Into the Woods (D4EA)

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah, sure." Hirame said, although he frowned as he did. "Although we're always replacing parts on them. Mainmast last summer, most of the rudder year before that, random planks all the time." He looked at her curiously. "Does it still count as the same thing if all the parts of it have been replaced?" Hirame asked.

"Very." Hirame nodded. "Only so many people can get ships. There's just not that many of them, or good sailors to crew them. Not just anyone gets to be captain, even if you're a good sailor. And a good samurai."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course, if I end up marrying into the Crane, well, that won't matter. I fear they may not have the same standards when it comes to captains."

[Isawa Natsuko]

She considers the question for a long while. "I do not know," she finally says. "There are awakened blades that remain so through replacements to tsuba and bindings, damage and repair to the blade, and so on. But I know a story about an awakened sake cup whose spirit fled when the cup was chipped. It may well depend on the spirit that has settled in."

"It would be an interesting area of study. But such things are rare enough to make that complicated."

Closing up her satchel, she offers a slightly quizzical look. "Only the Crane? Several clans don't really have many ships. I think you would be out of luck among the Lion or Scorpion." After a pause she seems to remember..."unless river boats count. But concern about standards is valid. The Great Clans do not value the talents of those outside their ranks as highly." It is said in the same even, matter-of-fact fashion as everything else.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"When it was chipped?" Hirame made a face that quickly turned thoughtful. "That's interesting! Does the same sort of spirit always settle in the same sort of thing? Or are there sake cup spirits that don't care if it gets chipped? Sword spirits that leave as soon as the sword's taken off the display?" But it was true, perhaps things just weren't known.

Looking back over the water, Hirame let out a slow breath. "Crane is my only concern. I am engaged to one. I may join her clan, or she may join mine. If I join hers..." Hirame chewed his lip a moment, "-I guess how great Clans feel about outsiders is something I'm worried about. Because you're right, they don't value outside talent. And I don't think they'd forget where I came from." Idly, he picked up a stone from the bank, tossing it into the river. It landed with a kerplunk, swallowed up immediately by the water.

[Isawa Natsuko]

She shakes her head. "No, there are no sake cup spirits independent of awakened sake cups. There is argument as to whether such awakened spirits progress on the wheel when released from ningen-do, or simply evaporate back into the spiritual background." Settling back on her heels she shakes down her sleeves a bit to tuck her hands into. It's a bit chill in the shade still for one who's fire burns low. "But there definitely are spirits that do not care about chips. A hundred year old sake cup, which might manage to awaken, almost certainly already bears some chips."

Eyes drawn to the sinking stone, she says quietly, "even when raised among them to their standards, they do not appear to forget. So no, I think you can expect to find reminders here and there. At least, I think, my betrothal would have been to an Isawa had my birth been higher."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes sense. Guess that bodes well for ship spirits, huh?"

He shifted as he sat, giving her a curious look. "Huh. Perhaps I should let my ancestry be better known. Not that I try to hide it, but 'I'm descended from an Imperial Princess' is hard to work into casual conversation." Except... he just had. Maybe it was easy?

He frowned. "Some issue with your birth? Or just not a Daimyo's daughter?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"If they show up, it does mean they are unlikely to go because a board is replaced, at least," she agrees.

In answer to his other question though..."Cat's daughter once, then taken into the Isawa. But they do not forget." The words are even and matter-of-fact. "No princes, or princesses in the line that I know of, but yes, that might raise your fortunes a bit with the Crane, I would think. They tend to be rather conscious of those things, don't they?"

"Have you met her?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

Those were not welcome words. Hirame grimaced, looking out over the water. "Well, I suppose I'll have to let it be known, then. I want my name to be the famous one, but perhaps I should not turn down my ancestor's aid." Having said it, some determination returned to Hirame's features.

He smiled. "I have, yes. It seemed like an opportunity that shouldn't go to waste, her and me being at the same event like this. So we've been getting to know each other a bit." Shaking his head, Hirame chuckled. "She's really something, actually."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"One's name can outshine an ancestor eventually. But..." her blue gaze focuses off to the distance. "I think we're all a bit young for it to happen now."

"Which Crane then? Since there are quite a few around, even if you narrow it to tournament participants." Shifting, she pulls her knees up before her to rest her arms across. "Everyone is something, though. What kind of something is she?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah. For now." Hirame smirked. Confidence, he did not lack.

A quick confused look, and then Hirame chuckled. Mirroring Natsuko somewhat, he also pulled his legs up, although he didn't lean on his arms. "Right. I mean, she impressed me. Kakita Ahiru is her name." He frowned. "If I had to say what kind of something she was, I'd say a Crane lady, but forged with steel instead of... flowers, or whatever." He looked at her, eyebrows going up. "Does that answer the question?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"One of my classmates came to us from the Crane, a fair bit older than I'd been. I do not think she'd have done so well with a soul of flowers. I'm not sure anyone sent to compete here would be fragile." Her is focused and steady through the conversation. "Is that important to you? A match forged of something stronger than flowers?"

While waiting on the answer, she turns her attention to the side, rummaging in her satchel.