#(I feel like this is one of many apologies I must make to one Tsubasa Saiba)

[more-than-a-princess]

Sonia nodded, her mind translating from Japanese to French to...Tsubasa-isms as they walked. She rather found her new friend to be much like Gundham, though instead of dark and intimidating (unless one got him talking about animals), Tsubasa spoke was if they were some sort of machine...they. That also brought up another point. She cast a quick glance at her new friend: Tsubasa didn't seem to be a boy, but Tsubasa didn't quite resemble or act like many of the girls at Hope's Peak, either. A wary smile crossed her face: she couldn't very well ask Tsubasa, on the street no less, what the proper pronouns were. And she'd hate to get it wrong.

If only there were a delicate way to do it face-to-face. At home, it was not only very clear but she had her secretary and a team of assistants to brief her before and during every event: files after files of relevant information, pronouns included, so she could make all the polite conversation she needed without causing offense or shame. Sonia half-wished Cecily had remained permanently in Japan, somewhere off-campus but nearby, to help her navigate her daily life. But if her secretary had stayed, she wouldn't have gotten away with nearly as much as she did.

A worthy trade-off, Sonia thought, trying to look as carefree and cheerful as she could in Tsubasa's company. She doubted her family would have approved of a friend like Tsubasa to begin with, considering the risky talent Tsubasa engaged in.

Goodness, there had been nothing in her etiquette lessons as a child regarding pronoun inquiries. "You're welcome,", She replied. At least she could be direct regarding nicknames, and what she didn't tolerate. "Though I'm sure you'll come up with something wonderful! But I must ask: I think I've followed your story so far, but what exactly is a fire wall? It seems awfully exciting: a giant panel made of flames! But rather dangerous for your house."

Honestly, Sonia had two questions: what was a fire wall and why did Tsubasa feel compelled to make faces at the camera. It had never crossed Sonia's mind to do such a thing: every piece of recorded material would find itself used in some way or other. An unflattering story, a documentary, a retrospective at a family birthday event. Maintaining appearances was as important as maintaining control for her family, from cleanliness to beauty to the very cut, color, and fabric of clothes she wore. All she could do, at first, was simply shrug at Tsubasa's assessment of her style.

"I'm not really sure what style I have, except for the fact I'm not permitted to choose one," She replied carefully. It was a fine line, between appearing sad and explaining how life simply was. "Everyone in my family must adhere to codes of conduct, including requirements for dress and appearance. Stylists bring forth outfits and my mother gives or denies approval, and then they are added to my closets. I just rewear them when I am not participating in official events, though my family decides upon my casual attire as well. Sleepwear, swimwear, nearly all of it really." It wasn't appropriate to say aloud, but one of the few freedoms she had in her clothes were her undergarments and the occasional t-shirt with some sort of hobby-related graphic on it. Anything most people would never see: those she could select for herself.

Her smile brightened at the words 'Victorian gothic,' though. "Oh, I've always wanted to be in a gothic romance novel!" She exclaimed as they entered the Main Course building. "The idea of being in a billowing ballgown or nightgown, running through a haunted castle in search of escape or your lover...well, a haunted castle you don't already call home, anyway." There was a distinction: Sonia already lived in a haunted castle of her own, but she was a princess with official duties there. Novels were different: heroines arrived at the haunted manor by chance, or due to an accident, and then were trapped there until they could find a way out, often finding love and heartbreak in the process. Far more exciting than a throne room and formal balls, in her opinion. "But for a jacket...would a blazer be appropriate? Or perhaps an old peacoat? I think my parents would have issues if I altered a Burberry raincoat or one of my winter coats: they are customized entirely to my size."

Ah, they'd hurt her feelings. Tsubasa would do their best not to be too hard on themselves about it - they hadn't known, after all - but it still wasn't a position they wanted to be in. Still, better to have asked and gotten the rejecting of it up front. It worked out better for everyone for people to speak up about that kind of thing. The worst thing, from Tsubasa's perspective, was when someone was bothered by something but didn't want to cause a problem by saying anything, only to lose their cool much later. That sucked for everyone involved - the upset person who'd reached their breaking point, and the other person who'd feel like a jerk for having unwittingly bothered them for so long.

"Consider the request denied, then," Tsubasa said in an easy tone, as if it wasn't a big deal at all. "Dumped to the recycling bin, and then pushed out to the endless digital void further, just sustenance to be picked apart by the lingering spirits of ghosts in the machine." As a personal thing, Tsubasa tried to cultivate a reputation as someone who could handle the secrets or private thoughts of others. With everything they were, it was hypocritical not to take the feelings of others into account, and the last thing they wanted was for Sonia to feel awkward or upset.

"For the record, I appreciate you letting me know, Sonia-san," they added, hoping to dispel any lingering discomfort with a smile and a gentle voice. "Thanks for trusting me with your boundaries. Very cool of you." They'd try to offer her the same openness and vulnerability, but... They had a cool image to protect, so that didn't always make it easy. "I can't promise I'll come up with anything as cool as Madonna of Darkness, but I'll think of something, alright?"

Once they'd both finished their drinks, and Sonia seemed primed to move along, Tsubasa dropped their board to the ground and seamlessly returned to skating alongside her. Easy as breathing. "Conceal all your innermost thoughts that your gaze reveals, huh?" Right on the money, they thought. "Got in one, Sonia-san. The mysterious appeal and general hipness is a big part of my brand." They switched their stance a few times, giving the impression of almost dancing on the longboard before they settled into a comfortable position.

"But you know, it's all perspective." Sure, some people, like themselves, were simply naturally cool, but for most other people, it was just about what other people liked. "I think you're pretty cool yourself, Sonia-san. That kind of passion and knowledge about your hobbies?" They shrugged. "There's not a lot cooler than someone being hella into something." Besides, as they nodded along with Sonia's continued gushing about her friends, there was another point to be made. Cool people liked cool people, and it sounded like Sonia had lots of such people in her orbit. Tsubasa very much included.

As they passed through the front gates, Tsubasa mugged for the cameras, sticking their tongue out with their piercing visible before looking back to Sonia. "Yeah, well, I know what that's like, too. My..." They puffed out their cheeks and then shook their head, hopping off their skateboard and kicking it up into their hand as they neared the greens. "When I was built, one of my original system admins had a lot of plans for a perfect little girl, even when it was obvious that they didn't fit my directives. Sewing is the only program she installed that didn't get blocked and quarantined by the firewall eventually."

Maybe because, even though it was something she'd given them, it was something they could use to express themselves? Eh, or maybe not. Their circuitry was complex, but Tsubasa didn't consider their inner world to be so. They were a simple, uncomplicated person, and they liked it that way. "Huh, what would I suggest for you..." Tsubasa laughed lightly, rubbing at the back of their neck as they considered if she'd take their answer as too cheesy. "Well, I'd say whatever style you like best is the style for you, whether that's what you're wearing now or something else. The classy femme style suits you well, if you like it."

They clicked their tongue with another shrug, zipping open their bag and putting their board in as they walked. "But for something different? A Victorian gothic look would be striking, but not wildly out there, for you. A palette swap, basically. You'd probably look good in most things, though." She had a good figure, and a personal brightness. That counted for almost everything. "I bet a semi-casual punk look would look great, too. Give me a jacket you don't mind me cutting up or messing with, and a vibe you want, and I'll make you something cool as hell."

[everythingsinred]

Hi hii!! I hope you're having a nice day 💜💜

Ok I'm gonna be really mean with the 50 questions ask-

Whichever ones you want, with Ruka, Natsume, or Mikan

(i find it mean bc i am tragically indecisive)

i am doing great!

(i think that u sent this again, adding mikan... so i'll answer this one instead of the other one, if that's okay)

ur ask is so tempting so i will do as many as i can for all three, thank u <3

Ruka-pyon <3

1. Canon I outright reject? he would NEVER leave natsume not EVER. i know tsubasa had to basically drag him out of there but i hate that he left i HATE it

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on? i don't think he would ever date mikan after natsume's hypothetical death. i don't think either of them would be able to.

3. Obscure headcanon? his favorite disney movie is fox and the hound.

4. Favorite line? "Meeting you, and coming with you here to the Academy... I never even once regretted it." (chapter 146)

5. Best personality trait? his loyalty. he's very sweet and i love that, but his loyalty is what moves mountains, what fights wars, what transcends the rules of time and space.

6. Worst personality trait? i must have mentioned this at some point but he's perfect. but really i think he shouldn't feel like such a burden when he brings so much to the table.

7. Age/height/weight headcanon? i don't need a headcanon when i have character profiles! 140 cm/4'6 and 35 kg/77 lbs at his debut, 173 cm/5'8 and 66 kg/145 lbs in the last chapter. also i believe he's the youngest of the main four? he turns 11 in march, after natsume, mikan, and hotaru have all had their 11th birthdays.

8. Unpopular opinion about them? i've already said i only like his relationship with mikan platonically, so i'll say something else.

9. Scene that first made me love (or hate) the character? "bird meets tori!" where we see him using his alice with piyo. though it's been so long since i first met him that i really can't remember ever NOT loving him.

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)? my favorite ruka moment is when he's waiting for natsume in the backseat of the car to go to the academy with him. makes me cry every single time.

12. Crack headcanon? i like thinking of him growing little flowers on his windowsill in his dorm and that he very much likes baking... again "crack" i use loosely.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done? this...?? maybe? i dont think he does many dumb things...

14. Most heroic moment? i just think there's so much strength in ruka's actions in the new year's arc, even if he feels like such a burden the whole time. though i also think this one is very brave.

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done? very tough to say because he's a well-meaning child! i don't like to be negative abt the kids. that being said, this might be natsume AND ruka's worst moment lol. ruka was complicit in that.

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them? zoe and i do have a ruka playlist, but it's private right now because it's unpolished. that being said, here are some songs from the playlist.

18. What they’d go to see a therapist about? his self-esteem issues, namely his feelings of being a burden and his apparent social anxiety that stems from a lonely, isolated childhood.

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)? lemonade!

22. Best physical feature? his pretty blue eyes! he's so beautiful!

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like? YOU ASKED THE RIGHT PERSON. i imagine he would be a lovely, simple floral scent, as well as something a little sweet and refined.

24. Most annoying habit? he's done nothing annoying??? tho for real i think people might get annoyed by his natsume-apologism (especially in story lol)

27. Their guilty pleasure? i think he'd probably like musicals but get very embarrassed abt it. tho i might just be projecting winston bishop on him based off his one musical performance as snow white that he obviously didnt even want to do.

31. If they had a tumblr what would it look like? VERY aesthetic, sweet, with lots of photography, poetry quotes, and pictures of animals.

32. Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh? when he finally lets himself poke fun at natsume and mikan! they make him laugh a lot, when he puts his walls down <3

33. Something guaranteed to make them cry? when he thinks too hard about his family, because of how much he misses them.

35. Their idea of a perfect day? spending time with his friends and snuggling with an animal... i think he'd be content with simple pleasures.

36. Their favorite season? i associate him with spring! with flowers and baby animals and gentle weather. i think he'd like it too, for lots of the same reasons.

37. What they really think about themselves? he thinks of himself as a burden, obstacle, impediment, that he holds the one person he loves most back when all he wants is to help. as a result, he withdraws and hides himself away bc he doesn't think he's capable of contributing much anyway.

38. Favorite holiday? maybe easter? i'm not familiar with japanese holidays so i cant say for sure but the easter aesthetic suits him.

39. Favorite game? card games!!!

40. Favorite book? i have a predominantly western understanding of literature because i have a degree in english literature, so forgive me. i think he'd like romantic poets, like whitman, wordsworth, byron, and dickinson. he'd like romanticism for it's emphasis on the natural world and on emotion and justice. i think he'd like classic children's books too, like peter pan or alice in wonderland.

41. If they could have lunch with anyone in the world (living or dead, from any fictional universe or the real world), who would it be? he'd wanna eat lunch with his parents because he misses them <3

42. 3 comfort items? i had a long and nice answer for this but tumblr ate it (which pisses me off so much u have no idea) so i dont remember what i'd said. the earbud transmitters hotaru left him, but i cant remember the other two. ill reblog again if i remember.

43. 3 favorite foods and 3 they despise? i think ruka would like bread and pastries, lots of desserts. i dont have much of an inkling what he wouldn't like except that i believe he's a vegetarian so he wouldn't eat meat. i just dont understand how he could have such connection and empathy for animals, genuinely love them as friends, and have the animal pheromone alice on top of that, and eat them. i dont think he'd judge anybody for eating meat, but he wouldn't be able to himself.

44. Their happiest memory? meeting natsume <3

46. The person they most admire? natsume, mikan, and his mom. people whose strength he admires and maybe covets.

47. Their dream job? he wants to be a vet!!!!

48. Scariest moment of their life? poor ruka has gone through a lot of scary moments but i think he's managed to be brave each time anyway, which is very admirable. i keep saying natsume for all his answers, but i think natsume's death would be the scariest moment because he genuinely couldn't do anything to stop it. i think not only was it the moment he lost his best friend, but also a moment that made him feel like he really couldn't be of any help or support to natsume after all, that he really was a burden.

49. Favorite toy as a child? rich boy ruu-chan had a lot of toys and while i'm tempted to think he'd like stuffed animals, at the end of the day i think he'd be way more interested in playing with real animals. i think they made him feel accepted and understood and less alone.

50. A memory they’ve blocked out? i think the memories of the time between natsume dying and coming back would be a bit blurry. he wouldnt have been holding on tight to that period of time, to put it lightly.

Natsume <3

1. Canon I outright reject? I will never accept him dying young. sorry higuchi but i just cant listen to you.

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on? natsume LOVES chocolate and sweets. why do so many people insist on him hating sweets just because he's "cool" i dont get it???

3. Obscure headcanon? he listens to rap and rap rock. im sorry i just. cant imagine he wouldn't love rap. whatever.

4. Favorite line? i love when one of the kids asks him to tutor him when the whole class is in study mode, saying, "i thought if i went in with a 'do or die' attitude then maybe..." and natsume replies, "then die." (i know it's hard to see but it's at the bottom, where ruka's face is.) ALSO on a more serious note, "can you wait for me?" because it KILLS me.

5. Best personality trait? how sweet he can be!!!! no but seriously natsume acts cool but he's the most hopeless romantic of the bunch and i live by that.

6. Worst personality trait? martyr complex.

7. Age/height/weight headcanon? who needs headcanon when we have canon!! natsume is ten (a couple months away from eleven) when he's introduced and the second youngest (only older than ruka) in the main four (the boys being younger than the girls is so cute). he's sixteen at the epilogue and in kageki <3. he's 140 cm/4'6 and 34.5 kg/76 lbs when we meet him, and 175 cm/5'9 and 72 kg/159 lbs at the epilogue.

8. Unpopular opinion about them? i think the popular opinion is that natsume is a baby boy who deserves peace and love after a childhood of rage and agony but if you disagree, i'll throw u off a cliff myself.

9. Scene that first made me love (or hate) the character? im gonna be real with u. he was my fav from the start. i never ever had negative feelings towards him ever from the beginning. is that weird? idk. i dont really care. i saw him with his mask and was determined to watch the whole anime just bc he was in it.

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)? it's really hard for me to answer this but i think my favorite natsume moment is when he finally rebels against the ESP and persona... something he'd always wanted to do but couldn't, finally given the chance through the knowledge that he'd rather be dead than allow mikan to live through the same suffering that he does.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done? getting mikan to play the prince. he's so fucking stupid.

14. Most heroic moment? he wishes it was his death scene! i think his most heroic moment was when he decided to go to the academy for his sister. i pick this scene and not any others bc when natsume risks his life later on, part of it is motivated by suicidal ideation so it's kinda hard for me to think of those moments as anything but.

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done? same answer as ruka's. yes i say this even knowing that he might have killed people during DA missions. those other ppl arent real to me; mikan is.

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them? again, zoe and i made a killer playlist for the main 4 ga characters. natsume's is the best though, we both agree. since, again, the playlist is still under construction, here are some tracks from it that suit him. (lots of them are triggering, particularly regarding thoughts of suicide, just as a warning.)

18. What they’d go to see a therapist about? everything? trauma, self-image, martyr complex, suicidal ideation, dealing with terminal illness... there's a lot.

19. Vices/bad habits? he has a lot! the worst is his overuse of his alice.

20. Scars? i'm sure he has some. DA missions are not safe and although natsume is canonically immune to his own fire, he's not immune to flying shrapnel and rubble. i like the anime showing us some glimpses into what his missions might look like. we even got to see him get shot, an injury he (presumably) patched up himself instead of going to the hospital for, which is VERY in character. the anime NAILED that episode (chef's kiss, best episode ever, hands down).

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)? cherry dr pepper (this is just a ridiculous joke zoe and i made that is now serious. what a sickening beverage)

22. Best physical feature? his eyes! so pretty. i also love his silky hair. he is SO pretty and has sUCH pretty eyelashes. most beautiful boy ever.

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like? he'd be a lovely scent, very woody and foresty. not floral or sweet.

24. Most annoying habit? martyr complex.

31. If they had a tumblr what would it look like? it's hard to imagine natsume having a tumblr tbh but i think if he did it would be a little anticlimactic. he'd mainly just reblog stupid self-deprecating jokes and edgy music.

32. Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh? jokes with ruka <3 teasing mikan <3 :)

33. Something guaranteed to make them cry? sadly, natsume rarely cries. but he cries when he loses someone, so leaving his father, and i think he must have cried when he woke up after dying just to find out mikan was gone.

35. Their idea of a perfect day? a good day would probably be if he doesn't have to go on a mission. a perfect day would be the two christmases where he got to kiss mikan. i think he went to sleep very happy those nights.

36. Their favorite season? spring <3 though i always associate him with autumn and winter.

37. What they really think about themselves? BAD. not worth the trouble. exists for others. similar nonsense.

38. Favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS

39. Favorite game? playing cards with ruka! also its easy to imagine him being into video games, particularly violent ones.

40. Favorite book? i think he'd prefer manga to books but if he were to read books i think he'd like fucked up shit. maybe horror like stephen king or something.

41. If they could have lunch with anyone in the world (living or dead, from any fictional universe or the real world), who would it be? his mom

43. 3 favorite foods and 3 they despise? i base this off of official art (thus, canon), but pasta, chocolate, and strawberries are his favorite foods. i think he wouldnt like coffee (thats why he always drinks it in my fics lmao....) and i like imagining him as being a childishly picky eater. i dont really have any evidence for his dislikes. just vibes.

44. Their happiest memory? meeting ruka and both christmases <3

46. The person they most admire? i think he would admire his mother and yuka a lot. obviously, he also admires ruka and mikan, for being unlike him.

47. Their dream job? he simply does not dream of labor. it's really hard for me to come up with a job he'd love bc of how he's been forced to work as an actual child. he likes manga... maybe something involved with that?

48. Scariest moment of their life? when aoi burned down the village, though i do think he's had lots of scary moments after that too. i just think that was probably the moment he realized how powerless he really was, how much he was at the mercy of others simply bc he was a child.

49. Favorite toy as a child? i think he'd probably be a big fan of matchbox cars? or maybe im saying that bc i liked matchbox cars. (and also cuz theyre called matchbox cars). he seems to like basketball too!

50. A memory they’ve blocked out? natsume is a big ball of trauma so i wouldnt be surprised if there was plenty. i think he's kind of forced to compartmentalize a lot, since his experiences in the DA class are so gruesome and different from his school life, so he'd be forced to pretend like he didn't just go on a terrifying mission last night, which leads to unprocessed trauma and maybe even blurred memories.

Mikan <3

1. Canon I outright reject? if higuchi tachibana doubting that "natsume won" is canon, then i reject it. mikan MADE A CHOICE. in your manga, higuchi!!!! she even says, "these feelings i have only for you", which means the only person she loves romantically is natsume. higuchi YOU WROTE THIS.

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on? ^^^ that one. also she's not a masochist.

3. Obscure headcanon? even though natsume can have a potentially atrocious taste in fashion, i think mikan would find his fits cute nonetheless, maybe just bc it's him!

4. Favorite line? I love when she tells natsume to join her team before the sports fest. she NEVER asks for anything from natsume or tells him how she feels but she takes a risk this once and it's wonderful until he rejects her and she takes a long while to recover from that moment where she finally put herself out there only to get turned down.

5. Best personality trait? perseverance, in regards to difficult times and difficult people.

6. Worst personality trait? toxic positivity

7. Age/height/weight headcanon? we have canon!! she is (unbeknownst to her) eleven years old when she first comes to the academy and is turning seventeen when we see her again in the last chapters. she's 138 cm/4'6 and 33 kg/73 lbs at her debut and 158 cm/5'2 and 47 kg/104 lbs at the last chapters.

8. Unpopular opinion about them? it's okay that she's stupid! i dislike when mikan is made so much smarter, or when they significantly alter her personality, in fics. i think she's pretty great the way she is!

9. Scene that first made me love (or hate) the character? HARD TO SAY. regrettably i wasn't always a huge fan of mikan, especially in the anime, bc i thought she was annoying. but i think when i matured just a little, it was hard to keep it up. i think i fully loved her on the second rewatch/reread. i couldnt tell u the specific scene bc it was too long ago.

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)? i reread just this little moment so often. i'm not saying it's a healthy moment, hiding her feelings until she's alone, but it's so her and it's so heart-crushing and tragic. i love it.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done? she's frequently stupid, but i really enjoy this moment, just bc of how naive she is, both to natsume's situation and to her own feelings. (mikan, girl, you're in love with him.)

14. Most heroic moment? is there anything more heroic than this?

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done? mikan rarely does things out of ill-will. i could say one of her well-intentioned blunders, but that feels cheap. i'll say this, then, when mikan tells natsume that him worrying about her is a bother. i'll talk about it during my essay, but mikan says that, against her urges to keep him with her, because she remembers the pain of him choosing luna over her and she, in that moment, reacts in a kneejerk way to make him hurt a little too. it's the only moment i can think of where she hurts somebody without at least meaning well. (and YES i know that this is right after luna told her to keep their encounter a secret, but mikan chooses to be cold to natsume in a way that she isnt towards hotaru or her other friends for asking similar questions.)

16. Deepest darkest secret they won’t even admit to themselves? mikan never admits anything to herself! that she loves natsume sticks out the most though.

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them? AGAIN, zoe and i made playlists for the main 4 but they're unsuitable for consumption right now, so here are some mikan flavored tracks!

18. What they’d go to see a therapist about? her little useless complex as well as her toxic positivity and all the trauma she had to endure in a very short time frame.

19. Vices/bad habits? "keep smiling, mikan, no matter what!"

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)? orange juice and orange soda

22. Best physical feature? her smile, allegedly! i love the way her eyes are drawn (my answer for everyone is eyes bc i LOVE the way higuchi draws eyes...). i, like natsume, also LOVE when her hair is down.

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like? she'd be like her name, and have a fruity, floral scent! very sweet!

31. If they had a tumblr what would it look like? i think it would be super cute with lots of bright, fun colors, desserts, and positivity quotes.

32. Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh? she smiles a lot. i like her genuine smiles, when she hears something she likes or spends quality time with people she loves.

33. Something guaranteed to make them cry? mikan is sensitive! thus she cries a lot! she cries when people around her are hurt, she cries when she doesn't get what she wants, or when things get hard. i think it's sweet.

35. Their idea of a perfect day? spending time with her class b pals with some light antics and shenanigans, or hanging out with her senpais in the special ability class would make her happy. later, going on dates with natsume, too. <3

36. Their favorite season? summer, but the lovely thing is how happy and awestruck mikan seems to be by every passing season. she loves them all! it's very sweet, how much love she has for life.

37. What they really think about themselves? despite her tendency to see the beauty or value in everything, she doesn't see much in herself. she thinks of herself as ordinary, boring, useless. she knows that people love her smile but she thinks that's all she has to offer so she hides her negative feelings away. ;-;

38. Favorite holiday? new year's!!!

39. Favorite game? she loves all games, but especially sports and high-activity games

40. Favorite book? she'd like high-spirited books with wacky characters, like pippi longstocking, anne of green gables, or matilda.

41. If they could have lunch with anyone in the world (living or dead, from any fictional universe or the real world), who would it be? her parents and jii-chan

43. 3 favorite foods and 3 they despise? obviously she loves oranges and she eats lots of oranges in the manga. i like to think she shares hotaru's love for seafood, bc seafood reminds her of hotaru, but hotaru is so insane abt it that mikan seems to have a tame love in comparison. and HOWALON, obviously. i dont think mikan would dislike much food or be a picky eater bc she loves to eat <3

44. Their happiest memory? i think her school memories with her friends, particularly lighthearted moments, would stick out as happiest. the culture fest or the dodgeball game or swimming class.

46. The person they most admire? hotaru, natsume, ruka, etc. she admires lots of people. she has a tendency to see the good parts of people and to focus on them until that's the main thing she sees.

47. Their dream job? i like to see mikan in people-oriented, caring-based roles, like as a nurse or a teacher, where there's emphasis on helping people. i think she'd really thrive in a career like that. i especially like imagining her as a teacher. (her husband can share some pretty decent benefits from such a career afaik)

48. Scariest moment of their life? probably the whole night of the escape arc. no part of that was easy. the entire night was stressful and scary

49. Favorite toy as a child? she makes her own mikan dolls! mikan is awful at homemade things, like cooking or sewing, but she loves it anyway! i think she liked making her own toys and seeing the beauty in her ugly little creations.

50. A memory they’ve blocked out? i think mikan would try and remember the hard moments so that she can get stronger, just based on the way she talks about such moments, like after pengy dies.

[ryuukia]

[Translation] SolidS Drama Vol.5 “One faithful day, I saw you laughing under the starry sky” Track 1

Ryota passed me this CD and the following one, and since these 4 are therapeutic for me (translation-wise), I couldn’t refuse. Personally I wish I could start with drama 6, but I have to do things in order... Also many thanks to Ryota for proofing this for me.

Please don’t repost/retranslate/reuse my translations. Likes and reblogs are appreciated.

CD Cast:

Takamura Shiki (CV. Eguchi Takuya)

Okui Tsubasa (CV. Saito Souma)

Sera Rikka (CV. Hanae Natsuki)

Murase Dai (CV. Umehara Yuuichirou)

Haiduki Fumihiko (CV. Kowahara Yoshihisa)

Horimiya Eichi (CV. Nishiyama Koutarou)

Staff A (CV. Uenishi Teppei)

Staff B (CV. Hose Yuuichi)

Track 1: A different view from usual

-typing and click sounds are heard-

Shiki: Sigh. I think things will turn out well if I continue on with this.

-phone rings-

Shiki: Hm? -picks up- Haiduki. What is it? Yeah. Yeah. Ah, this one? As soon as I’m done with it, I’ll hand it to you. Wait a bit more. You know the most what exactly keeps me busy right now.

Shiki: Hmm…… You can’t make me give this up. No matter how much you ask, my answer will be the same. Let me stick with this project.

Shiki: I’m aware my other jobs are pressing me, I’ll do something about that.

Shiki: I won’t say something stupid like “Trust me” at this point, but we’re still in the same boat. Just this once, follow along with me, manager.

Shiki: Fine, if everything ends up well, I’ll send you all the alcohol you want, Fumi-chan. I’ll leave the rest to you.

-call ends-

Shiki: Alright. -goes back to work-

Staff A: Alright, this is okay for now. Let’s take a break.

-Rikka goes back to his seat and drinks some water-

Staff B: Sera-san, excuse me, I’ll be fixing your make-up. Hmm, aah, your skin’s in perfect condition as always. Do you have any secrets to share?

Rikka: Hmm, nothing in particular. If anything, I only try to sleep properly and have balanced meals. Though I can’t deny I have issues following these rules sometimes because of my jobs.

Staff B: Ooh, that really does sound difficult. Everyone seems so busy.

Rikka: This is nothing. Though it might seem easier to me right now because of my years of experience as a model. Our manager is also very attentive with us.

Staff B: If I’m not wrong, SolidS’ manager is… Haiduki-san, right? If I think about it, he’d look cool even as a talent.

Rikka: I’m sure he’d be happy to hear that. 

Staff B: That person is very considerate with the staff members on the set too. I also heard that he does his work fast and properly. When it comes to Solids, the schedule is extremely packed, but when you realize it’s him who will manage it, you get some sort of sense of relief.

Rikka: I’m glad to hear that. I’ll make sure to let him know.

Staff B: Please tell him we’re under his care from now on too. Oh, isn’t that person over there Murase-san?

Rikka: Eh? Dai? 

Staff B: Next to him is QUELL’s…

Rikka: Oh… It’s Eichi. Please excuse me for a bit.

Rikka: Dai! Eichi!

-both come over to Rikka-

Dai: Hello.

Eichi: Good job~! Ahh, Rikka-san! You look so pretty!

Rikka: Thank you for the compliment! But Eichi, didn’t you forget something important?

Eichi: Ah…

Rikka: I told you to drop the ‘-san’, only ‘Rikka’ is fine. I asked you that the other day. No formal speech.

Eichi: A..h…

Dai: You’re still on about that? You’ve been so concerned about that for a long time now...

Rikka: Indeed. Just like how Dai won’t drop the honorifics with Shiki, Eichi also doesn’t really seem to be able to relax around me. I don’t mind it, but I’d be happier if he was more frank with me.

Dai: The fact that I speak formally with Shiki is more of a habit. I used to be into swimming once, so something like casual talk with the seniors from the sports club was unlikely to happen. It’s not in my intention to keep a distance or to be more reserved with any of you, especially Shiki. 

Rikka: I can understand that.

Dai: Right.

Rikka: But although I’m about the same age as Shiki, you started to talk to me informally right from the beginning.

Dai: That’s... because you were glued to us almost instantly.

Rikka: So that’s what won you over, huh.

Eichi: In the meanwhile, my circumstances are similar to Dai-kun… err, I’m about the same. I used to be in a sports club once, then after I became an assistant director, it was all about that hierarchy in both industry and occupation-wise. It was a given that we had to be polite to those who were older and more experienced in the industry.

Rikka: Eichi, just follow Dai’s example. Make me an exception and drop the honorifics. Once you turn 20 years old, an age difference of 2-3 years is pretty much equal to nothing. You don’t need to treat me like a senior either. I’m usually ill at ease when people address me like that, it’s not my kind of thing. Okay?

Dai: You’re going to use the same tactic on Eichi, I see.

Rikka: Fufufu. Exactly.

Eichi: Err, uhh… alright… okay, then... Once again, you’re really pretty, Rikka.

Rikka: -laughs- Thank you once again.

Rikka: So, what’s up with you two here? You surprised me.

Eichi: I told Dai-kun the other day that Isse and Icchi would be having a photoshoot here, so he invited me to come and have a look.

Dai: I simply dragged him with me under the pretext of having a look in advance. I said it could make him feel less nervous.

Rikka: Now that I think about it, Eichi’s also some sort of manager for Issei and Ichiru. 

Eichi: Yes! Ah- I mean, yeah. I’m more of a substitute. They suddenly made their debut in the entertainment world through QUELL, and they know nothing about manners or rules when it comes to agreeing to things. So, in order for them not to be too nervous on set, I go and check on them to help keep their minds at peace or something like that, In my case, I may have been with them since our debut, but before that I was working as an assistant director, so I know how things work on the set.

Rikka: I see. They can count on you then.

Dai: It’s the same case as Shiki then. He has practically years of experience of working as a staff member.

Eichi: -laughs- If Icchi and Issei could think that way about me, I’d be happy. Though lately I’ve observed they started to get the gist of it. Both of them seem to have gotten used to the set and feel more in their element. I’m about 90% happy and proud of them, but also 10% a liiitle lonely.

Rikka: -laughs- You must feel like a parent whose children became independent. But indeed, both of them started to look a bit more relaxed. The other day Shu came to SolidS’ common room with a bunch of magazines only to boast about them.

Eichi: Shu was showing off his doting parent side and I didn’t know about it!

Dai: I think it took them about as much as it took me to get used to the set. I suppose it’s thanks to Eichi’s support and their own power, huh.

Eichi: If you could tell them that directly, I’m sure they’d be very happy.

Dai: If I were to tell them that, I’d end up talking about myself and that would be awkward.

Rikka: That sounds like a good idea! You can tell them about how you used to be bad with photoshoots, your dark history, your experiences, and a lot more, senpai.

Dai: Are you teasing me?

Rikka: You’re wrong, you’re wrong! I was only thinking that it would cheer both of them up.

Dai: Then when the time comes to discuss about myself with them, I’ll also add 2 or 3 things about you.

Rikka: Eh? What do you mean?

