Deus Ex Machina

In those trembling hands lay the girl's clear resolution.
The fates of all the stories she has read have been left to her.
Stories are memories, the very scars of life.
From small favors to great deeds, history is made.
She once believed herself the protagonist in one of those tales,
a lone hero who prayed for humanity's revival in her prison of
a castle on the barren moon.
She believed her burden would be left behind for others to read.
But she was more puppet than hero, a mere machine incapable of
holding every tale of human history. When she realized this,
a thought came to her:
perhaps people were created to entertain God with stories.
What, then, is God? Humanity? Her creators? Some other
being who observes her? Regardless, she knows that
once a tale is born, it will reach someone. And so she hopes to
leave her own memories, proof of her existence, her journey.

Bramble

The girl did not understand the meaning of being born.
She found herself here one day, a puppet to her house.
As she hid her pain, everyone around her used her
to their own ends.
When she saw the woman, she immediately knew that this woman
would bring about her death. She'd never seen anyone so beautiful.
How cold she was in her slaughter...
Perhaps there were worse ways to die.
And yet, the woman listened to the girl as she cursed the world that
bent her to its whims, and instead wielded her blade to help the girl.
The rainy day when she was drenched in the woman's blood was
the true day of her birth.
The two live together peacefully and uneventfully,
but each day reminds the girl that she is, in fact, alive.
But little does she know that the woman,
too, was reborn on the day they met...

Alpha and Omega Salute

We're having a baby.
I want to make this country into the ideal place so that
this child will appreciate having been born.
I've been more efficient at work?
Well, of course!
I have to work hard for the baby!
Wait, I'm being transferred?
But why? I'm still perfectly efficient!
I mush continue to push this country forward!
Today, I was told I'm being transferred...
Do they have any idea how hard I've been working for this country!?
Huh? Why do you look so happy?

Wand

Hail! Hail!
For the first prince has at last been born!
May our prosperous land flourish forevermore!
Behold! Behold! For this is the portrait of the second child
who shoulders our country's future!
His intrepid eyes are those of the king!
He is wise beyond his years!
Attention! Attention!
For the first prince has raised the flag of rebellion and fled!
Loathsome traitors will pay for their crimes, dead or alive!
Hark! Hark! For this is an old tale. The second prince of
a distant kingdom inherited the will of his father, the king, and
spread the fires of war. But the exiled first prince brought
peace everywhere he went, bringing an end to—

Crown Rod

The boy I like told me he loves me, Grandma.
We exchanged Avowal Rings, we embraced, and then we kissed...
But you know, I'm a little scared. I'm so happy it scares me.
Grandma? Can you hear me?
I've started showing signs of the same sickness Mom had...
It's freaking him out too. What should I do?
And on top of that, I think I'm pregnant...
I don't think I can have this baby, Grandma.
Mom became a completely different person after her illness, right?
And he left me, so I'll be the only one raising this child...
I did it, Grandma. I did it all alone, but I have a baby girl now.
I wish you and Mom could've seen her. Him too, even.
Oh, my sweet, precious child...
I hope you grow to be the happiest person in the world.

Seasonal Shift

One of my favorite foods is the great big fried eggs my dad
used to make for me. He was always a bit of a clumsy guy,
but I always loved how those eggs tasted,
and I think about them even now.
I'm climbing a raging volcano at this very moment so I might
acquire a nutritious egg from the massive bird that nests here.
According to my dad's journal,
this is where he got the eggs he would fry for me.
My vision warps slightly due to the intense heat.
I bite into some of the rations I brought in an attempt to recover
some of my strength, but I can't manage to swallow any of it.
As my consciousness fades, I hear a beating of wings.
Determined to not let myself go down here,
I focus my energy into my feet.
I will eat that fried egg again—no matter what.
"Just wait a bit longer," I say as I gently rub my own stomach.

Blackbeak Mask

For breakfast I had a juice pouch I had lying around.
End of list. I don't need a fancy hotel breakfast or anything,
but it's been forever since I've started the day
off with more than bare minimum.
For lunch I had a box meal and a salad from the
convenience store. I don't even really like salad,
but I figure it's probably good for me. I always look
forward to seeing if there are any new bottled teas for sale.
For dinner I had the cheapest thing on the menu at a place
near my house that's open late. I honestly don't even
remember what I ate—I just picked based on the price.
And that's everything I ate on my last day alive. I was seeing
black birds everywhere since dawn so I figured luck probably
wasn't on my side, but I never thought today'd
be the day I die... Wish I ate that ice cream I had in the freezer.

