I apologize for posting again in such a short period of time, but I seem to have discovered photographs that my friend previously deemed impossible for me to find.

[Edited to Add] Ah-- I should warn that this may not be appropriate for women or children.

( And it IS only fair. )

With all of the photos to fall from the sky... this certainly hadn't been what I expected.

Though it certainly explains a few things..

( Cut not there ICly, it's just here to save your monitors. )

Though I suppose it makes sense that En ou and En Taiho would be so.. close.

ig rook me aloskt an hpir to fifre tgis tginf out and niw i cpnt eben upse it poprerly

What a strange place. I arrived here with this odd machine that I've never seen before, though it turns out that it must be some sort of advanced technology. It took me far longer to figure out than I like to admit, not to mention it seems to require human fingers to press these buttons properly.

Would anyone, perhaps, be able to shed some light on where I've ended up? Or how to get back to Daigaku? This is a rather nice set of woods, but it is a little chilly.

[nick / name]: Zully Quirke
[personal LJ name]: zully
[other characters currently played]: None. I am fresh meat. o 3o b
[e-mail]: zullyquirke@gmail.com
[AIM / messenger]: rubyeyesKNIGHT

[series]: Juuni Kokki // Twelve Kingdoms
[character]: Rakushun
[character history / background]: Babies are not born where Rakushun is from. Instead, parents pray to the god Tentei to be given fruit from a sacred tree that grows. A ribbon is tied to a tree, and the parents choose a fruit. That fruit becomes their child.

Not all of the fruits bear wholly human children, however. Sometimes the fruits create what are called "hanjuu," creatures that are half man and half beast. They can switch between a human and beast form at will, and in most countries are thought of as less than human. They can't attain upper level schooling, can't hold land on their own, can't hold down jobs on their own.

Rakushun is a hanjuu, his animal form being that of a man-sized rat -- or more accurately, a child-sized rat. He prefers his beast form even though he grew up in the country of Kou, one of those who are some of the strictest opponents of hanjuus. He lived with his mother there, relatively peacefully, and was mostly isolated from other people. They were very, very poor, especially after his father passed away. After all, hanjuu can't hold regular jobs with regular wages. He later states that he stayed in his animal form to cut down on cost-- as a growing boy, he wouldn't have had to wear clothing. His mother also sold a good portion of their land to fund his education as far as was possible; Rakushun was always top of his class, making top grades, however he was barred from entering any form of higher education due to his status as a hanjuu. He didn't have many, if any, friends, but he remained upbeat and confident regardless. We aren't given much information in regards to his father, though we assume he's passed away by the time the story picks up. During the course of the series, Rakushun's mother

Despite it all, he's proud of his hanjuu heritage and thus prefers to walk about in his beast form regardless of the fact that it makes him a target. That's how he met Youko.

Initially Youko distrusts him, her experiences in the country not being the most positive ones after she'd arrived. He does eventually gain her trust, however, and is consistently kind and friendly to her. He easily forgives her for distrusting him, saying it was only natural that she wouldn't trust a stranger in a strange country.

He travels with Youko to En, leaving his mother and home to accompany his friend. He expresses an interest in studying at the upper level school, Daigaku, in En, a country where one isn't discriminated against for being a hanjuu. After doing what he can to help Youko ascend as empress of Kei, he does just that.

[character abilities]: He's very intelligent, picks up on things quickly. He has a bird that he uses to communicate with his friend Youko and a bag of silver grain that it eats. He can also fluidly transform between a human and a rat, though going from rat to human results in him showing up naked. More often than not, in Poly he'll appear as human. CLOTHED human.

[character personality]: Juuni Kokki in and of itself is a practice in swapped gender roles as they appear in the anime stereotype. Instead of the strong, silent and fierce lead male who is softened by the kind, gentle female lead, we have the same in reverse. Youko is strong, a little hard on the inside as a result of having to do what it is she has to do as Empress to a nation-- or more accurately, what she had to do to gain that position in the first place.