Dai: Things like how you hate to lose and how they should run out of your way if they ever catch you being angry.

Rikka: Eeeh? -laughs- How mean! You’ll scare them.

Dai: It’s only the truth.

Eichi: -laughs- Dai and Rikka are getting along really well.

Rikka: Right?

Dai: I've learned to stop holding back. And I'm only saying what I want to say. 

Rikka: Eh? You were being modest before?

Dai: It’s all in the past. You know about it, too, don’t you? We’re in the same boat.

Rikka: I guess so. I remember having a tough time trying to get closer to you.

Rikka: Ah, I apologize. You were also fixing my makeup, I should have been a little more quiet.

Staff B: -laughs- You don’t need to worry about that. I told you before, Sera-san. The make-up is almost untouched.

Eichi: Ah, right. During photoshoots the light is strong and it gets rather hot, so many people need to have it fixed.

Staff B: Exactly. That’s why I was asking if he had any secrets.

Eichi: I wanna know about them, too!

Dai: Even if he said something, it probably won’t work on anyone aside from him.

Rikka: -laughs awkwardly-

Staff A: The shooting will resume in 5 minutes! Everyone, get back to your positions!

Staff B: Ah, lastly, allow me to apply some lamé powder. -taps- And… this is it.

Rikka: Thank you very much.

Dai: Then I’ll head back. What about you, Eichi?

Eichi: Err, if it’s okay with you, may I watch the photoshoot?

Rikka: I suppose it should be okay.

Staff B: I think the members on the set would be alright with it. The studio is large enough, one or two more people wouldn’t make much of a difference.

Rikka: Let’s go ask the director. It’s a rare occasion, so I’ll introduce you to him.

Eichi: Thank you.

Dai: Good for you, Eichi. Sorry to disturb you during work.

Staff B: No, not at all. 

Dai: Then see you later. Rikka, good luck with the rest of your photoshoot.

Rikka: ‘Kay. See you later.

Staff B: Good job.

-Dai steps away-

Eichi: Thank you, Dai-kun!

Rikka: That’s right, Eichi! Do you have any plans for today? If you don’t, can we head back together after you watch the shooting? There’s something I want to talk to you about.

Eichi: Eh? With me?

Rikka: If you’re busy, you can just say so! I think the photoshoot will be over in about an hour or so, too.

Eichi: Ah, no! I don’t really have any plans for today, so it should be fine. I was actually wondering whether I should show up at the office or just head back.

Rikka: I’m glad to hear that. Thank you.

If you like my work and you want to support me, you can now buy me a coffee by clicking right [here]. I also started taking commissions, more details are right [here]. Thank you~

[cutepresea]

2-1 One Winged Wielders: Gjallarhorn

Continuing what I started last night, and once again, apologies for the spam.

If you want to blacklist these, you can use either the tag #one winged wielders for just this event, or #xdu event scripts for all these posts in general.

Reminder that these are copied straight from XD Unlimited itself, so any grammatical weirdness, mistranslations, and/or mischaracterizations are not my doing.

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Even now, that fateful day still haunts my dreams."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Kanade sang and fought with all she had. Her song burned with life, but her life also burned away with it."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "From that day on, with nothing but regret for being unable to save her, I devoted my life to living as a sword."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "But now thanks to their help, I'm not only a sword. I am also a lone wing that can fly towards its dream."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I want Kanade to see what I'm like now. I want her to see the pride I have in myself..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "What would she say if she saw what I'm like now? Would she be proud?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Who knows. But knowing that I met her in my dreams..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Meeting people in dreams... When did I become so naive?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: (Was I able to become stronger?)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (Can I continue to lead the way for Tachibana, Yukine, and the others, just like she did for me?)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (To be like... her. Though saying that, she was so mean to me.)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (She often called me a crybaby or weakling. But if Kanade saw me now, would she think the same thing?)

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Kanade..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: (It just hurts to remember it now... It hurts my heart to think that she's gone, that I can't see her anymore...)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (I thought we would always be together.)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (I wanted to talk with her more, listen to her more, sing together with her more...)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (I want to see her...)

Tsubasa Kazanari: "This is no good. I can't just keep on being a crybaby."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Kanade would laugh at me if she saw me now."

Tsubasa Kazanari: (I can never sing with her again. But even as a lone wing, I can still sing.)

Tsubasa Kazanari: (The Zwei Wing I knew may just be Eins Wing now, but I can still spread that wing and fly.)

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Which means if my song can reach the people of the world, I'm sure it'll reach her too."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "So please, watch over me. I'll show you that my wing can fly anywhere."

Sakuya Fujitaka: "High energy signal detected in the ship's relic storage unit!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "What?! Verify the waveform immediately!"

Aoi Tomosato: "This signal... It can't be!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Gjallarhorn? After all this time..."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Thank you all for coming."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Master, what happened today?"

Chris Yukine: "An emergency call at the crack of dawn means there's been some kind of accident, right?"

Elfnein: "More like we might have one on our hands soon."

Maria: "Soon? What's that supposed to--"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Here it comes!"

Shirabe: "Wait... That's not Alca-Noise, but regular Noise..."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Does that means [1] the Treasury of Babylonia re-opened?!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Or is it a new kind of enemy?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "I'll explain later. For now, go and intercept the Noise!"

Chris Yukine: "Could somebody explain what's going on here! Why are there still Noise popping up?!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Of course. Elfnein-kun will explain."

Elfnein: "Right..."

Elfnein: "To start off with, those Noise aren't from our world."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "They aren't from our world?"

Elfnein: "In our world, the Treasury of Babylonia remains closed."

Elfnein: "Those Noise were able to appear, because in reality, they're not from our world, but from a parallel world."

Maria: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Parallel... world?"

Miku Kohinata: "You've never heard of a parallel world? It's a different world that happens to be really similar to ours."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Uhhh, I think I get it... Or maybe I don't..."

Miku Kohinata: "But if such a world really exists..."

Chris Yukine: "Parallel schmarallel! I want to know why the Noise came here. And no technobabble this time!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "The relic Gjallarhorn is what's causing this incident. It's a complete relic that can connect two different worlds."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It connects..."

Kirika Akatsuki: "two different worlds?!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Slow down a minute. When was a relic like that discovered?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "It was discovered by an excavation team lead by Ryoko-kun. It was already active when it was discovered."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Ryoko-san found it?!"

Elfnein: "The existence of Gjallarhorn had been kept classified, and only a select few knew about it."

Elfnein: "I read about it in a report for the first time this morning."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Gjallarhorn is a unique, dangerous relic, meaning that it's been experimented on in absolute secrecy."

Genjuro Kazanari: "What we discovered was that when an abnormality occurs in a parallel world, it can connect to our world."

Elfnein: "That parallel world, a world similar to our own, has been following a similar course of history."

Elfnein: "But despite that, there are certain occurrences unique to that parallel world."

Elfnein: "Must like our own world's history, it has continued to flow from ancient times to the modern day."

Elfnein: "But when the river of history reaches a tipping point, it breaks into several tributaries."

Maria: "So that parallel world is one of those tributaries."

Elfnein: "Correct. It is a world created from the possibilities that flowed out of our world."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "A world of possibilities that were lost from ours..."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Anyway, it's beyond any reasonable doubt that Gjallarhorn has connected our world to a parallel world again."

Maria: "Again? You're saying this has happened before?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Yes. When Gjallarhorn connects to a parallel world, countless Noise appear, perhaps due to the worlds colliding."

Genjuro Kazanari: "The Treasury of Babylonia was open last time, so we could only guess, tut [2] this time, we know for sure.”

Genjuro Kazanari: "The abnormality that occurred here can only be cleared by resolving the abnormality in the parallel world."

Elfnein: "According to our records, there have been two instances when parallel worlds became connected."

Elfnein: "It seems the very first occurrence was resolved by Kanade Amo."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Did you say Kanade-san?!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Kanade? When was this?! I don't remember hearing anything about Kanade doing this!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Calm down, Tsubasa."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Gjallarhorn is a complete relic, but it cannot be controlled or meddled with. It's like Pandora's Box."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Allowing you, the only fully compatible candidate, to go near something so dangerous was out of the question."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Is that why you sacrificed Kanade?!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Calm down. In the previous incident, Kanade-kun managed to cross to the parallel world and resolve the issue."

Genjuro Kazanari: "I admit I say this in hindsight, but she wasn't injured. Thanks to her, we learned more about Gjallarhorn."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "But..."

Maria: "You said it connected twice."

Elfnein: "Yes. The second time was during the Zwei Wing concert three years ago, during Nehushtan's activation experiment."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "What?!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "The concert overlapped with Nehushtan going berserk, and the only way we could deal with it was to wait it out."

Chris Yukine: "Okay... So we should be alright not going to the parallel world, and waiting this one out?"

Elfnein: "In the end we paid a terrible price for our lack of action."

Genjuro Kazanari: "And besides, this relic only reacts to wielders."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Why only wielders?"

Elfnein: "I still don't know the details behind it, but..."

Elfnein: "It is thought that Gjallarhorn only selects someone powerful enough to resolve these interdimensional crises."

Kirika Akatsuki: "I don't really get it, but basically you're saying that we're the only ones who can go to that world?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Precisely. That's why I want all of you to go investigate the abnormality."

Elfnein: "I don't know what's going on over there, and it will likely be dangerous..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'll go."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Tsubasa..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'm the only one who can take up Kanade's mantle."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Besides, we have so many wielders here. If anything happens to me..."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Y-You can't!"

Maria: "Tsubasa, do you understand what you're saying?!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone else do this. This is my duty as Kanade's other wing."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Tsubasa, I understand how you feel, but don't get ahead of yourself. I've no intention of letting you go alone."

Elfnein: "Yes. There are Noise appearing here as we speak, so it would be best to split our forces into two teams."

Miku: "There are six of us here, so it'll be three per team then?"

Elfnein: "That's right. Meaning Tsubasa-san will be with two others."

Maria: "In that case, I'll go with her. I have to make sure she doesn't do anything too crazy."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Maria..."

Chris Yukine: "Then I'll take the last spot."

Maria: "Wait. I want you to team up with Shirabe and Kirika."

Kirika Akatsuki: "What?!"

Shirabe: "Maria?"

Chris: "You mean them?"

Maria: "Yes. So that means only one remains..."

Hibiki Tachibana: "......"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Um, I don't really get this parallel world stuff, but there'll be people over there who need help, right?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Just like I said earlier, Gjallarhorn is like Pandora's Box. Most of it is still completely unknown."

Genjuro Kazanari: "However, considering past occurrences, there is a very high chance that people will be needing help."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Then I'll go!"

Miku Kohinata: "I knew it..."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Hehe, sorry Miku."

Miku Kohinata: "It's okay. You're going to get to help people, right?"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Yep!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "It's decided. The survey team will be Tsubasa-kun, Maria-kun, and Hibiki-kun. Please stay safe out there."

Genjuro Kazanari: "This is the gate created by Gjallarhorn that leads to the parallel world."

Elfnein: "Gjallarhorn emits a sonic wave to notify us of the abnormality in the parallel world."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Sonic wave... Then the light being emitted from the relic is..."

Elfnein: "Yes. It shows that it has detected an abnormality in the parallel world." Elfnein: "Is everyone ready?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Yeah, I'm ready."

Maria: "All ready."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Totally ready!"

Elfnein: "When you get to the other side, please confirm your location."

Elfnein: "There should be a gate that will allow you to return to where you came from."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "So you're saying we can return at any time?"

Elfnein: "Yes. That is what it says in the report."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I see... All right. Let's move out."

Chris Yukine: "You really don't hesitate, huh?"

Maria: "That's Tsubasa Kazanari for you. We should get going, too."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Be careful out there, Maria."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Come back right away if you feel lonely!"

Maria: "I-I wouldn't do that even if I were! You have a job to do too, okay?!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "I should get going... Miku?"

Miku Kohinata: "Hibiki, are you sure you'll be all right?"

Hibiki Tachibana: "You're such a worrywart, Miku. I'll be fine. I'm just going out for a bit to help people. Wait for me, okay?"

Miku Kohinata: "Okay... I'll be waiting."

Hibiki Tachibana: "And now, off I go!"

Notes:

[1] Should be "mean." This event's translation can be kinda...yeah...

[2] Should be "but"

[completeoveranalysis]

TRC Translation Notes Volume 17 (Chapters 125 - 132)

More lovely notes from the even lovelier @giniroangou!

Highlights include: more coherent wish conversations, lifespan clarifications, Kamui being even worse than before, it’s true, sweet lines from sweet people, Nick finally understanding why Sakura had to go into the Acid desert alone, clothing choices explained, touching moments all around, and Good Morning Kurogane Redux! 

Chapter 125

p.5 - Yuuko says that if she were to save Fai herself, the price would be ���too heavy.” This is why Kurogane looks so murderous - it sounds like she’s telling them she won’t do it. This also makes Subaru’s wish a few pages later feel less presumptuous. He’s not cutting in on the Tsubasa family; their turn is already over.

p.7 - As in the previous volume, this should be “Immediately after we came to this world” rather than “Soon after,” but I love the hilarity it’s caused.

p.12 - Subaru’s point is that the events that unfolded may have been inevitable, but they wouldn’t have happened within the reservoir if it weren’t for his presence there. It still doesn’t quite make sense, since it wasn’t his fault he got sucked in by the feathers in the first place, but it’s slightly more coherent than the translated version.

p.19 - It’s not that Fai must not receive vampire blood alone, but that if we were to receive just vampire blood he would end up drinking the blood of various people.

There’s also a subtle difference in wording about the wishes here that I feel changes the nuance slightly. Yuuko says: “Kurogane, keeping Fai from dying is your wish. Fai doesn’t want that.”

Chapter 126

p.30 - The sounds Fai is making in this scene are represented by a small tsu in Japanese (ッ), which indicates either a pause in speech or a glottal stop. To me, it gives the impression that Fai’s vocal chords are under pressure but there’s no real sound coming out, so it’s like silent/suppressed screaming. It’s up to interpretation, but if he is making any noise here it isn’t anything coherent enough to be the start of a given word.

p.32 - I would interpret Satsuki’s line as an apology for not being able to heal Fai earlier.

p.35 - Yuuko says that due to Fai’s enormous magical powers, he already had a long lifespan. For her line about his age vs Kurogane’s, “multiple times” could be an alternative translation to “many times.” In Japanese she says “nanbai mo,” which I’d say could be as few as four times (though it does have the potential to be much greater than that.)

As a side note, there is a fan translated version of this scene where Yuuko says that Kurogane’s lifespan will increase along with Fai’s. A large portion of the fandom was led to believe this and there are still people who are unaware of the proper translation, so if you see anything along those lines popping up in meta or fanfic, that’s where it comes from. It is based on a mistranslation, though.

p.36 - In the original text, Kurogane says that he saw the trust Mokona had in Yuuko when Mokona asked for her help. Since he trusts Mokona, he went along with the deal. (Just replace Mokona’s name with “that thing” lol.)

p.41 - Kamui’s “It was nothing” is ruder and more dismissive in Japanese. He says “...betsu ni,” which I think could best be represented in English as “...whatever.” It’s a total sulky teenager response.

Mokona is saying that things will be difficult for Fai from now on specifically because he’s a nice person.

p.43 - A little detail that I love: Yuuko refers to Fai as “that child” in this scene. It feels somewhat affectionate, but also gives the sense that Yuuko has been around for a very long time, especially in light of the recent revelation about Fai’s age.

Kurogane is actually setting his priorities here - he says there are still things he wants to ask, but the underground water comes first.

p.44 - Sadly, Subaru is not sharing the blame with Kamui in this scene - he’s still just saying it’s his fault.

Chapter 127

p.58 - Sakura’s first words to Lava Lamp are spoken in polite language vs the casual speech she used with Syaoran, creating an immediate distance between them that colors the silent exchange that follows.

Chapter 128

p.70 - Here, Yuuko is saying that the impurity of the water is its strength; because it hasn’t been sterilized it still has its natural power. (The antidote thing is a mistranslation.)

p.75 - Fuuma’s comment about having no means of communication is specifically in reference to Yuuko: “Since coming to this world I’ve had no way to communicate, so it’s been a while since we last spoke.”

p.76 - Fuuma refers to Subaru as “Subaru-san.” He also says Seishirou is in Subaru’s debt (“osewa ni narimashita”) - it’s a polite expression that may imply kindness, but the focus is more on Subaru doing him a favor/helping him rather than on Subaru’s attitude towards him.

p.84 - Sakura’s actual original line was, “Tell me everything that’s happened up until now,” so though she’s logically asking about everything that’s happened in Acid Tokyo, you can totally interpret this as her asking about all the things that have happened since the start of the manga. Follow your dreams!

p.87 - I’m not sure if this got lost in translation or just didn’t fully sink in, but Sakura is going out alone because that specifically is the price. If someone went with her, it wouldn’t be enough for the deal - the true value of what Sakura’s doing comes from the fact that she is undertaking something dangerous without anyone to help her.

p.89 - Kurogane doesn’t specifically tell Sakura to come back alive, but he does tell her to go and come back (“ittekoi”/行って来い) so the implication is there. Then he says, “We’ll be right here until you return.”

Chapter 129

p.93 - In Fuuma’s original line there was no implication that Sakura’s trip would be easy, just that the compass would confirm the route for her.

p.97 - Fuuma doesn’t say that the Tower will be victorious, but that they’ll have an advantage without Kamui there.

p.103 - Mokona’s speech style made this scene difficult to translate, but she’s not really asking for permission to call Lava Lamp “Syaoran” - she doesn’t actually use his name at all outside of that one question. She’s just confirming that he does indeed have the same name as their Syaoran: “You’re named Syaoran too, aren’t you?” (The official translation really committed to the fact that Mokona never uses personal pronouns, which is pretty cool in theory but unfortunately ends up forcing some of her sentences into very different configurations. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s far easier to get by in Japanese without pronouns than it is in English.)

Chapter 130

Cover page - This chapter title should be “The Crossed Line” (In the sense of someone crossing or stepping over a line.)

p.116 - To highlight how significant this moment is, the original line has quotation marks around Kurogane’s name. It also comes after a pause, so it becomes: “…. Good morning, ‘Kurogane.’”

p.125 - There are some major mistranslations here. There is no implication that Yuuko was lying about Fai’s potential to stop being a vampire. Fai calls her soft for leaving that path open - he sees it as a favor she did for the other members of the group (implied: this isn’t something he wants for himself.) Yuuko then says that it may be more cruel to give them this option than to have Fai unable to return to the way he was before, but that’s up to Fai. (Implied: the choices Fai makes regarding his options are going to determine whether it makes things more painful for his family or not.) Side note: The word that’s been translated as “traveler friends” is actually “Syaoran-kun-tachi” (Syaoran-kun and the others) so it’s not as distant as it sounds, but it’s definitely stepping around Kurogane’s direct role and investment in Fai’s well-being.

p.126 - The word Yuuko uses can be translated as “reply,” but I think “answer” would be more appropriate. She says, “... So that’s your answer?” referring not to Fai’s literal reply to Kurogane, but rather affirming that pushing Kurogane away is his answer to the entire situation he’s in.

p.127 - Fai doesn’t speculate that Kurogane had never been given a nickname - Fai says that he himself had never called anyone by a nickname before.

p.128 - Once again, the word that’s been translated as “unhappy” also means misfortune in a general sense. It’s the same word Himawari uses to talk about her effect on the people around her. Happiness may be the ideal, but I would assume Fai is worried about much more serious things than just that - if the people he cares about are unhappy but otherwise unharmed, that’s still better than a lot of alternatives.

p.129 - What’s been translated as “all the young ones in your group” was originally Yuuko saying “those children.” Given that she referred to even Fai as a child a few chapters ago, it can be assumed she’s including Kurogane in this group. She also describes their relationship as reciprocal: “To you, those children are no longer just a passing existence. And to those children too, you are someone precious. Your pain is their pain as well.”

Chapter 131

p.135 - The translation for Lava Lamp’s reply is accurate here but it might be the tone of Kurogane’s question that makes it feel off. He sees that Lava Lamp is self-conscious about wearing Fei Wang’s symbol and says, “It’s not like you wore that because you wanted to, right?” Though it invites confirmation, I would interpret this more as a reassurance than as an actual question. In starting his response with “though” (or alternatively “but”), Lava Lamp’s agreement is implied. Ie: “[I didn’t want to wear it] But I’m sure it’s not something you want to see.”

p.152 - Sakura says there will be more times when she will have to hurt people directly (not have people hurt themselves.)

p.153 - When Sakura says she wants to return Syaoran’s soul to him, she uses the verb “torimodosu,” one of the same words Syaoran used regarding her feathers. If the official translation were consistent, her line here would be, “I want to give it back.”

Chapter 132

p.157 - Fai uses the verb “ikaseru” (行かせる), which could be translated as either “make her go” or “let her go.” In this context, I would interpret this as Fai asking why they let Sakura go alone, rather than asking why they sent her alone.

None of your thoughts on Fai’s continued use of “Sakura-chan” are wrong, but I would say it’s not the “-chan” itself that indicates he’s laying claim to their relationship, but simply the fact that he hasn’t changed the name he calls her by. I wouldn’t necessarily view Fai’s consistent use of -chan and -kun with Sakura and Syaoran’s names as an inherent sign of familiarity. Note how in Fai’s discussion with Yuuko he distinguishes his nicknames for Kurogane from his more “proper” way of addressing the rest of the group. It’s normal for adults to add these suffixes to the names of children, even ones they don’t know that well, whereas many parents will drop suffixes on the names of their own children as a sign of intimacy. If Fai suddenly started saying “Sakura” instead of “Sakura-chan” it would likely have the opposite effect that saying “Kurogane” did. That being said, if he wanted to establish distance between them he could have switched to “Sakura-hime” or “The Princess” or something along those lines. Thankfully when changes of address do happen, the context usually helps make the meaning behind them fairly intuitive (as in the “Hello Kurogane” scene.) It’s just good to keep in mind that there is no solid rulebook for this stuff - it all varies depending on relative status, relationship history, tone, personality, surrounding events, etc.

p.162 - Kurogane’s original line here was, “Are you planning to go to the Princess?”/“Do you intend to go to the Princess?” so it doesn’t sound quite as harsh as the translated version.

p.165 - Sakura not knowing where to go was merely implied in the Japanese text - she originally just says that there are no more footprints.

p.169 - Kurogane refers to Sakura saying she’d come back as a “promise.” Then he says he’ll wait even if waiting is more painful than going with her.

p.171 - It may not have been clear in the translation, but Lava Lamp deliberately switches the name he uses for Sakura here from “Sakura” to “The Princess.”

p.172 - Lava Lamp differentiates between pain of the body vs pain of the heart (incidentally using the same word for “heart” that is used to describe Syaoran’s heart/soul.) If Fai was injured, the pain in Sakura’s heart would be far worse than any physical pain. This then informs the scene that follows - I assume Sakura knows her physical injuries are worse than Fai’s, but her concern for him encompasses both physical and emotional damage.

[nageki-yuki-blog]

TsukiPara Event Drama - Tsukino Land’s Kiddie Labyrinth - Translation

[Thanks to @saikiyuuki for helping me once again~ ^^]

[And also thanks to @54xe for helping me baby-fy the childrens’ lines~ Thank you so much for your help Arata~ <3 uwu]

ツキノランドのちびっこラビリンス

Tsukino Land’s Kiddie Labyrinth

1章1話

Chapter 1 - Part 1

Kouki:  ……Umm, Shiki-san.  Today, everyone has the day off right?

 Sora:  So with that, let’s play here at “Tsukino Land”!  That’s what I heard we’d be doing but…….

 Shiki:  Yeah, the manager should have reserved it for us in order to thank everyone.

 Nozomu:  At Tsukino Land, the gigantic maze seems like fun!  They say there are even people who have become stranded!

 Sora:  Huh~, so that’s how it is!  If they’ve become stranded.

 Iku:  I-I think saying they became stranded is a bit too much though…….  It is true that there’s a gigantic maze that uses the catch phrase “escape is impossible”.

 Ichiru:  That seems like fun!  I’ll definitely escape!  Right! Issei!

 Issei:  Yeah. Let’s do our best.

 Sora:  (……They just ignored it~)

 Aoi:  ……But, even though it’s almost the meet-up time, the others aren’t here…….

 Rui:  And also, what is this place?

 Ryota:  A kindergarten school, I guess?

 Kensuke:  Seems like it!  There are so many playground toys!

 Ryota:  Yeah…… But why did the president call us out to a place like this?

 Dai:  Who knows…… That’s just how the president thinks.

 ???:  Ha-hahahaha!! So you’ve come!  Ladies and gentlemen!

 Aoi:  Th-This voice!?

 ???:  Hehehe…….

 Iku:  Shu-Shun-san!?

 ???:  Non! My name is…….

 Masked Albion:  That’s right, the white messenger of the moon, “Masked Albion” is what I’m called!

 Arata:  Di-Did he say Masked Albion--!?

 Rui:  Shun, what are you doing?

 Iku:  Seriously…… Even if you hide just your eyes you need to hide the rest, otherwise it is completely obvious that you are Shun-san…….

 Masked Albion:  Heh!  The one you speak of, I don’t know even a bit about that wonderfully great white demon lord! Ah!  I don’t know in the least!

 Masked Albion:  That’s because!  I’m the “Masked Albion”!

 Kouki:  Masked Albion-san, what did you come here for?

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe…… How admirable of you to ask!

 Masked Albion:  About me, I’ve come to deliver a wonderful present to you guys.  Anyhow, it is because you guys are the chosen ones!

 Dai:  The chosen ones?  ……Now that you mention it, yesterday at the office we had to draw from a weird lottery.

 Masked Albion:  Right!  You guys are the ones who drew the “Big Hits” ♪  Ha-hahahaha!

 Sora:  Wh-What is that!?  Masked Albion-san!  That, clearly suspicious treasure box!?

 Iku:  Ummm…… For the time being let me apologize!  Everyone!  I apologize about our leader!

 Masked Albion:  Now then, enjoy a wonderful time!  Happy • Albion ♪

 Kensuke:  Woah!? Fr-From the inside of the treasure box, th-there’s smoke!?

 Everyone:  Woaaah--!?

 ~~Meanwhile at that time, the other members are……~~

 Haru:  ……Hmm, they’re late.  It’s already past the meet-up time…….

 Koi:  Nevermind Arata, for Aoi-san not to come at the meet-up time…….

 Hajime:  …….

 Rikka:  I was also talking to our Shiki and Dai earlier but…… I can’t connect to them.

 Tsubasa:  If it was just darling, I bet he stayed up all night and fell asleep just like that! ……I can imagine something like that but, not for Dai-chan-.

 Shu:  Our twins were really looking forward to coming to Tsukinoland with everyone today.

 Eichi:  Or rather, until coming here we were together!  But in the short time I took my eyes off them, they disappeared…….

 Soushi:  The ones missing from us are, the carefree combination of Sora and Nozomu.

 Morihito:  Did they get lost……I wonder?  This place, is very big…….

 Ren:  Yeah…… If it was just Sora-senpai and Nozomu, I wouldn’t be able to negate that at all but…….

 Mamoru:  O-Out of our group, everyone other than me hasn’t come!?

 Mamoru:  For Kou-kun and the others not to keep a promise of coming on time……!  Despite that even I properly came on time!

 Kakeru:  Th-That is…… Hard to say I agree to but…….

 Tsubasa:  Maybe something happened to the members who aren’t here?

 Hajime:  ……That possibility may be very high.

 Yoru:  I’m worried…….

 You:  What do we do?  First of all let’s contact Dai-chan and the others?

 Kai:  Yeah. Should we try waiting just a bit longer? I don’t want to make Kurotsuki-san and the others worry too much.

 Hajime:  Yeah, you’re right.

 Kakeru:  Understood.

 (To be Continued)

[Parts 2-6 are under the cut~ ^^]

1章2話

Chapter 1 - Part 2

Kakeru:  Oh! L-Look there!  The monitor over there!

 Haru:  Monitor?

 Masked Albion:  Ha-Hahahaha!!  Greetings! Gentlemen of Tsukipro!!

 Haru:  Shun!?

 You:  Just when I was wondering where he went…… What is he doing?

 Yoru:  Huh…… I get a weird uneasiness…….

 Masked Albion:  I am the white messenger of the moon!  The name is “Masked Albion”!

 Rikka:  M……Masked Albion…….

 Tsubasa:  ……Do you have no intention of hiding your identity?

 Kai:  Ah…… I’m sorry, this is just how he is…….  Can you go along with him for a bit?

 Hajime:  ……So, what are you doing?  Shun?

 Masked Albion:  I said I am “Masked Albion”!  ……Well, it’s fine!

 Masked Albion:  Though this may be abrupt!  This Masked Albion has taken custody of your beloved members!

 Soushi:  W-What?

 Morihito:  Th-This really is abrupt.

 Masked Albion:  Furthermore!  With the magical powers of this Masked Albion’s “Reverse Jewel Box” they have become pure and innocent children!

 Eichi:  That kind of thing is possible!?

 Shu:  Normally I wouldn’t be able to think that but…….

 Masked Albion:  Hehe.  It’s not a lie though?  The proof is…….

 Haru:  Huh?  I got an email on my smartphone with a picture attached?  ……!?

 Kakeru:  Ha-Haru-san?

 Koi:  After looking at your smartphone, you are completely frozen.

 Hajime:  What is it Haru?  What in the world…… Huh, this is?

 Koi:  A-Aoi-san!? H-He really became small--!?

 Yoru:  Wow! A-Aoi!  So cute!!  His hair is so fluffy!  I want to hug him!!

 You:  Calm down, Yoru!  You’ve totally become like a mother!

 Mamoru:  As expected of Shu-……Masked Albion-kun!  You’re amazing in various ways!

 Ren:  Umm…… The members that became small, are they okay!?

 Masked Albion:  You don’t need to worry so much, the children are at the goal of the gigantic maze, in this kindergarten school, happily playing.

 Rikka:  Is that true?

 Masked Albion:  Of course!  Hmm…… Let’s see.  Kouki, could you be the representative and talk to everyone for a bit?

 Mamoru:  Huh!? Kou-kun!?

 Kouki:  ……Hewwo?

 Mamoru:  K-Kou-kun!? Are you really Kou-kun!?

 Kouki:  Oh, Mamowyu. Sowwy, I made yoo wowwy.

 Mamoru:  Kou-ku--n!! Your voice has completely become something that appeals to maternal love--!?

 Ren:  T-They really have become children huh…….

 Morihito:  The usually cool and mature Kouki…….

 Mamoru:  ……So, Kou-kun, you don’t feel bad, or your body doesn’t hurt right?  Are you okay?

 Kouki:  No, -actuawwy it’s the opposite.

 Mamoru:  Opposite?

 Kouki:  Shince I became a kid, I shomehow feew cheery.  My body feews light, and it’s weally fun.

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe.  The wonderful part about this “Reverse Jewel Box” is that their memories stay as if they are adults, but their hearts and bodies become like children!

 Masked Albion:  They are released from their attachments to this transient world, from all their anguish, and can experience sweet freedom from the bottom of their hearts!

 Kouki:  ……That’s how it ish.  Ewerywone, pwease don’t wowwy about us.

 Kouki:  The othew membews are the same as me.  We are all getting awong, playing togewer, and waiting.

 Masked Albion:  Hehe, thank you, Kouki.  You were able to have a great conversation.  Well, will you say bye-bye to everyone?

 Kouki:  Yesh, bye-bye.

 Everyone:  …….

 Masked Albion:  Ha-Hahahaha!  Now don’t you understand!?  They have truly become such lovely children!

 Shu:  I fully comprehend that.  Shu-…… Masked Albion!  Please! Let me talk to Issei and Ichiru!

 Eichi:  A-And! I want you to take pictures and videos for us!

 Masked Albion:  Whoops, that’s all for the service ♪

 Shu:  Huh……!? What a shame!

 Rikka:  We also want to see Shiki and Dai’s cute appearance right, Tsubasa.

 Tsubasa:   I want to take pictures of tiny Shiki and Dai-chan, so I can use them sometime~!

 Masked Albion:  In that case you must hurry!  The effects from this “Reverse Jewel Box” wear off when the sun sets!

 Masked Albion:  If you don’t reach the goal before then, you won’t be able to see the angelic children!  It will just become my enjoyment alone!

 Shu:  H-How mean……!

 Morihito:  Shu-san is seriously angry…….

 Hajime:  ……So, what is Masked Albion’s goal?

