Disclaimer:
See previous chapters for a disclaimer...
Chapter 6: What To Do When You Find China, Or Is It When China Finds You?
Sleeping while chained to a wall and while covered in cuts, burns and bruises was something that the young man known as Corren Skyblazer, hoped he’d never have to do again. And to think that before waking up this morning, he had thought it was very uncomfortable to sleep on the floor of a hotel room. Well, now he knew better, since VERY uncomfortable would be the perfect description of the night he had spent chained to the wall of the torture chamber. Aches that he hadn’t felt yesterday after his ‘Session in Hell with Grimmy and Lucia’ were readily apparent and definitely felt.
To make matters worse, he had to sleep in that extremely awkward position while covered in all matter of flesh wounds, including cuts, gouges, scratches, burns, something akin to sunburn on his back, and blistering from the various hot objects he had been prodded and out right branded with. One of the objects he could have sworn looked like a damn horse shoe.
And now here he was at some unknown point in the middle of ocean, on a PIRATE ship’s torture chamber, waiting ever so patiently for what was to become of him next. Well it would seem he would not have to wait long! As no sooner than he had begun to get bored with counting the boards that made up the walls, then the door to this little room of horrors was opened with the familiar ominous creek, that seemingly every door on this damnable ship had.
And wouldn’t you know it? Here comes Grimmy the Sanctuary Goth right now! Not that she had actually bothered to introduce herself, while she was busy introducing him to the exquisite wonders of torture! So his mind had simply labeled her as ‘Grimmy’. It suited her disposition that is for sure; she was all business and didn’t seem to have an ounce of humor in her pale as death body. The only thing that she managed to display were negative emotions as well as a strange form of sadistic glee, that he was sure could only normally be found amongst the Mazoku breed of Pokegirl.
She certainly had pride in her work as well, as she managed to saunter into the room absolutely oozing smugness from every single one of her pores. She had the by now familiar wicked grin on her face, but it seemed a tad different than the one she had worn for hours as she indulged in her depraved desires.
“You are a lucky boy Mr. Skyblazer, if I had my way, you would be tortured until you were nothing but a broken shell of a human flesh! But fortunately for you, my direct superior, High Sister North has shown her infinite mercy, and has decreed that you be imprisoned instead! “He could swear that he could almost hear a pout in her words, even if her otherwise blank face did not indicate the presence of one.
She continued to move forward as she spoke until she stood just before his battered, but healing form.
Her face changed from her wicked little grin to another expression he was becoming familiar with…her business face. Which basically consisted of the erasure of any emotions on her face, and her previously grinning mouth was now shaped into a small frown. She had worn this expression as she was interrogating him.
“You shall be placed in the same cell as one of our more troublesome prisoners, you obviously saw her before you were knocked unconscious yesterday?” she inquired in a serious almost completely monotonous tone.
This of course caused his mind to go into a rush, as he recalled that he had only enough time to actually see two prisoners. The Feral Lupina and the Hong Meiling doppelgänger were the only two he had seen. This was not good, out of the two; he was surely going to be put in the Lupina’s cage. After yesterday he honestly couldn’t expect to get lucky enough to be put in the red head’s cage.
Apparently his dread was visible on his face, as the previously stone faced S-Goth begun to cackle in mocking laughter.
“You seem so sure of whom you’ll be sharing a cell with Mr. Skyblazer! If I had my way, you’d likely be right! ”She had said this only after her cackling had settled to a sort of manic giggle…and then her voice seemed once again take on that pout that could only be heard and not be seen.
“However entertaining it might be to pair you up with that Feral mutt…The High Sisters all decreed that you be kept safe and in relatively good shape.” She was once again wearing that wicked grin of hers, a look that he was honestly beginning to dislike as the bitch herself.
“You my dear, have the good fortune of being placed in the cell of our most troublesome prisoner.” She seemed to hold this particular prisoner in a great amount of disdain.
She reached out her hand and held his head in some twisted parody of a gentle embrace, as she ran her hand softly up his cheek.
