A cuddling Akemi thought hard about the answer to that:

"Hard to say in a vacuum. I'm from a big family where big numbers like 5 or 7 are commonplace.

Maybe like three? Enough so that may support each other in life. Not enough than we start treating then as cattle."

"Well, we can say whatever we want, really", he said, still holding her hand, he leaned in and kissed her hair. "I'd give you ten if I could. We could attract more servants to help look after them, organize them into groups, really show up everyone at festivals in the planet's capital. My parents wanted five, three is all they had time for though."

"Raising them as an army is exactly how grandpa dealt with these things, and exactly how I don't want this to go. Let them have at least a bit of love when they're kids, they won't enjoy much in their life after that."

A pout.

"And you didn't really answer my question about who you're marrying. Don't think I've forgotten about that."

"Well, it's just that I want to give you a lot", he shrugged, not seeming too worried about her comment. "I mean, if we just handle things naturally I'm pretty sure we'd have close to that many, anyway." He smirked.

Then he was silent for a long while and laid next to her, giving a light touch on the muscle of her shoulder, then down her side while he thought.

"the truth is...", he started, then shook his head. "It's a really horrible thing. It goes back to what I was saying before, about how I ended up here. There was someone specific that I was supposed to marry, and issues arose, more complication...now I'm in an odd position. The clan has demands though, and they can't be ignored so...", he looked away. "I really don't want to talk about marrying people other than you, can't we stick to that topic? I doubt your plans should be told to me in return, anyway."

"We can always dream... But we can only go so far without hitting the walls of reality.

Let's talk about our imaginary kids, Sakura, Touya and Fujitaka. We're at the festival. In the sky, fireworks. In our hands, some sweets. Before us, our progeny, in their nice little yukata, excited about everything, running around, badgering us with questions.

Which color are they wearing?"

he shrugged. "They're kids, whatever's cute on them, eh?" He looked thoughtful and puffed smoke. "Yellow for Touya, with a red obi that's got finches flying in a pattern. Fujitaka has a brown yukata with bamboo in gold and green. And Sakura?" he leaned back down next to her.

"What does pretty sakura wear?"

"White and pink with flower-inspired hair accessories of course, as her name suggests. Probably gave a hell of a time to the servant who had to get her dressed, to the point I had to intervene personally... Before I myself prove unable to stand still as I get my own hair done, bolstering even further Sakura's terrible manners."

"While the lads and I wait near the car pretending we don't hear the shouting", he nodded.

"Little Sakura will certainly show extraordinary vocal capacity. Growing up, she will learn to just be silent in an extremely passive-aggressive way like a good samurai. But she might still exploit her physical abilities to turn to a more artistic career. Maybe becoming the metal singer that her mother never was."

He laughed, holding a smile to look her in the eyes so close. "Was that your dream? To be a performer?"

She did a half-shrug, only raising her flesh shoulder:

"I can't even remember if I ever dreamed of being something else than a warrior. My destiny had seemed so set in stone since I was a child I did not really consider it until the incident. But I would like very much for my own child's future to not be set in stone from assumptions made when she was six. Because people... People change."

"We do...yeah...", he sighed and laid with her looking at the stars a bit, holding her very dearly. "I didn't have much choice either. I was going to be a soldier form the day I was born, but I don't think I was really born to be one. I'll do what's needed, that's all I can really, but I can't say my heart's ever been in it. I'd rather...I don't know...think about things? Read a book, draw something, make people laugh. Instead I get to shout and threaten people until they go and die like good little boys and girls."

"It sucks."

"To do what we must. The story of a samurai's life."

She tried for a joke in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"But, you as a philosopher, a artist, a comedian, really? I'm not sure your career would have been tremendously successful.

Though you can be funny sometimes indeed."

A peck on his cheek.

"Who knows? Maybe it would have taken off and I'd be here as a scrub, let my sister lead the 5th and I could keep living that sweet life anywhere else in the empire." He kissed her back on the cheek. "But i accept these moments as a proper replacement." He put the cig out on the rock.

"Those are indeed moments that I would like to never end."

She paused. Took a deep breath. Pointed a foot at her communicator, on the ground, among the belongings she had left there for now. At its screen flashing repeatedly as new messages kept pouring in.

"Has been like this for about ten minutes now. Guess it's time for Sakura, Touya and Fujitaka to go home and for their parents to return to duty."

"I accept the burdens of forced action and expectation", he said boldly with a nod. "Just don't crawl on this rock where I can see you, we'll actually be here all night."

Akemi playfully stuck her tongue out and jumped down to retrieve her stuff and com'.

"Good news for you: the suspect in the tsukai's case is now a Phoenix by the name of Isawa Shin.

Bad news: He killed a Lion and might have hurt a Unicorn. As if things weren't enough a mess before, now that's two more clans that will be out for blood."

She started dressing up:

"We won't take the scenic route on the way back. Going to be a straightforward, bumpy and boring ride. Where do you want me to drop you?"

He grabbed his shirt, coat and shoes, scooting to the edge of the rock.

"Your dreams would do, but barring that the hotel or anywhere close enough is fine."

She closed her suit and put on her helmet.

"Will drop you in the immediate vicinity. Enough rumors about us that I would rather not accompany you to your hotel's door."

She started the bike and slapped the passenger's slot behind her.

"Enjoy the ride. I have no idea when we will have the opportunity to do another."

"That's why you remember things for later", he slipped his other shoe on and put on the helmet before sliding onto the bike behind her.

"At your leisure, hohei, you're clear for launch."