InsaneAsylum
The Chocobo Champion
Izanami Kutsuki
“You’re much more resistant to the Blight than the rest of us, but it seems even you too will succumb to it eventually,” Izanami’s mother said as she examined a raised red rash on Izanami’s sword hand. The rash stretched up her forearm, stopping just below her elbow. She reached to a table next to her and dipped her hand into a bowl of light green cream. Gently, Izzy’s mother started to spread it along the rash. It was cold, and made her arm tingle. “This will help with the irritation and muscles aches. You can’t ever use too much I like to say…” she trailed off, before starting to wrap a white cloth over Izzy’s hand and arm.
All the while, Izanami stared at the ground in silence from her chair. Her gaze turned to the nearby table, which was covered in various ground up herbs and liquid concoctions that were supposed to slow the progression of the Blight and its numerous symptoms. Then her eyes turned to her mother, who was already covered in numerous bandages of her own all across her body.
“You okay sweetie?” her mother asked, leaning down into her daughter’s view.
Izanami could only shake her head, water welling behind her eyes. In a flash her mother wrapped her up in a hug, placing her hand on the back of Izzy’s head. That was enough for Izzy to start sobbing into her shoulder.
However, the emotional moment was ruined by a wirey old man bursting into the room and yelling, “We’re under attack!” The next moment a rumble shook them off balance. The old man tumbled to the ground.
Izanami and her mother both hopped to action, wiping the tears from their faces and helping the man from the ground. “What’s happening out there?” Izzy’s mom asked the man. Through hysteric breaths he spoke, “E-explosions! The barrier! They’re coming for us! We’re gonna die!”
With a nod Izanami’s mom turned to her. “Looks like we might be getting some visitors really soon. Sweetie… go get ready to fight. We don’t have much time. I’m gonna get our people underground and away from the fighting.”
“What the hell could they want with a bunch of sick people?” Izanami asked aloud. “All we do is guard the…” Izanami froze at the realization. She then turned to hurry off and find her blade, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
“One more thing… I love you, Izzy. Don’t forget what you’ve been taught. Once everyone is safe down there I’ll come up to help you, ok?”
Turning on her heel, Izzy leaned in and gave her mom another hug. “I’ll hold them off long enough for reinforcements to come. I promise.”
Her mother nodded. “Just don’t die. If it comes down to it… forget about this samurai stuff and save yourself.”
“Y-yea… I will, mom.”
--------------------
Peeking through a window curtain, Izzy’s eyes briefly peered at the ninja atop her compound before she pulled back and out of sight. She tightened her grip on Sesshu-ki, letting the familiar prickles focus her mind. Despite her focus, the cold grip of fear still coursed through her veins. Koyome wasn’t here to tell her what they were up against. Enkai wasn’t here to save her with a well placed blast either. There was no room for error here.
“Help will come… just keep them out,” Izzy said to herself. She then pictured herself dramatically leaping onto the roof to fight the ninja, but quickly being dogpiled by an army of ninja. A frustrated breath slipped from her lips as she started pacing back and forth.
“Screw it… either someone comes to help or I die fighting.” Izzy was already walking to the doors before she finished speaking. She knew that if she hesitated any longer, her fear may just overtake her. All her life she’d been confident enough to leap into any situation, but now… she wasn’t as invincible as she thought.
With a loud slam, the front doors of the Kutsuki compound’s main building flew open, and out jumped Izanami in her vanguard samurai armor. Her gaze turned upward as she scanned for ninja. As soon as she spotted one, she’d form a handsign.
Body Flicker
Izanami immediately swung at the ninja after flickering directly in front of them.
“You’re much more resistant to the Blight than the rest of us, but it seems even you too will succumb to it eventually,” Izanami’s mother said as she examined a raised red rash on Izanami’s sword hand. The rash stretched up her forearm, stopping just below her elbow. She reached to a table next to her and dipped her hand into a bowl of light green cream. Gently, Izzy’s mother started to spread it along the rash. It was cold, and made her arm tingle. “This will help with the irritation and muscles aches. You can’t ever use too much I like to say…” she trailed off, before starting to wrap a white cloth over Izzy’s hand and arm.
All the while, Izanami stared at the ground in silence from her chair. Her gaze turned to the nearby table, which was covered in various ground up herbs and liquid concoctions that were supposed to slow the progression of the Blight and its numerous symptoms. Then her eyes turned to her mother, who was already covered in numerous bandages of her own all across her body.
“You okay sweetie?” her mother asked, leaning down into her daughter’s view.
Izanami could only shake her head, water welling behind her eyes. In a flash her mother wrapped her up in a hug, placing her hand on the back of Izzy’s head. That was enough for Izzy to start sobbing into her shoulder.
However, the emotional moment was ruined by a wirey old man bursting into the room and yelling, “We’re under attack!” The next moment a rumble shook them off balance. The old man tumbled to the ground.
Izanami and her mother both hopped to action, wiping the tears from their faces and helping the man from the ground. “What’s happening out there?” Izzy’s mom asked the man. Through hysteric breaths he spoke, “E-explosions! The barrier! They’re coming for us! We’re gonna die!”
With a nod Izanami’s mom turned to her. “Looks like we might be getting some visitors really soon. Sweetie… go get ready to fight. We don’t have much time. I’m gonna get our people underground and away from the fighting.”
“What the hell could they want with a bunch of sick people?” Izanami asked aloud. “All we do is guard the…” Izanami froze at the realization. She then turned to hurry off and find her blade, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
“One more thing… I love you, Izzy. Don’t forget what you’ve been taught. Once everyone is safe down there I’ll come up to help you, ok?”
Turning on her heel, Izzy leaned in and gave her mom another hug. “I’ll hold them off long enough for reinforcements to come. I promise.”
Her mother nodded. “Just don’t die. If it comes down to it… forget about this samurai stuff and save yourself.”
“Y-yea… I will, mom.”
--------------------
Peeking through a window curtain, Izzy’s eyes briefly peered at the ninja atop her compound before she pulled back and out of sight. She tightened her grip on Sesshu-ki, letting the familiar prickles focus her mind. Despite her focus, the cold grip of fear still coursed through her veins. Koyome wasn’t here to tell her what they were up against. Enkai wasn’t here to save her with a well placed blast either. There was no room for error here.
“Help will come… just keep them out,” Izzy said to herself. She then pictured herself dramatically leaping onto the roof to fight the ninja, but quickly being dogpiled by an army of ninja. A frustrated breath slipped from her lips as she started pacing back and forth.
“Screw it… either someone comes to help or I die fighting.” Izzy was already walking to the doors before she finished speaking. She knew that if she hesitated any longer, her fear may just overtake her. All her life she’d been confident enough to leap into any situation, but now… she wasn’t as invincible as she thought.
With a loud slam, the front doors of the Kutsuki compound’s main building flew open, and out jumped Izanami in her vanguard samurai armor. Her gaze turned upward as she scanned for ninja. As soon as she spotted one, she’d form a handsign.
Body Flicker
Izanami immediately swung at the ninja after flickering directly in front of them.