Misono Fujiwara

Misono Fujiwara (藤原深苑, Fujiwara no Misono) is a secondary character in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2. He is a member of the Star Clan who supplies exposition for understanding the game's setting. Misono is gifted with the ability to read the flow of energy while his twin sister, Yukari, has the power to foretell the future. Midway in the game's story, he opposes the White Dragon Priestess.

Background Story
The source of the twins' nobility began with their grandmother who had Star Clan powers during her youth. She was the younger sister of the Retired Emperor's beloved concubine. Though they were not related by blood, the sisters agreed to part ways to avoid family disputes for status. Their grandmother became a servant maiden within the outer dwellings of the Imperial Palace, eventually marrying a noble of modest rank. She gave birth to a lone daughter who inherited her Star Clan's powers. When her older sister died ten years later due to complications from childbirth, she sent nannies to tend to her sister's children.

Misono and Yukari's mother eventually married the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Guard (兵衛佐, Hyoennosuke). Her daughter's marriage caused a rift between the mother and child. On a political level, it caused the twins' mother to side with the Emperor. Their grandmother stayed within the Retired Emperor's political circle to honor her sister's memory. The Star Clan's indoor life of solitude further separated Misono and Yukari's mother from knowing her parents. The death of Misono and Yukari's grandfather strengthened the gap between them, since the twins' grandmother became a nun and distanced herself from the political world. Their grandmother became known as Shijo no Amakimi (四条の尼君) and resided in a monastery to pray for her husband's afterlife.

When the twins were born, their mother instructed her children of their future duty for the Star Clan. Her maternal affection for her children fueled her desire to amend her relations with her mother. For three years she would send letters seeking an audience with her mother, asking to bond with her. Shijo no Amakimi hesitated and struggled to accept the daughter whose face she never knew. One day, their grandmother overcame her personal fears and consented to see her daughter and her son-in-law in person. As the married couple rode their ox carriage to her, the ox wildly charged out of the handlers' control and crashed. The twins' parents lost their lives in the accident.

Shijo no Amakimi despaired the loss and sought to provide for her two grandchildren. She asked sympathizing nobles to provide them their own manor, resources, and clothing. Several nobles who favored Shijo no Amakimi acted on her behalf and somehow the twins kept their noble status afloat. Misono, who is aware of their precarious situation, is weary when Yukari dedicates herself to her duty as a Star Clan member. He wishes he could properly provide for their future and wants her to be raised as a proper princess. For her sake he abides to his Star Clan duties.

Story Events
As Yukari frets over Karin's vulnerability to defilements and curses, Misono routinely leaves from their manor to search for a method to cure it. During one of his outings, he encounters Akram. His suspicions for the demon fade when Akram revealed his intricate knowledge of the dragon gods and the Star Clan. Misono eventually blurts his doubts in Karin's integrity and his desire to save his sister grief. Akram provides a solution by teaching the young boy to create purification flowers, which can purify defilements and strengthen Karin's priestess powers. He instructs the boy to treat the spiritual taint completely by having Karin use the flowers daily. The claim is later revealed to be a half-lie, as Akram desired to artificially strengthen Karin by overexposing her to the flowers. He wanted her to be strong enough to overwhelm Chitose.

Misono's adept energy manipulation has him easily create the needed flowers. Their instantaneous results are enough to convince him they are working. However, he senses that Kyou's spiritual balance is still off and tries to investigate the cause by himself. Again Akram greets him and warns that Karin is the cause of the capital's destruction, falsely stating that her boost in power is responsible. Believing that Chitose is in the right, Misono leaves his home to support her after asking Karin to take care Yukari in his absence. Misono helps Chitose protect the barrier she creates and even controls a mighty vengeful spirit to fight in her stead.

Since he accompanies Chitose to the climatic battle, Misono learns with the priestesses that he was duped by Akram. In the bonus epilogue scenario, Misono resumes his duties of serving Karin. He escorts her and Yukari through the capital to pray for a prosperous new year.

