therewerefifty

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[Makie has had the facts of this place explained to her already, by a gentleman in a... fairly awkward situation.

It doesn't prepare her for the reality of a village with occupants like none she's ever seen before. Some of you aren't even human, Luceti. The hell. She wanders the path of the village from Community Building #1 down toward the plaza still in her New Feather dress, just like a gawking tourist, and spends some time staring at the fountain and plaza itself. Uh.

...right. Okay. Time to begin glancing through various shops in her attempts to find the places she was told her things would be. She finds her clothes with a measure of relief, and her shamisen at the item store-- and after she picks it up, she frowns. It's too light. She doesn't need to open it to know she's missing something.

Eventually, she'll find her way into the forge to pick up the last of her things, pays a visit to the Welcome Centre-- and then finally fetches up at the tea shop, which is the most familiar-looking thing here.

...sort of. Never really loses that dazed and confused look.]

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[She smiles.]

Saori, then.

[And she follows in Saori's wake.]

[Saori will lead the way to the tea house, up a flight of stairs and hold open the door politely.]

Please enter. Welcome to my favorite place in Luceti.

[She heads straight to a booth set up in a traditional Japanese style. Comfort for the newcomer was the aim after all.]

[Makie darts a faint smile of thanks at Saori for opening the door, and heads on through. She takes a moment to soak it in-- much of it decorated in styles so unfamiliar, but when she sees the lower tables that she's more accustomed to, she relaxes slightly.]

I'm glad to see a place I recognise. [Still following, she folds gracefully down onto a cushion, shamisen still cradled in her arms.]

[Saori took a seat across from the younger woman, significantly younger by her estimation, and folded her hands in her lap.]

As was I when I arrived. It's comforting, in a way, to have places like this. A proper style, instead of the Western one. Though, most of the population here are Westerners. [Or more outlandish sorts, she muses as a waiter comes up. Saori orders a simple green tea for herself, and after takes Makie's order, she looks down at the shamisen]

Are you a musician, then? Or is shamisen a hobby?

[Makie will follow suit, having a green tea. At Saori's question, she glances down at the instrument herself.] Would that I were good enough to be worthy of being called such. A hobby is closer to the mark, I suppose. I learned it from my mother.

[That draws a wider smile from Saori]

I am the same. I learned from my mother. I must confess, I've met no-one else here who can play since I arrived. It truly brightens my day to see another.

[She's made efforts to teach, to be sure. But Adele, Obi-Wan, and Derek just...do not have a grasp of the music.]

[Makie's smile is warm, the brightest one so far.]

You have an instrument here? Perhaps we could play together one day.

Edited 2013-05-06 15:04 (UTC)

I do.

[Saori brightens even further]

I have that, a koto, and my shakuhachi as well. I'd love to play with you, and perhaps we can share a few songs.

It would be my honour. [If nothing else, being able to share music on familiar ground feels steadying, in this chaotic place.]

May I ask how long you've been here?

Wonderful!

[She pauses, tapping her chin]

It's been almost a year, but not quite.

So long...? [She doesn't sound particular dismayed, though. In truth, Makie is still too rattled to decide whether that's a bad thing or a relief.] But I am told that no time passed at home while we were here. Is that so?

That is so. To my knowledge. Some of my friends have left and returned, and had no recollection of this place.

[She shrugs, not really concerned with that.] It really isn't so bad here, once you make some friends. Things become more tolerable.

Edited 2013-05-08 04:52 (UTC)

People here do seem very friendly. Everyone has tried to help me on my way into the village. [It's not a climate she's used to. It's also one she suspects it would be wise not to get used to.] But of course, there is so much here to learn.

Well, allow me to offer you something more friendly. I've several spare rooms in my house. Why don't you stay with me until you've gotten your feet under you more firmly. [A few spare rooms is a bit of an understatement. Thanks to a mission point request on her part and Helios' House 44 is now a four story castle tower with a great many empty rooms.]

When I first arrived, a friend let me stay with her. It's the least I can do, paying kindness forward. Especially for someone from home.

[The offer takes her by surprise, and for a moment Makie just stares.]

I-- [Torn. It would be more self-sufficient and less needy to take one of those strange apartments on her own, yet Saori is familiar, and friendly, and someone who knows what she's going through.]

Paying kindness forward...

[...she did say it was temporary. Perhaps that's all right.]

I accept. Thank you. I greatly appreciate your offer.

[Saori remembers feeling the same way, and she can completely understand. Valvalis had taken her in, and Neliel had been very, very kind. Of course, when the duo departed, Helios had been equally kind. This was the same sort of situation]

I'm glad. You can stay as long as you like. I just, I know it's hard to comprehend all of this. It took me by surprise as well, and having people around helped me adjust. I hope it will do the same for you.

[She gives a lighthearted little laugh]

What sorts of food do you like? Helios and I do most of the cooking.

I enjoy a great variety of things... although I suppose I've yet to try foreign food. [She rather suspects there's a lot of that here. The tea house seems to serve the kind of thing she's used to, at least. Briefly she considers offering to help wih the cooking, and decides against it; she'll ask later, once she's more used to how things work here.]

Who is Helios? Is he... family?

Well, then I'm sure we'll think of something. Food is no real trouble.

[At the other question, Saori smiles brightly, tapping her chin thoughtfully. How best to phrase the answer. What was her relationship with Helios. Family sounded right.]

Helios is family, yes. He's a very, very good friend of mine. As are the other people staying there. Though, Sabriel and Lirael keep to themselves. I'm sure you'll like them, they're all even friendlier than I am.

[Except Adele...really, but she was moving out it seemed.]

[All distinctly not Japanese names. It doesn't trouble her, though it does make her curious.] There are the four of you, then? Are you all from the same place?

[Saori shakes her head, smiling ruefully]

There are four besides me, yes. Five for the moment, but one is leaving soon. She's decided to go live on the shore for a time. [No need to mention why, the grief over losing Obi-Wan was clearly getting to Adele] As for home. No, none of us are. Sabriel and Lirael are from the same world, though Adele and Helios and I are from different versions of the same world. [She pauses] Our world, Earth. Though they are all from lands outside Japan, and from a time after Sakoku ended.

[Really? That's ...quite impressive. Sakoku had been in place for well over a century, by Makie's knowledge. But there's a new concept Saori just brought up, and she frowns a bit in confusion.]

Different versions of our world?

Yes. I gather you understand this world is a sort of...nexus of worlds? A meetingplace?

[She smiles and takes out her sketchpad, doodling a bit, starting with a line.]

I believe the idea is that every decision changes the world. So for every possibility...things change. Different versions. [She draws a fork in the line] Like this. If you went left down the fork, different things would happen than if you went right. These other worlds are sort of like that. Maybe one or two things are different, maybe many. Perhaps in one world, a battle was won by the other side, or Sakoku never happened, or many other possibilities.

Do you understand the idea?

I do. [Though it's fascinating and a little daunting to think about. Endless possibilities. She wonders how life may have gone in so many different worlds.] So there's also the possibility that you and I aren't... quite from the same place.

[But close enough. They clearly share the same history, at least.]

Most likely not exactly the same, no. But close. [She pauses, a questioning look on her face]

Does the name Daughter of Wind and Rain mean anything to you?

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