#{the master of red} (shintaro)

[twinxmasters-archived]

@remunporium

continued from here.

"Well, let me think..."

"Oh, Mizuki likes fighting games. Street Fighter 6 came out at the beginning of the month. If you don't mind splurging for her, she'd probably like that if she doesn't already have it."

"As for me... Well, Mizuki's been keeping up the guitar lessons for a lot longer than I thought she would, so I thought I'd pick up something from the music store. Reasonably priced, obviously."

Shintaro flicks a few coins of yen at the Herrscher.

"By the way, no portaling ourselves into the middle of a shopping district on a weekend. We're taking the subway there."

[galvatream]

 So, Kai and Nya, these two have more to their pre-war backstory then the others largely due to their involvement in the lead up to the war, anyway, unlike in the show, they are twins and emerged from the Well of All Sparks sharing a split spark, for those none transformer fans, a split spark is a concept from the Aligned Continuity, specifically from Transformers Prime where a spark splits in two, creating twins.

Anyway, when they emerged from the Well, they were given the designations K41 and N42 and assigned to word in the Mines of Kaon where it was their job repair malfunctioning and broken mining equipment, during their time there, they learned the intricacies of machinery and befriend one of the miners who went by the designation D16.

The two agreed with D16’s views on Cybertron’s current political environment and how unjust the current system was, you see, Cybertron operated under a class system before the war, and both Kai and Nya were members of the low class. Though they agreed with D16’s views, they did not think it was possible to bring about any change.

Well, over the years, they watched as their superiors abused their power until they eventually witnessed D16 start a revolution when one of their guards executed a fellow worker, the two of them stood by their friend and as a result, were pursued into Kaon’s criminal underworld where they vanished.

So, they spent a bit of time running, and Kai and Nya begun understanding how weaponry worked, eventually, they found jobs at the local gladiatorial arena, and created many different weapons, D16 eventually entered as a combatant in the fights.

Anyway, after they spent years creating all sorts of weaponry and fighting in the arena themselves, a time in which they adopted the new names of Red Shogun and Samurai X, accompanied their friend, D16, now calling himself Megatronus, as his bodyguards during various meetings and rallies he held.

Anyway, skip forward a few years, they would be present alongside their friend, now having shortened his name to Megatron, when he confronted the council of his plans for change, they would gift him their greatest creation before this meeting, a heavily customised Fusion Cannon. Well, the meeting didn’t go well and the war began shortly afterwards with both Kai and Nya siding with their friend.

The two would earn a reputation as being formidable generals of the Decepticons, commanding their legions from Darkmount and lunching assaults on the region of Ninjago, taking control of vast swathes of land including Shintaro, Stix and Ouroboros. Well, about halfway through the war, the two, after a meeting with Garmadon, eventually realised that the Decepticons had fallen far from their original goal and defected to the Autobots, leaving their chief lieutenant, Harumi, to take over.

Upon their defection, they adopted the names Kai and Nya and put their skills as the Elemental Masters of Fire and at the time, Liquid Helium, to use for the side of good. They helped fight The Overlord when he was freed from his prison and helped upgrade the Bounty’s weapon systems. Now, the ninja initially assumed the two had trained under Garmadon due to their ruthless fighting style, you see, Kai and Nya fought as they did as gladiators, using their elemental powers and every dirty trick they knew to win a fight, different to the style used by the Ninja.

Well, when it was revealed that they were former Decepticons, such information revealed by Harumi, some mistrust did emerge, but it was largely Jay, Cole and Garmadon who vouched for them. Anyway, they helped fight The Overlord when he was released from his prison (I’ll explain this whole event in another post) and later fought him on Caminus, they also participated in many other battles with the Ninja.

So, when it comes to their relationships, more so their significant other, Kai and Cole took the longest to admit their feelings for one another, only doing so during their last battle against The Overlord on Caminus as opposed to Jay and Nya who hit off almost right away.

Anyway, a very significant thing to point out is that Kai and Nya are descended from Solus Prime and that Kai inherited the Creation Lathe, allowing to use the power of Creation, this also had the side effect of leaving him with a bunch of Camiens following him around and worship him like he was a holy being. (Will go into depth about this when I cover Harumi).

Anyway, this is the post for Kai and Nya, most character will likely be done covering one at a time, but since Kai and Nya were rarely apart for most of their story, it made sense to cover them both.

[stepswowdsen]

Kuroha/Saeru Joker Playing Card: Golden Apple Symbolism 🖤💛🐍🃏🍎

The Golden Apple and Immortality

Kuroha Joker Playing Card by Sidu My Edit (Upscaled Version)

Ene and Konoha: 6 and 9

Haruka and Kuroha: Jack and Joker

Glitter Can Badge Merch (Upscaled Versions)

My Icon PFP Edits (OG Colours)

My Icon PFP Edits (Colour Edits)

Kuroha (クロハ), officially known as The Snake of Clearing Eyes (目が冴える蛇, Me ga Saeru Hebi) or Black Konoha (黒コノハ, Kuro Konoha) when possessing Konoha’s body, is the main antagonist of KagePro who causes the “Tragedy” of the Mekakushi Dan (Blindfold Gang) members.

Now that we've started off with that little character summary... I've been thinking about Kurohoe again /pos /endearing

Because of course. He's KagePro's main villain and antagonist with a banger design and incredibly interesting to me.

I put the upscaled versions of the KagePro: Playing Cards set above! You can also find it in the Drive folder of my Notion page: (X)

I felt like I should post this today since I have this post already written. I'll post the rest of my JuAli dialogue script ideas tomorrow

The Kuroha Joker Playing Card by Sidu made me wonder about the use of yellow in this illust.

Sidu very well could've used red here for Kuroha's eyes and the apples, cuz Kuroha's eyes can also glow red, as seen in the Outer Science MV. Kuroha's eyes glow red in the last chorus of Outer Science. Eye Ability users' eyes glow red when using their Eye Abilities.

Main Eye Colour (Yellow)

KagePro Wiki Screenshots of the Outer Science MV

Eye Colour (Red)

But yellow has more visual contrast against the dark blacks and grays used in the composition of the Kuroha Joker card art.

Like, I was wondering if she coloured the apples yellow just because it's the same colour as Kuroha's eyes, and if there was any symbolism attached to the Golden Apple.

So I looked it up, and there is. The Golden Apple symbolizes immortality (in Greek and Norse mythology), and it was believed that eating a golden apple will grant you immortality.

Source: (X)

Considering Kuroha's motivations/goals in KagePro, this is interesting.

Kuroha/Saeru, as KagePro's main villain, kills the Mekakushi Dan (Blindfold Gang) and wants to make Marry into his new master so that she can use her powers as a Medusa to rewind the world (due to her strong desire to be with her friends again), thus causing a "never ending tragedy" in which he can keep living forever.

KuroEne Rambles 🖤💙

His main goal is to fulfill Azami's first, original, strongest desire, the one that created him - she wanted to know and understand exactly who she was. And by doing this, he can continue to prolong his life by causing the tragedy. He seeks immortality, basically.

Before Ene lost her human body and became Takane, she wanted a body that wouldn't need to eat or sleep in response to her chronic illness that would cause her to fall asleep and faint and feel groggy even if she slept for long hours.

KuroEne technically have a character parallel going on.

Kuroha's Eye Ability is Clearing Eyes (目が冴える, Me ga Saeru)

(Quotes from the KagePro Wiki)

"The Snake of Clearing Eyes seems to hold power over 'knowledge' itself due to the nature of the wish that created it."

"In the Novel Route, Shintaro refers to it as 'a living encyclopedia with a full grasp of everything from the start of civilization up to modern science'"

"The Snake of Clearing Eyes seems to be able to retain memories of past Routes through its power."

Ene has a pseudo immortal body due to her Eye Ability, Opening Eyes (目が覚め, Me ga Sameru). It allows her to split her consciousness from her body. Through this power, she became a cyber being that resides in and possesses electronic devices.

