[Deleted]

Fine. The word that generally didn't mean fine: it was neutral. It was not good or bad, it was making do: some people had made do with plenty of bad things in their life. If that making do was "not-dying-but-nearly" then fine was hardly fine at all. Akira wouldn't push his luck, being happy enough for her to be alive in the first place.

And of all places to run into her, and her items as well. Life was full of funny coincidences, as though they'd intended to re-meet. Though Akira did put a hand to his hip, totally fine with it. Though - he was feeling for his back pocket, wondering exactly how many coins he still had left to fund his travels back home.

He supposed he could make it work if he missed out on a meal or used the lay of the land. Or... did more walking than using transport. Still, he would make it work. Wishing he'd kept more on him than he needed,

Akatsuki's humility was a god send by itself, showing such kindness to others: even of a different faith. Akira could reciprocate, never having felt the need to hate upon another for their beliefs. Or at least, that had not been made clear to him. It did feel against the spirit of the faith. "That sounds great." Akira would nod, setting himself straight in his clothing which felt vastly different for being in a different land. Taking one last glance at the Ronin, he could walk toward and further into the town.

The talk of revival could wait fifteen minutes till they could find somewhere quiet and sat down. "Have you had any luck on your search?" The last topic they'd really spoken about.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Akatsuki]

[attr="class","sinner"]

[attr="class","sinner1"]

[attr="class","sinback"]

[attr="class","sinnert"]

Shining Bright, She Is Like The Sun


Waiting There For Her Fate To Come

834 Words | @tag | Notes: N/A

For Akatsuki, it had been nothing more than a lie. Plain and simple, she couldn’t answer him. Not truthfully. She had beaten around answering him multiple times already, and in reality, she hadn’t known how to answer him. She hadn’t wanted to. Even though, physically, she was uninjured… her mind and spirit were wounded. And even her most recent attack had shaken her more than she’d have liked to admit.
    It wasn’t something she wanted to talk about, and part of her was trying her best to push through it. Pretend it wasn’t what it was. If she acted like everything was alright, maybe she could trick herself into believing it…
    Right?
    Besides, Akira didn’t need to know about it. It wouldn’t do him any good, and none of it really mattered. She would rather not burden him with such things. It was her problem to deal with, whatever it was, and not one she would shift onto him.
    Akira glanced back at the ronin before they started toward the nearest pub or shop, and the man would give a slight nod in acknowledgement to him before they set off.
    Akatsuki didn’t fully know where they were going, but so long as it was somewhere they could sit and enjoy a drink together--or even a meal--then she’d keep her eye out for it.
    Before they could even make it to the nearest shop, however, Akira dropped a bomb of a question on her.
    Of course, he wouldn’t have known.
    He couldn’t have.
    But the color drained from her face and she slowed her pace. Luck in her search? She didn’t even know what to say. She’d had luck, in a way. She’d found her answer, though it hadn’t been what she was wanting. Her quest had come to a close, though it wasn’t what she’d been hoping for.
    Her story was quickly coming to a close, and it was without the happy ending she’d been seeking.
    Had she had luck in her search?
    Terrible luck. But not in that her lead had turned up for nothing--she’d gained more insight than she had hoped for, and learned of a bitter truth that she hadn’t been prepared for. She’d had luck in getting an answer, but it hadn’t been a good answer and for that it had been a terrible turn of events. Her search had ended, but not because she’d been reunited with her brother.
    And how could she explain that to him?
    What should she even say?
    Should she act as though everything was alright? Pretend that her search had only turned up empty and she was back looking as she always was? Maybe if she just politely nodded and said things were going well he’d believe it and drop the subject. She was certain the topic of her brother didn’t really interest him, so he probably wouldn’t prod further.
    But still, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
    She couldn’t just smile and brush it off and act like it was alright.
    She was a terrible actress, for what it was worth.
    "I…” Still, she didn’t know how to answer him. What should she even say? "No, as it turns out my brother had betrayed me and this whole time he’s wanted nothing to do with me”? "Well, he doesn’t even care whether I’m dead or alive and it’s safe to say he doesn’t want me back in his life.” Even while that was true it hurt to think about it. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to even say it without breaking down in tears again. "I wouldn’t say that, exactly,” the girl spoke softly, finally deciding on her words. She was careful, cautious. She didn’t want to think about it, but neither could she bring herself to lie about that, too.
    She supposed it didn’t matter.
    She could just say that things were going well and she was on her way to getting her brother back, that her mission--dangerous as it had been--was successful. Then they’d part ways again, and never see each-other again and he’d think nothing of it. At least his last thoughts of her would have been under the impression that she’d been happy and everything was just as it’d always been--and that would be a good thing, wouldn’t it?
    "I’m damned, anyway. So such misfortunes are nothing new, I suppose…” That much was true, she had to admit. Even if it wasn’t good, it wasn’t something she was unacquainted with. All her life she’d known pain and suffering, and it wasn’t the first time she’d lost everything. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt this way. Though, she hoped it would be the last.


Blue Text - Tsuchi Branch Kyōbō Only
Violet Text - Common Language

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[attr="class","sinnerlyric"]God of death
with a gaze of woe

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + GS

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[Deleted]

Her responses were not out of the ordinary and it did not strike Akira as anything concerning, the woman wore her heart on her sleeve and though she was honest, she wasn't really telling the truth to Akira. But Akira had no reason to disbelieve her, nor question her further on the subject.

