From the Forest to the Teahouse

    Somewhat more than a week ago, a group of adventurers had headed into the woods in search of rare Triffid drops, requested by Lander craftsfolk in the region. Then they were ambushed by soldiers from the Thor Kingdom, invaders from the Palace Lands across the ocean. The battle had been fierce, and left many seriously wounded, but the Yamatoans had been victorious.

    In the midst of it all, one Spriggan had taken advantage of the opportunity to try to convince the assailants to settle down and discuss things peacefully. While such a thing had not been in the cards then, she did have one stroke of good fortune: The Thor Kingdom force's leader had accepted an invitation to her 'Friends' list, and added her to their own. This allowed them to arrange a brief meeting in one of the minor villages near the recently-conquered city of Shibuya.

    Fortunately, the day in question is relatively peaceful, despite the stormy season. Grey clouds hang sullenly in the sky, but the air is relatively warm and the rain looms, but does not yet pour. Open fields surround the village, mostly filled with half-grown crops, making it difficult (but not impossible) for anyone to approach unseen.

    It is in the midst of the village common that several tatami mats have been set out, around a small gap where a brazier is sunken into the ground, slight whisps of smoke issuing from it now and again. 'Seated' seiza-style on a cushion next to it is the Spriggan who had instigated the assignation. Her armor and weapons are nowhere to be seen, instead she wears a formal kimono in a soft silvery grey, the underlayer and obi in a shade of green to match the colored tips of her hair, the embroidery golden and ornate depictions of lotus flowers.

    Laid out before her are a set of traditional, simple bamboo tea-making utensils, along with a small loaf of some sort of bread. The Spriggan waits patiently for her guest, eyes open, tracking movement about the village. Beyond this, she moves little, only warming her hands occasionally over the brazier.

    From out of the forest comes a squad of Thor soldiers, and there they stop. One small figure breaks from the pack of mostly burly characters, a heavy reliance on tanks, with crossbows for ranged combat and heavy weapons it seems this is something of a brute squad. Their commander the small androgynous figure is something of a surprise then... until the massive stone crab man follows her from the pack. It's massive weapon and thick armor right at home with the brute squad she commands.

    Haechi walks down the path from the forest, her summon walking behind her, the mark of her chop glowing blue on it's breast. When she reaches the edge of down the crab monster settles down into an almost gorilla like crouch. The small woman continues down through the village, her gear swapping out from armor with her fairly plain golden crown blending with her helmet, to something more civilian. A men's hanbok in red with a black and gold belt, and hat. The mens clothing with her short shaggy cut hair pulled up leaves her looking just that much more male than even her armor manages. As she reaches the tatami she bows. "Greetings, may our talk be peaceful, however should it prove not, as you can see... I have force to continue with violence." she licks her lips. "You may call me Haechi, I do hope you will see the needfulness of Crowns and join us in showing the light to your fellows."

    The Spriggan's gaze takes in the squad of soldiers and their slight commander, and she nods, as if it was what she had expected to see. Her slight smile widens a touch as she sees only the one enter the village, and further still as she takes in the civilian garb chosen. Rising only to her knees, she returns the bow. "As I have promised, so it shall be. Neither I, nor any acting at my desire or command, shall lift a hand in violence unless violence is done to me, or to the people of this village." She indicates the cushion placed across from her, for the guest to sit. "I take no offense if you wish to check anything here to be sure there is no drug or poison, if you find it needful." She would be disappointed, but she would do her best not to show it. That said, she sinks back down, briefly arranging her kimono's folds about her.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you under less... fraught... conditions, lady Haechi. Please do call me Miyako." She says nothing of her own precautions against capture, but then, Spriggan. They're probably hiding in her shadow or something. Well, no, her guest would have seen -that- as they approached. Somewhere nearby, surely. Or... maybe not?

    "It is my hope," she continues, "That you might be persuaded to see that - whatever may be the case among those of your own nation - such measures are not needed in Yamato. Whatever our mutual success or failure in these goals, however, let us part in peace when we finish today, until next fate should bring our paths to cross."

    "Of course." she offers and settles down, with a flourish that pushes her long coat out into a crimson pool around her. "I will tell you the sad tale that has lead us to this, but it was your push into our lands that has shown that even after crowning our Adventurers, that we will not truely be free until this server too is wearing the crown." She rests her hands in her lap. "Would you like to get directly to work, or shall we be civilized and first share tea and speak of nothing heavy?" she asks. It seems she is prepared to get to it, though her phrasing indicates how little she feels that civility is a priority in Yamoto.

