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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 12, 2019 19:04:20 GMT -6
A ship was an interesting thing; To some, it was nothing more than a mode of transportation. Others practically lived in their mode of transportation, converting them into mobile homes. The starship Masu and Suketo had been using was sort of a hybrid; Too small to comfortably live in, but it could pass for a small apartment. The prince didn’t remember much of the person that he had stolen it from; He had been in such a hurry to leave the planet that his grand theft starcraft victim was the last thing on his mind.
He had had plenty of time to look around the common area and bedroom, considering how long they had been in space “waiting for further orders”, but even now Masu was finding nooks and crannies with things he had passed up on first glance. Currently he had his head buried in the cabinet underneath their small stove, trying to see if some trinket or fool’s relic was buried there. His search had left him empty handed so far except for a couple of spare forks and spoons that had gotten lost in the cracks.
As he spotted something circular, he reached for it, hoping his luck had finally changed. As his hand got closer to it though, he saw the thing MOVE. This made him jump and hit his head on the top of the cabinet, making him yell out in pain. As he clenched his head, a book fell from above, dive-bombing the prince’s head and delivering even more pain to his already sore skull. Groaning and rubbing the bump on his head, he leaned over, frustrated, to see what reading material had dared to strike him. Seeing the title, however, made his chagrin turn to glee.
“Hey, Suketo, come out here, I think I found something pretty interesting!”
Masu carefully brushed the dust off the title,
BASSARIUS’ JOURNAL.
He remembered it from his studies as a child. It was an old book, a supposed journal written by a man named Bassarius. In it, Bassarius detailed all sorts of events that he witnessed in journal entries and passed them off as the truth. The problem was that basically every chapter was insane, and was filled with details that contradicted Tayona’s very history. Bassarius was clearly either a madman or an attention monger, but the book was interesting either way. He remembered it being taught as a look in the psyche of lunatic, but couldn’t help but fantasize about some of the things he wrote being true.
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 12, 2019 19:42:37 GMT -6
This ship was beginning to feel like a strange combination of a prison and a haven. True, she did sometimes like being away from the public, alone with her thoughts, but all the royals did was stay in this ship since they didn't know a damn thing about where they were. The small space seemed to shrink more and more as time passed. However, she did always enjoy her time with Masu, being able to talk about any crap and not be stared at with disturbed eyes, like everyone else, even her father and Tabby sometimes. Plus, the two had their little Namekian frog, Pudge, for some sort of company.
Suketo was in the bathroom, finishing using one of their blades to shorten her hair again, when Masu called out to her, seemingly excited about something. Hell, at least it was something new in this damn ship. Brushing out her hair before cleaning up, she stepped out, running her fingers through shortened hair.
"Whatcha find there, duck boy?" She said, smirking. Ever since the carnival back on Earth, where they had their first official date, Suketo called Masu "duck boy" when they were alone, playfully teasing him. Walking to him, she saw a book, looking at the title. "Where the hell did you find this?!" She took the book, looking at it. Through her own studies and her free time reading, she had read through the ramblings of this Bassarius. She always found the man's stories interesting, seeing the history of their home in a strange, yet confusing and controversial light.
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 13, 2019 18:18:24 GMT -6
“It was just lying on the shelf up there.” He admitted. It was out of reach and fairly out of sight before, so it was no small wonder they hadn’t noticed it before.
“I guess our ships creator was a fan of literature.” Masu said as he flipped the book open to a random page. “That, or maybe he was one of those fanatics who actually believes this junk.” There was in fact a small underground group who took the book to heart, even renaming it the "Gospel of Truth" for their own little circle. The page that the prince had flipped the book open to was part of a chapter where Bassarius talked about how some of the dragons that were native to Tayona didn’t originate there and were instead brought to life by sorcerers. He shook his head, lamenting the fact that some people actually took his lunacy to heart.
