(GigaDrillBreaker) Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 AethertouchedOOC Sunday, December 17th, 201708:00 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." The news reported made a visible effort to hold back tears as she spoke. On that same day, two months ago, over 2000 lives were lost in an 8-hour inferno that engulfed the famous tower, many of which were tourists from around the world. The official story was that a prolonged gas leak allowed the entire structure to be slowly destroyed by a the fire, probably started by accident. Despite this, the public suspected some form of foul play, and the mysterious broadcast from some form of terrorist organization of super-human beings taking responsibility for the attack only added to the confusion. The accepted opinion among the public was that the Skytree was destroyed by those who claimed to do it, but the talk of special powers was just an attempt to garner fear. "In remembrance of the event, we ask that citizens spend the hours of the atta-" The reporter briefly stuttered, taking only a moment to recover her composure. Though her job often brought her close to tragedy, none had been as close to her as this. "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." In the moment before the broadcast cut out, it was clear that the reporter's excuse for tranquility fell apart, with the last frame being her doubling over, visibly crying. Beyond just being a popular tourist location, the Skytree served the purpose of being a broadcast station, with the majority of new being transmitted from the location. The reporter really was lucky she only did weekend broadcasts. This broadcast was being played throughout the city as a public service announcement, on televisions in store windows, on radios, and even streaming on the internet. Everyone told themselves that it was all an accident, that the worst was behind them, but the lingering fear still crept up on them all. Sitting on a bench in a park, looking down at his phone with headphones on his ears, a young man of seemingly foreign descent watched with a solemn expression. As she stuttered, correcting her mistake in calling the Skytree Disaster an attack, he clenched his teeth, anger showing in his eyes. Stuffing his cell back into his pocket and dropping the headphones to rest around his neck, he began to walk toward the ruins of the destroyed Skytree. "Reparation? That would only work if the problem was gone." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchermitcher Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 TokyoFather Kujikawa "...I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." With her final word uttered, the church television turned off. A man who was watching it had closed it. He wore an unbuttoned funeral suit and was unreasonably tall for a Japanese man. He and an elderly man were in a small room inside a church, with a television set and a copy of a thick, most likely holy book placed on the table. The elder was sitting while the taller man wasn't. "Well, Father Kira, I hope you got the idea now." The older man spoke. "What a tragedy." 'Father Kira' performed a small praying gesture and mumbled words of prayer. It was a gesture the older man appreciated. "To think while I was in Okinawa, something like this happened, well over two months ago even. It's quite shocking, Father Almond." "Er, Elmond." "Father Elmond." He corrected himself, without losing his composure. "If you don't mind, may I take a quick detour to the site of the incident? I would like to offer a prayer for the lost souls that day and it would feel wrong for me to not do it as soon as possible." "Why yes, of course! Father you've only just arrived in Tokyo today, please, take your time." The elderly man was quite impressed at the fervor and respect Kira held. Were all young people like this nowadays? It filled him with great pride to see how reliable the new generation as become. Yes, he could leave the future of this church to this man, he thought... Ooh, being sent here to this random eastern country from the great lands of Britain wasn't a waste after all! To be able to meet a young priest like this traveler Kujikawa Kira! Why, maybe he should send in a recommendation for this man to ascen- "Very well, I shall depart. Thank you, Father Almond." Kira gave the elderly, foreign man a polite bow before walking away, towards the church door. Hm, it was time to investigate this event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "Maybe coming here was a bad idea after all." Turning off the TV before her, the brown-haired young woman then rested her head on the couch - visibly looking discontent after hearing the broadcast. It had been two months, yet the grim atmosphere on the city hadn't really been lifted off. Perfectly understandable, but it's one of the last thing she would like to remember. Not that she could do anything about that, but Arthur would definitely like to try putting her mind on something else for now. The vivid images she saw when she followed the news on what happened during the tragedy was completely unpleasant - something that she would like to completely forget. She really didn't actually have any desire to take this so-called holiday after all. However, it's something that in the end she forced herself to do because something else about this really bugged her. The mysterious broadcast airing not long after the attack. At first, she didn't pay it much mind - it would probably be another terrorist group claiming that they were behind the attack, which would just make her be more upset when she heard it as she could not actually do anything to it, but something changed her mind when the figure in the broadcast started to go on a tangent regarding what was the motive behind the attack. Aethertouched, that was what they called themselves as. Claiming as people who held special powers, the figure spoke on behest of his group that they were the ones that were meant to inherit the Earth from the other people, or something of sort. Of course, it sounded like complete hogwash and would seem like a terrible way of the group or the person to intimidate the masses. That is, if Arthur didn't have the exact kind of power that the figure described. For a while, even since she had her peculiar ability for the first time after she resolved to recover from her depression, she had speculated that it wouldn't be just her that possessed power of such kind, mainly since it wouldn't make any sense if it's only her that could have it. She had never really met another one of this so-called "Aethertoucheds" to confirm her guess, but the broadcast confirmed it in last way that she'd like. She had imagined being at odds against superpowered villains in her fantasies just like in those comic books, but that didn't mean she would like for them to actually exist. Though, that would also mean that there would be other people with the same kind of powers she had that would realize this fact too. And that's why she chose to go to Tokyo, using an excuse that she needed a break from the college classes she barely paid attention to. She assumed that they would think about this in the same way as her, and she just had this certain thought that something could happen again here. She hadn't met anyone yet during her one-week stay so far, but that could probably change today. It was still morning time. The streets didn't look like they're as packed as usual. The morning sunshine on the clear sky was probably the only thing making the atmosphere less grim now. She still had three hours, but probably it's better for her to get there as soon as she could. That would give her an excuse to leave sooner later. Taking her coat off her hanger and wearing it, she then glanced at the turned-off TV screen before shifting her head away and walked through the door. "Would the gravity of fate bring us all together at this occasion? There's only one way to know." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hyde Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "...I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." Hitomu took a sip from his Styrofoam cup, the bitter taste of his black coffee almost matched the bitter atmosphere of this cafe. After all, this cafe was only blocks away from ground zero. He didn't usually frequent this place before the incident, but this shock to tokyo made him realize that he needed to stay in touch with current events, more so than was available to him than in the papers. The only annoyance was that he had to buy a coffee in order to stay and watch the monitors littered around the place. After his sip, the boy slumped back into the comfortable chair he resided in, placing his cup back onto the table in front of him. He placed one of his arms on the arm rest and pressed his fist into his cheek, seemingly grinding it. "Rats...Skytree Tower would've been a great place to take over during my revolution. I could've broadcast my message to all of Japan, no, the whole world! Too bad some bastard had to go and blow the place up before I did..." He made sure to whisper. To the other patrons of the cafe, he was merely a good-looking teenager. Probably prattling on about being rejected by some girl earlier that day. Not like people would take him seriously though. If only they knew...then they'd take him seriously! They'd surely bow before him! They'd let him lead humanity into it's glorious and bright future! He was getting too excited now, the metal lining of the armchair had been slightly altered and bent. With a smug smile on his face, he figured he'd have to fix it himself, as to not pay for the repairs himself. "Heh...whoops. Got a little carried away there huh?" Concentrating, he bent the chair back into it's original condition, minor tweaks here and there. This was child's play though. In the slums, he would bend steel beams meant for construction. He sat back up and took another sip of his coffee. "Well...no use just sitting around. I gotta see if there's any evidence at the sight. I've gotta find out who's trying to change the course of the future I have set for this place!" He rose from his chair, grabbed his backpack, and headed out the cafe door. an electronic 'ding-dong' rang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King K. Azo Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "Please fasten your seatbelts. We will be landing shortly," The flight attendant's voice jolted the young American awake. He mumbled as he looked down at his seatbelt. Yup, it was fastened and secured, he was fine. The landing was smooth to his relief, but the security wasn't. It was much more... thorough than it was in America, and it didn't help that they all were speaking so fast in a language he understood but wasn't fluent in, so it made it a pain in the ass to decode what they were saying. It also didn't help that he felt someone touch his... 'package' as they searched him. He didn't bring it up though as they let him go, instead promptly going to the luggage pick-up and grabbing the single backpack that he had brought for this journey, slinging it onto his back. As he stepped outside, he took in a breath of fresh air, making him more awake and more alert. The dawn sky let out a dim light as he looked around, taking the sights in. As the wind blew through his blond hair, he questioned what he was doing here. Was a 'vacation' and 'new challenges' worth all this hassle? He really wished his father was here to guide him. Instead of dwelling on the sadness though... Mac jogged. It was like a ritual to him at this point. Every day, he jogged at least twice per day. He had jogged for a good amount of years, and even after his father's tragic death, he kept jogging. He had many reasons to jog. Jogging cleared his mind and exercised his body. Not to mention, jogging was a habit that he developed to remind himself that there was always something productive he could be doing at any moment. This prevented him from lazing around for the entirety of the day, as jogging motivates him into doing full-out exercises such as jump-roping and bench pressing. In a sense, one of his forms of meditation was jogging. And it really helped him focus his thoughts as he jogged down the street, looking for a hotel to stay at. "Look out Japan, here I come," Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
宇佐見 蓮子@C94 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "Great work today, everyone!" Reira shouted at the circus crew gathered before her, clapping her hands to signal the end of that day's training sessions. The clock reads 08:00 AM, a time when most people would normally just wake up, but the Kinoshita Circus crew is already hard at work training for that weekend's show. A band of checkered scrunchy kept her hair in a tidy ponytail while a wet towel was slung over her shoulders. Usually after morning sessions, they'd be dismissed and free to leave, but today was a pretty special day. Two months anniversary of the Skytree Bombing. Kinoshita is a fairly well known circus, and has performed little shows in the Skytree complex once or twice, so the attack was a major shock for everyone in the crew, Reira included. Since last month, the ringmaster has made an honorary tradition of ringing ten bells to honor those who lost their lives in the event, as well as their family. Reira took a deep breath and closed her eyes, putting her hands together as the ringmaster, her 'papa', started this year's ceremony. *DING* *DING* *DING* *repeat ten times you get the idea* Letting out a sigh, she reminisced at the events of that day. The attack occurred right in the middle of a show, and even though they couldn't hear the initial explosion that started it all, the panic and hysteria that followed left a deep, scarring memory within her subconscious. Reira felt disgust and anger at those behind the attacks, knowing that it was done by people who had the same "abilities" as her. It makes her sick to the stomach to know that she shared the same specialty and traits as a bunch of mass murderers who committed a grave act on the people of her country. She felt so angry she started subconsciously biting her thumb, a habit she never grew out of. Suddenly, she felt a large hand pat her shoulder. "Kya! P-papa! You surprised me..." Reira flinched and instinctively turned around to see who the hand belonged to, and much to her non-surprise, it's the ringmaster. "Hohoho. You looked very stressed for a moment there, dear." He chuckled, ruffling his daughter's hair as he does so. "Why dont you go out for today? Papa can handle things here just alright. A teenage girl like you should be walking around with your friends, not helping out in a circus. Maybe you can even find a boy you like? Hohohoho!" Reira's faced flared up, a heavy blush coloring her cheeks red as the ringmaster walked away from her. "I-It's not like that!" She shouted at him, with only a nonchalant laugh in response. 30 Minutes later... "The next station is... Oshiage. Oshiage. The doors on the left will open." Somehow, her trip has led her to the former site of the Tokyo Skytree. What was previously a station that lead directly into the Skytree base's mall is now one that leads to a memorial site. She stepped out of the underground station and entered the site, a checkered hat shielding her eyes from the intense rays the place is infamous for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aman Indra Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "What a Pleasant day indeed", said Asmund as he was returning to his home after a good old stroll down the martial arts center just near his home, he was delightfully happy as he was chosen as the Chief Guest for the grand re-opening of the Center which was to take place after a few days and was proud of the struggle that led to these solid developments. Life was pretty convenient for Asmund as his Dojo and his home are both adjacent to each other connected by a small boundary and a name plate, Call it old fashioned if you like but Asmund liked it this way. "Hmm, i guess i still don't have a petty regard for time", he had reached home around 7:55 A.M. and it was almost time for the morning classes to start. He was surprised to see the Television was still on, as he remembered to close it when he went out, he checked the remote to find out he accidentally pressed mute button instead of the Off button. " A Bloke from a remote village might never understand the technology of today completely", he said smiling. Just as he was about to turn the TV off, suddenly his ears perked up as he started listening to the live coverage of the disaster that took place 2 months ago. "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves c.......................... I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." TV was switched off....................... He gently walked outside the house, reminiscing in the memories of the Skytree complex, which was one of the first few sites Asmund visited and was surprised by the beauty of the same. The complex helped Asmund gain experience from various combat academies and displays and helped wider Asmund's reach through various presentations and interviews. "I still remember that place", it was almost 4 months since Asmund visited the complex and was very surprised and hurt when the complex disaster took place. His hand grip kept on getting tighter as he wished that he would have done something to prevent it from happening but calmed down since what has happened in life cannot be reversed. " Hey Smith, yeah a very good morning to you too. Well, so after the rigorous training regime this week, i overheard you saying to other kids that you all needed a break . No, do not worry, i did not call to scold you. Well yes, you and your lazy friends can take the day off, tell the other members as well".He cut the phone and went outside the house. " May Valhalla take care of the deceased ones", said Asmund as he rode his bike and took off to see and remember the ruins of a place he once visited frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo. Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Charlotte was sitting down in a cafè, a cat cafè to be precise. She was drinking a cup of coffee and eating a croissant. Relaxing music was playing, when suddenly the music stopped, substituted by the voice of a female reporter. "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." Charlotte arrived in Tokyo a week after the disaster. The town those days was very different from the usual Tokyo, and it still is today. You can feel the sadness in the air. She had finished her buttery pastry, when a cat sat near her. It was black and a bit thinner than the other cats in the café. The cat's name apparently was Sadness, she was added to the café a few hours before the disaster, and named her right after it happened. "You and your species are very lucky." she said as she started petting Sadness. "You don't have to worry about disasters, and nobody wants to engage wars with you, meanwhile, we humans always find a way to start wars." The cat started purring as Charlotte petted her. "Anyway, i'm off to go, might as well go visit the ground zero." She said as she finished the remaining of her coffee in one big sip and payed to then walk out of the café. It was only about 15 minutes of walk to the Skytree. Despite being so near the ground zero, inside it, it was like some sort of oasis, when people entered there they sort of forgot about the accident, instead being cuddled by the cats and the nice scents of coffee and baked goods. "Let's hope it isn't as grim as i remember." She said as she put on her headphones and started walking towards the place where a few months ago the Skytree proudly stood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Chaos Sonic Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." Gareth watched this newscast from his phone, holding onto a pole in the middle of the train car. His earbuds drowned out the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the Japanese residents he shared this train ride. It was his second day in Japan to study abroad and he was finally able to head to Tokyo for the first time now. He originally was going to tour around the city of Tokyo, but after the newscast, he preferred to visit this memorial. His heart ached as he watched and listened to the newscast on his phone. Such a tragedy...so many lost lives... He could feel the momentum of the train begin to slow down as he looked up and saw that they had indeed arrived at the memorial site. Taking his earbuds out of his ears, he walked off the train, sighing. From what I read, this used to be quite the place... Gareth thought, sighing once more as he walked towards the memorial site, not once being bothered by the intense rays that came from it. Skytree...makes one wonder, what did they do to deserve such darkness to take them like they did...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
👀 REP 👀 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." The televisions hanging on the casino walls were all broadcasting the same news - the young reporter trying her hardest not to cry. The usually loud casino quite down just a bit to hear the report. Even the sleaziest and scummiest of people that were there gave a small moment of silence for the report. After all, what happened to Skytree would scar the lives of many for years to come. "In remembrance of the event, we ask that citizens spend the hours of the atta-""We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." The televisions turned off shortly after, but the silence still remained. Among the people in the casino was an odd sight - a young woman in a red cloak. Rose Grimm was about to head out with her loot from the casino when the broadcast played. The Skytree Disaster was always a sour subject for Rose, especially considering that she had a hunch that she was one of them. That is, she was more than likely Aethertouched. It sickened her that someone could use such a gift for such a terrible thing. Not only that, but she had to be careful with her abilities ever since. Normally, she would be spending her time performing in the streets and in circuses for money, but she didn't want to bring attention to herself. Instead, she had to take what was her least favorite method - gambling. Well, it wasn't really gambling for her - she could easily read everyone on the Poker Table. In fact, she could probably make millions by just playing Poker if it weren't for the fact that doing so would bring too much attention - at best, she would be accused of cheating, which isn't too far off from the truth. She sighed - she might as well do as the reporter said while she was hear in Tokyo. Rose opens the doors and heads out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asriel Dreemurr Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation." The man stopped listening to the reporter not long after that, rolling his eyes at the idea of making the world a better place. He'd heard more than a few ideas to that effect over the years, and he was quite certain that none of them made the slightest bit of difference. All the same, he took a few moments to show some respect for the dead. The Skytree Tower Attack wasn't the first time he'd seen towers burning after all. When the moment was over, he went back to his drink and found the glass empty. "Barkeep!" Bill shouted, holding up the empty glass. The woman behind the counter looked at him for a second or two before she made her way over, and he could feel her judging him. Not that she had much room to, given she was running one of the only sodding bars in Tokyo that was open and serving at this hour. Once she'd filled his glass with his drink of choice, some local beer that to his surprise didn't taste like goat piss, he set right back to drinking it and stuffing his face with the greasy tempura shrimp the bar offered as well. Wasn't a healthy breakfast exactly, but he didn't care. He had enough money left over from his last few jobs that he could afford to eat some unhealthy crap and sit on his ass for a while. The stinking, smoking "cigarette" he kept taking puffs from might have had something to do with the particular cravings as well. In any case, the Hawaiian shirt and cargo khaki shorts-clad mercenary was just sitting there on a stool at the bar. Under his socks and sandals clad feet was a large duffel bag, which contained more or less everything he owned that he cared about. His working uniform, a well-loved machete in a weatherproof sheath, a quiver filled with two dozen carbon fiber arrows with double-edged broadheads, and a few little trinkets here and there. "Funny thing, that attack." He muttered, eliciting a nod from some old Japanese man currently sucking down a beer of his own in the seat next to Bill. His thoughts turned to that odd character that had claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as the mention of these "Aethertouched" people that most everyone was sure couldn't exist. Bill knew that was a load of crap of course, on account of the fact that he was one. He'd killed a few others as well over the course of his jobs now that he thought of it. "Well, I bet someone's gonna put a price on his head, and then I'll be around to take the job." Another drag on his "cigarette" and he chugged the rest of his beer. Finally tired of sitting in that old dimly lit bar, he got to his feet and slung his duffel bag across his back. A wadded up ball of bank notes was thrown on the bar, enough to pay for his food and beer plus a fairly sizable tip, and he set about making his way out the door. He wasn't really sure where he was going, but he figured he'd care when he got