(D5, LE) Ah yes, the other temple

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko's head tilts quizzically. "Would the Hare be better able to provide...oh. Right. Actual hare are known for their many young." She nods once, her eyes softening as the focus shifts elsewhere. "I think..." she says slowly, "Usagi Rin would have been less of a storyteller. Though perhaps a better-fed warrior."

Slowly her gaze shifts back to what is in front of them and she gestures to the shrine. "But when you said the fortunes found you confused, I do not think it was confusion about the clan you were born to."

[Suzume Rin]

Natsuko's head tilts quizzically. "Would the Hare be better able to provide...oh. Right. Actual hare are known for their many young." She nods once, her eyes softening as the focus shifts elsewhere. "I think..." she says slowly, "Usagi Rin would have been less of a storyteller. Though perhaps a better-fed warrior."

Slowly her gaze shifts back to what is in front of them and she gestures to the shrine. "But when you said the fortunes found you confused, I do not think it was confusion about the clan you were born to."

"Huh...well I hope Usagi-Rin's doing alright, wherever she is. Glad she's getting enough to eat, she's gonna end up too lanky by half."

Following Natsuko's gaze back to the Shrine
"You're right, it's nothing about my clan that's got me thinking. Someone...uh...Isawa-sama, I don't mean to be rude, and you strike me as one of the most trustworthy samurai here. But can the contents of this conversation just be between you and me?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko thinks about that question for a long while, almost to the point of it seeming quesionable if she *would* answer. "I would not share it since you ask that of me. But...the spirits of the air hear everything. I can not make them forget, if someone should ask them. Those of the earth will hold an impression, but are unlikely to care about a few words spoken by speeding children."

[Suzume Rin]

Natsuko thinks about that question for a long while, almost to the point of it seeming quesionable if she *would* answer. "I would not share it since you ask that of me. But...the spirits of the air hear everything. I can not make them forget, if someone should ask them. Those of the earth will hold an impression, but are unlikely to care about a few words spoken by speeding children."

Rin blinks a few times, clearly having not even considered that.

"I....uhh, well. I'll just have to hope nobody bothers them about this...wouldn't be right bothering the spirits. But I appreciate that."
Deep breath

"Someone told me they liked me...well it wasn't 'didn't not like' but that's how you tell someone you like 'em when you're nervous, which I think we were."
Slight pause...she is talking to Natsuko
"The like being in the vein of a...romantic sort."

[Isawa Natsuko]

She glances at the shrine to Benten, as if in confirmation, and nods. "The Crane place a great deal of stock in Benten and their blessings, so it could be a fortuitous location for that sort of thing to set in. We are also all very accomplished, or we would not be here. This makes many of us ideal candidates for matches outside of our own clans, as they seek to build ties."

Searching her memory, she adds. "I think, if you like them, you are supposed to write poems, and visit for tea in the middle of the night, if the few pillowbooks I have read are any indication. They were very light on information about the tea though." She spreads her hands before her palms up. "I'm afraid I don't have actual experience to offer as advice. But I think, if they are at least a viable candidate for a match, you are unlikely to upset anyone."

"I could recommend herbal teas for such visits though. I would think the stronger ones a bit much at that hour."

[Suzume Rin]

She glances at the shrine to Benten, as if in confirmation, and nods. "The Crane place a great deal of stock in Benten and their blessings, so it could be a fortuitous location for that sort of thing to set in. We are also all very accomplished, or we would not be here. This makes many of us ideal candidates for matches outside of our own clans, as they seek to build ties."

Searching her memory, she adds. "I think, if you like them, you are supposed to write poems, and visit for tea in the middle of the night, if the few pillowbooks I have read are any indication. They were very light on information about the tea though." She spreads her hands before her palms up. "I'm afraid I don't have actual experience to offer as advice. But I think, if they are at least a viable candidate for a match, you are unlikely to upset anyone."

"I could recommend herbal teas for such visits though. I would think the stronger ones a bit much at that hour."

"Huh...yah know, that's real sensible of you Isawa-sama. And you probably gotta plan ahead and let them know, someone comes to my room in the middle of the night unannounced I ain't likely to be decent, let alone in the mood for tea."

Cocking her head
"I don't...really know 'bout matching. Yourself Isawa-sama, you're really special. Anyone would be honoured to have you in the family. But me, well there's lots of bushi running round. And almost all of them got more land, or more money, or more connections. Hard to imagine someone deciding they want an alliance with folk who struggle to feed themselves come winter."
Rin clicks her tongue, annoyed at herself.

"Apologies, didn't mean for it to come out that strong, sounds like I'm complaining."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Is an honest assessment, complaint?" The priestess's soft voice questions more by context than tone. "Bushi are far more common, but the clans also need many of them." She didn't mention that this was, to some extent, because of the attrition inherent to going out and stabbing things while trying not to be stabbed yourself. "Maybe not as many in times of peace. But there is an imbalance in the world, and I think there will be battles to come because of it."

