Akako Akari

Tap. Tap. The silence in the room was shattered; the light knock drew Akako’s attention from the backwards twin she stared at with lipstick in hand. With a slow intake of breath, Akako replaced the cap of the lipstick and placed it in its respective spot. She lifted her chin, as she gazed through the reflection to the dark hardwood door behind her, clear across the room. Within the reflection, it was clear that the daiyokai had finished her makeup; however something else had been done to her appearance. Normally black eyes with golden pupils had been enchanted and so her eyes were molten gold with narrowed black pupils. “Enter.”, came the vixen’s voice in a low melodic timbre. One of her feline familiars, Ayame, pushed through the door, her gaze cast down. The gray tabby knelt and bowed her head. The plush carpet was inviting, but there was no way the familiar would linger on such a thing with The Lady of the Void in the room. The nogitsune slowly turned in her seat to peer over her shoulder at the girl crouched by the door. Ayame remained with her gaze cast down as she spoke clearly, sure her voice would carry across the room to the vixen. “She has summoned you, m’lady.” The feline’s ears twitched delicately as she listened for Akako’s response. There was a slight scratch of the chair sliding back and Ayame bit down on her bottom lip. Surely she hadn’t said anything offensive. Akako-sama was Red’s familiar after all… surely there would be no repercussions to taking orders from the psion. There was a glint just out of Ayame’s line of sight and so the feline lifted her eyes just enough to peek at what had caught her attention. The feline’s ears swiveled and pressed back against her skull as she caught the vixen’s feet clad in nude strappy heels. Then she realized what had glistened and captured her notice. Falling around the vixen were bright silver jewels, embedded in sheer fabric. The gown was unlike anything she had ever seen on the vixen and certainly paired well with the nine white tails that shimmered as they floated aimlessly. “Ayame, stand. We will go to her now. This One is ready.” There was no anger in the kitsune’s voice. Rather there was no emotion at all. It was what Ayame was used to and so the feline sighed in relief. Ayame hurried to her feet and looked at Akako in her entirety. She was starlit and looked like a vision of moonlight on a dancing tide. An ornate silver half mask adorned the vixen’s face. Her long white locks were knotted in an elegant fishtail that draped over her shoulder. Her lips were painted matte in greyish-taupe. The ethereal beauty looked like something out of a storybook, shiny and bright. The feline stared a moment longer before nodding and turning out the door for the daiyokai to follow. ___ ___ ___ The duo made their way to the main entrance in silence. All that could be heard was the light shuffling of fabric and patter of foot falls and the steady click of heels on marbled floors. With Akako’s financing, the palace had been crafted with lavish tastes in mind. If the Blood God were to ever step foot here, he would likely appreciate the refined decorations and finely crafted details that were etched into the walls, painting on vaulted ceilings. The place exuded the feel of royalty and there was a tinge of magic in the air as well; a hint of a secret door that led to Akako’s true estate. Pausing as the Scarlett Baroness came into view; Ayame bowed her head and retreated in the opposite direction. Akako’s gaze followed the feline a moment longer before she turned her attention to her. A whisper of a smile curled the woman’s lips as her eyes drank in the tall blond. With a huff of impatience, Akako closed the distance and reached out to brush her fingers over Red’s knuckles in a reassuring gesture. After all, the woman was going to be crowned Queen. Akako could smell the nervousness on the woman. It was muted by excitement, but Akako knew Red better than anyone and knew what this meant to her doppleganger. “Are you ready?” @Red the Ambivalent

Everyone take your time. I haven't had that writing itch over the last few weeks... soooooo.... yes.

