#― cursed heart. sacrificial wolf | a belladonna crumbling | jujutsu kaisen

[mundmutter]

and old kimono sketch ~

[mundmutter]

         The  preference  above  all  would  have  been  to  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  together,  leave  together,  cook  together,  and  sleep  -  together,  laying  in  his  arms  just  to  watch  him  sleeping,  before  waking  him  in  the  morning  and  arriving  at  work  together.   Together,  together,  together,  anything  at  all  that  lead  to  that  point  would  have  been  just  perfect.  But  as  she  understands  it  from  the  television,  most  persons  in  this  country  did  not  operate  in  that  manner.  Perhaps  it  is  a  residual  unorthodox  method  of  her  coping  mechanisms,  that  if  someone  truly  cared,  they  would  not  leave  you  lonely.  She  never  once  believed  that  this  was  a  position  she  may  be  in  at  all,  so  her  romanticized  vision  of  love  would  be  torn  down  by  the  time  the  night  is  over,  no  doubt.  It  was  just  something  that  she  was  going  to  have  to  learn,  just  like  everything  else  in  this  new  world. 

       “ Good  man. ”     she  laughed  softly,  tucking  stray  hairs  behind  reddening  ears,  the  sight  of  him  cooking  in  her  kitchen  growing  more  and  more  appealing.      “ Now  that  I'm  looking  forward  to.  As  for  when  you  can  come  by,  well,  we  could  always  leave  around  the  same  time  here  and  make  the  drive  together.  If  you  don't  mind  a  bit  of  dog  hair.  .  .  ”     final  comment  trails  along  like  filler  words,  but  when  its  spoken  does  her  smile  suddenly  fade,  eyes  widen  and  her  fingers  clap  quickly  upon  her  lips.  Chaffee.  .  .  Chaffee.  .  .  did  anyone  know  about  Chaffee?  It  wasn't  as  if  she  could  bring  him  here  while  she  worked.  She  reaches  forward,  brow  bent,  hands  clasped  upon  his  arm  in  a  genuine  display  of  worry.      “ Oh.  Oh,  I  forgot  to  mention  I  have  a  dog.  .  .  he's  rather  massive.  You  aren't  afraid  of  dogs,  are  you?  Chaffee  is  a  sweet  boy,  he  won't  hurt  you! ”    

LAMB. NOW THAT WAS a meat he had only eaten once, but he did recall the flavor of it. He was curious as to what dishes Qistina hoped to make with this, his mind going over just a few, though those all involved the lamb being prepared in a certain way. He wasn’t sure there would be time for her to do anything overly complex even with her skills. However, upon being told that he wouldn’t be imposing on the rest of her day, what uncertainty to held was brushed aside, his lips soon turning into a small smile. ❝Alright, then. I’ll be there.❞ Going to restaurants and the like was nice, of course, though nothing could ever beat the warmth of a homecooked meal. Nanami wasn’t normally invited into another’s home for this purpose (or invited to another’s home at all), thus, it was safe to say that he was curious as to what Qistina’s residence looked like inside. How much of her personality would be reflected within? He supposed he’d soon be finding out, and that did excite him a little.

     Just a little.

     ❝Is there a specific time you would prefer I arrive? I think I might just take you up on your offer to help in the kitchen. It’ll be a learning experience for me as well as helping the food come along that much quicker.❞ He had a feeling that Qistina would appreciate having another set of hands to lessen the process. Nanami certainly wouldn’t have minded in her place. Wait…Chaffee? Who was that? Before he could so much as ponder asking that particular question, he paused, a bit taken aback as her hands reached out to gently take them into her own. Within his grasp, they felt so small – so delicate in a way that one might not expect from Qistina if they were to ever bear witness of her in battle. Her eyes were soft, and her hands, just as much so in comparison to his roughened hands. ❝I…❞ What was he to say to that? No one ever spoke so heartfelt to him before. Nanami was quite out of his element, mind working over a response that didn’t involve a potential stumbling of words. ❝Thank you, Qistina-san. There are not enough words for my appreciation.❞

