Day 061: Cross-Communal Bathing
Summary: Starts with a father-daughter conversation on relationships, blossoms into cross-communal bathing, discussion of naming and cultural differences.
Date: 29th July 2016
Related: Follows Skaikids in the Baths
Fayet Kai Khesu Nathaniel Tuan Wren Wyst 


Community Baths — Tondc, Trikru

The community baths is accessed through a long, open-air staircase that leads down into what had once been a rather large, sprawling basement. The room is constantly lit by torchlight, causing the subterrean space to glow soft golds and oranges. The floors are polished cement, and the high ceiling is supported by thick, square pillars of concrete.

The room is filled with a moist heat thanks to the giant pots of water almost constantly boiling at the center of the space over well-kept fires. The room is ventilated by several exhaust pipes in the ceiling, keeping the air circulating. In addition to there just being spaces to sponge bath, there are several actual tubs, some so large that there are benches built into the mortar.

Along one of the walls are several shelves of woven towels, cloths for washing, large bowls and pitchers for collecting the hot water, and crude cuts of soap. Bathing here — outside of the tubs, of course — is merely a process of collecting the offered supplies, and finding a place in the room to bath. The floors are gently sloped toward various drains in the floor, so pooling is never a problem. As this is a communal bath, stripping naked and washing one's self is done in plain view of others, but there is an unspoken rule of the bathroom that wandering eyes are not accepted.

Day 61

The skaikids have departed, and for the moment at least, Kai has the tub to herself, which merits laying her arms along the rim with her cloth on her face and just electing to soak for a while, because while she's sort of used to bits of her aching, deliciously hot water is awesome about helping ease it, and well, there's plenty of stuff on her mind to make soaking in the tub the choice of Seconds for the moment.

Wren needs to soak. That should is still bothering him, the wound taking it's sweet time to close up and heal. Prevented him from swinging a weapon properly since it just so happens to be his favored arm. So after getting checked on by Silver for the umpteenth time, he decides all he can do right now is just go soak so it doesn't feel so horrible. And since it's later on in the evening, he's surprised to see most of the occupants have left, though Kai is still there. He's about to strip off his shirt, when he sighs. "Do you want me to come back later?" Because the last time they bathed together, the awkwardness on her end was almost palpable.

"It's a public space, Wren." Kai notes, not that she takes the cloth off of her eyes or open them,"The heat feels nice." and even though two beers have had time to mellow, it makes it a little more difficult for her usual awkwardness to kick in,"How's your shoulder doing?"

"Hurts." In a way that suggests, 'but what can you do about it' sorta tone, even as he goes about the task of disrobing. "Ran into one of the Skaikru trying to make a name for himself in the barracks." he adds, putting his clothes in one of the alcoves, grabbing a towel and padding over to the tub Kai is seated in. "One of their Guard." They don't get the term Warriors to him, it's not the same. "He wanted to fight me too, but I suspect he wanted to do so knowing the fact that I was still injured. Like it gave him better chances." A relaxed groan, sinking in next to Kai, the water level raising by his displacement. His wound is still red and angry. It's even marred some of the ink in the series of intricate tattoos on his body. The chest one looks well healed though. "Good to see your friends again?"

"Please tell me it wasn't Leo." Kai groans,"<In Trigedasleng> They can be idiots sometimes." she moves to help make room for him before settling back down again, it's easy to not be embarrassed when you don't look,"<In Trigedasleng> It is awkward. There are many things we have together, but many things are not same too." there's a slight shrug of her shoulders and a sigh,"They will make it. They are strong. It would be… nice. If some of them joined the kru, but seeing as the technology is their.. thing, I understand."

"It wasn't." Wren shakes his head. "<In Trigedasleng> So can we. We can be idiots too. Just about different things." There's a wince when he settles his back against the tub, sinking enough that his shoulder goes underwater. Seems to feel a bit better after that. "<In Trigedasleng> Can say that about two different krus. It could be a shame we don't know the others better either. The Skaikru are no different in that." Then a low laugh. "I think our people have had enough time adjusting to you and Silver, won't want to overload them. You're just being greedy because you miss them. I don't think it's so much the technology, but perhaps where they might feel more comfortable. More welcomed. Can't put fault on them for that."

"His name was Nathaniel, by the way. I know little else, other than Veks beat him in a spar. And he wasn't even a Warrior." he then adds as an afterthought.

Kai grunts acknowledgment for his words,"<In Trigedasleng> Good. He was getting drunk when I left him." because that can't go well,"I am greedy. But it is the technology, at least in part. I got into an argument with one of my brothers before we left the Mountain. I don't fault them for liking the technology, for feeling it is valuable, I am simply.. concerned." she makes a passing gesture and then raises her head at the name 'Nathaniel', wrinkling her nose,"That's the one you told me not to yell at. I.. maybe he can't tell the difference between a Warrior and not?" she shakes her head,"Doesn't matter." a smile crosses her face slowly,"<In Trigedasleng> I imagine many of the guard feel.. intimidated. Here."

"<In Trigedasleng> Good for him, I suppose. I'll be doing plenty of that once this is done. If I survive it." Wren nods, dunking his head to soak his hair, then popping back up again. "You love your friends, that's not bad to be greedy in that respect. But if they come here, it'll be for their own reasons, not because you wish it. Not everyone is focused on the path as you are. For others, it takes time. Sometimes their whole lives." He sighs, perhaps as a sign of concern. "<In Trigedasleng> A valid concern. But what they do with it is their choice. And it's the kruheda and heda's place to decide how we respond, if at all. It's not our place in that matter. We can only watch. However, after seeing our reactions in regard to the Maunon, I highly doubt their skaikruheda would be foolish enough to repeat the same mistakes." He rolls his shoulder, trying to loosen the muscle in his injured one, without much success. Clearly, it's been bothering him. "It was, yes. Maybe not. Doesn't say much about him, does it? The fact that he asked for a spar when I'm not fully healed says something else too." The last part makes him think. "<In Trigedasleng> Perhaps. The Guard has much to learn about what being protectors really are. Intimidated? Certainly. Scared? I doubt that. The ones I was with fought bravely. Glory and honor to those that did as much as we did. And that, is only fair."

