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victiamai · 4 months ago

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🦋 INTERACTIONS IN TOKYO REVENGERS 🦋

⚠️Some obscenity (mentions) and inappropriate language⚠️

🦋Visit me on Instagram 🦋

🐞Personal Instagram: @vic_m.d🐞

🐞Arts Instagram: @vic_tia_mai🐞

🦋Female reader 🦋

⚠️English is not my first language, so please forgive me for any mistakes in this story. ⚠️

💜Good Reading 💜

Characters: Shinichiro Sano, Manjiro Sano (Mikey), Haruki Hayashida (Pah-chin), Ryōhei Hayashi (Peh-yan), Ken Ryuguji (Draken), Keisuke Baji, Hanemiya Kazutora. Bônus: Taiju Shiba.

Shinichiro Sano:

•He almost had a heart attack when you asked to go for a motorcycle ride with him.

•He helped you onto the bike like a good gentleman (Don't settle for anything less girls!)

•Shinichiro held his breath as you hugged his waist. God! You were driving him crazy!

•Silent walk, because he still doesn't have the words to express what he's feeling.Or, he's afraid to say something and ruin the moment.

•"Oh my God Y/N! You need to go out with me more often!"

Manjiro Sano (Mikey):

•You asked him to drive you home on his motorcycle after school was over. At first, he said no because he was lazy. Then he got confused. Soon after, he accepted it well.

•Mikey didn't seem to mind when you wrapped your arms around his waist. But he was screaming inside, and you can be sure of that!

•He said goodbye to you with a smile and a 'bye bye'

•He smiled to himself as he remembered her hands around his waist.

Haruki Hayashida (Pah-chin):

•You two are friends, right? So it would be okay if he gave you a ride, right? Pah felt his brain shut down and his face heat up when you asked him for a ride. He said yes, with a compulsive nod.

•He was completely quiet. You hugged his waist, he shivered.

•It's a good thing you couldn't see his face. He was breathing really fast and his face was really red.

•He was still dazed when you got off his bike.

•"Thank you Pah!" You smiled gently. He cleared his throat before answering you. "You're welcome S/n chan... When you need anything, just ask!".

•God, you were going to end up killing this man any time now!

Ryōhei Hayashi (Peh-yan):

•My God, a girl... A beautiful girl... Very beautiful... Very very very very beautiful! The most beautiful of all the girls. Asking him for a ride. Peh yan thought he was going to faint. "Of course y/n chan!"

•When you hugged his waist, he thought he was going to fall off the bike. But he managed to keep his posture.

•"So S/n, where do you want to go?" He was so nervous that he didn't even realize he was talking to you.

•You had your hands on his stomach. He was content to glance at them a few times. Just to make sure it was real.

•He was still in a daze when you got off the bike. He really wanted you to kiss his cheek, but he settled for your "thank you!"

Ken Ryuguji (Draken):

•Draken looks you down when you ask for a ride. Soon after, he offers you a gentle smile "Sure, y/n, come on up!"

•He spoke little on the way, and held his breath when you shyly hugged his waist.

•He had to fight not to imagine you sliding your hands over his body.

•You had your hands right above his scar, and God, it was sending waves of heat through his entire body.

•He could barely hide the tremor in his voice as you got off his bike and thanked him.

•"You're welcome S/n, always as you command!"

Keisuke Baji:

•You were visibly drunk. So Mikey asked Baji to take you home safely. An order from the gang commander could never be disobeyed. So Baji agreed to take you in immediately.

•Baji helped you get on his bike, and you immediately hugged his waist.

•Baji gasped as you and your bold hands entered his shirt. Touching the bare skin of his belly. "What the fuck are you doing Y/N?" You give him a wicked smile.

•He knew it would be really shitty of him to do something to you drunk like that.

•Baji could barely hide his excitement when you got off his bike. Putting an end to that delicious torture.

•He helped you get off his bike.

•"Bye kitty!" You yelled at him. "Fuck you Y/N!" He yelled back at you. "And next time don't drink so much, you idiot!" You laughed hysterically before entering your house.

•Você ia pagar por isso depois. Pode ter certeza disso!

Hanemiya Kazutora:

•Ele realmente não sabia como responder a você. Mas você continuou esperando por uma resposta. "Ok S/n... Eu vou te levar para casa!"

•Ele enrijeceu quando você envolveu seus braços em volta da cintura dele, seus olhos se arregalaram. Ele ficou violentamente vermelho.

•Se você mantiver suas mãos paradas, ele suspirará. Se você mover suas mãos, ele subirá pelas paredes. "S/n, o que você está fazendo?"

•Você corou profundamente. "Sinto muito, Kazu... Eu não queria..." Ele pressionou suas mãos gentilmente contra seu estômago. "Está tudo bem. Apenas... Continue!"

•Ele está sorrindo enquanto você desce da moto. "Por favor S/N... Peça-me uma carona com mais frequência!"

Taiju Shiba:

•Você sendo a namorada de Taiju Shiba

•Você anda de moto com seu namorado frequentemente.

•Abrace-o com força enquanto vocês dois andam de moto. Na moto dele. Taiju simplesmente ama quando você faz isso!!!

•Você sabe o que ele ama ainda mais? Quando você passa suas mãozinhas atrevidas sobre seu corpo.

•Você decidiu provocar hoje. Suas mãos indo e voltando em seu membro vestido. Taiju sente o material de suas calças de repente ficando apertado.

•Taiju solta um suspiro. "Oh meu anjo... Você está sendo tão cruel... Eu vou ter que punir você!"

•Prepare-se!

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y2klostandfound · 1 year ago

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How to win - Jet Set Radio Future on Game Players New magazine Vol.29 (Video game magazine)(Hong Kong)(2002)(06/03/2002)(Part 1)

Translation in English:

XBOX

2002

On sale

ACT - SEGA

6,800 Yen - 1-4 players

Corresponding to 5-1ch audio equipment

Attention!

This game is only suitable for and anyone who may imitate or reference the in-game characters should also avoid touching this game as much as possible. If anyone engages in similar behavior after reading this article, I or the publication will not be held responsible, please pay attention!

JET SET RADIO FUTURE

Hello everyone! I am a DJ PROFESSOR K, the embodiment of beauty and wisdom, and a heroic companion!! Do you feel that life is boring? Looking for something fun to do? Come on! Listen to my Tokyo underground radio station! ! Don't forget the name, yes! ! It's "JET SET RADIO"! ! YEEEEEEEE~~~~HAAAAAA! ! !

Let's start with an introduction to the current situation! Tokyo is now dominated by Gouji Rokkaku , whose "Rokkaku Group" is more powerful than the local government, and no matter what level it is, such as real estate, society, culture or entertainment, it is also controlled by them, and the people have no freedom of choice at all, day after day, month after month, they live according to the meaning of the Rokkaku, without a soul and without their own selves. Recently, Rokkaku succeeded in becoming the mayor, which completely fell to the hands of Rokkaku in Tokyo, even the law can be changed by him at will, of course, the police are not spared, and they have become Rokkaku's Corps and they are fighting against those who are against him, OH MY GOD!

However, where there is darkness, there is light, and a group of young people who are passionate about life are determined to vent their inner grievances with graffiti and to awaken the sleeping people with crazy actions. But there was one thing that surprised them, When it happened, it turned out that "Rokkaku Expo Stadium" was in full swing, and the surrounding vigilance was also strengthened a lot, which made the struggle between these young people and the Rokkaku Group heated up. Although the enemy is a group with great power, fortunately, many capable people have joined in the process of protest, which has ignited new hope for this group of young people. And this class of ideal Stormy Teenagers, they call themselves "GG"! !

Members of GG

CORN

The person who already existed when GG was founded is now GG's leader, very competitive, and often considers himself a genius.

GUM

She is another main member of GG, is responsible for the operation of the organization together with CONE (CORN), she is so calm that the men who have a crush on her automatically give up after ten minutes.

YOYO

The new member of the GG, the typical storm boy, is arrogant and often calls himself a cannon king.

BEAT

The mysterious boy who appeared on the streets of Tokyo, since his appearance, things have changed rapidly.

ROBOY

The robot that CONE(CORN) retrieves, everything else is unknown, only known to be as arrogant as CONE(CORN).

ROKKAKU GROUP

Rokkaku Police

The front-line personnel of the Rokkaku Group, everything that will hinder the people and things of the Rokkaku Group is also their goal.

HASHED (HAYASHI)

The police commander of the Rokkaku Police Force, Division 0 is a very troublesome policeman. If he is targeted by him, he will never have a good life.

Gouji Rokkaku

The chairman of the Rokkaku Group, who dominates Tokyo's economy and culture, is a very authoritarian careerist.

Getting Started

Controller

Buttons MENU In-game

Left Stick Select Walk/Run

Right Stick -- Look around (while standing)/Map

rotation (in PAUSE)

Arrow keys Select --

A button Decide Jump/Decide

B button Cancel Accelerate/Use props during battle

X button -- Continuous TRICK/HANDPLANT

Y button -- Continuous TRICK/TURN

START button Decide PAUSE on

BACK button Cancel Cancel

Left button -- The camera direction is corrected

to the front

Right button -- Spray GRAFFITI/ Dialogue unfolds

Various Actions Basics

Walk/Run

Left STICK is to control the character's movement. After inputting a few directions, the character will make a sprint start and then move forward at an even speed.