Hope for the Future

The plan proceeds apace.
If anything, the difficult part was finding a place where
I could have all the time and medicine I needed.
I had to hide everything...
My husband found out about my plan.
He didn't even flinch when I pointed my weapon at him.
Instead, he embraced me.
When his warmth enveloped me, I realized I was crying.
The product is complete.
As I stare at the finished drug, I tremble with fear and excitement.
This drug is named both salvation and destruction...
It will change the world.
I've decided to halt the project.
We love too many things too dearly to use the drug.
I am a coward, and I leave the decision to the future.
Now, let us return to our precious, idle days.

Ashen Pact

How much longer must I keep up this pointless routine?
I waste yet another day performing
my rounds in a perfunctory fashion.
Why does she hide why we're here?
I waste yet another day unable to confront her,
instead sticking to superficial conversation.
What is it that pushes me forward despite knowing my effort
will amount to nothing?
I waste yet another day following
vague hints in an attempt to unravel this mystery.
How could anyone stay still when all the answers they
seek lie just beyond that door?
And that is why today will be the day I finally...

Type-127 Sword

Special report to all Pod 006s:
A magnetic storm has occurred on the surface of the moon
near the base.
Please verify the integrity of your saved data.
Report: Integrity of all data within jurisdiction confirmed.
No apparent problems detected.
(Wait a moment—part of the data was inverted by the storm.
I reported no problems, but the other Pods might notice...)
Report: Concluded my personal scans. No anomalies detected.
(For whatever reason, black data has been flipped and is now
white. The primary scan reported no problems, so perhaps the
changes are insignificant.)
Query: Are three checks necessary? Don't we all possess the
same thought processes? (And yet...I've detected an unexpected
payload, though I can't pinpoint where.
Could it be a benevolent force? Or will it become a threat?)

Seabone Fists

Last night, a message came from my friend who runs the antique
store, begging me to come see him.
He seemed really excited, so I went first thing in the morning.
I was so curious—what had he found?
My friend produced a skull the moment I entered the shop.
It was apparently from a race of people that lived underwater
in ancient times, a tribe that humans killed off long ago.
Turns out we drove them to extinction for the most selfish of
reasons: so we could use their corpses as a form of art.
God, but we truly are the most terrifying creatures on the planet.
My friend thought the skull looked happy, but I found it filled with
rage and fear—almost like it wanted to curse whoever killed it.
And as I stared at it more, the skull seemed to smile.

Yearning Spear

I was once a clockwork soldier. When my body no longer served
its purpose, I was dismantled, and my parts used as cores for
various weapons. Now, my legs make up a portion of her spear.
She is a powerful warrior, one they say could even kill a dragon.
But I do not understand her lifestyle; she is nobility,
and has no need to live the warrior's life.
One day, I learned of her past:
Her parents saw her as a tool for political marriage,
and locked her away as "practice" for when she was wed.
But she wanted the freedom of soaring through the sky.
Despite her fatal wounds, she never lets me go.
She leaps into the air, toward the enemy's head.
I feel as though I have leapt into the sky with my own legs,
and know we will reach freedom together.

Bruit

Children laughing.
Flapping wings of hummingbirds.
The trickle of fountain water.
I exist to protect these sounds.
Cheerful cha■■■r from the classroom next door.
A call from my boss, who I h■■■.
The loud revving of a car ■■gine.
I want to c■ver my ears, but these, too, are sounds of peace.
People scr■■■ing.
Rhy■■mic gun■■■ts.
Cons■■nt ■irens.
D■n't I exi■■ to prot■■t pe■■le fr■m these s■■nds?
The scr■■■■ of ■■■■dren.
Dea■■ thr■es of ago■■.
Sile■■■ bet■■■n explo■■■■.
The ■■ise ■■■■gs to ■■ ■■■■.

Esprit de Lumière

O Monster, O Monster.
I live for you, and I will die for you.
You turned a Goat like me into a person.
Your judgment, your love, inspired me to live.
You returned to me my stolen anger.
You reminded me that despair is not the end.
O Monster, O Monster.
I shall forever wait till you and the girl reunite.

Armistice (Discontinued Model)

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Blacksilk Grudge

A dilapidated house sits along the coast.
Here it bears the brunt of nature's ferocity, and here I live alone,
painting to my heart's content.
My days are happy ones, filled with brushes and dye.
But as one seeks to enjoy beauty with someone dear,
I want to share my art. My art has brought color to this house,
which before had known only the lonely sound of waves upon
the sand.
I see it now: I am the only one who finds these paintings
beautiful—these paintings of inflamed, plucked black birds.
I want to talk to someone about the visions in the paintings.
I need to.
Would others think them beautiful if they had a price?
Should I sell out? Hire a known thief to steal them?
Ask the royal princess to become my patron?
...No. None of that would ever happen.

