Private/Closed Amaterasu’s Pursuit

[_obsequious]

Amaterasu has been missing for two and a half weeks. The Mazoku, demons from the underworld that have leaked out due to the lack of sunlight, have been terrorizing the land for two and a half weeks.
Japan has been dying for two and a half weeks.

Under the command of Erai Hotaru, the darklord from the underworld, the Mazokun army have taken thousands of lives already. Brave folk have taken the responsibility to render themselves demonslayers, killing off the demons while they could. But it hasn’t been enough.
The Council of Japan and the Emperor have summoned five people- five demonslayers outranking the rest- to seek back Amaterasu and bring back the sun.
- - -
“What do you mean, ‘bring back the sun’?”

Kaida never could imagine the situation she was in. She was arguing with the Emperor of Japan, who was insisting she, and four others, go find the Sun Goddess Amaterasu to bring light back to their nation.
“I understand your confusion,” the Emperor, Riku Yuuto, murmured dreamily. His voice was always calm, almost whimsical. “I have summoned five other proud slayers of the Mazoku here, and they will arrive shortly. Together, you will bring her back. I have faith that you will.”
“Sir, I’ve been killing to keep my family alive. I have no interest in the glory of this mission.”

The Emperor nodded slowly, but said no more. It seemed she had no choice.

She’d been summoned to the palace via scroll, on it was written,
Come to the Fusuma Temple, Lightbringer.

Based on the expensive paper, the crest mark, and the courier, Kaida and her family immediately knew it was important- as it was obviously from the Emperor- and sent her off instantly. Barefoot and armed with the katana on her back, she’d walked up the steps, feeling inferior already.

Fusuma Temple was a beautiful building, a magnificent, traditional Japanese wonder built high up past almost a thousand steps, overlooking the town. On the pointed roof was a curled up, red dragon. Guards laced the doors, standing with intimidating posture. Inside was a long hall, huge dining tables on each side, and up a small staircase onto the raised platform was the Emperor’s throne.

She’d opened the door and was told everything. That five others got the same message, that four others would join her here with the Emperor, and that they’d bring the sun back.

And now, waiting for the others, she was bickering with the monarch of her country.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

The archer approached the Fusuma Temple. Although the guards glared at the rag-tag, blonde young man suspiciously, they let him pass once he showed the letter from the Emperor. Okami walked past the guards, his thoughts whirling. On one side, he was seeing the Emperor. The Emperor!!! What could the Emperor possibly want with him?

On the other hand, Okami had been away from his village for far too long. He had been sure to place as many traps as he could around the village for the demons, but he had no idea how long it would keep those monsters out. But he couldn't say no to the Emperor...

Okami's thoughts came to a screeching halt when he opened the doors of the temple. There was already a young woman there, barefoot wearing a flowery kimono. Okami would have thought the girl was a normal citizen except for the fact that she wore a katana. Then, there was... The Emperor.

"Your Majesty." Okami said, bowing.

 

[OmnipotentOnion]

"No need to indulge in the pleasantries," A sing-song voice rang out within the palace. Norou Hideki twirled his Nagamaki nonchalantly with his right hand as he smoked a pipe, carrying it with his left. He exhaled a puff of smoke and put away his weapon before snapping to a mock salute upon stopping about 4 feet away from the monarch, his sarcasm and amusement evident all over his face. "So, Mister Emperor Sir, any reason why we were summoned here? I'd love to get back to my job," Norou said before lighting his pipe once more and blowing yet another wisp of smoke. Having worked as a mercenary in both Mazoku killing and human assassination, the teen had made quite a lot of money, and he wasn't expecting to halt his work over a mere errand from the Emperor.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Okami froze, then looked up at the young man that had just entered and stared at him in shock. When Okami had left his village, the elders had warned him to treat a man such as the Emperor with the utmost respect. Okami could understand why, for the Emperor was the leader of all of Japan! Armies bent to his will, and with a single motion could command the execution of anyone. Was this white haired teen merely stupid, or suicidal?! It looked like he had some skill with the Nagamaki, but that gave no excuse for such blatant disrespect. Okami rose and remained still, waiting to see how the Emperor would react to this show of disrespect.

 

[Platinum_]

Shouta was absolutely dazzled by the message he had received from the Emperor. The pinkette's eyes gleamed over the scroll that had been presented to him one afternoon. He almost didn't believe it - if it weren't for the official looking officers within their uniform handing him the letter, he would have thought it was all a prank being executed by one of his friends or incredibly flamboyant cousins.