Jump

The A button is for jumping, The distance and height depend on the time of pressing the button, if you press it for a long time, you will jump higher, different characters will have more or less jumping power.

Turn

On the way to several directions, press the Y button to make the character turn his back foward and make a backward movement.

Dialogue

Some characters can have a dialogue with the player, as long as you approach the player, the dialogue icon will appear, and you can press the right button

Accelerate

Each time you use it, you need to consume 10 cans of spray paint, press the B button to use it, and you don't need to use it while jumping.

Camera Correction

During the game, the camera will turn with the character's movement, press the left button to correct it to look straight ahead.

TIC Tips

When fighting against the enemy or Rival, the left button can be used to lock the target. When the opponent is in front and the CURSOR is yellow, press the left button, and the CURSOR will turn red. At this time, press the B button to accelerate, and there is a chance to make a straight line to recover the gap, but it still needs 10 cans of spray paint.

TRICK

GRIND

Basically all handrails or fences can also do this action, just walk close to the above facilities, press the A button to jump, the character will automatically slide on the handrail or fence, and is not limited by the slope, even if it's vertical.

AIR

Using speed or an inclined platform, you can jump higher than normal, and the movements you make while flying are classified as AIR.

WALLRIDE

Specific walls (such as advertising boards) allow players to slide on them, and they are not limited by the slope, as long as the character touches the wall, and the speed is faster than that on the ground.

HANDPLANT

In some "U" shaped terrain, it is possible for the character to make this action, and when the character is about to reach the edge of the item, press the X button to make an upside down posture, which has the effect of accelerating.

COMBINATION

GRIND COMBINATION

On the railing-shaped terrain, it is possible to make GRIND movements, but in fact, combined actions can also be added to GRIND movements. And the method is simple, just press the X and Y buttons, and press continuously to make a series of actions to increase the score, as for what the use of the extra score is, I will introduce it to you later.

AIR COMBINATION

AIR COMBINATION is almost the same as GRIND, as long as you enter X and Y in the air state, the character will make fancy.

Spray Painting Tips

In the game map, there will be a rotating round plan (GRAFFITI POINT) on the wall, which represents a place that needs to be painted, the player has to make the character approach and then press the right button to spray the pattern. Each GRAFFITI POINT needs to consume a can of spray paint, but one thing to note is that pressing the right button anywhere will also consume a can of spray paint.

Continuous spraying

If there are more than one GRAFFITI POINT side by side on the wall, it means that the spray painting is of a larger size. Players can start from the first pattern and press the right button until the last one.

The type of spray painting

There are five sizes of spray painting in the game, namely SS, S, M, L, and XL.

NEW GAME

After selecting NEW GAME, you will start the main game mode for one person only and in order to spray GG's spray paint all over Tokyo, the player must travel through all the different areas and solve the obstacles in front of you. The game consists of two main parts, "STREET" and "GARAGE PARK", which will be introduced in detail below.

STREET

Based on Tokyo, each "STREET" can be regarded as a level, and certain conditions must be completed before moving on to the next one. As for the conditions, it is different each time, the player can ask other team members at Garage Park or listen to JSR'S DJ PROFESSOR K for information. But there is one thing common to all STREETs, that is, all spray painting must be completed. Another thing that we must mention is that each STREET will have certain hidden things that will not be provided with intelligence, how to find out, you have to look at your skills.

GARAGE PARK

The base camp of GG, all team members will also gather here, players can freely practice here, and listen to the ADVICE of teammates. In addition, if you talk to ROBOY, you can enter the GARAGE MENU screen, which has functions such as game setting change, SAVE, custom spraying, basic skill training, and character rotation in use. And every time you finish a street, you have to come back here once, so GARAGE PARK is definiteky an important place.

GG Handbook

In the GG Handbook, you can clearly understand the "STREET MISSION" of each version, so what is STREET MISSION?

In fact, these are the conditions for the appearance of the hidden "GRAFFITI SOUL" and every time you complete a STREET MISSION, a GRAFFITI SOUL will appear. GRAFFITI SOUL is an optional spray pattern that can be viewed and selected in the GARAGE MENU after obtaining it. However, in order to make STREET MISSION appear, you must first find and get the "MYSTERY TAPE" in this section, then the STREET MISSION can be found in the GG Handbook.

PAUSE Screen Diagram

1.Instruction - Indicates the condition or goal that is currently a priority.

2.The street where you are - Displays the name of the street where the player is currently located.

3.GRAFFITI SOUL/ GRAFFIT in the map -

Top:The number of GRAFFITI SOULS acquired in the same layout.

Bottom: The number of GRAFFITI completed in the same layout, calculated in GRAFFITI POINT.

4.Number of GRAFFITI SOUL - Number of GRAFFITI SOUL acquired.

5.The Direction of the PLAYER - The arrow represents the front of the player.

6.ICON-

CHARACTER CHANGE: Available only at GRAFFITI STOP.

SAVE:Available only at GRAFFITI STOP.

GG Handbook: The conditions in each map and the content of "Mystery TAPE".

Back to the game

Game Screen Explanation

MAIN GAME Screen

The usual game screen, STREET is the same as GARAGE PARK.

1.STAMINA GAUGE - After receiving damage, it will be reduced, and when it is reduced to zero, it will be game over.

2. Number of spray paint cans - It can be collected on the street, and you must have spray paint before you can spray paint.

3.Number of GRAFFITI - The number of paintings on the same layout, the number completed is on the left, and the total number is on the right.

4.GRAFFITI POINT - You must have this logo to spray paint on the wall.

5.SPEED METER - Indicates the current speed of the character.

Use continuous TRICK!

When using continuous TRICK, additional points will appear on the upper left of the screen. The more consecutive TRICKs you perform, the higher your score will be. When you reach a certain level of score, there will be "prizes". Let's work hard! !

BATTLE screen

There is a slight difference between BATTLE and MAIN GAME game modes, so the screen representations are different.

1.TIME - An item that will appear in RACE MODE, which will give the player a better understanding of the current situation when racing with RIVAL.

2.CURSOR - Whether it is BATTLE with the enemy or a RIVAL, CURSOR will also appear. When you approach the opponent, CURSOR will appear on the opponent.Press the left button at this time, and the CURSOR will turn red, indicating that the person has locked the target.

PAUSE screen

Press the START button during the game to enter the PAUSE screen, which is a decisive help for playing the game. You can also enter this screen when you are in BATTLE. Press the left and right buttons to switch map mode and view the entire map. In addition, the "GG Handbook" can also be viewed on this screen.

Continue to Part 2

#jet set radio future #xbox #jsrf

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begglog · 1 year ago

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[File Downloading…]

[0%… 30%… 60%… 90%… 99%…]

[FILE DOWNLOADED TO YOUR DATABANK]

[The Falcons of Conquest.]

The Falcons of Conquest. The progenitor of the facility kommandant units that are assigned to multiple sectors all throughout the Nation's territory. The Falcons of Conquest serve as the Nation's response against the Empire after the death of Our Great Leader's kind daughter. Having the face, the prowess, and the strategical mind of the late general, the Falcons are unstoppable war machines. Dominating whatever battlefield they set their foot upon.

30 Falcons were made before the beginning of the transition to the lesser, cheaper, and less durable facility commanding FKLR units, as the height of war had began to slowly taper to a calm as these magnificent units, alongside Our Great Leader, turned the tides in favor of the Nation, there was a reduced need to continue assemble these replikas.

The remaining Falcons now live in the heart of the Nation, the planet of Heimat, as they continue their great service to the Nation by guarding The Great Revolutionary and her residence.

[Page 1 of 6.]

[Continue reading?]

No. Yes.

[Do you wish to delete these files, Dr. Hayashi?]

No. Yes.

[DELETING FILES. PLEASE WAIT…]

[0%… 30%… 60%… 90%… 99%…]

[FILES DELETED.]

[You shouldn't have returned, Jonah.]

#signalis #falke signalis #signalis oc #ich bin hier unbekannt #schicksal #heimdall #aegis #talaria #madame 02 #my art #and so the prodigal egg returns with some lore #yes my sig story finally has a name #ill post another thing later when i polish the caption #otherwise #things are finally in the works :)

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bluespiderlully · 20 days ago

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• Spiderlily AU - the Demon Slayer Corp •

Hello and welcome (or welcome back) in another of my Spiderlily AU posts, I already anticipated something about the Corp in the first lore post I wrote but in this one I'll dive deeper into it.

You already know that in this AU Sun Breathing isn't a thing, so the seven main base breathing styles are independent one from another and have derived ones; this means that they have a specific hierarchy.

☆ COMMANDERS

Important decision are taken by commanders, that are basically the Hashiras using a base breathing.

