Daiba-chan is very kind that way. I'm sure she was happy to help. [Kaoru likes Nana quite a bit, it's fine. But there's a bow of his head as a thank you. He doesn't begin eating right away because he's going to be polite and let Lili start first. On the other hand, his eyes drift back to the arrangement.]
Thanks. [He'd leave it at that, but...Lili made soup and Kaoru made an arrangement and he's not dense enough to realize why they both did busywork with their hands.] Our grandmother is a highly renowned ikebana artist...Hikaru and I didn't really have an interest when we were younger, but I think we thought we could do it better. She would always tell us that she was a master at flower arrangements but we never saw it. We thought she was making it up. [A half-smile.]
...but it's art. When they're well done, it can be the most beautiful thing. [And that's why there's just a hint of beauty in the face of tragedy, because Kaoru actually doesn't know what else to do right now.]
[well. lili has no issue with starting first, because she doesn't think kaoru is above her in any kind of hierarchy. so she'll take the bowl of miso soup in her hands and drink from it even as she listens to his explanation.]
... my tribe possesses the most beautiful lands in the entire kingdom. [she sounds very proud, and also very certain of this] Due to the amount of rain that we get, there are always a plentiful amount of flowers abound. Protecting the loveliness of the scenery has always been important to my family.
[and she'll just look back at the ikebana before nodding once]
[That's fine, once she starts he'll also take his bowl of soup to sip. He's also listening because she certainly sounds regal when she speaks like this. It's nothing he isn't used to, but he does wonder what her kingdom really looks like.]
It's not a terrible thing to hold of importance. Home isn't anything like that, but we find different ways to capture beauty. [A glance at the ikebana.] Looking at it, I say that but somehow I still feel a little silly creating something like this.
[People are dead.] But moving forward seems like our only option right now.
[she challenges him almost immediately - even though it's not particularly biting.]
... it's not wrong, to try to find beauty. It's those positive things, the memories of home or people that are dear... that drive people to move forward anyway.
If anyone tells you that it's silly, I'll deal with them.
[why does she act like she's some skilled fighter she's barely 5 feet]
[It's a little funny to think of Lili actually dealing with someone should they be mean to him, but simultaneously she reminds him a little of someone who would probably say the same thing.
Well. That's a messed up thought. Let's ignore that.]
I agree with you. Naturally I do, but there will always be people that think the best way to help is to actively participate in the search for answers and get my hands dirty. I'm not opposed, but...things like this don't happen where I'm from.
[Or they do and he's so far embedded in aristocracy that he doesn't notice.]
[well, she honestly has an oddly prepared answer for that. she looks at her miso soup and frowns]
Good.
They shouldn't happen anywhere.
[she's so damn stubborn - but at least it's in the direction of fairness, of peace, of wanting every world to be like kaoru's. she glances back up at him and frowns]
... maybe it makes you less prepared to deal with things like this, but your perspective is important, you know. To be able to balance against others, and look at things a different way.
It's not like you're actively getting in anyone's way. If this is what comes naturally to you... then it's fine, even if it's just for now.
[That's oddly serious and it's why he stops drinking his soup and looks at her from over the rim of the bowl, hanging on to every word.]
...you realize I also don't know how to fight. Or use my powers. [He's highly aware he's a detriment, but he's casual about it at least outwardly.] ...there are others I'm worried about, too, that are in similar situations. People who won't be able to hold on to that perspective. How do we help them?
You don't have to. I won't lie that it'd be easier if you got a better grip on either of those but...
I'll protect you.
[she doesn't stumble over the words, no matter how honestly embarrassing they sound? but she already decided this a while ago, when she realized that kaoru was a fairly normal citizen. lili's seen some shit, which makes her feel less inclined to put herself in the same category.
anyway.]
Don't allow those people to fall into despair. Maybe it's easier said than done... but even in a place like this, there are things to do.
[Is he a little embarrassed he has to be protected by a princess? Eh. She seems to have a better grasp on the situation so it makes sense. He sort of just stares at her though because he's woefully out of his depth here but...he's grateful.
