Name: Gòu Zhuān al-Sannyasin
Nickname: Hype
Age: 105
Gender: Male
Village: Iwagakure
Rank: Jounin
Title: N/A
Clan: Muramatsu
Bloodline: Dust Release
Element(s): Fire, Water, Earth
Skill(s): Sensory, Ijutsu, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Fuuinjutsu
+1,650 (Starting Experience)
+2,000 (Starting Jounin Experience)
+3637 (Shimiko Rollover Experience)
+250 (New Year's Experience)
+350 (Plot NPC Bonus Experience)
+800 (A-Class Bonus Experience)
+1,000 (S-Class Bonus Experience)
Experience: 9,687/6,237
Strength: E -> B (950)
Constitution: E -> A (1,950)
Stamina: E -> D (150)
Speed: E -> B (950)
Coordination: E -> B (950)
Intelligence: E -> B (950)
Perception: E -> B (950)
Stats
9,687 - 6,850 = 2,837
2,837/6,237 Experience Left Over
Unique Abilities: N/A
Appearance:
Standing at 4"5, Hype is a diminutive old man. He has a disproportionately large head and a body that can only be described as clammy and worn yet remarkably sturdy. Hype had come into this world as a malformed creature and time has only made him more unpleasant to look at. His skin is wrinkled, dotted with liver spots and entirely hairless. One of Hype's most striking features is his eyes. They are huge (due to his enlarged cranium) but nearly always half closed. No one knows whether this is a consequence of age, his aloof attitude or the natural course of his birth defect. Hype's lips are often dry and cracked. He has taken to moisturizing them with his unnaturally long tongue. A habit that tends to produce a "Mmmm" sound effect.
Hype's attire consists mostly of "old man" clothes. He is fond of winter jackets, sports jerseys, shorts and scandals. He also loves sneakers. He boasts an impressive collection of athletic footwear and he intends to expand it by taking the shoes of others and converting them into sneakers. Hype isn't one to wear opulent clothing but he does sport the occasional diamond watch, gold ring, and platinum chain.
Despite the fact that he is perfectly capable of smelling, Hype has no nostrils.
History:
Gòu Zhuān Muramatsu was born in 835 A.S. He was the cousin to the great Hòu Zhuān Muramatsu and had grown up during an exceedingly turbulent time in world history. The Land of Stone was under the yoke of the Kazehana Empire, but the noble clans of the region were actively seeking their independence. During this time, the Muramatsu had placed a premium on strong and talented children. Whereas Gòu Zhuān's cousin Hòu was the model of a young leader and warrior, Gòu himself was talentless. The child's birth defect and ineptitude at warfare made him a pariah in the clan. He could not serve as a leader when his form was so ungainly and his skill so lackluster. Out of love, his parents had spared him years of bullying and torment by shipping him off to a Buddhist Monastery at the age of 12. While his cousin made history, Gòu spent his adolescence reading, working and meditating. He had the makings of a good monk, but internally he lacked piety and was mostly resentful of the monotonous life he had been forced to live.
Gòu Zhuān's sole source of excitement came from the small pick-up games that the young acolytes were permitted to play. There were many games but Gòu Zhuān enjoyed soccer the most. The foot-based game had been played for centuries under various rules, different cultures and possibly before the Sage's arrival. The universality of the sport made it attractive to Gòu Zhuān. For on the football pitch, the audience looked at his feet and not his head. Gòu Zhuān's skill at the game drew the admiration of many and even brought in a good bit of income for the monastery. The Elder Monks viewed the game as a "childish distraction" and "waste of time" but Gòu Zhuān's talent could not be ignored. Around this time, the Muramatsu was consolidating their control over the Land of Stone. They had opted to allow the Kaifeng Warlord Clan to keep some of their holdings in exchange for their help in eliminating the other warlords. The Kaifeng Clan was seeking to diversify their business interests as the rampant criminality that had been allowed to fester would soon be reduced by the new Stone government. One of the business ventures that the Kaifeng were hoping to get into was the sports entertainment industry. Gòu Zhuān's acrobatic plays, unique appearance, and audacious creativity in the game of football made him an attractive recruit for their budding league.
At age 30, Gòu Zhuān accepted an offer to play professionally in an elite underground football club. The Monastery did not approve of his decision but did not force him to stay. He had been left in their care and they trained him as promised. Gòu Zhuān's parents were dead by this time and as a man grown, he was capable of making his own choices. Gòu Zhuān said his goodbyes and left for Meijing City. Football as played in the underground was far more violent and high impact than in the friendly pitches of the mountainside. Ninjutsu-use was not only permitted but encouraged, fouls were only called in technical circumstances and the players were better trained and better equipped. For the first time in his life, Gòu Zhuān was outmatched. He thus underwent years of intense training to better compete. Gòu Zhuān was never formally taught to be a shinobi, but the longer he played, the more he began to see sports as an analogue to combat. Football at the highest level was essentially war. It was a brutal campaign that required precise thinking, hardy bodies and relentless spirit. Gòu Zhuān's progress was exponential and it wasn't long before he was considered the best player in the region and perhaps even the world. Now that the Land of Earth was finally at peace, interest in leisurely activities exploded.
No longer confined to the drab life of a traditional ascetic, Gòu Zhuān now played sold-out stadiums against some of the most vicious football strikers in the world. An A-list team was built around him and his persona: The Meijing City Monks. Gòu Zhuān fully leaned into this caricature of his life's story. He often dressed in priestly gowns, quoted Buddhist scripture at press conferences and even led services in temples of his own construction. The Monks at the Chang Monastery were displeased with his insincere and blasphemous treatment of their religion, but given Gòu Zhuān's connections they remained silent. He gained a cult following and soon he went by the nickname "Hype" in reference to the crowd's reaction whenever he stepped onto the field.
As a premium athlete he was well-compensated. He had it all. Women. Wealth. Status. Power. Yet it was never enough for the now middle-aged warrior. The Muramatsu Clan always looked down on him. They saw him as just a shadow of his greater and more powerful cousin. This resentment led to Gòu Zhuān seeking a place with the criminal elements of the Kaifeng Family. Gòu Zhuān had never been good at combat training because he was never the type to see the value in hurting people. He was thus deemed un-trainable and it was assumed he would never progress past the level of an academy student. However in training for soccer, Gòu Zhuān's inner talent blossomed. It was a simple matter for him to convert football tactics to combat tactics. Gòu Zhuān began acting as a covert enforcer for the Kaifeng Clan. Due to his unique appearance and style, many began to put two and two together. Gòu Zhuān's reputation for handling the darker elements of the Kaifeng's business put a damper on his career. Players were too scared to face him and now surrendered immediately. This suited Gòu Zhuān just fine. He enjoyed the sport but he had seen how its popularization had led to its own decline. It was now all about money and less about winning. The competition was lackluster, the rules were burdensome, and the fans were well, overbearing. Gòu Zhuān retired from the sport at the age of 50 and dedicated himself solely to criminal activities.
Gòu Zhuān, or Hype as he continued to be known by his fellow associates, excelled at robberies and high risk assaults. He kept himself useful to the government and was selective in his targets, but there were many in the new administration that felt he was not a force to be ignored. Gòu Zhuān spent the next few decades honing his reputation and building his own criminal empire. The former superstar's criminal syndicate called themselves Sanyassin in keeping with Hype's aesthetic. While Hype had sired many children over the years, only a select few would join him in his clandestine activities. He kept on friendly terms with the Kaifeng but it soon became clear that he was no longer their junior. The fall of Iwa after the Second Tsuchikage's death only accelerated the takeover of the criminal underworld and Hype's ascension to the status as one of the most feared operatives in the Western half of Kishin. The height of Hype's criminal career was his participation in the assault on the Blood Prison and the freeing of Chiheisen Ōtsutsuki. With this achievement, Hype decided to retire and spend the rest of his days idly enjoying the peaceful tranquility of Nirvana.
"Nirvana" in Hype's case was a paradise world that he had received access to after the payment of an exorbitant amount of money. True to his word, the man left his organization in the care of his nephews and departed from Earth. Retirement did not suit Hype. The people of that world were unfamiliar with some of his favorite sports and their refusal to even learn about them was disconcerting. They had a peculiar obsession with striking a small white ball with an elongated stick and then chasing the white ball around the grass before hitting it again and repeating the process. This "game" infuriated Hype and nearly drove him to acts of unspeakable violence. He realized the fault was not with this blissful world, but rather who he was as a person. He could not find peace while his spirit was attached to this body. The ugly mishappen form was addicted to mischief and adrenaline. His spirit would follow passively and eternally until such time as it came for them to part ways. It was only then that he would know true Nirvana.
The Sanyassa thus decided to leave the "Candy World" as he and others called it. Through his representatives, he was able to strike a deal with the Iwagakure government. In exchange for his assistance with their military, his criminal record would be expunged and he'd be permitted to start fresh. When he returned to Earth, he was given a gift and a curse. The curse was that his empire had been destroyed. Through the cowardice and stupidity of his kin, the Sanyassins were no more. They had been caught in the crossfires of the Mountain War and had chosen poorly. Those that were not dead were in prison. His city was in ruins and was now over-policed compared to his golden years. He now had no money, no allies, and no name. So much had transpired over the years that few could recall an obscure athlete turned criminal from a forgotten time. Gòu Zhuān fell into despair upon learning of this fate, but on the very next day he rejoiced. It was an opportunity to start a new. To make the world once more remember his name....