“Such crazy tales.” He stated, closing the book. “Nothing like the actual true stuff that my father and my retainers would talk about. For example, did you know that one of my ancestors actually created the ogball?” The prince was referring the wilderness delicacy, a ball of meat and native herbs and mushrooms. “They say he actually made it during his trial because he hated wasting time sitting around while eating, and wanted something he could eat while on the move.”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 17, 2019 10:55:39 GMT -6
As Masu turned the pages, and stopped at the page about the origin of the dragons that were on Tayona. However, what grabbed her attention was the mention of sorcerers. Once Masu closed the book, Suketo immediately snatched it away, searching for the page he was on.
"No shit..." She said quietly. This reminded her of a conflict that her ancestor, King Tourit, had fought in. She looked at her partner, listening to his stories of the legend of Hokkyoku and the creation of Ogballs. She made a crap ton of them when she was alone on her trials, wanting to always keep moving. "Well, each kingdom has their own legends... but a legend from both of mine... well, let's just say it makes some of the books insanities seem much less crazy." Sitting down, book still opened, she began with her tale. "Before I start, does the name Orrokutai ring a bell from your studies... or, more importantly, the idea of 'violet crystals'?" She asked. The story of Orrokutai might not sound like anything to him, since the conflict happened hundreds of years ago, and only in Atorantikku and Pashifikku. However, violet crystals were known to be used throughout Tayona.
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 17, 2019 12:36:04 GMT -6
“Orrutukai? The name rings a bell, but I can hardly remember who he was…I know what the violet crystals were though. A strength enhancing mineral that was created by magic, right? Apparently overuse of them could drive people insane though.” He had heard they were used in combat, but they were long before his time.
“But I definitely know of king Tourit. He killed one of our kings, Salmo I believe. Then the bastard went on an aggressive campaign against Hokkyoku. Made us even worse off than we already were.” Masu sneered. “So I guess I should thank your family for that.”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 17, 2019 12:53:17 GMT -6
Suketo was about to talk more about Orrokutai, but the mention of Salmo brought a fire in her eye. It grew as he said that the king killed him. Oh, no way in hell was she going to bring that bastard Salmo's name into this! Standing back up, she jabbed her finger into his chest.
"Don't you DARE give me that! Your daddy dearest tought you shit!" Stepping away, she kept her eyes on him. "I know the true story like a book... The story is that King Tourit and Queen Tenshira were at the Atorantikku Flower Fields with their two sons. When there, Tensira went for a walk. In the forests, Salmo ambushed her and stabbed her. Before he could go kill her husband and children, she used her powers... the same powers I have... to kill him, saving her family. She walked back before collapsing... dying in her husband's arms in front of her two young boys..." Sadness filled Suketo's voice, looking away. "Imagine being full of fear and pain, feeling the life leave you as the ones you love cry, your blood staining your lover's hands... She gave her life to save those who she loved... a humble queen dying too soon for anyone... I have full hatred for that bastard, Salmo... that's why I'm proud his grave was desecrated and his bones were sold off! And proud I was there to get his skull." Looking back, it showed that this story meant alot to her. "The battles got worse because the king's heart was shattered. Tabotto, my royal guard, was there through his foolish choices, and helped drive him away from the bloodshed he wanted to bring." Shaking her head, she realized she went on rambling about a whole different tale. Raising a hand, she took a deep breath to relax. "Give me a moment... then we can talk about the REAL crap I wanted to tell you."
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 17, 2019 13:08:23 GMT -6
Masu took a step back. It was interesting to hear the story from another perspective, but he wished that he didn’t have to hear it through such a rant.
The prince huffed in frustration. In his eyes, Salmo was just trying to exterminate the Sanichi line for good and make reclaiming their land all the easier. Sure, he had gotten a little overzealous, but had he succeeded and killed the two children, as gruesome a thought as it might be, the Hiyama line might be in Pashifikku now, and the Sanichi line would be nothing more than a memory.
