Ryozanpaku

[Bloodedge]

"Chichiue," was Kou's simple answer when considering who would be at fault for their birth order. That man, simply put, was at fault for everything he could ever think of in the siblings' lives. If Kou had a few minutes, he could probably think of a reason to blame him for this random appearance in another world as well, but... perhaps that would be too positive a thing to be given to such a lowlife. Whatever the case, he had nothing else to say on that topic. His ears remained open for Shuten's explanation of how she interacted with her Source, and while he couldn't fully agree... he could understand a bit. "You've always been lazy, though. Hell, you'd probably be a lush in any other form that had a sip as well. A Loli Bait Trap who sits around on the couch all day, drinking the hours away. And you call me the shut-in~"

In speaking to Tamamo, Kou learned that the affectionately-named 'Tsu-chan' would likely be glad to hear such a comparison between them. He could see that; she did seem rather attached to all forms of Kimiko. It seemed, though, that this would work in both directions to some extent. He wasn't one to pry so directly, but that was his train of thought at the time of their discussion. "Probably. I've never had a close friend like that, so if I randomly encountered you two together, I'd consider a high probability of you being related. You know, especially considering how you and Kaiba get along."

[Apollymi]

"Chichi-ue?!" this was an excited utterance from Tamamo, she couldn't believe someone would actually use such an archaic reference for their parent. Of course, there was at least a little hypocrisy present at the surprise but she coughed soon after. "I know, I wonder if he's living in one of those fantasy universes in his head too... Or maybe one of those old Samurai Movies, fufufufu~" this was Shuten's commentary. Though she'd like to have said a bit more, she had to agree that overall their father could be blamed for their birth order, if nothing else. As an aside there was the matter of her brother apparently thinking her lazy and lush worthy all on her own. "Urusai! Letting one's older brother do his duties as big brother and not doing too much is my honor as a little sister!" her words made it sound like this was Shuten's Knightly duty. But, as always they'd be accompanied by more biting commentary worthy of their siblingship. "Besides, if you didn't go do errands imagine how little you'd interact with others. You still manage shut-in status even with me having you do everything. You'd be a Mega, no ULTRA NEET, without me!" she exclaimed in a fashion which made Tamamo wonder exactly what their home life would have been like. She imagined Kou running around and doing stuff for his sister and she'd be the type who in turn kept women she didn't like away from him, which wasn't really unlike the other siblings she watched in action.

As they moved along in conversation, Tamamo couldn't help but feel sheepish. She always did when it came to the relationships she had with others that she couldn't really define herself. She appreciated the Kaiba siblings for different reasons. Tsukiko was a humanizing individual and managed to make her feel less outcast by her status than many others did. She was one of the few to accept her even knowing exactly who and what she was. And given her own status, one of the few that Kimiko didn't have to worry about, her intentions were always very clear after all. Besides the fact that they grew up together she really threw herself into their friendship, she could only answer those feelings in kind. His words about his would be thoughts about them had he encountered them together made her chuckle and gave a bit of insight into this thoughts and curiosities. Especially the leading part at the end about Kaiba, "Sou ka, I suppose it would be easier to relate those to things we know. I find it surprising you think Kaiba and I get along, but given the way you interact with your sister, I can see how you came to that conclusion," she said giving it an honest bit of reflection. "Kaiba annoys me, a lot actually. But he's dependable, task and goal oriented, and he does right by Tsu-chan, so I can... respect him. But I also kind of like messing with him, I don't know if that makes sense," said Tamamo, not having a deep recognition of how one could potentially see that sort of relationship. Perhaps they were like, siblings with different parents. At the very least, she knew the kinds of things that Kaiba Seto was capable of, and in some ways, aspired to make as great a mark on business as he did. No, that wasn't right. She aimed to blow his efforts out of the water, which was generally how she was about everyone in business. Battling hard against worthy opponents was her pleasure in that world. Kaiba fit that bill enough to earn her ire a bit more than most, but she likely would have been a bit friendlier if they were in a more direct competition.

[Bloodedge]

Following his answer, there was a strange reaction from Tamamo, of all people. The Kitsune repeated the manner in which Kou addressed the father of Shuten and himself, which he supposed was strange outside of their very peculiar upbringing. "Uh─" Thinking about this matter, he considered that it likely wasn't the best idea to utter such a phrase around others. Luckily, Shuten seemed capable enough to save any self-incrimination, only before returning to her usual annoyance. "Your honor?! You mean just another thing on your bullshit list of demands! Besides, with all the odd jobs I've done, calling me a NEET is like offering me a pipe dream of relaxation. When was the last time you had a job, eh?!" As he spoke, Kou added a bit of haste to his step. He soon placed himself in reaching distance of Shuten, and used the opportunity to snatch her by the horn. She may have had shorter hair than normal in this form, but she still had something atop her head worth tugging for the sake of punishment.