[mundmutter]

@zinbu /oneliner

― “ Well, I  suppose  I  cannot  say  ‘good  sir’,  as  you  reek  with  the  stench  of  blood  and  bone  and  offal. ”       nothing  about  her  tone  suggests  disgust,  on  the  contrary,  she  has  grown  ravenously  curious.      “ Tell  me,  whereabouts  are  you  from?  What  have  you  come  here  for? ”

[mundmutter]

@guhamun encountered the alchemist for the cursebreaker | sc

         preparations  for  the  first  date  in  her  entire  life  were  going  a  little  too  perfectly  than  expected,  and  she  hated  it.  To  be  ‘perfect’  was  to  be  without  room  for  improvements.  When  there  was  nothing  to  improve,  there  was  nothing  to  be  focused  on.  Everything  was  already  prepared  for  their  evening  together  ;  kitchen  immaculate  as  always,  chaffee  brushed  and  nails  clipped,  a  tasteful  maxi-dress  in  a  dark  blue  floral  that  hugged  all  of  her  curves   (  the  saleswoman  that  had  nearly  shoved  it  into  her  bag  absolutely  insisted  -  ),  hair  straightened,  nails  shining  pale  pink  and  white  .  .  .  even  makeup  to  compliment  the  occasion.  She  looked.  Well.  Like  a  modern  woman,  rather  than  the  pale  and  paltry  child  once  cursed  to  loneliness  in  the  cages  of  her  fathers'  land.  She looked beautiful. She felt beautiful. 

It  hits  her  all  at  once  when  passing  by  the  hallway  mirror  to  answer  the  door,  just  how  different  her  life  has  ventured  from  what  it  was  before.  Seeking  love,  who  would  have  thought  it  possible?  Though  there  still  remains  the  chance  that  Kento  would  not  be  returning  her  love,  this  here  was  the  first  step  in  retaining  complete  control  of  her  life.  And  for  that,  she  was  happy.  Beaming  at  the  Woman  in  the  mirror.  Herself. 

        “  Kento-san,  I'm  so  happy  to  see  you!  ”    pearly  white  teeth  shine  in  her  smile as she opens the door,  nearly  reaching  out  to  hug  him  -  when  Chaffee  had  come  walking  excitedly  to  the  new  guest,  tail  swishing  furiously  as  he  pressed  his  nose  against  Kento's  finely  pressed  clothes  and  hands,  sniffing  deeply,  groaning  and  whining  with  joy.        “  Ah,  Ah,  Chaffee,  come  on  now,  taht  boy!  ” 

[mundmutter]

As I've established that Qistina is still within her 'pre-awakened' state, resulting in a calmer and more clear-headed woman rather than the cold and overtly murderous witch in other verses. Her awakening occurs when human blood is swallowed. As Khrosteia is a blood goddess ( along with being the goddess of the moon and stars ) she becomes more powerful and volatile the more blood she consumes. It does not work with non-humans or animals ( or her ). There has simply been no opportunity for such a thing to happen in this universe. 

Until Shibuya. 

The transfigured humans are still human, and so their blood would aid in the awakening of Khrosteia and her deeper powers. The ( literal ) opening of the third eye in the middle of her forehead. The monstrous transformation as she rips apart everything in her way, surviving only by the goddess within her. When she returns to the school, she is not the same. there is something very wrong and very different about her, but most would suspect that is only because of what happened on that night. It isn't until the culling game is ongoing that Khrosteia is properly revealed to the students.

I've had many a thought that it would be a student who finally kills her, and releases her from Khrosteia's spree of killing the contestants, tearing them apart and drinking their blood for further sustenance - but such planning is only on the backburner until I make more bonds in this universe.  

