Waku/Altani - Adoption

Altani Dataq'kahkol , as usual, raps her knuckles against the doorframe. "Oi, y'shouted f'me, y'did?"
Waku Motohama smiles, waving to Altani from her seat on the chair. "I did! I was hoping to talk with you a bit, and I have another kind of tea for you to try." Waku gestures to two matching mugs - not Kowa's dainty teacups - filled with a mossy green liquid, swirled at the top around milky-white foam.
Altani Dataq'kahkol removes her veil and enters, nodding. "Aye? What 'bout'n what kind?"
Altani Dataq'kahkol picks up the mug and gives it a cautious taste.
Waku Motohama: The tea is similar to the sort I made for you before - except this is with matcha, a type of green tea that's famous in my homeland. I thought you might like it.
Waku Motohama takes her own mug. The drink is warm, a bit earthy, but melded in with it is a mild, milky sweetness that isn't overpowering to the palette.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "It ain't bad, it ain't!" She flicks her tail. "S'posin' I should make y'some proper-like suutei tsai, steppe milk tea, aye, sometime."
Waku Motohama: I'd enjoy trying it; I always like sampling new foods and drinks.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "An' some proper-like dzo stew!" She pauses and has another drink. "Ain't ever found anyone who could make it the way m'father could, I ain't."
Waku Motohama nods, clearly pleased by the idea. "That often is the case - its hard to match what you've grown up with. She pauses for a moment, taking a sip of the warm drink and then looking at Altani contemplatively. "How is your... clickbug doing?"
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "He's..." She pauses. "I think 's a 'he' anyway," she nods and continues. "He's doin' well, aye."
Waku Motohama hums to herself lightly. "So you've never really been able to find a way to communicate, then... Can I ask how he came into your care?"
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "I went for a wander, probably got real angry 'bout somethin', aye." She shrugs. "Ended up with Beaksie some place that was a decent bit chilly, but not snowin'n awful'n shite like where the ship was," she takes another drink. "Then I heard this clickin', looked 'round'n found the little sort lookin' up at me all confused-like. Tried t'make it go away, but it just kept followin' me, it did."
Waku Motohama nods to herself. "But you'd thought of him before as more of a stray animal than -- well, an actual child? Because you'd never seen a Vath before?"
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Aye, what y'just said," she gestures toward Waku with the recently-emptied mug.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "'n Will didn't know what it was, either."
Waku Motohama nods once more. "And you wish to become like its mother now? Raise him?"
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Aye, I ah..." She flicks her tail. "I owe him that much, I do. Don' know if his blood kin's still 'round'n... Well, don't know if they'd take him back."
Waku Motohama: Since you've never seen a Vath before... I'm going to assume you don't know what the Gnath are? Or the Onemind?
Altani Dataq'kahkol blinks. "The what'n the how-many-mind?"
Waku Motohama: Alright, I'll try to explain as best as I can, because if you wish to become a mother to this child, then you should understand what he's been through. I'm not an expert on this though, so please bear that in mind.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Hells, y'might as well be an expert; y'know a damn fair well bit more'n me, y'do."
Waku Motohama smiles, shaking her head. "I know what I know, and there's plenty I don't know. But what I know is this - one of the Beast tribes of this world is called the Gnath. They are also called the 'Onemind', as all Gnath are linked together spiritually. As far as I am aware, they do not possess individual thought as we think of it."
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "I..." She drums her fingers on the side of her mug, trying to process that. She fails. "Hells, that's... that's jus' odd, aye."
Waku Motohama: It is. It is also not permanent. It is possible for Gnath to break away from the Onemind - to become what is called Nonmind, or...
Waku Motohama pauses, draining the rest of her cup and setting it down on the table. "Vath."
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "So... m'clickbug younglin' is one'a them?"
Waku Motohama: Yes. It sounds as if he - either willingly or accidentally - broke free from the Onemind and escaped. Perhaps he was with older Vath who he was seperated from or who perished. Perhaps he never even was born into the 'Onemind' to begin with. We would have to ask the child himself. But to put it simply...
Waku Motohama: ...It is likely that for the first time, he is experiencing what it is like to be an individual person.
Altani Dataq'kahkol sets her mug down, running a hand through her hair. " 'n that's why he kept with me, y'guessin' maybe?"
Waku Motohama nods. "It's a reasonable thought. There's probably so much he doesn't know about this world, and you - being the first point of safety for him - was the person he latched on to. But... as you're aware now, he's not a pet. He's a thinking child, and... that requires a lot of responsibility. Is that something you're passionate about learning? How to be a mother, particularly to a being whose race is very different than yours?
Waku Motohama has no judgement in her voice; she's asking an honest question, knowing she'll get an honest answer.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "I... aye, I want t'at least try, I do."
Waku Motohama nods. "Can I hear your reasons? I'd like to know why it's important to you."
