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"Focus! Your finger work is sloppy." Liu's voice was barely heard over the sound of Shin's playing, and she merely ignored him. Continuing to consentrate on her fingers and ki with eyes closed.

She was practicing her spell work, as well as her playing. Two birds, one stone. Not that Shin minded hard work, but she couldn't deny that getting practice for both out of the way early in the day wasn't a plus. It would leave lots of time later for her to work on that new puzzle she had set up in the library back home. All the pieces were sorted, reds with reds, blues with blues.. And they were just waiting there for her to get back to them.

The tree she was sitting beside offered only marginal shade, and a scattering of sun reflected off the gold and precious stones set in the looping knot of her hair. She'd picked the place for it's privacy as well as tranquil beauty, though the latter was being ruined by Liu's critical nagging. He really could be an annoying spirit at times. Useful, but annoying.

The tips of her fingers danced over the craved holes of the flute, lip lightly pressed against wide opening in one end, blowing more then just her breath over the bamboo instrument. Her ki was being woven into a spell as she played, each note carrying weight and substance as it flowed around her. The effect on anyone within ear shot would be instant and optionally temporary. Once the song ended, one could chose to languish in the calming effect, or shake it off.

Her concentration was on what she was doing, and she completely missed the sound of someone approaching and the voice that sounded around the tree and faded off. Dangerous in these times of strife, even more so considering the boy was Legion, and she was a Noble..

The song was nearly over, and the last melancholy notes wavered on the still air before fading completely. The natural sounds of the woods slowly coming back to life around her. It had been as if even nature itself had paused to listen, content in the calm that radiated from the bamboo flute and music that floated from it. Eerily silent for the space of a heartbeat before the first tentative cricket took the lead and led the chorus of insects and birds.

Of course amongst the usual sounds one would hear along the path, there was one that didn't belong. To Shin is sounded as if something large was bumbling through the underbrush, and she found herself sitting up a little straighter, leaning forward to peer around the trunk of the tree while clutching her dizi to her chest. Lily green eyes widened in surprise at the sight that met her. Another lunarian, plucking up a basket just beyond the rolling roots of the old tree.

Liu was staring at the boy coldly, not that he could see it. The old musician was pretty protective of Shin, and being an incorporeal being wasn't likely to stop him from trying to chase people away from the dark girl should she become too anxious, or appear to be in danger. As it was she was merely startled.

"Hello?" Her voice was soft and a little uncertain.

Shin was watching the boy with growing curiosity, features on the pleasant side of neutral. She wasn't sure what to make of him, but he didn't seem to be all that threatening, and his nervous behavior was sort of endearing. Perhaps because she wouldn't have fared much better if their positions were reversed.

"No need to apologize, the song was over." She offered him a very soft smile. Her playing could have a calming effect on herself, and she was generally less anxious at the conclusion of her playing.

"Zhongxain, it's nice to meet you. I am Shin-Mu." Liu was hoovering behind her, if the cool air and parental aura was any indication, and he didn't seem pleased by these turn of events. Shin was supposed to be practicing, and the presence of the new lunarian was distracting her from that. How was he to teach his pupil if her attention was elsewhere?

"Young Miss, you really should get back to practicing." Liu's voice was impatient and nagging, and Shin turned to frown in the general direction of it's source. "A break will not rob me of my skill, Liu."

Liu vanished in an annoyed huff, sure to return later, and Shin had little doubt that he'd make her pay for her back talking with extra lessons. She didn't mind though, she liked playing, and she really did enjoy his teaching. It had just seemed rude to her to blow off the other lunarian. Not that she was exactly skilled on the do's and don'ts of social protocol, but assumed it would bad to ignore him and continue playing. She wouldn't have been too thrilled if someone had done that to her, in any case.

Smoothing her palms along her thighs, she shifted to sit on folded knees, facing him. She'd picked a wide, flat rock on the edge of a creek for her place to sit, but there was plenty of room for two. She would have already wiped clean the hard surface, not daring to sit on it before hand, so it was quite clean.

Pale eyes blinked at his first question. She had in fact said something, but was unsure of exactly which thing he was reffer to. Probably her last comment to Liu. "I did. I was telling Liu to stop nagging." Considering not everyone could speak to ghosts, she figured she aught to expand a bit. "He's a spirits that's bound to my dizi, he's also my music tutor." The dizi had been tucked into the wide band around her waist.

"And a cup of green tea sounds lovely, thank you."

Her dizi beside her folded leg, Shin folded her hands over lap. the picture of proper posture and noble upbringing. She might not have been the most socially skilled, but she knew her manners, and followed them strictly.

"I know of no ways to bind spirits, but from time to time some unexplained forces can bind them to something that was important in life." Liu had been attached to his old dizi from the day of his death, and Shin had simply had the good fortune to stumble upon the spirit, whom had guided her to the flute after forming a bond with her.

"He was an amazing musician in life. I met him when I was very young, and he's taught me everything I know of music." In truth, he was very much like a surrogate parent. He watched over her, taught her lessons of life and academics, and delighted in nagging at her.

He'd been more of a parent to her then her biological ones. Liu and a one other, the ghost of a elderly woman. They had given her love and attention when her mother and father had not had time to.

She looked at Zhong curiously, not having expected his last question. "None have harmed me personally, but I don't think it's impossible."

"Even in my studies, there are things I have not found. Though in this case, I am glad for it. I don't find peace in the thought that my spiritual companions may some day be impressed against their will." She gave her tea a length sip, blowing at the surface first. "We are even then, for I know very little about the strength of a sword." The extent of her knowledge fell solely in sword dancing, a hobby of her's.

Her cup was cradled in her hands, and she watched the other with mild curiosity. "I should hope so, I was raised to be respectful." She chuckled softly. "Thank you for the tea." She gestured with her cup before taking another sip. It was seldom that she came across respectful, kind individuals.

The spell of her own magic was still upon her, and instead of anxiety over a random meeting, she was calm and mildly interested. If she'd known that someone would stumble upon her, she'd have not let relaxing persuasion of the dizi's song influence her so much.

"I should apologize for that. I was practicing my magic as well as my playing, and you very well may have had my ki influence your mood. That wasn't my intention." She paused, lips pursing. "Thank you though, for those kind words."

Pale eyes blinked in soft surprise at his question of magic, and she was left biting back a rather tactless retort. Tact wasn't generally her strong suit, but she'd been makif an effort as of later to think before she spoke, rather then simply let slip fhe first words that touched her tongue. "Its not really a learned skill, though it does take study and training to control it. I was born with these gifts, as are many babies. Soul conduits and priests are not so rare, you know."

When he offered her more tea she gratefully accepted it, holding her nearly empty cup out to him. Filled again, she blew along the steaming surface to cool it's contents before siping. It was very good tea, skillfully brewed with subtle hints of flavors and a mild base.

"It is a very unique skill, but not exactly handy in a one on one battle. If I came up against someone skilled in weaponry, I would be sorely out of luck. If I could not find oppertunity to play, I think I would lose rather quickly." She chuckled softly, drawing the tea up to her lips to draw from the warm liquid within.

"These look delicious, thank you." She took one happily, taking a dainty bite of the baked treat. "Mmm, they are. You're very good at your craft." At his question of solitude she looked around them. At the sun kissed canopy, the sparkling water of the forest pool beside them. "I'm not sure. I suspect my playing may have something to do with the lack of animal noises."