there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aix Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Masahiko looked up from the manga he was reading as the broadcast came on the TV. It was being filmed only a block away from his penthouse; if he just walked over to the balcony, he’d be able to see the empty space where the Tokyo Skytree once dominated the skyline. It was all cleared up now, of course; Masahiko himself had volunteered to help in the aftermath, searching for survivors and clearing away the rubble. He may be a scion of the affluent Kurosaki family, but he found no reason he shouldn’t give some of his free time for a virtuous cause. At the same time, he pondered if it had been merely an act of self-satisfaction. Would it not have been far more helpful if he donated money to the cause? After all, he had a few hundred million yen at his disposal, and a few hundred thousand would not hurt him in the slightest. Truthfully, he did not know what to expect when he signed up, although the lady at the reception had been extremely excited by his willingness to help. It seemed he was sure of few things these days. How did he really feel about the disaster? It was a terrible thing for sure. Witnessing the grief of those who had lost loved ones had impacted him deeply and inspired him to work harder. However, upon returning to the sanctuary of his penthouse at the end of the day, it was like nothing had happened. The disaster didn’t touch Masahiko personally, it was nothing like the grief that struck him down near the beginning of the year at the death of his best friend. Was he too selfish? Lacking in empathy? Feeling he had spent enough time indoors sitting on his couch, he stood up. His build was frankly awe-inspiring for a Japanese; 191 cm in height, broad shoulders, and a slightly lanky, but well-toned physique underneath his brand name clothing. Because of that, he always noticed a glance or two in his direction as he made his way out of the main lobby. Stepping outside was lightly refreshing. It was not like downtown air was particularly clean, but a breath of cool morning air always felt nice to Masahiko. He had donned a jacket before heading out, so he was quite snug as he began walking down the street towards ground zero of the incident. He was completely free today, so he may as well have a look around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." A petite lady in a plum-colored kimono with plum blossom patterns, her favorite flower, sipped from a bowl of green tea. Manicured hands trailed over the smooth ceramic, lingering on the imperfections at the front. It was a deep bowl, perfect for preserving heat in the winter. "In remembrance of the event, we ask that citizens spend the hours of the atta--" She noted the reporter's stutter, and her heart clenched in empathy. Truly, a terrible disaster. And only six years after the Touhoku earthquake. Yes, Japan wasn't the only country to experience suffering, but it felt like, to her, that their suffering was particularly strong. "Karma," her mother called it. "As reparations for our past transgressions." But she had never done anything to deserve this, nor had the thousands of people who died. Should the children suffer for the sins of the father? That had never made sense to her. "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." And thus the broadcast ended. The lady rose from her seat gracefully, walking in the particular shuffling step of kimono-wearing women, deposited her bowl in the sink, and exited the apartment. She had moved out from her parents' house as soon as possible after that disaster of a wedding. It was nice...having a place all to herself. Without the judging eyes of others upon her. Still, it would only be right to visit the memorial. To pay her respects to the ruins, to the departed, and hope that Japan would eventually be given time to recover, that there wouldn't be another such disaster anytime soon. Oblivious of the curious stares her traditional clothing drew, the woman walked, glancing at the sunny sky in askance, red umbrella already out. "It should be raining..." she murmured. Perhaps she could rectify that? "...No, I'll wait," she decided. Patience was a virtue, after all, and the timing would be best at eleven. Plus, that mysterious broadcast had made her paranoid about using her powers. She had had three years of experience with them, but the idea that she could use them for evil purposes...well, it wasn't that she'd never considered such a thing, but she had believed herself safe. That even if others had special powers, that they were few and far between, for none of the people she'd known had so much as whispered about any unique abilities. Still, it sickened her, to think that people would use their powers for acts of terrorism. If you could produce fire, then why not use it to host a lovely candle-lit dinner? Or to have a cozy campfire in the winter? No, these uncouth barbarians had no sense of romance whatsoever. It was too bad she had been asleep during the event, resting from an all-nighter, or she might have been able to do something with her rain. Too little, too late, she thought, and continued walking to the station, where she would catch a train to the memorial site. The woman caught sight of other people, grim-faced visages all around, heads bent in sorrow. Had these people been personally affected? She had lost a few classmates, but she hadn't been particularly close to any of them. She had been lucky, she supposed. Luckier than most. When the train pulled in to the station, and the doors opened, the lady was just one of many that exited. She spotted a few foreigners in the mix, and gulped, eyes clouding. He...had run off with a foreigner. Not that she blamed them. Nothing should stand in the way of love, but...but it still hurt. "Ah," she sighed. I'm such a fool. It's long past the time for such thoughts. Letting the pain wash off her back, she took her umbrella back out, and gazed at the site. Skytree... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astolfo Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Jun Kobayashi It had been two months since the Skytree Tower had been reduced to ash, but time flowed on, and school had returned to its usual schedule soon enough. It had become almost a habit for Jun to travel to the ruins to offer some time for prayers for the lost, with how much free time she had - from not doing the things she should've been doing, like homework. When she wasn't visiting the Kinoshita Circus troupe that had lightened up her spirits considerably, this was the most likely place one could find Jun, kneeling, eyes closed, and head bowed. Obviously, she wasn't the only one who had plans such as this, and in the background din, Jun could make out the sounds of various others going to and fro. The sun's rays had yet to rise to their full blast, but Jun began to feel sweat building up, having knelt there for almost 30 minutes straight, just contemplating everything that had happened in addition to her prayers. It was really a strange course of events that had turned out to happen. There had been some terrorist organization that had come up, claiming responsibility for the event, as things like this always end up turning out. What was definitely more unusual was their dramatic call out to supposedly super-powered humans, who they deemed were the children of the gods or some baloney like that. Jun really didn't believe in it the slightest, nor did she really give a fig, because she just thought those people were probably off their rockers. Jun couldn't deny the fact that she had been able to summon what seemed to be a rope dart - after researching - as well as wield it with frightening skill she didn't know she even had. What was even stranger was that almost no one else seemed to be able to see the rope dart in the first place, despite it being able to break through things such as brick easily. People saw the end result, but were left puzzled as to what caused it. Even with many hours spent poring over the Internet in her local library, no answers that could help turned up. There was no way something like being some divine hero or superhuman thing could be true, right? At that very moment, interrupting her thoughts, Jun felt a jolt down her spine that she had only felt a few times before, and almost entirely around just one person. Controlling her own emotions so she didn't accidentally leap up overly giddy and scare the person away, Jun turned around, looking for where the girl she had come to know might be. Spot-feeling her after wandering around a little, Jun jogged over to her, smiling warmly and offering a hand. "Hiya hiya, I'm Jun! You're that girl from the circus, ain't ya? Reira or whatsit? Nice to meet ya! You're quite good at them tricks ya do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
