Chitose Taira

Chitose Taira (平千歳, Taira no Chitose) is a secondary character in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2. She acts as the game's Black Dragon Priestess and is the first recognized priestess within the parallel world. Though the results are not intentional, Chitose is partially responsible for the game's downtrodden setting.

Background Story
Chitose inherited her mother's sixth sense. For as long as she can remember, she could hear the thoughts and sounds of any supernatural entity. Her powerful abilities ostracized her from other people. Combined with her already sheltered lifestyle as a maiden in nobility, Chitose was raised with no friends to call her own. She lived her days in seclusion within her family's richest estate.

When Chitose was seven years old, a deadly fire raged throughout the slums of the capital. Although Chitose was safely distanced from the disaster, she could hear the cries of many dying or dead people ringing in her mind. From these cries, she heard that her brother and his friends were trapped in the carnage. Wanting to provide some help to those suffering, Chitose pleaded with her father to save them. As the sensation of several people dying rushed through her, the princess prayed strongly for the power to do more. The Black Dragon was the one who answered her and magically extinguished the flames.

Her prayer saved those surviving, but over half the slums were reduced to ash and many lives were lost. The charred ruins from the natural disaster sank the residents' will. Nobles hardly cared to save them, and the world's balance started to crumble. Chitose, who sensed the dark turn of the events, despaired her inability to do anything. Her desires to change this fate and her spiritual capabilities were answered again by the Black Dragon, who then donned her its priestess.

As she conversed with her affiliated dragon god, Chitose learned about the White Dragon, its priestess, and her appointed guardians. Hoping to gain similar companions for herself, she prayed with the wish for someone to assist her. Her wish unknowingly caused Yukitaka's transportation to the parallel world. Since he wasn't destined to coexist with her, the two never met. Chitose realized her fate to be alone and brooded in solitude. The Black Dragon chose to answer her wish for companions by conjuring Shirin from the Loophole of Time.

Story Events
Akram, who intended to use the Black Dragon's power for his means, paid a visit to Chitose in her room. He offered her an answer to saving the capital by telling her to summon vengeful spirits. The demon reasoned the spirits and the Black Dragon's power to restore and subdue them could end the people's suffering. Due to Akram's intuitive awareness of the dragon gods and his agreeable behavior, Chitose believed him. Together with Shirin's connection to the Retired Emperor, the young maiden's reputation as a priestess rose throughout Kyou. Stationed within the Retired Emperor's entrusted shrine, Chitose spends the next eight years maintaining the vengeful spirits' mannerisms and praying for a way to save her home. She is praised as the world's savior, the Priestess of the Dragon God.

When Karin arrives and fights the vengeful spirits she has summoned, Chitose thinks her opposing priestess is interrupting her plans to save the capital. In her eyes Karin's efforts are leading to the capital's hastened destruction. She rejects Karin's attempts for reconciliation and revives any vengeful spirits she can to maintain the balance of negative energy. Chitose worries when the girl earns the Four Gods' trust and threatens to overpower her. Akram appears before her again and instructs the priestess to create a time-stopping barrier using vengeful spirits and the talismans of the capital's directional aides. He assures her that stopping time creates breathing room for Kyou's recovery. In reality the barrier prevents a massive amount of negative energy from being purified by Karin's powers, causing more suffering to the people and fueling the destructive Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

Chitose hurries to stop the capital's destruction when the barrier breaks, intent on using her priestess powers to subdue the mass of defilements at its source. Karin and company accuse her of summoning the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, but their stories collide during their standoff. As the truth dawns on both parties, Akram teleports to the scene and uses his powers to wound Chitose, her blood summoning the giant vengeful spirit. Unable to tame it, Chitose is shocked to learn she is responsible and desires to make amends. Admiring Karin's resolve to save the parallel world, Chitose passes her Black Dragon powers to her.

During the game's bonus epilogue scenario, Chitose is enjoying the new era of peace with her brother. She is excited to have a future play day with Karin and Yukarihime.

Personal Route
Karin has the option to befriend Chitose before the final confrontation. The priestesses are called to one another by their respective dragon gods. She first meets the princess in the early morning and tries to break the ice between them. Chitose merely explains that they are destined to be opposites and warns Karin to cease her progress.