Rakushun acts as her foil. He balances her. He's trusting, but intelligent. He won't let himself be USED, but he's prone to giving multiple chances when he thinks people deserve them. For example, there's a point where Youko actually abandons Rakushun, before she's crowned as the Empress and is still adjusting to being in this strange world, being chosen by Keiki. When Rakushun runs into her again, he forgives her easily. And when the former princess of Hou, Shoukei, tries to frame him for her own crimes he forgives her just as easily, even befriending her after the fact.

He's overly kind, never raising his voice or heard using an unkind word unless it's absolutely deserving. He smiles frequently and his idea of heaven would consist of staying burrowed in books for the rest of his days. He loves to learn, to study, but he also enjoys spending time with Youko-- a time when he finds himself both wanted and useful. Rakushun enjoys that he's able to help Youko, even if it's only to encourage her when she thinks she can't cut it. He has absolute faith in his friends and loved ones and in return is absolutely faithful.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: After Youko ascends the throne, when he's studying in En.

[journal post]: ig rook me aloskt an hpir to fifre tgis tginf out and niw i cpnt eben upse it poprerly

What a strange place. I arrived here with this odd machine that I've never seen before, though it turns out that it must be some sort of advanced technology. It took me far longer to figure out than I like to admit, not to mention it seems to require human fingers to press these buttons properly.

Would anyone, perhaps, be able to shed some light on where I've ended up? Or how to get back to Daigaku? This is a rather nice set of woods, but it is a little chilly.

[third person / log sample]:
It wasn't until the sun hit him directly in the eye that he woke up that morning, and that's precisely when he learned he'd overslept.

With a sudden jolt he rolled onto his feet, scrambling towards his dresser. If Enki and En-Ou hadn't stopped by to ... socialize with him the night before -- which seemed to always involve alcohol, loud laughter and incessant talking -- he'd have gotten his studying in earlier.

It's not that he minded Enki and En-ou's friendship, of course. Quite the opposite; they'd helped him in many ways and Rakushun appreciated them greatly. He just didn't appreciate them staying over until near sunrise the day before he had an exam.

But he certainly hadn't expected his day to become odder the moment he stepped out his door. When he'd reached for the doorknob and belted out the door, barely sparing the time to snag his bag, he'd expected to end up in the hallway.

Not an odd looking forest, which he certainly didn't remember being a part of Daigaku. Or En for that matter.

He turned around to back through the door he'd entered, but it was gone. This was very un-funny.

The bird that fluttered it's wings behind him seemed to agree. He made a rather sympathetic face. "You must have just gotten back from Youko's," He murmured, holding out a small clawed hand for it to perch on. "Poor thing. If you'd stayed in my room you wouldn't have ended up in this strange place too."

Rakushun reached into his bag, pulling out the small sack of silver grain he kept for the bird. "At least you have something to eat. I don't even know where I am, let alone how to find food."

It was then that he took a step forward, nearly directly atop a small, compact looking thing. Frowning, Rakushun picked it up and turned it over in his hands. It was a bit heavier than it looked, and what happened if he pushed this button here.. ?

The top flipped open, and much to Rakushun's amazement there was a series of intricately placed buttons on it's base. The top half seemed like a faded sort of mirror.. if he squinted he could see himself in it's dark surface.

Cautiously, he reached forward and pressed at a round, green button. The whole thing lit up with a noise, almost shocking Rakushun enough to drop the device entirely.

Several moments later he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, frowning. He badly wanted to examine this device and it's capabilities further, but he was having a hard time pressing buttons with his closely-clawed hand. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but he blushed as he sighed all the same.

"Leaving myself a little exposed in such a strange place.." He mumbled before he shifted from rat to human, shivering a little as the cold grass pressed up against his bare legs.

But now, at least, he could properly examine this device. If only he had better practice using his FINGERS.. perhaps this item would help him gain that, at least.