宇佐見 蓮子@C94 Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 "Hiya hiya, I'm Jun! You're that girl from the circus, ain't ya? Reira or whatsit? Nice to meet ya! You're quite good at them tricks ya do." Suddenly, out of nowhere, she was confronted by a girl with a tanned skin and white hair. Usually this sort of appearance would be considered weird, but even out in Tokyo, she's seen many a people with similar features as the girl standing in front of her. The girl's words indicate to Reira that she's a fan of the Kinoshita Circus, and thus she decided to respond the same way she does with any other fan she meets outside circus grounds. "Yes, that would indeed be me, Kinoshita Circus's Reira Shindou!" She swapped her persona to that of the "magician", a bright fake smile plastered on her face. "Thank you for your continuing support of the Kinoshita Circus! As a token of gratitude, may I perform one of my tricks?" As if going through a pre-programmed routine, Reira took off her hat in a swift diagonal arc while at the same time, one of her manifested knives sprouted out of her cap. Pausing a bit to let this 'Jun' see the knife, she then swiftly ran her left across the knife as it seamlessly transforms into a dove, one that flew around above the two for a while before landing on Jun's shoulder, a small autograph of Reira's visible on its wing. Combining old tricks such as "dove out of the hat" with her newfound soul manifestation is one of the reasons Reira became a superstar that propelled Kinoshita to new heights of popularity. "Is there anything else I can do for you, miss Jun?" Elegantly returning the hat to its rightful place on her head, Reira winked playfully at Jun, a confident smirk on her face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral_Stalfos19 Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 After drying herself off from a nice long shower, Jessica Mason casually dressed herself on the move, making for the family living room so she could watch the news on the television; which she turned on just as she buttoned up her shorts and slipped her head through her favorite hoodie. Of course, there was the news reporter relaying the news for the day... in Japanese. One who was at least a little competent in the Japanese language would've guessed (at worst) that the reporter mentioned something or rather about the Skytree Disaster and the world recovering from it... or something. Jessica, on the other hand... "Daaaaaaaaaaad, how am I supposed to turn on the subtitles again?" Jess called out to her father who was in another room of the house, only to discover that a certain something that belonged with the television was missing, "And what the hell did you do with the remote this time?! Jesus funk! That's like... five times, now?!" No-one answered... typically. Unlike most parents, Jessica's would often stay in bed at this time of day, whereas Jessica herself was always the one that got up right around dawn. Her mother would rarely wake any earlier than noon, and even once she did, she'd still show visible signs of being tired, whereas her father had proven to be able to get up each morning without a fuss, he'd always stay in bed anyway just so he could take advantage of his extra sleepy wife. In any case, Jessica found herself clambering over all sorts of furniture in an attempt to find the remote control, but to no avail. Breathing a heavy sigh, Jessica turned the television back off just as the story seemed to be wrapping up, before heading outside to take a walk. She'd have to find out what was going on another way. ... As she was walking, Jessica flicked on her phone and made a call to one of her classmates from school. It had taken a while for said classmate to pick up, and Jess was stuck listening to this silly ringtone that made absolutely no sense to her in the meantime. But finally... "Hey, it's me Jess. How's things?"..."No, I didn't read the n-... well I tried."..."Old man left the remote somewhere dumb... again!"..."Well, actually..."..."Yes, genius, I still need subtitles."..."Yeah yeah, still not a weeabo, funk you too."..."Uh-huh."..."Wait... three hours until what?" Unfortunately, the call was cut off on Jessica before she got an answer. She took a look at the screen, only to see that the phone's battery had died right in the middle of the call. No doubt she was kicking herself for not taking the time to charge it before she left for her walk. "Tch, cheap piece of sheet," Jessica scoffed as she shoved the phone back in one of her shorts pockets before turning the corner, only to see a green-haired boy (Hitomi) exit out of a cafe that was just up ahead of her. Jessica immediately rushed up to the boy, blocking his path. "Hey; ya mind telling me what's going? Preferably in English?" Jessica asked, "I might be able to make it worth your while." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 "For the city to be this grim on a sunny day like this feels...wrong." The roads were surprisingly lax - even with the context, Arthur expected it to be somewhat more crowded than it was now. It felt like she wasn't even in Tokyo anymore. Even so, she was content enough with the current condition as she was able to use her bicycle more freely without being too concerned by the traffic or pedestrians. Despite the sunshine, the wind was quite cold with the northern hemisphere slowly approaching winter, and Arthur was glad she wore her coat beforehand. Her apartment was near Ueno, so reaching Sumida, and thus the location of the former Skytree, shouldn't take her too long in theory - around 4.5 kilometers if she remembered it right. Of course, with the sunny weather and the fact that the roads were relatively empty, she decided that it was a chance for her to enjoy the weather a bit by circling around the districts. Not really long afterwards though, she decided to go towards the ground zero as soon as she could. Mainly since she figured out that hanging around like that aimlessly wouldn't really make the mood of the day better, and she figured out that perhaps finding someone to talk to would be nice. She would've contacted her friends back in London with Skype if she could now, but it's like midnight over there so that's not an option. "...If only...well, it'd be nice if I don't feel like a complete tourist and stranger here. Maybe I should've tried having an associate or friend here, but eh." Ten minutes later, she arrived at the place and placed her bicycle on a provided location. As per her initial intent of why she came there in the first place, she closed off her eyes to focus, and manifested the steel glove of her armor on her left hand while a ruby glint flashed on her chest momentarily before she covered it with her coat. She assumed that other of these so-called Aethertoucheds would be present in this place for the two-months memorial of the tragedy, and thus she felt like it'd be better if she made herself more noticeable to them here. She's unsure as of now on what would make her be able to identify other Aethertoucheds and vice versa, aside from gut feeling. Perhaps it'd be her lucky day. She started to walk around, looking as unassuming as possible while keeping a close eye on the people she met while making sure that they could notice her glove. Some of the people that passed her saw it or the faint glint behind her coat, and some gave her a weird, or at times suspicious look, but mostly they didn't bother much with what they see, and Arthur didn't really see any of them as potentially special people anyway. They'd probably just see her as a weird foreigner (which to be fair, is a correct assumption in a way), and that's not something to be concerned about. Half being lost in thought and half since she didn't keep track of the passing time, Arthur soon found herself already near the Skytree Station. It's a wonder that the line was still up and running, but probably it was since it'd be a waste otherwise. It seemed that a train had just passed and left as she saw a lot of people left the station, so since she had nothing better to do, Arthur decided to sit somewhere near and look at the crowd to see if she could notice someone interesting. While at first she didn't see anyone outstanding in the midst of the crowd, she soon realized the presence of a petite-looking girl in a kimono. Wearing