The Sin of Greed; Danyoku Kiri

…some fading memory of a thousand lifetimes ago.

The Edo period … By the 17th century the Tokugawa Shogunate had consolidated power across the land of Japan - with this came a period of growth and social stifling, in the form of a class based social hierarchy and economic, artistic, and intellectual developments. In the burgeoning city of Osaka the rising sect of merchants quickly became the ruling class, second only to the increasingly bureaucratic bushi ( samurai ) class. Among these merchants was the illustrious Danyoku clan, so ironically named, a family which became renowned for their trade in rare and foreign artifacts and items. Most notable in the early years of the Edo period was Danyoku Sauske a young up and comer destined to become the heir to the economic throne after his father, Danyoku Reishi. Around this time came an old ronin from Nagasaki called Masaki Kon – with him he brought his young twins Yuki and Kenzo.

Late in Reishi’s reign the Danyoku Dynasty had grown to include nearly every port city in the whole of Japan, and its tendrils extended through the Dejima port in Nagasaki to places around the world – a thing which would mark their supremacy as during this time this port was the only means by which the few foreign visitors allowed could enter the country. By this time Sauske had taken over quite a bit of the business in his father’s stead. As is the case with success too came a great many enemies that wished to see the head of this great economic beast which had grown to include nearly all manner of trade removed. As such Sauske hired the young Kenzo, whom had made a name for himself in his own right as a skilled fighter, as his body guard. Their relationship, however, is not nearly as important as that of Sauske and Kenzo’s sister Yuki.

For months Sauske pinned over Yuki from afar – though he’d earned himself comparison to great conquers from a business stand point the man was nothing if not socially awkward. It would be this that would grant him Yuki’s attention, however. Curious about the starry eyed gaze the young mogul often gave her it became the woman’s mission to befriend him. The time would come when finally the two would share that first moment – the moment they would tell their children about as the second they fell in love. In actuality, it was merely the time when Sauske professed his affections for Yuki. She’d not admit it, but it took far longer for her to share those same affections, her initial feelings for Sauske were born of the desire not to hurt his.

Yet, she did fall in love with the man that would become her husband and father of her children. Among the denizens of Osaka the two became a beloved pair, some saying that they were the perfect example of love. Others of course claimed that they only seemed as such when in public and that there were dark secrets within their halls. None of it mattered to the two, far more important was their growing family. In the summer of 1657 Yuki gave birth to a set of twins named Konji and Kiri, a boy and girl respectively. Immediately, Sauske came to love his children like he had never loved another thing. His fortunes became nothing more than a means to protect and provide for them. As such the man became increasingly more ambitious, more was never enough and enough was too little.

As the young twins grew they’d know nothing of the hardships of the world outside of Osaka, even the poorer areas of Osaka would seem like distant lands in fairly tales. No, these children would know nothing but the luxuries of their household. Under the ever watchful eye of their uncle Masaki Kenzo the children were taught in various academic studies as well as the martial arts, though it was Konji that took far better to the later Kiri seeming far more intrigued by the stories of great heroes than the actual practice of battle. She’d spend hours after lessons reading the tales that resulted in the current social climate. She’d later begin to collect for herself any book that contained some hero of great renown within, whether it be foreign or a story from Japan. These stories would shape her view of the world, and ever herself – often times she’d emulate some wealthy noblewoman she’d read about in one of her books. This would lead to the woman’s obsession with diamonds as it was a gemstone that frequently marked the wealthiest of characters. While they toiled away with their studies ( and obsessions ), their father was off greedily dipping his hands into every pot he could find. In a few short years the Danyoku family had become more than just a trading company, but a criminal organization that was not above murder and blackmail to get what they wanted. All the while the Danyoku twins remained oblivious to the devolved state of the once glorious empire.

