Casting Stones & Bones

[Willoria]

A new home, a new life, everything was new and uncomfortable. She had a small home of her own of course, but a day like today when the sun was about and smiling down on her she much preferred to be out in it. She sat under a tree with her legs crossed under her. A handmade tray was in front of her on the grass, her fingers running over the smooth surface she had made with her own two hands not so long ago. She had to make sure the surface was flat enough for her purposes before using it. A little leather pouch she pulled from her clothes and reached a hand within, a few whispered words and she scattered stones from her hands, tilting her head as she looked at the symbols revealed on the stones.

She reached up a hand and pulled back her hood, revealing the layered colors of her hair. The sun showed off the shades of strawberry blondes and red as she looked at the stones again. "Interesting days ahead..." she muttered to herself.

[Kabu]

A couple months had passed since she had been rescued from the facility and Yuu was still getting used to living a normal life, not having the same routine day in and day out. Today in particular she would have been lying about at home but Nozomi had told her to go out and socialize, possibly make some friends, but otherwise she was free to do as she wanted so long as she didn't get into trouble. It was strange having the freedom to do as she pleased, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. In a way she missed the structure but Nozomi had told her she would get used to it in time and she hadn't lied yet.

She found herself wandering the streets, taking in the various sights and sounds of this small Tea Country village as she munched on a bag of cookies. Nozomi had given her a small allowance to do as she wanted with so she had simply followed her nose to the nearest bakery. It was from there that she wandered off the beaten path and into a side pathway lined with trees. With the sun shining down on it it really was quite a pretty sight, even she could tell that much.

She stopped walking, head tilting to the side as she spotted a woman not far off. Now, most people would have considered their options before approaching but Yuu in all her naivety wasn't one to ignore her curiosity and so she approached.

"What are you doing?"

[Willoria]

Cho looked up at the sound of a voice and saw a young woman with purple hair looking at her. She hadn't heard her approach but naturally assumed the sound of the stones rolling on the wooden tray had covered the sounds of footsteps all too easily. Her staff was on the ground beside her, along with her medkit, both being items she never left home without even if she was just wandering about the little village. It took her a moment to register the simple question she was asked and she smiled sweetly up at Yuu. "Rune casting." she answered simply before turning her green eyes back down to the stones before her and gathering them back up and putting them back in her pouch.

She motioned with a hand to the board before taking her pouch and carefully dumping its full contents onto the board. All twenty-five black obsidian stones tumbled out of the bag and she spread them out and turned them to show off all the symbols, including the one that would be blank. "Every symbol has a meaning." she explained to the girl before looking up at her again. "I use them to ask and answer questions, to look ahead, to look behind... just one method of seeing what others cannot."

[Kabu]

Yuu listened intently as Cho spoke, occasionally nodding along as she continued to carefully and quietly eat her cookies. She was admittedly a little bit puzzled but she would wait for the woman to finish speaking first before asking more questions. Nozomi had told her it was rude to interrupt, especially if they were answering a question. Instead her gaze dropped down to the stones down on the wooden table. She had never seen anything quite like them before but she could tell they were precious. She couldn't help but wonder why one was blank though. What kind of meaning could that possibly have?

"What do you mean? I don't really understand." she asked, her red eyes drifting back up to Cho as the woman finished speaking. Honestly as puzzled as she was she was intrigued by this strange new thing. She wanted to learn as much about the outside world as she could and this was a very interesting place to start. "Nozomi told me there are lots of things that can't be seen. I didn't understand what she meant though." she added, remembering a conversation she had not long ago had with her adopted mother about her future.

All the while she couldn't help but think there was something she had to do now that she had met this woman. She couldn't quite remember what it was though but she had a feeling it was important. It was something Nozomi had taught her about social etiquette. Oh well, she would remember in time.

[Willoria]

Cho smiled kindly at Yuu's confusion. "What's your name, dear?" she asked, motioning for the woman to sit across from her. "I'm Cho... why don't you sit across from me and I'll show you. It's easier than trying to explain honestly." she added. She'd wait until Yuu sat down before extending a hand. "Grasp my forearm, I'll grasp yours, and ask me a question. It can be something about your past, your present, your future, anything... we'll see what the stones can reveal, hm?"

