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mrneighbourlove · 4 months

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Glass Love and Desire: Ch 1. Foreign Prince in a Distant Land

Fire’s forge steel. And steel coats the strongest hearts. This was the creed the Ocho, the leading clan of the Hasai people decreed under the guiding principles of Kikai Empire!

The Empire was made of many clans. The Ocho, the Skurge, the Romtan, and the Waku. The Ocho were the most powerful by blood, having the right to lead. The Skurge were fiercely loyal to their Ocho masters, and the Romtan knew their place. The Waku lead the spiritual lead, praying to Exodrum, the God of Flame and War. The Waku even partook in a companionship with dragons. This was the hierarchy of things. But this hierarchy was not to last.

Under his eyes, Exodrum saw that dragons had grown soft and complacent. They no longer worshiped him and the power he provided, opting to create and cultivate their own power. This greatly angered the god, who, speaking through the Ocho, commanded the Hasai to slay the dragons. And that they did, everyone except the Waku.

The red skinned traitors turned their back on the empire, siding with the beasts. As such, seventeen years of war had ravaged the Empire’s lands. For no traitor, Waku or Dragon, would be allowed to live, no matter the cost.

This is the story of my ascension. This is how I rose to the rank of Emperor. And, my son, this is also the story of how I came to know your mother.

Prince Malakath drove his blade into the eye of the luck dragon, holding on as the beast threw its head back and forth to throw him off. He was just about to deal a finishing blow when it got smart and slapped him with a claw.

Landing on the ground near the edge of the mountain, Malakath laughed. “Foolish beast. I am Royal blood! And I am Malakath! Son of Emperor Thelak.”

The dragon spoke directly into his mind through forced telepathy. “You are blight Ocho. You and all your ilk. Even if I die here, there are others who will carry the flame.”

“Nonsense, you’re one of the last. After I finish here, I know the location of your so-called King, and he shall fall next.”

The Dragon slammed his foot on the ground. “I sense the evil in your heart. If I can’t live to fight on…”

Malakath stopped his blustering when he saw the Dragon’s fangs bare and it’s hair poof. He braced himself suddenly, feeling an attack about to strike.

“Then I’ll take you with me!!!”

The dragon charged forward with the motion of a cobra. Biting around Malakath’s waist, the force wasn’t too great, not enough to pierce his armour. Suddenly, as they went over the edge, Malakath realized it didn’t need to bite him in half. All it needed to do was keep him in place. With a yell, they both plunged over a hundred feet down into a raging river below.

As they hit the water, the green skinned prince felt his lungs fill with water, and his mind went blank.

The war had reached the borders of Al-Daida from Danjur. Yet, the current Patriarch was not concerned with the battle reaching the heart of his country. The Hasai would have to cross miles of desert to even think of reaching the heart of his kingdom. Thus, there were only the occasional patrols or scouts which looked for any sign of Hasai activity. However, the Naran soldiers were unaware of the body of a luck dragon and Hasai prince floating down the Aaru River which connected Danjur and Al-Daida...

Chione had decided to venture out to the Aaru River early before the sun rose too high in the sky. The hotter it was, the more miserable it was to work in the heat. Besides, the Kamazu plant was easier to harvest in the early hours. The river was calm instead of turbulent from any fishing boats or importing ships, so it was easier to spot the moss growing on the side of the banks. With her tail, Chione held the basket while her fingers worked with precision to carefully remove the Kamazu plant from the surface of the water. It was a wondrous plant which could cure nearly any infection. Yet, it was difficult to grow in gardens due to the need of the plant requiring another host to feed upon for sustenance. It was both a giver of life and a seed of death.

Not wanting to get her clothes wet, Chione had opted to harvest the Kamazu plant in her undergarments. Her basket was nearly full. After setting it on the bank, she noticed a rather large patch that she missed near a log which had washed up on the bank. Approaching the plant, Chione stuck her hand into the water to pry it loose... when suddenly another hand grabbed hers.

Startled, Chione yelped and nearly fell backwards into the water.

A green skinned man with long black hair rose from the water, his body acting on pure instinct. He held on tight to her, barking out something in a language she did not know. His eyes were almost glazed over, and he clearly was out of his mind. When he was finished, river water spewed out of his mouth. He then collapsed unconscious once more, falling on top of the woman.

Stunned, Chione was about to show her fangs when the man suddenly... flopped on top of her. He did not move. The botanist was highly confused and flustered at the situation. This was not exactly how she planned to spend her morning, getting used as a pillow by a water sprite. At least, that's what she thought he was. Carefully, she moved upward onto the bank, dragging the green man out of the river. Rolling him over onto his back, Chione stared at him. The stories were true. Water spirits were incredibly beautiful. Curiously, she wondered if this was a water spirit or not, seeing that he was struggling to breathe and severely injured. Shouldn't water sprites be at home in the river? Perhaps he was attacked by a crocodile.

Not wanting to afford Nuabi, the mother of the water, by ignoring one of her injured children, Chione made the decision to take the green man back to her home. After ridding him of the heavy steel covering his body, the botanist hefted him onto her back, grabbed her basket with her tail, and carried him back to her modest abode, covered wall to wall in various plants. While she was no expert in healing, Chione could at least tend to his wounds until she could fetch a doctor.

Malakath rolled in his sleep, water coming out of his body and being replaced by a deep heat. He would not wake for another full day. Suddenly, as if a spell was lifted over him, his eyes opened and he looked around, startled by new and unknown surroundings. “Where am I?!”

The inside of Chione's home was like an urban jungle. There were plants of every species from Al-Daida on the windows, hanging from the ceilings, on pots in the floor, and even a few in a niche in the wall. She had done her best to tend to the green man's injuries with the Kamazu plant she had gathered earlier and provided him with dry clothes. It was difficult to know what would make a water sprite comfortable. Though, she did use her own chest wraps as a makeshift bandage. There was nothing else available for her to bind the man's injuries. The botanist was quite certain his right arm was broken, so she straighten the arm, bound it with a ripped portion of a sheet, and used a stick as a torniquet.

Hearing the man's voice, Chione walked back into the modest bedroom with a small plate of food and feverfew and poppies for his discomfort. It was by no means a feast, a few grilled fish, a sweet bun, and some roasted potatoes, but it was what she had for now. As she drew aside the curtain which served as a door, her stunning dark purple hair reflected a bit of light. Once more, she had donned clothing, but it left very little to imagination. The Nara culture was not big on modesty.

"How are you feeling?" Chione asked in her native tongue. She sat on her knees beside of him, noting his tension. She tried to show she meant no harm by pointing to the plate. "I have brought you food if you feel like eating."

Malakath calmed down not out of patience, but stunned contemplation when he saw this woman walk in. The way her tail whipped, the shimmer of her skin, the beautiful figure. Not understanding her didn’t matter. Her tone was alluring. For a moment, he stared at her, his golden eyes barely blinking.

The green man was staring at her. Was this his first time seeing a Nara? The stories said that water spirits near really had the need to visit land. Perhaps he was merely curious and taking in the sight. Then again, Chione supposed this was her first time seeing a water sprite too. The feeling was mutual. Her tail flicked in curiosity as she tucked some hair behind a curved horn.

"Eat." Chione mimicked the motion of bringing food to her mouth. She then pointed to the food on the dish. Afterward, she pointed to the herbs and then gestured to his wounds. "Medicine. You take both."

Malakath felt his stomach growl seeing the dish that was prepared. Carefully, he ate his food. Slowly, he chewed, cautious of any poisons. Had anything tasted wrong, his mouth could burn the food to ash, buy it seemed all was fine. Grabbing the herbs, he started to chew them, mistaking them for a salad.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Chione exclaimed when the green man suddenly tried to down the medical plants with gusto. It was best to drink the poppies slowly in tea or water and then to chew on the feverfew. Shouldn't water sprites know this?

He paused, eying her closely. It seemed she objected to that. Setting the herbs down, he watched her closely. By Exodrum, she was exotic. Was she reptilian, draconic? Draconic people was something reserved for Ocho. But he supposed if there could be other dragons around the world, there could be other draconics. Or was she a demon? Also an interesting possibility. But unlikely Malakath supposed. Demons harmed people. Or was she an Angel? He had to know if he was alive. “Be still.”

Slowly, he lifted a hand up to touch her cheek.

Chione felt exasperated, but she supposed maybe the injuries had known the water sprite a touch silly. She was ready to demonstrate what he needed to do with the feverfew and the poppies when suddenly, he spoke again. The Nara did not understand, having a puzzled expression on her face.

"Ah!" Chione was surprised when the green man suddenly touched her. While she did not want to offend Nuabi, this was... a bit close. He was lending closer still, looking at her with those eyes the color of the sun. Perhaps this was common in water sprite culture? She was unsure. However, when the green man went to touch her horns, the blush spread across her face furiously and she swatted his hands away gently with a shake of her head. There was no way he could know that the horns of the Nara were an erogenous area. "No, no, not there, not my tail either."

Malakath put on a face that was between a scowl and a pout. He wanted to touch the horns. Looking around, he suppose it was time he investigated where he was. “Excuse me woman, but I should get going.”

Carefully, he tried to stand up. Doing so, he winced a little as he felt his chest churn. “Not great, but not bad.”

The botanist almost laughed at the sulking, having to suppress a bit of a snicker. The amusement was rather clear on her face. She could not fault him though, not many races had horns.

"Hey! What are you thinking?!" Chione shook her head as motioned for him to get back on the bedroll. She repeatedly jabbed her index finger down, indicating that he should not stand. "You are still healing! You need at least a week's worth of rest before even thinking about heading... wherever you're going."

“I am Prince Malakath. I can go where I wish.” The Ocho pointed to himself. He was important. He could go where he pleased. Sure, he wasn’t going to be running anywhere, but in this state he could at least walk to the door.

"No, no! Come back, you're going to make your injuries worse!" Chione insisted, watching him wobble toward the doorway to her home. Standing in front of the exit, the Nara's tail flicked once, sharply, in irritation. Without words, she furrowed her brow and pointed back to the bedroll. If this green man died on her watch, Nuabi would most certainly be cross with her.

Malakath thought his options over as his anger rose. This woman was head strong. Normally he would like some feistiness, but he needed to get out. He could burn her with his abilities, but in his condition that might only weaken him further after. He slammed a hand over her shoulder on the door frame, looking her in the eyes. She didn’t budge.

The prince smiled. He liked her fearlessness. No, he supposed he’d have to give into the demands of this peasant. This close, she smelled good. When spoke again, his voice reached a silky tone. “Okay. If I must stay here, you’ll just have to take care of my every whim.”

