Lying in bed she just sighs and says "You act a fool and you ain't that cool–

For @Izumi | Nomad Skill

---

---

---

She came to seek out her sister, partially for advice, and partially because Aika felt like she hadn't been able to converse with her – most definitely favoured – sister for quite some time. Aika sent a lone howl up into the air, calling for the siamese as she came upon the same lake where Honoka had once been present. She smiled as she reminisced, though quickly dragged herself back to reality.

She wanted to tell Izumi about @M’Jakuna; this could be the one. “イズミ? 周りにいるのか? 君と話したいんだ それは重要です。” — "Izumi? Are you around? I want to, uh– talk with you, please. It's important."

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

❁

As the cranebird strode amongst the forests of drying greenery and tale pines, it took her back to the time where she had met @Ciri for the very first time. Things here had realitively stayed the same -- the lake seemed to have stood still aginst time and the surrounding mountains making any bystander feel insignificant amongst their glory. Though seasons had seemed to make both the air and the water chillier -- to remind her of what was to come soon if they didn't settle fast.

Distracted by her thoughts was the farmiliar song of a certain swan bird, and Izumi didn't hesitate to answer the call of her dainty sister, Aika. She was much the social butterfly in comparison to her, and the crane couldn't help but feel glad that she'd chosen to stick around. Her warmth was magnetic to others, and she felt as though she'd make good within a possible scouting mission in the future. She'd keep note to discuss it on a later date. For now-

“私はここにいます、愛華。 何かあったの?” — I am here, Aika. Has something happened?

She would see what her sister would summon her for. It had been a while since they got to talk like this individually, and the siamese couldn't help but let intuition take afoot and tell her something might've been wrong here...

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

---

Her sister was there immediately, and Aika felt a little anxious when she saw her almost-twin sister, looking over her and speaking almost immediately; “私はここにいます、愛華。 何かあったの?” Ah, so now it was just time to find the right words . . . Aika screwed her eyes shut, trying to think as a nervous smile came to her face. She tried to meet Izumi's eyes without combusting right on the spot. “私はしました . . . 誰かを見つけた、と私は思う . . . 本当に彼のように,” — "I've . . . found someone, and I think I . . . really like him,"

She fiddled with her paws nervously before continuing; “と . . . たぶん、彼も私を好きだと思いますか？ 私は知らない、多分私は物事を聞いているか、物事を見ているだけですが . . . 泉時間がなくなった気がしないの?” — "And . . . I think that, maybe, he likes me, too? I don't know, maybe I'm just hearing things or seeing things but . . . Izumi, don't you feel like you're running out of time?" The lady looked up at her sister; he face had fallen flat, an anxious frown now decorating her features.

“泉、私は–あなたは今まであなた自身の子供を望んでいましたか？ 私はすぐに私たちが年を取るかもしれないことを心配しています。 私は今四人です。 分かったと言ってくれ?” — "Izumi, I– Have you ever wanted children of your own? I worry that soon we may grow old. I'm four now; I might not have a lot of time left. Please, tell me you understand?" Please. Aika looked up at her with puppy-like eyes, threatening to spill over and weep. She felt numb. She wanted reassurance.

She wanted to be okay.

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

❁

She wasn't quite sure how take all of this...actually, she wasn't quite sure how to respond when Aika practically spoke a million miles per second. Her ears flattened and her tail spun around her haunches, stuck against her said like velcro. Izumi had never had a "Sibling talk" like this, due to her more inward nature during her youth, so she almost felt intimidated to have all of this thrown at her with the speed of a meteor hitting the earth. Though if there was one thing she'd like to focus one first, it was the mention of a guy.

Who Aika liked.

And claimed to have liked her back.

“彼は誰だ?” — Who is he? the crane asked almost abruptly, as if demanding an answer in a soft, yet stern voice. There was something almost protective within her frosted gaze, as well. The crane already had a small lack of trust towards men caused by the wrong doings towards her birth home, so who was this guy attempting to court her baby sister without Izu's knowledge?

A tail thumped against the ground.

Yet stopped as the questions were now pointed towards her. Her sharpened expression even softened back to that of bewilderment again, at such a direct barrage of inquiries. “I-”, the crane had begun, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish out of water, trying to find the words to say. Before finally, the cranebird would, clear her throat, straighten herself and answer. “私はまだパートナーの欠如と子供たちの見通しを考えていませんが。..私は理解していると信じています。” — I have yet to think of the prospect of children with the lack of a partner but...I believe I understand. Izumi admittedly couldn't think that far ahead without knowing love. It was not exactly wise to ask a virgin for advice on these subjects, she'd answer the best she could've.

