[PK] Dragon's Last Dance

[RingAroundRosey 498]

Spoiler

 

 

A portrait of Kato Choumi

 

. ܁₊ ⊹ .   𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟  ࣪ ˖. ⊹ ₊ ܁.

 

A once Apothecary and Geisha felt crunches of bramble from her foot fall. The calling of fauna and the scent of local flora. She had wandered how long now? More than the few days she had meant to. But it was quiet here. She clutched in her hands letters separated by twine, most written in that of her handwriting. A trial given to her, and in a poetic way she had only completed something of the first half. A different letter was folded, held close to her chest for a moment.

 

She recalls the time spent wandering about Aevos. The people she got to meet, become close with. Those she lost contact with, those she would be leaving behind.

 

She’d murmur that of apologies as the notes were carried off, a choice made final some hours prior. A heavy heart, but light feet she’d press onward. Strides that turn from walking to leaping. Crimson kimono fluttering behind her like the falling leaves. A last dance of sorts.

 

A particular apothecary would be missing some of his stock. She wouldn’t be seen or heard from again, fading away into the story of the new homeland.

 

. ܁₊ ⊹ .   𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟  ࣪ ˖. ⊹ ₊ ܁.

Spoiler

Only sent to respective labeled people. Please do not metagame the information in other’s notes :>

 

The following letters would be sent out to their individual recipient(s):

 

To Mother, Father, and Uncle

Spoiler

 

I’m sorry I caused you all such issue, truly in my heart. I never would have imagined my want for my own path to hurt others. A selfish decision was made, but one that shall harm the family no longer. Anything within my room is yours, as most was given to me by you all. 

 

I wish you all luck and prosperity within your own goals, and your own path forward. The children are something to be proud of - their strength will bring the family greatness.

 

I love you all, Goodbye.

 

 

To Brother

Spoiler

 

I fear that I may have hurt you the most, ani. For that I am truly sorry. I will give you truth in this final letter.  I’m sorry I couldn’t be stronger than I am. My mistakes were too great, and the guilt consumed my soul. I was not only a headache, but a horrible example for my nieces and nephew. Trials and words can not fix everything.

 

I love you, Goodbye.

 

 

To my Nieces

Spoiler

Strong girls you both are, and I am so proud to have seen the start of you blooming into the flowers you shall become.

Be good for your father, keep learning and growing. Make your family and nation proud.

 

To my Nephew

Spoiler

Do your best, little Koukai. Learn and grow along with your sisters and take one day at a time. Remember our conversation, know that especially now it will always hold true.

The key I gave you will grant you access to my things. Take them back for the family, when you have the chance.

 

Hina and Yuki

Spoiler

Thank you for your kindness in my journey as not only a Geisha but a sister. I wish you both luck in your tour, play your heart out for me. My nieces, would make wonderful Maiko. I would consider reaching out.

 

Ehiba

Spoiler

I will forever cherish all that you had taught me, both in life and in training. You were right about finding my happiness and I in turn have come to face my mistakes. Although not the way that was strong but one that shall alleviate a longer lasting pain. Thank you for believing in me - no matter what shall happen.

Saelind

Spoiler

I am sorry that I wasn’t strong enough. I couldn’t face my mistakes, towards both your family and my own. I trust my son to be taken care of far better by you then that of myself. This will be my last selfish ask of you.

Thank you, and Goodbye.

 

Hanzo

Spoiler

 

My son, you look so much like your father. I am sorry I couldn’t stick around to see you grow. Know that I will always be watching over you, and that I am proud of you even at such a little age. If you ever wish to find some of your roots, search for a druid of pink named Ehiba.

 

I love you.

 

 

Rouxi

Spoiler

 

I hope you will forgive me for going through your things. I’m sorry that I couldn’t stand strong unlike you. Take care of yourself, and know that I and many love you.

 

Goodbye.

 

 

Yosuke, Natsuki, and Sadao

Spoiler

Thank you, for all that you did for me. Forever I stand grateful for you all. I shall cherish that memory of living together forever.

