[PRP] Small and green | Guowei & Yuzhi

[Pales]

She'd already eaten the first piece when she finally put down the seed and got herself another bit of fruit simply because... it had been so long.

This one she was savoring now, eating a little slower. The company was alright as well. Guowei hadn't done too many things to annoy her terribly. He had a good taste in food at least.

"...So what is it that you like to study as a scholar? Do you study life? Language?" Yuzhi asked quietly after she had time to figure out whether she was going to just eat and leave or not.
 

[Dragain]

"If I had to pick one..." Guowei paused, mulling over the question a bit as he chewed on the piece of durian flesh that he was holding onto, "I suppose traditional Chinese medicine. Herbs, acupuncture, and the like. I've always had a weak body-" After having lied for so long, it might as well be the truth, "-so I was exposed to these things since I was very young."

At least he wasn't lying about that; his father had always been interested in TCM as a way to help build immunity and body strength.

"What about you?" He asked, "Do you have any particular interests?"

Pales

 

[Pales]

Yuzhi seemed to think about the question as it was volleyed back at her. She uttered a small hum, "I study cultures outside our own and I also study stories from those cultures...I guess you could say I am folklorist."

As far as the mare was concerned? Guowei was not lying to her at all. He had no reason to lie, but she wasn't exactly stacking all her faith into someone that was practically a stranger still.

"So if you ever want to tell me a story that you believe I haven't heard it? I am all ears." There was a pause, "I .. can also tell you a story in exchange for the durian you shared with me."  

[Dragain]

"My father used to tell me stories all the time when I was young, due to me being in bed a lot," Because he was avoiding having to go to his weapons and physical training sessions, and perfecting the art of throwing up blood whenever he felt threatened by physical activities, "I could share a few, and you could tell me if you have ever heard of them?"

He never saw himself as a good storyteller, but he could certainly recount the stories he knew to someone else.

"I do enjoy a good story," He laughed, "Thus I am all ears as well."  

[Pales]

"It must have been frustrating being so sick at such a young age," Yuzhi observed idly. She hadn't caught on to his words and meanings just yet. "When I was younger my Father and Mother had to fight to keep me indoors or focus on studies rather than trying to spar with my Big Brother all the time."

She nibbled on a bit more of the fruit and shifted her shoulders, "Over time my love for learning won out over my desire to be more active but I do spar from time to time when given the chance."

Meaning she'd matured. Gracefully. As any growing horsewoman does.

Yes. She was refined, she was beautiful, she was ta--, okay she wasn't tall...

Yuzhi glowered a little at the empty durian pods before she drew herself back into conversation, "I wouldn't mind an exchange of stories and ideals. Should I begin?"  

[Dragain]

"Oh, very frustrating," Guowei agreed with a nod before prying the last pod open; each section of shell looked too small to separate, so there was probably not going to be anymore durian flesh to be found. He somehow resisted the urge to cringe when sparring was mentioned; he would never understand why some people enjoy it so much... He just found it to be a chore.

"Yes, please do," He replied, taking one of the two pieces of durian left in the very last pod and leaving the last one for Yuzhi.  

[Pales]

She took the last piece of durian and began to consume it, Yuzhi was quiet for a time as she pondered the stories she could tell him about this event or the other. The small mare let out a quiet humming sound before she spoke again, "Once there was a tiny seed. It was blessed with the power to grow into any tree it wanted to be. The Gods asked the seed each day which fruit it wanted to grow and the seed said 'I am not sure, I will figure it out one day.' The Gods were concerned but planted the seed and let it grow as it wished."

"Time went on and on. Soon the seed became a tree but it still bore no fruit and the Gods asked again what fruit it would bare. The tree said that it was still thinking on it and to ask them to come back another time to check on it." Yuzhi finished nibbling on her bit of durian at this point, leaving behind the seed.

"The Gods came again to find that the tree had grown strange spiked fruit. The Gods asked 'what fruits are these!?' The Tree just happily shook and responded 'fruits that only special people will enjoy. People that are special just as I am.' The Gods accepted this response and each took a durian fruit from the tree to enjoy for themselves."

There was a pause as she let the story finish before she added, "To tell the truth I just made that story up..." She laughed feeling a bit foolish.  

[Dragain]

Guowei gave the mare his full attention, not only because it was polite, but because he was eager to listen to her story; as much as he liked learning from books, it was also important to learn from other people. Books are dead. People are not. He was so engaged in the story that he forgot about the piece of fruit held between his fingers, and leaned in slightly when Yuzhi described the fruit. After she was done with her story, he immediately put the fruit back into its pod.

"Excellent!" He cheered, licking his fingers clean - ah, his mother would never approve of such a vulgar action, especially in front of a lady, but he had something more important in mind - before retrieving a blank scroll, a cake of ink, and a wet brush from under the table. With great speeds, he begun to pen down the tale of the durian in traditional Chinese characters, titling the story 'Tale of the Durian' and ending it with 'as told by Jiang Yuzhi'. Every stroke was perfect; since calligraphy was one of his favorite classes to attend, he had spent a lot of his youth practicing.

"Stories have to start from somewhere," He smiled, putting down the brush, and pushing the scroll towards Yuzhi. The ink was still wet and shiny, but it would no doubt dry soon, "Why not with you?"  

[Pales]

Her expression went from shy humility (something rarely seen on someone from Conquest, to be sure), to flustered bashfulness within seconds. The only difference between the two expressions was that she had gotten redder in the face and her eyes widened. Her hands waved up in protest as if to insist that he didn't have to write all that down.

It was a silly story. A story she'd weaved just for her new friend.

Then his words sunk in and her hands fell to her lap. She stared down at her hands and felt a little silly. He was right. They were always right. Bastion was right with some of the things he had told her when she'd last seen him.

Guowei was right with his words. Why had her confidence sunken so low? Yuzhi wasn't sure.

"You're right. Stories start from somewhere. I have forgotten that wisdom, I'm sorry Guowei." She murmured softly. She carefully kept her head ducked down - she was afraid she was going to start crying - the last thing she needed was to show a new friend her small moment of weakness.  

[Dragain]

"There is no need for apologies," Guowei replied with a small smile, feeling empathy towards Yuzhi; part of him felt bad that he had caused her such stress, but he was also glad that she could see it from his point of view, "If you feel apologetic, next time you come up with a new story, put it down on paper, and give it to me as a gift."

He chuckled lightly, before pausing briefly, giving the mare a chance to recompose herself, "If you are still up for it, I believe I still owe you a story."