#; gardening with takumi

[probablygayattorneys]

So I was reading about all the unused files in the Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright crossover game and I was reading this, and I just need to say… We were robbed of content of Emmy Altava just fucking roundhouse kicking a witch.

[possets]

@box-of-characters sent : Takumi: *stares at the snake* (ºᐞ º ^)))≫彡

changsheng, of course, only stared right back, at first saying nothing but only making an indignant sound. baizhu, on the other hand, could not temper down his laugh in time. a hand came to politely cover his lips, then moved to give a gentle stroke to the snake's chin.

" don't worry, changsheng's a good girl, " he assured — which only got a scoff from her in return at being goaded like a pet.

" has nobody taught you it's rude to stare! " changsheng finally piped up, forked tongue flicking from her mouth, " if i was still in my prime, i would have eaten you by now in a heartbeat! "

[venerawrites]

Hey!! Luv your work :)

could you do shikamaru and neji reaction to a poor-frightened girl (same age as them) who's from a different village? I've been watching too much shield hero😭

author's note: I've never seen Shield Hero, so I really hope I did your request justice! 😭 Anyway, thank you so much for the kind words and for your request! I hope you enjoy! x

➤ Shikamaru

There was nothing Shikamaru hated more than missions that involved more than 2 days of travelling. It was tiring, boring, and most of the time it took way longer than needed. He always avoided volunteering for such tasks but when Kakashi informed him he was personally chosen for this one, he had no excuse not to go.

The mission sounded simple - go to Takumi village, negotiate a new trade deal for weaponry, and go back. "That sound way too easy", the young man noted in his head while he was walking alongside Neji and Shino later that day. Not only he felt like they were spared the full details about the place they were going to, but he also noticed his team was full of strategists, rather than violent fighters.

A day and a half later, they all found themselves in front of the big wooden gates of the Takumi Village. The place was small - it probably had less than 4 streets, and everything else was just small and dark alleys between buildings. The people, most of which shut themselves inside their houses once they saw the group of Konoha shinobi, were cold and distant, seemingly not open for any type of negotiation or trading with outsiders. Luckily the owner of the local inn seemed to at least tolerate their presence, despite not being particularly excited by it.

Shikamaru was famous for his love for sleeping and resting. However, as he was laying on his bed that night, he couldn't help but feel something was wrong. Deciding he needed to clear his head a bit, he stood up, grabbed his pack of cigarettes, and made his way down the stairs. While he tried to be extra quiet, so he doesn't wake up his teammates, he couldn't help but let out a yelp, once he saw a girl, sitting in the kitchen and chewing some bread.

They stared at each other for a few minutes in silence, before she ran to him, pressing her trembling hand over his mouth and begging him not to yell or shout for the owners of the house. It didn't take long for him to put 2+2 together and realise she must have been a thief that smuggled inside the house during the night. Instead of raising the alarm, however, he just nodded toward the garden, a silent command for her to follow him outside.

The black-haired shinobi has dealt with a lot of criminals in the past - none of them like this girl, however. She seemed so scared, almost frightened, and while she tried her best to hide her clothes under her cape, he could see that they were old - probably from her late teenage years. She also seemed to be very open and honest - he asked her only her name and age before she started apologizing, sharing stories about the village and her family, which were now gone.

The more she talked, the more everything made sense in Shikamaru's head - why the place looked so gloomy and empty, and why the residents were so unfriendly. The village, which was also called the Village of the Artisians, was once upon a time famous for making weaponry which they then sold to the Five Great Nations. With time their clientele grew in skill and soon they found themselves unable to trade with anyone. This left hundreds of families below the poverty line and many didn't survive, including hers. Now that Konoha was interested in trading again, but it was the Takumi Village who refused.

"That's why they sent us here to negotiate", mumbled Shikamaru under his breath once she finished the story of her village's history. Cigarette after cigarette, he kept asking questions about this place and the artisans, which with the passing hours started to become more and more personal. He asked the girl about her job, her living situation, her skills, her dreams, her fears... the conversation kept flowing and before he knew it, the sun was already poking out the horizon, and he had also shared a good amount of information about himself. "Wait!", he grabbed her wrist once she stood up to leave. The movement startled her and he quickly withdrew his hand once he saw her wide eyes full with fear, "I am sorry, I just... Would I see you again? Maybe tonight?" "I really shouldn't-" "Please", the word slipped out before he could stop it, "I won't tell anyone. Just come... I will leave the back door open."

Shikamaru always thought dealing with women was too much of a hassle. He had only one crush in his life, which disappeared as quickly as it came once he experienced her bossy behaviour and uncontrollable anger. The thief girl, however, was different. She was quiet, a good listener, and surprisingly for him, had a vast knowledge in many different areas, including war strategy and politics. She also seemed to appreciate a good debate and was so calm and collected while presenting her arguments, that he didn't even understood when he was 'forced' to reluctantly admit defeat.

The Leaf ninja never considered himself to have tendencies to be protective, especially when it came to females - if he had to judge based on the women in his life, it was he who needed protection from them. But night after night, he kept getting to know this mysterious girl more and more, and a new, unfamiliar urge started to grow in his chest. He started sneaking food into his room, sharing it with her at night. He draped his jacket over her shoulders once they went out in the garden for him to smoke. He pushed her behind his back every time there was a sound in the house, signaling someone might be awake. He started visiting her house during the day, after the talks with the village elders were over, to bring her some lunch or have a cup of tea. "I just need some time away from all that work", was always his excuse.

It must have been some deeply rooted instinct to protect the "damsel in distress", because there was no other explanation that came to mind once Shino decided to confront his weird behaviour. "You are prolonging these negotiations on purpose", the Aburame pointed out, staring at Shikamaru with a blank expression. "Huh? What are you talking about?" "I am talking about how this is the third week you keep finding something wrong with the trade proposals", Shino said with an even tone, continuing to spread jam on top of his toast, "Proposals which are the best we have ever received from any of our allies, especially when it comes to weaponry." The Nara scoffed, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "We were sent here to get the best deal, not the first one." For a few minutes, there was no response from his teammate and Shikamaru assumed this was the end of the conversation. So when Shino gave his response, he almost chocked on his food: "I always had a great respect for you, Shikamaru. This is why I am going to be honest with you - we are here to secure a trade deal. I understand you may find interest in other activities, most of them including the strange girl you keep sneaking into your room at night, but we are here on business, not pleasure."

