Before Sun and Moon

The Stars Shining in the Depths

Situations very rarely called for a lack of Visions, or more accurately, very rarely was a Vision too disadvantageous to use. A gift from the Archons, after all, was to used to its fulfilment, used until the debt had been repaid. And yet…

Quite the stubborn one… unfortunately, I am as well.

Though their Anemo held no power over the beast and their sword was more like a needle pricking them, he would not yet give up. More than anything else, there was another here with him. Another thrust into this situation. He gritted his teeth as another attack landed itself upon them. Not the time to be awash, Kazuha, not the time.

Attack after attack, slash after slash, he continued on. This wasn’t the most… expected application of their training but the standard strikes were quite useful in keeping the beast’s gaze on Kazuha. Or so he thought, unfortunately, the samurai could only do so much against such a beast.

Her Excellency!

Rather than swim after her, Kazuha kept doing his duty. The questions burning in his mind could wait. She would be fine, they knew it. Perhaps even return with a new plan. Some odd strikes later and he found himself to be right as she returned to his side.

“Cannon? I see…” he had no doubt in being able to man the cannons, he had gone through a bit of a run through of them with Captain, no it was rather… her gaze shook, it reminded him of his first time holding the sword. A soft smile and they nodded. “You are,” he affirmed, their voice alike to bedrock, unshaking, “I will not waste your trust in me, Your Excellency.”

He sheathed his blade, allowing her Hydro propel them to where the cannons must be. The desire to hasten, to rush through it all, was mighty but the wish to fulfill another’s faith was far greater. They continued to swim, trusting in Her Excellency’s direction. Any second now, they would find the… Ah, there it is.

He swimmed forward, far slower than Her Excellency but their stamina would carry him. Putting his hand behind him, the Anemo swirled in his hands, pushing him further towards the shipwreck. If this was… then the cannon should be… here.

#thread: the stars shining in the depths #elation 2025: whale in the deep #commission season: elation 2025 #commission thread: kokomi and kazuha

Slowly, the great beast circles back, pitiless eyes fixed on Kokomi. The harpoon-wound she'd given it is already closing, as are the slashes Kazuha's carved into its hide; against something like this, no ordinary weapon could ever be enough. It's bigger than her, stronger than her, and ever so hungry - but she's counting on that. Just like she's counting on being faster than it; hoping she's faster than it, because if she's not, this plan will go disastrously wrong very quickly.

As it approaches, shooting forward with terrifying speed, she throws herself up and over its back, hammering it with hydro slashes as she passes. Her strike barely draws blood - but it does make it pause, does make it twist in the water and turn to chase her. Swallowing down her fear as best she can, Kokomi wraps hydro around herself and hurtles through the water, whirling and weaving past rock formations and around shipwrecks as the whale chases after her. And it is faster than her, just barely, just enough that it can start to gain on her in a straight-line chase - so she takes advantage of her size and her far greater maneuverability, but for all that she can turn faster and tighter than the monster, every time it turns, it sweeps its tail or fins and hurls a metal-shearing hydro blade through the depths.

Her heart races, her lungs gasp, her muscles and joints tremble; she's not conscious of anything save the need to stay ahead, keep moving, avoid the rocks-

Pain blossoms in her leg, her side, her shoulder as one of its attacks clips her - and almost before she's registered the hit, the force of the blow slams her against the side of a crumbling wreck. A scream tears from her throat, stars burst across her vision, the world blurs around her, blood stains the water; desperately, every battered muscle and bone screaming, she throws herself out of the way of a tail sweep, glances around for the wreck she'd sent Kazuha to; with so much hydro to draw on, her wounds are closing as fast as the monster's, but she's lost time, lost speed, let it get too close-

No - move-

Kokomi barely dodges another strike, then another; then, trapped between the wreck and a rock face, she has no choice but to condense a wall of hydro into the strongest shield she can manage as the creature strikes at her yet again. At the last second, she tilts her shield to one side, deflecting the monster's maw into the wreck; as it recoils, spitting out torn metal, she darts away through the clouds of silt their battle has thrown up.

Finally, finally, she spots the glow of Kazuha's vision, sees the cannon looming over the seafloor. Gasping in pain as every movement tears at her still-healing wounds, Kokomi swims directly for the cannon, pushing herself faster, faster, faster as the creature bursts through the wreckage and gives chase once again. She risks a glance back; with the scent of her blood in the water, its eyes gleam with a dark hunger that ignites a primal terror deep within her soul. It's gaining again, cavernous maw gaping wide as it prepares to try to swallow her whole.

Hah...perfect...

"KAZUHA, NOW!"

OOC - A Fond Farewell, and a New Chapter

First of all, I just want to say thank you so much to everyone in the group, current or former. I’ve had so much fun this past year or so, not just writing with you, but all the fun we’ve had in the server too! I'm sad to see GH closing down; I'll miss all the good times we had with lore events, the disastrous chaos of Spiral Abyss, the monthly commission prompts, the fun little dash games. I've learned a lot too, both about the deeper lore of the setting and my own writing style; I can confidently say I'm a better and more skilled writer for the time I've spent here.

That said: I'm not done. I'm more than happy to continue writing with you all; I plan to stick around the discord as long as it exists, keep my blogs up, and keep on replying to existing threads and even starting new ones as long as there's still people who want to write with me, so feel free to reach out, here or on discord! I might even revive Nahida for anyone who wants to poke at her, or open things up for some more AU stories too.

Finally: thank you so much to everyone I've written threads with, to all the friends I've made here for the good times we've had and will hopefully continue to enjoy, and to our amazing mods for all their hard work these past few years. It's been an honor and a privilege to be part of Gnostic Hymms, and I hope the community we've built through this little writing group can continue to thrive, even in a new form.

See you in the stars, my friends

#ooc #i love you all #thank you so much!

eternal-lightning

Negotiations and Hard Truths

eternal-lightning

Ei watches Kokomi remove her make-up and the hollowness of her eyes, the bags and sheer exhaustion in them...yet another harsh reminder of Ei's sins. As Kokomi begs and pleads, one line stood out to her.

"If you don't want more of my - our - people to die needlessly, then help me save them"

Our people...when was the last time any Watatsumi leader and the Shogun have agreed on that? This was always true, but...the millennia long hate and anger long blinded them from this fact and all for what? Pride and ego from both sides? For the first time in a long, long time...Ei felt they could finally work towards healing and undoing all the anger...and it started with right now, with the priestess who was begging her for help and to work with one another.

"...Very well then. What is it you and your people are in need of immediately? I will personally ensure these are delivered swiftly and right away."

She knew she could expedite these supplies for Kokomi and her people. She had the ability and power to do so... Ei was not happy with herself about how this moment came about, but she was not about to turn down an opportunity to not only make up for her mistakes but make the spirit of her sister proud and reverse a longstanding feud.

#thread: negotiations and hard truths #non commission thread: kokomi and raiden ei #(sorry this took so long!)

