#ICHIBANS HAIR WAS A PAIN

[nelselfships]

some ichinel for ya (Ŏ艸Ŏ)

[howwnowbrowncoww]

Been working on this for a few months now but I finally got it done! I've seen a few Yakuza/Like a Dragon x Animal Crossing crossovers and really wanted to do one too, and I'm super happy with how it turned out:) Seeing all of the Dondoko Island comparisons to AC right before I finished this was HILARIOUS though😂 Gonna put some loose notes under a read more if you want behind the scenes stuff. Let me know who your favorite design is if you want:)

Adding what animal everyone is (just in case it's hard to tell and because I want to talk about why I made some of them certain animals)

Ichiban: Lion (he has a very loud personality and very loud hair)

Adachi: Bear (I will restrain myself from making any bear jokes but he does look like he'd give great bear hugs)

Nanba: Koala (okay, weird reason, but my sister used to have this webkinz koala named Snoozer (he was the mayor of our imaginary town but that's not important) and he was obvs always sleepy, and Nanba is the KING of convenient naps in battle)

Saeko: Deer (i really just thought she'd love to paint her hooves)

Joon-gi: Wolf (typical lone-wolf-type with white hair who is dragged into the found family). He also gets the bar bg because he never got his own karaoke song and he deserves to have fun:)

Zhao: Tiger (i specifically remember him having a tiger in his restaurant that kicked my ass, and I also wanted to base him off of one of his martial arts moves. Since Snake and Mantis aren't AC types, and Crane was already being used, I thought Tiger was fitting. Also his shirt was a pain to make!! I couldn't replicate the actual pattern, so I went with ginkgo leaves for something that was still gold and sort of ornate)

Eri: Crane (inspired by her move (called 'Flying Crane' or something like that; i'm too lazy to boot up the game and check lol) Plus I think birds would really enjoy the crackers her company sells:)

[c-cw-f-saeko]

tesso's bingo card for infinite wealth

i will explain each category as if he was in ichiban's party 💔

__________

Life Hack: Acupressure

Tesso says acupressure can help with some types of pain and a good alternative to acupuncture. In his opinion, knowing certain pressure points is a good thing to keep in mind in a pinch.

Surprising Fact: Has a daughter

I've said this before (LOL) but Tesso has adopted one of the kids of Restaurant Row. Her name is Yua. This isn't quite expected from an assassin of the Liumang...

Bad Habit: Cooks everything on high heat

Literally cooks on a fire engine. It looks scary the first time you see it, but he assures to have never come close to burning down his house. Seonhee doesn't like this at all.

Likes: Playing Mahjong with Seonhee

She's a though match and tends to win often. Tesso tries very hard to beat her.

Special Skill: Can fall asleep anywhere

Tends to not sleep at night, so, he tried getting rest anytime he can during the day. He even fell asleep standing up one time (without falling).

Currently Hooked On: Manga

He checked out what one of his subordinates (probably Yeona) was reading and he ended up really into it. He recalled giving manga not much attention when he was young, so he regrets missing out on it a bit.

Hobby: Gardening

Grows radishes and cabbages on the rooftops of some Restaurant Row buildings. Uses it exclusively for Seonhee's kimchi, Yua's dishes or meals for his subordinates (so he's not selling these, family only!).

Wants To Learn: Dancing

He got curious from hearing Yagami being an advisor at Seiryo. He thought it might be worth trying as a workout since it looks fun.

Last Thing He Bought: A drone

Kaito and Yagami gave him the idea. Totally frivolous since he has no real use to it, but worth it since he had never seen Restaurant Row from above.

Kid Tesso: Had a Hip phase

Long ago, he was all about dressing stylish and a so-called streetwear enthusiast. Took good care of his shoes even to a ridiculous degree ("Gotta keep my AirForce Ones white no matter what"). Looking back, he finds it funny that he doesn't really care about that sort of things anymore.

When He Can't Sleep: Goes on a long walk

On nights he can't find sleep, he just walks the streets of Yokohama to clear his mind. He challenges himself to memorize as many details about the streets as possible. It's useful at times.

Embarrassing Moment: Bleached his hair blond after losing a bet

Sugiura dared Tesso on a drinking duel out of the blue and lost terribly. To celebrate his win, Sugiura suggested Tesso tried out his hairstyle just for fun to see if he liked it. It was supposed to be dark brown but ended up leaving it for too long, so he was blond instead (like a #27).

Tesso hid his head under his jacket hood the entire following week, waiting long enough to dye his hair back to black. Since no knows it happened (Sugiura kept a lot of pictures though), they both could laugh about it. Tesso is just glad to not have gone bald.

Knows A Lot About: Shops in Yokohama

As per the long walks, he memorized many shops of Yokohama. For most things, he can always give a recommendation of where to look.

Favorite Food: Anything Zhao cooks

Seonhee is trying hard to make him admit it, but he just can't do it. Between her cooking and Zhao's cooking, deep down, Tesso likes Zhao's a little bit more. Nostalgia is a bit at play here since his food is very reminiscent of his uncle's old restaurant. However, Zhao is just that good of a cook, what can he say!

Current Dilemma: Buying dinner for all of his subordinates

Since the merge of the Liumang and Geomijul and being the second officer in charge, his number of subordinates pretty much doubled. It's nice since he gets along with them well, but it can be tricky and hard on the wallet to treat them all to dinner. Finding out something everyone will like is always a challenge.

Chronic Illness: Early-stage arthritis in his fingers

He is quite young for arthritis, but his gloved claws and stiff articulations of his hands make things worse. It's bearable for now, but he's unsure of how he will handle it in the future.

kasuga and tesso would get along so great actaully! im dying on that hill!!!!

[yakuzacanons]

I hope your trip went well and you had lots of fun!!! If it's okay to request, could I ask for the boys comforting their S/O if they have to get an IV? I had to get one and it bruised the heck out of my arm :(

Hi hi sorry it took so long to get back to you, the answer is yes you sure can. These will be fairly short but the list of boys has grown quite a bit so hopefully there's a good amount of content to go around and all that. Thanks again for your patience!

Kazuma Kiryu

Type of guy to be like "There, there". Pretty good at soothing you, will happily stroke your hair to comfort you. Helps you take your mind off things by talking to you about things you like.

Majima Goro

Calm on the outside, panicking inside. Hates seeing you in any amount of pain, even if it's just a papercut, so this situation makes him nervous. Still, he'll give his cheeriest "Ya got this!" all while sweating nervously.

Saejima Taiga

Feels bad he can't do much to comfort you in a literal physical sense but will go out of his way to ask if he can do anything or get you anything to make you feel better about this. Totally will pat you on the head with his big ol' hands.

Akiyama Shun

Just as uncomfortable as you are honestly, which can be kind of comforting. He's all like "Ahh, this sucks, I'm sorry you have to go through this". You're gonna get a big kiss on the cheek for your bravery though, so there's that to look forward to.

Tanimura Masayoshi

He ain't scared of no blood. Will have his arm around you as much as he can to comfort you and hold you. Has your favorite drink or snack ready as a surprise treat to distract you from what just happened.

Ryuji Goda

Honestly, the person in the room who's most scared is the doctor or nurse because Ryuji just gives off this vibe of "Ya better do this IV thing right or I'm yer getting a swift kick in the ass". He doesn't mean to, but that's just the aura he gives off. In reality, he's just very serious about making sure you're okay. Once the IV is in, he'll give a heartfelt albeit quite loud "I knew ya could do it".

Nishikyama Akira

Like Akiyama, he's just as unhappy about the whole situation as you are. He's not squeamish about blood though so he won't like close his eyes or look away or anything like that. Once the IV is in, he'll kind of sigh and be like "That wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be". Not sure what he expected to happen honestly.

Daigo Dojima

Calm as hell, calmer than Kiryu even. He's pretty trusting of doctors. He also knows a few really good ones personally so he knows you're in good hands. He's just there to hold your hand, rub your shoulders, or whatever else you may require. He might not be best at giving words of comfort but if you need anything, just say the word.

Mine Yoshitaka

You're getting a nice little kiss on the forehead or on top of your head for being so brave. Mine's not fond of having to get an IV put in either, in fact hospitals and the like kind of make him restless as he doesn't like to be out of commission. Does his best to make the space as comfortable for you as possible by making sure you have enough pillows, that the tempurature is good, that the TV isn't too loud, etc.

Tatsuo Shinada

Kind of clenching his teeth nervously. Has no idea how an IV works and honestly would rather not know the details but sure hopes it's not super painful. Once it's done, he kind of just nods to himself like he's saying "Okay, hard part's over". Actually kind of avoids physically comforting you as he's worried he might accidentally nudge the IV. At least he's aware he can be kind of clumsy.

Ichiban Kasuga

Won't show it on his face but he does watch intensely as it all goes down. Sits right by your bedside and I mean right next to it, he's as close as he can be the whole time. Kind of just talks to you casually afterwards to take your mind off things, all while resting his head on his arms on your bedside.

Tianyou Zhao

Bless his food oriented brain but his first thought when it comes to comforting you is getting you some lunch or dinner as a treat. Unfortunately that may mean him leaving the room for a bit to go grab whatever he's going to grab but he'll be back with food, your favorite drink or dessert, maybe even a plushie that he saw while he was out that made him think of you.

Joon-Gi Han

Not great at using his words to comfort you so he just sits and holds your hand very gently, maybe running his thumb over the top of your hand. Regularly asks how you're feeling or if you need anything but mostly lets you lead the conversation, if you even want to have one.

[saucy-mew]

so, uh

woe, ichi omo fic be upon ye

"Kiryu-san, are you sure this is the right way?" Ichiban lagged behind, legs rubbing together surreptitiously. 

"Kasuga." Kiryu stopped, turning towards him. "You've been antsy all day. Is something wrong?"  

Raking a stray hand through his hair, Ichi tossed a sheepish glance away. He paced in circles, whispering self assurances – he was going to make it. He had to... right? There's no way he wouldn't–

fuck.  

fuck. 

