The dripping, misty quiet beneath the trees is broken by a not-really-trying-to-be-silent tread of straw sandals on brittle twigs, softened by the squelch of last autumn's leaves. A straw cloak hangs heavily over bright orange hems showing below and a matching hood above as Natsuko picks her way through the budding undergrowth with a sturdy walking stick-slash-bo.

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 31, 2021 9:32 pm

The dripping, misty quiet beneath the trees is broken by a not-really-trying-to-be-silent tread of straw sandals on brittle twigs, softened by the squelch of last autumn's leaves. A straw cloak hangs heavily over bright orange hems showing below and a matching hood above as Natsuko picks her way through the budding undergrowth with a sturdy walking stick-slash-bo.

From ahead comes the sound of...humming? It seemed to be an impression of one of the popular songs of the season accompanied by an occasional grunt and the sound of moving earth.

"Anou, Junichi, oh I want you to take me" Grunt!
"Byako, Battue, come on pretty Ishi" Grunt!
"Kochako, Nobuto, baby why don't we go" Grunt!

A figure in a dusty dark kimono seemed to be pulling something from the earth rhythmically.

Natsuko approaches the sound with more curiosity than fear, though it certainly *could* be a spirit of some sort, she doubts it. "Weeding?" She asks in a low voice that carries well across the wet air.

The Crane are known for perfection, after all. If anyone would actively weed their forests, it would be the Crane. After the single word, she waits quietly and still, good hand gripping the staff, blue eyes peering from beneath the heavy hood.

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 31, 2021 10:34 pm

Natsuko approaches the sound with more curiosity than fear, though it certainly *could* be a spirit of some sort, she doubts it. "Weeding?" She asks in a low voice that carries well across the wet air.

The Crane are known for perfection, after all. If anyone would actively weed their forests, it would be the Crane. After the single word, she waits quietly and still, good hand gripping the staff, blue eyes peering from beneath the heavy hood.

"Off the Fujihiro Keys there's a-" The figure's head snaps round to reveal a red-nosed girl
"A...I..not..um."
Standing and carefully brushing some dirt of her knees which only seems to spread it everywhere
"Phoenix-sama." She bows very respectfully "I am very sorry if I interrupted, I was umm-yams"
She gestures at a small sack containing several of the dirty vegetables
"I was collecting yams."

Natsuko nods once. "Those are lowland yams, right? More starch than the mountain yams." There's only a bit of inflection to the low, quiet voice indicating that the first bit is a question. "There's a log full of shitake back that way." The staff tips a bit, gesturing back the way she'd come.

There's a pause, and the blue eyes widen. "Oh...you're not wearing a Crane mon, that's another bird. Do they care about the food in their forest?"

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 31, 2021 10:56 pm

Natsuko nods once. "Those are lowland yams, right? More starch than the mountain yams." There's only a bit of inflection to the low, quiet voice indicating that the first bit is a question. "There's a log full of shitake back that way." The staff tips a bit, gesturing back the way she'd come.

There's a pause, and the blue eyes widen. "Oh...you're not wearing a Crane mon, that's another bird. Do they care about the food in their forest?"

Immediate Sparrow interest, this one understands yams, the wisdom of the Phoenix is not overstated!
"It's a Sparrow mon, Phoenix-sama. Sparrow Clan...but that is sort of self evident. Food is...well it's complicated. But I have a large family and that has meant never turning down food when it was on offer."
Pause
"Not very many forests in our lands, but they seem quite nice. None of our trees grow half so large."

Rin swallows slightly as she spots Natsuko's satchel. Could this be an actual shugenja? Hopefully she hadn't disturbed the kami by digging here...she'd never heard of blasphemous yams before, but it was possible.

"They're even larger to the north. There are trees in the Isawa Mori that were there before the kami fell and they stand on mountains older still." A pause. "Sparrow, so you are Suzume-san for now. This one is Isawa Natsuko today."

