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 Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:07 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:13 pm
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For Akito it was another day of classes over and done with, another step towards his goal, he would make a future for himself and his husband because they needed to do better for themselves. It just took time, and they both knew it, but they had time and they were willing to work hard.
Shouldering his bag, filled with books and notebooks, Akito was headed for the bus stop nearby so he could get home. He walked, alot, but tonight he would take the bus in order to get home. Sometimes it was hard to accept things, like when the weather was bad or either himself or his husband had to work while sick, but they did as they needed to in order to make strides forward in life. Soon it would be over and they’d each have their degrees and could get the jobs they were seeking. They could do better for themselves and each other.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:14 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:22 pm
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Walking past the alleyway, without much thought to it, Akito was rather preoccupied with thoughts of home and what he needed to do once he got home. He had some homework to do, he always had homework to do, but other than that he planned to spend time on the tiny couch with his husband while it rained outside. He liked listening to the sound of rain falling, it was calming, and he really did need all the calm in his life which he could get.
Calm was not how he felt, rather suddenly, as something growled and before he could fully grasp what was coming at him he was being knocked to the ground by something which was most certainly not a dog. It looked like one, somewhat, but there was no way it was a dog.
Trying to scramble away, his bag having landed on the ground, Akito was not one to just give up. He had someone to get home to and things he needed to accomplish in this life of his. He couldn’t leave Hayate in Destiny City on his own. He was desperate for something, anything, to help him out of this situation. When he saw something, something which didn’t belong, laying not three feet from him he tried to scramble for it. Something telling him he could use it against the creature trying to kill him.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:23 pm
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Watching carefully, he took a few steps toward the alley while not passing into the student’s line of sight. It seemed to be going well, they weren’t running and were looking for something to fight with. He wouldn’t power up yet, not this close to the school or out in the open. But he thought for just a moment and stepped forward into the view of both the youma and the boy. Kicking the object back and away from them, he stood in front of the youma and faced it. Daring it to attack, hoping that he could make a better move quickly.
“That will not help you, but I can.” It was a simple lie, one of many he would weave tonight to get them to pick the right choice. He wanted to watch things a bit more but now was the time to act. He knew that it was hungry, just like he knew how it would respond to the fact it was outnumbered even if they were both civilians. It would target the weakest link which would have been the student first but now that he blocked it, things would be different.
The next moment, he was a General, Chalcanthite. Holding his rapier in his hand, it resonated quietly. It took only a moment to dispatch the thing, leaving no traces. Part of him did feel bad about it but he wouldn’t let that show here. Now was the time to play hero to this civilian and gain a new member. “We should go, in case more come. It would be best if you came with me.” Offering a hand out to the boy, he kept a stern and serious look on his face. It was risky to be powered up this close to the university but since he had done so in the alley, there couldn’t have been many eyes on him.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:25 pm
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He’d been kicking at the beast trying to reach for the object when someone had kicked it away, someone he didn’t know had just kicked away his only chance of saving himself. He was certain that it was the only hope he had against the beast. What he wasn’t expecting was the change in clothing suddenly, or the attitude change, everything about the person seemed to change and the beast was gone - dead.
“How did you kill that?” He’d seen the sword but it looked like it would take more than that, perhaps because the beast wasn’t normal, he just found it to look too easy. Akito reached out and took the offered hand and climbed up onto his shaking feet. It was going to rain soon and he didn’t want to be caught out in it, he’d wind up soaked through and possibly get sick, he couldn’t afford getting sick or spreading anything to his husband. They couldn’t afford to miss school or work, they were in a position which afforded them no such luxury to them.
“I need to be home soon.” Because someone was waiting at home, it was nice knowing that someone was always waiting for him, and they would worry if he didn’t get home. “I will get home soon, correct?”
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:27 pm
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The stage was set and now it was time to begin. He could see the concern on their face, the worries about life. Security. That is what this boy needed and something he had always had the luxury of having. “There are things in this city that mean to harm all manner of people. Luckily, there are those who seek to remove such things when they can. I have been doing so for over a decade at this point. Not everything is so easy to fight though and if you want the power to protect yourself and those who you hold dear, I can help.”
