Thran Starcrod
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Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Aug 29, 2016 3:13:22 GMT
Chapter 20
Yoshiko looked around as she stepped foot into the underwater base, it was unusually empty. As she walked forward, she heard footsteps move towards her. She drew her weapon and pointed it at where the footsteps were coming from and fired the moment she saw who it is. A barrier of light appeared and blocked the shot, "You'll put the gun away if you want to still be able to use it, I'm not here to fight you." Yoshiko looked into Yoshiro's amber eyes, "Why are you here then?" Yoshiro moved an arm from under his cape and motioned towards the corridor, "Will you walk with me. I can see that you have undergone a lot to get here and it wouldn't be fair for you if I were to fight you here and now." Yoshiko squinted at Yoshiro, "What's the catch?" Yoshiro held out his hand, "If you disarm, I will guarantee your safety. No one is stupid enough to pick a fight with you."
Yoshiko shook her head, "No." Yoshiro shrugged, "Understandable, I am not exactly the most trustworthy person." He placed a finger on his earpiece, "Yoshiko isn't disarming. Stand down and do not harm her." Yoshiko scoffed and folded her arms, "How can I tell that you aren't just playing a ruse?" Yoshiro motioned to the shuttle that she used to get to his underwater base, "Simple..." He turned to the corridor and placed his hand within his cape, "I could've had you killed before you ever got here. Bahamut was a fool to send you here in an unarmed shuttle. I allowed you in my base for a reason, Yoshiko. The least you could do is trust me." Yoshiko looked at him, "You murdered Rogelio and Mamoru." Yoshiro looked up at the ceiling, a fish swam by, "And countless others. I know of the tales..."
He turned his head towards her, "Are you coming or not, I have a banquet ready for you. I can assure you that none of the food happens to be poisoned." She looked at him with a frown, "I don't trust your word." Yoshiro sighed, "Then come to my throne room, I have much to discuss with you." Yoshiko growled and drew her sword, "We shall fight now!" Yoshiro turned his head to look at her, "Seriously, you honestly believe that in your mentally compromised state." He raised one of his tails and water rose up to crash into Yoshiko, knocking her off her feet, "Listen, if you are in a hurry to die, jump into the water and stay under the surface for a little while, I got business to take care of. If you wish to be a serious person, then come on and let's go."
Yoshiko stood up and shook herself off, "What..." Yoshiro started to walk away from her, "Are you coming?" She looked down at her wet clothing and sighed, "I will need a change of clothes." Yoshiro sighed slightly motioned towards himself, "Come here." Yoshiko nodded slightly and walked over to him, "Alright, now what?" Yoshiro held out his hand and warm air flowed across Yoshiko, drying her fur, hair, and clothing, "Is that satisfactory?" She looked at her clothing, "Yes, it is... thank you." Yoshiro sighed, "Let's walk." The two of them walked through the corridor and Yoshiro spoke up, "It's a shame what happened to Walthari, but I had expected that he would die." Yoshiko growled, "Are all of your men merely pawns to you!?" Yoshiro shook his head, "My men are important to me, as are the women and children in my empire."
Yoshiko couldn't understand, "Then why did you expect that Walthari would die!?" Yoshiro sighed, "The first rule of berserkers is to expect that their next battle will be their last. The moment that they enter that state, they become reckless, dangerous, and far stronger. I had the misfortune of fighting one in melee combat once, I know first hand how they fight." Yoshiko blinked, "So then, what do you want to discuss with me?" Yoshiro shrugged as they entered the throne room, "It's simple, really. You are to carry on my empire, not as my heir, but as a necessary leader for the upcoming conflict." Yoshiko folded her arms and stopped at the door as Yoshiro continued, "And you expect me to carry on your empire, after what your empire has become!?" He turned around to face her, "Yoshiko, you don't understand, no one hates the Menschilche more than I do."
He removed his cape to reveal regal attire underneath, "I did all of this, originally because if no one was going to be my ally, then everyone was my enemy. How ironic that I would be able to access Menschilche caches all over the continent merely because I happen to have a snippet of genetic code that was given to my father to pass onto one of his children. How ironic would it be that their technology would allow me to forge this empire... their own creation turning against them. Their own technology, being used against them. But even more ironic is that I managed to teach my people how to build their own weapons and armor, so they wouldn't have to use Menschilche equipment. I learned that the Menschilche were afraid of me after I had almost taken over this continent. Yoshiko, you are already the enemy of the world. Eltirana and the Dragons are the only factions that are neutral towards you."
She didn't like what he said, but she knew it was true, "So you think that your empire will just follow me, just like that?" Yoshiro laughed, "You think I didn't know of your existence. From the day you were born, I knew you existed, I knew why you were being trained and why you were created. I had my spies find out the full extent of Menschilche plans for you. You're disposable to them, but to me... you are the most important part of the puzzle, the puzzle that will ensure Verbana's freedom from the Menschilche for all time." Yoshiko became angry at that statement and balled her hand in a fist, "You talk so much about freedom, and yet you go around marauding and conquering!" Yoshiro closed his eyes, "Yes, you're right about that. But soon, I'll be dead and none of this will matter anymore."
