[D3EA] Long Distance Relationship (expecting)

[Seppun Chisei]

Between the preparations for travel, and then actual travel, Chisei hadn't managed to arrange the meeting with Xia. But he knew that an action could be endlessly delayed unless it was decisively taken. And so, he arranged to meet his old friend, finally.

He wondered what she would be like.

Chisei stood near the center of camp, looking around. He held his scroll case prominently; perhaps that would let her recognize him. He glanced here and there, trying to look for Seidou who fit Xia's description. If she described herself accurately...

[Anjing Xia]

Between the preparations for travel, and then actual travel, Chisei hadn't managed to arrange the meeting with Xia. But he knew that an action could be endlessly delayed unless it was decisively taken. And so, he arranged to meet his old friend, finally.

He wondered what she would be like.

Chisei stood near the center of camp, looking around. He held his scroll case prominently; perhaps that would let her recognize him. He glanced here and there, trying to look for Seidou who fit Xia's description. If she described herself accurately...

Xia is also waiting at the centre of the camp. Sure she'd maybe exaggerated features a little....taken some artistic license, but who doesn't when committing to the written word.

For her part she'd spent quite a bit of time imagining what Chisei looked like. Tall dark and handsome. Chiseled jaw, intelligence eyes....soft hands. She shifts backwards and forwards nervously a few times as she looks around, nodding politely at the man with the scroll case before going back to looking for her pen pal.

[Seppun Chisei]

Well... Chisei had intelligent eyes. He was handsome... but with more delicate, angular features. That was about it for her list.

Still peering around, Chisei approached the nearest person. "Excuse me." He said politely. "Do you know an Anjing Xia?" His brown eyes settled on her, noting her features... he cleared his throat. "Or... possibly, are you Anjing Xia?" He said, his tone growing sheepish.

[Anjing Xia]

Well... Chisei had intelligent eyes. He was handsome... but with more delicate, angular features. That was about it for her list.

Still peering around, Chisei approached the nearest person. "Excuse me." He said politely. "Do you know an Anjing Xia?" His brown eyes settled on her, noting her features... he cleared his throat. "Or... possibly, are you Anjing Xia?" He said, his tone growing sheepish.

"Oh....Oh!"
Xia hurriedly brushes a patch of imaginary dirt from her shoulder
"Yes I am, I'm Xia, that is. You um, are you a messenger from Chisei or..."
Wait
"Or...oh...you...you might be Chisei of the Seppun?"

[Seppun Chisei]

Smiling, Chisei gave a bit of a bow. "I am Chisei. In the flesh. It is a pleasure to meet you face to face, Xia." His gaze went up and down... but very recently married, Chisei's imagination hadn't gotten too far away from him.

He gestured with one hand. "Would you care to walk a little as we talk? I find that it helps me to think. I would always pace while writing letters to you, you know."

[Anjing Xia]

Smiling, Chisei gave a bit of a bow. "I am Chisei. In the flesh. It is a pleasure to meet you face to face, Xia." His gaze went up and down... but very recently married, Chisei's imagination hadn't gotten too far away from him.

He gestured with one hand. "Would you care to walk a little as we talk? I find that it helps me to think. I would always pace while writing letters to you, you know."

A quick bow back. He was shorter than she'd expected, or taller. Her expectations had been a bit blurry
"I would love a walk! I, you know I usually stay in my room when I'm working on your letters, but that's because of the strange looks I get outside. But here, everyone gets strange looks, so it's probably alright."
She walks side by side with the Seppun
"Are you still looking at treatments for black lung? Your last letter sounded so hopeful?"

[Seppun Chisei]

"Hmmm. I expect the strange looks will lessen, with time." Chisei said, giving Xia a gentle smile. "The Seidou are advancing quickly, and with that comes more freedom for intellectual pursuits. Your pursuits will be more respected then, I expect."

Chisei walked rather aimlessly around the camp; it was the act of moving much more than the destination that helped. "Some. In theory, anyway. The Seppun do little mining. Perhaps on the return trip, we might visit one of the Seidou mines? My theory involves communing with the spirits one might find in a mine."

