#I have to research but onwards we go

[catless-and-covenless]

Cr was home waiting for me! Which was really nice. It’s felt like half a decade since he’s been home waiting for me. And with his new changes he’s not quite as bony so it felt nice laying in his lap and trying to smother myself out of being a gooey mess.

But after the past few days…it felt nice to be a mess for once. To be all melted and soft and no hard edges. And…start dissecting things. I don’t think…it was exactly the action. It was more so…the follow through. “I would do almost anything you ask.” And it was true. I’m just really lucky to be around such truthful boys. And he sent a heart after I got home safe.

I want to know what everything means but I don’t want to ask. I know it’s stupid. I know I can just ask. I know it’s normal after a good date to send a heart. But does that technically mean we’rre dating? Or was it just a date? I mean I said there would be another one and he didn’t deny it? Why is this so multi-step? I wish I was like Cr or Ca who just jumped. Who saw what they wanted and just grabbed it. But I don’t know if he knows about N yet. Or if that’s a conversation that I bring up or N does? Or G does? Who starts that talk? Am I overstepping by not? Or am I a bad friend because I didn’t bring it up?

And Ca listened to me about the day! I think? I’m pretty sure. It’s so nice having her in my car or pocket. Like a pokemon. A carry around friend. And I’m pretty sure she agreed to grill G for me? I can’t speak car signals but I think that was an agreement.

But I completely understand Cr. Especially after what he’s been through. His privacy is even more important to him now. And he was in my house for three months. And we value privacy more than most.

We warded everything. And made sure it was safe and protected. But also saw some numbers? Patterns and numbers and things a little out of my scope. So I’m going to research but I may have to invite the MBoM over to my apartment later….or the woods if we need to include some someone else.

I just want her to behave. I don’t want-

I don’t know what I want but I know I don’t want a bad mess.

Maybe that’s also why I’ve been avoiding whatever Cr wants to say about N. If it’s important N will tell me himself. I just don’t want to..if it’s bad I don’t want to know. And he is so sweet. So kind and nervous. And funny. It’s so nice to be wanted for me and not for anything else. It’s nice knowing there’s a boy out there that likes me for me besides Cr. And it felt really nice to teach. It has started to feel less painful, less bad, less taboo to do it with someone.

I may need to find some of my older books just to hand them off to him. I am glad he’s doing research. That’s good. That means I have a good student who has a good head on his shoulders. And he’s aware of the risks. I may be able to hand him another hex soon. But I want to keep it minimal for right now. Make sure he’s not too tempted to go around and hurt people by accident. I never want him to feel the way I did. To put him in that position.

He will have a good craft. I will make sure of it. He’s my apprentice. Which means it’s my duty to make sure he’s safe and prepared. To watch and help him grow like a sunflower. And after what he mentioned of the bruises. I have more than a good idea of what I’m giving him next. And I need to figure out if he’s close to his roots. Where his lineage is from. It will be stronger than my roots.

A lot on my to-do lists for my favorite apprentice.

Who is also my teacher? I know I was hyper focused on making sure he didn’t think I was a bad student. I did much better at fighting dirty techniques than the regular moves. There’s so much more to think through than I thought. But I guess it is like dancing? Anticipating and moving and knowing the steps. Once I get the steps down I should be good, right? To follow the rhythms.

I don’t want to be a burden again. I don’t want anyone to feel like I will slow them down. I want to hold my own. And I will be so happy forever and grateful that N is trying to give me those tools. Now just to make sure I don’t freeze up when I need to use them.

Although I am a little confused. I thought Cr had something making him nervous about N but I saw the way he hugged N. I don’t understand how he could want to maybe make a move on someone he’s so hesitant about. But then again maybe that’s just something wrong with me. But I was happy. That means whatever it is isn’t too big. And I like my boys being happy and around each other. And maybe selfishly it means that N won’t be a good/best friend to Cr but fwb? Although it would add another string to this web of talks we need to have with G and N?

I definitely need to take headache medicine. I’m overthinking things.

Now just to gather all my courage and ask Mami about the Br’s and tell her about G and that I went on a date.

This may be my last post.

[lavenderjewels]

culling games arc in general is interesting to me because I enjoy most of the fights but the way they’re patched together without much overlap made it feel more awkward in execution. Which is why I really enjoyed when the characters met up (e.g. yuuji and megumi, panda and Hakari, maki and kamo, etc). everything felt more connected with nice character interactions

[faaun]

omg i FEEL you about the asd articles... i'm cuttently studying psychology and THIS makes me wanna go and pursue a job in research after graduating :')

yeah !! you should! i study a very interdisciplinary degree and out of all the fields I study in (ML/phil/psych/neuro) psychology has the most inconsistent, outright harmful, sometimes misinformed-at-best info sprinkled into publications and even lectures and it's a genuine source of frustration ! we need def need more researchers committed to accuracy and fairness and eliminating stigmas, biases, etc. :)

[gay-dorito-dust]

Can I request headcanons for Dick, and Jason reacting to his gn crush told him that they know his secret identity so he would let them bandage his wounds?

Dick

‘You knew?’ Dick said as he sat himself down on your bed, his face covered in bandaids as his arms covered with bandages, dressed in comfortable clothing after a long struggle due to his injuries. ‘How?’

‘There were signs that I ignored or didn’t think to look too deeply in until I did, just for everything to come together and realising that my initial assumptions were close to being right.’ You shrugged as you sat down next to him, looking him over to make sure that you had managed to patch up every possible injury he had, hoping he wasn’t hiding one without your knowledge.

‘That or maybe you just wanted an excuse to patch up my wounds. Or seeing me shirtless as I’m patching up my wounds, one or the other.’ Dick teased but couldn’t help but think of all the possible danger you were now going to be in due to knowing who Nightwing was, and while he wasn’t ready to admit to everything he does as nightwing to you, he knew that if he didn’t then you wound find a way to figure it out on your own somehow.

‘Maybe.’ You said, trying to hide your feelings of sheepishness from him. ‘That or the fact that I know you well enough to see through that domino mask of yours, something that doesn’t do much to hide the more easily recognisable features.’ You add as Dick then sighs.

‘You shouldn’t know this, you really shouldn’t.’ He tells you as he reaches for your hand, squeezing it. ‘I know you were smart enough to connect the dots but I don’t think it would happen so soon. I just wish you would’ve stayed naïve to it for a little while longer, just until I was ready and felt that it was safe enough to say something.’ He looks you in the eyes where you could see his conflicting emotions there. ‘I just wanted to keep you safe from all this, but I failed at that too.’

‘Life doesn’t work the way we always want it to.’ You began, squeezed his hand back in reassurance, ‘I know that from this point onward it won’t be easy for either of us, I’ll have a target on my back but I have made peace with that fact-‘

‘Well I haven’t.’ Dick interrupts. ‘You could be in danger because of me,’ he then uses his free hand to hold your cheek, ‘how am I meant to be okay with this knowing that I might not be able to save you.’

You smiled at him and leaned into his touch, careful of his injuries. ‘You’ll always save me, you’re Nightwing.’ You tell him before giving him a light, reassuring kiss on the forehead.