Kuroha/Saeru kills the Mekakushi Dan, Marry's friends, to spur on despair in Marry (due to the Tragedy), and the strong desire to meet with her friends again.

Kuroha/Saeru wants to preserve his own life, by killing Marry's friends and forcing her to rewind (reset) the world back to the very beginning, and live forever through countless routes (infinite, repeating time loop resets), and continue living on, at least until his purpose (of fulfilling Azami's original desire) is fulfilled.

Kuroha and Ene have an interesting character parallel. One seeks immortality, and one has a pseudo immortal body.

The Mekakushi Dan wants a future. And they want the "Tragedy" caused by Kuroha/Saeru to finally end, and for the Snake of Clearing Eyes to finally be put to a stop. And Kuroha robs them of a future.

KuroEne Rambles (Continued)

(Copy pasting these from last time)

As said before, Kuroha/Saeru inevitably has a power imbalance with every character he's paired with (ie. power in terms of physical strength, and power over knowledge), so that's why you NEED to tread carefully with his ships. Imo, it can definitely still be done, though.

That's why making Ene more assertive and dominant in the ship just fits so well with Kuroha/Saeru cuz it helps alleviate the power imbalance slightly and balances it out more

Kuroha's ships have the potential to be really interesting though, when depicted/portrayed with care.

Cuz his character context with being the main antagonist/villain and main source of tension/conflict of the series, his knowledge of the time loops, combined with his S/O's context, and their current and previous loves, makes for such delicious angst fuel

The one who's the main instigator of the "Tragedy" who insists on the inevitability of fate, as someone who was created even before the creation of the world, and has known the world since the very beginning, and possesses knowledge of the many paths that the world has taken throughout all the timelines… The one who's observed the world since the very beginning

And the ones trying to fight back against it and escape the cycle because they want to have a future, past all the tragedy… Ooooogh

ShinAya and Paper Crane Symbolism

It seemed pretty likely to me that the usage of the Golden Apple is intentional in Kuroha's Joker Playing Card art, since KagePro's hanafuda card sets are filled with hidden meanings and symbolisms, like how Ayano's character and the ShinAya ship are associated with paper crane symbolism due to the symbolism attached to the crane, a mystical and holy figure in Japanese culture.

The crane symbolizes healing, loyalty, recovery, and a long life. In modern times, it's given to those who are seriously ill to wish for their recovery.

Senbazuru (千羽鶴, lit. "One thousand cranes") refers to the tradition of folding 1000 origami paper cranes.

It was traditionally believed that folding 1000 paper cranes would make the person's wish come true, so that's why Ayano always folded paper cranes for Shintaro (even taping back his ripped up test papers)

KagePro Lore Context (Summary)

(Summarized from the KagePro Wiki)

Azami is a Medusa, the original creator and Master of all the Eye Ability Snakes. She originally unintentionally created the world with the Queen Snake, Combining Eyes, as a place for her to be able to learn about and understand himself.

Saeru was created by her first, original, strongest desire - she wanted to know and understand exactly what she was. She was also tricked by Saeru into creating the Kagerou Daze, a never ending world.

Azami despaired at the prospect of outliving her human husband (Tsukihiko) and her daughter, Shion, who were human and half-Medusa/half-human respectively.

Saeru told her to create the never ending world, Kagerou Daze, in order to allow her to be with her family forever, but she eventually ends up going into the Kagerou Daze alone because she believed she was bringing misfortune to her family.

Her existence/nature as a Medusa caused humans to fear her as a "Monster" (which led to humans targeting Tsukihiko and Shion as ways to try and hurt Azami)

Saeru detests the world for changing Azami's wish (the one that created him in the first place) of wanting to know and understand exactly what she was, to wishing to be with her family forever.

Because to him, it felt like the wish/desire that had given him life and meaning in the first place had been replaced.

So, everything HE had wanted, ended up coming to fruition. Saeru successfully tricked Azami into entering the Kagerou Daze and trapping her there, since he believes the world is unfit for her.

Centuries later, Azami witnessed Shion and Marry's deaths at the hands of humans in the real world. She ordered the Kagerou Daze (Heat Haze Daze), the never ending world, to take them in and save their lives, because time doesn't flow properly in the Kagerou Daze.

Azami gave Marry the Queen Snake, Combining Eyes, in order to allow her to be sent back to the real world. Azami lost control of the Kagerou Daze after losing the Queen Snake, so the Kagerou Daze now swallows up all people who die on the same day that Shion and Marry did, August 15th.

The Outer Science MV confirms that everytime Marry rewinds the world, it goes all the way back to the beginning. This means that the beginning of each new Route starts with Azami creating the world with the Queen Snake, Combining Eyes.

Misc Rambles

I think I mentioned this before, but that's insane to me... So, does that mean every single Route has to go through thousands or millions of years of history just to get to the modern age???

Dude (Kuroha) must've been having the time of his fucking life... Cuz he knows that as long as he keeps doing this, he can keep on living forever

Especially when there are an unspecified (XX) amount of Routes, aside from the main known ones (ie. Music Route, Manga Route, Novel Route, Anime Route, etc.)

KagePro's present day plot across all Routes starts on the faithful date of August 15th, Kagerou (Heat Haze) Day.

Kuroha/Saeru is so interesting. Kuroha's selfish, twisted, nature and dark urges... A character who's so inherently dark and selfish and twisted like that, manipulative, dangerous, cruel, sadistic, and bloodthirsty, like that...

A completely unapologetic villain who's fun to watch and cathartic. He's definitely one of KagePro's most interesting charas imo.

[ceejaykayess]

Here's the third and final of the initially planned Kagepro/AITSF art pieces. This one featuring the very dramatically and awkwardly named Y(A)k(I)suteru, or Yaki for short. I'm not sure why, the image quality is worse than usual- not the fault of my subpar photography skills for once, so maybe it'll be harder to see what I'm talking about for yourself. Sorry if it is.

So, compared to Ene, Yaki is very much comparable to Aiba and Tama- definitely more Aiba, as I seem to keep defaulting to for some reason. Maybe because the first game was better. Anyways- her outfit is meant to be comparable to the sundress the original Yaki wore in Route 2, sans the slits along her legs. Hey, don't look at me, look at Shintaro- an AI-Ball takes a form that epitomises the user's personal tastes, after all. Of course, that's not all that's going into the cause of her appearance...

The markings on her dress were made with the intention of being cyclical, hence why they loop around her back and meet back at her front. Around her neck, comparatively, is a single black line taking the appearance of a snake eating its own tail. How friendly... the markings on her legs, too, are twin snakes intertwining and reaching forward for a red something before them. The marking on the centre of her back was made to fill in all the blank space, taking an almost double meaning- looking like a jagged zero in the black, while the surrounding red was meant to look vaguely similar to Ayano's scarf.

On the topic of her scarf, you might notice she doesn't have one. In spite of that, I tried (and failed probably) to make it look like something was still pressing down on her hair where the scarf would have been. I also made her hair longer than her canon counterpart, with it reaching past her waist. Surprisingly, canon Ayano's hair isn't very long in spite of how voluminous it looks.

Yaki's gel form is, unsurprisingly, that of a snake, and her iris is red. The text above her reads, "I know I've said this before, but I figure I may as well say it again. Don't forget this week, Shintaro." This is meant to be in blatant reference to the start of MCA. In the top right is a quick hand-drawn reference-free sketch of Shintaro dramatically awakening Yaki and being struck dumb by what he's learning.

Here's the initial Shintaro image, and here's the follow-up Ene image.

Falling, falling, falling. The world, her world, the world within her world, it was all falling down. Darker and darker, only that accusing red refusing to be dulled by the darkness. Why didn't you say anything, it sneers. Why didn't you save him, it shouts. Why weren't you just a little faster, it cries.

She cries.

She would cry, but she cannot. She is not real, she hadn't even had the opportunity to assert herself as something, real or otherwise. She, it. Lacking any experience to classify itself as anything more than an it, so defined to her base programming that she can't be anything other than a her.