Even as a child Kiri showed signs that foreshadowed what was to come so many years later, though they might have only been noticeable in hindsight. Where Konji went, Kiri was sure to follow. Not a moment passed that the two were apart, with exception of those brief times when Kiri was too lost in her personal obsessions to be bothered with the task of following her brother around. Because of her attachment Konji quickly grew tired of his sister and began to ignore her from time to time. The result would often be some outrageous act on Kiri’s part in order to garner her brother’s attention. Whether it be attempting to impress him with some amazing, often times poorly executed, technique with a katana or literally climbing all over him until he was forced to acknowledge her presence, she’d do what it took. Most often, however, Kiri was prone to destroying ( when possible ) whatever object might have stolen Konji’s attention from him, whether it be a toy of some kind or even one two occasions a painting. In addition, Kiri was quick the selfish little shit. If she’d claimed the object in question as hers then under no circumstances was Konji, or anyone else for that matter, to touch her prized possession. Konji would learn this fact at the cost of painful strikes with a training sword while he slept more than once – though he’d deem it worth the trouble as it was retaliatory for her having destroyed one of his toys.

In their teenaged years Konji became ever eager to join the world outside the walls that housed him and began begging his father to teach him the craft that would one day become his legacy as well. Sauske though resistant at first eventually gave in to his sons will and began taking him on trips and teaching him the trade. This left poor Kiri at home with her mother, absent her brothers company. Her love of history and shiny things was forgone in favor of the mechanics of trade and commerce – she’d not be left without her brother. For years Kiri horded what knowledge she could on the subject and begged that her father allow her some part to play. Unable to resist his daughter’s pleas, Sauske began allowing her to accompany him as well.

Her first trip would be to Nagasaki, they would be meeting with representatives of the East India Trading Company as her father would explain it. Though there was of course a far darker purpose in mind behind this small truth. Delighted to finally be reunited with her brother Konji, for the duration of their trip Kiri never left his side. Konji, admittedly had missed his sisters company and came to enjoy her presence. The two would become closer than they had ever been before. By the time of their arrival in Nagasaki their father would describe the two as being in perfect harmony – ying, and yang.

Konji, already well established within his father’s empire and trusted with the seedier aspects of business, was tasked with assassinating a somewhat low ranking official. This particular man known as Namakura Tatsuo, had been quite vocal against opening the boarders of their great nation. He’d cited the Christian influence as the reason for this, though it was more related to his enjoyment of his bit of control over the Dejima port of Nagasaki. As such rather than attending a dinner which had been planned to honor the Danyoku’s arrival in Nagasaki, Konji dawned his blackest garbs and set about infiltrating Tatsuo’s harbor home. He’d not be fortunate enough to make it inside, at least not for a time. Concerned with her brother’s absence from the meeting, Kiri excused herself under the pretense of needing to use the powder room. Once away from prying eyes her search for her beloved brother began.

Perhaps it was by some unfortunate stroke of luck that she was able to find the would be assassin as he slunk around the shadowy side of the officials home. The young woman rushed to her brother’s side making quite a bit of noise as she called out to him. Alerted to the presence of trespassers the official’s guards came to investigate. Immediately suspicious of Konji, who was wielding a sword at the time though obviously not a Samurai himself, the guards ( two in total ) confronted the pair. Their short series of questions were unimportant, however, the two had both already decided that the course of action was to defend their charge. A brief battle ensued. It was here that Kiri proved to have become quite the fighter herself. Despite her lacking a weapon of her own beyond a small tanto, she proved more than capable of defending herself. In the end Konji shared with her his task and the two saw it to completion, with relative ease.

A year and a half later Konji and Kiri would return to Nagasaki in their father’s stead – the man had grown ill and was unable to travel himself. The illness was actually the doing of Kiri, who had poisoned her father. She’d become angry with Konji’s admiration of their father and felt that if he was gone that Konji would only be able to bestow this admiration upon her. While here Konji met a young woman, the daughter of a foreigner allowed to remain in the city. Her name was Elizabeth Saxon, a woman of blonde locks and blue eyes. Quickly their relationship grew ever more serious and Konji’s time for Kiri diminished. When it came time for the pair to return home, Konji announced that he would be remaining in Nagasaki with Elizabeth. Infuriated by this Kiri reacted in the way she thought best.

