Match of the Millennium

Description: By a quiet Hokkaido lake, a chance encounter that is not a chance encounter occurs between a performer who is not a performer and a student who is not a student. Discussion ranges across the future, the past, and the present. But who can truly say what the future holds? Except battle. It will always hold battle.

[HONOKA]
For someone who wants to get away from it all, Lake Toya is a damn good start. The quiet lake sits atop a volcanic caldera, isolating it from the frigid, northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido. To the Ainu, the lake was known as 'Kim'un-to,', or, quite literally, 'lake in the mountain.' It's rumored that, even as the adjacent Mount Usu still bears its winter snowcap, the lake never freezes over; so far, that's holding true.

In the center of the nearly circular lake rests Nakajima Island. Much like the Ainu, the name of 'interior island' is as literal as it gets. During later springtime, the reclusive island can attract its fair share of tourists arriving from Lake Toya Onsen pier, but with Hokkaido's hanami festival season having arrived in earnest, the island is as quiet as it ever gets.

Spring is in full bloom here: the island is a haven for nature buffs and sentimentalists alike. The ferry dock is marked with a small dockhouse; a trail leads up to an entranceway marked by a tall wooden torii gate, painted red. Pathways lead beneath the boughs of tall katsura trees. Other trails -- most less well-tended -- lead their way around the island's coastline. In some places, rocky shoals rest upon the coastline, providing a place for more adventurous explorers to make landfall. One shoal in particular has a thinly-worn footpath, lined by purple wildflowers, leading up into the treeline.

The breeze is surprisingly calm for a day in late April. Urban life cannot be heard up here -- just birdsong, and the sweet harmonies of Mother Nature. Sunshine smiles upon the island -- it's as serene a day as one can imagine.

[ICHIKA]
Kasumoto Ichika had once again set the internet ablaze with her Ichikast, and then simply disappeared, refusing to engage with it. There were a lot of unanswered questions in that short segment. What did she make of her fight against Djamila? What does she think of the second season of the New Fighting Generation? Does she intend to take part? Does she intend to take part in any kind of fighting tournament at all? But she'd remained frustratingly vague, and as quickly as she'd appeared, she'd left again. She does want to take her fans with her on this journey, as much as she can, but there are parts of the Warrior's Road which must be walked alone - and at least right now, she has no interest in performing for others. She wishes to finish finding answers for herself.

When they had climbed Mount Shaska, Ichika had surprised her teammates by using the sword to build a fire. And then again, to pick trash at the beach. If they could see her now, she can't help but think they would be astounded. The girl has cut branches from some of the trees, careful not to damage any of them too greatly. But still enough gathered to begin the process of fashioning a raft.

And of course, because this is Ichika, that means doing it properly. Making sure each repurposed branch is cut to the same length. That they are bound carefully, just-so. It only needs to survive a crossing there and back. Honestly, she could probably swim it, if she were so inclined. But that is not the point of the journey, is it? She has the time to overcome the challenge properly. To make something of worth and value. And so, she does. Even if it slows her down and means that she may be at this little makeshift camp of hers, with her tent and her backpack filled with all her worldly belongings, for much longer than she would need to be if she were to prioritise speed.

[HONOKA]
"I don't get it!"

The first voice to pierce the air is Japanese, with a native Hokkaido accent. The second voice which responds is little more than a murmur, barely perceptible. The two would be heard much sooner than seen, due to the imposition of a rather large set of trees between the speakers and the campsite.

Given a few minutes for their arrival, the identities of the two speakers would become clear. Colorful robes, decorated in patterns of geometric lines, suggest an Ainu ancestry. The younger and taller of the pair -- probably in her mid- to late-twenties -- wears robes of white and cerulean blue. The older woman -- her wrinkled face tattooed in black around the lips -- sports a darker almond color with a dark crimson. The senior appears to have been successful in quieting the outbursts of the junior, as the two can be heard discussing the matter at length. The younger carries a fishing rod in her right hand, her left gesticulating towards the waters in some attempt at comprehension.

They walk in front of the campsite.
They stop, backs to said campsite, looking out upon the water.
They reflect -- each in their own way.

The elder simply relaxes, allowing her limbs to fall limply by her side. Her ribcage swells as she takes in a breath, her fingers raising slightly to show that she's suggesting her counterpart follow suit.

Irritation wracks the shoulders of the younger, before she responds with a nod, and mimics the earlier action.

Enlightenment appears to follow shortly after. The two begin nodding, and chatting amiably. And soon, the younger jogs to the waters' edge, resting her hands upon her knees to take a closer look.

The elder takes her sweet time following behind her charge. Whatever the younger has seen, the elder seems to have gathered implicitly. She raises her hands as she gets close, undulating them slightly to suggest the passage of a stream.

After maybe twenty, thirty seconds of staring at the water, the younger of the pair returns to a standing position. Arms stretched outward, she looks around, lifting her nose to take in the scent ...

And it soon becomes obvious that she's caught sight of the peak of the tent, as those arms drop, one hand clasping close to her heart.

It becomes a bit more apparent that the younger has -- in defiance of Ainu tradition -- pink highlights in her forelocks. And a fairly recognizable face, for those who keep their attention upon such fighting tournaments as the World Warrior, and the King of Fighters.

Honoka Kawamoto quirks her head to the side slightly. Is she seeing this right? A -tent?- A -raft?-

Her elder companion laughs, clapping a hand upon Honoka's shoulder. A gentle chiding -- to discourage the young woman from staring.

But Honoka dosn't look away. She smiles, brimming with curiosity as to who -else- might be out here in such an isolated location.

[ICHIKA]
Ichika is a little surprised to hear voices at all. Not that she expected this region to be totally abandoned - but she had perhaps thought that the festival season would keep most people from this secluded spot. It wasn't as though she was doing anything illicit of course; if a girl wants to go into the wilderness and have a little adventure, who could object to that?

But as the pair approach the lake, the young woman in her decidedly untraditional-for-anywhere outfit turns that brilliant blue gaze of hers on them. The raft is still only half-made, the tight nylon rope she is using to bind it all together a stark contrast against the wood she has carefully shaped by her own hand. The sword - so plain and unimpressive, really - sits propped next to her, blade gleaming in the sunlight.

And when Honoka looks towards her, Ichika lifts a hand and offers a small smile of her own. Oh yes. She knows who Honoka is; she may have deliberately taken some time away from the world of professional fighting, but that is a name and a face which have come up again, and again, and again. Not just in the King of Fighters or World Warrior tournaments, either - but in the Rumble in the Streets. The tournament that she had studied in greater detail than any other. What a strange coincidence this is. And yet, life was constantly full of such coincidences, wasn't it? It was best, in Ichika's experience, to try and listen, when the world is speaking to you.

And so she ties off the rope, and then she rises from her seated position. Her hand curls around the hilt of her katana, and with a flourish, she brings it around - and slides it neatly into place at her side with a gentle *click*. She is unhurried as she approaches the elder and her ward, her eyes drifting from them, to the lake, and then back again. She stops at a respectful distance, and offers a rather formal bow - which in itself, given the punk-inspired attire she wears, might be surprising. Then again, those stockings of hers - raindrops and lightning bolts - the world really is full of wild coincidence, isn't it?

"Good day." She says, to both women - but it is the elder she addresses, first. "I hope this isn't presumptuous, but would you care to join me for some tea?" And then, to Honoka. "You are Kawamoto-san, aren't you? ... You recently defeated one of my Sensei. I would very much like to talk to you about that. You said, during the fight, that you are nervous about the changes the world is seeing."

And for all she has seemed calm and at peace - there's no mistaking the intensity in Ichika's eyes, as she meets Honoka's gaze with her own. It's easy to forget in these moments, that this girl with all her scrappy hair, bizarre fashion sense and endless earnestness is - in fact - just sixteen years old. It's the shining blue, and the note of challenge in her voice - even speaking with someone who she just said bested her Sensei.

"What have -you- seen, Kawamoto-san?"

[HONOKA]
It's surprising to see the Team Thunder outfit out in the "wild." It's... a uniform of sorts, just like the black and orange of Justice High, or the kimono gifted for the most formal of occasions. But it's... special. A bespoke one-of-a-kind.

And it seems she's wearing it while going full craftswoman in her attempts to make a raft.

Honoka coughs out a laugh as she comes to the realization, masked in the nick of time by an upraised hand as she meets that brilliant blue gaze.

