Eliminado
The gentle breeze caresses your hair as you walk in the woods with another kitsune. You don't know much about her, but you two already start to feel a connection. Her tails wiggle around as a sign of happiness as she walks next to you, you're going to gather some materials to start the rebuilding of the shrine. "Nagu, I must thank you"
14:51:29
oh, please don't. I should be thanking you instead for your assistance with this matter
14:52:14
the generousity of the regional marquis has made the rebuilding a lot simpler. All Nagusa has to do is to mark out the resources she wants, and it will be transported, free of charge to the site of her new home
14:53:36
you know, it's much easier to order in material from elsewhere, but somehow... it feels different
14:54:05
there is life in the woods here. a certain feeling of belonging and nostalgia that I cannot shake
14:54:25
Eliminado
"You gave me hope and that's all that i needed in this moment. My people have died in the attack, but watching new life sprout from the ashes... makes me feel hopeful and relieved. There's still something I can do here. And you proved it to me. That's why I was thanking you." She looks deep into your eyes, her ruby gaze has some tender shades, she must feel really calm next to you. "And for as much as I could see, I can learn a lot about myself from you. You may be the big sister I never had..." Her voice lowers a little in embarassment. "Or even a mother..."
14:57:43
Nagusa giggles a little bit as she covers her mouth
14:58:49
it is nice to be looked up to, but I don't think I am qualified to be a mother. I am worried even now, that I didn't raise Kiuko quite right...
14:59:18
Nagusa puts an arm around your shoulders as she marks another large boulder with a chalk cross, indicating that it should be carried at some point for use in reconstruction
15:00:05
I don't think I can be a teacher either, although I am more than happy to share what I have experienced. I have secluded myself far too long and lived in my comfortable bubble
15:00:59
It is only recently that I have started learning about the outside, and i learn more new and wondrous things every day
15:01:24
Eliminado
"I don't think that exist some guide to be a mother, it's just a natural feeling of the heart... and you give off that feeling. Or at least it is what I perceive... and.." She places a hand on her chest. "It feels so very warm." She starts helping you with crossing the sites. "I had a proposal to do, in the matter of the rebuilding of the shrine, if you can allow me, of course"
15:04:07
oh, do tell me. there is no need to stand on ceremony
15:04:36
it is as much your home now as it is mine
15:04:44
Eliminado
"You know, I grew up in a traditional tea house and I was raised to be a geisha. I do know my stuff in this matter, so I was wondering if we could build one next to the shrine, where we can gather people and raise them to keep up with this tradition... I just don't want it to fade with the memory of my village"
15:06:12
i think you might find that your request is more easily accomplished than you think
15:07:30
it must have been a strange twist of fate, because i happen to know just the person who can help you fulfill your wish
15:08:14
Eliminado
Her eyes start to sparkle with hope. "You do?" Her tails start to wag incontrollably with joy. "Please I wish to meet them as soon as possible!"
15:09:31
well, you will... she comes to annoy me rather frequently
15:09:52
nagusa giggles again
15:09:58
in the meantime, since I'm here, I would like to pick some herbs for tea, and gather some of this grass and bracken
15:10:29
soft grass and bracken make for fine cushions, which i have to replace
15:10:53
you know, i used to have a little tea room, right next to the entrance of my old home
15:11:24
nothing like what you imagine, of course
15:11:31
but many a good memory were had by us there...
15:12:06
Eliminado
"Please let me help you, I have some knowledge in this matter, I know most of the herbs used to make the best tea and I know how to treat them!" She starts looking around in search of some usable grass, her ears wiggling a little. "Please don't be scared, but my sense of smell is better in my fox form and i haven't learnt how to transform properly yet, so it might be an unpleasant vision. May I ask you to turn around while i transform?"
15:14:06
oh dear, did you forget i am fox myself?
15:14:38
and i have watched Kiuko as she went through her process of transforming, I am no stranger to it
15:15:04
but if it will make you feel better, take this
15:15:12
Nagusa hands you a small bag
15:15:25
you can fill this, and I will go across the river to gather what i need. we will make it back to our new home when we are each done with our tasks. would that work better for you?
15:16:13
do you remember how to get back to our new home?
