jikan_rpg | October | Event: A Night of Moonless Splendor

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October | Event: A Night of Moonless Splendor

A Night of Moonless Splendor↲ OOC Plotting

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On the morning of the 14th, as citizens throughout Nippon prepare for final day of the Tsukimi festival, the refugees will receive a message on their magi-comm from MRU in Kyoto.

"To all refugees who will be staying in the Western Kingdom for the annual Sakumi Festival, please be aware that there is a curfew for all Humans and Hanyo before sundown. It is for your own safety that you heed this curfew, and remain indoors until sunrise.

The Festival will continue until the night of the 31st. It is recommended that refugees do not look at the night sky for the duration of the festival. If you must go out, make sure to hide your face behind a mask.

Should you or anyone else you know experience strange symptoms after dark, such as erratic behavior or transformations unrelated to the side effects of Kizuna bonds, please contact the MRU right away. Affected individuals are encouraged to remain indoors and in brightly lit rooms, away from any open windows.

Additionally, we have a prepared a special area of refuge for those who have not been able to secure safe transit to the Eastern Kingdom, located in Tengoku's Skytower. More information will be available in the coming days.

Please enjoy the festival, and may the gods bless you all."

Understandably, this message is not met well.

Upon hearing of curfews and strange happenings, many refugees choose to flee, flooding the last train to Tokyo and contacting the NRL to secure accommodations in Nihonbashi on short notice. But they aren't the only ones, as most of the seats have been reserved by native Hanyo and Humans, as those who can afford it are also choosing to leave until the end of the month.

But what's the big deal? Weren't people excited for this festival? Well, as it turns out: it's only "celebrated" by Yokai. For everyone else, the Sakumi Festival is the worst time of year to be in the Western Kingdom.

A Festival of Darkness

According to legend, the moon was a gift from the gods. Once a beautiful string of pearls, now only one remains, the others shattered by greed and war, their remains gathered together to form Gaia's ring. This is the story of the Tsukimi Festival, celebrated throughout Nippon.

But there's a continuation to this story, told only in the Western Kingdom. Because this gift was no ordinary gift. It's said that the light of the moon is what allowed the Yokai to evolve from mere Ayakashi into enlightened and intelligent beings. However, that same intelligence is what would prove to be their downfall, as various clans rose in power and sought the magical radiance of the pearls for personal gain. As more and more pearls were destroyed, fewer and fewer ayakashi were able to benefit from their light, with the last remaining pearl not strong enough to offer even the slightest of blessing.

As punishment for their greed, the gods took back the final pearl, with no intent of returning it. Without its light, the Yokai became twisted, devolving back into their basal instincts, and feasting upon one another with reckless abandon. Saddened by their plight, the gods quickly reversed this decision, and the final pearl returned to the sky after 15 nights of darkness.

This is the Sakumi Festival, held in honor of those fifteen days their ancestors spent in perpetual darkness. As the festival begins, on the evening of the 15th, the full moon will begin to fade away, like a lightbulb that's gradually losing power. Within an hour after sunset, it will have disappeared entirely, causing the rings around the planet to dim in turn.

All through the Western Kingdom, Yokai will be celebrating late into the night, and most of them will be wearing strange masks that are designed to reflect their inner-self. Perhaps the Refugees should follow suit?

Monster Mash Western Kingdom, Nippon
Those who stay indoors between sunset and sunrise, or who simply avoid the Western Kingdom all together, won't notice anything special about this festival. But for those who venture out into the darkness of the moonless sky, they'll find themselves transforming and turning into monsters.

The exact form of these monsters varies widely. Some simply become more monstrous forms of themselves. Others may not transform at all, instead gaining supernatural abilities or minor cosmetic changes. And even others may become entirely unrecognizable. These transformations will last until sunrise, and will return every day they go outside or look up at the night sky. And as refugees from different worlds, the monstrous forms they're capable of taking seem nigh endless.

But what now? Well, that depends.

For some, they remain completely lucid throughout the transformation, merely transformed in body but not at all in mind. This is most common for those who choose to head indoors upon transforming, away from the transformative effects of the darkened night sky. For these refugees, the transformations are just a fun quirk of the holiday or an inconvenience. Thankfully, this is generally pretty easy to avoid happening more than once, as they won't feel compelled to transform again.

