Miyako Yakumo

Miyako Yakumo (八雲 都, Yakumo Miyako) is one of the main characters in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. She acts as the game's Black Dragon Priestess and is one of Yuki's constant companions throughout the games. The original game's script often stresses their childhood friendship over their family ties; Kazahanaki's script does the opposite.

Background Story
Miyako is the lone daughter of a family-run temple. Despite her urban surroundings, she was raised within the traditional and conservative dwellings of her home.

Due to circumstances beyond her control and understanding, the severely weakened Black Dragon chose Miyako as its priestess at an early age. The deity granted her with its powers, but it was too feeble to call her to its side and struggled to properly communicate with her. In Miyako's eyes, she mysteriously gained the power to hear the voices of the dead and was haunted by the perpetual ringing of an eerie bell. Disturbed and scared, Miyako went to her parents for help. Each time she told them of her experiences, however, they were sickened by the ghoulish encounters and became annoyed by her "creepy stories". They reviled her for the encounters which were invisible to them and distanced themselves from her. Her father even suspected Miyako of sabotaging their family business.

Alone and terrified, Miyako was at a loss and felt trapped with her predicament. As she mulled outside her home one day, a young Yuki innocuously offered to be her playmate. Miyako felt the Black Dragon's presence disappear as she approached and felt calm beside her. Believing she had been freed with their encounter, Miyako gained the courage to socialize with people again. Touched by Yuki's kindness, Miyako felt indebted to her and wanted to someday return the feelings by training herself to be strong. Despite attending different schools and living in a different neighborhood, she frequently sought her cousin's company as they grew up.

When she heard Yuki was going to study overseas, Miyako packed her bags and joined her. She lived with her cousin, Shun, and Sou in the same apartment. During her time overseas, Miyako became fluent in English and studied world history and mythology.

Story Events
Since Miyako is from the modern world and is beside Yuki at all times, she is able to accompany her cousin between both worlds. Although she is suspicious of its divided inhabitants, she tolerates the parallel world to restore her home. During their travels, she becomes spiritually aware of the undead's suffering due to her dormant priestess powers; their cries and envy for life are painful experiences to her. Unwilling to show vulnerability in front of her cousin, however, Miyako stifles her discomfort as she fights. Her moments of staggering act as early warning signs for nearby spirits.

Once Sou reveals his true colors for a new world's birth, the younger boy endangers Yuki's safety. Furious by her weakness, Miyako's priestess powers awakens with the new Black Dragon. Here she learns she is the priestess of a helpful deity who has been with her for as long as she can remember. The revelation hasn't completely changed her irritation for it, but Miyako allows the Black Dragon to expend her life force. She hopes the offering is enough to give time to prevent the catastrophic end of both worlds. Miyako endures the draining and informs her friends when the dragon god's power threatens to runs out. After the parallel world's inevitable obliteration, the priestesses are stranded within the crumbling Loophole of Time. Desperate to save Yuki's life, Miyako summons the Black Dragon and permits it to devour her whole. Her final sacrifice powers the deity enough to stop the modern world's destruction and allows Yuki's lone return home.

Her death is reverted when Yuki goes back to the past, and Miyako resumes her general activities from the first failed timeline. Her life force is still used to fuel the Black Dragon in each reset. She often shares rooms with Yuki in the parallel world to keep a close eye on Yuki's failing health. In this game's non-canon normal ending, she is the only one who accompanies her cousin back to the modern world at the end of their adventure.

Miyako wants to do the same in the sequel, but the mob of vengeful spirits and flood of curses swarming the parallel world's Edo prevent her wish. The grudges and malice are an overwhelming force to her, and, coupled with the burden of being the Black Dragon's conduit, becomes too much for her to endure. Since Yuki erased the timelines of the previous game, Miyako is unwilling to use her priestess powers correctly and suffers. At the group's earnest behest, Miyako abstains straining herself and mainly uses her powers to locate spirits for the group. To compensate for the loss, she gladly lends her arm in the-less-arduous-modern world.

