(D8LA) Picnic in the rain for four. (Expecting)

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi raises her eyebrow. “Oh, Kitsu Moshumaru-oniisan? No, he’s just a Kitsu. We both have a flare for the dramatic and felt we’d be a fair match, since we’re both mildly trained in martial arts.”

Noting everyone’s confusion over her brother, Inoshishi plays with her fingers nervously. “Um. Am I not familying properly? We spoke, discovered our shared interests, and stated we were now siblings. Is this not how one gains adopted siblings?”

She seems genuinely confused. Agasha families aren’t giant and the Togashi have no real concept of family, so she may have no idea how it works for most people.

[Matsu Ishioka]

"I think some families are very strict about the use of brother and sister," Ishioka says kindly, scooting closer to Inoshishi. "It is safer to call one a cousin, which covers more ground. Like I would call Kitsu Moshumaru-san and Kitsu Murato-san cousins because we are all Lion," he explains. "A brother or sister does seem... especially close?" He glances at Yasu, thoughtful for a moment. "But, then again..." He nods his head. "Yes, I suppose it does fit. Would you agree, Yasu-san?"

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu nods. "I...think we might use the words very differently in the Crab. Adoption makes someone family in all ways, so it's pretty much a head of family kind of decision. I've never heard of siblings being the ones to bring others into the family."

"Informally? I guess there's some who'd use it among themselves for close friends or...very helpful classmates, but it's confusing elsewhere." She looks into her tea. "Like we call my youngest sister 'turtle' because she could crawl so fast, she never wanted to learn to get up and walk. But everyone would look at me funny if I said my turtle showed signs of hearing the kami and might well start training soon." With a pile of younger siblings, she has her own share of big sister energy to pass around, but can't recall anyone unrelated calling her that.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe smiled at Yasu's story about her sister and nodded "The Otter are the youngest clan so our traditions are still very loose and shifting. It is not unheard of for someone to informally call another their brother or sister if they are very close. And actual adoption could be a formal affair with the head of the family but also could just be someone working on the same boat for a long time and just sort of settling into the role." Tanabe explained

[Agasha Inoshishi]

"Informally? I guess there's some who'd use it among themselves for close friends or...very helpful classmates, but it's confusing elsewhere." She looks into her tea. "Like we call my youngest sister 'turtle' because she could crawl so fast, she never wanted to learn to get up and walk. But everyone would look at me funny if I said my turtle showed signs of hearing the kami and might well start training soon." With a pile of younger siblings, she has her own share of big sister energy to pass around, but can't recall anyone unrelated calling her that.

Inoshishi giggles at the story.

"Well, if I had to guess, there's two other aspects to why he called me sister."

She looks down into her own tea, uncertain if her answer is going to embarrass Ishioka.

"First, I believe he believes that I am a reincarnated Ikoma. I think he is perhaps right? Certainly I get along great with the Ikoma, and I find myself fitting in well with the Lion. Which leads to the second reason. I believe he believes it is...inevitable that I will be drawn into the clan. Whatever anyone may wish, that I will find myself with them."

She very carefully doesn't look at Ishioka. No need to see his thoughts on the matter one way or the other.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Eh..have to assume most souls have wandered through a few clans with their turns through the cycle. Poetic though, I guess." Picking up an onigiri with some hopes for umeboshi in the middle, she continues, "have to wonder at him thinking anything's inevitable with the Deer keeping everyone in the dark and all. I guess with such a crowd of Lion and Dragon here, there's bound to be some pairings, though."

[Matsu Ishioka]

"Hai, Yasu-san, inevitability is a tricky thing," the Stone Matsu says with a skeptical tone. "Still, the Kitsu are wise and perceptive. I often do not understand them, but it could well be our ancestors have revealed what the Deer have not." He takes a drink of tea, looking thoughtful. "It is best not to feel too... secure, in anything, I think. Things are not settled yet." Ishioka's sounds strangely at peace while saying things aren't settled, an odd mix of serenity and anxiety in his voice as his face remains pleasantly calm.

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu directs her smile up at Tanabe, radiant and secure. "Nothing is settled, no. If this small space is all we're granted, so be it. If the Deer chose otherwise, we'll at least have held joy for this long." Her gaze drops to the cup in her hands. "Not sure I could serve as I do if I weren't hoping to preserve space for beauty and joy. Happens I'd like to hold a bit of it too."