"<In Trigedasleng> You'll live. Silver would kill me if I didn't bring you home." Kai smirks, dipping her cloth in the water and brushing it along her arm with a dip of her head,"<In Trigedasleng> I know. I already said I am greedy." there's a sharper smile there before she dips her head, then sets aside the cloth with a gesture,"Here." offered in English,"Turn around." added so she can at least try her completely non-professional attempt at massaging the affected area carefully,"<In Trigedasleng> It does. And they do. I did not say scared. The ones who are worth things are brave." she switches back again to add,"But most of those you have fought with are the hundred, or my family. And Leo is a good man. Better now that he has seen for himself what it is like to be in a real battle."

"<In Trigedasleng> You'll look out of her if I do not, I know that." Wren replies. "You know, it's getting easier to tell with you when you love someone. You just use different words for it. 'Greedy'. I'm glad you have people like that you care for. Gives us a reason to do what we do. Even if they aren't kru." he smirks in kind. "A far cry from the angry stubborn girl I first met. Make no mistake you still are, but there's a measure of maturity there too. It's good to know you've listening to me prattle on." He turns, offering his should and for a time, he goes silent. He's not wincing or anything, so at least that's a good sign. But yeah, that shoulder is all sorts of knots and tightness. "If you hadn't figured it out by now, I judge by the person, not the whole. The 100 didn't kill Lark, only one of you did. The Skaikru didn't destroy Thripoda, only a certain number of them. I do my best to look at each person, and not as a reflection of the whole. Things become…messy if they do."

"<In Trigedasleng> Not going to happen, Wren." Kai grunts insistently,"I know love. I say love when I mean love. I am greedy. I do not care for them less because they are not here, but I wish they were." there's that shrug again as she prods carefully before setting her fingers into it working out what she can,"<In Trigedasleng> I have done what I can." she grunts,"For them." then with a shrug switches back,"<In Trigedasleng> I have my kru now, and I cannot be both." she's done this a few times before, though she's got no real training for it. Mostly for Eli, which is probably why her jaw is set the way it is and her eyes half-lidded, but she chooses to focus on,"I know my old kru, Wren. And I worry that through ignorance they will do stupid things, believing that they know better. But you are right, in that I can do nothing to stop them. I try to remind myself that their lives are not my circus, and their problems are not my monkey's. It is not that I am not willing to help them, but that my first duty has to be to you and the Trikru. My family here. That's the commitment that I have to stick to or I will never really be not-Skaikru in the eyes of the others."

"Speaking of family." Wren leans a little into Kai's hands. Maybe Silver doesn't do this for him? Or maybe he's never asked and she's never offered. "Mother wishes to have a talk with you." That sounds a ominous, and Peake is something that would qualify as a mildly terrifying or intimidating creature. "Before we leave. I've told of my intention to adopt you into the family. She approves of it, but she still wishes to speak to you." Everything else, he sighs, though perhaps a little content. "<In Trigedasleng> No, you can't. It will only be a problem if it becomes one. Until then, speculation does no good beyond giving an upset stomach. I know it's difficult to not worry about them, but they will be alright. We will have plenty of our own matters to contend with. The army will leave, some semblance of normalcy will return, and we will find a new home. And…" he pauses. "Maybe we can actually spend time together that doesn't revolve around training."

Kai can't help but groan, talk and Peake in the same sentence doesn't exactly strike the teen as something that's likely to be a good thing, even if what she says is,"<In Trigedasleng> Of course." by way of acceptance,"<In Trigedasleng> I want to protect them. Is that wrong?" she can't help but ask, rising from the water somewhat owing to their different heights to get a better angle on his shoulder with a grimace for the effort necessary to knead those knots,"I like training." she grunts,"<In Trigedasleng> I also wont need that time off." she adds quietly.

"<In Trigedasleng> You make it sound like my mother, and by now status, your grandmother is someone that you might be, dare I say, afraid of talking with?" Oh yeah, Wren is amused a little by that reaction. Well, you don't 'talk' to Peake so much as 'listen and obey'. Because that's just sort of the persona the woman carries. There's a groan, more like a rumble. "Oh…right there, right there." She found a particular nasty knot on him. "<In Trigedasleng> No, it's not wrong. You care for them, want the best for them. It's honorable. Helping them opposed to helping their kru are two different things. To me." Though he can't help himself with a sudden laugh. "Oh Kai. Ever the young Second who lusts for battle. You will have plenty of training and combat in your life, don't worry. But maybe there are times where I want to spend time with you not as First and Second, but…" Well, he doesn't say 'father and daughter' out loud. Then he still. "<In Trigedasleng> Ah. I am sorry, Kai."

"<In Trigedasleng> Peake is a very strong woman for whom I have much respect." and no small amount of nerves, even if Kai chooses to leave that part unspoken, grunting her acknowledgment as she digs into the spot largely with her right hand given the state of her left,"<In Trigedasleng> I like to fight. I am good at it." she notes,"I will have many years of fighting when I am released, but I am still far behind the other Seconds, and will likely be the oldest by a wide margin by time I catch up." she grimaces, then grunts quietly,"He is Skaikru. I am not. They will not see me as Trikru when my niron is Skaikru and my attention divided between their place and ours. And it is not fair to him to have him wait, when in truth I prefer to be on the battlefield. He is young and he deserves a houmon who will be happy to share his life with him."