🌊 Giyu Tomioka (Water Hashira)

-> 🪷 Kanae Kocho (Flower Hashira)

-> 🧊 Sabito Ashina (Ice Hashira)

🌪 Sanemi Shinazugawa (Wind Hashira)

-> ☁️ Haruki Amagumo (Cloud Hashira)

-> 🌫 Muichiro Tomioka (Mist Hashira)

🪨 Fujiko Mori (Stone Hashira)

-> ☄️ Tengen Uzui (Meteor Hashira)

-> ⏳️ Obara Kanroji (Sand Hashira)

-> 🌋 Enkai Ikeda (Magma Hashira)

🔥 Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame Hashira)

-> 🐍 Obanai Iguro (Snake Hashira)

-> 🌸 Mitsuri Kanroji (Love Hashira)

⚡️ Makomo Urokodaki (Thunder Hashira)

-> ✨️ Asuka Rengoku (Light Hashira)

-> 🧿 Ayumi Shinazugawa (Shadow Hashira)

-> 🌩 Hiromi Kazeshi (Storm Hashira)

🔮 Enmu Tamio (Dream Hashira)

-> 🦋 Shinobu Kocho (Insect Hashira)

-> 💫 Nezha Xiang (Star Hashira)

-> ☠️ Rei Miyazaki (Death Hashira)

🩸 Akane Hayashi (Blood Hashira)

-> 🌹 Fukuge Miyazaki (Thorn Hashira)

-> ⚗️ Harriet Spencer (Poison Hashira)

Decisions concerning all the others are taken by them together, but when it comes to the other two or three people using a derived breathing style it comes to just the Hashira in charge of them. (Since Muichiro, Enkai, Obara and Rei are all 14 they aren't allowed to actually work there)

☆ TREASURES

Everyone can fight but some don't always go out in missions, their job is to manage finances, order what the headquarters need from outside (food, medicines, clothes, products, fuel...) and take care of public relations. The Hashiras doing this job are Kyojuro, Asuka, Haruki, Nezha and Tengen. Almost everyone of them decides to be a treasurer, Kyojuro was forced to join this part of the Corp after being severely injured and becoming partially deaf.

☆ STRATEGISTS

Their task is to research about demons and plan how and when to attack, they also study the environment so they can use it at their advantage and avoid disadvantages and useless losses. Giyu, Ayumi and Fujiko are the ones in charge.

☆ MEDICAL STAFF

There's no Butterfly Mansion since I imagined this headquarters just like a large barracks with a little infirmary where Enmu and Kanae (as doctors) and Mitsuri and Fukuge (as nurses) work. Of course, they're just twenty two people, so they just work there when it's needed.

☆ CHEMISTS

Breaking Bad time, no, just kidding. Chemists are in charge of examining tissues and blood, mainly demonic ones and to elaborate poisons. Sometimes they work with the medical staff of course, chemists are Shinobu, Harriet and Obanai.

☆ EXTERMINATORS

These ones are in charge of killing demons when they become too many and too aggressive; exterminators go there and just kill the demons causing problems, no metter how many, no matter how strong they are, they just have to hunt them down and then kill them. The exterminators are Akane, Sanemi and Hiromi.

☆ FOXFACES

They're not too different from exterminator and, in fact, they cooperate sometimes. Foxfaces have the specific task to hunt and capture alive demons so chemists can experiment on them. The two characters covering the role of foxfaces are Sabito and Makomo (the name refers to the fact they were a kitsune mask when hunting for demons). They are equipped with not-deadly poisons and special ropes.

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peachyblkdemonslayer · 9 months ago

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Gang name: The Gozen Bridage

Name meaning: "Young Lady" a historical title that was given to female samurai or very skilled noblewomen.

Group symbol: A war fan crossed over a Tanto knife with the words "Gozen" on top and "Bridage" on the bottom.

Years in operation: 15

Leaders: Mai Yamaguchi(1st generation), Sumiko Nakajima(2nd generation), Yui Hayashi(3rd generation), Niko Gūre(4th/current generation)

Amount of divisions: 8

Uniforms: The Gozen Bridage have long sleeved jumpsuits with their signature colors being midnight blue, royal blue, and burgundy red. Every uniform has a pocket on the left breast side with two pouch pockets going down the legs on both sides. The group motto is embroidered on one arm along with their rank and positions on the right side of the front of the jumpsuit. Shoe ware tends to stay within the boots or sneakers' side for comfort and effectiveness. Though it's a member chooses to change the bottom of the uniform, such as into a skirt or shorts, they have to prove that it won't hinder their ability to fight, ride their motorcycle or running before getting approved to do so.

Orgin: The Gozen Bridage was founded by first generation leader, Mai Yamaguchi, was out with a friend and they stumbled across a group harassing a girl who was by herself. It was clear that the girl was terrified of what may happen and despite there being people around no one came to help her at all. So Mai in a fit of righteous anger take it upon herself to deal with the boys herself, and deal with them she did. From then on she escorted the girl home for the rest of the girl's time in high school. She insisted that she give Mai some money for her doing so as a way to say thanks Mai accepted after some back and forth. Seeing the systemic issues of there being no protect for women and girls Mai saw this as an opportunity to fill up that gap on a smaller scale. From the time she entered high school onwards she along with her captians would build a very intricate but smooth running system. As time went on the group began to turn a profit and make a name for themselves amongst other gangs from their bodyguard business. Most of their clients being girls from upper middle to upper class families which in turn covered the cost for other these services to lower income and poor girls.

Positions:

Leader/Commander: this position is in charge of all gang members and operations with the help of a few trusted companions. With this difficult job comes a lot of respect and admiration from these followers as being a girl in this male centeric gang world takes a like of heart and determination. Most leader stay in this position for 5 years on average making the Gozen Bridage stand out from other groups.

Captian: this position are in charge of their own portions of the group and reports to the main heads for any and everything. Their often voted into their position by their peers by the pervious captain.

Co- Captian: this position act as a right hand for their captian and an emotional support system for them if things ever become to much for them. And because of that their often offered the position of captian when the current was is retiring or stepping down from that post.

Bodyguards: this position is usually for the strongest and older members of the group though there are exceptions to this rule. Because of the main task at hand being to protect their clients from danger at any cost the mental fortitude one most have for this job is very high. The added bonus is that these gang members are paid for their services while the other money either goes back into the gang, used for mutual aid and or forns other charity work.

Members: this is the most common position most take in the gang but no less important. The main members are what make the Gozen Bridage who they are and there is a very strong sense of sisterhood and family amongst the girls. And no manner how small, new or inexperienced someone may be they should and will be treated with respect at all time.

Uniform:

@insomniac-jay

#tokyo revengers #my art #my ocs #tokyo revengers oc #digital artist #artists on tumblr #the gozen bridage #gure niko #yamaguchi mai #nakajima sumiko #hayashi yui

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kore-pythia-hayashi · 2 months ago

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[on the hallway outside Kore’s chamber, a strange assortment of steps echo. whispers hide and tangle behind her door.]

Ethan: *quietly, peeking his head past her room’s doorframe* Kore? Kore, Kore get up quickly, He’s…

Ethan: *gulps* …coming. My Lord, the Oracle’s room, as commanded.

[from behind him, two figures step into the warm light]

Kronos: Ah, yes. Our praised Oracle. Our… Kore.

[the empousa by his side snarls and gives Kore a mischievous grin]

Kelli: Isn’t she the loveliest! Our lovely, sweet sweet Kore!

Ethan: *glares at the girl and mouths* He wants…tell him…

Kronos: Quiet, empousa! We are here for serious matters, not your foolish endeavors. Now. *gets closer to the girl*

Kronos: Your visions… the war. I want all the information you have to be shared. *sitting down on her bed, his cold voice has strange specks of light in it* What could my wonderful Oracle tell me?

[Let it be known that Hayashi's Kore Pythia was not fearful or timid. Quite the contrary - those around her, from her family to ordinary passers-by, said that she looked incapable of experiencing fear. Brave as a child when she played with snakes found in the grass while other children ran away screaming, brave later when her bloodline was revealed and she began to see the future, which she hated with a burning, poisonous passion. But was she afraid of it? No, Kore was not afraid of her own future or those around her. Grief, regret, anger, love and never fear. Aphrodite's son seemed to have no power over her. But now her lower back was buzzing and covered with small goosebumps, cold under her skin. Icy sweat trickled down the back of her neck and down her back, a lump froze in her throat, suffocating and huge as a whole stone. In front of her, Kronos in Luke's body, with eyes like the most magnificent gold and the sweetest liquid honey, looking too good and surreal, like some small god, like Hecate who looked too irresistible and exciting. And Kore was afraid of him, as she was afraid of no one, not even her father, Apollo, who burned her thin skin and vulnerable flesh. Her heart stopped in her chest, and her hand almost stretched out, unconsciously seeking comfort in Ethan, who stood on the left side of her closed door and looked at her as if she were dying. But she remained herself, remained a girl who cared little about herself and who knew how to put herself together in tiny pieces and at least look decent even if it was a fragile mask. Instead of seeking solace, her hand jerked to her hair, removing the ribbon holding the ponytail and sweeping long strands into the air - liquid shining gold resembled a silk veil that gently fell over her lowered, almost as if in reverence, shoulders and trickled down to her soft shins. She half-closed her eyes, knowing that under her shining eyelashes her eyes were slowly turning green, the smile came out unconsciously, small and hazy. She looked like an ancient Priestess, traditional and meek, Kronos liked the tradition, right?].

Greetings, my lord, Kronos Uranides, child of heaven and earth, husband of the great Rhea and father of the great six... Lord of the World. [Her voice sounded soft and respectful, she kept her head low and briefly pressed her lips to his fingers - they were like cool silk on her sharply parched lips. Part of her thought it was her choice, her choice belonged to him. She accepted him no matter how bad he was]. And Kellonia Hecatnides, the Senior and mightiest among the Empousai, daughter of the goddess Hecate and the daimon Mormo. [the smile that Kelli gave her might have looked affectionate if it hadn't been for too many sharp fangs or the fire in her blood-red eyes. Kore was thinking about her cheerleader uniform, in another world now at her seventeen she could wear the same one instead of a chiton to serve the oracle].

