Visions of Beyond

[Kirin]

Things have changed since it seemed like the Empire was going to fall. The Empire reacted like the mighty Pheonix, rising from the ashes and rebuilding itself to be even more magnificent than before. It, however, did not rival the mystery that surrounded its now almost silent neighbor, the Valley of the Lotus. The Twin Countries flourished, now becoming a bustling hub of activity. Though, for a long time after the Empire was attached by outside forces, no foreigners were allowed to set foot inside of the kingdom. Ships were often turned away from the ports on the islands and the ports on the mainland. The ban on foreign ships was lifted after Ryozuji Chizuru was crowned as the Benevolent Kirin Empress. Shortly after her coronation, the Kami seemed to want to test Chizuru's resolve.

She debated the consequences of allowing foreign ships in her ports once again. The weather changed. The Kami tested her with droughts and heat. She reopened the ports, but with limited access from outsiders. She was had attended the first ship inspection. Slowly, the restrictions eased and Kikita easily became the busiest city within The Twin Countries. She had brought something to The Twin Countries that no one had seen in a long time. Progress. Her father had somehow managed to get both the Yuurei and the undead hordes out of the kingdom using his wits alone. He sacrificed himself in battle to save his Empire and in turn, Chizuru, who was groomed to be the Empress, took the throne.

Now, in front of her, were schematics for a new fleet of ships. They would be faster than the ones that were in her naval fleet now. They also were of a lighter weight and were able to be armored with magic that was activated from a set of symbols. Of course, like all the magic kanji of her ships, they could only be activated by certain people. These were ships for the exploration fleet that she was determined to launch as soon as possible. Chizuru sat alone in the massive meeting space.

Her heavy ceremonial armor was positioned on a dummy in the back corner of the room. For now, she dressed as a man, wearing brown hakama and a lighter tan kimono that was embroidered with bamboo swaying in the breeze. Chizuru was still the same as ever with features as sharp as a fox would possess. Quick, silvery eyes, a nose that seemed sharp and lips that curved upwards in a permanent smirk. She dropped the scroll, bored with it. Chizuru stood awkwardly and walked towards the door. A retainer opened the door for her and she stepped out. A maid followed her down the hallway.

"Any news?" Chizuru asked her.

"None of the foreign ships contain the man you are looking for." The maid whispered in her ear.

Chizuru looked saddened. She lost her chance at love. And with all the progress she has made with the Empire, she was unsure she'd ever get it.

"There are whispers in the city about how you must have lost your mind for not marrying. You are of the marrying age, Your Highness." The maid whispered.

"I don't personally care too much for marriage." She let her hair down as she walked. It fell down her back like a smooth, black cloak.

"Is it because you miss that man? He's a vampire. He's no good for you." The maid whispered.

Chizuru stood still for a moment. She narrowed her eyes and purposefully elbowed the maid behind her in the chest. "Get me my bow and arrows. I wish to shoot."

[Katsumi Viora]

Lost within the tribulations of life..and a curse of sorrow he sought to escape each and everyday...
To escape being forever tormented by his very thoughts and feelings like the others in his family..
To strive to be different,to be better..to be stronger then those before him...
She was the only one,who could bring light to his darkness..
She was the only one,who gave his life meaning..
She was the only one,who kept him alive.




A figure waited in the yard for Chizuru,clothed in a long black robe it's hood up covering any features one would normally see..Strands of long black straight hair leaked from either bottom corner of the hood as a well defined,youthful and flawlessly pale face kept calm within the shadows the hood provided..
It was Katsumi Viora..
He'd wait for her,there outside where she would come to shoot with her bow..he had been around many times but not until now had he gathered the courage to show himself when so many in the area spoke of his kind as if they or he rather was nothing but filth..devil's spawn..
He had been somewhat scared,not knowing what to think,he knew he and Chizuru hadn't seen each-other for a long while..and he hadn't a clue of what she thought of him,or what he was for that matter anymore.
A soft sigh escaped pale lips,fangs briefly protruding over his bottom lip before disappearing within his mouth once more..Amber eyes looked about slowly,taking in all around him..
Large black feathered wings were folded neatly against his back,a twitch issued every so now and again just to keep himself comfortable..
Such a new and strange place,he wondered what the others..his family.. would think of him..venturing outside the walls of their home..
He shook his head,it didn't matter..not right now.
He just knew he had to see Chizuru,he had missed her so much...

