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 Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:05 pm
Z E R O x N E O N Black Kitsune  Never did the fox turned back to look at the girl, he just continued staring at what was left of the sun. The mood was still there, the urge to sing out, but now he couldn’t. He never did do it with someone approaching him, given that one time she silently came to listen to him play. He was frozen, it was painful, as if you had that chance to make it up to your loved one but became swept in obstacle of some sort, and thus it was too late. It was enough to bring out that pain loathing sensation to get him going again, but still he just wouldn’t do it. The girl, she was a fiery one, the fox already knew, so he tried to talk in a rather simple and quick manner. Though his question spiked up a humor in her so it seem, his ears twitched at the sound of her snort like noise, head lowering feeling quite embarrassed on the matter. Another reason why he would like to be alone was the fact that conversation was difficult for the fox, already he looked weird to others and speaking would only strengthen their opinion of him. Still he had received an answer from the punk girl, and again he looked down at the Harmonica. “An..gry.” he repeated those words as he fondle his instrument gently with his thumb. That wasn’t what he was going for at the slightest; maybe he did overdo it just by a tad. “Well that’s not good.. I was expecting the more sad tone, and not the normal kind.” he spoke more now, whether it was to her or to himself was remained to be seen. “Expected more passion out of the sadness, that one moment where you want to cry out. Calling out to the on you love to come back to you, but no matter how hard you cry.” his hand went up to go to the sun. With his finger the fox traced along the sun, and pointed out at how it was sinking down, bit by bit, “She just won’t come back to you.” Was a sad thing ot say really, but the way it was brought out in music was heart filling. He wanted to get that same reaction in himself, and maybe one day in others, but that wouldn’t do if the song was sounding angry… “huh…so I failed…sorry you had to hear that.”
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Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:46 pm
 Nina Tensai ✘ Lady PunkThe girl heard him speak now, lifting her head now to look at him facing the harmonica in his hands as he fiddled with it with a thumb. He was wanting to go with something that was sad? Nina stopped her tapping against her sketchbook then placed the pen down as she stared at him, biting the inside of her bottom lip but she wasn't regretting what she said to be honest. She meant what she meant, the emotion she told him was the one that she heard from his music but... it looked like perhaps that wasn't the muse he was looking for. That wasn't the emotion that he wanted in the first place, he wanted an overwhelming, heavy sadness. To cry out? The monochrome punk continued to listen, to watch the masked boy in front of her and was actually feeling somewhat puzzled with him. Though, thinking about it, maybe this guy was just holding a lot of problems and he couldn't let it out. Hey, she wasn't some saint either. Nina is well aware that she has some horrible temper problems, as well having that bad habit in leaning towards violence. But from what he said... seemed like it was some girl troubles. Now.. this wasn't some sort of whining either, from the music that she heard... This was a serious, true blue broken heart. At least.. she thinks so. Nina sketched one line in her sketchbook and stared down at it for a moment, now just being the ear for him whether he was talkign to her or to himself. It didn't matter, she was just there now. However, it looked like the masked artist wasn't going to be sharing anymore information from that, all he did now was just apologize to her. She waved a hand at him then looked back down at her sketchbook. "Eh, wasn't my business anyway," she answered simply. She brushed her black bang from her second red eye just to take a full look at the empty paper behind her before it fell back into place, the girl sighing and twirling her pen between her fingers. "I'm in a bit of a rut myself. Though I gotta ask--" she suddenly lifted her hand "--and you don't have to answer, but I gotta ask... why do you want to play out something so sad anyway?" She was trying to be careful, if not respectable. After all she was the one who barged herself into someone's comfort zone of muse and art. Nina was being as careful as she could.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:13 pm
Black Kitsune Felt weird being able to talk to another person, rather than running away to find another place to play. It was a habit to do so, he wasn’t too comfortable with company around, his audience usually consisted of the night stars and the moon, but today this girl had her chance of approaching her for a second time. Mere tricks might not work on her, the fox knew of her mean streak; if he were to do such a dastardly he may as well sign his death warrant. The only alternative now was to just allow her to be with him, maybe only for just this night, nonetheless the fox felt a bit out of his own natural element. All he could do was look down at the ocean, bushing itself along the shore; he kept focus on that for a long while now. Feeling something that he could not explain, a muse? At a time like this the fox was feeling another urge to play a tune, something more toned down than his previous failure. He wanted to erase that as quickly as possible, but he couldn’t quite get a grip on this feeling he was having. Was it sad? Was it Happy? Or maybe even Tranquil? It was too confusing to get a grip on, maybe he should let his harmonica do the playing, maybe then he could get the words out. However, the fox felt as though he couldn’t still, never once has he played with another person being near. He was the only one around when he started to play, no one to bother him, no one to judge. Controlling an urge, as a musician, is very hard to do at some point. She didn’t seem at all scared by his appearance, nor freaked out; talking to him as if he was a normal being. This perplexed the fox even more, just who was she really? His ears gave another twitch as she asked her question. Relating to how he played songs with a very sad atmosphere around them. The fox could only scratch his face, or mask, wondering how he could answer such a question. “it does sound sad, but…” a fist came down on his palm as if he figured out something, “the way it sounds, the way it feels; it goes beyond sadness if you think about it. When you hear the music playing, as the sun goes away it almost sounds like a tale of one saying it’s goodbyes don’t you think? Though sad as they may seem, I enjoy them. I love how they sound, they feel, it is as if they’re playing a story for us to listen to. Do you see?”