a traditional dress like that in this occasion felt odd even from Arthur's perspective, but she was more interested in her since a single glance at her gave her an odd feeling she hadn't felt for quite a while. Maybe she was...would she really be the one...? To confirm her suspicion, Arthur stood up, and approached the girl. She tried to look as unintimidating or kind and friendly as possible, though her steel glove, coat, and her foreign look wouldn't help her, probably. When she was close, she shouted to call the girl's attention and waved at her as she approached her. "E-eeto...uh...eeeh, hello there, miss." Awkwardly using broken Japanese (she's far from fluent at it) to greet the kimono-clad girl, Arthur aimed to find an opportunity for them to get some time to talk. "I'm a tourist and I'm a bit lost here...are you in a rush? If not...can we talk a bit if you may so I can ask about directions?" In hindsight, perhaps the choice of words used by her weren't really the best to make her look like just a genuinely lost tourist, but whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Sunday He sat lazily in a recliner at the side of his bed, his legs crossed as he twirled a shiv dangerously between his fingers. The television flickered, muted in the background, finally catching his attention. Snatching the remote from the bedside nightstand, he turned the volume up to seven. A reporter was blabbing on about burning . . .towel? No, that word was tower. He was still getting used to Japanese lingo. As she prattled on, Maurice occasionally flipped through his translation handbook to get a grasp on the report. Apparently, there was suspicion of a group of superhuman powered individuals who claimed responsibility for this attack on--what was it? Sky-flower? Cloud-tree? Whatever the hell this tower was named. Maurice nodded to himself, as he recalled the day it happened. He and Yu had arrived in the summer of the year. The scenery was lovely, with many different flowers and trees in bloom. Stepping off of the plane, they were greeted with dirty looks. It wasn't surprising, however. Not many people took kindly to foreigners. Especially clowns. But Maurice paid them no mind, greeting them kindly with bows, removing his hat as he did so. All the while cackling with glee. "Will you stop it?" she said plucking him in the forehead. Maurice giggled, placing his hat back on his head as he clapped his heels together one last time. "Oh, alright. Let's find our way around then. Don't wanna be caught in the bloody streets all night," he said following Yu through the airport. On his way out, Maurice used his skills to his advantage and swiped a translation book with the ol' sleight of hand trick. Hailing a taxi cab, they made their way downtown, where a rather enormous skyscraper loomed over the city. Maurice remembered it well. As much as he remembered the cab driver shooting him questionable looks at every red light. Occasionally, Maurice gave the man a twisted smile, and a wave, causing him to turn around quickly. Not far from the enormous structure, they holed up in a marvelous hotel, at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Having "acquired" the funds for such a fancy stay, Maurice took with a skip and a hop to the front counter, where he asked for the best room available, in broken Japanese. As the bellhop came to take their luggage, Maurice had to restrain himself from slicing the poor lad's hand wide open as he reached for their suitcases. With a simple finger wave, he made it clear that he did not want help with his luggage. But instead, quickly gave the boy a tip, before prancing off to the elevator. "Come on, Yu. I got us a suite," he said holding the door for his friend. "Yeah, don't get any funny ideas," she said quickly. "Funny ideas? Me? Why, I've no intention of clowning around with you, my dear," he said laughing at his own joke. They would spend most of their time living in this establishment, of course taking odd, dangerous jobs that only they could accomplish. Robberies, questionable interrogations, and the like. Raking in a disgusting amount of money, they were easily able to maintain the lifestyle of their choosing. But of course, things got messier after assault on Skytree. As Aethers, their employers began to look at them differently. Killing innocents? That was intolerable. Even with their skills, Maurice and Yu could be replaced. They had to keep a low profile, because some clowns had gone and messed up a sweet deal for them. And Maurice wasn't too happy about it. "Has it really been two months already?" he asked as the broadcast ended. Maurice flicked off the television, as he stood up on his feet. They had been out of work for some time, their funds being limited by their jobs of course. Maurice flipped the shiv in his hand into the air, as it landed between his fingertips, and he posed a question to his partner. "I don't suppose you would mind if we checked out the memorial, would you? They say the villain always returns to the scene of the crime. And this could be the chance to figure out who put us in this bloody rut," he snarled as he though about how many job opportunities had slipped past them. "And of course, we could always make some friends," he said slyly, as he slid past Yu. "Maybe get our cut of the action. Since it's apparent the Japanese Police Force are good for anything but solving crime," he said with a shiv between his teeth. He flipped agilely past Yu, across the large carpet flooring, and landed beside the dual oak doors of their room, with poise. He held a hand towards the door, as if welcoming Yu to accompany him. "Shall we?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VCR_CAT Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Yu listened to her comical partner with an uncaring silence; staring out the hotel window. Beyond the glass was a perfect view of Ground Zero of the Skytree Disaster. The ground in front of the tower was peppered with little dark specks; specks, that were in fact people gathering around the site of the disaster. "I'm sure we'll find who was behind it sooner or later," Yu said quietly as she turned away from the window. "Nobody simply makes a statement that large and leaves it. They must be planning something else." Yu walked over and grabbed her leather jacket; slipping on her sunglasses and making sure to grab the keys to her motorcycle. "It's far-fetched, but there's a chance we'll find them there. It's slim, but the timing could not be more perfect to further their goals." "Shall we?" Maurice's slimy voice slithered from near Yu. "Yeah, I think it's time we head down there." The two of them left the hotel suite and made their way towards the garage at the bottom. This was Yu's first chance to finally make a different in this world, and she didn't intend to let it slip away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makο Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." Facing the TV, Owen sat on the couch with his back straight as a board, in a pair of boxer shorts and a white sleeveless shirt, sipping some coffee. He had become intently focused on the program; while the topic on hand was certainly... morbid, he felt it a good means to practice the Japanese he had been striving to master for months. Though, with this being a trip of relaxation, he felt that perhaps his intense study sessions were doing him a disservice. Not that he could be very relaxed anyway. "In remembrance of the event, we ask that citizens spend the hours of the atta-" Oh, she stuttered. "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." Owen had arrived only about a month before the disaster had occurred, in an effort to relax and rest up for once in his life. The small, single-room apartment offered little in terms of true relaxation, but it had everything a man could desire. A small fridge, air conditioning, a couch to sleep on, a microwave... That's about all a man could desire. However, his efforts to relax were most certainly dampened by the event. Not that he was unsympathetic, but he could feel the weight he had tried so hard to remove come back, slowly. While not there to witness it, he certainly saw the live-streams online. He knew the entire mess stunk of erweckte. Such a perfect, intense, and clean blaze could only have been caused by some form of foul play caused by one such as himself. And it burned him to think that the bastards responsible for such a disaster were somewhere in the nation, just gloating at the terror they had caused. Worst of all, it was clear that the only reason it happened