nexus_crossings | saffron wind

saffron wind

Not everyone walks calmly into the streets of the Nexus. Not everyone is so distracted as to not see when the stones shift and the shops and buildings aren’t quite the same. She’s staring down into a sketchbook in her hands and muttering to herself for a fair distance before it even occurs to her to look up. Light brown eyes peer out from a mess of dark curls pinned up around her shoulders. She purses her lips in some amount of confusion and looks to her left, her right, and finally turns about in a small circle.

This stocky stranger traces her gaze over the various buildings as she slowly closes the sketchbook and returns it to a satchel strung across her shoulder by a long strap. After a moment of taking in her surroundings, she nods quietly and sighs. She shifts two things strapped across her back and shoulders: a satchel bag and a large pole with one end wrapped up in cloth. In less than a minute, she has the bag slung around her shoulders and over her back in the style of a backpack. The pole finds it’s way into her hands, the covered end pointing upward as she turns in a slow circle.

“This is…different.” Her voice is soft and deep, but quickly taking on a worried tone. The pole rests in the crook of one arm as she gathers up her skirt to tie off around her waist. Her leather sandals gently hug her all the way up to her knees. “All right, I’ll bite. Who did I offend this time?”

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"Well, my family are a bit touchy about their identities like that. I interact with the general public, so people tend to not believe me at all when I use their real names." Her shoulders shift with a silent laugh. "Although there are those who believe me without so much as a second thought, and some of their names get used by others outside of the family."

Edited 2021-10-04 02:38 (UTC)

“Ah, celebrities of a certain caliber in your world, I assume?” Isamu asked, not for information but rather confirmation. He glanced knowingly at Minoru, who was, himself, dating a rather famous musician.

"You could say that! They're well known among certain scholarly and theological circles, especially where symbolism is involved." As she speaks, her free hand moves to trail up to the cover of the broad end of her spear. She pulls on it just slightly, revealing the sharpened metal end. "That said, my father is the master blacksmith for our assorted relatives and I'm working to earn such accolades myself."

Of course, Isamu’s interest was instantly piqued when Lysandra mentioned a celebrity among scholarly circles. He wondered if it was anyone he’d ever heard of. Although, logically, he knew that wasn’t likely since she was from another world and all.

Minoru, though, followed her hand and took a good look at the spear when she mentioned her father being a master blacksmith.

“So, did you make that yourself?” He asked about it.

"I helped source and prepare the materials as well as design some of the inlay in the tip itself. Aunty Anthy apparently wants to do something with The General, and they're both hard to talk down when they get started."

She takes a couple of steps back and lowers the business end of the spear towards the twins. "There's a feather pattern on both sides. She's usually associated with owls. Her things are designs, wisdom, weaving, and the delightful foray into battle to try out some new tactics."

Minoru leaned in for a closer look. The design work was really intricate, especially the feathers. He was obviously impressed. “Wow, you helped design this? It looks amazing!”

“Indeed, it is quite impressive.” Isamu nodded. While some would say he knew everything about everything, that first year in University he spent pursuing an engineering major did not address much of anything about metalworking. Or spear-wielding.

“Owls are pretty neat. Though, I’m a bit partial to snakes myself.” He held up his left arm, which had a tribal snake tattoo wrapping around his wrist and part of his forearm.

“You would like them better if they were not a natural predator to your favorite animal, you mean.”

Minoru laughed. “Yeah.”

The exact reference to the Greek goddess of wisdom hadn’t quite caught on, but Isamu, in the back of his mind, would probably put it together soon. Because, after all, “Anyone who prides themselves on wisdom would certainly have an appreciation for owl symbolism, though. The association can be found as far back as ancient Greek, Roman and Iroquois mythos.”

Her smile grows seeing Minoru reacting so positively. The best reactions come from those who have little idea of what they are looking at and those who have a very good idea of what they are looking at, and the twins are an excellent example of both. She turns the spear in her hands slowly to show off both sides of the tip before setting it upright once more.

"Snakes are rather common for symbolism, although it is a real shame it is often forces of chaos and danger. Apep in Egypt, and Jormungandr of the Norse are two that I'm more familiar with, but among my own family, there are names like Ophion and Asclepius. The latter is all over modern medicine in the West."

She smiles warmly at Isamu. "The Romans merely borrowed the owl. It was my kin who started on that. You'd see Aunty Anthy's owls all over her favored city."