She defends Yuki the moment the people in Edo turn on her. As they begin to stone Yuki, Miyako shields her from their rocks and is injured. She berates their shameful change of heart before she collapses. While Miyako recovers the next day and insists she is fine, it is one of the many events which shocks Yuki. She worries for her cousin's condition throughout the rest of the game. Miyako can help in the final fight against Zhulong and returns to the modern world in every ending.

Personal Route
Yuki has the option to be close to Miyako in the original game. In this timeline, Yuki notices Miyako's wounded state when vengeful spirits approach and frets over her friend's safety. To protect Miyako, Yuki throws herself into danger and fights in her stead. Her actions doesn't please Miyako, who believes it's a sign of her failure. As she protests her cousin's actions, Yuki answers with her strong insistence to stand for Miyako. Seeing that she has no way of convincing Yuki otherwise, Miyako acquiescences defeat with a friendly bop of her head. While she says she respects Yuki's choice, Miyako is inwardly shocked by her persistence. It smashes the frail image of Yuki she had treasured since their early childhood, something which she yearns to relive in the present.

Time passes and the planning for the alliance to weaken the shogunate begins. As an act of good will and to symbolize trust and clarity for the peace talks, Ryouma suggests having both priestesses present. Miyako, who doesn't care or understand her position as a priestess, reluctantly agrees. Worried for her cousin's hesitation, Yuki asks Miyako for her thoughts in their room. At this point, Yuki has sacrificed much of her life force to the White Dragon so she suffers a fainting spell early in their conversation. Unable to hide her brittle state and her fever from Miyako, she pleads with her cousin to keep it a secret from the others to avoid worrying them. She insists its her duty as a priestess to go through such lengths for others.

Miyako only cares for Yuki, throwing everyone and everything else around them out of the picture. Stunned that she hadn't realized Yuki's weakened state sooner, she blames the residents of the parallel world for forcing Yuki into a priestess when she should feel no obligation to fulfill. She makes her possessiveness clear to Yuki in her moment of panic, which surprises Yuki. Their chat ends when Yuki's body gives out. As she sleeps, Miyako tells everyone that Yuki has a fever and requests her to stay in to recover.

The next morning Yuki awakens to learn that Katsura, a key figure for the alliance, is being attacked by an army of the undead. She is surprised when everyone hesitates to join her and insists on going to save him alone. Miyako catches her and drags her back to their room. Though Yuki perpetually pleads to be set free so she can purify the spirits, Miyako refuses to comply. As Miyako had predicted, the White Dragon priestess is forcing herself to stay awake and once again loses consciousness. Miyako and the others lock the room so Yuki won't follow and defeat the undead themselves. The incident ends at nightfall with Katsura fleeing to the capital due to the undead's sudden resurrection.

His escape complicates the planned meeting for the alliance, causing Miyako to blame herself for the missed chance. She unlocks the room and personally confides her failures to Yuki. Even if she tries hard to do so, Miyako feels she is incapable of saving anything. Miyako is convinced she will only be in Yuki's way if she remains by her side. She therefore runs away from Yuki with the thoughts to disappear forever. The Black Dragon subconsciously answers her strong wish and opens a portal to the Loophole of Time. Sensing that the dragon gods want them to reunite and worried for Miyako, Yuki sacrifices a fragment of her life to return to the modern world.

With the Black Dragon's guidance, Yuki locates Miyako and follows her until she is willing to talk. Rather than imply her displeasure, Miyako straight out tells Yuki that she doesn't care about either world or the Black Dragon. Although Miyako's beliefs oppose hers entirely, Yuki still wants her cousin to be with her. She merely seeks Miyako's company and doesn't want to force Miyako to use her Black Dragon powers. Relenting to Yuki's opinion, the priestesses reunite and return to the parallel world's capital.

Several days later, Yuki and company have been defeating vengeful spirits in the hopes of securing a safe spot for the peace talks. Miyako's doubts regarding her position linger and she struggles to cope with her dilemma. Takasugi approaches her during her moment of self-reflection and remarks she is like an overbearing parent for Yuki. He states his opinion that Miyako is clinging to Yuki because she is too afraid to part with her, which strikes a nerve within Miyako. She comes to the conclusion that she should distance herself for Yuki's sake and acts passive towards her. Yuki once again notices Miyako's change of behavior and privately asks for her cousin to be more honest with herself. Her confidence restored, Miyako later thanks Yuki for her support and finally gains the courage to open her heart to the present. The epiphany awakens her true powers as a priestess.

