#ALSO MINAMI i love him too | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

doublechocolate · 11 months ago

Text

Haibara dissecting Conan/Shinichi like he's some kind of experiment ksjksjf

I think it was around this time when I started to seriously ship them. Haibara, at this stage, was still given the "cold and mysterious" status of a character but the story didn't shy away from showing us how her empathy extended beyond her own needs. She was well aware of Conan/Shinichi's pain, and also Ran's, because she finds herself to be in that same position as them, and has gone through layers of her own emotional turmoil by this point to recognize this.

But more than that, it's blatantly obvious here that if there's anyone who can understand Conan, it's her. There's a level of understanding between them that's deep and personal. And yes, Conan has that with others too, you can argue that, but what he has with Haibara is slightly different. You see, their "friendship" was born out of pain and trauma. They were each others' "doom", in a sense. Haibara created the APTX4869 drug while Conan failed to save Akemi. They saw the sides of each other that others haven't and had to learn to trust each other in their own way. Slowly, they grew to understand one another and from doom, they became each others' hope.

(Long rambling under cut)

There are many instances of Conan being able to understand Haibara's thoughts by merely watching her actions but to me, the one that stood out the most was none other than m26 Black Iron Submarine (not canon to you but canon to me) when they were underwater and Haibara is about let Conan's hand go but he pulls her back up. The entire conversation takes place inside their heads yet they knew exactly what each other was saying. Remember that post I made about them being drift-compatible?

That's why I think Conan is still unaware just how big of a presence Haibara is in his life. He came close to that in m26 but with Pinga, BO and Haibara's kidnapping, he didn't exactly have the time to sit and ponder over it. Surely people (non-shippers) would chalk it up to you, "aakchuallyyyy he just needs her for the antidote". But... are you sure? Are you really, really sure that that's all he is to her? Is that all you understand about Conan/Shinichi as a character? Even Takayama Minami and Hayashibara Megumi commented on how Conan losing his cool and becoming short-tempered when Haibara got kidnapped was unusual of him. In their opinion, the only reason why Conan calmed down was because of Agasa and how the Prof almost risked doing something reckless to save Haibara. Only then Conan realized he needed to remain calm to keep Agasa in check.

And also, Haibara noticed Pinga and Vodka's presence in the hotel first but Conan only noticed when Haibara was in danger. His train of thought literally went; something happened to Haibara -> it's the Organization -> oh shit they've taken her. Like, hello?? Excuse me?? What is this soulmate-level telepathy going on here right in front of my salad??

I've ~kinda~ mentioned this before in a passing before, but CoAi lowkey reminds me of SyaoSaku (from CCS) but in a different font - a more painful and (perhaps) tragic one. Haibara being Syaoran's counterpart, and Conan being Sakura's counterpart. Example; Sakura's infatuation for Yukito was loud and out there, literally everyone knew about it too (Conan/Shinichi with Ran). Meanwhile, Sakura's love for Syaoran was already growing quietly within her. She was showing signs of it but was too distracted to realize it, until the time came when Syaoran was going to leave Japan and return to Hong Kong. All of a sudden it hit her like a train that it was too painful to let him go (Conan/Shinichi with Haibara/Shiho).

This is why I'm convinced that when all of this is over, Conan will have to face the reality of just what Haibara means to him. It doesn't matter if Aoyama doesn't want to explore this, or chooses to address this in a different way. It's his story, he can do what he wants. But personally for me? I know Conan simply cannot go back to his original life as Kudou Shinichi anymore. He's too far changed, forced to recognize the grayness in a world he deemed black and white, empathize with people he would have classified as "criminals" in the past, and live a life of white lie even it meant hurting the people he cared for the most - in short, Conan/Shinichi simply cannot go back to being the same person he was before Tropical Land. And the one person we know for sure who will be able to understand him despite all of this, is Haibara.

I saw a comment once saying that CoAi/ShinShi are supplementary and wouldn't work. I disagree because I think they are more of a narrative foil. Haibara's existence in Conan's life taught him that he isn't invincible (failure to save Akemi) and that not everyone from the Black Organization are cold-blooded assassins. Haibara had her life and freedom stolen from her. Conan, otoh, taught Haibara to live. To not run away from life and to learn to trust people again. All the important people in life left her at some point, but Conan was the only one who kept coming back for her when she chose to give up, holding her hand as tightly as he can.

Conan, the boy who has everything. Haibara, the girl who lost everything. Conan, the boy who keeps trying to dig deeper into the viper's nest. Haibara, the girl who has lived in the viper's nest trying to pull him back from diving further. Conan, the boy who wants to keep tempting fate to save his friends. Haibara, the girl who is willing to die to save her friends. Conan, the boy who thinks his actions of holding back his love is immature. Haibara, the girl who understands his pain enough to know he is anything but. Conan, the boy whose life changed because of the drug Haibara created but in a way also saved his life (Gin chose to not shoot him in the head but fed him the drug instead). Haibara, the girl who lost her sister because Conan couldn't save her but now he'd do anything to make sure she stays alive.

Whether you ship them or not, or see them merely as friends, you can't deny that they play huge roles in each other's lives. We know that when the end comes, Haibara will be willing to let Conan go. She might have already prepared herself for this, even, because Ran is the last person she'd want to hurt at this point. Her resemblance to Akemi is too strong now and she knows Ran adores her a lot too. And from that scene above, we know Haibara feels the same pain Ran and Conan/Shinichi are going through.

But. Will Conan be able to do the same? Can he simply let go of Haibara and return to his old life? Even if Haibara/Shiho does remain in his life, when the dust is settled, can he truly move on from the person whom he has experienced so many life and death encounters with, and in a way, shaped him into becoming the person he is today?

We know the love is one-sided now because we're almost always seeing it from Haibara/Shiho's perspective. But how can we be so sure that something isn't growing deep down in Conan/Shinichi's heart too? If it's something subtle and quiet like the flap of a butterfly's wings now, eventually growing into something that could literally change the course of his life?

If you understand Conan/Shinichi as a person, beyond the shipping lenses, then I think the answer is already obvious.

"It's not cause the creator said so. They're just friends and Shinichi already confessed to someone else". Okay, like I said, the creator can do whatever he wants with his story. I AM choosing to read between the lines based on what that same creator has presented to us. I'm also always reminded of the Akai/Jodie/Akemi love story and how that panned out. I'm saying, things can happen because feelings are complex and sometimes you go through experiences in life that changes you inside out. Both Akai and Conan have had their lives stained by the Black Organization.

Not to mention that, in terms of their personalities, CoAi/ShinShi's relationship are quite a stark parallel to Yuusaku and Yukiko's relationship as well. What Conan/Shinichi needs is someone who can match his level of eccentricity yet at the same time call him out when his head floats too high in the clouds. Haibara is that person. And the best part about it is she didn't even have to change herself to match him - that's pretty much her personality already. Fitting in exactly like a puzzle piece.

Anyway, this is long-winded already. i'll stop rambling here. Also, if this breaches containment and reaches a non-shipper/anti and you have something negative to say, please do me a favor and be a mature person. Leave this post and let's both live in peace.

Love you, CoAi nation, bye!

#i had something similar about kaishin and kaishi too #but that's for another day #coai #shinshi

360 notes · View notes

randomreadingtimewithtsuki · 5 months ago

Note

Do you have any friendship headcannons for Senku and a 21st century de-lithified reader?

(Some plot points if it's not too specific and within your wheelhouse: Loves the hard sciences to the point of once heading a science club. More versed in the theory than in application though. Could be described as the token extravert and psychology geek.)

Hello!

I sure do! As an engineer, i sure do have some HC!

Thank you for requesting! I hope this is of your liking, please let me know what you think!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were de-petrified, thanks to the Minami - she remember you made the headlines for a perfect score on a mock test to a renowned university.

Senku needed some help with the math and to guide everyone to build stuff, so, it was reassuring for him to have you around.

And thus, you came around to the science team!

Senku tested your knowledge right away. Of course, you knew what he was talking about when he mentioned the theory behind the GPS but...

Would it really work? Calculating and building are two very different things.

You knew it wasn't going to be a modern GPS but still....

You were a little scared of your teammates reaction - you knew all the theory, physics, chemistry, all of it, but you never actually built something.

To your surprise, no one really cared about your lack of experience. Senku said " And? that's why we have the building team and the gorilla team. If it goes wrong, we just have to adjust."

This kind of reassured you. Knowing that Kaseki was a very good craftsman with a decent knowledge of " this will not work" in the practical side of the story, it put your anxious heart at ease.

