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I do commissions, specializing in character design. Ask me for prices, or make an order on my Ko-fi.

artstation.com/sq5
ko-fi.com/sq505x

I also play FF14 and PSO2 so yeah.

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I've never seen a GM make changelogs. I've had a fair share of FT RPs hitting troublesome ends, here's to this one maintaining reasonable pace and living long.

I'm interested. I'll be asking some things in a PM later.
Kyoto

Sunset > Evening

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




Utsumi adjusted his spectacles as it appeared everyone had finished deliberating on what they would do. Despite asking if they had questions, it appeared they were all set on this path they were to undertake.

“Well, it certainly seems it was foolish of me to ask if anyone had questions. You are all set on this it appears”, he signaled them to follow him as they made their way in the direction of Nijo Castle.




The group skirted around the castle walls, and were now standing in Suzaku Park Baseball Field, which was only a few blocks away from Nijo Castle. On a night like this, there was no one around, and based on what Utsumi described along the way, the Alliance was surrounding the castle, so the location he was using before to support which was Nijo Park, was not safe from their notice.

“When I cast this spell, the enemy will see the portal before you arrive, so once again, be ready to attack even as you pass through. As for the support I can grant you, at this distance all I can do is provide preventional protection. That means I cannot heal you or block large attacks. Naturally, I will be moving closer to increase what I can do as the events unfold”, it might appear he too was nervous, but it seems that other than stopping them from taking too much damage, he couldn’t do much else.

“Now… All we do is wait for Kuuto’s signal”, he ended.




Somewhere in Kyoto...


The sounds and blaze of a festival danced about at the foot of the buildings of urban Kyoto, a mesmerizing cascade of gold and orange lights, like a congregation of fireflies at an insane density. At least, this was the view that Kuuto beheld as he stood atop a building in the distance, looking directly at Nijo Castle. His arms were crossed as he stood there in waiting, knowing full well what some of his students were about to do, though trusting Utsumi, he was confident they were in good hands. Furthermore it would fall to him to make it sooner rather than later.

Soon, he heard the doors behind him, the roof access, swing open as a few people in suits emerged, one of which held a long wooden box. The group of around five people then set about to stand in formation behind Kuuto as the center figure placed the box down, opening it, revealing a katana tucked in it’s saya. The saya was specially adorned with an inscription citing the moon, it’s tsuba was crafted from silver rather than the typical brass or lined with gold, further enhancing its affinity to the moon.

“Lord Kirizanto, we have arrived with the Munechika Mikazuki. You have been granted permission to utilize this artifact for this operation, naturally it must be returned after the events conclude”, said one of them. Kuuto held out his arm, hand outstretched, signalling the one who presented the katana to bring it to him. As soon as the blade was in the Kirizanto family head’s hands, he wasted no time to enter a stance, holding the blade still sheathed behind him as his coat fluttered in the wind, hand at the ready. His eyes glinted as the speck of gold on Nijo Castle became the focus of his gaze.

“Kirizanto Ougi, Mikazuki Special, Stride of Tsukuyomi”

The battle is currently being conducted in the discord server
Kyoto

Sunset

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




The vermillion hues spread across the sky over Kyoto appeared to forebode the kind of night that was to follow, filled with lights of gold and orange hues, with a searing brightness that strained the eyes, yet a brilliant display as it bounced against the array of clouds in the heavens. The students gathered around a small park just a minute's walk down the way from the Uzamari Ryokan, as Utsumi kept his end of the deal.

"I see your attitudes had not changed since yesterday, if anything some of you seem more determined... Although the number has... Risen a little", Utsumi adjusted his glasses as he was referring to the addition of Helena and Asta, and it was likely the former would inform Rodrick too...

"Well, I suppose more of you would increase your chances of success anyhow... I've been informed of what the Alliance has chosen to do in this event. I will be going through that, what we will be doing, as well as the challenges we are to face", he began.

