Author Topic: Dolphin Rider Koishi - The End  (Read 304613 times)

KaiserKnuckle

  • You better stop,
  • and think about what you're doing
    • Music interests and whatnot
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #600 on: June 24, 2013, 01:33:09 AM »
Wow.

I have seen you put your emotional drive into full force many times, each being more melancholy, yet resolving than the last, but this kind of moment can top anything like it so far by a landslide.

A shame it's going to come to an end, though. Granted, I have a feeling it's going to be the equivalent of a ticking timebomb of awesome waiting to shower us with the plot twists and resolutions you will have in store for
us in the future.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #601 on: August 17, 2013, 03:51:15 AM »
Excuse me for relying to nothing new, but THAT WAS FLIPPIN AWESOME. Read the entire story in the last week, and that was probably the best fanfiction I've ever read. I can't wait for the last arc. Great job, really!
My name is Tres. It sounds like "Tray". Tressert is "Tray-zurt"; like Tres dessert.
I've cleared every touhou game on Lunatic, and beaten every extra except SoEW.
NMNB: MoF Hard, SA Extra, UFO Extra

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #602 on: August 25, 2013, 10:02:37 PM »
The last comment almost convinced me there was an update. Oh well. Either way, Arc 7 was awesome and can't wait for Arc 8!

Burcaresti

  • Doll Judgement
  • Your Judgement Day has come at last!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #603 on: August 28, 2013, 05:11:28 AM »
Everything's already been said, but I'll try to say something new.
First off... where do I start? This is the only story that has hooked me like a fish on a fishing line and dragged me into the city of Gensouto. I know that you spend so many hours, toiling over your work, and what's come out of that effort?
A masterpiece.
I've frantically nagged my friends to read your wonderful fanfiction. I've laughed at the silly parts, held my breath at the tense areas, and bawled my eyes out when Shou died. This will be the only story that ever made me cry over something that seemed so small to others, but they don't know how emotionally grabbing this story can be. I giggled like a lunatic when I saw the ghost of Shou playing the operator for Nazrin.
This story is a very silly one, and I like that- it really gives a mood for the whole thing, but the underlying seriousness and beauty is easy to see. You've set a deep, beautiful personality for characters, even the minor ones, and I can't even comprehend how many hours of toiling that took. The characters are fleshed out like true people, and it's so wonderful to see them interact with each other. You've taken me by surprise with characters like Flandre, but the personality still works amazingly well for her, and adds depth to the plot.
I like the 'underwater' theme- it really sets a cutesy theme for the whole story in itself.
Like I've mentioned, everything's already been said. I will wait quietly and warmly for Arc 8 of this gem of a story while nagging my friends to read it. Take your time, Roukanken.
-Kyouko

Jq1790

  • Wow I'm back to playing this game.
  • Let's puzzle together again, Karin!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #604 on: August 31, 2013, 04:23:15 AM »
stuff
Not to be nitpicky, but for those of the audience(not me, but still) who haven't read the whole thing, maybe put major events
Spoiler:
like Shou's death
in spoilertags?

(Alternatively, Rou could put some sort of spoiler warning, but still.)

Anyway, Rou, any ETA on the (persumably)Final Arc?  Not  trying to rush, just curious.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2013, 04:25:51 AM by Jq1790 »
If you're a Pazudora player and aren't on #puzzleandlibrarians, come join us!

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
DRK: NOT AN UPDATE DON'T GET EXCITED
« Reply #605 on: August 31, 2013, 09:30:14 AM »
Not to be nitpicky, but for those of the audience(not me, but still) who haven't read the whole thing, maybe put major events
Spoiler:
like Shou's death
in spoilertags?

(Alternatively, Rou could put some sort of spoiler warning, but still.)

Anyway, Rou, any ETA on the (persumably)Final Arc?  Not  trying to rush, just curious.
I'm afraid I don't have any power to edit other people's posts. That got taken away from me a few years back. :V

As for progress on arc 8, I'm sitting on about 34k words right now. I'm hoping to get this one finished and start posting it before uni restarts, which gives me about three weeks. That said, every time I set some sort of deadline for DRK's production I tend to miss it pretty catastrophically, so don't get your hopes up. V:

Jq1790

  • Wow I'm back to playing this game.
  • Let's puzzle together again, Karin!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #606 on: September 01, 2013, 12:21:11 AM »
I'm afraid I don't have any power to edit other people's posts. That got taken away from me a few years back. :V

As for progress on arc 8, I'm sitting on about 34k words right now. I'm hoping to get this one finished and start posting it before uni restarts, which gives me about three weeks. That said, every time I set some sort of deadline for DRK's production I tend to miss it pretty catastrophically, so don't get your hopes up. V:
I didn't mean to edit a post, but to add something to the main topic tile by editing the first post.
If you're a Pazudora player and aren't on #puzzleandlibrarians, come join us!

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 7 (Complete!)
« Reply #607 on: September 01, 2013, 02:08:33 AM »
I don't think there's any need for a spoiler warning if the story itself is in the thread :V Sounds kind of redundant.

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #608 on: September 24, 2013, 10:19:36 PM »
So it's been pretty much three months to the day. Sorry for the wait, folks.

I'll be going back to my usual schedule for this - updates every Sunday of a length similar to what's posted here.

Buckle down. Let's tango.


-----

So this is how celebrity feels, Koishi thought to herself. I don?t think I?m cut out for it.

She had been all over the footage from the zoo, but so far she hadn?t been formally identified. Nitori had told her to stay indoors wherever possible as a precaution. In actuality, she felt as if she?d been placed under house arrest.

Every curtain in the house had been drawn to stop prying eyes from looking in. Every day a member of the Pearl would drop by and deliver some necessities so that Koishi didn?t have to venture outside. School was out of the question - if she was around hundreds of people who?d seen the video, someone would make the connection eventually.

?Phwee...? Sango lay along the length of the couch, rolling about in an attempt to entertain herself. ?If I don?t get some sunlight soon, I?m gonna die of scurvy.?

?Wrong vitamin, Sango-san.? Koishi gave the dolphin a light pat on the head. ?But I know what you mean. Being locked up in my own home wasn?t what I had in mind when we started this whole Siren business.?

The TV blared on in front of them, neither girl paying much attention. It was yet another news report on the mysterious happenings at the Gensouto zoo, and the brave yet enigmatic girls who?d been filmed in the midst of saving the day. They showed the same thirty seconds of footage, cut and pasted from a dozen videos on the internet. Koishi had seen the sequence often enough to recite it in her sleep.

The story was everywhere, but nowhere had it been more prevalent than online. She was a meme, a character that 2chan had adopted as their own. They knew her as the Ocean Princess - someone must have overheard her incantation at some point. It was a good thing the witnesses had fled before Satori arrived, or they?d have known exactly what her name was.

Out of curiosity, she sat herself down at her computer and searched the tag ?Ocean Princess? on Pixiv. There were a dozen pictures of her already, a fact that she found both amazing and embarrassing. Many of them were tributes, with artists expressing their thanks towards their unknown hero. Others had made the obvious connection, pairing her up with famous magical girls from the modern media. She was examining one of these when Sango rose from the couch.

?Hey, Koishi-san, who?s that?? she said. She pointed at the other girl in the illustration, the one with pink-haired twintails and an always-smiling sidekick.

?That?s Madoka,? Koishi answered. ?She?s the main character in a big anime from a couple of years ago.?

?You don?t have this show on DVD, do you? Looks kinda neat.?

?...Yes, but I don?t think you should watch it.?

?Eh?? The dolphin pouted. ?Why not??

?It?s...well, it?s not a very happy show,? Koishi answered. ?I know you, Sango-san. You?d be blubbering before we even made it halfway through the series.?

?I?d what?!? Sango puffed up her cheeks, her arms waving about as her face flushed red. ?Koishi-san, what kind of wuss do you think I am? I can handle a little tragedy, no problem!?

Koishi sighed. That was the exact opposite of the response she?d been hoping for. Now she?d made a point of it, there was no way Sango would back down.

It?s not like I have anything else to do, is it?

?Alright,? she said, stepping away from the computer. ?I think I left the boxset somewhere in the back room. Give me a minute to dig it up.?

Sango nodded, returning to her spot on the couch. There was now a dolphin-shaped imprint on the leather which she fit into quite comfortably. Koishi left her to vegetate, slipping into the back room and rummaging through a stack of old DVDs she hadn?t watched in years.

She?d just managed to unearth the Madoka boxset when she heard the debate start up in the kitchen.

?OK, how about an ear? Just a nibble, I promise.?

Another sigh. Koishi couldn?t leave anyone alone in this house, could she? She brought the DVD with her as she stepped in to defuse the situation.

The scene she stepped in on could have been misinterpreted in a dozen different ways. Rin was pressing Nazrin into a corner, licking at her lips as she looked the mouse over. Nazrin herself looked unfazed by the predator staring her down, though her glance did occasionally swerve towards the door. Utsuho sat on the counter kicking her legs about, seemingly unaware of what was going on right in front of her.

?For the last time, I?m not going to let you eat me,? Nazrin growled. Her tail slapped at Rin?s thigh as she tried to shuffle past the cat. ?How many times have you asked me this question, again??

?Clearly not enough if you still won?t agree.? Rin?s tail was larger and stronger than Nazrin?s, wrapping around it to hold it in place. ?C?mon, Nazzie, just this once-?

?Rin, what are you doing?? Koishi said, folding her arms. The cat flinched, stumbling backwards and almost braining herself on a cabinet behind her.

?Nyaa?! K-Koishi-sama, I can explain-?

?Nazrin-san is our guest, Rin. Last time I checked, eating a guest isn?t very polite.?

Rin?s eyes began to grow misty. ?But Koishi-sama, this is really hard for me. I tried to swear off of eating mice, but when I see Nazzie walking around the house I feel like I?m going feral again. It?s like an alcoholic being roommates with a bottle of vodka!?

Her soliloquy almost made Koishi feel bad, but she botched the whole thing in an instant as she pointed back at the mouse. ?So can I eat just a little bit of her ear? Look at the size of those things. It?s not like she needs all of it, surely-?

Koishi stomped her foot, pointing out into the corridor. ?Rin. Litter tray. Now.?

The stomp shut Rin up in an instant, and her ears hung low in defeat. She slumped out of the room, still shooting Nazrin the odd look as she vanished into the corridor. The air grew lighter with her passing as Nazrin let out a long breath.

?And you told me she wasn?t going to be a problem.?

Koishi rubbed at the back of her head. ?Sorry. I?ve seen her walk around on two legs so much that I sort of forgot that she was a cat.? She turned to the raven on the counter, still staring off into the distance. ?Utsuho, why didn?t you do something??

Utsuho blinked, her eyes losing their glaze as she dropped back into reality. ?Oh? Well, they seemed to be talking it over, so I didn?t think it was right to interrupt.?

The Siren groaned. One of these days she?d have to explain to Utsuho that civil discussions didn?t involve cornering the opponent. She turned back to Nazrin, seeing the mouse?s eyes scout about the room for a safe haven.

?You alright?? she asked. The mouse clearly wasn?t alright, but this was a chance to get her to talk.

Nazrin scratched behind one of her ears. ?About as good as I can feel sharing a household with a natural predator.?

?It?s because she doesn?t know you,? Koishi said, mentally berating herself for not dealing with this problem earlier. ?Right now you just look like a pile of meat to her. If you start doing things together, she?ll stop thinking you?re food and start thinking you?re a person.?

The mouse seemed unmoved by the suggestion until a voice echoed in her ear. ?She?s got a point, Naz.? Shou took form beside her, hanging just over Nazrin?s shoulder. ?No offense, but you?ve spent most of your time here hiding in the attic.?

?Because someone is trying to eat me,? Nazrin said, pressing down on her temples with one hand. ?I really don?t know how to make this any clearer to you. You clearly don?t understand what I?m saying.?

Koishi opened her mouth to object, but as she made to start she realised that Nazrin was absolutely right. Koishi had never been hunted as food or lived on the streets. She?d never been asked to live alongside a creature that had every intention to eat her. Shou was coming to the same realisation, her form flickering slightly as her face darkened with doubt.

?...You?re right,? Koishi said reluctantly. ?I?m not you, and there?s no way I could relate to what you?ve been through.?

Nazrin?s eyes widened. Perhaps she hadn?t expected Koishi to be upfront about her shortcomings. Koishi took that as a cue to continue.

?But I?m not alone in that, Nazrin-san. This whole scenario, humans and youkai living together...? She pulled her arms out to signify the entire household. ?We?re all a little out of our comfort zone here. We?re all a little responsible for the problem right now - Rin, you, me, all of us. In the same way I can?t understand what you?re going through, you can?t understand how Rin feels when she?s around you. Don?t get me wrong, she?s totally out of order, but you?ve got to understand why she acts like she does.?

Nazrin?s tail coiled around her thigh and squeezed. ?So what?re you proposing? Do you want me to make up with the furball and act like everything?s okay??

?No, it?s not like that,? Shou said, picking up where Koishi left off. ?What Koishi-san is trying to say is that we?re all gonna have to put in a little work if we wanna get along. It?s not just about getting the cat off your back. You?ve got to be willing to try and get on with her as well.?

Hearing it from her master seemed to soften the blow, and Nazrin?s tail uncoiled to its full length. Koishi saw the stiffness fade from the mouse as she let out a deep sigh.

?So how am I expected to break the ice? Politely request that she keeps her teeth to herself??

?Actually, I?ve got an idea for that.? Koishi pulled up the DVD and waved it in front of Nazrin?s face. ?Want to watch some Madoka? We can make a big night-in out of it.?

?Eh? Madoka?? Utsuho spoke up from nowhere, tilting her head. ?Isn?t that the show where one girl loses her-?

?Hush, Utsuho.? Koishi cupped a hand over the raven?s mouth before she could finish. ?No spoilers.?

Nazrin examined the cover, her lips puckering up. ?Don?t think this?d be my thing. Too much pink going around for my liking.?

?Awww, but it looks really cool.? Shou peered over Nazrin?s shoulder to give the box a closer look. ?And this little bit down here says it?s a healing anime. Doesn?t that sound neat??

Either Nazrin caved in to her master?s request, or the thought of having a voice nagging at her for the rest of the day about it was too much to bear. Either way, she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

?Alright, I?ll watch it. But if they all band together and wax poetic about love and friendship, I may need to borrow a bucket.?

Koishi smirked. ?Nazrin-san, I think you?re in for a surprise...?

-----

Mokou?s legs felt rusty as she walked through the crowded Gensouto streets. She hung her head low as she cut across the alleyways, hiding among groups and staying as unremarkable as possible. As an extra precaution she?d pulled the ribbon from her hair, letting her long black locks fall wherever they pleased.

She?d spent the last few days trapped in her own home, unable to show her face in public. The whole process had been akin to pulling out her own teeth - if there was anything Mokou hated, it was staying still. She had vented her stress with situps and pushups, but nothing could really replace her morning jog around the neighbourhood.

Luckily her father had been supportive from the beginning, which had surprised her. Of course he wanted answers when he saw the video - he obviously recognised his own daughter, after all. She?d tried to answer the question without really answering it, saying that it was all secret and she would explain later but it was important that he didn?t tell anyone.

That would have been a hard sell for most parents, but her dad was willing to give her the space that she?d asked for. She?d never been one for secrets, so now that there was something she had to keep to herself he must have known it was something important. When all of this was over, she was going to give the old man the biggest hug her arms could manage.

Still, she hadn?t told him she?d be slipping out today. He?d insist it was too risky or that someone might identify her in the streets. Nitori would have probably said the same thing, too. Hell, everyone she knew would have told her that leaving the house was a bad idea.

Mokou wouldn?t have listened to any of that. There was something she had to do, and this was her only chance. She looked down at her cell, at the one-line text she?d received this morning.

Eientei at noon. Now or never. -K

She hadn?t hesitated for an instant. Her duty as a Siren was one thing, but this was something she owed to herself. She?d let her history with Kaguya hang over her for far too long; now was her only chance to put an end to the whole mess.

It was 11:55 when she made it to Eientei. The store itself was empty, and Mokou stepped into the building with strong, confident steps. She could barely remember the time where she?d struggled just to put a foot in the door.

?Ah, it?s you.? Reisen was at the counter, bowing her head forward at the sight of Mokou. ?So you?ve finally got your appointment, then??

?Yeah.? Mokou gave the shopkeeper a small nod. She knew Reisen?s name, but that was more or less it. They?d met several times, but they?d never exchanged more than small talk.

?She?s upstairs. Take the elevator.? Reisen pointed to a doorway at the back of the store. ?So what are you two going to talk about-?

Mokou was already walking before Reisen could finish the question. The Siren offered nothing in the way of response as she stepped through the elevator doors, pressing the button for the top floor.

It had been rude. She knew that. But she?d never get away with telling the truth, and she didn?t want to lie either. Silence had really been the only option.

She took the thirty-second ride on the lift as a chance to collect her thoughts. Mokou hadn?t prepared a speech or thought over the specifics of what to say. The whole idea seemed too artificial and fake to her. Her plan was to just say what came naturally to her and let the whole affair sort itself out.

When the door opened, she stepped out onto a painfully white corridor. She had forgotten how aggressive the interior decor was up here, a stark contrast to the pleasing blues and purples on the shop floor. A few paces in, she found a door hanging slightly ajar on her right.

?Come in,? murmured a voice from inside.

Mokou obeyed.

The office was much less extravagant than the Siren had been expecting. There were no gaudy accessories or useless gadgets, but the walls were lined with pictures. They all seemed to share a similar subject - either Kaguya herself, or more commonly her in the presence of her father. All the photos had the same forced smile pasted over them, both from the father and the daughter.

And in the midst of it all, sitting in her chair with perfect posture, was Kaguya.

?Hello, Mokou.? Her words were slow, as if she was just remembering how to speak. ?It?s been a while.?

Mokou could do nothing but stare for a few seconds. Nothing had changed about Kaguya since the last time they?d met. Her hair, still perfectly preened, ran in lively flows down her back. Her skin was vibrant, without so much as a blemish. She?d changed into a smart office look - a light blue suit along with a long skirt - but Kaguya herself hadn?t aged a day.

Except for her eyes. The youthful brilliance that used to radiate from them had faded, leaving an anxiety that seemed to contradict the rest of her character. She was trying to give off the look of a professional executive, but that one detail was enough to shatter the illusion completely.

In that moment, Mokou knew her suspicions had been correct. Kaguya was not the monster she?d tried to make her out to be. She was just another person, trying to survive in the only way she could.

?Take a seat,? Kaguya said, after a long silence. She motioned to a small chair at the back wall of the office. Mokou lowered herself into it, feeling seven pay-grades too poor to belong there.

?You?ve done well for yourself,? she said, meaning every word. ?I could never get my head around the business side of things.?

Kaguya blushed. Another flaw in her demeanour - as strong as she tried to look, it was easy to faze her with anything she didn?t expect. It was one of those human characteristics that Mokou had forgotten about after the fallout.

?Mokou, I...? Kaguya clasped one hand over the other and squeezed. Mokou could see the fear lingering in her eyes. The Siren could understand why - for weeks after the incident, Mokou had sent Kaguya furious texts and emails, with more threats and insults than she wanted to admit. It must have taken a lot of courage for Kaguya to arrange a meeting with her after all of that.

?It?s okay.? Mokou reached out, placing her hand on top of Kaguya?s. ?I?m not going to do anything to you.?

Kaguya let out a little gasp. Moments later, she was already crying.

?I?m sorry...? She rubbed at her nose, practically shrinking in her seat. Her suit looked a size too large for her now, barely hanging to her slender frame. ?I betrayed you right when you needed me the most. I?ve been trying to act strong about it, but every night when I lie in bed I think about what I did to you, and how much you trusted me, and...god, I?m a monster, aren?t I??

Her sniffling evolved into full-blown sobs. It was almost too pitiful for Mokou to watch. She had come to terms with what had happened, but Kaguya had been carrying the guilt with her all this time.

Mokou clenched her fists, redoubling her resolve. This wasn?t just for her anymore; it was for Kaguya too.

?That?s right, Kaguya.? Mokou nodded. ?You stabbed me in the back and robbed me of my life?s work. There?s no way to sugar-coat that fact.?

Every word was a haymaker right into Kaguya?s gut. She looked ready to fold in on herself, the sobs only getting louder and louder.

?But,? Mokou yelled, to be heard over Kaguya?s cries, ?I know why you did it.?

The crying stopped. Kaguya pulled her hands away from her face, looking up at Mokou with curiosity. Maybe she didn?t realise the depths of her own neurosis.

Or maybe she still didn?t want to admit it.

?I heard about your father,? Mokou continued. ?What he did to you. Hell, what he probably still does to you. You did what you felt you had to do.?

?What?? Kaguya?s eyes widened, her jaw trembling. ?No, you?ve got it all wrong. He?s not-?

?Dammit, Kaguya!? Mokou?s emotions flared up for an instant, adrenaline pumping through her as she rose to her feet again. ?I am trying. I am trying so hard to treat you like a person right now. It?d be so easy to make you a caricature and blame you for everything that?s gone wrong in my life, but I don?t wanna do that.?

She was losing it, she thought to herself. The anger was overtaking her again. Kaguya looked frightened just from the sight of her. But she could hardly stop now.

?So I did everything I could to understand you. I know that your father?s a goddamn slave driver and you?re scared shitless of him. I want to believe there?s something good deep down there, and you didn?t destroy everything I worked for just so you could have all the success for yourself.?

She took one step forward, feeling her own eyes start to mist up. ?But you?ve got to help me, Kaguya. You think he?s going to stop just because you made one good product? Now any time you make something that isn?t the next Hourai Elixir, he?s going to give you seven shades of hell for it.? Her voice was breaking, the sheer mass of fear and fury too much for her to handle. ?Is that what you want, Kaguya? Is it??

As the feeling passed, Mokou regretted every word she?d said. She?d pushed too hard, let her emotions get the better of her. Kaguya seemed to have blanked out, sitting frozen in her chair, barely breathing or blinking.

Slowly, almost too gradually to notice, Kaguya?s expression began to harden. Mokou was already set to let herself out, but she stopped dead as Kaguya rolled up her sleeve.

Underneath her elbow was a deep purple bruise.

?I mixed up some files this morning,? she said, her voice almost lifeless. ?It took five minutes to fix the mistake. Five whole minutes, and that was enough to deserve this.?

Her perfect appearance seemed uncanny now, almost doll-like. This was the real Kaguya, Mokou thought to herself. Beneath the thin layer of beauty was a blazing mantle of pain and abuse.

