Re: Goodbye Nostalgia [Ichijou/Vanyel]

Tue Sep 14, 2021 9:23 pm

Goodbye Nostalgia [Ichijou/Vanyel] - Page 3 6EdIfMt

ENTER THE DRAGON

Artist: Dale North - Song: Looks Like Rain

The man's smile slowly returned as she replied, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. He was glad that she wasn't bitter about it. As she pulled him into a hug, burying her face into his chest, he lifted his arms, chuckling slightly as he ruffled her hair before she let him go, and he sat up straight again.

"I'm glad you're not bitter about it. The yakuza was hardly a place for someone like you, much less two punks from the street like us."

His smile faltered as she called him her hero. He was glad that she was alive and glad that he had been able to get her started on a new life, but he never in a million years wanted to be called a hero, especially from that time in his life, when he was anything but.

Back then, he was a brutal enforcer, he wanted to make sure that his title as "Dragon of Kyushu" was never called into question, to show why he had that dragon on his back. Back then, for him, it was his way of proving himself and making his boss proud.

"...I shouldn't be a hero in your eyes. Especially not back then."

He took a bite from his food, pausing for a moment.

"I wasn't a good person back then, and I hardly am now. Sure as hell ain't worthy of bein' a hero to anyone. In the martial arts world, a word that some people used to describe someone like us is...Shura. 'Carnage', someone who goes on a path of destruction, forsaking their humanity in pursuit of power, immortality, fame, or even fortune."

His voice lowered at the utterance of the word 'Shura', as if the word itself were cursed and would evoke the spirit of hatred and destruction. It was something that only became a reality to him after he was out of the game, alone in Norway with his thoughts. For him, and likely for his brother...it was something that both of them feared more than just about anything else in the world.

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[THEFROST]

Wed Sep 15, 2021 4:17 am

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ICHIJOU MUIRA

Ichijou was hardly unaware of the life Vanyel lived. It was the sole reason why she couldn't live with Vanyel and his sworn brother permanently. Did she detest his lifestyle? Of course not. Somewhere within that morbid frame of mind she called a brain, Ichijou thought he was a badass - reminiscent of Kiryu from the Yakuza games she'd started playing lately, indulging herself in the retro rush as she always did. In the past, he was much more hot-headed than Kiryu but still, they were a little similar, right? Chuckling as she took another mouthful of Takoyaki, Ichijou nudged him in his shoulder as she swallowed pieces of food within her jaw.

Turning towards him, she grinned from ear to ear. Why did he think of heroes in the aspect of the goody-two shoes? He was far from perfect, yes, but no hero truly was. Many comic books would tell her that - well, maybe. Plot inconsistencies were a bitch.

"Oh cheer up, Van. Why do people always think of heroes so conventionally? A hero doesn't have to be some guy wearing a cape or a man that saves lives every day he leaves tha' house. A hero can be whateva' we perceive in our minds sometimes. Some have heroes in music, others have heroes in the fashion world' but the idea is still the same. By my definition, ya match my hero for saving me from a situation that would've spelled my end."

Ichijou took a sip of her drink as she continued.

"Life in Romania was hell. Sueki wasn't exactly a popular breed outside of our own walls and living in a society without a momma' or pops wasn't exactly ideal. Dun even get me started out the blood cravin'. Just face it. You saved me, and therefor, you are my hero. Doesn't matta' what happened in the past. No one's exactly a saint in this world---not even the goody-two-shoes."

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Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:54 pm

ENTER THE DRAGON

Artist: Dale North - Song: Looks Like Rain

Taking another bite of his food, Vanyel rolled his eyes as Ichijou went off about the whole thing with conventional heroes. Even if he was taking into consideration the unconventional heroes, there was one thing that they all had that he just, didn't: they were good people. Just because he took in a gutter punk from the streets didn't absolve him of what he had done.

To him, he was just trying to live his life, become as strong as he could, and use that power to protect the people he cared about. Sighing as he finished off the food, setting the dish down, he reached over and ruffled her hair, before stretching and leaning back in the chair.

"Well, those goody-two-shoes are still at least good people who do good things. Helping out one gutter punk isn't all that impressive compared to the cunts that save the world every other day."

He readjusted his hat, setting a hand on her head again as he threw the leftover dish in the trash, setting one leg on the other as he looked at her.

"'Nuff about me. How's life been for you? You sure as shit don't look like a gutter punk anymore."

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[THEFROST]

Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:44 pm

BLOODY REBELLION

ICHIJOU MUIRA

"Why do you see ya' self as somebody who don' got no good in em? What you did back then doesn't define who you are as a man. I killed stray dogs and cats to keep myself sustained. Am I a bad person for preying on defenseless animals? You act like you murdered innocent people. Anywho..."

Ichijou would finish the remaining Takoyaki, launching the trash into a nearby trashcan. She grinned from ear to ear as Vanyel ruffled her hair before leaning on his shoulder again, joyfully sipping her drink.

"Mm, life has been amazin'. I'll be honest, though. After ya' left... I kinda' relapsed and gave into my cravings during my time in Japan. I didn't have a permanent home and nota' single soul was feelin' generous. By the hand of fate or some otha' foooce, an older lady came along and I was ready to kill her to have my first taste of human blood."

Ichijou would gaze at her drink, pausing for a moment, thinking about how fortunate she was to meet her mother, a woman with a heart of gold, and a smile that could light up a room.

"But she wasn't afraid. If anythin', she was actin' like she was willin' to die so I wouldn't suffer and robbed me of any killing intent. She didn't run. Didn't do no screamin' for help... she just hugged me and the rest was history. She officially adopted me' as her own, gave me a new name I was comfortable with, and treated me to a wonderful life. During that time - no mo' than a few years lata'... I'd meet Kokuto. For all the anger or grump he shows.. he's a big softie."

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Today at 7:15 am

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BLOODY REBELLION

ICHIJOU MUIRA

Ichijou smiled as she finished up on her drink and continued to eat some more dango, take a few pieces from Vanyel while she listened to him speak. A sueki appetite was such a pain in the ass. She either craved blood or food.

Food only fixed half of her problem. Blood sated it. Ichijou waved a hand in reply to him wanting to have done better by her as far as providing her with a home. She didn't hold that against him.

For what it was worth, his actions had succeeded in bringing her some sense of sanity. Her mother helped provide pieces for the rest of the puzzle, and Kokuto had brought it all together. She couldn't envision her life getting any better than this.

A man she viewed as a big brother had returned and she had an inkling in her mind that they could find that humorous fellow she always got along with. Playboy Zhang.

"Playboy Zhang? I miss him too. You two truly were like brothers. I'm sure we can find him one day. Did you ever try looking in any of those bars or strip clubs he'd frequent?"

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