#(for all we know guy there in tri could even be an oLDER RYO with slight design changes i.e. hair colors tone)

[bakugohoex]

“they’re our what?”

pairing: katsuki bakugo x female reader

cw: fluff, kissing, language

word count: 2800+

a/n: this is so shit but we move, it’s probably pure waffle and when i read it tomorrow morning i’m going to punch my 12am self

summary: in which you and bakugo sneak out for a late night date and meet two kids, confused and lost, you take the kids back to the dorms trying to get help, the thing is they looked strangely familiar

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His fingers entangled in your own, his thumb rubbing back and forth of the back of your hand and the cocky grin he had plastered on his face. You knew instantly he wanted something, he’d snuck into your room a couple hours prior and the look on his face, you instantly knew he wanted more. He kissed you softly, you were both facing each other on the bed the kiss being loving, it was nearly 3am and you were still awake, both of you craving more.

“Let’s sneak out.” He whispers, you smirk rising from the bed, he sits on the edge watching you wear his hoodie and some leggings, grabbing your waist to pull you closer to his body. His little explosions on your sides making you hungrier for more of him.

You put your arms around his neck bringing him closer as you gently played with his hair, “come on I want ice cream.”

He rolled his eyes as you both go towards the balcony, grabbing your waist closer before the explosions flew from his hand. You were in the air, the wind flew through your hair, Bakugo admired you watching as you threw your head back letting your face feel the cool air, you loved the wind on your face. You finally saw the ground closer and closer, your shoes landing onto the ground, Bakugo helping you.

He was being sweet, holding your hand, asking if you were okay every couple of minutes. “You have to give Kiri recognition; he was able to get you to even go to Deku’s birthday.”

You smirked at his grumble, “I went because of you dumbass.”

“I think you just love Deku so much.” You tease as even Bakugo had turned up with a card for the boy.

“You really want to be punished don’t yah.” He spoke smirking, his horny mind wanting to fuck you on the road, you jab his side making him get out of his fantasy world.

Before dragging him towards the 24/7 ice cream place, clinging onto his arm to gain warmth, “why didn’t you were more layers.”

“I wanted to be closer to you, you’ll bring me warmth.”

“Dumbass I would’ve still given you warmth anyway.” You pout as he ordered both your ice creams, you got all giddy as Bakugo passed the ice cream too you.

“Don’t drop it.” You stick your tongue out before licking the tip of the ice cream.

Bakugo watched inattentively, his own ice cream melting, he takes your hand walking outside, “if you keep licking the ice cream like that you won’t make it back to the dorms in one piece.”

You giggled at his teasing manner continuing to lick it slowly, some ice cream falling down your fingers, slowly bringing your fingers to your mouth to suck away the stickiness. “You’re really trying to get me to fuck you in an alleyway aren’t you.”

“I would never tease you.” You continued the charade before both of you finished the ice creams.

His fingers having some of the ice cream covering it, he brought it to your mouth, you opened instinctively “so needy aren’t you.”

You nod starting to suck on his fingers to make them no longer sticky, he took his fingers from your mouth, the saliva surrounding it as he rubbed it on your lips, “such a good girl.”

He loved teasing you, watching as your fingers wrapped around his own, “I’m still cold.”

He rolled his eyes, pulling you in front of him, his hands went underneath your hoodie as you both continued to walk forward, the heat from his hands bringing comfort and warmth to your body. His head rests on your shoulder, matching your height. It was a perfect moment, showing love and appreciation for one another, his hands would glide up and down and nothing could ruin it.

Well, that’s what you thought.

The sound of children shouting at one another made you flinch, it was nearing 4am, and two children at this hour was abnormal. Both Bakugo and yours head turned facing the alleyway, “we should check it out.”

“But the moment.” He scowls.

You hit his chest, grabbing his hand from underneath your hoodie. Dragging him down the alleyway, it was silent a few sobs coming from further in before you are met with two children, an older boy with his blond hair that strikingly resembled Bakugo’s and y/e/c eyes that looked frustrated. Behind his arms that he had put out to what you assumed was his sister was a much younger girl with y/h/c and red eyes that were filled with tears.

“They’re crying Suki.” You say going over to the two kids, “Hi, do you guys know where your parents went, we’re students at UA maybe we can help you?”

You speak softly, the older boy giving a glare as the girl stopped crying. “Kaiya, stay back they might be villains.” The boy strongly speaks.

He reminded you of someone, but you couldn’t put your finger on it, Bakugo comes towards them both, an angry scowl on his face. “Daddy.” Kaiya shouted before running up to Bakugo, your eyes widened and so did the boys.

“Y/n why is this child clinging to me?” Bakugo spoke annoyingly, Kaiya still clinging to his leg. You could see her better in the light with a yellow hair clip moving her hair out of her damp eyes.

“Ryo look its daddy, he came back.” Ryo looked between Bakugo and you.

“Kaiya, Ryo he’s not your daddy, we’re only 17 and Bakugo doesn’t have kids.” Your voice was soft, but they clearly weren’t listening.

“That’s our surname, where’s mummy?” Kaiya whined still latching onto Bakugo.

“Mummy?” Bakugo finally spoke, her whines made him pick the girl up, she stopped as you stood up, Ryo still looking up at both of you.

“You left us daddy, you said you’d be five minutes and you and mummy left.” Kaiya scolded Bakugo, his eyes widening.

“Y/n what the fuck is going on?”

“Don’t swear in front of them.” You slapped his chest going back to the boy.

“Ryo, can you explain to your sister he’s not her father.” Ryo had been staring blankly at you before he kicked Bakugo in the side.

“Why is this kid kicking me?” Before he could stop Ryo, Ryo’s hands erupted into explosions. Your eyed widened at the boy.

“Ryo, stop, put it out.” You tried to suppress the explosions seeing that they were more powerful and covered his arms more than his hands. The power it had could kill someone, “Ryo, please.”

The explosions stopped at the hear of your plead, “you left us old man.”

Bakugo became even more confused choosing to ignore the old man part, as you eyed the two kids, the darkness continued, and they seemed to be hungry. “Look why don’t we get some food and you two can explain what happened?”

“Will mummy be there?” Kaiya asked enthusiastically.

“Mummy’s already here.” Ryo spoke grabbing your hand, your face was still. Bakugo looked between you and the kid holding his hand.

You didn’t speak, both you and Bakugo in silence at the situation. You weren’t their parents; they were just confused kids. You reached the same ice cream parlour, walking in as you were finally able to see the children properly and they you. “Mummy.” Kaiya shouted as the people working at the shop looked concerned.

“Be quiet idiot.” Bakugo scolded as he went to order ice cream, you made the two kids sit next to each other waiting for Bakugo’s return.

“Mummy why did you and daddy leave us?” You felt a pang in your heart, what kind of parents would leave two children to fend for themselves, they were clearly seeking some sort of parental figures and you two were the first ones they found.

Bakugo came back with a tray of ice cream, handing you your favourite, the two kids took the other. “You got my favourite.” They both squealed.

“How did you know?” You ask Bakugo his arm resting behind your shoulders.

He huffs, “I just did.”

You found that unusual that Bakugo had gotten both their favourites but dismissed any further idea, as they happily ate you looked at the two children who looked happy as if they were with there family.

“Do you two want to explain what happened now?” Bakugo mutters not paying attention to the kids, you watch them intensively.

“You and mum took us to the beach, but a big scary villain attacked, you both left us with Uncle Kiri and went to go fight the villain, but this man hit Uncle Kiri and sent us into an alleyway, but you both found us and now it’s dark and I want to go home.” Ryo was clearly over exaggerating, but he knew Kirishima so he had to know of you both somehow.

“We need to take them to Aizawa, we can’t leave them.” You tell Bakugo.

“Yeah I know, but then he’ll know we fucking snuck out.” You grabbed his hand, to prevent any nervousness from mostly yourself.

“Unless we just say we heard them outside.” You try and think of lies before looking at the two kids, “do you think they’re ours?”

“No.” Bakugo doesn’t say anymore, you had thought about kids and had loved the idea especially with Bakugo, but could they really be yours.

Kaiya puts her arms out to be held, “I ain’t holding her.”

You roll your eyes at your boyfriend picking her up, Ryo grabs Bakugo’s hand, the small boy making Bakugo confused before Bakugo grabbed your free hand. You walk silently towards UA; it wasn’t that far but flying had been a lot quicker. Before you finally reached the dorms, it was nearing early morning where some of your class had woken up.

You walk through the entrance with the two children in tow, “where’s Aizawa?” You ask Midoriya who was outside practising some moves, you saw the clock inside striking 6am knowing everybody would be groggily getting up for class.

“Deku.” Ryo shouted letting go of Bakugo’s hands, a scowl at how the young blond ran to Deku who was scared.

“Ugh hello?” Deku spoke confused.

“Ryo come back here.” Bakugo muttered, Ryo walked back slowly saying a yes dad.

“Dad?” Bakugo gave a scowl to Deku before making everybody walk inside, most of the class was already up and seeing you and Bakugo with two kids was confusing to say the least.

“Who are the kids?” Kirishima spoke first as by now the whole class had come down whilst you waited for Aizawa who Bakugo had gone to get.

“Uncle Kiri.” The two kids shouted; even more confusion came from the class. They watched as Kirishima’s face flushed at the two kids who were running towards him.

“Don’t shout.” You told them off leaning against the sofa.

“Yes mum.” The shock that came from everybody’s faces, even Aizawa who had arrived with Bakugo watching the two kids.

“Did you explain?” You asked the two kids running back as they jumped onto the sofa sitting beside you.

“Yeah we’d gone on a run and saw them.” You nodded at the lie before Ryo spoke.

“Where are we, old man?” The two words you hadn’t expected him to repeat as he looked at Bakugo, who looked like he was about to kill the kid.

“Katsuki don’t.” You were tired and Kaiya had moved to lie on you to try and gain some sleep.

“Let me call someone, they might be able to sort this out.” Aizawa swiftly left not even questioning the lie.

Mina was the first one to speak however as Bakugo sat beside you, Ryo climbing on top to sit on his lap. “You can’t deny it they look like you both?”

“What? No, they don’t dumbass, we look totally different.” Bakugo was in denial and you had accepted that maybe they were from the future.

“Kacchan, we all see it.” Deku speaks.

Bakugo scowled at everybody as you hummed a song in Kaiya’s ear to make her fall asleep. Momo sat down in front ready to ask questions to the hyperactive Ryo, “Ryo, is it, how old are you and your sister?”

“I’m 7 and Kaiya is 5.” He speaks proudly, you stroked the boys hair Bakugo tense as the boy held his hand.

“And your surnames?” Momo continued, everybody wanting to hear this,

“Bakugo.” He spoke happily, it confirmed it all.

“And Y/n and Katsuki are your parents?” He nods, your hands still in his blond hair.

“Dad you were telling us about the first time you met mum when we were on the beach.” Ryo started playing with the silver band on Bakugo’s fingers.

“And where was that?” You ear perked at wanting to hear the answer.

Kaiya had drifted off, happily lying on your chest, “you both met at UA dad said you fell in love with him at the first time you met, but you told me that you thought he was an…”

You both speak in sync, “egotistical bitch.”

You didn’t know what to say as the boy happily played with Bakugo’s fingers, the rest of the class looking utterly astonished and for the first time Bakugo was lost for words. Aizawa walked back in with a woman you didn’t recognise, she introduced herself quickly. You didn’t care for her name, instead her quirk which let her identify connections between people which made her the most suitable for this situation.

“I need to touch your hands.” You put your hand out as Bakugo disgruntledly does as well before Ryo puts his hand on top and you put Kaiya’s on her as well. She closed her eyes as if she was working out all of the connections that the four of you would have with one another.

Before finally opening her eyes she grabbed a pen and paper quickly writing everything down which looked like an extensive list, your whole class waited patiently, intrigued to know her answer. “well here it is, Ryo and Kaiya are both siblings, Y/n is their mother and Katsuki is their father, and Y/n and Katsuki aren’t blood related but are marri…”

Aizawa coughs as everybody knew what the last word was. They were yours and you and Bakugo had lasted, even married in the future, you were able to have a family with him.

“They’re are what?” Bakugo was shocked to say the least.

“I told you, old man.” Ryo laughed at the boy.

You thanked the woman as you looked at Aizawa, “I already called the commission they’ll be here in a couple hours, go take them to your rooms.”

You nod carefully holding Kaiya and Ryo had started to fall asleep on Bakugo as well. The way Bakugo held him made you go soft inside; it was truly perfect and a sight for sore eyes. Moving into the closest room, which was Bakugo’s you all stepped inside, letting them sleep on his bed.

“What do you think they’ll do to them?”

“Hopefully find a way back for them, future us needs our kids after all.” You went beside the wall, making sure the two kids didn’t fall as Bakugo joined the other side, they slept peacefully in between the two of you.

“You really think we’ll have these two then.”

“It’s confirmed now, I’m…glad it’s with you.” Bakugo was acting nicer as he moved his daughters hair from her face.

“You’d be an amazing father Katsuki.”

“So, would you, princess.” You giggled as he moved his fingers into your own, you had started to drift off to sleep, Bakugo watching as he did see a family in front of him before he fell asleep himself.

You both slept peacefully before hearing banging on your door, “what time is it?” You mutter stretching your arms, there was no sign of the two kids, but you hadn’t realised it was only 6am (again?) and the sound of Kirishima’s voice echoed through the room.

“Baby wake up?” You giggle as his arm was wrapped around your own.

“One more minute.” His morning voice turning you on, you loved how rough and deep it got when he was tired.

You hit his head as he finally got up, you gave him a small peck before you left for your own room, not noticing anything to be different. He let you go and as you quickly got changed into your uniform you ran down the steps ready to eat some breakfast.

Bakugo sat beside you, his hand on your thigh, “I like the hair clip.”

You were confused before you touched your hair, unclipping it you saw a bright yellow colour, it was cute but definitely for a child, you didn’t even know where it came from. “Suki we went for ice cream last night and then we came straight back didn’t we?” You question.

“Yeah dumbass.” You nod before he speaks again, “last night was a blur.”

It was it felt like something was missing from your memories and you didn’t know what it was, even the hair clip brought a pain in your chest. You dismissed the idea entirely, you and Bakugo continued on happily eating and talking. He gave you a soft kiss whilst nobody was looking, it was soft and filled with love and comfort. Whatever you had both forgotten you were sure you’d find out one day what it was.

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[thewritetofreespeech]

I LOVE ur blog SO MUCH!!!

Thanku fr Writing amazing hcs!! Keep it up!!!

If you don't mind...

(Kuroko no baske)

Thanku so much!! Lots of love xoxo

(reader insert may not be necessary!😉)

Awwww!! Thank you!! I’m glad you enjoy and appreciate them ( ´ω` ). Went a little off the rails with this as I was feeling inspired and did full scenarios. I hope that’s ok!

GOM Boys + Sending their kids to school (prompt)

Akashi

“Why don’t you want to go to school?” Akashi asked, holding his son’s hand, as they arrived at the building.

His son, looking positively adorable in his little blazer & tie, looked up at him with big, bright, golden eyes before looking back down. “I don’t want to go.” He repeated quietly. “It’s scary.”

“Scary? How is it scary?” Akashi asked. “You were fine when we did the tour the other day. It’s just like that.”

“But you won’t be with me Papa.” He replied in a soft voice. Worrying his bottom lip and eyes starting to get very wet. “I’ll be all alone.”

Akashi sighed as his son began to sniffle and knelt down in front of him. “Stop crying. Akashi men don’t cry over things like this.” He pulled out his handkerchief to clean the few tears that had fallen. His son giving a small hiccup as he stopped crying. Then Akashi smiled at him. “You won’t be alone. You’ll have a whole room of classmates to keep you company. I was like you when I was little. I was scared I wouldn’t make any friends, or that the other students would hate me. But that didn’t happen. I made friends. I got to spend time with people outside of the house. Uncle Kuroko and Mama were all people I met at school. Don’t you want to make friends like that?”

His son beamed and nodded once before looping his arms around Akashi’s neck to hug him. They then finish walking into school and dropping him off at class. He then walked back to his car alone. Sliding into the back seat when the driver opened the door for him.

“Shall we head to the office now sir?”

“In a minute,” Akashi replied. Leaning back in his seat to rest his head back against the rich leather. A hand over his eyes. “Circle the block a few times. I don’t want to leave them alone just yet.”

Aomine

“Hn? You don’t want to go to school now?” Aomine asked as son stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Digging his heels in about not wanting to take one step further. “But you have to go to school.”

“No I don’t! And you can’t make me!” The mini-Aomine yelled back. His father sighed.

“Yes, you do. It’s the law and, I would know, I’m a cop.” He pointed his thumb to himself, wearing his uniform, as this was supposed to be a quick drop off before he went in for his shift. “Do you want me to arrest you on your first day of school?”

“You wouldn’t do that!” The little boy replied. All bravado like his father, before his shoulders sank and his bottom lip stuck out. “I don’t want to go. School is boring. And what if the kids are mean to me. I’d rather stay home with Daddy….”

Aomine sighed and rubbed the back of his head. He couldn’t really argue with the school being boring part. He hated school when he was a kid, but he had to go. “Listen, Daddy can’t stay home with you today because he has to go to work. And you can’t come to work with me because, if you do, we’ll catch all the bad guys and then what will I do for work the next day.” The mini-Aomine snickered.

Aomine then leaned down to get eye level with his son. “I’m sure the kids will be nice. There’s bound to be one good egg in the bunch. Maybe you can even find someone to play basketball with.” His son’s eyes sparkled at that. “But, if any kids are mean to you, you tell me and I’ll come back and arrest them.” He held out his handcuffs to make a point. “Sound good?”

His son giggled again and told him, “deal!” before they both walk into the school for drop off. Thankfully, no one at the school was arrested that day. School was his son’s new favorite place. At least for now anyway.

Kise

“Are you sure they have to go now? Maybe we could keep them home for another year??”

“Ryo….” His significant other warned as they got their daughter up to the school, each holding one of her hands, for drop off.

“Don’t worry Daddy! I’ll be fine!” The little girl chirped. Practically skipping the whole way there she was so excited.

“Really? Are you sure princess? Because, if you want to start school tomorrow, Daddy would be totally fine with that.”

“Ryouta!”

“No, that’s ok Daddy.” She replied with a big grin. “I want to go and make new friends! I’m excited to show everyone my new dress you got me.” His princess did a little modeling twirl they had practiced, and Kise’s heart broke into a thousand pieces only to be reformed instantly again with love. “I’m gonna go inside now. See you after school!”

“Do you want Daddy to walk you to your classroom?!”

“No!” His daughter called back. Unaware she had just stomped on her father’s newly reformed heart.

“They grow up so fast….”

“Honestly Ryouta.” His s/o said, shaking their head, as they offered him a tissue. “It’s the kids that are usually crying on the first day. Not the parents.”

Kuroko

“Sweetheart….you have to go to school.” Kuroko tried to reason with his daughter, who was holding her backpack and her breath until Kuroko ‘gave up’.

Of course, she couldn’t hold it that long in the end. Her lungs were very small.

She let out a gasp of air, quickly inhaling new breath into her lungs as fast as she could fill them, but still pouted. “Why can’t you be my teacher Papa?!”

“Because,” Kuroko reasoned, as if they haven’t been over this a hundred times, “you need to have someone else be your teacher. It’s not fair to have Papa be your teacher.”

“But it’s not fair that other kids have Papa for their teacher!” She argued back. “I don’t want to go if I can’t see Papa and have to share him….”

Kuroko sighed before offering them a smile. “We’ll still be at the same school. So I’ll see you at lunch time or on the playground. Ms. Himora is really nice too. You’ll like being in her class. I’ve told her all about you and she’s excited to see your drawings.”

His daughter perked up at that. Art and drawing being one of her passions.

She agreed to go, but only on the condition that she wanted to see this other teacher’s art supplies. Ms. Himora of course showed them to her, and let her color the whole afternoon. Kuroko tried not to seem irritated that by the end of the day his little girl was calling her her favorite teacher.

Midorima

“Do you have your notebook?” Midorima asked as he walked his son to school. “Pens? Paper? Pencil?”

“Yes Dad…” His son replied sullenly, walking beside the taller green haired man as they come up to the school. When he saw the brick building, however, he tightened the hold on his hand.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Dad I….I don’t want to go to school.” Midorima gave a surprised ‘hn?’ in response, but his son just looked down. Fidgeting with his glasses. “What if….what if the teacher is scary? What if the other kids don’t like me? What if no one wants to play with me?” The young boy began to spiral and sniffling, thinking about all the things that could go wrong.

His father sighed and knelt down in front of him. “What do we always say?”

“Man proposes, God disposes.”

“Right.” Midorima replied. Not seeming phased by how his life’s motto sound so much less intimidating coming from such a cute, small voice. “We have to do our best to make sure things work out. We can’t worry about what could go wrong. That’s God’s job. We focus on the now.” He pulled a key chain out of his pocket and handed it to his son. “Take today’s lucky item with you. It’ll keep you safe.”

“But Dad! What about you?!”

“I’ll be alright. You just make sure you get to class on time and have a good day.”

His son came home later that afternoon to tell him all about the amazing day he had at his new school. His teacher was nice. His classmates really liked him. They even served his favorite in the cafeteria!

Midorima was happy for his son, and choose not to tell him that he had had the day from hell without his lucky item. From that day forward they each got their own.

Murasakibara

“Eh…? You don’t want to go to school?” Murasakibara looked at his daughter as she shook her head. Scuffing her new shoes on the sidewalk. “How come? You have to give me a good reason to skip your first day.”

“I…I don’t want to go…” She replied softly. His little girl incredibly shy. “What if the other kids make fun of me?” Murasakibara hummed a little. He supposed that was a good reason.

For better or worse, his children had inherited his height. It wasn’t so bad for her older brothers. Being tall was an admirable attribute for boys. For girls though…..well….it just made his angel that much bigger of a target.

“If the kids make fun of you, tell them your dad is even taller and he’ll stick them in a tree and leave them there if they make fun of you.” The little girl giggled, clearly picturing the image, but still didn’t seem convinced to go. Murasakibara knelt down so he wasn’t towering so much over her and patted her head. “School is important. You need to go so you can be smart like you Mom. Not a dumb dumb like your Dad.” He smoothed out her hair from ruffling it. It had taken them a while to get it right, and he didn’t want to ruin it. “But, I’ll be here when you get out today and we’ll go get ice cream as a reward. Our secret.”