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe, that’s obvious isn’t it!  In life and events, it’s more fun to have some spice ♪

 Masked Albion:  Due to the Masked Albion’s magical powers, the gigantic maze has also become more difficult than usual and received a power-up!

 Ren:  Huh!?

 Soushi:  I guess he can do anything now…… This guy.

 Masked Albion:  Fur • ther • more!  Along the way through this gigantic maze, various tests have been prepared!

 Masked Albion:  If you don’t clear these tests you won’t be able to reach the goal of the kindergarten school!

 Kakeru:  What-!

 Yoru:  So not only do we have to clear the gigantic maze, there are even tests huh……..

 Masked Albion:  However when you are given tests, you will also be given blessings, that is who Masked Albion is!

 Masked Albion:  If you are able to reach the goal before the sun sets, I have also prepared a wonderful reward for you.  Do your best!

 Kakeru:  Y-You said there’s a reward!?

 Koi:  Kakerun’s eyes started to sparkle!?

 Hajime:  Setting aside the reward, we should save them quickly you know?

 Eichi:  Let’s do our best, Shu!

 Shu:  Yeah, of course.  Our twins are waiting after all.

 Morihito:  Our Sora and Nozomu, are normally so full of energy…….

 Soushi:  If they are given any more energy I don’t know what kind of mess they’ll get into…….

 Ren:  Before they trouble the other children, we need to go get them……!

 You:  ……Seriously, to prevent Shun from doing anything else stupid, we need to capture him quickly.  I’ll end him!

 Kai:  Alright! So I guess we should go!

 Everyone:  Yeah!

 Masked Albion:  Ha-Hahahaha!  Gentlemen! That’s the spirit!  ……Well then Game • Start!

 (To be Continued)

1章3話

Chapter 1 - Part 3

Morihito:  ……..Now then, we have progressed through the maze a lot although…….

 Soushi:  Along the way, we were threatened by puppets that looked exactly like Masked Albion and chased by creatures we don’t know…….

 Ren:  Rather than taking a toll on our bodies, it took a mental toll…….

 Mamoru:  A-Are you okay?  Ren-ken, shall I carry you piggy-back?

 Ren:  Ahaha. Thank you very much.  I’m okay.

 Ren:  There are also the Masked Albion’s tests, so it can’t get any rowdier than this!

 Soushi:  There are 3 tests in total right?

 Morihito:  Yeah. That’s what Masked Albion said.

 Morihito:  That’s why Six Gravity and Procellarum.  Then SolidS and QUELL.  ……Then us 3 teams all get one each.

 Mamoru:  Oooh! Everyone, thank you!  For letting me be your comrade!

 Mamoru:  Growth is only me so…… I was helpless.  I’m truly glad that SOARA allowed me to join their team!

 Soushi:  I’m also glad that us and Mamoru are here.

 Ren:  Yes. Our opponent is the Masked Albion after all.  We don’t know what kind of mysterious tests will come at us.

 Ren:  Having even 1 more ally is reassuring!

 Mamoru:  Alright! Let’s do our best to fulfill everyone’s expectations!

 Morihito:  ……So, it seems like the problem comes down to the Masked Albion’s “tests”.

 Ren:  Oh! The monitor again!

 Masked Albion:  ……Hey!  You’ve done well coming this far!

 Morihito:  Masked Albion!

 Mamoru:  H-Hey! Are Kou-kun and the others okay!?

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe.  Are you interested?  Then I’ll specially let you hear their voices.

 Ryota:  ……Mamoru?

 Mamoru:  Ryou-kun! I’m glad you’re okay--!  Waah--!

 Ryouta:  Dwon’t souwnd sho misewable.  Yoo’re an adult aren’t yew?

 Ryouta:  I too, awong wif Kou and Ken are doing well.  What about Mamowu?  Have yew been eating pwoperly?  Yoo aren’t hurt are yew?

 Mamoru:  Yes! I’m doing fine!

 Soushi:  ……The scene of a child concerned about an adult is very surreal.

 Ren:  Th……That’s true.

 Nozomu:  ……Mori-senpai!  Soushi-senpai!  Wen!

 Ren:  Nozomu!?

 Soushi:  ……Just as I expected, he is full of energy.

 Nozomu:  Awong wif Sowa, we caught butterfwies!  And, we awso caught a bunch of grasshoppews!  Amazing wight!

 Soushi:  ……As expected, they haven’t changed a bit.

 Morihito:  Ahaha…….

 Masked Albion:  ……Well, now that you have confirmed that the members are okay, it’s about time for a test of your love?

 Masked Albion:  The test for you guys is…… That’s right!  “Communicating thoughts”!

 Morihito:  “Communicating thoughts”?

 Soushi:  What the heck?  Is that?

 Masked Albion:  After reaching your precious members, “love” is necessary to return them to their former selves.

 Morihito:  Umm……. So what kind of test is “communicating thoughts”?

 Masked Albion:  It’s extremely simple.  You are all going to play rock-paper-scissors.  Once everyone “ties”, you will clear the test ♪

 Morihito:  So in other words we will clear it once everyone chooses the same move, huh.

 Ren:  But with this number of people all choosing the same it’s a bit…….

 Soushi:  This will be pretty difficult.

 Morihito:  That’s the test of “communicating thoughts” isn’t it?

 Masked Albion:  That’s right ♪

 Soushi:  Well, no point in the idle talk.  We should do it.

 Mamoru:  Yeah! That’s right!  Okay.  Rock! Paper……!

 ~~10 minutes later~~

 Mamoru:  H-Hurray! Finally we have all “tied”!

 Ren:  Y-Yeah…… That was a long battle.

 Masked Albion:  Splendid!  All of your thoughts have splendidly become 1!  You’ve cleared the test!  You are allowed to continue ♪

 Soushi:  Ah, good grief…….

 Morihito:  All that’s left to do is get through the maze.  Well!  Let’s continue forward!

 (To be Continued)

1章4話

Chapter 1 - Part 4

Shu:  ……A lot of time has passed, since we entered this gigantic maze.

 Rikka:  It wouldn’t be unusual if we came across one of Masked Albion’s tests soon.

 Eichi:  You’re right.

 Masked Albion:  ……Hehe!  You have good intuition!

 Tsubasa:  Oh!  Look at that monitor over there.  Seems like he has appeared.

 Masked Albion:  Happy • Albion!  Descending from everyone’s love, the mysterious gentleman.  I’m the Masked Albion ♪

 Shu:  Masked Albion!  Please let me talk to Issei and Ichiru!

 Tsubasa:  Right! That’s right!  Send me video of Shiki and Dai-chan!

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe.  Before that, let me grant you all a test of “love”!

 Masked Albion:  A test of your “love”…….  That would be “one heart one body”!

 Masked Albion:  The members of the idol units are invincible when together like a second family.

 Masked Albion:  From this point hereafter, no matter what hardships we encounter, we will have our comrades in our hearts, and must face them together.

 Rikka:  I agree with that.

 Eichi:  I believe that our hearts have already become 1!

 Masked Albion:  What great confidence!  Then how about you prove those beliefs!  ……In front of your eyes, there are pots filled with steaming hot oden*?

[*Japanese stew made with various ingredients]

 Shu:  ……Ah, I had been wondering about it.  With an elegant fragrance, the steam is billowing from them.

 Tusbasa:  And for some reason, there are 2 sets of large haoris*, and 2 sets of plates with chopsticks even though there are 4 people here so that means…….

[*Japanese formal coats]

 Eichi:  ……It, it can’t be!  This is!

 Masked Albion:  Hehe, just as you’ve guessed, right now I will have you guys challenge yourselves with the “two-person haori”!  Make your hearts one, and eat all of the piping hot oden ♪

 Tsubasa:  Wh-What the heck is that--!?

 Shu:  It’s as if it’s a variety show’s game corner.

 Rikka:  I…… might not have much confidence.

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe!  The point of this test is to see just how smartly 2 people can match their breathing!

 Masked Albion:  Fortunately, the SolidS and QUELL members here can be paired into sets of 2 people.  Well! Will you accept this test!?

 Shu:  ……Of course I’ll accept.  In order to see the cute children.

 Tsubasa:  Right!

 Shu:  Alright, well then…… Eichi.  I want to trust the role of feeding the oden, to you.

 Eichi:  Huh!?

 Shu:  You are more skillful, and the way you use your hands is delicate.  I’m leaving my back to you, Eichi.

 Eichi:  U-Understood! Leave it to me!

 Tsubasa:  If that’s the case, I want to leave the role of feeding to our Rikka.

 Rikka:  Is that okay?

 Tsubasa:  Yeah. After all, skillful and delicate seem like words that exist to describe Rikka right?

 Rikka:  ……Understood. I’ll do my best.

 Masked Albion:  Okay! Then I’ll have SolidS and QUELL get prepared!

 Eichi:  ……This, is even tighter than I imagined.

 Shu:  Well, if 2 large guys are given only this to wear…….

 Tsubasa:  It’s also hot from the huge oden!  It’s stuffy!

 Rikka:  Seems like it would be better to clear this test quickly.

 Masked Albion:  Oka-y! Well then let’s start!

 Rikka:  Umm……I wonder……if it’s this area?

 Tsubasa:  Woah!? Ri-Rikka!  That’s!  My nose! It’s my nose!  Just a bit lower!

 Rikka:  Ah!?  S-So sorry!

 Shu:  ……Eichi, my apologies.  That’s not my mouth, it’s my cheek.

 Eichi:  Huh!? S-Sorry!  No wonder I thought it felt weird.

 Masked Albion:  Ahaha! Great!  This has become amusing!

 Tsubasa:  ……Crap! This kind of farce, let’s hurry and get it over with!

 Shu:  Yeah! Eichi!  Keep the food coming!

 Eichi:  U-Understood!

 ~~20 minutes later……~~

 Tsubasa:  Hah…… Hah…….

 Rikka:  Fi-Finally we have completely eaten all of the oden.

 Shu:  ……Now my face is giving off the good smell of broth.

 Eichi:  Shu and Tsubasa-kun, your faces are soaking went…….  Sorry……!

 Rikka:  Sorry, Tsubasa.

 Tsubasa:  It’s fine-, it’s fine-!

 Masked Albion:  Hehe……Thank you for showing me such wonderful “love”.  You have admirably cleared the test!

 Masked Albion:  ……Oh, I’ve prepared some wet towels, so use them okay?

 Shu:  More importantly!  What’s going on with the children right now!?

 Rikka:  I want to at least hear their voices.

 Masked Albion:  OK. Well then…….

 Dai:  ……Rikka, Tsubasa?

 Rikka:  Dai!

 Tsubasa:  Dai-chan-! What are you doing now!?

 Dai:  I’m eatin’ shnacks.  The cake, is good.

 Rikka:  What about Shiki?

 Dai:  In the mwiddle of song-witing.

 Rikka:  He didn’t say much but I feel like I’ve calmed down…….

 Tsubasa:  Dai-chan is Dai-chan after all-.  Also, writing songs even during this time…… Shiki hasn’t changed either.

 Shu:  D-Dai! Could you call Issei and Ichiru?

 Dai:  Yeah…… bwut.

 Eichi:  What’s wrong?

 Dai:  Wight now, it’s nap-time fow Issei and Ichiwu.  ……I’d fweel bad waking them upp.

 Eichi:  Hmm--! I see-!  So they were napping-!

 Shu:  ……It’s extremely unfortunate but, we definitely must not wake them.

 Rikka:  Seems that in order to see the children we must really have to reach the goal after all.

 Masked Albion:  That’s how it is ♪  Now then! Since we’ve also gained some motivation let’s restart!

 (To be Continued)

1章5話

Chapter 1 - Part 5

Kakeru:  ……Hah, hah…… This maze, just how far does it continue?

 You:  Even if you say it’s a “gigantic maze”, it’s still a bit too big right!  I feel like the size is different, than what I felt when looking from the outside!?

 Yoru:  Probably, Shu-…… Masked Albion-san had done various types of those things.

 Haru:  Along the way, I did see plants and animals that seemed like they clearly weren’t from this world…….

 Koi:  When Hajime-san and Kai-san weren’t there I thought they might have been eaten.

 Kai:  Ahaha! Well, I don’t think the Masked Albion would call anyone that dangerous but…….

 Hajime:  For entertainment on our day off this has gone beyond just a joke.

 Kakeru:  Hm? Huh?  Over there, it’s a dead end?

 Koi:  And then that white figure……!

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe…… You’ve done well making it this far!  Gentlemen!

 Kakeru:  Masked Albion!

 Haru:  ……Even though you have only conversed with us over monitors, for you to show up directly what’s happened?

 Masked Albion:  It has been decided.  This place is the most inner part of the gigantic maze, the core and the door (gate).

 Masked Albion:  Since that’s the case, isn’t it natural that I personally greet the gentlemen?

 Yoru:  Masked Albion…….

 Masked Albion:  Hehehe! I am the Masked Albion while also not the Masked Albion!

 Masked Albion:  The white messenger of the moon “Masked Albion”.  Their identity is……!

 Shun:  Ta-dah! It was the white demon lord • Shun-san ♪

 You:  Ah, yeah yeah.  What a surprise, what a surprise.  ……Seriously, what is this farce.

 Shun:  Geez! You is so cold.

 Yoru:  More importantly Shun-san, the members that became children, what’s going on with them right now?

 Shun:  Want to hear their voices?  ……Here, go ahead ��

 Iku:  ……Hewwo?

 Haru:  Huh? C-Could this be……!

 Kai:  Is this Iku!?

 Iku:  Yesh. This ish Iku.  Ewerywone, are yew doing well in the maze?  Yoo arewn’t tired are yew?

 Yoru:  Wow~~! So Iku was a kind child that worried about everyone since he was little~~!

 You:  Calm down…… According to what Shun said, their memories are the same as they were as an adult?

 Kai:  But, if its Iku then it seems like he has been that suspicious of people since he was a child anyways.

 Koi:  Certainly!

 Kakeru:  Seems like he gave off that handsome man aura since he was little!

 Hajime:  So, Iku. What are the others doing?

 Iku:  Everywone, ish having sho much fun, playin’.

 Iku:  Things like playin super hewoes, painting, playin mushic, and blowin’ bubbles.

 Kai:  I’m relieved that the children seem to be having fun!

 Hajime:  For sure.

 Shun:  Hehehe. It’s good that you’re calm but, if you don’t hurry, the game will end without you being able to meet the cute children?

 Kakeru:  Oh!  That’s right, if we don’t clear Shun-san’s test then we can’t get through the gigantic maze right?

 Shun:  That’s right!

 Shun:  ……By the way the other units have already cleared their tests and are headed this way.

 You:  So we’re last.  That means this genuinely is, the final test huh.

 Shun:  The final test and the greatest test!  ……However, you could also say it’s an extremely simple test.

 Yoru:  Huh? ……Shun-san, what exactly is that final test?

 Shun:  The test I have prepared for you is……!

 Kakeru:  It is?

 Shun:  ……Giving praise to me!

 Koi:  ……What?

 Shun:  I have given, to the other teams as well, various tests to challenge each unit’s “love”.

 Shun:  That’s because!  “Love” is……!

 Shun:  ……An essential factor regarding our idol lives!  Confirming it with these tests is extremely meaningful.

 Haru:  ……Well I can’t deny that “love” is important.  So, how does that lead to us praising Shun?

 Shun:  I believe that we already understand each other.  But even still you’d have some things you would normally be too embarrassed to say right?  Aren’t there?

 Shun:  That’s why by creating an opportunity where it’s OK to talk frankly about your “love” for me, I thought we could deepen our bonds ♪

 Yoru:  Umm…… Talk about our “love” for Shun-san……. What exactly should we do……?

 Shun:  Speaking specifically, you should just compliment me!  I’ll request about 100 words of praise!

 You:  Leaving aside how you’re causing trouble yourself, you’re saying we have to praise you in order to resolve this situation……I knew it already but, you seriously are something……

 Shun:  Hehe, You. Thank you for the quick response!

 You:  I’m not even complimenting you!

 Shun:  Everyone else, no need to restrain yourselves!  So! Come!

 Hajime:  ……In that case, I’ll go next.

 Shun:  Ooh! Goodness!  I never thought, that it would immediately be your highness, the black king!?  …..Huh?

 Shun:  Hajime, why are you smiling while cracking your knuckles and coming closer!?

 Hajime:  My “love” ……You’ll accept it won’t you?

 Shun:  As far as I know, I’m pretty sure there’s no cultural idea that the iron claw is called “love”…… Ahhhhh--!?

 Koi:  By the way in Gravi’s culture we are grateful for the iron claw being the whip of “love”, yet it is feared…….

 Haru:  Well, with Shun’s mischief this time isn’t that amount of punishment appropriate?

 Kai:  You’re right. For now, let’s leave it to Hajime.

 You:  Hajime-san, do more please-!

 Shun:  ……Hah, hah. I was just almost on the verge of opening a doorway to another world.  In various ways.

 Kai:  Seriously please stop that.

 Hajime:  So, how was it?  With my deep “love”, it should have cleared the test all at once right?

 Shun:  For you to keep talking about that destructive grip as “love”…….  But if it’s called that, then it’s frustrating but I’ll make it OK!

 Yoru:  S-So it’s OK……!

 Kakeru:  Hurray!

 Koi:  So with that we’ve cleared all the tests!

 Hajime:  All there’s left to do is head to the children.

 Shun:  Everyone, congratulations.  Now, I guess we shall go meet the angels ♪

 (To be Continued)

1章6話

Chapter 1 - Part 6

Hajime:  ……That must be the goal of the kindergarten!

 Kakeru:  Let’s go inside at once!

 Aoi:  ……Oh! Everywone, yew came to get us!

 Arata:  Good wok today-.

 Haru:  Arata! Aoi!

 Koi:  Th-This is so cute!  Aoi-san is of course but even Arata is……!

 Kakeru:  Makes you just want to squeeze their cheeks!

 Hajime:  Yeah.

 Issei:  ……(Yawn)……Shu, Eichi?

 Ichiru:  Good mowning.

 Shu:  ……!?

 Eichi:  (Sways~~)

 Rikka:  Shu, you’ve become unable to move while gazing at the sky with a face like you’re reflecting on something…….

 Tsubasa:  Eichi has also collapsed with a great smiling face.  ……But it’s amazing how he hasn’t stopped filming them with his smartphone.

 Mamoru:  Ah-! The children, are so cute--!  They certainly are angels!

 Morihito:  Hehe! They truly are-.

 Soushi:  Yeah…… But, Sora, Nozomu.  You guys, your hands and faces are covered in mud so go wash up.

 Shun:  Everyone, seems like you’ve all been completely knocked down by the charms of the adorable angels ♪

 Ren:  Yes!  I want to cuddle them forever!

 Shun:  Hmm, I understand how you feel but…… Sadly!

 Kakeru:  Oh! The sun is setting……!

 (Poof!)

 Yoru:  Woah!? S-Some mysterious smoke…….

 Dai:  (Cough cough)…… Hah, we’ve finally returned to our original selves huh.

 Kai:  The children have become adults!?

 Haru:  Everyone, are your bodies okay?

 Kouki:  Yes. There are no problems.

 Ryota:  Even still……You went through a lot of trouble.

 Dai:  Seriously.

 Sora:  Really? I had a pretty fun time though?

 Ichiru:  Me too-!

 Rui:  Me too. Playing with everybody, was so much fun.

 Iku:  We don’t really have many any opportunities, when we can go all out and play.

 Kensuke:  That’s for sure, it was fun-!

 Ryota:  Me too…… It’s not like I didn’t enjoy it.  But, after returning to ourselves like this, it’s a bit embarrassing…….

 Dai:  ……I understand.

 Rikka:  Hehe. In any case, isn’t it a good thing that we were able to experience something rare?

 Shiki:  Yeah. Being able to obtain a view different from the usual was refreshing.

 Issei:  Plus, I thought that Shu and the others would come to get us so it wasn’t scary.

 Nozomu:  It might have been good to stay as a child a bit longer!

 Soushi:  In your case, you probably didn’t change even a bit.

 Nozomu:  Huh~? Soushi-senpai, you’re so mean!

 Shun:  Hehehe! Thanks to the power of everyone’s “love”, the members have safely returned to their former selves!

 Shun:  And they all lived happily ever after…… right ♪

 Kakeru:  ……Oh! Shun-san!  You said there would be a reward if we reached the goal didn’t you?

 Shun:  Of course there is!  ……First of all, here.

 Kai:  This is, a book?

 You:  …… “Tsukino Kindergarten • Student Journal”?

 Shun:  This is, a picture-filled journal of my careful observation of the angels’ playful appearances on this one day ♪

 Shun:  I have prepared one for all of you, so enjoy today’s memories ♪

 Eichi:  Th-Thank you Shun-san-!

 Shun:  The other reward is……over here.  Everyone, could you come along with me?

 Koi:  Th-This is!

 Sora:  Amazing! It’s a gorgeous restaurant!

 Nozomu:  Woah!? There are so many foods I’ve never seen before!

 Aoi:  Now that you mention it, the Tsukino Land restaurants, were mentioned in the guide book as having the highest rank in terms of flavor and appearance.

 You:  So if it has SNS glory that means, it’s popular with girls!

 Tsubasa:  I’ve also heard a rumor that it’s very difficult to get a reservation ♪

 Iku:  As expected of you 2, you know a lot about those kinds of things.

 Hajime:  ……Did the president arrange this?

 Shun:  Right! When I asked for something to reward everyone for always working hard, the president gladly said it was OK.  As expected of your highness*.

[*the kanji he uses here is the same as the president’s first name “Mikoto“, so I assume he’s using it as a pun to refer to him.]

 Shun:  ……The members that became children, and the members who challenged the gigantic maze, since you all were active throughout the day, you’re tired aren’t you?

 Shun:  That’s why, you should fill your stomachs and enjoy the rest of your day off ♪

 Kakeru:  Yay! Food!  Food!

 Arata:  Ooh-! It smells so good!

 Kensuke: It looks delicious-!

 Shun:  Oh, by the way I also made reservations in the hotel connected to Tsukino Land.

 Shu:  If I remember correctly, it’s a famous hotel that has a hot spring pool and sauna, along with an oil massage that completely relaxes the soul.

 Eichi:  Wow-! That sounds so soothing!

 Kouki:  That kind of opportunity, rarely happens.

 Morihito:  That’s true!

 Shiki:  Seems like it would get rid of stiff shoulders and eye strain.

 Tsubasa:  Even though Shiki was just a child he sounds like an old man now • • • !

 Shun:  So that’s how it is everyone!  Let’s have fun and relax to our hearts’ content today!

 Everyone:  Hurray-!!

 ~END~

[karasunocurry]

Atsukashiyama Ibun Paris report

So I’m home and I feel like I’m in a post-convention depression more that I’ve felt after recent cons xD I was kind of sad that I wasn’t at Japan Expo Paris, I didn’t actually know beforehand they’d be there ^^; and I couldn’t take days off or afford to go either way, but I’d been looking forward to the musical for an entire week (including losing sleep over it, oops). I went to Paris on Friday and met up with Edo and did some shopping for items we needed (or didn’t need but I have a backscratcher that acts as extendable Ishikirimaru prop now xD). Later met up with Mai & Katy and then had a late but well-deserved dinner at a Japanese restaurant.

Saturday I attended the fanmeet near the Louvre. It was warm and we tried to stay in the shade of the trees. Some people came in cosplay (brave! but not smart xD) and it was fun to see all the itabags gathering. I didn’t talk to that many people but it was great meeting @sohmariku and talking about Japan and subbing. There was a lot of things going on in terms of ‘what we can do for the boys’, like signing a flag, writing short messages for Kitazono Ryo and even recording video messages (which I fucked up- and once I make a mistake I’m done for xD). Took a break early in the evening because I was tired and started getting a really bad headache, but met up with a group of people for dinner, and then went to bed. For some reason, woke up way too early every day but *shrug* it must be a jiji thing.

Sunday- performance day

Aaand then it was Sunday. I’d also decided to write letters on a whim but I only ended up writing two (for Sakiyama & Ryuji) and a get well soon card for Ryo.  I went to the venue around 10, to meet up with Edo and Katy again and check how everything would be organized. It appeared that goods would only be sold 45 minutes before the show. Uhm. I didn’t think too much of it at that point, but luckily Edo was very much set on getting in early for merch, so I was also pretty much in front of the line of one of the entrances.  Good thing too, because the goods stand was too small and too slow to allow many people to actually get their stuff. I managed to buy bromides, the pamphlet and a penlight - decided against the DVD bc I can get it cheaper online - and after I went to the toilet, they already announced that not many more people would be able to buy goods. I went in and took my seat and was later joined by Senta, who’d never watched the musical before so it was fun to afterwards hear what she thought of it and explain some more about the connection between the swords and their former masters. I wasn’t very much at the front but had a good view on the entire stage. At first the full cast and the producer (and writer?) took the stage to explain the Kitazono Ryo’s medical condition - he’d been diagnosed with retinal detachment and was advised not to act on stage, but he could do his lines and vocals. They then called him on stage, and you could tell by his posture and face that this was a very difficult thing to do. Ryo cried through his words and could hardly speak, it was so very sad to see him like this, apologizing for not being able to be on stage. He got a big round of applause and took a spot behind the audience from where he’d act out his lines. [spoilers ahead]

The musical started off differently, with Mikazuki doing a dance - immediately making the link to Tsuwamonodomo stronger - while the ‘human’ story played out behind him. They also added that smithing song between Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru. There were some obvious changes to the musical, but mostly subltle changes in conversations and little things added here and there. The overall flow of the story remains the same, of course, but the musical has evolved through time and you can tell that there’s improvement in all aspects (although it was always great haha). The presence of Kogi on stage was not a big problem for the course of the story, since his interaction is mostly limited to speaking to others, aside from the song he shared with Mikazuki and ofc in the group scenes, there is an empty spot, but even so his character was there. It was still sad to see everyone looking at that empty spot, but I’m just glad that at least he was allowed to and able to perform by speaking.

I love the scenes with Benkei and Iwatooshi - let’s be honest, Iwatooshi is the new guy at the citadel in this piece and he’s so fucking strong, bless him. Just like his former master, he’s a good man with a strong sense of duty and good intuition. And his doubt and resolve are played out very well. Araki Kentaro is also great as Yoshitsune, in every performance he’s been able to express the duality between human Yoshitsune and possessed Yoshitsune very well. 

I also think everyone grew in their respective characters and the singing was also better than before. Everyone’s performance was outstanding. Mikazuki’s elegance, Iwatooshi’s strength, Ishikirimaru’s protectiveness, Kashuu’s vigor, Imanotsurugi’s enery and Kogi’s empathy, it was all there. I just love how these characters influence each other. At the end, the fighting got more intense than it was before, adding some dramatic despair that I don’t think I felt before during that scene, and I don’t think anyone would ever complain about Daichi’s bare back :) The Idol Live part was all new!! Surprisingly, I wasn’t expecting that and as people later pointed out, it was nowhere hinted at either - no idol outfit bromides for us yet, but I’d love to get those!.I love the new outfits, they were very nicely coordinated, the original character colours were used very well, and the jackets with connecting lines look so fabulous <3  The songs were also very good! Very upbeat and catchy and boi the dance moves!! I was really impressed and as Ishikirimaru fan I’ve been eyeing Sakiyama most of the time - hard to ignore his tight pants and smooth moves xD I have a vague feeling they also gave him more center stage time? His popularity has climbed since the first Atsukashiyama run so I guess they might take that into consideration? It made me happy to see that they looked like they were having a lot of fun, despite everything, that they were giving their all in a foreign country, and by the amount of pen lights and different colours, everyone had fans and I hope they felt our love~

They also kept up with the misogi tradition where someone has to say a line in repsonse to a given situation. Mikazuki got picked and instead of giving us a line, he had to flash his back, this kinky mofo. Mario ma boy you  know what you’re about don’t you. <3 At the end they all presented themselves in French (v cute baww), aaand it ended with otokomichi as usual but that entire song/act is just A+++, it’s such a motivating song. Everyone looked happy. They got a lot of applause, a standing ovation WELL DESERVED and in the end, all pen lights turned yellow to wave at Ryo as he left his spot. I hope he got some strenth and courage from it, and felt less burdened. I went out... Edo and Katy went to the evening performance too. I was thinking of just hanging around or maybe going to the hotel but - France had just won the world cup and Paris had exploded into a chaotic soccer mess that I wanted no part of - so I bought a rank 2 ticket and went in again. (yolo is a thing, this might well be the only time to ever see a toumyu live) Things about seeing it twice:  - Ryozono had regained his composure. I think that the successful afternoon performance and the fan’s reactions had made him feel at least less worried. He apologized this time with a strong and confident voice. Bless him. - There was a scene where Ishi wanted to draw Kashuu’s portrait (ref to Mihotose), but he forgot his pen xD He glossed it over real smooth. GJ Sakiyama <3 - It was misogi time for Ishikirimaru!! I may have screamed. I wish I’d remembered exactly what he said but it was about hugging, I think my brain just melted hence the bad memory. ^^;;;

- For the idol performance we took different seats at the side to see the actors from closer by.<3  - Sadly there were a lot of empty seats for the evening performance. It would’ve been hard to get home when the musical was over so I understand but I also think they should have done a better job at promoting the entire event. It’s alway been hard to get information, most of it  had been translated by fans from the official Japanese site. People came from all over Europe and more people would come if you’d done proper promotion beforehand. Uhm... I think that’s it. It was great. I had an amazing time with the people I was with and talked to and I wish I’d been there today as well to talk about it even more but HMU ok.

Can I just say I’m into hell even deeper now? That I fucking love Tsubasa? But also Daichi? But also Mario? Actually EVERYONE??? I’m really really really happy I decided to go, best decision, kill me now (but I’m already dead), I haven’t been able to think of anything else and I’m definitely not ready to go to work tomorrow. I hope this does still open doors to more (tourabu) musicals and/or stage plays to come to Europe. It’s very niche but it’s still a growing fandom. I’m more motivated again to do some subbing to spread the love for the stages/musicals that I like and hope people will join us in this hell and start supporting the boys and their work.

<3

more random stuff on twitter

[dimensiontripperhibiki]

Let It Burn (54/?)

Here’s the next chapter, I hope you guys enjoy and as always thanks for the messages/reblogs etc.  Warning(s): Sexual scenes (maybe), angst, violence.  A/N: With the timelines merging, this is going to get a bit messy. New Future characters, couple of new characters in general etc. Just a heads up but I’m sure you guys realized it would get messy anyway! :) Future Kotori closed the basement door behind her, letting go of her past self’s wrist once they were safely in the kitchen. “You’re more jealous than me, huh?” Kotori huffed and stalked across the kitchen, putting some distance between herself and her future self. “I just wanted to make it clear that Maki-chan is my fiance! I’m not going to lose her.” “Whoa, wait. What?” Future Kotori held up her hand to stop Kotori and stepped forward, surprise written across her face. “Did you just say...fiance?!” Kotori grimaced at that. “Um...maybe. Yes. Sorry. I don’t know how much I should be telling you.” “Fiance, huh?”  Future Kotori mused thoughtfully. “You two must be dead serious. Usually ‘fiance’ is not something I like to hear, considering I had one before. Me and my Maki-chan are taking it a lot slower. We want to rekindle everything. Not just our...romantic feelings for each other.”

“We are serious.” Kotori said, bristling a little as she prepared for her future self to argue with her. “Since we found each other. You’re an idiot for taking so long.”

