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 Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 5:47 pm
The afternoon sun was shimmering along the pools of water. Beneath the crystal clear surface one could see layers upon layers of gently swaying seagrass, the blue and green colors almost merging together in harmony. “It’s almost too pretty for us to break up.” Murmured Noelani in protest as she glanced towards Nanami who had convinced her to participate in the village’s local harvest. Both girls had sickles in hand and woven baskets banged against either of Noelani’s hips as she walked forward. Apparently the grass was good for harvesting to craft baskets and such while the Kahi locals gathered things for the cooler months, preparing for when the larger groups of fish migrated away for a little bit. It wasn’t a harsh world like the winters she had heard about in the northern countries, but they still prepared for the changing of seasons as what grew here went away and was replaced with darker kelp during the slightly cooler months. It was a good reason to celebrate the ocean spirits as well since they would have a huge feast after the whole village gathered together to craft and gather what they could before things changed.
[Noelani 1]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“They’ll come back together in the future, they always do.” Promised Nanami as she picked up the sickle and started forward, the waters coming up to her calves as she waded into the pools. “Just like us.” She teased Noelani playfully before slicing through some of the grass and stuffing it into the woven baskets that she also was sporting on either hip. If only her mother could see her now! Doing what she would consider common work! The very thought brought bitter amusement to the kawena who continued forward, only wincing slightly whenever the bright sunlight truly reflected from the water and nearly blinded her.
[Nanami 1]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
A soft chuckle left Noelani’s lips at the teasing. “Just because we keep running into each other as I explore Kahi…” She started before noticing Nanami’s slip, the hybrid moving forward to help catch her friend before she tumbled into the grasses. “Careful.” She frowned slightly as she helped Nanami regain her footing, the waters cool against her exposed skin since both girls wore bare minimum to keep the waters from weighing them down. The shorts hugged her hips like her leather leggings but more of her skin was exposed with the much shorter material barely touching her upper thighs since she had needed to replace her clothing after being in the islands for longer than expected. Other than that Noelani wore a short top like most of the others, even sporting the traditional netting look with the woven beadwork to match. She flushed at the close contact with Ami, the kawena’s naturally cool skin a contrast to Noelani’s flushed body, before taking a step back and glancing over the other girl once more. “You okay?”
[Noelani 2]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“I am.” Ami nodded as she closed her eyes and tried to regain her bearings. “My home is a lot darker than this area so it’s been an…adjustment.” She offered the word with a soft laugh. “Thankfully my family exposed me to travel as I grew up when we had to venture into other nearby settlements so my eyes are better than most, but sometimes the glaring light can be a bit much.” She had crafted some visors to help with that but since she enjoyed watching Noelani’s reactions, the Kawena had opted to keep such things out of her face for the day while they worked together. Such a confession would surely cause her own cheeks to flush so the girl simply kept quiet about that fact before bending down to start cutting away at the seagrass.
[Nanami 2]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“Ah, I saw that your eyes are slightly different.” Noelani nodded. “My mother is the same. Aishans have solid eyes like you do, but green and black from what I’ve seen of them.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “My mother is Elaria so hers are a bright green and she despises how bright the sun can be at times even though she’ll look right back into the light whenever she’s determined to see something.” A chuckle left Noelani’s lips at the thought. How her father dealt with such a stubborn woman…well then again her father was just as stubborn. No wonder they made such a pair! How was it that she was so much gentler than either of them? Would things have been different if she had been raised mostly by them and less by her grandparents? Noelani shook her head before moving after Ami, her sickle cutting through the grasses as she followed along.
[Noelani 3]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
Interesting! “So you have your mother’s eye color, but not her eyes.” Nanami considered the possibility. “I never really saw a kawena hybrid but once before and I remember he had eyes like mine so I can’t even think of another one with my eye color but with like…hapuna eyes.” All of their races had different traits, but she had never truly pondered how different the foreigners could be. So far she had learned that there were Aishans and earthlings, Aishan blood being the reason that Noelani was taller than even Ami and almost as tall as some of the tallest Kahi races. Honestly she nearly forgot that Noelani was a stranger in the islands, especially since spending so much time together, and it was only the quick glances of other Kahi as they passed that reminded Ami that her friend was a foreigner not someone she met ages ago.
