[D2 LE] Heroic Tales

[Makime Ayano]

Misaki had not thought about the possibility of Nezumi drinking tea, and it was all she could do to hold back a smile, "That does seem like a plan indeed. Write a letter invite them for tea and snacks. If they're anything like the rats that people say they're related to, then it should not be hard to find things that would make appropriate snacks and such."

"Well then...there is a teahouse in the city no? Perhaps we could see about acquiring some space in it." Ayano suddenly felt the desire to forget any sort of invitation for the Nezumi. "If that would be acceptable to you Doji-san."

She smiled at the other woman.

[Nozomi]

"Reminds me of something I heard Dad say once... 'That which submits rules.'" Phi wasn't looking, so she might have missed the brief look of shock on her father's face.

He made eye contact with Nozomi, shrugged.

They grow up so fast.

"Clever little wit," she said, giving him a knowing smirk. Not that she understood why he said it, but it was a way of thinking. Definitely not hers. "They listen to everything we say, you know. Like little sponges, they grow from what we feed them in all things."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Clever little wit," she said, giving him a knowing smirk. Not that she understood why he said it, but it was a way of thinking. Definitely not hers. "They listen to everything we say, you know. Like little sponges, they grow from what we feed them in all things."

"Given my vocabulary, that may present difficulties for them in the years ahead..."

"Oh, no, Mom set us straight on that front..."

"I knew she was too good for me."

[Nozomi]

"Given my vocabulary, that may present difficulties for them in the years ahead..."

"Oh, no, Mom set us straight on that front..."

"I knew she was too good for me."

"Hah. She is too good for you," she barked, laughing a little too loudly. It was that reedy, high pitched thing she let out sometimes when she was in a good mood. It made Mayumi laugh and lean in to whisper in Phi's ear. 'Mom laughs like a hyena sometimes. It's funny.' She just gave her a I heard that you look.

"But they've soaked it all up. Thankfully they learn from both parents." She didn't say it. He knew. But she was grateful for that fact on so many levels.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Hah. She is too good for you," she barked, laughing a little too loudly. It was that reedy, high pitched thing she let out sometimes when she was in a good mood. It made Mayumi laugh and lean in to whisper in Phi's ear. 'Mom laughs like a hyena sometimes. It's funny.' She just gave her a I heard that you look.

"But they've soaked it all up. Thankfully they learn from both parents." She didn't say it. He knew. But she was grateful for that fact on so many levels.

"Thank all of the Fortunes for small mercies!"

[Doji Misaki]

"Well then...there is a teahouse in the city no? Perhaps we could see about acquiring some space in it." Ayano suddenly felt the desire to forget any sort of invitation for the Nezumi. "If that would be acceptable to you Doji-san."

She smiled at the other woman.

Misaki wasn't sure if Tsubaki-sama's teahouse admitted Nezumi. Still...

"You're right. And have you met Doji Tsubaki-sama? It is her teahouse, so maybe we can work something out with her so other guests aren't alarmed or anything like that. I'm sure there are some who might not have the best impression of a rat, even one that walks on two legs and is an ally of the Empire, walking into an establishment they are trying to relax in, unfortunately."

[Nozomi]

"Thank all of the Fortunes for small mercies!"

"How is your wife, by the by? We haven't spoken in a while." She was a curious one, after all. How she put up with him, she would never know, but she'd been good for Sora. The very thought of the gruff old bastard settling down had been shocking, but she'd been glad to hear it. She'd half imagined he never planned to have children, and now here he was... surrounded.

[Jiyo Sora]

"How is your wife, by the by? We haven't spoken in a while." She was a curious one, after all. How she put up with him, she would never know, but she'd been good for Sora. The very thought of the gruff old bastard settling down had been shocking, but she'd been glad to hear it. She'd half imagined he never planned to have children, and now here he was... surrounded.

Shirayuki cut in before Sora could answer. "Got another sibling on the way!"

Soryu piped up. "Maybe two! She's gotten really big..."

Sora shot them a look that instilled instant silence. "We're expecting another soon. So I try to remove as many worries from her day as I can, and give regular foot massages. That said, I think she's probably feeling a bit constrained by circumstances."

[Nozomi]

Shirayuki cut in before Sora could answer. "Got another sibling on the way!"

Soryu piped up. "Maybe two! She's gotten really big..."

Sora shot them a look that instilled instant silence. "We're expecting another soon. So I try to remove as many worries from her day as I can, and give regular foot massages. That said, I think she's probably feeling a bit constrained by circumstances."

"Another?!?" she said, feigning a bit of shock. "She is a champion. I could not imagine doing it again." As she said it, Mayumi bit her lip and then leaned in to whisper something. It made Nozomi blink and then she smiled, probably the most warmly she had all night. She turned back to her daughter and, in a very rare moment obvious affection, leaned over to kiss her forehead. Expectations be damned. "Yes. I think that was our plan, dear. And if it wasn't, it will be our plan after."

She didn't say it, not openly, but Mayumi wanted to see her siblings. Those two were only distantly aware of their true mother's identity, and saw their 'aunt Nozomi' and 'cousin Mayumi' only when it was possible. It killed her a little inside, but unlike Mayumi, the pregnancy had been kept secret. They were safer with the Saru. Mayumi, she had to keep close. But that pregnancy had been hard. she couldn't have handled another. She knew that.

"You kids are going to have quite a big family, you know. That's special. Be good to your mother too." Not that she doubted they would.

[Jiyo Sora]

"You kids are going to have quite a big family, you know. That's special. Be good to your mother too." Not that she doubted they would.

"Of course!"

"We had practice when Soryu came, so we'll show him how it's done..."

[Nozomi]

"Of course!"