[Kirin]

The maid returned with her bow and her arrows. Chizuru immediately slung the quiver of arrows over her shoulder and walked outside, surrounded on either side by bodyguards. Silver eyes stared straight ahead at the cloaked figure. The guards drew their swords, ready to attack if the figure made any movements towards their Empress.

Chizuru made a face at first. She made a motion with her hand. "Stand down." She commanded in the native language. She walked over to Katsumi, much to the surprise and anger of those around her. Her Majesty was very impulsive still.

"State your name." Chizuru already knew who he was, judging from the wings.

One of the Viora. From when she was in charge of a colony near their home. A long time ago, well, it seemed like it was. It was really only ten years ago. She looked fairly similar to the way she appeared those ten years ago. She still looked young, but she had freckles across her nose like her sister. She had the otherwise porcelain pale skin and the long black hair that almost everyone else possessed. If anything, Chizuru looked more like a woman than a girl, which was how Katsumi would remember her.

[Katsumi Viora]

{It Had Been Such A Long Time...}




He turned carefully as he heard metal against sheath,he sighed softly as he looked at Chizuru canting his head slightly before he spoke his amber eyes peering out from the shadows of the hood.


"My name is Katsumi Viora."


He smiled pleasantly at Chizuru as he pulled his hood down letting his long Raven colored hair free and giving more of a visual on his face he bowing respectively afterwards one arm sweeping out before being brought back against his body....He had a kind disposition,and was somewhat more cheerful then the other members of his family.
His shoulders shifted causing his large feathered black wings to twitch slightly a single black feather falling to the ground behind him,he not paying any attention to this..after you've grown up with wings you sort of don't notice such small things..it was a normal process..
The feather itself had a metallic coating to it,once it touched earth it fell apart into the soil as if it never existed in the first place..

"I do hope I wasn't bothering anyone....I'm still getting used to being outside of my home."

A soft laugh,almost a giggle issued from supple pale rose dusted lips as he looked at her calmly..a faint blush against his flawless skin,hands clasped in-front of him..He spoke to her like she was just another person,he didn't have the way of thinking the other elders did and didn't treat people not like him like they were dirt..or just food for that matter...He treated everyone normally,be it from the most noble human..to the lowliest Lycan.

[Kirin]

Chizuru just listened to Katsumi. Her eyes did not betray her. That was the Katsumi she knew. But she felt the need to give him a task to prove himself to her. For all those years which Katsumi was gone. For making her wait for him. She slowly began to relax.

"Katsumi-san." The whole familiarity was lost. A lot could change in ten years. "It's been so long since I have seen you."

That awkward giggle. She was not used to hearing that from any of the Viora. Strangely, she began to smile.

"Katsumi-san, it is nice to see you outside of your borders. How is the family?" Strangely, she still felt tense around Katsumi. Her guards knelt down next to Chizuru.

"Katsumi-san," She removed one arrow and knocked it onto the bow string. She pulled back on the string and aimed at Katsumi. "I would advise you to duck unless you want me to waste arrows." Her eyes moved towards a figure behind Katsumi.

[Katsumi Viora]

His smile and calm disposition remained and not once did he interrupt her while she spoke..he only speaking once she finished.

"I am really sorry for disapearing off the earth like I did...It took so long to get away from everyone,and I was detained for a long while after getting caught the second time trying to get out of our territory and everything has been Quite the same actually,maybe even better then normal..Reita and Adio are still madly in love with each-other..a handful of the other elders are still rather conceited and narrow minded about people outside of our species and our land..the Allivitiars are still staying over to help with certain things and apparently Adrian did something that he's going to regret later."


he shook his head then arched a brow at her request.


"Hmnn."


he hummed softly canting his head Raven colored hair shifting to the side as his body seemed to freeze for a moment not a single sound from him before he suddenly appeared off to the right the still figure before her vanished like a morning's mist..Amber eyes peered to where he once had been standing to see what she had been so willing to shoot at..

[Kirin]

Chizuru quickly fired at what she saw and a man fell down from the brush near the castle walls. She made a movement with her hand. "Dispose of the body. Make sure it is dismembered. And put the head on a spike outside the capitol walls. I'm tired of these ridiculous assassins." She walked over and pulled the arrow out of the man's neck.