His daughter beamed at the promise of ice cream and nodded eagerly. She then went off to school without any complaints. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. You could get him to do anything for ice cream too.

[rantingwriter]

Accidentally in Love (Hawks x Civilian Reader) pt. 2

Trigger Warning: Strong language, long hospital stay, lots of anger, depression, and more angst than last time. I swear there will be fluff later...starting in pt. 4.

 “Damn it,” you grumble as you try to support your weight with the parallel bars. 

“You are doing great, [y/n], just a little bit more.” Mayu, one of the physical therapists helping you with your recovery does her best to encourage you. 

The door slams open and you lose your concentration, collapsing to the floor. “Fuck!” 

Mayu cringes at the angered tone, “Ryo!!” 

The man who barged into the room bows apologetically, “I’m so sorry, I was running late,” he hurries off to the changing room for the employees. 

You feel your frustration boiling over, “this is pointless!” 

Mayu turns her attention back to you and her features soften, “Please don’t say that, you’ve only been at this for a week and you are making good progress.” Her positivity only serves to frustrate you more.

“What progress?! I can’t even stand for longer than a couple minutes at a time!”

“I understand your frustration-” 

“How could you possibly understand this?!” You gesture wildly at your legs. “You can stand and walk and you still have both of your feet!” Your chest rises and falls rapidly as you glare at the therapist. 

She simply sits on the floor with you and gives you a very soft smile. “You are right, I will never understand fully what you are going through. So, tell me, what is causing the most frustration and I can do what I can to help.” 

“All of it!” You raise your arms up like you are surrendering. “Trying to stand on these limp noodles, trying to get out of my stupid wheel chair, even getting out of bed…” Your anger quickly morphs to sadness, “it’s just too hard…” Mayu gently pats your shoulder. 

“It’s a process,” She shifts to sit next to you. “Healing can be a very long and difficult process, especially when you lose an ability you’ve been able to do so easily until now.” You feel a lump form in your throat, trying really hard not to cry...again. “I’m not going to lie and say this is easy, but I know you can do this.” 

You wipe your eyes and sniffle, “I’m sorry for yelling…” 

“It’s alright, I understand you are frustrated, but I am here to help.” The employee door opens again. “So is Ryo when he actually shows up on time.” The teasing tone and Ryo’s exaggerated response brings out a soft ghost of a laugh. “Are you ready to give it another try?” 

“Yeah, I guess,” she helps to get you off the floor and on your shaky feet. You grab the parallel bars and repeat the exercise you’ve been doing all morning. A light tap on the window near your station alerts both yourself and your physical therapist to a note on the glass. “What does it say?” You feel your arms give out, but you are able to land in your wheelchair this time.

“Let’s see,” The older woman walks up to read it aloud, “when you are free, please come to the roof. HaWkS!?” Her voice cracks at the name, “who, wait, who is he talking about?!” 

You hold your hand up, “probably me, he said he was going to pop by once I was awake.” You were starting to think he forgot about you. 

“Oh my goodness!” Mayu covers her mouth and looks at you, “are you two friends? Are you dating?!” She gets closer with each question, her eyes shiny diamonds that scream ‘tell me everything!’ 

“He kind of gave me a concussion,” you watch her expression drop into one of horror. “Not on purpose, it was during that big fight that landed me here.” 

“I see, well, we are actually done for today if you want to head on up.” She goes to grab her clipboard and record the progress from today. 

“Does the elevator even reach the roof?” You can feel a knot form in your stomach, why are you so nervous? 

“Yes, the recreational therapy team has a community garden up there for the patients. I can get you some information if you would like to join them for a session.” You never heard of such a thing, it does strike a cord of curiosity, but that is for another time. 

“Sure, just send some to my room when you have the time,” you wheel your way to the exit. “Oh, and uh...thanks for the pep talk.” You rub the back of your neck to hide your embarrassment. 

“No problem, if you need anything just let me know.” Mayu smiles and waves as you leave to go up to the roof. Sure enough, the elevator opens right in front of the door. You push the button to get the door open and find rows of box gardens, some raised, some lowered. 

“Wow, this is neat,” you take a closer look at some of the plants bearing fruit, when you spot your mystery visitor. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the huge red wings on his back. The same ones you saw before you went into your coma. You clench the wheels of your chair and swallow your nerves. “Um…” He appears distracted by something, as he scans the city streets below, his feet hovering off the ground. “Hello? Are you Hawks?” He looks over his shoulder and his features light up with recognition. 

“Hey! Glad to see you up and about!” He lands and folds his wings in a bit before approaching you.

“Yeah, mostly…” You weren’t entirely sure what to say to him. 

He doesn’t seem too sure either as he pockets his gloved hands. “Uh, what’s your name?” 

“[Y/n].” More silence follows, wow the awkward tension is a little too palpable. “Why exactly are you here?” 

He looks taken aback, his wings puffing up a small bit, “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” 

“Well, as you can see, I’m doing just great.” You can’t help the sarcasm as you move your wheelchair. 

His features fall, his eyes aimed towards what’s left of your feet. “I’m so sorry, I made a bad judgment call and you got hurt because of it. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” 

“Unless you have some means to turn back time, there isn’t much you can do.” 

“There has to be something,” he lifts his gaze back up to plead with you. “I’ll do anything, just say the word.” 

You can’t tell if he is being genuine or not, before you can open your mouth a glint of something from the nearby building catches your attention. You wheel closer to the fence that lines the top of the building and spot a man with a camera aimed at the two of you. You whip your head around to face him, “is this some kind of joke to you?!” 

“What?” His golden-brown hues are full of confusion as you struggle to turn your wheelchair around. 

“Look, if you just came to Peacock for the camera’s or throw some kind of a pity party for yourself. I don’t want any part of it!” He looks between you and the nearby building, his feathers get ruffled at the sight of the camera. 

“No, wait, this isn’t what it looks like!” He holds a hand out to try and stop you from leaving. 

“Thanks for checking in, you can leave now.” You try to wheel your way back inside, but something is caught in one of your wheels. 

“I swear I’m not with that guy, he must have noticed me fly up here after I left my note.”

You aren’t paying any attention to him, you are too focused on getting away. “Stupid thing,” you try to muscle through the clog, but you end up tipping the whole thing over and landing on the hard surface of the roof. “Son of a bitch!” You slam a closed fist on the ground as you push yourself up. Tears of frustration and pain leak from your [e/c] pools. You feel a gloved hand on your shoulder but you quickly shove it away. “Don’t touch me!” 

“Please just let me help you,” he tries to reach for you again, but you stop him in his tracks.

“I’ve had enough of your help! Your ‘help’ is the reason I’m here!!” Your voice echoes around you, you wouldn’t be surprised if the camera man heard you. 

You can see the hurt in the hero's eyes as he backs away, his wings drooping as your words settle somewhere deep within himself. 

“Just go away…” you get your wheelchair back up and haul yourself into it again. You can hear the sound of his wings as he takes off, the force of the air blows your hair all over the place. You cover your face as you allow the tears to flow freely. If you were completely honest with yourself, you didn’t truly blame him. It was just easier than accepting your rotten luck. A couple of nurses hurry onto the roof and rush over to you. Apparently someone on the street heard you and told the staff in the lobby. You are immediately wheeled back to your room to rest and have your vitals checked. Your body is exhausted and so was the rest of you. You look out your window at the clouds rolling in, “nurse?” 

“Yes?” The kind man responds as he gets your table ready for dinner. 

“Would it be possible to send a letter to a hero agency?” 

He hums in thought for a moment, “I believe so, why?” 

“I...was just curious…” The nurse drops the topic and leaves you to your thoughts. “Doubt it would make a difference anyways.” You roll onto your side as your eyelids drooped, the sound of rain lulling you to sleep. Your dinner is left for you on the little table, along with a can of coffee with another note. ‘I still owe you a coffee, good luck with your recovery. -Hawks.’

[dessiekarma]

My Harem is Entirely Bad Boy Types (Kirisaki Daiichi x Reader) Pt. 12

Chapter 12: This Will NOT End Like Every Other Harem Anime; We Want an Answer!

 (Y/N) smiled at the younger male who continuously made quite the show of staring at her. It would come as no surprise where he got the habit from, as the man sitting on the opposite couch didn’t do a much subtler job at gawking.

 “You’re not as hot as big bro made you seem.” The kid drolled out bluntly before flopping onto the couch and pulling out a Nintendo switch.

 “You rude little shit!” Hara exclaimed making his way into the room with a bottle of water. Just as quickly as the water was shoved into (Y/N)’s hand was the Switch pulled from the kid and held several feet over his head.

 “Triggered much!? Gimme my stuff! Oww!” The kid stopped taunting as an older woman delivered a smack onto his head.

 “Cut it out! Be nice to our lovely guest and don’t ruin this for your brother.” The woman hissed at her youngest son before smiling brightly at (Y/N). “Sorry my baby lacks some social graces much like I’m sure you’ve noticed with Kazuya.”

 “Mooooother please.” The lavender haired male groaned before dropping the switch onto his little brother’s face and sitting next to (Y/N).

 “I’m just teasing, sweetheart, she knows that. Do you need anything? Water, snacks, dinner?” The woman said being just a bit too generous and eager-sounding.

 “No, that’s okay Kazu-chan just brought me a bottle.”

 “Kazu-chan?” The woman smiled even wider, if that was possible and delivered little excited smacks onto her husband’s arm.

 “Darling, I think you might be scaring the poor girl.”

 “Says you, old man. You’ve been staring at her since she walked in the door.” Hara rolled his eyes, pulling the water bottle away from (Y/N)’s lips and taking a drink.

 “Ahh my son is right! I apologize, my wife may be a little excited to meet a girlfriend of Kazuya’s. We are just not used to him bringing girls home.”

 “Yea at least not ones that still have their clothes on.” His brother muttered quietly, sticking his tongue out at his brother death-glaring him.

 “Dad, ma, I already told you she’s not my girlfriend just my team manager.”

 “Sure bro, that why you never shut up about her?”

 “Ight imma beat his ass.” Hara stood up quickly and the preteen curled in on himself. Attempting to diffuse the situation (Y/N) took quick notice of the t-shirt the kid was wearing.

 “Hey cool shirt! Ochako is best girl, am I right?!”

 The kid instantly unraveled himself and sat straight up.

 “You like bnha?”

 “Hell yeah, it’s so cool! Lemillion is everything.”

 “Oh my god, did you see the new episode!?”

 “Surprisingly, I haven’t started the latest season yet.”

 “WHAT!? Well you have to watch it like right now!”

 “Are you offering?”

 “You’ll watch anime with me?” The kid now had a clear sparkle in his eyes as he jumped off the couch and pulled the girl up by the arm.

 Hara rolled his eyes as his weeb brother ran off with his equally weeb friend. Turning to his parents he could see the questioning in their eyes. Clearly wanting to know why he was bringing home a pretty beaten up girl at nine pm to meet them.

 “Look, you know how I mentioned having a female friend who was getting picked on? Well it’s gotten worse…much worse. She doesn’t feel okay going home right now and I didn’t want her to be alone. I offered for her to stay here.”

 Both his mom and dad looked at him blankly. The silence in the room was heavy.

 “I mean, please? Or is it okay if I stayed at a hotel with her?”

 The older woman suddenly shook her head, looking shocked. She turned to her equally flabbergasted husband.

 “Wait, honey, are you ASKING us?”

 “Well yeah. So, can she stay here for a bit?”

 “Of course she can.” His father responded still sounding a bit astonished.

 “Thanks. I’m gonna take a shower.”

 The two parents watched as their son made his way out of the room.

 “I can’t believe Kazuya actually asked our permission for something.”

 “Do you think it’s because of the girl? I think I like her already!”

 “What if he screws it up?”

 “Well…we still have two other single sons!”

~~~~~

 “Hey my mom sent me in here to clear out a pest problem.” Hara said nonchalantly bursting into the guest bedroom.

 (Y/N) jumped like a cat, startled by her friend’s abrupt entry.

 “I could have been changing or something!”

 “And? Come on, my eyesight is shit anyway.”

 “Not the point! Besides what pest problem?”

 Hara leaned against the wall and pulled open the nightstand to reveal a baby monitor. Talking into it he grew a shit eating grin.

 “What exactly were you hoping to hear through this you little perv!?”

 “Why don’t you mind your business you jerk!” A voice crackled through the monitor.

 (Y/N) couldn’t help but chuckle just a bit as Hara flung the device out the window.

 “You watched anime with that loser. That’s like third base in that kid’s eyes and you’re basically his girlfriend now.”

 “I’m flattered but I don’t think I can travel to America from prison.”

 The young girl tried to ignore the loud sigh that came from her friend. She knew that Hara was probably the one who disagreed the loudest with her decision to leave Japan. Flopping back onto the king size bed, (Y/N) wasn’t fazed when she felt Hara flop down beside her.

 A comfortable silence washed over the two. It went on for so long that (Y/N) was almost sure that she was seconds away from falling asleep. That’s why when Hara finally spoke, she easily chucked it up as her dreaming or hearing things.

 “(Y/N)?”

 “Hmm?”

 “If I told you I loved you…would you stay?”

 “If you told me you loved me would you even mean it?”

 “When have I ever shown myself to be someone who doesn’t say what they mean?”

 (Y/N) finally opened her eyes and turned her head. Instantly she was swept into the whirl-wind of Hara’s fantasy eyes. There was no playfulness in his face nor hidden joke. She waited for a punchline that never came.

 “Love is a strong word. Not even any of the other guys used that word.”

 “Because none of the other guys have enough experience to identify. And even those who do are too stubborn to admit it.”

 “And you’re not stubborn?”

 “I am. But right now all my stubbornness is focused on convincing you not to leave. Please? I’d take care of you. I wouldn’t let Mei, or your mother or grandfather so much as look at you if you didn’t want them to.”

 “But you know my plans.”

 “And you can accomplish them here. I would help and I’m sure my parents would literally bend over backwards to give you anything they could. Don’t you worry about leaving us? Worry that you’d miss us? Miss me?”

 “Of course. But it wouldn’t be forever…I just don’t know for how long it would be. But wow ‘love’ really?”

 “Yeah seriously. I’ve had more flings than I can count and a good number of girlfriends to boot. I know what infatuation feels like. I know what sexual desire feels like. Attraction, crushes, curiosity. I’ve felt all that before, but I never felt this one. I’d say the only thing left is love. Of course not that it means anything with you leaving.”

 “It doesn’t mean nothing.”

 “Don’t give me that shit. Do I seem like the type of guy to promise to wait for you however long it takes?”

 “Do I seem like the type of girl who would expect you to?”

 The silence came again this time feeling only a bit awkward.

 “I mean of course I’d fuck other girls while you were away. But uhh in terms of love…. A shitty guy like me? I wouldn’t have such great karma, to meet another girl. So I suppose no matter when you’d come back…”

 His voice trailed off and (Y/N) smiled at the thought of what he was trying to say. Feeling more comfortable than she had in days, the girl let her eyes close heavily and drifted to sleep.

~~~~~

 “She doesn’t wanna fucking see you and you have about one second to get the hell out of this gym before I turn you inside out.”

 Hara and (Y/N) looked at each other, hearing Yamazaki’s voice boom from outside the gym. She knew deep down what to expect and had come to terms that she would have to face everything head on before leaving.

 Filling her lungs with air, (Y/N) pushed open the door and was met with not just Ryo, but the entire Touou basketball team.

 Her ex looked like shit and maybe she was wrong for saying that she couldn’t bring herself to feel bad for him right now. Before she could even open her mouth to get a word out, Momoi was speaking up.

 “Please (Y/N), you really need to give Ryo a chance and listen to what he has to say!”

 “Huh you know I am really just tired of people telling me what I ‘have’ to do. But let’s say I’m willing to talk to ANY of you, what is there to say? Or actually should I get Mei in here, so you don’t have to rehash anything to her?” (Y/N) sarcastically retorted.

 “That’s not how it even happened! If you would let him explain you would understand that he wasn’t trying to tell that girl, he was talking to us and she overheard.” Wakamatsu called out loudly and almost accusingly, causing (Y/N) to scoff.

 “And if you would remove your head from that far up your ass you would understand how that only makes it worse. I’d give less of a shit how someone talks about me to my enemies then how they talk about me to my friends.” The young woman finally turned to eye up her ex. “What did I ever do to you for you to go and tell them the most personal thing that was between us?”

 “I was angry and…you moved on so fas-”

 “Fast? You think that was fast? You think months of me feeling like shit, of wondering where I went wrong, of thinking maybe I made the mistake…isn’t enough? How long was I supposed to hate my life for you to feel better about yourself?”

 “You know that’s not what I meant. You chose strangers over me, how was I supposed to feel about that?”

 “NO! I was never going to choose. YOU made me choose. I wanted to be a part of a team again but I wanted you too. You didn’t let me have both. Don’t resent me when you turned yourself into an option.”

 “I was worried about you! All of us were, don’t you get that? You had a tough enough time at Too and knowing your personal situation, we didn’t know how things were going to go for you at some rich kid school. The you go and befriend literally the only people we warned you about…It’s like you do it on purpose!

 “Do what on purpose?”

 “Cause problems for yourself! Then I hear you were attacked last night when even Aomine has told you to stay away from Haizaki and instead of just being quiet you have to always instigate. It’s like every bad thing that happens to you is becau-”

 “You need to stop talking.” A gruff voice came from behind the smaller male.

 (Y/N) was shaking with anger and tears at this point but forced her glare away from Ryo to look at Aomine.

 “You came because you wanted to apologize but all that’s come out of your mouth is bullshit.”

 “Sakurai, regardless of what you think I didn’t choose a lot of this. I didn’t ask to be born into a manipulative and abusive family, I didn’t ask to be born at all. I didn’t ask for Haizaki to attack me or any of the guys that have in the past. And I definitely didn’t ask for you to come here an insult me and my team. When you’re ready to actually apologize I’ll be willing to listen. Until then get out of my face.”

 Sakurai looked like he wanted to burst into tears, but he blinked his eyes harshly. Nodding gently he took a deep breath.

 “I still love you, you know. And I don’t know why I can say it all the time but had a hard time right now…I really am sorry more than you probably believe. I was so busy on trying to get the chance to talk to you at all that I didn’t think about what I was going to say. I’ll get it right next time, I promise.”

 “Now that you got your chance to give your sob story, you can go.” Hanamiya waved off the entire team before turning around and walking into the locker room.

 With nothing left to say each team turned and walked off, one side out of the gym and the other following their captain. Only two remained under the net.

 “Thanks for calling Sakurai out on his shit.” (Y/N) smiled softly at Aomine who didn’t have a readable expression.

 “It was annoying me plus I didn’t even want to be here.”

 “How did they manage to convince you?”

 “Told me it was a scrimmage. I’d be willing to play anyone who managed to piss off Tetsuya.”

 “Sorry to disappoint.”

 “I have a question though.”

 “Shoot.”

 “You’ve fucked all of them right?”

 “Aomine! How could you ask me that!?  I thought you were on my side!”

 “Calm down. I didn’t know there was a side to pick here. But you were the one who always hassled me with anime facts I didn’t want. And if anything stuck in my head it was big tiddy 2d girls and ”

 “Harem.” Both said at the same time.

 “We both said we weren’t pulling any weak bullshit if we ever found ourselves in the center of a harem. We were gonna use harem privileges to get laid. So, come on tell me some numbers. No details! I just want a body count. All five?”

 (Y/N) face grew red as she remembered all the times, she sat on the sidelines watching her boyfriend play basketball and rambled off to his less than participating teammate. To be fair she always assumed Aomine was asleep unless they started talking ecchi.

 “NO!”

 “No you won’t tell me or not all of them? At least 3?”

 “Look if it was any more than one, these guys would have ‘School Days’-ed my ass by now.”

 “I have no idea what the anime reference is but I can get the subtext that you did cash in your protagonist card once.” Aomine had a smirk on his face as he continued to tease his old teammate.

 The girl felt her face burn red but nodded her head in agreement.

 “Do they know you still love Ryo?” (Y/N)’s head shot up which made Aomine let out a cross between a scoff and a chuckle. “Even if you do love one of these assholes, even if its not the one you totally banged…you love Ryo too. Word of advice: don’t give up anyone you can’t imagine NOT being in your life 3 years down the road. Cutting ties with someone sometimes doesn’t have regret that hits you until you see them tied to someone else.”

 “Sounds like that’s coming from experience.”

 “Does it? Well even more of a reason to hear me out. I would say I’d see you around but something tells me I won’t…that right?”

 (Y/N) nodded at her surprisingly perceptive friend.

 “Good luck then.”

 “So, is it really true then?” A soft voice rang from behind the girl as the tan male closed the door to the gym. (Y/N) didn’t have to turn to know it was Yamazaki.

 “That I still love Ryo? Well-”

 “No, not that. We all know you do, I don’t think you’ve ever gone a week without talking about him. That’s the reason none of us have actually kicked his ass, y’know? I meant is it true that you love someone from this team?”

 (Y/N) turned around and for the first time in a while she made complete eye contact with the ginger haired male.

 “Yeah…at least I thought I did.”

 “You thought?”

 “Seems pretty horrible to love anyone if I’m not completely over my ex, doesn't it?”

 …

 “That wasn’t a jab at you, Zaki.”

 “No, that okay. There’s nothing you could say to me that I don’t deserve at this point. Not that I’m trying to throw myself a pity party or make you feel guilty for me feeling guilty or…ugh why is it so hard to talk to you!?”

 “You think I’m hard to talk to?”

 “I didn’t mean it in a bad way or anything! I just mea-”

 (Y/N) took a step closer to her friend and attempted to shift a piece of hair behind her ears only for Yamazaki to take a microstep back. Her eyes scrutinized him more before tucking the hair away.

 “Mei hasn’t been kind to you ever, has she?”

 “Why did you bring her up?”

 “You flinched away from me right now.”

 “No I didn’t!” His voice practically boomed before he seemed to realize the volume.

 “I know we’ve always just talked about her as your bitch ex and joked about how crazy she was. We only took her seriously when she came after me…but she’s been awful to you for a long time, right? Emotionally, verbally…physically?”