"It is something I know well. Or did you forget that this is something Silver struggles with every day. I don't know if Galle has decided on her. Silver is scared. She can act otherwise all she wants, but to me, I see fear in her eyes. That she will never be accepted. If that's what you think, imagine the burden I carry. You had on Skaikru. I've had two. At least…I was not wrong about either of them." His attention a little distracted, because damn this feels good. "<In Trigedasleng> Maybe, but some Warriors don't get their first kill mark long after they've been released. What you lack in skill, you make up for in tenacity. If you were not good enough, I would not of told you so. I will not tell you how to run your personal life, you prefer your privacy in those things. But I do worry. And I do care about your happiness. I would be a poor First if I didn't. You must do what you feel is right, just don't cut off your nose to spite your face. And battlefield is not life, Kai. You just happen to be catching us at a time when we are. In truth, we have not been at war for two years. And once the Maunon are gone, and we cleanse the last Reaper dens, I fear we will have little to do. May become a little boring for us. Which is not in itself bad. The best war to fight is the one not needed to be fought."

"I have not forgotten." are the quiet words Kai grunts, having to stop finally because her left hand aches. She grimaces as she rubs it, settling back into the water again,"I am not, Wren. And when I am released, if we are not at war, that simply means that I can explore. I am not interested in staying at home. I make a very poor farmer. Eli is the only niron I have known, and I do not regret that, but it does not change that for his happiness, a Skaikru girl who wishes to stay out of the fight as he does, who will support and encourage his brilliance, is better than I. He would come to resent me, eventually, and so rather than wait for that.. I have let him go. Perhaps eventually I shall take another niron. I do not know. It is too soon."

Rolling his shoulder a little easier, Wren turns to face her. Yes, he's looking at her face. He smiles at her. "You would make a poor farmer. I do too. The last time I tried, I was kicked off the field because I was told I was a 'blight to growing food'. No, not staying at home. Hunting, fishing, teaching you how to play dice properly. Maybe even learning some of those strange songs you sing. Perhaps even helping me learn to read with Silver." He puts his hands on her shoulder, holding out at arm's length, though the one arm strains a little to extend like that. "You did the right thing. You did the hard thing. He may not understand that for some time, but eventually, he will. You saved the good memories before they soured. And that too is honorable. Hey, look at me." He pauses, sighing. This must be what parenting is like. "It is not a weakness to feel like this. To have a heart is to have have highs and lows. Joy and sadness. You have to say nothing more. It is alright and I understand. Take your time to heal. I will support you if you need me." A little shake. "Because you are proud and defiant and stubborn. And I would not have you any other way."

"I like fishing. And skipping rocks." Kai chuckles,"And I have only played dice once, at skaigeda. Cameron created this game that was ridiculous.. about truths and dares and other such foolishness." her eyes are looking somewhere over his shoulder, as if staring at a blank part of the wall is somehow easier than looking at anything else right now,"If there is a technology I miss.. it's the dataslates. Not that Leo has anything less than terrible taste in movies, but that I remember a lot of them because he'd never shut up." he commands her to look and she does drag her eyes up, pressing her lips together and opening them wide as if that's going to stop the way they water, or the jerk of her head is going to prevent her from losing it, to the point where she doesn't attempt to say anything immediately simply to try and will it back under control. As if she just pretends long enough that it doesn't hurt that it will stop doing so.

Wren sighs and smiles a little, perhaps catching the physical cue. But not at her. Mostly because he understands this situation. "Come here." No he doesn't hug her from the front. That would be weird. Instead he sits back down in the tub and pulls her to his side, putting a big arm around her shoulders, and letting her lean against his side if she wants to. There are no more words, and seems like in this moment whatever she does will never leave the room. No jokes, no reminders.

Weird. Yes. A sideways hug at least marginally less so, though at first Kai sits there stiffly before she squeezes her eyes shut and let's out a little sob, letting herself rest against his side as she tries hard to at least pretend she's not crying. There's a long moment of silence before she finally says,"I'm pretty sure I make a shitty builder, too. My lean-to at skaigeda was more draft than anything else." in a quiet and poor attempt at a joke.

And Wren will make no note of her crying. Not because he doesn't care, but because he respects her. Though he returns the squeeze when she does start crying, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. And he let's his Second get the crying out of her system. He comforts only as needed, just remind her he's there for her. "I chop wood for the village. Cut down old tree. I always figured I was good at least that. Well…that was the only things the farmer's trusted me doing not to mess up." Another bout of silence.

Kai wipes her hand across her eyes as she finally finds the composure to settle back again and pretend like that didn't just happen because well, yes, big Seconds don't cry, at least as far as she's concerned,"You know they used to use old trees to make houses, way, way back when. Whole logs, notched and stacked to make walls. I can.. cut stuff down, and carry stuff.. I'll do whatever people need, you know? It's.. not something I've ever had to do before and I think it would be something good to learn. Even if maybe I'll just stay in the warriors barracks for now. Don't exactly need a house anymore. Y'know? And you and Silver.. green Eden preserve me."

If Kai needs to cry and then act like it didn't happen, Wren is okay with that. So long as she's willing to cry infront of him well that's, he views that as a big deal, a sign of trust she has him. She goes to move, he'll give her shoulder a little last squeeze before letting her back away. "We still use use trees like that. Sometimes we find ourselves fortunate and find old ruins, skeletons to use to build upon. That's how Coesbur was. Don't worry, there will be plenty to do. But enough that we can fish and you can teach me to skip rocks. Was always poor at that." But he shakes his head at the last. "You'll do no such thing, young woman. There will be a room for you built as well. And Silver and I will be…respectful to you on that. I won't have you living in the barracks when you deserve your own place. And privacy for yourself because you know you value that." There's a little grin at her. "Don't make me make that an order."

