Fantasy AUs

[nerdietalk]

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[phoenix_temple]

What? No, my lady, you’ll be needed at dinner soon.

[fluidgender]

Even more reason to have a good fight! Get the body hungry!

[phoenix_temple]

I can show you some of what father taught me, but… not today. [ She’s exhausted. ]

[fluidgender]

I guess I can wait...

But I hope ya ain't expecting me to dress fancy tonight. I don't care if that's what people want, I'm not in the mood for it.

[phoenix_temple]

Hm? However you’d like to dress is fine. What they expect isn’t my priority.

[fluidgender]

Good! [Harumph!] I'm sick of that stuff. I got no patience for it today!

[phoenix_temple]

Lady Ranma… my only priority is you, please don’t forget that.

[fluidgender]

That's concerning too, ya know. Its important to have hobbies.

[phoenix_temple]

I mean—not what your parents want.

[fluidgender]

I don't think it's my parents' business if you have hobbies.

[...its hard to tell if she's being willfully obtuse.]

[phoenix_temple]

[ she sighs and shakes her head. ]

I follow your orders, but that doesn’t stop your father from controlling what I do. If my sister had been your guard, he would have chosen a husband for me to carry on the line. He demanded Kuu follow certain hobbies to be more appealing for suitors.

It’s their business, as when you have a child, the next generation of my family will be their guard. And as a guard… he can limit my activities just as well as Kuu’s.

[fluidgender]

[Its maybe more obvious that she's trying not to sit in the overwhelming thought space that is her father from her expression. But it's bizarrely easier for her to think about addressing it when it's happening to someone who isn't herself.

That feels wrong too. Like a dash of culpability.]

That's... gross. [Was the partnership of Fuu's parents decided by her grandparents...? The stormy cloud of generational pressures feels closer to the Earth than she likes.] Is Kuu... how is she doing?

[phoenix_temple]

… She’s mourning. We all are. [ Fuu clutches her father’s cloak close. ]

But she has more time until her duty. She’ll grow up and learn from mother, and I’ll train her children like father did for me.

[fluidgender]

[She grips her arm, uncomfortable.] ...and what about you? I mean... if there are choices you do have, which ones... would you want to make?

[She's not even really sure what she's asking. Hobbies or husbands or... some other h word?]

[phoenix_temple]

I was given a choice. Kuu and I were when we were younger. [ you’re 12 ] which of us would fulfill which role.

… but I do love to read.

[fluidgender]

Reading, huh. [She tries to keep the distaste out of her voice.] What kinda stuff?

[phoenix_temple]

Stories about other worlds. With more magic, or sometimes with technology we’ve barely ever dreamed of.

[fluidgender]

[She considers.] Can't say our library has much of that... Pops probably consider it silly.

But I'm sure we could work on fixin' that.

[phoenix_temple]

I likely won’t have much time to read. I’m to stay with you, after all.

[fluidgender]

'Course you will. Ya know how many boring things I'm dragged into with lots of free time?

And besides, not having "much" time to read isn't the same as no time.

[phoenix_temple]

I have to be alert! If something happened because I wasn’t paying attention, I’d never forgive myself.

[fluidgender]

Don't go leaping into this with that kind of energy day one, alright? Ya gotta save your energy.

[phoenix_temple]

Father taught me that this could be the most dangerous time of all— with him gone, I have to be ready to defend against those who would see it as weakness.

[fluidgender]

[She blinks because that's easier than showing the complexities of the emotions in her stomach.] That's... kinda intense.

[phoenix_temple]

[ She smiles though, warm and confident. ] Don’t worry, though. I’ll keep you safe.