inkdrops | ✿ Forty-Eighth Ink Drop ✿ - [Video | Drawn

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✿ Forty-Eighth Ink Drop ✿ - [Video | Drawn | Backdated to the Night of the Ball]

[While Miyabi did hear about the Christmas party happening at the battle dome, ans while she usually attends and enjoys herself, she's decided to just keep to herself tonight. Enjoy a quiet night in by herself. Or, well, a quiet night out. After sprucing up the cherry tree hill a little bit with some Divine Intervention (and a little help from Faeren, of course), Miyabi bounds her way up to the higher branches of the tallest cherry blossom tree and sighs. The cool rush of wind blowing the snow in brilliant little circles is so wonderful to behold. She really is so much better suited for the winter, and it's rare that she really gets to just sit and appreciate the majesty of this season. It was so common, back in Nippon, that she never really thought twice about the cold and snow, or gave much praise to the ox god, but now she sees just how lovely the snow can be, and how at home she is in it.

After so quiet watching, Miyabi finally feels a spark of inspiration strike. She sets up some of her inks and paints, and begins to draw in her journal, her face serious and calculating as it's mirrored in the little camera. Stroke after stroke, sometimes a screw-up turned into a bit of scenery or the like, an image forms on the paper in her journal, and Miyabi looks rather pleased and satisfied. If there's one creature from home that she misses the most, it's definitely the cranes. She misses seeing them dance when trying to find a mate, and just seeing them in general. They were such amazingly beautiful birds... Maybe she can find something to read about them in the library another day. They were very popular with poets and story-tellers, after all. Speaking of which--]

I know it's very late, and most of you may be out, but...does anyone want to hear a story?

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[Aang had been checking the journal before going to bed upon his return to the ball, when he came across this sight.]

Wow, that tree looks really alive! I'd love to hear a story.

[Miyabi looks over her shoulder at the bright, pink blossoms she just brought to life again, then smiles broadly into her journal, proud of herself for maintaining the beauty and life of Amaterasu's tree. If people can enjoy it year round, then she's happy.]

Thank you, and...you don't mind if the story's a little bit sad, do you? It's still a good story, I promise.

What, you did that yourself? Amazing? And... yeah. I've liked good stories that're sad before. I like happy endings, but it's good to know all kinds of stories.

Eh? The blossoms? I made them bloom, but I didn't make the trees on the hill... I just tend to them now. These trees were made by the patron goddess of my world - Okami Amaterasu. She was here a long time ago, and created these trees for people to enjoy. When she left...I made it my job to care for them, in her place.

Ehehe, but you're here for a story, not to hear me rattle on about that.

It's completely fine! After all, that's kind of a story, too! I had no idea that you had a goddess here who made those trees. I really wish I could have met her - I'm good with spirits! And it looks like you're doing a really great job taking care of them.

But don't let me distract you anymore, if you wanna start your story!

Yes, about...maybe two years ago? I-I think... The sun goddess, Amaterasu, lived here in Luceti. Many people knew her, but not that she was a goddess. It's actually my responsibility--eh, w-well, I mean, the responsibility of my people, to paint the gods' pictures and tell their stories.

...In fact, there is one about Amaterasu herself, if you want to hear that one instead! It's my favorite story, and it's very exciting! Though she'll go by a different name in the story than what I told you.

Some've my friends might've known her, but I haven't even been here a year. But that sounds amazing! And your responsibility sounds like an amazing one, too!

It's hard to choose, but... that sounds like a real interesting story. I'd like to hear it, please!

[Oh, gods, you're making her blush from ear to ear. Miyabi doesn't get praise like this very often. Yeah, her peoples' job is extremely important, and she loves being able to keep the gods alive and the world bright and beautiful, but...well, it's never gotten much praise before. It's nice to hear once in a while.]

Th-Thank you very much! For your kindness, I'll make sure to make this story the best I've told yet! [And for that, she needs to gather up her inks and brushes again - this story's always told with pictures.] This is the story of Nagi and Shiranui, a popular tale known through all of Nippon, where I'm from.

[And after the takes a deep breath, Miyabi begins to paint as she speaks, the brush and ink dancing and flowing from her brush onto the journal pages like clockwork. She draws a little village, dotted by flecks of pink.]

Long, long ago... A tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled in a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. [She smiles, casting a quick glance over her shoulder, at the very same pink blossoms she just helped grow.] Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. However, the village was not without its dark secrets...

[Aang sidles up in front of his journal as if it were a campfire over which stories were being told. He listened attentively while watching her art come to life on the page. He comments simply with an "ooh" sound at the promise of dark secrets.]

[And, like that, a new picture is drawn over the first, of a monster descending from above, over the village.]

