#I really just made this for Ranmaru

[daily-yttd-something]

Day 129: Gender

[struggling-jpg]

Yohaji’s dead Seimei has me screaming internally at all times because he can be so many things but we’re not exactly sure what’s what yet????

Was he doomed by the narrative? Did he doom himself narratively due to his clairvoyance? Is he a divine eldritch horror? Is he a human eldritch horror that the divine wanted to get rid of? Is he all of that? Is he none of that? Was he lonely and hopeless about his own situation to the point he could only hope to vicariously live a semi-normal life through his descendant/reincarnation? Did he have no choice but to play out events so the people around him could have happier futures? Was he just always built different? Is this version of him really connected to kitsune? What exactly made him shed a tear in that one Ranmaru flashback? What is his curse doing on Douman? What really killed him?

How is he the Horror, the ghost of Christmas past, and the missed dead wife simultaneously at all times?

I need more brainrot for this guy!!!

I am so normal about Abe no Seimei, promise.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Ranmaru Main Story Chapter 1

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies.

Spoilers ahead. Not a full translation.

Nobunaga: "An ambush, huh? Mai! You need to get out of here right now!"

Mai: "O-Okay!"

Following Nobunaga's orders, I somehow managed to get out of the tent—only to find that the outside was just as horrific.

Blood was splattered everywhere. Groans and shouts filled the air, and the fear of death loomed closer with every step.

Suddenly, it felt as if my legs no longer belonged to me.

(I was drunk on a sense of justice, convinced there was only one thing to do—but I was too naive.)

(I only thought I was prepared.)

Man in black: "………"

Suddenly, a man in black closed in on me and raised his sword.

(Crap!)

The pounding sounds of the battlefield vanished, and everything around me seemed to slow down.

Clang!

But then, a shadow leaped in front of me, blocked the sword, and knocked it away.

In an instant, sound and motion came rushing back.

Ranmaru: "I won't let you lay a finger on her."

Mai: "Ranmaru?!"

(What is he doing here?)

Ranmaru stepped in front of me, shielding me as I stood frozen in shock, then raised his sword again.

Ranmaru: "I told you… it was okay to run."

Ranmaru: "You don't have to be the only one trying to act brave."

Ranmaru: "But it's alright now. You can relax. I'll protect you—properly this time."

(Ah…)

He left those words behind and rushed toward the enemy.

Man in black 1: "Gah!"

Man in black 2: "Where'd you come from?!"

Ranmaru: "I've been here. You're just a little slower than me."

(Wow. He's strong!)

Despite his smaller frame compared to the others, he moved nimbly—closing the distance in the blink of an eye—and took down the men in black one after another with ease.

Ranmaru: "Looks like it's about time."

Just as Ranmaru murmured those words, the sound of approaching hooves echoed.

When I turned around, I saw soldiers bearing the Oda clan's banner rushing toward us.

(Reinforcements!)

With the arrival of the Oda soldiers, the tide turned almost instantly.

The black-clad attackers retreated, and the base camp fell silent.

But then—

Hideyoshi: "Hey, that guy…"

Mitsuhide: "Oh? Things just got interesting."

Nobunaga: "You…"

Ranmaru: "..........."

Everyone stared at Ranmaru in surprise.

(What's with their reaction? Do they know each other?)

(Wait, now that I think about it, Ranmaru…)

Ranmaru slowly dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

Ranmaru: "Lord Nobunaga, Ranmaru Mori has returned."

One week had passed since that battle.

I was on my way to the hall, having been summoned by Nobunaga.

(Why didn't I realize it the moment I heard his name?)

Even someone like me, who barely knew history, had heard of Ranmaru Mori.

He was a famous and capable page who served under Nobunaga Oda—and was known for his beauty.

(The castle rumors were true—or rather, history was right. He really was good-looking.)

(But now probably isn't the best time to be fangirling over that.)

------------Flashback-----------

Oda soldier 1: "So it really is him… that guy…"

Oda soldier 2: "Traitor! I'll cut you down right here!"

Nobunaga: "Stand down. I'm the one who decides his fate—not you."

Oda soldier 2: "S-Sorry, my lord. I overstepped."

---------Flashback Ends--------

(I didn't know the whole story, but Ranmaru was being called a traitor.)

And because I knew Ranmaru, I was apparently under suspicion, too.

(I had planned to stay quiet about everything, but things got much messier.)

Mai: "Excuse me."

As I entered the hall, I saw a group of familiar warlords gathered together.

(Ranmaru was already sitting in front of Nobunaga.)

Hideyoshi: "Mai, sit next to Ranmaru."

Mai: "Alright."

I did as I was told and immediately felt the weight of everyone's attention.

Their unusually tense expressions made me tilt my head in confusion.

(Shouldn't they be happy that their comrade returned?)

It was Mitsunari who answered the question lingering in my mind.

Mitsunari: "Ranmaru has been missing since the night of the Honno-ji incident."

(I see. From everyone else's perspective, abandoning your lord and running away is something they just can't forgive.)

(That's why they were calling him a traitor.)

Ranmaru: "Lord Nobunaga, I am truly sorry."

Ranmaru bowed low, his voice trembling as he spoke.

Ranmaru: "That night, I panicked at the sudden attack and ran away."

Ranmaru: "I've regretted it ever since. I knew I didn't deserve forgiveness, but I still wanted to apologize—so I waited for the chance to come back."

(So that's what happened.)

Nobunaga: "..........."

Nobunaga's gaze didn't waver.

Even under that cold, piercing stare, Ranmaru continued.

Ranmaru: "I've been working in the shadows ever since, trying to atone for the disgrace of that night—even just a little."

Ranmaru: "That's why I was able to rush in during the recent ambush."

Ranmaru: "I believed that if I ever wanted a real chance to apologize, I had to prove my sincerity—no matter the cost."

Mitsunari: "You must've been through a lot."

Hideyoshi: "I heard it was Ranmaru who gave us the first intel about that ambush. But still…"

Hideyoshi trailed off, his face clouded with doubt.

Ieyasu: "Still, we can't just declare him innocent and set him free right away."

Mitsuhide: "Indeed. Fleeing when your lord is in danger is no different from betrayal."

Mitsuhide: "As you all know, many of the soldiers believe he should be executed on the spot."

(Executed?!)

The calm way he said it made my blood run cold.

(Right. In this era, loyalty means everything. Anyone seen as a traitor is punished severely.)

That mindset probably comes from living in a world where death is always just around the corner.

(But even so…)

Mai: "Um—excuse me! May I say something?"

I bowed deeply to Lord Nobunaga.

Nobunaga: "…………"

He didn't speak, but I could feel his gaze urging me to continue.

(What now? I blurted that out without thinking, but it's too late to back down now.)

Mai: "Ranmaru saved me, both in town and on the battlefield."

Mai: "That's why I've decided to stand by his side."

Ranmaru: "Lady Mai…"

(I know what I said was reckless—but I can't just pretend I saw nothing.)

Mai: "And not once, since we met, has Ranmaru ever tried to get any information about the Oda army out of me."

Mitsuhide: "Hearing you defend him so passionately only makes me wonder if you're working with him."

Mai: "………."

At Mitsuhide's words, murmurs of suspicion about me and Ranmaru began to spread through the hall.

But then—

Nobunaga: "Ranmaru."

The moment Nobunaga finally spoke, the room fell completely silent.

Nobunaga: "It's true that on the battlefield, you saved Mai and the Oda soldiers from a dire situation."

Nobunaga: "And your skill as a page has already been proven."

(Wait—does that mean?)

Nobunaga: "I will allow you to serve once more as my page in the Oda army."

Nobunaga: "Whether your words just now were genuine or not—I'll be watching closely. Prove it through your actions."

Ranmaru: "I will serve you with all my heart and soul!"

After that exchange, the tense atmosphere surrounding the Oda army seemed to ease—just a little.

(Thank goodness.)

But the relief didn't last long.

Mitsuhide: "Now then—regarding those men in black who attacked the main camp that night…"

At Mitsuhide's words, the tension in the room snapped back into place.

Masamune: "We won the battle, but we're still left with a mystery."

Ranmaru: "I got wind of the ambush in advance, but I never figured out who those guys really were."

Mitsunari: "Could the same group have been behind both the attack at Honnō-ji and this recent ambush?"

Hideyoshi: "Either way, one thing's clear—someone out there is plotting to take Lord Nobunaga's life."

(Right. I was so focused on Ranmaru, I forgot the real culprits still haven't been found.)

Nobunaga: "As long as I continue down the path of unification, I've no doubt enemies like these will keep appearing."

Nobunaga glanced over the gathered warlords, a calm, confident smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Nobunaga: "But no matter who stands in my way, I will crush them all."

With those words, the meeting was brought to a close.

Next Part???

[zettaireido-emotion]

Camus character analysis: games VS anime

If you finished the Uta no Prince-sama anime and your opinion of this man is "wow, he's kinda terrible," I don't blame you. in fact I've seen a lot of people say this

In this post, I want to talk about his characterization in the games and give my two cents on what the anime was trying to do with him, especially in his single focus episode Saintly Territory (S3E6).

Disclaimer: I wrote this on a whim because I'm sick and stuck at home so if anyone reads this, sorry I might go all over the place

Spoilers for all of the games!

The "be my slave" thing

Starting with Anime Camus's most egregious crime: treating Haruka like a servant/slave (however you want to translate it)

Basically in his focus episode, Haruka is tasked with writing a song for Camus. She wants to learn more about him in order to write it, but Camus will only let her follow him if she acts as his servant. She accepts without complaining, Cecil is rightfully angry, Haruka continues anyway and the song gets completed.

Now, am I about to say that Game Camus would never do this? No because he literally does lmao.

The anime doesn't pull this "servant" plotline out of nowhere, here's the context in his route:

Haruka accidentally overhears Camus talking about a plot to assassinate Saotome on the phone. When he notices that she heard everything, he basically tells her that he has to kill her now. But if she served him, he'd be able to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't leak anything, so she could escape death.

Okay uh "work under me or DIE" isn't exactly better, nor is it a good start to a love story, but I'm not finished!!

(A side note: I have to add that the anime made him look like an even bigger asshole and borderline dumb when it came to the things he made her do. Like he expected her to know that snapping your fingers means you want coffee without prior explanation. bro

^This might have been for comedic effect but I promise he can be actually funny and endearing.)