    Miyako pulls her sleeves back, to show that there is nothing for her to add as she works on the tea. "I see no reason to set aside the forms," she says as she begins, "Unless your own time is short, of course. I will not hold you, if those to whom you are sworn require your service." One who had made any significant study of the cha-no-yu would be able to tell in an instant that she herself was a stark amateur, but her movements are slow, precise, and graceful, as she goes about the business of making tea. While she works, she places a dull knife on the mat, hilt towards her guest. "If you would cut the bread? It is an old family recipe of mine, I do hope you enjoy it." The bread proves to be a sweetroll of some sort, filled with ground nuts.

    "Perhaps we might indulge our curiosity about each other? I was a musician by avocation, before what we have taken to calling 'The Apocalypse'. To pay my way, I worked with computers - a useless skill here, that. So I took up my instrument, and turned to singing for my supper."

    Haechi nods her head and takes up the knife to slice the bread. "I have been many things, however prior to joining into this world, I was a soldier, and a soldier I remain." she shrugs "Which nation I serve has in a way changed only because the world has changed around me." she settles the knife back onto the table. "Service however is still a place that will always bring reward. I hope that reward will be peace once more."

     Miyako inclines her head in a slight nod. "There is certainly great worth to be found in such service. I was never so honored myself, but my family had sent many before me." She sets the pot of water back on the brazier, having been moving it on and off while she waited, to keep it hot without boiling the contents away. "So I chose to serve in my own way, by aiding others, by bringing smiles to their faces. I would be greatly pleased, if I could do so again today." It is clear whose smile she hopes to see, given her company and the effort she has gone to to make this meeting work out.

    Haechi nods her head "OF course, there are many ways to serve, militarily has just been the path I have found, back home it let me finally reach the place where I could join in on this game." she smiles a bit wryly "I did not expect to be starting a new life here, just spending some time outside of my old one." she shrugs slowly "And then, well, we will have tea first and then discuss the problems this world has."

    Miyako nods once again, watching the water as it heats, setting out the remaining tools where her guest may examine them if needful. This includes a pair of toasting racks for the bread, which she places over the fire just long enough to brown the bread slightly. "The bread is best with some butter, if you like," she offers, a small pot of such to be found with the tea implements.

    With that, she turns her attention to the tea, pouring water into the two cups, then adding the powdered tea with a small bamboo scoop. "I do not think any of us expected such a ... /complete/... new life, no," she muses. "Although more than a few of us are quite pleased by it."

    She stirs the tea with a classic bamboo whisk, before setting the two cups between the pair to let Haechi have first choice.

    Haechi nods her head "I was less pleased, however accepting the crown and helping to bring others to the light has created a real change in the world. A change for the better that has made this a better life." She says putting butter on a slice of the bread. Then she simply chooses one cup of the tea and sets it beside the bread.

    Miyako nods, buttering the other slice of bread and taking it and her tea. She cradles the cup in her hands, rotating it ninety degrees before bringing it to her lips to taste the tea. "You accepted it willingly, then? Please, if I ask of things too personal, say so." Her smile shows again, friendly and warm. "I have never found the need for such measures, to find my pleasure in this world, and in my service to its people."

    Haechi nods her head "Yes, I took up the crown willingly for I saw the evil and the destruction that unchecked power causes." she says "Adventurers have a few fatal flaws, first we are immortal, and that is a flaw in vision. We become myopic and see only that which we decide is important. Second we are able to gain great power, in little time, tell me, how many of YOUR Adventurers in less than two years, could destroy armies, assassinate Kings at little more than the cost of a day in darkness?" she shakes her head. "We are not to be trusted, we have too much power, and too little attachment to the world. It leads to deep socicopathy. At first these things seem good, power is grown and people bring great progress, they solve problems the People need solved. They build merchantile empires, they bring goods and services, they slay monsters and protect the cities, clear dungeons." she says and lifts the tea to her lips.

    "And then, they begin to vie for power, the jostle against each other. And much like great beasts battling, the smaller creatures and land around suffer. They are damaged, destroyed, and like our own poor Filimøs, they suffer a death... and unlike an adventurer, they remain so dead." she sighs "And then even should the villain be captured, they can suffer only confinement for death is no true punishment to the undying." she shakes her head "And to take an immortal, and not kill them... this would require one to become monstrous beyond measure."

