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Azuma Hiroko:
It was another day at the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center. Hiroko was there once again, this time cleaning up in the garden. The cherry blossom trees were shedding petals and leaves again. Autumn was fast approaching. Instead of using a rake, she used a hard bristled broom to avoid accidentally damaging the grass and carefully manicured ground.
The girl was in a plain and very faded t-shirt that had a couple of small holes at the back. It was about three sizes too large for her too, pinned up at the shoulders with rusty and slightly bent safety pins, while the rest of the excess cloth had been tucked into the waistband of a pair of (also oversized) jeans, held up precariously by bale string. The t-shirt was once some kind of color... Now it was a very very faded light yellow. The jeans too, were a very light blue, the dye having been stripped from it a looooong time ago.
That voluminous puff of fluffy snowy-white hair had been tied up in a high ponytail and then braided into a thick rope down her back to keep it out of the way as she worked. Her horns seemed bigger due to that, while her equally white ears stuck out to the sides under them, flicking off summer bugs every now and again.
June Desrochers:
There's a lot of similarity in some of the aesthetics with June and Hiroko when June turns up in a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. In June's case the shirt is a heather grey Philadelphia Fire Department shirt tied at one side to gather its lower hem into a crop top and the shorts are, well, shorts. Also, it all more or less fits her properly.
Her red hair is pulled back into a high ponytail as well, but not braided, and as per the usual the rest of her is covered in dense fur with typical red panda coloration.
It doesn't take her long to spot Hiroko, since there aren't a lot of people around who have Miens to spot, and when she does she breaks into a smile and a slow jog over that way. "Hello!" she calls to draw attention before she just pops up in Hiroko's personal space, along with offering a quick wave.
Azuma Hiroko:
So focused was she in her task, that she didn't even notice June until the other Changeling was right in her space. She heard the greeting but... Didn't register that it was directed to her? Slowly, the little Ram stopped sweeping to look up, rainbow colored coin-slot eyes blinking in surprise.
"Good afternoon, Miss. My name is Azuma Hiroko." she greeted with a bow. "How may I help you today?"
June Desrochers:
June takes a fraction of a second to take in the bow and register its intention, just because it's not a part of her everyday life. The moment it clicks she does her best to return it and says, "I'm June Desrochers. I think we have mutual friend, Avery? They suggest that I might want to meet you, so... here I am!"
Azuma Hiroko:
The white Beast's eyes widened and lit up, sparkling with excitement and curiosity. She smiled at the other Beast and nodded, suddenly full of enthusiasm. "Yes, Desrochers-san. Avery-san informed me that you are the person to speak to about helping with the Hedge patrols. I would like to contribute. May I please find out how?" she began, her speech formal and barely containing her desire to jump right into action for the Freehold.
June Desrochers:
"Please, you can call me June," says the eponymous Lost as she looks a little embarassed and rubs the back of her neck. "I'm a very low formality kind of lady." She glances around them. "Is there somewhere a bit more private we can go to talk, maybe? I don't tend to like talking about these kinds of things out in the open."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Yes, of course. If you could please follow me, June-san." she grinned brightly. Hiroko picked up her dustpan to place both cleaning instruments against the wall at the entrance into the cherry blossom garden. She'll return later to finish up her tasks.
Leading June to a hallway of doors, she kept glancing at the red panda Changeling, examining her with intense curiosity. If such an adorable and seemingly harmless Beast like her could be in charge of Hedge patrols, then there is hope for the skinny little Ram!
She entered the nearest open door, held the door for June and gestured in to welcome her. It was a cute playroom of some sort. Couches and a coffee table took up half the room while the other half had padded mats laid out on the floor. There were shelves of books and shelves of toys lining the wall in that half. In one corner was a changing table, stocked with all the necessities one might need to clean up a poopy baby. Next to that was a mini fridge.
"We will not be disturbed in here. Would you like a bottle of water?" she asked softly.
June Desrochers:
June is a pretty small lady when it comes to height, shorter even than Hiroko who isn't exactly a giant herself, but there's definitely a lot more to June's presence than just physical stature. Her movements are all confident and sure, and there's a sturdiness to her that certainly does not just come from the extra size that her fur seems to give her.
At the same time there's a definite ease to her, too. She basically exudes friendly cheer, never stopping smiling but smiling brighter any time she notices Hiroko looking her way. She keeps pace without trouble as the two go somewhere less public and doesn't look the slightest bit worried there might be some trap she's getting lead into.
