Ryozanpaku

[Bloodedge]

True enough, the wishes before them were very them, so to speak. What Tamamo herself had written was something he considered a certainty, beyond a shadow of a doubt. His own, however, was something he wondered the probability of. His lantern was held so close to Tamamo's, the two were touching alongside their holders' hands. Gently, he released the lantern to let it float alongside Tamamo's. He wasn't sure if he believed in such things personally, but they had already been taken to a parallel world seemingly as large as their own, and these two happened to find each other there. If that wasn't enough reason to believe wishes could come true by some divine intervention, then logic itself determined that his wish being answered had a rather high chance. If nothing else, he had hope. "They'll come true. I'm pretty sure of that," he said as a certain light appeared in his eyes. Determination was high in this Avatar─ higher than it was in any other, being derived from Giyu. As if to spite the other traits of Giyu, however, Xiao left some amount of vulnerability as he sat in the Kitsune's company. "There's another funny little story. Some who observe the Wayward Lantern tradition, go the extra mile and share additional wishes... more like requests of each other."

[Apollymi]

Both of their hands extended and their lanterns floated off into the sky, carrying their wishes along with them. This moment was oddly cute, though she wasn't much for festival participation before coming to this world, with someone like this lad at her side she could see how such events could be considered fun. After the release of their wishes into the world the lass felt a great deal of content, so much in fact that she sought only a minor bit of comfort beyond slipping her fingers into those of his outstretched hand as it was brought back to resting position so that they could enjoy the visible show together for a few more moments. Apparently the lad retained the hope that their wishes would come true, and to be honest the girl held the same faith. "Hai hai, I have faith in us both~" she mentioned happily. She was always the type to work for things she wanted, but if they both knew what their wishes were, she was fairly certain given both of their attitudes they'd do enough to make sure they were both made happy by their experiences.

Moving right along the lad spoke of another potential tradition, where those who engaged in the tradition they spoke of, who happened to make secondary wishes or requests of the ones they shared bonds with. A brow raised on the kitsune's face, but never one to rest on the easiest version of anything she was always willing to take an extra step for the future. "Oh? Well, no need to stop before we get everything~ So what's your wish?" she asked genuinely curious. Of course, it went without saying that she'd do whatever possible to see him granted anything she had access to getting him. This was simply the type of person she was at base. At the same time she supposed it would be best if she thought of anything else she might want.

[Bloodedge]

While their fingers laced by the effort of Tamamo, Xiao watched the pair of lanterns float off separately from all the others released this evening. His gaze seemed unwavering, as if following the lanterns to ensure their safe arrival to the skies high above. Meanwhile, Tamamo expressed a shared belief that their wishes would come true. He figured she would be on the same page.

Regardless of the lanterns and their eventual destination, there was the secondary tradition to address. It seemed Tamamo wished to follow this tradition as well. Such was her way, he supposed; she was quite the greedy lass in a strangely endearing way. How he managed to find any form of greed attractive in a person, he may never understand himself. That thought would be left to linger, as it always would, while considering the answer to Tamamo's question. What was the wish he would ask of her specifically? The answer itself was a simple one, but... "It probably sounds stupid," he said. Aside from the wish he'd placed in the lantern, only one thing came to mind at all. Since asked, he'd speak it as his eyes found the Kitsune again. "I want to offer you something. Something... big. Bigger than everything else, but not in terms of size or anything. Just something... meaningful. Yours?"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo's eyes also traced their lanterns into the sky. She wasn't watching over them, instead she was having a good time with the idea that their separate wishes were somehow better off floating along their own beaten path. Actually the way of people like and the resident Geno Killer meant they were more likely to do such things anyway and she took great comfort from knowing that. Speaking of comfort, there was something else she found comforting and it was the feeling of their hands pressed together and their bodies so close. What a strangely intimate conversation they were having currently. With so little space between them she felt there was nothing she couldn't feel about the lad in the present moment. What was more when asked about his secondary wish, the answer he gave was different.