 Yamazaki’s eyes went almost as dead as Furuhashi’s. He didn’t like what she was implying, that he was some kind of victim. He especially didn’t like hearing that shit from her. She was the one who was abused, in every way a person can be.

  So what if his girlfriend said things that hurt his feelings sometimes?

 Was someone supposed to feel sorry for him because she screamed at him for little things in public, in front of his friends?

  What right did he have to get sympathy for his 5 foot nothing girlfriend slapping him now and again?

 His thoughts were cut off when he simultaneously felt a tear run from one of his eyes and felt (Y/N) wrap her arms around his waist to embrace him.

 “I’m so sorry that we, your friends, didn’t notice. And even when we did…all we did was joke about your crazy ex instead of helping you. We heard her yell and threaten you…abuse you. We would hear all her manipulation and the guys heard more than I ever did. I’m sorry we didn’t stop her from hurting you too.”

 “Don’t apologize to me! I don’t deserve it! Abuse or not, it doesn’t excuse any of the choices I made!”

 “No, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean you retroactively deserve any of what she put you through. You apologized to me and I can’t forget what happened, but I forgive you.”

 “I never meant to hurt you! I was just jealous because I barely had a chance to start with and then to think that you had all this experience and I only had Mei. I didn’t know how anyone besides her could ever see anything in me and it seemed like everything was working against me. And I know I don’t act like it but…I love you (Y/N)!”

 A loud throat clearing drew the attention of both teens. The rest of the team had emerged from the lockeroom, all clearly having heard the confession. (Y/N) turned and smiled at the guys widely.

 “Ready to play?”

 “No.” Seto said firmly. “We can’t put it off anymore. I think it goes without saying that everyone in this room is aware of their feelings for you. I don’t think any of us will fight each other over you.”

 “Shit I’ll take any of you right here right now.” Hara scoffed.

 “BUT…I do think we deserve an answer.”