But fuck saying that?]
Then I suppose you'll have to help me remind people of that. I can't do that by myself.
[ . . . well. she looks thoughtful for a moment - once someone told her that just by being herself, by being a girl who refused to quit even when facing her death, that was enough to inspire others.
someone once called her a savior.
she'll just move to sigh faintly before meeting his gaze]
... I know I'm stubborn, if nothing else.
If it's just not letting people give up... even I can do something like that.
I don't think there's really anything wrong with being stubborn. It's funny sometimes, but it's needed. We're not going to get anything done otherwise.
[And sometimes he's a little too laid-back and he knows that. He's a driven person in his own right and he does as he wants, but he's also aware that sometimes he's more of a follower than a leader.]
The kingdom of Kouka is ruled by one sovereign king - however it is made up of four tribes. Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. It's not unlike the sectioning of elements here. Each tribe has its own territory and Head that governs, and the Water Tribe is home to the most beautiful lands in all of Kouka. We also complete a large amount of the trade.
[a pause]
Mm... though I suppose I did get banned from the capitol recently.
[Yeah, suddenly a lot of things about Lili make a lot of sense. He notices that the layout of Kouka is similar to this and he's glad he doesn't have to be the one to point it out. In the end, he listens to her and takes note of how she speaks.
This still isn't his first time speaking with royalty, but it's nevertheless something worth paying attention to.
And then she says. That. And he pauses.]
...you suppose you were banned? Dare I ask what you did?
I stole the Seal of the Water Tribe - [which is also sitting in a box off to the side haha] - in order to mobilize the soldiers to ward off some traders who were bringing a drug into my lands. They wouldn't have moved due to their loyalty to my father, but the Seal essentially represents ultimate authority...
Even though you were only doing what was right to protect your land your father banned you from your own home? [The fuck.] That sounds...backwards, really. Shouldn't he have been thanking you? And if you still had the Seal after that wouldn't the soldiers continue to listen to you?
But that old man is stupid and backwards. It's his fault that our lands ended up overrun with drugs anyway. It's annoying that I'm not able to return home but...
Wouldn't it have been more satisfying to overthrow him at some point then? It sort of sounds like...I don't know. [...maybe he should keep his thoughts to himself.]
Do you miss it at all? The water kingdom or whatever.
I still don't believe you shouldn't be allowed back. [This is still bullshit, basically.] And besides, who will take over then when he dies if not you?
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Daiba-chan is very kind that way. I'm sure she was happy to help. [Kaoru likes Nana quite a bit, it's fine. But there's a bow of his head as a thank you. He doesn't begin eating right away because he's going to be polite and let Lili start first. On the other hand, his eyes drift back to the arrangement.]
Thanks. [He'd leave it at that, but...Lili made soup and Kaoru made an arrangement and he's not dense enough to realize why they both did busywork with their hands.] Our grandmother is a highly renowned ikebana artist...Hikaru and I didn't really have an interest when we were younger, but I think we thought we could do it better. She would always tell us that she was a master at flower arrangements but we never saw it. We thought she was making it up. [A half-smile.]
...but it's art. When they're well done, it can be the most beautiful thing. [And that's why there's just a hint of beauty in the face of tragedy, because Kaoru actually doesn't know what else to do right now.]
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... my tribe possesses the most beautiful lands in the entire kingdom. [she sounds very proud, and also very certain of this] Due to the amount of rain that we get, there are always a plentiful amount of flowers abound. Protecting the loveliness of the scenery has always been important to my family.
[and she'll just look back at the ikebana before nodding once]
Looking at this reminds me of that.
You've done well to capture its grace.
[just objectively speaking]
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It's not a terrible thing to hold of importance. Home isn't anything like that, but we find different ways to capture beauty. [A glance at the ikebana.] Looking at it, I say that but somehow I still feel a little silly creating something like this.
[People are dead.] But moving forward seems like our only option right now.
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[she challenges him almost immediately - even though it's not particularly biting.]
... it's not wrong, to try to find beauty. It's those positive things, the memories of home or people that are dear... that drive people to move forward anyway.