He would leave out the fact that youma came from the Rift, that wasn’t something that would help with this. “I can get you there quickly, no need for the bus. Just another skill that comes with the power I offer. There are many of us in this city and we look out for each other, support each other, and protect who we can.” The rain was starting soon, a good way to add that time pressure to his offer. “That object you saw was no boon though, it was a curse that goes hand in hand with others in this city who care not for its denizens but only the stars above.”
He thought back now to his own corruption, it had been very different back then. He had witnessed youma but had not been in danger from them. They had sparked an interest in him that led to finding Natron and making it known that he wanted to join. He hadn’t been looking for security because he had that, he had been looking for power. This was very different indeed and he hoped he could bring someone in. There were a lot of things in this city and the worst things had nothing to do with either side.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:29 pm
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Much of what was said he didn’t understand, too confused by what was going on, what he’d witnessed made no sense to him as it shouldn't be possible. That dog, or whatever it was, was not possible as it was no normal dog or anything he’d ever seen or heard of before. But he did latch onto the offer of power to protect himself and Hayate. That was something he was interested in. If this city was dangerous, as it seemed to be, then he needed to keep himself and his husband safe.
This really should be something they talked about, together, and he knew if he accepted whatever this offer was that he’d have to talk to him tonight about it. He knew if he didn’t he’d be sleeping on the couch and it was tiny, just like their micro apartment was, and he’d much rather the bed as it was at least normal size and he could fit on that. The couch he couldn’t lay on without his feet dangling and his neck in a bad position. It also just happens to be what couples did when they made big choices - they talked about it.
“What are you offering? Safety but what else - how?” He questioned, wanting to know what he was agreeing to, at least to the best of his ability anyway. There was a lot to this or so it seemed. He didn’t want to walk into this, whatever it was, blind because not only could he make a poor choice but he’d have to explain to his husband as well.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:30 pm
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“Security, power, and a potentially lucrative job offer as well. As for the how, one moment. I would prefer if we spoke somewhere a little less out in the open to pedestrians.” Making sure he had a firm grasp on their hand, he teleported the both of them to one of the nearby rooftops. One of which reached far above the others so that there would be no peering eyes. It brought him back for a moment, to when Natron had done a similar thing. It was easier now, to push things down and focus on the task at hand.
“It may be odd to hear but given the things you have seen tonight, if you would allow for a bit more leniency on what you believe is real and what is fantasy, I can tell you how things will go. Every person has a star inside them but not all of them are full of potential, I can tap into that and feed it some of my own power. It hurts but only for a moment and then you will be able to draw upon some of that power yourself. At first you will be given something that is not quite a weapon but still something you can defend yourself with and as you work alongside us and grow stronger then so does your own power. Personally, I will always be available to aid with matters as well if you need assistance with anything.”
The pain was something he never quite forgot but at the same time it felt grounding, but not everyone dealt with things the same way. Thinking for a moment back to that day, he tried remembering how everything had gone from Natron’s end. He had bombarded his would be general with a million inquiries back then, the whole thing was more akin to an interview or interrogation. “I understand the need to think it over or speak with a significant other, my own is also involved if only in a slightly different way. If you decide to take my offer tonight I can and will offer the same to them, I would not want to drive a wall between people.” It had been a truth he only had started accepting for himself recently, it was hard to keep things secret and separate when there were so many responsibilities piled on. Something had given way and things were better now, he didn’t have to bear it alone and he didn’t want anyone else to bear this war alone if he could help it.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:31 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:34 pm
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The pain was like nothing he’d ever experienced, and why would he? He also wasn’t expecting it, how did he know what to expect from this? Certainly not something that wasn’t physically, or scientifically, possible and yet a hand had just been in his chest and he’d felt such pain. He hadn’t even noticed the sounds which had, rather loudly, escaped from him.
What he did notice was the relief when the pain ebbed and the hand, which he’d sort of been staring at, left his body. What in the hell had that been? He would have to tell Hayate about this, all of it, but right now he needed to try and focus on what the other was saying. They were welcoming him and giving their name, something he really couldn’t pronounce, so he settled for nodding his head in greeting.
“Londonite.” He said after a moment of thought.
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