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Ame no ko
Ame no ko
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Mon Nov 09, 2020 8:56 am

The Big Woman




Hanako Yamada

In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] 6EdIfMt


With a rather daft expression on her face, Hanako stared at the tree trunk right in front of her. She had a hard time accepting it. Not the tree per se. She had seen a lot of trees and was as familiar with them as the next woman. They shouldn’t baffle her that much. Only that just a moment ago, she was definitely not looking at a tree. And now she was. And a rather large tree at that.

When Hanako came out of her confusion she realised that the large, dark tree wasn’t alone. There was a whole, misty forest around her. The scene looked unreal, almost like a dream. However when Hanako touched the tree in front of her it felt quite real.

What happened? She closed her eyes and tried to remember. But everything she could think of was thinking about her sword yet again. A while ago she had noticed something odd about her sword. For a long time she had been almost convinced that what she had was simply a piece of steel. So many of her former academy-class had achieved their Shikai a long time ago, a few of them before they even graduated. They knew the names of their swords, communicated with them and knew that they weren’t alone and they had a partner, wherever they went and whatever they did. With her it had been silence. No communication, no name, nothing. She even had started to believe that she wasn't like the others, that her sword would stay an Asauchi forever and that she was unable to imprint herself on the lifeless steel.
Until recently. A short while ago, when she had been training with a few fellow Shinigami of other divisions, she noticed a vibration coming from her sword. It was when she clamped a training weight to the blade, making it significantly heavier, to improve her strength. While she did that she had the distinct feeling that the sword didn’t like that.
On that day she began to question her belief, that she had no real Zanpakuto and honestly tried to communicate again for the first time almost since academy. Also she had started again to think more about her sword, question herself what it really was.

And now she was here, not a single memory of how she got here. In a damp, misty forest that seemed to go on forever in every direction.

She closed her eyes again for a moment and took a deep breath. The forest smelled nice, there was nothing remotely threatening to hear or to feel. Hanako could actually feel herself relax and realised, much to her own surprise, that she liked this forest. Somehow she didn’t worry as much about being here as she did just a few minutes ago.
She looked around. In front of her and a bit to her left, the ground rose in a gentle slope. Without much further thought she started walking in that direction.


Coding Altered From: [The Frost]


Last edited by Ame no ko on Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:01 am; edited 1 time in total
Ame no ko
Ame no ko
Experienced Member
Joined : 2019-12-07
Posts : 566

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In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] Empty Re: In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

Thu Nov 12, 2020 6:09 am

The Big Woman




Hanako Yamada

In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] 6EdIfMt


It was hard to tell how long she was walking. The mist made everything look surreal and before long everything felt alike.
Hanako wasn’t in a hurry. Quite soon she had stopped worrying about where she was or how she got here. It felt good to be here. Her walking pace slowed down to a relaxed stroll and here and there she touched a tree or a shrub she was passing by. The ground, covered in thick, green moss, felt like a giant mattress and made walking over it pure joy. Hanako almost considered just laying down on the soft, fragrant ground and take a nap, if it weren’t as damp as it was. The climate was probably best for the vegetation, but Hana herself could do with a bit more dry and warm surroundings.

After a short while the trees stood less and less close and finally they opened up to a clearing. In the midst of it stood a house, built in the traditional japanese way, mainly out of wood. Small, but elaborate. Delicate, but with an aura of eternity. The shutters over the windows and a porch were closed and Hana couldn’t see inside, but the warm, unsteady light of candles and lanterns shone through them.
The scene attracted her with a might that was hard to resist, even harder to explain. She had never seen that house, as far as she knew. Houses of similar styles still made up a lot of the architecture of the Seireitei and Rukongai. It was nothing new to anyone living in Soul Society. But those were just houses. This...this was home.

Hanako’s heart was beating like a drum when she slowly walked up to the front door. It wasn’t locked, stood even open a bit. The warm yellow shine from the light inside, that fell through the crack, made Hanako feel all warm and fuzzy. Not even once came it to her otherwise so suspicious mind that this could be a trap. She was sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that nothing evil awaited her inside. The door slid to the side on an old but well maintained railing and opened to a corridor. The floor was a dark, almost black ebony, while the white walls and the ceiling were held together by beautiful red oak. The lamps that illuminated the corridor looked very old, as did the rest of what Hanako saw. But it was perfectly maintained and she was sure that no other home could look and feel cozier and more welcoming.

Slowly she stepped in, drew the door close behind her and took off her shoes. Then she went on further into the house...smiling.


Coding Altered From: [The Frost]
Ame no ko
Ame no ko
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In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] Empty Re: In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

Mon Nov 16, 2020 6:16 am

The Big Woman




Hanako Yamada

In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] 6EdIfMt


There was a curious thing that quite promptly caught Hanako’s attention: Many pictures and paintings hung along the walls or were standing on small tables. Only that they weren’t paintings or photographs or anything. They were just empty frames and blank canvases. It was quite odd, why would somebody decorate their house with such bleak items? Was it a special sense of humor? Or maybe a philosophical statement? Oversight? Maybe a new owner moved in just recently and hasn’t had time to hang up anything yet? No, the last possibility didn’t make sense. Why bother to hang up empty frames?