Senku also mentions that he, himself, did a lot of trials and error. So no need to worry about it!

As time went on you gained confidence on your theoretical knowledge and helped Senku in tons of projects.

You helped him calculate, consider variants, external implications and test out theories.

He also taught you a lot, about what works according to theory and what doesn't - which pretty much nothing works according to theory, that, you came to learn.

He absolutely loved having you around, you made his life so much easier.

He also enjoyed talking to you about the modern world. You knew about things that were impossible to build right now in the stone world and actually understood their purpose.

A HPLC? you knew what it was for and how important it s.

He loved it. He could lament about these equipments with you.

The thing he loved the most, was that you always had something to consider when you guys built something new. A possibility he overlooked, a procedure he forgot about, a math mistake. Anything!

Senku also enjoyed to see you grow. Getting out of your shell and doing experiments, here and there.

Chrome admired you tons too !! you knew so much!!

Kaseki also taught a few things about craftsmanship. Year of experience are golden knowledge!

If you thought you would tag a long with Senku all the time, you are wrong.

He trusted you, so when it was needed to divide the science team or needed someone with modern knowledge, you bet he placed you there.

He often said it makes things easier and quicker.

And when you met again, he expected some kind of report from you? Did things go well? He also gave you insights on his end.

Gen lowkey preferred to be tagged with you because you were kinder with the manual labor. Sometimes they had to redo things because of your lack of experience, but, He rather you anyway.

Kohaku didn't mind at all if you made mistakes while experimenting. She actually encouraged you tons!

Chrome was always learning with you, since you had to do all those experiment from scratch he took a sit next to you to learn.

Senku kinda supervised your work.

All in all, being friends with Senku while having great knowledge in science is fun.

You guys chat a lot about the modern world technology and what you wish you had.

You also had long and confusing discussion ( in the eyes of some) about theories.

Sometimes you went on a tangent, making the project a bit late, going deep into the night.

That's when Gen shined, telling you both to go to sleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for reading!

#dr stone #dr stone x reader #senku ishigami #Senku x platonic!reader #senku x reader

91 notes · View notes

gamerism · 3 months ago

Text

pirate game rambling and thoughts, including ending stuff

majima gaiden/pirate yakuza/pirates in hawaii or whatever other stupid name you want to call it feels to me like a culmination of everything rgg studio has learnt from the critical reception of yakuza 6, the majima saga in kiwami 2, kiryu's gaiden and kiryu's story in infinite wealth even. in regards to how it handles majima, who is present in his story (saejima, nishida, minami all get screentime), how the ending is approached, and so much more.

i can find so little fault with it as a send off for the character. the pacing of the story is good, it stays a little longer than kiryu gaiden did (as much as i love the length of that game, it wouldnt be bad to have an extra few hours of story) but doesn't get bogged down by wasting too long on tangents or taking so long to tell its story you start to forget the details of the early game (i love yak 0 and IW but this is a problem). everything in the final chapter was just awesome, one amazing scene after another. and that post credits scene....oof.

i know some folks are already crying to the heavens that majima's characterisation is destroyed here or that hes just reset to yakuza 0 but i humbly disagree with both. we see a different front from majima than just the mad dog, same as we did in 0 (and even kiwami 2 saga honestly but whatever), but that's great! majima as a character has been in a holding pattern since 1988 with how he presents himself to others and what we therefore get to see of him. yakuza 0 illustrates perfectly why this is, but its still a massive weight off to see something finally shift.

in the early game, when majima remembers the least about his past, he's the most unguarded emotionally. he hardly projects any cruelty towards others, and even then only towards those actively threatening him (or noah). majima has not been a one-note cruelty only shithead since the original yakuza 2! i don't know why some ppl are Mad when we get to actively see more of the tenderness he's capable of, but rarely shares.

i love the detail that he gets more ruthless as the game goes on. in part because the stakes just keep rising and the people he wants to protect (the rich family) are in deeper and deeper danger but also because more and more of his memories return. like that moment where he threatens rodriguez and shigaki's pinkies. chapter 1 majima wasn't acting anything like that at all. we see the cowl of the mad dog slip further and further back into place, until saejima calls majima out in one of my favourite scenes in the game.

and yet. and yet majima still remains complex and vibrant and full of multitudes after that point. he uses that classic cruelty as a tool, but he doesn't wield it with the same reckless abandon as the past, he uses it with precise precision. (this, i think reminds ppl of yak 0, as he acted much the same there). he also continues to show deep kindness to the people he's come to care about, not closing off that exposed weakness the way he would have in the past.

nor does he blow saejima off when the man calls him out to his face for chasing an impossible dream to give kiryu good health again. thus directly exposing another weakness.

i think, this is exactly what i was hoping we'd see in this (presumably) final big send off for this character. him growing past the limits of the mad dog persona. he's not transformed to a point beyond recognition, but there starts a subtle shift the moment noah approaches him on that beach, that he allows to grow within him. until we are finally presented with someone who is truly prepared for the death of the yakuza as a whole, in a way that he wasn't at the dissolution. majima 5 years prior, in the words of ichiban, had left the yakuza but it hadn't left him. he now, really feels like he's been able to move on. become someone beyond all it shaped him to be for 40 odd years. how could any fan who loves majima (as the statistics say most of us do) ask for more than that?

#lad8 gaiden spoilers #pirate yakuza spoilers #like a dragon pirate yakuza in hawaii spoilers #yakuza spoilers #ladpyih spoilers #yakuza #ramblings #rgg #goro majima #majima goro #lad pirate yakuza in hawaii #my.txt #my.stuff

27 notes · View notes

italianpersonwithashippersheart · 10 months ago

Text

Taishin reads as a neurodivergent kid whos ernest curiousity and innocent wasn't forcebily destroyed by the world.

As a neurodivergent person (90% sure currently self diagnosed only) it reads to me that Taishin was probably very loved and very sheltered. He also probably never had that many friends. The sheltering was probably a little to his detrument, but I think it's preferable to the alternative.

He is curious and ernest and eager to learn. Social situations and relationship are confusing. He also feels a lot for others. He latches onto the rules of a stan because that explains what he is feeling and the rules are simple and easy to understand and follow.

The problem of course that Takara doesn't want a stan and you can't have a close relationship (friendship or romantic) to someone you are stanning.

And also I think Taishin realized at the end that he wasn't a stan, or at least was about too, because even on the surface the idea of being a stan matches to what he was feeling. The idea of not being hable to be next to Takara or interact with him in any way made him sad.

His questions are not being answeared (as @lurkingshan pointed out here) and he doesn't know how to navigate new feelings or new situations with no guidence or knowledge of how to correctly identifying what the feeling of being in love or having a crush is.

There is only an actress for a Taishin Mom and we only saw a Mom and a sister in the phone call in the previous episodes. So I think his Mom might have been a single Mom. And he doesn't read to me as someone who is super into media or fiction or watching tv. That plus the sheltering and protecting and not having a relationship to observe probably left him very unware about love in general.

I definately agree with @lurkingshan that Takara is not answearing his questions because he wants Taishin to arrive there on his own and because of his own influence on him.

I think the new relationship between Emiri and Akira might put love and relationship in his head a little more and he will either arrive there on his own or ask for advice from someone else. Maybe Minami since she was so helpful during the welcome party.

I'm very intrigued and curious about Takara's backstory reveal next episode.

Another thing about Taishin that is very neurodivergent coded (at least in a very similar way to what I am personally used to) is that he is pretty good at realizing when he said something "weird" after he said it (he can recognize emotions and reaction in others decently well but not in himself and he is also probably used to getting reactions when he says something that other people find "weird"), but he doesn't seem to be able to recognize if something is "weird" to ask before hand.

Also the umbrella clutching at end, and how it turned to tense and stiff to exicted fidgeting. Perfection.

#ITA Original #takara's treasure #takara no vidro #i love this boy so much #i just wanted to write some thoughts down #trying to put more of my thoughts on tumblr

67 notes · View notes

worokapi · 5 months ago

Text

i hope one day we can get the full cover arts of after god

Orokapi crying makes me want to explode tbh

Volume 8's cover- he looks so goooooood I love the snake scale tie I think we need more character design like that.

A promo of volume 8 was posted without the small title card, revealing that Orokapi is actually crying. Somehow I do feel like the covering of the teary eye detracts a bit, but it is really cool symbolism and a mindblowing one to come by it on your own. If the actual covers had it like a peelaway sticker that would be pretty neat 🤯

[Vol 8 Cover] [Vol 8 Promo]

Spoiler warning up to latest english chap (67 as of current) below

In another tweet, Eno notes all the volume covers share a similar motif where the title card obscures something the character wants to hide.

