supamusu

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

The name Alice tried to settle into her thoughts — soft, coaxing, and insistent. For a brief moment, her eyes glazed over like the magic was taking hold, but the blue beneath the fog quickly forced its way to the surface again. Her expression became stern as she stared at Yume and pushed back against the voice in her head.

“Iie.”

The sound of her own voice was still strange to her ears, though speaking in her native tongue seemed to be a bit easier. As she spoke, the thought carried back along the intrusive thread, clear and deliberate.

No.

Yumi’s eyes met Yume’s, calm and level.

“Yumi to moushimasu.”

The meaning followed once again, bleeding through the same mental channel that had been used against her.

My name is Yumi.

She severed the connection without waiting for a response. She inclined her head in a shallow bow — the bare minimum courtesy demanded — before turning and heading for the mess hall. There, she took a seat near Kamara, Emily, and…Itsy, was it? That’s right, she reassured herself. She produced a strip of jerky from her rations, and quietly gnawed at it as the others talked, choosing to direct her irritation at the dried meat instead of the drill-haired witch.

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

Yumi stood as the Princess arrived, replacing the scythe on her back before bowing respectfully. She listened to her words silently and bowed again as she left. She turned her attention to Hiruq as he asked if they had discussed their abilities, and listened attentively as some of the others spoke. When an appropriate pause came, she stepped forward. "Yumi," she said simply, a hand on her chest to indicate it was an introduction. She tapped the haft of her scythe next. "I fight with. This. No magic. No range. But. I am good at. Sneaking. Disappearing. Hunting in the dark." She stepped back meekly, giving the next person an opportunity to speak.

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

Yumi wordlessly listened to the commander’s responses to their questions. She bowed respectfully as he left before taking a seat on the floor, her back to the wall, her grip tight on the scythe crossed in front of her. Her eyelids quickly fluttered closed as she slipped into a light sleep as easily as a cat. She wasn’t particularly tired, but if their hunt lasted into the night, drowsiness wasn’ could easily hinder her reaction time and judgment, which could easily be a death sentence.

Yume’s catnap did not last long, however. Yume saw to that when she began petting the actual cat in the room. Her eyes smoothly opened like she had never been asleep and turned toward the commotion. The faintest hint of a smile graced her lips at the amusing scene before her. Her attention quickly turned to the fae’s magnificent hair-drills. She thought about how much time she spent on caring for her own hair, and her eyes widened at the thought of the staggering task of caring for that much. As she absently twirled one of her blue locks, she looked closer at Yume’s gear. She seemed to be a caster of some sort, leading Yumi to speculate that there likely was magic involved with her hair. Must be nice, she mused, a hint of jealousy in her thoughts.

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

The moment the horn sounded, the flustered look of embarrassment on Yumi's face instantly sharpened into seriousness. She was on her feet in an instant, scythe in hand as she turned toward the direction of the sound. For the briefest moment, she mentally sighed in relief that the talking was over and she could do what she did best, until she remembered innocents would be in danger if the undead attacked. The second train of thought reprimanded the first with a slap across the face as she followed the others up to the walls, the curved steel of her weapon trailing behind her.

She relaxed slightly as the news that they were not under attack reached them, though she only returned the instrument of death in her hand to its place on her back once the commander and his men were inside the walls. Yumi kept her silence as they returned to the meeting room, though she stood and leaned against a wall this time, rather than removing her scythe and sitting again. It was only once Rextelian asked for questions that she spoke. "I am. Ready to. Head out. Whenever. Rex-tel-ian-sama." Though her speech was still halting and unsure, and she struggled with the commander's name, she seemed to be getting more used to it, and with a clear objective, she seemed a bit less socially awkward. "Your offer. Of dinner is. Most generous." She gave the commander a deep bow to express her gratitude. "However," she continued as she straightened up, "if food. As scarce as. You say. Then please. Give my portion. To someone. Who. Needs it. More." She patted a pouch on her belt with some travel rations in it. "I will be. Just fine with. This."

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

Yumi unhooked her scythe from her back, carefully setting it on the ground next to her chair as she sat. She frowned slightly as Ryota explained the situation, her mind racing as she considered different tactics. While she had confidence in her ability to fight and take down undead enemies, she hadn't actually encountered any undead in this world yet, so she was unsure whether they would stay down or not. That, and against a horde, it becomes a war of attrition. What runs out first: their numbers, or your stamina?

