sounds of her footsteps barely audible over the clank of the metal bo as it struck the ground. Noticing a nice patch of grass, she lay down, deciding that her sore feet deserved some affection which would be provided by a session of meditation.

At first, she was successful and could feel her ignorance of the world evaporate with the rain, however she eventually heard the cries of some people. Convinced that the noise was due to her attachment with the living world, she returned to meditation calmly. When she heard even more cries, Ai was intrigued. She opened her eyes and observed; there were people running towards a large gate. Realizing that there was something wrong, she stood up and walked in the direction of the gate.

Her hunch was correct. A lone horseman erupted from the gate, heading towards a village which Lady Ping was familiar with. Curious, she decided to follow. Although she could not keep up with the horseman, she was able to keep a nice and steady pace and was always in range to see which direction she was running in. It was difficult to run with her sandals, but with the help of her staff and everlasting faith, she managed.

What she saw at the village surprised even her. Even though she had braced herself with meditation, the sight was terrible. The village was ravaged. It was flooded beyond belief. The people were screaming and the children being washed away to their doom. One's first impression was obviously that these people were falling into bad habits such as refusing to meditate, or not following the Five Precepts. However, even she thought that not all of these children were deserving of the cruel fate that they had been dealt by God.

Rushing into the village, she noticed the horseman, who now (close-up) appeared to be a horsewoman. Although it was intriguing to see the horsewoman she had been following, she decided that it was more necessary to help the villagers rather than chit chatting. She ran towards the riverbank, immediately thrusting her staff into the water in the hopes that someone may grab hold. To her delight, it was like fish catching the bait - she scooped one man out of the water, albeit with difficulty. She did this exact process for several minutes before she realized that her actions were in vain; for there were no others to assist her.

But then she remembered. She quickly swiveled her head towards the horsewoman. She was stood on the high ground with a child and the other people that Ai saved. She was normally reluctant to talk to strangers when she wasn't telling them the joys of Buddhism, but this was of much greater importance. "Stranger!" She called: "I need your assistance, hurry, there are many lives to save. In the name of the Buddha, we must do something!"

[Ao Ai]

After a while it began to feel like for every single villager she was able to help there were two more in need of assistance. Yet all she was able to do was give them a hand pulling them further along. It felt like she needed to do more, but what could she do? it was not like she had been trained for something like this. If there was a cruel and evil lord protected in his fortress of ultimate evil, well that would be different she could sneak in like a shadow and make quick work of his tyrannical rule. This...natural disaster was quite different. Ao Ai just wasn't sure quite what to do now that she had gotten here, the best intention in the world were never enough if not correctly applied to a problem. It was then she noticed someone else had arrived to assist these poor suffering souls. At first she thought this women was a Taoist mystic or perhaps a Confucian, no one else she knew would dress like that. On closer inspection she realized she had never seen those markings on her robes before, still it was of no real importance. Whoever she was this women was doing good here, more so that she herself was in fact. Bravely this women ventured to the waters edge pulling the people onto the river bank, one after the other. Still she could never save them all, not alone.

The strangely dressed women called out for her assistance, by stranger she could mean no one else, as she looked right at her. She used strange words, what on earth was a 'Buddha' it sounded like some kind of plant or herb to her, but not one she was familiar with. Still she had asked for help, how could she refuse it was just that...

"But I...I cant swim." Ao Ai exclaimed looking panicked at the very thought of approaching the water any closer than this. She would face an assault on a well guarded stronghold without hesitation but going down by that rushing river. She could easily be carried away and lost forever, drowning was something she had always been terrified by. Yet this women had asked, how could she refuse when the people needed her now. Not for her skills as an assassin but simply as a girl, no she had to help. Bracing herself she nodded slowly, she was quite scared but if she didn't face up to this now then more people would die.

"Alright, i think i have some rope in my saddle bag." Ao Ai said forcing her panicking mind to work. Whipping her head around sharply sending her hair flashing past her eyes she turned back up hill, bringing her fingers to her lips she whistled loudly. At her summons her horse Swift runner came bounding down hill towards her. Still strapped tightly to his back was her saddle bag. If she was correct it should be...right about here. With a triumphant exclaiming she pulled out a length of rope that should do for this purpose. Not wanting to waste any more time she tied one end to her saddle and took the other end in hand. She doubted her had the pure strength required to pull people out herself, but her horse on the other hand would work like a charm, her own special magical charm she liked to think.

