Tatsuhiko Fujiwara, from Vampire Knight: The Revelation, a roleplay on RPG

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Cross Academy

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#2014-02-10 05:47:36, as written by Nephilim

Steely violet eyes gazed out into the crowd, watching as the students interacted with each other, giggling and smiling as they walked by. Eien's face remained void of much of any emotion, just the barest flicker of irritation shining through as he glanced down to his side. Farah had latched onto his arm, her body trembling a bit as she tried to keep her composure. He couldn't blame her, not really. She was a shy creature to begin with, so being in such a large, occupied space, would do that to her. He sighed softly through his nose, shifting so that he was standing a bit more composed and not enough to disturb his sister.

Farah, on the other hand, tried her best to keep her composure. It was late Autumn, and this festival they were currently attending had caught her completely off guard. She wasn't entirely sure what to do seeing as she wasn't so good at interacting with people, often. Sure, she interacted with a few people here and there, but that was because she had to interact with them. Doing so voluntarily was a different story all together. It required her to talk to more people, and not just about homework either. With that in mind, her arm tightened a bit onto Eien's. He had always provided a sort of stability for her, and of course her sister, Hikari, who was currently missing.

Hikari had found her way to one of the booths, her eyes shining with mirth as she glanced at the objects laid out on the table. Most of them were pendants, some shaped in odd animals, others shaped into different shapes. There were three that caught her eye, and she was trying to decide which one she wanted. They were an owl, a dragon, and a tiger. The owl was carved out of an onyx gemstone, the dragon a sapphire gemstone, and the tiger a jade. They were well made, and for a moment, Hikari couldn't tell if they were real or not. She decided they were not, seeing as they were being sold at the school, but then again, they still could be. She paid for one of them and continued on her way.

Ryoku, however, was grinning from ear to ear, his arms laced behind his head as he stared out in front of him. There were so many fruits just waiting for him to take a bite out of, but he'd have his fun first. Which is why, currently, he was traveling with the two other people in his life he'd consider friends. Well, one of them was his actual family member, so he was stuck with him regardless. Not that he minded, Haru was a blast to pick on. It was interesting to see how many shades of red Haru could turn, and they all always seemed to compliment his skin tone. Well, for now, he'd just pick on the available party to him, starting with the first person he came across next.

Reiko was not exactly sure where Naya had gone off to, but she didn’t let it bother her much. Her twin was always doing something, and it was usually causing trouble. One day, Kiko was certain, it would get Naya into trouble herself. Until then… well, most of the trouble seemed to find her instead. As now, when one of the rubber balls from a carnival game rebounded at the wrong angle from the wall it had been thrown against and sailed towards her head. Her arm snapped up automatically, and she caught it, but the problem was, she missed the fact that there was someone headed towards her with a box of darts for one of the balloon-popping games.

The collision was loud, and the darts when flying, several of them coming loose from the box and starting to rain downwards on the two now-prone people. Reiko was on her feet at once—the person carrying the box had been human, they could really hurt him. Her hands moved quickly as she caught darts in the spaces between her fingers, moving lightly over the ground to make sure she got them all, and when her hand closed over the last one, she breathed a sigh of relief, smiling down at the human with the box, who was looking at her with a slightly-dazed expression, his face red. Probably from embarrassment, poor thing. She tilted her head to the side and put the darts back in the box, helping him up with a hand about his forearm and setting the box back in his arms, then dusting off his shoulders.

“There we go,” she said gently, nodding with a brighter smile. “Everything’s fine now. Just be a bit careful, okay? Everyone’s relying on you to help make this a fun festival, and we should all try our best, right?” The human boy nodded, and Kiko’s gentle smile inched a little wider. “Good.” Stepping back, she gestured for him to go ahead past her, which he did, and she continued on her way, not really aiming to be anywhere in particular.

Nearby, but not so close as to have witnessed the incident, Tatsuhiko was wondering how it was that he was even here. Public spectacles were much more Tora’s area of expertise than his, and in all honesty, he could do without the crowds. Sighing softly, he passed a vendor of artisan jewelry and perused the wares. He was not typically one for ornamentation, but then, the pieces were very well-crafted, and unless he was mistaken, the gems were genuine. He paused, brushing his fingers lightly over the smooth surface of a sapphire dragon.

“It suits you,” said the wareseller, a middle-aged human woman, pushing her square-framed glasses up her nose. She looked at him with something akin to knowing, and for just a moment, he entertained the notion that she might understand just how poignant that statement really was. Perhaps he was reading too much into things, but he tilted his head faintly to the side.

“Perhaps,” he replied noncommittally, and she smiled.

Torahiko surveyed the festival, blinking languidly at the bright nighttime lights and the milling people. So many opportunities, so little time. It was always that, wasn’t it? A lack of time. He’d been running out of it since the day he was born. Unlike the ones beside him, who had all the time in the world, if they played their cards right. Well, he was never one to let it bother him overmuch—it was all about what he did with it, and right now, he intended to have a lot of fun. “Well, well, henchmen,” he said playfully, referencing the jocular nicknames of the men to his right and left, “what variety of mayhem shall we cause tonight?”

"Boss...I think Naya Nii-san is beating us to it." Haru pointed, and sure enough, a few rows down, one could hear -and see- a rather large commotion. Kon, the large dark lion on top of which Haru Akarui rode, as he always did, chuckled. "Haru, Naya always beats us to it. Oh look, and here comes Trevor, right on cue."

True to the familiar's word, the vampire strode right past the trio, and towards where one could see flashes of cornflower-blue hair amidst yelling and destruction. It was a bit unclear as to what exactly was going on, but as Trevor got closer, he could hear what Naya was saying. Or yelling, rather.

"What did you say, you brat?!"

"I said, a girl can't fight. That would be you, little lady."

A vein stood out in Naya's forehead. This kid was human, and probably about seventeen, from the looks of him. Little lady? Little lady? Oh...he was going to get it. He was so going to get it. "Little lady, huh? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"A girl?" He smirked down at her, dark hair falling into his eyes. He was nearly a foot taller than she was, to be sure. But that didn't mean anything, not really. Naya hissed out a breath through her teeth. She drew back a fist...

Only to have it caught by someone. Naya blinked, looking over her shoulder to see her uncle, Trevor. He was chewing on a toothpick as she glared at him. "He's not worth it, Naya." Trevor's eyes slid over to the male, who looked almost haughty. Trevor sighed through his nose. This guy was beginning to piss him off, and for someone as patient as Trevor, that was saying something. "Picking fights with people is not very smart. You never know what kind of friends they have."

He did not, however, give any of them a chance to answer as he pulled his niece away, who was glaring at him. "I would have been just fine, Trevor, he was only a human." Trevor sighed, his hand under Naya's elbow to ensure she didn't slip away from him. "Exactly, he was human, you would have killed him."

"Besides, isn't Mama Kiki always telling you not to fight, Nana-chan?" A small voice spoke up, the small white tiger landing neatly on top of Naya's head. "Shut up, Mako." Naya scowled up at her familiar, and when the three of them got back to where Tora, Ryo, and Haru were, Naya turned and punched Trevor in the jaw, sending him sprawling. "That's for helping me when I didn't need it!" She crossed her arms and then glared at Haru, who couldn't seem to stop laughing.

Ryoku laughed at his cousin's observation of Naya, the ever flamboyant Akarui child. Though he couldn't say he wasn't equal parts amused, Naya always had a certain flair about her that could draw just about any moth to her. Not that he had much to worry about, Trevor was there. Their uncle was the unfortunate soul to be tied to Naya, watching her as she rampaged through the school. His lips tilted into a faint smirk as he stared at his cousin.

"Naya, Naya, really must you torture Trevor so? He's only looking out for you," he crooned out, his smirk widening. He shook his head a bit before walking up to Haru, leaning on Kon and placing his elbow ontop of Haru's shoulder, his other hand laid at his waist. "Besides Haru-chan here is saying you are taking all the fun. That, sweetheart, is a no-no. You gotta leave some for us you know," he spoke, his smirk widening a bit.

Farah, on the other hand, had somehow managed to lose herself and separate from Eien. She shivered slightly, rubbing her arms together to provide a sense of comfort to herself. It did little to calm her nerves, however; a familiar scent came to her, and the barest flicker of a smile crossed her features. She knew who that was, and if she could find him, she'd be okay. But that was if she could find him. Though she caught and held his scent, it was quickly disappearing amongst the plethora of other scents. Eventually, she caught sight of his familiar deep, purple hair.

"Hiko-san," she called out meekly, her voice a note just above a whisper. She cringed at the softness of her own voice, and part of her silently wished she could make it stronger. She'd have to deal with it for now though, and made her way so that she was standing just a bit behind Tatsuhiko. "How are you, Hiko-san?" she questioned lightly, her nervousness ebbing away slowly. He, Eien, and Hikari, always had that affect on her, and she was grateful to have at least one of the three.

Hikari frowned, her face pulled back into one of discomfort as she stared at the fluffy penguin in front of her. She had tried everything she could think of to win the creature, and so far it was proving to be quite the evasive creature. She gritted her teeth, handing the stall vendor another coupon as she tried her hand at the toss again. She missed once, twice, the fifth time she ended up throwing the rest of the rings in a rather hazardous manner, managing to knock one of the rings off and watched as it bounced towards a person. Said person managed to catch it without much effort and steel violet eyes met vibrant mahogany.

"Eien," she addressed her brother as she watched the dark haired male toss the ring towards the bottles, watching as it spun against the glass and fell in place. She pursed her lips together, irritation evidently leaking from her eyes as the stall vendor handed the penguin to Eien. "That's not fair, E-chan," she stated, folding her arms over her chest in the process. Eien merely regarded her with the same stoic face as he glanced at the penguin, then towards his sister. Raising an eyebrow, he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, if that is the case, Imouto-chan, then I will take my prize elsewhere," he spoke, his voice never missing a step to the monotonous beat.

“Beating us to it does not mean beating us at it,” Tora pointed out with a grin. “Besides, the bodyguard didn’t actually let her fight anybody, so… no points, kitten.” He shrugged with an air of mock sympathy, his smile stretching to flash teeth that still had a hint of fang, even when he was perfectly at ease. Perhaps it was better to say that he was never completely at ease. Tora was always ready for a fight, even when he seemed most relaxed. It was in his nature, like kindness was in the natures of some other people.

