#ruu

It should be illegal that I can just sketch on my phone in the same software I use on my main devices

How does one concentrate to work when they can just draw freely

this seemed quite fun and i realized i actually really wanted to fill one out. i unfortunately do not know the source of the chart itself :(

Wanderer!MC returning to Tsurumi Island after their hands have mostly healed.

And Capitano’s staying put this time because their tussle with the Thunderbird only gave them that one feather.

MC also doesn’t see any sense in letting the cyclic curse on Tsurumi Island drag on for the next handful of centuries until the Traveler arrives; so before they go back, they dedicate some time to “investigating” it’s history just so MC actually has a few sources to point towards if anyone asks. (As in, MC was tracking down descendants of people who actually left the island and recording their accounts; and they actually managed to find one of Kama’s folks working in Tatarasuna.)

Ruu is so happy to see that MC actually came back like they promised — since apparently the few visitors attempting to explore never came back after leaving — while MC is more or less bracing themself for a conversation about sacrificial ceremonies for the Thunderbird.

Ruu doesn’t believe MC at first, even after MC points out the countless times the ceremony has ended in failure.

Wanderer!MC: “How many times has this ceremony been done?”

Ruu: “Uh… Since way before I was even born?”

Wanderer!MC: “And each time…was Kapatcir ever happy with the sacrifices?”

No. No, she wasn’t. She was indifferent to it all. She never cared for those offerings or sacrifices in the first place, she just wanted somewhere to roost.

She wasn’t angry because the ceremony went wrong. She was angry because she lost a friend.

And it’s here that MC has the urge to facepalm. All of that shit happened because neither side was actually communicating with the other. Nobody thought to ask Kapatcir directly about what she wanted or didn’t want, and Kapatcir herself never said anything even when she knew the ceremonies were being done for her.

Kind of like how Ei never thought to ask what the Kabukimono actually wanted.

Just how many people died so gruesomely in these ceremonies? How many times has Ruu had to relive his own death?

After a minute, Ruu surprises MC by asking to be taken off of Tsurumi Island, to where Kapatcir currently is. They were expecting him to push through with the ceremony, even if it’s only one more attempt.

But, now that Ruu has asked…MC has another idea.

Wanderer!MC: “Ruu…have you ever seen a sunrise?”

MC hasn’t touched any of the Thunderbird’s perches, so the ley line disorder remains “stable” in a strange and roundabout way. Once the perches are destroyed, the chaotic disorder will actually begin stabilizing, bringing the cycle to one final catastrophe.

If the feather is what’s sustaining Ruu until he sings for Kapatcir, why not take him away for a little sightseeing before then?

Ruu: “Big sis, are we going somewhere else?”

Wanderer!MC: “Just a little detour.”

MC takes him to visit the main islands of Inazuma, and gets to watch him take in all the sights — from the Mikage Furnace in Tatarasuna, to the Grand Narukami Shrine on Narukami, and even the Sangonomiya Shrine on Watatsumi. Though, they could only view the last one from afar. MC doesn’t think the locals will appreciate a Raiden Shogun lookalike on their turf.

They make one final pit stop at the Asase Shrine so Ruu can play with the cats.

Ruu: “Hey, big sis?”

Wanderer!MC: “Hm?”

Ruu: “…You’re pretty bad at staying away from people’s problems.” 😅 “You act tough and grumpy like you don’t care, and you could have minded your own business…but, you went out of your way to tell me how I could fix the disaster, took me to see the other islands outside of the fog, and I got to see a real sunrise for the first time. You even cooked really tasty food for me to try.” ☺️

For a moment, MC considers stealing him away for good. Keep the feather close and tight, so he can stay as long as possible — but the power contained in the feather might not last.

Wanderer!MC: “Maybe I just think reliving your own death to be a pitiful existence.”

Ruu: “Haha, you’re not wrong about that.” 😅

Eventually, they do leave the shrine so Ruu can sing for Kapatcir and lift the curse.

And once they return to Tsurumi Island, MC stays with Ruu inside Mt Kanna when his spirit starts to fade into the ley lines.

Ruu: “Big sis? You really should lighten up more. You’re way too pretty to be getting frown lines.” 🤭

Wanderer!MC: 😒 (Rascal.) “What are you worried about that for? It’s not like someone wants to paint my portrait.”

Ruu: “I just think your smile is really nice. If there is a next life for me, I’d like to see you smile more.” 😊

Wanderer!MC: (…If there is a next life for you, I hope it’ll be a peaceful one.)

Ruu: “I’m getting pretty tired… Good night, big sis.”

Wanderer!MC: “…Good night, Ruu.”

MC stays sitting on the ground where Ruu was leaning on them—

—until MC takes off their sandal and yeets it at the group watching them.

Wanderer!MC: “I know you’re there, you buncha stalkers.” 😑

Niwa: “Can you blame us when you didn’t return after so long…?” 🙂‍↕️

Nagamasa: “Exactly! We thought something might have happened to you.” 😤

Katsuragi: 😵‍💫 <- Unfortunate soul who received the sandal bonk

Capitano: 🫢 <- keeping quiet to make himself unnoticeable

Wanderer!MC: “I see you, Thrain.” 💢

Capitano: 😬 “Ah…”

☝️You’d think the first three learned the first time they eavesdropped on MC, but apparently not.

[Later that night]

Nagamasa: “[MC]… Are you okay?”

Wanderer!MC: “…Why wouldn’t I be okay?” <- stoic, but genuinely upset about Ruu and Tsurumi Island’s bloody history

Nagamasa: “…Never mind, I shouldn’t be keeping you. You’ve had a long few days. Take next week off.”

MC goes to bed that night, keeping the feather close on the nightstand.

Oh my gosh... Wanderer!MC helped Ruu move on! But best of all, they showed him so many places and even the sunrise before doing so! I'm so happy Ruu got that chance, he deserved it so badly...🥹

But lol! The stalker gang! And poor Katsuragi getting the scandal bonk!🤣

Even Capitano isn't getting out of Wanderer!MC's scolding and that's just hilarious! ...But I am worry about Wanderer!MC. I do hope they bounce back after all that with Ruu... they probably even went to hug Yuki after getting back home as well... cause they imagined a 'what if', like what if Yuki had been in that kind of situation?