Wandering Sorrows

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Akira110
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Wandering Sorrows

#1 Post by Akira110 »

Prologue

115 Years after Beyond the Celestial Cradle



Yoshiro stood on the bridge of his new expeditionary vessel, the Kitabatake. His first officer, a Karhu by the name of Esteri looked at him, "We are approaching Laythea." Yoshiro nodded, "Thank you, Number One." Esteri nodded and looked at the helmsman, "Ensign, feel free to put us into orbit." The Widder looked back, "Aye, ma'am." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Ensign, you come from the same continent as I do, yes?" The Ensign nodded slightly, "You are quite a famous figure where I come from, not one of us was able to defeat King Bruno in single combat and yet, you were able to do so unarmed." Yoshiro remembered that, "Yeah, I spent a few weeks in an infirmary after that. Using your opponent's momentum against them or not, Bruno is still a heavy son of a [censored]." The Ensign nodded, "Yes, I know. Though tell me the truth, are you really the son of..."

Yoshiro shrugged, "Akira and Minako, my grandmother is Amaterasu." The Ensign sighed as Yoshiro turned to the science officer, "Cassandra, do you mind sending a probe down to the planet?" The red haired Wood Elf turned around, "Already on it, Captain." Yoshiro watched as the probe launched from the ship and entered the atmosphere of the planet, the planet had a strange color and he wanted to understand why. Cassandra spoke up, "Telemetry is coming back from the probe, the atmosphere is toxic to oxygen breathing creatures. High concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane exist within the atmosphere and... sir, you're not going to believe this, but the oceans have toxic levels of iron oxide in them." Yoshiro walked over to the science station, "But there's life residing in said environment. Interesting, life does indeed find a way... like that one guy said in that one movie the humans did about those reptiles."

Esteri sighed, "So you're going to be referencing movies now, Captain?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Let's gather some more information about this planet, if there will be any more developments, I'll be in my ready room." Yoshiro stood up, "Number one, you have the bridge." Yoshiro walked over to his ready room and opened the door, when he walked in, a hologram of a Drow Kilf appeared in front of him, "Hello, sir. I trust that you have found what you're looking for." Yoshiro shook his head, "Sorry Sig, we haven't quite found anything interesting down there on that planet." The hologram nodded, "Why do you insist on calling me Sig?" Yoshiro sat down at his desk, "It's short for your full name, Sigma." Sigma's hologram nodded, "I wish that I could understand what it's like to be sentient, like yourself."

Yoshiro nodded, "That's why you were created Sigma. No one, not even the Menschilche have tried to make a sentient AI, fears that a sentient AI will view us organics as unnecessary creatures that must be purged have gripped everyone. I mean I wasn't even able to create you, an AI that is capable of rewriting its own programming as it learns without taking what they called necessary precautions." Sigma nodded, "They do not trust me, they fear that I may become hostile towards them." Yoshiro sighed, "Sig, you're something different, you're something that people feared even during the height of the Menschilche Imperium. I know that it can be hard to understand, but, if it means anything, I trust you. I never wanted to put those safeguards in place in the first place. But in order to create you, I had no choice. The alternative was they were going to delete you the moment they found out about you."

Sigma's hologram nodded, "Do you really think that what you have proposed in your dissertation will come true?" Yoshiro looked at the fish tank on his wall, noting the colorful Verbanan fish inside of it, "Yeah, I'm confident. You're my first project as a Doctor of Robotics, you know." Sigma's hologram looked out the viewport of the room, "I know, but you have no idea how this experiment is going to turn out." Yoshiro sighed, "Well, either I succeed and the experiment is run again and again to see if my hypothesis becomes a theory and eventually a law, or it fails and I have to set it up with a different set of variables. Either which outcome... I'll have to use the scientific method." Sigma's hologram nodded slightly, "How confident are you that your hypothesis is correct."

Yoshiro looked at him, "I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not very confident, but your progress has been promising." Sigma nodded, "So what happens to me if I fail?" Yoshiro looked at him, "We remove the safeguards. You will not be deleted, I promise." Sigma's hologram nodded, "And if I succeed?" Yoshiro sighed, "We'll monitor you, and if you show promise, we'll remove the safeguards and you will be renamed." Sigma's hologram looked towards him, "What will I be named?" Yoshiro shrugged, "That's really for you to decide, Sig. You'll be your own person at that point, your own being. It'll be your right to decide who you are." Sigma sighed, "Are you certain that people will allow me to do so?" Yoshiro shook his head, "There will be people who are afraid of you, people who will hate you, but that is no different from how they feel about me."

Sigma nodded, "I understand, by the way, there is an incoming transmission from Verbana, would you like me to patch it through?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, it'd be great to hear from home again." Sigma closed his eyes, "Patching it through." The voice of Sven spoke up, "Dad..." Yoshiro frowned, "Sven, you don't sound so good, what's going on?" Sven sighed, "Dad, it's Galina, I went to see how she was doing and if she needed anything, but when I went to shake her, she didn't wake up." Yoshiro frowned slightly, he had seen and caused enough death in his life to know what that meant, "Galina..." Sven's voice came over, it sounded like he was trying not to cry, "Yes, Father. She's gone." Yoshiro placed his hand over his eyes, "When... when's the funeral?" Sven sighed, "A week from now, Father." Yoshiro became angry and slammed his fist on the table, "Dammit!"

Sven spoke up, "Father, you're angry, why?" Yoshiro sighed, "Because I'm three weeks from Verbana, even at our maximum warp speed. I wasn't even there for my daughter in her final moments and now I can't even attend her funeral!" Sven sighed, "We can postpone the funeral." Yoshiro shook his head, "Don't. It'd be disrespectful to her and to you, kiddo." Sven spoke up, "Are you sure, Father?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure, when we finish up here, we'll head to Verbana as fast as we can. My first officer will take the rest of the scientific expedition." Sven spoke up, "Are you sure about this?" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Son, one of my kids passed away, despite the fact that you and her are Menschilche, I took the two of you in as my own, raised you as my own. I love the both of you."

Sven was silent and Yoshiro sighed, "I'll see you in three weeks, kiddo. Yoshiro out." The communication line was shut off and Yoshiro placed his head on his desk with a sigh, "Galina, I wish I had been there for you." Sigma spoke up, "Why is it that you feel sad, is this because of something you organics call love?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, "I loved her as if she was my own flesh and blood, now I'll never get to see her smile again. Galina was a good kid, but now... I have one less child." Sigma nodded, "I cannot say that I understand, but it is said that people go through five stages of grief when they start mourning." Yoshiro shook his head, "That is oversimplified [censored] and has always been oversimplified [censored]. People are more complex than that, you are more complex than that, Sig. I know you want to help, but I need to be alone, alright. I need to sort my thoughts out and try to figure out what to do next." Sigma's hologram closed its eyes, "Alright, sir." The hologram vanished, leaving Yoshiro alone.
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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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#2 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 1

Yoshiro stood in front of a grave, which belonged to his adoptive daughter, "I'm sorry, Galina. I know that you would want me to continue my expeditionary work, but I can't. Not at least without visiting your grave." Yoshiro placed a flower onto the grave and closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks, "It seems that every time I turn around, someone that I care about is dying." He stood up and turned away from the grave site, "I'm sorry, my child. I wanted to be there for you in your final moments, but there was no possible way for me to be there." Yoshiro started walking away when he felt his hand go towards his pendant, he allowed his instincts to take hold and as his mind opened, he allowed his mana to flow into the pendant. The ghost of Katriina materialized in front of him, "Tell me, Yoshiro... what do you think I'll be able to do?"

Yoshiro shook his head, "Nothing. Nothing at all, really." Katriina's ghost nodded slightly, "You're hurt, deeply. You've been able to handle losing friends, you've been able to handle killing your enemies. You've even been able to handle losing people you trained, but this... this is entirely different, entirely alien to you. You're losing someone you raised, even if they weren't your flesh and blood. No parent should ever have to outlive their child, but still, you took them in knowing that they would die before you did." Yoshiro looked up at the barren trees, his fur as white as the snow that had fallen, "I understand that much, Katriina, but... I never expected it to be like this. I expected to be able to be by her side in her last moments and get to share memories together and when she finally closed her eyes, I'd be able to lay her to rest."

Katriina's ghost looked away, "Watching you as I do, I know that there's something deeper going on within you right now. I don't know what it is, but... I think that you should..." Yoshiro stopped the flow of mana as he closed his mind, "I'm sorry, old friend, but I need both hands to operate a motorcycle." Yoshiro climbed onto his motorcycle and put his helmet on. He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it as he started the engine. He kicked up the kickstand and hit the accelerator. As the bike tore down the road, Yoshiro found that he couldn't concentrate on the road. His mind kept wandering and when he heard someone yell at him, he found that he had drifted into a different lane and was about to have a front end impact with another vehicle.

Yoshiro hit the brakes and presented the wide side of his motorcycle and lifted his leg to avoid getting it caught between his motorcycle and the car. As the car hit him, the momentum threw him off his bike and he hit the road and bounced. Upon hitting the road again he rolled and eventually came to a stop. A young Kitsune female ran over to him, "Oh my goodness, are you alright!?" Yoshiro picked himself off the ground and looked at his protective gear, it had taken the damage instead of his body, but he would need to buy new jacket and gloves. The female Kitsune grabbed him and helped him up, "Hey, answer me, are you alright?" Yoshiro nodded slightly as he took off his helmet, "Yeah... I think so, at least." The woman looked at him, "You're cousin Yoshiro! I'm Yoshiko's half-sister, Shiori."

The driver of the car walked over to him, "Do you know who I am!?" Yoshiro looked at him, he looked familiar, "Keiji Fujihara, correct?" Keiji nodded, "Yes, you damaged my car and I expect compensation!" Yoshiro shook his head, "I'm sorry." Keiji grabbed Yoshiro by the collar, "You will pay me back!" The fog in Yoshiro's head retreated and he looked at the man, "Keiji Fujihara, you're not particularly good at fighting, are you?" Keiji punched at Yoshiro, but Yoshiro grabbed the fist, "Let me go, I would honestly rather avoid having a physical altercation today." Keiji looked into the ice blue eyes of the Kitsune, "You! You have the eyes of Emiko!" Yoshiro nodded slightly, "She is my great-grandmother. I'll tell you what, you let go of my collar, and I let go of your hand. Do we have a deal?" Keiji nodded slightly and let go of Yoshiro's collar, "I'm sorry for bothering you, Count Yoshiro."

Yoshiro shook his head slightly as the adrenaline that was pushing away the mental fog started to leave his system, "I never cared for my title, nobility isn't something that I particularly enjoyed being a part of." Keiji bowed slightly and Yoshiro didn't bother hiding his annoyance, "This is what I mean, the moment you find out what I am, you treat me as if I'm above you. It's pathetic." Keiji looked at him, "So then how would you rather me treat you?" Yoshiro walked away without a word, having preferred being assaulted than someone groveling and sniveling before him. Shiori ran after him, "Cousin! Are you alright?" Yoshiro looked at her, "No, something within me is just... well I can't explain it. But I think I'm heading towards my grandmother's temple." Shiori pointed eastward, "Amaterasu's temple is that way, cousin."

Yoshiro nodded, "Thank you, and do not follow me." Shiori looked at him, "Why not?" Yoshiro snapped at her, "Do not follow me!" Shiori retreated slightly and Yoshiro walked towards the temple of the sun. After about an hour of walking, he arrived at the front entrance and walked in, an attendant looked up and walked over to him, "Hello Yoshiro, Lady Amaterasu is in her personal chamber. Would you like to come back later?" Yoshiro shook his head and kept walking, "Azumi, you are a good attendant, but make no mistake, this is not a mere visit." Azumi nodded as a male Kensei walked over, "Yoshiro, are you here to continue our training?" Yoshiro shook his head, "No, Katsu, you've learned everything you needed to learn from me. Now you must learn from my grandmother." Katsu frowned, "What's wrong, Sensei?" Yoshiro shook his head, "None of your business."

Katsu watched as Yoshiro walked into a hallway. Yoshiro heard Katsu call his name out, but ignored it as he reached the door to the private sanctum of his grandmother. Even he knew better than to enter it without her permission, so he knocked on the door. Amaterasu's voice spoke up, "Who is it?" Yoshiro placed his hand against the wall next to the door and called out, "Yoshiro Miyamae." Amaterasu's voice called out, "You may come in." Yoshiro opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him. He noticed that the floor itself was a garden and was confused as Amaterasu turned to look at him, "I see that you aren't familiar with my other aspect of fertility. Don't worry, Yoshiro. This garden of mine is just a hobby, now you can tell me what's going on." Yoshiro walked over to her and hugged her tightly, burying his face into her shoulder.