The black-haired shinobi couldn't think of a time when he felt a bigger embarrassment. Later that day, he laid down the girl's bed, complaining about his teammates.

"So, are you leaving?", she asked. Refusing to meet her eyes, he nodded his head. "We have to. We have overstayed our welcome." She left a quiet hum, continuing to stare out of her window. Her heart begged her to say something, to ask him to stay just a bit longer. But she knew better. "You should stop stealing. One day they are going to catch you", his words were supposed to be a gentle warning, but in her ears sounded like a harsh judging. "I steal because I have to, not because I want to. Many of us do", her voice was weak, yet defensive, "These families did not gather wealth because they worked hard. The exploited people like my family, who were then discarded and left to die like rats once they were not needed."

Next day the Leaf ninjas were supposed to leave at noon. The negotiations were done, the trade deal was secured and all of them were eager to leave this hostile place. But while Shino and Neji were patiently waiting at the gates, Shikamaru found himself in front of the girl's door.

"Come with me." The words were carrying a note of dominance, sounding more like a command rather than an invitation. Before the girl could reply, he grabbed her shoulder, gently pushing her back inside her house and closing the door. "Pack your belongings and come with me. This place is not for you." Instead of an expression full of joy, he was met with her hardened gaze. "This is my home." "And I can offer you a better one", he argued, refusing to give up, "One where you don't have to steal to survive and eat only bread." She laughed, shaking his hand off and stepping back. "I can't just leave-" "And I can't leave you", Shikamaru blurted out, silencing her. They stared at each other for a few long seconds, both of them equally startled by his confession.

Nobody expected the team to return with an extra member a few days later. But as Shikamaru looked at her, the thief who stole the heart and was now looking at Konoha like it was the most amazing place to be, he had no regrets. Maybe women were not such a hassle after all. . .

➤ Neji

Neji did not agree with a lot of things in his life. Ironically, they all were somehow connected to his family - from the outdated branch system to the clan's teachings and the way most of the members viewed the world. It was no secret many of them were proud - Neji was too in a way - yet he never realised how lowly they thought of the civilians till he witnessed it with his own eyes.

As one of the few Hyuga members chosen to be sent to the Bamboo Village and work on a proposal for an alliance with the ruling clan, he was never asked if he had the time or wanted to leave. Instead, Hiashi, had already made all arrangements beforehand, informing him the night before they were supposed to leave. And just like any other branch member, he had no other choice than to grit his teeth and nod his head.

Despite growing up with them, Neji could not say he was close with his two cousins who were accompanying him. Inagai and Tadate were only two years younger than him, but their mentality felt way more childish - they were confident, cold, stuck-up, and reminded the older Hyuga a little bit too much of himself when he was a kid, who looked at the world just as black and white. They had a lot to learn but were at that age when they thought they already knew everything.

At first it was amusing. They would argue on the way about the shortest way to reach the Bamboo Village, before arguing if it is going to rain or not and finishing the day with a good sparring match, leaving both of them bruised and bloody. The older Hyuga always watched from the side, shaking his head - he didn't like to involve himself in their petty fights, especially since they were both wrong most of the time. When they tried to pick fights with the locals, however, he knew he had to draw the line.

The three Leaf ninjas walked through the streets of the Bamboo Village, curiously looking around. All of the locals were farmers and so far, they seemed to be the only shinobi around. "Can't believe they sent us here, in the middle of nowhere!", huffed Tadate, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You can't be in the middle of nowhere, moron!", Inagai rolled his eyes and was about to add another sarcastic remark, when someone bumped into his side, making him stumble. Three pairs of pale eyes turned toward their right, where a girl seemingly their age stared back at them with a frightened expression. "Watch where you're going yo-" "That's enough!", Neji's voice boomed, and for the first time, the two boys remained silent, exchanging confused looks, "You two, go and check in the inn!" The young Hyuga brothers did not wait for a second command, instead, they scurried away, not wanting to deal with their older cousin. Neji waited till they were out of his sight, before stepping toward the girl. "Apologies about my rude companion! Are you alright?", she nodded once and kneeled to pick up the few apples that fell from her bag. The young man mirrored her movements, helping her gather what she couldn't. She offered him a smile and a small bow as a sign of gratitude and Neji couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. "My name is Neji. Neji Hyuga."

The next day, Neji saw the same girl by chance. Walking on the road and humming a song, she didn't even notice when she walked past him, till he called her name. She jumped at the sound, but let her shoulders relax once she saw it was the young gentleman from the day before. What was supposed to be a quick run to the local market, turned into a whole afternoon spent together in the nearby bamboo forest.

The Leaf shinobi told both her and himself that he "just wanted to get some peaceful time away from his cousins' constant bickering". Deep inside, however, he knew that seeking the private company of a lady was not the ideal way to escape his teammates. If anything, it actually went against everything he was taught as a boy. The girl was not a fellow ninja or a part of the clan, therefore he shouldn't spend any time with her alone, especially in such a secluded place. But as she kept talking about the Bamboo village, the local culture and cuisine, and their traditions, he couldn't help but find himself enchanted by her stories. Perhaps it wasn't so bad to allow himself to be in her company. After all, if he wanted to secure an alliance, he needed to have a good knowledge about the locals, right?