“Well excuse me for being in a relationship!” “That you didn’t want!” Kotori argued loudly. “Neither did Honoka-chan. She was always running off with Eli-chan. She never did pay attention to me like she did with Umi-chan either. All she cared about was Umi-chan.” Future Kotori let out a sigh. “You don’t understand the situation. It was complicated. And she did love me, like I loved her, just...it’s too complicated, okay? You’ll understand when you’re older.” “No, I won’t.” Kotori argued, firmly shaking her head. “I don’t want to be with anyone but Maki-chan.” “Well we can agree on that at least.” Future Kotori said with a slight smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not saying I shouldn’t have chosen Maki-chan sooner. I should have. I think even Honoka-chan would agree with that. But it was complicated, okay?” Kotori nodded silently in response and for a moment the two stood, staring at each other. “It feels weird to stare at myself like this.” Future Kotori said thoughtfully as she looked her past self over. She quickly shook it off. Kotori nodded in agreement. “So what happened? How did you and Maki realize you wanted to be together?” “Um...probably when Maki-chan kissed me when I was seventeen.” “WHAT?!” Future Kotori winced at that. “Damn, I shouldn’t have said that…” “WEREN’T YOU IN A RELATIONSHIP?!” “I TOLD YOU, IT’S COMPLICATED!” Future Kotori retorted, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She quietened down slightly as she continued. “Only Nozomi-chan and Nico-chan knew about it. And they supported us...me and Maki-chan, through the years.” “Don’t let Honoka hear you say that.” Kotori muttered, rolling her eyes. Honoka hadn’t told her specifically but she had heard from Maki how Honoka felt. “She already feels betrayed enough by the two of you.” Kotori frowned, glancing away. She could understand that. “Why did it have to be me who fell through the tear? This is so complicated.” “You think you’re the only one freaking out?!” Future Kotori started to reply but she was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Both she and her past self braced themselves and a moment later Future Nico walked into the kitchen with a sleeping Future Umi draped across her back. “What?” Nico asked, noticing Future Kotori’s look. “I didn’t know she’d actually take me up on my shot challenge. Woman can’t even stay conscious after drinking all of that alcohol. Did you even know she’s a sleepy drunk?” Future Kotori silently nodded. “I’m gonna take her upstairs.” Nico muttered as she turned and left the room once more. She passed Future Honoka and Future Maki on the way out. “Oh dear…” Future Kotori muttered, noticing that Maki was drunk. Honoka on the other hand seemed completely sober. “She hasn’t been too much of a hassle, has she?” Honoka shrugged. “Not really. She just got really talkative and...unconsciously smooth. You don’t know how many girls she accidentally complimented.” “She’s emotional when she drinks.” Future Kotori sighed as she walked over to the two. Honoka tensed for a moment before she handed Maki over to Kotori. “Get her to bed.” Future Kotori took Maki into her arms and blushed when lips kissed her nose, somewhat clumsily. “Hi my pretty little bird. Or...Koto-neeeee.” Future Kotori fondly rolled her eyes. “We’re dating now, Maki-chan. No need to call me that.” “But it’s so cuuuuute.” “How much did she drink?” Future Kotori grimaced, looking toward Honoka. “Um...well I told her a lot of depressing stuff. So...a lot. Just let her sleep it off and she’ll be fine.” Honoka said awkwardly. “Make sure she drinks water or something.” “Little Kotori got hurt because I was weak.” Maki slurred, leaning into Kotori. “I hate being weak. Imma get little Maki to toughen up and get better with fighting hand to hand. That’s my goal. She’s gonna protect little Kotori.” Future Kotori looked down, noticing tears sparkling in Maki’s eyes. Seeing Maki’s cool and collected exterior cracking brought a slight smile to her lips. “You can tell me all about your plans to protect little Kotori downstairs in our futon. Okay?” “‘Kay.” Maki mumbled, laying her head on Kotori’s shoulder. “M’I love you…” “I love you too, Maki-chan.” Future Kotori kissed Maki’s temple and gave her a slight squeeze. Kotori watched her future self’s interaction with future Maki with a small smile but she didn’t interject. She didn’t really know what they were talking about. For all she knew Maki was just drunkenly rambling. “Goodnight.” Future Kotori glanced between Future Honoka and her own past self before she led Maki down to the basement. “Goodnight.” Kotori mumbled as she watched them go. The door closed behind them, leaving herself and Honoka alone. “Are you okay?” “I haven’t been drinking.” Honoka answered with a shrug of her shoulders. “That’s not what I meant.” Kotori replied, raising an eyebrow. “Are you still pissed at me?” Honoka shook her head. “There’s no reason for me to be angry with you. Your future self, sure. But not you. You haven’t done anything wrong.” Kotori breathed a sigh of relief at that. “So what did the two of you talk about?” “Everything.” Honoka said honestly. It had been difficult for her recount everything that had happened since she’d arrived but she had done it at Maki’s request. “She...really cares about us. All of us. Getting her to drink might have been a good thing. She gets vulnerable and I actually get to see what she’s feeling. I think I um...hurt her feelings pretty badly when I said she doesn’t give a damn about me.” Kotori perked up, a hopeful look on her face. It sounded like Honoka’s anger was slowly easing. “Maki-chan cares about you a lot. My Maki-chan at least.” “So does she.” With a sigh, Honoka sunk down at the table. “I’ve hurt her so much. Too much to count. I’ve been such a terrible friend to her.” “Well now I guess you two are even in a way?” Kotori proposed quietly as she moved closer to Honoka. “You can start over.” “There’s no time.” Honoka muttered to herself. “She’ll be going back when we figure out this timeline issue. As soon as Tsubasa goddamn contacts me again.” She groaned in defeat and buried her head in her hands. “Do you want to talk some more?” Kotori offered softly. “I could make some tea.” Honoka shook her head and straightened up. “I just want to go to bed.” Kotori smirked. “Don’t you mean back to Nozomi?” “Shut up.” Honoka glanced toward the basement door, briefly biting her lip. “I don’t know why she keeps forgiving me.” “Maki-chan is a lot more innocent than you think.” Kotori replied matter of factly. “She just acts cool.” “Yeah.” Honoka sighed once more. She didn’t know what to think. Maki had hurt her but she’d hurt Maki so much in the past too. Both intentionally and unintentionally. “She always let me sleep in her office, you know. When I asked. And she always kept me alive. Somehow I feel like she always felt everything was her fault. I guess it’s a given with how I reacted when I was recovering. Ugh, I shouldn’t have told her to stay away from me today. I’m such an idiot.” “Yeah, that was a bad move on your part.” Kotori said reasonably, earning herself a glare from Honoka. “I get that you’re angry. But today when you were...in the infirmary you were asking for my Maki-chan. Why would you…?” “I don’t know. I guess seeing those two together put things into perspective.” Honoka replied softly, glancing down at the table. “Your Maki-chan hasn’t done anything to me. I don’t think she would.” Kotori managed a small smile at that. “You and Maki-chan get along well. But I don’t think future Maki-chan would do this either. Let’s be honest, Honoka. Who would make the first move between me and Maki? Seriously, Maki-chan isn’t that impulsive.” Honoka groaned in response. “Hating you isn’t any easier than hating Maki-chan is. And even if it was I keep thinking about the two of them...making plans without me knowing. Sneaking around to be together. I thought Maki-chan and I were...close. But how close could we have been if she’d do this? If they’d both do it?” Kotori frowned at that. She wasn’t sure what she could say in defense of her future self. “At least you know my Maki-chan wouldn’t do that?” Honoka smiled sadly at the thought. “Yeah, I guess.” She leaned forward, resting her chin against her folded arms on the table. “I shouldn’t have been so harsh to your Maki-chan either. I have to apologize to her.” “I think that would mean a lot to her.” Kotori said honestly, recalling how upset Maki had been after she’d tried to speak to Honoka. “She gets lonely sometimes, you know? But she really cares. And she’s smiling a lot more now, like she used to when she was a little kid. You know, I think I’ve come to realize something, Honoka. The reason I liked you. You reminded me of Maki when she was smaller, more emotional...a ball of energy. You two are so similar. In so many ways.” Honoka gave a slight laugh at that. “Thanks, Kotori. You really know how to make me feel better.” “I didn’t mean like...I don’t mean I only liked you for that.” Kotori hastily tripped over her words. “I’m being honest, I just...I wanted you to understand why I felt attached to you and aah I’m such a moron! I guess what I meant was I missed Maki-chan before meeting you. Your smile reminded me of her and that’s why I felt safe being your friend. You and Umi-chan.” “That doesn’t make it sound any better.” Honoka smiled at the panicked look on Kotori’s face. “It’s fine, don’t worry. I guess that’s...hard for me to hear. But thank you for being honest. Besides, I don’t hold anything against you, Kotori-chan. Not...this version of you.” Kotori blinked at Honoka. “Really?” “Of course not. You’re my best friend. I think.” Honoka hesitated at the surprise on Kotori’s face. “Ugh, forget I said that. I know you’ve already...you’ve got Honoka. Your Honoka, not me. But I just wanted you to know that other than Nozomi and Hibiki, you and Maki are the people I’m closest to. I-In this timeline. Damn it, that’s so messed up...” “It’s not, it’s sweet.” Kotori couldn’t help but giggle as she watched Honoka blush furiously. “You should tell Maki-chan that too. I’m sure she’ll react just like you are now.” “Shut up, I’m going to bed.” Honoka said with a roll of her eyes. She got up from the table her gaze lingering on Kotori. “Thanks. For the talk. I really needed it.” Kotori smiled broadly at Honoka. “Of course. Goodnight, Honoka.” “Goodnight, Kotori.” Honoka mumbled before she turned and left the kitchen. ---- Future Maki paused at the bottom of the basement stairs, finding her past self sitting at her computer. She seemed to be engrossed in whatever she was reading on the screen, her eyes flitting left and right as she read. Future Maki cleared her throat and stepped forward, causing her past self to flinch in surprise. “Oh, it’s you.” Maki breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t hear you coming. You shouldn’t sneak up on people.” “You couldn’t hear my thoughts. I wasn’t sneaking.” “You blocked me.” Maki frowned, reaching over to switch off her computer screen. “Right. You really need to learn how to pass barriers.” Future Maki pointed out as she walked further into the room. She glanced around, noticing the training area, clearly set up for Rin. “Anyway, I thought you and I could have talk.” “Yeah? About what?” “Your new training regime.” Future Maki reached the desk Maki was sitting at, stopping next to it. “Honoka told me quite a lot. Got me drunk.” Maki stared at Future Honoka blankly for a moment before she shook her head. “What are you talking about?” Future Maki gave a disgruntled sigh. “You’re in charge of the training regime for Rin, Honoka, Eli and Nico, right? So they’re ready to go after future ARise?” “I have it under control.” Maki said simply. “I don’t need your help.” “Maybe you don’t want my help but you could definitely use it.” Future Maki pointed out matter of factly. “With Honoka especially. You don’t even know what her limits are. I know that better than anyone.” Maki sighed and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She turned her chair toward her future self, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You mean her ability, right? How she gets headaches and nosebleeds because it affects her brain. Right?” Future Maki stared at the younger version of herself for a moment before she gave a nod of agreement. “You’ve been reading the neurology books, haven’t you?” “I have requested that Rin go to the library a few times…” The doctor groaned and walked to the computer. She reached past Maki to switch on the monitor and took an old USB from her pocket, plugging it into the PC. “You’re damn lucky I did this before the power went out last time at the base. Download it and it’ll give you the files for everyone in Muse. Honoka has a seperate one.” Maki watched in surprise as her future self pulled up a necklace from under her scrub top, a USB attached to it. “Nobody should ever look into this except us. Once you study it delete it from your computer’s memory immediately. Honoka’s ability and body is a lot more complicated than the others. Even Nico doesn’t have this many complications.” Maki swallowed thickly. She didn’t like the sound of that. “Why?” “Because Honoka is the only member that could die from her ability alone.” Maki gaped at future Maki for a moment, struggling to process that. “W-What? What are you saying? This issue with her brain could kill her?!” “Honoka’s ability could cause an aneurysm. Look it up.” Future Maki instructed, nodding at the computer. “There’s no cure besides a very difficult procedure. Why do you think I was freaking out and asking Mama how many times Honoka’s suffered nosebleeds?” “Way too many to count if you ask me.” Maki mumbled, vaguely recalling how early Honoka had suffered a nosebleed in front of her. “If you’re asking if she’s overusing her ability the answer is yes. Most of the time she’s needed to. It’s been a life or death situation but other times...her emotions get the better of her sometimes.” Future Maki shook her head in disain. “You know how to knock people out yet?” “It takes a lot out of me but yes…” “That’s because you don’t train your body. It’s not only your brain that’s needed, you need stamina.” Maki frowned in confusion. “How…?” “I had to train as well.” Future Maki explained, leaning against the desk. “I can thank Nico-chan for that. She was not an easy trainer. My Nico is brutal. She doesn’t hold back even with her headbuts.” “Sounds like Nico.” Maki mumbled. She leaned back in her seat, her gaze shifting to the necklace around Future Maki’s neck. “I’m glad I don’t have to spar like that with my Nico.” “You do. You should.” Future Maki stepped back, holding her hands out at her sides. “Come at me. With your fists.” Maki sighed but did as she was told. She got up from her seat and pause for a moment, hoping the brief hesitation would catch her future self off guard. She rushed forward suddenly, throwing a punch but future Maki caught it and wrenched her arm behind her back. Maki cried out as pain shot through her arm, falling to her knees. “Ow, ow, ow! OKAY, I get it!” She grimaced as her future self let go of her arm. She rubbed her aching shoulder and carefully got to her feet. “Can you just show me Honoka’s file already?” “Fine. But you need to train.” Future Maki stepped past Maki, sitting down at the desk before her younger self had a chance to. She ignored the scowl shot in her direction and tugged the necklace off, plugging the USB into the computer. “I hope you’re ready for this.”

“I-I am.” “No, you’re definitely not.” Future Maki mumbled, opening the folder. She pushed herself away from the desk, wheeling the chair backwards to give Maki some room. “Everything is there.” Maki shook her head but turned back to the monitor after a moment. She didn’t want to read what was in the file but she knew that she needed to know what was wrong with Honoka. She noticed the numerous files dotted around in the folder. “There’s a lot in here.” “I put a lot of effort into this.” Future Maki remarked quietly. “It’s probably going to take you a while to get through all of that. And you’re not going to like what you see.” “I don’t need to read this to know what that means. You’re saying Honoka’s going to die, right?” “She might.” “What if she goes into the space continuum?” Maki asked idly, her eyes trained to the screen. She would still need to go through everything so that she had all of the information. “Um...I don’t know. It would maybe freeze what’s happening but I can’t be sure. Why?” “Just something I overheard.” “Ah.” Future Maki said, understanding filtering into her voice. “I know how that feels. Annoying, isn’t it? You’ll gain more control eventually. Don’t worry.” “I think I’m going to need to smoke after this.” Maki mumbled under her breath. “Same reaction I had after writing it. Well before I started dating Kotori.” Future Maki paused, noticing a strange look flit across Maki’s face. “What?” “Nothing. I didn’t say anything.” Maki opened a file and let out a low exhale when she noticed it was a fairly long document. “For the record, don’t always be in front of that thing. You strained my eyes.” “You strained your own eyes.” Maki replied with a roll of her eyes. “Which means you did. You are me, just in the past.” “Wrong timeline though. I’m not really anything like you.” Maki glanced briefly back at her future self. “You don’t like me very much.” Maki snorted out a laugh. “Don’t let Nozomi hear you say that. I think she’s getting really into this psychology thing she has going on at the minute. She’ll read way too much into that.” “You know, she’s kind of a therapist for the rebels in my timeline.” Maki said thoughtfully, somewhat saddened at the thought of her own timeline. “Spoilers.” Maki muttered under her breath. “Of course I never really went to her. I was really fucked in the head though. I’m pretty sure I have OCD and high anxiety.” Maki wasn’t sure what to say to that so she merely gave a slight nod. “I’ve spoken to Nozomi before. I think Honoka being here has helped me change for the better. Being with Kotori has too of course but...from everything she’s told me about her version of me...I don’t want to become like that. And she doesn’t want me to either.” Future Maki let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I get it. She’s pissed at me. I figured last night wouldn’t change that.” “She’s not the only one who’s pissed at you.” Maki turned around to face her future self. “Everyone in this timeline cares about her. A lot. She’s our Honoka now.” “Just what the hell did I do exactly?! She came into my office. I was just trying to be friendly! And I told her we couldn’t do anything unless she broke up with Honoka. Did you know when I was screwing around with Nico I was thinking about Kotori? I was seriously fucked up. I know I am, damn it. No need to remind me.” “You are.” Maki agreed quietly. “Well so are you. At least I haven’t started smoking at your age. I did it when I was older.” “At least I don’t steal people’s girlfriends.” Maki narrowed her eyes. “Alright, you two. Break it up.” A voice called from the stairs, startling the two. They glanced over, finding Future Nico slowly approaching them. “There’s no sense in fighting between ourselves. What are you doing?” Maki quickly locked her computer. “Nothing. My future self was just explaining the future, that’s all. I figured if I had a better idea of it I could change it…?” “You’re terrible at lying.” Future Nico said with a scoff of disbelief. “Whatever, I won’t ask. Just quit fighting, it’s pointless. We’re just trying to get back to our own time.” “Whatever. Get out of my...basement, both of you.” Maki said, eager to go back to what she was meant to be doing. “I have work to do.” Future Maki opened her mouth to protest but she was stopped by Nico grabbing her arm, tugging her toward the basement stairs. “Just leave it, Maki.” Nico mumbled, just loud enough for future Maki to hear. Future Maki sighed but did as she was told, letting Nico lead her from the basement. She took a few steps into the kitchen before she felt arms go around her waist. She gasped softly, turning her head slightly just in time to catch a glimpse of ashen hair. “Kotori.” Future Kotori lightly nuzzled Maki’s neck, her eyes closed. “Sorry, I know I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping. I just wanted to see you.” “H-How long have you been following me?” Maki asked, her stomach plummeting at the thought that Kotori might have heard what was wrong with Honoka. “I just before Nico-chan came down. So a few minutes.” Kotori answered, resting her chin on Maki’s shoulder. “Why?” Future Maki breathed a sigh of relief at that. “No reason.” “I’m just going to...go.” Future Nico said awkwardly before she quickly left the kitchen. “So my past self hates me too.” Maki said with a sigh, turning in Kotori’s embrace. “Past Muse really care about...Honoka, you know.” “Yeah, I know.” Kotori curled her arms around Maki’s neck. “It’s okay, Maki-chan. They just don’t understand.”” “Yeah.” Maki mumbled, remembering her past self’s earlier comments. “I don’t know if this Honoka’s ever going to warm up to me though.” “That’s okay. Our Honoka is warm enough to you. And we’re definitely going to get back.” Kotori pressed a gentle, reassuring kiss to Maki’s lips. “It’s going to be okay. We knew this would happen when we decided to get together, remember? We knew some people might not agree with it. We’ve prepared for this.” “Yeah. You’re right.” Maki mumbled. She managed a small smile as she looked up at Kotori. “Let’s take a walk together, okay?” Kotori raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think going out is a good idea.” “Are you okay to use your ability?” Maki asked hopefully. “It’s only for a few minutes, I just need to get away from this house for a while.” “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Come on.” Kotori reached down and gripped Maki’s hand tightly, using her ability to turn them invisible before she led the way to the door. ----- There was a simultaneous flash of white and orange lightning as two women appeared in the middle of the Minami household’s kitchen. A young woman with white hair held up in a ponytail looked around the kitchen. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for us to come here?” “No.” The other woman, her face partially covered by the domino mask she was wearing answered warily. “But it’s better than leaving them to their own devices. There’s too much at stake.” The white haired woman nodded in response and looked up, catching the sound of talking from one of the bedrooms upstairs. “You remember the rules, don’t you, Isla?” The masked woman asked pointedly. Isla gave a soft sigh in response. “Don’t go near Chika because you don’t know what could happen with my ability, don’t tell anyone anything about the future and don’t sleep with any Honokas.” “And the Yuki thing.” The woman reminded pointedly. “She’s not your Yuki, she’s just a child in this timeline which means…” “She’s highly impressionable and I shouldn’t go near her. Got it.” Isla responded with a firm nod of her head. “What about my mom and dad?” The woman grimaced. “Maybe...there need to be ground rules. You can talk to Hanayo but don’t tell her anything about the future. Your dad is fine too. Just remember that no matter what happens you can’t do anything to bring them back. As much as I’d like to…” “Rin-senpai…” “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. You know the number one rule. Don’t change anything about the past. And keep our identities a secret.” Rin said strictly, shaking her head. “Anything can…” She paused as Isla used her ability to rush around the kitchen. “Isla, what the…?” She turned, finding her apprentice leaning against the counter, half a sandwich in hand. “Isla!” “What? I’m hungry!” Isla exclaimed through a mouthful of food. “You know what using my speed does to me.” Rin sighed heavily and shook her head. It was so hard to focus sometimes with the young girl around. “Look let’s ju-” “Hey, Rin. Why are you wearing that in the house?” Nozomi asked casually as she walked into the kitchen. She had been browsing through the notes she had on her phone about Chika so she didn’t notice Rin or Isla. Rin groaned. So much for keeping her identity a secret. “Can you deal with this, Isla?” She sped off before Isla and Nozomi could respond. “Isla…?” Nozomi looked up in confusion, noticing Isla for the first time. She dropped her phone in shock. “Who are you?” “Isla. Hey.” Isla held her hand up in a wave. “You’re…” Nozomi frowned, noticing the girl wasn’t attacking. “You’re...why are you here?” “Um…” Isla paused, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. She didn’t know how much Rin wanted her to say. “You could say I work for...a time agency. Not that I’m employed by them, I’m more like...a voluntary prisoner.” “Huh?!” Isla opened her mouth to explain further but she was cut off as Future Rin dashed into the kitchen, coming to a stop. Isla’s eyes widened when she noticed the woman with Rin. She had black hair and bright blue eyes. “Oracle?! Seriously? Why did you bring her?” “Because we need her.” Rin answered simply. She turned toward the woman she’d brought along. “Oracle…”   “You know you can call me by my name, hot shot. We are married, you know.” “I know but it’s embarrassing in front of the kid.” Rin muttered, lowering her voice. Isla sighed. “Hi, aunt Hibiki. How’s...home?” “WAIT! AUNT?!” Nozomi exclaimed loudly, holding up her hands to interrupt them. She had known that Honoka would say more timelines would seep through but this was getting ridiculous. Past Hibiki ran into the room, a canvas in her hands. “Oh no.” She muttered, looking between the four women and the picture she had painted. “Nico’s going to be really confused. Or she’s going to kill Raven-san…” Isla’s eyes lit up at the comment. “Why?” Nozomi gawked at Hibiki. The past version of Hibiki pointed to Isla and Nozomi put two and two together. “Oh for the love of the gods…SHE GOT PREGNANT?! I thought her and Nicocchi were in a relationship!” Isla grimaced. “Please don’t talk about how I was conceived. I don’t need to hear that. Senpai…” She turned to Rin who was still wearing her mask. “Don’t you think bringing Aunt Hibiki along was a bit too obvious if you’re trying to hide your identity?” “Crap. Whatever, Nozomi already knew.” “Wait, wait!” Nozomi held up her hand. “Nobody answered me. Is Nicocchi still alive in your timeline?” “She’s actually our leader.” Rin answered with a sigh, tugging off her mask. “She never got with Hanayo. Honestly this timeline is so weird for those two and I’ve seen a LOT of timelines…” “And? How do they usually end?” “With Nico-chan alone. Always alone.” Nozomi frowned. “Well I’m glad she has Hanayo now.” Isla narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to try not to take offence to that.” “Sorry.” Nozomi said sheepishly. “Nicocchi is my best friend. It’s my duty to think of her happiness...say, if your parents are Hanayo-chan and Raven-kun why is your hair…?” “White? Right, this is Yuki-chan’s fault.” Before Nozomi could say anything Future Hibiki spoke up. “You still can’t control your trances right, little me?” Hibiki looked to her future self, her eyes wide. “Y-You can control it? For real?!” “Yes.” Hibiki bolted over to the dark haired version of herself. “TEACH ME!” Nozomi raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Hibiki so excited about anything besides Rin. Hibiki looked to Isla, noticing she looked a little sullen. “You missing Natsuki already?” “Hibiki.” Rin murmured, touching Hibiki’s arm. She grimly shook her head when Hibiki glanced at her. “I always miss Nat-chan.” Isla finally said, glancing at Hibiki. “How is she? Has she gotten stronger?” “Well she can use her telekinesis now without raising a hand.” Hibiki explained, noticing Isla looked a little upset.

“Natsuki is a cute name.” Kotori murmured thoughtfully. Maki looked at Kotori in confusion. “What are you thinking about?” “Nothing.” “Wait!” Nozomi turned to face Kotori and Maki. “When did you two get here?!” “We were on our way to the basement.” Kotori explained with a shrug of her shoulders. “You’re all standing in the middle of the kitchen. So who is this Nat-chan. Actually who are you?” “Actually her name is Nish-” “ISLA!” Rin interrupted loudly. She groaned when Isla fell silent. “Enough about our future timeline. You remember the rules, don’t you?” “Your identity is a secret, don’t have sex with any Honokas, avoid Chika-sa-” “Okay, stop!” Rin covered Isla’s mouth with her hand, her head beginning to pound. “New rule. Don’t talk to Maki. Or she’ll start to pry your thoughts open. Block her out or something.” Isla nodded silently and Rin drew her hand away. Kotori noticed Maki pout. “Is she blocking you?” “Yeah.” Maki huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I bet my future self manages to get through when she comes down here though.” “Your future self is already here?!” Rin exclaimed loudly. Nozomi raised an eyebrow. “See what I mean about this being ridiculous?” “That brings me to why I’m here!” Rin announced, deciding to take the opportunity. “We have to fix this mess you’ve all made.” “It was actually your past self.” Nozomi pointed out. “That’s not surprising.” Rin muttered, rolling her eyes. “Also what do you mean by that rule about no sex with Honoka-chan?” Nozomi asked suddenly, looking rather outraged. “Honoka is committed to Elichi and Umi-chan. And ME!” “Everyone ends up with a thing for Honoka. And usually they screw up by sleeping with her.” Rin said, waving Nozomi off. “Anywa-” “That’s definitely not true!” Rin huffed out a sigh. “Who has Honoka slept with so far in your timeline? Both of them, I mean? Eli? Umi? You? And BOTH of them slept with Eli! Not to mention the future Honoka wanted Kotori.” “Two different Honokas! Present Honoka is the original and she can do what she wants. Future Honoka only slept with me and Eli. But Eli wasn’t a thing in the end…” “Eli is always a thing.” Rin interrupted with a shake of her head. “No matter what timeline it is.” Nozomi growled under her breath. “The point is nobody is sleeping with Honoka besides their damn girlfriends!” Isla sheepishly raised her hand. “Does it make a difference if I say I don’t want to sleep with Honoka?” “NO!” “Alright then…” “Future Umi is here too.” Rin said as if she’d just remembered that. “I suppose we’re lucky her Eli isn’t here, that would be a giant mess…” “My Honoka isn’t going to sleep with ANYONE else.” Nozomi said firmly. Honoka had told her she’d made her decision and Nozomi believed her. “Arguing with you isn’t what I’m here for, Nozomi.” Rin finally said, shaking her head. “I’m just here to set things right with the timelines. Isla, come on.” “What?! But I wanna see my mom and dad!” “Not now, Isla!”