    While Haechi tells her tale, Miyako bites into the bread, her eyes briefly closing in pleasure. It is quite well made, and clearly a favorite of hers. She listens patiently, attentively, despite the minor distraction, and does not interrupt. "There is much truth in what you say," she agrees. "We can indeed become quite powerful. That is one of the reasons the New World Alliance exists. We are sworn, by our charter, to strive against such chaos. To respect that this world belongs to those who have been here for generations untold before us, and is not ours to take." She pauses briefly, sipping her tea once again. "We have seen no such striving for power, no such attempts at usurpation of our hosts' roles. And it is your own that we have to thank for showing us that we are not immortal at all, simply more... resilient." She sets the cup aside for a moment.

    "And so there are no true immortals, no undying villains. And to our eyes, to force the crown upon anyone against their will? That would, indeed, be - if I may borrow your phrase - monstrous beyond measure."

    Haechi smiles softly "The Crown is a freedom." she says "Not a curse, it takes that one thing that makes an Adventurer a danger and heals it." she smiles "You cannot be a sociopathic monster when society is your ofcus." she shrugs "It's like taking off the blinders and finally seeing, that the People ARE People, that they truely belong here and we are a danger. Once you've accepted this, once you make the People and the Land the ofcus and not your own power." she shrugs and sips her tea "Look at you, all of you not you personally. The world boarders fell, and you went out, you ofund a new land. Then you started poking into the monster dens, the dungeons and then the sky split and in came a wave of enemies intent on doing harm to OUR land and OUR People." she shakes her head. "I am glad to hear that some of you understand the place of the People but it will not be enough, as with our tragedy YOU will be the ones cleaning up, YOU will be the ones ofrced to fight your fellows. You will be the ones stuck defending cities, having to try to stop exploitation by the merchantile Players, trying to stop the political machniations of those who think they have a better way. You cannot tell me you have no factions that want nothing more than tear down this world to get back to the old, or those who feel they have power and some esoteric knowledge from the old world that gives them the right and obligation to change and control this one."

    Miyako takes another bite of her nut-bread while she listens, savoring the long-familiar taste. "I will not try to convince you that such steps will never be necessary," she begins. "I find it extremely distasteful, but it is not my decision to make, only to give the best advice I can to those I am sworn to. The Lords and People of the Free Cities of Eastal, of which I am a citizen, just as much as you are of the Thor Kingdom." She leans back a little, pausing to sip her tea.

    "As for the Waves of Calamity, as we have called them," she continues, "We fight them when they come. But their coming has nothing to do with our contact with you. Their intention is, as they have stated, very simple: The death of this world. Entire. Yamato, the Palace Lands, and all others besides. They are a far greater threat to you than you can imagine."

    Sighing, she looks down, then back up into your eyes. "They are powerful. Implacable. They do not fear the chaos that you warn us of. They do not -care-. They believe, as surely as you believe in the rightness of your Kingdom, that if they do not destroy this world, then theirs will die. That there can be no compromise or alternative."

    She sighs again, bitter now. "They do not even have the courtesy to hate us. They simply come, and they kill, and they go."

    The spriggan purses her lips, then pauses to sip her tea before continuing. "Kill us. Enslave us. It will not matter. Still they will come. Still they will kill. And _still this world will die_. Unless they can be stopped."

    The Spriggan regards the Palace Lander steadily, somberly. "If you truly seek to protect the People. Then stand beside us in this battle, and settle such other differences when it is won."

    Haechi smiles softly "I will tell my superiors of the waves of Calamity, do you know then what draws them? Why they attack where they do? Anything?" she asks and sips her tea. "I cannot say what my superiors will do but knowing of a threat is a great thing."

    Miyako shakes her head helplessly. "We had had some theories, but nothing that has been more than a possibility, so far. With so much hanging in the balance, we did not dare assume anything in particular. All we know so far is that however they open the breaches that allow them access, it does not appear to be something they can use frequently. But they are powerful fighters, and some of them appear to be able to control monsters."

    The Spriggan sips at her tea again and sighs. "I heard the stories about what happened when the Wave struck in the Palace Lands. That was..." She pauses, then: "By the standards of the Waves, that was a couple of children playing with wooden sticks. As if they were testing you, your willingness to fight them, their ability to access what they need through you." She shrugs. "And no, I have no idea what that might be. They spoke of 'killing heroes', as if it were a key step in their plan, but... whether they mean those known as the Heroes here, or something else, I do not know."