The bang of his hand against the door frame caught her off guard only for a moment. He was angry. The green man wanted to leave. Yet, if he left now, then he would most likely not make it back to the river for the swim home. The water sprite even had the audacity to sniff her. Was he smelling for fear? For weakness? Nuabi's child or not, Chione was not going to be disrespected in her own home.

"Lay. Down." Chione hissed with her teeth showing and tail spiked. Even her hair seemed to stand on edge a bit. She expected him to snarl back at her, but instead, she heard... was that approval in his tone? Perhaps even a touch of a purr?

Malakath walked around her home, looking at various forms of pottery and plants. Gently, he rubbed a leaf of tropical tree. “Do you… garden. If you do, I like a woman who can use her hands.”

Finally! The green man was back on the bedroll. Now, hopefully, he would be a good patient and rest. Bending over slightly to get the medicine on the tray, Chione was not expecting him to suddenly grab her tail.

"EEEK!!!" Chione spun around, and quickly snatched her tail from the green man's hand, flustered. She shook her finger at him, as if scolding a child. Did he not know how to keep his hands to himself?! "No! No, no, no."

Malakath smiled evilly, patting his chest. “Oh ho ho ho. You can feel me if you’re curious. I can warm up my body at will when I’m awake.”

With another chuckle, he eyed her carefully. “You really can’t understand me, can you?”

The... the scoundrel! The green man thought this was funny, did he? Water sprites were known to be little tricksters. So, he thought this was a silly prank? Huffing with a pout, Chione was not sure what to do with this green man. She did not even know his name and here he was, teasing his benefactor.

"Will you please be good and take your medicine?" Chione once again brought the green man's attention to the herbs. She made a drinking motion for the poppies and mimicked chewing for the feverfew. "It will help these," The Nara then pointed to his injuries, "Feel better."

Malakath was starting to clue in what she wanted him to do. Grinning, he gestured her to come closer, patting a seat beside him. He was a prince. Royalty. He should have her give him the drink.

"That's your bed, I do not need to lay down... well, technically, it's mine, but I'm letting you have it for the time being." Chione thought at first, he wanted her to rest too. Though, a nagging voice in her mind suggested he was up to mischief with that grin across his face. Sighing, the botanist then held up her hands in a manner of asking what he wanted.

Malakath pointed at his lap, then at her as he swirled the drink around. “I wonder about those horns. They’re radiant on you.”

What. A. Flirt. Chione was not sure whether to feel attractive or insulted. She was not going the type of person to just jump in bed with a stranger. No, that was not happening, not today. Not falling for his little trick, Chione took the cup of tea and mixed in the poppies. Then, she pressed it to his lips, still standing.

"Nice try, but I'm not falling for that." Chione knew the poppies would help him sleep. "Now, drink."

Malakath drank it, taking note of the strength she had guiding the tea. Without breaking eye contact with her, he finished it. “I’m going to take you back home with me I think.”

"Now, chew this." Chione held up the feverfew, holding it in front of his face, insistent. "And go back to sleep. You need to recover your strength so you can go home."

Once he had done so, the botanist felt she could breathe a little easier.

"Now, my name is Chione." She poked herself in the chest, "Chione."

“Chione.” That was simple enough to understand. Every culture of people had names. The Ocho pointed to himself. “Malakath.”

"Ma... lee... cat?" Chione was unused to such a foreign name on her tongue. The Nara tried pronouncing it right, but it still sounded wrong. "Hrm... Mally. You are Mally." She dubbed the green man with a smile.

“Mal-a-Ka-th. Ka-th.” Hearing the nickname, the prince scowled furiously. “I can get your name right, ‘He-own-e’, the least you can do is try to get mine right.”

"Nope. Mally!" Chione grinned wider at his obvious displeasure at the nickname. It did not bother her at all when he purposely said her name wrong. Covering him with a blanket, she gently pressed back on his shoulders so he would lay down. "That's what you get for being a flirt and grabbing my tail without permission. A gentleman asks before touching."

Oh? Now she wants to flirt? She had spunk, he would give her that. He leaned up closely, playing hard to cooperate. “I don’t feel like resting again yet.”

"Down." Chione simply used her brute strength to make Malakath lay back on the bedroll. It was a touch amusing, seeing that flash of surprise across his face. Fixing the blanket, the Nara then instructed, "Sleep. Rest." She pretended her hands were a pillow and rested her head upon them, giving the sign for sleep. "Sleep, Mally. You'll feel better soon."

“… Fine, I’ll play along. For now.” He grabbed her hand before she left him. Gently, he rubbed her fingers. She felt firm. “I wonder if this is your bedroll. Where will you go, but back to me.”

What was this? Now he was being affectionate with his touches? Perhaps he felt bad about his cheeky behavior. Either way, Chione supposed the poor man had been through a lot today, perhaps worse in the days past.

"You'll be okay," Chione patted his hand for reassurance.

Closing his eyes, Malakath allowed himself the peace of recovery. The comfort of a beautiful woman, even a foreign one, helped ease his mind.

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Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/739289093975031808/glass-love-and-desire-ch-2-return-to-home Collaborative story written with @ridersoftheapocalypse. Prequel to The War of Fire

#Hasai #Nara #Malakath #Chione #oc's #written work

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descendant-of-truth · 1 year

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One thing that baffles me a little about Zi-o is how we're told that Sougo is given the power to control time as a child, but... given what we're shown, it makes a lot more sense to assume that he has power over language

And I'm not talking about the powers he has as Zi-o, to be clear, because forms like Zi-o II and whatnot very clearly have time-based powers. I'm talking about just, Sougo, as a person

Literally the first time his power manifests as anything is when he shouts "look out!" and it appears as physical words

(Yes time stopped afterwards but it's unclear if that was him or Swartz and it's not important to my overall point)

This isn't the first time we get to see that recurring theme of Sougo being associated with language, though; there's the obvious stuff like his mask literally having "Kamen Rider" written on it, but something very interesting happens when he gets Build's and Ex-Aid's powers.

Y'know how Sento used to summon math equations around him every so often? Sougo does the same thing with the Build armor, except it's math notes instead, phrases he might write in a notebook. Or, perhaps more accurately, thoughts he's had about math? It's clearly not his forte, the poor guy

Ex-Aid is an especially interesting example here, because Sougo's not converting numbers to letters as much as he is translating between languages. All of Ex-Aid's "hit!" effects as well as his finisher logo are in English, but Sougo's version has them written in Japanese:

His Driver(?) also vocalizes the word "hit" sometimes when a blow connects, but the real kicker is that Sougo can see the logo and uses its words as a weapon

And as if that weren't enough, Kamen Rider Kikai in particular was created as an extension of Sougo's toy robot, and has a password built into him that takes directly after what Sougo wrote on said robot: "will be the king."

To be fair, all of the future Riders were created from Sougo's dreams, which is. a whole other thing, but my point is that the words written on that robot were very important to how Rento exists at all.

So like. think about the implications of this for a second. Sougo uses words as both literal weapons and as a means to affect the timeline, as shown with Rento. His dreams also play a role in this incredible power, though the extent of that remains a little vague.

Remind me again what dream Sougo is constantly having? What phrase he's been repeating for years?

Guys. The characters keep asking, "how could Sougo possibly become Oma Zi-o?"

And the answer is because he's speaking it into existence.

(Side note, his Ride Watch activates for the first time when he says that line with conviction. Nothing at all suspicious or magical about that)

Influencing the existence of events through the power of language... where have I seen that in this show before

I know that the series doesn't really correlate Sougo's power with White Woz's journal, but like. maybe it should have, y'know?? We never did get an explanation for how that book was made; maybe in the timeline where Sougo loses, they took his power and imbued it in the journal?

Anyway, I just think it would have been really cool if they emphasized this trend with words in the narrative more, because there's so much you can do with a power like that and it helps differentiate him from all the other characters with time-related powers.

It even fits well with his personality - Sougo can be surprisingly crafty underneath his bubbly, impulsive attitude, and a lot of that comes from how he phrases stuff (which I've already made a separate post about)

There could've even been an arc where Sougo realizes that this is how his power works, too, and maybe have him overcome some sort of fear of speaking due to its unpredictable, disastrous effects. We could have had it all, people!! It was right there!!

#kamen rider #kamen rider zi o #tokiwa sougo #analysis #meta #I'm obsessed with this concept #Like it's literally So Cool and then the show just. doesn't acknowledge it very much #But I have a hard time imagining it was completely accidental?? It's so consistent #It's definitely baked into the show's aesthetics if nothing else

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yeonchi · 1 month

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Kisekae Insights #44: Kamen Rider Zi-O Part 2 - Ohma’s Day

“Hark, Ohma’s Day! The future of the Kamen Riders lie in a battle for the fate of time. Will a saviour rise or will a king take his throne? Peace on earth and mercy mild, past and future reconciled!”

The first arc had Sougo and Geiz gaining the cooperation of Decade and all the Riders that came after him. The second arc takes us into 2019 as Kamen Rider Woz makes his debut, bringing forth the existence of new Riders and powers that will take us to the dawn of Ohma’s Day.

Episode 11: Men from the Future ~ Happy New Woz 2019 ~

The episode closely follows the original, the only difference being that Rentarou’s friend in this episode is actually Isamichi Konjou, who will also appear in the next episode.

Kensuke Nitta (White Woz) makes his debut as Kamen Rider Woz. He is Kazuto’s nephew from the year 2040 and has come to 2019 to guide Geiz to become the saviour Geiz Revive. His Future Note allows him to manipulate events by writing or speaking into it.

At the end of the episode, Rentarou and Isamichi decide to enrol in a ninja academy…

Episode 12: The Amazing Era of the Future ~ Future Time 2022 ~

Inspiration for this episode was taken from Rider Time: Kamen Rider Shinobi.

In the original series, Geiz was unable to go to the year 2022 to find Rentarou because it is an alternate timeline created by Sougo’s dreams. In the last episode of this version, Geiz does go to 2022, but it is pretty much the same as 2019 and Kamen Rider Shinobi is nowhere to be seen. However, Another Shinobi’s defeat does allow Kamen Rider Shinobi to exist in 2022, something that Sougo discovers when he decides to head there in this episode.

In 2022, Rentarou, his sister Iroha and his friend Isamichi are studying at the Leapfrog Ninja Academy. Rentarou took on the banner of Kamen Rider Shinobi to fight the Rainbow Serpent Clan led by the Dark Ninja, but right now, he is being tasked with investigating three of their operatives, namely Hikaru Azuma, Kanon Azuma and Moe Nakajima of the Wind Ninja Academy. Yes, these are the Hurricanegers, aka the “unofficial” ninja Kamen Riders from Decade’s Nine Riders Arc. Kazuto suggests to Sougo that he gain Hikaru’s power as Kamen Rider Ninja so they can gain the upper hand on Kensuke.