A week passed, then two, and soon the original mission started to take a lesser priority for Neji. Instead of trying to charm the head of the clan ruling the village, like he originally planned, he found himself exiting the negotiation room as soon as the talks were done and making his way toward the market where he knew the girl would be. Despite knowing her for such a short period of time, he could confidently say she was one of the few people who managed to bring him comfort and peace. She was a smart girl - despite being raised in a small village, she learned about the world out there from books and stories from other travellers. Her biggest gift was smooth talking - what started as general questions about Konoha and what life is there, slowly turned into more personal ones about Neji, his clan, and his childhood. Before he can even realise it, he has bared his entire soul to her, showing her both the good and the ugly inside of him. In return, she opened up about her life in such a small village and her dreams to one day explore the world.

"Why don't you leave then?", he asked one night while they were laying side by side on the field and gazing at the stars above them, "If you want to see the world, you should go. Don't let anybody stop you." She smiled softly, turning her head to the side. "Do you always give advice that you can't follow yourself?" The words must have hit deeper than expected, as instead of his usual light chuckle, he stayed silent. Sighing, she reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. While he expected some words of encouragement or inspiration, she just laid there, holding his hand and turning her attention back to the starry sky. After a minute he smiled, wrapping his fingers around hers. When he was little, he always heard stories about how when you find The One, you can understand and speak to each other without words. He always thought this was nonsense... till now.

Neji was a man who one could say was very predictable - he never acted impulsively and all his actions and decisions seemed to be based on the strict teachings and beliefs of his clan. So when he started to spend not only most of his days but also his nights away from the inn, his cousins decided it is time to intervene.

"With this rate, we won't secure an alliance anytime soon", groaned Inagai while furrowing his eyebrows at their older cousin, "Lord Hiashi would definitely not like this." Neji sipped his tea quietly, taking a few extra moments before replying: "Lord Hiashi knows that good things take time. He is a man of patience, I am sure he understands we need time to secure the trust and the favour of the leader's clan." It was Tadate's turn to scoff and eye the man with suspicion. "The trust of the clan or the trust of peasant girls?" The sound of the cup smashing got everyone's attention and Neji closed his eyes, ignoring the pain of the burning tea landing directly on his skin. Instead, he focused on calming the raging fire of frustration and anger that Tadate's words had caused inside his chest. There were many things he wanted to say: how they knew nothing about her, how they were too stuck up and rude to realise they were still young fools and had much more to learn, how he could take both of them right here, right now if he didn't take his words back... All of these things were on the tip of his tongue, but by some miracle, he managed to swallow them back. "You forget your position in the clan, Tadate. I may be from the branch side of the family, but I can still make sure you are put back in your place."

Since that incident, neither of them talked to each other - instead each preferred to pretend nothing had happened, hoping the talks with the clan leader would be over soon enough so they could go home. And just like they hoped, it took only a few more days before an alliance was formally signed and stamped by the clan leader and given to Neji to pass to Lord Hiashi.

"So, this is our goodbye I guess...", the girl that has managed to snatch both his heart and soul said. There was a weak smile on her face which didn't reach her teary eyes. It was stupid to cry about a man which you had known only for a few weeks, she knew that. But can one control their pain? Can one make it stop just because it was "stupid"? "I want to travel with you." His words made both of them blush and stare at each other with wide eyes. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I don't want to pressure you, but you said you want to see the world and I... I want to see it too.

With you."

cc artwork: Yunpeng Liu

[dearestcherry]

people i want to get to know better

tagged by @lavampira and @kannedia - thank you so much! tagging @aroseyetbloomedwrites @uldahstreetrat @anotherelezen @beanmom-blogs @vmbral @mrlarkstin

last song: the most cursed of hands - the dear hunter. also my favourite song.

favourite colour: honestly, hard to choose. i describe my taste as "natural colours" such as browns and specific shades of green.

currently watching: the queen's gambit. i'm really enjoying it!

last movie: star wars - revenge of the sith.

sweet/spicy/savoury: savoury > spicy > sweet.

relationship status: single.

current obsessions: final fantasy (xiv), journalling, reading. i always love gardening, roleplay, and writing.

last thing i googled: "takumi fire emblem"

[windup-themis]

takumi's garden. aether, siren - the goblet; ward 25, sultana's breath, room 6.

[naradivision]

Miraitabi’s Spring Mixtape:

💮 Graduated With Yuu

Disclaimer: All songs here belong to their respective artists! And well... Congrats to y’all who just happen to graduate, is going to graduate, already graduated, or just decide to start something anew this year 🎊

This special event orchestrated by:

The Graduation Committee (featuring Yuuya Kanata as the Committee Chairman) collaborating with various student clubs and approved by the student council

*Ding~Dong Dang~Dong*

At that time when a school drenched in the colors of spring

A world we're about to leave behind, forgotten from here on

As your hair fluttered in the breeze, you murmured,

“Shall we take the long way back?”

Everyone,

Se– No–!

1st 💮 ～ Prelude ～

Attention Please: Today Cherry Blossoms Are In A Downpour!

<< Multilanguage subtitles are available >> Real Title: Haikei, Sakura Maichiru Kono Hi Ni Original by: Mafumafu (Shounen Jumanga Gakuen Project)

2nd 💮 ～ Student Chorus ～

When the Blossoms Rain

Real Title: Sakura no ame (Sakura Rain) Covered by: YT Chorus (81 people chorus) Original by: halyosy ft. Hatsune Miku

3rd 💮 ～ Graduation Speech ～

On The Day Of Departure

Real Title: Tabidachi no Hi Ni Covered by: StarLightPolaRis Original by: Noboru Kojima (since 1991)

Entrusting these dreams to this wide and big blue sky,

Now is the time to say farewell

Believe in the future and let’s fly away

With our faith in lively powers of youth

Toward this wide and big blue sky

『 Have you wondered what the color of “Spring” is? 』

Most people will say it’s “Pink” or “White”

—Since they are derived from the most memorable sight that marks the arrival of this season: Cherry Blossoms.

And there are a few that say it’s “Green”

—The hue of new sprouts and young buds, signifying the sign of renewal and the fresh start after the long slumber in winter

However, among those shades of hue, have you ever heard the word “Seishun (青春 - Blue Spring)” ...?

—Step up, youths! It’s time for you to shine!

