Day 5

[kentucky_mcgiygas]

[ The dawn of a new day brings a new game! Ronald is silent today — perhaps sulking? — but a new challenge has been provided on your tablets. ]

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[keybroad]

[Lotus looks intensely - it's a lovely, meaningful name, she's admiring and not mad, but evidently not based on a literal flower - then a lightbulb goes off. She begins to sketch ardently, more straight lines than most of the other patterns.]

And she's six years old, right?

[meatitfeedson]

That's right.

[She watches intently, it seems like something that might actually be good. She was resigned to being covered in ridiculous, embarrassing things, but this one might actually make up for it.]

[keybroad]

[Kyrie being patiently fascinated works well for Lotus, who takes a good several more seconds of silence to be sure that she gets this right. Kyrie would be the type to appreciate a good pitch, after all. Finally Lotus turns around the piece of paper. On the side are a couple origami designs that evolve to the correct basic bird pattern. What she's been working up to is a crane flower is in the middle: Green outline, six petaled, a flat 2D top-down view.]

I thought that the crane is a symbol for "long life", and then the "en" is sort of like "midori" (緑) or green... it's a little angular, but maybe that means it'd look okay in a small area?

[meatitfeedson]

[Oh, wow she's actually pretty into that.]

That's beautiful, it would be perfect. Where do you think it should go, then?

[keybroad]

[Headtilt...]

If you put it that way, do you want to go somewhere less conventional than forearm or shoulder? [Stares down at her own arms, bending them experimentally.] Maybe you could go with the more painful location of inside the elbow? You watch it unfold like you watch her life unfold. I could do just an outline then instead of shading it in.

[meatitfeedson]

I don't mind more painful, that sounds like a nice idea. If I'm going to get a tattoo, it might as well be meaningful.

[keybroad]

Great, then. [She should have known good old Kyrie would go hard!] You should get comfortable~

[Lotus loads a dark green ink into the tattoo gun. Might as well start with the outline then see how it goes.]

[meatitfeedson]

[Damn right she's going hard! She rolls up her sleeve while Lotus loads the gun, and finds a place to sit.]

It seems like they're encouraging us to drink, but somehow I doubt that's a great idea...

[But like, if Lotus wants some she will too, is what she's saying here.]

[keybroad]

Eh. [Wry laugh.] I'm thinking I'll find Rosa after this is all over and we can drink as we look back at everything. I have to keep my palate clean for that.

[Then the tattooing begins, the basic hexagonal spokes.]

[meatitfeedson]

Oh, that sounds nice, I'm sure she could use it about now.

[She knows enough to sit very still, despite wanting to wince for pain.]

[keybroad]

I really hope I can make her feel better. I can feel her aura from here.

[Lotus is fascinated that the lines are coming out so clean from Kyrie's obedience. She'll be happy to keep a conversation with her if it's not hindering the process, making friendly eye contact when she has to pick up the needle and turn a corner.]

[meatitfeedson]

I do wonder how she's taking it. Losing Natsuhi-nee-san, that is. I never expected that...

[She wants to ask to see it so far, but it would be better to wait until it's done, most likely.]

[keybroad]

[Lotus definitely does look down at this enough that she seems disinterested in giving Kyrie a break to peek.]

Let me know if this isn't an effective distraction, but if I can ask, is it hard for you too?

[meatitfeedson]

It's fine. [She offers a smile.]

Well it isn't quite the same for me. I'll miss Natsuhi-nee-san, but I don't actually know her that well. We really only see eachother once or twice a year, and I'm still fairly new to the family at that. So I just hope she'll be safe there.

[keybroad]

[Nods, processing this...] Rosa saw Natsuhi a lot more because she moved into the main household while Rosa was still in school for years? Then this is a way bigger transition for her...

To me, obviously it won't be that strange not talking to her every day. [Tattoo pause.] It just stands out to me more when we spent this time focused so much on our community, and then our subcommunity. I do care about her.

[meatitfeedson]

...Yeah. It feels strange to think that only a few hours ago we all spent time together, with her. And that I told her not to worry and relax. Some famous last words there.

[But, if could be worse. She could be dead.]

[keybroad]

Maybe she will relax! For all we know the hotel is by a hot springs.

[She draws back the gun.]

All of the little lines are done... if you want, Kyrie, I can start filling it in now.

[meatitfeedson]

She'll even be able to go in if it is, the rest of us are going to be banned now!

[She nods.]

Might as well, it might count for more if it's fully finished.

[keybroad]

[Ha... the thought of getting judged hard for being tattooed does make Lotus a little sad.] Maybe we should just move to America when this is over. That's their plan to make us comfortable with their culture and increase immigration.

[Time for the additional ink!!!]

[meatitfeedson]

Actually I think my husband would be pretty excited about that idea, he loves American stuff, even if his English is worthless. Maybe we will.

[keybroad]

Rohan can translate for us. [Smiling wider to herself as she continues using the needle.] If we go to Europe, even. See the hot springs in Scandinavia.

[meatitfeedson]

Artistic and linguistic? Geez, he's got too much talent for one person. I'm pretty proud of my English, but translation is another thing...

Ahhh, an outdoor hotspring in the winter is the best though, I'd love to take a trip like that. We don't get to go anywhere nice, it's always for business or family, so even when we're in Kyoto we don't get to take in a Ryokan.

[keybroad]

That is a travesty! There's nothing really like staying a long time in a ryokan with an obaasan who calls you by name at breakfast every day, "Ushiromiya-sama"... don't tell me it must be the same way with a restaurant, it's not really a good old Japanese style restaurant if there are more than ten seats.

[meatitfeedson]

Ahh, the best obaasan special treatment is at the Ushiromiya head household anyway. Still, you're really making me want a vacation! We didn't even get a chance to have a honeymoon, a vacation's long overdue.

[keybroad]

No honeymoon? The business world really is harsh! Keep swimming just to get your head above water... I've never been that high flying, may I ask what do you use the money for if you don't get to vacation that much? [Lightheartedly in case this is actually a painful topic--] Keeping yourself in tailored suits?