"Uh, ha, fuck, so, you're not going to believe this..." 

A curious look tossed his way, bemusement clear on Kiryu's face. 

"I kind of, um, really need to–" A shiver runs through him, spine snapping straight up. His hands automatically reach downwards before pulling back, balling into fists.

"Ah.” Kiryu's eyes widen in understanding. 

Ichi felt his face heat up, embarrassment creeping up his spine. “I'm so sorry, Kiryu-san, I don't mean to be a pain…”

"It's alright - I'm just… not sure if there are any public restrooms nearby.” Kiryu looked around, wracking his memory before pulling out his phone. “We're a ways away from my hotel - do you think you could make it through a taxi ride?”

He swallowed hard. “I'm… honestly not sure, at this point.”

A thought crossed his mind. The nearly finished drink he was carrying - the cause of his woes, and perhaps… the solution? A flash of shame as his imagination runs wild in an instant, bringing a sharp gasp as a wave of desperation surges through him. 

A steady arm grasps his shaking one, a small whine escaping his throat as he’s guided into an alleyway. “I can't just--!” he sputtered, redness creeping up his face. He can't help but shift from side to side, both in need and in discomfort at the unspoken suggestion.

"There's no one else here." Kiryu states matter-of-factly.

"Still! Anyone could come by!” he protested, gesticulating wildly even as he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He can't even keep still at this point, bouncing on his heels in place.

“Unfortunately, we're running low on options here.” A pointed look at his current state.

"I know, I know…" Ichiban sighed, closing his eyes and steeling his breath. “All right, I can do this." Another shaky breath as he wills the thrum in his chest to slow down. “It'll be over before you know it." A resolute nod to himself. 

One last look around finds Kiryu's eyes meeting his. “Could you, um, look away?” Ichi averts his gaze sheepishly, turning a shade redder.

“Ah, right.” A flash of realization crosses Kiryu's face before turning his back, scanning the nearby streets. “I'll keep watch." 

Ichiban could not help being polite, even in his current predicament, a quick and strained, Thanks, Kiryu-san before his attention snapped to anywhere to where he could hide behind to go and relieve himself. There wasn’t much, only a dumpster and a few trash bins, and the seconds it took to make a decision seemed to weigh him down heavier until he felt his body begin to hunch in on himself. He quickly scurried over to the wall, the movement jostling him with every step until he was tense and trembling and breathless.

He never thought that unbuttoning and unzipping his pants could feel so good, the discomfort lessening as he was given more room, and he couldn’t help but let out a low groan in his throat.

But the idea that he was so close to getting some relief seemed to intensify the urge to go to an almost painful degree and, in surprise, he grabbed himself through his jeans to stop what he was sure was the dam breaking before he was even out and ready. 

With wild eyes and a sharp inhale, Ichiban kept a fraught hold of himself with one hand, and smashed another against his mouth. Soft desperate noises were muffled into his palm as he was fully aware Kiryu was right there and could hear him if he wasn’t careful. All he could do was wait it out, struggling and whining, until it settled enough that he could pull himself together shakily and pull himself out with shaking hands.  

It was loud. 

It was concrete, brick wall, every hard surface in an otherwise silent alley, and it was all he could hear. Ichiban could feel his eyes tearing up despite himself, feeling equal parts embarrassment and relief flooding his senses. It seemed to go on forever, like his body was drawing it out on purpose as punishment for having held it in for so long.

When it neared the end, he still felt stretched thin, as though he could give more, could want more, even when he finally finished and there was nothing left.

“Oh, fuck,” he shuddered, slumping against the wall, leaning his forehead on cool brick, eyes fluttering closed. Ichiban didn’t know how long he stayed there, heart thudding in his chest as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Looks like you needed that,” Kiryu mused, a hint of amusement in his tone, and Ichiban gave him an embarrassed laugh.

“Come on, man, don’t say it like that!”

[remy-roll-writes]

Hello! Could I ask for Kita Ichiban, Kurosaki Makoto and Hakuryuu? And the topic, hair 💖

Kita Ichiban:

I feel like he'd curse his own hair. It's a pain to take care of

As a kid, he hated when his parents had to brush it for him cuz it tangles easily. It always hurt if his parents weren't too careful

nowdays, he's used to it. He still wishes it was straighter tho

yet, he does get a lot of compliments for it. he's always confused how he seems to be the only one who doesnt like it

Kurosaki Makoto:

oh, he's obsessed with his own hair (and others')

first thing he does in the morning is brush it

he's using many different products and his hair always smells so nice

he's not very fond of others touching it unless he's very close to them

during resistance japan, he offered to do everyone's hair at least once

(kita even enjoyed it a lot)

I also think Kita and Minamisawa are the only ones who were allowed to touch Kurosakis hair

Hakuryuu:

he rarely tries to get the hair gel out before sleeping

his hair is stuck like that now

he's cursing himself every morning why he chose a style like that, yet he keeps doing it. It just looks great

he doesn't really like keeping his hair open. he thinks it doesn't suit him (but that's a lie)

[todayisafridaynight]

YEAH........... YEAH..... LIKEWISE, NO NOTES AT ALL, THAT'S EXACTLY IT... Main antagonist deaths are often treated as "comeuppance," but that would be the ultimate comeuppance for Aoki. As it stands, the only people who actually suffer for it are Ichiban and Jo, and Ichi didn't even do anything wrong. Also please I'm positive there's more to wring out of Aoki and Jo for an essay 😭😭at the very least, I always love to hear your perspective!

"he'd made a social circle for himself where people predominantly liked him for the power and influence" <- incredibly Mine-core of Aoki btw (I also feel the rest applies a little in terms of Mine probably being very quick to write off people who Do care about him as not caring about him, as with Katase, but it's nowhere near the extent of the Arakawas)

Wait actually it's kind of funny... for both Mine and Aoki, I was so sure their endings would go a certain way. Mine and Kiryu'd fight Richardson off together and Ichi'd, I don't know, shield Aoki or hug him so Kume couldn't get to him in the first place, or after that INSANE direct parallel to Arakawa running to the hospital with Masato, he'd miraculously pull through like he did on New Year's. Tormented with visions of the better timeline... With Aoki in particular, it makes me want to tear my hair out because the moment of him choosing to put the gun in the locker was REVOLUTIONARY for the series, looking at the characters he was most heavily based on.

Anyway. Bottom line. These bitches need to hug it out. It was so evil Arakawa didn't hug Ichi at Omi HQ or on the waterfront like bro stop being """manly""" for five seconds you're ruining my life you're ruining your own lives

There'd genuinely be nothing more painful yet more satisfying for an antagonist than being confronted with the consequences of their actions and having to navigate life after having making those decisions, ESPECIALLY when it comes to mending the bonds that- for anyone else- would have shattered long ago. With Aoki being motivated by the want to be loved and appreciated for himself, it would've been nice to see him finally acknowledge that he did have that love and start to better himself as a result (however much he'd be able to while in prison anyway lmao).

The Mine and Aoki comparisons are so real though, I remember joking to myself about it days after beating the game but it just fuels my mental illness every time I think about it ☠️ I LEGALLY AM NOT ALLOWED TO GO OFF ABOUT THE Y7 ENDING I'VE DONE IT TOO MUCH it makes me so mad every time I think about it 😭 ESPECIALLY THE PARALLELS WITH ARAKAWA AND THE LOCKERS UGGGHHH IT COULD HAVE BEEN SUCH AN EPIC CONCLUSION WITH THAT... Arakawa running from the lockers at the start of Aoki's life compared to Ichiban running from the lockers and getting Aoki to the hospital so Aoki can restart life I'm Going To Kill Someone (myself) (in Minecraft)

[moonieshinesims]

Generation One - Chapter Six

River's time being held captive has come close to a week, however, the entire town is on the hunt for her. Will she be saved from Joe before the week ends and she finds out her fate, or will she end up somewhere even worse than a dank cave?

**Warning: more gore and violence ahead! This part was actually unintentional, so even I was shocked when it happened!

River found herself at prom, standing next to her friend Cassandra and her boyfriend Ichiban. He looked good in red.

River and Ichiban began dancing with one another, and unlike the last prom she attended, she felt happy and loved. But there was something balled up in the pit of her stomach. Was any of this even real? Hadn't she been kidnapped? Did Ichiban and her friends even know she was missing?

"Babe... are you all right?" She could hear Ichiban asking, but suddenly he sounded far away. Everything around her started to become fuzzy and abnormal. Her sight began to fail and the sounds around her waned out of existence.

She woke up on the floor of the cave, Joe standing over her with a smirk. It had all been a dream. A wonderful, yet horrible dream. How could the universe tease her like that?

"Only two more days in this place..." Joe said, "Then you'll be someplace much nicer. I promise."

River was pretty positive she was going to end up being trafficked if somebody didn't get her out of there soon. While Joe kept feeding her, she had no energy, so she was sure that she was being drugged.

She could also stop eating, but starvation wouldn't get her anywhere. Either way, she as screwed.

Meanwhile, Ichiban had been investigating River's disappearance in his own way. He'd learned recently that the police were incompetent, so he was going to have to do things the only way he knew how...

The man his dad had hired was on his way. Ichiban knew about sneaking around and spying on people, but he didn't know about doing what might be necessary in order to save River.

Toshiro, his dad's man, was going to meet Ichiban where he had tracked River and her captor down. They were somewhere in the old cave systems in Oasis Springs, about an hour outside of town.

It took him a while to get the boards off the entrance, and by the time he finished the sun had started to set.

Ichiban unfortunately, in exchange for his dad's help, was going to have to do something he didn't want to do.

Back in the cave, River was taking her daily beating from Joe. Considering how numb she was from the drugs and already-throbbing and constant pain from previous fights, none of it seemed to affect her.

Her nose was bleeding, however, and her eyes had practically swollen shut.

"Look at what you got on my coat!" Joe said, holding her up by the hair, "It's covered in your blood! I just got this thing dry-cleaned the other week. That'll get you a..."