Andrew, Luna and Kensuke arrive in 2022 to find Sougo, but they are confronted by Kanon and Moe, who transform into HurricaneBlue and HurricaneYellow, aka Kamen Riders Mizuna and Okachi. Kamen Rider Fuma from the Ex-Aid movie also appears as another Dark Ninja operative to attack Sougo and Rentarou, but Isamichi comes to their rescue as Kamen Rider Hattari. The Dark Ninja tries to kidnap Iroha but fails to do so, leading him to capture Isamichi instead.

Zi-O, Geiz, Woz and Shinobi work together to free Ninja, Mizuna, Okachi, Fuma and Hattari. The Dark Ninja admits his defeat and leaves. Sougo doesn’t take Ninja’s power as he believes he and his allies can help Rentarou and Isamichi in 2022. After saying their goodbyes, Sougo and his friends head back to 2019.

Episode 13: The Parable of the Hyperstudious Father ~ Your Final Answer 2040 ~

Due to the modifications made for this episode, the scenes featuring Another Quiz’s creation are brought back to the last episode.

Like how Shinobi and later Kikai were created from Sougo’s dreams, Kamen Rider Quiz is also shown to be likewise where it wasn’t originally. Sougo is being chased by Bugster Virus footsoldiers in 2040 when Kamen Rider Quiz appears and fights them. Quiz asks Sougo, “You will wake up from your dream,” and the answer turns out to be true as he kicks some Bugsters into him, causing him to wake up.

Quiz’s identity is a man of Vietnamese descent named Reimondo Doan, born to his father Jeremy and his mother Mylena. The O and X part of his gimmick is translated as “true” or “false”, which is essentially what those symbols can represent.

Episode 14: Battride War Salacia ~ Advent 2002 ~

Inspiration for this episode was taken from Rider Time: Kamen Rider Ryuki. If I followed that mini-series more closely, some Rider identities would change. Also, imagine Soraia having Unite Vent sex with Marcello before betraying him the next day lmao.

This episode is an additional tribute to Ryuki that serves as a prequel to Sougo gaining the Zi-O II Ridewatch. I’ve covered most of this episode’s plot in #27.

Linsum makes contact with Dark Daniel from Mirror World and gives him the power of Another Ryuki. Dark Daniel then goes to confront Daniel Camielez and Polvina; they are defeated, but Daniel is nowhere to be seen after.

Sougo, Geiz and Luna are having a picnic on a beach when the Shark King, Lorah and their Riders attack from the sea. Sougo and Geiz transform to fight them; they are no match for the power of thirteen Riders as they are defeated, with Sougo being taken by the Salacians as well, having been willed to do so by Kensuke to get him out of the way of Geiz becoming the saviour. However, Geiz insists that he will fight Ohma Zi-O his own way. As Sougo is interrogated at the Shark Palace regarding Polvina and Daniel’s disappearance, Kazuto is nowhere to be seen as he has gone to meet with Ohma Zi-O to obtain half of the Zi-O II Ridewatch.

Andrew and Luna are approached by Daniel to ask them for the way to Salacia and they head there. As the Shark King is informed of this by Tata and goes to investigate, Ester and Tubarina meet with Sougo and the latter gives him the Ryuki Ridewatch after telling him that the Daniel with Andrew and Luna is the imposter Dark Daniel because the real Daniel and Polvina would never leave each other behind if they were in trouble.

Sure enough, Ryuga reveals himself and the Salacians Riders fight but to no avail. Ryuga summons Dragblacker but Kensuke arrives in his Time Mazine and uses Woz Future ring Quiz to fend him off before using his book to free Sougo, Geiz and Luna as Ryuga transforms into Another Ryuki. The fight is brought to Dryland, but despite help from Knight, Saga and Poseidon, the Salacian Riders are defeated. The goddess Salacia chides the rest of the Salacian Riders while Kelvin Galvarro gives Geiz the Knight Ridewatch. Sougo and Geiz use the Ridewatches they obtained to defeat Dark Daniel. The Ryuki Anotherwatch is picked up by Swartz, which he uses his power on to reform it into the Ryuga Anotherwatch…

Episode 15: Making the Time Connection ~ Zi-O the Strongest 2019 ~

In a basement somewhere, the other Sougo creates the Zi-O II Ridewatch by coming the data from his Zi-O Ridewatch with the data he recovered from the destroyed Time Mazines. This creates the left half of the Zi-O II Ridewatch, which the other Sougo holds against a mirror to complete its other half and duplicate it as well. The left half would be given to Woz in 2068 while the Mirror World right half would be given to Sougo in 2019.

The rest of the episode follows the original, with the differences being detailed in #27 already. Polvina takes the place of Okubo as Sougo encounters her while handing out fliers to help find Daniel. Mirror World Sougo is a more toxic version of his other counterpart as creating the Zi-O II Ridewatch copied his personality over to him. Mirror World Sougo merges with Sougo as his version of the Zi-O II Ridewatch is completed, unlocking Ohma Zi-O’s power to rewind time.

“Inside and outside, past and future. This is the Watch that will rule over both worlds!”

“Good and evil, light and dark, I accept it all! And with this power, I will forge my future!”

Sougo uses Zi-O II to defeat Another Ryuga and Dark Daniel makes peace with Daniel as he reunites with Polvina.

Episode 16: Soldiers Facing the Enemy ~ Musou 2008 ~

The Japanese title of this episode is based on the Japanese kuji-kiri, namely 臨兵鬥者皆陣列在前 (rin-pyou-tou-sha-kai-jin-retsu-zai-zen). This is an original episode with no reliance on the original Japanese plot or footage.

Multiple armies are being defeated across the land. Parker in the east gets a call from his friend in the west asking for reinforcements, but he can’t do anything because his side is being invaded as well. On top of that, Queen Fifi is upset with Parker over her Never Land reinforcements being killed every time he borrows troops from her. Sougo heads on an excursion to the mainland and is brought in by one of Parker’s allies. Parker is relieved that Sougo has returned, only this Sougo doesn’t remember him.

We then learn about the history of the land; the land turned into chaos after the Battle of Chibi in 2008, made worse by Sougo’s parents being killed the year after. The armies of the land blames each other for causing the accident; Parker had enough of this and decided to unite the land by any means necessary, whether by making alliances with friendly groups or violently subjugating hostile groups, some who blamed him for the accident. At some point, a demonic overlord appeared and it turned out to be Sougo.

Sougo offers to help defend Parker’s camp when enemy troops arrive. While fighting as Zi-O, he is confronted by his other self and they fight. The main Zi-O is defeated, but he meets with his other counterpart later, telling him that he will have to help Parker’s ally in the west sooner or later.

After the main Sougo asks a favour from Kensuke to will it into happening, the two Zi-Os fight again in their different forms. It is in this battle that we also get the Decade Origin Ridewatch and Decade Armor Origin; the Ridewatch does not have the extra slot for Ridewatches, making it similar to the Gashapon version of it, and the transformation sound is the shortened version as used for the Decade Violent Emotion Ridewatch; the Armor is identical to the main counterpart’s but the helmet is styled like that of the other Armors instead of being a screen. The main Zi-O wins and the other Zi-O agrees to help Parker’s ally in the west. This battle between them was for the main Zi-O to teach his other counterpart not to take the people he meets for granted. The two Zi-Os save Parker’s army as Zi-O II before Kazuto comes to pick up the main Sougo and take him home.

Episode 17: My Best Friend ~ Man or Machine 2121 ~

“Are you man, or are you machine?”

Another direct adaptation of the original plot. However, due to Sougo no longer going to school, the retest study plot is changed to Sougo coming down with a fever after coming back from the mainland. The Humanoise in the year 2121 are named Cyberdroids in this version, being Cybermen that have taken on human disguises and are using emotional emulators to blend in, which admittedly does go against their creed of abandoning emotions. Yes, 2121 Earth is the early years of the Cyber-Wars, which in the Doctor Who extended universe didn’t happen until the 2150s with the Vogan War. Minato-Sugaru Island has become a human enclave against the Cybermen, though the Cybermen are doing all they can to infiltrate it.

Kamen Rider Kikai is Handles Machina (you can guess what the inspiration for that name was), who was a Cyberdroid until he grew a heart and became the friend to a group of children escaping the Cyber-Wars. His power source comes from the solar generator satellite Zeark (and the autists at the Kamen Rider Wiki who called it “There” can go fuck themselves), which the Cybermen hack to turn Handles evil.

Because Heure had already become Another Kuuga in episodes 9 and 10, Ora is the one who Swartz turns into Another Kikai in this episode, swapping the roles of the two in this version. In the end, I never understood Ora and Heure’s nature in the series because their origins and motivations are never explained.

In this episode, the other Sougo sends the main Sougo a gift to thank him for the lesson he taught him in the previous episode. The gift is a Cyberman figurine with “WILL BE THE KING” written on it, which Luna intercepts because Sougo was still in bed when it came. Of course, Sougo’s initial password guess “WILL BE THE BFF” is retained from the original version because Engrish.

Geiz and Luna realise that Sougo isn’t just seeing the future in his dreams, but creating them and the Future Riders with them; the Another Riders are merely a side effect of that. As the two decide to leave 9TO5, Kensuke brings the Shinobi, Quiz and Kikai Miridewatches to bring forth the Geiz Revive Ridewatch…

Episode 18: The Reverse King ~ Another Zi-O 2019 ~

Admittedly, this arc is my favourite arc of Zi-O.

This version of the series adds some backstory to Hiryuu Kakogawa and how he became Another Zi-O. With Sougo’s acquisition of the Zi-O II Ridewatch finally allowing Swartz to create the Zi-O Anotherwatch using the research taken from his previous experiments, Swartz finds Hiryuu in the middle of a battle against Parker’s army and rescues him from being killed by the other Zi-O, revealing his identity to him and offering to make him the king of time. Aside from the Anotherwatch, Hiryuu is also given the Another Driver, which is the black Ziku Driver that appears when he transforms into Another Zi-O, only we made it an actual thing that Hiryuu uses to transform.

Hiryuu is modelled on a friend I used to know when I was little. His mum and my mum were friends and we used to go to the same playgroup and church together. Then, my friend went to a different school and we just lost contact with each other. The last time I saw him and his mum was at least a decade ago at this point. I’d never brought him up when I was searching for characters to put in my stories and his significance in my youth made him a perfect candidate to be Sougo’s nemesis. Oh wait, I’m giving away the story at this point, aren’t I?