"Katsumi-san, you can come out now." She cleaned off her arrow, not even looking at Katsumi. "I remember your family not quite approving of me. They only approved of me after my father threatened to attack you. I'm glad to hear that Adio-san and Reita-sama are still in love with one another." She seemed to intentionally put the suffix "-sama" at the end of Reita's name.

Chizuru was cold towards Katsumi because he had been gone for so long. "Did you not know that there was an assassin following you?" She finally turned towards Katsumi. "How are the children?" She turned towards a target that was set up against a wall. She was once in charge of taking care of the children, Hitomi and Ichiro. Hitomi had to be 14 now, and Ichiro, 12.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi showed up again,another cant of his head causing Raven colored hair to shift against his pale face as he stood back where he had been.

"I was not aware,I am sorry Chizuru-chan...I will be more careful next time..My kind isn't very welcomed here,is it?"


He asked before he stopped,listening to her speak again..He smiled.


"The children are doing wonderful..they're both very quick learners..Ichiro isn't as quiet anymore he's pretty clingy with Adio however,but that's understandable...but yes it's one happy family,it's always been so adorable.."


He shrugged laughing softly,amber eyes watching her calmly the calm almost sweet disposition remaining on his face...

[Kirin]

Chizuru fired her first shot, getting it on the target, but it wasn't a bull's eye. She smiled. At least Ichiro is talking. She remembered when he refused to speak because of something that happened to his father, Adio. And when he did speak, all he did was express that he wanted to take vengeance on those that wronged him. But Ichiro was so young back then. What did he know about vengeance?

She fired another shot, in silence. This was closer to the bull's eye. She was distracted. Chizuru turned to Katsumi.

"No, your kind is not very welcome here. We were invaded by an undead army and our last emperor, my father, was killed in a battle against them." She sighed heavily. "Everyone is skittish with undead. I have no idea if there are even some here anymore. If they are, they hide in the forest." She frowned. "I'm sorry. It is a sensitive topic."

"It's nice to hear that the kids are doing well. I would like to help train them at some point." She smiled halfly. "Would you like to go inside?" Her mind was on the traditional affects of hospitality, but she quickly realized that it would not be useful.

Katsumi was not really a fan of tea and rice cakes anyway.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi frowned,it actually somewhat unsettling compared to the calm sweet disposition from before.
Even though he held himself in such a kind manner,he like the other Viora elders were rather powerful,and their views on things and their ever teetering sanity would never change no matter what generation it was..
It was only controlled..



"Oh..I'm sorry for even bringing it up..Halfbreeds can be so strange.."


He said rather casually,looking around...Purebloods would never do such things...dirtying their hands with the blood of humans for such small gain..Would they?...
He wasn't sure..His demeanor picked back up the smile returning as she spoke once more..He only speaking once she was finished..a light nod of his head following.


"oh!..I'm sure Adio and Reita would appreciate your help very much."


Another akward giggle escaping thin pale rose dusted lips as he then nodded again.


"Alright,getting out of the elements out here would be rather nice.."


He looked around.


"...It's so expansive."


He almost seemed uncomfortable..used to the confines of the Viora territory and having his boundaries set..no matter how much he wanted to get away..he was still rather new at everything outside of his own home.

[Kirin]

Chizuru's eyes narrowed. "There is no distinction between purebloods and halfbreeds here." Her answer was curt and seemed filled with some sort of grief. "It's not like where you are from. Vampires did not exist here until we were invaded by undead." She had actually forgotten about the pureblood and halfbreed thing.

The Empress walked into the castle, escorted by her wary guards. She handed off her bow and arrows to a maid. The pair were escorted into a room that had a view of the garden. The screen was opened and a cushion was set out for Chizuru. She knelt down, sitting on the cushion and waited for Katsumi to sit.

"I would only do such a thing with their consent. Please, sit down, Katsumi-san." A maid entered, serving tea and rice cakes to the pair, not realizing that Katsumi was a vampire.

"So, you made it all the way here. How was your trip?"

It seemed that Chizuru lost the girly giddiness that she once felt around Katsumi.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi looked a bit taken back he sighed softly..

"I apologize,I'm normally not one to talk like father.."