Jason

‘I’m telling you baby bird I tripped.’ Jason said for what felt like the fifth time that night as you continued to pester him about the gash on his arm.

‘Or you were out being Red hood and gotten hurt protecting some kids from Crime Alley.’ You replied casually as Jason stiffened, now looking at you surprised.

‘Why would you assume i’m him?’ He asked, watching you closely as the fear of the consequences this knowledge would bring, especially when it was someone close to his heart knowing his -now not so- secret identity.

‘You come back with injuries more severe than just tripping over thin air.’ You told him as you held his cheek. ‘That and I may or may not have seen firearms left lying about whenever I visit and thought nothing of it, only to do some research and have come to find that those are the same exact firearms Red hood has.’ You add as Jason internally curses himself for getting too comfortable with leaving his stuff out in the open so carelessly.

Fatigue be damned.

‘Okay you’ve figured me out, congratulations, but you really shouldn’t know that I’m Red hood, I’m not exactly well liked.’ He warns you, not wanting you to get hurt because of him, if you did he wouldn’t forgive himself for as long as he lived.

Loosing you wasn’t worth keeping his secret identity under lock and key. He’d gladly expose himself if it meant keeping you away from harm, but until then he knew that he’d have to keep close tabs on you whenever he could.

Or he could train you in self defence while still watching over you regardless.

‘I know.’ You tell him as you patched up the wound on his arm. ‘But when am I allowed to worry of over for doing something reckless.’

‘I was trained for this lifestyle sweetheart.’ Jason reminded you. ‘I’m more attuned to fighting crime and getting hurt doing so, it’s not a big deal.’

‘It’s a big deal to me.’ You spat, blinking back tears, ‘ I don’t want to see you come home with wounds worse then the last, worried to death that I might loose you.’ You add as you began to cover up the wound on his arm with a gauze before moving onto to adding the bandage securely.

‘Well I don’t want to loose you either.’ Jason said as he lifted his free hand to wipe away the tears that manage to fall from your cheek. ‘My identity is not worth your life baby bird. Not in the slightest. I won’t risk you, you’re too important to me to lose over this.’

‘More important than Red hood?’ You asked, not wanting to ruin the moment between you two.

‘So much more than you’ll ever know.’ Jason replied without hesitation.

[sillywizardman]

HI!!! After finishing Disco Elysium I wanted to read Sacred and Terrible Air, but there were two issues:

1. It’s not officially released in English

2. I don’t like staring at pdfs!

So I did what any sane person would do. That is take three days of my life printing and binding it.

TRANSLATION (“thank you Group Ibex” we all say in unison!):

PROCESS PICS:

I apologize in advance for anyone who has experience in this sort of thing this is so botched.

I have NEVER done anything like this before, I don’t even read books on my own volition, but if the Disco fixation wants me to learn how to sew and bookbind I’ll do that.

Four of the signatures above. There were nine total, eight of them with 8 sheets/32 pages and the last was five sheets I think. Threw the pdf into adobe acrobat and went straight to printing with those settings and the “booklet” option enabled.

Pricked holes through each signature! Used thumbtacks and a piece of foam I scavenged from my room, worked out great. It’s probably also worth mentioning I do not have a bone folder, book press, or any of the other fancy schmancy bookbinding tools. Flattened the pages with a pencil and pressed with D&D books…

SEWING TIME. I have never sewn in my life. My success in this regard can be majorly attributed to Sea Lemon on youtube, particularly this tutorial:

The process from printing to finishing sewing the signatures took ~8 hours. Now we hit our first roadblock, I had no glue for the spine! After going to sleep and waiting what felt like ages (literally 10 hours or so) before I was free to visit a craft store, I tried to find PVA glue because that’s what you’re supposed to use I think?? Yeah. They were out of PVA glue and my impatient ass got mod podge.

‘Tis glued! As you can see I added cardstock to the ends. Joyous day.

Also, you see that sketchbook in the pic? Yeah? You see that lovely cardboard?

It is now the cover. Rest in piss bristol sketchpad backing.

———

EDIT: I see a bunch of people want to attempt this so here’s a video on how to make the hardcover: https://youtu.be/Av_rU-yOPd4?si=7T5zgVJGAfPFBxn-

I didn’t use any measurements or advice from it but it’s a good reference for when it comes to assembling the cover from ~3:50 onwards. The boards are same size as your text block pages and spine, I think I made the cover width a bit longer just in case it doesn’t cover the text block though. Do not do this with the spine, I regret it.

And note, this is NOT a tutorial, it is the process of someone who got a bit too silly and decided to bind a book, obviously do your own research lol. Don’t be afraid to try it though, it’s surprisingly simple!

———

… So, now that’s done! I swore to myself I wouldn’t start reading SATA/PJÕL until I finished this project completely, meaning I’ll be doing that now yippee :]

[crowroboros]

A Really Cool Detail About Might Crystals in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The first time I encountered a Might Crystal was maybe ~an hour into the game. I think I found it in a chest or something in Suthorn Forest and the first thing that I thought was "Huh...that looks kind of like bismuth." But, as I was so early on in the story that I didn't know much about what the Might Crystals were, I didn't think much more of it.

Well here I am with 46 additional hours worth of playtime in Echoes of Wisdom, and I'm here to say that there is a very cool reason that Might Crystals resemble bismuth crystals!

Before we get into bismuth, I need to talk about what is going on in Echoes of Wisdom. This WILL contain mid-to-late game spoilers, so do be warned.

Long before Creation there was nothing more than a void—a vast empty oblivion. Occasionally, bits of matter would spark to life in this nothingness. Nothing substantial, just small clumps of reality managing to form only for a moment. Only a moment, for anything that managed to flicker to life was devoured by the one who dwelt within this void:

Null.

Null is the main antagonist of Echoes of Wisdom. It is an ancient, incomprehensible lifeform that thrives in the absoluteness of zero. Nothingness personified.

Seeing the way these sparks of existence were so quickly extinguished, the three Golden Goddesses—Din, the Goddess of Power; Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom; and Farore, the Goddess of Courage—descended from the heavens and forced Creation. Together, the three built the world itself and everything that makes up reality with Null imprisoned and contained at its center.

The Golden Goddess then departed back to the heavens, leaving behind the Triforce, the Secret Stones (though they aren't relevant for this, just thought I'd throw them in since we know they were created around this time), and the Tris. The Triforce and the Tris served as the glue keeping reality together; the Tris specifically being created to maintain the structure of the world, as even though Null was imprisoned that didn't stop it from consuming and returning the world to nothingness.

From the point of Creation onward, Null and the Tris were locked in a delicate balancing act of destruction and recreation. Null ate away at the world, creating rifts that tore through reality. And in turn, the Tris constantly patched up these rifts, quickly restoring what was lost.

This return to nothingness is a major part of the themes of Echoes of Wisdom, and why Might Crystals likely were inspired by bismuth.

Might Crystals—as well as the energy they produce—are some of the only things capable of withstanding Null and the void. When everything else is lost, these crystals remain. But what does this have to do with Bismuth?