Waku Motohama: ...Not everyone would take in a child so willingly.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "If his blood kin ain' 'round, then... he's like me, he is. Ain' got no family, no home, no nothin'." She gives a soft sigh. "He, ah, he deserves t'have someone who can help him, he does... like I had Will, 'cept if'n I had Will back when I was young."
Waku Motohama: What are your plans from here?
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Don't know." A look of realization comes over her. "S'pose I should talk t'Kowa sometime, I should. Will's used t'the younglin', even if he didn't know what he was, but... Kowa only just met him, she did."
Waku Motohama: She did. And, ah...
Waku Motohama pauses delicately. "Altani, you and Kowa have not been together for a very long time. Not only might she not be ready and willing to be a mother, but the idea of raising a child with someone whose relationship with her is so new, is..."
Waku Motohama trails off, not quite sure how to finish without first seeing Altani's reaction.
Altani Dataq'kahkol takes a breath. "Aye... don' know, ah..." She twitches. "Don' know how she'll take it, I don'. Will's told me stories, some'a his friends who lived, got t'gether..." She lowers her head. "Then went their own ways when the talkin' 'bout younglin's came up."
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Don' want that t'happen t'me'n Kowa," she whispers, tapping her chest.
Waku Motohama: It's a painful part of relationships, but there are people that don't want to be parents, either in the present, or... ever, in the future. And that's okay. There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking at yourself and acklowedging parenthood is not for you, because no child in this world deserves a mother that doesn't want them.
Altani Dataq'kahkol slowly, but surely nods. "Younglin' deserves good, he does."
Waku Motohama: This is true. This is going to be something that you and Kowa will have to talk about honestly, while listening to what each other have to say. I also do want to point out though... that it's not really an all or nothing situation. You can be Kowa's romantic partner without Kowa being the mother of your child, or expected to perform any duties like that. Raising a child alone is difficult, but its an unfortunate fact of the Calamity that there are /many/ parentless children forced to fend for -
Waku Motohama: themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if our new employer didn't do some outreach to that effect.
Altani Dataq'kahkol blinks. "I... I didn' think'a that, I didn'. N-not the raisin' 'im 'lone," her accent is getting worse. "But... y'said the, ah, the clinic. If'n they'd be willin' t'help..."
Waku Motohama: It's something to discuss. Besides, there's a saying - it takes a village to raise a child. You are aware I used to teach young children, yes? I know you've been learning to read and write, as has E'ko. ...There is nothing saying that, if you'd like to be in my classroom, that a vath child could not also be in attendance.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "I'd, ah... I'd 'ppreciate that, I would." She gives a weak smile. "M'blood kin used t', ah... y'know, do the raisin' thing. Lots'a folks lost their mother'n father... raids, matanga, sickness..." She twitches again.
Waku Motohama nods again in understanding. "Yes. I'd wondered if that had been the case, and if that was part of what influenced you to accept a child so quickly... and to assume Kowa would naturally want to be part of the process. Which - perhaps she does, but if I have one request for you, it would be to make sure Kowa knows that you do not think she is obligated to become his mother.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "I-if'n she don' want t', then I'll do what I need t'do, I will."
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Ain' leavin' 'im t'the beasts, I ain'."
Waku Motohama: ...You won't be alone in figuring that out. It's important to me that all children have a chance to succeed.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: " 'ppreciate it." She shifts in her seat again. "D... d'ya mind if I go'n talk t'Kowa? Shoul' get that done soon-like, I shoul'."
Altani Dataq'kahkol twitches again, resting her hand against the center of her chest.
Waku Motohama: Mm... before you do... take a deep breath.
Waku Motohama: Hold it for a few seconds, then let it out. It's - something Sir Markus taught me, to help calm me down and focus myself. Don't go into this conversation afraid.
Altani Dataq'kahkol closes her eyes and takes a deep breathm eventually letting it out. She leans against the back of the chair. "A-aye. I'll try, I will."
Waku Motohama: This might be a scary conversation for Kowa. Putting myself in her shoes... if a partner approached me, asking about a child and I /was/ uncertain or scared, I'd also be doubly terrified that my partner would...
Waku Motohama: Hate me.
Waku Motohama: Think I was awful for not wanting a child, or selfish, or resent me...
Altani Dataq'kahkol nods. "I won' ever hate her, I won'."
Waku Motohama smiles at her. "Then know that, if she's nervous... it would be best for you to be as calm as you can be, so you can convey that to her and help her if she's scared."
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Aye," she stands. "I, ah... thank y' again."
Waku Motohama: Of course. Good luck, and... I'm glad you enjoyed the tea.
Altani Dataq'kahkol begins fiddling with the undone veil. "Was 'bout t'ask y't'do that, the luck bit..." She takes another breath and leaves.
Altani Dataq'kahkol: "Ah, 'n the... the tea was nice, it was," her voice cracks, just a bit, as she heads out.