Sayuri Kotowaza

Kaeru

17

• Emblem:
A small and plain ancient looking ring with the carving of a small frog standing as if on the ring. A family heirloom.

• Sweet Arm:
Her 'weapon', so to speak, takes the form of an old rolled up bamboo parchment she can carry either strapped on her back or in her hands for fights. The parchment itself is, of course, magical and can be used to deflects some blows that come her way, but that is far from it's main purpose.

• Magic:
Kaeru's magic took an... odd form, as far as Magical Girls go. The magic itself is rather simple. Her Sweet Arm - the large parchment at her back - is used to focus her magic with which she can summon things. All sort of things! BUT... mainly Frogs. And toads! Some, of a rather peculiar kind.

Sayuri can invoke forth anything from your run of the mill frog in impressive quantity to Toads of old tales and legends with special abilities. The reason as to why her magic is as such is unknown, but Sayuri believe it to be linked to the old Deity that resided in her family's shrine before...Perhaps.

Background / Writing Sample
Sayuri comes from a family who's ancestors, as far as memory serves, has always tended to one of the many old shrines dotting the mountains surrounding the modern Hibusa Town. The shrines themselves parts of some older beliefs that may or may not still be followed by a select few, and on a larger scale reduced to local customs without anyone truly recalling where said customs originated from. The Kotozawa family, however, unfailingly kept attending their duties as shrine keepers despite modernity taking over... Until the family's young daughter, at least. Like a flaming beacon of modernity these halls and forest paths had never seen, Sayuri walked - a flamboyant bridge of old and new.

Anything, from her bright blonde hair and colorful accessories to her energetic attitude, screams of the city and it's youth. Yet despite this and despite her choice to reject the more traditional customs and decorum of the family, Sayuri still feel at home in in the mountain retreat where she grew up and still participated in the family duties, willingly. The girl also attended school in the heart of the city, happily traveling for hours to and from school, seeming completely carefree and blissfully unaware of how unorthodox this might be for others.

A positive force to the people and the world around her, Sayuri's boundless energy can sometimes be hard to match by more mundane individuals. Always running from places to places or finding new activities and events to attend and keep herself busy, she nevertheless also always found time to be there for friends and family; chasing away tears and forcing out smiles like the sun chases away night.

What people were unaware of, however, was of Sayuri's hidden duties. Perhaps she liked the calmness of the mountain because she spent so much time in the City. Either attending the various activities available there or hunting down Miseria as one of the few remaining untainted Magical Girls of Hibusa. Sayuri took her duty seriously, but with the same light and carefree attitude that was her own.

- - - -

"Bye bye, Mr. Miseria!"

The jolly looking girl said as she waved what looked like vapors rising up in the morning skies, evaporated by the comings rays of an early sun. The blond girl stowed away a large parchment horizontally onto her lower back and, with both hands on her hips, she raised on her toes and let out a sigh just as she fell back flat on her feet.

"Phew! I'm beat. Between Karaoke night and this, it's gonna be hella hard to actually wake up. Geez... what's with this town anyway. Why is literally everyone so gloomy all the time.

Sayuri walked to the edge of the building she was onto and dropped down with both legs hanging over the side, looking at the sun rising over the water's horizon. "Ahh... this makes it alllll worth it."

Of course, she knew the answer to her previous question. That would be the bunch of lazy and somewhat selfish self-proclaimed Dark Magical girls. Sure, they took out Miseria here and there... when it suited them, and for personal reasons. As far as Sayuri was concerned, they probably had a hand in why there's so many in this town.

Besides, they were no fun at all either.

She yawned and stretched out her arms, falling onto her back - hat blocking off her view. In this position, at this moment, she might have caught up some of her missing sleep if it wasn't for something... wet, round and croaky that just landed on her nose. She raised her hat and her eyes were met by the confused ones of a Frog staring back at her. "Oh, you're still around? Go on, back home with you!" As she said so, as it was. In a puff of smoke, the Amphibian disappeared. Sent back to whatever pond of water it originated from.

With this, Sayuri was back to taking a well deserved morning nap.

• Appearance:



• Name: Nagamine Himea
• Title: Kriegspiel (formerly Lucena)
• Age: 18
• Emblem: A gold chain bracelet with a queen chess piece charm. The charm used to be white, but turned black to represent her change of allegiance.
• Devil Arm: A crown-shaped royal sceptre that she uses to direct the chess pieces she summons (and to whack enemies upside the head in a pinch). It was once set with a brilliant red ruby, which is now an amethyst so dark purple as to be almost black.
• Magic: Kriegspiel's magic consists of summoning various types of chess pieces, the ones that protect the royals she represents. Growing them into figures of roughly human size, with the ability to hover a short distance above the ground, she commands them to do her bidding. She can only summon one at a time, and must dispel an active one before creating a new one. It takes around three seconds to prepare one.

