Deviant Blade

Togame told me to live, but I don't have any duty to obey that anymore. Yasuri Shichika|Katanagatari Indie Roleplay blog

[deviantblade-blog]

Continue? Yes.{@Yosha-Hime}

In the grand scheme of things, life should have ended where it always ends for everyone else, death. But unfortunately for Yasuri Shichika, this was not the case. The once infamous number one swordsman in Japan would be doomed to live his life once over in a world where a sword could not guide an individual to wherever they wished to go. No. This was a world driven by knowledge and money. Things that a human sword had no real mind for.

Now born in the modern world, his sister was sickly, but not enough that modern medicine couldn't curb her disease. Granted she was still a genius nonetheless. Being the son of a martial artist, the Yasuri family paid homage to their routes and kept their teachings within the family. This left Shichika to stay at home throughout his life. From kindergarten, middle school, and even high school he learned from home. Once he had reached the age of an adult, his parents had nothing left to provide him. Too young to teach Kyotoryuu to someone else, he would set out for college. A place where he, quite literally, stood tall among the rest. With a ponytail that stretched down his back, he stood out quite a lot. Unfortunately, being his first day around the university's campus he had no clue where he was going.

"Hm...this turned out to be a bigger hassle than I thought..."

Of course he could have always asked someone for help, but he wasn't mentally prepared for such things. Growing up studying and training most of his life away, there wasn't much time for human interactions. Not much time for friends. Walking around in a hoodie, plain looking jeans, and sandles was also not doing much to drive the stares of other students away as he buried himself into the map in his hands. But as he continued walking, what felt like an abnormal gust of wind against his chest was actually himself running into a person.

Looking both left and right, his eyes would direct themselves below to find a rather small girl in front of him planted firmly on her behind.

"Oh. Uhh...I'm sorry?"

As if confused whether to be sorry or not, he stood and stared at the individual whom he fell for so very long ago.

[yosha-hime]

Sucks to be you nerd.

[deviantblade-blog]

ooc; Shut up you're dead.

[deviantblade-blog]

ooc; FUCK THEMES

I'M DONE.

GOOD NIGHT.

[deviantblade-blog]

INDIE

ooc; This is going to be an Indie RP blog from now on.

Please unfollow if you like~

[yosha-hime]

princess-defyinghistory started following you

“ What is that unpleasant woman doing here?“

[deviantblade-blog]

.....

And in that moment, Shichika felt a disturbance within the natural balance of the universe.

[deviantblade-blog]

Living Sword{OPEN}

[yosha-hime]

✘  It was raining, and she had to run through the streets, umbrellaless, and in her platform shoes.  A frown was etched on her face as she jogged through the streets, avoiding puddles as to keep her feet from becoming wet….the rain didnt help that.  She was drenched, chilled to the bone.  Her extravagant attire clung to her petite frame and her white hair stuck to her face as she always tried to brush the strands away. 

She had no money, then again when you die there isnt an exact need for money.  How she was brought back here was a mystery - but that wasnt the point.  She needed money now because she was cold and wet, so she needed new clothing..and she was hungry…because that was something you needed to survive.  Slowing her jog to a walk she heard her stomach growl, and it would earn a puff of her cheeks. 

A sigh as she doubled over, placing her hands on her knees and breathing hard…this was too much running.  Usually she was carried or something. Looking up she noticed the teashop…but why would she go inside with no money to pay.  Standing she would groan some reminded yet again of the hardships of traveling alone.

She turned her back tot he tea ship, annoyed. Arms crossed as she shivered in the cold.  I have to think of something.  Little did she realize the person sitting behind her as she acted out her dilemmas like a crazy person. - 

[deviantblade-blog]

Even though Shichika was bereft of his unparalleled strength and most of his speed, he was alright with this existence. There was not a single hassle to be had. He did as he pleased and simply lived day to day. If only the person he had fallen in love with had joined him. It was a selfish wish obviously. After what he had experienced, Shichika was rather indifferent to his current circumstances. It didn't make much difference where he was. Life would always generally be the same.

The exception was the abundance of technology, but he soon got used to that as well. Televisions, cars, phones, the list went on and on. The thick-headed novel protagonist had actually gone out of his way to educate himself a bit. That being said, he was still adverse to doing anything that was too much of a hassle.

But his solitude and silence would soon be disturbed by a small and fragile being sitting behind him. It would have actually disturbed him if he bothered to notice that is. While he may have been more active in bettering himself, he still had the self awareness of a coma patient. It wasn't until he actually got up and took a look behind him that he noticed her. It was Togame. Several thoughts ran through his mind, but none were of extreme elation by any means. Relief was a much better word. He was relieved to see her alive.

"Hey Togame. Want some tea?" Shichika asked rather politely and placed the half empty cup of tea, still steaming away in the cold, in front of Togame. Taking a seat by the tiny strategist, he smiled as if nothing had happened or changed. Perhaps that was just his stupidity truly showing through. It was. He was actually that absent minded and stupid.

[deviantblade-blog]

Living Sword{OPEN}

The air was stagnant and cold, the people not much different. Being in a completely new world didn't phase the sword whatsoever. In fact, he embraced his situation rather quickly. One thing that he did require however, was tea. Something to warm up his body as he walked around aimlessly. While he had knowledge of his swordsmanship, his body was considerably weakened. Even so, he could break an arm or two in his current state, not that he wanted to. After a considerable amount of walking, he came across a place to secure his hot beverage of choice.

He held his tea in one hand as he situated himself on a bench, staring out into the empty streets. Everyone seemed to pass by and look the the other way, but Shichika paid no attention to it.. He wasn’t the easiest kind of person to approach. Was it the red clothing, multitude of scars, or that he was over six feet tall? Nothing was exactly how Shichika imagined his life to be. Together with Togame? She was dead. Traveling? He had no desire without a reason. Life was only as interesting as his new home could make it.