Ao Ai dashed back down to the river bank, with a noticeable worried look she put one foot as close to the flowing water as she dared. Tying the free end of the rope into a nose she threw it too a man who was struggling to hold onto a tree root, all that was keeping him for floating away. Once he had gotten hold of it she whistled again, on command swift runner pulled, drawing the man free from the water. Taking a moment to help the soaked man to his feet Ao Ai smiled, glad to have done something useful at last. This was what her life should be, giving what aid she could instead of being locked inside studying musty old scrolls. Her father would never approve but this was her life and besides he didn't have to find out...did he?

"Hey, what's a Buddha anyway?" Ao Ai asked curiously, still flushed with equal amounts of both excitement and pure terror. Picking out another flood victim she cast her rope again. There were still a few left, struggling against the flow of the river but with luck this would soon be over and many would survive. All because of two women that cared enough to help.

[Lady Ping]

It had been several minutes after Ai called to the mystery horsewoman. Not to her expectations, the horsewoman seemed reluctant to assist Lady Ping closer to the water, the panic and fear visible in the horsewoman's eyes. Ping was surprised, what kind of warrior is this person? The horsewoman would obviously rush into battle with the kind of fervor required for such a task, but to do something that was absolutely necessary for lives to be saved (not taken), who would wish to shirk from their duty to those who need assistance? At once, Lady Ping realized that she was doing wrong; she was judging this woman based on only a few minutes of seeing her. She shook her head, this was not what the nun had taught her many years before. Turning away from the horsewoman, she turned to fish out a few more men from the lake - the job resembling a cow ploughing the fields, requiring the same effort and concentration.

Not turning back towards the horsewoman, she continued her labour, slightly curious as to what the horsewoman was doing now. Several minutes followed, and she suddenly heard a high pitched whistle penetrate the chaotic sounds mixed into the air. It was harsh to listen to and forced Lady Ping to almost drop her staff which a poor sap had just clung onto. Mustering all of her concentration, Ai managed to pull the man out of the water, who just exclaimed to her: "I am so thankful for your assistance, how can I possibly repay such a kind feat?"
To which she replied: "Follow a pure life led by the Five Precepts. Follow the examples of monks and nuns and you will eventually attain enlightenment. Do this and consider your debt fulfilled. There is no greater crime than ignorance." The man nodded and climbed up the hill to several other villagers. Ping Ai turned to face the man as he went up the hill.

What she saw was staggering. The horsewoman, who Ping Ai had thought was a coward only moments ago, had retrieved her horse and some rope from its saddlebag. Lady Ping could still see the fear in the horsewoman's eyes as she saw that the woman did not wish to tread too close to the water which may envelop her just as it had done to so many others. However, the will of the woman proved stronger than her fear, for she threw the rope out to strangers stranded in the tide and was rescuing them with haste due tot the assistance of her animal partner. Ping nodded approvingly; this is what life should be like: humans and animals working together in co-existance.

She left the horsewoman, who had a superior range due to the use of her rope, to fish out the rest of the villagers. She was surprised when she was asked who the Buddha was. She was almost insulted by the question before she managed to regain her composure. Instead, she answered: "The Buddha is the one and true being with immense knowledge and suffering of this world. He is the only one who attained Nirvana. We must all strive to be like him."

After this explanation, she noticed that the villagers were all saved. Turning away from the stranger, she walked back up the hill. towards the mass of villagers. Eager to share the wisdom that was Buddhism, she called out: "You are all lucky today: I was brought here through the essence of meditation and following the great teachings. The reason your village fell into crisis was due to sinning; you must follow a path of religious righteousness. Follow the teachings of the Buddha and you will be rewarded with the knowledge of the truth. Goodbye."

Hoping that she saved the villagers from themselves, she left swiftly, resisting the urge to speak with the horsewoman she was curious of. For she was an aloof woman, and she sensed that the horsewoman was one who had sinned greatly. She was prepared, however, in the case the horsewoman was armed and tried to attack her.

