[Day 11, Late Morning] Dragon and Phoenix (Expecting)

[Jiyo Sora]

"Because when I was a child, very little of this was in my heart or mind. I was hungry, afraid, and had no time for joy or beauty."

[Togashi Saruko]

Hearing Sora speak made her sadder. "Not even moments of whimsical imaginations?"

She sighed softly. "I hope this new world we're helping to create, will ease suffering like you had. That it will be safer. And with less starving children."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Whimsical imagination was not something the Spine of the World encouraged. I mostly imagined a full belly, or not getting warding gestures from the other kids. Part of why i do what I do, honestly. The Emperor's daughters are not... normal, in the way most people mean it. But I can treat them like they are."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Mm," she nodded, "that's good. Treating them as they are, I mean. Not that I imagine Shiba, Jiyo, or Yuzuru to make them... arrogant... it's good that they have uncle Sora to keep them grounded."

Saruko chuckled. "I intend to have a similar upbringing for my children."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Keep them grounded, sure... but also to just let them be kids. There'll be time enough for proper manners and weighty thoughts and saving the world when they get older."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Gosh, I hope there won't be more world-saving once we get Fu Leng out of here. If the world's getting saved, I would like it to stay saved!"

Despite the gloom of the task before them, she managed a laugh.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Oh, my dear, dear friend... the world always needs saving. I think it's one of the only things a Crane ever said that I embraced wholesale- 'gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.'"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Hmmmm..." it was a bit sad to think that there would always be conflit, and always a danger or catastrophe to be averted.

"... I just hope he can be saved." She said, as if finishing that moment of sadness with a more hopeful thought.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Jigoku sought to get those skinriders close to Reiko. That means she's a threat. That means we have a chance."

[Togashi Saruko]

"The enemy knows who she is, and how important she is." She hoped it didn't know too much about everyone else as well.

She shook her head to dispel such thoughts. "I heard there's to be some sort of meeting later?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Sounds like. I'll be there. Might try to bring Ch'chit T'kkiri along, assuming he's willing, since the Nezumi have a lot of experience with this."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Your new romantic interest?" She teased him as she grinned widely.

"I guess I'll ask later how it went. Hopefully it goes well and people will be reasonable. And not the opposite."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Your optimism is... charming. I just hope nobody gets stabbed, punched, or kicked."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Optimism is part of hope, and that's our most important weapon here... hmmmm...." she looked thoughtful as something came to mind and her eyes begun studying Sora closer. No. Not him. His clothes.

"... Did Shiba settle on a symbol to represent him as Emperor? Or something to represent the Empire?"

[Jiyo Sora]

Since other people in the game had referred to the Imperial Families as the Phoenix Clan, Sora's player decided to roll with it.

"We're starting to see some... phoenix iconography, but I believe that is more personal than Imperial."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Phoenix huh..." she cocked her head from side to side, smile growing wide as it seemed she had an idea.

"Maybe a banner or something, with his symbol on it, would give us all a sense of unity. A symbol of all of us!"

[Jiyo Sora]

He arched an eyebrow.

"Saying we all need to be reborn, Saruko?"

[Togashi Saruko]

"No!"

She looked about for her bo to give Sora a thwack over the head, but her chance had already passed when she got a hold of it.

"Ok... maybe, but tha'ts not the point I'm trying to make. Uhmmm... hmmm... did the Hikaru have any kind of totem or something that was like a sign of the tribe? Like, you'd see someone with a specific kind of tattoo and you'd go: that's Hikaru alright."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Kind of? We mostly knew who was Hikaru because we saw them around. I mean, we wore similar furs, things had their own designs, but we were generally following whichever son of a bitch was toughest... we didn't really do visual symbols. It was more songs, dances, warcries. Bragging about whatever had been done that day."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Right..." she sighed. It was hard to explain what she was thinking of.

"So, uh, you really like Shiba, right? And you're here to fight in his place, right? Does it make you happy when you think of Shiba?"