Origin of the Grim Reaper

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Akira110
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Origin of the Grim Reaper

#1 Post by Akira110 »

Disclaimer: This is an interquel set between Shadows of the Menschilche and Ghosts of the Past. It provides backstory as to why Lilah fell in love with Yoshiro.

Part 1

Fifteen Years after Shadows of the Menschilche

Yoshiro sat within his home back in the Kitsune Kingdom, he was with his wife and their new son, Balthoron. Yoshiro looked up at Elbereth with a smile, "We really outdone ourselves with this one. Then again after raising six of them, we should really know what we're doing by this point." Elbereth chuckled as Balthoron looked at Yoshiro, "He has Lenwe's eyes." Yoshiro heard a knock at the door, "I'll get it." Yoshiro stood up and placed his hand on Balthoron's tiny shoulder, "Hey kiddo, Daddy's gonna be right back, alright?" Balthoron looked up at him and spoke, "Dada." Yoshiro nodded slightly and removed his hand from Balthoron's shoulder as he turned around. He walked over to the door and opened it up to see a Kitsune maid standing there, "An-anko!?" Anko looked at him, "Hello Master Yoshiro." Yoshiro's brow furrowed and he frowned, "Please do not call me that."

Anko frowned, "But Master Yoshiro." Yoshiro sighed, "I swear, this is going to be like Rogelio, isn't it... speaking of which, where is he?" Anko sighed, "Well Master Yoshiro, that's the thing, Sir Rogelio has been looking for Lilah recently." Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, she sort of went missing recently, but if that was anything new then I'd be out there myself. Odd that Rogelio went looking for her though, now that I think about it. Oh well, he's a grown man and a Knight, he can take care of himself." Anko frowned, "But he's your best friend." Yoshiro sighed and stepped out of the way, "Why don't you enter, Auntie Anko, it looks weird with you standing here out in the street." Anko nodded and entered the house, "Oh, is that little Master Balthoron over there?" Elbereth looked up, "I thought we weren't hiring any help?"

Yoshiro closed the door and was going to answer when Anko spoke up, "Oh, I'm the Sano family maid. Lady Amaterasu gave me a job with Lady Minako. When Minako became a handmaiden herself, feeling that she could finally afford to hang up her sword..." Yoshiro interrupted, "Wait, hang up her sword?" Anko looked over her shoulder towards Yoshiro and nodded, "Yes, Master Yoshiro, Lady Minako was quite the swordswoman back before you were born." Yoshiro couldn't believe what he was hearing, "My mother is..." Anko smiled, "A Kensei, yes. She was one of the best and it was an honor serving her, but now I'm here to serve you, since you are her oldest." Yoshiro sighed, "Absolutely not." Anko frowned and turned around, "Why not, I mean after all, when your mother wasn't home and you needed feeding, I fed you straight from my own..."

Yoshiro became visibly nervous and motioned to kill that train of thought, but Elbereth started laughing, "I've never seen my husband so flustered before. She's staying with us, Yoshiro." Yoshiro looked at her, "Elbereth, I don't want her here. She... she..." Anko walked over to Yoshiro and started singing in the Kitsune language, "Obasan Anko wa koko ni sukoshi Kitsune anata no tamedesu. Anata no okāsan wa anata no kea, chīsana ichi de kanojo o itaku shimashita. Kanojo to watashi wa ryōhō no watashitachi no kokoro no subete de anata o aishiteimasu. Ima sugu anata no mewotojite, yoku sukoshi kitto nemurimasu." Yoshiro looked at her, "That lullaby... why did you... that's not the point, you always tease me, like..." Anko pulled out a stuffed Kitsune, "Remember this?" Yoshiro looked at the stuffed Kitsune and his face under his fur turned a bright red, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Elbereth giggled and Balthoron started clapping and laughing and Yoshiro felt defeated in that moment, but Anko smirked and took it a step further, "Does little Yoshiro want Ame?" Yoshiro frowned, "N-n-no! I-I d-don't!" Anko slowly extended the stuffed Kitsune towards Yoshiro while Elbereth giggled. Elbereth looked at Balthoron and then back at Yoshiro, "I've never seen you so flustered before, Yoshiro, it's okay if you want to take the stuffed Kitsune." Yoshiro shook his head and backed away, "I-I d-don't want it! I don't want it!" Anko frowned, "Aww, are you sure, Yoshiro? I've been taking real good care of Ame since you left for the academy." Yoshiro watched as Ame got within reach and Yoshiro looked at Anko, "Okay... what are your terms..." Anko smiled, "You let me work for you and I'll stop teasing you." Yoshiro closed his eyes and swore under his breath in draconic.

Anko frowned, "I didn't quite hear you." Yoshiro shrugged, "That was deliberate as my choice of language was inappropriate for my infant son to hear." Anko frowned and wagged her finger, "Shame on you Yoshiro, you shouldn't be swearing in front of a child." Yoshiro looked at her, "Are you my mother now?" Anko smirked, "Well I did feed you from my..." Yoshiro placed his hand on his face, utterly defeated, "Fine... fine, you win. You can stay here and help, you will not be a mere servant in this house." Anko sighed, "Why do you insist on rejecting your own noble lineage, Master Yoshiro." Yoshiro shook his head, "It's not my lineage that I take issue with, Auntie, it's the being a noble that I have issues with. I don't see myself as any better than the people." Elbereth chimed in, "It's true, he really doesn't. It's what made him such an effective king, back before he abdicated the throne to Hiromi."

Anko frowned, "But you'll always be nobility, whether you like it or not." Yoshiro sighed, "Just... just give me Ame." Anko shook her head, "Give me Ame, please." Yoshiro placed his hand on his hip and tried to take Ame from Anko, without any success. Anko smiled slightly, "We could do this all day." Yoshiro shook his head, "My bodyguard is literally an assassin, what's stopping me from having her just steal it from you." Anko looked at him sternly, "Do you wish for me to bend you over my knee and paddle you, young man?" Yoshiro looked at her in shock, "I am a grown man!" Anko folded her arms, "That doesn't mean anything! I'll discipline you still if I have to." Yoshiro knew that this was one fight he wasn't going to win, this is one fight he never won, so he just gave up, "May I please have Ame?"

Anko smiled and handed the stuffed Kitsune to Yoshiro, "See, that's better." Anko walked over to Elbereth and Balthoron, "Oh, Master Balthoron, it's good to see you for the first time." Yoshiro sighed slightly as he hugged Ame, "Well, at least he isn't crying." Anko frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Balthoron isn't fond of most people that aren't his immediate family or close friends of his father." Anko nodded, "I see, so I'm the first person that he hasn't cried at when meeting?" Before Yoshiro could answer, Balthoron started crying and Yoshiro smirked, wanting to take advantage of this moment, "Well, since you volunteered so graciously, you get to change his diaper." Anko frowned, "It's not his diaper, Elbereth, do you have a bottle?" Elbereth nodded and grabbed a bottle full of milk, "Here you go." Anko picked Balthoron up and placed the bottle in his mouth, "There you go little one, drink up." Yoshiro sighed, though having Anko here was great help with Balthoron, he couldn't help but wonder how Rogelio and Lilah were doing.
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#2 Post by Akira110 »

Part 2

A few hours had passed and Yoshiro sat down for lunch when he heard a knock at the door, he then heard Anko speak up, "I'll get it." Yoshiro stood up, "I'll answer my door, Auntie." Anko frowned, "As the Sano Family Maid... you know this is my duty." Yoshiro shrugged and walked over to the door. He looked through the peephole and upon seeing who it was, he opened the door, "Lilah!" Lilah looked at Yoshiro and hugged him, "My stomach is upset, I've been throwing up all morning." Yoshiro was confused as to why Lilah was hugging him, "Are... are you alright?" Lilah closed her eyes, "Please, Yoshiro... just let me rest right here." Yoshiro looked down at her, "Alright, can you at least give me a clue as to where you were the past week?" Lilah spoke softly, "I was at a bar... and I met this really nice person, at least he seemed nice."

Yoshiro arched a brow, "That's a little out of character for you." Lilah nodded, "Yeah, we got drunk and we hit it off. It was a blur but... but..." Lilah suddenly went silent, causing Yoshiro to realize what was about to happen. He had a choice, let go of Lilah and risk losing her trust as she falls to the floor, or let it happen. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth as Lilah threw up on him. Yoshiro sighed slightly and pat Lilah on the back as she continued puking on him. Lilah frowned, "Why won't it stop." Yoshiro started to pull her away from the door, "Come on, we're going to take you to the bathroom... you can throw up in the toilet and I need to change my clothes." Lilah looked up into his eyes, "Please, Yoshiro, you're the only one I can trust right now to look after me."

Yoshiro felt sorry for Lilah, she never seemed so vulnerable in her life and he closed his eyes, "I promise that it won't take long." Lilah nodded, tears in her eyes, "It hurts." Yoshiro sighed and looked over his shoulder, "Aunt Anko, Elbereth, I'm taking Lilah upstairs, alright?" Elbereth nodded slightly, "Alright." Yoshiro smiled and moved to the side of Lilah, "Come on, Lilah." Lilah nodded and walked with Yoshiro, the two of them slowly approaching the stairs, "If it helps, Lilah, I can carry you up there." Lilah nodded slightly and Yoshiro leaned down and grabbed her behind her knees, lifting her off the ground, "There we go." Lilah looked up at him, "Thank you." Yoshiro smiled, "Not a problem, you're my friend." Yoshiro climbed the steps with little issue and carried Lilah to the bathroom.

