Sometimes we just sit around, don't say much, and I know that she's got my back

For @Meresankh! | Nomad Skill

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Again, she found herself wandering, trying to find somewhere that could maybe have even the slightest qualities of home. Her mind kept lingering to @M’Jakuna's offer. It was tantalisingly sweet of him, and Aika wished she could find him again to bring it up; she surely hadn't been able to refuse, and the picture it painted in her mindscape made her even more nostalgic for the wisteria petals once more:

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"But there was this grove that I moved through some time ago, vibrant wildflowers like a sea, so many shades, too. It'd be no Wisteria Fields but maybe you'd allow me to show you, eventually. It could be nice."

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It just sounded so stunning, but she'd need the chocolate sire's help to find it, not that any time spent with him would be a waste. Aika longed for his company once more, though it seemed like fate had other plans. Aika turned her head, listening as footsteps echoed through the mountains, squinting past sparse trees and trying to get a sight of the stranger, the lady gave a low chuff, before speaking; “Hello?”

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Taking in the sights of the land around her, she's starting to get a lay for what exists here. Right now she's taking stock of the moose nearby. She's already stated she's here to observe, by lying in the snow and panting to show that she's harmless. The moose thus have allowed her to stay there as they wander through. She studies their muscle structure, the way they move. She's quite fascinated by them, and eventually they wander on. She notes that they tend to avoid the buds of the leaves, similar to how wolves will only take the mature moose. The ones past their prime, with broken legs or disease clinging to them.

She knows it's the way of the wild. Sitting in the snow, she waits a few more moments. Then there's another, a wolf. These lands aren't claimed yet, and therefore there's no reason to be hostile. Instead, Meresankh offers a polite yawn as greeting. "It is a good day to observe nature," she says. She likes her human lives, but there's something joyous about the animal lives. "Are you busy? Care to slow down a tad, or would that distract you from important matters?"
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"It is a good day to observe nature," The stranger echoed back, after giving a pleasant yawn in what Aika assumed to either be a "hello" or a "I've merely laid my gaze upon you and you already bore me". She hoped it was the second option, but Aika knew that surely not everyone she met would be polite; "Are you busy? Care to slow down a tad, or would that distract you from important matters?" She seemed polite enough!

Aika shook her head; “No, I'm not busy,” She smiled, slowing down to come trot towards the woman. Aika waved her tail back and forth, encroaching further along the stony-grassy ground as she approached the lady; she had a difficult time detecting her age; she looked young, yet the vibes she gave off . . . just . . . seemed ancient. She hummed. “I'm Aika, what's your name?”

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With the girl settling down-- for despite being older than her in body, the other seems to have the posture and bearings of a girl-- Meresankh shifts to give her more room and allow her to get comfortable. If they touched, Meresankh wouldn't mind. The intimacy of flesh is important, even with strangers. To remind others that you are alive, you exist, you are here and now. It is the most validating form of existence you could possibly have.

"I am watching the moose move about," she says. "They're eating the leaves off that tree. Or they were. They've moved on." She sighs softly. "My name is Meresankh. Do you know the names of the trees here?" She needs to stop herself from going into a lecture about the beauty of the trees. Of their elegant branches. Of their steady motion. She glances at them, naming them her head. Coniferous, they are, and only the moose can eat them.

"If you don't, that's fine. I can tell you."
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She seemed to be . . . just . . . surveying the animals and the land; it was nice to hear, in all honesty, it sounded peaceful, though it also confused Aika a little bit. Hm. "I am watching the moose move about, they're eating the leaves off that tree. Or they were. They've moved on." The lady finished with a sigh, though quickly introduced herself; Aika was about to say a proper hello, until Meresankh quickly moved on to the next subject; trees?

"If you don't, that's fine. I can tell you." “I don't, but please, do go on.” She smiled. Though the Fujiwara Woman didn't have a massive interest in the trees that littered this new realm, Aika certainly didn't mind making new friends – and making conversations with interesting people, of whom this woman seemed to be – so she most definitely wouldn't want to miss out on conversing with the dame. FoMO, much?

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She points to the tree not far from here, green despite the growing cold. "That's a ponderosa pine," she says. The massive tree climbs higher than she can see the top of, not without straining. If she stood, she could see it better. "Named because its size is so ponderous. The pointed needles remain green all year round, like most coniferous trees." She thinks of the life of a tree. How long it must last! She's, as far as she's known, never been a tree. But they remain the most impressive of life forms.

