2spooky
As the news of the mysterious murder unfurled on the streets below, the form of the Fox-Faced Thief could be seen perched upon the edge of a building overlooking the entire scene if one had the Perfect Sight necessary to see through the invisibility that she had wrapped herself with. The ace detective, Cat, had been known to Kasumi and the Touhou family for some time due to her assistance with investigative matters in Orin, which had been of great interest to all of the great families, but Kasumi's vested interest in keeping her nocturnal activities outside of the eyes of the law was what had given her real interest to follow them. In the past, she had sparred with Violet, but she had lost miserably - her speed at the time had been nothing compared to Violet's incredible strength, and she had suffered from the bruise for a good few weeks. It had been a good lesson in humility, her father had said, for the Touhou family were often known for their needless pride. It had certainly knocked her down a few pegs, so to speak, but she had quickly gotten the skill to bring herself back up - but when she felt ready to challenge Violet and win, her life had gotten far too busy due to the calling of the Lifanese government.
Still, the idea of such a murder in Toran was strange - she knew why people killed, and she also knew that men like Dr. Imin typically did not have anything of convential value - the valuables that a researcher kept were secrets or artifacts, and as no theft of artifacts had been stated, it was more likely to be that the Doctor had known something someone hadn't wanted him to know, or had something that someone else knew the true value of. Either were a disturbing thought, given the nature of the murder. From a thief's perspective, the murder was highly suspicious, but it was still entirely possible that the murder had been for a personal reason, or even a reason beyond the comprehension of most "normal" minds. These things were even more worrying for most of the populace - but for Kasumi Touhou, the Fox-Faced Thief, this was the essence of excitement. The thrill of danger had been like a drug to her for many years, and this particular case promised a chase unlike anything she'd experienced before... But even she felt uneasy about the situation. That was strange, and that meant that the case was strange.
Still, it couldn't hurt to allow the two detectives to do what they did best: Detect... Things... To do with murder. Without being caught. As far as she knew, neither had the gift of Perfect Sight, so she followed them across the rooftops.
~
Shio and Kasumi had watched the sunset together for a brief time before Shio had decided that it was time for her to retire, which had separated the two from their somewhat-bonding-experience - It had been quite lovely for the brief time that it had lasted, and the words of Kasumi's father had indeed echoed true: It was always a lovely sunset in the city of Toran. Sunset had its own sets of connotations for whomever experienced them - and in the case of Kasumi, it was the gateway towards the nocturnal hours, which given her little habit, was considered preferable. Though they had only spoken briefly - and Shio had not really engaged in conversation at all - Kasumi already understood the foundations of what made Shio tick. That was one of the more fortunate elements to being of a higher noble house.
After they had departed, Kasumi and her Gen had taken the opportunity to practice their pickpocketing skills, and despite not having the gift of Invisibility like Kasumi did, the Gen's affinity for the shadows was more than enough to keep it concealed from the drunks and the fools that were wandering around the crepuscular landscape of the sunset city. The spiritual bond that Kasumi had begun to explore within the art of Gishiki had been very interesting, for both herself and her Gen, and the ability to communicate with her Natrelmon and guide it without the need for verbal commands was exceptionally useful... But something about the art did not seem to truly resonate with her. She was a talented magician, favouring the deceptive and intellectual arts, but the nature of Gishiki was something that she was not sure she could truly abide by.
Perhaps, in time, it would be useful to her - but she did not hold her breath. There was talk of more magic, ancient magic, that had the potential to be more powerful than she had ever imagined magic could be... But it was not time to discover such things yet. She'd been told stories of blood mages as a child, perhaps in order to scare her rambunctious self into submission, but she had only ever found the promise of power enthralling. It would certainly be interesting for her to obtain such a magic - but it was one she felt would not bode well with the nature of Gishiki. Perhaps she would have to ask Shio about the nature of Gishiki and its compatibility with blood magic, or even other types of magic.
After a brief half an hour, Kasumi decided to venture to the Inn that seemed oh-so-popular, and stood at the entrance while she surveyed the scene, and used the spell Aspect of Mirrors in order to immediately move within distance of the unlikely trio.
"Boo." was all she said, hoping that she had been too spooky for them to react.
Tuujaimaa Member
The Saint of Wings
STATUS: Boy, you're like a pizza cutter: all edge and no point. 4 yrs ago
- Last Seen: 23 hrs ago
- Joined: 11 yrs ago
- Posts: 752 (0.19 / day)
- VMs: 0
-
Username history
- Tuujaimaa 11 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
FernStone,
Kalas,
Shienvien,
Noctis,
Fetzen,
The Grey Dust,
pppppp,
Howe,
Mixtape Ghost N
Status
Recent Statuses
4 yrs ago
Current
Boy, you're like a pizza cutter: all edge and no point.