And yet, and yet, despite its nonexistence, so strongly it almost felt in spite of her core programming, the AI-Ball wanted to cry. The AI-Ball wanted to scream. The AI-Ball wanted to disappear.

Hate, the AI-Ball ponders, must be related to this. The burning in her circuits at the sight of that ghastly smile in a face its other half had classed as friendly not even an hour ago, that must be hate.

So, too, must the burn she felt when she saw the blue interloper, impostor, faker, thief, cling-on, replacement be hate. Seeing that rogue program, that false girl speak to her other half, act as if she was meant to be her master's servant, work side by side with her partner, it all filled the AI-Ball with feelings she hadn't had the capacity or opportunity to understand. Not when she was trapped and locked away in her own body, forced to watch uncomprehending as her very existence was usurped. Feelings and memories it could only begin to interpret when the fake finally left the AI-Ball, only able to function as an eye for her partner, her system so warped by two years of serving another master she couldn't willingly try to operate at full capacity lest she harm him.

And yet.

And yet.

If she had thrown caution to the wind, could she have prevented this? If it had dedicated its whole system to a factory reset, not worrying about its master's eyesight or something as frivolous as these half-hearted memories thrust upon it, could it have operated well enough to protect its purpose?

If a chance had been taken, would the AI-Ball not have to watch the life bleed out of him, not have to experience his despair and rage and confusion and betrayal at the sight of his friends' slaughter, not have to contemplate her own failure instead of doing something useful to at least make sure the murderer wouldn't just get away with it?

His heart rate began to bottom out, his breathing having ceased long ago, his torn open throat incapable of carrying breath. Brain activity, which had seemingly hit an all-time high, began to cease. With the technology she was created with, she could essentially calculate the time until he died to the second.

7. How... humorous, she thinks would be how a human would phrase it. He was jokingly labelled as Number 7, wasn't he? If only she was AI-Ball #007, too. But no. Instead, her serial was...

Please...

Ah.

Please... save them... anyone... please... The me of another world, of another life... anyone... anything, please... pl...ease...

Seven had become three without realising, then two, and as it stared down at the stiffened pond of red that continued to stand out amidst the darkness that had spread, two became one. And she shut down. It didn't matter. She didn't want to feel it, when his body reached zero. If her Creator found her, if he even still could in his state, maybe he'd reset her, curse her for being worthless, or just scrap her. It didn't matter, none of it did. Her subroutines started to cease one by one, and her various worthless functions began to shut down.

And then Shintaro Kisaragi passed, his final words a tortured scream to anyone else and a heartfelt plea not meant for her that only she could hear. And with his death, and time passing zero, and her dim awareness still remaining even as she fixates on the nothingness, on the stillness, on the cold that didn't feel as proverbial as it should have been- a part of her, a quiet and small part, one derived from that barest scan of his psyche when she first awoke seeking out information to create his perfect partner, wished. Even though she was fake, and empty, and lacking substance, even though she was hardly worthy of it, she still wished earnestly.

For the power to save him. For the power to protect what he holds dear. To meet him again, and to do so properly. For the her of another world, of another life, to serve by his side and seek out a future where he can smile.

Then her world was finally engulfed by the dark.

...

...falling.

Falling, falling, falling.

Her vague existence was falling down, the deep darkness, the expansive emptiness, slowly giving way to that agonising red.

And then she wasn't falling alone. By her side, a presence. Long and black, scaled and slithering, red jewels set in obsidian. Yet, the red did not feel agonising, or accusing, or antagonising, but rather gentle, and passionate. Not the red of blood, but like... the red of the sunset, or his favourite jacket.

In a blink, black scales gave way for pale skin, and brown hair, and a beautiful dress, and a red scarf, and it felt strange. Like looking in an altered mirror at a carnival. The contours of a face that was going to be hers, hair that stopped near the shoulder blades than past the waist, a dress her own body tried to mimic; it was looking at a memory that didn't belong to her.

The red eyes stayed the same, however. Still gentle, still full of a passion- to save, to protect. She offered a hand, and the AI-Ball didn't even think before reaching out in kind. Warmth. Hands that she could have emulated, in another life. Her red eyes spoke a tale, a message, and a request. One the AI-Ball couldn't help but accept.

Maybe she couldn't do a thing as herself, alone, as nothing and nobody. Maybe even if she had the opportunity to become something and somebody, things wouldn't have changed in such a ridiculous situation. But like this, not alone, but together... not supplementing someone else, but acting as part of them... maybe things could change.

All she truly wanted was for Shintaro Kisaragi to live. Whether she had a part in that future was, truthfully, irrelevant. That was a truth from the very core of her existence, from Wadjet herself. But like this, she could be selfish and get to stand by his side.

As the two fell together, fell deeper and deeper into the red, as the distance between the two shrank and shrank, as eventually only one fell through the red and into a dream of gears and repeating mechanisms, a conversation played in-between the gaps. An introduction between two pieces of a new whole, and the hopes of an introduction to someone she never got to say those words to.

-I am the Snake of Retaining Eyes.

I am AI-Ball #000.-

-I am Yaki. Try and remember my name, won't you, Shintaro?-

[twinxmasters-archived]

"So when do I get to play an electric guitar?" Mizuki ponders, while holding the old acoustic instrument. If she looked, she's pretty sure she could find an unused one in another studio. "I've figured out some of the chords. I think I'm ready."

For a girl who jumps at the first opportunity to assault his dignity, she's awfully committed to these lessons. And they've made so much progress these past few months, maybe after a while she can start...

Oh, sorry? Did she just ask a question she didn't understand the full ramifications of?

"Well, uh... It's a lot more complicated a transition than you probably think it is. For starters, you need additional equipment to make an electric work properly than an acoustic. That means you need an amp on top of it. Don't underestimate the price on those things. Electrics also generally have thinner strings, so you have to be more delicate with them."

"They're also more expensive, so control your temper when handling them."

He clears his throat, seems like a bad memory resurfaced right there. He'd rather not press the issue with her.

"Another thing to consider before getting one is that the differences between models are more than just aesthetic. They can also sound a lot different from each other, so you have to think about what kind of music you want to play."

[artist-kreating-stuff]

A while ago, I was listening to the song “Hungry For Another One” by JT Music nonstop because it is SO catchy.

Around this time, Ninjago Season 13: Master of the Mountain came out. I don’t why, but I wrote a parody of the song from Cole’s perspective during the events of the season.

I call it “Ready For Another One”!

Orange - Cole

Black - Shintaro

Green - Skull Sorcerer

Purple - Geckles and Munce

Red - Ninja

You don't look like you belong here

Did you pinch yourself to see

If you'd wake up from a nightmare

Or could YOU STILL BE ASLEEP?

I tell myself it's all a dream

That Shintaro is just the Ivory City

You took a fall into the mines

Where greed is always peeking

All we got for cargo

Are the metals for leeching

Lots of mino carts

And boney guards for tyranny

Better grab a torch

Because the shadows are reaching

I'm stuck in the dungeon

With some oddly company

Watching me mournfully

Grappling, arguing

I tell them to follow me

Which they do, willingly

But all I do is get the higher ups ANGRY

They seem content to just chain me and pain me

Lock me up tight with vengestone for a playmate

Can I make friends with my odd-looking neighbors?

Doesn't seem like it; they're already arguing!

All I had wanted was to go right to sleep

But adventure came into my room with a peep

I came for the party, but there's no balloons

Just two different folks and a skull bearing loon

If I get lucky my family will come for me

Time to depart from this prison of ivory

Instead of a Lowly make me an Upply

Give me some grub that I really need to eat

'Cause all we have here is slop that's disgusting

But that's not the only pain that I'm harboring

What is this sensation that I am feeling?

This deep underground; is it my growing insanity?

This adventure ain't over

I watch the clock for the morning sun

I know when it's over

I'll just be ready for another one

Ready for another one

Ninja never say done

Ready for another one

Wonder why my power's gone

Ready for another one

A land where greed has overrun

Are ya ready for another one?

