[ The grass smells like... grass! It's just like a spring day in the city, but in a city that hasn't been ravaged by pollution and kaiju. A world untouched by the machinations of man... Or the artist's idea of such a backdrop.
Kaito carefully lowers himself onto his back next to Malkuth, laying Rumba atop his chest. Meowmeow immediately initiates muffin-making motions. ]
I'm sorry that the first time has to be so far from your home. But I'm glad you at least get a first time. Not everyone does, especially given what you've told me of the City.
Rumba's thankful for your mercy. He won't show it because he's shy, but he appreciates you, I think.
[ malkuth'll turn to face him, watching rumba do his god-given work. such a cutie... if only she could befriend animals too. one day. ]
There's Nests that are full of life, just like this. Trees and flowers, even some animals depending on where you are... but those are for the truly rich. Where I lived as Elijah, there was spots of color here and there, but it was pretty dour -- so when the sun came in the form of a person, I didn't hesitate to follow the path she lit.
[ this really does remind her of carmen, closing her eyes with a relaxed sigh. warm and bright, a gentle breeze brushing her cheek... she remembers the kind words the woman would dispense so easily like it was second nature, something so rare in the city itself. malkuth still yearns for those days, a kind of nostalgia that's more alike to looking at photos of simpler times in childhood, and opens her eyes again. ]
Is the cottage where you sleep out here? Or do you just take cat naps like this?
[ It doesn't take long for the little hybrid to hop off Kaito's tits chest and go sniffing curiously at Malkuth. The next few seconds will decide her fate. Regardless of how it goes, Kaito turns and props himself on an elbow. ]
The sun was a person? That's crazy. Well, maybe not so much considering how well-acquainted I am with my world's gods, but the concept still seems... grand.
[ A soft chuckle. ]
When I was younger, I spent all my time here. I could get away from all the noise of the world and just relax. But no, I tend to just sleep under the shade or the sun. The cottage over yonder is actually our clan's archives. It looks homey, but it's a massive...
is going to be interrupted by malkuth sitting up and staring down at him. ]
I'm not interested because it's a library. I'm interested because it's your clan's history. Let's get that straight, okay? Also, I was being poetic -- she was just a person, just the brightest person I'd ever known.
[ wait. no. rumba you're timid please don't scare back to kaito. come back. she's crestfallen. ]
Just the one? I feel like the whole experience is a freebie.
[ but she'll gently reach out to pet rumba between the ears... kind of hesitant, fingertips brushing the fur. so soft. more confident when it's evident that the little meowmeow isn't squirming away.
... and besides, it's hard not to pay attention to kaito. but she isn't telling him that. he'll get a big head over it. ]
You're such a sweetie... I hope we can be good friends, Rumbly-Tumbly.
And so what if it is? [ he quips, smiling behind Rumba's cute little maned head. The cat shrinks in on first touch, but upon realizing she isn't here to crack a whip or throw her around, Rumba quickly relaxes into a sustained purr under her pets.
Listen, his head can swell like a water balloon without popping, it'll be fine. ]
He's still a pretty light eater. I don't mind that—the pet food they sell in stores isn't really good for him, so I have to make all his meals myself. And it's not cheap.
I think he will as long as he's with you. Under that irritating smile of yours, you're a real sweet guy too.
[ not the first time she's called him it, not the last. but thankfully he can escape with any burning ears this time as she draws her hand back to stand, stepping off the blanket to tug at it. off. this is hers. she needs to fold it since it's plainly too warm to wear it as a cape. ]
Thanks. I try. [ Kaito sticks his tongue out before hopping to his feet. Rumba remains on the grass, running figure eights between the pair.
The cabin itself is warm and homely, as described. It's impossible to see through the outside windows, oddly enough. They're just the right amount of dusty, apparently.
But the door opens upon Kaito's approach, and the inside is vast and nothing like the outside decor. It's a combination of warm wood tones and architecture reminiscent of the Taika era in Japan. Books, scrolls, and more than a few magic stones glowing with kanji and hiragana projected off their smooth surfaces litter the library. ]
This place is typically maintained by our clan's familiars, but they seem to have been left behind. Or maybe my connection to the Domain doesn't allow me to reach them. I haven't figured it out yet.
[ Shrugging, Kaito enters and Rumba follows. Space continues to be strange, as once inside rather than viewing from outside, the building itself is so much larger than its cabin guise suggests. It's yuge, some might say. ]
What do you think? Does it resemble your Libraries at all?
[ it certainly is yuge. malkuth takes it in with a critical, curious eye, tilting her head at the characters and recognizing them as something similar to what the Shi use for their codes; the City is vast and distinct, and it isn't unusual for Associations to have their own kind of language based on areas they've hailed from. the Districts are simply that large.
it's... comforting, in a way; familiar and unfamiliar, like the library in the main base, and she picks up a stone to see if it's as warm to the touch as it seems. ]
Only in the sense that it's a lot larger than it appears... It has the same feeling as mine that way.
