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[ephemerous]

All messenger birds/private conversations/amulet communications may be directed to Nahyuta here!

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[ephemerous]

According to this legend, a brother and sister lived together on the outskirts of a poor village in China. Life was difficult for them then, and food was scarce. One winter, the brother, only a young boy, became very ill. No treatment seemed to alleviate his condition.

However, his sister was not deterred. She sought the counsel of a wise old woman, who told her to seek a dragon that was known to help those in need. Leaving her brother in the old woman's care, the sister ventured far and wide, trekking through the mountains until she found a cave, surrounded by fragrant jasmine bushes. She begged the dragon within for help, and he listened to her plea. The dragon advised that though it would not be easy, there was a way to save her brother.

[He pauses to drink more of his tea, and so Rayfa can keep up with the story. Even Nahyuta needs to catch his breath mid-stream now and then.]

[divinable]

[ MORE DRAGONS!!! how interesting!!

but then he pauses to drink AND NOW SHE WANTS TO HEAR MORE HURRY UP ALREADY ]

[ephemerous]

[So impatient!! His tea will be wasted if just talks and lets it go cold.]

Moved by her devotion to her brother, the dragon soared into the sky and let out an almighty roar. On his neck grew a beautiful pearl, and from the pearl, a drop fell into the ground. Where it fell, a tea bush sprouted and immediately began to grow before the girl's eyes. While she watched in amazement, the dragon advised that she needed to tend to this bush with great care as it grew. She promised she would do so, never leaving it, even though it rained the whole while.

Finally, when the leaves from the bush were ready, she dried them with some jasmine flowers she had taken from the mouth of the cave. Then, she rolled them into pearl-shaped beads, inspired by the beautiful pearl she had seen around the dragon's neck.

Returning home, she made some tea for her brother with the pearls. When he tasted the tea, he was miraculously restored to health, and thus ever since jasmine dragon pearls been made.

[divinable]

[ THEN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DRANK TEA IN THE FIRST PLACE ]

What happened to the dragon?

[ this is more important!! ]

[ephemerous]

No doubt he went on to aid countless others, as he aided those children.

[divinable]

I will spread this story in Khura'in, once I am back.

[ though she'll probably exaggerate things and make it sound more... over the top. oops. ]

[ephemerous]

I never knew you were so passionate about tea, Your Benevolence.

[He's teasing her and realises she's more interested in the dragon part of the story... Probably.]

[divinable]

[ she doesn't even get that he's teasing her. oops. :') ]

It is not about being passionate. The story is good.

[ephemerous]

[bless u rayfa...]

Well, I am glad you enjoyed it. It is interesting to hear the legends of our neighbours, and not merely Khura'in's traditional stories, is it not?

[divinable]

Yes.

[ nahyuta's piqued rayfa's curiosity now. ]

What other legends do you know?

[ephemerous]

Ah, I've learned quite a few on my travels. [And by 'learn' he means 'memorise by heart', because Nahyuta is a nerd with no chill when it comes to these things.] What kind of stories do you like?

[divinable]

Stories about heroes who let the villains rot in unspeakable and indescribable realms. Stories in which justice is properly served and that offenders are punished in unimaginable ways.

[ she snickers, covering her mouth as she does. ]

[ephemerous]

[What a... Ga'ran-like response. Though Nahyuta hides any visible discomfort at that fact by forcing one of his usual smiles.]

Well, you need look no further than our own scriptures for stories like those. Would you not prefer to hear something different?

[divinable]

[ this is how she was brought up ok........ ]

What else do you have to share?

[ephemerous]

Do you like comical stories? Recently as preparation for a case I prosecuted in the United States, I did some extensive research on a Japanese art form called rakugo.

[Because this is clearly a traditional part of American culture... oh wait.]

It has its historical roots in Buddhist sermons, yet it has evolved since then into an art form all of its own. The orator plays the part of all characters, and the story typically lasts for half an hour, with a punchline at the end.

[divinable]

Is that not too long for storytelling?

[ half an hour is a LONG TIME to just sit and listen to somebody. ]

Unless, of course, the story is very, very good.

[ephemerous]

The length does betray its origins from sermons, but I take no issue with such a thing.

[Says the monk who gives eight hour sermons like it's no big deal...]

I think the stories are really quite witty, and in the hands of a masterful storyteller, the build-up is often part of the comic effect. They are a performance to be enjoyed, not merely told in the blink of an eye.

[divinable]

Then you may tell the story.

[ and just in case her verbal approval isn't enough, she nods and closes her eyes. she's ready to listen!






but she isn't ready to regret letting him tell a half hour-long story. ]

[ephemerous]

As you wish. This particular performance is called "Toki-Soba", or "Time-Noodle".

[And so Nahyuta recites the entirety of the story, although unlike his usual endless sermons, he actually does perform this one, even giving the characters their own individual voices and quirks to make it clear when he switches between a character. It does take a while, especially because he still has the whole thing memorised by heart, but eventually, he gets to the end.]

... And that is where the performance ends. [It was funny, right? He smiles and looks at her expectantly.]

[divinable]

[ ...

silence. utter silence.

in rayfa's head, there are many questions, but she only vocalises one of them. ]

Where is the joke?