Gods, I'm exhausted.

It's taken everything just to get through this 'conversation', and there's nothing Kokomi would like more than to curl up on the bottom of the sea where the world can't reach her and sleep for an entire week. But the Raiden Shogun is finally listening to her, finally seeing what she's done, and she can't let this opportunity slip away.

So, ignoring her screaming, aching joints, she sits back down at the table, staring down at her scattered documents with hollow, unfocused eyes. "In the short term, we need food and medical supplies, as much as can be spared. Longer-term, we need to re-establish our trade network with Liyue and Sumeru, and resume our studies into ways to improve the viability of what little soil we have."

Kokomi flips through another page, considers a map, and looks up to meet the Archon's eyes, firm and uncompromising. "I would like to negotiate for holding onto at least part of Yashiori Island, to give us more space for farmland," she declares, roughly circling the area around Fort Fujitou, "but we can address that later, once the immediate crisis has passed - we'll need to assess what areas are actually viable and which are too heavily contaminated, after all."

That demand is likely to get some pushback, but she'd come expecting that, and even if she can't get everything, she still might be able to wring some concessions out of the Shogunate. "I'll remind you that this war did not end in a victory for either side. We'll both have to make compromises if this is to work. And as I informed Kujou Sara during the initial treaty negotiations, until you've purged the foreign influence and internal corruption from the Tri-Commission, I cannot in good conscience consider fully standing down my forces. If the Fatui stir up trouble again, and we're vulnerable..."

She doesn't finish that sentence; hopefully, she doesn't need to. Hopefully, in that, at least, they can be allies. Dark clouds roil overhead, waves crash against the shore - but the sea stays calm, and no lightning splits the sky. Perhaps...something may come of this day after all.

the guy we have in our basement.

commission: preservation | comedy duo | cerydra // sangonomiya kokomi

Cerydra’s eyes glaze over in contemplation as she ponders over this woman’s answers. Her lips are curled into a smile befitting of a devil by now, and her interest in this ‘Kokomi’ all but reached its peak. The Imperator would be a fool to underestimate someone who contended with far more issues beyond just the war itself – attending to the needs of the people, while already being at a significant disadvantage technologically was not something to scoff and move on from. Whoever ‘Kokomi’ was back in her world, it was evident to Cerydra that she was something of a kindred spirit.

And like all with kindred spirits, Cerydra wonders ‘how would I have reacted, were I dealt a similar hand?’ She chuckles, softly, as she ponders over a question she had no plans of answering. “You seem like quite the leader – one who had been dealt far too many unknown and difficult variables, yet still coming out victorious,” there lays a viciousness in her emphasis that causes the surrounding crowd to wince somewhat, and the host grows ever uncomfortable. “I would hate to be the God that opposed you.”

The returning question that soon follows almost makes Cerydra laugh, instead her expression gleans an eagerness to speak of this tale. She picks up a chess piece – the King – and begins to toy with it between her fingers as the verbiage for her story tries to come to mind. “A man who was vainglorious, yet simultaneously self-critical. He wished to awaken a… mechanical beast of sorts, in order to destroy a God of his own creation. In a way, I understand him.” After all, she was someone who stole Law’s authority, and the journey of the Flame-Chase was borne from deicide. “In another, who would I be to allow someone to use my people for his wanton plans? So I made a sacrifice, to give my future warriors an advantage that I would not have seen the immediate results of. Five hundred lives, with my own as the five hundred and first. A bloody campaign, necessary in order to gain the authority to rewrite that which was already set in stone.” There is a pride in her tone, as she tells of this victory.

The deaths of five hundred Chrysos Heirs was something that would weigh heavy on the souls of those weaker than she had been. Yet it was something she knew was necessary – a part in her trial that remained the same across millions of cycles, one that she would always deliver. It worked out, of course, that this sacrifice of five hundred lives would ultimately be for the greater good of Amphoreus, and the cosmos by extension. Cerydra knew that her own life, and the five hundred she gave to become the Demigod of Law, had been a pittance compared to what had been at stake.

She pushes forward another pawn, one from D2. She chose not to make any complex movements, instead more intrigued by the sharing of tales. “Tell me, why did you choose to contend with this ‘God’, Kokomi? By all means, it sounds like you too were dealt quite the bloody destiny.”

#thread: the guy we have in our basement.#commission season: preservation 2025 #commission thread: kokomi and cerydra #preservation 2025: comedy club

Five hundred lives, and her own life sacrificed first...a harsh, bloody decision, yet one Kokomi herself would likely make in the same position. During the dark days of the war, had she been able to use such a sacrifice to destroy the Raiden Shogun...she would not even have hesitated. Let the line of Orobashi's heirs end with bringing the fall of the god who slew him, and set her people free from that false Eternity.

Fortunately, it had not come to that. She'd wondered, sometimes, if she'd ever live to see the war's end; and now here she stands, on another world entirely, trading bloodstained tales with a ruler just as sharp and just as deadly as she is. "I could begin with the legend that began it all," she murmurs, and pushes a knight forwards to further contest the center. "Once, my people were banished from the surface and rescued by a renegade god, who was then slain for his so-called crimes - but that is ancient history."

Around them, the crowd shuffles closer, listening eagerly. Kokomi ignores them, watching the woman across the table instead. "On my world, mortals can gain power from our ambitions," she explains, calling a small coil of hydro to her hand. "Our dreams, our hopes, our will to change the world and challenge fate - when strong enough, they allow us to become something more. That god, who could not abide change-"

Kokomi snaps her fingers closed, snuffing out the glow of elemental energy like a claw severing a vein. "-decided to tear those ambitions from our hearts, leaving all those she touched little more than empty husks, shadows of themselves. But that, in truth, was merely the insult atop the injury."

It's a chilling, aching memory, but it's easier to talk about, sitting across from someone with the same calculating determination flowing in her veins. "She raised a storm-wall, cutting us off from the outside world, from all trade. Devastating against any nation, and for an island nation sustained by trade - the famine that soon loomed above us made war inevitable."

Another exchange of pieces, another push forward. Kokomi sketches a multilayered trap through the center and along three diagonals, waits for Cerydra's next move; and smiles, sharp and bitter and uncompromising. "So I gathered those who wished to keep their souls, and led an uprising."

The Stars Shining in the Depths

If Kazuha tried hard enough, he might’ve heard Her Excellency’s words or the moment the ocean embraced her. Instead, however, he had to rely upon what sight the waters gave them. Enough to notice pink getting ever closer. Even so, they could not afford to get distracted lest the beast take them whole. That and they would never hear the end of it on the Crux. One of those options was far worse than the other.

They cannot do much when attached to the back of the whale like this, yet they do not have the ability to stay by the whale should he be shaken off. So, they multitasked. One hand gripped his sword tight, pulling and pushing it across the whale’s back. Had he any idea of its weaknesses, they would’ve aimed for them back on board but alas. The other drew the Anemo close to the whale, hurling it as if it were as native to the waters as the land above.