----- Finding herself with very little to do and growing frustrated with the situation Future Maki made her way to the training room upstairs, having heard from Future Honoka that she liked to take out her frustrations there. She pushed open the door only to pause when she saw Past Kotori half heartedly hitting the punching bag in the middle of the room. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of track pants so Maki could clearly see the scars scattered over her arms and shoulders. She pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise. She had been warned but she didn’t think it would be as bad as it was. She watched in worry as Kotori stumbled. She put her hands out to catch herself but her arms seemed to collapse under her and she hit the ground with a soft grunt. Maki hurried over, letting the door swing shut behind her. She reached down and gently gripped Kotori’s arms only for her to flinch away. “It’s just me.” She soothed gently, reaching for Kotori again. She was able to help her up from the floor this time. “What happened?” “Just lost my balance.” Kotori said breathlessly, her arms hanging limply at her sides. “Right.” Maki said hesitantly. She tried not to look at the scars she could see but she couldn’t drag her eyes away from them. “What?” Kotori asked warily, taking a step back. “You’re staring at me.” “S-Sorry.” Maki blushed and briefly looked away. When she looked back to Kotori she was able to meet her eyes. “I’m sorry. Just...you look different to my Kotori, that’s all.” “I’m guessing you don’t mean my figure or my hair.” Kotori muttered, glancing down at herself. She knew exactly what Maki meant. “Kotori.” Maki stepped forward, her expression pained. “What the hell did they do to you?” Kotori hesitated at the question. She knew it was only Maki but this Maki was so much more mature looking than her Maki. “Um...Sonoda had me tortured. They hung me up from my arms and cut and hit me.” “Your arms.” Maki echoed softly, looking at Kotori’s arms. She reached out, gently running her fingertips over one of the scars. “What’s wrong with them?” “You noticed that?” Kotori asked in surprise. She was met with a skeptical look from Maki and blushed sheepishly. “Right. Rei-san healed me when I got back from the facility but she couldn’t heal everything. So my arms are weakened now…” “Nico hasn’t healed them for you?” Maki asked in surprise. “Um...I haven’t told her about it. She thinks the only thing I have from the facility is the scars. And she offered to heal them for me by giving me her blood but I said no. I don’t want to rely on other people.” Kotori admitted quietly, glancing away. “I’m the weakest of the group, everyone knows that. I don’t want to be a liability anymore. I want to be strong like Eli-chan and Umi-chan.” “Kotori…” Maki stepped forward, gently drawing the younger version of her girlfriend closer to her in a loose embrace. “You’re not weak, you’re the strongest person I know. What you went through with Sonoda is proof of that. You got through it and that’s all that matters. Needing help doesn’t make you weak. You’re stronger because you have friends who want to help you. If you ask Honoka she’ll tell you she’s not strong because of her abilities.” “She’ll say it’s Nozomi.” Kotori joked despite her voice being thick with emotion. “She’s such a sap now.” Maki laughed, feeling Kotori carefully hug her back. “Will you think about talking to Nico? Please?” Kotori nodded against Maki’s chest in response. “Good. I…” Maki paused as the door across the room opened. She looked up just in time to see her past self walk in. Maki froze at the sight of the two, her eyes widening in surprise. She had been looking for Future Honoka, she hadn’t been expecting to find Kotori there. “I thought I told you to keep your hands off of my girlfriend?” She commented dryly. “It’s nothing, don’t worry, Maki-chan.” Kotori drew away from Future Maki, trying to subtly brush away the few tears that lingered to her cheeks. Maki noticed immediately. “What the hell did you say to her?” “She didn’t say anything to me, she was just being nice.” Kotori said, making her way over to Maki. She was grateful for the way Maki immediately took her hand and drew her close. It made her feel safe. Protected. “I stumbled, that’s all. Don’t worry.” “Okay.” Maki breathed a sigh of relief and glanced over at her future self. She understood how Honoka felt with Future Honoka now, she supposed. She couldn’t help but feel inferior to the clearly more experienced doctor. It was obvious that her future self knew it too from the way she seemed to look down upon her. Future Maki raised an eyebrow as her past self curled a possessive arm around Kotori. “You sure get jealous easily, huh?” Maki glared at her future self in annoyance. “I am not. But don’t you think you should be with your own Kotori?” Future Maki ran her fingers through her hair, tossling it slightly. “She’s busy right now. I was just coming in here to train because I don’t have anything else to do. I like to stay busy.” “It sounds like you overwork yourself more than Maki-chan.” Kotori said, her brow furrowed slightly. Maki frowned at Kotori, puzzled by the comment while her future self merely laughed it off. “You’re not wrong. Usually I’m tending to a lot of patients. It’s unnerving to not have someone to examine. So what’s this about a kid’s mind you can’t open up, little me?” “Ugh, get out of my head.” Maki focused on pushing her future self out of her mind. Future Maki smirked. “Careful, you’ll give yourself a headache. So what’s the problem?” “Future Rin came with another girl. They’re keeping secrets and Maki-chan can’t get into their heads to see what’s going on.” Kotori explained without hesitation. “They said they came back to fix the timelines. They both seem to be speedsters.” “Kotori!” Maki exclaimed, her eyes widening at Kotori’s blunt honesty. “We said we’d keep that a secret.” Kotori blinked at Maki in confusion. “But she’s Maki-chan.” Maki sighed, rubbing her temples. It still put her on edge that her future self was even there, let alone getting along so well with her Kotori. Future Maki stared at the two contemplatively. “Should have known another timeline was going to seep through into this one. I’ll be right back, I need to use your computer. By the way, little me, do you still have the drives I gave you?” “Y-Yeah…” “There’s a hidden file in Honoka’s drive. I’ll have to check that out if you want me to deal with this new Rin. Don’t come downstairs.” Maki rolled her eyes. “Fine. I need to use the basement soon though so you’ll have to be fast.” “I’ll let you know when I’m done.” Future Maki said as she walked toward the door. She paused next to it, glancing back at Kotori. “Think about what I said, Kotori.” Kotori nodded hesitantly and Future Maki left without another word. She walked down the stairs and through the kitchen to get to the basement. She quickly made a beeline for the computer. “You can come out now.” She called into the seemingly empty room. “I know I’m not your Maki but she has the same file, doesn’t she?” Future Rin stepped out from the shadows. “Hers is a lot bulkier but I’m guessing you have a lot of information about dynamics and power.” Maki looked up. “In a way. Who’s the kid?” “Classified.” Maki narrowed her eyes as she sat down on the seat in front of the computer. “I’m stronger than her, I know how to unblock people. You should come clean or...I could do a nerve link.” Future Rin scoffed in disbelief. “What makes you think you’re stronger than my Maki-chan? She has more experience than you. I admit a nerve link would work though. If you wanted you could get the information out of me. If you’re an idiot, that is.” “What?” “Do you want to screw the timelines up even more?” Rin asked expectantly. “You know this is already a big enough mess. But hey, if you want to do it, go ahead.” “We’ll leave the kid alone then. The least you could tell me is some information about the language from the speed force. We were just beginning to unlock it but I’m still trying to understand the whole language. With you here I think we could get it done faster.” “No.” Rin said simply, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m a guardian of the speed force. I protect it and the timelines it’s connected to, I’m not going to give you or anyone else the key to it.” Maki let out a sigh. Even her Rin wasn’t so serious in the future. “If we don’t work together we’ll never fully understands what it wants. Don’t make this difficult, Rin.” “You aren’t doing a very good job at protecting the timelines. You should have stopped Honoka from coming to the past in the first place.” Maki drawled before she scrolled down through Honoka’s data. She clicked on the file hidden between some blood results and Honoka’s power structure, labelled with a lightning bolt. She clicked on it, opening it up. “This is information Rin kept from everyone except for me. She wanted to see if the speed force had a deeper tunnel so she could save Hibiki. Now I’m assuming that’s more to do with time and maybe a connection to Honoka’s tunnel. Rin thinks they connect the speed force and the space time continuum.” Future Rin stayed silent even as she moved closer to Maki to look over her shoulder. “I can’t give you any answers, Maki.” Maki gritted her teeth. “Instead of me why don’t you do it for my Rin? She’s been trying to find the connection for a while.” “I can’t have an impact on the timelines I’m watching over.” Rin answered simply, still looking over the folders. “We’re not meant to read the language of the speed force.” Maki looked deflated. “So you can’t.” “I can. I’ve been in there long enough.” Rin replied, shaking her head. “The issue is that I won’t. I can’t have your Rin running around in there. No other Rins actually.” “She’s not as reckless as this Rin! She just wants to understand Honoka. Honoka is her mentor after all…” “No.” Maki growled under her breath and stood up, turning around to face Rin with an annoyed look on her face. “I didn’t want to do it like this, Rin.” Violet eyes turned icy blue and Rin’s hands shot to her head. Her own eyes turned the same icy blue as Maki’s as she felt strange snaps and jolts throughout her body. She tried to resist it but her Maki hadn’t told her how to stop this yet. She went suddenly limp and watched as Maki stepped forward. Maki’s eyes widened as she examined Rin closely. “What the hell happened to you in your timeline?” Rin could only stare at Maki as the redhead’s memories washed over her. Memories of kissing Kotori when Kotori was still with Honoka, of knowing Umi was a double agent and of Maki struggling to protect the rest of Muse. Maki smoking. Creating Honoka and RIn’s files. All the while she was conscious of Maki looking through her own memories. “Break the damn link!” Rin finally managed to growl out. Maki slowly allowed the link to break and Rin managed to straighten up, her eyes locking with Maki, both pairs still icy blue. “So you are an idiot.” Rin said angrily, her breathing shallow. “Why the hell did you do that, knowing it goes both ways? Do you know how much I saw?!” Maki looked away. “It’s because I trusted you. You may not be my Rin but you’re still Rin. I’m sorry you had to see Oracle die in my care. I couldn’t save her.” Rin gritted her teeth and turned away from Maki, needing a moment to compose herself. “How much did you see?” “Enough.” Maki answered simply. “Enough to know why you’re here. I won’t say a word to them. Do you really think they’ll just let you take her though?” Rin let out a sigh. “They won’t have a choice.” “There’s always a choice.” Maki frowned. “I don’t understand why you would do this. I told you, she’s your mentor in the…” “She was MY mentor too!” Rin burst out, turning around to face Maki. “This is my duty. My…” “Punishment.” Maki finished for Rin. She turned away from Rin and walked back to the computer, sitting down in front of it. “What are you doing?” “I’m going to find a loophole so you, the kid and Honoka aren’t stuck in that damn speedforce.” “Don’t cross me, Maki-chan.” Rin said firmly. “You’ll only get hurt if you get in my way.” “I’m not crossing you. I’m just doing what I usually do. Thinking. And Rin? I’m not afraid of you. My past self is but I’m not. So don’t think you can threaten me.” “If you try to keep me from Honoka, I won’t be just threatening you anymore.” Rin promised, glaring at Maki once more before she sped off in a streak of orange. Maki sighed to herself as she closed her eyes to shuffle through the new memories in her head. Rin was only going to cause harm, on this path she was on. ---- Isla was standing around the corner, watching in confusion as Hanayo tried to explain the rice cooker to Raven while present Rin stood nearby, laughing at the two of them. Isla opened her mouth to say something. She wasn’t sure what but she was interrupted by the basement door opening. Nico stepped out and she watched as the dark haired girl passed Raven who lightly touched a hand to her head. Nico glanced at Raven in confusion only for Hanayo to wrap her arms around her from behind. She gasped in surprise, her cheeks flushing. “Damn. You activated my senses. A little warning would have been nice.” “Your girlfriend requested it earlier.” Raven said with an innocent smile. Rin laughed louder as Nico leaned into Hanayo. “You look like a cat, Nico-chan. All curled up to Kayo-chin.” Nico glared at Rin. “Shut up.” Isla frowned, gripping the edge of the door. She had known this timeline would be different but she hadn’t expected to see any interactions like that. She watched as her mother held Nico close to her while her father watched them with a gentle smile. “Sorry, Nico. But as wingman I gotta do what the lady asks.” Raven said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Even if it does cause you to be hypersensitive.” Nico shuddered as her skin heated up further from the other girl’s touch. “Ugh, I hate you.” “But what was that you said about liking my touch, Nico-chan?” Hanayo asked with a pout. Rin’s eyes widened in excitement. “Oooh, this I have to hear! Nico-chan is a bottom like Hibiki?” “Hey, watch it.” Hibiki lightly hit Rin on the head and Isla flinched. She had been so busy staring at her parents that she hadn’t even noticed Hibiki emerge from the basement. She shook her head, trying to focus. “I’m just saying.” Rin mumbled, lightly rubbing her head. “Well don’t.” Nico countered, narrowing her eyes at Rin. “I’m not a bottom. Most of the time.” “Liar.” Hanayo whispered in Nico’s ear, causing Isla to cringe. Thanks to her ability to emphasize her senses she had heard that loud and clear. “Hanayo.” Nico muttered back in response, tilting her head back against Hanayo’s shoulder to look up at her. Hanayo kissed Nico’s neck in response, drawing a soft moan from her. “Thank you, Raven-kun.” “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.” Nico muttered through gritted teeth. “That means you love her.” Raven smirked. Nico glared back at him. “Fuck you both.” “I’m going to take her upstairs.” Hanayo said, giving Nico a light squeeze. “Raven-kun, outside like last time. Please?” Raven grimaced. “Ugh. Fine.” Isla cringed at the mental images conjured up in her head. “Gross, gross, gross.” She muttered under her breath. Even Rin seemed a little bit disturbed. She watched as the three headed toward her and her eyes widened in surprise. This was her chance. She was just about to step forward when she felt a shift next to her. She glanced over in time to see a portal open and a familiar redhead step out. “Nats-” “Shh!” The redhead grabbed Isla’s hand and tugged her away from the doorway and down the hall. They slipped into the living room and Isla vaguely heard the voices of Nico, Hanayo and Raven as they set off upstairs. Isla couldn’t focus enough to hear what they were saying, even with her enhanced hearing. She stared at the girl in front of her in shock. Sparkling golden brown eyes peered back at her, a smile tugging at the girls lips. “Nat-chan. What...what are you doing here?” “My mom sent me to make sure neither of you speedsters did anything stupid. I…” Natsuki trailed off as Isla threw her arms around her suddenly. “Whoa. What’s wrong with you? I only saw you a couple of days ago.” Isla shook her head, hugging her girlfriend tightly. “I missed you so much.” “Well...I missed you too.” Natsuki said hesitantly, hugging Isla back. She drew back after a moment, still holding onto Isla’s arms so she could look at her. “When are you coming home anyway? Two days is way too long to be hiding in some speed force. I know we haven’t dealt with the Tsubasa situation and Chika-san is still not doing so great but we all want you back. We miss you.” “I miss everyone too.” Isla said, blinking away moisture that sprang to her eyes. “Especially you.” Natsuki grinned at the comment though she was still unsure as to why Isla seemed so happy to see her. She adjusted her glasses, pushing them further up her nose. “Maybe you could come back with me when you’re done with...whatever it is you’re doing here.” Isla frowned at that. “I wish I could. But Rin-senpai won’t like it. I have to keep my abilities...Chika-san’s abilities hidden.” She noticed Natsuki’s smile dim slightly and grabbed her hand, squeezing it. “Don’t worry, I’ll be coming home. I just don’t know when.” “That’s not exactly reassuring.” Natsuki mumbled, her brow furrowing slightly. She was quick to shake it off though. “At least we’re together for a while now, right?” “Right.” Isla said with a small smile. She leaned in and pressed a kiss, barely more than a peck to Natsuki’s lips. She rested her forehead against Natsuki’s after, a content sigh passing her lips. She felt like she’d been waiting months to do that. “I really miss you, Nat-chan.” Natsuki kissed Isla once more before she tugged her toward the kitchen where Hibiki and Rin were still talking quietly. Her eyes went to the fridge and with a flick of her wrist she opened it, a bottle of water flying into her hand a moment. “Whoa!” Hibiki flinched while Rin jumped to her feet. “How did you get in here?!” “Wormhole.” Natsuki answered simply as Isla trailed into the kitchen. “Oh, she’s the one you were telling me about.” Rin said, relaxing just a little as she glanced at Hibiki. “The one who came with future me?” Hibiki nodded silently though she was still rather confused about that. The timelines were a real mess. “Who are you two anyway?” Rin asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Classified.” Natsuki answered automatically while Isla gave a soft huff. “I’m just here to watch the other two.” Rin rolled her eyes. “Will you give us a name at least?” “Uh…” Natsuki pondered that for a moment, taking a sip from the bottle of water in her hand before she answered. “You can just call me Ex.” Isla smirked. “You really do read too many comics.” “Shut up. I’m older than you.” “Only by 2 years!” Isla exclaimed quickly. “Nerd.” “I am not.” Natsuki responded, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I already mentioned your name earlier so you can tell them.” Isla said, earning herself a wide eyed look from Natsuki. “You know, your voice is really familiar…’Ex’.” Rin mentioned thoughtfully. “A little more pitchy but still familiar.” “Ehh?!” Natsuki turned to Rin in shock. “Makes you think of a bird.” Isla chimed in with a smirk. Natsuki glared at Isla. “Don’t…” “Red Robin!” “Ugh, I told you not to call me that!” “Oh, I like that name better!” Rin exclaimed brightly. “YOU don’t get to have an opinion.” Natsuki said seriously, glancing over at the grinning speedster. If she was honest she was still annoyed at her Rin for dragging Isla off with her. “You’re the one who caused all of this mayhem so you should not annoy me right now!” “Huh?” Rin frowned at Natsuki. “Wait, how do you know about tha-?” “I just heard it from Isla.” Natsuki lied, figuring it best to keep her other ability a secret. “I know you screwed up the timelines and caused this entire mess. If it weren’t for you, Isla wouldn’t even be here.” “I’d still be with Rin-senpai though.” Isla reminded Natsuki in a whisper. Natsuki gritted her teeth. “I hate that you’re imprisoned in that damn place.” Rin glanced between them with curiosity. She wanted to ask what they meant by that but she figured Natsuki would just tell her it was classified again. “You remind me a little bit of Maki-chan.” Natsuki looked toward Rin sharply. “What?!” Rin shrugged her shoulders. “I just mean you look like her, a little. And you act like her. You should have seen Maki-chan when Kotori-chan was kidnapped, she was always lashing out.” Natsuki stepped back and took a deep breath. “You must be seeing things. Because I don’t even know who this Maki is.” Hibiki narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “I thought you knew all the Muse members. You are with them in the future, right? I mean...Rin is there. And she mentioned Hanayo. What about the others?” “Confidental.” Hibiki let out a heavy sigh though she wasn’t surprised by the response. “Look…” Natsuki decided to give them some information but not much. “I’m an agent. Not a rebel. My name’s Natsuki. Where we work is a confidential agency. That was created by the ability users who survived the no mans land years. That’s all you’re getting from me.” “You didn’t really tell us anything.” Rin muttered, frowning. “None of that means anything to us.” “Different timeline, Hoshizora. Or should I call you Bolt?” “You can call me Rin.” Rin replied quietly, still trying to figure out what Natsuki was talking about. It didn’t surprise her that she couldn’t work it out. Natsuki’s eye twitched beneath her glasses as she picked up on something through her telepathy. A moment later Leah ran into the room and Natsuki threw out her arm, using her telekinesis to lift Leah into the air. Leah yelled in alarm as she was lifted from the floor. “What the hell?!” “Put her down!” Rin exclaimed, her eyes widening as Leah flailed helplessly in the air. “She’s not a threat, she’s just from another group!” Natsuki hesitated for a moment before she carefully lowered Leah back to the floor. Isla lightly gripped Natsuki’s hand. “You seem jumpy.” “I’m fine.” Natsuki said even as she gripped Isla’s hand back. Isla frowned at her girlfriend, worried by how jumpy she seemed. Usually Natsuki was nothing but relaxed. “Leah, I told you not to run!” Future Kotori groaned as she entered the room. She paused at seeing the other two there with Rin and Hibiki. Everyone had been briefed on the arrival of Future Rin and her younger companion but Kotori wasn’t sure who the other girl was. Natsuki’s eyes widened at the sight of her mother. Her mother’s future self at least. Tears laced her eyes suddenly and she opened and closed her mouth. Kotori had been killed alongside Raven and Hanayo. “M…” “Nat-chan.” Isla interrupted in a whisper, noticing Natsuki’s state. “It’s okay.” “You didn’t tell me someone would throw me into the air if I did.” Leah grumbled, brushing herself off. “Uh-huh.” Kotori muttered, her eyes still fixated on the mysterious redhead. “Nat-chan.” Isla moved in front of Natsuki to get her attention. “I know, okay? I know how you feel. I felt that when I saw my parents too but you need to stay calm. Take a breath.” Future Kotori walked over to the two of them, drawn to the redhead for some reason. “Are you okay?” She looked closely to see golden brown eyes under stylish glasses. “Who are you?” “C-Classified.” Natsuki managed to choke out before she bolted from the kitchen with Isla hot on her heels. “That Natsuki is pretty weird.” Rin finally said after a moment. Kotori blinked at the comment. “Natsuki...that’s her name?” Her eyes widened in realization. She’d always thought that was a cute name for a kid. Her heart leapt to her throat and she bolted from the room after Natsuki and Isla, finding Isla comforting the former on the couch. “Natsuki.” Kotori said, drawing to a stop. “Your name is...Nishikino Natsuki?” “W-What?!” “It’s okay.” Isla soothed, seeing panic cross her girlfriend’s face. She felt worried herself, that Kotori had figured out the truth but she didn’t admit that. “Take a deep breath, Nat-chan.” Kotori moved closer to the two, sitting down on the table. Golden brown eyes locked once more with her own and she realized with a start that the eyes matched her own. “You’re mine, aren’t you? You’re...my daughter.” Natsuki pressed her hand to her mouth and nodded, her eyes clouded with tears. Kotori looked the girl over, her heart in her throat. “Y-You look like Maki-chan.” She slowly reached out but stopped just short of touching Natsuki. “Is...is this okay?” “Don’t worry, it’s not going to cause a paradox or anything…” Natsuki sniffled tearfully. “That’s not what I meant, I just...” Kotori paused as Natsuki seized her hand suddenly. She reached up with her other hand and gently took off Natsuki’s glasses. It was true that the girl had a striking resemblance to Maki but she had Kotori’s eyes and nose. “Wow…” “Mama…” Natsuki whimpered and flew forward into Kotori’s arms, almost catching her by surprise. Gasping softly, Kotori hugged her future daughter back, her own chest tight with emotion as she stroked the girl’s hair. Glancing at the girl with white hair, she noticed her watching with a small, wistful smile. “How old are you?” Kotori spoke, making no effort to pull away from the embrace. “Eighteen.” Natsuki answered. “Favourite food?” “Sweets.” Kotori grimaced. So the girl had her sweet tooth. “It’s true.” Isla confirmed. “She’s usually sucking on a lollipop.” “Can you cook?” Natsuki nodded her head. “I’m the only one who cooks between me and my mom.” “Huh? What about me? What do I…?” Kotori trailed off as Natsuki tensed and Isla looked away. “Oh…” “I-It’s a different timeline!” Natsuki exclaimed quickly, pulling back. “It doesn’t mean anything will happen to you.” “Will you be there?” Kotori asked uncertainly, her heart plummeting in her chest. Natsuki nodded. “I’m there in every timeline.” “Showoff.” Isla muttered. Natsuki glanced at her girlfriend. “Hey, we can’t help that you’re an anomaly.” Isla rolled her eyes and stood from the couch. She placed her hand gently on Natsuki’s shoulder. “Spend some time with your mom. I’m going back to Rin-senpai.” Natsuki nodded in response and watched as Isla used her speed to run from the room. “So who is she?” Kotori asked, raising an eyebrow. “Best friend? Girlfriend?” “Girlfriend.” Natsuki clarified with a small smile. “I probably shouldn’t tell you too much though.” Kotori nodded approvingly. “I see you have my taste.” “You mean Isla?” Natsuki couldn’t help but give a soft laugh. “I think it’s a mixture. She does have light hair. She didn’t always though. Her hair is naturally dark. But Yuki...ah, I shouldn’t tell you that. Forget it.” “Oh, come on.” Kotori prodded lightly. She relented when Natsuki shook her head though. “Does she make you happy?”

“Yes.” Kotori moved to sit on the couch next to Natsuki. “I want to know more about you. About what you like. That should be okay, right? We’re not even from the same timeline.” Natsuki hesitated for a moment before she nodded. “Just a little though. What do you want to know?” “Um...you seem pretty smart. I guess you got that from Maki-chan.” “My mom says so but she always says you were smart too.” Natsuki said with a small smile. “She says I’m a bit of an airhead at times though…” “That’s from my side.” Kotori said with a soft laugh. “You obviously get your fashion sense from me.” “Sometimes I make my own stuff. My mom says I mostly have your sense of humor too. And your mischievous side.” “Oh? Well I am kind of relieved you didn’t get Maki’s...dark humor.” Natsuki nodded. “Yeah, mom’s humor is really dirty when she wants it to be.” Kotori chuckled softly at the comment. She knew that all too well. The smile on her face dimmed as something occurred to her. “Is Maki-chan okay in your future? Without me?” “A little. Still a workaholic. But she says I’m her anchor.” “Does she smoke?” “Yeah.” Natsuki sighed. “Like a chimney. But she tries to hide it. She’s terrible at hiding things.” “Looks like you inherited that too.” Kotori said teasingly. “I’m sure she has an oral fixation.” She cleared her throat when Natsuki merely stared at her. “Is she...with anyone?” “No, she’s not.” “Oh.” Kotori frowned at the thought. She didn’t like the idea of Maki being lonely. “How long have I been...gone?” Natsuki swallowed thickly. “Um...since I was twelve.” “I’m sorry.” Kotori said softly, looking away. Her heart wrenched at the thought of Natsuki’s pain. Maki’s too. She didn’t like the idea of any version of Maki being in pain. “Is she…?” “Oh.” Future Kotori looked up to see her past self standing in the doorway. “Sorry, I didn’t know anyone else was…” Kotori paused, staring pensively at the girl next to her future self. She shook her head after a moment. “How is it possible that I don’t know who lives in my house now…?”f

“Pretty dramatic, little me.” Future Kotori said with a roll of her eyes. “Long story short, this is our kid. Her name’s Natsuki and she’s eighteen. The other girl who came with future Rin is her girlfriend. And no, you can’t tell anyone else. Especially Maki-chan, she’ll freak out.” “Oh, Isla is your girlfriend?” Kotori interrupted for the first time. “Wait...my future daughter is dating Hanayo’s future daughter?! That’s so cute...” “In...a way.” Natsuki said, surprised that Kotori didn’t seem shocked by the revelation that she was her daughter. Kotori curiously stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the young woman sitting next to her future self. “You have my eyes and nose. But you look like Maki-chan. Did she carry you?” Natsuki nodded. “You used to tell me that mom was cursing you to hell during my birth. In your head, yelling.” “I’m not looking forward to that part.” Kotori sat down on the table, where her future self had been a few minutes ago. “So I have a kid…” “Yeah.” Natsuki looked away with a huff. “Damn it, I was meant to be watching the other two to make sure they didn’t do this.” “Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone else.” Future Kotori looked to her past self for confirmation, receiving a nod in response. Natsuki let out a sigh. “I really am an airhead…” “So are there any more future people?” Kotori asked curiously, leaning forward. “The only ones I can think of are Kikyo and Vera…” Natsuki’s eyes widened when she realized she’d answered without hesitation. “Damn it, why do you two have this effect on me?” Future Kotori smiled softly and patted Natsuki’s shoulder. “Because we’re your mother, sweetie.” “Don’t baby me…” “So Vera.” Future Kotori said thoughtfully. “That sounds foreign…” “It’s Russian.” Natsuki watched as past Kotori’s eyes widened. “Don’t say a word!” “Is it Nozomi’s?” Kotori lowered her voice to a whisper in case Nozomi herself appeared and overheard. “I’m saying nothing else. Confidential.” Natsuki rose to her feet. She knew she’d already said far too much. More than even Isla would have given up. “I’m going to talk to Oracle so just...please don’t tell anyone.” “Promise.” Future Kotori said with a small smile. She watched as her daughter left the room and turned to speak to her past self only to find her gone. “Guess she’s still pissed at me.” ---- Nozomi’s shoulders were slumped as she made her way up the stairs and followed the now familiar route to the bedroom she shared with Future Honoka. With so many new people in the house and so many new emotions she was struggling to hold them at bay. To say she was emotionally exhausted would have been understating it. She paused outside of her bedroom door, catching the sound of voices. Her brow furrowed slightly and she pushed the door a bit further ajar so she could listen in. “Eli was really angry with me at first.” Future Umi was saying, an oddly fond tone to her voice. “But she warmed up to me. Whenever you were away on missions she would sit outside of my bedroom door so I wasn’t alone.” Nozomi peeked around the door, seeing Honoka lying on one side of the bed while Future Umi perched on the other. Future Honoka smiled softly. “I can imagine Eli-senpai doing that…” Umi blushed slightly. “She was worried at first but she used to watch over me while I was still recovering.” Honoka let out a soft sigh. “I wish I’d had the chance to be there for my Umi-chan. To make things right…”  She glanced toward Umi, catching the girl’s slightly troubled stare. “Do you think she would have been upset with me?” Umi shook her head. “While I was betraying my Honoka I only felt upset with myself. It wasn’t your fault that you reacted the way you did.” Honoka sat up and moved over to Umi, hugging her carefully. “You’re not alone anymore, Umi-chan. Be happy, don’t be scared around me. Just...think of me as your Honoka. If I can help you, just tell me.” “I’d rather not...right now, while I’m here, I’m going to keep my distance. I’m just glad we had a chance to talk. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the tag being put on you. They treated you like an animal…” “That’s okay.” Honoka said even as she shuddered at the memory. “It wasn’t your fault either.” “It was, damn it. I couldn’t stop it. I was too weak.” “Stop.” Honoka took Umi’s face into her hands so she could look her in the eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, okay?! It wasn’t.” “Don’t.” Umi whispered. “Please. You know how I feel about you in my time and I know how you feel about Nozomi now so...don’t.” “You’re right, I’m sorry.” Honoka said softly, dropping her hands. She hadn’t planned to do anything, she just wanted to reassure Umi. In a way she hadn’t been able to in her own time. “I…” Nozomi hadn’t realized she was leaning against the door until it creaked open and she stumbled forward. Both Honoka and Umi, who were sitting close together on the bed, glanced at her. “S-Sorry!” Nozomi squeaked, quickly turning to leave. In the blink of an eye she found Honoka blocking her path, clearly having teleported over. “I was just looking for Elichi.” She lied, glancing past Honoka. “I should find her….Honoka?” As Honoka backed her into the room Nozomi noticed Umi get up and close the door. “We were just talking about my future, Nozomi. Nothing more, nothing less. Trust me, she loves you.” Umi said as she turned back around to face Nozomi. “That’s...fine.” Nozomi said quietly, her eyes darting away. “I really do need to find Elichi though.” “Why?” Honoka frowned, noticing Nozomi looked rather pale. “You don’t look so good…” “I just need to lie down for a bit.” Nozomi said wearily. “I was just going to talk to Elichi and then take a nap. But I don’t want to interrupt the two of you so I’ll be going…” “Nozomi.”  Honoka gently blocked Nozomi from leaving. “She got you a ring!” Umi blurted out. “Umi-chan!” Honoka exclaimed, turning on Umi. Nozomi looked between the two of them in confusion. She was sure Umi had gotten that wrong. “Huh?” “I went with her to get you a ring.” Umi repeated. “UMI-CHAN?!” Honoka flushed in embarrassment before she turned to Nozomi. “I-It’s not what it sounds like. I mean it is. It might be. But not yet. Ah, damn it, Umi-chan!” “She told me you saved her.” Umi said, turning her attention to Nozomi. “I think you’re perfect for this Honoka.” “Oh. I-I don’t know about that…” “You don’t?” Honoka looked at Nozomi in surprise, sadness flitting onto her face. Nozomi groaned. “Don’t make that face.” “It’s effective.” Umi muttered, remembering the expression on her own Honoka. Nozomi walked over to Honoka and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. “I just want the best for you.” “YOU ARE!” Honoka exclaimed loudly. “Why won’t you believe me? You made me fall for you all on your own. You saved my life, Nozomi. I would have given up if I didn’t have you.” Nozomi gave a gentle smile and kissed Honoka’s cheek. “I love you. And I know you love me, that’s all that matters right now, right?” Future Honoka nodded, tears lacing her eyes. “Can you leave us alone for a while, please, Umi-chan?” “Huh? Oh right. Sorry.” Umi blushed and quickly left the two alone. “Why won’t you believe I love you more?” Honoka asked softly. “You’re an empath! You should know.” Nozomi let out a sigh. “Do you think you can love anyone more than you love Umi-chan? I know she’s going back to her own timeline and we’ll be together still. I do know that. And it’s all that matters.” “I don’t like you thinking you’re my second choice.” “Aren’t I technically your fourth choice?” “Nozomi!” “I’m kidding.” Nozomi laughed, shaking her head though she’d felt her heart clench as soon as she’d said it. “Can you just lay with me for a while? Too many people in the house, too many feelings…” “Yeah of course.” Honoka forgot about the disagreement, seeing how tired Nozomi was. She gently took her hand and led her to their bed. ----- A couple of miles from the Minami household the eerie stillness of a dark alley was disturbed by the sudden opening of a tear. Two girls stepped out. A dark haired girl with indigo eyes, holding a reverse blade, along with a ginger haired girl who immediately growled in frustration. “Spirits, damn it. We lost her. Nico-taichou is going to KILL US!” “You were the one who gets easily distracted. I told you to watch your side.” “Oh do not start with me.” “Very well.” The dark haired girl sat down on her knees. “What the hell are you doing?” “Thinking. I’m trying to sense the aura.” “Her aura?” The ginger haired girl asked. “Yes, her aura.” “Why do you have to be so quiet? Ugh, why were we even paired?!” “Because we’re sisters.” The dark haired girl said patiently. “Right. I just have to keep calm. Good thing I’m not a pyro…” “Yes, you would have caused a fire by now.” “We need a strategy.” “I’m trying to concentrate, Vera.” Vera’s face turned red with annoyance. “I’m trying to strat-” The dark haired girl sprung to her feet, pushing her sister toward the dumpster.  “What the he…?”

“I sense hunters.” The dark haired girl unsheathed her sword and a second later lifted it into the air just as a man with a CORPS uniform jumped toward her, seemingly out of nowhere. His katana hit her sword with a clash. TBC.

[letsplaystarrysky]

Starry★Sky in Autumn -Hoshizuki- 10/19

Things are pretty calm at the moment, at least until the school trip, Tsukiko doesn’t have a whole lot going on.

She hasn’t even had much chance to stop by the nurse’s office. She’s not sure how she feels about this. Ever since the school festival she hasn’t really known how to act around Hoshizuki-sensei. She’s so afraid of him realizing somehow that she does have a crush on him that without really meaning to she’s been avoiding him. Which leads to her wondering wistfully if he’s noticed, at least, that she’s not around…

She tells herself that’s doubtful, though.

Tsukiko runs into Haruki-sensei on her way back to the classroom after lunch. He calls her over and wonders if he can ask her a favour. Can she run and grab something he needs for the next class for him? He can’t find Mizushima and doesn’t have time to retrieve it himself since he’s on an errand for Hoshizuki-sensei. He hands her the key to the fifth floor storage room and a list of what he needs and runs off.

As the classrooms at Seigetsu Gakuen only go to the fourth floor, the fifth floor is quiet when Tsukiko gets up there. She turns a corner and is surprised to see Hoshizuki-sensei leaving one of the rooms. What room was it, she wonders…

Hoshizuki looks equally surprised to see her. What’s she doing up here?

She explains and then asks what brings him up here. He looks away and avoids answering. Tsukiko recalls that Haruki said he was on an errand for Hoshizuki. He must be busy. Oh yeah, he says, he did ask Naoshi to run an errand for him. He forgot?! He apologizes and distracts her with the observation that if she’s getting things for Naoshi that must mean Iku’s gone into hiding again. He’ll be sure to say something to him later.

By the way, Tsukiko peers past him, what was the room Hoshizuki just came out of…?

Sorry, he says, he has to go to the teacher’s office. He’ll see her later.

Tsukiko watches him go with the unshakeable impression that he’s hiding something from her.

But anyway, she has to get that stuff for Haruki. The mystery room Hoshizuki came out of is on her mind the whole time she gets the stuff from the storage room and takes it down to the classroom. What could it have been?

Curious, she asks her classmate Awata if he knows about a room up on the fifth floor that’s not a classroom, a storage room, or the school broadcasting room or student council office. Awata goes, ohhh, she means the Seigetsu Gakuen Mystery Room. Wait, what? Since when did this school have a mystery room? That’s right, he says, lowering his voice, the mystery room on the fifth floor where no one knows what’s inside. None of the teachers will answer when asked. Not a soul has seen the inside…

Her other classmates chime in with a story about that one time Tsubasa tried breaking in to solve the mystery and Kazuki had to stop him. This was news to Tsukiko but it’s not unreasonable to assume they hid this incident from her, or more rather, Hayato.

Speaking of mysteries, Awata saw Hoshizuki-sensei talking with a gorgeous woman earlier today. The mystery woman looked like a mature, refined lady… he sighs.

Tsukiko’s heart stops. Hoshizuki was talking with a woman…? Does it have something to do with the reason why he said he can’t fall in love?

Nashimoto: Oh, I know that lady. I’ve seen her around a lot lately.

Awata: omg really?! I would die to see her again. Yahisa, do you know anything about the mysterious beauty?!

Tsukiko: Huh? Why are you asking me?

Well, she’s close with Hoshizuki, isn’t she? Well, yeah, she’s the health rep. Well then, Nashimoto leans in, hasn’t she also heard that Hoshizuki used to want to be a doctor? No, she didn’t know that… This stings a little. Tsukiko realizes she doesn’t really know anything about Hoshizuki-sensei. They’ve spent so much time together, and yet, she barely knows anything about him at all…

Now, I beg to differ. Tsukiko knows Hoshizuki really, really well. She just doesn’t know anything about his past or his private life because he’s not exactly forthcoming about it. But that makes sense, given their teacher-student relationship. That said, it’s easy to see how Tsukiko would feel this way.