He stopped and suddenly let go of her hair. She stumbled back, but managed to hold her balance and remain standing to see Joe edging backwards away from her.

Fear struck his face. Something wasn't right.

Joe was peering behind her towards the entrance to the cave. Again, she could barely see anything, but turned anyways to see what Joe was staring at so frightfully.

A man was approaching them and River's heart began to sink. What if he was the guy coming to take her away? Joe's boss, whoever that may be, and that's why he was scared...?

Before she could tuck tail and make an attempt at running to hide in the rocks, the man says to her with an accent that sounded very Komorebigo, "Get out and be safe."

Before she could even react the man pointed something towards Joe and a loud BANG was heard. Her ears rang! Blood sprayed everywhere and Joe fell backwards, but it all happened in slow motion.

River looked at the man and again, he motioned towards the exit, "GO!" This time he yelled.

She took off, as fast as she could, and managed to make it out of the cave system. As she reached the exit, she was practically crawling. Her energy had dissipated and her eyes had completely stopped working.

She had no idea what time of day it was, or if anyone was around to see her, but she hoped that someone would come to her rescue again as she passed out right at the mouth of the cave.

Early the next morning...

Bee was at work, trying to distract herself from her missing daughter. However, upon hearing that someone was there to speak with her, she felt that her worst fear was on her doorstep.

She was sure she was about to be told that her daughter had been found dead, but was shocked to hear that the opposite had happened!

An anonymous call had been made by someone around ten o'clock the night before leading them to the cave systems of Oasis Springs. The police found her passed out at the cave's entrance, and inside the cave they found a dead young man. River's classmate, a boy named Joe she'd known since middle school.

Bee wasn't told how the boy was killed, but she was assured that River didn't do it and that other than psychological damage, River was going to physically be okay in about a week or so.

Oddly enough River had been brought to the very same hospital that Bee was employed at, but she had to be examined and the police had to talk to her before she was allowed to see her daughter.

Once given permission to see her, however, Bee stormed the room and pulled her unconscious daughter into her arms. While they normally weren't close, she couldn't imagine life without her.

River had woken up only a few hours after Bee came to visit her, however, she was on so many pain medications that she wasn't sure what was happening.

Two days later she finally awoke, aware that she wasn't in the cave.

Havarti, Cassandra, and Mercy came to visit her the most in the week she was lying around in the hospital. They brought her chocolates, stuffed animals, and lots of praise over surviving the horrible ordeal she'd gone through.

The girls talked one day about when River would be able to come back to school. She was going to have to go to a specialized therapy for a couple of weeks, so it probably wouldn't be until Spring when she was allowed out in public again.

"Are you going to graduate on time?" Havarti seemed upset.

"Stop worrying! I'll get put in remedial classes over the summer so I can graduate on time." River sighed, "Some counselor already came and talked to me about it."

"I guess at least you'll still be able to walk at graduation, right? And you'll be back at school in time for prom..." Cassandra tried lightening the mood one day, but inevitably made it worse by making River realize that one person hadn't come to visit her yet.

Ichiban.

"Have you guys heard from Ichiban? I don't think he's come to see me... At least while I've been conscious."

Havarti looked guilty, and fidgeted around with the seams of her sweater. Cassandra's face turned red.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"His dad was apparently worried about something bad happening to him too... So... he left."

"I can't believe he'd do that..." River laid back in the hospital bed, defeated. She'd been kidnapped, drugged, and beaten and now she'd lost her boyfriend.

What a way to spend her senior year!

A few days earlier...

[skrunksthatwunk]

ok now that the dust has settled a bit im actually gonna talk about my thoughts on the rgg summit y8 cutscene. you know the one

ok im talking about the proposals because although i didn't make it clear at the time i uh. i don't like it lmao (<- oversimplifying). let me explain (in 9 points + a tl;dr)

ichiban does strike me as the type to jump the gun and propose early, especially after like 18 years in prison. granted, i never did the dating stuff in y7, but i think it's in line with his character (i like it, makes sense)

him asking kiryu for advice is also fine, seeing as he's So Fucking Frazzled By Getting Turned Down im convinced he would ask anyone (i like it, makes sense)

regardless of my own views on ichiban's love life i. i guess i see that they could've been setting him and saeko up? like saeko's cattiness with seong-hui (who, if you forgot, flirted pretty hard with ichi when they first met) could be viewed as jealousy over ichiban...? i guess? and maybe that time she compliments his hair and he's like "well maybe I'll keep it :)"...? (i don't like it, but makes sense in hindsight as something they may have been trying to establish)

in regards to my thoughts on ichiban's love life: girl they have so little romantic chemistry im not even joking. not more so than like, him and any given member of the ichigang (which isn't nothing (<- ichigang polycule enjoyer) but you really just picked Nearest Girl huh), and arguably less imo. i like them!! i don't even hate them dating per se, but i don't love it being canon. like exploring it conceptually and making fan content etc is cool (go crazy!!), but i don't think they have enough standing in canon as-is to be satisfying as a couple, yeah? it doesn't feel like they were going for that in their y7 dynamic, and i actually found the platonic vibes of their bond kinda refreshing and im sad to see that replaced with a simple (probably offscreen) "okay they're together now" like it was inevitable, or the implication that the only reason their friendship was there was to set up a romance later, and they were just saving it for the next game. (i don't really like it, doesn't make sense)

it feels like they were anxious about where saeko falls in the "romance or relative" dichotomy of the series' female characters (see yumi, yuko, yasuko, hana, mirei (<- less direct, but majima's ex/pretty explicit mother figure to haruka), sayama, makoto, eri (y7, not the morning glory kid), seong-hui, that woman from y5, haruka, most of the cabaret girls as manager and customer, maaaany substory women, that patriarch's daughter in y3, reina, yayoi, the morning glory girls, etc etc). like she HAD to end up with someone in the cast because what else would she do, right? in isolation it's not an awful choice, but within the context of the rest of the series, it's frustrating because she was one of the only exceptions besides like. miss tatsu probably. (i don't like it, makes sense that it would happen in this series)

even if you want/are open to saeko and ichiban being together, shouldn't that be given more time and development? it feels rushed to me to go from hinting at romance (assuming that's what it was in y7) to proposing is like. kind of a disservice to those characters and that dynamic imo (i don't like it, doesn't make sense)

NOT TO MENTION KIRYU'S PROPOSALS?? like. to yumi? to sayama? it feels like that'd be weird to retcon in since we saw their relationships on screen. and if kiryu had an (or multiple?? as arguably implied in the scene???) offscreen relationship so serious he PROPOSED i think that'd also be weird and annoying to not see if you were a fan of that idea. shit man, if kiryu's proposing to someone i wanna meet her!! (because it's going to be straight. i know you know we know. pain) and maybe she'll even get like. depth and agency outside of being a love interest. if we're very lucky. (i don't really like it, doesn't make sense)

kiryu suddenly having ~plenty of experience~ with women isn't homophobic (or aphobic) per se, but. i mean. look there's a lot of good ways to read the way kiryu engages with sex and romance (including ones where he likes women and/or doesn't like men, in case you want to argue with me about that) but what we know for sure is that this series seems to a) be unable to let him hold on to a definite love interest between games b) want him to be a forever-bachelor, either because "i think he would be" or "he's mourning yumi sayama doesn't count" or "he's waiting for the right person" or "he can't endanger someone like that" etc, and/or c) does not want to/cannot validate queer interpretations of him (which the two previous points as well as other context may imply). y'know how around y4 they stopped letting majima and kiryu interact but still hinged big shit on their fated bond or whatever? it's like that to me. sometimes they feel the need to remind us all that they're actually super heterosexual guys. this could be that. if it walks like damage control and quacks like damage control it might very well be damage control. even in straight readings of him it's jarring and out of nowhere and lacks real time, development, and so on in ways that are both unsatisfying and contributing to the problems with women in the series, even more so than an ichi/saeko relationship (i don't like it, doesn't make sense)

during the summit they were careful to be like "well, we don't know what kind of proposal it is exactly ;)" so lemme say this: if it's not actually marriage proposals they're talking about, im not gonna be happy either. clickbait ass. (actually it would be a little funny if they were straightbaiting but im still gonna work under the assumption that it's not because like. did they word the cutscene like that just to show it at the summit like this? freak behavior) (idk how i feel about it, idk if it makes sense, someone should get smacked for this choice but there's a 50/50 chance i would do this in their shoes)

tl;dr i don't hate these ideas in isolation and if you're excited for them then i wish you the best. i hope for all of us that it's actually handled well. to be completely honest, im still interested in what leads them both to this point, and the relationships they may reveal, what they'll try to say with them, what they say about ichi and kiryu, etc. i will play along with ichi and saeko if they can do something cool with it, because i tend to be very flexible about that kinda thing. im not mad about it and i don't hate it exactly, but my impressions of it for the most part are "this seems sudden and out of character for everyone involved in troubling ways that are part of larger annoying/problematic patterns in the series".

[gojos-sidepiece-69]

Tokyo Tech Training- Chapter 2

Your eyes snapped open and you met eyes with your lover from last night. Fuck. Did that actually happen? It shouldn’t have. Damn it. No, god, no. I got drunk and had an insane fever dream, that’s it. Your brain worked in overdrive trying to rationalize your decisions from last night. Intense waves of shame and guilt washed over you when you realized that you were, indeed, practically sober.

You woke up with no headache. Your hips, however, were a different story altogether. “Morning, sunshine,” your dimpled teacher said intoxicatingly. It was too early for his bullshit. “Please, Gojo. Not now. I’m going to go home and pretend this didn’t happen, okay? Great.” His grin widened as he pointed out, “Oh, so we’re on name-to-name basis now? I thought I was still your Sensei.”