Its blood coated the waters, red paint on a blue canvas. As he pushed his sword deeper, he felt a bit of a tumble. Ah, it seems Her Excellency has caught up to us. The whale howled once more, though Kazuha doubted it was anything other than annoyance. They barely made a dent upon the creature after all, but perhaps Her Excellency’s attacks had a greater effect?

He lifted his sword ever so slightly, feeling the waves change. Their confirmation came in a blast of Hydro, forcing Kazuha away from the whale and into the sea. Fortunately, Her Excellency was quick on her feet, stabilising them. Unfortunately, their sword was no longer piercing the whale’s back.

I suppose we’ve returned to being prey? Or were we ever anything more…?

Its intelligence was something to take note of and not something to underestimate. Else Captain Beidou would tease them relentlessly. Quite cruel if you’d ask him but, well, it would be enough to spur Kazuha into action. They nodded at Her Excellency and pulled the whale towards them with their Anemo, striking it below.

He kept an ear out, however. The likelihood of Her Excellency having a plan was quite high, after all.

#thread: the stars shining in the depths #elation 2025: whale in the deep #commission season: elation 2025 #commission thread: kokomi and kazuha

As Kazuha dives towards the whale again, striking out with anemo, Kokomi frantically casts her gaze around, searching for anything to use, anything to exploit. Assess the situation, assess the situation, use the environment-

But the environment is in every way the creature's domain, not hers. It's larger, faster, stronger, optimised for the ocean in every way that she isn't. She's not a god, nor a dragon, just a too-fragile mortal in a body that's neither adapted to the seas her soul yearns for nor strong enough to endure the lands she's chained to without great strain. For the first time in Kokomi's life, the ocean no longer feels welcoming, no longer feels safe. She's out of her depth, she's not the predator here, she's the prey, and this thing has been hunting her and Kazuha the entire time they've been on this expedition.

No geo to shield them. No electro to shock the monster into paralysis. No dendro to bloom and detonate. No pyro to scorch its hide. No cryo to freeze it in place. Just anemo to uselessly swirl water against water, and the ever-abundant hydro that it has a far greater command of. No elemental reactions, hydro barely scratches it, the only blade she has is a dagger too short to fully pierce its hide, there's nothing she can do-

-the slap of a tentacle sends her spinning sideways as a slash of hydro carves through the space she'd been floating, her bake-kurage taking the hit that could have killed her; as the construct dissipates, Kokomi spits out a curse and dives deeper, barely avoiding another slash. She'd frozen for all of a few seconds, but in a fight like this, the slightest moment of inattention can be fatal. She casts another glance around, keeping one eye on the whale - and finally, finally spots something she might be able to use.

Their ship isn't the first to awaken this monster's wrath, and the evidence of its prior kills litter the seafloor around them. Shipwrecks, broken weapons, scattered cargo, the skeletal remains of sailors who'd gotten unlucky and adventurers who'd thought to try their luck. And - there. A newer hulk, jagged spars of metal jutting out from where the hull had splintered apart, a still-intact elemental cannon atop its deck.

Snatching up a rusty harpoon from the seafloor, Kokomi propels herself back to Kazuha's side. A twist of hydro sends the weapon hurtling towards the whale, and as it jerks away from the hit, screeching and spilling yet more ink-dark blood, she grabs their shoulder, knowing there's only moments to speak.

"There's an old cannon back there that might still be operational. I'll distract the whale, you see if you can't get it working. All we can do with blades is annoy it."

Kokomi meets Kazuha's crimson eyes, swallowing down her fear. For this to work, the creature has to chase her. She has to be the bait, she has to be the prey, but it might be their only chance. "D-Don't worry about me. I think I'm faster than it is."

Her voice wavers, but if there's anyone who won't lose their nerve at seeing her nearly lose hers, it's the warrior who blocked the Musou no Hitotachi. Taking a deep breath of cool, soothing water, she turns back to face the creature, circling hydro around both of them in preparation to launch him towards the cannon...and her towards the whale.

Gaze of the Ancients

iustitians

"In a way," Neuvillette responds with a nod to her musings. "Both attach themselves to you and become a part of you, so to lose them is akin to losing a part of yourself. Some take it better and some worse than others. Of course, there's also differences, but the base idea does have similarities."

That is as much time as they can devote to this discussion for the time being. The rest will have to come later if she wishes to speak of it more - if she still has strength to do so after what is about to come, that is. The contamination within Kokomi becomes anxious and unstable, as though sensing that its enemy is approaching; and in response the Sourcewater filling the area, too, trembles at his fingertips, as though in anticipation.

To her words, he nods. "Don't worry. I should be able to recognize what calling comes from it, and what comes from you." His expression grows more serious as he holds out his hand, the insignia on his glove now emanating a white and blue glow.

"Whatever happens: remember to breathe," is the last warning he gives her, before he directs the droplets filling the area to congregate around her and envelop her, filling the area around her tighter, akin to a veil. It gathers together and from singular droplets manifests a wave that attempts to choke - not her, but at the same time, something that attempts to become her.

Neuvillette frowns as, at the back of his senses, something growls.

#thread: gaze of the ancients #non commission thread: kokomi and neuvillette

The glittering sourcewaters close in - and, just as Kokomi's vision goes dark, she feels a brief flare of triumph.

