Springtime Blues
- Thread starter rissa
- Start date
Aomori | Tōhoku | Japan —— March 13th, 2071
A wish for spring, a wish for blue, a wish for you.
NONAKA HIMAWARI | 1st | LUCKY+
Winter came and winter went, leaving in its a wake a chilly twang that refused to leave. The sun peeked from behind the clouds every so often, basking warmth across the cold concrete and patches of green all throughout the city. Eventually she'd grow shy once again and retreat behind the steel grey wash that had become the sky. She'd yet to reveal herself this morning, as a light drizzle blanketed the area, not enough to cause a fuss, but enough to dampen the sidewalk, water the flowers growing in the dirt patches all across Aomori, and make it slippery to walk inside.
Nonaka Himawari slid three feet or so upon entering Hotel Hollyco, no traction against the smooth and polished surface of the entry tile.
I've got to stop scrubbing this so well. Someone'll break their neck one of these days.
Himawari changed into her slippers and took off to the employees lounge, feet tap-tap-tapping up a musical storm as she practically flew down the hallway. She sang out a konnichiwa greeting as she burst through the doors, eyes closed as she spun around in a little shindig, chanting as she did.
"New member! New member! New member on the team! We're addin' a plus one, baby! PLUS ONE! PLUS ONE! PLUS ONE! And I hear she's a former Lycoris! She didn't even start out in Hollyhock— wait, that's not normal is it? EEEEEE. We've got us a special one coming team! We gotta get this place in tip-top shape so I can give her the—" A bit dizzy, Himawari stumbled backwards into the door, softly, grinning wildly. She stopped suddenly though and in shock to find the new transfer standing right in front of her. The poor thing looked confused, maybe even a bit startled, so Himawari ran and gave her a hug.
"Welcome to Hotel Hollyco! You're Ito Akemi, right? Right? That's what I read in your file anyways. It's nice to meet you," Himari said, pulling out of the hug to bow and introduce herself. "Nonaka Himawari. Hollycock of the 1st Order at your service."
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ITO AKEMI | 2nd | GRAVITY+/-
Ito Akemi, master swordsman and gifted individual, was enjoying the quiet hike up to Hotel Hollyco. She took in the sights and signs of the spring season to come, and found herself feeling nostalgic for the quiet of winter.
However, it had started to drizzle, and so she quickened her pace, not wanting to arrive soaked and disheveled. She loved the rain, and the earthy cold smell it brought, but she'd been taught to always meet new people looking your best. Her mode of dress was samurai-like, to say the least, but it's just what she found herself comfortable in. The most important part of her ensemble was the haori she wore, cream-colored with a stylized komakusa flower embroidered with shimmering gold thread upon the back.
Reaching the front steps of the Hotel, she removed her boots at the employee threshold and exchanged them for a pair of slippers that had been placed inside a cubby with her name on it.
They're quick to give me a place here, Akemi mentally noted, and found herself pleased at the sight of the establishment's cleanliness and sleek floors.
Not too far down the hall, she could hear a commotion. She waited for a moment, a gloved hand resting upon the sheath of her katana, subtly ready to draw with the other. She leaned slowly out of the foyer, finding that the racket was coming from a room not too far away. Against her better judgment, she let herself in without being greeted, and made her way towards the loudness.
And then she found that loudness wrapping its arms around her, and squeezing so tightly, and then suddenly the girl bowed to her. Akemi raised her brows a fraction of an inch.
This is insane. I'm not sure I can keep up with this. Her.
Akemi felt the ends of her hair raising. Literally. She took a deep breath to ground herself, and pulled the hems of her brown leather gloves to bring the fabric tighter to her skin.
She looked the girl up and down, observing and analyzing.
"I'm surprised. I thought you'd be taller. And quieter." She spoke after a few long and silent moments.
She hadn't needed an introduction to know all of the necessary things about Nonaka Himawari. She'd studied her file intensely. But Nonaka didn't need to know that. Or why.
"You're correct, though. I am Ito Akemi, Hollyhock of Second Order. You can call me Ito." She spoke after a long pause, "Where can I put my things? I'd like to settle in and get started with work as soon as possible." She spoke, once again resting her hand on her katana, piercing gold eyes holding steady like an apex predator upon Himawari.