While Elizabeth was returning home from the restaurant she worked in Kiri jumped her from a dark alleyway. A small tanto in hand she drug the woman back into the darkness where she threatened her under pain of death and forced her silence. For a moment Kiri merely stared at the woman a look of disgust strewn across her face. “My brother’s love is mine and mine alone, and I will never share it.” Would be the last words poor Elizabeth would hear before her throat was slit.

[ **It is important to note, that this is in fact not the first time that a situation as this has occurred. However in the interest of keeping this already increasingly long history as short as it can be without losing its allure ( unless of course it’s failed and is completely boring and horrible ;_; ) I’ve omitted the three prior instances.** ]

Destroyed by the loss of his love, Konji returned home with Kiri where they were faced with yet another loss. While they were away Sauske, their father, had succumb to his illness. Konji fell into a deep depression due to this loss, he’d come to admire his father as any son would and claimed that he was not yet ready to take the reins of this great beast his father and grandfather had created. Their mother, Yuki, was the most adversely affected by Sauske’s death and became unable to accept the truth of her husband’s death. In order to cope she turned to her son Konji who resembled his father most. As the woman descended into the pits of insanity Konji more and more took on the visage of her dead husband and she began to show affections toward him as though he were actually Sauske himself. This continued for months until finally in the dead of night Yuki came to her son under the spell of her psychosis, sure that Konji was in fact her husband. Konji, having always had some taboo attraction to his mother and perhaps in some attempt to fill his father’s role, accepted her advances. While mother and son became entangled in one another, Kiri came upon them. She’d mistaken the sounds they were making as some kind of struggle and assumed that some assassin had come for her brother. ( Not a terribly strange idea considering the families links with the underworld ) Konji and Yuki would not know that Kiri had seen them – she’d only gone as far as to peak through the door.

For months Konji and Yuki’s relationship thrived through late night visits. Kiri would often times watch them in secret fuming with rage that her brother shared this part of him with their mother and not her. Ever more she came to desire her brothers affections in their completion, but what could she do? She dared not raise a hand against her mother. Instead, to stave off the pain of Konji’s love for their mother Kiri focused solely on the business of commerce. Quickly, she became known separate from her brother as a vicious and hungry animal willing to do anything for an oban. Her ambition and aggression would even be compared to her father’s. This she thought would gain her Konji’s love. Perhaps if she could emulate her father to perfect her beloved brother might take note of her once more.

For years Kiri manhandled and finessed her way through the economic world and amassed for herself a great amount of wealth. As her riches increased so did her arrogance and greed, like her father more was never enough, and enough was far too little. The now twenty-five queen of commerce came to feel a sense of entitlement as all things were now within her grasp, there was nothing she could not attain, no power that could not be purchased in some manner – and still Konji and Yuki’s love grew, while she faded from their sight. …still all that she’d ever wanted remained unattainable.

What was a girl to do? A myriad of hobbies became Kiri’s short lived series of obsessions and minor distractions in an ill fated attempt to fill the void left by her brothers lacking affections. These procurements of goods in the most hungry of fashions ranged from things as simple as statuettes of Buddha to building stores, and housing – if it was collectable in some manner then it was fair game. The most notable of these was the woman’s obsession with collecting ancient weapons. The idea behind this was to appeal to Konji’s love of the martial arts, and perhaps win his adoration with an extensive and noteworthy collection.

Years would pass and still Kiri could find nothing and no one sufficient enough to fill the hole in her heart. On her twenty-seventh birthday, Kiri went to Konji in the night much like their mother had. She did not speak to him, fearing that he’d discover her. Konji thinking that it was Yuki accepted her into his bed, only to find in the morning that it was his sister. Enraged by this Konji struck her and cursed her with the promise that he’d never see nor love her again. Kiri ran from his room tears streaming down her face, yet still determined to win her brother over. That night she returned, though she did not go to her brother. Instead the woman snuck into her mother’s room who she found sleeping alone, luckily. In silent disgust she plunged her small tanto into her mother’s heart repeatedly saying; “My brothers love is mine, and mine alone. There isn’t enough to share with you any longer.”

