---
SCENE 1: THE HUNTING REALM – DAWN OVER REISEN
(A vast golden sky stretches over Reisen—the crown jewel of the Hunting Realm. Towering pagodas with curved roofs pierce the horizon, their wooden beams carved with celestial maps. Bridges of lacquered vermillion arch over rivers that flow (upwards), defying gravity as they feed floating gardens brimming with luminescent flora.)*
NARRATION (bold): "Here, where earth bows to willpower—where hunters carve fate into flesh—balance is not kept. It is (earned)."
The streets thrum like a living thing; figures in Kimono move in synchronized chaos, their cloaks flaring behind them like predator's wings. Among them stride the---12 Sword Saints of the Forest—an elite cadre responsible for maintaining the peace within the entire Hunting realm. Their crimson sashes denote their status, marked with "12" (in silver thread).
A towering woman—her hair blue as starlight—strides through the streets, her eyes scanning the crowd. A young boy, barely five, darts out from a side alley and barrels straight into her.
1 (catches him, chuckles) "Slow down, little one. Running like that, you might as well be courting the Kaimon!"
SCENE 2: THE CRIMSON ASSEMBLY – GATES OF THE KŌSHA HALL
(The Hall of Twelve stands at the heart of Reisen—a structure of black lacquered wood and silver-edged pillars that seem to bleed shadows at dawn. The air hums with restrained power as each member arrives, their footsteps making no sound despite their immense presence.)
CLOTHING HIERARCHY IN THE HUNTING REALM:
- Citizens: Earth-toned kimonos with simple geometric patterns (linen/cotton)
- Hunters: Navy/dark indigo kosode jackets over gray hakama (practical/martial)
- Lieutenants: Black kimono with one colored sleeve denoting division specialty
- Captains: Full kimono in clan colors with family crests embroidered on back
But the Sword Saints transcend all convention. Their garments are---(unique).
Each member's kimono is woven from threads infused with celestial metals—rare components only found in the depths of otherworldly landscapes—and their design carries the weight of centuries of tradition and accomplishment. The patterns on their kimonos are as distinctive as fingerprints, (and none are identical) to the others.
SCENE 3: THE TWELVE PILLARS - KŌSHA INTRODUCTIONS
(The Twelve stand arrayed in the Hall of Celestial Accord, each radiating an aura befitting their station. Their kimonos—masterpieces woven from myth itself—tell stories without words.)
1. HONJŌ MASAYUKI (Clan: Honjō)
- Kimono: Midnight blue threaded with liquid silver, depicting a tidal wave frozen mid-crash
- Appearance: A man with salt-white hair tied in a naval knot, storm-gray eyes that flicker like lightning
- Personality: A calm strategist who speaks only when the tides demand it
- (The Honjō Clan controls the Realm's coastal defenses)
2. RYUGEN HARUKA
- Design: Vermilion silk patterned with dancing foxfire wisps
- Look: Wild crimson hair streaked gold; fox-like amber eyes that never blink together*
- Nature: Grinning trickster who files her teeth sharp; carries twelve concealed blades
(The Ryugen Family are masters of espionage and trickery, guarding the hidden secrets of the Realm)
3. SAKURA EISHIRŌ
- Kimono: Pale pink petals over deep indigo, cascading into the night; cherry blossoms in bloom
- Appearance: Lean features, silver eyes that hold a thousand whispers. His hair, jet black, weaves into the kimono's design
- Personality: The silent sentinel who is always a sword stroke away from the next threat
- (Sakura Clan guards the sacred heart of Reisen's City)
4. AKAIHARA SACHIKO (Clan: Akaihara)
- Kimono: Flame-colored fabric streaked with ash and shadow, adorned with phoenix feathers
- Appearance: Fiery red hair framing eyes like polished obsidian; a face carved from the fires of rebirth
- Personality: A fierce combatant who believes only the strongest can defend the weak, she fights as a blazing inferno
- (The Akiharas are celebrated warriors—their bloodline is said to be touched by the first phoenix)
5. KUROGANE JIN
- Kimono: Solid black, unadorned—yet under light reveals shifting star constellations
- Appearance: Tall and gaunt with silver-white hair cut jaggedly; his irises are pure black, pupil-less voids
- Personality: Speaks in riddles that taste like prophecies. The others say he "dreams while awake."