However, it had started to drizzle, and so she quickened her pace, not wanting to arrive soaked and disheveled. She loved the rain, and the earthy cold smell it brought, but she'd been taught to always meet new people looking your best. Her mode of dress was samurai-like, to say the least, but it's just what she found herself comfortable in. The most important part of her ensemble was the haori she wore, cream-colored with a stylized komakusa flower embroidered with shimmering gold thread upon the back.
Reaching the front steps of the Hotel, she removed her boots at the employee threshold and exchanged them for a pair of slippers that had been placed inside a cubby with her name on it.
They're quick to give me a place here, Akemi mentally noted, and found herself pleased at the sight of the establishment's cleanliness and sleek floors.
Not too far down the hall, she could hear a commotion. She waited for a moment, a gloved hand resting upon the sheath of her katana, subtly ready to draw with the other. She leaned slowly out of the foyer, finding that the racket was coming from a room not too far away. Against her better judgment, she let herself in without being greeted, and made her way towards the loudness.
And then she found that loudness wrapping its arms around her, and squeezing so tightly, and then suddenly the girl bowed to her. Akemi raised her brows a fraction of an inch.
This is insane. I'm not sure I can keep up with this. Her.
Akemi felt the ends of her hair raising. Literally. She took a deep breath to ground herself, and pulled the hems of her brown leather gloves to bring the fabric tighter to her skin.
She looked the girl up and down, observing and analyzing.
"I'm surprised. I thought you'd be taller. And quieter." She spoke after a few long and silent moments.
She hadn't needed an introduction to know all of the necessary things about Nonaka Himawari. She'd studied her file intensely. But Nonaka didn't need to know that. Or why.
"You're correct, though. I am Ito Akemi, Hollyhock of Second Order. You can call me Ito." She spoke after a long pause, "Where can I put my things? I'd like to settle in and get started with work as soon as possible." She spoke, once again resting her hand on her katana, piercing gold eyes holding steady like an apex predator upon Himawari.
NONAKA HIMAWARI | 1st | LUCKY+
One moment Himawari was there, staring up at Ito with wide blinking eyes and a smile that could break hearts. The next she was standing atop a chair, two heads taller than Ito Akemi and yet mere inches from her face. Her eyes looked misty and ready to fill with tears. "Ito, please, work?! I haven't even given you the tour yet! Ito, that-that'll take like three whole days! Also y-you haven't even met Genki! Or Otome!"
"Quite rude, Ito, if you ask me, rushin' in to work without stopping to smell the flowers! Or saying hello to your boss and coworkers! Hmph." Himari crossed her arms over chest and stepped down from the chair, shaking her head solemnly, eyes closed. She peeked one of them open to gauge her reaction before continuing on. "Also I simply. SIMPLY. Must see your manipulation. Keiko said it was really pretty but nasty and I SIMPLY cannot let that stand. So you've got to show me so I can go back to headquarters and punch her in the face without getting written up."
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ITO AKEMI | 2nd | GRAVITY+/-
Akemi stood there, rigid and listening to Himawari. Unblinking. Determining wether or not she actually wanted to continue the mission assigned to her. There was only one person she actually needed to meet here, and it was neither of the people Himawari had listed.
Clenching her fists at her side, as tightly as she could, unused to anyone getting in her face like this, or really coming near her at all, Akemi took a small breath through her nose, only loosing the breath as her superior stepped off the chair. Akemi steeled herself for another confusing tirade, sweeping her hair behind one ear.
But regardless of how immediately confusing and irritating Himawari was, she happened to be correct about Akemi's rudeness.
"Right, a tour-" Akemi closed her mouth as Himawari mentioned wanting to see her ability. It surprised her, to say the least, to be asked so squarely about it. Most people heard rumors of the disastrous and sudden development of her ability mid-combat with other young lycoris agents, severely wounding herself and others, and then the following training with Nobunaga. Typically, people steered clear of asking her about the ability. They didn't want to know, and didn't seem to realize that she had a much better handle on it now. She had her mentor to thank for that.
Akemi let her hands relax a little, but she slowly brought them up to tug at the ends of them, needing the tightness to calm her nerves a she kept her facial features still and unreadable.
"Sure. I guess I don't mind showing you. There's a basement built here for training manipulations, right? I read up on the place, and I recall that being an amenity. I'd rather show you in a safe space- I can be destructive on bad days. Wouldn't want to send the place flying into the stratosphere on my first day." She gave Himawari a grim half-smile.