When they go into the private room she glances around and then looks at Hiroko with a bit of surprise. "Is this your room?" she asks. "Guessing from the toys and such. I'd love some water, thank you!"
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko closed the door and locked it before going to the fridge to retrieve a couple of chilled bottles of water. She handed one to June and gestured to the couches, inviting her to take a seat. "No, it is a room provided by the organization for families with children who require the organization's services. I believe they sometimes give family therapy here." she explained.
She sat down next to June, sitting very politely and formally, with her back straight. It was actually a little eerie that they were so similar in so many ways... There was a sense of calm and soothing companionship coming from the Ram, complimenting June's friendly cheer the way chocolate paired with toasted marshmallows.
June Desrochers:
"Oh! Okay, that makes sense," June says with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. A lot of us have some unusual living situations, so you never know!" She takes the bottle of water with a, "thanks!" and then joins in taking a seat over on the couches.
"I'm glad to hear you're interested in helping with keeping the nearby hedge safe, to the degree that 'nearby' is really an applicable concept," she starts by saying. "What do you think you can do to help? There's not a wrong answer here, you're just going to know a lot more than I do about what skills you have."
Azuma Hiroko:
She took a slow drink of her bottle. It's been a long morning already and it was good to hydrate in the heat of summer. She had clearly been working all morning cleaning up the garden!
Then she nodded and looked thoughtful. "I will be honest, June-san... I do not know what I can do... I know that I can help... I can carry things for others, I can keep watch, I can help explore... I think..."
June Desrochers:
"Those all sound like useful things," June says encouragingly. "I'm pretty sure you have more useful talents than just carrying things for people, though. I'd feel so rude bringing someone along just to hold my backpack or something," she laughs about the very idea. "Keen observational skills are very useful, as is any knack for navigation. Contracts that can help with concealing a group, or assisting in moving faster. Abillity to heal either body or mind. There are so many ways that people can help, and while we can always use more people who know how to fight we have people who can do that, but more niche skills are sometimes in higher demand."
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko's mouth forms a silent 'Oooh!'. Her expression was fully awed as she thought about what June said. "I can heal, yes! I helped to heal Ylva-san when she came out of the Thorns with many wounds, physically and mentally." she replied excitedly.
June Desrochers:
"Excellent! That's something valuable for us all to know, whether you're with us on a patrol or just someone we might be able to call on in an emergency situation." June is still all enthusiasm and encouragement, giving the impression that figuring out how Hiroko can help is a team effort they're engaging in together, rather than something Hiroko has to prove to June. "Do you know any Contracts that you think could be useful for the Hedge, or if a fight happens? We always hope we don't get into fights, and usually we don't, but they do happen and having anything up your sleeve to help protect you can be useful. For that matter, if you're open to learning things I'm sure we can find people to teach you things you're intested in."
She opens the lid of the bottle and takes a drink, then screws the cap on again.
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded, placed her bottle on the table and then started counting on her fingers all the contracts she knew.
"I can climb the walls like a spider. I can hide my steps, as well as the steps of others. I can also change into a dog, a bird, a sheep and a kirin! I can sense a person's regrets and help them feel better about their regrets. I can also freeze water!"
Then she paused for a moment, thinking some more. "I am willing to learn anything. I have started defense classes with Dagenham-sensei."
June Desrochers:
"Oh, those are good tricks, yes. Freezing water is one of those nice things I mentioned," June grins widely. "The kind where it almost never comes up, so not a lot of people learn it, but then when it does come up it saves people's asses."
She scrunches her face up in thought. "I don't know if I know who Dagenham-sensei is, but I'm going to assume he can teach you well. I'm also happy to teach if you want to learn, but I focus almost entirely on unarmed combat." She holds a hand up and wiggles startlingly sharp looking claws for such a cute, fuzzy looking critter. "If you want to learn how to use a weapon I'm less the person you want for that."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I want to learn everything!" she giggled as June wiggles her claws. "Dagenham-sensei owns a gym for all supernaturals! He is teaching me to build my muscles and strength and to punch hard."
Hiroko lifted both her hands to show June her bruised knuckles that were still healing from her training session a couple of nights ago.
June Desrochers:
"Ooh, ouch," June says with a wince, but without stopping smile. "I hope you get used to things after a bit and stop getting so many bruises. I did." She laughs. "Which is a good thing, or my coworkers would probably be so worried about me. More so than usual."