What kind of snoops are Awata and Nashimoto though? Gossipers, the lot of them. XD

But let’s milk them for as much exposition as we can. So how did Hoshizuki go from studying to be a doctor to end up a school nurse who sleeps on the job all the time? Alas, all Nashimoto knows is that something happened at some point to make him quit his studies before he could become a full-fledged doctor. (I’m assuming a school nurse only needs basic medical schooling, less than a doctor would require and possible even a medical nurse.)

The boys shrug. They figured if anyone know what that incident had been exactly, it would be Tsukiko. So if she doesn’t know… Well, it’s arguably possible that Hoshizuki just got bored of it, right? He’s that type of person.

Just as they decide this, the bell rings to start class and everyone returns to their seats. All through class, Tsukiko’s mind is occupied by the many mysteries surrounding Hoshizuki-sensei.

She really does wish she could get to know him better…

But she doesn’t know how she can. This crush is no longer a maybe, she’s falling for him and it hurts…

[xcamay]

Happy birthday, Riko-chan!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIKO-CHAN!! Or should I say Princess Riko? Because this fic turned into something that even I wasn’t expecting … :’) it might turn into a proper AU if people enjoy it haha … But I really don’t know how this fic will be received, so for now, I just hope that you’ll have fun reading it, or that you’ll just enjoy it a little … Thanks for your time again, guys! But don’t expect a wild party and cake and candles and all, we’re kinda far from all this

   Once all the guests have taken a seat and comfortably settled down, loud chatter erupts and fills the huge dining hall, much to Riko’s great displeasure. It is not like she isn’t happy to be here, at the head of the table with the two Queens –her parents– sitting next to her, surrounded by most of the servants who saw her grow up … and, of course, by far too many acquaintances. No, honestly. Riko loves dining with her doting parents, and with ‘Auntie’ Tsubasa and ‘Auntie’ Honoka, two housemaids who are close friends with her Mama and Mommy, and whom she holds close to her heart. But, dining today with so many strangers is quite unnerving and nerve-wracking for the crimson-haired beauty. She couldn’t care less about the old aristocrats who were invited to her baptism years ago ; she couldn’t even care less about the other royal families, who are certainly here today out of obligation. Truthfully, Riko would rather run away from that formal dinner than stay here, on her comfy seat, listening to the annoying chit-chat of all those toffs. She knows that the Queens aren’t the ones who orchestrated all this. After all, they are so thoughtful, so nice and so involved when it comes to their little princess that the idea of organizing a big ceremony for Riko’s twentieth birthday would have never crossed their mind. It is certainly their old and exasperating advisor behind this … setup. But her parents must have agreed because it was an occasion for them to adorn most of the rooms and halls and corridors with Riko’s favorite flowers –among all the flowers the princess tends to on a day-to-day basis. Riko’s love for gardening comes from her childhood, the moment when her Mommy unconsciously conveyed her passion for plants and flowers to her. Riko remembers it as if it were yesterday : she was barely starting to learn how to speak when, one day, she escaped from her Mama and Honoka in the kitchens and ran to the garden. Where she bumped into her Mommy, who was watering a bush of light blue flowers. A few years later, she learnt that they were hydrangeas –and they quickly became her favorite–, while learning at the same time how to tend to an entire garden and everything related to the world of flowers. “Mommy,” Riko once asked as she was sitting in the grass, the Queen tenderly braiding her daughter’s shoulder-length hair, “Why did you tell Auntie Tsubasa to take our pink p- ... Peonies for her wedding bouquet?” “Because peonies are known to be a symbol of romance and love, and even of beauty and honor,” her Mommy replied, fingers combing a few unruly crimson locks. “Pink peonies are often used in wedding bouquets, and I want your aunties to express their love for each other even with the bouquet.” “Oh … Can they put my favorite flowers in their bouquet?” Riko leaned her head back when she heard an uncharacteristic snort behind her, meeting her Mommy’s amused lilac eyes. “Unfortunately sweetheart, no one should make a wedding bouquet with blue hydrangeas.” “Why? Don’t the other flowers mean love and beauty and grace? Like, all the flowers?” “No,” Anju answered her daughter after tying the end of the braid with a magenta kosumosu. “Yours, as it happens, don’t really represent love between two persons. If you give a blue hydrangea to someone, it means that you’re turning them down … With refinement,” the Queen giggled before seizing the ivory watering can, on which were drawn blossoms. Riko stood up and grabbed her mother’s hand, following her under an arch with ivy and climbing roses creeping it up. “Mommy, can you tell me more about the flowers?” “Of course.” She smiled, before loosening her grip around the little girl’s hand and handing her the watering can. “What if you water the tulips and I tell you everything about them, for now?” “Yes!” Riko heaves a discreet sigh as she straightens her back once again, lowering her gaze and looking at the empty plate in front of her. Ah, she desperately wishes she could have shared this copious meal with someone else. How she misses those amazing sapphire irises …

“So, Riko-hime. What about the ball we suggested earlier, for tonight?” Her ears suddenly perk up, and Riko raises her head at the question. She arches a curious eyebrow at that and presses her lips together –she feels a little bit ashamed … She did not listen to the conversations, after all. She was too lost in her thoughts. Fortunately, the man –is he an emperor?– goes on, “My son here, Takehiko, would take pride in giving you your first dance at this ball.” As he says that, he nods in direction of the young brown-haired boy sitting next to him. The golden-eyed young woman uneasily glances at all the guests in front of her –they are all staring at her, as if they were expecting her to say whatever they want her to say–, before she silently calls for help while looking at her parents. She lightly frowns when, on her left, she sees her auburn-haired mother hiding a teasing grin behind her hand … Before she sighs, relieved, when her other mother saves the day : “Let’s not precipitate things, if you please.” Erena closes her eyes, trying to prevent herself from frowning too much –no boy is allowed around her little girl so soon. She isn’t psychologically ready for that. “You and I both know it takes some time to plan this kind of event, especially if we want it to be a success, don’t we, Taira-sama?” “Especially if we want Maki-chan to come and play for us!” Honoka happily pipes in, earning a nod of agreement from the two Queens. “What, that pianist woman,” the rich man scoffs, “Why, are–“ Once again, Riko loses track of the conversation, glancing at the garlands her parents placed on some furniture, to decorate the dining hall. They are all a mess of green and all shades of pink –light pink, baby pink, magenta-pink, … She recognizes all of the flowers used to create the garlands and the few crowns here and there : mandevillas, geraniums, daylilies, anemones, hibiscus syriacus, tulips, phlox, and the much-vaunted peonies. The pink geraniums make her smile –it remembers her some bedtime stories her Mama was telling : in some fantasy tales, pink geraniums were used by witches when they were making love potions. Mou, why did they cut my pink peonies, I wanted to use them for my wedding bouquet … Riko pouts as that thought invades her mind, before her gaze turns into a longing and melancholic one. But I guess it’s impossible … Ah, You-chan, why do we have to be so different … She holds an umpteenth sigh back, her eyes repeatedly trailing on the numerous festoons. The light pink tulips are beautiful, this year ... Mh …? Riko’s eyes suddenly squint, to get a better look at the garlands. … Where are the hydrangeas?

 Even though the blue hydrangeas have always been Riko’s favorite flowers, the fact remains that she loves hydrangeas in general –even the white, pink, and purple ones–, so … Either she is too used to being spoiled by her parents, or she’s just becoming temperamental. To reassure herself –no, she isn’t a temperamental child–, she looks out of one of the closest windows from where she’s sitting, now able to see the hydrangeas location. One can clearly see Riko’s preferred spot in the garden from the dining hall and from the kitchens … And it is with horror that the princess realizes that the many hydrangea shrubs seem to have lost some things. “Mommy–“ Riko turns her head to look at her mother, who solely raises a curious eyebrow, “–what happened to the hydrangeas? We planted them last time, and even some new ones …” “You finally noticed.” The lilac-eyed woman smiles, before she shrugs a little. “Lots of them disappeared last night.” Riko blinks, astonished. “… How can you be so … um, calm, about that?” Another shrug from her mother, and the princess frowns, more confused than anything else. This is … Unusual. Unfortunately for Riko, they drop the subject, the Queen getting to her feet and accompanying Honoka to the kitchens. It seems like it is time for the cake –and, soon, the opportunity for Riko to get up from the table. However, after three mouthfuls, the crimson-haired princess abruptly drops her spoon on the table, startling almot everyone and catching their attention. “I-I apologize,” she stutters, trying to forget all the pairs of eyes on her, “But I forgot, I … I have something to do. Um, may I?” she asks, her words more directed to her mothers. “My, of course, sweetie.” “Thank you.” Riko smiles at them, before looking at a pouting Honoka. “Your cake is delicious –I mean it. But I … I really need to go. I’m sorry …” The ginger housemaid only shakes her head with a bright smile, and Riko knows it’s the last cue she needed before leaving. For as long as she is in the dining hall, she does her best to keep a graceful, regular, steady and calm pace. But, once she has closed the big doors behind them, she dashes toward the garden. It is very unladylike –un-princess-like, even. But she doesn’t care ; she can swear that she saw that short mane, that brownish ashen mane, in which she would love to slide her hands. She can’t be wrong. She just can’t. “Hi there, Hime-sama.” Even if she is trying to catch her breath after this unexpected dash, the greeting immediately makes her smile. And the sight, too. She is here, one arm hidden behind her back, while she awkwardly shifts her weight on her feet, with this irresistible smile of hers –shy, but with a hint of cockiness behind. “Hello, You-chan.” Riko approaches the fence that separates her from her blue-eyed lover, her heart now wildly thundering in her chest. The latter instantly mimics her, and the two girls reach for the other’s hand between the metal bars. You offers her princess an almost sad smile, her calloused fingertips tenderly brushing Riko’s soft and pale skin, as if it were the most fragile thing she had ever held. “You came …” Riko murmurs, “I’m so happy …” She slides her free hand through two bars, before cupping You’s cheek and grazing it with her thumb. “How could I have forgotten and missed that,” You weakly chuckles, her voice as low as her lover’s, while she rests her head against the fence, their breaths mingling together. “Everyone in town keeps talking about the princess’ birthday, you know. Which reminds me …” You trails off as she reluctantly pulls away –not without planting a kiss on the red-haired beauty’s forehead through the bars. “Here.” Riko curiously tilts her head on the side as she watches her heart’s desire move her previously hidden arm ... Only for her expression to change into a surprised one, before a dazzling smile illuminates her face. The pink hydrangeas … It was You. “Someone told me that those flowers are the ones you like the most,” the ashen-haired girl says after clearing her throat, an adorable red hue dusting her cheeks. “They … They also told me their meanings, and I thought it matched perfectly, so …” “Did they,” the princess hums, some assumptions unconsciously trotting in the back of her mind. “Yeah.” You nervously scratches her neck, before she holds the bunch of flowers with her two hands. “Pink hydrangeas … For love, and heartfelt emotions.” The birthday girl slowly nods her head, her amber eyes already glistening. “Y-yes, they stand for romance …” “And, um, here …” As carefully as she can, You pushes a few hydrangeas, revealing four small roses. Three of them are medium pink colored, and the last one –still in bud break– wears a darker shade of pink. The girl clears her throat once more, before she goes on, “Medium pink roses, for, uh …” “For your first love,” Riko shakily breathes, completing the sentence, her eyes never leaving the bouquet. With a nod, You glances at the flowers again, before she places one finger under the half-bud half-rose. “And a dark pink one to express your gratitude and say thank you.” “Thank you?” Another nod, and the two lovebirds finally look at each other, with a fond but broken expression. “Thank you, for everything. Thank you for … For believing in me, all the time. For accepting me, for … just existing, and being there. But mostly, thank you for returning my feelings and loving me.” “Y-You-chan …” “… Happy birthday, Riko-chan.” You’s sad smile is back as she says that. And it doesn’t leave her face as she does her best to give her princess the bouquet she made through the fence, almost slipping the flowers one by one as to not crumple them. “Thank you ...” Despite her tears, Riko smiles, and brings her hands around the stems, holding this perfect gift, which is even made of her favorite color. “I-I love them.” She holds the flowers for a few seconds, silently gazing at them, under You’s soft and loving sapphire eyes. Then, she hides the bouquet behind her back with her left arm, now able to lean in without damaging it. She leans in, more and more, just like her lover, and closes her eyes. Their noses lightly brush, and Riko whispers, as if it could break everything around them, “And I love you even more, You-chan …” Before she presses their lips together, as much as the fence allows them to, longing and sorrow filling their souls.

[everythingsinred]

Let's Talk About NatsuMikan: Natsume (pt. 27)

The closer we get to the end, the more nervous I am, and maybe you are too, because things are going to go horribly awry and only suffering is to come. Fate is adamant that a specific twelve year old must die, and we really have no choice but to watch it all unfold.

In this part, we will discuss the chapters building up to the New Year's Concert, where Reo will attempt to assassinate the ESP.

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Six

Ruka finds Natsume in the snow. He asks where he’s been, and Natsume responds that he went to see Mikan. Natsume imagines that Ruka will be jealous, because he feels guilty. He’d been putting his own wants first this whole night, and he hadn’t even considered Ruka.

Expectation vs. Reality. Ruka, best boy.

But Ruka is not jealous, or he’s very good at hiding it. He beams at Natsume, offering only congratulations and support. He’s happy for them, that both of their wishes came true. In fact, Ruka was also wishing for it, that Mikan and Natsume could find each other.

Natsume apologizes, because Ruka’s cheerful support only makes him feel more guilty, but he doesn’t tell him for what. He will not recount the details of the night, particularly of the many kisses shared between him and Mikan.

There’s a happy moment between Natsume and Ruka until, of course, Natsume starts coughing violently. He coughs up blood again, and when Ruka asks him if he’s okay, he’s ready to downplay it, already hiding his hand so that his best friend won’t worry. But Ruka grabs his hand and looks at the blood on the glove, and there’s a somber moment between them. Natsume tries to talk, but Ruka knows he’s just going to try and downplay it again, so he interrupts.

The best friendship in all of fiction. I stand by this forever. You can't change my mind.

Ruka has watched Natsume suffer the whole time they’ve been at the academy, even before then. He might not have had all the details, but he’s known that Natsume’s life was agony. He was helpless, and even became a burden (in his own view, not Natsume’s). He pleads with Natsume not to hide from him anymore. They’re meant to be best friends, and all Ruka has ever wanted was to be Natsume’s support system, but Natsume shut him out in the guise of protecting him. He keeps all his pain locked away and deals with it on his own.

Watching someone you love suffer and not being able to do anything about it is a tremendous pain, Ruka says. Natsume must sympathize. He will say something similar later on about Mikan’s situation.

Ruka loves Natsume. Natsume might have thought that he dragged his only friend into a bottomless pit of despair but Ruka asserts he’s never once regretted following him to the academy, not even for a second.

Ruka is confessing now. Natsume must know now that his existence is important to at least two people who love him unconditionally, but he doesn’t internalize it. Maybe he can’t. He’s too stuck in the role of martyr that straying from it would go against the very fabric of his own identity. He exists and has always existed to protect others. Protecting himself or even considering himself doesn’t align with that identity. No matter how much Mikan and Ruka plead with him to keep himself safe, he can’t abide. They’re more important than he is. He fails to see how much heartbreak and sorrow he will leave in his wake of self-destruction.

Natsume can’t internalize it. He can’t take it in and change course. It’s too late for that, in his mind. But he can tell Ruka the truth, because supporting Natsume is all Ruka wants.

He confesses too. He’s afraid. He doesn’t like thinking about the future, not even a year from now, because he’s scared he’ll be dead by then.

He says his secret fear out loud, that he won’t be able to protect her, and it’s still so heart-breaking that he still only sees his own value in how much he can protect people. He will shorten his own life to get her out of the darkness she’s ended up in. He doesn’t see worth in his existence just for the sake of living, of breathing, of smiling and laughing and crying and existing. Instead, his value is conditional. He is only so good as he is able to protect others and when he can’t anymore, then he is no longer valuable. It’s a glaring sign of a ridiculously low self-esteem.

He wants to choose life! He wants to live! Oh, this makes it worse...

But something has changed. He doesn’t want to die. He wants to live and be with her forever. He can’t be with her if he’s dead. It’s a selfish thought, and as I’ve been saying, that’s a wonderful thing. If only that selfish impulse were stronger, than maybe things wouldn’t be so doomed in the coming week. But Natsume’s ingrained martyr complex is stronger than anything, and his new flicker of selfishness doesn’t stand a chance.

Ruka promises he’ll do anything to support Natsume and Mikan’s future together. And so Natsume asks Ruka to protect Mikan if he’s no longer able to.

I personally don’t think he’s handing Mikan over here. This whole conversation’s context is specifically about protecting Mikan, and how Natsume wants only to keep her safe, even at the expense of his own life (though he’s actually more cavalier with that than he lets on, so it’s not much of an “even”, is it?). If Natsume is dead, he wants somebody he trusts to watch over her and prioritize her as he has. Who better than Ruka, who loves Mikan too and will want to keep her safe as well?

Or. You could just. Not die. Just a thought.

Natsume has never treated Mikan as an object to be won. He’s in fact made several comments about not “competing” at all. If he was able to give Mikan to Ruka, those two would be together now already and Natsume wouldn’t be the one holding Mikan’s alice stone. He is not any more capable of giving her away then he’s been before, and he’s less motivated to now than he’s ever been. Mikan is his, after all. Why would he “give her away” so soon after promising to be together forever?

He’s only concerned with Mikan’s safety and freedom here. If he dies in the pursuit of that, which he will, then someone else needs to make sure she’s safe and free. What she does with that safety and freedom is not in his or Ruka’s or anyone’s hands. I imagine Natsume, who got jealous of Mikan thinking of all her important people when making her alice stone would also get jealous at the thought of Mikan falling in love with somebody after his death. It might occur in the distant future, but it probably wouldn’t be any fun to imagine.

You may disagree with me, but I just can’t see it that way. I just don’t see it.

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Seven

It’s New Year’s. Mikan’s birthday. There’s a celebration happening in the dorms, just like last year, but Natsume isn’t dressed in traditional garb to welcome the new year and feast like all the other students.

Instead, he’s waiting for Narumi in a hallway.

He wants all the information he can get, so he can get Mikan out of her cage sooner. Narumi isn’t talking, always willing to act dumb to get out of things. But Natsume knows better. He saw Narumi in the flashbacks, and knows how much Narumi loved Yuka. He would’ve done anything for her, even if it resulted in his own death. Narumi should understand how Natsume feels, then. He knows Mikan is suffering and in danger, but he can’t do anything about it. He says something to the effect that he shouldn’t even be living at this point, again reiterating that his life only has value if he’s able to protect people, particularly Mikan. If he’s unable to do that, then he might as well die. There’s really no difference, he says.

Jeez, kid, relax.

Narumi tries to point out that Natsume is dying, as if perhaps the kid is unaware of this, but Natsume grabs him and declares that he will not end up like him. Natsume seems to understand Narumi (probably more than I can! Haha) and that his life has been empty and soulless for a long time. Narumi is full of regret and has been for years, but Natsume won’t be like that. He won’t live with regret. He’ll do anything he can to save Mikan, and he’ll die without a single regret. He also claims he won’t give up on the idea of sharing a future with Mikan, and that makes the inevitable doom of their romance all the more tragic. Natsume isn’t planning on dying. He’s not imagining that he doesn’t even have a full two days left to live. He’s thinking he’ll push himself to the end of his rope, save Mikan, and then live happily ever after. It’s naive and childish and ridiculous that he really believes he can have his cake and eat it too, but he does with his whole heart.

"I want to live," is enough for me. I stopped reading after that. LET THIS KID LIVE.

Natsume tells Narumi to stop underestimating him for his age. But Narumi agrees: he doesn’t want Natsume or any of the other kids to end up like him and his generation did. He wants things to be better, for the new generation to have a happy and hopeful future to look forward to instead of surrendering to a life of misery and regret.

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Nine

Natsume and Ruka are something like partners-in-crime now. They both know that taking out the ESP is the only way to free Mikan. They are spying on Reo, who has come under the guise of performing for the New Year’s concert, who spills that Z wants to assassinate the ESP.

Tsubasa and Tono quickly join the conversation, although they’re somewhat unwanted.

Reo keeps talking, and now all four of them are privy to his plan. Tono scolds Natsume for trying to get involved when it’s obvious Z is already on the case. Let them do it, he says. Keep yourself safe instead of putting everything on your own shoulders. Naturally, this is Natsume we’re talking about, so no amount of logic will get into his head, but it was worth a try, Tono.

Natsume's little face here is my favorite. His little angry expressions are always the highlight of any page.

Hearing this warning, Natsume can see the sense in it. He doesn’t want to leave his fiancee alone and heart-broken by his loss (more proof that he doesn’t really believe he’ll die) tomorrow, but to his horror, Koko was reading his thoughts aloud.

Natsume is embarrassed to be put on the spot, and he didn’t want to hurt Ruka’s feelings, so he takes out his anger on Koko. Then he punishes Tsubasa for teasing him about how fast he’s going with Mikan when Tsubasa is actually just slow with Misaki. Then it’s revealed that Tsubasa did finally confess to Misaki and got the answer he wanted, which only pisses Natsume off more, inexplicably. He’d be angry either way, just because it’s Tsubasa. He probably just wants to take the focus off himself and the fact that he’s already proposed to Mikan.

Tsubasa was in fact inspired by Natsume’s commitment to protecting Mikan. He confessed because his kouhai was so determined. But he also expresses concern for Natsume’s recklessness. Protecting people is a worthwhile pursuit, but so is valuing your own life. Other people depend on him and love him, and losing would hurt. He doesn’t have to do everything on his own. Working as a team can ensure his safety and keep him living longer. They’re all on the same page, after all, so why not join forces and get it done more efficiently without Natsume being the martyr again?

Yeah, Natsume, go to therapy. Like, yesterday.

But as the group splits up, Ruka holds Natsume still. He wants to talk about what happened on Christmas, but Natsume doesn’t. He’d rather keep that to himself, not at all willing to hurt Ruka’s feelings after he’s been nothing but supportive.

But he can’t lie, and Ruka has expressed interest in hearing all the truthbombs Natsume can dish out, so he comes clean. They exchanged alice stones. It looks like it pains Natsume to admit it. He’s consumed by guilt for the role he’s played in hurting Ruka. But Ruka is still just happy for him. He again offers congratulations, and all is well until Koko announces that Natsume and Mikan kissed a lot too. Apparently, Natsume has been thinking about the kisses so often and shamelessly to the point that Koko is concerned.

Ruka gets upset, but not out of jealousy. He hits Natsume rather pathetically, adamantly demanding that he be honest and tell him everything instead of keeping secrets all the time. Ruka doesn’t care that Natsume has been “selfish” and has kissed Mikan and gotten engaged with her and met with her. He is a fan! He’s Team NatsuMikan now too! He just wants Natsume to stop lying to him, not even to spare his feelings. If Natsume can’t be honest, then Ruka can’t do his job of supporting him. Friendship is a two-way street and can’t work if the friends can’t rely on each other for help and support. Going through good and tough times together is the key to any lasting relationship, and for that to work Natsume needs to talk to him instead of holding back.

Ruka is so cute here. Absolutely adorable. I shall adopt.

Natsume apologizes and the chapter ends on a light note, with the four of them teasing each other and laughing.

But tomorrow will be a different story. Many horrible things will happen tomorrow night, and the bright future Natsume has finally allowed himself to consider will burn up and die.

Conclusion

In the Rapunzel story, the prince was blinded and forced to walk around the forest unable to look for his lost love. I imagine that's why the chapter title image for Chapter 147 has his face covered in bandages. The story of Rapunzel is a tragic one, but it ends in a happily-ever-after. The consolation we have is that the story of NatsuMikan is more like the story of Rapunzel than of Romeo and Juliet, though it certainly doesn't feel like it for the next thirty-something chapters.

I didn't reread this at all before posting because I'm really tired. Thus, I claim no ownership over any mistakes. They can't be helped.

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[ryuukia]

[Translation] SolidS Vol.4 Animate Short Story - “1/100 words”

Here’s the short story featured for Dai’s animate benefits (behold, you’ll see something never mentioned in a tsukipro ss). And a reminder, I don’t have Tsubasa’s short story (vol.3) so if someone wants me translate it, feel free to send it to me!

Also, earlier this week I created a poll asking you how frequently should I post my translations. The results are now out, so according to that you all want me to keep posting them chaotically (I was actually surprised by that). For now I’m in the middle of cleaning the tsukiuta anthology, thus any new translation will come after that. It shouldn’t take me long.

Special thanks to Ryota for helping me proof this. Please don’t repost/reuse my translations.

“Are you by any chance Sera Rikka-san?”

Looking back after the delicate voice, a girl came into sight.

“Err… a...uhm...I-I…”

While thinking of what to say to the girl who suddenly became quiet, Dai interrupted--

”I’ll go over there for a bit.”

and as he said so, he turned around and walked the opposite way. Rikka, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to call after him, but eventually closed his mouth in confusion.

(We shouldn’t draw even more attention than this.)

After SolidS kicked off their activities, this sort of scenes have also increased.

He couldn't quite figure out if him standing on guard was of his own self-awareness or if Shiki scolded him too much about "avoiding critical situations".

“Uhm…… I’ve been always looking up to you, I’m a fan. I apologize!”

Her head was lowered as if she was searching for the proper words, then she suddenly raised her face while he proceeded to answer.

“That makes me very happy, thank you.”

“G-good luck from now on as well!”

Seconds after that, she made her way through a crowd and vanished before he was able to give a response.

(That was amazing.)

He was feeling so overwhelmed, his face looked like it had been set on fire.

She must have wanted to tell him that for a long time now. So she called out to him.

(She did have some courage.)

Her fierce, dazzling confession pierced firmly through the center of his chest.

“Hey. Which is better, peach or orange?”

Dai asked, holding some slightly slippery plastic cups after returning at some point.

Since it was starting to melt, the decision came fast.

“......I’ll take peach then.”

He handed over a beautifully coloured sorbet.

“Did you go to buy this?”

Dai nodded gently.

“Because it’s hot today.”

He probably just wanted to give the two of them some space. But Dai won’t mention anything about that.

(Staying face to face with her must have been embarrassing.)

Therefore Rikka took a bite from the sorbet without saying anything more.

“Let’s eat.”

It tastes nice and cool—— yet sweet.

“I still wonder why she apologized though.”

“Eh?”

“The girl from earlier.”

——I’ve been always looking up to you, I’m a fan. I apologize!

“Shouldn't she have said something like 'I'll be rooting for you' or 'Thanks'?"

Dai tilted his head in wonder.

“Yeah…… but I think I get her a little.”

Receiving so many things and getting happy because of them every time makes one want to convey their feelings no matter what. But the words won’t just simply flow out.

That desire to return the happiness you receive, even if just a bit, continues to exist.

So sorry for always being the one to receive.

(And yet if you don’t say it out loud, the feelings won’t get across.)

Even with your own, clumsy words, there’s a small chance they will be noticed.

They could even represent only 1/100 from those feelings, still, conveying that is the best choice.

“Hey, Dai.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for everything.”

“......What are you talking about?”

Hearing Rikka’s words, Dai made a puzzled expression before shifting to a small smile.

If you like my work and you want to support me, you can now buy me a coffee by clicking right [here]. I also started taking commissions, more details are right [here]. Thank you~

[cutepresea]

6-8 Innocent Sister: Nightmarish Premonition

Apologies again for the spam. Parts 9-15 will be up either tomorrow or the next day.

If you want to blacklist these, you can use either the tag #innocent sister for just this event, or #xdu event scripts or #xdu scripts

Reminder that these are copied straight from XD Unlimited itself, so any grammatical weirdness, mistranslations, and/or mischaracterizations are not my doing.

Serena: "Ngh... Why can't I get to sleep?"

Serena: (Seems like Sis is sleeping just fine.)

Serena: (Now that I'm here, I feel a little jealous. She has so many reliable allies and friends.)

Serena: (She works alongside five other wielders, has a big facility supporting her, and so many other things...)

Serena: (I know I should be happy! She seems to be enjoying herself, even when she's knee-deep in Noise.)

Serena: (But...)

Serena: (At the same time, it makes me realize just how much I missed during those seven long years.)

Serena: (I'm glad I got to see those two. They seemed the exact same, even if they're taller than when I knew them.)

Serena: (I didn't mean to be so timid, but they were being so nice to me in front of everyone...)

Serena: (Still, it felt like there was just the tiniest gap between who they were long ago, and who they are now.)

Serena: (But Sis! She's still the same person she always was. She'll always be my older sister, no matter what.)

Serena: (The same old Sis, just like I remember her.)

Serena: (She said she works for S.O.N.G., I think. I hope me and Mom can transfer here one day.)

Serena: (Mom looked really pleased to see Maria again, too.)

Serena: (Maybe I can ask her about transferring when I get back. But then there'd be no wielders at F.I.S.)

Serena: "Dear me... All this thinking has made me sleepy. Maybe I can finally drift off now."

Serena: "Good night, Sis."

Serena: (Being in the same bed as Sis is so cozy... I wish we could stay like this forever.)

Maria: "Considering the fact you came all the way here, I don't mind if you skip training."

Serena: "I don't want to skip training, especially not when I can train with you!"

Maria: "Oh, we have guests... It's Shirabe and Kirika."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Rise and shine!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Good morning."

Serena: "Good morning, you two."

Maria: "Well, you're both here early today."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Yes. We're on a mission to enhance ourselves."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Twice the flavor at the same old price!"

Maria: "Well, since you're both here, how about we all train together?"

Serena: "Yes, I'd love to train with you two!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Then I guess this'll be a tag team battle!"

Serena: "In that case, how about Sis and I be on a team, and you and Tsukuyomi-san can be the other?"

Maria: "That sounds like a plan!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We're right in the middle of a big mission, remember? We won't be going easy on you."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "That's right. Our team-attack is now roughly 30% stronger than before."

Serena: "Don't worry! Me and Sis are more than a match for you two."

Maria: Hehe. You all set? I'll take the lead, so back me up."

Serena: "I'll be right behind you!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We can't underestimate her, even if she's been asleep for years!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "I think we're going to be just fine."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Whoa! I didn't think she'd be that strong!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "That was a narrow defeat... But I enjoyed myself quite a bit."

Serena: "Me too!"

Maria: "All of us training together like this reminds me of the old days at the F.I.S. facility."

Serena: "Wow, now that you mention it..."

Serena: "It's surprising, though. I didn't realize that both you and I wield Airget-lamh, Sis."

Maria: "Y-Yeah... While you were asleep, they managed to take another fragment of Airget-lamh and make me a pendant."

Maria: "I had to go through lots of compatibility training."

Serena: "I see. We really must be sisters if we both wield the same Gear!"

Maria: "......"

Serena: "By the way, you two, your teamwork is incredible!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Shirabe and I are supposed to be the strongest, deadliest team around!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Our Gear was originally one, after all."

Serena: (I hope I can fight them without them going easy on me sometime soon. But to do that...)

Serena: "Do you think I could transfer here, too?"

Maria: "Well..."

Maria: "...Yeah, maybe. That would be nice."

Serena: "I'll try asking Mom when I get back."

Maria: "Sure, but make sure not to worry her too much, okay?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Let's discuss what we know about Nephilim's behavior."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Good plan, Master!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "I'll have Elfnein-kun begin by explaining our current situation."

Elfnein: "Of course. By observing Nephilim's behavior, we can see that it seems to view wielders as food" [1]

Chris Yukine: "Because it matures by consuming relics, right? So if we're such easy targest, why did it go for the vault?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "That's right... Back then, it ignored us and headed for the vault instead."

Elfnein: "I have never seen that kind of behavior from an independent, immature Nephilim."

Elfnein: "Based on this, we can assume that there may be someone manipulating it."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Come to think of it, Nephilim also slammed the ground in order to get away from us at one point."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Okay, I want to hear your thoughts. Was there anything that seemed suspicious to you while you were there?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Considering the facility was under F.I.S.'s control, there were plenty of things that I'd call suspicious."

Hibiki Tachibana: "I mean, Professor Nastassja seemed like a good person, but... I don't know. I can't say for sure."'

Genjuro Kazanari: "I see. Still, that world is fortunate to have her alive."

Sakuya Fujitaka: "It feels like they're using more than just remotely controlled tech that monitors relic signal patterns."

Aoi Tomosato: "Perhaps they're using some sort of relayed system of hidden cameras..."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "It doesn't appear so easy to see what the villain is trying to do here."

Elfnein: "Well, they have had seven years to set it all up."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Whatever the case may be, we should all stay on our guard."

Elfnein: "There is a chance that whoever is using Nephilim could also be holding information pertaining to Frontier."