The elder Ainu woman beside her turns to address the voice as well. Her tattooed mouth creases into a broad smile -- as if perhaps knowing this encounter might be the outcome of their little stroll down the lakeside coast.

The sword, too, catches Honoka's eye. The half-Ainu has always had a fascination for such weapons of war -- not just in their utility, but also in their use as symbols of strength and superiority. Fitting, then, that the New Fighting Generation star would equip it at her side when meeting someone such as herself.

"Oh... sorry! I didn't mean to stare..." starts Honoka. But almost immediately, Ichika dispenses with the awkwardness by launching right into an invitation. And, once offered, the only polite thing to do in Japanese culture is to accept.

Honoka places her hands -- one, still carrying that makeshift fishing pole -- by her side. She tilts forward into a bow -- the trappings of formality, but not the full package, in order to keep from appearing -too- stuffy.

"We would," she responds with a sly smile. "And I am."

What have you seen? That's a big question, with big answers -- but as a broker of privileged information, Honoka is in a habit of keeping such things close to her chest. The idea that... Ichika would have studied her fights with such intensity to pick out a specific phrase offered in trust to a confidant...

Well, it's worthy of notice. And sets her slightly on guard. How much should she tell this inquisitive prodigy? -What- should she share? There were... plans, surely. But to jump right -to- them?

Honoka Kawamoto lets loose a small laugh.
"I've seen that my dear friend Makaotari knows -way- too much about finding fish. And kindred souls, of course."
She gestures towards her elder companion with a nod.

The pair begins to approach Ichika's campsite. Honoka's pace is a quick walk. Makaotari's gait is slower -- not due to a limp, or back pain, though. She'll get there when she gets there.

"Kasumoto Ichika-san," states Honoka, completing an informal introduction for Makaotari's behalf. "It certainly is a surprise to see you out all this way."

She bows her head once again as she gets closer, dispensing with the need to keep her voice raised.

"I am nervous about the state of the world, yes. We are..." She draws in her breath, thinking. "As citizens of Earthrealm, I mean. ... We're losing track of our connections to nature. That's... what this trip was about, with Makaotari and myself. A chance for me to reconnect with the ways of my people."

She gestures a hand towards Makaotari, taking her time in meeting up.

"Modern fishermen need thousands of dollars in scanning equipment to find fish. And yet, my dear friend needs only her nose and her intuition. This... is not some secret ability, known only to few -- for she's said she was easily the -worst- at fishing in her home village."

Honoka smiles faintly, passing her gaze over the raft.

"It seems you are reconnecting with the old ways, yourself."

[ICHIKA]
As anyone who has interacted with Ichika for any length of time soon learns, the girl doesn't have a setting -less- than 110 per cent. Most people would probably work up to this sort of thing. Actually pour the tea, at least, before diving into 'I have studied your fights in extreme detail and wish to know the secrets you alluded to with my Sensei'. But, Ichika is not most people, and unlike the Champion of Earthrealm - she has no patience for deception. She does, at least, understand the importance of politeness, and she isn't insulted by the initial deflection. The note about Makaotari's prodigious fishing talents actually brings a warm smile to Ichika's lips.

It is only a short walk back to camp, even accounting for the elder woman's slowness. And, good to her word, Ichika does have a few little things that make it more pleasant than an -entirely- traditional approach could account for. Just as she doesn't shun the nylon in the construction of her raft, she has a comfortable, cushioned and waterproof mat to kneel on, and a small electric hob - solar powered. There's something pleasing to her, inherently, about the idea of using the power of the sun to boil her tea. It would have been impossible even a few short decades ago, but she busies herself setting it up now, so that these modern accoutrements can be put to work in service to a traditional demonstration of hospitality.

It is only when Honoka says the word 'Earthrealm' that Ichika glances back to her. Curious. She's not heard it called /that/ before. Very interesting.

"We are." The young woman agrees, "Honestly, I was as guilty as anyone else of it, not so long ago. It took ... many lessons, for me to understand that we are not somehow separate from the world."

Water, collected and purified from the rain, is poured into a small kettle and set over the hob to boil. Three wooden cups are also produced, a quick check to make sure they are clean, and the girl looks back up to her guests with a small smile.

"I've only just begun my journey, really." She says, "There was a tournament, I don't know if you heard of it? The New Fighting Generation?" Because, after all, it is entirely plausible that Honoka -wouldn't- have bothered to keep up with the newbie tournament whilst she was engaged with World Warrior. "It was, incredible. It opened my eyes to many things. Most of them good. Some of them ... worrying. I would not say that I am nervous. But." And here, she dips her head respectfully, "You are further along the Warrior's Road than I am. If -you- are nervous, then, perhaps I ought to be, as well. But. Tea is good for the nerves, isn't it?"

[HONOKA]
Guilty as anyone else? Honoka chuckles softly.

"Life likes to remind us that we ain't livin' within a vacuum."

Rural Hokkaido accents aren't heard much in Southtown. But Honoka seems to be okay with letting hers slip from time to time.

She and Makaotari step closer -- grateful to accept a cup, and happy to step in when and if needed. But for now, they simply state what's necessary.

" -- Thank you for the hospitality."
Makaotari echoes in hesitant but clear hyojun-go, "Thank you."
Both bow their heads in synch.

The New Fighting Generation? Honoka has been following it closely. But her response is a bit more enigmatic, delivered with a distant twinkle in her eye.

"I've heard of it."

She nods along, as Ichika relates her experiences with the tournament, with the whole team experience. Of course, she's quietly envious of the personal instruction Ichika received under 'Peng You' -- but she allows that to remain unsaid.

"Nervousness is what keeps you alive. As long as you let that work for you rather than against, it's fine." She pinches her lips, afterwards, regretful that she's being questioned on what she'd meant to be a personal conversation -- but what's done is done.

It has to be her conversation with Rei, anyway. She didn't defeat anyone else who might have been considered Ichika's 'sensei.'

"That... was a concern shared among old friends. I wouldn't have brought it up."

She smiles diplomatically: Ichika may have been a stranger mere minutes ago, but she can see the precocious youth won't take 'no' for an answer.

"But you asked. And I can tell you're likely to ask again."

Makaotari steps to the side, perhaps in anticipation of Honoka's penchant for storytelling gestures.
Kawamoto sweeps her hand towards the lake.

"Changes are on the horizon. And in time, our claim on Ainu Moshir -- Earthrealm, the land of humanity -- will be challenged."

Honoka cradles both hands around her fishing pole, smiling warmly.

"But... we have time. Time to learn things -correctly-. And you are on the right path. The... you called it the 'Warrior's Road?'" She nods in approval. "You're further along than your friends, I'd say. Do you consider yourself a graduate?"

[ICHIKA]
The tea is prepared and poured properly. Perhaps not -perfectly-. There are limitations as to what one can do outside, next to a lake, with only camping supplies. But it is hot, fresh and good, as she hands out the drinks - first to Makaotari, then to Honoka, and finally she takes her own, and sips. There is no doubt that the young woman is listening carefully to Honoka, though. Every word. It's, rare, that people actually -listen- with that kind of intensity, but her fellow fighter has more than earned that privilege. When Ichika had fought Rei, she could barely keep up with him. She was leagues away from being his equal. And though the fight had been close - Honoka had bested him. That goes a long way.

"Apologies. It was not my intention to pry into private matters." Ichika says, earnestly enough. But. There's also no implication that Honoka is -wrong-. She had said it. And it was such an intriguing thing to have said that she almost certainly would ask again. Luckily, she doesn't have to - the woman with the pink highlights has certainly got a good read on her, there.

"Yes." She agrees, with a firm nod of her head. "I am glad that I am not the only one to see the storm coming. Though, I would be stunned if I were. Change... is inevitable. The only question is whether we will be the ones to change the world, or will it be ... something else?"

The question of whether she is further along than her friends - that gives her a moment's pause. Ever self-effacing, Ichika wobbles her hand, noncommital. "They have continued to test themselves against one another." She says, "Every fight I see from them, I am impressed by how they have continued to develop. In terms of fighting ability? I do not know if the gap between us is so great..."

But that isn't -really- the question being asked, is it? Fighting ability and progress down the Warrior's Road are two very different things, as she has learned.

"... but yes. I do consider myself a graduate." She confesses, "Ichijo-sensei asked me to consider why it is I wanted to win a tournament at all. When I came so close to it, and had it taken from me at the last moment..." She looks down into her tea. Failure had often been something that Ichika struggled with. It tastes bitter to her. But... she -has- grown, it seems.