[mundmutter]

     “  Ever  the  adventurous  one,  aren't  you?  Work  important  to  you?  ”      a  twinkling  laugh  mirrors  hers,  setting  her  eyes  upon  the  blood  that  crawls  to  a  halt.   “  Not  to  worry,  it's  quite  an  impressive  injury,  isn't  it?  Almost  a  shame  for  it  to  heal! I rather like this room.  ” 

" this much would have a lot of people panicking " a chuckle , a relax stoic expression over her features ; a click from a camera , followed by a flash - a photo to study. " I'll get you patched up shortly - I just need a couple more , i hope you don't mind " 

[mundmutter]

@cherrygardn ( requests mahito ) / unhinged starters

―  🜛  ― " There's no need to be staring at me so. "     brows knit in a highly disapproving stare, sharply piercing the mismatched gaze of the humanoid curse whilst brushing the gore from the palms of her hands. A deadly mistake, to have killed a pedestrian rather than exorcise the curse she'd been assigned. Now skittering away in newfound freedom. the man however had not been so lucky ― oh dear. he's begun convulsing.

     " Well, what is it then?"   she prodded the writhing man with the tip of her foot, tutting loudly.    " Don't just stand there looking so smug. " 

[mundmutter]

so in all verses, she has a massive knowledge of animals except for one kind : fish. she grew in a landlocked country, never ventured out to sea ( unless you count her op verse ) and never had the opportunity to study aquatic life. In her jjk verse, I had this lovely sight in my mind of her standing in a house-kimono, feeding many large koi right before their pond with a traditional feeding cup and basket. Just taking so much joy and contentment by watching these pretty, large fish with their many patterns. her nape is visible, her hair is messily tied up, she's sometimes knelt on the hard gravel nearest the pond water just to speak to and reach out and touch them. thankful they can live so long. mesmerized by the angelic way their fins and whiskers flow in the clear water. . . she would love a koi pond

[mundmutter]

I'm quite food-sleepy for Reasons but just to talk about my jjk verse again, it's a verse where she can be at her emotionally weakest. she's physically weak compared to most all powerhouses, even if her abilities line up amongst the strongest and YET emotionally and mentally she always stands taller than the rest.

in my humble opinion.

she is always confident, assured, self-preserving and thoughtful. she thinks before acting, she knows herself, and though she can get a little TOO MUCH, she still knows and respects herself. a bit too much? sure. but she's incredibly emotionally mature.

in her jjk verse, i realized i needed to do something different to deal with that power imbalance of being a reincarnation of a powerfully evil 'curse' and a powerfully steady human. so... the moment her existence was reported, and it's fairly difficult to prove that a baby with bright red eyes and starkwhite hair in the middle east is definitely NOT a sorcerer or 'curse' of some kind, she was taken away from anything and everything that would have let her grow. imprisoned in a holy land, bound to the floor by her hands, made to believe that her birth was nothing but a curse to humankind.

she's actually insecure for once, never getting that moment of revelation that she holds a power that could level the soul, cities, other curses. Khrosteia isn't completely awake. She hasn't bathed in blood, she hasn't killed anyone, she hasn't consumed souls. Khrosteia is asleep like an itty bitty baby. that's why JJK's Qistina isn't as murderously intense as her other verses.

She cries more. she's more emotionally vulnerable. she's sad more than usual. she dwells on the past.... i love her.

[mundmutter]

starter. // @ofovertime

" And so, I was thinking, we ought to take them into the more dangerous areas to face these curses. We can't keep babysitting them, you know? "    she couldn't have been much older than the students when she had begun to take on missions alone. With the two of them tagging along, it would be overkill, wouldn't it?    " I have faith in them, don't you? "

[mundmutter]

religiously traumatized, treated as a cursed object, placation in forced kindness, isolation, the promise of death, the confusion of love, the uncertainty of deserving life - why'd i do this to her

[mundmutter]

Vocals + Language learning.

