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 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:29 pm
P...Pawn?! It stung Lumine to hear Michiko talk about her mother in such a way. She instinctively balled up her fist, both feeling and suppressing that anger with the muscle flexing, followed with a deep breath. Having released the anger, Lumine nodded quietly, moving across the room to sit alongside Michiko, though not before unlatching Maemi's Nodachi, and setting it aside, leaning against the wall. She sat there, staring at the hat in her hands, trying to figure out what to say.
"Y...Yes. Master Kazuko was like a--" she hesitated to say 'mother' in front of her real daughter. "...She was like family." Lumine fumbled with her hat, turning it around in circles with her hands. "I don't really know how to answer your other question. It was true she was always busy, but she never looked tired until...well, until we both lost s-some...someone dear to us..." Lumine bit her bottom lip, holding back her emotions. "But she always smiled, no matter the situation...even if me or Maemi got in trouble." She fell silent for a moment. Saying Maemi's name brought a strange feeling to the Celestial. It was neither happy, nor sad, just....
"But, why do you live way out here?" She asked, turning to look at Michiko. "And why doesn't anyone know about you? Even I had no idea Master Kazuko had a child, until last night..."
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:58 pm
Michiko's wolf ears twitched a bit at Lumine's exasperated breath of some sort. The tengu did not even give her a look, after hearing the celesitals unfinished sentence and discerning the original word was 'mother', the hermit understood well what kind of girl she was dealing with. Most obviously, this Lumine was... or had been attached to the deceased warrior.
"She was a vigurous woman, it is somewhat nice to hear she was still lively in her older years." Michikok had problems keeping the coldness out of her voice for her own mother, she had trouble expressing some sort of feeling for someone who has had not had any contact with in ages. "I am sorry for the loss of your friend."
The wolf rubbed at the tip of one of the wolf ears absently. "I knew Seijin not bother telling anyone of me. I bet she was simply ashamed of having a child who had no interest in what made her who she was. I never had interest in the ways of the sword, and I was always to quiet to be any more of a stand out socially than she was... Most did not notice my presence, and those who did were not as lucky as Seijin in their long lives. Being guards usually lead to death, She was just good at staying alive, I suppose."
"Seijin was always working, it was Father who kept me company. She worked in the Academy in the morning, and Father was always with me and he was the one who took care of me." The tengu let go of her wolf ear and let her tail pat the couch pensively, "That is why I suspected she would be busy with her oh so important academy."
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:36 pm
"You're...you're wrong..!" Lumine was gripping her hat tightly now. Hearing this girl talk about her own mother like a stranger on the street was more than Lumine could take, and more importantly, it was more than Seijin deserved.
"It's true: She was always busy, always doing something for her work. But she was always there when we asked! She trained Maemi, and she even trained me a bit whenever she had time. Master Kazuko doesn't deserve to be spoken of like she was just your neighbor!" The painful memories of Seijin's passing were still fresh in the Celestial's mind. Tears fell from her eyes, dripping onto the hat she held to tightly.
Suddenly, Lumine jumped up from her seat on the couch, turning to Michiko with tear and anger filled eyes. "She was your mom! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!" The subject was particularly touchy for her. Lumine came into this world alone, without a mother, father or sibling to speak of, and in a place where no one truly cared about one another. It wasn't until she met Maemi and Seijin that she felt like she had a family, people to share her life with through both the good and the bad. To see this woman, this Michiko, taking for granted what Lumine desperately searched for, angered her greatly.
"Master Kazuko loved you! She was just afraid!" Lumine lifted the flap of the messenger bag, searching through its contents for the diary and the picture within. "She couldn't have been ashamed of you! M..Master Kazuko wasn't like that...!" Despite her anger, turning her head to find the diary drew Lumine's nose closer to the tunic she wore. It still carried Seijin's scent.
Lumine paused all movement. Her shoulders slumped and her body shook, her face twisted in emotional anguish. Once more she began to weep for Seijin's passing.
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:08 pm
The wolf tengu watched as Lumine exploded, still calm and collected she was polite enough to wait for this celestial to usher into her tears. Michiko sighed, unsure of what to say to make her feel better. The hermit cleared her throat before speaking once more," They say, that sometimes it is what you don't say that matters the most."
