Friendship Arrives..

[01:13] Yoshiko Taiyang says, "Ana.."
[01:13] Anastasia ven Astor says, "...."
[01:13] Anastasia ven Astor asks, "Yoshiko?"
[01:14] Yoshiko Taiyang asks, "Are you doing alright?"
[01:14] Anastasia ven Astor says, "... I'm fine... "
[01:14] Anastasia ven Astor asks, "You?"
[01:14] Yoshiko Taiyang says, "I am two.."
[01:14] Yoshiko Taiyang says, "I was able to defeat Tyranny and Carlisle..."
[01:14] Yoshiko Taiyang says, "But that doesn't matter."
[01:21] She blinked. The news that the Kitsune had been able to defeat both the Demon King himself, as well as Carlisle brought a brief smile to her lips before it withered and died.

"... I think it does matter. You were one of the few instrumental in ensuring our success, Yoshiko." The Astor stated. "What's on your mind?"
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[01:24] ".. That's not what I meant by that." Anastasia might've smiled by the kitsune kept her gloomy demeanor.

"I wanted to know how you have been doing lately and if you... took anything I said seriously."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[01:27] She regarded the Kitsune quietly before a sigh left her lips.

"Without you, I have no one." She admitted in a rare chance of vulnerability. "Yes - I may have people that look up to me, that believe in me or at the very least desire to but... They aren't..." She trailed off, shaking her head.

"They aren't you. You're all I have left." She said. Honest.
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[01:37] It pained the Fox to hear that from Anastasia. This was true but she didn't want Anastasia to just have her. Soon, Yoshiko would want to follow her path and be an equal with Anastasia. That will happen in the future.

"Ana, if you don't want to lose me then you can promise me... That you will show the people.. your people that you are not hiding anything from them when I know you aren't?

I'm not sure if you spoke with Appolus yet but it would've been nice to see you happy with someone else again.."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[01:44] Anastasia sighed. It was a heavy sound, as if she had released all of the air she had been holding before she shook her head.

"... I'm not hiding anything." She admitted, though her gaze soon averted as she released something she hadn't told anyone else. "Those emotions are completely locked up. There's no use for them; they only lead to distractions and me going down a path that divulges from my duty." She spoke softly before her gaze returned.

That was why she had been so cold.
So mopey.
So depressed.

When she had thought she had felt something her reaction was to lock those potential risk of failures up so she could concentrate on what was truly important - her duty.

"I'm not hiding anything, Yoshiko. I spoke with Appolus… Did you know that he thought I was going to be... Offering myself up in marriage to Walter, for a chance to save our people?" She questioned. "If there was a chance to save our people do you know what I would do, Yoshiko? I'd take it - in a heart beat. Whether in... Some.... Forced marriage, or even sacrificing my own life. I'd take it." She explained, perhaps showcasing just how selfless Anastasia had become.

"But that was never in the cards. But I accepted his apology for the way he treated me regardless. But there is no future between Appolus and I. I'm sorry."
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[01:57] "Then let me unlock them.."

Yoshiko treads over to the depressed Astor. These words that she said. Those words that made Yoshiko feel pity on the Astor. It hurt.

"But sometimes you need time away from your duty to live a healthy life. No one will blame or cause you distress from doing that.."

She looks up at Anastasia even though she wasn't much taller than her. There was still a gloomy expression in her eyes alone.

"I would not allow you to throw your life away like that.. There are better and more safe ways if that ever came to light... If it doesn't make you happy, I just wouldn't allow it.

And Appolus will soon learn that he lost out on something beautiful like yourself, dear.. I will speak with him myself if I have to. But you deserve so much more." She stole Walter's words and used them for Anastasia. She really deserved much more. As Yoshiko was her only friend, she didn't want to lose Anastasia.

"No... There can be. If I see you in this shape, then how I can sleep at night? It only causes me distress to see you in the same state. Will you trust me to help you?"
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[02:05] "No. You mustn't." She insisted, immediately, when the Kitsune offered to unlock those emotions. Her gaze was wide, scared of what she'd feel if such emotions were touched upon for a singular cosmic second. It'd be agony.