"I wish I'd gotten to see it, before the Reapers overran it and the Maunon blew it up." Kai grimaces,"When we first crashed, and the others were.. trying to negotiate with Coesbur I was.. it was easier to just be mad and sit in my corner and.. give up. Tink, my blond friend? The one who hugged me in the mountain? I don't know if I'd have done anything 'cept died if I hadn't been trying to keep an eye out for her. And then I sat down and spoke with Billy.. Stone. I haven't seen him lately, I suspect he's probably pissed at me too. But he reminded me? About how things used to be? That police forces.. like the guards.. they were supposed to protect and serve the people. And I realized that it.. wasn't enough.. just to save Tink. To try and keep an eye on Eli. That if we were going to make it then we.. the cadets.. we needed to step up and be that. But at first I just.. wanted to go home. I hated it and I wanted to go back to the Ark. And now it's here, and I can't imagine any place I'd rather be less." there's a bitter little burble of laughter about that,"And no, I want to stay at the barracks, Wren. You have Silver and Pontus has Starling and I think Khesu and that Sage girl? They might have something going on.. and Britt and Erson and Tuan and Fiona and so on. Well, y'know. The most likely place I'm going to meet someone isn't in your house, it'd be at the barracks."

"Kai…you need to be with family." Wren offers gently. "It wouldn't feel right. I wouldn't feel right having my own home and you being stuck in the barracks. You're not some third wheel who wouldn't feel unwelcome. I just don't want." It's not like he doesn't get it. He completely gets it. And of course he won't say it out loud. "I just want to give you a home, you know? You speak of wanting a home, I would like to give you that. You could even…could live with my mother and father now that the rest of us will be our of her hair. Though, I'm sure she'd take you too. Just don't…decide so quickly, will you at least do that?"

Schmutz. If the carpenter was around this area just over a century ago and had the slightest understanding of Yiddish, that's what she'd call what's all over her face and arms. However, the Trikru seem to have lost the subtle art of Jewish turns of phrase, so all Fayet can say is that she's fuckin' covered in dirt. She undresses and folds her clothes, then fills a pitcher with water and first washes her face, then starts working soap into the roots of her dreadlocks, before rinsing thoroughly. "I told her this," she pipes up. "I told her the importance of family." She fills up her pitcher again for another rinse.

"When I want a home, I'll make a home. Hell, I even met a carpenter earlier, and there's Que, too. So it's not even like it would be a bad home. Just that right now I'm okay with the idea of bunking with the rest of the gonakru. Doesn't mean I wont show up for meals and so on." Kai grunts, and then, there's Fayet, and she points over her way from where her and Wren are occupying one of the tubs,"See? There's the carpenter. Fayet kom Trikru." she smiles wryly,"It's not about family not being important, it's that.. really, I don't even know any Trikru my age, I realized earlier. They're all Seconds, too. So if I'm going to meet people.. when I'm ready to, then y'know.. it makes sense to be where I can meet them instead of being different. I'm already different in enough ways, it'd be nice to be the same for once."

Wren does seem a little sad and maybe put out by this, but she seems determined that this is what she wants to do. "Very well." he nods. Not much more he can say to that. "I understand." Rubbing his face with wet hands, as if to perk himself up, he rising out of the tub. "I should be getting back. Check on a few things. Talk to your grandmother before you leave."

"Girl, last I saw you, you said you fit here better than you fit there. Make up your mind," Fayet says, gently squeezing water from her dreadlocks. "Most people don't have a choice. They bloom where they are planted."

"Wren.." Kai starts, only to get distracted with a glance to Fayet, then back to him,"I will talk to her, I promise." she settles for saying, before returning her gaze to Fayet,"Things are not black and white, Maker. Both things are true. I am different, because I was born Skaikru, as you yourself noted. Because I am almost eighteen and just started learning stuff that Rain knows at ten. I do fit better here than I ever did with the Skaikru, but well.. I deal with people like you taking offense to the idea that I am part of the kru on a daily basis. So clearly I am not, as yet, wholly Trikru either. But if I am eventually going to meet a good niron then I need to spend at least a little time meeting people who are actually available. Ideally not under my father's roof. Though I promise if they need beating I will let you have first punch. Okay?" that last for Wren as her grey eyes slide his way.

Fayet snickers. "Or are you looking for excuses to run because you are afraid that everything you like here will fall apart on you?" she asks, glancing over at the girl. "You have shown you are good at running. What's more impressive is to show you are good at staying."

"Kai is Trikru, that's all you need to know. Don't doubt that. For a moment." Wren grunts over at Fayet, starting to towel himself. "And anyone who says she is not…" he snaps a look at Fayet when she speaks. "I'm in a good mood, girl, so I'm going to act like I didn't hear that. All you need to know is that she is just as loyal as I am. She is my Second, but just as importantly, I have adopted her into my family as my daughter. Keep that in mind the next time you want her to accuse her of not being faithful to the kru. She didn't bleed for us for nothing. She did not earn her kill mark for nothing."

Oh that gets Fayet a flat-eyed look from Kai, for sure, though Wren speaks before she does, and so the Second clicks her mouth shut temporarily and settles for a slow blink of her eyes at the Maker,"Living with my father or grandmother would be avoiding the truth that if I am to in time find a niron of my own requires me interacting with more than just my family. Fear would be choosing to hide from that truth. It is not for lack of love for my family, but the acknowledgment that the world goes on and so must I." again the last directed towards Wren to judge from the look she gives him, weary beyond her seventeen years and the array of fresh scars that mark her body.