Yoshiko frowned, "And what makes you think that I'll choose to do so?" Yoshiro shrugged, "It's your choice and yours alone, kid. I just have faith that you'll do this. You have reason to hate the Menschilche more than anyone else. They used you, your father, and your mother and discarded you all! You honestly think your mother is alive? Yoshiko, she's dead. The Menschilche know of your treason and have already killed her as punishment for her actions. You can either choose to fight them or die by their hand. Those are the only two choices." Yoshiko looked down, "How can you be sure that my mother is dead?" Yoshiro pulled out a datapad and tossed it to her, "Official Menschilche report." Yoshiko looked at the datapad and couldn't believe her eyes, her mother was truly dead. She felt extreme sadness and anger and Yoshiro walked over to her, "I will give you the time you need to recover. For now, let's eat."
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Thran Starcrod
Professional Author
Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Aug 30, 2016 2:53:45 GMT
Chapter 21
Yoshiro sat at the dinner table with Yoshiko on the other side, "I know that everything you have been learning up to this point has been hard on you. But, I want you to know that I'm not angry at you. I'm kind of glad that you're here." She looked up at him, "How can you say that?" He sighed slightly, "Because there will be no more spy games, I told you already that I knew about your existence the day you were created." She looked away, "I wish you wouldn't use that word." He sighed slightly, "Yoshiko, you're a clone, whether you like it or not, you were conceived in a test tube." He grabbed a piece of meat and bit into it, tearing it away from the bone with a twisting of his neck. As he chewed on the meat, Yoshiko looked at him untrusting of him, but she grabbed an apple.
Yoshiro swallowed his food and stood up, picking up his glass of wine, he looked towards his soldiers, "I would like to make a speech to all of you." He stood up and they all looked at him and he closed his eyes, "I want to say thank you to all of you. You were my closest soldiers and my greatest friends. You all know how I wanted our guest to kill me. How I have been planning this day. From this point forward, this empire is under her command. She's free to do whatever she wants to do with it. But know this, no matter what happens, our most hated enemy is currently en route to Verbana. The Menschilche are coming and you'll all be able to fight them." He looked towards Yoshiko, "I would like you to know that when we finally do fight, I will not hold back and I will not just let you kill me."
Yoshiko nodded slightly as Yoshiro continued, "Eat, drink, and be merry for tonight is the last night of peace. Tomorrow, Verbana will stand united against the Menschilche threat. Ironic that my vision for a united Verbana will not come from my empire building, but... from our greatest and most hated enemy coming to try to conquer us again." He sighed slightly, "I understand how most of you feel, but I wouldn't have you here right now if you weren't loyal to me. You guys are like a family to me and you know... it's going to be sad to leave you, but we all knew that this was coming. I forbid any of you from trying to harm Yoshiko in any way, shape, or form. She came here to fight me and I wish to fight her at her strongest. I will die a soldier."
Yoshiro looked into his glass of wine, "I wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming war. To victory, my friends." The soldiers all raised their glasses, "To victory!" Yoshiro smiled as best as he could with his muzzle and drank his wine, placing his glass on the table, "I think that I'm going to go to my personal quarters now." Yoshiro pushed in his chair and looked at Yoshiko, "By the way, you should try the pie. Star Apple pie is absolutely amazing." Yoshiro walked out of the room and down the empty hallways, as he looked outside the corridors, into the water, he wondered how his life could've ended up being different. If things didn't go the way they had, could he have been a different person. He shook his head as he walked up to the door of his private quarters, "Open."
The voice recognition device beeped and opened the door for him and he walked in. As he looked around, he noticed a stuffed kitsune on the bed, it had been torn from the centuries of wear and tear, "Well Ame, I guess I'm never going to get to repair you." Yoshiro sighed slightly and stood up, walking over to the mirror in his room, "I can never get used to seeing my reflection in this form. I have a humanoid face for a majority of the time." He watched as the image in the mirror shifted. The face that looked back at him was him, but at the same time, not. The uniform was different as well, "I guess that's Emiko's way of telling me that things could've been different, that I could've been different had... you not die all those years ago."
He turned to look at a hologram of Tsuyoshi, "Perhaps had you not died, all of us would be a happy family, and we'd all live together." He closed his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek, "Not a day goes by that I don't regret what I did to you. I didn't mean to kill the both of you, I didn't even mean to kill Hiroshi, but it happened and now... I will be joining you both by the end of the week." Yoshiro sat down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling, "I don't even know if Yoshiko will be able to win this upcoming war against the Menschilche, they're the most powerful faction in our galaxy and not even the Dragons were able to defeat them." He stood up and walked over to his window, where he could see out of the dome, it was a beautiful sight of coral and fish.
He sighed, "I have no illusions of dying a hero, I'm going to die the villain, that's all I ever was in this situation. I can see how it's going to be spun now, 'Brave Resistance members sneak into Yoshiro's base and kill him.' Feh, the fucking Resistance would do anything to drum up support. But... in a way, I created them. But their founders, created me in a way. Do we just exist as the antithesis of the other, or can our forces truly find a way to unite. Well, if cooler heads prevailed and assholes weren't being assholes for the sake of being assholes, none of us would be in this mess. Oh well, too late to change it now. Hopefully, my men will listen to Yoshiko, won't be there to make sure of it myself, but... I have to have faith that they will as that's all I can do."