“Say good night my dear.” Were her final parting words, as once again the world went dark. This happened in synch with a sudden impact to the base of his skull.
??? Location Unknown???
Within a lab somewhere deep in the bowels of a undisclosed location, an ominous shadow was cast by figure standing before a large table of some sort. The sound of thunder echoed though out the cavern that the figure stood within. Upon this table was another form, which seemed misshapen and deformed, not truly resembling the outline of any known being.
And to make this scene even more cliché, the sound of mad, perhaps insane cackling was soon echoing throughout the lab as well. Were this shadowed figure to exclaim that whatever was lain out on the large table was alive, it would be entirely fitting, because of the scenery.
That is not the case however…this is not the case however fitting it maybe, for instead, the once shadowed figure emerged from the darkness.
A man of somewhat average height and of a thin build made his way ever so made way into the light cast by the displays in his underground laboratory. His hair was dark brown, nearly black and was parted in the middle, so that the bangs hung slightly over his eyes. Over his eyes were a pair of unnecessarily thick goggles with an unusual spiral design on the lenses.
“Soon my precious, WE shall show that Pink Haired Trollop! Even if it costs me hundreds of thousands in credits, REVENGE shall be MINE! Or my name is not DR. INSANO!!” was the deranged exclamation of the Crimson League’s Resident Mad Scientist Extraordinaire, and renowned researcher, Dr. Insano.
“As if that weren’t enough my sweet…I do this all for SCIENCE!!!” was the final unnecessarily loud exclamation of his one sided conversation that he had held with whatever mystery…or terror sat beneath the sheet that covered the massive operating table.
*Back to Main Part of the Story*
Consciousness returned at an annoyingly slow pace, or that was what Corren Skyblazer was beginning to believe, after being knocked out for the SECOND time within a 24 hour period.
As he slowly regained his bearings, the pain that he was faced with upon waking up with earlier returned with a vengeance, along with what felt like the mother of all goose eggs on the back of his head, which of course was accompanied by the now customary migraine and nausea he felt upon regaining consciousness.
A small blessing came this time though, with the absence of that infernal ringing he had heard yesterday. Instead he was greeted by a slightly unusual sound…which sounded remarkably like soft snoring? It was at that point that he looked around at his surroundings.
Sure enough, across from where he was once again heavily chained to a wall, was the familiar form of Hong Meiling. Whether this young woman was truly this world’s version of The Scarlet Devil Mansion’s Gatekeeper, or just a remarkably accurate doppelgänger, he was not able to be sure. What he did know for sure, was that this young lady had been giving dear Grimmy a good amount of grief, which pretty much put her as A-OK in his book, right off the bat.
She appeared to be sleeping…and somehow managed to look completely unbothered by the awkward position that her heavily restrained body was sleeping in. Again this only added to the checklist that Corren was unconsciously beginning to make in his mind, which seemed to further indicate the authenticity of his cell mate’s probable identity.
It is a well-known fact amongst the Tohou fandom, that Hong Meiling, affectionately known as China, is almost always seen sleeping while standing up, while she is supposed to be guarding the gate of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Now sleeping against a brick wall cannot be all that comfortable, yet Meiling seemingly is always asleep when shown in doujinshi and in official releases by the animator ZUN.
There is one thing that was rather odd about her sleeping habits though…and that is the fact that if attacked, she is fully capable of defending herself and the gate by proxy, while in a state of total sleep.
Now this would not help him in getting her to wake up in the least, but there is one other meme that he was easily able to recall, once he had managed to totally get his mind up and running.
Another of Hong Meiling's unusual characteristics could only be confirmed by actually attempting to rouse the sleeping red head.And to be honest, he wasn't sure how this young lady would react. She might just look at him funny or just freak out at him, he could only find out he supposed, by trying.
Now oddly enough, the individual that was across from him had reacted in an identical manner yesterday, when he had unconsciously spoken her nickname, in the shock he was in upon seeing her.
‘Well…it’s not like I have anything to lose by trying this again…granted I may feel like an idiot if this doesn’t work.’