She opens her eyes to the fathomless darkness at the bottom of the deepest seas. A small white snake, decorated with horns and spines of glowing coral, rests around her shoulders, and as something moves in the darkness beyond, the snake raises its head up, hissing angrily. A shadow steps into the small circle of light the snake casts, and Kokomi sees herself; skin ghost-pale, glow-tipped hair flowing like a jellyfish's tentacles, jagged, ink-black markings arcing outwards from the wound over her heart, abyssal light burning in her eyes. On her chest, her Vision still shines brighter than ever, its light a darker and colder blue than any hydro should ever be. "A̻̟͇ț̺͜ l̞̪̝a̡͉͜s̡͎͇t̠̪͜,̘̻̫ o͉̞͓u̻̪̫r̘̫̦ t͉̠i̼͙͓m̫͓̪e̠͖͕ h̡͖͙a̞͍͜s͔̪̫ c̡̘͎o͇̟͓m̞͇͕e̻̫," the shadow whispers, her voice soft as the rush of the tides. "L̫͎͇o̺͜o̢͔̦k̘̝̻ u̘̺͖p̡͇͇o̢͙̠n͉̼͙ m̘̼͙e̙̙̫ -̡͚̺ s̺̺͉e̪͉e̞͇͎ w̠̟h͇̦̟a̦̠t̪̠ w̘͎e͖͇͜ c͎͙̪o͕̻͉u͙͎͖l̢̠͎d͓͜ b͔͍͎e͍̝͍c̢̘o̺͕̦m̝̻e͔͇̫." "Ì͑̀ s͐̔̽e̒̕ë́̓ o͒͛͠n͋̕͝l͋̀͠y͒͛̚ d̓͋͝è͐͝s͒̚̕t̚͝͝r̾͆͝ù̾̚c̾̈́͝t̀̀̚i̾̈́͝o͒̚͠n͌͛," Kokomi replies, and the white snake hisses in agreement. This thing, this embodiment of malice, this tatarigami-born corruption cannot be trusted. "W̟̝̘h̼̪̘y͎͖̝ w̻̝̝o͓͉̠u̡͇̙l̡͙͓d̡̡̼ I͉̪̫ d̻͎͉e̢̝͚s̢͙͓t͚̦͔r͍͖̘o̡̘y͇̼͓ y̘͙o̠̠̘u̟͇?̫̼͜" the shadow asks, just as deceptively gentle as Kokomi's been when she needs to pry information out someone without seeming like a threat. "Y̙̺̙o̝͎͕u͕͚͖ a̡̦͇r̠͙e̝͇͔ m͙̫͉e̝͔͖,̘̦̻ a̢͓̼n̡̝͚d̢̞̙ I̡͖̻ a̢͍̙m͇͉͎ y̡͔͜o͎̫̝u͍̝͙.̘̫̠ A̙͓͍n̡͖̼d̙̫̪ t̻̼͇o̪͔g̪̪͉e̻̫͇t̙̙h͓͔̦e̻͉r͓̼̻.̢̺͍.̞͙͜.̡͎̝w͖̙e̢͖̘ c̠̟o̠͕̘u̢͎l͚͔d͕̙͚ b̘͖͎e̼͇̘ p͔͓̻e̝͖͎r̙̻͙f͔̻̫e̢̟͓c̘͔͙t͚͇̙." The two of them pace back and forth, circling like sharks, like warriors before a duel. "A͒̚͝ń̕͘d͛͐͝ t̓͒͑h̔̓̽e̐͊̒ǹ́͝ ẅ́͒͒e͐͐͠ w̽̐͌o̓̓͑u͊̕͘l̈́̽͒d͋͛ p̈́̒͛o̾͝i͘̚͠s͋̈́͠o͊́n̾̽͠ a̿͋͑l̒́l̾͒̔ w͛͐e͋̚ t͋͒͑o̿̈́͝ǘ͆͋c̓̿h̓͌͘e͘͘͝d͑̾̈́,͛͐͒ u̔̽̚ń̓̈́t́͛̀ḯ̿͠l̈́͌̕ e͊̚͘v͐̚͝e͋̿ŕ͒̔y̐͘t̾́͝h͒̓̚i̕͘͘n̿͌̿g̓̈́́ w͑͛̕e͋́͠ h͆͌̾a͆͌̿v͒͌͝e͒̔͘ f͆̀̾o̒̾̓u̔͒̚g̽͌͒h̒͒͘t́̒̈́ f͑͊͌ö́͋r̒̈́͠ f͒͊ä́͑̾l̓̈́̐ĺ̽s̀͌̈́ t͛̈́̓o͑̒̚ r̿͋͝u̔̀̓i̒̒͋n̽̐." The shadow smiles, displaying glittering fangs sharp enough to tear out the throat of a god. "O̪̪͎n̠͓̼l̪͎͜y͍̪̻ i̢̡̦f̡̢̙ w͍͙͖e̠̟͚'͍͉͜r̠͕̺e͚͜ c̞̼͙a̢͕͇r͚̝͔e̡̻͉l̢͚e͇͇̼s͚̫͚s͖͙͇.͖̟̙ T͙͕e̞̦͎l̝͓͉l͖̺̼ m͓̺e̢͚͔,̝̻̙ G͉͓̘r̫͖a̟̙̫n̫͎̠d̢̙̦ S̺͙t̻̠͚r̼̘͕a̙̻̪t̞͍͇e̻̦͜g̠͚͕i͕̪s͚̺̼t̼̙̦ o͓͚͓f̺͎̠ W̡̡͎a̟͎̫t͚̘͖a̦̟͓t͙̟̪s̺̞͎u̺̺m̡͓͖i̺̫̟,̠̺͇ c͔̪͍a͙͉͖n̝̝ y̪͜o̫̠͎u͔͎̪ n̟̠̘o̡͇̘t̠̻͕ s̘̠e̪͔̠e͕͇͎ h̢̻͇o͚̟̺w̞̠͖ w̡͔͎e̢͜͜ c̡̡̪o̢͙͖u̦͍͜l͎̘̦d̘͕͉ b͙̻͇e͙͚͕ a͚̙͜ k͖̪͜n͕̺͜i͖̺f͕͖͖e̢͚̞ i̠͕͍n͖͖̠ t͕͖h̡͓e̢͙͓ d̦̦͓a͕̪͍r͔̪͖k͍̦̙ a̢̟g̡͔͓a̡̫̞i̠͓̼n͍͍͙s͓͇̠t̼͙ C̦͜e̠͙͓l͎͜͜e̻̟͉s̡͖͇ț̡͚i̝̼̼a̢͖͖?͉͓͖" "A͌̓̚t͐͛ w̿͑͘h́̾͘a͆̕͝ẗ́͊͘ c̿͒͝ö́̽̚s͐̈́͛t͊͝?̾͑̈́" Kokomi demands, glaring through the lightless waters and baring fangs of her own. "T͊̚͝h̒͊̀i͋̈́s͌͊͋ p͌́͝o̽̓w͛̽̾e̿̔̔r̈́̀͌ ẁ͊͝o͒͋͠u̿̒̓l̚̚͝d͘͝ n͑̕̕ó̓̚t̔͊͝ s͑͝͠p̐̒̾a͊͝r̀̔e̐̈́́ ó̒u͌̒̚r͑̀͌ ṕ̓͒e͛͘͠ó́͆p͒̔͝l̽͝e̒͊ -̀̒̚ i̓̾̕ẗ́̾͝ c̈́͑͘a̽͘̚n̈́́̀n͐̈́ò̓͒t̽̽!" "A͍͔n͔̺d̼͍ y̙̝̞e͎͚͜t͍͇,̡̞̪ t̼͓̟h̼͓͚i͔̝̦s̝̪̪ t͎̺̻r͚̘͖u̢̺̦t̟̻h͕̼̦ s͙͍͇h̢̠̫a͓͚͜l̝͙͇l̺͔̞ ș̫̟e͙͍͇t̼̙̝ t͓̝͜h̫͔͔e̡̪m̘͖͖ f̟͖͓r̢̝̺e̢͕e͍̻̼." The shadow's grin turns sharper, crueler, colder. "F̟͕̫r͎͉̟e̡͓͜e̻͜͜ f̦̠͇r͙̠͓o͉̫͜m̙̟͔ C̡͔͜e͎̪͖l͎͍̦e̘͙͜s͙͓̻t̝̺͜i͚͔̙a͇̠͔'̡̟̻s̢̞͍ c̠̺h̫͓a̼͇͔i̢͜n̡̘͜s͓͕.̪̪͔ T̝͕͕e̡̫͎l͕̻̟l͚̝̪ m̝͇͕e͖̪͇ -͓͍͔ w̡͕̦o͓̙͉u̡̻l͔͓͕d͙̻̞n̞͉̺'͇͙͖t͇̘̞ y̟͉͖o̫̠͙u̻͇̙ l̦̻̠i͓̝̠k͖̦͜e̦͇̠ t̻͔͔o̙̼̟ b̫͚͚e̦̘͖ m͎̻̺o̫̝͙r̻͔̞e̪͎ t͕͎̠h̪̟̘a͔̟͜n̫̟̫ j̠̝͍u̡̟͓s̼͎͖t̫͔ t͉͍h̙͉͔e͉͓͙ l̢̟̪e̢͉͜g͇͍̪a͇̻c̺͜y͓͚̼ o͍͕̼f̡̙̠ a̡̟͙ f̘͉̫a͙͚̻l͍͉l͍̞̫e̫̻͚n̠̼͓ g̪͓̠o̘̝͕d̢͙͜?" The shadow steps closer, holding out a clawed hand in invitation, ignoring the white snake's warning hiss. "T̡̡͎o͍͕͇g͚̻̠e͎͖͖t͚͙͉h̡̡̠e̪̪̪r̻̪͜,͖͎̫ w͍̙͖e͓͚ c͓͉͉o̡̡͇u͎̟l̠̫̙d̟̦͚ a̢̫͚v̢̝̫e͉̟n̢͇g̪͖̠e̫͍͜ a̼͇͇l̘̺͔l͖͙ t͉͕̻h̢̼͕o̢̪̙s̼͔͜e̙͙̼ ș͉l̠͇͕a̢͉͎i̡̠͜n͇͚̦ b̼̻͓y̫̻͜ t͙͖͍h͉̝a͇̺̟t͙͍͜ A̝̝̫r̢͍̺c͉͍h͚͎̻o̝͚͚n͍̞̠'̼͚͜s̝͉͚ h͎̙͙a͉͜n̠̝̫d̙̫͙ a͇͕͕n͕̝d̪̘͎ w̢̼̼o͎͍̫r͉̪̦d̡̠̫.͎͓̟.̻͖͜.̢͇"

