Part 54: Haku-Men: Story 01

...

He has been floating around the Edge for years.

Though this space is detached from the flow of time, his body can still acknowledge the fact that something is changing: Time is passing in the world beyond the Edge.

Until the day comes for him to confront his destiny, he continues to wait.

Silently.

A few hours in the Edge will drive most people mad, but not him. Sheer strength of will keeps him sane, decade after decade.
Given Hakumen's incredibly homicidal behavior so far I find this statement...questionable.



Can you hear me? If you can hear me, talk to me.

...

Time is changing...



...Hey, say something. I can't do anything unless you start talking to me.
...Who the devil are you?
So you're Hakumen, huh? I'm gonna retrieve you now, but there's a limit to how much I can interfere from this side, so I'm gonna need your help.
I'll ask again...who are you?
Really wanna know, huh? All right...
My name is Kokonoe. I'm just an ordinary scientist. I can't really answer any complicated questions. This is just a backup.
I'm a scientist but don't like ask me about, like, science and shit, OK?
..."Backup"? I suppose that makes you an owner of the Edge...
You call this the Edge? Huh. Well, it doesn't matter to me. I'm trying to retrieve you, but I've run into a little trouble with the reconstitution algorithm.
One of my assistants is on his way there, but...it's not very stable in that area... I don't think he'll be able to get to you. So...as much as I didn't want to, I decided to distort your casual pathways a bit.
Casual distortion... Are you a witch?
I told you I'm a scientist. Let's just get this show on the road, all right?
Ah, same thing. GET THE TORCHES.
Hm...This sensation...I remember it well. It feels like...Nine.
...
Are you her descendant?
...This isn't really any of your damn business.
Ha ha ha... So I see. My guess has not missed its mark. Your disruption of the Edge only proves the truth of it: you are the daughter of Nine and the cat.
...Hmph.
You were born a true masterpiece, Grimalkin. A mixing of the rare witch blood and mighty cat heritage.
...As much as I want to push you right back into the Boundary now, I can't let half a year's worth of efforts go to waste either. Are you ready?
Very well. I will see what I can do if you can provide me with an arrival location on the other side. I will return in my own way.
Sounds great. Don't hold it against me if this doesn't turn out well. We won't be able to talk for a while. Any last words?
...Surely you jest. What could I have to say to a demon?
...Fine. Let's get started. Good luck.





So... This is the place...

He recognizes it... The 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi.

A memory from when he was human... But he can't recall anything else. ...Only a strange nostalgia, without any particular reason.

Is this a remnant of my memory? Or...

Kokonoe had told him where he should go, but it had been up to him to will himself there...he can't tell if this place is the result of his own will, or something else...



Hey, you, masked man right there! Do you know anything about "Rawrgna"?
...

[/b]He knows this creature...they'd once been comrades during the war.

...No...

That one had been slightly different. A genetically engineered weapon created from the DNA of the world's most powerful organism... He'd fought in many battles with the prototype of this creature. But the one in front of him is slightly different. He wonders if he already returned to the "present" world...or if he met the creature in front of him when he was human...

He doesn't remember anything like that...perhaps his memory is simply malfunctioning and causing hallucinations. There is only one thing for him to do...[/b]
KILL IT.



I await your challenge, child of the cat!

...Oh? You'll play with meow? You're a good person, masked man!


Stuff about Hakumen in this video. Taokaka's kind of tricky, considering she can move a lot faster than him.



Meow... I can't go on... Anymore, meow...
...!

Space twists around him for an instant, then snaps into place. He feels dizzy... This must be a side effect of the substantiation process.



Even for a creature with a will like his, the process is jarring. For a moment, he feels something akin to fear, but it is gone in the blink of an eye. He is finally leaving the Edge and manifesting himself in the present world.

It appears Kokonoe's interface has been successful.

Ah yes... The very first one...the original Grimalkin.

Whoa, whoa. Grimalkin? That ain't very nice.

The voice is familiar. He doesn't even need to turn around to know who it belongs to.



One of the Six Heroes. His former comrade in times of war. The creature was so skilled, even Hakumen hadn't noticed his presence until he spoke.



Perhaps you prefer -malkin-?
...Ya just dropped the first part. Besides, who the hell calls a cat -malkin- these days?

Jubei. That is the cat's name. It is said to be the strongest creature in the world. Hakumen knows that it is. But what is Jubei doing here? He can't be here, Hakumen thinks. It doesn't make sense. The creature must be hallucination. Still, seeing the cat again makes Hakumen...nostalgic.

I have so few visitors...
...Lemme spell it out, nice and easy-like. I ain't no illusion, friend. I'm as much right here in this room as you are.
What...?
Snuck in here to have a little look-see. Happened on your little hidey-hole, then I happened on you.
...Is that so?
I reckon it's Kokonoe who's trying to pull you out here... An' if she does, I'd be much obliged if you don't tell about me. I got my reasons.
...Then you have my word. But what has brought you here? What news do you bring of the outside world?
...Terumi's back.
What!? That can't be! It's impossible!
All the same, he's on the move, so you be careful. Can't say much else just now. It's been ninety years since we saw each other. I got a mite to say to ya, but there ain't time. Kokonoe'll be on me any minute now, so I best be on my way. Good luck, friend.
I thought ten years had passed, at the most... But if Terumi has returned... I was sure the seal... Could it be that Takama-gahara has been activated once again?
Ungh...!


And then Hakumen teleports away again. There's a lot of teleporting in this story.


So it BlazBlue news, Kokonoe is now set to be a DLC character for Chrono Phantasma.

In LP news, my personal goal is to finish this LP by October 24th. LET'S GO.
It has Bang in it.