we with the trees [OPEN]

[allsongs]

Date & Time: Tuesday, Wednesday, all during the day
Location: The ruined gardens
Characters: Simmaeri, you
Summary: We're having us an old-school Disney princess moment up in here
Warnings: moderate levels of me-Jane-you-Tarzan are to be expected; homegirl's still learning



The city's dingiest tones became much more pronounced the day Simmaeri found that unkempt house of green. It had been such a long time since she'd wandered through the stuff — grass, even — that its finding was all the more absorbing. It had to have been only a matter of time, she was sure...but she came across it so suddenly, without even seeking it out. A pleasant surprise.

The stresses and cares the voices on the network had were not shared by her; there was still too much to learn before the truth of her purpose in Exsilium would be found. Welcome to Exsilium; there is much to discuss. She still remembered those first words upon arrival. Only a matter of time. Until then, it was her and the abandoned flora, sadly lacking in the birdsong she knew from lands far away. Her voice filled the void, lifting over the silent leaves of twisted, snarled trees, singing out the words of foreign places. She sat, half-shaded from the roaming sun, and sang.

The melodies were gentle and warm, full of affection for the little, green world. Farmers' evening chants, festival hymns for the turning of seasons...there were countless songs to suit her mood. Soon, though, she found herself toying and calling out Edelweiss, the little lullaby Rosalyn had sung to her over the computer. She had quickly sketched the song to heart and found herself hungry to try it, and so it went, over and over, playing with the pitch of her voice — at times the tone of a youth, and others the quiver of a worldly woman. It was her pleasure to do so, and her gift. The song pleased her well.

Once more.

Comments

[blondejokes]

"Hi." So far, so good. She was still wary of others here, unsure of who she could trust and who was a threat. She bends over, hand on her hip, still smiling.

"How are you today?" Making small talk wasn't difficult for her, and here - when she wasn't responding to posts - it was easier to make small talk before opening up to others about her status as a newcomer here.

[allsongs]

Are you. Day. There were gaps in the question still unfilled, but Simmaeri could string it all together. It wasn't so much a matter of the nature of language as it was the nature of humans; though it was a different realm of a vastly different make, she found the people therein to be not unlike those she'd encountered and known for centuries. Kindness was not an isolated thing, even in isolated places like Exsilium.

She bowed her head in a nod. "Good," she said. Good is good. "Yes. You are?"

[blondejokes]

"I'm Yamanaka Ino." Communication was cut and dry with Ino. That, and though she was good at reading people, thoughts were another thing. So, of course, she took that question the way she would normally: asking for somebody's name.

[allsongs]

"Yamanaka Ino."

The name was spoken with great care — Simmaeri was mindful to match the pace and inflection as it was given, for who knew what a single lengthening of a sound could do to change the meaning of a name in this world? It had a familiar speed, she thought, with the Takegami Teijirou she had acquaintance with, but not of others. One more question to add to her already mountainous pile, much to her delight, rather than dismay.

She gave the girl a nod of understanding, smiling warmly. Her hand stretched away from her lap, an open-palm gesture of offering to the open space beside her. Will you sit? Will you stay?

[blondejokes]

The woman reminded Ino of Hinata; incredibly shy, beautiful, and friendly. She grinned and sat next to her, crossing her legs with her arms behind her as she leaned back. It was nice to relax.

"What's your name?" She had waited a few moments after introducing herself for the woman to respond with her own name, and decided to ask herself.

[allsongs]

Simmaeri had not lost any love of youth over the centuries. Rather, she found it more and more charming and valuable. It was so fleeting; she was lucky, sharing some of that precious time with people of small years. It was no idle saying that the young often had great insights the old overlooked; she, herself, had found herself lost to certain things before a fresher perspective drew her back to sense.

It was very comfortable, having such a relaxed, friendly, seemingly carefree person next to her. One with no fear of talking to strangers, which was best of all. Any chance to learn was one she wanted to take.

"Simmaeri," she replied, bowing her head as she placed a hand on her chest. "Hello."

[blondejokes]

"Simmaeri," Ino repeated, a soft smile on her face. "That's a beautiful name."

Ino could see it as a name for a flower, possibly a white one with blue accents.

[allsongs]

She gave a small, humming sound of approval at the sound of her own name. And name; the conversation more or less solidified that word for her. Good.

"You speak?" she offered, tilting her head a little. "I learn. Learn much. Still much."