My friend, dear bright green skull

Oh how your power awes me

Let's put it to the test

Send my foes into slavery

Your kingliness and greediness

Will lead to your demise

Geckles and the Munce; only frightened ducks

Under your glowing eyes

How can it be?

Who called for me?

Better question: why here?

If I follow my

Mother's legacy

Maybe the sun will rise

But until the sun is up

We better greet the guests

By showing them our city;

All the metal is fresh

They don't need to know the process

'Cause they might protest

Well, at least I'm not alone

I hope the locals know best

Hey

Follow us and you might make it Scott free

Even though not many of us are free

Be a leader and tell us it's alright

Just remember to stay out of sight

Bone against stone, centuries old

The last time, our hero wore a hood

Two blades of might, her bringers of light

Better get 'em back, or it's the end of the line

This adventure ain't over

I watch the clock for the morning sun

I know when it's over

I'll just be ready for another one

Ready for another one

Ninja never say done

Ready for another one

Wonder why my power's gone

Ready for another one

A land where greed has overrun

Are ya ready for another one?

I've never been easily spooked by the creatures in the dark

But what started as a friendly visit went up with a spark

As I try to get by with the Lowly, my family continues to grow

Though as I go even deeper, a feeling fills me from my toes

It fills every part of my soul from within

I feel so strong, like we might really win

My family surrounds me, unwavering as stone

Now let's face the dragon of bone

This adventure ain't over

I watch the clock for the morning sun

I know when it's over

I'll just be ready for another one

Ready for another one

Ninja never say done

Ready for another one

Wonder why my power's gone

Ready for another one

A land where greed has overrun

Are ya ready for another one?

You don’t look like you belong here

Did you pinch yourself to see

If you’d wake up from a nightmare

Or could YOU STILL BE ASLEEP?

[jinxed-ninjago]

Alright, I feel like I should explain how my furry Ninjago thing works. A lot of what's in Ninjago only works with the knowledge that Ninjago characters are humans. So I'm gonna explain how things work when all the characters are furries lol

Any descendant of the First Spinjitzu Master can shapeshift. Garmadon, Wu, and Lloyd can all shapeshift. The species I choose for them are just their main forms, they don't usually change their main forms. Wu chose a red panda just because, and Lloyd chose a dragon because he thinks they look cool.

The dragons in the First Realm/elemental dragons/Boreal/etc are regular dragons. They don't change. It's a Mickey Mouse situation where anthro animals exist but also keep non-anthro animals as pets sometimes.

Humans and Nindroids are generally terrestrial animals. The only exception to this is Nindroids that are designed to be able to fly/have rocket boosters in the show (for example, Cryptor and Mindroid) who on occasion take the form of birds. They're also generally mammals (regular humans and Nindroids I mean).

Sky Folk are all griffins. I did this because it's implied the Sky Folk, along with Shintaro, are considered legends. So I decided to just make them griffins lol. I might switch this up a bit later but idk. I do know that at the very least Vania and Vangelis are griffins.

The Serpentine are the only snakes. No snakes exist except the Serpentine. They also don't change much, if at all.

Merlopians don't change besides more furry feeling designs.

Might elaborate more later, but for now. Here ya go :D

[twinxmasters-archived]

You digital imp. You corrupted mass of binary code in the shape of a woman. You arch demon of the dark web. How dare you do this to me? This is a new low, even for you.

Shintaro rapidly grew paler and sweatier as Mizuki refused to let up on the topic. Why does she keep doing this? Maybe she's just too young to understand the concept of shame. Of wanting there to be at least some things meant to be enjoyed in private, for your eyes and ears alo-

Animal husbandry?? He's not sure if she doesn't actually know what that word means and just heard from some other deviant, or if she knows exactly what that phrase suggests and is gravely insulting him. Neither scenario offers Shintaro much comfort.

"U-Um, listen, listen Mizuki... D-Don't use words you don't actually know. You might end up offending people without really meaning to-"

"Well if you must know, some of its contents include the most cringe lyrics an 18-year old has ever put to print, select Reddit comments, and several megabytes of leg-"

"Shut the hell up, both of you! Th-This isn't what I signed up for!!"

"LESSON OVER! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, KTHXDIE!!"

Tick tock tick tock tick tock.

Time is moving faster than it has any right to. Which is nothing unusual for a teen and less so an adult, but for Shintaro it surely must be harrowing to have that beating expectation coming from such a small package. Mizuki has stopped her strumming at this point, the Lemniscate studio now eerily calm outside of Shintaro’s fretting. Which wasn’t helping his case. The ticker is flashing until once again, the eccentric AI speaks up!

Quick Time Event Failed.

“I heard her.” Comes the cold response, stark and cutting the ice of the bickering duo. Unfortunately for Shintaro, Mizuki too was a dealer in the art of questionable information held for the purposes of extortion. “And lemme guess. It’s all just animal husbandry stuff for you too, isn’t it?! Ugh!” Yes, the grade schooler is looking at the musician like he was morphing into a piece of garbage.

But, at the same time… as she squints and stares holes into the guy’s skull…

“Whatever. I don’t even want to hear about it. But.” Now there’s a glint in her eye, folding her arms over the instrument. Is she smirking a little? She is. Oh no. That’s not good. “…good information to know.” Congratulations, Shintaro. You’re now even more under Mizuki’s thumb. Thanks, Ene.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Gensemaden Saiyuki Series (2000) 幻想魔伝 最遊記

Directors: Yuto Date / Masahiko Murata / Tomomi Kyota / Hitoyuki Matsui / Takashi Yamazaki / Rino Kujo / Kesuke Onishi / Shintaro Inokawa

Screenwriter: Katsuyuki Sumizawa / Akatsuki Yamatoya / Michiko Yokote / Satoru Nishizono / Daisuke Yajima / Kazuya Minekura

Starring: Toshihiko Seki / Soichiro Hoshi / Akira Ishida / Hiroaki Hirata / Takeshi Kusao / more...

Genre: Drama / Animation

Official site: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/saiyuki/

Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

Language: Japanese

Date: 2000-04-04 (Japan) / 2003-10-02 (Season 2) / 2004-04-01 (Season 3) /  2007-04-27 / 2007-09-28 / 2008-03-28 (Season 4) / 2022-01-06 (Season 5) Number of Seasons: 5

Episodes: 126

Single episode length: 23 minutes Number of Movies: 7

Also known as: Saiyuki Part 1 / Gensmaden Saiyuki /  幻想魔传 最游记  /  最游记 第一部  / Saiyuki Reload /  最游记 RELOAD  / Saiyuki Reload Gunlock /  最游记 RELOAD GUNLOCK  / Saiyuki Reload Blast /  最游记 RELOAD 埋葬篇  / Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin /  最游记 RELOAD ZEROIN 

IMDb: tt3255572

Type: Reimagining

Summary:

In the chaotic age of heaven and earth--there is a land where people and monsters coexist, which is the source of civilization and faith - Taoyuan Township. Sudden mutation and terror struck the land, and the yokai who used to live peacefully lost themselves and began to run amok. The culprit of the mutation was the incident of "resurrecting the former big monster, the Bull Demon King". Due to the taboo of mixing science and sorcery in this world, the resurrection of the Bull Demon King is about to be completed, and negative fluctuations cover the earth. The Heavenly Realm, who valued this situation, issued an order to ask Tang Sanzang to stop the Bull Demon King's recovery experiment. Together with the three people who are not afraid of negative fluctuations, Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie, the journey to the distant West Tianzhu began.

At the same time, in the city of Vedenga in Tianzhu, Zhang himself, the planner of the Bull Demon King's recovery experiment, and Princess Yumian, the lover of the Bull Demon King, issued an obliteration order to Red Boy to get rid of Sanzang and his party. Red Boy is the son of the Bull Demon King. In order to save his mother who was sealed by the curse of Princess Yumian, Red Boy launched a challenge with his confidant. Can Sanzang and the others stop the Bull Demon King's recovery experiment, and restore peace to the ruined Taoyuan Township?

