[D5, EE] Give Me a Sign (open)

[Hanzou]

"Close enough!" Aono called out to him. Miuna smiled and made the symbol for Scorpion, which should be easy enough to interpret. She was just glad to be spending time with him, even if they weren't talking in depth. She studied him, appreciating the contrast of his dark hair and green eyes. Is this how people see me? She wondered.

"Scorpion? Like this hreech?" He mimicked the sign.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna stood and went to sit near Saruko, quietly watching her hand movements and gently making corrections when necessary. It wasn't often, though, as the Dragon woman learned quickly and efficiently. She smiled sweetly, catching the eye of the young Hanzou, delighted that he had turned up to this lesson after missing the first.

The perceptive woman noticed the glance and smile Miuna had in Hanzou's direction, so when Miuna's attention was returned to her again, Saruko signed (a little clumsily) love, her eyebrows raised to ask the silent question.

Miuna flushed immediately at the woman's sign. She shook her head and signed, "too soon" because it was. She knew nothing of the boy, but really wanted to. Her curiosity bubbled within her.

"Close enough!" Aono called out to him. Miuna smiled and made the symbol for Scorpion, which should be easy enough to interpret. She was just glad to be spending time with him, even if they weren't talking in depth. She studied him, appreciating the contrast of his dark hair and green eyes. Is this how people see me? She wondered.

"Scorpion? Like this hreech?" He mimicked the sign.

Miuna beamed at him and nodded. She still couldn't make out some of the words he said, but it didn't honestly bother her.
"Exactly like that!" Aono praised.

[Togashi Saruko]

Saruko wasn't quite sure what the signs meant, but she could read more from body language and the flushed face that it was probably too embarrassing to say it was love already.

Ah well. Perhaps she would poke around with that later. Young love and all... if people could find romance on this journey, it would make for quite a story. She just hoped she didn't have to give either of them the talk. Or the warnings she had given Hantei and Kinsen.

It took her a moment to think of how to communicate the next words. Most of it she didn't know, so she hoped that Miuna would understand the intention even if it wasn't perfect. But just in case she mouthed the words "don't be scared".

"No"
"scary"

[Hanzou]

Miuna beamed at him and nodded. She still couldn't make out some of the words he said, but it didn't honestly bother her.
"Exactly like that!" Aono praised.

He smiled, pleased he got it right. His eyes drifted towards the evening sky for a moment.

"Bat?" he asked as he looked at her again.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Saruko wasn't quite sure what the signs meant, but she could read more from body language and the flushed face that it was probably too embarrassing to say it was love already.

Ah well. Perhaps she would poke around with that later. Young love and all... if people could find romance on this journey, it would make for quite a story. She just hoped she didn't have to give either of them the talk. Or the warnings she had given Hantei and Kinsen.

It took her a moment to think of how to communicate the next words. Most of it she didn't know, so she hoped that Miuna would understand the intention even if it wasn't perfect. But just in case she mouthed the words "don't be scared".

"No"
"scary"

Miuna giggled, clearly reading the woman's lips as well as her hands. She put her fists to her hips, puffing her chest out and raising her chin. "I'm not scared!" she signed, also mouthing the words. "I'm brave!" she thumped her chest with her fist to reiterate. With everything she had seen in her 17 years, how could she be scared of something as simple as love? It wasn't love that scared her. It was taking a leap to find the person she would be with forever that was the frightening part. Which was hard enough when your potential partners could barely understand you.

Miuna beamed at him and nodded. She still couldn't make out some of the words he said, but it didn't honestly bother her.
"Exactly like that!" Aono praised.

He smiled, pleased he got it right. His eyes drifted towards the evening sky for a moment.

"Bat?" he asked as he looked at her again.

She smiled sweetly back at him. She crossed her arms over her chest, resting her left hand on her right shoulder and right hand on her left shoulder. At the same time she crooked her pointer fingers and tucked in all other fingers so they looked a little like a bat's “hands”. She grinned at him and mouthed the word 'Bat' and waited for him to replicate the sign.

[Hanzou]

He mirrored her with a smile. "Spirit?"

