Amore
New member
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ What’s your IGN? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
SignorinaAmore
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ What's your Discord Tag? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
SignorinaAmore
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Do you have any alternative accounts? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
None that I use anymore! So nope!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Do you have a functioning microphone? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
Yes, I do! I work part as a voice actor, so it's a little required!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ How old are you? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
21
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Have you worked in teams like this before? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
Minecraft ones of this sort? Nope! If you mean discord teams for rp servers, yes!
SignorinaAmore
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ What's your Discord Tag? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
SignorinaAmore
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Do you have any alternative accounts? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
None that I use anymore! So nope!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Do you have a functioning microphone? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
Yes, I do! I work part as a voice actor, so it's a little required!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ How old are you? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
21
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Have you worked in teams like this before? ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
Minecraft ones of this sort? Nope! If you mean discord teams for rp servers, yes!
-ˋˏ ༻ Do you have any previous experience? ༺ ˎˊ-
In writing? Yes! I have written a good amount in college as part of my major. From creative writing to learning script writing. Though I wouldn't say I am the most suited for scripts, but I certainly know how to do it! Either way, writing has always been a big part of my life. I run a lot of Tabletop RPG games as a GM/DM so it somewhat comes with the territory. I have never done any sort of writing for a minecraft server, but I have led various Discord RP servers with guidelines and lore for miles to read. Simple, short, but I am always willing to share more if anyone wants to know!
-ˋˏ ༻ What do you believe is your writing strong suit? ༺ ˎˊ-
Definitely backstory and setting, I love writing characters, exposition, settings. GOSH! I adore DMing and setting the atmosphere. I have done plenty of small DM events on SRP for my friends and they have certainly said I made it scary hah! Overall, characters and settings are probably two of my stronger skillsets when it comes to creative writing. I have also finished a full IB High level writing course, but it was more focussed on academics, so I assume you are not too interested in that background of mine.
-ˋˏ ༻ Why are you interested in joining the Lore Team? ༺ ˎˊ-
Sounds fun! In all honesty, if you notice, I have applied for Social and Media teams too. I am unsure who will take me, but I am a hard worker and I want to see this community potentially grow! It sounds amazing so far and I'd love to see where it ends up going. If possible, I want to help. I enjoy small creative projects such as this and know that I have some spare time on my hands I would not mind sharing with a community of this sort. See if there is a way I can contribute to the overall little family you are trying to create! Of course, in hopes that only more would come your way. So! I love writing, I know I am good at it, whether or not it's something YOU'RE looking for, is a different question, but I know my skills. Why not try and see!
-ˋˏ ༻ How did you learn about the server? ༺ ˎˊ-
From my dear friend Ansatze! He invited me to the server and I have been looking around more, talking to him plenty and decided to try out for the teams! Simple and short, I have a lot of other friends here whom I am happy to see too! Quite exciting.
-ˋˏ ༻ What unique contributions can you bring to the server? ༺ ˎˊ-
Unique? Who knows! However, I can certainly say that I am the type of person who is hard working and honest. I will always make sure to do my best, but I will also be honest about my thoughts in general, I feel that brings a sense of collaboration and brainstorming together with people is probably among some of the best things you can do! I enjoy working, usually trying to find something to occupy my mind or else I would go insane from a lack of work. . . True story. Hah! If you want someone who is willing to adapt and learn, willing to be honest with you and try their best to help, then perhaps I am someone who could be of use! Nevertheless, even if you do not pick me for the team(s), I will support yall from the sidelines.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Write a short story of a Self-Made Yokai you can find roaming throughout the island ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆
Yamika (闇花) the Dark Flower Feline.
𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
“Children! Children! Beware!
The cat that stalks the forest air.
It lurks, it smirks, it knows your name!
If you are trapped, pluck a flower from its mane. ”
Have you walked within the forests? Suddenly, you hear someone step on a stick, then you trip and tumble down! A silent hiss, a snicker in the abyss - you are sure you didn’t miss! You look around, yet no sound… You’re alone. You didn’t see anyone. So, was it just your imagination…? As you stand up and gaze around, you come to a single realization: you are lost… now wishing to be found.