Pride and honor struck the heart of the slightly frail Hikaru son. Shouta had no idea why he could possibly be requested by the most prominent man in the country, but his Jyumon hung around his neck and the purple crystal attached at the end bounced around with each step as Shouta had arrived at the Fusuma Palace. He stepped out of the taxi-type service that had brought him to the location, and began making his way up the stairs. It was the most extravagant place in all of Japan. Granted, his own home was commendably opulent, but absolutely nothing compared to this temple.

He almost had issues with the attentive guards as he pursued deeper into the palace, but with a simple flash of the Emporer's signature seal, he was allowed in.

Many thoughts surged through the 17 year old's mind, and it had stricken him that he might have been called to the Emperor for his participation in slaying demons; since the letter did address him as a "Lightbringer". Shouta only engaged the Mazoku for fun, and to protect his family and home. In a way, the young man had turned slaying the Mazoku into a competition between him and his brothers... whoever failed the most in using their bloodline's mystic arts in slaying the demons would usually have to serve some kind of punishment. But, lucky for Shouta, he was easily the most talented out of his older and younger siblings - and he knew it. However it was all for fun, and know it was apparent that he was either being recognized by the Monarch for aiding humanity, or being reprimanded for turning such serious situations into a party... a habit that sort of ran deep into his family tree.

Finally, he had arrived at two large golden doors that were already open. The sight of the Emperor, and 3 other figures, became clearer and clearer as he grew closer. He quickly adjusted his white cloak, making sure it was clearly behind his shoulders so he looked presentable, and didn't want to appear like he was attempting to secretly harbor anything dangerous. As he reached the throne, Shouta stopped alongside the other people around his own age. It was odd, though, because judging by the looks of things, the Ruler seemed to have a slightly puzzled look on his face.

Shouta bowed his head humbly, folding his arms behind him.

"Hello, Your Majesty. It is an honor of mine to be here upon your request today." He spoke. His voice was smooth but quiet, as he actually had become more nervous by the second.

 

[Dark Soul]

Wherever Karhu walked, people would look at him strangely. They'd whisper between themselves, and quickly hurry off if he looked in their direction. He supposed he was too different to blend in; for one, he stood at least a head or two taller than all the nihonjin he'd met, and his skin was pale as moonlight- now that the sun had stopped burning it up, anyway. The darkness that had fallen over the land had at least done that much good.

They were always amazed that he spoke their language, let alone so fluently. It wasn't effort or skill on his part. When Kuu, the moon, had first started guiding him towards the East some years ago, he'd come across a man with a white beard sitting outside his lakeside cabin, smoking a pipe. The man had shared his stew, and listened with a wisened smile to Karhu's story, of how Kuu herself had appeared while he was moongazing, and told him to travel through the unknown wilds to the East, until he reached an impassible sea- for there his fate lay.

The man told him he knew Kuu, and that Karhu was brave to undertake such a perilous journey. He touched Karhu's shoulder, and left him a gift, which he only discovered hundreds of miles later. Wherever he walked, he understood the words people spoke to him as if they were in his own language, and they understood him just as well.

He'd been a boy then, but he was a man now. He'd trekked through marshes and deserts and scaled snow-capped mountains; he'd fought wolves and bandits and demons. Months ago, he'd arrived to his destination- Nippon. A land where the people built their homes and temples with a skill and artistry he had never even dreamed of. He'd felt purposeless since his arrival, though. At least until night early one day, and did not let up. He knew then what he'd been called here for.

Apparently, he'd made enough of a name for himself helping the occasional town stave off creatures of the night to attract the attention of the country's king, or Emperor as they said- a man who ruled all of the land between the shores. A richly decorated cavalry had personally delivered him a writ, inviting him to their grandest temple. It was that wondrous, stacked castle that he was approaching now, through sparsely populated streets lit by torches.

The guards to the temple shifted nervously when he came closer, and barred the way forward with their enormous pikes. All they saw was a hide-covered bear of a man with a fearsome axe strapped to his back and warpaint that reflected the moonlight. Karhu came to a halt and sighed. "Did your chief not tell you to expect a gaijin?" He grumbled, and let the writ unfurl from one hand. A guard approached to check the seal's authenticity and finally, hestitantly, motioned his peers to let him through.