Well visually both Might Crystals and Bismuth share the iconic stairstep spiral growth structure, but the main reason I believe bismuth to be the inspiration for the Might Crystals is the Bismuth-209 isotope.

Bismuth was previously thought to be the heaviest stable element, with only one stable isotope (Bismuth-209). I say previously because in 2003, a research team at the IAS (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, a research institute in France) came to the realization that the Bismuth-209 isotope is actually undergoing alpha decay at an incredibly slow rate. How slow? Well it was determined that Bismuth-209 has a half life of approximately...

2.01x10^19 years. Or about 20,100,000,000,000,000,000 years (20 quintillion if you don't know/don't want to count out the zeroes).

For reference, that is billions of years longer than the current estimated age of the universe.

It is because of this inconceivably long half-life that it is said that bismuth will be among the last elements to disintegrate. And it is that bit of information that I believe inspired Might Crystals. If you need to come up with a crystal that can withstand nothingness itself and outlive matter in a void that consumes endlessly, what better choice to base it off of than the element that decays so slow that we used to think that it was stable?

I just thought that it was a cool detail. This is a bit different from my other Zelda posts—as this isn't me talking about the lore and story, but rather me talking about a possible irl inspiration for something in the series—but I thought this was really cool and I wanted to share my thoughts.

[amarynthian-chronicles]

May I have this dance?

Sebastian Solace x Reader

"Surely, you must be joking."

"Quite the contrary."

He fiddled with the old gramophone, making a few final adjustments in order to get it to function properly once more. All the while he was casually holding his cigarette with his third hand, elegantly tapping the ash away when necessary.

Sebastian had amassed an impressive collection of vinyl records, arranging them according to his tastes. He had done so in a similar manner with his books and research files. You loved watching him sort out his inventory.

It was so unusually domestic, the mingling scents of coffee and cigarette smoke, the presence of warm blankets and pillows on the sofa he had hauled from an unspecified location in the vast facility. Undoubtedly from various loungers that the scientists would once find comfort in before the breach in security.

You cleared your throat, trying to get his attention once more.

"Seb, be realistic. We cannot dance together. I don't even know how to"

"I am certain the youth refers to this as a "skill issue" nowadays. Painter had discovered a whole thesaurus of modern slang, heaven help us all."

"I am not even going to comment this. My point still stands. Besides, you do not even have legs."

"What I do have is creative solutions to complex problems. We crush obstacles, do we not? Ah, there we go. Good as new."

He placed the needle on a record.

Music. Soft jazz, soothing yet playful, unpredictable in its rhythm, improvising, moving from whimsical and exciting tunes to the more melancholic melodies. In many ways, it conveyed Sebastian's own soul perfectly.

He offered his clawed hand, grinning and waiting for you to inevitably accept his offer. Reluctantly, you accepted.

His tail began to tap in a certain rhythm against the floor, as if setting the tempo you should follow along with the music. Confused, you saw his other two arms approach you, all three serving as if they were makeshift dance partners.

Before you knew it, he was making you move and sway as if you were a combination of a puppet on a string and a music box ballerina. He made you twirl, glide, turn, almost hypnotic.

At a certain point, he snapped his fingers, and suddenly the room was completely dark, save for the lone light of his esca.

"See? You do not need to know where to go or what to do, you are only to follow as I say. Trust me and you will never have to worry about anything ever again."

"Seb, I am tired."

"I am sure we can get a few more pirouettes out of you, pet."

"Well, at least I am getting free cardio training here."

You took deep breaths as your puppet master played with you, demanding yet gentle, firm yet rewarding you with tenderness when it was due. As you were about to collapse, he caught you, pulling you into his lap.

Soft kisses were placed on your head, cheeks and lips.

His body began to sway, akin to the ocean waves, his arms cradling you.

Sebastian was truly like the ocean itself, simultaneously a cooling haven that embraced you in your feverish nightmares and a cold unyielding tomb that one could not escape from. A devil is merely a fallen angel, after all.

You whispered, closing your eyes.

"What will become of us, Seb? We are playing in this illusion, knowing that all of this is ludicrous."

"We live on stolen time. Our old lives are forfeit and we can only move onward. We take, we scavenge, we defy probability itself."

"What are we to each other?"

He combed his fingers through your hair.

"Fleeting hope. The same type that a ghost feels in a house with new tenants, desperately wishing to be seen and heard once more. Even for a final time."

Hot tears ran down your cheeks.

"Hope is such a cruel thing, Seb."

He kissed each tear away, savouring your sorrow.

"We lie in the Abyss. This location defies physics itself, it rebels against every possible known law of water mechanics. So shall we. Doomed to fail, given to death, we shall rise once more, wearing the Reaper's cloak as our own."

[len-yx]

Mydei’s glaring queer coding (fixed)

(By the same person who did the twitter thread :))

First things first. Please be normal if I get something wrong. I have put so much effort into research (I am so dedicated to doing that stupid thread justice) and would like to be spoken too as if I’m an actual person who got something wrong and not like some evil being sent to intentionally spreading misinformation. I know people are much more forgiving on here than they are on twitter but my anxiety was fuck all after that original thread and I’m pretty nervous putting myself in that same situation but am desperate to not have that thread be “The Mydei queer-coding thread” that people use as reference when talking about Mydei’s queer coding. That’s all. Apologies for rambling. Onwards we go!

Amphoreus draws heavily from Ancient Greek (and Roman) influences. Greek (and Roman) armies were known for the fact same-sex relationships were viewed pretty uniquely. It was common and even encouraged for soldiers to form intimate relationships. I do want to mention (though not very relevant to Mydei’s queer coding) that despite this, Greece was not that queer normative (mostly). Yes, gay sex was typical, but it was still considered shameful to be penetrated and the most accepted form of two men in a relationship was pederasty. Which was a relationship between an adult male (usually of higher class), and a young boy in his teens. Really the higher class were the only ones that didn’t have to be concerned about judgment and their specific role in a relationship. I suppose Mydei is upper class anyway. So. This was all just something I thought was worth mentioning.

All of Mydei’s Kremnoan companions had references to Greek history tied to Alexander the Great (it’s actually very interesting I advise seeking out the meanings of their names yourself (and it’s further evidence that Mydei’s ties to Alexander the Great is far from coincidences and unreasonable stretches)). Hephaestion specifically is a reference to Alexander the Great’s closest friend and potential lover of the same name. Both the real Hephaestion and the one from HSR die of illness rather than in battle, how both were expected to die, leaving Alexander/Mydei to mourn alone. Hephaestion’s (HSR) death has extra attention drawn to it by not only being the last to die of the companions but also both Mydei and Hephaestion emphasising their close friendship. Calling one another things such as “dear friend”, “most trusted companion” etc. And with a real life comparison for this death it only emphasises how big of a deal Hephaestion’s death is meant to be for Mydei.

Funnily enough Alexander the Great’s mother, Olympias, actually claimed to be a descendant of Achilles who Mydei also has multiple references to.

