Ch:3NationalBirdsIncessantCall
Let's start our new chapter
Kei
Yeah, dad's got a pretty heavy accent, huh.
Makoto
I'll have to brush up on my Tsugaru dialect.
Kei
Here's the watering can.
Makoto
Sorry to bother you with this.
Kei
It's fine. I had nothing to do anyway.
Kei
Besides, I'm a farmer's son. I might as well learn my way around a garden, too.
Kei
It's the perfect chance. Let's grow some vegetables!
Makoto
Well you take over the family business, Kei?
Kei
I am the oldest so it's been on my mind, but...
Makoto
My parents tell me not to worry about it, that I should do what I like.
Kei
You've been blessed with such nice parents.
Kei
Right in front of you.
Makoto
Goodness. It's covered in weeds.
Kei
My grandmother used it a long time ago...but one's taken care of it since she died.
Kei
Well, first things first better weed it.
Kei
It'd be a pain to do the whole field. Let's just clear as much as we'll use.
Chinatsu
I wanna help too, Kei!
Kei
Okay, go help Makoto pull up the weeds. She's having a hard time by herself.
Makoto
Thank you Chinatsu!
Chinatsu
Oh, Chito come along, too?
Makoto
So you two've become pretty friendly.
Chinatsu
Uh-huh. We're friends.
Chinatsu
So witches do stuff like growing vegetables, too?
Makoto
Witches have to be knowledgeable about many different things.
Makoto
The more a witch knows, the more she'll be deemed an upstanding witch.
Makoto
So a novice witch like me has to take in many different experiences.
Makoto
Growing vegetables is also a life experience. It's a form of studying.
Makoto
What vegetables do you like, Chinatsu?
Chinatsu
I don't really like vegetables.
Kei
Whew! All done weeding!
Kei
That sure went faster with three people.
Kei
Makoto, Chinatsu... Let's take a breather.
Makoto
Hey, Kei? There's a weird bird over here.
Kei
Oh, that's just a pheasant. It's not that weird.
Makoto
A pheasant?! Like the bird in the story of Momotaro?
Kei
You can find them all over around here. You've never seen one before?
Makoto
No. So that's what a pheasant sounds like.
Makoto
*In her mind* So pretty...
Kei
I get it. They just make you want to catch them, don't they?
Kei and Chinatsu are watching Makoto to catch that bird!!!
Kei
She's tilling the soil.
Kei
Makoto! You should take a break.
Kei
Save some energy for later.
Makoto
I didn't know pheasants could run so fast.
Makoto
But I think I'm close to catching him.
Kei
You want to catch him that badly?
Makoto
He's keeping me at a distance where it looks like I can reach him, but I can't.
Makoto
And he's looking at me as if to say, "Catch me if you can!"
Pheasant
*In his mind* Come at me!
Kei
No one from around here would try so hard to catch one...
Makoto
But I've never seen one before! To me, it's rare!
Makoto
*In her mind* There are none in Yokohama!
Chinatsu
Is catching pheasants part of your witch training, too?
Makoto
Oh, no, it has nothing to do with being a witch.
Makoto
I just want to, that's all.
Chinatsu
*In her mind* Whaaat...
Kei
Now Chito's giving it a go.
One or two seconds later!
Makoto
Ah ha ha ha! Chito, You silly thing.
Makoto
You're just going back and forth!
Kei
Okay, wanna get back to it?
Makoto
All right. This time, I'll get him for sure.
Makoto
Hey... That's not why we're here...
Kei
Now we'll spread out lime and fertilizer, and mix it in with a hoe.
Kei
Let's get it all done in one last push.
Kei
All right! The soil is all prepped!
Kei
Now we'll leave it be for a week or two.
Makoto
Huh? We're not going to plant right away?
Kei
We have to wait for the lime and fertilizer to blend in with the soil. After that we can plant.
Makoto
*In her mind* Aw...
Chinatsu
What veggies are we gonna grow?
Makoto
Oh, right, we'll have to think about that.
Makoto
Given the time of year, we'll have to do summer vegetables. Things like eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, kabocha, okra, bell peppers, goya melons, zucchini, Chinese chives... I guess? Oh, and I'd like to grow some herbs, too.
Kei
The plot's too small for all that.
Uncle
Oh, looky whatcha'll dun.
Uncle
Mm-hm. Lookin' good.
Kei
If you have any questions, just ask our dad.
Makoto
There is one thing I 've been wondering ...
Makoto
I've heard there are some vegetables you shouldn't plant next to each other. Is that true?
Uncle
Let's see now, for instance ...
Uncle
Reckon you ain't never seen a pheasant before, Makoto.
Uncle
Just hold on. I'll catch it and show ya up close.
The third chapter is over
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