She thinks a little before she asks, "how much experience do you have with navigating in the hedge? Outside of your escape, have you gone off the trods and into the Thorns?"
Azuma Hiroko:
This time she shook her head. "I have only gone out of the Freehold once. With Jackie-san... Um... Vorpal-san." she replied with a grin. After June said she didn't know who Dagenham was, she felt the need to correct herself. Afterall, there were many Jackies in Philadelphia, but not very many Vorpals! Perhaps June was more familiar with that name.
June Desrochers:
"Well, she's a pretty safe person to be going out with." June laughs. "Jackie is another member of my motley and one of my significant others," she specifies for the other woman. "There are some disadvantages to being as connected with the Wyrd as she is, it can draw attention, but in general she can handle most things that might come her way."
She moves on with a wave of a hand. "It's not something we tend to have to do often, but it's good to have some idea of how you'll approach it if you have to. It can be extremely dangerous, so I strongly urge you not to try it or practice without someone, and maybe multiple people, around to help and to keep an eye on you. Practicing Hedgespinning in safer areas is recommended, though."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Oh..." she mumbled, getting shy and blushy. She averted her gaze and bit her lip nervously. So June was also one of Vorpal's partners... Did Vorpal speak to June about Hiroko then? Probably... To get permission and stuff...
Then she cleared her throat, attempting to straighten her expression. "I am aware of how dangerous the Thorns can be. Mother warns me and Lamp-chan regularly. I am not afraid however. I know when danger approaches."
June Desrochers:
June laughs a little when Hiroko gets blushy, but it's a kind laugh and she says, "it's alright, sweetie. Yes, Jackie has mentioned you, mostly just say how sweet you are and that the two of you have just started dating? I hope she makes you as happy as she makes me!" She gives Hiroko an adorable smile and as much reassurance as she can put into her words, to make it clear she has no problem with the situation.
"Oh, hey, how do you feel, in general, about being touched?" she asks rather out of the blue a second later. "I had an urge to touch your arm when I was reassuring you, but especially with us Lost we can have such widely unpredictable triggers and things that bother us, so I don't like to touch anybody at all without asking, you know?"
Azuma Hiroko:
That was all the permission she needed. The fact that June was reassuring immediately put Hiroko at ease. Without another word, the Ram jumped forward to hug the Red Panda, snuggling with a cute giggle, though being very careful with her large horns...
June Desrochers:
June wasn't ready when Hiroko started moving but she was by the time Hiroko reaches her. Fortunately, in this case ready just means making sure nobody's more dangerous parts are doing any bludgeoning, shredding, piercing, or otherwise maiming. She laughs as she puts her arms around Hiroko in return. "Okay, that's not what I expected, but hi." Laughing, apparently quite fine with the turn of events. "I guess I reassured you successfully?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko began purring in response, her entire body vibrating. Just like a cat, the purrs rose and fell with her breathing.
It wasn't too hard to figure out that Hiroko was a Playmate, like June used to be. Her desire to please and to help, her love for snuggling... It was all very stereotypical.
June Desrochers:
"I'll take that as a yes." June laughs again. "What were we talking about?" She half forgot the answer to that question in the conversational detour that happened, but backtracks in her memory a little to figure it out. "Oh, right. The Thorns. One of the issues you can run into is that the whole thing is danger, which makes it hard to tell when danger is approaching." The words might make things sound scary, but the way she rubs Hiroko's back as she talks might be more reassuring.
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded again and the purring stopped. Though she remained snuggled up to June and clearly enjoying the close contact.
"I am aware. That is why I have not gone beyond the Freehold before Jackie-san took me. I feel safe with her, but I do not dare go alone. I know that if dangerous beings find me, I will return to... There..."
Clearly, Tonya had been telling a lot of horror stories...
June Desrochers:
"Something none of us want, so let's avoid it, shall we?" June smiles. "Maybe Jackie and I should go out together with you some time soon, and we can help you get used to spending time in the Hedge, get familiar with the dangers. We can give you some pointers. All that stuff. I'll also be happy to take you with me on some patrols, especially ones in some of the typically safer areas." She shifts to bump against Hiroko lightly with one hip. "How does that sound?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She giggled, bumping back into June gently with her shoulder. "I would very much like that, June-san. I would be honored to join you on patrols and to begin helping keep the Freehold safe!"