was FOR the sake of terror, confirmed when they came out and admitted it on live TV only a week later. However, there was something else on Owen's mind. He took the last sip of his coffee and stood up with a stretch. It was already far too late for him to be still in his sleepwear, to he figured he might as well pay a visit to Japan's own recent ground zero. A pile of blue clothing articles lay neatly in the corner of the room, along with a small series of dark grey tubes and a black rectangle, lying neatly next to a blue pack. He first pulled on a pair of blue pants, which were rather baggy near the thighs. "Bah. This tension in the air... it's stifling." After strapping on two knee pads, he reached over to a large pair of black boots with a white trim along the top, slipping them on easily and fastening them. He then pulled on a black sweater, and buttoned up a blue over shirt with a red stripe and white trimmings over that, neatly customized with the insignia of his father's business. "The constant mourning and sense of dread; that's exactly what they want." Before long, he had packed the tubes and rectangle into his blue pack and strapped it to his waist. Soon after, he pulled on a pair of work gloves and applied the final two armor plates to his shoulders. He caught a glance of himself using a patio door as a mirror; neat and orderly, and in record time. Regardless, he felt he could go faster. "All they're doing is letting them win. This is something I'm all too familiar with." Though he was still a little too young to remember it clearly, the after effects of a certain event still pissed him off to this day. A whole lot of good that did. Should Japan fall down the same path, only more horrors would come. And yet, he sighed. Regardless of his feelings, it was still too early. Now should be a time of mourning. Opening the front door, he slid out, hopping on his bike and making his way towards the busier parts of the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astolfo Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Jun Kobayashi Not even noticing that Reira was just acting out the same routine she does for pretty much any fan who might have tried to do what Jun did, Jun watched excitedly. A knife popped out of Reira's hat before somehow turning into a living dove that flew around, making Jun giggle. Petting the dove when it landed on her shoulder, Jun mused. It was nice to not have to think about anything except just enjoying the circus tricks like some kid would do. After all… It would be a lot more painful to think about what had happened… Her face having inadvertently begun to twist in anguish, Jun clapped her hands to her cheeks to shake away the sullen mood that had suddenly started to come over her. Hoping that the Reira girl didn't notice, Jun's ears perked up at her next question. "Is there anything else I can do for you, miss Jun?" Jun remembered the whole reason why she had tried to approach the circus girl in the first place. It was great and all to see the small show she had put on, but more importantly, Jun couldn't shake that same feeling of 'resonance' whenever she seemed to be close to this girl, and sometimes, a few others, strangely enough. After having thought about it more, Jun realized it wasn't probably the shoujo-esque lovestruckness she was worried about at first, because it happened when she didn't even realize Reira was around at first. Shoujo-lovestruck magnetic detection wasn't a thing, was it? Wondering if the circus girl felt the same kind of thing, Jun grabbed Reira's wrist firmly and yanked it so that Reira's hand would make full contact against Jun's chest without really fully thinking about it. "So like, sometimes when I'm 'round a person like ya or some other random people, I get this weird buzzy feelin' in my chest and bones. Didya ever feel the same thing? Canya feel it right now? It's weird, iss' like'a we're the same kinda… something, I dunno." Looking around to make sure no one else was close enough to hear, Jun leaned in to whisper. "Now this be a secret b'tween me and ya, but like, sometimes I see this strange lil' floating rope dart thingy next to me, but no one else seems to be able to see it. Am I finally gone crazy? Do you ever 'ave anythin' like that 'appen to ya? Stuff that seems like somethin' straight outta a manga or stuff like that!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethera Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 The lady stared at the destruction before her. I know I should be used to it by now, living in Japan, but... But, was this kind of thing something you could get used to? Bending down, she inspected a cinder block, brushing a palm over the rough surface. It came away blackened with soot, and she swiped both hands together to get it off. Still, she felt like that one action had brought her closer to this location. She, Manami, had come here clean, but would go away stained with the ashes of this place. It would last until she next washed her hands, and then it would leave, and she would move on with her life. Is that really what I want? For this place to mean as much the dirt I rinse off? Perhaps she was overthinking it, but it was something to keep in mind. A tingle trailed up her spine, a feeling as if she had been electrified. Shivering, Manami glanced at her umbrella on reflex. No, it's still red... she thought, posture relaxing. That would be her luck, to accidentally summon her white one and cause a lightning storm. A second prickle, and she glanced around. Is there a live wire nearby...? Her white umbrella protected her from most electric shocks, but she wasn't so sure about the red variant. A shout caught her attention, and wide violet eyes snapped on a foreigner in a coat. She looked normal at first glance, but a second one revealed an odd steel gauntlet on her left hand, like one of those Western knights. A cosplayer? And there was something else...if she wasn't so sure that it was impossible, Manami would have sworn the feeling was coming from her. Thankfully, the woman wasn't blonde, though her wide, Western eyes still caused a twinge that Manami ignored. Her expression was open and cheerful, however. Like the sun shining through clouds, the lady thought. "E-eeto...uh...eeeh, hello there, miss," the woman greeted in broken Japanese. Manami bowed, her body angled at thirty degrees, hands at her side. Polite, not too formal and not too informal. "Good morning," she murmured. "I'm a tourist and I'm a bit lost here...are you in a rush? If not...can we talk a bit if you may so I can ask about directions?" "No, I'm in no hurry," the lady smiled. There was still quite a bit of time before eleven, after all. "Nice to meet you. My name is Manami Saito." She dismissed the odd wording as a foreign eccentricity. The more she talked with this person, the more she felt it. This woman was the cause of that strange feeling, though she wasn't sure what it meant. It couldn't be...love? She blinked. No, no, of course not, she thought. How could a woman such as her deserve such a thing? No, it was likely a different reason. Perhaps this person was like her, and could control electric currents? But...now that she was thinking about love, this woman had a very pretty, elegant look to her, even wearing a coat. Such a person should have no problem finding a husband or wife, Manami thought. "Where exactly is it you wish to go?" she asked, eyes alight in interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." “Left jab, right jab, kick, now sidestep, right hook! Perfect!” Valerie didn’t hear the announcement that was playing from a TV in the corner of the gym she was working out at. Her music was playing loudly in her ears as she continued her workout, practically dead to the outside world. The only thing that mattered right now was the heavy bag she was pummeling. She made sure not to go full force on it, while still working up a sweat. It was kinda frustrating she wasn’t able to go all out but that in itself was an interesting challenge.She continued to hit the bag, until suddenly she saw someone moving from the corner of her eyes. They grabbed onto the bag and held it in place, glaring at her. She glared back for a while before letting out a sigh and pausing her music. “Yeah, what do you want?” She said. He seemed confused and Valerie realized she had spoken in English. She repeated the question in Japanese and the man pointed at the television.She looked in time to see the words at the bottom of the screen, explaining what the news story was about. She looked back at the man as he spoke. “Everyone else stopped to listen, except you, f***ing foreigner. Just because you’re not from here doesn’t mean you can disrespect our dead like that.”Valerie clicked her tongue, now officially annoyed. She felt bad for the people that had died, of course, despite having only been here for a short time. It was a terrible thing but she couldn’t do anything for them by just listening and praying. She wasn’t about to let the tragedies of the past interfere with her present, that’s not the kinda girl she was. However the way the man said it really got on her nerves.