You ignored him and firmly got up only to catch a glance of yourself in a full body mirror. You saw purple peeking out at you from under Gojo’s shirt. You pulled it down slightly and felt at your raw, sore love bites. “Sorry about those, I always like it a bit rough,” Gojo explained, still shamelessly man-spreading in his bed. “I could tell,” you deadpanned. You lifted up the hem of your shirt to inspect the degree of damage he had done to your hips, and it was bad. You could barely even walk straight. You were planning on a pleasant walk-of-shame home, but seeing the state of your condition, that was now out of question. As if he read your mind, he said “I’ll give you a ride back.”

You got a sneak peak into the Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer’s morning routine, which included putting on his dumb blindfold and dark navy uniform. He handed you your clothes from the previous night, taking extra care to comment about how he was upset he didn’t get to see you in your “cute little lacy bra.” Everyone had left earlier that morning, knowing from previous experience not to wake Gojo in the morning. In addition, they didn’t want to take their chances while their airhead of a teacher took the steering wheel, blasting trap music way too damn early. You, however, had the treat of experiencing this first-hand. “All aboard!” He said childishly as you stepped into his black BMW. He immediately turned the volume of his music all the way up, humming to Pick it Up by Famous Dex.

You closed your eyes, and muttered a silent prayer that you wouldn’t die in a freak accident on the way home. With your luck, Gojo would crash straight through a KFC Drive-Thru and laugh about it.

You were shaken out of this scary afterthought when you realized that Gojo was driving 65 MPH in a 35 zone. “What the hell? Slow down!” You yelled, but your driver only looked at you and laughed. “You didn’t have a problem with me going fast last night.” You gritted your teeth. Of course he was going to make your drive home as sarcastic and filled with as many horrible sex jokes as possible. The worst part was that you, at the back of your mind, were fighting back a small laugh. But you weren’t about to confirm that he was funny. So you slowly exhaled through your nose, until your breath hitched at the back of your throat.

Gojo’s hand had snuck past the gear and onto your knee. Keeping his (inexplicably blindfolded) eyes on the road, it slowly snaked up to your thigh and rested there. He could feel you tense up and smiled to himself. He loved the effect that even just his hands had on women. The sensation gave you flashbacks of the night before. He touched a bruise on your inner thigh that he had licked and sucked so tenderly last night, and you shuddered. He drew small circles, but didn’t go any further.

The tires screeched to a halt right outside Tokyo Tech, and you clambered out of his car as fast as you could. You left in such a rush that you dropped your “cute, lacy bra” on the passenger-side floor. You didn’t even notice. Luckily it was Sunday, and you wouldn’t have to worry about seeing your teacher until tomorrow. “Have a great day!” He yelled after you, and you flipped him off classily without so much as a backwards glance for your superior. As soon as you got to your dorm, you dramatically collapsed onto the mattress.

You were so tired from fooling around the entire day yesterday that you slept through Sunday in its entirety. You arose early Monday morning and groaned when you remembered that it was going to be your first Field Training day. And you were absolutely correct in thinking that you were most definitely not ready.

“Each of you will be assigned a Jujutsu Sorcerer to shadow for your field practice today. Watch how they exorcise curses, take mental notes, and follow each of their directions carefully. Megumi and Nobara, you’ll be going with Nanami. Yuji and Y/n, you’re stuck with me,” Gojo said, keeping eye contact with you for an uncomfortably long amount of time. You thought to yourself, I might as well just start calling it blindfold-contact, if I can’t see his gorgeous eyes. I mean, eyes. Gojo whistled and led you and Yuji back to his black car. Yuji ran like the track-star he was, yelling “SHOTGUN!” so loudly that you didn’t care to argue.

He threw the door open and leaped into the passenger seat, while Gojo took the wheel and you occupied the backseat. Yuji took the liberty of connecting to the aux, this time blasting Tetris by Derek King. Once again, it was way too early in the morning to be listening to songs about ass. But this issue did not seem to exist for the Tokyo Tech’s favorite resident ass men, Yuji and Gojo. Or as you liked to call them, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb-ass.

Not even a comfortable minute into the drive, Yuji energetically bent over and picked up your forgotten bra. “Ooh, looks like Gojo Sensei is getting some! Who’s the unlucky girl?” Yuji joked around. “Oh, Gojo. GOJO,” the pink-haired puppy-boy fake moaned like an animal in pain while poking fun at his teacher. Your sensei, ever the enabler of horrible jokes, chuckled along. He glanced up into the rear view mirror and made eye contact with you, breaking it as soon as he swerved into the wrong lane. “At least tell me what she looked like!” Yuji practically bursted at the seams. Gojo sighed and offered a single comment to his student that was enough to temporarily stave off his curiosity and shut him up. “She had a great ass.”

You heard a genuinely amazed “Wow!” from your fellow first-year as blush once again danced onto your cheeks. You broke the car’s mounting tension by piping up and asking, “So where are we actually going?” Gojo explained that their Field Practice entailed an actual mission to retrieve one of Sukuna’s fingers. What the hell? You thought to yourself. You had barely one day of instruction and you were being thrown into the deep end already? Jesus Christ. But somewhere deep inside your mind, you knew that Gojo cared for his students and would never let any of them get hurt.

Rudely interrupting your thoughts for the millionth time, Gojo interjected, “But we’re stopping by the bakery first. I need my morning fix.” Your stomach grumbled at the thought of food just as you remembered you hadn’t eaten yet today. With one shitty parallel-parking job, you had arrived right outside the Ichiban Pan bakery. The three of you filed into the bakery, the bell on the door ringing as the sweet aromas supplied you with some much-needed serotonin. You walked up to the counter, and immediately noticed how beautiful the cashier was. She had long, dark hair and a figure that anyone would drool over.

To your surprise, she said, “Gojo...back here already? I knew you hadn’t had enough of me yet,” as she eyed him lustfully. “Of course I had to come back for seconds. Your goods were just so...soft and sweet,” he smiled coyly as he leaned onto the counter and shamelessly flirted back. The woman reached over and toyed with Gojo’s blindfold as his smile grew. She said, “So, when are we going to have some more fun?” He answered, “Always so eager, huh? Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn soon.” You couldn’t tell if your face was heating up with annoyance at the thought of Gojo delaying the mission to flirt with one of his girls, or at the fact that you felt...jealous. Jealous that you weren’t the only one he had eyes for, and envious that this girl was older and maybe even more attractive than you. She made you feel plain in more ways than one, and your mind started to wander.

Did Gojo touch her like how he touched me? How many girls has he had before? How many is he with right now? Damn it. You shook off the bothersome thought. Maybe it was your innate competitiveness as a Jujutsu Sorcerer, but you knew you had to get him back. Fair and square. You told yourself it wasn’t because you wanted more from him, but it was because you wanted to make him feel jealous in the exact same way. Whatever it was, whenever the time would come, you were going to leave him frustrated.

Three delicious dangos and thirty minutes later, you found yourself at the site of the curse: a closed off mall. While you were now right outside of the car, you could feel the cursed energy radiating out from its epicenter. “There’s one unregistered first-grade curse that you need to extract Sukuna’s finger from. And I’m going to osbserve,” Gojo said while he sat on the hood of his car. “You’re going to what? I’ve barely had ANY training,” you sputtered angrily, but Yuji was already pulling your arm and dragging you towards the curse. Well, you thought to yourself. Might as well prove yourself a worthy comrade to Yuji and a promising student for...he didn’t matter right now. The two of you sprinted forward as Gojo lowered a dark veil over the area, blackening the sky.

Yuji shoved the front doors open and leapt inside, and you jumped in after him. The lights were broken and flickering, casting an eerie glow over the abandoned mall. The escalators were still running, but you could hear distant crashing sounds. “This way!” Yuji yelled, as the two of you sprinted up the escalator to the second floor. The crashing increased in volume, and it was clearly coming from a destroyed souvenir shop ahead.

You laid eyes on the grotesque curse, which resembled a deformed, melting, red plastic mannequin that was at least twice your height. Its arms immediately extended and shot out at you, but you dodged out of the way. You hadn’t learned any techniques yet, so it seemed like you and Yuji would be teaming up and harnessing your raw cursed energy to deliver blows to the mannequin. The curse opened its mouth to reveal jagged teeth that caged in one of Sukuna’s fingers. “There it is!” you shouted. But in an instant, both you and Yuji were caught off guard and knocked to your feet by the mannequin’s extended arms.

They grew spikes that jutted out and beat into your sides. You yelped and coughed in pain, starting to see blood pool out from under your uniform. You gritted your teeth and tried your best to deliver blows to sever the curse’s arms, but it was useless. Yuji, too, seemed trapped in between the sharp spikes. After ten minutes of intense stabbing pains and useless struggle against this first-grade curse, Yuji piped up. “I think I’m going to have to let Sukuna take over and destroy this curse.” Your eyes widened. You had only heard stories of the demon king, and they were all horrific. But it was between that and death, and you both made the split-second decision. “Do it,” you nodded.

You watched from your position as Yuji let Sukuna take over his body. Black tattoos etched their way across his toned body, which was exposed to you after he carelessly tore his tightening shirt off. His smile grew wide and you heard a malicious laugh. “Fool,” Sukuna said directly to the curse, before ripping its right arm off with brute force. “You think you’re any match for me?” Before its arm could regenerate, Sukuna tore off its other one and freed you before tossing you aside like a corpse while informing you that you were “in his way.” You hit your head against the front window of the store and groaned. You watched the mannequin open it’s mouth and shoot out it’s razor-sharp dagger teeth at Sukuna, but he just grabbed onto the curse’s head and tore it right off with ease.

He reached two fingers into the curse’s mouth and extracted the finger, examining it with a slight grin before swallowing it. “Feels so good,” he murmured while throwing his head back and laughing loudly. A wave of confusion washed over you. If the job was done, why hadn’t Yuji switched back yet? What was going on? You shivered and backed up slightly as Sukuna turned his head to look down at you.

