#The Twelve Days of Kami Ships

[silly-nonny-fics-are-for-fandoms]

Snow Dates

Well, @tiedbyaredstring , here’s the beginning of your Christmas gift! Every day leading up to Christmas and on Christmas, I will gift unto you a new Kaminari-Ship Christmas oneshot!  The Twelve Days of Kaminari Ships, day 1: Ojikami Read on Ao3 if you prefer! "Mashi!" Kaminari exclaimed, staring out the window of the cafe they were sitting at, "It's snowing!"

Ojiro looked over to the other, more energetic blonde and was happy to note it was, indeed, snowing outside. The weather report said there would be a small chance of snow, but the heavy waves of white snowflakes coming down spelled disaster for the young couple. 

"We should probably head back, in that case, Denki," Ojiro said, watching his boyfriend's smile falter. He knew it would be the smart option to go back to the dorms since the electric user's quirk tended to act up in the cold. It didn't drain him quite as much, but it tended to lash out and hurt others. 

"C'mon, we can at least finish our date?" 

The tailed man sighed with a smile, glancing around at the cafe they'd chosen. It was cozy, with bookshelves lining the walls and strings of lights hung over the doorway and walls. Everything smelled of cinnamon and freshly baked sweets, and they were sitting by the fireplace with a wonderful view of the park across the street. The light from the fireplace cast a golden glow over the upset teenager, turning his bright blonde hair slightly orange, matching his eyes. He looked especially cute since he wore his red sweater, which had long sleeves that half hid Kaminari's hands. 

Even as the snow came down in white speckled sheets, he found himself giving in to his boyfriend. His tail came around and the fluffy end rubbed against Kaminari's face, hearing him chuckle. 

"Yeah, let's finish our date."

By the time they finished up at the cafe, there was a half of a foot of snow on the ground. And of course, Denki had forgotten to wear any snow gear other than his jacket. He whined softly, snuggling close to Ojiro as they walked back to the dorm under an umbrella to keep the snow off them. UA was a slightly longer walk away from where they usually went, but the cafe had been worth it. Seeing Kaminari go on and on about different writers in classic lit, showing his rarely intelligent side, had made it so.

The slightly taller teen felt warmth bubble inside him as he watched his cute boyfriend shiver, wrapping his tail around the other blonde's waist. 

He could barely feel the cold on the appendage, why not use it to help keep his boyfriend warm?

"I love you, Mashi, and not just for your tail," Kamiari said, carefully stepping so he wouldn't slip on the snow. He'd almost done that twice already.

"I love you too. And I know that, silly." Ojiro smiled, intertwining their hands to help fight against the cold surrounding them. 

A particularly strong wind caused Kaminari to slip on the slick surface of the sidewalk, and Ojiro quickly stabilized him with his footing. From growing up in a family which practiced martial arts, he knew how to brace himself against strong forces. He'd also been taught to dress properly for the weather, meaning his boots had enough tread to dig into the snow.

"You alright?" Ojiro asked, looking Kaminari over quickly. Other than shivering from the cold and a red face, he seemed normal as he nodded frantically. He knew in Kaminari's free pocket was his fidget toy, a cube with a keyring so he didn't have to use his boyfriend's tail like in class. He should have been able to pay attention to the wind.

"I'm fine, Mashi," Kaminari said, smiling again. Ojiro let out a sigh of relief, his hold on the umbrella shaking. 

"Good."

They went on like that for fifteen minutes or so, walking and making small talk. What they wanted for Christmas, what they should pick up while still out, as well as other topics which made them laugh. They were almost at the dorms, heck the buildings were in sight and they'd already be there if not for a small block in the road from snow. 

"Aww, man!" Kaminari whined, "Guess we'll have to find another way around?" 

Ojiro looked at the pile of snow blocking the road and glanced up at the sky, where the clouds blocked the sun and overcast everything. An idea struck as Kaminari started walking away, and Ojiro grabbed his hand as he closed the umbrella, hooking it over his arm.

"Denki, climb on my back." He said, and Kaminari's face bloomed into a blush with confusion.

"What? Babe, what're you talking about?" He asked, his hair frizzing up with slight static. Ojiro loved when that happened. He turned around, knelt, and motioned for his boyfriend to climb onto his back, smiling.

"Just do it, we're going this way."

"Uh. Okay!" Kaminari said, his voice shaky as he carefully climbed on, being supported by Ojiro's strong arms under his thighs as the other blonde stood, making Kaminari wrap his arms around the other's neck for stability.

"This is gonna jostle you a bit, but don't worry, I won't let you fall." Ojiro looked over his shoulder and watched Kaminari's face get even redder in embarrassment, or from the cold which he felt.

Either way, Ojiro supported himself on his tail and launched himself up as he did in training. Kaminari yelped, hiding his face against his boyfriend's sturdy back. He didn't enjoy being in the air like this very much, he always felt like he would fall and possibly die, but he trusted Ojiro not to drop him. The wind ripped by them, freezing cold but not unbearable. The landing could use some work, for Kaminari truly did get jostled quite a bit and if someone was injured it could only hurt them worse. He tensed, hearing Ojiro say they were safely on the ground once more.

"P-Promise, babe?" Kaminari asked, shaking lightly.

"Yeah, we're on the ground." Came a chuckle from in front of him as he was set down, very careful not to let him slip on any ice.

"Thanks," Kaminari said, more of a whisper. They went further than he thought they had, now standing in front of the dorms' gateway which was decorated for the upcoming holiday.

"Well, let's head in, I'm sure you're cold," Ojiro said, opening the gate before holding his hand out for Kaminari to take.

Kaminari gulped, taking it and leaning up, placing a kiss on Ojiro's reddening cheek. He'd inadvertently put them right underneath the single bushel of mistletoe on the whole gate. With the warmth filling their bodies, hearts pounding wildly in embarrassment, it was hard to be cold despite all the snow.

[shecharm]

*  most of inaris business is conducted within the kurokawa fox den,  back in the frost marches.  it is also where she first met keros.  she gained his attention by accomplishing heroic tasks and approaching such feats that she’d even gain a tittle of baroness within one of the holds.  her power and determination drew him to her,  offering her immortality should she sell her soul over to him in exchange for becoming his champion.

the kurokawa den is home to most kitsune that reside within the frost marches,  a frozen land within a greater territory known as frostwood.  it is an area closed to outsiders,  due to the family like functionality among the foxes there.  they are not keen on welcoming strangers.

within the kurokawa den is a kerosite shrine,  guarded by two kitsune sisters;  miko and mai.  the two with closest connections to the god,  keros keeps a close eye on the kurokawa den and can sometimes even be found resting there at the shrine.

-  KEROS is the god of trickery and one of the seven gods that reigned over the old world,  savarra.  it is said that all of the kitsune to exist at present day contain some of his blood in their veins;  as he and his twelve concubine birthed several into existence in olden days.  a myth to some but there are those whom truly believe it even still.  

among trickery,  he is also believed to be the god of illusion and deception.  it has been written in history that many spirits who came to him to settle disputes were often wronged and tricked,  for his own entertainment rather than proper problem solving.  this left many spirits enraged however despite the title of being ‘most generous’ among the gods,  he is also believed to be the most ruthless.  his word is final and any who go against it are sure to perish by his hand.  despite this,  he claims to be the most inclined in dealing with mortals among the other gods.

he is very mercurial,  joyful one second and cold as ice the next.  it is impossible to please keros most days,  especially with the way his mood shifts.  there are very few whom he has a soft spot for  -  one being miko,  one of the kitsune whom guard his shrine in the kurokawa den.  he often claims she is a woman after his own heart.  keros is also the one whom put a curse upon miko and mai  -  their entire bloodline would be cursed with a need to consume the essence of another.  no food would ever be filling for them,  it must be the essence of a living being.  blood,  soul  -  anything.

-  MIKO is one of the shrine maidens within the kurokawa den.  miko and her sister mai are the two sole care takers of the shrine dedicated to keros.  the two girls were born as fraternal twins to a provincial branch family of the kurokawa clan.  it was unusual as kitsune did not usually have more than one kit at a time.  as time passed and they grew older,  it became very apparent that something was deeply wrong with the sisters as they could hear and sense things that others,  without unaided sight,  could not.

the ‘gift’ manifested itself as two opposing neuroses within the sisters;  miko being exuberant with a large appetite to match however her sister was greatly different.  

their parents were unsure if it was a blessing or curse so they did not know how to deal with them,  as a result they were sent over seas to live with their great-great-grandmother who could shelter the twins within the colonies of the kurokawa clan.  she would also be able to help them cope with their abilities.  despite being shipped over seas,  the sisters maintained their provincial accents,  likely out of personal pride,  despite it being looked down upon in polite kitsune society.

their ability to perceive auras and easily spot the local kami have been invaluable in the colonization effort, which is spiritual more so than it is physical thanks to the boreal elves having largely abandoned the frostwood ever since the godswar.  such makes it easier for the kitsune to take over frostwood.

their duties consist of maintaining the torii gate,  ensuring the shrine gardens are in order and scrubbing the bathhouse. 

due to her curse,  she will often claim to having ‘ate’ without actually doing so which leaves her in a state of great need and often results in her beginning to starve.  keros knows of her struggles but he does not assist the girls,  instead,  he leaves them to their devices claiming he ‘wants to see what will happen.’

-  MAI is the second shrine maiden within the kurokawa den,  responsible for maintaining the condition of the shrine dedicated to keros.  she is also the twin sister to miko.  mai is quite different from her twin in regards to mental state and processing of her abilities;  when mai was young and the two first began experiencing their ‘gift’ for the first time,  rather than embracing it,  mai shut down completely.

mai shut her mind off to cope with the abilities from a young age,  which left her emotionally mute.  it was incredibly difficult for mai to deal with the abilities and due to shutting herself down mentally,  she had trouble for a long time sensing anything at all.

like her sister,  she was shipped over sea to her great-great-grandmother where the two would become shrine maidens to the shrine for keros,  picking up kerosite as their religion.  

mai is a woman of few words,  shroud in mystery  -  she is often referred to as the ghost of the kurokawa clan due to not only her behavior but her appearance as well;  white hair and ghostly pale skin.  it is uncommon for kitsune to maintain a silvery hair color without being born into some form of royalty or godhood.

mai is often under the influence of a very strong strain of winterstem which she uses to self medicate as a means of dealing with her curse.  ( winterstem being similar to marijuana. )

[starsfreckled-archived]

calamity .

 tw for death, violence, blood, grief etc . if you play xiv you know what the calamity is & that it wasn’t pretty .

“go inside” amaya listens to an elezen woman ushering her children into their home, eyes looking up at the red moon that slowly but surely has gotten closer over the past few months. it was terrifying to look at and yet, there was something hypnotizing about it too.

the auri woman hurries through gridania’s pathways, holding a box filled with bandages and medicine. they had started to stock up on what they could find in the guild. usually they did not lack herbs and what not but most of it had been shipped to carteneau. most of the conjurer and healers who stayed back now supplied their own personal stockpiles. 

looking back up at the moon, she could not help but have the sinking feeling that something was wrong ( well more wrong than the empire being ready to conquer them, more than those rumors about something called project meteor ). “amaya, are you alright?” a gentle hand rests on her shoulder and her gaze quickly shifts from the descending moon to aurifort. “yes... I... I was just lost in thought. how are preparations going for you?” the elezen shrugs, looking back to the twin adder’s headquarters. 

“I think we have done what we can. most of them wish they were at the battlefield and not here. those who are glad to be here are mostly those who work together with the hearers. they say the elementals have been restless as of late.” the mention of the elemental still makes her feel nervous, surely her and her family had proven many times that they belonged to gridania but who knew how the forest’s mood would be. they could be cast out within seconds.

“right then, I’ll go back. you stay within the guild, yes?” aurifort dips his head down, kissing her. both smile and she nods. “stay safe, yes?”

the first thing she heard was the bursting of the moon, followed by the great wyrm’s roar. it was near deafening, even though the dragon was not close to gridania.

what came next were the screams.

and the screams were followed by chaos, flames and blood. within moments the conjurer guild was filled with wounded citizen. she tried to ask what was happening but nobody could give her a clear answer. from the words she could gather and from the shaking of the earth, it truly seemed like the whole world was about to collapse.

“amaya can you and a few others start to prepare mih khetto’s amphitheater for more wounded? the guild cannot hold any more” looking up from one of her patients that she had just finished bandaging, amaya nods towards e-sumi-yan “shall we take some of the more lightly wounded with us to help?” the guildmaster nods and amaya quickly gathers some healers and volunteers.

...the outside greeted them with the warmth of near flames and the screams growing even louder. people ran about in a panic as above them the sky itself seemed to rain fire.

their little group hurried along, it was a long track from the guild to the theater, havng to enter one of the tunnels near apkallu’s falls. absent minded, amaya notices that the eldery elezen that had often stood there was gone. louisoix had been his name if she recalled it right and she had often seen him and others hurry about or discuss the state of things. they had seemed far more involved in the preparations for this than others. at one point they had even talked, though briefly. kan-e-senna had introduced them, but the moment the elder seedseer had mentioned her migraines, amaya had excused herself. she couldn’t risk anyone knowing about those strange visions she had.

just as she was about to turn back to her group, one of those flashes swept her away from her current presence. she found herself looking at the carteneau flats. there was nothing but terror and death. the great wyrm descended down, his stare fixated on a lone figure ---was that louisoix? 

before she could really tell, the vision was already over and amaya quickly leaned against one of the stone walls as the migraine grew stronger. looking up she opened her mouth to call out for the other healers... when the tunnel collapsed, burying conjurer and wounded alike. anyone who had already been hiding in the theater that day perished.

staring at the now destroyed entrance, the young woman simply stands there, not even able to move. she barely notices when aurifort grabs her shoulders, shaking her to get her attention before finally hugging her, averting her gaze from the blood that started to pour out beneath the stones. 

“amaya, go back to the guild, tell e-sumi-yan what happened. tell him we are going into the woods, the hearers say that the elementals are in chaos, we have to bring everyone into gridania.” she still stares past him but when aurifort takes hold of her face it seems to finally break her trance and she nods. “I can come with you, if someone needs help I can heal them” he smiles and his fingers brush over her cheeks. “no, you need to warn people not to use the tunnels and help prepare the guild to take in more wounded - I’ll also go and bring your father here. it’s better to not be alone right now and he can help organize things” right. gyosei’s knowledge back from his days when he fought for doma could be of use.

“tell him to take along my mother’s journals, she wrote down how to properly improvise when faced with too many wounded” she is about to turn away and rush back to the conjurer guild when aurifort tugs her back and kisses her, leaning their foreheads together. “stay safe, my heart. I’ll be back before you know it.”

it was the last kiss the two of them would share. she barely remembers the hours that followed. she knows she told the other healers about the deaths at the theater, she remembers their shocked faces but like her they didn’t cry. none of them had time to panic and shed tears. they had to concentrate on saving lives.

she remembers that the lights from outside seemed to flash, that people said something fought bahamut... that bahamut disappeared. it barely made a difference with the noise. with the roaring of the dragon gone, the screams from all across the twelve woods only grew louder. hours passed, perhaps even a day or two, she could barely remember it.

only when she nearly collapsed and e-sumi-yan told her to rest did she leave the safety of the guild, stepping outside into sunlight and a foreve changed eorzea. taking a deep breath she wondered where by the twelve she could just lay down and rest when she realized that... neither her father nor aurifort had returned.

