Re: So You Think You Know Yourself? [PRIVATE; Saisei/Chifuyu]

2/24/2021, 2:06 am

So You Think You Know Yourself? [PRIVATE; Saisei/Chifuyu] - Page 2 Young-chifuyu

CHIFUYU | A DISTANT MEMORY

"It does. Though it seems insincere to show gratitude rather than assure someone I am fine. Though I will keep this in mind."

She settled on the rail, completely balanced while she gave him her ear. That was what he wanted, even if there were better uses of their time. Chifuyu was obligated to give herself to him on call, such was the nature of rank. How weird, his ideas were alien to her.

"I suppose that makes sense. I wouldn't spend my time doing these things though, I can do more productive things. I can only do so much from out here."

Chifuyu was still trying to figure out his intentions here. She gave him all this information, most of that she knew. One particular part of his words stuck out which caused her to frown and look down at herself momentarily like she was assessing something.

"I'm Chifuyu Yuudeshi...You didn't specify the purpose of this meeting, is this a date, sir?"

She was single. He mentioned he was single. He gave her his coat. The half of a romance novel she read when she was eight had the man do that as well. It all was starting to make sense to the Yuudeshi.

END POST | VANGUARD SHADOW

2/24/2021, 2:27 am

So You Think You Know Yourself? [PRIVATE; Saisei/Chifuyu] - Page 2 YKwqVMn

Azure Iramasha | The Vanguard's Last Hope

Azure's fingers twitched at the sound of her voice. On repeat, Chifuyu only responded with what a lower rank would respond with. She was giving her all to Azure without question, it was endearing but... it was frankly beyond understanding. She was for all intents and purposes, a toy. He wouldn't have it, no leader of The Vanguard would accept such a thing from their subordinates.

He stared ahead, trying to keep himself as cool and collected as possible. The R&D operative made it rather difficult. As leader, he was expected to hold himself in a higher regard. Instead, he was being spoken to as if he could control anything and everything about this girl. He was beside himself in frustration. That was when everything fell apart almost instantaneously.

Azure's hands smacked against the railing, sending his coffee spiraling to the ground below. His pale face became flushed with bright reds. Chifuyu couldn't have said what she just said, right? Surely she knew better than to paint some mysterious gentleman seduces the young girl picture. Azure made his position as single clear to express how he viewed himself and the world. It was an important fact most cared about when talking about themselves. He straightened himself and turned back to the trees, questioning his motives entirely now.

"This isn't a date. I, as your leader, genuinely wanted to learn more about you. My intentions were pure in nature, don't get me misunderstand little one."

He couldn't help himself, her small stature and words left her as a little girl in his mind. If anything, he saw himself as a potential father figure with what felt like an absentee father in Shadin. He shrugged and lowered his shoulders, resting his head against his arms that folded along the railing once more.

"I do not wish for it to be a date. I want to learn about who you are, much how I can be who I am out in the real world. What even suggested to you that this was a date? For pete's sake..."

He shook his head, wondering where he went wrong. Trying to learn from his past mistakes and express himself better, he couldn't help but find it all hard to believe. Was he not clear enough? Surely not...

---

The boy scoffed, trying to turn away from the memory laid out before him. Chifuyu had asked Azure Iramasha if their interaction was... a date? That meant by association she had asked Saisei if they were on a date. The thought crossing his mind left him almost dumbfounded as he tried to hold back laughter at the thought.

What the absolute hell were these two in his past life? It was nothing like she, or he, was now.

END POST | The Hybrid King Makes A Visit

2/24/2021, 2:45 am

CHIFUYU | A DISTANT MEMORY

She wobbled in spot, the rail moving underneath the powerful man's slap but Chifuyu didn't fall. She just stared at him confused.

"Forgive me, sir. I didn't mean to imply these things. Not all superiors are as innocently spun."

Chifuyu gave him a reassuring smile but for someone used to interacting with people it was more a gesture of trying to settle him down. When he leaned down and she watched him try and continue the conversation, Chifuyu gave him a thoughtful gaze.

"I see. I don't know what you want from me though. I can do lots of things if that's what you were asking; and the date is a simple form of abductive reasoning. You provided me your jacket when I was cold, you mentioned you were single. I assume you already read my file before coming to greet me, therefore you would know I am also single."

She gave it a few moments, before she posed a question of her own.