3
likes
4 yrs ago
I think I should write a pithy roleplay about how an expenditure of effort does not entitle you to your perception of an equivalent reward. Anyone know someone who'd be interested?
7
likes
5 yrs ago
Okay, let's be honest for a second here, if we stop the status bar from being edgy angst land it really doesn't have anything going for it except sheer autism.
2
likes
6 yrs ago
Does anyone know where you can get a white trilby embroidered with threatening messages? Asking for a friend.
3
likes
6 yrs ago
My genius truly knows no bounds. Only an intellect as glorious as mine can possibly G3T K1D.
3
likes
Bio
Behold the Terrorists of Valhalla:
Behold the Cavemen of Valhalla:
Behold the Cavemen of Valhalla:
Most Recent Posts
Fish.
In
Creative writing vs mediocre storytelling. (Writers vs Players)
→
10 yrs ago
Forum: Roleplaying Discussion
I, personally, question the validity of a point regarding an "ambitious original RP with new and inspiring premise," of someone whose current RP is named "Hogwarts: Legacy of Lord Voldemort".
But that's just me. #Elitist
But that's just me. #Elitist
"No, Shio, not today. Perhaps soon, though... You feel it in the air, don't you?" Kasumi noted, looking around the room with practiced precision and sniffing the air slightly. Perhaps it was the nature of one who had long been attuned to the darkness, or perhaps it simply came of being observant, but despite the warmth and glow of the sunset there was a chill that hung in the air, however mildly. It was not unusual for the time of year, but perhaps that said something in and of itself about what tidings the time of year could bring.
While Shio was respectful and formal to the extreme, it was clear that Kasumi took her status as a high-ranking member of a high-ranking family as something to be used rather than something to be dutiful towards. It was not uncommon for members of the elite to be raised as such, 'spoiled' some called it, but Kasumi was not spoiled as such - she simply understood the social fabric of the world in a far different way than most did. That same fact was true to Shio, though, but the lenses through which each viewed the world were distorted in different ways. It was an interesting paradigm to consider in a world where the social norm dictated so much. With a small clanging sound, Kasumi set her cutlery down and placed her feet on an adjacent chair, leaning back to relax a little.
Despite the sudden shift of pose, Kasumi's Gen kept its composure and pose without so much as moving, effortlessly adjusting to the change in environment, a sign of co-operation between the two, as well as a testament to the well-trained nature of the Gen. Kasumi's Gen seemed most unlike the majority of its species, however, as it was quite clearly acting as a kindred spirit to Kasumi, rather than a subservient creature as the Gen line was known to do for trainers who did not truly resonate with the Natrelmon. Most people perhaps would not have picked up on such a bond, but Shio of the Enyo family was not most people. She had been taught to see what should not normally be seen, both as an exorcist and as a member of the social hierarchy, and it was doubtful that she would not pick up on Kasumi's alter-ego. Still, it did not concern her, as Shio observed the courtesy given by lesser families to greater ones, and her silence was assured as a service that she could provide to the Touhou.
"You should experience the sunset with me, Shio of the Enyo family. It is an experience worthy of that book, believe me." Kasumi invited, standing up and walking over to the waitress to pay for her meal. While it would have been customary for her not to pay as a member of one of the Great families, she felt like the Red Nakumo had an aura of reverence, that it could not possibly be stolen from. It seemed to be immune to such mortal things, in its own special way. After paying Kasumi and Gen bowed before heading to the exit and beckoning for Shio to leave with them. It was her choice to accept or decline the invitation, but she would likely not refuse. Still, if she did, it would make proceeding to Kasumi's favourite nocturnal activities a little easier.
While Shio was respectful and formal to the extreme, it was clear that Kasumi took her status as a high-ranking member of a high-ranking family as something to be used rather than something to be dutiful towards. It was not uncommon for members of the elite to be raised as such, 'spoiled' some called it, but Kasumi was not spoiled as such - she simply understood the social fabric of the world in a far different way than most did. That same fact was true to Shio, though, but the lenses through which each viewed the world were distorted in different ways. It was an interesting paradigm to consider in a world where the social norm dictated so much. With a small clanging sound, Kasumi set her cutlery down and placed her feet on an adjacent chair, leaning back to relax a little.