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:31 am
Nina Tensai ✘ Lady Punk Nina adjusted herself some, closing her sketchbook completely then placed her elbows on her knees with her chin resting on clasped hands, staring at the fox. His answer was a slightly in-depth sort, like they way he described it was as if sadness was an emotion that was mean to be enjoyed or something. Appreciated. Nina frowned some, looking down as the though went across her mind. So was this like a muse to him? A muse of sadness that has taken a hold of his mind by his control was saying otherwise? Or it could have just simply been a mess up, like he said. The girl sighed some, fingers tapping against her check before she smirked and shrugged some. "Yeah, I guess..." she stared down at the mush of the sand that gathered around her sandals, wondering if what she was saying was true. She thought about it one more time while she moved her foot to make a stroke at the sand, her red eyes seeing a smooth wave being formed while the words from the Black Fox got to her. Then it hit, her head perking up some with her eyes looking more alert when a thought hit her. Wait, yes, she does understand what he means! Her body relaxed, pen tapping at the sketchbook again before she decided to open it up and stare down at it. "It's... it's like drawing in a way," she turned the page for another blank canvas. "At least the art made, anyway. That the feeling in there could show off a story even if it's just a still picture." She scratched her head suddenly, almost as if she was mentally rolling her eyes right before she heard the usual 'huh? I don't get it.' from someone of the 2D. But she just remembered that she was dealing with a musician here. She ran her hand through her white hair then sighed out some, looking up at the masked being in front of her then just gave out a nod that , yeah, now she got the idea of what he meant. But it wasn't long for her to look over towards the lasting rays of the sun dying away faster than she thought. Now it was looking a little more beautiful than it was before. "You do this every night?" she suddenly asked him.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:20 pm
Black Kitsune Her short answer caused him to frown behind the mask. She didn’t sound as though she fully understand the meaning behind his words; it was making him wanting to escape right then and there. He could already feel the rush of embarrassment going through him; he was closing up fast. This was why he didn’t think talking to people was a wise idea, they just didn’t get him. As much as it sounded like some teenager going through some issues, the fact was still there, people could not comprehend him. If they would then he wouldn’t be out here, looking like some masked thug that wonders the street, but it was the only way to express himself; to let loose and be free until the dawn arrives. The fox stood there, wanting to keep his mouth shut now, seeing as though she would be giving him weird stares and such. Then his ear twitched yet again, she spoke once more, trying to understand with her own view point. This was a surprise, from her first remark, he assumed that she was done talking to him. Now she gave his meaning a little twist, putting it in the form of drawing, which was her profession, or at least he would presume such. He turned to her, mask hiding the awe look on his face, he had never really expected her to grasp it. It would seem that he had misjudged her, maybe, still that didn’t stop a curved smile to form on his face. It wasn’t long before he started to chuckle out, almost in a heated laughter. His voice was low, yet loose, his finger pointed up and he said, “Exactly.” as if she had just answered a question to a problem on a school board; he was opening up once more. The tension he was illuminating seem to have gone down. His body turned to face her, giving her his full attention, he seemed a bit looser now than he was before. “Do I do this every night?” he repeated her question while tapping his chin, or the bottom part of the mask. His head tilted about, going from side to side trying to think hard on the answer. “Well doing it in the day would get me quite sweaty. Doing it in the night, the cool breeze coming from the ocean, stars twinkling, and moon gleaming. More than enough reason to do this at night wouldn’t you say?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:49 am
Nina Tensai ✘ Lady Punk From the way that he reacted from her single answer, she saw instantly how insecure the guy was. He was shrinking, he was disliking with how he was taking his vision. But with some sort of recovery, she got him to loosen up again when she tried her chance in understanding what he meant about sadness. And soon enough, she saw him starting to relax. "Hm?" He pointed, Nina noticing that now the masked musician was becoming animated and a little more lax than how he was not so long ago. The tension was washing away from him, Nina starting to feel that now she didn't have to walk on eggshells with him now. Course that wasn't completely true. Any wrong move and he might shut himself again, which would be a shame, she was getting a sort of interesting vibe from him. It showed a little more when she found herself smirking a little as he repeated her question and tilted his head from side to side, almost like a sort of tic-toc sort of motion. The artist found it rather amusing with how he was moving, a small, childish twinge going through her by the way he acted, almost as if she was now facing a character from a book rather than a guy with some sort of social problem. It was... interesting. Something that didn't seem like it was part of a normal day, a normal encounter. Nina blew a bang from her face, rolling her visible red eye then placed her leg onto the rock to adjust herself.