He placed her on the floor in front of the toilet, "Alright, throw up in that. I'll be right back." Lilah nodded and put her face to the toilet as Yoshiro left and walked over to his and Elbereth's room. He quickly got undressed and tossed his clothing in the hamper with a frown, "The sad part is, this isn't even new..." Yoshiro got out some new clothes and was halfway done looping his belt when he came to the realization, "By the graces of Amaterasu, Lilah's pregnant..." Yoshiro finished getting dressed and walked over to the bathroom, where Lilah was retching loudly. Yoshiro sighed and rubbed her back, "Lilah, I got bad news..." Lilah turned and looked at him, her hair was a mess, "What's that?" Yoshiro sighed, "You're pregnant." Lilah shook her head, "I can't be pregnant..." Yoshiro folded his arms, "You've been there with me as I went through this four times..."

Lilah looked down at the toilet, "By the shadows of my mother, I'm pregnant, but the only person that could've gotten me pregnant was that assassin..." Yoshiro looked at her, "Wait, assassin?" Lilah nodded, "He bought me drinks and we had a great time and we slept together..." Yoshiro placed his hand on his head, "The two of you slept together alright. Well, the good news is, is that if he's an assassin, your mother will be able to find out who it is." Lilah nodded slightly, "Yeah, let's go see her." Yoshiro shook his head, "No, I'll go see her, you're in no condition to be moving." A voice sounded from down stairs, "Lord Yoshiro, what smells like vomit?" Yoshiro called out, "Up here, Rogelio!" Lilah looked at Yoshiro, "Please... don't have him come up here..." Rogelio walked into the bathroom, "Lilah, what happened?"

Lilah frowned, "I'm pregnant, Rogelio. Feel free to call me a cheap whore." Rogelio frowned, "I'm going to write that off as you being hormonal and not really meaning that." Lilah looked at him angrily and Rogelio sighed, "Tell me, Lilah. Why would I bother slandering you at this moment? It doesn't matter how you got pregnant, but right now you're a friend of my Lord's that has nausea and is throwing up." Yoshiro nodded, "Lilah, Rogelio actually does care about you, very much. Even if he shows it in his own... Rogelio way." Lilah closed her eyes, "I doubt that." Rogelio shook his head and frowned, "Lady Lilah, you..." Lilah interrupted with a scoff, "No one calls me Lady in a serious manner." Rogelio sighed, "I'm not being sarcastic. You are a friend of milord." Yoshiro showed visible annoyance at being called lord, but didn't comment on it. Lilah nodded, "That's what he said."

Yoshiro sighed slightly and leaned against the tub, "Well, Lilah, take all the time you need to, Rogelio, can you go and brew her up something that will stop her nausea?" Rogelio nodded slightly, "A Mofetian Herbal Tea would do the trick." Yoshiro nodded, "Thanks." Rogelio nodded and left the room as Lilah sat up, "Yoshiro, why are you doing this for me?" Yoshiro looked at her, "You said it yourself, I'm the only one close that you can trust. It's because you know that no matter what, I'll stick by your side." Lilah nodded slightly and hugged her knees, "I'm scared..." Yoshiro extended his hand, "Lilah, I promise that you'll get through this, and when you do, you'll have a beautiful baby that you'll be able to call you own." Lilah frowned, "But... what if I'm not a good mother?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Nonsense. And don't worry, I'll help you raise your child, as if they were my own."

Lilah looked into his eyes, "Do you really mean that, Yoshiro?" Yoshiro nodded with a slight smile, "Of course, I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise, Lilah." Lilah took Yoshiro's hand, "Thank you, Yoshiro. You're a good friend." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "I know, but I'm just being the man that my mom raised me to be." Lilah smirked and looked up at the ceiling, "So what if the man who got me pregnant turns out to be the infamous Butcher that I've heard so much about." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Then I'll be the one to kill him. I'll refuse to let him hurt you or your child." Lilah blinked slightly, "But no one has ever been able to kill the Butcher." Yoshiro nodded, "No one tried using a sniper rifle. Trust me Lilah, if it comes to that, I'll figure something out." Lilah nodded and looked out the window, "If it does... I hope you do."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#3 Post by Akira110 »

Part 3

After Lilah's stomach finally settled from Rogelio's tea, Lilah looked at Yoshiro, "Why did you ask him to help me?" Yoshiro sighed, "Because we're friends. Think you can stand up without, you know?" Lilah nodded, "Yeah, sorry about your plumbing." Yoshiro sighed, "I'm just more worried about the fact that you probably have nothing in your stomach, you just spent three hours vomiting... I'm starting to think that you don't just have morning sickness." Lilah looked at him and leaned against the sink, "What do you think it is?" Yoshiro placed his hand on his chin, "I'm not a doctor, but considering you kept throwing up whatever Rogelio brought up to you, there's a good chance that you have a stomach virus. Rogelio, get some ice water, nothing more, nothing less." Rogelio nodded and walked out of the room. Lilah looked at him, "You let this go on for three hours?"

Yoshiro shook his head, "No, I wasn't quite aware of what was going on until now. I'm sorry." Lilah nodded slightly, she looked weakened and Yoshiro motioned towards himself, "Come here, Lilah." Lilah crawled over to him and rested her head on his chest, Yoshiro absentmindedly stroked the back of her head, "Don't worry, it's a long process, but..." Something crossed Yoshiro's mind, "Wait, you said that an assassin was the person you slept with, correct?" Lilah nodded slightly and grabbed onto Yoshiro's shirt, burying her face into it, "I hate being seen vulnerable like this." Rogelio walked in, "Lady Lilah, here you go, take little sips of this every few minutes, alright?" Lilah looked up at Rogelio, "Why are you being so nice to me... I'm an assassin and you're a knight." Rogelio smiled softly as he knelt to hand her the glass, "Because Lilah, you are Lord Yoshiro's friend. He trusts you."

Lilah nodded and took a small sip of the water and put the glass down as Elbereth came up the stairs, "Oh, Lilah, you poor dear." Lilah looked up at Elbereth, "Even you?" Elbereth nodded, "While I didn't approve of the fact that an assassin was in the house, you proved yourself to be far more than just trustworthy, you're a friend of this family." Lilah nodded slightly, "Thanks everyone." Elbereth smiled and Yoshiro looked at her, "Wait if you're up here, who's looking after Balthoron?" Elbereth smirked, "Anko is, though she might be a bit overly enthusiastic about it." Yoshiro sighed, "I guess I'm going to go make sure that nothing's happening to my kid." As Yoshiro went to get up, he felt Lilah grab his arm, "Please, don't go see my mother without me, Yoshiro." Yoshiro turned to look at her, "I promise you that I won't. We'll go together."

Yoshiro stood up and walked out of the bathroom, but before he did he looked at Elbereth, "Can you take her to her bedroom. It'd be far more comfortable than the cold bathroom floor." Elbereth nodded, "Rogelio, can you help Lilah up." Yoshiro walked away from the situation and grabbed the railing. Elbereth looked at him, "Yoshiro, are you..." Yoshiro shook his head, "There's a table underneath that I really like, so no, I'm not jumping over the railing. Not to mention the landing would be terrible and the shock could break my leg. I'm going to take the stairs, just stretching out my legs is all." Elbereth nodded as Rogelio walked out with Lilah, "I'm going to go with them, make sure nothing bad happens." Yoshiro nodded and kissed Elbereth on the cheek, "I love you." Elbereth smirked, "I love you, too."

Yoshiro walked down the stairs and looked around, when he heard giggling in a room and Yoshiro recognized that as Balthoron's giggling. Yoshiro followed it to a bedroom that Yoshiro had set aside for guests, and he pressed himself against the wall to listen to what was going on, he heard Anko speak to Balthoron, "You know, when your father was your age, he used to get really fussy about his mommy being gone, but you're a really good boy, you know. You're very calm and accepting of me. Though I guess that's because your mom trusts me, though I can't be so sure about your father." Yoshiro didn't like the emphasis that she put on the word father. Anko spoke up, "Yoshiro, would you like to be put in the corner?" Yoshiro closed his eyes and didn't speak, but Anko sighed, "I can smell you, you know... it's not like you're doing a good job of hiding."

Yoshiro didn't even hear her move, but the door opened, startling him and he watched as her hand reached out and grabbed him by the face. She then walked out of the room, "You're very bad, you know!" Yoshiro shrugged, "I would appreciate you getting your hand off my face." Anko shook her head, "Tell me why you were spying on me." Yoshiro sighed, "I wasn't, I was seeing how well my son reacted to you without knowing that I'm there." Anko took her hand off his face, "Oh... you really mean that?" Yoshiro nodded, "The reason I don't want you to be around isn't because I don't like you... I do... I love you. You helped raise me, Anko, and for that I'll forever be grateful. It's just that... I hate being a Count... I hate being a noble." Anko nodded, "I understand, then maybe I'm not your maid. I'm your aunt."

Yoshiro was stunned as he didn't think of that, "Wait, really?" Anko nodded, "Ultimately, I serve Lady Amaterasu and it was both her and Lady Minako's idea to send me here to help out." Yoshiro blinked, "I have Rogelio, though." Anko shook her head, "The last several children you raised, you had help from other people aside from Rogelio. In fact, four of your children grew up as royalty and were taken care of by the castle staff." Yoshiro couldn't deny that fact and thus stayed silent. Anko frowned, "Look, you can tell me if something's wrong." Yoshiro shook his head, "Just, I got this feeling in my gut is all." Anko nodded and Yoshiro walked into the doorway to look at Balthoron who smiled at him, "Dada!" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Hey little buddy. Your grandaunt and I need to talk in private, I won't be long."

