Heavenfall

Shoji Haka had found a large crate in one of the tunnels and had pulled herself up onto it to serve as an out-of-the-way place to sit down that wouldn't result in rat-things bumping into her or chattering at her. The whole experience was vaguely disconcerting, and a frown lingered on her lips as she leaned back on her arms and idly kicked her feet against the crate.

Taking Phi's earlier advice, Miuna had dragged Aono out with her so they could sightsee a bit. It was much bigger than they hand anticipated. They wandered around, walking through the tunnels, passing by a few large crates. Miuna noticed a woman with eyes the color of snow sitting atop one of them. She stared at her. Aono nudged her, signing, "don't stare, it is rude." Miuna, of course, ignored her. She continued looking at the strange woman.

Ninube appeared from behind them. "Hey, what's up?" She signs what she thinks is hello to Miuna despite the fact the woman wasn't looking at her.

Haka's head turns toward Ninube at her greeting. "...the opposite of down...?" she answers, uncertainty in her voice. Was this a riddle?

Ninube wasn't sure if the blind woman was mocking her or if one of them was being weird. She shook her head and went on trying to sign her speech to varying degrees of success. "I'm Ninube of the Spider Clan. It is a pleasure."

Haka sighs and makes a warding gesture with her hand. "The spider woman should not use her name in public, nor any name of someone with her. It invites the attention of malignant spirits."

She reaches up and flicks one of her braids back across her shoulder. "This one has heard of a blind shaman named Shoji Haka."

"How does it invite attention of malignant spirits?" Ninube was confused. Also, was this woman saying she was Shoji Haka? Or saying that she has heard of her? Nod your head like you understand and hope no one realizes you have no idea what is going on. Besides hopefully, the Ki-Rin should clarify things when she speaks to the woman. Well. The one who can hear.

Miuna was transfixed by the white-eyed woman. Aono listened carefully to the women speaking, not wanting to interrupt until she finally did speak. She frowned. "Im not quite sure I understand. We should not directly reference ourselves because it may attract malignant spirits?" She paused, tapping her chin with her finger. "This one knows of a pair of sisters called Shinjos Aono and Miuna. Miuna cannot hear in a similar way that Shoji Haka cannot see. Did ... did I get it right?" Her brows knit together as she tried to understand the woman's words. How were they supposed to communicate effectively? She nodded at Ninube, now too nervous to use her name. What a strange yet alluring woman Haka was.

"Yes, that is much better," she says, nodding. "This one is pleased to meet the spider and the sisters."

She leand back on her arms. "Names have power, and ghosts can sense that power. Ten years ago, someone addressed this one by name while a ghost was nearby, and it follows her still. Without her name, it would have wandered off long ago, but since it knows of Haka, it can find her wherever she may be."

"Maybe the Nezumi could do something. They have powerful Name magic. Maybe the could make the spirit forget?"

"Maybe. This one is somewhat hesitant to let a rat-person meddle with it too much, for fear of making it worse." Haka's brow furrows a bit. "She doesn't quite understand their magic or culture or... anything about them, other than they smell a bit musky."

Ninube shrugs. "Could you take a name? Some people have been doing that when they joined the Clans. Also, why would the ghost want to follow even though it knows your name?" Ninube was curious. She had no real knowledge about ghosts.

"The ghost is hungry, so it has been waiting to devour this one for some time. She has been keeping it sated with blood, but it is... troublesome." Haka shrugs her shoulders.

Miuna was slightly horrified. "She has to feed it blood to keep it from eating her?!" She signed to her sister. Aono nodded, though she wasn't all that surprised. Wasn't it kind of like what Miuna did to ask the Kami for the ability to practice her magic? Except instead of feeding the spirits in return for them lending her power, this one was kept sated so that it didn't consume the woman. How interesting.

"Does she think this spirit will ever leave her?" Aono asked, trying to mirror the way the shaman spoke.

Another shrug. "Who can say? Most likely, it will devour this one when she dies and then float away in search of more food. This one hasn't been able to shake it in ten years, though."

She makes a vague gesture down the tunnel. "Someone suggested going onto a boat, which would be interesting. Can ghosts float across water? Or do they sink? This one does not know."

Miuna frowned. She did not like that mental image. Though she did, however, like the idea of a boat ride. "There are boats here?" She asked her sister.

Aono gave a shrug of her own. "Are there boats to be found here? That seems like an interesting theory to test."

Ninube pondered. "Maybe Fu Leng will be able to help. Shinjo said he knew more than anyone about Spirit Realms. Maybe that includes ghosts."

"Boats after this is finished," Haka clarifies. "This one does not believe that the expedition has a boat. If they do, this one has a great many questions for the people who made her march through a swamp."

She turns her head in the direction of Ninube's voice. "Perhaps, but this one thinks that the fallen one is not in much of a position to help anyone."

Aono chuckled, "Indeed. If this one never sees another swamp in her lifetime, it will still be too soon."

"Maybe once we liberate him, he might help," Miuna signed, and Aono said the same. Miuna couldn't help but wonder if she was completely invisible to the woman, since she could not see her and Miuna didn't make much noise.