The blue eyes fix on Rin's "You have shown your skills to be worth notice. The Crab are eager for all the hands they can get, because they never know peace. The Crane and Lion fight one another more often than not. All likely to at least entertain the idea, I would think."

Rocking back on her heels a bit, she notes, "I am special enough for the Isawa to take me, but lowly enough they'd rather pair me with a Shiba line with some unusual connection to the void...it is more like...breeding prize chrysanthemums than cementing alliances there." Her hands fall to her sides from their usual clasp in front of her. "An honest assessment. I can't complain. It is not a heavy duty."

[Suzume Rin]

"Is an honest assessment, complaint?" The priestess's soft voice questions more by context than tone. "Bushi are far more common, but the clans also need many of them." She didn't mention that this was, to some extent, because of the attrition inherent to going out and stabbing things while trying not to be stabbed yourself. "Maybe not as many in times of peace. But there is an imbalance in the world, and I think there will be battles to come because of it."

The blue eyes fix on Rin's "You have shown your skills to be worth notice. The Crab are eager for all the hands they can get, because they never know peace. The Crane and Lion fight one another more often than not. All likely to at least entertain the idea, I would think."

Rocking back on her heels a bit, she notes, "I am special enough for the Isawa to take me, but lowly enough they'd rather pair me with a Shiba line with some unusual connection to the void...it is more like...breeding prize chrysanthemums than cementing alliances there." Her hands fall to her sides from their usual clasp in front of her. "An honest assessment. I can't complain. It is not a heavy duty."

"Oh."
Rin's faces shifts from surprise to a frown, and finally to concern.

"You're..you're not a flower though. I ain't gonna pretend I understand even the smallest piece of how it all works. But what little I know is pretty clear. You're a priestess, and you got some connection to the void. That makes you special, and not special like a chrysanthemum, although they are real nice. Really special. Sure folks might want more of yah, who wouldn't? But if they aren't respecting you then it's not right."
Rin punctuates that with a firm shake of her head.

"If someone's special enough to take away from their home then they're special enough to do right by. You got a duty to them, but they got a duty to you too. Turning their noses up at a priestess, the nerve."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Well...so many of the Isawa are shugenja that...I do not think it seems as special to them." She holds her hand out in front of her, turning it a bit as she examines it. "I could, perhaps, be a flower.." her quiet voice has gone a bit vague around the edges as she considers how many steps of reality it is from flesh to flower. "Not yet, that would be a very complex way to shift reality." Her voice snaps back into focus as her hand drops and she looks up to Rin. "but I think it _is_ possible to make someone into a flower, or maybe a lot of them."

"Hmm...but that does not really do much about you and this other person who likes you. Oh...I guess it might be important to know if you like them too?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Well...so many of the Isawa are shugenja that...I do not think it seems as special to them." She holds her hand out in front of her, turning it a bit as she examines it. "I could, perhaps, be a flower.." her quiet voice has gone a bit vague around the edges as she considers how many steps of reality it is from flesh to flower. "Not yet, that would be a very complex way to shift reality." Her voice snaps back into focus as her hand drops and she looks up to Rin. "but I think it _is_ possible to make someone into a flower, or maybe a lot of them."

"Hmm...but that does not really do much about you and this other person who likes you. Oh...I guess it might be important to know if you like them too?"

"Uhh-uhh."
Wait, could she turn someone into a flower?...
"Ummm."
What would a flower person look like? Would it be a person sized flower or a flower sized person?
"Hmmm"
Would they still have their soul, or a flower's...soul...flowers didn't have souls though, so was this destroying the soul?

Natsuko's pronouncement takes a good few seconds for Rin to process, well, try and process.
"..Maybe...don't go turning folks into flowers until you've had a bit of time to think on it?"
At this point, relationship angst seemed preferable

"I like them back too, I think. They're kind to me, real kind. They look at me like I'm the only person that matters. And they're smart too, and so determined. Wish I knew half as much as they did."

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko nods solemnly, "A good deal of our training is meant to avoid acting without sufficient thought. Another significant portion is readying us to try fixing the problems caused by those who failed to remember the first part." Which seems to be saying she'll only go turning people in to flowers with a fair bit of thought ahead of time, and perhaps apologies to future students who spend their days trying to reverse the process.

But she shifts readily to relationship angst, even if she feels she understands the issues with shifting reality better. "So, if you both like one another, what next? Should you try talking to your nakodo cousin? Or just...write poems and drink tea through the tournament and then go back home?"

[Suzume Rin]

Natsuko nods solemnly, "A good deal of our training is meant to avoid acting without sufficient thought. Another significant portion is readying us to try fixing the problems caused by those who failed to remember the first part." Which seems to be saying she'll only go turning people in to flowers with a fair bit of thought ahead of time, and perhaps apologies to future students who spend their days trying to reverse the process.

