[D9 EE] Mixed Signals (open)

[Shinjo Miuna]

Aono and Miuna were once again at one of the campfire areas, waiting for their usual group to trickle in. Aono suspected that she would see fewer people this night. Many were already becoming practiced experts and the farther they traveled, the less down time they were likely to have. These moments were fleeting and she looked forward to their time as a group.

Miuna was thinking many of the same thoughts. The lessons had been a great way to unwind and focus on something other than the darkness that lie ahead. She sat patiently, waiting.

[Taochusu]

The big guy was starting this later than most, but he often did things in his own time. "Hey there," he said with a wave. "Doing okay?"

[Yogo]

There might have been fewer people, but there was also a new face, a haggard young man wearing tattered robes, bits and bones dangling from his garments. Waving his hand to greet everyone as he took a seat by the fire, asking the hostess if he could still join, having not been present on the earlier lessons.

[Hanzou]

Hanzou had arrived. Sitting quietly, as usual, and watching closely.

[Miyako]

Miyako had learned much over the past few lessons, but there was always more to learn and a bit of practice with others to reinforce the concepts would help the gestures and signs stick to memory better. She came to the fire with a couple of fresh-picked jungle flowers adorning her hair and her feather, rock, and bone necklace and bracelets jingling lightly as she found a spot to sit where the light of the fire would make her visible but where she was far enough away from it that she wouldn't get warm in the already-sweltering jungle heat.

"Hello everyone! I hope your day has been well!" she greeted and used her hands to sign the same thing.

[Shinjo Miuna]

The big guy was starting this later than most, but he often did things in his own time. "Hey there," he said with a wave. "Doing okay?"

Miuna was surprised and delighted to see the friendly giant. She nodded at his question and Aono bowed and said, "Well met, Taochusu, we are both fine and hope the night finds you are also well."

There might have been fewer people, but there was also a new face, a haggard young man wearing tattered robes, bits and bones dangling from his garments. Waving his hand to greet everyone as he took a seat by the fire, asking the hostess if he could still join, having not been present on the earlier lessons.

Miuna beamed at the newcomer she didn't recognize. Aono smiled at him, saying with a bow, "Welcome, I don't believe we've met. I am Shinjo Aono and this is my sister, Miuna. Of course you may still attend. We plan to continue them until we can no longer."

Hanzou had arrived. Sitting quietly, as usual, and watching closely.

Miuna spotted Hanzou, and went to sit next to him until they were ready to begin their next lesson. They'd likely wait for a few more minutes to see if anyone else trickled in, and she wanted to take advantage of the moment. "Hello, Hanzou. I'm happy to see you," she signed.

(Snip)

"Hello, Miyako! I hope you are also well," Miuna signed, remembering to address her with her chosen name signs. Aono looked pleased to see the woman again. "Flawless work, Miyako. Your practice is paying off. That was your best execution yet!" She'd wait a little longer before engaging the group.

[Taochusu]

"I'm doing good," he says with a nod. "Curious how this all works."

[Hanzou]

Miuna spotted Hanzou, and went to sit next to him until they were ready to begin their next lesson. They'd likely wait for a few more minutes to see if anyone else trickled in, and she wanted to take advantage of the moment. "Hello, Hanzou. I'm happy to see you," she signed.

"I'm always happy to see you, Miuna." he responded. "I look forward to another lesson."

[Inga]

Inga came back just to help Miuna and Aono. Instead of the wave Inga decided to establish a more concrete thought.

"Hello, I am here to help if you don't mind." She gestured to Aono and Miuna.

[Miyako]

"Hello, Miyako! I hope you are also well," Miuna signed, remembering to address her with her chosen name signs. Aono looked pleased to see the woman again. "Flawless work, Miyako. Your practice is paying off. That was your best execution yet!" She'd wait a little longer before engaging the group.

"Thanks! I think what really helped me in really ensuring that I had the words memorized, especially those more abstract concepts from the other day, was stepping beyond just signing to myself in my tent and practicing with someone. The back and forth in conversation, another set of eyes to help correct but also encourage... those really helped! So I figured I would come be a conversation partner for anyone that wanted that same kind of practice," she responded to Aono and Miuna and followed up with a signed sentence.