"Have you stopped to think of why I talk the way I do? I never had my mother to be with me when I was just a tengu pup, she was always working. Back when her instruction was an eight to ten hour shift in regular classes. You met Seijin when she had stopped teaching and returned to it, most likely. I was there back when warrior held even more glory, more prestige, more responsibilities."
"As well, have you stopped to consider that perhaps me leaving made her realize she needed to be more diligent about expressing her true interest in others?"
She stood,"My mother was a born guard, she had an honorable story. I never said she was a bad person, no she was an exceptional sentient being. What I say is; I had no attachment to her."
"As you can tell, I am nothing like my mother. She was a warrior, I detested the idea of that. Wherever I was in the village, I was expected to be just like her. If she was such a brave warrior she should have never been afraid of saying it."
The tengu hesitated, pondering on some way of making Lumine feel better. She walked around the table scooping up an apple, taking Lumine's hand and placing it there. She held the gesture, her hand over the celestial's,"No, my mother was an excellent person. She was always warm and caring to anyone, I'd be a fool not to recognize that. We never clicked, that is all. I am glad to see she found someone to be a mother of who appreciated her more than any other of her students."
Was this her way of Thanking Lumine for making Seijin happy in her absence?
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:33 am
Slowly, Lumine relaxed from listening to Michiko speak. Her fingers inside the messenger bag found the diary, and in turn, the picture within. She withdrew the diary, holding it in the off hand as Michiko gave her the apple.
"Even warriors get scared sometimes..."
Without warning, Lumine took a step forward, wrapping her arms around Michiko's body, under her arms, and resting her chin on her shoulder. The hug was improper, to say the least, but the Celestial obviously had her reasons.
"I'm sorry..." she said, a few tears still falling from her eyes. "...but Master Kazuko was a great person. She... was the only one...I had left..."
Lumine pulled away from the hug after a moment, smiling at Michiko through her sadness. "Master Kazuko always wore a smile, even if I got in trouble. Never once did she get angry, or upset..." In return for the apple, which she placed into the messenger's bag, Lumine handed Michiko Seijin's diary. "I didn't get a chance to read much of it... but I hope there's something in there that's useful to you. And...even if you didn't like her much, you should still have something of your mother's to remember her by. After all, without her, you wouldn't be here at all..."
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:49 pm
The wolf jumped a bit as Lumine hugged her in such an odd and inadequate way. Michiko hesitated, ears perked and tail stiff. A lonely hermit, she was more than unused to any sort of interaction, much less of touch. She awkwardly patted Lumine's back, hesitating to do even that.
Michiko looked blankly at the diary before moving to open the book carefully, for the first time showing some warmth as she flipped carefully through,"I never knew my mother kept a journal, much less write..."
It was a small window to something the daughter had ignored of her mother. A advocate of literature, Michiko never thought Seijin could be capable of anything like this; it was surprising to say the least.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:41 am
Lumine stared heavily at the diary as Michiko flipped through its pages. Something inside her didn't want to part with the book, but she also knew that she wasn't its rightful owner.
"Take care of that diary. I don't know what the Academy is planning on doing with Master Kazuko's home, or what's inside, but I doubt they'll remain untouched for long. To be honest, I probably shouldn't have taken what I did..." Lumine placed a hand upon her chest, feeling the soft fabric of Seijin's tunic. "But... I wanted mementos from my family before I left the village for good. They're all I really have left..."
She looked up to Michiko, smiling again. "I guess, if you feel entitled to whatever your mother has left behind, then you should go back to the village before they get rid of everything. Aside from what belongs to the Academy, Master Kazuko also had quite the collection of texts and other paperwork there. Oh! That reminds me, I took one more thing before I left..."
Lumine reached back into the messenger's bag, retrieving a thin, rectangular object wrapped in soft cloth. She held it in both hands, staring at the item for a moment. "I...I hope you don't feel like I was stealing from your mother. But there are some things that can't be replaced." Lumine lifted one side of the cloth, revealing the photograph that once sat beside Seijin's bed, the one depicting a young Michiko and her parents side-by-side. "I want you to have this, too...i-if you won't accept it from your mother, then accept it as a gift from me."
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:16 am
Michiko pondered on it, it'd be a waste to let them get rid of her mother's things, giving she probably had a large collection of things that would interest even her daughter, though it felt hypocritical to now return to the village feelijg entitled to anything. "Do no worry, if anyone was entitled to any of Seijin's possessions , that was you."
