Windrose, where the wind blows

[tothefly]

Who: Windrose crew and you, distinguished visitors!
Broadcast: Naaah.
Action: Windrose, various points in the near vicinity
When: Until we get off this frozen rock

[On New Year's Day, the crew on board the Windrose and those nearby may notice the chill as the doors to the cargo bay are left open, and their captain making quite a bit of noise as she inspects their newly expanded home away from home. This is likely to go on for a while. Feel free to come investigate, chat among yourselves, complain about the cold, etc!]

Comments

[therewerefifty]

I will try it tonight. If it can help me get more sleep, I think I'd be happy with that.

[She hesitates, then looks a little rueful]

...I have nothing to offer in exchange. Not yet, anyway.

[mistyday]

Oh no, don't worry about that! I like healin' people... It's what I'm meant to do.

[therewerefifty]

[She'll find a way to repay you eventually; it's just the way Makie is. But for now, she smiles.]

I'm glad, then. That you have skills you enjoy using.

[mistyday]

Me too.

What about you? What are you good at?

[therewerefifty]

[Some things she hopes are kind of left by the wayside. But there is one thing-- she glances aside to where her shamisen is propped carefully against the wall.]

I play the shamisen. It's very relaxing, and people seem to enjoy it. Do you play any instruments?

[mistyday]

[Misty goes over to study the shamisen, though she's careful not to touch it. She's never heard of it before, much less seen one. Looks like some kinda weird banjo. She wonders if it sounds like it too.]

No one ever taught me, but I'd like to learn to play the guitar.

[She looks back up at Makie and smiles.]

Or the piano. Stevie knows how to play both.

[therewerefifty]

The piano...! I heard one, in Adstringendum. It was very beautiful. [She smiles.] I wonder if you'll find one here.

[She reaches out to lay fingers softly on the neck of the shamisen.] I've never played the guitar, but I understand these are similar instruments. Though the music is markedly different.

[mistyday]

[Eagerly.]

Would you play some for me?

[...]

I mean, if you're feeling up to it, of course. I'd love to hear it.

[therewerefifty]

[She never needs encouragement to play for others. Her smile grows warmer, and she nods.]

Certainly. It is a very melancholic instrument; I hope you don't mind. Were I healthier, I could sing to accompany it.

[But you miss out today. For now she sits awkwardly on the edge of her bed-- Makie isn't used to having such high furnishings, to be honest. But she wanders through the notes for a moment to make sure of its tuning, and then begins to play.]

[mistyday]

[Misty's fascination soon turns to rapture as she listens. After a minute or so she settles in on the ground, cross-legged at Makie's feet, and closes her eyes to soak in the music. When Makie finishes she claps enthusiastically.]

Oh that was beautiful!

[therewerefifty]

[She's far more relaxed at the end of the song than she was at the beginning, and Makie puts the shamisen aside with a peaceful expression.]

It is no guitar, I imagine. But if you enjoy the sound, I could teach you.

[She wouldn't offer normally, but this way she can give something in return for Misty's medicine.]

[mistyday]

Sounds more like a banjo. People play them all the time, in the bayou.

[Which is definitely a compliment. The shamisen makes her feel at home.]

You really wouldn’t mind teaching me?

[therewerefifty]

Not at all. [She wouldn't have offered, but she'd have been open to asking. She has the feeling Misty might have been too polite to do so. So Makie smiles.]

As I understand it, there won't be much to do at several points in our journey. It will help to fill in the time.

[mistyday]

Yeah, it's been pretty quiet around here since I arrived.

Not that I'm complainin' mind you. I like watchin' the stars.

[therewerefifty]

So do I. Though I must confess I've never watched them from this angle before.

[mistyday]

Me either. I never knew there were so many!

[therewerefifty]

Until now I didn't really know what they were, apart from... stars. [She's not educated, though she knew the stars weren't just twinkly lights in the sky. She hadn't even started real lessons on how to be a Proper Samurai Wife before she was disowned, and her mother certainly never taught her about astronomy.

The augments are good for something.] It's...kind of nice. To realise there are so many more things out there than I knew, back home.

[mistyday]

It is nice. And most of the things out here are way better than back there.

[therewerefifty]

[Makie lifts her head and gives Misty a look. It's a mix of understanding and compassionate. You too, huh.]

So far I've preferred travelling to home. I suspect I'm not the only one.

[mistyday]

You're definitely not. Though there's a lot of folks that want to go home... can't say I blame them, but I'm lookin' forward, not back.

[therewerefifty]

Likewise. Or... well.

I was in a place before this that also wasn't home, but many things about it were the same. I'd like to go back to that place, eventually. There's a child there that may miss me, otherwise.

Given the choice, however, I will never go back to Japan.

[mistyday]

[Misty sort of just… leans in towards Makie sympathetically, not quite touching her.]

Castle said time isn’t runnin’ the same there that it is here. I bet they won’t even have time to know you’re gone before you get back.

[News that was terrifying for her, but hopefully will be a comfort to Makie.]

[therewerefifty]

[Makie smiles.] I'd heard that. There are people here that I know who are from...further on than I am. I had never vanished. And they were able to tell me that I was... doing well.

[It makes her doubly determined to get back there. A happy ending sounds wonderful.]

But I don't mind being here in the meantime, as long as I am not missed. Even if I will miss others. I'll see them again.

[mistyday]

That sounds wonderful. You're lucky, to be going back to something nice and people who care about you.

[therewerefifty]

Lucky. And it's new. I never thought I'd have something like it. [It's a contented admission.

But after a moment, she glances at Misty.] Do you have... anything you miss?