“But feeling like an idiot is better than, doing nothing at all.” Was what he voiced as he honestly felt that feeling silly was better than watching this girl snore…even though that wouldn’t be too bad in and of itself now that he thought of it…Shaking his head in an attempt to regain his focus he prepared himself to address the young woman, who could very well be who he thought she was…ESPECIALLY in this world.
“Hey China…” when his first spoken attempt at waking her failed to rouse her, he decided to try again.
“Oh CHIIIINNNAAAA!” this resulted in causing her restrained form to shift about in her slumber…muttering something along the lines of ‘Sakuya…give me five more minutes…’
This of course got a reaction from the young man who was attempting to rouse the now more or less CONFIRMED analog of one Youkai Martial Artist.
“Okay…one more time then…”were his muttered words as a look of determination crossed his face.
“WAKE THE FUCK UP CHINA!!!” was what he shouted; honestly growing tired of trying to rouse her by this point, and decided to go for all or nothing.
Shouting this seemed to be the key to rousing the until now stubbornly slumbering form of one remarkably accurate analog.
Thoroughly annoyed aqua green orbs snapped open faster than Corren thought anyone’s could and glared into his own murky brown eyes.
“MY. NAME. IS. NOT. CHINA!” was her annoyed response said through visibly gritted teeth. Her eyes were totally fierce and seemed to glow a brighter shade of aqua than they were naturally.
“My name is Meiling.” She said this in such a candid and conversational way that it seemed to imply that he SHOULD know that.
Corren was honestly caught off guard by the seemingly mercurial modes of this young lady who according to all physical evidence as well as by her own words was indeed Hong Meiling…or at the very least this world’s version of her.
It was as she was glaring at the young man who had DARED to bring up her hated nickname that something occurred to the young woman that proudly claimed the name Meiling.
‘The male across from where I am unfortunately bound…looks strangely familiar. Now why does it feel like I should know his face better than anyone else’s? No matter, how does he know THAT name…I had better ask him myself.’
“How do you know of THAT name Human?” came the query, of one of the most beautiful women he had set his eyes upon….getting of track here.
This through Corren for a bit of a loop…was he just supposed to up and admit to her that he knows of her character and all about her from the Internet? And that there is an entire fan base centered on her character alone? He could try fibbing…but the expression of utter seriousness on her face told him that was not an option. And what was with that title she had given him…waited…could she couldn’t possibly be the same as the real one …
“You’re a Pokegirl aren’t you…and not a Youkai right?” came his startled and somewhat rushed question.
Meiling looked at Corren as though he had grown a second head, that or he was totally nuts, she also looked a bit miffed that he had not answered her question.
“Of course I am a Pokegirl; I am of the noble Kishi breed!” Meiling exclaimed proudly, almost seeming to puff up her chest in pride…which did really interesting things to her exposed breasts.
“I am not a Youkai, like those in the lore of my homeland!” she was equally prideful in saying this statement, those this time it seemed she was living up to another stated part of Hong Meiling’s personality, and further proving the fact that she was her analog. She was exhibiting great pride in her homeland, which would be Edo in this case, and not China, like it would be under different circumstances.
“Wow…that is rather ironic…” mumbled Corren, honestly a bit shocked at her breed, and more than a little surprised at how…accurate her behavior was.
“Well this is a surprise…are you by chance several centuries old?” he asked this last question with a wince, as he knew it was impolite to ask a lady her age. And if the temper and spirit she had exhibited so far was any indication, she was more than likely going to give him a piece of her mind.
However, he was instead shocked to see her begin to gape at him like a fish…like he had just said some major taboo word….or that he had said something that had truly offended her perhaps?
The reasoning behind her completely dumbfounded expression and then outright gaping was the fact that he had just asked a question that really hit the nail on the head. She had only met one person that was that astute in her lifetime…which coincidently spanned more than three centuries…and it was during her early years that she met that individual that had changed her life so much for the better. And now that she looked the impudent young man over…he looked VERY familiar…almost exactly like HIM!