On the shore of a lake in Fontaine, a girl shrouded in sourcewater falls to her knees and screams - and the tatarigami lurking within opens her eyes and meets the dragon's gaze with a bloodthirsty grin. "T͚͙͎h̢͙͎e̟̠͜r̙͍̪e̝͙͎ a̦̘͜r̢͓e̢͙ s̝̻͍e̫̠̫c̡͔͖r̡͙̦e̝̫̪t͎͉̼s̫̺͇ i̼̙̟n̪̼̝ t͙̪̺h͚͉̼e̢̻̘ d͖͍a̠͎͚r͚̫̻k̟̼͜ t̫͓̫h͔̼͇a͔̘t̪͕̝ s̞͚̪p͉͕̟e͇̼l͕͙͖l͔͉ t͎͙̞h̺͉̼e͎͔̦ d̫̟͙e̡͙̘a͚͕͕t͕̠̪h͉̠͎ o͚̪̞f̘͇͕ C̟͔̝e̻̟̦l̡̦͎e̫̼̝s̫͇͚t̺͍̠i̙̫͓a̠͔̺," the shadow-that-is-not-quite-Kokomi whispers with stolen vocal cords, struggling against the sourcewater's light. "I͔͍̻ c̝͓̘o͚̫̘u̢͖l͚̝͇d̞͍͜ s͎̫̝h̢͖͇a͕͓̫r͔͔̠e̢̞͉ t̢͍̫h͙͎͚e͚̙̫m̡̢͎ w͚̺̪i̟̞͚t̫͙̻h̪̞͜ y̘̙̟o̠͙͉u̡̞̻,̠͉ Ș̼̫o̺̝͜v͇̞e͕̘͜r͓̪̙e̝͓i̝̻͉g̪͙̼n͖̻͜."

The Stars Shining in the Depths

Kazuha glanced from Her Excellency to the sea below. A sea too still to be true, a warning from one who is quite attuned to the waters below. More attuned than he with their Anemo. It seemed the crew noticed it as well and, just as quickly, Her Excellency rushed to their side.

Kazuha, meanwhile, did not move, keeping his gaze below. That which remained in nature was not so easily hidden even if by an unusual beast. So, you consider us your prey? It should be said that the cries of shock from the crew were the normal response, it was Kazuha who was strange for not being perturbed by what could be.

He had half a mind to try talking to the ‘whale’ below, however, it would be a foolish endeavour. What predator spoke to their prey before attack? In the time he had been pondering, Her Excellency soon returned to their side. They were about to ask what she saw, what had her so on edge but she spoke before he could.

Kazuha moved away from the edge of the railing, readying himself for what was to come. It ascended as if all was going to plan and, for it, it likely was. Its eyes locked onto both the samurai and the priestess. Kazuha narrowed his eyes, that look into its eyes… what was it about to do?

“I believe we have become its new targets, my Lady.”

They unsheathed their blade, ready to strike. He glanced over at Her Excellency in case there was anything new to keep in mind or if she had a plan in mind. Its tail clashed against the boat, causing many to lose their balance. Kazuha gritted his teeth, glancing over at the crew, a mistake on his part. As he checked in on everyone, the beast clashed against the ship once more, causing the samurai to lose his balance.

Ah, so that’s it… how impatient. They gasped for air, crashing into the railings. Another clash and they would fall below. Instead of fighting that fate, however, Kazuha waited for the beast to strike a third time. Nearly there… there we go. Just as it collided, Kazuhalet out a burst of Anemo, pushing himself into the air.

“Let us take the fight below, my Lady. Everyone, keep steady!”

The beast wailed as he landed atop it. Stabbing it with their blade, Kazuha gripped his blade in hopes of not being shaken off below.

#thread: the stars shining in the depths #elation 2025: whale in the deep

Kazuha dives after the whale, driving their sword into its thick hide as an anchor, and Kokomi spits out a curse. Following the beast down into its domain would not have been her first idea, but it does take the fight away from the ship, away from the crew who have little to no way to counter its elemental abilities. The grim necessity of it settles over her as she climbs atop the railing too, calling out to the crew one last time. "Keep the harpoons ready! If we don't come back, get back to port!"

She dives, and the ocean embraces her like an old friend. The weight of everything on land, the way standing and walking tug on her joints - all the pain and exhaustion fade away with the first rush of cool blue. This may be the creature's domain, but she's stronger here too; and still within Fontaine's waters as they are, the depths pose no threat to Kazuha, either.

Down below, the great shadowy mass of the beast dives deeper, and summoning a swirl of hydro, Kokomi races after it at a speed no swimmer could match, cutting through its control of the waters like a shark through a current. The water grows dimmer, but she can still see the glow of Kazuha's vision ahead, still hear the sounds of his battle with the beast rippling through the waters. She comes alongside the creature, and swings into a twirling duet with her bake-kurage, slashing razor-sharp ripples of water into its hide and spilling inky blood into the sea.