He said softly looking off to the side,feeling rather bad suddenly about the comment and with how long it had taken him to finally escape..or..well..to get here..it hadn't been escaping had it?...
He cleared his throat lightly brushing a bit of his long black hair out of his face..
He seemed to be doing everything wrong today,and upsetting Chizuru to no end..For once he felt like filth where all of the humans his kind called food..slaves..entertainment..Were the ones high above him now..
It felt so strange..feeling so unwanted and the once rather bubbly Chizuru seemed less then happy to see him.
It hurt.
He swallowed roughly..


"Right..yes..of course."


He said softly about her needing Adio & Reita's consent about training the children..He kept rather quick with his responses and tried not to say anything else to bother Chizuru.
He'd follow her inside,taking a seat as he was instructed to without protest...




He watched the maid walk in and serve then Rice-cakes & Tea..he eyed the things presented to him..a bit confused.
Katsumi knew the other was tea but the rice-cakes were new..Not a bad thing,but he was still confused..
He smiled at the maid and nodded in thanks,making sure not to show his fangs..his wings kept folded to his back as attention was brought back to Chizuru.


"..It was fine for the most part..Yuki helped me get out of the territory before dawn and hopefully no one noticed..I'm quite sure they'll wonder where I am,but there's no way to track me outside of our territory."


No way to control me.

[Kirin]

She lifted the tea cup with one hand and supported the bottom with the other. After taking a sip of tea, she placed the tea down. This was not a meeting with one of the older, stuffy daimyos. This was a meeting with Katsumi, the one that she had been waiting for for a long time. Her head bowed and she swallowed the now bitter tea.

"I've been waiting for you for years. War has hardened my heart. I'm no longer that girl you are used to. My mind always dwells on war, fighting, death. It's now a part of our culture. Do you know why they fight?" She allowed a small pause, picking up the rice cake.

"Oh, these are just rice cakes. There is fruit inside of them." She ate one of them, smiling slightly. "They fight for my favor. They fight to become the Shogun, which is the highest military title in this land." She swallowed and sighed. "I must remain neutral."

[Katsumi Viora]

He picked up a rice-cake and bit into it his long white fangs showing briefly..this was just something small..it wouldn't end up bothering his stomach that much..the fruit inside was sweet,almost too sweet but at the same time it was a taste he had never experienced before..He ran his tongue along her lips, the rather pleasant demeanor gone..
He was left with..nothing...Hitoshi had warned him of this,that pain which ate you from the inside out....


"War holds useless gain.."


He muttered softly,staring down at his reflection in the cup of tea..He couldn't drink it,the rice-cakes were far enough..
His expression was soft,listless..Had he been trying to show her the old Katsumi?..the one she had feel in love with?
Or,had all those years actually broken him..the loneliness..the never-ending working..the repetition day in..day out?



"So.."


Pale lips began,as he canted his head staring at her his voice barely a whisper but like most the Viora he was indeed well spoken..rather proper with his language that had been untouched by modern ways.


"How many have fallen under you?"


He asked calmly,stopping there..
He knew his family had problems,they had to fight off whatever came their way but they had no fights..or wars rather like this..They all had their parts in life,they advanced as long as their knowledge grew and they could go beyond expectations..There had been corruption..murders..but still..it was nothing on the scale of full wars like this...

[Kirin]

Chizuru noticed the change in Katsumi. Perhaps the years have broken her. Yet, oddly, this was not her fault. Things happened beyond her control. She shifted and looked away. He wished to be secretive? Fine. All she wanted was a simple explanation, and she didn't feel the need to ask outright. But, no. She would have to and this annoyed her greatly.

"There has been no war since the dragon, Ao Guang, and his Chaos dragon consort came with their hordes of undead." She waved a hand, signalling for the maid to take Katsumi's tea away.

The maid entered, taking Katsumi's tea, and she scurried away. Chizuru wiped at the teacup and sighed heavily. Her eyes filled with tears that she did not shed in public. She dropped her teacup and pressed her hands over her eyes. "I shouldn't have to ask you. Why do I have to ask you? Where have you been? Why did you wait so long?" She stood and turned off to the side, facing the garden. "Do you know how long I've been just waiting? And everyone said that you should be forgotten?" She wiped away her tears before they could even fall down her cheeks.

A maid entered and cleaned up Chizuru's mess silently.