    Haechi nods her head "I see, well... I doubt that we can just ignore you either. We would prefer to do this without battle, without conflict. We know from our own past that will not happen. Few come to see the need on their own. Fewer still listen. They thrash and rage and do more damage as they fight." She sighs "I will continue my mission, I will tell them of the others and how they come." she says "However, you are still a threat, you are power unrestrained... and like any great force without bounds... you will burn the world around you."

    Miyako considers it for a moment, then. "Answer me one question, if you may. I know there are some things you are not permitted to reveal, but perhaps this will help me come to a decision to accept your offer." She pauses, drains her tea, and pours herself another cup, mixing it the same as before.

    "You are of the Thor Kingdom, and I, a citizen of the Free Cities of Eastal. If I accepted the Crown from you... would it bind me to the Free Cities? Or to your Thor Kingdom?" She looks intently into your eyes, genuinely curious.

    Haechi blinks "I honestly could not tell you." she says and taps her lower lip "Loyalty to the land and the People for certain." she says and sips her tea.

    Miyako nods, and sets down her teacup, folding her hands on her knees. "Then, by your own logic... without the certainty that it will not usurp my oaths to the People and Lords of Eastal... I /must not/ accept your Crown."

    Haechi smiles "Perhaps not now." she says "I will bring this to my superiors as well, and then I hope in the end, we shall find ourselves on the same side of this all." she sets her cup down lightly. "I am quite pleased that there are civil people in these lands, and a whole group dedicated to protecting the People and the Land and the ways of the Land."

    "Indeed," Miyako replies. "And it is good to know that someone is at least willing to listen to the truth. I fear that others are less reasonable... that having the power to order about such powerful beings as we, might make those who wield it as great a threat as they fear us to be. It is a danger that I think few have considered before this. You are quite correct, the power we wield /must/ be used with wisdom and care. I only hope that those who would wield us, are capable of such."

    She takes up her tea once again, to warm her hands, as the day cools. "It is a pity we could not have met under better circumstances. I would have enjoyed the chance to spend many days in the company of one with your comeliness and wisdom."

    Haechi snorts "I am not disabused of my own appearance." she says "I comely is nothing anyone has cared to call me." she chuckles "Boyish, perhaps at best I might get handsome if one were generous." she sips her tea again shaking her head slowly.

    "Then they are fools," Miyako says with a snort, pleased to have managed to find a less fraught topic. "I suppose they are the sort who prefer blondes with breasts bigger than their heads?" She turns her head and spits. "Besides, just imagine it," she suggests. "You in a tuxedo, cut to flatter your figure, and I in a slinky dress on your arm, as we attend court?" The Spriggan is actually grinning now. "You are worth -so- much more than such foolish dismissal."

    "Even you admit, handsom at best." she says as if striking a point in a match. "And poor girls who best described as boyish do not wind up at many dances, dates, or court apointments. Save those dedicated to war and hunting." Her garb is manly and if she were dressed as a woman most would simply call her plain or even unattractive when measured for feminine ideal.

    "To a man's eye, perhaps. But I am - quite clearly - not a man." Miyako chuckles softly, spreading her arms as if revealing some great secret. "Besides, this is a world of magic and miracles. Who knows what might happen to you in a year or three? You might find that you are... not done growing, yes."

    The Spriggan's own normal garb - such as Haechi would have seen during their battle - is quite manly, after all, as well, but cannot hide her decidedly feminine figure.

    Haechi snorts again and shakes her head "I doubt that I will grow, I haven't grown since I was sixteen and that was barely in the up direction." she smiles "No, I am not going to grow except perhaps in power." The young woman looks down and taps the rim of her tea cup. "I will admit sitting for teais better than worrying about my men in a battle." she chuckles softly "But, I will not see the world fall to ruin for lack of a brute squad."

    Miyako nods in response. "Well," she muses. "I suppose it depends on what kind of person you want to attract." She shrugs. "I would not see the world fall to ruin for the sake of a romance, either."

    She holds up her own teacup, and then sips from it. "As for growth, this is a new body, a new world. No way to be sure whether it will change or not. And there might be magics that will allow you to change it." She smiles lightly. "So do not lose hope."

    Haechi shrugs a little and smiles sipping her tea. "It's a new world, a scan of my real body, and it hasn't changed in over a year." she says "It's alright, I've gotten use to being me, and I've become good at battle, which is a needed skill here."