"... I realised that it didn't matter." She says, at last. "Flying all around the world? Donning silly costumes and doing novelty competitions? Constantly being under scrutiny by the whole world? Those things are, distractions. They kept me from my home, from concentrating on what was important. I learned the lessons that Professional Fighting Worldwide had to teach me. And I am grateful for them. But the world has many other lessons I must learn."

Her eyes raise again, this time, focusing on the fishing pole, with a small smile touching her lips. "Like how to build a raft. Just as you, are learning how to fish." After all - it'd be unthinkably rude to invite herself to take the same lesson, but the parallels - that both young women are out here undertaking lessons in wilderness survival as they fret about the coming future - seems too great not to point out.

[HONOKA]
Honoka and Makaotari both accept their teacups, and -- practically in unison, blow upon their respective cups. After all, it may be polite to accept, but foolish to just start right in on scalding hot tea.

When Ichika speaks of the inevitability of change, and the 'only question', the pink-highlighted fighter parts her lips -- but almost as suddenly, closes them again. It's clear to her that Ichika is on a roll, and listening might be more of a contribution than allowing her own thoughts to dictate the flow of conversation.

So she listens. Actively. Each new thought from Ichika provokes a curious nod, an implication to continue. She even bares her teeth in a smile as Ichika pokes fun at the playful artifice of the 'Odyssey' event -- waiting for the appropriate time to make one simple, supportive comment.

"So you truly have graduated, yeah."

NFG is a good way to get fighters started. To let them demonstrate their skills in a nurturing, supportive environment. But they need to learn to fight their own battles, to stand on their own two feet. To not just follow a path, but blaze their own. And that is -- ultimately -- why Honoka had chosen not to get personally involved with the NFG's first season.

There was nothing that other people couldn't do just as well, or better, than her.

So Honoka is... smiling, brightly, as she dips her head to take that first sip of tea. Glad that Ichika has shown just how -mature- she can be, despite her age.

The solemnitude, oddly, is ruined by Makaotari swatting at the back of Honoka's head at the mention of 'learning to fish.'

"She knows *how* to fish," she explains.
"Too blind and lazy to find her own."
Honoka winces, staggering forward.
Makaotari's Ainu accent slips a little as she steps away from set phrases.
"We working on that."

Honoka rubs the back of her head, on the verge of laughter. "Yeah... it's more about *tracking* fish. If you're good enough, you can *see* them in the stillness of the water, here."

She glances out to the water, drawing in her breath. "They're out of season right now. But if I see a salmon we're eating it."

Makaotari snorts. "We passed three already. Didn't you see?"

Honoka shakes her head. Okay, might be guilty there. She can't 'see' them that well. She sighs, lacing her fingers around the cup and taking another sip of tea.

"... Mm. You know... so many things, Ichika. I've seen it in how you move. How you think. How you -talk-. So let me ask you... How much do you know about our people? About... the Ainu?"

[ICHIKA]
Ichika nods, as Honoka agrees with her little self-assessment. It's funny, in a way. In the runup to the finale she'd struggled so much with what the future might hold. She'd asked for advice from everyone she could think of. And when it was all said and done - she just, did it. She didn't need to ask anyone's permission any more. She didn't need to check in with her friends or teachers, or even her parents. She just made her choice. And ... it had been accepted. Her parents weren't surprised; they were so proud of their daughter and all she had achieved. They trusted her. And, at last, most importantly of all - she trusted herself. She'd stood in a packed stadium, and shown the entire world her Truth. And sure, she hadn't won... but she had still achieved more than she had ever dreamed possible. How much more could she do, now that she was free?

She doesn't laugh when Honoka is struck, hiding her smile behind her tea, and only nods sympathetically when the purpose of the training is explained. "Sometimes." She says, "In the heart of battle, when I call upon the Mountain? I can ... see." Maybe not exactly the right word from her hesitation, but she sticks with it. "Them too. All the living things. I can't, hold on to it for very long. A few seconds at most. But, it's beautiful. If you can learn to do that all the time... haa, that would be a wonderful thing."

And now her smile is back, as though just the thought of that as a possibility is exciting to her. She's so easy and open with her struggles, and her abilities; in a world where so many are guarded about what they can do and why, Ichika is more than happy to share. Possibly because it had been such a long journey just to understand it herself. She still doesn't have all the answers, even if she feels like she is getting closer, day by day.

Her smile only falters when Honoka starts to compliment her. A faint blush rises on her cheeks at the accusation that she knows many things. Which is, factually, true. She can hardly deny it. She knows a startling amount about a wide range of subjects. And the smile fades completely when the final two questions are asked. It's only fair that she answer, of course; Honoka had been good enough to indulge her curiosity, hadn't she?

"Not as much as I should." She admits, "I know that a concerted effort was made to assimilate the Ainu peoples into Japan during the Meiji restoration. I know that we didn't even acknowledge you -as- a people until... well, the year I was born, as a strange coincidence." That bright gaze of hers moves back down to her tea, still steaming merrily away as the conversation turns more serious and ... shameful, really.

"I also know that I -should- have learned about this in school, rather than having to do my own research before I began this trip."

[HONOKA]
Honoka seems utterly fascinated by the revelation Ichika brings to light. As much as she's studied about young Kasumoto, it's... really only through her Ichikasts that the tusukur has been able to glean any greater insight into -how- she functions, or -why- she's got such a glow about her as she speaks about such simple things as martial arts. It's only now, with Ichika speaking of the Mountain, that she realizes the young woman is talking about her connection to the world itself.

Honoka nods slowly. The duality is one that's escaped her -- any -number- of people have a connection to the leylines of power that run throughout the planet, leylines she's not able to access directly in the way Ichika and Makaotari can. A fish leaves behind a wake invisible to her, but legible to those attuned to the ebb and flow of chi.

It's with a pang of jealousy that Honoka nods once more, with pursed lips. The psychic signature of a fish is... well. It just doesn't compare.

And... Ichika -shouldn't- need to ask permission. She -should- just... do it. This ... is a good thought to hold on to. Particularly as it applies to the tragic history of the Ainu.

"You know more than most."
Honoka's smile grows as bitter as the tea, for a moment -- reminding her to take a sip as she gathers her thoughts.

"'Assimilate.' Is that the word they taught you?"
The resentment begins to bubble up within her.
Not towards Ichika.
But towards -them-.
Sensing that, Makaotari rests a hand upon Honoka's shoulder.
"It's such a clinical, -surgically- precise reduction of--"
Makaotari's hand squeezes, gently.
"-- of..."
Honoka closes her eyes, drawing in her breath.

It's a few moments before Honoka's able to collect herself. Her nostrils flare; she breathes in; she tries again.

"Essentially, that's right. The... last chapters of the story." Her eyes open again, as her fingers lace around the teacup. "If 'assimilation' summarizes the endgame, then I would say 'complacency' summarizes the beginning. Please... forgive my outburst."

Honoka relaxes, placing one hand atop Makaotari's in reassurance.

"In accordance with our pact with the kamui, we hunted and fished to keep nature in balance, and were rewarded with our boons. Once, the nation of Nippon was accepting of our ways, and we invited them in, to share our boons with them. We began to trade. And once they were in the front door..."

Honoka shrugs lightly. "I believe the saying is, give them an inch, and they'll take a mile. The situation changed. And I daresay it is because of the Ainu's warm and forgiving nature that the nation of Japan encroached further and further into the nation of Ezo, such that removing them was impossible."

Makaotari recovers her hand. And both Ainu women take a sip of their tea.

"It is a new age of Enlightenment for humanity now. And this is the most dangerous time for an enemy to attack -- for History has shown that a wise enemy does not need to conduct a siege to win a war."

[ICHIKA]
"You have nothing to apologise for."

The words are spoken softly, but sincerely. Ichika listens, as she always does, and there's a sense that she really hears Honoka. The older girl's pain at the historic wrongs to her people is obvious. Ichika is not - as far as she knows - Ainu in any capacity whatsoever. But that's the very tragedy of this kind of conflict, isn't it? She wouldn't know. So few who have that blood in them do. And fewer know even the first thing about Ainu culture - about what it actually is to be part of that people. Ichika is Japanese, down to the marrow of her bones. By rights, Honoka could carry that grudge all the way through to her...