"That was a smartass answer," she said to him. Granted that little bit was a bit annoying, since she does prefer straight answers but, still, this was his spot, not hers. Still, she wasn't showing any hostility, that tiny grin was still on her face. "But, fine, I'll take that as a yes. Not my place to press it anyway." Another sort of curiosity came by now that she was staring at him. Why the mask? Was it fear in being known about his musical ways or that he was afraid that he was going to be getting expelled? What was it about? But, she didn't bring up those questions to him, even though her curiosity was probably seen into those red eyes of hers.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 5:37 pm
~Sai Sakurazaka, the Sakurazukamori~
(Location: Iwadate Beach - The Southern Pier near Tsukuyomi Shrine) He should have been annoyed by the load that he was carrying, the bouncing, pointing, laughing, smiling backpack (girl) whose arms wrapped around his shoulders and legs hooked up by his strong hands kept her securely fastened to his broad shoulders and back so that she wouldn't fall. All of her energy had her bouncing around here and there, and each shift and tug he could feel through the thin fabric of his black button-up shirt, each giggle echoing in his ears as she pointed out this thing or that, and even the sand beneath his feet, digging between his toes, could not distract him from the warmth (physically and otherwise) that radiated from the Suzume latched onto him securely. And of course, nearly every single phrase there should have bothered him even more...he couldn't stand loud people or overly-happy people, the type who never seemed to see the reality of things and always wanted to assert their opinions or way of life upon you. He couldn't stand jittery people who couldn't calm down, couldn't stand still for just a few moments, and those whose frail concentration couldn't help them to form a complete sentence. He had never even begun to familiarize himself with the feeling of warmth, let alone the feeling of a warm body pressing against his skin, so used to the cold alleys and the brisk night air he had become familiar with over the dark years back in Oshu City. He had very few people in his life that he even could stomach long enough to spend a day with them, and the chance to be close to him the way that Suzume was right now stood as a right reserved for only her, a single person out of all the world that he wouldn't throw to the turf for touching him with or without his permission. But why her? Why was she the only one whose armor-piercing light could pierce his thick, black shroud of darkness? Why was one little light so important to him? His red eye saw far off into the distance and a pier was getting close now, bodies on the beach talking little more than a side-note to the path that he walked now. Everything seemed to grow clouded and his memory lingered prominently in the forefront of his mind. A reminder of days gone by...the answer to the unasked questions.
It was all so tall...the buildings which loomed high above beneath a black-gray sky, weeping thick tears down into the narrow alley of some dull, muted corridor of the vast city. What the name of the street was didn't matter...nor did that of the tall, gray monoliths that reached so far into the sky above his violet head that he could barely tell where the skyline ended and the small glimpse of the sky itself began. Beneath him was the damp black asphalt of the street, thick puddles seeping into the thin fabric of his black pants and his pale white skin. All he could feel was the cold of the winter air, the chilly wetness and the repetitive pelting of the rain against his face, soaking through his torn black shirt into his body. It felt as though his life was over, draining from his body with each drip of rain from the limp tips of his fingers to the earth...and there was, for a moment, no resistance to that feeling. Thick red that had dripped from his eye, long lines of bloody gashes fell from his face and down his neck, though they were becoming thin as the water from the sky washed that away, too. His body was useless...his face was torn...his vision was all fade to black in the first of his crimson eyes. Slumped against that cold, brick wall, feeling the unforgiving asphalt's unwelcome reception, he was more akin to a lump of dead meat left out in the rain than he was a human body. Expression empty, his head weakly tilted from the crimson-tinted puddle at the bottom of the human lump to look up into the empty, lidded sky with eyes that were filled with nothingness, no trace of hope or fire or determination or life itself. His one eye wouldn't open...all he could see was the endless rain, pouring down.
Everything was so hopeless...everything was so gray and dark and damp. This was his life, and its end was coming faster by the day. But never fast enough. Who would want to live in a world of gray and black? Who would want to live a life like this...a life that was hardly any life at all? All he had seen was black...all he could see was gray. If he had died in that moment, he wouldn't have smiled...but he would have welcomed it...
That day, beneath the muted, gray sky, he had been more than ready to die...
And then...
"Suzume, calm down," his steady voice calmed her bouncing as his feet finally cleared the sands and brought them to the wooden planks of the pier and began moving slowly towards the end where the best view of the waters near the shrine could be seen. He couldn't ignore her bouncing but he didn't particularly care. Maybe it was because she was her, or because he simply didn't have the short patience to complain about it to her when it had been he who had offered to give her a ride in the first place. Or maybe there was some deeper meaning to everything, the reason that he considered her to be his light. Whatever the case, as they made their way to the end of the pier it was only at their destination, a rail jutting out far into the blue ocean beneath the twilight sky with the Tsukuyomi Shrine far into the distant view and the moon hovering over, that the violet-haired young man set his 'backpack' down onto the wood, very gingerly, so that she could lean on the rail and watch off into the deepening night for the evening's main event. It wouldn't be the first time that he had seen it, but knowing the way that she would enjoy it, he couldn't resist bringing her to see it. His crimson eye now watched the horizon only for a moment, tilting his chin in the direction so that she would know where to look herself, before his gaze returned from the lesser of two sights (in his opinion) to...her. And the wonder that he knew would be there. "Any minute now you will see it. Just wait patiently..."
His orders were hardly necessary. It was but a moment later that the show actually began, the trip having taken just a bit longer than expected with his precious package on his back. The first of the explosions boomed like a cannonball high in the sky over the shrine now...a green rocket shooting between the stars and bursting suddenly into a snowfall of gorgeous colors...a myriad of greens and blues and reds which spread out like thin fingers and fell in sparkling, crackling glory back towards the earth. Like gems splitting apart and falling like stardust through the sky...