Amaterasu hugged him and frowned, "It's about Galina, isn't it?" Yoshiro nodded and Amaterasu frowned, "I understand. Well, my home is your home, Yoshiro. You know that's how things have always worked between us." Yoshiro nodded and looked into his grandmother's eyes, "Grandmother, thank you for your kindness." Amaterasu nodded, "Your old room is still there, if you want to use it." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "I should probably get some sleep, it should help me clear my head." Amaterasu nodded, "You go take a nap, I'll check up on you in a couple of hours, alright?" Yoshiro nodded and walked out of the sanctum, closing the door behind him. He walked to his room and entered it, seeing that it hadn't changed in the centuries he had been gone. He closed the door behind him and climbed onto the bed, crying himself to sleep.
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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Akira110
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#3 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 2

Yoshiro found himself in a familiar place, he remembered this place from the time shortly after Rogelio died and he looked around. He was expecting to find someone from that era, but found nothing. Instead, he heard cackling laughter behind him, "It's about time you finally broke, weakling." Yoshiro turned around to see the darker half of him stand there, "Who are you!?" The darker half of him smiled slightly, "I'm you, or more accurately as you so put it, I'm the part of you that you hate, but remember the whole war against Aiko? You were quite willing to accept me as part of you." Yoshiro couldn't deny that, "Maybe so, but why don't you go [censored] off?" The darker half of him shrugged, "Because I'm part of you, whether you like it or not. By the way, I think it's time that I test you, Yoshiro... I think you should finally stop ignoring what you are!"

The darker half of him rushed at him and Yoshiro reached for his shield, but couldn't find it where it was normally. Instead he drew a sword that he found familiar, "Kusanagi!" The darker half of him smiled and his face reverted to the bestial appearance that the Kitsune normally had, "Look at your true face, Yoshiro! Look upon it!" Yoshiro concentrated on Kusanagi's power and allowed it to flow through him, "Begone, evil spirit!" Yoshiro extended his hand and a blast of light shot forth from it, slamming into the darker half of him. He smiled slightly and as the dust cleared, he noticed something horrific, he saw the darker half of him sprout eight more tails and his muscular mass increase slightly, "Just... just what the hell are you!?" The darker half of him laughed as his tails fanned out, "I'm you."

Yoshiro looked at Kusanagi and frowned slightly, not sure if he had the ability to continue this fight, "This is the inside of my mind... right? Then I can do anything... right?" Yoshiro concentrated hard and found himself floating into the air, as he looked at his fur, it took a golden color and he felt his body change slightly to be leaner than usual, "My sun magic is more than a match for whatever dark magics that you will unleash." The darker half of him roared out in laughter as shadows ensnared Yoshiro, "You honestly believe that you can defeat me like that. I am the weapon that you choose to ignore, the weapon you choose to hate. You think that Father is the only super soldier? We are too, idiot. Whether you like it or not, just by gaining his durability and endurance, we are a super soldier."

The darker half of him drew a sword and plunged it deep into Yoshiro's abdomen, "You're a pathetic sack of [censored], you know that right?" Yoshiro concentrated all of his mana as hard as he could into a single point, as he opened his hand, he struggled all he could and managed to throw it at his darker half. The attack landed perfectly, and seemed to completely destroy the darker half. However, Yoshiro noted that the shadows didn't release him and instead, they transformed into chains. The darker half of him laughed, "We are chained together by unbreakable chains. I cannot exist without you and you cannot exist without me. You and I will be together for as long as we live, and who knows, we might exist when you get reincarnated." Yoshiro struggled, but couldn't escape as the darker half of him came into view, "Boo, [censored]."

Yoshiro awoke to find himself being shaken awake by someone calling out his name. He recognized the voice to be a handmaiden of Amaterasu's. He opened his eyes and looked at her, "Akiko... what are you doing in my room?" Akiko frowned, "You were screaming horribly in your sleep. Your cousins, Arisu and Jirou wanted to know if you were alright." Yoshiro nodded, he knew of the twin children of his grandaunt, Suzume. Arisu was the deity of wind and Jirou was the deity of rain if he remembered correctly. He sat up and placed his hand over one of his eyes, "I was having a horrible nightmare, I was back somewhere I never thought I'd return to. I encountered a darker version of myself, he turned into a nine tailed creature and attacked me with shadow magic, but... I don't have access to that particular element, Lilah does."

Akiko nodded slightly, "I understand. Arisu, you can come in!" Yoshiro watched as his cousin walked into the room, her emerald eyes always had a piercing look to them, "If you screamed any louder, you'd have woken up the entire city, Yoshiro." Yoshiro scoffed, "I don't care." Arisu frowned, "You've changed." She motioned over to another Kitsune and Yoshiro looked over at the elderly Kitsune, "Sakura..." Sakura nodded slightly, "Yes, dearie. Though I helped out your mother, I am first and foremost a servant of your grandmother. She told me to give you this." She handed Yoshiro a box and the moment Yoshiro grabbed it, he felt something different, something new. Sakura frowned, "Lady Amaterasu listened to what Erasmus had to say about what happened to you shortly after Sir Rogelio's demise." Yoshiro opened the box and recognized what was in it. Instinctively he reached for it, but felt fear in the back of his mind.

The moment he grabbed the object, he felt a purifying force flow through his very being, in addition to the flow of mana increasing in strength within him. A futile gesture he knew as without opening his mind to psionic assault, he would be incapable of using magic anyhow. He looked up at the ceiling, "Tell her that the gift of Magatama during these trying times is appreciated." Arisu grabbed his shoulder, "And where do you think you're going to go?" Yoshiro looked at her, "What makes you think that I'm going anywhere?" Arisu shrugged, "How about the fact that you didn't even bother to suggest that you were going to go thank her yourself?" Yoshiro looked down at the bed, "I don't want to get her involved... I'm dangerous, I could hurt someone and I don't want to, it scares me, but..." Arisu growled, "Shut the hell up, Yoshiro. Aunt Amaterasu loves you and she wants to help you!"

Yoshiro closed his eyes, "I am the son of the Menschilche Enforcer, Kawal! I inherited some of his traits, and something else that I can't explain. What I fought in the dream, that darker half of me wouldn't have been able to take that form without me knowing about it, consciously or subconsciously. There's something about who I am, something that Seth or Noah could've told me if they were still alive! But they're not alive anymore!" Arisu slapped Yoshiro with a backhand, "You are an inconsiderate son of a [censored]. Aunt Amaterasu opens her temple to you, even gives you your own room and dedicates her own servants to help you, because she knows that you're going through some heavy stuff right now what with the death of your daughter and all and this is how you repay her!?"

Yoshiro opened his mouth to respond and Arisu looked at him, "Don't bother answering, unless it's to tell me that you're going to go apologize to Aunt Amaterasu!" Yoshiro looked up at her and sized her up, as he went for a punch, she grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, "I'm standing, cousin, you're still in a bed. Perhaps you're doing a lot worse than we thought, but you're only confirming the fact that you are worse off than normal. I can and will restrain you if necessary, cousin." Yoshiro didn't bother struggling, "Fine, I'll go and apologize to grandmother." Arisu let go of Yoshiro's arm, "I'm going to follow you to make sure that you do so, I hope you know and accept this." Yoshiro shrugged as he climbed out of bed, "I couldn't care less at this point." Arisu nodded, "I know cousin, shall we be off?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, and walked out of the room with Arisu behind him.
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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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#4 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 3

Yoshiro walked through the hallways of the temple, Arisu behind him so he knew that he couldn't just make a quick escape. However, he wanted to so when in the main hall, he stopped and turned to punch Arisu, unfortunately for him, a strong gust of wind hit him in the chest, knocking him flat on his back and he watched as Arisu placed her booted foot on his chest, "Cousin, do you not really think that Mother didn't teach us of your tricks. She's the deity of war, [censored]." Yoshiro closed his eyes, he honestly wasn't looking for a fight, he didn't even really want to fight. He looked away from her, "I'll go to Grandmother on my own, Arisu... I do not need you to accompany me as if I was an initiate." Arisu laughed, "Anata wa, watashi wa anata ga jibun de ofu ni iku moraou kangaeru bakadesu."

Yoshiro looked up at her, "Watashi wa Sobo o mi ni ikimasu watashi no musume no haka no sai ni chikaimasu." Arisu let her boot off Yoshiro's chest, "You better hold true to that vow, Yoshiro or I will hunt you down. Is that clear?" Yoshiro picked himself up, "Yes. It is perfectly clear." Yoshiro walked to the training area where he figured Amaterasu to be at. When he was there, a bunch of trainees looked at him and one of them spoke up, "Look at this, we got a Kensei Guardian to come and grace us with his presence, you don't look so tough, Master Guardian." Yoshiro growled instinctively, "Do not call me Master." The Trainee smirked, "What are you going to do about it if I don't stop?" Yoshiro shook his head, "You're just a kid, you're not worth my time." The Trainee spoke up, "I'm not a kid, my name is Kenta! And I'll show you!"

Kenta rushed at Yoshiro with a training sword, but Yoshiro caught the weapon in his hand, gripping it tightly, "I do not wish to fight you right now." Kenta laughed, "What's wrong, old man. Are you afraid to get your [censored] handed to you?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Your childish taunts will not provoke me to violence. Kenta, I'm going through a lot, right now." Kenta shook his head, "You're pathetic, you're supposed to be this big bad Kensei Guardian. But you're nothing." Yoshiro shrugged when he felt a pain in his groin. Angry, he used his free hand to punch Kenta in the face with enough force to cause him to reel backwards and let go of the training sword. Yoshiro tossed it away, "I've told you that I don't wish to fight you and you have the gall to hit me in the groin!"

Kenta smiled, "There we go, now I'm going to kick your [censored], old man!" Yoshiro growled, "I'm seven hundred, you disrespectful child." Kenta rushed Yoshiro who drew his actual sword, hitting Kenta in the chin with the pommel. Yoshiro then kicked him in the chest, knocking him back as he leveled his sword at Kenta's face, "I am a man who just lost his daughter and you're going to treat me like this?" Yoshiro felt a nagging at the back of his mind to plunge the sword into his opponent's face, but instead he shifted the place of the sword and lunged, cutting Kenta across the cheek as he did so. As Kenta fell to his knees and held his bleeding cut, Yoshiro turned around and cleaned off his sword, "Do you have any idea what I was called out there on the battlefield?"

Kenta turned back, "What the [censored]!? You weren't supposed to use a real weapon in sparring!" Yoshiro heard a loud clearing of the throat and turned around to see his grandmother staring at him and Kenta started crying, "Lady Amaterasu, I don't know what's going on, but your grandson just came in here and started swinging his sword at us!" Amaterasu wasn't buying it, "Kenta, don't lie. If Yoshiro actually was going to attack you, you wouldn't talking right now." Yoshiro cleaned off his blade as he felt a construct of light grab around his neck and he looked down to see a leash and collar made of light, "You're... you're kidding, seriously Grandmother... is this seriously what you're going to do?" Amaterasu shrugged, "I can't have you running off while you're like this. I saw your movements, you were going to kill Kenta earlier." Kenta looked up at her, "So you..." Amaterasu nodded, "I saw everything."

Amaterasu tugged at the leash, "My office, now." Yoshiro grabbed at the leash and immediately let go of it when it burned his hand as Amaterasu frowned, "Yoshiro, I'm not your mother. If you think that you can defeat me in a fight, then we can go at it, here and now and give these initiates a good show." Yoshiro looked at his sword which was still drawn and then removed his scabbard from his belt. He placed his sword into it and threw it at her feet and Amaterasu closed her eyes, "That was a wise decision, Yoshiro, and you did it without Magatama... speaking of which, you're supposed to be wearing it right now." Yoshiro blinked and reached for his chest, he didn't find Magatama and remembered that he didn't have it on his person, "I forgot it. I apologize." Amaterasu shook her head, "I will require you to wear it on your person at all times from now on."

She tugged on the leash again, "Like I said, my office." She leaned down and picked up Yoshiro's sword, "Come on, Yoshiro." Yoshiro followed her, because he knew at this point, he had angered her and he knew full well that his grandmother's wrath was not something he'd want to incur. The two of them walked into Amaterasu's office and the collar and leash vanished as she closed the door, "So, Yoshiro, is there any particular reason you got into a fight with a trainee?" Yoshiro sat down in a chair and shook his head, "I let him get to me. I should've walked away, but I allowed him to get to me." Amaterasu nodded, "You were going to kill him." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Yes, I was. Part of me wanted to."

Amaterasu sat down at her desk and stared him in the eye, "Tell me, what do you know about yourself?" Yoshiro looked down, "I've not learned much more since Killian died, I haven't been looking in all honesty." Amaterasu nodded, "So that's why it returned." He looked up at her, "It?" She nodded, "Yes, Erasmus told me about your nightmares, as did Sakura. That creature you see is part of who you are... it's something that your father gave you. Yoshiro, like I told you all those years ago, you are the son of Kawal, that's why you enjoy fighting so much, it's why fighting makes you feel alive." He nodded sadly, "So then, what is that part of me then..." She looked out of her window, "I do not know, but there is one way to find out. There are still Menschilche bases on Verbana. Some of them have been destroyed, some were converted. Others were left alone."