[ but the rest of it? she supposed hokma's area might have similar scrolls, if only because religion has ever been something more sacred in the minds of worshipers centuries gone now, and the architecture reminds her more vaguely of the restaurant izou had taken her. kaito might enjoy that place too, but she does want to go to the jazz bar. ]
Are your clan's familiars dragons too? Or are they humanoid?
[ The stone she picks up is as warm as the sun's rays from outside. Noticeable, but not uncomfortable. Despite touching it directly, the projection of characters isn't impeded.
Kaito slinks over and Rumba hops onto a table. Once he's next to the brunette, he stoops down and picks up a comically small broom. It almost looks like a duster, but assembled with the wrong brush end. ]
Neither.
Brooms and buckets, books and scrolls. Even a few old blades, and some dolls. The clan's familiars are all shikigami, or spirits contracted to work for us. They possess these household items and then go about their day.
It's charming, but I don't know how to replicate that contracting magic. Nor do I know if any spirits even exist in this world to hire the services of. So unfortunately, I have to do all the cleaning myself.
[ fascinating... she wonders if he'll let her keep it. probably not; it's part of his family's things, after all, and she's nothing close to that. so she'll set the stone back in its place, her eyes turning to the
small broom and its like scattered kind, more apparent now that they've been pointed out. ]
Oh, you poor thing. [ how terrible, cleaning. truly. his life is hard. ] I'm already helping with the base's library, so I don't mind giving you a hand if you'd like! It's kind of relaxing -- me and the other three I was closer with would clean the corridors on rotation, though Netzach usually tried to weasel out of it, and course we always kept our own Floors clean.
[ they sound like certain kinds of Abnormalities honestly... but they're hired, so they certainly get something out of it that those possessing items in the containment cells hadn't. then again, what Abnormalities are is. well, it's not quite the same, even if there's a similar source. ]
What do the shikigami get out of serving you? Just something to attach themselves to?
I know. What an awful fate, for a water-attuned person to have to clean. [ He can't help but smile at the stupidity. ] There's no need, really... but I'll remember your offer. I don't want us to get into this messy collision of owing each other things, y'know? So... if you want, come on by—but I will compensate you for the time.
[ With food, probably. ]
Safety and stability, mainly. They don't have to be at risk of being consumed by other spirits, or enslaved by other ritualists. And while everyone does it differently, we make sure our shikigami are well-cared for.
At the end of the day, many of them live simpler lives than we do. To eat and sleep is more than enough for them. Not all, of course. Some contracts are complicated. But these little guys don't ask for much, usually.
[ ... way better lives than the Abnormalities. malkuth takes the mini-broom from him and whaps his face lightly with it. it's a worthwhile reach. ]
Kaito, you don't owe me anything. I'd help you because I'm your friend and I'd want to. [ a beat, turning away to set the former shikigami down. ] I wouldn't ask for much anyway, your time is good enough for me.
[ let's see... where should she begin... she's interested in the scrolls, let her move over and take a peek at them. ]
What sort of things get recorded in your clan's history? The City's was full of conflicts.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Kaito carefully lowers himself onto his back next to Malkuth, laying Rumba atop his chest. Meowmeow immediately initiates muffin-making motions. ]
I'm sorry that the first time has to be so far from your home. But I'm glad you at least get a first time. Not everyone does, especially given what you've told me of the City.
Rumba's thankful for your mercy. He won't show it because he's shy, but he appreciates you, I think.
no subject
There's Nests that are full of life, just like this. Trees and flowers, even some animals depending on where you are... but those are for the truly rich. Where I lived as Elijah, there was spots of color here and there, but it was pretty dour -- so when the sun came in the form of a person, I didn't hesitate to follow the path she lit.
[ this really does remind her of carmen, closing her eyes with a relaxed sigh. warm and bright, a gentle breeze brushing her cheek... she remembers the kind words the woman would dispense so easily like it was second nature, something so rare in the city itself. malkuth still yearns for those days, a kind of nostalgia that's more alike to looking at photos of simpler times in childhood, and opens her eyes again. ]
Is the cottage where you sleep out here? Or do you just take cat naps like this?
no subject
titschest and go sniffing curiously at Malkuth. The next few seconds will decide her fate. Regardless of how it goes, Kaito turns and props himself on an elbow. ]The sun was a person? That's crazy. Well, maybe not so much considering how well-acquainted I am with my world's gods, but the concept still seems... grand.
[ A soft chuckle. ]
When I was younger, I spent all my time here. I could get away from all the noise of the world and just relax. But no, I tend to just sleep under the shade or the sun. The cottage over yonder is actually our clan's archives. It looks homey, but it's a massive...
[ Wait for it... ]
Library.
no subject
...
is going to be interrupted by malkuth sitting up and staring down at him. ]
I'm not interested because it's a library. I'm interested because it's your clan's history. Let's get that straight, okay? Also, I was being poetic -- she was just a person, just the brightest person I'd ever known.