...she ran. she ran past the people who tried to stop her, she ran through the yellow serpent gate and into the north shroud. trying to recreate the steps one would take to quickly gather the people of all the near villages... but the woods had changed and paths that used to lead somewhere lead nowhere. bridges had collapsed and the entire ground seemed changed. still. she found her way around, recognizing different little things.

she must be near the gelmorra ruins. the old collapsed walls looked like the place where they had once stood.a memory of a long gone place... sheis about to hurry past them and up towards peacegarden and hyrstmill, when once more the visions take her.

the sky still burns and the wyrm still rages. aurifort and her father lead a small group of survivors past the ruins, the two of them trying to distract each other by talking. “by the kami, I do hope the house survives. I had planned on giving it to you and amaya after the wedding” “we’ll deal with things as they come, we just need to survive this... a cottage can be rebuild after all” they keep on talking, talking about how gyosei build a tree house for amaya when they had just arrived. how she had slept there for days after her mother’s death and only aurifort managed to coax her down. they talk when the cliffside next to them collapses, when the stones bury them and everyone in their group...

no, no, no. she runs towards the stones, trying to figure out the spot her father and fiance had stood. she screams when she finds the severed hand of her father, trying to shove away the boulders, going as far as to use her magic and using her own aether... but she isn’t strong enough.

with a scream she falls on her knees, burying her head in her hands and weeping. 

she is found hours later by wood wailers who bring her back to gridania. it takes two days until she finally talks. until in a hushed voice she mumbles the names of the people who had died underneath those boulders. and then... then she takes her gief and locks it away.

she is alive and she has things to do. wounded are still pouring in, now even more as the soldiers return from the flats. it takes weeks upon weeks for a sense of sanity to return. it takes weeks until their shifts aren’t short naps in a corner before they throw themselves into mending broken bodies. when they can slow down, the world has truly and fully changed, the map of eorzea mingled beyong recognition in some parts.

...one part that seemed, in some sort of twist, barely touched is the area around amaya’s cottage. it still stands, some branches had penatrated the roof, but nothing she couldn’t fix... she couldn’t fix the emptiness of it though. the silence that seemed to drown her there. but she makes it work. she digs a grave next to her mother’s grave, she places flowers down. she fixes the roof and starts to offer her works out of the cottage, transforming it’s upper parts into a place where she could take care of the sick and hurt.

...it doesn’t heal the gaping hole in her heart, but it helps her burying it. burying her emotions and her pain. she doesn’t cry for her family again, not even during the ceremonies held acroos eorzea to remember the fallen. she simply stubbornly throws herself into her work.

[whitelotus-ffxiv]

helpless.

I should have known better. I should have glanced at her on the beach, in the glow of a nigh-full moon as the chronometer struck twelve, and I should have walked away. 

My life is full of ‘should have done, but didn’t do,’ though, it feels like. 

She stood on the rocks overlooking the sea, her hair the longest and the darkest that I had ever seen it without a wig. Her thin kimono jacket hung to her knees, but she had slid it off around her shoulders, perhaps in an attempt to beat the stifling heat Haishan was so famous for in the summers, even by the sea. 

It was hard to make her face out in the dark, but there was something that struck me most. It wasn’t the way she stood with her head held high, or the way her long hair rippled in the moonlight and danced softly in the breeze. It wasn’t even the way her scales glimmered like she was painted with pearls in the moonlight. No... It was that, with her back exposed from the kimono hanging off her shoulders, that there were no scars to be seen... save for but one. 

One, in the shape of a bite rather than of whipping scars. 

“Xiu,” I call, even though I know she already knew I was there. Her head turns just slightly towards me, over her slender and scarred shoulder,. Even in the dark, her eyes are bright and sharp, honing in on my face in the matter of a mere half a second. 

“Why are you here?” she asks me, her voice soft as the waves lap at the rocks she was standing on top of.

“It got around to me that you’d be visiting for a while,” I tell her as I come closer, wondering if she’d pull a weapon or allow me to approach. “I figured I would come say hello while I have downtime.” 

It was always hard to tell, with Xiu, just what her mood was. 

“It seems as though you have nothing but downtime,” she accuses, softly, and I find myself smiling at her tone as she looks away from me and back to the sea.

The breeze wafts the scent of something delicate and floral that I can’t quite place off of Xiu’s skin and her long hair. Admittedly, it’s odd to see her as... her. Most often, I’ve seen her disguised, or at least dressed to work - all in black, with a sword strapped to her hip. To see her vulnerable is different, though. Her eyes - the same hue as the ocean, I know - are distant, fixed on somewhere far away that I can’t see, across the sea. 

“I hear that your newest posting is... interesting,” I say, as casually as possible, sitting on the rocky ledge leading down into the sand as I watch Xiu’s side profile. 

My words make her turn her head towards me again, her face as impassive and as unreadable as ever. Really, I had only gathered bits and pieces about what her latest job was - that she was stationed in a palace rumored to be haunted and dangerous, with waters full of vicious creatures that looked like they were half people and half fish. Tales of sirens, of mermaid flesh granting immortality, of crooning song that could cause fishermen to crash their ships...

It all sounded like fairytale nonsense to me. Even still, knowing - or overhearing - some of the things Xiu has experienced with the spirit world...

Well. If anyone was going to be thrust into the supernatural, I don’t find it surprising that it would be her. Regardless, the way she looks at me makes me feel a sense of unease, because she doesn’t stop looking. Usually, Xiu spares me a glance of exasperation or one that I can’t read, and she looks away again, to something she finds more infinitely more interesting than me.

Not this time. 

“My newest posting is none of your concern, Takahashi. It would eat you alive.”

Her voice is soft, still, but the way she says it sends something like a chill up my spine. Maybe it’s the way her eyes flash in the moonlight, or maybe it’s the way the wind rustles through the palm leaves overhead. 

“Literally?” I try to joke, and Xiu turns away, walking further down the beach.

I know better. I should have learned by now than to scramble to my feet and trail after her, taking my expensive leather shoes off in the process, but... whether I know better or not, I still do it. 

Her footprints in the sand are little. It makes me smile, to know that even someone like her can leave an imprint on something soft enough. And I know. I know, that it shouldn’t make me smile. Xiu and I had never been more than... necessary comrades. Unfortunate circumstance had required us to work together, and it was me who kept up contact after the fact, who went out drinking with her brother to her displeasure, who had to be dragged home by the scruff of my neck along with Hui when the sake was too much. 

The days, lately, had been so long. There was so much to expect. The return of Misaki’s cousin to Hingashi, along with the bounty of Garlean refugees... Xiu had told me to stay away from Misaki’s cousin - Hana’s sister. And she was right. 

Xiu was right about a lot of things. 

But I wanted to meet her, this girl named Audrey, once called Yuna, younger sister to my Hana. I wanted to know her. I wanted to see if she had Misaki’s eyes, or Hana’s smile, and... I wanted to be around Xiu, too. I had always been drawn to her. 

We understand each other, I feel like. And late at night, when I can’t sleep, when most people would assume that it’s Misaki that I think about... It isn’t. 

I think of Xiu granting me a rare smile before laughing at how red my face was from too much drink, her eyes glittering with amusement underneath a lamppost in Kugane. She’d worn a blue yukata, then, the same color as her eyes. Late night cherry blossom petals had fallen in her hair. 

That moment was burned into my memory, like a brand. I missed that night. I missed it desperately, in my most lonesome moments. 

“Why are you following me?” Xiu asks me, now, and she stops in the sand to look at me with a frown on her lips. She wasn’t one to really wear many personal touches, but now I see that she has a jade bracelet around her slender wrist, one that she adjusts as she pauses. 

“It’s... It’s just been a long time,” I attempt, and she frowns at me, because I’m bad at lying when it comes to Tsai Xiu. Her jacket flutters in the balmy breeze, drawing a strand of black hair across her soft lips. “We’re old friends, Xiu. Is it bad that I want to spend time with you? We haven’t done that in a while.” 

“You get drunk every time.” Dark eyebrows raise, and she turns to face me properly. “And I never said that I wanted to spend time with you. I would have come and gotten you if I did. I’m walking on the beach alone. Don’t you think that might mean that I want to be alone?” 

“I’ve missed you,” I say, too quickly, and I watch her eyes change. I watch her lips press into a thin line, as she glances up at the sky covered in scars, before slowly looking back to my face.

“Mori, no,” she says, quietly. “We’re not doing this. You’re not going to turn me into one of them.” 

“One of who?”

“One of the women that you miss,” she replies. Her voice never raises above much more than a whisper. “You won’t turn me into a Misaki, or a Hana, and kami help me, if you try to turn Hana’s sister into one--”

“But you’re already someone that I miss,” I insist. “Because... we’re friends, Xiu. It isn’t like that. It’s different. You... get me, you--”

“No,” she insists, meeting my eyes, this time. “I don’t get you. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you, because you would take it the wrong way. You’re a mess, Takahashi. And you find women and you latch onto them because you think we can fix you. But we can’t. That’s not our job. It chased Misaki into a pack of Garleans, and it got Hana killed,” she adds, refusing to look away from me as she delivers the vicious blows. “And you know what? I’m scared of what will happen to Hana’s sister if you see even a glimmer of resemblance in her to either one of those girls. Don’t go near her. Do you understand me? You don’t go anywhere near that woman. Don’t ruin another one.” 

I really can’t remember the last time I’ve heard her say so much at once. Xiu is subtle. She doesn’t say things directly, but maybe she’s... tired. Maybe she’s tired of my mistakes. I wouldn’t blame her if she was. And I hear her. I know what she’s saying is true, but... it doesn’t stop them from hurting. 

“I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about us, Xiu--”

“There is no us.”

This time, her voice is sharp, cutting through the air like a knife. The breeze blows her hair around her shoulders, softly, faintly, a frown on her lips as she looks at me. Her scales glitter. I know they must be smooth, and that her skin must be soft, even if her hands are calloused from swordplay. 

“Don’t ruin Audrey... and don’t try to make me into someone you can ruin, too. That doesn’t exist for us,” Xiu says, gesturing from me to her. “I’m not for you. And I can see in your eyes that you have a lot you want to admit to me, so let me spare you the trouble: if you have a confession of love you want to hand to me, don’t. I don’t want it. I don’t want to know.” 

It feels like I might sink into the sand. I almost would have preferred if she had bodied me and punched me in the face for trailing after onto the beach to begin with. Part of me feels certain that she knows why I had done it to begin with. She can read people. She can see right through them.

Had I been that obvious?

“You’re lonely, and it isn’t my problem, Mori.” 

For a long moment, we stare at each other. The world around us is silent except for the sound of the sea coming in against the shore. In the distance, I can see the towering forest that she and Hui spent a brief part of their childhood in. Xiu’s hands are sunk into the pockets of her jacket as she watches me. 

I’m lonely, and it isn’t her problem. She’s right.

“Just one night,” I say, after that stretch of silence, my own voice soft. I reach out for her, and she takes a step back, her expression changing quickly.

From tired to angry. 

“My nights belong to someone else, but more importantly, they belong to me. Don’t touch me. Don’t you dare ever touch me.” “Someone else? Kage? Don’t tell me--”

“No. Someone who could do a lot worse to you than Kage, so keep your godsdamned hands to yourself... and go home. Soak your head. I don’t want to talk to you right now.” 

Xiu shakes her head, and she turns away from me. I feel like there was something important I was supposed to tell her, before my daydreams of a night with her beneath me caught up to me as soon as I saw her on the beach. There was a real message I was supposed to deliver, but... I’d already started drinking. My mind was already hazy. And she had wasted no time in shutting me down.

It only made me want her more. Someone who could do worse to me than Kage, though...

Hells.

She couldn’t be wrapped up with a siren, could she? No. That couldn’t be it. 

Right?

[mai-takeda]

Diary Entry #17

Dear Diary,

I fill these pages while aboard the ship called The Stormdancer while floating on the Sea of Jade. The captain is actually a family friend but you’d know that since she is the twin of my teacher. I had my doubts about joining her on this voyage but master was right that it would be good for me and the Kami is in the winds guiding me this direction. That’s what I have come to believe at least. 

Yet still I find myself often wondering if the one I love still breaths. Does she still walk and exist beneath the very sun and moon that I live under? Often I am upon the decks letting the wind find it’s way around me. San’s, that’s the captain, has spent time with me telling me the way she feels so free when aboard her ship. That there was no freedom like sailing on the water and by the Twelve I think she’s right! Mai giggles softly remembering a past conversation with the pirate. I am laughing right now because often I confuse the captain because I reference the Twelve and then will reference Kami. What can I say? I have two cultures within me and will always respect them both. They are a part of me.

I’m rambling on these pages again like I do when I speak! I must stop one of these days but I won’t hold my breath on it. If I do my face may go from pale to purple! I like the color but not on my face! Mai gives a soft giggle again while her cabin room rocked with the sway of the ship. I miss the one I gave my heart too but I also know what San’s spoke is true. My warrior would not have wanted me to, like the pirate put it, anchor myself down waiting and waiting for her return. She is a bounty hunter and lived a life of excitement and adventure. There were risks and I knew that going into a relationship with her yet still...

Mai sighs heavily and wipes at the wetness upon her eyes with the back of her hand before returning to the jotting on the pages.

So I live. I do what Vee, what my father, what my mother and even my brother wanted. I live. I find my adventure and explore this world and let nothing hold me back. They all would want nothing less and if my Vee is still out there under the same sun and moon then may Kami guide her to me or me to her for I know she burns within me like an inferno. I do not know what lies next. I just know that I must live and must continue and let Kami make my way. Living life is the bravest adventure on it’s own and I will live it. Just know, Vee, where ever you are out there because I refuse any could bring you down, that you are in my thoughts, my heart and a very part of my spirit. You are truly missed but I will make you proud even if I never get the chance to cast eyes upon you again.

For now I sail with the pirate though it must be said we are NOT doing any pirating. I haven’t stepped that far outside of myself! This is actually a legal merchant cargo run though guess that means we may actually become the target of pirates! Wouldn’t that be funny? Err, maybe not funny funny but funny? That doesn’t make sense does it? 

Well, I need to go Diary. I look forward to seeing this island I heard tale of but I need to help on the deck. I’m trying to resist the urge to look at more of the crew and go “Argh!” but sometimes it’s hard to resist! May the Twelve keep them from throwing me overboard!

Bye Diary

@zhauric for mention!

[voidsentprinces]

Prompt #8: Batsquatch

A continuation of @placesyoucallhome​ prompt #8

Greed entered his airship office with the intent of getting work done. The weekend had some to a close, did the Eorzeans even have a concept of a weekend? Or was it just an elongated week cycle with no pause for days meant to be more lax than others? Ah well, as he was saying, he had intended to get work done but, as he opened the door to his office. He found a giant drunk bat of great size and bottles littered all over.

Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes and pinching his nose, muttered something rather rude towards the Twelve that the Eorzeans believed in. As well as the Kami’s of the East, the Primals of the Beast Tribes, and even the Ascian’s beloved Zodiark. After a moment, he kicked a bottle off the ground causing it to bounce correctly off the wall and directly into the creatures face. Waking it up, whereby it immediately began to slam its feet against the floor in umbridge. Causing the Airship to shake and sway, the floor boards cracking from the stress.