?He said he did it because he loved me.? She smiled, but her eyes were brimming with tears. ?I even believed him for a while. When I started figuring it out, he told me that Eientei would be ruined if the truth came out. I had to stay quiet, or we would all suffer.?

Mokou listened in quietly, faithfully offering Kaguya a channel to let out what she?d been holding in for years. The Siren reached out, grabbing Kaguya?s hand and squeezing it in solidarity. Kaguya squeezed back with more strength than Mokou thought she had.

?I just...I had to give him something, or he?d hurt me again. I know that doesn?t justify what I did, but...? She hung her head forward, ready to fall forward into Mokou?s arms. ?You?ve got to understand, Mokou. If he ever found out about the Elixir, he?d tear me to shreds. I can?t take it back now.?

It was impossible for Mokou to hold any anger towards the withered husk of a woman sitting in front of her. All she could manage was pity, her hand grasping at Kaguya?s to try and pass on some warmth.

?It?s okay, Kaguya. I understand.? Mokou pulled her other arm around Kaguya, engulfing her in a hug. ?You don?t have to hide it anymore. I?m here for-?

?Kaguya??

Mokou froze. A low, gruff voice called out from the corridor. Kaguya?s whole body trembled. ?Y-Yes, father??

?Who are you talking to in there? I thought you were balancing our accounts right now.? There was a veiled threat in his voice, a warning that any answer other than the one he wanted would have dire consequences.

?I am!? A layer of sweat rose on Kaguya?s face. Mokou had never seen her sweat before. ?I was just, um...ah...?

She hesitated for too long, and footsteps echoed through the open doorway. Mokou cursed herself for forgetting to close the door behind her.

?Don?t bother lying to me, Ka-? As the man appeared in the doorway, he stopped midsentence to look at Mokou. ?And who exactly are you supposed to be??

Mokou had a few seconds to size him up. The perfectly preened navy-blue suit. The bowl cut without a hair out of place. The thick glasses that covered his eyes from view. He had all the defining traits of a pencil-pusher, the kind who sorted their socks based on the colour spectrum.

But more than anything, she noticed the scuff marks on his fists.

?You.?

Mokou pulled away from Kaguya, standing at her full height as she stared down the newcomer. Kaguya?s father was a few inches shorter than her, but gave her the same respect he would offer a flea.

?Papa, it?s not what it looks like!? Kaguya?s face flushed as her eyes jumped between Mokou and her father. ?I swear, I can explain all of-?

?Be quiet, Kaguya.? He held out a hand, silencing his daughter in an instant, never looking away from Mokou. ?Now I?m going to ask you one more time - who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my daughter?s office??

Mokou?s whole body felt full to the brim with hatred. This man was responsible for everything. He was the one who?d pushed Kaguya to such desperate measures, who?d abused her in private whenever she made the slightest mistakes. The Siren had never felt such brutal, unbridled scorn for another human being in her life.

She answered him with a fist in the face.

?PAPA!?

Kaguya screamed as the blow knocked her father straight to the ground. His glasses fell off of his broken nose, blood beginning to seep from one nostril. He looked up at Mokou with eyes like saucers, completely paralysed with disbelief.

?You?re a real son-of-a-bitch, you know that?? Mokou loomed over Kaguya?s father, hand raised to strike down on him again. ?People like you make me fucking sick. If I could do whatever I wanted, I?d break every bone in your goddamn body.?

She looked back into the office, at the horrified Kaguya. The girl would never have condoned this, but that was why Mokou hadn?t asked her for permission.

?But your daughter deserves better than that.? The Siren smacked her fist into her palm. ?So I?m going to let you off with a warning now. If you ever so much as lay a finger on her again, I?m going to hunt you down and make you pay. Understand??

Mr. Houraisan simply stared at her for a few seconds, still frozen in shock. When he moved at last, it was to weakly nod in understanding.

?Good to hear.? Mokou turned to the doorway again. ?Sorry, Kaguya, but I figure we?re even now.?

Then, without waiting for anyone to react, she stepped back into the elevator. Kaguya was picking her father off the ground as the doors closed shut. Mokou caught a glimpse of her eyes for a moment, picking up a confused mixture of gratitude and horror.

She?d understand in time. Hopefully.

The trip downwards gave Mokou a chance to let the red mist clear. She felt better than she had any right to, like she?d just banished a demon with her bare hands. She was beaming as the doors opened again and she stepped out onto the shop floor.

?Hey, you?re back.? Reisen turned to her with a curious look. ?So how did the talk go??

Mokou looked down at her hand. There were still specks of blood caught on her knuckles.

?Yeah, I think it went pretty well.?

Blue

  • aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  • aaaaaaaaaaaa
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #609 on: September 24, 2013, 10:44:15 PM »
Yay, it's back!

...Hold on, I need to reread Arcs 1-7. Again.

Jq1790

  • Wow I'm back to playing this game.
  • Let's puzzle together again, Karin!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #610 on: September 24, 2013, 11:00:06 PM »
I've been hoping for something like this to happen.  I just hope things don't go south as a result, for several reasons.

Anyway,glad to see it getting updated again!
If you're a Pazudora player and aren't on #puzzleandlibrarians, come join us!

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #611 on: September 24, 2013, 11:03:28 PM »
Praise Poseidon! It returns!

I hope we get to see the result of this Madoka Marathon, because it sounds hilarious.

KaiserKnuckle

  • You better stop,
  • and think about what you're doing
    • Music interests and whatnot
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #612 on: September 24, 2013, 11:18:29 PM »
What the fucking DAMN! That was... quite the sharp turn in what I expected the long-awaited Kaguya moment to be. Holy shit man, this is just amazing.

inb4 sango & shou's IVE SEEN SOME SHIT reactions
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Metaflare

  • Happening Cat of the Middle of Nowhere
  • Welp is not a good nickname
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #613 on: September 25, 2013, 12:35:04 AM »
Hooray it's back!

And Mokou is the infinite badass

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #614 on: September 25, 2013, 01:19:19 PM »
This.

This is the break between school weeks I have been waiting for.

Moreover, I'm worried for Mokou in that assaulting a company executive would have more legal consequences, but in a world of magical phweeing dolphins, I'm not surprised that a good 'ol punch to the face would be enough.

I'll be back next Sunday.

Burcaresti

  • Doll Judgement
  • Your Judgement Day has come at last!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #615 on: September 25, 2013, 03:02:15 PM »
Hey, it's started again~
Excellent beginning chapter, Rou!

Kasu

  • Small medium at large.
  • This soup has an explosive flavour!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #616 on: September 25, 2013, 06:59:30 PM »
Ahahaha yes!

I've been waiting for this and I got Madoka and Mokou being a badass.

Today is definitely a good day.

Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine isn't one to take crap from anyone.

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #617 on: September 29, 2013, 11:41:21 AM »
?So, how do I look??

Flandre twirled around on the spot to show off every inch of her apparel. She was dressed in a bright scarlet robe, with golden stars running along both of her sides. Her witch?s hat was almost as large as her head, threatening to fall down over her eyes at any moment. In one hand she held a leather tome, carefully bound and preserved to look as archaic as possible. In the other she twirled around her wand, a small metal stick with a sparkling star at the end.

If Sakuya hadn?t know better, she might have mistaken it for a real Siren uniform. This Kirisame woman had done some impressive work.

?Very dashing,? she answered. ?How much did this cost your sister, again??

?Don?t remember,? Flan answered, putting a finger to her chin. ?I only saw the receipt once, but it had a lot of zeroes in it.?

Sakuya smirked. Of course the price was extortionate. Remi made an effort to spend as much as possible on every luxury - after all, money was hardly an issue for the Scarlet family.

?You seem satisfied. Everything you were hoping for??

?Are you kidding?? Flandre twirled her wand around again. ?I?m Cutie Crusher Flan-chan now. How much cooler can things possibly get??

She smiled with a look of childish bliss. Sakuya?s heart felt warmer at the sight of it. How long had she seen Flandre slump around the mansion in perpetual misery?

?Actually, there?s one thing I?d add if I could,? Flandre said. She pointed to the laptop on her bed, playing the same five second clip on endless repeat. It showed Sakuya and Youmu standing back-to-back, a pack of wolves surrounding them on all sides. ?Maybe next time, you could-?

?No.? Sakuya shut the question down before she could even finish. Flan pouted.

?Aw, c?mon! How come you and your sister get to have all the fun??

?It?s not fun, Flan.? She pointed at one of the wolves in the video. ?That one nearly bit my leg off. Does that sound fun to you??

?Well, uh...? Flandre pouted. ?Not really. But that never happens to anybody on TV, does it??

Sakuya sighed. She sat Flandre down on the bed, taking care not to make a crease in her outfit. The fabric was silky soft in her fingers, the sort she?d stroke at for hours if someone wasn?t already wearing it.

?Look, Flan. If it was really as carefree and fun as shows nowadays make it look, I?d take you along right away.? She tried to find a gentle way to word the facts, but decided that Flandre deserved the truth. ?But it?s far too dangerous, Flan. I?ve nearly died more times than I care to count. And I know one person who wasn?t as lucky as I was.?

She thought for a moment about the orphanage, burning down with Shou still trapped inside. There was no way she could expose Flandre to that. Especially after she?d almost lost her once already.

?Then why do you have to do it?? Flandre asked, kicking her legs about as she hunched forward slightly. The brim of her hat blocked her eyes from view, but the rest of her body language was glum at best. ?If it?s that dangerous, why can?t you let someone else deal with it? It?s not fair that you?ve got to take all of those risks, Sakuya.?

Sakuya forced a smile, patting Flandre on the head. ?You?re right, Flan. It?s not fair at all. I didn?t ask for any of this, but I can?t turn my back on it now. All the other Sirens are depending on me.? She leaned forward and whispered in her mistress? ear. ?Besides, the Claw tried to kill my favourite Cutie Crusher. Now they?ve gone and made it personal.?

Flandre blushed, letting off a little giggle. ?Heheh...yeah, that was really mean of ?em.? She looked back to the laptop again, at the other girl in the picture. ?You?re looking out for your sister too, aren?t you??

?What, Youmu?? Sakuya straightened her back abruptly, fingers wiggling about. ?I?m not worried about her at all. She can look after herself.?

?Liii~ar.? Flandre tapped Sakuya in the side of the head with her wand. ?C?mon, don?t act so stuck-up about it. There?s nothing wrong with being protective of your little sister. I mean, Remi does it with me all the time.?

Sakuya bit her lip, taking a deep breath to try and cool herself down. She couldn?t believe a child was drawing such a reaction from her.

?It?s...the rules are different when you?re older, Flan.? She rubbed her palms together hard enough that she could practically feel the sparks forming between them. ?When you?re a grown-up, you?re not meant to be so emotional about your family.?

?Eh?? Flandre tilted her head. ?Why?s that??

?Just because.? The Siren rushed to her feet. ?Now go do your homework.?

?Aw, but Sakuyaaaa...? Flandre whined. ?All the stuff Patchy makes me read is boring! And Sailor Moon never does any studying.?

?That?s because she?s an idiot.? Sakuya said. ?Do you want to be an idiot??

?...No.?

?Good girl.? She gave Flandre another pat on the head, a little harder this time. ?Now study hard, okay??

She hurried out of the door at a rapid pace, trying not to slam it too hard as she left. The moment she was clear, she leaned against the wall and caught her breath.

Stupid Cutie Crusher, she thought. The only thing she?s crushing right now is my dignity-

?I assume Flan?s being a handful again??

Sakuya nearly smacked her head into the wall as she flinched. ?M-Milady??

Remilia?s smirk widened at the sight of her servant?s nerves. ?It?s rare to see you so flustered, Sakuya. Perhaps I should take a picture for posterity.?

Wonderful, Sakuya thought. I?ve escaped one sister only to walk into the other. She took a moment to adjust her collar, purging her short-term memory as she cleared her throat.

?I wouldn?t advise that, milady. After all, what would people think of the Scarlet family if their maid was revealed to be an emotional wreck??

?...True.? The young mistress put a hand to her chin, eyes closing as she sank deep into thought. ?I can?t have you disgracing the family name, after all. Just try to get your act together, please.?

?Understood.? Sakuya bowed forward with well-practiced grace. She felt Remilia much more comfortable to be around than Flandre. They shared a script, a pre-defined relationship of master and servant, something predictable and easy to follow. In comparison, Flandre was...well, a girl on the verge of adolescence, and that spoke for itself.

?So when can I expect an explanation for all this publicity you?ve been garnering?? Even when Remilia had a question to ask, she did her best to remain in character. ?I?m fine with you walking the streets as a force of justice, but you could at least keep me informed on such matters.?

It was tempting to just let Remilia in on the secret. She didn?t have anyone to tell, and Flandre already knew the truth. In that regard, letting her know would have been relatively harmless.

It would, however, be much less entertaining.

?I?m afraid my lips are sealed, milady,? Sakuya said with a playful wink. ?I have more than one superior to answer to now.?

For a fraction of a second, Remilia?s face scrunched up. It was rare for her to drop the charade, but that just made it all the more entertaining for Sakuya to toy with her.

?...I see.? Remilia recovered quickly, brushing one hand through her hair. ?Then I shall take you on your word. You?ve been a good servant to me, Sakuya, and it?s only fair that I offer you something in return.?

?Well for now, all I need is somewhere to hide,? Sakuya said. ?You might have guessed that I can?t really show my face in public at the moment.?

?Then I will house you for as long as you need.? The self-proclaimed vampire smiled again, a single sharp tooth slipping over her bottom lip. ?Assuming you?ll be doing your usual chores, that is.?

For most people, that would have been an unpleasant offer. Hours of dusting, cleaning, cooking, all the duties that rich folk hired other people to do. But for Sakuya, it was another chance to repay the people who?d saved her life.

Maybe, for just a little while, life could be normal again.

?Trust me, milady. After what I?ve been through, wasting my days on menial labour sounds delightful.?

-----

Komachi was exhausted. Over the last half hour she?d produced an avalanche of evidence, each file or witness backed up with a thorough line of thought connecting it to her culprit. She?d been lucky to not be part of the footage flying around the internet - if she?d had to go into hiding like the other Sirens, she?d have had to leave this job to someone else. She took a deep breath as she moved in for the last stretch.

?Allow me to summarise my case, Your Honour.? She pointed one damning finger at the defendant?s bench. ?This man, Satoshi Miike, allowed the animals of his zoo to be routinely abused and neglected. He forced his employees to work extensive hours for minimal pay, violating a dozen fair-work laws in the process. And most damningly-? she smacked her hand against the file for effect- ?he employed the illegal immigrant Mami Tatsui without any sort of background check, putting her in the perfect position to cause the tragedy that befell the zoo last week.?

Mamizou - or ?Mami?, as she had called herself - only showed up by proxy in the zoo?s records. She had no passport, no ID, not even a birth certificate. None of this came as a surprise to Komachi, but it made the prosecution a lot easier.

?In short, he has committed a variety of atrocities against both humans and animals. The blood of the victims is on his hands, and it?s only fit that he should be punished for it.? Komachi folded her arms and tilted her head back. ?The prosecution rests its case, Your Honour.?

She looked up to face the judge, smiling to hide her exertion. A familiar face looked down upon her, that beacon of authority she had always respected.

?Thank you, Miss Onozuka.? Eiki Shiki looked like she?d never left the judge?s chair, as calm and collected as ever. Her eyes drifted across to the other side of the courtroom. ?Would the defense like to make any counterpoints??

Komachi clenched her teeth. This was the real challenge. She?d done everything she could to make her case airtight, but she was up against one of the best. Satoshi grabbed at the edge of the bench, looking towards the one woman who could get him out of his sentence.

Reimu Hakurei leaned forward on her bench, one finger playing with her hair. She looked more like a spectator to the case than an actual participant.

?Your Honour, the defense...?

She looked over at her client, still trembling in the wake of his crimes. One side of her mouth curled downwards in disapproval. She soon turned her attention across the room, staring off against Komachi.

For a moment, the two lawyers saw into each other. Komachi could see the reluctance hanging in every inch of Reimu?s frame. At the same time, Reimu could see the passion and drive that powered Komachi, that hunger for justice that had finally lured her back to the courthouse.

The look only lasted a moment, but it was more than enough. Reimu looked up to the judge and shrugged.

?The defense has shown everything it considers necessary. We trust the judge will consider this evidence appropriate to find my our client innocent.?

The whole room gasped in unison. Even Komachi was taken aback by this sudden lack of effort. The evidence as it stood was blatantly in the prosecution?s favour - where were the loopholes, the dirty plays that would have let the criminal walk free? This went against everything Reimu was known for.

?...Very well.? Eiki was the first to recover, gripping her gavel tightly to stave off her nerves. ?If that is the case, I see no reason to prolong this trial. I have reached my final verdict.?

She stared down at the defendant?s bench. ?Satoshi Miike, your selfishness and greed were indirectly responsible for the deaths of many. You are a despicable businessman, and the damage you have done to Gensouto can never be fully healed. I find you guilty of all charges presented by the prosecution.?

When the verdict struck him, all the fear and anxiety flushed out of Satoshi?s body. It was soon replaced with an almost serene calm, as if he?d expected this outcome from the very beginning.

?I sentence you to five years in jail, and two billion yen in damages,? Eiki continued. ?In the event that you are unable to pay the fine, your zoo and all the exhibits contained therein shall be transferred to more reputable owners.?

Satoshi nodded again. Two billion yen was far more than he could hope to pay, but perhaps that had been Eiki?s plan to begin with. He made no attempt to fight as an officer took him by the shoulder and began to lead him away.

?That is all.? Eiki brought her gavel down for one final smack. ?Court is dismissed.?

The whole thing happened so quickly that Komachi had barely noticed. She?d been ready to take on Reimu in a slugfest, but instead the defense attorney had just curled up and died. She shuffled zombie-like out of the courtroom, barely hearing her companions offering her their congratulations.

It took a few minutes for the swarm of officers and lawyers to clear out of the courthouse. Reimu was trailing at the back of the pack, keeping herself as far out of view as possible. Komachi blocked her path with an arm, holding her back as the hall emptied out. ?What the hell were you doing in there??

?What do you think?? Reimu rolled her eyes. ?I gave you the win. Miike deserved exactly what was coming to him. And it?s not like he could have afforded to pay anyone off to begin with.?

?Don?t play dumb with me,? Komachi growled. ?Since when did you grow a conscience??

The defense attorney went quiet. Her whole stance shifted - now rather than slumping out of reluctance, she was hanging her head in shame.

?I?ve been thinking about what you said to me last time we talked,? she said. ?When you got me to spill the beans on Morichika, it felt...right. Like I was actually doing my job for once rather than spitting in its face.?

Komachi nodded. Ultimately the goal of a lawyer was to enact the law, and Reimu had only done so in the barest possible terms. Perhaps there was something decent inside her after all.

?What about your shrine?? Komachi asked. ?I thought you took these jobs to keep the feds from taking it.?

?Yeah, well, a lot of my clients have gone awfully quiet lately.? Reimu turned away, looking back towards the courtroom doorway. ?After Morichika bit the dust, a lot of his underlings turned themselves in. My services aren?t really in demand anymore, so I couldn?t keep it up even if I wanted to.?

She smiled, but her eyes were flooded with sadness. ?I?ll figure something out. And if I can?t...well, I guess it?s the will of the gods, or something like that.? She walked right past Komachi, giving her one pat on the back. ?Congrats on your victory, Komachi-san. You deserved it.?

By the time Komachi turned around, Reimu was already part of the crowd again. The door to the entrance hall slid shut behind her, the sound echoing through the room as she left Komachi in her wake.

The prosecutor stared on for a few seconds longer, then let out a long sigh. It was a shame, but she wouldn?t let it take away from what she?d accomplished today. For the first time in a long while, she felt like justice had been served.

She had a spring in her step as she made her way to the judge?s chambers, knocking at Eiki?s door and waiting for a response. ?Come in,? came a response from inside. Komachi complied, turning the doorknob and letting herself in.

Eiki had added a bit of life to her quarters since her reinstatement with a couple of props from Z-list action flicks. A tacky ray-gun was hung between two pictures of stern-looking gentlemen, and a photo of the cast from Magical Enforcers adorned the back wall above her desk. Komachi suspected that exposing her to the worst that Hollywood had to offer had done more harm than good.

?I can?t believe they let you put that up,? the prosecutor said, motioning at the ray-gun and wincing. ?Still feel a little sick every time I look at it.?

?Yeah, the prop team only had a budget of fifty dollars. You get used to it.? Eiki reached into a drawer beneath her desk, pulling out a bottle of bourbon. ?Good work today.?

?You weren?t so bad yourself.? Komachi took a seat at the desk across from the judge, resting snugly in the soft leather. ?How?d it feel to be sitting on the big chair again??

Eiki smiled as she started to pour herself a glass. ?Pretty damn good, Komachi. Pretty damn good.?

Komachi couldn?t help but smile back. With the aftertaste of the Morichika affair still hanging in the back of her mind, a victory like this was just what she needed. And after so long out of the practice, Eiki needed a case where she could feel comfortable with her verdict. In the end, they?d both managed to get what they were asking for.

?What?s the news on Sumire?? Eiki asked. ?She?s still safe, right??

?From what I?ve heard, yeah.? Komachi offered up a glass of her own, and Eiki started to fill it up. ?They?re saying it?ll still be a couple of weeks before the hitmen give up, though, so she?ll have to hang tight a little longer.?

?She?ll be fine. We both know she?s strong enough to make it out of this.? Eiki raised her glass. ?But let?s focus on us for now.?

?Sounds like a plan.? Komachi smirked, knocking her glass against the judge?s. ?Here?s to the two of the best damn heroes the law?s ever seen.?

Eiki blushed a little at the compliment, but Komachi could see the light that had returned to her eyes. The burning urge for justice that had gone out in her heart had been rekindled at last. The judge was back, and this time she meant business.

And Komachi wanted nothing more than to serve at her side.

-----

?Aaaah~...I think you could make a living out of this, Youmu.?

Yuyuko stretched as Youmu?s fingers ran across her back, kneading at her aching muscles with precision and care. The elderly woman squealed like a child at every touch, seemingly from a mix of pain and relief.

?Perhaps,? Youmu answered. ?But I suspect you?d give me all the work I?d ever need.?

The swordsman sighed as she continued her massage. In normal families, it was the mother who talked the daughter into looking after her; with Yuyuko, it was the exact opposite. She was a stubborn woman, always putting on a brave face and refusing help whenever it was offered.

Her body told a different story. As Youmu stroked and pressed at her mother?s muscles, she could feel the knots formed by an onslaught of stress and exertion. Yuyuko had been thrown left and right after Youmu?s secret came out, struggling to keep the family reputation from coming apart entirely. Even now, as the controversy finally started to die down, she hadn?t given herself a moment?s rest.