6. SHIZUKA
- Design: Waterfall silk where colors bleed from sapphire to mist-gray
- Look: Long navy hair bound by cords of pearl; her movements make no sound*
- Nature: Gentle voice that carries the weight of drowning depths
(Her origins are unknown—even among the Twelve)
7. MINAMOTO AOI (Clan: Minamoto)
- Kimono: Pristine white snow-silk, etched with a single sakura, always in bloom
- Appearance: Cascading lavender hair like a veil around pale skin; amethyst eyes flecked with ice
- Personality: An icy tactician who calculates ten steps ahead. Her words, like her blade, have no mercy
- (Minamoto Clan's mastery of frost-based magics is unmatched)
8. YOROKOBI NO KAGUYA
- Kimono: Golden silk threaded with starlight, forming ever-shifting constellations
- Appearance: A woman whose face seems to change each time you blink—only her crescent-moon smile remains constant
- Personality: Laughs like wind chimes; carries a gilded war fan that whispers futures
(She refuses bloodlines—calls herself "daughter of the moon's reflection")
---
9. HIBIKI
- Attire: Kimono made from thunderstorm fabric (dark purple crackling with silver veins)
- Look: Spiked black hair standing on end as if struck by lightning; eyes glow violet when angered
- Trait: Speaks in booming declarations—hates subtlety, loves direct challenges
(Once split a mountain to prove a point)
---
10. SHIROGANE KAZANE (The Silent Tempest)
- Kimono: "Dragon's Breath Silk" – Shimmering silver fabric that hardens like armor when sensing danger, patterned with swirling storm clouds
- Appearance: A towering woman with braided platinum hair and scars mapping her body like constellations. Wears no shoes—her bare feet leave frostbitten prints
- Weapon: "Rengoku" – A nodachi forged from a meteorite, its edge serrated like a beast's fangs. Glows crimson when tasting blood
Personality Paradox: Speaks in haiku during battle ("Cut moon reflects truth / Your arteries sing to me / Now hush—forever") but communicates solely through sign language otherwise
---
11. BYAKKOU "THE WHITE TIGER"
(Pushes open the hall doors late, dragging a still-twitching Kaimon carcass by its spine)
- Kimono: Rugged white tiger pelt draped over bare chest; loose onyx hakama tied with chains
- Blade: "Shiranui" (Mirage Fang)
A sword crafted from the bone of a (Byakko) beast, etched with ancient runic symbols that glow a dull crimson during combat. Each kill imbues the blade with temporary speed enhancements, yet the stolen vigor exacts a heavy toll on the wielder's lifespan.
- Personality: Battle-crazed and blood-thirsty, Byakkou's every action carries the raw ferocity of a cornered beast. His eyes—twin pools of dark amethyst—hold no mercy.
- Appearance: Hair wild like a mane; teeth filed to points, a chilling grin that splits his face unnaturally wide. Scars mar his exposed skin, a testament to past hunts and battles won.
(A man who seeks death as much as victory)
---
12. KICHIRO AIHARA (Yua's Older Brother)
- Kimono: Deep hunter-green threaded with silver vines—subtle, yet moves like living foliage in the wind
- Appearance: Sharper features than Yua, but same piercing gold eyes; black hair tied back with a strip of beast-hide
- Personality: A deceptive calm over fury banked like embers. Speaks little, observes everything—especially when it comes to those who endanger his sister
**CHAPTER 11: "OF STARS AND SHADOWED THRONES"**
---
SCENE 4: COUNCIL OF BLADES
(The Hall's braziers flare as the Twelve settle into their debate before the Tenka's arrival. Tension hums between them like drawn steel.)
Masayuki (traces a finger along his tidal-wave kimono): "Another star-fall in three centuries... The patterns are repeating."
Haruka (grinning, twirling a dagger between sharpened teeth): "Or maybe~ someone finally, bothered to count properly!"