Personality:
Gòu Zhuān considers himself to be an ascetic holy man of sorts. Of course, this criminal's concept of what it means to be Sannyasa deviates heavily from the mainstream. Gòu Zhuān's physiological idiosyncrasies have soured him on the notion of the material from a young age. As a child, he was fostered at the Monastery of the Chang Mountains and has since picked up on many of his Masters' teachings. He learned to look beyond the limitations of his appearance and instead focused on his soul. What he had found was an unyielding desire to be feared and acknowledged. He was taught to cleanse his soul of such insecurities but Hype had refused. Instead, he took the path less traveled. He discovered the First of the Heretical Teachers and took up the theory of Akiriyāvāda as his creed. He had been born into the body of a monster through no fault of his own and so he rejected the notion that his present condition was a reflection on the state of his soul, either in this life or a past one. Hype began to see his body and its sins as being divorced from his soul. To him, his spiritual essence would always be as light as a feather, unconcerned and unaffected by the actions he took. This psuedo-spiritual framework is the prism through which Hype views all of his actions. He dresses in the style and keeps some of the traditions of the Sanyassa but the result is a perversion of most Eastern oriented philosophy.
Owing to his unique outlook on the spirit, Gòu Zhuān has no compunction about committing heinous crimes. He robs, murders, traffics in drugs and engages in unspeakable acts of brutality to further his own interests. Hype has a keen understanding of the criminal underworld, its unwritten code and how to thrive in its embrace. Hype has a bit of a champagne taste although the material possessions and pleasurable experiences aren't what's most important. They are symbols of his hard work and dedication, of his focus and appetite for success. He is a career criminal with few limits. Be wary around this toad of a man.
Gòu Zhuān's outlook on life can best be summed up by the phrase "Whatever is meant to happen, will happen." He isn't a determinist but he respects that random chance often places an outsized role in the nature of the Universe. It is up to people like him to review the circumstances and act accordingly. Hype is constantly analyzing people, surroundings and objects for their utility to him. He scans for opportunity and strikes ruthlessly when he finds it. However, during this process, he appears uncaring and aloof. One would think he is prepared to fall into a pleasant nap at any moment. He speaks softly and usually with slow emphasis on his words. Despite how nonchalant he may appear about the world, Hype is quite intentional about his business affairs. It is how he had become so successful despite his setbacks and how he plans on rebuilding his criminal empire.
Gòu Zhuān loves sports. He enjoys the exercise, competition and roaring crowds. Because sports was how he found his confidence and inner strength, he revers it as the pinnacle of human expression. He knows how to play almost all sports but he excels in particular at soccer, basketball, rugby and volleyball in that order. He has an affinity for team sports and is a natural leader. Hype collects various forms of sports memorabilia and is interested in one day creating an international Shinobi Soccer league.
Roleplay Sample:
Nickname: Hype
Age: 105
Gender: Male
Village: Iwagakure
Rank: Jounin
Title: N/A
Clan: Muramatsu
Bloodline: Dust Release
Element(s): Fire, Water, Earth
Skill(s): Sensory, Ijutsu, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Fuuinjutsu
+1,650 (Starting Experience)
+2,000 (Starting Jounin Experience)
+3637 (Shimiko Rollover Experience)
+250 (New Year's Experience)
+350 (Plot NPC Bonus Experience)
+800 (A-Class Bonus Experience)
+1,000 (S-Class Bonus Experience)
Experience: 9,687/6,237
Strength: E -> B (950)
Constitution: E -> A (1,950)
Stamina: E -> D (150)
Speed: E -> B (950)
Coordination: E -> B (950)
Intelligence: E -> B (950)
Perception: E -> B (950)
Stats
- Strength: B
- Constitution: A
- Stamina: D
- Speed: B
- Coordination: B
- Intelligence: B
- Perception: B
9,687 - 6,850 = 2,837
2,837/6,237 Experience Left Over
Unique Abilities: N/A
Appearance:
Standing at 4"5, Hype is a diminutive old man. He has a disproportionately large head and a body that can only be described as clammy and worn yet remarkably sturdy. Hype had come into this world as a malformed creature and time has only made him more unpleasant to look at. His skin is wrinkled, dotted with liver spots and entirely hairless. One of Hype's most striking features is his eyes. They are huge (due to his enlarged cranium) but nearly always half closed. No one knows whether this is a consequence of age, his aloof attitude or the natural course of his birth defect. Hype's lips are often dry and cracked. He has taken to moisturizing them with his unnaturally long tongue. A habit that tends to produce a "Mmmm" sound effect.
Hype's attire consists mostly of "old man" clothes. He is fond of winter jackets, sports jerseys, shorts and scandals. He also loves sneakers. He boasts an impressive collection of athletic footwear and he intends to expand it by taking the shoes of others and converting them into sneakers. Hype isn't one to wear opulent clothing but he does sport the occasional diamond watch, gold ring, and platinum chain.
Despite the fact that he is perfectly capable of smelling, Hype has no nostrils.
History:
Gòu Zhuān Muramatsu was born in 835 A.S. He was the cousin to the great Hòu Zhuān Muramatsu and had grown up during an exceedingly turbulent time in world history. The Land of Stone was under the yoke of the Kazehana Empire, but the noble clans of the region were actively seeking their independence. During this time, the Muramatsu had placed a premium on strong and talented children. Whereas Gòu Zhuān's cousin Hòu was the model of a young leader and warrior, Gòu himself was talentless. The child's birth defect and ineptitude at warfare made him a pariah in the clan. He could not serve as a leader when his form was so ungainly and his skill so lackluster. Out of love, his parents had spared him years of bullying and torment by shipping him off to a Buddhist Monastery at the age of 12. While his cousin made history, Gòu spent his adolescence reading, working and meditating. He had the makings of a good monk, but internally he lacked piety and was mostly resentful of the monotonous life he had been forced to live.
Gòu Zhuān's sole source of excitement came from the small pick-up games that the young acolytes were permitted to play. There were many games but Gòu Zhuān enjoyed soccer the most. The foot-based game had been played for centuries under various rules, different cultures and possibly before the Sage's arrival. The universality of the sport made it attractive to Gòu Zhuān. For on the football pitch, the audience looked at his feet and not his head. Gòu Zhuān's skill at the game drew the admiration of many and even brought in a good bit of income for the monastery. The Elder Monks viewed the game as a "childish distraction" and "waste of time" but Gòu Zhuān's talent could not be ignored. Around this time, the Muramatsu was consolidating their control over the Land of Stone. They had opted to allow the Kaifeng Warlord Clan to keep some of their holdings in exchange for their help in eliminating the other warlords. The Kaifeng Clan was seeking to diversify their business interests as the rampant criminality that had been allowed to fester would soon be reduced by the new Stone government. One of the business ventures that the Kaifeng were hoping to get into was the sports entertainment industry. Gòu Zhuān's acrobatic plays, unique appearance, and audacious creativity in the game of football made him an attractive recruit for their budding league.
At age 30, Gòu Zhuān accepted an offer to play professionally in an elite underground football club. The Monastery did not approve of his decision but did not force him to stay. He had been left in their care and they trained him as promised. Gòu Zhuān's parents were dead by this time and as a man grown, he was capable of making his own choices. Gòu Zhuān said his goodbyes and left for Meijing City. Football as played in the underground was far more violent and high impact than in the friendly pitches of the mountainside. Ninjutsu-use was not only permitted but encouraged, fouls were only called in technical circumstances and the players were better trained and better equipped. For the first time in his life, Gòu Zhuān was outmatched. He thus underwent years of intense training to better compete. Gòu Zhuān was never formally taught to be a shinobi, but the longer he played, the more he began to see sports as an analogue to combat. Football at the highest level was essentially war. It was a brutal campaign that required precise thinking, hardy bodies and relentless spirit. Gòu Zhuān's progress was exponential and it wasn't long before he was considered the best player in the region and perhaps even the world. Now that the Land of Earth was finally at peace, interest in leisurely activities exploded.
No longer confined to the drab life of a traditional ascetic, Gòu Zhuān now played sold-out stadiums against some of the most vicious football strikers in the world. An A-list team was built around him and his persona: The Meijing City Monks. Gòu Zhuān fully leaned into this caricature of his life's story. He often dressed in priestly gowns, quoted Buddhist scripture at press conferences and even led services in temples of his own construction. The Monks at the Chang Monastery were displeased with his insincere and blasphemous treatment of their religion, but given Gòu Zhuān's connections they remained silent. He gained a cult following and soon he went by the nickname "Hype" in reference to the crowd's reaction whenever he stepped onto the field.
