haskagetoradoneanythingwrong

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Day 44-50

No.

She paced back and forth, as she so often did when her Master was away for too long.

"What if something happened to her?"

The woman in black beside her make a hushing gesture.

"She'll be fine. It's just a quick check-in, nothing more."

"It's been fifty days, Kagu-tsuchi."

The Shinto god of fire sighed, slightly rolling her eyes.

"You really think there's anything out there that can really hurt her? Besides... Kagetora's with her."

Suddenly, there was a flash. A resounding sound. The room went white as all anyone could hear now was an echoing ring.

When things finally settled... there stood Kagetora, alongside her master.

The Final Beast of Humanity.

Reincarnation of Mahākāla.

The Hero of Chaldea—

"Ritsuka!!!!!"

A passionate tackle hug nearly brought the Master down to the floor, but she held her ground.

As if on instinct alone, her arms rose up and wrapped around her #1 Servant to reciprocate.

Slowly, she breathed in. And she spoke.

"Hey, Jeanne."

"How was it? Did anything happen to you? Did they hurt you!?"

The Avenger's eyes began to glow with infernal rage. Ritsuka's hand reached up and began to gently stroke the back of her head, calming her slightly.

"I'm not hurt, Jeanne. I didn't even dig that deep. I just..." Ritsuka broke eye contact for a moment. "...I just wanted to see how everyone was doing. That's all."

"And? How were they?"

Ritsuka took a deep breath in.

"...Happy, I think. I dunno. I tried to be sneaky about it, but I think a couple of 'em recognized me. Said they were happy to see me again, but—"

The door suddenly slid open. As soon as Jeanne saw who it was, she immediately let Ritsuka go and stepped aside...

...as someone else tackle hugged her Master just as she did.

Ritsuka gently giggled. "Heya, Kouhai. You still holding the walls of the City?"

"Senpai...!" Mash giggled back. "I keep telling you, that's a group effort!"

A third figure approached, a cloak faintly billowing in non-existent wind, and a long rifle in her hands.

"Things've been a little wild since you dipped. But... all in all, I think we managed." Artoria Alter nodded as she spoke. "Good to have you back, Rits."

Ritsuka nodded back. Their tackle hug would have to wait for closed doors.

As the four continued to catch up, however... Kagetora pulled Kagu-tsuchi aside.

"Any sign of it?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"So what's the part she's not telling us?"

"I don't... think there is one."

"Really."

"Yeah." Kagetora looked back at Ritsuka. "It's a little bittersweet, but... I think she really is just happy to see that everyone else is okay."

"...So that's it, then? We can move on, now?"

"I'd give it a little more time. Make sure to tie up any loose ends... or at least the ones we can." Kagetora's eyes continued to stare. "Make sure there's nothing left to wonder. Then... yeah. Maybe we can finally put all of this to rest."

So.

Yet another figure appeared, rising from the floor, flickering and shifting like a hologram.

An dark emerald suit, inlaid with gold, peppered with random accessories that looked vaguely... Greco-Roman.

Cherry-red hair tinged with streaks of technicolor.

A comically large, poofy, sky-blue bow adorning a long ponytail.

Eyes like a nebula. A smile like a crack in spacetime—

"Don't you think that's kind of overdoing it, hun?"

...Aya sighed.

"Just thought you'd be excited to see me."

"When am I ever?"

"Ha ha." Aya shifted closer. "Y'know, you could at least warn a girl before disappearing for a month and a half."

"Didn't think you'd care."

"Oh, when don't I, Stardust?" Aya giggled before planting a quick kiss on Ritsuka's cheek. "So... did they miss you?"

"That's none of your business."

"Oh, come on!!" Aya pouted. "They were my friends, too... weren't they?"

"Quit trying to stir shit." Jeanne rolled her eyes.

"It's a genuine question!! Seriously, I should have gone with you—"

"We agreed that would've been a bad idea." Kagu-tsuchi cut in. "Now, come on. I'm sure Starlight's exhausted after everything. Let her rest, you can all pounce on her again later."

Aya continued to whine. But, everyone begrudgingly stepped back to give Ritsuka space. Except Kagu-tsuchi. She got closer.

"...Thanks, Yume."

"Oh, I just wanted you to myself for a bit. Can we talk?"