4th 💮 ～ Youngster Showoff ～

That Light We Are

Performed by: SPECTRA Band (The Light Music Club)

Real Title: Hikaru Nara Covered by: Ajikko, Ayaponzu*, Nayugorou, Mary, Moldio, Yukionnu, NORISTRY Original by: Goose House

5th 💮 ～ School of Harmony ～

青春 (Seishun)

Performed by: Light Music Club ✕ School Symphonic Band

Real Title: 群青 (Ultramarine) Produced by: YOASOBI (ft. Osaka Toin High School’s Symphonic Band) ► Official MV & Official English ver

6th 💮 ～ Goodbye My Friend ～

Farewell Our Blue (See You Again)

Performed by:

Yuuya “ARROW” Kanata

Takane “Aozora” Gunjou

Produced by: WHITEBOX (Rio & Ryoji Takarabe) 『 Haiiro to Ao 』 original by: Kenshi Yonezu ft. Masaki Suda 『 Ao no Sumika 』 original by: Tatsuya Kitani These two songs reminiscent of friendship, so why not both XD P.S. Special if someone do notice: There are the slight mix of three other songs in the background (Kaikai Kitan, Gunjou, Akari)

Thus, this has come to an end of this even—

*Sakura no Ame starts playing*

—Huh, the ceremony hasn’t finished yet? And isn’t this the same of the second song?!

.

.

.

Oh, looks like there is a special gift from our special guests!

7th 💮 ～ Special Gift For You ～

Re: When The Blossoms Rain

Performed by the faculty members featuring:

Maki “History Teacher” Umemoto

Ryūzō “Language Teacher” Mizutori

Takumi “P.E. Teacher” Wakaba

Kotono “Physics Teacher” Ohara

Real Title: Sakura no ame (Sakura Rain) Covered by: Sheer music Original by: halyosy ft. Hatsune Miku

8th 💮 ～ Outro Message～

Sugar Song & Bitter Step (Yuuya’s Solo)

<< Multilanguage subtitles are available >> Real Title: Sugar Song to Bitter Step Covered by: kobasolo ft. Mirai (THE HOOPERS) Original by: UNISON SQUARE GARDEN ➤ Official Anime ED - Fabulous reference for the Prom/Graduation Party by the way XD

Congratulation!

Farewell Spring days of Youth, now Summer is approaching...

And by the time you should realize: It’s time to move ahead.

※ Credit the main body from picrew created by @pono_trpg (Side streak, hand, accessories, shading, frame, filter, and background are added to the original)

[sendaidivision]

Kiya Kara House Aesthetic

— Ryūzō Mizutori

Top Row: Ryūz��'s Bedroom, Study/Office, Master Bathroom

Middle Row: Dining Room, Exterior, Kitchen

Bottom Row: Living Room, Dojo, Backyard Garden

— Takumi Wakaba

Top Row: Takumi's Bedroom, Guest Room, Master Bathroom

Middle Row: Living Room, Exterior, Kitchen/Dining Room

Bottom Row: Dojo, Gym, Cabin Sauna in Backyard

— Kotono Ohara

Top Row: Kotono's Bedroom, Closet in Bedroom, Master Bathroom

Middle Row: Apartment Entrance, Exterior, Living Room

Bottom Row: Apartment Balcony, Small Office Area in Kitchen, Kitchen

(Note: This normally isn't how Kotono's apartment looks, but that's because Ryūzō just cleaned it a day ago...)

[guruneko]

Taktober week 2

So i was suddenly hit by this sudden need to draw this weird monster-like angel AU where these angels of this hierarchy type society. 

The entire premise is that angel wings hurt the user. “Why does it hurt?” you may ask yourself. Well, its because they are growing out of their mortal bodies. 

Initially, wings act like wisdom teeth where they grow out later on in your life. They are like a symbol of your growth and as you get older or “holy”, your wings will grow or multiply. A lot of people are born with these angel wings but they grow out maybe after 12 years old (some are later). However, the day they grow out, THEY WILL HURT. You can actually feel your body contorting and some say they hear bones creaking as their wings are setting. Imagine when you were a kid and you were experiencing growing pains. However, if you are in a higher rank of angels, letting out your wings will feel swift and painless but some say the sensation just turns into a paper cut. 

Also, you can put away your wings but when you let them out, you will still feel the sensation but it lessens over time.  So, are you ready for some rambling reading? I hope you are.

Okay so we got the ground works laid out, lets get to the characters. 

First, I’ll start off with Bunta because Takumi is his son and this will be relevant. Bunta has six wings. He actually has reached the highest position that ANY angels want to reach BUT, he chose to stay within the mortal realm instead of going up to the divine gardens. This means that he can’t use all 6 of his wings because once he does, his body will literally burst. Bunta can remake his body but he is too lazy to do so. 

   Another note is that people are unknowingly receiving tofu from a angel. He doesn’t bless the tofu so its nothing special. 

Takumi! So because of Bunta, Takumi had to suffer through the MOST painful wing growth within his age group so his wings were already ENORMOUS. So you can imagine the feeling of it. Takumi said that it took an entire week for his wings to finally grow out. Each time he lets out his wings, its painful and kind a messy since it shoots itself out and you see blood splatter everywhere. You can actually see sprinkles of the galaxy on Takumi’s wings. 

Next up Keisuke. The rebellious one. Keisuke got his wings out almost the same time as Ryosuke which was rare of his age. 

He went against the angels so they took away his right wing. When Ryosuke came over to pick him up, Keisuke vowed to follow the same path as him but had to promise to bear the flames of his punishment. So each time Keisuke lets out his wings, it is immediately engulfed in flames and flying is painful. The flames are intensely beautiful but it is an ugly reminder. I do like to imagine Keisuke as a Phoenix that when he reaches his final form, his mortal flesh will burn off, and that's when his fresh pair of wings come out.

Ryosuke! He has two wings but the bottom ones are very small since he is not high enough. The smaller wings do hurt so he prefers to just use the main ones since it's a lot easier to summon them. Not much about Ryosuke's wings but you can see dreams in his wings.