[Shinjo Miuna]

Oh, another interesting choice, she mused. For this word, she held out her left hand, palm up, with her pointer finger and thumb making an 'O' shape. She took her right hand, mirroring the left with pointer and thumb creating an 'O' with the other 3 fingers splayed. She touched her right hand's pointer and thumb to her left and then brought the right hand straight up while bringing the left down. Almost like she was pulling a string. She repeated the movement, mouthing the word again as she did. Bat and spirit, she thought. Bat spirit? What did she know of the clan? Not much, save that the Kami they served had perished. That made her feel a little melancholy. Thankfully she had not seen much death despite her training and profession. But what she had witnessed, that stayed with her. She stared at the fire, lost in thought.

[Hanzou]

He practiced the sign a few times. It was a bit more complex. Once he felt he had it, he combined the two signs, first spirit, then bat.

He then said, "Koumori."

[Shinjo Miuna]

He practiced the sign a few times. It was a bit more complex. Once he felt he had it, he combined the two signs, first spirit, then bat.

He then said, "Koumori."

His motions drew her eyes from the fire. She studied him while he worked out the mechanics of the sign. He was slender, the planes of his face angular, and the light from the flames danced quietly across his skin. When he spoke, she read the word upon his lips, though she did not know it. Ko-mo-ree? What did that mean? Oh! From context she realized this must be what their clan called a bat spirit! She signed it for him a few times and mouthed the word as she had seen him do.

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei continues to practice his own signing and sees the interactions between the younger ones.

Something of a wistful smile touches his face.

[Hanzou]

His motions drew her eyes from the fire. She studied him while he worked out the mechanics of the sign. He was slender, the planes of his face angular, and the light from the flames danced quietly across his skin. When he spoke, she read the word upon his lips, though she did not know it. Ko-mo-ree? What did that mean? Oh! From context she realized this must be what their clan called a bat spirit! She signed it for him a few times and mouthed the word as she had seen him do.

His smile broadened.

"I'm sorry I wasn't kinch here for your first lesson."

[Shinjo Miuna]

Dawei continues to practice his own signing and sees the interactions between the younger ones.

Something of a wistful smile touches his face.

Aono walked around, helping those who needed it. She stopped next to Dawei. "How are you on this night, Dawei?" She noted his signing with pride as there was nothing to correct in his movements. She followed his line of sight to her sister and chuckled.

His smile broadened.

"I'm sorry I wasn't kinch here for your first lesson."

Miuna waved her hand indicating he should think nothing of it, then signed and mouthed, "It's okay." She pulled the blanket tighter around her, though she was no longer very cold.

[Seppun Dawei]

Aono walked around, helping those who needed it. She stopped next to Dawei. "How are you on this night, Dawei?" She noted his signing with pride as there was nothing to correct in his movements. She followed his line of sight to her sister and chuckled.

"Well enough" signs and says Dawei. "And evidently not the only one who sees what happens with your sister."

His smile grows more open. "It's the kind of thing as should be valued, truly."

[Hanzou]

Miuna waved her hand indicating he should think nothing of it, then signed and mouthed, "It's okay." She pulled the blanket tighter around her, though she was no longer very cold.

"Are seeense you cold?" he brought his hands up. "How do I ask skist that?"

[Shinjo Miuna]

Aono walked around, helping those who needed it. She stopped next to Dawei. "How are you on this night, Dawei?" She noted his signing with pride as there was nothing to correct in his movements. She followed his line of sight to her sister and chuckled.

"Well enough" signs and says Dawei. "And evidently not the only one who sees what happens with your sister."

His smile grows more open. "It's the kind of thing as should be valued, truly."

Aono's grin matches his. "I'm just grateful to accompany her. She's such a free spirit that I worry. So far, everyone on this journey has shown her nothing but kindness. For that, I am thankful." Her eyes find his again. "Would you share with me what you have learned on this journey so far? I find that I am often overlooked in regards to pertinent information concerning what we will likely face once we reach our destination. I would like to prepare myself, that I might prepare Miuna as well." Her brow furrowed in her concern.