[Ao Ai]

The work was hard and grueling as Ao Ai and the other women pulled villager after village to safety, still it was worth it. Nothing could be as rewarding as helping people who genuinely needed help. She was just glad she had trained as much as she had, she was thin and small but her body had been honed by many long hours of training. If she could climb the outside of a castle wall bare handed she could pull people from the river, even if they weighed considerably more than she did. Without her horse and the other women's assistance it would have proved too much, however together they were proving to be quite the team. They would never be able to save everyone, you never could but at least they had done the best they were able too, that's what counted.

The women who's name she had not yet learned actually answered her question. It was at this point she decided asking had probably been a silly idea, she had wanted a short easy to understand answer. The response she got was kind of deep and went right over her head. Honestly she didn't understand any of it without further context to draw on. Still she was interested, she might shy away from learning at times but she did see its importance. Besides this women was clearly of good heart and character, that meant something. Shaking her head she realized there was still work to do instead she concentrated on pulling another man from the water. It seemed at last that they had gotten everyone out, those that could be saved. Giving the man her hand she pulled him free from the muddy water, he half fell against her too tired from swimming. Breathing heavily she pulled this man to his feat. With a great sigh she realized quite how much that had taken out of her, pushing the man up hill to follow the strange women uphill to where the other survives had gathered. For a moment Ao Ai was alone by the river bank.

"Oh, my clothes, fathers going to kill me when he hears about this." Ao Ai moped looking down at her fine dress, it was completely ruined with muddy river water. It had been well worth it, but it did sting knowing she would doubtless be punished for having done the right thing. The world could be bloody unfair at times. Ringing water out of her sleeves she trudged uphill as well leading her horse by the reigns, at least she would not have to walk back, some silver lining. She arrived just in time to hear the strange women's speech to the village people. She was frankly shocked by what she heard. It was none of her business but she could not hold her tongue.

"Wait that's not fair." Ao Ai declared stormed up threw the crowd of tired villagers. Most of them knew her, since she lived so close by and moved out of the way for her. She must look quite the sight, a young noble women soaked to the skin and covered with river mud indignantly speaking out against this religious women. It would have looked far less amusing if they knew what she was capable of, she was more dangerous than she looked. She knew these good people owed this women, so did she but she was not willing to accept what she had just heard.

"Lady Ao Ai please." One of the villagers appealed to her to drop it, she raised a hand to wave her off. Ao Ai might be a little shy, small and afraid of drowning but she did believe in standing up for what she thought was right. Besides she was tired and covered in muddy water, none of which really improved her temper. She was perhaps about to get out of line, but she didn't care just at this moment. These people had been threw enough she wanted to offer them encouragement not...this.

"You cant know these people sins brought down this disaster. I prefer to think it was the rain, why jump to such unfair conclusion. You have been here all of a few minutes why judge these people so harshly?" Ao Ai said looking a bit angry now. Usually she would speak with more respect to her elders and those who were clearly scholars of religions, but she was in no mood to just now. She was unarmed, her daggers being in her saddle bag but she did have some unarmed training. Even so it occur to her that it was unwise to provoke this women, still she had to do what she thought was right. She rather hoped this women would see her point.

[Lady Ping]

Suddenly, as she was walking, Ping Ai heard the shouts of someone behind her. Hearing that what she had said was "not fair", Ai turned around at the one talking to her with intrigue. Who would question what was her way of guiding these people to a religious revelation? The horsewoman stood there, a few villagers behind her trying to convince her to give up her foolish plan. Lady Ping eyed the woman from head to toe; she was covered in mud, therefore she assumed that her outburst was due to the dirt from the difficult job that was just completed.

Rather than getting into an argument with the young woman, Lady Ping decided it was better to "appease" the woman (appear that she was seeing her eye to eye) in order that the villagers will be able to relax from their recent crisis. She smiled, and said to the woman: "A few minutes, a few hours, a few days, a few years, a few decades, a few centuries... All periods of time are the same when you are guided by the eternal wheel of samsara. But I digress, perhaps the reason that these people befell such a crisis was due to sheer coincidence, an unlikely solution, but a plausible one." Despite the unnecessary addition to her comments at the end, Ping Ai genuinely thought that the horsewoman would fall for her ruse.