Some might say that it is your simple lack of direction and idiotic paranoia!
However, some... might whisper the name of Yamika (闇花).
Never heard of it? Well, let me share the tale of the Dark Flower.
Passing through the forest gates, you will often find peace. Yet at times… you will spot, in the corner of your eye, a stone statue of a cat! Sharp, well-made, yet aged with time. The carvings are careful and beautiful, flowers of wonderful gradient colors sprouting among its paws. It sits there, unbothered; perhaps someone simply put it there. Decorations for the forests are certainly pleasant.
Though do not be tricked, as what you have spotted is the statue of Yamika! And there might be various ways your stroll in the forest might end…
If you are but a tourist, seeking a nice morning walk, and do so by walking past this statue without a single care, then surely we hope you have brought a map with you or perhaps a few days of rations. As you will find yourself getting lost in the wide spread of nature’s trees. Pathways won’t make sense, signs will flip upside down and over, trees you have sworn you’ve passed before will lose any sign of footsteps or trace by them. Now, you have got yourself in a pickle, as Yamika has decided to play cat and mouse… and you are not finding yourself in the position of a winner.
In short, you upset it. Good job.
If one would make certain to do their research, they would know that when one sees such a statue by the entrance to the forest, they must leave a very simple offering: a flower. It prefers pink flowers most, but will accept any other as long as it is pretty and fresh. Place it by its paws or atop its forehead, and your stroll might be nicer than you expected before!
Though now stuck in the never-ending labyrinth of Yamika, the dark flower cat, you have only one way out… To challenge it to a game. Yamika certainly is one for games of tricks and riddles. However, its favorite bet is, as stated, a game of Cat and Mouse. Simply put, a game of tag. If you make a bet that you can catch Yamika, it will snicker and loudly announce:
“HAHAHAH! Catch me? A little mouse like you! Well! You can certainly try! If you fail, however, I will pluck your little eye.”
If you accept the bet, you better be ready for strategy, because speed is not your way to go against a cat who is as sneaky as a rat and flies from branch to branch like a bat. Your main goal instead should be to pluck a flower from its mane.
If you steal a flower from it, you will be crowned the winner and begrudgingly gain a favour from Yamika in request to return its flower.
If you lose… Well.
One of your eyes will be gone, but, hey!
At the very least, you will get out of the maze!
And that is the tale of the black cat, Yamika.
In a sense of backstory, Yamika Yokai are known to be previously black cats that were drowned in lakes and rivers due to the “known” misfortune that black cats bring. These cats become tricky, vengeful spirits. Because they have been called ugly their whole life, they seek pretty things to decorate their statues, primarily flowers. Nevertheless, if you do not offer a flower to the statue, the Yamika will take it in offense as thinking you dislike it, cursing you to get lost in the forest.
✶⋆.˚ Write a quick event based on Japanese pop-up cafes/restaurants/stores ⋆⭒˚.⋆
(Promotional cafes based on media such as anime, gaming, spirits, etc.):
⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ Guiding Lanterns Event ✮⋆˙
An event in which the players would be able to honor one of the in-character lore spirits of the island - Yuki Onna. She is the known Yokai for wandering through the blizzards and meeting a horrid end in search of her beloved child. From what I read in the description that is officially posted, it states how she cares for the people who are lost, guiding them to the temples for warmth on cold winter days.
I introduce you to the idea of a Pop-Up cafe on a night that is cold. When people both lonesome and not, find themselves searching for warmth. A cafe appears in the midst of the snow, guiding people to its comforting atmosphere. Welcoming travelers far and wide with warm drinks of hot chocolate, tea and coffee, sweet pies and treats. Sitting around campfires, sharing stories and tales of what has happened. People can enjoy the time together with other people.
However, that is not all. As the event comes to a close, people are welcomed to buy lanterns and send them into the sky, not out of pure beauty or shimmering lights, but to guide lost spirits and people to a place of unity and solace. Fire burning in the sky, fighting against the coldness of the nights and offering a guide to those who might find themselves led astray… be it within the world, or within their own mind.
A cute little community event that could relate back to the Yuki Onna and honoring her wish to guide people to safety, so they would not meet the same fate as herself and her kin.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ How would you write the atmosphere of the image provided below? ⊹₊⋆
(Byakuyakoku Shinto Monastery):
Hidden deep within the quiet hush of the mountains, snow piled upon rooftops and steps of stone, resides the Byakuyakoku Shinto Monastery. A silent place of serene peace and tranquility. Morning comes with the warm rays of sunlight, drawing its light over the cold frost of endless winters. The paths lead lost souls through gates to the various buildings within the sacred grounds. Dark wood peeks through the white. Clean, proper, and always in care, the place is never found in disarray. As if frozen in time, the houses burn with the warmth of flame, accepting, even welcoming, of what some would consider the harsh cold.
Stone guardians and monuments sit within the safety of the shrine, watching... observing. Making certain that no wanderer would fall astray to the ones that live in the forgotten surroundings of the environment. Trees, though few, stand grand and tall, reaching for the sky both day and night, finding themselves in a harmonious dance with the ice and rime of the unforgiving winter. They exist, laced in the white sheets of carefully crafted snowflakes, residing within the colorful leaves. A place grown old with time, some tales new to be born, some already lost to rhyme. Moss slowly crawls upon the walls, the rocks, and pathways, finding itself an uninvited guest within the grounds of such a place. After all, it is true that time waits for none.
And though most do find what they are looking for, when one enters through the gates of the Monastery, they can sense that there is someone always watching. Waiting. That perhaps one day they would be noticed too.
(Byakuyakoku Shinto Monastery):
Hidden deep within the quiet hush of the mountains, snow piled upon rooftops and steps of stone, resides the Byakuyakoku Shinto Monastery. A silent place of serene peace and tranquility. Morning comes with the warm rays of sunlight, drawing its light over the cold frost of endless winters. The paths lead lost souls through gates to the various buildings within the sacred grounds. Dark wood peeks through the white. Clean, proper, and always in care, the place is never found in disarray. As if frozen in time, the houses burn with the warmth of flame, accepting, even welcoming, of what some would consider the harsh cold.
Stone guardians and monuments sit within the safety of the shrine, watching... observing. Making certain that no wanderer would fall astray to the ones that live in the forgotten surroundings of the environment. Trees, though few, stand grand and tall, reaching for the sky both day and night, finding themselves in a harmonious dance with the ice and rime of the unforgiving winter. They exist, laced in the white sheets of carefully crafted snowflakes, residing within the colorful leaves. A place grown old with time, some tales new to be born, some already lost to rhyme. Moss slowly crawls upon the walls, the rocks, and pathways, finding itself an uninvited guest within the grounds of such a place. After all, it is true that time waits for none.
And though most do find what they are looking for, when one enters through the gates of the Monastery, they can sense that there is someone always watching. Waiting. That perhaps one day they would be noticed too.
⋆.˚✮ You have been tasked to write an in-lore influential character in the history of Norowarejima. ✮˚.⋆
Who and what would you create? Provide some insight on the character!:
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
Haruto Mizuno, The Father & The Child.
Many people have heard of the emperors and the queens, the high and mighty, and the down below underdogs rising to the top like the stars they were born to be! It’s always those names you recognize. Either the ones born in power, learning the compassion of the world, or the ones born of lower status, weak and frail, but with the hearts of lions! The jealous and the forgotten, the rich and the poor.
However, what if I were to tell you, this tale was nothing like that? A story of a man who left a fair bit of influence upon the city of Norowarejima, but never craved attention or power, a name or fame. He could care less for things like that, if anything… he sought out the promise of a quiet life.
A long time ago, about 90 or so years back, there was a young man by the name of Haruto Mizuno, the sunlight that soars across the water fields. He was a simple man. Not the smartest, not the strongest, and certainly not the pride and joy of his family. Just a son. When his brothers and sisters had already married off, he found himself without a care for such an interest. Marriage? Vows? Promises of never-ending love? Was never something he much cared for, not at all. He was happy to live in his solitude. He found his love for the seas. How he loved those. Working day and night to reach his goal of buying his own boat so he could sail and never look back.
That all changed when, by his doorstep, he found a crying child left with a note and a sincere apology, accompanied by an ask - "Please take care of her." He did not know who the parents were, searching for them until dusk and dawn, wanting to find proper care for this kid. He asked his family for help… yet soon enough, they began to notice a change in him. How he shone just a bit warmer, just a bit brighter. A glimmer in his eyes and a new purpose - to take care of the young child. She was a frail girl, no older than a year, taken in under his wing. Dreams of boats and farther lands became distant. Years passed, and his now-daughter, Aya Mizuno, the guiding color of his life, grew older. The task of a single father was certainly not the easiest, but he managed. He loved Aya and wished only for the best for her. Her laughter was the sweetest sound he ever heard, her movements were light like the waves of the crashing oceans. Her hair was a flowing brown, such as the forest. Her eyes shone wide and curious with the wonders of the world. She loved dancing and singing, and climbing the heights he could barely reach himself.
She was a dreamer, everyone said.
She was a dreamer.
.
.
.
The night she died, it all changed.
Her body was found by the edge of a steep cliffside.
It was a freak accident, her coming home from school and playing around just like any other day. They say she must have slipped, the dirt caved in, and she… fell.
The call they had to give him was probably the most difficult one in years. He had always been a happy father, never angry, never sad—he was a man who enjoyed his life.
He always smiled like the sun.
They used to say.
With a picture in his leather-worn wallet, and no reason to stay, he sailed.
Away and away, and away.
Running to anywhere else, but there. A man who had loved lonesome so very much found himself crying night after night for the only person he wished to have seen dream further than the bounds of the horizon. So he sailed and never looked back. Reaching for those horizons, endless waters, until he eventually found his way at Norowarejima, the city of silent winters.
He opened a small business on the island for fishing. A shop where one could buy fresh produce - nothing big, nothing small, just a little seaside store. He would go out into the waters during the days and sleep in his small hut during the nights. Years went on by, and he was reaching his 50s, tired and worn. If he used to always smile, now he found himself lost. Lost in thought and memories of what could have been. Never able to truly let go. The other villagers called him kind and soft, yet he never spoke much, never made a sound too intrusive.
It all continued as such until one day he walked among the shore of the waters, waves softly washing at his skin. He had no destination, eyes set on the golden sand. Before he stopped, Haruto looked a bit further at the small, weird clump laying right on the shore. It was… strange in appearance. A green thing, with a beak and a… shell? Turtle shell. He took careful steps closer, picking up a stick and gently poking it before it made a weird squeal and wiggled its frog-like arms around! The man let out a girlish gasp and a slight jump back, squinting with his furrowed brow at the creature as it looked at him with… fear. It took him a second until he realized that it must have been a little Kappa. He had not seen one, but heard of them plenty. However, were they not usually terrifying and scary? Threatening? Quiet steps closer, as he shortened the distance, it attempted to crawl further but found itself rather limp, stumbling across the slippery sand. Croaking and cawing, it let out hisses. A young Kappa. A second passed, and without thought, he ran up closer and pulled out a flask of water, not caring for the potential danger of the Yokai as he lifted its head and poured the liquid within the bowl-like placement upon its skull. Kappas are known for becoming far weaker if the water atop their head is spilled… The creature straightened itself and took little steps away, tilting its head in confusion. Haruto only let out a gentle chuckle as he stood up. Speaking to it as if it could understand him. Let’s just say, despite his efforts of shooing it back into the watery grave, that night he found himself a guest in his house, one rummaging through everything he owned, only to devour a full jar of pickles in his cabin.
I am certain you are seeing where the story is going.
A friendship bloomed between the two. Or more so a potential familiar feeling. The Kappa was young, assumed to have split off from its group due to currents, only to find itself washed up on the shores. He took it in. He began to take care of it. And the rest of it is history.
Was it healthy? Perhaps not. Replacement for a child can be a hard venture for one’s heart.
“Ayu,” Haruto spoke in a slow tone, steady and patient.
“A... A-Ayu…” the Kappa attempted to repeat, its beak clicking in between its letters.
“You.” Pointing to the little creature. “Ayu!” he repeated.
With a small glare, it attempted to mimic. “A- Ayu…”
“YES!” He cheered with a heavy laugh. “AYU!!! AYUUUUU!”
Was it a strange friendship? Certainly.
Hell, can I say the city had plenty to say about it? Neighbors getting their clothes stolen or foods overcooked, slippers thrown onto the roof! The Kappa—or Ayu, meaning sweetfish—was known for being quite the troublemaker among the island’s inhabitants. Ayu ran across streets, learning the human tongue with ease. It loved to wrestle! Ayu fought the other kids and adults with ease, often being brought back ‘home’ to Haruto with complaints about another broken-down fence. He always laughed it off with a hearty smile and a pat to the creature’s head. He never minded the complaints. He was a father again. And it was fine.
Just. Fine.
And that was not what drove him to his decision. The people complaining or screaming in fear, he did not care. He knew Ayu was not dangerous, just a lost little Yokai. Like himself, a lost little human.
No, it was the longing looks that Ayu held upon the waters. Every time they would go out and sail, walk by the shores, Ayu never took its eyes off of the sea that surrounded the lands. The lakes, the rivers, any water they passed.
The day when it rained for hours was when he decided to do it.
Because Ayu ran outside and danced in the rain.
She had been a dreamer too; she had loved dancing.
However, Ayu… Was not Aya, and Ayu needed to go Home.
“Today, I have a little surprise for you, Ayu,” he said, setting the Kappa upon the ship. It crawled to the highest peak and nodded! These Yokai were intelligent, he had learned. Far beyond human intelligence, and despite their tricks and behavior, extremely respectful and protective. They sailed out into the sea, where the water was dark and deep. “Ayu,” his voice began to break before he could even get many words in… “Today, you are going back Home.”
Saying goodbye is never easy.
Never was for him. He never got to say goodbye to her, but he knew that he had been selfish.
Ayu, this little Kappa, with its own name, had to go back to where it belonged.
The waters.
He understood that feeling well. That longing.
Saying goodbye, Haruto began to cry ugly tears. He was never pretty at it. Rolling down his eyes, snot from his nose, and hiccups like a child. Waving goodbye to the little creature.
“Bye, bye, my little sweetfish…”
Was that it?
You might wonder: how does this story end?
Well, he was still a fisherman, but he had learned to let go and smile again. Telling tales to the town kids of the Kappa and the mysterious creatures they are! Starting traditions on the island.
For instance, whenever you cross a bridge, make sure to throw a pickle over the edge, for maybe a Kappa will have a good day! Who knows, it might just return the favor!
His shop became a visiting spot for many people, boating out into the seas as he told tales of the Yokai. Even writing his own book on his experiences with Ayu and how Kappa came to be. How to respect them, how to win against their wit and strength, their weird quirks and personality traits. Their impeccable intelligence!
The man who befriended a Kappa.
The father who learned to let go.
Some say… Even to this day, perhaps the Kappa that comes close to the shores to look upon people is Ayu.
If you see one, make sure to throw them a pickle.
You never know what friends you can make.
♡ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ♡
Who and what would you create? Provide some insight on the character!:
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
Haruto Mizuno, The Father & The Child.
Many people have heard of the emperors and the queens, the high and mighty, and the down below underdogs rising to the top like the stars they were born to be! It’s always those names you recognize. Either the ones born in power, learning the compassion of the world, or the ones born of lower status, weak and frail, but with the hearts of lions! The jealous and the forgotten, the rich and the poor.
However, what if I were to tell you, this tale was nothing like that? A story of a man who left a fair bit of influence upon the city of Norowarejima, but never craved attention or power, a name or fame. He could care less for things like that, if anything… he sought out the promise of a quiet life.
A long time ago, about 90 or so years back, there was a young man by the name of Haruto Mizuno, the sunlight that soars across the water fields. He was a simple man. Not the smartest, not the strongest, and certainly not the pride and joy of his family. Just a son. When his brothers and sisters had already married off, he found himself without a care for such an interest. Marriage? Vows? Promises of never-ending love? Was never something he much cared for, not at all. He was happy to live in his solitude. He found his love for the seas. How he loved those. Working day and night to reach his goal of buying his own boat so he could sail and never look back.
That all changed when, by his doorstep, he found a crying child left with a note and a sincere apology, accompanied by an ask - "Please take care of her." He did not know who the parents were, searching for them until dusk and dawn, wanting to find proper care for this kid. He asked his family for help… yet soon enough, they began to notice a change in him. How he shone just a bit warmer, just a bit brighter. A glimmer in his eyes and a new purpose - to take care of the young child. She was a frail girl, no older than a year, taken in under his wing. Dreams of boats and farther lands became distant. Years passed, and his now-daughter, Aya Mizuno, the guiding color of his life, grew older. The task of a single father was certainly not the easiest, but he managed. He loved Aya and wished only for the best for her. Her laughter was the sweetest sound he ever heard, her movements were light like the waves of the crashing oceans. Her hair was a flowing brown, such as the forest. Her eyes shone wide and curious with the wonders of the world. She loved dancing and singing, and climbing the heights he could barely reach himself.
She was a dreamer, everyone said.
She was a dreamer.
.
.
.
The night she died, it all changed.
Her body was found by the edge of a steep cliffside.
It was a freak accident, her coming home from school and playing around just like any other day. They say she must have slipped, the dirt caved in, and she… fell.
The call they had to give him was probably the most difficult one in years. He had always been a happy father, never angry, never sad—he was a man who enjoyed his life.
He always smiled like the sun.
They used to say.
With a picture in his leather-worn wallet, and no reason to stay, he sailed.
Away and away, and away.
Running to anywhere else, but there. A man who had loved lonesome so very much found himself crying night after night for the only person he wished to have seen dream further than the bounds of the horizon. So he sailed and never looked back. Reaching for those horizons, endless waters, until he eventually found his way at Norowarejima, the city of silent winters.
He opened a small business on the island for fishing. A shop where one could buy fresh produce - nothing big, nothing small, just a little seaside store. He would go out into the waters during the days and sleep in his small hut during the nights. Years went on by, and he was reaching his 50s, tired and worn. If he used to always smile, now he found himself lost. Lost in thought and memories of what could have been. Never able to truly let go. The other villagers called him kind and soft, yet he never spoke much, never made a sound too intrusive.
It all continued as such until one day he walked among the shore of the waters, waves softly washing at his skin. He had no destination, eyes set on the golden sand. Before he stopped, Haruto looked a bit further at the small, weird clump laying right on the shore. It was… strange in appearance. A green thing, with a beak and a… shell? Turtle shell. He took careful steps closer, picking up a stick and gently poking it before it made a weird squeal and wiggled its frog-like arms around! The man let out a girlish gasp and a slight jump back, squinting with his furrowed brow at the creature as it looked at him with… fear. It took him a second until he realized that it must have been a little Kappa. He had not seen one, but heard of them plenty. However, were they not usually terrifying and scary? Threatening? Quiet steps closer, as he shortened the distance, it attempted to crawl further but found itself rather limp, stumbling across the slippery sand. Croaking and cawing, it let out hisses. A young Kappa. A second passed, and without thought, he ran up closer and pulled out a flask of water, not caring for the potential danger of the Yokai as he lifted its head and poured the liquid within the bowl-like placement upon its skull. Kappas are known for becoming far weaker if the water atop their head is spilled… The creature straightened itself and took little steps away, tilting its head in confusion. Haruto only let out a gentle chuckle as he stood up. Speaking to it as if it could understand him. Let’s just say, despite his efforts of shooing it back into the watery grave, that night he found himself a guest in his house, one rummaging through everything he owned, only to devour a full jar of pickles in his cabin.