June Desrochers:
"I like your spirit," June says both encouragingly and approvingly. "We just have to make sure that we keep you safe in the process, because you're the Freehold as much as any of the rest of us, okay?
Azuma Hiroko:
"Okay!" she nodded in agreement. "I will try my best! Thank you for considering me, June-san. When can we start?"
So much enthusiasm in so innocent a young one.
June Desrochers:
"Uhhh. I'll have to double check my calendar?" June laughs as she admits she's not entirely sure when she's free. "I'm a firefighter, so I already don't keep normal 9-5 hours, and between that, beekeeping, family time, the gym, and patrols my scheduling lives or dies by what I put in my calendar. Some time in the next few days, I'm sure? Avery texted me your phone number, so I can stay in touch that way."
Azuma Hiroko:
The Ram's eyes grew larger, which to one who only saw her Mask would wonder how Asians could open their eyes that much... But something something Keeper wanted cute, and thus, Hiroko can.
Filled to the brim with awe and wonder, she began hanging on every word out of June. "You are a firefighter?! And beekeeper? May I come and watch? Please?"
June Desrochers:
June's first answer is bright laughter "I am both of those things. Umm... which one are you asking if you can come watch?" She laughs again. "Please don't start showing up at fires to watch me, that would be a good way to get arson investigators to start asking questions. But the beekeeping, sure."
Azuma Hiroko:
She giggled, June's own laughter quite infectious. Those bright eyes turned pleading. "But what if I volunteer at the firehouse you work at? And yes, I would love to watch the bees!"
June Desrochers:
"You can definitely call the firehouse and ask if there's anything you can do to help as a non-first-responder volunteer," June answers encouragingly. "It would really be up to my Captain, since I'm not the one in charge, but there are always things that need doing." She pauses before asking, "do you know for sure whether not you're allergic to bee stings?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She shook her head, blinking as she puts away the info about contacting June's firehouse Captain.
June Desrochers:
"If you're not careful you're going to end up with a schedule as full as mine, you know," June warns. "I hope you're prepared for that."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I already do, June-san." she giggled again. "But I always find time for the Freehold and my friends."
June Desrochers:
"Oh dear," June laughs. "You know that burnout is a very real thing, right? Make sure that you take enough time for yourself, too. It truly is important and healthy to have some time where you just relax and take care of yourself." She says it like she's speaking from experience.
Azuma Hiroko:
"That is what I was doing when you came to visit." she grinned. "I am relaxing in my favorite place."
June Desrochers:
"By doing chores." One again, June has to laugh. "We have an awful lot in common, I think. Have you met my wife, Sigrun? think you'd have a lot in common with her, too." She still seems to be perfectly comfortable hanging out with someone she just met while basically cuddled up to each other. "This is a cool place, though. I actually didn't even know it was here. Want to tell me about it?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko shook her head again at the mention of an unfamiliar name. But there was a smile on her face as she looked about fondly.
"This is the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, host to the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia organization. It is the best reminder of my old home of Japan. It is different, but also nice and safe and makes me feel good. The cherry blossom trees in the garden reminds me of the games I used to play running around and hiding from the other children."
Then she paused to look at June, making sure that she was still following or if she had any questions. From the way she described the center... This... Might be a Touchstone?
June Desrochers:
"Is that where you were born? It seems like a beautiful country, and I love a lot of the traditional Japanese aesthetic so much. Simple, clean lines and doing everything very well? At least, that's my extremely uninformed Western understanding, and I welcome corrections about anything I get wrong." June has to laugh a little sheepishly. No pun intended. "A lot of what I know is from exposure to video games and anime and such through other people in my life, not from actually studying real-life things."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Yes. I was born in Hokkaido in 1980." she nodded. "It is a beautiful place. But Philadelphia is also beautiful. Do not worry, I sometimes help with the tours and many people do not know much as well."
June Desrochers:
"What part of Japan is Hokkaido?" June asks, because she has no idea about Japanese geopgrahy. Aside from the general shape of the country as a whole. "Philly's definitely got its own beauty. I'm actually from Vermont, but, you know, still America. It's not the same, but not that different, either."
Azuma Hiroko:
"It is the north part of Japan. I have not been to the south part. Have you ever traveled outside of America?"
June Desrochers:
"I've been to Canada," June says, laughing, because that's not really so far out of America. Especially not from Vermont. "But for the most part, no. I'd love to travel, but I haven't had time for the most part? I'm also still young, so maybe I'll change that. Where else have you been?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"I have not been anywhere else... Besides There..." she shrugged, her brightness fading just a touch.