Aoi's frost-kissed sleeve crackles as she slams her palm on the obsidian table. "This isn't amusing. A breach in our Realm means—"
Jin's void-black eyes blink simultaneously for once. "It means nothing until it means everything. The third moon hasn't bled yet."
(Kichiro remains silent near the windows, gripping his phase-shifting blade's hilt—)
---
Byakkou suddenly vaults onto the table, Shiranui singing from its sheath. "Enough talking! Let me hunt whatever crawled through the breach!" His blade hums with barely contained bloodlust.
Sachiko (rolling her obsidian eyes as flames lick at her sleeves): "Sit down, you overgrown kitten. You can't even hunt patience."
Yorokobi's* constellation-kimono swirls as she laughs, fan fluttering: "Oh, but do let him try—I'd wager three sunrises before he gets himself banished to another dimension again."
(Even the usually silent Hibiki snorts at this—his thunder-patterned kimono flashing with amusement)
---
The Argument Shifts:
Shizuka's voice finally emerges like a slow tide (pearl-bound hair shimmering): "...We ignore the human who crossed over with Yua."
*Kichiro's grip tightens imperceptibly on Kagerou.)
---
(Before tensions escalate further—)
A gong shakes the hall. The braziers dim. Every kimono's celestial threads pulse once in unison.
All voices die.
(The Banshō-ō has come.)
THE BANSHŌ-Ō OF THE HUNTING REALM:
RYŪJIN "SHIEN" TAKAMAGAHARA
---
APPEARANCE:
- A being who seems carved from moonlight and shadow—taller than mortal limits, his form flickers between corporeal and ephemeral
- Hair: Silver-white strands that float as if underwater, each tip glowing like distant stars
- Eyes: Left iris a burning supernova gold / Right pupil a black hole void that drinks light itself
- Skin: Pale as the first frost, threaded with luminous veins that pulse in time with the Realm's heartbeat
(His very presence warps space—objects near him hover slightly, dust freezing mid-air)
---
RAIMENT (The "Unwoven Kimono"):
>No thread spun by mortal or celestial hands could hope to contain him. Instead:
- A (living nebula) cloaks his form—swirling galaxies trapped in fabric that shouldn't exist. Collar bones visible through stardust gaps.
- Sleeves drip molten silver where they brush the floor, solidifying into prophecy-laden inscriptions before vanishing again.
PERSONALITY:
- Gently terrible—a voice that rings like cathedral bells yet carries the gentlest threat. Each word chosen with precision.
- Mercilessly patient—his age measures in cosmic eons. A century feels insignificant.
- Deadly curiosity: No detail is too small; no question too big. He hungers for knowledge like a drowning man gasps air.
(To challenge his intellect is to test time itself.)
[SCENE 5: "A Meeting of Blood and Spirit."]
(The gong's echo lingers like a held breath. The Sword Saints of the Forest stand at perfect attention as the air itself splits *—*
The Banshō-ō enters.
His nebula-kimono bleeds shadows and starlight onto the floor, each step leaving fleeting constellations underfoot. When he speaks, his voice is both a whisper and an earthquake:
"Tell me why..." (the left eye burns gold) "...I shouldn't reduce this hall to cinders for your incompetence?"
(Silence.) Even Byakkou lowers his blade.
---
Kichiro breaks formation first:
Steps forward, green kimono rustling like leaves in warning. "My sister crossed realms with a human boy who survived First Contact with an Eclipseborn." (A murmur ripples through the Saints.) "If that doesn't interest you—"
Ryūjin's void-right eye (pulses). Kichiro's words die in his throat as invisible force slams him to one knee.
---
Jin's silver gaze flutters from under his dark lashes. "The human has a done the impossible and pushed his Seisu energy past mortal limits. His aura is... unbelievable."
---
Yorokobi's voice rings out like a struck chime, drawing Ryujin's attention:
"A creature who shouldn't exist. Whose destiny could fracture ours." She raises her fan of star-dusted parchment—each fold a separate prophecy. "Yet his future is veiled... his very stars unfamiliar."