[Anjing Xia]

"Hmmm. I expect the strange looks will lessen, with time." Chisei said, giving Xia a gentle smile. "The Seidou are advancing quickly, and with that comes more freedom for intellectual pursuits. Your pursuits will be more respected then, I expect."

Chisei walked rather aimlessly around the camp; it was the act of moving much more than the destination that helped. "Some. In theory, anyway. The Seppun do little mining. Perhaps on the return trip, we might visit one of the Seidou mines? My theory involves communing with the spirits one might find in a mine."

This was where a rokugani lady might flutter a fan, the Crab equivalent at this time is instead to awkwardly wave one's hand in the air like you were trying to kill a mosquito.

"Oh but that's so simple, it might be they're uncovering earth spirits who do not sit well with the air spirits. They get earth in the wrong places."
Oh he was ever so smart
"I'll bet you'll be a big hit when you return, uh, including from our successful mission, of course."

[Seppun Chisei]

Perhaps fortunately, the particulars of Crab romantic flailing were lost on Chisei.

"Precisely." Chisei said, his tone slightly proud, mostly interested. He gave Xia a quick smile. "Very well reasoned. I have some hope that earth spirits will have some advice on how to coax the earth from the lungs. Or if it might be treated as a toxin; that is also the domain of earth spirits."

Slowly, Chisei nodded. "Speaking of, I appreciate the insight regarding jade. Very important, for this mission. How did you learn of its properties?"

[Anjing Xia]

Perhaps fortunately, the particulars of Crab romantic flailing were lost on Chisei.

"Precisely." Chisei said, his tone slightly proud, mostly interested. He gave Xia a quick smile. "Very well reasoned. I have some hope that earth spirits will have some advice on how to coax the earth from the lungs. Or if it might be treated as a toxin; that is also the domain of earth spirits."

Slowly, Chisei nodded. "Speaking of, I appreciate the insight regarding jade. Very important, for this mission. How did you learn of its properties?"

"Well there are some oral traditions of the Seidou tribe that tell of certain materials being anathema to spirits from other realms. Some said jade is one so I figured it was a likely hypothesis. Really though it was a lucky guess, nothing the expedition leaders didn't figure out on their own."
She ducks around a cart and does her best to mostly avoid a muddy puddle.
"It would have been a bit embarassing to be wrong, if you're the 'smart one' then everyone blames you if you're wrong."

[Seppun Chisei]

"Hah." Chisei said. "See, this is why I make it a central tenet of my philosophy that nothing can truly be known. It's only sort of true, but it does serve as a handy excuse." He flashed a quick smile.

He, too, moved around the mud puddle. "Is... such thought not encouraged among the Seidou?" The sidelong look he gave her was slightly concerned.

[Anjing Xia]

"Hah." Chisei said. "See, this is why I make it a central tenet of my philosophy that nothing can truly be known. It's only sort of true, but it does serve as a handy excuse." He flashed a quick smile.

He, too, moved around the mud puddle. "Is... such thought not encouraged among the Seidou?" The sidelong look he gave her was slightly concerned.

"I think our philosophy is more 'things are known, we know, stop talking about it' which uh....is a different way of looking at things."
Xia sucks on her teeth for a moment
"But things are different down south, we've had other priorities. The Seppun lands always sounded so perfected in your letters. Fertile ground and nice....wise people, so wise, not at all 'stop asking about the moon and pull that rope' people at all."

[Seppun Chisei]

"And thus, your letters." Chisei said, giving her a gentle smile. In the Isawa, he'd always had peers. In the Seppun...

He glanced briefly around, then looked at Xia. "You know... I understand a little of what you feel. Seppun lands are very nice, it's true. But it's a bit more..." he frowned, considering his words, "-conservative in thought than the Isawa. They are wise, but there are still certain beliefs that are not to be challenged. Not a practical obstacle, but one based in a belief structure, if that makes sense."

"Are things not changing with the Seidou, though?" The slightly concerned look was still there, if mild; mild seemed to be a good adjective for Chisei.

[Anjing Xia]

"And thus, your letters." Chisei said, giving her a gentle smile. In the Isawa, he'd always had peers. In the Seppun...

He glanced briefly around, then looked at Xia. "You know... I understand a little of what you feel. Seppun lands are very nice, it's true. But it's a bit more..." he frowned, considering his words, "-conservative in thought than the Isawa. They are wise, but there are still certain beliefs that are not to be challenged. Not a practical obstacle, but one based in a belief structure, if that makes sense."