As a premium athlete he was well-compensated. He had it all. Women. Wealth. Status. Power. Yet it was never enough for the now middle-aged warrior. The Muramatsu Clan always looked down on him. They saw him as just a shadow of his greater and more powerful cousin. This resentment led to Gòu Zhuān seeking a place with the criminal elements of the Kaifeng Family. Gòu Zhuān had never been good at combat training because he was never the type to see the value in hurting people. He was thus deemed un-trainable and it was assumed he would never progress past the level of an academy student. However in training for soccer, Gòu Zhuān's inner talent blossomed. It was a simple matter for him to convert football tactics to combat tactics. Gòu Zhuān began acting as a covert enforcer for the Kaifeng Clan. Due to his unique appearance and style, many began to put two and two together. Gòu Zhuān's reputation for handling the darker elements of the Kaifeng's business put a damper on his career. Players were too scared to face him and now surrendered immediately. This suited Gòu Zhuān just fine. He enjoyed the sport but he had seen how its popularization had led to its own decline. It was now all about money and less about winning. The competition was lackluster, the rules were burdensome, and the fans were well, overbearing. Gòu Zhuān retired from the sport at the age of 50 and dedicated himself solely to criminal activities.
Gòu Zhuān, or Hype as he continued to be known by his fellow associates, excelled at robberies and high risk assaults. He kept himself useful to the government and was selective in his targets, but there were many in the new administration that felt he was not a force to be ignored. Gòu Zhuān spent the next few decades honing his reputation and building his own criminal empire. The former superstar's criminal syndicate called themselves Sanyassin in keeping with Hype's aesthetic. While Hype had sired many children over the years, only a select few would join him in his clandestine activities. He kept on friendly terms with the Kaifeng but it soon became clear that he was no longer their junior. The fall of Iwa after the Second Tsuchikage's death only accelerated the takeover of the criminal underworld and Hype's ascension to the status as one of the most feared operatives in the Western half of Kishin. The height of Hype's criminal career was his participation in the assault on the Blood Prison and the freeing of Chiheisen Ōtsutsuki. With this achievement, Hype decided to retire and spend the rest of his days idly enjoying the peaceful tranquility of Nirvana.
"Nirvana" in Hype's case was a paradise world that he had received access to after the payment of an exorbitant amount of money. True to his word, the man left his organization in the care of his nephews and departed from Earth. Retirement did not suit Hype. The people of that world were unfamiliar with some of his favorite sports and their refusal to even learn about them was disconcerting. They had a peculiar obsession with striking a small white ball with an elongated stick and then chasing the white ball around the grass before hitting it again and repeating the process. This "game" infuriated Hype and nearly drove him to acts of unspeakable violence. He realized the fault was not with this blissful world, but rather who he was as a person. He could not find peace while his spirit was attached to this body. The ugly mishappen form was addicted to mischief and adrenaline. His spirit would follow passively and eternally until such time as it came for them to part ways. It was only then that he would know true Nirvana.
The Sanyassa thus decided to leave the "Candy World" as he and others called it. Through his representatives, he was able to strike a deal with the Iwagakure government. In exchange for his assistance with their military, his criminal record would be expunged and he'd be permitted to start fresh. When he returned to Earth, he was given a gift and a curse. The curse was that his empire had been destroyed. Through the cowardice and stupidity of his kin, the Sanyassins were no more. They had been caught in the crossfires of the Mountain War and had chosen poorly. Those that were not dead were in prison. His city was in ruins and was now over-policed compared to his golden years. He now had no money, no allies, and no name. So much had transpired over the years that few could recall an obscure athlete turned criminal from a forgotten time. Gòu Zhuān fell into despair upon learning of this fate, but on the very next day he rejoiced. It was an opportunity to start a new. To make the world once more remember his name....
Personality:
Spiritualist Guru
Gòu Zhuān considers himself to be an ascetic holy man of sorts. Of course, this criminal's concept of what it means to be Sannyasa deviates heavily from the mainstream. Gòu Zhuān's physiological idiosyncrasies have soured him on the notion of the material from a young age. As a child, he was fostered at the Monastery of the Chang Mountains and has since picked up on many of his Masters' teachings. He learned to look beyond the limitations of his appearance and instead focused on his soul. What he had found was an unyielding desire to be feared and acknowledged. He was taught to cleanse his soul of such insecurities but Hype had refused. Instead, he took the path less traveled. He discovered the First of the Heretical Teachers and took up the theory of Akiriyāvāda as his creed. He had been born into the body of a monster through no fault of his own and so he rejected the notion that his present condition was a reflection on the state of his soul, either in this life or a past one. Hype began to see his body and its sins as being divorced from his soul. To him, his spiritual essence would always be as light as a feather, unconcerned and unaffected by the actions he took. This psuedo-spiritual framework is the prism through which Hype views all of his actions. He dresses in the style and keeps some of the traditions of the Sanyassa but the result is a perversion of most Eastern oriented philosophy.
Hedonistic Criminal
Owing to his unique outlook on the spirit, Gòu Zhuān has no compunction about committing heinous crimes. He robs, murders, traffics in drugs and engages in unspeakable acts of brutality to further his own interests. Hype has a keen understanding of the criminal underworld, its unwritten code and how to thrive in its embrace. Hype has a bit of a champagne taste although the material possessions and pleasurable experiences aren't what's most important. They are symbols of his hard work and dedication, of his focus and appetite for success. He is a career criminal with few limits. Be wary around this toad of a man.
Aloof Opportunist
Gòu Zhuān's outlook on life can best be summed up by the phrase "Whatever is meant to happen, will happen." He isn't a determinist but he respects that random chance often places an outsized role in the nature of the Universe. It is up to people like him to review the circumstances and act accordingly. Hype is constantly analyzing people, surroundings and objects for their utility to him. He scans for opportunity and strikes ruthlessly when he finds it. However, during this process, he appears uncaring and aloof. One would think he is prepared to fall into a pleasant nap at any moment. He speaks softly and usually with slow emphasis on his words. Despite how nonchalant he may appear about the world, Hype is quite intentional about his business affairs. It is how he had become so successful despite his setbacks and how he plans on rebuilding his criminal empire.
Sports Enthusiast
Gòu Zhuān loves sports. He enjoys the exercise, competition and roaring crowds. Because sports was how he found his confidence and inner strength, he revers it as the pinnacle of human expression. He knows how to play almost all sports but he excels in particular at soccer, basketball, rugby and volleyball in that order. He has an affinity for team sports and is a natural leader. Hype collects various forms of sports memorabilia and is interested in one day creating an international Shinobi Soccer league.
Roleplay Sample:
- Spoiler:
“No, I don’t think I shall.”
You stubborn bitch!
Minutes ago, Shimiko couldn't comprehend thinking of her dearest friend in such vile terms. But anger was a powerful thing and Shimiko had always been susceptible to thinking and acting out of sheer rage. Ryuko was refusing to leave and it was pissing Shimiko off. Every word of truth that Ryuko spoke was like a dagger to her heart. A dagger that she could not counter with her own blades. It was enough to make the Chinoike want to split her comrade in two. When she started moving her hands, Shimiko grew deathly still. Her own fingers twitched in anticipation and she could feel the sparks dancing around her fingertips. Come on...do it... She didn't have her Sai handy but she didn't need them to take down Ryuko. She was itching for a fight. Instead, Ryuko did what no sane person would do in the presence of a Jashinist. She disarmed herself. Shimiko watched dumbfounded as the weapon's holster fell to the ground. If they were going to fight then Shimiko would have to strike the first blow.
The tears of blood became streams as she felt her friend embrace her. It was too much. She hadn't realized it before but now it was obvious that she was "crying crimson" as her Clan put it. Shimiko's hands dropped to her side and she let Ryuko hug her. The moment made her feel vulnerable, weak, and uncertain. All the of things that her mother had tried to hammer into her. She wanted no part of it. She wanted to be feared, to fight, to kill.
"S-Stop it" Even as Ryuko wiped away her tears, she wanted to warn her. "Ryuko you can't....I'll ki-" before she could protest or react, Ryuko made her move. At first she thought Ryuko was moving to whisper something in her ear but when their lips made contact, Shimiko froze. She had been ready to strike her friend in hopes of escalating the tension to something she could deal with but instead Ryuko responded with words and actions of unconditional love. She said that no matter what she'd never stop loving Shimiko. The blonde's heartbeat quickened unsure of how to deal with this situation. She was stunned. She sensed no passion or sexual desire in the kiss, no, it was purely an act of friendship. True friendship. She had intended to threaten her friend. To frighten her. And in response, she had received a kiss. Shimiko touched her fingers to her lips and some small part of her wished that her friend yearned for her the way she did Nozomi or even Natsuru. Maybe then they could avoid this inevitable collision course that their religions had put them on. Faith was a curious thing but even that could bend to the power of love if it was strong enough. But Shimiko didn't feel that way about Ryuko and Ryuko didn't feel that way about Shimiko. If they did not have romance in their heart could sisterly love be enough to save them?
