Jin was surprised to find Ishawari still awake. She thought with the day he’d had, he would have slept immediately. But she was grateful to see him, surely. Anything to distract from the storm.

“Tea sounds good.” She rose in silence, and followed him to the dinner table. Settling down in the chair, she stared at the teapot sleepily for a few moments, before pouring cups for the both of them. Thunder pealed, and lightning split the night sky, causing her to spill a bit. 

“Dammit all.” She swore low under her breath, snatching up a cloth to wipe it up. Once the tea was poured, she looked at the steam rising from the cup as if it could take her problems away. For a while, she simply sipped and flinched every so often. Once her cup was empty, she spoke without preamble. 

“My father was killed on a night like this.” 

She shut her eyes, letting the memories come forth. Maybe the only way out of this was through it. 

“He was my hero, my father. Strong, and brave, and good. Everything a father should be, I think. I told you he was part of the town militia. What I didn’t tell you is what he had to go through to get on it. A lot of people still don’t trust foreigners, even in a port city like Susuka. Even though my father could have picked any other job, he wanted to protect people, even if they weren’t his own. The militia went to a vote to allow him. It took a week for them to decide, and even then I think there was trouble about it.” She sighed, circling the rim of her cup with a fingertip. 

“He was good with a sword. Nothing so grand as your people, I’m sure, but he was enough for the city. He took to the katana so easily, everyone was certain he’d used a sword before. He never opened up about that part of his life. I always wondered why, but I guess I’ll never know.”

She stared off into the distance. “It was a truly horrible storm. Some said a small hurricane. I’ll never forget the way my mother begged him not to go, when the fires started. I did too. Clinging to his leg, even, crying like the little girl I was. I’ll never forget what he said:

[i]‘When people are in need, you don’t look away.’[/i]

Those were the last words I heard from him.” 

She was surprised to find herself slowly crying. Tears were slipping down her face and puddling beneath her chin.

“They said the fires and subsequent destruction killed 13 people, my father among them. It took months for the village to recover, but my mother never really did. She took ill, I think from grief, and she died within the year.” She hiccuped suddenly, covering her mouth to contain a sob.

“There was so much I never got to ask them, Ishawari! So much time we never had, so many things I did wrong or said wrong that I can never take back! I-” She was crying in full now, arms wrapped around herself. “Sometimes I hate them both for leaving me behind. They should have been here, and they’re not, and I hate myself for daring to think that way. On nights like these, they’re all I can think about, and I wonder how many storms have taken people’s whole lives away.” 

That was apparently the end of the story, or all that Jin could muster. She couldn’t hold back a wave of fresh tears.