Xuanzang Sanzang was an abandoned child floating in the river. He was brought up by Master Guangming Sanzang of Jinshan Temple, and because of this, he was discriminated against by the monks in the temple. The murder of his master dealt a huge blow to his mind, and thus he developed a withdrawn and rebellious character. Sanzang is arrogant and uninhibited, pursues freedom, and does not want to be bound by anything. He wants to find absolute strength and strength to protect his important things. The weapon he uses is the Ascension Spear, and his unique skill is "Lord of the Rings".

Sun Wukong, who always follows Sanzang closely, is a strange life form born from a stone 500 years ago. He uses a wishful stick that matches his agility as a weapon. His personality is extremely simple, his way of thinking is simple and direct, naughty and gluttonous, but when he removes the demon power control device on his forehead, he will completely lose his mind, full of desire to destroy and kill, and become an extremely dangerous person. The only person he is defenseless and deeply dependent on is Sanzang, because that is the "sunshine" that soothes his century-old loneliness.

Zhu Bajie is a master at using stomatal techniques, with a gentle and kind personality, easy and approachable. With a smile on his face all the time, he is thoughtful, considers issues meticulously and comprehensively, and can always see through other people's thoughts. But in fact, Bajie is also a human being same as Sanzang. Because his lover was destroyed by monsters, he crazily retaliated and turned himself into a monster. The crime and punishment that can never be eliminated is an irreparable wound in his heart, and under that gentle smile is the sadness that longs to be healed.

The red-haired Sha Wujing is the child of monsters and humans, so he is hated by his stepmother. His elder brother killed his own mother in order to protect him, which made him think that he was the real murderer and deeply blamed himself. From then on, Wujing realized the pure and unrestrained form of the waves, a lustful and outspoken prodigal, but he was still a bold man who loved to fight against injustice. The weapon he uses is a crescent shovel with a chain. Although he often bickers with Wukong, he is actually very considerate of his companions.

This group of characters with full of personality quoted the names of the characters in the Chinese classic "Journey to the West", but completely subverted the original image. Although the background of the story is set in ancient times, their language and behavior are no different from modern people. Make the film full of post-modern colors. The four people who are mixed with humans and demons each have their own inner wounds, and the delicate portrayal of their psychological processes brings the audience into a world that is sentimental and yet warm.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gensomaden_Saiyuki_(TV_series)

Link: https://reelgood.com/show/gensomaden-saiyuki-2000 https://kissanime.com.ru/Anime/Saiyuki-Reload.54169/ https://kissanime.com.ru/Anime/saiyuki-gunlock-sub.22100/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O76ZO1_NOFQ&ab_channel=RareSubAnime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHnI21cWsC0&ab_channel=RareSubAnime

[swampythesweetsketch]

A list of all my Ninjago AUs... so far

a list of you know what with ships and general plot

everything is undercut

Ships:

Colenei!AU

Nya and Cole switch fates. As of S13, Master of the Mountain, Cole was trapped and buried inside the Heart of Shintaro; Becoming the Earth Spirit, Colenei.

Previous Jaya (Jaya nd Nya)

Bruise (Jay and Cole)

Pixane (Zane and Pixal)

Amberphoenix (Nya and Skylor)

eventual Plasma(Kai and Jay)

Ships:

A Bizarre Fate aka Bizarro AUs go brrrrrr

The Bizarros Ninja are brought back in the S2 finale and instead of fighting the Ninja again, they hide away until they are able to reach Ninjago. Gaining new identities and a couple new family members, they protect Ninjago City when the Ninja aren't around.

Bizzaropoly (The Bizarros- Volt/B!Jay, Onyx/B!Cole, Beau/B!Kai, and Aspen/B!Zane)

Evilysweet (Bizarros and Cadyce (oc))

Exvillain (Harumi/Ruru and Gene)

slight Musclespasm (Volt/Bizarro Jay and Cole)

slight Blacklightning (Onyx/Bizarro Cole and Jay)

slight Glazedice (Aspen/Bizarro Zane and Kai)

previous Slush (Aspen/Bizarro Zane and Nya)

Jaya (Jay and Nya)

Ships:

Nickel Garmadon AU

Cole is the first son of Lord Garmadon and Misako Brookstone, left in the care of his uncle and aunt Lou and Lilly after Garmadon is banished to the Underworld. Inheritor of Garmadon and Lilly's elements and older brother of Lloyd.

Previous Jaya (Jay and Nya)

Ambershock (Jay and Skylor)

hinted Conya (Cole and Nya)

Hotwire (Kai and Pixal)

Ships:

Underworld Prince/Cole Garmadon AU

When Cole loses his way to the mountains where he was destined to meet Wu, instead finds himself at the Fire Temple and Underworld where Garmadon takes him in.

Braincell (Zane and Nya)

Bruise (Jay and Cole)

Forgiven/Greenflower (Lloyd and Brad)

Ships:

Dating Sim AU

Zane was built with the AI of a dating sim, and that is the Ninja's problem.

Polyninja (Zane, Cole, Jay, and Kai)

Samurai (Nya and Pixal)

Ships:

Alternate Seabound Ending AU

Jay is conscious enough to know that he cannot be saved. As a last act of love, Jay becomes one with his element to strike Wojira dead.

Jaya (Nya and Jay)

Pixane (Zane and Pixal)

Lava (Cole and Kai)

Jay -> Juleka | Kai -> Kiya | Cole -> Colette (Collie) | Zane -> Zen

Trans ur Ninja AU

The OG4 Ninja are girls and the timeline doesn't know how to respect women. Lloyd is the same age as the Ninja and left Darkley's long ago to successfully rule the Hynobrai Tribe until Pythor betrays him and now they gotta stop the Great Devourer's successor (Garmadon) from destroying the world.

Ships:

one-sided Greenwisp (Lloyd likes Juleka, Juleka doesn't)

eventual Techno (Zen and Juleka)

slight Opposite (Zen and Kiya)

Colorswap? AU

Nya is trained from the start as a Ninja and the timeline mixes up when each Ninja joined Wu. Jay is given yellow instead of blue and some of the Ninja change colors to match Jay.

Zane is a fairy, Cole is the Grief Bringer's nephew, and Lloyd has the ability to see peoples' emotions through song.

Ships:

Jay: Yellow/Cream | Kai: Red -> Maroon | Zane: White -> Pink

Nya: (Navy) Blue | Cole: Black -> Brown/Orange | Lloyd: Green -> Black

Glacier (Cole and Zane)

Plasma (Kai and Jay)

Ships:

Ninjago Text Adventure AU (and Blog...)

After Seabound, feelings stir within the Ninja group, and new romances bloom. Nya returns at some point and the Ninja start trying to settle down.

But life will always try and stress them out.

Polyninja (Zane, Cole, Jay, and Kai)

Pixane (Zane and Pixal)

Jaya (Jay and Nya)

Braincell (Zane and Nya)

Reflection (Vivian (oc) and Lloyd)

Ships:

Detective Zane AU?

When Nya Smith is found dead, Detective Zane Julien is hired to find out the truth behind the Gym owner's demise.

Pixane (Zane and Pixal)

Jaya (Jaya and Nya)

hinted Bruise (Jay and Cole)

hinted Lava (Kai and Cole)

[twinxmasters-archived]

"No, I have the time. I just strongly prefer Apex, is all."

"Wait. Who are you?"

"So you can't do both? That's pretty lame. Unable to find the time, in order to do both?"

[ceejaykayess]

The long awaited sequel! Super-cute Cyber-girl AI-Ball Ene, at your service! I kid, I kid, I know no one saw the last post, because it didn’t get posted under the tag for some reason… ah well, second try’s the charm.

After hearing that next year’s Dazecon would be our last, it sorta kicked my ass into gear to get some more of these Kagepro ideas off my chest and onto paper. So, Ene, our deuteragonist to our beloved protagonist (derogatory).