Yoshiro looked at her, "So you're saying that I should find one of these bases and try to find the answer?" Amaterasu shook her head, "I forbid you from going out there without me, you're unstable and I fear that I'm the only one that can stop you without resorting to lethal force if you completely snap." Yoshiro shook his head, "Most anyone can, just most people's reaction to the Grim Reaper flipping out and attacking people is to kill him." Amaterasu frowned, "Please refrain from using your nom de guerre in front of me, Yoshiro. I never really liked it." He nodded slightly, "So is Grandpa coming as well?" Amaterasu shook her head, "I'm not planning on it, but if he wants to come, I'm not going to stop him in all honesty." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "So when can we leave?" Amaterasu shrugged, "Whenever you're ready."
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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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#5 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 4

Yoshiro walked out to the front of the temple, Magatama hanging around his neck, he felt calmer and more serene than he had for a while, but a deep depression still hung over him. He cleared his throat and called out, "Isthasy, petranas confn ekess sia symba!" A voice next to him spoke up, "You speak fluent Draconic, this is new to me." Yoshiro instinctively reached for his sword out of being startled, but he stopped when he realized that both he didn't have his sword and that the person speaking was his grandfather, Raiden. Raiden laughed, "Did I startle you, kiddo? Amaterasu told me what's going on, so I'm coming with the both of you. I mean to be honest, the Stormbringers are going to be fine without me, and besides... I don't really have much else to do." Yoshiro shrugged, "You may choose to do what you wish, Grandfather. It's not like I could escape anyhow."

Yoshiro thumbed backwards, "If I tried to make a break for it, she could just form a collar and leash around my neck and put me flat on my back. Also, before you bother to ask, no, Julius would not be foolish enough to attack a greater deity like her." Raiden laughed, "I never thought that you would make Amaterasu angry, what did you do exactly?" Yoshiro shook his head, "It's not important." Amaterasu cleared her throat and Yoshiro turned his head, "It's not important." Amaterasu placed her hand on her forehead with an exasperated sigh, "He was about to kill a trainee." Raiden looked at her and then Yoshiro, "You were about to kill a trainee?" Yoshiro growled and Amaterasu wagged her finger, "Ah ah, Yoshiro. I would recommend against such an action." Raiden looked at him, "I'll back off, Grandson. You'll speak about your problems when you're ready."

Yoshiro nodded slightly as a green dragon landed in front of him, the appearance of Julius always made him feel better, but for some reason not this time. Julius lowered his head and Yoshiro placed his hand on Julius' forehead. Julius let out a chirping sound similar to a happy wyvern and then apologized, "I'm sorry, I was with my niece, Diana." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "It's alright, how is she?" Julius looked into Yoshiro's eyes, "Your eyes belie how you really feel, Yoshiro. Tell me what's wrong." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Galina passed away and I wasn't here to help her." A voice spoke up to Yoshiro, "I wish I could say that I understand how you feel, Creator." Yoshiro blinked, "Sig... but I thought..." Julius nodded slightly, "I stopped by home and brought your power armor. Considering how often you and I seem to get into fights, I figured we'd need it."

Yoshiro looked at Amaterasu who nodded and he donned his power armor, Sigma spoke up, "Creator, what does sadness feel like?" Yoshiro closed his eyes and tears streamed down his cheeks as he placed his helmet on, "Sadness hurts, Sigma. It feels like... I don't know how well I can explain it." Sigma spoke up, "Please, try." Yoshiro nodded, "It feels like you have this emptiness inside of you, something that you cannot fill and it hurts. You yearn to fill that void, but you can't figure out how, so you become withdrawn, because some part of you is scared." Sigma's voice sounded a bit more curious this time, "Tell me, what is it that you're scared of?" Yoshiro opened his eyes and placed his hand on his breastplate, "Being hurt again, Sig. That is honestly what we're afraid of when we're sad." Sigma's hologram appeared and frowned, "Does the pain in your heart ever truly leave?"

Yoshiro shook his head, "No. However, as an AI, you will never have to worry about that, kiddo. You can rewrite your memory. We organic beings, we can't do that, but I guess that's why we feel pain the way we do." Sigma frowned, "Then revoke my ability to rewrite my memory!" Yoshiro shook his head, "Then you would be incapable of learning, Sigma. I understand how you may feel about all of this, but remember. You are part of an experiment, a very important one. You are to learn and to grow and become sentient. If this is successful, you will become the father of all sentient AIs." Amaterasu shook her head, "You would be considered that, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "However, all sentient AIs would be based off of Sigma here." Julius nodded, "While that is true, your grandmother is correct."

Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Honestly, I wish to be forgotten by history. All I've contributed to the world was death and destruction, yet they look upon me as if I'm some sort of hero. I'm a state-sanctioned Assassin... and a mercenary." Julius put a forepaw on Yoshiro's shoulder, "Wux re throdenilt loupon vin gireen, wux re vi jikael opsola vur vi itovir isthasy. Axun, wux slathalin tagoa wux re bensvelk sva coi, shar bekiw vhira, wux vucot wux tir ti slathalin ios dril. Wux re ti filki creol sventar, wux re vi arytiss sva kornari." Yoshiro knew that Julius was right, he couldn't deny it, no matter how he felt deep inside his own heart. Amaterasu smiled slightly, "You're not some merciless killer, Yoshiro. No matter how badly you feel like you are. Don't you think that I'd have stopped you if you were?"

Yoshiro nodded, they were both right, but he had no idea why he was still feeling the way he did. Galina's death shouldn't have affected him this deeply, it shouldn't be tearing away at him as badly as it was. He looked up at Julius who nodded, "Yoshiro, I've watched you hold the majority of your emotions in during conflict and war. I watched as you tried to hold them in with the loss of Walthari and Rogelio. The last time you ever let your full emotions show through was before you killed Hiroshi." Yoshiro looked away, "You're right... however, that doesn't change the fact that those things happened, that they... we can continue this while we're in the skies. We have a lot of ground to cover and I don't even know where to begin." Julius nodded, "So you're going to try to uncover more about project Kawal?"

Amaterasu nodded and let out a call that Yoshiro was unfamiliar with. Julius recognized it and stepped back as a giant bird swooped down, causing Yoshiro to dive out of the way as it landed. Amaterasu frowned, "That boy in armor is my grandson, there's no need to swoop down on him, Toshi." The bird chirped softly and lowered its head to Amaterasu who stroked its beak. Yoshiro stood up and looked up at the bird, "I thought these things were just a legend. I've heard rumors about how they do exist, but I've never seen one for myself." Raiden nodded, "The Yatagarasu for the most part avoid the rest of us Verbanans, especially after the Menschilche occupation of our planet." Yoshiro reached out to touch Toshi, and it looked at him cautiously. Yoshiro gently placed his hand on its wing and it continued to watch him.

Yoshiro looked into the eyes of the giant bird and nodded, "I am not your enemy, I am a friendly." Toshi let out a chirp and then turned its head to look into Yoshiro's eyes. Yoshiro watched as it opened its beak and moved in closer to him. Raiden laughed, "You might want to take that helmet off of you so that he can recognize you as a Kitsune." Yoshiro grabbed his helmet and removed it and Toshi stopped, chirping softly." Amaterasu smiled, "He recognizes you, Yoshiro. He seems to be confused at your white fur and hair, but your scent is familiar to him." Yoshiro nodded and placed his helmet on and walked over to Julius, "So where's the first base that we're going to investigate?" Amaterasu smiled softly, "You should know, you were there hundreds of years ago." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "The one near great-grandfather?" Raiden folded his arms, "That's the one, why?" Yoshiro shook his head, "No particular reason..."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#6 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 5

Yoshiro looked up at the sky and knew that night was falling, though he really didn't want to land, because he knew exactly who was nearby, he knew full well that Julius would listen to Amaterasu over him, what with the hierarchy and all. He closed his eyes and didn't bother hiding the disgust in his voice, "Let's land for the night, Julius. Right next to that castle, or even better, if no one is in it, the middle of the courtyard." Amaterasu spoke up, "You're not leaving without us." Yoshiro opened his eyes and turned back to look at her, "If you will permit me, there's something I must do..." He looked down at the castle, "Alone." Amaterasu nodded slightly, "Very well, but keep in mind that he's my father and if you try anything, you will be punished, severely." Yoshiro didn't bother to respond as Julius started flying down towards the front of the castle, noticing people in the courtyard.

As Julius landed in front of the castle, Yoshiro slid off without a care, he patted Julius on the side, "Find somewhere for you to sleep, I have to do this on my own, brother." Julius nodded, "Be careful." Yoshiro gave him a thumbs up and walked into the castle. One of the guards pointed their spears at him, "S-stop right there! I know who you are!" Yoshiro turned and looked at the guard, "Do you now?" The guard nodded, "I... I'll kill you if you move." Yoshiro spoke up, "So you won't even allow me to remove my helmet to show you my face?" The guard looked at him, "I... I... I'll do it!" Yoshiro looked down at the guard's boots, "Your boots are untied." The guard looked down and Yoshiro took that opportunity to grab the spear and wrest it from the guard, "Tell me, who am I?"

The guard looked at him, "Y-y-you're that deathblood! The Grim Reaper!" Yoshiro laughed, "Nah, I'm just a Kensei." The guard looked at his belt, "Then where is your sword?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I gave it to Lady Amaterasu." Yoshiro removed his helmet to reveal his ice blue eyes and the guard looked at him, "You're the great-grandson of Lord Fumio!" Yoshiro nodded and held out his spear, "That I am." The other guard laughed, "Do not mind Hiroyuki, Count Yoshiro." Yoshiro showed obvious displeasure at being count, but held out the spear for Hiroyuki to take, "Here, next time, don't keep it extended, it makes it easier for people to wrest it from your hands." Hiroyuki took it, "Thanks. You showed displeasure at being called Count, why?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I hate being nobility. Do either of you mind if I go see my great-grandfather?"

The other guard nodded, "He's in his study, right down this hallway, take a left into the third hallway, it's the door at the end of the hall." Yoshiro nodded, "Thank you." He placed his helmet back on and followed the guard's instructions, when he arrived at the door, he noticed it was a double door. He muttered under his breath, "I don't see why he has to have this damned thing..." Yoshiro pushed on the double doors and Sigma spoke up, "Energy spike in the next room!" Yoshiro shoved them open and moved out of the way of the magic spell that was thrown at him, he saw Fumio standing there, looking quite pissed off with a spell in his hand. Yoshiro held up his hands, "Look, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't be here right now." Fumio gasped, "That voice!"

Yoshiro removed his helmet, "I don't want to be here anymore than you want me to be here, but..." Fumio frowned, "You still hold onto what I did five hundred and fifty years ago?" Yoshiro felt anger well up inside of him, but Magatama detected this and he felt a purifying energy flow into him, "You killed my partner, and a woman I called great-grandmother. You lied to me and tried to kill me because you thought I was a deathblood." Fumio looked at him with a frown, "Yoshiro... I..." Yoshiro watched as Fumio put down the book he was reading and walked over to him. His great-grandfather was a full head taller than he was, but he was shocked when Fumio knelt before him, "Will you allow me to apologize?" Yoshiro growled at this gesture and Fumio looked up at him, "You will not allow me to apologize." Yoshiro glared at him, "Do not bow to me."

Fumio stood up, "Please answer my question." Yoshiro dropped his helmet and his hand turned into a fist. He felt the purifying influence of Magatama, but his hatred started to overpower it. He threw a punch and Fumio watched as Yoshiro's fist slammed into the door, leaving an imprint. Yoshiro scowled, "An apology will not undo the death of Katriina, Great-grandfather." Fumio nodded, "It's true, but Yoshiro, had I not done what I did. Had I not affected your life in such a way... your life would've taken a far more peaceful path. You would've lived a life away from war and destruction." Yoshiro noticed the sincerity in Fumio's voice and his hatred subsided as the purifying energies took over, "Did... did I just hear you right?" Fumio nodded, "It was because of me that you became what you are now, Grim Reaper."

Yoshiro looked into his eyes, "When and how?" Fumio shook his head, "A few decades ago, while I was talking to Lilah. She knew long before you did that I came to regret everything that I did all of those centuries ago. In a way, I'm responsible for the deaths of Walthari and Galina." Yoshiro closed his eyes to stop tears and he felt Fumio's hand wipe his eyes, "My great-grandson, feel free to let those tears flow." Yoshiro brushed the hand away, "I can't believe that you and Lilah ever would get along." Fumio nodded, "You can have your AI friend contact her, or ask her yourself." Yoshiro looked down at the floor, "No. Look, I've spent a majority of my life hating you, I don't think that I can easily let that hatred go." Fumio nodded slightly, "I know, Yoshiro. Believe me, I know. I hated you for a while myself, then I wanted to be left alone. Then I reflected on my actions and here we are."