    "Well," Miyako agrees, "It's your body. If you're comfortable with it, then that's your business." She lets her smile show again. "So, what do you like to do for fun? Any arts, sports, that sort of thing?"

    Runs her fingerip around the rim of her cup "I use to play video games." she says and chuckles ruefuly. "I've been a bit busy recently... society to save, war to help run... you know, horrible accident where my brain got jacked and I ended up stuck in what was suppose to be a distraction."

    "Hmm, well," Miyako muses. "Surely you've had some downtime in all of that?" She shrugs. "Not my business to push, feel free to tell me to shove it." She waves a hand dismissively. "Just curious, I'd like to know you as a person, not just an enemy."

    She hesitates a moment, then adds, "I'm a musician, myself. Got started with English-language folk music, spread out from there. Blues, jazz, rock, a bit of j-pop..." She waves her hand again. "Never much into video games until the VR stuff came out. Mostly text-chat roleplay, or board games, for me. Or sailing... you've been aboard ship, yes? There's something about the open sea... just you and the boat, the water and the wind..." She sighs in fond reminiscence.

    Haechi shrugs a little "I've had time, but mostly I train my beasts, care for them." she shrugs "I listen to some of the bards and such, but there isn't much for a gamer to really get into." she chews her lower lip lightly "So I just lean into my Army years." she says "I liked to watch movies back home."

    Miyako nods. "Perhaps I could play for you, sometime. Or we could see a play together. Who knows what might become possible, when we no longer have to meet as enemies?"

    She pauses and sips her tea, sighing sadly at the reminder of the conflict. She decides to change the subject again. "What was it like for you, when it all started? It was midnight... the turn of the New Year... we were all teleported to our Root towns, then to Alne, and then... the Black Wave. An announcement. Not everyone was there, though. I don't know what happened. People don't talk about it much. Did anything really weird happen over in Thor Kingdom?"

    Haechi shakes her head slowly "Nothing weirder than that." she says "But the people who were bullies and assholes got worse... there was a lot of exploitation and Adventurers building, and growing... and then getting into politics..." she growls "And then getting People killed..." she shakes her head "We can't be trusted if we can't even go a year without manipulating anyone we see as lesser... it happens back home, the rich and the powerful just use and abuse the poor... and here wealth is measured in life and we have it to spend and the People do not."

    Miyako shakes her head in return. "Yes... we all know what happened -after-. I'm trying to get a sense of what happened that first day. There's something important there, something -key- to everything. Was there an announcement? What did they say? How long was it before the Black Wave hit?"

    Haechi shakes her head "Announcement? No why would there be?" she asks "We all found ourselves in our home towns... then all our levels an gear were stripped, and no one could log out." she bites her lower lip. "You got an announcement? Someone told you what happened? Who told you? What did they tell you? Why are we here?" she says slamming her tea cup down with an anger that might explain why she runs the brute squad.

    Miyako rocks back on her heels at the sudden burst of anger. "No, no," she says urgently, waving her hands to dissuade Haechi. "It wasn't anyone I recognized. Old man. Modern clothes. Talked of someone using his invention for ill. Of them being power-mad fools." She tries to remember, to drag up every detail she can.

    "He said, he was putting his faith in us, to use his gift and his curse. To seek a gift his wife left. And trust in - I think he was going to say children, but he was cut off."

    She sighs, looking down, and then back up at Haechi. "I think he was attacked while he was speaking. The image we saw was... digitized. Static, numbers, stuff like in a crazy old hacker movie. He wasn't there physically, it was some sort of projection, huge..." She carefully does -not- speak of the mention of Twilight, nor of his directive to climb the Tower.

    Sighs "That's more than we got... we got locked in..." she says "With the monsters... and the exploiters... and the PKers... those who felt we should just keep playing the game, and those who felt we should just rule it all since it was a world made for us and the People were just there to populate our dream so what does it matter if we used and twist them, and turn them on each other, what does it matter if we kill the less skilled? Or get them to give us their stuff? Or have them farm monster drops for us, at least they have a job and they can be of use to society? At least they can scrape along the bottom and live the life of a carp eating the trash our betters leave behind?" she snarls.

    Miyako nods sadly. "It is a genuine tragedy, my friend. A grievous wrong was done you, and all those who believed in our harmony with the People of this Land." She sighs, reaching out to the shorter woman, offering her embrace. "I wish you had had the fortune to be with us."