"But I'm sure trees aren't your hobby. Tell me something of yourself, friend. Something you love and enjoy. Let us savor the joys of this life." It might be a strange thing to say, but Meresankh has gotten over trying to pretend she isn't an ancient being in a modern land. She doesn't explain it, sure, but she lets the hints lay bare, letting those who suspect guess that she's been in more than one skin.
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nomad

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"That's a ponderosa pine, named because its size is so ponderous. The pointed needles remain green all year round, like most coniferous trees." While Aika had definitely heard the saying about learning something new every day, she had never been completely certain as to whether or not it was actually a real case; turns out, yep, some people were quite very knowledge in topics that . . . Aika wasn't very . . . confident in.

She continued, swiftly changing the topic. Aika felt bad; was it obvious that it wasn't really something she was in to? The lady hoped she wasn't coming off as rude, or anything, though took the change of pace as a kind gesture. "But I'm sure trees aren't your hobby. Tell me something of yourself, friend. Something you love and enjoy. Let us savor the joys of this life." She chuckled for a moment. “Well, I'm quite the nomad,” She smiled, tilting her head as she surveyed the area, similarly to how Meresankh had been, previously. “If it hadn't been for my adventurous tendencies, I don't think I would've met any of my friends that I hold close.”

“Have you – uh, – ever met a man by the name of @M’Jakuna?” Perhaps they could all have a little friend-group together, though the word 'friend' and 'M'Jakuna' so close together didn't sound like the world's greatest mix; nonetheless, Aika would love to have some common ground between the two. She wanted to, ah, get close to him, she supposed. Was that creepy? It sounded creepy in her head. The lady hoped it wasn't. “Do forgive me for prying! I am but a curious woman.” She quickly added.

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Meresankh listens patiently, noting the talk of adventures. She's had a few of those, but she's not going to bring the topic back to herself. She's already spoken of the trees-- which many find boring. She's not going to prattle on anymore, despite observing the size of that ponderosa pine. It's growing quite strong. There's something about the wildlife here. She wonders if she's even on Earth anymore. In her last, brief life, she had remembered the horrors of climate change and the destruction of the earth by the humans. But signs of human life don't seem to be anywhere here.

The air is fresh and clean. The animals are plentiful. And the wolves can live in massive numbers. She wonders if animals have any words for the land and trees here-- that's part of why she asked. She needs to know more about this strange, beautiful land. A land unthreatened by mankind. Perhaps she's finally died, and this is the last stop...

But Aika mentions M'Jakuna, and Meresankh's eyes lighten with recognition. "M'Jakuna is my packmate," she says, perking up. "We are the only two right now, but I'm certain our numbers will grow every day. He's helping me find my family, after all." She thinks few men would be as willing to assist a mother in need as him, and it's a good thing she found him quickly. "And you found him on one of your adventures?"
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nomad

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Aika could tell by the woman’s eyes that she had most certainly met MJ, and Aika found herself light up, as well, listening intently as Meresankh spoke; "M'Jakuna is my packmate," Oh! He had spoken a bit about the Jun’Harah, perhaps he was trying to restart it, as her sister was trying to restart the clan — now branded as the Fujiwara Dynasty. It was very fancy sounding.

"We are the only two right now, but I'm certain our numbers will grow every day. He's helping me find my family, after all." Aika almost faltered, hit with a pang of admiration and affection for the man; helping a mother find her children? The lady smiled widely, maw parting in a whisper. “He is just the sweetest . . . is he not?” She breathed mystically, eyes clouding over at the thought of the chocolate man.

Quickly, Meresankh’s words drew her back to earth, and Aika blinked away the fog a few times, focusing on the woman in front of her as she spoke; "And you found him on one of your adventures?" Aika shook her head with a light chuckle. “More like he found me, really,” She smiled. “But yes, I met MJ on my travels. We’ve encountered one another again, lately, and . . . I don’t know. Please don’t repeat this to him,” Was she really about to tell a random lady about her crush on a boy? Yes, most definitely.

“I feel my heart fluttering when I’m around him, you know? He calls me his, uh, ‘Snow-Kissed’ after he said that it looks as if the snow had— as he named me after— kissed me, and that, uh, he’d be lucky to “know me as closely.” I don’t know if I’m reading signals wrong, or—” She breathed deeply. “I’m sorry, I truly shouldn’t be telling you this. Please do promise me that you won’t tell him that I . . . uh . . . fancy him?” Because all of a sudden she’s British now.

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This one is physically older than her, but when she speaks, she has the soul of a girl. Meresankh doesn't know M'Jakuna all that well, save that he seems an honorable sort. She has a good feeling about him. But she's not entirely sure what sort of partner he would make. She isn't entirely dishonest about the fact that she thinks of most people in sexual lights sometimes, and she wouldn't be opposed to sleeping with M'Jakuna. She probably wouldn't even be opposed to sleeping with Aika, now that she thinks about it. But sleeping is different than anything else, and this woman seems... sheltered.