She didn't want the girl to feel too uncomfortable though and wouldn't push things. She'd wait patiently for Yuu to settle in and see how she'd react to what she'd said so far. Too much pressure never worked with these sorts of things, but the girl seemed naturally curious about everything Cho had laid out before her so far.

Jutsu UsedShow

Secrets of the Witch • Minor Divination
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
The user has studied the concept of micro expressions, and trained themselves to recognize and understand the meaning behind such momentary slips of emotion in their targets. This allows them to better understand what their target truly feels or thinks, despite what they might say or do, provided their opponent does not have a jutsu designed to hide such things from others.

Secrets of the Witch • Casting Bones
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
The user has studied the concept of body language, and trained themselves to recognize and understand the meaning behind major shifts in the body and motions. This allows them to better understand what their target truly feels or thinks, despite what they might say or do, provided their opponent does not have a jutsu designed to hide such things from others.

[Kabu]

Oh right, introductions... That was what she had been forgetting. She was sure to get another lecture about forgetting basic manners again. She hated Nozomi's lectures, the woman had a tendency to drone on and on. She realized it was for her own good and that she sometimes needed it but still that didn't mean she had to like it.

Yuu snapped back to reality and took a seat on the grass across from Cho, setting her cookies off to the side. She wasn't sure where this was going but she was very interested. "Yuu." she introduced herself simply, an attempted smile on her face. She knew there was more that went into introductions but now really didn't seem like the time. Anyways.. she grasped the woman's forearm as instructed, head tilted as she thought of what to ask. For once she found herself at a loss for what kind of question to ask. Not knowing what to say was a very strange and new thing for her. There were so very many things, so many questions she had, about herself and the world and the people around her.

After a brief moment, one thought bubbled to the surface. Would she ever truly recover from her time in the facility? Would she ever truly be normal? "Will I ever be able to live a normal life?" she asked, the uncertainty towards her future evident in her normally flat, even tone.

[Willoria]

The way she was holding the other woman's forearm she could feel her heartbeat under her fingertips. She could see the woman's curiosity from the tilt of her head, her concerns in the way her eyes crinkled in the corners. Cho gave Yuu a comforting smile before reaching into the bag with her free hand and gently tossing a few stones onto the board. Her eyes darted between the runes that had revealed themselves and her smile grew. "Child... you already do." she said quietly. She pointed to one stone and touched it gingerly, pulling it aside with one finger. "Othala... you have your home...." she whispered.

Smiling she pulled two more stones with two more fingers, the blank stone and another rune. "Perthro... endless chances... your future is so open, so endless even the stones have no answer." she looked at Yuu for a moment. "That's exactly what normal is, child. You are a blank slate now, so many chances lay before you, you are a master of your own fate now, are you not?"

She hummed to herself and pulled the final two stones closer to her. "Uruz and Thursiaz... you have a strength of the gods..." She lifted her eyes to Yuu again, looking at her face a moment and assessing the woman herself, feeling the way her heart rate reacted to the words she spoke before she continued. "Its your choice how to use it now."

She finally released the woman's arm and gathered the stones back into the pouch and slipped it away into her clothes, setting the tray aside. She looked at the cookies the girl had and back to Yuu. "Some need time to process after hearing about the things I see... why don't we go get some tea, hm? My treat?" she offered.

Jutsu UsedShow

Secrets of the Witch • Minor Divination
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
The user has studied the concept of micro expressions, and trained themselves to recognize and understand the meaning behind such momentary slips of emotion in their targets. This allows them to better understand what their target truly feels or thinks, despite what they might say or do, provided their opponent does not have a jutsu designed to hide such things from others.

Secrets of the Witch • Casting Bones
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
The user has studied the concept of body language, and trained themselves to recognize and understand the meaning behind major shifts in the body and motions. This allows them to better understand what their target truly feels or thinks, despite what they might say or do, provided their opponent does not have a jutsu designed to hide such things from others.

[Kabu]

Yuu listened intently as Cho gave her reading, head tilted as she tried to digest the things she was being told. A blank slate? The master of her own fate? Nozomi had said something similar at one point, that it was up to her how she lived her life and developed as a person. While she still had some degree of uncertainty, it was reassuring to have it reaffirmed that maybe, just maybe things were really going to be okay. It all brought a strange feeling to her chest as her lips turned up into a very small, albeit genuine smile. Was this what they called happiness?