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Thran Starcrod
Professional Author
Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Aug 31, 2016 5:43:32 GMT
Chapter 22
Yoshiko looked out through the glass of the dome she was in, she had no idea what was going on anymore, or even what time it was. She had learned so much in such a short amount of time and she felt truly alone, "Grandma, what do I do?" She looked at her hands as memories of her old friends flashed through her mind, friends that she'll never see again, friends that she will probably have to fight in the future. This made her angry and she clenched her fists tightly, but chose not to throw a punch so that she wouldn't drown in the dome. As she looked at her fists, she took a deep breath and sighed slightly, "No answer, as I had thought." She stood up and walked over to the window, she was truly alone down here, no one was her ally, everyone was technically her enemy, but she had no choice.
She looked at the door and sighed, she was going to have to face her destiny one way or another. She knew that she wouldn't be able to do so until Yoshiro let her. So she climbed into the bed that she was given. It was extremely soft and comfortable to the touch and she sighed slightly. She had never gotten this treatment back when she was with the Menschilche. She laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. Images of her past flowed through her mind as she drifted off into a world of dreams. She dreamed of being in a forest clearing, the smell of the forest around her was familiar, as if she had been here before, but it looked unfamiliar to her. She looked around to see any sort of reference point, but couldn't find one. She sighed and picked a direction to walk in.
As she walked through the forest, she came to a clearing and saw children playing, one child in particular looked up at her. The expression on the child's face turned from happiness to fear as she watched in horror as the forest was burned down around them. She watched the children burn to death in front of her eyes and her horror turned into rage as she turned around to see Yoshiro standing there, she went to go attack him, but when her fist connected with his face, she watched as it melted and revealed a Menschilche face. Yoshiro's voice spoke up, "You come to realize who your true enemy is." Yoshiko looked around, "Show yourself!?" She turned around to look at the bodies, Yoshiro was next to one, kneeling, "The Menschilche do not care who they hurt or who they kill, they only care about getting what they want... scum, really."
Yoshiko pulled out her pistol and Yoshiro stood up, "You won't fire... not while you risk killing these poor kids. Though after what the Menschilche did to them, it'd be merciful." Yoshiko looked at him, "Why are you doing this to me!?" Yoshiro turned to look at her and he morphed into her, "You're doing this to yourself, Yoshiko." Yoshiko looked at her reflection, "What do you mean?" Her reflection smiled, "You can't handle all of the new information that you have been given all at once, so your mind is torturing itself." Yoshiko fired at her reflection, killing it and she watched as the other her fell to the ground, dead. But that's when she heard a voice speak up, "You cannot run from yourself, Yoshiko, you cannot hide from who you are. You were designed as a weapon, and that's your main purpose."
Yoshiko looked at her hands and saw that they were covered in blood, she turned to see if the children were still there, but instead, it was a bloodbath, bodies strewn everywhere, blood spread everywhere. Yoshiro walked up beside her, "This is our legacy as weapons of the Menschilche, this is all we are good for to them! We are nothing more than tools to be used and then discarded when they find us no longer useful!" Yoshiko turned to Yoshiro, "That can't be true... why would they?" Yoshiro looked at her, "You're pathetic, holding onto the vain hope that they would forgive you for what you have done. Can't you see that they have murdered everyone you ever cared about and then forced you to do this wet work? Look at these bodies, Yoshiko... this actually happened. You actually killed these people as a test of your abilities. Your creator suppressed these memories in your mind to protect you."
Yoshiko turned to Yoshiro, "Then why are you..." Yoshiro shook his head, "I'm not really here. Your mind has constructed me to give you this information, because you know that like yourself, I am a super soldier created by the Menschilche. You feel more comfortable if someone else like you said it and since you didn't know Kawal except in what you were told, you couldn't bring him up." Yoshiko blinked, "You're very perceptive." Yoshiro shrugged, "Actually, I'm just a figment of your subconscious, I'm just telling you what you already know. Oh and by the way, this is a dream sequence, Yoshiko. When you wake up, it'll be foggy, but then it will become painfully clear." Yoshiko shook her head, "What do you mean?" Yoshiro pointed behind her and as Yoshiko turned around, she saw herself standing before her, a sword in hand.
The other her swung the sword at her and she woke up, her heart was racing, "Thank goodness, it was only a nightmare, but... ungh..." Yoshiko placed a hand onto her head, "Why did it feel so... real..." Yoshiko looked over to the mirror in her room and she saw an image of her standing in the mirror, covered in blood and sporting a slasher smile. She backed away from the mirror and screamed, "NO! NO! YOU ARE NOT ME!" A guard busted into Yoshiko's room and looked around to see that no one was there, "Yoshiko, you were having a nightmare, calm down." Yoshiko shook her head and looked at the mirror again, she saw herself in the mirror, no blood, no slasher smile. She sighed slightly, "I don't... think it was a nightmare, I think it was... my past that I was being shown..." The guard nodded, "Your fight with Yoshiro will have to wait even longer if that's the case." Yoshiko frowned and nodded as the guard looked at her, "I can get you to be able to talk to Amaterasu in the morning, alright?" Yoshiko nodded, "Thanks."