 

Edited November 15, 2025 by RingAroundRosey

[krispeechips 150]

The conversation hung heavy in the young boy's head, hands clenching onto a key that hung on a thread around his neck. His steps carried him alone back to his home through that forest.

Just in time to recieve the letter.

He had already knew what to expect on the paper. The goodbye already expressed when they spoke, one that he knew meant forever. Even at his age, he knew what words like that meant.

He instead let himself sit in his room, soft sobs meant for only him to hear.

[Frawlic 1602]

Natsuki stared at the parchment delivered, taking it with sap-coated fingers. She knew her friend was mourning, but she did not know how to help. The woman now knew, though, it was too late to preach of compassion, for the lack of it had killed Choumi. That, she would not forgive. So, her things were packed, and she sought Sadao for their departure.

@ItsMisterPip

[PrinceTheDM 275]

Elijah sat at his desk, carefully sorting through his scattered notes and worn documents. Beside him, a small incense burner glowed softly, its smoke curling upward in slow, deliberate ribbons. Tonight, though he couldn’t say why, his eyes lingered on the little vessel longer than usual. From its drifting haze, a memory surfaced: he was back in his workshop, and Choumi was stepping between him and the looming apparition, shielding him without hesitation. He had never truly thanked her for that.

 

She had done so much for him- more than he ever deserved being essentially strangers to each other, he often thought. She had offered a generous sum when the shop was falling apart, helped him brighten the place with her own touch, and had even stood against darkspawn for his sake. As the incense continued to burn, filling the room with a warm, familiar scent, he exhaled a quiet, almost wistful sigh.

 

He found himself wondering if she was safe, if she was well, wherever she might be now. 

 

A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked back down at his papers. No matter how much time passed, he carried a steady, enduring gratitude in his heart; thankful for her kindness, her courage, and the gentle way she had once helped guide him through the dark. She was one of the many souls whose stories he knew would be held close, remembered long after their paths had parted.

[DizzyGrey 1229]

Somewhere, a small child is unaware of the yawning absence within his life. Granted an upbringing of care no one would dispute the compassion of, he would never meet his birth parents in this life. For all the choices made, perhaps Choumi would know for true that what she left behind was in good hands.

 

And, as the woman would awaken in the Skies? Well.

 

"Du know." The man smiles down at her, expression clearly light. "He resembles du ast well, little lily. Und Ich'm certain he ist going to do better than either of us. Let's watch, ja?"

Edited November 15, 2025 by DizzyGrey

[PeachLova 585]

“I wish we could have grown old together.”

The apothecary had first assumed it was a discrepancy in the stock, only to realize it had been nothing more than the product of his own carelessness. Then again, he was the fool who had always known she was the apricity he had come to cherish too late. Like a winter day, her warmth. taken when it was, had only ever been temporary. And like the quickness of it, she was bound to fall with the horizon, lost to the darkness for him to find.

“My heart was only ever for you. And cruel as you were, you had always known it.”
 

He had not realized how lonely the world was. There, curled up on the apothecary floor, surrounded by everything else he had been taking for granted. 

There were no more tears. They had spent some time ago. When? He had failed to count or realize. 

“I suppose now that you know, you’ll have to show me the way to heaven, else I wouldn’t know how.”

[lemonke 6014]

Spoiler

 

 

Ehiba was resting after her duel with a student of hers, enjoying her day in peace. She had been living her life with a smile despite her many regrets. Soon, however, a letter slipped into her hand. She opened it and began to read. As her eyes moved through the words, her heart sank. The roots of the tree beside her erupted from the ground; the nature around her trembled as her aura dimmed into a weaker hue. Her eyes widened; she couldn’t believe what she was reading. Her finger pierced straight through the letter until it sank into her palm, blood beginning to drip.

 

Drip… Drip… Drip…

 

“Choumi… Choumi. D-Do not.  Our words were they... the fault of your fall?”