(A deep hum resonates through the hall as Ryujin considers this, his presence warping the air with quiet intensity.)
Ryujin: "An anomaly then." His voice thrums like distant thunder. "One that disrupts the celestial balance... or perhaps restores it."
His left eye—golden and burning—fixes on each Sword Saint in turn. "Haruka."
The fox-eyed trickster stiffens, her vermilion kimono shimmering uneasily. "Y-yes, (Banshō-ō) Ryujin?"
"You will observe this boy. Test him. But do not interfere. I wish to see what paths he chooses... unprompted."
Haruka's grin returns, sharp and eager. ~"Ohhh, now this'll be fun~"~
Ryujin: "Meeting is dismissed."
(The Hall's braziers snuff out in unison—Ryujin's departure marked only by the lingering scent of ozone and a single dying star flickering above the room.)
---
SCENE 6: RYO'S WORLD – DAWN IN A QUIET ROOM
(Back in Ryo's modest bedroom, sunlight bleeds through half-drawn curtains. Yua sits upright on the edge of his bed, bandages peeking beneath her hunter's garb. She stares at her palms—still faintly glowing with residual celestial energy from crossing worlds.)
Ryo (leaning against his desk, arms crossed): "So… I'm gonna need you to explain to me what Eclipseborn spirits are?" (He laughs weakly.) "This is so much to understand."*
Yua's gold eyes flash—not with amusement. "You held an Eclipseborn at bay. (Alone). That's what's 'messed up,' Ryo Kenzaki."
(A beat of silence. Somewhere beyond the window, a crow caws—too loudly.)
(SCENE 7: "BLOOD AND COSMOS)"
(Yua exhales sharply before pressing a glowing palm against Ryo's chest—her touch igniting a (painful) crimson sigil beneath his shirt.)
---
SCENE 8: THE LAW OF BLOOD PACTS
1. Eclipseborn: Celestial entities bound to hunters through mutual survival pacts.
2. Stages:
- First Thread (Initial contact) → Moonmarked (Sigil appears) → Bloodsworn (Full symbiosis).
3. Classes:
[1] Kagutsuchi – Punishment Born ("Power Class")
- Manifest as armored beasts or weapons of pure destruction. Feed on combat adrenaline. Known for overwhelming physical force and brutal battle instincts ("They fight because they cannot do otherwise.")
[2] Yomotsukami – Nightblaze Sovereigns ("Elemental/Cursed Class")
- Manifest as elemental entities—controlling wind, fire, lightning, etc. Often bound to curses or prophecies, granting unique abilities and drawbacks. Known for their otherworldly grace and unpredictable nature.
[3] Tsukiyomi – Eclipsed Deities ("Divine Class")(Rare Class)
- Manifest as ethereal beings embodying primal aspects of existence. Tend toward wisdom or madness, power or corruption. Known for their near-omnipotence and ability to affect reality on a grand scale.
[4] Shiranui – Rogue Ones ("Hybrids") (Rarest)
- Unpredictable manifestations of Eclipseborn power. May combine traits from multiple classes, defying easy categorization. Often unstable, with immense potential for growth and destruction. Known for adaptability and resilience.
PACT OATH:
"Blood to bind, spirit to share—until my last breath, I am yours." (When spoken in earnest, seals the pact between Eclipseborn and hunter.)
Ryo: "Amazing! So what's that?"
(SCENE 9: THE WAY OF A HUNTER)
(Night falls. Ryo and Yua sit on the roof of his apartment, staring at stars. Ryo traces a finger across a silver medal on Yua's Kimono—an owl with spread wings.)
"So… these are special?"
Yua glances down, her smile sharp as the metal under her chin. "You want the story? Fine. But we have to start with the reason hunters like me wear them."
(Her eyes darken—the memory pulling her back in time.)
---
FLASHBACK: WINTER OF THE BROKEN SKY (5 YEARS AGO)
(A younger Yua and Kichiro trudge through knee-deep snow, their breaths frosting under a bleeding sunset. Blood cakes Yua's sleeve from a fresh wound. Ahead looms the "Gate of Trials", a towering arch of bone and obsidian where initiates prove their worth.)