"To begin with, the Alliance will be deploying a sacred artifact to destroy the egg, the katana Mikazuki Munechika, due to it's affinity with the moon, as the Egg had been identified to have a strong affinity for the sun. Kuuto has informed us that he is the one to be wielding it, as the Alliance deemed him the best option. All he's said though is... He'll send a signal when he'll be using it to create a crack in the egg. Theoretically in this instance, Seirin should be recoverable. As such, the plan goes that when he's done it, I will be sending you all in front of the Egg with the spell Great Port of Undine, and you will retrieve Seirin as priority", he explained.

"Though... Bear in mind, this is still a gamble, it is unknown if Seirin can actually be recovered from the egg like this, furthermore, it also appears that most of the Sennen Matsuri's yokai forces have retreated, which has left Shinzo and a small token crew including the Kurobozu, all alone, it is unknown why this is the case, but perhaps of interest, the young lady assassin is also there. It is very likely Shinzou will be at the egg, so as soon as you emerge from that portal and even before it, you must be prepared", it appeared that they had to be ready to act right away.

"Ah yes... I will also be providing support should a direct confrontation with Shinzou come about, as I doubt he will be so lenient as to fight like last time against you all. Given the presence of the Alliance, it's very likely that should there be a fight, you all will only need to survive long enough for us to converge and capture him", the plan seemed rather clean and clear, with only a few dangerous variables, but it felt appropriate.

"If there are any questions in regards to the operation, I suggest asking me now. Once we depart, there will not be a chance to ask us, as we'll be right in the midst of it all".
Kyoto

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




@Taka


@ERode


@I-Am-X@Lonewolf685




Eiseikato

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




The halls of the illustrious Inn run by Kitsune were quiet at this time. Swept clean, pristine, with nary a footstep found or heard, ghostly quiet some might even say. At the front of the Inn there was a sign saying it they were closed, and only guests already checked in would be allowed to stay. The staff was set to only the bare minimum, with only some chefs and attendants left to ensure the guests left over were taken care of. The young senior left in charge, Kohane, was stepping around the Inn, looking for the junior left in her care, Koyuki, and yet she was nowhere to be found.

Her search finally led her to the last place she might be, the fine lady Kuzunoha's chamber, and as she stepped up the polished lacquered stairs, turning to her side, then slowly sliding the doors open after sitting down in seiza, she was surprised beyond belief with what she saw... Or did not see. Lady Kuzunoha was... Nowhere to be found. Kohane was told that they were to close and go onto minimal staff for the night, with other staff allowed to go and take the night off, she had all of them accounted for except Koyuki... Surprise turned to confusion, turned to speculation...

"Where... Where have they gone...?"
Kyoto

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




@Taka


@ERode

Kyoto

Sunday, June 5th 20XX




@I-Am-X


@Lonewolf685
Uzamari Ryokan

Saturday, June 4th 20XX




@Taka@ERode@Lonewolf685@I-Am-X

Well, it was not unexpected to Utsumi, he'd been monitoring the situation around Kyoto at Kuuto's behest, but for him to actually do anything he still needed to be present. He had warp skills but they were limited in capabilities. With the last event, he elected to join up with Kuuto for a more precise response, though... He can't help but still be somewhat proud at how well they performed, even if it was only a little bit of luck that Shinzou did not go all out at the beginning.

He listened to the group and it was as he had expected, though unexpectedly... In a big city like this for them to have met Seirin must either be a divine prank, or something the gods had decided. Anything around Seirin had never been simply luck, it was one of the reasons she was kept locked up as much as possible. The Blessed had many strange aspects to them and they usually pertained to the god that had chosen them. The school's principle knew this better than anyone. Eventually, the conversation led to what he knew he had to answer since the start, how would Seirin be saved, asked Otis.

