Nakahama

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 5:13 pm What a gorgeous day! So sunny! The beach had been crazy crowded much of the day, but by middle evening it was quieter and calmer.

A fine place to catch up with a friend, in honor of their first meeting.

Haruhi had secured lounge chairs, a sunshade (though it wasn't really needed this late, it was just *essential* to the aesthetic), and some melon juice on ice.

She was wearing her bathing outfit from her extremely brief efforts for Team Nature Nerds in the volleyball match. And what an exhilarating day! They had both finished the obstacle course in style!

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 6:26 am Haruhi sat up from her lounging as soon as she saw her friend. A bright smile. "It's good to see you, Kitsuki-san! And you look splendid."

"How are you doing? How have you been enjoying the last few days?"

"Would you like some melon juice?"

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 11:18 am
Ichitaiyo looked down at her shorts and sandals. "I quite believe I decided to not look my usual sharp self, glad to see it is still appealing. May it is me after all."

And she gladly took the melon juice. "Thanks. And yes. Tons of.. new perspectives if you will."

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 2:07 pm "I remember you wanted to look more ... like a local. More present. This look does suit you, but yes, you have the benefit that I have never seen you in an outfit that didn't look good on you, probably because you simply have an attractive presence."

"New perspectives? That's interesting. What's changed for you?"

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 2:22 pm "The spiritual? Oh, that is interesting. Are you finding the spirits happy here? There are some unusual beliefs in the populace. Prayers to sky and earth, rather than specific fortunes. As long as the kami are happy, it may just be a local custom."

"Let's see... my romance is going swimmingly! Not to a point where I could share the name. But I am very happy. I like planning dates and going on them. I am learning a great deal!"

"And I've been enjoying the events. Did you see I made it to the finish of the obstacle course? You did too, and faster than me. But I made it! And my cooking show meal went beautifully. I'm never a top finisher but I'm having fun."

"Oh, and I've found some more birds for my avi-drone schematics. And we're helping the jimen tori return to their historical place of thriving which got blocked off by some construction debris. Just got approval to dig the path. If you happen to enjoy a bit of physical work, we're going to work on it tomorrow."

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 6:50 pm "I'm sure the magistrate's office appreciates your help."

"Oh! I remember folks taking about her, and her excellent fortunes. I should really meet her at some point, and see if she can read my fortune!"

"Energized sounds good. A spiritual blessing."

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Tue Nov 25, 2025 2:03 am "I think that's true! You have so much to offer."

She smiled at her.

"Can you tell me about your work with the magistrates? Any interesting investigative work?"

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Tue Nov 25, 2025 8:17 am She nodded at Kitsuki's wise words.

"Indeed! There is such a joy in dutiful action well executed."

"The birds so far have been marvelous. There's the jimen tori - large flightless birds with a deep tenor in their song and an at times trumpet like quality to their songs and vocalizations. There's the Nakahama shama - a little songbird feature in romantic folktales of the area because of its elaborate calling lovesongs. The melody is beautiful, emotional, flute-like. Call and response. I think those will be particularly in demand for wedding gifts!"

"I have descriptions of other birds to find and record - seven more so far - a coastal piping plover, a local cormorant trainable by fishermen, a brightly colored hachietto, a blue starling, a bulbul, a lyrebird, and a golden pheasant."

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Tue Nov 25, 2025 10:40 am Haruhi smiled. "Nothing top secret about how the birds look and sound. The hard part is replicating the look, and composing songs for a human singer or two to sing that use the birdsong in the accompaniment."

"Here."

She pulled out her holoslate.

She has video footage of a group of jimen tori, and then close up video and audio of one. A female. Kitsune Kiyoshi is in the video chatting with the bird in animal speech.

She has video footage of a single shama, a male, calling to a second off-screen bird. Their calling songs go back and forth. The bird takes scraps of blue fabric from Haruhi to beautify its nest as a gift for its love.

She has news clippings that mention the other birds.

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Tue Nov 25, 2025 12:53 pm "I start by finding the rhythm of it. Like ... like a percussion line. Then, I think about how a human voice could join. Birdsong is a bit like human speech if we were sped up crazy fast. I find the pitch of it. The key that it will complement. Then, I work on the song and weave the birdsong back in. Or - and this is really fun and challenging - the songs of two birds. Or multiple phrases from the same bird."

Kakita Haruhi wrote: Tue Nov 25, 2025 3:12 pm "I keep the birdsong at its natural speed for the performances. I want it to be recognizable. But I do sometimes listen to it slowed down to really make sure I'm hearing all the trills and elements."

"Generally the human voice is moving much slower in the song. Like a vocalist holding notes, while a drum is taptaptaptap. It can fit together. But you have to hear it. Imagine it. See how it overlays most beautifully."

"And the birdsong lines ... they are a programmed as a mix of sound and silence. I can bring in really short phrases, or play longer sections of a recording. The shorter 'cuts' are easier to work with. Like little dots of color in a painting."