Thats it! If you reached this far, thank you so much for reading my little thoughts. This has been living in my brain and finally i can spill it out.

[christine-ye]

Kamen Rider 555/Faiz character name meanings

I did mention in the tags of my Blade character name meanings post a while back that I'd tackle Faiz eventually so here it is (slight spoilers incoming)

🚫 Takumi Inui (乾巧)/Faiz 🚫

Inui (乾): drought, dry (could refer to Takumi's blunt personality and/or how the Orphnochs' gray/monotone color scheme makes them feel so devoid of life yet while not actually dead, something like a gray area between being dead and alive but not fully one or the other; also coincidentally sounds similar to the Japanese word for dog, which foreshadows Takumi being the Wolf Orphnoch)

Takumi (巧): adroit, skilled, ingenuity (could refer to Takumi's willingness to adapt in any situation, as is the case with wolves in the wilderness and even the Orphnochs' instinctual nature to survive rather than live in contrast to humans)

Faiz: based on the Greek letter phi (φ), his number code 555 loosely plays on both the letter's Greek pronunciation and the English 'five'

✂ Mari Sonoda (園田真理) ✂

Sonoda (園田): sono (園) - park, garden; da (田) - rice field, rice paddy

Mari (真理): ma (真) - true/truth, reality, genuineness; ri (理) - logic, arrangement, reason; both characters together mean 'truth' (could refer to Mari often being the voice of reason among the cast)

🧺 Keitaro Kikuchi (菊池啓太郎) 🧺

Kikuchi (菊池): kiku (菊) - chrysanthemum (has various meanings in the Japanese language of flowers including cheeriness, which ties into Keitaro's more cheery personality compared to both Takumi and Mari and their bond as a trio getting stronger); chi (池) - pond, pool

Keitarō (啓太郎): kei (啓) - disclose, open, say (ironically contrasts both how Keitaro initially didn't know Yuka's full name when they first met until later on and the main cast's constant miscommunication issues); ta (太) - thick; rō (郎) - common suffix in Japanese male names

🐴 Yuji Kiba (木場勇治) 🐴

Kiba (木場): ki (木) - tree, wood (represents strength, flexibility, and warmth as one of the five Chinese classical elements, could refer to Kiba's resilience despite all the tragic stuff he went through); ba (場) - location, place

Yūji (勇治): yū (勇) - courage, bravery (also could refer to Kiba's resilience); ji (治) - reign, be at peace (could refer to either Kiba becoming Smart Brain's president near the show's end or his initial goal of wanting peaceful coexistence for both humans and Orphnochs)

🕊 Yuka Osada (長田結花) 🕊

Osada (長田): osa (長) - long (as an adjective, could contrast with the Orphnochs' shortened lifespan), head, chief, leader (as a noun); da (田) - rice field, rice paddy

Yuka (結花): yu (結) - tie, bind (could refer to Yuka's bond to Keitaro despite their initial name misunderstanding or her wanting to sever her ties to her abusive family and past); ka (花) - flower

🐍 Naoya Kaido (海堂直也) 🐍

Kaidō (海堂) kai (海) - sea, ocean (could refer to snakes resembling/being analogous to dragons in most Asian mythologies but that's definitely a stretch on my part lmao); dō (堂) - hall, temple

Naoya (直也): nao (直) - straightforward (ironically contrasts how Kaido initially not being upfront/directly admitting that he doesn't want to hurt humanity like both Kiba and Yuka already did); ya (也) - to be (classical form), also a common suffix in Japanese male names

❌ Masato Kusaka (草加雅人)/Kaixa ❌

Kusaka (草加): kusa (草) - grass, rough/roughness, fake, not genuine (could refer to Kusaka's rough interior as part of his true personality or him hiding it from the rest of the cast); ka (加) - add, addition, beneath; both characters together could mean "a roughness beneath" (could refer to Kusaka's true personality that he hides from the rest of the cast)

Masato (雅人): masa (雅) - gracious, elegant, refined (could refer to Kusaka's "nice" facade he puts on when interacting with the rest of the cast while hiding his true devious personality); to (人) - person

Kaixa: based on the Greek letter chi (χ), his number code 913 loosely plays on both the Japanese reading of his name (kaiza) and the numbers used (ka -> 9, i -> 1, xa/za -> 3); coincidentally sounds similar to the German kaiser meaning 'emperor'

[spandexual]

would heisei riders still love you if you were a worm:

Godai: he would put you in the dirt and let you be free.

Shoichi: likewise, but he would make sure it was nice compost from his garden and would always make sure you were damp.

Shinji: he would but you would probably dry out because he forgot to water you. sorry

Takumi: no. :(

Kenzaki: yes. :(

Hibiki: no. but this is a good thing. you would get fried.

Tendou: yes, to death, and you don't know how much this means unless you have actually seen Kamen Rider Kabuto

Ryotaro: maybe. but the imagin would all squish you.

Wataru: no. he might turn you into wood stain actually

Tsukasa: no. but don't take it personally. it's hard for him.

Shotaro: yes. Philip, no.

Eiji: yes, very much. but you would probably not enjoy living in his balled-up underwear.

Gentaro: yes but you'd end up wishing he didn't.

Haruto: no. he'd try to look after you for a while, though.

Kouta: he'd say he would. but no

Shinnosuke: no.