—————

The balcony outside the rec room.

A simulated cliffside overlooking the sea.

A constant ocean breeze under an eternal twilight.

Ritsuka leaned against the railing, staring off into the horizon. Kagu-tsuchi leaned as well, albeit with her back turned to the forever-fading light.

"...You think this is gonna be the last time?"

"I don't know."

The two remained silent for a moment. Only the wind and the waves below were proof that time still flowed.

"...You never answered Aya's question."

"I never had an answer."

"Then why do you still think—"

"Kagu-tsuchi."

Ritsuka's eyes closed.

"...What... is this... about?"

Kagu-tsuchi sighed.

"...We're just... tired, Starlight. All of us."

"Of my inability to move on?"

"Of your— ...yeah. That."

"I understand." Ritsuka's eyes opened. "I still remember what Benzaiten told me."

"Oh, good, 'cause I wasn't there."

"...You're right, Yume." Ritsuka sighed. "Maybe... Maybe this should be the last time. Maybe... Maybe it will be."

Another silence.

"...Um... I wasn't kidding, Starlight. I wasn't there. The hell did she tell you?"

To let go.

...Yeah, that sounds pretty on-brand for her.

...

...so.

You think you're gonna try for real this time?

I've been trying for real every time.

Fair, fair. Still. You think this is it?

I've lost count of how many times I've said this is it.

Fuck's sake, Starlight, how long is this gonna go on?

...

...my name.

...Huh?

I have a name, Yume.

Use it.

...

...Daikokuten?

......Mahākāla?

...............Lord Ouroboros?

...

...

...Fine.

How long is this gonna go on...

...Carina?

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Day 37-43

Asked Bishamonten where she got the second pagoda from.

She told me, "well, I keep losing the first one. So the second acts as a spare."

...I—

I asked where.

Not why.

...Anyway.

Kagetora did nothing wrong.

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

I want you to know that all your posting of Blue Archive has made me start playing the game. You've infected me.

I'll take this chance to say that I do not condone for people to start playing any gacha game I post art from, I already only play 2-3 and it's a prison of my own making y'all can just look at the pretty girls.

If you're ever in doubt if you should start any gacha game because you saw pretty art of the characters just rememeber this image:

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Kagetora sketch for @matou-sakura

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Day 30-36

One time I asked Kagetora what kind of Pokémon she would be.

She told me she'd give it some thought... and at the end of the day she returned with an entire concept for a regional evolution of Magikarp; one that was... oddly enough, Dragon/Steel?

Kagetora did nothing wrong... I just don't have the heart to tell her what a fursona is.

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Real talk, FGO needs more dragon women

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

V1 showing the Sankta some gun tricks

You know that the Sankta would make V1 immediately a saint if not a Jesus-like figure. Too bad V1 would probably try to slaughter them all

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

ぐだ邪 加筆 by ズム～@ndt3m

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

七剣なな

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

To all the cowards of the world:

I just want to talk.

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Been super into FGO and drawing Salter a lot lately. Have some older drawing from last year.

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Day 23-29

Another week of Kagetora doing nothing wrong!

Hey, Kagetora, any new games you've been playing lately that you wanna talk about?

...What's that?

You think this bit's overdone and I should find new material?

You don't want people finding out about your Sisyphean struggle to P-rank P-2?

These are absolutely things that you're saying and I'm totally not just putting words in your mouth because the masses can't hear you right now?

...Master,

WAIT NO I'M SORRY—

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

I found the answer in a ruin of obscurity.

(Remember me, remember me.)

The broken pieces of the puzzles that we choose to leave.

(A legacy...)

Will you remember? Will you remember me?

Losing light, out of time, just to find what I believe in...

KNOW ME BY MY NAME

Rip out my heart, tear me apart.

Just another casualty in the songs you'll never sing.

Rip out my heart, tear me apart.

This is who I'll always be, how the world remembers—

(`\/´)

[haskagetoradoneanythingwrong]

Day 16-22

Hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas! Completely slipped my mind last week.

Hey, Kagetora, what did you get this year?

...Uh-huh.

...Oh!

...Really?

...I see!

...

...Still don't think I can release most of this information to the public.

But that's okay! I'm sure she won't do anything wrong with the things she got~

...probably.