Of course, my lord... I am happy to be pleasing and helpful to you. The war will begin... [She talks, talks a lot and frankly, as before, speaks as always. The words flow in an intermittent river, she describes in detail everything from Percy Jackson's acceptance of the curse of Achilles to Hades joining the fight for the sake of his son, Nico Di Angelo. She talks and talks without ever stopping, even if her throat is painfully compressed, and her tongue seems to be cut by hundreds of small blades. Kronos looks at her with pleasure, his hand gently squeezes her throat, his fingers caress the carotid artery, Kelli watches this as an interesting show, Ethan's trembling fingers grip the scabbard of his sword... It was her choice and Kore Pythia Hayashi never gave up her choice].

#answers and questions #kore says #kore pythia hayashi #ethan nakamura #kelli pjo #Kronos pjo #battle of manhattan

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hanszoe · 5 months ago

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bought chapter 132 of the manga to compare with the anime and was devastated to discover it appears to have been named after hans. isayama must have truly loved them.

anyway, what i wanted to compare was the action sequence. it looks like mappa actually had a lot of material to add here. i've seen hayashi's storyboards for the first part of the scene but am not sure if the action sequence storyboards have ever been released.

there is a really interesting 1s shot in the anime that is included in the action sequence where we see hans' point of view

i believe the darkness on the left side is actually where their eyepatch is. i'm not sure what their vision was like when they weren't wearing it, but considering it's burning here and that side is still completely dark it seems like hans was completely blind on that side.

this is the very last thing they saw, which is i think part of the reason it was storyboarded. their gas canisters exploded moments before they would have made contact with the titan's nape, and then they fell to the ocean.

the anime has very few moments with actual first person perspective. its use here seems symbolic.

i've been thinking about this moment since i first watched the final episodes a few days ago. with the amount of fascists i've seen complain about it, isayama's intention must have worked, as it clearly exists narratively to depict hans as righteous.

but was it real? did they actually enter some sort of afterlife, where the dead are able to see what is happening in the real world? does it mean that erwin really got to find out the truth of their world after all?

hey, levi... is everyone watching us? are our comrades who died proud of us right now? ... don't say things that sound like him...

hans was thinking about the concept of an afterlife, specifically one where the fallen are able to still see them, the entire time the plane was being serviced. they were probably uncertain if they would be able to make it in time, likely thinking that they wouldn't, which is why they were thinking about death. they bring it up to levi, only to be refused by him.

that sound is...

when the rumbling comes, we see hans' reaction to it before anyone else's. they are terrified.

to me, combined with the first person shot of their last moments, i believe that scene occurs chronologically immediately after the first person shot, and only lasts for a few seconds in real time. as hans burns up and falls into the ocean, their dying mind shows them what they'd been thinking of for hours, an afterlife where the dead who fought with them can see them.

hans seems to even know it. i think their "is that so?" not only addresses their sadness at having to stay behind, but their intuition that what they're seeing isn't actually real.

erwin: ah... you've had it hard. we'll take our time listening to you.

and of course, in typical hans fashion, in their mind erwin offers to let them explain everything that had happened to them until that point, finally easing the isolation that they experienced for their four years as commander of the survey corps, and even in their last moments.

#attack on titan #hange zoe

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leagueofgardens · 1 year ago

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Legion Álfheimr, Past and Present

The nine headliners of the second-generation Legion Álfheimr

Two legions at Yurigaoka Girls' Academy have borne the name of Álfheimr, one of which is still active, and both in their time have been believed the strongest legion in the world. Though most Assault Lily stories focus on different and less mighty legions, within the setting as a whole, none are more important than Álfheimr.

The influence of the first Álfheimr was so great that it set the standard of other legions, on average, having 13 members. They are also considered to be the originators of Neunwelt Tactic-focused battle strategy as it exists today.

Let's review the stories of both Álfheimarnir, past and present.

The First Legion Álfheimr

Legion Álfheimr began as one of Yurigaoka's reserve teams, composed mostly of third-year junior high school students with a few first-year high schoolers among them. Reserve teams like these are generally kept away from live combat and not considered "legions" at all. At Yurigaoka, the purpose of forming these teams is first and foremost that of preparing the younger girls to stand on the front lines later, after they enter high school (and also to take part in some inter-Garden competitions like firepower reviews.)

In Álfheimr's case, the battlefield found them before they were ready.

In 2050, two years before the events of Assault Lily Bouquet, Álfheimr was in Koshu for a training camp when the Huge invaded in force, seeking to build a Nest and establish a new foothold. The local Gardens failed to mobilize in time to push them back, and soon enough, the Lilies present found themselves not defending Koshu but leading the evacuation of its civilian population.

Álfheimr joined in, dividing their thirteen members into several smaller groups so that they could save more people. One of their number—Kawazoe Misuzu—died during this battle, but they did succeed in rescuing people, including a certain girl named Hitotsuyanagi Riri and her friend Kayu.

After that, Álfheimr became a formal legion and was sent on more missions. Of the roughly 30 combat missions they took part in, every one was a victory. Their final mission was the Odaiba Counteroffensive, in which not a single person died despite the overwhelmingly hostile odds, leading to it being considered a miracle.

The Odaiba Counteroffensive happened in early 2051, and shortly after that, the first Legion Álfheimr disbanded. In the typical Assault Lily fashion, we have multiple contradictory reasons for why this happened:

According to the defunct Assault Lily blog in an entry from 2016, Takegoshi Chihana lost a power struggle in the student council, and as she was captain of Álfheimr, the legion was forcibly disbanded.

In the early novels, Álfheimr fell apart as a direct result of Hasebe Touka being put into a vegetative state by an experimental mind-coupled CHARM she was testing on Mashima Moyu's request.

In Bouquet and more recent stories, the legion is said to have broken up due to regrets its members felt ever since the Koshu Withdrawal.

Later in 2051, one of Álfheimr's former members, Akashi Manaka, disappeared during a battle and has not been seen since; most people believe she's dead, but a few like her Schild candidate Ban Kaya are still hoping to discover her alive and well some day. The other members of Álfheimr eventually joined new legions.

Takegoshi Chihana, captain of the first Álfheimr

The members of the first-generation Legion Álfheimr were:

Hayashi Kaoru, currently a 3rd-year Lily, the Schutzengel of Takegoshi Chihana, and a reserve member of Legion Lohengrin. She was the original captain of the first Álfheimr. It's unknown when or why she stepped aside in Chihana's favor.

Takegoshi Chihana, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Lohengrin. In addition to being the captain of the first Álfheimr after Kaoru vacated that position, she's well-known for taking command during the Odaiba Counteroffensive and leading the Lilies there to victory. She was also, at one time, the Sigrún.

Akashi Manaka, who has been missing in action for a year. If she hadn't disappeared, she'd be a 2nd-year Lily.

Amano Soraha, currently a 2nd-year Lily and the captain of the second-generation Legion Álfheimr. She was vice-captain of the first Álfheimr.

Aoki Kaho, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Lohengrin.

Banshoya Ena, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of the second-generation Legion Álfheimr.

Hasebe Touka, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Sanngriðr.

Kawazoe Misuzu, Yuyu's Schutzengel, who died during the Koshu Withdrawal. If she were alive, she'd be a 3rd-year Lily.

Niinomi Nodoka, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Reginleif.

Shirai Yuyu, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Ráðgríðr (Team Hitotsuyanagi).

Taniguchi Hijiri, currently a 2rd-year Lily, the Schutzengel of Rokkaku Shiori, and a member of Legion Reginleif.

Yoshimura Thi Mai, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of Legion Ráðgríðr (Team Hitotsuyanagi).

Watanabe Akane, currently a 2nd-year Lily and a member of the second-generation Legion Álfheimr.

The Second Legion Álfheimr

The current Legion Álfheimr owes its existence to Tanaka Ichi, one of its 1st-year members. She's attended Yurigaoka since kindergarten and has a group of childhood friends known as the "Gang of Five." Along with her, this group includes Egawa Kusumi, Kanabako Misora, Takasuga Tsukushi, and Watanabe Akane.

When Ichi and the other first-years in the Gang of Five entered high school, the five of them decided to form a legion of their own, which received the official name of Legion Skuld. As Ichi was the captain, it was also popularly known as "Team Ichiban."

The reason Legion Skuld became Legion Álfheimr relates to Egawa Kusumi. An incident in junior high school, which we know few specifics about, nearly shattered Kusumi's friendship with the rest of the Gang of Five (though they later reconciled with her) and made her so depressed that she wasn't sure if she could continue being a Lily. Because of this, Yurigaoka temporarily moved Kusumi into the "special dormitory", a place for those Yurigaoka Lilies who need extra accommodations in their living arrangements (either because of their mental health, or for other reasons, like because they are Boosted Lilies.)