アフターゴッド８巻の内容+描き下ろし内容です。 &タイトルロゴなしverのカバーをチラ見せです。タイトルロゴの位置は毎巻、「本人が隠したいもの」の位置に置いています。[Tweet Link]

Google Translate: Contents of After God Volume 8 + newly drawn contents. & A glimpse of the cover of the version without the title logo. In each volume, the title logo is placed in the position of ``something the person wants to hide.''

各巻のロゴの下に隠したもの一覧です。 1巻→目、2巻→舌、3巻→（代里子への）指輪、4巻→目、5巻→口・タヌボーグミ、6巻→ない左目、7巻→（池に投げた母の）指輪、8巻→涙 [Tweet Link]

Google Translate: This is a list of things hidden under the logo of each volume. Volume 1 → Eye, Volume 2 → Tongue, Volume 3 → Ring (for Yoriko), Volume 4 → Eye, Volume 5 → Mouth/Tanubogumi, Volume 6 → Missing left eye, Volume 7 → (Mother's thrown into the pond) Ring, Volume 8 → Tears

Thoughts/Interpretations:

Waka wanting to hide her eyes checks out especially in volume 1. Chapter 3 she exclaims she didn't want this either.

I'm not really sure why Tokinaga wants to hide his tongue; with only the context from the first two volumes one could assume it's because of the in-world thing about hiding one's face. But the specification it's the tongue with future insight, it could be an overarching thing where he technically hasn't been very truthful to others and has been lying, hiding the truth.

Minami and Yoriko canonically don't hide their engagement status, so could Minami's decision to hide his engagement ring be related to their work relationship possibly hindering their own personal lives? Snake imagery is pretty present here too. And we know later on in volume 3 what happens to him, and it literally separates the two.

Obikawa hiding his god pupils specifically is pretty self explanatory. But I'd also like to think of in chapter 32, he tells Tokinaga he doesn't want to use his god eyes on him.

Apparently there's a Tanuboo Gummy there in Waka's mouth?

Tokinaga's left eye holding a lot of secrets... the thing in his eye and his birthmark. COUGHS and chapter 66 was a massive exposition dump to be honest

The wedding ring of Yako/Furuya's mother, in which was what Furuya used to incite the death of over 80 people. I still love the drop at the end of chapter 58 where Yuma puts two and two together while his sisters ask what Furuya meant. The juxaposition of us, the audience knowing too with the child's innocence really hits the horror tenfold.

Orokapi's tearful eye, in which we see in the chapter he misses Vollof.. We also see potential parallels of Vollof in Tokinaga momentarily too from his perspective.

---

There is a photo of what Waka looks like under the cover of Chapter 1

[Image Source]

Someone replied asking if there will be plans to show the rest of the characters similarly. Eno says there's no plans right now, but maybe in the future. [Source]

I hope so! The covers are gorgeous and I'd love to see them all one day. I already adore staring at Eno Sumi's work

#after god #obikawa kiyoshi #manga covers #symbolism is cool #after god spoilers

35 notes · View notes

indigo-brainspark · 1 month ago

Note

Hi 👋 love your Apothecary Dairies X Dr Stone cross over. Soooooo~ much. 🤩

I just had one question?

Is it just Senku or do we see the rest of the science kingdom in the picture.

(Because having Kohaku trying to blend in at the palace would be hilarious. 😅 Gen would be suffering.)

Thank you for liking it!!! I'll make more snippets for it posthaste o7

As for other members of the KoS.. Senku creating the revival fluid is actually a major part of the story, with him perfecting that formula being the thing that earns him a lot of respect. Bc that is straight up wizard shit.

I'm horrible w OCs being Important, so it would only stand to reason that the people being revived would be canon petrified humans, a lot of whom are KoS members.

My first solid candidate is actually Minami!!! (the journalist who loved photography)

The idea is that Senku demonstrates the revival fluid on a couple random statues to interested nobility. Then when they ask about ppl who are good at medicine/architecture/other fields senku has mentioned as being heavily advanced, he admits he couldn't identify such people. Then suggests a reporter who had been interviewing him for science-prodigy reasons around the time of the Petrification Event, who would totally know how to find these specialists. Thus introducing Minami.

For Kohaku, now that you've mentioned it, I'm thinking of having her seek out Maomao's adoptive father to help with Ruri's illness. Except he tells her that there isn't any cure for pneumonia, just things that can lessen the pain before she dies.

This could happen before Maomao's abduction, so when she returns with Lihaku a year later, she finds Ruri is??? Completely fine????? At which point it's explained that Senku helped Kohaku make antibiotics for her. Which is what would put him on Maomao's radar.

(this plot thread also puts forth the idea of Senku and Kohaku traipsing through secluded hot spring areas only for nobility while on the hunt for sulfuric acid. and possibly meeting someone very important and very reclusive who doesn't like being identified and is already having harrowing experiences w a scientist who likes throwing herself into poison's way. im just saying that would be really funny-)

Kohaku's inclusion immediately suggests Chrome, too. But I'll be real, Maomao already has the "guy who can use local resources in practical scientific methods" market cornered. Better than Chrome does, even. So,,, he likely won't be here.

Gen. Ah, Gen. Remember what I keep saying abt Senku having no fucking manners and that cutting his plans for all the money he needs to do his projects off at the knees bc the entire chain of communication is doing everything in their power to keep him from talking directly to even a mid-ranked noble??? That's no longer an issue once Gen is here. A hundred different attendants sigh in relief. Gen is having a panic attack and doing an illiant-bray job at hiding it. Senku thinks it's lowkey hilarious.

#there is also an idea im stirring of having the base revival fluid recipe going around #ppl revived from that could include many but im mostly thinking of homura #sent in to assassinate a concubine #bc i love the idea of her pole vaulting that moat with zero shits given #ishigami senku #dr stone #dr stone kohaku #asagiri gen #the apothecary diaries #kusuriya no hitorigoto #kusuriya maomao #hokutouzai minami #dr stone minami #dcst minami

17 notes · View notes

thebroccolination · 4 months ago

Text

SCANDALS BY CULTURE

I was talking to a friend the other day about the different cultural perspectives on what constitutes a scandal in fandom. As a western fan, I’ve learned over the years that a lot of what rolls off my back can be taken quite seriously in fandoms based in countries like Thailand and Japan.

[above: former member of Japanese pop group KAT-TUN Taguchi Junnosuke following his arrest for cannabis]

As an example, take dating. In East Asia (and spreading elsewhere), the traditional arrangement between idols and their fans is that, in exchange for monetary support from fans, idols will create and uphold a Fantasy of availability and moral uprightness. Thus, dating breaks part of that illusion, which means an idol has reneged on their side of the bargain. An idol gets fame and money in exchange for the sacrifice of their private identity, in a sense. In practice, this means you can date, but you can’t get caught.

I spent eleven years in Japan and saw dating scandal after dating scandal with various degrees of backlash from fans. Naturally, female idols got the brunt of the hate and judgment.

[above: former AKB member Minami Minegeshi begging for forgiveness after breaking her company’s no-dating policy]

Minami Minegeshi is probably the most internationally well-known idol affected by a company’s no-dating policy. In her video posted over ten years ago, she told the public of her shaved head, “I don't believe just doing this means I can be forgiven for what I did, but the first thing I thought was that I don't want to quit AKB48.” As far as I know, the reaction to the video was mixed, with many even in Japan saying she didn’t need to feel that guilty about it.

In 2022, however, she announced her marriage and seems to have received a much warmer reception.

Most idols—even if they’re contractually free to Date—tend to keep things simple by hiding their relationships from the public unless they intended to marry, and even then, most of them seem to wait until their thirties or later to announce it.

Nagano Hiroshi of the Japanese pop group V6 announced to his fans through the group’s official newsletter that he intended to marry almost a decade ago. From what I saw and what was reported, the fan reaction was overwhelmingly positive and congratulatory.

Personally, I think it helped that Nagano is an enthusiastic foodie and designed his announcement to look like a menu.

Like, please look at this adorable bullshit we all got in the mail:

But it’s more likely that Nagano was a grown man in his forties by then, his fanbase was also on the older side, and his future wife, actress Shiraishi Miho, was also well-liked and close in age to him.

(Speaking of V6, fellow member Morita Go later married actress Miyazawa Rie and received equally positive reception from fans. This was even lovelier to see because Miyazawa was older and divorced with a child, and Morita’s statement included something incredibly sweet about wanting to be a stepfather just as much as he wanted to be Miyazawa’s husband. Like, goddamn! By all appearances, V6 are lovely dudes and I wish them all well. Miyake Ken even learned and taught sign language all because a deaf fan tried signing with him once and he felt bad that he couldn’t understand her! Okay, I’m done talking about V6. For now.)

