(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

[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.

[ahappylie]

So the littlest pig hatched a devious plan.

The next day when his owners came to feed them, he burst forth from his sty and tore off across the compound. He upturned buckets. He pushed over staves. He rooted through the laundry. He did all the damage he could, which made the owners give chase.

The littlest pig was too fast for them and he led them on a long and tiring hunt for hours.

When the owners finally caught the little pig, they dragged him back to his pen and was surprised to find that all the other pigs were gone. They had wandered away during the chase and disappeared into the forest.

DONE

[ahappylie]

The owners searched and searched, but they couldn't find the other pigs. They had no choice but to give up and let the pigs live free.

When they realized what the littlest pig had done - sacrificing himself so his family could escape - they could not help but feel great respect for him. He had always been the smallest, angriest, meanest little pig, but in his heart he was full of love for everyone. They could no longer bring themselves to eat him. Instead, they fed him sweets and let moved him from the sty into their home as a pet rather than livestock.

And so the littlest pig saved his family, and became a beloved guardian to his household until the end of his days.

[He bobs his pig head and smiles.]

The end.

[shamisens]

[ Kubo giggles. ]

That's a funny story.