Fayet focuses on squeezing out her dreadlocks, thoroughly rebuked. She grimaces, embarrassed. "I misheard you. I thought you said you were going back to the Skaikru, not going to live with the gonakru. Look at me, running my mouth." She shakes her head at herself.

"It's fine, Fayet. But I trust and love my daughter too much to believe that she would ever do such a thing." Wren states, starting to dress himself. "She has worked too hard for what she has gained to leave now. And she has worked so very hard to prove herself to us. She is kru, that is all that needs to be said on the matter." Dressed, he comes back over to Kai's tub, leaning down to kiss her on the head. "You are your own woman. You'll forgive me if I'm just a little overprotective." Then he'll start to move away, heading out.

Kai accepts the kiss on the head with all the grace of the teen she is, casting her eyes up at him like 'waugh toughness quotient now = zero' and grunting quietly,"I already said if they need punching you can have the first hit." she settles for as he starts to move away,"I'll talk to Peake before we leave, promise." she's all pruney already but damned if she's getting out quite yet. There's a grunt of acknowledgment from Kai for Fayet's words though,"I can understand why you might think that, but no. I am Trikru. My now-former niron was Skaikru, while I am not yet ready to find another one, most of my gonakru is old and has houmon's of their own, so at least by staying at the barracks I might eventually meet someone my own age that I can put up with."

"Or risk becoming old and lonely like me?" Fayet teases. "No, I tease. It's good. Go back and punch that fletcher in the face for cheating you, that might go a long way."

"You're younger than most of my gonakru." Kai points out with a flicker of a grin,"And Wren is trying to remind me that I am not supposed to try and solve all my problems by punching things.. as tempting as it would otherwise be.. a month ago just trying to get them to look at me was hard enough. I accept that right now most of them are going to try and rip me off, but it's okay. Some are better than none and will go to Benning so that she can make more arrows, to repay the kindnesses that she has shown me. Besides.. tomorrow I will collect more radio's and more knives, once we have finished crushing the Maunon."

Fayet glances over at Kai. "How old do you think I am?" she asks, amused. "I know I have a young face, but trust me girl, I am not that young." She walks over to the tub and slides in, sitting on the bench, damp dreadlocks hanging around her shoulders.

"I have so given up attempting to guess such things, Maker." Kai utters with a shake of her head,"You are older than me. I think you are younger than Wren. But I would not consider myself 'that young' either, if not for hanging around my Skaikru friends and realizing the fact that most of them are.. in years at least, older than I." she grimaces. She finished washing ages ago, but really, the warm water just feels nice on her ribs and abdomen and all the other places that are still stitched up and not feeling so great.

"Oh, you are no fun," the Maker grins, settling down into the hot water for a moment, before starting to wash the grime from her arms. "Old girl in young-girl disguise, nami?"

"Well, yes, there are an awful lot of people who would agree that I am no fun." Kai has no problems at all about admitting, laughing quietly,"Not really. Maybe. I don't know? What of you, Maker? In all your oh so ancient wisdom.. surely you have had a few niron's in your time?"

"A few," Fayet shrugs, shifting the topic quickly back onto the younger girl. "What happened with your Skaikru niron?"

Kai grimaces, she'd clearly prefer to keep that topic on Fayet's than her own, though she does dip her head briefly in acknowledgment,"He needs a girl who wishes to be home. A Skaikru girl who will love him as he deserves, and I am not that girl. So I let him go." she opts to explain as clinically as she can.

"Did he say he wanted you to change? Or did you make this decision for him?" Fayet asks, sinking down and hanging her damp dreadlocks over the side of the tub behind her. "If you gave him the chance, would he come here for you?"

"He was supposed to come with me the night that Silver, Wren's niron, and I came to Tondc. He has come to visit, he is polite and has endeavored to learn the language, but he is Skaikru. He chose the Skaikru the same night I chose the Trikru. And while he has endeavored to be.. okay, with the way things are, I am not an idiot. Right now, he would continue to tolerate, but he deserves more than that."

Fayet snorts. "And what about what he wants? Why do you get to decide this? Do you want him, Second?" The carpenter's rich, brown eyes meet the Skaigirl's, unflinchingly.

"I watched my friend have to deal with the fact that her niron, also a warrior, lost his arm the last time we went to the Mountain. And half of his group died to see to it that the Maunon could not send the acid fog ever again. He does not wish to fight, and there is no shame in that. He wishes a life of peace and disagrees vehemently with the wages of war, and there is no shame in that, either. But a warrior does not know if tomorrow will be there for us, we do not know the day our fight will be over. While there have been those who have been kind enough to inform him, and even bring him here when I have been injured, he is not here, by his choice. He does not approve of that which is my life. And he is not my kru, also by his choice. So it is my choice, that should I have another niron in future they will be part of my kru, and that he will find himself a suitable niron among the Skaikru."

"Just do not turn him away if he should change his mind. Life is too short for regrets, especially for a gona," Fayet says softly. She doesn't elaborate on this, simply closing her eyes and enjoying the steam, sinking down to her collarbone.

Kai, and Fayet, are in one of the tubs, soaking and enjoying the hot water. Which also means the wide and varied stitched up wounds on Kai's torso are also visible, but hey, warm water to soak in is so awesome she's developed prune fingers from sitting in there. There's a grunt from the Second for the Maker's words, wringing out her cloth and re-soaking it to drape over her shorn head,"Preaching to the choir. I already had him and lost him once. This was the second time. Which should make it hurt less, you would think? But not so. But you did not answer, Maker. What of yourself?"