She'd not had luck, and Akira nodded - tight lipped. Who could, knowing that your brother was somewhere in the world? Anywhere, potentially alive. Potentially dead or somewhere in-between. So the man wouldn't push his luck any further on good merit. "I see..." Akira placed his hands behind his back, even though it required him to wedge his hands between his back and the backpack he'd had on - it gave him that luxurious piece of air that had kept him ever so warm throughout the day. The bag had also depressed some since he had since been using up resources for himself, things were compressed and/or completely lacking. It was just as well that he would be home soon.

But for now, his attention was focused to Akatsuki. "Keep your hope." Akira offered the single thing he could, from his own experience. That was one of the few things he had for free, his own hope: his faith.

Still! Akira hadn't seen the woman in some time nor had he expected to see her so soon, "I'm sorry about not meeting you for that festival... I was a bit indisposed..." his tone was genuine and sincere knowing that she might've learned of his passing all too soon but at the time it would have given her a feeling of abandon: like he had intentionally forgotten her. It was not intended or desired, and he'd had every intention of going.

But hey, there was the future?

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Akatsuki]

[attr="class","sinner"]

[attr="class","sinner1"]

[attr="class","sinback"]

[attr="class","sinnert"]

Shining Bright, She Is Like The Sun


Waiting There For Her Fate To Come

493 Words | @akira | Notes: N/A

He spoke casually about the things he knew least about. Hope, as if. The word was unpleasant to the ears, and it stirred something dark within her. Pain. Emptiness. She was meant to always be hopeful no matter the situation. No matter how bad things had gotten, she was always meant to be the beacon of hope for others and herself through it all. The light in the darkness. But her wick had been burned down completely and her light had gone out. Without her reason to live, there was no reason to fight, and no longer anything to hold onto.
    "There is none left to hold onto," Akatsuki stated coldly. That was the simple reality, and she wouldn't beat around the bush. His words hurt, in a way. Telling her to do the impossible, naive and without any knowledge of what had happened. She didn't want to hear it from him. She didn't want to hear it from anyone. So "hope"--no, it was shot down immediately. She'd not have any of it.
    Not anymore.
    Akira also apologized to her for not having met her at the festival and... that, too, was a painful subject.
    Was it his fault? No. He'd been killed. That, alone, was worse than any abandonment she could have felt that day. Yes, if she'd have been able to see him there, and run into his arms and embrace him--perhaps the pain of losing her brother wouldn't have hurt so bad. Perhaps it would have been comforting to know that she, at the very least, wouldn't have to suffer it alone. She wouldn't have to endure such a burden alone, because it was a burden they could share together--like he'd promised back in the forest during that one time. Yes, it had hurt standing there at the tree waiting the whole night for him with a broken heart and only realizing when dawn came that he would not be arriving.
    But it was selfish.
    She'd always been alone, before. And deep down, she knew he didn't really mean the things he said. She was always misunderstanding others, it seemed.
    And he'd been killed. Yes, it hurt that he wasn't there. But it hurt even more to learn why he hadn't been. It'd hurt the months afterward when she hadn't been given any relief to know any different.
    It was all painful.
    But she didn't blame him for it.
    "It's not your fault," she mumbled quietly, her voice distant and her expression hollow. "I'm not angry at you. And, besides... I--" she shook her head a little, stopping in front of the little shop. Her hand hovered over the handle for a moment as she contemplated whether or not she should even say it. It was the truth, anyway. "I hadn't invited you for my sake. So you hadn't done me any wrong by not showing up. I didn't expect you to, truthfully." Though, it would have been nice.


Blue Text - Tsuchi Branch Kyōbō Only
Violet Text - Common Language

[attr="class","sinner2"]

[attr="class","sinnerlyric"]God of death
with a gaze of woe

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + GS

SPOILER: Click to show

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[Deleted]

Life had battered her beyond what her initial enthusiasm Akira knew her for. Had something really that bad happened? Part of Akira just wanted to make sure she was OK - but the cold resoluteness of her voice and unwillingness to allow anybody to solve her problems (which, something Akira admired) was against her in this particular occasion.

The news of his death had spread far and wide enough to be caught by her words despite there being the very clear warning to him many months previous; she was a hard person to reach. Still, Akira nodded. "I see..."

She was a beacon of moral integrity, or at least Akira saw her that way in how kind she'd been. Hurting (as far as he could tell) and still showing Akira a kindness. Akira would reach for the door before she coukd grab it, offering it open even if it required an awkward little squeeze past her to be on the opposite side of the door, seeing it not opening. "heh..."

"Still though, it would've been nice if I could have... I made a promise." And Akira was a flawed human who tried to stand by his promises, even if they had become signficantly more difficult for him in the long run. His concept of loyalty and morals about the world were changing.

Akira couldn't yet explain how he felt on the subject but that something wasn't right about his allegience to a place he called home. Or at least, that was probably because of a greater issue to the man: it was a symptom and not the root.

Perhaps that root was with himself? "Speaking of which, I did have questions. About... other stuff." Akira did say, keeping the conversation slick. "How is travelling for you in general?" Yes, skipping over the near death apparently, it was wrong of him to assume that she could not take care of herself.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