Yamakujira

Hi, I'm Legend, welcome to part of the Teashop Between Worlds November Interviews. Next up we welcome Akihiko and Kaito from Cratastica's Yamakujira. We love some yokai lore, in fact, I believe we have a few yokai in our audience today. *Waves* Let's get started.​

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Legend: Welcome! First of all, please introduce yourself. Name, pronouns if you wish, and tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

 

Akihiko: Yamakujira Akihiko, the lord of Shima domain and hmm, an interesting fact about myself… I love hunting with my falcon, Yumi. 

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Kaito: Nakamura Kaito-(Akihiko elbows him) ok ok, Yamakujira Kaito. I love calligraphy.

 

Legend: I think the interesting fact is why your name just changed, but lets see if that comes up. Otherwise people will need to read your story to find out. Can you tell us a bit about the world you live in?

 

Akihiko: The land of Yamato is a diverse and complicated place, governed by daimyo who answer to the Tokuyama shogun. I am one of those daimyo, overseeing the island of Shima. In Yamato, humans and yokai live alongside each other—sometimes peacefully, sometimes with tension. This coexistence extends to the leadership, where some daimyo are human and others, like myself, are yokai.

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As a boar yokai, I live longer than humans and possess abilities that set me apart from them, but despite these differences, we still share similar responsibilities. Each daimyo governs their domain with their own methods and beliefs, but the underlying tensions between humans and yokai shape much of the political landscape in Yamato.

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Legend: Sounds rather familiar. Let’s a have a quick-fire round of This or That. Try to just answer and not think too hard about it. 

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• Tea or coffee?

Akihiko: Tea
Kaito: Tea.

• Sweet or savoury?

Akihiko: Savoury
Kaito: Sweet

• Music or sports?

Akihiko: Music after a long day is so good.
Kaito: Music, I hate exercising

• Paperback or ebook?

Akihiko: Paperback? What’s an e book?
Kaito:  Paperback.

• Paint or pencil?

Akihiko: Paint
Kaito:  Paint

• Countryside or city?

Akihiko: City.
Kaito: City.

• Fight or negotiate?

Akihiko: While I would most likely want to fight, as the lord I should negotiate.
Kaito: Negotiation.

• Sword or gun?

Akihiko: Sword, the guns from Ning are liable to blow up in our faces so I want something more reliable.
Kaito: Sword

• Vampire or werewolf?

Akihiko: What’s a werewolf? Oh, well we already look like a werewolf but a wereboar.
Kaito: Hmm, let me get back to you on that.

• FIlm or TV series?

Akihiko: I like Noh plays better
Kaito: Kabuki, for me.

• Morals or laws?

Akihiko: Laws
Kaito: Morals

• Kids or puppies?

Akihiko: Puppies
Kaito: Puppies

• Museum or beach?

Akihiko: Sand is hard to get out of my fur, probably museum. What do you think?
Kaito: I’d comb it out for you but museum is the superior option

• World peace or end famine?

Akihiko: Peace, I think.
Kaito: I would want to end famine, haven’t you heard of the food shortages in Shihon last year?

• Winter or summer?

Akihiko: Winter, summer makes me hate my fur.
Kaito: Winter for me too

• Dance or football?

Akihiko: Dance
Kaito:  Dance

• Olives or sardines?

Akihiko: Sardines
Kaito: Sardines

• Rainbows or monochrome?

Akihiko: Rainbows for me, I love the green colour.
Kaito:  Rainbows too.

• Brain or gut?

Akihiko: I love food so gut.
Kaito: Hmmm brain? They are both so tasty though.

• Traditional or new?

Akihiko: Traditional but then new has its ideas

• Revenge or justice?

Akihiko: Justice
Kaito: Revenge

• Fast zombies or slow zombies?

Akihiko: Why would you want a fast zombie?
Kaito: Slow zombie for me.

• Mountains or oceans?

Akihiko: Mountains, salt makes me break out in hives.
Kaito: Yeah, we hate salt. 

• Afterlife or ghost?

Akihiko: Ghost
Kaito: Ghost

• Friendship or the law?

Akihiko: Friendship
Kaito: Friendship

• Fantasy or reality?

Akihiko: Reality
Kaito: Fantasy

 

Legend: Interesting. Have you ever broken a law?

 

Akihiko: I am the law.

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Legend: Dangerous. Let's find something to temper that. Who or what is the love of your life?

 

Akihiko: While I am betrothed to Inohara Hana, I think the thing I love most in life is sleep. Sleeping on a pre-warmed futon in the depths of winter is such a delight.

 

Am I lecturing? I am, I know. My father always told me I was too serious for such a small person.

 

Legend: If all lectures were that short, I'd gladly attend more. Being small does not make one less serious. Anyway, I know a certain cat who wouldn't entirely disagree with you, although I think he probably would rank his boyfriend higher than a warm sleeping place. Possibly because his boyfriend is a warm sleeping place. *A cat in the audience meows at her.* But I digress. If you had to hide a body, whose would it be and who would you ask to help you?

 

Kaito:  It would probably be Advisor saito’s body and I would ask Akihiko for help.