All of them he watched with great interest, reflecting brightly in the shine of her eyes.
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:33 pm
Suzume Kirihara  With a chuckle, the incessant wiggling and moving paused only for a moment, the girl paying attention to the deep voice of the violet haired young man carrying her, a small contented sigh escaping her lips as she turned her gaze to the change in terrain, moving away from the sands and getting nearer to the wooden planks. The brunette couldn't help tilting her head slightly in anticipation, a small smile growing on her lips with each step Sai took towards the end of the pier. Finally he stopped, and with his help, the girl slid down his back slowly, her bare feet touching the ground once more. The girl let out a honest, cheery thanks as her hand rested on the rail to help with her balance before big brown eyes turned towards the dark skies spreading before them. The girl took a deep breath of the salty, warm breeze as she gazed at the waters disappearing in the horizon, the dark blue mixing with the deeper black of the sky. The brunette turned only to gaze at her companion when he spoke, announcing that whatever was happening would come soon enough. Chestnut orbs returned to the horizon, and sure enough, it wasn't long before a thin, trail of bright sparks reflected on the water, making her attention to shot straight to the sky, in time for the explosion of color and light, raining down at the horizon. She gasped, a smile with a brightness compared to the lights decorating the black canvas gracing the features of the girl.
The reaction was immediate; just after the first firework illuminated the sky, the girl was already leaning over the rail (being careful not to fall into the ocean, of course...well...kinda), almost as if that would made her have a better look at the beautiful show of colors and sparkles... a show only for her. Fireworks had always amazed the girl, the initial strong explosion resounding on her chest, never failing on making her jump...and the little dust of all different colors sprinkling down back to the ocean always keeping her gaze locked on the sky... it made a contrast that made fireworks special. Light, bubbling laughter was mostly drowned by the booming fireworks, the girl taking in even the smallest detail, enjoying each falling sparkle, each blooming fire flower in the sky... "Woooow! Sai! Did you see that one? It was soooo bright!" The colored lights reflected on her eyes and skin as she gazed with awe, as she turned to look at her companion to make sure he wasn’t missing anything, as she pointed towards the largest explosion. She loved it, and it was quite obvious to anyone taking a glance at her. The way her eyes widened with each new explosion, or how she jumped in anticipation on her place as the whistling rocket made its way towards the stars, or how she turned every now and then towards the young man beside her with a bright smile and shimmering eyes…
“They are beautiful, don’t you think?”
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:22 pm
Black Kitsune “Was it?” the eyes on his masked stared up at him. Head was at an angle, a curious vibe was emanating off of the fox, not knowing if what he said was a sassy remark or not. Though it wouldn’t be the first the things that came out of his mouth was taken in a bad way, but what could he do. “Well I am after all,” he placed his finger on the nose of the mask, almost treating it as his real face, “A fox.” he couldn’t help but give a low chuckle at that. Yes, he was a fox and as a fox they were meant to be witty, loose, and if need be deceitful. The fox was all of these things and more, but right now, with this girl, he didn’t feel the need to use a under minded tone with her, “But I do apologize, I didn’t mean to be a smartass towards you.” he gave her a nod and scoot back, this time sitting right next to her now looking over at the shores in the night. It has been a long time, no; there wasn’t even a” long time” to when the fox could feel comfortable with another being with him. Even gotten to the point where he could just smile and laugh, rather than exerting a hostile nature. It was nice, really nice, and it was only going to get better. Iwadate was going through there celebrations once more, shooting out the fireworks into the night sky, the colors sparkling away into dust in a variety. Loud pops going on as the fireworks continue, the fox just stared up watching it all with painted eyes, hiding the hint of awe. “I bare you no ill will rest assured, it is just….well…I have never met a person such as yourself.” he started to sway back and forth a bit, feeling something inside him forming, a muse. “There isn’t much people like you, one who has an open mind, I never even bother to look for those kind of people personally. I thought people always try to see things in black and white even though they are living in grey. But you…” he turned to her once more, “Seeing you. I guess I was wrong. heh...heh....say. Why don't I play for you?”
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:04 pm
Nina Tensai ✘ Lady Punk Nina observed him a little more, and already she was taking a liking to this storybook-like character that is before her, watching the 'fox spirit' rub his nose like a mischievous child before he gave off a meaningful apology. Nina could only shrug and noticed that he was moving to sit next to her, Nina scooting a little further for a bit of space between them as the two looking over at the sight of the shores. Darker and darker it went, and Nina didn't feel herself getting all that tense around him. Mind you, she still enjoys space away from a stranger no matter the nice sort of bonding they seemed to be getting. It was then that she heard a sort of high pitched sound then a bang, light of gold covering the night sky and she blinked, looking down at her watch. "Oh, that time again..." she said to herself before there was a moment of her eyes examining the fireworks that were shooting off. The power, the light, the ones that were exposing themselves into sparks and small flowers of color. They were... "Dad's using the cheap ones," she mumbled, smirking to herself. He probably got too into the baseball game that he didn't have time to put up the real good ones. Washi is probably whining about that now... Nina took a glance over towards the fox sitting next to her, hearing him speak now and quirking a brow when he told her that he's never met someone like her. There was that character shown again, watching him move back and forth like a child... It was enough to have Nina smile just a little. Only a little. Nina looked away from him, suddenly grinning, suddenly giving off a laugh. It was what he said that set it off; The people see things of black and white, living in the gray. "Yeah, I hear ya!" Just hearing those words were enough to lift her heart a bit, as if she was laughing at some inside joke when really it was just the fact that she fully understood what this character was saying. He turned to her, and she to him, hearing that awkward (but relived) giggle escaping him. It was then he decided to treat her to his talent, Nina's eyes giving off a look of interest before smirking. "Sure, go on ahead!" she scooted herself back then crossed her legs. "Hit me with something, it might even get me out of this rut." Quote:
There seems to be an instant understanding between the Black Fox. A new bond has formed, the Black Fox has been offered the Nina Tensai S.Link of the Justice Arcana!