So, Hiryuu goes around attacking the previous Another Riders to obtain their powers. Sougo and Geiz try to stop him but to no avail. Luna tries to ask Mark about Hiryuu but the name doesn’t ring a bell to him. She finds Karen Brewer’s number and asks about Hiryuu; she doesn’t remember much about Sougo because it has been so long, but she looked into his past and learns that his parents were killed in a bus accident in 2009. However, because the Sougo we know only arrived in 2018, Karen is referring to the other Sougo, and the connection isn’t made clear to the others until later.

Luna heads to 2009 and goes to the hospital where Sougo and Hiryuu ended up. A nurse gives Sougo the Cyberman figurine from the last episode before he freezes the nurse in time and rewrites their memory before getting dressed and leaving. This is seen by both Hiryuu and Luna.

Geiz apparently sees Luna being killed in the crash, which gives him the determination to unlock the power of Geiz Revive, something that is rejoiced by Kensuke. Geiz sends Another Zi-O fighting before he turns his attention to Zi-O…

Schwarzer is a newly-featured OC in this episode as the owner of a magic café where Trixie now works.

Episode 19: The Day It All Began ~ Geiz Revive 2019 ~

Kazuto interrupts the fight between Zi-O and Geiz to take the latter away. Geiz fights Kazuto, but despite Geiz Revive’s side effects, Kazuto is no match for him. As a result, Kazuto goes to the Time Jackers for help and Heure helps him steal Kamen Rider Woz’s power from Kensuke using blank Miridewatches (and not blank Ridewatches as shown in the original). The words Kensuke uses to take back Woz’s power is changed to “Kamen Rider Woz’s power returns to its proper owner” in adaptation.

Kazuto transforms into Woz in an attempt to stop Geiz from fighting Sougo, but just as they are about to fight, Hiryuu comes in to fight the two with his Another Rider Army. Sougo and Geiz work together to defeat them and Sougo encourages Hiryuu to let go of the past and live for the present.

Meanwhile in 2009, Luna gets onto the bus that Sougo and Hiryuu were on, which is being driven by Hiroki Ichigo. Sure enough, Swartz hijacks the bus and takes the children to the alternate 2019 with the Dai Mazines attacking, the only difference being that Sougo was the boy that Swartz was looking for from the beginning and that their meeting wasn’t by chance. After saving Sougo and Hiryuu from being killed, Swartz gives some of his power to the former before taking the two back to the site of the bus crash where their parents and everyone else onboard were killed either in the crash or in the alternate 2019.

Luna is sent back to Sougo and Geiz in 2019. She and Geiz return to 9TO5, only this time, Kazuto decides to join them as well. With his version of Ohma’s Day now never coming to pass, Kensuke concedes his loss to Swartz.

Episode 20: The Trinity Begins ~ Blade Joker 2004 ~

You are supposed not to know about Trinity. You would have known if you’d been following Kisekae Insights up to now.

The BOARD Riders fight a Kamen Rider Blade from another universe before Swartz takes their powers upon their defeat and creates the Blade Anotherwatch. That Anotherwatch is then given to Kensuke for him to use as he pleases.

The Blade from another universe is, of course, Takeru Tenkuuji from an alternate Dai-Shocker universe. Another Blade is this universe’s counterpart of Serena, the mother of Mermaid Prince Seretao aka Zhuge Shu, Kamen Rider Chalice. Zhuge Shu is present in this universe, but he isn’t really her son; he only stayed with her to make her happy, though after the entire ordeal is over, Serena is happy with looking for her son on her own because seeing Zhuge Shu gave her hope that he would still be out there somewhere.

The biggest change in this episode, though, is that Daiki Kaitou as Diend is changed to Narutaki as Gold Drive, meaning that Diend’s fights had to be reshot. She didn’t appear in episodes 9 and 10 because she was working for Ohma Zi-O following the Ohma War.

When Another Blade absorbs Blade and Chalice’s Rider powers and causes the end of the world, Sougo talks with Kensuke as he, Geiz and Kazuto go to confront the Another Rider. Sougo convinces Kensuke to fight for the future he wants until the very end and so, he manifests the Zi-O Trinity Ridewatch from himself along with the Zi-O II and Geiz Revive Ridewatches. How could Kensuke have done that when his powers were taken? That will be explained next time.

After Another Blade’s defeat to Zi-O Trinity, Takeru flees and Zhuge Shu allows Sougo to keep the Blade Riders’ Ridewatches. Kensuke does not disappear after his future of Geiz Revive does not come to pass, but he throws away his Future Note as he prepares to become Sougo’s new rival in a different way. The Future Note is taken by Narutaki, who confronts Sougo and Geiz with a message from Ohma Zi-O; there are six more Ridewatches left for Sougo to obtain, one of them being the Drive Ridewatch despite it being in Geiz’s possession.

Three Equestria Girls characters make cameo appearances in this episode; Fluttershy is shown at the beginning working at Serena’s cafe, wishing her luck in finding her son before leaving. Sougo and co encounter Photo Finish when Another Blade attacks her studio, then Geiz and Luna encounter Juniper Montage at another photo studio where they find out where Zhuge Shu is staying.

Ohma’s Day was originally the day when Sougo would become Ohma Zi-O. Thanks to Sougo briefly giving up his destiny, a divergent timeline was created where Geiz Revive would dethrone Ohma Zi-O and become the saviour of the world. Despite delays to Zi-O and Geiz’s grand duel caused by various parties, Ohma’s Day still came to pass, but with Zi-O Trinity being born instead. Despite this, Sougo is still destined to become Ohma Zi-O, with the true Ohma’s Day still yet to come.

The Time Jackers’ machinations would continue, but Kensuke would set his own plans in motion as well. Join us next time to see how their plans come into conflict with Sougo’s quest to collect the Ridewatches.

#kisekae insights #kamen rider #kamen rider zi-o #kamen rider decade #equestria girls #my little pony equestria girls #sea princesses #princesas do mar #princesas del mar #el reino de acuatica

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rynkyus · 4 months

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kikays not getting a follow back until i finish bg3 or she gets sick of it and never speaks of astarion again (extremely unlikely)

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snowberry-pie · 1 year

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game time. if your ocs were popular fictional characters how exactly would fandom violently butcher and misinterpret their characters

#kikay speaks #forgot to play my own game.#sifri —#people would somehow manage to turn her into a hypercompetent girlboss dom TM #cishet men would hate her i feel like she’d get the mary sue treatment #oh and the fact that she’s a brown woman would Not Help #lettie —#also girlbossified to shit or innocent cute smol bean uwu #there’d probably be weird discourse where ‘she’s too cute to be horny’ is the main point of contention #the fact that she’s ALSO a brown woman would not help #mith —#himbo-ified :( or like the Aggressive Loud Guy or pathetic a heem heem whimper guy #probs be oversexualized to shit #also definitely a prime target for top/bottom discourse

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popcornbutterflymedia · 6 months

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episode 2: the eclipse

there is no grander display of power dynamics and hierarchy than an elite event for which acceptance which is paid for with reputation and social capital. a different set rules apply in this game of survival. if the stakes weren't so high and so dire this would be a comedy of errors.

the stage is set: eldest daughter, bettina tiu's engagement to edward liao, a ceremony steeped in culture and tradition, fueld by money supposedly celebrating what really is a union of convenience. the pomp and circumstance wants you so desperately to be convinced is true love. the players are assembled - the legal wife, and all the patriarch's children from the second, third, and fourth woman. the normalcy of this set up is strange, as long as family reputation is upheld. it must be the culture, it could be the reaking patriarcy that holds the men by the neck, and looms over the woman.

it is no surprise then, that the children are on their best behaviors, each with agendas of their own. everything is rehearsed, and goes on smoothly until the perceived perfection is disrupted.

caroline, our heroine holds the key. this girl has lost everything, and has nothing more to lose. we meet her, as a queen of coping mechanisms, a master at keeping herself small. she's an ace at shameless entitlement. she gets nothing from no one, least she could do is spend her father's fortune. on the outside she is a hard shell of a human being. when handed the truth, she becomes a walking, ticking tomb bomb of irony.

and then there's the bride to be, bettina, who in the name of perfection will badger her sister for the apology the groom's family demands, but does not deserve. to witness the whole thing unfold is sad and triggering - that women are faced with desperate choices by men who are misogynistic master manipulators. and again, no one is shocked by the messiness of it all.

and then there's irene, the kikay, loudmouth, go-getter princess who has everything to prove and a place to keep. she is everything caroline is decidedly not. with all the weight of truth, loss and internalized trauma, she is carrying, while being reduced as a human being, and given very little space, she's become quiet on purpose, where irene is loud. someone with so much to prove makes her presence known, takes up space that isn't hers, and overpowers at every chance she gets. character profiles and demands are as they should be, different for every character. judging by viewer feedback, these girls are doing a great job to affect you so the way they do.

kaila, maris, and belle are queens. they are reliable ones who know exactly what they are doing, and they all do it well. quiet does not necessarily mean weak, just as loud doesn't necessarily mean better. let's keep that in mind.

now, of the brothers, charleston has to be the most curious one. he is mellower compared to his sisters, and at least is still on decent speaking terms with caroline. he isn't so bad, except he might be the master instigator. it might be still too early to tell what his motives are but it gives me the creeps thinking of him sat back and relaxed watching his own family in shambles, from a fire he started himself. now, carlo is the dangerous one, the observer, which should be fine, except he reports back to his mother, a cunning, crafty woman. smart. highly intelligent, which scares me.

on the mean streets of binondo, bingo tries to turn his luck around with a brilliant idea involving money, except murphy's law takes effect. everything that could go wrong goes wrong. he is late, there's a lot of blood. what are the chances he missed his chance?

donny continues to be credible as a binondo street urchin. he has this ability to convey so much with so little. understandable how his and belle's acting sensibilities match up. upon repeat viewings though, the effort he exerts into his character's diction becomes noticeable. not at all critical, it actually adds to the charm.

the communities of people on both ends of economic spectrum serve as mouthpieces for exposition, and opinion. my favorite thing is when what they say goes against what the characters are doing, thinking, what is really happening. that is where the story lies.

not only so the characters use irony to their advantage. the genius is in the details in the writing in the casting. for instance one chismosa is named prudencia, prudence, who thrives on malice. my favorite is this show's gray characters and choice to cast against type.

this show deliberately does the unexpected. it dips its toes in the predictable and then circumvents the familiar road. this show did not open with a love story. at this point, no trace of romance is noticeable, just a lot of fumbling around each of their own personal darkness and orbiting around each other, so close and yet so far.

and we who watch are also kept in the dark. don't we love that?