For those who were unfortunate enough to stare at the sky for any extended period of time, their transformation may be more extreme, as their personality becomes corrupted. Certain aspects of their personality may completely overtake everything else, while others may act entirely out of character. But perhaps the worst part is that those who experience this corruption will feel a strong desire to trigger it again, despite the lack of a guarantee that it won't be any worse the next time.

And for the truly unlucky, they may find themselves in a state the Yokai refer to as a lunar curse. Those who are under the effects of a lunar curse will be overwhelmed with an insatiable appetite, hungering for any number of things, be it a specific type of food, a heightened sexual appetite, or even a desire to feed on the flesh and blood of others. As it turns out, this is the most common side effect, and is the true reason for the curfew: as Humans and Hanyo caught outside by a Yokai afflicted by a lunar curse may find themselves attacked or even devoured. Once someone has been afflicted by a lunar curse, they'll do whatever they can to continue the cycle the following evening, growing irrational and violent near sunset, even while wearing a mask.

You've Got Mail Everywhere, Nippon
But even those hoping to avoid the Sakumi Festival by fleeing to the East will find that the holiday spirit has followed them. With the advent of technology, mischievous Yokai have found ways to send curses via text message, which just so happens to overlap with the festival. Upon opening a message that will appear to be from someone on their friend list, they'll be directed a website that automatically activates the spell.

The exact spell seems to vary depending on which variety of curse they happen to receive. Some of these are quite ordinary, and will simply send salacious or otherwise overtly sexual messages to their friends or even complete strangers, with some capable of combing through their magi-comm for compromising photos to share. Of course, the latter feature is quite buggy, so the photos sent alongside such messages may in fact just be random.

But others may find themselves opening something more dangerous. Among these, one such curse will trap whoever opens it in an enclosed space alongside whoever happens to be nearby, forcing them to perform specific actions to escape. While some are relatively harmless, such as a dance more or shouting something humiliating, others will demand the pair perform particular sex acts in order to escape.

These closed spaces can occur anywhere, but to an outsider, they won't look like anything. Those trapped will look as though they've disappeared until the curse is lifted, but they'll still be able to see the world around them through the magical walls. So those who choose to browse their magi-comms on their morning commute best be careful not to open any suspicious links, lest they be forced to fuck on a crowded train.

Fly Me to the Moon

After a few days, all Refugees will receive notice that an area of refuge has been created for any Refugees who weren't able to leave the Western Kingdom prior to the festival starting. Provided by the Tengu of Tengoku, those looking to flee the chaos will be asked to meet on MRU campus on the morning of the 20th to be teleported to Skytower.

Unknown to many Refugees, Skytower is the only city of Tengoku that floats in the sky high above the Eastern Kingdom. Built long ago during a period of war between Humans and Yokai, it now serves as a watchtower to report on any danger approaching either kingdom, due to its strategic location above the Chubu region.

As the effects of the moonless sky do not exist in the Eastern Kingdom, it is believed that this location will prevent the Refugees from experiencing the transformative aspects of the Sakumi festival.

Or at least, that was certainly the intent.

Castle in the Shadows Skytower, Chubu
Perhaps due to their unusually high magical resistance, Tengu are rarely affected by the Sakumi Festival, and can often be found stationed as guards throughout more populous cities. This remains true at Skytower, where the Tengu monks who lives there assure their guests that they will not be harmed by anyone who calls Skytower home.

"For generations, we Tengu have watched over the lands of Yokai and the lands of Humans. We show no loyalty to anyone except the peace we have worked to maintain all these years.

"Rest assured, although you may be closer to the moonless sky on this sacred tower, you are not in any danger. May Tsukuyomi, goddess of the moon, grant you her protection during this time."

Refugees will be housed together in random room assignments, and although the rooms are small, every amenity they could ask for is provided free of charge. In addition to gourmet meals and access to an exclusive library that few humans have ever set foot in, extravagant outdoor hot springs that seemingly floating atop the clouds are available for the Refugees to relax in at any time of day.

Still, there are some spooky happenings at Skytower. As an ancient tower built many generations ago, many of the passageways throughout the tower are quite narrow and dimly lit. Refugees roaming the halls at night may find their shadows behaving strangely, moving on their own and even creating the sensation of being touched when one shadow reaches out to caress another. These effects are only mildly stimulating, and may even be mistaken for some kind of prank. Only those who dare bathe in the hot springs at night will encounter something more, their shadows engaging in blatant sexual acts under the water, leaving the shadow's owner to writhe as they experience every little sensation.