Of course, the little white tiger cub jumped onto her head at that point, and his expression changed slightly, though what exactly was different about it would be hard to say. “Hey, little Mayhem! Looks like we have all the tricksters in a row today. I say we take advantage.” As good as his word, Tora winked a bright green eye at Naya and headed into the crowd. The best kind of chaos required a surprising amount of planning beforehand. Kind of like dominoes. You could tip over a few if you wanted, but it was much more effective if they were all lined up the right way, first.

The soft voice halted Tatsu’s movement, and a small smile flickered over his face. He turned to face the snow-haired girl, inclining his torso in a slight bow. It was certainly polite, but not overly formal, exactly. He was polite to Farah because he did not know how to be kind, and she deserved at least that much. “Good evening, Farah,” he said gently, watching as her expression shifted from one of obvious discomfort into something a little steadier. The girl was an open book in many ways, but he’d never use it against her if he could avoid it.

He wondered for a moment why she was here, as if he recalled correctly, she liked crowds no more than he did, but perhaps she had come with her family—many of whom he could presently smell, but none of whom he could see. “I hope you are well?” It was inflected as a question, an indirect way of asking if there was anything he could be doing to help her. He could smell cooking food, and tilted his head slightly to the side. “Have you yet eaten?” It was as much an idea as anything, after all.

Kiko, having caught the scent of two of her favorite relatives, was only just rounding a corner as Eien moved to take his leave, and inadvertently ran smack into him, rebounding off the much more sturdy form of her cousin and landing hard on her rear. It didn’t hurt, but it was certainly embarrassing. Reiko sighed, her face coloring to a pinkish shade. She really was unlucky. “Oh dear,” she said, picking herself back up off the ground and dusting off her clothes. “I’m sorry, Eien. I was coming to see both of you—I did not expect to succeed so… soon.” She cracked a small, very sheepish smile.

Naya made an odd little grunting sound as she stalked off after Tora. He at least knew how to have fun. Preferably the kind where she was not called "little lady". She hated that almost as much as her mother hated being called "princess". There was a wry little smile on her face though, watching her brother and her cousin. They were made for each other, really. If only Haru would open his eyes and see it. Or confess, rather, Naya was well aware of her little brother's affections. She shook her head slightly.

"So I don't get any points for clocking Trevs, either? No fair..."

Haru, on the other hand, had somehow managed to not overly blush, and keep his composure, when Ryoku came over. He was not, however, able to stop his heart from slamming into his ribcage. He really needed to get his head out of the clouds. He leaned backwards slightly, watching as Naya and Tora stalked off through the crowd. He looked back at his cousin. "Ro-chan, they're leaving without us."

Trevor sighed, watching as Naya left, shaking his head slowly. Well, he was now certain of two things: one, if Naya was with Tora, he at least didn't have to worry overmuch about her being in danger. And two: there would be absolutely no stopping her. With that in mind, he turned, waving at his nephew, perfectly content to leave them. He needed a shower.

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#2014-02-10 09:35:52, as written by Dynamite

Farah smiled softly at Tatsuhiko, returning the soft bow as she straightened her posture back up. "I...am doing well, thank you for asking. I just seemed to have lost a few members of my family," she replied. She laughed a bit nervously at the way the sentence came out, almost as if they had intentionally lost them, however; that wasn't the case. She had seen something and had pulled away from Eien, who had somehow been drowned away by the crowd, and she had lost him. She had almost panicked for a second there, however; she had caught Tatsuhiko's scent and found him here. She tilted her head to the side a bit as he asked a question. As if on cue, her stomach gave a low rumble, and she blushed lightly.

"Ah, no I have not," she replied meekly. "I..was going to with the others, but...seeing as they are not around at the moment, would you perhaps like to grab something with me?" she questioned, shifting a bit nervously in her spot. "But you don't have to! I understand if there is something else you are in need of doing," she quickly stated, waving a hand in front of her face as she tried to keep the burning off of her face. She didn't need to be bothering him with such a silly request to begin with.

Tatsu looked slightly perplexed for a moment, the expression flitting over his generally-emotionless visage for the barest second before it smoothed back out. He was here at the festival, what else could he possibly have to do? Still, he supposed she was only being polite, and he could understand the need to do that, so he attempted to reassure her. “There is nothing else I need be doing, at present,” he said simply. He did not dare say that he was also hungry, because as far as anyone here knew, he was a vampire, and they did not consume food except occasionally, for the taste of it. He was, in fact, feeling a bit of the bite of hunger, but he would pass it off as this and nothing more when the time came.

He wasn’t sure why she was blushing, but put it down to misplaced embarrassment about the noises her stomach was making. She was a bit oversensitive that way, but it was… a trifle endearing, in its own little sense. She was very bright, Farah was, and he selfish enough that he occasionally indulged himself in her mere presence. He’d never had a friend besides Tora, and he wouldn’t let himself if he could avoid it, but… he did enjoy her company. It was easier not to remember, when she was talking to him about whatever she wanted.

It was for this reason, as well as a general interest in her wellness, that he inquired as they walked, he following his nose in the direction of what smelled like noodle stir-fry. “It has been a while since I saw you last,” he said quietly, steering them both through the thickening crowd. Honestly, it might have swallowed her up, otherwise, but people tended to step around him almost unconsciously. He used this to his advantage now, offering her his arm in a distinctly old-fashioned way before he continued. “I had not realized autumn was already this far passed.” He’d been out of school for perhaps a month, called for his use as a Council dog. Much as he disliked it, it was the only reason he lived at all, and so he continued to do it, as if to affirm his own existence to himself. To remind himself that he was not just a shadow on the wall, a ghost passing by unseen.

They reached the food court area, then, and Tatsu halted momentarily, scanning over the options before turning to the girl beside him. “What would you like? It is my treat, since it has been such a long time.” The barest flicker of a smile passed over his face. It was well known that Tatsu did not smile. Ever. The closest he got were these fleeting little expressions, and those, he only saw the need for with Farah and his brother, so it was hardly a wonder that people were surprised to see him with any company but his own. The whispers did not bother him, and he hoped they did not bother her. She was such an innocent person that he doubted they would.

The embarrassment flickered away from her face as it turned into a bright smile. She wasn't sure exactly why her smile was so bright, but she didn't mind. Tatsuhiko was her friend, and she had always regarded him highly. Not because he was her friend, but because he was her friend. Being the sibling to three, very well-known, Minamoto's wasn't exactly the place to be on, especially when she herself was so quiet and meek. She wasn't as out-spoken, so cool as her siblings, not even her cousins, however; perhaps it was for the best. She didn't have very many friends, and she cherished the people she managed to be friends with. And so far that list was very, very short.

"Ah, it has been a while," she returned, her attention being called away by the sound of his voice. The last time she had seen him was about a month and a few days ago. He had left, not really saying why, but she didn't need to know. She understood, and that was all that mattered. She would never question him about his personal life, nor would she inquire about it. If he wanted to speak of it, he would, and sometimes he did, though it was mainly just about his brother and himself and how they were faring. "Time has a way of escaping you when you don't pay much attention to it, I suppose," she added, smiling still.

She took the arm he offered, sliding her own hesitantly through the loop as they continued walking. The blush had all but faded from her face, however; it reappeared just as fast when she could hear the light whispers floating around. Why were people so easy to jump to conclusions? It was precisely this kind of thinking that had limited her to the handful of friends she had, and this kind of thinking that had landed her on the top of one of the most hated list. Not because she was popular, beautiful, smart, or anything like that, but simply because of who she was associated with. She sighed softly, shaking her head, trying to ignore the words that stung at her like sharp knives grating her skin.

"But still, I hope everything is well, and whatever it is that you were gone for didn't cause you too much trouble," she stated as they finally reached the food court. He asked what she would like, and for a moment, she would have protested at being treated, however; she had learned quite a while back that it would be useless. Instead, she smiled and gave a thoughtful tap to her chin. "The noodle stir-fry sounds good, and it's been awhile since I've had a good bowl. Kari-chan doesn't make it as often as she used to, and I miss her cooking," she replied, giving a light frown before replacing it with a smile.

At the words, Tatsuhiko inclined his head and steered them in the appropriate direction, the loud sound of sizzling accompanied by a truly appealing plethora of smells, which his nose picked up on easily and his mind sorted into different ingredient categories. It wasn’t something he really had to think about—like many other things, it kind of happened automatically. Like the way he filed away everything she told him for possible future reference. He liked to promise himself that he would never use any of it against her, against them—that he would make her in no way responsible for what he eventually knew he would be asked to do. That allowed him to keep the interactions between them genuine. It also ate at him, the guilt for what he must eventually steel himself to do.

But now was not the time to think about that. Placing his order, he allowed her to do the same before paying for both and making his way to a small table. He was enough a gentleman to pull out her chair for her before taking his own seat, pressing his hands together at the palms and offering a small word of thanks over the food before he tucked into it. He didn’t much believe in gods or spirits or whomever the ritual had been meant to thank, but he saw no reason not to use the words anyway. Once they were settled and eating, he took a break between bites to address her earlier words.

“It was nothing terribly difficult,” he told her of the task that had pulled him from school. It hadn’t been, but the way he said it was not the way most people would talk about killing things. This was intentional—he did not desire that anyone know exactly what he did. She always chose not to ask prying questions, and it was this trait that made their curious little relationship possible. It was far from what the whispering tongues were suggesting it was, and at a particularly lewd suggestion, Tatsu glanced sideways, meeting indigo eyes with the speaker’s. The look in his was cold and flat; it was the face the Ghost wore, and it send a visible shudder down the boy’s spine. He cared not what they said about him, but he would not have it insinuated that she was such a person, not in his presence.

The cold look faded, though, and he turned back to her. “I am a little surprised to see you here,” he admitted, and this at least he did freely. “But then, I am not for crowds either, and here we both are. If you would like, I can help you find the nearest member of your family when we are done here?”

The smile never faded from Farah's face, even after their orders were taken and she accompanied Tatsuhiko to a table. He was always so nice, doing things that most would never truly do, at least when it came to most of the male population, and she always found it refreshing. The only other kindness she had known was the kindness she received from her family. They both said a small thanks before eating their food, Farah too caught up in her meal to notice any of the words floating around, nor the look Tatsuhiko had sent a boy just a few tables down. Instead, she directed her attention towards him.