As a western fan, I don’t feel any kind of way at all about anyone’s dating life unless there’s something unusual about the relationship or, y’know, allegations of abuse or bigotry. But even then, I don’t feel entitled to know anything about or have an opinion on a stranger’s personal life. I didn’t grow up with idol culture, and while I saw plenty of U.S.-based fans complain and spew hate whenever the Backstreet Boys had girlfriends, U.S. American society at large saw that as obsessive behavior, and I remember older fans encouraging distance if your personal attachment was getting too intense.

In the conversation of Should Idols Be Allowed to Date without Sneaking Around About It and Not Get Socially Executed if Caught, though, I’ve seen the general opinion growing more and more nuanced across all cultures. For many, it’s not that the old system is outdated, it’s just unfair. Why should fantasy take priority over someone’s personal life? Especially when upholding that fantasy effectively means someone is “on the clock” permanently? Isn’t that basically indentured servitude and, y’know, not a thing society as a whole should encourage?

Also, hey, what about drugs and alcohol?

I mentioned above that part of the pact idols make is maintaining an image of moral uprightness. This includes, y’know, not breaking the law.

When I was a fan of the Japanese pop groups NEWS and Kanjani8 in university, I learned about one member of both who got ejected for getting drunk underage and, infamously, kicking a cop car. I heard this and thought, “Awesome,” mostly because he kicked a cop car (based) but he was demoted hard. Even though it had arguably been the responsibility of the industry adults who were out with him and allowed/encouraged him to drink, he was dropped from debuted artist to trainee, even lower than Junior. No capital letter for him. Despite years of working to recover his reputation and rise back to debuted artist, he never did.

Over in Thailand, vaping is illegal and therefore understandably a Big Deal for many fans domestically and in surrounding countries. I can’t speak from a Thai perspective, but I once watched a documentary about the Thai prison system in which a monk solemnly told the filmmakers that he believes marijuana dealers deserve the death penalty. This led to me assuming that there’s probably a bit of a religious bias underscoring the issue.

youtube

Meanwhile, you couldn’t pay me to care if a Thai actor was caught vaping. I just saw someone vaping on the sidewalk ten minutes ago. Societally, I’ve been desensitized to most drug use, and I’ve done enough independent research on my own to see drugs and even addiction through a lens of compassion rather than judgment. At most, I’d feel mildly concerned about their lung health if it was an actor I like, but that’s their body and their choice, so I wouldn’t think badly of them in the sense of who they are as a person. Just, y’know. “Oh, they vape. Eh. I’d go for edibles. Do I have any couscous left for dinner?”

If you’ve been in Thai QL fandom for a while, though, odds are you’ve seen or heard of a case like this: I once saw an actor’s friends accidentally film him vaping on an Instagram live, and because the footage cut away so fast, interfans shared the clip on Twitter thinking it was silly that his friends were acting like they’d caught him cheerfully murdering a small animal. But of course in Thailand it’s illegal, and these actors’ reputations decide things like 1) sponsorships, 2) job opportunities, 3) fan support, and more. Thus, Thai fans quickly assembled and told interfans to delete the clips and stop talking about it. Vaping may be quietly common in Thailand, and I’m sure plenty of actors do it, but it’s best for them if we, y’know, pretend otherwise.

In a similar vein, years ago, Japanese idol and former KAT-TUN member Taguchi Junnosuke and his girlfriend were busted for marijuana, and I was on Twitter watching the fallout.

It was on the news.

After posting bail, Taguchi bowed with his forehead on the pavement for twenty seconds. For marijuana. Meanwhile, I just had a holiday in Denver where a friend offered me a range of colorful weed gummies to help me fall asleep. Whee!

But the reaction I remember seeing on the Japanese fan side of Twitter was pure anguish. Tweets like, “I had no idea he was like this,” or, “I feel betrayed,” and, “I’ll never look at him the same way.”

Because that false image they had of him was part of the facade he implicitly (and likely contractually) agreed to uphold when he took the job. Of course most fans knew he was just a regular dude, but that’s not who they loved. They loved the idol, the fantasy, and he’d betrayed them by burning the facade.

Is that system exploitative? Absolutely, if you believe it’s wrong to expect a performer to be permanently “on” without rest or the right to authenticity. But whenever I see western fans rolling their eyes and asking, “Why do they care?” and saying, “[Asian country]’s fans are insane,” then I always want to make wide gestures with my arms at the words: “CULTURAL DIVIDE.” They’re not insane, they’re just accustomed to a system we don’t have, and even within any given country you’ll find nuance in the conversations surrounding these systems. Never paint with too wide a brush. You know yourself how diverse the opinions are in your culture and country, after all.

These issues benefit so much from (respectful) discussion. Is it fair to expect a human being to hide their relationship in exchange for money? And if they choose to hide, is it truly a choice if it’s under duress? What if they choose to hide out of a desire to protect their partner from the public eye? If the system stops demanding the Fantasy, will fans still uphold the expectation?

And are drugs a moral failing? Or only certain drugs? Is morality tied to legality, and if so, does the decriminalization of a drug mean society should also adopt an attitude of leniency to the people using that drug? Where does the connection between drug use and morality come from, and should there be one at all?

I think one of the benefits of joining a fandom whose base is in a culture outside your own is that you have the opportunity to look at the world with different eyes. You meet fans of different ages with different life experiences. And you may not change your own beliefs as part of being a foreign fan, but it’s such a rare opportunity to learn why people believe what they do in such a casual setting. We’re a cooperative, adaptable species at heart, and I think we’re at our best when we find ways to connect and thrive despite or thanks to our differences.

What’s culturally scandalous to one person may not be to another, and sometimes having the opportunity to break down your kneejerk cultural judgments in very simple terms can actually lead you to questioning them yourself. Or maybe you’ll bring someone to a conclusion they’d never made before.

All because an idol got caught with a boyfriend while smoking a vape.

/long post dismount

#cultural commentary #cultural differences #discourse #fandom talk #tw drugs #tw alcohol

21 notes · View notes

lurkingshan · 1 year ago

Text

Japanese QL Corner

ICYMI: There are so many Japanese qls airing weekly, so I’m going to start posting this little round up at the end of each week. Most of these shows are on Gaga and I highly recommend watching!

Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna 2

Another great batch of episodes this week, as Kasuga and Nomoto settled into dating life, all the gals got together for various food related events, and Nagumo began seeking treatment for her eating disorder. This show is just always so compassionate with its characters, and manages to find interesting conflicts without going for high drama. I am very much enjoying seeing Kasuga and Nomoto figure out how their relationship should look now that they're dating and also how to communicate and respect each other as they make decisions. Kasuga's tendency to let Nomoto steamroll her feels harmless when it's about picking fruit or vegetables, but it won't be when it comes to making decisions about where they live and how to set up their home, so it's great they're addressing it early. It's also awesome to see them expand their circle of friends and deepen their bonds with Yako and Nagumo--I was high key jealous of the curry and s'mores parties. And Nagumo just has my whole heart. When she expressed profound relief at learning there is a name for her illness and ways to treat it, my mind immediately jumped to Rachel Bloom. Looking forward to her healing. I can't believe there is only one more batch of episodes coming, love and gratitude to @furritsubs!

Chaser Game W

I’ll keep this brief. This show was a mess, and not even in a fun way because unfortunately it was also extremely misogynistic. @twig-tea covered the major issues well in her post. Wild that this show aired simultaneously with TsukuTabe, what a dichotomy.

My Strawberry Film

This one is really not grabbing me. It feels kind of slow and muted and uncertain about what it's doing. I am not finding the mystery or the love rhombus compelling, and this week's focus on Hikaru's infatuation with Minami had me yawning and picking up my phone a lot. But it's early, I am hopeful it will pick up some steam.

Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

This was a cute episode about Sakae and Soga getting past their initial awkwardness, learning how to communicate with each other, and moving into a more intimate phase of their relationship, and I think I would have loved it if we'd gotten it two weeks ago. This should have been the episode that followed their initial confessions, but instead the show did a two week diversion into love triangle nonsense, and unfortunately, I think it really threw off the pacing and the connection to these characters for me. It just feels too late in the show for this relationship to still feel so new. We haven't had time to settle in with them as a couple, or for them to develop a strong foundation to make us root for them to overcome the coming obstacles in the final arc. Still, this episode had some delightful scenes--Soga finally paying a visit to the sauna was my personal fav, and I also enjoyed the metaphor of Sakae literally catching Soga's love (and knowing @bengiyo would lose it over another important SPORTS moment in bl). This is a show I really want to love, but something just isn't connecting.