At last Youmu had offered an ultimatum: either her mother had to take a few days off to recover, or she would never take part in another kendo tournament again. With those stakes, there was no way Yuyuko could refuse.

?It?s a shame you?ll have to start again at the bottom, though,? Yuyuko said, wincing as Youmu?s thumbs stabbed at her shoulder blades. ?I don?t care what they say, stripping you of all your titles is unfair on you.?

Youmu didn?t respond. In her opinion, the ruling had been reasonable. All her victories had been under the name of Youki Saigyouji, a man who?d been dead for years now. She was grateful the authorities hadn?t banned her from competition entirely - she was back at the bottom rung, true, but it was better than nothing.

?You?ll have to enter all the womens? tournaments now,? Yuyuko groaned. ?No offense, but you could beat any woman Japan has to offer - and probably all of the men, as well.?

?One step at a time, mother.? Youmu reached out and gave her mother a playful pat on the head. Their relationship had become much less strict of late, a change that had turned out well for both of them.

?Right, right.? Yuyuko?s expression quickly brightened into a playful smirk. ?You?re still busy, aren?t you? With all your world-saving business.?

Youmu flinched on instinct. She still wasn?t used to her mother being in on the whole ?magic? thing. The news report had jogged her mother?s memory in full - and while Youmu had sworn her to secrecy, Yuyuko still saw no harm in talking about it in private.

?You might want to wrap this up soon, then,? Yuyuko said. ?I?ve got an interview with this Shameimaru woman in a few minutes.?

?Shameimaru?? Youmu raised an eyebrow as she finished up her treatment. ?The journalist? I thought she went in hiding after that court scandal a few months back.?

?You know her??

?Not personally. But my companions had a part in getting her to safety, from what I?ve heard.?

Yuyuko nodded. She?d taken to the whole concept of magic fairly comfortably, like a casual hobby that would entertain her in her retirement. With any luck, Youmu would be able to keep her mother from getting wrapped up in that world?s clutches again.

?She?s here to ask me about, well, you.? Yuyuko rolled her head about as she rose to her feet, rubbing at one shoulder. ?About the kendo, that is, not the zoo incident, though I think it?d be best for you to stay out of her way.?

Youmu pouted. ?But then I?d have to leave you alone with her.?

Her mother chuckled lightly, looking more alive than she?d been in a while. ?Don?t worry about me, Youmu. I know how to handle the paparazzi.? She batted away Youmu?s concerns, pulling open the door and stepping into the hallway. ?Why don?t you tend to the backyard while I?m busy??

Before Youmu could argue her case, her mother was already gone. She sighed to herself, wondering how anyone could stand to do business with someone so immature. She pondered the question for the whole trip through the manor, until she finally stepped out into the back garden.

She was not expecting someone to be waiting for her.

The figure on the stairs looked down on Youmu, her arms folded and her face locked in a perpetual frown. Her eyes ran across the swordsman?s body, quietly noting and tracing every curve. With one hand she ruffled through her hair - an ugly shade of brown with a plastic sheen.

?You?re Konpaku-san, then?? she said, beginning to climb down the staircase. ?My name is Momiji Inubashiri. I?m here with Shameimaru.?

Youmu?s heart sank. Another journalist. How had this woman even made it back here? There was a wall around the garden too large to climb. She?d have to figure that out once she was alone again.

?I?m afraid I?ve been advised not to comment,? she said, turning around towards the door. ?Now, I?d like you to leave the premises before I have to call the-?

?I?m not here for an interview.? Momiji pulled the wig away, revealing a head of snow-white hair underneath. Two wolf-like ears poked out from the sides, wiggling about freely now that they weren?t being hidden. ?Don?t worry. I?m on your side.?

Youmu blinked. The other Sirens had mentioned a wolf youkai working undercover, now that she thought about it. The pressure building in her chest began to fade.

?Well, you could have found a more polite way to say hello,? Youmu said. ?Jumping someone in their own backyard isn?t exactly the epitome of manners.?

Momiji shrugged. ?Just seemed reasonable. I figured you would hide back here when Aya came knocking. Besides, I wanted to make sure I had you alone.?

?Alone for what, exactly??

Momiji grinned, one sharp fang hanging over her lip. ?I?m sure you can figure that out on your own.?

She was right. Youmu knew exactly what Momiji was looking for. She could see it in the slight hunch in her back, the impatient wriggling of her fingers, the anticipation hanging in her eyes. It was the look of a warrior in the moments before a fight.

Youmu looked to her side. A pair of swords hung on the wall beside the doorway. She kept them there for easy access whenever she felt the need to train. They were practice blades, but they were still sharp enough to do some serious damage.

?And what if I refuse?? Youmu said, carefully watching Momiji to gauge her reaction.

?Then I?ll never bother you again.? Momiji held her hands above her head and cracked her knuckles. ?But that?s not going to happen, is it??

The wolf?s whole body oozed with confidence. She was selfish, proud, and desperate for a brawl. And the worst part was that she was absolutely right.

Youmu could feel the same adrenaline channeling through her own body. Her honour as a warrior stopped her from turning the offer down, no matter how unreasonable it may have been. Refusing the fight was as bad as admitting defeat.

Sighing, she pulled the blades from the wall and clipped them to her waist. They were heavier than her usual apparel, but not enough to weigh her down significantly. In short, they would do.

?We fight to first blood,? she said. ?I assume I?m not allowed to use my Teardrop??

?Of course not. I won?t have you beat me with borrowed power, after all.?

Momiji extended her arms, muttering beneath her breath. A sword and shield took form in her hands, the metal shimmering in the afternoon sun. Pulling the shield to her chest, she lowered herself into a fighting stance. ?Whenever you?re ready, human.?

Youmu felt the old instincts washing over her. She hadn?t fought another swordsman for months now, and with all the controversy it would be a while before she could show her face in public again. She?d have to make the most of this.

With a deep breath, she pointed one sword straight at her opponent. ?I?m always ready.?

Then she was a blur as she came down on Momiji like a crash of thunder.

Burcaresti

  • Doll Judgement
  • Your Judgement Day has come at last!
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #618 on: September 29, 2013, 03:46:03 PM »
yyyyyeeeeeees cutie-crusher flan-chan

:3

this is like the best thing I've seen all week :3

Metaflare

  • Happening Cat of the Middle of Nowhere
  • Welp is not a good nickname
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #619 on: September 29, 2013, 05:12:44 PM »
d'aww flan :3

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #620 on: October 06, 2013, 10:19:47 AM »
So Futatsuiwa is dead?

The voice in the waves was as implacable as ever. Satori had often wondered what sort of person a voice like that could belong to: she envisioned a giant of a woman, swathed in a billowing robe, the pinnacle of power and authority. Perhaps her master stayed in hiding because her actual form couldn?t possibly match the image her voice produced.

?Yes, ma?am,? the Siren answered, floating a few inches off the floor of the throne room. ?They found her body a few hours after the fighting stopped. A single stab wound in the chest.?

The silence that followed was careful, almost deliberate. That is...unfortunate. Futatsuiwa was a rogue agent, but ultimately our interests were shared. She deserved a better death than this.

Satori nodded along in agreement. She didn?t know much about Futatsuiwa or her history, only that she was a former ally of the Claw who?d fallen astray. They had kept tabs on the tanuki ever since, which was how Satori had arrived on the scene of the breakout so rapidly.

Your performance was adequate, the voice continued. Our operation would have been a success had the Pearl not arrived so soon. Even then, it?s unlikely they?ll resume activity until their media frenzy has died down.

Satori hesitated. Another question flashed across her mind - one she wanted to ask, but knew she shouldn?t. Ultimately, her curiosity got the better of her.

?Ma?am, permission to speak??

Satori could almost hear the tides rumbling around her. Go on.

?Well, if the White Pearl is in hiding, then Koishi will be holed up in-?

No. The waters swirled violently in Satori?s ears, stopping her before she could finish. You will not engage your sister unless absolutely necessary.

Indignation pulsed through Satori?s veins. ?But this is our best chance! She?ll be alone, without the other Sirens to defend her-?

Silence!

The room roared, her master?s voice echoing from every direction. All the courage flushed out of Satori?s body, leaving her in stunned silence.

Did you stop to consider our enemy may have considered that option as well? There could well be an ambush waiting for you if you act so rashly.

Satori clenched her teeth, bowing her head in shame. ?Apologies, ma?am. I didn?t think that far ahead.?

Of course not. Now the voice was snide, almost chastising. Besides, I haven?t forgotten your earlier fears about fighting your sister. I don?t intend to give you another chance to give in to that weakness. Do you understand?

The Siren tensed for a few moments, every muscle coiled like a spring, until at last she went limp in the water. ?...Yes, ma?am.?

Good. Now return to your quarters and await instructions.

The swirling of the currents weakened, subsiding into nothing. Satori hung in place, staring at the ceiling as she tried to pull her thoughts together. She wished her boss had a face solely so she could daydream about punching it.

Eventually she began to swim lazily towards the exit, paying little attention to her surroundings, mumbling to herself as she drifted into the doorway. She only came to a stop when her head bumped into somebody?s stomach.

?Hey, eyes forward down there.? Jozu looked down on Satori, her face upside-down from where the Siren was. ?Other fish are using these corridors too, y?know.?

Satori gasped, quickly righting herself in the water. ?Ah, sorry, Jozu. I was just thinking about-?

?I know. I heard the whole thing.? Jozu put a hand on Satori?s shoulder and pulled her close. ?You want a little venting session? Promise I won?t tell.?

The Siren felt her face flash red. Her head felt comfortable against Jozu?s chest - more comfortable than it had any right to be. She hadn?t imagined Jozu to be the emotional type.

She smiled. Maybe sharks weren?t all ravenous hunters after all.

?I think I?d like that,? she said.

?Good to hear.? Jozu started to carry Satori back to her room, never moving beyond a leisurely pace. ?Well, then, Dr. Manou?s in the house. Let it all out.?

It took a few seconds for Satori to start. The words all clogged up her throat, making it hard to breathe. When at last she started to speak, it all ended up flowing out at once.

?I know she?s right, Jozu. It?s a dumb idea for me to go after Koishi myself. But...I still worry about her, even though she?s my enemy now. She?s just a girl, for crying out loud. She shouldn?t be out here risking her life like this.?

Jozu kept silent, patiently listening and nodding to everything Satori said. There was no questioning, no judgement, just a vehicle for Satori to let out all the thoughts that had been weighing her down.

?They?ve got her thinking she?s some kind of saviour,? Satori muttered. ?Like she?s a hero, protecting the world from monsters like us. The longer she spends wrapped up in this nonsense, the better the chance she gets herself hurt. I don?t care how dangerous it is, I want to get her out of this mess before it?s too late.?

It was only when the ranting came to an end that Jozu spoke up. ?Sounds pretty rough. Mind if I ask you something, though??

Satori looked up at the shark. ?Sure. What is it??

?What got you so sold on the Black Claw, anyway??

The question came entirely out of left field, striking Satori dumb. Jozu took the opening to clarify the question.

?I already told you I?m neutral here. I just wanna get some blood on my knuckles. But you must be really convinced by the Claw?s beliefs if you won?t even let your sister change your mind. What gives??

The Siren bit her lip. She hadn?t thought about that for a while. It wasn?t a story she wanted to linger on for too long. Still, Jozu had done so much to look after her in her time here. It was only fair to give her an answer.

?I told you my father was a vet, didn?t I?? she started.

?Yeah, you mentioned it once or twice.?

?Did I ever mention that he brought me in for training to take up the practice??

Jozu sucked in a breath, as if she?d already figured out where this story was going. ?Yeah, this is the first I?ve heard of that.?

Satori nodded. ?I don?t talk about it much. It was only for a couple of weeks before he...well, before he died. I insisted on it - he inspired me, and I wanted to learn how to be like him.?

She looked down at the floor, pressing her head closer against the shark. ?At that time, I didn?t really understand what my father did. I knew he helped look after animals, but I never realised what sort of help they needed. What sort of suffering they could be subjected to.

?I only found out then that my father specialised in treating animals who had been abused. He had to deal with some of the most brutal things - pets who?d been fed broken glass, or left to starve in empty houses, or beaten by drunken owners. He worked with the worst of the worst, and that was my chance to see all of it for myself.?

The memories flashed in front of her eyes again, thoughts she kept safely under lock and key. Letting them resurface was as inspiring as it was frightening.

?I was still only a girl. I couldn?t understand why people would be so cruel to their pets. My father didn?t have an answer either; he said that all that mattered is that we helped the animals recover. I think the question got to him, though - he acted strong in front of Koishi and I, but I know he was hurting on the inside. It probably contributed a lot to...well, his death.?

Satori took Jozu?s hand and squeezed. ?My father spent his life treating the symptoms, but not the disease. For every animal he managed to save, there were two more that died on the operating table. He couldn?t do anything to stop these creatures from being hurt - and with the masquerade in full force, the youkai couldn?t even protect themselves.?

She took a deep breath, feeling determination overwrite her earlier chagrin. ?But I can, Jozu. I can save all the youkai who?ve had to suffer in silence. I can achieve something my father never could. And the Black Claw is the only way I can do that.?

Jozu?s eyes widened. It was difficult to read the expression on her face - surprise? Awe? Confusion? Maybe it was a combination of all three. It soon gave way to a small, subdued smile.

?Damn, you sound like some sort of fairytale hero when you put it like that.?

?I?ll take that as a compliment,? Satori said. ?Still, there isn?t much I can do unless the higher-ups give the order, is there??

Jozu paused, hanging in spot in the water for a moment. A rare chill crossed over her expression, and she squeezed at Satori?s hand in return.

?Look, Satori. I just wanna let you know that whatever happens, I?ve got your back.?

?Oh?? Satori tilted her head. ?That?s good to hear, but I?d figured that was part of the job description. You are meant to be my guardian, after all.?

?I don?t mean in a fight.? Jozu scratched at the back of her head. ?I mean, well, if you ever need to talk or something...actually, y?know what? Never mind. This is sounding icky and sentimental.?

The Siren raised an eyebrow. Jozu?s thoughts were flickering and flailing about in her head, an indecipherable mish-mash of emotions. It was unusual to see the shark so offset, but within seconds she was back to normal.

The rest of the journey took place in an awkward silence. Jozu looked away, seemingly distracted by some distant thought as they arrived at Satori?s room.

?Here?s my stop,? the Siren said, pulling away from Jozu and floating in the doorway. ?Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Want some sparring to make up for it??

?Uh, actually...? Jozu looked down the corridor, eyes clouded over. ?Maybe another time. I?ve got somewhere to be.?

Satori furrowed her brow. ?Since when do you have other arrangements??

?Since about two minutes ago.? The shark looked back, giving Satori a cheeky wink. ?Can?t go into specifics for now. Just gimme some time, alright??

There was something almost pleading in Jozu?s eyes, quietly asking for Satori?s permission. The Siren could hardly refuse after all Jozu had done for her today, could she?

?Sure,? she said. ?Just don?t get yourself killed.?

?Can?t make any promises,? Jozu answered, saluting as she spun about in the water. ?Later, then!?

Within seconds, the shark was a blip in Satori?s vision, and soon she wasn?t even that. The Siren wondered what sort of scheme was forming in Jozu?s mind. She could only hope it wasn?t something too dangerous.

Well, may as well get in some practice, Satori thought to herself as she stepped into the airlock. I need to work on my thrusts...

-----

Sango had never been a fan of meetings.

She didn?t mind them on paper. There was nothing wrong with getting together to discuss strategies or prepare battle plans. The problem was that wasn?t just any meeting - it was a meeting being run by Nitori Kawashiro, and that was a whole different story.

Today the kappa had hastily turned her math class into a conference room, shoving half a dozen desks together and doing her best to clean off the graffiti. Today?s lesson had been half-wiped from the blackboard, numbers and variables left hanging without context. Calling it haphazard may have been too polite - not that Sango would ever say that to her boss?s face.

Ran, on the other hand, had no such inhibitions.

?Is this what you call a briefing room?? The fox youkai shuffled about in her seat, staring at a piece of chewing gum stuck to her desk. ?I thought you had a laboratory hidden around here somewhere.?

?Yeah, but there aren?t any seats in there.? Nitori spun about in the teacher?s chair, legs crossed as she leaned forward. ?Didn?t want to make you all stand, y?see.?

Ran growled. Nitori was the perfect antithesis to the fox?s immaculate stature, a picture of everything a good student wasn?t supposed to do. If Sango had acted half as casually as the kappa was, she?d be reprimanded in an instant.

?Don?t worry,? the dolphin said, stretching a hand across the makeshift table. ?You get used to her.?

?I?m not sure if I want to,? the fox answered, one hand tapping anxiously at the bottom of her desk. ?So who are we waiting on??

?Just one operative,? Nitori answered. ?Should be here any mo-?

As if in response, the door to the classroom slid open. Momiji Inubashiri stomped through, pulling off her wig as she closed the door behind her.

?Sorry I?m late,? she murmured. ?Aya had another one of her detours.?

No-one responded to the wolf. Instead, everyone present had their attention locked entirely on her face - more specifically, the still-fresh cut that had been drawn along her cheek.

?Momiji, you alright?? Nitori asked.

?Oh, this?? The wolf put a hand over the wound, and her expression softened. ?Let?s just say I didn?t give one of our companions the respect she deserved.?

Sango raised an eyebrow. That had sounded almost like humility. What the hell had she missed while she?d been in hiding?

?And you must be Lady Yakumo.? Momiji turned to Ran, bowing as far down as her back would allow. ?It?s a great honour to be in your presence, madam. I?ve studied your works on the art of warfare extensively.?

Ran brushed off the compliment with a wry smile. ?No need for the formality, white wolf. I haven?t been a ruler for a long time now.?

?I...I see.? Momiji visibly hesitated, Ran?s sudden coolness disrupting her train of thought. She managed a rough nod before sinking into the seat beside the fox.

Sango gave the wolf a little wave. She didn?t get a response. She?s just as friendly as I remember, she thought to herself.

?Alright, the gang?s all here.? Nitori pulled a pair of glasses from her pocket, slipping them on to look slightly more like an authority. Her slack shoulders and casual dress did nothing to aid that image. ?So, first thing?s first. Anything to report??

Momiji nodded. ?I?ve had a few of my agents prowling the city on basic reconnaissance. The stories about the zoo incident are still going strong. Every time the rumour looks set to die, someone steps in with a new theory or piece of evidence that sets the whole thing alight again.?

?That can?t be an accident,? Ran said, steepling her fingers. ?Should we assume the Claw is responsible??

Momiji shrugged. ?Wouldn?t surprise me. They?ve got everything to gain from it, after all. But it might just be humans being curious about it. I mean, Aya won?t go for five minutes without throwing one of her conspiracy theories at me.?

?Conspiracy theories?? Sango asked, her voice laden with morbid curiosity.

?I dunno how, but she finds a way to link everything to the government.? Momiji rolled her eyes. ?Right now she thinks it?s a distraction so people will forget about some new anti-terrorist law getting passed.?

Sango?s mouth slackened. ?...Huh. Forget I asked.?

?Either way,? Nitori said, ?we?re probably going to have to act fast. The bigger this story gets, the harder it?ll be for us to make a move. I suggest we stage one grand assault on the Black Claw?s base of operations. Once they?re out of the picture, we can focus on damage control regarding the publicity.?

?A good idea, but one with a glaring flaw.? Ran folded her arms and sighed. ?Where exactly is this fortress you want us to siege??

?What a coincidence, Ran.? Nitori smirked. ?Figuring that out happens to be the next item of interest for today?s meeting.?

The fox?s ears stood on end as she shot a glare at the kappa. She wasn?t taking well to Nitori?s ?playful? idea of authority. Sango shimmied backwards in her chair as a precaution.

?So! As it happens, I?ve got a little map of the city with me.? Nitori withdrew a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. Unfolding it, the map turned out to be almost the size of the table, marking the geography of Gensouto in impressive detail. ?I?ve marked in red the areas we?ve already searched through. Any thoughts??

Sango gave the map a quick lookover. It wasn?t difficult to find the most prominent feature of their surroundings, assuming you weren?t colourblind.

?Uh, boss, this thing is pretty much all red.?

?Precisely.? Nitori planted a finger in the center of the map. ?We?ve hunted through every nook and cranny of this city, and we haven?t found a damn thing.?

Momiji frowned. ?So we?re out of ideas, then??

?Not quite.? Nitori?s finger began to drift along the map, out from the center, onto the coast - and beyond. ?We?ve still got this whole area to check out.?

Ran slowly nodded in contemplation. ?The ocean...of course. We?re dealing with an oarfish youkai, so it?s a natural base of operations for her.?

?You mean we could have had our base out at sea without risking discovery any time someone scribbled on the blackboard?? Momiji?s jaw hung open. ?Why the hell didn?t we think of that??

?I figured you wouldn?t want to get your fur wet.? Nitori stuck her tongue out, giving the wolf a playful wink. ?Jokes aside, though, it?s pretty obvious that the Black Claw?s hideaway is somewhere on the seabed. Unfortunately, that?s still not very useful to us - I mean, there?s a lot of seabed out there. We need to find some way of cutting that down. Any suggestions??

There was silence for a few moments as everyone present pondered the question. The first person to speak was Ran, with a voice that offered little in the way of confidence.

?It?s probably safe to assume that Leviathan?s using some form of illusion magic to conceal her fortress. I could probably dispel it a spell of my own, but an enchantment that powerful would be very short-ranged.?

?Any chance you could rapid fire it?? Nitori asked.

?In my prime, maybe.? Ran hung her head, her expression solemn. ?But I?m awfully rusty nowadays. I don?t think I?d have it in me to do it more than once or twice a day.?

?So we?d need to know where we?re going...in order to figure out where to go.? Momiji?s tail swished about impatiently. ?So that?s Plan A out of the window. Anyone got a Plan B they want to share with us??

Nitori put a finger to her lips, looking down at the map as if trying to decipher some unseen code. ?Sango-san, what about you? Do you have any ideas??

Sango pouted. ?Dunno what you?re expecting from me, boss.? She craned her neck around, looking out the window towards the setting sun. ?I?m just a dolphin who punches thi-?

Her heart skipped a beat, the words dying on her lips. Something flickered in the shadows of a nearby alleyway, immediately grabbing her attention.

Staring up at her was the unmistakeable form of Jozu Manou.

?Yo, Sango-san.? Nitori walked around the table, waving a hand in front of Sango?s face. ?You still with us??

