Christmas "Meme"

[snakewithbaggage]

Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!
Suzu ga naru
Suzu no rizumu ni hikari no wa ga mau
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!
Suzu ga naru
Mori ni hayashi ni hibikinagara

Welcome to the Dinohouse Christmas "meme"! This is going to work a bit differently from most memes, but still free free to do what you want here!

The idea:
Following this post I will be making an assortment of Universe/Location "thread" comments. These will define the specific scene and universe being worked in. Comments by applicable characters will follow under that comment.

Example:
Mushverse; Shiba Mansion; open to Shinkengers

Comments following that would all be set in the Mushverse universe, be by any Shinkengers that want to participate, and take place at the Shiba Mansion Christmas party. Think of it sort of like every "top level" comment is its own post to the community.

Following that example, if your desired AU/Canon/etc isn't there, feel free to make a "thread" for it! Say there's already a Mushverse Go-busters "thread", and you want to do something in Aibouverse, or something more canon, maybe just between two characters? Make one!

Comments following the "thread" headings can be group setting free for all, or between individuals. Say it's a canon GokaiGalleon party, and Gai and Luka want to go off alone, or are on their way to the Galleon together? Their thread can be a separate second level comment thread beneath the main Canon Gokaiger thread.

I know that's a lot of information/qualifiers, but don't let it make you nervous to post, "rules" are fluid, and mainly set for added organization.

HAVE FUN. And enjoy the season!

Comments

[nonsamurai]

"I am." I agree, back to cheerful immediately. "And I intend to. I think I already have. And it's a joy to see my brother so happy."

I wonder if she knows more about his relationship with Takeru-san then I do.

I grin at her question. "I thought I'd pick some last minute things up while the preparations were still going on. And you, Princess?"

[samuraihime]

I nod in agreement. If there is one thing I have become very sure of during my visit here, it is that my adopted son has most certainly found somebody that makes him happy. I still worry about the future of the bloodline, and for a good reason, but I do not wish to deny him happiness. Especially when it was so hard-earned.

"I have an errand to make as well," I reply smoothly. The shrine is not too far away, thankfully. "A few...personal items I wish to acquire before this evening."

[nonsamurai]

"Ah." I figured, but it was nice to hear her say it.

So, I like her voice. Whatever.

"Sounds good. Would you like to do this alone, or would you mind it if I walked with you?"

[samuraihime]

His question actually manages to give me pause. I stop for a moment on the sidewalk, contemplating the implications. On one hand, if he were to accompany me, there would be an element of surprise that would be lost at the party this evening.

On the other hand, I find I would very much like the company.

"I would not mind your presence," I say carefully, trying to find the best way to word my intentions. "However, there may be a point at which I will request you avert your attention for a few moments. If that is amenable to you, I would welcome the company."

[nonsamurai]

I speak the parlance of trying to sneak-buy presents for people well, and I laugh and nod.

"That is perfectly fine by me. And I would enjoy the company as well, if you don't mind stopping a few places besides?"

I'm finding myself more and more at ease in her presence. Princess or no, she's still about my age, just because she had to grow up way too fast, and I didn't really have to grow up at all. I think we balance each other in a way she maybe hasn't ever had available to her before.

[samuraihime]

"I am no particular rush," I say with a smile. As long as I return in time for the start of the festivities proper, I doubt there is any actual need for my presence. "And it will be nice to be out for a bit longer than usual, for once."

A week ago I attempted to go grocery shopping with the kuroko. It was...awkward. At best.

[nonsamurai]

"Excellent!" I only hesitate for a moment before I offer her my arm. I hope she understands I'm relaxed enough not to be bothered if she elects to simply ignore the offer.

"I understand that entirely." I agree as we continue on. "I've made it out a few times, when I can, but generally niichan doesn't want me leaving the grounds too much. I imagine you don't get to go out alone very often?"

[samuraihime]

He offers me his arm.

I can't help but stare at it a moment, not entirely sure what the correct course of action should be. I do not wish to offend him, yet I don't quite feel that our relationship is such that I feel comfortable being on his arm.