Curiously, this never seems to occur when the Tengu are around, and those affected may leave such encounters believing they hallucinated it.

Still, true to their word, for the first few days, Refugees at Skytower will be otherwise completely unaffected by the Sakumi Festival, regardless of whether they wear a mask or stare up at the eerily dark night sky.

Please note: Players have the option of having their characters leave for the Eastern Kingdom by airship on the 24th if they do not wish to engage with the second prompt.

Generic Horror Movie Title Skytower, Chubu
But on the 25th, as the Sakumi Festival enters its final week, those bold enough to look up at night sky will notice that the stars are disappearing. The sky will appear to grow blacker and blacker, absorbing any nearby light and appearing more like a dark void overhead than a night sky. Even with the lights on, Skytower will be notably dimmer, making it difficult to navigate the corridors of the tower at night.

Ordinarily, this would simply be yet another aspect of the Sakumi Festival, and one that should be avoidable due to their location on Skytower. But as paranoia among the Refugees grows, Kizuna powered by their fear manifests by causing the area of effect of the Sakumi festival to grow, reaching beyond the borders of the Western Kingdom, until Skytower is enveloped by it.

As the sun sets, an otherwise peaceful night will turn to chaos, as every Refugee on Skytower begins to change due to the power of the moonless sky. A number of Lunar Cursed Refugees begin prowling the tower, driven mad both by fear and by the effects of their own monstrous transformations, attacking everyone and anyone they come across.

And for certain refugees, the gradual loss of the stars and the moon will have more devastating effects. Those with an affinity for stars, space, the moon, or who have begin learning Sora magic will begin experiencing bouts of sudden weakness, causing them to collapse or lose consciousness. This effect escalates as the night goes on, as those afflicted will begin to fade away, their bodies growing translucent the weaker they become. Only prolonged contact with someone they've bonded with seems to have a positive effect, slowing or even reversing the symptoms. But others may disappear entirely until the festival ends, only capable of reaching out to loved ones through their dreams.

Refugees with mild symptoms will be tasked with assisting the Tengu in securing the Lunar Cursed refugees, as well as reaching the control center at the top of the tower to put out a distress signal. By the end of the night, all Refugees will be evacuated by airship to Kyoto.

Paper Faces on Parade

All of this culminates on the final day of the festival on the 31st, during which the sun never rises. A perpetual night blankets the nation, as the final celebrations of the Sakumi Festival take place.

Following news of the disaster at Skytower, Emperor Katsuragi decides to take matters into his own hands. Utilizing his own immense magical power, he cloaks his palace in a protective shield that will limit the transformations produced by the Sakumi Festival. Although negating the effects of the moonless sky using magic is borderline sacrilegious for a devout Yokai, after everything the Refugees did for the people of Shikoku last month, the least he can do is try and support them during this difficult holiday season.

And so, on that morning, all Refugees, no matter where in Nippon they may be, will receive an invitation to a Masquerade Ball to be held in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Those who want to attend need only wish it, and the invitation will automatically bring them to the castle grounds.

Additionally, all Refugees who disappeared as a result of the moonless sky will reappear thanks to the Emperor's power, just in time for the Ball to begin!

Kink Convention Gion, Kyoto
The Imperial Palace is much different from the Emperor's villas: a vast, sprawling mansion that seems to defy the laws of physics, with certain floors and walkways arranged in a way that makes them appear impossible to reach. Thanks to the many enchantments, those who walk the hallways of the palace won't notice if a corner suddenly twists, turns, or even has them walking along the ceiling of another room.

But the palace is far from empty! Exploring the mansion will reveal special rooms tucked away with certain enchantments, with many designed to entertain guests who happen to be staying there. Aside from generic things such as black and white movie theaters, libraries, and spas, some of these rooms seem to be tailored for this specific event.

One room is offering demos and workshops revolving around particular kinks, specifically designed to get the most fun out of whatever transformations they've been dealt by the Sakumi Festival. Refugees will be able to rent out sex toys and devices to use throughout the palace, and will even be offered a map of hidden and secluded spots to play in without getting caught.

