[10:16 AM] Kwakasuro: ===END RP===
===20 YEARS AGO===(edited)
[10:36 AM] Kwakasuro: The grand foyer of Stormblade Manor glittered coldly, as moonlight sweeps over the gilded furniture. A thin man stood at attention between the manor's spiralling staircases. He wore a traditional Khlinese haori, with tight, black sleeves and gloved hands held in front of him. A sheathed sword rested on each side of him.
In the room's dim lighting, one might have mistaken the motionless retainer for a sculpture.
[10:41 AM] Ruby Rose: The owner of the mansion, and supposed head of the family, Erik Stormblade walked the empty halls of his home. He comes across the familiar man standing at the staircase.
"Sokonaro. To what do I owe this encounter?"
[10:48 AM] Kwakasuro: "To a job well done, milord." Sokonaro's head and shoulders dipped forward in a small bow. "I've disposed of the troublemaker, as planned."
[10:51 AM] Ruby Rose: "Ah, so Ukiyo has been taken care of. Have you spoken to my wife?"
[10:53 AM] Kwakasuro: The young retainer returned to his sickeningly-straight stance, witholding a clear answer in his expression.
"Lady Satomi requests your presence in the study."
[10:57 AM] Ruby Rose: Erik nodded.
"Thank you Sokonaro. You are dismissed."
After his wife's retainer left, Erik walked up the stairs to the study.
[11:04 AM] Kwakasuro: A dark-haired, gentle-faced young woman awaited his arrival. She sat on an elegant cushion on the tatami flooring, looking over a series of scrolls laid out along the cypress table. At the sound of the door sliding open, the lady's gaze floats up to him with a soft smile.
"Welcome home."
[11:10 AM] Ruby Rose: "It's good to be home."
He smiled back at his wife before kneeling at the opposite side of the table.
[11:13 AM] Kwakasuro: The lady folded up one of the scrolls, setting it aside a spiked indigo staff on the floor next to her. "Did your trip go well?"
[11:15 AM] Ruby Rose: He nodded.
"Your brother will abuse the people of Intetsu no longer."
[11:18 AM] Kwakasuro: Her smile deepened.
"That was so brave of you, dear. Men like him don't deserve that kind of power."
[11:21 AM] Ruby Rose: His smile stayed for a moment before disappearing.
"Sokonaro is the one to be thanked. I was just the distraction..."
[11:26 AM] Kwakasuro: "Oh, that's right, isn't it...Are you injured?" She shot him a coy look, before turning back to the papers. "Well, I can handle the inheritance. Sign here." Without looking up, the noblewoman slid a sheet of parchment across the table to her husband.
[11:29 AM] Ruby Rose: Erik quickly skimmed the paper and signed.
"No injuries, dear."
He slid the sheet back across the table.
[11:31 AM] Kwakasuro: "I'm so glad."
She checked the parchment one last time before rolling it up and setting it aside.
"Congratulations, Erik. You are now the wealthiest man in the entire Entertainment District." She folded her hands in front of her triumphantly.
[11:36 AM] Ruby Rose: "I couldn't have done it without my beautiful wife, the wealthiest woman in the Entertainment District."
[11:39 AM] Kwakasuro: Satomi let out a cold giggle. "Now then, we still have the matter of Ukiyo's nephew. He's barely a child, but if my family presses his claims it would set us back...far too many months, dear."
She extended a hand across the table, as if to seek his comfort. "We'll need to take care of him next."(edited)
[11:40 AM] Ruby Rose: "H-how old is he?"
[11:42 AM] Kwakasuro: "Two years old..." A concerned scowl crept across her face, as she laid her vacant hand in front of him. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little boy, Erik."(edited)
[11:44 AM] Ruby Rose: "I'm not afraid of the boy. I just don't know if I'm comfortable killing a two year old." His voise wasn't raised, but there's a more stern tone.
