*comment change Lushu to lushu
You are in your tree house, sitting cross-legged and meditating, when there's a soft, hesitant knock on your door.

*choice
	#"Come in."
		"Come in." — you say, sighing at your concentration being disrupted. 
		
		The door opens, slowly, and Lushu walks in. $!{Lushu_he} looks around, curious about the interior of your residence yet not daring enough to look around with brazen abandon. Eventually, the warrior shakes ${Lushu_his} inquisitiveness and bows.
		
		"Greetings, holy one." — ${Lushu_he} — "I want ask favor." 
		
		*choice
			#"Of course. What is it you need help with?"
				"Of course." — you give ${Lushu_him} a friendly smile — "What is it you need help with?"
			#"What is it?"
				"What is it?" — you ask, neither particularly interested nor bothered.
			#"You bothered me for a favor?!"
				"You…" — you mutter, your voice becoming louder with anger — "You bothered me for a favor?!"
				
				Startled,
				*if Lushu_he = "he"
					the man
				*else
					the woman
				steps back, an apologetic smile on ${Lushu_his} lips.
				
				"Apologies, apostle." — ${Lushu_he} mumbles, running out of your home.
				
				Watching ${Lushu_him} go, you shake your head. These tribesmen sure grow bold!
				
				*goto end_event
		"Apostle, I wondered… can you teach Lushu empyrean?"
		
		*choice
			#"Teach you empyrean? Why?"
				"Teach you empyrean?" — you say — "I'm not against it, but why?"
				
				"It is language of gods." — Lushu replies, ${Lushu_his} glowing with fervor — "How can one lack desire for it?"
				
				"Oh?" — you chuckle — "Why don't you ask Goshan then? His empyrean was pretty good, except for the heavy accent."
				
				*goto ask_goshan
			#"Ask Goshan."
				"Ask Goshan." — you say — "His empyrean was pretty good, except for the heavy accent."
				
				*label ask_goshan
				
				"It is forbidden." — Lushu shakes ${Lushu_his} head — "Scriptures only allow Goshan, their spare and Sacrificial Warrior to study celestial language. Others deemed too lowly for such honor."
				
				"Oh? Then how did you learn it? Your grasp of the language maybe elemental, but you at least seem to understand me just fine."
				
				Sheepishly, Lushu looks away, lowering ${Lushu_his} head.
				
				"I… I eavesdropped Goshan when he practiced…" 
			#"I'm too busy for this."
				"No." — you shake your head — "I'm too busy to waste time on such useless tasks."
				
				*label oh_understand
				
				"Oh." — Lushu's expression deflates — "I understand. Apologies for bothering you." 
				
				With another bow, Lushu leaves and you are able to enter the meditative state once again.
				
				*goto end_event

		What a wonder: things that seem trivial to you, ordinary, turn out to be treasured so by the others. Even for a language that you never bothered to consciously learn, some break rules and snoop just to gain a glimpse into its profundities. 
		
		*choice
			#"Alright. I'll teach you."
				"Alright. I'll teach you." 
				
				"Really?" — Lushu exclaims in excitement — "Thank you, Apostle! Thank you so much!"
				
				Then, however, Lushu scratches ${Lushu_his} neck.
				
				"Can we… can we start now?" — she questions, failing to hide ${Lushu_his} eagerness.
				
				You laugh and give Lushu a nod.
				
				"Sure. Sit down."
				
				Thrilled, almost overflowing with enthusiasm, the warrior does as you command, though it's a struggle for ${Lushu_him} to remain still.
				*goto study_with_Lushu
			#"I don't have time for it. Tell Goshan I grant him permission to teach you." 
				"I don't have time for it." — you wave your hand. However, seeing Lushu's expression deflate in defeat, your heart softens — "But tell Goshan I grant him permission to teach you."
				
				"Really?" — Lushu exclaims in excitement — "Thank you, Apostle!"
				
				Lushu bows to you multiple times, before ${Lushu_he} runs out of the house, no doubt running to Goshan to start ${Lushu_his} lessons.
				
				Smiling, you roll your eyes at the warrior's eagerness.
				
				*goto end_event
			#"I will not break the rules of ancient scriptures. You are forbidden to study."
				"I will not break the rules of ancient scriptures." — you reply, your voice stern — "And you will not break either. You are forbidden to study the empyrean." 
				