“Ho? Ye be wantin’ ta get closer, I shall come close as you’d like then.” He grinned.

Moving with the lumbering burden of a creature easily three times bigger than the great Batsquatch. The wooden boards creaking as he walked towards the best. Immediately caught it mid-stomp and wrapped his arms around it. With the strength of a great tyrant. He proceeded to suplex the monster across the office. Gaining it’s near immediate surrender.

Sighing, he walked around the stunned and defeated beast cleaning the bottles up. Uttering incantations causing the wood to reinforce and fix from the very brief scuffle. Afterwards, he move to the side of the office and grabbed a handle bar. Pulling it backwards, a chalk board extended out and he turned to the beast.

Instead of getting any work done, Greed was now going to teach this great bat the concepts of accounts, economics, social structures, and so on. And turn this new comer into his new accountant. If someone was going to start shoving creatures into his office, they were going to work for their place on the ship.

[pyropsychiccollector]

            Invel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as his gaze remained forward. They had not yet reached Magnolia, but they would soon.

            “Fascinating… Of the Spriggan 12 members, only five remain uncaptured. Four of the twelve were even killed off…”

            By his side, Yajeel shivered in shock and horror.

            “Four of the twelve are dead…?! Does that mean Ajeel…?” He trailed off, not wanting to fathom the thought.

            Invel shook his head.

            “No, Ajeel remains uncaptured. Apparently, Larcade and Bloodman disappeared after his Majesty’s demise, which leads me to surmise they were Etherious. Wahl was eliminated by a member of Fairy Tail… and apparently Acnologia slaughtered God Serena. As for Dimaria and Neinhart, they are detained in Hargeon, and Brandish remains a captive in Magnolia.”

            Yajeel stared down at the ground, immense sadness in his eyes, as they continued their march.

            “This war inflicts a heavy toll… I never would have imagined over half of the twelve could be defeated. I dread to think the losses we have suffered amongst our other soldiers…”

            “They serve their purpose.” Invel coldly remarked. “I am more concerned about the twelve; we cannot afford any more deaths. Neinhart can bring back the four that have passed away, but it will be a troublesome burden on his Magic power, even for him. I do not know how Irene plans to proceed, but Ajeel, Jacob, and August will most certainly make their respective moves on Magnolia. I have faith that in time, Brandish will be freed, and the tide will turn back in our favor. As for myself, I believe it would be beneficial to make a detour to Hargeon and secure Dimaria and Neinhart…”

            Yajeel looked up at Invel in shock.

            “You plan to make the army change course?”

            Again, Invel shook his head in denial.

            “No. I will leave everyone under your care – keep advancing and do not stop for anything. No matter how much the enemy begs, give them no quarter. I will deal with Hargeon myself.”

            Having given his orders, Invel took his leave. Yajeel stared after him with a lost expression. Was there truly nothing else that could be done? Though he would like to call off the Western flank, Yajeel was just an old man who now answered to the Spriggan 12; Invel was going to pursue vengeance no matter the cost, Irene would likely go along with him, and Lord August…

            “What would you have me do, O Magic King…?” Yajeel thought aloud, reluctantly following Invel’s orders as he hobbled along.

            ~*~

            The Moving Temple, Olympia… a majestic, proud, and ancient structure-

            “Hey, wasn’t this thing a water vehicle? How come it can fly, too?” Racer butted in on Angel’s inner monologue. A vein pulsed on Angel’s forehead as she twitched.

            “You’re really going to complain at this point? Really?” She hissed.

            Racer shrugged nonchalantly.

            “Got a while ‘til we arrive, right? I’m bored.”

            The twitching intensified.

            “Would ya let me off this deathtrap already?!” Cobra groaned as he sat in a fetal position. Forgetting her ire for a moment, Angel chuckled mirthfully.

            “You’re still going on about that? I thought you said motion sickness was a First Generation Dragon Slayer problem?”

            Cobra groaned louder.

            “I was wrong, okay? Never gonna make fun of Dragneel again.” Cobra solemnly swore. And he wasn’t lying through his teeth, for once.

            Midnight shook his head in dry amusement.

            “We’re not nearly at the Northern battlefront yet. If anything, we only passed by Magnolia a short while ago.”

            “Then let me off there.” Cobra muttered stubbornly. “Northern’s not the only battlefield.”

            Angel raised a delicate eyebrow at the Dragon Slayer’s attitude.

            “You’re really willing to defy Jellal’s orders?”

            Cobra scoffed at the inquiry.

            “Jellal and Meredy went off on their own. Don’t see why we gotta move as a unit!”

            For a while, Angel and Cobra just stared at each other, neither seeming to budge on their stances. Then, Angel spoke up again.

            “… You really don’t want to be on this ship, do you?”

            Cobra deadpanned at her. No, no he did not. Now that he got some fresh perspective courtesy of his queasy stomach, vehicles were manmade monstrosities. Real Frankenstein shit right here. People had two legs for a reason, right? To walk on the ground. Not have the ground move for them. Just as Kami intended.

            “If Cobra wants to get off in Magnolia, I can go with him, if that’s what you’re all concerned about! Oh yeah!” Richard abruptly chipped in.

            Midnight rolled his eyes.

            “Erik’s a big boy. If he insists on getting off, he goes alone. We need all the muscle we can get on the Northern battlefront. Muscle includes you, big guy.”

            Rather than be irked his real name was used instead of his codename, Cobra smirked at being given exactly what he wanted. An opportunity.

            “You wanna just ditch me, huh?” He stood up on two shaky legs, but his grin never losing its cockiness. “That’s fine. I won’t be alone. I’ll get to see Cubelios again!”

            … Unfortunately, Cobra’s big confident moment was ruined by his face looking like he was going to blow chunks.

            ~*~

            Makarov narrowed his eyes as he stared at the map of Fiore.

            “The Spriggan Shields in the East have stopped moving… Have they stopped their advance?”

            Mavis looked just as grave. Despite the death of God Serena being very good news for them, the deaths of the Four Gods of Ishgar – particularly Warrod – hit Fairy Tail’s First Master hard. She was the only Founder left alive now. Well… ‘alive’ might be a bit of a stretch, at least with the current state of her body…

            “There’s this unrest that I’m feeling…” She murmured. And not even a few moments later, the doors to the Guildhall were shoved open with impressive strength. Everyone was tense as the newcomer took a look around casually.

            “Hmm… This is a neat Guild…” The dark-haired man muttered, hands stuffed in his pockets. “The sweet smell of liquor… absorbed into the wooden walls of this place…”

            “Wh-Who are you?!” Mest exclaimed. The new man grinned.

            “One of the Spriggan 12, Jacob Lessio, from the Alvarez Empire… At your service!”

            “When did he…?!” This brought about mass panic, and Warren inspecting the map to see if it was functioning properly.

            “Those markers have no meaning to them…” Jacob grinned as he slipped his hands behind his back, gentlemanlike. “Ya see, we’ve got this mad Wizard called August on our side, and… Well. That makes fooling your radars not that hard at all!”

            Cana glared at Jacob.

            “So you walk into our Guild alone?” She asked skeptically.

            Jacob chuckled darkly as he walked over to a random table, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

            “I don’t have… an army, or subordinate. But that just makes me all the more versatile. The man I told you about, August, he’s on his way here, too. He really has mad skills, I wouldn’t mess with him! But, hey, have you guys heard of Respect-for-the-Aged Day? Hm? Oh, you don’t have it here?” Jacob sat down comfortably, crossing one leg over the other. “We have it in Alakitasia, though. It’s a day where you respect the elderly and show your appreciation for them… And it just so happens to be today. So there’s no way I’m letting Old Man August do any hard work, thus my early arrival here!”

            Jacob then turned to Kinana with a suave smirk.

            “Hey, give me some liquor, won’t you? The stronger, the better…”

            “We’re not giving you anything!” Makarov barked, a stormy expression on his face. Jacob sighed theatrically as he leaned forward in his seat.

            “Well, it’s too bad, then… I was about to toast to the life you’ve lived up ‘til now, but… Let me tell you this, though. Assassinations are my work. And I’ve never failed any of them before.”

            Max scoffed at Jacob’s assertion.

            “Would you really announce that you’re an assassin, just like that?”

            Jacob raised two fingers to his eyes.

            “That’s a good point! But, assassination in its very foundation, is the art of hiding oneself in the darkness and hunting without noise. But I don’t do that. Do you know why? That’s because there is no need for me to hide!” He began to bring his palms together. “The only things I need to hide are the dead and witnesses… But by then, there won’t be anyone left!”

            “Dead bodies and witnesses?!” Cana exclaimed, just as Jacob’s palms connected. In the next moment, there was a blinding light throughout the Guildhall, and then everyone but Jacob and Mavis vanished. As if they faded from existence.

            “N-No…” Mavis whispered in dread, before she began panicking. “Makarov?! Macao?! Cana!! Everyone… where are you?!”

            Jacob tilted his head slightly.

            “Oh…? There’s one more… A ghost, I see…”

            Mavis tensed as she eyed Jacob warily.

            ‘The only people that can feel, hear, and see me are those from the Guild!’

            “There you are!” Jacob made a shooting motion with his fingers, and Mavis found herself in pain suddenly.

            “’There you are?!’ AHHH!” She choked out. ‘Wh-Why?! I don’t even have a body…!’

            “Heyyy… I’m pretty sure you could talk to me if you put some effort into it, no?” Jacob spoke carefreely as Mavis lay hunched on the ground, groaning in pain. “I think I’ve got it, though. So you’re the Fairy Heart that the Emperor has been talking about… So tell me, where is your ‘body’? Tell me!”

            Jacob continued to hurt Mavis through some means, leaving her unable to speak, save for her shrieks of pain. In the basement, the top of her body began to bleed mysteriously…

            “I’ll return your Guildies, if you tell me!” Jacob promised. Mavis’s eyes widened.

            “H-Huh...?”

            Jacob stood up and towered over Mavis.

            “They’re currently in the boundaries between life and death, but technically still alive! But if I let them go, then they will die…”

            ‘Everyone’s still alive…?’ Mavis thought to herself in shock.

            “You’re the only one that can save them…” Jacob stressed, making his demands clear through a threat.

            ‘If I choose my Guild members… Then it would mean giving up the entire world… But can I even trust this man?! What do I do…?’ Mavis glared at Jacob defiantly, feeling conflicted. But before she could make her decision, Lucy came up from behind and kicked Jacob brutally, dressed in her Taurus Star Dress.

            “Are you okay, First?!”

            “Lucy!! You’re okay!!” Mavis exclaimed happily.

            “Happy, too!” Lucy replied with a thumbs-up. Happy floated in the air with his wings and looked around.

            “Huh…? Where is everyone?”

            “He’s got them hidden somewhere!” Mavis informed them. “We’ve got to take him down!!”

            Lucy switched over to her Capricorn Star Dress.

            “Oh, so he’s the reason for that weird Magic!”

            “Bring everyone back!!” Happy demanded.

            Jacob groaned as he sat up on the floor.

            “Impossible… My Magic should have covered the whole Guild…” He grunted as he stood up.

            Lucy and Happy giggled mischievously, revealing they had received aid from Horologium. Lucy had lost her clothes as a result of the abrupt save, but she salvaged that through the Star Dresses.

            “We’ve got the Celestial Spirits’ protection!” Lucy grinned, wagging her finger proudly.

            Jacob grinned right back, unsettling Lucy and Happy.

            “Aha… If you had disappeared like you should have, you wouldn’t have to go through something as scary as this…” He cocked his head at Mavis. “Hey, spirit! I’m changing my terms. I will now tear this girl to bits. So come down if you feel like it… But if you don’t, then enjoy the show! Maybe all I’ll leave behind for you will be her head!”

            Jacob rummaged in his jacket before throwing some invisible blade, a dagger.

            “Lucy, watch out…!” Mavis cried out.

            Lucy, unable to think on the spot, stood there and tried to shield her face. However, at the last second, Loke appeared and deflected the blade. He then stood up at full height and straightened his tie.

            “Now, that’s a terrible thing to say to a Lady…”

            “Loke!!!” Lucy and Happy cried out in glee. Jacob just stared at the Lion Spirit blankly.

            “You seem like a chivalrous gentleman kinda guy… Tell ya what. I’ll let you leave here with that broad – save her from seein’ something so unsightly. I’ll even throw in the cat! Waddaya say?”

            Loke frowned at the offer. He got into a fighting stance.

            “Thanks for that ‘generous’ offer, but as a knight in shining armor, I’ll gladly give you my all!”

            ‘Knight in shining armor? Really?’ Lucy deadpanned in her head. She twitched as Happy stared up at her with puffy cheeks, as he clearly held giggles in.

            Jacob rolled his neck, getting several cricks out.

            “Well, don’t complain when I rip her to shreds, then. I did give you the chance to back out!” Jacob then vanished from view. Lucy, Loke, and Happy whipped their heads around in an attempt to see which direction the Spriggan Shield would be coming from. Loke cried out in pain as he was abruptly sent flying by a punch; in the next moment, Jacob appeared again, standing where Loke had been. Lucy stared in open-mouthed horror.

            ‘I… I didn’t even hear him…!’

            “What the hell was that?!” Loke’s arms were up in a defensive position as he glared at Jacob. The Spriggan Shield wasted no time in striking Lucy and sending her careening into a wall with a savage kick. “Lucy!!!”

            Just as Loke started charging at Jacob, the man disappeared again, and the Lion Spirit found himself overtaken again by the strange man appearing right at his side, mid-sprint.

            “You got no chance in hell, prettyboy! Go back to that sparkly Celestial plane!”

            Jacob struck Loke yet again, and followed up with a few more successive strikes as the Spirit tumbled on the ground. From her spot over by the wall, Lucy grimaced and held up a Gate Key.

            “OPEN! Gate of the Sea Goat, Capricorn!” The aforementioned Spirit then shimmered into existence by her side.

            “How may I be of assistance, Milady?”

            Lucy pointed at Jacob angrily.

            “Take him down!”

            Capricorn nodded tersely.

            “Right!” He entered the fray, managing to catch the Spriggan Shield off-guard with a swift kick and several punches.

            “Another one?!” Jacob growled as he blocked the next few strikes and dished back a punch at the goat. “You’re just makin’ things harder for yourself, brat!”

            Jacob then disappeared again. Capricorn frowned shrewdly.

            “Sir Leo…”

            Loke stood up shakily.

            “Yeah, I think I’m getting the hang of it now…”

            “He’s using ‘Stealth’!” Mavis piped up from where she was still collapsed on the floor. “It’s complete transparency camouflage!”

            Jacob then appeared over her and stomped down on her head.

            “That’s not all. I can also see that which cannot be seen. Like this ghost girl, for example!”

            “Bastard… Take your damn feet off of…!” Lucy growled, but then Loke and Capricorn took action.

            “Shining Lion!!!” Loke emitted a brilliant light around himself that caused Jacob to raise his arm to shield his eyes. “Tag, you’re it!!!”

            Loke punched the man like a speeding bullet train, sending him reeling back across the floor.

            “Now this guy’s a pain in my ass…!” Jacob growled as he squinted his eyes. He attempted to fight back with another invisible weapon, but Capricorn stepped in and snagged it in midair after ascertaining what kind of movements Jacob was making with his hands, catching Jacob off-guard and allowing Loke to get more hits in. Jacob roared furiously. “DAMNITTT!!!”

