Trails in bloom

[Chambers]

Yes he had to agree that did sound rather like nonsense. A small chuckle makes it known on this matter he is like minded to the enchantress. "Not exactly the kind of lessons I remember from back when." But then again he hasn't watched those in such a long time how much is accurate memory and how much is his brain filling in the gaps was rather questionable. "I seem to remember them tackling bigger life issues, navigating challenges in friendships, loss, love and how to handle scary or difficult situations. You know things children might actually come up against." Granted using in some allegorical or fabricated settings.

He also lacks the name, but has an image in mind of what she means. "Are those the ones they unfurl? Kind of like you would a parchment or map in a pirate movie?" Okay he was reaching with that allegory, but clearly felt a need to try and explain what he meant at the risk of making it more unclear.

Naturally the Acanthus would know a little more of luck based traditions then he did. "Interesting. Would that mean they have some kind of traveling shrine set up around here then?" Casting a slow look around the stand and stalls. "I don't know much about Shinto other then a little interesting census data, a good number of people in Japan will celebrate the festivals, make the offering and such especially at new years but very few consider themselves to be Shinto. Its more a culture, or tradition then it is a religion as I am more familiar with." And that really was the extent of his limited knowledge on the subject. "If they have them for more specific events or circumstances, I would inclined to think they might be popular with more then just tourists." Passing exams certainly sounded like more then a tourist only element.

No argument there. "Yeah something like that, New positions of responsibility, more demanding ones." And that left little enough time for personal endeavors as it was. "My self employment business has recently gone through something of a growth spurt to boot." Even that had been orchestrated to give the Moros somewhere to meet on more neutral ground.

[Thirteen]

"An important point, I think, is that animation is treated differently over there. It's not viewed as a children's medium. A lot of it can be quite adult, in various ways. Mature, emotional stories. Psychological horror. And other... adult stuff." The last was not her bag, and she dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

"Scrolls? If I recall correctly, they're slips of paper or wood in those brocaded silk packets." The Enchantress thought for another moment, "Do you mean those wall scrolls they hang in dojos? I think that's somethin' else." She wasn't quite sure what else the Moros might be imagining.

She ate another takoyaki, not speaking again until after it was chewed and swallowed. "I don't know of any Shinto shrines in the city. The charms are about all I know of it, other then it's about 'little gods' and protective spirits. I suppose it's possible there's a shrine." Automatically, her phone came out and she started web searching with one hand. "Yeah, I heard Japan's kind of secular."

It was understood that Chambers was unlikely to go into any details about his business, so she merely nodded. "Well, congrats, then."

"Ah, here we go," the Libertine said, looking at her phone screen, "No Shinto shrines that I can find, but there is a Buddhist temple in Sacramento. Northern California Koyasan Temple, and they sell the charms. Omamori, they're called." She'd gotten the first half correct. "Cheap ones are just slips of paper. Wooden ones, and the ones in the silk bags, are pricier."

[Chambers]

Was it not aimed primarily at children and teenagers? "The power of friendship stuff sure eels like it is aimed at a younger audience." And unfortunately lacking any substantial experience of the medium the Moros struggles to grasp the point. "I could see some benefit maybe to telling stories that are told to children, but the unedited version, no longer child friendly versions, to build on what was learnt, reinforce messages and the like." His best attempt at some even ground. "But into terms pf psychological horror, I do struggle with seeing why people like to scare themselves for the sake of it." He also leaves the other adult themes untouched.

Shaking his head clearly having poorly complicated. "No I got that muddles maybe, they are a series of wooden strips? or slates maybe? held together by string I would i guess? and they roll up in a cylinder/ Is that making sense?" there was a very good chance he was just talking himself further in confusion actually. "I don't think they hang on walls." Miming again to try jog his own memory as much as anything but it looks book sized by the faint articulations.

The moros might know the bare basics of spirits with a capital S but that does not extend the Kami, by any definition, of Shinto belief and practice. "I was wandering if they set up the place to the charms had they set up a portable shrine of some such, or maybe they have a float going along the route?" He had seen something like that on a world heritage list, but if it was a one off or extended other festivals he had no clue. "Omamori, I'll have to remember that. Thanks." As the word is found. "Interesting part of the world isn't it." The idea of lucky charms was not knew to anyone of British culture, not even religiously motivated one, but somehow it seemed a bit more proactive then finding a four leaf clover or horse shoe. "Do you think any of the art alone will be of their spirits?" Now that would be curious.

