[ hello, miss izumo!!! it's tuesday morning and definitely not friday morning, and xie lian is in the kitchen making tea. when he sees a familiar face, xie lian has a smile for izumo, and he dips his head in greeting. ]
Good morning, Miss Izumo. Would you be able to do me a small favor?
...Can I ask you to taste this? My sense of smell has vanished, and it's making it hard to tell if it's any good or not... Um, here, I'll drink it first, though, so you know it's not poisonous, or anything....
[ which! he does! he just can't taste it. or if he can, it's kind of muffled, and weird, and... there's like one (1) thing he's decent at making in a kitchen and it's brewing a cup of tea so this is sad.
xie lian drinks from the cup first as that gesture, though, and then sets the cup down. ]
[ HONESTLY? when he prefaces it like that she's rather concerned about it all and doesn't know if she really should. though the tea smells mind and then if he's drinking it it could be fine. everyone has been dying on schedule so she'll take a seat. ]
What kind of tea is it supposed to be?
[ she'll bring the cup to her nose and...kind of give it a sniff. ]
It's a jasmine green tea. I found it in the cupboard...I was quite excited, but I forgot that I couldn't really taste it that well... but I thought I might as well make a pot to share with others.
[ xie lian points to the box of tea leaves!! it smells like flowers and not like death. i am not trying to kill you naru
or am i] I don't mind drinking a cup at the same time, if that will make you feel better...
[ KILL ME ON SCHEDULE.... but also maybe don't because i finally got a ship and i'll cry if it ends. the yin yu and flayn of redacted?!
still she'll look the box of leaves and back to the tea and well. she's not wary of xie lian trying to poison her, if only because he comes off the type to kill you in the stupidest way that also the most obvious way possible. so, you know, poison isn't it. ]
I see... [ and because sharing a cup is??? ] Then, I guess I'll take a cup.
[ OMG I SUPPORT IT... GO IZUMO GO if that's the case one of you has to die though :/
xie lian smiles in relief when she says so, and goes to pour her a mug of the tea! the scent of it blooms nicely, and xie lian watches carefully to make sure he doesn't accidentally overflow it, then hands it to her!
weirdly, he's a little nervous... stupid.... ] Here you are.
it's a bit later in the evening on monday when xie lian spots izumo! he's over by the kamidana today - it looks like he may have made an offering in the way she taught him - and he has a friendly smile for her, as well as a polite bow in greeting. ]
[ THEY'RE GOING GREAT ACTUALLY... and as a bonus for xie lian, she'll have a little something hanging out on her shoulder as she approaches him easily enough. ]
Sure, what is it?
[ she is definitely going to dodge any kind of memory bubbles that she can see for the moment. ]
[ izumo is valid. he also is going to dodge any sort of memory bubbles. ]
...I had a conversation earlier with my Leader this week, and I learned that they may be able to carry over gifts to the removed. There is no guarantee that the gifts will be perfectly intact when they arrive, as the journey to where they are is quite dangerous even still, but it brought to mind our conversation about offerings earlier last week, and how important they are.
[ izumo really has lost a lot, here - and, with what they'd been talking about last week, xie lian wanted to make sure that she was aware of the little piece of information he'd learned. he gives her a smile, gentle and kind. ]
I was wondering if perhaps you might be interested in sending a gift or offering to anyone on the other side. You were the first person that came to mind.
[ please not horrid memories while they're talking about good and wholesome things to do for the dead. ]
I, is that right?
[ first the notes about how they can actually communicate with them and now being able to send something to them—it's kind of amazing, honestly. whether this be the work of nova purely or somewhat as an after effect of her kamidana she can't be upset either way. ]
[ xie lian laughs, a little, scratching his cheek. ]
My leader said simple things would work best. It couldn't be a note or anything, because that would likely get distorted, but. Snacks, flowers, little gifts - nothing much different than what we might make for a normal offering! I was thinking I might write a protective talisman for someone. It wouldn't be effective like it would be at home, really, but it might be nice.
