A Revolutionary Vision
Sword of Mars
Magical Girl Aficionado
- Location
- Canada
[X] Revolution.
The world was wrong, you believed that ever since you had the cognition to see beyond your small existence. You hated it. The world was too cruel, especially to children. No matter how sanitized and how much he attempted to hide you knew just how horrible the world was but he'd reassure you... Then the problems that he assured you were so, oh far away tore him down and left you alone. The world was cruel... Especially to children... For in the apocalypse, the virtuous, the merciful and the charitable were all doomed. It was a weakness.
To show such weakness... Could not be ignored by the vultures and demons that humanity had degenerated to. For you had to be strong, more brutal and cruel then anyone else to rise to the top. Hierarchy was established in a cruel way, ensuring that your usefulness in what you could protect and reap from others is the only value humans had for each other. Humanity did not survive the War, it was something lesser than it was. You hated the world, and it hated you in turn. When you escaped death the first time, you had to kill a man to survive. But in reality, you killed yourself... After that, you were no longer Yukihime Sakura the Prime Minister's prodigal daughter who loved, laughed and played... You were Yukihime Sakura the Murderer. You lost a vital piece of yourself, and became nothing but scum that already festered the wasteland of Old Japan. Killing was too easy. You stopped feeling anything shortly after it became necessary and you hated yourself when you started enjoying it. Soon, you started to lose yourself in barbarity. The things that happened to you made you start to go mad... You were turning into a rabid dog with a thirst for blood when you met Saki.
Saki made you remember how much you hated the world. You pulled yourself together to take care of her, to shield her... You finally understood why your father tried to protect you so hard against the reality of the ruins... You failed, just like father. It was perhaps then, that you achieved clarity... Or madness. You rejected the world. You started to believe in things, you started to plan... You joined an army with a plan... You were going to raise up the ranks, get yourself more and more power... Then you were going to conquer Japan! Of course, you were just a delusional, damaged girl... But you weren't wrong at all in your belief. Once somebody won, the fighting would end and the barbarity would stop, most importantly... Saki would be safe after you expired.
Then you died, and you hated the world. You arrived here, in this splendorous fantastical kingdom! Why, they even had a real king and magic. Just like a fairy tale! Only for you to realize that this wasn't different from your home at all. It was worse, they had everything! EVERYTHING! Yet they remained as horrific slave owners, they exploited the people ruthlessly and had the gall to not even be a bit ashamed. They didn't treat their slaves like people. You knew how it felt to be treated less than human... It made you want to scream. This was hell...
This couldn't stand. You wouldn't allow it to. Was this humanities default state? Are we all ready to devour each other and turn them into resources at the slightest opportunity? It didn't matter, you would rail against it. Even if it was pointless, and this was merely human nature you will change the world. You will plot, you will kill, and you will liberate the oppressed and bring them Salvation. You will educate the ignorant, heal the sick, and bring self determination to the people... Even if you had to do it through force. If the world rejects your way once more, you will crush it under your heel. For you believe in an ever distant ideal. For people to be able to live in peace, for the hungry to be fed, for the weak to be protected, for the crippled and sick to be cared for, to be safe, to be educated... For a world united, all peoples under a single united ideal world in peace. So you will punish the corrupt, the bandit, and the slaver with impunity. You will smite these worms... Eventually. For if peaceful reformation is impossible, you will enforce it. The status quo can not be allowed, you will no longer sit idle when your fellows suffer... You will no longer avert your eyes. The World must be changed, even if it comes at the tip of a blade.
You woke up resolved. Today was the day you met with the king. You got up, and woke up William, then started your daily ritual of eating and thinking. Were you doing the right thing? You start to doubt yourself... Itsuki wasn't wrong. Was reformation really going to work? Could men like Aultcray be convinced to let go of the slaves? Were you even making progress at all at your goal? You were almost entirely dependent on Aultcray's generosity for funds, and you weren't making enough money from your investments... You weren't even sure they'd be profitable after they were finished with their construction. You had almost no political allies, and the population's view on you was lukewarm at best. Were you wrong?
"William... Are we doing the right thing?" You asked this, a little desperately on the way to the palace. "...I believe you to do the right thing, Yukihime. At the end of the day, remember no matter what you choose to do you're a hero resolved to save the world. I will support you, my student no matter what you do." You were a little assured William believed in you... But at the end it just revolves the question back to you. Were you doing the right thing. You shelved that thought when you met up with your chosen 'bodyguard'.
They didn't look like much, but there was some steel under their eyes. The first man was in a gambeson, and wore a kettle hat, he had a spear strap with a simple spear inside. He had scars on his face, along with a goatee. "I'm Gregory. I'm technically a Knight, but since my country was destroyed not many people recognize that outside of tournaments. I will be hopefully of use." He stepped back to gesture to another companion. This man was wearing chain mail and a tattered tabbard, he had messy brown hair in a ponytail and a eyepatch and spoke with somewhat of an accent you cant determine"I'm Bradley Richwood... I'm a military veteran of what used to be the noble house of Richwood. Along with Sir Gregory, I will be managing our small group of 'squires' for this mission." He gave a small nonchalant wave to the half a dozen squires (why did he say that sarcastically?), who were dressed mostly in patchwork armorsets... Most of them were in gambesons, with the occasional lucky one having a cuirass. "His majesty thought telling you where we're heading out to wasn't of importance for him to stick around... So we're heading mostly south to the town of Lyn. He had a servant bring you an extra two horses a while back, and told us to go immediately so if you don't mind..." Bradley directed you to the horses, you've never ridden before... "So... How do I ride a horse?" You say this deadpan at the man and he looked like he was about to have an aneurysm... So you had impromptu horse riding lessons for a bit. After it was considered 'good enough' you were finally able to leave on horseback.
Horseback riding was fun, it was also a literal pain in the ass. You kept pace in the middle, but you were aware that you were slowing them down significantly due to your novice riding skills... Not that they complained. "Look, missy. You're the Shield Hero, and we're up against the Bow Hero. As soon as one of us gets into his sight, we'll be shredded like fine cheddar. The mission doesn't exist without you. Sure it's a bit annoying, but you could'a asked for som'in stupid... Like a carriage and we'd be even more fucked." Sir Gregory apparently noticed your discomfort with slowing down the pack to reassure you. That was nice, you gave a small nod in acknowledgment. "In fact, I'm surprised you haven't asked for us to break yet. Usually new riders experience massive amounts of pain and discomfort for riding the first few times... You don't need to impress us you know, we won't mind if you need us to stop." You didn't really feel anything but a dull ache, "No... I'm good. If I need to rest I will speak up." You weren't that uncomfortable, so you won't waste time for no reason.
You think you were getting pretty good at casual horse riding, as the hours ticked by. You don't think you'd be able to fight on one, and you didn't have the reach to do so at all anyway but just riding around? You could do that pretty well. Soon enough, you all came to a stop at a river for the thirsty horses and to allow them to graze. You got off of yours with the help of William, and you moved around a bit awkwardly with your slightly numb legs before walking completely fine. You heard a nearby squire mutter 'so unfair' before going back to what they were doing, you don't get it. William hands you some of the rations you bought a few days ago, and you both had... Late lunch? Early Dinner? You ate your food anyway. While munching you kept thinking about whether it was right or not to fight Itsuki... Was protecting the upper class something you should do? Was it right to punish these actions... Was it not hypocritical as you planned to do something similar? How does it reflect on you that you're going out of your way to stop him while accepting money from the very man who allows slavery to happen... You felt like a villain.
Eventually it was time to continue to ride out on Itsuki's trail again. Lyn wasn't that far from the capital, a simple fishing town along the river you heard from the Squire's gossiping... Itsuki was supposed to have been seen there checking into a inn... Hopefully he'd still be there when you got to it. Soon the trees disappeared to reveal farmland and irrigation systems. In the distance you can see rows of small houses, and a large church peaking over them. Then you were in the town itself. It was much dirtier than the capital, having unpaved roads of dirt, the people were much more unclean and poorer and the clothes were filled with patches. The wealth divide was massive, and you think you knew why. All the wealth must be sucked towards the capital on the backs of serfs and slaves... How disgusting. Bradley went into the only inn in the town and found that Itsuki left an hour ago heading east towards another settlement with several others. So you all headed that way. "Once we meet up with Itsuki, I will duel him. You shouldn't expect combat at all, if Itsuki accepts my challenge. If he refuses, then I will fight Itsuki, and you will cut down his followers" You were curt and stern here, and Bradley nodded and shouted the orders to the rest of the men. It wasn't hard to find Itsuki, he was on foot and seemed to have many followers with him... You started to have a bad feeling about this entire thing.
Itsuki was standing in the middle of the road, behind him were four well armed adventurer types you couldn't really see from this far away... But the thing that drew you in most was the dozens of people behind him. They were all demihumans, and from what it looked like, to be exslaves as well... "Bradley, what is further east from here?" Your voice didn't tremble, but your hands were shaking this was supposed to be simple. "...If Itsuki's heading where I think he's heading, eventually they will reach Schildfrieden a demihuman nation. It looks like Itsuki has taken all the slaves from their former masters he had killed and is leading them to safety... Your orders, Shield Hero." You...
You were at a crossroads here... If you disobey the King you will be seen just like Itsuki, a rebel hero and everything you've worked for in the past week in the capital will be for nothing. You'd throw away all your plans for reformation and you'd be forced to either flee the country or raise your flag in rebellion. If you obeyed the king, you'd be forced to capture these demihumans or leave them to starve in the middle of nowhere... Or you'd be forced to cut them down...
What do you do?
You thought Itsuki was fucking around thinking this was a game right? Nope. He's dead serious.
Gained Subskill: Horse Riding: 1.
[X] You can tell right now that Itsuki isn't going to accept a duel now that he's protecting something more important than himself. "Run them down. I'll handle Itsuki."
[X] Viva la Revolution! If you must be pushed into open revolt... Then so be it. "Either you come with me and join Itsuki, or you leave, or you die. The world is wrong, the time for change is now."
The world was wrong, you believed that ever since you had the cognition to see beyond your small existence. You hated it. The world was too cruel, especially to children. No matter how sanitized and how much he attempted to hide you knew just how horrible the world was but he'd reassure you... Then the problems that he assured you were so, oh far away tore him down and left you alone. The world was cruel... Especially to children... For in the apocalypse, the virtuous, the merciful and the charitable were all doomed. It was a weakness.
To show such weakness... Could not be ignored by the vultures and demons that humanity had degenerated to. For you had to be strong, more brutal and cruel then anyone else to rise to the top. Hierarchy was established in a cruel way, ensuring that your usefulness in what you could protect and reap from others is the only value humans had for each other. Humanity did not survive the War, it was something lesser than it was. You hated the world, and it hated you in turn. When you escaped death the first time, you had to kill a man to survive. But in reality, you killed yourself... After that, you were no longer Yukihime Sakura the Prime Minister's prodigal daughter who loved, laughed and played... You were Yukihime Sakura the Murderer. You lost a vital piece of yourself, and became nothing but scum that already festered the wasteland of Old Japan. Killing was too easy. You stopped feeling anything shortly after it became necessary and you hated yourself when you started enjoying it. Soon, you started to lose yourself in barbarity. The things that happened to you made you start to go mad... You were turning into a rabid dog with a thirst for blood when you met Saki.
Saki made you remember how much you hated the world. You pulled yourself together to take care of her, to shield her... You finally understood why your father tried to protect you so hard against the reality of the ruins... You failed, just like father. It was perhaps then, that you achieved clarity... Or madness. You rejected the world. You started to believe in things, you started to plan... You joined an army with a plan... You were going to raise up the ranks, get yourself more and more power... Then you were going to conquer Japan! Of course, you were just a delusional, damaged girl... But you weren't wrong at all in your belief. Once somebody won, the fighting would end and the barbarity would stop, most importantly... Saki would be safe after you expired.
Then you died, and you hated the world. You arrived here, in this splendorous fantastical kingdom! Why, they even had a real king and magic. Just like a fairy tale! Only for you to realize that this wasn't different from your home at all. It was worse, they had everything! EVERYTHING! Yet they remained as horrific slave owners, they exploited the people ruthlessly and had the gall to not even be a bit ashamed. They didn't treat their slaves like people. You knew how it felt to be treated less than human... It made you want to scream. This was hell...
This couldn't stand. You wouldn't allow it to. Was this humanities default state? Are we all ready to devour each other and turn them into resources at the slightest opportunity? It didn't matter, you would rail against it. Even if it was pointless, and this was merely human nature you will change the world. You will plot, you will kill, and you will liberate the oppressed and bring them Salvation. You will educate the ignorant, heal the sick, and bring self determination to the people... Even if you had to do it through force. If the world rejects your way once more, you will crush it under your heel. For you believe in an ever distant ideal. For people to be able to live in peace, for the hungry to be fed, for the weak to be protected, for the crippled and sick to be cared for, to be safe, to be educated... For a world united, all peoples under a single united ideal world in peace. So you will punish the corrupt, the bandit, and the slaver with impunity. You will smite these worms... Eventually. For if peaceful reformation is impossible, you will enforce it. The status quo can not be allowed, you will no longer sit idle when your fellows suffer... You will no longer avert your eyes. The World must be changed, even if it comes at the tip of a blade.
You woke up resolved. Today was the day you met with the king. You got up, and woke up William, then started your daily ritual of eating and thinking. Were you doing the right thing? You start to doubt yourself... Itsuki wasn't wrong. Was reformation really going to work? Could men like Aultcray be convinced to let go of the slaves? Were you even making progress at all at your goal? You were almost entirely dependent on Aultcray's generosity for funds, and you weren't making enough money from your investments... You weren't even sure they'd be profitable after they were finished with their construction. You had almost no political allies, and the population's view on you was lukewarm at best. Were you wrong?
"William... Are we doing the right thing?" You asked this, a little desperately on the way to the palace. "...I believe you to do the right thing, Yukihime. At the end of the day, remember no matter what you choose to do you're a hero resolved to save the world. I will support you, my student no matter what you do." You were a little assured William believed in you... But at the end it just revolves the question back to you. Were you doing the right thing. You shelved that thought when you met up with your chosen 'bodyguard'.
They didn't look like much, but there was some steel under their eyes. The first man was in a gambeson, and wore a kettle hat, he had a spear strap with a simple spear inside. He had scars on his face, along with a goatee. "I'm Gregory. I'm technically a Knight, but since my country was destroyed not many people recognize that outside of tournaments. I will be hopefully of use." He stepped back to gesture to another companion. This man was wearing chain mail and a tattered tabbard, he had messy brown hair in a ponytail and a eyepatch and spoke with somewhat of an accent you cant determine"I'm Bradley Richwood... I'm a military veteran of what used to be the noble house of Richwood. Along with Sir Gregory, I will be managing our small group of 'squires' for this mission." He gave a small nonchalant wave to the half a dozen squires (why did he say that sarcastically?), who were dressed mostly in patchwork armorsets... Most of them were in gambesons, with the occasional lucky one having a cuirass. "His majesty thought telling you where we're heading out to wasn't of importance for him to stick around... So we're heading mostly south to the town of Lyn. He had a servant bring you an extra two horses a while back, and told us to go immediately so if you don't mind..." Bradley directed you to the horses, you've never ridden before... "So... How do I ride a horse?" You say this deadpan at the man and he looked like he was about to have an aneurysm... So you had impromptu horse riding lessons for a bit. After it was considered 'good enough' you were finally able to leave on horseback.
Horseback riding was fun, it was also a literal pain in the ass. You kept pace in the middle, but you were aware that you were slowing them down significantly due to your novice riding skills... Not that they complained. "Look, missy. You're the Shield Hero, and we're up against the Bow Hero. As soon as one of us gets into his sight, we'll be shredded like fine cheddar. The mission doesn't exist without you. Sure it's a bit annoying, but you could'a asked for som'in stupid... Like a carriage and we'd be even more fucked." Sir Gregory apparently noticed your discomfort with slowing down the pack to reassure you. That was nice, you gave a small nod in acknowledgment. "In fact, I'm surprised you haven't asked for us to break yet. Usually new riders experience massive amounts of pain and discomfort for riding the first few times... You don't need to impress us you know, we won't mind if you need us to stop." You didn't really feel anything but a dull ache, "No... I'm good. If I need to rest I will speak up." You weren't that uncomfortable, so you won't waste time for no reason.
You think you were getting pretty good at casual horse riding, as the hours ticked by. You don't think you'd be able to fight on one, and you didn't have the reach to do so at all anyway but just riding around? You could do that pretty well. Soon enough, you all came to a stop at a river for the thirsty horses and to allow them to graze. You got off of yours with the help of William, and you moved around a bit awkwardly with your slightly numb legs before walking completely fine. You heard a nearby squire mutter 'so unfair' before going back to what they were doing, you don't get it. William hands you some of the rations you bought a few days ago, and you both had... Late lunch? Early Dinner? You ate your food anyway. While munching you kept thinking about whether it was right or not to fight Itsuki... Was protecting the upper class something you should do? Was it right to punish these actions... Was it not hypocritical as you planned to do something similar? How does it reflect on you that you're going out of your way to stop him while accepting money from the very man who allows slavery to happen... You felt like a villain.
Eventually it was time to continue to ride out on Itsuki's trail again. Lyn wasn't that far from the capital, a simple fishing town along the river you heard from the Squire's gossiping... Itsuki was supposed to have been seen there checking into a inn... Hopefully he'd still be there when you got to it. Soon the trees disappeared to reveal farmland and irrigation systems. In the distance you can see rows of small houses, and a large church peaking over them. Then you were in the town itself. It was much dirtier than the capital, having unpaved roads of dirt, the people were much more unclean and poorer and the clothes were filled with patches. The wealth divide was massive, and you think you knew why. All the wealth must be sucked towards the capital on the backs of serfs and slaves... How disgusting. Bradley went into the only inn in the town and found that Itsuki left an hour ago heading east towards another settlement with several others. So you all headed that way. "Once we meet up with Itsuki, I will duel him. You shouldn't expect combat at all, if Itsuki accepts my challenge. If he refuses, then I will fight Itsuki, and you will cut down his followers" You were curt and stern here, and Bradley nodded and shouted the orders to the rest of the men. It wasn't hard to find Itsuki, he was on foot and seemed to have many followers with him... You started to have a bad feeling about this entire thing.
Itsuki was standing in the middle of the road, behind him were four well armed adventurer types you couldn't really see from this far away... But the thing that drew you in most was the dozens of people behind him. They were all demihumans, and from what it looked like, to be exslaves as well... "Bradley, what is further east from here?" Your voice didn't tremble, but your hands were shaking this was supposed to be simple. "...If Itsuki's heading where I think he's heading, eventually they will reach Schildfrieden a demihuman nation. It looks like Itsuki has taken all the slaves from their former masters he had killed and is leading them to safety... Your orders, Shield Hero." You...
You were at a crossroads here... If you disobey the King you will be seen just like Itsuki, a rebel hero and everything you've worked for in the past week in the capital will be for nothing. You'd throw away all your plans for reformation and you'd be forced to either flee the country or raise your flag in rebellion. If you obeyed the king, you'd be forced to capture these demihumans or leave them to starve in the middle of nowhere... Or you'd be forced to cut them down...
What do you do?
You thought Itsuki was fucking around thinking this was a game right? Nope. He's dead serious.
Gained Subskill: Horse Riding: 1.
[X] You can tell right now that Itsuki isn't going to accept a duel now that he's protecting something more important than himself. "Run them down. I'll handle Itsuki."
[X] Viva la Revolution! If you must be pushed into open revolt... Then so be it. "Either you come with me and join Itsuki, or you leave, or you die. The world is wrong, the time for change is now."
Last edited:
