The Queens of Good and the Kings of Evil

“Well - aren’t you confident in your honesty! I can see how you won the card design and cosplay competition with such a personality.”

Kana said as she blushed and giggled politely in compliment, patting the one of the arms of her throne as Kimi then smiled and blushed, making her way up the short flight of stairs, and sitting on the arm of the throne next to Kana. Kimi felt a sensation that had been up until that moment, been completely foreign to her! While she could see that Kimi was calm, humble but confident, and gracefully poised - Kimi was distracted and jovial in a feminine sort of way, feeling a strong emotional attraction to Kana in a way that she'd never been able to before this. 

As Kimi sat there on the arm of Kana's throne, she couldn't believe that this was really happening - even momentarily reminiscing how when she was back home, back in Japan - even if she did take a liking to another girl, it usually never went beyond some brief, giggling banter at a cosplay convention with another cosplayer girl that she'd never actually get the contact information of, or that she'd be too shy to fully pursue getting to know that girl. Thus, Kimi resolved that it was best to actually have some faith in herself and go forth with following her feelings!

“You’re seriously too sweet! So - this alliance - I know it’s temporary, but I think we should discuss this: which of the Kings should we each take on? I’m thinking that since your powers are of light - you’d do best against that ultra creepy Sorcerer King who’s in the darkness fiefdom of the realm - and I’d do best against the Slayer King with the volcanic, ashen sand and ocean water fiefdom of the realm, since I can freeze the water and possibly glass the sand with flames! What do you think?”

Kimi asked as she leaned in, while making sure to maintain her balance on the arm of the throne that she sat on. Kimi admittedly wanted to ask if she could sit on Kana's lap, but at the same time - she couldn't bring herself to do it, since she'd just met her, despite the fact that she felt a sincere attraction to Kana and that the arm of Kana's throne wasn't the most comfortable to sit on. 

Kana then took a moment to think over what Kimi had proposed, and then looked back at Kimi as she nodded and smiled. 

“I can’t argue with your logic in terms of overall strategy and specific tactics alike. Alright, let’s do it!”

Kana said as she then looked to Kimi, while both of them shared a mutual feeling of satisfaction on terms of the necessary planning for the coming War of the Realm. Kimi leaned in and hugged Kana, holding her as Kana stroked Kimi’s beautiful, bright pink hair. Kimi shuddered as she felt Kana's touch - she couldn't believe that this was actually happening - that not only was she in a new world and essentially incarnated as a character that she'd created, but she was in a warm, affectionate embrace with a beautiful girl that she felt close to. 

“Ok - so I have to ask - before we ended up here, what was your life like? What part of Japan were you from?”

Kimi asked, as she then listened closely, laying her head in the armored lap of Kana, which was surprisingly comfortable. Kimi's anticipation to hear what Kana had to say was intoxicating - feeling a rush of excitement as they were connecting more rapidly than she admittedly thought was actually possible! Kimi looked at Kana with affection, blinking and nodding eagerly but politely as she listened.

“I’m from Osaka, actually! My dream was to be a card designer and otherwise a fantasy artist! Hence, that’s how I ended up here: my passions. What about you? Where are you from in Japan, and what was your life like back in the other world?”

Kana asked as she then turned to Kimi. Kana too, wondered what Kimi's background was? As she listened closely, waiting to hear what Kimi was going to say - she couldn't help but feel a sense of deep connection with Kimi as well, though she too, was too nervous to express her feelings, just like Kimi. 

“I’m from Sapporo! My parents ran a cosplay materials shop on the first floor of the Highrise apartment building that we lived in. While I wanted to fully dive into that industry, they wanted me to go to the University of Tokyo, the University of Osaka, or Kyoto University! I wonder how they’re feeling since I’m trapped here now…..?”

Kimi said with a glimmer of glee, before her voice trailed and she looked off into the distance. Kana felt the same way, but she didn’t say anything - choosing instead to stroke Kimi’s bright pink hair more to comfort her. Kimi couldn't help but think about her home, about what she'd left behind and how she'd actually get to go back to the other world, back to Japan. 

"You miss home, don't you?"

