#Makibishi

[wtf-a-psychoanalysis]

Actual text conversation between Mikey and Raph

Raph: Ok don't tell Leo about that Makibishi incident.

Mikey: Just bc I'm the youngest doesn't make me a snitch.

Leo: This is the group chat. WHAT DID YOU DO? >:(

Donnie:💀

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Kicho's Main Story Chapter 7 Part 1

These translations are not intended as a replacement for the game. Please support cybird by buying their stories. JP SPOILERS under the cut. Expect mistakes

A few days later.

Mai: “Okay! I’m done!”

I snipped the thread and unfolded the garment I had just finished sewing.

(I didn’t have enough time, but it turned out pretty good.)

(All that’s left to do is to add some minor touches and do a final check. I think I can make it in time.)

Although the work is not yet complete, a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction fills my soul, bringing a smile to my lips.

(I hope he’ll be happy with the rest.)

The last time I spoke with Kicho was a few days ago when he told me about his past.

After that, he briefly summarized the story.

He met a professor at Honnoji Temple, where he learned about the wormhole and was finally able to return to the Sengoku era after three years.

The place he returned to was the same as mine on the night of the Honnoji Incident.

After telling me all that, he laid down on the bed, exhausted, and told me to get out of his room.

(Since then, we’ve been so busy that we haven’t seen each other.)

(Well, I’m sure we’ll see each other tomorrow.)

(Anyway, I gotta do what I gotta do now!)

I lightly slapped my cheeks with both hands and started working again.

Mai: “Ouch!”

I lost my focus for a moment as I pricked my finger with the needle.

(I’ve been doing this for at least two hours straight.)

(I feel like my eyes are starting to hurt from all the work I've been doing.)

Mai: "*sigh* I think I'll take a break."

I put the needle back and stretched as far as I could, when一

Subordinate's voice: "Excuse me."

Mai: "Yes, is something wrong?"

Subordinate's voice: "I heard there's a package addressed to you. Do you know anything about it?"

(Delivery?)

???: "Hello. Sarutobi Delivery at your service."

(Yes!)

Mai: "Yes, I asked for more fabric. Let him in."

Subordinate's voice: "I see. You can come in then."

With permission to enter, the door opened, and a familiar face appeared.

Sasuke: "Hi, Miss. Thank you for your patronage."

Mai: "No, not at all."

Mai: "Thank you for coming at just the right time. I really need it."

While talking casually, I listened for any noises on the other side of the door and signaled Sasuke with my fingers as soon as the footsteps moved away.

Sasuke: "Mai, it's been a few weeks."

Mai: "Yeah. How have you been?"

Sasuke: "As you can see. No matter what kind of mission I'm on, my health comes first, so I pay attention to that."

Sasuke: "Proper sleep, diet, exercise, and makibishi (metal spikes) are crucial."

Mai: "Does the last one have anything to do with health?"

Sasuke: "Of course, just having these things makes a huge difference in how I feel. How about you?"

Mai: "Hehe, I'm okay."

Mai: "By the way, the fact that you came like this today means..."

Sasuke: “Just as you expect. I have a message from Mitsuhide for you.”

Mai: “I see, so you got to meet him safely. Thank you for doing this.”

Sasuke: “You’re welcome.”

Sasuke: “This may sound personal, but I’m grateful I got to talk to Mitsuhide Akechi in person. So don’t worry about it.”

(His eyes are twinkling.)

(Sasuke is really tough in this way.)

Sasuke: “Let’s get down to business.”

Sasuke: “Mai, you need to get out of this place.”

Mai: “Huh?”

Fuku: “This way.”

Mai: “Yeah, thanks for showing me the way.”

I was on my way to Kicho’s room after catching Fuku as he tried to escape.

Fuku: “Kicho.”

Mai: “It’s gonna be okay. Let’s go back to your room first.”

(Her chirping is somewhat listless. Maybe it’s because she hasn’t been able to spend much time with Kicho.)

(Well, it’s normal to miss the person you love. I miss him too.)

(Wait, what the hell am I thinking?)

I need to concentrate and drive the feelings that keep popping up in my heart.

(I should never feel lonely.)

(After all, I will be his enemy soon.)

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

Sasuke: “Mai, you need to get out of this place.”

Mai: “Huh?”

Sasuke: “Mitsuhide told me that things had changed while you were here.”

Sasuke: “I think it’s true because it was consistent with the information I had gotten from Kasugayama.”

Mai: “What do you mean by ‘things’?”

Sasuke: “Recently, the rebellions suddenly calmed down.”

Sasuke: “There are almost no skirmishes happening, and Japan is eerily quiet right now.”

Mai: “That can’t be a good thing, right?”

Mai: “Is someone else behind it?”

Sasuke: “Yeah. There must be something going on.”