"Does my behaviour bother you, Azure?"

END POST | VANGUARD SHADOW

2/24/2021, 3:15 am

Azure Iramasha | The Vanguard's Last Hope

The man was at a loss for words. Azure Iramasha had met his match. Chifuyu Yuudeshi would be the end of him. Alas, that was exactly what the man expected from his subordinates. Many of The Vanguard's members treated their time with the Organization as a serious job. To be fair, it was a serious job. To Azure however, he treated each and every member as family. As such, conversations like these led to wildly differing opinions. It only complicated problems between him and his members.

"I mentioned I was single because it was a factoid the media always asked for. I gave you my jacket because I'd never wish for my subordinates to standing in the cold. Of course I read through your file, I even read the files of our janitors. What's in your file means rather little when I can learn from the mouth of the owner."

He huffed and puffed into his arms, leaving his sleeves blistering warm from the air. Azure had lost interest in the conversation, it was clearly only going a single direction. Chifuyu would be subserviently answering and that was all she would ever be. That was until she asked if her behavior had left him frustrated. Did her behavior annoy him? That wasn't a fair question to ask.

Chifuyu's behavior left him awestruck. She refused to be a singular being, she saw herself as a machine and it left him torn. She was not a tool to be used by The Vanguard, she was a member that would be focused on furthering their efforts here on earth, of her own volition. Azure refused to control her or any member, their choices were their own and reigned supreme. Letting out yet another sigh, he shook his head and pat the girl's thigh with his dominant hand. He turned his face to her, his elated smile burning in to her very soul.

"Your behavior bothers me a lot. I wish for you best and your all for The Vanguard. Despite that, I require you to be yourself first and foremost. Rather than a machine, you are my ally. You are Chifuyu Yuudeshi, my R&D operative. You stand by me as I would stand by you, as equals."

His smile was unwavering, his warm hand leaving an everlasting print on the girl's thigh. As if his energy moved from his very being to Chifuyu, the warmth of his embrace was all too clear to the girl.

---

Saisei felt the warmth of Azure Iramasha's energy flood his system, it's gentle reaches bathing him in what felt like pure sunlight. He felt as if the orange hued energy was something he already knew rather well, it was Azure Iramasha's presence. He understood now, the energy he fought and won with was not his own but the makeup of the one who had past so long ago. It left him in awe, his heart pumping with excitement. Saisei knew that he wasn't alone and that was good enough for him.

END POST | The Hybrid King Makes A Visit

2/24/2021, 3:29 am

CHIFUYU | A DISTANT MEMORY

While she wanted to ask why he bothered explaining that his martial status was public knowledge, Chifuyu already knew that. Why was he even talking to her if he didn't want to use her? He was asking about pointless information he already had. Was it some kind of game? It kind of bothered her, because this game bothered her that it put her in this position.

The touch of her bare skin made her heartbeat rise ever so slightly from its steady beat. His hand was warm in comparison to the cold day. It made her instinctively close her legs ever so slightly, if only because of the difference of temperature.

"Would you rather me act different? It feels kind of pointless to act different to how I am though, if it makes my teammates more comfortable I should probably put on an act. That's very wise, though you and I are not equals. There are leagues between our ranks, sir."

She stared at the thigh, it was a little invasive to imprint your energy on someone wasn't it? She was a little bothered by that and her frown showed it, a moment of breaking her icy attitude before remembering that how she tried to act for others. He seemed infectious somehow.

END POST | VANGUARD SHADOW

2/24/2021, 3:44 am

Azure Iramasha | The Vanguard's Last Hope

Strangely enough, Azure had little to no knowledge that he had left his mark on the girl. After all, everything he touched seemed to radiate with his own being. As if he were turning the world in to his own little sandbox, Azure left his energy wherever he went. With his prior gesture, it was mere coincidence that he left residual on Chifuyu's thigh. Nevertheless, her expression made her stance rather clear. This was getting nowhere and he knew that all too well.

"If I commanded you to tell me about things would you feel obligated? While it isn't the type of conversation I would like to have, beating around the bush and trying to have a genuine conversation could likely lead nowhere. At the end of the day I don't attribute your past and beliefs to a piece of paper, I would hope you do the same for me."