But if you'd like to send anything at all, I would be more than happy to pass it along for you.
[ sorry she's going to have a quick thinky think moment here. ]
I'd have to think about something...
[ notes get distorted but?? snacks and flowers are fine. could something be done within those confines? writing someone on a snack would be cheating, right..? ]
If... If we can send them things and they can send things back to us—then maybe we can see what it's like where they are.
[ once xie lian has helped zuko to make sure he's alright, he's making his way to izumo to where she's settled. he's still feeling fairly horrible, but he's xie lian so it's. fine. ]
[ they can both feel pretty terrible because she'll still be sitting where she was for all of the execution with a particular carbuncle in her arms. she's still a bit in a daze when he addresses her. ]
Xie Lian... [ just. give her a moment. ] I guess there's no helping it but...
[ she'll look at her leg and kind of leave it there. she doesn't want to point it out herself. ]
he leans down and gives her an apologetic smile - that cyoa was RUDE actually, hurting you all so badly - and then gently scoops her into his arms. his stomach protests, but his grip is steady. it's like carrying a tiny kitten. ]
[ hahaha that cyoa...... it was not just your average maiming. but she's appreciative of him taking the cue that she needed some help getting around. her mind is still elsewhere but she nods. ]
[ off they go then!! he's quiet for the walk over, for the most part, seemingly lost in thought on his own. despite everything, xie lian is careful to make sure that she doesn't get jostled with every step. his daemon follows along at their heels, keeping an eye on hers.
they can make it safely to the inn in quiet peace! unless izumo wants to chat or something... ]
[ she's deeply appreciative if even if she doesn't seem bothered even if he did handle her a bit roughly. it happens? waves hands of exactly how much pain she can actually feel but—
she'll run a hand over the carbuncle's ears before speaking up after a while. ]
How much do you of what's going on here? If I can ask.
...I don't think I can tell you that, not without their permission. It may just be the fact that so many of us arrived that one team was bound to have extra.
...But, to be honest, I have been a bit curious about your team. You had a strange nightmare a few weeks back, right? About someone splintering? Do you know where that came from...?
[ somewhere everyone is disappointed that izumo used her huge heal item on alphinaud instead of herself but that's fine. it's okay. ]
I, I see...
[ SO HER TEAM IS JUST GREAT AT DYING. wonderful. but— ]
It was about Laine splintering those weeks ago, but no. We were never able to pinpoint where it came from. [ hmmmm... ] Not, that I can remember anyway. You're telling me that they were linked somehow?
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tuesday, week 3!
Good morning, Miss Izumo. Would you be able to do me a small favor?
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A favor?
[ not that she's sus, but.... well. she isn't going to walk into anything too openly. still, she'll give xie lian a time. ]
What kind of favor?
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xie lian gives her a sheepish smile. ]
...Can I ask you to taste this? My sense of smell has vanished, and it's making it hard to tell if it's any good or not... Um, here, I'll drink it first, though, so you know it's not poisonous, or anything....
[ which! he does! he just can't taste it. or if he can, it's kind of muffled, and weird, and... there's like one (1) thing he's decent at making in a kitchen and it's brewing a cup of tea so this is sad.
xie lian drinks from the cup first as that gesture, though, and then sets the cup down. ]
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S, sure.
[ HONESTLY? when he prefaces it like that she's rather concerned about it all and doesn't know if she really should. though the tea smells mind and then if he's drinking it it could be fine. everyone has been dying on schedule so she'll take a seat. ]
What kind of tea is it supposed to be?
[ she'll bring the cup to her nose and...kind of give it a sniff. ]
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[ xie lian points to the box of tea leaves!! it smells like flowers and not like death. i am not trying to kill you naru
or am i] I don't mind drinking a cup at the same time, if that will make you feel better...