"What a hassle…." Shichika spoke watching the rain fall in front of him. His feet were wet, perhaps he should invest in some sneakers? In any case, the swordless swordsman was vulnerable to any conversation. He obviously had no intention of getting up from his bench, especially while he still had hot tea.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- How foolish. With an exasperated sigh she would look rather unamused with Shichika’s handling of the situation.  He knew better, or at least he should.  She always did the talking, he should leave the relationship building to her - which he did when he took on that vacant expression and stood silent at her side. By that time however, he had already inadvertently threatened this woman AND threw around the jargon of “Japan”.  Which by the looks of this woman, she might not have any idea about.

From what Togame could take from observation, the style of dress was very western.  The architecture and means of travel, also very Western. Nothing that they likes of the two travelers had seen, however Togame had a knack for picking up on things quickly. This would likely be no different. 

 “Nice to meet you, Togame. As for where you are, this is Storybrooke, Maine. And by the looks of it, you’re far from where you came from. Am I right?”

“Likewise, Miss Sheriff Swan“

- With the introductions out of the way, she would keep her hands poised on her hips, a certain contemplative look placing itself on her face. Storybrooke, Maine. Never head of it, in fact the words themselves seemed odd to her, which set off a few red flags. Finally, the small girl would speak her composed thoughts aloud. -

“This isn’t Japan.“

- While it seemed like a far fetched idea, it was the correct deduction.  As for how they ended up in a place outside of Japan would remain a mystery for awhile longer.  Glancing back at Shichika, he seemed rather chilled.  Hmmm? Togame vaguely remembered telling him his choice in attire or lack thereof would prove to be inadequate for cold weather.  She couldnt help but smugly smile at Shichika as she crossed her arms over her chest.  A blatant “I told you so” gesture. 

Looking back at Miss Swan, she would speak once more. - 

“ We have no reason to believe you will harm us. That said, is there a place we could stay? An inn perhaps?“

[lonesaviorarchive-deactivated20]

Her eyes shifted from one figure to the other. These two really were peculiar, but it all made sense to her when she heard the mention of Japan. These two had come all the way from Japan, and yet didn’t know where they were? How was that even possible? It wasn’t like they could take a wrong turn at an island, and end up on the other side of America. Something wasn’t settling with the sheriff, but at the same time as she watched them speak she could easily tell they weren’t lying. It was all because of that little super power of hers. Growing up around liars had it’s benefits. One learned the little body ticks that would happen when the body was trying to find equilibrium after lying. 

Her eyes observed them both once more from head to toe to make sure she hadn’t missed anything, and of course, she hadn’t. Well that just meant that something else was coming to play here. Could it be magic? She really didn’t know, but to be safe she would keep a close eye on them until she found out more while they were staying at Granny’s inn. 

“No, this isn’t Japan. Can’t say how you got here, but you’re in the US now. Are you sure you have no recollection of how you got here?”

Her brow quirked slightly in question as she wondered just how they had gotten here. But she was sure the answer would come in due time; it always did. Walking over to her yellow bug, she gestured to the two and offered a nod. “Yeah, I can take you to Granny’s. She’ll get you all set up with all the essentials, so don’t worry about it.” She offered a small, comforting smile to the others. 

[deviantblade-blog]

This entire ordeal was just as Shichika remembered. Boring. Talking to this woman, standing in the middle of no where, not being in Japan. Hassle was actually a better way to describe it, but he couldn't say that in front of Togame or else she would hit him. And even though it didn't hurt, he didn't want to deal with the lecture on how his personality was lack luster and what not. So instead, he would stand quietly and not bother speaking up.

What did confuse him is where they were. Sure he knew of certain foreign countries and the like, but there was never a place called the U.S. If he recalled correctly, most knowledge stretched as far as that country that used Cheerio as a means of saying good bye. But as time went on his curiosity subsided and he continued to not pay attention to the hassle before him.

Until his eyes had laid upon something he had never seen before. It was yellow, dirty, and had wheels. But there were no horses or handles attached to the outside. What could it possibly be? In his moment of curiosity, he left Togame's side and circled the device. Eyeing every aspect carefully, all he could see was a big hunk of nothing. Unfortunately for Swan, Shichika would take precautions against this foreign device.

"Hmmm.....Threatening...." The sword let a word slip through his lips and simply shrugged his shoulders. Leaping just enough to be above the roof of the car, Shichika flipped and his right leg came crashing down upon the car. Without a single hint of the attack causing him pain, the material beneath his leg bent and gave way. Before his body which had been forged like an actual sword, this car was nothing. It had been literally "torn to pieces", two in fact.

"So where is this granny's place again?" Shichika asked as if he had done nothing wrong. Shaking his leg to remove whatever material stuck to him, he looked toward Togame and Swan without any shame. It was just a hunk of metal to him. A slightly threatening hunk of metal.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- Her attention was grabbed by a slight blink as she turned her head to rest her eyes on the blonde who had approached them. Crossing her arms with a subtle hmph, she never did like blondes, something to do with a certain unpleasant woman perhaps. What was more odd, was that the signs in which she had tried to decipher earlier became an ease to read, and when the badge was shown and speech given…Togame could comprehend it…even if it wasnt her native tongue. 

She didnt know what a sheriff was herself, but from the actions of the woman she could only deduce that it was some sort of position of power, sort of like herself in regards to her old position, however self proclaimed it might have been. 

Seeing Shichika take his stand she would tense a bit, shaking her head at her taller companion. Hold on a second, she hadnt even pulled out a weapon. -

“Hold on, Shichika!“

- Waving her hands to get his attention, she demanded her sword to yield as she regained her own composure and would bring a hand to her lips as she cleared her throat to properly introduce herself.  After all, it was in terrible taste to be the new comer and not introduce yourself first. - 

“ahem…Pardon our behavior. I am Togame.“

- With everything that happened, it didnt feel right to give her self titled-title anymore…at least not that one.  She would certainly have to find a new one! But that was a conversation for another time. 

“Sheriff Swan. You guys look a little lost. Am I right?”

Placing her hands at her sides, one of which rested on her hips now, she would listen to Sheriff Swan’s question.  Internally weighing the pros and cons of admitting her possible miscalculation.  Then again, she fancied herself as infallible, and if by some act of…magic, they had ended up here, it wasnt exactly her fault. Hmmm. 

Either way, with her still semi-aristocratic way of speaking, she proceeded to converse with the woman before her. - 

“You are correct in your assumption…“

- She then would fetch the half completed map from her long sleeve and present it to the woman before them. - 

“ Perhaps you can help, does this look familiar?“

[lonesaviorarchive-deactivated20]

The blonde was really thrown off by these two’s appearance. Sure, this was a town full of fairy tale creatures, and people, but all of them dressed normally. These two, however, dressed like they came right out from a book. Another thing Emma wouldn’t be surprised at. Even though, she had met a good amount of people in town, there were still more people arriving in Storybrooke that hadn’t been effected, or even touched by the curse. Maybe these two were another pair of newcomers. But then again, she couldn’t assume; best to play it by the vest, which she was more than used to. 

Her head canted slightly as the man let the white haired woman down, and began to get into some sort of stance. What was this? Kung Fu Panda? She could tell that this man was getting into some sort of fighting stance, but she wasn’t here for that. Before she could even tell that to the younger man, the white haired woman standing next to him interrupted. Apparently the man’s name was Shichika. That definitely sounded foreign, and didn’t sound like any fairy tale creature that she had ever heard of before. Interesting. 

Her hands rested on the curvature of her hips, and she watched as the smaller woman stood there giving a grand speech as if she was 8 feet tall. Another foreign name; Togame. At the moment, Emma couldn’t tell if these two were fairy tale characters, or if they were outsiders who happened to find their way to Storybrooke. This might get a bit complicated, but at the same time she couldn’t just send them away. Perhaps she could get them a room at Granny’s, get them some directions then tomorrow they could be on their way home. And while that was happening, Emma would try to dig up some information about them to see if they were perhaps fairy tales. 

When the one named Togame had finished her speech, the savior gave a quick nod and folded her arms in front of her body. “Nice to meet you, Togame. As for where you are, this is Storybrooke, Maine. And by the looks of it, you’re far from where you came from. Am I right?” It was then she turned her glance to the one named Shichika. Her weight shifted before she gave him a bored look. “You can lower your hands. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

[deviantblade-blog]

While Shichika was more than ready to fight, he was immediately stopped. Resting his arms at his side, Shichika immediately took on a more gentle look. A mindless and naive look, but it was better than the bloodthirsty eyes he wore earlier. Once Togame gave the order, he put his hat back on and stood quietly. Perhaps their new acquaintance would be alarmed at how quickly Shichika followed Togame's orders. But that's how things worked. She schemed and he executed on her command, quite literally.

What was her name again? Shichika stared at the person in front of him and only recalled her being the swan sheriff or something of that sort. Unfortunately for her, in his time there was no such word as "Sheriff". And any government officials were nothing before "Japan's strongest". But as the conversation continued, Shichika became bored and lost interest in whatever was happening.

“You can lower your hands. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

"My first duty is to protect Togame, then myself." He promptly replied as if it was built into his existence. Togame's safety always came before his own. And seeing as how he could handle blades and bullets alike, he really didn't worry about getting hurt anymore. With a body forged like steel, there wasn't much he worried about.

"If you could point us in the direction of Japan, we'll be on our way. However, by that time you'll have been torn to pieces." Shichika told Swan where they came from followed by the catch phrase that Togame had made up for him. His old habits got the best of him which he knew Togame would berate him for later. She was very serious about establishing connections and relationships. While Shichika was rather content with simply killing people when commanded or beating them into submission.

Either way, he only had an interest in getting back home. This place was rather chilly, coming from the man who walked barefoot up a snowy mountain until he noticed he was developing frostbite.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- Though her vitality seemed to have been renewed with the promise of civilization, Shichika carried her anyway. Sure, she found it embarrassing, luckily there was no one around to witness the display as she allowed her shoulder to lean against his chest, hands clasped in her lap with a quiet sigh.  

When she opened her eyes again, from her brief interlude of silence, she took note of the change in the road.  The dirt of a rural town hand long since disappeared, and what remained was a black, hardened substance.  Of course, being from where they were from, they had never seen asphalt in their lives.  She canted her head slightly as she crouched down, touching it as she tried to wrap her head around just what it was. - 

“Obviously…“

- It was obvious she was thinking as she retracted her hand from the dark surface and placed one on her hip in her usual way. Turning to look at Shichika, she did her best to guide him - even if she had no idea what she was talking about. - 

“ We are not in Japan anymore.“

- This was nothing like the Japan she had ever seen at least.  Mainland, island…nope. The buildings that lined the side of the roads were different in design.  The language…symbols on the signs were not Japanese characters.  It was hard to believe they had walked so far as to leave Japan…wait…wasnt Japan surrounded by water…?

Not wanting to admit that this might possibly be her miscalculation, she said nothing. Instead she continued to glance around to find a person who could help them.  - 

[lonesaviorarchive-deactivated20]

The chair reclined slightly as the blonde closed her eyes for a moment. All she needed was this moment. Silence. However, for her that was a double edged sword. Even though, she hoped for peace of mind that wouldn’t come like this. Whenever she was surrounded by silence, all her mind would do would be playing memories and thoughts about her different fears and problems. And boy did she have a lot of problems; mostly all of them pertaining to her flaws. 

