[ The faithful have simply to ask and they shall receive the blessings from on high. Or something to that effect was Akagi Nee-sama's plan.
The two fox KAN-SEN stand before a great sakura tree, its twisted branches dead except for a dull red glow. Around them hundreds, perhaps even thousands of little blue lights make their way to the great guardian tree, sinking into the base of the trunk once they reach it.
Kaga knows them to be souls. Human souls, belonging to Sakurians, the very humans she and Akagi are meant to protect. Being used as fuel for a ritual to bring back Akagi's lost sister. ]
"Not enough... It's not enough..."
[ Akagi is talking to herself. Kaga can only watch from beside her, loyal as ever to her sister, there to take care of her like she promised to a lifetime ago. There's a tightness in the chest as Akagi continues to spiral, a deep rooted pain that holds into some long held insecurities.
Akagi will still do anything for Amagi. Kaga was never going to be enough. She protected Akagi from everything except herself, let her sister fall into this grief sick madness that now sees her bringing their entire nation to ruin. Something should be done, something must be done. ]
--"Kaga... You know her just as well as I do. That's why we're the perfect exchange for the final fragment of her soul... You must understand. As soon as this is over, Amagi will come back to us. So... Just come with me, okay?"
[ Wait... What...?! Is that what Akagi's plan has been? To offer herself both their souls to this corroded tree? Can she not see this ritual is doomed to fail? Does she not understand that Amagi would not want this? All Amagi ever wanted... was for Akagi to be safe.
Ah. A sinking feeling in the gut, a bitter sweet resolution starting to take hold. She knows what she has to do.]
Okay.
[ Kaga steps past Akagi, one hand slipping a jade broach onto her dear sister's person, the other clutching at the fox mask that once belonged to Amagi, the one that now marks Kaga as Akagi's sister. ]
Let's go, Akagi. To the final stage of this ritual.
[ In front of the great tree Kaga removes her mask and turns to Akagi, smiling. ]
Pain, pain through the entire body. The heart still beats thanks to damnable resilient KAN-SEN biology, keeping Kaga alive as she feels the tree begin to feed upon her very essence. Already she can feel it, the slipping at the edge of her mind, the promise of something far worse than a simple death.
Oblivion awaits. ]
Urgh... I thought I was ready for this... but it really hurts...
[ Akagi stares on in horror. That hurts even more, to see her like this. But it's the only way to bring her back to herself. The Sakura Empire needs Akagi far more than it needs Kaga. ]
"Kaga?! Why... Why do I have the ornament that Amagi gave you? You never let this out of your sight... Why is it on me now?! Why did you protect me?! Didn't we promise we'd go together?!"
I'm... enough on my own. It's only natural... for me to return what your sister gave me. Consider it her protecting you one more time.
[ Kaga's vision blurs and for a moment she no longer sees Akagi, another kitsune stands there. Smiling like always, her voice gentle yet somehow the strongest thing ever heard. ]
"And please take care of my sister, Akagi."
[ Kaga smiles, nods, and blinks. Amagi is gone, Akagi stands there still in shock, tears running down her face. Vaguely Kaga realizes her own face feels quite wet and not just from the blood she's been coughing out... is she crying too? How very unlike her. ]
I fulfilled my promise... dear sister...
[ The branches of the sakura tree begin to bloom with crimson red flowers. Kaga's body begins to slowly be drawn into the canopy of the great tree, her vision going dark, the world ending for her. Her heart is broken and not just from being pierced. In fulfilling the old promise to Amagi she's broken several she gave to Akagi to always be by her side, even more she's made to herself to find reconciliation with her estranged sister Tosa... no hope of that now.
But there's hope for a better future. One where Akagi is freed from her madness, the Sakura Empire stands strong, and the Sirens are defeated. This is what Kaga's given her life and very soul for, it's a price she'd gladly pay again given the chance. ]
Spoilers) Azur Lane Event: Whence Flowers Bear No Fruit. CW)Death, Ritualistic Sacrifice, Minor Gore
The two fox KAN-SEN stand before a great sakura tree, its twisted branches dead except for a dull red glow. Around them hundreds, perhaps even thousands of little blue lights make their way to the great guardian tree, sinking into the base of the trunk once they reach it.
Kaga knows them to be souls. Human souls, belonging to Sakurians, the very humans she and Akagi are meant to protect. Being used as fuel for a ritual to bring back Akagi's lost sister. ]
"Not enough... It's not enough..."
[ Akagi is talking to herself. Kaga can only watch from beside her, loyal as ever to her sister, there to take care of her like she promised to a lifetime ago. There's a tightness in the chest as Akagi continues to spiral, a deep rooted pain that holds into some long held insecurities.
Akagi will still do anything for Amagi. Kaga was never going to be enough. She protected Akagi from everything except herself, let her sister fall into this grief sick madness that now sees her bringing their entire nation to ruin. Something should be done, something must be done. ]
--"Kaga... You know her just as well as I do. That's why we're the perfect exchange for the final fragment of her soul... You must understand. As soon as this is over, Amagi will come back to us. So... Just come with me, okay?"
[ Wait... What...?! Is that what Akagi's plan has been? To offer herself both their souls to this corroded tree? Can she not see this ritual is doomed to fail? Does she not understand that Amagi would not want this? All Amagi ever wanted... was for Akagi to be safe.
Ah. A sinking feeling in the gut, a bitter sweet resolution starting to take hold. She knows what she has to do.]
Okay.
[ Kaga steps past Akagi, one hand slipping a jade broach onto her dear sister's person, the other clutching at the fox mask that once belonged to Amagi, the one that now marks Kaga as Akagi's sister. ]
Let's go, Akagi. To the final stage of this ritual.
[ In front of the great tree Kaga removes her mask and turns to Akagi, smiling. ]
From Naraka, down to the netherworld.
[ (cw; blood, minor gore) A dead branch pierces Kaga's chest. Blood drips from her mouth, painting it a vivid crimson.
Pain, pain through the entire body. The heart still beats thanks to damnable resilient KAN-SEN biology, keeping Kaga alive as she feels the tree begin to feed upon her very essence. Already she can feel it, the slipping at the edge of her mind, the promise of something far worse than a simple death.
Oblivion awaits. ]
Urgh... I thought I was ready for this... but it really hurts...
[ Akagi stares on in horror. That hurts even more, to see her like this. But it's the only way to bring her back to herself. The Sakura Empire needs Akagi far more than it needs Kaga. ]
"Kaga?! Why... Why do I have the ornament that Amagi gave you? You never let this out of your sight... Why is it on me now?! Why did you protect me?! Didn't we promise we'd go together?!"
I'm... enough on my own. It's only natural... for me to return what your sister gave me. Consider it her protecting you one more time.
[ Kaga's vision blurs and for a moment she no longer sees Akagi, another kitsune stands there. Smiling like always, her voice gentle yet somehow the strongest thing ever heard. ]
"And please take care of my sister, Akagi."
[ Kaga smiles, nods, and blinks. Amagi is gone, Akagi stands there still in shock, tears running down her face. Vaguely Kaga realizes her own face feels quite wet and not just from the blood she's been coughing out... is she crying too? How very unlike her. ]
I fulfilled my promise... dear sister...
[ The branches of the sakura tree begin to bloom with crimson red flowers. Kaga's body begins to slowly be drawn into the canopy of the great tree, her vision going dark, the world ending for her. Her heart is broken and not just from being pierced. In fulfilling the old promise to Amagi she's broken several she gave to Akagi to always be by her side, even more she's made to herself to find reconciliation with her estranged sister Tosa... no hope of that now.
But there's hope for a better future. One where Akagi is freed from her madness, the Sakura Empire stands strong, and the Sirens are defeated. This is what Kaga's given her life and very soul for, it's a price she'd gladly pay again given the chance. ]