            Jacob let go of that whip and in quick-draw fashion brought out his gun again and shot both Loke and Capricorn, making Loke dispel the light and Capricorn drop the whip. Jacob smirked, pocketing the gun and picking up his invisible whip effortlessly, proceeding to wave it all around, striking both Celestial Spirit and human alike. Believing himself to have the upper hand, Jacob homed in on Lucy and increased both the speed and power of his strikes.

            “You ain’t stoppin’ the Spriggan 12, brat!!! We always get what we want, all for the sake of our Emperor!”

            Though Lucy was his primary target, Loke and Capricorn were still kept at bay with the occasional lash of the whip. The man was certainly skilled at wielding it. Not even Happy and Mavis were spared.

            But just when all hope seemed lost, a fast-moving blur appeared behind Jacob.

            “I can hear it… You’re scared of these Fairies actually putting up a fight!”

            Jacob whipped his head around at the sound of the new voice, but it was too late.

            “WHAT?! HOW’D YOU…!” He cried out as Cobra, channeling Poison Dragon Slaying Magic into his hand clawed at Jacob’s backside and sent him flying. Cobra gave a toothy smirk at his handiwork, even as Lucy, Happy, Mavis, Loke, and Capricorn stared dumbfounded at him.

            “Sorry I’m late… those jackasses wouldn’t actually drop me off at the Guild, so I had to walk. Still, seems like I made it.”

            Despite being enemies with him in the past, Lucy couldn’t help breaking out in a wide smile.

            “Cobra!!”

            “Just in the nick of time!” Happy cheered.

            “Th-Thanks…” Loke’s expression was torn between a grin and a grimace, as he was clutching at his injuries. Capricorn straightened his sunglasses.

            Cobra suddenly frowned as he turned to face the assassin, who he’d disregarded for a few moments.

            “Ya got a lotta nerve, attacking this Guild! Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook. Even if you beg, I’m kickin’ your ass into next week.”

            Jacob stood up, wiping a few flecks of blood off of his mouth. His back now had a huge gash in it, and he could feel some poison circulating throughout his body now.

            “Funny, I was about to say the same to you, punk… Striking a dignified gentleman while his back’s turned! I won’t forgive ya!” He disappeared once again.

            Lucy and the rest were worried about this development, but Cobra just grinned cockily and charged up Poison Dragon Slaying Magic in his fists and perfectly countering Jacob before he could materialize at his side.

            “Gentleman?! Don’t make me laugh!” Cobra dished out an uppercut under Jacob’s chin and then slugged Jacob in the chest, making him appear again. He didn’t let the assassin have breathing room, he followed up his initial attacks with more savage punches that whittled away at Jacob’s power because of the poison. “You Alvarez chumps come into our turf and whine about getting attacked?! Man the fuck up!”

            Jacob managed to catch Cobra’s next punch, and attempted to strike him in the face, but the maroon-haired man craned his head to the side and dodged the punch. Jacob’s eyes widened as he felt a searing pain in the hand he caught and withdrew it from Cobra’s poison-coated fist.

            “The hell are you?! You’re weaker than me!!!” Jacob clutched at his hand, which had developed some kind of burn or rash from coming into contact with Cobra’s poison.

            Cobra just smirked cockily and continued to press his advantage.

            “Me? I’m but a humble Dragon Slayer… And you’re no dragon. You’re just a two-bit punk of an assassin. Poison Dragon ROAR!” Cobra brought his hands together and unleashed a stream of Poison Dragon Slaying Magic that overtook Jacob and made him scream out in agony. And while his opponent was in a petrified state, Cobra charged right through him with scaly claws for hands. Jacob coughed out blood as he sank to his knees, before collapsing to the floor unceremoniously. Claw still outstretched and his body still leaning forward, Cobra smirked darkly. “… Show’s over!”

            Lucy and the others appeared flabbergasted as they drank in the scene. Cobra’s hands returned to normal as he stuffed them in his pockets.

            “H-H-How did you do that?!” Lucy yelped. “I thought you’d need our help for sure!”

            Cobra sneered.

            “I just used my greatest strength without tellin’ him about it… He didn’t even have a clue. I can hear thoughts, remember? He could cloak his body, muffle his movements… But his thoughts rang loud and clear!”

            “Amazing…” Loke muttered while Capricorn helped Lucy to her feet. But before they could celebrate, Happy cried out fearfully.

            “W-W-Wait…! That guy! He took everyone somewhere!”

            Lucy’s eyes widened at the reminder.

            “That’s right…! Without that guy, who knows what’s going to happen to them?!”

            Cobra rolled his good eye.

            “Relax, they’re fine.”

            And just as they were going to press Cobra about his nonchalant attitude,  a brilliant light shone throughout the Guildhall as everyone reappeared. Everyone looked confused about what had just happened, but looked none the worse for wear.

            “I guess with that guy knocked out, he can’t maintain his Magic…” Loke deduced correctly, while Makarov took a step forward and glowered at the fallen assassin.

            “Lock him up! He had the nerve to endanger our Guild, so he will be given no quarter!”

            Cobra gave the Guildmaster a smug grin as it was his turn next, when Makarov turned to him. Jet and Droy moved to comply with their Master’s command. Lucy followed after them, as she wanted to check up on Brandish.

            “Yo. Glad I decided to get off here, or you guys would be screwed!” Cobra decided it was best to leave out the part that he just wanted off Sorano’s deathtrap because he was feeling sick…

            Makarov nodded tersely in gratitude.

            “For saving the lives of my children, and protecting our First Master, you have my eternal gratitude…” He turned his head to eye Warren, who was checking on the map. “I take it Crime Sorciere have decided to lend a hand?”

            Cobra spread out his arms lazily, gazing up at the ceiling.

            “Pretty much. Ishgar’s our home, too, y’know? Plus, Jellal’s got that whole vendetta against Zeref anyway…” He eyed Makarov with a modicum of delight. “And… I won’t deny it felt good to get my pound of flesh.”

            Makarov nodded in understanding. Kinana then broke away from the crowd and ran up to Cobra with a bright grin on her face.

            “Erik…!”

            Cobra frowned marginally, but reluctantly accepted her hug all the same. He kept his eye on Makarov, though.

            “Your help is appreciated, Cobra.” Makarov replied honestly. “Though Zeref is dead along with our Natsu, we still have a war to fight. Alvarez won’t give up because their Emperor is gone – if anything, they will strike back out of revenge. We also have Acnologia to worry about…”

            Cobra grimaced at the summation of current events, still holding Kinana securely.

            “Sounds like a mess, alright… So that fireball got himself killed already, huh?”

            “Not without taking Zeref with him.” Makarov affirmed, to which Cobra nodded blankly.

            “Guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less… So what now?”

            Warren shook his head sadly as he set down the device with the map of Fiore.

            “With August jamming our radar, I can’t get an accurate picture of where we stand… There are at least four Spriggan Shields to worry about, though. Ajeel – who Erza beat, but didn’t capture. Invel to the West. August to the East. And some unknown Spriggan to the North…”

            “Sounds better than I was expecting…” Cobra remarked dryly. Makarov shook his head.

            “On the contrary. We fought tooth and nail to reach this point! And the harshest battles are still to come… August, the King of Magic, is in a league of his own. He is possibly more powerful than Zeref ever was.”

            Cobra’s eye bulged in shock and horror.

            “You want to fight a monster like that?!”

            Makarov turned to the side, appearing deep in thought.

            “Not if we can speak with him… And I think we have someone that may be willing to do that for us. That is, if she’s willing to cooperate…”

            ~*~

            Brandish eyed Lucy as Jet and Droy dragged in Jacob, clothes in tatters. Next to her, Marin looked shocked that Jacob had been taken down.

            “… I’d like to speak with your Guildmaster.”

            Lucy, Jet, and Droy all froze at the request…

[aithne]

(Illume) From Lady Yukiko's Journal, 7/14 - 7/20: What I Saw On This Journey

7/14/1583 at sea

Sailing for Tokyo today. We have a strong south wind and the sails are belled full; if this keeps up, we'll be at our destination in a day and a half. We're going to moor overland from Tokyo instead of sailing right up the dragon's throat; once we moor, we'll go into the mirror and then Gryphon will fly near to Tokyo. From there, the librarian will take over. He'll get us as close as we can, and then we'll fight in the rest of the way.

If we are successful, we will have my husband back with us by nightfall.

Funitsu saw something in that scrying orb of his that none will tell me about; I don't know if what I can imagine is worse than what is actually happening, but it is indeed cause for fret. I have been absentmindedly petting Miu all day; the cat's marvelously patient, staying on my rapidly disappearing lap. I have become noticeably more unwieldy in the past week or so, and if I thought the child was restless before...

Funitsu is...brooding. I didn't think the Scorpion had any brooding in him, actually. He's not usually moody. Actually, the shaman's somewhat moody as well, but I expect that from her.

But Funitsu? My ever-cheerful shujenja? I wonder what's worrying at him. Perhaps he's just realized exactly what the price of leadership is. We'll see, I suppose.

My entire retinue is worried and silent, actually. It feels as if it is the silence before the storm.

7/15/1583 at sea

An uneventful day at sea, until sunset. Haku spotted a ship flying a pirate flag and heading towards us. Tadaki saw that there were a number of carp hengeyokai swimming towards our ship, obvious intending to foul our rudder and poke holes in our hull. He flew over to the other ship while Gryphon dove into the water to try to eat a carp and Haku dropped a barrel full of black powder over the side. The explosion echoed for miles.

Tadaki went over to the other ship. After some discussion, the captain of the other ship called it off, but not before we killed one of the carp. The captain was another Sparrow, and he flew back over to the ship with Tadaki.

Evidently, there is a General--named Hotaku--who is trying to kill all the hengeyokai in the world. Evidently, there is a prophecy that a hengeyokai will bring down an emperor, and they don't want that to happen. So all of the hengeyokai are banding together to try to avoid getting killed. They thought our ship would be easy pickings, being a gaijin ship.

The hengeyokai ship agreed to draw off the general who was guarding the harbor for us. Lure him out to deep water and eliminate one potential enemy out of the many we'll find there.

Tomorrow, we'll moor near a tiny village called Hasaki, and fly overland. Panda has asked if we can stop on the way and get some pickles. Evidently, she's craving them. I wonder if she's figured out that she's pregnant, yet?

I find myself restless, nervous, unable to sit still for more than a few minutes. I both fear and look forward to what we may find tomorrow.

7/16/1583 sailing south from Tokyo

My mind whirls, my heart is still in my throat. Akechi is back with us! No gift of the kami could be more precious.

But, wait, I will start at the beginning.

Gryphon flew us in, and then the librarian went out and the gryphon and Haku came back into the mirror. They described Tokyo; there was evidently large patches of the city that were totally burned out.

And then, there was nothing to do but wait. In the heart of the enemy's strength we lay, a foxglove in their very garden. Waiting for the opportune moment.

The librarian presented himself at Crane Clan headquarters, the Akazawa complex. He asked for the General who we'd drawn off, and was told tat he'd have to wait a few days for him to return. He quickly scouted the complex; Tomika had given him a good idea of what to look for, and he found the place where Akechi was probably being held soon enough. The building is shaped like a crane--two outspread wings, a tail, and a head. Akechi, he found, was being held near where the eye would have been on a living crane.

Lord Tsuneyasu (Tomika's father, Arenro's brother, who we'd helped before) was in residence, and spied the librarian as he wandered the halls. He conferred with him, away from prying eyes and ears, and mostly confirmed what he already knew.

The librarian waylaid a guard and finagled his way inside. Such a clever man, the librarian. Finally, he called my retinue out, saying that he could go no farther by himself, and we'd have to fight in the rest of the way. Winter told Tadaki to change into sparrow form and he'd chase him down the corridor. Tadaki was uncertain of this plan but, in the end, complied.

(Again, this is compiled from the combined tales of my retinue, who were more or less obliging when I asked them to describe what had happened.)

Half of the twelve guards ran after the cat and the sparrow when they shot past them down the corridor. Then the rest of us, including the Thrykeen, engaged the six who were left, including Yashiro, the General who was in charge of keeping Akechi captive. We had some intelligence saying that Yashiro was being unwillingly controlled, so Haku was going to try to get him to swallow some of the true source.

Things happened very quickly right about then. The Thrykeen were effective in killing the minor guards, Yashiro opened several great wounds on Haku, and then Tadaki and Winter bust through the door at the end of the hallway--

--loosing into the corridor a fireball spell.

Several crisped guards (and singed retinue members) later, Tadaki and Winter were in the room with Akechi. They captured the guards and the wu jen who were in the room--evidently, Winter has some sort of ability to slow down time. So that's how he killed those three oni, a few days ago! A tricky, tricky man, that one.

Reiko, noting that Haku had just told a Thrykeen to open a door we knew for sure was trapped with another fireball, was running flat out towards the room at the end of the hall. She got caught in the outside edge of the next fireball, but ignored it, sliding to a halt in front of Akechi, her red kimono smoking. "Hi, Lord. Let's get out of here, okay?"

"It's good to see you too, Reiko."

Tadaki shouldered the captured wu jen, and they made their way back down the hallway.

Meanwhile, Haku was in the room that Yashiro had been guarding and that the Thrykeen had given his life to open, and was chopping to pieces a wooden table and the body that was suspended under it. I had to dig for details about that; Haku was remarkably unforthcoming. Evidently, they were making a simulacra of Akechi, to try and convince the world that he had joined Arenro and Hideyoshi. I shudder at the thought; the copy was less than a week from being done. What would it have done to us, to think that Akechi had joined the other side?

A near-miss, indeed.

A quick discussion ensued, since Panda had knocked the General unconscious with the flat of her blade and had fed him some of the true source, another portion of Hideyoshi's spirit flying into Tadaki's orb. Panda wanted to remove the crystal, but Reiko pointed out that removing the crystal was a piece of fairly delicate surgery, the crystal lying as it does beside the spine. "I can't do it in a hurry if we want him to be whole, and we don't have time, Panda!"

My samurai shook her head and said, "Fine. We'll leave him and hope for the best. Come on, I hear more guards coming."

Akechi asked, "Panda, where is Yukiko?"

She answered, "Safe, and close by. But, Lord, we must be gone. There will be time for explanations, soon."

Funitsu carved a hole in the air with the two wakizashis, and we all stepped through.

We arrived, a mile away from the palace, in th middle of one of those burned places that we'd seen from the air on our way in. Our luck was running quite typically, because the place we came out was at the feet of ten samurai.

Led by a General whose colors Panda recognized--General Kenichi. Who was, from Funitsu's intelligence, in charge of burning out the resistance in Tokyo itself. He called out, "Halt! Who are you?"

Panda stood straight. White hair scorched, wounded, soot on her face, still she fixed Kenichi with those black, black eyes and with a voice that rang out across the burned earth, proclaimed, "Panda. We have no quarrel with you. We are simply passing through. Let us pass. There is no need for more bloodshed today."

Long moments passed, as Panda and Kenichi's wills battled. And then Kenichi snarled. "Another day, then. Panda." And he reined up his horse and whirled, leading his battalion away.

A cheering rose up behind us. We whirled, and towards us were running a large crowd of peasants, all of them shouting Panda's name.

The samurai looked...remarkably disconcerted.