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Legend: Love that you've already picked a victim. We do tea leaf readings here. Would you ask about your future and, if so, what do you want to know?​

 

Akihiko: Do I become as great as my father?
Kaito: Will I be able to show the court my real face someday?

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Legend: Hmm, let's see. *She studies the tea semi-seriously with her tongue poking out.* Regarding your father, it's somewhat vague. The term 'great' has too many possibilities. So the answer is yes, but whether it's the way you intend, I'm not sure. *She takes Kaito's cup.* Hmm. Also a 'yes' but it warns against what the consequences will be. For a more accurate reading, which will probably also be more cryptic, please see Grandmama after the interview.

 

From the future to the past... If you had to design a meal around a favourite memory, what would we be eating?

 

Akihiko: I remember the first food that Kaito had at the palace was some mushroom steamed buns that we shared.

Kaito: Hmm, probably duck blood soup! I know it is from Ning but it was the meal that I was having when Nagi first gave me the mask.

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Legend: Those both sound tasty. Continuing on wish fulfilment type stuff, what’s on your birthday wishlist?

 

Akihiko: Sleep, a day without meetings and chatting with Kaito and Hana.
Kaito: Going to the market again.

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Legend: We have some sleep teas, you're welcome to a pot. We also have exits to several markets you're welcome to make use of. Other than sleep and shop, if you were in charge of the country, what’s the first thing you would do?

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Akihiko: Haha! Well I am in charge of the Shima domain and I think it is quite the hassle! I wouldn’t want to rule over the whole of Yamato!

Kaito:  Think of the paperwork!

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Legend: Quite! A very good reason not to lust after power. How do you feel about magic? If you use magic, tell us a bit about it.

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Akihiko: It was always cool to see my father in his boar form, but after he died I am a bit hesitant of transforming myself. 

Kaito:  I haven’t ever transformed so I just am more interested in the warding and protection spells. 

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Legend: Shapeshifters are very cool. *She winks at a cat in the crowd.* If you’re not the main character, tell us what you think of them. If you are, pick a supporting character.

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Akihiko: Hana, my betrothed is a fantastic woman, while I think Saito, as her grandfather acts a bit overbearing, she seems to have a quiet inner strength. I want to help her grow to become powerful and respected within the court.

Kaito:  Akihiko is an interesting person, while initially I thought he was weird, he grew on me and even though Saito dislikes me, especially after Father’s death, I like helping him keep order within the court and rule. 

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Legend: Since he's sitting next to you, you kinda have to say that. See me later for a more honest appraisal. *She nudges Kaito with her elbow.* If you were filling out an online dating profile, how would you describe yourself? What would you be looking for in your potential match?

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Akihiko: I would describe myself as a rugged and powerful Bisexual man who likes to sleep and cuddle. I am looking for someone to help me in both day to day ruling as well as someone that I can tell my deepest secrets too.

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Kaito: Bisexual and likes calligraphy, I want to support them and make them laugh.

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Legend: Well, you heard them folks. Any takers? Haha, I'm joking. We know at least one of you is taken. What would be the best date/romantic outing/friend date outing someone could take you on? If you've been on it already, tell us about it. If not, is there someone you want to take?

Akihiko: Well I should say that I want to take my betrothed, Hana, on a date to watch a play but I don’t really know what she likes. Kaito, can you ask her?

Kaito: Why me?

 

Legend: Aaaaand there goes any interest generated by the last question. Is there a place, other than your home, that is your place, where you are content and safe?

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Akihiko: Hmmmm, the onsen is really relaxing but it is still in the family castle so I don’t know if that counts!

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Kaito: I like the rock garden, but again it is still in the castle.

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Legend: Aside from coming here, have you two actually left the castle? Probably best not to answer that. Do you have anyone who is part of your family but not biologically or legally related to you?

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Akihiko: Well, for 15 years, I thought that Kaito was my half brother until I read my father’s letters. 

Kaito: While I always knew that I wasn’t his brother, I felt that we were real brothers.

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Legend: Sound like real brothers to me. If you knew the world was ending tomorrow, what would you do?

Akihiko: Hug Kaito and cry.

Kaito: That’s sweet, I would probably take a nap!

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Legend: You two like your sleep, huh? Other than sleep, What are you most grateful for in life?

Kaito: Food. That was a joke, I think I am most grateful for Nagi Yamakujira.

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Legend: I dunno. Food is a pretty good thing to be grateful for. If you could go back to one point in history, what would it be? Would it be to observe or to change something?

Akihiko: I would love to see father’s exploits in the 1500’s especially when he helped overthrow the old shogunate with Oda Nobunaga.

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Legend: Oh, Sakura told me about him. Guess your world has similar history to hers. Last question! Are there any circumstances under which you’d kill someone?

Akihiko: We have people that do the killing for us if someone gets in. But yeah I would kill someone if they threatened me or my family.

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​Legend: Well, that's a wrap on interview number two! Thanks for Akihiko and Kaito for joining us. I'm sure you all need a tea top up since maths went out the window, but they kept their answers to the point and well formatted so we allow it. If you have any maths needs, see the cat. 

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