I am certain you are seeing where the story is going.
A friendship bloomed between the two. Or more so a potential familiar feeling. The Kappa was young, assumed to have split off from its group due to currents, only to find itself washed up on the shores. He took it in. He began to take care of it. And the rest of it is history.
Was it healthy? Perhaps not. Replacement for a child can be a hard venture for one’s heart.
“Ayu,” Haruto spoke in a slow tone, steady and patient.
“A... A-Ayu…” the Kappa attempted to repeat, its beak clicking in between its letters.
“You.” Pointing to the little creature. “Ayu!” he repeated.
With a small glare, it attempted to mimic. “A- Ayu…”
“YES!” He cheered with a heavy laugh. “AYU!!! AYUUUUU!”
Was it a strange friendship? Certainly.
Hell, can I say the city had plenty to say about it? Neighbors getting their clothes stolen or foods overcooked, slippers thrown onto the roof! The Kappa—or Ayu, meaning sweetfish—was known for being quite the troublemaker among the island’s inhabitants. Ayu ran across streets, learning the human tongue with ease. It loved to wrestle! Ayu fought the other kids and adults with ease, often being brought back ‘home’ to Haruto with complaints about another broken-down fence. He always laughed it off with a hearty smile and a pat to the creature’s head. He never minded the complaints. He was a father again. And it was fine.
Just. Fine.
And that was not what drove him to his decision. The people complaining or screaming in fear, he did not care. He knew Ayu was not dangerous, just a lost little Yokai. Like himself, a lost little human.
No, it was the longing looks that Ayu held upon the waters. Every time they would go out and sail, walk by the shores, Ayu never took its eyes off of the sea that surrounded the lands. The lakes, the rivers, any water they passed.
The day when it rained for hours was when he decided to do it.
Because Ayu ran outside and danced in the rain.
She had been a dreamer too; she had loved dancing.
However, Ayu… Was not Aya, and Ayu needed to go Home.
“Today, I have a little surprise for you, Ayu,” he said, setting the Kappa upon the ship. It crawled to the highest peak and nodded! These Yokai were intelligent, he had learned. Far beyond human intelligence, and despite their tricks and behavior, extremely respectful and protective. They sailed out into the sea, where the water was dark and deep. “Ayu,” his voice began to break before he could even get many words in… “Today, you are going back Home.”
Saying goodbye is never easy.
Never was for him. He never got to say goodbye to her, but he knew that he had been selfish.
Ayu, this little Kappa, with its own name, had to go back to where it belonged.
The waters.
He understood that feeling well. That longing.
Saying goodbye, Haruto began to cry ugly tears. He was never pretty at it. Rolling down his eyes, snot from his nose, and hiccups like a child. Waving goodbye to the little creature.
“Bye, bye, my little sweetfish…”
Was that it?
You might wonder: how does this story end?
Well, he was still a fisherman, but he had learned to let go and smile again. Telling tales to the town kids of the Kappa and the mysterious creatures they are! Starting traditions on the island.
For instance, whenever you cross a bridge, make sure to throw a pickle over the edge, for maybe a Kappa will have a good day! Who knows, it might just return the favor!
His shop became a visiting spot for many people, boating out into the seas as he told tales of the Yokai. Even writing his own book on his experiences with Ayu and how Kappa came to be. How to respect them, how to win against their wit and strength, their weird quirks and personality traits. Their impeccable intelligence!
The man who befriended a Kappa.
The father who learned to let go.
Some say… Even to this day, perhaps the Kappa that comes close to the shores to look upon people is Ayu.
If you see one, make sure to throw them a pickle.
You never know what friends you can make.
♡ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ♡
Additional Notes:
Art by Yours Truly!
And I hope you have a good day/night!
Sorry for writing a little much, I got a bit too excited and went over my head...
Art by Yours Truly!
And I hope you have a good day/night!
Sorry for writing a little much, I got a bit too excited and went over my head...