What the anime couldn't cover

The Camus episode wraps up with Haruka pulling through and writing a song that makes Camus "sincere," he says it's cool at the very end and that's the episode. I think the problem is that we technically didn't see him being sincere or what that even means to him, besides when he was singing (banger song btw)

It's a shame because in a 20-minute episode you really can't show the game experience of slowly piecing together what this man's problem is.

First of all, in Debut and AS you'll be quick to notice that he always has homeland and duty on the mind, constantly reminding himself that he's in Shining Agency/Japan for a reason, and it's NOT to have fun or make friends

The truth is, he slowly starts to appreciate the banter with his colleagues, music, and working there in general.

But because of his initial mindset, he has to rationalize & justify every connection he forms, like "it's just for work" or worse: "actually it was ALL A LIE and I NEVER ENJOYED A SECOND OF THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER, I'm such a great actor haha"

He uses that to fool himself and to push the other person away so it doesn't happen again. This scene is probably the best example:

(I'll be using google lens because it's faster but I checked that the tls were okay)

He also does this in the Non-Fiction drama, which may or may not have actually happened, but I think it's still a pretty good reflection of what could happen in reality because he tells Ranmaru their bond was a lie, then mopes around in his guilt thinking about the good times and wondering why he's sad, and THEN later doubles down on the "it was a lie, I don't care about you" because he just can't let himself get attached to anything.

Basically, he's terrified at the thought of forming actual bonds because he genuinely thinks he's nothing if he stops being a cold weapon:

At one point he does admit he sucks (as a love interest)-

-which is pretty huge by utapri standards. I love these games, but the amount of times where a male lead does something icky, and everyone, including Haruka, acts like it's normal or like it's Haruka's fault is ehhh but I digress

Upbringing

Of course he's very proud of his homeland and status, but sometimes it's to the point of thinking he can't be anything other than his title. So why is he like this?

We got to hear about his childhood from Camus himself a few times, and it often ended with Haruka thinking "wait? that's kinda messed up?" and Camus insisting it's nothing/it's normal so yeah that's something...

His parents were in an unhappy arranged marriage, and his mother was forced to birth an heir which traumatized her so much that she can't see Camus without falling ill. Overall it's a pretty tragic situation since what happened to her was horrible, though not Camus's fault either. Even now she refuses to see him, and I wouldn't say that makes him sad because he never really met her, but simply knowing of her sacrifice probably adds a lot of pressure. As in, he only exists for this one purpose (inheriting his father's title and serving the country), so if he doesn't play his part correctly, it would have all been for nothing.

He was raised by his father not as a child or son but as the heir, always treated and judged as an adult (even during physical training apparently, make of that what you will)

When Haruka asks about childhood memories he has a very hard time finding something that doesn't have to do with his duties or the nation. And then admits he didn't truly have a "childhood" since he was never treated like a child

As for the queen, I think his love for her is sincere: she taught him a lot of things growing up, and according to him, she's also a victim trapped by her duties so he wants to ease the burden.

So hypothetically, if he found things or people that made him happy in Japan, he would feel obligated to lock them away because that happiness is incompatible with his life: he'll have to leave when his mission ends, he shouldn't be spending time on things that aren't "useful" as he doesn't have the free will to pursue them

In his mind he's completely tied down by the fact that he was born and raised for a single reason, and the fact that he does want to serve the queen.

(This is Saotome describing him btw)

Also it might sound ridiculous to bring his self-worth into question because of how pretentious he is, but I've counted a few situations where he seemed to have complete disregard for his own life, only worrying about Haruka and Cecil's safety in scenes when they were present. And he thinks wanting to be loved unconditionally is a childish thought he shouldn't have.

"Double Face" was a lie. There's like at least 10 layers

On the surface he does have two personas, his perfect polite butler act for the media, and his cold bitchy attitude off camera. But honestly, even when he's not acting as a butler, he's often putting up a front to hide any form of vulnerability (from himself as well)

His main struggle is finding who he is outside of what he's being told to do. Before, he never actually stopped to think about what he WANTS because it just never occurs to him, or if it does he ignores it.

That's why realizing that he has his own desires is essential to his character development, and him staying with Quartet Night (and Haruka in his routes) is so important. It's why Reiji feels the need to reach out and when he does, Camus either freezes up or tears up;

This all makes him the opposite of Ranmaru (being true to yourself and sincere), and similar to Ai (gradually learning to view the world in a less cold and logical way), but I kind of want to save that for another post lmao

He is especially hard on Cecil because Cecil says & does whatever he wants, and everything still works out for him, which is a way of life that Camus can't imagine for himself at all (despite maybe wanting it?)

That he can realize this and eventually admit out loud, despite all his pride, is also one of my favorite things about him

Season 2 does hint at something, so that's pretty cool!

Side note, I really love that his theme in the new Oracle series is "Change," the melting of ice.

So what was the anime supposed to do??

Of course there's no way to show all this in a single episode or even during the runtime of the anime, and I never expected them to because the story is very surface-level (that goes for all characters).

It's just unfortunate since the anime is the most accessible and well-known utapri media in the western fandom, and the character's main episode is bound to leave the biggest impression.

I understand the choice of being laser-focused on the servant plotline, it's supposed to be funny (?) and waters him down to a trope that's easy to understand at first glance (the step-on-me guy I guess)

Still, I can't help but compare it to Ranmaru's episode, who was also hard to work with in the games but was chill in S3E7 and got to pet cats. Anime onlys will never know how much Camus loves to dote on his dog smh.....

[ikeromantic]

Hello! Can i request for some Mitsuhide angst leading to fluff maybe?

It can be a misunderstanding leading to an argument or something qwq

Thankyou!

I love your fics btw! And happy new year!

Happy New Year to you as well, nonny! I hope you love this one too ^_^ Mostly fluff, a little light angst, approx 800 words.

Mitsuhide frowned. His little mouse was furious. She stood an armslength away, her back stiff, shoulders squared, brow creased and jaw tight. “You’re so cute when you’re angry.”

“I’m not angry.” Her fingers curled into a fist, clutching the fabric of her kimono. 

“Of course not. You just like making that face when you’re happy.” 

She glared at him. “I’m not happy either. Just . . . frustrated. I wish you wouldn’t lie to me.”

Mitsuhide sighed. He wasn’t lying. Not exactly. Just leaving something out. And for good reason. “I’m not lying, little one.”

“Right. And the moon is made of green cheese.” She looked like she wanted to stick her tongue out at him. Instead, she took a breath. “Fine. You’re not lying. I’m not angry. Nobody is anything. And I have stuff to do.” With that, she turned on her heel and stalked from his office. 

He watched her go, feeling an unexpected tightness in his chest. He did not want her to be angry with him. But there were times he couldn’t simply share everything he knew, and this was one. Masamune had extracted a promise, afterall. 

Two days and many cold glares later, the time had come for all to be revealed. It was a good thing too. Mitsuhide wasn’t sure he could handle another day of getting the cold shoulder. His little mouse was one snarky comment away from kicking him out of their shared futon. 

She saw him approach, but pretended to be too deeply focused on her embroidery to notice him. 

“Come with me,” he said when he was close, and held out a hand to help her up. Mitsuhide felt a flutter of relief when she accepted his hand. 

“Where are we going?” She eyed him with suspicion. Deserved, he thought. 

“Just for a little walk.” He smiled. 

She furrowed her brow. “I can tell you aren’t being honest but I’m not sure what the lie is. Where are we really going?”

Mitsuhide brushed a fingertip across her cheek. “Trust me?”

“I . . . I do.” She took a deep breath. “I know you wouldn’t let me get hurt. And you wouldn’t keep something from me unless you have to. So. Fine. Lead on.”

He wanted to kiss her, but he could tell she was still too annoyed with him to want the kiss. Or to allow herself to want it, anyway. That was alright. Delayed gratification made the prize all the sweeter. His golden gaze lingered for a moment on her lips in anticipation. 

She seemed to sense the gist of his thoughts, her cheeks heating. “Well. Come on. You said you wanted to take me for a walk.”

“My apologies, little one. I find myself sometimes lost in you.” He gave her a genuine smile, as rare as a shooting star. Mitsuhide led her through the mansion, a meandering walk. One that led them inevitably to the garden. 

“Fireball.” Nobunaga greeted her from where he sat, while Masamune rushed over to hug her. Hideyoshi, Ieyasu, Mitsunari, Ranmaru, and Keiji were there and they cheered her as she stepped out. 

“What is this? It isn’t my birthday . . .” She blinked at the gathered group and the tables piled high with her favorite treats. 

Masamune chuckled. “You really don’t know, lass?”

“Am I so easily forgotten?” Nobunaga gave a small frown. 

“No? But . . . I really don’t understand. Is it a festival day I forgot?” She turned to Mitsuhide, hoping for a hint.

He took pity on her. “Today is the anniversary of your arrival. You stumbled from the flaming temple with Nobunaga leaning on your shoulder, remember?” He playfully poked her forehead. 

She gaped for a moment, her entire face going hot. “I didn’t realize . . . oh - oh! This is the secret you’ve been keeping? Mitsuhide?!”

“It is.” He bent down and finally claimed the lips he’d been missing for days. A long, sweet, slow kiss. Impolite to the gathered company, perhaps, to flaunt his wealth in this way. But he’d been denied far too long to allow mere courtesy to stay his desire. 

“You are impossible,” she gasped when he finally let their kiss break for breath. She smacked his arm, then hugged him. 

Mitsuhide smiled his crescent moon grin. “I take it you are pleased then? And I am forgiven.”

“Yes,” she laughed. 

Masamune cleared his throat. “If you’re done with each other, how about you take a seat and try out my new dessert?”

Hideyoshi tsked. “Stop distracting her, Mitsuhide. You have to share her with us sometimes.” 

“Yeah, princess. Come take a seat so we can all eat,” Keiji shouted.

She did, sitting with Nobunaga to one side and Mitsuhide to the other. 

Ieyasu rolled his eyes. “This is so unnecessary.”

“But isn’t it nice,” Mitsunari exclaimed. 

“It’s very nice,” she interjected, squeezing Mitsuhide’s hand lightly. Her gaze, when she turned to him, was full of joy. Some secrets, he thought, were worth keeping. Especially when making up with his little mouse promised to be so much fun.