Perfect Propose

I love this final episode and I love this show. Hiro quit his job, Kai resolved things with the shop owner and his son, and they finally got on the same page about their relationship and made out about it. 10/10 no notes for this finale. It was lovely to see Hiro finish his project and make a decision to quit the daily grind--I loved, too, that he is still in touch with his former colleagues--and we saw the change in him so quickly. He looked happier, lighter, brighter. His skin was cleared and his crops were watered! And Kai got to have his moment of catharsis too, sharing his fear that he is a burden on others and having Hiro affirm for him that he wants him in his life and he's a help, not a burden. And I loved that we got all that plus a great kiss, a bed scene (with a very cute leg cramp diversion) and a small peek at their new domestic life together. This show makes me happy and it will definitely be one I return to for rewatches.

Ossan's Love Returns

I'm of two minds on this finale. On the one hand, I really loved it as a single episode of the show, was happy with where all the resolutions landed, and was left with a very warm feeling toward the show overall. The cherry blossom scene especially really got me right in the feels; I've loved the progression of Maki and Haruta's relationship this season and I love the way they talk to each other. They have earned themselves a spot on my list of favorite drama couples who I actually believe are going to stay together. I also loved everything about the big chaotic group scene and all these characters coming together to pour love on Haruta; it felt earned after a season of him knocking himself out for all his loved ones. The end joke with Chief moving in next door, and getting a final Maki/Kurosawa battle, was *chef's kiss*. And Takegawa's perfect life partner being a cat? 10/10 no notes. I will be clutching my aroace Takegawa read tightly to my bosom.

On the other hand, the episode reinforced for me that the way we got to a lot of these resolutions didn't feel quite right. In particular, I don't think the way Kurosawa's health scare played out across the back half of the season worked, and I'm not too pleased about spending three episodes in a downbeat, tragic mode for the sake of a simple pun joke. I think the whole plot would have landed a lot better for me if the audience was let in on Kurosawa's mistake at the start and the tone of his overwrought goodbyes was farcical all the way through. Not only would that have maintained the comedic tone of the show, but we could have used that story time to better seed some of the themes of this episode with Haruta's crisis of confidence and yearning for family. I'm pretty much agnostic on Kiku and Izumi; they never sold me on that pairing but I wasn't mad about their ending.

Overall, I am very glad I jumped into this show and enjoyed the watch experience a lot, despite my quibbles with some of the overarching writing choices. The cast is amazing and all the characters make me smile. If they make another season, I'll be watching!

Bonus: Josi teki Saikatsu

I finally watched this drama this week--I held out for awhile hoping to find it in better quality, but no dice, it's 480p in the grey--and despite the potato lens I loved it so much. This is the story of Miki, a transfemme lesbian, just trying to live her life in the way she wants, and all the barriers she comes up against in that pursuit. Our story begins when her childhood friend, Goto, comes looking for his old pal in a moment of desperation and is stunned to see how she's changed. The show is only four short episodes, but they manage to paint a full picture of Miki's life at home, at work, with friends and lovers, and with her estranged family, and show us how she became who she is. Miki is whip smart and perceptive and generous, but also wary of trusting anyone after she's been let down by so many loved ones. I love her so much, and you will too. This story was written by a trans woman and it shows! Brave the 480p and check it out.

#japanese ql corner #tsukuritai onna to tabetai onna #she loves to cook and she loves to eat #chaser game w #my strawberry film #sukiyanen kedo do yaro ka #perfect propose #ossan's love returns #josi teki saikatsu #life as a girl #japanese bl #japanese gl #jdrama

98 notes · View notes

lgbtqmanga · 3 months ago

Text

New Releases Feb. 25, 2025

EAT (manga) by Nagabe

Professor Lufria has a secret: he finds pleasure in watching others eat. As a strict and intimidating law professor, this wolf hides his unusual obsession behind a stern demeanor. But when one of his students dares to bite him, it awakens a hunger deep inside him. This time, it’s not just about food—it’s about passion, intimacy, and the thrill of being devoured. Will Lufria give in to his primal desires, or will he be left endlessly craving for more?

How Do I Turn My Best Friend Into My Girlfriend? (manga) vol. 3 by Syu Yasaka

How many dates will Minami need to take Yuzu on before they can change their relationship status from “Besties” to “Lovers”? As many as it takes! With the cultural festival fast approaching, there are plenty of new opportunities for the duo to get each other’s hearts racing! Cute outfits, photo ops, a haunted house… It’s perfect! Unless a pesky romantic rival gets in the way…

I Cross-Dressed for the IRL Meetup (manga) vol. 3 by Kurano

Cross-dresser Satoshi Morinaga, using the online handle Cocoa, lives for his monthly IRL sweets meetup group, whose members have now become some of his closest friends. What started off as a way to meet fellow sweets enthusiasts, Satoshi now realizes he’s fallen hard for meetup member and fellow cross-dresser Opera, whose real name is Kosuke Chiyoda. After confronting his feelings head on, Satoshi finally admits to himself that he has feelings for Kosuke--not just when he’s cross-dressing as Opera, but also when he’s presenting as his usual self. But there’s no way Satoshi can tell Kosuke how he really feels…or can he? A poignant declaration of love before his very eyes convinces Satoshi that he too cannot hide his feelings forever. So when the summer festival comes along, he decides it’s the perfect opportunity to make his move--and cross-dressing as Cocoa is just what he needs to give himself that final boost of confidence! But will Cocoa actually be able to do it…?!

FINAL VOLUME

Love is an Illusion! - The Queen (manhwa) vol. 2 by Fargo

After a night of passion cut short, Seung-ah was shocked to discover that his Alpha boss, Do-gyeom, had gone back to her clingy lover. Seung-ah knows the whole thing is his fault, but still can’t stand to be around Do-gyeom any longer, so he does what any rational person would do: pens a letter of resignation and runs straight into the arms of another Alpha. He doesn’t think about what will happen if Do-gyeom finds out, or what secrets will be unearthed from both sides. When everything comes to a head, will Seung-ah and Do-gyeom’s relationship be able to withstand the fallout?

SANCTIFY (manhua) vol. 3 by GODSSTATION

In this world, there is good and evil… and one cannot exist without the other. Thirty-three year old Lance Hunter has no memory of his past lives, but the scars of his former selves remain etched in his skin. As the only remaining Exorcist in London, Lance is hired to investigate a series of gruesome murders connected to a sinister cult. Accompanied by Gil, a mysterious policeman, Lance uses his spiritual powers to unravel the tangled truth of this case, unaware of the dark, sinister corners into which his new partner’s twisted desires may lead.

Yata-Momo (manga) vol. 1 by Harada

Good-for-nothing himbo Momo lacks the ability to look after himself, while Yata is a reliable but simple lug. The two get off to the worst possible start when Yata comes across Momo during a post-sex clean-up in a public restroom. Taking advantage of Yata's kindness, Momo ends up staying at his apartment. As he spends more time with Yata, the once-slovenly Momo starts to change… But in the midst of this, Momo's previous “owner” shows up.

#new releases #manga #manhua #manhwa #lgbt manga #queer manga

11 notes · View notes

tenebraevesper · 8 months ago

Text

Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 63: Mission Dark

''Get out your guns, battle's begun! Are you a saint, or a sinner? If love's a fight, than I shall die, with my heart on a trigger!''

– Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab

xXxXxXx

Sonic felt waves of agony washing over his body, as if he was being pricked by thousands of tiny needles. He didn't want to even open his eyes, wishing to just fall asleep again and embrace the dark void, but the voices he was hearing in his head kept him awake. At least, he thought those voices were just in his head.

''Sonic? Sonic, wake up?''

''Lu… cas…''

The familiar voice Sonic picked up among the noise caused him to stir, slowly opening his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he had managed to take note that he was lying on a bed and that he was surrounded by people, Lucas being the most prominent one. Sonic blinked tiredly, trying to ignore the pounding in his head and tried to sit up, but was gently pushed down on the pillows by Lucas.

''You're not going anywhere,'' Lucas said in a firm tone, reaching for his hand and giving him a look of concern. ''Do you think you can perform Chaos Surge? It'll help you heal.''

''I… I think so…'' Sonic said, feeling the warm energy that developed between them, quickly absorbing it as he felt another wave of energy, this one soothing as it spread through his body, like a spring breeze. Sonic felt his body relax, focusing on the sense of relief that pushed the pain back. The moment was fleeting, however, as Lucas was forced to cut the supply of the energy to avoid hurting himself. Despite knowing that this was necessary for his partner's safety, his body still demanded more of that soothing energy.