A sigh escaped her lips before she heard her cell phone vibrating against her desk. Shaking her head, she leaned up in her chair and retrieved the phone. The screen read Ruby. Quickly, Emma flipped open the phone and pressed it to her ear. “Sheriff Swan here. What’s up, Ruby?” It didn’t take long for Ruby to explain what was going on. New people had wandered into the town again. Great, more people Emma was going to have to kindly pester to leave. This was her job though. Outsiders would ruin this town. Magic was here, and nonmagic beings would just not understand. Hell, she didn’t understand it half the time and she lived here. 

These people had been seen on the outskirts of town. Emma decided to take her yellow bug to meet up with them. When she got into the car, she placed the keys in the ignition and revved the car up. Pulling out of her space, she headed toward the town line. Thankfully for her, she didn’t have to worry about the whole crossing the border mishap. It didn’t take long for her to reach the line, and when she arrived she was taken by surprise at what she saw. Shaking her head, she placed the car in park and turned it off. She promptly got out of the car, and approached the two. 

Her gaze observed these two for a moment. Their clothing was something she hadn’t seen before, and she wasn’t sure where in the world they could have come from. Unless…they had teleported from another world….Why didn’t any of this come as a surprise to her anymore? Oh yeah, because ever since she got here things have taken a turn for the crazy. 

She turned her attention to the two again before whipping out her badge and offering a nod. “Sheriff Swan. You guys look a little lost. Am I right?”

[deviantblade-blog]

Not in Japan. This sounded like some farfetched low budget writer's idea of a story. But from the looks of it, there was no reason to doubt Togame's words either. And because they were in a different land, he had no choice but to be on constant guard. It was only natural now that he had to worry about protecting not only himself, but Togame as well. Thus, unless she allowed him to injure himself, Shichika would never truly fight at his full capacity.

Before long, they would be met by quite the odd looking individual. Considering the style they were familiar with and the people they had seen, this person came off as odd. Not to mention that they also seemed to be of an entirely different race all together. But in any case, the person even went as far as to introduce themselves. What was even weirder was that he understood the words that came out of her mouth.

The signs around them slowly became legible to him. It wasn't all that scary or confusing as he really had no interest in his surroundings. Either way, all he really wanted to do was get out of here. Without warning, the person who he believed was a woman, pulled out a metallic object. It was shiny and also seemed golden. What was a sheriff anyway? What he did know was that she introduced herself. A challenge perhaps?

".....Hmm...." Shichika juggled with the thought until he took off the large bag on his back and placed it on the ground before taking a fighting stance. This woman didn't possess a sword, but if she was challenging him, then she could fight however she pleased. Even guns were insignificant threats to him at this point.

"7th generation head of Kyotoryuu, Yasuri Shichika." The standard introduction he had given to everyone before this woman was now delivered. Bringing his right arm to his side and his left out in front of him, Shichika was prepared to fight. That is, unless his loving companion had something to say about that.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- She didnt mind if Shichika “slacked off” - it was less she had to explain to him, or risk having him try and defy her, disagree, or anything of that nature.  She liked him just the way he was - an ignorant sword who was completely devoted to her.  Though at first she had commanded he fall for her, now that he really had, it was a bit different.  The mere thought would occasionally make her blush and she would become lost in a daze of thoughts surrounding it. 

It prompted a shake of her head as she remembered that this wasnt the time to be daydreaming.  Instead she could already feel herself becoming increasingly more weary and close to demanding…or whining that Shichika carry her the rest of the way.  Or at least until they came across some traveler, she got embarrassed and squirmed out of his grasp. 

As his hand wrapped around hers, she would glance up at him, smiling a bit as they continued their journey westward. It wasnt for a long while that she broke the connection between them. With her hands on her knees, she had started to lag behind.  

The landscape and long since changed from the village where they were staying to forestry.  The distance between herself and her sword had grown, and she meekly lifted a hand to try and tell him to wait up.  It appeared that no words would leave her mouth, only her deep breathing as she tried to fill her lungs.  This amount of exercise never did go well for her.  Strenuous activity was not in her skillset.  -

“Shichika…“

- She had finally found her voice.  One hand rested on the trunk of a tree as she looked up from her almost doubled over position. She hoped it would get his attention, and he would likely know what she required. When her whining had quieted down, it was then that she realized she could hear other things…the sounds of civilization.  They were near a town! 

Standing upright she would wait for Shichika to backtrack to her, and with somewhat renewed vitality, glance around for any other clues as to how close they were to said town.

[deviantblade-blog]

Once Togame started holding onto his hand, the time seemed to pass by even quicker. Eventually, they would have walked for miles. TIme would pass and Shichika would lose himself in his lack of thoughts. Though eventually his eyes would look to his side and Togame would be gone. Was she stolen? Taken? Where could she have possibly gone? These were questions Shichika would have asked if he didn't know exactly where Togame was at all times. His head turned to see the small and frail body lagging behind him.

“Shichika…“

Once his senses picked up on Togame's plea for help, Shichika didn't hesitate to respond. This would have just been another hassle if Shichika wasn't used to this occurrence. With very little effort, he had walked back to Togame and lifted her into his arms. The dreaded princess carry. With her legs hanging off one arm and her back supported by the other, he continued walking as if nothing had changed. Togame was light as a feather to him.

As he continued to walk, he would completely ignore her demands to let her down. Even if she seemed more lively than before. The sounds around him were...confusing. There were things he had never heard before. And before long, when he stumbled upon the town, his feet no longer scraped along a dirt road. The surface was hard and dark like rock.

