Its easy to find magic, seeing the world through Nia's eyes. And the locals appreciate it, feeling warm and bright. She'll get a good deal on all kinds of things.
There's even some local stage plays going on. Food vendors offer different treats and meals as people of all ages gather for a show.]
Oh! In the warm months we have shows sometimes. They’re stories about a long time ago… how the Kingdom was formed or where magic comes from. Is this like that?
[And so they can! There's a show about the gods, there's some folklore shows, there's depictions of the war itself, and even a show about Ranma and Fuu's rise to the throne. Kaori can take Nia to and from the theater, showing her other places or letting her stick around for any show she's curious about.]
[Kaori will take her to some little games and novelties they're running in the market then too! Bean bag throwing, darts, ring toss... there's some fun times around!
If they're near the theater when one of the plays is ongoing, it'll be easy to hear it outside the theater. She's... notably uncomfortable if they see/hear the end of the show about Ranma and Fuu's rise. Its unsettling to think about Fuu imprisoned again, even as the play turns her into a messiah kind of figure.
Its even more unsettling that they've started adapting the baby swap to these shows.]
[The Hououji family had guarded the Saotome family for generations. Her father, and her father's father, and her father's father's father, and probably several fathers before that had been at their side, ever loyal, ever indebted, ever cursed grateful for the position they held and the power that lorded over graced them. Each successor bowed their head and was cursed blessed by the Saotome family in exchange.
There had not been a generation of the Hououji family sparedexemptedunbound neglected by the gods--every generation was blessed with a son, smart with strategy and talented in at least one of the arts of war. And each generation, upon the arrival and training of an heir gave their lives in sacrifice honor of the estate. This position came with the guarantee of an early death, it seemed. But generation after generation provided a son to stay beside the Saotomes.
Until the births of Kuu and Fuu Hououji, and the subsequent death of Kaze Hououji in the line of fire. He hadn't been able to offer an heir to his position before his death, only the girls.
And that is how a twelve year old blonde wound up ushered into meeting room room, standing tall as she could (she was still under 5 foot, after all) and confident (no, truthfully, she was very nervous) in ill-fitting armor, waiting to meet with the heir she would have the honor of guarding until her own inevitable death, if Kuu should do her own duty and provide an heir.]
[If Ranma Saotome was aware of these little details, it was hard to tell if she retained it. She was prone to ignoring most of the things her useless father said. Branch families, guard families, alliances, servants... it was all so stupid. Who cared about any of that bunk?
But backtalk got her slapped and getting hit made her angry. The second she had been left alone, she'd torn off whatever dress they'd shoved her into it and pulled on one of the servant uniforms. These were the kind of outfits you could run around in. And she needed to stomp around in the forest, far away from the oppressive might of her parents.
She would've preferred a few hour to clear her head. But the Saotome family would not be humiliated, so she only got a measly forty minutes before staff was sent out to grab the nuisance of a child. She'd managed to narrowly dodge most of the wandering patrols. But one wrong step sent her slipping into the mud. The resulting splat was loud enough that she knew she needed to high-tail it if she wanted to avoid capture.
So, covered in dried dirt, she quickly but stealthily returned to the estate. Going through the front or back was a recipe for a lecture, so...
She quietly pulls open the window of the meeting room, yanking herself through the makeshift entryway. She's straddling along the sill, grunting in annoyance. This wasn't so hard a few years ago. Did growing to twelve really make that much of a difference?
Regardless, its a sorry sight of a dirty tween in dirty linens stumbling her way through the window. Hopefully Fuu wasn't waiting long, at least.]
Gah! [She's caught off guard, tipping baaaaaaaackwards in her surprise. She rotates her arms around in a circle, desperately trying to keep her balance together.]
My father used to work here. [ Ranma was probably used to Kaze’s existence around her dad. He was a kind man who often provided her distractions to escape with a wink or had a treat up his sleeve when she was small. His death was only a few months prior. ]
[Other staff probably left around the same time as Kaze's death. He made the work so much easier to stomach, that a few servants who could afford to leave absolutely did so without him to keep things steady.
Still, those staff members were either too young to have kids or too old to have kids things young. Ranma's hand goes to her stomach, squeezing the ends of her top. Could it be...?]
...Somethin' like that. I do a lot a little bit everywhere.
Can you tell me what she’s like? [ Fuu has her father’s sparkling green eyes, but she looks much more like her mother. Still a girl in armor, carrying a sword, waiting for the lady, who else could she be? ]
Father said kind things, but he worked for her father, soi don’t know what he knew her very well. He was the lord’s personal knight.
[ Kaze died terribly, something Ranma may or may not have been present for, but almost certainly heard about. ]
[Its intimidating right out the gate. Its an upsetting reminder in some respects. That something good was gone. That something good is always vanishing in this place. Its the only place Ranma's really known, so she assumes that's how it is everywhere. Good things are always temporary.
She blinks slowly, brain calculating proper responses.]