She observed the area around her; there was a nearby village which she hoped would be kind enough to allow her to stay the night. She turned to all of the villagers for the last time and thrust her staff towards the ground, making a clanking sound in the process to attract the attention of the people. "You all have the power to become a buddha if you reach the necessary revelations." Though she sensed the dismissal of her comments by most of the villagers, she believed that at least a few of them would take her message to heart - and that was all she needed. Guiding people to the right path of life, that was what she enjoyed of her life - and she hoped that one day she would able to be able to guide corrupt officials like the infamous Yuan Shao.

Turning away swiftly, she strode away from the village, wanting to reach the other village before twilight struck and she would be at the mercy of the natures. On second thought, she decided that the heavens would surely not will her to suffer on the outside. So as soon as she was out of walking range of the village (near the estate where she saw the horsewoman emerge from), she set up a small camp, a blazing fire, and poured herself a bowl of nice, warm stew.

[Ao Ai]

Ao Ai stood with arms folded trying to look cross and yet dignified as she stared down the women, who's name she still didn't know. If she wasn't so upset about ruining her dress she might have been kicking herself for that by now. As it was she probably just looked sightly silly, still that wasn't about to put her off, she had a mission now an she wasn't about to give up. Well not unless this women admitted she might be wrong. To her complete surprise she did in fact admit that she might be right about things. In her experience religious types could be stubborn beyond any logical reason. Even so she believed her. She was both too young and naive to see that she had not meant a single word of that. She just accepted what she was saying at face value on this occasion.

"Well alright then....goodbye." Ao Ai said still a little startled and more than a little surprised to have actually won that argument. Still she was happy enough to count her blessings, since things seemed to have gone why dwell on them so much. She just wanted to get home and into some clean clothes. She mounted up on swift runner and headed for home, easily out pacing the women who had gone her own way. She left her horse in the stable then scaled the walls, something she had more than enough practise at before now. Before anyone had realized she was gone she was back. Now if only she could find someway to clean her dress before her father got a look at it? maybe one the maids could lend her a hand. The idea of washing it herself was just plain unnatural. She did good in the world but she was still a noblewomen after all.

Looking out of her window she noticed a fire burning in the countryside, she suddenly thought of the women who had helped all those people. She probably deserved a reward or at least something, as a noble women she considered it her duty to help. That women however she had been a total stranger, it seemed wrong and she had been mean to her as well. Struggling with that itching feeling of guilt she realized she might have been a little unfair with her. Although not entirely sure it was a good idea, she decided something was better than nothing. Putting on a clean dress she went back outside again. This time she used the door for a change, after informing the steward of where she was going. She could be reasonable at time, at least if she was in a good mood. She headed out to where she had seen the camp fire.

"Hey don't get alarmed its just me." Ao Ai said by way of making her presence known, she didn't want her thinking she had come to hurt her. Although come to think of it she might well still think that, she didn't know who she was after all. While she might look innocent she had to admit she was dangerous after all, appearances could be deceptive. She decided to say what she had come to say and get it over with. She didn't like having to apologies, but then what noble did, still that didn't mean she should not have too.
"I'm lady Ao Ai by the way. I ah, was hasty with you earlier so I've come to apologize. In fact since your here all alone why don't you come back with me to my families manor, I'm sure it would be more comfortable than being out here?" She offered trying to be nicer this time, although some people felt that could be a failing. Ao Ai on the other hand looked up to people like Liu Bei who were kind and curtsy at all times, that was the sort of noble she wanted to be. She would feel wrong enjoying her prestige and station if she acted any other way. Trying to smile looked at the women, just praying she wasn't about to go on about this Buddha again.

[Lady Ping]

She was wrong. Completely wrong. The soup was not "nice." It was a foul concoction, whose purpose was the death of its own creator. She tossed the bowl aside and instead reached into her bag and grabbed a small bun. Thanking a local village for this beautiful piece of food, she dug in slowly, savouring each and every small nibble of the steamy bun. She also opened a gourd; normally one would call her an unfaithful Buddhist at the sight of this gourd, believing that it was alcohol in it, but the fact was it was simply water. After all, where else would she be able to keep her water supplies?