"Togame...I have a bad feeling." The very notion her sword was even slightly worried would probably throw Togame's thought process off. He didn't like where they were already. It bothered him to no end how everything changed around them suddenly. Putting Togame down on her feet ever so gently, he took a quick look about the town.

The buildings were definitely not of Japanese design. Even the weather seemed to change. His hands moved toward his head to remove the hat he had become slightly attached to. Making sure Togame was close to him, he would follow her wherever she went. But even he felt the need to be prepared for anything.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- Truth be told, she might have been neglecting her duties a bit.  She might have also not had anywhere in-particular in mind to go…and just said something to stop her dimwitted partner from asking questions.  Always a schemer, that would never change. Placing her hands in her long sleeves she would close her eyes and sigh. How would she get out of this one. 

Pulling from, seemingly no where, she would hold in her hands a journal of sorts, with a very small part of a completed map roughly drawn on it. Which direction would they go? She would pick one. Studying it in silence she would bring her free hand to her chin, brows knitting in concentration as she deliberated. 

It was getting to be summer, so the farther south they went, it would likely be hotter and more uncomfortable…but she did not much care for the cold either. They had come from a more eastern direction, leaving the best possibility to be west…or northwest for the summer time months and looping back south, south east in the fall and winter time. 

Looking up, she had made her choice and would march forward in the direction chosen. 

“Actually, Togame. Where are we going today?”

“ We’re going this way.“

- Came the strategists spunky reply. Knowing Shichika would be right behind her, she set out.  For now it seemed like she had the energy to keep her frail body walking, but ask her in a couple of miles and she might feel differently.  Hopefully there would be a town along the way, because it would be unfortunate to have chosen a route that ended up being a barren wasteland of landscape. 

So, they would set out.  With no real goal in mind.  Which was rather pointless and boring, but it was nice to be able to be driven by whims for once, and not an order or motive like revenge.  It felt refreshing, like being reborn in a way.  Maybe it was part of having a second chance. Either way, Togame preferred to let the days lazily slide by now, then rush getting to an end…of course, she would never admit to that easily. -

[deviantblade-blog]

When Togame started thinking like this, it was just another time for him to slack off. In fact, most of every day was spent slacking. As time went by, he would slowly get used to the fact the only duty he had was to stay by Togame's side. Even that objective was something he did on his own. So in a sense, his life was void of any other purposes. Sharpening his art was the only thing he could do. But what was he supposed to test it on? The air? Any inexperienced swordsman would be, literally, torn to pieces.

Looming over the tiny schemer's head, he looked at what they had already completed. Togame might have been able to discern exactly what she had drawn, but Shichika did not. He actually had no interest in mapping Japan. Being with Togame was all he was here for anyway. Protecting her and tending to whatever needs she may have. Waiting would definitely be the death of him as Shichika didn't enjoy being bored.

“ We’re going this way.“ 

And with that said, Shichika followed right next to Togame. Eventually her body would fail her and the sword would carry his owner. But for now, she was rather lively and eager to get going. But as they continued walking, Shichika's body shook at the odd feeling around him. It was odd and almost ominous. But, being the dim-witted sword he was, he made no note of it aloud. It was probably just his imagination.

"Hmmm...." The odd feeling seemed to keep occurring as the continued walking, but Shichika continued to ignore it. Instead, his eyes traveled to Togame's lone hand. Alone and holding nothing, his hand twitched ever so slightly. This was indeed an odd feeling. Love. The only person he ever loved was next to him, but he didn't really know how to handle it.

Instead, the human deviant blade reached out his hand and grabbed onto Togame's stray hand. Lightly wrapping his obviously larger hand around hers, he soon came to realize how small she was. But even so, he held on. A hand that could completely demolish castles with a single thrust gripped onto her hand. Though his face didn't show much emotion, he was happy with her. Just being around Togame made Shichika happy.

No matter what crazy part of Japan they ended up in, even if they weren't in Japan anymore for some god forsaken reason, he would stand by her. Togame was his woman after all.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- Catching her as she fell had become routine as she glanced up at Shichika briefly before looking away.  Her arms crossed over her chest and she said nothing about their position, as no one was around to witness it.  If he had been carrying her in public, she likely would have made a scene.  A sigh as she nodded her head in answer to Shichika’s question. 

She vastly preferred being carried around by Shichika.  Walking was tiring on her fragile body and she got tired easily. If they were going to continue to walk around to make this map, she hoped that there were times where her and Shichika were alone and he would carry her. She knew that if she asked he would do exactly what she said. 

“Ah well. It’s okay if you don’t want to. I’ve already fallen for you, so I won’t be leaving you.”

A sheepish smile was earned from her at his words.  For such an idiot he meant well…his nature and kindness was something no one could have taught him, certainly not Togame at least. Maybe one day he would really understand the gravity of the situation with marriage. Maybe not…but either way Togame would be sure to set him straight when the time came. - 

“…You have no idea.“

-The sentence came as an aside, eyes averted to the side in a defeated way.  He didnt understand it…and who knew if he ever would…But Togame loved him anyway, even if he was dense, naive, ignorant, and just a giant idiot with a “weak personality”.

 He placed her on her feet, leaving her with a kiss which elicited a sly smile from her as she turned her back to him.  Her own thoughts, which she kept to herself because Shichika would never understand, are what amused her more than Shichika’s actions, not that they didnt amuse her as well. 

Marching forwards she would signal that it was time to depart.  Even though she had been asleep for long periods of time, she had taken the time to plan out where they should go, usually before bed. She already had a plan in mind, anyway. -

“Lets go. You’re ready arent you?“

[deviantblade-blog]

Nearly a year ago, Shichika wouldn't really mind if Togame was actually happy or not. But, it was something he strove for now. As long as she was smiling, he could be happy too. There was only one time he could recall failing her at this point. Almost letting her die. Almost. He couldn't imagine a world without her though he briefly experienced such a place. And although she miraculously survived, it wasn't exactly the warmest of welcomes.