"I... Can't, Yoshiko." She muttered. The sudden sharp pain she had experienced was something she didn't wish to feel again as that door shut behind her. Never again - never again. "It's... It's complex - I wish you could understand fully, but it's best left alone.

"Many people don't want me to die - command me not to die. But they don't hold all of the cards in their hands. If they did, perhaps we wouldn't be in the mess in the first place. And I mean - Alexios already relieved me of my duty for that one day. I fished." She said, with a little scoff.

"It isn't that bad - I may do it more, actually." But her gaze averted even with the Kitsune so close. Distant gaze stared onto nothing and yet everything all at once. "You don't need to speak with Appolus, I've made my decision Yoshiko and there's nothing that can be done to make me change my mind I'm quite sure." Eventually her verdant gaze returned to her friend, silent for a moment or two longer than perhaps was necessary to properly address her concerns.

"Perhaps I do deserve so much more - but I can't fly too close to the sun, or else I'll die."

"You can sleep at night knowing you have someone important to you, that thinks of you. That asks me to give you his regards. You don't need to be distressed, I'm perfectly content where I am, with my station in life."
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[02:38] "And why is that?" she retorted just as quickly. The more Anastasia spoke, the more Yoshiko felt as if Yoshiko was being pushed back and being unrelied on. She didn't want to be relied on like a retainer but as a close friend.

"You're not allowing me to understand..." she mutters. "We do not command you not to die... Of course we're going to want you to not die. There are a lot of people that love you and care for you... You know that, I know you do. And this mess can be solved if you'd just... listen.

You fished...."

Yoshiko couldn't really care less that she enjoyed her fishing trip. There were more important matters to be dealt with. But she felt even more far away from Anastasia when she looked away from her. She could see it in her eyes. "There's nothing stopping me from doing so.. And you can't tell me you are content with this when you're clearly not. You have not.. proved to me that you are." She followed the gaze of the Astor and stared deeply into them.

"No... You're wrong and I know the Sun more than anyone in Esshar. The Sun will welcome you with a forgiving and caring embrace.

I might have Alexios.. but that does not mean that it will make me any happier that my closest friend doing this to herself... Nothing you say will make me believe that you are content with how you are living. Not until you can prove to me that it is.."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[02:40] Anastasia ven Astor says, "...."
[02:47] There's a step forward, and a sudden embrace. It was brief, but tight, filled with care. As she stepped back the Astor merely shook her head.

"You all didn't command me to die, you're right." She corrected herself. "I'm listening, Yoshiko... And you're right in that I could not stop you from doing just that."

There was a tiny smile before she shook her head. She reached out, patting the head of the Kitsune that had come so far all on her own merits before her hand pulled away.

"I can't let love be the death of duty." She explained, simply. That was her world view - etched and inscribed in her very being when she was still young, and reinforced by Alexander himself upon the knowledge that she hadn't the heart to bring her father into custody.

"The sun might very well welcome me with a forgiving and caring embrace, but it'd distract me all the same. I can't have that. I'm perfectly content and happy with how I am now, my dear. I assure you..." She trailed off.

"We should be celebrating, Yoshiko! The demons were beaten back!"
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[03:14] Anastasia might've hugged her but the same action was not given from Yoshiko. She still felt as if there was just a façade behind Anastasia's current personality.

"Again... you're wrong." A hand reached removed the Astor's hand from touching her head. She did not want no simple head pats or simple embraces. Yoshiko didn't seem to care that her embrace was filled to the brim with the care that Anastasia was trying to muster. That isn't what the fox was looking for. Not now...

"You can still love... It will not stray you from your duty nor will it cause the end of it. Just because your last was perished doesn't mean you cannot again. The more you speak.. the more you make me less likely want to help you. But.... I'm always going to help you. I will never not." Yoshiko was trying to make a point that past views were not doing her any justice now that the people who have given them to her are no longer here. It just didn't make any sense and Yoshiko was getting really impatient. But she was the most patient person that Anastasia would know.

"Nonsense.. if the sun is distracting you then I may as well do the same if that's the case. Distract you from what you think you should be doing even though it's not the right way.