''This should help you.'' Sensing Sonic's pain, Lucas gave him a glass of water and a painkiller pill, hoping that this would be enough for the meantime.

''Thanks,'' Sonic said, returning the glass and trying to breathe normally, only to feel pain in his chest. He winced, noting how how his chest was wrapped in bandages, with a plaster covering the cut on his cheek, as well as bandages also being carefully wrapped around his head and quills, even though he had no idea how he ended up with a head injury. He could see faint bruises underneath his peach and blue fur, but they weren't as visible on the first glance.

''Sonic, are you okay?''

''How do you feel?''

''Does it hurt a lot?''

''We thought you had died!''

Sonic finally turned his attention to the rest of his friends, with Tails, Amy, Silver and Knuckles surrounding him, while Warren, Minami, Makoto, Lily and Touka stood in the back. Touka was turned to the hallway, talking with someone Sonic couldn't see.

''I'm sorry for making you guys worry so much.'' Sonic flashed an assuring smile, his friends feeling relieved to see him being back to his usual self, but they still remained a little concerned. As for Sonic, he felt his heart sink a little when he realized that Shadow was missing. Despite that empty sensation, he still kept a positive attitude. ''This isn't anything that a chili dog can't fix.''

''Unfortunately for you, this isn't fixable with just food. You're lucky Lucas and Touka knew how to patch you up,'' Knuckles told him. Sonic gave both of them a thankful look, with Lucas nodding and Touka just waving back in acknowledgement.

''What had happened to you? We know you've been attacked by Neo Metal Sonic, but how did he end up injuring you so much?'' Tails asked.

''I… I don't really know…'' Sonic admitted, the memories of the battle flashing in the back of his mind. ''I remember him using my, Shadow and Silver's powers, along with some powerful lightning power.''

''Neo Metal Sonic is capable of copying your bio-data, which is how he was able to use all of your powers,'' Minami explained, with Sonic nodding in response.

''What surprises me is how you're still alive,'' Lily said. ''I thought Neo Metal Sonic would end your life for good.''

''That surprised me too. He told me it was an act of mercy,'' Sonic replied.

''He probably wants to fight you again later on,'' Knuckles said, with Sonic agreeing with that sentiment. He gave him a determined smile.

''If that's so, then this time, I will be ready to kick his ass,'' Sonic said.

''However, for now, you're not going anywhere,'' Lucas said. ''I know that the Chaos Surge had probably healed the worst of your injuries, but you'll still have to stay in bed and recover properly.''

This appeared to be the cue for everyone to leave, with the team wishing Sonic good luck recovering and promising too keep an eye out for Metal Sonic in case he decides to cause more trouble. Sonic was glad to have his friends' support, but that sense of emptiness still lingered in his chest… at least, until he heard someone entering the room. Sonic's eyes grew wide in disbelief.

''Shadow?'' he muttered, still stunned, only to smile, feeling a sense of relief. ''I should've figured that you wouldn't go down so easily.''

Shadow was silent, only to walk up to Sonic with a serious expression, leaving the azure hedgehog slightly puzzled. Shadow's crimson eyes flicked slightly to the side, feeling slightly anxious, and then inhaled sharply, gazing at Sonic. ''I apologize for what had happened with Neo Metal Sonic.''

''What?'' Sonic stared at the dark hedgehog, completely bewildered. ''Shadow, what happened is not-''

Shadow shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he took a more aggressive stance. ''If I had reacted just a little faster, we could've fought Neo Metal Sonic together and you wouldn't have gotten injured like this.'' He lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly, his voice heavy. ''It was… horrible seeing you in such state.''

''Shadow…'' Sonic understood well how Shadow felt, despite doing his best to keep his emotions under control. He had seen him how he acted whenever Touka was in serious danger or back when he thought that she was dead because of him, and considering how he and Shadow were now in a relationship, with Shadow willingly opening his heart to him, it wasn't surprising that his reaction to him getting hurt would be like this. Sonic could see the guilt in his eyes, and knew that the dark hedgehog would continue blaming himself for his boyfriend's condition. Sonic sighed, propping himself on his elbows in a sitting position, leaving Shadow alarmed.

''Hey, you shouldn't be moving in this condition!'' Shadow tried to help him when Sonic suddenly felt a wave of pain in his chest, leaving him wondering whether he ended up with a bruised rib. Still, he managed to lean into the pillows in a sitting position. Shadow shot Sonic a glare when he saw Sonic grinning back cheekily.

''Don't worry, I'll sleep it off,'' Sonic told him, trying to lighten the mood, with Shadow sighing.

''You could've gotten an arm ripped off and you would still call it a scratch,'' Shadow grumbled, causing Sonic to give him a half-lidded, teasing look.

''I'm sure that you would react the same way,'' Sonic told him, only for his expression to change to a more serious one, something Shadow caught on. ''You don't have to be all broody and feel guilty for Neo Metal Sonic catching you off guard. We had no idea that this would happen, and you can bet that next time, I won't let him beat me again.''

Shadow had to admit that there was something inspiring in Sonic's perpetual optimism, confidence and determination, and while he admired his positive attitude, he also had keep reminding himself that whenever the azure hedgehog got carried away, he would end up in trouble.

''I hope that in that case, you have a plan on how to take him down,'' Shadow said, only to see Sonic's expression fall, only for a sheepish smile to creep up.

''Uh, yeah! I totally have a plan,'' he said nervously.

''Let me guess; it's rushing into a battle blindly and hope for the best,'' Shadow responded in a deadpan tone. Sonic kept smiling, despite knowing that he got caught.

''I'm sure I'll come up with something eventually,'' Sonic said, with Shadow just giving him a grumpy look, arms folded across his chest. ''But, hey, I'm glad to see that you're back to your usual self, instead of kicking yourself down for what happened.'' Shadow remained silent, his gaze softening, with Sonic patting the free space on the bed, wanting him to sit down. Shadow did as motioned, with Sonic continuing, ''You know, I also thought I lost you there…''

Shadow's eyes widened and his ears drooped, realizing he completely forgot about how Sonic felt when he saw him getting hit by that lightning blast and thrown off the warship. ''Sonic…''

''It's fine, though,'' Sonic added, flashing a bright smile as he placed his gloved hand over Shadow's and squeezed it lightly. ''You're here now, and that's all that matters. In fact, I'm looking forward to our next race.''

Shadow couldn't help but smile softly. If this was months before, when they weren't as close as they were now, he probably would've been baffled by Sonic's reaction and have a hard time understanding why he acted like this. However, now he simply felt exasperated whenever Sonic made such comments and just went along with it, well aware that this was simply who Sonic was. Shadow then leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss on Sonic's temple, Sonic's ear flicking as he appreciated the sign of affection.

''You better stay and recover,'' Shadow told him, only for Sonic to pout in response.

''I'm sure I'll be fine by tomorrow,'' Sonic said, only to feel a several stings of pain piercing his body when Shadow lightly pressed his hand against his bandaged chest, causing his rival to recoil and grimace due to the aching sensation.

''I sincerely doubt it,'' Shadow said, showing only mild irritation, his voice returning back to the usual matter-of-fact tone. ''Don't do anything stupid.''

''Mmmm, but I feel like doing something stupid,'' Sonic replied, grinning cheekily, while Shadow rolled his eyes. ''Hey, don't give me that look. If I do something stupid now, I probably won't try it later.''

''Then, what do you want to do?'' Shadow asked, figuring that he could indulge a little longer. Suddenly, Sonic leaned towards him, planting a deep kiss on Shadow's lips, with Shadow reciprocating. However, it the kiss didn't last long because Sonic couldn't anymore ignore the pain in his chest and quickly pulled back, slumping back into the pillows, hurt, but satisfied. Shadow just gave him an exasperated look. ''Indeed, this is your brand of stupid.''

''It was worth it,'' Sonic replied, still grinning as he watched Shadow leave the room.

xXx

Lucas was with Touka in the living room, both of them talking about what had transpired, as well as figuring that they should give the two hedgehogs some privacy. Their attention was drawn to Shadow as he approached them.

''How is Sonic doing?'' Lucas asked.

''Good luck on keeping Sonic resting for a longer period of time. He'll bolt the moment he gets an opportunity,'' Shadow told him, with Lucas sighing.

''I'll talk to him,'' he muttered, glancing at the two. ''I suppose using Chaos Surge repeatedly would help in his healing.''