The whale howls, but more in anger than pain; the wounds she's inflicted are little more than pinpricks to a creature of its size. Slashing at it again, she swims up to its back to check on Kazuha-

-and a pulse of hydro blasts outwards from the creature, sending them both spinning backwards through the water. A twist of her own hydro stabilises them both, and she shoots Kazuha a quick nod as her bake-kurage returns to her side.

As the whale raises itself up to face them, an uncanny intelligence gleaming in the depths of its void-black eyes.

We Need A Distraction... Okay, Punch Me || Cyno & Kokomi

Matra Training Thread feat two Generals

As Kokomi enters the training grounds, Cyno nods in return. He was going through his own stretches now. It would be rather embarrassing if the General Mahamatra got injured in a sparring match. He straightened as he finished though. He considered Kokomi's question and then tapped his training spear against the ground.

"It is my pleasure," he hummed and then smiled as he pointed his spear to the side. "Weapons first I think, then we can do hand-to-hand once we feel like we can't hold our weapons anymore."

He offered a small grin. Obviously they wouldn't go that far. That would be foolish. But perhaps after a few rounds of weapon sparring, some hand-to-hand would offer more flexible stretching of muscles.

#thread: we need a distraction... okay punch me #non commission thread: kokomi and cyno #(sorry this took ages! irl stuff really knocked me down)

Kokomi grins in return, sharp as a sea-snake. "Weapons it is, then."

She steps forward into a guard stance, sword at the ready, but doesn't move to attack, not yet. Instead, she studies Cyno's stance, his grip on his weapon, his footwork as they slowly pace around the edges of the ring. He's stronger than her, likely more skilled with weapons, and though they're fairly close in height, his polearm gives him a longer reach.

And, considering his usual duties, it's safe to assume he's studying her just as intently. She'll have to close the distance, get inside his spear's reach; something he likely knows just as well; and even if she can control the distance that perfectly, she can't assume he'd have nothing else up his sleeve.

So, she'll need to study his fighting style more closely. And with that in mind, she begins stepping closer, flowing from stance to stance to mask her footwork, and opens with a feint towards his left shoulder.

The Stars Shining in the Depths

Quiet and calm, the sea remained as kind as a friend while they were on the boat. Most members of the crew remained tense. As if they were waiting for something to rise from the depths. Their fears weren’t unwarranted, he supposed, the sea was at the same time a good friend and a tumultuous beast. Even so, Kazuha found no need to fear what lay ahead, a positive of the Crux, perhaps?

As the boat continued forth, the coordinates for the last sighting of the whale drew closer. He hummed, watching the waves below. What experience, or should he say, what story would come of this? You’ll help me out, won’t you, dear friend? Perhaps you are even generous enough to grant me a haiku from this.

They got up, making their way to the railing. He should be ready should things turn south or if the whale approached sooner rather than later. Ah, Her Excellency. Smiling, they bowed before standing beside her.

His gaze moved to the sea below as she spoke. Something more, hm? They listened to the waves, to the messages it wanted to convey to them.

“I would hope for an ordinary whale, but the life below the sea are as mysterious as the stars above. What do you think?”

Whatever answer she ended up giving him, they’d be a fool not to take heed.

#thread: the stars shining in the depths #elation 2025: whale in the deep #(let's see what kind of sea monster we end up meeting)

The waters remain calm, placid, still.

Too still.

"I don't think whatever's out here will be anything ordinary," Kokomi replies, not taking her eyes off the sea. "Can you feel it? The air's too still, the sea too calm."

The crew's nervous chatter drifts across the deck to her; they've all noticed the same thing. Some begin running for harpoons, others hurrying off the deck. Kazuha remains a steady presence at her side, but on hearing one of the sailors cry out in shock, she steps past them and runs to the back of the ship, looking for any sign of the creature-

And sees nothing. Rather, it's what she doesn't see that's far more concerning.

The ship is still moving forward, its engines still running, but if it weren't for her own sensitivity to hydro and the reference point of an island sitting low on the horizon, she wouldn't have been able to tell.

Because the deck is as steady as stone beneath her feet, and the ship's motion isn't leaving a single ripple in the mirror-smooth surface of the sea.

Unnerved, she paces back along the deck to Kazuha's side, her attention firmly on the flow of hydro in the depths. Far below, something circles, something huge, with its own command of hydro, twisting the ocean itself against any ship unlucky enough to get close.

And slowly, leisurely, like a great shark that knows its prey is already trapped, unable to run, it's beginning to ascend.

"That's no ordinary whale," she whispers to Kazuha, then raises her voice to alert the crew. "Ready yourselves!"

The Stars Shining in the Depths

#thread: the stars shining in the depths #elation 2025: sea creature hunting #everything looks fine but kokomi's slightly-inhuman instincts are *screaming*

The sea is calm.

The sourcewaters of Fontaine typically are, it's true. But nonetheless, an uneasy silence holds the ship in its grasp. On the docks, as they departed, there'd been plenty of talk of their quest; outlandish theories thrown around, mora changing hands, stories of other hunts shared.

But now, as they approach the coordinates of the creature's last known sighting, the weight of what they're about to do has begun to sink in, turning bold courage to stifling unease, shaded around the edges with the cold bite of true fear. It has, after all, not been so long since another great beast from the depths caused the Primordial Sea to rise and flood the nation.

Kokomi stands at the prow, unafraid, yet wary all the same. Anyone from Watatsumi knows that there are things in the deep ocean that are not to be trifled with, and a single, terrifying thought has crossed her mind more than once on this voyage: what if the whale...is not merely a whale? She's never feared the ocean, and never will; most days, she feels more a creature of the ocean than a being of the land herself. But any creature of the ocean knows to be wary of the predators that lurk in the abyssal depths.

She doesn't turn her gaze away from the sea as the only other Inazuman on the ship joins her at the railing, but inclines her head in greeting nonetheless. "Tell me," she murmurs, closing her eyes for a moment to listen to the flow of the waters against the hull, "do you think we'll find an ordinary whale? Or something...more?"

@naturesmessages

[BET]

In Nikola’s many decades of poor decision-making, there were two things she had learned about gambling. Firstly, it’s never a good use of your own money—that’s why it was always better to embezzle funds from your organization. Secondly, it’s never worth overthinking it. If you go in blind, you’ll always get lucky. That second thing was particularly useful now, because Nikola didn’t have to even look at the list of fighters in the ring. “300 shield on…that one.”

Nikola planted her right hand on the list, handing over the shield with her left. The person manning the bets looked confused. “Uh, which one?”

Nikola rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Whichever, it doesn’t matter. Randomize it.” With that, she walked away, dodging people yelling in excitement until she made it to the point where the horde thinned out. She brought her eyes to the ring, where a pair of fighters were throwing weak punches at each other. Nikola cupped a hand around her mouth. “Rage, you both! Hit to kill!” Her yell barely made it over the similarly loud yells coming from the tighter throng of people in front of her.