"We had practice when Soryu came, so we'll show him how it's done..."

"Good," she said, her grin widening as she nodded to them. "Always be good to your mother." She glanced up at Sora and smirked. "And I didn't say it earlier, but thank you for joining us tonight. We appreciate the support. Ours isn't the kind of recording they do in the libraries, but we value them both. It's good work you're doing in that."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Good," she said, her grin widening as she nodded to them. "Always be good to your mother." She glanced up at Sora and smirked. "And I didn't say it earlier, but thank you for joining us tonight. We appreciate the support. Ours isn't the kind of recording they do in the libraries, but we value them both. It's good work you're doing in that."

"One good turn deserves another, old friend." He winked. "Just wish I'd told my tale better..."

"I'll write it down for you, Dad."

[Nozomi]

"One good turn deserves another, old friend." He winked. "Just wish I'd told my tale better..."

"I'll write it down for you, Dad."

"A tale grows with the telling. If it does not wedge itself in the mind the first time, it will the next, or the time after. And the more that we tell each other, the more that the tale will grow." She certainly didn't mind bad tales or good ones. Stories were stories.

"Heh. I almost told them about Haka. But I think her stories are for different company and events. That one was quite the colorful one, wasn't she?" She was damned close to insane, or the sanest of the bunch. Nozomi had never decided for sure.

[Jiyo Sora]

"A tale grows with the telling. If it does not wedge itself in the mind the first time, it will the next, or the time after. And the more that we tell each other, the more that the tale will grow." She certainly didn't mind bad tales or good ones. Stories were stories.

"Heh. I almost told them about Haka. But I think her stories are for different company and events. That one was quite the colorful one, wasn't she?" She was damned close to insane, or the sanest of the bunch. Nozomi had never decided for sure.

"Ohh, Haka. That one took some getting used to, but she was certainly no fool "

[Nozomi]

"Ohh, Haka. That one took some getting used to, but she was certainly no fool "

"Haka was an acquired taste, moreso than even me, who liked to joke about being an acquired taste in more ways than one." She barked out another laugh. that girl had a habit of joking about getting eaten by various monsters on an almost daily basis. It was macabre in its own way. "I last heard she was busy in Scorpion lands. I imagine, given her gifts, they keep a tight lid on her to keep her safe."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Haka was an acquired taste, moreso than even me, who liked to joke about being an acquired taste in more ways than one." She barked out another laugh. that girl had a habit of joking about getting eaten by various monsters on an almost daily basis. It was macabre in its own way. "I last heard she was busy in Scorpion lands. I imagine, given her gifts, they keep a tight lid on her to keep her safe."

Phi spoke up again. "I like the Scorpion lands... Bayushi-sama's got such a good eye for beauty, even if he keeps it a bit more understated than the- ah, than some others. I'm sure Haka-sama appreciates it there."

"She sees about as well as your Uncle Yuzuru."

"Oh..."

[Makime Ayano]

Misaki wasn't sure if Tsubaki-sama's teahouse admitted Nezumi. Still...

"You're right. And have you met Doji Tsubaki-sama? It is her teahouse, so maybe we can work something out with her so other guests aren't alarmed or anything like that. I'm sure there are some who might not have the best impression of a rat, even one that walks on two legs and is an ally of the Empire, walking into an establishment they are trying to relax in, unfortunately."

"I have not meet Doji Tsubaki," Ayano responded truthfully, though her words were in fact a lie born out of ignorance. "But she was the one who hosted the tea meetings today yes? That was a lovely display of your clan's artistic skill and grace. I imagine it would be the perfect place for such a thing."

She smiled again, her eyes unfocusing for a second in thought.

[Doji Misaki]

"I have not meet Doji Tsubaki," Ayano responded truthfully, though her words were in fact a lie born out of ignorance. "But she was the one who hosted the tea meetings today yes? That was a lovely display of your clan's artistic skill and grace. I imagine it would be the perfect place for such a thing."

She smiled again, her eyes unfocusing for a second in thought.

"Certainly I can think of no better place to host for trying out different teas and for private discussion. So it is; I shall ask Doji-sama myself as to her wishes on the matter when I next talk to her, likely tomorrow, and I will let you know on that. If things are good, then I shall get in touch with the Nezumi themself on the matter, though I will need to think how to do that. I am unsure, I will admit, if a letter would work. Or where they are staying or such. For the moment."

She held up a hand, "Rest assured, I will make sure things work out though, for your sake, Makime-sama. So do not worry."

[Nozomi]

Phi spoke up again. "I like the Scorpion lands... Bayushi-sama's got such a good eye for beauty, even if he keeps it a bit more understated than the- ah, than some others. I'm sure Haka-sama appreciates it there."

"She sees about as well as your Uncle Yuzuru."

"Oh..."

"She has a unique way of seeing the world. It is not unlike my own, though it is a prayer and invocation. Not the same of what I make use of." Nozomi sighed in recollection of it. "But she does not witness the colors and beauty of art. She sees the world in ways none of us ever could. Even I cannot see it quite as she does. She actually sees the Void."

[Jiyo Sora]

"She has a unique way of seeing the world. It is not unlike my own, though it is a prayer and invocation. Not the same of what I make use of." Nozomi sighed in recollection of it. "But she does not witness the colors and beauty of art. She sees the world in ways none of us ever could. Even I cannot see it quite as she does. She actually sees the Void."

"That's... kinda creepy."

"So's Daddy's and my eyes!"

"Soryu!"

"Aw, Phi..."

"Sounds to me like it's getting a bit late for three young pains in my rear..."

"Please, Dad? We don't get to meet new people all that often, and it's not that late, not really-"

"You'll have all winter to get to know new people, Shirayuki. Come on. Run along."