June Desrochers:
"Yeah, well, that doesn't count. I don't know where you were, but as far as I'm concerned it's all just prisons all the way down, of some sort or another." June's voice takes on heat when she talks about the collective Durance experience, her anger about it bleeding through. She gets it under control again quickly. "But it sounds like you've traveled a bit more than I have, at least. Has it been a big culture shock, coming here?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She snuggled June gently, reminding the Red Panda that they were no longer There and thus, no longer have a reason to be angry about it.
"It was very difficult in the beginning." she agreed softly. "But it was more than just attempting to learn a different way of life... I... Was a beast for so long that... I forgot how to be... Me. I needed to learn how to use cutlery to eat... How to put on clothes without ripping them apart... How to bathe without jumping in a pool and shaking it off like a dog. For the past year, I have tried my best to learn my place and my new life here..."
Then she paused and brightened instantly with a grin. "I am ready to do more."
June Desrochers:
"I understand a lot of that." June gives Hiroko a reassuring squeeze. "I was back for over a year before I tried going home to deal with my Fetch and try to get my life back. Once I convinced it to leave, well..."
She huffs out a sigh. These aren't fond memories for her. But she goes on. "One of the things that my Keeper had decided was that one thing that makes red pandas so adorable is how clumsy they seem to be. I came back and would, quite literally, trip on my own feet. I got fired from my own family's bar because my uncle said it was like he was paying me to come to work and break dishes. I was determined to be a proper warrior, to be able to defend others. I kept training, didn't listen to people who told me I couldn't do it, or mocked me for even thinking it was possible." She shrugs. "And I proved them all wrong. So my point is that wherever you want to get yourself to? Decide you can do it, figure out how to get there, and don't let anyone tell you that you can't."
Azuma Hiroko:
The Playmate listened to June's story seriously. And then she beamed to assure June that she was willing to do whatever it took as well. "I am slowly learning that I can indeed do anything I want. Asbolus-senpai helps me a lot." she nodded.
June Desrochers:
"Good. Just remember it. And if anyone tells you that you aren't good enough to do something you really want to be able to do, there's a super American thing you should learn how to do, if you don't know already." June is grinning as she says this, and still grinning when she goes on. "Do you want to know what it is?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She cocked her head to one side like a dog hearing a curious sound. "Is it a curse that begins with the letter Eff?"
June Desrochers:
June laughs, only finding more mirth in the situation. "Oh, it's more than just that," she says, letting Hiroko go so that she can get up quickly and move a couple of steps away. "The correct response in that situation is..." She pauses, then lifts both hands up with middle fingers out. "Fuck off, asshole!"
She keeps it low enough volume not to bother people outside.
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko looked absolutely shocked and mortified. "But June-san, that is very rude and hostile!" she gasped.
June Desrochers:
That doesn't seem to bother June in the least. "Well, it seems to me it's polite to match the same level of politeness that other people are using with me, and if they're telling me I'm not good enough to do something... seems about equally rude and hostile, you know?" She sits back down by Hiroko.
Azuma Hiroko:
Ever the pacifist and Peacemaker, she frowned worriedly. "But Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness..." she quoted. "Martin Luther King Junior said that. Should we not strive to be a better person and to respond kindly?"
Oh Hiroko. Such a sweetling even when faced with jerks.
June Desrochers:
"Well, I might hate the way they're treating me, but I don't generally hate the actual people in those situations. And my experience has generally been that just rolling over for those kinds of people doesn't make anything better, either." June thinks about it, though. Actually considers Hiroko's perspective. "That said, I think ignoring them and just living your life the way you want to is perfectly valid, too. Your success can be a great form of revenge, in its own way."
With another laugh she admits, "I still kind of want to see you give someone two middle fingers and tell them to fuck off, though. My wanting to see it doesn't mean you're under any obligation to do it, though."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I think I would prefer to talk to them and teach them that their hate is unfounded and unkind. I would prefer to teach them a better way." she nodded firmly.
June Desrochers:
"That's fair," June admits. "I suppose this is a good example of why you're Winter and I'm Summer. I still have that optimism for a lot of people, and would be happy if the ones that treated others the worst managed to find a better way, but..." she thinks of how to say what she means, or maybe even what she means, exactly. "I don't know. I'm not their therapist, they should be paying a professional for that help."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Not everyone is able to afford a professional therapist, June-san. There are many who only require a gentle guiding hand to become a better person." she smiled. Having worked with so many of the homeless, Hiroko had a very different perspective on the mentality of others.
