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[therewerefifty]

[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.]

Comments

[therewerefifty]

[Whoa, holy wall of information. *_* Some of this is familiar and some makes no sense, and... some of it is seriously WTF. The moon?

She finds her voice after a moment. Maybe that was some kind of joke. Yes. She fixates on the more familiar thing, becuase that's genuinely intriguing.] You know how to use all of these? [She has her fair share of knowledge, but Makie is an anomaly at home. Another woman that fights...?] That's quite impressive.

[weaponry]

[ She notices Makie's lack of response to Tenten's statements. Well, I guess she satisfied her curiosity. Still, the lack of any type of reaction worries her. Maybe the reaction just sneaks up on her. If that's the case, she'll wait for a while. ]

Yep! I've mastered pretty much all of these. I mean, I'm better with some weapons more than others. For example, I doubt Luceti has a better marksperson with how accurate I am with projectiles, but I'm also able to fight very well with a sword and staff and the like. [ Tenten would love to hear how Makie is The Only One, but that's because she believes more women should be out there fighting. ]

[therewerefifty]

That's quite impressive. You practice these things openly at home?

[It's not so much she's the only one-- samurai wives are often trained in defense of their home and children, after all. The basics. One weapon. To meet someone with such a knowledge base is definitely an eye opener. Especially how openly proud Tenten seems to be.]

[weaponry]

Yep! I'm known as Konoha's very own weapon's master! I have the largest and greatest arsenal in the Hidden Leaf.

[ She's glad she can breathe life in Makie's perceptions, after she learns about how women warriors aren't remotely common in her place. Tenten's very big on proving a woman's worth. ]

[therewerefifty]

[...she even has a reputation. That she speaks of with pride.

That aches, on some level.]

...

Are there many like you from Konoha?

[weaponry]

What do you mean? There's many ninjas in Konoha, yes. But ninjas are a worldly thing where I'm from. [ And, her reputation isn't really anything but her own ego and the fact that no one picks up weapons when you can have fire balls out of your mouth. ]

[therewerefifty]

[Ah. Ninja. That makes more sense to her; women can be shinobi, certainly. They're just...usually not open about it. Makie smiles a little.]

There are not many female fighters amongst the samurai caste.

[weaponry]

Hmm... we have samurai's where I'm from, but the country is relatively unknown and ignored by shinobi villages. On the other hand, I don't think I've ever seen a female samurai before... [ She frowns. ] That's kinda messed up.

[therewerefifty]

The wives and daughters don't tend to venture far from home unless in the company of their husband. [It's been a very long time since she's lived that life. Makie is glancing over the weapons, cataloguing the different kinds herself.] They are trained in defence; often the naginata. But they do not ride to battle.

[Not that...there's much cause for battle anymore.]

[weaponry]

I hate that type of bullshit! A woman shouldn't be subservient to a man just because she's a woman. She's not weaker and she can be just as powerfulf as a man. [ Tenten takes a breath out after that outburst. ] At least they're trained in defense, some places don't even grant that luxury. [ She'd apologize for this but she's actually quite fired up. ]

[therewerefifty]

[Makie isn't sure whether she should be shocked or... wistful that such a place exists. It's nice to see a woman like Tenten, that's for sure.]

Women have strength in their own ways. [...] At home. [She doesn't mean to imply they shouldn't be able to fight.] My father let me learn swordplay as a child, but the heir to the dojo is the eldest son. I had other duties expected of me.

...I didn't mind.

[She won't speak poorly of them. How she feels about it, on the other hand, is much more complicated.]

Many women are fighters from your world, then.

[weaponry]

A woman shouldn't be obligated to keep up the household. She should be free enough to learn and make her own decisions. [ She sighs. ] Was the son older than you?

Yeah. Two of the village leaders are women, and they're incredibly powerful.

[therewerefifty]

[...]

He was. Five years older.

Your village sounds like a place it might be nice to visit.