"I'm glad. If it were difficult, I could only hope it didn't cause you too much worry about it," she responded, taking another bite of her meal. "Well, I, honestly, didn't want to come," she spoke nervously when he spoke of being surprised that she was here. It was true, she wasn't one for crowds or large social gatherings, however; she had been literally dragged here by Hikari, and no amount of protesting seemed to help. "Kari can be very...persistent about things," she stated, laughing nervously in the process. It's not that she minded really, and she was here with her family to begin with.

Once her meal was finished, she placed the bowl to the side and tilted her head slightly at his suggestion. "I'd...appreciate it actually," she replied, smiling softly at his offer. It wouldn't do her any good to look for them on her own, though she could perhaps find them just as easily. She could smell all of them around, however; they all seemed to be going in different directions, and it wasn't helping that some of their scents were mingling together with a majority of the humans. Usually telling the difference wasn't so difficult, however; with the added amount of scents, and her own nervousness, she would surely get herself lost than to actually find her family.

It wasn’t so much that he was concerned with her not being able to find them as he was with the difficulty she would encounter getting to them. There were a lot of students and even a few outside visitors and family members about, meaning that the crowds were thick, and Farah was both a timid and a small person. So at her acquiescence, he nodded and collected their dishes, dropping them off at the appropriate spot before moving away from the food court. Discretely, he sniffed the air, and noted that the nearest member of her family appeared to be moving to the edges of the festival. Well, if she had not particularly desired to come anyway… at least the crowd would be thinner there.

Again offering his elbow, he led them efficiently, but without hurry, through the crowd, arranging it so that their paths crossed with Trevor’s. As soon as the man spotted them, Tatsuhiko brought them to a stop and gently dropped his arm. “Then I believe this is where we part for the evening, Farah,” he said, that tiny hint of a smile tugging at his mouth for a fraction of a second. “It was, as ever, a pleasure to keep your company. I shall see you soon, I believe.” With the same polite bow he had given upon meeting her, he took his leave, disappearing effortlessly into the crowd once more.

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#2014-02-16 10:06:08, as written by Dynamite

Hikari frowned for what seemed the umpteenth time that night. Ever since she left her brother's side, her luck had almost increased. She had lost to a child on one of the water boarding games, something she found rather hilarious though really since it was just she and the child. And when the child won, he mimicked a move she had pulled on Eien earlier; he stuck his tongue out at her and scampered away happily with his prize in tow. She was now at a game that seemed fairly easy. All she needed to do was fit a ball into a small bowl, and she'd win the prize in the bowl, which, to say the least, was a goldfish. It, however, was the only goldfish in the stall to be black in color.

She had recognized it to be a black moor goldfish. She had found it odd that they would only have one as she actually liked the black goldfish. When she had spotted it, she made it her goal to obtain it one way or another. So, it was, perhaps, no surprise that she had spent the last ten minutes trying to win the black goldfish. Every time she tried, the ball would end up either on the floor, or in another bowl. She had given away fifteen goldfish by the twentieth minute of standing at the stall, and the vendor was running out of goldfish. He had sighed, irritated that she had refused to give up on the black goldfish, however; a spark of glee filled his eyes when she ran out of coupons.

She sighed defeatedly, running her hand down her face in the process. "I just cannot win tonight can I?" she spoke more to herself than anyone really. It really wasn't her night. First the penguin, then the Ferret, now the goldfish. At least with the goldfish she had managed to win some but not the one she wanted. She pursed her lips together, sighing softly before shaking her head. "Sorry little guy, guess I wasn't meant to have you," she spoke, chuckling at her own words and how ridiculous they seemed to be. Not that she cared, she'd say whatever she wanted as long as it didn't get herself or her family into trouble, and looking a bit insane was always a good way to keep unwanted attention away.

After seeing Farah off into the company of her relative, one of the more responsible ones at that, Tatsuhiko had taken to wandering mostly aimlessly through the festivities. He could smell Tora nearby and knew that it would be trouble for someone eventually, so he was rather hoping to take in what sights there were to see before the general chaos ensued and made such passive enjoyment impossible. So he drifted around almost as though he were incorporeal, stopped only occasionally to speak by people he remembered, but did not know very well. He was uncertain why they wished to speak with him, but he was polite as he could manage, though he seemed to always find himself looking for a way to extract his person from the conversation. He did not understand why so many people found it necessary to touch others when conversing with them. He was unaccustomed to such things and frankly uncomfortable with it, Tora and Farah excepted. Even that was more concession he would make for the nature of the relationship and less a straightforward desire or inclination towards contact itself.

He had thus far not tried his hand at any of the games, as he honestly was not entirely sure of the appeal such things were supposed to have. Most of them tended to be tests of accuracy in some capacity, and he was well aware that his capacities in this area were vastly above the norm, which rather took the amusement out of the attempt. He had grown rather tired of forgone conclusions, all things considered. Nevertheless, he still had a number of paper slips tucked up his sleeve, which indicated his chances to make an attempt at something. Perhaps he should find a small child to which he could give them…? It seemed illogical to hold onto them. Of course, this would necessitate actually interacting with a small child, and he was not so certain he wished to do that.

The solution to his conundrum presented itself—or rather herself—at a booth apparently dedicated to winning small fish. He heard her talking, and for a moment stopped, presuming that perhaps she was speaking to him, but when he glanced over, he recognized that this was evidently not the case, and that the words (obviously not directed at him, now that she’d actually said them) were intended for a small, darkly-hued fish. “Your pardon, Miss Hikari,” he said, reaching into his sleeve. Withdrawing his paper slips, ten in total, he inclined his head politely and extended them. “I was not intending to use mine; so you are welcome to them if it pleases you.”

Hikari was about to leave when a voice caused her to turn her attention towards the source. She furrowed her brows in confusion when Tatsuhiko presented her his tickets, and she stared at them for a moment. He was going to give them to her? Because he didn't intend to use them? Then what was the purpose of buying them? She shoved that thought to the back of her mind. He was just being nice, and she offered him a smile. As much as she really wanted that black goldfish, she had accepted that she just wasn't meant to have it, and that tonight she was just out of luck.

"That...is kind of you to offer, Tatsu, but I am afraid I must decline. It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, I do, but my luck just isn't all that great tonight. I'm sure there is something you'd like to do with them. One doesn't simply come to a festival without the intention of having fun," she stated, shaking her head in the process. She placed a single hand upon his, and pushed his hand back towards him. "Ah, actually," she stated, the sudden idea forming into her head. There was, perhaps, one thing the tickets could be used for, however; it was his decision, and she wasn't going to push it.

"It doesn't require any tickets or anything, and it's more tradition than anything," she began, clearing her throat in the process. "but they are going to be lighting and sending off the lanterns soon. Since I can't seem to find my brothers, nor my cousins or sister, I, uh...," she continued, laughing nervously in the process. Tatsuhiko was Farah's friend, that much Hikari knew, and she knew that he was also a bit like her adopted sister in a sense that they both did not like crowds. At least that is what she deduced by her observations, however; she wasn't going to ask about it, necessarily.

"You don't have to go, but I'd appreciate it if you did," she finished, her smile growing brighter in the process. He really didn't have to go. She could manage on her own, but it would be nice to view the lanterns in the company of someone, whether it was family or friend. In this case, she hoped it'd be in the company of a friend. She'd never truly interacted with the Fujiwara male, besides his brother maybe. Regardless, the decision was his, she wasn't going to force it. She'd go see them by herself if it came down to it. The black moor goldfish continued floating in the water, staring at the two with curious eyes.

He was slightly confused to say the least. He had no use for the tickets; he had not purchased them—they were rather given to him, and he’d been under the impression that everyone received some amount for free. Apparently not so—he wondered why that was. His expression did not change as she pushed his hand back with one of her own, but something in his eyes went slightly unfocused.

There is death on the air. The smell of blood, thick and cloying, crowds his olfaction. He knows, somehow, that much of it is hers. She is gravely injured, and he feels something in him stir. A primal, defensive fury rises, bubbling up from beneath his skin, but his anger is not like fire. It does not explode—it freezes. It freezes everything. Indeed, the air around them seems to grow perceptibly chillier, and he reaches for the sword at his side—

Tatsuhiko’s eyes widened fractionally, and he shook his head in just the faintest movement before he blinked, bringing his oculars back into focus. She was still there—it must not have been a very long vision, perhaps a couple of seconds at the most. They are not usually triggered by anything in particular, but he could not help but notice the coincidence of this one with the brush of her hand. It was particularly unusual because he sensed he was inhabiting his own body in this vision. Most often, he either floated around as some kind of nonexistent observer or found himself passenger in the mind and flesh of another. But Tatsu knew that had been him, which was strange on many levels. Why should he feel such foreign rage at the scent of this person’s blood? Why should she appear in his visions at all? As far as he knew, he was to keep an eye on she and her family, which meant that he may well be one day asked to kill them. This thought itself did not make him angry—only melancholy.

The invitation was most unexpected, and he tilted his head to one side, a lock of dark purple hair falling over the bridge of his nose and into an eye. He supposed he understood the reasoning behind it… and he was not so averse to company as most seemed to assume he was. He only disliked crowds. So he nodded mildly. “Very well,” he said by way of acquiescence. “I do not find fault in the suggestion. I have not seen this lantern-lighting before. Thank you, for the thought.” There was still the matter of the tickets, however, one which was abruptly solved when a small horde of children went running past. They stopped a few booths down, and Tatsu sighed through his nose.

“One moment please, Miss Hikari,” he said, jogging smoothly and oddly noiselessly towards the group of children, most of whom looked to be between seven and ten years of age. He was not the tower his brother was, but neither was his height inconsiderable, and so he crouched so as to be closer to their eye level, saying something too quietly to be heard, which was met with enthusiasm from the kids. He distributed the tickets, one to each, which left him with one. Rather than being unfair, he stood, stiffening awkwardly when one of the younger ones hugged him around the leg. He still didn’t understand contact.

The child eventually released him at the behest of her guardian, and he took a more sedate pace back towards his friend’s sister. Eyeing the one ticket left in his hand, he flickered his glance upwards, then between Hikari and the black fish. Well, it wasn’t like he had anything else to use it on, after all—and one kindness was surely worth another. Placing it down on the counter, he took the object he was to throw and tested its weight and balance for a moment. From there, it was nothing at all to gauge the appropriate distance, and the toss landed perfectly in the center of the bowl the black one swam in. It was placed into a bag of water and handed to him.