“Listen up, that stuff that happened was tragic and terrible, but I ain’t gonna just give my respect so easily. I don’t know any of them. Who they were, what they did, nothing. You can throw respect around so easily but don’t expect me to do so.” With that she aimed a powerful side kick at the heavy bag the man was holding. The force of the blow ripped the bag from the ceiling and sent the man flying back and onto the ground.She knew she wouldn’t have time to exercise here anymore, given how the others were looking at her, so she slipped her earbuds back in, grabbed her bag, and headed out at a jog.She didn’t have any particular location in mind; so she just continued on while glancing around. She still wasn’t used to this place, it was a lot different than back home, but there was certainly a lot of energy in Tokyo.Of course it had been proven by that attack that it was also a dangerous place. She had a gut feeling that it hadn’t been anything normal. It was one of them, one of her, an Aethertouched. And possibly one that used fire. Another fire user would prove to be quite the challenge, and Val greatly anticipated facing them. Even if they weren’t, then they still were dangerous, and a murderer. She would be able to go all out against them, she could only hope they lasted long enough to be a fun bout.She glanced in the direction of the ruined tower. She felt...something, something drawing her towards it. It really pissed her off, what was this? She hadn’t wanted to head there quite then, yet this strange tugging persisted.She made up her mind to tell the feeling to f*** off. Valerie very purposefully decided to head in the other direction. She decided where she would go, not some weird cosmic kismet crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeriberii Haan Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 "Nice to meet you. My name is Manami Saito." "Well...my name is Arthur Almark. Nice to meet you too in this pleasant day." Somewhat unwittingly, she started to speak in a more fluent manner unlike the previous attempt she made to look like just an average tourist. However, it's barely on her mind as she's more focused on how the girl, Manami, reacted to her appearance. At first she seemed to just be surprised at her steel gloves, but it later looked like something else entirely. It was quite an odd reaction to be had by her, and since it would be hilariously unfitting if it's just because the girl being flustered in her presence, there must be something more significant behind this. Though, as she's now could see the girl more closely, she looked older than when she saw her in a distance. She's probably around her age right now. Perhaps it was just her, but Arthur didn't really expect someone as nice-looking as the girl to be alone like this. She should have a better chance of getting a husband than her. But that's irrelevant for now. "Where exactly is it you wish to go?" "Just that bench over there would suffice." With how she reacted, Arthur's guess about her having the same kind of power with her, the odd feeling she was feeling right now, would probably be proven to be true. Thus, she ecstatically dragged the girl to the bench. She stared at her to look at her more in detail, and her umbrella too, since it looked weird for her. She would probably be branded as weird due to this, but it's the breakthrough that she had hoped to get for quite a while. A concrete confirmation of the existence of others like her. Staring at the girl's admittedly beautiful eyes, Arthur held her hands firmly as she started to speak. "Um...I'm sorry...it's not really the direction of a place that I needed.It's time for me to be honest...Manami...I..." She started to stutter, somewhat unsure of what to say next. Manami right now would probably feel awkward too with how frontal she's been so far, but it should be alright. To show what she was trying to tell, she manifested the glove on her right hand now, while removing the one on her left, without letting go of her hold of Manami's hands. "Manami...I am wondering, are you willing to... to... Um...how to word it..." Arthur took a deep breath to relax herself. She's been very tense so far, it wouldn't be good for her if Manami be disturbed by her now. After she was sure that she wouldn't stutter again this time, Arthur finally finished her declaration towards the girl. "Manami, are you willing to tell me whether you have a special power of sort? Since well...my gaze's been taken by the sight of you the moment you entered my vision. I'm sorry for being this frontal...I'm just unsure on how I should I express this." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yui Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 "Today marks the two-month milestone after the Skytree Disaster, and though Tokyo, along with the rest of the world, is still recovering from this tragedy, we continue to take the opportunity to bring ourselves closer together." "Watching" the TV wouldn't be the right word. Usagi had woken up in the hotel room she'd rented for the night, then switched on the TV, listening to the news as she got dressed and prepared some breakfast for the day. She figured that while she was making her way northward across Japan, stopping by Tokyo and "seeing" where this disaster...if that really was the truth, had went down. By no means was Usagi opposed to the theories that what had happened at the Skytree tower was an Aethertouched attack instead of a freak fire; being Aethertouched herself, Usagi knew that her kind had a whole lot of power. Something of that scale was definitely possible. "In remembrance of the event, we ask that citizens spend the hours of the atta-" Ah, she stuttered. So she believed it too then. "We ask that citizens spend the hours of the disaster two months ago contributing to the community, so that we can all make Tokyo, as well as the whole world, a better place for the next generation. This time will begin at 11:00, in about three hours. And on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank those who worked to fight the fire, as well as those working on the disaster scene afterward. You have given more than we could ask for." "Contributing to the community, huh?" Putting on a black winter coat that had accompanied her on her travels, Usagi grabbed her cane, folded it up, and made for the door. Today she was going to travel light; that big backpack of hers could wait this time. "There's definitely worse ways to spend a couple hours."It wasn't like ground zero was too far away. Usagi did her best to find the hotel nearest the place specifically so that she could walk the distance. Of course, with no ability to read the street signs or make out bigger landmarks to guide her way, Usagi asked for directions fairly often. "Do I sound like a tourist?" may have been something most people would ask themselves. However, Usagi knew that was precisely what she was. Sounding like one didn't bother her. After a bit of trial and error, however, she'd reached a point where all she had to do was just go straight and she'd get there in time. Easy. Or perhaps not quite as easy as she'd imagined. With all the passing vehicles, idle chatter amongst other small groups heading toward ground zero, and any number of other noises that filled up the downtown air, there was too much margin for error in echolocation. This was a job for the trusty cane, which had guided her the last couple of blocks. And with the cane being held in her right hand, there was a small blind(er) spot on her left. Add to thinking more about what lie further down the road than what was right in front of her, and right from that small spot, Usagi walked straight into somebody. "Ah, sorry," Usagi immediately apologized. That was kind of embarrassing; she hadn't walked into someone on accident in quite some time. "I wasn't paying attention."[spoiler=Afternotes by Yui]Dat's your cue, Aix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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