Other than that the house was as cozy and homey as it had appeared on first glance. The floor made small creaking noises, but felt reassuringly stable. The walls doors gave off a faint scent of an oil, used to treat the wood. Somewhere a fire was going and the pleasant and fine scent of tea was hanging over all. Jasmine tea. The scent shouldn’t carry this far, but Hanako was sure that’s what she was smelling. She loved jasmine tea.

At the moment she was standing on the porch. From the front door the small corridor had opened up to the porch that went around the building on it’s right side, probably also encompassing the rear end. The shutters were all closed to keep out the mist. A few steps ahead a sliding door was cracked open a few centimeters. She had passed a few more doors, which she hadn’t dared to open, and was now almost at the back of the house
Hanako approached it and peered inside. It was the living room, the largest room, with tatami mats on the floor and one small table almost perfectly in the middle. On it was a beautiful, matte-black teapot and two matching cups. She could see steam coming from the pot, indicating freshly brewed tea. So, there was the source of that inviting fragrance.

Slowly Hanako slid the door open and slipped into the room. Contrary to the rest of the house, or what she had seen of it, it was only dimly lit, mainly with a candle on the table. Hanako’s hand was already reaching for the teapot when she froze. On the table there was another thing standing. It was a picture frame, like many others she had seen hanging and standing around the house. This one was not empty.

It was a photograph, showing a house much like this, surrounded by forest. But the skies on this picture were clear and there were other houses, right and left, and a road. The scenery stirred something inside Hanako. Something from deep within, something that made her almost dizzy, but it slipped away as fast as it had come.

Behind her the sliding door was shut with a soft, wooden sound. Hanako turned. Someone had entered the room. The figure was talk, even taller than Hanako herself, and shouldn't have been able to move inside a traditional house. Yet he did so with apparent ease. He was bulky and the proportions weren't quite right for a human. However, it was impossible to see what he really was, because he was clad in a complete suit of old japanese samurai armor, complete with helmet and mask. For a moment Hanako just stood there, staring at the samurai, while he also stood there, staring at her.

After a few moments, he hadn't said a single word, the huge samurai shuffled past her and picked up the teapot surprisingly gentle. Without so much as glancing at Hanako he poured two cups and handed one to the bewildered woman. She took it, without really realising it. Then he took the second cup and strolled to the far side of the room, opened another sliding door and stepped outside.
Hanako still stood where she was, utterly perplexed. She had expected anything to live here, even ghosts, but not an oversized samurai that served tea in full armor. It was...it was...what in the universe was it?
Whatever the answer to that question would be, Hanako still didn't feel threatened. The feeling of security she had felt since she had appeared in this forrest was still there. She was still sure, even without any evidence, that no harm would come from the samurai.

She didn't hesitate another moment after she came to this conclusion and followed the person that was obviously her host.


Coding Altered From: [The Frost]
Ame no ko
Ame no ko
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In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] Empty Re: In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:56 am

The Big Woman




Hanako Yamada

In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] 6EdIfMt


The sliding door went out to the back porch. The shutters here were opened. The samurai sat at the edge of the port, his feet outside on the ground. Surrounding him were several candles that created an amber sphere of soft light. Also, on the floor, were several of the empty picture frames. The figure didn’t react when Hanako stepped outside, but continued what he had been doing the whole time: staring into the mist.

After a few moments of hesitation Hanako sat down next to him. When she looked up to him, he still didn’t react, only stared at the mist and seemingly inhaled the scent from the tea. So she joined him in staring into the mist and drank her tea. The company of this being was strangely comforting, as all of this forest and house was. Hanako had millions of questions, but at the same time not a clue how to formulate even one of them.

Finally she turned towards the tall figure and asked one simple question:
“Who are you?”

He turned his head just enough to shoot a glance at Hanako out of the corner of the eye. Hana could see the eyes glittering intelligently behind the mask. But he didn’t say a word. He just grunted and pointed at Hanako with his cup. She didn’t understand.

“What...what do you mean?”

The samurai turned a bit more. He seemed to consider for a moment, then he again grunted and pointed to his throat.

“Oh, you can’t speak?” Hanako asked, putting his gesture into words. He nodded.
“Ah...I’m sorry…”

She stopped when he waved her apology away. Okay, so, he was okay with it. Or at least had accepted it and didn’t find it disrespectful of Hanako to mention it. He continued to gesture, made one that included the house, then pointed at him.

“This is your house? You live here?”

He nodded again. Hanako took a look around. It was beautiful and cozy...but terribly lonely. Hanako’s gaze finally fell on to the empty frames. The samurai noticed it, nodded and picked one up. He grunted in a sad tone, but was either unwilling or unable to explain through pantomime what was up with them.

“Can you...can you somehow tell me who you are? And what I am doing here?”