15:16:40
Eliminado
"It definetly would, thank you for understanding." She takes the bag from your hands, caressing them gently. "I know you're a kitsune too, but I really feel ashamed for the way I transform, so I'd rather doing it alone." She takes a few steps away from you. "Yes, my sense of orientation is pretty good and I've wandered in this forest for a while before meeting you, so I will know my way, no need to worry."
15:19:28
then I will meet you back home
15:20:05
Nagusa bows, then turns around and departs
15:20:16
Nagusa is the first to return, patting the hardworking stone cutters as they lay a stone path down towards her new home
15:21:25
she inspects the two large boulders that have been brought from the forest, judging their sizes and suitability for carving statues and stone lanterns
15:22:03
At length, she sits down on the steps outside the shrine and begins to sew a new batch of cushions, waiting for her new friend to return
15:22:48
Eliminado
Half an hour passes after you take different paths, and finally you see the silver kitsune coming back from her gathering, the bag you gave her full of herbs with the strong scent and a small buquet of fresh flowers in her other hand. As she sees you she starts running, reaching you, then looks down, her cheeks getting a little red. "I found some cute flower and I thought they would make a nice gift for you, I hope you like it!" She hands you the buquet, her gaze switching between your face and the stone path.
15:26:25
oh, how nice of you!
15:26:47
flowers hold sentimental value to many humans, but i like to see them when i stroll
15:27:08
Plucked, they last only for a short time before wilting, losing their beauty and glory forever
15:27:47
Eliminado
She looks down. "I saw humans gift flowers to the people they cared for, so I wanted to imitate them to let you know that even if we know each other since a short period of time, I care for you and you're important to me."
15:29:37
nagusa takes the flower from you and tucks it in her hair
15:30:04
It is alright. I appreciate the gesture
15:30:18
It is quite reflective of life, isn't it. Sometimes we have the best intentions, yet fall flat in the way we deliver it
15:30:47
sometimes we so desperately wish to impress those close to us, that others get caught up and become collateral damage
15:31:22
Eliminado
"I'm not so good at expressing my own emotions, so I figured this could be a good way to overcome it, but you're right... maybe flowers weren't the best gift to bring back. Let's do like this, I will make you some nice tea, so no one gets hurt and you'll still feel my appreciation for you." She sits next to you, taking a look around. "Even if we just started the construction, I can already feel like I can call this place home. It's heartwarming."
15:33:54
oh, it will get better, as we each add our own preferences and taste
15:34:35
it is no longer just my home, but both of ours. i hope this will persist, even after you get your own ledging
15:35:04
a tea house, was it? an interesting choice.
15:35:14
Eliminado
"Yeah, I want to bring a piece of my old house to the new one. So it will reborn and accompany me a little more in my path"
15:36:14
will it just be for entertainment and business, or will you be lodging there as well?
15:36:31
Eliminado
"I intend to stay here a little and learn more about myself, and, of course, if you allow me, I would highly appreciate if you took me as your pupil for a short while"
15:37:35
nagusa reacts with surprise
15:38:04
what on earth would i have to teach you?
15:38:14
Eliminado
Akane reaches for your hand and holds it. "I can feel the power you emanate and I had proof that you are an experienced kitsune, so I was wondering if you could teach me how to unleash my magic and control it... and maybe help me gather my other tails.
15:40:14
i... hold no power, dear. i fear you have looked for a wrong master
15:41:36
if you want magic power, it is Kiuko who has it, although she has yet to learn how to control it
15:41:55
Eliminado
"But you said you helped Kiuko... I wish you did the same with me"
15:42:12
in fact, you far surpass my own. you have two beautiful tails, and i have lost my own, a long time ago
15:42:22
i you want power and tails, my estranged sister has both.
15:42:51
but i fear for any who crosses her path
15:42:57
Eliminado
"But..." She looks a bit discouraged. "I.." Her voice lowers until the only sound remaining there is the rustle of the leaves.
15:43:43
perhaps you are curious?
15:44:00
it is not a story i am ashamed of, although my sister thinks otherwise
15:44:15
Eliminado
"If it doesn't hurt you to tell your story I wish to hear it"
15:44:42
you are right - the tails are a manifestation of our power
15:45:03
the more magical power we gain, the more we grow
15:45:13
it is how we gather the power that is the difference, and why my sister has nine
15:45:50
tell me, dear. how do you gather yours? how did you come to grow both of your tails?
15:46:25
Eliminado
"I'm kind of ashamed of how i got my powers... will you look at me the same way if i tell you?"