Takeru: he got other problems

Emu: no. but he'd pretend to until he doesn't have the energy to care any more and there's nothing you can do about it but watch the light disappear from his eyes day after day

Sento: be fascinated by, maybe

Sougo: lmfao no

[ecargmura]

Wonderful Precure Episode 4 Review - Meet The Nekoyashikis

Oh my gosh, Mayu’s mother Sumire is beautiful. And she’s voiced by Chiwa Saito, meaning she’s Homura Akemi and Yona. That’s a crazy choice to have for a mother character and I’m rolling with it. It’s interesting to see what the Nekoyashiki family will bring to the story now that Mayu and the cat Yuki are introduced. Iroha’s mom Yuko and Sumire are really pretty. I wonder if Satoru’s mom will be pretty too…

Mayu is very socially awkward. She gets anxious around people and it stems from her being a loner at her old school. Her only source of comfort is being around her mom and Yuki. Fortunately, meeting Iroha at the grand opening of Pretty Holic has her hope that she’ll be good friends with her. I’ve seen people make comparisons to Kokone. While they are similar, their reservedness are different. Kokone doesn’t tense up or care too much about her solitude as she preferred being alone. Only when she started befriending Yui that her awkwardness started showing. She was still willing to talk to people and doesn’t shy away when conversing. Mayu, on the other hand, is a mess when it comes to talking to people. So yeah, while both are reserved, they’re different.

Yuki is a typical cat, but I do like how her and Mayu’s relationship differs from Iroha and Komugi’s. The Inukais have it to where Iroha is like Komugi’s not-that-much-older sister while the Nekoyashikis feel like Yuki is the much older sister to Mayu. I like seeing a different type of relationship with the main duo. I also really like the interaction between Komugi and Yuki with Yuki behaving like a typical cat; she even did the tail slap, a sign that cats are stressed. My favorite part of the episode was Yuki punching Komugi for getting too close. I can tell these two are gonna be hilarious once Yuki gains the ability to change into a human.

Pretty Holic makes a return in this show as it did in previous iterations. It was a hybrid stationery shop in Hirogaru Sky and a makeup shop in Delicious Party that Kokone is a fan of. In this iteration, it is a makeup shop that Mayu’s family runs. The fact that this is the emptiest Pretty Holic I’ve seen so far is saying something…. I also like how Sumire forbids pets from entering. In the case of dogs, the cosmetic scent could be harmful to them and that they could accidentally swallow small items. This is very smart to inform. I watched an anime called Dog Signal where the main character Miyu tells a client to stop wearing perfume when around her dog as it can ruin their sense of smell. I know that pet owners want to bring their pets everywhere, but in cases like these, one has to think about their pets’ safety. Also, I love how Komugi is spewing confidential information to Yuki about herself while Sumire and the three granny customers are at hearing distance. This is like Yui, Rosemary and Pam-Pam rambling about Kome-Kome and Recipeppi stuff when Takumi is right in front of them in Episode 3 of Delicious Party.

Iroha and Komugi are tasked to search for more GaruGarus. Special Niko Animals, ones with sparkling jewels on them, are called Kirarin Animals and collecting nine of them will restore Niko Garden back to its former glory. However, I do think Iroha and Komugi’s tendency to ignore Mey Mey is a bit of an issue that hopefully will be addressed later on. I get that Komugi has a short attention span because she’s a dog, but Iroha, a human, should take these Niko Garden matters seriously and not drop everything onto Satoru. Speaking of which, Iroha just seems like someone who can’t lie or pay attention. She could’ve easily said that Komugi is her sister or a relative, but she just flubs hard with that and she even gives the impression that she’s a bad dog owner because of this. I know this is a kids’ show and I shouldn’t take this too seriously, but sometimes, the writing can be a bit asinine. I just hope that someone, whether it be a Precure, Mey Mey, or a villain, will call Iroha out on not paying attention to important details.

I like the relationship between Mey Mey and Satoru. A few episodes ago, Mey Mey had a bias towards outsiders, but now Satoru is his favorite child. It’s like night and day now. It’s adorable how clingy he is towards Satoru and the boy is even his emotional support. The fact that Mey Mey has a sheep-shaped smart phone is adorable as heck; he uses it to call Satoru when he’s upset. Cute.

Now, with the scene with the GaruGaru, I did like that it was foreshadowed that the GaruGaru of the day would be a Tanuki as there was a shot to three unhappy Tanuki in the beginning and how Komugi put on eyeshadow around her eyes like one. I was surprised that Friendy knew about Tanuki behavioral patterns… Despite that, the Tanuki GaruGaru is the first small one they encountered as previous ones were large. This means that their sizes vary and that some could even be difficult to purify due to their size and speed. Now the question is…will GaruGarus be just mammals or will there be insects and sea creatures too?

For now, this was a cute episode of fully introducing Mayu and Yuki into the story. When will they start school? When will Yuki and Mayu become Precures? I’m honestly anticipating the next episode. What are your thoughts on this episode?

[merryfortune]

a white milk moustache.

Written for the Winter Holiday Bingo

Prompts provided by @sweetspicybingo

Prompt: Milk & Cookies

Title: 

Ship: Takumi/Yui

Fandom: Delicious Party Pretty Cure

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,557

Warnings: None

Tags: Fluff, Crushes, Pining, Pre-Canon, Food as a Metaphor for Love

   Takumi did not pride himself on being on time.

   In the metaphorical sense. Not a literal one.

   Literally, he was quite the punctual young man. However, metaphorically, he was very rarely at the right place at the right time. He was either too soon - hyper prepared for a scenario which never comes to fruition - or too late - hyper prepared for a scenario which never came to fruition. He was very good at sticking his foot in his mouth in his own unique way of being socially awkward.

   Surprisingly, this was not one of these times.

   “Good timing, Takumi-kun, I just got these cookies out of the oven. Want to eat them with me?” Yui asked, beaming. She looked adorable with a smile which was ear to ear. 

   The whole of her house smelled delicious. It always did, of course. Her family’s restaurant was award winning and very successful. However, usually, it smelt delicious with savoury smells. Not sweet ones, like perfectly cooked vanilla and a hint of chocolate.

   “I’d like that.” Takumi replied.

   He’d only come around to Yui’s place on a whim. He was already on top of his homework, there was nothing good to watch on television and it was pretty boring to sit around all day staring at the wall. At least doing that last thing with Yui would be preferable to doing it all by himself.

   “Then come and sit down. I’ll get us some plates.” Yui said.

