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 Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
“So you actually understand the signs?” Noelani found herself asking with a slight flush as she walked with Nanami through the market, the hybrid having joined up with the other girl to shop now that they had gotten to know each other after the kapu incident. “The different names are very confusing to me but I’ve been trying in the weeks that I’ve explored Kahi with a friend.” She picked up a few more of the herbs that smelled pleasant, the strangeness of the writing on the sign next to them confusing her.
[Noelani 1]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
“Mmmhmm.” Nanami chuckled. “Obviously everyone knows the common languages, but each area has its own dialect and language which my family had me study when I was growing up. I’m quite the scholar you know.” She wasn’t always one to brag, but even Ami liked to express how much she did know especially when she looked over Noelani’s shoulder towards the sign. “Brahmi is good for stress, especially if you have anxiety about sailing and stomach issues with it.”
[Nanami 1]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
“That’s helpful.” Noelani gave her new friend a smile as she picked at the Brahmi. “I don’t have any anxiety from sailing though since I love doing it. What about this one?” She gestured towards some strange silvery green plants, eager to see what her translator had to see about this one. Before Nanami had helped her out Noelani had gotten…or at least she had thought she had gotten into an argument with an older Kahi who it turned out was trying to get her to take a trade for a bracelet she was wearing made out of rare pearls found back home in Matori. Thankfully Ami had saved Noelani from the awkwardness of the situation and so now Noelani was fully relying upon her help shopping while also giving her tips about Matori and the other lands, including their version of common languages.
[Noelani 2]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
“That’s curry.” Ami offered with a slight shrug. “Unless you’re trying to attract a lover…well it’s just a nice smelling herb.” She smirked towards Noelani before frowning at her companion’s confused expression. “Do you not use such things for dating? I cannot believe that you would never have been in a romantic situation before.” Even Ami had some experience with romance, even if it had been short lived as an arranged marriage that she had ended up declining! Surely Noelani, who was so lovely, wasn't without any lovers, right?
[Nanami 2]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
“N-no!” Noelani quickly shook her head, her cheeks darkening at the accusation especially since she was completely innocent of romance in her life. “I uh…am not confused about the romance aspect….I mean I understand that fragrances can help attract….well it’s nice to smell nice.” She managed as she stumbled over her words, her embarrassment making her more flustered before she quickly shook her head and placed the herb back. “Curry in my language is a type of meal. It’s spicy or can be sweet or both in a thick sauce that is poured over rice. You have vegetables and meat or only vegetables mixed up and cooked in the sauce…it's truly amazing, but definitely not an herb used to attract lovers.”
[Noelani 3]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
Ami blinked and blinked some more before laughing. “Oh! I see.” She raised a hand to cover her lips, a failed attempt to try to hide her amusement at her friend’s flustered reaction. So curry was a meal back in Matori? How funny! “We have something similar made out of masala which we pour over diced root vegetables and rice. But you call it curry. It would be amusing to try to wear curry like others wear our curry around their necks whenever they make floral necklaces during summer festivals.”
[Nanami 3]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:41 pm
Noelani shook her head, her flush only growing at the very idea of someone splashing curry on their clothing because of the misunderstanding. Not that she would actually do such a thing, but talk about being confused if someone asked her if she wanted to wear curry as a necklace! “They do like to say that food works its way into the heart.” She did offer after a moment as her embarrassment turned into amusement. “I wouldn’t know though since I’m very romantically inexperienced.”
[Noelani 4]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
“Romantically inexperienced.” Repeated Nanami as she translated the words into her mind, the languages sometimes getting a bit confusing even though she had worked hard to study various ones since her youngling years. “So you’ve never had love?” She repeated with a slight frown towards the hybrid, the array of herbs hanging around them temporarily forgotten in her confusion. “That’s hard to believe since you’re so sweet and pretty.”
[Nanami 4]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
Oh, why had she said such a thing? Even if Nanami still struggled with some aspects of the language, it was fairly obvious that she could grasp Noelani’s words! Just the very thought of her inexperience with romance had the hybrid glancing away sheepishly. “I was raised alone so I never had the chance to meet with others until recently. My only companion isn’t like that with me…but that’s fine because I’m focused on treasure hunting.” Noelani peeked back towards Nanami with a small smile. “I have plenty of time for romance later.” Who needed such a thing when there was a whole world to explore? “Thank you though for thinking such nice thoughts about me. I could easily say the same of you. Where is your romance?”
[Noelani 5]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
“I see.” Nanami frowned slightly. Was it different overseas? Had Noelani not received the attention she deserved from others back home? Even here Ami could see others looking over towards them, some of the locals obviously appreciating Noelani and her bright smile as she shopped around in the market. “Treasures are nice, but I believe the heart is far more important.” She offered even though the thought was slightly hypocritical considering that she had given up a chance at love for her own desire to adventure. But did it count? As sweet as her proposed partner was, he was not someone that she had chosen for herself. The whole purpose of Ami leaving home was to find out what her own heart wanted, not to let others decide for her! “I’m always looking for romance, but I did not want to stay behind and have one forced upon me by my family. How could I know true love if I only took what was proposed to me without exploring the world first?”
[Nanami 5]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
“I see.” Noelani nodded. “I suppose in that sense love is a universal language for us. We both want to find someone, but we also want to find them along our adventures in a way that fits us.” She smiled shyly and tucked back a stray curl. “My grandmother would say chamdoen salang which is true love.” Even if Noelani still struggled a lot with navigating the local areas, the language barrier hindering her shopping until she ran into Ami who acted as translator, the concept of love seemed to be the same no matter where Noelani went. It was up to the heart to connect and to form that bridge for passion, not for others to force something that was simply not meant to be. If love was there then they would preserve no matter what the odds were, no matter how many others were against them. Noelani nodded and kept that thought in her heart, recognizing the same gleam in Nanami’s gaze as she spoke of romance. It seemed that she had truly found a new friend who treasured romance like she secretly did.
[Noelani 6]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
“That’s lovely.” Nanami repeated the words quietly under her breath before smiling towards Noelani. “There’s so much about Matori’s language and customs that I would love to learn! Could I tag along with you for a little bit until our paths split again?” She didn’t know Noelani’s plans other than exploring and so far that wandering would work with Ami until she found Mina again. “I can keep helping you to translate things like curry.” She offered with a small teasing grin.
[Nanami 6]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
A laugh escaped Noelani’s lips. “As long as you keep me from accidentally dumping curry on me instead of the plant, I’ll gladly take the help.” She nudged Ami playfully before reaching out towards more plants growing in little ceramic pots with yet another sign in the strange language that Noelani didn’t understand. “What about these? They smell lovely so I may pick up a few if they’re actually helpful.” Or even if they simply smelled good then Noelani could put them into her cabin on the ship. It would be nice to wake up to something that simply just…the lingering smell was nice. She truly didn’t know how to express it and found herself glancing over towards Ami, ready to keep asking questions about things that she couldn’t understand while they wandered the market.
[Noelani 7]
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:42 pm
Ami couldn’t help but to laugh when Noelani did. “It’s called Patchouli.” She expressed as she handed over some currency to the merchant and helped Noelani tuck it into a basket for carrying back. “You can make it into oils for your skin and hair.” A sly expression crossed her features as she peeked back towards Noelani as they continued along through the market, the urge to tease her companion to watch her reaction so strong. “It’s also known as an aphrodisiac, something you seem fairly good at picking out.” Just seeing the slow realization of her words, the flush on Noelani’s cheeks was enough to make Ami laugh before she continued guiding her friend through the rest of the market.
[Nanami 7]
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