She didn't know what she expected after the lad claimed that his wish might sound stupid but the answer he gave was one which made her eyes widen immensely. How could he even begin to think she would find such a thing stupid? She really couldn't explain it to him without it being embarrassing for her, but the idea that he had something he so earnestly wanted to do for her was something which deserved a great deal of respect. One more of those strange heart beats ensued, as she heard out his most recent wish. "Sou ka. I don't think that's stupid at all. It's actually really sweet and thoughtful..." she mentioned as she found more comfort within his arms in this moment. "I'll accept that, whatever it is... and look forward to it," she said blindly accepting whatever this was as the thoughtfulness behind it was more than enough for her to not have qualms with it. What she couldn't have admitted was how few things she actually accepted from other people. In fairness gifts always sort of seemed like bribes to her after a while, no one ever did anything without expecting something in return. And though such things were the foundation of business... it always seemed very dishonest outside of money making settings.

Ah, but now it was her turn to reciprocate but... what did she want? That question was quite loaded. Her own wish had even been something rather simplistic when thought about in an honest light. Material things didn't interest her, she could acquire those for herself, what she usually wanted from others were things she couldn't get on her own. In this case, from the Puzzle-Loving lad she'd accepted as a partner she wanted something but it wasn't easy to describe nor tangible in any case. "Ano... what I want is a little strange," she started off softly. "I want to share myself with you..." she said softly. "Not exclusively in the physical sense, but I want to give you the parts of me I never got to share with anyone else. But I also want those same kinds of things from you," she said with a gentle nod. "It sounds a little selfish to say out loud but... that's what I want." Tamamo or rather Kimiko was a very strange girl. Her own insecurities made her question people at every turn and never trust anyone. But this lad had already earned her implicit trust so she wished to give to him many things but she wasn't so giving as to not take as well, she wished to monopolize him in this case.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh?" To hear that his wish wasn't thought of as something stupid was ridiculous; he couldn't have disagreed more. Still, there was a heartwarming aspect in such a clause being returned his way. "It's stupid from my perspective," he said. In this world, he had no reason whatsoever to have such a desire; it was solely based on a lack of things he could offer under the conditions of his truest self, Yugi. Now, however, he could do virtually anything he could think of... but he supposed the information at hand would result in that being a more reasonable wish. Either way, the pink-haired lass accepted it as viable, and spoke of looking forward to the occurrence. He'd have to make it worth the wait in due time.

Strange was apparently the descriptor of Tamamo's desire. He doubted he could hear anything weirder than what had come to his own mind, but he remained just as attentive as he always managed to be when she spoke. She wanted to share herself, but also receive the same input from the lad. Interesting. What she claimed would require the utmost dedication to themselves, as well as each other. Given the complexities he'd taken note of within Ashikaga Kimiko, the male found himself wondering if he could ever fully reciprocate... but that was just another puzzle to be solved when the time came. As he was, there was no restraint. "I said before, didn't I?" he asked as his eyes remained fixated on their distant lanterns. "If I have it, it's yours to take. I might have some hiccups down the line; I still don't much know what I'm doing. Either way, I'll give you access I've never wanted to give anyone else. If you call my name for a purpose, I'll be there to answer the call," he concluded. Unbeknownst to Xiao, this simple declaration would write itself into the text of fate. As if adding to their earlier contract, or even fueling the wishes floating into the sky, his words placed a certain foreboding into the universe. Xiao himself would remain ignorant and unaffected at present, but what of Aiba Yugi? One day, all would be made clear.

[Apollymi]

Apparently they were in the midst of a rather intense conversation. There was something to be said about the lad thinking his idea was stupid and he might have been right. It could very well be stupid from his own perspective. "Well, even if you think it is stupid, it isn't really your opinion that matters here. The value of the thing is determined by the one who holds it. And that is me~" she mused. She truly thought this way at the depths of her person. She valued things based on her own strange scaling and given this it didn't matter if he thought what he wanted was stupid because she didn't. How far would this application of her value system go? Quite far actually, literally all the way to her base all the way to her core as a being. Ah... but that was something for the future. In the here and now, right as they spoke there were her own desires to consider.

Her 'strange' request was met with a question. Apparently he'd mentioned such a thing on a similar scale. Apparently, if he had it... it was hers to take. He'd said this before truly but him saying it again in this moment without any reprehensions was very different. Tamamo's eyes shifted off the lantern and to this young man's face over her shoulder. Did he have any idea what he actually offered? Did he know that she couldn't resist taking if he consented to it. Her nature was outright covetous in a lot of ways. She wanted everything and he basically offered to give her all of him and that was quite a lot by her own approximation. "Sou ka... I'll hold you to that you know? And hiccups and not knowing everything we're doing comes with the territory. So, until we figure everything out, I won't stop calling for you. Even after, I won't stop calling for you. I don't really know when to quit~" she mused, a hint of her nature peeking through. Another statement which was very true of the kind of lass she was, admittedly complex but also very sincere. What did the world and fate have in store for them? She couldn't really know but right now she was happy, enjoying them and she'd milk that for quite a while. Only after a few seconds of staring did her eyes return to the lanterns in the distance.

[Bloodedge]

"Hm. If you put it that way, I can't argue at all. Value determined by the holder, huh..." Xiao said in a tone that implied his own contemplation. It was strange, hearing such a clause from the mouth of one with material wealth. He should have detested the clause. The rich were always a certain way, determining for themselves the value of objects while applying value to people of lesser stature in the same manner. In this case, though, it felt markedly different. There was only one question lingering in his mind as nerves hastened his heartbeat, but it was not yet time for that question to be asked.

What it was time for... was something entirely different, unrelated yet to the point just the same. A voice would leave Xiao's mouth, but the voice did not belong to this Avatar. No, the response to Tamamo's proclamation would come from the most powerful voice Aiba Yugi possessed─ one which presently answered a call from three days prior. "H'oh? Greed looks good on you, Ashikaga Kimiko," he said through a fanged grin while his features changed one by one. Crimson overtook his eyes and hair, and that mainland theme burned away in a blaze of magical fire. What replaced it, was the almost textbook visage of the Dragonoid Akashi, complete with his open coat that left his bare chest pressed against the Kitsune's back. His right hand rose until those claw-like nails of his gently traced Tamamo's jawline, ending their path as his forefinger and thumb took hold of her chin. His head rose as well, all for the sake of his following words being spoken against the side of her face as whispers.

"I think I had a question for you, but how could I bother when you've said something so bold? he asked rhetorically. Akashi now had so much to say, and he would say it all with the entitlement of a true Dragon. "When you're down, call me. When your bed is cold, call me. When you question the world or anything in it, call me. When I even come to mind... call me." Each word was shared as he drew closer and closer. By the time Akashi reached his final clause, he made use of his hold to tilt the fox's head. The pair's lips would be oh so close to brushing against one another with a movement so simple as a quiver, and that unwavering gaze that burned with the intensity of Hell itself glared deep into the golden orbs of Tamamo. "But when you call... call me properly."

[Apollymi]

Xiao seemed to be in thought about what she said. Did he have a problem with her personality in this form? She couldn't really know, she figured she could potentially be a bit too much for many people but knowing this made the acceptance something which was worth seeking. Would she get an answer to this? Yes, but not from the mouth of the person she expected.

Warmth. There was true heat spreading as the lad began to speak, and it was a sensation that the now pink haired lass was quite familiar with. The Dragonoid Akashi was indeed supposed to come to her in the allotted amount of time, some three days after they'd arranged a meeting. And here he was, speaking directly to the unanswered question in her mind. Greed looked good on her?! He couldn't possibly mean that in the same way she took it in the moment. Her heart beat jumped once more as she felt the press of bare skin against the outside of her yukata. But was it simply the closeness, the answer was... no. It was what was said in addition to that statement, her name being spoken directly from the mouth of a Dragon as his form changed right before her eyes. She blinked in the moment, he was really here and he'd really said that. She should reply right? But... not just yet. No her shocked expression would remain and turn from that to wonder as a million thoughts passed through those golden eyes.

Her face was being turned with a clawed hand. Her eyes were now meeting an unblinking crimson gaze. Closer and closer. Each movement seemed to draw something strange out of her. Her body seemed to move of its own accord, adjusting for this new position to face this Dragonoid without fail. And as they sat merely a breath apart he said words which made her pine. She developed a new craving in this very moment. The desire to possess in a way she hadn't known possible. This girl was deeply greedy in a sense that seemed to go beyond material possession and into things immaterial and emotional. Above all things, she desired to possess this lad and he practically handed her himself but with a stipulation. When she called him, he wanted to be called properly. The lass was almost parched and outright shock passed through those orbs of hers before her facial features settled. What look would she have after giving consideration to his request? What conclusion did she come to? Well, the answer was rather simple. He obviously wanted to be himself around her. That was all his different pieces of request came to. This would obviously include being called his real given name. A face beyond the one she'd met, one she didn't know beyond the pieces of it she saw in each face he wore. Ah... he was asking for something which as far as they knew as impossible for her to attain in their present state.

