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]

[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?

[mistyday]

I miss my music and I miss being in nature... all this metal and wires freaks me out sometimes, even if I do like gettin' to travel.

[She sighs.]

I miss Cordelia and Zoe too but everyone else? I'm better off without them.

[therewerefifty]

The metal and wires are also a little disconcerting for me. [She tries not to pay them too much attention, but in all fairness standard modern technology was just as alien to her as the spaceships.]

They say we stop on different worlds from time to time. I hope that means we can get some fresh air, too. Perhaps you'll get a chance to spend time in such places.

[I'm better off without them sounds a forthright thing to say as much as it is lonely. She understands.]

[mistyday]

Souji told me the last place was just a giant ice planet, so I’m kinda glad we missed that one. Girls from the swamp don’t belong on the ice, that’s for sure. Wherever we go next, I hope it’s got some forests.

[therewerefifty]

A forest would be nice. I haven't seen one in some time.

...but I'd settle for being able to see the ocean again.

[mistyday]

Oh God me too, I miss the water real bad.

[therewerefifty]

There was a tiny beach in Adstringendum that was always warm and the air was fresh. I would sit on it for hours and just play.

I think I might miss that the most while I'm here.

[mistyday]

Ad... string... [What the hell kind of word is that anyway?] Adstringum. Where's that?

[therewerefifty]

Ah... it's the land I was staying in before I arrived here. Not my original home, but I suppose a place like this.

[mistyday]

Another place like this? You mean like aliens wantin' you on a tv show and everything?

[therewerefifty]

[She huffs a small laugh.] No, it was-- well, I think the only thing it had in common with this place was the odd selection of people from so many different worlds. But Adstringendum didn't take us on purpose.

Something went wrong and caused it to be very unstable, and people would sometimes just... fall through the cracks from different places. Landmarks, too.