Tatsu held the creature up to his face for a moment, blinking at it. “I am told it is bad luck to name such a one,” he said with a trace of skepticism, “but I suppose whether or not he receives an appellation is entirely up to you.” This time, it was not tickets he offered in her direction, but the fish.

Hikari stared with curious eyes as Tatsuhiko seemed to just zone out. She had waved her hand a few times in front of his face, trying to call his attention, however; whatever he was thinking of, seemed to be deep. She rose an eyebrow when she received no response, and was about to call out his name and shake his shoulders a bit, when he seemed to come back. Her brow merely ascended further but she thought nothing further of it. She was about to say something when he excused himself, jogging towards the small group of children that had ran by moments ago. She watched as he gave them his tickets, a small smile forming on her lips as she shook her head. He really was an odd creature, however; that was as far as she'd let her thoughts go. She was about to suggest to leaving, however; he had placed the one ticket he had left, down on the counter where she had been moments ago.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she watched him, curious to see as to what he was going to do, and for a moment, she stared in awe as the ball landed inside the black goldfish bowl. It really wasn't fair, her luck, that he'd be able to do it so much as the first try, however; there was no use in crying over spilled milk. He had won the small creature fair and square, and she was about to applaud him until he spoke. He had said it was bad luck to name a black goldfish, or perhaps just a goldfish in general, but nevertheless, he presented it to her. She took a moment to assess the situation, glancing at the fish and then back to Tatsuhiko. She had wanted it, that much she was certain of, but why was he giving it to her? She thought of it no longer, pushing it to the back of her mind as she took the fish.

"Bad luck or not, everything needs a name," she spoke, staring at the fish. "How would you hope to ever identify it otherwise? Besides, wouldn't you want a name if you didn't have one?" she stated more-so than asked. It was a silly statement, she knew that, but she felt like saying it regardless. "Kuro. It's short, easy, and hard to forget," she finally stated, staring at the black creature in her hands. The two seemed to hold a staring contest, neither one blinking (though the fish really didn't have the capability of blinking) before she straightened herself out. She glanced at the watch on her wrist and pursed her lips together. It was almost time for them to start lighting the lanterns.

"Thanks again, for coming along," she spoke, tucking the fish securely in her arm as she turned towards the area where they needed to go. "You don't have to stay for the whole event. It was made mainly for those who liked the more serene kind of lifestyle, though really I don't see why they would choose lantern lighting for its representation," she continued, glancing towards Tatsuhiko from the corner of her eyes and then back to the black goldfish in her hand.

The statement she made about names was not silly to him. In fact… it was very resonant. For a long time, he’d had no name, either. He hadn’t thought much of it, at the time. When they’d addressed him, they had simply used his number. Nine, they’d said, which he later learned was short for of nine hundred and ninety nine. They’d called Tora eight. At least until Tatsu had taken to calling him Tora, for the creature that he shifted into. Tora had returned the designation with another of the same, and the hiko part was added when they needed official names to register for Cross Academy and otherwise move about in the world. Yes, he understood quite well what it was like not to have a name, and he almost smiled at the fact that she showed no hesitation in naming something as simple as a fish.

It made him wonder, for just a moment, what kind of person he’d be if he’d grown up in her world, and not in his.

But such thoughts were useless, because he was as he was, and he served whom he served. Much of life was more inevitable than others took it to be. But Tatsu could see the future, or possible futures, and honestly, most of the time the possibilities were not broad. Today marked the first significant deviation he’d seen in decades, and the last one had been… unpleasant. He might not know everything, but he knew enough. “No gratitude is required,” he answered mildly. “I am only doing what I wish to do. It is not an inconvenience.” Folding his hands into his sleeves, he moved so as to be walking beside Hikari, though at a respectful distance. That didn’t stop the whispering, of course, but he’d grown used to it by now. There was little point trying to contest the assertions being made, and he no longer tried. Tora seemed to revel in it, but the best Tatsu could hope to do was tolerate it.

He gave the comment some thought, tilting his head to the side before he decided to answer. “Perhaps because lanterns themselves have a warm feel to them. They are fire in its most benevolent, gentle form. A representation that even the most destructive things can be turned to benign purpose.” He wasn’t sure he believed the last part, actually, but it seemed like something that a more optimistic or gentle person might think.

Hikari rose a brow at his explanation. Benign purpose? Fire? Perhaps, it did have a lot of properties and uses. Fire was mainly used for destroying things, however; in some cases, it could be used to provide warmth, to provide light. "That...may be true I suppose. But then again how can you truly say that when the fire is still being destructive? Good intentions or not, it still must destroy something in order to provide that benign purpose. It's...almost a contradiction that way, but I suppose not everyone would see it that way. It still has to feed off of something right?" she stated, pursing her lips together before shaking her head. She probably shouldn't have said that, but for some odd reason, she couldn't keep her tongue from wagging.

"But, as you said, I'm sure that is what they thought. It's also supposed to be a way of sending off spirits, if I remember correctly. Each one is supposed to be a light guiding it home," she stated, smiling a bit lost in the process. "I could be wrong though. Whatever the reason, they are nice to look at, especially when you're with family or friends," she continued, glancing down at Kuro in the process. She'd have to get a fish tank for him now, something she was sure she could get Eien to do the next day or request one from the headmaster. It'd probably be best and easier just to ask the headmaster. As they walked, she could hear a few whispers coming from the other students, and she allowed her irritation to get to her, and she snapped.

"Mind your own goddamn business!" she snapped at them, causing some of them to yelp and turn around while the others covered their faces trying not to laugh. She narrowed her eyes at the ones who were trying not to laugh before sighing and shaking her head. People were always so fast to jump to conclusions, and it irritated her and annoyed her to no end. She had wanted to punch someone once, and she almost did, when they had made a comment about her sister and cousin. It was one thing to say it about her, she didn't care, but to say anything about her family, then that was when she let it surface. No one messed or talked about her family, regardless of what they had to say.

"Ah, sorry about that. They just don't know how to keep their mouths shut," she stated, emphasizing the last word a bit as she shot another glance towards the crowd. She glanced between Kuro and Tatsuhiko, though, before a grin pulled at her lips. She had two new friends now, though she wasn't entirely sure she'd still consider Tatsuhiko a friend quite yet. Friend was a better word than what they were saying anyways.

Tatsuhiko allowed one eyebrow to ascend his forehead. “I am… rather accustomed to such murmurings at this point. I suppose it is one of the drawbacks of being somewhat… unsocial that every time I so much as speak with someone else, it counts as news.” His eyes narrowed slightly, the only sign he gave of his displeasure. They’d always talked about him. Where he went when he would occasionally disappear for weeks at a time, what his business was with Farah, and they usually guessed nothing wholesome. He was sure there would be new rumors about this, simple and honest as it was, within the hour. Honestly, had people nothing better to do than discuss the lives of others? He never had been able to understand it. He supposed she must be even more used to it than he was, given her family. He was a shadow, but they stood quite prominently in the spotlight, the forefront of vampiric society, despite the fact that very few of them were really vampires at all. At least, not entirely. Her side of the branch was more wolf than anything.

Of course, he was not supposed to know any of this, and so he did not comment on it. Instead, he came to a stop beside her, lighting a lantern when his turn came and watching the completion of the ceremony. It was a simple affair, but there was something beautiful to be found in that simplicity. Perhaps he only found it so because it was something he would never have, and the unattainable was always more alluring than the mundane. He wondered again what that vision had meant, that he had, and why she had been in it. Prior to this day, they had exchanged mere sentences in total—usually, he only saw people close to him unless he was looking. He’d caught a couple of glimpses of Farah’s future, even, though he would never dream of telling her what he saw. Some of the endings were, of course, very dark. In no few of them, she was dead. In one or two that he fervently hoped against, he killed her himself. She did not fight him.

The thought made him vaguely sick with guilt, and so he pushed it aside, though the melancholy could not be banished from his eyes. Sighing gently through his nose, he turned to the woman with the fish. “Will you permit me to escort you back to the dorms, Miss Hikari? I am headed in that direction as well.”

"Accustomed or not, they should still learn to keep their big mouths shut. They shouldn't be so quick to judge a situation, and just because two people are walking together doesn't mean anything. For all they know, we could have been siblings, and to suggest...well I guess in one society it wouldn't be frowned on, but still!" she stated, crossing her arms against her chest in the process as she continued to glare at the others who continued to whisper. She shook her head at them and grabbed a lantern when it was her turn to light it. She hesitated for a moment, glancing at the lantern before lighting it, watching as the small flame flickered back and forth, licking the air in a dance. She smiled, watching as it dulled a bit before setting it loose.

She watched in small awe as the lanterns were set loose, some floating in the air while others landed into the small puddles of water. It was a sight to behold, watching as they all littered the sky like floating stars. She reached out, trying to grasp one of them, but pulled her hand back when she realized what she was doing. She shook her head just a bit, her thoughts fluttering just for a moment, over towards her parents. She wondered what they were doing at this very moment, if they were looking at the sky as she was. The thought brought a melancholy smile to her face before she shook it away. She was brought out of her reverie when Tatsuhiko spoke, and she turned, blinking at him a few times to process the question.

"Ah, well if you are headed that way, sure. I could use the company," she spoke, shrugging her shoulders in the process. "I see why Farah enjoys your company so much," she noted off-handedly and nothing more. Which in a sense was true, she could see why Farah spent most of her time with the Fujiwara male. He was...pleasant to say the least, though there was something that was bothering her a bit. "I know it's probably just your etiquette, but could you perhaps not call me Miss Hikari? Hikari would do just fine, however; like I said, it's probably just your etiquette and I understand if you don't. Just...yeah," she stated, raising her brow a bit in the process. Regardless, it was just a suggestion. He didn't have to stop calling her Miss Hikari if it was just how he was, and she would respect that. She just found it a bit odd to be called as such.

The comment about Farah honestly surprised him, though the feeling only manifested as a flicker in his eyes before it subsided. He shook his head when she made the request. Tatsu understood that some people preferred informality, and he tended to defer to the preferences of the other person with regard to such things. He would be perfectly fine doing so here as well. It was just that most of the people in his life insisted on the use of titles, and so he’d gotten use to using them. “I will use your name, if that is what you wish… Hikari.”