A slender woman with a chin length bob knelt, her face downcast as her voice came in a demure lilt. Her white hair hid her face for the most part, but the violet eyed demoness didn’t need her eyes to see her leader. Her forked tongue tasted the air as she felt the vixen’s unmistakable presence and the feel of her yoki soothing down her spine as she shifted in her seat. “Akako-sama, there’s a rumor about an uprising in Ursa Madeum. A traveling merchant from Taen was the source and his reputation is very high amongst various other travelers and town folk.” Akako leaned forward, her elbow resting on her knee, her chin falling into her awaiting fingers as she watched the white serpent with little to no outward expression, though there was a curious glint in her eyes as she processed the information. “Hn… Send a rider to Predator’s Keep and Patia. This One will be going undercover to confirm.” “Yes m’lady.” With her orders given, Aiyoku stood and hinged at her hips to bow deeply to the lounging kitsune before straightening and making her retreat. _ _ _ The velvet curtains opened with a flourish revealing an ebony haired beauty with bright blue eyes and ivory skin. Her cheeks were flushed pink, lips a similar color though darker. She was dressed in a simple white sun dress, though it had seen better days. The girl was barefoot and notably dirty; however it looks as though someone had attempted to make her mildly more presentable by brushing her hair and cleaning her face. Her knees and feet had been left neglected and the bruises and dirt were enough indication of that. The only thing that seemed to be in perfect condition was a black choker with a small red stone. “The bidding will start at five ounces of Rhodium.” She was certain that they didn’t know she could hear them through the silly glass panel. She was also sure that they didn’t realize she could see them. Her gaze wandered to her feet to play her role as she should. Her illusion was perfect. Her eyes were wider, lips slightly less pouty than her true form, and the angles of her face had been softened. In addition to the change of eye color, the demoness looked nothing like the rumored Queen of Yokai. “Sold! For twenty-two ounces of Rhodium!” Akako’s gaze lifted a fraction to see the ruler of Ursa Madeum at the window watching her with a less than savory expression. Rather than allowing her eyes to linger to give herself away, Akako let those bright blue orbs wander the glass with a concerned expression. Practiced tears welled in her eyes and she quickly lifted the back of her right hand to wipe her eyes. Simple men… _ _ _ “Lazuli!” “Yes, sir?” Akako rose from her vanity, ready for the evening that she was paid for. Her long black tresses fell in waves down her spine and to the small of her back. They had provided a dress made of deep violet chiffon that fell in an empire line and was cinched at the waist with a gold belt. The way it fell on her shoulders accentuated the lines of her collar bone and the delicacy of her slender neck. Her eyes had been framed in black while her lips painted in gold. She was a vision and looked very much the part of a royal’s whore. “Have you received instruction from the head mistress?” “Yes, sir.” “Very well… follow me.” _ _ _ The vixen was knelt, facing the door, her hands folded on her lap when that familiar scent of burning ozone graced her senses. Her brows drew together and she turned her head to peer over her shoulder. A blinding light shone from the mirror and suddenly the woman wasn’t alone. Quick to her feet, Akako turned towards the intruder her chin lifted, eyes narrowed.

Frank... For real?!

Of course you'd quit. Quitter.

The city built anew moved slowly by as the pair of women casually walked. So much work had been put into rebuilding homes and walls, however there was a sort of stillness at night that there hadn’t been before. Lights flickered in the many homes that were still inhabited, but there were an equal amount, if not more, that perpetuated the dark. Akako knew that those homes were for the most part, empty. The lingering scent of death and blood hadn’t quite left no matter how many times the sky opened up and the heavens wept. No soap, no chemical, no spell could completely erase that residue that told a story of war and misery. Anguish that should have been more or less stifled after the months of rebuilding, yet the feeling remained. Even Red was marred with that ugly emotion that added to the already soured quality of the air. It brought heaviness to the vixen’s chest, her beating heart tripping over the lump in her throat as the sorrow leaked into her impassive soul. Humans, monsters, the scent of salt in the air from the millions of tears that had fallen, a melancholy setting where shadows reached for the feet of the woman that continued forward. However something bright within the vixen and the psion, a small flickering light that still made the sun seem dark, chased away the darkness that lurked with promising intent. While the shadows were stubborn in their quest to drag Red into the pits of despair, Akako remained steadfast in her desire to help Red heal. They stepped into her room, the kitsune remaining quiet, allowing Red to work through her emotions. Her crimson gaze turned to Red’s face as she silently wept. Akako’s hand that gripped Red’s elbow loosened and she slipped that hand down to grasp the Baroness’s, her fingers weaving through hers. They remained side by side for a long moment of silence before Red broke the quiet, her voice sturdy that showed her resilience. Akako’s chin lifted, a proud glint in her eyes, but it was too soon for Red to try to force those feelings aside. “Please do not thank me. I would be here for lesser things… you know this.” Akako moved to face Red, her free hand reaching up to brush tears away, her gaze softened. “Have I ever not been there when you needed someone?” There was a gentle curl to Akako’s lips as she offered a small, but genuine smile to her closest friend. Pulling her hand away from Red’s cheek, Akako’s nose twitched and she realized in that moment that Red’s scent was purer. Her brows furrowed and she leaned in unintentionally and lightly sniffed the air again. The slow scent of rot was gone. Akako’s eyes widened a fraction before they lifted to look at Red. “You’re…” Part of Akako wondered if now was the time to ask, but she had to know. The one thing that Akako feared the most by becoming close with Red was her humanity. The woman was mortal while Akako was not. One day, Red would grow gray and wrinkled, while Akako would retain her ethereal beauty. Now, that had changed, but how? “Red, you aren’t dying.” Despite herself, Akako felt her heart lurch and it was an uncomfortable thing. Red would live. The wall that sealed the vixen’s heart cracked even more, nearly shattered, however the flood still came. Unbidden tears sprung into her eyes, the vixen’s hand tightening around Red’s. “This One will not be alone. I will always have you.” It wasn’t spoken between their link. It was a thought that Akako kept to herself as a few tears rolled down her cheeks as shock settled in her gut. Would Red be joyful or feel the burden of eternity? Akako nearly regretted it for the psion’s sake. Immortality was a lonely thing, however as long as Akako lived, she would be Red’s shield and sword.