There are many versions of how Achilles gained his immortal body, one being that as a baby his mother dipped him in the river Styx, holding onto him by his ankle. Similarly, Mydei’s immortal body was made known/gained (I don’t believe it’s clear?) after being thrown into the sea of souls also as a baby with a matching ”Achilles heel” in the form of his tenth thoracic vertebra.

The exact intent of Achille’s and Patroclus' relationship is very very debated. And Homer isn’t responding to my emails for an interview. But I do want to remind everyone that this isn’t about “was Achilles and Alexander in relationships with their best friends” (though neither of the two’s queerness is actually up for debate, they both had multiple romantic endeavours with men) but about how some of the reasons historians believe why the two were queer are used in Mydei’s character and why I believe this was intentionally done by hoyoverse. Achilles and Patroclus have been a symbol of close male relationships since the myth was realised, Alexander the Great even comparing his relationship with Hephaestion to the two. I’ve seen a few people saying that Phainon has some looser similarities to Patroclus however I have not yet read The Iliad (I just don’t have the time I’m very sorry) so I can’t speak on how intentional these similarities seem.

However, Mydei and Phainon do parallel another duo very deeply, Mydei’s own parents, Queen Gorgo and King Eurypon. Mydei and Phainon’s first meeting was a duel lasting ten days and nights that ended in a draw, the same as with Eurypon and Gorgo’s infamous first meeting at the Kremnos festival. Except instead of a close companionship forming after their draw, Eurypon promptly proposed to Gorgo. During 3.0 when Phainon challenges Mydei to a competition to see who can kill more titankin, he uses the phrasing “Just you and me. Let’s recreate the original Kremnos Festival.” On top of that, in 3.1 while retrieving Phainon from the trial we run into ”Chartonus” (quotations because it’s within the trial) Mydei tries to ask “Chartonus” where Phainon is and “Chartonus” has an angry rant before throwing Queen Gorgo’s signet ring at him. The ring isn’t brought up again until Mydei and Phainon’s goodbye. Mydei waits until the last moment to question if Phainon was the one who told Chartonus about his mother’s ring. Phainon’s response is just “who knows” but it’s pretty clear that the audience is at least meant to believe Phainon was the one who told Chartonus about it. There is one other thing that may tie Phainon and Mydei’s relationship to Eurypon and Gorgo. However it’s pretty much theory crafting and even leaks so I’ll just leave it at that.

It’s become almost a pattern in HSR to have deeply queer coded duo’s be compared to animals, specifically a predator animal and a prey animal (e.g. Acheron and Blackswan.) During the scene in the baths the bath sprite compares Mydei to a lion and Phainon to an oryx before describing the dynamic between the animals. Cut to a black screen with the two moaning due to the hot steam and the bath sprite continues describing the lion hunting the oryx in detail reminiscent of the “Rondo Across Countless Kalpas” animated short of Acheron (a variant of a lesbian character) and Blackswan (a woman who’s relationship with other female characters are placed on a higher pedestal) doing the tango. The bath scene is very much a mix of a joke and fanservice but in the context of a rather genuinely queer coded relationship I am treating it as a more genuine innuendo. Just before deciding on the bath competition we get to see Mydei’s internal dialogue and him struggling to figure out how to comfort Phainon after failing the demigod trial, intentionally creating a more intimate atmosphere. Phainon uses rather suggestive language when proposing the competition such as “Maybe we both need to relieve some stress” deliberately creating a charged atmosphere.

In the end Mydei’s character is deeply intertwined with historical narratives of male bonds, grief, and devotion that have been read through a queer lens for centruies. Whether through his parallels to Achilles and Alexander the Great, his profound connection with Phainon or Hoyoverse’s own storytelling patterns, the intent behind his characterization feels undeniably deliberate.

[ruinix]

Any pictures of Quinn bleeding… Just for research ofc-💕

not anything else…

(had a nasty fic idea of a bloodied up Quinn)

Oh. You want me to cry? You want me to unlock one of my worse memories? (lighthearted, just fucking around 😌)

Here you go:

This one happened during this season 😞😞😞 then we got his bubble/fishbowled era.

This happened during the Playoffs 2024. A clip of what happened is in this video. Him actually bleeding is at 1:06 onwards. I felt things when he say "that's bullshit" or something.

Have fun. I cried (not really but emotionally, I did) so I want to see the nasty fic as compensation.

[entities-of-posts]

When I was a teenager, I lived in the Black Forest. In a tiny village in the mountains, about 30 minutes away from a decently sized university city. It was quiet, unremarkable, and surrounded by forest on all sides but one. Often times, uni students would rent this one cabin overnight for gatherings and parties, which annoyed everyone in the village greatly due to the noise.

One evening, a friend of mine, I will call her June for the sake of anonymity, was staying over at my house, and we had decided to go on a bit of a walk in the woods before dinner. Now, the way the trails were structured is that you'd briefly walk straight forward through a meadow, past the woodcutter's hut, past the well, past the shaded bench with the faded photographs pinned to it, and then up, up into the mountains. (There was another trail that leads up to a different bench, with a faded plastic Mary statue housing a colony of spiders in her left eye. Unfortunately this is not the trail we took, because that imagery would have been cool)

I cannot stress enough that, though there were minor dips, if you are walking this trail, there is nowhere to go but up the mountain.

June and I are lost in conversation, and after we walk for about half an hour, we notice the sky getting dark, and decide to turn around. We keep chatting as we head back home, until we notice that, well, it is now fully dark, we have walked for longer than we walked to get there, and we are clearly deeper in the forest in a place we do not recognize. The GPS on my phone has no signal. June's phone is dead. Somehow, we have gotten lost.

I cannot explain how we become as hopelessly turned around as we do. There is only up and down, and somehow we both seem to lose the ability to perceive this. All signs, all landmarks, are unfamiliar. We decide to keep going. It's better than nothing. We're terrified. Of being lost, of not recognizing our surroundings, of getting in trouble for being out so late. We move onwards.

At some point, we walk past the cabin. It's full of partygoers, with a roaring bonfire out front, golden light and conversation and music emanating from it like a beacon. We're scared of drunk people, so we ignore it and keep moving. It feels almost like part of the wilderness rather than a respite from it. We keep walking.

At some point, my phone gets signal again. We call my mother, terrified. She asks about landmarks, and we read out the text on a sign, which she does not recognize, so we keep going, while she's on the line.

We turn the bend, and there it is. The cabin. The cabin we had just walked past half an hour ago without turning around. Same light, same campfire, same partygoers. This is where we wait as my mother drives into the forest to save us.

When we are in the car, she informs us that we were at the edge of unfamiliar territory. If we had kept walking, she would not have been able to find us.

Thing is, I could have sworn we had already gone further, that we had already passed that same cabin. I did some research, too. There had only ever been one.

It’s a little hard to say for certain, since fortunately you did not enter the cabin you were clearly being led to over and over; who knows what waited for you in there. But my guess is the Spiral was at play, disorientating you, stretching and looping the space, making this familiar place incomprehensible as it tried to lure you into a bacchanal.