In another room, a Yokai-turned-tentacle-monster teaches on the importance of safety during bondage sessions, complete with a live demonstration that will require volunteers. Whether this demonstration is simply about proper binding techniques, or an outright public tentacle-fuck, seems to depend on the enthusiasm of the volunteers.

And in another part of the palace, those who want to indulge in their desires anonymously will find special stalls seemingly designed for completely anonymous play, with variously shaped holes cut into the walls to reach out and touch one another. The way the room is set up, there's no way of knowing who is in each stall, as each one has a separate entrance. There's even a special stall that instead blankets the pair in complete darkness, allowing full-body touches and embraces with relative anonymity.

Just don't wander too far. Those curious enough to venture deep into the palace may instead come across a number of cursed rooms designed to trap intruders. Those captured will remain in these rooms until an attendant happens to find them to let them out. In addition to rooms filled with aphro-laced incense, some contain complex mechanisms designed to fully bind intruders, with some even doubling as fucking machines. Thankfully, there are multiple warning signs posted, so only those feeling especially naughty will end up in these corridors.

Party in a Labyrinth Gion, Kyoto
Those who are familiar with the Emperor's penchant for parties won't be too surprised by the offerings on display tonight. Although officially a Masquerade Ball, in which all guests must wear either a mask or appropriate costume, the actual theme is a bit more raunchy, and all Refugees will be welcome to choose from a selection of outfits that come in varying degrees of sensual and erotic.

Refugees will find no shortage of fun and interesting things to do at the party! A live music performance will play throughout the night, allowing guests to dance their hearts out on the dance floor. Food and drink are plentiful, with all alcoholic and uki-laced goods carefully labeled for the Refugee's convenience. And of course, those who want to indulge in their Sakumi transformations can do so knowing they're at no risk of becoming Lunar Curse and will retain their wits about them until the festival ends.

But as the night grows long, a more traditional event takes place in the palace garden, where the various Yokai attendants and aristocrats present gather around a large bonfire for the Sakumi Festival's end. They dance and sing, and then give prayers to the moon goddess Tsukuyomi, begging forgiveness for whatever sins they committed during the festival.

Refugees who are curious enough to take part in this Sakumi Festival tradition will find themselves compelled to confess their guilt for anything they may have done during the festival as a result of the moonless sky's effects. Whether these confessions are truly anything worth feeling guilty about is up to the individual, of course.

As the clock strikes midnight, all masks are thrown into the fire, and the sky lights up with a brilliant display of stars as the moon takes its rightful place in the sky once more.

But as for Katsuragi? He can be found curled up in a corner, thoroughly exhausted from using so much magic, with his head resting in the lap of a certain individual. Probably best to leave them be.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's October event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• If you do not wish to participate in this event: characters who are able to flee to the Eastern Kingdom will not experience any of the effects of the moon's disappearance.

• If your character would flee but you want them to participate, it's entirely possible that they may find themselves utterly unable to secure a ticket to leave the Western Kingdom, given there is only one train. Additionally, all teleportation terminals to Tokyo will remain offline until November 1st, and due to the lack of the moon, teleportation magic may be weakened.

• While the sky will continue to look spooky in the East as well, this annual phenomenon is explained as a scientific one. As Gaia's moon and rings are magical in nature, the increase in energy expelled during the Tsukimi festival causes them to release a gas-like by-product that blots out the sky at night for a period of two weeks. This has been proven to be true, but the reason this happens at the same time each year is still unknown.

• You have 100% freedom to pick whatever sort of monster your monsterfucker heart desires, be it from Japanese lore, your character's canon, or another canon all together. Whether transformations are painful or not is up to you, and monsters with supernatural powers or abilities will also be allowed to keep those powers! Go wild!

• As a reminder: there are roughly 10,000 Refugees in Nippon, so if you would like to utilize a random Refugee NPC for monsterfucking purposes, this is of course allowed!

• As stated above, characters who go to Skytower will have the option of leaving for Tokyo before things turn sour. These characters will still be able to attend the Emperor's Ball on the 31st!

• Please be kind to your fellow players and utilize content warnings for any graphic monster-related violence, kinks, etc! If you're not sure if something needs a warning, warn for it anyway!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You really are so sweet.

[ Even for something like that, it gets her heart racing all the more. There's a tingly feeling in her chest when he smiles back at her.