An eyebrow raised at the mention of someone or something being behind the attacks, an idea forming in her mind. When Ryota finished his explanation, Yumi nervously raised a hand. "A-ano..." Her voice cracked slightly as she tried to speak. She cleared her throat briefly before trying again. "If someone... behind undead... then taking... them out... might stop... horde..." The nervous tremor in her voice started to even out as she spoke. "I have... experience. Hunting people down. Staying out... of sight. I might be able. To sneak past undead. Find out who or what. Controls them. Then either report back." She gave the haft of her scythe an almost affectionate pat, her lips turning in the faintest hint of a confident smile. "Or take care of them."

A tinge of pink colored her cheeks: partially because this was the most she had spoken at one time, but mostly because she wasn't sure if speaking out like that was considered rude here or not. "Ah... that is... unless... you have a... better plan... she managed to mumble as the color in her cheeks quickly switched from pink to red.

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[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

The carriage wheels groaned to a stop, and Yumi stepped down onto the packed dirt of Nan Gau. The air here was thinner, sharper than she expected—cold enough that each breath felt like a sip of icy water. Mountain wind slid through the wooden gates and narrow streets, carrying the faint smell of incense and something older, something that made the hairs on her arms rise.

She adjusted the massive scythe hanging from her back, making sure the curved blade arcing behind her legs didn't accidentally take someone's leg off. The twin sapphires adorning her face inspected her impromptu companions. The one named Kamara was the kind of woman who looked like she could cleave a boulder in half if it offended her. In contrast, Emily looked as if she’d stepped into the wrong world entirely. Regular clothes, polished hair, eyes that were far too gentle for a place rumored to be stalked by the dead. But Yumi knew from experience that appearances weren't everything.

When Ryota appeared, Yumi's pupils widened for the briefest moment. She knew beastkin existed in this world, but it was her first time meeting one. His comment about her choice of weapon confused her. Is he mocking me? Or was that a compliment? She bowed politely to him, hoping that it would cover for her lack of social skills.

As Ryota led them down the hall, Emily introduced herself. Yumi's lips trembled briefly before parting. "...Yu...mi..." she said simply, placing a hand on her chest. Her voice came out careful and quiet, as if she were still learning to use it. "Hajime...mash...te." The second part came out a bit more confidently, but it still sounded like someone speaking for the first time. A slight redness tinged her cheeks, and she looked downward shyly. She hoped that sounded right. She hoped it sounded like she knew what she was doing.

As she looked down, she caught Kamara's comment about Emily's shoes. Yumi had never particularly been into fashion, but even she had to agree with Kamara. She remained silent, however, her gaze lingering on Emily's shoes for a moment longer as she followed along with the group.

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IH Phoenix Corp Turkey Shoot

Yumi blinked at Aramis's reaction as she finally started coming down from the adrenaline. She finally noticed that Locke was also staring at her with an expression of horrified amusement. She followed their gaze down.

"Ah..." she said simply as it finally dawned on her.

Her entire body was red. Not speckled. Not splattered. Drenched.

She let out a chuckle as she removed the feather from her cheek. "Guess I'm still getting used to things having blood here.

Locke shook his head in disbelief and sighed before mumbling "This girl..."

---

After loading the Greatspur carcasses into some carts and hauling them back to town, they turned over all but one to the guild and took the remaining one back to their group's house.

"I'm gonna go get cleaned up," Yumi said as they arrived, giving them a small wave as she headed off to the washroom.

Locke snorted. "Yeah, go wash off before Evie thinks we hunted dinner with a chainsaw."

---

By the time she rejoined Locke and Aramis in the kitchen, Yumi looked human again and ready to help. Locke had already gotten the turkey seasoned and roasting. The three fell into an easy rhythm preparing the rest of the dishes.

Yumi wasn’t much of a chef, and not particularly familiar with an American-style Thanksgiving, but she was precise with a knife, and Locke’s confidence in the kitchen, as well as Aramis helping out, made the whole prep feel light, warm, even fun. Between the three, they managed to build a surprisingly impressive feast: roast turkey, crisp veggies, mashed potatoes, and whatever last-minute ideas Locke came up with that somehow worked.

When everything was finally plated and the table set, Locke nodded, satisfied. "I'll go call her."

Evie stepped into the room expecting maybe a snack or a distraction — definitely not a full Thanksgiving spread glowing under warm lights. She froze, wide-eyed, one hand drifting to her mouth.