[Thirteen]

"Suppose I should've said not only a children's medium," the Enchantress shrugged. "There's anime for kids. There's anime for teens. There's anime for adults." As for the horror stuff, "Some people like bein' fake scared. It's an artificial thrill. Like ridin' a roller coaster. Ideally, you're perfectly safe, but you get the illusion of danger. Except for the faulty coasters that actually kill people, but that may just add to the thrill for some."

Yeah, Thirteen wasn't really following what the Moros was getting at with these scrolls. "Sorry, I'm no expert on Japan. I know a few things, but I'm not sure what you're thinkin' of. Those artists over there are paintin' on paper scrolls, but I don't see any wooden slats."

Her phone went back into her shorts pocket, and she resumed enjoying her octopus balls. "Not sure. Could be they just brought the omamori from the temple, make some quick donations." She nodded, "It is. A lot of Japanese culture has become part of western culture, too. Sushi restaurants are commonplace. Every kid seems to know about ninjas and samurai. And like we been discussin', anime is becomin' increasingly popular." The redhead gestured towards a passing teenager in a One Piece tee shirt as she spoke. "Though that's all fairly shallow, I think."

[Chambers]

Well there was an analogue to that. "So not unlike fiction literature." Which covered the broad range of ages itself. "Although without the terrible English high school lessons telling you to look for meaning that isn't there and putting countless teens off reading for a long time." The woefully analysis of Shakespeare's works was a joke you could make to any crowd in the UK and be understood. "I'll pass on the fake danger though, life has plenty of thrills as it is." Which was more his point, but then again his was hardly the average existence was it. Neither of their's was. "If a coaster kills people it surely has to shut down right? A handful might be drawn by the idea for whatever reason but I would hope many many more would avoid it like the plague." Yes technically stepping out of your door everyday brought the risk of death, but there were risks and there were risks.

A short hand wave dismissed the point. "Never mind I'm clearly fumbling this rather spectacularly." It probabaly doesn't help the item in question is not Japanese in origin, and the Moros has got his information muddled. Although some Gomi-Ki would likely be on sale among the various other blessings and trinkets.

Looking up and down the trail now pulling himself up from the resting position he had taken, evidently more on the look out. "You know I would like to see that if they do." But given the donation to the kami themselves and those to the priests for blessings followed different formalities it was quite likely Violet had the right of it. "By shallow do you mean we know of but know very little actually about those things, because I would agree." Having indeed heard of Samurai, ninjas and occasionally eaten Sushi. "The trappings might have come over to the west but the culture itself? I am not so sure on that." But then following the indication. "Oh or do you mean the picture on that fellows shirt is fairly shallow?" Squinting at to make sure he had it right. "Does the green haired man have a sword in his mouth?" Unsurprising the Moros is evidently not familiar with one of the longest running anime and great work of Eiichiro Oda.

[Thirteen]

"Don't remind me," she quipped about Shakespeare's works. "I think those roller coasters are shut down, yes. The increased sense of thrill is sort of passed on to other coasters, though. You hear about someone dyin' on a coaster somewhere else, and it makes you wonder about the one in your area. That's my theory, anyway." The Acanthus had long avoided roller coasters, just do to her consistent bad luck as a child. There was no need to tempt fate and get herself 'Final Destinationed.'

A nod as the topic of rolled bamboo scrolls was dropped.

"Aye. By shallow," she nodded, "I mean the west's grasp of the culture. While somethin' like ninjas have been part of our parlance for decades, we only think of them in a rather stereotypical manner, and one riddled with inaccuracies." The Libertine continued, "Our idea of a ninja is not what they actually were. For example, they didn't actually wear those black pajamas. That was an idea taken from Japanese puppet theater. The stagehands wore all black to avoid drawin' attention from the puppets. Actual ninjas just wore disguises to blend into everyday life. But that doesn't look as cool as the pajamas in entertainment."