June Desrochers:
"Oh, don't I know," June replies with a bit of a grumble to the tone. "I have compassion for those people, I promise. The people who really set me off are the ones who have everything but a valid excuse and a sense of decency, I guess. I just run into too many people like that, and... maybe it's making me bitter. Sorry."
Azuma Hiroko:
She hugged June gently, rubbing her head into the red fur the way a cat would rub against another cat. "It is alright. I do not hold it against you, June-san." she murmured softly, soothingly.
June Desrochers:
"Thanks." June laughs and puts an arm around Hiroko again to hug back. "I don'tk now if I particularly like realizing that about myself. That even though most of my life is dedicated to helping other people, there are a lot of people I don't have much patience for."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I will have enough patience for those you do not have much patience for." she giggled.
June Desrochers:
"There you go." June laughs. "Aren't you the sweetest? I can see why Jackie likes you."
Azuma Hiroko:
At the mention of Jackie again, she blushed furiously, her gaze immediately dropping down to her lap where her hands got busy massaging each other... It was still a new feeling for her. Not only was she now dating TWO people... One of them was a woman! It was scandalous! No, Hiroko didn't know that Vorpal was gender-fluid. That conversation is going to end up being... Very interesting...
June Desrochers:
"You alright?" June asks, while also smiling at the reaction because it's pretty cute, and... in some ways, also brings June back to her younger days, when she was still figuring out a lot of things.
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded her head and hesitated. "I... Yes, I am well... I just... Jackie-san is very kind and caring... I like her very much... And I want to help her find happiness..." she mumbled bashfully.
June Desrochers:
"I hope she already finds a lot of happiness, but that's the thing about happiness... you can always use more, you know?" June gives Hiroko a light squeeze. "I hope you're both successful at bringing each other happiness."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Are you happy with Jackie-san?" Hiroko asked, looking at June with intense curiosity.
June Desrochers:
"Oh yeah," June replies without hesitation. "I don't know that there's anything for me to not be happy about, there. Except maybe that we don't have more time together, but we're both busy people and that's because of decisions we both made, and I think we both support from the other person. So, you could say we chose it."
Azuma Hiroko:
"... Does this mean that... Now that Jackie-san is dating me... She will have even less time for you?" she asked again, looking very hesitant and nervous.
June Desrochers:
"Maybe," June admits, even if she doesn't sound upset about it. "Or she'll plan things so that she spends time with you during time when I'm busy anyway. It's fine, don't stress about it." She laughs. "Including me there are 8 people in my motley, and we're a big polycule. Plus, a number of us have people outside of our motley as well. We're all used to making it work the best we can with scheduling. The alternative is to be asking people to stop loving more people, which just isn't our way."
Azuma Hiroko:
"... Oh... But... I do not wish to be selfish..."
June Desrochers:
"It's not selfish to let someone care about you," June explains patiently. "It's not selfish to let someone spend time with you when they want to. It would be selfish to try to monopolize their time, but I don't think you're going to do that, are you?" It's a rhetorical question, even if June expects Hiroko to probably answer it anyway. "It's also not selfish to expect to get what you deserve, and you deserve affection. You deserve to have someone want to spend time with you, and you deserve to be allowed to have some of that time."
Azuma Hiroko:
She does indeed answer that rhetorical question by shaking her head firmly. "... I do like Jackie-san's affection... I like Vincent-kun's affection too... I do not understand polyamory, but I wish to learn..."
Perhaps June knew that name... Perhaps she didn't... But one thing was clear, Hiroko was very new to this lifestyle and she was still uneasy and nervous about it.
June Desrochers:
It is a name June recognizes, and Hiroko might pick up on it if she's empathetic because June is not good at hiding her reactions. The reaction is only a slight surprise and a minor concern, though.
"Relationships are work. They require effort. It's no different with monogamy or polyamory in that respect. The key to it all is communication and honest. Those things won't fix every problem, but they'll fix most of the problems that can be fixed."
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded in understanding. Hiroko was indeed empathetic and her brow creased very slightly at June's concern. "I am willing to work on my relationships... But I am still concerned that they will grow jealous and will hurt each other... And how will I choose who to marry when I am ready? I cannot marry two people..."
