Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Kaiya - 8

What are you doing?? I've never seen you shut down like this... You've always been so fucking perfect... You've always gotten back up... You've ALWAYS finished every fucking fight with a smile...

Kaiya feels dizzy as she tries to make sense of the situation. She walked up the hill so sure this was the right choice, so sure this is the will of the high god, so sure this is what her father would want her to do now. All of that certainty faded the moment she looked in Yumi's eyes and knew there was absolutely no way she understood what was happening tonight.

I know you... You're just scared... But you gave me this curse... How could you not know?... My eyes looked like your eyes, I've never questioned all the killing... You had to know you were doing SOMETHING.

Kaiya looks over at Yumi, trembling as she holds Jin's sword close.

But... there you are... suddenly so afraid...

She looks over at Inei, who is musing quotes of religious texts as he is obsessively, thoroughly ensuring every speck of dust in the dojo is burning.

He's so... putrid... but he's the high priest... if anyone understood how these things worked it should be him, right?... He would understand where this curse came from and what Aelionos would want done...

And I'm an Endo... whatever the will of the high god may be, we must remain forever loyal... my father has made me promise to commit to that so many times... I can't just break that promise... this marriage doesn't change who I am...

Looking back at Yumi, her hand drifts shakily to the hilt of her katana. The same blade Yumi taught her to wield when she asked to start training. As she draws, taking a step forward feels like her legs have turned to anchors.

I am who I am... Nothing can take that from me...

No marriages... No curses...

She closes her eyes as she runs the sword through Yumi's back.

Not my love for you...