It turned out that Kenichi had taken his orders to burn out any resistance literally. We had happened upon the end of one of these burnings; they would surround a block with men and set it alight, killing any who tried to escape. A brutal but effective method of quelling rebellion. Haku told them to be on their way, and at that point all except Hiroshi (who had accidentally put himself to sleep with his own dart and had been recovering inside the mirror with me and Karasuko) went into the mirror, so Hiroshi and Gryphon could fly us back to the ship.

Karasuko and I were waiting in the entrance hall for my retinue's return. I had no idea if we'd been successful, and I fear I was pacing the hall. Karasuko's gasp told me to turn around.

And standing in the entrance hall was Akechi.

The world spun around me, and all I could do was stand and stare. And then he smiled, and my paralysis broke, and with a wordless cry I ran to him. Finally, finally back in his arms once more, I wept and laughed at once, my heart full to bursting. We clung to each other, both of us shaking. I murmured, "I thought I would never see you again."

And in a low voice, he answered, "And I thought I was dead for certain. But I am glad I am not." His arms tightened around me, and I looked up and saw that his eyes, too, were shining with tears.

I pressed my mouth to his, kissing him with all the passion of my uncertainty, my sorrow, my joy at seeing him again. And he returned it in kind, and at that moment I have never been so sure of the man I married.

We broke the kiss to find my retinue standing in a half-circle around us. Panda bowed and said, formally, "Lord, your request has been fulfilled."

He nodded. "As always, Panda, you are my most faithful warrior. And the rest of you, too, have evidently discharged your duty most admirably. We will have to discuss what comes next, but for the moment, I need an explanation of where we're going."

Funitsu said, "We're heading back to our ship, which is moored about sixty miles from here. We have much to tell you, Lord, and with luck we will have a few days in which to do it. I believe your good Lady has been keeping a record of our travels, which you may want to read."

He turned to me, eyebrows raised. "I was not aware you were a writer, Yukiko."

The smile on my lips was trembling. "I...found it a comfort."

The nine weeks we have been separated have changed both of us. Akechi looks years older than he did, new lines on his face and grey in his hair that wasn't there the day of the coronation. But the thing that has changed the most are his eyes. There's something different. Not unpleasing. Just different. An awareness of something that wasn't there, before.

We have both become different people in the last two months. But, perhaps, we have both changed for the better.

I can but hope.

Tonight, we sail for Miyazaki, the Clan Scorpion stronghold.

7/17/1583 at sea

We questioned Izumi, the wu jen who we stole from the Crane fortress, today. Evidently, she was assigned to discover the traitor within the Crane clan. "I wasn't very successful," she muttered. "Whoever it was was both well hidden and probably highly placed." I bit my tongue and didn't smile. Tomika's father is safe, at least for a little while longer.

Without the possession of the spirit, she seems to be amenable to helping us. Especially when we pointed out that since she had disappeared at the same time Akechi did, Arenro would assume that we had come for her at the same time, and she was the traitor within the Crane Clan. Which means that her life is likely forfeit, and if she's at all attached to living, she'll place herself under our protection. Plus, Funitsu and Tomika both being her superiors now, she's rather bound to obey them.

She, being a reasonable sort, did so.

We were all together on deck, and discussion turned to parents, for some reason. Someone asked Reiko about hers, and she shrugged. "I've never met my father, as far as I know, and I don't remember my mother. I wouldn't know her if I saw her on the street. I don't even know if she's still alive, she might not be."

Winter coughed. Reiko's eyes narrowed. "Do you know something I don't know?"

He refused to answer. Reiko, being afflicted with the curiosity of the fox, pressed him, and Winter finally told her to ask her "brainchild spirit" more about her sigils.

She rolled her eyes and said, "Tsuyoshi, do you know something you haven't told me, about my sigils?" A pause, her head tilted, listening. "Something about me being connected to the Demonbane?"

Another pause, this one longer. Then her soprano voice, very slow, very controlled. "Are you telling me...that the Demonbane...is my father?" She had gone very pale. "My immortality feeds his, doesn't it? Oh, dear kami." There were tears standing in her amber eyes.

Finally, she realized that we were all standing there, looking at her, and she said, "He has much to answer for." I remembered her story of what had happened to her at Akita and, silently, agreed.

Panda said, her voice wondering, "Doesn't that mean the Lady is your sister? And that you, um, married your brother?"

She blinked. "Half-sister and half-brother, respectively." Panda made a disgusted noise, and she said, "It was five centuries ago. Things were different back then. I didn't know he was my brother until this moment; somehow, it doesn't seem to make much difference. But to know that my most hated enemy is my father..." She was putting on a brave front, but I could see her hands trembling. This wound went to the bone.

Winter said, slowly, "It's worse than you think, kitsune."

"What could be worse?"

"What do kitsune legends say about the Demonbane?" Winter's voice was cracked but, somehow, merciless. I didn't see that he was enjoying this, but, for some reason, he thought it needed to be done.

She frowned in thought. "They say he is the bane of all demons but kitsune in particular. They say he is immune to our charms, and his appearance was once handsome but is now marred with scars, all over his body. The scars are long and straight, very obviously self-inflicted, and all over his arms, legs, and chest, with a few on his back. Each scar represents a kitsune he has killed, and there are several hundred of them. We abhor the idea of deliberately ruining beauty, and thus he becomes even more of a creature out of nightmare."

(I have seen those scars. Not for a moment did I imagine they were self-inflicted. The things I never suspected of my dearly loved father...)

Winter said, "Those scars are self-inflicted, yes. And each symbolizes a life. But it's not immortal lives he's counting, it's mortal ones. The lives of mortals his kitsune daughter has taken. He inflicts the pain she has caused on himself. He pays the price for her actions. She escapes the consequences, so he takes them for her."

Were it possible, I would say that the kitsune went even paler than she had been, all of the blood running out of her face. She swayed, as if in shock. Her wide eyes were fixed upon Winter's, and I could almost watch as her entire world came crashing in on her head.

The only kitsune in history to develop a conscience, and, now, the only one to ever know the pain of guilt. I feel somewhat sorry for her, poor thing. Though, knowing the number of people she has killed over the centuries, not that sorry.

Reiko disappeared, and I haven't seen her all afternoon or evening. I'm not sure where she's hiding herself, but eventually she'll come out of her sulk.

Funitsu, on the other hand, was very much in evidence, and I felt compelled to pull him aside and ask him what on earth he was brooding about. He said, "My sister, Lady. Who is calling herself Minaku, and who is married to our worst enemy."

Ah. I understood. "Perhaps she's not acting of her own free will. Perhaps she, too, is dominated by the spirit that resides in Arenro."

His voice was more bitter than I'd ever heard it before. "She did not appear on the list of those who have a piece of the spirit. I believe she is acting of her own free will. And it may happen that I have to kill her. My favorite sister. Everyone adored her, you know, and we all grieved terribly when she went missing."

I didn't know what you say. I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Funitsu. It seems...a terrible form of loss."

His expression was distant, eyes scanning the horizon. "Did I tell you, she's making a bid to be Lady Soshi? She's evidently on her way down to try to convince Kaigen to hand his power over to her, since his mind is failing. Izumi told me that's why Arenro wasn't in Tokyo. We're likely to run into her, if we're in time."

I had no words to respond to that.

7/18/1583 at sea

Another day of sailing. We should be at Miyazaki on the 20th. I and Akechi have been immured for most of the day, talking over the events of the past few weeks. Panda has been sitting with us for most of that, adding her own recollections to mine, discussing strategies with Akechi. I realize that I have come to rely on Panda for her tactical mind as well as the strength of her sword; I will miss her sorely when we are parted.

And parted we will be. Akechi and I have decided that it's too dangerous to be wandering the world, now. He and I will shelter in Kyoto, on our ancestral estate. Once our son is born, we'll look at the situation and decide what to do. Perhaps we'll rejoin my--our--retinue. Perhaps some other situation will call us. We cannot know what the next two months will hold.

Oh, but it is good to have Akechi back with me. There has been so much that I haven't known about him, so many stories from his time looking for Skyhome that he hasn't ever told me.

He doesn't speak much of his time kept captive. I will be patient. Eventually, if he decides to tell me what happened...I will be here to hear.

7/19/1583 at sea. still.

As much as I empathize with both of them, the shaman and Funitsu wearing near-identical long faces is starting to grow tiresome. At least the shaman has been scarce today. I'm not sure how she manages to disappear on a ship, but I assume she has her ways. I did see Ito around; evidently, Reiko's trusting him enough to let him wander...or she has become so distracted she has forgotten to keep a close eye on the male kitsune.

I hope it is the first and not the second.

7/20/1583 Miyazaki

An extraordinary day, today.

We discussed how to approach Soshi Castle; Akechi said that he'd hidden the last part of the key to Skyhome in the place where Soshi Badayshi is buried--the prophet whose love letter contained a prophecy about Funitsu and the other clans. We entered the Shadow of the Scorpion, the cave system below the castle, and found Badayushi's grave.

Reiko was happily chattering away to various spirits she was seeing. She told Funitsu, "Badayushi's okay with you getting the key out of his grave. He says hi, by the way."

Funitsu gave the shaman a doubtful look, but opened the barrel that contained Badayushi's remains. The body was remarkably well-preserved, the air within the cave had desiccated the body rather than rotting it. He came up with two things--the third part of the key, and another of the wakizashis that cut holes in space and become tattoos when pressed to flesh.

Reiko now has the whole key to Skyhome. She looked down at it in her hand after the last piece was joined to it, and murmured, "How extraordinary."

The wakizashi was given to the librarian, and we continued upwards. As we approached the great hall, we could hear music--pompous music, in fact.

Coronation music.

As we ran into the hall, Funitsu in the lead, we could hear Kaigen's voice, slow and unsure, ringing out into the Hall. "I hereby transfer my position and power within the clan to--"

He raised his head as Funitsu burst in. Surprise widened his eyes, as he said, "Funitsu!"

Funitsu's heart stopped, just for a beat. His brother had just transferred the position of Lord Soshi. To him.

The scream from Minaku was quite impressive, I hear. Reiko murmured into Gryphon's ear. "You can eat Arenro, if you want." Gryphon, of course, bounded forward, towards Arenro.

Arenro, his face purple with rage at the victory that had just been stolen out from under his nose, snapped, "You are not meant to live--much longer!" And with that, a hole in the air opened behind him, and he and Minaku stepped through, disappearing out from under Gryphon's nose.

And so now our Funitsu is the Lord Soshi. How far we've come from the ragged little retinue we were nine weeks ago; now we have two people who are Lords in their own right, a librarian highly placed in the Black Hand, a Sparrow with extensive connections among the hengeyokai, a gryphon who, as it turns out, really is the Chosen One, and my seven-century-old half-sister. (Though that, honestly, is still surprising. And a little disturbing.)

Funitsu is obviously shaken, both at achieving a rank he never expected, and at seeing his beloved sister arm in arm with Arenro--and looking quite happy to be there.

After we spend a few days here, we'll be going back to Kyoto, where Akechi, Karasuko, Izumi, and I will stay for the time being, in the heart of Yashahiro's armies. So this will be my last entry documenting the adventures of myself and my retinue--for a while, at least. The Wheels of Heaven often turn in ways we do not expect, after all, and I would not be surprised to find myself among them once more, some day.

I find myself both glad that my adventuring days are over for the moment, and unexpectedly melancholy. For though I am glad beyond words to have Akechi back, I find that I will miss my retinue, who will be carrying this fight on without us. Stalwart Panda and brave Haku; Tadaki, a Sparrow to the very bone; my charming Funitsu and his arch yet somehow endearing bride Tomika; our enthusiastic Gryphon and our secretive librarian; even confused little Reiko, I'll miss, my poor torn sister. And I'll even miss the excitement and the danger of the road. I at last become a semi-competent sailor, and I'll be land-bound for the next while.

Haku, Funitsu, Tadaki, Hiroshi, and Gryphon will continue to travel and try to defeat Arenro, each for reasons of their own. Funitsu has asked Akechi if he can borrow Panda, and he's assented. Tomika has declared that she'll follow the retinue--and her husband. And Reiko, though she was torn, has decided to stay with the rest. Her heart is divided against itself, with the news that her most hated enemy is also the father she's never known. Our mutual father, who I always knew carried within him some great grief. But I never expected something like this, this demon child of his who, alone among her tribe, has a conscience. And can feel guilt.

I've told Tomika that she needs to write me on a regular basis to let me know what's going on. Reiko also volunteered herself to write me letters, surprisingly enough. I forget that kitsune are sentimental creatures who get attached to the humans they're around. The transition to thinking of her as my sister has been startlingly easy.

I will continue to keep my own records, though they may not be so interesting as they have been. And, soon, I will have a child to keep me busy; I find myself tired of being pregnant, though I know that the longer the child stays in the womb, the stronger it will be when it emerges.

We shall see, won't we? We shall see, indeed.

Quotes:

"Haku is like a violent Jesus." (Kris, referring to Haku's habit of walking on water)

"Noooooobody expects the Japanese Inquisition!" (Laura)

"It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...Mothra?" (Bryan, during a discussion of whether a griffon flying over Tokyo would be too conspicuous. For some reason, going to Tokyo was the occasion for many bad, bad movie jokes.)

"Why are you prodding that dolphin, Graham?" "If it didn't want it, it wouldn't be dressed like that." (Bryan, Laura. Many quotes involving Graham are queries about something odd he's doing.)

"Naked her all you want, just don't take off her bonds!" (Tadaki, expressing his preference for a tied-up Izumi)

"I'm not that smart, I'm not that stupid--thingie!" (Laura, tripping over her tongue)

"I'm going to kill you." "I can run faster than you can." (Laura and Graham)

(Play date: 8/1/2004)

[o-thatthewindsofheaven-blog]

A Letter

An envelope appears in a mailbox at a certain address in the Lavender Beds looking as though it has been through, at minimum, five of the seven hells. It is a dogeared, water-stained, windblown thing. The stationery is fine, though - sealed in red with a lump of wax in the shape of a lily blossom. The paper of which it is made has been yellowed by the malms it has covered to get here, since it has been mogmailed from halfway around the world. In a tiny, flitting hand, a mark has been scrawled on the corner of the envelope:

Kupostmarked on the t<unreadable>th of VIth Umbr. Mn., Annum <unreadable>, VIIth Astr. Era at Kugane, Hingashi

The hand in which the actual letter was written is tight and even and flourishy; a great deal of effort appears to have been put into it. It reads:

Ms. Lynx,

It is my immense pleasure to inform you that your letter arrived safe and sound, though it did not catch up with me at my personal address for reasons I shall soon intimate; it further pleases me to inform you that your fateful Arrival upon the good ship A----- was the touching-off point for a grand Adventure, which is ongoing up to the very moment that I am now writing this.

Thank you most kindly for the very prompt return of my most beloved Writing Implement. I had, in truth, forgotten that I had lent it to you entirely and had presumed it Lost at Sea. I hope that it has served you well and faithfully on your own pursuits, like as unto a trusty sword at your side.

Due to the unfortunate reality that the Operation of a ship such as the one on which we briefly met is a round-the-clock endeavor, we were never able, really, to get acquainted. It can only be due to some vast and Cosmic Design by the Fates, or the Twelve of your homeland or the Kami of mine that I chanced to meet you, and that I lent you my Pen, for upon that vessel, which is crewed by many fine men, men that I am proud to call Brother, there are but a handful which are Lettered, and of these lettered men, only I, I think, would have deigned to part with a quillpen such as the one I am now using to write this. I only received your letter because it was being held for me at a Watering-Hole in Kugane of which I am a frequent patron, and when the ‘keep handed over your envelope he said that I was, quote, “the only Compassionate Sailor I’ve ever swiving heard of.”