After the first Legion Álfheimr dissolved, Amano Soraha became disillusioned with being a Lily and planned to retire. She was moved to the special dormitory for similar reasons to Kusumi, and there, the two of them found themselves neighbors. They soon became close with one another. According to Soraha, she thought it would be a shame for all of Kusumi's ability to amount to nothing, decided "I want to be a Lily together with this girl," and changed her mind about retiring. The two of them, Soraha and Kusumi, then became Schutzengel and Schild.

Soraha using her Rare Skill, Heliosphere

Soraha decided to join the legion that her Schild was in, and she was followed by her roommate; Banshoya Ena, another veteran of the first Álfheimr.

Although not part of the Gang of Five, Endo Araya has also attended Yurigaoka since elementary school and joined the legion because she was interested in Ichi and Kusumi. She turned down an invitation from Shinobu, the Brynhildr herself, to join the elite Legion Brynhildr Line in favor of joining Legion Skuld.

Mori Tatsuki, the final headliner, likely joined because she was friends with Araya and Misora, though this hasn't been stated as fact anywhere. Tatsuki is also Araya's roommate.

After they proved their strength, Yurigaoka offered to let Legion Skuld change their name to Legion Álfheimr on the condition that Ichi stepped down as the captain and Soraha took over. They accepted the offer, and are now commonly known as simply Álfheimr, sometimes "the second-generation Álfheimr", and sometimes "Team Ichiban" as they were at the start.

Currently, Legion Álfheimr is one of Yurigaoka's four SSS-ranked legions—the strongest legions at the Garden and perhaps in the entire world. One of their major accomplishments was the liberation of Niigata, carried out after Sado Island was invaded by an incredibly powerful Ultra-type Huge given the name of "Fafnir", and Ryuto Girls' Academy in Niigata sent a request for aid to Yurigaoka. Álfheimr mounted an expedition to Niigata and played a key role in the defeat of Fafnir, though they were aided by several other elite legions.

Left to right: Tatsuki, Tsukushi, Misora

The headliners of the second-generation Legion Álfheimr are:

Amano Soraha, a 2nd-year Lily and the captain. She is also known as the "Wielder of the Blue Moon." Her Rare Skill, Heliosphere, allows her to create a powerful defensive barrier to shield herself and her allies. She is known for her friendly demeanor and large appetite.

Watanabe Akane, a 2nd-year Lily and the vice-captain. Nicknamed the "Conductor", her Rare Skill is Testament, which expands the range of other Rare Skills. Lilies with Testament normally have weak defenses, but Akane has mastered a technique called "Just Guard" to shield herself from attacks. She also plays the flute beautifully. She is Tsukushi's Schutzengel.

Banshoya Ena, a 2nd-year Lily and the commander. Her Rare Skill is Circlet Bless, allowing her to wield two CHARMs at once, and she is titled the "Princesse." She likes keeping aquariums and terrariums, and has a pet African lungfish named "Nyoro." It is a widespread rumor that she'll become Ichi's Schutzengel someday, though neither of them have proposed the oath to one another yet.

Egawa Kusumi, the "Child of the Gods", a 1st-year Lily. Her Rare Skill is Phantasm, giving her the ability to simulate countless futures and choose the one she desires (also, she is thus far the youngest ever Lily to have awakened Phantasm.) Her combat style is sometimes called the "Fairy Step," as she tends to look at her feet rather than her surroundings and twirl around like she's dancing. She is one of Yurigaoka's best cooks.

Endo Araya, the "Fenomeno", a 1st-year Lily. She has the same amount of magie as the average Boosted Lily, despite not being one herself. Her Rare Skill, Phase Transcendence, is familiar to anyone who watched Bouquet; unlike Miriam, however, Araya can keep fighting even after using it. She's well known for aggressively hitting on other Lilies at Yurigaoka, but people of every gender have been known to catch her eye.

Kanabako Misora, the "Little Alchemist", a 1st-year Lily. She is an Arsenal with a deep knowledge of both CHARMs and Lilies. Her Rare Skill is Regista, which boosts the magie available to her allies. She shares this Rare Skill with Kaede Johan Nouvel, but she has strong opinions on legion tactics and is viciously critical of Kaede's defensive command style, calling it "anti-Neunwelt."

Mori Tatsuki, the "One Who Hears", a 1st-year Lily. Tatsuki is a Boosted Lily who was rescued by Yurigaoka, and can understand the voices of the Huge, including their battlefield orders. This unique power doesn't make her less eager to fight and kill the Huge in the slightest. Her Rare Skill, Lunatic Trancer, is familiar to anyone who watched Bouquet. She is also an Arsenal who specializes in building and tuning CHARMs.

Takasuga Tsukushi, the "Wildschwein", a 1st-year Lily. Like Ena, her Rare Skill is Circlet Bless, allowing her to wield two CHARMs at once. She is a talented frontline fighter who is especially good at working together with Kusumi, and is one of her closest friends off the battlefield. She is also Akane's Schild. Unfortunately for Akane, who is afraid of the supernatural, Tsukushi loves stories about ghosts and other paranormal phenomena.

Tanaka Ichi, the "Heavenly Wolf", a 1st-year Lily. Her Rare Skill is The Way of the World, allowing her to perceive the movement vectors of allies and enemies alike and predict their future positions. As the president of Yurigaoka's Camellia class, she is strict with many people, but is kind and indulging towards her friends, especially Kusumi. She likes to play the piano and sing.

The reserve members are:

Maki Wakana, a 3rd-year Lily. She is Soraha's Schutzengel. Her Rare Skill is Regista. Uncommonly for a 3rd-year Lily, she has a good understanding of the Neunwelt Tactic and is an excellent commander. She, Soraha, and Kusumi are often said to be the strongest trio of Norns* at Yurigaoka.

Okada Kisara, a 3rd-year Boosted Lily. She is Ena's Schutzengel. Her Rare Skill is Zenon Paradoxa, an ability often described as a combination of Shukuchi and The Way of the World which makes unbelievably swift attacks possible. In contrast to Wakana, she prefers one-on-one dueling to the Neunwelt Tactic, though she can handle both. Because of her pale appearance and sadistic nature, Kisara is nicknamed the "Vampire".

Mozuna Noa, a 2nd-year Lily. Her Rare Skill, Charisma, is familiar to anyone who watched Bouquet. Noa's fighting style is unique, and Kusumi modeled hers after it. Off the battlefield, she's said to be very sweet.

*When a Yurigaoka Lily's Schild has her own Schild, the three of them are known as "Norns".

Final Notes

You might have noticed that Assault Lily has a lot of football (or soccer, if you're an American) references. This article contains three such references. Can you spot them all?

Hint: They're all in the final list of second-generation Legion Álfheimr members.

Edit: After I first made this blog post, Akashi Aika's name was changed to Akashi Manaka by official sources, so I've changed it here too.

#assault lily #assault lily lore #assault lily meta #legion alfheim #legion alfheimr #lore #assault lily bouquet

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beardedmrbean · 1 year ago

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North Korea said a second attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit failed early Thursday, but the reclusive country vowed to launch another in the coming months.

The Malligyeong-1 reconnaissance satellite was mounted on a new type of carrier rocket called the Chollima-1 and launched from a station in North Pyongan province in the early morning hours, according to the state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA). The first and second stages "all flew normally, but failed due to an error in the emergency explosion system during the flight of the third stage," KCNA said in a statement.

North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration is investigating the cause of the accident and plans to attempt a third launch in October, according to KCNA.

North Korea attempted to launch its first spy satellite on May 31, but it crashed into the West Sea after an "abnormal starting" of the second-stage engine, KCNA said at the time.

MORE: North Korea satellite launch fails, with another promised as 'soon as possible'

In 2018, North Korea claimed to have put a satellite into space but international analysts later said that wasn't true.

Thursday's second attempt coincided with joint military drills between South Korea and the United States, which North Korea has long denounced.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan all issued statements "strongly" condemning North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology for its launch, which despite its failure they said is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The three allies also reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together to achieve "complete denuclearization" of North Korea in line with the U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"This space launch involved technologies that are directly related to the DPRK intercontinental ballistic missile program," Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, said in a statement, using the acronym for North Korea's official name. "The President’s national security team is assessing the situation in close coordination with our allies and partners."

"The door has not closed on diplomacy but Pyongyang must immediately cease its provocative actions and instead choose engagement," Watson added. "The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and the defense of our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies."MORE: US, Japan and South Korea's leaders hold historic meeting as threats from China, North Korea loom large

The incident was assessed as not posting "an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies," according to a statement from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which noted that it would "continue to monitor the situation."

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the military "was prepared in advance through identifying signs of an imminent launch."

The office for Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that he held a telephone call with his South Korean and U.S. counterparts on Thursday morning to discuss North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch. The three officials agreed that the launches are happening "in an unprecedented frequency and in new manners" and that they "constitute a grave and imminent threat to the regional security and pose a clear and serious challenge to the international community," according to a statement from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Group of Seven, an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S., also released a statement condemning "in the strongest terms" North Korea's launch.

#nunyas news #fatty mcdictatorpants needs to feed his people instead of this shit

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azure-wolf-227 · 2 years ago

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Magical Girl Katarina AU: Dark Magic

Note: These headcanons on Dark Magic are applicable to all of my AUs where Katarina is born with this element.

The Dark Magic that Katarina uses is different from the Dark Magic that is known in Sorcier. Her Dark Magic is best described as “Pure Darkness” while the magic that is used by Raphael, Sora, and Sarah is “Corrupted Darkness.”