Utsumi looked at the group intently, then made as sincere a response as he could,

"For that, I am afraid I don't know entirely. The situation around it has just begun and we're gathering high ranking Alliance members to figure out a response. I suspect Kuuto would know what they're going to do better than I do. He has better knowledge of what we have access to here". They won't be pleased with just that, he knew he wouldn't be.

"He certainly won't let you in on the plans unfortunately, he's surprisingly thoughtful about keeping people safe... So between you all and me, I'll let you in on it when the time comes", he held out a hand, and a small blue bird appeared, which everyone would recognize was just his surveillance spell.

"Come out here when you see this bird tomorrow, if you all want to save Seirin, I will try and figure out a way for you all to", granted, he was nervous, but he felt he could trust these students to perform. They definitely showed him they can earlier under dire circumstances, and they were driven to do so out of concern for a friend.

"For now... Hmmm, perhaps prepare yourselves for tomorrow. I suggest the rest of you do the same as Lorelai, take some rest for the rest of today", if there were no more questions, they would all be dismissed and allowed to do as they liked or needed as the evening came to ahead.

@Lonewolf685





Kyoto

Sunday, June 5th 20XX





The following day came as quickly as the events of the day before. Was it the tension or the tiredness of the participants that brought it upon them more quickly? Either way, perhaps it was difficult to relax after knowing they'd be waiting for word on what to do, the most that could be done was preparation.

Among such, was Lorelai, who had received a message on her phone. The young Muramasa boy as she recalled was still using a flip phone... Well, maybe he was poor, but still, the message went as thus,

"Lorelai-dono, I have completed your order, I am proud of the result. Please, come see it for yourself"


The way he made messages was rather formal, it was so stiff you could feel the tense air behind when he typed it out on his phone. Truly a master craftsman to be able to convey his emotional state through messages alone.
Tatsudoku Kouseki

Eirei Academy School Grounds




There was an inherent pervasive air around all the different heroes recruiting, almost like they were here for preparation. Given recent information that has come to light for classes A and B, it's not hard to guess why. There's a lot of pressure on every hero to perform and keep the public at ease what with Zeal now out of the picture. He was approached by a few attendants from various agencies, while actively avoided by some he recognized as under his family's influence. He could see the look of conflict on their face, he did land second place after all and while it was not as prestigious as first, it was certainly not a placement that was any means easy to accomplish.

He can still recall that finals match, clenching his hand as light formed within his palm, before disappearing as he crushed it. It made him aware of some inherent weaknesses. His quirk would perhaps never generate enough offensive power to win a fight like that, but it had other uses, which arguably make him more useful in more situations. Still, he compensated for all that with hero tools, which he heard were a bit of a tall order, especially the sheath.

He wandered yet again around to the playing fields where some students and recruiters were allowed to display quirks, within reason, and it was here he heard a voice in his head.

"There is something I need and that you may benefit from it as well."


He looked around in confusion, unable to figure out from where that voice came from, as if it resonated all around... He gave no response for awhile, keeping silent. He was on alert, trying not to give his position away out of habit. When he was sure there was no one near him, he finally said calmly as he could, still feeling a sense of surprise.

"Who are you...?"
Uzamari Ryokan

Saturday, June 4th 20XX




@Taka@ERode@Lonewolf685@I-Am-X

After the events at Nijo Castle, Utsumi and Kuuto escorted the students back to the inn. There was a tense silence in the air when they walked back, and Kuuto was constantly answering phone calls, likely from the other Alliance members. Based on some of the responses, they were asking where Motsumine had gone... Kuuto didn't seem too happy, but that was to be expected given the events.

From reports he was given, it seemed that Shinzou had left the area, and likely will leave the city based on how far out he's gone, so then what of the Divine Egg? Was he abandoning it? Still, they didn't have the manpower to pursue someone so dangerous without casualties, of which there were plenty. Nijo Castle was guarded rather closely.

Up above, Lorelai could notice her yokai friend Sakichi watching from afar, they may want to talk again later.