"Do the Crane allow any to partake from their forests? The Isawa do not." She looks around, water dripping from her hood. "But I think there are fewer strong spirits to offend here. That might make a difference."

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:49 pm

"They're even larger to the north. There are trees in the Isawa Mori that were there before the kami fell and they stand on mountains older still." A pause. "Sparrow, so you are Suzume-san for now. This one is Isawa Natsuko today."

"Do the Crane allow any to partake from their forests? The Isawa do not." She looks around, water dripping from her hood. "But I think there are fewer strong spirits to offend here. That might make a difference."

Hurriedly "Yes, Suzume, Suzume Rin. This one is honoured to make your acquaintance Isawa-sama. We have many stories of your family."
Some of them were even positive.

The idea of even larger trees is hard to picture, wouldn't they just fall over? But Rin nods all the same.
"Oh, I didn't even consider that. Being allowed to I mean, I was thinking about the spirits though, for um, no reason."
Looking at her yams
"I hope they do not mind, these lands are so rich and there is food everywhere."
Still...maybe they should remain secret yams.

Seizing the opportunity to change the subject
"But, on the topic of spirits, are you a priestess, Isawa-sama?"

She nods once. "I am. So not much competition for you, I think." *pause* *blink* "I"m sure you're here for the tournament. Are you the only Sparrow sent?"

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 01, 2021 1:49 am

She nods once. "I am. So not much competition for you, I think." *pause* *blink* "I"m sure you're here for the tournament. Are you the only Sparrow sent?"

“No no. I would not be much competition for you.”
She seems aghast at the very idea of facing a priestess, let alone stomping one in a completion.

“You are right though. Everyone seems able to tell just by looking. Guess it would be real strange for a Sparrow to be here who wasn’t coming for the tournament. I’m the only one, big family but small clan. We were very fortunate the Crane sent an invitation at all.”

Politely
“Are you a participant as well? If you would like, you may have some of the yams to keep your strength up.”

Another nod. "I am. But," there is a shrug. "Past present future...the tournament is never known for favoring those trained to understand the desires of the spirits."

"As to looking...well, you are far from Sparrow lands and a bit young to wander as far as you will." There's a slightly faraway focus to her icy gaze as she works through the mental steps taken a few moments ago.

At the offer of yams she pauses, considers. The staff is pulled in front of her as both hands clasp around it, the void of missing fingers somewhat hidden beneath the whole hand. "I...could not accept them after you've spent all morning on them like this." The words are slow, finding the rhythm of the ritual, and a refusal that is acceptable within learned parameters.

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 01, 2021 2:22 am

Another nod. "I am. But," there is a shrug. "Past present future...the tournament is never known for favoring those trained to understand the desires of the spirits."

"As to looking...well, you are far from Sparrow lands and a bit young to wander as far as you will." There's a slightly faraway focus to her icy gaze as she works through the mental steps taken a few moments ago.

At the offer of yams she pauses, considers. The staff is pulled in front of her as both hands clasp around it, the void of missing fingers somewhat hidden beneath the whole hand. "I...could not accept them after you've spent all morning on them like this." The words are slow, finding the rhythm of the ritual, and a refusal that is acceptable within learned parameters.

"Oh no Isawa-sama, that is all the better reason to take the yams. A gift that is meaningless to the giver is given freely, but it doesn't have any weight. I mean, if I had as many yams as I wanted yams themselves wouldn't really mean anything."
She shudders, pondering such a dark future.
"Besides, I got more than enough. Gotta make sure to share when you have enough."

Is there a future where this Sparrow starves for lack of a few yams? Not within the course of the tournament at least. The Crane are better hosts than that. So that's not a useful reason to refuse anything.

Natsuko considers the tubers, unbothered by the dirt. "But...if they make too little sense for the receiver...well...see...I do not actually know what to do with yams? Do you eat them raw? I can work with medicines, but I have never cooked food." The words are said with a quiet care and no sense of embarrassment for lack of such knowledge. Surely if cooking were important to those teaching her, she'd have learned.