[xreaderdumpster]

Being Ranmaru’s partner would include...

Will play the guitar for you any chance he’d get. Any song he plays though tends to be more romance/love based rock songs (think Baby, I love you by the Ramones and Girl all the bad guys want by Bowling for soup).

Likes cuddling but will never say it out loud. He’ll just rock up after practice, go “Oi”, gesture vaguely and then assume the cuddling position. Prefers spooning if it’s in bed or his head in your chest if it's on the sofa.

Always ensures he has headphones with him no matter where he goes. Both for himself but also for you if you’re a person sensitive to sounds.

Going out to pubs or underground gigs are his favourite dates with you. Holding you close, swaying to music. But he’s happy with anything as long as you’re happy!

Speaking of pub or gig dates, he would be really protective of you. Especially if you had one too many drinks or others flirted with you. He’d see someone flirting with you and would wrap an arm around your waist quietly. If they tried anything further, best pray you can pry him away from pummeling someone to the GROUND that night.

He’d bring you round to the Quartet Night shared apartment. You’d think it’s empty, Ranmaru even saying he’d asked the other members to let you both have some alone time. But of course Reiji, Camus and Ai would all be there, hiding.

Ranmaru would absolutely love showing you off to others. “See this? (Y/N) made it for me. My (Y/N)! They’re so goddamn talented it’s insane.” Always has his hand on you. If he doesn’t, he’s nearby.

[conron]

Masterlist

this is to replace the one i made in ... *checks watch*

SOPHOMORE YEAR HIGHSCHOOL?! my god...

btw please remember i'm mostly an ao3 fanfic writer so it'd be way easier to read my fics on there. but i am willing to write for shits and giggles on here :heart: :wilted rose:

BUT!!! if u request something, just be specific and ill write whateva for u! imagines, scenarios, or whateva. idrc but ill interpret it in my own way and what you get might be a joke lol. i mostly write for my own fav characters but if you request something funny i might play around with other ppl.

Tokyo Revengers

-toman x reader (mikey exclusive) wip (finished on ao3)

-mikey x fighter! reader (they go to a school dance together aww) wip

-medic!reader tries to reason with crashout! mikey (doesnt go well) finished on ao3

Your Turn to Die

-ranmaru x reader wip (one of my favs tbh...)

Weak Hero

-wolf/seongje x reader (soulmate au ongoing) shared burns

. first chap.

second chap.

third chap.

-zombie apocalypse??? wolf x reader oneshot

Dr. Stone

-senku x friend! reader (angst) unfinished finished on ao3

Hunter x Hunter

-kite x reader! they dance aww (unfinished)

One Piece

-young! corazon x friend reader. hurt/ comfort

-law x calm calm fruit! reader (big fat WIP. just wanted to jot down the idea)

Resident Evil

-leon and ashley platonic fic. sibling coded

-leon x best friend! reader (fluffy)

read away! and req if you really are that desperate :heartbreak: also feel free to ask me to finish any wips. chances are i will abide by what you say lol

[blueesnow]

Camus' Birthday (Year 1) Voicelines Translation.

-You can look at it again on the Event Log, Mini-Event section (for the other boys messages to him) and Talk section (for a one-on-one conversation with you and him) in Idol Page.

-Also the translations might not be fully accurate since I'm not that fluent on jp/en, so if i ever made a mistake do correct me🙏

<You (Player)> Camus: I'm truly honored to receive your celebration words. It touches my heart more than any other celebration. Camus: It is my duty to provide you with an exquisite time to repay those feeling. You will surely accompany me, won't you?

<Otoya> Otoya: Happy Birthday! I bought you my recommended ice cream as a thank you for everything! Camus: How thoughtful of you. Alright, time to give it a try. Go and prepare the drinks. …Two would be fine.

<Masato> Masato: Happy Birthday, Camus-senpai. I'll bring you some sweets again as a token of my gratitude for you. Camus: Hmm, Hijirikawa's homemade, huh. Anything that you brought is never off the mark, so I'm really looking forward to it.

<Natsuki> Natsuki: Happy Birthday! I'll prepare a special tea party just for you, Myu-chan-senpai! Camus: Very thoughtful of you. The tea that you brew is always delectable. Well then, I shall prepare the finest sweets for it as well.

<Tokiya> Tokiya: Happy Birthday. While there seems to be a lot of special occasions today, please be careful not to consume too much sweets. Camus: Even without you telling me, I always make sure to take care of myself. Therefore, today should be no different than the usual.

<Ren> Ren: Happy Birthday, Baron! I found a cafe you might like the other day. Let's go there together. Camus: I assume that you will prepare the car, right? If so, I don't mind going. You should be grateful.

<Syo> Syo: Happy Birthday! I think it's amazing how Camus-senpai can do everything so well! Camus: You're impeccably well-mannered as a kouhai. The only thing left is for you to tone down that smothering attitude a little bit.

<Cecil> Cecil: Happy Birthday. Although Camus' advice can be a bit twisted, it can be helpful too sometimes. Camus: Hmph, if it's helpful then that's good to know. Try to put words in your mouth to express your gratitude more honestly, Aijima.

<Reiji> Reiji: Happy Birthday! I rely on Myu-chan who always stick to his own belief☆ Camus: It's an unquestionable fact that I have a strong presence. However, you should learn to have some dignity before you rely on me.

<Ranmaru> Ranmaru: Happy Birthday, Camus. I won't complain no matter how much sugar cubes you use today. Camus: Oh, you sure came up with something good, Kurosaki. Without further ado, let's quickly put ten cubes in it… no, maybe twenty.

<Ai> Ai: Happy Birthday, Camus. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two from your sophisticated language and behavior that you show to your fans. Camus: Good observation, but it's not enough. I'm sure there are plenty of other things you could learn from me.

<Eiichi> Eiichi: Happy Birthday. The way you act as a butler and entertain others is truly magnificent! Camus: I'm glad to know that you're pleased with this side of me. Let's both work even harder for the sake of our young ladies, shall we?

<Kira> Kira: Happy… Birthday. I spotted a dog bowl… with a nice color. I wonder if ceramics… would be fine to you. Camus: It seems like I can count on your aesthetic sense when it comes to pottery. I'd love to buy some. Introduce me next time.

<Nagi> Nagi: Happy Birthday~☆ Nagi knows a lot about trendy sweets♪ Shall I tell you my recommendation? Camus: Why, of course. Thank you very much. …Now, please tell me more about it immediately.

<Eiji> Eiji: Happy Birthday. Please allow me to gift you a variety of sweets too! Camus: I will always be waiting for you, Young Master. I hope you'll also practice your conversation skills in a smooth way.

<Van> Van: Happy Birthday! Not only do you have an air of elegance on stage, but you also have elegant hobbies as well. Man, you're so amazing~! Camus: That would be an ideal goal for a noisy and single-minded people like you. You should learn from me to the fullest.

<Yamato> Yamato: Happy Birthday. You do horse riding, right? I'm also interested in it. It seems fun to ride it fast. Camus: You have a pretty good eye. I don't know how far your ability is, but feel free to give it a try.

<Shion> Shion: I heard that you own a lovely dog. I'm sure he's waiting at home to celebrate with you… Camus: And I heard that your hobby is bird watching. Perhaps we might have a good conversation regarding animals.

[socra-time]

Socra’s Naruto Liveblog, Ep. 152-157

(aka the Kurosuki Removal Mission)

Ep 152:

-anddd we’re already starting with someone getting buried alive. Yikes.

-goddamn Naruto is really just carrying three whole adults on his back

-LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MY SPECIAL SON AW HE WORKS SO HARD

-Anko stealing Tsunade’s food was kinda iconic

-I love that Tsunade calls Gai’s team “your kids” lol

-and then Gai really said “I love those kids more than anything in the world”, MY HEART 😭

-Naruto is so much shorter than all of Team Gai lmao (altho in my head Tenten is very short)

-I stan Lee so hard. He could literally say anything and I’ll just smile and be like “that’s my boy”

-Neji has really chilled out so much from before the Chunin Exams, he actually was kinda smiling at some of Naruto’s antics

-Gai and Lee running in their sleep is so unserious

-oh my god as someone with really bad spice tolerance, I felt for everyone so much when they tried the curry

-omg the curry was so spicy it made Neji activate his Byakugan, that’s actually fucking hilarious

Ep 153:

-the graveyard of people who were buried alive is one of the darkest things I’ve seen in the show so far I think

-between this mission and the beetle mission, it’s so interesting to see Naruto interact with other teams and clash with their established dynamics and way of doing things

-who the FUCK is this Raiga dude talking to on his back. It’s so creepy

-I don’t like the way Karashi talks

-I love Lee’s little notebook

Ep 154:

-I’m very curious about the abilities of whoever the Ranmaru person on Raiga’s back is. Whoever they are, they seem to be super powerful

-ohhhh fuck the kids are in trouble

-Lee fighting in his sleep will never not be funny

-ah so Ranmaru is very much another Haku situation then. The show even acknowledges it

Ep 155:

-again, the way Karashi talks annoys me. His hair slays tho

-the black tornado jutsu with the Kurosuki goons all stacked on top of each other was deeply unserious

-yay I like that we’re actually getting to see Tenten fight!

-god Lee has such a big heart

-Grandma Sancho is kinda an icon. I love little old lady characters

-I know there’s still two episodes of this arc so I’m just waiting for shit to go wrong now

-this is extremely off-topic but Ranmaru’s hair is literally the same as Bugsy’s from Pokemon Gold and Silver

-welp. Shit went wrong.