#tv: can't buy me love #actor: donny pangilinan #actress: belle mariano #pair: donny pangilinan and belle mariano #pair: donbelle #director: mae cruz alviar #director: cathy garcia sampana #director: ian loreños

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keistalkin · 1 year

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Dear universe, cut me some slack, please. hear me out.

i have always stuck to my guns that i was queer. in the patriarchal, homophobic society i was born and raised in, they never believed me -- not when i have a daughter and had all my major relationships with cis/bi but male-expressing men.

the only reason that i didnt have a serious wlw relationship is that the women i fell for couldnt come through and fight for me. eventually, they preferred to stay hidden, staying mysteriously single or take up with clueless male partners.

i resented it deeply -- their choice. i thought it meant that i was not worthy. that i was not worth the social backlash of entering into a same-sex relationship. i thought maybe it was because i also got attracted only to female-expressing queer women. after all, in this country where trans men and women get the major share of vitriol, "femmes" like me had the option to disappear into normativity.

so in 2021 when i fell deeply and irretrievably for a what they call "soft butch" (I'd rather say androgynous but more people use the former), i was confused and a bit terrified. it was the first time for me to feel strongly for a "butch" type, though many of that type have pursued me before. i was even a bit repelled upon seeing her for the first time (pandemic forced us into an online-only interaction for a year) -- oh my! no way, i liked my feminine curves and kikay sapphos. but despite this, i only fell for her more deeply. her SOGIE paled in comparison to her inherent luminescence - her heart and soul were too beautiful to me. and i knew, though restrained and constrained, she was drawn to me too. however, as the months passed, it became more certain that i can only love her from afar. even if i was in loving poly relationships, she was in a loving and long-term mono relationship. the usual. the story of my life.

poly people are often envied for having the "freedom" to love more than one person. but, being minority, it stands to reason that we will fall for mono people. people who cannot be with us. people who cannot choose us. because they only got one choice. because they would rather choose that choice. why? coz they cannot imagine the idea of not "owning" their partners. not even if i would propose that i spend equal time with my partners. that my love for one does not diminish my love for another. that each of them is unique and beautiful and worthy of love. it is too much. just too much.

it used to be okay. i just nursed my wounds and bounced back, never mind scars that never healed. i could never blame them for not choosing me. but now, i am asking for a concession from the universe. is this really my lot? either grant me a fighting chance or take away this feeling please.

my rejection trauma rears its ugly head every time i am with her. i alternate between affection and affected disdain. i have blocked her in all channels except for two accounts that i cannot close due to work requirements. i cannot even bring myself to touch her, even in situations when social conventions allow it. i cannot look at her for more than a few seconds at a time. i try to hide away from her gaze because while i bask in those few seconds where her eyes search out mine, i have to look away in case i see pity or something else that i dont want to see. you see, she says she doesnt want to hurt me. this is one of the reasons why i love her. her kindness ensures that her love language is service. she doesnt want to do me a disservice. she doesnt want to be unfair to me and her partner. the irony is that mono people would tear their hair out in rage to hear this. but this is an attractive quality to polys. We always respect each of our partners and show our love and support to them equitably.

so what happens now, dear universe? several times, she and i have told each other we must stay away, must not express or show affection of any kind. i have tried not speaking or even glancing at her in shared spaces. i am now trying to block communication channels to stop my expressive drunken self from telling her that i miss her. but i know, i know for sure, that if and when she meets my eyes, i will fall for her all over again.

she knows she is breaking my heart. her beautiful, altruistic self hurts for me. i want to tell her i am okay, and yes i do tell her that when she asks. she wishes for my happiness. and yes, i do find happiness in other places, things, people. i dont feel jealous or resentful at all about her partner, who is expectedly as awesome as her (awesome attracts awesome, obviously). my partners do not feel jealous of her too. but, bless her mono heart, she cannot fully grasp these complexities of being poly...yet.

yet. yes yes yes. i hold on to the 'yet'. i must be mad. but what else can i do? i dont think i can unlove her. it would be like unbreathing a breath.

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mallowsheart · 2 years

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Dahil na aaccess ko na ulit yung tumblr ko baka dito muna ako tumambay. Ang dami ko na naman gustong sabihin ang problema hindi ko naman sila macompose ng maayos, seems like nothing's changed. Dahil nag sstruggle parin akong iexpress sarili ko or sabihin ang nilalaman ng isip ko dito ko na lang muna ilalabas lahat. Wala rin namang nakaka kilala sakin dito kaya okay lang, haha. So dito ko uumpisahan ..

Mich&Michi nickname ko sa school at work. Apple, Pol naman sa bahay. Panganay at nag iisang babae sa 3 magkakapatid. Breadwinner. Scorpio. 5'3. Introvert. I prefer beach. wala akong talent, sinubukan kong mag aral magplay ng gitara pero hanggang ngayon 3 lang yung alam kong kanta, ay 2 na lang pala nalimutan ko na yung chords nung isang kanta haha. Ang cool kasi kaya sinubukan ko, well nakaka relax rin lalo na kapag nakatambay ako sa rooftop paghapon. Isa pa, yung kapatid kong sumunod sakin nagpplay rin kaya nainggit ako haha. Hindi na nagprogress yung pag aaral kong mag gitara kasi tinamad na ako 😅.

“Selenophile (n.) - a person who loves the moon.”

I am a Selenophile person. Naiinlove ako sakanya lalo na kapag fullmoon at sobrang liwanag. ang saya saya ng puso ko kapag nakikita ko syang ganun at narerelax ako. One night umakyat ako sa rooftop to see her, sa sobrang ganda nya naiyak ako and I thank God para sa magandang view at sa sayang nararamdaman ko sa mga oras na yun. Please excuse me for being weirdo. well kahit na hindi sya full I still find her beautiful.

Favorite color ko nung highschool at college is blue. Pero nung may nagintroduce skin ng color pink na gugustuhan ko narin hmm.. yung pastel na pink. pag bright kasi pang kikay na yun, para sakin lang naman and hindi ako kikay.

Gusto ko subukan mag surfing, skateboarding at rollerskates, feeling ko naman kaya ko magbalance since nakakapagbike ako. Gusto ko rin subukan umakyat ng bundok pero yung pang beginner lang baka di kayanin ng tuhod ko at bumalik na naman yung arthritis ko hahaha, yoko nun .. Speaking of Arthritis, grade school pa lang ako nirarayuma na ako, yung MALALA. Tipong hindi ko na natatapos yung klase kasi nakatulog na ako sa kakaiyak sa sobra nyang sakit. Di ko maalala kung pinacheck up ako ni mama nuon. Sumasakit sya kapag sobrang lamig, lalo na sa gabi pero wala kaming aircon. talagang namimilipit ako at kulang na lang ipaputol ko na sya sa sobrang sakit. Ngayon pasulpot sulpot na lang at hindi narin ganun kasakit.

Wait .. Dinner time na pala. magpapakain muna ako ng aso at pusa.

Na tutuwa ako ang daldal ko ngayon 😂

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giantbukonut · 3 years

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i understand that like we shouldn’t be dicks to 30+ year old women in fandom because they have every right to be here but also like in my experience they’re the ones who end up forming toxic “fandom mom” relationships with younger teens + endorsing unhealthy coping mechanisms (cough cough being anti anti cough) so you can’t really blame people for being wary

#kikay speaks #ok to rb

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mrneighbourlove · 2 months

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Glass Love and Desire: Ch 5. Preparation for the Future.

The week after his wedding, Malakath was especially high in his glory. He didn’t care for the celebrations themselves; all that mattered was the rewards that were cultivated. All the Hasai loved him. He was the prodigal son; a new beautiful wife at his side and being a war hero gave him that honour. But events for Chione were starting to snow ball quickly. The Hasai, especially those deep in the Kikai Empire, wanted to know what kind of woman she was, and how she could be used politically.

There was very little time for a honeymoon period since Mally's people were eager to hear updates on their marriage. While Chione understood he had a duty to his kingdom, she did wish it was just a little more time for the two of them. Still, while he was away with meetings and diplomatic issues, she learned the Hasai language and tended to the beautiful garden that her husband gifted her. Within the short time Chione had been in the Kikai Empire, she had covered the greenhouse with a variety of plants. The botanist was currently trying to hybridize a Naran Kamazu with a Kikai Lily to produce a stunning red lily which could survive extreme heat and in a watery environment. So far, it was a waiting game to see if her efforts paid off in the end.

Still, it was a little lonely with limited interactions, waiting on Mally.

Coming through the door, Malakath entered with company beside him. Strolling in, the Prince gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. “How goes your experiment?”

"Mally!" Chione was delighted to see her husband after he had been in meetings all day. She purred loudly, her tail wrapping around his leg to pull him in closer for a deep kiss. Narans were especially affectionate with their mate. "I have growth for the hybrids. Soon, I hope to present you with a red lily. The white ones you have are beautiful, but imagine if I could grow these for you. It would be a blend of my home and yours, something truly ours."

“I like the sound of that. A mark I can leave on the lands of the Kikai Empire itself.” He enjoyed the deep kiss she gave him, a perk of a lovely woman like Chione. Pulling back, he licked his lips as he introduced his companion. “My dear Chione, may I introduce you to my confidant, Captain Bellum.”

The man before her was dressed in an onyx black uniform. With sharp blue skin and purple eyes, he was a Romtan. His gaze was analytic and stoic, and his tone was polite when he spoke. “Greetings, Princess Chione. We didn’t have a chance to speak at the wedding,”

"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." Chione's grasp of the Hasai language had improved immensely, despite Mally's sister teasing her about such a thick accent. "Captain of..." She paused, thinking of the right word. glancing at Mally for the correction translation. "Um... the fighters? All the fighters?"

"Simply a captain, Princess. I command my ship, the KE-Entrapment. There are many captains. Maybe one day I can be the first admiral of my kind in the empire." He smiled, breaking some tension. "I do lead the engineering department, however. I took the liberty in constructing your greenhouse."

"You built this?" Chione gestured to the greenhouse in surprise, but smiling so brightly at the revelation. Even her tail wagged from the thought of such a wondrous building in the stages of construction. Before she thought, the Naran blurted, "I want another one!"

Realizing what she suddenly said, Chione sheepishly then admitted, "I mean... it would be nice to have another one, but this one is plenty for now! It's just so... so at home. I feel at home in here with the plants. It's one of the best gifts I've ever received." She nuzzled foreheads with Mally, "My mate knows me well."

"You're a princess now, consider it a command." Bellum gestured to the plants she was making. "Tell me, Prince Malakath mentioned an experiment. What are you trying to create?"