Lilac eyes looked upon the owlish, puppy-like gaze of her sister and sought to place a paw upon her head “愛花はもちろんいつか老いていく。..それは上のフレットには何もありませんが。 フォーは、結局、私たちの日の終わりではありません。” — Aika, of course we shall grow old one day...though that is nothing to fret over. Four is not the end of our days. They had all turned 4 recently, she remembered -- not that Izumi had cared much for birthdays....though if she was aware that Aika would react in such a way, she would've sought to consoul the swan sooner.

She used a paw to gently prop Aika's chin up to her eye level. “なぜあなたは若者を育てるために急いでいますか？ あなたが最初に考えずにパニックから急いでいるなら、あなたは確かにあなたが時間の損失を心配するほどそれを後悔するでしょう。” — Why do you rush to raise young? If you rush in out of panic without thought first, you will surely regret it as much as you worry of the loss of time...

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

---

She wasn't taking it well.

Oh no.

“彼は誰だ?” Her tone was stern, protective, both what Aika needed and feared; she hoped that the siamese Empress wouldn't track the man down and return with his head; she grimaced. “彼の名前はムジャクーナ,” — "His name is M’Jakuna," She breathed, tone soft in an attempt to calm her sister down. Please, please don't go after him, she begged in her mind. That . . . would be less than tasteful. “私はまだパートナーの欠如と子供たちの見通しを考えていませんが。..私は理解していると信じています。”

Oh– thank the gods above! Aika almost faltered as she sighed with relief, a smile creeping up her maw. “分かってくれて嬉しい . . .” — "I'm so glad you understand . . ." Because if she hadn't, well, that wasn't something Aika wanted to risk, nor think about; just telling her sister about this was terrifying enough in itself. “愛花はもちろんいつか老いていく。..それは上のフレットには何もありませんが。 フォーは、結局、私たちの日の終わりではありません。” “しかし、私は私の骨の中で古い感じ、泉。 私は弱くなっているような気がします。 私はただ欲しいだけです . . .” — "But I feel old in my bones, Izumi. I feel like I'm growing weaker. I just want . . . " She breathed deeply. “私はそれを説明する方法がわかりません。” — "I don't know how to explain it."

“なぜあなたは若者を育てるために急いでいますか？ あなたが最初に考えずにパニックから急いでいるなら、あなたは確かにあなたが時間の損失を心配するほどそれを後悔するでしょう。” Wait, no– She wasn't trying to rush! She just felt like something could be there. Any sort of love; that was enough for her. She just wanted to be enough, she wanted to be able to make someone happy. She wanted to be happy. She felt both terrible and amazing at the same time. “急いではいない 太郎は私に同じことを言った、その時間が経過することを受け入れる、または何か。 知らないわ泉 I. . .” — "I'm not trying to rush. Taro told me the same thing; accept that time will pass, or something. I– I don't know, Izumi. I . . ." Don't cry, don't cry.

“最初はあなたを誇りに思っていたと思っていましたが、今は泉、それ以上だと思います。 私は母が確かに感じた喜びを感じたい、私は誰かに何かを意味したい。 愛が欲しいんだいずみ 私は本当にそうです。” — "At first, I thought I just wanted to make you proud, but now; Izumi, I think it's more than that. I want to feel the joys that our mother surely felt; I want to mean something to someone. I want love, Izumi. I really do."

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

❁

Aika looked like she was going to cry, again, and the awkwardly fidgeting crane didn't know how she was going to handle that if it happened. Yet she knew she would still try to figure this all out, even without plan. Coming to learn that she had enough love for her sister to try despite the lack of experience being much of one in the past.

Did she spoil Aika? Probably, but Izumi didn't realize it yet.

She felt that words weren't necessary right now, and allowed the swan to speak her mind as Izu sat back and listened in silence. M’Jakuna was the man's name, and for whatever reason he had been why her sister proclaimed the spark that had made Aika think of children. They had not even wandered the mountains for that long -- the crane just couldn't find herself trusting a man she did not know with her sister, but couldn't picture herself seeing her sister pulled from happiness either. So, with a sigh...“愛華さんも愛を見つけてほしい,” — I want you to find love too, Aika, she answered in the best way she could've.

Aika had a hard time describing, but the crane could tell what she meant. The desire for love, one that Izumi had also felt grow within as time passed -- the only difference being that Aika was not afraid to seek it, while the crane did. Too afraid to chase after one of life's many gifts after having her heart shattered once, and maybe Izu simply envied Aika for having such ambition. Afraid that her soft sister might experience what she had many moons ago....