Sango didn?t respond. She watched Jozu vanish back into the alleyway - not to flee, but to hide. Sango already knew the shark would be waiting for her.

?Helloooo. Earth to Sango, please come in...?

It would be easy to tell everyone that there was a Black Claw agent literally on their doorstep. But Jozu was more than an enemy - she was a rival, and in a twisted way she was almost a friend. She?d helped out Sango once before, during the Saigyouji incident. Maybe she could help them with this problem, too.

?Sorry, just remembered something.? Sango raced to her feet, stumbling past Nitori on her way to the door. ?Gotta go. Lemme know if you come up with anything!?

She could feel her allies? stares following her as she slipped out into the hallway. She did her best to ignore them, focusing on the task at hand.

?Shouldn?t we stop her?? Ran asked. Sango heard her rise to her feet and held her breath.

?Let her be. She?s more of a hands-on operative, anyway.? Momiji?s voice was neutral, leaving Sango unsure if it was a compliment or an insult. ?Now, how hard would it be to pick up some depth charges? Surely an illusion can?t work its way around that.?

Sango never heard the rest of the discussion. She had other, more pressing matters to attend to.

A hands-on operative? she thought to herself. Momiji, you have no idea how right you are.

-----

Sango took one last look behind her as she emerged from the school entrance. There was still no sign of anyone tailing her; the higher-ups were probably too busy planning to wonder where she had gone. She wasn?t sure whether or not to be proud of that.

?Jozu, you there?? she whispered in the direction of the alleyway. There was no answer. She was sure she?d seen the shark hide in here, but it was too dark to make anything out. After a few seconds without a reply she tip-toed into the backstreet, blindly feeling around the walls as she walked.

OK, this was a bad idea. Sango brought one hand in front of her, channeling a basic light charm. If she?s not here, I?m just gonna go home and take a bath.

After a few seconds of focus, a small shining sphere emerged in Sango?s palm. It illuminated the alleyway around her, giving her a chance to see it in all its wretched glory.

It also revealed Jozu, standing no more than a few inches away from her.

?Boo.?

?Phweee?!?? Sango jumped backwards, almost falling into another puddle. The ball of light hung in the air, unperturbed. ?What the hell was that for? Jeez, I just about had a heart attack...?

Jozu smirked, leaning against the wall. She was just as covered in dirt as Sango, but she didn?t seem to care.

?You?ve got no clue how lucky you are,? the shark said. ?I could have killed you a dozen times over while you were fumbling about in the dark.?

?Then why didn?t you?? Sango said, trying and failing to clean off her sleeves. ?And on that note, how did you even find me??

Jozu placed a finger on the tip of her nose. ?You?ve got a very distinct smell, Sango. It wasn?t hard to follow your trail. And as for your other question...? Her eyes glinted with feral eagerness. ?I promised you a fair fight, didn?t I??

Just the sound of those words was enough to make Sango forget about the state of her outfit. This was a fight she?d been waiting on for a long time. Now they didn?t have any interruptions to worry about, they could slug it out until one of them had nothing left to give.

?So where are we doing this?? Sango asked. ?No offense, but it?s a bit cramped in here.?

?No worries,? Jozu said. ?I already figured that out.?

The shark leaned forward, putting a hand on Sango?s shoulder and whispering in her ear.

?The Claw descends on Sango Tororetsu.?

Sango?s whole body tingled. The world took on a dull blue tinge, and she began to float upwards as if she was underwater.

A magic duel, huh? The dolphin smiled. She hadn?t seen one of these since Mokou?s awakening. She took a moment to pull away, stretching her legs as she continued to ascend towards the sky. The sunset was gone - in fact the sun itself was nowhere to be seen, the whole world illuminated by a single ambient light.

?Man, that?s better.? Jozu performed a slow, graceful backflip as she rose above the skyline of Gensouto. ?Sometimes I really get sick of that whole ?walking? thing the humans love so much.?

?You get used to it. Besides, my fins really needed the break.?

Sango took a moment to warm up, stretching her limbs and taking a few practice swings. The worst thing she could do now was come into this fight unprepared. Jozu did likewise, making sure every muscle in her body was primed for battle.

?So how?s the Koishi girl holding up?? Jozu asked.

?Eh?? Sango flinched. That wasn?t a question she?d been expecting. ?Uh...fine, I guess? Kinda bored now that she?s stuck in the house all day, but she?s fine.?

?That makes two of ?em, then.? Jozu rolled her neck around, her bones making distinctive cracking sounds. ?Satori just got grounded by the boss. Too much of a liability, or something.?

?Oh.? Sango pouted. ?That?s a shame.?

?I know, right? Satori?s a damn good girl. She deserves better than that.? Jozu stretched her arms one last time, then reached for her belt. ?Anyway, this isn?t about them. Should we skip the pleasantries??

?Go ahead.? Sango smiled, lowering herself into the stance of Flowing Tide. ?We both know I?d beat you senseless if you don?t get your fix.?

?Heh. Looks like someone?s feeling cocky.? Jozu pulled a vial of blood from her belt, two fingers grabbing at the cork. ?Let?s hope you live long enough to regret it.?

In one smooth motion, she pulled the cork and brought the vial to her nose, letting its contents seep into her system. Her whole body bucked forwards, her eyes fading to black as her muscles grew in size and power. She let her mouth hang open, giving Sango another chance to see her razor-sharp teeth.

?Saa...Saaan...gooo...?

With her last shred of coherence, Jozu reached out to the dolphin with a hand. For a second, Sango swore she saw a smile flicker onto her opponent?s face.

Then Jozu charged, and she had much bigger problems to worry about.

?SangoooooOOO-!?

-----

Next Week's BGM: Control Crisis

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #621 on: October 06, 2013, 09:02:25 PM »
Quote
?I dunno how, but she finds a way to link everything to the government.? Momiji rolled her eyes. ?Right now she thinks it?s a distraction so people will forget about some new anti-terrorist law getting passed.?

Chekhov's gun detected.

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #622 on: October 13, 2013, 09:42:50 AM »
So a funny thing happened to me earlier this week...

-----

The first blow was a claw aimed straight at Sango?s eye. She brought up an arm to block it, the impact hard enough to make her bones shake. Jozu?s arm jerked backwards, too quick for Sango to capitalise on the opening.

The shark brought down a furious barrage that rocked Sango from head to toe. Sango dodged what she could, blocking anything she couldn?t swerve away from. Even parrying the blows was painful - Jozu?s strikes were so powerful that one stray punch could easily end the whole fight.

I?ve got to slow her down!

Sango weaved around the wild swings, scoring counter-punches where she could. She dotted Jozu?s body with jabs and hooks, hoping that the shark was still conscious enough to have some concept of fatigue.

To her dismay the shark barely registered any of Sango?s attacks, seemingly unaware she was injured at all. She continued her brutal offense, punishing Sango any time she tried to make a move.

For a brief moment, Sango regretted not being born a shark.

OK. Punches don?t work.

The dolphin?s brain kicked into overdrive, chugging out a battle plan as she tried to fight off her assailant. Every block sent a new wave of pain charging through her system, disrupting her focus.

Pressure points? She ducked under a blow meant for her head. No. Her body?s pain receptors are disabled. A kick slammed into her leg, and she swore she heard something shatter. And I already tried targeting her nervous system.

Years of training flashed before her eyes. What was there left to try? Was there anything in her arsenal that could possibly faze this kind of opponent?

?Graaaaaaaaah!?

Jozu roared, swooping down to sink her teeth into Sango?s shoulder. Sango caught it in both hands, needing all her strength to hold the shark?s head in place. That only served to leave her body open, and Jozu sent a fist pounding into her stomach.

?Guhuuu-!?

Sango felt the wind being knocked out of her lungs. Her fingers dug deeper into Jozu?s cheeks on instinct.

Eh?

Beneath Jozu?s skin, Sango could feel the faint pulsing of energy. The channels here were still functioning, but there wasn?t enough power in them for her to manipulate.

That left her one option.

My guts are really gonna hate me for this-!

Sango strengthened her grip on Jozu?s head, her fingers pressing further into the pressure points. Her heart pounded in her ears, her strength flowing through her in time with her pulse. Slowly she felt it seeping into her opponent, slowly and gradually working its way through her body.

?Graaah-?!?

Jozu made no attempt to move Sango?s fingers. She simply made the most of the opening, sending punch after punch straight into Sango?s stomach. With her hands locked in place, the dolphin couldn?t even try to defend herself.

?Aaah, haaah-...?

Sango felt like her internal organs had been reduced to paste, but she forced herself to endure. This was the only chance to do any sort of damage, even if she?d have to hurt like hell for it.

C?mon, c?mon, c?mon!

Her power was beginning to trickle through Jozu?s body, but her own stamina was running low. A few more good punches and Jozu would put a hole in her stomach. There was no way she?d finish before then.

To hell with it. Sango took one deep breath, listening to her heart reach a fever pitch. All or nothing!

She closed her eyes, listening to the flow of power through her. She mustered every ounce of energy she had left, willing it to rise up her body and through her arms.

Then, all at once, she sent her power pulsing into Jozu.

?Grraaaauuu?!?

Jozu howled, the sheer burst of energy charging through her body at once. Sango could almost hear the crackling of lightning through Jozu?s bones, overpowering her from the inside out. On sheer instinct, the shark sent another wave of blows charging into Sango?s stomach.

Just...a little...more...!

Sango?s body felt like it was made of lead. She focused the last of her energy on maintaining her grip, trying to finish Jozu before the shark could finish her.

?Graauu...uuu...?

Jozu?s punches finally started to weaken, the power from the pressure points too much for her to handle. Her eyes began to fade, the pure-black giving way to the usual white as her pupils rolled upwards.

One more punch would do it. And Sango had just enough power left in her.

?And...and...? Sango heard her arm creak as she pulled it backwards. ?And STAY DOWN!?

The strike caught Jozu square in the cheek, shutting her down like an off switch. The shark managed a tiny yelp before she went limp, drifting aimlessly in the water.

?Aaah, haah...?

The moment Sango saw her opponent was incapacitated, she took the opportunity to collapse entirely. She was relatively sure she?d broken something, but everything hurt so much she couldn?t be sure what. For a few minutes, she simply laid in place and gave herself a chance to recover.

?...I did it.? Staring up at the sky, she muttered absently to herself. ?I won.?

If she had any strength left in her, she would have taken the chance to cheer in victory. As she was, she had to settle for a contented sigh.

?...Mmmh...?

A few minutes later, the fallen shark began to stir. Any sign of the bloodlust had disappeared from her eyes, and she groaned every time she tried to move an inch.

?...Cheater.? She managed to tilt her neck around to look at Sango. ?Screwing with my head like that is totally not fair.?

?Don?t remember any rules saying I couldn?t,? Sango said, winking as her chest heaved. ?Besides, the alternative was letting you eat me alive. No offense, but that really didn?t sound very appealing.?

Jozu pouted, looking away and folding her arms. ?Why does everyone assume I?m gonna eat them? Seriously, you people are so racist sometimes...?

Sango drifted lazily through the water, reaching out and patting Jozu on the head. ?C?mon, don?t be so bitter. It was a good fight, wasn?t it??

The shark?s stubbornness began to crumble, until finally she managed to nod. ?...Yeah. You were pretty impressive, I admit.?

For a few seconds they simply floated there, comfortable in each others? presence. That was how long it took for Sango?s common sense to kick in.

?Oh, right.? She scratched at her head, pulling her arm away from Jozu. ?I should probably take you in for questioning now. Since you?re a member of the Black Claw and all.?

?Yeah, but you should have probably told your bosses that you were following me.? The shark grinned, showing Sango another flash of those brilliant teeth. ?Besides, there?s no way my awesome plan will work out if you arrest me here.?

?Phwee?? Sango tilted her head. ?Awesome plan??

The shark let out a deep breath. ?Trust me, you?re gonna want in on this. It?s about...well, the Komeijis.? She pulled herself upright, her expression growing stern again. ?But before I let you in on it, you?ve got to promise you won?t rat me out to the White Pearl. I?m already putting my ass on the line just telling you this, so please tell me I can trust you on this one.?

Sango?s stomach caved in, and it wasn?t just from the beating. Meeting a Black Claw agent was bad enough - conspiring with one would qualify as treason. If the boss ever found out about this, she?d probably have her remains scattered across the seven seas as a warning.

But at the same time, she could see a glimmer of something in Jozu?s eyes. It was concern - powerful, genuine, definite concern. She never seen an emotion so deep from the shark before. In that moment, she knew exactly where Jozu?s loyalties stood.

What the hell, Sango thought. In for a quarter, or however it is those humans put it.

?Alright.? She placed a hand on her chest and bowed her head. ?You have my word, Jozu.?

?Excellent.? Jozu?s melancholy expression quickly shifted back into happiness. She swam over to Sango, whispering in her ear like a student sharing a dirty secret. ?Alright, my accomplice, here?s what we?re gonna do...?

-----

?Aw, come on! That is totally not fair!?

The voice on the other end of the line was so loud that Koishi expected the phone to erupt in her hand. She moved it a few inches away from her ear.

?Calm down, Cirno-san. Deep breaths.?

?I don?t wanna be calm!? Cirno yelled. ?Why didn?t you tell me about the whole magical thingy? It?s awesome!?

Koishi sighed, falling backwards onto her bed. Youmu had warned her there was a chance Cirno?s memories could relapse after seeing footage of the zoo incident. She?d called up the Ex-Fairy as a precaution, a chance to let Cirno get some sort of explanation.

The phone call had quickly turned into an interrogation.

?So do you have a secret base?? Cirno asked, so giddy she was on the verge of flying. ?Or a mascot? It?s Sango-san, right? I knew she showed up at a really weird time!?

Koishi?s brain was on fire. She couldn?t keep up with the barrage of questions - and she suspected it was a bad idea to answer to begin with. Even if Cirno could keep things under wraps, she had no way of knowing who was listening in.

?Look, Cirno-san...? The Siren rubbed at her temples. ?I?m sorry I haven?t been in school lately. It?s a long story, but basically we can?t let the whole ?magic? thing get too far into the public eye.?

?Eh? Why not??

?Because-? Koishi hesitated. Nitori would have said humans couldn?t be trusted with that power, but she wasn?t so convinced. She sighed. ?Just because. You?re going to have to trust me on this one, Cirno-san.?

?Laaame.? Cirno?s groan was accompanied by the scrawling of a pencil. She must have been studying when Koishi had called. ?Well...you and Mokou-san did save my life, so I?ll let this one slide. But I?d better get a full explanation next time you?re in school, got it??

?Sure, of course. I?ll tell you everything once all the media stuff dies down.?

?Damn right you will.? Cirno giggled. ?My best friend, the magical girl. That?s awesome.?

?You?re welcome,? Koishi said with a smile. ?But let?s keep it our little secret for now.?

?Sure thing. Later.?

Koishi hung up the phone and buried her face in a pillow. That was the first time she?d made contact with the outside world for days now. Even with her pets to keep her company, the solitude was starting to get to her. She only had so many DVDs to distract herself with, and there was no sign of when the media frenzy would end.

She wanted to sleep, but she didn?t feel tired at all. For fifteen minutes, she did everything in her power to slow the constant flow of thoughts running through her mind. She would have been there for longer if she hadn?t been distracted by the footsteps.

?Koishi-san!?

Sango threw open the door to Koishi?s room, so hard the door almost snapped off its hinges. The Siren rolled about in her bed to face her guest.

?Sango-san, you could have knocked-huh??

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the state Sango was in. The dolphin?s clothes were caked with dirt and muck, her hair frayed in every direction. Her sleeves were pulled up, revealing dark-blue bruises dotted along her arms.

?Sango-san, what happened to you?? Koishi jumped off the bed, forgetting her earlier fatigue. ?You got caught up in a fight, didn?t you??

?That?s not important right now.? Sango gasped for breath, leaning on the doorway for support. ?We?ve gotta go. Tonight. You and me, to the beach.?

Koishi raised an eyebrow. ?Sango-san, I know you?re probably homesick too, but-?

?It?s your sister,? Sango blurted. ?You?ll see her.?

Koishi felt the cogs in her brain lock in place. ?Satori? What?re you talking about??

?I made a deal with Jozu,? the dolphin continued. ?She?s bringing Satori out to the beach on the edge of town. We?re meant to meet them at midnight tonight.?

?Jozu?? The initial wave of hope flowing through Koishi began to die down. ?You mean the shark girl from the Black Claw??

?Yeah, but we can trust her. She?s only given us one condition - we aren?t allowed to let the White Pearl know about it.?

?Sango-san, this woman tried to kill you,? Koishi said, with a pout. ?Several times.?

?And that?s why I believe her,? Sango said, folding her arms adamantly. ?We haven?t been able to say a lot to her, but you learn a lot about people in a fight. And from what I can tell, Jozu is more loyal to your sister than she?ll ever be to the Claw.?

Koishi?s chest felt numb. This all reeked of a setup - after Iku had tricked her, she?d been on her guard for anything else the Claw tried to throw her way. But she?d never seen Sango so convinced about something before - and if Satori was involved, she was willing to take a risk or two.

?...Okay.? Koishi took a deep gulp, swallowing down her fears as she steeled herself. ?So we meet Satori on the beach. Then what??

?What else?? Sango grinned. ?You two have your own fight to finish, right??

-----

98...99...100.

Satori sheathed her sword, wiping the sweat from her brow. With nothing to distract herself, most of her spare time was devoted to self-improvement. Her stance could always use a little work, no matter how much practice she put in.

She had been uncomfortable at first. They hadn?t given her anything to pass the time with - no books, no music, nothing. She?d spend days lying around the room, bored out of her skull.

When she?d agreed to help the Claw, that had all changed. Now whenever she had nothing else to do, she trained whatever aspect of her form she was most concerned about. Today, that happened to be her thrusts - they were too slow, leaving far too much room for a counter attack.

I?d better take a break, though. Satori took a seat in the corner. My arm feels awfully stiff.

She opened and closed her fist to get the blood flowing. Looking through the glass wall, she had just enough light to make out her immediate surroundings. Dark grey weeds bobbed about with the currents, and a stream of bubbles rose in the distance - but there was no sign of life to be found.

Satori sighed. She did her best not to let the loneliness get to her. This was how the youkai felt, after all - lost and alone, with their old world stolen from under their feet. The best way to understand their plight was to experience it.

Still, she couldn?t shake the feeling that this wasn?t where she belonged. She should have been out on the field, bringing about a revolution; not locked up in some holding cell on the bottom of the sea. There was no good reason to hold her back - she?d already fought Koishi once before, and nothing had happened. What was her master thinking?

She was so caught up in her pondering she barely noticed the mass of thoughts forming behind her.

?Satori??

Jozu?s voice shocked Satori back to consciousness. She turned around to see the shark stepping out of the airlock, wetsuit torn and scuffed in half a dozen different places. In spite of her injuries, she wore the proud grin of a victor.

?I?m back. Kept myself alive, just like you asked.?

?How thoughtful.? Satori smiled. Jozu?s company was her only reprieve from utter solitude. Still, the shark had never been the sort to keep secrets - well, there was one secret, but Satori had decided not to press that for now. ?So, I take it your plan worked??

Jozu saluted. ?Phase one was a complete success. Now comes step two.?

?Which is??

?Breaking you out of here.?

Satori was too stunned to answer for a few seconds. When she did find her voice, it was monosyllabic. ?What??

?Made a deal with the Porpoise Princess,? Jozu said, a sly grin sliding onto her face. ?She?s bringing your sister out for a secret rendezvous on the beach. Midnight tonight.?

Satori?s jaw hung open. ?How on earth did you get the master agree to that??

?I didn?t.? Jozu winked. ?It?s our little secret. Honestly, if the boss finds out, she?s probably gonna make a jacket out of my skin. So keep it to yourself for now.?

Satori felt faint, leaning against the wall for support. She hadn?t imagined Jozu to be the rule-breaking sort, and definitely not to this extent. If the leader of the Claw was as harsh as she thought, Jozu?s estimate for her punishment might not have been far off.

?You?re an idiot,? Satori said, caught between surprise and disappointment. ?Why would you take that kind of risk??

?Why?? Jozu frowned, folding her arms. ?I figured that was obvious. You wanted to settle the score with Koishi, didn?t you? So I pulled some strings to make sure that?d happen.?

?But our master said-?

?Screw her!? Jozu snapped, spitting out the words like they were poison.

Satori gasped. Jozu had never been this angry at her, not even when they?d first met. The shark?s face was locked in a brutal scowl, and she looked more ready to tear Satori apart than look after her. The Siren was beginning to understand how she could be such a dangerous opponent.

?It?s a stupid order, Satori. We both know that. So why are you so willing to just go along with it??

?Because I have to,? Satori countered, a hand jumping to her neck. ?You can?t throw a tantrum because of one order you don?t agree with-?

?Goddammit, stop trying to argue and just thank me already!?

The room was soundproof, but Jozu?s scream bounced across the walls and reached Satori from every direction. The rest of her objection crumbled beneath the sheer volume of the shark?s voice.

?Look at you, for crying out loud. You?d probably obey the boss if she told you to slit your own goddamn throat.? Jozu?s eyes blazed with a passion Satori didn?t know existed. ?Where?s your backbone? Are you just gonna blindly follow orders, or are you gonna draw the line before it?s too late??

Her raw audacity left Satori paralysed, unable to offer any sort of counterpoint. Had she really become so subservient? Was she nothing more than a pawn in someone else?s game? She didn?t want to believe it, but now she thought about it she fit the description all too cleanly.

?Maybe we can explain it afterward. Hell, if you beat your sister and talk her into working with us, you might even get a commendation.? Jozu let out another sigh, the anger wheezing out of her body. Now she looked almost solemn as she reached out, offering a hand to the fallen Siren. ?But right now, it doesn?t matter what the boss wants. This is about you. Are you with me??

Satori wasn?t sure how to feel anymore. Half a dozen emotions wrestled around inside her. She wanted to be disgusted by Jozu betraying the Claw, but all she could find deep down was gratitude. She wanted to be firm and authoritative, but more than that she wanted Koishi out of this war once and for all. She knew giving in to this temptation was childish - but in truth, she wanted to be a child more than anything right now.

The internal conflict lasted only a few seconds, but it left Satori exhausted. Wearily she looked up at Jozu, and for a moment she swore she saw something glimmer in the shark?s eyes.

?...Alright.? She grabbed at Jozu?s hand and pulled herself up. ?But if we get caught, this was definitely your idea.?

?Understood, ma?am.? Jozu smirked, ruffling at Satori?s hair before pushing her towards the doorway. ?Anywho, we?d better start moving. We haven?t got long until the guards change shifts, and that?s our only way out.?