Elfnein: "And if that is true, then that person must also be looking for the key that opens it-- Shenshoujing."

Elfnein: "I think you're better off staying away from the parallel world this time, Miku-san."

Miku Kohinata: "All right, I understand..."

Maria: "Commander Kazanari, I have something I want to talk to you about--"

Aoi Tomosato: "Noise patterns confirmed! According to our reports, evac of the affected location has already begun!"

Sakuya Fujitaka: "Their location is close to where they last appeared, and there's a whole horde of them!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Let's go, Tsubasa-san!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Right!"

Chris Yukine: "I'll make mincemeat outta every last one of them!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "We can continue our discussion later, but first..."

Maria: "Of course. We're moving out!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We're coming too!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Yeah!"

Serena: "Me too."

Maria: "No, Serena. I want you to stay here."

Genjuro Kazanari: "She's right. If it got out that you're an unregistered wielder, it'd cause us all sorts of trouble."

Serena: "But I've trained with her before! Fine, I understand..."

Miku Kohinata: "How about we both wait for everyone here together, Serena-chan?"

Serena: "Okay."

Serena: "Be careful, Sis."

Maria: "Don't worry. There's no way the Noise will get the better of me."

Serena: "Welcome back, Sis!"

Maria: "Good to see you, Serena."

Maria: "Don't hug me so tight. I have something I need to discuss with the commander, so I may be a little while."

Serena: "All right."

Maria: "I won't be long. Take care of Serena for me."

Kirika Akatsuki: "You got it! We'll keep her in our custody!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "She's not a criminal, Kiri-chan."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Well, how about we show you around HQ?"

Serena: "Thank you. This place is huge, so I've been wanting to explore it some more."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Now then, what did you want to discuss, Maria-kun?"

Maria: "I was wondering if you could let Serena stay here."

Genjuro Kazanari: "You want me to keep her safe for a little while, you mean?"

Maria: "No, I mean allow her to transfer to our world. Permanently."

Genjuro Kazanari: "What?! Are you serious, Maria-kun?!"

Maria: "I am. In her world, she's the only wielder left who can fight."

Maria: "Even if she has our help to defeat Nephilim, for her to carry that burden by herself..."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Maria-kun..."

Genjuro Kazanari: "If we temporarily registered her here, then what would happen to her world?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "With their only wielder gone, they'd be unable to handle the Noise. The damage would be inconceivable."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Do you really want Serena-kun to abandon her world?"

Maria: "...Fine, then! I'll go to the other side with her!"

Elfnein: "Please remain calm. I also cannot agree to let anyone, let alone a wielder, move worlds permanently."

Maria: "But..."

Elfnein: "The effect it would have on both worlds would be monumental. It may seem a cold thing to say, but it's true."

Maria: "I know that, but still..."

Maria: "Good morning, Serena. You look like you had a good night's sleep."

Serena: "Mmh... Good morning, Sis."

Serena: "Hey... You don't have to be at S.O.N.G. HQ every day, right Sis?"

Maria: "That's right. I'm not on standby today, actually."

Serena: "Well then I have a favor to ask."

Maria: "What's the matter? You seem so serious."

Serena: "I'd like to go outside. I never get to go outside back at the base."

Serena: "Although... I guess I'm probably asking too much."

Maria: "Not in the slightest. Come on, let's go outside!"

Serena: "Yay! I'll go get ready!"

Serena: "Sis, what's that really tall building over there?"

Maria: "That's the Sky Tower. It has an aquarium, and the view from the top isn't half bad, either."

Serena: "Wow, really? I want to go up top!"

Maria: "Sure, I'll take you up there."

Serena: "Hey! Look over there! Won't those cakes and puddings go bad if they're just left at the store front?"

Maria: "Hehe. Those are just plastic models!"

Serena: "Seriously?! But they look so real... and tasty."

Maria: "Well, how about I buy you the real thing on our way back?"

Serena: "Really?! Thank you, Sis! I don't eat that many sweets back at the research facility... Oh!"

Maria: "What did you find now?"

Serena: "That dress is so pretty..."

Maria: "I think it'd look really good on you, Serena."

Maria: (...I guess she couldn't have imagined going clothes shopping back at the facility.)

Maria: "If you really like it, then I'll buy it for you."

Serena: "Ah, that's not what I meant! I didn't mean to make you buy it for me..."

Maria: "Don't worry about it. Consider it a present from me."

Serena: "...Are you sure?"

Maria: "Look, there's no need to hold back when you're with me, okay?"

Serena: "Thank you so much, Maria-nee-san!"

Maria: "Looks like the sun's setting. We should head home soon."

Serena: "Yeah... But don't forget about the cake, okay?"

Maria: "As if I'd forget! Kirika and Shirabe told me that store makes the most delicious pastries--"

Passerby 1: "It's the Noise!"

Passerby 2: "Help, somebody! Please!"

Maria: "Psh!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "The Noise have reared their ugly heads! Get over there immediately!"

Maria: "I'm way ahead of you!"

Maria: "Is this all of them? This'll be over in a flash!"

Maria: "Seilien coffin airget-lamh tron."

Maria: "Stand back, Serena! Raaah!"

Serena: "Seilien coffin airget-lamh tron."

Maria: "What are you doing?!"

Serena: "I'm not letting you fight alone. Not when I'm here!"

Maria: "Fine... Let's get this over with, then!"

Serena: "Yeah!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Maria-san! Serena-chan! Where are the Noise?!"

Maria: "I'm afraid we already finished the main course."

Chris Yukine: "I'm not about to complain about dessert, though!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "At least there's something left over for us!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We'll finish off the rest, thank you!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Let's do this!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Is it all over? I barely got a punch in... But at least they didn't cause any damage!"

Serena: "There were so many people around at first, I was afraid that would go much worse."

Maria: "Wait, something's coming... It's not human!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Nephilim! It's even bigger than last time!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "It's matured?!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "That must be due to the relics it stole."

Maria: "We can't let it run wild. We need to stop it, here and now! Ignite Module, Drawn Blade!"

Serena: "I-It's N-Nephilim?! My feet... They're shaking..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Stay behind me, Serena. I'll keep you safe."

Chris Yukine: "If we work together, that thing won't touch her!"

Serena: "Th-Thank you... Both of you..."

Maria: "Shirabe, Chris! You two keep Serena safe. Hibiki, Tsubasa!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'll cut down these Noise like a flash of lightning!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "We'll protect her, whatever comes our way! Time for Ignite!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Hyaaaaaah!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Tachibana! To the left!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Okay!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "A fireball, eh? No matter!"

Chris Yukine: "...Damn. She totally cut it in half."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "As long as we can see its attacks, this'll be simple. Finish it, Maria!"

Maria: "Raaah!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "It staggered! W-Wait, what?"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It disappeared... So that was just another reflection."

Maria: "Looks like it. Well, at least we drove it out of here."

Serena: "S-Sis... Is it... Is it gone?"

Maria: "Yes, it's gone now."

Serena: (I was shaking so bad, I couldn't do anything...)

Maria: "Thank you all so much for protecting Serena."

Hibiki Tachibana: "That thing is only going to keep getting stronger."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "If we leave it unchecked, it'll wreak utter chaos!"

Maria: "We have to take it down before it comes to that, then."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "We've returned, Commander."

Genjuro Kazanari: "So, you crossed paths with Nephilim again."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Yes. And now it's even more powerful than last time."

Kirika Akatsuki: "It vanished because it was only a reflection, right?"

Elfnein: "Perhaps, but I think its ability to transgress upon our world is lesioned upon taken damage."

Elfnein: "Like before, I theorize that it disappeared due to taking too much damage before it could fully materialize."

Elfnein: "However, Nephilim's true likeness remains intact. Attacking its reflection does nothing to its real body."

Maria: "So what you're saying is that we'll have to take it down on the other side."

Genjuro Kazanari: "We don't know how fast Nephilim matures by consuming relics, but we mustn't let it reach its complete form."

Chris Yukine: "If it gets even bigger and starts rampaging around an urban area, we won't able to lay a hand on it." [2]

Genjuro Kazanari: "Precisely. I know you've just fought, but Maria-kun, Tsubasa, Hibiki-kun. Get ready to head to the other side."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Okay! It's bound to be looking for its next meal. That research facility could be in trouble."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'm way ahead of you. I knew I needed to be ready to head back ASAP."

Maria: "Well, I can't fault you there."

Elfnein: "If it grows stronger and strengthens Gjallarhorn's link to their world, Nephilim may very well appear here."

Elfnein: "And if that happens..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Both worlds are in serious danger."

Maria: "We'd better get going, then."

Serena: "Sis..."

Maria: "What's the matter, Serena?"

Serena: "Is Nephilim going to get even scarier?"

Maria: "Oh, Serena..."

Maria: "It's going to be okay. I won't let it hurt you, I promise!"

Notes:

[1] Missing a period

[2] "we won't be able to"

[judaiteitoreokou]

OTP Questions: HajiShun and ShikiTsuba Pair

Judai: As requested by @shiroekoyuki -mommy, OTP Questions 2, 11, 19, 23, 26, 28, 29 and 30 for pairs HajiShun (HajimexShun) and ShikiTsuba (ShikixTsubasa).

2: Who sleeps in the other’s lap?

HajiShun

Both of them. Although mostly its Hajime. On normal days, Hajime is the one who mostly sleeps in Shun’s lap since he’s the kind who likes taking naps. When this happen, Shun will happily and lovingly caress Hajime’s hair and plays with it which in turn makes Hajime fall asleep and relax easily.

But when Shun gets home after a hard days work, Hajime, who’s attentive to Shun’s actions and moods, is the one who gently guides Shun to the couch and let Shun use his lap as a pillow to take a rest. Playing with Shun’s silky, smooth white hair, Hajime will murmur sweet words to his lover and Shun’s exhaustion will completely vanish. They proceeded to cuddle after that.

ShikiTsuba

Its Shiki. Since he’s always the one who works to the point of passing out, Tsubasa always drags Shiki out of his work room, to the producer’s room and to the bed, meanwhile Shiki complains during the process. When lying down on his bed, Shiki complains he can’t sleep or he’s having a “hard time sleeping anyway so just let me finish my work,” so Tsubasa (roughly) puts Shiki’s head in his lap and gently combs through the other’s hair using his hands, playing with it. Shiki, then, will automatically relax and fall asleep.

The day after, Tsubasa will vehemently deny everything that happened. “Its not like I did it because I’m worried about you or anything!”

11: If they were about to rob a museum, which one does backflips through lasers and which one is strolling behind with a bag of chips?

HajiShun

To be honest, I can’t decide. LOL! Its just too funny and I can’t imagine either of them doing backflips through lasers in a canon setting since Hajime seems to be the serious type and Shun is someone who is lazy and doesn’t exert so much effort just to do backflips. Lol. 

But, if we’re talking about an Agent/Spy/Thief AU, then, it’ll be Hajime doing the backflips (with all seriousness and professionalism, he looks cool, by the way) with Shun nonchalantly strolling behind probably eating his favorite ice cream instead of eating chips. 

Cause lasers doesn’t work on Shun. He can’t be detected. Lol.

ShikiTsuba

Shiki all the way~ He’s the one serious enough to backflip through lasers with his business, no-nonsense, blank expression and Tsubasa will be behind him, eating his bag of chips with a deadpan expression or an exasperated face that says “I don’t know him” or “what is that idiot doing?” 

Cause Tsubasa is the tech-savvy in the pair and knows how to disable alarms. Lol.

And by the time Shiki is done with his backflips and looking at Tsubasa with a smug face, Tsubasa (with his deadpan expression) clicks a button on his smartwatch (which is connected to his computer), the alarms all disabled, and casually walks towards Shiki. 

And upon arriving beside the baffled Shiki, Tsubasa flashes a smirk. 

19: How good would your OTP be at parenting?

HajiShun

A+ parenting~! Hajime will probably be the type of parent who is strict but also sweet to his child/children while Shun is the type who spoils them too much and lets them get away with so many things...

...like keeping a pet which came from the Underworld...

Hajime: Shun, we already have Kuroda, Shiroda and Diablo. We don’t need another one or two, especially a tiger or a dragon-looking turtle.

Shun: But Albion (Byakko) and Kuro (Genbu) are harmless. To our children, that is. They adore them. 

Hajime: *about to argue but sees the puppy eyes from both his kids and Shun* *sighs* Fine.

Shun: Yay~! *hi-fives with his kids*

Hajime: Just make sure they’re in their mini form.

Shun: Hai~

... or using their magic...

Hajime: What did I say about using your magic?

Son: Not to use it against people.

Hajime: And what did you do?

Son: He was bullying my baby sister! I won’t just stand back and let him get away with it! Besides, I didn’t make anything explode this time.

Hajime: But you opened a portal to the Underworld and push him through it.

Son: At least he didn’t explode.

Hajime: *sighs* What am I going to do with you...

Shun: *giggles* Now, now, Hajime, calm down. Why don’t I go fetch the lost bully from the Underworld before he gets eaten and present him to you and make him listen to your lecture, nee?

Hajime: *sighs* Using magic to cause trouble is definitely a trait our son got from you, Shun. 

Shun: Fufufufu~ But his stubbornness came from you. 

Hajime: *smiles* Hai, hai. *pecks Shun* Don’t take too long. The kid must be traumatized by now.

Shun: *giggles* *pecks Hajime in return* Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him first. *eyes glinting dangerously* Nobody gets away with bullying our kids, after all~ Fufufufu~  

By the way, the bully, who is on the same grade as their son, was traumatized by both his experience from the Underworld (+ being with Shun) and the lecture given to him by Hajime (he can be really scary). 

In the end, the bully apologized to their kids and after their reconciliation, he became their friend. 

The bully and their son became best friends and studied in the same middle school. They also became classmates. The once bully became a part of the King and Demon King’s family... especially since he’s the one who always go to their house to fetch their son so they can go to school together. 

I think I need a name for them. Anyone has any idea what to name Hajime and Shun’s son and daughter? And also the bully turned friend?

(And why do I get this feeling I’m already shipping the bully and their son? Please somebody stop me!)

ShikiTsuba

Shiki will be the type who is still workaholic but still goes along with their kids shenanigans while Tsubasa is the type who scolds them (including Shiki) if they go too far with it but in end will tell their kids “that was a good prank though, I’ll give you guys that. But don’t do that again ok. Besides, its better if you that to your father instead.”

23: Who comes home from work to see that the other one bought a puppy?

HajiShun

Hajime. Unfortunately, its not a puppy that Shun bought (or more like brought to their home), its something that came from the Underworld. Hajime will just sigh and exasperatedly ask Shun to send it back to the Underworld cause they “don’t need another pet. Don’t we have Shiroda, Kuroda and Diablo already? Plus you even let Albion and Kuro stay here.”

So, no more pets to add. Their house will become a zoo if Shun keeps bringing (summoning) more beings from the Underworld. Hajime probably added it to their house rules.

Fortunately, their house (more like a mansion with their very own forest as their backyard) is big enough to accommodate 2 adults, 2 kids and 5 pets.

ShikiTsuba

Shiki. He probably bought a puppy to make Tsubasa happy, even though Tsubasa is a cat person (Shiki is a dog person). Tsubasa, despite liking cats more than dogs, will be so touched and happy that Shiki thought about him (but the truth is, Shiki bought the puppy so Tsubasa can stop pestering him when the blonde gets bored and give all the attention to the puppy). The bad consequence of his decision is that all of Tsubasa’s attention indeed focus on the puppy to the point that Shiki got really jealous. 

Shiki: Oi, Tsubasa, pay more attention to me.

Tsubasa: Huh? What was that? Can you do it by yourself? I’m busy brushing Fen’s hair.

Shiki *murmuring to himself while sulking*: Should’ve bought a bird, instead.

By the way, Tsubasa named their puppy Fenrir, Fen for short.

Another thing is... Fenrir is actually an Underworld creature Shun accidentally brought into their world and was found by a dog rescue team member. Fenrir was kept in the shelter and Shiki bought him.

When Tsubasa showed Shun Fenrir... well, lets just say Tsubasa was shocked at first after knowing Fenrir’s true nature but still kept him. He grew to love Fenrir so he asked Shun if he could keep Fenrir and Shun agreed.

Shun: That child wanted to stay with you, after all. Fenrir also grew to love you.

As for Shiki, he just decided to just accept all of it and move on. Shiki secretly also grew to love Fenrir. 

26: Who takes a selfie when the other one falls asleep on their shoulder?

HajiShun

Obviously Shun. And he’s so delighted by it and kept the picture as his phone’s wallpaper. He also sent the picture to the others in Tsukipro, especially the members of Procella and Gravi.

Lets just say when Hajime woke up, he was irritated by all the messages he got from Haru, who was teasing him.

ShikiTsuba

Definitely Tsubasa. And just like Shun, he will also send the picture to all members of Tsukipro, especially SolidS and Quell. The funny thing is, Tsubasa actually drew whiskers on Shiki’s cheeks a big circle on Shiki’s nose. Not only did he sent it to the Tsukipro talents but also to their manager and the president. Lol.

He was tempted to post it on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr) but he didn’t. Tsubasa decided to just keep it within the agency and to him.

Tsubasa actually took a solo picture of the sleeping Shiki (without the drawing) and used it as his phone’s wallpaper. But that’s a secret. Sshhh!

28: Which one owns a pet that the other is absolutely terrified of?

HajiShun

Definitely and obviously Shun. Lol. He got lots of pets (from the Underworld) that everyone is terrified of. 

ShikiTsuba

This time, I think its Shiki. He probably has a pet insect once but once Tsubasa saw it, the blonde immediately avoided Shiki for how many days so with a heavy heart (lol), Shiki let his pet insect free so “Tsubasa, stop avoiding me and come here already.”

29: Which one holds the umbrella over both of them when it rains?

HajiShun

Hajime. Cause I got the feeling that Shun is the type who likes to play in the rain. So when Hajime sees Shun outside in the rain, he’ll sighs (he’s probably used to this), opens his umbrella and pulls Shun towards him. Hajime, of course, doesn’t mind that he will get wet if he got Shun close to him. In fact, he’ll hand over the umbrella to Shun to hold for a sec, takes off his jacket and wraps Shun with it. 

And Shun will be so happy, having Hajime’s jacket and scent close to him~

ShikiTsuba

Tsubasa. Shiki, who is a workaholic, will probably forgot to bring his umbrella, so Tsubasa will share his umbrella with him saying, 

Tsubasa: I can’t believe you forgot your umbrella. The weatherman announced that it will rain today, you know. Even Rikka reminded you to bring an umbrella. You’re such a music idiot.

Shiki: It’s ok, though. I get to share an umbrella with you and be close to you, after all.

Tsubasa: *blush* Sh-Shut up!

30: If your OTP went on vacation, where would they go and what would they do? Who would take the pictures?

HajiShun

Hmmm... They’ll probably go to Paris (the City of Love~) or London or somewhere quiet like going to their private villa (lol) or a cabin, just to spend time together~ 

If they go to Paris or London, Shun will definitely take pictures of the scenery and Hajime, but mostly Hajime. He’ll also take selfies with Hajime. Shun will probably take pictures with the Queen of England (Shun probably has connections to the royalty, LOL) and have afternoon tea with the royal family. Lol.

If they’re in their private villa or cabin, Shun will still take pictures of Hajime and with the two of them (and probably with some youkai they encounter there, lol). 

When Shun is busy talking with other beings or busy doing something or being lazy, Hajime will carefully fetch his phone out of his pocket and silently take pictures of Shun without the other knowing.  

ShikiTsuba

They’ll be going out of town or country. Shiki will suggest going to Nagano while Tsubasa wants to go to Italy. In the end, Tsubasa got his wish in the condition that they’ll go to Nagano after. 

So in Italy, they’ll try different dishes there with Tsubasa as the one who takes pictures and videos of their trip. 

And when they arrived in Nagano, Tsubasa was able to meet Shiki’s parents and Shiki’s mother was delighted that Shiki went home with a lover.

Shiki’s mom: Oh my, such a beautiful person! It makes me wonder how my son was able to get someone like you as his lover. Your beauty is wasted on him.

Shiki: *frowns* Mother...

Tsubasa: *grins* Its nice to meet you too, Takamura-san. *bows*

Shiki’s mom: Oh my~ So polite!

Shiki: *mumbles* Polite? If only you knew.

Shiki’s mom will be so happy to the point that she’s starting to plan their wedding. Lol.

============================

Judai: That’s all~ Thank you for the OTP prompts request @shiroekoyuki -mommy~!

Gonna tag @kamiaka and @kirakirafairyprincess since they’re fans of HajiShun and ShikiTsuba. 

- Judai

[lucanogis]

fic: to have and to hold - pt. i

Title: to have and to hold  Fandom: Gakuen Alice Pairing: Hotaru Imai x Luca Nogi Length: 5k Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a spy in need of money must be in want of a groom. Or: Hotaru wants to fund her inventions. A widow wants her husband's murderer. And Luca Nogi? Luca Nogi can't help but want the newest addition to his crew. // Part 2 in the GA-crew!verse, written for @ga-party‘s writing challenge: Wedding AU. 

{ao3} , {ffn}

Chapter 1: The Plan

Apartment 2B is wholly unsuitable to house a bunch of Japan’s most notorious criminals.

Not only does it come with ten discret neighbors, some of which not only share the building with them but actual room walls, it also lacks any of the equipment necessary for Hotaru Imai to create one of her masterpieces. Instead (and she has made it a point to take inventory of all the many useless additions to her new home) it has three separate gaming consoles, an added fridge for “cooking experiments” and a pet raven called ‘Mrs Rogers’. The roof, which is used for training or weapon storage, also features a fake palm tree and a hot tub the size of a small country. It is therefore completely unsurprising to Hotaru that Mikan decided to move in immediately after her first visit.

The far more complex question is why she has decided to move in as well.

It’s been roughly six months since Z, her former crew, chose to not only join The Academy, a merry band of ruthless murderers, but also unceremoniously oust her in the middle of a job. Luckily - or, if her best friend is to be believed, due to fate - she managed to team up with Mikan’s new crew to escape her own death. Said crew, named Nova by its founder and apparent leader (and Mikan’s idiot of a boyfriend) Natsume, has since welcomed her with open arms. It’s not too difficult for Hotaru to see why, given their apparent inability to budget.

But no member of Nova ever demanded that she join them in their apartment. Hiding made sense the first few weeks after her near death experience, sure. But Hotaru had somehow managed to keep her cover during the ballroom altercation and thus whispers of her joining a new crew had been, if anything, little more than an unconfirmed rumor. At first she’d woken up at night in cold sweat, wondering whether Z had sold her identity, whether they would come after her or any civilians connected to her, like her brother. But research had revealed to her that those who knew her by name had been disposed of as well. As such, that particular worry of hers has slowly but certainly vanished, leaving her to focus on her job.

More often than not, Hotaru keeps her hands and her mind occupied with weapon designs. She trains on the roof, getting to know each member of Nova and their unique skills. She goes on missions with them, always conscious of the distrust some still feel towards her and conscious of the distrust she can’t help but feel towards them.

The moments where her thoughts at last quiet down bring her the answer to her own question: Why did she stay in Nova’s apartment? Because, as incongruent as it seems, it makes her happy.

Of the eight, now nine, crew members Nova has, only six regularly live in the main apartment. The remaining two are scattered throughout the city, either by choice or due to an assignment. Hotaru has to admit she doesn’t miss their presence - being roommates with people that aren’t just Mikan is difficult enough. She has to deal with Natsume burning every meal he tries to cook, Misaki and Tsubasa being disgustingly in love and Luca Nogi being, well. A distraction at best and a threat to her sanity at worst.

Hotaru doesn’t pretend that Luca isn’t attractive. She certainly won’t deny that they’ve had sex in the goddamn hot tub she hates so much. And she won’t even lie and say that he doesn’t have the uncanny ability to make her feel calm, regardless of their turbulent job. But unfortunately for him, Luca has one glaring flaw: He is a spy, much like her. As much as Hotaru likes to fuck spies, she doesn’t fuck with them. It conjures up feelings in her heart and feelings conjure up memories; of darkness and blood and screaming until her throat grows raw and - Suffice it to say, she has no interest in attachments. Mikan is fine because Mikan has always been there. Nogi, however, is not a risk she is willing to take.

Hence they’ve agreed on a particular kind of relationship: Professionals, working together, who sometimes have sexual encounters in expensive bathrooms but who do not, under any circumstances, have an interest in anything more. Hotaru is satisfied with that arrangement. Romance, or the illusion of it, will never weasel its way into her life.

Naturally that doesn’t change the fact that only a week later, Hotaru finds herself standing at the altar, with Luca Nogi sliding a ring onto her finger and white chiffon caressing her skin.

Apartment 2B, Tokyo / April 3rd, 2am

“You need to buy the apartment next door,” Hotaru Imai says. She’s seated on one of the living room armchairs, comfortably basking in the final rays of the setting sun. Her best friend is out on a minor reconnaissance mission and she’s lounging in the living room with Natsume and Luca, something she would normally avoid but which has become necessary due to the simple fact that there is something she wants. “Either you do it yourself or I do it using your funds when you and Mikan are busy having alone time.”

“You’d think I get a choice in this,” Natsume Hyuuga, the Black Cat, comments, “given that this is my crew we’re talking about. And my apartment. And my money.”

“Funny,” Hotaru replies, leaning back and taking a sip of her wine. “I think I vaguely remember most of our funds coming in due to inventions I sold on the blackmarket.”

“She has a point,” Luca Nogi says. He’s sitting cross-legged on the wooden apartment floor, his pet raven picking seeds out of his hand. Natsume narrows his eyes at his best friend.

“You’re only saying that because she’s the only person in this apartment willing to play poker with you,” he declares. “Also, where did your loyalty go?”

“I imagine it’s in the hot tub,” Hotaru says. “You know, with the rest of our crew money.”

Natsume rolls his eyes, though with a sense of triumph she notices him wince at her words.

“You see then why I don’t have the money to buy the flat next to ours,” he says.

“I’ll take a job. Something nice and flashy,” Hotaru offers. “Come on, there must be something you’ve decided against that you can dump onto me. This is a simple trade, Hyuuga: You get to send me on a garbage mission no one else is willing to do. I get to use the money we make to buy another apartment and use it as a work space. It’s a win-win scenario.”

Natsume blinks. “When did you get so desperate?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Hotaru says sarcastically. “Probably around the time someone decided to crap all over my laptop.”

They both turn to stare at Mrs. Rogers, who makes a caw sound before flying up to sit on Luca’s shoulder, half hidden behind his blond hair. Her owner grimaces.

“I did tell you to cover up your stuff if you’re not around,” Luca says. “And I also apologized. Like, fifteen times. Today.”

Hotaru rolls her eyes at him before turning back to the Black Cat. “Look, my reasons don’t matter,” she says. “You need an inventor and I can’t fulfill that role properly until you give me space I can actually work in.”

Natsume folds his arms. He looks less than happy about her demand. “Doing extra missions isn’t an option,” he says.

“Well, why not?,” Hotaru asks. “I’m offering to do them. I can handle danger and without proper equipment, that danger’s only going to get a lot worse for all of us anyway.”

“I get that,” Natsume says tightly. His demeanor changes as he squares his shoulders and narrows his red eyes ever so slightly. This is no longer a friendly discussion, she can tell. “But Imai, I don’t have the money to pay for that flat. And as for the missions you’re volunteering for, I decided against doing them for a reason. They’re not worth the risk. I won’t jeopardize this crew. Not for money and not for you.”

Not for her. Of course. With a sigh, Hotaru drowns the rest of her wine. Again and again, she finds that the Black Cat and her have similar end goals but very different opinions on how to reach them. Normally she would continue arguing but in this case she can tell that any further push on her part would only strengthen Natsume Hyuuga’s resolve. Promises of weapons and handy gadgets are apparently not attractive enough for him to take a risk on an operative, even if it’s just his newest one.

“Pity about that exploding pen I was going to build you,” she says casually. Years of spy training are the only reason she’s able to keep the frustration out of her voice. “See you tomorrow. I’m turning in for the night.”

Hotaru leaves her two companions behind, retreating to her room on the far side of the apartment. Once the door is shut behind her, she balls her hand into a fist and punches her pillow, once, twice, a third time. Only then does the anger licking at her throat subside a bit and give way to exhaustion. She drops down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with a furrowed brow. Six months she’s worked with the Black Cat, but still he’s unwilling to trust her enough to take a few risks. If she wants to go on a more dangerous mission to earn a larger sum of money, who is he to try and stop her? And who is he to doubt her, to think that she hasn’t calculated the risks and rewards of her plan, hasn’t made sure that no harm will come to Nova?

It’s yet another reminder that Hotaru is still an outsider, much like she’s always been.

She blinks up at the ceiling, able to trace every inch of the plan she pinned onto the wall above the bed despite the room’s darkness. She’s working on an intricate fabric, more than five times as strong as the gear they’re using right now, and able to deflect most bullets. The delicate mesh is no weapon but a shield, one that will keep Nova’s agents out of harm’s way. If only she could convince Hyuuga of its merits, make him realize that the money he gives her is money well spent. Perhaps then the suit she’s working on would be finished and the dreams that plague her would disappear. Perhaps she’d no longer wake up wondering whether today is the day she dies, or even worse, whether today is the day Mikan dies.

But the fabric is impossible to make without a proper workbench and bigger tools and as such, it will have to wait.

Closing her eyes again, Hotaru turns to press her nose into her pillow. Yesterday she’d spent the night with Nogi, and the satin under her skin still smells softly of the cologne he was wearing. They’d come from a reconnaissance operation, his hair still tousled from running, and something inside her had quaked at the thought of doing anything other than kiss him.

So she had done just that.

Right here, in this room, in this bed in fact. She’d straddled his hips with her legs, feeling every inch of him beneath her as she pushed him deeper into the mattress, gazing down at his flushed face from above. He’s always blushing, Hotaru remembers thinking, strangely fascinated by the fact that everything he felt was immediately on display.

Sex is always fun for Hotaru. It’s a way to see anatomy in action, similar to watching her inventions do their job. The way muscle moves beneath skin, the way bodies fit together, the way nerves respond if she strokes them just right - The grip of his hands on her hips and the way she moved against him and he moved against her, their breathing labored as it had been when they ran from their pursuers but at the same time labored in a different way, another kind of fight, a primal kind of combat.

After, Luca had almost fallen asleep next to her, curled up on her covers, but Hotaru kicked him out as soon as she saw his eyes fall shut. He stole a kiss from her before leaving, a fast but heated one, something he always does when they sleep together. It’s almost too intimate every time, but she can never quite tell him to stop. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Even if he takes liberties now and then, she controls this little battle of theirs and they both know it.

Hotaru concentrates on relaxing her breathing, allowing the memories of their night together to once more fill her mind. Hopefully thoughts of more enjoyable times will chase away the fear that gnaws at her, the knowledge that one day their lack of money will result in one of them laying on her lap, gasping for breath as they slowly bleed out. Hopefully images of death won’t haunt her again.

Somehow, she doubts it.

Apartment 2B, Tokyo / April 4th, 8am

They’re sitting around the kitchen table the next morning when Natsume announces they’re going to have an impromptu meeting.

Hotaru is sipping her coffee, idly listening as Mikan recounts her mission from the previous night. Tsubasa is sitting on the couch, reading a newspaper with Misaki’s outstretched legs on his lap. Luca is in the process of making pancakes. He turns around at his best friend’s declaration, wearing a quiet smile on his lips.

“What are we discussing?,” Hotaru asks suspiciously. Is the Black Cat going to kick her out because she asked for more money?

Natsume grunts instead of answering. Luca turns to her.

“There’s a mission that we’re perfectly suited for, I think,” he says. “But we still have to vote on whether or not to take the job.”

This is another one of Nova’s oddities: Although Natsume choses which jobs might be suited for them, every member of the crew can veto an operation. It’s a democratic system, Mikan explained to her once. It’s also a hassle every time.

Luca dumps the finished pancake onto a plate and places them on the table. Tsubasa peeks over his newspaper.

“Breakfast done?,” he asks. Luca nods.

With a grin, the dark haired man gets up, unceremoniously dumping his girlfriend’s legs onto the floor. He sits down opposite Hotaru, Misaki following close behind. Once they’re all seated, Luca vanishes for a few moments before returning with a file. Generally, Hotaru would prefer technology over old school materials, but even she has to admit that hackable objects aren’t the best place for sensitive data. Natsume takes the folder from his friend and tosses it on the table.

