Hey everyone,

I would like to start this off by apologizing for being unable to reach any of you about my absence.  As much as I value your friendship, please understand that there are things I simply could not talk about (nothing life-threatening or the like) in conjunction with school, work and a massive amount of performances mingled with a mess of family troubles.

I'm not sure just what the situation is yet, but I do not want to deny anyone the opportunity to use Koromaru.  I would very much like in the future to continue to be a part of AMS and certainly to remain aquainted with everyone, but if you guys would like to put him back up for use by someone who has a sincere interest in playing him, I will not fight it. 

I do intend to return soon and I do intend (and cannot wait) to speak with you all again, but at the same time I understand that what I did was unreasonable and unfair and I would not feel right if I did not at least say something.

-Best wishes to everyone,
Rob/Koromaru

P.S. Happy birthday to eveyone who's birthdays I missed.  If you want a letter like the one I gave to Mitsu, you'll have to give me some time :P

mood: exhausted

Even as everyone frets about the troubles with Joker, they all still go to school.  I for one find it uplifting to hear my pack talk about the importance of academic success even in light of these uncertain times, so much so that I want to go to school too.  Anything that keeps my fellows as focused as school seems to is something I want to particpate in... and they make good food at that school too... very, very good food.

*Koromaru wants to walk to school with his friends.*

mood: chipper

The shadow, adorned in the armor of warriors past, raised its katana in a high guard when it’s back touched the wall and stood fast, awaiting my advance.  It was not a nice position to be in: to be forced into a corner brought out desperation to be sure, but it could also instill a sense of courage that made for a potentially dangerous reversal of fortune in battle.  I elected to pause, my own blade heavy in my mouth as my mind raced with the memories of my first skirmish with the Dark Hour.  I had been unprepared for that fight and even though things were very different now, I could not afford to allow myself to be lost to pride.  Incursions into Tartarus, the den of our enemies, were fraught with danger and even empowered as we were with our personas, the odds were very much against us.  Our searches were monitored, and at the first signs of attrition taking its toll, we were instructed to withdraw and rest so that we could be prepared for the coming day.   

I could barely hear myself panting over the thunderous roar of blood pounding in my temples.  The shadow's face was inscrutable, but jet black ichors dripped from several wounds I had inflicted upon it and a small pool of the stuff was beginning to form at the feet of the aberration, tainting the ground like so much spilled ink.  Its eyes, like a pair of crimson stars, glared out at me from beneath the mask of ebony steel it wore.  I glared back as best I was able; my lips curled in a snarl even as I shunted the ache of my own wounds out of my mind.  The cut on my ear would need attention, and I could feel at least half a dozen cuts and abrasions, but to allow the pain to take control of my thoughts now would be to invite death.

And then an eerie metallic din emanated from the armor of the creature and the air around it began to swirl as its blade started to glow.  It was a tactic I was unfamiliar with, but the ice trickling in my stomach told me it was better that I not seek to learn firsthand.  A good, solid hit from that blade would open me as though my skin were made of paper, something the shadow seemed to comprehend as well; it actually began to advance, albeit cautiously.

When it finally struck, I was already beginning to evade the horizontal sweep that would have split me in twain, but before my own weapon could find its throat, a mailed elbow surged upward and caught me in the ribs.  I yelped in equal measures of surprise and pain as I went sprawling.  I felt the kiss of the cold floor beneath me and for a long beat,  the strong urge to lay there and rest whispered alluringly in my ear, but survival instinct forced my legs into motion and I scrambled to my feet just in time to leap to the side as a second, vertical strike came crashing down into the space where I had just been.

With the initiative it had seized lost, the Shadow pulled back and held my eyes as I began to pace about it, looking for an opening, a flaw I could exploit.  For my part, I completed a full circle about the creature before it struck out again, driving me away from it.  I began to charge, and the creature raised its sword again as it had done before, only this time I had no intention of letting it swing at me.

Coming to a sudden stop just out of its reach, I tapped into the evoker on my collar and let out a piercing howl as the air above me distorted and the triple-headed aspect of my inner self, Cerberus appeared.  The guardian of Hades threw its three heads back, howled in reply, and the space about the Shadow ignited.  It was a basic power, but even the most simple of weapons could be effective if used properly.

The Shadow staggered and dropped to its knees as I resumed my charge.  Time seemed to slow as I leapt to pounce, my smaller body sailing over the feeble swipe that it took at me from its weakened position before my blade bit into it’s shoulder and tore down its back, cutting armor apart and spraying gouts of shadowy essence into the air.  Before it could begin to turn and bring its blade about, I surged forward again, bounding onto its shoulders and raking my blade across its neck.

The tainted thing’s head went clattering off into the distance and evaporated into a cloud of foul mist.  I leapt off of its back as its body began to shudder and crumple and was about to leave when the sound of something clinking on the ground caught up to me.  Turning, I found a collar lying in the middle of the dark stain the creature had left behind.  Approaching it, I sniffed gingerly but was unable to detect anything harmful upon the item.

Gathering it up with my teeth, I headed off down the blood-stained corridors to rejoin some of the others heading back to the staging point.  The collar was cold in my mouth, but then I expected it to be so, and something just kept telling me it was worth keeping…

*Koromaru is where he usually is, hanging in the lounge area of the dormitory.  His new collar, made of faded black leather with a tarnished pewter buckle, seems fairly non-descript compared to the larger evoker he is wearing.*

location: Itwatodai Dormitory, Lounge Area mood: tired

[I found a dead bird out back today.  For a long time I was tempted to bring it in and present it to Mitsuru-sama as a gift to the pack, but then several children walked by and began calling out things like: "Eww, its a dead bird!  Gross!  Oh my god its covered in worms!" and other comments of that nature.  Their harsh criticism of the now gone creature and its consumers filled me with confusion, causing me to abandon my plans.  