Satori wasn?t really listening. Most of her attention was devoted to introspection. Here she was, about to break out from the institute she?d promised to aid for the rest of her life. She was breaking every oath and promise she had ever made to the Claw.

And yet she felt no shame or guilt for what she was doing. With every step she took she felt more confident with her decision, more certain that this was a stand she had to take.

?...Thanks, Jozu.? She placed her head on Jozu?s shoulder as the airlock began to flood. ?I needed that.?

?No worries,? Jozu said. She grinned as the room filled with water, and their path to freedom slid open. ?Now stick close, understand??

-----

Koishi had never taken the time to just watch the sea.

She could see the waves bouncing to and fro, from the coast all the way to the distant horizon. The sounds of the city had faded to nothing, leaving only the relentless rush of the tides. Water skipped along her feet, then dipped backward in an unrelenting cycle.

?It?s beautiful,? she said, to no-one in particular.

?Not really.? Sango shuffled a little closer to the Siren. ?I mean, it?s a nice view, but there?s a lot better out there.?

?Like what?? Koishi asked.

?Oh, I could be here all night with that.? Sango spread her arms out as far as they could go. ?Coral reefs in a million colours. Trenches so dark and deep you?re the only living thing for miles. Living, breathing volcanoes buried on the bottom of the sea.?

?...Huh. That is a lot more impressive, actually.? Koishi drew a line in the sand with her heel. ?I guess I have some exploring to do when all of this is over.?

?Sure thing.? Sango gave the Siren a pat on the head. ?Just make sure to invite your favourite tour guide. I?ll show you all the best spots.?

Koishi smiled, leaning slightly into Sango?s hand. She wasn?t sure how much the dolphin meant what she was saying - after all, when all of this was over, the White Pearl was planning to vanish without a trace. Still, if nothing else, she appreciated the sentiment behind it.

?This was where I found you, isn?t it?? she asked. ?Out here on the beach, before all of this began.?

?Sure was.? Sango looked off into the distance, eyes cloudy from nostalgia. ?Seems so long ago now. Never figured things would turn out like this, though. Don?t think anyone did.?

Koishi nodded. She had already transformed, her sword lying flat on the sand by her side. Though she did her best to hide it, she could hear her heart racing in both fear and anticipation.

?...One question, though.? Sango frowned. ?What are you gonna do if you lose??

Koishi didn?t even stop to consider it. She rose to her feet as she saw something moving under the surface.

?Don?t worry,? she said, picking her sword from the ground. ?I won?t.?

In the distance, a clock tower chimed twelve.

Two figures emerged from the water, walking out of the ocean and onto the beach. Satori took the lead, droplets running down the length of her saber. Jozu was a safe distance behind, making it clear that she would play no part in what was to come.

?Guess that?s my cue.? Sango stood up, then moved away to clear space for the two Sirens. ?Good luck, Koishi-san.?

Koishi nodded. With any luck, she wouldn?t need it. She began walking forward, matching her sister?s pace. When they came to a halt, they were only inches apart.

?Koishi.? Satori?s hand tightened around the hilt of her blade, her eyes as full of conviction as her sister?s. ?Should I even try to reason with you any more??

Koishi shook her head. ?We passed that point a long time ago, Satori. There?s only one way we can settle this.?

?That?s what I thought you?d say.? Satori took a long step backwards, bringing her blade forward and assuming her battle stance. ?Promise me, Koishi. Promise you?ll never fight again if I win here.?

Koishi hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then she matched her sister?s movements, stepping backwards and brandishing her own sword. ?Alright, Satori. I promise.?

The valkyrie smiled for the briefest of moments. Though she looked at ease, Koishi could almost feel the adrenaline pumping through her sister?s veins. Neither of them would hold anything back.

?Good luck,? Satori said.

?Yeah. Same to you.?

There was no triumphant exchange, no dramatic soliloquy. Just a few small words between two sisters that fate had pitted against each other.

Without so much as a fanfare, their battle began.

-----

Next Week's BGM: Meaning Of Birth

Esifex

  • Though the sun may set
  • *
  • It shall rise again
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #623 on: October 13, 2013, 12:31:23 PM »
Bum bum BUMMMMM

..Heaven or hell, lets rock? :o

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #624 on: October 13, 2013, 04:08:15 PM »
Epic battle of ultimate destiny, two of them even! Hype get!

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #625 on: October 20, 2013, 09:47:46 AM »
?Tides of Doubt!?

Koishi went on the offense immediately, charging forward with wild swings. Her third eye hummed, catching Satori in its ghostly aura. The valkyrie matched her sister blow for blow, the Tides of Doubt nullifying her speed advantage.

For a few minutes, they almost seemed to be taking turns. Koishi would strike, and Satori would slide out of the way. Satori would go in with a thrust, and Koishi would parry it at the last moment. On the sidelines Sango and Jozu watched on, silent but enraptured.

Now Koishi could hear nothing but the racing of her blood. Every swing, every stab was filled with everything she had. She could feel her sister?s determination carrying through Mjollnir, matching hers almost to a tee. The rest of the world was a blur - she saw Satori and nothing else.

There!

One clean swing forced Satori to stumble. The valkyrie stepped backwards, one hand falling to the ground for support. Koishi pressed her advantage, bringing her sword down towards Satori?s head.

The valkyrie smirked. ?Bad move.? She rolled to the side, and Koishi?s blade swung through empty air. In the same motion, she grabbed a handful of sand from the ground and sent it flying into Koishi?s face.

?Hyaah!? Koishi cried out as the sand struck her eyes, leaving Satori a fuzzy silhouette in her vision. She turned towards the water, but Satori stepped around to block her passage.

?I?m sorry, Koishi.? Satori came in with another thrust. ?But I can?t lose here, either!?

Koishi barely smacked the sword away, stumbling backwards under the valkyrie?s assault. Satori refused to give her a moment of reprieve, hammering down one stab after another. Any of them would have ended the fight if they had landed; Koishi could only manage clumsy, weak parries to keep herself alive.

Her brain was melting down. Satori had caught her off guard, and she couldn?t think of any way to reverse the momentum of the duel. She was holding Satori off, but there was no way this luck could last forever. Her vision was fading further, and her eyes were in almost unbearable pain.

What do I do? The question echoed through her mind, but there was no answer to be found. At last she lost her footing, tumbling backwards and landing sprawled on her back in the sand. She could barely see the shape of her sister standing over her, pulling the blade back for one final strike.

?This is it, Koishi.? A bolt of lightning danced along Mjolnir?s edge. ?It?s time for you to grow up-!?

No. Not like this. She couldn?t lose here. Koishi?s whole body cried out in dread. She forced her eyes shut, wildly flailing her sword in a desperate arc. Even if the odds were one in a million-

?Eh??

The blade hit clean, knocking Satori back before she could land the killing blow. Koishi pulled herself up, eyes still closed as she primed her sword again.

?Koishi, what are you doing?? She could hear Satori step backwards in the sand, her voice as bewildered as it was furious. ?Open your eyes and fight me!?

Koishi didn?t answer. She felt something strange humming through her system - voices whispering in her ear, telling her every little move she had to make. The part of her brain responsible for strategy had shut down - she felt feral, acting on sheer instinct alone.

She acted on the guiding words of her subconscious, her blade dancing through the air in a graceful arc. There was no need for her eyes anymore - with her sight gone, the rest of her senses had sharpened. She could hear every shuffle of Satori?s feet, every gasp for breath, even the whistling of wind as her saber flew forward.

?What the-?

Satori gasped, suddenly shifting to the defensive. Koishi?s strikes became almost surgical in their accuracy, striking just where they needed to stop Satori from mounting a counterattack. In blindness, she had become more powerful than she?d ever been with her eyes open.

Every one of Koishi?s senses felt primed. She knew Satori would slip eventually. When that chance came, no matter how slim it was, she had to take it. Only a decisive blow could reach her sister?s heart and prove her convictions.

All the while, the valkyrie?s nerves were starting to falter. She was bewildered by what she was witnessing, her mind-reading powers unable to react to Koishi?s raw instinct. The tide of battle had turned decisively, and now it was Satori on the verge of defeat.

?Why?? Satori?s voice was on the verge of cracking. ?Why won?t you give up?!?

Faces flashed in front of Koishi?s eyes. Cirno. Tewi. Eiki. Yuyuko. The people she had saved in her time as a Siren. Their smiles were a catalyst, bolstering Koishi?s spirit even further.

?Because too many people are counting on me,? Koishi said. ?If winning is what I need to do to make my world come true-?

She heard Satori?s blade fall slightly. The valkyrie?s grip had weakened. Instantly, Koishi swung at the base of Satori?s saber.

?-I?ll never lose!?

A final, brutal clash of steel rang across the beach. Satori?s sword flew from her hand, landing in the sand several feet away from her.

For a moment, there was no sound other than the shifting of the tide.

?I...? Satori?s voice was utterly monotone. ?No. This isn?t happening.?

Koishi finally wiped the sand from her face. When her vision cleared she saw Satori on her knees, staring down at the ground with tears forming in her eyes. The valkyrie was engulfed in a faint violet light, re-appearing in her human form.

?...Of all the people to beat me, it had to be you.? Satori?s face glowered with hatred, and she slammed a fist into the sand. ?Dammit, dammit, dammit!?

It was almost pitiful to look at. Satori?s eyes streamed with tears, her whole body rocking with heaving sobs. In the distance, Jozu looked almost as distraught, taking the first steps towards comforting her companion.

Before she could come close, Koishi wrapped her arms around her sister.

?It?s okay, Satori. It?s over now.?

Her body flashed with light as she dismissed her Siren form, hugging Satori with all her might. She could feel her sister?s warmth against her skin, a feeling she?d almost forgotten after months of separation.

?Koishi...? Satori went limp in Koishi?s arms, burying her face in Koishi?s shoulder. ?I?m sorry, I?m sorry, I can?t-?

?I know.? She patted her sister on the back. ?You can?t give up either, can you??

She had felt it in her sister?s blows during the fight. Satori?s conviction was too strong to be snuffed out in an instant.  But Koishi had managed to get through to her, even if it was just to sow the first seeds of change.

?It?s...it?s not fair.? Satori sniffled, trying to pull herself together. ?You want to save the humans, and I want to save the youkai. But we can?t do both, can we...??

?Why not??

Satori tensed. ?B-Because-?

?Satori.? Koishi squeezed her sister tighter. ?I?ll take on your dream, too.?

?What...??

Koishi smiled. ?You?re right. It?s not fair for one side to benefit while the other suffers. So I?ll find a way to save both of them.?

She didn?t know how she?d do it, but she knew nothing would stop her from trying. That was the only way to truly save her sister, she realised.

Satori was silent for a while. When she did find her voice, some of her warmth had returned along with it. ?When was the last time we hugged like this??

?Too long ago,? Koishi said. ?Far, far too long ago.?

Satori managed a sad smile, finally returning the embrace. ?Koishi...I?m home.?

Koishi grinned. ?Better late than ne-?

The breath died in her throat. Her face was locked in horror as a figure burst out of the water, pointing a single finger at Satori?s back.

?LOOK OUT!? On raw impulse, Koishi shoved her sister to the side.

Her body exploded in pain as a bolt of energy stabbed through her chest.

-----

Sango could only watch as Koishi fell to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. Satori was over her sister in a flash, propping her up in the sand and trying to tend to her wound.

?Oh, dear. It seems I missed.?

Leviathan stood knee-deep in the water, hand still outstretched from firing the bolt. Her face was twisted into a cruel smile.

?That voice...? Satori?s eyes popped open. ?Master? Why would you-?

?Don?t call me that,? the youkai hissed, with an animosity that hurt just to hear. ?I gave you everything you could have wanted, and all I asked for in return was your loyalty.? She spat at the Siren. ?I knew you humans couldn?t be trusted.?

Sango?s body heaved with disgust. She broke into a run, ready to charge Leviathan where she stood.

She wasn?t as fast as Jozu.

?You little piece of-? The shark had a head start, and her fury gave her an extra burst of speed. She closed her hand into a fist as she descended on Leviathan.

?And you!? Leviathan growled, swiping a hand in Jozu?s direction. Lightning leaped from her fingers, catching the shark in the chest and dropping her in an instant. ?You thought I wouldn?t notice you slipping out of the palace? You?re even more of an moron than I thought you were.?

Jozu didn?t respond. Her whole body twitched and flailed under the force of the lightning, but she clenched her teeth and refused to show her pain. Behind her, Sango had managed to catch up at last.

?You let her go right-kyah!? A second stream of lightning burst from Leviathan?s other hand, dropping Sango in a similar fashion. Her body jerked about against her will, but compared to the ordeal Jozu was going through it was nothing.

?Oh?? Leviathan?s voice was carefree, almost playful. ?And how do you plan to stop me, exactly? You?re just a pair of lackeys.?

Sango didn?t even have enough control of herself to speak. In the distance she could see Satori still trying to rouse her sister, hands covered in Koishi?s blood. The dolphin cursed beneath her breath, powerless to do anything but watch.

When a new voice spoke up, she swore she was hallucinating.

?Maybe they can?t. But we can!?

Something jumped from the pathway running alongside the beach. For an instant it hung in the air, and Sango could make out a pair of beautiful golden wings. Then it descended, plunging towards Leviathan with the speed of a bullet.

?Hm.? Leviathan frowned. ?The cavalry.?

The lightning from her fingers faded, and a hole opened up beneath her feet. She was gone before the impact, her aggressor slamming into the ground with a futile splash.

?Phwee!? Sango got a face full of sand and water, but it was still better than a face full of lightning. She hauled herself back to her feet as she looked up at her saviour. ?Mokou-san??

Mokou scowled. ?Damn. Should?ve figured she had an escape plan.? She looked down at the dolphin. ?You alright, Sango-san??

Sango stared up in awe for a moment before nodded. ?I-I?m fine, but Jozu-?

?No.? Jozu?s body was riddled with burns, but she still had enough strength to point further up the beach. ?I?ll be fine. Help...Koishi...?

The shark went limp, and for a moment Sango feared the worst, but she could still see tiny movements in Jozu?s chest. She pulled herself to her feet, the numbness fading along her muscles as she rose.

?Mokou-san, how did you-?

?No time,? Mokou muttered. ?Looks like we?ve got a bigger problem.?

By the time they had reached Koishi, the other Sirens were already circled around her. In their midst, Nitori barked orders at Satori, who was struggling to wrap a bandage around Koishi?s wound.

?C?mon, Koishi. Stay with me, please...?

Koishi couldn?t answer. She tried, but all that came out of her mouth was a painful wheeze. The wound on her chest began to froth, bubbles forming within the blood. Her face was turning a foreboding shade of blue.

?Dammit, it?s deeper than I thought.? Nitori swore in her mother tongue. ?And it?s punctured the lung, too.?

?Then what?re we waiting for?!? Satori yelled. ?We?ve got to get her to a hospital before she-?

Nitori?s response was a frosty glare. She looked down at Koishi, fresh blood already seeping from the bandage. ?The hospital?s half an hour away. There?s no way she?s going to last that long.?

Sango caught the moment everyone present processed that statement. A light sparked out in Satori?s eyes, and Mokou?s hands balled into fists. Sakuya and Youmu clasped hands, both squeezing for dear life. Komachi?s face darkened, and Nazrin?s expression went entirely blank.

That moment dragged on for what felt like eternity, until Nitori picked up Koishi and cradled her in her arms.

?Eh?? Youmu furrowed her brow. ?What are you doing??

?What do you think?? Nitori said, incredulous. ?I?m going to save her.?

?But you just said-?

?I said the hospital was too far away.? Nitori waved a finger in the Sirens? direction. ?I didn?t say she was going to die.?

As quickly as it had vanished, the hope among the Sirens had returned. Now every eye was on Nitori, listening up for whatever miracle would save their leader?s life.

Sango?s eyes widened. ?Boss, are you talking about the-?

?Of course I am,? Nitori said, the words flying out of her mouth at machine-gun pace. ?This is exactly the sort of scenario we had it stocked up for.?

?It?? Sakuya folded her arms. ?What is it, exactly??

?I?ll explain later.? Nitori looked down at Koishi, the blood already running onto her hands. ?Right now we need every moment we can get. Sango, help me bring Koishi into the van. The rest of you, bring the shark youkai over there to the school - she?s not critical, but she?s still in pretty bad shape.?

Dismay flew across the faces of the Sirens. Sango knew what they wanted to ask - why the school? But the question would cost them vital seconds, and that was time they couldn?t afford to lose.

?Right.? Nazrin nodded her head, tail swishing furiously even as she tried to keep her expression neutral. ?You?d better save her, got it??

?Sure thing.? Nitori winked. ?OK, Sirens, move out!?

The girls moved in unison, dashing along the beach to tend to Jozu. Nitori and Sango darted in the opposite direction, carrying Koishi back onto land and laying her down on the back seat of the van. Sango buckled herself in, resting Koishi?s head on her lap.

It wasn?t until then she realised Satori had followed them.

?I?m coming too,? the Siren said, so bluntly it left no room for argument. ?There?s no way you?re taking my sister away from me now.?

Nitori scowled at the valkyrie for an instant. Sango rarely saw that sort of anger from her boss, and when it did emerge it was something truly frightening. Satori repaid in kind, matching the kappa?s intensity and redoubling it.

In the end it was Nitori who flinched. ?Fine. But you?d better not leave my sight, understand??

Satori nodded, then shifted into the seat beside Sango. By now Koishi?s eyes had glazed over, and her breaths were small and rapid. Sango could see the fear in the valkyrie?s eyes, the unease she was trying so hard to conceal.

?Alright, we?re good to go.? Nitori jammed the key into the ignition, and the van?s engine roared to life. ?Keep hold of Koishi-san - this is gonna be a bumpy ride.?

Sango nodded, her grip on Koishi?s head growing tighter. Her fingers pressed against the Siren?s neck, feeling Koishi?s pulse weaken with every beat. She clenched her jaw, refusing to let the fear overwhelm her.

?It?s a good thing no-one?s out at this hour,? Nitori yelled over the sound of the engine, ?because I?m about to break every rule in the book.?

Then they were off, bursting through the streets of Gensouto in quiet desperation.

-----

Falling.

Koishi?s world was a blur. An unintelligible mesh of greys and blacks. She reached out and grabbed nothing. In the distance something rumbled, loud at first, but slowly softening.

There was no pain any more. Only a vague regret about the things she?d left unfinished. She thought of Satori, how they had reunited only to be torn apart again. She thought of the Sirens, the friends she was leaving behind to finish the fight. She thought of her pets, who would gain one master and lose another.

The rumbling was quiet now, a hum in Koishi?s ear. Her eyes began to close, and she felt her mind shutting down. There was no use in wasting her final moments with bitterness. She had managed to save Satori, and she could hardly ask for more than that.

She fell. And fell. And fell.












And landed.

?Ah-??

The sudden landing jolted Koishi back to her senses. She had fallen neatly onto an ornate wooden chair, finding herself seated at a pristine dining table. There were no walls, no ceiling, no floor - in every direction, the world expanded forever in a pale shade of violet.

?Where am I...??

Koishi ran a hand along the table, letting the wood brush along her fingers. At the same time it was utterly alien and faintly nostalgic, like a fragment of a forgotten dream. Come to think of it, how had she known it was a dining table? There were no dishes, no cutlery, no meals. The thought had simply jumped into her mind - for reasons she couldn?t place, it just felt right.

Why?

?Good evening.?

Koishi gasped. In the time it had taken her to blink, another figure had appeared on the other side of the table. A long purple dress hung over her slender body, and she casually sipped from a cup of tea that had likewise emerged from the ether. She carried an aura of almost supernatural calmness that dulled Koishi?s sense of danger.

The woman?s dark blue eyes ran across Koishi?s body, noting every scuff and mark. She smiled, brushing back her long blonde hair as she placed her cup on the table.

?You really have grown, my dear. Just as I?d hoped you would.?

Her words were the key that unlocked a memory in the deepest depths of Koishi?s mind. The Siren gasped, the truth slowly dawning on her.

?I...I?ve been here before, haven?t I??

The thoughts were foggy, but she could just about put them together. She remembered that day in the lake, when she had been on the brink of death - and the place she?d found herself afterward.

?Very good,? the woman said, with the tone of a proud mother. ?I wasn?t certain you?d remember, but it seems I?ve managed to jog your memory.?

Koishi gripped at her head. ?It?s still sort of hazy, honestly. I?m not even sure where we are.?

?Oh, that?s a simple question to answer.? The woman smiled. ?We?re on the Boundary.?

?The Boundary??

?Well, a Boundary, to be more precise.? The woman swooped a hand down at the table, picking up a cookie that hadn?t been there a second earlier. She munched at it as she began her explanation. ?It?s basically a border between one plane of existence and another. Normally you fit very neatly on one side or the other, but occasionally souls can find themselves caught inbetween, like a butterfly trapped in a net.?

She pushed the plate of cookies towards Koishi. ?Want one??

Koishi looked down at the plate, its silver sheen catching in her eyes. Shrugging, she took the smallest snack she could see and nibbled at a corner. It tasted of nothing, yet the texture was strangely pleasing to Koishi?s palate.

?Then...this is a Boundary between life and death??

?You catch on quick, I see.? The woman smirked, wiping some stray crumbs from her cheek. ?You?re having what human scientists would call a near-death experience. With any luck, your friends will save you before you pass over completely. In the meantime, I?m afraid you?ll have to bear with my company.?

?Yeah, about that...? Koishi gulped, worried her question would come across as an offense. ?Who are you??

The woman paused for a moment, eyes widening. A few seconds later, she burst into laughter.

?Oh, you have no idea how long it?s been since someone asked me that!? Her giggles were almost childlike, a stark contrast from her normal coolness. It was a few minutes before she regained her composure, clearing her throat and straightening her back. ?Ah, my apologies. It?s just that normally, my reputation tends to precede me. I haven?t had the chance to introduce myself in a while, so forgive me if I make the most of it.?

She rose from her chair, hanging in empty space as she curtseyed towards Koishi. ?I am Yukari Yakumo. It?s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.?

Koishi almost choked on her food. ?Yakumo? The Yukari Yakumo??

?Is there another?? The youkai winked. ?But no, I am the woman you?re thinking of. Ruler of all the earth?s youkai...or at least, I was at one point.?

Yukari fell back into her seat, arms flapping around in an attempted flourish. She watched Koishi intently for a few seconds, gauging her reaction closely. The only response Koishi offered was a blank, bewildered expression.

?Hmm.? The youkai put a hand to her chin. ?You are an unusual one.?