“Client’s name is Yuki Arakawa, twenty-three years old, born in Nagoya. Met and fell in love with an investment banker by the name of Ichida Seiji when they were both twenty. Their relationship was reportedly great and so they decided to ruin it by getting married as soon as possible. They got themselves a team of event planners and ended up renting D-Lounge, over in Shibuya. Their grand day was looking to be perfect.”

Natsume pulls a picture out of the folder, showing it to the group. On it, a young woman grins widely into the camera, showing off an impressive diamond ring. A man is standing behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist.

“What happened?,” Mikan asks softly. Natsume sighs.

“On their wedding day, a year ago now, Ichida suffered what officials say was a heart-attack. He made it through the ceremony, exchanged vows with his new wife and then collapsed on the dance floor. Medical examiner says the excitement of the day was literally...heart-stopping.”

“It’s not an uncommon cause of death,” Luca notes. “But autopsy reports do show that there was a foreign substance in his blood. When Yuki Arakawa asked the police about that though, they told her that her husband probably just tried to dampen his own nervosity by indulging in some….ah….illegal substances, so to speak.”

“Did he?,” Hotaru asks. A young, overly excited man taking drugs doesn’t seem too strange a story. Luca shrugs.

“It’s hard to say from the medical report,” he says.

“What matters to us,” Natsume interjects. “Is that his widow doesn’t believe the police’s story. She hired a private investigator to dig into the whole thing. And lo and behold, they found something.”

Luca leans back in his chair. With a quick glance at the folder in front of them, he continues.

“Turns out that Himawari Events Management, the company they hired to plan their wedding, have had a number of dead clients in the past two years or so. There’s been a handful of freak accidents, grooms or brides crushed by falling chandeliers, and a couple of strokes and heart attacks. Suffice to say, the whole thing is more than fishy. But when Yuki told the police as much, they send her away. Next day, a couple of goons cornered her on her way back from the cemetery, roughed her up pretty bad. They told her to keep her nose out of her husband’s case.”

“I’m guessing she didn’t,” Tsubasa comments, taking a bite out of his pancake. He leans forward to pick up the picture of the couple, looking at it from up close. “So someone’s making a game out of killing people on their wedding day? Jesus.”

“Presumably,” Natsume confirms. “What Yuki Arakawa expects us to do is find whoever killed her husband and… bring them to justice. She’s wealthy and the job comes with a nicely sized payment. However…”

“However,” Luca picks up where he left off, “This kind of mission would necessitate us going in undercover, scoping out the event planners. Our best shot is booking a wedding of our own and making sure to find the killer before one of us ends up dead.”

Mikan gnaws on her lip thoughtfully. “Natsume and I are pretty well known, as far as operatives go. And you said Yuki Arakawa suspects the murderer has ties to the police. If we show up looking to plan a wedding and they run any kind of background check, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

“Same goes for Tobita or Shouda,” Tsubasa adds. “They have their own cover identities to protect. We can’t exactly send them to find a killer who’s in league with the cops. As for me...” He glances at his leg, where Hotaru knows layers of bandages are hidden under the fabric of his jeans. “I’d volunteer, but I’m still not exactly in top shape.”

“Which is why I didn’t want to take on this job,” Natsume mutters. Hotaru can’t help but stare at him as surprise wells up from within her. So he’s given me one of the jobs he initially refused, she thinks, blinking in disbelief before composing herself.

“If Mikan and Natsume can’t go because their covers were blown months ago,” she muses out loud, “and Sumire and Yuu can’t go because their current identities are too precious to waste on this mission, then our only option is to send in people whose faces won’t get flagged by the cops and whose identity as agents is unknown to them.”

Luca inclines his head, quietly agreeing with her.

“Your cover is intact,” he says. “So is mine. We can go in as a couple, set up a wedding in the next two weeks and keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious.”

Hotaru finds herself nodding along. “Mikan and the rest can do an in-depth check from here, hack into the company’s business servers. The two of us -”

“Go in as bait,” Luca finishes. “I’m sure the client is willing to fund our wedding if it means she gets her husband’s killer.”

“And all we have to do is go dress shopping and show up on the big day,” Hotaru muses. It’s certainly a step up from getting shot at and crawling through drainage pipes.

A small smile makes its way onto her face. It works, this plan. They’re the right age for marriage and have certainly kissed enough times to sell the whole ‘young couple in love’ thing.

“Won’t two people getting married on such short notice seem weird though?,” Misaki asks. “I mean, I get that there’s shotgun weddings and all that but…Pretending you’re that into each other seems difficult. ”

Hotaru snorts. Getting Natsume Hyuuga to give her this mission was difficult. Surviving up to this point was difficult. Hell, even cleaning bird poop off her stuff was difficult. But pretending to be in love? Oh, pretending is something she has practiced for most of her life, something she has always needed to hide her bluntness and general lack of charm.

“I don’t think it’ll be an issue,” Hotaru says, allowing herself a smug grin.

Apartment 2B - rooftop, Tokyo / April 4th, 10am

After a unanimous vote in favor of accepting the job, Hotaru makes her way up to the roof with a spring in her steps. While it’s certainly true that a job tied to the police will be risky, she’s confident that they’ll have the murderer found and eliminated before any trouble arises. This mission will go wonderfully and it will finally, finally give her the money she needs. She pushes open the door to the roof and steps outside.

With a content sigh, Hotaru walks up to the balustrade and breathes in the fresh morning air. Her victory makes the spring day seem all the more enjoyable. Far below her, the city is bustling with activity, people running to go to jobs of their own, jobs that involve far less death than hers does. Far less excitement, too, she thinks to herself.

Creak.

Hotaru whirls around at the sound and comes face to face with Luca Nogi, his pet raven comfortably perched on his shoulder. His steps must have been silent enough to trick even her expertly trained ears.

“So,” he says. “We found you a job.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Hotaru mutters. “And...thank you, I suppose.”

“You were the one fighting tooth and nail for it,” he reminds her gently. “I did nothing, honestly.”

“Yeah right. Like Hyuuga would ever change his mind just because I asked him to. I can guess that you pushed him to give me what I want, so just accept my honest gratitude while it lasts.”

“I’m guessing I won’t be seeing your honest gratitude all that often, so alright. You’re welcome, Hotaru,” Luca says. He rests his elbows on the balustrade, watching her as she gazes down at the city.

“You must really want some new guns if you’re agreeing to a mission that could blow your cover,” Hotaru comments. He turns his head, a frown on his face.

“Or, you know, I just wanted to help you out,” Luca says slowly.

Hotaru snorts. Yeah right, she thinks. Why else would he defy his best friend for her? It’s not like they aren’t already sleeping together and if there’s one thing she has learned living in a world of spies, it’s that no one does anything without expecting something in return.

“But,” Luca continues, after a short pause. “You are also right about our equipment being bad. And you were right about our budget, too. We’re usually better at keeping it in check, but that’s generally Yuu’s job and he’s not around at the moment. I try to keep an eye on it but...numbers and maths aren’t my strong suit, I’ll admit.”

“Isn’t it Natsume’s job to look after the money?,” Hotaru asks. Luca’s face darkens.

“Natsume has enough on his mind,” he says softly before shaking his head. He reaches out to touch her elbow, turning her gently towards him. “But anyhow, I came up here for a reason.”

“Oh yeah?,” Hotaru says. She has a pretty good idea of what he means by that. Pushing away from the balustrade, she begins walking backwards until she feels the edge of the training mat at her feet.

“We can certainly have a little morning training session. Some close quarter combat. I’ll win, but hey. You get to watch me move.”

This is the part where Luca walks towards her, lets his hands rest on her hip. The part where he kisses her until they tumble onto the mat, their legs wrapping around each other. He wants her, she can tell by the way his pupils dilate ever so slightly and right now, she wants him too, wants to feel the bare skin of the man who is currently helping her get the money she needs. But Luca only blinks at her, his cheeks coloring. He clears his throat.

“As nice as that sounds, I came to ask you a question. I….That is, you….Do you….”

“Do I what,?” Hotaru interjects impatiently. Luca opens his mouth as if to talk, before stopping himself again.

“This isn’t how it’s done,” he mutters, more to himself than to her, before turning around, his blue eyes trailing across the roof.

Hotaru watches him, annoyance rising up within her. Not only isn’t he joining her at the mat, now he can’t even answer her question? She’s about to leave when he seems to find whatever he is looking for. With purposeful steps that make Mrs. Rogers fly up from his shoulder and seek shelter elsewhere, he walks to one of the many tables she’s scattered machinery parts on. He rummages around before grabbing something and turning back towards her.

“My mum did raise me to be a gentleman,” Luca tells her. “Obviously her teachings didn’t always take, I mean she once said to never use violence and to never steal or kill and honestly, now that I think about, she told me not to do any of the things that are now my job, but -”

“Nogi,” Hotaru says icily, interrupting his rambling. “Get to the point.”

“Right,” Luca says. He takes a deep breath and comes closer, until there is little more than a hand length of space between them. Then, he does something that shocks Hotaru.

He gets down on one knee. “Hotaru Imai,” Luca asks, “Will you marry me?”

Out on a rooftop in April, shivering slightly in the cool morning air and wearing yesterday’s hoodie isn’t exactly how Hotaru expected to be asked that particular question.

“This is a job,” she reminds him. “You don’t have to do this.”

“But I want to,” he says. “So, will you marry me?”

The sincerity in his voice merrily skips over all her walls, jumps past all the parts of her mind dedicated to assessing each situation and lands squarely on her heart, making it tighten in her chest. But no, this isn’t, this can’t be sincere. This is part of the act, Hotaru thinks.This is getting into character. She puts on a saucy smile and offers him her hand.

“Why yes, I will” she says, with a brightness that has little to do with the anxiousness she feels.

Luca reaches out, delicately taking her hand in his. His skin feels warm, clammy almost. As though he’s legitimately nervous. With his other hand, he produces the object he picked up from her work table and slides it onto her finger. It’s cool metal, shaped not quite like a ring, more like a hexagon. A steel nut, something meant to hold her screws in place when she fastens multiple pieces of an invention together. She must have left one lying around. Somehow, despite its less than ideal shape, it fits her finger perfectly.

“It fits you,” Luca says, echoing her thoughts. He clears his throat and gets up again, still holding her hand. Then, he lets her go and steps back again. There is a peculiar look on his face, as though he can’t decide whether the metal on her finger makes him happy or sad.

“I guess we’re engaged now,” he says.

“It would seem that way,” Hotaru replies.

With a curt nod, Luca leans forward. His lips brush her cheek, gentle enough to be little more than a feather caressing her skin. Somehow, the touch still manages to make her shiver. Hotaru wonders whether her pupils are as dilated as his were before, whether her desire is clear on her face. It probably isn’t, she thinks. Outwards expressions of emotion were never her thing. But this is acting, after all. She lets herself smile, expecting to see the same expression on Luca’s face as he draws back. Instead, his usually happy eyes are curiously blank.

“Have fun with your morning training,” he tells her, before turning around. The rooftop door falls shut behind him and Hotaru is left alone next to the training mat.

There is a strangeness to the whole situation that she can’t place her finger on. This morning, after realizing that Natsume had given her a mission because Luca pushed him to do so, she’d felt a gratitude towards him that was difficult to put in words. And then he’d agreed to enter into this fake marriage with her, to pursue the killer and finish the mission by her side. Despite her insistence that they not grow attached, he’d done his utmost for her.

She finds herself staring at the improvised ring on her finger. When he first gave it to her, it was still warm from being kept in his palm. Now the metal is cold. Hotaru pulls up her shoulders in an attempt to let the feeling of wrongness slide off her back but it sticks like oil to her skin. Still, she forces herself to smile. The money she needs is so close, she can almost smell it and her brand new fiancé’s behaviour can’t dampen her excitement.

There is however one thing Hotaru can’t help but notice: Somehow, getting engaged to Luca Nogi feels less intimate than all the moments they shared before.

[starsmuserainbow]

Thank you!

So, it’s that time again!

I originally intended to wait longer with my next post like this, but then again I’d only have waited because I would want to avoid having to face my shyness by doing this here. So, instead of waiting, I decided to go ahead with this number.

I have reached another number, that will be mentioned once but only below the cut for those that don’t like people talking about their amount of followers.

This is incredibly hard for me, but I had big plans for my next post and I intend to stick to those plans. It will get very long below the cut, so be warned when you click.

Short version:

Thank you all for following me and thus being interested in my Star and/or my writing!

I apologize if any of the ones that I’ll list below are currently on hiatus or inactive or anything, I don’t intend to force you back or something, I just wanted to say how I feel about your blog, and also try to word how thankful I am, and/or say a few nice words which I never would have the courage to say otherwise.

One more thing: Please don’t measure the length or compare it to the others. I can’t say exactly the same amount of things to everyone, and I also don’t wanna repeat ‘cliche-y’ terms for every single one of you. I only wanna write the most important things I feel about you, so please don’t be mad for getting fewer lines than someone else or something.

Also, to those that had already been mentioned in the last post I did of this (half a year ago or so), forgive me if something I say sounds very similar.

So! On with the list. I plan to mention almost every mutual I have down here, if I left you out I apologize. I go by the ‘followers’ list of tumblr, so it could be that it isn’t showing me everything right now or I simply missed one while going through the list. I still value you though! Oh, or, if I can see the dates of posts, and you haven’t posted anything within say the last two months or so, I’ll not mention you either. (I’ll also leave out ones like, that are posting news of something and likely only followed me back to... I don’t know, to be polite or something?)

Before I start: Thank you for allowing me to have reached 400 followers!

EDIT: If you got a notification but can’t find yourselves on the list, I am so very sorry! I had more people on the list at first, but then removed a few as I was working on it for various reasons (my shyness the most prominent one, inactivity being another and/or also if I just didn’t really know what to write), and tumblr seems to have sent out notifications nonetheless! I am very very truly sorry, I still value you very much!

@frozenloyalty: I think you’ve been following me for a very long time already, and I don’t understand why but I think tumblr has already made me unfollow you a few times, so first off, my apologies if you have recieved follow-notices more than once from me over the time. I’m not that indecisive about who I follow, and I really hate it when I after some time find out that I’m not following someone anymore. I actually don’t know anything about Xiaolin, but nonetheless I really like your character and I really enjoy the things you write! Not to mention you also have an Aqualad, and I think you’re doing him greatly and I always like to read the things you put on my dash!

@the-boy-wcnder: I think I mentioned in my last of these kind of posts already how much I enjoy to talk to you OOC? I don’t have many that I actually talk to about things sometimes, and you’re definitely one of those few! That means a lot for me, and while I’m not using Skype anymore which leaves basically only IMs on here (and tags on posts), I still appreciate it highly everytime we talk! Then there’s of course also the thing about the thread with the tamaranean staff; I’m so glad that you actually liked that idea/concept of mine! I very much enjoyed the interactions we had so far, and - this isn’t to force you to be active again or anything for I know that your last post has been a while but it’s still withing the 2 months I’ve set as ‘limit’ to when someone has to have been active to be included in here - I’m sure there’ll be many more great ones to come!

@shiningdream: I don’t know a thing about Pretty Cure in general, maybe aside from the fact that it is about magical girls. But from what I’ve seen, I really like Nozomi! And since I have never seen anything from it, that must be thanks to your writing! She seems like a wonderful character, I’m happy to be able to follow the things you write and learn more about her in that way, and even more happy that you are actually following me back!

@sorcxrxss: I don’t remember the name of the blog anymore (you had a different back then I know that), but I remember that we ‘met’ very early in my starting on here. I won’t forget that, and it always makes me happy when I notice that we’re still mutuals!

@riverborne: What a wonderful character Mnemosyne seems to be! I think I have told you that somewhere before (in my last ‘thank you’-thing? or maybe IM? I can’t say anymore), but you definitely made me enjoy her and that even though I never watched Sailor Moon far enough to actually know the character! Thanks for still following me, it means a lot!

@hisluckycharm: We had a very short-lived thing going once, didn’t we? Anyway! I love Ladybug and you do her so nicely, I very much enjoy to read your things when they appear on my dash!

@steelbonesandbighearts: Again, I don’t know anything about the fandom. The concept (of Hetalia as a whole I assume) is very fascinating though and I thank you for being interested in interacting with me! I enjoyed what we had so far; which reminds me; what happened to our thread? I’ll have to look up if it’s one of the things I (sadly) miss from time to time, because I definitely would like to continue interacting with you!

@graceful-cure-swan: I’m so thankful to have a chance to interact with you! Tsubasa is a really great character (and I assumed she would be a canon character at first since I have no idea about the fandom), and I so much appreciate that you were the one to make the first step for us to interact! I’m still not quite over my problems about sending things to people, but I always make myself try a little harder because I know there are wonderful people like you that do it and I wish to be able to give back a little of the love it shares, too!

@gottakeepemall: I think we talked somewhere once? Anyway! I haven’t watched Pokemon far enough to actually know about Bonnie, but from what I’ve seen thanks to you I absolutely adore her! I really like seeing you on my dash, and it makes me happy to know that you are still following me, too!

@apocalypsxmaidxn: I know I suck at communicating, and I feel like I’m way too often not responding anymore when we start talking through IM, and for that I’m very very sorry! I feel like we’d have interacted a lot already, but I think there wasn’t actually that much we did (yet)? We certainly should do more things together!

@cruelcrusader: I think you might be the only Batman that follows me, and that means a lot! I very much enjoy to see your things on my dash, and I’m happy that you are following me as well!

@adamxntium: I’m so glad about our interaction! Even if it takes some time every now and then to be continued, it’s a wonderful thread and I’m sure there is much more awaiting the two of them!

@justathief: Oh, Star and me both definitely enjoyed the interaction we had so much! I’ve actually recently put ‘fly me to the moon’ into my playlist on my computer again, and everytime it starts playing I’m reminded of the thread! You’re a great Red X and I always enjoy to read what appears on my dash from you!

@vertounda: We haven’t had any big interactions (yet), but let me just still say that I very much enjoy knowing that we’re mutuals! I appreciate it whenever you send me something (and I really should get better at sending things to return that gesture sometimes too), and it’s always great to see the things you do!

@aerokinesiiss: I love the fact that we’re Star-Sisters (for both going by Star on here)! Back when I read W.i.t.c.h., I always liked Hay Lin very much. Not only did interacting with you renew that liking, it also made it even bigger! I read almost everything that I see posted by you, and I’m always so excited when our threads are continued! (This isn’t the blog where I should mention this, but - I’m not sure if I’ll get enough followers on him any time soon to do a post like this there and also - I’ll never get over how thankful/delighted/happy I am for you being the first to interact with my Wildfire! And then it became such a wonderful relationship between them, I just love them so much together and often think about them!)

@destruction-robot: Again a fandom I know nothing about; but still I definitely like to see you on my dash! You’ve been following on my sideblogs too, and even already interacting, which I appreciate very much. That brings me to the thought... don’t you have sideblogs too? I think I’ve read something about them once while I was on mobile and intended to take a look once I’m back on my computer, but then forgot about it! I’ll have to check for those after being done with this post, I’ll certainly not want to miss out on more writing from you! (Also, by the way, what happened to our threads, on any of my three blogs? I’ll have to try and search for them, too, that is if you still want to continue those since I think it’s been a while already)

@aureajuniper: I have watched your dash and what happened on your blog for a while already. I enjoy your writing very much, and I learned so much about your characters only thanks to following you, I honestly can’t understand why you seem to have so many bad things happening every now and then. I’m very sorry that those things happen to you, you’re a wonderful person that not only does a great job at RPing but also does icons for others, and you don’t deserve any bad things happening to you!

@billyandhismultiples: A Billy! Oh, I was really happy when I saw you! He’s such a enjoyable character, and then you do him so well! We haven’t had any long-ish interactions yet or anything (we had one, I just don’t think it really counts as long), and Star hasn’t given Billy a chance on becoming friends yet, but I’m sure however they will turn out any interactions that are to come will be wonderful! And even if there are none to come, I still enjoy seeing such a wonderful Billy on my dash, and then even knowing he’s (well, or, technically, his mun) is following me back!

@sclsticed: I didn’t even know about Kiran before I found you (I guess you followed me first? I don’t actually remember anymore). She’s such a wonderful character though and I’m so very thankful to have learned about her thanks to you! I also really enjoy our interaction with my Blackfire, and I’m really happy whenever I see you on my dash!

@lucklessprincess: Such a great Jinx! I love your Jinx so much, and all those many headcanons you have, it’s amazing! Not to mention you also do such wonderful art, and have fascinating OCs, too! We haven’t really done any long-going interactions or anything (yet), but I don’t mind because I still really like to see whatever you put on my dash! You’re wonderful and one of the persons I definitely look up to!

@feistyfreckleface: I really like Anna! I liked her in the movie, and I like her even more through you! I’m not quite sure what happened to our thread, but it was no doubt a great one and Starfire was definitely happy to make such a wonderful new friend!

@firefavoring: I really like W.i.t.c.h. in general, and to have such a wonderful Taranee willing to follow me and interact with me makes me so happy! It’s always great to see you on my dash, and I very much enjoy to know that we’re mutuals!

@omamcri: I’m always keeping up with the Detective Conan manga (or Case Closed if that’s how it’s called where you are), whenever it comes out here I’m reading it as soon as possible! I haven’t watched the anime in a while, but nonetheless, I really like it and I very much enjoy the fact that a great Heiji follows me! I have no idea how a meeting would actually work if we ever were to interact, but I’m definitely not against it happening someday!

@grimmtime: Having a Grimm as an actual... uh, how do I say it, as an actual thinking being is such a interesting idea! While Starfire and Grimm maybe didn’t have the best start at their meeting, it was a very interesting and most enjoyable one!

@rosesofflame: A very interesting OC! I really like to watch you on my dash, and it’s making me feel even better to know we��re mutuals! I’m having much too big problems to actually approach people, otherwise I think I woud’ve had tried to start something with you a while ago already!

@littlestarmaiden: Another wonderful OC! I really like the concept, and from what I’ve seen on my dash of you I like your character as well!

@problem-free: Lion King! I can’t say I’d have watched it multiple times or can remember every detail of scenes of it or anything, but what I do know is that I enjoyed it very much and one of the things I remembered the most was Timon and Pumbaa! I’ve been quietly watching your blog for a while now already (I think it’s at least a few months that we’re mutuals already? Or if not then it at least feels like it), and in my opinion you’re doing a really amazing Timon!

@valieente: Meeting a talking cat has made Starfire extremely happy! Aside from that, I always liked Puss, and to then find one on here that’s doing such a good job RPing as him was wonderful! I’m really glad we met and I’m so happy to be able to interact with you! (I know you’re not really there at the moment but you made that post about planning to come back so I thought it’s alright to include you here too)

@archeroftheeast: Another one of the people I definitely look up to! I read almost everything I see on my dash that comes from you (this includes your other blogs I follow), and I always enjoy it! You’re such a great RPer and so much more, I’m very delighted to be good enough to be mutuals with you!

@finderofdeath: Such wonderful OCs! I really like the interaction that Star and Eath have, and your OCs are really great and interesting and I’m happy that we interact and are mutuals!

@tradicans: I hope you’ll feel better about things soon, and/or find more time for the things you want to do! I’m having somewhat the same problem and try to get to solving it so I very much understand why you’re not very active at the moment. That’s alright though, for I love our interactions and I definitely won’t mind waiting!

@avalanchiing: I don’t know anything about Lance, but from what I’ve seen on your blog I find him interesting!

@untouchable-lightning: I really enjoy our interactions! Star often tends to try and befriend villains, but it’s a bit different with those two I think because she doesn’t quite see Ariel as a villain. I like their relationship and the threads we have, so thanks for being mutuals with me!

@judasborn: I still can’t quite believe you’re following me, and even on Wildfire too! I really admire your blog, you’re such a wonderful Jericho and it always makes me happy to see you on my dash! I’ve also already learned a lot more about him than I knew before we became mutuals, all thanks to reading what you post! Also, I am aware you reblog memes from me sometimes, and I wanna say that it always makes me try to fight my shyness more to actually approach you! I haven’t been successful yet, but hopefully it’ll come someday.

@puffywarrior: Kirby is such a cute little thing, and you do him so well! I’m very happy to be mutuals with you, and if you want to, we should totally interact some time!

@xitch-bxy: I knew nothing about Klarion before finding your blog. I have never watched Young Justice, and I don’t know about the comics; so I can’t really compare to how he is anywhere else, but I really like your Klarion! And our (bit of) interaction was wonderful too, I’m happy to be mutuals with you!

@bxrdmom: What a wonderful character Arella is! I don’t know anything aside from her short appearance in the cartoon, but I always was interested in her nonetheless! You’re a great writer and it’s always nice when people take upon giving a smaller character more love, and from what I’ve seen you do so very well!

@microscopiic-abomination: Oh, how much Spongebob did I watch in earlier years? Quite a lot, actually, and your Plankton is so great! I enjoy seeing you on my dash and I’m thankful that we’re mutuals!

@mxnofmyxtery: I love our interactions! Every single one of them, they’re so great and offer such interesting adventures! Rex is a wonderful and fascinating character, and I so much like to see you appear on my dash!

@telekinctics: Again, I can’t really say I know much about your character. What I’ve seen so far, however, you’re a great writer and I like your character thanks to that; and you’re definitely a wonderful person as well, I really love seeing you on my dash!

@frostbitfun: I really liked Jack in the movie, and from what I’ve seen you do him so nicely! I like your blog very much, and I hope that I’m someday strong enough to push my shyness away and approach you for some kind of interaction!

@xenothiums: I really like your Red X! We haven’t interacted yet, but even without doing so I appreciate seeing your things on my dash! I like to read what you post, you do Red X nicely, and I’m glad that we’re mutuals!

@sewn-cutie: Oh, I love Clementine! And our interactions are so wonderful, not to mention that I absolutely adore your art and that you even make pictures for many of the people your little doll interacts with! You’re so wonderful, I can’t even properly word it! Thanks so much for being mutuals and interacting with me!

@nvertoolate: I don’t think I can really explain how thankful I am to have you as mutual. Our interactions are always so wonderful, and I like your Terra and the things you write so much, it’s just amazing! I don’t know what else to say here, I just hope that we will be able to keep interacting for a long time to come!

@blackfiire: Your Blackfire is amazing! I always enjoy to read the things you write, and I’m aware that we talked a bit once; I’m hopeful that someday I really will be able to send you something or use some other way to interact with you!

@peaceloveandmustard: One thing I’ll most likely not forget so soon will be the term Star-Sisters I’ve learned from you! I love the idea of using that to refer to all the Starfire RPers, and while I also have another Star-Sister which is simply because we both go by Star on here (see somewhere above if you wanna know who I mean), I really enjoy the idea and I’ll certainly remember this term! Aside from that, your Starfire is really great to see on the dash and I’m very thankful to be mutuals!

@mayhemforhire: I think more or longer interactions between us took place with your Ben, but I’m tagging this blog of yours because I’m seeing this one more often on my dash at the moment! I really enjoy our interactions, they’re always very entertaining and I’m glad that we happened to meet on here!

@autemiiisms: I’ve already mentioned twice that I liked W.i.t.c.h. very much when I was younger, and it’s just so wonderful to be able to relive this nostalgia by meeting ones that are willing to interact with me! You’re a great Will and I’m glad we interact!

@emoticlysm: You’re definitely one of those I admire! I know sometimes people don’t wanna hear that because they don’t feel they deserve it, but I just can’t not say it! You’re such a great Raven and I really enjoy seeing you on my dash; and everytime I’m once again aware of the fact that we’re mutuals I can’t quite believe it!

@ravagedglass: So, since I know next to nothing about the comics, I didn’t exactly know much about Rose either. I feel like I learned a lot already, thanks to you, and I really like your writing! I can’t really compare your way of writing her to any canon things, but I think you’re really wonderful at doing her!

@atrox-voluntas: I really liked our interaction, and am looking forward to more! From what I’ve seen, you’re a nice person and a good roleplayer and I’m very happy we’re mutuals and interacting!

@hopeherself: Madoka is such a wonderful character, and you do her very well! I enjoy seeing you on my dash, and the (bit of) interaction we had was great too!

@rain-wander: Technically we’re not mutuals but I still count it as such since I’m following your Raven and you follow back from the main blog. Our interactions are great, and I hope we’ll keep interacting for a while to come! You’re a good Raven and I’m happy to be able to RP with you!

@siilentiisms: Jericho is such a great character, I’m so happy to have him on my dash! (Technically even twice since I follow one other Jericho too, but that’s not the point right now) You’re really great and I enjoy to have you on my dash, I definitely like to read the things whenever you post something!

@xmemoriia: I think I have played MapleStory ages ago for a bit? Never really much though, and even for the bit that I played I can’t actually remember anything. So, I can’t say I know about Shade in any way aside from your blog, but from what I’ve read so far he’s a great character and I’m very interested in him! Also, can I mention just how impressed I’m always by people that do their own art for icons? You seem like a wonderful person and I’m delighted that we’re mutuals!

@tinkiisms: Such a wonderful Tinkerbell! I love all the nostalgia feels I get from having you on my dash, and I think you’re doing her very nicely! I love reading or looking at what you post, I’m very happy to actually be mutuals with you and even though I’m normally too shy to say it I hope there’ll be a way we will interact some time!

@thewitchofice: I’m currently trying to slowly catch up with my ‘Winx-knowledge’ by watching the episodes from where I stopped watching one per (almost every) day. But even without having seen every single episode there is, I’m certain you’re a great Icy! I’m glad we’re interacting, and while Starfire might not be very happy if she ever finds out that Icy doesn’t exactly have the best intentions, I’ll always be happy to be mutuals with you!

@otherworldlylightningbolt: I have learned so much about Kilowatt only by reading through your blog and the things you post! I really like him, and I enjoyed the interactions we had so far! Thank you!

@dutypatrols: I’ve always liked Robin in the cartoon, and you do him very well! We have only interacted (a bit) OOC as of yet, but I’m sure someday there’ll come more and I’m just very happy to know that the interest is mutual!

@rockcrushed: You are a very good Terra! I like to read your things, and I enjoy the fact that we’re mutuals! I hope we’ll be interacting someday, and until we are (or even if we won’t) I’ll happily look at your posts anyway!

@moonrisiing: Oh, oh, oh! I’m not even sure how to start. We had short interactions on a few of your blogs, and I loved every single one of them! Not to mention it’s so wonderful to talk to you OOC! I’m so happy to have met you on here and I’m very thankful for it!

@acrobaticism: From what I’ve seen, you’re a wonderful Robin, and I’m excited to know we’re mutuals! Someday I’ll be brave enough to actually approach you in some way to get an interaction going!

@spxder-head: I didn’t expect to ever be interacting with a Fang, but I really like it! You’re making him very interesting and I’m excited to see how our interactions will continue, both on here and with Blackfire!

@tyrantsiblings: Our interactions are so much fun! Star always loves to take care of animals, and if they’re rare (or should be extinct) that only makes it even more interesting! Your two rexes are so cute and fascinating and I love our things!

@scarabfused: I can’t say I know very much about Jaime/Blue Beetle, aside from that I have watched the recent TT movies. I really like what I know of his character so far, and seeing your things makes it even more so! Quite often when I see you post something I start to think about how they would meet in the verse of the cartoon (since I don’t do the movie as verse or anything), and I hope we’ll someday find out!

@nebulabeings: I have a big respect for people that are brave enough to actually put their OCs ‘out there’, open to see for everyone. Your OCs seem very interesting, andI’m pretty sure you’re a nice person too, so I appreciate to have you as my mutual!

@shogun--of--sorrow: We only recently became mutuals so I don’t think I can really say much yet. I don’t know about Samurai Jack, so I can’t really say anything about the fandom or my thoughts on your character. I’m certainly interested though!

@poutybatmavy: I really enjoyed the movies, and I’m very glad to be able to interact with a Mavis now! It’s been a joy so far, and I’m rather sure it’ll continue to be very entertaining, thank you for being mutual with me!

@fuckedluck: I can’t really say anything about your RPing for I don’t think I have seen any of it on my dash yet, but I always appreciate more Jinx’s (or more TT characters in general) to interact with and I hope we will someday!

@teentiitan: And another Robin! I feel like I’m following too many Robins xD Anyway! I’m excited to be mutuals with you and I hope we’ll interact some time!

If you aren’t on this list, I very much apologize. I didn’t manage to fend off my shyness entirely, so I left out a very few that I just couldn’t make myself actually tag. Then there are also quite a few I didn’t mention because I think/know they are the same person like one that I have tagged; and there’s of course the ones that tumblr simply made me miss! If you’re a mutual and not mentioned here, please forgive me for it! I value and appreciate you nonetheless!