[weaponry]

I guess that makes sense. First come, first serve, after all. Hopefully you two remain close and there's no hard feelings between you two. [ yay. ]

Well, our village is ruled by Lady Tsunade. They say no one can stand shoulder to shoulder to her in combat, and that she's truly the strongest villager in the Leaf! They say a single hit from her kills, she doesn't even need ninjutsu to attack. I think the Leaf is the best out of all the villages. [ bias? what bias? ]

[therewerefifty]

[...

Makie's gaze slides away to the floor.] 'Remaining close'... wasn't possible.

I'm glad you have such a strong leader.

[weaponry]

[ Tenten's brow furrows in a mixture of confusion and pity. ]

Why not? Is there some family conflict?

[therewerefifty]

He...

...my brother passed away, many years ago. I was still a child.

[The most neutral way she can put it.]

[weaponry]

So...? Did you inherit the dojo then? [ uh huh... ninja are kinda desensitized to death so Tenten's kinda honey badgering it out. Let's focus on WOMEN IN POWER! ]

[therewerefifty]

[Hahhh... well, delicacy doesn't seem to be required. After a moment, Makie's eyes settle back on the rows of weapons again, her voice soft and flat.]

No.

My brother committed seppuku to preserve his honour. I, as the cause of his shame, was cast out.

[weaponry]

[ What does Tenten even say to something like this? Well, whatever direction she goes in, it's not going to be one that's not awkward. ]

Family members make each other shameful? What type of weird place are you living in? [ Well, she went with the most awkward direction, obviously. ]

[therewerefifty]

[To her, it's perfectly normal. And yet Makie's eyes narrow at that, because she's never once forgiven her father for casting her mother out.

This isn't a subject she should go into. Wouldn't have, if she weren't so thrown by facing a woman so comfortable surrounded by so many weapons. Who asked these questions.

...she hesitates. But.]

...I was born into a family that is renowned for producing skilled swordsmen for generations. The samurai bloodline is something my father, and his line before him, took pride in. Unbroken in so long... my brother was meant to shoulder that honour and prestige and take on the dojo, continuing on the proud traditions of our name.

Samurai women... don't fight. Though they might play at it as a child. I... even my play-fighting, when my brother drunkenly challenged me in front of his friends as a joke... I could not be beaten.

For the heir to a proud samurai bloodline, the heir to the dojo, not to even be able to beat his own sister... is a terrible disgrace to the family name.

[weaponry]

Wait, so let me get this straight. You were punished because you're a stronger samurai than him? And you didn't get jack shit from your family? That's bull. You should've rightfully inherit the dojo and everything else if he died. It's not your fault you're stronger than him and you shouldn't have to be punished for that. What else were you supposed to do? Lose on purpose? [ Tenten's actually pretty incensed by this treatment. It's just wrong, from every angle ever. Except for the part where the brother died because she ain't got time for that. ]

[therewerefifty]

[Makie really doesn't know what to say. She knows telling Tenten that she's wrong, that that's just the way things are, that a woman's place is not as a warrior-- these things will not be understood. Why should they? The other girl clearly comes from a place where such things are widely accepted and encouraged.

...which makes her a little sad, no two ways about it. If things had been different at home...

...she doesn't fault society for shaming her. But what happened to her mother was something she was more than willing to hold a grudge for. And Manji is right; there's a reason she never gave up the sword, despite her feelings. And...

...]

Women are...

Women are valuable in their own way. Strong. Some things are just...

[She trails off. Then continues quietly.] Not everybody believes the same thing as the samurai caste.

[weaponry]

[ Tenten remains tactless at Makie's struggles and thoughts. A woman can be a strong warrior no matter what and no one should get in the way of that. ]

Yeah, women are strong in every way, not just their own way. Just like how men are strong in everyw way. The Samurai caste seems to be filled with a bunch of idiots, if you ask me.

[therewerefifty]

[That gets a ghost of a smile.]

That seems to be a common viewpoint with the people I talk to.