She couldn't help but blink at the offer of tea as the session came to an end. Cho wanted to buy her tea? Did this mean they were friends now? Was making friends really that easy? "Okay." she responded simply, gathering up her cookies and standing up. "Does going out for tea mean we're friends now?" she innocently asked, all the while carefully watching the woman's face for a reaction.

[Willoria]

Cho stood up and dusted herself off, sighing as she thought about the nearby teahouse. It was quickly becoming a favorite place to go for a quiet moment, but Cho hadn't really gone with anyone yet. She hadn't made many friends as of yet, her mind was so focused on her work and on the task she knew was still ahead of her. She heard Yuu's question and paused in her own thoughts, looking at the young woman for a moment before smiling. "It can mean that if you want it to." she replied, motioning for the girl to follow her before leading the way down a path towards the teahouse.

"Honestly, most people think I'm strange... if not for my readings than for... other things. There are very few people willing to spend much time around me." she admitted. She hadn't spoken much about her experiences with a man she still believed to be a Yokai with a direct connection with a god of creation. The only times she had, she had been treated so strangely after she quickly learned to silence herself about the issue. Still, just thinking about it reminded the girl that she had more work to do still towards a promise she had made to him.

[Kabu]

"I'm the same way. Nozomi says I need to make friends but I don't really know how. I always get strange looks and the silent treatment when I try to talk to people." Yuu replied as she followed behind Cho, her thoughts wandering to all that had happened since Nozomi had rescued her. She had been trying her hardest but so far it hadn't really been working, if anything she was an outcast. Now though it seemed as if maybe she was in the process of actually making her very first friend. Sure she had formed bonds with the other kids in the facility but this seemed different somehow, more natural. She couldn't really explain how it felt different though.

"Cho, why do people think you're strange? I like your readings. I wish I could do something like that." she suddenly asked as they walked on, head slightly tilted to the side. She wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ask but she was really curious. Cho had seemed nice enough so far and she really did find it fascinating how someone could see into the foggy unknown.

[Willoria]

Cho paused in her steps for a moment, waiting for Yuu to catch up with her. "Go ahead and walk beside me, Yuu. You don't have to stay behind me." she said simply before continuing. She walked along, making sure to keep Yuu beside her as they continued. "People are always searching for what is normal, forgetting that term is all relative to them. There's no such thing as truly normal, we're all different." It wasn't long before they found the small tea shop, and Cho smiled as she led the way inside. It was well lit and fairly spacious. Being so new it smelled like fragrant tea and fresh wood, and Cho happily found them a low table with cushions for seats. She motioned Yuu to a seat before taking one herself and settling in.

Yuu asked her question and Cho sighed, shrugging a bit. "What I do is considered witchcraft, to many that's a bad thing. Evil even. Though I do it to help people find their path, or to find their truth." she tried to explain, looking down at her hands and the tattoos that covered the back of them. A small smile came to her lips as she remembered the reason behind them. "I also tend to scare people when I speak of the Yokai I met... my encounter with the power of a god during the war... if people don't think I'm crazy, they think I'm a liar." She sighed and shook her head.

[Kabu]

"Oh, okay." Yuu sped up her pace to walk by Cho's side, silently listening to her speak. She had no idea of what normal really was but she was slowly beginning to realize it seemed to mean different things to different people. Everyone she had known in the facility had all seemed to think and act very similarly so it seemed strange to her that people could all be so very different and have such different views. Perhaps that was just what it meant to be an individual.

She showed one of her very rare smiles as they walked into the coziest little teahouse she had ever seen, not that she had really seen that many. Somehow it brought a sense of peace that she had never really felt before. "This place is really cozy. I've never seen any place like it." she said, letting her thoughts known to the woman that had brought her here.

She took a seat, tilting her head as Cho answered her question. Witchcraft? That didn't really seem like such a bad thing. Nozomi had read stories to her and it actually seemed like a very good thing. And the way Cho used it was to help people so surely it couldn't be bad or evil. As the woman continued on however... "Cho, what's a Yokai? Why would people think you're crazy or a liar?" she asked, the naive girl's expression showing she was clearly puzzled. She also didn't know anything about the war but she chose not to mention it, choosing instead to focus on what she felt was the more important matter at hand.