“You know,” he drew out a breath as he kneeled down and picked up a scrap of cloth from Yuji’s torn shirt. “I haven’t taken over a vessel in ages. And that means I haven’t had a woman in a very,” he stepped closer to you, “Very long time.” You looked up at him from the ground, taking in his mouthwatering physique. This curse made you forget about logic for a minute and revert to primal instinct. The first thought that ran through your brain was running your tongue over his abs. However, a second later, you had an even better idea. Why not let Sukuna have his way with me? That would show Gojo. I want him to hear me moaning while he’s still sitting in his stupid BMW, blood rushing to his dick as he thinks about me getting fucked stupid by the undisputed king of curses. That thought alone was enough to push you to answer, “And what do you want me to do about that?”

“You’re going to do as I say. Let me fuck you until you can’t remember your own first name.” Your heat throbbed at that, and Sukuna wasted no time binding your hands together tightly with the scrap of cloth. This was really happening. You were about to get destroyed by the legendary Sukuna in the shattered storefront of a souvenir shop. In the dark. Without any semblance of a warning, Sukuna ripped your uniform top right off of your body, leaving behind only scraps of fabric. You shivered at the sensation of being exposed to the cold. You looked up at him wearing only your plain black bra and uniform skirt, and his eyelids lowered. “Fucking slut,” he said, as he ripped off your bra with the same fervor. He smiled hungrily as your nipples perked from the chills, and groped at your breasts with both hands.

He admired how they fit perfectly within his calloused hands, and how he could feel your heartbeat rapidly soar. With fear. Humans really are useless creatures, aren’t they? He thought before he demanded, “Open your mouth.” You complied, and he slid two long digits all the way inside. You felt one hit the back of your throat and you moaned onto his fingers as they slid back out. He rubbed his fingers back onto your breasts, coating them with the wetness of your own saliva. You moaned loudly with pleasure, positive that your pathetic Sensei could hear you from outside.

“That’s good.” Sukuna approved of your moaning. The thought of him making you arch your back, screaming and crying for him pushed him on further. His hands aggressively found your skirt, tearing it easier than paper. He looked down at your soaked panties and felt the urge to make you feel small and embarrassed. “You’ve gone and made a mess of yourself. I’ll just have to get rid of them,” you saw Sukuna’s tongue move around in his mouth as he forcefully tugged off your panties. His hunger got the best of him, and he bent down to let his tongue take one long lap along your dripping cunt. “Fuck,” he breathed as you threw your head back, hitting against the wall. “I haven’t tasted a woman in so long,” he said, before bending back down and slipping his tongue into your slit.

His strong arms kept your shaking legs pried wide open for him, sharp nails tightly gripping into your thighs, and you could only groan louder. He continued to drink at your slippery juices until you screamed and came into his mouth. He licked his lips as he pushed your thighs back together and lifted himself up. “I’m not even close to finished with you yet,” he growled, sensing you getting slightly tired.

He lifted you up and threw you onto your stomach. You propped yourself up shakily using your elbows while he pushed your head down with one of his hands. You arched your back for him, granting him an easier entrance. Kneeling behind you, he teased his dripping tip at your folds while squeezing at your ass. The buildup was almost too much for you to take, so you began to whine “Suku-,” but before you could finish, he entered you roughly. Sukuna mercilessly railed into your pussy from behind, one hand simultaneously gripping your hair and pushing your head down, while the other dug crescent-shaped nail marks into your hips.

His pace was so fast that you could only scream and curse and whine his name, but he only laughed and threw his head back. “Sl-slower,” you begged, tears spilling down your face, but Sukuna maintained his speed. Your useless request only prompted him to move his hand from your hair to your throat, gripping you tightly. “Don’t ask me that again,” he growled, still thrusting.

You could feel his thrusts become more loose and sporadic, and finally he pulled out and groaned deeply while spilling his cum all over your thighs. You panted and stood up slowly, but you held back a shocked scream. You watched in horror as Gojo Satoru stood before you, blindfolded eyes trailing over the white, creamy liquid dripping down your thighs. You instinctively covered your breasts and cunt, managing a weak, “how long were you watching?” Gojo took a step forward. “Well, I decide to assess the situation for myself when I heard you screaming for mercy, so I came in at about the time...” he mimed checking a fake watch, “a 1000-year-old curse started pounding you from behind.”

You blushed, heart racing from the exposure and accidental voyeurism. You hadn’t expected him to actually come see you for himself. However, your eyes took a quick trip to see a growing bulge in your Sensei’s pants. You smiled to yourself as you thought, mission accomplished.

🌹

[digitalmadness]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE.

repost with the information of your muse,  including headcanons,  etc. if you fail to achieve some of the facts,  add some other of your own !

NAME.  Kitty (Self-proclaimed name)

Teresa Ramnarine (Real name)

AGE.     Yakuza 0: 23

Kiwami: 30/40

Kiwami 2: 41

Yakuza 3: 41 - 43 

Yakuza 4: 44

Yakuza 5: 47 

Yakuza 6: 51 

Yakuza: Like A Dragon: 53 

Judgement: 52

Lost Judgement: 55

Watch Dogs: 38 

Watch Dogs 2: 41

Watch Dogs Legion: 54

SPECIES.    Human

GENDER.    female ( she/her ) .

ORIENTATION.     Demi bisexual

INTERESTS.     Dancing, hacking, creating gadgets. being a pain, reading, & crafting.

PROFESSION.     Hacker (In most verses / Currently)) , Info Dealer (Currently), Fixer (Watch Dogs / Formerly), Purgatory member (Yakuza / Currently), Cabaret Club owner (Yakuza / Unconfirmed by Judge Eyes & LAD time), Unnamed detective agency (Yakuza / unconfirmed)

BODY TYPE.     Kitty is described as slim yet fit. She’s not muscular, nor skinny. She leans more on the speedy type of woman. While the strength lays within her legs and it is clear as day that her legs are meant for speed, she has tan skin with scars all over the place.

EYES.   Dark brown.

HAIR.   Dark brown hair that ends around her shoulder. 

FACE.    She has a bit of a big nose, which she is proud to have. She also has somewhat of a big eyes and small ears. 

COMPANIONS.    Goro Majima, Carlos Oliviera, Kiryu Kazuma, Ichiban Kasuga, Daigo Dojima, Aiden Pearce, Jordi Chin, Wrench, Sitara Dhawan, Tesso, Akira Nishikiyama, Goromi & various of OCs.

ANTAGONISTS.  Goro Majima (at the beginning before they became allies) & various of OCs.

COLORS.    Yellow & blue.

FRUITS.       Starwberries.

DRINKS.  Water & various of juices.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES?   Somewhat. Depends on her mood.

SMOKES?   No

DRUGS?   Not.

DRIVERS LICENSE?   yes, but will likely drive recklessly. 

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #363

(one more that’s a late upload from way earlier in the day, and i yet again don’t feel like updating the answers)