"I do not wish to make a request of another greenhouse when I know the safety of the Hasai people takes precedence." Chione did not like the idea of being so demanding, but would not reject an offer of another building for her plants. "Only if you have time and wish to do so."

When Bellum inquired of the lilies, Chione bent down to show him the white Hasai lilies and Kamazu plant growing side by side. She explained, "This is a Kamazu plant from Al-Daida. It is good for all properties of healing, especially infection. Mally told me his favorite plant was the Hasai lily. He said the white lilies were good for increasing the hotness of a Hasai's flame in battle." She motioned to the tiny little buds starting to grow. "If these hybrids survive, I will have created a plant that is resistant to heat, thrives in soil or water, and may provide special healing properties to those who command fire here. A plus for all the souls in Kikai."

"Well, I'm sure the Skurge and Ocho will enjoy the practicality of the plant. While I can admire it myself, I think I will enjoy its beauty more."

Malakath patted his wife's back, enjoying the fact she and Bellum seemed to be hitting it off. "We're in times of peace right now. You can have all the greenhouses you wish."

"We still need a proper name for them," Chione thought a grandiose title was in place for the plant instead of a simple red lily. "What do you suggest, Bellum?"

"Oh, I dare not take away that honour from you. You're the artist after all."

"A good artist is always open to suggestions," Chione countered with a smile. "Mally? What about you? After all, they're my gift to you."

Malakath thought about it for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "I agree with Captain Bellum. It's your design. You're a princess of the Empire now. One day, you'll be a future Empress. It's up to you to leave your legacy. That means it's your name for your creation."

"Very well," Chione then stated, "Then I will call them kaji lilies, after the great fire that Mally controls, and many other fire users of the Hasai people. For the Narans, my native tongue, it will be Anwara Lilies, since their radiance will glow even with the lack of the sun."

"That's a beautiful name my dear." Malakath kissed her again, grinning happily. "Bellum, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes my prince. It is a very fine name. I shall go put the order in to start building other green houses, unless either of you need anything further from me?"

"I would like to request your knowledge of the military system , Bellum." Chione asked the captain with sincerity. "I still have much to learn about the Hasai people. What better way to learn about the military than from someone who is in it?"

“Excellent. If you have time, I can teach you the devil in the details that help keep the empire running. Perhaps you’d also like some self defense lessons?”

"There are no dragons left. Not anymore." Bellum seemed to speak with a tinge of regret, but not enough to rouse Malakath's suspicions. "I speak of hand to hand combat. Wrestling is merely a sport."

"Sport? In Al-Daida, it is the main way females subdue their males." Chione did not realize the Hasai people considered wrestling a mere pastime. "Very well, I'd be happy to learn, though you might have your work cut out for you. The only weapon I've ever held is my carving knife for the plants."

"That's fine. Everyone begins from nothing. Even Prince Malakath had to learn technique." Bellum gave her a bow. "If you excuse me, I'm sure the prince can tell you where to find me."

Watching the Captain leave, Malakath nudged his wife. "What do you think of him?"

"From what little you told me about him before, I thought he'd be ten feet tall and super imposing." Chione admitted to her husband, before pouncing on him, knocking him to the ground. Smirking from ear to ear, the Nara then said, "But he's wrong about wrestling simply being a sport," She leaned down to nibble on his ear, "It's a way of passion to the Naras."

"Oh, I agree. This is far better than a sport. Wrestling for us is combat. Passion is far better." Malakath grinned ear to ear.

"What better place to find passion than here?" Chione grinded her hips downward to tease him. "In the beautiful gift you gave to me?" She was quite bold when it was just her and Mally together, especially pertaining to intercourse. "Just imagine. Each time I come here to tend to my plants, I'll remember how handsome you looked, sprawled out underneath me, just like this."

"Then why don't we make a sweet memory?"

"And have everyone smelling how we fucked?" Chione mused, teasing. "Scandalous. Although, it is my greenhouse."

The Nara slipped her tail into Malakath's pants, rubbing against his length. Her hands were busy sliding up his shirt, as her tongue traced from his navel to a nipple, giving a harsh bite, before going to his throat. She loved how his body was, and even more so, the noises he made for her.

They started kissing and feeling each up on another, getting more and more intense as they went on. Just as Malakath was pulling his member out of his pants, positioned right behind Chinoe with a horn in his other hand, his sister happened to come marching around the corner.

"Chione, are you- HOLY EXODRUM! What the fuck are you two doing?" She looked away, extremely embarrassed by the site of them. "Why here?!"

Malakath barely batted an eye. "I'm going to make love to my beautiful, strong wife. What does it look like to you?"

"Oh go fuck yourself. Just- please stop."

Chione was far from embarrassed. No, the Nara was actually very pissed. For the past two weeks, Silvia had made it her personal mission to interrupt any kind of mating session. Her tail twitched in irritation. She had tried her best to be kind to Silvia, but her sister-in-law had brushed off any attempts for conversation. Matter of fact, Silvia had been quite rude to Chione.

"Tell her to leave." Chione growled, "We haven't fucked in days because of continuous interruptions, and my heat cycle is ending in two days. If you want a child, we need to try. Now."

"I wanted to ask you a favour here, I didn't know my brother was here!" Silvia still didn't dare look at them. "I'll leave you to your debauchery."

"Oh come sister. Stay. You might actually learn how to please a man."

"Go to hell brother."

"Wait outside if you wish to speak so urgently." Chione nipped at Mally's bottom lip, having little to no filter during her heat cycle. "With how vigorous your brother is, it won't take too long for a rut. If he only goes for one round, that is."

Silvia held her hands up in defeat and turned to leave. "Goodbye."

Malakath grinned wickedly. Now his sister would know just how far behind she was.

"Finally," Chione purred in satisfaction as she wiggled her backside at Malakath. She made sure to move her tail out of the way as she lowered her head down onto her arms, on all fours. This was her favorite position, allowing him to thrust as hard, as fast, and as deep as he liked. "Some time for just me and you."

"Finally."

Silvia waited outside on a nearby balcony, tapping her fingers impatiently. An hour went by and there was no sign of Silvia. The last thing she wanted-

"Oh hello darling."

... was to be disturbed. "Hello father."

The Emperor smiled broadly, taking a seat across from her. "You know darling, you really need to learn how to knock. No one likes a pervert."

"I'm not a pervert, father."

"Your constant attempts to stop me from having grandchildren would say otherwise. From what I overheard, you can't make me believe you wanted to ask Chione an actual favour."

"I did..."

"Oh my dear, dear Silvia. I'm impressed you're still wanting to keep yourself ahead of the game. You're not a quitter, I'll give you that."

Silvia grimaced. For once she wished her father didn't want to play games. Yet, she never wanted to disappoint him either. "I never do."

After a very passionate and intense bout of love making, Chione was persuaded by her husband to at least hear Silvia's request. Five rounds of rutting had put Chione in a better mood to entertain the idea. Fixing her dress and her hair, the Nara walked through the curtains on the balcony, not realizing there was other present company.

"Silvia, what do you want that's so important you had to interrupt Mally and---oh!" Chione saw Emperor Chillowack and immediately extended a polite bow. It was customary in the Hasai culture. "I beg pardon, father-in-law, I did not know you were here as well. I hope I did not keep you waiting too long. Your son is quite..." She figured there was no way to sugar coat it, especially since Hasai noses were quite adept at scents. "Demanding."

"I'm sure he is." Chillowack winked with a chuckle. "Just pretend I'm not here. I would love to simply observe how my new daughter will get along with the old."

Silvia held a stare at her father that was cold and distant, yet held a barely contained hatred.

"In all honesty, father-in-law, that remains to be seen." Chione replied candidly to the Emperor. While she would not show weakness around him, the Nara was not above being blunt. Mally told her that his father appreciated the brutal truth... most of the time. For some reason, he found it amusing. "I've little time to know Silvia, but more with Mally."

"Then you two should get to know one another. After all, you're both big cogs in the machine that runs the Empire. Best you both get along."

"That all depends if she's going to keep interrupting your son and I." Chione retorted dryly, "But I will endeavor to be a good sister-in-law."

"You shouldn't have to rush into such things just to spite me." Silvia sneered, but remained in her seat.

"You shouldn't have judged me before you knew me." Chione snapped right back, tired of taking Silvia's constant snide remarks. "I have done no wrong against you, yet you are rude, short, and view me as inferior all due to the fact that Mally and I wed before you have found a mate." She went straight to the heart of the matter. "Your fear of being replaced by a child of ours is irrational. You are his sister, and he cares for you. I seek no ill will towards you and wish you happiness like I have found with your brother."

She then added, crossing her arms, standing tall. "But if you insist on being petty like a young teenager, then I will not indulge you. I would like to be friends, since I have so few here, but I will not be belittled nor made to feel beneath you each time we speak. I am not Hasai, but I am Naran, and I do commend the same amount of respect as you."

"Fine. Be naive." Taking a deep breath, Silvia shook her growing animosity off, least for a moment. "I need your advice as a botanist."

"I'd rather be naive than prickly like you." Chione growled in annoyance, but was surprised at such a statement. "You want to know about plants?"

“I want to know about romantic plants.”

"Romantic plants?" Chione could not believe what she was hearing. "The language of flowers? As in, nine roses means 'our love is eternal'?"

“Yes. I need to know what the best bouquet of flowers to give a mate would be.”

"Red carnation, apple blossoms, white lilies, daisies, yellow pansies, and red tulips would make for a grand gesture," Chione stated off the flowers she knew that proposed intentions toward another. "Unless you rather settle for a single rose to declare love."

“Thank you.” Silvia was quick with her response. It was all she could muster.

"I do not have all of those species in my garden yet, but you are welcome to gather a few." Chione figured it would keep Silvia out of her hair for now by giving the woman what she wanted. "My assistant will help you."

“That’s good to hear.” Silvia stood up, and grasped Chione’s hands to shake them. “You have a good day, sister.”

"... good luck with your romantic endeavor." Chione was confused by Silvia's behavior for sure. Why the sudden change of heart? Yet, the Nara was not convinced. Silvia was probably using her for whatever small benefit she could get.

Chillowack chuckled at the sight of his daughter barely being able to ask for a favour. "Run along princess."

After he left, he smiled at Chione favourably. "It's no business of mine to say where you should or shouldn't make love, but I would advise caution doing it in a public setting. We aren’t savages dear."

"I apologize," Chione's tail twitched slightly, not exactly wanting to discuss this topic with her father-in-law, but a Hasai's nose never lied. "The fault lies upon me. Naran heat cycles are hellish to endure, and your son will not deny me. I will be more mindful of my surroundings in the future."

