(D0, LM) If there were a road, it would be the less travelled one

[Isawa Natsuko]

The Suzume reputation for longwindedness never really made it into the Ishiken's lessons. She only barely knew they were a clan. But her hand on the bark stills, eyes nearly unblinking and focused entirely on the tale until the end.

Natsuko looks down to the damp loam, then over to the disturbed earth, and back to the young Sparrow, head tilted in thought. "I see. Poverty is not honorable by itself, but as a reflection of duty and sincerity across time, meditative and...hungry ./?"

She rises, hand still on her staff. "Are you a performer? The story carried memory and...emotion. It was a strong one."

[Suzume Rin]

The Suzume reputation for longwindedness never really made it into the Ishiken's lessons. She only barely knew they were a clan. But her hand on the bark stills, eyes nearly unblinking and focused entirely on the tale until the end.

Natsuko looks down to the damp loam, then over to the disturbed earth, and back to the young Sparrow, head tilted in thought. "I see. Poverty is not honorable by itself, but as a reflection of duty and sincerity across time, meditative and...hungry ./?"

She rises, hand still on her staff. "Are you a performer? The story carried memory and...emotion. It was a strong one."

Very pleased"I think you have the jist of it Isawa-sama. The level of duty, sincerity, meditation and hunger varies from Sparrow to Sparrow of course. I was real hungry when I was still growing."

Blushing slightly at the second question
"Uh, well not like one of them Shosuro or the like. They'r real performers. I just really like stories is all, it's like you're there and you can see everyone. My grandpa used to do the best Doji-sama. He could make his voice boom, when you're little it was frightening!"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Are you done growing?" The Phoenix asks with all apparent sincerity. "But at least here the Crane probably will keep plenty of food available."

"I have never seen a Shosuro," Natsuko says. "The Nekoma off our shores are performers too. I haven't seen them either. So you are as good a performer as any I have seen." There is a pause, before she asks, "did you speak to all your grandparents?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Are you done growing?" The Phoenix asks with all apparent sincerity. "But at least here the Crane probably will keep plenty of food available."

"I have never seen a Shosuro," Natsuko says. "The Nekoma off our shores are performers too. I haven't seen them either. So you are as good a performer as any I have seen." There is a pause, before she asks, "did you speak to all your grandparents?"

"Hope so! Ain't a lot of kimonos in my size, least not the more feminine pattern. Been wearing some older clothes and they're just all sorts of the wrong size."
She demonstrates with a far too long sleeve.

"You're very kind though Isawa-sama, just don't tell the Crane that. They here and they might want me to put on a show and I only have the one fan and it don't really have any decoration or nothing."
The question about her grandparent's catches Rin off-guard and she pauses for a moment.
"My grandparents? I did, um. Hope that's not wrong or anything."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Not wrong. I don't know any though. Curious about connections. Seeing the lines through grandparents to parents to self." She unfastens the clasp on her satchel, dexterous with her thumb and two fingers before rummaging around inside with a lot of muffled clatter. "Are they much like you?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Not wrong. I don't know any though. Curious about connections. Seeing the lines through grandparents to parents to self." She unfastens the clasp on her satchel, dexterous with her thumb and two fingers before rummaging around inside with a lot of muffled clatter. "Are they much like you?"

Rin ponders there's tapping her chin"Well, my mother's mother was pretty tall when she was young, and my dad's father enjoys stories as much as I do. Sobo, that's dad mom, everyone says I'm like her whenever I get angry. But I've only seen her angry twice and don't reckon there's much to that. We're all big on family though? Would that count?"

With slight hesitancy
"Um, if I may ask, what about you Isawa-sama? You think there's a line from your grandparents?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"in the Void there is. Everything is connected there. Even if I have none, officially." She pulls a small, metal box from her satchel, then leans the staff against the tree. "But I have never spoken to them. I had no words when they may have seen me."

She opens the small container, revealing very small sticks with thread wrapped neatly around them; needles lined up in a piece of rough fabric; small scissors in the shape of a bird. "If you want shorter sleeves..."

[Suzume Rin]

"in the Void there is. Everything is connected there. Even if I have none, officially." She pulls a small, metal box from her satchel, then leans the staff against the tree. "But I have never spoken to them. I had no words when they may have seen me."

She opens the small container, revealing very small sticks with thread wrapped neatly around them; needles lined up in a piece of rough fabric; small scissors in the shape of a bird. "If you want shorter sleeves..."

"Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that Isawa-sama. I'm sure they were wonderful samurai and they're definitely looking down on you with pride."
Rin tries to look supportive until Natsuko shows the needles

"Oh..I mean, it wouldn't be-. If anything I should be repairing..not that yours needs repairing."
She tries to quickly roll up her sleeves.

[Isawa Natsuko]

"You may borrow it if you would rather do it yourself." She continues holding out the kit. Frankly, if the Isawa sewed the visible pockets within her satchel on her own, her skill is pretty rudimentary, in any case.

Hand still outstretched, her head tilts, gaze lifting as if examining the thoughts obviously occupying the moment. "My grandparents may look from Yomi, I would not know if they are in this realm or some other. The Sanctuary adopted me, thus I have no official ancestors. But all things remain connected, so I have no doubt I will be aware of them if destiny requires it."

