開花

So I’ve been left with nothing but the clothes on my back and my wit. I don’t know how I’ve been able to eat all this time. But I’m a soldier. This is nothing beyond my capacity.

…Except for the fact that this entire “event” phenomena has gotten my head in a twist. This entire city’s confusing, but this whole “Tanabata” thing is perplexing, to say the least. If what I’m led to believe is true, there are multiple worlds from which everyone here came, all unique in their own right.

…Honestly, it’s an almost horrifying thought. What sort of godly power do those scientists have that girl then that ability? Will I be able to go home? These are the sort of things I wonder about as I work this job quietly. I’m meant to help affix wishes that were poorly tied back onto their “bamboo” shoots. If I do that enough, I get to eat for the night. That in itself is worth it.

This place may be foreign, but the justice I believe still resides within me——

"——Uh."

My people skills haven’t improved, clearly. Ever since coming, I’ve been side-eyeing people that don’t at all match up with the common looks back where I’m from. This fair-looking woman in front of me is no exception.

"Er, no, it’s fine. These aren’t my wishes, and most importantly, it’s my job. I can’t ask for help, otherwise the food is eat from my efforts here would taste rank."

Instead she would cant her head upwards, peering at the dangling wishes that had already been tied up, presumably by this male here. The light breeze swayed them slightly, yet they never offered to falter, indicating they were strong enough to withstand the elements, with some help of course. Her rather old style way of thinking often had her drifting off with these thoughts in mind, until her eyes returned to the black haired boy who had just uttered something about company. [ 桜 ]

"If you wish for conversation or company, you need only ask." [ 桜 ] Okita had no qualms with staying around and learning something, perhaps about her environment.  Sure, it wasnt eating or training, but everyone needed a break sometimes.

utatai/hanazakari, thought you might like this. I can’t read Japanese at all, but her Noble Phantasm’s B-rank, has a range of 1-50 meters, and can affect 1-200 people. If you’d like, I can get a friend to translate it roughly.

Sakura and I tried to come up with a list of questions that we didn’t see around very often, and we wanted to share! So, here it is, yet another character-building question meme.

Leave one of my characters and a number (or more) in my ask, and I will answer:

What foods do they love, and what foods do they refuse to eat?

What is their weapon of choice, and what weapon do they dislike using the most?

What is their preferred method of transportation?

Who did they look up to the most as a child? Who do they look up to as an adult?

What kind of weather makes them happy, and what kind makes them sad?

What languages do they speak? Do they have any idiosyncrasies or identifiable patterns of speech, word usages, etc?

What clothing do they like to wear, and what do they wear most often?

Do they eat a healthy diet? A varied one?

As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up? Did they realize their dream?

What makes them feel safe or secure? What makes them feel insecure or unsafe?

What do they do when they need comfort? Do they seek out a person, a food, an activity, etc?

Do they sing or play any musical instruments, even if just for fun? How well?

What decision in their past did they most analyze and fret over after the fact?

What are they like when they are drunk?

Where in their body do they keep stress or tension? 

What do they think about where they currently live? If they could move elsewhere, would they?

Do they have any pet peeves or petty dislikes, and how do they react to encountering them?

What foods do they eat most often? Do they enjoy it?

What is their favorite texture?

Do they like to travel? How do they pack and prepare?

How well do they take criticism? How do they react to others noticing their flaws?

What are they like when they get sick? Do they have a particular system (ears, lungs, etc) that illness gravitates to?

What is their favorite drink?

How do they react to being physically injured or undergoing medical treatment?

What do their hands look and feel like?

How much do they eat, and how often? Do they drink appetite suppressants (tea, coffee, etc)?

Do they have children? Do they want children? What names would they choose?

What is a gift that they have received that was especially touching or significant?

How do they arrange or decorate their living space? 

   Through exploration, the woman had located the old, rundown library in the district of Epsilon that she’d been instructed to live in. Claudia ensured her steps were careful, all in the hopes that she might avoid bumping into the endless piles of clutter that littered the library floor. If she were to trip over these deteriorating tomes, she was certain that something would break.