“Good to hear dear. I am very excited to know what you name your twins.”

"... twins?" Chione blinked, a bit caught off guard. "What makes you think there's going to be twins? Is it common for Hasai to have multiples?"

Chillowack looked surprised. “You mean he hasn’t told you? It's a royal tradition. Those who give birth to Ocho children always give birth to twins. One boy, one girl.”

"No, I... well... I'm not Hasai." Chione wondered how the cross between their two races would work. "Does that mean I will still have twins?"

“Well, Malakath is. His blessed seed will be enough.”

"Well... I um..." Chione was not sure how to react to this news, but supposed it was not a bad thing. Names. What names would Mally like? What did she like? "I've always liked Zannah for a girl. I thought it was very regal for a lady." She thought for a moment more, "Maybe... maybe Nihilus for a boy. Or Seras. Both are strong names for a son." Curious, she then asked, "What about you? I'm sure you've discussed names with Mally before."

“Please, not my place. Naming was exhausting enough with him and Silvia.”

"Names hold meaning in many cultures, father-in-law," Chione reminded the Emperor with a small smile. "If anything, I want our children to be healthy, to be strong... and to be happy."

“Happiness? Oh that is just adorable.” The Emperor stood up, shaking his head. “Strong and healthy, I certainly hope so. But take it from me. Don’t promise happiness. You’ll often be disappointed. Good day dear.”

As the Emperor took his exit, Chione was rather confused. What kind of parent would not wish for their child's happiness? Even her parents, who were not rich by any monetary standards, gave her a lovely and happy childhood. Dismissing the thought, Chione returned to the inner sanctum of her greenhouse to check on the sprouts of the kaji lilies. She hoped the flowers would bloom soon so she could present the plant to Mally as a gift.

About a month in, something miraculous occurred. Silvia had stopped openly antagonizing her sister in law. And Chione received the first evidence that she was pregnant. When the news reached the other members of the royal family, there was a thick air of joy, but also tension. The birth of a new line was a momentous occasion, but one that always had a hint of vulnerability around it. The prince did not hesitate in taking precautions. "Chione. I won't have any arguments. You're going to have a bodyguard wherever you go."

Over the moon at the news, Chione was determined to be the best mother possible. She was excited for the arrival of the twins. Already, she had set to designing a nursery and collecting adorable baby clothes. Often, she wondered whether her children would have horns or a tail like her, or perhaps favor their father more in inheritance.

Yet, the pregnancy had not been easy. Chione had extreme morning sickness, confined to her chambers due to the fatigue and nausea, but luckily it had passed by the time the first trimester concluded. The doctors hounded her, but the Naran had lost her temper at several of them, hating to be touched by the foreign hands. After one doctor nearly lost his hand, Mally had at least ordered the physicians to leave her be for the time being. The arrival of the second trimester promised an easier storm to weather.

Though, Chione was a little concerned. Thus far, there was barely any bump visible. She had heard tales of many Naran women only showing evidence of pregnancy in the last trimester, so she tried not to fret over the thought too much. For now, Chione was spending time outside with Mally, enjoying the fresh air. The ten guards with them, however, she thought was a bit of overkill. If it made Mally feel better, Chione supposed she could tolerate their presence.

But the promise of a constant babysitter was a bit of an irritation.

"My darling, are you sure it is necessary?" Chione gently ran her fingers through his hair as he used her lap as a pillow. Both were enjoying the breeze and clear sky, the perfect day for a romantic picnic... despite extra company. "I will not argue with you, but we are in the palace. Surely it is quite safe here?"

"You never know my dear. There are certain political families that would love nothing more than to prove themselves our superiors and take the throne from us. While you are pregnant, you will be more vulnerable than usual." Malakath held his head, feeling a slight migraine. "I will not risk your health or the future of our line."

Malakath smiled slyly. “My dear. As much as I would love to, nothing would get done. So no, it will fall to someone else. I’ve trusted Bellum to find a suitable person to be at your side.”

Entering a doorway to a dojo, the captain gave a bow. “Princess Chione. Prince Malakath. Welcome.”

"Oh, what a shame, how would the palace survive without you?" Chione teased her husband lightly when he smirked at her. "While I understand, I cannot say I'm a bit disappointed. I am, after all, the perfect excuse to pull you away from your duties."

As Mally led her to a dojo, Chione admired the lovely structure. There were no such places in her homeland. All of the fighting was in the gladiator rings or 'the pits' as her people referred to the area. Once Bellum greeted both of them, Chione gave the captain a smile.

She said warmly, "How are you fairing, Bellum? Has Mally granted you the rank of admiral like I've asked him to do so?" Chione was not above some goodhearted banter with her husband, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do remember that you promised when the title was granted, I'd be the first to get a tour of your lovely ship."

"I did. And that will come soon. But first, business. I would like to introduce you to Zarun Thel. First Lady of House Thel, and your protector."

Malakath was completely surprised when he saw an Ocho step forward. The civil war had reduced their numbers to- well to be blunt, Malakath thought his blood family were the only ones left. She was certainly beautiful, and he had no doubt that she would be an excellent fighter. The woman, garbed in an unique onyx black armour with red striping among the shoulders gave a firm bow.

"Princess Chione. It is my honour to serve as your bodyguard."

"It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Zarun." Chione was surprised to see an Ocho as well. She was expecting a Skurge at most, but this was far from her expectations. Not to mention, the woman was absolutely stunning. "I do hope we will be fast friends."

"Likewise ma'am." Zarun shook her hand by the forearm in a firm handshake. "I won't let you, or Prince Malakath, down."

Bellum nodded. "Lady Zarun will be your sword and shield. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

"If you have Bellum's vote of confidence, then you have mine." Chione returned the handshake, being mindful of her claws. "I thank you for taking this job."

Malakath eyes went up and down the other Ocho. She was beautiful; incredibly so. Her eyes had a steep confidence, her hair was cut sharp, and her lips were flowerily. Above all else she smelled like-

Shaking his head, the prince felt his breath hitch. No. Why were these thoughts coming to him? He had mated with his wife. He was bound to her. He should not even be physically capable of feeling this way. Rather silent, he eyed both women back and forth. Finally, he gestured for Bellum to come forward. "Captain, walk with me. We shall leave the two women to... get to know one another while we discuss our project."

"As you wish my lord. Princess. Commander. I wish you both well."

"Tell me, Lady Zarun, I'm curious, what do you know of the Naran culture?" Chione asked as she motioned for the bodyguard to take a seat on a pillow next to the tea table. "I'd be rather happy to answer your questions if you have any."

“Naran? I was only given cliff notes. I know that you come from a desert across the sea, you have abnormal physical strength, and you have a cultural taste for jewelry. I must say that your Hasai is rather good.”

"My people are from Al-Daida," Chione clarified for Zarun with a soft smile. "We are supposedly the descendants of Aliyah, the sorceress, and her lover, the great drake of the desert, Daidan." She offered her bodyguard a cup of tea. The leaves were from the variety of plants from her greenhouse. It was soothing and calming. "Indeed, we are strong, and yes, I do appreciate fine jewelry, but there is certainly more to me than such trivial little things."

She encouraged Zarun, "Ask me your questions and I'll ask you a few in return. It is nice to get to know a friend in such a way."

"Very well." Zarun seemed to be deep in thought, then answered honestly. "Your horns. Can you use them in battle? Do you know magic if you are a descendant of a sorceress?"

"Of course!" Chione replied enthusiastically. It was refreshing to have someone else to talk to besides her husband or a servant. She took the tip of her finger and poked her sharp horn. "Naran horns are incredibly resilient. If broken, they grow back. Very useful to use to pierce or gorge." She then gave a slight shake of her head, "Some Narans are blessed with magical talent, while others possess strength. I, unfortunately, do not have magic to use, yet I was blessed in other ways." She motioned to the tea that was in the pot. "I was able to implement the usage of my ancestor's green thumb. She turned the desert into an oasis for us."

"You can manipulate plant life with magic? That sounds beautiful. Part of me is glad you fit so well in the Empire then."

"It's not a very flashy type of magic, but at least I can ensure that the Empire will never be hungry." Chione mused, "Though, here of late, I feel very drained by the pregnancy. I must admit, it's a bit out of sorts for me to lack such energy."

"I am more than willing to lend a hand when need be." The bodyguard walked around with the princess, keeping a steady pace. "I believe it's your turn for questions?"

"I have to admit, you are an Ocho," Chione asked Zarun, rather bluntly, but figured there was no reason to sugarcoat things. "I thought Ocho were all part of the royal family. Why are you working as my bodyguard?"

There was a little bit of regret on Zarun's face, but she kept her tone steady. "When the Waku went to war with the royal family, Emperor Chillowack called upon all the royal houses for support. Fighting the Waku was a struggle on its own. Fighting the dragons, it became a long term slaughter. Because the Emperor held the Crown of Exodrum, he was the most powerful Ocho among us, so we followed any order he laid out with obedience. Even if it meant dying with honour. And that, ultimately, is what occurred."

Reaching a balcony, Zarun pointed out the countryside in the distance next to the volcano. "Out there, in the distant plains. That's where my family laid down their lives fighting two dragons. We were allowed to command armies of Skurge and Romtan, but for my family, for the rest of the Ocho, honour dictated that we lead by example. That put us right in front of all the carnage. When all the fighting was done, I was one of the last remaining Ocho outside of the royal family. Certainly the last of mine. Now only a handful of families remain."

"Oh..." Chione did not realize there were other Ocho families besides her husband's. There was still a lot left for her to learn. The pain in Zarun's voice was evident. Loss was a wound which never went away, even with the passing of time. The pain only became easier to deal with as the years passed. "I'm sorry for the loss of your family."

The Nara frowned, and then gave Zarun's hand a soft pat as a gesture of comfort. "I know what it is like to lose someone you love. My parents have been gone for a few years, but I still miss them." She gave a brief pause and then stated, "I hope you find someone one day that makes you as happy as Mally makes me. Then, you can have your own family again. No, it won't be the same, but still..." Chione gave a small smile. "It will be less lonely for sure."

The Ocho smiled, feeling a sense of comradery between herself and the princess. "Indeed. I take it you've enjoyed your time here in the Empire so far?"

"The Empire is very different from Al-Daidan, but I have enjoyed my time here." Chione supposed that was a half truth. She was enjoying her time here, but felt so... alienated. There was hardly anyone here who she could consider a true friend. "It'd be nice if I could... go outside of the palace." The Naran gave a defeated sigh, "Mally is insistent that I remain within the walls for my safety, stating he does not know how the people will react to me."

