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[She nods.]
Then... We'll try our best. I mean, not that we wouldn't have otherwise, but - you know.
[...]
I didn't realize you had a brother. How does that work...?
[Given the whole sword thing.]
Then... We'll try our best. I mean, not that we wouldn't have otherwise, but - you know.
[...]
I didn't realize you had a brother. How does that work...?
[Given the whole sword thing.]
It sounds like you remember it alright...
[She tilts her head, though.]
That's interesting. So you belonged to the same people, and that's why?
[She tilts her head, though.]
That's interesting. So you belonged to the same people, and that's why?
Sounds like a pretty big feat, for you.
[It's teasing, rather than harsh.]
[It's teasing, rather than harsh.]
Sounds like he's important to you... I'm glad you have him here.
...Protect him from what?
[She has a good guess, but she'll wait.]
[She has a good guess, but she'll wait.]
Right. Just...
[She doesn't think Higekiri would be familiar with the details she'd have to dig into, so she decides to leave it vague.]
He made a lot of choices that hurt me and my family. And we thought it was going to get better after he had... kind of a wake up call, because those choices almost killed him. But, then he just kept on making those choices. So I decided - it would be easier to think of it like he really did die. You know...?
[She doesn't think Higekiri would be familiar with the details she'd have to dig into, so she decides to leave it vague.]
He made a lot of choices that hurt me and my family. And we thought it was going to get better after he had... kind of a wake up call, because those choices almost killed him. But, then he just kept on making those choices. So I decided - it would be easier to think of it like he really did die. You know...?
[ . . . he just makes a soft noise in response to that before leaning over, closer toward her so that he can press a kiss to the top of her head, gentle]
You had to find a way to protect yourself, instead of letting yourself continue to be hurt... isn't it?
You had to find a way to protect yourself, instead of letting yourself continue to be hurt... isn't it?
[She looks sympathetic, but:]
As nice as that would be, I don't think that's the kind of hurt anyone can just take away. [...] But you can help by being there for him.
As nice as that would be, I don't think that's the kind of hurt anyone can just take away. [...] But you can help by being there for him.
...Yeah. It was - hard.
[She blinks a few times, but—]
What does yours mean?
[She blinks a few times, but—]
What does yours mean?
[She smiles, giving a nod.]
It's nice, isn't it? I didn't see anything anywhere else, either... Even though I kind of have to wonder where they came from in the first place.
It's nice, isn't it? I didn't see anything anywhere else, either... Even though I kind of have to wonder where they came from in the first place.
[he'll just rest his head atop hers, humming faintly]
... an old myth, I suppose - or it could be truth. When my brother and I were forged, his sword was longer than mine even though we were meant to be created from the same amount of steel - and my smith was imprisoned. So he prayed to the gods to prove his innocence -
And so I was bestowed the power to cut my brother down to equal length.
Tomokiri, they named me afterward - Friend Cutter.
... an old myth, I suppose - or it could be truth. When my brother and I were forged, his sword was longer than mine even though we were meant to be created from the same amount of steel - and my smith was imprisoned. So he prayed to the gods to prove his innocence -
And so I was bestowed the power to cut my brother down to equal length.
Tomokiri, they named me afterward - Friend Cutter.
[She smiles, giving a soft laugh.]
Same as last time... I have other people I could ask, but I'm not going to say no.
Same as last time... I have other people I could ask, but I'm not going to say no.
[She thinks that over for a moment, but to her, it comes down to...]
But that was before you were... Like this, wasn't it? I mean, you didn't exactly have a choice.
But that was before you were... Like this, wasn't it? I mean, you didn't exactly have a choice.
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