I shall give you some background: I am a lifelong resident of the Eastern Seas. I grew up beneath the Ruby Sea and now (to make a very long story short) make my living on it, working upon ships and swinging my sword whenever doing so is called for. That is how I would have described myself, at any rate, before we were introduced, for it turns out that your purchasing passage upon our merry Vessel was a great deal more controversial than I anticipated. To make another very long story short, I was, due to my Role in this transaction, dismissed from the Confederacy’s service - which sounds worse than it was, truthfully, as it was not the first time and shall not be the last that I was dismissed from company of same.

I am now in the employ of what I believe to be a minor noble of Kugane - a Raen, like me, though younger than I, and several orders of Magnitude wealthier and better-connected. She treats me well enough, I suppose; I have had many harsher taskmasters, though she prevailed upon me to believe that I would be her Bodyguard, when in fact I seem to be more of a General Manservant. I certainly do not want for much, if anything, in terms of material needs, which is a nice change. (Though - and I tell you this in confidence - I have to imagine that, from the way she speaks to her fellow-gentry, one day she will enrage someone and I shall be called upon to draw my sword.) It is upon her property that I am now making my primary residence, and upon her stationery that you shall read and receive this missive. Please find attached the return address; it would be most welcome to carry on a correspondence once again, and if you should ever find yourself in the neighborhood, you are welcome to pay me a call. My Employer loves to entertain company ever so much.

This message is growing overlong, I fear! It has been many a moon since last I wrote letters, and I hope you are not put off by its verboseness. I was somewhat disappointed to learn that you do not remember my face, and so I shall attach a charcoal portrait that I had made in the city recently - it is rather more dashing than I am in person, I confess, but perhaps the next time we meet, my likeness shall jog your memory. It is my fervent hope that you accomplished that which you set out to do in our fair city of Kugane and that you shall come to visit anon. I should love to learn more about your business if you’re at liberty to tell me; perhaps we may regale each other in this way, and get to know each other in so doing!

Your most humble and obedient servant,

 天つ 風 

(Amatsu Kaze)

[beastkachu]

12/24: An Earth Prime Christmas

Night had fallen on Earth Prime’s Paragon City, and the towering buildings glittered in the magnificent array of dancing lights. Shops had put up their seasonal red, greening, and illuminated displays, offering candy canes and gingerbread men on napkins to passersby. Carols echoed in blissful harmony up and down the streets while bells rang in accompaniment. Blanketed in the charm of falling snow, the season of Christmas was delightfully welcomed among the old, young, and otherwise. Despite the smells and sights of the largest Primean settlement, Matt still had very much planned to complete before the glorious day arrived. Every minute mattered.

“Alright, get those boxes up and out!” Matt called, “We must ship fast but gifts too slow!” Muscles van Stranglehaus effortlessly lifted another large pallet of multi-colored crates onto a large wagon. Fully loaded, the harnessed therapod Bob Wrex pulled them into Alpha Station, where Melvin and his robots, the Unitoroids, led by Unit-46, sorted them by product for mass shipping. Unloading had taken far too long than expected, but this was a crucial step in making sure no presents got lost. Matt was not getting kitty pjs again, if he could help it. Truth be told, this was the first time had been a part of a process like this perhaps in all his life, born on E.P. and away on the Earth he lived. Despite the hectic nature of it all, a bit of him was glad to have something he felt he belonged to, if not for a moment. It was also nice to not have to rely on Sword or Knife for anything drastic, he chuckled to himself. Those two could use a break. Knife’s puffy cream-white snow cap bobbed as she chased Duke, Matt’s long-haired German Shepherd. Duke bounded over the fallen snow whenever she drew near. Sword, in a more somber black coat to Knife’s white, made the two seem more like sisters than Weaponsonas. She kept tiny glimpses of a smile on her face as she watched them play, not knowing Matt was eyeing her. He was about to say something when a purple blur filled his vision. “Merred Crambles, Kami-sama!” Junpei cheered. Matt rolled his eyes, “Not now, Junpei. Getting the last of it accounted for. How’s everything inside?” “Peach-tastic! Mr. Person says we’ll be ready in no time!” “Rinteru and Kagehiro back yet?” “Still on delivery. Must be Fumatori Kagehiro-san’s murders taking so long.” “What?” “Nothing!” “Beastakyuu and Shoto?” “Handling Tree Hollow’s gifts right now. He’ll be free as soon as he can.” “Raf and Miuna?” “Who knows?” “Fine, must be important,” Matt shook his head. “I know Efpy’s AFK and Marx is busy with his bar right now. Seems we’re stretched pretty thin.” Junpei put a sleeve to his chin. “The Red Nosed Bazilisk can still work like a charm. And no hide or hair of Afterglow or Motay!” “Good…”, Matt sighed. He ran his fingers through the black fringes of his hair. “Tell Person I’ll be inside soon.” Junpei saluted with his purple sleeve. “Roger, Kami-Salami!” He plodded through the snow in his brown boots, chanting “Yume” until he was inside. “Anything I can help with?” Sword asked, now closer to Matt. He jumped at the sudden sound of her voice. “Wah! Frag, you got me!” “It wasn’t my intention…”, Sword muttered. “No, don’t worry!”, Matt fixed his red jacket. ”I want you two to enjoy Christmas. You do so much work every other day of the year. You deserve to relax.” Matt waved her inside, Knife and Duke following behind. Sword wished to say more, but kept her request in silence. With the last shipment of gifts inside, Matt began the search for Mr. Person in the main control bay. The mysterious man in a suit and gas mask greeted Matt with a nod. The screen told him everything he needed about the stock of presents: train sets, markers, dolls and action figures; batteries for robots, model kits, and game boards; books, drones, sports gear and bikes; all shipping out to every corner of the fourteen continents. When the fifty foot Main Street Christmas Tree is lit, that is the signal to begin the gift giving. All was going according to keikaku. “All’s going according to keikaku!” said Junpei. Matt glared. “Don’t ever say that again.” Mr. Person chuckled. “Do I get a present too?” Knife asked. “Of course you do,” Matt said. “Everyone will. But it’s a secret.” Knife looked at Duke. “Yours too.” Duke tilted his head. She smiled and patted Duke’s head with her gloved hand. Matt was about to leave when a loud rumbled tripped the perimeter alarm, causing Duke to whine. “That’s coming from Shipment!” Mr. Person yelled. ”The Master Unit!” “Not the keikaku!” Junpei cried. The group rushed down to find a hole blown into the roof. Panicked Unitoroids clambered about, trying to seize fallen presents. Atop a hoverpod far too big for him smirked an all too familiar insect-like foe. “Ho, ho, ho, you tinseled fools! It is I, Weevil, the Tiny Master of Evil!” Matt growled. “Again with this slag, Weevil? I thought I left you chillin’ over an open volcano?!” “Your boy wasn’t hot! And neither will your holiday be, now that I have THE MASTER CONTROL SWITCH! And… this thing which was right next to it!” In Weevil’s gritty silhouette hand rested a tiny green and red striped box from the stack. It was dotted with snowflakes, a smiling snowman, and fixed shut with a red bow. Weevil shook it. “What is this anyway?” “Don’t shake that!” Matt roared. “It’s important inside!” “Since it’s so important to you, it’s coming with me!” Mr. Person drew his gun, but Weevil’s hoverpod had a few more gun. “Everyone, get back, Matt shouted, reaching for Sword. She transformed and shifted her stance into Greatsword. The hunk of metal easily blocked the array of lasers. Weevil took the opportunity to escape to his main ship, link the hoverpod, and fly off into the wintery night sky. Matt reverted Sword to standard and gazed after the ship, furious but reluctant. “What are you doing?” Sword asked. “I just… I wanted you to have a day off! That was the whole point of this Christmas!” “Nonsense! This is what I was made to do! Now after Weevil or everyone’s work would’ve been pointless!” Matt changed her stance to Wing, gaining four floating swords on each side. “Junpei! Person!” Matt called, “Take Knife and Duke and get everyone into position! We’re having this Christmas!” With that, he flew off after Weevil’s ship.

Weevil set the Master Control and Matt’s gift on the dash. He didn’t need to steal any presents if he could destroy the tradition. How else would anyone receive any gifts, or even know to commence the festivities? Truly a diabolical scheme. So much so, he couldn’t resist breaking into song: “I don’t want a gift for Christmas! That happiness will make me gag! My wish is true: All I want for Christmas Is Doom~!”

A violent rumble emanated through the hull. Weevil brought up his screen to communicate with his Weevbots.

“That better not be what I’m thinking it was back there, soldier.” “No, sir,” the Weevbot replied. “No violent decapitations here, sir.” “Good- wait what?” A swipe of a blade, and the screen turned static. “Gah! If ya want something done right, build a gun to do it,” Weevil grumbled. He reached for a laser gun when there was a tapping on the door. Knowing exactly who it was and how mad he would be, Weevil tiptoed closer to the door, crouched low, and open fired. Twelve smoking holes were left in the door, killing the last remaining Weevbot on the ship behind it. “Oops,” Weevil shivered. “Yeah, oops.” Matt said behind the evil bug (?) man. He kicked him through the door and retrieved both his present and the control switch. “You retrieved both your present and the control switch!” Junpei beamed, having teleported into the cockpit because it’s Junpei. “Will you knock that-look out!” Matt blocked a laser from Weevil’s gun with his present, protecting Junpei with it, while using a Wingbeam to disarm Weevil. The two escaped out the window, but not before striking the Emergency Explode on Weevil’s dash. “NOOOO! WHY DO I EVEN HAVE THAT BUTTON?!” Behind Matt and Junpei was an explosion that looked more like fireworks than anything else. The Primeans adored the lightshow above as the Main Street Tree glowed like a halo. Tonight, everyone would receive a touch of love in the holiday spirit. But it was not without its tragedies. Returning to Alpha Control, They were met by Mr. Person, Knife, and Duke once more. Duke’s present, a red and green ball, found itself swiftly buried in snow. Sword returned human, and stood by Matt’s side. “Is it okay?” She asked. Matt unwrapped it to inspect the fullness of the damage. There was nothing that could have been done to salvage the destroyed gift, a large burn through the center of the frame. “It was a picture of all of us…” Matt said. ”It wasn’t much, but I wanted to get something all of us could share. I guess with how everyone is, it was a dumb gift anyway.” “Nuh-uh!” Knife protested. “I like it!” She gave Matt a hug. “The important tasks are done here,” Mr. Person said. “Think you’ll be going back home?” “Think they’ll need me down there?” Sword looked down. “You made our Christmas great, so it’s fair you make theirs as well.” Matt nodded in agreement to her words. “And I’ll go with you!” Junpei smiled like a cat. “Heck no.”

[silly-nonny-fics-are-for-fandoms]

Carol of The Cats

The twelve Days of Kaminari Ships: Shinkami! Christmas Carols, before dating Hitoshi, had not been Denki's favorite thing.

Now, they were the best part of the holidays. But, when you've married someone with the voice of a god, that tends to happen. 

Like when Denki is just trying to put the ornaments on the trees, yes trees as in plural, and he was singing and sitting with one of their several cats in the other room. Something made Denki ponder if Hitoshi had gotten into the eggnog and rum cakes a little early. Either that or the lack of sleep was finally catching up to the purple haired man and he was losing his mind. Hitoshi almost never sang without being asked.

"Hey, Hitoshi!" Denki called, interrupting the wonderful chorus of jingle bells. 

"Yes?" Was the answer he received from the man, and Denki sighed at the loss.

Hitoshi's voice was a wonderful tenor, able to dip down to a sultry sweetness and barely able to hit high notes. Everything about the voice made Denki shiver.

"As much as I love your singing," Everyone knew he did by then, "I would appreciate some help! Either distract all the cats or come help me decorate!" He said, as one of their black cats, by the name of Fluffy, rubbed against the electric user in hopes of a static charge. Which made him all fluffy, hence his name. Denki had a love-hate relationship with that cat.

"Is Fluffy bothering you?" Hitoshi asked, entering the room carrying Dinah, Snowdrop, and Kitty in a basket he carried. Dinah was their oldest cat, named after Alice's cat from the book Alice In Wonderland, and her two surviving kittens were the most precious things in the world to her. Hitoshi loved that silly cat.

"A little bit, dear," Denki said, ignoring the snickering smirk on his husband's face. Their hair must match in terms of insanity and lack of willingness to obey gravity and her laws, due to the static.

Fluffy purred as he snuggled against his leg, letting out a confused mrrrp! as Hitoshi picked him up on his way over. Four down, three left. 

Luckily, they tended to stay out of trouble. Nova, Morticia, and Paws were the most antisocial of their clan of cats, the rulers of their household. 

"Happy now, kitten?" Shinsou asked, looking at his husband who rolled his eyes.

"Yes, thank you. I need to get these done before we go caroling tonight!"

Hitoshi dropped the cat and the basket. He'd forgotten they'd decided to go caroling at a local children's hospital for the holiday. Bring some cheer, he'd been told. He didn't particularly like singing in front of people, and he was sure Denki used a combination of the puppy dog eyes he was so weak to and some catlike nuzzling to get his way. He always did. Do or die time, he assumed.

"I'm... Not feeling so good, kitten." Hitoshi said, feeling anxiety settle in his stomach. He knew every word to every Christmas Carol he'd ever heard, but he still had many reservations about his voice despite his years as a pro-hero.

Denki sighed, Fluffy once more attaching himself to his legs and Dinah taking her kittens somewhere else, "Your voice is great, babe." He said, setting the ornaments down. "We have to go, the kids are expecting us."

"I know..." He said, his voice tight. As an introvert, he tended to avoid being in groups at all cost, but here he was.

"I'm sure all the kids are gonna be excited to see Trick Question!" Denki said a big grin on his face.

"Most of them probably don't know who I am."

"Awww, that's not true!"

"I'm an underground hero, kitten."

"So? You're gonna be great! I just know they'll love your voice as much as I do!"

"Any chance I could lose it before tonight...?"

"Nope! Not as far as I'll let you at least!"

He sighed, giving a smile he'd practiced so many times, his face tinting red.

"Well, we can't disappoint them can we?"

"No, we can't! And I've gotta go meet Bakugo and the others afterward, you joining?"

"I think I'll be all Christmas-ed out for the day, but thanks."

"Mina's gonna miss playing with your hair,"

"She'll survive."

Denki leaned up, finding himself too short as always to kiss his boyfriend properly, and pulled him down by his shirt for a quick kiss. 

"Yeah, but I won't. What am I to do if I don't get my daily dose of loving from my husband?" Denki asked with a pout, and Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"You'll be fine, you get enough of me here."

"But you don't sing all that much! It's a real crime, ya know?"

"Then you'll have to lock me up, hero."

".... Are you offering what I think you're offering?"

"No."

"Okay then." 

Hitoshi wrapped his arms loosely around his husband's waist, sighing. "You're too much, sometimes."

"I take that as a compliment of the highest order."

"It's not meant to be one but go off, I guess."

"Aww, you don't mean that!"

"Anyway," Hitoshi sighed, "We should probably get that tree decorated."