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:44 pm
Black Kitsune There was a hint of doubt in him, despite at how well things were going. The fox was a sensitive being, as to that simple answer she gave before with an impartial tone of voice, he figured he might get another one along with a weird stare. This time was different, she was laughing, and she wasn’t laughing at him, she was laughing with him. If he had a tail it would be wagging right now, the fox was so pleased that she didn’t stare at him differently, she was truly something else. She was agreeing with him, with smiles (even though it was a small one), he was thankful that she cause out of her way to join him on this night. The fox always figured that he would be better off alone, as it was the only way to express himself to the fullest, but with this girl with him he felt even better than before. He could see the start of something great in befriending this girl, an artist accompanying another, both having different talents in what they do, but the reason why they do it, it was the same. The very CORE of their PRIDE was placed in their work, and for that reason the fox could feel as though he could get along well with this girl. He smiled greatly under the mask and stood on his feet, harmonica placed on the nonvisible lips, he was ready to give her a grand show. Something that would complement the bursting fireworks from the sky, something that would show how much he appreciates this moment with her, “Then allow me to dedicate this song to you.” . He took a breath and closed his eyes, letting the emotions use his body to play the harmonica. Quote: song being playedThe Black Fox has accepted Nina Tensai of the Justice Arcana, BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!!! The Understanding of one artist to another, The fox as grown to accpet Nina. Nina Tensai is now able to form an S.Link with the Black Fox of the Hanged Man Arcana
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:16 pm
 Denmark
"Hey, are you a local?" The blond strolled by the well-known Black Kitsune on the beach as the night kicked off, having come to this rundown town only on some of his own business. While it was probably better to leave what he'd been doing to the imagination, there wasn't much imagining to be done about what he had in his hand, as he lazily carried an enormous axe thrown over his shoulder behind him. It was late, and he'd done a day's work, but unfortunately he had to stick around a little longer before he returned to Oshu City, and things were just getting boring. That's when he noticed a couple of students who were obviously from the local school, and if he was to go away without giving a few Guppies a peace of his mind he simply wouldn't feel right. "No need to answer that. Shouldn't kids like you be going home now? There are some real psychos out there, you know." The head of the large weapon slammed into the ground, and Denmark took another drag of his cigarette, glaring at Black Kitsune with a harsh look and a smirk that said he was looking down on him, and he knew it. In fact, he wanted them to see it, so they knew just what a dark personality they had just bumped into, and maybe he could freak out these little wet behind the ear Guppy brats while he was still in this rotten town. "You could get hurt. Especially a weirdo like you..." Denmark said, smirking again at the Black Kitsune.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:04 am
~Sai Sakurazaka, the Sakurazukamori~
(Location: Iwadate Beach - The Southern Pier near Tsukuyomi Shrine)It was everything he had been hoping for and more.
Not the stars or the fireworks that were bursting in the sky into flower petals and trickling from the skies like stardust to the Earth below, nor all the natural beauty that he had come to appreciate about this resort town. None of those things compared to the sights that caught his eyes now, the excitement of a single girl untouched by the darkness of their city, an innocent spirit who could still be overwhelmed by an unbridled sense of wonder at such a small thing as lights exploding in the sky above, at seashells of just the right shape tucked neatly into the beach's white sands. All beautiful things were slowly taking a back seat somewhere deep inside the heart and mind of someone whose heart had been all but dead, sparked to life one night by mere chance not so very long ago, and though he lacked the comprehension of such wondrous things to put a word or name to that feeling, he could only go by feel, reacting to things in the moment and discovering more and more of this bond he shared with that girl with each forward step they took. No, nothing of the beauty in the sky caught his attention on the pier this night, not directly...only as a shimmering reflection of wonder painted perfectly into the deep chestnut eyes of his companion, a light to blot out the night. He could try and try but there was no other word he could think of that described her more perfectly to him...in shadow, Suzume Kirihara was light. His first light, something new which kindled a fire inside of him that had never been lit, something he hadn't even known he had the capacity for. On that gray night not so very long ago, he would have never dreamed such a thing would be possible...the Cherry Blossom Killer, standing on the pier of the Iwadate Beach together with a girl and watching a rain of fireworks descend upon the laid back resort town until the clock struck midnight and the whole world seemed changed into a place of fantasy? No one would have believed it. Not with his face...not with his reputation...not with...not with...
