The Day of Thunder

[Saru Shang]

Shang could give Kai a blank stare, followed by a big blink as she might have rebooted herself in the process before a blush formed on her pale cheeks. "M-Maried?! Oh, no, no, no! That couldn't be me at all in the slightest! You've mistaken me for that Dragon! Marriage is far too early when it comes to just starting a courtship. So yes, definitely not I!"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"I have been in the mortal realm for about four years, with a lot of things to learn in utter urgency to deal with the threat at hand.

Everything about romance, courtship, nuptial parade, and so on, I've postponed studying until later. I don't have an exact planning, but like, in a few years, after learning to read and write, how money works, and other required skills when living outside the wilds or the dreams.

So I have little idea what you're speaking about. Courtships and marriages tend to follow each other in quick succession in dreams. I guess from your reaction this isn't how it happens in practice in this realm?"

[Saru Shang]

Shang nodded slowly, still feeling a bit caught off guard by the conversation. "You're not wrong, courtship and marriage does follow one another but there's something about the journey that needs to be taken before it gets there. You don't exactly have one happen without the other. Suppose that hunting in the forest with the assumption that you're going to catch a squirrel to eat but the squirrel has gotten away because it managed to scamper away while the sun was in your face! Many things could happen. Courtship itself is also a complicated topic, as is the need for companionship emotionally or such."

"...I imagine those first four years must have been very strange and very rough," she said with a curious tilt of her head.

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"Strange, very much. Simply the walking and running on two legs took some time to adjust to. Same for a lot of things.

However, don't know if rough applies. It did require a lot of efforts. But those were efforts made with a clear goal in mind: Saving the world. And progresses were fast and rewarding. Kai began as a blank canvas, and each day brought a new touch of color to it.

Even now, as the crude strokes are slowly refined into a hopefully nice picture, it's just how it has to be. Exhausting, maybe. Often. But worth it."

[Saru Shang]

Shang bit her lower lip as she suppressed the urge to smile at the mention of needing to walk on all fours. Actually, that probably sounded more terrible than anything. "...so I see. I imagine that your relationship with the camp would be very different if we caught you at an earlier time. I can't fathom just learning everything in a new world but I suppose we've all gone through that in our childhood already as we learn new experiences and grow into what we are now. Sharpening features and refining of the details, like in your analogy. Do you miss whatever world you came from the slightest, however?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"I don't think it's random I appeared in this world in both a place of spiritual significance and yet still unclaimed by any clan. Destiny, the world, Tiger's will – the who or what is not really important – allowed me to learn in a relatively secure location until I was ready to meet you all.

Well, not secure in the sense it was completely void of dangers. Secure in that the tales of Tiger were still strong there, offering me some glimpses of my previous powers. Not fully mortal yet, still able to ignore some of the rules of the mortal realm in case of great dangers.

And your question isn't easy. I guess I miss it like you miss your childhood. A place, a time were things were simpler. But not something it's possible to return to."

[Saru Shang]

"Childhood is a thing to bring up and I'm not so sure if that's quite the perfect analogy, although that's unlikely your intent!" She chuckled. "I imagine the appeals of childhood are having your way decided for you, being coddled and having all of the comforts provided to you by either your parents or guardians. There's a bit of innocence involved, and a bit of ignorance as well. I could find myself rolling my eyes at something that I've thought to previously, a mix of happy memories and learning experiences I'd rather not relearn. Then again, nothing is ever perfect."

She tapped on her chin after a thought. "You don't suppose that people's attraction toward destiny is perhaps some indirect want for a parent of sorts? The idea that there's some invisible and greater guardian out there who is making the decisions for you, leaving you less at fault and pleasing a greater power?"