The silk of her green kimono, a thing worn to celebrate the idea that Konji would have no one left to love but her alone, stained in blood and the blade which she had used still dripping with the essence of her mother, Kiri went to Konji. “Look, see what I have done. You have no one left to love but me, your love is mine…all mine. Who else will you love, dear brother Konji? Give it all to me, I will be your heart.” She said as she stepped into his room, her arms stretched out wide as though she expected him to embrace her. Konji could only gaze upon her with knowing, and horror. Finally pieces to a puzzle that seemed impossible to piece together were found. It had been she that murdered so many of his former lovers, a pattern had emerged. Furious Konji drew his katana and moved to strike his sister down. Truly distraught and confused by this Kiri narrowly avoided his blade. “If you will not love me, you will never love another soul! No one will have what is rightfully mine!” Kiri exclaimed as she plunged her tanto deep into Konji’s neck whilst he swung wildly, so full of rage and sorrow.

None would know the truth of what happened that night, though rumors did spread that perhaps Kiri had indeed been the culprit. This was furthered by the sudden penchant that Kiri had for the collection of persons that resembled not only her brother, but her mother as well - the latter of the obsession often ending up found somewhere sans a heart, which was rumored to have been kept in jars somewhere on her estate. That is not to say that those Konji look-alikes were not found as well, though they were far more intact. Those closest to her, those that procured these persons if asked after her death would say that she often justified her actions by saying; “If I can’t have him no one will.” Even still Kiri continued to grow her wealth spreading her tendrils of influence anywhere they could reach, ever in search of the next thing that would fail to fill the hole in her soul. During this time Kiri came to be known as Seiyo Doragon; the Western Dragon. This was in reference to her ferocity, and propensity to horde and generally be quite greedy as the dragons of western culture were told to be.

Eventually there came a time when Kiri’s enemies had grown so great in number that whispers of rebellion began to run rampant through her empire of diamonds, gold, and blood. In some secret room wealthy men met and conspired to remove the dragon from its horde. Plans were set in motion and in just a few short months Kiri was faced with three assassins, persons that had easily slipped past her guards and into her bedroom. Though she attempted to defend herself the battle was brief. Their task done the killers left her to lie upon blood stained sheets, her own weapon piercing her heart.

Outside, the great red doors of Hell appeared, the skeleton guardians grasping at its handles ready to open it. Kiri, now nothing more than a disembodied soul, rose from the bed. She’d not yet realized that she’d been killed as of yet. In fact, she was under the impression that she’d somehow scared her attacks away. Swiftly she shuffled to the sword which hung as a mantelpiece on her wall. The sword there had once belonged to Konji. With that in hand the woman turned to leave her room and pursue her attackers, for she’d either have their skills at her disposal or she’d have their heads so that no one else would. Just as she reached the threshold of her room’s door the clang of chains jingling caught her attention. Imagine he surprise to find this new jewelry firmly secured to her chest. It was only now that she came to notice her body lying lifeless in a pool of blood upon her bed. Shocked by the realization that she was in fact dead, Kiri let out a blood curdling scream which seemed to rattle the very foundation of her home. As if in response to her cry the doors of Hell began to slowly creep open revealing the massive muscled arm of some monstrous beast. In an instant it’s mighty weapon came flinging through the opened doors and crashing through Kiri’s wall to find purchase in her frame. Impaled by the blade she was pulled through the rubble of her once illustrious estate and into the depths of hell.

…and when death came, life became a punishment.

For her transgressions Kiri was doomed to dwell within the first level of hell, unfortunately enough for her she was merely human and quite weak. Here where the Kushanada roam in the greatest numbers the woman was left to fend for herself amongst the dejected and depressed that had accepted their fates as Togabito. For a great many years Kiri wandered this oddity of blue pathways and floating white blocks. To her misfortune she’d encounter a number of Kushanada along the way, many of them devouring her upon their meeting. This would become the foundation of her hatred concerning her jailers. She began to covet the power that they wielded so easily. As time passed Kiri would begin to seek out the Kushanada purposefully. With her brother’s sword in hand, time after time Danyoku Kiri would assault the Kushanada only to be eaten and reborn.