Her japanese VA has always been  Sayako Ohara  in her roles as Beatrice of Umineko and Mercy from Overwatch! For english I had Doris Day but the more I listen to Susan Egan ( Hercules and S.U.  Here / Here )

Tone however says a lot about her. I describe her voice as something slow and steady but direct.  Magisterial  and a bit haughty sometimes, Her voice carries a distinct feeling of being ‘told  what  to  do’,  As if she’s always in  ‘BOSS’  mode, you know? When writing her dialogue I always picture it as someone speaking from those  OLD  school movies of the 20′s-50′s. She can be a cold woman but her voice nearly fools you with its warmth at times. And when it’s truly warm, it’s inviting.  Soothing.  You just want to hear her talk and get excited and - it’s like her voice is a hug. It can becoming so comforting, but just as quickly become constricting. 

Japanese Learning.

you’ll spot her practicing her Japanese and handwriting. HINT: it is very meticulously written, in fact, it looks more like typing than handwriting. She frets whether or not her kanji/katakana/hiragana is legible. At the moment, she’s at a N3.

N3 is the INTERMEDIATE LEVEL: The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain degree. Reading. One is able to read and understand written materials with specific contents concerning everyday topics. One is also able to grasp summary information such as newspaper headlines.

I’d say she really beats herself up over not knowing kanji, despite even native-born Japanese people constantly learning Kanji in schools all throughout their life. However, though her Hiragana and Katakana are perfectly memorized and never mistaken, she’ll do the same thing if she forgets even the simplest of words or phrases.

Everything she does must be perfect, just like in all her verses. Her note-taking is something you’d see in some pinterest board ; highlights, straight lines, descriptions, lots of pretty writing, sometimes even diagrams, etc.

Her speech is incredibly polite and highly formal, even using identifying terms such as 'warawa' rather than 'atashi'. but sometimes she’ll slip into the same dialect depending on who she speaks to. Picking up certain shortened phrases and really sounding like a native speaker... buuuut you’ll still hear that incredibly over-polite speech.

[mundmutter]

― 🜛 ― " The Kupamanduka. "    she wondered aloud, taking another deep sip of hot tea. When he did not speak, she glanced from the rim of her cup and remembered to properly translate her old anecdotes. " The frog who might imagine its well to be a vast ocean, unable to conceive of anything that could be greater. Looking upward and seeing the small circle of the sky . . . "    a circle. a small rectangle to allow the moonlight to shine through. desperate glimpses for birds in the unfamiliar sky.    " Unaware of the existence of anything else beyond the walls. That the one sky they see is but the greatest heaven that can exist. To be trapped within ignorance whether by choice or by force, such a life, I'll die first. "

     " I am the reincarnation of a violent blood curse that once plagued Arabia many centuries ago. I've been told hundreds, sometimes it's been thousands. I do not even know anymore.  Khrosteia of Arabia,  though, she had been well documented. Called a djinn, a demon, and even a goddess by the cultists that worshiped her. All her horrors were passed down through the ages and long past her death. "

     " She looked like me. "    her cup empty, hands returned to her lap. Though her legs were numb, it was nothing compared to the numbness when recalling her story. Facing him dead on, she wished it could be as simple as watching through the reflection of red behind her eyes. Her voice would have to suffice, though it shook madly by the end. Of anguish, and of anger.

    " The elders in the village knew that, even my parents did. It was when they turned on me that my power exploded from my body and obliterated them all. They kept me in a holy wooden prison until I was brought here. To be killed by the current  Six Eyes  if I should run unbridled again. But I of course take full advantage of my freedoms here. Whatever it takes. To know of the world that was nearly taken from me ― means more than just breaking my restraints and making enemies of elders. Are you the same, I wonder? A tool to be used by the sorcerers society, or a bird that cannot be caged? Perhaps, even the bird within that cage that sings for his freedom and wishes to explore the skies? " 

there is little, now, suguru likes more than tea. aside for the rare times he indulges and allows the girls to beg him into an outing, sharing some sort of dessert he can only have one bite of, suguru doesn't take much in that he does not make himself. call him a purist, call him something worse, but he enjoys what he enjoys.

