#4. text & video.

[meatballcommand]

How many here have kids? Hopefully, still back home.

[He goes to turn the text function off, but instead pushes the button for video.

The view is pointed at a wall, where what looks to be a child's drawing has been hung up. The paper is shriveled and thin, probably due to being soaked at some point, but at the very least the image on it is

Comments

English

[rules_the_north]

M' and m'wife.

English

[meatballcommand]

I'm guessing that means your wife's around here someplace.

English

[rules_the_north]

Both m'wife and m' son.

English.

[meatballcommand]

That can't be easy.

[cozmic_travel]

Hmm... well there is little Tewi, but she's hardly my child.

[meatballcommand]

Oh?

[cozmic_travel]

Hmm... I have that photo here somewhere...

-The video feed cuts on eventually, focusing on a group photo from Eientei-

Let's see... of course you know who I am. And that's Reisen, who you've seen assisting me at the hospital. In the center is Kaguya-hime. Standing in front of me is little Tewi. I've known her for almost a thousand years now, but she hasn't aged a bit.

[meatballcommand]

A thousand years. [He speaks the words mainly to himself, his tone subdued. It's such a sweet idea, to be close to someone for so long - he can't help the sentimental chuckle. He barely even thinks back to how it's becoming far too easy for him to believe these things.]

I know how that goes; you've been through so much with someone, they might as well be your son or daughter.

[bodilesswarrior]

I - not quite.

[meatballcommand]

Can you "not quite" have kids?

[bodilesswarrior]

Much as I'd like to ponder the biology involved...

She's not mine. But I found her, and she doesn't really have anyone else.

[meatballcommand]

How old is she? Not that there's any right age for a young girl to have no family in sight.

Voice;

[burnbazooka]

[He's got his doubts about the sincerity of the question, but -] Not mine, but someone the tribe takes care of.

[Exhale.]

She's not here.

Voice;

[meatballcommand]

Doesn't sound like too many people here are having kids the traditional way.

Voice;

[burnbazooka]

Many people did not have the pleasure of a peaceful existence.

Voice;

[meatballcommand]

[Henry pauses. His previous remark had been nothing more than what he considered a harmless joke, but now he wished he'd started with something different. His mind briefly flickers to the Korean children he'd seen during his time at war, either born during it or born just in time to live it.

...]

That's awful nice, taking her in.

[libertyfuckyeah]

I HAVE NAMINE!

And I have all my citizens who kinda count as kids in a way.

[meatballcommand]

Namine? That wouldn't happen to be the little lady I've got in line for a chip removal, would it?

[...] "Citizens", huh?

[libertyfuckyeah]

Blond, blue eyes, French-Japanese looking, pretty nice but seriously needs to listen to me about not talking to commies? You're taking her chip out?

Yeah.

[meatballcommand]

I figured she would have told the person who thought of her as a daughter.