...She's a real toughie. Strong as hell, maybe the strongest there's ever been. They say she killed a bear once.
[None of that is true. Maybe she should've gone bigger and claimed it was a lion...]
And you're supposed to be... a guard. [Doubt is unmistakable in her voice.]
With Father’s death, it’s my duty. I might not be able to fight bears, but I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe. Like my father before me, my life is hers.
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Ranma/Fuu/Catra/Adora/Nia Continued
Its easy to find magic, seeing the world through Nia's eyes. And the locals appreciate it, feeling warm and bright. She'll get a good deal on all kinds of things.
There's even some local stage plays going on. Food vendors offer different treats and meals as people of all ages gather for a show.]
U forgot Leslie
I'm history's greatest monster
Truly.
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One of my tutors said that people have to tell the stories, or we'll forget what happened and repeat it.
[She thinks. It was kind of complicated and she was ignoring most of it.]
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Nia is interested in all of them, but she has a feeling that Kaori isn't as locked in. She's more than happy to follow her around like a duckling.]
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If they're near the theater when one of the plays is ongoing, it'll be easy to hear it outside the theater. She's... notably uncomfortable if they see/hear the end of the show about Ranma and Fuu's rise. Its unsettling to think about Fuu imprisoned again, even as the play turns her into a messiah kind of figure.
Its even more unsettling that they've started adapting the baby swap to these shows.]
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cursedgrateful for the position they held and the power thatlorded overgraced them. Each successor bowed their head and wascursedblessed by the Saotome family in exchange.There had not been a generation of the Hououji family
sparedexemptedunboundneglected by the gods--every generation was blessed with a son, smart with strategy and talented in at least one of the arts of war. And each generation, upon the arrival and training of an heir gave their lives insacrificehonor of the estate. This position came with the guarantee of an early death, it seemed. But generation after generation provided a son to stay beside the Saotomes.Until the births of Kuu and Fuu Hououji, and the subsequent death of Kaze Hououji in the line of fire. He hadn't been able to offer an heir to his position before his death, only the girls.
And that is how a twelve year old blonde wound up ushered into meeting room room, standing tall as she could (she was still under 5 foot, after all) and confident (no, truthfully, she was very nervous) in ill-fitting armor, waiting to meet with the heir she would have the honor of guarding until her own inevitable death, if Kuu should do her own duty and provide an heir.]
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But backtalk got her slapped and getting hit made her angry. The second she had been left alone, she'd torn off whatever dress they'd shoved her into it and pulled on one of the servant uniforms. These were the kind of outfits you could run around in. And she needed to stomp around in the forest, far away from the oppressive might of her parents.
She would've preferred a few hour to clear her head. But the Saotome family would not be humiliated, so she only got a measly forty minutes before staff was sent out to grab the nuisance of a child. She'd managed to narrowly dodge most of the wandering patrols. But one wrong step sent her slipping into the mud. The resulting splat was loud enough that she knew she needed to high-tail it if she wanted to avoid capture.
So, covered in dried dirt, she quickly but stealthily returned to the estate. Going through the front or back was a recipe for a lecture, so...
She quietly pulls open the window of the meeting room, yanking herself through the makeshift entryway. She's straddling along the sill, grunting in annoyance. This wasn't so hard a few years ago. Did growing to twelve really make that much of a difference?
Regardless, its a sorry sight of a dirty tween in dirty linens stumbling her way through the window. Hopefully Fuu wasn't waiting long, at least.]
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Do you need help? [ She’s offering a hand. She’ll get dirty, but she can probably deal with that before her new master appears. ]
The lords of the estate are due soon, you might get in trouble if you stay here. [ She’s got no idea who she’s talking to. ]
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W-what are you doing here?!
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I-I’ve been assigned to guard the Young Lady of the estate… are you all right?
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She tenses up at getting grabbed, but when the other option is falling out into the bushes... she has to let this happen. Even if she looks wary.]
'm... fine. I ain't seen you around before...
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Do you work for the Young Lady as well?
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Still, those staff members were either too young to have kids or too old to have kids things young. Ranma's hand goes to her stomach, squeezing the ends of her top. Could it be...?]
...Somethin' like that. I do a lot a little bit everywhere.
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Father said kind things, but he worked for her father, soi don’t know what he knew her very well. He was the lord’s personal knight.
[ Kaze died terribly, something Ranma may or may not have been present for, but almost certainly heard about. ]
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She blinks slowly, brain calculating proper responses.]
...She's a real toughie. Strong as hell, maybe the strongest there's ever been. They say she killed a bear once.
[None of that is true. Maybe she should've gone bigger and claimed it was a lion...]
And you're supposed to be... a guard. [Doubt is unmistakable in her voice.]
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With Father’s death, it’s my duty. I might not be able to fight bears, but I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe. Like my father before me, my life is hers.
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There ain't anything here for miles. Danger's the last thing to worry about.
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