Ep 156:

-oh god Tenten is going to get her ass kicked isn’t she

-wait okay she actually put up a decent fight

-also Tenten stabbing her wooden staff into Raiga’s foot made me giggle

-ugh Karashi is such a whiney lil bitch. He needs to take a page out of Kimimaro’s book and grow a spine (see what I did there lmao)

-welp rip Neji and Naruto. It’s fuckin LEE time now

-AW SHIT THE WEIGHTS ARE COMING OFF

-Tenten is both nice to Ranmaru and also kind of done with him

Ep 157:

-the animation of Lee tumbling down the rocks was fucking hilarious

-oh Grandma Sancho the icon that you are-

-oh my god Lee is such a fucking GOOBER

-Ranmaru is seriously OP as fuck

-also Ranmaru trying to guide Raiga and himself off a cliff is some dark shit

-YESSSSS DRUNK LEE COMEBACK

-the animators must have so much fun animating drunk Lee

-I feel like Neji passing out each time he’s fed the alcoholic curry of life is confirming that he’s both a) a MEGA lightweight and b) a sleepy drunk

-Raiga has kinda overstayed his welcome, I needed him gone like an episode ago

-okay I will say that him going out in a literal blaze of glory via lightning was kinda epic tho

-aw Ranmaru is staying at the curry shop! That’s really nice actually:)

-Lee is such a cutie patootie

[doonalli]

Mai and Humanity in Autonomy (Mai Character Analysis)

I think Mai Tsurugi is a character who has a lot to her and while I know she is talked about a bit I think she should be talked about more because she is a truly fantastic character and I hope this post gets you to start thinking about how and why!!

To understand Mai’s character I think it's important to talk about a major theme in 3-1. Obviously at its core Chapter 3 Part 1 is about what makes something human, and its shown through each of the dummies, each encompassing a different aspect of humanity, and for Mai this is the humanity of being able to make your own choices.

And this is made extremely clear during one major point in 3-1 where Ranmaru gives a speech about how humanity is about making your own choices after Keiji gets locked in a coffin. 

And throughout the chapter Mai ends up emboding everything that Ranmaru and this scene is trying to say.

In this speech Ranmaru states that being human is about making your own choices, something that's a constant struggle for Mai’s character, but also something she ends up learning throughout the chapter and finally proving her humanity through it.

and Mai is the one who by far encapsulates this the most throughout 3-1, ironic considering how she is also the only one who didn’t get to hear the speech on account of being unconscious.

When we first meet Mai it’s as a doll during the Murderer Game, the subgame in which the survivors must kill Midori in order to proceed however the dolls instead have a different objective. As a doll Mai is told she must kill her partner (in this case being Q-taro) if she wants to survive. Here she starts off as someone unable to make her own choices and that's shown off almost immediately when Mai ends up being the first doll to play into Midori's hands and try to kill their partner, it's a choice that was set up for her, not something she chose herself but rather it's just her playing along with Midori's puppet show. However, after she wakes from being knocked out by Qtaro we see the first signs of her breaking from that.

When she wakes up, we see the aftermath of her choice from her perspective, and she regrets it, not from a regret of her betrayal but because of her failure.

If Sara tells her “you’re awake…” she’ll say

Its only when Qtaro decides to forgive that she finally regrets her actions

And Qtaro tells her that this doesn’t mean anything, as he claims he would have done the same, and the only thing that stopped him was that he was never given the opportunity. The only thing stopping him was the lack of a choice in the matter, mirroring how the only thing pushing Mai is the looming threat that if she doesn’t kill she dies. Both given only having one real choice presented to them. 

Q-taro even said as much right after Mai stabbed him.

Q-taro calls out the lack of choice the dummies have in the matter, and makes it clear that its Midori who has control over them. Forcing them to play along with his puppet show.

Once Mai is awake it's from this point forward where we see more of who she really is, rather than the cutesy persona she put on before, and that's shown through her actions. 

As a first step towards reconciliation Mai steps up to take Qtaro off Yabusame’s hands and let him lean on her instead. (and if Anzu died Gin will tell Mai that they can take turns if she gets tired, to which she thanks Gin)

The next scene I want to talk about is when Hinako asks the dummies how they plan on surviving with both the humans and the dummies intact. If Anzu and Hayasaka both died earlier Mai will step up to fight back against Hinako and Kurumada’s reluctance.

Rather than speaking from a reluctance to kill such kind people like Anzu or Hayasaka, she argues from experience. She can’t say she couldn’t kill them, but she still doesn’t want her allies to feel the same feeling she did, even if she would have to stop them herself

Finally when Maple starts going on a rampage she decides to risk her life to stay behind and protect Qtaro. Interestingly she also is required to beat the Maple fight as she is the one who reads Maple’s instruction manual and figures out what must be done, which leads into the connection Mai and Maple have in their arcs.

Speaking of, during Keiji’s POV section, Mai and Qtaro hide in the coffins to get away from Maple until they’re unlocked and they are able to save Keiji. Qtaro gets the idea to shut off the elevators to stop Maple from being able to get to the 5th floor after the others. Maple then stumbles in and collapses, starting another scene which highlights the connection Mai and Maple have.

And she explains that her goal as an obstructor was to kill Midori, however there was something that stood in the way of that.

Maple regrets the terrible things she did to everyone but Mai tells her it's because the cast took the ID card from her. Maple tells her that it was because she was programmed into loving Midori, that even this love wasn’t her choice and ultimately relegates her to a “gimmick”, robbing her of her autonomy, a similar situation as to what happened with Mai. During the Murderer game Mai alongside the rest of the dummies are reduced to gimmicks, to the point that unlocking the first level of “gimmick security” lets you see information on the dummies and their collars,

and unlocking the second level causes the victim videos of the dummies to play, ending with a video of what happened as they woke up. Its clear that, to Midori and Asunaro at least, the dummies are simply gimmicks for the Murderer Game.

And this is shown again when Maple explains the true meaning of the “Murderer game”, and how they were pushed into thinking that killing the survivors was their only choice, despite that not being the case.

However Mai doubts it at first, saying

She wonders if Asunaro would even charge them if their battery runs out, she then insists Asunaro was planning on disposing of them from the start, and that they were just watching them struggle helplessly.

Until Qtaro speaks up to make a promise to Mai,

Through the Banquet and Qtaro’s promise a new path opens up, one paved through the bonds between the humans and the dolls. A new choice was created, a choice they made themselves, separate from the “the human lives or the doll lives” dichotomy they were fed before. And with Mai’s help, alongside Qtaro and Keiji, this choice became an actual possibility. 

Once Keiji leaves to charge the Midori doll’s head Mai and Qtaro stay behind and they end up enacting their own plan to help everyone during the banquet. Qtaro lays down in Keiji’s coffin, taking his death into his own hands, in a way alleviating the blame from Mai for her actions, and opening up a new possibility for the dummies with the banquet. Mai still cries out that it's her fault. However the death now has a purpose, has a reason past Mai’s mistake, and it changes the death from one done by a lack of choice, to one that opens up new choices from a lot more people.

From here Mai is alone, with Keiji on the 5th floor and Qtaro gone, she is the only one who is left that knows about the plan, and the only one at all who knows about Qtaro. From here she walks her own path, obtains the ID card from Sara and starts to boot up the Qtaro AI into the doll. Soon an announcement from “Keiji” calling for Sara occurs and Mai tries to push everyone to go with her, likely to make sure Keiji isn’t spotted on the way down, but Sara charges on alone regardless, leaving Mai alongside the rest of the others, and with no Keiji in sight.

She then later meets up with Sara alongside the others and a new Q-taro doll in the classroom after Sara awakens from being stunned.

Very quickly I want to call attention to a scene in the Logic route after Ranmaru kills Yabusame.

After Ranmaru claims that this is the only way left to save Sara, Hinako calls him out on wanting to save himself, causing him to retaliate by asking when she decided to side with them. Hinako, shocked, doesn't manage to reply, but Mai steps in to tell Ranmaru that no one would side with him.

In a way Ranmaru in the Logic Route is the exact opposite of what Mai is striving for. Just the same as her, he killed someone to survive, and while she wouldn’t know that Ranmaru was pushed into this choice by Sara’s words, similar to what Midori did to Mai, there is a large difference in the fact that Ranmaru’s goal includes killing everyone to save himself and Sara but even past that he revels in what he did as the right choice, mirroring Mai’s almost immediate regret at her actions. Even the way she specifically kills her partner while Ranmaru's goal is to kill everyone EXCEPT his partner adds to this.

Right afterwards the fight against Maple 2.0 happens, and there are a couple moments I want to discuss on how they pertain to this theme of making your own choices shared between the two. Firstly, Maple’s first attack.

But, despite her own thoughts…

Here Maple is stuck following orders, and Mai understands that, she tries to tell her to be strong. However this doesn’t end up working out and Maple throws her first attack of the fight, regardless of what she truly thinks.

Next, Mai’s early death.

Mai ends up dying due to Maple’s lack of autonomy in her own actions, and Midori mocks her in that, asking her “You fine with that Maple…?” despite knowing he has her wrapped around his finger. The way Mai dies is in a way she personally could relate to, and relates to her final apology to Q-taro.

In both examples Maple is trapped by her programming in the same way Mai was trapped by the knowledge that she must kill to survive, but Maple shows something important with her final moments.

As she is about to die she breaks from Midori’s control on her and uses this chance to die alongside him, thanking everyone and saying she has “finally woken up” if Mai lived or denying Midori’s reward if she died instead. 

When she finally catches up to him Midori in a last ditch effort tells Maple that he loves her, trying to abuse the programming placed into her, and Sara has 3 possible responses she can give. “He’s lying” and “Hurry up and finish him” both leading him to restate the sentiment that he loves her, but this time Maple isn’t led astray and affirms that she won’t believe him. And if Sara says “Don’t kill him” she continues to lead her own decision stating that she will herself.

However despite this her body fails and she isn’t able to kill him. In the Logic Route, if Ranmaru is still alive, this is specifically caused by Ranmaru shocking her with his stun gun finger, adding another layer to my earlier point on how he is the opposite of Mai with him denying Maple’s own final action. Notably Mai sits down next to Maple’s corpse during the pre-banquet.

Despite this However Maple’s attack showed us cracks in Midori’s facade, cracks that will eventually break him. Maple’s actions here are the first step to breaking Midori and truly winning.

And this is shown in full force during the banquet with Mai’s decision, but before that I want to talk about a scene that occurs beforehand.

When the possibility of a human being a part of the dummies is brought into question, the realisation that Mai isn’t the exact same as her doll comes to light. Eventually this leads to the horrible truth that Mai’s hands aren’t actually her hands at all, but rather Midori’s human hands. In a way this is the physical manifestation that Mai’s actions weren’t by her own hands, but rather she was a tool for Midori, playing along with his puppet show. (and yet another mirror to Ranmaru who also had a scene focusing on his hands earlier in the chapter.)

