[D7 LM] Rise and Gripe (expecting)

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna woke up late, feeling grumpy and disoriented. She was still sick to her stomach, so she didn't even bother going to the breakfast area. She simply crouched outside near her tent, knees pulled up to her chest, busying herself with tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. Aono sat nearby, keeping an eye on her sister while giving her the space she clearly needed. Miuna rubbed the bridge of her nose. Thoughts swirled of the night before last and her brow knit in consternation.

[Nozomi]

Phi hadn't been one to check in on most of the people that night. They'd been fine physically, and she'd seen the majority of them show no signs of distress, but the woman that she'd pulled out of the muck and the mire had been drenched like a wet cat and that was... well, she'd been coughing it up for a little bit. So, eventually, she'd wanted to check on her.

Not the previous day's march. She'd been hanging back and ensuring that nobody got lost in that blasted swamp that Jigoku'd plunged them in. That had been her entire day. But now, when they were probably in the closest thing to comfortable, almost familiar territory that they'd seen in a week, she had a moment. So, she'd eventually made her way over after her latest guard rotation was well and thoroughly over. Unlike Miuna, Phi had been up for hours and was completely alert. She had a bit of a sullen, dark look to her, but she always had that. That was never anything new.

As she made her way up, she nodded to the girl's sister and to Miuna, offering her a nod and a wave to see if she'd perk up. "Not to sound daft, but how do I talk to her?" You know, mask and all.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Aono smiled in greeting. "Well met, Phi. I hope you are well this morning. I did not get a proper moment before, but thank you again for saving Miuna. She is precious to me and I know not what I would do in this world without her." She pondered the question a moment before answering. "She is able to read lips, but if you do not wish to remove your mask, perhaps I could translate for you? Though if privacy is what you wish, our tent is clean and open."

Miuna did not look up or respond to the woman's wave, she seemed distracted and remained ignorant of Phi's presence.

[Nozomi]

"Just my job to watch over folks at night. Sorry I didn't get to her sooner."

"Privacy's not important unless she needs it to be," Phi said, considering for a moment. And after a consideration, she settled down into a half crouch, half seat. Her hood stayed low, partially occluding her eyes, but she undid one tie of the veil, letting it fall. It would let the woman see her lips. "Something done to honor a kami doesn't need to be done at the cost of being able to talk at all. But... is she alright? Maybe you could get her attention?"

[Shinjo Miuna]

Aono nodded. She stood and gently approached her sister. As she bent and placed a hand on her shoulder, Miuna visibly startled, body tensing and eyes darting up, relaxing only after she registered that it was only Aono. She signed while she spoke. "Someone is here to see you. Would you like to come and say hello?" Then she privately signed, "It's quite alright if you don't really feel up to it."

Miuna looked around until she spotted Phi. She took in her familiar shape and garb, perking up a bit. She rose gingerly, shuffling over with careful considerations to her movements. She was clearly still sore from the events of the past two days. She bowed carefully, sitting in the seiza position before her. She signed "Well met," which Aono translated for her while returning to her seat near Phi. Miuna looked up at her, seeking out her eyes under her hood, vivid green searching the stark, contrasting red.

[Nozomi]

"You haven't been well, have you?" Phi said. She spoke with a bit of careful gait to her tone, not speaking quite as quickly as she might under other circumstances. She wanted to make sure that her lips were easy to read and looked up to Aono whenever the woman was tasked to translate on Miuna's behalf. "Are you in any pain. Trouble breathing?" She'd taken a lot of water.

other possibilities, Phi wasn't qualified to speak on and decided not to bring up.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna was momentarily struck dumb by the realization that she was looking at the other women's full face. There were so many bewitching women here and now there was one more. She cast her eyes downward, shaking her head. Then she looked up, maintaining eye contact while she signed and Aono softly spoke for her. "Physically, I am mostly fine. Just very tired. The swamp..." she paused, inhaling deeply before continuing to sign, "There was so much darkness. I couldn't stop myself. I thought it would swallow me whole. Then suddenly I was staring into your beautiful eyes. Thank you." Her own eyes welled up with tears, and they glinted like diamonds as they rolled off her cheeks. She sniffled, closing her eyes and wiping her nose across her sleeve, giving Aono a chance to address Phi.

"She's been very upset. I think it will heal with time, but I do worry about the closer we get to... our destination. She is gifted but also very sensitive. She told me that she heard our mother's voice, which is impossible for obvious reasons. I am not quite sure how to console her." So I simply hover nearby, helpless and useless, she thought.

[Nozomi]

Ah... so they all heard someone they loved who was gone. That...

...

Wait?!? did she just say my bloodshot, bloody eyes are beautiful?!?