Not accidentally pulling things into or out of existence had been much higher on the training regimen.

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:11 am

Is there a future where this Sparrow starves for lack of a few yams? Not within the course of the tournament at least. The Crane are better hosts than that. So that's not a useful reason to refuse anything.

Natsuko considers the tubers, unbothered by the dirt. "But...if they make too little sense for the receiver...well...see...I do not actually know what to do with yams? Do you eat them raw? I can work with medicines, but I have never cooked food." The words are said with a quiet care and no sense of embarrassment for lack of such knowledge. Surely if cooking were important to those teaching her, she'd have learned.

Not accidentally pulling things into or out of existence had been much higher on the training regimen.

"Oh no Isawa-sama, you have much more important duties than cookin'." Few things were more important than food, but appeasing the spirits was up there.

"One of your attendants can see to it I'm sure. These guys just need some cleaning and then they can bake over a fire. They're not even bad for snacking once they're prepared."
With Rin viewing the matter as settled she picks the very best of the yams and dusts them off before dropping them into a small bag and holding it out towards Natsuko.

"Are you a healer too then? My uncle once saw a priest who could speak with the spirits and they fixed his arm right up. It was the talk of the family for months, still is really, news can be slow."

"No attendants," she says as she reaches for the bag with her maimed hand, pauses a moment as she remembers that the formula needs something else, and adds, "but...thank you. I guess the inn has cooks." There's a slight wince as thumb and two finger wrap around the bag, which is quickly transferred into one hanging sleeve.

That hand is held out again, open. "Not that sort of healer. Just medicines and all. I'm still learning how to direct the spirits for something that delicate. Learned and will learn a lot with healing this." There's a nod toward the ripped up ground behind Rin. "The leaves are edible too, and good for strengthening one's earth and water."

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:05 am

"No attendants," she says as she reaches for the bag with her maimed hand, pauses a moment as she remembers that the formula needs something else, and adds, "but...thank you. I guess the inn has cooks." There's a slight wince as thumb and two finger wrap around the bag, which is quickly transferred into one hanging sleeve.

That hand is held out again, open. "Not that sort of healer. Just medicines and all. I'm still learning how to direct the spirits for something that delicate. Learned and will learn a lot with healing this." There's a nod toward the ripped up ground behind Rin. "The leaves are edible too, and good for strengthening one's earth and water."

Muffled gasp
"You even know about yam tea? Everyone else I explain it to just looks at me like I'm crazy. That must be why you were selected Isawa-sama, you seem to know almost everything."

Now happy that yams had been explained and taking Natsuko's previous comment as permission, Rin starts carefully harvesting the leaves while doing her best to keep her eyes on Natsuko.

"Isawa-sama. Can I ask you a question? I just want to check if it's rude or not before I do it, on account of not wanting to offend you. But, would it be polite to ask you what it's like talking to the spirits? Or, well. I mean, I pray to. And sometimes it feels like nothing happens. So maybe, what's it like when you talk to them and they talk back?"

"Yam tea?" There's a small frown. "Well, if you use them in soup...I guess that counts. You make tea with them?" It probably makes sense to do so when there's no other ingredients for actual soup.

At the other question though, she crouches keeping hold of the staff for balance, and picks at the bark of a nearby tree with her maimed hand.

"It depends on the spirit, and the prayer. But...not like talking to people...usually. Sometimes the spirits take form and speak from it, some don't use words. The Void does not...talk, really." There's a faraway look. 'But also sometimes, even for us, nothing happens. The kami are not servants, and sometimes we can't catch their strange attention."

A pause. A reminder of responsibilities, even if not yet an adult. "It's good that you pray though. They like being remembered. Sometimes that is enough to keep them happy." Another small frown of concentration. "The Sparrow do not have many priests born to them, do they?"

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:06 am

"Yam tea?" There's a small frown. "Well, if you use them in soup...I guess that counts. You make tea with them?" It probably makes sense to do so when there's no other ingredients for actual soup.

