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[biteoffherhead]

[No time for patrolling the forests today. Those of you roaming in the forest get a free pass! Moro herself is roaming the edge of the village, or rather, where she considers her territory to start, and marking it by rubbing against the trees, leaving her thick, wiry hair caught in every tree's bark.

She isn't even scowling at the sight of humans, today. Rather, she's grinning, darkly, still hatefully, but something's up. ...The most educated guess is that it has to do with the draft.]

Comments

[biteoffherhead]

[Since you usually smoke like a chimney? Yes, she smells you coming. She stops, standing alert.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[because it's been a while and he was totally flirting with your daughter, and he needs as much time to let his cold anger settle as possible, he bows a polite depth-- and stays that way until he's said]

--I have a favor to ask from you, if you're willing.

[biteoffherhead]

A favor?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

That's right. [levelly. Not an unusual thing to ask from a god, at least, and he's willing to offer about anything in exchange]

[biteoffherhead]

And what would you ask of me, Ginko?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

You are being sent out, because they need more to fight in their wars, are you not?

[biteoffherhead]

Correct. Though their enemy is not whom I truly desire to kill, I will still bring death to them.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Mm. [he's quiet, looking at the ground. Never has it been so difficult to speak through his own emotion.]

[biteoffherhead]

Make your demand.

[Wishy-washy-ness is not something she appreciates, Ginko.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[yeah, it's not a good day for directness. But he goes on, in an undertone]

There is a woman from my world, who is being sent on the draft. She's a young mother. [his mouth tenses on the phrase, but his tone doesn't change] She has a mushi living inside her, like I do. [he looks up now] Only she is the host to this one, and it feeds on her. It lives off of her memories, so that she forgets her own day-to-day life. The names of the thing, people's faces, foods.... [he trails off, before ending decisively]

She's even less of a fighter than I am. But you have strength to spare. Will you look out for her safety, in battle?

[biteoffherhead]

[So she's looking for a human that smells faintly similar to Ginko, to protect. A thoughtful scowl touches Moro's features.]

How do you presume to pay for such a favor?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

You would know better than I, what is valuable to you. [with the very dangerous quiet that says it could be about anything, at this point]

[biteoffherhead]

[A low, calm chuckle. She ponders for a bit, before she speaks once more.]

...You were in love with San.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[ASDFSHLSFDHFA not fair

he just blinks at her, like she's a headlight. He hadn't even been THINKING about that.]

[biteoffherhead]

You thought I hadn't noticed? I recall the same effects from the year prior, about this time in the season. I fell in love with Death.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[it takes curiosity to get him a few steps away from just feeling angry, but this does the trick, to an extent]

Did you? [carefully impassive, here >_>]

[biteoffherhead]

I am grateful that it was no human. It was not an entirely unpleasant experience.

[Another low chuckle.]

Do you think you can fall in love with San?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[his first thought is to wonder if this is a challenge, and how carefully he should answer-- but he sides with frankness, after brief consideration, looking at something else]

Lately, I've found San is... easier to talk to than other humans, sometimes. [quietly, thoughtfully] I think maybe we are connected, in some way.

--but I don't think it's the same as what people call "being in love". [a slight smile, that's at once a little amused and a little sad]

[biteoffherhead]

Ashitaka was fortunate that I was dying and could not object. But I do not find myself hating you, Ginko.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[a faint smirk and he rubs the back of his neck] I'd count myself pretty fortunate too, then.

[biteoffherhead]

Were anyone else to have fallen for San, I would bite their heads off. But not you.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[Moro, you would make a hell of a mother in law. He frowns slightly, thinking]

What is Ashitaka like?

[biteoffherhead]

Intent on stopping the battle between gods and humans. He is not unlike how humans used to be.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Hm. [a faint smile] I'm glad to hear there are some like him.

...

does San love him, do you think? [he's only heard a little about him]

[biteoffherhead]

It was difficult for me to imagine so. But humans experience love beyond what a wolf feels. The only love I had ever known was the love for my pups. For the Forest Spirit.