Kana asked as she looked down at Kimi as she stroked her hair, smiling softly, whole feeling the same way that Kimi did. Kimi then looked up at Kana, taking a breath and looking side to side, before nodding back up at Kana.

"I really do, honestly. I thought that I wanted to go to another world, you know? Watching anime, reading light novels manga that were all in the isekai sub-genre, I used to think how cool it would be to be to escape to there, at least for a while. But that's the thing - in this moment, I can see now that what I really wanted wasn't going to another world, but to have that real, emotional, affectionate connection that the characters in those stories get to have. And right now, I'm seeing and feeling that.....I just wish we could be back in Japan together, in the other world, feeling this way and being able to share this connection."

Kimi said as she did her best to hold back tears, while Kana pulled her in, holding her and sighing softly. She knew that she had to say something too, she just felt compelled to tell Kimi how she viewed what Kimi had expressed to openly.

"I feel the same way - and I feel like it's only fair that I say it too. I never made the effort to get to know anyone else really back in Osaka - instead, I spent a lot of my time working on card art in my portfolio, connecting with fictional characters that I've created and those that wrestle created by others. I just imagine that if we were back in the other world, back in Japan, that we'd actually be able to get a bubble tea and ride the bullet train somewhere together, you know? All the while getting to know each more deeply."

Kana said as she stroked Kimi's hair more as Kimi smiled. She couldn't believe it - Kana felt the same way! That rush of affection that Kimi felt couldn't be contained, and so she sat up fully and hugged Kana tightly, holding onto her as the silence of their embrace now spoke volumes over all else.

Meanwhile - a more sinister meeting was taking place. 

“Talk about sticking your head in the sand! Are you just going to spend your time here building sand castles or smashing watermelons on the beach!?”

Riku said with a sly, sinister voice as he chuckled to himself - standing in the borderland of his fiefdom - which consisted of lightly bubbling black muck, rotting bamboo, and ruins of what looked to be Japanese structures dating to between the Heian and Edo Periods, judging by their architecture and design. He looked at the border of his fiefdom, the other side of the border being a land of a vast ocean as an accent, with the main area bright a volcanic ashen sand beachhead. The area that he ruled over in stewardship suited him - the blackness of his soul, his callous disregard for anyone but himself, and the fact that he was really viewed by everyone that he came across back in Japan as just that - poison with a blackened heart and a malicious outlook.

“And I suppose that you’re contenting yourself with thinking that it’s Halloween all day, everyday - and acting outlandish for the sake of attention?”

Minato said as he held his trident and straightened his glasses - his tone and facial expression showing that he was completely unimpressed with Riku. Like his counterpart in the neighboring fiefdom of the Realm, Minato didn't have an ounce of warmth in him - yet he didn't relish in the darkness as a way of being in and of itself. No, Minato would merely use his intellect to calculate the most efficient possible oath to ensure victory in whatever he was determined to do, for he cared not for the consequences of others. And yet his arrogance blinded him to the fact that he and Riku were in the end, not so different from one another. 

“TRICK OR TREAT!”

Riku said with a sarcastic tone and a sickening giggle and grin. 

“No, I’m here because I want to propose an alliance for the coming War of the Realm. It seems better to me if we work together to get rid of the girls - I mean - Queens, before we have to inevitably have a clash that results in a bloodbath.”

Riku said as he stared into Minato’s eyes with a stare of pure evil, his eyes glowing black. Minato could tell, through his arrogant and elitist gaze, that Riku could be in some way "useful" to him, perhaps in t he manner that he seemed to care little for his own wellbeing and more so only for pure chaos, torment, and destruction. To Minato, Riku was simply the embodiment of a reckless fool who couldn't comprehend anything beyond the rush of combat, the thrill of committing evil acts, and genuinely taking in with a humorous gaze, the results of his wrath. In short, Minato could at least understand why Riku was here, in part. 

“The chances of success for me are higher when I factor in your proposal. Done. Now - get out of my sight, I have preparations to take care of.”

Minato said as he then turned away back to his fortress complex - a network of structures that were volcanic ashen sand-covered cement and beach foliage. Riku smiled to himself deviously as he turned away to his own fiefdom. 

With the proverbial chess board set, the pieces were beginning to make their respective moves.