The Completed Deviant Blade had gone against all of Togame's orders. Of course she would have something to say about that, but Shichika simply justified his choices because he thought she was dead. Killing hundreds of people in some desperate attempt to find death. But, unfortunately, he could not find that. There would probably never be a person in existence who could kill him now. And he was okay with that. With his fragile, whiny, frail, easily broken strategist at his side, living wouldn't be all that bad.

“Lets go. You’re ready arent you?“ 

"I've been ready for hours now." Though the comment was obviously not needed, Shichika said it anyway. He was always waiting on Togame in the morning. Always ready before her, always waiting for her, always saving her from one unfortunate event or another. With that said, Shichika went ahead of Togame and exposed himself to the sunlight once again.

"Actually, Togame. Where are we going today?" This was a regular question Shichika asked as he really had no idea where they were going these days. Some places seemed familiar and other times he just had no clue where they were. Not to mention the constant boredom from the lack of challenges presented to them.

Perhaps he was too used to having murderous ninjas and legendary sword wielding adversaries to contend with. With not a single person in Japan to face down Japan's strongest swordsman, life lacked that bit of excitement. Though that didn't mean he wasn't entertained. Togame was all sorts of fun for him. And right now, she was the only person he wanted to spend time with. Alive. He definitely preferred her alive.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- She did take forever to get ready…mostly due to the fact she wore so many layers of clothing. Layer after layer…after layer…she applied until she was dressed in her usual, rather ostentatious, attire. She rather liked fine clothes - as it was obvious by her own choice in colorful fabrics, design and her insistence that Shichika wear something more presentable if he wanted to tag along with her. 

It came as a surprise when she was dug up out of the ground and laid eyes on Shichika, who was actually wearing a shirt.  After which, she demanded that he continue to wear it…and being how devoted her sword was, he did. 

With a toss of her hair she would spin around to face Shichika. Hands folding in front of her chest she smiled at her taller companion, a sign she was ready to get going. 

She was completely taken by surprise when he delivered the next question.  Expecting him to do something stupid, that was normal…but the next question was maybe, possibly one of the most stupid questions she had ever heard him ask! Or perhaps she just told herself that to hide the embarrassment. 

“Togame, will you marry me?”

Cheeks reddened, eyes widened, look of unbridled embarrassment shown on her face as she tried to process what he had just asked.  Did he even know what he just asked!? Of course he didnt! He was an idiot! A fool! Stupid, Stupid Stupid! Instead of answering him she desperately tried to reign in her emotions…but found herself only able to take one course of action. - 

“CHEERIO!“

- The only word that crossed her mind, one of her crafted sandals headed towards Shichika’s face, as her lithe frame seemed to hold weightless properties for the duration of her kick. 

Truth be told it wasnt a no, but she was too embarrassed to give him a true answer…besides…Get a hold of yourself, Togame…he doesnt even know what he is talking about. She commanded herself, but it still did not change the shade of red on her face. - 

[deviantblade-blog]

At this point, his mind had turned off though it would seem he was paying attention to Togame's appearance. That seemingly blank look he always had was a wonderful ruse to hide the fact his brain had stopped all functions. There were many times where Shichika considered how Togame actually moved in her outfit. But once he looked down at his own attire, he let those thoughts slip away. At this point, he would just be a hypocrite pointing that out.

Regardless of the fact he killed over 1000 people and toppled a government with the movement restricting outfit on, it still wasn't to his liking. And once he turned his brain functions back on and saw Togame's reaction, he knew he was in for a very common reaction. The drastic change in expression and skin tone obviously meant she was embarrassed.

And with embarrassment, Togame gained the ability to do amazing things for a brief moment such as leaping to kick him in the face. For Shichika, however, this was the equivalent to being touched by a light breeze. People did not get angry at the wind when it brushed across their faces. Thus, Shichika did not react when Togame kicked him. But he did hold out his arms to catch her as she fell.

"Eh? Are you okay?" He asked as if she had done absolutely nothing and his question was of no consequence. The severity of the situation had completely flown over his head. Princess carrying Togame was also something he was rather used to. Alhough, Togame was always more embarrassed about it then Shichika was.

"Ah well. It's okay if you don't want to. I've already fallen for you, so I won't be leaving you." Such loving words with a smile, an idiot with a really nice smile. Shichika was just an incredibly strong and sweet idiot with a nice smile. Perhaps life would have been different from him if he hadn't lived with on his family on a deserted island for twenty years. Either way, he loved Togame through his extreme idiocy. And as long as she knew that, it was okay. Before putting her back on the ground, he gave her a quick kiss. Shichika didn't realize the severity of his actions just yet, but he would one day. Maybe. Probably not.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- He accepted it! A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and sagged her shoulders a bit.  As if a huge burden had been lifted from her at the acceptance of her answer to such a broad topic.  His curiosity was usually boundless, and she was worried about the more difficult questions he might have tried to ask. 

She assisted in getting up from his lap when prompted, and smiled up at him when he broke away from their…sixth kiss of the morning. It was something she could get used to, much like their rituals of snuggling and physical contact.  It was just a way for him to imprint on her continuously.  The sole reason, at first, had been so that he could recognize her over everyone else. It would have been a shame if he couldnt tell her from the enemy in battle.  Therefore; they had become physically close quickly.  That they still did it now, that was likely out of preference and habit. 

“So Togame. I don’t love you like a pet, idea, or item. I just love you. Does that mean we should get married?” 