Despite the sudden shift of pose, Kasumi's Gen kept its composure and pose without so much as moving, effortlessly adjusting to the change in environment, a sign of co-operation between the two, as well as a testament to the well-trained nature of the Gen. Kasumi's Gen seemed most unlike the majority of its species, however, as it was quite clearly acting as a kindred spirit to Kasumi, rather than a subservient creature as the Gen line was known to do for trainers who did not truly resonate with the Natrelmon. Most people perhaps would not have picked up on such a bond, but Shio of the Enyo family was not most people. She had been taught to see what should not normally be seen, both as an exorcist and as a member of the social hierarchy, and it was doubtful that she would not pick up on Kasumi's alter-ego. Still, it did not concern her, as Shio observed the courtesy given by lesser families to greater ones, and her silence was assured as a service that she could provide to the Touhou.
"You should experience the sunset with me, Shio of the Enyo family. It is an experience worthy of that book, believe me." Kasumi invited, standing up and walking over to the waitress to pay for her meal. While it would have been customary for her not to pay as a member of one of the Great families, she felt like the Red Nakumo had an aura of reverence, that it could not possibly be stolen from. It seemed to be immune to such mortal things, in its own special way. After paying Kasumi and Gen bowed before heading to the exit and beckoning for Shio to leave with them. It was her choice to accept or decline the invitation, but she would likely not refuse. Still, if she did, it would make proceeding to Kasumi's favourite nocturnal activities a little easier.
Cities have secrets. It was a simple fact that seemed to elude most people, but it was something that was very much abused by those with the necessary knowledge - be it thieves, thrill-seekers, bureaucrats or even the leaders of cities. Cities were almost like people in that regard - once you knew their secrets, they could be manipulated - and this was not a fact that was lost on the second member of the Elite Triumvirate, Yugaku Hayake. Her trips to cities were always very interesting, for she saw the secrets that most people took to their graves effortlessly. Within a few minutes of being within the city of Toran, she could tell all of its hidden nooks and crannies, and the secrets of those within it. She saw Anastasia's secrets, her immense capacity for strategy and her love for her Tibearius. She saw the secrets of Kasumi Touhou, the fox-faced thief who had killed mercilessly and efficiently within the wars who was deceiving her parents in order to receive her inheritance. She saw the secrets of Kito, who had recently encountered the Natrelmon Ritoi, and she saw Ritoi, standing guard over the city. His secrets were less obvious, hidden more carefully, and she turned her gaze away as best as she could to avoid gleaning any insight into them - it was not her place to pry into such an ancient Natrelmon's secrets, and the two of them knew this. Neither could hide from the other, and so they both came to the consensus that staying away from one another was for the best. It was a pleasing symmetry in a world of imbalance.
A place in Toran that few knew about was the Peak of the Gods, an ancient track of gates that extended out over a grassy cline towards the sunset in the evenings. Those who knew of the location knew nothing of its significance, but Yugaku had long-since discovered the area's secrets. It had historically been used as a beacon for power, with each gate imparting a little power into those that walked through it, until the culmination was the infusion of enough power to commune with the "gods", but that was a truth from a time that had long since passed. If the Lord of the South still heard the prayers of those at the Peak of the Gods, he showed no inclination to answer them. That was, if anyone still knew enough to pray there.
Yugaku took a steady stroll through the first of the gates, admiring the architectural integrity as she lightly ran her hand across the old stone foundations that kept it standing. Despite being obviously ancient, it had weathered the test of time, and its features looked no different to how they had hundreds of years ago. The stone bases of the gates were thick cuboids, bridged together at the top with vermillion red tiles, and decorated with kanji that had lovingly been carved into the slates and painted over with red. Prayer beads were strewn across the gates, in some cases underneath them, and in some cases in front of them, or attached to the walls. Despite their age, the aura of reverence had not yet left, and walking through the gates gave Yugaku a feeling of serenity and hope. It was brief, but she managed to enjoy it while it lasted, and after ten minutes of walking, she had reached the end of the string of gates, and was overlooking the sun as it began to dip below the horizon, reflected across the water like a painting upon a canvas.
"If you still hear our prayers, O Suzaku, I ask that you listen well. The darkness that Ritoi has foreseen will be upon this new blood soon, and we three cannot protect them all. You know that our duties will keep us elsewhere. There will be casualties before the upcoming storm - give them your blessing, Lord of the South, and watch over them where we mortals cannot. I fear they will need your assistance soon enough." She began, looking out towards the sunset before it dipped below the waves for the day, and the time of prayer was no longer correct. It was cathartic to speak out loud the worries that she had felt for some time - while the other members of the Triumvirate might understand, there was little that any of them could do, and speaking to them about the upcoming darkness was hardly necessary - they had all come to the same conclusion, in some manner or another.