Yoshiro closed the door and looked Anko in the eye, "Listen, if I don't come back, I want you to raise my kid with Elbereth." Anko shook her head, "Don't speak like that." Yoshiro looked at her, "Listen auntie, I already almost died once. I accept the possibility that I may die. But I'm going to go with Lilah tomorrow to see if we can't figure out what assassin impregnated her. If it's the Butcher that I've heard so much about... well, the only way I'll be able to put him down for good is if I accept that if I fail, he will show me no mercy and end my life." Anko frowned, "But if it is, won't he come here?" Yoshiro smirked, "Lilah's here, he won't dare." Anko nodded and looked Yoshiro in the eye, "Promise me you'll return." Yoshiro sighed, "Alright, I promise." Anko nodded, "Thank you. I promise that I'll look after Balthoron while you're away."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#4 Post by Akira110 »

Part 4

Yoshiro walked out to the garage on his own, he knew that if he took Julius with him, that he'd be obvious and alert Lilah to the fact that he was heading out into battle. He put on his protective clothing and sighed as he placed his helmet on. He switched his sword to his back scabbard and made sure the quick release clasp worked before fastening the belt. He made sure that his pistol was in its holster and that the safety was on. He knew that he wasn't going to find Saskia in Kitsune territory so he looked back at the locked case that he knew held his sniper rifle and sighed. He walked over to it and tied it to the back of the motorcycle. As he sat down on the motorcycle, he did a few quick checks to make sure that he had everything he needed.

He then remembered his promise to Lilah and sighed, "Dammit, I can't do this to her..." He got off the bike and untied his sniper rifle's case from the back and placed it on the desk next to where the bike was and he walked into the house, raising his visor, "I'm going to go for a ride, clear my head, alright." Elbereth nodded, "May I come along as well?" Yoshiro nodded, "Sure thing." Elbereth walked over to a closet and got her riding gear. She quickly changed into it and Yoshiro smiled, "Where would you like to go?" Elbereth smirked, "Why not that lake where we first met after you saved me?" Yoshiro shook his head, "I promised Lilah that I wouldn't go to her mother, and both Saskia and that lake is in Kani territory. There is a gorgeous lake on the Kitsune-Lupine border. Will that suffice?"

Elbereth nodded and the two of them got on the bike, Elbereth wrapped her arms tightly around Yoshiro's waist and Yoshiro closed his eyes as he kicked up the kickstand and started up the motorcycle. He pressed a button on his key fob and watched as the garage door opened, showing that a rain storm was moving in, "It's okay if you would like to stay home, Elbereth." Elbereth rested her chin on Yoshiro's shoulder, "If it's all the same to you, I think I'm going to stay with you. After all, we're married, aren't we?" Yoshiro nodded, "Alright then." Elbereth chuckled, "Also you're the one that doesn't like getting wet, I'm a Sea Elf, dear." Yoshiro hit the accelerator and lifted his feet off the ground, "Yeah, yeah..." Elbereth chuckled as the two of them rode off onto the road, rain soon started hitting them and Yoshiro sighed slightly as he lifted his visor so he could see.

Elbereth spoke up, "Are you sure that you can see like that?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Yeah, I used to fly on Julius without a helmet all the time. It's a bit windy, but you tend to get used to it." Elbereth nodded, "Alright, so, what is this lake you're taking me to?" Yoshiro sighed, "It's a place that Killian and I used to go to, before the civil war. It's also where I met Julius when I was a kit." Elbereth sighed contently, "Then it's a special place to you." Yoshiro turned onto a road that led out of the city, "Not really, about the same as any other place to me. What's important isn't the location, but who I'm there with, after all." Elbereth laughed, "You sound like my brother." The two of them exited the city and Yoshiro chuckled, "Lathron might have rubbed off on me."

Yoshiro kept driving along the road and then suddenly turned onto a dirt path, "Here we go, I wonder what all has changed. Used to be a small colony of freshwater merfolk in the lake, but..." Yoshiro hit the brakes as he saw the lake and when the bike finally came to a stop, he placed his feet on the ground and looked out at it, "I wonder if Adriana is still there." Elbereth arched a brow as Yoshiro kicked down the kickstand, "Adriana?" Yoshiro took off his helmet and placed it on one of the handlebars, "Yeah, she's a mermaid, she was about two hundred when I first came down here, so... she'd be over six hundred now, I'm guessing." Yoshiro stepped off the bike and Elbereth placed her helmet on the seat, "Friend of yours?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Savior."

As Yoshiro walked towards the lake, Elbereth looked at him, "Wait, what do you mean savior?" Yoshiro turned and looked at her, "When I was a kid, I didn't know how to swim and I wasn't much of a fighter... some bullies tried to make me sink or swim and threw me into the lake. I would've drowned if it wasn't for her." Elbereth nodded slightly, "I see, so that's why you seem so fond of her." Yoshiro nodded, "I never got to thank her though, by the time I came to, she was gone." Elbereth followed him and the two of them quickly reached the lake. Yoshiro smiled, "It's still beautiful to this day." Elbereth chuckled slightly, "I never thought I'd hear you say that about a body of water." Yoshiro shrugged, "Honestly, it's a very serene place." Yoshiro looked over and saw a Mermaid resting on the beach with a Silver Dragon.

Yoshiro walked over to them, "Erasmus, this is a surprise, I didn't know that you came down from your mountain top." Erasmus looked at him and then over at Elbereth who walked over, "So you're the Yoshiro that Walthari speaks so highly about." The mermaid looked over to him, "Yoshiro? As in Yoshiro Miyamae?" Yoshiro nodded towards the mermaid, "And you are?" The Mermaid smirked, "You never got to see what I looked like did you? Poor thing, you were unconscious when I found you." Yoshiro blinked, "Adriana de Luca?" Adriana nodded slightly, "Yes, that's me." Erasmus chuckled, "Adriana and I are friends, she and I go back before you were born." Adriana nodded, "Erasmus is why there's a merfolk colony here, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded and looked at Adriana, "Thank you for saving my life, by the way." Adriana smiled, "It's no problem, have you saved the lives of others?"

Yoshiro looked down and Erasmus sighed, "No, Yoshiro here is a soldier and he carries that guilt with him. However, while I'm on my visits down here, I can teach you a few things about how to control that guilt so that it doesn't destroy you. What do you say?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Well, I have a son and..." Elbereth placed her hand on his shoulder, "It's alright, Yoshiro. I would rather you learn how to control your own guilt, instead of letting it build inside of you." Yoshiro nodded, "Then yes, if you will have me as your student." Erasmus nodded, "Alright then, we shall start the next time I come down here." Yoshiro nodded, "Thank you, Master Erasmus." Erasmus grumbled, "You as well?" Yoshiro nodded and Adriana giggled, "Well, I got to get back to my place, it was good seeing all of you." Elbereth nodded, "Likewise."

Erasmus nodded, "Well, I'll be off, I don't want to leave the two of you lovebirds busy." Yoshiro nodded slightly and grabbed Elbereth's hand, "Come on, I'll show you the best spot to just watch the view." Elbereth nodded and Yoshiro took her to a solitary tree near some bushes. Yoshiro let go of her hand and sat down, Elbereth took the cue and sat down next to Yoshiro, leaning her head against his shoulder, "Thanks for taking me out here, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded, "Like I said, you're my wife. Any time you want to ride out here, you're welcome to do so. I don't mind, you know." Elbereth smirked, "Really?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, I love you, Elbereth, and I want you to be happy." Elbereth nodded and sighed happily, "I love you too, Yoshiro, and I want you to be happy." Yoshiro nodded and the two of them started to watch nature.
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#5 Post by Akira110 »

Part 5

The day had passed and Lilah sighed slightly as she climbed out of bed, she felt much better than she did earlier and looked at Rogelio, "I never thought I'd say this, but thank you." Rogelio nodded, "Any time. Lord Yoshiro is waiting for you." Yoshiro yelled up the stairs, "Dammit Rogelio! I'm not a Lord!" Rogelio sighed, "Surely at this point he's given up and realized that as his knight, I'm obligated to call him my lord." Yoshiro yelled up, "I told you that isn't necessary over a thousand times already!" Lilah shook her head and walked out of the room, "You do whatever you wish to do. Elbereth, I'm going out." Elbereth called out, "Sure thing, Lilah, Yoshiro was coming to get you." Lilah nodded slightly and grabbed her motorcycle riding gear from the closet. She looked down at Yoshiro who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, "Are you nervous?"

Yoshiro placed his helmet on and shook his head, "Not really. This isn't the first time I've met your mother." Lilah blinked, "You've met my mother before?" Yoshiro turned around and then turned his head back, "Let's just say that Saskia and I have some history and leave it at that." Lilah put her helmet on and walked down the stairs, "Hold on a second, what history do you have with my mother?" Yoshiro shook his head, "It's not really that important, but she and I did a bit of work together in the past." A knock sounded at the door and Yoshiro sighed slightly, "We don't have time for this, Lilah. If we want to get to Maan Valssi anytime tonight, we have to go now." Lilah nodded, "But what about having Julius fly over there?" Yoshiro sighed, "I thought about doing that, but I remembered that I let him go back to his territory."