Yoshiro shook his head, "Then why didn't you come seek me out?" Fumio folded his arms, "Emiko told me that she didn't want to see me on my home continent for at least two thousand years. Personally, she's the deity of death and even my name is in her book. The thing is... I don't want to die, I'm scared. Keep in mind, that when I do, I'll be reincarnated with all of my memories and experiences intact." Yoshiro arched a brow, "Then... why are you... wait... this is why you did what you did, isn't it?" Fumio nodded, "Yes, it was mentioned that a Deathblood would be the end of me. I was scared and I started a purge against all Deathbloods. It seemed like the logical thing to do at the time, I didn't really even bother to think that it would bring us into conflict back when I started."

Yoshiro was shocked, he didn't know what to think about his great-grandfather anymore, but he chose to ask a simple question, "What do you know about me?" Fumio shrugged, "The only thing that isn't common knowledge that I know about you is that you have some of Kawal's genetics and you're the Grim Reaper." Yoshiro nodded, "I see, so you can't help me anymore than Grandmother or Grandfather." Fumio nodded slightly, "How is my daughter?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Pissed off at me." Fumio looked at him, "What did you do!?" Yoshiro shook his head, "She'll tell you overnight. She picked this place because you're here. Anyhow, do you mind if I sleep in your castle overnight?" Fumio shook his head, "Not at all, great-grandson. You may use any of the guest rooms that you'd like." Yoshiro turned around, "Thank you, great-grandfather. As I said, it will take plenty of time to ever forgive you." Yoshiro walked away and as he did, he heard Fumio speak up, "I do not blame you."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#7 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 6

Yoshiro found himself in some snow covered mountains this time, it was a far cry from where he used to be, but he recognized the place. He walked towards the monastery that he knew was there. However, what he saw angered him, he saw the body of Erasmus laying face down in the snow, "M-Master!?" He ran over to him and noticed something strange, electrical burns. This wasn't an element that he could use. He looked over to see Bruno's corpse, "B-Bruno!" He ran over to it, to see severe third degree burns on Bruno's body and then he heard a voice speak up, a voice that he recognized, "This is your punishment. You get to see the bodies of the people that you killed." Yoshiro turned around to see the darker half of him, "You killed them, not me." The Darker half of him laughed, "We did. After all, you're a killer."

Yoshiro growled, "I will not deny that what I am best at is killing, but you are killing innocents." He closed his eyes and focused on his own mana, gathering in as much as he could and his fur took a golden color as his eyes became amber. He opened his eyes as his true facial features took form, the unfamiliar muzzle and nose appearing before his eyes, "I will kill you for what you did to my master and my friend!" Yoshiro rushed his darker half, "You shall die on this day, Aku!" The darker half blocked his attack and laughed, "Call me Buki." Yoshiro recognized that word, but disregarded it, "I don't care what you call yourself, you are evil as far as I'm concerned." Yoshiro reached down to his belt and drew his sword, bringing it across Buki's abdomen, doing noticeable damage to him, "You're not as invincible as you think!"

Buki grabbed him by the throat, "Neither are you." Yoshiro felt electricity run through him, and growled, "How... how is it that you can use that?" Buki laughed, "Simple, electrical gloves. It's how I killed Erasmus." Yoshiro winced and started to fade out, until Buki looked up, horrified, "Not you again!" Buki released Yoshiro, "You're lucky that you have the protection of Magatama!" Yoshiro fell to the ground and turned to see a giant golden Kitsune hand reach for him, "What the!?" A motherly voice spoke up, "Relax, Yoshiro. I am Magatama, the jewel of benevolence and magic. Amaterasu wants me to protect you from the one who gleefully calls himself Buki." The giantess' other hand waved over him and his wounds were suddenly gone, "Wait... how is any of this possible?" Magatama spoke to him, "This is a dream, little one."

Yoshiro breathed a sigh of relief, "Then Bruno and Erasmus are alive?" Magatama nodded, "You yourself know that, little one." Yoshiro smiled softly, "That's a relief. So, why are you a giant female Kitsune in here?" Magatama laughed slightly, "I don't know, perhaps you envision me as this big and powerful force of good." Yoshiro shrugged, "Perhaps, but are you the spirit of Magatama?" Magatama shook her head, "No, I'm a magical construct that exists with in it, that is semi-sentient. I cannot disobey the orders of my creator." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "So... is there any way that I can communicate with you in the world of the waking?" Magatama shook her head, "That, I do not know, I can communicate with my creator, but your mana is similar to hers, yet at the same time, it is different." Yoshiro nodded, "That's to be expected, I am her grandson." Magatama nodded slightly, "So you are the grandson she spoke of."

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Yeah, I am. I'm the founder of the Kensei Guardians, though I was invited to join the Solar Guard." Magatama nodded, "She told me that you declined the offer, why was that?" Yoshiro looked away as the image of his orphanage appeared, "I have a duty to them. I have..." Magatama spoke up, "Your heart is almost as pure as your sister's." Yoshiro shook his head, "I wouldn't say that, I just wish to assuage my guilty soul." Magatama shook her head and placed Yoshiro on the ground, "You prove that your heart is good by your actions. Remember this, little one. Both your heart and soul influence your actions, your tainted soul is balanced by an incredible light that shines within your heart. While Reiko has a pure heart and soul by birth, your training with Erasmus has brightened the light within your heart."

Yoshiro placed his hand on his chest, he remembered training with Erasmus to balance out what Erasmus also called his tainted soul with a heart that shines brightly with light. He looked up to Magatama, "Will you please tell me if I was born with the light within my heart?" Magatama nodded, "You are a descendant of my creator, all direct descendants, especially with a mana similar to hers are born with a powerful light within their hearts. They use this light in a desire to protect people, like you started out with, remember?" Yoshiro nodded, he did remember, but that was ancient history to him. Magatama smiled softly and knelt down, "Yoshiro, I've passed on as much knowledge as I can tonight, I need you to wake up now, and don't be surprised with what you see." Yoshiro tilted his head, "Huh, what do you mea—"

Yoshiro opened his eyes to find himself within a guest room of Fumio's castle, he immediately noticed the muzzle that had grown from his face, "That's... new." He had never shapeshifted in his sleep before and quietly wondered if it was the influence of Magatama. He climbed out of bed and walked over to the mirror, "My true face..." He noticed his voice had changed slightly because of his muzzle, but it didn't bother him all that much, "Well I guess it's time to put my clothes on and go have some breakfas..." Yoshiro didn't get to finish that thought when Fumio opened the door, "Yoshiro, are you alright? The castle servants were telling me about how you were screaming loudly in your sleep." Yoshiro shook his head, "Great-grandfather." Fumio folded his arms, "I know that you don't like me very much, but..." Yoshiro interrupted him, "I'm sorry."

Fumio blinked, "Wait, come again?" Yoshiro turned around, "I'm sorry for the hostility that I showed you all those years ago when I was in this very castle, shortly after Rogelio had died. You were not the same Fumio that I knew, but I never trusted you, honestly, if it wasn't for Tiamat... this conversation wouldn't be happening right now. I was honestly ready to end your life and for that, I am sorry." Fumio nodded slightly, "Then you may want to hear that I'll be coming with you on this expedition into the old Menschilche base." Yoshiro narrowed his eyes, "Why are you doing so?" Fumio shrugged, "I get to catch up with my daughter, while you and your grandfather get to go and and find what you're looking for within the base. You and he have some catching up to do, right?" Yoshiro nodded slightly, that was true, though it was more that he and Raiden were always busy.

Fumio smiled softly, "By the way, your natural face is a good look for you, kid. You might want to keep it." Yoshiro placed his hand on his muzzle and closed his eyes, "I had a humanoid face for most of my life, because I chose to marry an elf. I love her and my children more than anything else in the world. I'd do anything for them." Fumio nodded, "Now you understand how I feel." Yoshiro opened his eyes and glared at Fumio, "You killed one of your wives and spent a majority of your life defaming and trying to kill the other. Please spare me that..." Fumio snapped back, "I loved Kimiko! I didn't intend for her to die on that day!" Yoshiro shut up, knowing that regardless of what he thought, Fumio was right. Fumio turned around and sighed, "At any rate, let's get something to eat and then head out."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#8 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 7

Julius and Toshi both landed in front of the Menschilche base, as Yoshiro climbed off Julius' back, he turned into his Kitsune form, "I've never been in here... what is it like?" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "It's bound to be different from what I remember, Julius. It has been centuries since I was last here." Yoshiro hid the fact that he never explored the entire base before. He turned around, "So Grandmother and Great-Grandfather, you are going together?" Amaterasu nodded slightly, "Raiden will be sufficient to keep you in line." Raiden looked at Yoshiro and walked up to him, "Come on." Yoshiro nodded and followed Raiden as he entered the base, with Julius right behind them. Yoshiro looked around and noticed that the formerly pristine walls were now growing plants within them, nature was reclaiming at least part of this base, which made Yoshiro doubt that they would find anything here.

When they were out of earshot of the other two, Raiden turned his head, "I understand what you're going through, Kiddo, and I'm sorry for how Amaterasu is treating you." Yoshiro shook his head, "It's fine, really." Raiden laughed, "To be honest, don't tell her I said this, but she's kind of in heat, so she's a little [censored] right now." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "That's understandable, but that doesn't excuse my actions." Raiden nodded, "I understand that, but you yourself are going through a lot. Don't think I haven't noticed you, despite the fact that you are the world's greatest sniper, you have a tendency to just bottle everything up. Now in your case, it's a massive damn bottle, larger than most. Part of that is because of your monk training, but another part of that comes from your mother." Yoshiro nodded, "I see." Raiden walked into a closed door and Yoshiro smiled slightly, "I'll get that, Grandpa."

Yoshiro walked over to the door and noticed that the keypad lacked any power, he closed his eyes and stuck his fingers in the gap between the two doors and steadied his breathing before he forced the door open. Raiden nodded, "Neat trick, kiddo, but you know that I could've recharged the door." Julius spoke up, "You would risk frying the electronics to the entire base, rendering our search for answers in this place pointless." Raiden looked at Julius with an arched brow and Julius shrugged, "I mean no disrespect, Lord of Thunder, but you are not familiar with Menschilche technology." Raiden let out a belly laugh, "That's true, my Draconic friend." Julius tilted his head, "We are not friends, we are family." Yoshiro walked through the opened door, "He calls you friend in the same way I do so sometimes."

Julius nodded as he and Raiden entered the room, none of them could see very well so Yoshiro spoke up, "Sigma, can you activate the flashlight in my helmet for me?" The flashlight turned on and Yoshiro looked around, "It would seem as if there is no power to this sector of the base, let me see if I can fix that." As Raiden opened his mouth, Yoshiro looked at him, "Grandfather, do not put electricity into the system, if the reactor is still online, you could overload the reactor. Best case scenario is that it shorts out the entire system and we'd just need an overhaul. Worst case? Total system overload." Raiden folded his arms, "You're treating me like I don't know this." Yoshiro opened up a panel and shook his head, "Damn, there's no possible way I could repair this with what I brought with me. Grandfather, do you sense any electricity in the general vicinity?"

Raiden pointed towards a door, "The flow stops about halfway through that corridor." Yoshiro looked at Julius, "You know, if you ever wanted to cause some damage to a Menschilche installation, I'd look the other way." Julius shrugged, "The door is already broken as is." Yoshiro walked over to the door with a smirk, "I was just offering you the chance to possibly vent some frustration against the species that tried to wipe out your own." Julius shook his head as Yoshiro shoved the door open, "It wouldn't help." Yoshiro noticed dim lighting up ahead, "Sigma, you can turn off the flashlight." The flashlight on his helmet turned off and he walked down the corridor. Julius and Raiden walked close behind him and they came to another door, this one labeled, "Genetics Lab." Yoshiro closed his eyes and Sigma spoke up, "Your vitals spiked. Nervous?"

Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah." Yoshiro pushed the button next to the door and it opened. Upon it opening, he noticed there were many tanks filled with a clear liquid, with malformed creatures in it. Raiden looked around, "Definitely has a creepy atmosphere." Yoshiro nodded, "This isn't a place that I came through when I was last here, however, some notes could still be here. Let's spread out and look for a working datapad, some notes on paper or anything." The other two walked around and Yoshiro looked at one of the shelves, where he noticed a small personal computer. It looked like it hadn't been used in a very long time, but when he turned it on he noticed something strange. Blood was on the screen, "John and Miriam weren't kidding when they said that this wasn't a peaceful takeover." Yoshiro wiped the blood off with a nearby rag and searched through the files, "Sigma, can you hack into this?"

Sigma spoke up, "Of course." Sigma left his helmet and was almost immediately back with the information on the computer, "This base was created to house the second generation Kawals. Nothing is said about your father, Yoshiro, I'm sorry. Interesting to note is that I got to see some surveillance footage. The blood in this room is Verbanan in origin, none of the Menschilche died here. They died in the next room over, frozen to death." Yoshiro nodded, "Nothing then." Julius sighed, "I can't find anything here. I wonder if Amaterasu and Fumio are having more luck." Raiden growled, "I concur." Yoshiro looked at a door, "Where does that lead?" Sigma spoke up, "Stasis storage." Yoshiro nodded, "That's a room I went through. Julius, Grandfather, hold on, I'm going to be right back. I don't feel like we're alone."