				*goto oh_understand
	#"Scram!"
		"Scram!" — you yell, furious that someone has disrupted your concentration — "Scram, before I break your arms!"
		
		As you scream, someone outside the house yelps and rapid footsteps hurry away from the place of your residence.
		
		[i]Good[/i], you think, [i]Better no one else bother me…[/i]
		
		*goto end_event


*label study_with_Lushu
*page_break One Hour Later...
"Where does name come from?" — Lushu asks, raising ${Lushu_his} head from the scroll you've written for ${Lushu_him} to study — "[i]Empyrean[/i]?"

One hour of practice did not improve ${Lushu_his} fluency much: ${Lushu_his} pronunciation is still terrible, vocabulary small and syntax wrong — but you honestly did not expect it to be otherwise. Empyrean is a language of many rules, designed to be universal and comprehensive, fit for any thought or idea. Sometimes, it can even be too complex: there are rules for sounds that are impossible for humans to reproduce, for example. 

And yet, despite its needless convolution, during thousands of years no one has dared to even suggest for any changes to be made.

"Empyrean was the language of the First Emperor. No one could understood him once he first arrived, and one of his earliest policies was making empyrean the main, and only, language of the world."

"As for the origin of the name, Tang Wei told everyone that his language was language of the Gods, created by the Heavens themselves." — you explain — "The claim is dubious, but not one, of course, can refute it."

"Language of the Gods…." — Lushu nods ${Lushu_his} head, an obedient student — "Tang Wei sounds like a great man."

"He was." — you agree — "But just as he was great, he was mysterious. To this day, no one knows who he is, where he came from or where has he gone." 

"How is his world?"

"What do you mean?"

"His world. Empire. How is it? Is it good? Is it beautiful? How is outside, compared to this jungle?"

*comment do this
*choice
	#"It's a ruthless place where the strong dominate the weak."
		"It's a ruthless place." — you sneer, looking at Lushu's hopeful, curious face — "A place where the strong dominate the weak, where people like you would be nothing more than slaves. You shouldn't be so eager to get out of here."
		
		Lushu's expression crumbles, ${Lushu_his} hopeful, inquisitive look shatters, as the warrior gives you a faltering smile.
		
		"I see…" — ${Lushu_he} says, with a gulp — "Thank you for your honesty."
	#"It's a land of beauty, with mountains as tall as the sky and rivers as deep as oceans."
		"It's a land of beauty." — you say, with a sweet, earnest smile — "With mountains as tall as the sky and rivers as deep as oceans."
		
		"Really?" — Lushu asks, ${Lushu_his} eyes sparkling with wonder.
		
		"Yes. I haven't traveled it much, and yet what I saw already cannot be described with words. Сountless poems have been written about its splendor, and countless more are yet to be composed." 
		
		"I see." — Lushu replies, enthusiastically getting back into reading again — "I hope to see it one day, then." 
	#"It's a country of justice and law: society is governed by strict, but fair rules."
		"It's a country of justice and law: society is governed by strict, but fair rules." — you say — "It's nothing like this chaotic jungle. There's order in the Empire, with everyone knowing both their role and purpose."
		
		"Sounds… restricting." — Lushu replies, tilting ${Lushu_his} head — "What about freedom?"
		
		"On the contrary. Such rigid structure can be liberating — there's no need to worry about your place in the world."
		
		"I see." — Lushu answers, after a moment of hesitance — "Thank you for indulging my request." 
	#"The Empire is vast and broad, with diverse landscapes and numerous wonders."
		"The Empire is vast and broad." — you say — "It's impossible to describe in a few sentences." 
		
		"The landscapes there are diverse, with mountains, forests, deserts and land of eternal slow. There are wonders that cannot be explained, too numerous to count. You must see it with your own eyes, it's pointless to ask."
		
		"I see." — Lushu replies, enthusiastically getting back into reading again — "I hope to see it one day, then." 

*page_break
About an hour later, Lushu bids you goodbye — but not before asking for a few more scrolls to study. 

$!{lushu_he}'s serious about wanting to learn empyrean, it seems.

You shake your head and return back to your matters.

*label end_event
*page_break
*goto_scene expedition_free