Ayaka does not shift too much that she ends up feeling something else, but she does lift a hand up to caress his cheek. He is the sweetest, just as she's told him before. She really likes that about him. And she'd kiss him again, but she realises this isn't the right place and time for it. ]

Shall we get out soon, my love?

Edited 2022-12-13 07:07 (UTC)

You got it.

[ He's satisfied already, especially knowing that he has the rest of the night to spend with her. Hopefully Ayato remembered his mask if he was to return home later... Cloud wasn't so fortunate. But the call of the night was easier to ignore now. And though Ayaka wants to kiss him again...well, she's going to have to deal with the fact that her beau is more eager than he lets on. Especially when she lifts a hand up to caress his cheek, beckoning him deeper. This time, it's chaste. And if he doesn't get her lips, he at least gets to kiss her on the cheek. Regardless, ]

One for the road.

[ And many more to come. ]

🌸 🌸 🌸

[ Their remaining time in the bath is relatively tame, intimate yet with purpose as they prepare to get out of the tub after rinsing up. The water was slowly beginning to lose its warmth anyway. Any longer and the two of them would just go pruning up. After drying off and getting cozied up in his fresh nemaki, his hair is still slightly damp despite scrubbing it with his towel. It's still in slight disarray, but after messing with some of the spikes, a lot of his usual style for his hair sets in place, albeit tamer than before. The coast is clear, and the two are free to roam more comfortably now. Night has fallen, and even looking outside was a risk. Thankfully, they were steering clear of windows wherever they could. ]

You hungry yet?

[ They'd agreed to create mochi together, but he's ready to follow her lead if there was anything else she would like to do instead. ]

[ Ayaka is already preparing a thin blend of green tea for them as soon as she's dry and in comfortable clothes. Her hair is still damp though, so she doesn't put it up in its usual ponytail just yet. ]

A little. Please, have some tea first. I'll prepare what we need for the mochi.

[ While they're waiting for the mochi to steam, she's pretty sure they can prepare dinner, too. While there's a window in the kitchen, it's been shut tight. The many sliding doors around the estate have been shut tight, too. Ayaka's... fortunately had it rather easy, with the curse not bothering her as much (yet). She intends to be cautious, though, especially since Cloud is here, too. She has to do her best for him! ]

Perhaps we can have tonkatsu for dinner?

[ The kitchen is well stocked, so there's a variety of meals to choose from. But it seems the easiest to prepare at the top of her head. ]

Tonkatsu on rice? [ He places a hand on his hip, relaxed by her side as she preps the tea. ] Yes please.

[ It's easy but also nice! Even Cloud's tried his hand at making it. ...to varying levels of success, mind. So, ]

Lemme know how I can help.

[ It's her kitchen! So Cloud's going to be the aide in this scenario. ]

Well... if you would like to go on ahead, you can mix the flour, the water, and the other ingredients.

[ She'll give him the instructions word for word, of course. But he can get started now while she fixes the rest of the kitchen! ]

Gotcha.

[ Yet something else that he could continue to focus on. Upon listening to Ayaka's guidance, he can work on sorting the deeper platters for panko, the egg wash, and flour. If there's one thing he's gotten used to using more frequently, it's chopsticks as he whisks the eggs. Making a meal alongside Ayaka like this... He wasn't an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it still leaves him feeling content. There's a faint smile crossing his lips too as the gets the egg yolk as smooth as possible without them starting to get whipped. Right as they're about to get frothy, he slows down. ]

If the technology here was more advanced, I'd show you a rice cooker.

[ It only crossed his mind because of the fact they'd have rice going along with it now. And how he's had to adjust to more older cooking methods despite the blend of steam tech and magic. ]

A cooker solely for rice?

[ Like... a stove? Huh. But just for rice. She can't imagine what it looks like. ]

But what if you want to make fried rice?

If it's anything like Zack and I did? [ Because Cloud really doesn't know he's making an educated guess askfjhd ] We just used leftover rice. Actually worked out pretty good.

I'm sorry, I can't imagine what you mean. It must be a great tool, though. And perhaps there will be a chance to show it in the future.

[ And she will look forward to that moment! She would like to know about all these things, not just because Cloud uses them, but also because it will broaden her horizons even more. It's very exciting! ]

I'll go ahead and prepare the mochi.

