Tuujaimaa

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

Shio's immediate reaction to Kasumi's little prank came as no surprise, and as soon as the knife was loosed, Kasumi had prepared herself to intercept it. The Word of Conviction: Blind would do little in this situation, given its limited power due to its immediate casting and Kasumi's training. With a single deft motion, she caught the grip of the blade while pivoting on her left foot, reducing the worst of the bright light, and nullifying the blade attack immediately. She completed the turn, using her momentum fully, before extending her hand out towards Shio with the grip of the blade pointed towards her.

"Good reflexes." Was all Kasumi said, chuckling a little under her breath.

As the Crowire hurtled through the window, Kasumi's first reaction was not one of shock or fear. She studied the decaying corpse intently, keeping her gaze towards it unbroken, before turning to Violet and Cat. The grin on her face was unmistakeable - a thrill-seeker such as herself found the entire prospect of Natrelmon being risen from the deaf enthralling, no matter the danger to herself and others, and when she next spoke the almost giddy tones of her voice gave her excitement away if the grin had not:

"Kasumi of the Touhou, at your service, officers. Let's fuck them up."

With those words, Kasumi vaulted out of the broken window, clearly expecting Shio to follow her, and set her sights on the morgue. The route that she knew that she could take was somewhat difficult for the less physically able to traverse, but it was certainly the quickest route. Kasumi had faith that herself and Shio could at least make it across the rooftops, but she did not bother estimating how well the others would fare - Cat and Violet would be perfectly capable of keeping them out of harm's way. She started by sprinting forwards, as fast as her namesake suggested she was, and withdrew a knife the holster strapped to her waist as she ran, clearly looking to thin out the horde of undead Natrelmon as she ran. The style of the Touhou was to be fast and to incapacitate rather than outright damage like some schools of martial mastery were wont to do, and so it was not particularly difficult for her to take out the majority of the undead that crossed her path. Before long, she had travelled through some of the more labyrinthine passages in the city, and found herself at precisely the location she desired: A ladder. While she could have just entered a building and attempted to gotten to the roof from there, it was much less efficient and far too safe for Kasumi's tastes.

As she started to climb up the ladder, she felt a decaying hand grip at her ankle, trying to claw her down from her perch. Rather than let such a situation get the best of her, she loosed her grip on the ladder and slid down, vaulting backwards as she did so. The atrophied corpse was hardly a match for a physically fit human, and it was far too slow to avoid the knife that plunged into its throat. Keeping her left hand on the knife, Kasumi kicked with her left foot, squarely in the center of the zombie's chest, retrieving her knife and ensuring that the corpse would not get up for long enough that it could not possibly be a threat. It took the work of a few seconds to ascend the ladder and reach the top of the building. As an afterthought, Kasumi cast a Deceptive Bolt straight upwards, designed to look like a Fireball, as a primitive signal flare as to her location. Some of the group may have found it helpful or inspiring to know where Kasumi was, but it would at least allow Cat and Violet to know that another route to the morgue was clear, if nothing else. It didn't take the scion of the Touhou family long to start leaping across the narrow gaps between the rooftops, keeping an eye out for any undead flying above her as she did so. She would arrive at the morgue's general location fairly quickly, but would wait atop a building within view of it while invisible. Cat and Violet would appreciate a scout, even if they did not appreciate her brash antics.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

Beware. Things get even more 2spooky from here on out!

This is also totally not a ploy to claim the 100th OOC post. Nope.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

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.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

Fish.

Creative writing vs mediocre storytelling. (Writers vs Players)

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

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

"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.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

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.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

+ Yugaku Hayake, Elite Triumvirate Member +

Yugaku Hayake

Name: Yugaku Hayake
Age: 54
Sex: Female
Appearance: Yugaku is a tall woman, towering over most of her female compatriots at 6 feet, with strikingly red hair tied back into a ponytail that cascades down to her ankles. The hair seems to have a life of its own, and will often flail around wildly as if captured within an invisible wind. Yugaku, despite being an older woman, retains much of the fiery passion and attractiveness of her youth. Yugaku wears a blindfold in order to mislead her opponents into thinking she is blind - for nothing can escape her Beyond Perfect Sight. Yugaku wears a classic fiery-red kimono, which has ribbons of bright white fabric escaping from it, much like the physiology of a phoenix. The fabric seems to glow with an unnatural light, which emanates from Yugaku and is expelled through the ribbons.

Natrelmon:

- Zairei - Level 90 [100]
- Sakura-sei - Level 90 [100]
- Glacetta - Level 90 [100]
- Atrire - Level 90 [100]
- Crysuji - Level 90 [100]
- Taohao - Level 90 [100]


Gifts:

Beyond Perfect Sight - While most people born with the gift of Perfect Sight are glad to have their gift, Yugaku Hayake is not one of those people. Yugaku's eyes see more than even the most gifted of people's can, allowing her not only to see the dead and invisible units, through all physical and non-physical obstructions, Yugaku can see the greatest weaknesses of any situation, able to pinpoint her attacks to strike an enemy's weakest point effortlessly. Simultaneously, Yugaku is able to read the weaknesses and strengths of people - and she can see their true intentions regardless of how well they hide. Yugaku always wears a blindfold to conceal the fact that she has this ability, though like all physical obstructions it cannot stop her ability to see. Within a ten foot radius, Yugaku has 360 degree telescopic vision.

Spells:

Rank X in everything except Gishiki and Restoration.

Rewards:

-
-
-

History: Unknown

Arena Description: N/A

+ Admiral Jack Barton - Admiral ‘Ack Bar’ +

Admiral Jack Barton

Italicized information is 'inactive' during Arena matches.

Age: 40
Natrelmon:

Violare - Level 52
Jigoko - Level 55
Sea Tyrant - Level 56 Void Tyrant - Level 80

Gifts:

Telepathy
Invisibility
Perfect Sight
Magical Savant

Spells:

Rank X Hydromancy
Rank X Invocation
Rank VIII Geomancy
Rank VIII Electromancy

Rewards:

- ???
- ???
- ???

History: Admiral Jack Barton was born and raised a sailor, conceived upon the seas that he now sails frequently. True to his heritage, Jack drinks and swears like a sailor, and he owns a tarp company in Atrew. Admiral Jack served in the military during the war, and the threat of his attacks was enough to ensure that Ward was the only city able to withstand the assault from the East. The Admiral is known for being unavailable for challenge while he goes out on his seafaring trips, but it is said that the cry of “It’s a tarp!” can bring him back to shore.

Arena Description: IT’S A TRAP

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

"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.

Natrelmon: Forge of Souls

YOU FACE MYTHRAXUS, EREDAR LORD OF THE DRACONIC LEGION.