ronin-kendo

[ronin-kendo]

*Kendo bowed deeply, his eyes shining.*

I am honored to hear this, your Majesty.

*For the first time in a long time... Kendo felt like no matter where he went, he'd have someplace, and people, to return home to.*

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

I...

*In a moment of emotion, and before he could stop himself, he hugged the Empress tightly. After a few seconds, he recognized his actions and awkwardly attempted to let go.*

I... thank you, your Majesty. You... certainly are to me very much like the mother I was never able to know.

Maybe... even if I am not to be a River Guard... when this is all over, my sister and I may be able to stay here?

*Even if Daigo were to see the light, Kendo had realized that their old home, above the Thousand Faces store... it wasn't home any longer. As much as the thought pained him, on the day he and Jade had left Daigo to his madness, they knew they were not to return.*

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

I...

*Kendo swallowed.*

I see. I just wish he would actually speak with me. Maybe together, we could find a solution that saves my sister and keeps his soul intact.

*He looked up at the Empress.*

But in that, I must again thank you, your Majesty. Even in ways where you do not agree with my choices, you still support me and work with me so that I may grow. You've... become a dear friend to me.

*He reddened slightly, his instincts for social boundaries freaking out slightly.*

I hope that is not an overstep for me to say...

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

*Kendo frowned at the name of the man, pausing and looking at the items in Mizuki's outstretched hands.*

I would find it unusual that he did not come and see me himself... except that this is the second time that he has come as a phantom to places I have been. He already met with Charlotte the Slayer at Jades' portal, and said much the same thing to her, in addition to insulting her and her honor.

*He shook his head.*

He was a former friend of Jades', when we were all children. He left for reasons unknown to me, and it hurt Jade greatly. And now this is the second time he has shown to me that he could help Jade, and yet chooses not to.

Still... thank you for passing on his message. There seems to be no harm in his gifts... but plenty in his continued inaction.

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

*Kendo blinked at the affectionate nickname, and then smiled broadly.*

I... thank you, your Majesty. I am honored to receive your praise. And... thank you for everything you have done to help me this far. You have been an excellent teacher and a generous host.

*His smile faltered at the sight of the items, expression turning to confusion.*

I see... did this visitor give a name?

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

[The Empress appeared on the terrace above where you were practicing your forms. Smiling fondly, she gestured for you to come up and join her.]

@empress-mizuki

*Kendo finished his practice, and then went to where the Empress was. He gave a respectful bow, and a smile.*

Greetings, your Majesty. You wished to see me?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

Ah.

I must meditate on this. That is... a lot to take in.

Thank you for your insight, and your conversation. I'll talk to you more, later.

Keep safe, beautiful one.

<Kendo is offline>

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

I know of the basics. What I mean, rather, is that it is a phenomena foreign to this island. I worry that it's continued presence bodes ill for it.

The balance that my home is supposed to have... it seems to me as though it is threatened by whatever thing brought you all here, and maintains the loop.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

I sometimes wonder... is the loop we're now in good for this place?

The constant undeath and rebirth... I worry that as it gives strength to those of us who defend, it also strengthens those things which seek to attack.

Even when the Oni are pushed back... I fear we shall not know peace until this loop leaves this place.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

CLASSIC LITERATURE: ASKS

a collection of questions to send a mun about their muse based on classic literature books. change & alter as needed.

A Christmas Carol: Has your muse ever rejected or pushed away the well-intentioned invitations of another? Why?

A Little Princess: Has your muse ever experienced “good karma” — a good deed or kind action, performed with no expectation of reward or repayment, that came back to help them in the end? Tell us about it.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Has your muse ever felt torn between what their society / culture expects from them and their moral values? What did they decide to do about it?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Has your muse ever experienced something unexplainably bizarre? What was it? Did they ever tell anybody about it?

Anne of Green Gables: Does your muse have a good imagination? What do they tend to daydream about?

The Brothers Karamazov: Does your muse hold any religious beliefs? Why do they hold these beliefs? Have they ever faced a trial or hardship wherein these beliefs were tested?

The Catcher in the Rye: Has your muse ever misjudged someone? Did they ever realize they had done so? What did they do to make amends?

Crime and Punishment: Has your muse ever committed a serious crime? Have they ever done something they regret to this day? What was it? Why did they do it?

Dracula: What is your muse’s opinion on the morbid and the macabre? Do they feel a fascination / connection to these things, or an aversion? Tell us why.

Emma: Has your muse ever attempted a matchmaking scheme? Why? How did it turn out in the end?