Upon this reveal Mai swears she’ll kill Midori, something missing from Qtaro’s words if she died, instead his resolve is shaken, wondering if they’ll even be able to beat a guy like him. And this leads to the epitome of her arc, the third hint.

When Sara is forced to pick a red coffin she is afraid to make the choice in fear that her logic isn’t even correct. This is where Mai steps in to tell her to pick a red coffin so she can win.

Mai encompasses Ranmaru’s words from the start of the chapter, no longer too scared to die that she can’t even resist Midori’s hold on her, but proving her humanity by taking her life into her own hands to stand up against Midori, to claim her autonomy, because that's what separates a human from a tool. She quite literally made her own choice with the Banquet, allowing both the humans and the dolls an opportunity to make it through together, a possibility opened through the bonds between the humans and dolls, Qtaro and Mai being at the forefront of that.

Now Mai is willingly telling Sara to choose a coffin, even if its at the cost of her life. She isn’t going to allow Midori control over anyone again. The Mai we see before us here is so different from the at the start of the chapter, one who was too afraid to fight back and make and descision for herself. And even as far back as her victim video where she couldn’t even make a choice between which gun she needs to pick,and died as a result of her panicked state, where she shot the wrong gun. The through line of guns being present in both scenarios also adds to this aspect.

Mai proves humanity through actions, because being human means being able to make your own choices, something both Mai and Maple struggled with at first, but also something they ended up demonstrating over the chapter. They proved their humanity by not letting their actions be decided by another, to not be treated like a tool. Because being human means being able to have autonomy in your actions and Mai proved without a doubt that she is human, despite the physical aspect of being a doll. Because while a doll can’t move, talk or feel without someone forcing it, it's nothing but expected for a human.

==================================================================================================

WOOO MAI ANALYSIS DONE!!! only one dummie left!!! hopefully soon???

Also kinda a Maple analysis by mistake LOL hopefully that's okay lmao, the characters are majorly linked to each other so it didn't feel right to just omit her

But yeah hopefully you enjoyed this and it got you to think about Mai and Maple a bit more as characters, if you liked this and its the first one you've seen then I've got more analyses like these on my blog

and of course its not lost on me the fact that its the 2 women dolls that have an arc about their autonomy, and I love how it falls into YTTD's themes of gendered power as a whole

And as of the day I'm releasing this HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 3-1B!!! The best chapter! I hope this counts as a good enough anniversary post lol, the dummies are a major part of 3-1 after all! I'm happy to give more 3-1 content to the world!

As for now though, I hope you enjoyed and see you next time for my Hinako analysis!!!

[cidylee]

So, I've been playing Ikemen Sengoku for a bit more than one year (I paused for two or three months but then came back). It's my favorite game among the Ikémen series. I love all the routes, with the exception of one or two being boring. I didn't play all the routes, but I've read one route of every guy. I decided to make a ranking because why not? I just don't remember half of the stories...

I've ranked the guys based on if I love them or not and on how interesting I found their main routes. It's my personal opinion.

I'm doing this ranking mostly for myself, but I'd like to get other people's opinions.

Mitsuhide. Best love interest with the best story. Nothing to add.

2. Yoshimoto. I love him, but not enough romance in his route. At least, the story makes up for it.

3. Ieyasu. I was surprised to love it so much. Good story all along, good love interest. I just didn't like how Mai tried to... I don't know how to say it, English is not my first language. There's just a time where Mai thinks that Ieyasu goes against his convictions but it comes from nowhere. They are not his convictions, but hers.

4. Kicho. He's well ranked because he's my second or third favorite suitor, but his route was not that good? It was slow. After reading all the routes, I was a bit disappointed to not see that Ashikaga Yoshiaki bastard. I wish he was a bit crazier, like in Motonari's route.

5. Kenshin. Better than Kicho's, but I love him less. A good surprise nonetheless. The beginning was really good, but then it got less interesting.

6. Yukimura. Good surprise too. Could be ranked in fifth position. Same thing really, it started strong but got less interesting after a few chapters.

7. Nobunaga. His route is all over the place. It's like the people writing it didn't know what trauma he could have. Interesting nonetheless. It just works somehow.

8. Keiji. I'm not a fan of him. He's definitely not the type of guy I would go after in real life. However, the action made his route interesting and the relation between him and the protagonist was beautifully portrayed. They go well together even if it takes time. Keiji didn't need someone to fix him, but someone to be himself with. Another good point about his route is that it grew better and better.

9. Motonari. He could've been in eighth place, but sometimes you have to make choices. Not a bad route at all. Maybe better than Keiji's? I'm not a fan of him in the... mmh... let's say, first nine or ten chapters. I like his character development. It was slow, but in the end he is good to the protagonist? The story grew better and better. For more than half the route, I just felt it was a one-way friendship. I still don't understand what the protagonist found in Motonori, except for the fact he's hot.

10. Sasuke. This route is really showcasing each guy. I really liked it when we were with the Oda. It grew less interesting when we went with the Usuegi-Takeda. At least there's Yoshimito. Sasuke is really not the star of the show. I like him as a friend, less like a love interest.

11. Kennyo. I liked the beginning with Ranmaru, but then he was less present and it got less interesting. Once the heroine started to spend time with Kennyo, I just thought it was so boring. I understand why he would not show his interest in Mai, but it still was doing nothing for me. By chapter 8 or 9, it got interesting again. I really like his dramatic route. Kennyo is so sweet.

12. Kanetsugu. Good action, I guess? I didn't really like his route to be honest. He's known to be a romantic and he is, it's just didn't work for me.

13. Mitsunari. I don't even remember his route... just that I liked it better than Hideyoshi's.

14. Hideyoshi. I don't remember his route either. In his own route, he's not my kind of guy, but I adore him in the other guys'. I'm thrilled to read his sequel though.

15. Masamune. It was not bad, but I think I continued to play Ikemen Sengoku to at least try Mitsuhide's route. I didn't understand Masamune, but from what I've read on Tumblr, his sequel goes more in depth into his character. I'm currently replaying his route, and I like him more since I can read his POV.

16. Shingen. I like Shingen in the other guys' routes and was excited to finally read his but... it was so boring! I didn't like him and he was portrayed as a too good of a guy. At least, Nobunaga is portrayed with serious flaws that make him more interesting.

[lavender--ghost]

Oomf okay. I had an idea of Yume's relationships before this but I haven't written, so I made a summary under the cut (longer than I expected)!

Sasuke/Yume is obviously OTP, he's got the happily ever after plan, Yume is here to leave lipstick stains on that nerd while he talks. They hold lectures for each other, to talk abt cool things they've learned about living in the Sengoku.

Kenshin is just, slightly overbearing inlaw to me. He Is Very Happy for Yume and Sasuke, but also weird about it. He canonically likes Sasuke/MC because it makes him a better ninja. He is threatening Sasuke to not fuck this up and taking them both drinking.

Kanetsugu likes Yume because Kenshin likes Yume. Maybe has a tiny crush, but he is The Man Of The House, he would never pursue a friend's lady. Yume respects him bc she could Not be working that hard but also slightly intimidated by the competence.

Yukimura and Yume are Sengoku Besties! Yuki is straight up in love but would never admit it, he's too good of a friend to Sasuke for that. Poor guy gets blindsided not a week after realizing his feelings in Sasuke's main route. Entire friendship is snark, sooo snarky.

Shingen and Yume are close, cool uncle situation (?), seeing as he's the voice of reason (mostly). Yuki tries to control their combined sweets snacking, but there is no stopping their illicit sweets trade. Yume learned how to hide in the ceiling panels and will never give them up. Shingen also Maybe feels just a little smug abt having Yume live at Kasugayama instead of returning to the Oda. (He brings it up under peace talks and almost gets punched).

Yoshimoto is the only Kasugayama lord without a 'kid' and that's where Yume slots in. If Yume isn't busy, they're hanging out and learning abt ancient poetry or casing the market with Yoshimoto. Would never be smug abt Yume living in Kasugayama but isn't above subtle snark at Nobunaga, divorced parent style.

Keiji and Yume never get to know each other too well, but Kanetsugu vouches for them both so they do get along. Keiji treats Yume with Posi-keiji and Yume is not fond of loud noises.

Ranmaru is that cute little brother who Yume dotes on, but he's sneaky abt being mean to the Kasugayama crew. He Does Not Like Yoshimoto and Shingen for being smug abt taking his sister. Yume does not believe the accusations, Ranmaru Would Never.

Mitsunari/Ieyasu/Masamune and Yume are all the Oda kids methinks, siblings vibes but they're all a similar age. I'm kinda tired at this point, but it's not too different from canon. Ieyasu would call Yume's outfit ugly then push somebody else down the stairs for saying the same.

Hideyoshi is suspicion to overbearing parent pipeline in about a week. Fully supports the Nobunaga lucky charm thing and fusses over Yume even when she tries to dodge. He and Kenshin are similar exempting the murder attempts, he was the one who tried punching Shingen.

Nobunaga is Yume's parent, but like in a divorced dad way. He is losing the custody battle to Yoshimoto but bribing her with konpeito. He doesn't need to be snarky, Ranmaru does it for him. Nobunaga likes to bother Sasuke on purpose when Yume isn't around.

Mitsuhide is scary, sorry. Yume cares abt him but also knows he is There To Get Her. Mitsuhide just likes tormenting her, mean ass older brother who is there to show you a big bug.

For the lone forces, Kennyo is mostly an unknown for Yume and vis versa. They hear abt each other through Ranmaru but don't really meet. They would feed cats together if they did.

Kicho and Motonari and Yume's public enemy number one. She isn't a threat to either of them, but Motonari likes to mess with Yume, and Kicho is morbidly interested in her.

Yoshiteru is confirmed to have some sort of fixation on MC, but there isn't a reason given, so I just went with that. Saizo is supposed to be one of the 10 braves like Sasuke, so I assume he would have contact with Yume. They're friends because of Sasuke, maybe Saizo has a little crush.

For the other Ashikaga forces, I'll have to wait for more stuff to come out! But Yume seems like she'd be afraid of most of them ;;

[selenacosmic]

hiiiiii i have been so inlove with your headcanons lately so i wished to ask you for a request if you please

I saw a film or heard a story lately can't remember though- but it was about a child that child was about 6-9 years old but was a genius strategist for every war they made a strategy in was always won because of how smart they are and so they were used because of it- by their emperor/lord but they were attached to him thinking that the way they were treated (physically and mentally abused) was love so how would the iksen characters think of this traumatized but genius child

Hello, I am so happy to know you like my writing! This sounds really interesting, thank you for the request!