But the Kasumoto family is a humble one, too. Peasants and farmers through to low-level salarymen and waitresses. Ichika is the first to have any kind of power. Perhaps it is not so surprising that she had found herself empathising heavily with the downtrodden across the world... and sickened to learn that Peng You was correct. Her beloved Japan did exactly the same thing back home, as well. They were only better at hiding it, presenting the pretty facade to her until she went prying behind it herself.

"A storm does not siege a city." She agrees, "It simply falls, and we must make sure we are ready when the lightning strikes."

The younger girl sips her tea. It -is- bitter. But that bitterness is a good thing, grounding, warming. A taste of home. One that she had really missed when she was in Metro City. Good tea was simply impossible to find, no matter how hard she tried.

"I am sorry." She says, at last. "As I said. Change, is inevitable. I am part of that. The New Fighting Generation." Her lip quirks, in a ghost of a smile. "You are as well. We are young. And this world is ruled by old men, who wish to shape it even further in their image. I have only seen the smallest clouds gathering, but I know that they are too busy bickering amongst each other to deal with even those. In the end... it will be, as it always has been, through history. We will keep ourselves safe. Or, nobody will."

[HONOKA]
Nothing to apologize for? It... is, though. Honoka's singleminded focus on righting the wrongs dealt to her people can get a little intense from time to time. And dumping the full onslaught of her emotional baggage on someone who'd merely asked is... well, it's not an ideal conversational topic for a first meeting.

Makaotari knows this. And she nods with a gracious smile to Ichika as the young woman shows her understanding and respect. The elder does look a little apprehensive, though, as a storm is mentioned.

For she knew how Honoka would take -that-, too: the former circus star breaks her gaze from Ichika, looking off into the distance. She hopes that she isn't communicating hurt feelings due to Ichika's words -- which she agrees with -- but it's hard to mask the pain she feels at the memory of the residents of Biratori. Dying ... due to a storm that she'd felt was completely unreasonable, and an affront to her own people's reverence for the Kamuy. It had taken her a long time to come to grips with what Kamuy Kanna had told her in the aftermath. And even now, she struggles to keep her feelings from bubbling up.

But... she manages. And turns back to face Ichika after that moment of wrestling with her past.

"That's exactly right."

Makaotari smiles and nods, again.

Perhaps Ichika knows of the dam's collapse.
Perhaps not.
But Ichika might be more right than she knows.
That if the people were that worked up about the dam...
That maybe they should have prepared for the nation of Japan to fail them.
That maybe they should have stopped the dam's monstrosities themselves.
That maybe the Kamuy would not have needed to step in.

Honoka knows she's brooding too much. Reining that in... it's tough. It gets easier, though, as Ichika apologizes.

Instantly, the dark cloud over Honoka's mood vaporizes, leaving a forgiving smile in its place. The look of a twenty-something choosing to act like a cool older friend rather than a creaky old boomer.

"Don't be. Some things in life just suck. That's life."

But then... she hears how Ichika has seen the world in her walk of the Warrior's Road. Earlier, she had asked: would we be the ones to change it, or something else? And yet, here, the NFG graduate demonstrates that she already knows answer to that question.

Not only that -- for Ichika seems to have seemingly duplicated the text of Honoka's own personal manifesto.

Honoka shares an incredulous look with Makaotari.
"I'm delighted, Kasumoto-san."
She turns back to face Ichika with a bright smile.
"That you've reached the exact same conclusions I have."
"That... unearned hubris will be the death of us."
"That... failing to act is the same as curling up to die."

Relieved, Honoka takes one last sip from her teacup, draining it. She savors the flavor as it drips down her throat.

"Ultimately... the Ainu people were commanded to -forget- their past some hundred and fifty years ago. We as a people stood firm against that. And now -- as Makaotari can attest -- we have not forgotten, and we will not forget."

Makaotari nods as Honoka continues, proudly.

"We will disobey laws that are unjust. We will honor our covenants with the Kamuy. We will hunt in our forests, we will fish our rivers and ponds."

She nods towards the raft.

"And we will build rafts out of whatever sticks and branches we choose. For they are boons granted us by the Kamuy, for earning their favor."

Makaotari drains her cup, as well.

"History has shown us that we need to fight for our right to exist. But... perhaps enough has been said on that... for now."

Honoka reaches up to brush a curtain of pink-striped hair to one side.

"Is Hokkaido what you'd expected to see? And -- for that matter -- has anywhere else been what you'd expected?"

[ICHIKA]
Sometimes, it really is as though the Kami - or Kamuy - are speaking to her. Ichika didn't know a thing about Biratori. If she did, even as blunt as she can be at times, she wouldn't be using that exact metaphor. It would be cruel to poke at that wound deliberately. She's using it because... well. She'll get to that, perhaps, one day.

She really hadn't expected to find that Honoka is on very much the same page that she is, regarding all of this, either. It certainly feels as though Honoka's disagreement with Rei ultimately came down to the same, singular, point of disagreement she had with her Sensei. She felt that they should have acted faster and more decisively to stop Junko. Rei felt that they needed to be cautious. Both sides were reasonable position to take - but Ichika hadn't been swayed on that point. Failing to act is the same as curling up to die?

Ichika sits up -much- straighter after that. Her own tea is completely forgotten, slowly cooling in her hands as she nods her head firmly with Honoka's declaration. "The people of Japan - of the world - *have* forgotten." Ichika says, softly, "The most important Truth there is. We make the world. Every single day. Collectively, we decide how we are going to live. What we are willing to accept. We can -stop-. We can do it differently. We can make that bright and shining future, where -all- are acknowledged and seen, rather than left in obscurity."

It's difficult for her too, though in a very different way to Honoka. She can feel her excitement bubbling up under the surface. She wants to jump to her feet and start shouting about it. This is the point of her Ichikast after all; to show people the way. To be a demonstration of a different way to live, by her own principles, so that they can do it too. But she doesn't want her zealousness to put the other two women off. Honoka says that they've spoken enough about that for now - and though Ichika feels that she could speak about all of this for, days, really, she swallows that down and instead looks out to the lake, beautiful as it is, and smiles.

"No." She says, honestly. "It is so much more wonderful than I expected. It is funny, really. I went to Justice High, and thought they had taught me all about the world and how it works. But America was full of so much, pain, in the cities. And so much beauty atop its mountains. I was prepared for neither. Hokkaido..."

She looks back to the pair, runs a hand through her own messy hair, self-conscious about it, now. "I thought it would be much like Honshu. That Sapporo would be a little Tokyo, and Yotei would be a little Fuji. It is not. They are, very different. This is a calmer place, welcoming, and... kind. I have not climbed Yotei yet." She lifts her hand, gestures to the raft, still half-built. "I feel I do not yet know the land well enough to have that right. I want to do it properly. I have very much enjoyed the process of listening to it, though."

[HONOKA]
Gods can afford to take the long view in matters. Their lifespans are not limited. Barring unforeseen complications, they will survive an apocalypse long enough to remake the world afterwards. This -- this is the central point which she'd tried to make to Kamuy Kanna. And despite Honoka knowing her place in the arrangement, it had never truly sat well with her.

And she can tell that Ichika is a kindred spirit, in that regard. She can sense Ichika's zealousness for the topic. And -- she would be more than happy to indulge her, perhaps if Makaotari were not present -- judging, in her own patient way.

Honoka needs -help- to rein in her overzealous tendencies.
Ichika's able to control them.
No wonder Ichika's advancing forward so swiftly.

Makaotari nods along -- though she seems confused by the placenames. Honoka notices, and after a shared glance, the elder woman nods in apparent understanding.

"... I've found that, yeah... it's important to understand what we're really fighting for, here." Honoka turns back to face Ichika with a warm smile. "It's easy in to get lured in by the glitz and glamor of the ring, the thrill of performing for an audience. But I'm happy that you're seeing beyond that now. Connecting with..." Honoka gestures outward with an open hand again. "Connecting with our home. It's quieter here. And easier to think."

The former circus star's smile falters for a moment as Ichika admits she doesn't have a 'right'. Honoka starts to shake her head -- but lets Ichika finish first.

"Your... caution is admirable: Yotei-san is not for the weak." She nods, bowing her head. "You have shown enough venerance for the Kamuy -- I am sure that Yotei-san will welcome you when the time is right. But, if you'd like, we can show you how to carve 'inau', to understand more of our approach."

She shares another brief glance with Makaotari, who smiles and nods slowly.

"... I wonder, though. Will you truly want to go back to professional fighting, after this?"