Clenching her fists at her side, as tightly as she could, unused to anyone getting in her face like this, or really coming near her at all, Akemi took a small breath through her nose, only loosing the breath as her superior stepped off the chair. Akemi steeled herself for another confusing tirade, sweeping her hair behind one ear.
But regardless of how immediately confusing and irritating Himawari was, she happened to be correct about Akemi's rudeness.
"Right, a tour-" Akemi closed her mouth as Himawari mentioned wanting to see her ability. It surprised her, to say the least, to be asked so squarely about it. Most people heard rumors of the disastrous and sudden development of her ability mid-combat with other young lycoris agents, severely wounding herself and others, and then the following training with Nobunaga. Typically, people steered clear of asking her about the ability. They didn't want to know, and didn't seem to realize that she had a much better handle on it now. She had her mentor to thank for that.
Akemi let her hands relax a little, but she slowly brought them up to tug at the ends of them, needing the tightness to calm her nerves a she kept her facial features still and unreadable.
"Sure. I guess I don't mind showing you. There's a basement built here for training manipulations, right? I read up on the place, and I recall that being an amenity. I'd rather show you in a safe space- I can be destructive on bad days. Wouldn't want to send the place flying into the stratosphere on my first day." She gave Himawari a grim half-smile.
NONAKA HIMAWARI | 1st | LUCKY+
"Eeeeeee!" Himari squealed softly, doing a little jig before grabbing Ito's hand and rushing out of the employee lounge. She took them further down the hallway and turned left at the end, and then took a right at the end of the second hallway, bursting through the doors and taking the steps down two at a time.
"They don't send me anyone to have fun with! EVER! But now they sent me you and YOU HAVE ONE OF THE COOLEST MANIPULATIONS I'VE EVER HEARD OF EEEEEE!"
The pair dashed down three sets of staircases, went through another door and down another two sets of staircases before finally entering the reinforced and sound-proof basement. There was a gun range off to the side where Himawari could 'keep her skills sharp' and test out new ammunition created by ex-Lycoris Otome.
Himawari led Ito to the center of the large space and then waited, bouncing on her toes.
"Okay! Show me! I actually hope you send us to the stratosphere. Hehe!"
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ITO AKEMI | 2nd | GRAVITY+/-
Akemi held in the urge to yank her hand from Himawari's. The girl was bold, and maybe a bit jarring. Akemi didn't mind boldness, but she'd never experienced anyone as quickly accepting as Himawari seemed to be, and it simply surprised her.
Shaking off the initial repulsion of being violently hugged, talked to, and then taken by the hand to run, Akemi started memorizing the halls and staircases, noting every possible route of escape, and mapping the place in her head. It being a construction of Lycoris and Hollyhock nature meant that there was going to be a lot more to it than met the eyes. The safe houses Akemi stayed in alway had several forms of escape, and about a million different hiding places. Of course, none of them would be obvious, so Akemi made a mental note to explore the place on her own when no one would be awake. She didn't sleep much, so that wouldn't be a problem.
Akemi almost pulled one glove off to let herself float behind Himawari. The girl was fast. She wondered how Himawari had managed to stay so cheerful, given their line of work.
Stepping into the center of the space, and taking a moment to analyze it with sharp, trained senses. With a deep inhale, she took Himawari by the shoulders and moved her to the side of the room.
"You don't seem to be the type with a fear of heights. Tell me if I'm wrong, though." She said, walking back to the center.
Her heart always raced a bit when she had to remove her gloves, and this moment was no different. She squeezed both hands once before pulling the leather garments off and tucking them into the pocket of her pants, stretching her bare hands at her sides and secretly enjoying the feeling of air hitting her skin. Her hands were slender, but strong. They had callouses and scars from years of training and actual fights. Three of the fingers on her left hand were bandaged, the tips of them achey from having lost the fingernails on a recent mission. She cringed at the thought of it, and then shook herself free of nerves as she briefly reciting a simple line of meditation. Regardless of the context of a situation, if she was going to be using her ability, she recited the line. She had to, otherwise she felt off balance.