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#2014-02-19 05:18:02, as written by Nephilim

Tatsuhiko made his way up the dormitory steps with perhaps a little less fluid grace than usual. Not because he was injured—a pack of werewolves was hardly enough to accomplish that—but simply because he was tired. The last few weeks had seen him out of school more often than in class, and in truth, he’d been running multiple assassinations a night, usually. It had been something of a relief to have to put down rabid dogs instead of people who were more or less minding their own business. That was the trouble with hunter werewolves—they often simply could not control themselves, and lost the ability to shift back, becoming feral and haunting forests and cities alike. The Council preferred that this not become public knowledge, and so he was the one dispatched to deal with it. If they’d wanted a spectacle, they’d have sent Tora instead.

He hadn’t slept in a week, and though he did not allow it to show in his face, save for the darkened shadows under his indigo eyes, he was feeling it, to a certain extent. The sound of soft footsteps and a somewhat-familiar scent reached him at the same time, and he was raising his eyes to greet Reiko Akarui when a small sound of surprise and a scuff both sounded into the quiet, and the selfsame girl came tumbling headfirst down the stairs, eyes wide, but honestly not otherwise appearing all that astonished by her predicament. Indeed, she watched them close afterwards, and her hands reflexively came up to shield her face.

It would have been a rather simple matter for Tatsu to make himself intangible, and she would have passed right through him. He had the reflexes to manage it in the small window of time available, but he did not. Instead, he caught the girl, wrapping his arms around the middle of her back as a matter of necessity—it would do little good to catch her only to let her fall again. Only her momentum was rater than he had expected, and one of his feet slid off the stair he was balanced lightly on, and then they were both falling. Tatsuhiko tucked her head carefully into his shoulder, inclining his own down until his chin met his sternum. That saved both of them from the worst of it, and Tatsu took the impact on his shoulders and back, keeping himself between Reiko and the floor.

When at last they skidded to a stop on the landing, Tatsu noted that one of his ribs had broken with a wet snap, but this was a minor concern at best, considering it was already healing. Once assured that they were in fact both more-or-less fine, he immediately relinquished his hold on the girl, who looked caught between flustered and ashamed for some reason. Her face was red, and he supposed he could understand why—he wasn’t really used to touching people, either, and was fairly certain that he would also be pink if he were not in such control of his emotional expressions. “Are you well, Miss Reiko?” he asked, and that seemed to trigger a reaction, because she immediately scrambled off his person, leaning down only to offer a hand up. He took it, though it wasn’t entirely necessary to do so, rolling his shoulders and folding his hands into his sleeves immediately afterwards.

“Y-yes, thank you,” she said, smiling sheepishly. “I’m very sorry, Tatsuhiko; I’m afraid this sort of thing happens to me all the time.”

Hikari wandered aimlessly through the campus. She dusted off the few pieces of dirt that still clung to her. She and Naya had been at it all morning, showcasing who the better swordsman was, however; as it always was, it ended in a draw. Naya, though, was older than Hikari, and had more experience at it, and that thought alone caused Hikari to grin. If she could keep up with Naya, then she was progressing rather nicely. Though, most of her skill came from her father's teachings, she was still trying to improve. She tilted her head to the side, listening as her neck popped back into place before rolling her shoulders out. After the sword fight, both of them enlisted into a fist fight, all because of something one of them said, she couldn't really remember. She was certain Naya had broken one of her wrists since it still ached a bit.

She, however, was also certain that she gave Naya a bruise somewhere, but being what they were, it was hard to tell. She was snapped out of her thoughts, pausing moments before something fell from the stair steps that led to the dormitory. She blinked a few times, staring a head of herself before glancing at the stair case, and then towards the floor. She watched the scene unfold, watching as Reiko stumbled backwards and offered a hand to help Tatsuhiko up. Still blinking owlishly, Hikari felt her hand cover her mouth, her attempts at stopping the giggles from escaping, however; it was useless. She let out a laugh, clutching her sides as she doubled over slightly, trying to contain herself. Once she settled down her laughter, she wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright, Reiko, Tatsu?" she finally managed to speak, still trying to contain her laughter. She hadn't meant to laugh at her cousin, nor Tatsuhiko, but the situation was just a typical thing to happen to her cousin. It was well known that Reiko was not the most graceful of the family, however; it was to be expected by now. Not that Hikari ever found pleasure in her cousin's misfortune. "And I am afraid Rei-Rei is correct, this happens to her all the time," she continued as she shrugged her shoulders. "But still, are you alright?" she added, glancing between the two of them.

Reiko was surprisingly good at reading people, and she could tell that Tatsuhiko was not exactly comfortable with the situation, less so when Hikari rounded the corner, but she could not divine the exact reason why. Perhaps it was something as mundane as being a little embarrassed at being witnessed falling. If so, it didn’t make a lot of sense—the man was positively catlike in his grace and reflexes, she could tell from how quickly he’d reacted. Surely, he could have moved out of the way in time if that was his primary concern? Well, whatever the case, it probably wasn’t any of her business. “I’m fine, thank you Kari,” she said, taking absolutely no offense at her cousin’s ill-disguised laughter. She was used to being the butt of jokes in this sense, and she didn’t really mind. Reiko was fortunate enough to be even more durable than the average pureblood, and so her accidents hardly ever did her much damage at all. She could be thrown into a wall by a catapult and not flinch. The fact that she knew this was something she attributed to one of Naya’s wilder schemes.

She dusted off her dress, noting that Tatsuhiko seemed to have accumulated some dust on his back and shoulders, but he seemed either unaware or unconcerned. “Thank you for your kindness, Tatsuhiko; it means a lot.” she gave him a winning smile, which if anything seemed to increase rather than assuage his discomfort, and he shook his head, which caused the tie binding his hair in its loose tail to finish falling out. He caught the object on its way down, tucking it away into a sleeve, content apparently to shake out his deep violet locks and leave them loose for the moment.

“It is nothing, Miss Reiko” he said dismissively, flickering his glance between the two women.

Kiko snorted, a somewhat unladylike sound that conveyed her feelings quite well. “Just Kiko, thanks. And it’s not nothing, not to me. I should thank you somehow… I know! I was just going to make a hotpot. Do you want to come? Kari-chan’s a really good cook, she can help me make it this time!” Kiko was not bad at cooking at all, but she was not the expert Kari-chan was, considering that she did not have to eat—she just enjoyed doing so. She presumed that Tatsuhiko was a pureblood like her, since he didn’t have the slight tint of human-smell like nobles did, so she wasn’t even sure he liked eating, but she felt she had to offer. If she was at all concerned about the fact that she’d just volunteered her cousin for something without asking, she didn’t show it.

He, however, was a bit more conscientious, his manners only slightly hindered by the fact that he was, actually, starving. He’d been planning on handling it with some blood tablets, as unlike Tora he was not much for the practice of taking lovers, nor feeding from them. He also had no food with which to make himself a meal, and the cafeterias were long closed. “If… if this is Hikari’s wish as well, I suppose it would be rude of me to decline,” he said neutrally, offering the other woman the opportunity to back out gracefully if she had something else to do.

"Wait, what? What are you cooking now?" Hikari stated, slightly caught off guard by her cousin's sudden statement, volunteering herself to help make a meal. Well, she really wasn't doing anything, and if anything, she was a little hungry herself, however; if she did cook, she'd probably end up cooking more than what was needed. Her family, after all, had a very large appetite, especially Ryoku who could eat at least five elephants and still manage to be hungry. She contemplated the thought for a moment, her eyes flickering to Tatsuhiko and absentmindedly dusted the dust from his clothing. She put a hand under chin in the process before grinning brightly at her cousin.

"Well, you are in luck. I am not doing anything in particular, and I am a bit hungry myself. Practice sessions with Nana are always a bit, ah, intense, so to the kitchen!" she stated. She then tapped her chin in a thoughtful manner before turning back to Reiko. "We are not going to make a simple hotpot, not if I have anything to say about it!" she spoke, removing her hand and lacing it with Reiko's. She smiled brightly at her cousin. She'd never admit to it out loud, but she did enjoy cooking. She enjoyed doing it because it was something she was actually good at. Plus, she enjoyed doing it for her family as well.

"Is there anything in particular you are feeling today? Whatever you wish, Kiko and I can make it," she questioned, turning her attention to Tatsuhiko. She could cook just about anything really, given the diverse palates her family had. Some of them preferred soups, sweets, salts, really just about anything. And it was because of them, she could cook just about anything. Reiko was no exception, that much she knew. Farah, Reiko, and herself were pretty much the cooks to the Minamoto and Akarui family, besides her mother of course, however; it was usually left to the three of them. Eien would help out occasionally, but his skills were nothing compared to his cousin and sister.

Tatsuhiko blinked. He had really not been expecting this level of energy from either of them, but it seemed that they were vibrant, kind people. He could see where Farah’s affection for them stemmed. The assassin had to fight not to stiffen when Hikari brushed off his shoulders, but at least he’d seen her coming. His reflexes might have proved to be more harmful then beneficial otherwise, and he didn’t want that. He kept his head turned slightly in the opposite direction until she was finished, murmuring a quiet thank you and clearing his throat a tad awkwardly. That close, it was hard not to notice somebody’s smell, and hers was quite… unique.

He was rather certain that he did not deserve the consideration he was being shown, but the least he could do was not bother them about it. They had clearly decided to do something—it fell upon him to show the proper appreciation and gratitude. “I am not particular about food,” he admitted, which was true. Tatsu could eat basically anything and enjoy it at least to some extent, an ability he had acquired in his childhood, when he was fed things that most would find unpalatable. They’d been nutritious, of course, but… the scientists who’d raised him had not much cared for taste. “Though… I do enjoy tea, when it is available.” He didn’t know if they were planning on making any or not, but… actually. “If the two of you are cooking, I can be accountable for at least this much, if it would be to your liking.”

He had such a formal way of speaking! Reiko almost giggled, but managed to constrain the mirth into a bright smile and an enthusiastic nod. “That sounds like a great idea. We’ll make whatever Kari-chan wants to cook, and you can make the tea!” Leading the way to the kitchen, her cousin’s arm looped in hers, Kiko hopped in place excitedly when they arrived, pulling utensils and ingredients for Kari’s chosen meal from cupboards and the refrigerator, humming to herself as she went. Tatsu, slightly wary of getting in the way, smoothly grabbed the kettle, filling it with water and setting it to boil on the range before choosing the far wall to lean against. He didn’t wish to be a nuisance, after all.

