Children's Stories [Day 3, Early Morning, Open]

[Suki]

As always, Suki rose early, accustomed to the schedule of the monastery. But here, in Dark Edge, she didn't have chores to perform. And while she could surely spend much time assisting in building homes, sweeping shrines, and the like, there were other duties for monks to perform.

Today, said duties found her beneath a large tree near the center of town. Nearly a dozen heimin children too young to tend fields gathered around her, sitting, chattering, and pestering one another. Before them, Suki opened one of her scrolls containing stories from the Tao.

Gently shushing the children, waiting until they actually got quiet, Suki began to read:

"There was once a woodcutter, living near a great forest. One day, he decided to go out and chop wood to take to his village market. But when he went to chop the wood, his axe was gone. He looked everywhere he thought he might've put the axe- all through the woodpile, behind his house, even in his house. The more he looked, the angrier he became. He got very tired looking for his precious axe."

"Then," she paused, causing a couple of distracted kids to once again focus, "he saw a boy- his neighbor's son- standing near the woodshed. The woodcutter stared at the boy and thought to himself: What is that boy doing hanging around my woodshed? He's just walking back and forth. He has his hands behind his back," she mimed the stance of the neighbor boy. "He has a guilty look on his face. He must've stolen my axe! I can't prove it, but its got to be him! But what am I going to do about it? The woodcutter thought about this, getting angrier and more tired. He went to bed and he could not sleep- he just lay awake and thought about punishing the boy."

"The next morning, the tired woodcutter got out of bed. He started walking to his neighbor's house to tell the boy's father what he had done. As he was walking past another of his wood piles, he tripped over something. What do you think it was?"

"His axe!" several of the children cried out.

Suki nodded. "It was his axe. "Right," he remembered, "that's where I left it when I was cutting wood the other day."

"Just then, the woodcutter saw the neighbor's son walking around again. He looked the boy over, from his the top of his head, to the tips of his toes. Then he looked the boy right in the eye. "How strange," he thought to himself, "today he looks completely innocent."

Suki paused for a few seconds, allowing time for the story to sink in. "Now," she began, "why do you think the boy looked different at the end of the story?" Several of the children began replying, talking over one another. Suki smiled softly, going about restoring order, replying to each response in time.

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa had gotten up early to get washed and groomed by Sanmi. After a bit of breakfast to get herself going, she made her way outside for some fresh air. She was feeling a lot better today, the illness of the night and day before gone. Thus, she smiled as she listened to the noises of the bustle of peasants out for their morning errands and work.

After walking for a little while she came into hearing a story halfway through. She nodded to Sanmi, who guided her toward the tree. Misa made no move to interrupt the woman that was speaking, nor the children that responded, but it could be seen that she was smiling as she listened, even giving a little giggle into her hand at some of the greater enthusiasm. She didn't want to interrupt, after all.

[Suki]

Though they noticed the arrival of a samurai, children were given greater leeway in not immediately falling into bows and whatnot. So, while some looked toward the Tonbo, others continued to listen intently to the story, and the preceding lecture.

When she finished going over the tale, she called a few of the kids closer. There, she began showing them a few of the kanji, starting to build the blocks that would lead to these heimin children being able to read.

"Sama?" she offered after a few lessons, looking to the Dragonfly samurai-ko. "Would you care to join us and impart some of your wisdom on these young ones?"

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa gave a curious tilt of her head before nodding with a smile. Sanmi guided her to the tree and to sit.

"I would be honored to minna, though from the sounds of things you are going over writing, something I fear I couldn't help much with." She didn't sound regretful at that, more a bit cheeky as she gave a warm grin.

[Suki]

"Of course, sama. This one was referring to any insights you may wish to offer on the earlier lesson. Or other bits of wisdom you'd wish to impart upon these young souls." Several of the children murmured excitedly. Without a monk present to ask such questions, the opportunity to learn much of anything from a samurai was rare... and best avoided.

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa giggled into her hand silently, nodding. "I could perhaps do so, of course." She closed her eyes turning to listen over the children.

"The answer to the earlier story is something I can speak on because of how I was born. I cannot see, so if I were the woodcutter, I would not have seen the boy. I therefor could not have thought him guilty just from that. Our senses tell us of the world, but we tell ourselves what it actually is we see, hear, feel. The morale of the sister's story from the Tao is to never judge before you know the truth. It is by seeking the truth and only the truth that we can approach enlightenment."

She'd spoken in a gentle tone, smiling from start to end.

[Suki]

"Well said, Tonbo-sama," Suki replied. She gestured to the children who in turn started offering thank yous and clapping. The monk nodded in approval. With this, the children were getting to live a version of the parable themselves. While there was no missing axe or innocent boy, several of the children had surely been concerned by the approach of a samurai. While they may not fully understand the parallel at their age, Suki was glad to see them moving past their preconceived notions.

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa flushed gently at the applause, giving a slight seated bow. She turned a bit toward Suki. "As for other wisdom... I can think of something more for you. I will give you... and them... the wisdom of my name, so that you may know me better. I am Tonbo Misa, advisor to the Tonbo daimyo and student of the Mirumoto. Would I have yours as well? And by that, I mean you children as well."

[Suki]

The children excitedly called out their names, talking over one another, repeating themselves, hoping to be heard. The corner of Suki's mouth curled into a half-smile.

"This one is Suki," she introduced herself, "nun of the Order of Benten at Mamoru Kyotei Toshi. A pleasure to meet you, Tonbo-sama," she bowed respectfully, perhaps a bit lower than normal, hoping the servant would convey her showing of respect.

[Tonbo Misa]

The young girl said nothing to her mistress, but Misa smiled brightly all the same. "And you as well Suki-sensei. Still, I didn't come to interrupt lessons. Is there anything else I can do to help? Mmm, perhaps more questions from the students?"

[Suki]

The children look to one another, curious but apprehensive. Suki, smiling, gestures for them to start talking. Which, once again, gets many of them chattering at once.

"What's it like being a Dragonfly?"

"Are you a shugenja?"

"You mean a Dragon."

"No...a Dragon... Fly. They're a minor clan.

"They're Dragon now. Right?"


Suki raises a hand to silence the children. While they would be allowed a certain amount of leeway as kids, their line of questioning was treading onto a complicated, potentially touchy subject.

"Tonbo-sama may not answer all your questions," Suki began, "with you having so many. But lets slow down and give her a chance to speak. Remember, you must be more respectful of samurai."

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa giggled at the onslaught of questions, smiling brightly. After Suki quieted the children, Misa gave her a small seated bow before looking back at the kids.

"Junko is right, the Tonbo are Dragon now, but yes, we used to be the Dragonfly. Being a member of a minor clan meant being close to most of your family because it's small, without many samurai or heimin. No, I'm not a shugenja, I'm trained as a bushi by the Mirumoto, though I work as an advisor to my cousin."

[Suki]

The children listened intently, nodding as they absorbed the attention of the Tonbo. While the Unicorn treated their lower classes well, this was still a treat... especially given Misa was a member of the mysterious Dragon Clan.

"My brother says that Dragon monks can breathe fire and walk on water and fly and punch ghosts," one of the little boys offered, coming close to asking a question.

"Your brother says Unicorn horses can talk," another child replied causing some of the kids to laugh and some to agree with one side or the other.

[Tonbo Misa]

"I'm the wrong sort of Dragon to ask about that I fear." She grinned. "Though, I have heard an ise zumi say his tattoos were magical connections to the heavens through the first Togashi. I bet they can do all sorts of things!"

[Suki]

"See!"

Several of the children chatter among themselves about what Misa's statement means, coming to various conclusions about magical flying monks.