   She grabbed Takumi’s hand and pulled him past the threshold of where her house started and where her family’s restaurant stopped. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist and she darted off into the back room where the sun room was. She was way too fast for Takumi, especially on slick lacquered floors in just her socks but despite being loud and boisterous as she was, Yui never slipped and never took Takumi down with her.

   She laughed as she dumped him on the edge of the sun room and it was there, so close to the open plan kitchen, where the smell of cookies was at its strongest and most delectable. Takumi got comfortable at the low table with a pillow underneath him and looked out to the garden.

   It really was the perfect day to bake cookies, no wonder the idea had dawned on Yui. It was a classic winter’s day. It was brisk and cold outside, trees bent and shook with a frigid wind that blew and the courtyard was glazed with a near permanent frost. Takumi wouldn’t be surprised if it started to snow later, it wasn’t on the forecast but looking out into Yui’s backyard, and what he could see of his own, it felt like it would. The clouds were the right colour and the sky was almost indigo.

   “So how’s your day been?” Yui asked.

   “Yeah, good, kinda boring.” Takumi replied.

   “Mm, same, not much you can do on a day like this except stay inside and make your own fun.” Yui mused. “I would much rather be out and about playing soccer or something but it's way too cold!”

   Takumi half laughed to himself. The way Yui had enunciated her complaint with the cold was just oddly funny to him. He heard the clatter of plates in the drawer and that caught his attention. He twisted around at his waist to look over his shoulder. Not only was Yui getting them both little saucer plates to put the cookies on, she was also arranging some empty glasses to go with them.

   Upon noticing that Takumi was staring, Yui asked, “Do you want any milk to go with them?”

   “Yeah, sure.” Takumi shrugged.

   “Cool, and do you want it warmed up?” Yui asked.

   Takumi screwed up his face, “I’m not a little kid.” he grumbled.

   “I wasn’t saying you were? I just think it’d go nice.” Yui pouted. Her cheek puffed out to the side.

   “No thank you then.” Takumi huffed. He hadn’t meant to offend Yui but it seemed like he had.

   “Okay then I’ll only warm enough for me.” Yui said.

   “Good for you.” Takumi said.

   Yui kept fluffing around in the kitchen and the conversation fell silent. Takumi waited at the low table and drummed his fingers on its surface. He kept stealing glances at her however. She just looked so cute in her element. Even when she was all rugged up in her winter casual wear.

   Christmas and New Year were right around the corner. It was the thick of winter and then the calendar year was going to change a week after one of the most romantic days of the year. It was no Valentine’s Day but… It was close enough, right, being a couple’s holiday.

   Takumi kept a sigh to himself. He felt thankful enough to spend any time during winter break with Yui before they moved into the second year of middle school. He’d had a crush on her for as long as he could remember and maybe someone with more bravado than he would have confessed by now but Takumi just wanted to wait for the right time. When he was certain of himself and what he would say and how Yui would react. They were the best of friends, he didn’t want to ruin that by making it a thing. 

   Still, his heart skipped a beat as Yui served him up some butter cookies with cold milk. 

   “Here you go.” she said, breaking him out of his reverie.

   “Thanks.” Takumi replied.

   “I hope you enjoy,” Yui said as she then sat down with him, “I baked them with love.” 

   Takumi blushed. Seriously… How could Yui say these things?! She laughed it off but even so, how dense and oblivious she could be. She was too sweet and forthright for her own good at times, her genuine earnest both her biggest virtue and her biggest flaw. It’s exactly what Takumi liked about her.

   “And a pinch of salt. It brings out the sweetness.” Yui said.

   “Yeah, I’ve heard that before somewhere, maybe from your grandmother…” Takumi said.

   “Yeah, maybe. Or me. Quoting my grandmother.” Yui said.

   She laughed awkwardly. It was still a touch raw but it was obvious to Takumi that giving Yui the space to talk about her grandmother and remember her, and more importantly cherish her, helped. He picked up his glass of milk, his fingertips were frozen by how chilled it was.

   “Cheers.” he said.

   “Cheers.” Yui agreed.

   She didn’t leave him hanging for long before clinking her own glass of milk - warmed - against his. They held that pose for a moment and shared a sustained smile. Then, they both tucked in.

   “Aah, they’re so good.” Yui praised herself and it was well deserved.

   Objectively, Yui was a kitchen goddess and to prove it, these cookies were nothing less than sublime. The texture was perfect: buttery, crumbly, yet at the same time melt in your mouth soft. They had just a hint of cocoa taste in the checkerboard pattern of vanilla and chocolate. Speaking of, the design and execution were so good, it really demonstrated how precise and steady her hand was. Best of all, they tasted better than how they looked.

   They paired perfectly with the milk, but of course, milk and cookies was a classic combination.

   “Thanks for sharing.” Takumi said.

   He took a sip of milk and enjoyed the coldness. The sun room was well air conditioned and so was comfortably warm, but looking out to the backyard and seeing the state of mid-winter, it felt right somehow. He glanced at Yui and sure enough, she was guzzling down her warmed milk.

   When she finished, she smacked her lips together and sighed contentedly, “Thank you for sharing your company, it made it even yummier.” Yui said.

   Takumi smiled a small smile. He glanced at Yui and his eyes widened. He laughed.

   “You have something on your face.” he said.

   She blinked, “huh? I do?”

   “Yup, right here.” Takumi said.

   He traced along his upper lip to show Yui exactly where she had something on her face: a white milk moustache.

   “Oh, oops.” she laughed embarrassedly upon realising it.

   She moved her lips around and her lips twitched. She could feel it now and it clearly bothered her.

   “Here, let me.” Takumi said.

   He plucked a serviette from a dispenser in the middle of the table. He leaned across it and Yui stilled herself for him. Meanwhile, his own heart raced as he got close - too close? - to her and dabbed along her upper lip. He was so close, he could steal a kiss if he wasn’t careful. In the meantime, he was gentle as he cleaned her up.

   “Thanks, Takumi-kun.” Yui said. “I can always depend on you.”

   “You're welcome.” Takumi replied as he scrubbed the last of Yui’s milk moustache off her face.

