[D3, EE] Oh Hail No (Open, expecting)

[Shiba Haru]

Haru stood until an awning staring out of the cities gates and muttering to himself. He was begging for the hail to stop.

[Suzume Rin]

Haru stood until an awning staring out of the cities gates and muttering to himself. He was begging for the hail to stop.

"Oh, Shiba-...I mean, Haru-sama!"
A slightly bedraggled looking figure sporting a thick straw hat and oversized robes makes its way down the road towards the Phoenix. It appears to be waving happily.

"Terrible weather, neh?"

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh, Shiba-...I mean, Haru-sama!"
A slightly bedraggled looking figure sporting a thick straw hat and oversized robes makes its way down the road towards the Phoenix. It appears to be waving happily.

"Terrible weather, neh?"

"You got it right between the two, Haru-san is fine, really." The Shiba bowed and continued. "It is wonderful to see you again Suzume Rin-san, though yes the weather is less than ideal. I had hoped to go for a night ride in the forest and now with you here I am even more disappointed that it cannot happen. How are you enjoying your time here in Tsuma?"

[Suzume Rin]

"You got it right between the two, Haru-san is fine, really." The Shiba bowed and continued. "It is wonderful to see you again Suzume Rin-san, though yes the weather is less than ideal. I had hoped to go for a night ride in the forest and now with you here I am even more disappointed that it cannot happen. How are you enjoying your time here in Tsuma?"

Rin makes her way under the awning and bows, causing a miniature cascade from the hat as she backs up to avoid splaying on Haru.
"Of course Haru-san, just don't want ta get in bad habits round me betters. I'd say they aren't all as friendly as you but everyone 'round Tsuma has been as welcoming as you could want."

Her gaze follows his words out into the darkened forest.
"Well that's a shame. Can't pretend it's nice out there but you get a wonderful feeling of earth hearing the hail on the trees. 'Course that gets matched by the feeling of 'ow!' from the hail. Tsuma has been nice though. That Mantis ship was quite something, never been on one before. I don't think I was much use in the competition but I got to do some fishing out the back."

Rin launches into the story of 'The Shadow Tuna' which had nearly yanked her and Hirame into the depths.
"So that was exciting, then I got to see a play with that nice Kuni. I think we both found it a bit hard to follow but I guess real art takes some learnin' to appreciate."

Looking over to Haru
"What about you? Bet you and your brother have been busy!"

[Shiba Haru]

"Ah, yes, my brother has been busy indeed. He met his betrothed recently which has dominated his attention and I know he is working on several gifts though I know not who they are for. I have been...less occupied, my lack of success during the Crane's tests has left me a bit frustrated and I have had far to much free time to dwell on it. Beyond that I have spending the majority of my time at the dojo trying to keep up with my training and hoping that I can making it into the Iaijutsu tournament. The Mantis ship was certainly a unique experience, I wish I had felt more comfortable while on it."

[Suzume Rin]

"Ah, yes, my brother has been busy indeed. He met his betrothed recently which has dominated his attention and I know he is working on several gifts though I know not who they are for. I have been...less occupied, my lack of success during the Crane's tests has left me a bit frustrated and I have had far to much free time to dwell on it. Beyond that I have spending the majority of my time at the dojo trying to keep up with my training and hoping that I can making it into the Iaijutsu tournament. The Mantis ship was certainly a unique experience, I wish I had felt more comfortable while on it."

"Oh he's betrothed? That's a lot to have to deal with when he's also got the tournament. I hope his betrothed is nice though, you hear stories about folks meeting and they just know it's gonna work out."
Also some slightly more dramatic stories about betrothals that very much didn't work out.

"Your time is coming Haru-san, I just know it. Training always pays off, it's just hard to know then whens of it."
She offers an encouraging look
"Only a matter of time I reckon."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh he's betrothed? That's a lot to have to deal with when he's also got the tournament. I hope his betrothed is nice though, you hear stories about folks meeting and they just know it's gonna work out."
Also some slightly more dramatic stories about betrothals that very much didn't work out.