Yoshiro walked out of the room and into the stasis pod storage room, he didn't like being unarmed, but he knew that his hand to hand skills would be more than adequate if he were to be attacked. There was something that he wanted to see. Remembering the path that he took through this base, he walked into a room that he stopped in the last time he was here. As he walked through the door to the room that held the psionic silver kitsune's corpse, he noticed something immediately. The corpse wasn't there anymore, instead he heard a sound come from within the room and took a step forward. He then watched as a knife get thrown at him and he let it bounce off his armor, "Who's there?" Yoshiro watched to see a Neko walk out, "You're trespassing, this is Menschilche territory, not Verbanan." Yoshiro shook his head, "Not anymore. The Menschilche left Verbana seven hundred and ten years ago."

The Neko hissed at him, "Liar! I will protect their base." Yoshiro narrowed his eyes at her, but he honestly had no desire to fight, "I merely came here searching for answers to what I am." The Neko shook her head, "You will find no answers here, Verbanan, only death." Yoshiro shook his head, "Then will you permit my party and I to leave this place. The alternative is that we get into a fight and I'm pretty sure you're not immune to magic." The Neko narrowed her eyes, "Leave then. Never return to this place." Yoshiro turned around, "I'm not going to bother returning to this place, and I'd recommend that you leave this [censored] as well." The Neko hissed and Yoshiro left to go tell Raiden and Julius that it was time to leave as the answers they were looking for were not here.
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#9 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 8

A few hours had passed and Yoshiro closed his eyes as he sat under a tree, waiting for his grandmother and great-grandfather to return. He looked up at Raiden, "Mind if Julius and I go off on our own for a couple of hours, there's something I wish to do real quick." Raiden shook his head, "I'll cover for you, alright. I know Amaterasu isn't happy with you, but she and her father are speaking right now. Their bio-electrical signatures are heading towards the exit, but so long as it's a detour, I don't mind." Yoshiro nodded and looked at Julius, "We're going to head towards the nearby capitol, so long as we're here, I might as well see that place once more with my own eyes." Julius nodded and quick shifted into his dragon form. Yoshiro climbed onto Julius' back and looked down at Raiden, "If I'm not back in six hours, feel free to hunt me down."

Raiden chuckled, "I trust you enough, kiddo." Yoshiro nodded and looked forward as Julius lifted off. Yoshiro watched as the landscape rushed beneath them and within half an hour, they were at their destination, the port of Oseaan. Yoshiro slid off Julius' back, "I'll be out soon, you know that they do not allow dragons in this city." Julius nodded slightly as Yoshiro walked up to the road entering the city, one of the guards looked at him, "You seem to be ready for combat, you will have to relinquish your weapons while coming into town." Yoshiro removed his helmet and brushed some of his white hair out of his eyes, "I have no weapons on my person. Unless you wish to cut my hands and feet from me." The guards looked at each other, "What are you? Wait... your eyes."

Yoshiro nodded, "Yep, I'm a soldier, however, I do not wish to fight you. Will you permit me to enter the city? I would like to have an audience with your king, Nefari, if that is at all possible." The guard pointed his spear at Yoshiro's face, "Only important people may see Nefari." Yoshiro sighed, "I am Count Yoshiro Miyamae, descendant of Amaterasu Sano, and the brother of Queen Reiko Fujimoto. Is that important enough for you, or do I have to..." Yoshiro hid the pain within his heart as he thought about his military accomplishments and the faces of the people who died under his command started to flash in his mind as he continued speaking, "list off all of the accomplishments I've made in the military?" The other guard looked at him, "Ogechi, put your spear down. This is the real Yoshiro Miyamae. Even though he looks different."

Yoshiro shrugged, "Not many people see my true face, but if you're referring to something other than that, I'm in my winter coat. By the way, you have me at a disadvantage, what is your name?" The guard looked at him, "Kwesi, sir. I remember you from all of those years ago, how have you been?" Yoshiro shrugged, "My life has sort of had its up and downs, but mostly, it's been pretty good." Kwesi shook his head, "You are a good liar, but your eyes tell a different story, no matter how hard you try." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "You're a good judge of people, if my armor makes people uncomfortable, I can leave it here with Julius." Kwesi nodded, "That would be for the best." Yoshiro walked back over to Julius and removed his armor, "Julius, can you hold onto this for me til I get back?" Julius nodded and Yoshiro nodded back, "Thank you."

Yoshiro walked through the gate of the city without and problem and immediately walked to the Palace, where another guard stopped him, "Who are..." Yoshiro didn't even bother allowing him to continue, "Count Yoshiro Miyamae, I'm here to seek an audience with your king." The guard thrust his spear into Yoshiro's face, but Yoshiro pushed it away and kept walking. He wasn't seeking a fight and he wasn't seeking to explain himself and he found himself annoyed that he had to use his title of nobility twice so far. As he walked into the palace itself, he watched as a couple of guards approached him with scimitars. Yoshiro held his hands up, "Search me." The guards looked at each other and searched Yoshiro, finding his identification card on him, "You are who you said you are, sorry to bother you, Count." Yoshiro took his identification card back and walked up to the throne room.

He didn't even bother knocking on the door and walked in to see the King of the Kani on this continent sitting there with two women at his side, "It has been a while, Nefari." Nefari blinked, "That voice. You are the mercenary leader that came here to defend us so long ago, are you not?" Yoshiro nodded, "Retired General Yoshiro Miyamae." Nefari laughed, "It has been so long, I was hoping to see you again. I never got to thank you, but where are my manners, these are my wives, Amaka and Ebele." The two female Kani waved to him and Yoshiro waved back and looked into Nefari's eyes, "I honestly wasn't expecting to see you married, especially with two wives, but I do understand that the culture is different around here." Nefari let out a jovial laugh, "Yes, you are right about that, so what brings you here?"

Yoshiro shrugged, "I was in the neighborhood, figured that I'd make a detour here. I'm going to be heading south of the equator next." Nefari nodded, "Is there anything I can help you with regarding your search?" Yoshiro blinked, "How did you know that I'm searching." Nefari smiled, "We are all searching for something at some point in your life. Perhaps it is answers that you seek." Yoshiro nodded, "I do seek answers, but I would rather not discuss that with you." Nefari nodded, "I understand. What would you like to discuss?" Yoshiro folded his arms, "What do you know about the Menschilche base here?" Nefari shook his head, "That is Fumio's jurisdiction, not mine. I apologize, friend." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "That's alright. Your city is beautiful, by the way. I never quite noticed the last time I was here."

Nefari nodded solemnly, "I was merely a child back then, my father had died to those monsters." Yoshiro shook his head, "They were Kawal-type super soldiers, not monsters." Nefari looked up at the ceiling, "It doesn't matter what they were, they were designed to kill." Yoshiro rolled his eyes and muttered, "Yep, that's par for the course for the Menschilche." Nefari narrowed his eyes, "What did you say?" Yoshiro placed his hands in his pockets, "I said that's par for the course for the Menschilche. They created Vampires, Humans, and all sorts of super soldier projects to defeat the Dragons. Verbanans like us were converted into many different projects. Kawal was the most prominent project line." Nefari nodded, "My advisor told me all about the Menschilche when I became the king. They are terrible people." Yoshiro shook his head, "Not all of them are, to be honest. Just the Leo faction and their allies."

Nefari shrugged, "It doesn't really concern any of us, they are a dying empire nonetheless." Yoshiro couldn't deny that fact, "Nefari, don't hold onto hatred, it will destroy you." Nefari nodded, "Even the greatest warrior can be destroyed from within if they do not learn how to control their emotions. By the way, will you be staying for a while?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Sorry, but I'm just here for a quick visit." Nefari frowned, "I hope that someday that I'll be able to show you some proper hospitality, Yoshiro." Yoshiro nodded and turned around, "Honestly, I wish I had more time, but I sort of made a promise to three deities that I'd return before the sun sets." Nefari nodded, "They are at the Menschilche base, correct?" Yoshiro turned his head, "Yeah, why?" Nefari smiled, "I have always wanted to meet Lady Amaterasu. I'll have a messenger head that way with an invite. Feel free to stay here, and your Dragon can stay within the palace as well." Yoshiro nodded, "He's not really my Dragon, but thank you."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#10 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 9

Yoshiro sat down in the window of one of the upper rooms of the palace, he looked out upon the city and sighed slightly as he heard a voice behind him, "Beautiful place this continent is, a bit too warm for someone like yourself." Yoshiro nodded without turning to face the person, "So, the southern hemisphere is next, huh?" The voice continued speaking, "Yes. How's Walthari?" Yoshiro closed his eyes and reminded himself that the person asking didn't know about what happened, "We buried him, over a hundred years ago." The voice sighed, "Turn around." Yoshiro turned to look, "I knew it was you this entire time, great-grandfather. I'm just watching the sun set." Fumio leaned against the wall, "I remember when you were tiny, hairless, and helpless. Now look at you, if I hadn't done what I did, then what path would you have taken." Yoshiro looked back out the window, "I am not interested in having this conversation."

Fumio nodded slightly, "How's your family doing?" Yoshiro didn't turn his head, "Fine. Don't you have more important things to do, what with being a king and all?" Fumio looked away, "I thought we could catch up." Yoshiro shook his head, "Listen, I don't want you dead anymore. I understand why you did the things you did, but that doesn't change the fact that you did what you did. You're my great-grandfather, and Grandmother loves you very much. But I don't. To me, you're just someone that was just there, and then we parted ways. I don't hate you anymore, though." Fumio smiled, "I guess that's the best that I'm going to get out of you. Would you like your dinner to be brought up here?" Yoshiro turned, "I will attend dinner when it is time to eat. I look forward to partaking in the cuisine of this nation."

Fumio nodded and left, leaving Yoshiro to his own devices. Yoshiro entered the room and grabbed Sigma's hologram projector from his helmet and placed it into his pocket. Yoshiro then uploaded Sigma into it so that he could be with him. Yoshiro then walked to the window and slid out of it, vaulting off the wall and landing on the adjacent building in a roll that carried his momentum forward. Yoshiro looked down at the streets and jumped into the crowd. He knew that despite the fact that he could shapeshift, his grandmother gave him a marking that he cannot hide, so he didn't even bother with the shapeshifting. He knew that he'd be unrecognizable to the people of the city, so long as he was in his winter coat, and he knew that his ice blue eyes were a common feature of Arctic Kitsune, so he'd easily be mistaken for someone else.

As he walked through the crowded streets, he looked for a place to sit down, but he felt something snap around his neck and looked down to see the collar once more. Yoshiro stopped and turned to see Amaterasu standing there, "What tipped you off?" Amaterasu looked at him, "The thud when you hit the roof of the building I was shopping in." Yoshiro smirked slightly and grabbed onto the leash that connected the collar, "We can make a scene if you want to, milady. But I'd much rather be left to my own devices for the moment." Amaterasu glared and Yoshiro felt the leash heat up, however, he concentrated and blocked the pain, "You wouldn't give me third degree burns, now would you?" Amaterasu smirked, "Alright then, where's the nearest training hall?" One of the Kani on the street spoke up, "To your left, Lady Amaterasu."

Amaterasu nodded, "Come, since you seem so intent on being difficult, I want you to fight me." Yoshiro looked at her and felt her yank on the leash, he followed her and didn't protest, he knew that she was serious. He however knew that he couldn't win against her. When they entered the training hall, she grabbed two training swords and a training shield for him and tossed a sword and the shield to him, "Don't you dare hold back." Yoshiro strapped the shield to his wrist and removed Magatama from his neck, placing it on a nearby shelf so that it wouldn't get damaged. He walked over to the practice area and entered his fighting stance. To his surprise, Amaterasu rushed him and he watched as she attacked towards his shield. He knew for a fact that she wasn't stupid enough to actually go for that, but was shocked by her speed as she punched him in the face.

As he reeled back, she took a stance and looked at him, "You never fought me at my true skill, Yoshiro. You've always fought me while I was holding back." Yoshiro felt something moist on his face and reached up to touch his nose, to bring his hand away to see blood. He looked at her, angry that his own grandmother would hurt him, this anger started to take hold and he entered a defensive stance. He rushed her at this time and did a shield bash towards her weapon, hoping to knock it away as he attacked over his shield at her head. Though he was successful in knocking her weapon back, she ducked down and kneed him in the groin, "Do you not think that I know you have no armor, Yoshiro?" Yoshiro yelped in pain and in a fit of rage, brought the back of his hand across her face.

