Mingle Post for Solace

[reflectedblight]

Who: EVERYONE
Broadcast: N/A
Action: On Solace
When: Second half of January

[Start your own headers, fix ships, buy stuff, get on those hoverboards, whatever!]

Comments

[ahappylie]

[He nods his head. The quiet sacrifices are the ones least lauded, but most laudable.]

I am. I--

[Hm. Is there harm in telling Kubo who he is? It's possible he lives far enough away from the capital that the Shinsengumi's reputation wouldn't terrify him. But then it's also possible that it might. He's so used to lying here, what's the harm in lying a little longer? At the very least, he won't have to tell Kubo that he kills people for a living.

He pauses for a moment and then laughs.]

Well, I don't do much, to be completely honest. The world has little use for samurai in my age, so other than offering protection to those who need it, [He shrugs sheepishly.] I usually took care of the neighborhood children.

[shamisens]

Aw, really?

[ That's kind of disappointing. Kubo always pictured the samurai going on all sorts of adventures. ]

[ahappylie]

[He smiles apologetically.]

For me, yes.

[He pauses and then leans in carefully to avoid jostling his ribs. With one hand up to the side of his mouth, he whispers.]

Although I do know shinobi and kunoichi. But we aren't supposed to talk about them in the open.

[shamisens]

They're okay, I guess. But nothing beats a samurai.

[ahappylie]

[He giggles and sits back, feeling a little proud but sheepish at that.]

There have been amazing samurai, that's true. Especially in the days of the great wars.

Perhaps one day, I can show you my skills. I host sparring sessions sometimes.

[shamisens]

That would be amazing. I've never really met one.

[ Well. He sort of had, but it wasn't quite the same. ]

[ahappylie]

[He laughs again and bows his head.]

Well, now you've met one. I'm sorry if I'm not as impressive as you hoped, however.

[shamisens]

The last one was a cursed man . . . beetle.

[ Whom he loved but. You know. ]

[ahappylie]

[A beetle? He blinks and tilts his head.]

Was he very small?

[shamisens]

No, he was really big. Like a man but even bigger than any I've ever met. He could fly too.

[ahappylie]

[Well, that sounds - cool? Definitely cool. Except for the whole "curse" part.]

He sounds very impressive - flight and the skills of a samurai? You must have been very proud to know him.

[shamisens]

. . . Yeah. I was.

[ahappylie]

[Okita pauses, watching Kubo for a second. He seems both happy and sad at the same time.]

. . .

Well, then I may not measure up, but I hope I can surprise you a little, too. Even with the power of flight.

[shamisens]

[ He laughs. ]

I'm sure you'll be great.

[ahappylie]

I'll need to find a sword, or some approximation of it.

[He rests his hands in his lap, opening and closing his right one.]

Right now all we have are staffs. It's not quite the same, as I'm sure you're aware.

[shamisens]

[ He nods. ]

I used to have a magic sword but I kind of lost it.

[ahappylie]

A magic sword and magic shamisen? Your world must have been so exciting.

[shamisens]

[ Kubo could say that, though it all happened recently. ]

My shamisen isn't magic.

[ahappylie]

Then you?

[He leans forward again, curious.]

Your magic touch then?

[shamisens]

Uhm . . . yeah. It's just my magic.

[ahappylie]

[He smiles brightly.]

That truly is amazing. The power of creation is something I envy.

[shamisens]

Magic is strange. I don't know if it's something people actually want.

My mother said people becoming strong means the world gets stronger too. And more dangerous. That's how magic works.

[ahappylie]

Your mother is very wise.

[Was, but he isn't going to say that.]

It does indeed become more dangerous, but. [He touches his side again.] It will become more dangerous regardless of whether we are ready for it or not.

[shamisens]

How so?

[ahappylie]

[He sits back and looks up at the sky.]

Because the world is always changing - for the better and for the worse.

[He smiles faintly, thinking of home and of this place now. He'd never thought he'd see a sky like this; a world above the clouds where ships sailed through the stars.]

We must change to fit it or be ready to leave it behind because it will not wait for us.