"Ara ara, if all I have to do is something currently impossible to have you... I guess I don't have any choice but to get to work!~" she said, fate would take those words among others. But would she take such a challenge at face value and do her best to follow his wishes in this moment? Yes! And she'd do so with the most smug look on her face as she closed the distance between them now, allowing those lips that could just gently brush against each other to reach in a manner more definite. But not without the necessary greeting, "Okaerinasai!~" she mentioned to the lad as she brought their lips together. She wouldn't back down from this Dragon, he'd practically tempted her very core with his speech, how could she not reward him? She couldn't do it with her words but... she could communicate that feeling just the same.

[Bloodedge]

Surely the fox would understand the meaning behind his words. He offered his every service to this girl without so much as a second thought. If she called upon him, he would indeed answer... but only if the one she called was truly him. The guise of an Avatar would still be devoted, but as if signing a new contract entirely, he returned the train of thought followed when his lantern was written. If she truly called upon his proper self, there was no room for doubt in his soul─ any version of it. How could she possibly do such a thing, though? Could she rise to the unspoken challenge that his other selves hadn't the gall to present? Surely she could.

Of course, Tamamo was quick to make a final decision. She called it an impossible task, yet accepted it regardless. What she couldn't know just yet... was that the existence of Ashikaga Kimiko as the one puzzle he'd yet to solve, had been periodically pushing him toward the creation of his own unique puzzle. All the pieces were already in place, even. "Is it impossible?" he retorted. "I gave you the answer a long time ago. All you have to do, is put the pieces together."

This was not a war against fate. This was just another game, in which the final boss was a question of desire. Victory did not equal a conclusion, but instead the start of an endgame that would be designed by the player... and by the creator of said game, in unison. This was also an agreement, a partnership, to be sealed the moment Tamamo's lips met Akashi's. Ah, but there was more. An arrangement had already been made between these two during their previous meeting, and Akashi would keep his end of the bargain while their mouths held contact. Fingers snapped to signal the outward pulse of the Dragonoid's power, and with that came the spawning of his own Territory. None could enter, and none could exit without a force that would fell the Dragonoid himself, but this creation was in no way offensive. He had spawned a reality around them, likened to a stone field with several connected pools of water next to where they sat. Akashi's coat burned away while his tongue slipped from his mouth simply to tease Tamamo's own organ. Only a moment later, he pulled away. "Tadaima. Your bath.~"

[Apollymi]

It seemed they were at least on the same page. She'd accepted his challenge regardless of the terms and had been addressed rather directly about the nature of that challenge. According to Akashi he'd given her the answer as pieces of a puzzle and all she had to do was put them together herself. 'I have all the pieces already? Sou ka, I guess then I'll just have to clear my head enough to think about it, huh?' she thought. While her eyes closed. They would become lip locked by her own movements, and once this occurred a change in scenery would occur. She remembered telling the lad she wished for them to share a bath as part of their contract. What she didn't expect was what he did to make that happen.

'Territory Creation?' this was question but it was obviously the answer. One she didn't really have time to consider as the lad's tongue flickered from his own mouth into hers, stunning her just a little. She fully turned into him, her body relaxing for the moment this kiss lasted. Her knees feeling slightly weak as she took in the landscape after their kiss and his response to her welcoming him back. She pouted at the separation, at a kiss which teased her after he'd managed to stir her so much with his words and actions."Uuha.... Sugoi!" she recovered and managed to be almost giddy, but in combination with the landscape the lad known as Akashi was also absolutely appetizing as well, and now shirtless. Her hand came to rest against his exposed chest and she took in his warmth in the moment. She'd prepared for the bath choosing a Yukata for both form and function and had decided upon it given the idea she'd be meeting up with the lad for a bath at some point during their meeting. "I was upset you stopped but... I like this," she stated with all the honesty her person possessed. She leaned closer again, "Arigatou gouzaimasu~" she stated softly her first kiss pressed against his neck only to pull away a second later. They had an agreement though and one she intended to keep she was responsible for presenting herself without hesitation and so she would, she moved away from the lad in a manner most teasing those tails of hers shuffling about and causing that Yukata to shift and loosen. The fabric beginning to slip down her shoulders opening in its center just a tad revealing a brief moment of cleavage and because of the extra opening a hint of thigh as she stepped away. "You're going to join me right?" Her words were also a tease, as if getting him closer to the waters edge with her was her main objective but the steps he needed to take himself. And only if he came closer would the rest of her plan be enacted.