[ He can do the tonkatsu! ]

If they had the right electrical outlets, maybe I could...

[ She's on mochi preparations. Meanwhile... ]

I'm on tonkatsu duty?

[ It's rhetorical at this stage! But with Ayaka's guidance, he's able to successfully get it properly dredged and coated in panko once it's all prepared. But the intimidating part for Cloud? Was the oil. But the Kamisato kitchen well equipped. And with the slices of pork cutlet tenderized and covered in nice, dry and flaky panko, there'd be no real spitback once everything comes up to temperature.

Loosing a cool sigh, he keeps a close eye on the pork once it's gently lowered into the cooking oil to fry. Really, it was all about not keeping it in for too long, not panicking, and trusting the temperature before taking them out. ~~Alas, unless Ayaka tells him about the double-fry technique, they won't come out as crunchy. But they're cooked at least!~~

But as he prepares it via Ayaka's instructions, he also keeps a watchful eye on how she prepares the mochi, blinking curiously as it takes on a color entirely unique from the traditional pink hues her sakura mochi was known for. It...actually looks really cool to make? ]

How long'd it take you to perfect your first mochi?

Yes. I would like to take charge in making mochi for you.

[ Of course, she will ask for his help, still! If Cloud's hands aren't busy with the tonkatsu and rice, anyway.

Ayaka is already mixing the ingredients for the mochi dough together when he asks his question. The colouring is blue, but so far, it's only a light shade! If she adds a little more, then it would be much darker, but also much brighter. She's aiming for a darker, cooler shade, very close to one of the Kamisato Clan's colours. So it'll take some more mixing. ]

Um... not very long, actually. It was my mother who taught me how, when I was still little.

[ It was a very fun lesson! And she enjoyed those days when they would make mochi together. Unfortunately, it was the only thing they were allowed to make in the kitchen then. ]

That explains why you're so good at it. [ A beat. ] You started young.

[ The tonkatsu won't take long before it can rest on paper towel. The last thing either of them needed was oily pork over their rice, even if the panko coating absorbs a fair amount of it as it becomes a nice and golden brown. ]

It took lots and lots of practice to do so.

[ To be good at it, she means!

The dough is done and mixed well now! It has a good feel to it, and she's achieved a nice royal blue! She'll let it sit first so she can make the black sesame filling, starting by pouring black sesame seeds into a mortar. It's her first time doing something like this, but she'll be crushing and grinding the seeds using a pestle!

Soft pounding. Just the way she likes it. ^_^🌸 ]

It's quiet tonight, isn't it?

[ Outside, she means. Or maybe it's just because the estate is away from the hustle and bustle of the streets and the city. ]

[ Her query on how it felt so quiet... He understands what she means. And while he's feeling quite refreshed from the bath, there's still a nagging in the back of his mind. Thankfully, with the tonkatsu finished, he's mindful enough to at least shut off the heat and let the oil cool down in the pot. Before loosing a sigh, at least. ]

Yeah... At least. Quiet inside. When I was out there before...it was an accident, but I thought if I was cursed, I might as well take advantage of it.

I hunted youkai down. The less of them out there preying on people stuck on this side of the tracks without a mask, the better.

[ Realizing he's shifted the topic, reminding them of what was outside (or in the case of the moon, what wasn't), he half frowns. ]

Sorry.

[ But... Cloud. That's dangerous? She sets down what she's holding to walk over closer to him. They'd just gotten out of the bath, and she didn't see any bruises or wounds on his body, but just thinking of him having any injuries is making her chest feel tight. ]

You did not seem to have any injuries. You're not hurt anywhere, are you?

[ Ayaka is already eyeing him up and down, a small pout on her face. She fret. u_u ]

[ Seeing her worried expression, coupled with her observing for any bruises or wounds he may have endured... There's none that she'd be able to visibly spot. It's not just Ayaka whose chest feels tight. Realizing what he's done...it's less the sins of the curse that made them hunger for more than just bloodshed. It's who he wound up facing. So when she asks him if he's not hurt anywhere? He decides he'll simply answer what she wants to ask of him. He won't divulge that he had an encounter with someone as dangerous as the Raiden Shogun. It'd be like telling her he battled Sephiroth.

Neither of those would sit well with her. He knows it doesn't sit well with himself. ]

No. Any nicks and scratches I got were easy to heal up thanks to my Materia.