She looked to the person to her right, a regal-seeming woman with eyes like bubbles rising from underwater. Nikola smiled widely. “Violence is awesome, isn’t it? Have you placed any bets yet?”

"Violence is a tool," Kokomi counters with a thin smile, briefly flicking her eyes to the woman beside her. "And very few of these fighters are particularly good at using it."

She leans over the railing slightly, peering over the heads of the crowd to study the fighters, gauging the ebb and flow of the brawl. "I'm not one to make bets, only calculations," she continues, eyes fixed on the ring. "But if I were a betting woman...I'd place my coin on the newest challenger."

The crowd hollers at a particularly nasty blow, and Kokomi flicks her fingers, letting a single shimmering coin dance back and forth across her knuckles. "The current defending champion has gotten cocky, believing themself unstoppable...and yet, their pride has made them terrified of losing. The challenger, meanwhile, has nothing to lose, everything to gain...and a far clearer head, neither held back by anxiety nor drunk on victory. This fight was over before the first punch was thrown."

True to her words, the fight soon turns against the erstwhile champion, and after a vicious exchange of blows, they're dragged off by the medics as the challenger raises their arms and roars in triumph. Kokomi smiles again, even sharper this time. "Of course, the real question is...will our new champion suffer the same fate?"

#ghsnowswept2025

the guy we have in our basement.

commission: preservation | comedy duo | cerydra // sangonomiya kokomi

Someone takes it upon themselves to step onto the board, and Cerydra cannot help but take the moment to smile upon she who sits across the chessboard. The woman that sat across from the Imperator was pretty; one of an ichthyic beauty, much like Dux Gladiorum, but still unique in her own outstanding way. However, that hadn’t been what drew the Imperator to this most unfamiliar opponent.

No, it had been that look in her opponents eyes that brought intrigue to Cerydra. It was the look of one who too had seen her fair share of bloodied battle, one who strode across a battlefield littered with corpses as far as the eye could see. One who, perhaps if the situation called for it, would grasp the authority of Law betwixt those very same ichthyoid fingers.

Cerydra smirks. ‘This should prove interesting.’

Watching the unfamiliar opponent make her move, Cerydra listens to the words that escape from her. There is intrigue to be found in both, each for individual reasons. For one, the choice to push a knight initially might be indicative of her attempt at control. Central control of the board early on could spell for an early victory, were the player smart and (more importantly) confident enough. Whoever this person was, she was clearly knowledgeable of the game, that much was obvious at an initial play.

Then, there is intrigue to be found in her suggestion and subsequent question. For one, to ask a question after each piece was… Cerydra’s eyes widen, as though coming to a realization, and soon her smirk widens even further. “Interesting question. I’d say… a ‘relay race’ across time may be the most ridiculous. It shouldn’t have worked, by all means, but it won us a great victory.”

The crowd lays confused, murmuring to themselves in curiosity, wondering if this was a part of whatever bit had been brewing between the two chess players. Paying them no mind, Cerydra picks up a pawn that sat in the center, and pushes it forward. Next was the stranger's question itself – there was truth to be found in it, and Cerydra's own answer unearthed proof of such. With that in mind, it was undeniable that the Imperator carried curiosity of what the stranger's own answer would be. “I suppose I’ll offer you the same. What bold strategies have you seen work? You seem like you’ve seen your fair share of warfare as well, after all, Miss…?”

#thread: the guy we have in our basement.#preservation 2025: comedy club

"Call me Kokomi," she answers, carefully considering both the board and the question. She slides a pawn forward in response, both a warning and a challenge - should the Imperator continue her push through the centre, she has multiple ways to respond. "As for my stories...I once saw a wandering outlander, a renegade swordsman, and a fox priestess challenge a neglectful god and force her to stand down. But, in truth, my part in that war came before that."

It still irritates her, sometimes, that she hadn't been able to lead her people to victory by outwitting the Shogun on her own terms, but the practical part of her can acknowledge that a victory is a victory, however it's achieved. And now, the Archon's finally paying attention to her own nation, to what she'd done; in the end, it had been a less-bloody victory than she'd feared it would be.

"It was an intriguing puzzle to solve," Kokomi continues, as the game advances a few more moves. She trades a bishop for a knight, a pawn for two more pawns, and still the board remains mired in stalemate. Her grin sharpens; she hasn't had a challenge like this in quite some time. "I had a smaller army with poorer training and equipment, fewer resources, outdated technology, and a famine to contend with, up against a nation ruled by a millennia-old warrior god...and still, we not only became quite the thorn in the Shogunate's side, we pushed them back."

Sometimes she wonders if her people will remember her for that; how they'll remember Sangonomiya Kokomi, the woman who challenged an Archon and humbled her followers. The Traveler may be a hero in every nation they visit, but they were never the one who saw the bloodiest days of the war, or had to live with its consequences. Would they judge her, as the descendants of her people might?

The warrior-queen sitting across the board from her looks like she's never cared a day in her life for how people might judge her. On her good days, Kokomi knows exactly what that feels like; knows that unshakable confidence she'd worn like a second skin when she led her troops in the field. Against her foe - an enemy she'd fought across time, somehow - Cerydra would have needed that confidence every step of the way.

"I find myself curious...just who or what were you fighting, that time itself became the battleground?"

[ SNEAK ]

Ororon hated sitting idly on by, as the situation seemed to not be getting any better. Not trusting a word the Guards were saying as they told the people that they had everything handled, when in reality they didn’t. It was telling by their demeanors alone, when they thought that no one was looking, they were worried. He was not faulting them for this though, this sudden turn of events had caught everyone off guard, so he understands that they were attempting to make do with what they had on hand…

It just didn’t settle the restlessness.

After hours is when he made his decision. When a majority of the citizens would be asleep, and most of the Guards were spread out enough for him to slip off undetected. Once he believed the coast was clear, he grabs his small pack and begins his trek away from the camp, but halts in his movements when he spots a lady staring directly at him. Panic quickly fills him as many thoughts circle through his head.

'Was she going to try to stop him? Was she going to call the guards?'

But that panic settles just as fast as it appeared. Replaced by mild concern, and determination as he stares back. Shuffling his way over to her to whisper so they would not be heard.

“I’m leaving camp to try and find a solution. The Guards… I can't just stand idly by as I watch people suffer.” Flashes of awful memories appear in his head, but he shakes them away. Now was not the time for rumination, the time now was to act!

“Do you want to come with me?”

It's an easy enough question to answer. On the one hand, she could stay here in what little heat there is, getting colder and colder and unable to help, or she could brave the worst of the storm and try to at least do something. There's nothing her healing can do for hypothermia, but she might be able to at least help to find some answers.