?Eh? Why??

?Whenever people find out who I am, they usually jump to one of two responses.? She raised two fingers for emphasis. ?Either they praise me endlessly for being some almighty ruler, or they curse my name for unleashing the greatest evil the world has ever known.? She grabbed another cookie from the table, biting down hard on it this time. ?Yet you don?t seem to have fallen to either extreme. Why is that??

Koishi tilted her head. ?Well, I barely know you. All I have are second-hand stories I?ve heard from other youkai. It doesn?t seem right to judge you based on that alone.?

Yukari chuckled again, but this time her laugh was more refined. ?It?s rare to see someone so...open-minded. I knew I chose well when I selected you.?

?Thanks,? Koishi said, a light blush rising to her cheeks. ?Actually, is it okay if I ask you something about that??

?Oh??

?Well...? A million questions rose to Koishi?s mind, but they all stemmed from a single root. ?This might sound like a silly question, but why this? Why the Sirens, the Teardrops, everything? Wasn?t there a better way to hold the Ravager back??

When the subject changed to the Sirens, Yukari?s entire demeanour shifted. There was a new solemnity in her stance, her shoulders slumped, letting out a little sigh with every exhale. She stared down at the table as she began to speak.

?I suspect you know much of the story already. I gave my life to seal the Ravager away, but even then the spell wasn?t strong enough to destroy it. I had to make plans for the future, so that when the threat re-emerged there would be a force ready to stop it.

?The problem was...well, look around you.? Yukari motioned to the void. ?It took a good deal of my power just to make it to the boundary, but there?s no way for me to return to the world of the living. If I was to prepare any sort of defense, it would be through using other people as a proxy.?

?Then how did you choose?? Koishi asked. ?If you couldn?t get past the Boundary, how did you pick the Sirens??

?That?s another story.? Yukari let out another sigh. ?I can?t affect the living world, but I can see the occasional glimpse of its future. I saw fragments of who you girls were and what you would become, and did what I could based on the information I had. The only Siren I had a chance to meet in person was...well, you.?

?Ah.? Koishi pursed her lips, unsure how to parse that information. ?So you chose me based on that??

?Indeed.? Yukari nodded. ?I already had your sister picked out, but until you arrived I didn?t even know she had a sibling. When I saw your future, it was clearer than any I?d witnessed before - I could see exactly what life would put you through, what you would experience, how it would shape you.? She smiled. ?And most importantly, that you would return here to speak with me again.?

Koishi felt like she was drowning in air. Yukari casually spoke of precognition, seeing years or even centuries into the future as if it was nothing. She truly was as powerful as Koishi had been told. She was so caught up in awe that she almost missed Yukari?s next statement.

?Now, I can entrust you with the truth.?

Koishi froze. A sense of foreboding pressing on her shoulders. ?What truth??

Yukari paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. ?I intended for the Sirens to serve two purposes. They would stop the Black Claw from coming into power, but there was another role for them to accomplish, a choice they had to make. That was why the Sirens all had to be human - they needed to see the world with open eyes, without any of the pre-formed prejudices youkai would bring to the table. I chose girls from all walks of life, so the conclusions they drew wouldn?t be tainted by bias.?

Every word made Koishi feel more and more cautious, trepidation hanging in her voice as she spoke. ?What choice??

?What else?? Yukari smiled, but there was a sadness in her grin now. ?I chose you to decide the fate of the world.?

The youkai ran a hand along the top panel of the table, revealing a small dagger hidden underneath. Its blade glinted with all the colours of the rainbow, humming with a quiet but brilliant aura.

?This is Aptera,? she said. ?I?ve spent centuries crafting it, and it?s my greatest work. It draws from the power of the masquerade itself, a power stronger than anything I ever had in my time. It should be strong enough to vanquish any enemy you come across.?

Koishi stared at the knife in awe, picking it up and examining it. At every angle it took on a new colour, like a brilliant kaleidoscope. She could hardly believe that something so beautiful could also be so powerful.

?...Regrettably, that power will come at a cost.? Yukari slumped forward onto the table, the teacup shaking as her hands struck the wood. ?This is not a weapon you can fuel with your own might, or even the power of the Sirens as a collective. It must draw its power from the magical powers of an entire race.?

Koishi gasped. She dropped the knife, as if it had just caught alight.

?The Sirens as a whole have to decide whether its power should come from. Whichever race you choose will never be able to use magic again - no charms, no spells, nothing. They won?t even be able to use magical items like the Teardrops. The process will be instant and irreversible.?

Koishi blinked. ?But I thought the whole point of the masquerade was that humans didn?t even know magic existed. What would change if they lost a power they didn?t know they had??

?Oh, Koishi, it would change everything.? Yukari sighed, her eyes losing focus. ?Because the magic of humanity is the only thing stopping the youkai from going to war.?

The Siren felt her stomach give way.

?The youkai populace still bears a lot of hatred toward humanity. If the humans had no magic to defend themselves, there?s nothing that would stop the youkai from flattening them in full-blown war.? Yukari drew her shoulders in, trying to take up as little space as possible. ?Even a nuclear bomb could be nullified with a simple charm. It could take months or even years, but eventually humanity would be worn down to nothing.?

Koishi felt sick. What sort of choice was that? Either way, she would be crippling an entire race for the rest of time. She pulled her chair backwards, shaking her head as her eyes were locked on the knife.

?No...I can?t do that. I can?t make that sort of call.?

?I know.? Yukari nodded, eyes glistening with guilt. ?It?s an awful responsibility to place on someone, and I?d have done anything to avoid it. But it?s not your responsibility alone, Koishi - you have your friends to talk to. Maybe together you can make a decision that all of you can live with.?

She pushed Aptera forward, right to the edge of the table. ?Please, Koishi. I need the Sirens to finish what I couldn?t.?

Koishi wanted to run, but the empty space around gave her nowhere to go but down. She glared at the knife, as if looking at it hard enough would make it disappear.

This was her duty, she thought to herself. This was the choice she had been chosen to make. But she wanted no part of it.

?I?m sorry.? She shook her head. ?I can?t, Yukari-san. I just can?t.?

Hurt flashed across Yukari?s face for a moment, like Koishi had just slapped her across the face. ?I?m...sorry to hear that, Koishi.? She grabbed a cookie from the plate, letting it crumble between her fingers. ?I only hope you change your mind before it?s too late.?

Before Koishi could protest, a sudden shaking rocked the chair. Koishi fell forward, grabbing at the table for support. Her hand grabbed on instinct at the knife.

?Ah, looks like your time is up.? Yukari looked upwards with a smile. ?Say hello to Ran for me, will you? Tell her I send my regards.?

Koishi felt an invisible hand grab at her collar, tugging her upwards through the air. She flopped around, unable to stop her ascent, quickly flying into the empty sky. Yukari waved at her as she went, quickly becoming nothing but a speck in the Siren?s vision.

The rumbling from before returned - faint at first, but growing stronger. With each cycle it became louder and clearer, until finally Koishi recognised it as a heartbeat. Her heartbeat.

As her world faded to white, she realised she was still holding onto the knife.

-----

?Pu-haaaaaaaa!?

Koishi gasped, her lungs ravenously taking in all the air they could. All her nerves felt like they?d been turned on at once, the physical opposite of numbness. She flailed about, only to find herself squirming in something heavy and viscous.

?Hey, she?s waking up!?

A voice echoed from a receiver to Koishi?s right. As her eyes came into focus, she saw she was floating in a pale green liquid, still wearing the bloody uniform she?d passed out in. A small mask hung over her face, sending up a stream of bubbles every time she exhaled. She reached forward, her hand pressing against a sheet of solid glass.

A few seconds later, her vision was clear enough to see what was on the other side - the humble abode of Room 495.

?Morning, Koishi-san.? Nitori tipped her cap in Koishi?s direction. At her side, Sango was standing with her back to the wall, trying to look unremarkable and failing. ?How?s it feel being alive again??

Koishi?s eyes popped open. Standing on the other side of the glass were the other Sirens, all of them looking in at her. She could make out varying expressions of relief and excitement, though Nazrin was doing her best to look unfazed.

?Eh?? She spoke through the mask, assuming the communication was two-way. ?Where?s Satori??

?She?s in the nurse?s office with her shark friend,? Komachi answered. ?She was hangin? around here for a bit, but I think it mighta been too much for her to watch you hurtin? like that.?

Hurting? Koishi tilted her head. She didn?t feel any pain. In fact, looking down on herself, she couldn?t find so much as a scratch. She could have sworn she?d been shot, but there wasn?t even a trace of her injury.

?Surprised?? Mokou smirked. ?Yeah, we were, too. The boss hauled you in here double-time and shoved you into that tank. Seriously, that thing is a miracle-worker. You?ve gotta let me in on the recipe.?

?I?m afraid it?s not very viable, Mokou-san.? Nitori shrugged, shoulders slumping now the danger had finally passed. ?It took us decades to store enough energy to power the tank, and even then it?s only good for one use.?

As if on cue, the machine?s faint humming began to die down. The green liquid lost its light, darkening and growing lighter around Koishi. Slits opened in the floor beneath her, draining away the spent gel over the course of a minute. Koishi pulled the mask off the moment her head was above the surface, savouring a breath of real air.

?You should be fine now, Koishi-san.? Nitori swirled her chair around to face Sango and frowned. ?But first, I think the two of you owe us an apology.?

?Phwee-? Sango managed a little squeak before her face went bright red. She hung her head forward, almost genuflecting at her master?s feet. ?I?m sorry, I?m sorry, I?m sorry!?

?You should be,? Sakuya said with a frown. ?I never put you down as the type to converse with the enemy, Sango-san.?

?And not telling your own companions about it?? For once Youmu was in agreement with Sakuya, the two sisters moving together as one to confront the dolphin. ?Immature isn?t nearly strong enough a word for it.?

Sango grew teary-eyed as the Sirens started to surround her. She raised her hands in surrender, ready to accept whatever punishment they forced on her.

Mokou gave her a playful bonk on the head. ?We?re a team, remember?? There was no anger in her voice, only a minor disappointment. ?You?re really lucky that we were there when the whole thing went to hell, or Koishi-san wouldn?t have survived.?

?Wait, you knew?? Koishi opened the hatch to the tank as the last traces of gel drained away. ?But we didn?t tell anybody else-?

?Actually, you did.?

Nazrin raised a hand, a smug grin rising to her face. ?Come on, Koishi-san. You really think you two could just sneak out of the house and not expect anyone to notice??

?Wasn?t all us, though!? Shou?s form popped out from the mouse?s side, pulling a thumbs-up with both hands. ?We had some help when it came to getting the word out.?

Nazrin growled. ?Quit stealing my thunder, master.?

?Help?? Koishi tried to brush the gel out of her hair as she stepped out of the tank. ?What sort of help-?

?KOISHI-SAMA~!?

Before she could finish the sentence, Koishi was charged from both sides in a massive embrace. Rin and Utsuho both clung to her like glue, paying no mind to the fact she was soaked through.

?Koishi-sama, you?re such an idiot!? Rin yelled, on the verge of tears. ?What kind of master runs off like that and leaves her pets to worry about her??

Utsuho cooed furiously, her wings flapping around to dry Koishi off. ?We were really scared, Koishi-sama. Never ever ever do that again, okay? Pretty please??

Even with her outfit drenched, Koishi couldn?t help but feel warm as her pets hugged her. The Sirens were gathered around, all looking at her with bright smiles. They were right - the Sirens were a team, and she?d forgotten that.

?I?m sorry, everyone,? she said. ?I won?t go off by myself like that again.?

?Here?s hoping,? Komachi said. ?Just to be clear - you don?t have a second sister you never mentioned, right??

A long hard laugh echoed through the room. It was a laugh they all desperately needed to let out. The crisis was over, the battle was won, the day was saved.

Yet Koishi couldn?t help but think about what she?d experienced while she was unconscious. Had it been a hallucination? Surely it must have been. After all, Yukari had made all that fuss about the knife, and it was nowhere to be seen.

...Right?

She wanted to believe that, but she couldn?t shake the feeling something was wrong. She dug a hand into her pocket on a paranoid instinct.

Her fingers closed around cold steel. Cold, and raw, and wicked.

BT

  • I never talk to you
  • *
  • People say that I should
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #626 on: October 20, 2013, 08:42:31 PM »
like, okay, I saw this coming but I didn't expect
Spoiler:
Yukari

good shit

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #627 on: October 27, 2013, 08:01:51 AM »
“I’m not hurting you, am I?”

Satori’s hands ran carefully along Jozu’s body, the sponge numbing the pain from her burns. The question was so rhetorical that Jozu almost wanted to laugh at it.

“No, not at all.” She infused every syllable with as much sarcasm as she could muster. “Actually, I’ve never felt better. Think I might go for a walk, actually.”

“Very funny.” Satori’s expression grew suddenly stern. “Seriously, though, let me know if I’m pushing too hard. It won’t help anyone if I make your injuries worse.”

Jozu rolled her eyes. “Yes, mom.”

Their discussions were interspersed with long silences, where Satori would do nothing but tend to Jozu’s wounds. The shark looked worse than she was - the burns were thorough, but a well-kept youkai would be back on their feet in a matter of hours. All Satori could do to help was make the recovery process a little less painful - but she was doing everything she could on that count.

There was something unnerving about her proximity, Jozu thought. Personal space wasn’t a concept that youkai usually cared for, but having Satori this close made her feel strangely embarrassed. Maybe it was an aftereffect from the burns? Yes, surely it had to be that.

“So how’s your sister doing?” she asked, eager to distract herself. “Is she gonna pull through?”

“Koishi’s fine.” Satori let out a little sigh of relief. “Apparently they cut it pretty close. Another minute or two and she would have been beyond saving.”

“Jeez. That must’ve been awful for you.”

The Siren looked down with a sad smile. “Don’t worry. It’s not the first time.”

The look on Satori’s face struck a chord in the depths of Jozu’s heart. Even with her whole body wracked with pain, all the shark could think about was how much Satori had been through. She wanted to reach out and rip the sadness from that expression, to give the girl something to smile about for a change.

Holy shit, that was sappy. Jozu smacked herself in the forehead. What had happened to her? She’d been a ruthless killer before this whole Siren business, and now she was more worried about a human than she was about herself. The change had been so gradual that she’d made no attempt to resist it.

And the frightening thing was that even now, she didn’t mind what she had become.

Dammit, Satori. What have you done to me?

Jozu looked up at the Siren. Satori was the closest thing she had to a friend nowadays. No, friend was the wrong word - friends didn’t make your insides turn to jelly when you thought about them for too long. But even then, it was too late for anything to happen between them, not after what Jozu had done...

“Hello?” Satori clicked her fingers in front of Jozu’s face. “Don’t tell me you’ve passed out again.”

Jozu flinched. “Ah, uh, sorry. I was, uh...distracted.”

Satori sighed and shook her head. She reached down, tenderly putting Jozu’s hand in hers. “Is there something you want to say?”

Dammit. Stupid mindreaders, always knowing when you had something to hide. Jozu cleared her throat, but it only managed to make her chest feel heavier.

“Look, Satori...I’m sorry about everything.”

Satori tilted her head. “Eh? What are you sorry for?”

“What else?” Jozu squeezed at the Siren’s hand. “I nearly got your sister killed, and now the Black Claw is gonna be out for your blood. I tried to help you out, and all I managed to do was make shit worse.”

She couldn’t look. She knew she’d let Satori down in the worst way possible. She’d wanted to play dumb and act like the whole thing never happened, in the hope that maybe they could pretend everything was okay. But there was only so long she could run from what she’d done.

Satori squeezed back.

“What do you mean, Jozu?” Satori’s face brightened. “It’s thanks to you that I can speak with my sister without us coming to blows. It was dicey, maybe, but it all worked out in the end.” Her eyes glistened with a brand new joy. “And I can’t exaggerate just how grateful I am for that.”

Jozu felt numb, the pain in her body falling away. All the fear and dread she’d been bottling up disappeared in an instant. Satori wasn’t just alright with what had happened, she appreciated it. The sudden release of tension made Jozu feel like she was flying.

“Heh heh...that’s good to hear.” She was still blushing, and now she knew it wasn’t thanks to the burns. “I wanted to cheer you up, Satori. It really sucked seeing you wallowing around the fortress like that. Because I, well...”

Jozu had exactly one chance to let it out. If she waited for the moment to pass, it would never feel as right as it felt now. Even if she was wrong - even if Satori didn’t understand - she had to say it now before her heart exploded.

“I...I like you, Satori. I mean, really really like you.” The first words were the hardest, but Jozu sped up from there. “Not at first, I admit. I thought you were gonna be a hassle, but you ended up growing on me. Now when I think about you too much I start feeling really anxious and I worry that maybe I’m being stupid about this and how would it even work I mean you’re a human and I’m a youkai and we can’t-”

Her soliloquy was interrupted by Satori leaning forward and kissing her on the lips.

It was a short kiss, but it was enough to make the shark feel like she was on fire.  By the time Satori pulled back, Jozu swore she could feel steam hissing from her ears.

“Congratulations,” Satori said with a smile. “I was wondering when you’d finally find the courage to say it.”

“Then-then you knew?” Jozu stammered, any sense of composure scattered in the wind. “But I worked really hard not to think about it when I was around you. I didn’t wanna - I thought it’d be really awkward if you didn’t feel the same.”

“Well, you didn’t try hard enough.” Satori ran a playful hand through Jozu’s hair. “But you’ve got nothing to worry about, Jozu. You’re a very special person to me, too. I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable with how you felt before I told you.”

Jozu nuzzled at Satori’s hand, letting her hair rustle between the human’s fingers. It was so subservient she would have died on her feet if anyone else saw it - but with Satori, it just felt so right.

“...But how are we gonna make this work?” She pouted. “I mean, either way this war ends, we’re probably gonna go our separate ways.”

Satori’s eyes quickly hardened with resolve. “Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to make it work. Either I’ll hide you at home, or I’ll come live with you on the bottom of the ocean. Whatever it takes.”

She spoke with such power that Jozu had no choice but to believe her. The pair lost themselves in each others’ eyes, sharing a long but comfortable silence.

“...I should probably go.” Satori broke away first, standing to her full height over the bed. “They’re holding a debriefing for the Sirens, so I should probably attend. Don’t go walking off, understand?”

Jozu’s arm creaked as she saluted. “Roger that, boss. Take care.”

Satori nodded, her face erupting into another grin. Just seeing that smile brought a warmth to Jozu’s heart. Her eyes followed Satori up until she was a distant speck in the corridor.

It took a while for her body to remember how much it was hurting.

“Ah, jeez...” Jozu winced as she pulled the covers back over herself. “Would it kill these guys to give me a painkiller or two?”

-----

“So, that’s that.” Nitori fumbled with her papers, clearing her throat in an attempt to quell the growing murmurs. “Assuming there are no objections, we’ll move straight on-”

“Of course I have an objection!” Momiji stood up from her chair, slamming her hands into the desk. She swung an arm around with a flourish as she pointed it towards the dolphin sitting across from her. “Ma’am, Agent Tororetsu violated every rule the White Pearl has. She made deals with the enemy, kept vital information from her superiors, and led one of the Sirens into a goddamn deathtrap. And you’re going to pardon her?”

Sango bowed her head forward, sweat dripping from her brow as her fingers tapped at her lap. “I-I said I’m sorry, okay? It was stupid and I should have told you guys, but I didn’t mean for things to turn out like they did!”

“The humans say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” Momiji growled. “Maybe you should have kept that in mind.”

Nitori sighed, leaning backwards into her chair. She’d hoped that if she glossed over the matter quickly no-one would question it. Why couldn’t anything be simple anymore?

“You’re right, Momiji. What Sango-san did was all sorts of illegal, and normally I’d have made a pretty public example of her.”  The kappa shrugged. “But the progress she managed to make with it was pretty damn invaluable, so we can write it off as a learning experience. And the girls are willing to forgive her - right, girls?”

She motioned to the far end of the table, where another half-dozen desks had been added to accommodate the Sirens. Satori was at the very end of the table, as far away from the ‘official’ members of the Pearl as was physically possible.

“Right.” Koishi nodded, speaking on her allies’ behalf. “Sango-san was never planning to hurt anyone, and it’s thanks to her that I got the chance to make up with my sister. She deserves a second chance.”

“Yes, but-” Momiji stayed standing, mouth bobbing open and shut as she tried to come up with a counterargument. Nitori pondered how best to defuse the wolf - it was difficult to reason with someone so in love with the rules.

Luckily, Ran intervened before Nitori had to step in.

“Easy, girl.” The fox reached up, putting a hand on Momiji’s shoulder and lowering her back into her seat. “Now isn’t the time to get caught up in petty disputes. We have much larger issues to deal with than a stray dolphin.”

Momiji continued to grumble and glare at Sango, but she eventually gave up on her attack. Her respect for Ran was stronger than her loyalty to the law, it seemed. Nitori eased her shoulders, relieved that the problem had managed to solve itself.

Now she could focus on the difficult part.

“Right, then. With that out of the way, let’s continue the debriefing.” Nitori looked right across the table towards the newest member of the group. “Satori-san, I hope you appreciate the risk we’re taking in allowing you to listen in on this. For all we know, you could just walk out right now and tell Leviathan exactly where we’re hiding.”

“And why exactly would I do that?” Satori took the accusation poorly, folding her arms and rolling her eyes. “I’m not sure if you missed the part where Leviathan tried to kill my sister and my partner in rapid succession.”

The air cooled to freezing point. Every eye at the table had fallen onto Satori - one or two looking on with concern, but most examining her with suspicion. Nitori growled, already knowing she’d started on the wrong foot.

“To be fair, we are dealing with a genius.” Sakuya twirled one of her braids around with a finger. “I wouldn’t put it past Leviathan to set up a plan like that.”

“But she shot Satori-san first, didn’t she?” Mokou scratched her head. “Koishi-san only got hit because she got in the way. Seems like a big risk to take.”

“I’m with Mokou-san on this one,” Komachi said, nodding thoughtfully. “Leviathan’s smart, but she’s not crazy. That plan sounds like too much of a gamble.”

A short silence followed, which was the closest they were likely to come to an agreement. Again, Nitori opened her mouth to try and move the discussion along; again, someone else beat her to the punch.

“Still, I’m rather skeptical,” Ran said, her tails standing on end behind her. “No matter how badly Leviathan may have angered you, it’s hard to believe you’ve changed sides so suddenly.”

Satori frowned. “That’s because I haven’t. I still believe in what my master told me; I’ve just found out that she doesn’t. We’re not allies, Yakumo-san. We simply share a common enemy.”