If anyone tells you that it's silly, I'll deal with them.
[why does she act like she's some skilled fighter she's barely 5 feet]
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Well. That's a messed up thought. Let's ignore that.]
I agree with you. Naturally I do, but there will always be people that think the best way to help is to actively participate in the search for answers and get my hands dirty. I'm not opposed, but...things like this don't happen where I'm from.
[Or they do and he's so far embedded in aristocracy that he doesn't notice.]
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Good.
They shouldn't happen anywhere.
[she's so damn stubborn - but at least it's in the direction of fairness, of peace, of wanting every world to be like kaoru's. she glances back up at him and frowns]
... maybe it makes you less prepared to deal with things like this, but your perspective is important, you know. To be able to balance against others, and look at things a different way.
It's not like you're actively getting in anyone's way. If this is what comes naturally to you... then it's fine, even if it's just for now.
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...you realize I also don't know how to fight. Or use my powers. [He's highly aware he's a detriment, but he's casual about it at least outwardly.] ...there are others I'm worried about, too, that are in similar situations. People who won't be able to hold on to that perspective. How do we help them?
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I'll protect you.
[she doesn't stumble over the words, no matter how honestly embarrassing they sound? but she already decided this a while ago, when she realized that kaoru was a fairly normal citizen. lili's seen some shit, which makes her feel less inclined to put herself in the same category.
anyway.]
Don't allow those people to fall into despair. Maybe it's easier said than done... but even in a place like this, there are things to do.
No one is truly powerless.
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But fuck saying that?]
Then I suppose you'll have to help me remind people of that. I can't do that by myself.
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someone once called her a savior.
she'll just move to sigh faintly before meeting his gaze]
... I know I'm stubborn, if nothing else.
If it's just not letting people give up... even I can do something like that.
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[And sometimes he's a little too laid-back and he knows that. He's a driven person in his own right and he does as he wants, but he's also aware that sometimes he's more of a follower than a leader.]
Maybe that's why you're really here.
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[she parrots that a little dubiously]
What - like I actually have a purpose in this stupid set-up?
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I'm not delusional enough to think that there's anything more important about me than anyone else - except maybe my bloodline.
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[ . . . mmmm. okay, she'll explain more.]
The kingdom of Kouka is ruled by one sovereign king - however it is made up of four tribes. Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. It's not unlike the sectioning of elements here. Each tribe has its own territory and Head that governs, and the Water Tribe is home to the most beautiful lands in all of Kouka. We also complete a large amount of the trade.
[a pause]
Mm... though I suppose I did get banned from the capitol recently.
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This still isn't his first time speaking with royalty, but it's nevertheless something worth paying attention to.
And then she says. That. And he pauses.]
...you suppose you were banned? Dare I ask what you did?
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I stole the Seal of the Water Tribe - [which is also sitting in a box off to the side haha] - in order to mobilize the soldiers to ward off some traders who were bringing a drug into my lands. They wouldn't have moved due to their loyalty to my father, but the Seal essentially represents ultimate authority...
So I forced them to listen to me.
And then Father kicked me out.
[it's uh
fine]
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Even though you were only doing what was right to protect your land your father banned you from your own home? [The fuck.] That sounds...backwards, really. Shouldn't he have been thanking you? And if you still had the Seal after that wouldn't the soldiers continue to listen to you?
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[THE MORAL CENTER APPEARS AGAIN]
But that old man is stupid and backwards. It's his fault that our lands ended up overrun with drugs anyway. It's annoying that I'm not able to return home but...
[she shakes her head]
I prefer the freedom anyway.
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Do you miss it at all? The water kingdom or whatever.
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[it's an innate sort of pride, a belief that she needs to protect them. even if she hasn't seen much of the world...
it's hers to look after]
Overthrowing my father... may be more trouble than its worth. It probably wouldn't sit well with the other generals or the king if I tried.
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So I hope whoever it is is at least easy to manipulate.
[marrying for love is a little out of the question for her]
He'll have to let me back in eventually.... just not for a while, probably. Not until it's convenient for him.
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