A slight panic reached her as she looked rather astonished. Where did he learn THAT? Opening her mouth, she closed it again frantically trying to gather her thoughts. It wasnt like she didnt want to get married, but…that was never on the table…stepping away from Shichika she shook her head to rid herself of the embarrassing thoughts and tried to compose herself to answer. - 

“ No!“

- She would spin around and point at him. He was just flustering her, and he didnt even know what he was talking about! He had that effect though…it was just how it was. -

“I mean…“

- A hand went to her lips as she cleared her throat to try and calmly explain what was on her mind.  She did sort of like the idea of marrying Shichika…but it was only an idea proposed now and she had never thought about it before… - 

“ You dont have to be married to be in love, and you dont have to get married just because you are in love…we should just—“

“Or are we married already? Are you my wife?” 

“No!“

- She would yell again, obnoxiously as she crossed her arms at her chest and would sigh.  He really was such an idiot sometimes. But he was her idiot, so it evened out in the end. - 

“ You would know if I was your wife.  There is a big ceremony when you get married, and rings…and…well— “

- She didnt know much about weddings either it seemed…either way she would confidently hold her head high. - 

“You have to ask someone to marry you, anyway. Its a life long commitment, too.  You shouldnt talk about something like that so lightly. Most people take it very seriously.“

- Maybe that would explain it enough so that he wouldnt ask anymore questions…- 

[deviantblade-blog]

Shichika had decided to look away when he asked his initial question. But once he turned to face Togame again, all he could see was the frenzy of thoughts racing through her head. The panicked expression only made him tilt his head in response. Confused as always. But just as quickly as her expression had changed, she immediately responded with a quick and prompt answer.

“ No! I mean..“  

This would be the part where Shichika showed the true density of his skull. The more words Togame spewed from her mouth in a panic, the more confused he became. So the more she spoke, the more she lost him. And the conversation would only seem to go further down from there.

“ You dont have to be married to be in love, and you dont have to get married just because you are in love…we should just—No!“ 

Togame would speak more and more. Something about rings and ceremonies. But in the end, Shichika was already lost. Or rather, he had lost interest in learning more about the subject. At least for the time being, her sword would drop the subject on his own. But that wouldn't mean she would stop talking.

"Oh. I see." The only response he had to her explanation on how marriage was a life long commitment. How it was very serious. And with that said he had no more questions for her. Not right now at least. His head returned to its proper position. No longer tilting itself in confusion. Adjusting the outfit he had grown accustom to, Shichika could now only wait for Togame to get ready.

The lengthy process at which she went about preparing herself for the day was always rather boring. But he had learned to turn his mind off and wait. Watching her without a hint of embarrassment as she put on her clothes and tended to her appearance on every single level possible. While he never actually voiced his opinion on her appearance, he would always be attracted to her. And so it came to him that these must be that commitment she was talking about. All he had to do was ask her, right?

"Togame, will you marry me?" And so the never ending hilarity of this "normal" morning continued.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- She could tell he was trying to process something, struggling to collect some sort of coherent thought into a sentence to deliver to her.  As she impatiently waited she grew increasingly aware of his shift in position.  Not that she minded really. They had always been rather close…

However, his sudden appearance right in front of her nose did catch her a bit off guard.  Her expression was that of surprise briefly met with a slight;

“Eh?“

As she found herself locking lips with Shichika, this time not initiated by herself and not prompted by jealousy…which if asked about Togame would likely vehemently deny.

She didnt stop him, in all honesty she was rather impressed.  Where had he learned such a thing? Sure, she had done it..once, but this display of human emotion was something that was even hard for some humans to comprehend and display… She was going to ask where something like that came from…or who…but after the fifth time of their lips joining, he beat her to the punch with the question. - 

“Togame. What is love?”

And that..was that.  The mood killer. Eyes narrowed, one of them twitching in annoyance, her lips pursed together to disappointment and irritation. He was so dense…oblivious…ignorant. What is love? He asks.

Well, while she was no expert on love, as she had never had time for anything of the such in her life, she would try to be an expert anyway.  Let’s see…what did Togame know about love…It was a strong motivator, a feeling, an emotion….parents loved their children and couples fell in love…her mind drew a blank on the rest. 

The good thing about Shichika, was that he would never know if she was wrong! Sort of like the whole cheerio definition. Therefore; regaining her composure she would cross her arms confidently as he seemed to snuggle up to her, taking in her scent as usual. 

“I don’t know exactly what love is, but I know I do love you.”

She could necessarily be mad at him..he meant well, and with a slightly defeated sigh she would think twice at the tone she was going to use when telling him about love…or what she knew about it. Once she had said; People who work for money are no good. People who work for honor are also no good. That leaves only one reason. Love! Which was also the reason she had told Shichika to fall for her…Then and now she still did not have a true grasp on the emotion…but she would be damned if she would let that stop her from giving her opinionated interpretation. -

“ Listen, love is a powerful motivator, feeling and everyone loves something. Parents love children, you can love pets, you can even love ideas or items.“

- Wait. Revise that, he might get confused.  She would wave her hands frantically, trying to rebuttal her explanation before Shichika got the wrong idea. - 

“There are different types of love, though!“

[deviantblade-blog]

Comfortable. Being physically close to Togame was exactly that. They had been so close over the year they traveled looking for those twelve legendary swords he "torn to pieces". It was almost unnatural how much Shichika would cuddle Togame or how she would touch him back. Unknown to many, it was simply his way of identifying with her and her way of teaching him. They had to become acquainted with each other somehow.

Though while burying himself into her existence, he failed to notice the annoyed look on her for quite a while. Though once he saw it, like a well trained dog, he knew he had said something wrong. His face would shift to a slightly guilty look as he tried to laugh off his mistake. But Togame wasn't the type to let such things go easily

Was she ever really mad? No. Probably not. It was the kind of angry that one would treat their beloved pet dog with. Lasting for all of 5 seconds before cuddling up to them again. Even if they managed to ruin a perfect moment. Shichika wasn't a dog though. He was a sword. A very naive sword that loved his owner very much.