 

She wasn’t there, yet she saw a vision. A dragon dancing, then slipping off a cliff, alone. Desperately alone. Ehiba reached out, trying to catch them, but she couldn’t. She was powerless, watching as the dragon took its own life.

 

“Choumi… No… How... Why… Is it all our fault? I-I am sorry. M-my hand...”

 

From the shadows, a tiger lingered, whispering in her ear. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. The Fae murmured: civilization was death. Civilization only brought ruin. That whisper drilled into her mind, tearing at the last threads of her sanity. Lies that for her spoke truth, daggers that brought the meaning of reality into her view.

 

“No… CHOUMIIIIIIIIIII…  T҉h҉e҉y҉.҉.҉.҉ R҉u҉l҉e҉s҉,҉ W҉A҉L҉L҉S҉.҉ s҉a҉m҉u҉r҉a҉i҉.҉.҉.҉ T҉I҉T҉L҉E҉S҉.҉ A҉l҉l҉.҉ N҉O҉.҉”҉."

 

Her hands rose, clutching at her own head as she began to claw at her pale skin, ripping into it and creating fresh scars in a frenzy. She couldn’t do anything. She no longer understood right or wrong, whether her words mattered, whether all of this was her fault. It all made sense. Ehiba sank to her knees before the tree of her haven, the ground cracking open around her.

 

"“҉S҉i҉s҉t҉e҉r҉…҉ L҉i҉t҉t҉l҉e҉ s҉i҉s҉t҉e҉r҉…҉”҉"

[latte 2238]

The Okami of the Kuraimachi sat silently in her home, mediating. She showed no remorse, no inkling of sadness for the death of her fellow Geisha besides a complete silence beyond the thunderous storm of the island. There was no time to be sad; only time to do better. To check up more for her fellow sisters, to be kinder. There was always time to improve.

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 15456]

"You caused me no issue Choumi. I wish I could have taught you more. Or at least talked more. Sayonara, kiddo..."

 

Ena discovered the letter after news was brought to him. He rarely stayed at the clan estate with his work in Yorumachi. Unbeknownst to him, Choumi and Ena shared much in common. Upon reuniting with Enkai he made the trek back up to the family home where he read the letter feeling his fingers across her penned writing. In a rare moment of familial affection, Ena embraced his nephew awkwardly through their marine uniforms.

 

"I love you kid, you'll be okay. World is a ****."

 

 

[CelestialMochi 580]

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

The storm on Yorumachi was heavy that day as Ichika slowly rose from the ground at the Senritsu Grove. Another sleepless night praying to the Kamis begging for wellness for her daughter as she tried everything to contact her. To console her. To love her with all her heart. But the door remained closed. She did not know that her daughter had died until she finally made her way to the Kato compound. Drenched and filled with turmoil she finally entered the quiet main building. The lightning struck nearby and illuminated the hall showing the letter that was left on a table.

 

Ichika went to it only to read it. She clutched the paper tightly as her eyes scanned the words. Eventually it was just scribbles to her as she was trying to process everything. The Onna Musha fell to the ground trembling as she re-read the words over and over. Wailing of violent sobs filled the hall. Her child was gone. She failed as an Okaasan. She failed as a Tōshu. 

 

The memories of the morning that Choumi was delivered by the Stork Kami filled Ichika and Ryuma with great joy. Choumi’s first words. Her first steps. Educating her. Laughter and love. Then the disagreements. The lies. The betrayal. Choumi begged Ichika to leave the Clan after her loss of her lover. She just wanted to teach her daughter to love herself as it broke her heart hearing how little she thought of herself. She tried to fill Choumi’s heart and mind that her family loved her with so much desperation and determination. But that was all lost. 

 

The mother wept until she couldn’t cry anymore and when she couldn’t she dragged herself into the rain once more. To the Grove once more praying to Aristuki to bring her child eternal peace. To make all her pain go away. She prayed until the next following day. Then she dragged herself up once more. She had to put another mask up. She had to hide her true self. The Onna Musha then went to do her duties while silently mourning for it was a great loss to the Kato Clan.