In reaction to coming to this startling conclusion that only she knew, Meiling began to shake, her eyes beginning to water.
Corren for his part was beginning to panic; he had only intended to see how far the similarities ran between this young lady, who was evidently the Pokegirl Earth’s version of Hong Meiling, and the Animated Character that only existed in games and other media on HIS Earth…and here he goes and makes her cry! And he doesn’t even know WHY she is…
“Umm….I am really sorry for asking you your age like that Miss Mei-“ that was about as far as he got though, as with a loud sniffle the now freely crying Meiling decided to cut him off mid apology.
“I am so glad that you are back….Master.” was her heartfelt, loving and tearful reply that caused one Corren Skyblazer to choke on his own spit in shock.
Pokedex Entry:
KISHI, the Knight of Honor Pokégirl
Type: Very Near Human
Element: Fighting/Dragon
Frequency: Very Rare
Diet: Omnivore
Role: Duelists, bodyguards
Libido: Average
Strong Vs: Dark, Bug, Rock
Weak Vs: Psychic, Flying
Attacks: Parry, Chi Blast, Deflect, Twister, Takedown, Hurricane Kick, Dragon Dance, CrossShield
Enhancements: Weapon Enhancement, Intuitive Aptitude (Weapons), Enhanced Strength (x4), Enhanced Agility (x4), Enhanced Endurance (x7), Enhanced Durability (x6), Enhanced Speed (x4), Enhanced Dexterity (x3)
Evolves: None
Evolves From: Amazonwu (Dragon Scale + Training)
In most cases, the Amazonwu is a Pokégirl who specializes in a single weapon. That is the norm, and the breed's normal evolution leads them further along that path. However, a rare few find that they prefer to branch out instead, to give themselves a wider repertoire of weapons they are proficient in at the expense of the total mastery of a chosen one. In these cases, the 'wu will tend to evolve instead, if they are able to obtain a dragon scale, into a Kishi, whose abilities are specialized in the use of multiple weapons as the conditions of combat may require. A dragon-type with a strong sense of honor, abilities that allow for varied and prolonged combat, and natural armor, the Kishi is a breed of Pokégirl very well suited to prolonged dueling against skilled opponents, but also a skilled pinch hitter, known for their ability to turn the tides of battle.
Outwardly, the breed's body doesn't change overly; some may grow several inches or otherwise develop, but this is far from a sure thing. They tend to be seen with more weapons than an Amazonwu, since that is their specialty, but the true differences don't show until a battle begins. There, the Kishi's draconic heritage shows through rather pointedly, for they are able to summon an armor of dragon scales onto their bodies. The color and size of these scales varies from Kishi to Kishi, as does the style they appear in--some chose a very animalistic look, covering their bodies purely in scales until they look like a true dragon type, whilst others prefer to cause the scales to grow into stylized mail that can be quite strikingly attractive--but they are almost always incredibly strong and durable, able to take more punishment than much metal armor whilst being very light. However, the downside of this is that when they do break, since they are a part of the 'girl's body, albeit a very numbed one, it tends to be rather painful. Still, it is a very powerful defensive ability.
As one might expect from a breed with characteristics of both dragons and knights, though, Kishis are a breed with a rather strong sense of honor, if an interestingly unique one. Their idea of honorable combat general focuses around a one-on-one match where both sides are roughly evenly matched, and this extends to general social interaction. Thus, a Kishi will tend to fare badly with and arouse the ire of a tamer who refuses to respect his Pokégirls, but will go to great lengths to earn his respect if only in a minor degree until it becomes obvious that she will never get it, at which point she will tend to become unruly and disrespectful, evening the playing field the other way, as it were, even as the cost of this usually leading to her being traded or put through a conditioning cycle. However, those willing to respect the skill and expertise a Kishi have for what it is, even if they only consider her a highly valuable tool; will earn rather strong loyalty from her.