Tendrils of her power reached like fingertips to brush over his bottom lip before coiling around him in an embrace. It was the best Kimi could do seeing as they wouldn’t have any time alone for a while yet. It was unfortunate because the look in his eye ignited something within her and her chest squeezed painfully around it. Koji’s response in his native tongue only stoked the flame and she shivered as the thrum of his voice trailed down her spine. The vixen’s grasp on the crook of his arm tightened and she edged closer still, practically leaning against him as they walked at the languid pace. Their stroll gave the impression that they belonged here, they owned this plot of land. Kimi was of the mind that Koji owned all. He was above everything and everyone. A God among men and somehow she had been blessed to be his earthly bride. “Si mi petranasgarh sjek si mi svaklar wux re, sia Ith.”, Kimi responded softly, her scarlet gaze turning forward as they entered the forest. A boisterous character of made of nearly nothing but bone chattered loudly. It was enough to earn a side-long glance from the young vixen, however he didn’t interest her enough to make any comment to his wild antics that included reciting numerals in doubled increments. Instead of focusing on the lich, Kimi sniffed the air lightly and sorted through the plethora of aromas that she caught. As Kenchi bit into his apple, a sudden waft of sweetness assailed her senses and Kimi turned her attention his way. She knew he was similar to her; however she had never seen him hunt. Part of her wondered if hanyou could take their true form to do as much. It was also abundantly clear that his sight was lacking and she regretted not taking more time to speak to him before. He seemed to be close to her Lord and yet she felt as if he were a stranger. Part of her missed her brother in that moment. She had always had a pack mate and now she was left without. Dragons were lone creatures; however dogs, this hanyou might understand her instinct and bond over it. There was a sudden sensation that they were not alone and Kimi lifted her chin, pupils narrowing, ears swiveling, and nose twitching. Her brows furrowed as her gaze slowly turned and scanned their surroundings. It was then that she felt a familiar touch of demonic energy and she knew exactly what it was. The group was surrounded by demonic trees called Jubokko. Fortunately nothing would come of it unless someone was to spill blood, however it was unnerving. “Sia Ith, hemata skjalli...” It was a gentle warning that was spoken in a soft whisper. There was no worry that her Lord would at all be harmed, or herself for that matter, but they had an entourage of vagrants that she still didn’t trust entirely. Celine, Athena, and Kenchi were the closest to earning the vixen’s trust, however like her mother; Kimi was slow to warm up. Another sniff and the vixen’s nose wrinkled. A feline, a serpent, and a demon or demons were close to intercepting the group from the front along with two other individuals that were mere feet away. From behind a third group was closing in. Kimi recognized the demonic presence of Shuyi and was greeted by that familiar aria of her voice. Black fox ears twitched at the sound and she stopped in her forward advance to look behind her. The demoness, the Plague, Shuyi glided almost as she walked. She was a surreal sight with the two women that followed in her footsteps, one the personification of winter with white shoulder length hair and pupil-less eyes while the other with a mane of black hair and brown-red eyes. Just behind them followed a small army of what looked to be around two dozen demonic creatures. They were at least seven feet tall with charcoal colored skin, and no face that one could speak of. Kimi’s face broke out into a grin as she eyed the monsters with glee. Her hand squeezed the hour-glass that remained in her hand and she looked down upon it curiously. “Heika…”, Shuyi spoke again in greeting to Koji as she joined their ranks. “Huanghou, you haven’t released him…” Kimi’s forehead creased as she frowned in her confusion, but the moment was lost as the sky cracked with thunder. Tilting her chin up, Kimi looked toward the sky and saw a speck making its rapid decent. She watched in almost a dazed fascination as her tails flicked, her fingers gently releasing Koji’s arm to gently fiddle with the hour-glass that she still held. The pair of twins also made their presence known as they emerged from the thick of the forest, but Kimi didn’t look away from the object that seemed to be in a free fall. When the woman landed, Kimi smiled anew as she recognized the lich. Dove had been a curious being that Kimi wished she had the time to speak to; however she was glad that somehow fate had brought her here. Kimi leaned around her husband, curious to listen to Dove as she spoke in soft tones. Even though her ears could pick up conversations at great distances, she wanted to see this being. Her mother had spoken of a lich, Ursan the Gold. Kimi wondered if they were anything alike, but from appearance alone, it didn’t seem to be the case. Then there was the other lich, T.H.E. and he also wasn’t anything like Ursan. Kimi clicked her tongue and settled back again ready to continue their quest.