"Your time is coming Haru-san, I just know it. Training always pays off, it's just hard to know then whens of it."
She offers an encouraging look
"Only a matter of time I reckon."

"Well I'm sure they will test our survival and outdoors skills at some point and normally I would be confident in that but with you here I will have to work extra hard to be noticed there, though I delight in seeing your success."

[Suzume Rin]

"Well I'm sure they will test our survival and outdoors skills at some point and normally I would be confident in that but with you here I will have to work extra hard to be noticed there, though I delight in seeing your success."

She waves the compliment off, looking a little self-conscious
"I'm sure it won't be like that. Besides, the judges are all looking for something different, right? Outdoor skills could have a unicorn judge who really likes their way of doing things, of a Crab who'd have a totally different approach. No reason I think I'd do better than anyone else."
Clearly trying to raise his spirits
"I bet we'll be sharing tea in a few days with you getting a well-earned top three."

[Shiba Haru]

She waves the compliment off, looking a little self-conscious
"I'm sure it won't be like that. Besides, the judges are all looking for something different, right? Outdoor skills could have a unicorn judge who really likes their way of doing things, of a Crab who'd have a totally different approach. No reason I think I'd do better than anyone else."
Clearly trying to raise his spirits
"I bet we'll be sharing tea in a few days with you getting a well-earned top three."

"I would be happy to share a drink with you any time Rin-san regardless of my success." he said with a warm smile. "I have actually been thinking a lot about our first conversation and I wondered if I might ask a question about your clan. I have been trained to be a soldier and a duelist but above all else I have trained to become a yojimbo, my duty is to help protect those who protect the religious practices of our empire as dictated by Hantai-kami. As I understand protecting the Emperor's sacred lands is your clans duty, is that the focus of your school's training? Are you perhaps a soldier first and foremost?"

[Suzume Rin]

"I would be happy to share a drink with you any time Rin-san regardless of my success." he said with a warm smile. "I have actually been thinking a lot about our first conversation and I wondered if I might ask a question about your clan. I have been trained to be a soldier and a duelist but above all else I have trained to become a yojimbo, my duty is to help protect those who protect the religious practices of our empire as dictated by Hantai-kami. As I understand protecting the Emperor's sacred lands is your clans duty, is that the focus of your school's training? Are you perhaps a soldier first and foremost?"

Clearly happy for the change of subject
"Hmmm, sorta?...Well I guess that's not a helpful answer. I guess our first duty is protecting the plains so in that respect most of my family end up as soldiers. But it's real different to Lion soldiering or Crab soldiering. They've got those big armies while we're mainly small groups on patrol or up in the watchtowers keeping an eye out."

Hurriedly
"Ain't saying I'm not a soldier. Don't think I'd be much use as a courtier or an artisan like your brother. But I think most Suzume would think of themselves more as guardians than soldiers."

[Shiba Haru]

Clearly happy for the change of subject
"Hmmm, sorta?...Well I guess that's not a helpful answer. I guess our first duty is protecting the plains so in that respect most of my family end up as soldiers. But it's real different to Lion soldiering or Crab soldiering. They've got those big armies while we're mainly small groups on patrol or up in the watchtowers keeping an eye out."

Hurriedly
"Ain't saying I'm not a soldier. Don't think I'd be much use as a courtier or an artisan like your brother. But I think most Suzume would think of themselves more as guardians than soldiers."

"Guardian is of course the perfect word for it, we call our school the Guardian school for obvious reasons but you are performing the same duty so that makes total sense now that I consider it. And you ae more of an artisan than you give yourself credit, the famed storytelling prowess of the Sparrow certainly lives within you from what I have seen so far. I have been searching my memory for some story I might be able to share with you that you wouldn't have heard already."

[Suzume Rin]

"Guardian is of course the perfect word for it, we call our school the Guardian school for obvious reasons but you are performing the same duty so that makes total sense now that I consider it. And you ae more of an artisan than you give yourself credit, the famed storytelling prowess of the Sparrow certainly lives within you from what I have seen so far. I have been searching my memory for some story I might be able to share with you that you wouldn't have heard already."