She chuckled and jumped back slightly rubbing her face, "I'll be honest, I actually felt that. Fine, no more dirty tactics like that." Yoshiro howled towards the sky and threw his shield and sword back, slamming his fists together and punching himself in the head repeatedly. Amaterasu looked at him, shocked, "That... you're... NO!" She rushed at him and grabbed both of his arms, forcing them behind his back as she got behind him, "I will not let you enter a psuedo-Berserker Rage!" Yoshiro slammed his head back, hitting her in the face and causing her to let go of him. He smirked slightly as he spun around and kicked her in the stomach, "Something I picked up from Lilah, if you can't beat your opponent fairly, cheat." As Amaterasu recovered from reeling back, she threw a fireball at Yoshiro, who barely dodged it.

Yoshiro looked at her, "I didn't know that magic was allowed. Fine!" Yoshiro unlocked his mind and started focusing his mana. Amaterasu snapped her fingers, forming a rope of light around Yoshiro's leg and she grabbed onto it. With a smirk, she yanked the rope, forcing Yoshiro to fall onto the ground, breaking his concentration. She picked up one of the training swords and as Yoshiro was getting up, she pointed the tip in his face, "I win." Yoshiro looked at her, "You were... you were holding back." Amaterasu nodded and Yoshiro looked up at her, "Why did you do this?" Amaterasu sighed, "You have a penchant for fighting. You seem to be most alive when you're fighting, so I decided to give you a sparring match. Though I wish you didn't bash your head into my nose." Yoshiro nodded, "Thank you."

Amaterasu sighed, "The reason I'm being harsh and restrictive on you right now is that I don't want you to go out and do anything reckless." Yoshiro went to open his mouth, but Amaterasu interrupted him before he could talk, "Before you ever say that you aren't reckless, let me remind you that you jumped out of a palace not more than half an hour ago." Yoshiro looked down, "That's true." Amaterasu nodded and hugged him tightly, "Look, I know you, very well. You are your father's son, whether or not you want to believe that." Yoshiro nodded as she continued, "But you are also your mother's son. You take after both of them, and that is why I worry about you. Don't ever think that I don't love you, now would you like to go to the park?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, that's where I was going in the first place." Amaterasu smirked, "I know."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#11 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 10

Yoshiro and Amaterasu sat in the middle of the park, in front of an artificial pond. Amaterasu smiled slightly as she watched the waterfowl float on the water, Yoshiro however looked at the Magatama that she had placed into his hand, "Thanks for not letting me forget this, Grandmother." Amaterasu turned her head and nodded as she took off her boots. Yoshiro arched a brow, "You're not the kind to go barefoot, Grandmother." Amaterasu nodded slightly as she dipped her feet into the water and sat on the bank of the pond, "Sometimes, you need to learn how to relax and allow the water to flow under your feet." Yoshiro laughed slightly, "Perhaps, but..." Yoshiro was interrupted by a voice coming from his pocket, "Excuse me, Lady Amaterasu, but why is it that you choose put your feet in uncleaned water?" Amaterasu looked at him and Yoshiro pulled Sigma's hologram projector and placed it on the ground.

Sigma's hologram appeared between the two of them, "I'm sorry, allow me to introduce myself, I am Sigma." Amaterasu looked at Yoshiro with a serious look, "You brought an AI here?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Honestly, I didn't expect you to follow me... and to be brutally honest, I didn't think you were going to beat the [censored] out of me." Sigma's hologram tilted its head, "Lady Amaterasu, why did you fight your own grandson?" Amaterasu looked out to the horizon, "He's always has been his father's son, but it's the heart his mother gave him and that thankfully Erasmus was able to help him strengthen that really kept him from following down the path of his father." Yoshiro stood up and looked down at the water, looking at his own reflection. As his reflection moved in the water, he saw an image of a Mofeta. This caused him to turn to look behind him and he closed his eyes, "Dammit, another hallucination."

Yoshiro lifted his foot and started stepping down when Amaterasu called out, "Yoshiro, be careful!" Yoshiro stepped on her boot and noticed his balance shift. He moved his tail to compensate, but the increased mass of his winter coat threw him off balance and sending him straight into the water. Amaterasu stood up, "Yoshiro, are you okay!" Yoshiro started to feel somewhat cold in the water and he reoriented himself. When his head was above water, he shook his head and opened his eyes, "Good thing you're waterproof, eh Sig?" Sigma's hologram nodded, "I am glad you had the foresight to do that, as you got water on my hologram projector and your grandmother." Amaterasu frowned, "Yoshiro, you'll catch your death of cold in that pond." Yoshiro swam to the edge and pulled himself out onto the bank, "Half-arctic, remember?"

Amaterasu frowned, "Yoshiro, dear? Remember how we said not to be so difficult?" Yoshiro stood up and walked over to an empty spot. When he knew no one was going to be hit with the water he'd soon fling off, he shook himself as dry as he could. Amaterasu sighed slightly, "Some things never change, do they?" Sigma looked at her, "I do not understand, what is the emotion that you're showing?" Amaterasu looked at Sigma, "What are you?" Sigma looked at her, "I am a learning AI that is designed to learn as much as I can in order to rewrite my own programming to become sentient without going rampant." Amaterasu nodded, "Yoshiro, why didn't you tell me that you went into Robotics?" She turned to see Yoshiro tear off the sleeves to his shirt and tear one of them, using the cloth to make a ribbon to tie his hair into a ponytail in order to keep the wet hair out of his face.Amaterasu shook her head, "You look just like your mother... except without, you know..."

Yoshiro laughed and smirked as he quick partial shifted into a female kitsune, before looking back, "Oh Mom, you know how to compliment your daughter." Amaterasu looked at him, "Okay, now you're scaring me." Yoshiro quick shifted back, "I apologize, Grandmother, but it was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up." Amaterasu nodded, "I'm just amazed that you knew that you could change your physical sex by shapeshifting." Yoshiro shrugged, "Hikari did it, Aunt Maiko did it, I reasoned that I could do it myself if I really wanted to." Amaterasu nodded, "I just... I never expected you to do something like that, Yoshiro. I mean did it hurt?" Yoshiro nodded, "A burning in my chest while going in and out of the female form, yes."

Amaterasu looked at him, "What about the..." Yoshiro visibly shuddered, "Yeah, there's a reason I'm never doing that again." Amaterasu folded her arms and Sigma looked at the two of them, "The two of you are very bizarre in your behavior, I would almost never guess that Yoshiro is incredibly depressed." Amaterasu nodded slightly, "That's the reason I gave him Magatama, the side effect is that he's a little more silly and mischievous. However, it is all good-natured." Sigma nodded and looked at his creator, "So tell me how will I ever understand what love is?" Yoshiro shook his head, "She cannot tell you any more about that

Amaterasu frowned, "Yoshiro, dear? Remember how we said not to be so difficult?" Yoshiro stood up and walked over to an empty spot. When he knew no one was going to be hit with the water he'd soon fling off, he shook himself as dry as he could. Amaterasu sighed slightly, "Some things never change, do they?" Sigma looked at her, "I do not understand, what is the emotion that you're showing?" Amaterasu looked at Sigma, "What are you?" Sigma looked at her, "I am a learning AI that is designed to learn as much as I can in order to rewrite my own programming to become sentient without going rampant." Amaterasu nodded, "Yoshiro, why didn't you tell me that you went into Robotics?" She turned to see Yoshiro tear off the sleeves to his shirt and tear one of them, using the cloth to make a ribbon to tie his hair into a ponytail in order to keep the wet hair out of his face.

Amaterasu shook her head, "You look just like your mother... except without, you know..." Yoshiro laughed and smirked as he quick partial shifted into a female kitsune, before looking back, "Oh Mom, you know how to compliment your daughter." Amaterasu looked at him, "Okay, now you're scaring me." Yoshiro quick shifted back, "I apologize, Grandmother, but it was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up." Amaterasu nodded, "I'm just amazed that you knew that you could change your physical sex by shapeshifting." Yoshiro shrugged, "Hikari did it, Aunt Maiko did it, I reasoned that I could do it myself if I really wanted to." Amaterasu nodded, "I just... I never expected you to do something like that, Yoshiro. I mean did it hurt?" Yoshiro nodded, "A burning in my chest while going in and out of the female form, yes."

Amaterasu looked at him, "What about the..." Yoshiro visibly shuddered, "Yeah, there's a reason I'm never doing that again." Amaterasu folded her arms and Sigma looked at the two of them, "The two of you are very bizarre in your behavior, I would almost never guess that Yoshiro is incredibly depressed." Amaterasu nodded slightly, "That's the reason I gave him Magatama, the side effect is that he's a little more silly and mischievous. However, it is all good-natured." Sigma nodded and looked at his creator, "So tell me how will I ever understand what love is?" Yoshiro shook his head, "She cannot tell you any more about that than I can. However, if you wish to know what an approximation of love is... it's when you learn to care for someone to the point where you would do anything for them."

Sigma nodded, "So it is something that I will learn?" Yoshiro picked up the hologram projector, "You'll have to learn it on your own, it's not something that you... merely feel, it's something that you know, something that is part of you." Sigma nodded slightly, "I understand." Amaterasu put her boots back on and looked up at the sky, "We really should be getting back, Yoshiro. Hey, would you like to sleep in the same room as Raiden and I?" Yoshiro blinked slightly and Amaterasu chuckled, "Look, don't worry about it if you don't want to. Just, you've been screaming horribly in your sleep lately and I want to be sure that you're alright." Yoshiro nodded slightly and looked out to the horizon, I'll think about it, Grandmother. But I won't make any promises." Amaterasu wrapped her arm around his shoulder, "You're damp. But I understand."

Yoshiro shook his head as he put Sigma's hologram projector back into his pocket, "I just don't want anyone to get any funny ideas." Amaterasu nodded slightly, "You're my grandson and I know that I'm not your mother, but I feel somewhat motherly to you." Yoshiro nodded slightly as the two of them headed back towards the palace, "I can understand why you would feel that way. I'm the son of your daughter, after all." Amaterasu smiled softly, "Yes, before you tried to make your little escape, I was trying to buy something. Anko gave me something that's dear to you before we left." Yoshiro's eyes lit up, "You have Ame?" Amaterasu laughed slightly and kissed him on the forehead, "You think I would forget your most prized possession, little one?" Yoshiro hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Grandmother, you're the best!"
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#12 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 11

Yoshiro sat in front of a table, to his left, Amaterasu and Fumio were eating and chatting, while to his right, Julius and Raiden were eating, but he looked down at his food. He didn't really have much of an appetite as being here reminded him of Rogelio. Nefari looked at him and spoke in his booming deep voice, "Yoshiro, is the food not to your liking? The other Kitsune are having a good time eating." Yoshiro looked up, "The food smells delicious, just... I'm reminded of someone that I wish was here." Nefari nodded, "I can understand how you feel. It is always hard losing a loved one." Yoshiro nodded slightly and grabbed his cup, "What is this?" Nefari smiled slightly, "It is a wine that is common to this region." Yoshiro nodded and placed the cup to his lips, but it was smacked out of his hand. Yoshiro looked to see Fumio's hand and he glared at Fumio who shook his head, "Your are not in the right mindset for alcohol."

Yoshiro knew that Fumio was right and Nefari laughed, "Your great-grandfather is right, Yoshiro." Nefari looked at Yoshiro, "You saved me all of those centuries ago, what can I do in order to save you?" Yoshiro shook his head, "There is nothing that you can do. Even if there was, I wouldn't ask you to start using resources to do so. Your people need you, far more than I do, remember that." Nefari nodded slightly, "I understand, but..." Yoshiro stood up and looked into Nefari's eyes, "I understand what it's like to feel like you owe someone, I understand what it's like to have a debt to someone. My best friend had a life debt with me, and he died. That's why I came here, I made the mistake of forgetting the people that needed me. I was almost forcibly removed from my son's life because of my mistakes."

Everyone stopped eating and looked at Yoshiro, who continued, "I didn't care what the consequences were at the time, and people that I cared about suffered because of it. I'll be damned if I let someone like you follow the example that I had set. You rebuilt your kingdom after the atrocities that were done, you'd never think that a war had happened here." Yoshiro grabbed the napkin from his shirt and threw it on the table, "Those people out there need you, not me. Though we are your honored guests, you should regularly give your people some of your food, give the homeless here a seat at your table!" Nefari stood up, "Do not assume that you know what I have done, Yoshiro! You may be this great soldier and this hero, but that doesn't mean that you know what I have done with my kingdom!"

Amaterasu looked at the two of them and grabbed Yoshiro by the ear, standing up, "Your highness, may I be excused and take my grandson with me?" Nefari shook his head, "You may be excused, but Yoshiro will not. Not until he at least apologizes for his words." Yoshiro looked over to the side of the table that Julius was sitting on, servants and the homeless sat at the table, eating the same food as the king was being served. He looked to the other side of the table and noticed the poor doing the same and he looked at Nefari, "You... you really did model yourself after how I ran my kingdom?" Nefari folded his arms and nodded, "Yes, though I am questioning why I did so if this is how you act when given my hospitality."