Denki deflated, his pout returning as he released his husband. He'd been enjoying their little moment, and it'd been ruined. He stuck his tongue out a bit, going back to what he was doing. Hitoshi, seeing this cute, childish behavior, sighed. He'd married an idiot, of course. There were days when he forgot that simple fact. 

"C'mere," He said, grabbing Denki's arms and pulling him back against him with a yelp from the blonde.

"Wh- Hitoshi!" Denki protested, "I'm not listening!" 

An idea struck Hitoshi, and he smirked. Resting his chin on his head, he started humming and felt Denki tense. He knew his voice did things to the blonde, which was always in his favor.

"Hey, kitten?" He purred, "Do you know what I want for Christmas?"

"A-Another cat?" Denki asked, his voice cracking ever so slightly.

"Wrong. All I really want, well..." He paused, for dramatic effect, then sang the last bit, swaying lightly, "All I want for Christmas, is you~"

[gracemolteniisnothome]

Kyushu Calling: VOL 1

A Few Words:

As a Westerner living in rural Japan, I’m often asked what the outside world thinks of when they think of this country. I explain that most people – most Americans, at least  – picture futuristic Tokyo, or temple-rich Kyoto. Maybe Osaka, maybe Hiroshima. Sites like Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr are full to the brim with Japan’s well-known sights, but for many, the rest of the country remains a mystery. Most people don’t know that you can live on a cow farm and still be a short drive from a beautiful volcano lake, or that surfing is huge on the island’s southeastern coast. They don’t know that 70 percent of Japan is mountainous, which is why the metros are so packed, or that those mountains behold some spectacular views.

I’ve been spending my time in Japan shooting the places most people don’t see -namely, the big island of Kyushu, where I live. I hope to do it some justice in a series of posts. First up: my town, Ebino.

VOLUME I: Ebino

Back in April, after a bit of back and forth with my employer, I received word that I was finally being placed in a school system. Twelve hours later, I was packed up and on a train headed toward a town called Ebino. I knew two things about Ebino: first, that the town hosts a cow-jumping festival every year (yes, you read that right); and second, that my company described it as a nice place, albeit being in the middle of nowhere.

Geographically speaking, they got the middle part right. Nowhere, though? Depends on how you look at it.  

With volcanoes to the south, foothills to the east, and low mountains to the north and west, Ebino lies nestled in a caldera valley. The town itself, with a modest population of 18,000 or so, is actually comprised of four villages - Masaki, Kakuto, Iino, and Uwae- that were combined in 1996 to create Ebino City. As a result, there isn’t much of a centralized town center, with no real main strip to peruse, no castle or Isoteien (Japanese-style garden) to wander, no shopping or entertainment district neatly packaged into one area. Instead, there are small clusters of humanity – coin laundry, udon restaurants, grocery stores, and post offices – separated by rice fields that split the valley into uneven grids. Aside from a handful of overpriced snack bars, there’s not much for a nightlife or even cafes (though we did recently get a rad one that operates out of a converted shipping container, no less). A social life can seem a remote possibility.

Due to its central location between three prefectures (Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazki), both Kyushu’s expressway, called the IC, and the island’s main non-toll road cut through the heart of Ebino. It would be easy to drive through, stopping only for a bathroom break and some kumquat ice cream, or perhaps not stopping at all. To most travelers, this town is a mere blip on the map. But to those who find themselves spending more time here, there is something about this area that is undeniably captivating.  

A Beautiful Nowhere

Head towards the volcanoes to the south, and you’ll find Ebino Plateau. This area is home to the Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, which was Japan’s first designated national park. The Kirishima Mountain range crosses through the park and includes Mt. Karakui, Mt. Koshiki, and three gorgeous crater lakes: Rokkannonmiike, Fudo, and Byakushi. On a clear day, which is rare, it’s rumored that you can see South Korea from the top of Mt. Karakui. As a result of their volcanic activity, Ebino Plateau and Kyomachi (a district in Ebino City) are popular enclaves to enjoy hot springs. People come from all over to Kyushu to hike here, marvel at the azalea blooms in early summer, or relax in the onsens. Drive towards the northern and western sides of town and you’ll encounter switchback after switchback, working their way up, over, and through the mountains. You’ll find small hidden waterfalls, and miles of river gorges. The ridges are both high enough to offer sweeping views of the valley (like from the Yatake Plateau), and low enough to catch heavy clouds. On more than one occasion I’ve taken alternate routes home from or to school, tossing my camera in my bag, to chase the fog as it drapes along, clinging to the treeline in wisps.

Seasons are felt in full on Kyushu, and the Japanese seem to mark them in smaller segments – including cherry blossom, wisteria, dragonfly, fall foliage, and, of course, rainy season. Kyushu itself is an incredibly lush part of the country. The forests blanketing the area are mix of bamboo, cedars, and various pines, with canopies so thick that stepping into their shade brings a noticeable temperature drop. After rainy season, the land swells as overgrowth spills out onto sidewalks and roads. The vibrant green of the rice fields seems to have its own frequency.

The whole place vibrates, really, both in sound and color.

Despite assumptions about the stillness of a pastoral life, anyone who has lived in the country knows that nature is anything but quiet. Between the cicadas, the rain gutters, the downpours, and the frogs, every day is its own song.  

Cloud Pornography

Nothing makes me feel more like a Midwesterner than how much I talk about the weather. I’ve learned this is theme with the Japanese as well. With the little bit of language I’ve picked up, I often hear people commenting on the temperature or the storm outside, practically before they have finished greeting each other. Exhibit A: When I mention that Chicago is cold and often snowy, anyone with enough English to communicate it shares the same horror story about a snowstorm three years ago that shut down the city and school. Say what you will about small talk, but weather unites us all.

One of my first introductions to Ebino’s ever-changing skies rings true more and more every day: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.”  

The mountains surrounding this valley create a cycle of low pressure and high pressure as the temperatures rise and fall. As a result, a strong breeze pulls clouds and storms across the valley in a constant weather parade. Ebino is the kind of place where it can be rainy, sunny, and foggy all at once. I am fortunate enough to have an apartment on the second floor with an unobstructed view of the river and my part of town. You’ll often find me throwing open the windows to shoot a rainbow across the river, or scrambling out onto my makeshift balcony just to gawk at the clouds and the sunsets. Forget big sky; this is timelapse country. (Note to self: learn how to take timelapses.) On any given day, depending on the sun (or lack thereof), Ebino could be mistaken for The Pacific Northwest, the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas, or, when the volcanoes are feeling feisty, Hawaii.  

A Serving of Pride

The Miyazaki prefecture is also well known for its chicken farming. Often raised on organic feed, these freerange birds offer a leaner, healthier, more succulent meat that is used in dishes like chicken nanban (a breaded favorite), yakitori (skewered and grilled), kara-age (breaded and fried in oil), and can be found at many restaurants, tourist sites, and festivals. Miyazaki chicken can be found on the menu in popular cities across Japan like Tokyo. On top of that, there are egg vending machines all around Ebino where farmers can drop off fresh eggs for purchase at any given time. If you watch my Instagram stories, you know I am a frequent patron of these machines. You’re also bound to stumble upon a Tano Kami or two throughout the region. These stone statues, called Tanokansaa, depict a deity that is believed to to protect the rice fields and bring good fortune to its farmers. While they range in appearance –from adorable, to weathered, to homemade –these pestle-wielding guardians symbolize the pride Ebino takes in its rice. So much pride, in fact, that requesting half-portions for our school lunch required a delicate dance of reassuring my coworkers it was for dietary reasons, so as not to offend their heralded crop. Rice farming is humble, back-breaking work, but it is highly honored by the community. It is served with every lunch in the school district, and is a staple in most households. School children in Ebino are required to spend an afternoon learning from local farmers and planting their own plot of rice as a class.  

Sentiment Addict

I am not here to convince anyone that Ebino should jump to the top of their travel list (unless your travel list involves visiting me, of course) but there is something to be said for time spent in those in-between places. True, there are no awe-inspiring temples, no cascading torii gates, no giant Buddhas. At the end of the day, this is still rural farming community. But, half a world away, it mirrors a landscape familiar to me from my childhood. Strangely, there are moments here where I am reminded of Wisconsin. Like if you drive with your windows down, and the breeze is just right, you’ll know the cows are nearby well before you see them. Whether it be the sweet scent of freshly cut fields, the swallow’s nest outside my apartment, or the universal nod shared between drivers on back country roads, it's funny how these little threads of familiarity weave themselves into somewhere so foreign.

In the way that Americans may only know Tokyo or Kyoto, most Japanese folks’ knowledge of America is limited to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, or Disney World. To many, Ebino is and will always be the middle of nowhere. But, I grew up in the middle of nowhere. I understand what it’s like to live somewhere no one knows. And, I understand what it’s like to love it all the same.

Till next time ✌🏻

Oh, here's a few gems from the Ebino/Kobayashi area:

Kirishima Geopark: Great for year round hiking, this park offers a handful of trails around the volcanoes and their lakes, and there’s a cafe for refreshments at the end of your jaunt. Bishamon Waterfall and Kuruson Gorge: Small, but lovely waterfall hidden in the hills outside of Ebino, followed by a large bridge overlooking the gorge - which is a 10 KM stretch of the Sendaigawa River. The gorge is frequented by fisherman, but the route isn’t paved and can be precarious at times.

Ebino Outdoor Station: A new cafe in town, housed in refurbished shipping containers and offering solid coffee and tasty lunch options.

Michi No Eki Ebino: Our modest roadside station, offering local goods and omiyage, and delightful kumquat ice cream.  

Daiwa Dairy farms: Real cheese is quite hard to come by, but this small show outside of Kobayashi offers some award winning cheeses as well as homemade ice cream.

Musumi: A adorable coffee shop and co-working space could easily fit in a city like Chicago or San Francisco, offering delicious lunch and dinner courses.

[makaylasophiablog]

I’m super excited to share with you all the unboxing of SIX MONTHS worth of boxes from Bookcase.club, as well as tell you some more information about this amazing book subscription box company.

Bookcase.club is monthly subscription box that brings books to your door every month! At $9.99 a month + shipping, it's a great deal. There's a wide selection of genres to choose from, so you'll always be reading something you enjoy.

More information can be found on their website: Bookcase.Club

If you would prefer to view the video version of this post, it is available on my YouTube channel HERE.

The books received in the first two boxes includes Denton Little’s Death Date by Lance Rubin, Reality Boy by A.S. King, and Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor. Listed below are some descriptions and links for each of these. My favorite thing about Bookcase.Club is that I am always amazed by their selection of books.

Each of the book descriptions are thanks to Goodreads.

Denton Little’s Death Date by Lance Rubin - Goodreads

Denton Little’s Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. For Denton, that’s in just two days—the day of his senior prom.

Reality Boy by A.S. King - Goodreads

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school.

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor - Goodreads

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say. Even when Olivia misses months of school. Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The next case included A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy and Diamond Boy by Michael Williams. I was absolutely thrilled when I received the box. The packaging is beautiful, and I was immediately enthused by the books I saw.

Both of the below descriptions are thanks to Goodreads.

A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy - Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Abby Lipman is on track to win the state swim championships and qualify for the Olympic trials when a fainting incident at a swim meet leads to the diagnosis of a deadly heart condition. Now Abby is forced to discover who she is without the one thing that's defined her entire life.

Diamond Boy by Michael Williams  - Goodreads

"Diamonds for everyone." That's what fifteen-year-old Patson Moyo hears when his family arrives in the Marange diamond fields. Soon Patson is working in the mines himself, hoping to find his girazi--the priceless stone that could change his life forever. But when the government's soldiers comes to Marange, Patson's world is shattered. Set against the backdrop of President Robert Mugabe's brutal regime in Zimbabwe, Diamond Boy is the story of young man who succumbs to greed but finds his way out through a transformative journey to South Africa in search of his missing sister, in search of freedom, and in search of himself.

The next book case includes two books. The first is North of Beautiful by Justina Chen and First There Was Forever by Juliana Romano.

Both descriptions are thanks to Goodreads.

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen - Goodreads

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

First There Was Forever by Juliana Romano - Goodreads

Lima and Hailey have always been best friends: Lima shy and sensitive, Hailey funny and free-spirited. But Hailey abandons Lima to party with the popular kids and pursue Nate, her disinterested crush. As their friendship falters, Lima and Nate begin spending more time together. And before Lima knows what she’s feeling, she and Nate do something irreversible. Something that would hurt Hailey....if she knew it happened. Lima thinks she’s saving her friendship by lying, but she’s only buying time. As the secrets stack up, Lima is forced to make a choice: between her best friend forever, and the boy who wasn’t meant to be hers.

The next box included two amazing books. The first was Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie  Zaman. The next was Revolution 19 by Greg Rosenblum.

Both descriptions are thanks to Goodreads.

Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalia Zaman - Goodreads

Expelled from yet another boarding school for hacking, sixteen-year-old Rebecca "Bec" Jackson is shipped off to Rome to intern for Parker Phillips, the editor-in-chief of one of the world’s top fashion magazines. But when a mysterious accident lands Parker in a coma, former supermodel and notorious drama queen Candace Worthington takes the reins of the magazine. The First Lady is in Rome for a cover shoot, and all hands are on deck to make sure her visit goes smoothly. 

Revolution 19 by Greg Rosenblum - Goodreads

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us. Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.

The last box I unboxed included another two spectacular books. Blythewood by Carol Goodman and Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl was included.

Both descriptions are thanks to Goodreads.

Blythewood by Carol Goodman - Goodreads

At seventeen, Avaline Hall has already buried her mother, survived a horrific factory fire, and escaped from an insane asylum. Now she’s on her way to Blythewood Academy, the elite boarding school in New York’s mist-shrouded Hudson Valley that her mother attended—and was expelled from. Though she’s afraid her high society classmates won’t accept a factory girl in their midst, Ava is desperate to unravel her family’s murky past, discover the identity of the father she’s never known, and perhaps finally understand her mother’s abrupt suicide. She’s also on the hunt for the identity of the mysterious boy who rescued her from the fire. And she suspects the answers she seeks lie at Blythewood.    

Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - Goodreads

From the world of Beautiful Creatures-a dangerous new tale of love and magic. Ridley Duchannes is nobody's heroine. She's a Dark Caster, a Siren. She can make you do things. Anything. You can't trust her, or yourself when she's around. And she'll be the first to tell you to stay away-especially if you're going to do something as stupid as fall in love with her. 

I am always thrilled and pleased with the amazing books Bookcase.Club curates in their boxes. I always know when I receive one of their boxes I am in to read something amazing.

I would like to. say a huge thank you to Bookcase.Club for sending me all of these boxes. And for my readers, all opinions are my own. I really am this amazed!

Have you read any of the books seen or are you subscribed to Bookcase.Club?!

[silly-nonny-fics-are-for-fandoms]

The second thing at Christmas

The twelve days of Kaminari ships, day 7: Serokami! The title is from Bob Rivers’ ‘The twelve pains of Christmas’

"I get that my quirk is useful for this stuff," Sero said, his face red and twitching in irritation, "But I'm not stringing up the lights alone this year." 

"C'mon, Sero! You're like, made for Christmas!" Kaminari grinned, right next to the taller boy outside their dorms. 

"How?" Sero grumbled, hiding his face in his scarf.

"Switch the first letters of your name and you have Hero Santa."

"I love you for what reason again?" 