Pure Darkness is innate while Corrupted Darkness is acquired. Meaning that Katarina was born with her Dark Magic while the Dark Magic that Sorcier is more familiar with is acquired through human sacrifice.

Demons are naturally born with Dark Magic and can use either the Pure version or the Corrupt version depending on their intent. The Tenebrous Horde Demons and Monsters use Corrupted Dark magic.

Okay so, in Katarina’s previous world, magic exists but it has been mostly forgotten about. People with the potential to be mages exists but they do not know how to access that magic. It’s like, most people think that magic is fantasy so those born with magic subconsciously suppress it or try to rationalize it. Therefore, they cannot activate their magic by themselves and need an external force to awaken it.

Monkey Girl/Mashiko Hayashi was born with a connection to the Dark Element but she couldn’t access her magic until she bonded with the Wand of Darkness.

In contrast, people in Sorcier know that magic exists and expect to use it (at least, the nobles do). That’s why they manifest their magic so young.

Dark Magic was once natural in Sorcier but an event in the distant past made it so that the Dark Mages lost their magic and new ones could be born. Those born with the affinity for Darkness were instead granted other elements connected to their bloodline, but because they were not completely compatible, their power was weak. This explains why Katarina’s Earth Magic is so weak; she is connected to the Earth element through her Claes blood but she was meant to have the Dark Element.

In this AU, Katarina was born with Dark Magic along with the Earth Magic from her Claes blood. Her Dark Magic was dormant until she regained her memories of her past life.

The real difference between the two is the intent of the mage who has that magic. A Natural Born Dark Mage can use the Corrupted version of the element; just the same, a mage who acquired Dark Magic through a ritual could use Pure Darkness.

Of course, it’s easier for mages who acquired Dark Magic to use the Corrupted version due to the nature of the ritual.

Dark Magic is associated with death, destruction, the night, the shadows, and “bad” emotions like anger, sadness, fear, and envy. It can also affect a person’s mind and memories. These things are not inherently evil but do have negative connotations.

Here is a list of how Katarina uses her Dark Magic:

The ability to see ghosts and spirits. This power is passive, meaning it’s always on.

The destruction aspect is similar to the Cataclysm power from Miraculous. She can specify what she wants destroyed and how she wants it to break. This power can work on living beings but Katarina only uses it against the Demons and Monsters.

Control over shadows and darkness. Travel through shadows, cover an entire area in darkness, uses shadows as solid attacks, make shadow constructs, etc.

Ability to see in the dark

Since her Familiar is a wolf, Katarina/Mashiko has a connections with them and she can command them. This does not work with dogs so they still chase her.

Sensing dark magic and negative emotions. Her Dark Magic sense only allows her to sense the Dark Magic in a general area while Iyashi/Raphael can pinpoint the specific source.

Lock away memories. This power has only been used once in her Past Life and Katarina rather not use it in her current life.

#hamefura #story idea #worldbuilding #magical girl AU #magical girl katarina au #dark magic

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tact-and-impulse · 11 months ago

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At Arm's Length Chapter 24

It's here at last, I had a busy few months (lots of work, passed a 2-day test, got sick over the holidays), but I'm picking up where we left off! On FF.net and AO3

Chapter 24: Finding Closure

When the constant motion finally ceased, the ship’s noise faded as well, save for Sagara’s voice ringing through the mess hall.

“So, I see them carrying the straw hats into town and my dad’s acting like I’m a total stranger. Of course, I give it right back! Then, he drags me along, pretending to treat me to lunch because I saved his other kids.” His story had occupied their attention, helping time pass. It had taken a while to get to this point, since he had gone into extensive detail of his fights on the road. He had encountered his sister first, accompanied by a younger brother who he’d never known. “I’ll wait to tell the next part. Have we stopped?”

Word came that the anchor had dropped, and collectively, they went up to the deck. They had safely arrived at the port, to an early evening. Lights flickered in the distant city streets. The sailors had set the ramp for them to disembark, talking about refueling.

Hayashi nodded at Koshijiro. “This is where we part ways. I may bring the family to visit Tokyo, when the girls are old enough to travel.”

“Please do. And thank you for all your help.” They bowed to each other, and Hayashi took over command of his vessel. One of the orders must have been to sound the ship’s bell as their group disembarked, because this was carried out by Ehara, with a glimmer of a friendly smile.

But they had one more thing to take care of. The criminals had been transferred to the military police, preparing for extradition. Woo was among them, his face still swollen from the beating. The very last in the line was Yukishiro. He was surrounded by officers, head lowered. That was Takani’s cue and she unlocked a drawer in her medicine box, retrieving the book from safekeeping. She handed it to Kaoru, glancing at Yukishiro with trepidation.

Kaoru quietly addressed Himura. “This is alright, isn’t it?”

“Yes…it should be.”

She took a deep breath and stepped forward, offering the diary. “Here…this belongs to you now. Please read it.”

His eyes were dull, sliding from her to Himura. However, he did accept, holding the spine with both cuffed hands. Then, he disappeared in a group of uniformed officers.

I’ll follow up on him. Koshijiro thought. Although Saito was confident that Yukishiro had lost his willpower, he still didn’t trust the young man. He watched the military police for a moment longer, before his daughter called out for him to catch up.

At the end of the docks, someone was waiting. The dark blue atmosphere of dusk couldn’t hide the figure’s tall stature, which didn’t budge as they approached. Hiko curtly nodded at his apprentice. “So, you’re breathing. The tanuki father made it sound like you were on the verge of death.”

“I certainly did not.” Koshijiro argued.

“Why else would you have written?”

Himura blinked in surprise. “Kamiya-dono, you wrote to him?”

“I was grasping for ideas on how to help you.” He deflected, suddenly embarrassed.

“But that was very kind of you, Kamiya-dono.” Himura gave a grateful smile. “Although, Shishou…when did you arrive?”

“This afternoon.”

“Then, you should stay with us!” Kaoru beamed. “Like I said before, you’re always welcome.”

Escaping attention, they took the back roads, the same route Koshijiro had used when he came home. Saito didn’t pass the gate, waiting outside for his family. Tokio returned the key with the update that it had been uneventful in their absence. Her gaze landed on Kaoru, her expression softening.

“I’m glad to see you’re well, Kaoru-san.”

“And I’m glad to be home. Will you join us for dinner?”

“I’m afraid not. Tsutomu’s bedtime is soon and he’ll be fussy. We’ll leave you to rest.” The toddler was in his father’s arms, a paternal gesture that had drawn everyone’s blatant staring. Tokio then added. “Eiji-kun has made a gift for you.”

“It matches the other one I made.” The boy muttered.

“Thank you, I can’t wait to see it.”

With the farewells finished, they settled inside. The house was soon filled with quiet conversation and rustling movements, of comforting sounds. Dinner was quickly made: tamagoyaki, both salty and sweet; stir-fried burdock with sesame seeds; eggplant cooked in ginger and bonito flakes; the remaining miso divided into soup bowls beside the rice portions. And it was the most delicious meal they’d had in over a week. Not a speck was left over, after multiple helpings were served.

Sagara had resumed his story, reaching the climax where he had defeated the gangsters and their leader, a former sumo wrestler. “I did restrain myself a little, so nobody was hurt too bad. But I had to get going, and my old man’s looking after my siblings.” Then, he yawned and that set off a chain reaction of more, especially among Yahiko and Makimachi.

Exhausted, they settled in early, but there was the inevitable question of space. The girls shared Kaoru’s room, Sagara offered to bunk with Himura, and Shinomori was going to stay with Yahiko. That left…

“This’ll do.” Hiko set his sloshing gourd on the floorboards, and unceremoniously planted himself in the free corner of Koshijiro’s bedroom.

Koshijiro suppressed a sigh. Well, he had asked for this, in a way. “If you need blankets, the closet is across the hall.”

In response, he drew his coat around himself and folded his arms. It made Koshijiro feel incredibly awkward about slipping under his own covers. He closed his eyes, desperately trying to drift off.

“Your words reached him.” It wasn’t exactly an expression of gratitude, but it was probably the closest the incorrigible man could muster.

“Himura-san has always been selfless. But you already knew that.”

“Hmph. It’s what instigated our argument, all those years ago. Not that he would ever have been content to stay in the mountains like I have, which doesn’t matter anyway. This place is his home now.”

The next thing Koshijiro knew, it was just before dawn. His throat was dry, and he slowly sat up, but he soon realized there was no need to be quiet. The corner was empty. He shuffled out of bed, and the draft told him the front door was open. He padded over, finding two familiar silhouettes at the threshold.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything else, Shishou?”

Hiko was fully dressed, ready to depart. “Don’t fuss over me. Unless you want me to stay longer? The tanuki father behind you might disagree.”

Koshijro jolted but instead said. “Thank you for visiting. It was kind of you, and as Kaoru said, you’re welcome when you’re in the area again.”

“Do you plan to be?” Himura asked, a slight begrudging inflection in his tone.

“I have a feeling I will, and soon.” The man smirked, and with his coat sailing in the wind, he briskly strode off.

“Shishou is unpredictable as always.” A sigh escaped Himura. “This one apologizes if he disturbed you, Kamiya-dono.”