[ICHIKA]
It -is- remarkable how quickly and how far Ichika has come. The girl might well have been her own harshest critic in the early stages of the New Fighting Generation project. And heck, she -didn't- take first place. That final fight was fairly crushingly conclusive in which of the fighters was the more skilled combatant. But there wasn't anyone who could deny that Ichika had, over the course of just one year, grown from someone who had by her own admission never picked up a sword before, to someone who was more than qualified to count herself among the world's fighters.

There is another smile when Honoka mentions the allure of the ring. "I won't deny that I love it." She says, as honest with this as she has been with everything else. "To have a stadium of people chanting your name? It's... incredible. I love my fans, too. That there are so many people who have seen something of themselves, or of the person they would like to be, in me? That is... flattering." Impossibly flattering for her, really. The awkward, poor girl who always smelled like old takeout food. Sometimes, it is even difficult for her to believe that she and that girl were the same person.

"And... that is why I don't think I can give it up." She admits, in regards to that last question. "I am not as, dutiful, as Ichijo-sensei. And there are still many lessons to learn just from the act of fighting. But, I think... I will be doing so on my own terms, for the foreseeable future. Not because I have agreed to work for a large corporation."

But there is a far more important offer on the table than all of that, too, of course. And the girl looks down at her cold tea. Hah. She really had grown too excited by the conversation to keep up with -all- of the social niceties. She sets the cup down next to her, and then clasps her hands in her lap. "I would very much like to learn how to carve properly." She says, and here, she smiles, almost apologetic. "These practical things are a challenge. The raft has taken so many hours to get even this far! But... it's good to struggle, I think. If everything came easily, it wouldn't be so valuable."

[HONOKA]
Though it may have been pitched as a 'competition,' the fact remains that the NFG brought over a dozen prospects into the limelight, opening up possibilities for training that would have otherwise been inaccessible. And that experiment happens to dovetail perfectly with Honoka's goal of preparing the bulk of humanity to stand up to invaders from other realms...

Ichika says that she won't deny that she loves it. Honoka can't help but interject: "It shows." She... finds herself reminiscing about her earlier days of competition, and of course, her formative years with the Twilight Star Circus. There's nothing quite like it -- hearing the roar of the crowd.

"It's like a drug -- it's hard to give up." Kawamoto nods in agreement. She grows a -bit- colder, though, as the name Ichijo is mentioned... but there's so many other bits to latch onto that she's able to stay on topic for the moment. "You're an inspiration to a lot of people. And no doubt, there are those in this next round, inspired by your example, who will go on to inspire the next generation. All the more reason to continue growing and learning."

Kawamoto looks down for a moment, breathing a small sigh at the idea that she -herself- can be an inspiration of sorts. "Your own... terms. Exactly." She looks up again, the lessons of Jezebel Faiblesse prominent in her mind. "I know I probably don't need to tell you this, as you've already shown -- but don't *ever* let the audience define who you are. You're in control -- and if you're doing what you feel is *right*, then you'll have an audience wherever you go."

Makaotari's face lights up when Ichika mentions that she would like to learn. Honoka bows her head, also.

"Kamuy respect the struggle. It's so easy for technology to destroy our fundamental connection with nature. But... honestly, rope is hard enough." She nods towards the raft. "I'm all for tradition. But dealing with natural fibers is honestly just a pain in the ass."

Makaotari frowns, at that. Honoka just laughs, softly.

"Inau are pretty simple. It won't take long: you got a good straight branch, about this thick?" She indicates a thickness of 2-3 cm with her fingers.

"Technically we could get in trouble for whittling on trees in a national park, right? But we answer to higher powers here." She flashes an amused smile.

[ICHIKA]
Ichika does note the slight cloud that passes in front of Honoka's enthusiasm when she mentions the name of her other Sensei. There had been four, after all, and they were each important - but, well. This young woman clearly has her own entanglements with at least half of them that she is now aware of. That's not too surprising. There aren't that many people in the entire world that can fight on the level of Rei and Ayame. It only makes sense that they would have some prior history.

"That is the very first promise I made to them." Ichika says, seriously. "Much of my life was spent trying to do... what others wanted. My family, and my teachers. It is, easy, to go with the path of least resistance. But fighting is about demonstrating our Truths. Those who refuse to do so ... can never advance along the Warrior's Road."

This outlook... is probably the main point of divergence between the two young women. And it certainly explains a lot about Ichika's candid nature. Deception isn't just something she dislikes on a moral level; it is antithetical to the very core of her being. Something that she -couldn't- utilise in her fighting, without compromising the entire heart of her style. But that makes a kind of sense too, with what she'd said. If she needed that connection with the World in order to channel her strength - well. Who could lie to the Kamuy, and hope to keep receiving their gifts?

There is a grin from her at the note about the rope, too. "Yes." She agrees, maybe to Makaotari's continued disapproval. "I tried working with reeds, at first. That was a wasted half a day. But, I think I'll be forgiven. All of this... isn't about rejecting technology, exactly. We're part of the natural world too! The technology we make is part of that. It's about... using it respectfully. Properly." And then she is rising to her feet. It doesn't take long to walk over to her bundle of sticks, and begin searching through.

"Something like this?" She says, bringing out a long branch which is indeed in the right kind of range, as she walks back over and - this time, settles down next to the other two women, rather than being across from them. "And yes." She agrees, "I don't... think, we need to worry about any Park Rangers coming to hassle us, all the way out here."

[HONOKA]
Deception isn't really that bad, is it?

Honoka shared her truth when Ichika spoke Ayame's name. And she's sharing a dark and inner truth to someone she's never met before -- her disillusionment with a society that consigned her own people to a second-class life. There are many truths -- and Honoka is very selective about -which- truths get shared, and when.

The Fighter's Road does, in its own way, demand that a fighter be honest with -themselves-. Ichika seems to be willing to share every life lesson she might have picked up along the way. Honoka, having experienced many more than Ichika, simply does not feel every lesson is worth sharing. The truth of her connection to Rei, to Ayame, to Seishirou, to Zach...

Well, no one's asked.
And Honoka won't volunteer them just yet.
Nor is the compulsive liar going to wade into a discussion of what constitutes 'truth.'
For now, she is content to hide those truths behind an enigmatic smile.

Makaotari sighs softly. "Honoka is lazy." She hides a half-smile: -her- truth would take words that Ichika is unlikely to understand.

"It's... it's not laziness! I prefer to think of it as taking the shortcuts we have available to ourselves. You won't always have nylon rope, just like you might not always have a knife on hand..."

And, as Ichika returns with a suitable branch, Honoka proves that she does, in fact, have a knife on hand -- for an ornate knife with a hand-carved handle and sheath is retrieved from the folds of her sash as easily as if it had been resting beside her on the ground.

She unsheathes the blade, and starts to dig the blade in at the thicker end of the branch.

"The first thing is to strip off any additional branches. The second is stripping off the outer bark to get a nice stick with consistent thickness." She does so, paring it down to the lighter-tone 'flesh' of the stick.

She keeps her focus on the branch, making quick work of the task. Though, at one point, she cants her head towards Ichika in the suggestion of a question.

"Hmm... Would you be comfortable sharing the lessons you'd learned from Ichijo-sensei?"

[ICHIKA]
Ichika pays attention, of course. And she smiles a little at Makaotari's little, affectionate, needling comments. But she is genuinely curious about this kind of carving. It's not something she's seen before, and if she's -surprised- that her fellow fighter has brought a beautiful knife to bear, there's no sign of that. Of course, if Ichika finds herself separated from her blade - she has rather more severe problems than being unable to whittle a branch, or make a raft. Things would likely progress extremely poorly for her, from there.

There's some serious, attentive nodding going on as Honoka strips the bark. And Ichika is completely unselfconscious about sharing those lessons. There -are- secrets that even she would keep; but truthfully, most of those belong to Lyraelle, not to Ayame. Her smile returns, though.

"Ah, well." She says, "A lot of them were, technical, about the art of fighting. How to use my sword. How to defend myself. I -would- be happy to show you those, but, I would hope that you wouldn't be able to keep showing me how to carve at the same time." It's a little joke, really. But Ichika is prepared to flatter herself enough that she believes she -could- make that difficult.

"The other lessons..." She says, thoughtfully. "Many of them are questions which still sit with me, honestly. Perhaps, the best way to discuss them is with another question. Why do you think it is that I carry a sword?" She says it casually -- but there is a weight to that question, isn't there?