[ With the tonkatsu finished, he can focus his attention solely on Ayaka who looks up to him with a little pout on her face. When he focuses on her, it's easier to ignore the call of the night. Having the windows closed helped significantly. His hand gently lifts up to the side of her face, gently cupping it so that she can meet his gaze. ]

I'm okay. [ A beat. ] I promise.

You're the biggest reason for that.

[ She believes him. Though... this is what it means to care for someone, isn't it? You always wish for their well-being, just like how she prays to the Electro Archon whenever Ayato would go on his trips, to keep him safe.

Ayaka had given him an omamori before, but it was one for good luck. Perhaps she should give him another one? Or replace the one she had given him before with a new one, to refresh its benefits.

Their eyes meet, and the uncertainty that fills her expression stings clear. Even with Cloud promising that he's okay, she tells herself that she must do even better to support him. ]

You must tell me if you feel there is something wrong.

[ If he's starting to feel those urges again, or if he's feeling hurt. She would like to be there for him now that she is with him. ]

I will make sure that things will be alright, while you are here with me.

Ayaka...

[ He was prepared to shrug it off. Tell her this was nothing. And in the grand scheme of things, perhaps it was indeed, 'nothing'. But if he wasn't honest with her about it, it'd only make things more awkward moving forward, right? It's a big step for someone like him. But his hand glides down from her face, to gently clasping her shoulder. He shouldn't interrupt her from finishing prepping the mochi for long. But more importantly, ]

...

I haven't stopped feeling the pressure to go back outside since we got here. But spending time with you like this? It's helping. I wanna stay here.

[ The first part? That's what's wrong. But he's going to try just as hard for her as she is for him. ]

I wanna finish making this with you. And read with you.

Then that is what we shall do.

[ She won't make him give into that pressure to go outside. She'll be be here by his side, because he's told her many times before that everything is normal when he is with her.

It... feels like the right thing to do. Ayaka can't help but wish there was more she could do, though. ]

Do you know how to make the sauce?

[ Since he's mostly free now! ]

Not...really. [ For some reason, that gets his cheeks to softly fluster, rubbing the back of his neck. ] Honestly I usually get it premade.

It has a lot of ingredients. Apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, onions, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, oyster sauce, tomato paste...

[ A rather lengthy recipe! But it's all about mixing it all together, following the correct measurements. ]

I can be the one to make it, if you like. You can grind the black sesame seeds while I'm doing it.

[ Whoa... That's...a lot to list right off the top of her head. He's impressed. But then again, he figures that it's no different from memorizing a long list from anything else. He blinks, bright-eyed and surprised when she asks him to grind the black sesame seeds. With the pestle and mortar. He's actually tried this part before! But to make a paste out of it... Something about using it was therapeutic, he found. ]

I'm gonna hafta watch you while I grind the seeds.

[ Because he's gonna have to memorize that list of ingredients again when making the proper sauce. ]

I got most of it.

Another time, then, we can make it together.

[ For now? Ayaka washes her hands and prepares another bowl for the sauce. Just a small one! And then she brings out everything she needs.

The Kamisato Estate's kitchen is well-stocked, even if Ayato or Ayaka don't cook that often. It just... has to be full, you know? Otherwise, it can't be considered a proper kitchen!

Ayaka is precise with how she measures, so it does take some time, but she's mixing everything together sooner or later! ]

[ Cloud's kitchen by comparison, while pleasant, was nowhere near as stocked or as well equipped. Then again, Ayato used his position as the head of the Kamisato Clan and of the Yashiro Commission to secure himself a comfortable position within the government here. Given how generous the locals were to refugees here to begin with, that only added more comfort to the lifestyle they would have here! At least, this was what Cloud observed.

So while he continues to pound his seed into the deep channel of the mortar, he observes Ayaka was she methodically measures and mixes the ingredients. And that's when something else hits him. Standing here in the kitchen with her, the environment so quiet and tranquil... ]

This is a first for me.

Making dinner like this, working in a kitchen with my girlfriend...

Huh.

[ It's a softer "Huh", the faint trace of a smile on Cloud's face as he relays it all. But...this really was the first time that Cloud could say that he's actually had something resembling a normal life. At least, a normal life since becoming an adult. ]

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