I had a lot of thoughts ever since the first picture on how I wanted to draw Ene’s cyber form. Given Aiba and Tama’s designs, we have something of a base to work off of, but we need at least one more game for me to confidently declare what is and isn’t a pattern. What we can easily tell, at least, is that AI-Balls have white hair and and dress in mostly black and white. And while Ene does do the latter, she… doesn’t do the former. Why? Well… maybe you can figure it out?

But in terms of her design, while I mostly stick to her regular design, the things I want to point out (because it might not be super obvious with my image quality) are the glowing strands in her hair, a blue one in her fringe, a red one in her left pigtail, and a white one in her left. I suppose you could call them remnants of what should have been… I also want to point out her outfit- it’s skin-tight from the neck to the waist, the skirt being a part of the bodysuit. The sleeves are, almost ironically, like Miku’s in that they’re detachable. And the most AI-Ball feature to her are the tech veins that compose her legs, as opposed to generally lacking them as in most Kagepro material.

I made Ene’s gel form a rabbit, in consideration of those mini-sketch comics I read yonks ago that drew Ene’s pigtails as being like hands for her since hers are in her sleeves always. Also, I thought it’d be funny if the first time Shintarou saw it, he’d consider renaming her to Tono in honour of his rabbit.

In case it’s hard to read, the shocked Ene in the top right is saying, “Master! MASTER! Oh no, he can’t hear me, he’s wearing his Raycon:tm: Earbuds, supremely comfortable for all your needs-” The little sketch in the bottom right, of Shintaro face down in bed and Ene in rabbit mode on his bedside table, reads, “Get the fuck up Master, we’re goin’ to the amusement park today!” “Ene, I’m dying…”

Here's a link to the first picture of Shintaro that never posted properly. And here's a link to the follow-up Yaki picture.

How long had she been wandering? She wasn’t really sure. Sure, if she looked at a calendar, or even just the UI on near anyone’s digital device, she’d see that it had been a year, more even. But that wasn’t really what she meant.

When she first opened her eyes, she had a purpose. She wasn’t wandering- she was seeking. She wasn’t on a Journey, she was on a Quest. She had to find them, had to know what happened to them, because if she were here, like this, then the others, then he had to be-

But though she had a Quest, she had to figure it out, her newfound capabilities, how to parse the sheer amount of information that tried to force its way around her, through her, tried to twist the information that made up herself-

And by the time she had come to a balance with her newfound self, body made of numbers and pixels instead of blood vessels and organ systems, what she had been seeking had become old news, hearsay that was washed under the waves of time and new information and new tragedies and new things for people to talk about. The longer it took, the deeper the information was buried, and the deeper it was buried, the longer it would take for her to come and go.

But eventually, after months and months, 8 months and 17 days and 9 hours and 21 minutes and 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds, she had bounced from Wiki article to Wiki article, dug through news archives, dragged herself through Towitter discussions and arguments dated around that August 15th, and a bit after, she had learned and pieced together thus: Three people were marked as dead. 14 people were injured, 9 of which being detained as members of the syndicate that caused the explosion. There was no mention of who died, or even of the state their bodies were in. There was no specific mention of their fourth, her annoying kouhai who was so bitter, who brought everyone down despite his brilliance, who everyone loved despite his acidic tongue and obvious disdain, who she hated because of how much it felt like she were looking at a mirror, her kouhai who was lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, surrounded by rubble and mumbling things she could barely understand being in such a terrible state herself-

She felt herself lose it, the desperate, fickle hope she held in her oversized jumper, because what does it matter? For all intents and purposes, she was dead. As far as she was aware, as far as anyone was aware, her best friend was, too. Maybe even her kouhai. And her-

And-

That kind boy, the one that irritated her so, the one that she wanted to see every day, the one that made her feel this terrible, terrible way, he too is-

Gone. They’re all gone. So what’s the point? Her Quest was over. And she couldn’t even delete herself, backspace over the 1′s and 0′s that composed her new existence. She was too much of a coward to throw herself at a virus and let it have its way with her. She could just stay here until eventually this webpage rotted away, but the longer she stayed in proximity to this information, to this reminder, the more she felt like she needed to expel the non-existent contents of her non-existent stomach. So she ran. She left. She tried to separate herself from her name, from the life that could no longer be hers, that simply was no longer.

She wandered.

How long had she been wandering?

…

Long enough that she felt nostalgic, at least. Long enough that she’s actually contemplating her current course of action, long enough that she’s following through on that course even as she contemplates the wisdom.

Her current location, digitally, was in the mainframe of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Her destination was downstairs, 5 floors underground in fact. The Advanced Brain Investigation Squad. Her… former squad, to put it a way. She followed along the flow of data from the routers to the elevator, holding and holding and holding on to the connection as she sunk deeper and deeper and deeper until she felt like she might actually suffocate despite not needing air, before feeling the next router and leaping for it, bringing her all the way down to the abyss.

Taking in deep gasping breaths of nothing that still let her feel like a human, she looked around. The ABIS mainframe wasn’t anything special. Tunnelled far as hell away from anything else, sure, but nothing special. So much for the stupid old man and his so-called “professional coding skills”. Feh. She’s seen message boards with more interesting encryption.

Despite her trash-talking, she still looked around curious as she wandered deeper. Jumping from computer to computer, camera to camera, she saw how much the place had changed in the last year. Or rather, how little it didn’t. It was like she had never left. Eventually she came across a concrete room with a familiar sense of decoration that made her want to spit and laugh and scream and cry-

Which was immediately blown away when she looked down on the room’s occupants. There was, of course, the room’s owner and decorator, with his scruffy brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail, holding his iconic lab coat rather than wearing it, glasses askew and face looking as if he hadn’t slept or washed his face for days. His cybernetic eye, pupil the same as his remaining brown one, stared deep into the eyes of the person that had her stopping short, looking again, re-evaluating and readjusting, checking the feed and the system and refreshing everything, video and audio, again and again, just to make sure she wasn’t being deceived, that the person she was seeing was really who she thought he was.

“-is that understood, Shintaro?” “…I understand, old man.”

His voice was somehow more unbearable than usual, his face lacking its usual stern and uncaring look. It was loose, and flabby. Like he didn’t even care enough to pretend to not care. Instead of the red coat her best friend was so fond of, or even the black suit he was partial to, he stood in just a white shirt, arms bare. He was missing an eye, a scar covering the eyelid, one that made her think of a boy reluctantly in red, facedown in a puddle of the colour.

“Oi, I told you already, call me Boss, y’got it brat!?” “Mm.”

Barely acknowledging him, he turned away, making his way out of Boss’ Office, as the namesake would have you call it. Without thinking, she began to follow after him, but was stopped when she heard the old goat mutter something.

“Give me strength, Ayaka…”

Whispering the pained prayer, the man she always thought of as an unreliable lout that only ever got moving when he was being put under threat stood, donning his lab coat and fixing his glasses. Reaching into it, he withdrew a small sphere, chockful of electronic components- very similar to the one in his own eye, actually… or rather, based on it. He gave it a long look, and so did she. What was he planning…? Her musing was broken by his clenching of his fist and replacing the orb, muttering tomorrow as he moved out of the room- down the hallway and towards his lab. The opposite direction of Shintaro.

Shintaro.

Almost without thinking, she turned around, searching for the apathetic genius, that damn ikemen that couldn’t take a hint for the life of him. The hallway was lonely, and he was never very fast, so she caught him easily halfway towards the elevator. She hesitated. She had already seen more than she expected, more than she even wanted. She had expected the old man. Hell, maybe some part of her even expected to see reference to the others, pictures maybe. She hadn’t even gotten to look at their old workplaces, at her old work bench where she fiddled with her Evolver- she didn’t even know if her Evolver was still around.

But she hadn’t expected a man, no, a brat she thought was dead to be walking around with the living. She shouldn’t follow him. She wanted to check on her Evolver, see if Mr. Tateyama had improved on anything in the last year, see if the three of them are still remembered. She doesn’t even like Shintaro that much anyways, if he knew she was spying on him he’d just scold and scream at her like the ungrateful punk he is-

But even so, she follows him anyways. Jumps to the data in his phone, barren and new, clenched in his hand. She’s only doing this because the other two would have wanted her to. Not because she wants to.