Warlords reaction to a genius but traumatized child.

Oda forces.

Nobunaga Oda.

Just because it’s a child doesn’t mean he cannot recognize talent, Nobunaga would bring the child under his care to war council and, maybe, even war.

Nobunaga would provide care and safety for the child, while he wasn’t the best at affection and healing since he also suffered a lot as a child, he would try his best for this child.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

Hideyoshi would try objecting to the child attending war councils, not that he would ever go against his lord’s decision, but to hideyoshi this child is still too young to participate in these matters, even if they are a genius.

He would be exactly like a mother father to them, while also feeling deeply sad about all the abuse the kid suffered.

Masamune Date.

Masamune is like that cool uncle that tries to take the child out to have fun, forget all about the pain, focus on the fun. He feels sympathy for this little genius and decides to be by their side, the same way he would have wanted someone by his side when he was a child.

It’s not that he doesn’t recognize this child as a genius, but he thinks that they should enjoy their childhood more.

Ieyasu Tokugawa.

Ieyasu worries about them, but he never really shows it in an obvious manner. He gives the child treatment over past scars and tips on how to defend themselves, under the premise of “don’t be useless” when really, what he means to say is “be more careful”.

Doesn’t matter if the kid is a genius, they can’t be reckless over their safety.

Mitsuhide Akechi.

Mitsuhide likes testing how intelligent this child is, wanting to see how far their education goes. He decides to take part in the child’s education since he sees great potential in there.

Also, he likes teasing them since they children tend to be more naive, all in an brotherly affectionate way, not in a cruel way.

Mitsunari Ishida.

As a fellow strategist and genius himself, Mitsunari is like a safe port for the child, both understanding each other in many aspects. Differently from Mitsuhide, mitsunari would become a trusty elder who the child would seek guidance to and opinions. Perhaps because both would have a sense of kinship to each other.

Ranmaru Mori.

Ranmaru is softhearted, and also knows the pain this child has gone through, he would try to be like his master and try helping the child grown up healthily and happy, to leave behind all the pain from the past.

Keiji.

Keiji tries using his cheerful persona more often to keep this child happy and entertained, he would need to be more careful since this kid is very intelligent and would be able to figure it out eventually about his true personality. He feels sorry that this child’s talents were constantly exploited and would rather they don’t take part much in war councils.

Uesugi-Takeda alliance.

Kenshin Uesugi.

Kenshin would first consider if this kid being a strategist genius meant they could fight him, but was immediately stopped since this is still a child nonetheless. While he can sympathize with this child’s traumatic past, he also believes they need to become stronger so that no one else was able to abuse them ever again, so he takes part in their training personally.

Shingen takeda.

Ah, another fellow strategist? Shingen would be very happy to take this child in as his own, deciding to raise them just like he has raised Yukimura. Giving the child classes of his own when it comes to war and strategy, while also giving them sweets and spoiling them rot.

Knowing how much this child suffered, he would rather they don’t participate in war councils until they become a teenager.

Yukimura Sanada.

Yukimura would take this child as a young sibling, being the best big brother there is. Sure, the kid might be a genius, but they should enjoy their childhood as much as possible. He often takes the kid out with him to town and on missions, teaching them things at first hand.

Yoshimoto Imagawa.

Yoshimoto would rather teach this child the ways of art and beauty, rather than let them focus on war and battles. They had already enough of these brutalities in their childhood, they should focus on relaxing and enjoying their youth.

Sasuke.

Being from the future, Sasuke knows that childhood in this era was never easy, and seeing how this was a gifted child that was taken advantage of for their intelligence, he decides to help them by being their friend, showing them that it’s ok to let their guard down and be a normal child for once.

Kanetsugu.

Kanetsugu may be stern and a bit frightening, but he doesn’t think this child should immediately take place in a war council. He agrees, however, to molding this child into someone who can aid kenshin in the future, so he becomes a teacher to them as well. He tries to not be too strict as to not scare this child.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

2025 Ranmaru Birthday – The Day the Tears Fell

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies.

It happened on an early summer day, when the wind had just begun to carry the season's heat.

Maid 1: "Lord Ranmaru's birthday is coming up soon. I bet they'll hold a feast."

Maid 2: "I can't wait! I wonder what I should get him this year."

The entire castle was buzzing with excitement over Ranmaru's upcoming birthday.

(That's so like Ranmaru—everyone loves him.)

(I should think of a gift, too. I wonder what kind of celebration he would enjoy.)

As I stood there lost in thought, watching the cheerful maids chat, a familiar face came walking toward me down the hallway.

Mitsunari: "Lady Mai."

Mitsunari: "Pardon the sudden question, but have you seen Ranmaru today?"

Mai: "No, I haven't. Do you need him for something?"

Mitsunari: "Yes. Someone came by earlier to see him."

Ranmaru: "Huh? Me?"

Ranmaru peeked out from behind Mitsunari, his pink hair swaying.

(Perfect timing.)

Mai: "Looks like you've got a visitor."

Ranmaru: "A visitor?"

He blinked, looking puzzled.

Ranmaru: "Who? I don't remember having anything scheduled today."

He tilted his head, then headed off to greet the guest.

Later that afternoon…

(I finished work early. Maybe I'll head into town and look at some fabric.)

I wandered alone through the castle grounds and spotted a familiar figure.

(Is that...?)

It was Ranmaru, speaking with an elderly man by the roadside.

(Who is that?)

(Is he the visitor from earlier?)

At that moment, Ranmaru happened to look up.

Ranmaru: "Ah, Lady Mai!"

Old Man: "Good afternoon."

Mai: "Good afternoon. Sorry for interrupting."

As I stepped closer and bowed, the old man gave me a warm smile.

Old Man: "No worries. I'm the one who dropped by uninvited."

Ranmaru: "Yeah, it really caught me off guard."

Old Man: "Well, I happened to be in the area, so I thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing."

Ranmaru: "I'm glad you came. You look well!"

Ranmaru: "Are you still living in that village? The one just outside the castle town?"

Old Man: "Yeah, nothing's changed."

(They seem close.)

From the way they talked, I could tell they'd known each other for a long time.

(Even with the big age gap, nothing about their interaction feels stiff or formal.)

(I wonder what kind of relationship they have.)

As I tilted my head in confusion, Ranmaru turned his gaze toward me.

Ranmaru: "Are you curious about what kind of relationship we have?"

Mai: "Was it that obvious?"

Ranmaru: "Pretty much. But that honesty is one of your best qualities, Lady Mai."

He chuckled and whispered playfully.

Ranmaru: "To put it simply, he's someone who's kept my secret for a long time."

(Secret?)

I tilted my head, and the old man beside me let out a small gasp.

Old Man: "Ranmaru, are you sure it's okay to tell her?"

Ranmaru: "Yeah. She's special."

(Huh?)

That one word—special—spoken so casually, made my heart skip a beat.

(What does he mean by that?)

Old Man: "I see, I see."

Whether he noticed how flustered I was or not, the old man simply kept nodding, clearly pleased.

Old Man: "I'm an old man now. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to let one more person in on our secret."

And so, the old man began to share the secret he and Ranmaru had kept to themselves.

------------Flashback-----------

It all started with the arrival of a beautiful young man named Ranmaru Mori in Azuchi.

Cheerful, capable, and charming, he quickly won over the castle's residents, and word of him soon spread through the town.

Old Man: "A monster in the river?"

Villager 1: "Yes. They say something thrashes around in the water at night."

Villager 2: "Some even claim they've heard terrifying groans."

In a quiet village just outside the castle town, the elder—the same old man—had been hearing troubling reports from the villagers.

Villager: "Everyone's too scared. Lately, no one even wants to go near the river."

Old Man: "I see…"

Old Man: "All right. I'll go take a look myself."

Later that night.

With nothing but a small lantern to light the way, the old man headed down to the river—where he came face-to-face with the so-called monster.

Old Man: "You're…?"

Ranmaru: "Who are you?"

Standing in the river was a beautiful young man.

Old Man: "Hm?"

Looking more closely, the old man saw that the youth was limping, his eyes red and swollen.

Old Man: "Are you... hurt?"

Ranmaru: "………."

Old Man: "Here, let me take a look."

Gently lowering the lantern, the old man tried to approach the young man, but the latter stopped him.

Ranmaru: "Don't come any closer."

Ranmaru: "I just tripped over some rocks and fell, that's all."

Old Man: "I see. Then, would you mind sticking around for a bit?"

The old man sat a short distance away from Ranmaru and began talking about the rumors spreading in the village about a monster in the river.

Ranmaru: "You think that monster is me?"

Old Man: "Yes."

Ranmaru's eyes widened in surprise.

Ranmaru: "I didn't mean to scare anyone. I'm sorry."

He didn't look like a monster at all—just an ordinary, kind-hearted young man.

Old Man: "It's all right. Once the truth's out, the villagers will feel more at ease."

Old Man: "Still, what were you doing in the river at this hour?"

Ranmaru: "Um, it's kind of embarrassing, but I was reminiscing a bit."

Ranmaru: "I lost my father when I was still very young."

Ranmaru: "Every summer, he used to take me to the river and teach me how to swim."

Ranmaru: "Whenever this season comes around, I always find myself thinking of him. And this river feels a bit like the place we used to go."

Old Man: ".....…"

After a brief silence, the old man turned to face Ranmaru again.

Old Man: "Thank you for sharing that with me."

Old Man: "Starting tomorrow, no one from the village will come here again—not even me."

Part 2???

[zettaireido-emotion]

QUARTET NIGHT TNXXXX Duet Song Documentary Summary

I'll never find the time to make a full translation so here's a summary of the drama track documentary!! sorry if it has sloppy writing, I was re-listening to it and typing away as much as I could...