A collective gasp ran across the table. Nitori mentally smacked herself across the face - she’d expected Satori to be confrontational, but she never thought the Siren would be this blatant about it. The only person who seemed to have been expecting her outburst was Koishi, nodding along in understanding.

“Eeeh?” Sango blinked rapidly, rubbing at her eyes in disbelief. “But you said you’d give up if you lost to Koishi-san!”

“I said no such thing,” Satori retorted, raising a finger in dispute. “Koishi agreed she’d stop fighting for the Pearl if she lost. You assumed the agreement was mutual.”

“But that’s-” Youmu’s hands balled into fists, as if the claim had been a personal offense. “That’s just dishonourable! The odds were stacked from the very beginning!”

The valkyrie smirked. “It’s not my fault Koishi didn’t use her head, is it?”

That was the spark that started a wave of dispute, a dozen voices merging into one another. All of them were aimed at Satori, either stating their disbelief or simply telling her exactly where she could stick her double-crossing tactics.

Nitori grabbed at her temples. This had spiraled out of control with absurd speed, and she had no clue how to stop it. If it was as simple as kicking Satori out, she’d have already done that - but the fact was, the valkyrie was the only way they’d have a chance of finding Leviathan’s hideout. They needed her help - the only problem was getting everyone to play along nicely.

“Everyone, stop it!” Koishi’s voice rose above the rest, silencing the table in a surprising display of force. She reached over and took her sister’s hand in support. “Satori isn’t a bad person. Maybe we don’t agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work together.”

“Wait, why are you sticking up for her?” Nazrin’s tail whipped against the floor. “I thought you were the one she just admitted to double-crossing.”

Koishi’s face hardened, seeming to age by almost a decade. “Does that even matter? So what if Satori disagrees with us? It’s like she said - we’ve got a common enemy, and we’re only going to beat the Black Claw if we team up.”

“Koishi-san, with all due respect,” Momiji said, in a tone that implied no respect at all, “I don’t think you’re in a position to make a judgement here. Your relation to Satori compromises your viewpoint.”

“Maybe it does,” Koishi said. “But we need her right now, and nothing’s going to change that.”

The bickering voices stayed silent, unable to offer a response - not because Koishi’s argument was foolproof, but because it was anything but. There was no logic to it, and without that there was no way to offer a meaningful retort.

“...As unpleasant as it is, Koishi-san has a point.” Nitori made the most of the silence, stepping in before anyone could restart the debate. “We need Satori-san’s assistance if we’re going to find where Leviathan’s hiding. It’s not going to be pleasant for any of us, but we’ll have to grin and bear it.”

She turned to Satori. “Until further notice, you are under my direct command. You don’t move, think, eat or breathe until I say so. Understood?”

The valkyrie frowned, but as she turned towards her sister her expression softened. Finally she managed a shrug. “Alright. I’ll play nice.”

“Good.” Nitori wiped a layer of sweat from her brow. “Now, I’ve already asked Jozu about the specifics of the Black Claw stronghold. I’ll be discussing it in more detail with her shortly; Momiji, Ran, Sango-san, you’re to come along with me for that. The rest of you, hang tight for an hour or two while we figure out where to go from here.”

Nitori put down her papers and shuffled her collar. “Now, unless anyone has something they want to add-”

“Actually,” Koishi said, raising her hand, “While I’m at it, there’s something else I need to say.”

Oh no. Nitori did her best to hide her concern. “What is it, Koishi-san?”

Koishi bit her lip, seemingly unsure where to start. “This is going to sound pretty crazy, but while I was unconscious, I...” She paused, visibly struggling for the words.

“What is it?” Ran said sharply. “We don’t have all day, girl-”

“I met Yakumo-san.” Koishi blurted the sentence out all at once. “Yukari Yakumo-san.”

Ran’s look of dismay was quickly replaced with utter shock. “Wha-What sort of joke do you think that is? My master’s been dead for centuries.”

“Exactly,” Koishi said. “I only met her because I nearly died myself. This isn’t the first time, either - I met her once before when I was a little girl.”

Satori’s eyes widened at that one. Nitori saw her mutter “the lake” beneath her breath. No-one else seemed sure how to approach the claim, looking on with varying expressions of shock.

“...Boss, there wasn’t anything in that healing gel, was there?” Sango said. “You didn’t put her on an acid trip or something.”

“What sort of scientist do you think I am?” Nitori pouted, insulted by the accusation. “Still, what Koishi-san is claiming is...not unheard of, but it’s immensely rare.” She turned back to Koishi. “Did Yakumo-san happen give you anything to prove you were there? When a soul visits the Boundary, anything they’re given should be brought back with them.”

“Yeah, she-” Koishi reached for her pocket, then stopped abruptly. “...Wait, never mind. I made a mistake.”

Nitori furrowed her brow. It was a clumsy lie, and everyone at the table could tell. It wasn’t hard to tell where she was hiding the evidence, either.

“...Alright,” she said, with a shrug of her shoulders.

“What?” Momiji jerked her neck around. “Ma’am, she’s clearly hiding something-”

“I know,” Nitori said, her voice slow and steady. “But I also know Koishi-san isn’t the type to lie. If she’s keeping something from us, it’s because Yukari told her to. That means it may as well be an order for the rest of us.”

Koishi managed a small nod of confirmation. “Sorry.” She bowed forward before slipping back into her seat. “You’ll just have to trust me on this one.”

“Sure thing,” Komachi said. “Not like this is the strangest thing that’s happened to us, is it?”

The Sirens murmured their agreements, and even Momiji sighed as she gave up on arguing. Only Ran stood her ground, eyes wide open as she stared straight towards Koishi. The fox clutched her chest with one hand, like she’d been struck in the heart.

“Human, tell me.” Ran cleared her throat as she regained her composure. “My master. Did she seem happy?”

Koishi nodded, looking towards the fox with a sad smile. “Yakumo-san...yes, she looked peaceful. She asked for you by name, actually. You must have meant a lot to her, Ran-san.”

Ran’s tails fluttered about behind her back. For a moment, Nitori could see tears forming in her eyes, but the fox promptly covered her face with a sleeve.

“I see.” Ran’s mouth was still visible, locked in the widest smile the kappa had ever seen from her. “That’s good news. I’ve always wondered where she went after...after things went wrong.”

The fox rose to her feet, still rubbing at her eyes. “I’m sorry, I need a few minutes. I’ll catch up with the rest of you.” She shuffled out of the classroom, closing the door behind her as she walked down the corridor.

“OK, then.” The kappa cracked her neck, trying to regain her focus. “Anyone else got a near-death experience they’d like to report?” She was ready for someone else to raise a hand in dispute, but thankfully the crowd was silent this time around.

Thank god.

“Excellent. Then you’re dismissed for now.” Nitori cracked her neck as she rose to her feet. “Sango, Momiji, I’ll meet you in the nurse’s office. Just let me grab a stiff drink first. I get the feeling today’s gonna be a long day...”

-----

“Unyuuu~”

Utsuho let out a little squeal of joy as Satori ruffled her hair, her fluffy wings flapping about behind her. Rin was slightly more conservative in her display of emotion, but she still let out a long, deep purr.

“It’s good to see you again.” Satori took care to divide her attention equally between her two pets. “I hope I didn’t worry you too much.”

“Of course we were worried, Satori-sama.” Rin’s ears bounced around on the top of her head as she spoke. “You just disappeared without a word. I mean for ages I thought you’d never come back!” She looked away. “...Not that I didn’t believe in you or anything.”

Utsuho nodded along. “It was scary at first,” she said, with a pout that quickly turned into a smile. “But Koishi-sama was a really nice master, so everything turned out okay.”

Koishi looked away, sitting next to her sister on the stairway. “Honestly, you two, it’s not that big a deal.”

Satori frowned, turning towards Koishi while she tended to the pets with both hands. “Koishi, you shouldn’t be so humble about it. If the world was full of people like you, we wouldn’t be having this war to begin with.”

Koishi shook her head. “Maybe, but that’s a silly thing to ask for. The world’s never going to be perfect; there are always going to be people who get misled or lose track of who they are. We should be trying to help those people, but it’s a fight we can’t really win outright.”

Satori leaned back, mouth hanging open. Her expression warmed into a proud grin. “You really have grown up, haven’t you?”

“I had to, didn’t I?” Koishi wrapped her arms around her sister. “Someone had to stand in for you while you were gone.”

The valkyrie leaned into the hug. She’d forgotten how good company like this had felt - a sister and pets who loved her with all their hearts. Her feelings for Jozu were different - romantic, she wanted to say - while this camaraderie was much more familial. She wondered how she had ever managed to cope without them.

Then she put those thoughts aside as a more serious matter came to her.

“Utsuho, Rin, could you run along for a bit?” she asked. “Koishi and I need to talk about something serious.”

“Nyaah?” Rin stuck up her nose. “No fair. You’ve only been petting me for five minutes now.”

“And my hand’s about to fall off. I think that’s long enough.”

“Muuuuu.” The cat grumbled as she shuffled away, pouting at her master as she rose to her feet. “C’mon, Okuu. Let’s go scribble on some of the chalkboards.”

“Unyu?” Utsuho tilted her head. “But Orin, isn’t that something bad people do?”

“Maybe.” Rin smirked as she started running down the corridor. “But that’s why it’s so fun.”

As she darted into the distance, Utsuho scrambled to her feet and gave chase. “W-Wait for me, Rin! I can’t run that fast!”

Satori giggled beneath her breath as she watched her two pets dive into a classroom. This was her first time seeing them in youkai form, but somehow she’d always known exactly what sort of people they were.

“Rin’s a bad influence,” Koishi said. “I’ve been trying to work her out of it, but Utsuho keeps coming to her defense.”

The valkyrie shrugged. “It’s harmless enough. Let them be.” She turned towards her sister, expression hardening. “More importantly, why did you lie about the knife?”

Koishi almost smacked her head against the stair behind her. “How did you-”

“I’m a mind reader, remember?” Satori wore a wry smile. “You can’t hide anything from me, Koishi.”

Koishi sighed, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a glittering dagger, its blade running the spectrum as it hummed with raw energy. “It’s called Aptera,” she said. “Yakumo-san said it was our duty as Sirens to decide how to use it, so I didn’t want anyone else to know. If we’re meant to make this choice, we shouldn’t let people like Kawashiro-sensei colour our judgement.”

Satori blinked, and a stream of thoughts poured from Koishi’s mind. She parsed them one at a time, needing a few seconds to process the raw data in full. When she was done, she placed a hand on her chin and lost herself in thought.

“...I see. That’s quite a dilemma she’s laid on us.” Satori leaned backwards on the stairway, staring intently at the ceiling. “Forcing one race or the other to lose their powers forever.”

Koishi nodded. “I don’t know how we’re meant to choose. Whatever we pick, it feels like we’d be changing the world for the worse.”

“True. It’s not a decision we can make lightly.”

They sat in silence together for a while, crunching the problem in their heads. Satori could see little in the way of progress coming from her sister - her mind was a jumbled mess, unable to stop on one side or the other. It would take a long, thought-out debate for her to come to a decision.

Then again, that was why there were seven Sirens.

“You might want to gather everyone here,” Satori said. “This is our chance to talk it over while all the youkai are distracted.”

“Right.” Koishi pulled herself upright, looking down the corridors for any sign of the other Sirens. “Wait here for me, alright?”

“Sure. And Koishi?”

“What?”

Satori’s face darkened. “Don’t expect an easy answer.”

-----

“So let me make sure I understand this.” Mokou paced the length of the corridor, hands fumbling around in her pockets. “If we want to use this super-weapon Yukari gave you, we have to decide which race will never be able to use magic again?”

Koishi nodded. She looked down at the dagger on her lap, running a finger along its edge. It was hard to believe a weapon so small could demand such a hefty price for its use. A small part of her still wanted to throw the thing out the window and be rid of it, but that wasn’t her decision to make.

“Awful rude of her, I say.” Komachi rubbed at the back of her neck, her brows knitted and her expression clouded. “I sure as hell didn’t sign up for a choice like that.”

“I don’t think any of us did,” Youmu said, sighing with every breath. “There’s no way to go half and half, is there? Rather than draining all the power from one group, we take some energy from both of them?”

Koishi shook her head. “Yakumo-san said it had to be one or the other. I’m guessing the two energy sources aren’t compatible or something like that.”

“Hm.” The swordsman frowned. “Well, there goes that idea.”

“Right, let’s judge our options.” Mokou raised her hands upwards, as if trying to balance them. “Nazrin-san, what would happen to the youkai if they couldn’t use magic any more?”

Nazrin grimaced. “That’s a tough question to answer. Magic is the only upper hand the youkai have left, and they’ve built their society entirely around it. Taking that away would be ripping away the foundations of their entire civilisation.”

“But could they cope without it?” Youmu said, pushing the question. “Would the youkai survive even if their magic was gone?”

The mouse coiled her tail around her leg. “I really have no idea. Best case scenario, the races come together and make do with what’s left; worst case scenario, they all blame each other for letting this happen and their squabbling leads to bloodshed. There’s no way we can really tell how the youkai would react before it actually happens.”

“Basically,” Satori interjected, “consider what would happen if the human race suddenly lost the power of electricity. All the little gadgets we’ve built our civilisation on - phones, appliances, computers, the internet - just turn off and stay off. Of course we could survive. After all, we lived fine without all those conveniences centuries ago. But that feeling of loss would make us sensitive, even vengeful against whoever we thought was responsible. We might be fine, or we might raze our own cities to the ground.” She shrugged. “That’s what we would be putting the youkai race through if we took their magic away.”

Instinctively, half the Sirens reached into their pockets for their cell phones. “OK, so that’s really not a good idea,” Komachi said. “Now, if we drain the power from the humans instead-”

“Then the youkai will go to war.” Sakuya leaned on the back wall, absent-mindedly shuffling a deck of cards. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m not fond of the option that leads to our whole species getting wiped out.”

“They won’t kill the humans.” Nazrin said. “It’s not like we’re a bloodthirsty army of-”

“But Naz, what about the whole incident at the zoo?” Shou emerged at Nazrin’s side, folding her arms and shaking her head. “Those youkai would have killed plenty of humans if we hadn’t stepped in.”

Nazrin sighed. “Okay, most of them won’t kill the humans. Is that better?”

“Sorry, Naz.” The ghost pouted at her pet. “I know you’re seeing this from a different angle, but we aren’t going to get anywhere by sugar-coating our options.”

“I know, I know.” The mouse pulled her ears back. To her peers she seemed to be talking to herself, but they knew better than to interrupt. “It’s just such a big change, and magic is all the youkai have left going for them. Is it that weird to want to defend it?”

“Not at all.” Satori stepped forward, placing a hand on Nazrin’s shoulder. “The youkai have been on the receiving end of a lot these last few millennia. It’s only natural to look for some sort of payback.”

“OK, then, another question.” Mokou raised her hand to get the crowd’s attention. “If the youkai aren’t going to kill the humans, what are they going to do?”

“Well, first off, they’re gonna take their land back,” Komachi said. “We built over a lot of their monuments and ruins and whatever, and I’m guessing they’re slightly mad about that.”

“Can you blame them?” Satori said, stepping in when she saw a moment to push the initiative. “Imagine if a foreign country walked in and knocked down half of Tokyo. There’d be an uproar, and rightfully so.”

“As for us...” Komachi looked at her shoes, her lips a tangled mess. “Well, we’ll get some credit for being decent masters, so they’ll probably take us in as pets. They’ll look after us and treat us well - as long as we behave, that is.”

“And if we don’t behave?” Sakuya asked, the question so pointed she could have cut her tongue on it.

Komachi let out a long, hard sigh. “Well, what would you do to a rabid dog?”

The silence that followed was deafening.

“That’s...” Mokou almost fell over as she sat on the floor, grabbing at her head. “Man, I didn’t realise how shitty the youkai had it until you put it like that. They’ve got to do what we say, or we put them down...shit, that’s brutal.”

“Isn’t it?” Satori said, standing over Mokou and making the most of the height difference. “The youkai have been suffering in silence for too long. It’s only fair that they get to claim some sort of recompense.”

“And where does that get us?”

Koishi’s voice caught Satori by surprise, forcing her to jerk her head around. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Let’s say this all happens like we’re assuming it will,” Koishi continued. “That means that generations of humans - generations that had nothing to do with the incident that started this whole mess - are going to be in the same position the youkai are in now. They’ll be powerless and unable to stand up for themselves.” She met her sister’s eyes, refusing to budge an inch. “Nothing will change, Satori. It’ll be the same problem as before, just in reverse.”

The valkyrie furrowed her brow. “And what’s your point? The alternative is taking away the youkai’s only chance of doing something about it. Better to offer them some reprieve than to kill off their one chance for rebellion.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like being a pet’s all that bad.” Nazrin bounced up and down on the spot. “I mean, you get all your meals for free, you don’t have to work a day in your life, and you’ve got a master who loves you. What’s not to like?”

“Exactly.” Satori nodded. “For the most part, the youkai hold themselves to a higher moral code - we’d be better under their command than they’d ever be under ours.”

“Higher moral code?” Sakuya scrunched up her nose. “Did you miss the part where Leviathan nearly murdered you?”

“No, but she was an exception. Most of the youkai aren’t as wretched as-”

“Stop it, Satori.” Koishi stamped a foot against the floor to get her sister’s attention. “There are wicked humans, maybe, but there are wicked youkai too. In the end, there’s no point in favouring one or the other.”

Satori’s eyes were wild now, almost desperate. “But Koishi, we can’t just watch this happen-”

“And what about the casualties?” Youmu said, her voice stern but carefully pitched. “Even if the humans are outgunned, they won’t give up without a fight. If the races go to war, thousands are going to die. Maybe millions.”

“I know!” Satori yelled, her voice echoing through the corridors. It took her a few seconds to recover her composure. “I know that. I know this change would do more damage than it could ever fix. But I’ve got to do something, Koishi. I can’t just sit back and let the youkai suffer.”

Koishi took a deep breath as she rose to her feet. “No-one’s disagreeing with you, Satori. We all want to help the youkai. We just feel like there’s got to be a better way than this.”

Slowly, the valkyrie let her shoulders drop as she heaved out a sigh. “OK, then, fine. Let’s try and play it your way. First of all, did Yukari tell you how the knife actually worked?”

“She said it channels the power of the masquerade,” Koishi said. “It’s probably become a lot stronger since there are a lot more humans now than there were in her time.”

“But what matters is we’re going to need a lot of power to make it work.” Sakuya folded her arms and tapped at her shoulders. “Is there any sort of other source we can use as an equivalent? One that doesn’t involve neutering an entire race.”

“Given the magnitude we’re talking about?” Satori shook her head. “It seems unlikely we’ll find one at such short notice.”

In her peripheral vision Koishi realised that everyone - herself included - was looking directly at the knife. The weapon had an almost hypnotic aura to it, the sheer power locked within making it difficult to look away from. What sort of atrocities could the Black Claw commit if they got their hands on it?

“There’s one thing I don’t get here.” Komachi closed her eyes as she lost herself in thought. “What’s the point? Why would she give us such a kickass weapon if it came with such massive drawbacks?”

“Maybe it’s a precaution,” Youmu said. “Just in case we’re desperate.”

“No, that doesn’t sound right.” Koishi heard Yukari’s words echoing in her ears. “Yakumo-san said it was a choice we’d have to make. It’s not a precaution - she thinks we’re going to have no choice but to use it.”

“But why?” Mokou asked. “Leviathan’s on her own now. She’s not that strong, is she?”

Unheeded, everyone turned their attention to Satori. The valkyrie’s lips shrank into a small line.

“I’m afraid I never met Leviathan myself until today, so even I don’t know the extent of her power. But if she’s got sole control over a group as violent as the Black Claw, we have to assume she’s extremely dangerous.”

An eerie silence hung over the Sirens. They looked down at Aptera, watching the light dance across its edge. Koishi felt amazement and disgust flow through her body in equal measure.

“...We can’t use this.” Koishi picked the knife up and placed it back in her pocket. “It isn’t worth the price, whatever we choose.”

“And if we have no choice?” Sakuya tapped a foot against the floor. “What if that knife is the only thing that’ll keep us all from getting killed?”

“I know where I’d stand on that,” Satori said. “The rest of you are another matter though.”

“If it comes down to that, we’ll figure something out.” Koishi sighed, the knife feeling heavier now than it had five minutes ago. “Until then, we’re not even going to consider-”

In the distance, a door clicked open. Koishi stopped mid-sentence, looking in the direction of the sound. A set of footsteps started to travel along the corridor, accompanied by another flurry of profanity.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Nitori flailed her arms about, almost manic as she came into view. “It’s not like I’ve had enough to deal with today. Oh no, now she goes and ups the ante and-” She stopped dead, frozen mid-rant as she saw the Sirens gathered in the stairway. “Eh? What’re you girls talking about?”

Koishi tensed. “Uh, we were...that is, we-”

“We were discussing battle strategies,” Youmu said, bowing towards the kappa. “Since there are seven of us now, we need to work coherently as a team.”

Nitori raised an eyebrow, but her suspicion quickly gave way to exasperation. “Well, at least this makes my job a lot easier. I need you guys back in the briefing room, right now.”

Nazrin’s tail whipped at the ground. “That doesn’t sound like good news.”

“Believe me, it isn’t.” Nitori stormed past the Sirens, cutting a straight path towards the classroom. “We just got ourselves one hell of a deadline.”

-----

Next Week's BGM: Second Strike
« Last Edit: October 27, 2013, 02:59:56 PM by Esifex »

FinnKaenbyou

  • Formerly Roukanken
  • *
  • blub blub nya
Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #628 on: November 03, 2013, 09:19:33 AM »
?OK, I?m sorry.? Komachi rubbed at her eyes before looking at the screen again. ?What the hell am I even looking at here??

Everyone present at the table was focused on the TV Nitori had placed on her desk. It showed a grainy video of what appeared to be the seabed, with weeds flapping about in every direction and fish darting for cover. No-one cared about the weeds, though; everyone?s attention was on the massive structure in the distance, a crystalline palace that almost shone in the dim light that reached those frigid depths.

?That?s her stronghold,? Satori said, blinking rapidly. ?But Leviathan said it wouldn?t show up on human cameras.?

?It didn?t, until a few hours ago.? Nitori stood behind the TV, the remote trembling in her hand as she paced about. ?Whatever enchantments she?d been using to keep it hidden were dispersed, so now the thing?s in plain sight.?

Momiji peered at the screen intently, tail swishing about as she examined every little detail. Ran was calmer, elbows on the desk as she rested her chin on her hands. In contrast, Sango?s jaw dropped on the other side of the table, like she was watching a magic trick.