Inside, the great feasting hall was eerily empty apart from the man on the throne, dressed surprisingly soberly, and a young-looking selection of his subjects before him. Two carried swords, one a bow. Karhu's footsteps thudded heavily on the polished stone floors. He stopped just before the steps up to the throne, eyes settling only on the monarch before him. Following the customs of the land, he gave a respectful bow with his arms by his side. "Leader of the nihonjin." He said. "I answer your call."

~~~

((OOC: If you hadn't guessed, Karhu is based on elements from Finnish mythology! Karhu is a name tied to the cycles of the moon, of which Kuu is the god. The man by the lakeside is Väinämöinen, a god of magic and speech.))

 

[OmnipotentOnion]

Norou yawned as he pocketed his pipe after hearing the two newcomers speak, brandishing his weapon. He counted the number of people in the temple at present, excluding the guards, and said, "Okay, the message said.. 5 people? Now then," The teen continued, pointing the tip of his blade directly at the forehead of the Emperor less than an inch away, ignoring the tense reactions of the guards around him. "Can you please start talking? I don't know who the hell these other people are, what the hell a 'Lightbringer' is, why the hell you'd call me one, and most of all, why the hell we're all here. I can't speak for the others, and I'd rather not, but I would very much like to know what's going on here." The teen ran a hand through his hair and kept his gaze on the monarch in front of him, clearly impatient at this point. Norou wasn't trying to be disrespectful to the Emperor by any means; he just had trouble seeing the motive behind his summoning to the Fusuma Temple, and frankly, the Emperor's silence wasn't helping a bit.

(ack this is hella short sry; also, feel free to let me know if this is being too extra, as I might be pushing Norou's personality too far xd)

 

[_obsequious]

Now, to say that this newcomer was amusing was an understatement to say the least. He looked about Kaida’s age, maybe a year or so older. And he’d just.. strolled in casually, puffing smoke in the air of the Fusuma freaking Temple.
Kaida choked on a laugh, slightly appalled and beyond amazed at this kid’s attitude.
The Emperor seemed unphased, unlike his guards, who bristled at the boy’s disrespect.
“There is no need for such formalities,” the Emperor mused softly, waving a dismissive hand at both Okami and Shouta, insisting they stand.
He did, however, seem the slightest bit miffed at the boy with the pipe pointing his blade at his face. He gently pushed the blade from his face, accompanied by a faint growl-like noise coming from his nearby guard.
“Lightbringers,” he began dreamily, “I thoroughly appreciate your agreeing to gather here today, under the missing light of Amaterasu.”
Kaida shifted uncomfortably, positive that she didn’t like where this was going.
“I understand that you may be confused, or may be wary. That is.. understandable. However, as I’m sure you know, you all have separately developed quite the reputation as mazoku killers.”
His guards shifted slightly in front of him, almost cautious of the “Lightbringer”’s reactions.
“I request that you go out, seek Amaterasu, and bring back the light to our Kingdom.”

Kaida practically choked on her breath.
“What? Nonono, I- I dont think you understand,” she started, stepping forwards. The guard shot her a glare, his look suggesting she keep her distance.
“I’ve been killing the mazoku for the sake of my family. I cant leave them,” she insisted. The Emperor merely nodded, but didn’t acknowledge her statement.
“Word has it that Amaterasu’s brother, Susanoo, is roaming the plains of our realm as a mortal. I request that you find him, and question him of Amaterasu’s whereabouts. Bring back the light.”

With that he stood, clearly with the intent of leaving. Kaida jumped up, trying to follow him past the cloud of guards escorting him to a tall, golden door.
“Sir-! We’re talking about Gods and Goddesses here, it isn’t so simple as a mere game of Hide and Seek- if you would just listen, I- I can’t leave my family- Sir-!”
The girl was cut off by the door slamming shut, of which she promptly attempted to open once more. She tugged once, and it didn’t budge. Again, and no movement. She sighed bitterly, anger dancing in her gaze as a vaguely defeated look crossed her face. The girl turned to the others that were summoned, silently, praying that they were as opposed to the idea as she was.

 

[OmnipotentOnion]

"As little sense as this whole thing makes," Norou pointed out as he sheathed his Nagamaki once the Emperor had left before continuing. "If what he is saying is true, then the sooner we end this whole thing, the sooner you'll stop having to worry about your family so much. There are plenty of demonslayers around, anyways; I'm sure they'll be in safe hands." In truth, the teen was also quite irritated, though clearly not on a similar scale to that of the girl's, and having earned quite the living through his demonslaying, he found it hard to just leave his job for whatever reason. Not to mention, the end of the Mazoku meant the end of most of his pay-- not that having the demons around was a good thing. However, it wasn't just him he should be worried about. Mazoku had been terrorizing the people of Japan for years; it would be stupid to pass up an opportunity to put an end to this whole ordeal and just keep slashing away at the endless waves of demons. "All things aside, it's better if we look past the needs of just ourselves and those we hold dear, and take this mission on behalf of the entirety of Japan." Norou ended his monologue there and sighed before looking at the others. "I don't know 'bout the rest of you guys, especially you," He added, directing the extra bit at the girl in particular. "But I'm in."