I'm not going to ask or plead again. And I'm not celebrating either.. Don't try to change the topic when I'm trying to help you the best I could. And if you were listening to me, you wouldn't have changed the topic...

This isn't the Anastasia I know. You're someone different. You can't adapt..."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[03:15]
{LOAD GAME}

[03:28] Yoshiko's hand removed her own, and in reaction Anastasia could only frown, staring at the Kitsune quietly. When she told her she could still love that frown never left her features. There's a slow blink before her eyes widened. Just a tiny bit.

"... What if I don't want to love someone, Yoshiko?" She asked, concern tinting her tone and her features. Even as Yoshiko seemed offended by the idea that the sun would distract her, Anastasia merely shook her head. "I did not mean the sun literally - I meant it figuratively. A figure of speech, Yoshiko." She corrected though it was soon enough followed by a sigh.

"You don't distract me, but I don't see why the sudden desire for me to love someone has come up. It doesn't matter if I don't love someone. If I'm content with where I am, why does it matter?"

"I was upset because I was met with... Distrust and scorn, and ridicule. People telling me over and over that I'm stupid - people telling me that I was casually taken, as if I walked in there with the idea to be captured. If I tell them what I said - if I tell them it's what convinced Walter to sic Misha on us, they'd call me a fool all over again. Stupid. Not thinking." She waved her hand.

"Perhaps that's all true, but I don't want to hear it thrown in my face repeatedly. Please believe me, Yoshiko."
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[03:46] Yoshiko's brows dipped and only caused her to look away from the Astor.

"It's... not like I am forcing you to. I just want someone that isn't me to be there for you and care for you to make you happy. Instead..."

Yoshiko would shake her head and face towards Anastasia. She didn't look in her eyes like she did before. She was avoiding her eyes and staring down; glum.

"Then why don't you prove to them that you are not someone to distrust, scorn, and ridicule? You're not making any sense because you're not trying to make things better. Instead, you make things worse because of your actions. The letter with Walter. You not listening to me and apologizing to the people. Not even a speech...

I don't think you realize how much I am trying to help you. And I don't think you've realized how important I can be when it comes to being therefor you. Instead, you ignore everything I've said and say that you're fine but I know you're... not!"

Yoshiko peered up at Anastasia, tear filled within her sockets.

"All you do is think the worst of an outcome. Never the other way around. It's making me sick. To think Jiuweihu has to see me like this... If you're not going to take what I said and use it to better your life, then we can end it here permanently..."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[03:57] Yoshiko wanted someone else to be there to be there for you, and care for her. It forced the Astor's head to cant, just a little in curious thought.

"... I suppose I have people like that." She relented, finally - a crack. Progress. "Elaine, Philip, Aeliana… Felix, even. I have people." She said, a hand coming up to pinch at the bridge of her nose in patient thought before she shook her head.

"I apologized to Appolus for him being injured in the search of me. I don't see why I should apologize to the people however, when I suffered." She spoke slowly. "I replied to Walter's letter because I wasn't thinking - Sethon used to send him letters all of the time as Lightbringer and no one batted an eye." She explained.

It didn't make sense, the difference.
Two leaders communicating, Anastasia warning him if Barsburg should attempt to march what they'd be met with.

"I realize how much you're trying to help me. I am. I truly, truly am recognizing that. But what speech can I give to the people? The time has already passed and gone - we won... I'm not ignoring the things you're saying either. I promise you."

But Yoshiko's next words did bring a pause about the Lightbringer as she regarded her. Did she truly assume the worst at this point? Hadn't the worst hit her over the head over and over again? Why was it any surprise that she'd assume the worst? She huffed.

"Maybe you're right - but it's simply because every single thing that has happened has been the worst outcome. I used to hold hope, but after everything?

It's hard."
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[04:34] Yoshiko was silent. She didn't know what else to say to Anastasia at this point. She tried her best to make her think differently but instead she didn't. She sought to believe and understand that Anastasia could change her ways to make it better for her life.

But instead...

Yoshiko only saw herself growing further from the Astor.

And soon the silence continued. Each word that Anastasia spoke would not be met with another and Yoshiko only listened continuously staring at the ground as this was beginning to depress her mood. Was she really about to lose her closest friend to something like this? All her fears of losing Anastasia was to capture, death in battle, even execution. Instead, it's over an argument that Yoshiko couldn't seem to win.