[dunmeshistash]

Isn't the Floke Party in lacking a lock pick and an offensive caster, under powered? Understaffed? I noticed Tansu is a lot nicer to Laios's party afterwards, like he realized he would've been the one begging for help if he'd gone into the towers without Laios and co. (They're not hurting for money, so it's all the more inexplicable)

It's probably because they're researchers and not adventurers, right when he notices it was too much of a bother continue onward they just decide to go back

Plus when Laios saves Kiki from the tentacles it isn't really a matter of manpower but rather that Laios is very knowledgeable about monsters, which isn't really something you can hire for, it would probably have been okay even if he wasn't there but Kiki might have died, she had never died before and Tansu loves his kids so he probably didn't want her to die and is thankful Laios helped out so it didn't become a worse situation.

Plus Tansu and Yarn are described as magic users not as healers, there's no evidence they can't use offensive magic but rather there's no occasion for them to use it in the time we know them. When Kiki is attacked it not like Tansu could have fireballed at the tentacles since it could have hurt her and they just avoid fighting in general.

So as far as we know their party has two expert magic users and 3 fighters (even a ranged one with Kiki's crossbow) I don't think they would have been begging for help but are thankful for the help they got.

Now why they don't have a lockpick to help with exploring I'd guess has more to do with how Tansu is, most of his party is his family and he mistreats Namari quite a lot before being nicer to her. I don't imagine they're great at retaining hires and since they aren't there for treasure they probably don't think they need a lockpick.

[lunaralight09]

Can you write about 049 stopping another scp from killing you ?

mmm finally writing for a 2022 request. idk what's happening myself

What great of the day. Getting reprimanded over a not so serious thing, almost spilling your beverage over your lap, getting caught up in a containment breach... Could it be any worse?- Well it could - but that's not really something you want to linger on for too long.

Going over the ever-so now silent halls(some are bloody... or contain a dead body of some colleague that you don't know... Still) is not that pleasant. Especially when you feel like something is following you. It not a feeling of being watched by cameras by whatever is taken a hold of the facility. Something is following you for sure, even felt like something was breathing so close to your neck. Hearing it's raspy, faint breaths... Or you're getting crazy or stressed. Possibly both.

After getting to a more safe hall, as safe as it can. Just... slumping against the wall. Taking a breather after mindlessly walking and trying to not run into SCPs that'll gut you, break your neck or do much more sinister shit to you. Although the feeling of something breathing and observing you grew more, now that you're stationary. The same breathing becomes more and more louder, reverberating through you skull... Suffocating. You're tired. But you can't just fall asleep here, it's a death sentence... You just. Need to rest. A bit. That's all - nothing out of the ordinary.

It's almost peaceful. But you don't feel like sleeping, which is somewhat good for... the previously mentioned reason. But man - you're exhausted. Mind drifting off somewhere until registering the stinging pain on your forearm.

Seeing the many not so deep(thankfully) puncture holes from many sharp teeth. Starting to bleed. Beads of blood appearing from the bite, slowly spreading over surrounding skin, slowly becoming prickly and itchy. An itch that should be scratched.

Standing up and starting to pace in the hall and covering the wound with your other hand, staining it with the warm liquid. That damn breathing... Getting in your head. An itch to be scratched. Maybe there will be some bandages in the tables? There should be at least someone who has had them stored in the drawers. Once again going through the halls again. Hoping to find the containing cells of SCPs. The closest one you could find is down. Taking the silent elevator. Hearing it whirl before coming to halt with a ding

...

Lights down here aren't working properly. Not all, since there are working ones, most are either completely not working or blinking. It would be smarter to not enter 049's containment chamber and observing room. Yet you continue onward. Almost loud footsteps, breathing and humming of flickering lights are what you can hear now, it's peaceful. No breathing. But... dead, mutilated bodies of the guards. The stench... Quickly walking past them and not breathing that much to not throw up and possibly grown more weaker you finally reach researcher's tables. Rummaging through the drawers, hoping to find a bandage, any bandage will do to not irritate the wound and make it rot... Thinking about it - seeing the dead bodies should've made you turn back. Risk of infection grows more and more.

Not finding anything useful except a night vision goggles. You have to leave the place. But the moment you leave the room and walk past a laying corpse, it almost grabbed you. Groaning in pain as it stands up. Meanwhile you do manage to quickly run to elevator, waiting for it to arrive.

...

It was supposed to stay down here, right?

...

You didn't call it up.

...

You didn't call it back down.

With that zombie coming closer and the elevator possibly going down... to you. You're stuck here. A rock and a hard place. Ha. You'll die here right? This is the end? Probably.

The familiar ding is heard as the doors to the elevator open, signaling your end.

"Ah, I wasn't aware we had company. We rarely get visitors down here."

Turning- No whipping your head to the dark cloaked figure with that damned bird mask. Of course he would linger here.

"My. You're bleeding" Reaching out his hand which made you back off a tiny bit. Still somewhat keeping in mind that there is a zombie that would rip you apart. "Do not be afraid fellow doctor. I'll patch it up, it'll be no problem for both of us. Is it"

"Well" Falling silent and just staring at 049. He reached out his hand. Not to you but to slightly push away his 'patient', which let out a grunt before just turning away to mindlessly wonder these halls until MTF comes by and cleans up the mess in facility.

"Well?" He questions when he got not actual response. Slightly tilting his head, staring back at you.

"It's no problem, really. And i really should go-"

"It's safer here, no need to run off and get hurt out there, doctor. And there shouldn't be any meetings in this situation. So please. Let me help you out" - His voice is still as pleasant as it always was, even if he is insisting to help you out. It'll lead you to become a zombie, just another carcass to feed his delusion that he's helping humanity. But you're so tired. Do you really have a choice? To argue with an anomaly that killed Dr. Hamm, who questioned 049 far too long for doctor's liking. You just sigh and murmur 'okay'.

Pleased that you complied and relaxed a bit(in his point of view), he moved deeper in these halls. "Come". Is all he says, expecting you to comply. You do. Now feeling more groggy as you follow him.

Motioning for you to sit down on the bed in the cell, right in his containment cell. Sitting with a sigh and extending the bitten arm, with less bleeding and much more dried up blood. You don't care that you could die by his touch. Just drifting in and out of consciousness as his warm, gloved hands hold your forearm, pouring some liquid that slightly sting the wound, then wrap up a bandage around the bite. Humming some sort of tune... Slowly making you finally close your eyes and almost fall asleep sitting up. Damn his voice.

A soft thud is heard as a scientist fall on their side, chest slowly moving up and down as the sleep took hold. 049 watches for a moment before he has to go. He has so many infected souls to help, so much suffering from pestilence.

[yukirayu]

Slow Damage Timeline

After countless edits and reviews, I wish to share with you a project of mine: the Slow Damage timeline, which pinpoints (or approximates) how old a character is when a certain event in their life occurred.

Note: The link is in the image description (though I'll also share the direct link here, to be safe). 😉

The remarks below are also found in the spreadsheet, but I'll go ahead and share them here, just in case.