As they arrived to the inn, there was a palpable bubble set around the group, Utsumi could tell there were questions lingering, and more importantly that these kids seemed to have some stake in what was happening here.

"Well, I suppose it would be a good idea to listen to you all, before we give you the usual spiel to stay out of trouble... Seeing as it may not work", Utsumi began. Before anyone could talk, Kuuto turned to Utsumi, getting off the phone.

"I'll have to take off, basically everything fell into my lap after Motsumine left for awhile. What rotten timing... Be sure to report to me what's going on with the students", and with that he started walking off. A short silence followed before Utsumi turned back to the group,

"So, tell me everything that's happened. You all must have some kind of reason to have run in there", he inquired.




Eiseikato

Saturday, June 4th 20XX




"You must be in rather dire straits to be here now of all times Motsy. Well, you better than the stick-in-the-mud you call a friend at least. At least we're able to talk over sweets and tea, but you have gone through the trouble of refusing them today...", Kuzunoha raised her fan, covering her mouth, waving it a little before snapping it closed as she swung it on her wrist's arch.

"So tell me, to what does Eiseikato owe the pleasure of the Leader of the Kyoto Alliance?", though she did not present any malice or hatred, there seemed to be an acknowledgement of some animosity between the people that these two lead.

"Many apologies, it has been many years and I am aware it may have been rude to refuse, but time is of the essence. I had deigned to come myself, rather than send a Yatagarasu representative, as this is not merely a report, but a request", he began. Kuzunoha's brow furrowed ever so slightly, but she kept silent, letting him continue.

"To not mince words, we request the assistance of the Eiseikato yokai. Up until now, the Sennen no Matsuri had no power, and so we were able to suppress their activities, but lately they have obtained new leadership, and mysteriously, have begun to gain power and traction. I am sure you of all people are noticing, new yokai coming to this fine city have reduced greatly over the past few months, and so I believe it is-",

"Enough", Motsumine did not alter his expression, merely stopping with an open mouth, then slowly closing it. There was a tense pause as the two locked eyes, and it was clear that the expression upon the young onmyoudo was grave, his carefree smile was not present. Kuzunoha snapped her fan open again and covered her mouth as she looked to her side, as if pondering.

"Of course, I had some inkling that this was your purpose here today. You will not be getting Eiseikato's cooperation. This is a city for yokai to live in peace, not a military fortress", Kuzunoha stood up from her cushy bedding, walking down the stairs now, her impossibly long kimono trailing behind and beside her, a slit revealing only her sandals with each step.

"Do you ask the people of Kyoto the common man, woman, and child, to fight your battles?", she asked. Motsumine looked down, she was right. This was not that kind of place.

"Of course not... And so, Eiseikato will stay as it is, a city for peaceful yokai to live out their days"
NIJO CASTLE

Saturday, June 4th 20XX




The situation around Nijo Castle did not appear to be improving, as the day went on, more would-be visitors would arrive only to be turned away. The crowd never seemed to change in size as the day went on, even as they informed others of the status of the castle in social media. It wasn’t until the sight of a few dark shadows and the shape of what appeared to be monsters of various forms was there a change in the situation.

“It’s them! Get after them!”, among the crowd of invaders as they leapt over the castle walls, somehow disappearing from sight, the onmyoudo who were on guard began to file in appearing to come meet them inside and repel them.

These events left ample opportunity for the bold to rush past the barrier. No one but those who were in the know had any reason to do so, and as they crossed the barrier, the sky turned a dark blue, the light of the entire castle changed to an ethereal quality, and the noise of Kyoto’s streets had disappeared. They were within a large field set down by the onmyoudo in employ of the alliance.

As they progressed through the castle they witnessed some fighting, though perhaps that was a strong word for it. It was more like the onmyoudo they encountered were already defeated as they followed this trail of carnage, the flutter of a white haori just off in the distance, and soon they reached the courtyard in front of the Ninomaru Palace.