It was at this time that she was graced with the presence of the mystery horsewoman, except now she was dressed as a noble. And she looked the part, at the village Ping Ai did not have the opportunity to truly observe her appearance due to the chaos of the place, but now she had that opportunity. The girl was pretty, not a simple girl - indeed she seemed more extravagant than any other girl she had seen before, her dress was beautiful and looked expensive - the woman herself had flowing black hair, her skin was pale and fair - a true beauty by social standards. Lady Ping pulled her hood down, so that the girl would not be able to see Ai's eyes.

Lady Ping stood up so that she may appear intimidating and taller than the girl, whose name she had now learnt was Ao Ai. Despite the girl's seemingly harmless nature, Ping had seen many deceptions in her short life. She would not take a needless risk and trust someone whom she had just met only hours ago. However, she could sens the good nature from this girl - even if she was rude before, what harm could there be in talking to her now. She needed to have some interaction before he had to depart from the area. "You may call me Lady Ping, it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ao Ai." Ping also heard an apology from the young girl, although she sensed that it was not completely sincere, she decided to let the issue go, for what use was there in escalating a situation which was perfectly fine.

After hearing her offer of a place to stay overnight, Ping Ai had to refuse. "I am sorry, but I must endure the weathers tonight. One who travels should not be too accustomed to staying indoors; in addition to this, I am currently secluding myself from worldly desires: a warm home is one of these. I must resist my urges in order to become a better person. One can only be master of the world if one can be masters of themselves." She paused, and thought it would be polite if she thanked Ao Ai for the offer, if nothing else. "I would like to thank you for the offer, however, many people have not offered me their hospitality due to difference in opinion."

She closed her eyes - and saw through her third eye.

[Ao Ai]

Well at least she had learned her name at last, that had been something that was annoying her for a while now. She was not sure quite why, perhaps because she had never meet anyone quite so...strange. She wondered if everyone who shared her faith was like this or if was just a personal thing. Certainly she had some doubts about how popular this Buddha would be in china. If his worship required one to abandone the comfort of home and say, silk sheets, how she loved those. Well it just was not likley to go down very well with the nobility, although the common people might take too it. In fact she wondered exactly where she had come from? if she worshipped some strange Buddha she had never heard of before.

"How strange, ah not that im saying thats bad or anything. I was raised in the Taoist faith by my father. I really cant see living like this." Ao Ai aid looking at Ping Ai, it seemed to her she was trying to do some kind of meditation thing. She wondered if she was bothering her now, with religouse types it could be so hard to tell. Or perhaps she was trying to do some kind of mystic magic. Her eyes came alight at the thought, she had always loved the idea of such things, it was the primary reason she payed such things any attention at all.

"Hey what are you doing? Some kinda magic." She asked sounding a little more eager now and less suspicouse than she might have been before. She was suddenly the eager young girl confronted with almost a sugger rush at the idea. Of course it was probably boring but you never knew until you asked.

[Lady Ping]

Despite Ao Ai speaking to her while Ping was taking a stab at meditating, Ai remained focused. She remained silent and focused while the girl was chit-chatting, and could see the world for what it truly was (pure energy, she theorised).

Not so eager to continue having a meaningless conversation with this girl, she listened not so intently to her drivel, trying to continue with the excercise. She said that she could not imagine "living like this", what "this" meant, Lady Ping didn't know. Everything came from its simplest form; what conceivable reason is there that one would not want to live in that situation? Was the goal of human life to prevent themselves from realising what the true meaning of their life was? She shook away the thought; it was never good to judge one based on their desired lifestyle. When she did hear that the girl was Taoist, however, she responded with: "the fundamentals of Taoism and Buddhism are similar, there are just different practices in realising the goals of each."

It was at this time that Lady Ping wondered what life would have been like if her father had not perished at the Hulao Gate. If her father had not died, her mother would not have committed adultery causing her to die too, which then would have made it so that Lady Ping would not have met the lone Buddhist nun at the Tian Shui temple. It was a chilling thought, that if she had not been introduced to Buddhism, she may have remained the same as this girl. Although she was good natured, she was spoilt in more ways than one. If she could not survive without luxeries, how would she expect herself to survive when war came to Jing once more?