For now, she would wait by the shore before visiting Toran and returning to Lifan - she would check up on the new trainers before they challenged Anastasia, but beyond that there was little assistance that she could offer.
A place in Toran that few knew about was the Peak of the Gods, an ancient track of gates that extended out over a grassy cline towards the sunset in the evenings. Those who knew of the location knew nothing of its significance, but Yugaku had long-since discovered the area's secrets. It had historically been used as a beacon for power, with each gate imparting a little power into those that walked through it, until the culmination was the infusion of enough power to commune with the "gods", but that was a truth from a time that had long since passed. If the Lord of the South still heard the prayers of those at the Peak of the Gods, he showed no inclination to answer them. That was, if anyone still knew enough to pray there.
Yugaku took a steady stroll through the first of the gates, admiring the architectural integrity as she lightly ran her hand across the old stone foundations that kept it standing. Despite being obviously ancient, it had weathered the test of time, and its features looked no different to how they had hundreds of years ago. The stone bases of the gates were thick cuboids, bridged together at the top with vermillion red tiles, and decorated with kanji that had lovingly been carved into the slates and painted over with red. Prayer beads were strewn across the gates, in some cases underneath them, and in some cases in front of them, or attached to the walls. Despite their age, the aura of reverence had not yet left, and walking through the gates gave Yugaku a feeling of serenity and hope. It was brief, but she managed to enjoy it while it lasted, and after ten minutes of walking, she had reached the end of the string of gates, and was overlooking the sun as it began to dip below the horizon, reflected across the water like a painting upon a canvas.
"If you still hear our prayers, O Suzaku, I ask that you listen well. The darkness that Ritoi has foreseen will be upon this new blood soon, and we three cannot protect them all. You know that our duties will keep us elsewhere. There will be casualties before the upcoming storm - give them your blessing, Lord of the South, and watch over them where we mortals cannot. I fear they will need your assistance soon enough." She began, looking out towards the sunset before it dipped below the waves for the day, and the time of prayer was no longer correct. It was cathartic to speak out loud the worries that she had felt for some time - while the other members of the Triumvirate might understand, there was little that any of them could do, and speaking to them about the upcoming darkness was hardly necessary - they had all come to the same conclusion, in some manner or another.
For now, she would wait by the shore before visiting Toran and returning to Lifan - she would check up on the new trainers before they challenged Anastasia, but beyond that there was little assistance that she could offer.
+ Yugaku Hayake, Elite Triumvirate Member +
+ Admiral Jack Barton - Admiral ‘Ack Bar’ +
+ Admiral Jack Barton - Admiral ‘Ack Bar’ +
"An Enyo, also starting her rites?" Kasumi Touhou laughed as she pulled up a chair to Shio's table. Asking for permission from a lower family was something that those of high-Eastern ancestry would not even have begun to consider - and knowing both Kasumi and Shio's personalities, it is not something that either would have found at all strange. Kasumi did not bring any of her food over to the table, having long-since finished her Drunken Noodles and Dumpling Soup, but sat simply to engage in the elaborate ruse of being here for her Rites. It was something that her family had been quite insistent upon if she was to one day lead the house and inherit her parents' vast sums of wealth, which was something that she was understandably very eager to do.
Seeing that Shio had chosen to have her Natrelmon present, Kasumi did the same with a brief flash of light from her belt, resulting in her Gen sitting on top of her head in a meditative pose. The two had very recently been linked by the spiritual bond of Gishiki, and though she was extremely new to the art, she could tell that the daughter of the Enyo family before her was already very masterful in the spiritual arts. She had heard that Shio herself had sealed away the power of the head of the Dama family when they were ousted. It was an impressive feat, especially from a junior member of a lesser family who was yet to complete her Rites - and if nothing else, that earned Shio the respect of the eldest child of the Touhou family.
"'The sunset is always beautiful in the city of Toran', my father used to say. It is true, is it not?" She asked, mentally telling her Gen to bow and show the proper respect. It would likely be a motion not unnoticed by a member of the aristocracy of the East, but its significance was probably missed by the less formal members of the West. Historically, the West had valued very different attributes in a person to the East, and in recent times that had not changed much - things were beginning to be picked up and little nuances were beginning to be shared across the two cultures, but the Rites were truly the first step to appreciating the culture of a different world. The journey was meant to unite the heart, the soul, and the mind, but few trainers realised this when they set out upon the historic journey. It was a revelation that often came later to those who survived.