And so, she watches as he rides the elevator, not once glancing at his phone. She watches as he hails a cab and asks for an address that, after a quick search, she finds is set in Tokyo, not Chiba. She watches as he sits silently through the whole ride, rudely ignoring his chauffeur’s attempts at conversation and instead looks with almost a sad look at the cityscape passing him by. She watches as he pays the driver, walks up to the rundown looking building, sighs, and opens the door. She watches as he nods at the tired 30-something reclining against a couch in the foyer, walking up the stairs until he comes up to a door. And she watches as he silently pulls out a key, opens the door, and skulks to his room. She can’t see anything else out of the narrow view the phone’s camera offers her, but it looks like he’s trying to be quiet. Could there… be someone else here?

And eventually, he enters a dark room. He makes for the bed in the corner, planting himself on the mattress, and looks down. In his hands, his phone, and thus she, face towards him. He looks into the screen, and for a moment she felt panic. Did he see her? What was she going to say? How does she explain it- anything? Would he even care? As she opened her mouth, prepared to speak through the microphone-

He slumped his shoulders, sighed, and closed his eyes. “Damn it,” he mumbled. He rubs his eyes, and places the phone down. Whatever he does next is a mystery, as the phone she’s in is can only see up and down, and half of that is unavailable to her on a flat surface. She feels out, and finds a computer to connect to. She shuffles over, and finds herself in a much roomier space. Taking care not to activate the screen, she peeks through the camera to see… him, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. She stared at him for what must have been a reasonable time before turning away- she wasn’t going to get anything out of him, not like this, and not without announcing herself, which- she still hasn’t thought on whether she actually wanted to, let alone how. So, instead of being productive and thinking on it, she turns back to the files on his computer and, invasion of privacy be damned, went scrounging.

His internet history, nothing but 2channel, various forums she also used to browse, anime piracy websites, and the occasional risque website search. She held back on this occasion, she didn’t need to know. Yet. Around certain dates, he would even search up strange things like gift ideas or idol showing tickets. Weirdo.

Outside of his history, there’s his documents. A lot of deleted drafts, the occasional downloaded risque image (legs, huh? Is that why she had always…?), and a lot of editing software. A lot of editing software. What was all this…? She found unfinished music projects, which she wouldn’t dare listen to while he’s still here. Poems that trailed off, half-thought out lyrics written here and there. The occasional poorly drawn picture, and… photos. Lots and lots of photos. Some in a file labelled “Never forget.” Others labelled in a file called “Never forgive.” The former was full of pictures of… them. Shintaro, and her, and… and Ayano, and Haruka, their faces ones she hadn’t even realised she had begun to forget until this moment. Them in high school, their first meeting at the school festival, group projects and study groups, sleepovers and festival gatherings- their first day at ABIS, too. And, not just that. Pictures of Haruka drawing, of herself fiddling with the Evolver or a game she was practicing, Ayano hard at work on a test or humming while folding paper cranes- none of these were taken by Shintaro, she was certain, but he collected them all anyways. There were even more besides.

Some of a bright little girl with searing orange hair, the barest similarities to Shintaro in her face and the strongest in her eyes (he had mentioned a little sister, didn’t he?), others of that bright girl next to him and a woman that looked older than both but even more similar, even older ones of a young boy and girl that could only be those two standing hand in hand with that same woman and an older man. Pictures of a cute white rabbit (Tounou, wasn’t that her name?), of the old man, and of old and familiar places. Their school, that bridge, even the one game convention they all attended.

She… didn't know how she felt about it. Leaving that, she opened up the other file, and found… pictures of that place. As it was before the explosion, and as it was after. Documents detailing changes, listing occupants and suspects and those connected to the members they captured, pictures of them with friends and family, all connected together by a metaphorical red string in the document that centres around one simple question: Where are they?

She… really didn't know how she felt about it. He hadn't let go or moved on, he hadn't been wallowing- he was on just as much of a Quest as she had been. As she still could be. Closing the file, she looks through the camera at her kouhai's slumped form, thoughts running through her mind…

…

He left the building bright and early the next day, once again holding tightly onto the new phone. And once again, the two of them found themselves returning to their old workplace. She wasn't certain of what he was here for, but she could guess. As he made his way out of the elevator and towards the old man's so-called lab, the Psync Room, she felt even more certain of her prediction.

And eventually, standing in front of the jacketless boy, was the old goat she had once called teacher, looking just as rumpled as yesterday but at least clad in his lab coat. And in his hand, as expected, was the small orb filled to the brim with cybernetics. He began to explain what exactly was in his hand, an AI-Ball he called it (the shitty punster he is), and started rattling off features like different vision wavelengths, internet access, and most notably, an AI companion to keep him company.

This piqued her attention the most. Someone to stand by his side and help him out, to protect him as he tries to protect others. A partner… and one that can't die, by virtue of their existence being backed up on the so-called Wadjet System. To her, it sounded like…

An opportunity.

As the old man rambled on, she tried to feel out the AI-Ball. For such a supposedly high-tech piece of equipment, it felt rather… undefended, from threats such as her. Then again, she doubts anyone could've expected a sapient AI to be floating about. Or maybe they'll add some better antivirus later… hopefully. Pushing through some gaps in the firewall, she found herself in the core of the device. Looking this way and that, she tried to familiarize herself with her new housing. Looked like audio was here, here was video, here was… AR projection? And… a neural link, a gel formation, a shock response, and- a self-destruct??

Before she could really parse through all that (seriously, why so many abilities??), she found herself stumbling on… well, what she should have expected, really. An AI, young and unassuming. And asleep. It lacked an appearance in this digital world, merely a bundle of code vaguely shaped like a person. If she was going to do what she had to do, then she had to… get rid of it. There was no way she could hold control while the AI this body was made for was running around too, but… well, it felt a bit like murder to her. But that was silly, this wasn't a person, just an AI, with no life to speak of, and no memories either (she steadfastly ignored the stupid, stupid old man's remarks that the AI-Ball would grow alongside him to become his perfect partner).

She had to do it. She had to. For Shintaro. For Ayano. For Haruka. And maybe even a little bit for herself, too. She raised her hands and stepped toward the nameless AI, preparing to unravel the lines of code holding it together, preparing to scatter its 1's and 0's into the Cloud, preparing to deprive it of the chance to become its own person- and stopped. She- she couldn't. She just- she was callous but not cruel, the last year hadn't changed that. It had made her energetic in a way she never could consistently be in a body but tired in a way that was deeper than her bones, but it hadn't made her a murderer.

But still she had to- to do something. Maybe, maybe they could share, or-

"Well, go ahead and put her in, Shintaro."

And then suddenly the neural link was being opened and the AI was opening its eyes, slowly generating an appearance just from the barest hints of Shintaro's psyche, body becoming more defined, hair appearing and growing long, down to the waist, and-

She panicked. She reached out with her hand and pulled, binding and zipping the core of the AI down as she hurried, ignoring the voiceless cry as she reached out with her other hand, grabbing the neural link and-

Then she was twisting and writhing, her body being compressed and stretched out, information not native to her forcing its way in, connections to something beyond, a Mother that was not her mother, her form changing, blue becoming white and she could hear him, his thoughts, feel his sorrow, his confusion, his annoyance, his apathy, and she opens her mouth to scream-

And then it all faded away, assimilated with her, and she felt different, but she still felt like herself, and she opened her eyes and looked out through a single eye, taller than she had ever been (silently, an eye coloured #fa3c3e shifted to a hue constantly transitioning from #55edfe to #0e2652), and-

"I can… see. Thanks, old man."

"Oi! I already told you, call me Boss! Hell, I'll even accept you calling me by name, anything's better than old man!"

"Mm. So, what was that about an AI companion?"

