driftfleet | Video/Action

Entry tags:

Video/Action

Who: Maglor and YOU! Also Maedhros is likely around somewhere
Broadcast: Video from one of the planet Mine sites
Action: Forges!
When: Anytime during this stop

I must say the good folk of this stop are very kind - they have allowed my brother and I use of the mines and forges here in exchange for some trading. My brother and I are going to be working on some proper swords - if anyone else is inclined to a bladed weapon, we are happy to make you one as well.

Grandfather, Fingon, you needn't ask, but your help in the forges would be invaluable - Maedhros and I manage, of course, but neither of us are... what we were. And we have neither Father, nor Curvo, nor Tylepe here to point out everything we are doing wrong!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Honey and berries are a good start - he recognizes those as sweet things and now he's even more interested.]

So do you make them here? I've been unable to find any sweets that remind me of my home.

[ Maglor is happy to share! ]

I have not had any luck finding honey or fresh berries, but I could, I am sure. What sort of sweets were you used to?

Rice and red bean cakes, sugar treats, steamed chestnuts... Tea sweets, especially. No one here seems capable of making them.

[He makes a point of noting the honey and berries. That is something he could probably trade for or find here.]

Is it something you share with your family? Your honey cakes and tarts?

They all sound very interesting, although I do not know them, myself! If you could find recipes, we could always investigate if we could make them, Fingon and I.

[ A smile ]

Aye - they were dearly loved treats, and useful for bribery of fractious younger cousins and siblings, amongst other things!

I'll certainly try to find them for you and...Fingon-san? Do you have many cousins and siblings?

[ Maglor laughs ]

Aye! I am the second of seven, myself, one of my uncles had four, and the other five children, although so far as I know, my aunts spared us any further! And I am older than them all.

Ooohhh, you had to be the oldest one of all that?

[He laughs good-naturedly.]

No wonder you would need the bribery. I remember my sisters often did the same with me when I was young.

Well, Maedhros is older than I, so I had some aid there, at the least!

[ A smile ]

I often wished I had a sister of my own - but only brothers, for my part. Were you the youngest, then?

I always wondered what it would be to have brothers. Perhaps we can exchange stories.

[He smiles in return.]

But yes, I was. I didn't have quite as many siblings as you did, however, just two.

[He pauses and then inclines his head in a bow.]

My name is Soujirou.

I would not object!

[ Maglor echoes that bow ]

Well met, Soujirou. Maglor, at your service.

Is that how they say it in your land? "Well met?"

[That sounds so cute.]

It's nice to meet you, Maglor-san. [A beat] Well met.

[ He smiles back ]

It is - there are other, more formal greetings, and some less so! But tis good manners to greet others so. 'At your service' is traditional, perhaps a little too old-fashioned, but I am too old to want to change. The correct response is usually "At yours and your family's", but again, very old fashioned!

And I heard you use "san", before - what does that mean?

[He laughs a little.] Oh, I suppose I'll need a few more lessons until I learn the proper greetings then. If you're willing to teach me, that is.

And I use them to show respect. There are many such honorifics, some reserved for the lords of castles and the emperor, and others for children and those who we are close to.

[He smiles.]

I guess I'm a little old-fashioned, too.

[ Maglor's smile is bright ]

Only if you teach me yours! Although the interpretation granted by the implants is useful, I would have enjoyed learning everyone's language the slow way, also. There is much culture in a language that is not so easily grasped, otherwise!

I never would have learned anything about outsiders until coming here. Our country was sealed to the West until very recently.

[He thinks for a moment]

But of course. I would be happy to teach you of our ways, if you would teach me of yours. I suppose I can't stay insulated in my own world forever.

Oh? Why was that? My childhood was also fairly well sheltered, so I understand how it can be both intimidating and terribly interesting.

For the stability of our people. The Westerners were encroaching and causing trouble, so over two hundred years ago, the Shogun shut down the borders. They came back recently with warships, so we had no choice but to open to them.

[He tries not to sound bitter about it, but the truth is there. They had no choice and now their country is at war. Still, it was better to be open to the West in a way. It gave people like Tetsu a chance at a different life.]

But I'm not really involved in any of that. It's just what I heard.

[ Maglor hisses softly in sympathy ]

That is a cruel way to force another country's compliance. I am sorry things turned that way for you. Are things very bad?

The West doesn't much care for how they get their way so long as they get it.

[He pauses.]

That's the way most superior forces are when confronted with a smaller one.

[Because that's how the Tokugawa have ruled for so long. They crushed rebellions and enforced strict hierarchy to cave the weaker classes to their will. It just didn't work anymore and now they're all suffering for it.]

But...well, we're at war within ourselves, but we will be fine. [His smile suddenly turns wistful and nostalgic, tinged with loneliness.]

...They're all fighting for the tomorrow they think is best.

It far too often is, although it should not be so. [ Maglor says sadly ]

And ... Civil War? That is hard. For kin to be pitted against kin... I am sorry. Those wars are always the hardest, for, as you say, there is often no true enemy to fight.

[He can't really talk - it's what the Shinsengumi do, too. They're the strong arm of the Shogunate, protecting people who don't necessarily think they're the good guys either. He inclines his head in thanks anyway, pushing his melancholy far into the back of his mind.]

These are the growing pains of a nation moving forward. It was inevitable.

[And he leaves it at that. Anything more might reveal his real identity and he hasn't been able to vet everyone in the fleet yet.]

But that's no fun to talk about. What of your brothers? We did promise to share stories.

Maybe - but it makes it no easier to be the one caught within the chaos.

[ A forced smile and Maglor shifts topics gratefully ]

We did, this is true! Mm, well, when there are seven boys in a house, you can imagine life was... quite rambunctious!

[He's grateful to move on. Remembering his friends back home hurts still, so much that he can't dwell on it for too long in fear that he might just break.

He smiles brightly in return.]

You are the second eldest of them, yes? Was it hard having responsibility over them all? Or did you have some fun, too?

Fortunately I had Maedhros' help! He was the very best older brother any of us could wish for, although I am sure there were times he cursed being the eldest.

[ Maglor's smiles are very fond ]

Mother and Father did their best, of course, but us older ones were expected to be responsible, also. I have many memories of hearding my younger brothers!

I can imagine! [He laughs as his imagination tries to come up with things he could have done with brothers. He imagines it's something like what the other Shinsengumi members did together. He was never much to be in the middle of their craziness, but he did enjoy watching from the sidelines.]

Any interesting stories you have of the younger ones? Times they got into trouble or had any adventures together?

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