Ping Ai suppressed a scoff (a disgraceful action, to which she will regret almost doing for the rest of her life) at the hearing of the word "magic". "Child, there is such thing as religion, there is no such thing as magic." How this girl could possibly think that there was an existance of such a thing was a mystery to Lady Ping.

[Ao Ai]

It was quite possible that the concept of there religions were similar, but in all reality she wasn't in any position to tell. She wasn't exactly a bad Taoist she just didn't really know too much about it. Which probably in the mind of her teachers made her a bad Taoist, which she would have disagreed with. To her being a good person was pretty much all that was important and believing what they told her too. If she didn't study the boring books they had given her well was that such a crime. Besides the only reason she had any interested in it at all was the rumors about the mystics as there magic arts.

Ao Ai frowned when Ping Ai referred to her as a child, she thought that was a little derogatory. She didn't think she had meant it that way, it was just something she noticed a lot of religious people did, her teaches all referred to her a 'child'. She found it mildly infuriating when they did it as well, she was 18 now after all. Of course she suspected the reason they did it had more to do with the fact that thought they knew 'oh so much more than she did'. Besides she didn't understand why magic should not be real if this 'Buddha' was supposed to be real. In fact when she thought about it there was a lot more proof in favor of magic, she preceded to tell that Ping Ai just that.

"What do you mean magic isn't real? just because you cant see your Buddha, or heaven does that mean they are not real?" She asked, getting into a discussion that would probably make her tutors actually proud of her. All the more reason to hope they never found out of course. She had no intention of sicking up for her faith at all, but she really wanted to believe magic was real.

"I mean they say Zhang Jiao had magic don't they." She said trying to think of examples, of course she had not even been born until a long while after the Yellow turban rebellion. "Oh an Guan Lao is a famous seer, he has magic he uses to make his fortune tellings. Oh an Zou Ci i heard he uses black magics. Then there was that mystic Yu Ji, he made it rain they say when Sun Ce threatened to kill him." Ao Ai quoted some famous examples she had been told stories about. She tactically decided not to dwell on the fact these men had generally been executed for one thing or another. In her opinion magic was clearly evidenced by these things, how could magic now be real?

[Lady Ping]

((Sorry this took so long – I have been a little busy in the past few days :[ - hope I didn’t inconvenience you))

Looking up at Ao Ai, Lady Ping noticed her frown as she was referred to as a “child”. Clearly this girl thought that she was mature enough that she understood how this world of crime and suffering functioned, but Ping Ai thought differently. It took her years of travelling and watching and listening to see how difficult this life was for many people. Although she was not so sure that a girl such as Ao Ai, blessed with a family who was well off, could understand. Even Ping Ai could admit to not knowing these problems of the people before her pilgrimage began.

Hearing Ao Ai’s (simple) argument about magic, Ping Ai once again supressed her laughter. She could understand the girl’s error, however, for she apparently had not studies, or even heard of Buddhism until this day. ”See the Buddha? It is not possible because he is dead already. He attained all the knowledge that he needed to know and passed on peacefully so that he may be reincarnated into back into this world to live a longer and better life.” She continued: ”It may be possible to see him, but it is not possible to know that you have seen him, for he does not even know that he was once such a great being. Ping Ai lowered her head onto her clenched fist while she considered the second part of Ao Ai’s question. ”As for Heaven, I personally do not believe in such things. If you are born into suffering, then that means that you have been favoured badly by the wheel of Samsara, so there is an obligation to live your life purely in order that you may be favoured by the wheel when being born into a new life.” She actually enjoyed explaining these concepts to Ao Ai, no one else had ever taken such an extensive interest in the philosophies of this fairly new belief system.

The examples of “magic” listed by Ao Ai were slightly bemusing. Ping Ai herself had not heard of these people who apparently performed feats of magic. She did not have an exact answer for this, so she attempted to be reasonable of Ao Ai’s beliefs while also keeping hers. ”You may believe that these people truly performed magic, however I cannot believe in such things. Have you heard of evidence that reinforces the rumours? You can hear rumours about everything, but most of them are false. I do not believe that such sources are truly reliable for matters such as these.” In Ping Ai’s mind, a lack of evidence was clear. Perhaps they were anomalies which caused miracles in some ways, but she could only believe in the things that were true to her; religion and ethics.