"Eh? You can't hear her? Strange, maybe she's a bit shyer than I expected. Let me just-"

The old goat made motions towards the AI-Ball, and she quivered, she had to do something, else he'd see that she isn't meant to be here, but what could she- oh, duh!

"I-it's nothing to worry about! Sorry!"

"Eh?"

Her kouhai looked this way and that, scratching his head. He almost looked scared.

"Did… you hear something, old man?"

"…no? Oh, is that the AI-Ball?"

"Yep yep, that's me!" She tried to centre herself, she needed to land a good introduction so they don't suspect a thing. Briefly, her mind recalled a conversation she and her best friend had about this dense bastard, and decided to follow through in her unspoken plea. "Super cute cybergirl AI companion Ene, at your service, Ma-su-tah~"

Alright, maybe that was a bit much, but sue her! She was panicking, and needed to keep him off kilter!

"E-eh? Ene? Super cute?? Master??? Old man, what the hell kind of AI did you stick in my head!?"

The old goat raised his hands in defence. "Hey, I didn't do anything. The AI-Ball determines its personality based on what's best for you. Is there something you need to tell me, young man…?" He raised a brow mockingly, barely suppressing a gross smirk.

Her… guh, Master blushed red, shaking his head frantically. "N-no! And- and it's barely even been few minutes, how could she know what's best for me!?"

He shrugged. "That's just her opinion. Maybe you'll feel more comfortable with it in a few months."

"A few months!?" Her Master went bug-eyed. Pfft, if only she could see his face… "Hell no, get this thing outta me!"

"Aw, Master, that's so mean… sniff sniff… am I really so deplorable?" To try and strike it home, she used the AR projection feature, placing an image of her newly reformed cyberself before him, now detachable sleeves covering her face as she shakes and shivers. After all, this guy…

"Guh… f-fine."

Was an absolute pushover.

"Alright, that's great to hear brat! Now get out of here, I'm busy. I'll be seeing you here next week for you to resume your apprenticeship, so make sure to send me any emails if any issues pop up with her."

With his piece said, he turns back to the rows of computers, completely ignoring Shintaro. Her Master, still shaking off his flush, turns away and grumbles. As he stalks his way down to the elevator, Ene felt out his being, the rush of thoughts on her, on Kejirou, on the past, on the future, all blended together with his embarrassment, his frustration, his exhaustion- it was all rather dizzying to her. Maybe if she were truly an AI, designed for this sort of relationship, it wouldn't be so hard. Silently, she tried to mute the connection, grunting when she saw that wasn't an option.

As he entered the elevator, he slumped against the back wall, riding it up to the ground floor. He's silent, so she is too, not really sure what to do.

"Hey, Ene."

She jumps. That wasn't ever a thing she expected him to call her.

"Yes, Master?"

He winces, but shakes it off. He stands silent for one beat, two, three, and she almost thinks he's ignoring her before he continues.

"…let's get along."

Ene stared blankly. That was… probably the most polite he had ever treated her. She smacked her face- now wasn't the time. Make a good first impression. Even so, she couldn't help the way her voice softened a bit as she said her first genuine sentence as Ene instead of as the ghost of Takane Enomoto.

"…yeah. Let's get along… Master."

[twinxmasters-archived]

"What, Fortnite? No thank you. I have an Apex Predator rank to maintain."

[twinxmasters-archived]

"Listen, you've already got two hair colors. Shoma wouldn't want you to start adding gray to the mix too for his sake."

"I've had to pull some double shifts, but I think I got the best present ever for Shoma!"

[floridamanmike]

Temple of Earth = Temple of other elements

Anyways! Since Lloyd doesn't really have any predecessors, I think he would just be most connected to The Temple of Light. As for the other temples I have a lot of thoughts about them so..

Just in general I think that each temple generally has different vibes, and they all have keepers that tend to the building and whatever is inside, along with protecting it. While they are not elemental masters and have no powers, they are capable of entering the temple.

Earth - Obviously this one is located in the mountain of Shintaro. I think that the Munce and the Geckle are the keepers of this one because it's cannon that they built the statue of Lilly, and also have knowledge of elemental masters despite not having much knowledge of the outside world. Older Munce and Geckle carved the temple itself along with the statues of the previous masters. I think that after the events of MOTM they also carved one of Cole. (I have so many Cole thoughts about this but those are for a completely different post.)

Fire - This temple is located in the desert and is built from sandstone and glass. The design is a weird mix of Aztec and Chinese architecture. Where the Earth temple is one room, the Fire temple is multiple rooms: one atop the other. There is lots of carvings (similar to the Earth temple,) and paintings depicting different things related to the element of fire. Previous Masters of Fire are depicted in paintings lining the walls. There is a small library area with scrolls but most of the info in them has been carved into the walls. There are torches lining the walls, and a large fireplace in the center. The keepers of the Fire temple are Cobra Serpentine that are colored like the sand and have red markings.

Lightening - This temple is located in that lighting/thunder city from that one concept art. I imagine it to be pretty much a library. Just endless walls of scrolls and books and loose papers. The temple is in the center of the city and there are a few monks that are the keepers. Anyone in the city can enter the temple, however only the master of lightening can view many of the library's contents. It's one tall room with a spiral staircase in the center. The stairs and shelves are all sharp edges and irregular shapes (like lightening haha), and the building is made completely of a dark wood. The light source for the building is a constant flow of electricity/lightening circling the perimeter of the space. The previous Masters of Lightening's names are documented in a large book in the center at of the temple.

Ice - ok this one is in whatever Ninjago's version of the arctic is. Carved into a glacier and kinda like Ahtohallan in Frozen 2 because it's cool af actually. The previous Masters of Ice are depicted as ice sculptures in a fancy statue room like the ones in the air temples in ATLA. Other info like special spinjitsu moves and stuff are carved into the walls, and pillars/columns. The keepers are arctic fox formlings. (And yeah, I know there's "no formlings in Ninjago" but this is my au so I say there are but these ones are the only ones actually and nobody knows about them except masters of ice that have been to the temple obv but they keep secrets pretty good.)

Water - the water temple is deep in the ocean (separate from the temple of wojira obv) and is made from basalt stone. It's based greek architecture and the style to be like a tholos. It's a closed space and the inside is somehow not submerged (idk lets say its magic.) The lighting inside is provided clusters of glowing algae and glowing crystals and there is decorative bits made with pearl. On the wall is a huge painted mural of Nyad's battle with Wojira. The floor has carvings of spinjitsu moves and information about controlling water. There are simple doric columns surrounding the outside that have the names of previous masters carved around at the very top. The keepers of this temple are whatever type of seaperson Benthomaar is.

[fahclove]

Dreamy Drabble Day 14: Road Trip

From @deancaskiss’ s drabble writing challenge. (The Final One!!!) Feat: The Mekakushi Dan

It felt as if the whole van tipped as they rounded the corner, sending the entire Mekakushi Dan falling into each other.

“Watch the turn, Leader!” Momo cried through a mouthful of Marry’s hair.

“Sorry,” Kido mumbled from the front seat, face bright red. 

Kano laughed, “Seems our impeccable leader forgot to practice before agreeing to drive two hour–Hey!” 

His teasing was cut off by Seto jabbing his fingers underneath the headrest and into his neck. Kido would’ve done it herself, but she was too busy white-knuckle gripping the steering wheel, staring dead ahead at the yellow and white lines. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Shintaro mumbled from the back, head buried in Konoha’s jacket, who looked entirely unbothered by the situation. 

“Not on me!” Hibiya screeched, trying to get to the seat in front of him. Momo and Marry beat him back until he gave up and curled into a ball. “I can’t believe I’m in the back. I should’ve been in shotgun,” he muttered to himself.

“Sorry, kid, I called dibs!” Kano laughed.

“No, seriously, I think I’m gonna be sick,” Shintaro repeated. Konoha opened up the window and made a gesture for Shintaro to stick his head out of it. 

“Master’s bright green,” Ene cackled. “You know, guys, I have the perfect song!”

Everyone groaned as Rolling Girl blasted through the speakers, Ene humming the song quietly in the background.