But she shifts readily to relationship angst, even if she feels she understands the issues with shifting reality better. "So, if you both like one another, what next? Should you try talking to your nakodo cousin? Or just...write poems and drink tea through the tournament and then go back home?"

"Well that's the question, ain't it? Tea and poems are nice'n easy. Well, not easy, but you know what I'm saying. Talking to the nakodo...that's serious. I mean, I don't know much about matching or how all this works. What if it's a bad decision and I end up ruining this person's life?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Oh, that is the Nakodo's duty, isn't it?" Natsuko asks. "Figuring out if something is a good match and families approve and so forth. I think it might be a little rare that they are asked by the..." She searches for a word and finds that there isn't one, "potential pair. But you are both here at the Tournament. You might even end up as the Champion, Suzume-san. Those are things that offer a little more weight to your words for a little while. And to their words too if they ask their cousin to talk to their nakodo"

[Suzume Rin]

"Oh, that is the Nakodo's duty, isn't it?" Natsuko asks. "Figuring out if something is a good match and families approve and so forth. I think it might be a little rare that they are asked by the..." She searches for a word and finds that there isn't one, "potential pair. But you are both here at the Tournament. You might even end up as the Champion, Suzume-san. Those are things that offer a little more weight to your words for a little while. And to their words too if they ask their cousin to talk to their nakodo"

Rin nods, rubbing her nose

"Yer definitely talking sense Isawa-sama. If it's the wrong idea they'll just...say that. Probably sting for a good long while, but it would be what it'd be."
Brightening a little

"Gosh, you've always got the sensible perspective. You remind me of my wise aunties."
Which reminds Rin.
"Umm, I know you're gonna be real busy after the tournament. But...would yah like to stay in touch? Don't have to if you don't wanna but I'd like to share letters with you."

[Isawa Natsuko]

There is a single nod. "I would find that interesting, I think. I have not written letters much before; just...library requests, really." Natsuko considers a moment. "Not sure where I will end up, but they should always know at Starry Heaven Sanctuary. I will send you a wedding invitation, in any case. Even if you are not able to travel so far then, I can include a note for you."

[Suzume Rin]

There is a single nod. "I would find that interesting, I think. I have not written letters much before; just...library requests, really." Natsuko considers a moment. "Not sure where I will end up, but they should always know at Starry Heaven Sanctuary. I will send you a wedding invitation, in any case. Even if you are not able to travel so far then, I can include a note for you."

"Oh...oh! Me...to your wedding? You sure. Only ever been invited to family weddings before, don't know what you need to take to a phoenix wedding....tea'd be a good gift, right?"
Rubbing the back of her head

"I know you like exotic teas."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Are there some herbal ones that you only see in Sparrow lands?" They might never be seen at refined tables, but were certainly of interest.

"Assuming I get a say. You've been willing to answer everything I ask, which is quite kind, Suzume-san. It isn't as if I have family to fill out the guest list." She falls silent a moment, expression remaining still. "I think I would like someone there who finds it entirely celebratory."

[Suzume Rin]

"Are there some herbal ones that you only see in Sparrow lands?" They might never be seen at refined tables, but were certainly of interest.

"Assuming I get a say. You've been willing to answer everything I ask, which is quite kind, Suzume-san. It isn't as if I have family to fill out the guest list." She falls silent a moment, expression remaining still. "I think I would like someone there who finds it entirely celebratory."

"Oh yeah, we got a special family home brew, it'll give you the energy to work all day if you need it. No good to drink after midday though or you won't be sleeping."

Blinking at Natsuko
"Well, I bet there'll be a whole bunch of us. But even if it's just me I'll celebrate even harder, be happy enough for a whole crowd. Marriage is supposed to be a celebration."

[Isawa Natsuko]

There is no real expression, but a sense of tension that releases, settling the slight Phoenix more solidly on her feet. "Of course. Shiba-san's family will be celebrating. A friend or two among my fellow students. Still..."

"And I would love to know more about your family's tea. There are so many little personal blends that exist for a short while and then vanish."

[Suzume Rin]

There is no real expression, but a sense of tension that releases, settling the slight Phoenix more solidly on her feet. "Of course. Shiba-san's family will be celebrating. A friend or two among my fellow students. Still..."

"And I would love to know more about your family's tea. There are so many little personal blends that exist for a short while and then vanish."

"If I see someone not celebrating you can bet I'll sort 'em right out. Going to a wedding all stone faced, shame on the guest indeed."
Rin certainly looked prepared to let any grump ceremony goers know her exact feelings on the matter.

"It's gonna be just right, and I'll either bring some tea or send it. Can't promise it'll be good or to anyone's taste, but it'll be personal."