It's the first thing that Ayame had asked her about herself, and there was so much to unpack in it. As intense as Ichika could clearly be at times... she certainly doesn't seem like the kind of person who would gravitate to such a decidedly serious weapon. And yet, she had. And it remained the one part of her fighting style which had not changed at all. A simple, plain old katana, mass-produced for a different age, designed to be carried into war, now held by this idealistic, open-hearted young woman.

[HONOKA]
Honoka is happy to continue whittling down the branch as Ichika answers. She nods slowly, showing some surprise at the breadth of subject matter which Ayame was able to convey.

"Hm. I had no idea she'd known the first thing about... swords. But then again, I had no idea she'd any interest in mentoring in the first place."

Honoka offers a lighthearted chuckle. It seems the two have some history, but -- as with many of Honoka's relationships, it isn't immediately apparent -how- they're connected.

"It'd be a little distracting, yes."
Another brief smile follows.

Before long, Honoka has finished whittling the branch down to a cylinder of roughly-uniform thickness. She holds it up, examining it from multiple angles -- and receives an approving nod from the tattooed elder. And, for the moment, she places the lesson on pause as she stops to consider.

"There could be any number of reasons."

Sparing another glance at the sword, she rules out 'family heirloom' as a possible reason. And while she might take a stab at the connection to Imawano Hyo of Justice High... she opts to take a more tactful route.

"Hmm... swords... are a clear sign that you know how to use a sword. It means you never have to talk with someone who might not respect someone -without- a sword."

After a brief hum to ground herself, she raises the carved branch to view. And she digs the blade in towards the bottom, demonstrating the shallow angle she reaches.

"You will want to work from the bottom up for this 'inau'. Start shallow -- and slowly make your way up, using the 'color' of the cut as an indication of how thick your stroke is.

As she works the knife up the branch's length, the peeled material curls upon itself rapidly. She stops about two centimeters from the top -- with a pleasant-looking curlicue of wood unspooled from the cut.

"If you do it right -- it will look like this. Go ahead, try it...?"

Honoka offers the stick back to Ichika, along with the blade itself.

"It's sharp, " she starts to admonish, before laughing at herself. "I mean, obviously, you know how to deal with blades."

[ICHIKA]
"She is not an easy person to read." Ichika agrees, of her mentor. And it is certainly interesting, to be weaving the lesson about carving in with the discussion of the blade. What has Ichika grinning, though, is that Honoka has given an answer that she hadn't even -considered- before. Which is wonderful. Was that part of it, as well? It certainly had been useful to travel around Metro City with her weapon. Even the bravest street punk tended to think twice before coming at someone who had a sword to their piddly little switchblade.

"I thought." She says, as she takes the branch and blade, "That I had chosen the katana to make up for my deficiencies. When I entered the New Fighting Generation, I was the physically weakest competitor. It only seemed to make sense to me to choose something that greatly amplified the force I could bring to bear, and enhance my reach. But, as Ichijo-sensei pointed out, a staff would be a far more effective way of addressing those issues, with less potential for... mishaps."

Which is a very diplomatic way indeed of saying 'accidentally inflicting a lethal wound'. Though, ironically, when life-threatening injury did occur... it was not at the hands of the girl whose style had people worrying about that from day one of the competition. Ichika lines up the knife carefully, but she does not yet begin to cut. Her attention is very focused on the edge of the blade, where it kisses the flesh of the tree, stripped bare of its protection.

"I think I chose it because subconsciously, I knew that the path I need to walk will reach the crossroads that Ichijo-sensei warned me of. That I have wondered about ever since. There will come a time... when I have to decide whether to take another's life."

In Ichika's mind, there is fire. People screaming. Fleeing. Constance Coalbridge trying to recover in a hospital bed. The sensation of fire with force enough to lift her from the floor and crash her into the stone wall of her team's training space. The sense of loss, as her belongings disappeared in smoke and ruin.

She moves the knife. Too quickly, too hard. The angle sheers through the branch, and Ichika's brow furrows with irritation. No pretty stroke for her, on her first try it seems.

"... /tch/."

[HONOKA]
Honoka smiles and nods: No, Ayame Ichijo is *not* an easy person to read. In their only conversation, the Ainu manipulator had learned only that the shrine maiden knew about Honoka's alternate self -- and that marked her as a threat. Having Ichika look up to the miko as a role model complicates the relationship. But it also crystallizes her intent of keeping her friends close and her enemies' students even closer.

Honoka arches an eyebrow at the way that her answer is received by Ichika. She'd hoped it would reveal a similar insight, but instead serves to inadvertently revealed the cynical lens through which she views the world. She takes solace in the thought that her concern could inform Ichika's future actions.

"Ah... yes," replies Honoka, allowing herself to show some measure of relief. "Both of those are excellent points."

She can tell that Ichika has been raised with the Japanese tendency to downplay her own strengths -- and takes a step to address that with some levity.

"But, in fairness to yourself, you can cut many more things with a katana than a staff." Her cheeks dimple with a brief smile.

As Miss Kasumoto takes the knife, Miss Kawamoto focuses her attention upon the knife's keen edge. It's sharp -- Honoka's only use for a dull blade is to psych out an opponent.

The next moment shows one other difference between Honoka and Ichika.
Honoka is more skilled at juggling.

The conflict between the two conversations is... tense. Honoka had been able to sense the friction between the two emotions as they clashed against her meticulously-maintained facade. When the medium of communication is verbal, the facade can be maintained. But when the medium is... physical...

No, something else is off, Honoka realizes. Ichika's precision with the katana is unquestioned. If she had lacked the control, Ichika would be the most feared participant and not Junko Daidoji. It's something -else- that causes her to make a mistake.

Honoka draws in her breath, looking away from the misplaced blade. Safe in the knowledge that Ichika has reasserted control, she looks up to Ichika's blue eyes. Searching them for the meaning that would explain the discrepancy.

Softly, she notes, "It's okay. You weren't hurt."
She consciously moves the goalposts from the inau to the overall skill.
It's still a success, this way.

She smiles, adopting a self-effacing tone similar to the one Ichika had used earlier. "I should let Makaotari teach. I get too far ahead of myself at times. Could you please gather us two more branches -- any size?"

[ICHIKA]
There is, a small smile from Ichika at the note that she can cut more things with a sword. She certainly can. Unfortunately, after she proves that she can cut things more enthusiastically than she even means to, the smile is quite thoroughly banished. Though - as Honoka notes - the girl is perfectly controlled with it. And sensible. She cuts away from herself, at an angle that means there's no chance of her cutting herself or others. These precautions come so naturally to her it isn't even really a matter of conscious thought. Ichika does, in fact, know very well how to use a blade.

At the reassurance, there is a sharp -look- though. And then the girl's expression softens. She is sure that Honoka doesn't mean it to sound condescending; but she sees the way the goalpost is shifted and she doesn't like the attempt to save her ego. "I was not." She concedes, and then, she sighs. Trying to let go of the gnawing sense of failure is, difficult. But she is getting better at it. Slowly. "And as we said... if it were not a challenge, there would be no value in learning how to do it."

She flips the knife around to offer it back to Honoka, handle-first, and then she rises and selects two more branches from her pile. They are within the same ballpark of thickness as the first, despite the explanation that any would really do, and the girl settles down to offer them back to her instructor of the moment.

"It is honestly very kind of you to take the time to show me this at all, Kawamoto-san." She says, "Perhaps... we should try to concentrate on it, though." And her smile returns - albeit, more apologetic, as she adds, "I can't help but get excited when discussing fighting."

Which is certainly true enough - but perhaps not, the whole story. As Honoka had been able to intuit, it wasn't really excitement that had caused the slip of the knife; it was some sense of anger at the past, and the ... fear? Anxiety? Doubt? About what might yet still be to come.

[HONOKA]
The trouble with following a minor celebrity through the lens of social media is, naturally, only seeing a small fraction of their personality: she's only seen what Ichika's decided to -show- people.

Accordingly, Honoka is mentally kicking herself for... well, making a bigger deal of it than she'd needed to. In response, she's happy to let Ichika set the pace, nodding with restraint and reservation.

"Right," she answers, quietly. "Let's do that."

Egging on the young prodigy to share about how she -really- feels about the little hellion that Kamuy Kanna unleashed upon the world will, unfortunately, have to wait. Honoka raises her hands to accept the branches. And she hands one to Makaotari, who has already withdrawn her own knife. And she immediately sets out to work. Honoka starts to do as she had before, whittling the branch down to a smaller size...