What brings out the worst in you? When I'm very anxious or having a PTSD episode, I can become very snappy and just not a joy to be around. What all did you eat today? This morning I had oatmeal, I had a rice cake as a snack, and lunch was ham and cheese on a tortilla. Some people were really destructive as a child, were you? No, I was a good kid. Who was the last person you were in a car with? My mom. Who was the last person you cried in front of? It was probably Mom. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them? I usually talk about them somewhere, like in surveys if I feel I can't with anyone else. Please be vocal with your feelings. It is so destructive to let them build up. Who was the last person you were with that smelled REALLY good? I'm unsure. Do you know anyone that is gothic? A good number of people, myself included at least in spirit. ;~; I can't really afford good attire, nor do I have the patience for so much makeup maintenance. Have you seen UP? I actually haven't seen the full movie, but I'd like to. How is your mom? Stressed as fuck and tired of everything. What color hair does your mom have? She recently dyed it black. Her hair is growing back totally gray now and she hated it. She's gotten so self-conscious as she's aged. When was the last time you were told you were cute? Idk. Do you feel comfortable getting up and giving speeches? FUCK NO. Have you ever dipped french fries in a frosty? I tried it once and did not get the appeal. Did you have school/class today? No. My school endeavors are done. Do you have any paintings in your room? If so, of what? Yeah, I have my big painting of meerkats grooming above all my 'kat plushies. Have you ever had your photo professionally taken? As a child and by school photographers, anyway. Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Pudding. After washing your hair, do you put any products in it? No. Last time you ate a salad? Like a week ago when we went to Ichiban for my sister's bday. Do you know how old your house is? No, I don't. Have you ever been described as ”adorable”? Yeah. Have you ever given a lap dance? No. They seem incredibly awkward to me?? Would you accept a boring job if it meant you would make mega bucks? No. I can't do a job I hate for anything. I would be so depressed. Are you a moody person? Yes. What are you listening to? I'm watching Gab Smolders' new episode of Resident Evil 8: Village. I'm deadass watching four different LPers play it, I'm only moderately obsessed lmao. What video game could you waste the most time on? WoW, given it has like a zillion different things to do. Yet I still get bored lmao. What is your favorite condiment? Maybe Ketchup? I think I use that for the most things. What is the worst thing that you have ever done? I don't feel like getting into this. How old were you when your parents gave you the "birds and the bees" talk? They didn't; I learned in my school's sex ed in the 5th grade. Have you ever questioned whether or not you'd benefit from therapy? I have benefited from it. What would you like it to say on your gravestone? Hypothetically, idk. But I'd rather be cremated. Would you ever wear real leather or animal fur? NO. Have you ever completely failed a year of school and had to repeat a grade? No. Have you ever been bitten by an animal that wasn't a cat or a dog? Which? I think my old baby iguana bit me once or twice, not that it was very painful at her young age. I can't recall another animal. What type of literature are you most likely to read? (book, magazine, etc) Books. Do you prefer using candles, wax melts, or incense? Incense. Are you someone who actually doesn't have a Facebook? No, I have one. What kind(s) of Facebook groups are you active in, if any? I'm not really *active* in any; I just observe them and interact via "like"s. I'm actually in a whole lot of groups, though. Do you enjoy any herbal or fruit teas? What kinds? Neither. Do you hear any animals right now? No. What are your thoughts on Avenged Sevenfold? I know and like a few songs, especially "Dear God." Do you like Batman? Yeah, I like his "refuse to murder" ideology. The only thing is I kinda have a bad connection attached to him, because Batman was Jason's thing. Have you ever played fetch with a dog? Yes. Does your house have a fireplace? Yeah actually, but it might be fake? I don't even know lol. Have you ever pet a stingray? No. Have you ever dissected a baby pig in a class at school? Oh my god, no. I literally could never. I did dissect a frog in the 7th grade that wound up to be pregnant, though... I wasn't happy about it, but at the same time it was very interesting. Who is the last baby you held? My niece. Do you like Sunkist? The orange kind is fine, but the STRAWBERRY flavor? Jfc I love that shit. Would you ever consider being a cannibal? UM NO Do you have any scars from an animal? I have a lot of scars on my hands from playing with Roman. I scar extremely easily, so just his little scrapes leave marks. Have you ever seen an Igloo? No. Do you like Korn? Love 'em. How many animals do you have? Really two, but we have three in the house right now. Idk when this dog is going away. Are you more afraid of tornadoes or hurricanes? Tornados. Ever rode in a helicopter? No. Do you like rabbits? Yes, they're adorable. Do you like mushrooms? NO. What was the last movie you cried at? I want to say Logan, but I'm not sure. I watch movies so rarely that I really don't know. Would you rather work for a small or large company? Small. I'd feel more useful. What is the rudest thing a guy has ever done to you? I don't know. Have you ever read the book 13 Reasons Why? Yeah. I thought it was good, but now I don't remember like... anything about it. What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had apple and cinnamon oatmeal. How many times have you read your favorite book? Just once. I don't re-read books. Have you ever been on Omegle? No. Are you still in love with one of your exes? "In love," no. Do you think being born was a mistake? Yeesh, no. Has a relative ever been arrested? My psychotic uncle (by marriage) has been. Was it a serious crime? Quite honestly, I don't remember. I just know he's an angry and dangerous motherfucker. Do you think the Fountain of Youth exists? No. How about in a parallel dimension? Doubtful. Do you believe humans are part of a giant alien experiment? I ponder over the possibility of being a research simulation, kind of like a much advanced version of The Sims, but I honestly doubt it. Have you ever been suicidal? Yes. Was it a passing phase or is it something controlled by medication? Therapy and medication saved me. Is there a holiday you wish no one celebrated? Which is it? Why do you feel that way? Fight me about Christopher Columbus Day. He didn't discover shit. Have you taken any writing classes? How about art? I've taken a writing course in college, and I've taken loads of art classes. What’s your all-time favourite band? How about all-time fave singer? Ozzy Osbourne; Freddie Mercury. What three songs do you want played at your funeral? Why those particular songs? "Like A Woman" by Alice Cooper, "Life Is Beautiful" by Sixx A.M., and "Angels on the Moon" by Thriving Ivory. I just like them and find them suiting. Do you think most mythological creatures exist? No. Have you ever had lice? No. What is one superstition that freaks you out? Why is that? I’m not superstitious. Are either of your parents retired yet and if not, what do they do? No. Dad is a mailman, and while Mom doesn't ~officially~ work yet because she's recovering from intense cancer treatment, she very recently resumed lightly cleaning a church for a small payment. Kinda like a warmup. When did you or do you want to move out of your parents’ house? I wanna move out once I'm in a long-term, stable relationship with someone so we can live together. Me living alone is NOT a good idea. How do you like your current job, or if you’re unemployed, have you been looking for employment? I don't have a job, but when I go to my tattoo appointment, I'm going to ask them if they'd be interested in hiring someone for the front desk. I think it's def something I could do because I love the environment, there's really not that much I need to know (like where the Doritos are, dealing with exact change, answering a dozen unique questions), it's not insanely busy, and the occasional phone call would challenge my anxiety and just be a minor inconvenience to me until I got used to it. My partial hospitalization program really got me wanting to fight back against what gives me anxiety, to truly expose myself to what scares me, while not going totally overboard with it. It was encouraging to hear my therapist there thought it was a magnificent idea for me. I decided I wanted to ask while at the parlor getting work done to show serious interest (like I'm not just some random chick walking in and asking for a job), as well as let the people warm up to me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but damn am I wishing. I want it so badly. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? I've never taken shots.

[noodleswithsoba-blog]

A Silver Whirlwind.

The Asura's Student.

The street was dark, no streetlights, no anything. A little boy, just edging into his teenage years with silver hair and eyes was scooching along. He heard the sounds of a fight and crouched, peeking out of the alleyway. There was a man wearing a hoodie, facing off against some thugs that were harassing some of the other residents for protection money that tried to shove him around. That was the moment young Ichiban Tokita met his master, fighting some thugs in some dowdy section of the city.

Ohma Tokita started to notice Ichiban following him around, watching his rhythms and movements with shining silver eyes. Of course, Ohma tried his best to ignore him, but there was one night a terrible storm rocked the city. He heard his door open and in an instant, he threw a punch to ward off whatever was there. He felt something shaky, small, and solid. Lightning flashed and there stood Ichiban shakily blocking a punch, standing in a similar stance to Ohma's own, but imperfect and shaky.

His eyes were shining and Ohma felt a small smirk rise on his face, "You have guts, brat," he stated.

Ichiban silently stared at the older man, "How did you block my punch like that?" Ohma asked.

Ichiban sat down and shrugged, he truly didn't know a damn thing about his own ability. Ohma chewed his lip in thought, thinking, and puzzling out how he could've done it. He'd heard of 'actors' before, but not to the extent this kid was acting. It took him years to lock down his movements, but this kid, as immature and inexperienced he looked, copied at least some basics. He was interested in the kid. He'd heard of people copying others, and this kid could be strong one day.

So Ohma Tokita grew used to the little kid following him closely, it seemed the more he saw and took what he dished out the better his style got. Yet he still couldn't figure out a name for the kid. So he sat and pondered that for a while, watching his new pupil mix up his Niko Style into something different. He'd start with basic jabs, sway back, to the sides, blow for blow wearing weights. He heard the kid encouraging himself. He was kicking the air in a heavy rain of hits.

"Come on, Ichiban!" the kid snapped, "Do it for Master Seaweed-Head!"

Ohma chuckled to himself, "Hey, brat, it's Ohma Tokita!" he snapped, the kid jumped, teetering and falling. Ohma strode over to him and helped him up.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"I-Ichiban… Master Ohma," Ichiban answered with a shaking tone.

Ohma plunked his hand on Ichiban's silver mop, "From now on, Ichiban Tokita, try to make your own style," he stated.

"O-okay!" Ichiban exclaimed, continuing on his way. Over the years, Ohma trained the kid with some basic techniques he picked up from the other guys he fought. He'd never give his style to another. His master lost with his Niko Style, and that's why Ohma wanted Ichiban to forge his own variation. Taking the variations into account and encouraging him to work on them. Soon enough… The Chimera Style would be born.

Ichiban was minding his own business walking around with his master when he heard someone calling for help. Ichiban drifted off with Ohma not really caring where his student was going. He followed the screams to an older man with big brown eyes being accosted by a couple of thugs.

He slipped in behind them, "Hey! You put the old man down! I'm your opponent!" he yelled. The man was dropped and he pushed his glasses up onto his face. Seeing a silver-haired boy with dull gray eyes drop into a stance.

The first thug was bigger than him, surely the poor boy would be torn to shreds! The first punch was thrown and the boy nimbly dodged, grabbing the man's arm and ramming his head into the man's nose, bending his arm and hearing an overly satisfying snap. Ichiban smirked, these two-bit thugs were nothing compared to him right now! He could win with thi- he felt the other one kick him in the cheek, sending him careening to the ground with his cheek leaking blood.

Well, that's what Ichiban thought. He got back up, wicking the blood away with a grin on his face. There was something about fights that inexorably wanted him torn up. Something that drew him to be injured. Something that told him to yell that he wanted to be broken again and again. A spiritual thing deep down inside him demanded it. Something built up in his chest, a laugh? A cry? Or a song? He rose and the other thug charged at him.

'Know their patterns, feel their pain!' he thought, 'Strength through a trial! Strength through pain!' He dodged the incoming hit, and in a flurry of bloody-knuckled punches, the boy was victorious. Ichiban cracked his neck and turned to the man with a small smile.

"Hello, are you injured, sir?" Ichiban asked, looking at the smaller man with a soft smile. The man shook his head, being helped up by him and dusted off.

"Good," Ichiban stated, "What's your name?"

"Uhm… Ka-Kazuo Y-Yamashita…" the man mumbled, handing Ichiban his business card. He had a hard day at work, the manager wouldn't stop walking all over him and he didn't have the guts to speak up. Seeing this fifteen-year-old boy effortlessly take down two thugs bigger than him sparked something in Kazuo Yamashita. Something like a small fighting spirit. The boy looked confusedly down at the card.

"Ya-Ya… No… gu?" he vocalized, squinting, "No… gu? Grope? Ehhh…" Kazuo gawked at the boy's inability to read a simple card. Normally kids his age WEREN'T street fighters. The boy pocketed it.

"Eh, whatever… I'll see ya, Kazuo Yamashita!" Ichiban exclaimed with a bright, friendly smile. He walked away, his arms tenting his head and leaning back to look up at the dusky sky. He liked fighting strong opponents… It made his ability better. Not only that but it made his sparring matches with his master a ton more interesting. 'Aw… too bad it wasn't someone stronger… I'd pick up a technique or two that way…' the boy thought, 'Still… maybe I can ask Master Ohma if he can teach me more cool moves…'

Kazuo couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe his eyes. There were TWO people with the almost exact same style?! Not only did he run into the boy with the silver hair and black hoodie, but someone who looked old enough to be his brother showed up to fight someone absolutely massive!

And he WON! The major differences between the two were evident. The brother seemed to just want to fight while the younger one seemed to watch him closely, studying him with those odd silver eyes of his. Now Kazuo was being sent to meet with the Nogi Group's CEO, Hideki Nogi?! What was this world coming to?! He swallowed the lump in his throat and went to the door, opening it and seeing the man with slicked-back graying hair and serious eyes sitting at his desk, watching him.