Kichiro (tightening his phase-blade's grip): "You ready to earn your first Medal, little storm?"
(Yua bares bloodied teeth at the nickname—then charges into the trial grounds where an Eclipseborn awaits…)
(Narration: Yua's voice over the memories, her words growing softer):
"See… Medals aren't just honors. They're burdens... and proof we're still alive."
(They flash through scenes of Yua's grueling trials, her victories, her failures. A silver medal is pinned to her arm after every challenge—a grim reminder of what she's endured to survive.)
(Then the memory shifts—a year later. Yua and Kichiro stand before the Banshō-ō, his left eye glowing as he hands her another badge…)
(The moment is fleeting—too brief for joy. They leave together, their shadows lengthening on the snow. Yua's last medal. A twin to Kichiro's own. Their faces mirror one another as they say:
Both: "Until the end."
---
PRESENT DAY (Ryo's apartment. The medal flashes red in the moonlight as Yua looks down.)
Yua (harsh in the silence): "A Hunter's Medals are scars, Ryo. Nothing more, nothing less."
Ryo stares blankly not knowing what to say
---
Yua (frowning): "...did you even listen?"
Ryo (sheepish): "Uh, mostly..."
(She eyes them, then rolls her eyes. A faint smirk tugs at her lips—and in that moment, she's not a Hunter but a girl. A normal girl. Ryo's heart skips. He swallows—tries to speak—she leans back, smirking.
\~He could almost believe she's flirting with him.\~)
(SCENE 10: A HUMAN'S PRIDE)
(Yua's annoyance softens slightly as Ryo scratches his head, realizing he might've been insensitive.)
Ryo: "Sorry—I didn't mean to brush it off. It's just… where I'm from, medals aren't just scars. They're also proof you did something amazing."
(He reaches under his bed and pulls out a dusty shoebox, flipping it open to reveal—)
---
HUMAN TRIUMPHS:
- A little league trophy ("We got destroyed in finals but coach gave us these anyway for 'guts'.")
- Swimming medals ("Bronze means I was the third slowest!")
- A faded blue ribbon ("...Okay this one was for 'Most Improved' in math. Don't laugh.")
(Yua stares at them like they're alien artifacts—then picks up the bronze medal, holding it to the light.)
---
(The Moment Shifts)
Her fingers trace its grooves quietly before she mutters: "...You humans really celebrate surviving stupid things too, huh?" (Yua (grinning): "We'll make a Hunter out of you."
(Ryo's eyes narrow, a wicked thought dancing through his mind. He holds yua's hand—ignoring her gasp—and slides her medal onto her wrist.)
Ryo (teasing): "So I guess I'm a Hunter too now."
Yua (scowling): "Give it back, you idiot!"
(SCENE 11: YUA'S JOURNAL - "ENTRY #27")
(Yua snatches back her medal with a scoff, but the annoyance doesn't reach her eyes. Instead, she pulls out a worn leather journal—its pages filled with sketches of odd human objects and hurried notes in Hunting Realm script.)
---
Excerpts From "Observations of a Mortal World"
- "Humans award shiny metal circles for 'participation.' (Note: They also eat while walking. Savages.)
- "Their 'math trophies' are not weapons. I checked."
- "Ryo Kenzaki remains the weirdest thing here." (This line is underlined twice.)
(She flips to a fresh page, tongue between her teeth as she scribbles—)
NEW ENTRY:
"Day 14 in human realm. Learned: Medals here = joy??? Also Ryo can't be trusted near shiny objects." (She glares at him pointedly before snapping the journal shut.)
---
SCENE 11: A Prophecy Foretold
(Yua's eyes narrow as she turns a page in her journal—revealing a sketch of an ominous tree with a serpent coiled around its trunk. Its branches reach for the sky, each one ending in a dagger-shaped leaf.)
---
A MYSTERIOUS TALE:
"Long ago, in the twilight of the Old World, a prophecy whispered through the realms. It spoke of nine Singularities—chosen beings whose bloodlines could tip the scales of destiny itself…"
(The sketch's details...deepen, showing twisted roots that look almost like veins. Yua's voice drops to a hushed whisper, her eyes gleaming gold as she continues.)