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Thran Starcrod
Professional Author
Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Sept 1, 2016 6:10:43 GMT
Chapter 23
Yoshiko walked through the corridors of the underwater base, she had one thing in mind, talking with her grandmother. She passed by Yoshiro who looked at her, "Hello Yoshiko, what are you looking for?" Yoshiko looked at him, "Communications, I wish to speak with grandmother." Yoshiro pointed down a hallway, "Go that way." Yoshiko nodded and walked down the hallway that Yoshiro pointed at. As she walked, she couldn't help but notice the creepy glow that was around her in the hallways. Almost as if to answer her question, a voice spoke up, "You're new here, so you're not used to this. The hallways are lit up enough for us to see, the domes are what get the real lighting." Yoshiko turned around and looked at the person, who bowed to her, "Excuse me, I am Kazuki Takahashi, and I noticed you were new. You must be that Yoshiko that Lord Yoshiro was talking about."
Yoshiko nodded slightly and Kazuki smiled, "If there's anything I can help you with..." Yoshiko shook her head, "Leave me alone." Kazuki nodded and Yoshiko continued on through the corridor. She reached a room and walked over to a computer. She turned it on and spoke into the microphone, "Amaterasu Sano, please." She watched as Amaterasu's face appeared on the screen, "Hello Grandmother." Amaterasu looked at her, "You look ragged, dear, what's wrong?" Yoshiko sighed, "I couldn't bring myself to kill him and just being here... I had a nightmare, no... not a nightmare. A vision of my past." Amaterasu frowned, "What do you mean?" Yoshiko looked at her hand, "I killed before, but... I'm reluctant to do so, I don't understand why." Amaterasu nodded slightly, "It could be Menschilche technology. It's possible for them to have brainwashed you into accepting the commands of your creator."
Yoshiko looked at herself, "So how did the memories get..." Amaterasu sighed, "You were ordered... Yoshiko, you were used as a weapon and now..." Yoshiko looked towards the door, "I'm going to be a weapon again." Amaterasu shook her head, "No, that's only if you choose to do this for someone else. A man, or woman in this case, chooses their destiny, a slave obeys. You're at the point where you're choosing your own destiny, Yoshiko, and I'm glad that is the case." Yoshiko looked at her hand, "Then what if I don't want to kill Yoshiro?" Amaterasu sighed, "It should be pretty obvious, kiddo, but you don't have to if you don't want to. Speaking of which, hello, Yoshiro." Yoshiro's voice spoke up, "Hello Grandmother, surprised that you saw me when she didn't." Amaterasu shook her head, "You're wearing Magatama. I can sense it, even from this distance."
Yoshiko turned to see Yoshiro standing against a wall, "Are you going to stop interrupting!?" Yoshiro shrugged, "I'm just here to see what's going on, Kazuki said that you looked uncomfortable. But now I hear that you don't want to kill me." Yoshiko looked at him, "And what if I don't?" Yoshiro shrugged, "That's up to you, kiddo. But it's what you were designed to do. I see it... doubt in your mind, but that anger still lies deep within your heart." Yoshiko looked at him, "You're psionic too?" Yoshiro shook his head, "Not in the way that you think, I just learned how to read people. You don't know what you should do at this point. Why did you think that I would allow you to have time to decide on if you should kill me or not, Yoshiko?" Yoshiko looked at him, "I thought you were being polite..."
Yoshiro sighed, "I wanted you to work through your problems, I know that by being here, you'd start to realize your true past, Yoshiko. You're a weapon... a tool to the Menschilche, and once your usefulness is done, they'll discard you. And if you ever decide to go against them, they'll make a new, better one to come kill you." Yoshiko looked towards Amaterasu, "That's not true... is it..." She grabbed her head as a memory surfaced, she had a flash of a laboratory with two Menschilche above her, she couldn't make out what they were saying, but one of them pointed at her. When she looked around, she noticed Yoshiro was holding her arm, "You alright, Yoshiko?" Yoshiko shook her head, "No." Amaterasu sighed, "She'll be getting more and more of her memories. Yoshiro, I trust that you know how to handle this?" Yoshiro turned his head to look at her, "What makes you think I know how to..."
Amaterasu sighed, "You're a super soldier, too. Try to make her feel better or something, I don't know." Yoshiro folded his arms, "My dad had those memories... and if you want to get technical... so do I. I was... that super soldier that was supposed to take him out. I didn't know it at the time, but he was right. I should've listened to him, instead of killing him. Kawal and Tovenaar, a team that would potentially be unstoppable. However, that was when we had the element of surprise. The people who did this to me were called Seth and Noah, do those names mean anything to you?" Yoshiko nodded, "Seth was the one that got the genetic material required for creating me..." Yoshiro sighed slightly as Amaterasu frowned, "So that's what happened all those centuries ago, that's why they came here."
Yoshiro nodded, "I really do want to unite the planet to stop all the wars... because I believe that a united Verbana stands a chance against the Menschilche. However, I'm the world's enemy. Everyone hates me and everyone wants to kill me, so I can't just use diplomacy. You could've, until the world turned against you, now you're in a unique position, Yoshiko. Unlike me, you can redeem yourself, however, the only path to redemption is through me. You have to kill me, Yoshiko. Only then, will the rest of the Verbanans join under your banner against the greater threat of the Menschilche." Yoshiko looked at him, "And if I refuse?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Then when I die, you will become the new me. Even if you do not desire that position, that is what the world will thrust upon you. I know that your life isn't easy, but remember... no one has an easy life. You only see others as having one, because you're struggling."
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Thran Starcrod
Professional Author
Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Sept 5, 2016 5:32:31 GMT
Chapter 24
Yoshiko sighed slightly, she hadn't become accustomed to the fact that she had been living in an underwater dome city. She walked through the corridors, and noticed that everyone around her was being polite to her, more so than she was used to. She had learned recently that she was designed to be a weapon, designed to kill Yoshiro for the Menschilche, and it was still eating away at her mind. It was a horrible fate to say the least. However, she also knew that she was a killer, plain and simple. She looked at her hand as she placed it on the transparent surface of the hallway. She could almost feel the blood that stained her hands, what was one more person's blood going to matter, she wondered. She shook her head as she walked into Yoshiro's quarters, she had to find something to try to make him seem like a person.
She started searching through his room and looked at his mirror, she saw that it had been broken. A fist had gone through it, she had no idea what had happened to cause this, but she saw blood on the shards of the mirror. She sighed slightly and shook her head, figuring that Yoshiro had done that at one point. A noise sounded behind her and she looked behind herself. Her eyes scanned the room and she couldn't find anything. She then looked down and saw something, a music box laying on the floor. She picked up the music box and opened it. It played a song that she found familiar, but she couldn't understand why. She closed it, thinking that would make him seem more like a person, when a stuffed toy caught her eye. It had been torn up, but was kept in as good as shape as it could be.
She felt sorry about this poor stuffed toy, but she put it back and nodded slightly. Yoshiro was indeed a person, he wasn't the monster that she had been led to believe. As she left Yoshiro's quarters, she began to wonder who the monster was. She looked down at her hand, she could once again feel the blood coating her hand. She closed it and closed her eyes, she could smell the blood on the battlefield, hear the screams of the people she killed, and see the bodies strewn about. Though she had initially rejected this, she had come to realize that these were her true memories, that these are events that she had lived through. That the atrocities that she witnessed, were ones that she had personally carried out. Yoshiro was right about her, she was a weapon, and a weapon shouldn't have the right to choose.
But what was that line that Yoshiro mentioned, she wondered. She mulled over his words, wondering what he meant by a man chooses, but a slave can only merely obey their master. Was she a slave up until recently, was she a slave even now. How could she be so sure that what she was doing was of her own free will. She opened her eyes and looked out of the glass at the fish that swam by. She envied them, they led carefree lives. They never had to worry about politics, or war. Just where to find food and shelter. She shook her head as she knew that a galaxy wide war was erupting within the system, over this one little planet. She couldn't quite understand why she was doing what she was doing right now. She looked into her heart and couldn't find any of the answers.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Cornelis there. She blinked and Cornelis vanished. She then turned and saw Mamoru standing next to her. She shook her head and tried to get the image to vanish, but it didn't. She wondered if this was the real Mamoru, but as he vanished, she remembered the words he had spoken to her when they first met. That this was all of his fault, that if he had never started the Kitsune Civil War, that none of this would be happening right now. She knew that none of the past could be changed, that the only thing she could do now was move on with her life and try to change her future, but she had no idea how she was going to do that. She turned and looked at her reflection in the transparent surface.
She closed her eyes and frowned, saddened at what she had done, but she couldn't allow that to get into her way, to cloud her judgement. She looked at a small crustacean as it crawled across the seafloor. She smiled slightly, at the fact that nature was still continuing to go on, despite everything that was going on with her or around her. She turned and nodded slightly, she pushed her feelings into the back of her mind and looked down the hallway. Images of those allies she had lost appeared before her, and she walked through the hallway. As she passed the images, one by one, they vanished before her and she didn't look back. She was done moping over the past. She would no longer be a weapon for the Menschilche or anyone else to wield, she owned her destiny and she would lead her own life and make her own choices.
She smirked slightly as she walked into her own quarters and sat down on her bed. She wasn't going to put up with anyone trying to control her, she silently swore that if anyone were to try to do so, she was going to kill them and continue to lead her own life. She heard a noise and looked over to see Yoshiro standing there. Yoshiro handed her the music box that she had found in his room and walked out without a word. She didn't know why he did that, but she opened the music box to see a picture of Sumiko at the top. She felt tears come to her eyes, but she held them back. The time for crying would be after the war was over, after peace was ushered in. She closed the music box and stood up, placing it on the bed as she walked out to go talk to Yoshiro.
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Thran Starcrod
Professional Author
Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Sept 6, 2016 5:18:04 GMT
Chapter 25
Yoshiro looked down at his desk as he reviewed the battle from yesterday, the Menschilche had been dealt a defeat, but without a unified Verbana, the victories would become more and more Pyrrhic. He closed his eyes and all nine of his tails started to lash as he punched the desk with a growl, "Dammit! Why won't these people realize that the way to stop all war, the way to stop the suffering that I had to endure is unification! We're going to be enslaved by the Menschilche at this rate!" One of the guards looked at him, "Sir, calm down." Yoshiro opened his mouth and removed his fist from the desk, seeing that he had dented it with his punch. He sighed slightly, "You're right, I need to calm down, just... seeing this happen pisses me off. My father fought a war to... if only he were here, if only I hadn't killed him."
The guard looked at him, "You killed him because he was a threat... but if that's true... then why haven't you killed..." Yoshiro looked at the guard, "Young man, I didn't kill my father because he was a threat. I killed my father because Noah had used his Menschilche conditioning to try to turn him back into Kawal. My father was the only person that stopped me when I was just starting out. Because of this, he earned my trust, but..." He looked away to hide his tears, "When Father started becoming Kawal again, I knew I couldn't let him be used by the Menschilche, I had to stop this from happening. So... I killed him. I shot him in the head. It got around somehow that I had done that just so that he wouldn't be able to stop me from forming my empire. I tried stopping the rumor, but it wouldn't die."
Yoshiko's voice spoke up, "So that's what truly happened to Kawal, to... your father." Yoshiro looked at Yoshiko, "You look more confident. Tell me, have you been thinking about the meaning of what I told you?" Yoshiko nodded and Yoshiro shook his head, "Then Yoshiko, tell me what you think I meant." Yoshiko stood up straight, "I have been a slave to the Menschilche and to my own past. I obeyed them, because I didn't know anything about freedom, I didn't know anything about living my own life on my own terms. All I knew was living the life that they had told me to lead." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "Very good, so far. Tell me what it means to be free." Yoshiko looked down, "That, I haven't come to grips with." Yoshiro shook his head, "Then I, Tovenaar, shall teach you."
Yoshiro stood up and walked around to the front of his desk, sitting down on the desk itself, "This, all around you is freedom. These people were forced, yes, to be part of my empire. But they never had to obey me if they didn't want to, they never had to join the military if they didn't want to. They're free to call me whatever they want and do whatever they want. The only reason these people follow me into battle is because I have earned their respect. They choose to follow me in battle, even though they know that there was no penalty for not doing so. I live free of the Menschilche control, because I chose to break away from it. Even though I wasn't born under the control of the Menschilche, they tried to kill me, they tried to use me, and tried to manipulate me. I hate them with every fiber of my being."
Yoshiro's dark element tail flared up, "If it wasn't for them... my father would've been a normal person... I would've been a normal person and Mamoru... Mamoru wouldn't have done what he did. I never would've killed Tatsuya and Hiroshi. Do you know the reason I want to die, Yoshiko?" Yoshiko looked at him, "No, I do not." Yoshiro sighed, "I live weighed down by guilt, by anguish. Reiko and I are the only members of my family that are still alive... but..." Yoshiko looked at him and frowned, "But Father, you have me..." Yoshiko placed her hand on her mouth, she was surprised that she called him Father. Yoshiro shook his head, "You finally realized that I'm not the monster you were brainwashed into believing I was, huh?" Yoshiko nodded slightly, that was the best explanation she could figure for why she did it.
Yoshiro sighed and looked up through the transparent ceiling, "I never considered you my daughter. You were just some clone that I thought would be amusing to see the Menschilche create and send after me in some futile attempt to overthrow me. Your presence here has broken some of that brainwashing and honestly... though you are biologically my child, we are still technically enemies. Yoshiko, tell me, now that you believe me to be your father, will you still be willing to draw your blade? Will you still be willing to grant me my wish?" Yoshiko closed her eyes, "Is that what you truly want, Yoshiro?" Yoshiro sighed, "Yes, Yoshiko. However, I will not go easy on you, as there is no point in doing so. I want you to kill me in battle, to give it your all and triumph over me, but I want you to do it for you. No one else."
Yoshiko frowned and Yoshiro placed his hand on her shoulder, "Sorry for being so rough with you on that battlefield. Now that your memories have surfaced, there's no doubt that you skill has returned. Remember that you are a soldier and you will always be a soldier. You have witnessed and caused some of the horrors of war, though you may leave the battlefield, that will always remain with you." Yoshiko nodded slightly, "I understand, but... what do you seek to gain with your death?" Yoshiro smirked, "If you kill me, then the world will unify under the banner of the one who felled me, in order to defeat the Menschilche and keep our people from being enslaved. Ironic how my end goal would be achieved by my death, instead of anything I've done in life. But, that's the hand I was dealt. The question is, are you ready?" Yoshiko nodded slightly, "Yes, I am."
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Thran Starcrod
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Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Sept 7, 2016 5:12:25 GMT
Chapter 26
Yoshiro and Yoshiko stood in the middle of a large cave that was found below the network of domes. Yoshiko looked around and Yoshiro smiled slightly, "I brought you here so that the two of us don't drown when you inevitably hit the wall." Yoshiko frowned, "What makes you think that I'm going to hit a wall?" Yoshiro shrugged, "Because like I said, you're not used to fighting a fellow super soldier. But at any rate, like I said, I'm not going to hold back and I don't want you to either." Yoshiko looked at him and nodded, "Then you and I will fight to the death." Yoshiro nodded slightly, "As the Menschilche intended, yes. However, unfortunately for them, I'm dying on my own terms." Yoshiko adopted a fighting stance, the only one that her body knew, while Yoshiro didn't bother to take a stance. Yoshiko looked at him, "I thought you weren't holding back." Yoshiro smirked, "I'm not. Now! Come at me!"