He referenced the girl's record, the one that constantly pointed out her history with the Yuudeshi family and the purpose of her existence in the first place. Azure refused to accept such words as the true form of her being, he refused to trust anything The Vanguard wrote through records. People were different at their core, Azure knew that from first hand contact with so many different beings on this earth. Chifuyu may not see it his way but he knew that there was more to the girl than the crystalline exterior she erected. He refused to lose.

"Please don't refer to us as leagues apart. As your leader, when I say we're equals I mean it. While you may not have the same credentials as me, that doesn't stop your words from holding equal weight as mine. I'm just the guy that takes everyone's voice and makes it heard. You could give it a try every once in awhile, using your own voice and expressing your own grievances."

Azure leaned away from the railing, facing away from the diorama and Chifuyu. All that was visible was the man's backside, his built stature leaving him almost statuesque in the lights strewn about. Chifuyu would notice those some brilliant orange hues that invaded her being began to escape from Azure's almost ethereal body. It almost appeared as if the man was struggling to exist under the sheer weight of his own spiritual energy. Without thinking much of it, he turned towards the girl, ushering her to his side.

"When you see The Vanguard, what do you think? What do you personally see? Who is Azure Iramasha to what you consider a lowly subordinate, Chifuyu?"

He left her with quite the set of questions, just as he always did. This was nothing new for the leader of The Vanguard.

---

The young boy was silent, watching the scene unfold with fervor. Saisei refused to drop whatever it was that Azure and Chifuyu had when they were younger. Clearly, this man seemed far more important than she gave him credit for. Maybe she did this on purpose, who knows. Saisei simply watched with bated breath as their little game unfolded.

END POST | The Hybrid King Makes A Visit

2/24/2021, 8:05 am

CHIFUYU | A DISTANT MEMORY

"If you commanded me I would share you any and all of my thoughts if you wished.. But if you did I would hate you for exercising such power on me."

That was his power over her. Though she might've shown the most human response he could hope to expect. A scorn that he would suggest doing that. Even if he was what she considered her superior in everyway and allowed him to order her around like a puppet to dance, there was a large difference between making her do things and making her say things. That was her grievance.

"We are not. You can move this entire organisation with your word. I would not succeed at all unless you did what I told you. Which you are not obliged to do, sir."

Chifuyu wondered why she had to explain the nature of authority and seniority to him. Shouldn't he already have understood it by now? She took a moment to sweep some stray hairs behind her ears and consider his question. What was Azure.

"You are the mechanism that makes the system work, I am amongst a collective of cogs. Some parts of the machine are far more important than others but that shouldn't bother us. Efficency is key to ensuring maximum effectiveness in Vanguard's goal to protect the Earth and drive back the foreigners that invade and occupy it."

She felt quite assured in her assessment. People didn't need to be happy under their leadership, they just had to know their place.

END POST | VANGUARD SHADOW

2/26/2021, 6:28 pm

Azure Iramasha | The Vanguard's Last Hope

Though the distance between him and the girl had widened he continued to feel as close to her as he did the rest of The Vanguard. The man struggled with his position as leader, even if he attempted to create a family under the group's name. Escaping the sense of leadership and seniority would never truly be possible. As their leader, everyone looked to him in order to seek guidance. Guidance and acceptance, that's what a majority of his members wanted in this frustratingly sad world.

He bent down, resting against the flats of his feets. In his crouch, Azure let a simple sigh out as he tried to wrap his head around Chifuyu's statements. She was almost robotic in a sense, her logical understanding focused entirely on the usage of one's mind. Accept the situation and create a solution through any means necessary. It was a frustrating sight but one that rang true for man.

"I have a dream, believe it or not. That dream is for the people of earth to allow themselves to feel the safety of it's embrace. I see so much pain and worry on our surface. Why?"

His question was rhetorical. Azure knew the answer all too well. Shadowfall was a problem, K-World was a problem, The Monsuta continued to silly mistakes across Earth. No one was truly at sole fault, nevertheless that didn't lead him and his people anywhere. The Vanguard were up shit's creek without a paddle, against the world all on their own.

"Efficiency. That's an interesting way to phrase it. I wouldn't agree entirely but I understand where you're coming from. It's a fair assessment if I were simply a machine, something keeping things going."

He stood once more, kicking snow from his boots. Azure turned to Chifuyu and stared her down, moving his eyes along her figure as he thought.