Taking hold of her katana's sheath in her right hand, and the hilt in her left, Akemi inhaled. On her exhale, she drew her blade with a terrifying and silent speed. Her target was one of the humanoid dummies sitting stationary on the other side of the room. The moment her blade touched the air, there was the sound of her clothes ruffling. No sound of racing footsteps as she moved in to attack the stationary dummy. Just a rustle of clothes, the sound of metal slicing through canvas and sand, and the thud of the dummy hitting the ground, split into two clean halves. One moment she was at the center of the room, the next, she was standing on the ceiling above and behind the dummy. To a well-trained eye, one would've seen her lunge forwards, and fall towards her target, and then push herself up into the air gently before landing on the ceiling. Her hair and clothes didn't hang down as it should've been while standing upside down. She looked composed, as if she were standing upright on the ground. But for Akemi, the ceiling washer ground.
Akemi glanced over to Himawari, sheathing her blade and remaining on the ceiling.
"Gravity manipulation." She stated, as if it were obvious.
Shaking off the initial repulsion of being violently hugged, talked to, and then taken by the hand to run, Akemi started memorizing the halls and staircases, noting every possible route of escape, and mapping the place in her head. It being a construction of Lycoris and Hollyhock nature meant that there was going to be a lot more to it than met the eyes. The safe houses Akemi stayed in alway had several forms of escape, and about a million different hiding places. Of course, none of them would be obvious, so Akemi made a mental note to explore the place on her own when no one would be awake. She didn't sleep much, so that wouldn't be a problem.
Akemi almost pulled one glove off to let herself float behind Himawari. The girl was fast. She wondered how Himawari had managed to stay so cheerful, given their line of work.
Stepping into the center of the space, and taking a moment to analyze it with sharp, trained senses. With a deep inhale, she took Himawari by the shoulders and moved her to the side of the room.
"You don't seem to be the type with a fear of heights. Tell me if I'm wrong, though." She said, walking back to the center.
Her heart always raced a bit when she had to remove her gloves, and this moment was no different. She squeezed both hands once before pulling the leather garments off and tucking them into the pocket of her pants, stretching her bare hands at her sides and secretly enjoying the feeling of air hitting her skin. Her hands were slender, but strong. They had callouses and scars from years of training and actual fights. Three of the fingers on her left hand were bandaged, the tips of them achey from having lost the fingernails on a recent mission. She cringed at the thought of it, and then shook herself free of nerves as she briefly reciting a simple line of meditation. Regardless of the context of a situation, if she was going to be using her ability, she recited the line. She had to, otherwise she felt off balance.
Taking hold of her katana's sheath in her right hand, and the hilt in her left, Akemi inhaled. On her exhale, she drew her blade with a terrifying and silent speed. Her target was one of the humanoid dummies sitting stationary on the other side of the room. The moment her blade touched the air, there was the sound of her clothes ruffling. No sound of racing footsteps as she moved in to attack the stationary dummy. Just a rustle of clothes, the sound of metal slicing through canvas and sand, and the thud of the dummy hitting the ground, split into two clean halves. One moment she was at the center of the room, the next, she was standing on the ceiling above and behind the dummy. To a well-trained eye, one would've seen her lunge forwards, and fall towards her target, and then push herself up into the air gently before landing on the ceiling. Her hair and clothes didn't hang down as it should've been while standing upside down. She looked composed, as if she were standing upright on the ground. But for Akemi, the ceiling washer ground.
Akemi glanced over to Himawari, sheathing her blade and remaining on the ceiling.
"Gravity manipulation." She stated, as if it were obvious.
NONAKA HIMAWARI | 1st | LUCKY+
"Aha!" Himari cried, clapping her hands wildly and staring up at Ito. "That's incredible. I just barely saw you fall before you whizzed out of sight."
Himawari dashed to the training dummy, inspecting the damage. The slice was sharp, sleek, with barely any hiccups or fraying in the canvas that she could see. Ito Akemi's blade was sharp. Himawari approved, though she'd need her to dial it back a bit when working here in Aomori. Hotel Hollyco— and she by extension, hung in the balance between inconspicuous and conspicuous, drawing a sizable crowd to the ryokan to pay its own bills, as well as extra income for the retired agents who eventually make their way here. They— or more correctly, she —preferred not to kill.
It was an antithesis to what Yatagarasu stood for, but Himawari did not care.
She did what she wanted and what she wanted to do was help.
