Oh I love my Rosie child

[thebestseller]

Who: The crew of the SS Twin Roses and any visitors
Broadcast: N/A
Action: SS Twin Roses
When: The end of April

['Sup, it's a ship mingle. We've lost Adawolfe, Anders and Ravi, but gained Lance, Shovel Knight, and Chuuya.

Enjoy the free pudding and make yourselves at home, newbies.]

Comments

[mrfancyhat]

[Chuuya runs his fingers through the long section of his wavy red hair. He got it - red hair isn't common in Japan, so he isn't shocked to hear this.]

Time period? [He finds that to be a strange question, but interesting nonetheless.] The Heisei period. You?

[therewerefifty]

[She's heard that one a few times now, actually.]

Second year of Tenmei. Some centuries behind you, I think.

My name is Otono-Tachibana Makie.

[mrfancyhat]

[Just when he thinks things can't get any more weird, they do. Different time periods. Space is wild!]

Nakahara Chuuya. [There's a nod.] Different time periods here at once... That's really interesting!

[therewerefifty]

You hadn't come across this before...? [Then that's a stupid question, isn't it? He's new. She smiles apologetically.] It seems reasonably common. Though I think the great majority of people here come from the Heisei period.

[mrfancyhat]

That's too bad. A mix of time periods would be better.

[In terms of technology for space, perhaps the period he was familiar with was better. In terms of various other things, he's sure they have much to learn from previous generations.]

You must have many great stories to tell.

[And already he was looking forward to hearing about them over a glass of wine -- when he could buy some, that is.]

[therewerefifty]

Mmm. [She really doesn't. But Makie's learned that's definitely an eye-of-the-beholder thing, so she doesn't refute it.] As many as the next person, I would imagine. Are there certain aspects of that time period you are intrigued by?

[mrfancyhat]

Fighting.

[Things often become about fighting with him. To him, fighting is fun, and he is intrigued by how much more gruesome it used to be. But he's not going to admit that part.]

You must have seen some terrible things -- A lot of bloodshed. Maybe even have some fighting abilities yourself.

[therewerefifty]

[She looks at him a long moment, before her attention dips to the shamisen again, speaking mildly enough. That was unexpected. That he'd ask it of her.]

In my time, it's frowned upon for a woman to take up weapons. The time of the onna-bugeisha is done.

[Which isn't really confirming or denying anything.]

[mrfancyhat]

Right. My mistake.

[Chuuya smiles. He wasn't going to push the topic, sure that she'd more interested in chatting about such things later on. After all, it wasn't like he himself spoke of those things with anyone yet. Too new. Gotta get a feel for everyone first.]

Well, if you're ever interested in hearing about my Japan, I'm sure there will be a good opportunity for it sometime.

[therewerefifty]

[She shakes her head, having a feeling he's taken that as a refusal. Besides, there's no point whatsoever in hiding what's going to become obvious sooner rather than later.]

I don't mind talking about my time. I was just surprised you'd ask such a question of a woman.

...I'm an outcast in my time precisely because it's frowned upon. [Just sayin'.]

[mrfancyhat]

Yeah, it wouldn't have been as surprising if you knew the woman who raised me. It's pretty ridiculous that you were viewed as an outcast, though it's not entirely shocking because of the time period.

You know, you would have liked Big Sis. She was a traditional Japanese woman herself... well, except that she, too, has red hair.

[Chuuya laughs.]

[therewerefifty]

[Every time Makie gets to hear people think how ridiculous it is, it's a tiny bit more salve. She smiles at that.]

Red hair is very uncommon, but not unheard of. May I ask... what constitutes a traditional Japanese woman from your time? [Because surely a whole host of things have changed.]

sorry for the delay /o\

[mrfancyhat]

Different than what you're used to, I'm sure. Honestly, in our line of work, she was probably viewed by others as a cruel woman.

[He laughs.]

But that is typical of societies that expect women to be passive all the time. However, being that she took me in and raised me, I know that she's a strong, fierce woman. She's very loving, though that is also her downfall, as sometimes she'll let herself be used for the sake of others. Someday she'll see that she's stronger than she believes, like I know her to be.

No problem!

[therewerefifty]

[It's such a similar comparison to the view Makie has of her own mother that she can't help but smile a little.]

My mother always defended me, even when it meant losing her own place. She was... much the same, in her own way.

You're very proud of her. [It's good to see.]