“Quit acting like your people are the only ones who lost anything back then. King Tourit put my people through hell and back! He nearly wiped us out before we signed a ceasefire!” Masu sighed. “But…I guess losing the person you love most does that to the best of us…”
There was one upside to Salmo failing in his mission, and she was sitting right in front of him.
“I’m…Sorry. What was it you wanted to tell me?”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 17, 2019 13:33:27 GMT -6
An aggravated sigh was released from Suketo, wanting to get into it more. His family was the one to restart the fighting after many years of peace... but she held it back. The two would be fighting for hours if she kept it up. Hell, the two were both raised to kill each other. But... they were following a different path than the one that was paved for them, and they became so close... he was the closest person to Suketo, even more than her family. However, she would be caught dead telling him that.
"You better be sorry. True and utter love makes people do some damn crazy things." Chuckling lightly, she looked away with a smirk. "Look at us." She shook her head. "Now, I need a drink before we continue the REAL story." Not even looking, she moved her hand around, strategically opening the cabinet door, popping a bottle of booze open and bringing it to her hand. Being on the ship so long, she knew the path from the liquor cabinet to any part of the ship with ease. Taking a drink she started again.
"As I was saying, Orrokutai was a sorcerer, who was known for possessing no facial features, that had the power to corrupt the hearts and minds of anyone, turning them into his servants. Thousands of years ago, the Sanichi clan sealed him away in Gyumotami, the great coffin. He was locked there, but not before he created the violet crystals. Through the millennium, people and other creatures used them, gaining intense power." She smirked. "Imagine feeling that power coursing through your veins, being able to do things you can only dream of! But... everytime they were used, he got closer to escape until... a couple hundred years ago, he returned with a cause quite similar to your damn families." Looking at Masu, she crossed her arms. "Your tiny brain caught all that. There's alot more to process." She said with a sly smile, taking another drink.
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 18, 2019 9:59:52 GMT -6
Masu chuckled. The love that they had was real, but by all means should not exist. If fate had its way, they would be at each other’s throats right now.
Masu decided to get himself a drink as well, grabbing a bottle from the liquor cabinet and popping it open. As he listened to Suketo describe Orrokutai, he was glad that Hokkyoku never had to face something like that. Sure, they had Pashifikku to deal with, but at least they were regular soldiers, not creepy faceless sorcerers. Hokkyoku never had much in terms of magicians or magic in general. Magic users were rare to see, and most of the commoners would go their entire lives without seeing as much as a parlor trick.
As Suketo went on, Masu tried to fathom the kind of power she described. He pictured himself standing victoriously above a conquered Pashifikku, all his enemies at his mercy. He pictured the praise he would get, the books that would be written about him. Most satisfyingly of all, though, he pictured his people finally moving back into the lands occupied by Pashifikku, ending their seemingly everlasting plight. It was a nice thought, and hopefully one that wasn’t too far away.
“Yeah, I processed all that.” Masu stated. “So, what happened to him? You guys kick his ass or what?”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 18, 2019 10:37:46 GMT -6
The look in Masu's eye showed Suketo that he was trying to fathom the powerf those violet crystals would've given to a person. She suspected that his thoughts went straight to conquering her land. That was what he was raised to want, so he probably dreamed about it every night. Pushing that to the back of her head, she continued the story.
"Well, there's alot more that happened. The day his power returned... was a day alot of historical events happened. It was the day that Tabotto, the royal android guard, and my GBF, was first powered up. He was made to be a guard specifically for Tenshira, though his... flamboyant personality was known to be disliked by the king, Hanma. Tenshira, Tabotto, and Tourit, who was just her fiance at the time, went to a large market place when someone attacked the group. Tourit and Tabotto were getting their asses kicked a bit, so... Tenshira took things into her own hands for the first time and killed the attacker. And that day... the powers both she and I possess were shown to the world, mystifying and scaring quite a few people." Taking a drink, she began to speak of these powers both princess's had, it being its own incredible legend.