"...And those who sought to control them..." (She pauses, her gaze flicking to Ryo.) "...would unravel existence as we know it."
---
A HEAVY SILENCE
It hangs between them, the weight of the prophecy sinking in. Then, a smirk tugs at Yua's lips—a challenge.
Yua: "What? Scared yet, Ryo?"
Ryo (grinning despite himself): "Me? Scared? Nah. More like... curious." (He leans closer, tapping the sketch.) "So these Singularities—they're basically people fate decided to throw into deep water with no floaties?"
Yua (snorting): "...That's one way to put it. But worse. (Much) *worse."*
(She flips the page again, revealing another drawing—a figure wreathed in black fire, eyes glowing like dying stars.)
---
THE FIRST SINGULARITY: "SHIROGANE KAZANE"
- Title: The Storm That Walks
- Legacy: A Blood Pact forged with an Eclipseborn of the Tsukiyomi class before she was even born.
- Fate: To either drown the world in celestial blood... or save it from something worse.
---
(And as Ryo stares at the page, a cold realization creeps up his spine—)
Somewhere in this world… he might already be standing next to one.
(Yua taps the page below the drawing of Shirogane Kazane-)
Yua (grim): "He was the first."
(She starts sketching again—quick strokes forming a second figure, this time a tall man with a missing eye. Shadows cling to him like a second skin. Beneath his image, she scrawls a name.)
---
THE SECOND SINGULARITY: "YARIKOWA PYRETON" (MOURNBLOOD)
- Title: The Mournsong that Never Fades
(FULL NAME: "Pyreton Yarikowa – 'The Man Who Kills With His Shadow'")
---
APPEARANCE:
- A hollow-cheeked wanderer wrapped in a (tattered, smoke-stained cloak), its threads woven from the remnants of fallen Blood Pact banners.
- One eye missing (the left socket seared shut with what looks like blackened lightning scars), his remaining right iris the color of burnt copper.
- Silver hair streaked crimson—not dyed, but stained by something that won't wash out.
(He does not smile. He has forgotten how.)
---
WEAPON: "NAGAMORI" (The Long Mourning)
A blade forged from a dead star's core—its edge dull no matter how sharp it is, because it was never meant to cut flesh… only (fate itself). It weeps black vapor when drawn.
---
(His Curse In Detail)
1. The longer he stays near someone (even allies), the higher chance they die — collapsing mid-sentence with ruptured organs for (no medical reason).
2. His daughter ("Kaede Yarikowa") was taken from him at birth—raised by the Sword Saints to ensure she never learns his face, his name, or the agony laced into his blood.
3. He does not age. He does not rest. His footsteps leave ghostly afterimages that linger for hours before dissolving like regret.
---
NICKNAME(S):
- "The Walking Despair" (common)
- "Sorrow's Hollow Vessel" (whispered in taverns where hunters dare speak of him)
- "The Mournsong that never fades" (rare)
- "Pyreton" itself—a name that now means 'the spark before the funeral pyre.'
(And somewhere beyond this page… he walks still. Alone. Always alone.)
(Ryo stares at the sketch of Pyreton, his usual bravado flickering for just a moment as something cold settles in his chest. The man's hollow eye seems to stare back—not with malice, but with a weariness that feels... familiar.)
"This guy..." Ryo starts before stopping himself. His fingers tighten around the journal page slightly, creasing the edge. "Did he ever... fight it?"
Yua hesitates—then flips to another page where a single sentence is written in jagged script:
"The only thing worse than being cursed by fate is watching it happen to everyone else." — P.Y.
(A tense beat passes before Yua speaks again — soft, almost a whisper.)
"He fought... but fate always wins, Ryo." Her gaze flickers to the window—to the darkening sky as night falls.
"So he's out there, right? Still... fighting." Ryo tries to sound confident. It's an effort. Yua meets his eyes. "Yes… but fighting destiny is like…"
She frowns, trying to explain the unexplainable.
"It's like fighting the ocean's tide with a spoon."