Alas, the silence that Yoshiko held began to end finally. "I'm sorry..." Tears drowned out the kitsune's eyes. They rained on the cobblestone on the ground before and the fox could only attempt to wipe them away but fail.

"... I can't change your heart. I can't change your mind. I can't do anything for you. You want me to continue what I have with Alexios happily but I can't when you're not happy. I know you aren't. You're just forcing it... It doesn't matter about apologizing to the people anymore.. I just want them to remember you and see you succeed. I want Appolus to see you more than someone you aren't.

I know you still have those feelings for everything I said in there but...

...you're just locking them all away and you suffer more. And now.. you don't even care if I threaten to end our bond completely. Do you even care anymore?"
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[04:42] There's a blink, as Yoshiko began to cry. At first, concern but also confusion hinted itself around her features before she shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, suddenly, albeit gently. "You've done plenty, Yoshiko. You stepped in the way of Misha - in the way of Walter when he did what he did." She explained, shaking her head once more. "I'm not forcing it - can I not be happy by myself? Can't I go against the grand plan my Mother held for me?" She asked, brows furrowing.

"I'm sorry for making you worry about me, a-and making you cry, I didn't mean it. Honest!" She insisted. She didn't understand. She had admitted that she was fine, and yet no one seemed to believe her. It left her confused.

"I didn't lock everything away - just something specific. It's not a huge deal, Yoshiko - really! Please don't cry..." She pleaded, lightly. Normally headpats worked but - the Kitsune had already removed her hand from her head once. She wasn't sure if she'd do so again. "Of course I care, and I care that you threatened it, that's why I'm trying to be more understanding!"
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[05:05] Anastasia said all these things to Yoshiko but Yoshiko couldn't cope with them. But if she wanted to be more understand, Yoshiko guessed she'd just deal with it. In her head, she'll never change. Yoshiko was set on this but of course, she'd never truly run away from her friend. She loved her too much for her to just do that. Even if it pained her to.

"I guess... I will believe you. I will refrain from going into your business and trying to force something upon you. If you say you're happy, then you're happy," she utters, looking back up at the Astor with drenched eyes and a damp visage

"You don't need to worry for I will not worry about how your life is going anymore. You can live in peace that way, I suppose...

But.. seriously. Don't forget that you should still continue the Astor lineage. I'm sure your father at least would be proud."

Yoshiko turns and looks back for a moment. "... I don't know what to do anymore."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[05:11] Anastasia reached out to wipe at Yoshiko's tears carefully before attempting to pat her head once more. She didn't want to see the Kitsune cry, but sometimes crying was the easiest way to get things out of one's system and off one's chest.

"Yes... I'm quite fine truly." She insisted with a tilt of her head. At the mention that she should continue the lineage of House Astor, Anastasia's nose wrinkled, briefly.

"We will see, Yoshiko. I know I have a duty to my house in the end. So I will try my best." She said softly. In truth, she didn't know what she'd do regarding that. She was expected to have kids - keep things going, and yet she had been so focused upon performing her own duties she hadn't stopped to consider that.

At the Kitsune's admittance that she didn't know what to do, the Astor tilted her head.

"What do you mean? We're fine - you and I - right?" She questioned, wishing to make sure.
(Anastasia ven Astor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[05:27] Yoshiko felt the tears being wiped away.

For now Yoshiko would take this time realize that Anastasia still cared about being the Fox's friend. There was nothing else that Yoshiko could want from her for now. At least she'd try and continue her family lineage. That's all she cared for.

"Please..." She looked up at her with pleading eyes. They were definitely wanting her to keep her word.

But then Anastasia asked a question that Yoshiko had to think about.

What do you mean? We're fine - you and I - right?

Yoshiko never came close to thinking that she'd end her friendship with Anastasia. Even if she threatened or said it, it would never truly happen.

"We're fine, Ana... We're fine."
(Yoshiko Taiyang)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[05:28] Anastasia ven Astor says, ".... Mmh... Alright."
[05:28] Anastasia ven Astor says, "Good."