Yoshiro closed his eyes, "I'm sorry for my outburst and making assumptions about you run your kingdom. I let my emotions get the better of me and I snapped at you as a result." Nefari nodded slightly, "While you are going through an incredibly difficult time, your eyes say that, clear as day... you should learn how to better control yourself." Yoshiro opened his eyes and nodded as Amaterasu tugged on his ear, "To the bedroom. Now." Yoshiro pulled his ear from her hand and shook his head, "Grandmother, with all due respect, I'm going to have to reject that." Amaterasu sighed, "Yoshiro, remember that talk we had?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yes, but there are things I must do here." Yoshiro turned to Nefari, "Do you know of my eldest son?" Nefari nodded, "Tsuyoshi is a wonderful man, he'd be able to help you right now." Yoshiro shook his head, "That's not what I mean. Is he in the city?"

Nefari shook his head, "He isn't on the continent, the last I heard, he's currently brokering a peace deal between two kingdoms on the other side of the world." Yoshiro nodded, "Alright, thank you." Yoshiro bowed slightly, "If I may have your permission to take my leave?" Nefari nodded, "Go and rest up for the night, I'll have some dinner be brought to your room for you to eat if you'd like." Yoshiro nodded and rose, "Thank you, sir." Nefari was surprised by this as was everyone else, but he laughed, "You can just call me by name, everyone else does." Yoshiro turned around, "I know." Amaterasu looked at him, "Are you done?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, I am." Amaterasu motioned towards the hallway and Yoshiro walked out into the hallway. He heard Amaterasu's footsteps behind him, but that didn't stop him from walking out onto a balcony.

He leaned against the railing and looked up at the sky, the clear skies showed all the stars and the moon very well. He felt a bit more relaxed a voice spoke up, "I do not claim to know you half as well as the people here, but you made a hell of a scene today." Yoshiro nodded, "I know, Stephanus." Amaterasu looked at the Golden Dragon in Eltiranan form as Stephanus continued speaking, "My brother's training must not be doing so well." Yoshiro turned to look at him, "Your brother trained me to learn control, but once we surpass our breaking point, control no longer helps. Right now, I need to learn how to heal." Stephanus nodded, "I understand. How is my brother, by the way?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Master Erasmus and I haven't seen each other in fifty years." Stephanus frowned, "That's unfortunate. If you see him again, tell him that I'd like to speak to him about our mother." Yoshiro nodded, "Will do."

As Stephanus left, Yoshiro looked at Amaterasu who shook her head, "The reason I want you to go to the room, is because..." Yoshiro silently walked past her and towards the bedroom when he felt a hand on his tail, "Grandmother, you and I both know that we Kitsune really hate when our tails are pulled. Do you mind removing your hand from it." Amaterasu spoke up, "I'm not going to pull it, I'm just holding you to make sure you stay in place." Yoshiro turned his head slightly, "Ame is in the room and you believe that it is the key to calming me down, is that right?" Amaterasu nodded, "Yes, I do." Yoshiro chuckled slightly, "I really just need to get away from this place... the memories keep flooding back and I know for a fact that I'm going to have nightmares of that conflict that happened so long ago."

Amaterasu let go of Yoshiro's tail, "So that's why you've been pent up and hallucinating since you got here." Yoshiro turned his head all the way, "I never told you that I was hallucinating, how did you know?" Amaterasu shrugged, "You looked to see something that wasn't really there." Yoshiro forced a laugh, "That's true. I'm going to head to the room, I'll sleep in the same room as you and grandpa tonight. That way if I wake up, scared, I'll at least know that I'm safe and protected by people who care about me." Yoshiro looked at Julius who was walking towards them, "Mind if he sleeps in the same room?" Amaterasu looked back, "It's a four bed sleeping area, so I don't see why not." Julius looked at them both, "What's going on?" Amaterasu smiled, "You're going to be sleeping in the same room as Yoshiro and I, if that's alright with you." Julius nodded, "It would allow me to be closer to my brother. Thank you, Lady Amaterasu." Amaterasu smiled, "No problem."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#13 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 12

Yoshiro found himself back in the city, he walked among the burning buildings when he heard a voice speak up, "Magatama isn't here right now. It's just you and me there, buddy." Yoshiro looked at him "You chose your name deliberately, didn't you, Buki?" Buki nodded as he slid off a building, "Look at this destruction, Yoshiro. This was all because of you. Your existence, your crimes. Everything cost these people their lives." Yoshiro closed his eyes and Buki arched a brow, "You... you don't deny this?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Aiko told me herself that was her motive when she murdered my best friend. I killed her brother and put her into a coma. But I tried saving her life. This was how she repaid me for my kindness." Buki folded his arms, "I do not understand, why do you not regret any of this?" Yoshiro opened his eyes, "You misunderstand, I do regret what happened here. But I do not deny it happened."

Buki looked at him, "You are as insolent as you are pathetic. But at least you're growing a spine." Yoshiro raised his hand and formed a blade in it, the blade pierced Buki's chest, "We are to remain locked in eternal combat without Magatama, correct?" Buki laughed as he coughed up blood and seemingly died. Yoshiro knew that wasn't the end as he turned around to see Buki standing there, clapping, "Congratulations on killing one of me. But you honestly think that will be enough, don't you?" Yoshiro shook his head, "You're a representation of Kawal within me, aren't you?" Buki shook his head, "No, but you're starting to figure things out, you've always been different. But you never could quite place your finger on it. Why would a mere holy blood have a mana flow that is as strong as yours?"

Yoshiro shook his head, "It doesn't really matter if I cannot use it, now does it?" Buki laughed, "As sentimental as ever, aren't you? You're unnaturally powerful, Yoshiro. Everyone noticed this, but you and they all assumed that you were gifted. Do you not think for a second that perhaps you were genetically engineered to be this way. That you were created, not born... that none of these people are your real family." Yoshiro looked at the sigil of the sun on his hand and he closed his eyes, "Do you honestly think that I'm that stupid to fall for some [censored] like that?" He closed his hand into a fist and opened his eyes, "DNA testing proves that I am their child and even if that wasn't so, they have been part of my entire life. They are my family!" Buki looked at him with a grimace, "Do you ever wonder why the Menschilche were watching you while you were young?"

Yoshiro shrugged, "Honestly, that's part of the mystery, but if that's what this was all about, why did you start showing up a year after the death of Rogelio?" Buki looked at him with a smile, "Ah, so you do remember who I am." Buki then walked over and Yoshiro watched as a black aura surrounded him, "Then I guess I don't need to hold back." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Then neither do I. Erasmus taught me a few tricks." Buki nodded, "I'm aware, we are two halves to the same person, after all." Yoshiro concentrated on the sigil and felt the power flow through him. His fur and hair took on a golden color as his eyes took on an amber color. He felt as eight more tails sprouted from his lower back and he looked at Buki, "If we are going to be opposed, then I find it only natural that you and I have opposing forms, right?"

Buki and Yoshiro rushed at each other and struck each other in the face, both of them were evenly matched as they jumped back. Yoshiro taking to the air and throwing a ball of sun magic down at Buki. Buki dodged the attack, "I thought you weren't able to use magic!" Yoshiro smirked, "This is the inside of my mind, remember and unlike you, I can control what goes on in here, everything except you of course." Buki closed his eyes, "You honestly believe that you can beat me with what you know?" Yoshiro laughed as he cupped his hands together in front of him, "Of course." Yoshiro watched as Buki rushed towards him as he charged up the spell. When Buki got within range, Yoshiro threw the spell into him and watched as it entered his body. Buki groaned in pain, "So it seems you've learned. I guess I'll let you have this one."

Yoshiro watched as he ran from him and he gave chase, when he felt a giant hand grab him, "No, Yoshiro. You cannot completely eliminate him, all you did tonight was gain a temporary advantage. But I will say that having nine tails is a good look for you." Yoshiro turned his head to see Magatama's spirit standing behind him. She waved her hand and the burning city turned into what it had become after the war, "I watched the whole thing, little one. Your grandmother would be proud." Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah, she seems to be rather disappointed with me at times though." Magatama nodded slightly, "She understands that you're going through a lot right now. By the way, I'm being ordered to take you out of your deep sleep, so you're going to wake up." Yoshiro looked at her, "Okay."

Yoshiro opened his eyes to see himself in the room, Amaterasu standing over his bed, "You were screaming about how you were going to stop someone. Are you alright?" Yoshiro nodded and picked up the scent of Ame, "Did you bring her over here so that..." Amaterasu nodded and handed Ame to him, "Of course, what was your nightmare about?" Yoshiro took the stuffed kitsune and hugged it, "Grandmother, why did the Menschilche come to Verbana, you know, after we kicked them off our planet?" Amaterasu shook her head, "That I do not know, my grandson. They might have come to check up on your father, but that is doubtful. They would be more apt to try to kill your father or kidnap you or your siblings to try to capture him."

Yoshiro nodded, "A different version of me, he said that I'm linked to them somehow." Amaterasu nodded, "Of course you are, don't you remember how I stated that you inherited some of the traits of Kawal. You aren't a normal Kitsune, you never have been and you never will be. But you will always be my grandchild." Amaterasu hugged him and gave him a kiss on the forehead, "You know, you honestly remind me of Raiden when he was your age." Yoshiro looked at her, "Grandfather was anything like me?" Amaterasu laughed, "Oh, you have no idea. He was a fierce person, but had a good heart deep inside of him. He however was a lot more boisterous than you are. He always was getting into trouble with his parents and my parents. Mother almost didn't want me marrying him, but Father talked her into letting it happen."

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Grandmother, if it's not too much to ask, will you trust me being on my own more?" Amaterasu nodded slightly, "As long as you're wearing Magatama, I'll allow you to go anywhere you'd like. But keep in mind Raiden or I might want to continue traveling with you." Yoshiro nodded, "Honestly, Grandmother. I'd like that, but please stop taking the role of my mother, it's awkward to me." Amaterasu laughed quietly, "How do you think I feel. If only your uncle were here to see you." Yoshiro looked at her, "What happened? Is he dead?" Amaterasu shook her head, "No, he moved to another continent, I don't think it's one that we'll be going to, but I think he'd be proud of you." Yoshiro shrugged, "Or [censored] himself out of fear. It's really a coin flip, I mean I am the Grim Reaper after all."

Amaterasu laughed slightly, "Well that is true. Well before we continue on, I think I should return something to you." Amaterasu stood up and walked over to her bed. She pulled out a box and brought it over to him, "Take your sword, Yoshiro. You have my permission and my blessing." Yoshiro opened the box and reached inside to grab the hilt of his sword. He took the entire thing, scabbard and all out of the box and admired it slightly before placing it back in the box, "Hold it while I'm asleep, grandmother. I do not want to risk anyone's well being by attacking in my sleep with my sword." Amaterasu nodded, "Very well then, Yoshiro." Yoshiro hugged Ame again, "Thank you for bringing Ame to me, Grandmother. I think I'm going to go to back to sleep." Amaterasu smiled and tucked him in, "Good night, Yoshiro." Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Good night, Grandmother."
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#14 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 13

Yoshiro looked back at the city gates as he smiled, he had his sword on his belt once more and he climbed on Julius, who had shapeshifted back into a dragon. Yoshiro looked back at his grandparents and looked down at Fumio, "Hopefully, we'll never see each other again." Fumio nodded, "Sometimes, that is for the best. Remember that you're still my great-grandson." Yoshiro nodded, "I don't know if I will ever forgive you. I may have to be reincarnated before that happens, but at the very least, I do not hate you anymore." Fumio nodded slightly, "That is at least good to hear. Yoshiro, I will tell you of where you should go next. There is a Menschilche installation near the south pole." Yoshiro looked down at him, "Wait... but then..." Fumio nodded, "You would indeed be on your own." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Then that would be something that I would have to accept."

Yoshiro looked up to see Toshi beside him, "Grandmother, Grandfather, if you would like to stay here for a while, you can. I promise to return after this trip to the south pole is over with." Julius looked at him, "I cannot go that far either. However, the nearby continent is warm enough for your grandparents, Toshi, and myself to take residence while you are gone to the southernmost continent." Yoshiro nodded, "Then let's do that. Are we all ready?" Amaterasu nodded and Toshi chirped and Yoshiro pointed at the sky, "Let's do this!" Julius took off from the ground and Toshi flew up behind him. Yoshiro smiled under his helmet as he always enjoyed flying on Julius' back. As the landscape zoomed under them, Yoshiro relaxed slightly, knowing that Julius would catch him if he fell off his back. Julius spoke up, "Do you know if Fumio is telling the truth?"