Shimiko's gaze fell to the floor as she tried to comprehend what was happening. She reached down into that dark place in her soul. The place where she had stored all her most brutal and violent fantasies. She wanted to hold onto her anger. Her anger at Nozomi, Hakkin, her mother, Ken, anyone and everyone that threatened her core identity. But before she could grasp that darkness, a beautiful voice filled her living room. She recognized the song immediately. It was the ballad that Ryuko had played when she and Natsuru were on the verge of tearing each other to pieces. Shimiko often stayed up late at night wondering what would have happened if Ryuko had not burst into song at that exact moment. How different would she be? Would the experience have snuffed out what little empathy she had left? Would she have had the emotional capacity to rescue the Twins and adopt them? It was all so troubling. It hurt her to think a mere song could have had such a profound impact on her life. At times it even angered her, but then she remembered how she had felt after hearing it. How calm, how peaceful, and how willing she was to give friendship a chance even when it seemed so futile and weak. Shimiko tried not to smile as she listened to the a capella.
She always knows how to try and get me on her side...
The Vestal was so charming when she wanted to be. Shimiko had little hope that Nozomi could be turned to the side of good but if there was anyone that could do it then it was Ryuko. Shimiko remained quiet and listened to the song. Her heartbeat slowed and for a moment she felt peace. A fleeting moment. Just when her psyche softened, she felt something tugging at her spirit. It wasn't her own anger or bloodthirst. Shimiko could recognize those instantly. This was something different, something new, something foreign. It told her to kill. To draw steel and don't stop fighting until the entire penthouse was painted red. Shimiko's, Ryuko's, Seigi's it didn't matter. Shimiko was shaking now. She tried to suppress it but couldn't for it was invading every corner of her psyche. While she was listening to Ryuko's words, it was clear that they weren't having the intended effect. The words were comprehended but they overlaid with the voice of another.
That of the Necrossiah's.
“You are a saviour and a mother. A philosopher, diplomat and poet! Tis no need to pigeonhole yourself just to the role of enforcer and executioner any more than we need to pigeonhole Nozomi to the role of enemy or threat. Not when you both could be so much more.”
S̵̘̦̤̥̟̠̣͚̓̅̀̓͆͊̈́͒́̽̾̒̚͝h̷̨̙̤̞̓̑͒͂́͗́̓̀̔̒̊͠ȇ̴͖̣͇̬̮ ̷̨̢̛̫̬̬̗͉̗͒̇̀̌̿̈́͌͒͊̃͘ļ̸̜̮̰͓͓̥͍̳̺̘̙͙͖̌̓̑̊̆͊́͛͐̃i̸̛̳̐͑̅̔̈̒̂̔͌̍ē̴̢̮͕̼͚̠͔̥̱̠͍̐̓̇͒́̅̑̀̏̏̐͊͑͜͠s̶̡̜̰̪̤̆͌̋̎̒͛̇́͐̕͘͘̕.̸̢̢̭͙͘͜ ̵͕͈͈͍̦̦̫̼͓͖̩̩̈́͆̌̒̿͜͝ͅͅȲ̷͕̟̤̞̙͍͉̝͉̪̝͌̇̓͌͊̉̀̇̿͗̚͜͝͝͝o̶̡͒̅̍u̷͎͆̈́̎̊̀͌̽͘ ̶̨̛̛̮͎̲̲̪͓̤͔͇͔̓̒̓̔̓̀̂̋̂͘k̴͇̖͈̑̏͋͋̒̕ṋ̷̢͚̞̺̪̺̲͓͕̀̋͜͠ơ̷̡̨̨̺̻̖͖̖̦̗̓̈̒̑͒͂͂̈̈́͊̕͜͝ẅ̵͙̺͙͓̠͖͍͙̺͍́͋̈́̇̎͌̈͘͘͜ ̷̢͓̬̖͙͔̙̻̰̀͊͋͆͗͜ͅţ̶̧̨̢͍̲̘̤̜̭̆͂̆̆̓̂͛̚͜͝ͅh̴̻͇̜̮̎́i̸̢̤̩̬̳̫̹̗̹͂̂̒̏͐͝͝s̸̨̛̙͖̮͓̐̆͝.̵̟̱͕̮͌̈́̀͋́̇̆̐̾͘ ̷̨̣̲͓͙̖̠́͛̿̃̋̈́́̕͠T̶̛͖̱̰͓̝͉͉̫̞̼͎̊h̷̤̅̄̂̿̒̓̈́̽̔̂̄e̷̜̠̭̜̘͈̙̯͍̮͚͗̽̑̀́͜͝r̴̛̗̰̣̦̼̒͋̽͒ͅe̶̡̛̫̖̞͖͍͚͓̻̓͊̀͆̑͗̀͋̚ ̵̼̼̼̮̪͎͇̽i̵̦̤̫̯͕̿ś̶̛̙͉͎͊̽̚͠͝ ̶̖̫͓̼̯̮̝͙̟͉͍̭͂͊̽̓̓͒̑ͅn̶̢̳̤͓̮̲̱͉̱͚̯͔̪͙͑̒ờ̸̬͓̪̐̍͜t̶̖̯̺͕̼̤̟̩̞̤̬͍͖͔̏̎͂͋͐̓̃́͊̀̄̂̕͘͝h̵͓̞̥̟͔̹̥̲̮̀̓̏͊̒̀̋̽͝ḯ̶̭͉̩͇͖͈͔̜̯͕͔̓̉̒́̂̐̽̚͜n̶͓̰̱̮̼̳̼͈̻̳̪̒̃̆̓̂̋̅̑̈͛̀̍̉g̶̡̢͇̳̱̬̯̥̲̫̼͕̤̳̀̅̊̉̄̕ ̸̡͔̖̼̺̱̂͆͐͋̀́̓͆̄̕̕̚b̶̖̘̗̠̹̘͙̘̺̿̃ṵ̸̰̻͕̗̉̀t̷̡͙͔̭̖̬̖̍͊̾̈́̀̊̑ͅͅ ̴̧̦̙̥̰̯̱͎͉̖͓̤̺̮̓̑̋̿̔͌̉͘͜t̴̨̢̨̛̘̤̞͎̤͍͇̘͙̏͑́̔̂̈́̂͆͋̊͜͜ḩ̶̧̫̝͖͂e̷̲̋͋͂̈́̓͐͑ ̵̢̡̛̪̰̺̝̱̯̤̹̠̰́͌̇̾̈́͘V̸̧̟̜͎͖͈͖̠͓̩̬̫̙͑̓͒̕͝͠ơ̵̡̳̪̘̞͖̦̬͋͒̆͊͆̎̿̐̈́̒̓́͘̚i̴͍̱͈̊̀͋̄̿̑̈̀ḑ̴̹̠͎̹̜͔̫̥̖̝̯͌͌͆͑͛̀̈́͛̎́̅͐̀̂̅ ̸̨̯͇̥̤̬͉̝̺̈́̇͋͛̀̿̋̌͗͌͛̇̚ǻ̷̱͇̤̝̞͉̓̓͒͗̒̑̓͊̀̃̋̕̚n̵̨̲̐d̸̨͕̠̭̬̳̘̙̽͌̓͘͠ ̵̧̢̢̛̜̳̮̱͚̲̤͕̭̳́́̅̀́̏̇̀̓͘͝y̶͇̩̆͌̈́̏̓̐͌͋̄̏͝͝o̶̞̰̝̘̿͑̒̑̒̓̀͋͘͠ų̷̧̟͔͕͖̻̬͖̣̣̼̳̳̓̾͊̔̾͑̈̍̇̋͛̾́͝ ̶̢̪̯̯̯͍̩̹̇̅̇̈́͌̂̕̕͠͝a̶̧̢͕͇̹̺̖̭̲̦̘͂̈̈́͒̈́̈́̂͒̏̈́͜͝͠͝ŗ̴̨̳̙̣̘̟̲̠̪͇̈́̅͗͗̚͜͝͠e̴̢̛̹̰̲̱̗̱̣̋̎̇̾̓̋̓̀̊̓́ ̸̬͔̻̻̬̖̯͍̬̟̃̿̐͑̈̚a̶̼̬͎͚̮̜͚͕̞͇̐͝ ̸̮̓͊́́̚b̵̨̨̥̦̰̯̥̜̦͈̼͇͒̆̊͌͜͝e̴̢͖̳̅̾̍̃̋̈́͒́̔̂̅́͂̕͠å̴̡̛̟̭̞̗̳̹̲͎͇̍̈́͆̓͜͜ͅc̴̖̣̟̤̑̓͝ͅo̶̺̖̮̱̜͖̱̲̫̥̠̜̾̇͊͛͒̒̌̔ņ̸̣̻̠̮̙̭̰̒̉͛̏͛͂̚ ̴̢̳̣͚̰̝͓̬̙̺̩̋̎͂́̌̈̇̾̓̇͛̕͝͝ț̸͔̭̅̐̈̾̀̅̅ơ̶̧̛̬̺̘̮̙̘̻̲̥̖̰̄̌̌̈́͋͆̐͗̅͘̚͘͝ ̸̫͙̹̤̍̃̑̈́͋̓̀̓̃̚͘̕͜͝͝ͅd̶͖̳͕̹̞͍̥̍̓̅̑̿̄̋̃ŕ̴͇̗̯͍̕à̶̰̯̩̹̳̦̘́́̊̀̍̾̈́́̾͋͒̈́̆͊͜ẃ̷͕̰͉̞͍̲̟̤̟͙̒̎͝ ̶̡̡̛̪͇͍̫͓̮͎̜͙͂̄͂ͅl̵̢̜̙̥̟͕̟̯͈̝͎̃̆̓o̵̦̲̙͙̬̱͐͛̓̌͊͊̏̿̿̉̂̕͘͝s̴̨̢̖͈̲̦̞̀͌͊̎̽́͂̾̓͝ṫ̷̨̼̈́̈́̋̆͒̇͋̚͝ ̴̰̺̝̬̟̮͕̟̤̠̭̜̻̓͛́͒̿̀͜͝s̷͎̞̘͎̓̿̈̃̊̃̔̋̇̂̕̕o̷̬̠͂̇͑́̃̔́̽̃͒́̃̀̕ü̸̗̬̺̂͂̆l̷̜̭̞͆̈́̿̋̇̽́̕̕͜͝͝ş̴̦̦͚̙̻͉̪̩͓̠̩̲̍̅̉̎̓̾͑̽̒̑͘͠͠͝͝ ̸̡̛͓̝̥͚̺̰̳̥̰̰̳̬̲̏̃̐̈́̀̄͊̍͂́̃͝ţ̶̧̨̛̯̘̗̪͉̫̬̜̲͈̈́́̀̇͒̀̅͒̓̈́̐̈́̚͜o̴̻̳̠̣̟̭͕̭̰̓͑̈́͊͠͝͝ ̵̢̡͎͕̦͖̗̗̭̤̗́̒̇̃̈́̿̐̒͝͝i̵̪̼̠̭̼̩̭͙̲͚̾̅̉̕t̵̨̻͍͎͔͈͉͈̬͕̱̪͓̎͂̓.̷̡̨̣̭̈́͛͆͗ ̶̜̰̭͎͌͋͛̋͆͐̒̿̇̉̇͊͝͝͝
‘We must do better, We must be better in order to flourish. Only by being our best selves can we build a legacy that will last the test of time. To do otherwise would be but sheer folly as one day your children will look you in the eyes and see nothing but a monster.”