[11:47 AM] Kwakasuro: "You would rather wait until he is old enough to hold a sword?" Satomi's hand clenched, and slid back. "Until he is ready to take your life instead?"
[11:50 AM] Ruby Rose: "N-no..."
Erik was visibly puzzled about how to deal with this.
[11:55 AM] Kwakasuro: Satomi turned away, looking disappointed.
"If you aren't capable, I suppose we could pay someone...But it's so hard to find someone you can trust lately...."
[11:56 AM] Ruby Rose: "What about Sokonaro? He was able to take care of Ukiyo fairly well."
[12:00 PM] Kwakasuro: "If I could ask Sokonaro to do it, I wouldn't have bothered--" She gives a soft cough. "I need him in Kranhai this week. And I need you...to be brave for me again". Satomi looked back at the puzzled nobleman, out of the corner of her eye.
[12:04 PM] Ruby Rose: "What about Walter? Do you think he would do it?"
[12:07 PM] Kwakasuro: "I've never known him to be a coward...just a loudmouth. This has to stay, just between us." A friendly smile, unsettling in its warmth, topped her words.
"Tell me you'll take care of it. For us. For Intetsu."(edited)
[12:10 PM] Ruby Rose: "I... I will do it... "
[12:12 PM] Kwakasuro: Satomi sighed with girlish glee. "Now there's the hero I married."(edited)
[12:17 PM] Kwakasuro: @Ruby Rose actually I'm gonna brb for about 45 minutes so take your time with this one
[12:30 PM] Ruby Rose: "The hero you're trying to turn into a monster."
The booming voice came from Erik's right. Standing there was an older and larger man, with grey hair and a short beard.
[1:21 PM] Kwakasuro: A spark of fear twitched through Satomi.
"Lord Stormblade."
She turned to her father-in-law with a saccharine smile, almost patronizing in its benevolence.
"Honestly, I'm as upset as you are. To hear that my husband was carousing around the streets and getting into fights, with all this unrest..."(edited)
[1:33 PM] Ruby Rose: Erik looked to Satomi, confused.
"Don't try that with me, Satomi. You two are in on this together."
[1:40 PM] Kwakasuro: "In on what, if I may ask?"
Looking to the two of them in confusion, Satomi nonchalantly starts gathering up her assortment of troop charts, business deeds, and court memos, as if to just clear out the space.
"Those men attacked him. Erik was only defending himself, in the wrong place at the wrong time."
[1:43 PM] Ruby Rose: "Cut the crap Satomi, I've overheard your little talks. I'm going to report you to Intetsu officials."
[1:44 PM] Ruby Rose: "Father..what you you mean? What we're doing, it's helping Intetsu."
[1:48 PM] Kwakasuro: "You would betray your own family like that? I don't believe it, Stormblade..."
Satomi flashed the older man a smile. "I thought you cared about your son."
[2:12 PM] Ruby Rose: "Clearly I care about him mora than you do!"
He pointed a finger at Satomi to emphasize his point.
"Trying to get him to kill an innocent child? That's despicable!"
[2:25 PM] Kwakasuro: "It's more than you could manage, old man. You couldn't swat a fly without begging Intetsu officials to do it for you."
Satomi giggled unsettlingly, leaning to the side. "That axe you're holding is just for show, isn't it?"(edited)
[2:28 PM] Ruby Rose: "Ha! I got to this point because of hard work and legitimate means! I didn't rely on backdoor deals, and assassinations to gain this status."
[2:33 PM] Kwakasuro: "You have nothing." Satomi's voice started to heat up as she stood, literally talking over her husband's head. "Erik and I, are making the Stormblade name greater than any other...how can you get in the way of that!?"(edited)
[2:37 PM] Ruby Rose: "This is still my house. If you continue to work against Intetsu inside my home, then I will have you kicked out!"
Erik finally responded to his father saying,
"Father, I know that this seems wrong, but trust me, the ends justify the means!"
"Wealth at the cost of human lives is no wealth to be proud of, son."