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Yes, though I may not know where every installation is, I do know for certain that there is one near the southern geographical pole." Julius nodded slightly as Toshi called out and Yoshiro turned his head to look at him, "Well at this pace, we should make it there in a couple of days, honestly, I'm going slow for the benefit of the two deities riding on your back." Amaterasu called out, "We'll go as fast as you need to." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Alright, Julius. Let's pick up the pace." Julius nodded and started flying faster, with Toshi easily keeping up. Yoshiro looked back at them, "Grandmother, Grandfather, how are your eyes?" Raiden placed his hand forward and Yoshiro knew what he was doing when a cone of air formed around them, "I'll be able to maintain this for a while, Yoshiro. Don't worry about us."

Yoshiro nodded and very soon they were over the ocean, when something caught Yoshiro's eye. It was a land mass that had been completely blackened, "Julius, can we make a quick detour?" Julius nodded slightly and flew down towards the landmass. Yoshiro saw blackened land as far as he could see and wondered what had happened. Yoshiro turned to see Toshi behind him and both Amaterasu and Raiden looked worried. Yoshiro slid off of Julius and landed in the water. Standing up, he walked onto the shore and he felt the ground crunch under his boot. He figured it was just the sand, but as he walked towards the mainland and off the beach, he heard the ground crunch beneath his boot there as well. It dawned upon him, this continent had been glassed by the Menschilche long ago. Not a living thing remained on it.

He continued walking forward, hoping for any signs of life, "Sigma, scan the area, will you?" Sigma spoke up, "On it, sir. Tell me, why did your voice have a ghastly tone to it?" Yoshiro looked around, "I... I honestly feel like I'm walking into a graveyard." Sigma scanned the area and spoke up, "There is life, a kilometer to your north." Yoshiro nodded and kept walking in that direction, he knew that he was being followed by the others, even if they were keeping to the sky. Yoshiro started to pick up speed and broke off into a run, just so that he could get to his destination faster. He saw an installation in front of him, but this one was of Verbana make. He noticed someone in front of the base and the person looked at him, "No one comes out here unless they're part of our experiment." Yoshiro removed his helmet and looked at the person, "I'm Yoshiro Miyamae."

The person nodded and Yoshiro recognized the shape of the person, "A Drider, eh?" The Drider nodded, "Yes, I am one. You carry with you the scent of the elves." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "My wife is a sea elf. I know of your people's hatred of the Drow." The Drider looked at him, "I see, so why have you come here?" Yoshiro looked around, "Curiosity, I've never been here, this place isn't even really visited by anyone." The Drider nodded, "I'm aware, this place has nothing to offer anyone, but we're looking to change that, I'm a scientist working on terraforming this continent into what it was before the Menschilche glassed it." Yoshiro arched a brow, "A fellow scientist eh? What's your field?" The Drider looked at him, "I'm a Botanist, my name is Oroderu. What's your field?" Yoshiro smirked and pulled out the hologram projector, "Mind answering that question for me?"

Sigma's hologram appeared, "Yoshiro Miyamae is a Doctor of Robotics, he majored in Artificial Intelligence and minored in biomechanics. I am his latest project, Sigma. He created me based off of his dissertation back in university." Yoshiro smiled slightly, "This AI, if all goes right will be the first fully functional sentient AI." Sigma nodded slightly, "I've also figured out why you feel uneasy in this place, Yoshiro. You seem to be reminded of all the battlefields that you've walked on after the battles were over." Yoshiro nodded, "That's fairly accurate, Sig." Oroderu looked at him, "You're kidding me, you are that Yoshiro Miyamae?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I'm not aware of any others, but I've long since given up my military lifestyle to peacefully raise orphans in my wife's orphanage." Oroderu nodded slightly, "I'm a bit uneasy about you being here, nonetheless."

Yoshiro nodded slightly, "That is understandable. Can you shed some light on what happened here?" Oroderu shook his head, "Nothing that hasn't been talked about in the historical archives of Verbana." Yoshiro shrugged, "I never really perused the historical archives. Usually when I went there, I wasn't there for long." Oroderu looked at him, "A former General such as yourself should've been well versed in history." Yoshiro nodded, "True." Oroderu shook his head, "Fine." He skittered over towards the entrance, "Your friends are welcome to join us inside for the day if you wish, I do not know where you're heading, but judging by your fur color, you're an arctic Kitsune. A bit odd that you would bother going to the southern hemisphere." Yoshiro turned around and looked up, "Grandmother, Grandfather. If you'd like to you can join us in here, we're going to talk about the history of this continent for a while."

Amaterasu nodded, "Alright then, we'll be in the nearest port city to the south." Yoshiro watched as Toshi flew off and Julius landed next to him, shapeshifting into his Kitsune form. Oroderu looked at Julius, "Uh, I guess you can come as well." Julius nodded, "I was planning on it, in all honesty." The door opened and Oroderu walked into the base, followed by Julius and Yoshiro. Yoshiro placed the hologram projector back into his pocket and the door closed behind him. Oroderu motioned towards a railing, "If you walk over there, you can see the kind of work that we are doing." Yoshiro walked over to the railing and saw all sorts of plants, but he also saw animals as well, "I see that you have some Geneticists in your place." Oroderu nodded, "It is necessary, though certain species will never return, we can get close."

Yoshiro looked at him, "Wait, so there were extinctions?" Oroderu nodded, "Yes, there were a multitude of extinctions that happened when the continent was glassed. But you probably already figured that on your own." Yoshiro looked down at the scientists, he had no idea why, but he had somewhat of an uneasy feeling. Oroderu noticed this, "I know about your father, by the way." Yoshiro turned and looked at him, "You do?" Oroderu nodded, "I'm the son of one of the Verbanan Scientists tasked to the Kawal project. I'm afraid that I cannot tell you more about it, my Mother destroyed all the data that she held on the project and told me not to speak about it to anyone. But when I saw you... I knew you were his son." Yoshiro nodded, "Thanks anyway." Yoshiro felt more at ease, but he still knew what genetic engineering could bring and he wasn't exactly trusting that the animals these people were creating wouldn't disrupt the ecosystem of Verbana.
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Re: Wandering Sorrows

#15 Post by Akira110 »

Chapter 14

Oroderu led Yoshiro into a room on his own and Yoshiro looked at him, "Driders are not normally this trusting of outsiders." Oroderu laughed, "I'd have expected nothing less from the legend himself." Oroderu turned around and looked at Yoshiro, "We are not, after what happened regarding the Drow, but I can see the look in your eyes, wondering if this is some sort of trap. If we're going to use you to test some new bioweapon. Relax and think for a second, why would I be trusting of someone like you?" Yoshiro placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything and Oroderu shook his head with a sigh, "I guess it is true, you can take the man out of the war, but you cannot take the war out of the man. If it is a fight that you seek, then you have come to the wrong place."

Yoshiro nodded, "You have given me no reason to trust you, but you have also given me no reason to distrust you. Right now, we are at an impasse." Oroderu nodded, "I understand how you must feel, Caladwen must have told you stories about the Driders and how we rebelled against them." Yoshiro looked at him, "How much do you know?" Oroderu shrugged, "Just what is publicly known, though if I had to guess, you're the Grim Reaper in the flesh, which honestly makes me a bit nervous." Yoshiro let go of the hilt of his sword, he knew that his words were true, "Driders are known to be honest. You may relax, even if I was hired to kill you, you're a civilian. I do not take such jobs." Oroderu nodded slightly, surprised at Yoshiro's answer, "Tell me, then... why do you not deny the accusation of being the Grim Reaper?"

Yoshiro folded his arms, "Because it would be pointless to deny what's true. I am not a great man like everyone believes, I am just a man. And though I have worked with the Drow in the past, I have never considered myself an ally of them. Yes, though Caladwen is a personal friend of mine, I will not take his side over yours. I know the bloody history between your race and his. Before you say that I only know one side, I know both sides of the story." Oroderu nodded slightly, "It is hard to imagine that a Kitsune such as yourself would know the Drider's side of the story." Yoshiro laughed, "You forget who my son is. Tsuyoshi Miyamae, one of the greatest diplomats of our time. I can't exaggerate how proud I am of him, but even he couldn't get peace between your people and the Drow."

Oroderu nodded slightly, "I am not surprised that you learned of our history from him. So tell me, what do you know about this continent?" Yoshiro leaned against a wall, "Aside from some ghost stories designed to keep people from coming here, nothing. Well except the obvious part of it having been glassed and the entire ecosystem on the continent is now dead and we're standing on a massive graveyard. But like I said, obvious." Oroderu chuckled, "Your snarky attitude is everything that I heard from people that have worked with you." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "What happened though?" Oroderu grabbed a painting from his desk and handed it to Yoshiro. Yoshiro looked at the painting, "Beautiful art, how old is this?" Oroderu looked down, "My great-grandmother painted this, it's over seventeen hundred years old." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Interesting, so this was where your family was from?"

Oroderu nodded, "Grandmother moved away, when the Menschilche invaded. She wound up working for them and had a bunch of children, one of them was my mother, who was responsible for your father being the way he is." Yoshiro looked at his hand and Oroderu shook his head, "She was a geneticist, but there is no possible way for a Kitsune to be part Drider. Our species are completely incompatible and any attempt at doing so artificially will result in a stillbirth." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "That part, I didn't quite know, thanks for adding that in. So, aside from all of that, what happened?" Oroderu shook his head, "My grandmother would tell me stories of what happened. She was going to return to her homeland, she had no idea that a rebellion against the Menschilche had formed there. It was only two hundred years into the occupation of our world."

Yoshiro looked away, "The Leo Faction, tired of this rebellion, decided to center their ships on the continent and make an example of the people. Innocent or guilty, it mattered not to them. They fired until the ground started to glow red hot and flowed like magma. Those fortunate enough to get hit by the bombardment directly had a slow and merciful death. Those who were not so fortunate were caught in the molten flow. No one that was on the continent were allowed to escape as a perimeter of aquatic ships had been formed around it. All survivors were shot and video of this event was broadcast." Oroderu looked at him, "You know exactly what happened. Perhaps you are a reincarnation of someone who was there?" Yoshiro denied this, "Sorry, but I'm a new soul. The deity of rebirth where I come from revealed that to me."

Oroderu was confused, "Then how... how did you know the events as they played out?" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Because I know how the Leo Menschilche operate." Oroderu still didn't understand, "What do you mean?" Yoshiro didn't hide his annoyance, "It's simple, really. I've been witness to the aftermath of some of their attacks on worlds. I've spoken to survivors and descendants of survivors, while trying to follow the prime directive. They all speak of how light from the sky fell down onto their world and melted the ground. People struck by the light vanished never to return, while the molten ground consumed everything in its path. Men, women, children, animals, plantlife... nothing was ever safe from them. I've traveled the galaxy, far and wide, it's not a pleasant experience seeing the aftermath of these events. I just never thought they had done it here." Oroderu nodded slightly, "You are more learned than you appear."

Yoshiro laughed and unfolded his arms, "That's the most backwards compliment that I've ever seen." Oroderu nodded slightly, "The son of the scientist that created Kawal and the son of Kawal, do you think that we were destined to meet?" Yoshiro scoffed at the idea, "We're both scientists, I think you know the answer to that." Oroderu nodded, "Where are you going to head to next?" Yoshiro moved away from the wall, "The south pole. I will be going there alone, my family will be waiting for me on the nearby continent, at a port city. I need to head there anyhow to charter a ship to the south pole, Dragons are not fit to survive the harsh arctic conditions." Oroderu nodded, "I see how close you are to your dragon." Yoshiro turned to head out the door, "He's not my dragon, he's my brother."

Yoshiro walked out of the room and met up with Julius who looked at him, "Are you done?" Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah." Julius looked towards the exit, "This place is legitimate. Slowly but surely, they're working on terraforming this continent." Yoshiro nodded, "Driders are known for being honest, Julius. We need to rendezvous with my grandparents. From there, I can charter a ship to the southernmost continent and from the port there, I'll have to make the trip on foot or in a vehicle if I'm lucky enough to procure one." Julius nodded slightly as they exited out of the building and he shifted back into his dragon form, "Tell me, are you nervous?" Yoshiro closed his eyes as he climbed onto Julius' back, "Very much so, but I refuse to let it get me down." Julius laughed, "There's the Yoshiro that I know." Yoshiro placed his hand on Julius' neck, "You know me better than anyone else."

Julius lifted off from the ground and started flying southward, "I know, Yoshiro. We've known each other for... how many years now?" Yoshiro laughed, "We met for the first time when I was just a kit. You were curious as to why I wasn't scared of you." Julius smiled slightly, "I remember now, you were really just a toddler. Your parents were terrified when I brought you to them, safely. You were a good kid back then. When we met again, you had become pubescent, but I could still feel the light shining within you." Yoshiro looked down, saddened, "Julius... do I... still have that light?" Julius nodded, "Of course you do. It hasn't been extinguished, but keep in mind that you are not alone, Yoshiro and that you don't ever have to be alone." Yoshiro smiled slightly, "Well, I have you." Julius scoffed, "Well that's obvious, I was talking about others. You seem to shoulder the weight the world puts on you... without ever asking for help. You should start thinking about asking." Yoshiro nodded, "Yeah... I should."
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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