Remarks:

Some of the characters’ ages are confirmed, while others are left for us to guess. The latter half has their final ages (deceased or alive) colored red as a distinguisher, and I did the same for the latest year that the visual novel is likely to currently take place in.

The general age ranges of the characters when they'd attend school, regardless of the level of education, are merely an approximation, especially at university-level and onwards. I did some research on the education system in Japan (and China, for one case), but the answers vary from source to source, especially when I try to narrow it down to a specific course, so I'm just going with what seems most probable depending on each character's history (as well as personality).

What I've said in #2 also applies to the years in which each event is likely to have taken place. I can't guarantee that it's 100% accurate, but what I can at least say is that it's a close guess (in other words, it may have even happened 5 years earlier or later).

Try as I might, I couldn't include every single character because even as I gleaned through the VN and the artbook over and over, there's too little that we know about them. A few examples are Inada and the unnamed vampire.

As much as I wish I could, I never got around to playing Clean Dishes (the fact that it's a mobile game restricted to Japan being the primary reason). Anything I know of it is from the summaries and (currently ongoing) translations given about the story. but it is at least certain that the entire plot of the spinoff (including its epilogue and its own sequel drama CD) happen before the events of the main game, since a certain trio is still working for the Takasato Group, and Towa is still living in the clinic (as well as working there).

I have to stress that about 70% of the timeline's contents consists of educated guesses. The education aside (especially for some characters), the events in each person's timeline is confirmed to have occurred; the hard part is pinpointing the when for at least half of those events, given that the VN left only hints or even none at all.

I've updated this spreadsheet with all the information I could gather (and will still update it in the future whenever needed), but I am only one person so there still might be something that I missed. If you know anything that has yet to be here or requires some revisiting, DM me about it. Of course, please be civilized in your approach.

Extra: Also found in the spreadsheet is the status of each character per route, whether they're dead, alive, or if their fate is uncertain, especially when taking what happens in each route into account.

[gay-dorito-dust]

We need more Johnny fics since there’s rarely any.

Please Johnny x shy!reader that has Doctor Strange powers? Just Johnny girlfriend and Johnny invited his family to watch one of shy!reader shows and they’re sitting front row seats. https://youtu.be/NwO2DByfcKc?feature=shared

I had to look up some of his powers bc I knew he could do more then what he’s shown doing. (Also the fact that he in the comics has stopped aging after passing a test by the ancient one, so in this fic reader also has stopped aging bc I said so)

Johnny knew Reed wasn’t one for magic, being a devout man of science and everything but he himself was more or less in favour of magic the moment he met you a while back, more specifically after you saved him and his family with magic shields via complex hand gestures that looked to him like they hurt on some occasions.

From the day onwards Johnny grew intrigued with how you became a master of the mystic arts, a handful of a title but he knew you weren’t exactly keen towards being labelled as a wizard or magician either, having told him once that what you did was completely different to what they did. He agreed with you for convenience as to him magic was performed all the same way and even if there was varieties of magic like you says there was, then he wouldn’t known the difference regardless.

Even though you disliked being compared to a magician and or wizard, it didn’t necessarily help your case when you had invited Johnny and his family to a one off show that you were putting on, more importantly a one off show that would hopefully help raise money for a nearby hospital in dire need of it for crucial research for their patients; something Johnny found admirable and amazing about you and your want to help others by any means necessary. However as Johnny watched the show he couldn’t help but feel like a kid when he watched you made several illusions of yourself disburse into a swarm of kaleidoscopic butterflies, calf brown eyes widened in awe at the colours as they illuminated the packed showroom they were in, showing that he too wasn’t the only one fascinated by your powers.

‘That’s my baby!’ Johnny exclaimed as he clapped obnoxiously loud just so you could hear him over the roar of the crowd, which he knew you could from how your eyes immediately locked onto his as a shy smile spread across your lips, replacing the confidence expression you had moments prior the moment you saw your boyfriend show you his support for you and your show.

‘Sit down Johnny.’ She scolded her brother, giving you a proud look of her own as Ben grabbed Johnny by his shoulder and brought him back in his seat, making him wince as he grabbed said shoulder to rub it free of it’s sudden aching. ‘I don’t want you to chase off my future sibling in law if you keep acting like this at their shows, this is the fifth time.’ She adds as Reed apologises to you on Johnny’s behalf.

‘What? I just wanted to show everyone who’s the proud boyfriend of the greatest master of the mystic arts anyone has ever seen.’ Johnny defends himself, cross his arms over his chest as he slumps into his seat, as though he was a child being scolded.

Ben looked at him. ‘I’m surprised you didn’t say wizard or magician.’

Johnny only narrows his gaze at the man. ‘Y/n hates being called either of those things, so get it right rock for brains.’ He snides and Ben was about to retort when Sue interrupts the pair and their squabbling. ‘Look they’re going to do their big finale!’ She gestures for both men to look towards the stage where you were levitating not only yourself but also several huge heavy looking crates above the anticipating crowd.

‘What’re you going to do now sparkles!’ Johnny wonders to himself as he as well as the rest of the crowd eyes the crates curiously. He even heard Reed mutter about how interesting this was going to be and before he could ask the man of science what he meant by that, Johnny heard the cries of the crowd as the heavy crates became a literal waterfall of fresh rose petals, but before they could cascaded down upon him and the crowd you had been quick to change your mind and made the roses explode like miniature fireworks; watching them as they went off one by one safely above their heads.

‘Thank you everybody! Thank you all for coming!’ You bowed before the crowd who were giving you a standing ovation, throwing you their bouquet of flowers upon the stage as you used your magic to catch them, cradling them in your arms as you smiled widely at the applause you were getting before looking directly towards the front row at Johnny, Sue, Ben and Reed who were all standing up themselves and cheering the loudest.

‘That’s my baby! That. Is. My. Baby!’ Johnny shouts once again as he throws you his bouquet of flowers that he had gotten you and it was the biggest bouquet you had received, filled to the brim with flowers with so many meanings but all screamed the same thing: how much he loved and found you beautiful and how loved you are.

‘That’s my future sibling in law!’ Sue screamed next as you attempted to hide your sheepish smile when she throws you her own bouquet of flowers that was just as big as Johnny’s and equally as vibrant and full of colourful meanings behind them.

‘Excellent show sweetheart.’ Reed exclaimed after his wife, throwing you his bouquet of flowers before clapping along with the rest of the crowd. You knew his stance on magic and you didn’t dare try to change that and infect you weren’t expecting him to show up tonight, but seeing that he did only made your face become even hotter as your arms struggled to keep ahold of all the beautiful gifts being thrown your way even with your magic.

‘Best show yet sparkles!’ Ben shouts last as he threw his own bouquet atop of the rest of the family’s flowers, clapping along with the rest of them as a stage assistant helped you with taking some flower off of your hands, presumably to put them in your room for later but as for right now you would drink in the cheers and the applause; more importantly the ones coming from that of your boyfriend and his family in the very front row, just happy to see that they took the time to watch your show. However Johnny didn’t think this was enough as he was quick to get himself up and onto the stage, much to sue, Ben and reed’s voices of discouragement in this behaviour, but Johnny didn’t care as rushed towards you with open arms as he caged you against his chest and planted a thousand kissed into your head much to your surprise.