Lilah nodded as the two of them walked into the garage. Yoshiro walked over to a box and grabbed his sniper rifle out of it, strapping it and his sword to his back so that they would be out of his way. He made sure to keep the sniper rifle unloaded by having the power cores in a pouch on his belt. Yoshiro got on the bike, kicked back the kickstand, started it up and he opened the garage door to see his twin sister standing there. Kasumi looked at Yoshiro, "So you're running off with Lilah?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, I've got to give her mother the news that she's going to become a grandmother soon." Kasumi wasn't buying it, "You're going off to kill the father, aren't you?" Yoshiro lifted the visor of his helmet, "Well that might become a possibility." Kasumi sighed, "When are you going to stop being like this? The rest of the family is worried about you, you know..."

Yoshiro closed his eyes, "I know. Hey, I got an idea, would you like to come with us?" Kasumi shook her head, "I don't wish to be part of this murder that you're planning." Yoshiro sighed, "Sis..." Yoshiro pushed the visor back down, "Tell Mom and Dad not to worry, alright?" Kasumi folded her arms and shook her head, "I'm not going to tell them anything except you're going off and being a damn fool." Yoshiro shook his head and sighed, "Then will you at least get out of my way so that I can leave my own house." Kasumi sighed slightly and Yoshiro hit the accelerator, driving the bike right up beside her. He sighed as he looked into her eyes, "I love you, my twin sister. Believe me, I do. But right now, Lilah needs help in finding the father of her kids. And if it's the Butcher, I'll have to put him down."

Kasumi frowned, "Go on then. See if I care if you risk your life or die!" Yoshiro took off his helmet and looked into Kasumi's eyes, "You know that's not true, I got a sidecar for this thing, if you really want to make sure that I stay out of trouble, you or your husband can come with me?" Kasumi looked at him, "How did you know that I'm married?" Yoshiro sighed, "You're my twin sister, did you really think that for a moment, I wouldn't have paid attention to you. Look, Kasumi, I'm giving you this chance because I don't want you to worry." Kasumi was exasperated, "I don't understand, why do you have to do this, Yoshiro. You're going out there to see a woman called the Queen of Assassins. She could handle the Butcher on her own!"

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Kasumi, I know this, but something in me, something I can't explain... almost as if it is written in my DNA. Or perhaps my very heart. It's something that I can't ignore, even if I'm not a hero, even if I'm just a killer. I want to help Lilah out." Kasumi shook her head, "Then what are you waiting for, brother. Go." Yoshiro placed his helmet back on, "Kasumi, can you at least tell Mom that I'm sorry." Kasumi nodded, and Yoshiro had an idea. He unzipped his motorcycle suit and undid the pendant around his neck, "Katriina gave me this. There are only two like it in the whole world. I want you to have this until I get back." Kasumi looked at it, "But why?" Yoshiro smiled under his helmet, "It means more than the world to me, I'll be extra careful so that I can come back and get it from you."

Kasumi nodded and Yoshiro placed his hand on her shoulder, "I'll be back, I promise." Yoshiro removed his hand from her shoulder, lifted up his feet and hit the accelerator. The motorcycle accelerated down the road and he turned onto another road that would take him directly to Maan Valssi. Lilah spoke up, "Yoshiro, why did you give her your most prized possession?" Yoshiro sighed, "Because I don't want my family to worry, you know." Lilah nodded, "It must be nice, having a family that cares about you." Yoshiro frowned, "Your mother cares about you, I'm sure of it." Lilah shook her head, "Not really, she's just the leader of the Assassins. She cares about all assassins and will avenge them, but she won't even come to see me. I know she's a deity and all, but Amaterasu comes to see you."

Yoshiro couldn't deny that, but he sighed slightly as he looked at the road, and turned his headlight on, "Lilah, you're a great person and a good friend. You don't quite know it, but you're not the little thief I met in Maan Valssi." Lilah hugged Yoshiro tighter and Yoshiro noticed, "You can let up on the pressure there, Lilah." Lilah leaned her head against Yoshiro's shoulder, "I'm glad you think so. I used to have to steal in order to survive, but it was you who taught me that there was something more to life. Something worth doing, but I went and became an assassin." Yoshiro nodded, "And I hired you as my personal bodyguard, remember?" Lilah nodded slightly and looked up at the sky, "The stars are shining brightly tonight." Yoshiro chuckled, "Yeah... I noticed. Hey, Lilah, do you think that you'll be able to stay awake tonight? I could stop in a nearby city and you could sleep there if you wanted."

Lilah shook her head, "No, it'll be fine, Yoshiro. I can stay awake." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "If you feel tired, don't be afraid to tell me, I don't want you falling off my motorcycle. Then I'd be in some real trouble with your mother..." Lilah nodded, "So what did you work on with my mother?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Should be obvious. My sniper rifle. She was honestly the one that suggested it to me. I figured that I was skilled enough with it to take out Hiroshi's clone, but, I walked into a trap and almost died." Lilah nodded, "I was worried that you'd never wake up." Yoshiro nodded, "Like I said, you don't quite know it, but you have a very good heart, Lilah. You're the finest assassin I've met in my entire life, but because of it, you're a very good person. Any more questions?" Lilah looked at the road, "Not really?" Yoshiro nodded, "Alright then, just remember to tell me if you get tired, alright?" Lilah smiled under her helmet, "Alright."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#6 Post by Akira110 »

Part 6

It was after midnight when Yoshiro finally arrived at Maan Vaalsi's border, he knew that Lilah was tired and he himself could feel fatigue pulling at him, but unlike Lilah, he was used to working like this from his military days. He quickly drove to the Assassin's guild and kicked the kickstand down, "Lilah, we're home." A male Eekhoorn walked over, "Lilah, you mean my little girl has finally come back to me?" Yoshiro drew his pistol and pointed it at the man, "You abandoned her when she was little, Sampsa, you come near her without her permission and I blow your brains out, is that clear?" Sampsa looked at Yoshiro, "You're a violent one... but you'll regret that." A female Eekhoorn walked out, "No, he won't, because if you do anything to upset Lilah, I will hunt you down." Sampsa backed away, "I should've never had her with you, Saskia."

Saskia glared daggers at Sampsa and Yoshiro watched him run, "Wasn't quite expecting that. At any rate, Saskia, your daughter needs a place to sleep for the night, do you mind if she stays with you? She's more or less about ready to pass out and if she does, while I'm on the road, well... let's just say that out of every deity out there, you're the one I least want to piss off." Saskia nodded, "Wise, you're welcome to stay here as her employer, you know." Yoshiro shook his head and then got off his bike, helping Lilah off and into the arms of Saskia, "I'm going to stay at my old place here... no matter how... lonely it is now." Memories of Katriina, Kauko, and even Hannu flashed through his mind and he sighed slightly, "I'll be back in about ten to twelve hours, depending on travel time and how long I sleep."

Saskia nodded and Yoshiro sighed as he kicked up the kickstand, "See the two of you later." Yoshiro rode off, he wanted to avoid the castle as he couldn't bother to look Seija in the eye after he killed her husband. He sighed slightly as the thought of her entered his mind, "I'm sorry Seija, I know you'd forgive me, but... I can't forgive myself, you know." He pulled up to a temple and kicked the kickstand back down, turning off the motorcycle and locking it. He frowned as he took his helmet off and walked into the temple, "Hello, is anyone home?" A young Paladin walked up to him, "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Yoshiro looked at him, "You look unfamiliar, are you new?" The Paladin nodded, "I'm Simo, I was recently made a paladin. My partners are all in the mess hall, would you like to join us?"

Yoshiro shook his head and placed his hand on Simo's shoulder, "Kid, treasure the bonds you forge with your partners, alright?" Simo didn't understand, "Wait... what do you mean? Who are you?" Yoshiro walked past him and removed his shoulder, "The last survivor of the only group of Paladins to include a non-Paladin." Simo looked at him, "You're Yoshiro Miyamae. A War..." Yoshiro shook his head, "I'm no hero, kid. Is Sinikka in her quarters?" Simo nodded, "Y-yes, sir." Yoshiro smiled and waved his hand, "Relax, kid. And thanks." Yoshiro walked down the hall and took a left to go to the hall that Sinikka and her personal attendants and guards used for their quarters. He couldn't remember the door, but found her by her scent, he stopped in front of the door and quietly sighed, he didn't know what to say to her.

Yoshiro went to go knock at the door when it opened, revealing the Kani Deity before him. Sinikka looked at him slightly and he was stunned in disbelief at what she was wearing. She reached out to slap him, but Yoshiro moved out of the way, "Lady Sinikka, it's me!" Sinikka looked at him, "Yoshiro? I thought you were some pervert that managed to sneak into the temple." Yoshiro placed his hand on his head, "It was a mistake to come back here... I apologize." As he turned around, she grabbed his arm, "Please, do not go. I know that things are hard on you, but please, tell me what's wrong?" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "It's nothing." Sinikka shook her head, "I know you better than that, Yoshiro, stop lying to me." Yoshiro tried to yank his arm back, but quickly found himself wrestled to the ground with a Deity sitting on his chest in a nightie.

Sinnkia looked down at him, "Tell me what's wrong." Yoshiro looked away from her, "Okay, seriously Lady of Justice, this is uncomfortable for me. You're in smallclothes right now, sitting on top of me." Sinikka sighed, "Fine, sorry, that was an automatic response, usually trainees can be a bit unruly at times." She got off him and he sighed as he stood up, "I'll leave the room." Sinikka shook her head, "It's your partners, isn't it?" Yoshiro felt the emotional dagger enter his heart, "No." Sinikka frowned and folded her arms, "Yoshiro, I know when you're lying to me." He sighed, "Yes." He looked at her and then felt moisture on his face, causing him to reach for his cheeks, "Tears, I thought these had dried up a long time ago..." Sinikka shook her head, "You've always had a good heart, Kensei."