Of course, there was still the matter of Tamamo's relationship with the Kaiba siblings. She apparently thought it pertinent to deny how she got along with the male sibling of the two, but nothing she had to say about their dealings with one another managed to dissuade the lad. In fact, the way she spoke of the male Kaiba only further enforced Kou's point. "Annoying but dependable, can occasionally be relied on for an important task even though you'd rather throttle them as soon as they're in striking distance..." he chanted while jerking around Shuten's horn. At this point, it seemed he had taken up this physical act for the purpose of proving his point alone. "Sounds pretty familiar to me. Any idea why that'd be the case, I-mou-to?"

[Apollymi]

She'd saved him. Her brother had no idea how much work it was keeping him out of the trouble of literally his own making. He was choosing to remain a virtual unknown to everyone, doing so required him to not give too much of himself away but here he was, slipping up. And what would she get as thanks for this awesome effort of hers? Shuten looked back in time to see her brother stomping towards her. Apparently, he'd not really liked what she'd had to say about him working. How would he show his distaste? What was he reaching for? Her horn, and now she was being accosted again. Oh and she was still a little drunk, how easily she began dizzy. "Baka-onii!! You don't need to relax, I've had plenty of jobs...." she mumbled. This was actually true, the girl was quite good at doing odd jobs herself when the task felt right, even as a Demi-Human in this world she did a lot of work. Not that she'd get the opportunity to properly voice it.

In the meantime, it seemed that Kou thought that Tamamo's mention of the male Kaiba was one which deserved a pointed reaction. He jerked his younger sister around by the horn and mentioned, in a way none too subtle that the relationship of the pair was much like that of siblings. "Nii-san... ur... da... annoyin'... one.... Un....hand....meeeeeeh~~~" the girl's words began slurring intensely as her pupils turned into swirls, she was dizzy again. Great. Why was this always his method of punishment? A giggle escaped Tamamo as she could see the lad's point, still at this point, she felt quite bad for Shuten and couldn't help but comment. "Ara ara, I see the point, but I'm getting dizzy just looking~" the pink haired lass mused. Even though she couldn't imagine suffering a true sibling bond with one like Kaiba she at least understood how rightful such a comparison was, at the moment. It was strange but she hadn't really thought it before now. "Eto, I wonder if that makes it okay for me to terrorize Kaiba a bit more than I do?" she thought wistfully. All the while the group approached this temple, they weren't approached by anyone, how strange. She wondered if the Orochi knew that they were coming? Wondered if there was a trap waiting for them? She supposed she'd be on guard just in case.

[Bloodedge]

At no point did Kou intend to stop the divine punishment being delivered unto Shuten. There were so many transgressions she had to answer for, and he hadn't forgotten one major overstepping of bounds when they were aboard the Grandcypher. Ah, but that particular incident required far stricter punishment than what he could do now, while they all had a task to accomplish. Soon, they would be walking into a grand battle of epic proportions. They would need all of their wits as they approached the temple containing the Orochi, and would perhaps even have to call reinforcements. Expectancies were high; this could be something equivalent to a Raid or World Boss that they could not possibly be prepared for.

... Except... it most certainly wasn't. Aside from self-regeneration and a few tricks resulting in some lucky shots here and there, these three could never have struggled against the Orochi. Stalling alone allowed the multi-headed serpent of Ryozanpaku to last a few hours at best, before all eight of its heads fell to the floor at last, only to be drained into the sake gourd wielded by none other than Shuten-doji. Kou, after being forced into a melee battle with the creature, seemed to have suffered just a bit in the extended battle. Aside from some shredded clothes and a bit of blood loss from the fang cuts beneath those tears, he seemed to have taken on a bit of intense poisoning. He was a Witcher still, so this wasn't a life-threatening issue, but the Orochi had delivered a slight maiming to the lad who now sat against a wall within the temple, heaving.

"Fuck," the white-haired lad spoke between pants. "All things considered... easy grinding. No chance I can get a mainland outfit like that back around here though, huh?" he asked. His clothes, while suitable enough for public consumption, were essentially done for. All he had left for a top was his collar, the left sleeve now kept up only by his pauldron, and a bit of sleeve still tucked under his right glove. The young man's pants had seen better days as well, but he could get away with essentially wearing capris for a while. At least... he still had the quarter cape under his pauldron; that happened to be his favorite piece. "Good... good game, minna."

[Apollymi]

Divine punishment was what Shuten received but eventually it would end and they would begin what they actually came here for. An eight headed, eight tailed dragon like creature which they had to dispatch. Between them they had all the skills necessary. And while her brother busied himself during battle against the creature, Shuten pulled bones, scales, fangs and talons at her leisure. She managed to keep herself mostly unharmed due to the actions of her brother and did the same for Tamamo, until such a time as it was necessary for her to pull free whatever item she found on the creature.

From Tamamo's perspective the fight against the creature known as Orochi wasn't so bad. Actually, she'd only needed to retrieve the reverse scale from the creature to stop its ability to regenerate so that they could injure and properly seal it within the gourd owned by Shuten. After this happened it was quite easy and she was able to counter all the energy based attacks with her own mirror. So Tamamo at the end of the fight only seemed a little winded while she examined the reverse scale. "Ara ara, it was a decently easy grind, but I think that is mostly your doing... Mikon," she said beginning to approach him, knowing he'd taken the brunt of this fight as far as melee damage was concerned. In the moments she did this she heard the sound of rushing water within her head. In answer to his question about his clothes she had something to say but as she spoke her eyes flickered to a bright jeweled red. She was quiet though she wanted to answer his question she was suffering from a bit of a shift.

"Oi oi, you're worried about your clothes, you look like hell. GG though..." these were the words of Shuten who seemed less than worried but she knew her brother. Though he didn't often play with others, he did always put a lot of himself out there when he did. Perhaps he'd eventually learn it was alright to rely on people a bit more. "Eh, Tama-nee... can you fix him up a bit, he can't go back looking like he got thrashed after he had us rush here," questioned. "Hm... that is quite true isn't it? You do have a reputation to maintain after all..." the remark fell from Tamamo's face but parts of her were already disappearing as she approached. Tails joining and shifting to become one long and white. The ears atop her head sinking in as she gained pointed elfin ears to go along with the horns which seemed to appear atop her head. "Such a chivalrous knight should be rewarded, no?" these were the words of a superior Dragon as the pink hair of Tamamo washed into the platinum blonde locks belonging to Tatsuki. She reached for the lads face in this moment and the pulse of water which escaped her tore away her own robes and left her clad in armor and lingerie exposing to the softest of flesh of her thighs, while that dominating gaze of hers searched for Kou's own eyes. In the first moment of skin contact, one would find that water was spreading across the lad, healing his body. As for his clothes, they shouldn't have taken so much damage but looking at him, Tatsuki understood why this was the case, the lad did smell quite different from before. Shuten in this time was wide eyed, she'd never seen the Dragonoid which belonged to Ashikaga Kimiko and in the moment she was wondering why both Dragons had appeared this day.

[Bloodedge]

With the fall of Orochi, their duties in Ryozanpaku could reach a satisfying conclusion at last. If there were proper gods in this world, Kou would thank them; he was growing tired of the inconsistencies of this questline. He'd have to do something about this poison and clothing issue before they left, sadly... Or perhaps not. When Tamamo reached the male, there was a strange sensation welling up inside him. The voice that came from her mouth did not belong to this Avatar at all, though it did belong to one he had become more acquainted with in a way. He felt it in that ringing sensation in his ear, the slightly nervous thump in his chest, and... the feeling of Akashi stirring in his core. Tatsuki─ that was the name of this Avatar. Why was she here? Ah, yes... the clothes he'd ruined were enchanted with the power of this Dragonoid. How he managed to have them torn was a mystery, now that he thought about it.

"Chival─" he nearly repeated. Halfway through the word, however, he realized his actions were not missed by her. Was it simply Tatsuki, or the lass Ashikaga Kimiko herself? No matter. He was being healed, and offered some sort of reward that he didn't imagine was connected to the healing at all. Interestingly enough, this was another Avatar he couldn't have many expectancies of. What sort of reward could she be talking about? This one was a bit of a dominatrix at heart; could she have been claiming he had the 'privilege' of servicing her? That seemed logical, but perhaps his degeneracy was acting up again. "I uh..." Yet again, he found himself incapable of properly conversing with the young woman due to the behavior of her current Avatar. Maybe it was more than that, actually, but that wasn't a matter of importance; he had to shake it off. "Iie. I just uh... wanted to pull my own weight, y'know?" he replied, all while his eyes refrained from even blinking during the strange stare-down that tended to happen around this form.

[Apollymi]

'Eh?! Why does he look scared? Baka-onii, a girl that is into you isn't gonna hurt you...' the eyes of Shuten narrowed, of course, she was missing several context clues, and didn't understand the true nature of Dragons. But, seeing how Akashi interacted with Miki and even Tamamo she could only expect more to come in the next few moments. The healing of her brother was taking place and now she was left to her own devices for a few moments and she'd end up pouring herself a drink. "I think the words you're looking for, Baka-nii are, 'Thanks for noticing my efforts!'~" mentioned the purple haired girl with a chuckle before she turned her back snootily. 'What the hell is with Dragons anyways, both of them did something like this... hell Tama-nee was only there at the end because Akashi did something weird, I really don't get all of this. But, the Dragons seem to be on our side at least!~' she chuckled deviously. At the same time, something about the source she was bonded with had a deeper understanding about the nature of Dragons, if he'd been more present he likely would have laughed and told the lad to try his best.

Tatsuki during these moments of hesitation rubbed the lad's face ever so gently. She fully acknowledged this one, and was more than willing to accept him. If one were actually curious about who noticed the lad's actions, both of the females present had. They weren't the types who would stop him from doing what he wished, but both were relatively certain that the damage he took wasn't standard for him outside of this world. He stumbled initially in his speech but met Tatsuki's gaze without wavering and offered something of an explanation for his actions. "Hoh? Well you accomplish that much regardless," she said tilting his face up to hers as his healing completed. "Even so, I am not displeased, looking after one's kin and mate are desirable qualities," she mentioned, offering the lad a single press of her lips against his. Strangely enough this Avatar had the most varied speech pattern, but her points were still made. Her tail moved gently around him as she removed her hand but extended it to the lad to help him up. She had much to consider about his reward but needed to look at him in his standing form to guarantee his look was one which fit. All the while once again, the younger sister of Aiba Yugi was missing this moment of obvious closeness between the pair.

[Bloodedge]

Though he normally would have demanded silence of his sister without hesitation, the Dragonoid in front of him commanded a certain amount of attention. Even if he wasn't tantalized, even if he wanted to shift his gaze, he wouldn't have been able to. This form captured him in a very unexpected way, and the hand against his face provided the strangest comfort. It could have been the healing, but it seemed to be anything but. Either way, the Dragonoid's speech caused him to swallow a lump in his throat as he reached out to accept her aid in rising. Lo and behold, there first had to be a reason to take pause. Tatsuki's touch was accompanied by... strangely, a kiss. That was on the list of unexpected approaches from the Dragonoid specifically, odd as that was to think. He felt a great enough sense of desire to consciously meet this gesture nonetheless, even keeping his lips against hers while being lifted from the floor. "I guess that makes sense," he said the moment their lips parted, seeming only a bit less sheepish about interacting with the Dragon. "Suman. I didn't give the clothes all the consideration I should have during that." Indeed, it was only moments ago that Kou even realized he had been gifted those articles by none other than Tatsuki. He bowed after speaking his apology, accepting his earlier battle tactics as a mistake when considering that he'd effectively ruined something that had been crafted specifically for him by the girl he then entered a legitimate relationship with.

[Apollymi]

Shuten might have been curious about why she wasn't immediately told off, but that itch within her mind, that was the source of this Avatar just wanted to drink and relax. She didn't turn around, and instead found content in every sip of sake she took. Strangely the original would have done the same thing, or perhaps even offered the white haired lad a drink before sending him off into the clutches of a Dragon. Whatever the case, when Kou rose from the floor his lips still pressed against Tatsuki's there was a blissful ignorance taking place on his sister's part. What a shame.

In the meantime, the lad before the Dragonoid found herself being met by this lad's actions. How much he'd changed since their earlier meetings. This was indeed something to be excited about, however, she knew from experience that her time here was limited and she knew within herself that she didn't have long before the Kitsune forced herself back to the surface. After all, she could keep the Druid at bay if she wished, but there would be a problem or two if she tried to do such a thing to a consciousness with the amount of potency that Tamamo held. All the while her eyes didn't leave this lad, even as their lips parted. He thought to apologize for his efforts, claiming to not have considered his wardrobe when he'd used his thought up strategy to protect her other self and his younger sister. "Hoh? There is no need for that..." she explained looking at his face closely a strange light coming to those red eyes of hers. "It wasn't something which should have needed consideration, even against the little Wyvern found here. Dragons are creatures of action, and you acted..." she concluded, but she figured it would require at least a little more explanation than just that, at least from a magical perspective.

"What was made for you should have worked with you... protected you and regenerated itself," she mentioned casually as if these were perfectly normal things to enchant into the clothes of humanoids. "But I smell a change in you," she mentioned with the lightest twitch of her nostrils. The lad before her, had grown or was in the process of growing and shifting in such a way that the older version of his garments simply wouldn't work with who he was becoming. This was fine though, she had something else in mind for her young Knight. "Evolutions require modifications, and such things cost me nothing. Worry not," she mentioned. Her hand that she'd used to help him, rose from its place and rested against the center of his chest. Her ideas solidified she cast another magic, reworking his clothes. More armor, more Knightly and surprisingly enough more modern, were the pieces found on him. Much like her current attire, he'd find himself with combinations of cloth and armor pieces. A tailed coat instead of his cape, but with similar fashion, even a hood. Belts and gloves were all accented in something like gold but were even more durable than before though admittedly of a light quality befitting of his fighting choices. The enchantments found here were no less numerous than they were originally, and she hovered back a bit to have a look at her handy work with smug satisfaction.

[Bloodedge]

The poor, misguided soul that was his sister could bask in her ignorance for the time being; Kou didn't seem to pay her any further mind. It was true that Tatsuki's very existence commanded attention, but well beyond that simple factoid, he realized he hardly cared to offer his attention elsewhere regardless. Moreover, the reward previously mentioned by the Dragonoid was something he would soon be discovering while she explained why his clothes had even been irreparably damaged. Everything made sense in the end. Those garments were made by a Dragonoid of extreme power, and even without effort from their creator, something like the Orochi should never have been capable of destroying them for good. The fault for the destruction was an alteration within Kou himself. Could it have been because he became a Witcher? No, that didn't make sense; they had regenerated since then. Maybe it had something to do with that strange feeling he suffered from earlier. Well, that was going to be something worth later consideration.

For now, though, it was time for the young Holy Knight to stand at attention while the Dragonoid's hand fell upon his recently-restored torso. An oddly cooling sensation spread from that hand across his bare flesh, and then came the appearance of an all new outfit. Had she put a bit more effort into this one? It certainly seemed true to Kou as he finally tore his gaze away from Tatsuki, watching as a very 'knightly' ensemble formed itself around his person. It was a shame he would be losing that cape he enjoyed, but in its place came a few other things he greatly appreciated instead. A hood was upon his garments, alongside short sleeves and a long, tailed coat. The color scheme was right up his alley as well─ not too over the top, but far from bland. There was... something else as well, worth noting with a bit of shock when he saw the finer intricacies of the clothes. "Is this... Magic Gold?!"

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Kou understood that there was something else at work for his clothes to miss their timing as far as regeneration was concerned. Even so, this was of little concern to Tatsuki, she was working on the lad's outfit now and she cared little what happened to his previous garments. Kou's eyes finally moved from Tatsuki's as he took in his new ensemble. She could assume that the lad enjoyed his clothing, but as he looked at the new materials it seemed he was more than a bit shocked. He seemed to take note of the Magic Gold that was now used as part of his outfit, there was nothing present in the Dragonoid's face which said she understood his surprise. "Yes. It is Magic Gold. It isn't as if I would give you less..." she mentioned as if it really meant nothing to her to do this. If one would question if she put extra effort into this design the answer would be no. She simply made something different from what he had, while making it suit the needs of his new and future form. It was the least she could do in this situation as she could hardly allow him to exist in a state lesser than her own. Now her gaze was back upon him and she was satisfied with his look, he fit her understanding of him now. "Do you like it?" she asked of the lad, as she was more than willing to take his opinion into account and make a modification or two if she'd not managed to meet his preferences well enough.

[Bloodedge]

At present, Kou could hardly stop appraising his new outfit. Every time he looked at it, there was something else about it which he found appealing. And yes, that truly was Magic Gold she had woven into his ensemble. There were many things he could think of this, but all looped back to the week of celebration in Atlantis. This was why he had been content to wear himself down when creating the girl's Artifact. Even as inconsequential as her offerings were in her own mind, there was enough consideration offered to be worth a fortune in both labor and monetary value. The simple statement that she wouldn't give him less than such quality cemented his thoughts about everything. Such offerings without thought, in addition to so many other factors he'd been realizing one by one since their adventure started... all made the one called Ashikaga Kimiko more than worthwhile. Kou, in all forms, would have to ensure he was able to reciprocate at every viable opportunity.

Now, the question was, did he like the outfit? That hardly needed saying, but since Tatsuki decided to ask, there was only one thing to do. His expression was a gentle one, featuring a smile that carried unusual quantities of warmth and satisfaction. He was elated, plain and simple. "This one won't get a scratch, and I'll never change it. Arigatou gozaimasu!"

[Apollymi]

Kou indeed, seemed to be in a state of constant elation. She watched with a marked bit of satisfaction as the boy before her looked over all of her designs and seemed quite happy with them. And seeing his happiness made even this Dragonoid quite pleased. A small smirk crossed her lips as she waited for the answer to her question and when she received it, it didn't come in the form of simple words. No, there was much conviction in this lad's face. Such warmth and happiness in that smile. She could honestly say she'd never seen one like it. Ashikaga Kimiko wasn't used to thanks for things she gave, and beyond this point she wasn't used to people taking so seriously the things she did, especially when it was simply her standard behavior. This level of content could not have been reached without the lad before her, and this was why she was willing to give him any and everything he desired. Perhaps one day it would be obvious that these feelings were what she chased, but for today, she took solace in knowing that this was exactly what she'd been going for when she'd designed his attire. "I am glad... it suits you," she didn't openly accept his thanks, at least not with words. Instead, in her typical fashion she leaned into the lad pressing her lips against his. These actions were gentle, less forceful than the Dragonoid normally was, but where did this softness come from? Perhaps, she wished to give him this as a reward for offering himself as a shield against danger or maybe it was something entirely different? Time would only tell, but this kiss however brief would eventually be interrupted by the words of Shuten.

The purple haired lass had finally finished her bottle of sake and a satisfied utterance left her as she emptied her cup for the last time. "Sugoi-na. The sake is even sweeter after trapping Orochi~ Like pure plum blossoms and sugar~" she mused happily. Those purple eyes of hers would turn towards this pair only after they were separated again by whatever happenstance was managed. "Fufufu~ Looks like we're all dressed and don't look like we got murdered anymore..." there was a pause in Shuten as she appraised this boy's attire. It very much suited him by her own standards, both in style, color and taste. And as a girl who understood fashion she also knew of the high quality such an outfit possessed. "Eh, uh.... Nee-san this one is really awesome, I'm a little jealous!~" she managed which only made the Dragonoid smile. This one was always strange, but she knew and respected this lass, she had no problem entertaining her. "Tatsuki, is what I am called. I am glad you approve..." she said though Dragons didn't need approval deep down Tatsuki felt the desire to make sure both of these people knew happiness. This alternate personality was sort of intimidating, and Shuten wasn't sure why. There was an aura coming off of her that reeked of power to an extreme. 'Yare yare... these Dragonoid Avatars feel super dangerous, no wonder Tsu-nee didn't want to wake her up. She's so serious like this...' the girl thought.

[Bloodedge]

Following the lad's offering of thanks, Tatsuki claimed the new outfit suited him. He seemed somewhat contemplative after hearing this, though instead of having another look at himself, he was approached by the Dragonoid a second time. Once again, their lips were brought together by the lass' will. Kou certainly couldn't raise any complaints, bar the single issue in his mind about how short-lived the exchange was. Surely he couldn't make any demands, especially while experiencing mild shock at how unusually tame this version of Kimiko was being at the time. Once they were separated, he decided to forego his self-appraisal regardless. He knew what he thought of the look himself, but at this point in time, he thought there was a more important opinion at hand. "I look alright then?" he questioned, twisting and rotating just enough to focus on the feeling of the outfit instead of simply the visuals.

In the meantime, Shuten reached a satisfying level in her activity of choice: drinking herself into a greater stupor than she managed whilst sober. Kou sighed upon hearing the first utterance from the girl after an extended silence. Was that really how she was going to reinsert herself into the goings-on? Fine, fine. "I guess there's that too," he said regarding the fact that his visage was no longer that of one who'd actually lost the fight. "But, I'm going on record by blaming you for all the damage I took. You're more than capable in melee range too, so I ain't having your excuses."