"Have you been in love before?" And a no would probably kill Meresankh's sexual interest as well; not so much her platonic interest, however, since she's fine keeping both separate. Sex, love, and friendship are all different things, and she's fine having combinations of the three with different people. It's only Yosife that carries her heart and soul. In this moment, she misses him. But she knows no matter what, she'll find him again. Their souls are intertwined, and she knows he will know her when he sees her in the next life.

"I admit I do not know how M'Jakuna feels about romance just yet," she says with a shrug. "He's classy enough to not say a word about my lifestyle. And he has made no advances on me, either out of disinterest or respect for my mates. Or perhaps because his heart is elsewhere." She smiles wryly, but is careful to not lead the implication on too much. "I care neither way. But he does not seem a bad man to adore." She pauses. "His heart is mostly in his traditions, though. If you wish to know him, to truly know him, you must approach with an honest heart. I will not tell him, but I will encourage you to tell him yourself if your feelings become too strong to ignore."
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nomad

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"Have you been in love before?" Oh, uh, wow, um. Good question, really. There’d been @Icarus who’d never turned up to their meeting spot . . . who’s words were as sweet as honey, and who Aika felt like she could have something with, but never had she had the urge to tell someone before. No, this was different. “Not . . . in love, but close. What I feel for MJ was . . . more than what I felt for Aloysius. I don’t know what I felt for him; he was the first to show me romantic affection, so . . .” She sighed.

“I played along. It’s been two, maybe three moons since I saw him last. The feelings . . . they were quick to fade. With @M’Jakuna it feels stronger, you know? I feel like . . . maybe there’s a true chance there.” She blinked herself out of what was probably but a mere fantasy, shaking away the thought that he’d ever love her back. She gave a bit of a mental sigh, before Meresankh revealed that she didn’t know all that much about MJ yet. It was disappointing . . . though she supposed she’d just have to court him firsthand and be her true, honest self. She could do that.

"He's classy enough to not say a word about my lifestyle. And he has made no advances on me, either out of disinterest or respect for my mates. Or perhaps because his heart is elsewhere." Aika grinned; she’d like to think it’s the last option, but truly, the lady could never be sure. Perhaps his heart laid with her . . . perhaps another, but all the more, she’d be glad to be his friend. "I care neither way. But he does not seem a bad man to adore."

She continued. All of this felt like things she already knew, perhaps she only knew his surface level, though it felt like Aika had ripped herself open and shown him everything; she’d wept, talked about her past, been her true self with him. Was he showing her but a mask? "His heart is mostly in his traditions, though. If you wish to know him, to truly know him, you must approach with an honest heart. I will not tell him, but I will encourage you to tell him yourself if your feelings become too strong to ignore." She dipped her head.

“Thank you, Meresankh,” Aika whispered, her face decorated with a soft smile. “I should be going now, I want to see if I can find my siblings, and perhaps MJ, too. Um, if you see him, can you tell him I said hi, please?” Hopefully he wouldn’t find that weird, or anything. She dipped her head to the woman a second time, taking a step back as she got ready to depart.

Her eyes filtered over the woman one last time: Is there anything else you’d like to say? That purple gaze seemed to ask. Or shall I be leaving now?

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Meresankh listens patiently. Aloysius, she doesn't know the name. But it sounds like a brief fling. And this one has it bad for M'Jakuna. Enough to kill Meresankh's interest for the time being. She respects M'Jakuna, and knows that most sapient creatures don't have the same approaches to sex and relationships as she does. If she has to guess, it would require igniting a passion in Aika that Meresankh usually reserves for Yosife. And listening to Aika makes her miss her mate. Anya, too-- she's new, but she's nowhere near lesser. Meresankh also wonders if she'll ever meet Anya again. Anya was new to this life... Would she ever be reborn?

But she replies honestly. "It always feels stronger when you're feeling new feelings," she says softly. "I have been with Yosife for a very long time, but when I first met Anya, my feelings were... fresh. And their freshness caused such an intensity that I didn't know how to handle them." She will leave this warning. "The start means little. It's how you push through the middle that matters. That will determine what the end is like, and when it comes. So do not force it." For all things end. Whether it ends in death or a break-up, it hardly matters; it will end regardless.

"You may well have a true chance. It depends on if you choose to seize it. But so long as you are within the Juh'harah's reach, know that I am here to talk at any time." She offers a smile. She expects it'll be an offer taken quite readily. "I'll give him your greetings." She wonders if she should warn M'Jakuna of the girl's inexperience. Perhaps he already knows. That's certainly one of the things that turns Meresankh off a person; she's never been a fan of leading along first-timers. But she doesn't sense the same hedonism in M'Jakuna as she does in herself. If that had been the case, they would have probably a different relationship by now.

Really, she doesn't have any bad feelings about this. Just the usual warning towards those who aren't used to getting their hearts broken. Let people fall in love, is her policy. There truly is nothing more pure than that.
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