"You... you did all this? For me?"

Yumi grinned, both proud and a little shy. "Locke’s idea. But we all pitched in."

Evie’s eyes shimmered, her homesickness melting into something softer. "It’s perfect. It smells like home."

She hugged them all in turn, and for the first time in days, Evie’s smile looked real.

"Let’s eat," she said, voice warm and full again. "And next time... maybe warn me before you fight dinner?"

Yumi rubbed her head and smiled sheepishly, causing Locke to burst out laughing.

And together, they sat down to a meal that tasted like comfort — even if it had required a small poultry massacre to make it happen.

IH Phoenix Corp Turkey Shoot

The battlefield was finally settling — if you could call a field full of flattened crops, drifting feathers, and turkey carnage “settling.” The last gobbles had faded into pitiful gurgles, and the morning sun now shone upon the aftermath like a spotlight judging everyone involved.

Yumi trudged up to the men, scythe over her shoulder, breathing a bit heavier than normal, but visibly satisfied. Her clothes were a crime scene, and she looked like she’d bathed in a geyser of poultry blood.

But her expression?

Bright. Cheerful. Completely oblivious.

She approached Locke and Aramis with a spring in her step, raising a fist proudly.

"Sugoi!" she said, beaming. "That was freakin' AWESOME!"

She had not yet noticed the dripping, matte-red, horror-film coating most of her body; a soaking, congealing mosaic of turkey fluids.

Yumi held a blood-covered fist out toward them encouragingly.

"Victory fist bump!" she exclaimed.

A feather floating in the air landed on her cheek and stuck there in the muck.

IH Phoenix Corp Turkey Shoot

The crack of gunfire echoed through the air, signaling to Yumi that it was go-time. She carefully hooked the scythe onto her back as the last two of the pack neared the entrance of the kill zone, then jumped high to grab its feathers and pull herself up onto its back. She spotted a tree to the side, and her eyes widened as she glanced at the two Greatspurs running side-by-side, a crazy idea forming in her head.

I really need to stop watching so much anime…

The thought caused Yumi to first sigh in exasperation at her own plan, then grin in amusement at the fact that that was her first thought, despite the lack of Japanese animation in this world. She took a deep breath to steel herself before taking the leap.

Yumi twisted in midair as she jumped toward the tree, drawing her scythe as her feet touched the tree. Her knees bent as she let the momentum compress them, and for a brief moment, she sat crouched against the trunk, perfectly horizontal.

The bark beneath her feet splintered and shattered as Yumi launched explosively off the tree, straight toward the head of the turkey nearest her. She twisted in midair again, this time to strike the enormous bird in the temple feet-first.

The absurd look of shock on the face of a bird that size seemed to make time slow like in a cartoon. The first toppled over into the second, saliva spraying out of both of their beaks as their skulls collided together.

As they fell over on top of one another, Yumi hooked the blade of her scythe around the bottom one’s neck and crouched down, gathering energy in her legs once again. With a mighty grunt, she launched herself upward once again. She pulled on the scythe with all her might, severing both of their heads with one slice. As she landed back on the ground, the two decapitated birds collapsed behind her in the killzone entrance in a pile even the giant birds would have difficulty getting past.

IH Phoenix Corp Turkey Shoot

Image Reference

Meanwhile, Yumi was positively beside herself as she watched Aramis's predicament unfold. She was absolutely close enough to hear Aramis's voice crack, and though it damn near caused her to fall prone with laughter, she managed to keep herself standing as tears of mirth streamed down her face. As she wiped a few drops from her eyes, she decided he had suffered enough that she wouldn't bring it up to the others.

As the flock thundered past her hiding place, she gauged that perhaps there were a few too many following him. While they only needed a few for their surprise party, she reasoned that the guild would likely pay a handsome price for these creatures.

Still fighting off giggling fits, she burst out from her hiding spot and began severing the legs of the stragglers of the flock with her scythe, just far enough back that Aramis couldn't see her. The ferocity with which she severed the knees of her victims scared the rear of the flock enough for them to scatter, though the mage's most zealous fans were too focused on their prize to notice the situation behind them.

Yumi brought her scythe back to the low, ready position behind her and took off at a sprint behind the small horde trailing Aramis. The silly smirk on her face contrasted with the urgency with which she ran. It seemed that while she was clearly amused at the plight she had thrust him into, she was still quite concerned for his safety, and was doing the utmost to ensure he wasn't in too much danger.