"Back then, nothing like what she possessed was ever seen anywhere on the planet. Magic was long forgotten in Pashifikku and Atorantikku. But, it's suspected that it happened right after the princess's birth. King Hanma and his queen, Tsuri, were never supposed to have a child, but they did. They had a princess, who was born very small and sick, barely moving. Then... one night... the queen and newborn went missing for almost a month, and a search went all around Tayona. After endless searching and a tragic call to stop the search, Tsuri returned with the baby, who was healthy as can be. Some say they were taken and a spell was cast on the child, and at age 3, signs of telekinesis showed in the princess. The royal family locked the gates to the public, and raised Tenshira with very little contact to the outside world, afraid she would be killed for these powers. It was hidden until that day." Resting her head in her hands, she sighed. "These powers are the only proof I'm even half royal. All other kingdoms began to believe I was just an orphan from the streets. Though, even with them, I don't get true damn respect from nobody, except you. The respect I get from my pa and Tabotto sometimes doesn't feel authentic." Damn, she was rambling again. "There's a legend within a legend for you, duck boy. Now, let's continue, shall we?" Pulling the booze back into her hand, taking a long drink.
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 18, 2019 13:07:24 GMT -6
“If this sorcerer was able to give two royals a run for their money, he must have really been tough.” Masu remarked. “I’ve heard only the women of your bloodline possess your power, and I guess that proves it.”
It was an enviable power, one Masu wouldn’t mind having himself. To say it would give him an edge in combat would be an understatement. “I really do respect you,” He started. “Because I respect power and resolve. And you have plenty of both. Doesn’t matter if you’re a purebred noble or only half. Back when I was still in my studies I knew a lot of other noble children who were at best lazy, and at worst a nuisance and a liability. Then again, I guess you’re a nuisance sometimes too.” Masu snorted at his own joke.
“Now, I don’t really remember a lot of legends from my own people,” The prince snatched the copy of Bassarius’ Journal back from Suketo. “But I always found a couple chapters in this book here particularly interesting. Mind if I read snippets of one of em?”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 18, 2019 13:35:49 GMT -6
"Yep. And I'm the second woman in the bloodline in thousands of years, and there's no signs in my earlier ancestors. Some shit must've happen to Tsuri and Tenshira. And maybe... when we're back on Tayona, we can discover what happened for ourselves. Find out where this all came from." Looking at her hands, she sighed. She always pondered the origin of her powers. That was the only reason that she knew so much about Princess Tenshira. Suketo smiled at what Masu was saying, always being able to make her feel more than the bastard princess their home planet had branded her as. Then, a loud laugh was released when he called her a nuisance.
"Dude, all of Tayona knows I'm a nuisance. But, believe it or not, I almost was that perfect princess. My step mom, Queen Yuiitsu, was raising me to be a calm and pure little princess, and I was. I remember being told I used to be the perfect little lady. But, after she died when I was 4, all hell broke loose! I still remember the first huge banquet after that, when I was just 6, and finally began to embrace myself and my freedom without an overbearing mother figure. A couple noble children were reluctantly hanging with me, only for a powerful connection. I got bored and dared them to swing on the grand chandelier since I had recently learned how to fly. They refused, but I did it. Suddenly, that ancient fell down on the ballroom floor, shattering. Those bastards immediately pointed the finger at me. I was PISSED, so I beat the shit out of them. That fight I caused with the other kids is how I lost my first tooth, too." There were hundreds of stories like this. She really was a wild child, and still was wild to this very day.
Listening to Masu, she adjusted herself, sitting cross legged on the sofa. Suketo never heard man legends of Hokkyoku, so she was interested.
"Alright, then. Tell me your legend, then I'll finish mine. Let's see how your kingdom holds up, duck boy?" A smirk spread on her face.
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 18, 2019 18:46:00 GMT -6
Masu laughed heartily at hearing Suketo’s story. It sounded exactly like something she would do. He could picture her, covered in bruises, the other kids covered in even more bruises, with a guilty face claiming that they started it.