M̵̨̯̞͎͙͚͍͚͓̖͇͒̋̈́̒̋ò̵̧̗͖̱͔̤̔̌̔̑̒̊̃̒̚̚͝͠ṛ̴̙̘̮̹͚͚͚̖̉͑̄̆͘͝ͅě̸̛̝̐̍͘͠ ̵̺̿̈̏ȕ̶̧̧̨͍̯̗̹̓̓͒̈́̈́n̵̢͙̪͍̠̬̬̭͙̘̮̳̿-̴̢̢͔̦̬̠͈̺̫̭̘͌̾̈̐͌̇̽̔̓͠͝ͅt̴͎͇̣̹̖͔͇̦͖̜͍̃͆̄̊͐̓͌̓́̄̕ͅŗ̸̪̲̥͒́͗͆̎̇́ṷ̶͔͙͖̫̑̾̃̍̚ṱ̶̨̧̧̡̦̜̺̾h̶̘͉͎͓̣̖̳̠̮̦͎̓͆̊̀̎̈̓ͅș̴͖̣͓̿.̶̳̀ ̵̡͎̝̝̟̮̫̙̘͎͔͈̀́͐̀̂̃̿ͅẎ̷̭̭̞̻̞͓̘̩͋̀o̶̢̬̍͋̔̎̎̏̉̒̓̓̚ų̷̧̡͈̤̠̤͓͎͚̼̜͕̬́͊̐̐̎̈́̍́ ̶͉͚̫͎̭͖̜̺̠̪̲̼̳̔͒̋͌̾̇̇́̚͝͝͠͝ͅk̵̯̆͝n̸̢̢̳̮̰͔͉̟͙̍͑̉͊̿̋̔̉̓̈͘͝ȯ̴̳̣̟͈̔́͊̈́̊͌͑̏̈̈́̕͘w̶̡͖͈̫͔̥͍͖͎͓̭͈͖̪͌́̉͑̑̏̂̀́̓̅̓͠͝͠ ̵̲̞̳̠̠͉̤̌̀w̷̧̱̲̬̲͔̔h̸̛͎̦̞̟̰̑͌̇̂̏̈́̄͗̇̍͊̕͜͠à̶̛̹̳͚̹̆̑͆͋͌̽̆̕͘̚͠͝ͅt̷͔̳̉̆̈̈́̏͂̀͊͛̀̐̏̆̒͝ ̸̧̭͇̮̣̐̈́́̂̏̒̓̃̈́͛̈͘͜y̸̬̳̩̬͖̟̘̼͓̫̔̂͆͝o̷̡͇̫̪̊ͅú̴͔̻̀̎̂̆̄̃̔̎̒̒ ̸̮̝̪̮̰̃̎̂̃̔͑͜ǎ̵̺̜̖͈̫̣̬̺̂̈́͑̌͗̓̿̓͗̋͒̽͝r̵͕̱̗͕̗͉͉͚̝̫̈́̾͜è̴͓̘͔͉͔̠͎͓̬̰͉̦͌̍́̎͂̽̊̈́͊̽͊͑͝ ̴̢̡͈͓̩͖̘͍̹̑͒̆̇͌̉͌͋͂̈́͊̀͘͝͝Ş̴͇͔̩̈͆̓͌̀̒͝͝ḩ̸͈̖͐̉͂̃́̾̑̔̍͑͌̈̿͝͝ǐ̷̮͌͛̽̀m̶̧̨̡̩̰̙̪̘̙̋̅ͅi̷̭͑̈̉́̽́k̷̘͖̳͈̃́ͅo̶̻̲̱̟̮͎͑͒̓̉̑̽̀́̽͋̾͝.̸̜̦̑̂̆̑̊̌͒́͑͒̀̀̊͆̀ ̶̯̭̪͓̻͈̫͔͍͚͖͎̺̄͛̈̒̈́́̋̕͝Y̷̡̨̡̨͕̺͙̖͓̝͇̗͎̗̦̿̑̈́̒͛̌̄͠o̷͎̝̠̹̼͂̈́͊́́̂̚͜͠͠͝u̷̩̮̮̔͑̒̽̊͆̈́͐̒̃̄͂͘͝'̴̞̗̳̗̜͕̠̺̎͒̀̕̕v̴̨̯̫͔̠̠̉̂̆̓̾ę̵̱̘͙̥̼̤̲͈̦̫̫̄͂̔̎̊͒̍̄̐ ̵̨̜̮̹͌̇͐́͘̚ͅą̸̫͛l̵̢̛̛̲̠̗͓̞̮̬̻̀̈͒͒̆͌̔͐̓̒͘͜ẁ̶̥̩̗͇̮̥̱̣͖̮̯͙̿̌͆̉̀́̌ͅa̶̧̱̭̥͍͖̫̲͍̖͓̺͛̑̈́̎̃́̈́̀͂̋͊̃̊̏̚ͅy̴̢̧̨̰̗̦͈̝͇̬͐̽̐̿̈͑̆̅͜s̸͚̠̒̽̀̌̑̉̅̅͆̎͜ ̷̩̦͙̣̩̺̦̺̋͛̄k̶̡̧̘͕͖̞͍̒̓n̴̪̝̲̟͘ơ̶̤̲͌͑̆͋͋͗̒̕w̸̧̧̦͉͇̬͍̖͇͎̫͐̂̎̈̉̌̓̆͐̍͘͜n̵̢̧͚̻̖̂͂͝.̴̨̝͉̙̙̓͗͋̈́̈̎͋ ̶̜̹̱̤̻̻͙̎͌̍͗͊̃̔̅̐̄̍͘͜͜Ŝ̶͍̤͙́̈́̄̇̆̈̎̎́̌̐̇̍͜a̷̡̖̞̙̙̜͍͍͚͆͛̇͐̆̋̉͝͝͠y̷̳̾̀͑͒̚̕͝ ̵̡̻͕͖͉̦̪͑̿̇̂̒̀ḯ̴͖̿̅̇̓̑́́̂͘t̴̗̺͕̠̹̺̤̞͇͈̍́̋̎̌̍̈́̓͆̾͛̏͝.̸̧̭̳̲̟̞̺̘̫͉̠̹̞̊̈́̐̀̈̎͒͐̀͂̈͝ ̴̢͚̯̭͎͖͑͋̔̅͂͗
"I......AM..... a monster..." she whispered. She didn't want to kill her friend. She didn't want to kill Seigi. But if she let them take murder away from her then she was nothing. She will have proved Celestia right. The Necrossiah preyed on this fear and continued to drown out her friend's words.
