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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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?

I'm afraid not. [Though she had assumed it was a title of much reverence, but she doesn't say as much.]

[Saori nods slowly, still smiling. Another world where she didn't exist in the same capacity. How odd. But, then, Makie did deserve an explanation before anything weird happened at home. As she'd seen with Spencer, holding that back had made it more difficult for a friendship to grow.]

Well, as I do not know your world, I suppose it's best to tell you as plainly as I can so as to avoid surprising you later. That title is mine. I am a Myojin. One of the greater kami, and charged with maintaining the weather of Kyushu.

I...hope that does not put you off.

[Makie's eyes widen.

You're a god.

Daughter of Wind and Rain--

At the very least, claiming to be a god--

--it's so hard to tell in this place. She doesn't know what to think-- it's such a surreal concept, the idea of sitting down and sipping tea with a powerful kami spirit and making plans to live together. If she were another woman, perhaps she'd have laughed. As it is, Makis averts her eyes before her stare becomes downright rude, still visibly working through the knowledge and trying to slot it into all the rest of the news today in a way that makes it make sense.

She's failing. Like so many other things today, Makie sidelines it for further thought later before she becomes overwhelmed.

A Myojin? Really?]

I...

...it won't put me off. [She sounds a little distracted, but eventually raises her eyes to meet Saori's gaze directly.] I may take some time getting used to the idea.

[Saori remains silent while Makie processes the information. Unlike most others, she seems to be taking it better and with less incredulity than so many newcomers. That was nice, a refreshing change from the likes of many people she's met here. Makie doesn't seem insulted, she doesn't seem to want proof, and she just seems to take it in stride with all the other odd things that've happened to her today.

The goddess does know it's a lot to take in, she can't fault the woman for that.]

Of course, that's normal. I know it's a lot to absorb and accept, but it's the truth. Don't worry about it though, I prefer being treated like anyone else. But if something happens, it's better you know now rather than be surprised in a dangerous situation.

[Really, before this she could have said she'd rarely be surprised by a dangerous situation. Luceti is making her rethink everything.]

Thank you for the warning.

Is Luceti... prone to such situations?

Yes...and no.

[Saori's smile is slightly bitter, but honest]

Every so often our...keepers...conscript us to fight in a war for them. And sometimes things happen that are dangerous, experiments that you may have heard about, and evil residents lashing out.

[War... She's heard about the experiments, and Makie has known many twisted men, so the idea of residents being troublesome isn't surprising. In fact, she's more surprised everyone she's met has been so pleasant.

Which makes that news sit all the more uncomfortably.]

Everyone? Even the children?

At times, yes. A young boy in my charge has been on two separate drafts.

[She fidgets herself, clearly not liking this any more than her new friend.]

The Malnosso don't seem to care one way or another how...wrong it is. But children are the ones most carefully watched by allies, though that's a small comfort I suppose.

...I see. That's unfortunate. [Not as idyllic as it looks, by far.]

How many children are in this village? I've met some girls in their late teens, but no one younger.

A handful, no more than ten or twelve. The majority of the village is in their late teens or early twenties, though there are a fair number of immortal beings as well.

[Immortal beings. This place is going to take some getting used to.]

...

...are they alone? Do their families come with them?

Most of them come like you and I. Alone.

[She gives a small, bitter smile.]

Sometimes friends show up. Sometimes not. Is...there someone special you hope to have come?

[Everyone has one...]

[Makie's smile turns wistful and her gaze drops to the tabletop. She's not sure how to answer that question-- Anotsu is special, but their last meeting wasn't...really a meeting at all. A letter left and a swift goodbye...

Still. Her feelings haven't changed, regardless of her choices in life.]

There is. But I think I would rather... he never came here. This would be far more of a prison to a man of his ambition than it is to a woman like me.

[The admission draws a gentle smile from Saori. She can understand that. The idea of Yuuna coming here, selfish as it was, she would not mind. But her uncle? For Bishamonten to arrive in Luceti would be a nightmare for him even if he would make life that much more bearable.]

You are a very...selfless woman, Makie. Even I sometimes pine for my friends, despite knowing how much of a cage this can be.

I...

[Well, it's easy enough. I have no friends. Briefly she thinks of Omatsu... even Rin, but Rin is just as deserving of her ambitions as Anotsu is. Her mother is dead. It's...not something that matters, is it?]

I think I will miss him. And I would certainly be happy to see him again, but he wouldn't take well to this place at all. I don't want to see him caged.

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