• Pawn: The smallest and most fragile of her summons. Her pawns were once capable of delivering several swift strikes before breaking. Now they exist only to sacrifice, as in they explode, either when struck or when Kriegspiel wills it. (Speed - high, durability - v.low, power - high)
• Rook: This sturdy summon was once used for defense and heavy hitting. It's lost some attack power, but now gives the term "watchtower" a new meaning - Kriegspiel can project her sight and hearing through rooks to spy on events. When she does so, purple eye and ear markings appear on the rook's tower-shaped head. Its magic aura is masked, so Miseria, magical girls and other beings can't sense the presence of a hidden rook. (Speed - low, durability - high, power - average)
• Knight: A basic fighter, this is the summon Kriegspiel uses most. It hasn't changed much, besides having traded some toughness for enhanced strength; instead of using a shield, the knight wields a second sword. (Speed - average, durability - average, power - high)
• Bishop: As Lucena, Himea could command bishops to heal allies within a radius of ten feet, but these summons had no combat ability. As Kriegspiel, she can no longer use them to heal; instead, they slowly drain magical energy from foes of her choosing within said radius, and expel it in destructive beams. (Speed - v.low, durability - average, power - varies)

• Background:
To onlookers, Himea grew up with a lifestyle fit for a queen. In reality, she felt more like a servant.

The youngest of three daughters born to a couple who ran Nagamine Getaways, a company owning luxury resorts all over the world, it was clear Himea would never be the one to inherit the family's wealth or business. Her parents were often busy, leaving her in the care of maids and at the mercy of her bullying twin sisters, but they managed to keep their iron-fisted rule over her regardless, determined that she'd be useful to them in some way. She was to be the perfect host to guests, the perfect student, the perfect everything - or they'd make their displeasure known via verbal backlash that cut deep. Since there was no way to win such arguments, Himea learned to play the part of the quiet, reserved "Ojou", all while anger and bitterness simmered beneath the surface.

For years, she turned to strategy games as an outlet, indulging in power fantasies that allowed her to turn outcomes in her favour. She could build kingdoms, command armies. Until one day a maid reported this to her mother, who stormed in, calling them useless distractions from her duties. She threw Himea's console across the room, smashing it. After that, Himea could only cling to hopes of some day leaving, but a way for her to serve the business was found, putting an end to such plans. Her mother announced that once she came of age, she was to marry the son of a wealthy businessman, creating a bond between the two companies.

Himea wanted to protest, but knew it would be no use. She attended dances and dinners with the man. Handsome and outwardly charming as Yuto was, Himea couldn't view him as anything other than off-putting - between the fact that he was a fair amount older than her in his mid twenties, the way his hungry gaze would roam, the comments he made when he thought nobody else was listening. While at his place, she'd hear him drop the act and lose his temper at the servants, acting like an entitled manchild. And it sickened her. She'd had it with being a pawn in other people's games, but it seemed there was no way to be anything else.

The creature that visited her room one evening as she curled up in tears, though, proved otherwise. A cat with a TV for a head. Via the symbols and images it displayed on its screen, Himea could glean its offer - make a wish, and become a magical girl. Naturally, she jumped at the chance. She wished her tormentors would let her be.

Things seemed to be looking up. Yuto announced, to Himea's immense relief, that he'd rather develop his career further before considering marriage. And her parents accepted it. Of course, it meant they barely acknowledged she existed, but as far as she was concerned, that was no bad thing. Her sisters similarly ignored her, even before they left to study business at university. All this left her free from her bonds to the ironically-named Nagamine Getaways. Free to roam, and transform into a version of herself she wanted to be, a true Cinderella story complete with enchanted costume and alter ego.

But not even all that could wrap the tale up into a happily-ever-after. She'd escaped a cruel present and a bleak future, yet couldn't escape the past. The emotional scars remained, and when she'd collapse into bed after her nightly hunts, nightmares plagued her sleep. The few friends she'd confided in about her experiences advised her to get help, but she refused. Maybe it was fear of being vulnerable. Or maybe she'd picked up some of the narcissistic tendencies that festered in her family, and it was a matter of pride. Instead of seeking support, she tried to distract herself by focusing on fighting Miseria, but as she channeled the rage she'd kept repressed, it became less about protecting others and more about being the powerful one for once. She needed more than freedom. She needed control.

One night, she was about to attack a Miseria, when she noticed who it was targeting. An all too familiar figure traipsing down the street, shoulders slumped, no longer radiating the authority he used to. And she simply stood there. Watching from the shadows, allowing the creature to drain her former fiance a little more. A lot more. The one who thought himself a king was now in check. Within Himea's heart, the white side fell and the black side conquered, spreading to her emblem and outfit. Then she struck, slaying the well-fed Miseria, asserting total dominance by absorbing the remnants of her prey.

The next day, she heard the news. Yuto had driven his car into a tree, and was pronounced dead on impact. Nobody knew whether he'd done so accidentally or deliberately. Himea, however, suspected the latter. And one thing she knew for sure was she'd finally been in command of the situation.

• Sample Post: