Ashifili — Roleplayer Guild

Interesting. As Rui-Ling faffed about, listening in on what Kazuki and Orihime shared with the owner of the Dangeki Pawn Shop, the immortal began to search his own memories for details about the Beastmaster clan and all that. Nothing came into mind immediately, but, if nothing else, a bunch of demons popping up for Chasers to deal with was good news for the immortal. After all, he was running low on ammo for Claimoh Solais, and demons were one of the few species that he didn’t need to feel bad about when it came to erasing their souls. The SSS-class Youkai in the Red Woods, though, took priority at the moment. If it was that big a problem, Aria would probably have an announcement to make later on tonight.

Cracking his neck and getting off his ass, the immortal stepped out of the shop, revved up his bumblebee Hayabusa, and kicked the stand up. He revved the engine experimentally, enjoying the glorious rumble beneath him, and then zoomed off into the distance.

Or would have, if he didn’t notice within a minute of driving that the dessert-summoning Alice appeared to also be heading in the same direction. Did she take the job as well? Or what? Slowing down, Rui-Ling called out, “Heading to the Red Woods, Alice? Want a ride?”

Regardless of her answer, the immortal would zoom off at max speed towards the outskirts of Sonomachi. It was probably rather fortunate that the police didn’t get on his ass, but Sonomachi was a quiet city, and he had been in it long enough to know the usual patrol routes of traffic officers. Arriving at the entrance to the public parking lot used by hikers wanting to spend a day wandering the Red Woods, Rui-Ling hopped off his bike, locked it, made a prayer to the Gods to prevent any douchebag from slashing his new ride’s tires, and then began to walk in.

The sounds of gunfire, after all, was rather distinct in the silent night.
@Shisa

Night Time Encounter ; The Ogre and the Maiden

Katsumi ate quietly without paying attention to her surroundings much. Before she heard a noise near her. Loud. With that, she looked up to see someone staring at her food like it was their prey. Bought it? I don't even know where to get food near this place. He looks hungry. She looks back down at her bento and began to take off one section. There was 5 parts in total. This section had yakiniku with rice right next to it. The yakiniku was meant to be eaten fresh but with her magic, she managed to keep it tasting good. 

 With that, she pushed it in front of him with a slight nod. “It isn't store bought. I made it.” She looked at him with a serious expression before continuing. “However, I made far too much and would be delighted if eating it would make you happier.” She gave him a small smile and continued to eat her food after that was said and done.

Huh? Arata was taken back by her gesture for a moment, before gathering himself. While he appreciated her kindness, he was also sick of pointless ‘charity’ after seeing all that had transpired on the Tower during the day, and, in response to the layer that she had pushed towards him, the oni stuck a hand in his pants and pulled out the wad of cash that he got for that day’s labours. Though he didn’t exactly count it, or anything, Arata didn’t find much value in money to begin with, and simply dropped it beside the young lady.

“Payment,” he said flatly, before upending the contents of the bento box in his mouth. Despite being homecooked and lukewarm, it was surprisingly palatable. The meat was saucy and strong, while the white rice had a subtle and cleansing flavour to it, as if it had been recently brought out of a pot. How odd. Was this also a form of magic? Or was she just that good? As the oni thoughtfully swallowed it, he decided that it was definitely the former.

After all, this was just a human child, not a chef with a lifetime’s worth of practical experience in cooking. At the end, Arata allowed himself a semi-satisfied burp. His stomach wasn’t full, but it was still good. Clapping his hands together, he said, “Gochisousama.”

Katsumi looked at the money, a confused look on her face. People paid for this type of home cooked food? She took one bite and looked at it. It didn't even taste good. Not that she ever believed anything she ever did was good enough.  

She looked at him after he said his thanks. At least he has some form of manners I suppose. She looked up at him, “Was it good?” She asked. She didn't mind either way but…Katsumi just read somewhere that you were supposed to ask this to people after they ate. 

 “Yeah, it was alright,” Arata responded. “Though I can eat more. You’re new here?”

She was just about to put away her food. So, she gave him her part with fried tempura, tomatoes, and tamagoyaki, as well as a small portion of mini salad on the side. This was one that her little brother always loved. Saying that she made the best fried tempura and her replying with a laugh. “Yes. I just got here. Are you not?” 

Arata blinked as she handed over more food without another word, before scratching the back of his neck. Well, wasn’t someone interested in unloading all her food. He wasn’t sure how she could cook this much food just for a single person by accident, but he graciously accepted regardless. The salad, small as it was, was basically insignificant, but the tempura had a nice snap to it, while the tamagoyaki was sweet enough to freshen up his palate after all the umami flavours. “I’m new as well,” he replied, after finishing the food in seven seconds, “Pretty disappointed with everything though. Honor is dead, dragons are disrespected and women are still sex objects...no offense meant.”

She was glad that he didn't seem to hate the rest of her food. He was new as well? “Hm?” She hummed as he mentioned that he was disappointed. Then, he mentioned sex objects. Katsumi couldn't help at laugh at this almost immediately. She hadn't been outside of her neighborhood before this and the only thing she wore was a kimono that most definitely covered her chest.

“Women are sex objects here? Honor is dead and dragons are disrespected, is it? How so?” She said with a light chuckle. How interesting. Was that how it was around here? Never read about it in books.

Arata forced himself to laugh alongside her, but already, he could feel his anger bubbling underneath as he recalled the days events once more. “Yes, for some inane reason, every single male I’ve encountered this day leapt to the defense of some bat-winged bitch just because she had big boobs, child-bearing hips, and barely any clothing. Of course, said bat-winged bitch called herself a dragon, of all things, and not only that, but she claimed to be King of the Heavens. King! Can you fucking believe it?!”

The oni’s grip tightened on the box, breaking it.

“Not only that, but when she challenges ME to a fight, with all the high-minded declarations that she will defeat me, you know what else fucking happens? I get blindsided by one of her fucking fanboys, and she commands another to attack me as well, while the third is just there, licking her fucking boots and heaping shit tons of praise onto her!”

“And what of respect? Where it is something earned, not something due? Holy fucking shit, by the two golden balls of Izanagi, she literally just throws around a bunch of foreign names and claims that I have to bend over backwards to accommodate her because of that. Like, fucking seriously...”

“This fucking SCHOOL!!” He seethed, stomping a hole into the ground. “You’d think that a century or three was enough for men to see women as equals and not fuck toys. You’d think that a century or three was enough for battle-honor to be cultivated amongst individuals. You’d think that, at the very least, there would still be respect for the gods that bring forth rain and prosperity upon the land. But nope! Fucking disappointing as all fuck.”

“Of course,” he sighed, “Doesn’t help that I was promised a school filled with the brightest prodigies in this vast world, and was given a bunch of weaklings who haven’t even known a proper war.”

My. Katsumi’s eyes widened a bit but not for long as she simply listened to his rants. He looked like he had a bit to release after all. Bat-winged bitch? What a funny nickname. With that, she looked down at her Bento box that was now being broken by this man. 

Placing her hand atop of his, she lifted it and got her Bento box out of harm’s way. She wasn't weak after all. After that, she continued to listen to his speech about war and honor. War wasn't very pretty at all. She had seen a few wars and partially been in some… And they never were. Blood. Screams. Civilians being killed. After he was done, she nodded and opened her mouth to speak. 

“Swift as the wind. Quiet as the wind. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountains.” She said calmly with her eyes partially closed. Katsumi then looked back up at him. “In wars, at times people lose small battles only to rejoice at winning the much larger ones.” the school most likely wasn't that horrible. The people that occupied it, who knows?

“There can't not be any hidden gems, now can there? They're most likely out there. Maybe you'll meet them later on in your school year, hm? It's only the first day after all. Look forward to a better encounter tomorrow. Either that, or simply strive forward on your own with high hopes for yourself.” Smiling a bit at the man in hopes that he would understand what she meant. Katsumi apparently had a habit of over complicating things. She knew that days weren't always pretty. She understood that fact fairly well. 

Furinkazan? Arata slowly released his crushing grip on the bento box, relinquishing it to the woman apologetically. He picked out a few plastic sharps that were stuck in the palm of his hands and put them in his pockets, before leaning back. Hidden gems? A better encounter tomorrow? And striving on his own…

Arata looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching.

What was the meaning of strength if it wasn’t used? What was the meaning of an oni who had no wars? What was the purpose of a ‘tomorrow’ in this stagnant ‘today’? His shoulders sagged. He needed to stop thinking about this.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Arata said, non-committally. “Perhaps.”

She looked down and nodded. In reality, she knew. She knew that people die and that the meaning to live is apparently love. In most books at least. Watching people you love die is probably worse than a lot of things. Watching it over and over doesn't help. A broken record starts to play after a while. In your mind. Taunting you. Of course, you can't do anything about it. 

She looked up to speak. “So. I heard that there was an announcement that I missed. Was there anything important that was said?” Katsumi asked him.

Arata waved dismissively. “Just some party in four days. Nothing important.”

“A party? For what?” her eyes brightened a bit, though she did wonder why they needed to host a party. Was this those so called ‘modern day parties?’ She had never been but she had read about them. They seemed… Interesting at the very least. 

“Welcoming party or whatever. I didn’t really listen myself.” Arata cracked his neck. “Anyways, gonna fight the bat-girl properly on the night of the party, so it doesn’t matter.”

Hmm.. This school's party doesn't seem like it would be anything significant. “Haha, I suspect there is going to be an unwanted crowd formed around the two of you?” 

“Who knows? Seeing how much of a natural attention whore she is, that’d probably going to be the case.”

A laugh slips out but she immediately suppresses it afterwards. God, just who is he talking about I wonder.“Well, in your case, I suppose it will simply be the more to see her lose, hm?” She smiled lightly at the seemingly confident man. How entertaining. 

“I don’t care about shaming her in front of her dogs,” Arata said. “I just want to make it clear that she’s no King of the Heavens, and certainly not a true dragon.”

She smiles and simply murmurs, “Hmmm~” she honestly had no idea what she was supposed to say. She didn’t know the woman but it must be someone interesting if they were managing to irritate someone so much on the first day.

“So yeah. That’s all.”

Oh! That’s right. “Do you happen to know where you get dorm assignments?” She asked. She didn’t quite know if she was supposed to ask a certain person or just… waltz into a room and sleep there.

“You should have gotten it from some green flying midget, but...go to the Headmaster’s office and ask for it, I suppose.” Arata paused for a moment, before stating, “You don’t know where that is, do you.”

She looked at her hands for a moment. Agh, this was what I got for accidentally getting on the wrong… bus? Train? I forgot what they were called.“No… I’m sorry.” She said, packing her things to stand. “I’m sure i’ll be able to find it though..” Smiling at the man right before getting up. It would be rude to impose on a stranger that much.

“It’s night, and I still owe you for the box, so…” The oni rolled his shoulders forwards, and then backwards, before promptly picking Katsumi up and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. A very empty sack of potatoes. “...I’ll just deliver you there. Try not to scream too much.”

With that almost negligible weight, the oni took one earth-shattering step and leapt through the air. The night winds turned his white cloak into a set of wings, as he bounded from rooftop to rooftop, until finally arriving at the Headmaster’s now-repaired window. One hand sunk into the stone to secure his position outside the wall, while the other one  lifted Katsumi up by the scruff of the neck, awkwardly, gently flinging her through that large window.

“There you go.”

Katsumi’s eyes went wide at his sudden movement, “Hya?!” She yelped, before finally realizing what was happening. That scared me… she exhaled but her eyes went wide again once he started jumping around. Wh-wha! Is this normal? Jumping on rooftops? She shook her head once he stopped and regained her posture, gently patting down her kimono and not really knowing where she was until she saw the headmistress. “Phew. Ah, thank you… haha.” She laughed a bit before smiling happily at him. Probably the first smile that wasn’t fake whatsoever. “That was fun.” She said, walking backwards and turning around.

Right when she was going to speak to the headmistress, she flipped her head back around. “See you around I suppose.” And waved at him. 

“Maybe. Seeing how bat-girl’s harem includes teachers, I might get kicked out before fight day instead. Sounds like something she’d do.”

With that, Arata dropped down from the building once more, off to find something else to use up his time.

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