"Because I'm an amazing blonde who always manages to shock you with my electric personality?"

"Baaabeee..."

"My electricity lights up your day?"

"Denki!" Sero snickered, "I get it, I get it!"

"There's my smiling boyfriend! Whom I loooooooooveee~" 

"Who's not setting up the lights by himself!"

Kaminari pouted but sighed in defeat. "Fine, but you do have to get the roof. I'll take care of the lights down here, but I've got no way to save myself if I fall from up there."

"Okay," Sero rolled his eyes, "But if I get tangled up in the lights and am hanging off the side of the building again, we're gonna spiderman kiss."

"Cliche, but cool. Deal."

And up Sero went onto the rooftop, his feet clinking against the walls as he climbed up to one of the chimneys, starting at the top and going down from there. It brought a certain song to Kaminari's mind. Kaminari grabbed the first box of the string lights, to line the doorway and the pillars on the front view and the lampposts on the walkway. Sero would have no issues with the mid-pillars on his way back down, but Kaminari was worried about the roof of the first floor, over the inner courtyard. 

Last year, Sero had complained nigh on endlessly about how slick the surface could get, and he was also the one responsible for cleaning it with Todoroki or Bakugo in the winter so he had experience. The snow would melt down and ice over the glass, which left some precarious situations on the table. Sero was supposed to clear it since it would only refreeze if melted and often came back in soaking wet and bruised.

Just as Kaminari had the responsibility of charging people's electronics when they died, Sero had the responsibility to take care of outdoor decoration and maintenance. In the spring, fall, and what little bit of the summer they spent there the burden was shared with Tsuyu. But, as the winter settled in she spent more and more time inside. 

"Hey, be careful up there!" Kaminari yelled up to his boyfriend, six stories above him. 

"I will!" He heard Sero yell back to him, "I could use some power though!"

"Very funny, babe! It'll all connect in the end!"

"I know! I did this last year, don't forget!"

Kaminari rolled his eyes, drastically lowering his volume. "As if I could forget."

He grabbed the ladder which normal people needed to use to gain elevation, just to get to the top of the pillar. As he'd been stringing them up, the lights had turned on just by contact with him. 

By the time he finished with the lower section which he could get to with the ladder, Sero had almost reached the glass courtyard roof.

"I'm gonna go make some hot chocolate, okay?" Kaminai said, not needing to yell up to his boyfriend like an idiot anymore. 

"Remember the almond milk, okay?"

"Yes, I remember! Love you!"

Kaminari descended the ladder and went inside, shedding his coat with a shake.

Some of the other students had congregated into the common room, some glancing his way as he went into the kitchen. He'd once made hot chocolate with regular whole milk and gave it to his boyfriend, and the memory made him shudder. That had been the day he'd found out his boyfriend was lactose intolerant and often forgot to refill his medication.

He'd seen him devour a tub of ice cream and plenty of cookies during the holidays, but all the same, he didn't want the end result. So he put two pots on the stove to heat up, grabbing the chocolate syrup and pouring it in with their respective kinds of milk. The bigger pot had whole milk, and the smaller had almond milk. 

"Denki, babe, you love me!" Ashido said as she passed by the kitchen, "Making enough for us! It's freezing!"

"You're telling me!" Kaminari laughed, stirring the pots as they heated up. He chatted amongst his friends, grabbing a tray and their favorite mugs. Spiderman and Pichu, respectively. As much as he hated going back out into the cold, it was a necessary evil to deliver the hot chocolate to his boyfriend outside. He could only hope they didn't chill before he got any.

Kaminari poured the hot beverages and topped them with marshmallows, getting help in opening the door now he had a tray in his hands.

"Hey, babe! I've got the drinks!" He called, though he did not receive a response.

"Baaaaabbbeee??"

There was a yelp from above him and Kaminari realized. Sero must have been on the glass roof, and yeah. There was what he expected. A few feet away, Sero was hanging upside down, wrapped in multicolor lights which thankfully weren't blinking. And at the perfect height for kissing, if he sat down.

"Hey there, spider Santa." Kaminari chuckled, crossing his legs and sitting down in front of his pouting boyfriend, setting the tray aside.

"I can't believe it happened again!" Sero hissed, his face red from the blood rushing there due to his position.

"Aww, it's not that bad."

"Please help me out of this, Denki." 

"Not yet~!"

"Wh- Oh. Oh yeah!" The grin returned to Sero's face, and Kaminari matched it.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips against Sero's and feeling the static gathering around them as always happened when they kissed. It wasn't one of their better kisses; in fact, it was quite awkward and made them feel like it was their first kiss all over again.

When they broke, Kaminari started giggling uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" Sero asked, trying to look but failing epically in his cocoon of lights.

"I- Oh my god. The lights, Sero. I lit them." 

"Holy crap you did! Take a pictu- Nope they're out." 

"Merry Christmas, babe." Kaminari reached up to the lights, watching them illuminate likely the whole outside building. The blonde thought the colors looked good on Sero, and even voiced his opinion as he attempts to untangle the mess of wires. Soon, the raven-haired teen was on the ground with him and the lights were hung, and they admired their work despite the cold.

"Wasn't there supposed to be hot chocolate?" Sero asked, and Kaminari blinked twice before realizing what had been said. He ran over to the tray he'd brought out, groaning at what he found.

"Babe, the hot chocolate froze."

[silly-nonny-fics-are-for-fandoms]

The best Gift

The twelve days of Kaminari Ships: Kamidoriya/Dekukami! Sorry for not uploading yesterday, our Wifi was down and when it finally came back, Tumblr was a bit too much for it to handle. "Zuzu," Kaminari sighed, "Ya know, I totally get the whole 'bomb-ass quirk' thing, but I don't think this is a good idea."

“Yeah, but you've got electricity! And when I activate my quirk it makes me spark so-" 

Midoriya had his pleading eyes on again, the kind he got when it came to anything quirk related. He knew Kaminari was weak to those eyes since he'd used it as a weapon against him multiple times. Now, he'd thought of something new to do with his quirk which didn't quite sit right with the blonde. Midoriya wanted Kaminari to attempt to absorb the excess electricity off of him or discharge into him while using his quirk, and certainly, Kaminari wouldn't have agreed to such an idea. 

A part of him was sure it would end with them both in the hospital. The bigger, romantic part of him was screaming Fuck it, he's cute and we're bi AF. Do it. It'll make him happy. And maybe we can convince him to wait in line with us for that new game coming out for Christmas as repayment and get a date.

Then the sensible part came back, agreeing with the romantic and reminding him that he was dating Midoriya. His heart melted quickly after.

"I mean..." Kaminari trailed off, chuckling, "As long as it doesn't... Spark something new in you?" 

He watched Midoriya's face turn bright red, and while Kaminari was sure the boy could crush him like he was a piece of tissue paper he couldn't help but find it endearing, if not embarrassing.

"I just meant that electricity can- uh- help boost quirks and used to be used to cause people to present their quirks as kids prematurely and. Yeah. It can also make reflexes faster or physically stronger for a bit and a lot of people use it to help in healing but I'm too dumb to do that so-"

Midoriya cut him off by his own rambling beginning.

"I should have known that was what you were talking about- haha- It's not like my mind went somewhere it shouldn't and of course it was about quirks we were talking about quirks-- Did I just say that out loud? Oh yeah, you're right it can we're trying that later, mental note, and we should probably get back to what we were gonna do what was that again?"

"I don't remember. All I can think of is how much I love you, Midoriya." Kaminari said, his voice tight as if he didn't realize he was speaking. 

Midoriya's babbling continued and his hands waved frantically, which helped to calm Kaminari's nerves. He didn't know how to get their conversation back on track, but he did remember something from his boyfriend's mumbling.

"Hold on a second," He said, grabbing Midoriya's flailing hands and causing him to stop, confusion meeting an excited grin, "You just reminded me of something!" He let go and, luckily, Midoriya's curiosity got the better of his embarrassment as Kaminar crouched down, opening his own black backpack and rifling through it.

"What is it?" The emerald haired teen asked, and Kaminari soon pulled out a notebook. Completely blank inside, the outside decorated with little drawings of... Midoriya? Yes, Midoriya. Him in his first hero costume, then his second, and then Gamma. A steady progression, now he noticed, of his progress. From the first day, the USJ attack, to the sports festival when he was still bad at controlling his quirk, to his final exam and the rescue mission for Bakugo, ending with the presentation of his shoot style, looking as if he was kicking through the page instead of a boulder.

"I made you your own progress notebook! You're always taking notes of something or other, and I know from experience it only results in a bunch of notebooks that are only half filled. You've got ones on everyone else, you deserve to have one about yourself!" 

Tears brimmed the green eyes, and Kaminari's grin faded into worry.

"You... Do you not like it? I can redraw the cover if you- Mnnf!" Kaminari was cut off once more, brought in for a quick teary-eyed kiss from the slightly shorter male.

"I love it..." The tears streamed down freckled cheeks as he took the notebook, holding it against his chest. Kaminari smiled and took Midoriya's right hand in his own, kissing over the scars there and trailed up his arms, listening to the laughter coming from his boyfriend at the action.

He paid extra care to kiss over where he wore a brace, for his own protection and hoping, even though he was stupid and had no control, it might help soothe any lingering pain. Eventually, he reached his boyfriend's shirt and nuzzled his face over his shoulder and up the other teen's neck, before reaching his face and kissing away the lingering tears.

"I'm glad you like it. It's part of your Christmas gift, but I knew I'd forget so I wanted to give it to you today!" He grinned, and Midoriya leaned against him gently. 

"You're really too sweet," Midoriya said with a blush, almost feeling the need to shield his eyes from the bright smile in front of him.

"There's more where this came from! I'm gonna make sure this is the best Christmas ever; Plus ultra!"

"Plus ultra!!" 

They dissolved into a fit of merry laughter, and Midoriya noticed the jingle bells attached to Kaminari's bag as he picked it up from the ground with his free hand as theirs were still intertwined.

"Wh-What're those for?" He pointed to the items, the tail end of his laughter catching into his sentence.

"Huh? Oh. Pissing off Kacchan. Ya know, 'If Bakugo doesn't want to kill you for it, you aren't doing it right'?" 

"He's not gonna be very happy..."

"Too bad, he's pissed enough that I'm dating you."

"He knows?!"

Kaminari looked over at him and chuckled pulling him along. "Of course he knows! Don't worry, mutual agreement of neutral holiday territory."

"S-So. We can...?"

"We can cuddle on the couch, drink hot chocolate together and all that without him getting pissy! All throughout the holiday season!"

"Is that also part of my gift?" Midoriya gave him a shaky smile, and Kaminari nodded. The embodiment of holiday joy was enough to break down even the most stubborn and stoic of people, and someone like Midoriya was no exception to it.

Truly, dating the blonde was the best gift he could have asked for this Christmas.

[silly-nonny-fics-are-for-fandoms]

Warm Colors

The twelve days of Kaminari ships, day 2: Kirikami. Once more for @tiedbyaredstring  , I hope you’re having a great day!

A lot of people assumed Kirishima's favorite color was red, and they'd only be partly correct in such an assumption. He loved the red the leaves turned in the fall, the red of a sailor's sunset, the color of love and passion. He adored seeing the blazing red of Crimson Riot on a screen or in a photo, inspiring even if it was to hide the blood of his enemies.  

The Christmas season had a lot of not only red but his true favorite color. Golden yellow. The color of bells when they ring, the sun shining in the sky and more leaves in autumn; of tinsel and outfits people put together. Fairy lights in a room, illuminating the darkness and bringing comfort to many. The color a new morning cast over the world, bringing about a nearly endless stream of possibilities. Sunshine and many flowers were golden, too. 

His favorite example was watching Kaminari's eyes, sparkling an amber color he found himself drowning in. The sunny yellow of his hair and disposition when he saw the lights on a tree, listened to his favorite music or talked about something he loved. Kaminari was a lot of shades of yellow, with sunny days and golden hues of warmth. Some days, the shade dulled and discolored, rusting and barely resembling the vibrancy it once held; those were the days Kirishima liked the least. 

Luckily, today didn't appear to be one of those days. Kaminari was sitting on the couch, curled up in his favorite fur blanket, watching the holiday special on TV. Somehow, he hadn't noticed the redhead's presence in the doorway, hooked on the show he was watching. The old claymation didn't age well, but the story remained the same and hooked Kaminari every time. He didn't quite understand why, yet he knew the smile on his love's face was more than enough explanation. 

He made his way into the kitchen, finding a pot of hot chocolate being kept warm on the stove. He poured himself a cup of it, adding marshmallows and whipped cream to the top before grabbing himself a few cinnamon rolls from their platter on the counter. Outside, the snow glimmered in the sunlight of the new morning, and people were already on their ways out to work. Kirishima would go snow blow their driveway in an hour or so, but he wanted to enjoy the time in the warmth while he could.

Kaminari tended to fry the snow blower, which is why the responsibility fell to Kirishima to do it, and his reward was part of why he didn't complain about the task. His wonderful boyfriend always greeted him with a kiss after he came back in without fail, a blanket he'd put into the dryer for a short period and a cup of hot chocolate. Bakugo once said they were disgustingly domestic together, but neither minded. 

The Christmas tree was going up today, decorating boxes all around. Strings of lights and tinsel in their boxes brought down the night before from the attic, and it made everything better. This would be their first Christmas in their new house since they moved in shortly after the new year began. Kaminari was ecstatic for the prospect of getting to bring their friends over for a holiday party and even had plans to set up the backyard for such an event. 

Kirishima chuckled at the thought, finishing his sweets and going into the living room where the other sat, eyes glued to the tv. He sat down and kissed his cheek, listening to the pleased hum he made and leaned against the blonde's shoulder. He hadn't spiked up his hair yet, knowing it would only be defeated by the snow outside, so Kaminari didn't mind. In fact, he leaned his head down and adjusted the blanket so they could share in the warmth, ignoring the movie as another song played it's closing. 

His boyfriend's breasts were soft, even though the hoodie and blanket made it seem as if it was merely the fabric. He knew the blonde hated them, and he wanted so badly to give him his Christmas gift early already. Kirishima had started a savings account just to get Kaminari the top surgery he wanted, but couldn't afford before. He remembered when they moved in, Kaminari had commented how spacious the place was. Said it could use a dog or a cat, or even a couple kids to fill it one day. Kirishima got red just thinking about such a prospect.

Kaminari picked up the remote as the movie ended, switching to another channel, the music channel, and set it down. Kirishima never had an issue with the sound, since he knew what it meant. Kaminari got up, yawning and stretching, while Kirishima watched him. The blonde held out a hand to help him up, and Kirishima took it only to be pulled into a hug, which began moving on him. 

The music picked up, and Kaminari grinned, asking to dance. The redhead was never one to deny him such a simple request. Their lights could go up later, the driveway could wait; the person in front of him was the most important. 

He found himself falling even harder as Kaminari spun him around, their bodies moving in time to the beat of the music. He didn't think it had been possible, but he'd been wrong many times before. Kaminari found little ways to make him fall in love all over again every day, like now. Something as simple as dancing, but it was so much like them to randomly do such an act which made him love it even more.

They danced around the room, careful to avoid boxes and lights, holding each other close. Music filled their house, a sense of their own little world inside. He could hear the wind howl outside, but he didn't feel the chill. Oh, it would be cold outside, but the arms of a certain golden-eyed man were the warmest place in the world.