“Not at all. It wasn’t…terrible. Anyway, you should go back to sleep, Himura-san.” He gruffly said. Himura didn’t protest, only nodding, and Koshijiro watched him before returning to his own.

For now, they took the well-deserved time to recuperate. To ward off unwanted visitors, Koshijiro had taken a regular position at the front, letting in Tae and Tsubame. The morning sunshine cast over the porch, and Kaoru’s figure, enjoying the garden. Tsubame immediately cried, overwhelmed with relief, and tears glittered in Tae’s eyes.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” She cupped Kaoru’s face, her voice wavering. “Oh, thank goodness. You’re alive.”

“Kaoru-san, you’re here…Yahiko-kun!” Tsubame warbled, at the sight of him. She grabbed his sleeve, almost afraid to let him go.

“See, Tsubame? I told you we’d be all together again.”

“You did…you really did…”

Then, Dr. Gensai arrived with his granddaughters, who immediately tackled Kaoru in their exuberance. Koshijiro provided an abbreviated version of events, while the doctor wrote a list of foods to recover her strength. Other than the bruises on her neck and mild weight loss, Kaoru was declared to be in good health.

“Nothing that plenty of quiet time won’t fix.” Dr. Gensai heartily said. “And the same goes for all of you!”

But they couldn’t hide forever, and Koshijiro expected questions would arise. He didn’t quite anticipate the large crowd at their front door, at the end of the week. The noise was reaching a fever pitch, it would disturb those sleeping.

“Please, I’ll explain.” He held up his hand, getting their attention. “Kaoru was abducted, by a group with ill intentions. They attempted to fake her death, but we discovered the truth and planned to recover Kaoru as soon as possible. To conceal our intentions from the enemy, we held a mock funeral. We have safely brought her home now. I humbly apologize for deceiving everyone.” At this, he lowered himself to his knees, bowing fully. “We are still recovering from this ordeal; I would like to ask for some privacy.”

The curiosity lingered, although people dispersed. The clamor gave way to sentiments of recovery, as well as how remarkable a tale it was. At the very end, a handful of people remained, who were instantly recognizable. The chief, Shinichi, Maekawa, and a couple of his students.

Maekawa strode towards Koshijiro, his expression caught between glad and indignant. “You devil! You fooled us all!”

“I’m sorry.” He allowed Maekawa to grab his collar and shake him vigorously. At least, it was reassuring that his friend was getting stronger.

“Well, I hope you’ve arrested the bastards who did it!”

“They’re in custody.”

However, Chief Uramura cleared his throat. “That is the other reason why we’re here.”

Foreboding washed over Koshijiro. “What’s the news?”

“Yukishiro Enishi has vanished.”

***

Inside the house, their group had to convene. It was a frustrating development; security personnel had fallen with the attacks, and the disappearance had occurred overnight. Yukishiro must have been long gone before anyone realized. Even if Woo was on a ship bound for Shanghai and the rest of the men had not broken out, it was a gross oversight. The chief then departed, saying he was already gathering a search party. Nevertheless, Koshijiro was chagrined.

“This one is not surprised. Enishi is resourceful.” Himura’s reaction was mild. “But he will not fight.”

“Just in case, I’m going to the station.” Koshijiro said. “Kaoru, will you stay at home?”

She had looked from Himura to him, before pressing her lips together. “Okay. I trust both of you.”

“Actually, I wanted to speak with you!” The voice drew their attention, and all eyes swiveled towards the figure in the back. Shinichi sat on his heels, lowering his head. “I’d like to become a student of Kamiya Kasshin!”

“W-what?! Really?”

“I saw Officer Kamiya and this young boy battle a cannon-armed man for the people of Tokyo. I’ve been thinking about that day over and over, and I want to join the dojo.”

Koshijiro had no idea Shinichi was interested. Did he have kenjutsu experience? But as long as he was motivated and willing to use a sword to protect life…that was certainly welcome.

The stunned silence was ended by a protest. “Young boy? I’m Myojin Yahiko, and I’m the first student. The second student’s spot is taken, but I guess you can be the third! I’ll show you around, I guess, as long as you can keep up.”

“Thank you, Yahiko-senpai!”

Yahiko puffed up at the new honorific. “Yeah, you’re welcome!” And then, they hurried off.

“Hold on, as the master, I have to evaluate you first!” Kaoru shook her head in disbelief. “Not that I’ll say no, but geez, they’re rushing.”

“Then, we should catch up with them, Kaoru-dono.” Himura stood, swaying a bit, and she placed her fingers on his forearm.

Koshijiro waited until the light touch stopped. “Tell Officer Shinichi that he needs your approval, Kaoru, but he is hardworking and courteous. I’ll support him as well.”

“Of course, Otou-san.”

Makimachi grinned, her braid whipping as she followed in their wake. “I’ll keep a lookout while you’re gone! And once Megumi’s done with clinic stuff, I’ll let her know too.”

Shinomori and Sagara chose to accompany Koshijiro. The former had offered to interrogate the guards. “We are relying on secondhand knowledge; it would be better to find out the truth from the sources.”

Sagara nodded. “Yeah, we can find out if they’re slacking off. I did see the Hiruma brothers in Nagano.”

Koshijiro halted. “Weren’t they supposed to be in prison?”

“That’s what I thought!”

What were they even paying security for?! “…I’m counting on you, Shinomori-san.”

The man nodded impassively, though Sagara raised an eyebrow. “Hey, what about me? Wait a second, let me join you, Aoshi.”

“You can, as long as you don’t interfere. You may even learn something.”

“Was that a joke?” He bumped his fist against Shinomori’s shoulder. “Alright, let’s do it.”

“What will you do, Kamiya-san?”

“Either Yukishiro is dead by those who wish to silence him, or he was freed by those loyal to him. But the starting point is inspecting where he was.”

The jail’s workers flinched under their collective scrutiny, but not much fuss was made. Shinomori’s cool demeanor and Sagara’s knuckle cracking herded them into docility, sparing one man to fumble with a set of keys. Koshijiro glanced at the adjacent cell, noticing it was empty.

“Was there anyone next to him?”

“An old fellow, who’s been here occasionally for disturbing the peace. He’s not right in the head from previous reports, never given us a name. But he was out of here by last night.”

Koshijro frowned as he carefully scanned. The lock was intact, suggesting it had been picked. Otherwise, the interior was bare, no sign of struggle or bloodshed, but a sweet smell was oddly out of place. White plums. Now that he recalled, it was reminiscent of the night when Kaoru was kidnapped. And Kaoru’s clothes from the island carried that same scent. Did Yukishiro wear perfume, a very feminine one at that? Was it associated with the deceased Tomoe?

He circled both cells; there was a leak in the ceiling, but hardly a viable escape. The bars were perfectly straight, and the bricks weren’t loose. He went into the main corridor, noting a creaky floorboard. Otherwise, it was a clear path to the outside, as long as someone could be silent. It wouldn’t have been a challenge for Yukishiro. Koshijiro then proceeded to walk a full lap around the building. Blind spots abounded, and the cover of night would have helped.

No bloodstains though, so Yukishiro was likely alive, yet without a trace. Where would he go? He didn’t have a weapon; the tachi had gone to China, part of a reparation. Koshijiro sighed…and bumped into a figure. As an apology left his mouth, he realized it was a stranger he knew. Worn clothes, a thick beard, and a repeated phrase.

“It’s all good, it’s all good.” Despite his unkempt appearance, the odor around him was cloyingly sweet. White plums.

Koshijiro reared back. “You.”

“Thank you, sir.” The man bowed his head, his glasses slipping off his nose. “And also, I’m deeply sorry for the trouble my son caused.”

Realization struck him. “You are Yukishiro Enishi’s father. Where is he?”

“Hm, not here, but we won’t bother you any longer.”

“Why are you here?”

“I was planning to visit the man who was there during my daughter’s death.”

Koshijiro’s vision wavered. He gripped the man’s shoulder, upon a disarming pressure point. “If you hurt Himura-san, I-”

“No, no! I thought I would bring him a small gift and sit for a while, but it wasn’t needed. You were at his side, after all.”

Embarrassed, he let go. “Oh. I apologize.”

“You’re a very good father. Much better than I was!” He chuckled but the sound was sad.

“You still have time to make things right. As long as you live, you can have another chance.” He echoed his wife’s words, from long ago.

The man gave an uncertain smile. “Kind words. From a kind person.”

“Not nearly as kind as you think.” He paused. “I don’t think I should encounter your son in the near future. Some things cannot be forgiven easily.”

“I understand. It was hard for me too, to forgive. Yes…it takes time.”

Koshijiro stiffly nodded. “Then, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” And the elder Yukishiro shuffled away, melting into the crowd.

Koshijiro was still standing in place when Sagara jostled him. “Uh-oh, did he turn into a statue again?”

“Is something wrong?” Shinomori inquired.

“No, I’m fine. I had an unexpected conversation, but everything will hopefully turn out alright.”

***

The yellow chrysanthemums were blooming, and four little bouquets were appropriate offerings.

“You’re right. This is weird.” Kaoru knelt before the grave marker bearing her name.

“We’ll remove it soon.” Koshijiro said. “We won’t need it for many years to come.” Many, many years.

“Same for yours. How quickly can we get rid of them?”

“It will probably be around the same time as Reijo is given her own plot.”