Yoshiro was surprised at that as Sinikka took his right glove off, revealing the mark of Amaterasu, "I sensed this. By the way, how's the armor I gave you holding up?" Yoshiro shook his head, "It's... decorative, as is his sword." Sinikka sighed, "You need a place to stay, don't you?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Yeah, I do." Sinikka placed her hand to her chin, "I can set up a cot in my room if you'd like, I mean it won't be the same, but after the whole divorce with my second husband and all, I've been sleeping alone." Yoshiro didn't bother probing, "So you're offering me... one of your past students, who is a Kensei, by the way, a cot in your own personal quarters?" Sinikka nodded, "Yeah?" Yoshiro placed his hand on his face, "And you don't see the problem with it?" Sinikka sighed, "If you were anyone else, I'd never bother to offer. But you're the last survivor of your group and you're married."

Yoshiro had no retort to that, "Yeah, you have a point there. Personally, though, I don't care where I sleep." Sinikka sighed and pulled a mattress from her closet as well as some sheets and covers, "Well at least get undressed into your small clothes before going to sleep. It's not like I haven't seen you in them before." Yoshiro shrugged and walked in, he took his sniper rifle and his sword off his back and then started to undress into his smallclothes. Sinikka gasped slightly, "You have a lot more scar tissue than I remember." Yoshiro shrugged, "I nearly died fifteen years ago. Sometimes..." Yoshiro piled his clothes at the foot of the mattress and looked over at Sinikka, "I believe that they were the reason I survived. They didn't want me to die." Sinikka nodded, "It could be a possibility, Yoshiro. The lot of you were close, even if..."

Yoshiro interrupted, "Hannu was an [censored]. He tried to join my Dracoknights... the man had no sense of honor and killed his own fellow trainees." Sinikka sighed, "So that's how far he fell after Katriina's death. He loved her, even if his love was unrequited." Yoshiro nodded, "Blamed me for everything, but I never hated him, well until he spat in my face while I tried to save his life. Said that he never wanted to have the dishonor of being saved by me, I fulfilled his dying wish and let him die." Sinikka frowned, "You should've saved him anyway." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Sinikka, we trained together, but our paths diverged after Katriina's death. Hannu harbored his hatred for me til the day he died and, I don't blame him." Sinikka sighed, "Don't blame yourself for it." Yoshiro nodded, "Good night, Lady Sinikka." Sinikka sighed, "Good night, Kensei."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#7 Post by Akira110 »

Part 7

Lilah sighed slightly as she stayed in her room in the Assassin's guild, though she was a demi-deity, she never liked being a princess and she felt a bit strange being away from her friends. An assassin walked in, "Lady Lilah, do you need anything?" Lilah looked at the assassin, "Matthijs, leave, I don't give a damn how. Just leave this room, right now." Matthijs nodded and sighed as another male Eekhoorn appeared, "That's no way to treat the others, Klaartje." Lilah looked up, "Jozua, or should I call you half-brother." Jozua looked at his younger half-deity sister, "I never approved of Mother having a relationship with Sampsa. He was always nothing but a dirty thief, looking out only for himself and no one else. When they divorced, I tried to convince Mother that Sampsa wasn't the right one to raise you, imagine my surprise when you came back years later in the arms of a Kitsune."

Lilah blinked as she didn't remember much of that day. Jozua laughed, "You were sleeping in his arms, Mother was having a fit about how the Paladins had found this place and that he'd have to be killed. Yoshiro vowed to secrecy about the place and revealed that he wasn't a Paladin and that it would be impossible for him to become one." Lilah nodded, "Sounds like him." Jozua smiled slightly, "Half-sister, you do realize that you have family here, right? That you can come back at any time you want to see us, right?" Lilah nodded, "I know, but the thing is, I don't like any of you very much, I'm not even really close with Mother." Jozua sighed, "That's fair, but you cannot deny what you are." Lilah stood up and put her boots on, "I'm leaving for a while, I don't know when I'll be back, but I need fresh air."

Lilah walked out of the room and walked out of the guild itself. As she walked down the road, alone, she heard the quiet sounds of the city's night life around her. She found it more peaceful than staying with her folks, however, she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother came out looking for her, but she didn't care. She walked over to a cafe and memories came to her of Yoshiko coming there and she and her mother talking to her and Takeshi. She heard a familiar voice speak up, "Something bugging you, eh Lilah?" Lilah turned around and looked around to see Killian standing there behind her, with his wife, Shaelyn, "Yeah... a lot is on my mind, recently." Shaelyn sat down at the table, "You can tell us about it, you know that, right?"

Lilah nodded, "I'm pregnant." Killian blinked in disbelief, "Wait a second, you... you're pregnant?" Lilah glared at Killian, "I'm still perfectly capable of killing you, you know." Shaelyn frowned, "That's rude." Killian shook his head, "It's her way of telling people to stop poking fun at her. I apologize, Lilah. Shaelyn and I were here on vacation with our daughter Elissa." Lilah nodded, "So why are you here, right now?" Killian sighed, "Well, Shaelyn and I were going for a walk to enjoy the scenery, we heard that Maan Valssi is beautiful during the night, and we saw you out here, you look depressed." Lilah shook her head, "I'm more confused than anything, I don't know what I'm doing in all honesty. Everything is just so confusing, I was there for all of Elbereth's pregnancies, but now that I'm going through my own, I just don't know what to do."

Shaelyn chuckled and leaned in, "You know that Yoshiro will always be there for you, don't you Lilah?" Lilah nodded slightly, "Yeah, I do, but what does that have to do with anything?" Shaelyn sighed, "He likes you, Lilah. He will never admit it to your face, but he likes you to some degree, as more than just a professional relationship." Lilah nodded, "He called me his friend." Killian nodded, "Indeed you are his friend. Honestly, you'll never find a more loyal friend. Let me tell you a story, it was hundreds of years ago, before he hired you, but he came back upon hearing of Walthari's awakening and resulting depression. When he arrived, Walthari got into a fight with Mizuki, who is Takeshi's late wife. Walthari broke Mizuki's arm and came back home, he wanted to escape from the situation. Mizuki was found dead later that night."

Shaelyn nodded, "Walthari was accused by Takeshi of killing his wife. Yoshiro defended Walthari, despite the fact that he knew that Takeshi could kill them both if he so chose. He went as far as to draw his own sword on him. Walthari was merely Yoshiro's adoptive brother, yet he was willing to defend him from his own half-brother through his mother's side. Takeshi took this as a personal insult and honestly, never quite let it go. Though Takeshi doesn't show it, he hates Yoshiro for this action as he considers it a grave personal insult." Killian nodded, "As it turned out, one of Fumio's men had killed Mizuki, as Mizuki was a Death Knight. Mizuki was on patrol that night, looking for potentially lost souls to guide to Emiko, but instead, she lost her own life. The man responsible for clearing Walthari's name is Yoshiro himself. He did the detective work."

Lilah nodded, somewhat amazed at this, "So what you're saying is that he's loyal to his friends?" Killian nodded, "Yes, he'll never allow himself to admit it, but the reason he fights, is because he desires to protect the people he cares about. And though you won't bring yourself to admit it, but you see him as a friend, as someone you can finally trust. As someone that has always been there for you and that is there for you now. Isn't that right, Saskia?" Lilah looked behind the two Lupines to see her mother standing there. Saskia laughed, "You are very good for a Lupine." Killian closed his eyes, "The Volcanic combination is part Earth and part Fire. I knew you were coming, so I started sensing vibrations in the ground. Even you are not perfect at stealth." Saskia placed her hand on Killian's shoulder, "Congratulations."

Lilah stood up, "Don't you dare hurt him." Saskia looked at her, "What do you mean? I was congratulating him on being one of the few people to sense me before I revealed myself. Jozua told me that something was wrong, so I decided to find you. As much as what Killian said annoys me, he's also right. Lilah, by virtue of being raised as an assassin and what with me being a single parent, on top of leading the assassins, I didn't have much time for you, and for that, I'm sorry." Lilah nodded, "I understand, but... Mom, I love you and I always will, but... it's just that I'm going through some stuff right now and I'm..." Saskia interrupted her, "You're pregnant." Lilah blinked, "How... did you know that?" Saskia shook her head, "How long do you think I've been standing here?" Lilah looked down, "Two minutes." Shaelyn shrugged, "Five minutes." Killian spoke calmly, "Seven minutes and forty-nine seconds."

Saskia looked at Killian, "Seriously, congratulations. We assassins don't have medals, but I'd hand one to you if we did." She turned to Lilah, "Listen, I know what you're going through right now and I know why you're here. Do you honestly think that there isn't any way that I couldn't get the information I was looking for?" Lilah looked at her, "Did you harm Balthoron in any way!?" Saskia shook her head, "No, I called up Elbereth, she told me what was going on and she let slip the fact that you're pregnant. I'll tell you what, you can sleep anywhere in the city you want, in the morning, I'll have the information that you seek." Lilah nodded, "Thanks, Mom." Saskia sighed, "It's what I do, Lilah. You're my daughter, that's never going to change." Lilah nodded, "I think I'll stay at a hotel tonight." Killian nodded, "Sleep well, Lilah." Lilah smiled as she stood up and walked away, "You too, Killian."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#8 Post by Akira110 »

Part 8

Morning had arrived and Yoshiro was waiting for breakfast to be served in the mess hall, so he stood in front of the monument to Katriina and Kauko. He sighed and heard a female speak up behind him, "You were part of that group, they were legendary." Yoshiro didn't turn back, "Hannu deserves to be part of this." The woman spoke up, "It's not polite to look away from someone when talking to them." Yoshiro turned his head slightly, "It's polite for one to introduce themselves at some point in the conversation." Yoshiro turned all the way and folded his arms, he was mildly surprised to see a Mus standing before him. The Mus gritted her teeth, "My name is Kenna, and you're nothing like the..." Yoshiro cut her off, "The stories, I know. The image you have of me is a member of this paladin group, not of the man with blood soaked hands."