Hikari shook her head softly. They would learn not to leave the decision of food up to her. She followed Reiko to the kitchen, their arms still looped together before dislodging herself from her cousin. She immediately began work on the ingredients laid out for her, grabbing one of the fish and slicing it thinly before setting it into the pans. She worked, next, on stirring together the eggs and batter for the omelette she was preparing, dicing the cooked fish inside of it before pulling it from the stove and began work on the next item. She grabbed some extra rice, frying it before grabbing a few pieces of shrimp and throwing them into the mix.

By the time she was finished, Hikari set before her cousin and Tatsuhiko, an assortment of food, ranging from curry, to omelettes, to various sushi, and lastly, to something simple as an onigiri. Smiling, she nodded her head in satisfaction. It, perhaps, was not as much as she thought she was going to make, however; it was still plenty for the three of them, and still have left overs. Though, if she knew her brother, the moment Ryoku caught the scent, he would be here within mere seconds. Luckily, he was nowhere near, and the three could eat in relative peace.

"A la carte Hikari! My specialty," she spoke, grinning all the same as she placed plates around on the table. "If you guys are still hungry after this, I wouldn't be surprised really, there is a cake in the oven as well," she spoke, turning towards said oven. It was the last thing she did, and would be cooking while they ate. It was just something she wanted to do for dessert, though she had contemplated making the cake, or baking a cheesecake, however; the cheesecake would take far longer, and they only wanted something simple, or at least that is what she thought. Regardless, she shrugged her shoulders before sitting down at the table.

"I hope you enjoy!" she stated, breaking a part her chopsticks before placing food upon her plate. She really did go a bit overboard, but it wasn't like she cared much to begin with. The food wouldn't go to waste one way or another.

They were really something else. Tatsu wasn’t a horrible cook, by any means, but he tended not to make such a wide variety of things, and he’d be surprised if he had half as much natural aptitude for it as they did, especially Hikari. Kiko assisted where pertinent, allowing her cousin to make even more things at once, while the male in the room mostly just steeped his tea. This was something he did very well, however, and based on the assortment of scents his nose was informing him of, he selected a light jasmine to brew, and was pouring the cups of it just as the last of the dishes came to rest on the table. He could smell the cake, too, though he wasn’t exactly sure how he was ever going to get through even as much food as was presently before him.

Reading the speculative hint on his face with some accuracy, Reiko laughed. “She says that because her brother Ryoku eats like he’s never seen food before. You don’t have to feel obligated to finish everything if you don’t want.” He nodded, his facial expression softening.

“Ryoku… he is one of my brother’s friends.”

Kiko nodded, smiling brightly. “That’s the one.” Both of them broke their chopsticks apart, said their thanks, and tucked in. From the way Tatsuhiko stopped after the first bite, staring at his bowl as though confused, she deduced that he must not have had anything like this before. It was hard to tell if his surprise was good or bad, but that much became evident enough when he spoke, very seriously, to Hikari, his eye contact unwavering and the slightest bit too intense for the situation. Perhaps he did not know how to be otherwise.

“I do not claim to know your ambitions in life, Hikari, but if ever you wished to become a chef, I believe you would be an extraordinary one.” The words were obviously sincere, delivered with a soft tone that was nevertheless quite certain, and Kiko sighed lightly. How sweet; it was like something the mysterious lord would say to the heroine of one of her fairytale books, really, or at least that’s how she imagined the tone must be like. Of course, this was hardly like that, but even so, sincere, meaningful compliments like that were rare in her life, where people more often than not teased each other or else were blunt or sarcastic more than anything. It wasn’t hard to see why Farah sought Tatsuhiko’s company so often—she hadn’t felt this at ease in a while, even if he was a smidge awkward. She was, too, so she didn’t mind.

Reiko sipped her tea, her eyes lighting up with delight. “This tea’s really good, too, Tatsu!” His eyes flickered to her, breaking their oddly-long contact with Kari’s and he inclined his head in thanks for the compliment. She smiled, and the stiffness in his shoulders eased slightly. She doubted he ever smiled himself, but the fact that he was enjoying himself was rather apparent in other, smaller ways.

Somehow, they did manage to make it through the food; Tatsu had apparently been hungrier than he’d initially suspected. He found the atmosphere very pleasant, actually, though for the most part, he’s simply listened to the two cousins talk to one another. Now, though, Reiko was saying something about cake, and he found himself a bit curious. If the dessert was half as good as the dinner, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to eat the items the scientists gave him anymore. That… might not be the best plan, but all the same, he did not refuse when Kiko asked if he had room for some.

Hikari blinked owlishly at Tatsuhiko, his words barely registering in her mind as she continued to keep their gazes locked. She'd make an extraordinary chef? She never gave much thought about what she wanted to do with her life before. She had all the time in the world, as far as she knew, and there were perhaps a plethora of things she could do, however; with the war going on, and her family not taking a stand against it, she wasn't entirely sure where or what she'd be doing in the near future. The statement, however, managed to bring out a bright smile upon her face as she grinned at Tatsuhiko, her face dusting a light pink in the process. She was used to praise, but it usually came from her family. Hearing it from someone who wasn't, was a bit pleasant.

"I'll have to keep that in mind then. I do not know exactly what I plan on doing with my life, but I shall take that into consideration. Thank you, Tatsu," she stated, the grin never faltering from her face. "I have to agree, this tea is really good," she added to Reiko's earlier comment. It was rather true, the tea he had brewed was really good. That, or she hadn't drank enough to know what great tea tasted like, but if she had to guess, it would be something like this. She fell into a conversation with Reiko, occasionally directing a question or statement towards Tatsuhiko before Reiko mentioned cake. She glanced around, noting that most of the food was gone and chuckled lightly to herself. Standing from her chair, she left to grab the cake from the counter and set it down in front of the two others.

"It's probably not as good as Mama Rei-Rei's, but there it is all the same. Cakes are not really my specialty," she stated, which was somewhat true. Cooking she was great at, baking she was good at. She could never get some recipe's right, and ended up making things too sugary, or didn't put enough sugar in them. She laughed nervously to herself at that thought. She should, perhaps bake more often. She certainly had the time to do so.

It might have been true that Kari’s baking was not up to quite the same standard as her cooking, but if so, Tatsuhiko barely noticed the difference. He’d never tasted a dessert this good in his entire century of life. When the three of them were finished, he offered to do the dishes after refreshing the tea so that the women could sit and digest for a bit. When he was done, he returned to stand in front of the table, bowing politely. “You have my thanks,” he said to both of them. “Truly, I have never partaken of a meal this good, nor in such pleasant company. I am afraid my brother eats in much the same manner as Hikari’s is described.” there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes, but also the faintest touch of fatigue. What he really needed right now was to sleep.

“If you will excuse me, however, I will leave you both to the rest of your nights.” With that, he took his leave.

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#2014-03-08 13:22:29, as written by Dynamite

It was midwinter by the time things really went to Hell, as Torahiko so elegantly put it. Tatsu and his brother were taking a circuitous walk of the grounds, talking business for once. Tora was of course bored out of his mind, but even he recognized that they were beholden to the Council, the bastards. Well, it didn’t matter much to him. All it meant was that he sometimes had to kill shit, or gather information, both of which he enjoyed anyway. Otherwise, they let him do pretty much whatever he wanted nowadays. His time was limited anyhow—he didn’t see the point in spending the life he had left fighting a leash he didn’t even notice most days.

He zoned back into the conversation just as Tatsu finished speaking, and had turned to glance up at his taller brother from the corner of his eye. Tora shrugged. “Whatever.” it was pretty decent as far as catch all replies went, but he’d apparently picked the wrong one for the situation, because Tatsu sighed.

“Do you ever listen when I speak, or is it simply an exercise in futility to even make the attempt?” Tora snorted slightly, shaking his head and disheveling his shaggy caramel hair even further.

“Wasn’t you talking, Tatsu. It was Councilman Walsh, and you know that as well as I do.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and watched his bother sigh again, this time a resigned one through his nose. It was funny—most people found his brother very inexpressive, like trying to read a blank wall, but Tora knew better. It was just that Tatsu said a lot with a little. Unlike him, who said a little with a lot, being very boisterous but rarely ever giving anything away for truth. They were opposites in just about every sense, but they knew each other better than anyone else ever had or would, probably. Tora at least knew for sure that nobody would ever know him as well as his brother did—there just wouldn’t be enough time. But maybe, one day, after he was gone, someone might know Tatsu better.

The thought didn’t sit well with him, actually, but it, and whatever Tatsuhiko was about to say in response, was cut off when both brothers went still at the same time. Tora did because he smelled something wrong, and Tatsu because he was just that attuned to his brother that he could tell that something had disturbed Tora’s superior nose. Within a few seconds, the Ghost could smell it just as well as the Huntsman, but neither knew what it was. It triggered something in them, though, like a long-suppressed combat instinct. They’d been rather at ease the moment before, but now each was coiled and tense as a taut bowstring ready to snap, something under their skin live and waking, like crackling electricity and roaring flame in their ears.

“Tora…?” his brother started, and the man grinned broadly. He’d never felt this kind of adrenaline rush before, but he didn't need to question it. His instinct, visceral and feral and raw, was demanding a fight, and he wasn’t one to deny his instinct, not in any facet of his life.

“Oh, Hell yes,” he replied, and then the spring-loaded tension was released in both of them, and they were off with speed in excess of bullets for where they smelled the disturbance.

It was closer to campus than they’d expected, but that didn’t really bother Tora any. Each brother drew the blade at his waist, and they charged forward together for the nearest foe, a large, muscle-bound creature with strange green skin and yellowed tusks protruding from its lower jaw, curling up and around towards the sky. They might have been a foot long in total, and the creature was twice again the height of even Tora. It also wasn’t alone—there were at least five in the area, most of them very close by.

It was almost too good to be true. Tora continued his straight-on bull rush, even as Tatsu veered off to the side. While the brothers could fight in concert, there was currently nobody else here, and as such, Tatsu diverted to engage the nearest other foe, a red-skinned creature with black tusks that otherwise looked very much like this one. Tora’s own enemy surprised him by being quite quick, turning what would have been a fatal stab to the chest into a merely damaging one to the left lung. He pulled his blade out immediately, unsurprised when the wound began to close up almost immediately. This was going to be fun.