The samurai considered again, longer this time. Then he pointed at his chest. He made a gesture that encompassed the house and the forest. Then he pointed at Hanako’s chest. No, at her heart. She looked at him like a toddler listening to a physics lecture.
He tried again: Pointing at him, the house, the forest. A gesture like packing everything together in a tight spot and then pointing at Hanako’s heart. She still understood nothing.
Okay, time for another approach. The samurai thought about it for a second, then he snapped his fingers as an idea came to him that made sense. This time he only pointed at him. Then he made a gesture as if he drew a sword. Then he pointed at Hanako. He repeated it.

He. A sword. Hanako.

He. Sword. Hanako.

It hit her with might. Suddenly, the penny dropped. She jumped to her feet, her eyes wide, her mouth open in disbelief. Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe it. No...yess...no…
Her thoughts raced as she struggled to speak.

“You...you...you are...my...sword? My...Zan...pa...ku...to?”

She drew out the word ‘Zanpakuto’ and the samurai nodded with each syllable. He grunted pleased.
Hanako suddenly shrieked like a little child on christmas morning, she lunged forward and into the arms of the armored being. The armor was hard and uncomfortable, but she didn’t care. She wrapped her arms around the being and hugged so tight that the armor creaked. She laughed and cried tears of joy. This was her sword. Her Zanpakuto. She really had a Zanpakuto. She was a real Shinigami after all. She was not alone. She had a soul companion, like the others. All the doubt was gone. He was really here, he was here, he was real. It was real. It was a Zanpakuto. Never, as far as she could think back, had she felt so happy, so overjoyed.
Gently the spirit wrapped his arms around his Shinigami and hugged her back. He snorted and grunted and it sounded as if he was laughing, too.


Coding Altered From: [The Frost]
Ame no ko
Ame no ko
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Joined : 2019-12-07
Posts : 566

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In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] Empty Re: In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:02 am

The Big Woman




Hanako Yamada

In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] 6EdIfMt


It took a while before Hanako was ready to let the spirit go. Her grin was as wide as it could get and her happiness was like a thousand candles lighting the porch. If she ever looked like an actual eight year old it was on this moment of pure, unfiltered joy. It had always been one of her greatest fears that she was just a hollow puppet. That there was no person, no soul inside a brittle shell, that could bring forth a real Zanpakuto. That she was alone, nothing but a void inside her shell. And in one single moment that fear was blasted away. It was almost too much to take in and Hanako needed much time to regain her speech.

"So you...my...you are...what…?"

Much time.

"I...I waited so long…"

Slowly she became able again to formulate coherent thoughts and speak intelligible sentences.

"I watched all my classmates from academy at least communicate with their Zanpakutos, if not already learning their names. And I heard nothing, felt nothing. I was doubting that...that you existed at all."

The spirit, who had sat down again, nodded sadly. He set his cup down. It was empty, although Hanako hadn't seen him drink or even lift his mask. He just shrugged his shoulders and lightly tipped against Hanako's forehead. This one time she didn't need to think what he meant. She knew. Story of her life. The turmoil in her mind was too loud, drowning out so much. Sometimes even common sense. The spirit was probably trying to speak to her for a long time and she just couldn't hear it. This brought another thought to her mind.

"Say...that one time when I attached this weight to the blade, I had a feeling as if the whole sword was vibrating. Was that you?"

A nod.

"So I didn't imagine it. You didn't like that, did you?"

Again a nod. So she had been right about that.

"Okay, noted for future reference." She said and smiled. The spirit gave her a thumbs up.

This was so awesome. Although he didn't speak they communicated. They had reached an agreement, even if it was just a small issue. Hanako had a partner now and she was so ready for it.

"Do you have a name?" She suddenly blurted out.

Again the spirit nodded. Hanako waited. He said nothing but shrugged apologetically.

"Oh, yeah, right. Sorry. You can't speak. But...why?"

A long silence followed. Well, that was to be expected from the spirit, but he didn't move as well for a while. Finally he grabbed one of the empty frames and handed it to Hanako. Then he stroked her head so gentle as a father would do. It seemed incredibly sad.
At the same time a cold hand grabbed Hanako's heart and squeezed.

"No, that is not fair."

He reached for another frame and handed it to her. It was the one she had seen earlier, the house. She had the feeling that she knew it. She looked at it, the up into the masked face.

"So...that is how it is."

A slow nod.

"This won't be easy."

Again a nod. Very gently he took her hands, that still held the frames, into his own big ones.

"But I am not alone anymore."

This time he shook his head and grunted. The gaze from behind the mask was piercing.

"Oh...I never was. I see."

Hanako closed her eyes. Suddenly she felt a little lightheaded, her body tingled as if she was in a dream and about to wake up.

"Thank you. Talk to you soon."

She felt the world around her dissolve and in the same moment returning to her real body. It was no different than before, but this time she knew she was back in the outer world.

She smiled. Her life had changed.


[END]


Coding Altered From: [The Frost]
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In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo] Empty Re: In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

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