   Now would be a good time, some part of him knew, but not yet. He wasn’t ready, even though his heart swelled as he scrunched up the serviette now that it had been used. He and Yui began to chat some more, ate some more cookies, and Takumi began to wonder if next year might be when he would be neither too soon nor too late to confess his feelings. That, just like right now, he would have good timing.

[salonduthe]

Fujii Kaze: Tiny Desk Concerts JAPAN

Release 12 April 2024.

SET LIST "Matsuri" "Garden" "damn" "Kirari" "Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)" "Shinunoga E-Wa"

MUSICIANS Fujii Kaze: lead vocals, keys Yaffle: keys DURAN: guitar Katsuya Takumi: bass Kudo Seiya: drums Yo-Sea: vocals nishina: vocals

+++

I am always blown away each time I see Kaze perform and this low-key, intimate performance, with jazzy interpretations of his songs, is spectacular. He IS a tonic, and kudos to the musicians contributing to this lovely performance.

[blaiddllodi]

[ Garden ] - Need to get away from the thick of the party for a moment? Step outside of the dance hall, where Garreg Mach's own vaunted gardens await, gracefully decorated to take on new life for the duration of the evening.

A breath of fresh air never failed to be good for someone’s being. Shoulders relaxing for a moment, as he rubbed his temples, glancing around at the different scenery for a moment. It was .. definitely different from what he was use to, back at home.

Walking through the gardens, a brief smile appearing upon his lips as he walked. Between the festivities, and the .. socializing, needless to say .. Takumi needed a break for a little while.

Glancing around for a moment, would he noticed the roses, reaching to touch one of the petals, only to pull away — a small wince escaping for a moment. Accidentally pricking his digit on one of the thorns, along causing it to bleed in the process. Softly grumbling a little, before continuing on his way.

Turning to look ahead, would Takumi notice someone standing there. Blond hair, At first, the prince was tempted to try and head back to the party … but. He halted, this would be his chance to try and socialize in an .. easier setting. Without the feeling of .. nobility breathing down his neck.

Lips parting for a moment, before making his way over to the other. “ Hey ! " He’d exclaim, hoping to catch the attention of the other.

In spite of everything, it was a nice night to be out. It might simply have been his northern blood craving the cold, craving the solitude that came from being under the vast dark sky with only the stars for company.

Well. Not only.

There had been others mingling about the gardens, many people who for whatever reason wanted to escape the energy and heat inside the ballroom. He'd seen a few familiar faces in between the hedgerows, and some less so - there was the pang of guilt, as though he were avoiding them somehow by not seeking out conversation, the idle mingling that was intended by these events.

But, he thought, too, they had expressed a desire for their solitude by merely being apart from the crowd, hadn't they?

The call for his attention dragged him back to earth, and he turned, eyebrows raised and expectant, to see one of those unfamiliar faces approaching. Dimitr smiled, and bowed, and extended the white feather from his brooch for the other to take.

"Hello! I, ah, hope that you're enjoying the evening! Pardon, I - I don't believe I've seen you around the academy before. Are you new to Garreg Mach?" Dimitri cocked his head, and added with a chuckle, "What an exciting time to join. I hope that you enjoy your time here. My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, I am the leader of the Blue Lions House. Please, if I can be of assistance, don't hesitate to call upon me."

[bullet-rebuttle]

Naoko Suto ultimate historian 📚

Raijin Hirose ultimate pilot ✈️

Tsuyoshi Nishio ultimate gardener 💐

Kaori Takushi ultimate storyteller 🧚

Giichi Kutsuki ultimate actor 🎬

Yukino Kimura ultimate exorcist ⚰️

Ume Watanabe, ultimate graffiti artist. 🎨

Mizumi Akemi ultimate pirate 🏴‍☠️

Etsuko Ueharo, ultimate figure skater ❄️

Takumi Igurashi, ultimate thief 💎

Rika Ikari, Ultimate Waitress ⏳

Shigure Futaba, Ultimate Matchmaker 💌

Hayato Sakimori, ultimate bodyguard 🗝️

Sumiko Honda, ultimate therapist 🕊️

Akihito Terai, ultimate mangaka 🔶

Yamane, ultimate designer 🖊️

Extra muses:

Habiki Suzuki, ultimate dog trainer 🐾

Tsubasa Obara, ultimate prankster 🎀

Rei Nakamure, ultimate toxicologist

Kagetora Yoshida, ultimate lucky student. Former lil ultimate child actor

Tadao Hirata, ultimate nail artist

Side muses

Chiyo Suto 🌸

Junichiro Ueharo 🥋

Nishio Siblings 🌎 🐛

Ikari siblings

Sanyu Kobayashi, Raijins caretaker

Goro Obara

[theothervonkarmagirl]

🌙 // takumi lol

Send ‘🌙’ to put a sleeping spell on my muse and have your muse enter their dreams.

Takumi found himself in a lush tropical garden. Beautiful flowers bloomed everywhere, colorful butterflies and hummingbirds fluttered past, and a gentle breeze carried the heady, sweet fragrance in the air. It was sunny, warm, and clear, and waves crashed against the nearby shore.

The dense foliage began to part, clearing a path for him and beckoning him to follow. Soon, new sounds began to mix with the ocean: some sort of harp, and Maria's giggling. At the end of the road, there she was, perched on a throne of gold. With her jewelry and sheer, flowing gowns, she looked more like a goddess.

She was surrounded by manservants, and they all looked like him. One massaged her feet. One combed her hair. One played music. One served her drinks, and another served her fruits from the spread nearby. Naturally, they were all tanned, scantily clad, shiny, and flirtatious.

Suddenly, one Takumi fed her a grape, then kissed her passionately, obscenely. Then she turned to the one who poured her wine, and he did the same thing. Then both Takumis kissed each other!

Maria watched until she noticed the real Takumi in the distance. She tilted her head. The clones did too. Where did this one come from? And why did he look so different?

"Don't be afraid," she purred, waving him over. "I love you. Come and join us..."