[blondejokes]

Ino's eyes widened. She looked old enough to have gotten through some schooling but ... if worlds were different in scenery and weaponry, education must have been different as well for some, right? Ino nodded and sat up straighter, intrigued.

"You still have much to learn?" Ino offered, smiling. "I'll help you."

Lessons in communication was something Ino could do with no problem. Maybe, if she could find some flowers, once Simmaeri had graduated from normal language could go onto the language of flowers. She was getting excited at the thought already. It'd be a nice reminder of home.

[allsongs]

More blessings from the youth. The eagerness Simmaeri detected was more than welcome, and she exchanged the smile given with more warmth. She turned herself where she sat, better to see her young teacher and give her full attention over. She was as good a student as any could be; her love of language made less a chore and more a delight. When prompted, she would repeat. When explanations drew too far away from what she could understand, she would interject to slow things down. Hums of consideration and narrowed eyes in concentration...she had been through this before.

[blondejokes]

"So... what do you already know?" That was a good place to start, wasn't it? She had only minimal experience with children outside of the Academy, and they were already adequately proficient in speaking (social cues, on the other hand, were a serious problem). But it'd be good training for when Asuma's child would need to be taught how to speak.

[allsongs]

The question took a moment to consider and a little more to answer. With the limited vocabulary at-hand, Simmaeri had often found need to resort to other ways to convey what she wanted.

She answered, speaking a language she already knew well. The words were mostly short, single-syllable sorts, with a few prolonged notes for differentiation and emphasis. Within, she weaved her intentions, subtle magics to make them known to untrained ears.

The more I hear is the more I know. Tell me more.

Who are you?

[blondejokes]

"Who am I?" That was a ... new way of communicating. She paused, considering. Her life story was out f the question, as was her occupation as a Shinobi during an on-going war. Even if it was against the undead.

"I'm just a girl from Konoha. It's a village in the Fire Country, and it's beautiful. I work at my dad's flower shop. The flowers around the village are beyond description when the sun goes down." She grinned at the memory.

[allsongs]

Silent, Simmaeri's expression softened as she listened, watching the words almost as much as she heard. Kind and young, a pleasant sound from a pleasant countenance. Her smile tugged in response to the grin.

"Flowers," she repeated, that word above all bubbling up from the rest. "Flowers is?"

[blondejokes]

Ino didn't hide the gasp that escaped from her lips. She didn't know what flowers were? Even complete idiots in the village at least had some understanding of flowers from their kunoichi counterparts or from their parents or girlfriends or-- Ino calmed her mind down. Everyone was from different worlds, right? Maybe ... maybe some world had been deprived of flowers by a harsh and uncaring ruler.

"Flowers are beautiful plants," she replied. "They have petals and burst with colors. They were in this place before ... whatever happened to it." She motioned to the garden they were in.

[allsongs]

More than anything, the gesture toward the plants in question where was put the puzzle piece in place. Simmaeri gave the green a lingering, considering stare, interrupted by flickering glances back at Ino. She couldn't be sure, but she could test it.

She looked about her immediate surroundings, gently pinching a long-leafed plant and lifting it up in a very indicative way, giving Ino an inquiring quirk of her eyebrow.

"Flowers, yes?"

[blondejokes]

Ino shook her head. "No. It's-- hmm..."

Ah- lightbulb! Ino let out a small shout of glee and reached into a pocket on her vest, pulling out a kunai and quickly tracing a quick outline of a cosmo, her favorite flower and also one of the easiest to draw in the dirt with a knife. It wasn't perfect but she gestured to it anyway, grinning.

"This is a flower. See how it has petals?" She pointed them out to her to help her understand.

[allsongs]

Ah.

It clicked very quickly, seeing the image take form. Simmaeri gave a sound of recognition, understanding, nodding slow.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I understand flowers." Different from the simple leaves or green – blossoms. She understood.

[blondejokes]

"Good!" Maybe one day, if Ino could get a small garden to bloom, she could also teach her the language of flowers. She giggled and put the kunai back in its pouch.

"You're a quick learner."

[allsongs]

"Thank you," Simmaeri replied, mild but pleased. It seemed she had a much more patient and outgoing teacher in this Ino child...good. It made learning more pleasant.

The kunai had already disappeared, but it was an item of interest to Simmaeri, so she leaned forward, pointing to the direction it had last been. "This is–?" she asked, glancing up at Ino.