(no subject)

[shamisens]

Who: Kubo and You
Broadcast: Video
Action: SS Marsiva
When:

[ Kubo wakes up with a jerk, fumbling around before he realizes it's not dark. The fire isn't lit and — this wasn't the cave he grew up in. Groping around, Kubo felt the solid presence of his shamisen, the two strings intact and breathes a sigh of relief. Then he carefully slips off the bed, slinging it over his back. With his one eye, he looked around. And pinches himself. ]

Okay. Not dead. Where am I? This isn't the Heavens . . . is it?

[ He had been sure everything had been settled, but Kubo hadn't exactly had time to learn the exact nature of what lingers above. ]

Comments

[ahappylie]

There are people here who aren't part of the Fleet. This station is like a large inn, the size of a city, so many families are traveling through and staying here. The parents often want to go out on their own and leave their children in temporary custody of the station.

[Which is odd to him, but he supposes that travel restrictions are much looser in the future.]

So I became - or am, for now - a babysitter until the Fleet moves on.

[shamisens]

That sounds boring.

[ Who would even do that? ]

Why couldn't they just take them?

[ahappylie]

[Okita bursts out laughing. He is always surprised by how blunt young people can be.]

I suppose because they want a little time away.

[shamisens]

What for?

[ahappylie]

[Oh no, OH NO. He can't stop himself from giggling. He's sorry, Kubo, he really is.]

For things you'll understand when you are older, perhaps.

[shamisens]

[ His one eye narrows. ]

Is it something gross?

[ahappylie]

I'm not telling~

[Because he is 100% a mature adult.]

[shamisens]

Definitely gross then.

[ahappylie]

[Pfft, kiddo, you have no idea.]

If you call gambling and going to something called a "spa" gross, then yes.

[shamisens]

That seems like a waste.

[ahappylie]

It likely is. These people seem to have no shortage of money and yet an overabundance of everything else.

But I do earn a lot of money for keeping their children for them, so I don't mind. I've never been allowed to earn money by myself before.

[shamisens]

[ Huh. That makes him wonder if Soujirou is a lord of some sort - who gets his allowance elsewhere. ]

I've never had that much before.

[ahappylie]

When I was young, neither did I. Perhaps one day you will succeed your father as Lord of the Beetle Clan, hmm?

[shamisens]

. . . I don't think that's going to happen.

[ahappylie]

[Ah... Not a good topic. He regrets bringing it up now.]

Ah, I'm sorry, Kubo-kun. But your story is long from over yet. Your future may still hold many adventures.

[shamisens]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if it was quiet for a year or so.

[ He had some intense adventures of late. ]

[ahappylie]

Did something happen recently?

[Because it certainly sounds like it did.]

[shamisens]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I . . . don't want to talk about it. Not yet.

[ahappylie]

I understand. If there comes a time you need someone to listen, I'll be there.

[shamisens]

[ He nods slowly. Kubo doesn't know if he'll take Soujirou up on that offer, but he'll consider it. ]

[ahappylie]

[He's quiet and watches Kubo for a moment or two. Whatever happened left this boy with a scar deeper than anything physical. He's still reeling from it, so pushing him would be unwise. However, leaving him with those thoughts swirling in his head would just be cruel.]

Would you like to hear a story then? I'm not very good, but it's a cute one.

[shamisens]

[ He perks up at that. ]

Sure.

1/?

[ahappylie]

[He smiles a bit and rolls his head to one side thinking.]

Well, this is the story of a little pig and his family. A long time ago, there was a little pig and his family of many brothers and sisters. They were being raised for food, but they were well cared for by the people who owned them. The pigs wanted for nothing, but always there was the danger that if they grew too big too fast, they would disappear from their family.

[ahappylie]

The littlest pig wasn't very friendly and he wasn't even very well liked in his family. He was always grumpy and biting and fighting with his brothers and sisters. They would often push him out of the way for food and he would nip at their heels and their tails.

[He imitates a fighting match between the pigs with his hands, tossing up fox ears and faces with his fingers rather than pigs because how do you even do hand puppet pigs??]

However, the littlest pig had something none of his brothers and sisters had - knowledge. Every day when they pushed him away for food, he would break out of their sty and run rampant through the farm, destroying and eating whatever he could.

[One pig hand puppet puffs up and runs off, zooming across the screen and mimicking tossing things into the air.]

[ahappylie]

He would always get caught by his owners, picked up [Here he uses his other hand to nip the pig hand and drag it back across the screen.], and put back into his sty.

One day on one of his rampages, the littlest pig saw his owners take his biggest sibling and eat him. He realized then and there what danger they were all in and tried to warn his brothers and sisters.

But they would not listen. The food was too delicious and they did not care what happened to their siblings as long as they had more to eat.