a perfect cup of green tea is one of those things.

nanako and mimiko were in school, now. they'd be getting out soon enough, and where he normally picks them up, lets them hang off of his arms as they chat about their day, he hadn't fully expected — company. a visitor. the girls would be pouty, but not for long. they loved new faces.

suguru is careful, though. cautious. he can sense she is as well, the both of them dancing around the understanding of what this is. what it might be. where he always expects an attack, a fight — this isn't one. it intrigues him.

❝ curses, sorcerers [ . . . ] ❞ he begins, waiting for her to take her first sip of tea before he followed suit, out of respect. ❝ they're unable to be avoided, once you're made aware, i'm afraid. the ignorance of not knowing — sometimes, i envy it. ❞ a big admittance, too, from getō. it was rare he envied anything of non-users.

❝ i wasn't told. ❞ he wonders what she is referencing, but again, suguru isn't surprised. ❝ you speak of the elders. they hadn't liked me even before. information was something i had to gather on my own. are you the same, i wonder ? ❞

[mundmutter]

valentine's day application

Name: Koto ! Age: 28 ( JJK. ) Do you like to cuddle?: Yes ! Can we make-out?: But that's so naughty ! A night in or dinner out?: Night in ! Ice cream or chocolate covered strawberries?: Chocolate covered strawberries because I think you'd look like a bunny eating them. What makes you a good Valentine?: I can recite poetry ! Would you cook for me?: Absolutely ! Would you let me cook for you?: I trust you won't cause fires, so yes !

Flustered birb noises !

Valentine's Day

" You think I would look like a bunny ?? "

[mundmutter]

jjk wishlist

arranged marriage. hoping to pass along khrosteias abilities with a powerful inherited technique

enjoying festivals and wearing kimono and then having everything ruined by an attacking curse or enemy

actually getting to talk about and explain khrosteia to another person, going over her time in ye/men and her imprisonment and why she strongly considered wanting to just kill all sorcerers or higherups ( until meeting her students anyway )

more teacher and student interactions

teaching her how to be a normal human person

[mundmutter]

umbrella, sender lets receiver under their umbrella.

actions speak louder than words

― 🜛 ― by stroke of bad luck ( not that she truly believed in luck ) the umbrella that she had brought along with her that morning had not only broken completely against the wind, but had taken flight far out of her reach right when the rain began its fall. It was almost comical, her situation, and sad. Having dressed so lovely to do her shopping, believing it to be a pleasant stroll to and from, only to have to walk back completely soaked head to toe? Had she made enemies of a deity? Or had a curse she could not see begun to play with her? 

she stood still within the rainfall, as plants left to the roar of pooling cold water in ceramic pots. Hard drops waved against her skin to bid her eyes shut, exposing the earthly tones of makeup, smudging and running the perfectly white liner that had once matched up so beautifully with her thick lashes. . . and her dress! Heavy cotton bogged her down, the deep blue fabric looking stained and shabby, a once loose skirt now clings against her hips and thighs ― every bit of imperfection due to the rain left sigh after sigh to fall from her lips, made all the heavier from her circumstances. And just as she was meant to curse the sky and eviscerate the nearest unsuspecting victim curse, the fall of rain across her upper body ceased.

Though she did not mean to, really, she took hold of the arm that had held out the umbrella and let out a very enthusiastic cry of appreciation. Now curling her body toward him ( realizing just how cold she had become, seeking shelter from the spray of water across her face ) with a single finger sliding gently across her bottom lashes, leaving sigh after sigh once more. 

     " You don't know how happy I am to see your face! Thank you, thank you! We can share? You really don't mind? Ohhhh, thank you! I must look so dreadful! "