The elder turns her attention to Ichika, tattooed mouth curling into a smile. "... Is not like cutting with, erm... /mutsube/, there." She nods towards the katana. "This... more like cutting skin of cucumber. Gentle. Better to practice with bark first." She clucks her tongue once, twice as she works through the branch, before looking over to the younger Ainu. "Honoka gives you that piece now, you try."

Honoka blinks, in mid-stroke as she hears the suggestion. Scoffing at the indignity, she nonetheless breaks into a smile. "... Okay, yeah. Got a bit ahead of myself, sorry." She hands the knife back to Ichika, handle-first, along with the stick.

"It's... kind of weird watching an inau take shape. It's wood, but... it's also -really- delicate since you're shaving the wood so sharp. It feels like a small tree -- the kamui supposedly like the feel of it. Try it out, yeah?"

[ICHIKA]
It's true - Ichika cultivates her image more than perhaps even she is aware. She'd say that she is absolutely truthful in the way she portrays herself online, and that's certainly something she tries to do. But it is still ultimately only a part of her; the whole of her is simply too big to fit in a few podcasts. And she knows better, these days, than to engage with the wider social media maelstrom which can so easily strip a person of context and leave them to be flensed by a storm of hate.

The girl is also certainly more respectful to her elders than many might expect, given her fashion choices and the talk of how her generation will save the world. She listens carefully, nods her head. "I used to help my mother in the kitchen a lot." She says, which is, if anything, an understatement. She used to do -a lot- to help support her mother in her work, before she embarked on her own adventure. "Thank you." Because seeing this like preparing a vegetable really does help to put it in context.

She takes the knife, and the stick. And now that she is focusing on the task at hand, it is much easier to see how it is supposed to take shape. The swordswoman strips the bark with a few simple strokes, baring the flesh. Then she begins working on the curl - and this time, albeit not perfect, the blade shapes the wood as she desires.

"It is... interesting, to think of the -- kamui." A -slightly- unfamiliar word, but, Ichika is trying to be respectful, here! "As enjoying the, feel, of something. I usually think of them as being detached but-- that's, wrong, isn't it?" She's smiling a little, as she works through this in her head. "Of course they are linked to the physical state of things... that is, where they reside. There isn't, a distinction, in the way that I have been presuming..." She looks up from the stick, to the pair of women, "Ah, sorry. I'm getting distracted."

[HONOKA]
It is only natural for a celebrity -- a fighter, a performer, or what have you -- to make a distinction between public and private life. Separating the two allows the public persona to act as a shield, absorbing injury to prevent more lasting damage to the psyche.

Perhaps it would have been nice if Honoka had stopped at just -two- personalities, instead of inventing more to deal with the number of problems at hand. For one of the personalities she'd long since buried had been the little girl who would help her mother out in the kitchen.

"I cook for myself when I can. Fast food just... doesn't do it for me." states Honoka quietly. Without a task at hand, the acrobat laces her fingers together in her lap, pressing her thumbs together lightly. She... has more to say, but for the moment she remains quiet in observation of Ichika's request to stay focused. This... gives her a little more time to consider the root cause of the earlier frustration -- and how she might address it when the time comes.

When Ichika speaks up, though, Honoka leans towards her with interest. "Mm?"

She holds her tongue for the moment -- but once Ichika acknowledges her breaking of the silence, it's Makaotari who answers.

"That is alright."

The elder stops in her work, so as not to give the impression that Ichika needs to be carving while she is talking.

"Kami... are not here." She turns the knife point away from Ichika, gesturing in a wide circle around her. "Kamuy are all around."

Honoka, taking note of the momentary pause in work, adds quietly: "The kamuy live in the higher skies -- the range kando, and the nochiu-o kando. But when they want to visit, they enter the body of an animal, so that they can perceive life as a mortal. This way, they are better able to appreciate these gifts at our own scale."

Makaotari nods, offering a light grunt -- her own mark of approval. She twists the knife back around, bringing it back to the work piece. "It is good to keep kamuy in mind while you work. Each careful stroke -- a gift to them."

Honoka nods with a smile; Makaotari resumes her work. It's not long before the inau's long curls begin to take on the semblance of a miniature tree, or perhaps a sort of folded parasol -- each strand buoyant and bobbing along with the breeze. Makaotari treats the craft as delicate, and yet she knows she has to demonstrate a firm touch to continue carving.

She does not announce when she is finished though -- rather, just slowing her pace, so as not to place undue pressure on Ichika.

[ICHIKA]
Ichika smiles faintly at the mention of fast food. "It is amazing how much of an appetite you can work up, when you are training." She says, "I never would have believed I could eat so much!" Though, that really is a secondary subject of conversation, isn't it? And when Makaotari shares her wisdom, Ichika listens very carefully indeed. There's a faint colouring of her cheeks at the realisation that what she had taken to be a slight difference of pronunciation was, in fact, a totally different phenomena entirely... but she doesn't own up to that. She nods, thoughtfully, as she continues to work on the stick. And for once, she remains quiet, waiting until she has finished fashioning her own - which does take much longer than Makaotari's effort, of course, but it gives her something to focus on whilst she considers her experiences and how much to share. She is, very far from being any kind of miko, after all. Her knowledge in the area hadn't even come from books, mostly. It had come from the holidays, half-remembered teachings passed down by her parents, and, most especially...

"When I am fighting." She says, slowly. "It feels as though they are with me. The Kami, I mean. Not, all the time. Only when I am - in tune with the moment. It feels as though we are... in conversation. It is difficult to describe. But when I come to places like this, or the summit of great mountains, places where there are... fewer people, I feel - energised. It is like, I am... seen. Acknowledged. And, I can ... feel? Them, too. Acknowledge, them."

She's struggling with her words a lot more than she usually does, trying to describe this phenomena. She turns the inau in her hand around several times, and an apologetic smile tugs at her lips. "It sounds very conceited, doesn't it?" She admits, "I am just some girl who picked up a sword for selfish reasons. It is, prideful, of me to think that I am somehow special to them."

And yet.

Ichika smiles faintly at the mention of fast food. "It is amazing how much of an appetite you can work up, when you are training." She says, "I never would have believed I could eat so much!" Though, that really is a secondary subject of conversation, isn't it?

When Makaotari shares her wisdom, Ichika listens very carefully indeed. There's a faint colouring of her cheeks at the realisation that what she had taken to be a slight difference of pronunciation was, in fact, a totally different phenomena entirely... but she doesn't own up to that. She nods, thoughtfully, as she continues to work on the stick.

for once, she remains quiet, waiting until she has finished fashioning her own - which does take much longer than Makaotari's effort, of course, but it gives her something to focus on whilst she considers her experiences and how much to share. She is, very far from being any kind of miko, after all. Her knowledge in the area hadn't even come from books, mostly. It had come from the holidays, half-remembered teachings passed down by her parents, and, most especially...

"When I am fighting." She says, slowly. "It feels as though they are with me. The Kami, I mean. Not, all the time. Only when I am - in tune with the moment. It feels as though we are... in conversation. It is difficult to describe. But when I come to places like this, or the summit of great mountains, places where there are... fewer people, I feel - energised. It is like, I am... seen. Acknowledged. And, I can ... feel? Them, too. Acknowledge, them."

She's struggling with her words a lot more than she usually does, trying to describe this phenomena. She turns the inau in her hand around several times, and an apologetic smile tugs at her lips. "It sounds very conceited, doesn't it?" She admits, "I am just some girl who picked up a sword for selfish reasons. It is, prideful, of me to think that I am somehow special to them."

And yet.

[HONOKA]
A young, budget-conscious Honoka had long ago decried the idea of paying for putting money in the hands of Western-style fast-food barons. Even when she was able to afford it, the orphan had never truly developed a taste for the preservative-laden, calorie-riddled foodstuffs. ... At least, aside from cake.

The acrobatic fighter makes a point of looking over Ichika's trim form. "I definitely wouldn't imagine you eating so much, that much is true." It's a teasing remark that she punctuates with a complimentary smile. "I'm just thankful that I had the support of the circus' kitchen while I was training. Food -does- make it easier."

Honoka takes note of Ichika's slight embarassment. She doesn't need to admit fault. Belief systems differ from person to person -- and Honoka and Makaotari were simply explaining their own.

"Both the kami and the kamuy work in mysterious ways. And, in your case, it is clear that you *are* in the gods' favor."