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'He's back here!' a voice screamed at the end of the long, thin alley, and instantly the shadow of a man was joined by others...many others, more than he could count through the red tint over his vision and the rain and haze in his good eye. His will to live was shot, but his pride had not yet been shattered...instinct drove him from his crumpled heap on the asphalt to his feet, laboring with all his strength just to stand on shaking knees and face his pursuers...his left arm hung loose at his side, his expression empty and stern, crimson running down the puddles to the street where they stood all they needed to see to know that their foe was wounded, probably barely conscious. He could hear their mocking laughter like an echo as the shadows began to fill the alley, closing in on him, more and more shadows filing in behind them...there must have been twenty...fifty of them? He couldn't see...he couldn't quite hear...this wet, cold, gray world was becoming overrun by shadows all descending upon him, all laughing in some distant form, and it was only when they spoke again that he could hear them over the pained, ragged sound of his own labored breaths. He was dying here, wasn't he? They were here to... 'Sixteen men...sixteen brothers you left lying back there when you ran out on us...some of them were our best. Taken out by a kid like you...how the ******** did a rat like you get the drop on them? I guess you ARE the Cherry Blossom Killer...but you're still just some punk who got too big for his shoes...nobody messes with the Amakusu! I don't give it a damn if you ARE a legend...you're gonna pay,' the taunts came and he could barely hear them, his one eye focusing on some whirring objects in their hands, a spinning pipe, maybe a chain...in the hands of one man he could see something else, what was it? "Say something, damn it! Or are you too damn good, Mr. Sakurazukamori, toughest b*****d in Oshu City? ...Oh wait, I know...you're just too damn dead to talk! I mean look at you...all chewed up from back there...you're probably knockin' on death's door already,' the man pulled a knife from the inside of his coat, something silver, it might have glinted but it was hard to tell in this world of black and white where nothing shined...nothing was filled with life, 'But don't worry...we're not gonna let you die real quick...we're gonna take it nice...and slow...and you're gonna suffer in ways that'll make back there feel like a summer breeze...and THEN we'll kill ya.'
He didn't know what to say...to be defiant? To bluff and hope that it scared them away? No, now wasn't the time for such a gutless tactic, not when...the odds were so heavily stacked against him. He was fading fast, they were probably right...at this right he would die. They would take him in and tear him to pieces. His head would become a trophy for the lucky b*****d who...no. 'No...no, no, no, no, no,' his mind repeated, he couldn't understand why, but...to these people...in this place...moments earlier he would have welcomed death, just to die alone, cold, soaked to the bone in some back alley where nobody was there to see him, nobody there to care, nobody to laugh or sneer or cry...not that anybody would cry for him. It was a sobering thought, but one that had never occurred to him. If he died...would anybody cry? Probably...not. No, he had never...not in this gray world. He wouldn't have minded dying...alone. It suited someone like him, but...to these people? To these...pieces of trash, these vultures...never. "You wretch..." he coughed and blood splattered upon the ground, his body shaking violently with the action, "I will not...be your...trophy." He raised his head and his red eye seemed to glow ominously, a dab of color in this colorless world...his teeth, tinted by that same crimson blood which caked upon him were clenched tightly, and even as the shadows seemed to sneer and ready to respond he barked out words that stunned them with their ferocity, too much for one who was all but dead. "Maggots like you...feeding off the rotting underbelly...insignificant parasites...never to the likes of you..." his teeth grit and suddenly, from this half-dead, stoic figure a surreal growl emerged, water beneath his feet splashing with steps like machine-gun bullets firing one after another another, and before they knew it, the boss with the loud mouth had been struck beneath the jaw with a fist like iron clad, the bone shattering beneath a god-like uppercut that sent him sprawling back into the pool of shadows, teeth flying, bat clattering to the cold, damp blacktop with a resounding echo dimmed by the cry of a voice filled with self-hate and defiance, "I will not DIE at your feet like some mongrel cur! I am...I am..." His words were silenced by the swinging of a chain that lashed across his head and sent a fresh gash streaming blood down the back of his head and over his back, staining his tattered clothes...his response was to grip the man's shirt as he fell to steady himself and with a great heave using his one good arm he pulled his head to meet his attackers and smashed his nose in such a brutal fashion that it would never reset. And then like a tide the shadows broke upon him, crashing like a wave, some taking, some giving, blows upon blows, wild, chaotic swinging and striking, blood flowing like rivers from his head, from his mouth and ears and from every orifice of the attackers that he took down...bodies piling upon the asphalt as he struggled with all the remaining strength, a candle flickering wildly just before it burned out in the dark of the night.
'He's a monster!' a voice cried in the dark, before another joined in, "He's a demon! s**t! Is he ******** immortal?!' Heavy blows...his arm felt like lead, his head throbbed so badly he could barely feel pain...but the shadows were thinning...black walls and gray sky were beginning to give way to something...more punches, more blows, he felt a knife or blade or something sharp stick into his side and he answered with a strike that he was fairly certain had broken his own elbow...but also the attacker's ribcage. Less shadows now...it was almost visible...that thing beyond the horizon, beyond the clouds and the gray...what was it...it was? It was...was it...light?