The Thistle Mage gave a short laugh, "He does, and his name is Zoro." Just like the legendary dashing swordsman of fiction, though with one less R. Thanks to a certain bird watching the anime series, Thirteen had learned more about One Piece than she had intended, just through hearing it while she was busy doing other things. She'd be lying though, if she said she hadn't paid more attention at certain pivotal story arcs. "I don't think fandom is shallow, per se. Just our understandin' of the culture behind it."

[Chambers]

Willfully he obliges the jest, no further mention of the works of the bard come forth. "That is rather strange I have to say." Regarding the roller coaster death thrills. "Someone dyes and people flock to their closest equivalent in what? the hope it will happen there? Or is just possible that having been reminded roller coasters exist because of the news story that's what bumps attendance?" It would be really rather ghoulish if people went to attraction en mass hoping to see someone die,. "Thinking on it though not unheard, hangings used to be he after church entertainment, and drew an equally big crowd." And that had not been all that long ago as time went.

He agreed and without clarification or imposition on this matter, history and culture both were full of holes. "I did not know that particular bit about the stage hands, quite interesting though." And he was left wandering just how many people did know that? "But yes for a profession focused around infiltration, killing and espionage work. Every day disguises would make a lot more sense." A thief or spy did their job best if you never knew they were there after all, and having some kind of uniform like the black clothing did the opposite. "I doubt it helps a lot of the ninja training course you see make use of those outfits, it's like yoga in many ways bastardized and twisted out of shape from it's origins." Hardly surprising it had happened to Japanese touch stones as well.

The character remains largely a mystery to the Moros. "Is he what a circus performer? It would be a struggle to cut anything wit ha sword held between your teeth." It is a rare extension form the Moros to at least make polite conversation about topics he would usually dismiss out of hand. "So the authors and artists represent the culture behind it well, if you know enough to see the details?" If so that was actually of some mild interest all of a sudden.

[Thirteen]

"Why not both?" she suggested, on the topic of why people flock to roller coasters after fatal accidents. "Adrenaline is a hell of a drug for some people, too."

"Mmm, I'm sure a ninja school has to offer the black outfits to get people in the door. It's what we expect. Chinese restaurants offer fortune cookies, even though they're an American invention."

At this point, the Acanthus had finished her takoyaki, and tossed the basket into a nearby public trash bin. "Ach, he's a swordsman. Fights with three swords. It's just made-up silliness. I've watched videos of weapon experts testing it out, and a sword in the mouth presents too many problems to be effective. Aside from lack of strength, it gets in the way of the other two swords, and strikin' anythin' with it would be painful for your mouth, maybe even breaking teeth."

[Chambers]

He inclines his head a little to the side in indication she has made a fair point. "Why not both indeed. Even if it is a little morbid." Says the Moros, rather ironically. "It can be that can't it, a reasonable contributor to why people ride roller coasters in the first place." High speed plummeting had to give those kinds of adrenaline junkies something of a rush. "And well yes at least it isn't taking it to any kind of extreme or doing anything that is inherently foolish or dangerous." Most coasters were after all quite safe as demonstrated by repeated daily use.

Placing his water bottle back in the slot for it on the frame of his bike, having caught his breath and refreshed himself. "Catering to expectation, yes I can see why advertisers would do that. A shame if you ask me Id be more interested in learning the actual spy skills over the weapons and sneaking." But he was not a martially minded person as had been demonstrated by his preference for political solutions over forceful ones. "It goes to show doesn't it there is an awful lot to learn about cultures we could be fooled into thinking we know more about." Indicating once again the various elements of the event around them. "I'm sure there is plenty here we could learn if we set ourselves to it." Not that he knew enough to tell the tourist traps from the authentic in the first place.

Oddly enough he does not look any more dismissive then he had previously. "Myths, legends, fables all have plenty of fantastical elements about them, a person fighting with three swords is not all that far fetched as it goes." It had just not been his first guess. "Plenty of Indian myths involve various for lack of better translation, deities, using a great many weapons, surviving lethal wounds having many heads, arms and so on." So yes hardly unusual in a story. "They normally are representative of something of course not just idly, done, do the three swords of this character hold special significance?" Continuing to make an effort to engage the subject as best he was able.