 (Y/N) looked between all the faces of her team before taking in a deep breath.

~~~~~

 A knock at the door had the girl jumping from her skin. Shoving her suitcase under her bed, (Y/N) quickly walked to the entrance of her guest house and opened the door slowly.

 She was expecting her mother or grandfather. Hell, she was even expecting one of the guys.

 Ryo, instead, stood in her doorway trembling slightly. As quickly as she opened the door, the boy gave a deep bow.

 “I’m so sorry! For everything…I have a lot I want to say. That is…if you’ll give me the chance to say it.”

 (Y/N) looked between her ex and her room where the packing still needed to be done. Opening the door widely, she waved him inside.

(Author’s Note: Talking about Yamazaki being abused is NOT supposed to be a plot element I pulled out my ass to get him back in everyone’s good graces. I have always written Mei with the intent that she be read as an abusive girlfriend because she IS.

Take care of your male friends too, never assume they are okay just because they are bigger or louder or stronger. His backstory is NOT his redemption, his actions for this chapter and the last are him working his way there. His backstory just gives us some insight on his character and why he does some of the things he does.)

[umishiqu]

DIGIMON ALTERNATE UNIVERSE / CANON DIVERGENCE

Basically it’s a retelling of Adventure 01 and Adventure 02

Except Tai was the one who got sick instead of Kari and had to stay at home for it. He gets his Digivice through the computer, much like Ken, and actually ends up meeting Ken and Ryo and Agumon in the Digital World! :D What’s the aftermath of this? Well first...

There’s no Tai for Digimon Adventure 01 . Roles are swapped, like Tai being sick instead of Kari, Sora being leader, Mimi acting as her foil/contrast along with Matt and a whole bunch of other things. The Crest Of Courage is never once needed, so they don’t actually return to the Real World until the very end of Adventure 01. However, we actually get proper character development wth different character arcs from the other characters :D Like how Sora teaches Mimi to be her own person when times get rough, Joe gets a Dark Ocean arc early (:D), Matt learns to be a better brother through interactions from other people who aren’t older siblings themselves so he doesn’t get as jealous, and Izzy and Kari moments because I actually loved how they could be the only competent ones in their Digidestined group :p TK got an adequate amount of character development in 01 so that doesn’t change much :D

Now with 02... we get to see the aftermath of whatever happened with Millenniummon, and the differences aren’t very apparent at first. Sora and Matt end up falling hardddd for Tai, whose personality hasn’t changed much from the goofy and carefree type of guy :D Buuuuut Kari definitely knows something is up with her brother. TK, Davis, Yolei, and Cody meet up the same way they did in 02 (except no Digimental of Courage) but now I’m gonna cut to the part as to why I wrote this out in the first place

Ken’s Dark Spore still ends up developing when he goes to the Dark Ocean, so he still becomes the Digimon Emporer. Taichi has a Dark Spore too, but it never ended up developing because it had no reason to (look he’s a happy guy just don’t touch his sibling(s) :p) Because of knowing this fact, Taichi knows that what Ken is doing/would be doing is not entirely Ken’s fault, so he acts as an advisor to Ken — kind of like how Wormmon feels and tries to dissuade Ken about the whole Digimon Emporer thing except a lot more assertive. Ken is obviously annoyed but keeps him around because he reminds him of Sam. Anyway, none of the Digidestined actually take the Digimon Emporer seriously (since Tai is always chatising him like a parent everytime Ken either A. does something, or B. does something wrong, which are two very different things) until that episode where TK punches the living daylights outta Ken, in which case Tai is obviously concerned and tries to protect Ken even more after that. To Ken’s annoyance, but it becomes a part of the reason why he wants to stay in the Digital World even more.

Anyways, Oikawa eventually finds out about Taichi’s Dark Spore. When Ken’s Dark Spore defected, he had Taichi’s develop and continue with the Digimon Emporer. Ken is obviously shook, Kari is definitely shook but she knew something was up with her brother anyway. So she kind of just did what TK did to Ken, except verbally, once everyone found out who the new D.E. was. Ken is now both obviously shook and even more guilty. Things get resolved pretty quickly and turn out much like they did in 02 (with a good long talk between Ken and Taichi and Sora and Matt welcoming him into the Digidestined), but with even more redemption arcs and what-not (and that’s saying a lot because 02 is already cluttered with redemption arcs).

But yeah that’s the gist of the AU! I kind of just wrote it all down for that nice angsty-crack type of arcs in 02 especially with Ken and Taichi buuuuut y’know. It’s Ken and Taichi, what else did you expect? :p

[jogressshinka]

Kizuna Countdown Thoughts Day 1-3

I’m really sorry, guys. I’m terrible at sticking to countdown things like this, so you’ll have to forgive me for lumping three days worth answers into one post. 🙇‍♀️

First Thoughts When Kizuna Was Announced

I’ll be honest, as happy as I am to hear about new Adventure-verse media (and I am very happy), when Kizuna was first announced, I felt a bit apprehensive.

I was not a fan of Yamato and Taichi’s initial character designs, Taichi’s design least of all, (I hated those shorts so much) but I knew they couldn’t be the final designs, but more of a sneak preview of what the final designs could look like. And I was right!

That aside, I also wasn’t looking forward to the type of posts I’d likely see about the movie leading up to the release, such as:

-“Is a retcon happening?” / “is the 02 epilogue non-canon now?”

-“Are they going to make my OTP canon?” / “Are they going to invalidate an actual canon couple?”

-“More Adventure-verse? Seriously? Adventure is so overrated!”

-“Tri was unsuccessful and no one liked it! (Untrue and biased) Why would they make another movie?”

-Rumours from multiple sources of varying degrees of accuracy and reliability that have been translated from one language (and sometimes two) to English by means of Google Translate. I seem to recall a Tri. “spoiler” about a possible love triangle between Taichi, Sora and Yamato that was likely a mistranslation of how Sora felt she had to step between the two boys to get them to communicate better. It’s stuff like that that some fans translate incorrectly and run with that bother me just a little.

At least I’m looking forward to the movie now! ✌️

Expectations for Kizuna

These are more like personal predictions, but okay.

I expect to see...

-A few nods to characters and moments from the old series, like short, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos of the international Chosen Children from 02 (Like Catherine and Michael), Meiko and Wallace-- or even Jun Motomiya or Miyako’s older siblings! Ryo from the Wonderswan games! (He had a cameo in Our War Game, after all) Maybe even a few references to other parts of the Digimon franchise, like a character passing a storefront called “Frontier” or something like that.

-Very few “shipping” moments. As much as it kills me to say it, and I do enjoy my ships. We’ll probably see as many “ship moments” as we did in Tri, though there may be a very, very small nod to Sorato and Kenyako sprinkled in there.

-A new evolution. At least one.

-The Chosen Children doing adult things, like driving cars, going to part-time jobs and going to their university classes. And it’ll feel a bit jarring to see them all grown up, at least at first. A few of them, like Jyou and Sora, will begin to choose slightly different career paths than the ones they’re currently on. (We know Jyou will eventually become a doctor for digimon and Sora will become a fashion designer.)

-A heartbreaking goodbye to the characters we’ve grown to love that won’t actually be a goodbye at all because I get a feeling that we’re going to see an announcement for a second Last Evolution movie when this one releases, with a title that matches “Kizuna (Bonds)” in some way. I don’t really have anything to back up this claim other than a hunch.

A Headcanon/Theory You’d Like To See Become Canon

It’s actually pretty difficult to think of one, but I always liked the idea of Taichi choosing his future career path because it was partly inspired by Daigo Nishijima.

You know, keep fighting, live on and dream big.

[the-digimon-tamer]

Chapter 36 - It Followed Us is out now on FanFiction.Net and ArchiveOfOurOwn! Check them out with the links or find it after the break!

Title: The Tamer v2.0 - In HIs Name

Fandom: Digimon

Rating: T

Synopsis: In the next adventure of the Digimon Tamer, the lives of Juri, Rika, and Henry change forever when digimon begin crossing over into the human world. But it’s all just a story, right? Just a book series by an author no one has seen in a long time. Why are they here and can they save their world before something worse follows the digimon?

All three groups - Digidestined, Monster Maker, and Hypnos - waited anxiously atop the Tokyo Metropolitan Building in anticipation of the Ark’s return. And every single one of them was worried about what would come through. A fully armed and equipped security team was on standby - in HAZMAT suits and geiger counters despite Izumi’s insistence that they weren’t necessary.

However, Yamaki didn’t want to chance it. He knew that these things brought radiation with them whenever they came through from their side of the Digital World. The last thing he wanted was to let these kids and their pets wander the city leaking more radiation than an X-Ray machine. He didn’t want to add sky rocketing cancer rates to the list of things his organization had to deal with. 

At first there was nothing, just a long silence that made them all uneasy. With how much time they spent waiting, day turned to night and the city’s lights came to life.

Then a loud crack of thunder roared and a dazzling flash of light appeared in front of them as the sky seemed to rip open - letting through the ornate ship he had seen before. The Ark as it were called - or Grani - according to Curly. The ship appeared right on the helipad where it had before - floating perfectly still in the air for a moment too long until it turned around to reveal the open door on the back.

And inside were the kids they’d spent the afternoon trying to rescue: Henry, Xiaochun, Rika, Kazu, Kenta, Juri, and Takato - along with their digimon. Several digimon, actually. Digimon who were most definitely not with them when they left - a weird robot, a floating pink thing, the white bunny thing everyone was making a fuss about, another brown bunny thing and a small imp in the fox’s arms. Yamaki groaned at the realization that they’d actually brought back more of the creatures with them. 

It should have been a happy moment. It could have been a happy moment, until Takato hopped out and was greeted by several of the security personnel with their weapons drawn. He threw up his hands immediately and whimpered, “I come in peace! I promise. Please put the guns down! No? Why does everyone feel the need to threaten me with a weapon today?”

“Are you seriously asking that question right now?” another boy asked as he stepped out of the ship Yamaki definitely didn’t recognize him. He expected a lot of things from them while they were in the Digital World. He didn’t expect them to bring back another human, although he probably should’ve at this point.

Once he noticed the others getting jumpy at the guns, Yamaki called out to get their attention and explained, “It’s a standard procedure. They’re not going to hurt you. Just let them make sure you’re safe and not leaking high levels of who knows what kind of radiation into the air.”

The men with the geiger counters approached, holding their devices up to the kids as Henry added, “I was feeling pretty safe until just now. What are they doing anyway? What kind of radiation do you think we have?”

“We don’t really know. Crossing the boundaries between worlds isn’t exactly a clean business. We need to make sure you’re not going to poison anyone around you and give them cancer. Hell, the last thing we need is you getting someone sick with an alien disease. Or some kind of slow acting poison.”

“Poison? Why would we do that?” little Xiaochun asked innocently enough. When one of the HAZMAT crew approached her, she shied away behind her older brother, “You’re scary.”

“Are all humans in this world like this? They’re all quite rude apparently,” the brown bunny stated with a frown. The floating pink thing added, “I don’t know, they seem alright to me. They just seem nervous. Maybe they need hugs!”

“Don’t! They might think you’re going to attack!” Kenta gasped.

“It’ll be alright, kids,” Zhenyu called out to them, trying to give some measure of comfort to his kids. After everyone was scanned, one of the HAZMAT crew called out, “We’re clear - radiation is at normal levels.”

“Finally!” the strange boy declared, pushing his way past the guards towards the nearest exit, “Well, it’s been fun but I’m heading home. I’m several years late on my curfew and I miss my parents.”

“Hold it,” Yamaki moved in front of the boy to keep him from escaping, “You weren’t part of the group when the kids went to the Digital World. Who are you?”

The boy groaned, “Oh you’re going to love this. Have a seat. We’re going to be here a while.”

…

As soon as the all clear was given, the Izumis wasted no time hurrying over to their daughter to hug her. And the poor girl was quickly overwhelmed, trying to push the two grown adults away in annoyance, “Mom! Dad! Get off!”

“And for a moment I thought you looked almost adorable Ruki,” Renamon mused from behind her with delight. Rika rolled her eyes, but smiled in appreciation of her parents. There hadn’t really been a family moment like that in a while. Hell, they hadn’t been together like this in some time - or rather for a few weeks. And it was good to see them getting along. And of Henry and his sister were having their moment with his parents. Kazu seemed to be trying to put up a brave face about the whole thing, with Kenta following his lead. After all, neither of them had told their respective families so there was no reason for them to know. Hell, they were probably worried sick about him. However, Guardromon spoiled the whole thing by pointing out a malfunction in his lacrimal gland - something Kazu didn’t understand, “My what?”

“It means you’re crying,” Miss Kamiya explained, crossing her arms, “Still, we’re glad to see you’re alright.”

“No biggie! So how long were we gone for?” Kazu answered smugly.

“A couple of hours,” Miss Kamiya answered, making his jaw fall to the floor, “Hours? It was weeks for us!”

“Time moves differently between worlds,” she responded.

Then there was the last set of parents: the Matsudas. And they seemed almost disappointed to see only one Takato there. Or rather Tamerkato. She knew where this was going and didn’t want to watch, looking away towards her parents. But both pf her parents seemed aware of what was going on. Her dad frowned, “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t even know the guy,” she answered sheepishly. That was right, she didn’t know him. So why did it hurt to think about it? 

Rika’s eyes went downward band she tried to pretend what was about to happen wasn’t. But it wasn’t just the Takato situation she didn’t want to think about. There was so much to talk the about - the danger in the Digital World, the fact that they may have to go back to prevent it from destroying the Digital and reaching this world, amid all the other things that happened. For now though, all she wanted was to be with her parents. Although she wasn’t about to admit that. Then she remembered Ryo and Juri’s situation. 

Ryo just wanted to go home after what had been twenty years of travel in the Digital World. Meanwhile, Juri had to watch her partner die in front of her. Tamerkato shared some responsibility for both. And now he had to answer for the real Takato - to the real Takato’s parents after promising to bring him back. She really didn’t envy him right now.

However, it seemed he didn’t want to answer for it either - instead opting to talk to Yamaki, “Let him go home. He’s had twenty years. Let him see his parents.”

“That’s all the more reason for us to hold him,” Yamaki countered, “Who knows what kind of diseases he’s brought back with him!? He could be sick and we wouldn’t know! We can’t be too careful.”

Tamerkato glanced once at Ryo, “I think he looks fine.”

Yamaki groaned, “I’m going to take the word of a medical professional over you.”

Tamerkato sighed and held up his digivice, “Where do you live?”

“Odaiba,” Ryo answered grimly, staring at him with increasing impatience. Tamerkato nodded, pressing a few buttons on his digivice, “You’ve got maybe a ten minute head start. Move quickly and try not to be seen. And see if you can keep him quiet. Understand?”

Ryo nodded quietly. Monodramon wasn't following and blurted out, “Hey! Why should I be quiet!?”

Yamaki looked between the two boys and asked, “What are you two planning?”

“This,” Takato answered with the biggest grin on his face before pointing his digivice at Ryo, “Good luck. Digiport open!”

Yamaki realized one second too late what was going on and tried to grab a hold of Ryo and Monodramon just before he vanished in a brilliant but dazzling display of light. Ryo was gone, possibly back to his won, world leaving Yamaki to stare at Tamerkato in anger, “What the hell did you do!?”

“I sent him back to his family,” Tamerkato flicked the man’s nose and looked over at the Matsudas. Yamaki grabbed a hold of him and raised him up in anger, “What do you mean you sent him back to his family!?”

“I’m sorry, I thought I was pretty clear,” Tamerkato remarked. Yamaki cursed under his breath and turned to one of his agents, “Get a team to Odaiba now and track that Ryo kid down now. Riley, start looking this kid up - missing child named Ryo. Find his address, family, everything. Tally, get a HAZMAT team ready to intercept him!”

“Sir!” the team of agents said as they disappeared back into the building to carry out their orders. Takato turned to the Matsudas now and his smile disappeared as he made his way over to them. Rika could only imagine what was going through his head. Tamerkato would have to tell their parents the truth about their son. And she didn’t want to imagine how they were going to take that news. Her dad tried to move her so that she wouldn’t see, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so, “Ruki, you don’t have to deal with-”

“I know,” she heard herself say. 

“Honey, shut up,” her mom squeezed his shoulder to silence him. If he didn’t understand the message then, he certainly did when a loud slap rang out. Rika closed her eyes, took a deep breath and finally looked back at the Matsudas to see Tamerkato on the ground with a red mark on his cheek. What she thought was a slap was actually a fist from Mister Matsuda, he was only held back from giving another one by his wife. Tamerkato’s expression was empty - not sad or hurt. Just empty. Guilmon, on the other hand, was in front of him and growling at Mister Matsuda for laying a hand on him. Tamerkato however, didn’t even try to look at them. He didn’t smile his stupid smile or frown or anything. He rubbed the sore spot on his cheek and looked away, “I’m sorry.”

“You better be!” Mister Matsuda snapped angrily. Tamerkato still didn’t look at him, quietly wrapping his hands around his digivice before murmuring, “Digiport Open!”

There was a bright flash and he was gone. Yamaki was mad now, stamping his foot on the roof, “Dammit, now we’re missing two of them.”

“Good riddance,” Mister Matsuda grumbled while his wife turned him around, “Honey! Don’t say that!”

“Our son is dead because of him!”

“We don’t know that!” she reasoned, “We don’t what happened over on the other side!”

“We know our son went missing and then he showed up shortly after!” Mister Matsuda practically screamed back, cooling when he saw his wife flinch back. He took a minute to breath deep before looking back towards her, “You, um...Rika? What happened over there!? What happened to our son?”

“Don’t involve our daughter in this,” her mom stepped in front of her, “She had nothing to do with whatever bullshit Tamer is pulling!”

“Mom!” Rika gasped in surprise at her mother’s sudden use of vulgar language. She didn’t even know her mother had it in her but there it was plain as day. Mister Matsuda pointed at her angrily and shouted, “Your daughter went with him to the Digital World. I want to know what he did. I want to know what you found out! What happened to Takato!?”

Rika cursed under her breath, unaware that Tamerkato would leave her to have to deal with explaining the truth to the Matsudas. She should’ve known this would happen. Still, she couldn’t blame him. She didn’t want to be the one to tell him. And after the temper tantrum he threw in the Digital World, she was unsure of how much anger he’d be letting loose now. Which was another terrifying thought when she dwelled on it. What would she do if Megidramon suddenly let loose in the middle of Tokyo? It wasn’t like they had the ability to deal with that! They needed Azulongmon last time. And it wasn’t like they could just pull an all powerful dragon to the human world without scaring a whole lot of people. 

”Hey!” Mister Matsuda snapped his fingers to get attention.

“Don’t talk to my daughter like that!” her dad snapped back. 

“All of you calm down!” Miss Kamiya cried out at the top of her lungs, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. She threw her hands up in frustration, “In case you’ve all forgotten, we’ve got a situation on our hands. Rika, What thee hell happened in the Digital World and is everything alright?”

“That’s a long story and I don’t think there’s enough time in the day,” Rika finally managed to find her voice, “The good news is we’re back. The bad news is we may not be back for long.”

“What!? You have to go back!?” her mom gasped, covering her mouth in terror as her eyes widened in fear, “Well not without us you’re not!”

Rika didn’t want to be the one to break that news to them, and could only wonder what was going to happen to them now. Thankfully, Renamon was able to spare her having to answer the rest of the questions, “We know now why the Devas were after Calumon and why they were so intent on coming to this world. Our world, the Digital World, is in danger from an old threat. One that scares even the Digimon Tamer. Without us, the Digital World will certainly be destroyed. Then it’s only a matter of time before it comes to this world.”

“Why is it always the end of the world with this stuff!?” Davis complained angrily.

“Well, there’s one bit of good news. We found your partners and we know they’re safe,” Henry added hopefully. This earned the attention of everyone present, “You did!? Where are they!? Are they okay? How do we get to them!?”

“They’re alright and they miss you guys,” Henry answered happily, “They wanted to see you guys and come with us, but Takeru and Tamer said it wasn’t time. Without you guys there too digivolve then, they’d be more of a liability than a help.”

“TK!? He’s alive too?” Matt jumped up at the sound of his brother’s name, his shoulders slumping as all the tension left him. 

“We should’ve known. Where else was he going to go?” Ken mused at the revelation. Despite the relatively good news they had to offer, Mister Matsuda cleared his throat again, “I hate to ruin this parade but what the hell about our son!? What happened to Takato!?”

The mood soured again. Rika glanced towards Juri, “We don’t really know. The only one who would know is Juri since she’s the one who found out first. Tamer wouldn't repeat what he told her and Juri’s...not been great ever since-”

She paused again, realizing that she might have just brought up a very painful memory for Juri. However, the girl hardly seemed to notice anything was said at all. In fact, she just stood there staring ever since they first returned from the Digital World. The poor girl must’ve been shellshocked - traumatized first from finding out that Takato was dead and again from witnessing Leomon die. She didn’t know what to say to her and could only place a hand and on her shoulder, “Hey, it’ll be alright.”

“You poor girl, I’m so sorry,” her mother said, going to hug the poor girl. Juri didn’t react, continuing to stare off into space. It was unnerving. Rika has to look away because of how terrifying she looked like this. As she scanned the other adults, she realized something, “Hey, where’re her parents?”

“They didn’t come, remember?” Doctor Kido remarked, making his way to the girl and resting a hand on her head, “It’s a shame. It seems like she could use her family right about now.”

It was obvious that Mister Matsuda was still steaming though and was about to snap when Doctor Kido apologetically told him, “She’s in no condition to talk to anyone right now. We can ask her tomorrow. For now, she should be with her family.”

“Her? What about my family!? What happened to my son!?” Mister Matsuda roared with increasing anger. Doctor Kido crossed his arms and stepped up to him, “You need to relax. I understand you’re upset but would knowing actually make you feel any better or would it just make you angrier? I think what you should do is take a deep breath and take a walk to clear your head.”

Mister Matsuda paused for a second, his wife still trying to hold him back before he let loose in a flurry of anger. That moment of lucidity appeared to finally calm him down, until he lashed out in anger at the doctor by striking him across the face. It seemed that moment of lucidity didn’t last as long as it needed to. Doctor Kido fell backwards onto the roof while Mister Matsuda massaged his hand, “When you lose your only child, then you can talk to me about calming down.”

He turned to leave, kicking everything he could find in a fit of anger. His wife trailed behind for a second, hesitating to follow him - perhaps even unsure of what she should do next. After all, did it matter? She’d just been told her only son was dead and not coming back. And who wanted to hear that news? Rika looked to the digidestined present - wondering if any of them would have anything to say about it. Between the eleven of them - they’d lost parents, siblings, but never kids. Even if any of them could relate, she doubted either Matsuda would appreciate the sympathy. 

“I think it’d be best if we all head home tonight and cleared our heads,” Henry’s dad finally said, “The kids had a long trip and I’m sure they all want to go home and have a good night’s rest for the first time in a long time.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Kazu agreed, putting his hands behind his head. Yamaki waved to get their attention, “I can arrange for transport to get you kids and your digimon home discreetly.”

“What about-” Kenta whispered quietly, gesturing at Juri who continue to just stare off into space.  Calumon whimpered, “It’s not Juri. It’s not. Please, something’s happened to her!” 

“Calm down, Calumon,” Kazu said with a scolding voice. Unfortunately that tone seemed to be it for Calumon who ran for the edge of the roof, “No. I don’t like it. She’s scaring me!”

Henry and Xiaochun tried to chase him to the edge but their dad stopped them before they could get close. Several of the guards tried to secure him but he was too small and fast for them to catch. Before anyone could stop it, Calumon’s ears grew in size and he used them like wings to glide away off the edge of the roof. 

Everyone cursed the luck of Calumon getting away like that but nothing could be done about it. Kenta groaned, “Man, and we went through all that trouble just to get him.”

“Never mind. It’s not like the Devas are coming to take him again. As long as he’s here, he’s safe,” Renamon assured him, “Besides, we have other things to worry about.”

She gestured to Juri; Rika’s mom has pulled away from the hug and was trying to talk to her but she didn’t seem to respond to anything.

Yamaki adjusted his shades, “We can have an agent escort her home. It’d probably be for the best.”

“I can do it,” Kari volunteered with a raised hand, going over to her student. Yamaki nodded, “Alright. We can figure out the rest of this tomorrow. It’s been a long day.”

Rika was glad that at least her teacher was willing to be with her. She was ready to leave when she noticed Renamon hanging back, “What’s wrong, Renamon?”

Her partner gestured at the small imp laying unconscious in her arms, “What about Impmon?”

“What about him?” Kazu answered coldly. Rika understood where her partner was going with this - they couldn’t just leave him here to the Hypnos Program. Especially with what those guys did to digimon. On the other hand, helping him was a tough sell after what he did to Leomon. After what he did to the rest of them. Then again, whatever Tamerkato did to him was definitely punishment enough. The poor guy had been screaming forever, before he was knocked unconscious.

She took a moment to consider but couldn’t reach a decision. Her partner put her faith in her that she would help save the Digital World. Why not return the favor? She sighed, “Do whatever you think is right.”

“Thank you,” Renamon nodded her head and adjusted the little digimon in her arms so that she was cradling him like an infant, “I’ll meet you back in your house. Good night.”

She vanished after that. Yamaki sighed as he massaged his head, “Great, more digimon getting loose in the city. Why am I still surprised at this point? This’ll be a fun report to the Minister.”

…

Kari tried to think of what to say to her student - a poor girl who had been through as much trauma in the Digital World as she had in her time as a digidestined. Between Myotismon’s attack, her brother’s disappearance, the Dark Masters, and everything else - her brother may come in and out of her life...but she’d never lost a partner like that. Hell, she didn’t even know what she’d do if Gatomon were to die and not come back. Although she had worried about her partner for the longest time. She at least knew her partner was safe.

But Juri?

All she could do was hold the girl’s hand as she walked her home. They reached the train station and bought some tickets for the two of them, the whole time trying to think of what to say her. The fact that she didn’t talk at all wasn’t helping. She’d bought her a soda and some crackers so she could at least have a snack but the girl didn’t even seem to notice. But she hardly registered that she was holding either the drink or the packet of crackers. It was just silent staring off into space, barely reacting or acknowledging the world around her. 