[Nanami 3]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“In all honesty I’ve never really met any other hybrids outside of Theriar and he’s similar to me with earthling eyes, but with Aishan traits like antenna and markings.” Expressed Noelani as she tugged at a particularly stubborn plant, the familiar vines an herb that Nanami had pointed out before. Surely that would be something that the Kahi would appreciate for the harvest! If not then she would keep it for her own medicine bag since the plant was good at making oils for burns and the like. “So it’s hard to imagine any Kahi hybrids…not that I would really know if I did run into one.” She admitted after a moment, realizing that she truly did not know what all the races looked like yet. Ami had been the most astonishing person that she had met yet with those dazzling eyes and even a horn!
[Noelani 4]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“Ah, I see.” Ami nodded, peeking towards Noelani. “So you’ve traveled with only one person so far?” She still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the pair making their way all the way to Kahi from Matori. The trip had seemed so dangerous, but maybe that was because Ami was still learning so much about traveling. It was strange to imagine others who could not swim like the Kahi and to think that they would take on the ocean…though Noelani basically swam like a Kahi from what Nanami had gathered. It honestly nearly tricked her into believing that the foreigner was actually from the islands!
[Nanami 4]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“Yep. I’ve been venturing out from the ship for things like this, but so far it’s just been the two of us.” Noelani offered with a small smile as she finally freed the plant and tucked it into the basket. “You’ve been the most consistent person that I keep running into since arriving other than him.” Not that Noelani minded since she was growing rather fond of Ami. The girl was similar to her with a sweet temperament despite her teasing and had a wealth of knowledge about the islands which Noelani appreciated.
[Noelani 5]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“And you’ve just been friends.” Nanami repeated with a shake of her head. Oddly though she wasn’t completely disappointed like she had been when she first heard the tale from Noelani. Would it have bothered her if Noelani was romantically involved? A frown crossed the Kawena's expression before she shook her head to clear the cluttered thoughts and confusing feelings. She just wanted everyone to find their true love as she hoped to one day do as well. That was all. “He must be blind.” She teased lightly before cutting through a patch of grass and quickly bundling it up. “If you grow tired then feel free to tag along with me more often. I’ll be wandering towards the docks since I plan on traveling further out in the near future.” Maybe she would even go to Matori? Would Noelani be there to greet her if so? Ami glanced towards Noelani before quickly looking away and focusing on a patch of new grass instead. Did it matter?
[Nanami 5]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 pm
“Mmhmm.” Noelani gave a slight shrug. “I don’t mind though since I’m more focused on adventuring.” She chuckled and made a face at the very thought of romance. She wasn’t someone to be like that, especially considering the circumstances! Still, Ami seemed oddly thoughtful and it nearly made Noelani question things before her next words caught Noelani by surprise. “Are you really?! If you do travel outside of Kahi then you must visit Matori! I plan on going home and then venturing into Oba to start trading all of the goods I find along the way. The markets there are amazing and I can help navigate you through them like you’ve helped me around these areas.”
[Noleani 6]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:36 pm
It was hard not to smile whenever her companion was that excited about the idea of traveling together. Ami nodded, her focus still on the grasses as she suddenly felt a bit shy, but there was definitely a smile on her lips as she continued harvesting the grasses. “I think that would be nice. I’m not certain if that’s where I will go, but if my friend ends up in Matori then surely I will run into you again. I have to track down Mina still.” No matter what she felt in the moment, Ami was not about to abandon Mina. Surely they would reconnect and start fighting for justice again! But it was hard to not peek back at Noelani as she continued cutting through the grasses, the kawena already hoping that the other girl would stay for the harvest meal.
[Nanami 6]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:36 pm
“Ah, I see.” Noelani nodded. “I truly hope you can find Mina soon.” She had heard snippets about Ami’s friend and while she understood the kawena’s priorities it would be a lie to say that her heart did not sink a little bit at the idea of not seeing Ami in Matori. Who knew if Noelani would be back in Kahi in the future after all? It was so far away from home…the very thought made a frown cross her lips as she kept focusing on harvesting the plants.
[Noelani 7]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:36 pm
“Thank you.” Ami smiled but her mind was far from Mina as she continued harvesting the grasses, a comfortable and thoughtful silence surrounding the pair as they worked hard and helped the others prepare for the harvest meal to be shared that evening. Who knew what the future held? Still, Ami could not help but to hope that it would definitely include another chance encounter with Noelani again.
[Nanami 7]
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