And then there was a gunshot. A single boom, like the sound of a firecracker, and everything went silent. All the bodies laying around him were stiff...more than he could count, maybe more than he had guessed before it all began...all the figures still standing froze like they had been stricken dumb, eyes all wide. And suddenly all the pain and the stress and the strain began to fade into the distance. His senses went all but dead...so much that he didn't really notice the shadows that disappeared into the distance, running away fast as the police were soon to be upon the scene. He couldn't feel...couldn't see...all he could see was...was...
'All this...gray...' he thought as his feet stumbled forward, like an auto-pilot which trudged along despite a broken wing or wheel...no thought or rhyme or reason to it...if he had made it to the street, to the next alley, home, anywhere...it was all...all... 'I wish...I could see the blue sky...the sun...'
But instead, it all went black.
*********************
Why was he still alive? His fingers ghosted over a spot on his back idly as he watched Suzume's excitement, a nickel-sized scar near his lower right back a ridged hump that marred his skin, that reminded him...of gray, of a lifetime ago, of a world before there had been light. Of a world before Suzume. Above all else, he wanted to be done with that world...and knowing of its existence, to ensure that this small light that he had found would remain free from those shadows, a treasure kept safe and protected, like a pearl inside of a shell, only no matter how hard he tried or how much he wished it, there was still too much in the world for her to see. So he couldn't leave her alone, even when he tried and all he dared to want was a moment to himself in a town that was big and wide and open and not so narrow and tall and dark. In the end, it always came back to her. And this was no exception. Watching the lights was beautiful, but there was no comparison between some flash created by a man and the unrivaled light of the sun. That was her...the sun, rising in the East and setting in the West, dependable, always there. And while he didn't know the words to put with the feelings, the way to go about any of this, or even exactly what it was that was going on in this small hope that had been born inside of him by her, because of her, for her, he knew that when she called for him, no matter the question...he would always, always answer.
"Beautiful?" he mused, turning for the first time to look at the exploding lights in the sky above...and his stern, thinly-pressed lips seemed to take on an expression of faint, very, very faint...amusement? Or... "Yes, Suzume. Beautiful..."
He wasn't talking about the fireworks...
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:50 pm
Suzume Kirihara The girl smiled softly, catching the almost invisible changes on the corner of his lips or in his gaze, glad that he was enjoying the night as much as she was (or at least, that is what she believed…and hoped for). The brunette nodded, contented with his agreeing with her as wide eyes returned to the shimmering lights at the distance not long after, almost as if fearing that if she strayed her gaze for too long, she’d miss an important part of the show. Lips were parted slightly in awe, the corner of her lips pulled upwards the moment the colorful lights splashed the black canvas. Perhaps it was a simple spectacle… something repeating itself each night, but, for the girl, despite having watched fireworks many times before, being here, at this very instant, was the best thing that could be going on in the world. Perhaps she was amused by the most simple things…perhaps she enjoyed it more because she wasn’t watching them on her own, perhaps there was a hidden reason behind those giggles and bright eyes…Perhaps it was a combination of them all. Who knew? Not her, that was for sure.
“They are! Like little sparkling stars…” she added softly without turning back, reaching out her hand to the night’s sky, fingers curling slightly as if about to catch some of this stardust, while she tried keeping steady without holding onto the railing, balancing on the tips of her toes. A giggle escaped her lips as she lowered her arms again, holding onto the railing to keep herself from slipping or falling for a moment before, without any notice or kind of warning, she turned around and threw her arms around the violet haired young man standing beside her in a tight hug, this time not caring for the colored explosions she might be missing. It lasted only for an instant though, knowing that Sai didn’t like those shows of affection (but apparently it wasn’t enough to stop her from doing so, in the first place). “This is amazing, Sai! I am happy you brought me here! Fireworks are…Fireworks are my favorite!” (Along with many other things, buuuut….that wasn’t important right now, right?) The loudest explosion boomed behind her just then, taking the small brunette’s attention immediately. She twirled back to face the blues and golds raining down to the ocean, another excited squeal escaping the girl. Another step to reach the railing. Then another. And then…
A loose board.
She tottered, and for the third…fourth?...fifth?...time in that same day, the clumsy girl fell face first to the ground. Really! It was almost as if uneven surfaces, loose boards, or even her own feet were there just for her to fall. Almost as if they were attracted to her. Like a…an accident magnet! Yes, that was it. It wasn’t because she never looked at her surroundings, or was more careful of where she walked…Nope. It was nothing like that. Suzu sat up, but didn’t stand to her feet immediately, first making sure her ankle hadn’t suffered any damage after her first fall earlier that night. She rubbed her nose gingerly, a small pout on her face. “But I am okay!” she reassured her companion, even when a slight coppery taste was left after her words. The brunette furrowed her eyebrows slightly, a faint throb on her lip catching her attention. A finger slowly moved over her lower lip, a small red drop smearing her fingertip. “I think I bit my lip…” she muttered mostly to herself, eyes returning to Sai with a sheepish smile. “B-but don’t worry, okay? It was really nothing.”
