D3, EE School is In! (Open but expecting)

[Shinjo Miuna]

Aono and Miuna found a small space next to one of the campfires that had enough room to sit for anyone that wanted to learn.

Aono suspected that there would be less people at the next lesson than there were at this one. It wasn't easy to learn and it took time. Something not many of them had to spare at the moment. Miuna wondered if any one would actually show up.

[Ninube]

Ninube had a vague thought about the future. But regardless of how her future turned out, she figured this would be a first step.

She bowed. "Hello, I'm Ninube of the Spider." She hoped they would understand. Or would she have to learn first? That would be awkward.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Aono, Miuna, hello again. Hope the day was nice on you."

Turning to Ninube:

"Hello. I'm Ayumu."

[Ninube]

"Hey, I'm Ninube."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

Kyosei was nearby, slowly rubbing a small file against a large block of green stone. It wasn't quite the same green as jade usually was, but was a vibrant green, intermixed with browns.

He was also watching along. While he was always willing to learn, he wasn't sure about learning from a former Isawa.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Hello. Kyosei, is that it? I think I heard of you in my time as a Isawa, but I don't think we ever had the pleasure to meet."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Yes, I am Kyosei. Who did you learn from, might I ask? I studied under Ouno, in the study of Spirits and the Earth that supports us."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Nothing as noble I'm afraid. More like gossip around the time of your marriage. You were a collateral victim of people taking digs at your uncle-in-law."

[Shinjo Miuna]

"Well met, Ninube and Kyosei. Hello again, Ayumu. We shall wait a few minutes more to see if anyone else appears." Aono and Miuna had a quick heart to heart while they waited. Signing to communicate, they talked about the prior events of the day.

"Miuna, are you doing alright? I know being at the edge of the forest with Jin was stressful for you."

"No more stressful than usual. I just always end up feeling like I should be able to do more." She sighed.

"Someone wise once told me," she said aloud while still signing, " 'You can only do that which you can do.' You did your best Miuna, and that is all you can hope to do." She embraced her sister, smoothing over her hair and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Miuna nodded, knowing she was right. She hoped they could teach those willing to learn. If it helped them in any way, then it would be worth it for her.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Nothing as noble I'm afraid. More like gossip around the time of your marriage. You were a collateral victim of people taking digs at your uncle-in-law."

Kyosei nods a greeting to the Ki Rin, then answers Ayumu. "Many take digs at him. Hardly makes a difference in the end. Why bother, then, I wonder." He shrugs. "Life is like that, so I've found."

[Togashi Saruko]

Having heard there was some kind of lesson to happen around one of the campfires, Saruko had finished her meal in a hurry to join the group.

It didn't seem like the lesson had started yet when she arrived, unless it was a lesson in socialising, so she quietly took a place and looked around at those gathered so far. Who is the teacher and who are the students, I wonder...

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Nothing as noble I'm afraid. More like gossip around the time of your marriage. You were a collateral victim of people taking digs at your uncle-in-law."

Kyosei nods a greeting to the Ki Rin, then answers Ayumu. "Many take digs at him. Hardly makes a difference in the end. Why bother, then, I wonder." He shrugs. "Life is like that, so I've found."

"As far as I know, most people who vented that way are still in the tribe.

I didn't and I left."

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"So, those that didn't like the leader, who gossiped, stayed? And those that didn't left? Or am I misunderstanding?"

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"For the most part, the gossipers stayed yes.

Note that those who left might or might not like him too. They just weren't that much into talking of people behind their back."

[Shinjo Miuna]

((Just write like you've been present if you decide to spend your time slot here!))

Aono waited a bit before calling the attention of the crowd. She signed as she spoke and would continue to do so for the duration of the lesson. "Welcome, and thank you for your attendance. Many of you expressed interest in learning how Miuna and I communicate without speaking. Tonight I will teach you to the best of my ability. You'll notice my hands move quite a bit. There are signs for specific words and phrases that when strung together make statements."

The lesson consisted of various tests of memory, where Aono and then Miuna would express something through a short series of movements (for example "I'm hungry," "To the left," "Please," "Thank you," etc), and the group was expected to replicate what they saw. They started with easy phrases present in everyday conversation. Miuna walked around, silently and gently correcting hands with a smile when extra help was needed. After an hour or so, the girls had them practice signing to one another and translating which phrases were being signed.