During their chat, the Satchō Alliance succeeds off screen and a path towards their final opponent, Amami, lies before them. As they near Amami's stronghold, the Mashira stand in their path. Wanting to give Yuki a head start, Miyako volunteers to take care of the three beasts herself. Although her act of separating herself from Yuki surprises the group, the Black Dragon priestess promises to catch up since she knows Yuki believes in her and has faith that they will always be together. True to her word, Miyako amazingly rejoins the party in time to fight Amami. The priestesses unite their divine powers to defeat Amami's own godly strength and happily return to their home world. Even if they are no longer connected by the deities, Miyako genuinely confesses her love and devotion for Yuki.

Development
Ruby Party members wanted a "masculine Black Dragon priestess" and designed Miyako to fit this concept. She was given the flare of a male idol and created to be Yuki's opposite in both attitude and appearance. The CG staff members were surprised to learn Miyako was the Black Dragon Priestess of the game. They took great pains to make her look "strong yet delicate" in her portraits and illustration stills. To make her a contrast to the male characters, they strove to emphasis a slender and athletic image for her. In spite of Miyako's boyish figure, they believe they were able to preserve a "girlish charm" for her.

When the main planner was overseeing the voice actor auditions for the cast, she and other developers were worried for Miyako's voice. They didn't want her to sound too forced or too masculine. As soon as they heard Saiga's take, they were floored and immediately approved her performance. To them, Saiga is the only voice for Miyako. As they were recording lines for the game, developers were pleased when Saiga added a playful and lively tone in her deliveries as they created another perspective for Miyako's character.

Miyako wasn't planned to have a story route in the original game, but members of different teams protested the decision. They voluntarily authored her story and barely finished it in time for recording. Her name was created to be a homage to her character's upbringing. Developers thought it would be an interesting twist for a girl to fight with tonfa and quickly assigned it to her character.

Personality
Unsurprisingly, Miyako is often mistaken as a man. The mistake stems partly by her appearance but mainly by her dauntless mannerisms. Confident in her strength and rough with the guys, she prides herself as an unsurpassed fighter who has yet to be defeated. Miyako openly challenges any aggressions directed towards her or her friends with either intimidation or her fists. Men accept her as their rival in strength, women admire her as the "man" of their dreams. Miyako accepts the misconceptions in stride, rarely bothering to correct them with her true sex. The men's reactions causes her to feel tougher, and she playfully flirts with the women smitten by her. Either reaction is normal to her and something she deals with every day. When she isn't being confrontational, she likes to be on the move and tries to be optimistic.

Try being the operative word as a snide quip may slip past her lips. Sarcasm and skepticism are her ever-present companions in conversations, as she questions any information she is given to ease her gnawing hunches, especially by those within the parallel world. Miyako may appear impervious to injury, but her somber cynicism and her tough front are her coping mechanisms for forgetting her past. In reality, her parents' neglect due to her supernatural sixth sense has made her feel ostracized and unwanted her entire life. Associating the Black Dragon and vengeful spirits with the trauma of her youth, Miyako despises and suppresses her spiritual attachment to them. Her astringent rejection of her powers pains her in many ways. If someone were to notice Miyako faltering, she would dismiss their concerns and force herself to recover. The assumption that she is frail for even a moment unnerves her more than the pain.

Ever since their childhood, Miyako has felt indebted to Yuki as her one true savior. In her eyes, Yuki is the most important person in her life and is completely irreplaceable. Adoring her friend's innocent naivety and charity towards others, Miyako warmly dotes on her as "[her] angel" (私の天使, watashi no tenshi). A mother hen of sorts, Miyako often protests dangerous situations on her cousin's behalf. She often disapproves of most men who try to be intimate with Yuki, thinking that she is more than capable of filing the role herself; she will only relent if Yuki convinces her. Miyako's protectiveness is fueled primarily by her fear of being abandoned by Yuki for someone or something else. Yuki's unadulterated faith and trust in Miyako inspires her to grow past her dated anxieties and accept the reality of an eventual departure. Even if they are to someday mature on different paths, the cousins' oath to protect one another tightens their bond and readies both maidens for change.