K̴͉̭͎͓͎̓̾̚͝į̶̧̤̳̰͔͎̖͑͌͛̇͑͋͒̍̅̚̚͜͠l̵̤̗̰̄͑̏͐́̈́́̂̿͛̒l̵̠̳͚̭̝̖̱͔̞̭̮̣͛͠ ̷̡͓͈̻̣̩̦̠̫̞̠̼̿̔͌͌͝ͅţ̵̛͈̺̪̠̭̤̪͔͉̠͓̠̈̈̓̓̃̔̈́̂̋͒͗̽̽h̸̡̡͕͎̠͓̥̥̗͓̟́̓̽͜e̸̢͍̺̤̯͉͉̋̈̌͋͝͠ ̴̧̢̗̜̹̱̮̦̠͇͓̝͕̳͂c̴̨̛̙͚̳̽͆̈͒̾͗͂̕͜ḩ̷͎͈̗͈̯̐͌̈́̏͆̌͋̿͒̏̕͠i̴̡̜̼̣͓̤̜̣͎̟͈̋̽̒̄̉́̔̏̽͆̽̆͘͠͝l̷̨̟͉̟̖̩̝̙͚̼͍̜̈́͆͑̊̆̓̂̎̄̓̇d̸̢̧͓̣̗̜́̓̀͜.̶̢̨̨̣͚̭̠̮̲͔͎͔̗͗̇͊̈́ ̵̞͓̤͖̪̰̳̺͛̑̋̍̽̾̉̍͋̈́̈́́̕͘͝ͅC̴̙̰̝̠̞̻͙̍̀̐̓͌̌̋̔͘͠ò̸̦̘̹̰̥̙̬̯̾̈͒̔͜r̴̡͉͉̱͙̝̋̾̅̓̾̽̾͌͘̚͝r̸̡̡̭͙̹͍̫̫̘̥̿͜ű̶̙̝̯͒̌̀͒̉̚͠p̸̨͇͕͎̙̠̩͙̻̗̆̊̌̆̂̍̊̈́̎͒̌̔̑͘͠t̶̢̎̃̋̆͋̍̕ ̷̡͈͔̊̓͗͆͂̓̾̀̂͘͝ţ̴̗̦̣͒͑̇̽̔͛̃͋̈́̿̒͝ḩ̴̧̧̘̯͉̗̗͙̱̠͚̞̈́͆͐é̴̘̼̭̺̥͂̊́̽̈́͋͝m̴̻̯͇̝̺̫͎̣̝̤̌͆͛̈́̅̾̔͐́̚͝͠͠͝ ̷̲̭̥̫̱̰͚̱̹̲͔̑a̴͇̖̺̭͘l̵̺̑͑ḷ̸̢̧̢͔͍̳͖̃̂̈.̸̡̠̝͛̎͂̆̾̿͗̈́̌̚̚ ̶̡̨̧̨̛̙͙̰̮͈̗̭̩̇̿̔̕͝J̸̳̙͇̜̜̱͇͉̬͈̥̭̦̜̅̈́̽̒̕͠ā̶̡̼̬͗̾̀̓̅̏̾͊̓̑̑̚s̶̬̩̞̜̬̫̰̟͉̥̻͎͍̹̈́͌͗̑͗̈́̀̂̈́̈́̋̏̕͠h̴̨͇͚̖̬̦͕̖̉̌̋͊̅͆̇̊͛͋̔̎̒͝͝í̵̲̘͉̝͍͙̒̔̉̀̾͘͠ṅ̴̫͖̜̫͍̩̔̋̚ ̶͙͈̲̙̻̳̤͇̻̘̞͉̇̍͗́̈́͊́̒̈́̽̕h̷̢̛̰̭̦̙̖̓̉͒̑͗̅̓̈̆̓̊͝͠͝a̷̧͓̥̞͉̱̼̗̰͉̰͖̓̽͋̈͒̃̅̏́̎̚͘̕s̴͔̝̄̐͑̓͘ ̵͙̜̤͚̅̏͐̚̕n̵̡̤̙͎̰͓̖͎̜̘̻̺͖̍̏͂̅ͅŏ̸̡̙̥͎̯̹̥̳͚̼̫͎̏̀̿͒͒̈́̑̍̿̓͆̈́͝ ̷̨̢̱̣̬̍̓̂̿͛̎̍̂͋͑́͆̅͝ė̶̱̹̦̩̝͚͂̄̒̀q̶͎͈͕͎̝̤̿͋̑̑̿̋͒̈́͘͝͠ư̴̲̿̈́̉́̈́̈͊͝a̷̡̛̟̪̗͖̹͎͓̞̒͒́͌͊̽̀̐͝l̵̡͎̮̤̻̫͓̖̺̘͔̟̓̅͌́̋ͅ.̷̡̨̛̛̖͍̻̰̮͍̘̙̝͔̖͋̋̈̿͊̐͝ ̵̱̎̿̌͆̈́̃̓͘
“Tis wrong to keep an innocent child in captivity. A cage is still a cage no matter how gilded. Tis even more disturbing to think of taking their life just to prove a point. Have some empathy and think of how you would feel if someone pulled that on you with the Twins. Tis not a very pleasant thought to consider, no?”
“That’s why I need Nozomi alive. Not out of some sense of sentiment or because of my personal feelings but because she’s the number one best source of information we have and the key to discovering the true culprits. If we can turn her to our side we couldn’t ask for a better woman on the inside.”
Ị̶̧̪͕͙̟̤̮̩̹͈̂͂̈́̕ͅ ̴̧̢̻̞̓̈́̎̉̔̌͗͝m̵͓͍͉̹̤͚͆̈͗͂͌͂̈́͌̑͝ͅȧ̷̠̺̗̲̣̹̼͉͒̅͌͊̐͘d̸̘͈̻̭͖̠͈̯̓̊̒̊͑̆̒̽̌̈́̄͠ė̵̜̹͕̣̈̔̽̇̆͋͛̀̇͝͝ ̵̧̛͉̞̟͚̰͍̜̾͛͜a̷͖̼̅̇̀͘͘͝͝ ̶̡̧͇͓͈̬̪̪̎̋͒͒͋̔͒͆̾̇͝ć̵̜̰̯̗̣̖̺̑̑̈́͂ố̸̡͇̳͉̻͒̿̃̏͝v̷̡̧̭̯̜̞͕͖̙̜̭́̆̔̇́͗̽e̴͖̬̘̲̤̺̯͉͉̟͗͗̓̀̔̀͑͆͊̀̌̈̕n̸̢̻̜̬̿̒̌͆̈̋̌̚͘̕͝ặ̵̹̞͚̩n̴͕͚̪̰͖͉̥̙̙͈͍̉͝t̷̡̝̱͉͍͉̜̝̒̒̂̌́̈̈́̏̈́͋͜͝ ̷̨̧̡̟̦̱̲̟̥̺̤͎̮̊̀̔̈͜ͅṯ̸̳̺͔͖͉͍̯͓͉͐̄̄͋̐̉̍̈́̔̇̉̈́̑̕̚͜ỏ̵̡̡͔̻̼̘͍͖̞̪̬̀̌̇͒͂́̉̋̅͂̽̄͊̚͜ ̸̢̢̖̱͉̳̺̬̱͉̮̭̭̂̊̿̋̍̊̅͛͝ͅr̴̛̝̩̳͕̞͕͌̃̿̐͊͘͘ȩ̵̺̲͓̗̭͉͓̩̻͎͖̒ͅt̵͖̯͈̓̈́̒ͅù̷̬̮̝̠̤͔̩̠̥̑̊̈́̀̈́͌̚̚͜͜͝r̵̛̦̜̘͚̤͎̃́́̉̑̿̓̃̇̈́̅͊̈́͘͜ͅn̸̛͔̺̓̔̀̈̇̿͒ ̶̤̼̦̓̀̋̉̓̀̚͠͝ą̷̻̣̲̟̭̫̩̯̊̌͝ͅn̵̛̰̮̰̜̬̮̩͇͕͎̮̦̼̏͛̾̋̈̈̄̕͜d̵̡͚̯̖̚ ̵̫̇̂̒̅̉̃͌͗̚̕̚͝r̷͕̘̫͓̓́̆̓͂̈́̈́̐̇͝ę̴͔̥̥̤̰̭̩͎̗̮͔́̃͊̈́̔̆̓̏͊t̷̢̗͕̟̤̤̺̩̲̯͚̃͜ͅư̵̧̼͓͔͉͈̹̺̭͌̀͌̀̽̒̏̆́͆̕ṟ̷͔͓̱̥̅̅̌̄̓͑́͌͆̄̏̚͘͘͠ñ̶̢͉̭͍̳͈̜̫̞͚̈̀̂̀̌̊̔̍͘͘͠ ̸̹̻͉̺͚̣̲̝͍̂̏̑̄̔̀͗͌̀͘Ì̶̫̗͌̓̿͛ ̶̢̛̹̝͕̤͎̘̫̠͙̜̝̙̂̑͗̌͛̔̌̅̓̀̈́͂͘s̷͉̠̮̯̯͚̯̜̱̼̦̱̟͌̍̓͐̊͛̏͠h̶̛͚̞̰̰̾͌̾̈̊̍́́̓̽́͗̇͗ä̷͚̟́̑̾͗̄̎̀͐̿͝͠ļ̵̡̨̛̩̙̹̫̞̜̤̤͔͓͎͆̽̈́̉̎͂̏̍͛̂̍̅͋̂͜l̷̫̠̫̘͒̓͗͂̽̊́͐.