    She's honestly unsure if it would have been good, or horrific, if the servers had been in contact from the beginning. If the Yamatoans might have tempered the madness, or been corrupted by it themselves.

    "There are so many things hidden from us... like the truth about our death and rebirth... or just who is responsible for our being here...." She sighs agian. "I would love the chance to sit down and compare the lore of the different realms with you. See where there are differences. Where there might be more secrets hidden."

    Unfolds, lifting herself from the table to stand she turns away to stare towards the woods where her men are, her great beast of a summon sitting with the patience of stone. "Perhaps, but I do not know how... this courtesy I was able to indulge as you were the first to show honor and civility in this land." she says and slowly shakes her head "But tomorrow we are at war once more." she rests her hands on her hips standing with what looks like a bit of stoicism.

    Miyako rises as well, and makes a brief bow. "I know. And I mourn." She looks down at the tea instruments set out before the pair. "We must find the balance, and end this, or there will be nothing more than blood and damnation. The Crown is too absolute, too easily abused by an ambitious Lord. What is to keep them from ordering you to commit atrocities? Nothing. And then we are back where you began, only spread wider across the world."

    The spriggan sinks to her knees, bending her head to the ground at your feet. "Please. I beg you. We must find a better way, all of us together."

    The small androgynous woman sighs softly "Yet to have no bounds on Adventurers again, nothing to keep their abuses in check." she shakes her head "That is no way to live. I have lived it... and I will not return to the suffering and loss, the slow grinding away... better to be one of the People with only one life to live... than to be capable of endless suffering."

    Miyako gets to her feet, reaching her hands up to take hold of Haechi's shoulders. "How can you not know? Your own people told us. That our rebirth is not infinite. Not perfect. That we lose more and more of what we are each time, until we are empty husks. Then..." Her voice breaks with intensity, catching on tears. "Then we die. Forever. Never to be reborn again."

    She looks down at the ground again, then back up at Haechi. Fervent. Sure. Certain. "Please. We -must- find a middle way. Loyalty without slavery. Not bound to the whim of someone who might end up just as arrogant and foolish as we fear ourselves to be. If you truly believe, then you -know- this is what is truly needed. Please."

    Haechi barks a short harsh laugh "How could I not know... I know the slow grinding away." she says "And yet we can be made to suffer..." she shakes her head slowly "No, better the crown, or becoming one of the People. I won't see things as they were. You convince me that all of your people can be trusted and I would speak with the King encourage something less extreme, but I do not think you could even convince yourself of that."

    Miyako sighs and shakes her head. "Then... no. No, I cannot. But I also cannot convince myself that your King can be trusted any more than he trusts any of us." She looks up into Haechi's eyes again. "Convince me that he, and all his successors, can be trusted not to abuse it, and I will argue with my fellows to accept it. But without that..."

    She sighs and turns away. "You are fools, Haechi. We are all fools. And we will all suffer for it."

    Haechi smiles softly "Ji." she says softly "If you're going to remember someone, even just as that crazy girl with the giant crab." she says "Remember Ji, just a poor girl from ChunChon who ended up in a world... every bit as terrible as the one she left."

    Miyako nods, and bites her lip. "We will find a way... Ji. We will. We MUST. Or we are all doomed. There are... so many secrets. So many things we barely understand. So many that we don't even question. Why does the game interface still work for us? Where did the translation effect come from? It's so far beyond anything that could have been done in the old world... and yet, you and I might not have even a single remotely close to common language, but we can understand each other as easily as if we had grown up in the same part of the same city. Who was the old man we saw, and why didn't you get the announcement? Did the Americans get it? Europe? Anyone but us? And the Black Wave... so many, many questions... questions we must answer, before our chance disappears."

    She starts walking, leaving the tea-things behind, to be taken, left, or disposed of as Haechi might. "I will remember Ji. I will remember a friend who hoped for the best. Who wanted the same as I, but was not allowed to seek the possibilities."

    A step later, and she adds, "Remember me, if it should come to it. Remember the girl who loved music, and to see new sights, to laugh and sing and dance and fly."

    The sound of armored boots replaces the soft shoes gently stepping on the ground. "You're in my friend list." she says with a little sound in her throat. "You can Chim." she says quietly "And hey... if somehow this isn't hell." she chuckles ruefully "We at least both speak English." She settles her gear leaving the table as it is, but turning to pick up the last bit of bread before she turns to walk towards her great crab beast.