((Feel free to ask the girls questions or talk amongst yourselves))

[Miyako]

Miyako had been sitting there, listening intently as the two ladies showed off the hand signals they made for various words and phrases, and the huntress mimicked along, looking down at her hands as she tried to get the finger positioning right. This certainly was quite a bit more complex and harder than the signs she had previously used with her hunting partners when out in the woods to signal one another, but such was the case if one needed to say many things other than "wait here" or "over there" or "come around the other side" and other such things mostly focused on timing and movement through the woods than any sort of typical conversation. She continued to practice

"I have a question," she raised when the Shinjo came by. "I think I'm getting this right..." she said before showing off what she thinks is the correct placement of the question 'where are you from?' "... but how does one describe where one is from if one needs something a little more than just direction? I think I'm getting 'to the north' and 'to the right' for instance, but what if one needs to express something more detailed than that, like a distance? Or even the basics of a place, like a river or a mountain?"

[Inga]

Inga has been there quietly looking at the people and what signs the two Shinjo share between the two. She analyzed them trying to pry them to memory as she stated in her mind what each one meant.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miyako had been sitting there, listening intently as the two ladies showed off the hand signals they made for various words and phrases, and the huntress mimicked along, looking down at her hands as she tried to get the finger positioning right. This certainly was quite a bit more complex and harder than the signs she had previously used with her hunting partners when out in the woods to signal one another, but such was the case if one needed to say many things other than "wait here" or "over there" or "come around the other side" and other such things mostly focused on timing and movement through the woods than any sort of typical conversation. She continued to practice

"I have a question," she raised when the Shinjo came by. "I think I'm getting this right..." she said before showing off what she thinks is the correct placement of the question 'where are you from?' "... but how does one describe where one is from if one needs something a little more than just direction? I think I'm getting 'to the north' and 'to the right' for instance, but what if one needs to express something more detailed than that, like a distance? Or even the basics of a place, like a river or a mountain?"

"Those are all great questions, Miyako. First let's talk about using numbers for distance. Typically we don't, we use this for "near"," she said, having Miuna use her hands to demonstrate, "and this for "far"."

Miuna first held her hands out in front of her with pinkies perpendicular to the ground, thumbs pointing up, palms facing her. She held them out in front of her but close to her body and brought one hand from her chest to the palm of the opposite hand. She tapped it there a few times, indicating that what she is referencing is close to her body or "nearby". Next, she curled both hands into fists with the thumbs up and held them up in front of her, near to her chest, side by side. For this sign she slightly opened her mouth, squinted her eyes, and brought her right hand out almost like she was going to cast a fish line. But instead she was simply indicating that what she was referencing was farther away from her body, indicated by the widening distance between her hands. The motion pushing outwards was slow and deliberate to show great length.

Aono spoke again. "There are many ways to use body language to describe distances. Words like "river"," she said as Miuna demonstrated by holding her hands out before her almost like she was holding something and then swaying them back and forth like the current of a river, "and "mountain"," this time Miuna held her fists closed and slightly on top of one another, bumping them for the sign "rock", and then opened and raised them at an angle to indicate a steep incline, "are pretty self explanatory visually. It's really just a matter of learning and memorizing all the different signs. Which can be quite overwhelming so don't be upset if you don't retain everything you learned tonight. Practice, and you'll be comfortable in no time." She smiled at the woman, delighted to be conversing with her and the group.

Miuna beamed, happy to see her sister in her element. She'd given up quite a lot to follow Miuna around, and for that she would always be grateful for. She couldn't imagine making this journey without her.

[Ninube]

Ninube moves her fingers to match. She can make the signs pretty close to perfect (the benefit of nimble fingers). But remembering them, that is something she is having trouble with. She listens to Miyako's question and the answer while practicing symbols she has no idea what they mean. She waits for other people to ask better questions than she can think of.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"For the most part, the gossipers stayed yes.

Note that those who left might or might not like him too. They just weren't that much into talking of people behind their back."

Kyosei nods at this, and is about to respond, when the teaching begins. He pays careful attention, but doesn't do many of the motions, more concerned with slowly running the rasp over the stone he's been working on for years now.