[Willoria]

Cho got comfortable on the cushion that served as her seat at the table and removed her cloak, setting it aside and revealing the long-sleeved shirt she wore underneath. Out of habit she rolled her sleeves up slightly, revealing her forearms and more of the tattoos on her hands as she glanced over the selection of teas and treats the shop offered. Yuu's questions made her smile. She liked the girl's curiosity honestly, she seemed naive in a way that made her not fear the answers, if anything she seemed genuinely interested. Cho couldn't help her excitement, the answers were the same stories and legends she used to tell her niece and nephew before the war. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she looked at Yuu and her green eyes sparkled for a moment. "The Yokai are legends my mother used to tell me about." she began.

"The Yokai are spirits in our world. Made by the gods, they can be good, they can be evil, but they're everywhere. You never know when or where you might see one." Cho shook her head almost excitedly, her smile turning to a grin as she remembered the moment she had met Shinjiro. "I met one in the war... he was a shapeshifter. He had wings like a bat or a dragon, hands like snakes... he found the Shinobi from the Mist killing my family. The young ones..." her smile faded as she remembered her niece and nephew, shaking her head again as she sighed quietly. "He wore their mark, they knelt before him but he attacked them still, for killing innocents. In that moment the Yokai gave my family vengeance, there were no sides. There was no war."

She sighed again and looked at Yuu. "That's why people think I'm crazy, they say I couldn't have seen what I saw, that he had to be a shinobi... but he told me who he was, he gave me his name and even told me the name of the god that made him as he was. He gave me a mission in life that I must follow in return for what he gave me. He took vengeance for my family and in return I have a task now for his god." She shrugged awkwardly and blushed, looking down suddenly. "But to most people that's crazy, who meets a literal god in the middle of a war and survives? They tell me it was a hallucination."

[Kabu]

Yuu squirmed on her cushion to get comfortable, quietly and carefully eating from the bag of cookies on her lap as Cho told her story, listening intently to every word. She really was quite interested, and found herself fascinated by how such a thing could even really be possible while wondering if she would ever be able to meet one of these Yokai. However she couldn't help but frown at the mention of Cho's family having died, the girl briefly feeling like a pit had formed in her stomach. It was another strange feeling, a painful one that she didn't like nearly as much as the others.

All the same however, it was accompanied by another much brighter feeling at the mention of Cho's savior having then avenged her family. Whether said savior really was a spirit or not she couldn't be sure, but she was certain that Cho felt very grateful, just as she felt grateful to Nozomi for rescuing her from the facility. They both had someone they owed their lives to and that was a feeling that would never go away even should those debts be repaid.

"Well, I believe you. I think it's amazing that you got to see something like that even in that kind of place." she spoke up once Cho had finished her story. She didn't understand quite what her new friend was talking about regarding a war, hell she didn't even know anything about shinobi, but... "I also have someone I owe my life to. Nozomi rescued me from near death and took me into her home." she added simply, very briefly raising her shirt just enough to show a glimpse of the scar across her abdomen, seemingly oblivious to any stares she may get. Nozomi had already told her not to go showing off her goods in public, though she hadn't quite understood what the woman had meant at the time, but surely just this much would be okay.

[Willoria]

Cho smiled as Yuu told her she believed her. She found herself suddenly having to stifle an excitement building within her at the idea that someone actually believed her, that she had witnessed the might of a Yokai, of the one who had called himself Karagata Shinjiro. The other young woman had gone on to tell her about her own experience in a simple sentence and Cho stifled her own excitement to keep from being rude. "Would you tell me about Nozomi? About what happened to you?" she asked gently. "Only if you're comfortable with it of course..." Her eyes dropped to the menu again, and lingered over to the cookies that Yuu had been munching on as she realized the other woman hadn't even glanced at the menu.

She passed the menu over and motioned to a section of it. "I think you might like any of these... they're all sweet and styled after different desserts." she explained before motioning to another. "Or if you might like something new, these are naturally bitter but they use fruit to make them taste a bit sweeter... or have a sweet taste on the back end. It's a good way to get used to a naturally flavored tea."