There's no need to mince words. Her words are bolstered with conviction as she nods to Ichika. For she knows a few things that Ichika might not about their mutual friend Peng You.

"You are walking along the path that brings honor to the gods. It's natural to feel their guiding influence."

Honoka allows her attention to drift downward to the inau Ichika has crafted -- favoring her with another warm smile. "It's complete?" She turns her question over to Makaotari.

The elder holds her inau up towards Ichika's for comparison. The differences are subtle, but present. But they meet Makaotari's approving smile.

"It is complete," affirms the elder. "Your craftsmanship is very good! You learn quickly."

She draws in her breath. And she reaches over to hand her own inau to Ichika.


"Place these near your hearth. The light of the blaze shows the beauty of your craft to Ape-huchi, kamuy of the hearth. When the time comes to move along, cast the inau into the flame, so that Ape-huchi enjoys its taste and smell as well."

Honoka nods warmly, as Makaotari begins to close her eyes, and lift her face to the skies above.

"These rituals express your appreciation to the kamuy for their support. The modern world may not always stop to--"

Honoka is interrupted, as Makaotari places one hand atop her shoulder. The younger Ainu, glancing back to her elder, swallows her thoughts with an embarassed hue crossing her cheeks, as she adopts a similar stance to Makaotiari, closing her eyes and lifting her face. For Makaotari is listening to the kamuy now -- the singing of birds, the thrum of the wind -- singing out in appreciation.

It can be a wondrous thing -- to hear the soothing song of a peaceful world, free of human interference.

After a good long while... Honoka and Makaotari open their eyes, looking back to Ichika with expectant smiles. Some people meditate. Others... just listen with their hearts.

[ICHIKA]
Ichika laughs softly at the first compliment from Honoka. It's nice of her to say such things. It's ... a little more humbling when she says so clearly what Ichika has trouble believing. The girl's hand raises to run through her messy hair, the perpetually-spiky locks springing back up despite her absent attempt to smooth them back down. "It's, important to try and be humble about these things." Ichika says, quietly. "As you say, it's... the path that I walk, that brings the favour. As more people walk it with me, they will find it as well."

Is that actually true? Difficult to say. Ichika -hadn't- had any particular interest in the Kami when she had first picked up the sword and began this journey. She was strictly rational, a very modern girl in many ways. It was Peng You's influence, more than any other, which had set her on the path she now walked - something that Honoka would probably find quite amusing if she were to articulate it. But, as with all the best Kami, Peng You has left Ichika completely unsure how much was his doing, and how much was her own.

There is a deeper blush when she is complimented for the inau, though. "Ah, thank you. I ... yes, my tutors have always said that." She says, as she takes the old woman's prayer stick. "Thank you." She says again, obviously more than a little startled that she's being given hers as well as her own. But she pays close attention to the guidance offered - and she does as she is told, digging the sticks into the earth by the nearby campfire, as Honoka speaks and then - both Ainu women are drawn into their moment of spiritual reverie. Ichika smiles, considering the way the inau look, set to either side of her makeshift little camp. It's... pleasant. It feels right, somehow.

When the moment passes and they look to her, the girl is again settled down before them, and what little embarrassment there may have been about the compliments has passed - she's smiling, and relaxed. "It's easy to forget, at times, that we are part of the world as well, isn't it?" She says, "Sometimes I think that the way we're encouraged to live tries to distract us from that fact deliberately. But out here, working with your hands, admiring the wood, the water, the wildlife... it's easier to remember. Thank you for joining me. This has been, a very pleasant day."

[HONOKA]
Try and be humble about these things. It's good advice -- for it was pride, not humility, that led to Honoka's face and femur being savaged so many years ago.

A mere eyeblink later, as Ichika all but repeats a familiar mantra back to her, Honoka's radiating a 20-megawatt smile. It's clear that Miss Kasumoto and Miss Kawamoto share much more than the last two syllables of their name, such as their shared interest in cultivating their respective roles as influencers upon a society yearning for true leadership. It's clear Ichika has seized hold of the moment -- her latest Ichikast is racking up numbers that the Twilight Star Circus would have -loved- to reach even during its heyday. It should come as no surprise that Honoka would love to have another brand ambassador for the Ainu way of life on the Internet. Particularly if... certain other ambitions were to come into play.

For now, though... all that can wait. Honoka is happy for Makaotari to be the authority in this exchange, lending an air of credibility to the half-Ainu's shaky knowledge of her own culture.

Besides. The inau lend their own /je ne sais quoi/ to the austere backdrop of Ichika's campsite. It's a welcome improvement.

"It -is- deliberate. If people aren't spending their hard-earned cash on worthless chotchkes, executives might only be able to afford -one- yacht this year."

Honoka shrugs her shoulders, tamping down her critique of the modern way of life. "There was a time in which the Wajin and the Ainu lived in mutual respect of one another, and of Nature -- and I feel that this is the time in which our cultures lived best. A time before technology came along, promising to bring us together in harmony, but only serving to slowly pull us apart."

She bows her head towards Ichika -- as does Makaotari.

"We thank -you- for sharing tea with us, and graciously inviting us into your home away from home."

When the time feels right, Honoka and Makaotari begin to rise. But Honoka stops, reaching into a fold on her sleeve, and withdrawing a small business card.

She holds it out to Ichika, with both hands.
Upon it are inscribed, in Japanese:
- Ainu Revival Academy -

- - Kawamoto Honoka - -

- - - 0154-34-1530 -----

"We'll be in the area a few nights. If you need anything, or just want to talk -- please, don't hesitate."

Honoka smiles, rising to her feet. "After all... we're no longer strangers to one another. There are countless pleasant days ahead of us. Until then... apunno oka yan."

Makaotari is quick to echo the farewell, "Apunno oka yan."

[ICHIKA]
It is rare that Ichika finds so kindred a spirit so quickly! The same frustrations about the modern world, the same admiration for the natural, the same anxieties about the future. Normally, she would be looking for a fight; it wasn't until she had crossed her sword against her friend's styles that she had felt she truly knew them. But in this instance... it would almost feel disrespectful. They've shared so much in quiet conversation and the shared making of inau; seeking the test of battle right now would only cheapen everything that has come before.

Besides. She still has a raft to build, and a journey to the island to make.

So she takes the card, instead. "Thank you." She says, earnestly. "I think... it would be good if we could spar, before I leave Hokkaido. But perhaps not out here." She returns that bright smile with one of her own, "Perhaps it would be best to put on a little show, no? I have no doubt that such a match would teach me a great deal. But it could also be used to show other people the truths we strive for."

The card is spirited away about her person - later, Honoka will receive a text message to make sure that the exchange of contact information is complete. But for now, she is happy to bow low as the pair offer their farewells. "See you later, then." She says, pitching her reply for that yes-we-are-now-friends level, as she collects the cups and surveys the improved camp. Funny how things worked out - she never would have imagined that she would run into Honoka of all people out here, one of the people close to the top of her list of those she wanted to meet... much less that it would prove to be such a pleasant meeting! She'd expected, perhaps, more pushback - maybe even affront, that Ichika would try and barge into a private conversation from several months ago. And yet, everything worked out ... perfectly, for the first time in a very long time.

Sometimes, it really did feel as though the kami had blessed her steps.

[HONOKA]
Honoka smiles warmly as Ichika accepts her card. She does, however, raise her eyebrows in surprise as the swordswoman suggests a spar. "Oh?" It's not an unwelcome surprise, of course; the young prodigy's path seems to have intersected with those of a number of fighting celebrities over the past few months. "Sure, we can set something up. I'd love to see what it's like to fight you!"

It could hurt. Folks who fight the way Ichika does tend to hurt. But Honoka isn't lying when she says she'd be interested in the experience -- to get a better sense for how Ichika acts on the actual battlefield. It was tougher for the psion to get a 'read' on any particular fighter in the chaos of the Rumble.

She bows her head once more, sweeping long, highlighted locks behind her ear as she rises. "We'll work something out, for sure. Until then..."

She steps back, waving her hand with a light grin.

"May the kami continue to light your path."

Close to Sapporo, yet set apart from many of the main tourist destinations, lies a teahouse that had become one of Scarlet Dahlia's favorite locations to meet clients. The criminal mastermind had been... understandably surprised to see the teahouse as the backdrop for a podcast reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Surprised, but not upset.
Suffice to say, it was not mere chance that had brought Honoka and Ichika together.

Log created on 16:23:30 04/19/2024 by Ichika, and last modified on 12:45:22 05/05/2024.