Yoshiko rushed at Yoshiro who didn't even bother moving out of the way, but instead held out his hand. She felt an intense pressure in her chest and stopped, she wondered what was going on and Yoshiro looked at her, "Remember how I said I wouldn't hold back, Yoshiko. This is Dark Elemental Magic, it attacks your very heart!" Yoshiro's hand started glowing silver and Yoshiko felt pain rip through her body, "You're a sunblood, kid. I merely have to create the Lunar combo to fully exploit your weakness." Yoshiko growled and tried to move through the pain, but it was too excruciating. Yoshiro looked down at her, "I will kill you if you are unable to break free of this!" Yoshiko growled and figured that if she could use her own element, she could hurt Yoshiro back. She closed her eyes and concentrated and Yoshiro called out, "You're untrained. That won't work!"
Yoshiko felt something within herself and she held out her hand, expecting it to be her mana. But nothing came out and Yoshiro spat at the ground, "Pathetic." Yoshiko opened her eyes, and looked at him, "Why?" Yoshiro growled and his darkness and water tails lost their glow, "Huh, more durable than Kawal ever was, even against magic. Yoshiro smirked slightly and switched to a different element, the fire tail started glowing. Yoshiko looked in horror as Yoshiro opened his mouth and breathed fire at her. She quickly rolled out of the way as light barriers formed around her, swiftly trapping her. She punched one of the barriers and it shattered, allowing her to move out of the way of the the flames that Yoshiro was breathing towards her. Yoshiro soon closed his mouth, and pointed this hand at the ceiling. A stalactite fell from the ceiling of the cavern and just barely missed her. Yoshiko growled, "I thought you didn't have access to the Earth element!" Yoshiro responded coldly, "I don't." Yoshiko looked at the hand and noticed that it had a reddish glow, "Fire..."
Yoshiro's fire tail's glow faded out and Yoshiro then entered a fighting pose, "It's time you fight me with my natural element." Yoshiro rushed at her and Yoshiko was barely able to dodge, she had no idea how Yoshiro had accelerated that quickly, but she tried to grab one of the tails as he passed by, but couldn't as a strong gust of wind kicked up dirt in her eyes. Yoshiko looked around, wondering where Yoshiro was now. She suddenly felt a fist in her gut and recoiled from the sheer surprise of the force she had received, "How are you... this strong!?" She winced as Yoshiro laughed, "I'll tell you. Lightning magic increases the strength that I use. Wind magic allows me to not only negate air resistance, but accelerate my hand faster. Face it, Yoshiko. Though I'm not as strong or fast as you naturally, I can use magic to match or even outclass you." Yoshiko growled as she looked around, "I'll still kill you, you know!" Yoshiro laughed and whispered in her ear, "I'm counting on it."
Yoshiko swiped at the source of the noise, but was surprised that she didn't hit anything. Instead she felt something grab her arm. Within mere seconds, she felt an electrical current surge through her body and she started screaming in pain. Yoshiro finally revealing himself, "Kitsune are shapeshifters, it wasn't hard for me to blend in with the cavern while you were wiping the dirt from your eyes, kid. I almost feel bad for killing you like this, and don't count on..." Yoshiko threw a punch in desperation and her fist slammed into Yoshiro's arm with a snapping sound. Yoshiro let go and grabbed his arm, "Son of a bitch!" Yoshiko shook her head to try to clear it, "Time to play serious, huh?" Yoshiko rushed Yoshiro, who was barely able to move out of the way of her attack. As Yoshiko passed him, she skidded to a stop and turned towards him to charge again.
Yoshiro fired a lightning bolt at her from his hand, but she was barely able to dodge the attack, and she tackled Yoshiro to the ground. As she went to go punch him in the face, she suddenly felt the oxygen leave her lungs and she reached for her throat as she tried to breathe. Yoshiro laughed, "I removed the air from your lungs and I'm currently keeping you from breathing." Yoshiko silently growled at him as she glared daggers at him. She lifted her fist and Yoshiro's hand sparked with electricity. She knew that this was going to be the end of the fight, she knew that either he or she would be left standing. So this time, she decided to stop holding back and threw a punch with all the force she could muster at Yoshiro's neck. Upon connecting, there was a loud snapping sound that echoed through the cavern.
She suddenly found herself able to breathe once more as she removed herself from Yoshiro's body, to see that she had crushed his throat with that punch. She noticed that she was breathing hard and closed her eyes, "Thank you for being my last mentor, Yoshiro. You have freed me from the Menschilche. I shall contact them soon to tell them that they have lost this war. However, there are things I must do." Yoshiko stood up and threw Yoshiro's body over her shoulder, "No one's going to believe that I killed you without your body, now will they." Yoshiko started to walk towards the exit of the cavern, when she looked back into it, "Funny, I can't help but feel like I've been somewhere like this before... oh well." Yoshiko exited the cavern with Yoshiro's body on her shoulder, ready to face her new duty as the new Empress.
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Thran Starcrod
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Posts: 423
Let's Playing is rather rewarding and fun.