Misono and Yukari make brief cameos during Yuzuru's character route in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de Yume no Ukihashi. After the young girls take Nozomi away to pamper her, Misono addresses Yuzuru in private regarding the Star Clan's powers. He assertively confirms that the young man's ominous nightmares are his premonitions for the near future. Before Yuzuru completely caves in to panic, Misono tells the youth the only method of preventing the future. His answer is explained off-screen, and the player sees it in effect later during Yuzuru's story. Yuzuru plants specific flowers in gratitude for the Star Clan during his ending.

Personal Route
Misono technically shares his personal ending with his twin, though it is predominately told from Yukari's perspective. After he resolved to join Chitose, he periodically visits the manor to check on his twin or to take items he may need. During a nightly visit, he converses with the priestess regarding Yukari's state. As Karin questions his reasons for leaving, Misono reveals their family history and his desires to provide for Yukari's future. He is cut short when his twin checks on Karin, and he once again flees from her. On his behalf, Karin explains the young boy's wishes to protect his twin.

When snow hits the capital once more, a signal of time moving forward, Misono stops by for another visit. This time he personally explains his intentions to Yukari. Thanks to Karin's encouragements, the twins can accept their contrasting allegiances and respectively part from one another. During the climatic battle, the twins are given the option to oppose Akram together and use their abilities to support Karin's success from the sidelines.

Karin's third wish is for the twins to rebuild their broken ties with one another. As such, Misono is once again beside his sister during their ending.

Development
Tohko Mizuno remarked that she can't help but compare the twins to Kiki and Lala. Misono was essentially designed to be the male version of Fujihime. His aristocratic robes were purposely trimmed short to note his young age and outdoor lifestyle.

Personality
While his sister can be a naive dreamer, Misono is a pragmatic realist. He is well studied in the political world and possesses maturity that belies his age. Even so, he is stubborn to change and has a short temper with anyone who ignores his noble status, a topic which is particularly sensitive to him. Misono fears the day when his grandmother dies for it may spell doom for the twins' political stature. An independent thinker, he is skeptic to accept words of loyalty unless they live up to their promises. Misono only believed Akram's words because he was able to detect that the purification flowers actually cured Karin.

At his core Misono is an older brother who keeps a watchful eye on Yukari's well being. Should he suspect someone of bullying her, he will immediately give them an earful of his discontent. Fiercely protective of his twin, Misono dedicates his actions for her safety and happiness. The loneliness he feels when he distances himself for the first time pains him and causes him to sporadically linger around the manor. Misono reserves his kindness and smiles for her, especially when his younger twin doubts herself.

Character Symbolism
To follow the plant naming motif found for Star Clan members, Misono's name can be broken down to mean "vast pastures". His name encompasses his desire to overexert himself.

Both twins are symbolized by the aster flower. Within the flower language it means to always remember someone no matter how far they are. This is due to a specific tale found within the Konjaku Monogatari.

The story in question follows the life of two brothers who detested one another. One day their mother fell gravely ill, and the siblings sought to care for her everyday. The older brother wasn't entirely faithful with the task while the younger brother persevered each day to help their mother. Unfortunately, the mother passed away despite their efforts. The older brother regretted that he couldn't do more to help her and planted asters near her grave. He sought to forever bury his memory of her. His younger brother thought differently and instead planted the asters to never forget their mother. He visited the grave each day to place an aster in her memory. His fealty was rewarded when a demon visited him in a dream, saying that he would be granted a mysterious power. The younger brother used this power to live the rest of his days in prosperity and happiness.

Quotes

 * "Rejoice. You have been chosen to be a guardian."
 * "Are you certain she is the real priestess? She isn't that dependable."
 * "Scoundrel! Don't make Yukari cry!"
 * "Lady Chitose, it's time for us to go."
 * "When I left the manor, I prepared myself for anything."
 * "Yukari doesn't know. Keep her out of this."