“I know, right? In Japanese culture, snakes are guardians, protectors against misfortune and illness, symbols of change and rebirth.”

The twins grew up in America, but the he honestly couldn’t understand the western view of the snake as this deceitful monster. He very much preferred the Japanese point of view, which he learned first-hand from his Uncle Sasuke. (His father’s younger brother bred snakes as a hobby, and getting to help take care of them was the highlight of a younger Minoru’s summers.)

“Guess it only makes sense that I ended up working at a hospital too.” He smiled.

“It is almost poetic.” Isamu nodded. “Much like the owls, honoring Greek heritage. Even more so, if Anthy were short for Athena.”

“Huh?”

“Even beyond the mythology and the symbolism, it is right in the name. The genus to which owls belong, Athene, commemorates the Greek goddess Athena.”

"Oh! Are you both in the medical field? It's a courageous thing to go into the world of medicine, whether a nurse or doctor or surgeon."

She shakes her head listening to Isamu chide Minoru about his lack of familiarity with Greek myths and their related symbols. They're both so close, but would it be fair to just tell them?

"My great-aunt Athena, to be precise. She is also the reason spiders are named for Arachnea. Bit of a petty squabble, but you have to admire the way arachnid rolls off the tongue when speaking of spiders. She likes to hand over shedded owl feathers for when we make arrows for her."

“Not nearly as glamorous as that.” Minoru admitted. “I’m just an orderly. But I’m currently going to PTA school to be a physical therapist assistant!”

“My chosen route is more academic, but still under the medical umbrella. I have a grant to do biochemistry research at IRIS.” Isamu added. And they weren’t the only ones in the family to end up in that kind of industry. “Papa is a biomedical engineer. In our world, he helped bring to market replacement heart valves, hip and knee joint implants, and the like. Mama, at one point, was a clinical engineer, training and supervising biomedical equipment technicians.”

And speaking of family…

“Well, that is pleasantly ironic.” Isamu noted with a smile. “Sharing a number of traits as the goddess she is named after.”

Minoru snickered. “Bro, we’re in the Nexus. You don’t think she IS the goddess she’s named after?”

"Don't discount yourself just because you are of a low rank. Every set of hands in a hospital setting is a set of hands that will inevitably help save more lives than your eyes will get to see. I can commend your whole family to Sunspot and his son, assuming we come from the precise same world. Apollo doesn't directly supervise medicine, but he's looked up to as a healer."

"Sharing, showing..." She shrugs and licks her lips. "Sunspot's dominions are the sun itself, archery, and prophecies. His sister is associated with the moon, hence why I call her Moony. My father makes weapons for my whole family and my great-uncle King Spots has a very large dog who's name literally means 'spotted'. Minoru is asking the right kinds of questions."

Minoru chuckled. “They are! I guessed it before you did!”

Isamu, not to be outclassed in a mental sport, insisted, “I most certainly assisted you in coming to that conclusion.”

“Of course, but I still guessed it before you did.”

“Then Sunspot and Moony would be…” Isamu offered Minoru the chance to answer, but knew what his brother would say before he said it. After all, he once had to explain to Minoru precisely why his new friend Lucifer was quick to assume people despise him, and that came from some of the prevailing judeo-Christian mythologies they grew up around.

“…yeah, I have no idea.”

“The sun was the domain of Apollo. The moon was the domain of Artemis.” Isamu replied. “And Cerberus means ‘spotted’, and is traditionally known as the dog of Hades.”

The weapons-maker, though, he had to think about for a moment. He was not as sure about the last one.

“It has been a while since I have read those specific stories. I believe, given the description, that would make your father… Hephaestus?”

Lysandra lifts to her toes in a kind of jump for joy. She wiggles a little with how well the twins pieced it together. Truly there is hope left for the world that her family's stories are still remembered!

"I am Lysandra Kastaros, daughter of Hephaestus, and fellow forgemaster to the Olympian clan." She uses her spear as a brace to curtsy with as much grace as she can, dressed as casually as she is. "My joy is knowing that I can uphold my father's legacy to the best of my ability."

It wasn’t surprising to meet a god in the Nexus. After all, Lucifer was here with a wide variety of angels. Thor and Loki were also here, and they belonged to the Norse pantheon. Even Fujin was here - a name both of the twins were familiar with from their mother’s stories - and running, hands down, the best teahouse they’d ever gone to.