Custom Title: Professional Author
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Post by Thran Starcrod on Sept 7, 2016 16:59:56 GMT
Epilogue
Yoshiko walked into the communications dome, "Open a channel to all kingdoms, I want this broadcast all over the system." One of the guards nodded, "Sure thing." Yoshiko smiled slightly as she held up Yoshiro's dead body, "Attention everyone, Emperor Yoshiro is dead." Yoshiko dropped the body, "I killed him with my own two hands to free Verbana, however..." Yoshiko was interrupted as a Menschilche face appeared before her, "Good job, Yoshiko. Now, would you like to come back?" Yoshiko looked at the face in disgust, "You are my enemy, you killed my mother, you used me as a weapon against people, especially innocents. I will personally lead the group that kills you. Is that clear!?" The Menschilche started protesting, but Yoshiko motioned to cut the feed from him and then turned back to the other feed, "Yoshiro knew that the Menschilche would return, they are currently in orbit above our world."
Yoshiko sighed slightly, "Listen, people of Verbana, I know that you hate the Empire, I know you hate Yoshiro, and I know that you hate me now that I'm Empress, but we have to unite as one. If we do not stand united, we will fall to the Menschilche, divided. I promise that I will allow nations who wish to leave the Empire, leave on their own. There will be no strings attached and nothing bad will happen to them. You have my word." Yoshiko closed her eyes, "I give you my word, as I am openly betraying the Menschilche, as a former weapon of theirs. I will not rest until I see the Menschilche Imperium are kicked out of our solar system. This is my home, and I will defend it to my very last breath if I have to. I hope that you will choose to do the same."
Yoshiko cut the feed and walked towards the exit of the chamber, but suddenly Freja's voice spoke up, "You claim to fight for freedom, but you keep the Empire alive." Yoshiko turned around to see an image of Freja standing there behind her, "Only as long as necessary, it will not be an easy change to make, but it will be dissolved with time. The people followed Yoshiro, they will not follow me after this Menschilche threat is over. Anyone who is paying attention can see this is the case, as plain as day." Freja's hologram folded its arms, "And you expect me to take your word that you'll let nations go?" Yoshiko looked at her, "Unlike you, I have no interest in leading a nation. I'm a weapon, a super soldier. My place is on the battlefield and I have ways to get to battlefields, even if they're off-world."
Freja's hologram shook its head, "You talk a good talk, but you honestly want me to believe you. The Menschilche may have betrayed us, but we'd be willing to work with them in order to stop your Empire, Empress." Yoshiko shook her head, "You're letting your hatred of Yoshiro blind you. They will murder you and put a puppet in your place. Do you not remember that these are the people who enslaved your ancestors!? They do not reward your loyalty with freedom, they will turn their weapons against you, the moment that the war ends. Do not be a fool, Freja!" Freja laughed slightly and cut off the communications, Yoshiko sighed slightly as a hologram appeared before her, "You lost, Yoshiko, do you honestly believe that you had a chance to win? Verbana hates that Empire you just inherited, you will die along with it. Enjoy your fate, traitor."
Yoshiko closed her eyes, "Fine, I'll show these idiots that I intend on freeing them from the Menschilche." The Hologram spoke up, "And you think that will convince them?" Yoshiko turned around, "I hate you, and everything you stand for. The vast majority of Verbanans on other continents hate you for what you did to them and their ancestors. Do you think that a pathetic little resistance force is going to help you. You just ensured their doom. We will drive your asses out of this system, and when we are done, we will ensure that you are never capable of returning." The hologram laughed, "Tell me Empress, how do you propose to do that?" Yoshiko cut off the feed, "You'll see soon enough, you piece of shit." Yoshiko walked out of the communications dome and looked towards Yoshiro's trusted Lieutenant, "Tell me when there are any updates on the Verbana situation."
The Lieutenant nodded, "Yes, Empress." Yoshiko smiled, "Thank you." Yoshiko walked to the throne room, where she saw a large group of soldiers waiting for her. She walked up to the throne and turned around, "Thank you for coming, as you know, I am the one that won this Empire from your previous leader. I am Empress Yoshiko, and I promise that you will be earning your freedom by fighting against the Menschilche. Any one of you who wishes to leave the Empire, may do so after this war is over. I promise each and every one of you that there will be no strings attached and you will be rewarded for your service. But for right now, we must stand united against the Imperium, for if we do not, we will fall divided." Yoshiko looked out towards the crowd and closed her eyes, sighing.
She looked down and shook her head, "I cannot tell you that it will be easy, I cannot tell you that none of you will lose your lives. It will be difficult, and it will be bloody, but we must keep the Menschilche from conquering this beautiful world. This place is our home and I will fight alongside each and every one of you to keep it from falling into their hands. This much I promise. They created me as a weapon for them to use, a tool for them to cast away when I had no more use. Well, they made the same mistake with Kawal and with Tovenaar, I'm just the next link in the chain of their mistakes." Yoshiko opened her eyes, "Verbana will remain free and we will lay down our lives if we have to, in order to ensure this. Yes, I will die, if it means that Verbana will remain free." The soldiers started cheering and Yoshiko smiled, "Now, let's go fight the Imperium!"
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