Standing there was a man in a blue yukata with a white haori draped over his shoulders, his eyes red and hair a pale silver. It wasn’t until now but… They felt a golden light radiating from the inner castle just over the bridge that went over the castle’s moat.

The silver haired man turned his head towards that golden light, beholding in his eyes what appeared to be an egg radiating the light of the sun.

“I see the young lady has done it…”, he turned his eyes now back to the group that had gathered.

“You all don’t look like members of the Alliance, those crows, or even people of note. Have you come to watch? Beautiful is it not? Behold, the light of Amaterasu herself, but a tiny sliver of her power, and it shall be the Egg from which Tamamo will be reborn. Under her radiance, shall we yokai find a true home, and true salvation, to stand above humanity, not be cowering in their shadow”, he raised his arms as if embracing a descending sun as he spoke, but as his talking had stopped, he slowly lowered his arms.









Otis’ eyes were better than others, being an owl and bird of prey after all, he could see the fine and slight as well as almost imperceptibly fast disruption in the wind heading straight for him. This man didn’t need to use arrows the whole time? He had this kind of thing under wraps too? Was it exclusive to the demonic form? Whatever Otis’ thoughts may have been, by the time he could finish thinking of them the blade would have reached him by then.

“Simulate: Crag Knight’s Oath”, a golden aura erupted around Otis, overlaid with blue grid-like lines before disappearing entirely. The wind blade merely chipped the ethereal armor before just disappearing entirely. Against rock, wind would have very little sway, especially as a ranged technique.

Crag Knight’s Oath, an advanced spell that Otis might recognize as being used by one of the higher level knights in Arcture. Was a knight of Arcanis here…? No, something was off about that spell.

As the group looked to the sky they might notice a familiar blue bird flying by, seemingly made up of mana, before disappearing. Shinzou visibly confused looked up, he knew well enough someone new had arrived, but he did not expect a second.

“Simulate: The Great Port of Undine”, a whirlpool began to form in the area between the group and Shinzou, who began to aim his finger towards it, ready to shoot right away regardless of whoever emerged, recognizing that it was a portal, not an attack. For a single moment he went from standing in cool position, to staggering backwards as a silver flash swept right through his shoulder, the demonic skin cracking and breaking away as he regained his footing, regenerating rather quickly after the strike.

Shortly after that, a familiar man jumped up and out of it, he held a tanto in his hand, which was unusual was he was normally seen with a much longer weapon, yet this one was ornate, slightly beaten. Kuuto had arrived, and with the previous spells that had been cast, so had Utsumi, likely as support from a safe location.

Still in the air he drew the blade again, Shinzou stepping back to brace, managed to avoid a direct strike. The moment Kuuto drew the blade from the tanto, the blade itself was longer than a full sized katana, and glowing, almost ethereal.

He landed sprightly as the water portal closed below him.

“Quite the timing, Motsumine himself was away, so I had to drag myself from my office here, but it looks like this was all related to the case anyways”, then under his breath, ‘not like I can prosecute a bunch of yokai anyway’. He looked at the situation, the students spread around, the dead bodies of members of the Alliance, the high profile yokai terrorist Shinzou, and the golden egg… His biggest worry was the egg. There was nothing currently present in Kyoto that could break that egg and cleanly end this. He held his fingers to his ears.

“Utsumi, gather up the other Alliance members. We’ll need to figure out what we’re gonna do about that egg. I’ll see if I can capture Shinzou”, after a moment, he nodded, then got back to it.

“Sorry kid but end of the line for you today”, as he entered a stance, a black shadow moved and manifested around Shinzou, the same one that Otis had seen that other day.

“A kurobozu?”, Kuuto recognized the being before him, as it whispered into Shinzou’s ears. He did not seem pleased but...

“Fine, let us begone of this place”, he turned his back as he seemingly walked into the shadow itself, like that space there was another layer.

Kuuto immediately sprung into action but by the time he had drawn his blade, the two had disappeared and the blackness was no longer visible.
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