To satiate the appetite of Orochi, a fearsome cave-dwelling beast, a young maiden was offered as sacrifice at the annual festival. With a body like a mountain, and eight heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood-red eyes alone were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. No one dared disobey the horrific beast.

[She turns the page of her journal, and begins to draw anew, of what seems like the outskirts of the village, and silhouette of a canine of some sort.] When the night of the sacrifice drew near... A mysterious white wolf appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night.

...People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi.

[He continues to listen intently, completely taken in, and giving a light gasp at the description of the curse.]

But the wolf wasn't, was it?

[Miyabi doesn't say anything, though the smirk that curls up on his lips may or may not be a bit of a giveaway. She's not giving away any spoilers, you'll have to listen and wait patiently for the answers yourself. The best parts of the story aren't even here yet, but they are coming...

Another painting is made, on the page opposite the former, of two silhouettes. One, the wolf from before, on all fours, crouched low before a large man with an even larger sword.]

One villager took it upon himself to face the fearsome Shiranui. The warrior Nagi attempted many times to challenge the wolf. ...But his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements. [Another turning of the journal pages, and yet another drawing, this time of...a house? Hm, what could this signify?] Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft squarely into...!

[There's a loud thwack sound as Miyabi accentuates the word "sunk". She'd hit the bark of the tree she was sitting on for a more dramatic effect. She also quickly draws an arrow, decorating the roof of the house she drew before.] ...The home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden.

Edited 2012-12-10 12:04 (UTC)

[Maybe it's because he's reminded of Moro, which makes him feel a little sad on the inside, but he's really rooting for Shiranui. He winces at the description of the arrow's attack, but then he lights up when she mentions the maiden with the familiar name.]

Nami?! She was there?

[Aang, you win. Completely derailing Miyabi completely with how hard she laughs right now. Now, this part of the story always made her grin and even smirk in memory of telling it to Nami - the first person she actually ever told the story to - and her response to the above sentence--

Nami is always the fairest maiden.

Yet, something about Aang's outburst just made the painter laugh and laugh and laugh. Ah...darn, she's going to have to work hard to build up her spirit and voice for the tension of the story again.]

Not that Nami! Ehehhe, but I'm sure both are equally beautiful. [Giggle snort. A-Ahem. Moving on. B-Back to the story!!] Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved.

[And another drawing, on the opposite page again. Of the silhouetted Nagi standing up to the eight-headed monster, Orochi, sword held out before him.] The Moon Cave, a as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood brave before the entrance...

I'm sure they are, too. [But then he returns his focus to the story. He looks at the drawing of Nagi and Orochi in amazement, and hey, he looks just a little scary.]

Whoa...

[The drawings, while they are only "shadows" of the two beings - since no one really know what Orochi and Nagi looked like outside of the stories' descriptions - are still carefully drawn and pretty darn good. Miyabi's gotten the hang of drawing them, and she improves a little more with each telling of the tale. Maybe that's another reason she loves to tell it.

Regardless, she continues, her tone changing to a low, darker, fiercer one. We're getting to the good parts.]

...A beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon eight thrashing necks! Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his sword valiantly! On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night... But Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch.

[A pause, as the page is turned again, and a new drawing etches itself on the pages, ink dancing and flowing from the poncle's brush. Nagi's on his knees, braced up by his swords, as the murky black portrait of Orochi looms over him, jaws wide and teeth bared.] At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath.

He knew he was staring death in the face.

[This is getting really intense. Aang's very worried about Nagi. And he briefly mutters.]

No...

[Oh, Aang, Miyabi'd glad you're enjoying the story so much to feel the way you do for the characters, and while her lip twitches upward a little bit in a smile, she eases that emotion down to continue on. Don't lose you edge, the story's not over yet! There's still much more to go before it's through. She has to stay composed.

She doesn't turn the page or draw on the next one just yet, but Miyabi does paint again, of a four-legged beast with glistening white fur. She actually uses her white paint instead of just ink to color it, too. A bright, glossy white.]

It was then that the wolf appeared.

As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly. Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village! Baring its fearsome claws, Shiranui leapt toward Orochi! And orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle... The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness.

[A new drawing, though only on half a page. This time, of one of Orochi's head breathing fire at Shiranui.] Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued! Shiranui summoned gusts of divine wind to counter Orochi's flames! [She draws a thick loop-the-loop over the fire, and...huh, did a small breath of air just rustle the pages of the journal? Syrely not, right? Anyway, on the next half of the page, Miyabi draws Shiranui on the ground, and Orochi descending upon her.] As Orochi closed in on Shiranui, sharpened claws glistening...

[She draws, quickly, a dot on the paper between the two beings, and...poof! a sprig of wood with two leafs flutters down from Aang's journal.] A gigantic tree suddenly burst forth, Shielding the wolf! Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand. However...