?Well, that?s a questionable strategy.? Shou?s head poked out from behind Nazrin, tilting sideways as she examined the video.

?Damn right,? the mouse said, chiming in with her master. ?Why would the Claw choose now to lower their defenses??

?There?s a very simple reason for that,? Nitori said, her hand squeezing at the remote. ?See, they couldn?t do very much to hide this.?

She pressed a button, and the TV switched to another camera. This one was closer to the fortress, offering a view of the land beneath it. A circle had been drawn along the ground, arcane symbols scrawled along its length as it hummed with a pale red light.

The Sirens sucked in a collective breath.

?What the hell is that thing?? Mokou gasped.

?...My god.? Ran?s eyes almost popped out. ?It?s a Grand Conflagration Ritual.?

Sango jerked her neck back. ?Conflu-what now??

?Conflagration,? Momiji said. ?In layman?s terms, a really really big fire.?

?I took the liberty of examining the symbols more intently.? Nitori pulled up a sheet of paper, covering in scrawlings and calculations. ?More specifically, the ritual is going to set off an explosion large enough to wipe Gensouto off the map. And this school?s been designated as the epicenter.?

Mokou?s hand flew to her chest. ?You mean-?

?Exactly.? Nitori smacked the document against the desk. ?In less than two hours, this city and everyone in it is going to be blown to kingdom come.?

It was like the air had been sucked out of the room. Koishi could almost hear her brain folding in on itself. They?d dealt with dangerous scenarios before, but this blew everything they?d ever faced clear out of the water.

?I?m guessing evacuation is out of the question,? Momiji said, remarkably calm even in the face of the news. ?Both in terms of the scale and the timeframe.?

?Of course,? Nitori answered. ?Even if we did have the time, what sort of reason could we come up with to validate a city-wide exodus? There?s no way the humans would believe us.?

?And how exactly would the government respond?? Youmu looked down, her eyes frozen-over as she sank into thought. ?The youkai would never own up to it, so they?d assume it was some sort of terrorist attack...or worse, an act of war.?

?And then the humans will finish each other off.? Sakuya let out a low chuckle. ?I have to admit, it?s a pretty clever play.?

Nitori nodded reluctantly. ?We?ve got her cornered, so she?s pulling out all the stops. Our secret weapon was the healing gel. Hers is a goddamn bomb.?

The kappa had discarded her usual joviality. Her posture was rigid, her face revealing nothing of her inner thoughts. With all her fluster already flushed out, she handled the situation with unprecedented cool.

?I shouldn?t need to say this, but there is no way we can allow that spell to go off. We need to go in hard, and we need to do it right now.?

She reached for a piece of chalk, drawing another arcane symbol on the chalkboard. This time the board itself flipped about, revealing a projector on the other side. Firing into the center of the table, it brought up a 3D hologram of the palace from the picture - blocky and hastily-crafted, but still identifiable. The magic circle ran along all sides of the fortress, even its holographic counterpart giving off an unpleasant glow.

?Jozu was nice enough to fill me in on the specifics of what we?ll be up against.? Nitori clicked her fingers, and several blue dots began to circle around the palace. ?For the most part we?ve reduced Leviathan?s personal guard to just the ordinary fishmen. They?re as slow and stupid as ever, but they?ve got us seriously outnumbered. I?d wager we?d have to go through hundreds of these things before we saw any sign of Levi herself.?

?What about the circle?? Satori asked. ?How do we dispel it??

?That?ll be my job, I assume.? Ran rose to her feet. ?You want me to defuse the circle from the inside.?

?Right.? Nitori pointed at a distant corner of the circle, finger hovering over a specific symbol. ?This is where the ritual?s power is focused. You?re the only one strong enough to counter a spell of this magnitude.?

The fox sighed, spinning her arm about in its socket. ?Understood. You are aware I?ll be completely defenseless while I?m working on this, right??

?Of course. Momiji and I will be covering you.? Nitori turned back towards the Sirens. ?The rest of you will be charging the palace itself. Levi?s going to focus most of her forces on stopping us from defusing the bomb, so you should be able to break through without much trouble.? She pointed to the central tower of the palace, right in the middle of the magic circle. ?Levi herself will be somewhere around here. She can?t leave the circle while it?s being cast, so she won?t be able to run away this time.?

?So you and Momiji-san will be taking on all those guards by yourself?? Koishi said, eyes heavy with anxiety. ?Are you sure you?ll be okay??

?Now, what?s that supposed to mean?? For a moment Nitori?s brevity returned, and she answered Koishi with a wink. ?Don?t worry, Koishi-san. I?ve got a few tricks of my own, too.? She cleared her throat. ?Alright, girls. Any questions??

The Sirens, as a collective, shook their heads. The kappa smiled.

?That?s what I like to hear. This is the moment we?ve been working for all this time - the best chance we?ll ever have at putting the Black Claw to rest for good. Everything we?ve done for the last few months has all built up to this, so we?d better make damn sure we make the most of it.?

She stamped her foot, and the chalkboard flipped around again. ?Now let?s move out, girls. We?ve got a city to save.?

-----

?Hup, two, three, four...?

Sango bent all the way backwards, almost forming a U with her body as she squirmed about. She could hear her joints popping and her muscles stretching in time with each other.

?Sango-san, what are you doing?? Koishi stared in wonder from behind, upside-down from the dolphin?s perspective. Sango smiled until she realised that would look like a frown from Koishi?s point of view; then she switched to the saddest pout she could manage.

?What does it look like, Koishi-san? I?m doing my warm-up stretches.?

?Uh...I think you?re getting too into it.?

?Nonsense! If this is our last push, I need to do every stretch I can think of-? Before she could finish, Sango was interrupted by Koishi poking her in the side with a finger. ?Phwee-!? The dolphin tumbled over, falling into a heap on the sand.

?It?s good to see you?re enthusiastic, but there?s no point if you get yourself hurt.? Koishi reached down, pulling Sango back to her feet. ?Just stick to your normal stretches, okay??

?Muuuu.? Sango pouted again, this time with her head the right way up. ?Fine. But if I get killed because I sprained something, it?s totally your fault.?

Koishi chuckled at that. Seeing her smile always brought a little warmth to Sango?s heart. ?We?re just about finished with the preparations,? Koishi said, motioning to the Sirens gathered further down the coast. ?Kawashiro-sensei is priming her...I?m not sure what they are, but she told Mokou-san not to touch them.?

?Probably a good idea, knowing the boss,? Sango said. ?I?ll be over there in a minute.?

Koishi nodded before turning around and joining the crowd in the distance. The Sirens had all transformed by now, and were taking all the necessary precautions before heading into battle. Mokou practiced her combos, moving from jabs to straights to haymakers in fluid motions; Sakuya practiced her shuffling, the cards moving too fast for Sango to follow; Komachi brushed off the Titanic, letting her massive firearm gleam in the rising sun; Youmu sparred with herself, her ghostly copy matching her move for move, and Nazrin was enraptured by her visor, reading off battle tactics or whatever it was Shou told her. All of them looked utterly focused and ready for the battle ahead.

Wait a minute. Sango did a headcount. Along with Koishi rejoining them, she could only see six of the Sirens. Where was the seventh?

?...nothing worth worrying about, Satori.?

Sango?s ears perked up. As a dolphin, her hearing was much more sensitive than a human?s, and she caught a trace of a discussion on the other side of the beach. Curiosity got the better of her, and she moved closer to listen in as she hid behind a rock.

?You really didn?t have to come, Jozu,? Satori said, one hand behind the shark?s back, ready to catch her if she fell over. ?There?s no way you could have recovered this quickly.?

?Is that so? Well, my body begs to differ.? Jozu flexed her arms about, hastily dressed in a school uniform that didn't come close to fitting her. She threw out a few quick punches and kicks to demonstrate. ?See? Good as new.?

To an uneducated viewer those strikes would have looked flawless, but even from this distance Sango could tell that the shark had lost some of her speed. Judging from her expression, it seemed Satori was aware of that as well.

?Don?t act tough,? Satori said, starting stern but quickly falling into worry. ?I know what you?re trying to do here, but-?

?Then you know I can?t back down now, right?? Jozu reached up and stroked at Satori?s cheek. ?C?mon, Satori. You?re the mind reader here.?

The valkyrie smiled softly, pressing her hand against Jozu?s. ?I know. I just feel like I should at least be trying to stop you, even if I know you aren?t going to listen.?

Watching from afar, Sango felt her face heating up. She started to suspect she was spying on something she wasn?t meant to see. The two girls hugged each other close, immensely comfortable in each other?s presence.

?Relationships are hard, aren?t they?? Jozu said.

?Yeah. They don?t make a lot of sense sometimes.? Satori looked up at Jozu, eyes beaming. ?But I?d gladly go through hell for what I have with you.?

They pulled their heads closer, giving up on any attempt at stopping at friendliness. Their lips were inches apart, drawing closer and closer, until finally-

Phweeeeeee?!

Sango could hear the steam pouring out of her ears as she finally looked away. Her brain was rapidly turning into mush, that one moment locked into her memory forever.

?But she?s a...? She muttered to herself, trying to gain some sort of grasp on what she?d just witnessed. ?And she?s a...and they...but how? Why? When??

The whole thing had taken her totally by surprise. She?d known Satori and Jozu were close, but not that they were that close. Their relationship had seemed just like the one Sango had with Koishi - really good friends. Really, really good friends, actually, friends who would do anything to keep each other safe-

Aah, no, that?s too far! Sango buried her face in her hands, her skin burning from the shame. She?d never stopped to think about it like that - there had been moments where they?d been close, but they always petered out into nothing. She felt comfortable around Koishi, but was it that comfortable? She wasn?t sure.

?Do I like her?? Sango asked herself. ?Or do I like her, like her? Is this even a question I should be asking? I mean, she?s a human, I?m a youkai, it?d never work out-?

?Hey, Sango-san! We?re all set!?

Koishi called out for her across the beach, waving Sango over with a hand. Sango scrambled back to her feet, dashing across the sand as she tried to fight down the blush.

?...Uh, Sango-san?? Koishi frowned again as the dolphin pulled closer. ?Are you okay. You look like you?re coming down with a fever.?

?Fever? What? No, that?s silly. I?m fine.? Sango spat out words like a machine gun spat bullets. ?The water?s cooler. Nothing to worry about. Move along.?

Koishi paused for just long enough to make Sango uneasy before letting out a small sigh. ?Alright. But don?t push yourself, okay?? She turned around, pacing back towards her comrades and giving the dolphin some space.

Sango let out a breath she hadn?t known she was holding in. Her brain was firing on fumes, summoning up neurons she?d never had the need to use before. She?d never thought of Koishi as more than a friend. The other possibility had never been on the table before - and now it was, she wasn?t sure which side of the fence she fell on.

I don?t have long to figure it out, she thought to herself. When all this is over, I?ll probably never see her again.

The dolphin took a deep breath, feeling the heat flush from her face. She had to think this over before it was too late, or she?d regret it for the rest of her life. Not right now, though - they?d be heading off into the water any minute now. Maybe she?d have time on the way to the fortress - after all, there was a lot of ground to cover.

?Are you all ready over here?? Satori marched back towards the group with Jozu in tow. There was no sign of their earlier affection - like before, they just seemed to be close friends. Perhaps that was how they wanted to be seen in public.

?As ready as we?ll ever be.? Nitori rummaged about in a small purse, its contents hidden from the rest of the crowd. Finally satisfied with it, she clipped it shut and slipped it into a pocket. ?Everyone got their rings ready??

There was a murmur of agreement. They?d had just enough Rings of Breath to cover the whole group; the last two had gone to Momiji and Nazrin. Ran didn?t need one - for a mage of her caliber, a water-breathing charm was child?s play.

?Alright, then.? The kappa pointed forward, out into the ocean depths. ?Time?s a wastin?. Let?s show Leviathan what happens when you mess with Gensouto.?

She stepped forward into the water, quickly vanishing below the waves. The Sirens followed, walking out until they were waist deep before diving under the water.

As the sun rose over Gensouto, the White Pearl left only ripples in their wake.

-----

?There?s gonna be water in my ears for weeks after this.?

Nazrin flopped about, her movements clumsy and uncoordinated. No-one had told her there was any water involved in all this Siren stuff. She swam with all the fluidity and grace of a boulder, watching as her teammates pulled further and further away.

?Uh, Naz?? Shou?s face popped up on her visor. ?You might want to straighten your legs a bit.?

?Easy for you to say,? the mouse muttered. ?This is my first time stepping in anything deeper than a puddle. I?ve only just got my head around the whole ?breathing water? thing, alright??

She flailed around some more, trying and failing to match the movements of her fellow Sirens. It didn?t help that her outfit happened to be about ninety percent machinery - even with Shou?s insistence everything was waterproof, she still felt like a toaster that?d been dropped in the bathtub.

?C?mon, master, help me out here,? Nazrin said. ?I know you?ve got a function for this, and I?d like to arrive at the fortress sometime before I die.?

?But Naz, that means you get to sit back and I have to do all the work.?

Nazrin grinned. ?Isn?t that your job, master??

Shou folded her arms, pulling the most pitiful look she could. When Nazrin refused to budge, she finally raised her arms in surrender.

?Alright. Executing DrownedRat.exe.?

There was a whirring as a pair of engines whirred up in Nazrin?s shoes. The water swirled around her feet as the jets pushed her forward, increasing her speed tenfold.

?Many thanks.?

?Yeah, you?d better be grateful.? Shou looked away, doing a poor job of pretending to be offended. ?Seriously, I do everything around here.?

Nazrin smiled. Her master was surprisingly cute when she was frustrated. The mouse hung back from the main pack, matching their pace but keeping far enough away that no-one would be able to hear her.

?So this is it, then,? she said. ?When we beat Leviathan, you?ll disappear.?

Shou tensed. Nazrin didn?t even know ghosts could tense. The picture on her visor flickered again.

?Yeah.? Shou rubbed at the back of her neck. ?I?m sorry, Naz. I?d stay with you forever if I could, but-?

?It?s fine.? Nazrin took a long, deep breath, finally acclimating to her surroundings. ?I know it hasn?t been that long, but even this time we?ve spent together is a miracle. I can?t afford to be greedy.?

She went loose in the water, allowing the jets to carry her while she focused on her words. ?To be honest, master...I always wanted to talk to you. For years I?d just sit and listen to what you had to say, but no matter how much I wanted to I couldn?t reply.?

Shou?s hand reached out of the visor, and for a moment Nazrin swore she felt something poking at her forehead. ?Naz, I-?

?I wanted to say thank you,? Nazrin continued, before Shou could slow her momentum. ?You took care of me for so long without ever asking for anything back. No matter how much trouble I got you into, you always stood up for me. So...thanks, master.?

The image flickered again, more wildly this time. When Shou reappeared, she was wiping at her eyes and sniffling. ?You?re gonna be just fine, aren?t you??

?Oh, I?m gonna feel like shit when you?re gone.? Nazrin smiled in spite of the gravity of her statement. ?I?ll probably cry about it for a few days. There?ll be a lot of choking and sobbing and all that stuff you?re not supposed to do in front of other people.? Another deep breath, this one to still the trembling feeling in her chest. ?But when that?s done? Yeah, I?m pretty sure I?ll make it through.?

Shou nodded. ?Thanks, Naz. I think I needed to hear that.? Her hand reached out, tiny fingers rubbing at the mouse?s nose. ?I?m glad to see I?ve got nothing to worry about.?

Nazrin nuzzled at the hand, nostalgic memories of her days in the cage coming back to her. For an instant, everything was back to normal - she was a loyal pet with a loving master, and everything would be just fine.

She would have let that moment play out forever if the rest of the Sirens didn?t slow to a halt in front of her.

?Last stop.? Shou pulled back into her screen and offered another salute. ?Good luck, Naz.?

As Nazrin caught up with her allies, she saw a structure forming on the horizon. It was larger and more threatening than it had seemed on the projection - every crystalline edge was sharpened to a perfect sheen, as if the entire palace was made of swords. Surrounding it, the magic circle pulsed with a malicious aura.

?Yeah,? Nazrin whispered beneath her breath, gulping. ?I think I?m going to need it.?

-----

Nitori pressed her back against the rock, poking her head over the top to take a glance at the fortress. The circle?s light was almost blinding now as the spell neared its climax. Dozens of guard squads circled around the palace, each consisting of at least twenty youkai. They swam in a never-changing path, eyes locked forward, waiting for a motion or sound to set them off.

Nitori gave the circle another look-over. The key symbol was on the leftmost edge, but there was no sort of cover they could use. They?d have to sneak past a blind spot in the enemy guard - a moment too fleeting for Nitori to pick out. Luckily, she?d brought along someone who could.

?Their patrol looks pretty solid.? She looked to her left. ?Momiji, see any openings??

?Give me a second.? Momiji?s eyes let off a faint glow, moving from point to point with unerring speed. The wolf?s vision was sharp even among her people, picking up on the most minute of details. She examined her surroundings with the coolness and precision of a machine.

After almost a minute of examination, her ears perked up. ?Think I?ve got a route we can take. It?s pretty tight, but it should be possible.?

?Good. We have to get Ran in position before any fighting starts.? Nitori turned back to the Sirens, most of whom were eying the structure in awe and concern. ?Girls, hang back here for now. When you get my signal, make a break for the entrance and take down Levi before she knows what hit her.?

?And what is your signal?? Satori asked.

?Trust me.? The kappa winked. ?You?ll know it when you see it.?

She pulled away from the main group, Momiji and Ran following behind her. They came to a stop at the edge of the rock formation, ready to jump out of cover when the moment arrived.

?Kawashiro-sensei...? Koishi gulped. ?You?re planning to come out of this alive, right??

?Eh?? Nitori raised an eyebrow, then broke into laughter. ?Of course I am, Koishi-san. Like I?d let someone else mess up all the work I?ve put into the White Pearl.?

?Yeah, but those odds...? Mokou furrowed her brow. ?The three of you against all of those guards? Are you really sure you can pull that off??

Nitori put on a cocky smile. ?You have no idea who you?re dealing with, do you?? She turned back to Momiji. ?When?s our opening??

?Five seconds from now.?

?Alright.? Nitori gave the Sirens a final thumbs-up. ?You girls had better win, got it??

She didn?t hang around to see their response. At Momiji?s signal, she popped out from her hiding spot and made a break for the target. The wolf led the way, marking the pace and direction for her allies to follow; Nitori and Ran matched her to a tee, swimming in parallel with one of the passing squadrons.

?Good to see you?re confident,? Ran said once they?d moved out of earshot. ?I thought they?d have trusted in you a little more, though.?

?Well, I?ve kinda been holding back until now.? The kappa shrugged. ?I like to consider myself the ace up my own sleeve.?

?Then why are you playing the distraction?? Momiji said. ?If you?re that strong, why are you leaving the humans to deal with Leviathan??

Nitori sighed. She?d been tempted, true. Her personal business with Leviathan had made it hard to turn down the opportunity. In the end, though, she?d decided against it.

?It?s their fight, isn?t it?? Even as she said it, Nitori felt more confident in her decision. ?They?re the Sirens, after all. It?s what they were chosen to do.?

The three youkai touched down on the edge of the circle, a seven pointed star drawn on the ground at their feet. The fish still swam past, unaware, but in a few seconds the patrols would cycle around and catch on. Those seconds were the opening Nitori was counting on.

?Alright, let?s get to business. Ran, if you would??

The fox nodded, stepping into the center of the star. She pressed her hands together, a golden glow seeping out from between her fingers as she caught her breath. In one swift motion she brought both her hands down to the ground, her golden light beginning to spread out across the star.

The circle roared in defiance, as if out of a survival instinct. Its screech was too shrill to have come from the mouth of any living thing, and Nitori winced at the sound of it. The fishmen were instantly roused from their slumber, all of them turning in the direction of the three youkai.

Simultaneously, the entire mass of soldiers charged forward at once.

?Well, here they come.? Momiji stretched her arms out, standing in front of Ran as her sword and shield took form in her hands. ?You?d better have a damn good plan ready.?

?Oh, I do.? Nitori casually stepped forward, pulling out her purse and rummaging through it. ?But I need them to get a little closer first.?

?What??

As the horde grew ever closer, Nitori finally pulled a small silver box from the purse. She shook it, and a few white pellets tilted out onto her palm.

?Breath mint?? she said, offering them to Momiji. The wolf was speechless, staring at Nitori in utter bewilderment.

?This is not the time for refreshment!? Ran yelled, pinned to her spot in the middle of the star. ?Kawashiro, for the love of Yukari, DO SOMETHING!?

The kappa sighed as the fishmen descended upon her. ?Fine. You two are no fun, you know that??

She threw the pellets forward at the crowd.

Seconds later, there was a blinding flash.

?Gyaah!? Momiji shielded her eyes, the explosion almost knocking her off her feet. Her ears flapped down in an attempt to protect themselves from the roar, her shirt flapping around in the water. Even Ran seemed overwhelmed by the sheer firepower Nitori was carrying, gripping the ground to keep her spell from faltering.

In contrast, Nitori?s eyes were locked upon our own work. As the flash began to fade, an entire wave of fishmen had been dispersed, splitting into smaller fish and scattering to the four winds. Another wave moved forward to replace them, charging in the same manner as the first.

As she threw forward another wave of pills, Nitori began to bask in her confidence. Each wave was just as eager to throw themselves into the fray, none of them having the common sense to flank her. The ones that did make it through were easy picking for Momiji, the wolf slicing them in half with one clean swipe.

It would come down to what ran out first - Nitori?s supplies, or the fishmen?s reserves. Neither looked set to give out any time soon; either way, she was buying Ran the time she needed, and giving the Sirens the chance to finish the job. From here, she could see them making a break for the palace itself; she could only hope they?d be able to finish the job without her.

But now wasn?t the time to think about that. Now was the time to watch things blow up. Nitori had spent this whole operation holding back, and now she got to let out everything at once. She grinned maniacally as she drew out another set of explosives.

?C?mon, you lousy sacks of scales. I?ve got plenty more where that came from!?

-----

Next Week's BGM: Doom Castle

Re: Dolphin Rider Koishi - Arc 8 (In progress - Sunday updates!)
« Reply #629 on: November 03, 2013, 06:22:18 PM »
NITORI brand exlosives. I'm half expecting a certain fish princess to appear, but I won't get my hopes up. Great story, keep it up!
My name is Tres. It sounds like "Tray". Tressert is "Tray-zurt"; like Tres dessert.
I've cleared every touhou game on Lunatic, and beaten every extra except SoEW.
NMNB: MoF Hard, SA Extra, UFO Extra