"I will. There's little I can do here anyway," Kokomi replies, and falls into step beside the youth, wrapping her coat tighter around herself. Snow clouds her vision, wind bites like knives at every bit of exposed skin, the chill seeps into her aching joints, but at least she's moving. "Do you have any leads yet?"

As they wander deeper into the abandoned cityscape, she keeps her eyes on their surroundings, alert to every possible sign of movement. There are still fragmentum out here, and potentially, even worse things - like that giant beast she'd once helped kill. "Stay alert. The fragmentum may not be the most dangerous things out here."

#ghsnowswept2025

the guy we have in our basement.

commission: preservation | comedy duo | cerydra // sangonomiya kokomi

The Xianzhou Alliance was but one of many things that the Imperator was not yet accustomed to. The ‘fleet’ seemed far more peaceful than she had expected. There was also significantly less water. She wanted to see what this Scalegorge Waterscape looked like up close, maybe as to gather an idea of what she had given to Dux Gladi-

Rather than questioning the times of peace that she had been presented with, the Imperator Cerydra has allowed herself the right to set up a chess board in the center of one of the many buildings aboard this vessel.

She waits, wishing to see who would challenge her to a game of chess. Slowly, as the Imperator waits for a challenger, people begin to circle around her. A steady crowd begins to gather, one by one, individually beginning to surround her. She is confused by this idea, but doesn’t pay it much mind. After all, they all could’ve been awaiting a chess match with her as well.

The announcer that follows very quickly dispels this idea. “Everyone! Welcome to our 50th Annual Comedy Show here at the Sleepless Earl! As opposed to traditionally having a set routine come up and on center stage, we’re going to place this young chess player as the main attraction! Chess player!” He presents the Imperator with a microphone, “introduce yourself!”

For a moment, Cerydra looks simply confused. ‘A sudden… comedy show?” She wasn’t against the idea of so many eyes gazing at her- after all, a ruler is always in the public spotlight. But this felt rather stupid. “I am the Imperator, Cerydra, are you here to-” Cutting her off, the announcer continues, “Let’s give it up for the Great Imperator Cerydra!!!” The crowd erupts, launching into a cheer for Cerydra. She is both confused, and annoyed at this. “Now, who will take her up on her chess challenge? AND make the crowd laugh, at that!”

@generalsangonomiya

#thread: the guy we have in our basement.#preservation 2025: comedy club #(let's see how long it takes them to scare off the crowd)

"Allow me."

It's an easy decision, to intervene - Kokomi wouldn't have enjoyed having an invitation to a game twisted around into a surprise comedy show, had she been in the other's place. So she slides into the chair opposite Cerydra, and offers her opponent a respectful nod.

Chess is an interesting game; not merely for the challenge of it, but for how many disparate places she's seen it. On Teyvat, it had originated from Deshret-era Sumeru; out among the stars, it seems to have come from several different places simultaneously. What is it about this game that lends itself to such perfect parallel evolution across such distances?

Perhaps it's in how it allows one to hone their tactical and strategic skills, she thinks, as the game progresses further, both sides contesting the centre of the board. One thing is certainly becoming clear - this Imperator is a master of the art. But Kokomi hasn't spent so many years practicing the art of war on a far bloodier stage than this to give in so easily.

She smiles, letting her sharp fangs catch the light, for a moment, and sees a similarly battle-hardened gleam in Cerydra's eyes. Perhaps they'll be able to outsmart this amusement-hungry crowd together.

"There's a strategy for everything, if you look in the right places," she murmurs, too low and soft for their audience to hear. "For example-"

Kokomi picks up a knight and advances it into the centre, taking a pawn and challenging Cerydra's formation. "-take a piece, ask a question. What's the most ridiculous battle plan you've ever seen actually work?"

And feel free, her sharp grin suggests, to make it as bloody a story as you like

When Darkness Meets The Light

K-Pop Demon Hunters AU with Kujou Sara and Senadina

#thread: when darkness meets the light #non-commission thread: kokomi and sara and senadina #au thread: kpop demon hunters

The final note of their song reaches a roaring crescendo, sending a brilliant flare through the Honmoon. Thousands of souls light up the arena like the night sky, all their energy flowing into an ethereal glow above the heads of the crowd, the power of the song once again strengthening the shining shield. Smiling brightly, Kokomi raises her arms to the sky. "Thank you, Inazuma City!"

Together, she, Sara, and Senadina - the three members of Soul Symphony, the latest in a long line of music groups who secretly moonlighted as Demon Hunters, protecting the world from threats that lurk beyond mortal sight - bow to their cheering fans and step off the stage. She's exhausted, all her energy drained from singing song after song after song, but she keeps smiling, all the way off stage. That had been their best concert yet, she's never seen the Honmoon so strong. She turns to her bandmates, her friends, her fellow Hunters, and grins. "Look at that! We're doing so well! We might even start to see gold this year, if we keep up this momentum-"

She cuts off as she pushes a door open to reveal only silence; a silence that feels so deeply wrong, setting her teeth on edge. Because this corridor should be bustling with stage crew and techs and makeup artists - but, instead, only emptiness greets the three Hunters. Behind them, another door slams closed, and a number of twisted, hulking forms melt out of the shadows all around them as the Honmoon trills a warning.

Demons.

Kokomi turns to put her back to Sara and Senadina, mind already racing to analyse the situation as she slides into a defensive stance. Close range, no room to maneuver, already surrounded. They've negated our range advantage. Option: control the distance, use the narrow space to our advantage; they can't all attack us at once. Chokepoints work both ways.

Kokomi stares down the nearest demon, cataloguing the massive claws, the long teeth; it has longer reach, but she has speed and flexibility on her side. Her gaze catches on the distinctive patterns etched into its skin; underneath her jacket, a familiar sting works its way across her skin, almost as if her own curse is resonating with its source-

No. Focus.

Kokomi shakes off the burning ache and smiles again, a little predatory, a little sharp, a little inhuman, and the demon backs up a step as she draws her katana from the Honmoon with a dramatic flourish. "Time for an encore, girls."

@immovablewill

@unwovencocoon

We Need A Distraction... Okay, Punch Me || Cyno & Kokomi

Matra Training Thread feat two Generals

The fact that the first sound out of Kokomi's mouth was a sigh of relief told Cyno more about how the others had been acting around her than his fellow General's words. Making him ever more glad that he stepped in when he did. Honestly, bureaucratic nonsense had a time and place, and some should take more notice of when that time had elapsed.

Still, his offer was accepted and appreciated. Cyno smiled slightly. Excellent. He nodded in agreement to Kokomi's request.

"Twenty minutes," he echoed. "I'll go check the training weapons for us. Make sure the recruits haven't been putting back worn out equipment. See you there."

Out of the politeness of it, Cyno offered Kokomi a respectful bow. Then he spun on his heel and walked off. In the direction of the training grounds. Once there he immediately went about inspecting the racks of equipment. Aside from a few weapons, most were in decent condition.

Picking out a simple training spear, Cyno then waited for his fellow General to arrive.