 

[The Vulgate Cycle 577]

Castamir had accidentally brought Hanzo on a mining run. His mistake. He was not used to having the kid around. But ever since he and Saelind had received him, he had carried him almost everywhere he went. Despite his initial misgivings he had grown quite fond of Hanzo, despite his propensity to try and tug on his hair and at his crystal butterflies. 
"Nice try brat, I learned my lesson last time." he had been saying to Hanzo, poking his nose with a smile, before a runner arrived with the letter intended for the baby of all people. 

He had hesitated for a while on whether he should read it or not. 'It would help us explain things to him in the future' he reasoned to himself 'We would be intruding' the retort came. Arguing with himself. He slowed and stopped to stare down at Hanzo sleeping in his arms. "What would you want?" he asked aloud as a somberness fell over him.

He hoped Choumi and Erwin were together again at the very least.
 

[ChaosDeceived 140]

Ryuma frowned as he read the letter. He shed a tear and put it away. "This pains me, Choumi. There are iie words to describe how this makes me feel."

 

Immediately, he makes his way to the casino. Orders a bottle of sake at the bar, and goes to gamble at high stakes.

[mielofficial 489]

A young Kato Umi played happily in the rainy streets of Kurai Kuni with her twin when they received Choumi's letter.

The joyful pitter-patter of their sandals in the puddles slowed to a stop when the news was revealed:

"Imoto... Why did Obasan send us this letter? Won't we see her again?"

The child looked in to her sister Mizu's eyes, the mirror image of her own. Though Umi didn’t fully understand the concept of what happened to her aunt, the swelling in her chest demanded a small involuntary sob, her normally joyful smile melting in to a deep frown…

[kruurk 47]

 

…As Kato Mizu paused from her chasing her sister to read the letter, her brow furrowed. Unsure of the meaning of the letter, she returned the gaze of her sister Umi. 

 

“Hmm, perhaps Obasan has decided to go on another one of her journeys!”

 

The permanence and significance of the letter was somewhat lost on the child as she considered the possibilities.

 

“Maybe she has become a Ronin! That must be it…”

 

Still unclear on the specifics, the sisters worked their way back to the Kato family compound to understand the full meaning from the rest of their family.

 

 

[ItsMisterPip 409]

Much time had passed since Choumi's death, and so, much time had passed since Sadao wished to confront the fact that one of his most dear friends was truly gone. The days following his and Natsuki's departure were mostly a blur, but the days after had been saved due to his trustworthy traveling companion at his side - a dear friend.

 

On one peaceful, quiet evening, after bringing home a successful haul of fish from a cool, slow-flowing stream nearby, he sat and pondered. Sadao recalled the day they both left; the day of Choumi's death. His mourning hadn't made a single croak since that day, and the weight of such was growing too heavy for one to bear. The remembrance of that day, recalling the events as if it were yesterday, began to shift into something sweeter...

 

The memory of meeting Choumi in the Aevosian Oyashi lands...

 

The memory of his spear-fishing mentoring, and her likeness to turn it into a messy battle of splashing each other...

 

The memory of their home on the island of Kalldur, amidst the mass relocation, and their wonderful times together...

 

Steeped in intense, growing emotions, a gloss of tears came over his eyes, but he didn't quite shed a tear. Such was not in his nature, but within his nature remained his passion for honoring those who had passed. Sadao hadn't yet honored Choumi in the way he wanted, so, causing little commotion as he gathered a few items from the house, he made his way back toward the waterfront.

 

Sticking upright from within a bowl, a stick of incense glowed and crackled- a small, calm trail of smoke weaving through the air. The man knelt neatly before it, head bowed, searching for words to say in prayer... A prayer, though, didn't feel personal enough in her case. Simple words came into his mind, from the heart:

 

". . . We love you."