CrossRoads Part 2

[Seven]

Mikaki didn't pause in his work, but he was sorely tempted to turn to visibly roll his eyes at her. How many times was this god forsaken question going to be pushed onto him?

"I'll answer your question, Liren, but if I do, I intend to tell your sister that you asked me that the second she left. So in turn, I pose the question to you--are you sure you want to ask me that?" It was hardly a creative question to be getting into trouble for, as he figured it.

[Pan]

Liren looks at him and raises and eyebrow. "You can go right ahead and tell her. I'm just curious for my own reasons." She looks back down to what she was doing now and didn't even wait for him to ask why. "You see you may not be able to see this with Kealya but she has been very sad for the past few years..." Liren slowly down her work now looking at the blow in front of her. "My sister even thought she has people that love her all around her I think... Deep down she is really lonely... And I asked you if you like her because I have seen over the past few weeks my sister smiling again and laughing and I guess I wanted to know if it was because of you."

[Seven]

Mikaki knit his brows once again, and again he did not disturb the pace of his work. "And... why has she been lonely and sad? What are your insights as her sister?"

[Pan]

Liren stops working at this now and looks back up to him. "Well it's simple really. You see my mother has to travel all the time to other countries to up tain herbs for her work and she can be gone for a very long time. I think the longest she was gone was five years. When she has to leave Kealya used to be left in the care of Isis and Shiku. But Isis is a Goddess and a very busy woman and Shiku is a good man but he also had his hands full with two wild children of his own. Kealya was more or less left to her own devices. Sure become close friends with Nef and Horus but just because you are surrounded by people doesn't mean that you can't be lonely."

[Seven]

"And then, you? You're her sister, yes? Were you not there? Do you not feel the same as her as such?"

[Pan]

Liren looks to him now with a small smile on her face. "I don't know if you noticed or not but Kealya and I aren't real sisters. Kioko adopted me when I was younger and when she travels I go with her. I would stick around with my sister, I do love her, but mother needs me when she goes. There aren't very many people who know what herbs she needs or even knew ones to get. I have a gift for medicine making and well Kealya had a gift for everything else. You see another reason why she always stays behind is because of her work. She started it very young and it gave her something to do. You know I think that is the only consistent thing in her life she can fall back on..."

[Seven]

"Ah, the typical workaholic then? Of course I had figured so much. In any case, Liren, you can't expect me to fix your sister, however convenient an answer it may be. I refuse to bare the weight of being someone else's emotional stability and happiness. If Kealya has problems with loneliness and sadness... we all learn how to manage."

[Pan]

Liren turns her head slightly to the side. "That's not what I really meant. I didn't mean for it to come off as you are THE reason why she is happy right now. You may be one of the reason and I know you are right about that it just..." Liren sighs and shifts her body so she faces away from him a bit. "Never mind it seems like you don't get it... Sorry for bringing it up."

[Seven]

Mikaki grimaced mutely and mildly. He had such a cold, hardened edge to him. "It seems I don't," he said, as though he really didn't care. One way or another, he could see entanglement with any person for any reason as trouble. More so, he didn't like this feeling of all of these people assuming he was at their disposition, trying to play these matchmaking games.

[Pan]

Liren could feel the awkwardness in the air as she looks back down to what she was doing again. After a few moments of this silence Kioko and Kealya came back into the room and almost as a reaction Kioko looked to the brown headed girl. "Liren you did say anything to make this strange feeling in the room did you?" Liren looks up to her mother with a little smile on her face. "Yup!" Kealya stares at her sister as Liren gets up. "Well I am going to leave now I don't like this feeling at all." She walks past her sister and leans over to whisper in her ear. "I'm sorry I may have messed up." And walks out.

[Seven]

Mikaki was still busy grinding the medicinal herbs when the other two came in, and he made no comment as they approached despite the fact that his ears could easily pick up the sound of their whispers. He could have worked much, much faster, at super speeds, but he knew some things took time, and care, or they'd be ruined. Grinding the herbs at an impossible pace would ruin them. Things shouldn't pushed, and mashed, much too fast.

Why was everyone else so insistent upon it. Maybe he should just leave.

[Pan]

Kioko looks to Mikaki with a bit of a worried look on her face as she turns to Kealya placing her hand on her shoulders and mutters to her. "I'll leave you two alone for a moment and go and have a talk with your sister." Kioko turns around and leaves the room as Kealya walks over and sits down next to Mikaki. She slowly reaches her hand out and places it on his hand silently telling him that he could stop. She looks up at him with a worried look on her face. "I'm sorry for what ever it was that my sister said to you..."

[Seven]

"Don't worry about it, he grumbled quietly, trying to belie any residual feelings of discomfort. "She didn't say nothing."

[Pan]

Kealya cocks her head to the side a bit. "You sure? My sister can be a bit to pushy for her own good."

[Seven]

"No pushier than everyone else, it seems...."