Kenna looked at him, "So then, this is what you became after leaving the Paladins?" Yoshiro sighed and turned back to the monument, "I was never a Paladin, child. But you, you can still be one." Kenna walked over and grabbed Yoshiro's tail and Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Let go of that, right now." Kenna growled, "Look at me when you talk." Yoshiro turned around, "I don't have to, now let go of my damn tail." Kenna let go of the tail and Yoshiro leaned into look at her, "Kenna, I am not in the mood for your self-righteous [censored]. You're a Paladin, you should be acting better than this right now." Kenna looked at him, "You're a Kensei and you're..." Yoshiro sighed, "You know, Katriina and Kauko were my best friends and though I didn't like Hannu, you don't hold a candle to any of them."

Kenna took offense to that, "I'll fight you, here and now!" Yoshiro looked at her, "You'd die. I have the reach advantage, I have fought here before, so I negate your home field advantage. I'm more experienced than you are at combat, and unlike you, I'm trained in unarmed combat. I will not allow you to needlessly throw your life away just trying to prove a point. Look, the reason they were so great isn't because of their combat prowess, but each of them... even Hannu, though sometimes Sinikka doesn't want to admit to it. Katriina embodied courage and honor, she taught me how to be strong and that it was okay to be afraid, even of myself. Kauko was focused on fighting to protect the weak and innocent, he never hesitated to act if he needed to. Hannu..." Kenna folded her arms, "What about Hannu?"

Yoshiro sighed, "Hannu was an [censored], he and I were both nobility, but he really loved to rub our faces into it. But, when [censored] hit the fan, he took a leadership role, something that Kauko and I found to be somewhat annoying, but he was quite reliable in that position. But I digress. I'm leaving." Kenna looked at him, "And what makes you think that you'll just leave from here, you were sleeping in Sinikka's room." Yoshiro face palmed, "I'm married, ya stupid git. I don't know if you're aware of this, but Sinikka's daughter was once my best friend and I adopted her other daughter after she did the whole taboo thing. But please, I would like to see one of you trainees try to stop me from leaving." Kenna looked at him as he walked past, "Fine, the practice field." Yoshiro simply flipped her off and kept walking.

He ran into Sinikka in the hall, "I'm leaving, I've got work to do." Sinikka nodded and handed him a package, "I had a feeling you would leave first thing in the morning." Yoshiro nodded, "I have to go get Lilah." Sinikka nodded, "Be careful, the Assassins and the Paladins aren't exactly on good terms, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded and took the package, "What's this?" Sinikka smiled, "Your breakfast, young man." Yoshiro smiled slightly, "Thanks. Hey uh, if you're ever in the Kitsune Kingdom, I can be found in Honoo." Yoshiro turned around to see Lilah standing there, "How in the [censored] did you get here!?" Lilah chuckled, "Looks like I got the element of surprise on you, I stayed at a hotel last night, best sleep I've had all week." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Come on." Sinikka cleared her throat, "You're not going to go unarmed, are you?" Yoshiro shook his head, "No, I am not."

Simo appeared with Yoshiro's weapons, "Here you go, sir. Sorry for how Kenna acted towards you." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "It's fine. She expected some legendary hero, she got merely a man. Her anger stems partially from her disappointment." Yoshiro placed his sword on his belt this time and Lilah took notice, "We're not riding?" Yoshiro shook his head, "I'd rather walk. Assuming that the person we're looking for is within this city, I don't want to alert anyone. Not to mention, I'm fairly certain the escort that you have wouldn't appreciate chasing a motorcycle." Yoshiro watched as two assassins stepped out of the shadows, "How did you know that we were here?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I didn't, but even Saskia is the kind of person to look out for her daughter." One of the assassins nodded, "You're good, that could be dangerous though." Yoshiro shrugged, "It's time to go."

Yoshiro walked out of the temple with Lilah and two other assassins behind him, he didn't seem fazed at this as he walked through the streets of Maan Valssi. He was curious to find out who the biological father of Lilah's kids were, he was either going to bring him back or he was going to shoot him in the head. At this point, he couldn't care which one it was. As they arrived at the Assassin's guild, Yoshiro walked in and walked through the main hallway. The assassins there stared at him, he was an outsider to them, even if he was a friend of their princess. He walked up to a throne where he saw Saskia sitting, "I have arrived, Lady Saskia." Saskia nodded, "I suppose you wish to know what I found out?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Of course. That's why I'm here." Saskia sighed, "Well then..."

Saskia pulled out a datapad and tossed it to Yoshiro, "Look at this." Yoshiro looked down at the datapad and he recognized the name of the person, Jaska Raita. He sighed as it was as he feared. Saskia looked at him, "You know that I have to send an assassin out to kill this person now, right?" Yoshiro looked at Saskia, "Allow me to go." Saskia's eyes narrowed, "You're a damned fool if you think that you have what it takes to kill Jaska." Yoshiro shook his head, "An assassin would be trained to recognize other assassins, Jaska will either escape or kill the assassins that you send after him! I'm a sniper and I can shapeshift as well, I could either draw close to him or lay a trap!" Saskia growled, "Do you realize that you would be risking your life!? Do you even think about how Lilah would feel if you died!?"

Yoshiro nodded, "What else is new!? I've risked my life many times before, every time I stepped onto the battlefield, I was risking my life! Also, yes, I have thought about how Lilah would feel if I died! But I also know how she'd feel if this Butcher decided to track down her and her kids! That's why I'm doing this, with or without your permission!" Saskia sighed, "You're a fool. If you are so bent on getting yourself killed, then I shall permit you to try to kill Jaska. However, if you fail, it will mean your death." Yoshiro tapped his sniper rifle, "I don't miss. Now I'm going to need to find some way to contact him." Saskia nodded, "He spends his time in the next city over, he always escapes when we move in to capture him but... you should be able to ask for him at that pub. The bartender will help."

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Thank you, Lady Saskia. When I return, I will bring his corpse. I however will need someone to act as bait to draw him into my trap." Saskia nodded slightly, "What do you have in mind?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I honestly don't know, but it has to be someone that I can trust." Lilah chimed in and startled Yoshiro, "What about Killian? He's here on vacation." Yoshiro sighed slightly, "I don't know if I could do that to my little brother, but... if he's willing, then I won't stop him. I'll go ask." Lilah nodded, "Do you want me to go with you?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Stay here, Lilah. You'll be the safest around here." Yoshiro walked towards the exit, "Don't worry about me, Lilah. I'll be fine. After all, I doubt Jaska has the foresight to plant bombs on the ceiling of every building in that city." Lilah nodded, "Please be careful anyway." Yoshiro smiled, "I will."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#9 Post by Akira110 »

Part 9

Yoshiro walked into the vacation home of his brother and was immediately greeted by a little girl who looked up at him, "Uncle Yoshiro!" Yoshiro looked at her and his heart melted. He couldn't do this to his niece, he couldn't put her father in danger. As he turned around, he felt a hand grab his shoulder, "You're not going to leave without at least saying goodbye, are you?" Yoshiro turned to see Walthari standing there, "You're here as well?" Walthari nodded, "Killian and Elissa are my blood relatives, I wanted to spend some time with them." Yoshiro nodded, "Walthari, can I ask you to do me a favor?" Walthari nodded, "Sure thing, brother." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Elissa, go to a different room, your uncles need to talk in private." Elissa nodded and walked to the other room and Killian walked in, "All three of us are in the same place once more. That's rare."

Yoshiro nodded and opened his eyes, "Walthari, I need you to get in contact with Jaska Raita." Walthari blinked, "Wait, you mean the Butcher? That Jaska Raita!?" Yoshiro nodded slightly and Walthari folded his arms, "Whatever the dirty business is, I want no part of it!" Yoshiro shook his head, "It's wet work." Walthari shook his head, "I will have no part in spilling the blood of an inno—" Yoshiro cut him off, "I'm killing Jaska." Walthari loosened up, "Oh, then why weren't you up front about that in the first place. Sure, I'll help you kill him, just tell me what I got to do." Yoshiro went to speak when Killian spoke up, "No, this isn't happening. I'm not going to risk the lives of both of my brothers just to kill one assassin." Yoshiro rolled his eyes at Killian, "Wow, way to throw your own apprentice under the bus there, Killian."

Killian sighed, "Yeah, sometimes I forget that Tatsuya's our brother. He... well, none of us really fit in with the others, do we?" Yoshiro looked over at Walthari who shrugged, "You fit in better than Yoshiro or I do." Killian nodded slightly, "That's because unlike the two of you, I don't really have anywhere else to go. I'm a blacksmith, it's what I do, Walthari. And don't get me started on Yoshiro." Yoshiro looked at Killian, "What did I do!?" Killian frowned, "You're always so distant towards the family, it's almost as if you're scared to be allowed back into it, like you feel you're some sort of monster." Yoshiro nodded, "My hands are covered in the blood of the people I've killed. I once told myself that I'll stop, but I'm not sure if I ever will. It might just be part of who I am."