It didn’t get any better when they got on the train and she sat silently, staring straight ahead without saying a word with the crackers and drink in hand. Kari made sure to take a car that no one else was using in the hopes that she’d feel more comfortable with privacy. But it didn’t seem to matter. In fact, she barely even moved when the train lurched forward. It was like she was a doll - a mannequin in the shape of Juri. Kari did the only thing she could think of, “I’m sorry about what happened in the Digital World, Juri. I wish you didn’t have to go through that.”

No response. 

“I understand that you’re hurt. But I want you to know that you can talk to me about it. I’m not just your homeroom teacher, y’know. I’m also one of you. A digidestined,” Kari offered. Still no response. This wasn’t going to work. She needed to change her approach. But what else could she do? She couldn’t force Juri to talk to her. All she could do was try to be there for her, be someone that Juri could feel at ease with.

“Nutritional Facts. Serving Size: One Can. One Hundred Forty Calories per serving. Zero percent daily value of total fat. Two percent daily value of sodium. Roughly forty-five milligrams. Fourteen percent daily value of Total carbohydrates. Roughly thirty-nine grams. Seventy eight percent daily value of sugars. Zero percent daily value of proteins. Not a significant source of saturated fat, transfat, cholesterol, fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Ingredients. Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, caffeine.”

“Juri?” Kari blinked as her student continued to read the side of the can of soda she’d been given. It seemed her whole world had become reading the side of the soda can. And once she finished, she started reading the side bag of crackers. Kari snapped her fingers to get her attention, but Juri was laser focused on her reading more than anything. Maybe this was a coping mechanism? She knew her student would use a sock puppet to communicate with others if she felt overwhelmed and had something she had a hard time saying. But this, this was something else entirely. It was madness.

Then the lights of the train started to flicker - flashing on and off. She was beginning to rethink her concerns about being alone in an empty car and grabbed a hold of her student defensively, “Hang on.”

The lights flickered repeated until finally stopping, shrouding the car in darkness. This had to be a trap. A portal to the Digital World? A digimon appearing? It had to be something. Then there was a bright flash of light that briefly blinded them. When she could open her eyes again, the lights were back on and Tamer was lying on the ground, “Damn. I hate trying to land on moving targets. Are you okay Guilmon?”

“I’m fine. My head feels heavy,” the red dinosaur said from the ground beside him, upside down in his seat. Tamer helped the poor dinosaur and adjusted himself, “That’s because you were upside down. That happens when I try to land on a moving target since it’s hard to match the momentum when I have to consider the rotation of the universe around us. Earth is spinning at hundreds of miles an hour, rotating around another star going thousands of miles an hour, while also falling through...never mind.”

“Is that a food?” Guilmon asked.

“TAMER!” Kari gasped in surprise, quietly moving Juri behind her. In Juri’s current state, she was sure he was the last person she wanted to talk to. Tamer adjusted himself, massaging his head, “Hi Kari.”

“Where’d you go?” seemed like the wrong question to ask. There were a hundred questions running through her head. And none of them sounded appropriate. Takato or Tamer or Tamerkato or whatever he was going by now shook his head, “I figured that everyone would want nothing more than me to not be there. All the punches I’ve been getting lately got that message across.”

“Punches? Tamer...I mean...no, what are you doing here?” Kari finally managed to get out. Once he finished straightening himself out, he approached the two of them and separated them, “Here to talk. Not to you, Kari. But we can talk later if you’d like. I’m here to talk to you. Where’s Juri?”

He was pointing at Juri. Kari was beginning to think he’d finally lost it. No, when did he ever have it? This was insane. He said again, “Look, I know you’re not Juri. It’s not just the behavior, which is completely off. And the dead eyes stare is wrong too. The smells not doing you any favors either. No, what gave it away was the sock puppet. Juri always uses the sock puppet when she has a hard time saying what’s on her mind. She’d be distressed over what’s been going on lately. But she hasn’t used her sock puppet once. So who the hell are you and what are you doing here?”

“If you knew, why didn’t you say something sooner?” Juri replied, her eyes moving up and down over Tamer curiously. The way the two of them were looking at each other, she was certain they were going to start throwing fists. However, Tamer indulged her, “I was waiting to see what you would do. You’re in our world now. What do you want?”

“Information. The nemesis is strong in power. A tactical withdrawal was necessary. There were complications, unexpected hurdles. The tactical withdrawal has turned into an advance. A two front sat,” Juri replied monotonously, “New subjects were encountered. At this time, there is insufficient information to properly process them. More information is needed. This world may contain the key to victory.”

“Victory against what?”

“The nemesis.”

“We’re getting off topic. Where’s Juri?” Tamer demanded angrily. Juri cocker her head to the side and smiled wickedly, “The subject designated Juri is here. Surrendering control of the face.”

Juri’s face twisted from one of passive indifference to pure terror as she shrieked, “AH! WHAT’S HAPPENING? WHERE AM I!? WHY CAN’T I MOVE? TAKATO!? HELP ME! FOR THE LOVE OF-”

Her face switched back to a passively indifferent expression and her voice became monotonous, “-control of the face reacquired.”

Tamer froze, “You’re in her body.”

Something like a smile twisted on to her face: a big wide toothy grin spread wider than it should be, “Of course. She invited it. She allowed it.”

“Invited it? She’s a ten year old girl who was emotionally devastated from the death of her partner! She wasn’t in a mental state to allow anything!” Tamer snapped.

“She wanted it,” Juri answered cheerily. Something about that shook her and she growled, “What the hell!? What have you done to my student.”

“Relieved her of her suffering. Of her guilt. Of her anger and her frustration,” Juri replied. Whatever was inside Juri, was controlling her body, said it with such sickening glee that Kari wanted nothing more than to hurt it. But how? She wasn’t even sure how it was inside her body. And hurting this thing would just hurt Juri.

“Who are you?” Tamer demanded angrily. The thing that was inside Juri looked at her with an even bigger smile, “I’ve been given many designations over the time of my existence. Destroyer. Devourer. Death. The Beast. However, these designations are just words use to ascribed to some meaning to my existence in an ill conceived attempt by lesser beings to comprehend me.”

“Big words and a lot of talk, but not a lot of answers,” Tamer tapped his foot impatiently, “Who. Are. You?”

It cackled, “I am your reckoning. My existence is to purge the dangerous. The powerful. To balance the scale and give the smaller life forms a fighting chance. Until they grow too strong. The scales must be balanced. The world must understand its natural order. All life will die. All endings lead to new beginnings. I am the-”

“Bored now,” Tamer interrupted. Juri’s twisted smile disappeared and turned to one of twisted anger, “Your callous disregard for the common etiquette and shift in attitude indicates a level of cockiness or  confidence not shared by your peers. Your confidence could be due to an immeasurable level of stupidity because you don’t quite grasp the situation you’re in. But we both know that’s wrong. So it must come from a level of confidence in your own ability of strength to feel unthreatened by me. And I can assure you that you should be very afraid - because my purpose is to destroy people like you.”

“You’re the computer program the others made to manage the Digital World,” Tamer concluded. Kari looked from Juri to Tamer, unsure what was going to happen next. But this was not a safe place to be. This train and everyone on it was in great danger. Juri’s creepy smile returned, “The Digital World fears me. This world will fear me too!”

“But that’s not possible. You’re a data life form! A data life form can’t just merge with organic life form. That’s...that’s not possible,” he stammered in disbelief. Juri cocker her head to the side, “It is possible. It’s happened before. It can happen again.”

“Bioemerging,” Tamer gasped, “You biomerged. You tried to anyway but you...oh...no...”

“The scales must be balanced. You are a clear and present danger to those around you,” Juri said, reaching out towards Tamer with her hands. Tamer’s eyes widen in terror at that statement and he stepped back towards Kari, “Hang on to me. Digiport Open!”

He held his digivice up in the air. Kari latched onto him as there was another bright flash of light. She closed her eyes, familiar with the sensation of falling until it went away and was replaced with the cold chill of the night air. She opened her eyes and found herself on top of a building beside Tamer and Guilmon. He dusted himself off and apologized, “Are you alright Kari?”

“I’m fine. What the hell was that?” she said, trying to gain her bearings. They were on a rooftop now, somewhere in the city. On closer inspection, they were not too far from where they’d gotten on the train. They were in Shinjuku, not too far from the Metropolitan Building. Tamer readjusted his clothes, “A bad situation. A very bad problem. The thing terrorizing the Digital World, that made the Sovereigns and the Devas freak out, that started this whole thing...it’s here. In Tokyo. And I think I’m the reason it got loose in this world.”

“What do you mean?” Kari’s voice shook, quavering with an anger for Tamer she didn’t know she’d had before. He held up his hand to calm her down and tried to massage her head, “Sorry, I need a moment to think.”

Kari was about to snap. She considered her words carefully before speaking, making sure to watch her  tone so that she didn’t explode on him, “Tamer, I’ve been nothing but patient and giving you moments. Ever since you first showed up in my apartment when I was a kid. Ever since your disappeared out of my life. Three times. Talk to me! Keep me in the loop! What is going on!? What the hell was that and why is it here?”

Tamer massaged his temples, “I noticed something was wrong with Juri after Leomon died but didn’t want to cause more problems so I didn’t say anything. And I needed to be sure that whatever was pretending to be her wasn’t a threat. But I definitely screwed that up and now there’s a crazy monster that kills everything it sees and eats everything it kills running around Tokyo in the shape of a ten year old girl. And I...oh shit.”

He stopped and stared off into space without saying a word. He fell quiet and Kari felt her frustration bubbling. She cursed, “Oh shit? Tamer, tell me you’ve got some kind of a plan. Tell me you know how to beat this. Tell me it’s all under control.”

No response. She was getting really tired of that. She snapped, “TAMER!?”

Tamer turned her head with his hand to see what he was seeing. And she knew why he’d fallen silent. She wasn’t sure what to do. There was a great big red gelatinous mass in the center of the city that hadn’t been there before. In fact, now that she thought about it, that was right where the train had been a moment ago. That was where their train was a second ago. It was a lot to process how much danger they were in, “Oh shit.”

[whatisthisnonsense]

Okay you know what I am gonna talk shit in a proper well-thought-out manner because I’m salty and stressed and I may as well channel it into something fun like yelling about anime in an over the top display of angery as befitting this cesspool of a social media platform. This being said I’m gonna do it under a read-more ‘cause most of ya’ll ain’t got time for no negative nonsense and some of you genuinely enjoy Tri, and you know what, I respect you, you’re valid.

Okay so to explain how much I want to throw Bandai into a dumpster, we first need to go back and explain Adventure and the fiasco that was 02.

Digimon Adventure came out in 1999 (March 6th in japan and August 14th in the states, which coincidentally means this show came out exactly on my sixth birthday!) and lasted for about a year, with 54 episodes. The plot was simple; seven punkass grade schoolers turned out to have been chosen by fate to defend the Digital World, an alternate plane of reality created by various forms of digital information (the wee baby internet of the era, for example), mostly to kind of justify Bandai’s V-Pet (Tamogatchis but they’re gross and can FIGHT) and sell toys. So like, Transformers but with more human characters and kickass monsters and sometimes a lesson about the Power Of Friendship. Later, they find out they were chosen because they saw their neighborhood get wrecked by two monsters and Inexplicably Forgot This, as well as the fact there’s actually a missing member of their group (which less than surprisingly turned out to be the leader character’s little sister, who had already been seen in a prior episode and had also been involved in that early monster attack). It was hokey, the english dub generally bordered on that of a proto-abridged series if not aggressively sanitizing things (turning sake into green chili sauce, for example) and it was just good dumb fun and in the end everyone was crying anyway because dammit, while it was dumb fun you still cared about these characters and loved how they grew up. And then came 02.

Hoo boy. Digimon 02 came out in 2000 (April 2nd in japan and August 19th in the states) and lasted for another year or so. While sometimes listed as a second season, in truth it was a sequel series and it had...some interesting ideas, lets say. And I mean that sincerely! They did have some good ideas! But it was pretty clear from the lack of direction and the constant roller coaster of serious and stupid that it was being a sequel for the sake of being a sequel. For example, a whole new super secret crest turned up out of nowhere, which brings up a lot of questions in the lore but is mostly used to prove Ken isn’t irredeemable because he’s a Chosen Child ,as well as the questions about how this Crest is still present and useable and then literally gets no use. No Ultimate Form Wormmon for you, folks, NORMAL digivolution is out! I think I and @yunisverse have made our opinion on how to use that crest better clear while we’re being salty over Wizardmon, ha People have said that it’s big draw was that it had a heavier focus on character development and...yes and no? On the one hand, Ken and Cody’s arcs were genuinely enjoyable, Kindness shenanigans aside, as was occasionally exploring TK and Kari’s trauma, something often brushed over in the original series. On the other hand, more or less the whole of Adventure centered AROUND character growth where in 02 it’s...sporadic. Sometimes even random. However the main two reasons everyone was mad at 02 were these;

The original digidestined that were not Kari or TK got shunted onto the backburner, usually using excuses as they had given up their crest powers sometime between Our War Game and the present (despite that A) this is otherwise disregarding the fact they were supposedly not able to enter the digital world again until 02 and B) the power is literally inside them as part of their core, not something the digiworld actually gave to them, and while it could be diminished it could never actually be removed) or that it was the New Kids turn, often with wildly out of character personality developments. (Looking at you, Sora’s new docileness and Mimi’s lack of involvement in most of the plot period.)

The epilogue, which not only gave everyone really weird future jobs (why is Matt an astronaut?!) but also seemed pretty much out to be as aggressively Happily Ever After without actually stopping to think about any implications or actual lead-ups.

02 usually gets a pass from riding on the Adventure coattails, but everyone still tended to be at least disappointed in what had occurred. Also, more serious takes on Digimon, such as Tamers and some of the games, had been growing in popularity.

Thus Bandai, in it’s infinite wisdom, decided to cash back in on Nostalgia by focusing on the Adventure kids, making them closer to 02 so they’re older and they can therefore do more serious mature takes like Tamers, while also trying to rectify how they would even begin to come around to their epilogue jobs. They do this by killing the 02 cast in the first two minutes.

Welcome to Tri folks! Okay, so the 02 cast isn’t actually dead, but we don’t know where they are for six movies. Six movies!! The most we know for a few years is Ken, for some reason, has reverted to evil! And he has Imperialdramon, which implies Davis is brainwashed too!

He is basically doing this most of the series (which was initially going to be a mini-series before becoming a series of movies which then proceed to often be cut up into episodes, which that alone should tell you the problems BEHIND the scenes much less on screen) and we find out what he is (not actually Ken but an evil Gennai clone which is also out of nowhere) and what he’s doing (apparently bringing Yggdrasil, long time lore big bad of various digimon continuities and also god, into the Adventure storyline) not by efforts of the kids. Oh no. They’re too busy playing with their new friend Mei!

God I wish I was joking. The original squad literally shows no concern for where the 02 gang is until halfway through, and it’s a handwave at best and quickly moved on from. Hell, they barely react to “Ken” and CHEER on defeating Imperialdramon! More gravitas was given to having to kill the plot coupon of the day, Meicoonmon, than someone they actually know and should be upset about. Also making Tai NOT want to rush into a fight (what?), Turns Out Homeostatis Is Also Evil Or At Least Amoral (why), a reveal one of the backstory five original digidestined went mad with grief (no), and also I guess for some reason the kids and digimon were separated again given their reactions despite 02′s ending? That’s. That’s not even keeping your own continuity. Why are you like this. Also connecting to the epilogue just seem to be on a whim (not metaphor, Matt decides to be an astronaut on a whim), the general lack of gravitas in most moments followed by moments of SEVERE gravitas (which is the 02 problem but Worse), and bad jokes. I don’t mean Good Bad Jokes like Adventure, just really not funny jokes. And the real bitch of the matter? It had a few things that should’ve made it AWESOME! Like listen, I miss these idiot kids a lot, and the concept of a virus forcing a reboot on the digiworld and thus having to explore, finally, the digimon as characters and what they would be like without the kids? That’s cool! The idea of undoing all the Perma Digideaths (like WIZARDMON goddammit, and in this own show friggin’ Leomon again) with said reboot and thus having a pretty legitimate reason to allow it? Also cool! Worldbuilding about the previous five digidestined? Neat! And lets be real, you all cried at the cast version of Butter-Fly. You know you did. But the thing is they didn’t DO anything with most of this, or did it in a sloppy way. Example; the virus was basically a means to an end for waking up Yggdrasil (I’m not calling him King Drasil, that’s stupid), right? Why? When the Adventure-verse, often to it’s own detriment, is actively tied to the Milleniumon mythos, you could just pull in that eldritch horror and finally have Ryo make sense everywhere not japan. Or heck, the Dark Ocean! Remember the Dark Ocean? Where literally cthulu is and also Daemon now? Apparently neither do the script writers since that would’ve been a golden opportunity.  Of course, this would be asking for continuity, which Tri has issues with within its own narrative. Remember when I said the reboot should’ve undone all permadeaths? Yeah, Wizardmon still shows up as a ghost later to lead Kari out of trouble. No lines or anything, just pops up facing away from the audience and leads her out, and then vanishes, despite the fact that according to the rules they made up for the reboot, he should be a cute little Mokumon in Primary Village at the moment who remembers nothing. Also it kind of low-key has the vibe that growing up is terrible and results in having to make awful decisions? Which I’m not sure is what they meant to do, but it does pretty much have that end result. And that sucks! Even Tamers didn’t do that! Growing up is HARD, sure, but there are GOOD things about it too, and being Adventure one would think that would be the main focus! Nope. I just. This should have been good and when it was announced I was super excited and now I’m pretty much exasperated by its mere existence. And now we’re getting a sequel after ANOTHER timeskip.

Bandai if this is how you give us a nostalgia feels trip, do us a favor and let Adventure die. You’re just making the sugary memories of childhood have a bitter aftertaste. Or, if you must, just do a proper reboot. Tie up things that actually WERE wrong with the original series and do some clean ups but otherwise leave it untouched. We all know you’re trying to capture the magic twice, guys, you’re not even trying to hide it now. TL;DR, The only parts I like about Tri are Butter-Fly (cast version) and the fact Tai and Matt are gayer than ever

[shewasanamericangirl]

I know, but for the benefit of those who may not be into tokusatsu and follow your blog, tell us about some of your favorite toku cuties!

oh boy, i could go on about this all day. which i will. hope you don’t mind that they’ll mostly be guys, as tokusatsu in general tends to be a sausagefest. i’ll try to avoid spoilers for the aforementioned non-toku devotees.

let’s get the obvious one out of the way first!

black woz from kamen rider zi-o

he came from 50 years in the future to give a high school boy a magic belt that would enable him to become an evil king with ultimate dominion over space-time

catchphrase: “REJOICE!” followed by super hammed up dramatic speeches whenever said high school boy gains a cool new power

user of the thoth stand

he basically worships this high school boy and tries to encourage him to become the despot who shaped the dystopian hellscape woz came from

he has a doppelganger we call white woz whose goals are completely counter to his, and you know what? the woz who stans the evil king is the good one

he likes natto and mustard on his rice

he can actually be surprisingly sassy if you push his buttons enough

woz’s actor, keisuke watanabe, is the prettiest human being in this universe

shinji kido from kamen rider ryuki

REJOICE! he’s also in zi-o!

he transforms into kamen rider ryuki, with dragon powers and a mask like a sports car grille

catchphrase is “oi, ren!” which was changed for me forever after watching the end of the rider time ryuki special

he is my son! i want to adopt him!

dumb as fuck, heart of gold, will let you peg

he works as a reporter at a not very reputable newspaper which seems to mostly publish investigations of weird rumors and urban legends

he also works as a waiter at this cute teahouse

he still has no money because his friend yui broke a window

in the world of ryuki, kamen riders must duke it out in a battle royale by transforming into their super alter egos and entering the monster-infested world on the other side of reflective surfaces

shinji doesn’t want to fight anyone though, he just wants to keep the monsters from hurting people!

he’s such a sweet cute idiot. i’d protect him with my life.

akira nijino from ressha sentai toQger

transforms into toQ 6gou, the the orange toQger

catchphrase: “this is the place where i will die…” (and variations on that)

reformed monster turned magical railroad worker turned hero

his introductory arc will tug at your heartstrings

his face turn happened after he saw a rainbow for the first time, and henceforth dedicated his life to protecting rainbows

his guilt complex hangs over him in the form of a literal rain cloud

he’s normally taciturn but gets super cheerful and giggly in the presence of cute baby animals, especially kittens

he loves public baths so much he uses the word “aishiteru”

he often makes his dramatic entrance while playing a mournful tune on his harmonica

he’s got a lot of internal conflict going on but he’s such a good guy

his monster form has the softest fluffiest ears and a bitchin cowboy outfit

seriously sets off my gaydar for some reason?

noel takao from kaitou sentai lupinranger VS keisatsu sentai patranger

transforms into both the silver lupin X AND the golden patren X

catchphrase is “oh la la!” which he says when surprised/excited/intrigued

he’s both a phantom thief and an elite international police officer. it just works…somehow.

uses his mecha train to travel between japan and france in no time flat

older than he looks

does unnecessary acrobatic stunts for the hell of it (which his actor, seiya motoki, really does!)

wants the phantom thieves and police officers to be friends and work together instead of fighting

lowkey shipper on deck

(accidentally typed “lowkey shipper on dick”)

is he japanese? is he french? well that is just his own sweet and sexy secret

owns a shiny silver and gold kimono equally as awesome as akira’s in the gif above

tsukasa kadoya from kamen rider decade

he’s kamen rider decade

catchphrase is “i’m just a kamen rider passing through…remember that!”

his show is so weird and confusing but that’s okay because he’s cute and has an adorably bad attitude

always trying to take photos with the camera he carries. they always turn out looking shitty. he says it’s because the world is rejecting him, and not because he’s shitty at taking photos.

so he’s supposed to hop universes destroying worlds but he seems to just keep saving them instead

said worlds are extremely strange AUs of the first nine heisei kamen rider shows

anyway, back to tsukasa. he has a weird and sexy way of sitting which he did in front of black woz once which made him start doing it

actually his interactions with black woz in zi-o are memorably hilarious for both characters

every time tsukasa enters a new world, he automatically has a job that helps him fit in. in the kiva world, he’s a concert violinist–and boy, can he play. in the blade world, he’s the head chef of a cafeteria, and comes up with some great (if a little underhanded) methods of making money.

what the fuck is he even doing?

will i have the answer to that by the time i finish watching decade or nah?

regardless, he’s incredibly charming, and pleasant to watch

ma…zhen…TA.

umika hayami from kaitou sentai lupinranger VS keisatsu sentai patranger

umika is secretly the super cute phantom thief lupin yellow!

she’s super cute and acts cheery but she’s got some intense sadness going on deep down which remains a secret to most people

waits tables at bistro jurer (the front for the lupinrangers)

i started watching lupat because she’s cute, even though i did not think i’d really get into super sentai

(i did)

fellow lupinranger and bistro staff kairi pinches her nose just like how his older brother used to pinch his nose

…when umika turns it around and pinches kairi’s nose…when that happens you will want to cry, just sayin

one of the patrangers gets a big dumb crush on her, unaware that she’s actually a lupinranger (can you blame him?)

she loves fashion and has a delightful sense of style

her favorite pair of earrings look like cherries and they’re soooooo cute, eat your heart out noriaki kakyoin

sougo tokiwa from kamen rider zi-o

he’s the high school boy black woz is obsessed with

he’s kamen rider zi-o, kamen rider zi-o ii, kamen rider oma zi-o, part of the fusion kamen rider zi-o trinity, and has a fuckton of various forms

in the tradition of shinji kido he is cute, dumb, sweet, and bleaches his hair

can you believe this widdle bitty cutie pie grows up to become a megalomaniacal overlord subjecting humanity to a dark timeline of misery and woe??

at least, he might. he’d rather not. the time travelers from 2068 inform him that it’s a definite possibility.

good at history, bad at math

has been convinced since childhood that he will become a king after graduating high school, and because of that, he has no other career aspirations and no friends…wah wah waaaaaaaah

a plucky orphan much like myself

possesses latent psychic time manipulation powers that are a little scary if you think about them too hard

haru “tokatti” tokashiki from ressha sentai toQger

blue hero toQ 2gou

during roll call he always bows and says something

adorkableness incarnate

this boy is a nervous wreck

he adjusts the train track visor on his sentai mask like it’s his glasses

massive crush on his childhood friend mio, aka toQ 3gou and the mom friend of the group (she is also a toku cutie i love to bits) (i ship it hard)

becomes particularly close friends with akira, which is interesting to see since their personalities (and suit colors) contrast so much

even when anxious and easily discouraged, tokatti is always brave and strong for his friends when in a pinch

thinks of his big brother ryo as a cool superhero

the glasses nerf just how handsome he is

i have a lot of other tokusatsu cuties i adore but these are some of the ones who’ve been on my mind the most lately! hopefully you readers enjoy this small sampling of tokusatsu dorks 💖

[twinfanfics]

The tale of the three head beast. The marching fishes (19/22)

WE ARE BACK!! And the ending is written, only four more chapters  to end. WUUU!!

Fandom: Digimon GoT au.

Charaters: All the choosen children from Adventure, 02, Tamer and sometimes Frontier.

Ships: Taiyama, Joumi, Daiken, Takary, TakatoxYuri, RikaxRyo …

Second part of the tale of the three head beast series, you can read the first part The chosen children Here and here, or look for the tag  3t3hb  on this blog.