Hesitating, the cranebird spoke again. More hushed and affectionate as she placed her chin upon Aika's shoulder to console her. “はあなたが作ることを決定したどのような決定をサポートします。 あなたの人生は、あなた自身の野心と欲望ではなく、他の誰かのものではなく、私のものでさえも形をしています。 それを覚えておいてください。” — I will support whatever decisions you decide to make. Your life is shaped by your own ambitions and desires, not someone else's -- not even mine. Remember that.

Yet looking over the swan's shoulder, there was a certain darkness in her eyes that she hadn't shown to Aika. One that formed as that name had begun to float within her head -- M’Jakuna.

M’Jakuna...

M’Jakuna......

The two of them will be meeting, soon. Once she got more information on him...

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

---

“愛華さんも愛を見つけてほしい,” Her sister said.

Aika blinked for a moment, dark cheek fur billowing in the breeze as time otherwise seemed to still; and then, with everything, the droplet fell, and the world rippled into perspective once more. She blinked, and just like the water, did her tears spill out. She cried. Her sisters tone was hushed, affectionate, and perfect. It was perfect. As she sobbed, listening, Aika couldn't help but think about how lucky she'd been to die that night, when once upon a time it felt like the worse thing to ever happen to her. A new chance. One she hadn't seen before. One she cherished now.

“はあなたが作ることを決定したどのような決定をサポートします。 あなたの人生は、あなた自身の野心と欲望ではなく、他の誰かのものではなく、私のものでさえも形をしています。 それを覚えておいてください。” Her sister said. Not even mine. Not even her sister had the ability to mould or sculpt her, everything was her choice. It was her decision. And that decision would ultimately be to follow her heart, whether or not she saw that right now. While a desperate mix of fear and want for affection flourished in her chest, Aika realised that she believed that MJ could be the one for her. It would just . . . take some time. She looked up at her sister, cheeks stained and eyes completely emptied of all of the tears she'd had to offer. For the time being. It felt like she'd cried a river.

Aika swallowed. She refused to let anything but appreciation bubble up to the surface. No more sadness. “ありがとうシスタ,” — "Thank you, sister," She smiled, lashes gently blinking away any beads that clung to the thin, long dark hairs. Her cheeks were warm with a salty liquid as she tried to swipe it away with her paw. Aika breathed, continuing on. “あなたが彼に会うことができれば、私はあなたが彼を好き願っています。 彼は本当に素敵な男です、あなたが知っています。” — "If you ever get to meet him, I hope you like him. He truly is a lovely man, you know."

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

❁

Think this might be a good spot to wrap up? <3

---

Aika was happy again, and her own gentle smile felt contagious. This is what Izumi wanted -- for their second life to be full of the freedom and happiness they'd never had the fortune of being granted before. For Her Aika, Taro, Hikari, and Chiharu -- wherever the dragon was -- to create the happy ending that they deserved. Her beautiful sister was getting the love story she always deserved....yet they'd all been wronged by men in the past, and Izumi's own heart broken by another. If this man wasn't who Aika had written him up to be, and who Izumi feared he might've been, would she be able to save her sister from that pain?

She'd keep those thoughts to herself, and do her own investigating later, but for now the siamese wanted to at least enjoy the company of the swan and repair their long, overdue sisterly relationship. She sighed softly, and shook out her pelt to waltz towards her sister's side. “私は新しい人の周りに警戒していますが、。..あなたが彼が言うなら、多分私はそれにチャンスを与えるでしょう。” — I am wary around new people, but...if you say he is, then maybe I will give it a chance. Izumi stated, smiling gingerly towards her sister.

“あなたと私は谷に沿って散歩に行ってみませんか。 彼のことをもっと話して欲しい.” — Why don't you and me go for a walk along the valley. I'd like for you to tell me more about him.

---

---

the staff team luvs u

---

---

She could understand her sisters concerns, especially due to the… things they'd had to face in their past. But despite that, she also wanted to be happy, and the sire gave her that feeling. To be able to trust a man again was something that she wanted to teach her sister(s). “私は新しい人の周りに警戒していますが、。..あなたが彼が言うなら、多分私はそれにチャンスを与えるでしょう。” “大丈夫ですよお姉様。私はあなたの疲れを理解しています。私は彼が非常に光栄に思うだろうと確信しています。” — "It's okay, sister. I understand your weariness. I'm sure he'll be quite honoured," The maiden laughed, smiling back to the siamese.

“あなたと私は谷に沿って散歩に行ってみませんか。 彼のことをもっと話して欲しい.” Drawing herself upwards, the woman nodded. Ah, she could go on and on about him really, but she didn't want to seem… too intense. With a nod, she gestured forwards. “先導して、私が話します。” — "Lead the way, and I'll talk."

---

---

---

fade!

the staff team luvs u