Elissa spoke up, "Daddy, can I come see Uncle Yoshiro?" Killian turned around and picked up his daughter, "Not right now." Your uncles are discussing grown-up stuff with Daddy, alright?" Elissa nodded and Yoshiro looked at Killian, "Cute kid." Killian nodded, "Thanks." Walthari looked at Killian, "You know just as well as I do, that I owe Yoshiro. Even if it puts my life in danger." Killian shook his head, "Let me be the bait." Yoshiro placed his hand on Killian's shoulder, "You're a father, Killian, your place is to be here with your child." Killian looked at Yoshiro, "What about Balthoron!?" Yoshiro felt Killian's words cut deep into his heart, he honestly had no retort for that, "I vowed that I wouldn't leave him without a father, but... you know my lineage. Father is the descendant of Suzume, the Deity of War for the Kitsune."

Killian shook his head, "So you're going to go to war and risk leaving Balthoron without a father. What will happen is Jaska finds out about your family?" Yoshiro sighed, Killian was right, he was putting his entire family at risk with this mission of his. However, he knew deep in his heart that this was the right thing to do, even if he failed, Jaska would be made vulnerable. Yoshiro looked up into Killian's eyes, "Listen, brother, I know that my decision might not make any sense to you right now, it honestly doesn't make any sense to me. But this man is truly evil, if we can take him out, then I'm willing to accept any risk that entails." Killian shook his head, "Then you will do so without my help and without Walthari's help." Walthari looked at Killian, "I'm your twin, not your son."

Killian shrugged, "I will not let my daughter's blood uncle get himself killed." Walthari laughed, "It's not like I've brought anything meaningful into this world. I'll be happy to at least be able to help take something truly evil out of it. Do you know the list of Jaska's crimes? He'd slit Elissa's throat for a mere ruby. We're not dealing with a man here, Killian, we're dealing with a monster. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to go help Yoshiro put this guy six feet deep." Killian became angry at this, "Very well, then, you and Yoshiro will do this on your own!" Yoshiro shrugged, "Uh, I was actually quite relieved when I saw that Walthari was here, because I honestly couldn't pull you into this. Killian, I have no problems with risking my own life. But yours? I cannot in good conscience ask that of you."

Killian folded his arms, "But you have no issue with talking to Walthari about this?" Walthari shrugged, "My kids are adopted Centaurs. Alkaios is the oldest, I've been teaching him how to hunt for his food, but aside from that, they did fine before I entered their life, they'll do fine if I disappear from their life." Killian looked at Walthari, "But do you ever think how Mom and Dad would feel, about how I will feel?" Walthari nodded, "You know how I feel about my life, I'm a berserker, whether I like it or not. I've lived in seclusion for hundreds of years so that I could learn how to control it. I hate what I am... and I always will, but at least I can do some good with my life if I do this." Killian sighed slightly, "Fine, whatever. Both of you can go ahead and be damned fools for all I care."

Yoshiro placed his hand on Killian's shoulder, "I promise that nothing will happen to us, I'll be on a sniper's perch watching things go down. If anything fishy happens, then I'll take the shot beforehand. I'll protect Walthari at all costs." Killian nodded, "What about you?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I'm retired, remember? No one's going to suspect that's me up there." Killian sighed slightly, "Be careful, the both of you. I don't want to lose either one of you." Walthari nodded, "Don't worry, I will." Yoshiro nodded and turned to Walthari, "Alright, we're going to enter the city at different times, alright. I'll set up shop in a nearby hotel to the pub in a room where I can get a good view inside. I need you to set up a meeting near the windows of the Pub so that I can get a quick and clean shot in."

Walthari nodded, "What about the glare from the scope?" Yoshiro sighed, "I will not be using one. Also when I take the shot, feign panic. There's a good chance I'll be caught by the authorities, but if Jaska has any sort of bounty, I'll be able to talk my way out of it." Killian nodded, "Yeah, forty thousand diamonds is his bounty." Yoshiro blinked, "Damn, that much? Would be good money to put towards your kid, Lilah's future kids, and Balthoron." Walthari nodded, "So what do I have to do?" Yoshiro smirked, "Go to the bartender and tell him that you want someone assassinated. The bartender will do the rest." Walthari nodded slightly, "Alright then, let's go on ahead and put this plan into action." Yoshiro nodded and walked to the door, "Sorry about all of this, Killian." Killian shook his head, "So long as my daughter isn't involved, I don't care."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#10 Post by Akira110 »

Part 10

Walthari stood in the hotel room that he and Yoshiro had rented out, "Are you sure that you can get a clean shot into the pub from here, Yoshiro?" Yoshiro nodded, "I can see it perfectly, you just need to do your part." Walthari nodded and walked out of the door as Yoshiro walked to the window to watch the pub carefully." Walthari walked down to the lobby and walked across the street to the pub. He quickly entered the building and walked over to the bartender and placed some gemstones on the counter, leaning in and whispering, "There's someone I'd like assassinated, ya know anythin' about that?" The bartender nodded slightly and whispered, "Yeah, I'll go get the Butcher, have a seat wherever you'd like." Walthari picked the seat near the window that Yoshiro had told him about, he kept his cool and didn't bother looking out the window.

The bartender walked over with a beer and looked down at him, "You look familiar. Have I seen you before?" Walthari looked up, "No, you might be thinking of my twin brother, he's the one that suggested this place to me." The bartender nodded slightly, "Well then, how'd you know about, you know?" Walthari chuckled, "My master knows much about the world below his mountain. He was the one that pointed out that there was a bartender in Kani territory that dealt in this. Why don't you stop testing me and sit down and let's do business." The bartender shook his head, "I am not Jaska." Walthari felt a knife against his throat, as the bartender smiled, "That is Jaska. And unfortunately for you, he doesn't quite seem to trust you. So you might want to think of how to save your own skin real quick." Walthari didn't flinch, "Would money help?"

The knife was removed from Walthari's throat and the Eekhoorn walked over to the table and sat down, "I hear you have a job for me. Who's the hit and what are you willing to pay for it." Walthari nodded and reached into his jacket pocket, this was the signal for Yoshiro. As Walthari's hand left the jacket pocket, a photonic beam shot through the glass and pierced Jaska's skull, splattering blood to the side of him. Though Walthari expected this to happen, he got up and acted shocked, "Oh [censored]! Oh [censored]! There's a sniper! There's a [censored] sniper on the loose!" As the pub got stirred into a panic, the Bartender reached behind the counter and Walthari noticed what was going on. He grabbed his hand axe from his belt and as the bartender brought out his weapon, he threw the axe, which embedded into the bartender's face, killing him.

Walthari calmly walked over to the bartender and retrieved his axe, "Self-defense is a [censored], isn't it?" Walthari stood calm in the middle of a panicking pub. He chose that moment to clean off his axe and quietly slip away through the back. He and Yoshiro had chosen to rendezvous in Maan Valssi, so he quietly headed for the exit of the city. As he reached the exit of the city, he noticed that guards were still posted at the exit, and that he had blood on him. He thought of a lie and walked towards the exit. One of the guards looked at him, "Halt, there is a sniper on the loose and we can't afford to allow anyone to leave the city without checking them for weapons." Walthari shrugged and pulled out his hand axe, holding it by the head as he handed it to the guard, "This is all I got, go ahead and pat me down."

One of the guards patted Walthari down, "He's clean." The guard handed Walthari his hand axe back, "Here you go, sir." Walthari nodded, "Thank you." He placed the hand axe back in its pouch and he continued walking towards Maan Valssi. After about half an hour, he became worried about Yoshiro. As he walked past a tree, Yoshiro spoke up, "Want to help me with Jaska's corpse?" Walthari looked at him, "You're serious about collecting the bounty?" Yoshiro shook his head, "I promised Lilah that I'd bring the corpse." Walthari sighed, "I see. Well, alright then. But after that, we turn it in for the bounty." Yoshiro looked at Walthari, "Dude, our family is royalty and I'm a noble. Do you honestly think Elissa or Lilah's children are going to have issues in life?"

Walthari sighed, "No, but wouldn't you like to help people with this bounty money?" Yoshiro shook his head, "I'm not a mercenary and hopefully I'll never be one. I don't think I could stomach the thought of killing for money, no matter who it would help." Walthari shrugged, "Doing it to help others might assuage your guilt." Yoshiro shook his head, "I can't escape what I am, no matter where I go or what I do." Walthari nodded, "I understand how you feel, Yoshiro, but you must not let that control you. There is only one person that can control where you go in life, it's not me, not Mom, not Dad, not Grandmother or Grandfather... it's you. You're the one, Yoshiro." Yoshiro sighed slightly as they approached Maan Valssi, "I guess you're right, Walthari. It's funny, centuries ago, I was giving you this very same speech." Walthari laughed, "I took your words to heart, brother."

Yoshiro closed his eyes as he carried Jaska's body to the gate, "This is where we part ways." Walthari nodded slightly, "Alright then, you have a good time." Yoshiro walked up to the gate and was stopped by a guard, "Halt, why do you have a dead body?" Yoshiro shrugged, "He wanted to be brought back and buried in Maan Valssi. He was shot while we were having coffee, the authorities didn't let me retrieve him until they did their investigation." The guard looked at him, "Wait a second, I know who you are." The guard walked over to him and looked him in the eye, Yoshiro consciously prevented himself from tensing up, "Yeah?" The guard nodded, "You're that kid that ran with the Paladins when you were younger, go on ahead." Yoshiro nodded and walked in with the corpse, when inside the city, he made a beeline for the Assassin's Guild.