"Y-you s-sent for me… ulp! S-sir?" Yamashita squeaked, scanning the room, finding Nogi's assistant looking rather indignant.

"Ah yes, come in Yamashita," Nogi said with a smile, "I heard you had quite the night last night, one attempted shakedown thwarted by a mysterious young man and a lost competitor in the Kengan matches?" Kazuo sat down, nervously thinking he'd be fired or worse. Nogi was still smiling as if it was normal. The smaller man looked as if everything could hurt him.

"You do know the Kengan matches, yes?" Nogi asked.

"Ye-yes… aren't they no-holds-barred fights for business deals?" Kazuo guessed.

"Why yes, and hearing about your rather indulgent night put me in contact with the individuals that made sure that you were safe," Nogi stated, hearing quite the commotion from outside. Kazuo then heard voices from outside.

"Awwww! But I wanna fiiiigggghhht!" Ichiban whined.

"Ugh, the more you complain the more exercises you'll have to do… Now hurry up, we have to meet that Yamashita guy," Ohma growled, his brown eyes closing. Ichiban couldn't stop talking about how proud he was to fight. Ohma secretly liked Ichiban when he was happy. Which was often since they met five years ago. The boy opened the door.

"Whoa! Fancy! Look at that! There's a window! Oh! And Yamashita Kazuo! I figured out what your card said! Isn't that cool?!" Ichiban yelled, smiling and pulling it out.

"Ya… Yamashita… K-Kazuo… No… Gi… Gr… Group…" Ichiban recited with a huge smile. Kazuo smiled.

"Haha… how charming," Nogi chuckled, "How do you do, gentlemen?" he asked the pair.

Ichiban bowed, "My name's Ichiban Tokita, it's nice to meet you! This is my Master, Ohma Tokita," Ichiban saw his master nod and popped right back up. Nogi grinned.

"It's nice to meet you both, I'm Hideki Nogi and that lady is Kaede Akiyama," Nogi said. Ichiban flashed a winning smile and Ohma fidgeted a little bit. Kaede was a beautiful young woman with blond hair and brown eyes, clinical and serious, but it hid something. Nogi decided which one he'd like to have as a competitor for the matches. The younger one was too excitable, too green. He liked Ichiban's spirit and his charming attitude, but Ohma was the better pick. He was older, and his eyes and easy smirk showed experience. He turned to Ohma and smirked.

"How would you like to compete in the Kengan matches with Yamashita as your manager?" he asked. Ohma nodded and Ichiban looked a little shocked.

"M-master! Shouldn't I fight?" the boy asked.

"We'll talk later, Ichiban," Ohma coolly stated. Kazuo sighed and looked at the poor boy's beaten-down expression. Still, Kazuo hoped that this wouldn't end badly. Once they left, Ohma took Ichiban back to their home. It was a run-down house in the middle of the wilderness, it was once an opulent place but now was abandoned except for Ichiban and Ohma. Ohma opened the door. The spiders and crickets all scuttled away, feeling Ohma's quiet rage.

"Katas, now," he said.

"Yes, master…" Ichiban sighed.

Ichiban started to shadowbox, left. Right. Left. Right. Sweep. Kick. Kick. Left. Right. Soon his movements flowed into a calm form that was oddly formless. Flowing and calm, instinctual. Sensing and feeling out Ohma's presence. Then, a storm of hits surged out of him like a rushing tide, detecting who he based this oddly formless style off of. Ichiban hopped on the mossy floor, going through his Chimera Style. It was like Ohma's Style, but a lot less rigid, able to be adjusted and molded.

'Am I not good enough?! Is that it?! Is that why Master Ohma doesn't let me fight?!' he thought, angrily punching and kicking the air, 'If he took me in that means he saw potential in me! So why didn't he let me fight?!' Ohma watched his student with increasing concern. Something was wrong, and when he fell to the floor in frustrated exhaustion, Ohma walked over.

"Why… won't you… let me fight?" Ichiban gasped.

"Because you're reckless, you barely know your style," Ohma stated, "It'd be suicide,"

"So why would you… take me in?" Ichiban asked.

"Because I saw that copy ability of yours, you have to experience and see. Experience to improve it, and a sight to learn it," Ohma observed.

"There's still a lot to learn, Master Ohma…" Ichiban sighed heavily, "I barely know why or how it works, but it does,"

"Then those upcoming matches are your opportunity to learn, and our training sessions to improve on what you've learned," Ohma determined, placing his hand on his student's shoulder.

"It's hard, but I know a kid good enough to block one of my punches has got a lot of potential," Ohma stated gently, smirking at his student's bright expression.

"Now get up, Ichiban Tokita, it's time to try again!" Ohma exclaimed.

"Y-yes, Master Ohma!" Ichiban exclaimed.

Kazuo Yamashita had never seen such a derelict house before. It was overtaken by greenery, but he saw Ichiban training hard out front, and the smell of some sort of pork wafting through the air.

"Oh! Kazuo Yamashita! Good morning! Uhmm… Master Ohma's inside, he's cooking something, and I'm out here training!" Ichiban cheered, walking up to him, he was wearing nothing but sweatpants and a headband to keep his hair out of his eyes.

"Can I talk to him?" Kazuo asked.

"Oh! Sure! Hang on," Ichiban jogged inside, "Master! Kazuo Yamashita's here! He wants to speak with you!" the boy called to the inside.

"Tell him he can come in," Ohma said, cooking some pork on a hot plate. Kazuo was shoved in and the door was shut behind him. The man gulped and scooched in.

"Did he…" Kazuo started.

"Already eat? Yeah," Ohma stated, "Ichiban always moves faster than I do in the mornings,"

"A-are you two… related?" Kazuo asked.

"No, he just hung around me and I got used to him," Ohma bluntly said. Then, the door crashed in, with Ichiban skidding back, he was grinning.

"Wow! Man, that kick was… pretty solid!" Ichiban gasped, "Whew! I'm a little… winded… hoooo…"

Two men stepped in, one with a white hoodie and the other with a multi-colored one. The white hooded one flipped back his hood. He had blond hair and odd sunken eyes, he hopped from foot to foot as the other one had his arms crossed.

"Don't worry, I'll take them both," the blond guy stated.

"Fine by me," the other stated, his voice deep and bellowing, making Kazuo shudder just by listening.

The blond stepped forward, "It's nothing personal, just business," he stated.

"Sorry, but I already got my newspaper, and… huuuhh, your aura, it's pretty fierce. Not enough to lay out my protege, but interesting," Ohma stated. Kazuo backed up and sidled over to Ichiban, who was shakily standing and palming his jaw. Ohma weaved through the guy's punches, backing up and weaving.

"That's… Ivan Karaev! Ohma, he's got a vicious hi-" Kazuo was cut off by a high-pitched squeal and a stumbling Karaev. Standing tall was Ohma, smiling.

"The real tragedy is that you leave yourself too open when you kick," Ohma said. Ichiban's eyes shined when there was a sudden tearing and the Russian stumbled, toppling with blood coming out of his mouth.

"Whoa! Now THAT'S A TECHNIQUE!" Ichiban yelled. The man in the multi-colored jacket flipped his hood back, revealing wide brown eyes and a blond, shaggy mullet. He was massive, towering over Yamashita and Ichiban, but at least eye level with Ohma.

"Hah! Good to know somebody knows quality!" the man snapped, "The name's Lithito! An' you must be my opponent, right?" he asked, looking at Ohma.

"Yeah, quite an entrance," Ohma commented. Ichiban was bouncing, trying to copy the slashing, Lihito noticed that and grinned.

"Hey, little man! Your arc's too tight!" He coached a little. Kazuo gulped, watching Ichiban's face go from joyous to determined, slashing, or trying to.

"Well, I jus' thought I'd swing by with a friendly little hello! It was Karaev's idea to punt your protege through the door, I'll be seein' ya, Ohma Tokita," Lithito said. Ichiban followed him out though.

Lithito turned and saw the kid follow him out, "What?" he asked.

"Can you… hit me with that slashing attack? Not too deep or hard, just hit me enough to cut?" Ichiban asked. 'What the hell?! Is this kid a masochist?!' Lithito thought incredulously. He shrugged and saw the kid's dull gray eyes shine silver. He wound back and slashed, seeing a couple of small cuts open upon his skin.

"Hm! I get it now! It's not the nails…" Ichiban mumbled that last part, "See ya, Mr. Lithito!" he cheered, waving and Lithito smirked, waving back. The superhuman oddly enough felt the kid's aura grow stronger from the kick and the slash…

Just what was he?!

A.N: I hope you all liked it! Or not... First fic I’ve posted on here an’ already I’m jittery/nervous/scared that this won’t be well-liked. I mean... I guess it’s brave I’m doing this, but I want you all to know that this little romp is for fun. And I may need some help with later canon.  

[tharglet]

Meiko & Sheryl Nome - Vocaloid & Macross Frontier

So theme of these two is.... gacha that aren’t usually gacha. 

First up is a Nendoroid Petit - I found a Goodsmile Company vending machine in Japan, and it vends Nendoroid Petits. There were 3 series to pick from, can’t remember what my choices were, but I went for the Vocaloid ones, as I’m familiar with some Vocaloids. So ofc, it gave me one of the ones I didn’t know, Meiko:

I remember this one costing a bit more than your average gacha, but being a Nendo Petit, this makes sense. From even a quick glance, it’s fairly obvious these are a fair bit higher quality than a gacha. 

My main issue with the figure is the mic - it is a bit of a pain to get into her hand, then it very easily falls out. The mic is attached by a peg, but the hole isn’t quite tight enough to hold it well. 

Other views:

Overall, I think she’s a decent Nendoroid Petit, but don’t have any personal attachment to her. The clothes are sculpted well, and she has some nice shading on her hair. Just wish she’d stay in one piece once assembled.