Nathaniel has been touring the city on and off the last few days, in between finding people who want to spar with him. Yesterday it was the old world landmarks and garden and marketplace, today it's the cummonal bath. Having heard of this in passing back at Camp Jaha and now mentioned in Tondc, Nathaniel walks in and looks about, his expression neutral for now.

"There isn't much to tell," Fayet shrugs. "I've had two or three. No one in years. Got my eye on one or two. I take it a day at a time." Complete non-answer. She turns, glowering at the man who enters. "Oi, du, this isn't the market. Eyes to your own self."

Kai grunts acknowledgment, then she's calling out and she can't help but look over, too,"Towels are over there." she helpfully chimes in, pointing in the correct direction,"<In Trigedasleng> Skai do not bathe together.. my first time here was.. interesting. This much water, just for bathing, would have been considered wasteful."

"I didn't come here for eye candy, Fayet." Nathaniel's eyes are, indeed more on the building then checking out the assets of any women in the place. Even if he could see anything, it'd be mostly underwater… so no real point. "I came here to see what a communal bath looks like." The comment about towels gets a grunt in acknowledgement as he stays near the entrance, getting a good look around.

"They look like this," Fayet says matter-of-factly. "Towels, there. Soap, there. Pitchers, should you need, there," she says, indicating with nods of her head.

Kai can't help but laugh for Fayet's words,"Water's hot, Sergeant Breen, no point in standing around gawking at it. Beats bathing in a cold lake or a shower any day of the week." though she might be just slightly biased in that opinion,"<In Trigedasleng> I expect they will all come here to visit at least once, for the shock of it if nothing else."

"I think we can agree to disagree on that. I prefer showers over baths, but I can see the appeal of soaking. Once the water systems are built, we won't have to worry about that either." Then he heads over to one of the empty tubs, testing the water briefly. If he's 'shocked' by any of this, it doesn't show on his face. "I haven't been able to have a decent shower since I got here anyway." With that, he goes to grab a towel and soap, starting to head for one of the tubs.

"Skaion, you don't go that far in with your clothes and boots on," Fayet laughs, turning back around in the hopes that the man can figure out bathing on his own. "<In Trigedasleng> This is the one you 'had yelling' with, right?" the dread-locked woman asks, eyes twinkling with mirth.

Wyst comes walking into the communal baths giving a curt nod to her fearless leader before starting to strip. Wyst really doesn't care about nudity, and is comfortable enough with her body to get her naked on without blushing. First comes off the boots, then the shirt and jeans. Last the bra and panties are left behind, all without batting an eye lash, "Adams…" Yes, she still calls Kai by her last name from her days as a cadet, "You looking for company or should I find myself another tub.

Someone hasn't bathed since the Mountain. That's not to say others haven't tried to bathe him using clothes, but Khesu's wounds were too grim to come to the bathes and soak or wash the dried, matted blood out of his dark hair. He comes now, going slowly and carefully. The big Trikru warrior's wounds are well along in healing but the left side of his face is still swollen. A bandage covers his left eye and brow where a bullet struck him in the head at an angle. The exit wound only a couple of inches away on the side of his skull. Dressed only in his leather leggings, Khesu cautiously makes his way down the steps. He pauses at the bottom and leans against the wall a moment to get his breath and to still the tipsy-turvy dizziness of his head after the small exertion. There he stays a moment to get his breath and glance over who's already down here. Mostly he sees steaming water, naturally.

Once he's rested briefly, Khesu finds a place to take a seat and start stripping off his lower clothing. He carries no weapons aside from his knife.

Kai's sharing a tub with Fayet at the moment, the dread-locked Maker and the ex-Skaikru Second chattering between themselves and with Nathaniel,"Clearly, you haven't had the right bath experience then." she opines, before nodding at Fayet,"Sha." she agree's, though it's the word 'Adams' that completely mentally throws her off her axis. She has to pause and blink at Wyst a couple of times,"Kyler Adams no longer exists Corporal Fairchild. I am Kai kom Trikru.. but they are free baths. Corporal, this is Fayet kom Trikru, a carpenter of Tondc, Fayet, this is Corporal Fairchild, one of the Skaikru guard." she doesn't notice Khesu immediately, somewhat distracted by the influx of Skaikru.

The one thing that keeps Nathaniel constantly off balance here is the sheer amount of new terms from the Grounders. "What's a Skaion?" He intones before he notices the newcomers. Wyst gives a smile and a nod as she enters. As Nathaniel hears something about that far in with your clothes and boots on though, this gets a strange look, "is there a law against it, or is that a custom Trikru have? I tend to keep my clothes on the sink when I'm taking a shower, easier to get into after."

Fayet stands up to offer Khesu an arm for balance. "<In Trigedasleng> Careful there…" she says with concern. She nods at the Skaikru corporal as Kai introduces her. "You are," she says to Nathaniel. "And the floor is damp and your boots have dirt on them. We come in here to get clean. You'll track mud all over the place," she explains to him, as if he is a child.

Wyst shakes her head ruefully, "Ahh…sorry about that. I knew you had moved out of the camp but didn't realize your name had changed as well." Wyst walks over to the bath, her lean muscles shows her to be more of a warrior type as she eases herself into Kai and Fayet's bath, "Nice to meet you Fayet kom Trikru, but please…call me Wyst. I'm not on duty and it seems silly for anyone to call me Corporal Fairchild when I'm outside the uniform." She gives an appreciative sigh as she sinks into the water. She glances over at Kai with a raised brow, "And Kai…it's good to see you in one piece."