15:46:54
oh, if it is what i suspect - not at all
15:47:09
Eliminado
"I..." Her eyes look down, she starts hiding in her tails. "I killed humans and ate them..."
15:47:45
then we are much the same
15:48:05
Nagusa hugs you reassuringly
15:48:17
me and my sister - we gain them by draining humans of their essence
15:48:39
even today, she roams the lands, looking for mortal men who offer her tribute of their very life force
15:48:59
Eliminado
"Doesn't she feel guilty to kill human people...?"
15:49:29
she is lucky - they grow weak, but eventually recover, and most of them return to her once more, addicted to her wiles
15:49:36
no, she sees it as her right, for the humans offer themselves up willingly to her
15:49:59
they grow weak, and they may lose years of their life, but they survive
15:50:27
Eliminado
"I'm not like her... I hunted humans... I drank their blood... and... I enjoyed it"
15:50:49
do you still have that desire now, dear?
15:51:21
Eliminado
"I am not sure... Sometimes a raging hunger devours me from deep down, and I end up having to kill rather than wanting"
15:52:10
hmm.. let me venture a suggestion, then. it is much the theory of my sister, but it seems to have merit in my experience
15:54:15
if you want to maintain or increase your power, you will need essence, that is the unavoidable fact of our kind
15:54:54
but every kitsune has a different taste for essence
15:55:16
my sister desires the taste of pent up desire and frustration
15:55:29
and will not accept essence that is not sufficiently imbued with these emotions
15:56:08
I, on the other hand, respond to closeness and intimacy.
15:56:37
Eliminado
"And for me..."
15:56:54
Eliminado
"Is it the despair?"
15:57:10
perhaps it is death that attracts you, but that need not be the case
15:57:12
i would like you to try
15:57:24
perhaps it is instead, the emotion of terror and helplessness that suits your taste, and not death itself
15:57:53
Eliminado
"yeah, like how they desperately grasp on their last breath to keep living... i think that's what i desire the most"
15:58:28
yes, and if you can create that emotion and infuse it into their essence, then you will sate your thirsts
15:59:01
it is just a possibility, but it is better than having to kill all the time, is it not?
15:59:27
Eliminado
"and what about the hunt? I'm a huntress, I think it's an important part of placating my hunger"
16:00:35
Eliminado
"foxes are natural predators... and i fully embraced my inner fox, i can't disregard it"
16:01:24
Oh, speak of the devil... or ghost, as it may...
16:01:43
well, she isn't wrong... This place only exists as a result of her generosity, after all
16:03:23
you just have to... put up with her antics at times like this
16:03:45
Eliminado
Akane whispers to Nagusa ear "I feel... fear... looking at her"
16:04:17
Oh, she's harmless. Rather lonely and eccentric, but harmless
16:04:50
Eliminado
"I'm a bit relieved, thank you"
16:05:15
Well, perhaps I will do the explaining. She gets off on a tangent if you let her
16:06:57
This house is Okiku, and Okiku is the house, they are one and the same
16:07:12
When she has company, and if the company is good, the house expands
16:07:26
Eliminado
"Does she want.. friends?"
16:07:52
Oh, she definitely wants friends
16:08:01
but she also desires experiences
16:08:07
I have never asked her about it, but I suspect it has something to do with being lonely and neglected when she was alive
16:08:34
She is also looking for permanent residents, if the house gets large enough
16:08:59
Eliminado
"This is so sad... I feel so sorry for her"
16:09:08
oh, you won't be once you spend a night with her. she can be... rather tiring
16:09:33
nagusa gives a faint smile
16:09:39
Eliminado
"S-spend a night with her?"
16:10:01
in a manner of speaking...
16:11:05
Nagusa hides a giggle and a slight blush behind her hands
16:11:19
Eliminado
"Please Nagusa I need you to be clear... what do I need to do?"
16:11:35
Eliminado
She blushes a little on the cheeks, her ears twitching
16:11:50
you need to give her a joyful, intimate experience. When she crests with passion, that is when the house expands...
16:12:30
Eliminado
"B-but... I barely had some intimate experience... I'm not sure I can do it.."
16:13:08
well, you have to learn sometime
giggle
16:13:50
Kiuko was much the same when she started.
16:14:03
Eliminado
"And how exactly do I..." She hides her face in the tails. "... you know... please a woman..?"