Resume: Three years had pased since Taichi won the hand of princess Sora and both get crowned King and Queen of the living land, now they must faced the duty of the monarchs, but the King is must worried about cover his affair with the royal guard. The war started on the Honest Island, does the King Joe would manage it?. Mean while at the other side of the sea Takato and Ruki stronger their forces.

And you can read all past chapters of the marching fishes in the links below or in AO3

ACT 1. ESCENE 1: THE RAIN

ACT 1. ESCENE 2: THE WILL  

ACT 1. ESCENE 3: THE TRIP

ACT 1. ESCENE 4:THE SON

ACT 2. SCENE 1: THE ARRIVAL

ACT 2. SCENE 2: BROTHERHOOD

ACT 2. SCENE 3: MOTHER | **warning suicide attempt**

ACT 2. SCENE 4: THE BATTLE OF THE IKKAKU ISLAND

ACT 3. SCENE 1: THE INTERROGATION

ACT 3. ESCENE 2:  DELIVERY

ACT 3. ESCENE 3: RED DRESS

ACT 4. ESCENE 1:TRIAL

ACT 4. ESCENE 2: THE SAINT QUEEN

ACT 4. ESCENE 3:THE SPY

ACT 4. ESCENE 4: INTRUDERS

ACT 4: SCENE 5: THE BROKEN SWORD

ACT 5: SCENE 1: THE WIDOW

ACT 5: SCENE 2: WELCOME HOME

ACT 5 : SCENE 3: FAITH (chapter after the cut)

The bells of the Light church rang at the sunrise. Queen and King wake up on the big bed. The King rolled over it and tried to cover himself with the bed sheets. 

“it is going to be late”  It wasn’t and order, but everything that Sora said feels like a comand now. 

Taichi turned to his wife. She undressed herself unceremoniously and walked naked until the dresser. For years both had kept themselves to some shy decor but shy had died on her wife. 

“You are going to miss your audiences” She said when she come out full dress and Taichi was still sitting over the bed on his bet´s clothes. 

She looked gorgeous on that big dress, it was embroidered with the Light emblems and it left place for the sword that Sora carried everywhere. 

“Your audiences” She insisted. 

“Yes, yes, I know. They can wait for me, I’m the King” Taichi said as he stand up and walked at the dresser. 

“I am on my way then. I had a reunion with the sisters on the morning, but I’m going to take the audiences of the afternoon” 

When she opened the door Yamato wasn’t standing outside. Nobody cared their door anymore. No one follow the Queen anymore. Taichi waited until Sora’s steps were far away to change his clothes. When he opened the door Hikary was waiting outside. 

“Brother” the girl said smiling. “Let me accompany you at the ceremony”

Taichi take a deep breathe. The words “I want to be alone” die on his troat.  Hikary take his arm and they walked together at the throne room. 

The royal guard was waiting on the throne room. Most of them wearing the Light armor, Yamato Ishida, royal guard and leader of the soldiers, wasn’t. 

The King crossed his look with the handsome soldier. Restrained himself to touch him had never costed him this much. 

“Brother” Hikary called him “Your majesty” she corrected promptly “We are ready to star”

Taichi sat on the throne. HIkary welcome at the guests of the ceremony and recited a five minute prayed. 

“I can’t believed they made us attended this” Kouji whispered at Takuya on the back line of the army.

“And you don’t go at the daily mass, they are longer everyday” the fellow soldier replayed.

“What is she wearing?”

“It is a ceremonial sister thing”

“It would be easier pay attention to her if she hasn’t three layer of clothes on”

“The sisters of Light are illuminated, it is supposed that if they don’t cover to head to toe when they pray they would break the souls of the weakness with her sacred grace”

“What?” 

A sshh called the attention of the soldiers. 

Hikary finally retired of the spotlight and Taichi stand up of the throne. Davis Motomiya knelt down in front of him. 

“Outrageous” Kouji said on a quiet voice “the man betrayed the King that he swore to protect and received a title”

“Is he that good?” Takuya asked.

“What?”

“Is he as good to be the new protege of the King?” the knight asked with disdain. 

“The protégé of the King?”

Izzy Izumi standed behind the young men and they shut up immediately. 

Kouji looked at Takuya. His brown eyes were glued at Motomiya, the guy had returned from the war with the favor of King, he was now his new apprentice, not Takuya. Kouji had seen Motomiya in action on the battlefield, if he had the favor of the King he can easily ascend on the royal guard. Kouji could had been worried about his own position on the royal guard, but the subtle hate on the eyes of Yamato Ishida when he accepted Motomiya on the guard were even bigger than the envy on the eyes of Takuya. 

When the little ceremony ended the supreme alchemist come close at the King and whispered something at his ear. Sorrow plasted on the face of the monarch. His eyes went to Yamato. The royal guard was at some steps of The King. 

“That concludes the ceremony, thank to all of you for coming”Hikary said with the sweetest voice “That the true god of Light enlighten your days” She said as she looked at Yamato. 

Kouji knew that look. That was the look that the enlightened had for him and his brother. That people always talk about saving the souls, but their solutions always were torches and murders. 

The King left the throne room. His sister followed him. 

Yamato left the throne room, but he cannot follow the king any more. The royal guard assemble the guard, it was time for training. 

Kouji had to admit that this was the funniest training that they had ever had. Yamato wasn’t subtle about his hate for Davis Motomiya, his exercises were excessive, no soldiers talk to him, he felt and get hurt. Even Takuya mock him. Takuya whose first move always was befriend the new recruits. 

Prince Takeru knel to help him when Motomiya felt for the third time. 

“It’s enough!” The Prince claimed. 

Yamato actually listened to him and called out the soldiers. 

“Your training are really hard, I’m not surprise of the good reputation of your army” Motomiya said at the prince with some tenderness. 

“The Captain need time” Takeru said.

“What?”

“If you act right, this could get better” The prince handed some water at Davis. Kindness was so strange to him right now. The prince was gone for when Davis tried to said thank you. 

“this could get better” Davis repeated to himself. Hope was never his strength. He was optimistic on the battles, but it was Ken and Iory work to do the planning. Ken and Iory. He shouldn’t miss the brothers that he betrayed. He missed Ken’s warm and Iory’s clarity. What would be their brothers advice on this situation? Ken would kill at anyone who mock him, he would made some cruel revenge plan. Iory probably would take it as a challenge, maybe he would try to win at the superiors, his little brother was good for that. Ryo would resolve this problem for him. But his master was gone and Davis was alone. He cannot plan a evil revenge or charming his way out. He did the thing that he do when he can’t do anything else. 

The afternoon came at the palace. It was quite and warm and Davis was boring, the trained had let him wounded and sad. He walked by the gardens through the hallways, until the big doors of the wall around the castle. Takuya and Kouji were guarding the doors.

“Where are you going?” Takuya asked

“I'm going to the port, I would come back by the sunset” Davis answered

“I dont think so”

“ i dont had orders to complete or anything to do here”

“You can't leave without permission” Kouji interested 

“Do we need permission to leave the palace-” Davis asked. The two soldiers look at each other with smuggled smiles.

“I don't think you understand what is happening”

“ You are just being mean” Davis accused them.

“mean?” takuya laughed “it is a way to said it”

A whinny interrupted the conversation. When Davis turned it was Yamato Ishida infront of him riding a black horse.

“What is happening here?” The royal guard asked

“Motomiya wants to leave the Castle” Kouji said

“ Trying to escape already?” Yamato looked down at Davis since the horse. 

“I'm not quicking I just want to visit the port” Davis claimed. He isn't scaping anything, he was a free man.

“You can't leave the castle, Motomiya”

“What? Why?”

“Orders of the King”

“Liar” 

Yamato get down of the horse.

“How do you call me?”

“You heard it”

Davis saw the fit of his superior officer and got ready to take the hit, but the hand of princes Takeru hold the elbow of the royal guard. 

“Yamato!” the princes called “what are you doing?” 

The older man shake it off his anger.

“I was going to teach a lesson to this vermin”

“I had a name” Davis said challenging Yamato, the blond turned to him with hate on his eyes. “I need to go at the port to pray, when did you go?”

“Excuse me?”

“You are too a son of the ocean as me”

“I’m nothing like you” Yamato claimed as get closer to the soldier.

“Every soldier of the King is a soldier of the Light” Takuya said firmly. Kouji grown smaller and Takeru and Yamato evaded his look. 

“I had seen the big walrus on your neck” Davis said at Yamato “You are a son of the ocean”

“SIlence!” Yamato scream and moved his hand with force “You don’t have the right to call the old names of the ocean, how you dare, you… dirty traitor”

The words of Yamato hang on the air, Davis listened it but need a few seconds to understand the meaning of the words. 

“I betrayed your enemies, I joined your army, I won your war, your men and your King are only alive because…”

“You betrayed YOUR KING! YOU KILL HIM!”

Yamato’s hand was over his sword and the hand of Takeru was holding his

“No”  Davis said “You are the one who killed Joe KIdo”

Takeru looked at Davis with surprise and slowly released Yamato. Finally he turned over himself to don’t watch the ugly show. 

The fist of Yamato finally hit Davis face. The young soldier tried to evade the second one, but Kouji hold him by the back and kept him in place. Yamato broke his lips and hit his stomach. Davis couldn’t breathe,he was only bleeding. Finally he hit the ground. Someone, probably Takeru, let him at the infirmary. 

 Davis wake up on a cold room, alone. The wall of the palace were probably the last wall that he had ever seen. He had been wrong, he wasn’t the protege of the KIng or a soldier of the royal guard, he was a prisoner and he was so far away of the ocean than no god would heard him. 

The old god had abandoned him. His master had leave him behind. His new King had lied to him. There was no more place to go. Davis entered at The Light church. There were angels and figures of old criatures singing and howling, there tails were long and there arms short. Davis walked for the corridors and stopped in the garden. 

The young boy stand next to the fountain and with a hand in the water and the eyes on the sky, he pray.  

A suddenly noise alerted him. He turned the head and saw her standing next to fountain, beautiful as a new day, an angel.  

“What hails you, brother?” The angel asked, but Davis has no words to share with so gracefull presence. He broke over her and cried all his laments. 

"Holy mother in heaven, shelter of the poor and support of the weaks" Hikary pray "show the way at this lost sheep". 

Since they balcony of the church Izumi watch the encounter with an impy smile.

[unsuccesscr]

pro hero verse angst fic born from plotting with @austempered

warnings for child abuse and character death, as well as some slight eye related body horror beneath the cut.

Not everyone is born as equals. This is the harsh reality that you learned at the age of three.

Your name is Ryo Aranami and you are what’s known as an undesirable. A child without parents. Whose parent’s abandoned you, or maybe they really did just die. You’re not sure which is better, you’re not sure if it matters. The fact remains that no one alive wants you.

What parent wants a child that they can’t hold, that they can’t even touch?

They bothered to lie, at first. Assured you that someday you would find the right home. Your birth parents faded from memory, and soon were replaced in your heart by a fantasy. The home you were promised.

Someone with kind eyes and a genuine smile, who would hold you close without fear and whisper ‘it’s alright’.

You managed to leave that group home, a few times. But each time you were sent back. Each time you were just too much to handle, a problem child. You didn’t try to be, you really tried your hardest to be a good boy; the perfect son.

By the time you were six they were sick of you, the caretakers, they knew they would be stuck with you and didn’t bother to hide their resentment. You were told to stay away from the other children. Punished harshly when you didn’t obey.

Funny, how no one seems afraid to touch you when they want to hurt you.

Running away had seemed like a good idea at the time. It meant getting away from that hell hole. It meant no more bruises and burns were no one could see them. It meant no more getting locked in your room for days at a time. It meant freedom, it meant fresh air.

The outside was both worse and better. You were met with just as much scorn out on the streets, only this time you had no shelter, no food, no protection. You had your freedom though, and in some ways that was enough.

For all the other things? Well, you made do.

There weren’t exactly a lot of career options for a fourteen year old with no work experience or formal education. You did chores a lot, made some cash that way. But people who would even come near you with those dangerous looking quills poking out of your skin were few and far between, and they didn’t pay near enough for you to live on.

It didn’t take long for you to find less... upstanding methods.

The job was supposed to be easy, or that’s what the shady looking man with the fire breath quirk had said. Just hold the patrons of a high end jewelry store hostage, offer a distraction, while they swiped the contents of the register and all the pricey trinkets.

Now here you are, alone, your accomplices long fled, surrounded by the police. You should give up, let the people tied up go, but you’re terrified of what will happen if you do.

And? May as well admit it. You’re angry, too. You hate these people. All of them, for having a life so different from yours; so much better. What did they do that makes them better? More deserving?

Somehow, you’re the bad guy. Despite everything you’ve endured and how little these so called innocents care. Fine, if you’re going down, you’re taking them with you.

The quiet chime of the door opening sounds, and it’s deafening in the silence; interrupting your train of thought. Even with his mask off, mouth guard around his neck and goggles pushed onto his head, you recognize the man who steps inside the store, calmly, as if he is simply there to shop.

Deku. A pro hero. You don’t spend a lot of time watching the news, preoccupied with trying to survive. But it’s hard not to know who he is. Everyone seems to be talking about the ‘quirkless wonder’, nowadays, name spoken with either venomous hatred or whispered reverence.

You’re envious. Better to be born without a quirk at all than this quirk you’ve been cursed with. This man claims to speak for the oppressed but he has no idea what it’s really like, for people like you. Undesirables.

The resentment is enough to make you bristle. Quills shaking in warning, poking further out; ready to shoot off.

Deku raises his arms, palms forward, a universal gesture for surrender. For the first time since he’s entered you notice he’s completely unarmed. That doesn’t make you feel more at ease.

“I thought you’d be taller.” You blurt out, breaking the silence, and immediately cursing yourself for not managing anything more intimidating.

The pro hero seems stunned for a moment, and you take a step backwards; recoiling from a strike that never comes. Instead he laughs, and the noise startles you enough that a few quills shoot out involuntarily, but Deku dodges them easily enough all the while still looking at you with soft eyes and a smile that makes your chest pang in longing.

“I get that a lot,” he responds good-naturedly “What’s your name kid?”

“Ryo,” you answer, mouth dry, not quite understanding what compels you to obey so easily. Perhaps it’s the years of ‘training’ you had to endure. Perhaps it’s the presence of a bonafide hero. Not just a police officer, but a real life, experienced in combat, pro hero.

“Nice to meet you, Ryo” Deku keeps his palms raised where you can see them, as if sensing your apprehension. You snort in derision as a response, but refuse to meet his gaze.

“You seem like a nice kid, just got mixed up in some bad stuff is all; right?” he’s right but you don’t like it. The way he pretends to know what you’ve been through. Pretends he cares.

Maybe he’s not pretending. That tiny, hopeful, voice chimes in, unhelpfully. You ignore it.

“Why don’t you step away from the hostages and we can talk,” Deku continues, unperturbed. So that’s what he wants. To get you a safe distance away before fighting you.

“Yeah, right, like i’m some kinda idiot!��� you snap back “Step away so, what? You can throw me in jail? No way!”

Deku has the audacity to shake his head, expression shifting into a mask of concern (maybe it’s not a mask at all) and you bite your lip, fists curled so hard that your nails press into your skin.

“I’m here to help you, Ryo,” He lies (maybe it’s not a lie)

“No one’s ever helped me before! Why would you want to help me now? No one cared before! No hero has done anything for me! You only care about them!” You get angrier with each assertion, gesturing wildly to the hostages who cower away from you.

Deku takes a step forward and you take another one back, new quills replacing the ones that were fired earlier. One of the hostages, an older woman, lets out a small squeak of fear and you look at her at see everyone who has ever treated you like you were some disgusting sub human. Your rage hits a crescendo and suddenly you’re aiming for her, ready to fire off when the pro hero commands your attention once more.

“I know,” He says, voice hardly above a whisper. “We failed you, I failed you. You shouldn't have been so alone and that's our fault, and you have every right to be angry. I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through”

There’s an earnest nature to his tone that makes you listen, that makes you turn away from the hostage and the tension start to give from your limbs.

“But these people didn't do anything, they don't deserve to be hurt anymore than you did. And I promise if you come with me you won't be hurt anymore, I will help you. You won’t be alone anymore"

And, perhaps it’s foolish to do so, but you believe him. You look into his eyes and see exactly what you always imagined a parent’s eyes would look like. There’s warmth there, there’s love there.

You’re tired, you’re so tired. If you’re going to be carted away, if this is a trick, so be it. At least you can pretend for the meantime.

Slowly, you step forward, step towards him. One foot in front of the other until you’re only a few inches from him and you have to tilt your head to look at him. Without hesitation, without fear, Deku places gloved hands on your shoulders. “That’s good, Ryo, thank you”

He pulls you closer, into a hug, you realize. It’s been so long since you’ve felt something like it. Soft, safe. Shakily, you wrap your arms around his torso in turn and fingers pat your head, tousling your hair. Tears are already welling in the corners of your eyes and you can’t hold them when he whispers “It’s alright, you’re alright.”

Suddenly you’re bawling like you’re three years old again, clinging to this practical stranger as if he’s your lifeline. And he just may be. The hopeful voice whispers that you may have finally found your home.

Then a shot rings out, shatters the glass of the display to your right. Deku stiffens in your hold, turns towards to the source of the bullet and you startle, unintentionally, fear coursing through your veins hot and heavy and instinctual. Your quills fire without your permission.

This time he’s far too close to dodge.

They pierce everywhere, but the one you notice first, searing its image into your brain, is one that’s pierced itself through one of the only two kind eyes you’ve ever known. You cry out, but it’s too late, Deku, the former pro hero crumples to the ground; lifeless.

“I didn’t mean to, I didn’t mean to” You sob, as suddenly the shop is rushed and you’re pinned harshly to the ground, quills not yet regrown. “I’m sorry, i’m sorry,”

You should have known better. You will never have a home. This is your punishment for even trying. For daring to hope. You can only watch, cuffs on your wrists, and the pool of blood around the hero grows larger. Medics are on the scene, of course, but you can just barely see one shake their head as you’re being ushered into a police car.

“I’m sorry.”

[iohourtime]

Kiokuya (Memory Man) - Novel Spoiler (Part 1)

*While the most literal translation of Kiokuya (記憶屋) is “Memory Store”, XX-屋 can also refer to XX-man, like Koroshi-ya means hit man.  Since the story about a mysterious person, Kiokuya, it is more correct to go with the second translation: Memory Man.

You may have heard about Yamada Ryosuke being cast in a new movie, Kiokuya, which was adapted from the novel of the same name written by Origami Kyoya.  (Here’s the official website and twitter.)  The novel was released by Kadokawa Horror Publishing but was also described as a “love story” or “sad love story”. Yamada himself said that he read the novel and rather than it being “scary”, it’s more of a “human love story”. So what is it?

I’ve just read the Chinese version of the novel and I will summarize (and fully spoil) the plot after the cut.  I only read the novel once, so some of the plot might be a bit jumbled, but it shouldn't affect the story. (Or it’s the work of Memory Man! )  Based on the synopsis of the movie, it seems like there will be some changes to the novel. I don’t think they’ll change the ending though.  Anyway… final warning.  Close this if you don’t want to be spoiled.

Novel Spoilers are divided into 4 parts due to length. Here are the links for the other 3 parts:

Part 2 - “at present 1″, “Episode 2″, “at present 2″ Part 3 - “Episode 3″, “at present 3″ Part 4 - “Episode 4, “Epilogue”

Sorry, this ended up being almost like an abridged version of the light novel. I’ll post the remaining parts over the next week. One interesting thing is that the author is a lawyer by trade and a writer in her spare time. That’s probably why the chapter headings have legal terms. (They were originally in English to begin with.)

If you can read Chinese, here is the link for the ebook on Kobo (available to Canadians). It’s also available on books.com.tw and actual bookstores in Asia.  There is also a manga adaptation released by Gangan. You can access the sample chapter on here, which basically takes us up to the end of the first episode.  I just want to say that they could easily use Yamada’s personal wardrobe for this character.

…………

Movie Synopsis:  

University student, Yoshimori Ryoichi (Yamada), just proposed to his older lover, Sawada Kyoko (Renbutsu Misako). For some reason, he was not able to contact her the next day. A few days later, he saw Kyoko again, but she had lost all memories of Ryoichi. Unable to accept this, Ryoichi went looking for the truth about Kiokuya with his childhood friend, Kawai Maki (Yoshine Kyoko), a senpai and lawyer, Takaharu Tomoaki (Sasaki Kuranosuke). Is this the work of the urban legend, Kiokuya, a person who can take away people’s unpleasant memories.

Prologue

The first time Ryoichi heard of the Memory Man was when he was 3 years old. It seemed to be a popular folklore among the older people. Whenever one of them forgot something, his grandmother used to joke that the Memory Man must have “eaten” their memory

....

He saw a man wearing a long coat and an elementary school aged child. As the man touched her forehead, Ryoichi screamed “run”...

...

“Ryo-chan!” Maki shouted, waking him up from his slumber. His MAC was still on the urban legend forum and Maki saw this before he could close the browser.  Maki was 3 years younger than Ryoichi and was currently in high school.  They grew up across the street from each other and were very close.  

Maki said, “Oh Memory Man.  You're interested in him? You even did a timeline and everything!”

Ryoichi made some excuse about researching a paper for university about how urban legends started and spread.

Maki said, “Wow, the first sighting of Memory Man was 50 years ago?  I only heard of him about a year ago. It’s a really popular urban legend among us high school girls right now.  Do you want me to help?”

Ryoichi played it cool and pretended to be disinterested and finally managed to kick Maki out of his room.  However, he wasn’t doing this to be mean - he just wanted to protect her from finding out about Memory Man. He was very sure she was one of the three people whose memory was erased by Memory Man.  They both saw something when they were really young and Maki was inconsolable, but the next day, she was completely OK and seemed to have forgotten about it. He didn’t link this incident to Memory Man until a year ago when the second person he knew had her memory erased.  And then there was a third person.

1st Episode: Notice (1 Year Earlier)

Ryoichi was invited by his senpais to this gathering. He didn’t really want to go because he felt uncomfortable being surrounded by upperclassmen, but he went anyway. Suddenly, another senpai walked in and sat nearby. Long haired, pretty,  and carrying a pink bag, but in her hands were textbooks on psychology and neuro sciences. “Such a gap, and just my type!” Ryoichi thought.

“Are you a psychology student!?” They started chatting. They happened to both like the same baseball team, movies, etc… In other words, they totally hit it off. Ryoichi was thankful to the senpais who “forced” him to come. Then out of nowhere, Kyoko said she had to go. Ryoichi was shocked and thought it was him, but the other senpais said she didn’t usually come to these events and if she did, she would leave before it gets dark.  Ryoichi kicked himself for not even getting her email.

Luckily, they were in the same class and Ryoichi saw her again. They were chatting again and talked about the urban legends Ryoichi was looking at.  She apologized again for leaving and explained why she left so suddenly: she was scared to walk home in the dark by herself. While normally kinda passive, Ryoichi got this urge to ask her out.

“If we go watch that movie we both wanted to see right now, we can be done before dark. That's OK, right?” Ryoichi asked.

“Sorry, I can't today”

“How about Monday?”

“Sorry, I have something i need to do.”

Ryoichi was dejected.  Kyoko added “Sorry, but I am very happy you asked me.”

Ryoichi bumped into Kyoko on Monday at the hospital and she finally confessed - she had been seeing a psychologist on Monday to treat her phobia and she felt ashamed for being so scared at her age. Kyoko said, “So, do I lose any points?” Ryoichi said, “You know, let’s go watch the movie and I will walk you home.  You don’t have to be afraid.”  Kyoko agreed reluctantly.

It was dark. Ryoichi saw Kyoko pulled out a rape whistle and mace. As they walked towards her house, they passed by this dark alley. Ryoichi felt Kyoko’s body tensing, her grip on her rape whistle and mace tightened. She said (somewhat ashamed) that she was once attacked while walking down a dark alley. Even though a passerby managed to save her from being raped, she developed a crippling fear of the dark and could not walk home by herself once it got dark. She knew it was psychological and had been seeing a specialist but it did little to allay her fears.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if I can just have that memory taken away?”, Kyoko said.

Ryoichi said even though he had no experience with being attacked, he swore he would help her conquer the fear.  Kyoko nonchalantly asked about his research paper on Memory Man.  She thanked him and walked into her house.

Ryoichi researched more about Memory Man for his paper. He found an urban legend forum and joined the chat group.  Usually, urban legends are based on local folklore, or a real event that was distorted.  The popular ones typically have a being with an identifiable feature or they have a scary element, i.e. something that could happen to you. Memory Man was different. It was pretty lowkey and was only popular in a specific region - his city. There were no description of memory man and he might not be bad.  “Why would senpai mention Memory Man?”

Ryoichi and Kyoko started hanging out regularly and they would stay out later and later.  8pm, 9pm, 10pm... and Ryoichi would always walk her home right to the door.  He decided one day that maybe she was ready to face her fears.  It would be like teaching a kid to ride a bike and letting go once they are riding on their own.  He said he was going to be at this student event, but when Kyoko got there, she found out he was not able to make it. (But he was checking upon her.) It was too late for her to leave before dark, so she took the subway to the nearest station. But she was petrified when it was time for her to go. She tried leaving but was too afraid and kept turning back to the station area. She finally decided she would just stay the night at the 24 hour restaurant right by the station.  Ryoichi panicked when he saw how bad her fear was. He ran up to her and she realized what was going on. Rather than be mad at him, she was just mad at herself for being weak.  

After that time, she started talking more and more about Memory Man. She became even more untouchable. Every time they walked together, she would hold her rape whistle and mace tight. She threw herself into the research of Memory Man.

Ryoichi too, started became more active in the forums when Maki disrupted him to borrow a DVD. They talked about what the high school students know about Memory Man. What’s Memory Man? A world class hypnotist? A being that can “eat” memories? If it’s all psychological, shouldn’t Kyoko senpai be able to conquer this by herself?  (Meanwhile, Maki was all like - is she your girlfriend?)

One day, Ryoichi asked if she wanted to go out. Kyoko said, “No, there is something I need to do alone.” Ryoichi knew she was trying to meet Memory Man, who supposedly only shows up to people who needs him and when they are alone. He called Kyoko later, asking her not to do anything drastic or place her hopes on this urban legend that is probably not true.  He said he would walk her home for as long as she needs.

Kyoko said “You know, it's useless. I'm paralyzed by fear. Even when I was walking with you, I was afraid every second of it. I know you are a nice guy, but even though I know you won’t hurt me, I was still nervous. My guards are up.  I am very happy you’ve been helping me get home and that you worry about me. But I can’t do it. I know I can’t face you like this. I don’t want to only look at you as someone I rely on to protect me. I want to be able to just have a normal relationship with you.”