Aghast "Oh, well certainly I'd never be putting my school on the level of yours. Just uhm similar duties I guess? Not as important though."

Hurriedly
"Well, that's only if you count storytelling as being an art. I think most folks would give me some pretty firm looks if I said it was. And you needn't think of some story I haven't heard, that's uh, not what interests me. I mean, obviously it interests me a lot, but it doesn't interest me the most."
She cocks her head, causing another small downpour
"See I'm just as interested in how someone tells a story; what they remember or focus on than the story itself. A new perspective on an old story is kinda a new story itself."

[Shiba Haru]

Aghast "Oh, well certainly I'd never be putting my school on the level of yours. Just uhm similar duties I guess? Not as important though."

Hurriedly
"Well, that's only if you count storytelling as being an art. I think most folks would give me some pretty firm looks if I said it was. And you needn't think of some story I haven't heard, that's uh, not what interests me. I mean, obviously it interests me a lot, but it doesn't interest me the most."
She cocks her head, causing another small downpour
"See I'm just as interested in how someone tells a story; what they remember or focus on than the story itself. A new perspective on an old story is kinda a new story itself."

"Your humility is admirable but entirely unnecessary, you are here because someone within your clan sees you as exceptional and I have seen nothing to contradict that, it took me years longer than your to reach this point so you must be exceptional. I see no offense in comparing our clans as long as it is done with warmth in our hearts, the similarities between the clans is something I hope we can all appreciate and remember when we leave this place. So yes, you are a Guardian." He said warmly.

"As for stories..." An amused embarrassment crossed his features and he rubbed the back of his neck. "The only story that keeps coming to mind is a heavy handed parable about finding one's self and the value of personal freedom, not very samurai like."

[Suzume Rin]

"Your humility is admirable but entirely unnecessary, you are here because someone within your clan sees you as exceptional and I have seen nothing to contradict that, it took me years longer than your to reach this point so you must be exceptional. I see no offense in comparing our clans as long as it is done with warmth in our hearts, the similarities between the clans is something I hope we can all appreciate and remember when we leave this place. So yes, you are a Guardian." He said warmly.

"As for stories..." An amused embarrassment crossed his features and he rubbed the back of his neck. "The only story that keeps coming to mind is a heavy handed parable about finding one's self and the value of personal freedom, not very samurai like."

Nose flush
"Oh it don't have to be samurai like to be a good story. A samurai can learn from the spirits or a noble creature or even a fortune, and I wouldn't tell them they're samurai like. If you remember it I bet it stayed in your mind for a reason, probably a good one."

[Shiba Haru]

Nose flush
"Oh it don't have to be samurai like to be a good story. A samurai can learn from the spirits or a noble creature or even a fortune, and I wouldn't tell them they're samurai like. If you remember it I bet it stayed in your mind for a reason, probably a good one."

"Well...it's a short story, I have no talent at telling it but if you wish to hear it I would share it with you."

He spoke sheepishly but the offer was genuine.

[Suzume Rin]

"Well...it's a short story, I have no talent at telling it but if you wish to hear it I would share it with you."

He spoke sheepishly but the offer was genuine.

"Hey now, wouldn't have asked if I wasn't interested. Let me hear it and I promise it'll go right into the story part of my mind and stay there."
Rin looks encouraging. She was pretty sure this would be where a Mantis would clap someone on the shoulder.

[Shiba Haru]

Haru closed his eyes and focused, he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of someone he considered a professional.


"Once there was a hawk who lived in a golden cage. Hawk’s lord was very wealthy so the cage was huge, half the size of this room and filled with everything the hawk could ever need. A large window allowed Hawk to look out over all the lord's lands and it never had to fear the larger birds that it was told would hunt it if it ever got out. Eagles and falcons swooped and dived outside the window, always watching the hawk in it’s perfect cage. But despite all the grandeur of it’s home Hawk had no room to fly and it’s wings grew weak.