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Okami stood there, feeling shocked, as the the Emperor left. He wanted to run after that man, grab him by the shoulders and shake him screaming "You called me down here for that!? People in my village are dying!"
But the girl with the katana had no success in going after the Emperor with her complaints, so it was likely he too would fail. He sank to the floor, feeling completely hopeless. Okami was a good tracker. An amazing tracker, actually. But this was a goddess he was talking about! There was no way! He looked up at the young man with the Nagimaki and sighed.
"But where are we supposed to start? We just go around asking each passerby if they're Susanoo?" Okami asked. He shook his head. Not only that, he hadn't expected the Emperor to give him a quest! If he had, he would have brought more than just two or three quivers of arrows. He would have brought all of them, and his barrels of gunpowder! He decided to speak up about this problem as well. "I don't have the resources to go out on this mission, either. I'm not going to have enough bomb arrows."

 

[Dark Soul]

Karhu looked on silently as the Emperor relayed his message, taking every word to heart. In his culture, when the leader spoke, you listened. The others seemed more eager to contend- one even daring to raise his weapon at his leader to emphasise his questions. The Emperor seemed entirely unfazed as he continued his speech, calling them "Light-bringers" and asking of them to search for the brother of the godess whose disappearance had led to the extinguishing of the sun.

He expected more than those few lines, but the Emperor swiftly turned and left for a door at his side, chased all the way by a barefoot girl in floral robes who protested heavily, though the door slammed in her face. She sulked and turned back to join the others. She barely came up to Karhu's chest in height.

Karhu sighed and made himself comfortable on the stairs leading up to the throne, ignoring the still-disapproving gazes of the guards. Why would the Emperor leave them with such a cryptic command? Any help he could offer for such an important quest would've been appreciated. Then, the Emperor was also Tennō- the man of highest spiritual authority below only the gods themselves. Perhaps the gods' missive to him had been equally as vague as Kuu's appearance to him had been, and the Emperor had nothing more to tell them.

He removed from his back the two-handed axe that had transformed under Kuu's light, styling the blade with intricate carvings of the moon and her phases. Light-bringer. It was an apt title. The light that his axe shone with could cut through the darkness that the mazoku were made out of. It couldn't be a coincidence; this mission had to be what Kuu had sent him eastwards for.

"Your Emperor's a mysterious man." He spoke up against the others- the short girl, the man in black-and-white, the man with cobbled-together armor, the man in blue robes and the man with flower-pink hair under his white hood. "But the quest's no less important for it." He stood up to his full length. "I, at least, want to bring light back to this land. You can not defend your families forever. We must cut at the root."

He resheathed his axe. "As for how to start looking for Susanoo... Where does one look for a god, if not at a temple?"

 

[Platinum_]

At first, Shouta was beyond shocked to hear the request of which the Emperor held for the small group of people. Go out and find the missing sun goddess? In what world would someone like Shouta be qualified enough to set out and venture into goals such as that?

The teenager was very taken aback, considering he was expecting all of this time to be reprimanded by the Tennō for mostly screwing around with the demons in a careless manner. It seemed, though, that Shouta had been able to display a front of combative skill and abilities recommendable enough to be sent on a personal, private mission from a world leader.

The pink haired boy watched as the others reacted to the Emperor's vague request and sudden exit, and if he were to be honest to himself he wanted to say 'no' with all of his heart. If his conscious hadn't kicked in, Shouta would already be on his way home in seconds - to him, the whole ordeal sounded like a wild God-goose-chase. How were mere humans supposed to locate a deity, the sun out of all of them, and convince her to come back to her job? However, listening on to the reasoning of of Karhu, the oh-so-well-mannered male who wielded axes, and eventually agreed.

"I-...I think we should do it. I mean... I'd have to ask my parents, but if we are the ones entrusted with a task such as this we need to take advantage of the opportunity - we could be heroes- celebrities, even!" He spoke, throwing his arms out widely.

Honestly, the boy foresaw the fame, fortune, and reputation that would come about for the individuals if they were to succeed...he never truly claimed to have his priorities straight.