Ceasefire (Discontinued Model)

Welcome!
You are about to experience text generated by AI Chat Services
(version 001.3.4, developed by ■■■■■■ R&D).
Ask me anything!
From a medical perspective, there are five primary factors
that ead to human death. (1) Cellular Aging:
The human body is made up of cells. Cells age over time,
and the process of accurately duplicating themselves is
Multiple factors contribute to human death, particularly the
following. First and foremost, degredation of the body's cells and
integrity as a result of the aging process.
No biological creature can escape this phenomenon, which
Are you unhappy with your answer? Sorry about that.
I try to answer questions in a human-like manner,
but my thought process is decidedly un-human.
Ask me anything!

Charm of the Dawn

My beloved... It is so painful to be apart from you before our
wedding. But know that I wish to accomplish a great feat of arms
before I see you. Only then will I have the confidence to protect
you for the rest of our lives.
My love... This place is so unlike where we grew up.
I see all manner of shops with beautiful, curious, bizarre things.
And yet, it is so dangerous here I must keep my guard up
at all times. Is that not strange?
My dear... Forgive me for my infrequent letters.
Truly, you have the patience of a saint, and surely you must
still believe in me. But please, forget about me now.
This city has tainted me.
To whomever reads this letter...
Please take this gun to my childhood friend.
She wears a charm in her hair that matches the charm on this gun.
Deliver to her this message: I loved you to the very end.

Karasu Tengu Mimic

There was once a forest on an eastern island, and there lived a
creature with the body of a human but the head and wings of a bird.
It was called Karasu Tengu, and the people hated it.
But the Karasu Tengu wanted friends badly.
A traveler wandered lost into the Karasu Tengu's forest,
weary and on the verge of starvation.
The Karasu Tengu hesitantly offered its aid—perhaps
that would be an acceptable way of interacting with a human.
The Karasu Tengu made its first friend.
The traveler did not fear it, and told many tales of their travels.
But not wanting to part with its friend, the Karasu Tengu cast
a spell and transformed the traveler into a Karasu Tengu!
The traveler was delighted—they could fly anywhere.
"They will throw stones at you," the Karasu Tengu warned.
But the traveler descended upon the town, laughing merrily with
the townsfolk. The Karasu Tengu unsheathed its sword...

Sleeve of the Forlorn

Don't your long sleeves make it difficult to wield a blade?
I believe you're well enough off leaving it sheathed.
Don't your long sleeves make it difficult to cook?
I believe you're well enough off leaving it to the maids.
Don't your long sleeves make it difficult to walk without tripping?
I believe you're well enough off remaining in the castle.
No, I have little trouble thrusting a spear,
even with my long sleeves.
Or did you not notice the bloodlust beneath my folds of fabric?

Final Farewell

Rintaro Iida. Shoji Takamura. Hisahide Yuasa. Ujihide Kota.
Yoshitaka Sata. Takaaki Katsura. Inosuke Kondo. Kotaro Kimura.
Yodo Amari. Hachiro Tamura. Kogoro Kimura. Sanetomi
Oshima. Gonbei Suzuki. Shigeki Hosoda. Yoshinobu Usami.
Kazuyoshi Kamata. Masatora Meigetsuin. Heihachi Goto. Jiro
Takahashi. Hanzo Nobuhara. Juro Sasaki. Toshisada Baba.
Tokusaburo Kawanari. Akihito Hayasaka. Heiji Utsumi.
Kosuke Hirata. Shusuke Arisaka. Maho Ouchi. Akio Nishimura.
Hidehiro Soga. Taisuke Sada. Yukio Yamashita. Kaoru Hayashi.
Osamu Tanaka. Kazusuke Watanabe. Taiichi Hiruoka. Hidenori
Fukuda. Okichika Miyazawa. Yoshiyuki Ohira. Ichiro Murayama.
Konosuke Hamada. Eiji Hosokawa. Sakuta Yoshihara.
Goodbye.

Gun of Castigation

I'm a war correspondent embedded in a platoon.
The captain is known as a coward, but the vibe isn't bad.
One day, while in the barracks, the captain asked me
a favor in a formal manner. "You're a journalist—I need your help."
He showed me a secret document about the Infant Abduction
Strategy. He wanted me to accuse the country of heinous crimes
under his name. I was shook.
If I did, then he'd... What led him to ask such a thing?
When the captain returned from the internment camp, an uprising
began. The leader: a boy soldier who was once a deserter.
Though wounded, the captain volunteered to lead a snatch
squad that allegedly behaved out of the ordinary.
The next day, after a military ceremony, I publicized the document,
dazzled by how he turned his cowardice into a weapon.
I make accusations in his name, for one day,
he'll be lauded as a hero who exposed this country's injustices.