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the yin yu and flayn of redacted?!still she'll look the box of leaves and back to the tea and well. she's not wary of xie lian trying to poison her, if only because he comes off the type to kill you in the stupidest way that also the most obvious way possible. so, you know, poison isn't it. ]
I see... [ and because sharing a cup is??? ] Then, I guess I'll take a cup.
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if that's the case one of you has to die though :/xie lian smiles in relief when she says so, and goes to pour her a mug of the tea! the scent of it blooms nicely, and xie lian watches carefully to make sure he doesn't accidentally overflow it, then hands it to her!
weirdly, he's a little nervous... stupid.... ] Here you are.
[ it tastes fine. ]
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monday week 4
it's a bit later in the evening on monday when xie lian spots izumo! he's over by the kamidana today - it looks like he may have made an offering in the way she taught him - and he has a friendly smile for her, as well as a polite bow in greeting. ]
Miss Izumo, good evening. Do you have a moment?
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Sure, what is it?
[ she is definitely going to dodge any kind of memory bubbles that she can see for the moment. ]
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...I had a conversation earlier with my Leader this week, and I learned that they may be able to carry over gifts to the removed. There is no guarantee that the gifts will be perfectly intact when they arrive, as the journey to where they are is quite dangerous even still, but it brought to mind our conversation about offerings earlier last week, and how important they are.
[ izumo really has lost a lot, here - and, with what they'd been talking about last week, xie lian wanted to make sure that she was aware of the little piece of information he'd learned. he gives her a smile, gentle and kind. ]
I was wondering if perhaps you might be interested in sending a gift or offering to anyone on the other side. You were the first person that came to mind.
no subject
I, is that right?
[ first the notes about how they can actually communicate with them and now being able to send something to them—it's kind of amazing, honestly. whether this be the work of nova purely or somewhat as an after effect of her kamidana she can't be upset either way. ]
What...what were you thinking of trying to send?
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My leader said simple things would work best. It couldn't be a note or anything, because that would likely get distorted, but. Snacks, flowers, little gifts - nothing much different than what we might make for a normal offering! I was thinking I might write a protective talisman for someone. It wouldn't be effective like it would be at home, really, but it might be nice.
But if you'd like to send anything at all, I would be more than happy to pass it along for you.
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I'd have to think about something...
[ notes get distorted but?? snacks and flowers are fine. could something be done within those confines? writing someone on a snack would be cheating, right..? ]
If... If we can send them things and they can send things back to us—then maybe we can see what it's like where they are.
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week 5 post execution
...Miss Izumo, is there any way I can assist you?
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Xie Lian... [ just. give her a moment. ] I guess there's no helping it but...
[ she'll look at her leg and kind of leave it there. she doesn't want to point it out herself. ]
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he leans down and gives her an apologetic smile - that cyoa was RUDE actually, hurting you all so badly - and then gently scoops her into his arms. his stomach protests, but his grip is steady. it's like carrying a tiny kitten. ]
Back to the inn?
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I think that'd be the best place to be.
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they can make it safely to the inn in quiet peace! unless izumo wants to chat or something... ]
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she'll run a hand over the carbuncle's ears before speaking up after a while. ]
How much do you of what's going on here? If I can ask.
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wow very late sunday night w5
Miss Izumo, the Pawn isn't on your team. They found them - I just found out.
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They... What? They found them?
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Yes - I came as soon as I could. I wanted to make sure you were aware, it's not necessary to check in with Brother Fox about it.
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If they weren't on my team, what team where they on? My team still started with an extra.
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...I don't think I can tell you that, not without their permission. It may just be the fact that so many of us arrived that one team was bound to have extra.
...But, to be honest, I have been a bit curious about your team. You had a strange nightmare a few weeks back, right? About someone splintering? Do you know where that came from...?
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I, I see...
[ SO HER TEAM IS JUST GREAT AT DYING. wonderful. but— ]
It was about Laine splintering those weeks ago, but no. We were never able to pinpoint where it came from. [ hmmmm... ] Not, that I can remember anyway. You're telling me that they were linked somehow?
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