̴̻͎̦͐̈́͌̈̓̑́͠ ̵̢̭̭̼̪̗̇̈́̑̈́̋̄̚͝W̸̧̧͇͙̳̹̯͍͕̝̩̭̺̦̠͂͂͑͑̎̓̃̍̈́̿͘̚͝͝ȩ̴̼͓͇̜̬̱͚̹̗̮̮̤͔̇̑̏͌̎̕̕ ̵̪̩͙̓̋͌͋́̕͝͠w̷̡̻̱̠̎̽̊͗͆͐͒̋̚i̴̜̽̃l̶̨͚̞͓͈̥̭̫̼̣̥̩̠̔l̶̨̖͉̼̙͕̘̬̟̀́͋́̇̉̇̽̄̅̀̈̆ ̵̨͙̲̻̱̻̥̝͎̠̝̅͌̓̈̊̿̀͑ͅs̷̛̪͖͈̩͚͍̜͖͍͐͋̓̌̄̌̊̒͝͝ͅw̸̮̺̟͇̺͎̯̪̹͌e̵̡̳̬͛̾̇̿̽̊̓̍́̈̈̉͛e̶̲̱̦͓̼̦͖̮̅̒͒̈́͆̾́̀͗̌̀͛͐̕͠p̶̱̹̀̀͒̈́̋̎̆͜ ̷̨̠̼͖͓͉̮̈̈ͅẗ̵̡̳̜̭̣̩̦͕̹̖̠̊̽̽̋̚̕͠ͅͅh̶̡̜̤͉̥̰̗̮̰͈͎̥̫́͗̚e̸̩̗̾͆͘m̶͔̎͒̂͐͌̌̀̊̓ ̸̬͎̝̝̥̥̭̞̗͒͒ͅa̷̧̪̦͔̪̗͔̳͚̮̥͚̜͆̊͆̅̀͜͝͠l̴̲̲̦͈̳̜̻̐͋͠l̸̹͖͚̬̤̠͕̯̂̾́̈́̍̂͜ ̵͚̞̮͊̓̈̆̌͑̅͒̍̂͘ì̷̛̮͕̮͗͋́̄͂͛͊͐̐̀̇̓n̸̡̨̙͎̮̣̫̺̐̓̃̃̋͌̇͌͋̑͐̄̂͜t̴͙͕̹͔̜̱̀̂̋̆̇̀͜͝ͅo̸̬͓̮͉͔̣̜͓͕̩͔̣̒̏̈́̽̐̅̇͘̕͜͝ ̷̭̜̟͒̓̍̄̆t̸̨͉̼͉̠̪̠͇͈̣̫̖̳́̽̈́͝ͅh̸̡̨̢̛̹͈̲̹̞̣̪̜̝͎̎͌̓͑͒́̒̂̈́̇́͝ͅè̷̢̛̜̲̺͈̻̣̰̣͈̲̔̈́͂̎̅͗̊̿͂͘͝ ̸͎̪̜̺̟̙̤͚̬͎̜͇̕s̸̬̘̤̱̘̳͑̋̔̄̏͂̂̀̐̈́́͌̽ͅẗ̶̡̡̗͎̜́̂͋͌͒̀́̔̽a̸̬̞̼̮̍̉̍̋ͅŗ̷̹͈̺̝̦̎̐̔͌͗̎̅̓͂͠s̵̛̳̜̙̜̱͍̗͋͒̃̿͛̔̈́̒̕̕ ̵̞̞̩̣̣̣́̊̋̉̌̇̾̍͐̋̕͜͜a̴̹̱̩̪̪̲̘͇̺̩̯̅̽̓̊̀̋͗͂͊́̆̀͝͝͝n̴̪̅̊ḑ̴̠͓̥̫͚̘͔̹̬͇̞̞̓̔͑̓͐͒͝ ̷̡̘̭̬͙̲͍̭̗̯̤͙̠̤̑̔́̎̄́͋̀̈̈́̕ͅȩ̸̲̰̯̤̤̽͋̓̓̏͛͐̔̾͋v̷̮̘̝̘̗̤̬̠̏̿̄͜e̶̩̲̠͆͌̓͂̍̿̀̽r̴̩͍̪̙͛̑͝ẙ̷̡̞̩̼̳̻̼̭̖̠̙͖͖̝̒́̉̀̿͛̅̿̍͘ ̸̢̛͚̰̖̱̞̺̼͇͚̤̤̹̣́̃́̾̉̄̎͗́̐͌̕͜͝w̵̡̢͇̤̰͈̘̯̤̟̦̼̒̄͛̋̉͐̉̕ͅͅó̵̢͖̮͚̯͓̙̫̓͒̈̉ͅṛ̴͌́l̶̗͑̎̿̏͊̿̒͒̚͠͝ͅd̸̢͇̫̦̭̉͋̆̂̚͝ ̵̨̟̖̼̥̭̯̤̤̱̭͚̄ẃ̵̻͍̮̱͎̬̜̞͓̗͈͙̟̜̱̈̉̆i̶̗̟̳̩̩̣̝̻̟͍̥͛̆̃̉l̸̘̮̜̖̙̩̹̥̪̰̮̩̮̏̉͐̈́͐̎͛͐̆̆̕̕͠ḷ̴̡̱͉̭̥͎̃̒̓̃͋͗̾ ̵̨̧̺͕̻̥͔͖̜͖̩̋̏̓̆̿̾̈̽̅̄̔̔͑͋̎͜ľ̴̹̬̥͚͕̆̽̽̓̎̉͗̄͂̈͐͝ͅe̸̢̞̳̮͓̺͚͓̩̭̲͈̮̟̐̏̆́̃̆͊͜a̷͙̖̼͉̤̫͗͒͊̚̚͘ķ̶͉͖͍̯̩̥͆͆̓̈́̓͘͝ ̵̰̖͉̟̦͓̭͉͍͔͇̤̦̮̐̈́̒̾̂̃̇̇̕͝͝͠ẅ̷̡̱̤͓̩̳͚͎̣͎̖͂̃̏͂̽̑̕̚͠i̶̠̙̗͔̪̻͙̪̜̞͙̥̭̘̦̽t̵̡̧̛̠̭̼̫̫͔̖͙̹͓͇͉̆́̅̾̍̇̇̽̕͝ḩ̴̢̧͇̗̻̩̘̭͉̝́́̽̽͒̊͆̈́̃̏̏́ͅ ̷̛̥̦̩̮̗̺̺̼̖͍͖͐́͗̎͂̔̋̽̃̚͜͜ͅt̷̨͖̭͇̟͝h̷͉͎̱̰͍̩̖͑̓̐̈́̽͐̎̈́̃̓̄ę̴̧̱͇͕̫̝͖͎̅̀̍͌̊̔̐̇ͅ ̸̛̖͓̱̜̘̘̏͊̐̾̾̌̕͜b̵̧͌̈͆͒̆̽̎̋͑̐͠l̶̯͚͚͖̬̺̞͖̽̈́͜͜ͅo̸͍̭͍̼̳̾̾͑ö̷̯́͋̾̐͋͆̊͌͘̕͘͠͝d̷̜̾̐͋ ̸̧̢̺̱̻͎͕̙̘̤̥̦͂o̵̧̢̙̥̗͕͖̩͉̤̳̘̅͒̑͊̐̾̆̿̏̀̀͛̋̚͜f̷̧̛̦̜̫̩̟̙̝͉̎̏̎́̑̏͊͋̏̂̾͋͜͠͝ͅ ̵͓̫͓̟̓͐̈͘b̷̢̡͔̖̲͚̼̙̦͚͓̰͊̇̀͌͐͐͊i̸͍͎̭̓̂͐͗͘͝l̴͚̍͊̂̐̽̽̎l̴̛̪̊̌̐͛̅̍̉̔͌͠͝i̸̧͇̬͉͎̯̬͖͖̰͇̤̥͕̋ǫ̸̥̗̪̟̘̠̲̜̦͓̈́̀̐̽̓͐͜n̵̛̟̓̾̈́̈́̃̋͑̀͌̔̒͝ş̸̡̦͉̞͈͙͖͙̄͐̑͆͌͆͋͆̽͋̐̑̈́͆͑.̴̟̖̋͌̀̓̍͒̆͜ ̵̛̛̳̳̼͓̌̎̿̀̓̓̄̎̇̂̄͑͊
Shimiko was hyperventilating again. The Necrossiah's influence was strong and even now it commanded her spirit to strike down the people that she cared the most about. Yet for all its cosmic power, it could not compel her to act outside of her own volition. It could persuade, it could argue, but it could not move her. She wanted Ryuko to fight her. She wanted to shut out the vulnerability. Shimiko raised her eyes back to that of her friends and in that instant her eyes changed shape. The horizontal white pupil shrank and was joined by eight distinct tomoe. One for each of the Hydra that dwelt below the Land of Hot Springs. Hachidora Ketsurygan.... Shimiko stared into her friend's eyes. The blood once more began to leak out of the corner of her cornea. She ignored it and forced eye contact with the Queen.
"Ryuko. Stop. Just stop. I'm not what you think I am. I never was. I pretended to be....maybe because I wanted to be liked...maybe because I wanted you to not feel bad when I had to kill you...what you're asking of me is impossible...I-I'm going to show you why"
Shimiko didn't want Seigi to see her like this but there was no holding back now. She had to show Ryuko all of it. Appropriate or not, it was the only thing she had left. A hail mary if you will. She couldn't bring herself to murder her sister the way she had her mother so perhaps she could shock Ryuko into doing what was necessary. When the Vestal saw the full scope of the Chinoike's crimes she'd have no choice but to fight her.