"Are things not changing with the Seidou, though?" The slightly concerned look was still there, if mild; mild seemed to be a good adjective for Chisei.

He looks so haunted and mysterious!
"We've really taken to building? Which is something I suppose, Kaiu-sama has all the labour and supplies he could ever want, and he's even started training a few new engineers. I think my people like thinking about things more when they can see them and touch them. I...I guess it's a start, walls keep people safe and roofs keep them dry, it's important work."

At the mention of the Isawa, Xia's eyes light up. After all, they were the people of the first city! The near mythical race of northerners renowned for considering everyone else to be morons...and for using steel.
"It's a shame I think, you have so much to share with the Seppun and and they're just stuck in their ways."

[Seppun Chisei]

"Safety is important. Only when one is safe, and feels safe, can the mind turn to higher matters. Perhaps when your clanmates feel less urgency, they will give more attention to the very interesting questions you ask." He gave her his gentle smile again.

They'd walked all the way to the perimeter of the camp. Chisei angled to walk around the edge of it, keeping it within sight. "Well... I don't wish to overstate the issue. The Seppun are very wise. I admire my father-in law a great deal. And they are lead by Hantei..." Chisei trailed off, frowning.

After a few moments, he shook his head. "Teaching another to see from your perspective is a challenge. As is teaching yourself to see from another's perspective. Something I sometimes worry I lack."

[Anjing Xia]

"Safety is important. Only when one is safe, and feels safe, can the mind turn to higher matters. Perhaps when your clanmates feel less urgency, they will give more attention to the very interesting questions you ask." He gave her his gentle smile again.

They'd walked all the way to the perimeter of the camp. Chisei angled to walk around the edge of it, keeping it within sight. "Well... I don't wish to overstate the issue. The Seppun are very wise. I admire my father-in law a great deal. And they are lead by Hantei..." Chisei trailed off, frowning.

After a few moments, he shook his head. "Teaching another to see from your perspective is a challenge. As is teaching yourself to see from another's perspective. Something I sometimes worry I lack."

"Oh no! No I think you're very good at it! You just need to remember, you're right and they're idiots.....except for Hantei-Kami, Lady Seppun, your father-in law and your wife. But the rest? Fools for not understanding what you have to offer."

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei laughed softly. "There are a few others I would call wise. Lady Seppun's daughter. Her husband... has a sort of wisdom in his way." Kenshiro was a bit of a dummy, really, but at least he was open to new ideas, even if he didn't understand them.

Gently, Chisei shook his head. "But I would argue that we must be careful of thinking we have the answers. Once one has the answers, one stops looking, after all. I find it helpful to remind myself of how many questions I still have."

[Anjing Xia]

Chisei laughed softly. "There are a few others I would call wise. Lady Seppun's daughter. Her husband... has a sort of wisdom in his way." Kenshiro was a bit of a dummy, really, but at least he was open to new ideas, even if he didn't understand them.

Gently, Chisei shook his head. "But I would argue that we must be careful of thinking we have the answers. Once one has the answers, one stops looking, after all. I find it helpful to remind myself of how many questions I still have."

So wise and philosophical!
"Of course, I mean, I don't know anything myself, or so I've been told. And sometimes the fun is in the search for truth rather than finding it?"
She glances towards the swamp and the south
"You know, you're very wise in person, Chisei-sama."

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei flashed her a smile. "Exactly." He said. "And indeed, more wisdom is gained that way."

He turned towards her, stopping a moment. "And I would say the same of you, Xia-sama." Chisei said warmly. "Our correspondence has been both informative and enjoyable. I am pleased to say that this conversation is the same."

[Anjing Xia]

Chisei flashed her a smile. "Exactly." He said. "And indeed, more wisdom is gained that way."

He turned towards her, stopping a moment. "And I would say the same of you, Xia-sama." Chisei said warmly. "Our correspondence has been both informative and enjoyable. I am pleased to say that this conversation is the same."

Yes Validation!

Trying to sound composed"Indeed. Perhaps we could have future conversations? If you wished...time permitting of course."