16:14:30
You've had maiko and geisha training, have you not? I would imagine you are far better versed in intimate matters than me
16:14:58
be yourself. the room, after all, is a reflection of who you are.
16:15:52
Eliminado
"Geishas are no courtesans, they entratain man with discussions of philosophy and dance performances... not with other kind of things.."
16:15:57
oh, is that so. I seem to have a different understanding of their profession. I must consult the library soon...
16:17:11
are you scared, dear?
16:17:22
if you are worried, you may watch me in action when i start to receive guests again
16:17:53
but what works for me, may not work for you
16:18:02
Eliminado
"I'm a bit discouraged... I do want the tea house to be built, but I don't think I'm qualified to please Okiku"
16:18:10
what makes you think you are unqualified, just because you have little bedroom experience?
16:18:29
Eliminado
"indeed"
16:18:42
remember, what okiku wants is not wanton lust, or skilled lovers
16:18:52
she wants genuine friends, and passion is just a way of expressing yourself that lets her shape the room to your desires
16:19:21
Eliminado
"What if I fail..?"
16:19:34
if you fail, i will personally go and burn her house down
16:19:57
nagusa giggles at her own joke
16:20:03
Eliminado
"No, don't do that!" She starts laughing too
16:20:15
i am joking, of course. if she were gone, so would our home
16:20:17
I highly doubt you will fail. but in the unlikely event you do
16:20:38
We will build an extension to our home, just to accommodate what you need
16:20:56
... and we won't even need extra help, because the winnings from the lottery i will buy will more than pay for it
16:21:18
nagusa starts laughing again
16:21:26
Eliminado
"Nagusa... knowing you got my back in any case.. makes me feel relieved and less pressured. But be sure I will do my best to make the best tea house you've ever seen!"
16:22:12
Eliminado
A sparkle of determination glows in her eyes
16:22:25
good, that's the spirit
16:22:40
and bring that spirit to okiku when you meet her. she is a nice, if eccentric spirit
16:22:55
i believe your second night with her will go better than your first 😏
16:23:13
Eliminado
"S-second? Do i have to do it more than once?"
16:23:31
well, you want a place where you can instill the fear and terror into people without killing them, do you not?
16:24:17
a tea house doesn't sound like a good place to do that
16:24:31
nagusa starts to laugh again, holding her sides from laughing so much
16:24:42
Eliminado
"you're right... I must expand my hunt territory. I am determinated to do that, I will obtain my tails and make you proud! If it weren't for your teachings and explanations I wouldn't even knew where to start. I am thankful"
16:25:34
so that is two rooms..
16:25:53
i should ask okiku for rewards, should i provide her with any more recommendations
16:26:11
Eliminado
(we can start wrapping if you okay with that, i gotta go in a while)
16:26:13
(we're almost done anyway)
16:26:28
Eliminado
"okiky is lucky to have someone like you by her side"
16:26:55
Eliminado
okiku*
16:27:02
oh no, I was fortunate to find her on a stroll
16:27:12
Otherwise, we wouldn't have this place
16:27:28
nagusa finishes the last stitch on her cushion
16:27:40
well now, here's a suggestion
16:28:05
Eliminado
"But this place was a reflection of yourself, wasn't it? I think you did a lot of the job"
16:28:06
oh, me and her both
16:28:15
Eliminado
"what suggestion?" She curiously twitches her ears
16:28:39
since you spoke so highly of your tea brewing skills, i'd like to see what exactly you can do
16:28:54
in the meantime, I have got to get some sculptors to start working on these two boulders out front. they would make great stone lanterns
16:29:24
Have a nice brew for me when i return, and I will judge you for it 😏
16:29:46
Eliminado
"Understood, you will taste the better tea of your life... and I will find a nice place among the woods for us to enjoy it in absence of a tea house, how about it?"
16:30:30
oh, i wait with apprehension
16:30:50
but I am a harsh tea critic
16:30:54
nagusa giggles as she hops off the front steps of the shrine under construction
16:31:13
Eliminado
"I fear no judge!" She giggles a little, waving her hand at Nagusa. "See you soon then!"
16:31:42
alright. i will return shortly.
16:31:53
(and that's a good scene!)
16:32:03
Eliminado
(nagu, i must compliment you. I enjoyed every second)
16:32:20