Fayet's hand to steady him is given a nod, "Mochof." Khesu manages to get his things off and neatly folded. It is a little strange to him to see Skaikru in here but it doesn't bother him. He watches each of them briefly and then goes to find a tub that's not already crowded. He otherwise ignores nudity and is far more concerned with how hot the water is before he gets into it, having no desire to get scalded. No submerging his head alas, but soon as he is in he can sink down low and tip his head back to soak the caked blood off the back of his scalp. There will be time to pay more attention to others and talk once he's freed himself of his itchy scalp with great care not to soak his head wound.

"I never moved in to the camp." Kai corrects Wyst, though she has to snort a laugh at her current state being considered 'in one piece'. Fayet rising makes the lean girl also rise, well, more particularly because of the name uttered, her attention going over towards Khesu even if she's not inclined to immediately hop out of the tub. The Maker has it in hand though, so the Second sinks back down again to grunt at Wyst,"I have been kom Trikru since Arkfall. I was kom Skaikru before that. I haven't been Adams for quite a while now."

Arriving into the baths, Tuan is wrapped in a cloth about his waist. His usual smile is on his lips and he carries with him the small jar of cream and a knife of course. Seeing many familiar faces in the baths, he offers a nod of his head and his traditional greeting, "<In Trigedasleng> It is good the morning sun has found you." His steps continue to take him over to a stool in the bath area where he sits down to begin to scrape with the backside of the knife the sweat and dirt off his skin. "<In Trigedasleng> It is good to see that you no longer scream at the baths, Kai."

Nathaniel looks downwards at Fayet's words. First to his boots, then to where he walked. "Oh. I'm used to waterproofing my floors and for the steaming to come after I'm in the shower… I didn't think that this place wouldn't be the same out of habit, apologies." The boots come off first, "I'll clean up after myself if there's anything that lingers." It doesn't take long for him to head over somewhere with less steaming for his clothing.

The shirt goes first, the heavily toned muscles of his back flexing as he slips it off, then comes the short jeans. Next comes the socks and underwear. Anyone looking can see that he's in excellent physical condition from the back, and the front has the same as he turns back to find his tub and enters it slowly. His beard almost touches the water as he enters. Nathaniel isn't a fan of this whole 'communal bathing' thing, but at least it's a bath.

"<In Trigedasleng> I never screamed I just.." well, okay, maybe there was a little screaming? Or at least flailing. Though Kai settles for grunting,"<In Trigedasleng> was not used to it." then switches to English for,"Khesu, there with the head injury, he was with the advance team that took out the missiles.. and Tuan kom Trikru. Wyst Fairchild and Nathaniel Breen.. kom Skaikru, obviously." she can't help but eye Nathaniel though with dubiousness, even if she doesn't elect to say anything aloud.

Wyst nods as Kai gets her up to speed on the 'not Adams' situation and her choice not to use her father's name and instead go native. She doesn't judge, just accepts Kai's choice at face value, "Well it's too bad you decided not to join us after Arkfell. We could have used you, but it appears you've landed on your feet." She gives a smile to the girl and just relaxes, giving a chuckle when Nathaniel joins them in the communal bath. She grabs a cloth and then starts washing herself. She glances over a Khesu and admits, "I was one of the guards that stayed back at camp. But I'm being rotated in for this part of the engagement."

Ahhh… the water feels fantastic. Heat soaking into his bones, Khesu finally stirs himself to reach his hands up and carefully removes his bandage around his head. That is put aside and needs to be replaced with fresh anyway. He takes a careful minute to peel off the gauze pad over his swollen left eye that he may or may not have lost. Too early to tell. Then he can gently work his fingers through his dark hair with soap to start cleaning out the mess. All if it can do. A very cautious tipping of his head this way and that to rinse it out. Sooooo much better. Khesu at last works on his beard to get it clean.

Tuan gives a polite nod towards both Nathaniel and Wyst before speaking towards the first of those two. "Yes, we have met. He did not seem to be too interested in playing some of our more… adventurous games." The smirk from Tuan is still humored from that conversation as he continues scraping himself down. Looking over at Khesu, Tuan nods at him as well, "<In Trigedasleng> It is good to see you moving about uncle."

"Apology accepted, Nethenel kom Arrkurr," Fayet smirks, intentionally mangling his name again. She bristles a bit at so many Skaikru around, but tries not to seem irritated or unfriendly. "<In Trigedasleng> Yes, Khesu, it's good to see you are healing so well and so quickly."

Kai grunts acknowledgment for Wyst's words,"This round shouldn't be nearly as bad as the last." she opts to go with,"<In Trigedasleng> Khesu, have you picked a name yet?" is called for the injured man with a glance and a smirk for Tuan's words, finally deciding that it's possibly time to deprune herself by clambering carefully out of the tub so she can go and collect her towel.

Nathaniel leans back and closes his eyes. "I'd prefer Nathaniel Breen, but I'm understanding that the Trikru attach a lot of importance to clan name over surname." If Nathaniel feels the gaze on him, he doesn't remark on it. Indeed, his comment feels like it's meant in general, and not in reply to Kai. At the moment, Nathaniel seems content to soak in the tub, not electing to do any cleaning just yet.

Wyst quirks an eyebrow as the natives start speaking in their tongue but doesn't let that discourage her from continuing to wash her body and listen to the conversations around her, "Actually Wyst kom Skaikru doesn't sound that bad…" She teases Nathaniel with a wink, "Either one is fine…" She notifies the Trikru that are there, being respectful of their customs, "And Kai, I'm looking forward to helping out. It's been a little frustrating to be back at the camp and unable to jump in." But orders are orders and Wyst just happened to be one of the lucky or unlucky ones depending on your point of view to sit back.