“Yeah? Guess those kids are lucky they didn’t trifle with you now. I did and got a couple of decent sized spear wounds. I don’t think I’d ever do that, if only to save my image.”
Flipping the book open, he skimmed the pages for a minute or two, until he found the chapter he was looking for. "Alright, here it is." He stated. Taking a swig of his drink and clearing his throat, he began.
JOURNAL ENTRY 15:
“The tension between Pashifa and Hokkyaka has been growing worse recently. His lordship Pashifa still believes his title holds the same as before we began the great schism. He fails to realize his family’s name may as well be nothing more than a commoner’s name. Its not that I am ungrateful for all he has done for us; all of us; but he’s been going too far. His feud, that of who should be allowed to settle in the greater lands, has now driven off Indata: He’s gathered many followers and left all of this in search of different lands on this planet. I considered joining him for a short while, for if my writings are to be discovered I am sure to be punished by death; But I’ve decided; Someone needs to see this through; Someone needs to document the truth and spread it.”
Masu closed the book. “Pretty interesting huh? I still can’t believe this guy claims to have lived in the same time as the founders of the four kingdoms. Theres no way a book THAT old with NO copies made in his time would have survived.” The prince sighed. “I guess some people will believe anything though.”
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Post by Suketo Sanichi on Aug 18, 2019 19:12:25 GMT -6
"HAH! They don't deserve my spear at their throat. I'd tear it open with my teeth... hell, I did once when a few nobles cornered me when I was 8, pushing me around and calling me all sorts of names. The damn bastard I bit still has the scar on his neck. That's how I figured out the taste of blood can tell me how they act. Reminds me of someone else I know, though." Suketo smirked, pulling down Masu's collar and seeing the remnants of their original scuffles and some of their training. Even though it was seen as barbaric, she still stuck by using her teeth as a good way of incapacitating her enemies. "But, it doesn't matter if I tried to protect my image. The moment my dear old 'grandfather', the queen's father, and the rest of his blue balled noble friend's shared the discovery of my real mother, forcing my father to disclose it to the entire planet, I was branded a bastard child, and no amount of sucking up to noble kids would save me from that."
Taking another swig of her drink, Suketo listened to Masu reading the journal entry. Hearing about the tales of their history, back to the founding of their kingdoms grabbed all of Suketo's attention. This damn Bassarius really had some balls to keep writing all of this. If he was discovered with such slandering of any royal, he'd be sentenced to death, and back then, executions were much more brutal than their modern ones, consisting of public torture before being beheaded. In Pashifikku, executions were more rare, especially since assassins were taken care of by Suketo. However, if one was to happen, a simple hanging would happen.
"It's at least some sort of window to our past. But, even in his day, we were enemies. If our ancestors could see us now!" Putting the bottle to her lips, she drank the rest of the booze from it, making intricate motions with her hand to get the bottle into the trash and grab another one. "Damn it, my powers used to be used to kill assassins. Now all it's used for is getting wasted on this ship."
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Post by Masu Hiyama on Aug 19, 2019 18:38:15 GMT -6
Biting another noble? If Masu ever did that, his father would no doubt punish him. Severely. He could tell that Suketo’s father was far more accepting and nurturing than his father ever was.
“It seems like your father is really attached to you.” He remarked with a hint of envy in his voice.
“Yeah, it would seem that way. Our families have been destined to feud.” The prince licked his finger and turned the page in the book. “Hard to believe that early on he implied that all the families actually worked together. See, that’s another way I know he’s making this all up; Hokkyoku wouldn’t be caught dead working Pashifikku.” He glanced up at his partner. “With us being an exception, I suppose. My ancestors are probably rolling their graves.”
Hearing Suketo’s remark about wasting her powers made him think about how little action he had seen lately. He used to fight foes on a near-daily basis; Now aside from the training sessions with Suketo he barely even got to stretch. He figured he would ask for more assignments from the fleet, maybe try and ask for missions.
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