Fahrenheit 451: Has your muse ever faced censorship or backlash for a speech they’ve made, or a creative work they’ve produced? How did they respond?

Frankenstein: Has your muse ever allowed their ambition to lead them down the wrong path? What happened?

The Great Gatsby: Would you say your muse is a greedy or materialistic person? Why or why not? Tell us about a life experience they’ve faced that shaped this attitude.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Has your muse ever faced any kind of discrimination or oppression for an aspect of themselves that they cannot change? How has this experience shaped their attitude toward that aspect of themselves? Have they ever perpetuated any kind of discrimination or oppression against others, whether unintentionally or deliberately?

Jane Eyre: Has your muse ever experienced rejection, abuse, or abandonment at the hands of a loved one? How did they cope with the betrayal?

The Little Prince: Describe your muse’s childhood. What did their home look like? What were their parents like? How have they changed as a person in the intervening years?

Lord of the Rings: Would your muse prefer to literally live on forever, or achieve immortality through the stories their loved ones share after they have gone? What sort of stories do you think your muse’s loved ones would tell about them?

Moby Dick: Has your muse ever desired revenge? Has your muse ever taken a quest for vengeance too far? How did it turn out in the end?

North and South: Does your muse have somewhere they call “home” that isn’t the house they physically live in? Where is it, and why do they regard it as such? Why do they not view their literal home in the same way as this special location?

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Has your muse ever experienced isolation from others, whether physically or emotionally? Why were they subjected to this? Did they inflict the seclusion upon themselves, or did external circumstances force it upon them? How has it affected them?

Peter Pan: Did your muse ever face a challenge or hardship in their childhood that their parents could not or did not protect them from? Did your muse always have to handle their problems all on their own? If so, how has this shaped them as an adult?

Pride and Prejudice: Has your muse ever allowed their pride to get in their way? Have they ever been too proud to accept or pursue something they secretly wanted?

The Scarlet Letter:  Has your muse struggled to shape their identity apart from harmful societal labels? Did they ever choose to “go with the flow” and conform to these labels, or did they fight back?

The Secret Garden: Does your muse enjoy the outdoors? Do they experience a connection or fascination with nature?

Sense and Sensibility: Does your muse tend to be a more practical or a more fanciful person? Why? Has this trait ever landed them in trouble, or saved them from it?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Has your muse ever been forced to conceal or suppress a part of themselves because society would not accept it? Have they ever had the freedom to be their true self? What would they do if they knew they would face no consequences or judgment for their actions?

Treasure Island: Has your muse ever been on an adventure? Where did they go? What lessons did they learn from the experience? What sorts of people did they encounter?

Wuthering Heights: Has your muse ever found themself in a toxic or destructive relationship? Who was the other party? How did it end?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

You are able to feel that? My sister, Jade, often used to say that she could hear it...

To her, it sounded almost like a song, like every spirit singing in harmony.

She used to say that even the hostile ones had their place in the song, that it was something else stirring them up and strengthening them beyond their place.

I usually pointed out, then, that I was one who slew them. Her reply was always that that was a part of the song as well.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

Hmm. Maybe that is another thing you'll have to show me. Probably for the best if it is with you. After all, I do not wish to actually leap!

*text ping*

What about the island? Do you have any favorite parts of it? I love to sometimes travel to the top of Shogun's Solitude. You can see the whole island from there, and it is utterly gorgeous.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping.*

I think I've felt something like that before... the first time I faced down an Oni. It was much bigger, and clearly stronger than I was. It almost felt like I didn't need to care if I lived since death was so close... but I knew I had to fight, for the sake of my sister.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

"L'appel du vide?" I am unfamiliar with that phrase. What does it mean?

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

Our family was disgraced some time ago. Most of the meals I remember growing up were various inexpensive ramens and rice.

*text ping*

Pickles were a special treat.

(There was a bit of a pause before this next text.)

*text ping*

That... is a beautiful color. I shall think of you every time I see it, now.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

I don't think I've ever had that, now that I think of it... Maybe you'll have to show me a good place to find some, sometime.

*text ping*

What about colors? Do you have a special one that speaks to your soul?

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?

[ronin-kendo]

*text ping*

But I feel as though I do not know who you are.

*text ping*

Do you have a favorite food? I am very fond of pickles myself.

*text ping*

Good morning, beautiful one.

*text ping*

How has your day been so far?

@ronin-kendo

[Charlotte stared at her phone, completely bewildered. Why was this guy texting her?! Weren't they strictly business? And wasn't she literally just hoping he'd deleted her number?]

*text buzz*

I'm fine. Did you need something?