My intent here is to avoid conflict, however, so I simply give him a small smile and try to ignore the proffered arm. With luck he will understand the situation and react accordingly.

"I can come and go as I please," I explain, feeling a bit odd that I need to do so. "But for most situations, errands can be much more efficiently run by the kuroko than by myself."

[nonsamurai]

She does... precisely as I assumed she would and ignores my arm, and I beam at her to let her know that's fine by me, letting my arms fall back into a more comfortable swing as we go.

"Is that so?" I'm not surprised, obviously she can handle herself perfectly fine. "I had always got the feeling that Tanba-san preferred to be at your side when he could." I try to keep my voice light and respectful, but Tanba still hasn't warmed up to having me around, I heard him asking Jii-san about me being 'underfoot', like I was an unclaimed child.

Oh, well. He can think what he likes. "I suppose you're right about that, though. The kuroko are incredibly efficient. I'm impressed by them, most of the time. All of the time, actually."

[samuraihime]

"Tanba," I say measuredly, despite the fact he's nowhere nearby to overhear, "has thankfully managed to find a way to busy himself with household duties. I am sure Jii-san is...more thank thankful for all of the assistance Tanba has to offer."

In general, though, I am more than grateful to have Tanba otherwise occupied so I can enjoy a bit of peace and quiet.

He goes on to compliment the kuroko, and I can't help but appreciate the thought. "They are well trained and have the best of intentions. Many of them would make for exceptional samurai, had they the physical or spiritual capability for it."

[nonsamurai]

"I'm sure he is." I grin at the thought. Not that I think Jii-san dislikes Tanba at all, but they do seem to have very different ideas of how to deal with their respective Samurai royalty.

Ah, interesting that this should come up. Well, we're talking easily enough. "It's interesting that you should say that," I say, with a smile so she knows I am not intending to keep the subject going if it proves too prickly or uncomfortable for the day. "I was talking with Takeru-san earlier, about... About the possibility of me entering training."

[samuraihime]

He cautiously enters the topic of him training, and I give him an equally cautious look. I am unsure how much he knows about my...discussion with his brother, and I have little inclination to inform him further if his knowledge is inadequate.

"Were you?" I say with a quirked eyebrow. "And what did he have to say on the matter?"

[nonsamurai]

"He seemed... confident that I could excel, if I put my mind to it." I smile at her and duck my head. Now I'm blushing, but it's not so much because of her so I don't mind as much if she notices. "And I want to. I want to help. I want to do something, and help protect people if I can." I nod firmly.

"I'd been thinking a lot, about what you told me, everything you had to say. I was holding myself back more than niichan ever could. No more."

[samuraihime]

He is an Umemori. That in and of itself is enough to assure me that he is capable of something amazing. What was important was that he notice that capability within himself.

I smile. "Good," I say firmly as we round a corner. "It will be a lot of hard work and effort, and no small amount of pain. But if it is something you want, then it will all be worth it in the end."

[nonsamurai]

I grin at her and nod with a motion that moves my whole body with it. Almost like a bow, but less formal, and more of a bounce, really.

"Thank you, Princess. I'll do my best to live up to your confidence in me."

I run a hand through my hair, consider Takeru-san's other words, and decide... No, I'm going to need a bit more sake, or maybe something stronger, to get me that far.

Still, I can pick her brain, so to speak, about other things.

"Since our last discussion, I had been doing some research." I start lightly. "About the history of the Shinkengers, and the methods used. I'm beginning to understand the concept behind the power of Mojikara, but some of the finer details still escape me. Historically it's implied to be almost entirely an inherited skill, tied to bloodline. But that doesn't explain my brother's capacity to use it."

[samuraihime]

"Hm." I nod slightly, listening to his words carefully so that I can better answer the question he hasn't quite yet asked.

"It is, in fact, mostly inherited," I begin, keeping my eyes on the path ahead as I talk. "It is a fairly complex ability that tends to be tied to bloodline. The Shiba family was not initially formed in order to prolong the inheritance of that certain sort of Mojikara, but when it became abundantly clear that it would remain strong within the family - and perhaps become stronger - certain rules were set into place to keep it strongly intact."