Every day Hawk would ask the lord “Will I never be allowed to soar?” to which the lord would say, “It is too dangerous, better to sit here then risk the unknown. The world is large and cruel, you wouldn’t last a day on your own and the others will never accept you.”.

But Hawk was lonely, and it grew to hate the lord for caging it so. Many years passed and Hawk’s sorrow grew until one day the lord’s servants forgot to lock the cage after feeding Hawk. The cage door was heavy and it took all day for Hawk to push it open. With the door open before it the hawk stood, terrified of it’s next move. If the lord was right Hawk would never survive, eaten by the very things it wanted to be, but slowly it stepped out into the greater world.

It’s wings were weak but not broken and with great effort it hopped and flapped it’s way up into the window. As soon as it showed itself dark shapes dove towards it from the sky and the sun blinded it as it tried to see it’s death coming. But just before they reached Hawk the shapes stopped and hovered before it.

There were birds of every kind arrayed before it and all of them bore smiles. The largest eagle came to rest on the windowsill next to Hawk. “We have been waiting for you. It is hard out here but we can all help each other, will you join us?” the eagle said and Hawk was stunned, the death it had been promised hadn’t come but Hawk was wary. “Won’t you eat me, you’re so much bigger than me?” The eagle frowned and shook it’s head. “We have battled each other before and I cannot promise we won’t again but we need not eat each other when there is enough fish and sky for all. Before you ever need to worry about protecting yourself we will make sure you can. Please come with us, there is so much for you to see.”

Hawk wanted to trust the larger bird as they were alike but turned back and looked at it’s cage. “I do not think I can fly, it has been so long.” Hawk said. The eagle simply smiled and said, “you will again one day, until then we can bear you. Once you are ready you will soar higher than any of us.”

Just then the lord came into the room and saw Hawk had escaped its cage. The lord was enraged and demanded Hawk return to it, trying to shoo away the other birds. “Rest on my back and we can leave this place together or you can and return to your cage and never feel the wind.” The lord rushed across the room determined to catch Hawk but just before hands could grab him Hawk wrapped its wings around the eagle and the eagle dove off the high window.

Together they soared over streams and meadows, lakes and valleys until they reached the coast and the eagle set them down on a high cliff overlooking a vast ocean. “There is more beyond the blue for you to see one day, when you are ready you will see it all.” said the eagle.

Several years later the lord was walking through his keep. He looked tired and alone, shuffling about with no one to keep him company. When he heard the beating of many wings he turned to the window and was amazed by what he saw. “There is the man who tried to cage me.” Hawk said to its children. “See how sad he has become? The cage was beautiful and he made sure I never wanted for anything, and all it cost me was the ability to fly. Beware the cage my children, for the fear it instills cuts deeper than any talon or beak. And pity the man who builds it, for he is as trapped by it as you are.”

Hawk and it’s children turned and flew away and the old lord wept for what he had lost."


[D3,EE] Oh Hail No!
Performance/Water: Telling Suzume Rin a story | TN: 1 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

[Suzume Rin]

Snip

Rin sniffles and pulls out her handkerchief to wipe her nose
"It's beautiful Haru-san. I could picture that poor Hawk and his big cage so easily. I'm so glad he went with the other birds. A bird that can't fly is really just a chicken, and that's hardly a bird at all!"
Bowing
"Thank you for the gift of this story. I shall tell it to the rest of my family on our return."

[Shiba Haru]

Haru bowed at her compliment.

"You are too kind Rin-san, thank you I am glad you enjoyed it."

Whew

"It only seemed proper, you have shared your gift with me I should at least try to reciprocate."

[Suzume Rin]

Haru bowed at her compliment.

"You are too kind Rin-san, thank you I am glad you enjoyed it."

Whew

"It only seemed proper, you have shared your gift with me I should at least try to reciprocate."

"It was really nice of you to do that, speaks well of you I think."
Rin even goes so far as to smile.

"I'll have to get something nice for you, not a story but something more fittin' for you. Dunno where to start, but I reckon inspiration can't be that far away. You're outdoorsy, and you're good at music and stories..yer very friendly. Hmmm"
Rin's brow furrows slightly in thought.