“ Listen, love is a powerful motivator, feeling and everyone loves something. Parents love children, you can love pets, you can even love ideas or items.“

"Hmm...I see." To Shichika's surprise and even more so Togame's, he was quick to accept her explanation. There were no hilarious follow questions that went off on a completely different tangent. This sword had developed quite a lot from the first time Togame acquired him. Their bond had grown stronger and as more time went on he had become accustom to having her existence around at all times.

“There are different types of love, though!“ 

And unfortunately for Togame, her last statement did confuse Shichika. Different types? What kind are they? Are they called the same thing? A few thoughts ran through his head, but he was only left with one question. The only thing left now was how to deliver it. Before taking Togame off his lap and standing up, Shichika leaned back in for one more kiss. He understood why Togame did it in the first place. This type of physical contact was addicting.

"So Togame. I don't love you like a pet, idea, or item. I just love you. Does that mean we should get married?" Blunt. That's all there was to this sentence. Being taught how to be a "sword", Shichika was never familiar with such concepts as marriage or love. And unfortunately, Togame would be left to appease his curiosity.

"Or are we married already? Are you my wife?" And so the questions continued as he stretched himself. As if everything that flowed out of his mouth was perfectly normal, he kept his perfectly blank face. There were emotions in that thick skull somewhere. But for now, all that was showing was his never ending stupidity.

[deviantblade-blog]

Can't into Maps(@yosha-hime)

[yosha-hime]

- Sitting in his lap, she let out a small sigh, as usual it would be up to her to teach her naive sword the ways of the world.  A responsibility she had accepted long ago.  

“Is more than ten hours called beauty sleep?” 

And so began the questions. Usually, the initial questions she did not mind answering, it was when it teetered on the verge of destroying her logic or proving her wrong, would the conversation end with her becoming more defensive about her point of view, sealed with a cheerio, and a punch; that meant that she was finished talking about it. -

“ Of course it is.“

- She declared matter-of-factly. Truth was, beauty sleep was probably just a myth that she was tactfully using at her disposal so she could sleep more.  Such was many of things she used to her advantage.  It seemed that Shichika had picked up on that..or maybe he just gave into her whims so easily, that was typical. 

With a slightly knowing smile she closed her eyes happily, before feeling her body shift until she was laying on top of Shichika instead of sitting in his lap. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times as the light of the room that her eyes had just adjusted to, returned to darkness under the blanket that Shichika had pulled over them.  

Truth be told, she was ready to get up…but didnt mind the lounging around, even for a little while. She was used to it by now, and figured since she had never ordered anything like this, that her companion must have equally enjoyed it.  Hence why he continued. 

Stirred from her thoughts, she was nudged slightly in an attempt to capture her attention.  It was successful, as she glanced up to his face and awaited whatever he wanted to tell her. 

“I love you.”

She could feel her cheeks redden, even though she had demanded he feel that very way from the beginning, it was still something she had to get used to.

She had never deserved something like this, so she thought.  She had been terrible, horrible, bent on revenge and treated him as nothing more than a tool that she would dispose of in the end.  It certainly changed when her feelings for Shichika really did turn into love. 

Timidly she glanced away, she had no real strategy for this and in the mean time she would reach out and pinch his cheeks to hide her embarrassment while she tried to think of her choice words…which only ended up being: -

“ I love you too.

[deviantblade-blog]

These were the kinds of moments Shichika really felt he had become more than just a mindless sword. Even if that mind held very little knowledge, it housed his very own ideals. The look Togame gave him when she was happy, that smile made him happy. With all that had happened before, he never wanted to be without her. A testament to those emotions would be the castle he had split in half with his own hands.

Togame reminded him of some small dogs he had seen on their travels. Loud tiny animals that were all still very cute nonetheless. But as the words left his mouth which made her smile, Shichika's mind drew a blank. What did that sentence mean exactly? And what did it mean to return that feeling? His father and sister never gave any instructions on such things. As far as Shichika knew, he would grow old and die without so much as experiencing affections for anything but his fighting style.

The silence continued on as Shichika became lost in thought. Without even knowing it, he had closed his eyes and started to let out a quiet "Hmmm". A signal that he was obviously trying to understand something. Togame would always have the answers to these things, but he didn't want to bother her. Not yet. Wrapping his arms around her small existence, it was almost too relaxing to think about such things.

Shichika had fallen for Togame, but what did that mean exactly? Fed up with thinking about it any longer, he sat up and let out a sigh. His thoughts led him no where. Thinking really wasn't his specialty after all if it was outside fighting. But, in front of him was the person he loved. What do people in love do? His thoughts recalled the last time he kissed Togame. Months ago. It was so long he wondered how that sequence of events even occurred.

"Hmmmm...." And maybe just once he wanted to try the same thing. Moving closer toward her face, he closed his eyes and did exactly as she had done. Though his arms were around her waist, he pressed his lips against Togame's and nothing more. It was pleasant and enjoyable. There was a different warmth inside his chest when he was this close to her. And once he pulled away from her mouth, he simply took a small breath and kissed her again. Twice. Three. Four. Five. Each kiss as simplistic as the last until his lips were only moistened from pressing against hers. And once he was done, he simply sat there. Unlike the first time it had occurred, he didn't seem to melt under her touch. Perhaps it was the curiosity from his next question blocking the embarrassment.

"Togame. What is love?" Shichika asked without hesitation before briefly poking around Togame's neck with his face. For all intensive purposes, Shichika was still closer to a dog than a human or even a sword. Taking in her scent had become a regular ritual for him.

"I don't know exactly what love is, but I know I do love you."