[Suzume Rin]

"You may borrow it if you would rather do it yourself." She continues holding out the kit. Frankly, if the Isawa sewed the visible pockets within her satchel on her own, her skill is pretty rudimentary, in any case.

Hand still outstretched, her head tilts, gaze lifting as if examining the thoughts obviously occupying the moment. "My grandparents may look from Yomi, I would not know if they are in this realm or some other. The Sanctuary adopted me, thus I have no official ancestors. But all things remain connected, so I have no doubt I will be aware of them if destiny requires it."

Rin opens her mouth and pauses for half a second "R-right, um, sounds complicated."
With a small smile she bows and accepts the kit and plonks herself against a tree, chewing on her tongue as she figures out the best way to approach self cuff sewing.

"So....Sanctuary....no official ancestors. That's a little different."
Maybe...pull the sleeve out all the way...fold...then hold from inside.
"Is it different when you're connected to all things? I mean, sometimes I just sort of want to not be connected to anyone after a long day."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Different?" Natsuko busies herself closing the satchel. "It is always. One can just be more or less aware of the connections, but that is like paying attention to your breath. It's always there. You'd notice if it were not. But you become aware of new things if you focus."

She watches the Sparrow plot out sleeve alterations with a curiosity that doesn't look much different from any of her other intense stares. "I suppose one can isolate and at least set aside the immediate connections though. I think that would be quiet."

[Suzume Rin]

"Different?" Natsuko busies herself closing the satchel. "It is always. One can just be more or less aware of the connections, but that is like paying attention to your breath. It's always there. You'd notice if it were not. But you become aware of new things if you focus."

She watches the Sparrow plot out sleeve alterations with a curiosity that doesn't look much different from any of her other intense stares. "I suppose one can isolate and at least set aside the immediate connections though. I think that would be quiet."

Rin carefully folds the long sleeves back on themselves in what is hardly an elegant arrangement before slowly starting to stitch each cuff.
"I guess? So long as you don't have duties which are gonna need you up early the next morning. But that's just probably me being bad at meditation. It's hard to just sit and wait when things need doing, you know?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Mediation can be a thing that needs doing. When understanding is important." Natsuko watches the sewing, pleased that the mid-grey thread she'd stocked did, in fact, seem to kind of muddily blend in with almost anything. "Also good for getting to sleep though."

"Do you like tea? The kind that's actual tea leaves, not yam leaves."

[Suzume Rin]

"Mediation can be a thing that needs doing. When understanding is important." Natsuko watches the sewing, pleased that the mid-grey thread she'd stocked did, in fact, seem to kind of muddily blend in with almost anything. "Also good for getting to sleep though."

"Do you like tea? The kind that's actual tea leaves, not yam leaves."

After a few more minutes work the cuffs were now almost the right length, if hardly the work of a master. Rin looks pleased as she bows and holds out the needles back to Natsuko.

"I'll just keep working on it, maybe it'll just click some day? Tea though, I've always liked tea. I mean, everyone enjoys tea...right?"
She seems genuinely concerned that someone might not.
"The good stuff isn't easy to get though, at least down my way. But every once in a while we'd get some as a treat if it had been a good month. Huh, guess since we're always happy when we're drinking it that might explain why my folks enjoy it so much."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"I have not met anyone who did not like tea. I certainly like it." She considers a moment. "But it's served with everything at the Sanctuary, in all moods. I actually like the twig tea-hojicha more than the very fine sencha they served for special meals though. There's an oolong that smells like orchids from the slopes over Earthquake Fish Bay that I saw once...did not get to drink any. That's very fancy."

She takes the needles back with a nod. "The sleeves look less long now."

[Suzume Rin]

"I have not met anyone who did not like tea. I certainly like it." She considers a moment. "But it's served with everything at the Sanctuary, in all moods. I actually like the twig tea-hojicha more than the very fine sencha they served for special meals though. There's an oolong that smells like orchids from the slopes over Earthquake Fish Bay that I saw once...did not get to drink any. That's very fancy."

She takes the needles back with a nod. "The sleeves look less long now."

Rin sniffs as if imagining the scene too
"I am sorry you weren't able to enjoy the special tea Isawa-sama, but I am sure an opportunity will come again."
Hold up her arm as the sleeve only falls back a short way.
"I think you're right! Your needles have done great work, I really gotta improve my hand though, figure practice will make perfect."
She enjoys the sleeves for a few minutes before blinking
"Aww dang, I better be getting back to Tsuma. Still got a lot of the town to see before things start up proper tomorrow!"

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko nods. "There are definitely still things to do before the competition begins." She glances at the sleeves, sighing slightly. "Yes, practice is always a good idea, makes things...better. It is somewhat distressing that I do not know how to hide the stitches as they are on a normally done sleeve, or I would offer advice."

She hefts her slightly heavy sleeve. "Thank you for the yams, and may the fortunes smile on you through the competition."

[Suzume Rin]

Natsuko nods. "There are definitely still things to do before the competition begins." She glances at the sleeves, sighing slightly. "Yes, practice is always a good idea, makes things...better. It is somewhat distressing that I do not know how to hide the stitches as they are on a normally done sleeve, or I would offer advice."

She hefts her slightly heavy sleeve. "Thank you for the yams, and may the fortunes smile on you through the competition."

"And on you Isawa-sama, I'm sure we'll meet again before all this is done."
She bows respectfully before hurrying off with her foraged treasure

((Thanks for the scene ))