Frustrated with her lacking ability, Kiri took to the slaughter of other Togabito. The woman targeted far weaker opponents that would serve as suitable training tools. For this the Kushanada became weary of the woman and began to hunt her. Fearing the pain of death, Kiri hide from those great guardians of hell until finally they grew tired of their search. Thinking that they were done with her, Kiri returned to openly killing the denizens of the first level of hell. Finally, able to sense her presence again the Kushanada yanked at the chains that bound the woman and brought her to them. Again, she was devoured with merciless impunity. Though she was not simply reborn among the white blocks and blue roads of hell, instead she found herself transported to the second level; a watery wasteland full of monolithic stone water lilies.

Kiri immediately became enthralled by the beauty of the structures and came to covet those as well. For a great many years the woman would roam between them slaying all that dared touch foot upon one of her beloved monoliths. And again she’d draw the unwanted attention of the Kushanada. Most certainly done with this woman’s violent tendencies the Kushanada wasted no time in hunting the woman, instead relying upon the chains which tied her to hell. However, in her time the woman had grown far stronger than they’d expected. They’d tugged, and pulled and yet the woman would not come. Though for all the strength she gained it was not that alone that prevented her from being moved, but the strength of her will and desire to remain with the monolithic lilies that she so loved and adored. Frustrated the Kushanada which had been pulling at her chains released its reitsu into them, and with all his might yanked upon the things. This final pull brought Kiri soaring through the skies of the second level of hell to the third level.

Now doomed to the truly barren landscape of craters and yellow lava flows Kiri fell into a deep depression. What was there of value in this place that she could call her own? As a result of the Kushanada’s reitsu the links in Kiri’s chain had grown larger than most other, seeing this Kiri began to seek out other Togabito in order to confirm the size difference. Upon realizing the truth that her chains were in fact the largest, she began to covet the chains of other lesser Togabito – regardless of the impossibility of the matter. For years she roamed the wastelands of the third level of hell slaughtering those she came across in attempts to remove their chains and add them to her own. She’d never come to obtain another Togabito’s chains, but in response her’s began to grow larger still. Infuriated that Kiri had yet to learn her lesson, the Kushanada responsible for each of her descents further into hell yanked at her chains once more. This time, however, Kiri allowed it to happen. When all was said and done she found herself among the rolling hills and jutting domes of the fourth level of hell.

Quickly these jutting domes that littered the landscape came to be claimed by Kiri, regardless of her right to do so or not. Yet, still she sought to steal the chains of other Togabito. Thusly, her reign of terror began in some far forgotten corner of the fourth level. Countless Togabito would be slain by her blade, which she’d taken to calling Mujona Konji; the soulless Konji. Here her power increased ever more until once again the Kushanada could no longer ignore her transgressions. Again that same hated Kushanada tugged at her chains, and yet now Kiri had grown far stronger than imagined. The woman resisted for a time far longer than most had before her. Frustrated by this the Kushanada in question went to the woman expecting to easily defeat her and punish her for her infractions against the realm of Hell. Their battle was waged for days on end with neither gaining the upper hand until finally the Kushanada was able to land a devastating blow that buried Kiri nearly twenty feet beneath the ground. Satisfied with its accomplishment and victory the Kushanada pulled at Kiri’s chains once more in order to free her from her prison of earth. As he did so that ground beneath him began to rumble violently until a light blue pillars of light shot through newly formed cracks in the ground, most of which centered around the area beneath which Kiri had been trapped. In a magnificent explosion Kiri emerged from the rubble transformed. She’d taken on an appearance similar to a red dragon of western lore, though she’d been granted four arms, or wings. “Your power will be mine, Kushanada, and with it all of Hell!” She screamed from high above the monstrous jailer. Perhaps because this first transformation was accomplished in such a moment of desperation Kiri displayed a level of power that she’d not show again for quite sometime.