‘Johnny!’ You whined against his chest but didn’t do anything to push him away from you and instead buried your head deeper into his chest, smiling like you’ve never smiled before meeting him.

‘I’m proud of you sweetheart, you did amazing up here, nobody could ever top that and I mean never.’ Johnny whispers into your head as he planted a few more kisses, uncaring that your pictures were being taken that would be later used in the papers the next day, he really didn’t care because all he wanted to do was show you how much he cared about this and about you; if anything the papers would just only reconfirm to everyone that ex playboy Johnny storm was off the market indefinitely, for his heart was stolen by a master of the mystic arts, and a cute one at that.

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage December 2024 Issue Kamen Rider Gavv ft. Hino Yusuke Interview (translation below)

Publication: November 9, 2024

Letting his fighting spirit "melt" into his bullets

Even within the Kamen Rider series, which has enjoyed a history spanning over half a century, there are only a few who have been chosen to become a Kamen Rider with as much tragic resolve weighing on their shoulders as Karakida Hanto. Hanto's mother was kidnapped by a Granute when he was a child, and while investigating the Granutes, his mentor, Shioya Soji, loses his life. In order to avenge Shioya's death, he decided to accept the offer to undergo a life threatening remodification surgery from Suga Kenzo, someone who's researching a method to exterminate the Granutes. The result of his suffering is that he obtained the power to transform into Kamen Rider Valen.

Sometimes, he guesses a Granutes true identity based on the slightest bit of evidence, other times, he shows his kindness in order to support a girl who's chasing her dreams, and at other times, he shows his playful side by instinctively posing when the cameras are pointed at him……Being able to calmly consider the situation and remain open to one's emotions like that may be what's needed to confront the "monsters" that prey on people's happiness.

Although allies like Suga are currently present, Hanto's still pursuing information about the Granutes on his own. Will he be able to reach the enemy responsible for taking his mother from him? We hope you'll watch as Kamen Rider Valen's battle intensifies. _

-This also expands the range of Hanto's feeling-

"Since his first transformation in episode 6, Hanto's also been active as a Kamen Rider."

Hino: After the first transformation episode, I received heartfelt messages from tons of people, such as, "I'm looking forward to seeing what Valen will do going forward." I was also impressed by the response to the sequence of events leading up to the transformation, with comments like, "They're depicting a setting similar to a Showa Rider in a Reiwa Rider."

"It was a very unrefined first transformation scene."

Hino: It was my first transformation, and I was just trying to keep up with the flow of the performance, so I acted with conflicting feelings. I think it was because of the way Director Morota Satoshi said, "Let's make it this kind of taste," and created it on the spot that a sense of liveliness was born. This is one of my personal favorite scenes, as since I started this job, I've been working hard and doing my best, and I felt as though it connected me and Hanto.

"The avant garde exchange with Kamen Rider Gavv in episode 7 was also funny. He calls himself Valen, a name he associates with Valentine (laughs)."

Hino: That scene was fun to act out (laughs). I got into it as best as I could imagine, and the "In the end, the concept is still chocolate….." scene was given the OK with just one take. Still, I had a hard time at first deciding on which of the emotions from my previous performances to keep consistent. For everyone watching, a week has passed, but Hanto's just fought his mentor's enemy out of revenge, and he's still physically damaged. However, Sugi-san (Director Sugihara) told me to go all out, and since I myself like comedic scenes, I didn't hold back.

"Is there anything memorable from filming the transformation scene?"

Hino: For the fixed transformation pose from the second time onwards, I couldn't close the lever of the gun (Valen Buster) fully, or the Gochizou would pop out when I swung it downwards too aggressively, so I had to do alot of retakes until I got used to it (laughs). I remember having to work at it until I could make cool gestures and movements like a Kamen Rider. One of the Directors gave me some advice about the transformation, and it really struck me. It was, "It's a privilege for the chosen ones to be able to say "Henshin," and the word transformation must convey how the character is feeling as they fight." So, every time I transform, I'm conscious of how to convey my emotions in that moment.

"Once again, please tell us your impression of Hanto."

Hino: Hanto became lonely after losing his mother, met his mentor when he was acting like a delinquent, became his apprentice, and is looking for monsters in his work as a writer. He's someone who's had many experiences that I haven't had. I was conscious of this past before we started filming, and I thought that he was nothing like me. But as I talked with Screenwriter Komura Junko-san and Sugi-san, it was almost like Hanto came to me. While respecting what was different between me and him, I began to draw from my own clumsiness and roughness in order to become closer to Hanto.

"Considering he has a passionate side, and a serious backbone despite being silly, Hanto seems to have a wide range."

Hino: That's right. Shouma's pure and Sachika's a gyaru, but I think there are situations and relationships that are created by each and every one of Hanto's "faces." I'm challenging myself to widen my range, and not settle for, "This is just how Hanto is."

"You're thinking, "If this isn't Hanto, then this is," right?"

Hino: Yes. If I perform as Hanto, then I become Hanto, or to put it another way, it's my job to create Hanto, and I consider it rewarding.

"In episode 9, the most recent episode, we got a glimpse of Hanto's more mature side in a scene with Kirari."

Hino: I wanted to express Hanto's clumsy yet passionate attitude toward children in the scene where he consults with Kirari-chan in a friendly and helpful manner. In the scene before that, when the safety buzzer is set off, he's mistaken for a suspicious person even though he didn't mean it that way, which is typical of Hanto (laughs). I think it's a funny scene that shows off Hanto's cuteness.

-We hope that Hanto will be rewarded one day-

"What are your impressions of Kaji Kotaro-san, the Suit Actor who plays Valen?"

Hino: I feel that Kaji-san has a passionate kindness within him, and that he's pulling me along. Valen's actions are also broken down into a fighting style that's typical of Hanto, and I realized that we were creating one role together. We sometimes talk over a few drinks, and in a positive way, we have friendly competition, where we can say what we want to say to each other.

"What do you find important when doing post recording?"

Hino: Hanto has a wide range of expressions, but when he transforms into Valen, he's fighting a Granute, so I'm aware that he's in a state of hostility and wanting revenge. I try to avoid feeling strangely calm, I always act with the feeling that I'm risking my life.

"Maybe it's like you're switching over into battle mode."

Hino: That might be it. When I speak as Hanto, I go back to my natural self, so I think that this is fine.

"How's the atmosphere on set?"

Hino: Hide has a strong sense of responsibility as the main character, and thanks to his leadership, we were able to communicate with each other from the very beginning, and as filming progressed, the vibes between Shouma, Sachika, and Hanto were established. Hide and Miyabecchi tease me in a nice way, so I think we've established an equal relationship. In regards to Hide, I've always played younger brother characters, so I was alittle nervous that "the younger generation has appeared" (laughs), but he has a pure, brotherly cuteness to him that naturally makes me want to spoil him.