Hikari sighed, rolling her eyes as Ryoku smirked. He had challenged Eien to a staring contest, one the elder Minamoto had no desire of participating in, however; he was currently deadlocked with his younger brother. Ryoku had resorted to making faces at Eien, trying to get him to blink, however; he only succeeded in making himself blink, Eien's face still passive. Ryoku sighed in defeat and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head in the process. His brother really was no fun. Even as a child, Ryoku did everything he could to just get a peep out of Eien, but to of no avail.

"Really, E, you should learn to relax and loosen up," he spoke, his voice deadpan and neutral, mocking Eien's usual monotonous voice. Eien merely stared at Ryoku, taking a sip of his drink before turning his attention out the window. Something felt unsettling in his stomach, and he couldn't quite understand why. Ryoku rose a brow at the lack of response he received, and turned his attention towards Hikari, about to remark something to her when he noticed the look upon her face. Her brows were furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and he could see the chills crawling on her skin, the goosebumps forming before he turned back to Eien.

"Something is not right," were the only words Eien spoke before he stood, setting his cup down and walking calmly out of the door. Hikari was immediately up, following after Eien as Ryoku sighed. He couldn't smell anything, however; he would trust his brother's instincts. They were a lot sharper than his. It wasn't until the three of them hit the outside, that a foul stench entered their noses, and Ryoku and Hikari twisted their faces. Eien's remained neutral, his head snapped in the same direction the scents were coming from. He could smell Tatsuhiko and Torahiko in the nearby vicinity, probably also investigating, however; there was a scent of blood lingering in the air. They were currently engaged in battle with whatever was producing the foul odors.

Immediately, all three Minamoto's were off, applying their speed towards the nearest scent. The sight they were met with was rather...unexpected. There were two, rather large, and oddly shaped, creatures standing oddly towards the side. They had never seen such things before, and for a moment, all three stood, gauging their foes as the oni turned to face them. Hikari's face morphed into one of disgust as she noticed the large tusks protruding from their mouths. "What are they?" she questioned, a growl emanating from her throat. Eien side glanced his sister as Ryoku shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever they are, they sure are ugly," Ryoku spoke, a grin forming on his lips. The larger of the two oni, growled towards the three, turning so that it was fully facing them. The other one, the one with the darker shade of skin, remained with its back towards them, seemingly occupied with something else. "Oh? Did I hurt your feelings?" he continued to mock the creature, earning a low growl from the oni. He smirked, allowing it to pull at his lips before it turned into a grin. It's been a while since he last had a good fight, and judging by the creatures size, he'd be in for one hell of a fight.

"Ryoku," Eien spoke, his voice, for once, dangerous and low. Ryoku rose a brow at his brother. "You do not know what these creatures are. Do not go picking a fight without determining exactly what your opponent is capable of," he spoke, standing still as he glanced at the oni with its back still facing towards them. Ryoku gave a careless shrug of his shoulders. Why should he be careful? Even if they did not know what the creatures were, there were three members of the Minamoto family present. They would be more than enough.

"Don't get cocky, Ryo," Hikari spoke, however; the moment she did, the oni attacked. Ryoku ran to intercept it, ducking as its claws swiped at him. Eien sighed, his eyes never leaving the other oni. Something seemed off about it, however; he did not move to help his brother or sister with their opponent. They could handle themselves. He noted a slight muscle movement in the oni, watching as it slowly stood and turned to face him. The two stared at each other, almost as if they were waging a silent war within. Without much more thought, Eien was immediately engaged with his silent oni.

There was one oni currently not engaged with any opponent, the creature seemingly staring off into space, however, it was brought back ot the battlefield by a sound. Specifically, laughter. Bright, bubbly, maniacal laughter, to be certain. No one ever really quite understood just why Naya enjoyed fighting so much, but if you knew her mother, it made a bit more sense.

The blue-haired Akarui female could be seen racing across the battlefield, sword in hand and a maniacal gleam in her eye, her little brother right with her. Trevor, on the other hand, kept his distance; he was not one for much close-range fighting, he could cover them -all of them- from a distance. Naya may not have been overly strong, but she was quick, and she dodged a swipe from the oni's large hand, and landed lightly on his shoulder, impaling his eye with her blade. She frowned then for a second; even pushing through his eye was difficult, the oni was incredibly resiliant. She had to let go of her blade and jump backwards, she would have been caught if she hadn't. Haru, on the other hand, was standing back a ways, attacking with his shadows.

For the most part, he was using them as distractions, using his eye to speed up the process of the creature's wounds his sister inflicted. The oni grasped at the stick in his eye; it was an incredible annoyance, and he wanted it out. Naya was grinning madly as she landed next to her brother, whose face was a bit more passive. "Cool it, Nana...you're going to get yourself killed." he cautioned, whereas his sister merely grinned.

Torahiko, like his brother, was a being engineered by the best scientists in the world for exactly one purpose: to kill. Unlike Tatsu, he had never really minded this. But even for him, this was a surprising challenge. He was strong enough to deal substantial wounds to the creature, but its healing factor was simply insane—he’d sliced an arm clean off a few moments ago, and the stump was already sealing over, the limb showing signs of regrowing. In another thirty seconds or so, it would have a brand new arm. Tora’s eyes narrowed—this wasn’t anything he was used to hunting. It was far and away superior to a Hunter werewolf, and he was willing to bet even most vampires would have serious trouble doing any lasting damage to it.

Fortunately for Tora, he was neither of these things, and the prospect of a challenge only made him that much happier. He was aware of others arriving and dispersing, and in fact recognized all of the scents, but he was far too busy with what he was doing to much care. The only other person on the field he bothered to keep much track of was Tatsuhiko, and that was actually impossible, given his brother’s abilities. So Tora narrowed his world until all that was in it was him and the large creature he fought, his lips pulling back from his teeth in a feral smile that was as much a snarl as anything. The deep green of his eyes flashed gold for just a moment before the color settled and he leaped away from a hit, just missing becoming a part of a massive crater in the ground created by the impact of the thing’s fist.

Darting in, Tora took advantage of the still-missing limb to slide in under the creature’s guard, laying a hand on its side and moving away as the psychometric readings bombarded him with information. He was used to sorting through information like this on the fly, and though it was too much focus to attack and sift at the same time, he could defend, and when next the massive fist came at him, he blocked it with one of his own hands, the pressure of the hit sinking his feet several inches into the ground. “Oh good,” he drawled lazily, sounding somehow like a large cat even now. “I was getting so bored. You just might entertain me for a while…”

A particular tidbit of information crossed his mind, and the smile almost fell off his face for a moment. The Council had sent these things? He saw their purpose and snorted. Well, he didn’t care. They hadn’t told him they were doing this, so as far as he was concerned, he’d never discovered the plan and still got to kill it. He’d just… not tell Tatsu until the fight was over and the oni, which was apparently what these things were called, was dead. He could still feel that curiously-charged adrenaline under his skin, different from the kind a normal fight gave him, like an instinct tugging at the back of his mind that had never been triggered before. It wasn’t like it really mattered—he would have killed the creature either way. But the fact that some buried visceral response was urging him to do so was interesting, if not quite yet. He’d think about it later.

Darting in much faster than someone of his size had any right to move, he flayed several massive gashes in the creature’s chest, satisfied when they healed somewhat slower than the first ones he’d dealt. It would appear that this would come down to a question of endurance.

And nobody beat Tora at endurance.

Tatsuhiko’s battle looked much different from his brother’s. While Tora was well-known for being the aggressor in a fight, Tatsu was not currently displaying the same tendency. Actually, he wasn’t attacking at all, simply moving and flowing around the attacks leveled against him with unmatched speed and precision. These were the traits that had been trained into him for a hundred years, after all, and they were his primary strengths in such situations as these, perhaps. Without the benefit of psychometry to impart what he needed to know, Tatsu had to make a study of the creature, to memorize everything about it that he could, his considerable intellect and capacity for such recall working quickly to calculate what it was about to do, aided by his perfect precognition for a few seconds. He was effectively untouchable, but that was not the same as being the victor, not yet.

He seemed to flicker and disappear from view, and indeed, even his smell vanished from the field, as though he’d never been there at all. The hit that had been aimed for him passed right through the spot where he’d been standing, but Tatsu was already behind the creature, watching as it raised its head and sniffed at the air, trying to find where he had gone when its eyes and ears revealed nothing to it. His would not be a battle of endurance—rather, he would operate as he always had: strike first, strike fast, strike last. All he needed to do was find the right opening…

Reiko Akarui had actually been off-campus when the oni first appeared, and as such, it had taken considerably longer for the scent of them to make it to where she was in the town. Even when it did, it was quite faint, and she almost thought she must have imagined it. But it triggered something, a memory not her own, and she gasped sharply, dropping the books she was holding and doubling over, hugging herself around the abdomen as though struggling to keep her flesh together at the seams. And she felt like she had seams, now, and that she was about to burst at them. Her blood was on fire, burning at such a fever pitch it was almost painful to bear. And for someone with as high a tolerance as her, that was really saying something.

She didn’t know what it meant, but she knew she’d find out if she tracked that scent. And so she fled towards it, walking swiftly for just long enough to make it past all the humans in the area before breaking into a run. The burning in her bloodstream pushed her faster than she’d ever had reason to go, until she was nearly flying over the ground, the landscape blurring by around her. She pulled to an abrupt halt when she smelled her family members near odors similar to the first one, and hesitated.

That hesitation was enough, and the owner of the original smell was able to get a hit in on her. Faster than its kin, it was also more subtle, and its yellowed claws raked against her back, tearing easily through the fabric of the handmade dress she wore and leaving her flesh sliced to ribbons. A startled cry escaped her, and the smell of her blood hit the air in a sudden gush. The wounds started healing right away—one of the benefits of having a factor as strong as hers. She whirled to face the creature, barehanded and bereft of anything even resembling a weapon, because she hadn’t been about to bring one into town.