"Well... you're safe with me. If the prince's first concern is safety, then that matter is settled. I can take you to see the countryside."

"Really?!" Chione lit up like fireworks in the sky, grasping both of Zarun's hands in excitement. She had her hopes up now. Even her tail wagged from the thought of visiting the lush countryside with so many new plants. "There's so many new plants I've yet to gather for my garden! I mean, of course, Mally told me he'd have them delivered here, but I want to see them in their natural environment! It might give me the opportunity to make more hybrids!"

"We can ride a Manticore. Come on, you're going to love the sights." Grabbing her hand, the Ocho was quick to lead the Nara down through the palace, down every hall to the monster's stables. Here, in zoo-like cages, various monsters were lying about. An incredibly large Wyvern rested, a few Basilisk's slithered in coils, some Griffins were putting together a nest, and finally, there was the Manticore.

Opening the cage, Zarun let out a whistle. "Myhrra, come!"

From the shadows of the cave corner, a large beast walked forward with heavy paws. The monster had the body of a lion, but on its rear was a massive scorpion-like tail with a rounded spiked tail. It had leathery wings upon its back, and its face was like a man with the main and jaws of a lion. Seeing Chione, it smiled with hunger. It seemed Zarun was on this behaviour right away, flicking fire at its feet.

"No! She is not food! This is Princess Chione. She's going to be a friend."

"A what now?" Chione was barely able to inquire what the hell a manticore was before being dragged by Zarun to the stables. This was new. She had never seen this part of the palace before. There were so many beasts in here that were new to her. Of course, Chione was a bit biased, since in her opinion, there was nothing which could compare to the majestic sand rays of her homeland. When the beasts licked its lips, Chione's tail stood on end for a moment, before flicking in warning. She would fight if necessary, though, thankfully, Zarun calmed her creature. "Are all your pets so bloodthirsty?"

“All the best creatures are.” The way Zarun petted the main of the creature made it almost seem docile, the way it slapped its foot up and down in happiness. Almost wasn’t good enough when it still had maddening eyes staring at Chione, yet it didn’t make any moves. Grabbing a saddle, the Ocho attached it to her pet, then instructed Chione to climb aboard the back. It was about the size of a horse, so just about enough room to fit together. “She won’t bite. Unless I command it~”

"If she bites, I bite back. Just warning you." Chione climbed up on the saddle, the feeling rather foreign. In Al-Daida, she rode the sand rays, camels, and every other mount without such equipment. She was curious as to why the Hasai used such a thing for their pets. "We do not have these in Al-Daida."

“Manticore are rare, even in the empire, so I’m not surprised. Myhrra here I found as a kitten. Trained her to be my companion in battle. Other Ocho gravitated to beasts like griffins, basilisks, or even minotaurs. Since they’re all mostly dead, I’d say I chose wisely. Come on Myhrra, show the princess what you can do.”

With a roar that sounded more like a woman screaming than a cat, the Manticore spread its leathery wings, then with a few paces of running forward took off into the air. Soon enough, the pair was flying over the walls of the castle.

As soon as the manticore took off into the air, Chione was laughing in absolute delight. This reminded her of the flights on the sand rays. It was not as smooth as the ancient rulers of the desert, but it was still wonderful to experience the wind on her face again. It made the kingdom feel a little less foreign, and more like home.

With a slap of the reins, Zarun had her beast take them down with a dive towards the hillsides. Carefully, they flew over rice farmers, going into the lush countryside. “That’s good you’re taking this so well.”

"In my homeland, there are sand rays that are larger than the palace." Chione told Zarun with her arms wide for emphasis. "I miss riding on them. Miss seeing them. Their calls were like music echoing across the desert."

“That sounds beautiful Princess. I can’t say we have anything like that. Least, not since the dragons.”

"I was rather saddened when Mally told me there were no more dragons here," Chione gave a small sigh. "I was hoping to see one. Yet, he told me the dragons and the Waku were evil."

“Corrupted is more accurate. They weren’t always that way. We used to have a powerful and peaceful relationship with the dragons, and the Waku were some of the greatest in our empire. But greed and pride spread through them. There are some beasts that are similar, like Wyverns. Look like dragons from foreign lands, but less intelligent and smaller. There’s also the Krayt. But we avoid them where we can, unless it’s to hunt.”

"It is a sad day when all an individual cares about is power and cannot see what is enough around them." Chione looked out over the farmland, her tail flicking in excitement. "There's so many beautiful plants here. Thank you, for bringing me to see all this. I really appre---um..." She paused, noting that quite a few Hasai were staring at her. "... do I really look that odd?"

"Oh, the Hasai used to have horns and a tail?" Chione did not know that piece of history. Taking Zarun's hand, she was so eager to explore, but knew better than to go running off into the countryside. Malakath had warned her that not everyone was friendly. "I don't want to interrupt their day. I know they have work to do."

Zarun nodded to Chione before addressing the crowd. “Your princess demands you carry on your tasks! We are merely observing. Dismiss your gazes!”

The farmers did as they were told, going back to their livelihoods.

"... that's... effective?" Chione could not believe how fast the people returned to their jobs. "I mean, I don't want to startle them, I just want to be... well... nosy." She admitted sheepishly, "For lack of a better word, I'm curious."

“You can travel wherever you wish. This is your land to observe. You are royalty, and even if you are not originally of these lands, you carry within you holy blood. Your respect does not need to be earned, it is cemented upon you already.”

"While I appreciate all the given respect, I don't want to be..." Chione had to think for a moment, translating in her head. "Perceived as a tyrant. I don't want the people to fear me, or think I'm merely a trophy for Mally. I want them to know me for me."

Zarun observed Chione rather curiously, a raised brow at her thinking. “That’s rather noble of you. If you feel that way, observe. See what you can do to give back to the citizenship. Or perhaps find something worthy of fighting.”

"Mally rarely addresses the topic of his people," Chione then asked Zarun, looking around the area. "What do they need? I might not be able to do much, but I will try."

Zarun gestured to the landscape, at all the people around them, and when she spoke, she did so with reverence. “What do they need? Nothing but to keep the machine that is the Kikai Empire running. As the workers of our land, they keep up all the happiness everyone could ever need. As leaders, those who are of royalty and chosen might hold power as both a weapon but also a tool. It’s up to us to share that power with the people. You want to stand out? Give them a project. After the civil war, much of our beautiful land was scorched. Perhaps you can share techniques or create inventions our people can use?”

Chione wanted to argue that people needed more than a job to feel happiness. Love, friends, stability, food, there was so much she could say a person needed. Yet, a fulfilling purpose was different as well. Taking a look over the land, the Nara thought for a minute. Just because the land was scorched did not mean nothing could grow.

"... do they need more food?" Chione asked Zarun. "I know of very resilient plants that will grow in any type of soil. Of course, it will need some treatment, but I have an idea of what will work." She pointed with her finger, "And spilt the water flow to run in-between the fields instead of having the farmers having to go get it. Irrigation is important."

Zarun smiled at the idea Chione crafted. “It will be done. Would you like to see the forest fauna for inspection?”

"Yes, please!" Chione started to follow Zarun, but stopped, noting some of the farmers lacked the proper equipment. "... and safety needs to be first and foremost. I see a lot of these people do not even have gloves. Some plants are poisonous or could cause a bad reaction. Please make note I want the people to have the appropriate gloves, clothing wear, and boots. Boots are important when working with such heavy farming tools."

“I’ll make a note in my report, princess.”

It only took a couple minutes of flight until the pair found themselves going through the forest line. Landing on the road, Zarun made sure to look around first before letting Chione off the Manticore. “You can look around, but don’t walk too far away.”

The forest was oddly quiet for a place of nature. Chione was quietly observing the different types of plants. Though, one certainly caught her eye. It seemed to be... watching her? It moved as she moved. Curious, she flicked her tail one way and then the other, watching the plant mimic her movements.

"Zarun," Chione called to her bodyguard. "What is this? It... copies me."

“Ah, that’s the Dabara Bush. It can sense movement next to it. In a bid to not be eaten, it follows the movement next to it to scare off animals. We have used it as a detection mechanism against pests in times of war. As long as you aren’t five feet in front of it, it won’t move.” Carefully, Zarun drew her sword. “The trick, however, is sometimes they can grow alongside Deku Baba. I’m sure you’re aware of the man eating plants?”

"The only man eating plant I know is extremely rare called a Jawstalk Mantrap," Chione told Zarun as bent down to observe the Dabara Bush with her tail thudding against the ground in excitement. "Grows to extraordinary lengths and can swallow a man whole. I only save a preserved one, once." She then said, "We can use these in the fields to keep away flies and other pests. They don't feed on other plants, right? So it can be a symbiotic relationship!" She suggested excitedly, "Minus the Deku Baba, of course."

“That would be ideal. Grab some seeds, I just need to feed Myhrra. She gets antsy if she doesn’t eat every 7 hours.”

"Very well," Chione then asked Zarun, "Does your manticore eat fruit? I saw some berry bushes along the way."

“Alas, only meat.” Grabbing a slab of chicken from a sack, the Ocho tossed it in the air. The Manticore rolled its tongue over its teeth, then snatched it with one gulp.

"As long as it doesn't develop a taste for Naran flesh, I'm good." Chione then asked, "... can I pet her?"

“You may. Just don’t show any regret with fear. It’s like blood for a shark.”

The manticore waited, its spiky tail resting as it smiled that monstrous grin.

Chione approached the beast. It was dangerous, that was for sure. Not to show any fear, right? She stepped closer, hearing a small, rumbling growl. So, Chione did the only thing she knew to do, and growled right back, giving the manticore a harsh pat on the withers.

"Don't test me, poofy," Chione told the manticore sternly, chiding it. "I'm nauseous all the time, I want to eat until I puke, my feet are swollen, and my boobs are huge. Go on, test me and see what happens. I dare you. I'll rip out a fang and feed it to you. I'm small, but I can still toss around your emperor like a rag doll."

The Manticore paused, tilting its head. As it seemed like it was about to let Chione pet her, it raised its tail over its head and fired off three metal spikes. Behind the princess, a man who was charging with a blade let out a death rattle as his chest was filled with the projectiles. Before he could even fall to the ground, the smiling Manticore leaped over Chione to swallow the would be assassin whole.

Zarun was quick to draw her katana, watching as other figures emerged from the undergrowth. “Princess, stay close!”

A number of red skinned men brandishing weapons strode forward. The hatred in their eyes was clear. “For our fallen brothers and sisters! For our children! Die!!!” ______________________________________________________________

Written with @ridersoftheapocalypse, prequel to War of Fire.

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#Hasai #Chione #Malakath #Chillowack #Nara

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