Ryoichi wanted to tell her to trust him, but he couldn’t get the message out.  He also knew he screwed up. That he just wanted to be a knight in the shining armour for her and forgot about her actual needs. He was an idiot and an asshole.

The next night, he walked over to her place to try and apologize, then suddenly, he saw Kyoko emerged from the dark alley alone. How could this be?

He walked up to her and said “Sawada senpai. Why didn’t you come to school?”   

Kyoko looked at him and said “Sorry, who are you?”

Ryoichi was shocked. “I’m your kouhai. We are in the same class together. I walked you home before.”

Kyoko was apologetic, laughing that she didn’t realize she was too drunk to remember him walking her home. She was like a new person and even said it was not dangerous walking in the dark in the residential area, since she could just scream if anything happened.  “Your name is Yoshimori?” She confirmed and that was the end of the encounter.

The feeling of being completely erased from someone’s memory was a bombshell to Ryoichi.  He suddenly remembered an incident from the past. Maki was crying, so Ryoichi took her to her grandfather’s. The next day, he asked if she was OK, but she completely forgot. It was like the incident was wiped off her mind.  Now it was happening again with Kyoko.  He was completely gone from her memories. His chest tightened and he had this uneasy feeling, disgust even, about Memory Man.

Ryoichi saw Kyoko in class a couple of days later. She was talking with friends about going to an alumni speaker event. The speaker was a young lawyer and supposedly quite hot. Ryoichi followed her… for some reason, he didn’t have the urge to go up to her and ask her to remember him.  The lawyer, Takahara Tomoaki, told the attendants they could ask him anything.  

Ryoichi asked “If someone lost their memory and it was caused by this person, will there be consequences?”

Takahara said, “You mean, are memories protected by law? Ethically, if it was done without consent, then it is wrong. But since this is not within the boundaries of criminal law, it will not be punished.”  Kyoko had no reaction to this discussion about Memory Man at all.

Over the next year, Ryoichi never really talked to Kyoko again. He also saw her less and less. Maki started to get more grown up, but she was still hanging around Ryoichi’s room like she used to.  Did Maki’s meet the Memory Man as well? Is it possible that two people in his life had their memory erased? Ryoichi became obsessed.  

Takahara called him out of the blue. “Do you want to talk about Memory Man? You live near XXXX, let’s meet.”  

How did Takahara get his phone number and know where he lived?  He didn’t remember giving Takahara his number.  Did his memory also get erased?

Ryoichi realized he may be the third known victim of Memory Man.

Continue to part 2

[kanasmusings]

[Translation] Growth Drama CD Vol. 3 - Track 3

Here’s the third track~ Man, I love this track so much hngh!! Ryota’s as savage as usual XD

※ Please don’t re-post the English translations without permission.

Track 3: [懐かしい再会と、今と] “A nostalgic reunion and the present”

Under the cut, enjoy~

Track 3: [懐かしい再会と、今と] “A nostalgic reunion and the present”

(chattering noises in the background)

CLERK A: Welcome! We have quality Hokkaido wine right here! Would you like to try some Hokkaido wine that’s famous for its fragrant aroma and light taste?

CLERK B: Sorry for the wait! We just got finished baking them.

CLERK C: Over here is Hokkaido’s number one taste, the potato! It’s been cut into small pieces and have been deep-fried!

MAMORU: (chomping) So delicious…! (in English) Delicious~!

KEN: Let me try~! (Ken takes a bite) Woah, it’s really delicious!

RYOTA: (takes a bite) Th-this is…!

RYOTA: This taste is the perfect combination between a juicy croquette and the potato’s natural taste underneath the perfectly fried breading. It’s a taste where you can tell the earthy flavour even when it’s covered in bread crumbs. It has a very nostalgic and yet it’s fresh!

RYOTA: What a wonderful croquette!

KOKI: Looks like it matches Ryo’s tastes as well.

KEN: I mean, it’s totally delicious! Mochiduki-san, the croquette from your brother’s stall is the best!

KOKI: Your brother’s such a wonderful person, too.

KOKI: He’s cool as well just like Mochiduki-san but his body’s so well-built like an athlete that it kinda surprised me.

MINATO: (chuckles) Farming does take quite some strength after all. I think it’s expected of him.

MINATO: Even compared to my sister I think I’m the skinniest one. I’m so happy that you even loved the bread.

MINATO: Hokkaido’s food really is delicious and I’d like for everyone to come and visit it someday, too~

MAMORU: Mochiduki-san, please try to get us a job there~ We’re ready to fly off anytime!

KEN: Right~?

RYOTA: Yeah.

KEN: Just like this, Ryo’s on board, too~!

MINATO: Roger! I’ll try to make that a goal.

MINATO: If it’s for first-time visitors, I think it would be good to visit in summer since it won’t be that much of a challenge.

MINATO: But… Maybe now’s not gonna be a good time. Hokkaido’s pretty famous to visit during summer…

KOKI: True. I mean, even the food stalls here are getting quite the attention, too.

RYOTA: They’re trying to experience it before-hand. Oh~ I wanna eat the special jelly over there later.

MAMORU: (patting Ryota on the shoulder) Ryo-kun, Ryo-kun! The melon bread over there looks delicious, too!

RYOTA: (gasps) You’re right! Wanna buy some and bring it to our next work location?

MAMORU: Ah, that’s a great idea! (they both start walking towards the stall)

KEN: Those two sure look perfectly happy being normal customers.

KEN: Oh, Ko, you said you wanted to look at some cheese and stuff. Wanna go?

KOKI: Let me see… After the next meeting we’ll be going home so I think it’d be okay to carry it around frozen for an hour before we reach home.

KEN: What’re you gonna make with the cheese~? You see, I wanna eat some cheese fondue~! I haven’t really tried it, to be honest. Can that be made at home?

KOKI: It’s rare for Ken to request something~ Cheese fondue, huh? I think it’s doable. Lately it’s been popular for stores to sell items as a set so let’s look for some later before going home.

KOKI: So tonight’s cheese fondue, huh?

KEN: Yay~! I’ll help you hold stuff so let’s go buy a lot!

KOKI: Got it~ But only the amount that we can finish eating, okay?

KEN: Yeah, and that’s a lot!

MAMORU: (walking back) Eh, what’s going on? What’s up with you two~?

RYOTA: We already got our melon bread.

KEN: Y-you sure move fast, huh…? Well, we’re in the middle of fulfilling my request.

KEN: We’re having cheese fondue tonight~!

RYOTA: Eh, that’s nice~ I wanna eat cheese fondue, too. I love them.

KEN/MAMO: Oh, you do~

KOKI: Um… Mochizuki-san, the time…

MINATO: Oh, we still have one hour. Perfect for shopping, if I do say so. I think it’s still okay.

MINATO: And also… I heard it from people at the agency but… I guess it’s true that Ko-kun can really cook, huh? That’s amazing!

KOKI: (chuckles) I don’t do it every day, though. It is a hobby of mine so I do so whenever I feel like doing so.

KEN: Ko’s cooking is super delicious! Please come eat with us too sometime, Mochiduki-san!

RYOTA: Ken, let Ko invite and decide, okay?

KOKI: (chuckles) I don’t mind. Mochiduki-san, if you do manage to have some free time then please join.

MINATO: Eh, would that be okay [with you]?

MAMORU: Of course, of course! You’re absolutely welcomed! Oh, I guess this should also be said by Ko-kun (chuckles).

MINAKO: Oh, is that you, Fujimura-kun?

MAMORU: Eh?

GROWTH: Hm?

MINATO: Ah, excuse me. Are you a fan?

MINAKO: Ah, no, I’m sorry. I suddenly called out without thinking.

MINAKO: Do you remember me? I was Fujimura-kun’s former classmate during elementary school.

MAMORU: Could you be… Matsuyama-san…?! The one who taught me piano…?

KOKI: Eh…?

RYOTA: That means…

MINAKO: Yes! I’m that Matsuyama! Matsuyama Minako.

MINAKO: I’m so relieved! You remembered me.

MAMORU: Uwah…! This is so nostalgic!

MINAKO: Really, right? What a wonderful coincidence!

KEN: (whispering) What a coincidence, huh? But, wait… Isn’t the one that taught Mamoru the piano his first love…?

RYOTA: (whispering) Now that you mention it…!

MINATO: (whispering) Eh…?! Those two had that kind of dramatic reunion…?!

KOKI: (whispering) Maybe this is fate’s doing.

KEN: (whispering) Don’t tell me… A forbidden love is about to…!

MINATO: (whispering) I’m so sorry to burst your bubble but, in TsukiPro, you idols are not allowed to be in love. But, as a person, of course I would support it. But… this is too much of a challenge on my first day [as manager]!!

MINAKO:  Oh, that’s right. Matsuyama’s my maiden name. Right now I’m known as Sekishima. My name is Sekishima Minako. Nice to meet you.

MAMORU: Eh?! M-maiden name…? So you got married, huh?

RYOTA: (whispering to Minato) Rest assured. It ended before it even began.

KEN: (whispering) My condolences. And congratulations.

MINATO: (whispering) I feel sorry for Mamoru-san but as a manager I feel so relieved.

KOKI: (whispering) Guys, don’t tease him too much.

MAMORU: Um… Let me introduce her again. She’s my former elementary school classmate, Matsuyama—Sekishima Minako-san.

MINAKO: Good afternoon! Nice to meet you. My name is Sekishima Minako.

MINAKO: You’re Growth, aren’t you? It’s my first time meeting celebrities so I’m a little nervous.

MINAKO: Uwah, your faces are so small and pretty, your legs are long, and you’re so refined~! It’s like a completely different feeling, isn’t it~?

KEN: (chuckles) Thank you very much! We’re ready to accept any challenges with a smile and a positive attitude!

KEN: Ah, Sekishima-san, you’re the person who taught Mamoru how to play the piano before, aren’t you?

MINAKO: Oh? Does everyone know about that, too?

KOKI: Yes, before our debut, Mamoru came to visit our high school and he told us about it as one of his precious memories related to school.

MINAKO: Eh~ I’m so happy!

RYOTA: You’re the person who made Mamoru meet music. In other words, you’re like the person who helped bring our songs to life.

RYOTA: Nice to meet you, Sekishima-san. It’s an honor to have met you.

MINAKO: Ah, no. It’s me who should be honored. I’m very moved right now.

MINAKO: Um, I always check and buy your CDs, too!

MAMORU: Eh, really?!

MINAKO: Yep~! I told you before, right? When you become famous, I’d be bragging to the people I know.

MINAKO: And I really do, you know? “I’m the person who taught him how to play the piano!” is what I tell them.

MINAKO: Though they didn’t believe me much, I still felt so proud!

MAMORU: Uwah…! I see! Woah, I’m so happy!

MINAKO: I’m happy, too! You really proved to everyone what I meant when I said you were amazing when we were little.

MINAKO: A professional artist, huh~? This might not mean much coming from me but, you’ve become so great now, haven’t you~?

MAMORU: Th-that makes me a little shy…

MINAKO: That part of you hasn’t changed at all, huh~

MAMORU: (chuckles) If you’re at the event then does that mean you still live in Hokkaido? Did you get married there, too?

MINAKO: Yep! I transferred to Hokkaido during elementary and have stayed there since. I’m still living at Hokkaido now, too!

MINAKO: Oh~! And with someone who’s 13 years older than me, too~ I—

TOHMA: Matsuyama-san, Father’s looking for you.

MINAKO: Ah, Tohma-kun, you looked for me? Thank you.

TOHMA: … These people are…?

MINAKO: Ah, I’ll introduce you! Remember those people on TV that I talked to you about? This is my former classmate, Fujimura Mamoru-kun and—

MAMORU: Good afternoon.

MINAKO: And Mamoru-kun’s friends, Eto Koki-san, Yaegashi Kensuke-san, and Sakuraba Ryota-san, and their manager! The four of them are celebrities, you know?

KEN: Nice to meet ya!

ALL: Nice to meet you.

TOHMA: Heh… I haven’t seen them much but are they popular?

MINAKO: H-hey now!

MAMORU: (chuckles) Well, we’re not exactly actors or performers after all. We don’t really appear much on TV. Singing is our main job. Please think of us as singing brothers.

KEN: We’ve sung at Budoukan once, y’know? We’ll be doing another live soon, too!

MINATO: Exactly! They’re a clear and resounding unit from TsukiPro who’s only going to get more famous from now! Please check them out.

RYOTA: Mochiduki-san, you don’t have to appeal to young children, you know?

TOHMA: Hm…

KOKI: If you like music then I would like to ask for you to listen to us at least once.

KOKI: Our songs are all made by this ‘singing brother’, Mamoru. It’s really diverse and interesting.

KOKI: We have songs that are like the ones used for games, too. Though this is coming from us, I think that we have a lot of really great songs.

KOKI: I would like for you to listen to them sometime.

TOHMA: …! W-well… I-if I have time I’ll listen to them.

KOKI: Yes, thank you.

KEN: (whispering) Looks like the Ko-sama smile works great on children, too.

RYOTA: (whispering) As expected.

MINAKO: I-I’m sorry about that, everyone. Tohma-kun, you heard their names so you have to introduce yourself, too.

TOHMA: I’m Tohma. Sekishima Tohma, 9 years old.

KEN: Nice to meet you!

ALL: Nice to meet you~

TOHMA: Then, Matsuyama-san, Father’s waiting over there. (Tohma runs)

MAMORU: “Matsuyama-san?”

MINAKO: Ah, yes, it’s obvious, isn’t it? I’m my husband’s second wife and Tohma-kun’s his first wife’s son.

MINAKO: I heard that his first wife died from an illness when he was little so it’s kinda… you know…?

MINAKO: I figured that it’s something that can be fixed with time.

MAMORU: I see.

MINAKO: I’ll do my best okay, Fujimura-kun? I feel like I received some courage after talking to you when you’ve become this great!

MAMORU: Eh?

MINAKO: You were the same age as Tohma-kun when I taught you the piano, weren’t you?

MINAKO: If the me from before managed to do a lot for you then, the me now can do a lot more for Tohma-kun I’m sure!

MAMORU: Yep, that’s right, Sekishima-san. I’m really grateful that you introduced music to me.

MAMORU: Thanks to you I managed to meet with such wonderful friends and I live together with such beautiful music every day.

MAMORU: I feel happy every day. That’s why, you should too, okay?

MINAKO: Yes!

MAMORU: Well, compared to me who’s living alone, I think you’re happier with a wonderful husband and child.

KEN: No doubt about that.

MINAKO: (laughs) Now then, thank you, Fujimura-kun. I’m glad I got to talk to you! I’ll be returning to our stall now.

MINAKO: Fujimura-kun, do your best with work from here on too, okay?

MAMORU: Yep, you, too. See you.

MAMORU: (sighs) Somehow I’m overwhelmed. She’s the same age as me and yet she’s already married and has a child.

MAMORU: People really live their lives differently, huh?

KOKI:  That’s right.

KOKI: There are some of my classmates who are already married, too.

MAMORU: Heh~ Ko-kun’s friends, huh? Wai—WHAT?!!

MINATO: Woah… That’s quite early, huh? Lately, I feel like the “who can get married first” competition has gone to extremes.

KEN: We just debuted so forget about getting married, we have to work with the love ban for the meantime.

RYOTA: Though Ken’s gonna run away from love even without the ban.

MAMORU: Ah… Ken-kun’s popular but he’s bad at handling things like that, huh…

MAMORU: He’s the type who’ll get pushed and run away, huh?

KEN: WAHH!!! Let’s stop with this topic! We have work, right? WORK! Come on, let’s go! (Ken walks away)

KOKI: (chuckles) He’s right. Let’s go, everyone.

MAMORU: Yessir~ Let’s do our best with afternoon work, too!

MINATO: I’ll send you the map for the next location, okay?

MINATO: It’s a six-minute walk away from here so… please wait a second.

RYOTA: Ken already left though. Oh, wherever shall he go~?1

MAMORU: (laughs)

  ==END==

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:

1 Ryota actually says a pun here that kinda only makes sense in Japanese so I translated it to the next closest thing it could be in English ^^

[ssnakey-b]

FF8 English-French translarison, part 18: A tribe called Side-quest

Hello again, everybody! It’s been a while but we’re back! Quick refresher: last time, we went over the many differences in the concert scene and the stuff leading up to it.

And now, Squall wakes up and is being summoned to the bridge, but before that, let’s take another look around Balamb Garden and see if there’s anything of interest, shall we?

First little thing, the CC Club. For the most part the dialogue with Jack here (or Valet in French) is pretty much the same in both languages, but there is one small difference, in that in English, the CC members other than the King are described as “Card _____” whereas in French, they are just referred to as their title. So for example, you get “The Knight of Clubs” instead of “Card Knight Club” (by the way, “Knight Club” sounds like the name of a place that specializes in all-sorceress bachelorette parties).

Also, the Joker is referred to as just that, not Magician Joker, although the Jack does call him a magician once.

Here’s something interesting if you talk to Irvine. Most of lines are pretty much the same, except for one, where in French, he says “There’s no big secret to hitting on girls, you gotta look cool!” whereas in English, he gives Squall the following advice: “Like... I’ve been thinking about this for a while now... Maybe you should loosen up a bit? You’ll be sure to get girls that way...!”

Weird that only that one line would be so different. Also, thanks for your input, mister Love Doctor, but I think Squall is going to stick to the patented Loire-Leonhart seduction technique: be lucky enough that you’re so hot girls go after you, and not you after them, in spite of your massive awkwardness”. Seriously, between Laguna’s cramp and Squall’s... self, their family line would have extinguished itself centuries ago if it weren’t for their absurdly good genes and actually had to put any effort into wooing ladies.

Skipping ahead to plot stuff, this is a good spot to tell you that in French, Squall’s title isn’t “commander” but “chef”. And no, that doesn’t mean he’s a cook, that word actually just means “chief” or “boss”. The term used in English comes from the title “chef cuisinier”, which translates as “Head cook”.

But yeah, the French title is kinda lame regardless. It’s such a generic title. Don’t know why they couldn’t use “commandant”, which you know, actually is a military rank and would describe Squall’s role far better. “Chef” sounds more like something cops would call their boss in a TV show. Although I will say, now that I think of it, I so want a whodunnit series where Balamb Garden is a police headquarter.

More importantly, though, we have a very different reaction from Squall depending on the version. In English, he actually gets annoyed and asks Quistis not to call him that. In French, he’s more confused and just repeats “Chef?” as shown above.

Anyway, Squall’s filthy assistants suggest checking on Balamb but fuck that, we’re going on side quests! Yeah, I figure that now that the game world is finally almost completely opened up, it’s a good time to start doing these, and generally exploring. Plus, I’ve worked out a neat way to alternate between side quests and plot stuff at least until the battle of the Gardens, so it’s nice to have a bit of organization for a change.

First stop, Obel Lake. We have another bizarre change here as in the English text, the shadow you can meet after humming a song sends you on a quest to find his friend, Mr. Monkey (and with that, it just occurred to me how freaking weird that game can get). But in the French version, his friend is called “Ryo the idiot”.

Yeah, they’re nothing a like and I really wonder what prompted each version. Again, if you played another localisation of the game and they call it something else, I’d love to hear what it is.

After we find the idiot / monkey / idiot monkey and return to mr. Shadow (hm, is it the same one from Fifth Element?), we have another interesting difference as in French, the shadow says “Booyaka” to great you. Looks like Selphie’s catchphrase did catch on to someone after all!

Now then, you may be aware that relaying his friend’s whereabouts makes the shadow give you some helpful hints as a reward, and of them is to “take some time off at Eldbeak Peninsula”. Once you get there, you find some weird message, and the trick is to literally take the words “time” and “off” away from the message the reveal another hint.

Of course, that would only work in English, so what did they do for the French version? Well, the shadow tells you “Retire tes pompes à Eldbeak Peninsula”, which means “take off your shoes at Eldbeak Peninsula”. And indeed, removing the words “tes pompes” pulls the same trick.

Also, annoyingly, the shadow’s hint refers to the place as Eldbeak Peninsula despite being translated as “Crête d’Eldbeak” in French, and since the hint is in a very specific spot and could find it right away, I ended up wondering if I got to the wrong place at first and started looking futilely around for an Eldbeak Peninsule (or a “Péninsule d’Eldbeak”), until checking the Internet confirmed that I was in the right place at the beginning.

If you go back to the dumbass ape after you manage to skip the rock “many, many times” (or “an incalculable amount of times” in French), he’ll get angry and start yelling “Ahhh! Darn it! Y-You’re just a big loser! I’m able to skip the rock as many times as I want! So there! Ha-Hah! Loser! Dork! Idiot! Your mom wears combat boots!”

Well that certainly was creative, although I think most of the cast except Linoa and Zell is immune to “yo mama” jokes, what with being orphans and all. ANyway, he is a bit more restrained in French, going “For God’ssake! How can anyone suck so bad? What a butterfingers, really! I can skip rocks 100 more times than you!”

Do note I specified “a bit”.

Moving on to Timber, let’s see what’s new. This little girl says her mom will let her have a cat when Timber is independent in both versions, and in both versions, she struggles with the word “independent”, but they way to present it is different. In English, she slowly sounds it out. In French, she mispronounces it as “indéTendant”, with a T instead of a P. Well, can’t blame her, I’d rather have a T than a P too. Thank you all for coming, I’ll be here all week!

This guy says that his girlfriend keeps nagging him, saying he’s a loser. In the English version, he than whines that if someone had told him not to give up back then, he would have tried harder, proving his girlfriend right. Oddly, he doesn’t say that second part in the French version, so you don’t get a hint that you should have encouraged him earlier, because apparently this guy makes career decisions based on the advice of random passers-by.

Here’s a very interesting one as the dialogue with both NPCs goes in waaaaayyyy different directions. In English, the mom says “I’m so proud of my daughter. You guys help your parents out, too while you can. They may not ask for it, but it’ll make them really happy.”

Tssssss... about thaaaaat...

Let’s move swiftly on. In French, she instead says “From time to time, I feel like I am my daughter’s grandmother. Strange, isn’t it?”.

As for the daughter, in English, she says “It”s quite tough being the eldest daughter. I have a lot of responsibilities... But I love my parents who adopted me and my twin brothers.”

Gee whiz, it keeps getting more and more awkward. In French, she says “Sometimes, I feel like I’m my parents’ mom... That’s strange, right?”.

So yeah, very different and all kidding aside, I once again have to give it to the English version, as I like the mention of the kids being adopted. It goes to show that the main characters aren’t the only orphans in that world.

Back to smaller differences with these two. For the most part, their dialogue is the same, with the girl saying she used to get fired up but calmed down later on, and in English, the guy says “you were just as attractive when you used to beat me up.” whereas in French, he says “Oh! The beatings she would give me whenever I tried ti give her a little kiss!”.

Well... still a healthier relationship than 50 Shades of Grey, I suppose. Not by much, but hey...

Inside the pub, in the English version, the lady says it’s called Aphrora and that it’s related to an Aurora. However, in the French version, she straight-up says it’s called Aurora. In both versions, she then adds that it means “drink until you see [an/the] aurora,” but interestingly, in English, she tells us to come back for drinks when we’re older, while in French she jokes that “considering the décor, it should be ‘drink until you stop seeing the horror’.“

But far more importantly, this:

Alright, so in the English version, she explains that her boss and his wife are part of different resistance groups, respectively, the Forrest Duck and the Forrest Fox, and that it resembles their relationship.

In French, she says her boss is a “Canard de la Forêt”, which does translate to “Forrest Duck”... but then adds that his wife is part of a different group (which she doesn’t name) and that she always changes one letter from he name of her husband’s group.

Now, this to me seems like a covert yet very obvious reference to the word “connard” (meaning she technically changes two letters but let’s not nitpick), which is a variation on “con” which is French for “cunt”. The closest I could translate that is would be “cunter”.

So yeah, that’s some classic crap getting past the radar right there, although I’m not sure it was even necessary considering the translations of later FF games include similarly coarse language such as “merde” and “connerie”, another variation on “con”.

I should point out that the French are generally way more cool with swearing than Americans seem to be, and boy howdy do we love ourselves some cunts and variations of it. We have cunters, cuntesses, cunteries, etc... Yeah, you’re not gonna have the outraged reactions you’d get from that in America over here. We basically use “cunt” the same way you guys use “fuck / fucker / fuckery / etc”.

In fact, I remember the French dub of one of the Harry Potter movies has Harry call Ron a cunt as well, at some point. It doesn’t help that with a few exceptions, we don’t really have mild swears in French, it’s usually either tame or strong, so translators often go for the stronger option when a scene needs the extra punch, with sometimes hilarious results.

Anyway, let’s move on. I’m putting this above screenshot in English because this guy seems to have an accent or something, which is absent in the French version. Although that does seem to confirm the previous mention of accents in the FF world, which is a neat bit of lore.

If you go back to the area where two kids are playing on the train tracks, you can rescue the little girl after she falls and nearly gets crushed by a train, because apparently Squall just wasn’t sexy enough, so he also has to save adorable little girls to make women will swoon some more. More relevantly, after the girl thanks you, a model train appears to bring some news, which apparently travel very fast in Timber.

In English, it says the girl was saved “in the nick of time” by a brave young man. The French version make sit a bit more grisly, saying she was saved “from a horrible death”.

If you talk to this girl a couple times, she’ll tell you a story about how she was nearly hit by a train and was saved by a very handsome man named Loire (guess it runs in the family) and how he was the man of her dreams and Squall presumably starts feeling nauseated and ddoesn’t understand why. In French, she tells the same story but oddly, she can’t remember his name as well, and calls him La Gooma instead.

And now we move on to Dollet, where there is quite a bit to look at. First thing of note is this guy and his sister; they have quite a bit to say, but the reason I bring him up is that at some point in the French version (and only that one as far as I’m aware), he name-drops Corto Maltese by saying he wants to be a sailor, like him.

For anyone who may not be aware, Corto Maltese is the titular character from a cult classic Italian adventure comic series by Hugo Pratt. Even though it never really became a huge mainstream name, it was still very popular, especially in the seventies it seems. As a result, you probably won’t be surprised to hear it often gets pretty psychedelic, not to mention the art style is rather unusual (but gorgeous) to begin with.

Corto is indeed a sailor, although I don’t remember him ever actually doing much sailing (not that I have read many of the albums although I do recommend them), to the point that in the movie adaptation (which, much like the comics, is excellent yet very obscure), he claims his sailor hat was a gift, and he always ends up embroiled in massive adventures and conspiracies, somewhere between Indiana Jones and James Bond.

And as I alluded to, although the comic is pretty famous, it’s still fairly obscure so it’s pretty amazing to see it brought up in Final Fantasy of all things.

If you talk to this kid, whom is playing hide-and-seek, he tells Squall to go away in both versions, but there’s a slight difference. In English, the kid calls him “mister,” which surprises Squall a bit and he replies that he’s only 17. In French though, the kid calls the group “old guys” and Squall understandably gets more upset about it. Either way, I do love how that’s one of the few things that gets him to explicitly react to what an NPC is saying. Guess even he can’t always be above vanity.

Here’s a bit I love. When you talk to the guy in the green vest and you tell him the town hasn’t changed, he then starts to recognize you as the kids who were being chased the giant robot spider (or robo-crab, as the French version puts it). You then get two options. The English ones are fairly standard: either “don’t know” or “can’t say who, but we know.”

The French one got a bit cute with it, and your choices are “Not at all, What robo-crab?” and “It was our brothers and sisters...”. If you pick the first answer, it’s also different. In English, he just says it’s his job to make repairs. In French, he says “forget it, I got you confused with those 3 kids who destroyed the town”.

Not sure why he’s blaming it on them though, considering it’s Galbadia who did it during the whole “invasion of your dukedom that these kids actually helped stop” thing. At most you could argue Seifer disobeying orders is what led to the Galbadians launching the robot, but that wouldn’t be the other kids’ fault. Also, that’s something to think about when you talk to that little girl by the beach who says she wants her mommy back.