Aside from this, the breed's honor-based mentality tends to compound upon their draconic nature to make it rare that they forget a slight given by an enemy, or a debt, and they will usually do their best to repay such thing when opportunity presents itself, though whether or not it does mostly depends upon the tamer. They are also prone to, when possible, establishing rivalries with another Pokégirl who they duel repeatedly for whatever reason, particularly members of the Kapoeraa family, Armsmistresses, and especially other dragons. Their conflict with Kapoeraas comes mostly from the animosity held as Wus, whilst the Armsmistress is a breed who fills similar roles but uses a nearly-opposite approach to combat. And, in the case of dragon-types, many others respect the Kishi for not being authentically draconic, whilst the Kishi, as both dragons and knights, find dragons to be their most preferred foes. In the same vein as their mentality toward debts, however, when a Kishi feels she has failed her tamer or in some duty, she will usually want to be blamed so that she can work to make amends, and ignoring the fault tends to frustrate them to no end.
In actual combat, Kishis have several unique abilities to bolster their multi-weapon and dueling roles, which have been attributed to their draconic typing. The first and most prominent is an ability to magically enhance the quality of any weapon for the duration of its use. This ability only effects a weapon that is held and being used for combat, and only whilst in use, but being in effect a magical ability, it can easily work on almost any type of weapon used, from sharpening a sword to increasing a gun's range. The amount to which it works increases as a Kishi becomes stronger, but it will never become powerful enough to, say, change the elemental typing of the attack to something other than dragon or what it would normally be. However, the ability is not limited to items designed as weapons, so a stick would be enhanced, for example, to be as durable and strong as a quarterstaff, so long as it was being viewed and used as a weapon. In the case of weapons with existing enchantments, their natural ones tend to fortify the Kishi's when they don't conflict or override when they do.
The other half of this ability is that, upon picking up an unfamiliar weapon, a Kishi gains an intuitive idea of how to use it. This is not to say she could pick up a sword and suddenly understand the complex art of swordplay, but rather that, even if unfamiliar with swords, she would gain an idea, upon picking it up to use as a weapon, of how it could be used to fight, given her own abilities. Rarely does using this alone allow a Kishi to win a fight, unless it's used to pick up an unexpected weapon and win with the element of surprise, but it is definitely an excellent way to get a jump start on training herself in the use of a new weapon, or to adjust to the nuances of a new sword or gun once they understand the use of the general weapon class.
What this means when it comes to an actual fight is that they tend to try and draw an opponent into an evenly matched duel by choosing a relatively equal weapon and enjoying the fight. Since they are built for such drawn-out duels, having the armor and endurance they do, and have such a variety of weapons they can use, this allows them to choose a slightly superior one to wield as they wear down their opponent and defeat them, it is a type of combat they fair well in. However, when an adversary refuses to play fairly, be it by threatening others, fighting dishonorably, or attacking in numbers, the rules of the duel shift for the Kishi as well and she will do what is required to even the odds as it were, which often entails making use of another weapon--most have decent skill with at least four different styles, including at least one ranged style--that gives them an unfair advantage against the enemy's fighting style. This is supported by the sense of honor that most have, and the general sentiment is that it would be the most dishonorable sort of death to die because of inflexible rules of combat. This mentality has led to the popular assertion that no Kishi has ever perished unarmed.
However, unless they are being used as a normal weapon, sex toys are not affected or enhanced by either of the breed's abilities, and really, their taming habits are nothing extraordinary. What is liked and disliked varies by individual, and their reliance on multiple weapons means that, although there's a good chance at least one of them would be reasonable to use in sex play, it rarely has the same effect as the more personally important weapons of the 'wus do. Tea also replaces coffee as their intoxicant drink, although not overt reason for this has been reported.
The feral state of the Kishi is nothing of particular note either; they tend to be more focused on honorable battles and in seeking them out to the exclusion of all else which, in conjunction with how rare they already are, means that they are not commonly found feral in the first place and that those who are tend to be easily captured by tamers. They are an almost unheard of breed to threshold into, as well, being not only high on the evolutionary tree, but being a rare side evolution as they are.
Notes:
It's a bloody Hat trick people, three chapters in one day!