(Yua exhales sharply before flipping to the next page—where the charcoal sketch of a gaunt man glares back, his piercing eyes framed by wild, unkempt hair. The lines are jagged, as if drawn with restless energy.)
---
THE THIRD SINGULARITY: "KENSEI TSUKIGUMO" (The Stormchained Sage)
- Title: "The Scholar Who Drank Too Deep of Truth"
- Current Fate: Imprisoned in a prison somewhere in the human realm.
- Crime? Unknown. But his last words before capture were: "I will peel back the sky's veins."
---
APPEARANCE & PERSONA:
- A figure draped in tattered scholar robes that flutter like moth-eaten wings. His hands (always twitching) are ink-stained up to the elbows from endless writing.
- Wild silver hair streaked with streaks of iron-black gives him an aura between genius and madness—his irises glow faintly violet when agitated (which is often).
/h3>
- Personality: A mind like a storm—brilliant, unpredictable, and dangerously obsessive. Speaks in riddles that sound like prophecies. Hates authority (especially the Sword Saints) and has a habit of laughing at the worst moments.
- Backstory: Once a revered scholar of Seishu energy, his experiments grew... extreme. He believed Seishu was (alive)—a sentient force that could be bargained with (or worse, controlled). His final experiment left an entire village frozen in time before he vanished… only to reappear years later in chains.
---
(The Journal's Notes on Him)
"Kensei was right about one thing: Seishu is not just energy—it's watching us. And it remembers. " — Yua's handwriting shakes near his name.
(Ryo opens his mouth to ask more—when suddenly the journal page under Kensei's sketch starts... smoldering.)
Yua slams it shut.
Yua (gritted teeth): "...We're done for tonight."
(Before Ryo can protest—)
Knock-knock-knock!
A high-pitched giggle echoes through the door, followed by tiny fists pounding excitedly. "Nii-chan! Who's the weird lady with you?! Dad says come eat!"
Yua stiffens like a cornered animal. "…Weird lady?" (Her eye twitches.)
Ryo grins, throwing open the door—where a tiny hurricane in pigtails (aka Rumi Kenzaki, age 6) launches herself at his legs while peering around him at Yua with giant curious eyes.
---
SCENE 12: FAMILY INTRO CHAOS:
- Rumi (whisper-yelling): "Is she your girlfriend? Kana from class said boys get red faces when they—" (Ryo clamps a hand over her mouth mid-sentence.)
- Mr. Kenzaki calls from downstairs: "RYO! Stop hiding strangers in your room and bring her to dinner!" (Yua's eye twitches harder.)
- Even the family cat saunters in just to \- (add) to the commotion. It rubs Yua's ankles with an appreciative purr before promptly curling up on Ryo's bed—right on top of his homework. - (Rumi giggles uncontrollably.)
Ryo (red-faced, trying to maintain dignity): "Rumi... please... can you maybe \not\ interrogate Yua for just a second? I need to save some face here."
Yua (crouching down, smiling softly): "Well, hello there. I'm Yua, Ryo's... " ("Weird friend!" Rumi interjects.) Yua (shakes her head, amused.) "Friend."
(The Kenzaki household is bustling, filled with a warmth that makes Yua's chest ache. This family feels so full of life—a stark contrast to her own lonely world. She catches Ryo's eye as he helps set the table. A silent 'Thank you,' perhaps?)
(Scene 13: The Kenzaki Dinner Table – Chaos & Comfort)
Ryo's dad, Kujuro—a broad-shouldered man with laugh lines and salt-and-pepper hair—drops a steaming bowl of miso soup in front of Yua.
Kujuro (grinning): "Eat up, kid. You look like you've been living off battlefield rations."
(Yua blinks—because she literally has.)
Meanwhile…
- Rumi: Attempts to sneak tofu onto Ryo's plate ("You need to grow taller!").
- Yua: Stares at the family-style dishes like they're alien artifacts (since when did food come in colors besides "burnt" and "questionable"?).