[Kabu]

Yuu tilted her head as she placed her cookies down on her lap and looked over the menu. Various teas and treats dotted its surface and she really had no idea what to pick, it all looked good. "There's so much to choose from... I don't know what to pick." she spoke, some part of her actually feeling a bit awed by the selection at hand. It didn't help that she was generally unaccustomed to sweets and such given a lack of exposure to them. It really made her wonder just how much she had missed out on during her time in the facility...

She looked up from the menu and over towards Cho as the woman asked her about Nozomi and the incident. For just a moment she hesitated, wondering if sharing that kind of information would really be a good idea. She could talk about Nozomi all day but the rest... "I..." she took a deep breath, followed by a quiet sigh. No, Cho had shared something deeply personal with her so it was only right that she do the same, at least that's what she felt. She couldn't be sure if it was really the right answer but maybe it would be okay to just share a bit. She only hoped it wouldn't be received too poorly...

"I can't tell you everything, not right now, but i was apparently kidnapped at a young age. Around three I think? I don't remember anything from before that. I was their prisoner until just a few months ago. They were getting ready to kill me, something about being a failure, when Nozomi barged in and rescued me." she spoke, frowning until the mention of Nozomi at which point her expression brightened up considerably. She owed the woman a lot as her savior but she also truly did look up to her. "Nozomi is... a very precious person to me. She has a temper but she's doing her best to take care of me and help me to live a normal life. she continued, head tilted to the side as a curious thought came to mind. "She even calls herself my mom but I don't know about that. I don't even really know what a mom even is."

[Willoria]

Cho looked at Yuu for a few moments as the young woman recounted what happened to her. Some part of her felt like she should probably feel some level of guilt for pushing her to tell her about her past, but some part of her also felt like just maybe the girl needed to tell someone who wouldn't judge, someone who was safe. Cho shifted and moved to a cushion closer to Yuu, so that she was sitting beside her rather than across the table from her. Reaching over she put one of her hands over Yuu's and grasped it lightly. "A mother, a mom, is someone who protects her child at all costs to herself. They live a life of sacrifice. They teach their child the ways of the world, they show them how to survive, how to live, they teach them the rules of morality and sometimes the rules of polite company. And when they feel they're ready, they let their children into the world alone to experience it all for themselves, knowing their child will take their instruction to heart. Their sincerest hope is that they'll always be there to help their child when they need them most, even if the child has moved away. After all, we can always go back to our mothers when we need them."

Cho looked at Yuu for a moment and gave her hand a light squeeze. "Sounds like this Nozomi is exactly what a mother should be, for you." she said quietly before turning her eyes down at the menu just as a server came over. "And since you're having trouble, as your friend, I think I'm going to order for you." she added with a light chuckle before speaking to the server. She'd order two hot teas with names she'd never remember, but both were named for some sweet desserts that were sure to be enjoyed by both girls, as well as a sampler platter of desserts so that Yuu would get a chance to sample several items that the tea house served.

Once the order was given Cho gave Yuu another smile.

[Kabu]

"Hmm... if you explain it that way Nozomi does seem like a mom. She's been helping me to learn a lot of things and even scolds me when I do something wrong. Her lectures are always so long." Yuu replied, squeezing Cho's hand in return as she spoke. It really did feel good being able to tell someone about her past, someone who listened and seemed to understand her. In a way, she felt like maybe if she would one day be able to tell the full story to anyone, it would be Cho. She had honestly started out the day feeling a bit tense and uncertain but she could feel herself slowly growing more comfortable. Maybe this really was what it was like to have a friend.

She couldn't help but blink, tilting her head as Cho ordered for the both of them... ordering what seemed to be a sizeable portion of the menu. Would they really be able to eat all that? Well, Nozomi had said something at one time about girls and sweets... something about a second stomach. Her concerns and confusion didn't last long however as her expression soon made way for a small smile and she giggled, feeling somehow amused by the thought. It was yet another strange but not at all unwelcome feeling, even bewildered as she was at the sounds she had just made.

For a moment they sat in silence but Yuu had never liked these silent moments... Quiet in the facility hadn't been a good thing in the least. Luckily she had plenty of things to say, questions to ask. "Hey Cho, why did you start doing readings?" she suddenly asked, looking over at the woman sitting next to her. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to." she was feeling curious about the matter but she couldn't forget about the momentary sadness Cho had shown as she had talked about her past earlier. She couldn't help but wonder what other kinds of things lay in her friend's past, though she also didn't want to make her sad again.

