[ The moment she cuts it... the flowers disappear, poofing into the air! And leave with it a memory... uncorrupted. Even if it is a little painful and sad.
The realization is just as abrupt as a ripe fruit falling from a tree. Today is the day your father will die.
Perhaps that is why you wake before normal, sitting up in bed as the truth of those thoughts washes over you. It’s been three months since you last spoke to him. Not that you have ever been allowed to speak with him much at all or alone in your young life of 4 years old.
Quietly, you make your way to your honorable grandmother’s residence, and beg her to allow you to see him. Even if it is just a look, that will be enough for you. But she cannot feel what you know in your heart. She denies your request-- his body is in poor condition after all, and you are so young.
But you just cannot accept that. Standing outside his residence, you glance up toward an open window. Your father is right above here. He’s so close. You don’t even have to have a conversation. Just one look. Just one look at your father is all you need. Gritting your fangs, you dig your claw into the wood panelling on the building, and with great effort, pull yourself all the way up to the top window. With a quick glance around, you’re relieved-
That is, until you see your father.
A chill runs through you. Lying on his sick bed, his entire body is sunken in. He is gaunt, his cheeks overly pale and pulled tight. He’s lost so much weight in such a rapid amount of time.
He already looks as though he is in the grave.
‘Father’ begins to slip from your mouth before you remember you aren’t supposed to be here and slam your hands over your mouth. But it’s too late-- he knows someone is here.
“Is someone there…? Granny…? Granny...look at this hand.”
Unbidden your eyes dip down to it and there’s a sickening twist in your stomach.
“No matter how you look at it, it’s just a normal hand. Those strong dragon claws are nowhere to be found. The strength of the gods… is nowhere to be found.”
It's because of you. That power has gone because it has been taken by you. You know this with knotted horror.
“Hey Granny…? If it’s now-- If it’s now, that child… am I allowed to touch that child?”
The comment is so fully unexpected that it feels as though the air has been knocked outside of you. Not once-- not once since the time your father scarred you as a child, has he ever tried to touch you again. You barely can believe the words.
“I want to at least once. Can I be allowed to touch him once, in my final hour?”
. . .
“Granny?”
“ . . . Ah. Sorry… It’ll trouble granny again. No matter how much time passes, I’m still...a child.”
You can barely see. Your eyes burn, glossing over wetly.
“Someone like me… at this point, I can’t-- that child…”
You don’t hesitate. With all your might you throw yourself upon his chest and wrap your small arms around his neck, holding tight for dear life.
“Granny?”
No. You’re not Granny. Father! FATHER! Why didn’t you come prepared to talk to him? There are so many things that you want to talk to him about.
He inhales, body stiff from shock, before-
“...Kija.”
After speaking your name, he never opened his eyes again.
At his funeral you cry quietly as you watch your father’s casket be carried into the tomb to be buried among the Hakuryuu of the past. Your Granny cannot hold in her tears, as she speaks to you.
“Lord Hakuryuu, please forgive the previous lord.”
That isn’t right though. Through your tears, you manage a smile.
“Granny. There isn’t a single thing I need to forgive him for.”
At last, the memory fades, and you are once more standing in the present, holding a broken flower. In your hand, it shrivels up before dissipating into the air. ]
Ah... yes. It is a painful one for him. But it is also an important one.
The corruption... is interfering with memories and changing them for the worse. The memory you just freed is an important one to him. It is a precious memory of his father and has helped him develop into the person he has become today.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Re: HAKURYUU PALACE
Doodle! Are you okay...?
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[ reaching to pet him shh shhh ]
It was very nice of you to help that woman with her laundry - it's the sort of thing that Levi would do, isn't it...?
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[ I oocly forgot but her eyes are gold now. fancy ]
So I think that I can...
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[ oh he means -
ok.
after mulling it over for a bit she just kind of
draws a sword out of thin air. ]
There are a few more things that I learned to do too, I think ...
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So cool...!
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[summoning a shield]
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That's really amazing! You look nice!
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[ approaching the flowers, sword drawn ]
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The realization is just as abrupt as a ripe fruit falling from a tree. Today is the day your father will die.
Perhaps that is why you wake before normal, sitting up in bed as the truth of those thoughts washes over you. It’s been three months since you last spoke to him. Not that you have ever been allowed to speak with him much at all or alone in your young life of 4 years old.
Quietly, you make your way to your honorable grandmother’s residence, and beg her to allow you to see him. Even if it is just a look, that will be enough for you. But she cannot feel what you know in your heart. She denies your request-- his body is in poor condition after all, and you are so young.
But you just cannot accept that. Standing outside his residence, you glance up toward an open window. Your father is right above here. He’s so close. You don’t even have to have a conversation. Just one look. Just one look at your father is all you need. Gritting your fangs, you dig your claw into the wood panelling on the building, and with great effort, pull yourself all the way up to the top window. With a quick glance around, you’re relieved-
That is, until you see your father.
A chill runs through you. Lying on his sick bed, his entire body is sunken in. He is gaunt, his cheeks overly pale and pulled tight. He’s lost so much weight in such a rapid amount of time.
He already looks as though he is in the grave.
‘Father’ begins to slip from your mouth before you remember you aren’t supposed to be here and slam your hands over your mouth. But it’s too late-- he knows someone is here.
“Is someone there…? Granny…? Granny...look at this hand.”
Unbidden your eyes dip down to it and there’s a sickening twist in your stomach.
“No matter how you look at it, it’s just a normal hand. Those strong dragon claws are nowhere to be found. The strength of the gods… is nowhere to be found.”
It's because of you. That power has gone because it has been taken by you. You know this with knotted horror.
“Hey Granny…? If it’s now-- If it’s now, that child… am I allowed to touch that child?”
The comment is so fully unexpected that it feels as though the air has been knocked outside of you. Not once-- not once since the time your father scarred you as a child, has he ever tried to touch you again. You barely can believe the words.
“I want to at least once. Can I be allowed to touch him once, in my final hour?”
. . .
“Granny?”
“ . . . Ah. Sorry… It’ll trouble granny again. No matter how much time passes, I’m still...a child.”
You can barely see. Your eyes burn, glossing over wetly.
“Someone like me… at this point, I can’t-- that child…”
You don’t hesitate. With all your might you throw yourself upon his chest and wrap your small arms around his neck, holding tight for dear life.
“Granny?”
No. You’re not Granny. Father! FATHER! Why didn’t you come prepared to talk to him? There are so many things that you want to talk to him about.
He inhales, body stiff from shock, before-
“...Kija.”
After speaking your name, he never opened his eyes again.
At his funeral you cry quietly as you watch your father’s casket be carried into the tomb to be buried among the Hakuryuu of the past. Your Granny cannot hold in her tears, as she speaks to you.
“Lord Hakuryuu, please forgive the previous lord.”
That isn’t right though. Through your tears, you manage a smile.
“Granny. There isn’t a single thing I need to forgive him for.”
At last, the memory fades, and you are once more standing in the present, holding a broken flower. In your hand, it shrivels up before dissipating into the air. ]
Re: HAKURYUU PALACE
letting it settle for a time, expression pensive before turning to look for granny ]
... Um - . . . pardon me. That memory...
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The corruption... is interfering with memories and changing them for the worse. The memory you just freed is an important one to him. It is a precious memory of his father and has helped him develop into the person he has become today.
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Would it be alright, if you told me about it?
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... Is that something that he found himself inheriting? Being "Hakuryuu" - that's a part of it, isn't it?
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but she's doing it ]