If eye contact was maintained, Shimiko would utilize the Genjutsu: Ketsurgan technique to transport them into a dimension with a cosmic background. Galaxies, clusters, planets, and stars flew by as they hurtled through space and time. Ryuko would be paralyzed, unable to move or speak but she could see. Shimiko intended to show her just what kind of "person" her Nakama really was.
Shimiko would show Ryuko how she had met the Jashinists. How she had stalked and killed with them frequently as a genin. She'd show Ryuko her first love, a young man that had sacrificed himself so that she could taste the exquisite act of murder. Ryuko would be able to feel, sense, and truly know why Shimiko was the way she was. She had always loved violence and from the moment she sliced open her first crush she was hooked. There was one murder in particular that had stained her soul. She wanted Ryuko to see this one in particular.
The space around them contorted and soon they were in a basement. The damp underground boiler room was filthy and in the center lay a young boy. An innocent orphan had been crucified while a group of robed cultists stood around him chanting. The child's only crime was trusting a group of strangers who told them that they had food and a warm place to stay. One of the cultists stepped forward and threw off their hood revealing a young Shimiko Chinoike
What happened next would be one of the vilest acts ever undertaken by a member of Kumo's military.
The cult demanded that a grand sacrifice be made to Janshin in remembrance of the late Raikage. Shimiko didn't have to dirty her hands with the details. She could think of a few people she wouldn't mind killing but the village tended to frown on open murder. An homeless orphan however would not be missed. The Janshinists had grabbed him and crucified him in the basement boiler room of a dilapidated and forgotten building. By the time Shimiko arrived he was so exhausted than he had not the strength to scream. He was dying slowing of asphyxiation but that was not how he'd meet his end. Shimiko wore the dark robes that was customary for a religious sacrament such as this one. Each member of the cult had their hood lowered over their face, obscuring their identities while they prayed to Janshin. A long ceremonial blade was pressed into the Chinoike's hand.
Don't look away.... Shimiko warned.
Shimiko stabbed the blade into his stomach and dragged it across his abdomen. The young man gasped and watched as his entrails spilled on the floor. Once disembowelment was complete, Shimiko stabbed him in his chest repeatedly, destroying his heart in the process. Once the sacrifice ceased moving, she held up the blade and put it in her mouth as if to savor the test. As she did, she closed her eyes and meditated on what precisely she was doing and why. She was a devout follower of Janshin but she had always found blood to have a foul taste. Now however it was sweet, not tasty but rich as if it was ambrosia.
If that scene wasn't enough, Shimiko whisked them forwards in time. They would soon find themselves in a mystical underground cavern. The duo floated above as they watched Shimiko present her parents to the 7 Headed Hydra of the Chinoike Clan.
Shimiko yanked the gag from the woman's mouth.
Celestia coughed up iron and hoarsely begged for her life.
"Shimiko please! Whatever I've don-, whatever we've done, we can get through this as a family. Please god no don't do this. Please. Please. Please."
Shimiko stood behind her mother and gripped her by her hair. She held the head back and produced a serrated kunai. It was a weapon she had made as a genin. A small object that had said so much about her personality and her approach to the shinobi lifestyle. The jagged edges would make this excruciatingly painful. She had brought this weapon for a reason.
"What would your brother think?" she whispered in a desperate bid to cause her daughter to reconsider. She knew Shimiko was always closest to him. Maybe his memory would cause her to stop and think for a moment. The name did make her pause, but when she thought of how he died and how powerless she was to stop it. She knew what needed to be done.
Without ever responding to the woman that birthed her, Shimiko yanked Celestia's head back further and dragged the serrated kunai against her mother's throat. Shimiko's mother made a gurgling sound and began to thrash wildly. Shimiko remained still as she held her mother fast. Blood squirting from her neck and running down her body. The affair was messy and filled with pain. Shimiko didn't care about her mother but she knew there was no turning back from this. There was no do-overs. She was committed to forever being someone who killed their own family for a taste of power.
Ghost-Shimiko pointed to her father as if highlighting the fact that he would not be spared.
Shogu Chinoike trashed wildly within his bounds. He screamed so hard through his gag that even the Hydra appeared moved. The man flashed and flared his chakra but to no avail. Shimiko had nearly broken his spine and short-circuited his tenketsu with her blood. The substance was leaking out his ears and mouth as she punished him for his defiance. The man strained and fell over. He was racked with sobbing. He had buried his son and just watched his own beloved daughter murder his wife. He then went still as grief and shock consumed his mind. There was nothing left for him in this life, and he did not know it yet but there'd be nothing for him in the next either.
Shimiko grabbed the man by his blonde hair. Hair that she had inherited from him. Seigi had taken after their mother and she their father. Shimiko couldn't say why she had taken out her mother's gag. Maybe it was because she wanted her mother to talk her out of it. Maybe because she hated her mother more than her father and wanted to hear her beg. Or perhaps because at the end of the day, it was both. She just wanted to prove that she could endure her mother's protests without reconsidering. Now that that was done she didn't want or need to her her father's words. Not that the man had anything to say anyways. Celestia had made Shimiko think of Seigi. Her older brother dying in a hospital, unable to save himself. For some reason, her father had made her think of Nozomi. It wasn't anything he said or did in particular that set the thought off, but it came to her nonetheless. She remembered losing to the girl. She remembered how it felt and she remembered what Nozomi had said to her. She had spoken the words warmly, but there was an undeniable condescension to them.
" We're not all monsters."
"But some of us are" Shimiko replied to the memory.
Shimiko slashed her father's throat and pushed him forwards. The ANBU Captain stepped back and sheathed the kunai. She stared back at the Hydra whom stared back at her. Seconds passed. Minutes passed. Hours passed. It was tough to say how long the Hydra waited, but wait he did. Shimiko stared back at him defiantly. She had just killed her mother and father. The act had given her a calmness of spirit. A patience and peace that she had never known. But it also stained her soul. There was a black mark of evil that indelibly marred her personhood. A mark that would never be erased.
The various heads of the Hydras suddenly moved forward. They violently gored and ripped her mother and father's bodies apart. Far from a proper burial, Celestia and Shogu were torn to pieces and eaten by the creatures. Nothing but a pile of blood entrails were left. Shimiko used her blood to gently push the remainder of her parents into the abyss and The husband and wife's body and soul were consumed by the Hydra. It would give them fuel for what was about to happen next.
It was a gruesome sight and watching from this perspective made Shimiko sick to her stomach. It took a lot to make this Jashinist nauseous but the memory was quite painful. Ryuko had connected with Nozomi in the Valley of Jehosphat through a process that was originally designed by the Sage to bring peace. It was through that action that Ryuko came to her beleif that Nozomi was worthy of forgiveness. Shimiko had her own method of connecting with Ryuko and this was it. She would no longer hide that part of herself from her closest friend.
When they returned to the here and now it was as if the world was reconstructing itself around them. The furniture, the building, even Seigi appeared to shift into the exact position they were in prior to the trip. While the experience covered huge chunks of Shimiko's life mere seconds had passed in the real world. Shimiko wiped the blood from her own cheeks and looked at her friend. She didn't want to use the Ketsurygan to hurt her or damage her mind. If they were to fight, she'd give Ryuko a fair chance to defend herself or go on the offensive. She had done what she had done to give the Raikage the full picture of who she was allying herself with. She wanted to provoke Ryuko into attacking her. She wanted to force her into releasing her from the burden and guilt of having to murder someone who meant so much to her. Shimiko had done so to her parents and she beleived that she could do it again but her soul would not allow it. The illusion was more than a ploy for violence though. It was much more than that. It was a cry for help.
"There. Now you know..." she said her voice filled with pain. "Now you know why Sakata left me. He didn't need to see what I showed you. He could tell what I was and it scared him. I killed them....innocent children, a close friend, my own parents....for strength....for pleasure...because it made me feel right and powerful.." She reiterated what Ryuko had already seen for Seigi's benefit. There could be no secrets between them now. If Ryuko was fit to know then so was her brother. "Only the Twins can love me for what I am and even they don't know what I truly capable of."
Shimiko felt a surge of electricity building in her right breast. The Black Lightning Seal whirled to life and she let the sparks dance around her fingertips.
"Ryuko please" There was a tone of urgency now. "Nozomi isn't the one you should be concerned about. She isn't the one Kumo needs to fear. It's me. It's always been me...." Shimiko sighed as if resigning herself to her fate. "You need to make a choice now. Me or Nozomi...I showed you what I did to make it the easiest choice you'll ever have to make"
Shimiko turned to her brother and gave him a single command.
"Run"
Shimiko was fully convinced that despite all of Ryuko's efforts, the girl would have no choice but to fight her to the death. She couldn't bear to continue this conversation any longer. It was too painful. She'd rather 1,000 deathmatches against Ryuko, Nozomi, the world. She was saying things she never thought she'd have to say out loud. She was confronting the real reason for her obsessive hatred of Nozomi and all the girl stood for. She had held it together for so long and unless she started killing or dying in the next few minutes it would all come crashing down around her.