How interesting that she didn't seem at all bothered about the idea of marrying a woman...
June Desrochers:
"It's not unusual for jealousy to happen." June seems to have a great deal of patience for having this kind of conversation, even with someone who is a relative stranger to her, and she's happy to apply that patience here. "That's why it's so important to talk about things as they come up. The longer those kinds of things go unaddressed the bigger the problem becomes. A lot of the time, just talking about it right away makes it a lot easier to handle. Other times things ultimately don't work out, but that's also try of monogamous relationships."
The red panda laughs softly before she says, "why can't you marry two people? You can't get the legal benefits of marriage with two people, but there are things you can do to work around a lot of those problems, and if you don't care about the legal benefits then there's nothing that really stops you from marrying as many people as you want. The government getting involved in marriage is a relatively recent thing in human history anyway. Be traditional."
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko immediately frowned as she considered June's suggestion to be traditional... Which... Was the exact opposite of what she just said about marrying however many people as she wanted?
"June-san... Tradition states that a man can only marry one woman and a woman can only be wife to one man..." she pointed out skeptically. "Jackie-san is not a man... And Vincent-kun... He is not my people... I would think tradition does not fit in this case?"
June Desrochers:
June makes a gesture with the hand she didn't put around Hiroko, like someone waving away an annoying fly. "You're being too recent with your tradition. Go back further," she says. "But that's kind of my point, really. We're always just picking and chosing what we decide to call tradition. Deciding on some arbitrary cutoff for how old and how recent counts. Take any position and keep going back, eventually you're almost certainly going to find a point when that position was the normal one, and everything else wasn't traditional." She gives Hiroko a bright smile. "So just do what makes you and the people you care about happy. Do what's going to bring the most positivity and good into the world. Make your own tradition."
Azuma Hiroko:
"My own tradition..."
Hiroko whispered those words with reverence, as though it were a new idea that somehow felt... So very taboo and yet so very right... She blinked at June with awe and wonder. The Red Panda was very wise!
"Okay! I will make my own traditions!" she chirped, deciding on the spot with a beam that she was going to make her own way in her relationships. Afterall, what does a mere orphan know of tradition? She was already outside of tradition by not having parents and a heritage to inherit!
June Desrochers:
"That's the spirit." June holds out her hand toward Hiroko for a fistbump. "Although I should probably revise by saying it's a good idea to make new traditions with your partners," she quips. "You know, so they're involved too."
Azuma Hiroko:
She giggled and returned the fistbump to June, and then wiggled her hands open the way Baymax did in Big Hero 6. She even does the "Balalalala!"
"Yes. I plan to do so. Thank you, June-san!"
June Desrochers:
The BH6 reference earns Hiroko a laugh. "You're welcome," June answers. "Is there anything else you're worried about at the moment that I might be able to help with? I should get going soon, but if there is, you're welcome to ask. You can always call me to talk or something later, too."
Azuma Hiroko:
She thought about it for a moment, before replying with obvious curiosity. "I do not mean to be rude, but if I may ask... What forms can you change into?"
June Desrochers:
June starts getting up, laughing again as she does. "You can ask me just about anything, I don't mind that. Some things I won't answer, but that one I will. I can turn into a red panda, a crow, a dog, and a pegasus."
Azuma Hiroko:
"What is a pegasus?" she frowned.
June Desrochers:
"A winged horse," June explains.
Azuma Hiroko:
"Oooh! That sounds very pretty! I think I would like to learn how to become a cat... I like cats... And maybe a cute gerbil too so I can sit on someone's shoulder..." she giggled.
June Desrochers:
"It's completely impractical, but magic doesn't care," June just has to grin. "Cats are probably good choices. I'd be worried about someone stepping on me as a gerbil. It was nice to meet you, Hiroko. Oh! I have your number from Avery. I'll send you text so you have mine, okay?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"Okay! Thank you for coming and speaking with me, June-san. I hope the rest of your week is very pleasant and relaxing." she nodded as she stood up to bow to June out of habit.
June Desrochers:
"You too, Hiroko-san," June says with a friendly smile. "It was nice to meet you, and I'm sure I'll see you around a lot more often. I'll let you get back to your relaxing time off." Since Hiroko was doing chores that could be taken as teasing, but from June it's actually intended to be genuine. She waves on her way out and disappears with a last, "byeee!"
Azuma Hiroko:
She waved the Red Panda farewell before going right back to said chores...
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