Despite being childhood friends, Miyako can't understand Shun. She believes his cold behavior towards Yuki is unwarranted and strives to separate him from her cousin. While her attempts are foiled by Yuki's benevolence, Miyako feels Shun is a hypocrite. Despite their foul first meetings, she has an affinity with Chinami and Takasugi. Amused by the shorter youth's rowdiness, Miyako enjoys butting heads with him and enjoys teasing him as her surrogate younger brother. Takasugi ignites healthy competition and challenges her to stand for her convictions. When she isn't being frustrated with his traditional sexism, Miyako accepts him as her private drill instructor.

Character Symbolism
Miyako's full name roughly translates as "palace of eight clouds". Her name is literally quoting the first poem of Japanese mythology.

Her symbolic color is shinku or "true crimson". A deep redish color with a pinkish shade, it's named after the shade of cinnabar shining in sunlight and called as such to distinguish it from vermilion. It's also said to be a contrast between the red found for madders and sappwood. The color is used for her eyes, her coat in the modern world, and the sash around her hips in the parallel world.

The amaryllis belladonna acts as her symbolic item and it adorns her sash in the parallel world. Its genus has been interpreted to symbolize the "beginning of a journey" in Japan since it is often sold as a budding flower. The blossom often means, "look only at me", within the flower language perhaps due to the flower's international nickname as "naked lady". The nickname refers to the flowers blooming amidst its wilting leaves.

Fighting Style
Miyako is a balanced fighter with above average stats. Her high Speed means she has good evade and is fairly accurate with her attacks. Since she is the only constant healer within the party and is the first person to obtain a third weapon, the player may have to rely on her in their first playthrough of the original game. Once the party fully assembles in subsequent playthroughs, her powers will be outmatched by other characters. Even so, she is a reliable alternative for players who desire a fighter-healer in their party. Violent Surge is also one of the few group attacks in the game and, though it is costly, it has the potential to deal devastating damage on any opponent. It can double as a useful tool for players who want to quicken their level or element grinding.

Kazahanaki rarely gives Miyako the opportunity to fight. Her Heal and Evocation abilities can be used in either world, but the player can only put her into their party within the modern world. She shares Rindou's slot in the battle formation screen and immediately replaces his position. If the player chooses to replace her Violent Surge weapon seal in this game, they can never obtain the attack again. Although she can hold her own against most opponents, Miyako may struggle to hit bosses on this game's Hard setting.

Miyako can use Fire, Earth , and Water seals for her weapons.

Here are Miyako's stats at level 50:
 * Attack: 80
 * Defense: 74
 * Magic: 71
 * Speed: 86

Here are her stats at level 99:
 * Attack: 127
 * Defense: 118
 * Magic: 113
 * Speed: 136

Special Abilities

 * Heal (回復, kaifuku)
 * Unlocked - Level 3
 * Cost - 2 Will
 * Restores lost health to a single ally. Can be leveled to fully cure characters.


 * Sharpen (鋭利, eiri)
 * Unlocked - Level 15
 * Cost - 2 Will
 * Increases likelihood of critical hits next turn. Boosts effect with levels.


 * Evocation (召霊, shourei)
 * Unlocked - Level 18
 * Cost - 2 Will (outside battle and events only)
 * Summons vengeful spirits to immediately attack. Useful for level or element grinding.


 * Patronage (庇護, hiko)
 * Cost - none (passive)
 * If Miyako is in the current fighting party, she may completely heal Yuki at random intervals.

Weapons

 * Sealing events
 * Yuki's Story (first playthrough) - Chapter 7
 * Chapter ending story event (uses all sand from hourglass)
 * Defeat the vengeful spirit twice.


 * Yuki's Story - Chapter 5
 * Flower garden; Modern world
 * Defeat the Four Fiends in the parallel world. Before heading to Edo Castle, go to the modern world. Defeat Chi You. If the player chooses to quit fighting the beast once the party is defeated, it will not return. The player will need to restart the entire chapter for it to reemerge.