"So you fight for Earth? Is that all this is? I don't like viewing it so clinically. It's a logic outcome but one I have little taste for. It lacks emotion. Protecting Earth requires one's very heart and soul. If that were the case, could you stand before your enemy and announce the Earth's people as your own? As your kin?"

The man smiled, picking at his chin as he did so. Azure figured how she'd respond almost instantly, he wanted to hear it nonetheless.

END POST | The Hybrid King Makes A Visit

3/6/2021, 2:05 am

CHIFUYU | A DISTANT MEMORY

It was a rhetorical question but the teenager opened her mouth just a little to give a hint that she was going to answer it until he continued speaking. Right, it was rhetorical. She didn't fully like conversations since they tended to go something like this. It was unclear and with many different quirks that she struggled to wrap her head around. It wasn't like mathematics or engineering, things like those at the advanced level were easier to navigate than talking to people for her.

"Emotion is the precursor for downfall. If emotion drives the protections of Earth then all your enemy must do is isolate someone valuable to you, capture them and use them as leverage. It is a simple as that. I will defend Earth to the upmost of my abilities and I will do so with crystal clear clarity in mind that I won't let myself be driven by emotion."

She smiled at him, quite proud of this direction almost it implied.

"Do you value the entirety of Earth over a person that you care about more than all others?"

END POST | VANGUARD SHADOW

3/25/2021, 2:54 pm

Azure Iramasha | The Vanguard's Last Hope

He was right. Azure Iramasha was, frankly, almost always right when it came to the reading of others. Sure he had his moments of distress, everyone did. In this moment, at this exact time, he was right. He felt nothing in regards to being right, however. Being right meant nothing when others could see through your façade so easily. And of course, Chifuyu saw through her commander's façade without hesitation.

The man turned away from the Yuudeshi and buried his face in his hand. At a loss for words, her question left a poor mark on his resume. Any normal person wouldn't ask such a painfully obvious question, did Azure Iramasha value the entirety of Earth over someone he cared about personally? Many would say no, almost everyone would say no. Azure was different, however. His time with The Vanguard and away from home led him down a path others simply could not follow. He knew that, but could others understand?

Turning back to her, he straightened himself out and tucked his hands into his pants pockets.

"People may not like this answer and that's perfectly fine. I'm Azure Iramasha, leader of The Vanguard. My intention is to protect Earth. If I could save hundreds of thousands or someone I cared for, I'd have to make a difficult decision. Besides, the type of care you hint at isn't very frequent for me anymore in life. I'd rather care about the world and its people rather than a bunch of Iramasha floundering on an island."

Azure didn't hate his family, it was quite the opposite actually. He loved the Iramasha people. They did nothing and continued to do nothing, they were a lost cause and he had to severe that tie a long time ago. Pointing towards Chifuyu, Azure sighed before elaborating on his rather crude statement.

"You may call emotion a precursor to downfall, I'd say it's what fuels me day in and day out. It might be crude but my love for Earth and its people are what fuel me. That raw emotion, no matter the direction I put it towards, always drives me. You'll see that soon enough. Make a man angry enough and he'll take matters into his own hands."

He did have plan, in fact. Iceland was only days away at this point, no one knew of his planned escapades. The world would soon learn of The Vanguard and their purpose, to drive back Shadowfall and the demon scourge that littered Earth. Nonetheless, even Chifuyu and the other members of the organization had no idea of the events planned. No one did, it was a suicide mission.

"I won't tell you how to act. You are your own person and as I do with all members, I appreciate that. Just keep in mind the goal, it's okay to find love in things that can only cause pain. Not... that that matters to you specifically, I guess I'm just talkin' myself into a corner that I like."

He needed to justify his actions so he may as well start here. Turning back to the bright Christmas lights that littered the cityscape, Azure Iramasha smiled for what felt like his final time. Chifuyu would notice this without real effort, his demeanor almost shifting entirely from before. He was somber now, the man dealt with a world's worth of problems in a single mind. Not many could suffer through such frustration.

"You can do things how you like, all I ask is that you keep me in mind. I want to save the world, one person at a time, one place at a time. I need you, and everyone else, to make that plan succeed. So long as you can do that, I'll never question your motives or actions."

Glancing in Chifuyu's direction, Azure tossed a hand out in acceptance.

"We got a deal, little Yuudeshi?"

END POST | The Hybrid King Makes A Visit