''You'll have to be careful with it and not use it recklessly,'' Touka said, giving Shadow a pointed look, her eyes narrowed. Shadow stubbornly avoided her gaze, feeling a little anxious as he knew what she meant. Lucas felt a little sorry for the dark hedgehog.

''I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for your help,'' Lucas replied, watching the two leave and quickly walking over to Sonic's bedroom, furrowing a brow when he saw Sonic attempts to get up. The moment the hedgehog saw the annoyed teenager, he quickly lied down, acting as if nothing has happened.

''Oh, hey Lucas!'' Sonic gave him an innocent smile, trying not to show how much the movement hurt him. Lucas shot him a glare, but then shook his head.

''I won't be scolding you for trying to get out of bed, but if you don't want to get yourself hurt even more and spend weeks recovering instead of a couple of days, I sincerely recommend you to just stay put,'' Lucas told him in a firm tone, with Sonic understanding that he as still in trouble and that he shouldn't challenge Lucas. He might be The Fastest Thing Alive, but he had a feeling that Lucas would somehow catch him and drag him back to rest.

''Fine, I'll stay in bed,'' Sonic said, realizing that he shouldn't fight this. There were a few things he was curious about. ''How long have I been out?''

''For a few of hours,'' Lucas replied, sitting down on the bed, figuring he should fill Sonic in on what had happened. ''The Chaotix, Rouge, Omega, Cream and Big were fighting with us against Ferra and her army of Badniks inside the Grand Metropolis AR Field, while you and Shadow, from what I understood, were stuck at Final Fortress and confronted by Neo Metal Sonic. Once you were beaten and sent to our location, Shadow had used Chaos Control to immediately warp us to our home, so Touka and I could patch you up.''

''I'm surprised that Shadow had enough energy left for using Chaos Control,'' Sonic said.

''Touka did use Chaos Surge to heal him, but the moment he saw just how bad your condition was, he became quite distraught and channelled all of that energy into Chaos Control, and then collapsed. He was actually resting on the couch in the living room with Rouge and Omega watching over him while Touka and I tended to you,'' Lucas explained. ''To say that Touka was furious at him for using all of his energy to warp everyone to Eas would be an understatement, even if she did agree to use Chaos Control to get you here. Shadow did respond how he only wanted to warp you to somewhere where you could get medical assistance, and the rest of the group just got caught in it, resulting in him depleting almost all of his energy.''

''Heh, and he calls me reckless…'' Sonic smirked.

''The Chaotix, Cream and Cheese, Big, Rouge and Omega left once we made sure that you were fine, so we waited until you woke up and could use Chaos Surge consciously instead of draining my BioEnergy instinctively, because your body did react like that while trying to heal itself from its injuries,'' Lucas added, humming in thought. ''I suppose that, even if you're an Irregular not actively going after BioEnergy, your body still recognizes it and tries to absorb it when placed in a dire situation. Speaking of which, I'm still a little tired, but I'm planning on to use Chaos Surge again to help you heal faster, so don't worry, you'll only be confined to the bed for a day or two.''

''Even that's too long,'' Sonic snarked back, his expression changing to a nervous one, followed by a sweatdrop when he saw Lucas' annoyed expression. ''I promise, this was my last quip. I'll stay put. In fact, I'll go to sleep right now.''

''Okay,'' Lucas said, standing up. ''If you need anything, just call me.''

Sonic nodded, trying to shift into a comfortable position that would help him fall asleep easier despite the aching sensation. It was a bit difficult to find a good position, as he either felt as if he was punched in the ribs or pricked by thousand needles. Even the painkiller could only do so much in numbing his senses, with Sonic deciding to let his mind wander to not think about the pain, landing eventually on the image of Neo Metal Sonic.

I wasn't strong nor fast enough to defeat him, but I'm not going to let him bring me down. That would be the moment I would be truly defeated, and I refuse for that to happen. So, as long as I can get up again, I will continue to fight.

He nuzzled his pillow, the image of Neo Metal Sonic fading away and, as Sonic nuzzled the pillow, the image of black and white fur forming in his mind. Sonic whined into his pillow, having to admit that he wished Shadow was by his side and that they could cuddle. He missed his warmth, the soft scent of lavender mixed with the bitter taste of coffee, the deep, purring voice that made his heart flutter. While he had fun messing around with Shadow whenever he was his aloof and serious self, he also loved his gentle, caring and protective side. He chuckled lightly, noting how anxious he was initially about confronting his own feelings in regards to Shadow, and now he genuinely wanted to spend time with him like this.

But, that will have to wait.

xXx

Rouge smiled contently as she observed the three people she had called to her club. Omega was already working there as the bouncer, while Shadow had recovered quickly despite the events that had happened the day before, mostly thanks to his healing factor and the fact that Touka was keeping a close eye on him to make sure that he'd be fully rested for this, even adding Chaos Surge to speed up his own recovery. After all, there was a reason Rouge and Omega appeared at Solar Stadium when Ferra and Neo Metal Sonic sent out the Badniks, and this distraction cut any conversation they had planned short. Therefore, they decided to resume it the next day at Club Rouge.

''I will cut to the chase, since none of you is interested in long conversations,'' Rouge said. ''I got a call from a client who had asked me to go on a special mission to retrieve a valuable item, and I had figured that I could bring back Team Dark for this mission.''

''Why?'' Shadow asked. ''You claim that you're the world's greatest spy, so why would you ask for help?''

''The same reason you, The Ultimate Lifeform, are willing to work together with others instead of always being on your own,'' Rouge said, smirking slyly when Shadow frowned, avoiding eye-contact with her and not responding. She then turned to Touka and Omega. ''What about you two? Do you want to join?''

''Will there be Eggman robots to destroy?'' Omega asked. Rouge put a finger on her lips as she thought about it.

''I'm not completely sure about it, but it is possible that we might come across a few robots,'' she replied.

''1% chance of encountering Eggman robots is still 1% of me getting the chance to destroy them,'' Omega said, with Rouge knowing that he agreed with the mission.

''Where are going to? What are we even supposed to retrieve?'' Touka asked, giving Rouge a questioning look. ''I need more details.''

''I was just getting to it. My client, who is working for CyExLabs, had told me that someone stole the prototype for a directed-energy generator they were working on. To put it in simple terms, the device was initially supposed to be used as a part of a new secret weapon for ARMS, but after that fiasco, my client started having second thoughts about it. The information then got leaked, and a few days later, it was gone,'' Rouge explained. ''I have spent most of my time trying to track it down, and eventually found a warehouse outside Souto posing as an auction house for so-called high-class clientele. Unfortunately, I couldn't get inside as it appears to be invitation-only and the Irregulars guarding it weren't exactly a jolly bunch. That's when I realized that I would need proper back-up.''

''How do you know that the device wasn't sold to someone by now?'' Shadow asked.

''Do you really think that I don't do my homework thoroughly, especially when I'm being offered a generous reward for completing it?'' Rouge countered, giving him a teasing smile. Shadow huffed, figuring this was less about returning a stolen item to its owner and more about getting paid in gems.

''I apologize for even asking,'' he responded in a deadpan tone. Rouge just kept smiling, well aware that he was just being grumpy, and gave the whole group a confident look.

''So, I take it that Team Dark is back in action?'' she asked. There was a firm nod from all three of her teammates, agreeing to the mission.

xXx

''Hm.'' Rouge tapped on her AR Visor eye-piece, having used the binoculars feature, having been observing the two Irregulars standing at the entrance to the warehouse. It was nighttime, and they were at an area just a bit outside Souto that was filled with various warehouses, some still in use, some abandoned. Not many people came here, and even if they did, they only minded their own business, so it was a perfect place for those with less-than-honorable intentions to do whatever they wanted. ''It seems like there are only two guards, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are more inside it.''

''It shouldn't be too difficult to knock them out without raising any alarm,'' Shadow said, pulling his own AR Visor goggles back on the top of his head. He and Rouge were crouching on top of a different warehouse, hidden from the guards as they observed the situation. As for Touka and Omega, they were on the ground, remaining hidden behind the building and waiting for the two to form their plan.

''I suppose we'll rely on your speed and combat skills for that,'' Rouge said.

''It depends on whether you want them to get knocked out or blown up. If it's the latter, I believe that Omega would be happy to contribute,'' Shadow replied. Rouge giggled at the response, with the two leaping off the building and relying the information they gathered to Touka and Omega.

''We got two guards outside, no patrols,'' Rouge told them. ''Unfortunately, we don't know whether there is anyone inside the warehouse, since no one entered or exited the building, but the light is on.''