At the other question though, she crouches keeping hold of the staff for balance, and picks at the bark of a nearby tree with her maimed hand.

"It depends on the spirit, and the prayer. But...not like talking to people...usually. Sometimes the spirits take form and speak from it, some don't use words. The Void does not...talk, really." There's a faraway look. 'But also sometimes, even for us, nothing happens. The kami are not servants, and sometimes we can't catch their strange attention."

A pause. A reminder of responsibilities, even if not yet an adult. "It's good that you pray though. They like being remembered. Sometimes that is enough to keep them happy." Another small frown of concentration. "The Sparrow do not have many priests born to them, do they?"

Rin gives every impression of listening dutifully as she commits the story of the 'Yam Wizard' to memory for later editing.

Nodding "The...void?" Rin isn't sure she follows but the gist at least is clear and the following question simple enough. "Hai, shugenja are quite rare in my family. Even when they are born with the ability to speak to the spirits they have to seek training elsewhere. Then again, it would not be fitting to have a family of priests and priestesses living in honourable poverty. Isawa-sama has better ways to serve the empire than patrolling a field."

"Seeking the Imbalance, yes..." she says nodding. "Though so far I haveve had as much luck at that as I would...um...patrolling field." Loosening a strip of bark, she tucks it atop the yams in her sleeve, absently starting to peel another. "Priests bless fields. Maybe not the same though ./?" That might have been a question, might not. Hard to tell with the lack of normal inflection in her low, quiet voice.

"I learned the tenets, though, and poverty was not mentioned." Her eyes dart sharply up to meet Rin's. "Explain. Please. The honor in poverty."

Isawa Natsuko wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:05 am

"Seeking the Imbalance, yes..." she says nodding. "Though so far I haveve had as much luck at that as I would...um...patrolling field." Loosening a strip of bark, she tucks it atop the yams in her sleeve, absently starting to peel another. "Priests bless fields. Maybe not the same though ./?" That might have been a question, might not. Hard to tell with the lack of normal inflection in her low, quiet voice.

"I learned the tenets, though, and poverty was not mentioned." Her eyes dart sharply up to meet Rin's. "Explain. Please. The honor in poverty."

"Uh-" Rin blinks, her own eyes widening with worry at Natsuko's pointed gaze

"Well, and my sensei would put it much better than I, but...

Lowering her voice "It was long ago now, many centuries past when the Crane and Crab were involved in a great war. Each side refused to back down and while their courtiers sparred in the courts their warriors fought each-other in the fields. It was a long and bloody conflict and it was causing much ruin to the rest of the empire."
As she narrates Rin does her best to move her hands and modulate her inflection to suit the changing tones.

"Finally the Empire himself ordered that the war come to an end and the two sides were forced to negotiate. But the negotiations were as bitter as the war itself! 'You stole our land!' said the Crane, stern and strong in their honour. 'The Yasuki came to us freely!' said the Crab as tall and immovable as the wall itself. On and on they argued to the point, even over land that had no worth to either side.

Finally, the Crane Champion grew frustrated and he told his retainers to offer solutions, not problems!"
Rin mimics the rage of Doji-sama with a deep frown and angry fists.
"And then the son of one of his lords spoke: 'Maybe the Crane should simply give their wealth to the peasants?' all those attending were shocked! Many were angry at the young man's insolence while others thought it near treason! But a few-"
Clearly excited
"-A few say the wisdom in the young man's words, they believe he saw enlightenment, that Shinsei himself taught us to divest ourselves of our worldly desires. News of his words spread so far and wide that the Son of Heaven himself decree that the boy and his father would be given the land at the center of the negotiations to practice this honourable poverty for themselves. That was the start of the Sparrow Clan and by Imperial decree we continue the spirit of Suzume-sama's teachings to this day."

Smiling slightly
"And then this is when I tell everyone they're lucky because even if their bowl's are empty their souls overflow. So, medium story short. The honour comes from following the wisdom of our founder and the emperor as well as Shinsei's teachings."