Kaoru nodded somberly. “I heard she was identified? I feel so sorry for her.” The girl had been called Hanako, a slum beggar who had unfortunately remained at a toddler’s level of growth. The last time she was seen, an elderly lady had noted she was coughing. Whether she had died from illness or the hands of evil, it would never be confirmed.

“We can pray for her as well.” They bowed their heads, and Kaoru clasped her hands together.

Koshijiro offered silent gratitude to Reijo, with the hope she could rest in peace. Gein was dead and wouldn’t harm anyone else. Then, he turned his thoughts to his wife. Forgive me, Kyoko. Our daughter was in danger, and I swear that this will never happen again.

When they were finished, Kaoru remarked. “You know, while I was on the island, I dreamt of Okaa-san. She was standing under a wisteria tree, and she gave me a branch. She kissed my forehead and told me ‘Stay strong’. It felt so real.” She pressed a fingertip to the corner of her eye but she smiled. “Like she really was with me.”

Those were the same exact words in his mind, when they realized Kaoru was alive. He had been by Kyoko’s picture on the altar, and she had carried that hope to their girl. The wisteria must have been her personal touch, a symbol of resilience. Koshijiro’s heart ached. “I knew she’d watch over you.”

The walk home did tire her out though, and he encouraged her to take a nap. He then had to write a report, documenting the closure of the Jinchuu case. He didn’t really like the name, given that it was Yukishiro’s term, but it had stuck in the office. It was close to dinnertime when the last page was filled, and Kaoru knocked on his door.

“Did you sleep well?” He asked.

“Oh, yes. We’re eating mackerel pike tonight. Daikon and sweet potatoes too, since Kenshin requested them. And, well,” Color rose to her cheeks. “Kenshin wants to visit Kyoto for a day trip, and he invited me to join him.”

“…Do you want to go?”

Kaoru nodded, her gaze steady. “I’d like to pay my respects to Tomoe-san too.”

“Then, I’ll come along to chaperone.”

He expected the usual protest, but instead, she said. “We’re taking the first train. I’ll start packing.” She walked away, and he was left alone, brow furrowed.

No ‘you don’t have to’. No ‘nothing will happen’. This was clearly significant. He dropped his pen. If only I heard what they said to each other!

The plan was also conveyed over their meal of grilled fish. Himura was nonchalant. “We will return the day after tomorrow.”

Sagara made a suggestive wiggling gesture with his intact fingers. “An overnight trip, huh?”

“Stay at the Aoiya!” Makimachi ordered. “Jiiya will give you the best rooms, and ask if the wagashi shops have reopened. There’ll be mushi-yokan with chestnuts and persimmons, and inoko mochi that look like cute little pigs! I’m craving them already…”

Kaoru couldn’t resist teasing her. “Would you like to join us, Misao-chan?”

“Oh, um, Aoshi-sama wants to see the seven shrines, the ones dedicated to all the gods of fortune!” She grasped his arm with fervor. He shot her a glance but she continued. “And we haven’t done that yet, so we’ll stay in Tokyo for a while longer.”

It was an obvious ploy to spend more time together, but Shinomori didn’t refute the plan. “It is as Misao says. We will be here when you return.”

“I’ll guard the dojo.” Yahiko offered.

“Thank you, Yahiko.” Koshijiro added. “And please, be kind to Officer Shinichi. That’s what a good senpai would do.”

“Don’t worry, Kamiya-san! I’ll show him the ropes, and make sure he drinks water.” His eyes lit up. “Wait, can I use your book?”

“Yes, and remember to put it back.” After dinner, he showed Yahiko where the book was kept in a drawer, under the family altar. The boy flipped through the pages, then abruptly stopped. He jabbed his thumb at the change in handwriting.

“Hey, Kaoru wrote in here! It’s the lesson plan for beginners.”

Koshijiro peered over his spiky hair. “It seems she did. That will be very helpful.”

“Can I add to this too?”

“You can write separately on different paper, and have Kaoru and I read it first. When you are master of the school, you will inherit the book.”

He grudgingly agreed. “Okay. Guess I’ll wait. My technique will be perfected then…”

“Hm?”

“Nothing! Good night, Kamiya-san!” Flustered, he snapped the book shut, set it in the drawer, and raced in the direction of his room. Well, he had years to go, but he would become an excellent head instructor with plenty of experience.

The thought was pleasant and Koshijiro headed for his own bed. He turned the corner and noticed his daughter, listening to Takani.

“-salve containers. I included bandages if anything opens up, and more aspirin only when the pain is unbearable.” She gave the bundle to Kaoru, with a firm voice. “Remember what I told you, the last time we were in Kyoto. He won’t tell you if he’s on the brink.”

“Of course, Megumi. I won’t ever forget.” She went to pack it in her belongings, and Koshijiro approached.

“We appreciate it, Takani-san. Were you speaking of Himura-san?”

“She didn’t tell you?” Takani frowned. “Ken-san’s body isn’t ideal for his sword style; in a matter of years, he’ll be unable to fight. It’s the toll that Hiten Mitsurugi has taken. If he overexerts himself again…I really believed it was the end during this nightmarish ‘judgment’. But like I said to Kaoru, she cannot be weak for his sake. She’s the one who has to help him, if he’s occupied helping others.”

Koshijiro hadn’t realized that was the state of Himura’s health, but it made sense. An expert swordsman could easily develop incurable joint pains. With the physical prowess of Hiten Mitsurugi, it must have accelerated for Himura. “I understand. We’ll keep close eyes on him.”

“I know. So, I’m relieved.” Her voice fell to a murmur before picking up again. “I’m off to bed, I have an early start. I’m working with a midwife tomorrow.”

“That’s good. I hope you learn as much as you can.”

“I intend to.” By this point, Kaoru had returned, and Takani squeezed her shoulder. “Safe travels, and I’ll see you later.”

“Thank you, Megumi. Otou-san, did you need anything?” The bruises around her neck were a faint greenish color, which was better.

“Nothing at the moment.” He patted her head, smiling at her pout. “Good night.”

***

The train was slightly delayed, but they reached Kyoto without further issue. They arrived at the Aoiya first, to drop off their belongings, and were greeted raucously by Okina. He was dismayed by the absences of Makimachi and Shinomori, unaware of the glances and smirks of the other Oniwaban.

“We’re back in business, and fall is a popular season! Your rooms will have fantastic views, you’ll see what I mean. Tell Misao and Aoshi to hurry up, the Okashira’s leadership is sorely missing!” Amidst his complaints, he did provide directions to the nearest flower seller.

Yellow chrysanthemums were also abundant here. Himura purchased a small bucket, and Kaoru had brought a short letter. She was a little shy but summarized the contents. “I wanted to let her know that her diary is with her brother. And I’m grateful that her memory protected me during Jinchuu and on the island. That’s pretty much it.” Her cheeks were rosy, and Himura smiled fondly at her.

It was a kind gesture and it reminded Koshijiro. He carefully broached the subject. “There is something I must share.” Then, he told them about his two encounters with the elder Yukishiro. “I should have, but I never asked if he wanted to meet you, Himura-san.”

But he shook his head. “It’s alright, Kamiya-dono. Enishi needs him now. Time has begun moving for Enishi again, and he will have to consider how to atone for his actions. Not with death, but his own answer. His father can help, but they have spent many years apart, so it will take time.” He navigated the path to the cemetery, only slowing when they approached.

The grave had already been cleaned, arranged with two bundles of white cosmos, but the centerpieces were a small glass bottle and a hairpin. Koshijiro recognized the latter.

Kaoru leaned close to the bottle. “It’s white plums. Do you think they visited?”

“It’s the same hairpin that was bought in Tokyo.”

Himura had been still, and he closed his eyes. “If they have each other, Tomoe will smile upon them. This one is content with such knowledge.”

He tucked their offering among the others and Kaoru lit the incense. Then, it was silent as they prayed for the deceased Tomoe, for her to rest in peace. Koshijiro extended his thoughts to the father and son, to find peace within themselves. It was not an easy thing by any means, but if they could start there…

“I hope that was enough.” Kaoru said.

“What did you say?” Himura gently inquired.

“Um, thank you, and I’m sorry. Kenshin, what about you?”

“The same as Kaoru-dono. Sorry, and thank you.” After a moment, he added. “And goodbye.”

The significance was not lost on Koshijiro. Himura was expressing that he was ready to move on. Kaoru had recognized it too, looking softly at him. The wind sifted through the surrounding trees, and crackling leaves fluttered.

Himura offered his hand towards her. “Shall we go, Kaoru-dono?”

She readily accepted, her eyes shining. Koshijiro didn’t move immediately, watching for a few moments, how the two of them took each step together. Then, Kaoru’s ponytail shifted, and his stare moved to the blue sky. He feigned interest in the clouds; he sensed that she was looking back, but he continued to gaze upwards.

“It’s a nice day. You two lead on, I’ll be taking in the scenery.”

So, if they continued to hold hands the entire way, he wouldn’t know. After all, his eyes were elsewhere.

Author's Note: I think it was interesting to have Oibore and Koshijiro meet. Both have some similarities, in that they were both samurai and had daughters and lost their wives. But the difference is pointed out by Oibore; he wasn’t a good father and Koshijiro is in this story. And that has ultimately affected their lives and the lives of their children. Now, onto the final arc!

#rurouni kenshin #at arm's length #kenkao

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