I pause for a moment, sneaking a glance over at Umemori-kun to gauge his reaction. I can't help but wonder how much he knows about samurai life and traditions, and how much I might have to explain to him, should he ask.

[nonsamurai]

"Well." I say thoughtfully when she pauses. I don't know if I'm supposed to notice her glancing at me, but I do all the same, and I assume she's waiting for some kind of response or reaction. I grin at her. "Rules, huh? That makes sense, I mean. Keep the blood strong or whatever. That explains the Shiba line, of course, going back... eighteen generations?"

I cross my arms behind my head as we walk, turning another corner. I'm letting her lead the way, since she seemed to have a much more focused errand to run than me. "But that still leaves me questioning how my brother managed to find it within himself. And what that... might mean for me."

[samuraihime]

It seems we will be completing my errand first, as Umemori-kun appears to be following my footsteps after all. So be it.

"The ability to use Mojikara wasn't always as rare as it is now, Umemoru-kun," I say, trying not to sound too patronizing with my explanation. "The samurai families followed certain breeding guidelines in order to keep the ability strong and concentrated, but that didn't always stand true for other families blessed with Mojikara. It appears that your family, the Umemori line, had some luck in managing to maintain the ability and eventually bring it back to some manner of strength, even if by complete chance."

[nonsamurai]

I think she's starting to get irritated with me again, and I feel badly about that, a little. I'm frustrated that we can't seem to have a casual conversation where I don't say something stupid that annoys her somehow. But this is stuff I need to know, and, well,

"That part of it isn't so well documented in the Shiba library." I point out. "But, um, thank you, for the information. That's very encouraging!"

[samuraihime]

I can't help but smile at his enthusiasm. I wasn't bothered by his questions, just unsure as to how much he really wished to know. "There are some things that have traveled with Tanba and myself, rather than stayed here where they can be easily tracked down and stolen. Not that I do not have faith in my son's abilities to guard the mansion, it is just that I would never hear the end of it from Tanba if he didn't know exactly where certain things are at all times."

[nonsamurai]

"Oh, I see!" That doesn't really surprise me at all when she puts it like that. "That makes much more sense. There's a lot more people coming and going at the mansion, aren't there, compared to where you live?"

I'd gotten the impression that she lived pretty much alone with Tanba and her kuroko.

"Well, thank you very much. It's all very encouraging. Very positive! Now..." I pause with mock trepidation. "The real problem. Is telling my brother."

[samuraihime]

My smile slides into more bemused curiosity, watching him shift between thoughts in the way he does. But I am relieved when he says he must tell his brother, instead of a worrisome need to ask his brother. That bodes well for his goal.

"If you do it correctly," I say carefully, not wanting to intrude much more on this family matter than I already have. "Then telling him won't be a problem, as much as it will be a brief - but rewarding - trial."

[nonsamurai]

That's a cute grin on her face, but I can't really help the... expression I make at her words.

Not a frown, or a scowl or anything like that. A slightly disbelieving grin, I guess.

"I sure hope so." I agree softly. "I'm sure he'll fight against it. But I have no intention of treating it like a joke or... or like I'm doing it specifically to undermine him. This is something for me, something I need to do. As long as he understands that... it'll all work out!"

[samuraihime]

I nod, confident in his determination. "Agreed. As long as he understands your goal in this, he will have little to reasonably argue with it."

We approach the steps to the shrine, and I slow my brisk walking pace to take the stairs a bit more reverently. "I would hope that he would then shift his focus more towards ensuring you are properly prepared for what may come, than attempting to dissuade you from your goal."

[nonsamurai]

"Well, that bargains on my brother being reasonable!" It's a joke, mostly, and I laugh and hope she'll take it as one.

We've arrived at the shrine, which must be her errand's end destination, since she turns in. I pause at the foot of the stairs, watching her mount the steps. "I hope so." I say softly. I would like to train with my brother. I'd like that kind of respect and... and confidence from him.

"Did you need me to wait out here, Princess?"