Akira gestured at the others to remain quiet. He moved forward, onto one knee, and smiled.

"Hello," he said to the little beings crouched beneath the giant dead leaves of the fuki. "Good day to you. I haven't seen you in while. Thank you for coming."

What passed for tiny heads bent towards each other. One of the little ones, this one wearing a butterbur flower for a head, stepped forward.

"Do you like fuki? I do, once it's soaked in ash and mixed with miso."

The ...