[2:39 PM] Kwakasuro: "Erik, he's going to have us thrown in jail!" Satomi's shifting gaze flickered about the room. "Sokonaro? Sokonaro!?"
[2:44 PM] Ruby Rose: "Father, you need to rethink this-"
"Erik, I have already thought about this. You two are to stop this now, or I will have you both locked up."
[2:47 PM] Kwakasuro: "We can't stop now, it's too late!" Satomi circled around the table, picking up her crystalline rod as she got behind Erik. "Dearest, please...Make him understand!"
[2:54 PM] Ruby Rose: Erik stood up and faced his father.
"Father, we're not going to stop. Our actions are helping Khlin."
[2:54 PM] Kwakasuro: "Yes, that's right!"
[2:56 PM] Ruby Rose: "Says who? You two are the only ones benefiting from this!"
[2:59 PM] Kwakasuro: "And you." Satomi was practically smoldering. "I'm no fool, Stormblade. You waited this long, just to throw us out once the work was all done. And then everything we've earned falls to you...Does it not?!"
She whirled over to Erik.
"Don't you see!? He's been plotting against us!"(edited)
[3:02 PM] Ruby Rose: Frederick glared at Satomi.
"How dare you accuse me of such a thing! Get out of my home. Now!"
[3:03 PM] Kwakasuro: Her only reply was a pained shriek...giving Erik a chance to stand up to him.
[3:05 PM] Ruby Rose: "Father, that's enough. As your only son still loyal to the Stormblade name, I won't allow you to harass me and my wife like this!"
Now fed up, Frederick Stormblade picked up his battleaxe and pointed it at Erik.
"You will respect your father, Erik. Don't you ever speak to me like that again-"(edited)
[3:12 PM] Kwakasuro: And a burst of magical ice cut his speech short, as Frederick was completely immobilized by Satomi's staff. Her eyes bored into her frozen father-in-law with a white-hot focus, which faded as she turned back to her husband.
"Erik, stop him, he's going to kill me."
[3:14 PM] Ruby Rose: "He's frozen, we can just leave."
[3:15 PM] Kwakasuro: "It won't hold him forever!" She clutched at his side. "Do something!"
[3:17 PM] Ruby Rose: "Like what?"
[3:18 PM] Kwakasuro: Satomi's words grew sharp and searing, like a hot iron. "He's pointing an axe at you, idiot, kill him!"
[3:20 PM] Ruby Rose: "Kill him? But he's my father!"
[3:21 PM] Kwakasuro: The enchantment began to give way, bringing the chilling sound of cracking ice. "Do you want to go to jail? Do you want me to die?!"
[3:24 PM] Ruby Rose: "No, never!"
He watched in fear as the ice started to melt away.
He drew his sword and held it at his side.(edited)
[3:26 PM] Kwakasuro: "You have to choose, Erik! Him, or me?" Satomi lifted the staff once more, focusing all her attention on the old man in front of her.(edited)
[3:31 PM] Ruby Rose: Frederick started to move his head, and glared at Satomi.
"You bitch..."
"I'm sorry Father."
Erik plunged the blade into his father's chest, watching as the life drained from his eyes.
"This is no longer your house. You can no longer tell me what to do."
Erik's tone was much darker than any he had ever spoken before then. He knew something had changed... He had killed someone, with his own blade... Not only killed someone, but killed his father. He knew that his wife had coerced him into doing it, but he was so filled with adrenaline that it didn't even register. He just stared at his father's lifeless body inside the melting shell of ice.
[3:49 PM] Kwakasuro: As her panic faded into relief, Satomi let the staff fall from her fingers. She watched her fool of a husband from behind, letting a smile creep up to her cheeks. He could never turn back now. Not until the whole country was theirs.
"That was so brave...." She sauntered to her husband's side, stroking his cheek lovingly as they watched the corpse thaw.
"...my handsome king."
[3:51 PM] Ruby Rose: ===END RP===
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