But anyway, if you pick the other option, he more or less says the same thing, except in French, he of course says to tell their siblings they owe the town money and on top of that, while the English version has him mention the specific sum of  1 370 000 gils, the French one rounds it out to 1 000 000.

Next is the painter’s house. Couple things here. First, in the French version, the grandpa explicitly says he’s going to spank the kid if he keeps messing with his paintings, whereas the English version had him says something about “cuchi-cuchi-coo” his neck, which frankly sounds worse. However, in both versions, in the last part of this quest, the grandpa does mention tickling the kid as “punishment”.

Also, in the English text, the kid says adding the white bones are his way of expressing himself and to be novel and original. In French, he just says that in comics, dogs always have a bone in their mouths, so why couldn’t Rex have one?

Finally, after you’ve ended the quest, the grandpa gives different lines depending on versions. In English, he figures that maybe he should have played with the kid more so he wouldn’t be so bored and trying to get his attention, but that he’s too old for sports, and is considering poker instead (so card games other than Triple Triad do exist in this universe!).

In French, he says he’ll stop including dogs on his landscapes and that he’ll try painting cats instead, though he’s afraid the kid will start painting fish bones.

Also, while the kid feels like he’s grown a little from being able to express himself in English, the French one says he’s gonna stop his pranks and that he wants to be a veterinarian, now.

In the bar, there are some changes in what the guy in the white shirt says. In English, he says it’s nice to have a drink after work, and his friend asks him what he’s talking about since he’s always drinking there. Then, if you talk to him again, either he or his friend drunkenly mentions playing ball.

In French, it’s kind of the opposite, as he asks for his last drink of the day, only for his friend to point out it’s only 7 in the morning (which still seems early to start drinking to me, but hey, you do you and your liver problems). Bizarrely, if you talk to him again, he says it’s time for his first cognac of the day, and his friends asks what he’s talking about since he finished the bottle an hour ago.

Speaking to the friend, we have a choice. In English, the prompt is “Yeah, that’s so true...” and the choices are “What is?” and “Yeah... sure...”. If you pick the first, he says life is nicer during peacetime. If you pick the second, he advises not to eat off the floor.

In French, the prompt is roughly “I needed that” and the answers are “What?” and “that hits the spot”. If you pick the first, he asks how many drinks an hour make you an alcoholic. If you pick the second, he says he doesn’t feel too good.

Boy, that sure was a rousing conversation! Let’s talk to the lady on the left.

In both versions, she laments the fact that the rich young men in the dukedom are all married, then asks Squall what he thinks of her. Surprisingly, the answers are the exact same in both versions, but the woman’s reactions are quite different.

In English, picking “you’re very attractive” has her say maybe she should go for older men. In French, it has her say that while it’s true, only perverts like her. And then there’s the much ruder “Are you really a woman?!”. In English, she tries to laugh it off, saying she’s not his type, only to turn around and mumble to herself, wondering how Squall know (s)he was a man. Her French counterpart gets more offended, complaining about all the men she spends at beautician. After she turns around, she makes the more subtle remark that he must have a 6th sense.

WELP. Not opening THAT can of worms.

Next, that female NPC who says she’s window-shopping. In English, she then asks Squall if he has a problem with that (not sure why he would, but okay). In French, she asks him if he wants to buy her something.

In the town Square, we have this guy. In French, he says that due to taxes as a result of hiring SeeD, he’s gonna have to sell his cards collection, which is far nicer than in English, where he said "Better get ma young bride and start havin’ children”. What the actual fuck, dude?!

In the hotel, the two employees have a weird accent which I think is supposed to be vaguely German, but I’m not sure. In the English version, only the one in the back has any sort of special speech pattern, and it’s just a habit of saying “y’all”. Either way, more accent shenanigans.

And here we have one of the strangest differences yet, to the point it actually caught me off guard because I didn’t remember that text in French at all, and for good reasons since it says something completely unrelated! Right, so if you beat that guy in the upper floor of the bar, he’ll invite you to his private room(or secret room in French), where he’ll give you some cards and you can find some of other stuff.

There are also several piles of books, and when checking one of them, you’ll find what is presumably the previous owner’s diary telling a truly harrowing tale of meeting a woman who kept beating him at Triple Triad, eventually marrying her and having a daughter with her, but it ends with her trying to save their daughter from drowning, only to drown herself. It ends with the bleak statement that neither the daughter or he himself can comprehend their loss. Jesus Christ! Even for a Final Fantasy game, that’s dark.

But in the French version, it seems to just be a collection of random thoughts. For example, it first says that his son is studying the Sorceress War (one of the few times Sorceresses are referred to as such in French, instead of “priestesss”), and how he doesn’t understand any of it in spite of having lived it, then he ponders why extraterrestrials in movies always look like animals, and that maybe it’s because humans are bestial in nature as well, concluding that being at the pub sometimes feel like being at a zoo.

It just fascinates me that it could be so different. I can’t fathom what caused this and it’s one of those things that really makes me curious about other versions.

To make this even more baffling, if you check another book pile, the text is very similar, including a bit about Laguna coming along and getting his ass kicked at cards. Interestingly though, in the English version, he can’t quite remember his name, simply remembering it started with Lag, and says an easy win doesn’t leave much of an impression, but in French, he calls him La Gouma and says he’s a “nice guy, but sucks at cards”.

And now we can continue onward to Deling City! First little thing, when asking Caraway about Edea, in the French text, he says that he fears her influence will lead to “a new world war”. Now, the French version does use the term “sorceress war”, so it’s interesting to see him also refer to it as a world war, and it seems fitting for a serious military type.

Another interesting tidbit comes when you ask him about Esthar. For starters, in English, he says that Esthar took over the world under Adel, which isn’t mentioned in French and I don’t remember being said at any other point. This makes me wonder if that was a strange decision on the English translator’s part, but that does make sense as Esthar making it to part of the Galbadian continent would explain why they’re even at war, why Galbadia started invading other countries and forcing them into their army, and even why Galbadian people where paranoid of Sorceresses before Edea.

At the same time, the French version also has an interesting detail, where they mention that even after Esthar went silent, relationships between the two nations remained strained, alluding to the situation turning from a world war to a cold war situation. He also theorizes that perhaps this is due to Galbadia being jealous of Esthar’s technological success and the efficiency of their democracy. Compelling, although I do wonder how Galbadia would know about “the efficiency of Esthar’s democracy” since it stopped all contact with the outside world right after Adel was dethroned.

There isn’t a huge difference in what the various NPCs say, but this one’s pretty intriguing. In French, she just says that she heard a sorceress can transfer her powers to the person of their choosing. In English though, she explicitly says that she learned in the Garden that any person can receive a sorceress’ power, and I thought that’s obviously wrong since it’s stated multiple times that only women can inherit such powers,

But just as I thought that, the next speech box has her explain that while she did go to Garden, she wasn’t a very good student, which would explain why she wouldn’t have gotten it completely right.Cleverly done. Also, I like the implication that the average person isn’t all that aware of exactly what sorceresses are and how their powers work. It’s an interesting treatise on the link between fear, admiration and ignorance.

In fact, reading what the Deling City citizens have to say about Edea and how they blindly believe she’ll lead the country to greatness because she’s tough, promises a renaissance for their country and that even the smaller guys wild be able to make it is fascinating in general... and disturbingly true to real dictatorships.

There’s a small difference I find amusing where in English, one NPC says that people like Edea because “people follow strength, not charisma” whereas contrariwise, the same guy says in French that “Edea is much more charismatic than old Deling”.

ANd here’s a guy who straight-up calls Edea their Messiah in French!In Eglish, he just says he now know he has to abide by Edea after feeling a surge of energy during the parade (which might allude to at least partial mind control).

And finally, we finish with this NPC, whom in the English version, says she’s been sending Edea fan mail daily, but in French, she says, that she hopes Edea will publish a magic cookbook. Which does sound awesome, but unlikely. To be fair, what she says is literally “book of magical recipes”, so she may be referring to like, potions and stuff, but I prefer to believe she means how to use magic to enhance the flavour of your dishes.

And so we reach the end of our first part dedicated entirely to side content and my God there was way more stuff to cover than I ever expected. I hope you enjoyed it because I certainly found a lot of these differences very interesting. As always, if you enjoyed this post, reblogging it would be very appreciated, do not hesitate to commentate or send me asks, maybe even suggest things you’d like to see that I may have missed, and I’ll be seeing you next time for part 19, where we return to Balamb City. Have a nice day, everyone!

[hisuperb]

Interview - Seiyuu Grand Prix, June 2018 issue

The freshly debuted idol unit Hi!Superb make its appearance in SeiGura! They say they're a new wave group in which the characters and respective actors are in sync. Just, what kind of guys are the apparently, increasingly popular Hi!Superb? The 5 members were directly interviewed.

「An array of members of unique types, from sexy to cute! 」

Q. Please, introduce yourselves first!

Mitani: I'm the clear-headed, positive leader from Naniwa, LEO! The most experienced among the members, I think he wants to lead them with that positive attitude since he's been through a lot.

Takizawa: RYO-kun's catchphrase is "Natural airhead doggie". He has a bright and friendly personality and is the baby of the family. It'll be easier to imagine if you think of a small dog. (lol)

Oomi: OMI-kun is an intellectual, diligent, genuine oddball. Usually quiet, but once up on stage seems to change into someone capable of fierce performances. Perhaps that's why they say oddball. (lol)

Sukegawa: I'm Sukegawa, the good at being spoiled, streetwise MAGURA. MAGURA-kun is definitely the leader of instagrammable life trend and someone who loves sweet things. It is said that his "feminine abilities" are on a higher level than expected, but truth is that he has also a cool and attractive side of him.

Yoshitaka: I'm the one who plays as SION, Yoshitaka Shion. The catch copy is "Mysterious, sexy trilingual ",,, I'm called sexy, but I'm still not confident about that, myself, ahah. I'm half chinese and lived there till 6. Does that worldview hold something mysterious? 

Q. Everyone is really unique, uh~ Well then, next, please show us what you find attractive in each other!

Sukegawa: Well, then let's go with Leader (Mitani Reo) first! Reo-kun is very friendly, but if I had to decide among the rest, he's a reliable person.

Yoshitaka: Truth to be told, I'm not a good dancer, but Leader showed me a lot of things. Before going up on stage, he tosses off a gag or a joke to ease our tension. He's the ideal leader.

Mitani: Gee, you're making me blush, ahah. Then, next up is Ryo. Ryo gives off a jack-in-the-box left open kind of vibe. (lol)

Oomi: Just him alone is bright and lively enough. The atmosphere of the places he is at gets bright in the blink of an eye, he's really a godsend.

Takizawa: Omi-san, you know, you're weird as expected! (lol) I mean, with the actual OMI you're way too stoic. Even before a live, I see you checking the steps alone; that's amazing!

Mitani: In order to concentrate, he also practices on a different floor, ahah!

Takizawa: Magu-chan's the "purest of the purest". You can feel honesty coming from him.

Oomi: He is sensitive to a lot of things, right. And he's also fashionable, but I think he's good at reading between the lines.

Takizawa: Lastly, Yoshitaka's reaaally sexy. There are moments when I think "Is he really younger?"

Sukegawa: But in reality, he's also absent-minded. An unique gap. 

Q. It's stunning how the 5 of you get along so well, but were you able to open up immediately after your first meeting?

Sukegawa: Since there are many older members, I was honestly nervous, but everyone talked to me in a friendly way, so my worries we went away.

Yoshitaka: That's true. I always thought what nice people they were since the beginning. Even now, that hasn't changed and I cannot help but think how blessed I am to have such great members,

Mitani: Actually.... there was this one time I was worried whether we could get along or not...

Takizawa: Eh-! Are we talking about that!? (lol) Mitani: During the time we first met, we exchanged our LINE and since I was more or less the leader who represented us, I created a group chat. But then, no one joined.....!

Everyone laughs

Mitani: Moreover, about two weeks later, Ryo goes "You didn't create the group chat on LINE, uh!"...... "No, no, there is one!" I say. I was hurt, ahah.

Takizawa: I told you, you got it wrong! I really didn't realize at all, sorry! (lol) 

Mitani: Ahah.

Q. What do you guys usually talk about on LINE?

Takizawa: On our days off we invite each other out to eat, for example. But, listen here! Magu-chan and Shion, the youngest combo, never come with us!

Sukegawa: You're wrong! There's a misunderstanding! (lol) I wanted to go, but there's school...!

Takizawa: WHAT! Is school more important than me? (lol)

Sukegawa: Eeh?

Oomi: Ryo-kun, you sound like a girlfriend, ahah.

Q. Your debut live was a great success, uh?

Mitani: Thank you very much! I was able to have a precious experience. The audience was really warm that even though it was supposed to be our first, I wanted to say "I'm home!". (lol) Like going back to my hometown kind of "home feeling", so to speak.

Takizawa: To be honest, I was anxious and my heart was beating fast for various reasons. However, the music, the costume and the performance too were awesome, so I had to be confident as well! And then, the audience welcomed us warmly, I had fun from the very beginning!

Q. Has there been a speech from the leader before the curtains opening?

Mitani: But of course, I'd give each one of them money.....

Everyone: No way, no way, no way! (lolol)

Sukegawa: There was no such a thing at all, ahah! When everyone formed a circle around Leader, it got us all pumped up!

Q. And finally, on May 30 "Turn into Love" will be released!

Mitani: This single is exactly what we use as a business card. It has become a single whose charm is tightly compacted.

Oomi: The intro has lighting sounds, but it's cool enough to make your body tremble.

Q. What do you think about the coupling tracks "MugaMuchu☆Life" and "cutie, cutie"?

Yoshitaka: If Turn into Love expresses our cool and attractive side, MugaMuchu☆Life shows Hi!Superb's cuteness; it's becoming a song tightly filled with honest feelings for the fans such as "I'll work hard in order to become a man worthy of you, so watch over me!". I'll be happy if you enjoy the gap.

Takizawa: And "cutie, cutie" is a song with warm words of kindness that wraps the fans with our caring feelings.

Oomi: Regardless of gender, I think this single will reach the hearts of those who are not confident and feel depressed.

Q. I heard that the music video is also amazing.

Mitani: That's right! Making ise of the latest techniques, the final result is pretty cool. Of course we couldn't lose to the flashiness of the mise en scène, so we tried our hardest to show our auras through the fingertips. Omi-chan danced too much that he dirtied his clothes.

Oomi: The dresser got angry....

Takizawa: There's a story behind, a pretty cool & sexy result; I think you'll fully enjoy our charm!

Q. — I look forward to seeing it! Furthermore, the broadcast program "Hi!SuPunch!!" has aired, so what kind of content do you want to show in the future?

Mitani: I'd like more people to know our existence, and we would also like a program that'll make us develop as the group Hi!Superb! Anyway, I also wanna show funny stuff!

Takizawa: I'll do anything! (lol) I want to go to various locations!

Oomi: I want to experience something I haven't.

Takizawa: Like, bungee jumping?

Yoshitaka: Sounds nice, I wanna do it!

Sukegawa: Count me out...! I don't think I can jump....

Yoshitaka: I'd prefer a haunted house, for example... I'm the type that can make it out expressionless, so I'll be fine maybe.

Takizawa: Eh–?! Really?!

Yoshitaka: Expressionless is a bit of an exaggeration, ahah.

Mitani: With were the conversation is going, did you decide to challenge yourselves with quite extreme things? I can't wait to see that! (lol) I also say it myself, but I think all the members have personality and talent. Since our charm is one with our performance, if you think you were deceived, we'd be happy if you came to our lives!

We heard about their freshly debuted. What have you felt as "the best!", recently?

[thebiggestnaturaldisaster]

Part 1

Aizawa ended the class with a goodbye and curled up into his sleeping bag to take a nap. You packed up your things and waved goodbye to your bestfriends as you skipped out of the classroom to go meet your boyfriend. You met him outside I underneath one of the towering trees giving him a hug and quick kiss as Katsuki and Ochako walk by waving as they keep talking to each other. You walked hand in hand with your boyfriend back to your house. Before you knew it he had to leave and you had to go to bed for school the next day.

You wake up the next morning stretching. It didn't take you long before you were ready and out the door on your way to school. You put your headphones in as you ignored the busy streets around you as you made your way closer and closer the the large gates of Yuuei.

"Ryo!" You called out cheerily skipping up to your boyfriend as you removed the headphones from your ears. He was part of the general studies class so you weren't very familiar with any of his friends even though you had been dating for a couple of months. He gave you a kiss on your forehead as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders. The two of you were walking to your class when you figured you should remind him of something.

"Ryo-kun, don't forget I'm walking home with Katsuki today because we'll be studying for a hero exam." You told him, a smile on your face. He nodded in acknowledgment as you both stopped in front of your classrooms door. With a peck on the lips he says good luck and leaves towards his own classroom. Sliding the door open you scan the room seeing everyone talking to their normal groups. You looked for Katsuki your heart dropping slightly as he was talking to Ochako. You loved Ochako she was one of your best friends but you couldn't help but feel a little jealous. You couldn't help but have a crush on the angry ash blonde boy although you didn't want to feel that way. You were pretty sure he was dating Ochako anyway and you, Ryo so it all worked out right?

You were so lost in your thoughts and trying to drown your feelings that you didn't notice the bubbly girl walk up to your desk. She hugged you giggling when you slightly freaked out. You guys chatted for a few minutes about your upcoming exam before Mr. Aizawa walked in sleepily and told you all to get in your seats the day passed by slowly as you fought to pay attention to the lessons being taught by your various teachers. You tried but you couldn't help but zone out getting lost in your thoughts.

Your subconscious was taking taking notes as you were focused elsewhere your eyes focused on nothing as class ended. You could hear people talking but you didn't tune into anything since you doubted it was anything to do with you. That was until you felt heat blast roughly hit your shoulder. Jumping you notice Katsuki's hand next to your shoulder. You scowled realizing he gently used his his quirk on you and you playfully hit his arm his grumpy face not changing.

"Fucking let's go we need to study." He said his voice impatient his eyes focusing on your frame as he watched you pack up.

You moved quickly and then got up signaling him to follow you as you two strolled out of the school laughing and talking enjoying each other's company. The streets were busy with people talking and just trying to get where they're going. You were trying to keep pace with Katsuki when a flood of people walked towards you. You lost sight of your fast angry friend and you were sure he wouldn't notice you weren't by his side. That was until you felt a hand wrap surely around your wrist. Assuming your worst you started to panic about the hit the mystery person until you turned and face them and you saw the culprit. He noticed. He grabbed you. And he was annoyedly dragging you behind him.

"Tch take my eyes off you for one damn second." He scolded refusing to release your wrist as he carefully dragged you behind him. It was his way of caring he may not be very forward about caring about others but he has his own way of showing. You laughed trying to keep his pace that is until you spot a little old house with a curious sign in front of it. Stopping dead in your tracks your stare at the building curiously gaining an irritated sigh from the red eyed boy still gripping your wrist.

"What is it now?" He asks irritably as he follows your glance to the small building. Reading the sign he scoffs.

"Come on Katsuki can we please please please go see the fortune teller?!" You begged similarly to how a child begs its parent for a toy. He groaned in annoyance and with a roll of his eyes as the two of you made your way across the street. You could barely contain your excitement as you sped up and started dragging his built frame.

The little bell jingled softly as you walked in the smell of cinnamon played at your noses as your eyes took in the sights. Books everywhere, stones and gems, objects you've never seen. You twirled as a wide smile crept into your face until your eyes locked with red irises.

"Kaachan! Isn't this place amazing!?" You questioned the individual with unwavering glee. All he could bring himself to do was shrug until his eyes caught something to the side of the two of you. A human figure obscured by a thin curtain was approaching. The curtain moved aside unveiling an older woman with plump cheeks and smiling eyes.

"Ahh I'm glad you enjoy my shop young lady, your boyfriend as well." She greeted kindly causing your face to flare and a subtle pink to dust his cheeks. You frantically tried to explain that you aren't dating him which just caused him to roll his eyes and give you both a small 'Tch.' Putting his hand on the top of your head to get you to stop talking.

"Ah well my apologies to the both of you! What can I do for you?" She didn't seem particularly convinced but wasn't going to press on. Technically. Katsuki just shrugged and gestured to your frame, that was wiggling with excitement, while his eyes scanned over the large room again.

"I was curious but now I'd have to ask! Would you be able to show us something please?!" You nearly begged the woman who's gaze and smile never faltered through the entire interaction. She thought for a moment, unknown to you though, she was thinking of a way to find the truth. The truth!

"Hmm I have the perfect thing in mind please follow me." She seemed excited a smirk playing at her lips while her back turned to you. You followed quickly not questioning it at all. Katsuki on the other hand was tense, his eyes scanning for potential threats and then to you and back again a continuous cycle that you oblivious to.

She stopped at a table and instructed the two of you to sit down and hold a hand out to her, making sure have it be the opposite hand of eachother. She gently took hold of your hands excitement coursing through your body, and skepticism coursing through Kaachan's.

"Honesty and Loyalty are key. If two people can be honest with each other about everything, that's probably the biggest key to success.* But it's more than being honest with others you must also be honest with yourself." She spoke confidently her voice like a peaceful melody. Her hands glowing brighter with every word. Every syllable. You were entranced, couldn't look away the glow was warm and comforting it felt safe. Bakugo disagreed. While he did find it pretty he was worried he didn't trust it but he couldn't bring his body to yank his hand away, or even to pull you out of the woman's gentle grasp.

The glow subsides and she releases your hands a tingling sensation engulfing your body as you smiled excitedly.

"The hell was that?!" Katsuki asked nearly yelling. Small explosions coming from his hands involuntarily. You placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as an attempt to calm him down. Thankfully it was successful.

"Ehh Kaachan please calm down it felt nice it was relaxing wasn't it?" You cooed gently as he muscles relaxed and his quirk deactivated. With a sigh of relief you smile and turn your attention back to the kind lady and apologize.

"Oh not a problem dear! Are you sure you two aren't dating though it'd be cute you know." She stated matter-of-factly the smirk playing at her lips once again.

"Ahh yeah we are only friends-" your words were cut off by an cry of pain coming from your friend. Snapping your head in his direction you see him curled over in pain. Seeing your usually tough friend in such pain is new. It's scary. Without thinking you go to embrace him slightly. A way for you to find out what's wrong and comfort him. The instant you make contact with his body the pain vanishes as quickly and inexplicably as it had come.

"What the hell just happened ?!" He yelled at the fortune teller. You smacked him upside the head carefully.

"How would she do that?! Her quirk is used when making contact remember?" You asked him aggravated by his assumption. Worry not leaving your chest.

"Ahh no it's alright, while I didn't cause it I'm glad to see you're alright now!" She said as the three of you stood up and the two of you left but not before she shot you a wink and reminded you to be honest. Heading back to your house to study talking the entire time.

Days had passed you had told Ryo the funny story though whenever you talked about it he seemed a little off. A couple more episodes of excruciating pain had come to him. As suddenly and seemingly randomly as the first.

"Uraraka no I don't like Katsuki!" You started to tell her as she asked for the umpteenth time. Just as you said that you heard an all too familiar yelp. The pain was back. You knew he was with his squad though so you didn't run to aid like you usually would if he were alone. Uraraka didn't believe you and that was made obvious by her raised eyebrows.

"Alright alright yes I like him!-" your words were cut off for a split second as you heard him. The pain has stopped suddenly as usual. You understood. The truth. "-But he doesn't like me back we are too close! Plus I have Ryo it would be too complicated..."

BZZT

Looking at your phone you saw a text from Ryo.

RyRy: (Y/N) we need to talk can I come over tonight?

You reply with a yes but you feel your stomach sinking. Those words are never good.

Later that night you are sitting on your bed studying when you hear the doorbell ring. You jump up and head to the door opening it to reveal an anxious Ryo. You invite him in and the two of you head back to your room.

"Listen (Y/N) I'm sorry about the text it's just that-."

**** KATSUKI'S POV *****

Damn Uraraka's bed is like a cloud.

"Katsuki? Earth to explosion boy!What is it you wanted to talk about?" She yelled pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Damn right shut up will you!? It's about (Y/N)-" Istarted now having her complete and undivided attention. "- I like her a lot but I know she loves that Ryo kid. It kills me but I want her happy. How do I change these fucking feelings I have for the damn brat?"

I hated to show this or talk about this with anyone but if anyone knew (Y/N) it'd be her. (Y/N). God damn the way she smells feels like home. The way her eyes trap me like a snare. The way her lips curl into that signature smile. She's amazing.

"Bakugo you need to man up! This isn't the you we all know and actually kind of love." She whisper yelled at me.

This went on for a while before I got tired and went home. I still have no idea what to do.

****** back to where we were *****

"-that I know you don't like me anymore. At least not as much as you like HIM." He said with a sneer. You were at a loss for words. Was it that obvious? Were you that easy to read?

"I'm not mad. It hurts but I'd rather see you happy with the guy you really like than see you settle on second best. You're an amazing person. You deserve to be with the guy you truly want to be with. Don't wait for my sake. Get him for your own." His words were hard his voice choking back the emotions his eyes shone with. The tears threatening to fall as he leaned in planting one final kiss firmly on your forehead. He turns and walks away before your can say anything.