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:41 pm
~Sai Sakurazaka, the Sakurazukamori~
(Location: Iwadate Beach - The Southern Pier near Tsukuyomi Shrine)The stars? Fancy streetlights. Fireworks? Dim bulbs bursting in the sky. They were beautiful in their own ways, of course, but in his life there was nothing more luminescent than the smile that he was offered at his words, the glee in her face as she turned her attention back to the skies and all the fancy show that this wealthy little resort town could muster. Distaste for the people aside, there was so much to see in this place, such a wide and welcoming and wondrous place, that even having been there so often before it was easy for someone like Suzume to never grow tired of it. And for Sai, well...he could take it or leave it, his appreciation for the natural (and artificial) beauty present but not so overwhelming as his appreciation for other things. For hope, for freedom. His mind often wandered off into dark territory when he was silent, a segment of the time far more numerous than when he was speaking to anyone, but on a starlit eve, warm and peaceful, his idle thoughts did not wander to a gray place hidden somewhere in his memories. Instead it was...white, peaceful. A stream of consciousness dedicated to trying to find the words to describe what it was like to be standing here with Suzume on this pier jutting out from all that lively action far behind them in the city, watching each little reaction of hers, trying to describe what it was that it made him feel. It was with those thoughts in mind that his senses sharpened all at once, a honed reaction to actions within a certain proximity, and he noticed in an instant with some mixture of awkward amusement and his usual indifferent face that his companion had whirled around to face him, bounding in one smooth move to hug him. On instinct he caught her, fingers resting, antsy at her sides as though some great confusion were sorting itself out inside his mind as to what exactly he should do with them. If it were anyone else, the attempted hug would have instantly been met with a shove, a push, a block, or worse...however his instinct to defend his personal space was always compromised when set against his instinct to be gentle, if with no one else, with her. And so they drifted there for a moment longer, a little of the girl's warmth seeping into him as he itched to raise his guard again. It wasn't that he had a stigma about being touched so much as it was about self-defense...protecting against vulnerabilities not just for himself...but for her as well.
And in a few moments it was done, thankfully, before his itch overwhelmed him and he was forced to push the girl away (not that she wouldn't have just smiled and giggled at his insistence on respecting personal space, complying...for now). She was off and dancing around again on her own, full of wonder and happiness, just the way that he always wanted her to be. And the way he liked her to be...yes, liked? Liked. It was a word he used sparingly at best. Perhaps for sushi, but that was more a matter of sustenance and preference than 'like'. But Suzume...yes, he supposed it was fair to say that he liked it best when she was happy. In fact, he could barely stand the thought of her being unhappy, the very idea filling him with a cold sort of dread and a white-hot anger at whatever offending idea or person might have soured her smile. ...So naturally, it was right then that a board reached up its treacherous wooden edge and caught her toe, sending the poor, clumsy girl careening to the pier deck face-first, falling in a happy little lump that would have been funny in a way if it weren't so pitiful. ...The sight of it turned something in his stomach, her fall, and without hesitation, his foot snapped down onto the loose board hard enough to bend it back down into place...but what his foot hid was a sharp crack which spread from the center and smashed the edge of the board into pieces, trickling down to the sands far below his foot. Vengeance was his. And Suzu would never have to know...he would have smirked, but it was at that moment that he found himself kneeling before her as she turned over, catching her chin between his strong fingers with the gentlest of grips, his stern, crimson eye examining the damage. The look on his face was a perfect juxtaposition of stern reproach and gentle concern...and the two sides of this new persona, the life that he had chosen and the cold insides frozen by a life long past.
"Suzume, you clumsy dolt," his voice was low and deep, concern offsetting the harsh words as the pad of his thumb graced over the blood and her lip, wiping a bit away only to see crimson spring up a second time, as if to mock him...his lips turned down slightly, but his eye seemed to glow, "I can't take my eye off of you...not even for a moment." If she had been the type to notice, she might have read into the double-meaning behind his words, seen the way that he had watched her during the fireworks display reaching its grand climax over their heads. Alas, it was her innocence that made her likely miss it...or perhaps, just maybe, there was something inside of her that would take notice...slow as it might be coming around to the true meaning. In that way, the two of them were quite similar, really...polar opposite lives but they were kindred souls in their foreign approach to this strange friendship of theirs. They were playing entirely by feel...and for Sai, with a life that could end, a past that was always just a step behind him, living in the moment was the only way to live at all.
And that was why, acting on the feel, an instinct which drove him into a thoughtless state of warm feeling and automated motion...he leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth with his own two lips. They pressed against the minor wound and it was soft, gentle as he always was when he allowed himself to touch her, and he held it for no more than a second or two. All the world around them was dark and irrelevant, though it was also filled with light. He barely noticed. His lips lingered there a moment longer than he had intended...a tender care inside of him that he also hadn't intended when he pressed his lips to hers, intent on dampening the pain, however minor, cleansing anything which might spoil or taint that smile. He didn't think about what it meant. It didn't matter, nor did thoughts about the past or the future. It was just a moment in time, however sweet, one beyond any gentle feelings or warmth that he could have imagined on that day when the rain had fallen down upon him.
And just like that, it was over. He pulled back and his crimson eye inspected the corner of the lip, perfectly clean now, until he was thoroughly satisfied. No damage. Idly, he hoped that it didn't hurt. "No more falling tonight," his voice came out gentle but a bit more stern now, as though his normal persona were returning bit-by-bit, "Stay closer to me...and if you fall, I will catch you." Not a question, a statement. A promise? And he had no intention of breaking it.
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