"Do it again," Himari cried upwards, "I would like to see how our powers react."
Himawari figured there'd be a myriad of different outcomes, one more weird or inscrutable than the other, but the sooner they worked it out, the sooner they'd be able to work side-by-side, without injury or harm. Her ability was an enigma, an antithesis to the norm— if there ever could be one, in regards to the manipulations of those like her and Ito Akemi. Hollyhock was a co-ed institution, though they still separated the boys from the girls, especially at younger ages. Whatever it was that allowed them to manipulate forces beyond normal control was still a mystery, but it was not limited to any one gender or sex.
How her luck would react to Ito's gravity was a mystery, one that could decide now and change again later.
She loved it and she hated it, the inability to manipulate the manipulation. In most ways it acted on it's own accord, reacting to threats, enabling depth to a manipulation or boosting it higher. Her own or the others around her, those her heart cared for.
"Just do it!" Himari called dramatically, hands on her hips, waiting for her new impressive partner to get on with it.
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- Available as all hell, but intensely paralyzed by ADHD
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- Adept
- Preferred Character Gender
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- Female
- Primarily Prefer Female
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- High Fantasy, Modern/Urban Fantasy, Sci-fi, Historical
ITO AKEMI | 2nd | GRAVITY+/-
Akemi, still standing on the cieling, tightened her grip on her sword. Himawari was unorthodox, to say the least.
"You know they sent me here to learn how to stop harming others, right?" She spoke, her words revealing what seemed like a hint of unease.
Akemi narrowed her eyes at Himawari, seeing that she was still serious and determined to experiment. Is this what it was going to be like working here? Akemi had things to do, and she wasn't so sure this was the best use of time. She watched Himawari for a moment while she considered, tilting her head slightly. The only way this would be a useful test, is if it were Himawari's way of trying to form battle strategy ahead of time. And that was something Akemi could get behind.
She sighed, "Fine."
Akemi showed no signs of readying an attack, not wanting to hold back for Himawari's sake. If they were going to figure out how their abilities clased or worked together, it would need to be done so at full potential. Akemi dropped down suddenly, changing how gravity worked for her, but while in mid-air, she changed it again, and fell towards the wall, which she hit silently wit her feet before launching herself again at Himawari, changing gravity once more to give herself speed and a more powerful swing of her sword, which was coming in hot, and perfectly aimed at Himawari's chest.
"You know they sent me here to learn how to stop harming others, right?" She spoke, her words revealing what seemed like a hint of unease.
Akemi narrowed her eyes at Himawari, seeing that she was still serious and determined to experiment. Is this what it was going to be like working here? Akemi had things to do, and she wasn't so sure this was the best use of time. She watched Himawari for a moment while she considered, tilting her head slightly. The only way this would be a useful test, is if it were Himawari's way of trying to form battle strategy ahead of time. And that was something Akemi could get behind.
She sighed, "Fine."
Akemi showed no signs of readying an attack, not wanting to hold back for Himawari's sake. If they were going to figure out how their abilities clased or worked together, it would need to be done so at full potential. Akemi dropped down suddenly, changing how gravity worked for her, but while in mid-air, she changed it again, and fell towards the wall, which she hit silently wit her feet before launching herself again at Himawari, changing gravity once more to give herself speed and a more powerful swing of her sword, which was coming in hot, and perfectly aimed at Himawari's chest.
NONAKA HIMAWARI | 1st | LUCKY+
To Ito, Himari looked bored.
She stood in the center of the massive empty room, hands on her hips, eyes closed. She could've been asleep on her feet, the slight sway in her stance fluid and loose. Himawari did not react until the blade was mere inches from the center of her chest. A shimmer of gold surrounded the both of them and in ecstasy, Himawari threw her hands up and danced, feeling the luck surge within her. After her tour jeté Himawari glanced over, having forgot the reason she asked Ito to come after her.
The gold fragments of her manipulation— the sparkly traces only manipulators could see —mingled with Ito's, glittering and crackling with static-like energy. It seemed like a surge. Both good and bad. The golden static typically meant a stun, though something was definitely happening with Akemi's powers: it seemed as though Himari's luck had buffed her gravity into something stronger and something Himawari had never seen— nor heard —Ito do.
Throwing her hands up and running towards her new partner, Himari said in a devious tone: "Let's do that again."