Their second meeting occurs when Yukarihime foretells a mass of malevolent energy in the east. Hearing the Black Dragon's beckoning, Karin chooses to investigate in secret and meets a lone Chitose in prayer. Since Chitose is beginning to doubt her capabilities, she explains her past and desires to grant peace and life to Kyou. She wonders if Karin's offer to understanding one another could happen, but the dragon gods bar both priestesses from coming close to one another. A lamented Chitose pleads Karin to leave the capital before she departs.

Snow falls from a small weakening of her barrier so Chitose meets Karin again when she senses it. This time Chitose expresses her personal fears of loneliness and losing everything around her. Her convictions are fading due to the positive reactions to Karin's actions. The moment she admits her doubts, Karin realizes they share the same goal of saving Kyou and asks if they can work together somehow. Chitose wants to accept but lingers on her desire to see her way to the end.

The story continues to the final day and both priestess confront one another. Karin continues to implore that they try to understand one another instead of accusing Chitose as being the villain. Moments before the Black Dragon Priestess agrees an impatient Akram appears, reveals his true intentions, and summons Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Chitose courageously stands to confront him and, when the giant spirit refuses to disappear, she grants a pure Karin her priestess powers.

Karin uses her third wish for Chitose's happiness and is caught by the tearful maiden when she descends from the heavens. Expressing thanks for all she has done for her and her home, Chitose bids Karin a fond farewell to her world. Though they are separated by time and space, both girls consider one another precious friends.

Development
Tohko Mizuno desired to create Chitose to be an upright and decisive contrast to the previous Black Dragon Priestess, Ran. She thinks the princess looks and acts in the same way Ran would have been if she wasn't used against her will.

Personality
On one hand Chitose presents a bold and undeterred front. Her noble upbringing and years of isolation bolster her tone of indifference, yet her supernatural experiences are responsible for her motivation to help others. She sympathizes with the living and dead and earnestly seeks to end their suffering. Due to her limited exposure to the outside world, Chitose has few people around her who can understand or argue with her. As such, she idealistically stays true to whatever belief drives her in hopes of being correct.

However, her stoic persona hides deep feelings of apprehension and insecurity. Though she has a desired objective, she herself feels she isn't knowledgeable enough to meet it. Her past with Kyou's fire causes her to agonize over failures or loss, blaming herself for not considering other people's wishes. She tries to overcome her low self esteem by negating anything beyond her narrow scope, even counting Katsuzane as an obstacle in her path. If she is in the wrong, she might despair and fear any change.

Karin's exuberance and confidence inspires Chitose to broaden her horizons and to be truly sure of herself. For the first time, the world is beautiful and colorful to her. She is happy to find a true friend who knows the real her. During the epilogue scenario, Chitose openly expresses her humble and merry gratitude for Karin's compassion.

Character Symbolism
Chitose's symbolic item is the Chinese Peony. In the flower language means shyness, bashfulness, or restraint. This is thought to have originated due to the graceful folding of the flower's petals during the evening hours. Like the peony, both flowers are treasured in China for symbolizing beauty for both in trees (peony) and on the ground (Chinese peony). An alternate meaning for the Chinese peony is purity to match the high esteem of its counterpart.

Quotes

 * "There is nothing to reflect on. I have nothing to say to you."
 * "My desire is to save Kyou. Please don't interfere."
 * "We're too different. That's why we can't be together."
 * "I wish you didn't come. I feared seeing you."
 * "Wait! Please don't kill this one!"
 * "I just wanted for everyone to be happy..."
 * "I know this is right. I'm so happy to no longer be alone..."
 * "Is it really too late for us? Can we still make it in time?"
 * "Brother is a guardian of the White Dragon Priestess. Please refrain from calling my name."
 * "Right, you're an enemy of... You're an enemy of Kyou. It doesn't matter if you're family."
 * "What a sinful observation. Brother is daft to who is responsible for crippling our home."
 * "...What was that!? I dare you to say that again!"
 * Chitose and Katsuzane