[Willoria]

"Hm?" Cho looked at Yuu a moment as she asked her about the readings and for a moment Cho only shrugged. She wasn't sure about answering at first, but then realized that it was hardly fair of her to ask a personal question and then not answer one when asked in return. She reached into a pouch she had her cards in and withdrew them. Instead of setting them out like she normally would, she flipped them over and spread some of them out to show off the artwork and designs on them. "You see these?" she asked Yuu quietly. "My mother designed them for me when I was young... she painted each of them by hand for me..."

Cho sighed quietly as she thought about her mother, picking up a card at random and looking at it for a moment. "It's tradition in my family, doing these readings. Tarot Cards and runes are just the two things I know how to do but... we all had our own ways of communicating with higher powers, of getting their messages and helping others find their path..." Cho ran her fingers across the cards. "Well. I'm the only one left now, so I guess I started doing it as part of the tradition, what was expected of me, but now... its because it keeps me close to them."

[Kabu]

Yuu tilted her head, listening intently to Cho's words even as she looked over the cards laid out before her, taking careful note of the artwork and designs. "They're very pretty. I think it's great that you have something to remember your family by." she said once given a chance to speak. She couldn't quite understand their purpose but she could tell their creator had put a lot of care into them. It was also clear that Cho treasured them, holding them very close to her heart. It honestly made her a little bit envious that Cho had something to do with her life, something that helped her to remember her family and keep them close. Meanwhile for Yuu herself... right now it really took all she had to keep up in school and learn how to live a normal life.

She couldn't help a quiet sigh, shaking her head and patting her cheeks to clear out the bad thoughts. While she had been largely left to her own devices when it came to figuring out her emotions, Nozomi had made it a point to teach her that jealousy and envy were bad, ugly feelings. Something about it being very important to learn if she really wanted to be able to empathize with others.

"Living a normal life is harder than I thought. There's just so much I don't understand." she suddenly spoke, though really it was more that she was thinking out loud, after a moment of silence, letting out another sigh as she looked down at her lap.

"I don't think I even really know myself all that well."

[Willoria]

"You'll get there, some people take years to figure themselves out and find themselves, even when they've always had a normal life." Cho replied, putting the cards away as the waitress came by to drop off the tray of food as well as their teas. Cho poured one for herself before putting a light treat on her plate and looking at Yuu for a moment. "Don't worry, sounds like you have someone to guide you on that path already... and you're welcome to come see me any time too." she reassured her, smiling for a moment before pausing to take a sip of her tea.

She greatly enjoyed the flavors of the one she had chosen. There were some great herbs in it, some strong and earthy but also mostly very sweet. It helped her to relax and even reminded her of her home in the caravan. It reminded her how much more work she still needed to do to make her house feel like that same home, even if it didn't have wheels and didn't move anywhere. "Oh, if you come by don't be surprised if I'm not alone either." she said suddenly, turning to look at Yuu a moment again. "Ever since I lost my family I seem to have picked up a bodyguard." she added, rolling her eyes. "One of the soldiers who was with me when my family died... he keeps say he's sworn to protect me now or something... he has other things to do today but if you decide to stop by my house don't be surprised if you see him there. His name is Osamu, he's a good man, I promise."

[Kabu]

Yuu intently looked over the food and teas as she listened to Cho speak, seeming to be deep in thought as she considered her options. It took a moment but eventually her eyes briefly lit up at the sight of a fruit-laden pastry, feeling some strange sense of happiness as she placed it on her plate. She also poured herself some tea, the same as Cho had gotten for herself, her curiosity being too great to ignore.

With that taken care of she turned her full attention towards her friend, giving her a small smile. It was strange, she had never had a friend before so she didn't know what it was really like but sitting around and talking like this just somehow felt right. The thought of being able to hang out like this more in the future and having someone besides Nozomi willing to listen to her and help with her problems... Well... it all made her really happy, at least that's what she assumed this was what happiness really felt like.