"Are seeense you cold?" he brought his hands up. "How do I ask skist that?"

Miuna shook her head, and demonstrated how to ask if someone is cold, making sure to raise her eyebrows and hold the last sign up in order to pose it as a question.

[Seppun Dawei]

Aono's grin matches his. "I'm just grateful to accompany her. She's such a free spirit that I worry. So far, everyone on this journey has shown her nothing but kindness. For that, I am thankful." Her eyes find his again. "Would you share with me what you have learned on this journey so far? I find that I am often overlooked in regards to pertinent information concerning what we will likely face once we reach our destination. I would like to prepare myself, that I might prepare Miuna as well." Her brow furrowed in her concern.

"What I've learned? We are marching into hell, and jade is efficacious against the threat. I am told that the more priestly have some means of projecting power that might help, but that is not the kind of thing I know; your Jin might be of help with that.

"For my part, I merely do as I can to meet my Lord Hantei's command. And I have to believe it will be enough."

[Hanzou]

Miuna shook her head, and demonstrated how to ask if someone is cold, making sure to raise her eyebrows and hold the last sign up in order to pose it as a question.

He practised it a few times, until it seemed right.

"How do I sign sicht you're name?"

[Jin]

Near enough to witness, but not so near as to intrude or distract, Jin watched his one-time pupil become the teacher in turn with pride.

Though he smiled it was slightly rueful as he once again thought of the dangers that lay in wait for them.

I should have pushed the girls harder. Convinced them that Iuchi needed them to help with the new students and that they should have stayed home. So much potential and I'm letting it march into the mouth of hell....

[Shinjo Miuna]

"What I've learned? We are marching into hell, and jade is efficacious against the threat. I am told that the more priestly have some means of projecting power that might help, but that is not the kind of thing I know; your Jin might be of help with that.

"For my part, I merely do as I can to meet my Lord Hantei's command. And I have to believe it will be enough."

She bowed her head a bit. "You are quite right, I shall seek out his counsel on the morrow and see what he knows. This is the first I am hearing of Jade, it is a stone, yes? Does it have purifying properties? And I understand. Miuna felt compelled to offer herself and her skills to our Lady Shinjo. She could not be persuaded to stay home. As soon as she learned Lady Shinjo would be accompanying on the expedition, she would not be swayed. The girl is nothing if not loyal and dutiful. She may be young but her gifts are many. I believe with her help, and what seems like a very capable group, we will succeed in bringing their brother home. My hope is that we will not lose too many along the way. I heard talk of a malformed creature in the swamp that was found earlier today. If things like that are happening this far north, then I fear what is to come." She pulled her blanket around her shoulders more snugly.

He practised it a few times, until it seemed right.

"How do I sign sicht you're name?"

Names were a bit harder. They were often comprised of letters, so those that weren't literate would have a more difficult time. Usually she just watched lips to learn names or leaned on Aono for help. However, Miuna had a name that was simple to sign. Her name, if you separated the sounds, meant beautiful sea. So she simply made the sign for beautiful, and then ocean. She began with her dominant hand open, thumb pointing at her chin and fingers pointing up. She completed the first sign by rolling her fingers across the front of her face. Next, she put both her hands in front of her, open and relaxed. She moved them up and down (and a little bit forward) as if two waves were passing by.

Aono came by to help them. "I see Miuna is signing her name for you. Usually we let others pick the symbols for their own names, just as they have chosen their spoken names. What would you like to be called by, Hanzou? You may choose any combination of signs or choose based on the meaning of your name as Miuna has."

Miuna signed, "Bat spirit," with enthusiasm. It was fitting that the first signs he had asked for might represent his name. She watched carefully to see what he would choose.

Aono turned to address the group, explaining again the process of choosing their sign names. "Let's wrap up today's lesson by choosing your names. Think of how you would like to be addressed and which signs hold meaning for you or match the meaning of your spoken names. I'm interested to see what you all choose." She stood closer to the fire, which was beginning to die down.

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei thinks about Aono's comments as she moves off to help another student. And then he thinks about a sign for himself, his hands idly mimicking carving motions as he does so.