There was a burning, hissing sound, and the creature, onyx-skinned and easily twenty feet tall, resolved into full view from the shadow-form it had occupied only a moment before. The places where her blood contacted its hands seemed to be afflicted as though by acid. Reiko didn’t understand it, but she filed away the piece of information for later use. For now, though…. She just needed to figure out how to stay alive. Kiko saw another swing incoming, and sprang back onto her hands, propelling herself out of the way with a flip. Her focus was intent, and none of her usual clumsiness remained to her. Her eyes narrowed, and she listened for the sound of its heartbeat, something she could just make out, loud against its ribcage but relatively muted compared to the other sounds of battle. That simple knowledge was all she needed, though, and she focused in on the blood she could feel rushing through its veins.

The creature was simply too large and strong to control fully, but she was able to slow it down considerably, and its movements became jerky as it had to fight her control at every step. Okay, so… it probably couldn’t hurt her much for now, but her control wouldn’t last forever, and she still had no real way to damage it, apparently aside from bleeding all over it. So… what now?

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#2014-03-09 01:47:07, as written by Nephilim

Hikari snarled through her teeth as the oni's claws raked against her forearm, her teeth gleaming beneath the light. These creatures were a little difficult to handle, and even with Ryoku's help, they had not managed to even injure the creature. Eien was faring no better. He had switched to dodging the blows the oni was dealing him, trying to keep its claws from marring him as it had his sister. He could smell her blood, however; he could not afford to take his eyes off of his own opponent. It wasn't life threatening, so she would be fine. The two dealt blows to each other, Eien sporting cracked ribs and an broken arm, but they healed almost instantaneously. A benefit of having mixed blood, perhaps.

Ryoku was faring no better either. He had managed to gain the oni's attention from his sister, however; it cost him a dislocated shoulder, and a large gash across his chest. Hikari had jumped upon the creatures back, digging her claws into it as she held on, trying to keep her balance upon the creature, but she was ripped off, tossed against a tree, and she felt a rib crack. She hissed, pressing her digits to the wound as she rolled away, avoiding the oni's large foot as it came crashing down. Ryoku snarled, the air going a bit colder than usual. He could feel the ice slowly forming into his hand, taking on the form of a dagger before he charged, digging the blade deep within the oni's back.

Eien jumped to the side, barely missing the oni's claws, however; they did manage to rake his shirt, creating large tears down the middle. His eyes narrowed slightly, tilting his head back, narrowly missing the oni's fist as he felt the air graze his nose. This battle was not boding well for them. These creatures did not seem to have an immediate weakness which frustrated Eien. He summoned the purple flames to his hand, molding it until it was but a fine blade and sliced it towards the oni, watching as one of its fingers was severed, and it howled in pain. He watched, an eyebrow raised, as the oni's flesh bubbled. He glanced at the flame in his hand and back towards the oni. Perhaps this could be of more use than he thought.

Haru and Naya were faring little better, if not worse over-all. Naya was now sporting several blunt wounds, showing off many bruises as they slowly healed; she was a pureblood, but she didn't quite have the healing factor her sister did. Haru was a bit worse off, though. Haru's healing factor always suffered a bit, if only because of the fact that he usually ran low on blood supply. Not being able to consume blood tablets did tend to do that to a person. He'd managed to avoid getting hit too much to not have that problem, however; the oni was a bit smarter than it looked, and went after his sister instead, and predictably, Haru made to help her.

Which in the end only managed to get him pinned under the oni's other hand. He felt his ribcage all but shatter, and he heard his sister scream his name. Just in time he faded into shadow, putting distance between himself and the creature, struggling to breathe as he felt his bones mend. It would be a slow process, and until it was done, he was little more than a sitting duck.

Naya's eyes narrowed at the creature, the air around her crackling as the electricity lit up the air around her. She was beyond pissed. Nothing, nothing hurt her brother and got away with it, especially not something this damned ugly. She snarled, her fangs gleaming as she charged, Trevor swearing under his breath as he watched, taking aim and firing. He wasn't able to wound the oni, but he could hopefully keep it distracted. He grimaced as Naya tore the creature's ear off, watching as it began to regrow. Naya could tear him limb from limb, it would do her little good.

As it turned out, decades of experience killing things was rather useful when trying to kill new things. The creature that had been attempting to locate Tatsuhiko suddenly found itself with the blade of a very sharp sword in its skull, buried to the hilt and erupting out its brow. Withdrawing the blade, the half-vampire used his perch on the oni’s shoulders to adjust his position and slash again, this time taking off the entire top half of its head with the precise strength of the blow. Blood welled and spurted from the wound, but Tatsuhiko jumped clear of the collapsing creature long before any of it could hit him. It may have taken some study, but the results could not be argued with—the first of the oni was down.

Across the field, Tora was in fact engaged deeply in a contest of endurance with his, the two battering away on each other with the force of thunder and lightning. Tora’s ribs were cracked and healing, but the worst thing was the cough that wracked him, pulling up blood from his lungs and spattering it onto the ground. It would seem his condition was attempting to get him to slow down. Fuck if he was going to let it.

Despite the ribbons of blood the flowed freely over his lips and down his chin, the Fujiwara’s tiger kept at it, hammering away at the oni, whose healing factor was getting more and more sluggish at it took repeated devastating slices to vital areas. Stripes of red-black blood flew from the curved blade of his katana, joining what he’d donated towards dyeing the ground with the life-essence of the dying.

Really, it was just a matter of who was dying sooner.

And it wasn’t going to be him. With a charge, Tora leapt, torquing his body in midair and hitting not with his sword, but his foot, delivering a solid roundhouse kick to the oni’s temple and dropping it like a very large sack of stones. Once it was down, the coup de grace was a relatively simple matter; he simply drove his blade down into the creature’s heart, ripping brutally sideways with the weapon and tearing the organ in half.

“Regrow that, motherfucker,” he snarled gleefully.

He finished just in time for Tatsu to appear at his side, or perhaps his brother had been there for some time already—it was really impossible to tell with him. He gave his brother a bloody, feral grin, but as always, Tatsu did not smile back. In fact, he simply raised an eyebrow and jerked his head to the side, where Tora could just make out Naya’s twin—Rei, he was pretty sure her name was—ducking out of the way of a hit from an even larger oni, this one the color of a night-dark sky. The grin only widened, and Tora nodded.

The great thing about fighting alongside his brother was that there was never any need to discuss strategy. They worked in absolutely perfect synchronization, as though they’d lived their entire lives inside one another’s minds. It was not so far from the truth. This was the one bond in the world that Torahiko held sacred above all other things, and he knew that Tatsuhiko was much the same. When he could trust no one else, he could trust his brother. When he could be loyal to no one else, he could be loyal to Tatsu. And he’d never have to worry about being burned for it.

The girl was doing something that was keeping it slow and pinned, making their job considerably easier. Both sheathed their swords as they ran, putting a bit of distance between themselves to accommodate the changes in their physiology. Tora descended to all fours, a massive golden tiger, and rushed low, latching onto one of the creature’s hamstrings. He would have pulled it to the ground, save that the massive, indigo-scaled dragon went high, impaling its shoulders with night-dark claws. Tatsuhiko had dropped his blade right next to Reiko, murmuring a quick instruction on his way past which she now took, taking up the blade in both hands. She wasn’t the best with swords, so as an extra precaution, she let some of her own blood down the thing, lunging forward to where the oni was stretched taut between the brothers, using all the force she had to thrust the sword into the creature’s exposed throat. With a wet gurgle, it expired.

Ryoku growled as he sported a fresh wound down his backside. This was getting ridiculous. They were being defeated, and it was something he did not like. For one, he hated losing, and for two, he still had no clue as to what this creature was. It was one thing to know an opponent, but another thing when it was something entirely new. The only supernatural creatures in the world were vampires, however; his mother and father's existence had tipped that a long time ago, and brought forth him and his two siblings. He glanced at Hikari, who was still latched onto, keeping her claws dug deeply in the oni's back.

"Ryoku," she stated, no other words needed as he nodded. In the blink of an eye, two, very large, wolves stood; one black as midnight, the other white as snow. Hikari was the first to charge, her speed amplified slightly as she managed to grab hold of the oni's arm, her teeth sinking into it's flesh as she twisted her body, locking her jaw in place. Ryoku was the next to attack, his jaws latching onto the juncture where neck met shoulder. He pulled slightly, tearing of a chunk of flesh while Hikari managed to follow with another jugular attack, ripping the creatures throat out. Once it collapsed to the floor, Ryoku descended upon its back, his fist pushing as hard as it could and found the creatures heart, crushing it beneath his paws as Hikari was already off to the other oni.

Eien dodged his oni's attacks, his flame sword still in hand as he aimed precision slices to the creature. His flames were slowing down the oni's regeneration ability, however; it still healed. Though it was slow, he was using it to his advantage. The creature was wearing thin, growing tired as Eien drew out the battle, reserving every ounce of strength and stamina he could. It wasn't until his sister came into view that Eien made his move. The moment the oni's eyes were off of him, and focused on Hikari, he made his move. Hikari had managed to latch onto the oni's arm, twisting her body around and pulled, ripping the oni's arm out of its socket as it cried out in pain, unaware of Eien, who plunged his fire encased fist through its chest.

As the other one before it, it fell. "Is everyone alright?" he questioned, his eyes glancing over towards where the others were. Ryoku had shifted back, covering his form back with partial pieces of shredded clothing. Hikari, however, opted to remain as she was, as a beast. If she were to change back, she would be exposed, and she had no desire to reveal herself as such. She huffed, sitting on her hind legs as she glanced towards Naya, Haru, Reiko, and finally the two Fujiwara brothers.

"For the most part, it seems," she spoke, her eyes narrowing in the process.

Luckily, Naya was a bit smarter than most gave her credit for; while she certainly preferred simply tearing her opponent apart, sometimes it took a little more than that; like right now. She'd long given up on her sword, but she gathered the electricity from the air around her, the energy making a high-pitched chirping sound, like a thousand birds.

"Trevor."

The Edyta sighed. Well, it wasn't like anything else was working. He flickered from view, reappearing next to niece, and he picked her up. "We got one shot at this. You ready?" She nodded, the electricity thrumming through her as she condensced it. It was then that Trevor threw her, both his own strength and her power increasing her speed, and she tore through the oni's chest, taking out its heart in the process. It left her rather coated in blood, but she cared little.

Her only priority was Haru. She ran to her brother's side, who grinned up at her. She sighed in relief, and then slugged him. "Idiot! I was worried about you."