As many teacher say to student - practice make perfect!

[Taochusu]

Taochusu was completely lost with all the signing. He was brand new to this so none of it made any real sense to him. He just kinda watched for now.

[Shinjo Miuna]

"I'm always happy to see you, Miuna." he responded. "I look forward to another lesson."

That earned a quick peck of her lips to his cheek as she rose to perform the lesson.

Inga came back just to help Miuna and Aono. Instead of the wave Inga decided to establish a more concrete thought.

"Hello, I am here to help if you don't mind." She gestured to Aono and Miuna.

Miuna signed, "Inga, hello!"
Aono addressed her with a smile. "Thank you, Inga. Perhaps you could assist one of our new faces here tonight? There's a bit of catch up there but for today's lesson I thought we could all do with some relaxation and conversing. If there are specific questions, of course we will answer them. Though for tonight, let's just practice and have fun.

"Thanks! I think what really helped me in really ensuring that I had the words memorized, especially those more abstract concepts from the other day, was stepping beyond just signing to myself in my tent and practicing with someone. The back and forth in conversation, another set of eyes to help correct but also encourage... those really helped! So I figured I would come be a conversation partner for anyone that wanted that same kind of practice," she responded to Aono and Miuna and followed up with a signed sentence.

As many teacher say to student - practice make perfect!

"Absolutely! Why don't you pair with someone new as well, help them along?" Aono gestured toward Taochusu and Yogo with a soft smile.

She looked at Taochusu saying, "It's a little overwhelming at first, but you'll pick it up in no time!"

[Miyako]

Nodding her head, she got up from her spot, lightly dusted herself off, and migrated to another spot to sit closer to Taochusu and Yogo, giving them each a small wave of the hand after she was comfortable.

"Hope you two have been well! Both of them are very good teachers and a lot of the early signs look with the hands like the word being talked about - it'll make sense once you start to see it and do it yourself."

[Taochusu]

"Okay. Glad to see you all again. And good to meet you," he says to everyone, directing the new greeting to Yogo and Hanzou.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu appeared a bit late, and signed:

Hello Miuna. Hello Aono. Passing by to thank you. Still practicing, but very interesting and very useful.

Once this over, once back north, do you think you could pass by firebird god house at some point? I think many people there want to learn too. Fit quite well firebird god way of thinking. Maybe even the firebird god want to learn it too.

[Seppun Dawei]

Ayumu is not the only one who arrives a bit later.

Dawei bows as he comes in, signing and saying "Hello, all. How fare folks today?"

[Hanzou]

"It's screeekss nice to meet you." Hanzou responded to the greeting.

[Shinjo Miuna]

(Snip)

Aono beamed at the woman, watching with delight as she introduced the others to signing.

Ayumu appeared a bit late, and signed:

Hello Miuna. Hello Aono. Passing by to thank you. Still practicing, but very interesting and very useful.

Once this over, once back north, do you think you could pass by firebird god house at some point? I think many people there want to learn too. Fit quite well firebird god way of thinking. Maybe even the firebird god want to learn it too.

Miuna did her best to stifle a giggle. Ayumu still needed more practice, they all did, but his range of words had expanded well past that of his peers. Miyako was great with memorization and execution. Ayumu was brilliant with composition and context. He could say more, even if it was rough, it was easy enough to understand. She signed back to him, "Ayumu, welcome. Of course we will make plans to visit."

Aono bowed in greeting and added, "We would like to travel when this is done, if we are able."

Ayumu is not the only one who arrives a bit later.

Dawei bows as he comes in, signing and saying "Hello, all. How fare folks today?"

Miuna signed and Aono said, "Welcome back, Dawei. This night finds us well, and we hope the same for you."

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei smiles.

The carving sign for me seems to be taking nicely, he thinks. I like it.

[Miyako]

Hello there! I am fine and hope you are fine too. I hope your carving is well too! she signed back to Dawei in response to his initial greeting and nodding at him with a smile before turning to Taochusu and Yogo. "Don't worry about the rest of that quite yet, but the first thing I did was just a simple 'hello' or 'hello there', a way to greet or get someone's attention. So when I do this..." she trailed off, showing the beginning sign again to the two of them before continuing, "it is 'hello' with the hands."