Chapter 1

QN are having a meeting about the upcoming concert. The solo songs are already done, and they want to do the group songs later, once they have a clear direction for the entire concert. Reiji suggests doing duet songs! The others agree that it's a good idea. To decide which pairings they should go for, they briefly go over every duet song they've already done. When Reiji mentions Non-Fiction, Ran & Myu immediately claim that they do NOT want to pair up. They then start provoking each other about it (C: "We're not on the same level" R: "Huh, you're just scared"), and Reiji tries to calm Ranmaru down. Ai does the same for Camus. So, Ranmaru says that they should go with these duos. Everyone likes the idea because it's the same combination as their first duets, so it'll be cool to see how much they've grown (also Ranmaru and Camus try to drag Reiji and Ai into their rivalry lmaoo). After that, they decide that the overall theme should be "call and response," so the fans can participate in the songs too.

Chapter 2

Reiji and Ranmaru's first meeting for their song. They want to find a good call for all the my girls and my boys~ to include the audience as much as possible and make them yell. Ranmaru wants a sound that comes from the stomach. They spend a whole minute making woo! woa! wOAR! WOY! sounds until they find the right one and high-five. (Btw, there's a high-five in every single chapter, "group that doesn't get along," you're not fooling anyone)

Chapter 3

Same thing with Ai and Camus. They want to find the best way to express their love for the fans, because an idol is someone that is loved and loves back. Ai thinks of a kiss, so he literally makes a kiss sound and asks Camus to do the same.

Chapter 4

While Reiji and Ranmaru are working on the lyrics, Reiji laughs to himself and reminisces about the first time they did a duet song together, back when they didn't know each other very well. Ranmaru adds that back then, he didn't really want to be an idol, to which Reiji responds that it was the opposite for him. He was really enthusiastic about his work, even if there were times when he wasn't sure if he should continue. He started as a child actor, had his ups and downs, but still strived to survive in the industry. Then, he got to be a part of QN, which gave him so many new paths he couldn't have found on his own. Ranmaru stays quiet. Reiji continues and says that it was like they shone a light on his future, made him really happy, and reminded him that he loved being an idol after all. And that feeling hasn't changed, even if he was never sure how far they could go, or when they would reach their limit. That's why the upcoming concert is really important to him. Ranmaru gives Reiji a very strong slap on the back, and tells him to focus on the current song (rather than when this could all end, I'm assuming). They both laugh and Reiji says that Ranmaru has a strength of mind that he's always admired. To him, Ranmaru is really reliable and has helped him so much. Ranmaru brushes off the compliments and says that worrying or feeling lost isn't a bad thing, it means that there's room for growth. What's important is the choices you make, because life is just an amalgamation of all your choices. They conclude that they'll be the ones to choose their own lives.

Chapter 5

Back to Ai and Camus. Ai notes that the song is quite different from Camus's usual vibe, and Camus answers that it opens a new door for him and he'll do whatever is asked of him if it's to please the fans. He talks about how he ended up becoming an idol: if his past self knew that he'd be working as an idol in a foreign country, he'd be really surprised. A lot of things have changed, be it his surroundings or Camus himself. He recalls that back in his homeland, he didn't have any real friends, and he couldn't even consider his own family as allies. Ai gets up and hugs him!! It's so cute that I made subtitles for this scene here. Ai says that he'd also like to hug all of their fans, but that's impossible, so they agree to put that feeling into the song instead. When they finish up, Camus confesses that Ai is really important to him, and Ai says he feels the same way.

Chapter 6

Ran to the Rei recording. Ranmaru is wondering about what he actually wants to do in life, then Reiji appears and tackles him (lol) Ran says that the recording session is going great, which makes Reiji happy. He comments that this ROCKIN song suits Ranmaru. That makes Ranmaru get stuck on the word "rock." He talks about how, unlike Reiji, he never set out to be an idol, and still doesn't think he's right for the job. Reiji asks him if he'd rather be in a band like in the past, but Ranmaru says no. Reiji goes on a little monologue about how you can't change the past, and that's why it's easy to have regrets, or to wonder if you should have done something differently. He asks Ranmaru if he's worried that he's not giving it his all as an idol. Ranmaru hesitates, so Reiji says he doesn't have to answer. Ranmaru simply says that his desire to sing has never changed. Reiji then does an imitation of Ran's voice with what he said in chapter 4, "just focus on the current song" and that makes him laugh. Reiji also adds that he might he might find the answer to his worries during the upcoming concert.

Chapter 7

God Love Keihou Hatsurei recording. Ai says that singing this song makes him wonder about love. The more you like someone, the more you want to know about them, and the more you want them to know about you. Camus says that that's a natural outcome when you become close. Ai asks him what he would think if someone was hiding a secret from a person they loved at lot. They can't tell them the truth, because it wouldn't solve anything, and they're scared of what would happen if the truth was out. It could suddenly create a rift between them. Camus relates to the guilt of feeling like you're deceiving someone. But he laughs (I got a heart attack) and says that everyone has secrets, including himself and all their fans. Sometimes there's no point in trying to know everything about someone, what's important is to understand each other and keep moving forward together. But it's true that you can become more and more greedy the deeper you fall in love. However, that's just how humans are, and it's a proof of love. Ai thanks Camus, but Camus replies that he only stated the obvious, and that Ai's voice is absolutely necessary for this song. So Ai declares that he'll try to convey the feeling "I'll love you forever" through the song. (I didn't run out of steam or anything, the last three tracks are under 2 minutes so there's not much to say)

Chapter 8

Reiji and Ranmaru are exhausted after the recording, and comment that the staging is going to be pretty difficult, but they want to perform in a way that'll surprise Ai and Camus. Ranmaru reminds Reiji that he'll need to work out to be strong enough for the live, and Reiji is like "Uhh, I just remembered I have to leave, byyyeeee!!" and the track ends with Ranmaru running after him.

Chapter 9

Ai and Camus are finished recording. Ai thinks that the "chu~" in Myu's low voice is impressive, considering the gap between that and his usual image. Camus takes it as a compliment. They bring up the fact that during the performance, they have to find a way to get as close to the audience as possible (I wonder what that will entail lol).

Chapter 10

Reiji claps for the group to congratulate them on finishing the duet songs, and Ai says they sound better than he could have imagined. They all discuss how they have to make this the best show ever, they can't wait to see the fans, etc!

[ikeromantic]

Ikesen Boys React to Tattooed MC pt 6

Thank you again to @otomedad for this fantastic idea ^_^ This one has Mitsunari, Ranmaru, and Kyubei! Approx. 3000 words of tattoo and MC appreciation!

Mitsunari

You blink. Twice. Mitsunari is still standing in the doorway when your eyes open the second time. He’s still smiling, a book tucked under one arm. You scrabble for your kimono, draped on the bench across from you and manage to drape it over your damp skin. 

“Mitsunari!”

“Good morning!” He steps through the door as if it was no big deal to see you standing there in nothing but your skin. “I found this book and it reminded me of you. I thought you might like it.” He holds out the thin tome.

You look at the book and back up at his sweet, smiling face. You gesture toward the tub behind you. “Umm. Thanks? But I’m naked right now. And wet. Can you give it to me later?”

His eyes widen and for the first time since he opened the door, his gaze sweeps down your body and back up again. “Oh. Oh! Yes, we wouldn’t want to get the pages wet. You’re right, of course.” He glanced down again, at the kimono barely covering you from chest to knee, the thin fabric clinging to your skin. “Here, let me help dry you off.”

“That’s really ok. I can - I don’t need - Mitsunari!” You stumble over your words as he grabs a soft cloth and sets down the book. Your face is hot and your heart is pounding. You try to turn, to keep the modesty of the kimono between you, but Mitsunari can’t be so easily stopped.

“Your face is so -” he cuts off as his feet catch on a board and he tumbles forward. His hands catch on yours, and both of you end up on the floor. You are grateful that he somehow turned you so that he landed on the ground with you atop him. “Red?” He blinks. 

If he were anyone else, you’d think he did this on purpose. But it’s Mitsunari and he is so oblivious that you know he didn’t intend a thing by it. Now if you could convince your tummy to stop fluttering and your pulse to stop pounding . . . because this position is so . . . intimate. You feel frozen in place and like leaping out of your skin all at the same time. 

Mitsunari’s gaze narrows as his eyes light on the upper curve of your breast. “Is that irezumi? You have a tattoo! He reaches out, tracing the delicate lines of your peony tattoo. The flowers follow your natural curve so that the last blossom lands just above your heart. And that is where his hand stops as he looks up from the soft, pink blossoms to your eyes. 

You can’t move. You know you should stand but the feeling of his finger on your bare skin is electric. 

“Why are you holding your breath?” His wide, violet eyes search your face. 

“I-I’m not!” You gasp for a breath because you definitely were. With the moment broken, you manage to peel yourself off of him while positioning the kimono for maximum coverage. It drapes over your chest like a soft, silk blanket, and your inked skin buzzes under it, sensitized from Mitsunari’s touch. 

He stands, his clothes rumpled and damp now. “I didn’t know you had irezumi. It is beautiful.” His eyes sweep over you, widening slightly. Faint color touches his cheeks. His lips part and a slight, audible breath escapes. 

“Mitsunari -” You aren’t sure what to say. Scold him for walking in on you? Explain your tattoo? Thank him for the book? “They’re peonies. For a happy heart.” You pause again, and take a breath. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Yes. I . . . do.” He sounds out of breath. “I should go. I need to - I have to -” Mitsunari turns, almost tripping again. He knocks over a pile of drying cloths as he hurries out. 

You watch him go, a strange tightness in your chest.

Ranmaru

“Look at this one!” Ranmaru’s excited voice pulls your attention from the hairpins you are looking at to a carved jade and gold bracelet nearby. 

“Beautiful,” you say, looking at the carved stone, made to look like little flowers twined with golden vines. 

His attention has already moved on and he grabs your hand to bring you alongside him. “Oh and this one! The color would really suit you!” Ranmaru is pointing at another hair pin, this one more elaborate than the others. The slim pins hold a fall of delicate rose quartz that catch the light, glinting white and pink. 

You smile as his eyes meet yours. “It’s very pretty,” you agree. 

“They would look so nice in your hair. And look!” He lifts your hand to his chin, displaying the small, pinkish red peach tattooed at your wrist. “It would match!”

“Erm, yes,” you nod as you try to tug your hand down and cover the design with your sleeve. As much as you love your tattoo, you know in this age they aren’t common. 