Phi looked a little openly taken aback. The hell?!? She blinked and shook herself, and when she spoke again, the woman's sister would see both a faint heat in her very very pale cheeks, which made it harder to hide reactions without the mask, and an obvious confusion and discomfort. "I am... sorry that the darkness even got you into its mouth at all. I should have saved all of you, but ... I am ashamed to say I heard my own mother's voice. She died a long time ago." She reached over and offered a small pat on the hand.

"You will be fine. I will make sure there is a guard. I should have made sure there was a guard from the very start. A proper guard each night." No more of this. She looked up at her sister and frowned. "You're not wrong," she murmured, angling her face a little so reading her lips wouldn't happen easily. "It will get worse. I'm sure of it. I hope only that this marsh helps them understand what we're getting into."

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna had stopped sniffling, and even flushed when Phi patted her hand. She very much wanted to hug the other woman, but decided against it. Everything in the way the woman carried herself suggested that she was not very fond of physical contact. So she settled for simply placing her other hand over the one that now covered hers. Phi's skin was rough in contrast to the softness of Miuna's. She found her direct oppositional qualities to be very appealing. Seeing so much of the same kinds of "traditional beauty", this one was delightfully refreshing. She gently brushed the back of Phi's hand with her thumb before letting it go.

"Do not blame yourself, Phi. I never even noticed her leave the tent and I should have. The important point to dwell on at this time is that no one was lost. You put yourself in harm's way to save her. That's very admirable and selfless. We owe you a great debt. If there is anything you need that we may be of service for, you have simply to call on us."

Miuna nodded at her sister's words. She would never forget Phi's bravery. Then Phi turned from her, obscuring her mouth. She frowned. Her small size caused her to be treated as much younger than she was. At 17 she was certainly an adult by now, and she wondered if she would ever grow tall enough to be taken more seriously. Damn this feebly tiny frame! She cursed inwardly.

[Nozomi]

She didn't want the young woman to worry needlessly. It wasn't as if what she'd said was probably not on everyone's mind. Feeling the hand there, she turned back and looked down. Her fingers were rough, calloused. There were a pair of tighter callouses from all the time he strung her bow on the first two fingers and plenty all over the palm from where she gripped her tonfa. They had the rough feel of someone who spent most of her time in the harsh elements. She did not give off the 'touchy feely' vibe much, and eventually drew her hand back, though gradually and not with a yank.

"I am glad you were saved. You'll be important. We... need shamans. there are things I cannot fight, Miuna." She made sure to get that across. She needed this girl confident again. "You are the only ones who can face spiritual dangers for us. So we need you, and I couldn't leave you to that. Besides, what kind of person would I be to run from a little danger?"

My days are borrowed. I might as well not be afraid of losing the few left, right?

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna beamed at Phi and her smile was all teeth. She would lay down her life for any of the members of this expedition and she would do her damnedest to make sure as few lives were lost as she could manage. She looked at her sister to get her attention and then she began to sign. Aono spoke for her once more. "You saved my life. Please know that I will do everything in my power to fight alongside you. I was so scared but I am finished letting that fear control me. We all have a purpose. I will protect and defend where I am able, and I will aid my Lady in bringing home her beloved brother. I swear it." She rose with a new-found air of determination about her. She gave Phi's shoulder a gentle squeeze to convey her gratitude. She would take the day to rest while they were seemingly and relatively safe. Although she still felt like a pile of dung on the outside, Phi had lightened the load on her soul.

[Nozomi]

Phi started to rise and had a thought when the girl touched her shoulder. Man, these Unicorn were a bit freer with that weren't they? Or was Miuna just a little more touchy feely? Maybe it was just this girl. Her sister had said that she was a sensitive sort, hadn't she? When she got up, she nodded. "Good. You'll be fine. We'll all be fine." There was some determination there, but under the surface she wasn't so sure that they actually would be. However, Miuna would do much better with a bit of confidence. "But, if you get the chance before we leave, go see the city. It's actually kind of impressive."

You know, assuming they didn't muck up negotiations, but that wasn't her job. She'd leave that to the ones who did the talking.

[Shinjo Miuna]

Miuna was definitely more touch oriented than others, especially if she liked someone. Since she couldn't hear, she relied more heavily on her other senses to filter information to her. She tried to reign herself in but in some cases her will was weaker than her desire. She was only human, after all.

"Ok," Miuna signed and mouthed. Perhaps she would venture out and sightsee. She might not get another chance. She bowed in parting to Phi, hoping to cross paths with her again soon.

/scene?

[Nozomi]

The bow that came in return was awkward. It looked like someone who had never done this before. She was capable of picking up the fact that this was becoming common. She 'understood' social niceties. She just didn't, and she liked her village in the hills, away from all that. But for Miuna, she could bow. When the woman returned, she nodded after her sister.

"You two stay safe. I'll be here, watching your backs."

/scene!