Seeing that Shio had chosen to have her Natrelmon present, Kasumi did the same with a brief flash of light from her belt, resulting in her Gen sitting on top of her head in a meditative pose. The two had very recently been linked by the spiritual bond of Gishiki, and though she was extremely new to the art, she could tell that the daughter of the Enyo family before her was already very masterful in the spiritual arts. She had heard that Shio herself had sealed away the power of the head of the Dama family when they were ousted. It was an impressive feat, especially from a junior member of a lesser family who was yet to complete her Rites - and if nothing else, that earned Shio the respect of the eldest child of the Touhou family.
"'The sunset is always beautiful in the city of Toran', my father used to say. It is true, is it not?" She asked, mentally telling her Gen to bow and show the proper respect. It would likely be a motion not unnoticed by a member of the aristocracy of the East, but its significance was probably missed by the less formal members of the West. Historically, the West had valued very different attributes in a person to the East, and in recent times that had not changed much - things were beginning to be picked up and little nuances were beginning to be shared across the two cultures, but the Rites were truly the first step to appreciating the culture of a different world. The journey was meant to unite the heart, the soul, and the mind, but few trainers realised this when they set out upon the historic journey. It was a revelation that often came later to those who survived.
YOU FACE MYTHRAXUS, EREDAR LORD OF THE DRACONIC LEGION.
Just so you all know - Rolls reset at Midnight GMT every Saturday. If you let us know which rolls you want, we can roll for you, or you can just roll yourselves and let us know so we can check up for you.
You also might want to get your intro posts started. Innue and I are probably going to have a battle at some point if you want to watch a battle before jumping into one yourselves.
You also might want to get your intro posts started. Innue and I are probably going to have a battle at some point if you want to watch a battle before jumping into one yourselves.
The city of Toran was not one known for ever being dull - and on this day in particular, something quite exciting indeed was happening: A woman in a fox mask tore through the streets of Toran, weaving and bobbing her way through the crowds of people that seemed to accumulate near train stations, as she was pursued by several angry passengers from one of the trains that had just arrived, who had the lazy policemen that had boarded the trains to serve as security, not used to incidents of such high adrenaline and speed trailing even further behind them, seemingly already out of breath.
The woman, known in the East as the Fox-Faced Thief, had just stolen the valuables from the pockets of every person on the train before she had left - and had left them near the doors with a calling card, as was her custom. Back in the East, the Fox-Faced Thief had been known primarily for showing the corrupt aristocracy just how fallacious their ideas of security were, and it had been rumoured that Jantonna du Soleil, the Arena Master, had acquired the use of her services in order to begin to dispel the heavy corruption that lingered in Orin. How true these allegations were was up in the air, but most people knew that the Fox-Faced Thief had made marked impacts in the most recent war, stealing supplies from supply lines, stealing military intelligence, and in rare but memorable cases, stealing the lives of important targets. The anonymity had proven itself quite useful in those times, and after the war there had been a lack of noted activity from the thief, but the cleverest people realised that that only meant that they hadn't been caught.
Now, in the city of Toran, she was making a scene again just to let people know that she hadn't given up on the game. Officers shouted after her, members of the public tried to assist in arresting her, but she had been dancing this dance for much longer than any of them - after a brief sprint forwards, and a sharp turn to the left, the Fox-Faced Thief was gone from the public eye once more - but her legacy of having people fear for their valuables remained in the air, like a heavy fog weighing down upon the average Toranese person.
Perhaps her entrance could have been a little cleaner - but she doubted very much that it would have been nearly as much fun. As much fun as it had been, however, her business in Toran was very real and very pressing - her family had suggested that she start her Rites, which were a necessary part of being included in the familial line of succession. While it was true that in recent times few trainers ever fully completed their rites, their attempting them (and succeeding at least somewhat) was considered to be important to the more aristocratic families, not only to show their success, but to ensure that only the most worthy heirs were selected to carry on the family's legacy. For Kasumi Touhou, the first-born child of the scions of the Touhou family, her rites were particularly important.
Taking the brief respite she had to cover her tracks, it was a simple enough matter to pull a dress over her jumpsuit and hide her mask in her backpack - though she wasn't a huge fan of showing people her face, her presence in Toran would be noted and word sent back to her parents, this way. It was for the best that she laid low for a little while - and the Red Nakumo restaurant was perhaps her favourite haunt for doing so.
© 2007-2024