"Speaking of Hanto, we think the presence of his mentor, Shioya Soji, who was mentioned earlier, is significant."

Hino: Komatsu Toshimasa-san's performance gave me goosebumps…..! It's natural, subtle, convincing, yet very unconstrained. I feel a sense of respect for him and thought that I'd like to do a performance like that in the future. He's someone I truly want to call "mentor," and I think it was thanks to Komatsu-san that I was able to cry real tears in the scenes where Hanto cries thinking about his mentor.

"Now that Shioya's passed away, his interactions with Suga Kenzo at his lab are striking."

Hino: Suga's making a mess out of Hanto's life (laughs), but the scenes with Suga are also interesting to perform. The very beginning of the show is focused on Shouma and Sachika, and Hanto and Suga, but it was a valuable experience for me to be able to perform one on one with Asanuma Shintaro-san, as I learned alot from him. I'd seen some of the anime that Asanuma-san was in, but when I looked up his appearances, I was shocked and thought, "He was in this one too?!" I'm happy that we communicate with each other on set, talking about all sorts of things, from matters relating to personal life and acting.

"He's a reliable senior who's the complete opposite of Suga."

Hino: That's true (laughs). I think the gap between him and his role is interesting. I'm working together with him with alot of respect.

"Do you have a favorite anime?"

Hino: Most recently, I like "The Dangers in My Heart." Once I became an adult, I stopped watching romance series like that out of embarrassment, but when I watched The Dangers in My Heart for the first time in awhile, it made my heart skip a beat! I'd say that it gives off a sense of purity that only a middle school student can have, and injects you with emotions that we can't get in the real world….it's a really good series. I myself used to play soccer, so I watched alot of sports anime and manga such as "Haikyu!!," "Ace of Diamond," "SLAM DUNK," and "Major." Those are what got me addicted to watching real sports like the NBA.

"If you had to pick an anime that you especially like, what would it be?"

Hino: I love Kyoto Animation's "Beyond the Boundary," and not only have I seen the main TV series, but I've also watched the movie more than 10 times! I was in middle school at the time, and I used to imitate Kanbara Akihito, the main character who's obsessed with glasses, and say, "Pretty girls with glasses are nice, huh?" (laughs). I was so absorbed in it, that I even established a glasses research club at school using my authority as the student council president.

"Isn't that an abuse of power? (laughs)."

Hino: Of course, but it was an unofficial club, okay? (laughs). Now, I'll often watch live action movies and TV dramas in order to study acting, but before I became an actor, I was exposed to various works to the extent that I had a modest interest in them.

"In the future, are there any situations you'd like to perform as Hanto?"

Hino: Things like explosions are areas I haven't experienced yet. Falling into water……isn't a challenge I'm actively looking to take on (laughs). Personally, I'm interested in what would happen if Hanto were to experience something like love being directed toward him. Hanto lost his mother, and he's the type to have narrow, but deep relationships with people, so along with friendship and human affection, I think he's hungry for love. What I imagine is that in a peaceful world where he doesn't have to fight against the Granutes, Hanto will most likely develop a longing for family and a desire to overcome the trauma of losing his loved ones.

"Only painful things happen to him, so we hope it all works out for Hanto."

Hino: I really hope so. On the other hand though, there's something appealing about being unrewarded (laughs). While being the spice that enhances the excitement of Kamen Rider Gavv, I hope that Hanto will continue to be loved by everyone, and I too will continue to devote myself to Hanto with love and care every day!

[dark-frosted-heart]

Roger's 2nd Birthday Story (part 1)

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this

Let’s celebrate my lover, who devotes his life to researching Cursed Ones, for being born into this world.

As thanks for always giving me encouragement.

I’m determined to fight against despair alongside him and help him in his insatiable research.

Let’s hope that we can live together for even just a minute or a second longer.

I want to celebrate his birthday next year, and the year after…and many more years onward.

I was still holding on to these greedy thoughts when the day before Roger’s birthday arrived.

I’ve been in the kitchen since noon—

Kate: …Yep, I did a great job!

Roast beef, lamb chops, duck simmered in wine, grilled venison…

I did my best to make Roger’s favorite meat dishes.

Kate: And the cherry on top, this beer.

A bottle of barley wine was packed into a wooden box.

I was able to specially order this beer after discussing it with the bar owner.

—All because I wanted to celebrate Roger’s special day to the fullest. 

Kate: …I hope this will make Roger happy.

Roger: What was that about me?

I turned and saw  Roger leaning against the door with a smile.

Kate: What are you doing here?

(I even made sure he didn’t know I was making him dinner)

He couldn’t hold back his laughter when I froze in place.

Roger: Did you forget about my ability?

Kate: Ah!...Did you find out about everything I was doing today?

Roger: Who knows?

(He was definitely listening in!)

Kate: It’s written all over your face! Picking up on the noises a person makes is an invasion of privacy!

Roger: Can’t help it. My ears just happen to perk up at the noises you make. Guess this is what “love” does to you.

(...Sneaky)

When he talked to me like that, I felt so happy that my anger faded away.

Roger: Haha, you’re such a cutie wagging your tail. There, there.

Kate: Geez! I’m not a pet dog anymore?! 

I found it hard to stop myself from smiling when he ruffled my hair with that hand I loved.

(It’s annoying how happy this makes me…!)

Roger: …You’re right. You’re the one that taught me about “love” and now you’re my precious lover. 

The hand that was ruffling my hair stopped and slid down to my cheek. His amber eyes glowed in the soft light as they got closer.

Kate: Mnn…

The warm, affectionate kiss made all my annoyance and stubbornness disappear.

(...He’s being unfair again)

This teasing egoist.

It’s annoying how I always play into his hand—it makes me happy though.

Our lips parted and whispers sweetly, as if to coax an answer out of me.

Roger: So, what was my cute love mentor doing?

Kate: Well, since I’m done. Since tomorrow’s your birthday, we’ll be having a party with Crown. So I made you dinner as a way to celebrate beforehand.

Roger: Hm, thanks. These are all my favorites. Just looking at them’s making me hungry. It’s about time for dinner, isn’t it?

Kate: Yes, I was about to get you. I’ll bring these over to the dining room.

As I place the dishes on the wagon, Roger suddenly grabbed the handle.

Roger: I’ll push.

Kate: Huh? But you’re the birthday boy.

Roger: Don’t worry about it. It’ll be heavy with all this food so I’ll take care of it.

I’m moved by that boyish smile of his.

Kate: Then…please.

As he happily walked off, I trailed after him with a spring in my step.

However—

Roger pushed the wagon in a direction different from the dining room.

Kate: Um, Roger? Where are you going?

As I followed him in confusion, he turned and looked at me mischievously.

Roger: If all this delicious food’s laid out in the dining room, they might end up getting offered to Ellis and the others. I wanna enjoy your cooking in peace.

(A place to enjoy it in peace…wait, this hall leads to)

-- Roger: No one will bother us here. We can celebrate all we want without worrying about the others. —You’ll teach me how lovers spend birthdays, won’t you?