She did however realize... she had no idea where she would even be able to find Cho's home. "What is your house like, Cho? And I trust you when you say he's a good man but what is Osamu like as a person?" she asked, falling silent as she took a sip of her tea. She blinked as she adjusted to the taste, it being quite unlike anything she had ever tasted before. It was earthy... a bit bitter... yet sweet all at the same time. "This tea is tasty." she quietly spoke with a small smile, setting her cup down and reaching towards her pastry next, eyes sparkling once more as she bit into it. It was tart but sweet, with a delicate combination of fruity flavors. "This is also very tasty!" she muttered, very clearly in bliss, though she herself didn't quite understand the feeling.

[Willoria]

Cho chuckled as Yuu started asking her questions, realizing that she hadn't even told her where she lived. "Well, the tree you met me under? It was about a hundred meters north of there. Just a small house, wooden exterior like the rest... but it has a purple door with a wreath of plain sticks on it. Just remember the door and you'll find it easily." she tried to assure her, chuckling. She had painted and decorated the door specifically knowing that way it would stand out from all the others.

Of course the girl asked about Osamu as well, causing Cho to chuckle again. "He's... kind of stern." she admitted, shaking her head. "He hasn't told me himself but, I think he's been through a lot in his life. Honestly I didn't know him until the end of the war. He happened to be there when my family was killed, he and his friends tried to protect us. But only he and I survived. He came here with me so... he's very protective of me. He teases me a lot... he'll say things that sound mean but he doesn't intend it the way he says it at all. He just... he was raised differently than I was. He's very suspicious." She looked down a moment as she sipped her tea, remembering how Osamu liked to insist she was scamming others with her readings and such. "But at his core he's a very caring person... it just takes time to get used to him, to get through his tough exterior."

She was almost glad when the subject changed as Yuu finally tried the sweets and the tea, giggling a bit as Yuu seemed to quite enjoy them. "See, food can be more than just a meal or something to fill you up. It can be truly enjoyed, like a comfort." she told the girl. "But like anything, we still have to be careful we don't have too much. Too much of a good thing can be bad too after all..."

[Kabu]

Having been lectured before on numerous occasions not to speak with her mouth full, at first Yuu simply nodded as Cho answered both of her questions. Her house seemed very distinctive and easy enough to find... and also... "Osamu sounds like a nice guy. He reminds me of Nozomi's friend who sometimes comes by. She doesn't live with us but she was with Nozomi when she rescued me and she brings me souvenirs whenever she comes back from her travels." she spoke once she had swallowed, head tilted as she wondered where the woman was now and when she would be coming back. Some part of her was honestly really looking forward to it.

All the while she couldn't help but be a bit puzzled by the way Cho spoke. Sometimes she sounded a lot like Nozomi, only with shorter speeches that she actually liked listening to. She didn't know if it was appropriate though to bring up the similarities. In most cases she may have spoken up regardless but a distraction soon came as she caught sight of a cookie that seemed to be made of pure chocolate. She hesitated for a moment, Cho having after all JUST told her to be careful and that being too indulgent could be bad.

In the end her love for cookies and newly discovered sweet tooth won out and she reached out for the sweet treat, eyes sparkling even as she munched into it. It really was pure bliss, even if she herself didn't quite understand it.

It was then that a thought occurred to her and she couldn't help a small smile. She didn't realize it until now but she was really truly having fun, for perhaps the first time that she could actually recall. "Cho... this has been a fun day. Nozomi told me to go out and make friends but I never quite understood why. I think I do now though... she suddenly spoke, this time not hesitating to give a voice to her thoughts. Perhaps she was beginning to learn the lessons she had been meant to be learning after all these months...

[Willoria]

Cho smiled, nodding as Yuu spoke of Nozomi and her friend. "He is nice. Just a bit paranoid sometimes." she assured her, chuckling as she thought about it more. She found herself distracted for a moment as she thought about the samurai, and not just because of the things they had been together or what he thought of her work. She'd slowly been developing a bit of a crush on the man, but considering he was almost twice her age she'd been fighting to bury those thoughts as well. She knew it was a bad idea, as well as the fact that he wasn't likely to appreciate such feelings from her.

She looked up just as she saw Yuu take the cookie and couldn't help a giggle as she saw the look of pure bliss on the other woman's face. She clearly enjoyed it, in fact she had probably found a new favorite. As Yuu spoke up again and mentioned making friends, Cho grinned at her. "You definitely made a new friend." she assured her. "Maybe two, once you meet Osamu."