   “What a strange place to call home,” she muttered softly, undoubtedly out of breath. Typical, really – it’s not as though the illness had ever made anything easy for her.

   Chest heaving and muscles desperate for momentary reprieve, the sickly female took a tentative seat upon a pile of books that looked to be most sturdy. Her pitifully thin legs stretched out in front of her, while her hands ran up and down slender thighs, attempting to rub away the familiar ache that plagued them. Claudia mused quietly, head tilted as she brushed a thumb over a particularly bad cut on her knee. Brilliant, golden eyes looked over her pale flesh, already observing cuts and scrapes that would quickly become problematic if left untreated.

   Fearful that her body might suffer more damage, Claudia was eager to find her room, now more than ever, so that she could get some much needed rest.

   A soft grunt slipped passed the woman’s lips as she lifted her trembling body and attempted to stand steady on her feet. The moist air filled her lungs with each desperate breath, leaving her insides feeling strangely sticky. It was then, for a split second, dark spots colored her vision, clouding her line of sight — enough to leave the ill-fated woman completely disoriented.

   A hand shot forward, desperately grasping at a shelf for balance. For a moment, it held her firm. But, she gasped as the realization dawned on her far too late that it was suffering from intense decay. Crumbling beneath her touch, the wood fell away, and so did Claudia. Her small body tumbled forward, leaving her almost no time to react. Instinctively, slender arms crossed over her chest and she twisted so that she might fall on her side — finding a head wound to be much more terrifying than a potentially shattered shoulder.

   Lying on her side among scattered pages and disturbed dust, the pale female wailed pathetically as the disgusting mix of bile and iron filled her mouth. Hacking, Claudia curled up defensively, jolts of pain making their way down her slender form with each sharp cough. For several minutes she laid there, waiting for the agony to cease; shaken and cautious, she made no attempt to move.

   Distracted by the pain and sound of her own crippling affliction, the ill did not notice the creaking of the shelf behind her, nor was her attention caught when it started to tip forward ever so slightly. Even as volumes started to fall around her quivering body, nothing could distract her. It was not until a deep shadow cloaked her vision that she became aware of the impending danger.

Most found this city, being uprooted from their homes and lives, or afterlives, unpleasant; while there was no disagreeing about that, there was also no reason to go around demanding to be returned.  So, it was by the old proverb tsuno o tamete ushi o korosu, that she would abide for fear of tipping the situation on a even more dire direction.

What was troubling was the replacement of her weapon. What usually stood sturdy in her hand guarded hands, was replaced by a mere training aid that she would use on her students. It would certainly be rendered useless in any real battle; perhaps it would be a lesson in pacifism for the time being.

Speaking of which, there was a rather eerie sense in the area, too quiet to be considered normal, but maybe it was because of the library in which she stood next to. Normally quiet and areas of vast information, libraries were a thing to be revered; so said her innermost musings.  As she was imparted with such up to date information, she was quick to find the library being run down, and nearly empty to be downright odd.

Fingers would sweep against the large doors, already askew from previous entries. Contorting her body, the blonde made her way into the building, choosing not to call out. Dusty shelves, moldy walls, rats scurrying out of the soft rays of sunlight, a sleeve was brought to cover her nose and mouth as her body tried to adjust to the forsaken building. The sent of old musk was foreign to her, and placed her on edge -- the odd creaking not helping -- and the wooden sword she had been bequeathed did little to quell her uncertainty.

It was then that she heard it, the soft yelp and the dull thud that was usually attributed to a human body dropping to the ground. Right hand to the hilt on her left side, and her palm remained poised on it as she started to quicken her pace through the labyrinth of books.

Welcome to the hive, Saber clone 5318008!

You’ll be housed in district delta.

You’ll retain your magic resistance, and will be given a wooden sword.

Enjoy your stay!