Kaiu Tai wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:29 pm
Tai chuckles, a low gravely sound. "Yeah, Hida's still got those dumb good looks he started with. Built like Kaiu's walls. I imagine your dad is still inhumanely pretty then. Maybe he let a grey hair grow, worryin' about you kids." She keeps an eye on the ever wilder party. Even without the kava, everyone here knows what was said earlier this morning by the little monk. There's an energy she's seen before big raids around the fire. Some of your dancing partners won't be here soon, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. Dance and celebrate being alive now, make even the earth dance under your feet.
She breathes deep despite the musty smoke--treacherous airs--spreading her toes against the earth beneath this porch overhang. And focuses on the family talk. These children of the so-called gods come to mortal realms. "Not everyone's made for lots of kids. Even these kami seem to run from large to small families. Better to count in lives you can keep whole and raise well. You're all grown then, some of the first of that generation. At least your folks aren't nearly done. Won't just leave you with whatever mess we have when this is done."
"Because even winnin'...how many have learned not to trust those they love because their dreams may change them overnight?" Dark in dark eyes fix on Satsuki's "There's a lot to heal. And if we lose, a lot to salvage. And this is a very strange place for a last stand." She doesn't feel the invigoration of the kava, but she's never had trouble speaking her mind. "You know they don't let folks into their shrine here? I'm a little worried havin' an enshrined spirit that we won't know anythin' about as this fight finds us."
Dumb looks. Not many had the guts to say that about Hida, but the fact that Tai did spoke well of her spirit... and that Hida probably liked the old woman too. He always liked the honest ones, she remembered.
The strange smells, now that she was growing more aware of them, tickled the inside of her nostrils, and rather unladylike she rubbed her nose against her sleeve. "Mom says that it's a good sign for the first generation of the Empire that so many more children are growing up healthy now. She tells me a lot of stories of how things used to be back in the day, before the Kami - both the good and the bad. With that in mind, I don't think they intend to leave us with any sort of mess? Or, I think they hope they've taught us well enough to stand on our own when that time comes..." her words trailed off, as a worry sunk into her previously good cheer. What if something happened to her parents while she was here?
At least Tai was quick to distract her dark thoughts, and she looked at the smaller but older woman. "Yeah, I... I know. I tried to go there earlier today, but the way was barred. I'm as curious as they get, but I don't wanna intrude on holy places. But it feels wrong. Hm, and I did some talking with the air kami earlier too, and something doesn't quite seem right here. Auntie Anjing told me to talk with you, actually."