Koishi squeezed Satori's shoulder gently before she could reply, floating up a little, her face softening. "Mister spades. You know we talked about this. Youkai are products of human fears and ignorance made manifest. Our purpose is enmity. Just because sis and I have overcome the pit that is our baser nature does not mean that we're any less monstrous than before. Paradise has no place for creatures that exist to hurt and punish humankind. Though, at the same time, I suppose this means that we do serve a part in your salvation. So that's good."
She drifted forward a little, looking thoughtful. "And paradise isn't something we would be against, but it's not attainable for us. Because a soul is something we can't have. For youkai like us that are immaterial and manifest on their own, our bodies are our souls and our souls are our bodies. Some youkai have souls, like magicians, but youkai like sis and I cannot. To be given a soul wouldn't just kill us. It would obliterate us. There wouldn't even be lingering aspects to allow us to reconstitute. And if it didn't kill us the soul would simply overwrite us and the soul would become a youkai and then exist in the same in-between state that we exist in now."
"... Not that this couldn't change. Youkai are shaped by human perception. Perhaps if you change how others view us then we would grow more defined. But satori are a very old species. And changing that is near impossible. So perhaps it would be easier to issue a plea then. When humanity achieves omniscience and the youkai start fading away, perhaps you can plea with your god to reshape us into something that can live in this paradise. But that's a ways off. And for us to hope for something like that would be a show of arrogance on our part. After all, why would someone plea for the salvation of a demon or monster?"
"And, if I'm to be honest, I'm not sure you would be suited to deliver this plea either. You're sweet for showing us kindness but you're oblivious and you don't seek any measure of understanding. Therefore we could never trust you to ask something like that for us. Not selflessly, anyway, though I can't give you too much grief for simply being human. True selflessness doesn't exist. Or, rather, I've never seen it. Even the 'gift' of a book you gave me was only to slake your own curiosity and so you could feel justified to make a judgement." Despite her harsh words, her tone remained calm and stern.
"You beg my sister to leave where she is most comfortable but you do it at such a distance with a heart closed more tightly than even mine. And I don't just mean that psychic wall. The look on your face and your tone of voice mean nothing to us. I believe your plea is earnest but how can anyone be sure without seeing your heart and without seeing you have the courage to approach the thing you see as your enemy while being open to understanding and inquisitive as to why another might view it as a sanctuary."
Her third eye was hovering nearby, open and trembling, the white surface as bright as the full moon, the corners split and bleeding with the effort. It was the first time in a very long time she had been this lucid. "And you asked me in the past to give you advice and lead you through darkness. This is an aspect you placed upon me and I embraced it. An extension of my desire to meet lost travelers. But you've entirely stopped taking my words and efforts into consideration entirely."
"I wouldn't normally speak so harshly to anyone, but understand this comes from a place of love. Not hate. And if I sugar coat this you'll brush me off like an insect on your sleeve and because its something you need to hear. If you want us to have more faith in you perhaps you should show us some trust. And show us you have your strength invested in your humanity and your faith."
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She drifted forward a little, looking thoughtful. "And paradise isn't something we would be against, but it's not attainable for us. Because a soul is something we can't have. For youkai like us that are immaterial and manifest on their own, our bodies are our souls and our souls are our bodies. Some youkai have souls, like magicians, but youkai like sis and I cannot. To be given a soul wouldn't just kill us. It would obliterate us. There wouldn't even be lingering aspects to allow us to reconstitute. And if it didn't kill us the soul would simply overwrite us and the soul would become a youkai and then exist in the same in-between state that we exist in now."
"... Not that this couldn't change. Youkai are shaped by human perception. Perhaps if you change how others view us then we would grow more defined. But satori are a very old species. And changing that is near impossible. So perhaps it would be easier to issue a plea then. When humanity achieves omniscience and the youkai start fading away, perhaps you can plea with your god to reshape us into something that can live in this paradise. But that's a ways off. And for us to hope for something like that would be a show of arrogance on our part. After all, why would someone plea for the salvation of a demon or monster?"
"And, if I'm to be honest, I'm not sure you would be suited to deliver this plea either. You're sweet for showing us kindness but you're oblivious and you don't seek any measure of understanding. Therefore we could never trust you to ask something like that for us. Not selflessly, anyway, though I can't give you too much grief for simply being human. True selflessness doesn't exist. Or, rather, I've never seen it. Even the 'gift' of a book you gave me was only to slake your own curiosity and so you could feel justified to make a judgement." Despite her harsh words, her tone remained calm and stern.
"You beg my sister to leave where she is most comfortable but you do it at such a distance with a heart closed more tightly than even mine. And I don't just mean that psychic wall. The look on your face and your tone of voice mean nothing to us. I believe your plea is earnest but how can anyone be sure without seeing your heart and without seeing you have the courage to approach the thing you see as your enemy while being open to understanding and inquisitive as to why another might view it as a sanctuary."
Her third eye was hovering nearby, open and trembling, the white surface as bright as the full moon, the corners split and bleeding with the effort. It was the first time in a very long time she had been this lucid. "And you asked me in the past to give you advice and lead you through darkness. This is an aspect you placed upon me and I embraced it. An extension of my desire to meet lost travelers. But you've entirely stopped taking my words and efforts into consideration entirely."
"I wouldn't normally speak so harshly to anyone, but understand this comes from a place of love. Not hate. And if I sugar coat this you'll brush me off like an insect on your sleeve and because its something you need to hear. If you want us to have more faith in you perhaps you should show us some trust. And show us you have your strength invested in your humanity and your faith."