Isamu was the first to bow politely in return, though Minoru followed suit quickly after. “It is a pleasure to more formally make your acquaintance. Though, I have but one example to observe, it is clear that you are indeed a master craftsman in your own right.”

Minoru nodded eagerly.

Lysandra is likewise glad to be among her kin and kind, and adding to their rank. She knows the ways of the divine like the back of her hand, sometimes more so than the ways of the average mortal.

The formal way they bowed back touched a tender part of her soul. She placed her free hand over her heart and smiled in a gentle way she had learned from the likes of Hestia and Persephone. "It comes with living as long as I have. There's a complicated tale to it, but I was born mortal. It was only after I had become a woman that my father saw it fit to let me become fully immortal."

The twins were raised to be courteous and polite. Bowing was a traditional sign of respect in Japanese culture, and one their parents made certain they were taught in addition to everything they picked up in America.

“Wow… I didn’t know someone could become immortal. Like it’s a test you have to pass.” Minoru scratched his head.

“I am afraid I do not recall this story from ones that I have read.” Isamu noted as well. “I would be interested in hearing it. Though, I can understand if this is not the appropriate time or place for what may be a lengthy, complicated tale.”

Minoru nodded, a bit interested himself. “If you like tea, we know a great place not too far from here that makes the best. It’s run by a god too! Different world, but still a god.”

“Oh! Yes, the Henka no Kaze teahouse is delightful, both in its offerings and its atmosphere. We could continue this conversation with refreshments.”

“On us.” Minoru added. “As a welcome present.”

There was no pressure. They both knew that there was a lot to see and do on one’s first day in the Nexus, especially when it wasn’t planned. The offer was open whether Lysandra wanted to take them up on it now or later.

"My story isn't nearly as dramatic as Achilles and his Patroclus, but it's in a similar line of tragedy. It was less to honor my deeds and more my father trying to save my life. Such tales usually don't get retold across the ages."

That said, she's long reached the point where it genuinely does not cause her much pain to speak of the loss from back then. She taps the spear on the ground and nods to the twins.

"Lead the way. I know how to mind my manners around the divine and tea is a delicacy I've learned to treasure with my age."

The twins led the way toward the forested areas via one of the many walking paths.

“As who?” Minoru whispered to his brother as they walked.

“Achilles, hero of the Trojan War.” Isamu whispered back, “though, I admit the books I have read on the subject may differ slightly from what actually happened, as tends to be the case.”

As they got closer, the path broke into smaller round stones. Low walls and a lush garden surrounded a couple of small building in traditional Japanese architectural style. Fujin may or may not be in, but the monks were always around. And they recognized and bowed to the twins when they entered. They were frequent customers - to the point that Isamu’s order could be started on before he even sat down. Minoru had his favorites, but didn’t rotate between them with any kind of rhyme or reason.

Isamu politely offered Lysandra a seat at one of the low tables. He and his brother both sat seiza, on their knees. This was a very traditional place.

“Do you have a particular type or flavor of tea that you enjoy?” He asked politely.

“Pretty much everything is good.” Minoru added. “Some kinds are sweet. Some are really bitter, though.”

Lysandra's gaze is drawn to the trees and the scenery, but she keeps her ears open to the musings of the twins. It reminded her of winter with Demeter and visiting Hades down in his kingdom below the earth. She smiled to herself as she was led along, and turned about in circles here and there to truly take in the natural beauty.

Seeing the monks, she bowed her head to any who offered some greeting to her first. Inside the establishment, she paused at the doorway and laid her spear out on the floor near the entrance. It would never do to intrude on the peace of a place acting as a hearth. After setting down the spear, she pauses and mutters a quick prayer under her breath before joining the twins at the table.

"It's been a while since I've found myself in such a wonderful place." She sits as easily as the twins do, hands folded on her lap. "I'll be content with anything you would recommend. There are very few circumstances where my family permits it's members to refuse a meal when it's offered to them. I'll repay your kindness in time, once I've gotten a bit settled in."

The Nexus truly did have something for everyone. And the little teahouse, tucked away in this tranquil garden, was one of Isamu’s favorite places.

“I would highly recommend the konacha, though readily admit some have not acquired a taste for something of such high astringency and bitterness.”

“Some?” Minoru chuckled.

“Many?” He clarified. “However, if you ask, the monks will happily roast the leaves into Houjikonacha, which diminishes the bitterness and adds an equally pleasant flavor and aroma.”

Minoru had to agree. That did make Isamu’s odd tea of choice way more palatable.

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