- Ryo: Facepalms as his dad starts telling embarrassing childhood stories ("So there was this one time Ryo tried to fight a mailbox—")
(Yua's lips twitch in amusement—then she hides it under a polite cough and eats quietly. But the Kenzakis are like a storm, sweeping Yua into easy laughter and friendly banter. Their dinner might be a chaotic whirlwind—but it's a whirlwind that wraps her in a sense of belonging she hasn't felt in a long time.)
The dinner ends Rumi continues her shenanigans, but eventually says goodnight as Kujuro.
(Scene 14: The Calm After Dinner – Plans and Possibilities)
The muffled sounds of dishes clattering downstairs fade as Ryo shuts his bedroom door behind them. The warm glow of the desk lamp casts long shadows across the room—Yua leaning against the windowsill, arms crossed.
Ryo (running a hand through his hair): "Alright, straight talk—what do I (do) about this Eclipseborn thing? I can't just… ignore it, right?"
---
YUA'S ADVICE: (She holds up three fingers)
1️⃣ "Training. You need control before that thing decides to pilot your body like a drunkard steering a wagon."
2️⃣ "Research. Your Eclipseborn isn't normal—we find out what class it is. Tsukiyomi? Kagutsuchi? That changes everything."
3️⃣ "Bargaining. It's not your enemy… yet. But you need leverage before it realizes how much power it has over you."(A pause.)
(Her eyes gleam gold in the dim light.)
"And Ryo?"
"Don't you dare die before you can see it smile."
(It's an odd request—but Ryo nods, accepting it as if she asked him to pick up some groceries.)
Ryo (determined): "Deal. But you better not disappear into the hunter realm. Who else would I find for training? My cat?" (He grins—a glimmer of that old bravado.)
Yua (rolling her eyes): "Don't give your cat a sword, Ryo. It's bad for world safety."
(A shadow passes over Yua's face, her laughter fading. She glances out the window, where the moon hangs like a blood-stained pearl in the night sky.)
Yua (quieter): "I don't know if I can... return."
(Ryo catches the subtle hesitation in her tone—the subtle fear in her eyes. Her fingers clench tight before she forces them to uncurl.)
"My power... it's gone. Or at least, I can't reach it. Not like I used to."
Yua (a brittle half-laugh): "Ironic. The night I first felt alive in that human city—it also took everything away."
(Her fingers brush her chest where the Eclipseborn's mark once glowed golden under her skin.)
"But it's just a setback. I'll find a way to restore my power... and when I do..."
(Ryo notices how she hesitates again—how her gaze goes distant like she's staring at something he can't see behind a faraway horizon.)
(She shakes herself. A familiar mask slides over her face—a smile that's both teasing and tired.)
"Enough about me. Let's focus on what we (can) do, like figuring out your Eclipseborn's class first."
(And the conversation shifts—but Ryo finds himself wondering what Yua planned to say before she stopped herself. The curiosity tugs at him like a nagging memory. He pushes it away—focusing on the present.)
Yua (a small smile, as if remembering something amusing): "Actually, I know someone who might help. Trust me. They're an odd one, but they know their stuff."
(There's a hint of mischief in her tone, and a faint glimmer in her eyes that hasn't been there in the last few days. Whatever she's planning, it's clear she's excited about it—and Ryo finds his own curiosity awakening.)
(The night wraps around them, stars twinkling through the window like distant witnesses to their new alliance. Yua takes out her journal—its worn cover gleaming in the moonlight.)
Yua (her voice is soft, sincere): "Tomorrow, we'll figure this out together. But tonight… trust is the first step."
(She holds out her hand in the dim light. It's a simple offer—a handshake to seal their partnership. Ryo hesitates for just a moment, then takes her hand, his fingers curling firmly around hers.)
🌀 End of Chapter Eleven
"Entry #25: The City that Never Sleeps"
"It's alive, this place. All neon lights and electric dreams, a beating heart beneath concrete and steel. Here, in the city that never sleeps, I've seen beauty in chaos—the laughter of children, the warmth of street vendors cooking their wares, the resilience of the homeless huddled in doorways. It's a sharp contrast to the quiet serenity of our Hunting Realms. This city is wild, yes… but it's also a world of unexpected kindness. A world I want to understand more."