"I feel as if I wrong by stepping back in the village now of all times... But In any event, I must still pay my respects to Seijin, as she was my mother." The tengu quietly set down the journal on the table,"It will be the first time I step in the village on ages, but as they say, there is always a first time for anything."
Michiko looked as Lumine retrieved a last item that seemed to have been wrapped in soft material. When Lumine exposed the item to the light, Michiko brought a hand to her mouth, concealing a small gasp. She remembered taking this photo, she would have never thought Seijin would have kept it. It was probably one of the only pictures that depicted the Kazuko Family together. "Oh...." She muttered afterwards, not quite reaching for the framed picture.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:44 pm
Lumine's smile widened at Michiko's reaction. "Go ahead, you can have it! If I kept it with me, it might get broken, or lost... I'd sleep better knowing it was safe in your hands instead." She held the picture further out, offering it to Michiko. "And...I think Master Kazuko would like that. If you came to visit her, I mean. I didn't...I didn't attend her funeral, but I know she was buried near my...friend... high in the mountain, past the village."
Lumine stared long and hard at the picture in its frame, still partially wrapped in the soft cloth like a newborn child. "...You know, this photo must have meant a lot to your momma. It was by her bedside for as long as I can remember, and probably much longer. S...So please!" Lumine nearly pressed the object into Michiko's chest. Tears had begun to well up in the corners of her eyes once more. "Please take it... Don't let her memory fade... Pictures...can't be..replaced..!"
A thought had occurred to the Celestial, one far too late to be of any good. She didn't have a picture of Maemi, and had never even considered to make a sketch of her either. Perhaps she truly thought the Tengu would be there forever? This thought pained her deeply, for she couldn't help but fear that, one day, she may forget Maemi's face...
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:36 am
Michiko reacted when the object was pretty much pressed to herself, bringing her hands up to grab it. She hesitated, holding it to her chest, close to her heart, before moving around Lumine. There was stray nail on the wall, if she remembered right. Finding it, all it took was the wolf tengu's hand reshaping it by pushing it. That done, she hanged the picture from there; it was the first decoration on the walls. "I should visit her then, as well as visit father.... I have not been to the Village in ages."
"I don't think I could have attended her burial either, too many would have questioned who I was to stand in line with those who lived with her." Or perhaps she would have questioned herself," Your friend, Maemi was it?.... Was she friends with Seijin as well? It seems you two were close to her."
The wolf didn't feel awkward with Lumine in her home anymore, in any event, the celestial was the only visitor she had had in a while, not counting the earth rabbit that had strayed from the Bamboo Forest of The Lost and now lived not far from her. The point being, Lumine was the first real guest. "Would you like some tea?" She said,"I am sure your journey was a long one."
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:50 am
Somehow, Michiko accepting the picture made her feel better, calming her considerably. She sniffled a little bit, wiping the corners of her eyes on the back of her glove.
"Y..yeah. Maemi was her student. But, like I said, Master Kazuko always treated us like we were family. She spent a lot of time with Maemi, training her to suit her family's image. But, that wasn't all..." Lumine turned to look at the Nodachi, resting against the wall, a silent sentinel and memory of the Tengu woman. "She didn't just guide her blade. She tried to help Maemi in her life, as well... See, she never wanted to be a member of the Guard; her family forced her into it. Master Kazuko tried to help her realize her dream of becoming a reporter, even when Maemi thought she couldn't. Sometimes I think their training sessions were spent mostly talking. Maybe you're right...Maybe you leaving woke something up inside Master Kazuko, making her realize she needed to focus on more than her job."
Something stuck with Lumine as she spoke; a hidden truth that she had subconsciously uncovered. Maemi's family had all but forced her to become a Guard Tengu, and uphold the family's tradition. If it wasn't for them, Maemi might still be here right now. A new-found hatred welled up in the Celestial for Maemi's family. It made her glad she stole the Nodachi from their home; they didn't deserve to keep it.
Michiko's offering of tea broke her from her thoughts. "Huh..? Tea? I don't know...I mean, I should probably get going soon. I don't want to be a burden to you, especially after all this..." Though in truth, the Celestial had no where to go now. Her only objective since leaving the Tengu Village was to deliver Seijin's diary and photograph to her daughter. Now, there really was nothing left for her. On top of that, chances were that by now, Maemi's family had discovered the Nodachi to be missing, and were perhaps looking for the thief? She couldn't let Michiko get involved with that.