Now beard rinsed, Khesu carefully moves to sit up on the bench inside of the tub so he may begin to wash the rest of himself down with soap and a cloth. A nod for Tuan ere his baritone rumbles for Kai's question, "<In Trigedasleng> No, I have come up with no names for the child yet. Many discards." He is content to idly watch and listen to the others interacting as he cleans himself up. Fayet is being amusing.

"<In Trigedasleng> The name Tuan is a very noble name you know. I hear it is given to the greatest of warriors." The young man speaking of his own namesake flashes a grin at Khesu. Finishing his scraping, Tuan releases the cloth about his waist and moves to lower himself into one of the empty bath locations to sit. "Many of Trikru and others of us on the ground will… be slow to adjust to your names. Do not take offense to such."

Fayet rolls her eyes — she's not even looking at Nathaniel. "How do you choose your sir-name? Is it a ma'am-name for women? Why is it more important to you than where you are from?" she challenges him, even as she faces the other direction.

Kai gives Wyst a grin for her words, carefully dabbing over the stitches about her neck and chest before pulling on the light green shirt that still bears a couple of holes from her last trip to the Mountain,"You will have your chance." she opines for the Corporal, electing to wriggle in to her pants again as she nods for Khesu,"<In Trigedasleng> What about war leaders?" she asks of the man while she goes about getting dressed,"Sun Tzu? Ghenghis Khan? Napoleon Bonaparte? Julius Caesar? George Patton? Publius Cornelius Scipio?"

"No offense taken," Wyst tells them as she gets herself nice and soap, lifting her legs out of the tub so she can wash it, "It's hard to take offense when your given name is Wysteria." She shoots a look to Nathaniel and Kai to let them know that teasing Wyst about her given name is not an option, "Luckily, everyone took to calling me Wyst early on." She looks to Kai with a questioning look because there's a sub-conversion that's going on that she doesn't understand.

<FS3> Nathaniel rolls Resolve: Good Success. (7 2 8 6 5 4)

Khesu actually grins and bares his teeth a little, "<In Trigedasleng> Tuan is a good name .. for a girl child. Tuani." Haha, jerk Tuan's chain a little in good humor. Kai gets his attention but this Trikur warrior gives her a strange look. Some of those sure are a mouthful. "<In Trigedasleng> I do not know those names." Khesu isn't even literate and some things don't always get passed along in oral tradition. "<In Trigedasleng> A simple name is probably best." Wyst gets his attention ere he rumbles low, "<In Trigedasleng> I will think about plants. Lila was a healer." Khesu could switch to speaking in English, damn him, but he is a stubborn man sometimes.

Despite the rudeness of the Trikru present, Nathaniel just stays calm. When Fayet makes her inquiry, Nathaniel opens one eye and looks in her direction before he closes it again. "Surnames are the name of your blood family. My first name is a given name. Nathaniel. Breen indicates the family I'm from. Family names are inherited via marriage. The name of your nation -or clan as you would put it- is simply the name of the clan. It is simply the state that you give your loyalty to. We don't put it in our names as a badge of honor." More non-english conversations. Wonderful.

"Julius…" Fayet rolls the name around in her mouth. "<In Trigedasleng> That is an excellent name. Julius. Call the baby this," she declares. She turns her head. "Is it possible that before, your sir-names meant the same thing, then? When there were more people? Your people were from the Breen clan? It is interesting you held onto this even up there."

Kai dips her head in acknowledgment for Khesu's response,"Hemlock." is her next suggestion, then as she scrubs the towel carefully over her head for the stitches still sewing together part of her scalp,"'s why I started using Kai years ago. Kyler's just stupid. Tyler's worse though." there's a glance in Nathaniel's direction and an emphatic roll of her eyes with all the teenage lack of maturity she can muster before she goes to drop her towel off and prowls off to collect her boots and put them back on.

"My mother was from Agro so she chose the first name and my father was from a long line of 'Fairchilds' so I got his name instead of Popen…my mother's surname. Now as you can tell, the surname has two names pulled together, 'fair' meaning light of coloring and 'child' so my ancestors were children of light coloring." She finds ancestry a little interesting so it's a good conversation to be had, "Now Poppen…that one is harder. Scholars believe it comes Popham…popp meaning from pebble…and ham meaning enclosure so it was a homestead from the sea…"

Washing and rinsing completed, Khesu relaxes in the hot water to soak. "Hmmmm." That is his commentary so far on the suggested names to consider. After a few minutes, he bestirs himself to get up and out of the tub. A towel is acquired so he may rub himself down to dry off a much as he reasonably can, including using the towel slowly on his wet hair and beard. Ever mindful of his aching head. When finished, he hangs the towel back up to be used again or collected for washing as seems the most appropriate based on it's condition. The last is getting his pants to tug them back on, which takes some doing with damp skin. All that Skaikru talk is either going over his head or doesn't hold a great deal of interest for him. A nod to the others, especially Kai and Fayet, and then collecting his soiled bandage, Khesu heads back out.

Nathaniel shrugs, "the family unit is what the surname stands for. It's also called family name, or last name. First name Nathaniel, last name Breen. The foundation of a society is the family unit, regardless of how a given nation views it. Trikru and the Coalition seems to be much more collectivist with their mentality… favoring the whole over individuals. I can understand where that came from. We prefer individualism. Freedom of thought. Loyalty is earned, not simply a given." Nathaniel starts to scrub at this point, opening his eyes as he casually works at the little cleaning he has to do.

Fayet sniffs. "Do you think we follow blindly, then, NathanielBreen?" She stretches her arms out, bracing them along the side of the tub behind her, strong carpenter's arms. "You make many assumptions in your explanations, for someone who does not like it when people assume about you."

Kai chuckles lowly with a shake of her head, raising a hand by way of parting before she elects to slip off herself.

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