''There are probably guards inside,'' Touka said, arms folded across her chest. ''I suppose we'll have to sneak inside. Sorry, Omega.''

''There is still 1% chance for complete destruction. There is always 1% chance for complete destruction,'' Omega replied.

''Nice to see your optimism,'' Rouge commented, placing her hand on her hip. ''I haven't seen a back entrance, but some of the windows are shattered, so we have two ways of getting inside. Touka, you're with me. Shadow and Omega, you'll take the front entrance. Don't use excessive violence unless necessary. We want to keep things clean, boys.''

Both Shadow and Omega gave her an annoyed look, while Rouge and Touka countered with a knowing look. They certainly knew their teammates well enough. After performing Chaos Surge, Rouge motioned Touka to follow her, the latter using her hoverboard to keep up with the bat. Meanwhile, Shadow and Omega were rushing towards the front entrance, keeping a close eye on the two rather burly Irregulars. Neither of them could even react when they got knocked out via a kick to the head by a dark figure who appeared out of nowhere. This was followed by Shadow and Omega dragging their unconscious bodies behind several boxes and covering them in tarp so no one would find them and get suspicious. The two then entered the warehouse.

''I know this is a warehouse, but this…'' Shadow muttered, a bit surprised by what he saw.

''It looks like a hoarder house,'' Omega finished his thought.

The two were met by mounds and mounds of clutter; robot parts, all kinds of scrap, boxes of who-knows-what, items of value like jewelry, broken household appliances, and even what appeared to be a black gun case right at the entrance. Shadow sincerely hoped that it was empty. It was a neat freak's worst nightmare, looking like whatever was brought here was just dumped without any thought, turning the whole warehouse into a maze.

''Let's start searching. If we come across someone, we'll take them down non-lethally,'' Shadow told Omega.

''What if they decide to use lethal force?'' Omega asked.

''I don't think any kind of lethal force will be enough to take the two of us down,'' Shadow told him, with Omega making a sound of disappointment. ''But, I suppose if it comes to that, lethal force is approved.''

This immediately caused Omega to perk up, with the two resuming their mission.

xXx

''Called it,'' Touka muttered when she and Rouge spotted a guard walking between the mounds of clutter. The two had entered through the broken window and landed on the catwalk, with Touka slotting her hoverboard back in the bag she was wearing on her back so it wouldn't get in her way. ''Any idea where we should start? The device could be anywhere.''

''I wouldn't be so sure about it,'' Rouge said, pointing at the mounds. ''It looks chaotic, but that mound is solely scrap metal. I think that, despite the lack of organization, certain items go on certain mounds.''

''Now that you mentioned it, yeah, I agree…'' Touka followed Rouge as they swiftly walked over the catwalk, making sure to keep as low as possible so they wouldn't be seen and making sure they didn't make any noise. The two then stopped when they saw a guard right below them, with Touka pressing a finger on her lips to make it clear to Rouge that they couldn't talk and motioning for her to stand still. Their hearts raced as the guard stopped for a moment, looking around, and then continued to walk, not noticing the two above him. Rouge and Touka quickly made their way over to the other end of the building, keeping an eye on the clutter to see whether the device was anywhere close to them as, fortunately, Rouge's client also provided them with the blueprints of the device so they at least had an idea what it looked like.

''This is like searching for a needle in a haystack,'' Touka whispered to Rouge when they reached the other end.

''Fortunately, you're with the world's greatest treasure hunter,'' Rouge replied.

BOOM!

Both Touka and Rouge recoiled when they heard an explosion from where the entrance was, their eyes wide and glancing at each other in disbelief, with Rouge muttering, ''So much for keeping a low profile…''

''I'm sure they'll be fine. Let's go!'' Touka said, grabbing Rouge's hand, with the two running across another catwalk, being ignored by the guard who rushed towards where Omega and Shadow were, not noticing the two above them.

xXx

Shadow had to admit that he was planning on sticking to the plan of not alerting anyone to their presence, but that was a bit difficult due to a partially rebuilt Badnik suddenly waking up just as they passed by, resulting in battle between the three, with Omega gleefully firing at the Badnik. While they had managed to take it down easily, it seemed that this Badnik alerted another one, which was also partially rebuilt. Shadow decided to let Omega deal with it, while he fought off the guards that came running to their location. Some of them were armed with recycled cannons taken from the Badniks, but Shadow was too fast for them, skating between them and punching them right in the face. He could hear someone shout, followed by a blast of energy, and quickly vanished in a flash of light, appearing above his attacker and knocking him down with a swift kick. He grabbed the guard by his neck, lifting him up.

''Where is the directed-energy generator?'' Shadow growled menacingly, with the guard flailing, looking rather frightened.

''I ain't got any clue man, I was just hired to guard this place! I don't do inventory!'' the guard responded in panic. Realizing that he wasn't going to get any answer from him, Shadow threw him into a mound, the latter getting knocked out due to the impact. He turned to Omega.

''Let's find someone who can give us a proper answer,'' he said, with Omega agreeing. The two then sped through the warehouse, fighting anyone who came across them, only to come across a giant polar bear Badnik. While Shadow decided not to question the presence of Badniks inside the warehouse, he did have to wonder whether Dr. Eggman had something to do with it, but part of him doubted it. As for Omega, he didn't care, pointing his cannon arms at it, firing a missile at it and damaging its chest. Shadow wanted to help him, but he was suddenly grabbed by what appeared to be a mini-mecha, tossing him right across the warehouse. The Irregular inside the mini-mecha leapt across the mounds of clutter, landing right in front of the dark hedgehog.

''Not so tough, are we?!'' The guard grinned maliciously, with Shadow getting on his feet. Chaos Energy crackling between his fingers, he rushed towards the mini-mech, avoiding the blade that popped out of its arm and damaging the leg via a summoned Chaos Spear. His AR Visor suddenly buzzed, a small holographic screen popping next to him.

''Shadow, we secured the device,'' Rouge said. ''We're going to get you and Omega.''

''No. Go get Omega and leave this place. I'll find my own way out,'' Shadow replied in a curt tone, hearing a sigh of exasperation, with the screen closing. He turned back to the mini-mech, avoiding another swing of the blade, and spin-dashing right into the chest of the mini-mech, knocking it down. The mini-mech started to spark, with the alarmed Irregular quickly abandoning it as there was a small explosion that caused permanent damage to it. Shadow then scanned his surroundings, wondering if he could find something that would point him towards an exit, only to see some kind of vehicle partially covered by a tarp. He walked up to it and removed the tarp, his eyes widening in surprise at what he saw.

He then smirked.

xXx

Omega was grappling with the polar bear Badnik, the latter having gotten too close for his long-range attacks to properly work. Fortunately for him, a white and pink explosive got dropped on the Badniks head, alongside a Chaos Spear, causing the Badnik to stumble around and Omega firing another missile to finish it off.

''We need to leave now.'' Rouge flew up to him, holding a bag with the device inside it, followed by Touka on the hoverboard, whose eyes were now glowing orange.

''Where is Shadow?'' Omega inquired, following the two to the front entrance.

''He said he'd find his own way out. Hurry up!'' Rouge replied. They suddenly heard an alarm going off, feeling a chill running down their spine when they saw the steel door slowly pulling down. Touka pressed the accelerator on her hoverboard, grabbing Rouge's arm and speeding up, with Omega being just behind them as he used his twin jets to go faster. They managed to reach the entrance just in time, getting outside the warehouse, with the steel door closing behind them.

''I really hope that Shadow made it out,'' Touka said, worried for her brother.

However, before either of them could even say or do anything, they heard an explosion from the side of the building and ran over to it, noting how part of the wall was broken. Suddenly, they heard a mechanical noise of a growling engine, with a Shadow on a black and red motorcycle leaping out of the smoke and rubble, performing a sliding bike stop as he landed on the ground, sparks flying as the metal came in contact with the asphalt.

Touka and Rouge dropped their jaws, completely baffled by this entrance, while Omega was rather impressed. Shadow, on the other hand, had a self-satisfied smirk on his lips, looking incredibly proud of himself.

''You really couldn't help yourself…'' Touka snarked after snapping out of her stunned state. Shadow revved up the bike.

''If we're done here, we should leave now,'' Shadow said, still smirking. The rest of his team could only agree, following Shadow's lead.

Links:

#Previous Chapter

#Current Chapter

#Next Chapter

#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

#Sonic Cyber Revolution #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #miles tails prower #amy rose #knuckles the echidna #silver the hedgehog #rouge the bat #e-123 omega #sonadow #shadow the hedgehog (2005)#sonic idw #team dark

22 notes · View notes