Next up, Sheryl Nome:

Originally, this was an Ichiban Kuji prize, but one of the shops in Japan had a gacha machine vending stuff from Evangelion and Macross respectively. Blog about the Evangelion items here. So this was the one I got from the Macross gacha. I like Sheryl’s outfit in this figure, plus the shading in her hair. 

Without hat:

I really like her hat, but displaying her without it is a viable option, if you prefer to see her hair. It’s fully sculpted, so she doesn’t look like she’s missing anything without it. 

Other views:

I really like the piping around her hat, and her outfit looks good from all the angles. She does have some fairly noticeable seamlines in her hair though, so she’s best viewed from the front. 

Overall, really happy I have this figure. I didn’t know it existed, and is the kind of figure I’d want the moment I knew it existed... and even better, I already owned it on knowing it existed :D

[stellamancer]

31, 33, 35, & 50 for my love, Kira!

SOBS ALL OVER YOU. I’M GLAD YOU LOVE KIRA TOO JOZ. Sorry I took so long to answer this weeps. ;;;

31. Do they drink? What are they like drunk? What are they like hungover? How do they act when other people are drunk or hungover? Kind or teasing?

Kira doesn’t really drink, but when she does it’s mostly either at parties of some sort of when she’s out with friends. She doesn’t really go to either often (her friends really like to invite her to mixers but she usually sits them out), so naturally she doesn’t get drunk often either. When she does get drunk she’s an honest drunk, as in she admits more than she’d like to? For example if you were to ask her about Saeran this is what you’d get:

Sober Kira: Oh, um, well, he can be a pain, but he’s okay I guess…Drunk Kira: he’s such a braaaat but fuuuuuck he’s hot….  

She thinks both or true, and she’d probably admit to the brat part while sober, but probably not the latter. Kira’s kind of a bratty drunk too, but not too much, like a cute brat? Maybe I’m just biased. 

When she’s hungover she’s basically a walking zombie LOL. And when others are drunk/hungover. It depends on who it is, but she generally will take care of them. She’d prolly tease Saeran though. 

33. What underwear do they wear? Boxers or briefs? Lacey? Comfy granny panties?

Kira likes bras that snap in the front that have cute backs like this:

(not that you would see the back since her hair is so long LOL). She also likes really… frilly bras like these ones. She likes lace but mostly as an accent and entirely made of lace and lace couldn’t support her boobies anyway.

For panties she likes boyshorts and bikinis. She’ll wear a lacey thong on some rare occasions.

(the lingerie from this commission was more in line with Saeran’s tastes tho. /shot)

35. What’s their guilty pleasure? What is their totally unguilty pleasure?

Uh, well, trying out all sorts of snacks, especially seasonal and limited edition snacks is her unguilty pleasure. LOL. I think everyone, at this point, knows how much Kira loves food. 

For guilty pleasures… She’s a fan of Zen’s and likes to watch his musicals LOL. Pricey convenience store snacks and buying ichiban kuji (prize lotteries) when she’s back home in Japan are also guilty pleasures (for ichiban kuji, she’ll insist it’s for Ichiro, but she thinks it’s fun). 

Some other things…. Kira might consider making out with Saeran a guilty pleasure, she does certainly enjoy it but easily admitting it (except in serious situations) is another thing. But she’s generally like that in regards to pretty much all of that stuff. 

I think at some point she might start to like wearing sexier stuff for him too. She’d never own up to that either though.

50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials?

Her phone, phone charger and power banks. While Kira can function without her phone, she’s kind of attached to it. Okay, maybe a bit more than kind of…. LOL. Other than her phone she doesn’t really have anything she’d consider essential so the rest of the bag would be filled with clothes she likes and maybe some snacks? 

[drkreviews]

A Painful Difference

Here I am with the final part of this month’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the visual kei band Amber Gris, precisely of their early ones, Love in the First., released as second track of the second single Shoujo no Cure (Cure of the girl), come out on 24th March 2010. The song represents such in a way the band's unique view of the world, with a melancholic atmosphere, surrounding a common subject, but dealt with a particular depth and passion.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with a living rhythm, featuring an energetic guitar and a pretty relevant bass work; Temari's voice is soft and flowing, becoming more intense in the middle part, with parts in falsetto, the key feature of this talented vocalist in each performance; the result is a passionate and gloomy rock theme, rich of idyllic shades, worth of Amber Gris' unique concept.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Rozetta jou no kusabana, Mada minu haru ni kogareru Yukidoke no mizu ni ashi o hitasu Adokenasa o nokosu shigusa. I don't know, Shelly Koe o kikasete? Kotoba o kikasete? Kimi no koto o sukoshi dake de ii Boku ni oshiete yo! Amai kaori tadayou, Noichigo no jamu o motte Yakusoku no jikan made ato wazuka Shisen sorashi isogiashi. I don't know, Shelly Moshi mo boku ga kimi to onaji nara Arui wa kimi mo kono kotoba ni Mimi o katamukete kureta ka na? Kamisama no itazura de Boku wa kemukujara Osorenaide kono ude wa Kimi o mamoru buki ni kaeru kara. I don't know, Shelly Moshi mo umarekawatta no naraba Sekai de ichiban kirei na hana o mi ni yukou. I don't know, Shelly Semete ima dake, owakare no uta o Tsugi ni boku ga mezameta toki ni Kimi o omoidaseru you ni.

Lyrics (Translation)

Flowers shaped like rosetta I still wished to see them in the spring

A wet foot in the melted water A gesture which leaves innocence.

I don’t know, Shelly (I)

Can I hear your voice? Can I hear your words?

Only a little of you Please talk to me!

Sweet scent which is emanated From the strawberry jam I keep in my hand

A little sign, until the established moment And I quickly turn the sight.

I don’t know, Shelly (II)

If I were like you Maybe you, to these words, could lean an ear?

For a God’s mischief I am covered by thick hair Don’t be afraid of this arm I will replace it with a weapon which will protect you.

I don’t know, Shelly (III)

If I was born again Let’s go to see the most beautiful flowers of the world.

I don’t know, Shelly

At least for this moment, a farewell song So that, the next time I will awake I can remember you. (IV)

THE WORDS

Written by the singer Temari, the song summarizes and introduces such in a way all the features which will be seen in most songs by Amber Gris, especially the simple text layout, made for driving the whole thing with images and sensations hidden in the single words. For understanding its meaning, it’s better to start from the single where it is contained; the title, Shoujo no Cure, already contains a reference to a love feeling towards a girl, correlating this song with the others inside it, Ibara no hana wa tsumi ni saku (Flowers’ thorns bloom in the sin) and Sunny day’s seeker, dealing respectively with flowers being symbol of a unforgivable love sin and remembering the best moments of own life. Going back to the one analyzed here, this song encloses the core meaning of the whole single, as it deals with love. In particular the subject is a relationship between two people, who are extremely different each other, as the protagonist is not human at all, hinting to another important theme of Amber Gris’ songs, the difference. This relationship between the man, a beast, and the woman, named Shelly (an English based name, whose meaning is literally “meadow on a ledge”, hinting to the naturalistic concept brought by the band), who might be a fictitious adressee, typical element of some poems, especially by Dante and Petrarca, is dark and gloomy, seeming like a melancholic version of The Beauty and The Beast. And now... let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with the protagonist, who says that he wants to see the flowers shaped like a rosetta in the spring (Rozetta jou no kusabana,/Mada minu haru ni kogareru, the word rosetta is referred to a specific flower, the white rose, symbol of innocence and silence, which, not by case, fits with the rest of the text), while his foot gets wet in the melted water, formerly ice (Yukidoke no mizu ni ashi o hitasu, the ice, like the flower is white, creating an analogy of colours, typical in most of their songs), a gesture which leaves a sense of innocence (Adokenasa o nokosu shigusa, white is correlated to innocence and to a winter setting); then there’s a line, written in English, which will recur in the text, where he talks to Shelly, his loved one, telling her that he is confused and doesn’t know what to do.

II) He asks her if he can hear her voice, her words (Koe o kikasete?/Kotoba o kikasete?, note the strong musicality in these two lines), in few words he wants to see something of her, even a little part, begging her to talk to him (Kimi no koto o sukoshi dake de ii/Boku ni oshiete yo!); then the focus moves on a sweet scent, coming from the strawberry jam he is keeping in his hand (Amai kaori tadayou,/Noichigo no jamu o motte, the strawberry is another image linked to the innocence), asking her for a little sign, until the estabilished moment, when he will turn his sight away from her (Yakusoku no jikan made ato wazuka/Shisen sorashi isogiashi, the estabilished moment seems to be the death, likely of hers).

III) He says that if he was like her, probably she would have heard his words, his voice (Moshi mo boku ga kimi to onaji nara/Arui wa kimi mo kono kotoba ni/Mimi o katamukete kureta ka na?); but unfortunately, he, because of a God’s mischief, is made of a thick hair, closer to an animal than to a man (Kamisama no itazura de/Boku wa kemukujara), but she doesn’t have to fear his arm, which he will change into a weapon for protecting her (Osorenaide kono ude wa/Kimi o mamoru buki ni kaeru kara)

IV) In the final sequence he says that if he could be born again, he would take her to see the most beautiful flowers of the world (Moshi mo umarekawatta no naraba/Sekai de ichiban kirei na hana o mi ni yukou), but unfortunately he will have to limit himself in a farewell song, so that when he will wake up from his sleep, his lethargy, he will still remember her, ending the text in a melancholic way (Semete ima dake, owakare no uta o/Tsugi ni boku ga mezameta toki ni/Kimi o omoidaseru you ni).

He is a beast and she is a young maiden, two different people living a romantic relationship, but it will come to an happy ending? Amber Gris rewrite the canon of “happily ever after”, with a gloomy and sour song, made of natural and direct images and reminding us how the differences are seen, unfortunately, as an obstacle.

That’s all folks! See you tomorrow with a new review in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!

*Sorry for the delay*