From her wings came hundreds of small tentacle like constructs formed of boiling oils, each attached to chains formed of the same energy. In an instant the Kushanada was no more, however Kiri’s energy had been spent in its entirety leaving her weak and open to attack. Other Kushanada, sorrowful and full of rage, took advantage of this moment and together they personally carried the woman to the lowermost level of hell where she was bound to one of the many lava covered columns that littered the area. For a time the Kushanada remained devouring bits of the woman’s body and waiting for her to regenerate in order to do the same again, though eventually they grew bored with the woman and left her in pieces – each chained to the column that was her newest prison.

From here Kiri watched the events of the world unfold; she saw the power that the warriors of not only Hell, but the Soul Society and other dimensions of reality, wielded. She soon came to covet this power, no longer was the realm of Hell a suitable desire. No all of existence would come under her mighty grip. Slowly, the bits of her began to reform, organs grew once more, limbs reattached themselves… and as if fate had been watching over the woman when the time had come that she felt strong enough to be free of her chains the doors of Hell opened….

…and so I come to take what’s mine.

An ominous gloom perpetually filled this place, a darkness who’s tendrils were only broken by the redish-orange glow of lava veins. Canal’s which twisted and wound haphazardly through the landscape, at times ceasing their horizontal snaking to climb large irregular columns of blackened volcanic stone – magma long since hardened over the countless millennia. Far off just beyond where the eye could see a pillar of lava erupted upward, violently assaulting and offending the sky gods who replied in kind with jagged fingers of lightning which lapped at the terrain’s black flesh. Further the echoed cries of some poor soul reached out like arms to tug at the ears of all who would listen. It was a mangled and choked thing alluding to the Togabito’s fate as lunch for a wandering Kushanada, or perhaps it had been struck down by another Togabito. It was impossible to tell from so very far away.

Or maybe it had not happened at all, maybe this was some memory clouding a fading consciousness that struggled to retain its grasp on the threads of reality. How difficult a task when one by all rights is dead – and yet what meaning does death have in this forsaken place? Even has this disembodied mind pondered the meaning of such a question already organs had begun to reform, each new bit of flesh producing and audible pop and squish like sound. Soon eyes that had not seen in so long would open, but first they’d require the bits of the skull that held them in place – a simple task. When finally those crimson irises gaze upon her world they did so with short lived remorse. The emotion was quickly replaced by anger, anger for those that had put her here, those that would deny her what she felt was hers; everything.

..and still more of her body regenerated, arms found shoulders, legs found hips. Her flesh mended itself, removed the blemishes of tooth marks and bits that were completely missing. Time was lost during the process, becoming some relative thing that could have been a minute or millennia. The woman would never know, nor would she seem to care.

As if some rift in the dimensions of reality had been torn before her sudden images began to play out filling her minds eye with the visages of various warriors, none of which she could truly make out or recognize. But their power… power that seemed so capable of moving mountains – it intrigued her to no end. Oh the wonderful things she could do with such great power. A sly grin slipped across crusted and dehydrated lips, which despite were beginning to find their original plump and healthy nature once more. Oh, think of the wonderful things…

Driven by this new desire, this new hunger Danyoku Kiri, the particular woman in question began to writh about within the myriad of chains which now held her complete and healthy body to the ebony pillar that had become her prison. She’d not be able to explain her ability to eventually escape those chains, though she would nonetheless. Perhaps, it was some product of the gate of Hell having recently opened. Whatever the case may be it was of no concern to the woman. One might say it bad luck to look a gift horse in the mouth, yes?

Days would pass before the woman found passage from the realm of Hell into that of Earth. When she did finally locate the great set of doors that had been left open for all manner of nastiness to escape the woman hesitated for a moment. How long, how long had it been since she’d set foot outside of this hellish place? Too long, far too long would be the correct answer without a doubt. Like so many accounts of near death experiences the woman stepped into the light.

”Oh my…” Her breath was drawn back into her body, and a hand moved to cover her mouth. To say the modern world was a shocking surprise would belittle the sensation the woman felt. Oh, what wonderful new toys to play with. It would all be hers soon enough. All of it…

EL-1

HAN: 16
REI:20
HAK: 16
SEI: 20
BUK:16
HOH:17
Points Earned: 0
Total points: 105

Kiri or Danyoku

none. [/ blockquote]