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:38 pm
"Ah so the Nodachi is the Kenkau Ancient Blade," Michiko looked over," Your friend was a Kenkaku, no wonder she was a guard... Most traditions are meant to keep alive; a dishonor if they are not." The wolf tengu moved a bit closer to look a the large blade, hands behind her back,"If anything my mother taught me stuck to me was the list of the family treasures of the Tengu Village. The history of the tengu is the only story of interest I found my Mother and Father Teaching me...." She looked back at Lumine.
"No burden, really, visitors are rare, if you need rest, you may rest here." Michiko smiled back towards Lumine, walking around the table once more,"My home is small and humble, but if you ever find a need for shelter, the door is always open as you may have noticed...."
" The Kenkaku are particularly strict... The elite of the elite, other families have long legacies of just names, but the arts of the nodachi have been the Kenkaku's call."
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:37 am
"Thank you, Michiko."
Lumine watched the Wolf Tengu as she inspected Maemi's Nodachi. She was quite protective of the weapon, but even then, she knew Michiko wouldn't do anything to harm it. "Yeah...I never liked Maemi's family. They were always on her back about her training, but at the same time, they were never there for her. I think that's why her and Master Kazuko were so close; it was because she cared." She walked over to the blade, standing beside Michiko. "To be honest... I took this from their mansion last night before I left the village. I used to sneak in all the time to see Maemi when she was there... Hehe, you'd think such a 'grand' family of guardsmen would have better security?"
Lumine reached out to grasp the sword by its sheath, moving it around to her back and fastening it once again. The straps were uncomfortable, her lack of discipline in bearing its weight meant that it cut into her shoulder and chest, making it a bit painful for the inexperienced wielder. She didn't mind, though, and wore it with both pride and remorse.
"Thank you again for your hospitality, Michiko. I promise to come back to visit you sometime! Um, before I go..." She patted the messenger's bag at her hip. It was now empty, save for an inkwell and quill, its contents successfully given to their owner. "Would you happen to have any spare parchment paper I could have? I want to write a letter to someone."
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:15 pm
The hermit bowed her head in a 'your welcome' gesture.
Michiko laughed,"What a shame upon their heads. To have lost their relic to a 'thief' when they are such pridefilled guards!" She smiled a bit as Lumine shifted the nodachi onto herself."People are only half as good as they think, as a generalization."
She watched as Lumine patted the bag,"Ah, Parchment? Of course of course...." The wolf tengu disappeared towards her room, and returned with a nice arm load of parchment paper. "Here you go. You can keep the rest, if every you need it."
"You will be welcomed here any time, so do not hesitate to come around if you ever find the need of anything." Michiko added.
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:14 am
I discovered something about Master Kazuko that I had never known. She had a child, who's now a young woman named Kazuko Michiko. I met her after Master Kazuko passed. She's really quiet, and I don't think she likes people that much... but even so, she's really nice. I think you two would have gotten along well! Here, I'll draw a map in case you ever want to find her someday... That way you'll never lose your way.~ ~ ~ "People are only half as good as they think.""... ...Yeah...I think you're right." The Nodachi's weight was... painful. Lumine happily accepted the paper, bowing her head as she took it from Michiko's grasp. "Thanks a bunch! This will really come in handy. I don't think I'll need any more for a long time~" She said, shuffling through the stack she had received. With care so as to avoid tearing or bending pages, Lumine stuffed the parchment paper into the messenger's bag, content with the knowledge that it would supply her for quite some time. "Hey... next time I come by, I want you to tell me if you found anything interesting in that diary, okay?" The Celestial gave Michiko her trademark cheeky grin, "I'll see you soon~" and left her residence. ... ... Night had fallen in the Forest of Magic. Although Lumine had left Michoko's home, she hadn't strayed far. She sat alone, curled up against a tree, with Maemi's Nodachi resting between her legs and against one shoulder. The night was cold, and silent, save for the low hum of insects as they went about their nocturnal duty. Lumine didn't want to be a burden to anybody else, or perhaps, she was afraid to open up again. Michiko seemed content with her life thus far; the last thing she needed was to be pestered...by some stupid Celestial... Tears fell, splashing across the Nodachi's sheath. This would be the first night Lumine has spent alone in ages.
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