Entering the building, he walked over to Lilah's chamber and saw a male Eekhoorn standing there, "Who are you?" The male Eekhoorn turned around, "I'm her brother, outsider. Wait... I heard that Jaska was killed... you have the body of the Butcher, but even the best assassins couldn't kill him! How did you, someone who knows nothing of our ways kill him." Saskia spoke up behind them, "Splendid, you did as you said you would. I was honestly expecting you to not come back, Jozua, why don't you treat the friend of your half-sister with more respect than that?" Jozua looked at him, "Wait, you're the one she looks up to!?" Yoshiro nodded and placed the body down on the floor, "One shot, one kill. We had a minor complication, his friend, the bartender tried to kill Walthari, I was about to take the shot when Walthari did him in."

Saskia nodded slightly, "You and your family have impressed me lately, Killian sensed me using vibrations in the ground last night." Yoshiro shook his head, "Killian lied to you last night. Which is honestly a more impressive feat." Saskia blinked, "You mean that he cannot..." Yoshiro sighed, "Sense things through the vibration of the ground? No. He was however capable of using logic of you being the mother of Lilah and guessing how long you had been standing behind him." Saskia sighed, "I guess even I can be fooled." Yoshiro placed his hand on his head, "You are a deity, you should've known first and foremost that he wasn't using any of his mana." Saskia frowned, "Hey, I was more worried about my daughter, alright? It's why I called up your wife." Yoshiro's calm exterior melted away and his face became one of worry, "You could've called us at any time!?"

Saskia nodded, "You of all people should've known that." Lilah walked into the room and stepped over Jaska's corpse to hug Yoshiro and start sobbing into his chest, "Don't you ever do something crazy like that again!" Yoshiro returned the hug and smiled, "Don't worry, I'll try to refrain from doing so from now on." Saskia sighed slightly, "So I guess the two of you are going back home now?" Yoshiro nodded, "I am. Honestly, she's allowed to stay here if she wishes." Lilah spoke up, "I wish to return home with you, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "That's good, because little Balthoron happens to like you, and your tail especially." Lilah frowned, "Hey, I wish he'd stop grabbing for it." Yoshiro laughed, "Trust me, Lilah, you're about to have a kid or two of your own. Maybe our kids can be good friends." Lilah nodded, "I hope so."
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Re: Origin of the Grim Reaper

#11 Post by Akira110 »

Epilogue

Yoshiro sat in the delivery room with Lilah, the doctor looked at him as he did so, "Are you the father?" Yoshiro shook his head, "I'm their godfather and I'll be helping Lilah through this." The doctor nodded, "What about him?" Rogelio spoke up, "Where Lord Yoshiro goes, I go." Lilah nodded and smiled as she looked at Yoshiro, "Thank you." The smile quickly faded as she started screaming from a contraction, Yoshiro grabbed her hand and he felt a snapping in his hand as pain shot through it. The doctor walked over and helped the first baby out, "It's a girl, and a broken hand." Lilah looked up, "What!? My baby better not be..." Yoshiro winced, "My hand broke. What are we naming your first one?" Lilah looked at her, "Zelda. She's Zelda." Yoshiro nodded and felt Lilah squeeze again as she screamed. Rogelio stepped in and helped the second baby out as Yoshiro grunted in pain.

Rogelio called out, "The second one is out, it is also a girl, you have twins." Lilah smiled and let go of Yoshiro's hand, "That one will be called Hilda." Rogelio and the Doctor handed the little pups to Lilah who held them close to her, they were pink and hairless, but they were her kids and she was going to protect them, "I created these two. Zelda and Hilda, welcome to Verbana, little ones." She looked at Yoshiro, "I'm sorry for breaking your hand." Yoshiro shrugged, "I'm left-handed, so you don't really have to worry about doing that. Your children are beautiful by the way." Yoshiro sighed slightly, "So I guess you'll be going back to your mother's?" Lilah shook her head, "No, you said that you'd help me raise my child. Well I got two children for you to help raise." Yoshiro smiled slightly, "Lilah, you're right about that."

Yoshiro held out his good hand, "May I hold one of my godchildren?" Lilah handed one of them over to him, "Do you have her?" Yoshiro nodded as he held onto the baby Eekhoorn, "Zelda, right?" Lilah nodded, "Yes, she's Zelda." Zelda shifted in Yoshiro's arm and he raised his broken hand to gently stroke her cheek, ignoring the pain as he did so. The doctor spoke up, "You really shouldn't be using your broken hand to interact with anything." Yoshiro sighed, "Doc, I'm spending time with one of my goddaughters, can you at least wait until I'm done." The doctor shook his head and grabbed Yoshiro's hand, "You're coming with me." Yoshiro handed Lilah her daughter back, "Here you go." The doctor pulled on Yoshiro's wrist and Yoshiro punched the doctor in the face with his now free left hand, breaking the doctor's nose, "You don't pull on a man's broken hand!"

Rogelio sighed, "Already resorting to violence, milord?" Yoshiro looked at Rogelio, "I'll go get a cast, you stay here with Lilah and the children." Rogelio nodded and looked at Lilah as Yoshiro left the room, "So, Lilah, are you ready to return home?" Lilah closed her eyes, "Rogelio, I didn't tell Yoshiro this, but I don't want Zelda or Hilda to follow in my footsteps. I want them to be able to choose their own path in life. That's why I don't want to go back to my family... being the daughter of Saskia, I was more or less always destined to become what I am, but..." Rogelio looked at her, "I understand what you mean. What if they want to follow in my footsteps?" Lilah shook her head with a smile, "I doubt they would, after all, seeing how their mother finds you annoying most of the time might turn them off."

Rogelio shrugged, he knew for a fact that she was being brutally honest. He looked towards the window, "I think it's time that you and the new arrivals get the clearance to leave the hospital." Yoshiro walked back in with a new 3D printed cast, "Well, Lilah, you broke my hand in several pieces, but eh. Compared to having a building dropped on me and spending two months in a coma, it's much preferred." Lilah chuckled as the doctor walked in, "Ma'am, all the paperwork is done. You're cleared to leave and your children are both very healthy Eekhoorns." Yoshiro took the babies while the doctor helped Lilah into a wheelchair. Yoshiro handed them to her and when she held them, he placed his hands on the handles of the wheelchair, "Ready to go home, Lilah?"

Lilah nodded slightly, "Yeah, I am... I wonder what Elbereth will think about this." Yoshiro gently wheeled her out of the room and towards the exit of the hospital, "Elbereth will be happy that Balthoron will have someone that he can play with." As they exited the hospital, Lilah smiled, "I'm sure she will." Yoshiro wheeled them through the city on the sidewalks, making sure to keep them safe. When they arrived at their home though, Yoshiro saw something that made him let go of one of the handles and place his hand on his face, laughing. Lilah looked up and saw a banner above the gate that said, "Welcome to the world, little ones." Lilah started laughing as well as Hiromi spoke up, "I'm sorry that I was the only one that could come. Tsuyoshi is busy on the other side of the world, Harumi and Elena are in talks, and who knows where Misaki is..."

Yoshiro nodded, "It's alright, Hiromi, I understand. I'm glad that one of you came to see your godsiblings." Hiromi bent down and looked at the tiny pups, "What are their names?" Lilah smiled softly, "Zelda and Hilda." Hiromi nodded slightly, "Hello, Zelda and Hilda. I'm glad that we finally get to meet, Dad has been telling me about your mother for a while, and I freed up time in my schedule to come over here and see the two of you." Lilah smiled softly, "I'm sure when they're old enough to understand, they'll appreciate it. But Eekhoorn babies aren't born like Kilves." Yoshiro nodded, "Because of your Elvish blood, you were born with your eyes and ears open. Most Verbanans are born without fur, our eyes are closed and our ears are closed. Both open within weeks, but we don't really grow much bigger for years."

Hiromi nodded slightly, "That's mildly interesting. Well Mom and Anko are waiting for the four of you inside." Yoshiro nodded slightly and turned around to look behind him, "Wait, where's Rogelio?" Hiromi smiled, "Go on inside, Dad, I'll wait for him." Yoshiro nodded and wheeled Lilah and the kids into the house, where Anko walked over, "They're precious, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded, "That they are." Yoshiro continued wheeling Lilah in. Elbereth walked over, "Yoshiro, your hand!" Yoshiro sighed with a slight smile, "Turns out that Lilah here is stronger than she knows. She straight up broke my hand during Zelda's birth, then finished the job during Hilda's birth. The doctor that took my X-rays said something about how I seem to have denser bones than most Kitsune, I don't know what that's about, though." Elbereth nodded, "Well I'm glad they're alright. How are you feeling, Lilah?"

Lilah looked down at her babies, "Happy and relieved. But also mostly tired." Yoshiro nodded, "We all are. We should get you to your bed and put your twins in the crib we bought for them." Lilah smiled and Rogelio walked through the door, "I'm sorry I'm late." Yoshiro nodded and wheeled Lilah into her room, he gently took both Zelda and Hilda from her and placed them in the crib, their heads on a pillow as he put the covers over their tiny bodies, "They'll stay warm, Lilah. You need to get some rest." Yoshiro helped Lilah out of the chair and into the bed, he placed the covers over Lilah and smiled, "Don't worry, I'll just be in the other room. If anything happens, I'll be able to hear it, but your little babies are fast asleep right now." Lilah nodded, "Thank you for being there for me, Yoshiro and... thank you for killing Jaska." Yoshiro smirked as he walked to the door, "You're my friend, Lilah. Never forget that."
Been around this forum for over 8 years now. Everyone I've known has left, now it's my time to do the same.

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