To be honest, I never truly understood the human dislike of the cycle of life.  We all pass on to the next life, shedding our physical forms and joining out friends in the world beyond.  Our sorrows are eased, our sicknesses healed and our hearts at peace as we drift on.  I suppose since I have served as guardian of a shrine, I temper my trepidation with my sense of duty and thus am able to work past much of the uncertainty associated with death.

That and I like eating worms... they are delicious.]

*Koromaru seems full.*

location: Iwatodai Dormitory, Lounge mood: full

(OOC: Saw it on Gunther's journal and thought it was a good idea.  Not sure if he borrowed it from anyone, so I will simply give him credit in the meantime.

Rough Schedule for Koromaru:

Monday: Dormitory
Tuesday: Dormitory
Wednesday: Dormitory
Thursday: Dormitory
Friday: Dormitory
Saturday: Dormitory
Sunday: Naganaki Shrine

It should be noted that Koromaru typically goes on a walk on his own in the afternoon every day except Sunday.  He is always up for meeting people or going places at any point in the day again every day except Sunday.

Also, I will be contacting the people that have tagged my journal to see what they want to do wtih s. links, but if you haven't met Koro yet and want to establish a link with him, please feel free to send me a message or post a tag at some point; Koro is probably one of the easiest members of the dorm to get along with.)

IC Post to Follow later today

location: Naganaki Shrine, Iwatodai mood: chipper

Visiting his former master was an act of loyalty.  It was a reminder of the commitment that Koromaru made to fight the shadows and protect his home.  Now, that promise had been extended to the protection of his new pack: a group of individuals who had gathered together in the hopes of preserving peace and stability.  It was for that reason that Koromaru joined them, it is for that reason that he was willing to fight for them.

Halting at the steps leading up to the Naganaki Shrine's courtyard, Koromaru winced as he recalled the painful memory of his first true battle with darkness.  He could feel the icy grip of the creature, the pain lancing through his side as his flesh was cut into.  He did not have his persona that night, he had just been a stray trying to fufill the only purpose that seemed to have meaning, the last act of a loyal companion.  His teeth and claws had torn and rent the shadow, and Koromaru could still see the twisted face of the pathetic creature, could still remember watching it crumple even as his vision began to swim out of focus.  He could still feel the warmth of his own blood even as he lay on the cold sidewalk concrete staring up into the alien night sky of the Dark Hour.

He would have died that day were it not for his new friends.  Were he capable of smiling, Koromaru would have done so as he ascended the steps and found a shady place to sit while he watched the various visitors milling about the shrine.  Children played on the playground, parents chatted on the benches and an elderly couple that he remembered being very generous with treats were praying for the success of their grandchildren.  All around him, life flourished.

The shadows would not permit life to continue.  They would consume it and leave nothing but broken shells in their wake.  Though not able to understand the technical specifics of Apathy Syndrome, Koromaru knew what it looked like and what it smelled like and that was enough.  He would hunt the shadows relentlessly, track them down into the deepest burrows and account for each and every last one of them.

It would make things so much more peaceful.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several of the children approached him, and Koromaru took on the role of playful companion, much to their delight.  He always enjoyed interacting with children; in their innocence they filled the air with such happiness.  Everyone needed to take the time to enjoy simple pleasures in life, less they lose sight of the goodness in it.

Of course, Koromaru was not just here to play, he was here to guard the shrine and pay his respects as well, though if any of his new friends decided to stop by the shrine, he would be glad for the company.

location: Naganaki Shrine, Iwatodai mood: melancholy

Koromaru returned from two day of observation at the Iwatodai station with a newfound understanding of Valentine’s Day.  Apparently, it was a day when females presented their mates with gifts of appreciation for the profound and significant feelings that he invoked in her.

This presented a natural problem for Koromaru, who was not a female himself and did not have a female to offer him gifts in order to celebrate the significance of their relationship.  Then again, the fact that most dogs didn’t practice human holidays was no help either.

Still, it was undoubtedly going to be a part of the dorm life, and Koromaru wanted to be as much a part of it as possible.  Perhaps he could find a gift for someone?  As far as he could tell, there was nothing wrong with that.  If anything, it might even let him make a new friend.

Now all he needed to do was find a way to get a gift that would not cost him anything; yet another problem, particularly since Koromaru was disinclined to steal.  One step forward, two steps back... 

location: Iwatodai Dormitory mood: contemplative

Valentine's Day.  It was a day that Koromaru was not the most familiar with, having only a smattering of exposure to it through the multitude of commercials on the lounge television and the near-constant talking of persons he ran into both in and outside of the dorm.  Still, from what he heard, Valentine's day seemed like a pleasant day; anything that made so many people excited or talkative had to be fun at the very least.

How can I celebrate Valentine's day though? he thought to himself.  The answer was not readily apparent; perhaps emulation was the solution?  Of course, he would first have to take a few walks and observe just what it was that people did in order to celebrate Valentine's day before he could answer that question.  I bet if I visited the shrine and the strip-mall I could obtain some answers.

If nothing else, it would be nice to visit his former owner again and spend some time at the shrine, not to mention the chance to find some left-over takoyaki or beef bowl at the Iwatodai strip-mall.   He might even meet a few of his fellow dorm mates along the way...

mood: curious