Akako slid into her seat with ease and crossed her legs quietly. With hands neatly folded in her lap, the vixen leaned back in her chair, impassive red eyes slowly moving from person to person, memorizing each of their unique features. It was no small task considering they all wore the same robes, shared the same color skin, and the same color eyes. Though, there were distinctions among them, scents, various lines of their faces, and body types. Even if subtle, Akako would be able to pull these from a crowd if necessary. Soldier began the discussion and Akako’s gaze slid her direction. The vixen watched the silent exchange with a muted expression, though she wasn’t pleased to see politics played out in her company. While Predator’s Keep didn’t have complicated politics, Akako understood the way governments ran, but there was something to be said for those in power to be so blatantly obvious in front of a regent. Akako’s toe tapped lightly as she listened to each presentation. Only when they mentioned the lack of letters returning did the vixen stiffen in her chair. She shifted in her seat and leaned onto the table. Her chin rested on the back of her wrist as she let a silence fall upon them before she decided to speak. “The Baroness has been busy as of late and I had only just returned from Weland to come here. In normal circumstances I would have been the one to respond to those letters. For this, I apologize. Bear in mind that the Baroness is only one person and the other council members are ill equipped to respond to inquiries from neighboring territories.” Then Akako turned those haunting scarlet eyes to Soldier. “This One hope you can understand. We are experiencing growing pains. I extend my invitation for performers to come to our humble city. We would be pleased to have them.” While what Akako had said wasn’t a lie, it was a half-truth. So much more was happening within Predator’s Keep, however Akako wasn’t willing to trust these people as of yet. They needed to prove themselves before she would willingingly tell them that they were at a disadvantage and vulnerable to attack.

Bad day... gonna have to wait till the weekend.

You can join in with Shuyi. I left it open ended. I can tag you in my last post. Bueno? ... Also... it was a shitty post.

They were gathering she could feel them; the plot she had seen was going to come to fruition as every other vision did. Her lips turned up into a semblance of a smile, though it looked unnatural on the archdaemon. It was rare to catch any sort of emotion on her features as she was without eyes, ears, and lacked a soul. The lord of the pit had already taken it when she entered to her demise. Now she was his lap dog, their lap dog and not the cuddly variety. The demon was tall for a female, standing at 5’10 with alluring curves, though her skin was gray and riddled with gill like slits. Her head was most curious. What would appear to be horns was more than just that. The bone sealed where her eyes should have been and left the eldritch unseeing, though she could still perceive the world around her, however differently than most. Shuyi stood at the dock of another ship, dozens of spell eaters working to man the vessel. There were plenty of bodies that littered the deck though the plague seemed to not notice the sick that was in the air. All of the bodies were covered in boils and dried blood still caked the mouths and eyes of all the men with the exception of those within her care. “Heika…” The demon’s voice was all but a whisper, a haunting melody that carried across the wind. “Huanghou…” The boat landed not a moment later and Shuyi was the first to disembark allowing the others she had gathered to follow suit. With her was twenty-four spell eaters and those than would work directly for the empress and emperor. Everything was falling into place perfectly, now they would have to build. @Doge @LorSanTekka @ImNoHero @Trenchant Cogency

I am entirely okay with this! WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT!!!? Oh that's right... all the shenanigans today. Kek.

Work in Progress... just a place holder till more time to work this out. Name: Shuyi (Plague) Race: Archdaemon Abilities: Divination Divination Bestowal Portal Manipulation Nosokinesis Dark Element Manipulation Blood Magic Summoning Magic Appearances: Pages: 3 (last post); 4 (last post); 5 (8th post)