[ wait. no. rumba you're timid please don't scare back to kaito. come back. she's crestfallen. ]
... I'm blaming you.
no subject
[ Kaito reaches out to pet the retreating lion cat. For all his proud features, this one seems to be a bit of a scaredy cat, huh?
It's okay. Kaito holds the little creature up to Malkuth, and he doesn't immediately shy away. ]
Go on, give him a few pets and then we can tour the library. This is the one freebie you're getting!
no subject
[ but she'll gently reach out to pet rumba between the ears... kind of hesitant, fingertips brushing the fur. so soft. more confident when it's evident that the little meowmeow isn't squirming away.
... and besides, it's hard not to pay attention to kaito. but she isn't telling him that. he'll get a big head over it. ]
You're such a sweetie... I hope we can be good friends, Rumbly-Tumbly.
no subject
Listen, his head can swell like a water balloon without popping, it'll be fine. ]
He's still a pretty light eater. I don't mind that—the pet food they sell in stores isn't really good for him, so I have to make all his meals myself. And it's not cheap.
But I hope he stays healthy.
no subject
[ not the first time she's called him it, not the last. but thankfully he can escape with any burning ears this time as she draws her hand back to stand, stepping off the blanket to tug at it. off. this is hers. she needs to fold it since it's plainly too warm to wear it as a cape. ]
no subject
The cabin itself is warm and homely, as described. It's impossible to see through the outside windows, oddly enough. They're just the right amount of dusty, apparently.
But the door opens upon Kaito's approach, and the inside is vast and nothing like the outside decor. It's a combination of warm wood tones and architecture reminiscent of the Taika era in Japan. Books, scrolls, and more than a few magic stones glowing with kanji and hiragana projected off their smooth surfaces litter the library. ]
This place is typically maintained by our clan's familiars, but they seem to have been left behind. Or maybe my connection to the Domain doesn't allow me to reach them. I haven't figured it out yet.
[ Shrugging, Kaito enters and Rumba follows. Space continues to be strange, as once inside rather than viewing from outside, the building itself is so much larger than its cabin guise suggests. It's yuge, some might say. ]
What do you think? Does it resemble your Libraries at all?
no subject
it's... comforting, in a way; familiar and unfamiliar, like the library in the main base, and she picks up a stone to see if it's as warm to the touch as it seems. ]
Only in the sense that it's a lot larger than it appears... It has the same feeling as mine that way.
[ but the rest of it? she supposed hokma's area might have similar scrolls, if only because religion has ever been something more sacred in the minds of worshipers centuries gone now, and the architecture reminds her more vaguely of the restaurant izou had taken her. kaito might enjoy that place too, but she does want to go to the jazz bar. ]
Are your clan's familiars dragons too? Or are they humanoid?
no subject
Kaito slinks over and Rumba hops onto a table. Once he's next to the brunette, he stoops down and picks up a comically small broom. It almost looks like a duster, but assembled with the wrong brush end. ]
Neither.
Brooms and buckets, books and scrolls. Even a few old blades, and some dolls. The clan's familiars are all shikigami, or spirits contracted to work for us. They possess these household items and then go about their day.
It's charming, but I don't know how to replicate that contracting magic. Nor do I know if any spirits even exist in this world to hire the services of. So unfortunately, I have to do all the cleaning myself.
no subject
small broom and its like scattered kind, more apparent now that they've been pointed out. ]
Oh, you poor thing. [ how terrible, cleaning. truly. his life is hard. ] I'm already helping with the base's library, so I don't mind giving you a hand if you'd like! It's kind of relaxing -- me and the other three I was closer with would clean the corridors on rotation, though Netzach usually tried to weasel out of it, and course we always kept our own Floors clean.
[ they sound like certain kinds of Abnormalities honestly... but they're hired, so they certainly get something out of it that those possessing items in the containment cells hadn't. then again, what Abnormalities are is. well, it's not quite the same, even if there's a similar source. ]
What do the shikigami get out of serving you? Just something to attach themselves to?
no subject
[ With food, probably. ]
Safety and stability, mainly. They don't have to be at risk of being consumed by other spirits, or enslaved by other ritualists. And while everyone does it differently, we make sure our shikigami are well-cared for.
At the end of the day, many of them live simpler lives than we do. To eat and sleep is more than enough for them. Not all, of course. Some contracts are complicated. But these little guys don't ask for much, usually.
no subject
Kaito, you don't owe me anything. I'd help you because I'm your friend and I'd want to. [ a beat, turning away to set the former shikigami down. ] I wouldn't ask for much anyway, your time is good enough for me.
[ let's see... where should she begin... she's interested in the scrolls, let her move over and take a peek at them. ]
What sort of things get recorded in your clan's history? The City's was full of conflicts.