[His eyes widen in amazement and wonder. And he smiles. He knew that wolf was really good all along. And a divine wind? That touches the Airbender in him. In fact, he mutters it along to himself while Miyabi is still talking.]

I knew it. I knew that Shiranui was good.

[But he gets caught in the suspense still and takes a closer look, starting back in shock at the "tree"'s appearance.]

Then what? [He gasps, captivated by her words.]

[A wide grin forms on Miyabi's face at Aang words, and she can't help but utter a very soft chuckles. Yes, that's right, Shiranui is good. Very, very good indeed. It's clear why her real self - Amaterasu - is known to all as the origin of all that is good. After a moment to clear her throat and clean her brush a little bit, Miyabi turns the page and begins to draw anew. Draw and create, with the power of the Celestial Brush.]

Orochi, protected by a mystical power, was not easily bested. Shiranui, covered in gashes, majestic coat dyed crimson, stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. Orochi saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow... [And here's where she begin to paint, drawing Shiranui, head arched back, nose pointed upwards, and Nagi beside her, holding his sword aloft.] But Shiranui refused to give in! With its last ounce of strength, the mahestic wolf gazed heavenward and unleashed a mighty howl!

[Miyabi actually mimics - quite well, actually - a wolf's howl, cupping her hands by her mouth and letting it be as loud as she could allow.] Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated... [She then draws a crescent moon above the two and, strangely, it shines bright for a second, then fades to a normal color. More magic, maybe?] The light from above glinted off Nagi's sword as a beacon of hope.

Guided by his sword, Nagi, who had been taking shelter in the shadows, stood proudly to face his adversary!

[He winces at the description of bloodiness but the howl is convincing enough to Aang to make him smile. And he gapes at the shining effect.]

I believe in you, Nagi and Shiranui.

[There's a moment's pause after Aang says that, where Miyabi just holds her brush over the paper, eyes wide with surprise. That's...th-that's the first time anyone's ever said that when she told this story - ever. And considering belief and faith is what keeps the gods in these stories alive and in peoples' thoughts and hearts...it means a hell of a lot to hear that, especially over one of her works. Issun or Ishaku's, maybe, but hers just doesn't compare. It's...it's a nice feeling, and an even better motivator for her to make this the best she's ever done so far. Until then, though, she has to stop the story, just for a second, to lower her head down respectfully.]

...Thank you very much, for saying that. I'm very sure they'll both hear your words, and grow stronger. [She takes a deep breath, then goes on - painting a new scene, of Nagi, sword aloft in his arms, behind the light of the moon, while Orochi's ugly heads shrink back beneath him.] Channeling all his strength into his scarred and battered arms, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, his sword poised high. The golden sword danced in his arms like a puppet on a string. One by one...Orochi's fearsome heads separated from their owner. And Orochi's broken body collapsed in a lake of its own blood. In that instant...the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted. As the battle subsided, the sun shone once again in the sky...

[Yet, if that's the end, why does Miyabi sound so sad? If Orochi was dead and the curse lifted, then why not act a little, well...happier?]

[She really has the easiest audience, here. These gods would be able to get their livings at a minimum cost with this boy. He nods with a bright smile at his gratitude, feeling accomplished as the Avatar that he's doing good for the spirit. But he looks on uncertainly at her tone at the end.]

And... and that's it, right? Shouldn't everything be happy now?

[Miyabi's quiet for a good moment, and says nothing but a rather low kind of hum. She purses her lips, and slowly continues, in a withdrawn kind of tone. She never did like this part of the story, even if she knows how it really and truly plays out in real life. It's never easy hearing or speaking about this, let alone telling it to other people.]

Shiranui had succumbed to Orochi's poison and struggled to breathe. Nagi scooped the beat into his arms and returned to Kamiki. [Just as slowly as she speaks, Miyabi paints again, a picture of Shiranui, laying on her side, surrounded by the villagers who look on with sorrow.] When they reached the village, Shiranui was no longer moving... The village elder gently stroked the wolf's head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark...then closed its eyes and drifted off as if into slumber.

Peace had at last returned to Kamiki Village. In honor of Shiranui's heroic exploits, the villagers erected a shrine, and placed a statue of the wolf within it. Nagi's sword was christened Tsukuyomi and placed inside the Moon Cave. The villagers all looked forward to an age of endless peace.

...The end.

[Aang sniffs softly while trying to wipe at some tears. After what happened to Moro, this ending hits him way too close to home. He speaks softly and slowly.]

I like your story in a lot of ways, Miyabi. It's really beautiful. I just... I wish that didn't have to happen to Shiranui.

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inkdrops - 2012-12-24 14:05 (UTC) - Expand

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✿ Forty-Eighth Ink Drop ✿ - [Video | Drawn | Backdated to the Night of the Ball]

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[Video] - /brb, cracking up at that icon.

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