Ranmaru isn’t letting you get away with hiding it though. Instead, he puts his thumb over it, rubbing your wrist in a small circle. “This is really pretty. I saw it when I met you. Remember?” He smiles brightly. “You stuck up for me.”

You nod, finding it a little hard to speak. Ranmaru is always so touchy-feely. It’s hard to remember sometimes that he doesn’t mean anything by it. A pleasant warmth washes up your arm from his touch and you do your best not to let it show. 

If he notices your reaction, he doesn’t give any sign. “You are always so nice. That’s why I decided right then that I wanted to be your friend.” His gaze drops back to your wrist. “So, can I ask you about this? Your little peach?”

“Y-yes?” You clear your throat, hoping you don’t sound like you feel. 

“Well? Where did you get it? Why did you get it?” His eyes are wide and innocent, though you detect a mischievous gleam in their depths. 

It takes you a moment to collect your thoughts and respond. “I got it in my, uhm, my home village. And I got it because I wanted to remember that I am strong. That I can protect myself.” Talking about it brings up a slew of unhappy memories. Bullying and teasing. The awfulness of your school years. 

Ranmaru must see something of those feelings in your expression because his smile fades. Then he brings your wrist to his lips and presses a quick kiss to it. 

You are pretty sure your heart almost bursts from the unexpected intimacy. His lips are warm and soft and the brush of them against your skin does all kinds of crazy things to your insides. Perhaps that was his intent, to wash away the bad memories under a deluge of cuteness. 

When he raises his head, his smile is back and twice as bright. “You really are strong. But I hope you know, I will be here to protect you too. Always.” 

There is something so genuine in the words that you don’t know how to react. You want to cry and hug him and get away all at once. Instead, you take a breath. “Thank you, Ranmaru. I’m glad you have my back. There’s no one I trust more.”

Something dark flits through the depths of his gaze. He looks away, but he keeps smiling. “I’m glad.” 

Days later, you find the rose quartz hair pin on your desk, with a small note. “You’re my favorite peach.”

Kyubei

You glare at Kyubei from your seat across the table. “What do you mean, I got it wrong?”

He shrugs uncomfortably and drops his gaze from yours. “The picture was painted by Kano Eitoku. You wrote -” He glances down at the paper, “Banksy. That isn’t the right answer.”

“I’m not an art major,” you huff, feeling a mix of embarrassment and exasperation. “Why does it matter if I know who painted what? I’m supposed to be a chatelaine. Cleaning and stuff, right?”

Kyubei sighs and you’d have to be blind and deaf not to see his exhaustion. You wonder if it’s your fault or if Mitsuhide is just running him ragged. “A good chatelaine can tell quality from the dross. And a noble lady would know this as well. I am not sure how you expect to pass as a princess if you don’t take your studies seriously.”

You rub a hand over your face. He’s right, of course. And even if he wasn’t, you can’t take your frustration out on him. Kyubei is just doing what he’s told. Which is what you’re supposed to be doing too. “Sorry.” You take the paper back from him, accidentally touching his hand as you do.

A slight flush heats his cheeks. “You don’t need to apologize. I - I shouldn’t have said that. If there’s any failure, it’s mine.”

“Kyubei, calm down. It’s fine. I’m not mad. It’s just hard to remember all this stuff.” You frown at the list of answers you wrote. Most of them are probably wrong. “Let’s go through it again.” You roll your sleeves up to keep them out of the ink.

His gaze returns to you, timidly, as if he isn’t sure whether or not you’re still annoyed. “Ok. If you like.” He clears his throat and looks down, the motion pausing as he notices the marks on your wrists. 

Your tattoos. You almost forget you have them. Geometric designs around your wrists and ankles, delicate and complex traceries that travel a little way up your forearm and calf. You love the way they look. At home, you’d show them off all the time but here, you’ve been cautious not to have them on display. 

Surprisingly, Kyubei says nothing about it, just launches into his lesson. You do your best to take careful notes this time. Writing the names of the current popular artists and poets, what they are known for. When he tests your knowledge at the end, you get nearly every question right.

You feel a rush of pleasure at his proud smile, and your heart does a tripping thud when he tells you, ‘good job.’

“Thanks,” you reply, reminding yourself that Kyubei is only here because he’s ordered to be. It’s not like he actually enjoys teaching you. 

He reaches out and puts a hand over yours. “You do very well when you focus. I should thank you, for giving me your time and attention.”

“You are a good teacher. I’m just - it’s a lot to remember all at once. Thank you for being patient with me.” You let your thumb brush the side of his palm.

The touch seems to draw his attention to where his hand rests and his eyes widen slightly. He pulls his hand back quickly, heat suffusing his cheeks. “Umm. Yes. I - I - it’s - we should -” Kyubei stumbles over his words as he stands. 

You watch, unsure what to make of this suddenly unsettled vassal. Usually, he’s the picture of appropriate. Serious, studious, and dutiful. Is he embarrassed about touching your hand? Curious, you reach out and take his hand again. “Should we?” You ask in your best bedroom voice, fluttering your eyelashes. 

His eyes go even wider, skin flushing to the roots of his hair. “I - I must. Go! Yes. Because. The lesson. It’s over.” Kyubei nearly falls in his haste to draw away from you. You let him go, though you’re tempted to keep hold of his hand just to see what he would do. 

Once he’s gone, you feel loneliness settle in again. The isolation of being a person outside the world at large. Belonging nowhere, with noone. You distract yourself for the rest of the afternoon with simple chores. It’s easy to ignore your feelings when you’re busy scrubbing the floors, dusting the shelves, and sweeping the halls.

Even with the distraction, you can’t stop thinking about your tutor. You start to feel a little guilty for teasing him. The poor guy has no choice but to train you, and you haven’t made that easy. Getting frustrated, not paying attention, and now today when you noticed him blushing you made it worse. 

You decide to go apologize once your work is done. After you put away your bucket and cleaning cloths, you grab some snacks from the kitchen and head over to his quarters in Mitsuhide’s manor. Kyubei doesn’t answer when you knock at his door. You could leave, but you decide to drop off the snacks and write him a note.

His room is surprisingly spartan. When you step inside, there is just a desk, and a small table stacked with papers held down by a flat, dark stone. No decorations, no sign anyone really lives here. You feel a spike of disappointment that this little adventure won’t tell you anything more about your tutor. 

You set the tray of snacks onto his desk and open a drawer to find something to write with. The drawer has odds and ends, including a pretty yatate. The slim pen compartment has a delicate jade inlay, and the ink box at the end bears the Akechi clan symbol. You lift it up, and the edge catches on something you didn’t see. A tiny mechanical switch hidden in the lip of the drawer. 

The bottom of the drawer makes a small pop as it opens. Sneaky, you think. And even though you know you shouldn’t snoop, you can’t help but look inside. A small notebook rests in the secret compartment. You pick it up and open to the last page with writing on it. 

She is clearly intelligent, but wholly ignorant of basic knowledge. I struggle to know what to teach her. Her accent, while lovely, places her nowhere I recognize. I also cannot place her features. Beautiful. Where is she from? The markings at her wrists and ankles may indicate Ainu heritage? <sketch of your wrist and ankle designs beneath>

Is this about you? You flip a few pages back.

Her perfume lingers in my nose. Tempting, like a sweet I know I cannot have. I asked again today to be reassigned. A common vassal should not instruct a princess. Again, the answer was no. Is my lord mocking me? Perhaps. He must know I am - no, he would not ask me to complete a task I cannot do. Besides, she has never looked at me as I look at her. 

“What are you doing in my room?”

The voice startles you. You drop the notebook. “Ah! Kyubei!” You know your cheeks are stained and your voice is unsteady. “I - I was bringing you a snack. And an apology.” You stand and point to the tray.

“Did you find . . . anything . . . in my desk?” He moves closer, his expression a tragic mask of embarrassed futility, made worse by a hint of hope.

“No!” You can’t help the way your gaze drops to the notebook you just let go of. His gaze follows.

Kyubei’s shoulders fall. “My observations.”

“Sorry.” You try for a smile. “I didn’t mean to be nosy.” Lie. “I mean, I guess I did but . . . I was just curious why you would hide a notebook.”

He lets out a long sigh. “Again, it is I that should apologize. I was tasked to keep watch over you and report anything of note to my lord. You have . . . every right to be angry.” Kyubei looks as if he is ready for a storm, his eyes downcast, his hands clenched.

That wasn’t the response you expected at all. He should be angry with you for snooping. “You - Kyubei, are you serious right now? You’re apologizing to me for coming into your room uninvited and looking through your things and -” you pause, “I mean, you did spy on me. But you said some really nice things.” 

“You - what?” His gaze snaps up, surprise evident in his features.

You can’t quite respond. Your breath catches as you see emotion in the depths of his dark gaze, a flicker of heat that has nothing to do with embarrassment. The words in his journal flit through your mind. 

Neither of you say anything for a long moment, the only sound is your shared breath and the quick-skip-stutter of your heartbeat. You clear your throat, trying to think of something to alleviate the tension between you. “So -” you start, and stop again. “Ai-ainu? M-my tattoos?”

Kyubei draws a breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Oh. That. Yes. Your ink reminds me of the northern people. I thought you might be from there but . . . I’m guessing you are not.”

You laugh, the sound a bit unsteady. “No. I’m not. I got these when I turned 18.” You show off your wrists, the geometric lines wrap your wrist and extend a little way down your forearm. “I liked the way they look. A bit like bracelets,” you grin, “or shackles, I guess.”

He takes advantage of your display to get a closer look. “They are very nice. You just got them because they were pretty?”

“That, and I like the meaning. Balance. Harmony. My place in, well, everything. I just really felt adrift and I wanted an anchor. So I got these to remind me every day. I belong. And since I came here, some days,” you pause, trying not to get emotional. The last thing you want to do is start crying. 

Kyubei reaches for you, his hand stopping just shy of your shoulder. “Is it alright if I - if you want - I could -”

You let yourself lean into the offered touch, his arm wrapping gently around your shoulder. 

“Thank you for telling me about your tattoos.” His cheek rests again the side of your head. “I hope you know. You do belong. Here. I like it that you’re here.” Kyubei’s voice is soft, barely audible.

A warmth flows through you, a comfort you didn’t expect or experience in a long time. There are questions to answer, but those can come later. You let yourself enjoy the moment. “Thanks, Kyubei. That means a lot.”