Sasuke: “It looks like the Oda forces intend to capture Kicho before he can attack them.”

Mai: “Capture!?”

(Capturing Kicho?)

Sasuke: “Mai, are you okay?”

Mai: “Yes, of course.”

He looked at me worriedly, seeing my reaction, and I nodded, pretending that nothing was wrong.

Sasuke: “Anyway, you’ll be in danger if you stay here.”

Sasuke: “We don’t know what might happen, and he might take you as a hostage.”

Sasuke: "They'll execute the plan tomorrow night. You need to escape with Mitsuhide."

Mai: "Tomorrow? That's just too sudden."

Sasuke: "Yeah, but it's much better than taking our time to make a plan."

Sasuke: "You, of all people, should know better that we're dealing with the enemy here. It's better to move before he senses we're on to him."

Mai: "Okay."

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

(Midnight, huh?)

(Normally, I would be in my room after work, but tomorrow...)

Mai: "I hope the party will be a success."

The same day, time of the boar (9-11 p.m.)

Motonari: “So, everything is pretty much as planned.”

Kicho: “I see. No problems here, either. We’re moving forward with the plans I previously told you about.”

Kicho: “The first ship will arrive tomorrow morning to unload.”

Motonari: “Yeah, I know. If they leave right away, they can make it in time.”

Motonari: “But you’re right. We should have had that thing if we’re going to stock that many.”

Kicho: “What are you talking about?”

Motonari: “Air transportation. Well, I’m sure a ship can carry more than a bird (plane) can.”

Motonari: “Or is there some other way to get around in this world that I don’t know about?”

Kicho: “There is no point explaining it to you. In any case, it’s not possible in this era.”

Motonari: “This era, huh?”

Kicho: “Why are you suddenly saying this? You weren’t interested before.”

Motonari: “Yeah, not one bit.”

Motonari: “You’re always talking nonsense like you’ve really seen it with your own eyes, but...”

Motonari cut off his words and lit the cigar he had taken out. Then, as the tip of the cigar lit up with the same color as his eyes, a thin wisp of smoke rose.

Motonari: “Lately, you’ve stopped talking about this nonsense.”

Motonari: “You’re acting strange today, too.”

Kicho: “..............”

Kicho said nothing and pushed the ashtray quietly toward Motonari, who sighed and blew out the smoke.

Motonari: “I’m telling you, the only reason I’m working with you is that we have the same goals.”

Motonari: “If you ever start acting weird, you know what will happen, right?”

Kicho: “Of course. I’ve come this far. I have no intention of twisting the cause I’ve set forward.”

Kicho: “Besides, I’m no different from you. If you were in my way, I would have taken care of you long ago.”

Motonari: “Ha! Sure.”

With a satisfied grin, Motonari pushed his cigar into the ashtray and stood up.

Motonari: “That’s the end of this pain in the ass talk. I’ll still be your partner for now.”

Motonari: “Let’s watch the grand march in the same hell.”

Kicho: “Yeah.”

After Motonari left, Kicho remained alone in the room and stared at the ashtray.

The remaining cigar was no longer lit and only slightly charred at the tip, but when shaken by the slightest breeze, it started burning red again.

At the same time, in Sakai.

Messenger: "These are the instructions from Lord Nobunaga."

Mitsuhide: "I understand."

Messenger: "Well, I'll be going now."

As the messenger quickly left into the night, a man appeared in his place.

Sasuke: "Mitsuhide, good evening."

Sasuke: "I told Mai about what you said."

Mitsuhide: "I see. Sorry for the trouble."

Mitsuhide: "By the way, why are you dressed like a ninja?"

Sasuke: "Because I'm a ninja. I received an order from the top to return home, so I have to leave this town."

Mitsuhide: "I see. But still, I never thought she knew someone from Kasugayama."

Sasuke: "No matter where we are, we're still friends and from the same hometown."

Mitsuhide: "Same hometown, huh?"

Sasuke: "Yes. I can't go into details, though."

Mitsuhide: "Did you know you can get information using torture?"

Sasuke: "My apologies."

Mitsuhide: "I'm kidding. If anyone can make up for that girl's ambiguity, so be it."

Sasuke: "Mitsuhide. Please take care of Mai."

Mitsuhide: "Yeah, you don't have to tell me. That's what I'm here for."

The Next Day

I was cleaning the area around the entrance in the early afternoon.

Mai: "Hmm. What should I do?"

Sweeping over the cobblestones with my broom, I glanced at the upstairs window.

(I wonder if Kicho is in his room today.)

(I want to deliver it after cleaning this, but I might annoy him if I give it to him out of the blue.)

Last night, after much worrying, I managed to complete the outfit.

However, I still couldn’t decide how to give it to him.

(No, maybe I’m not worried about giving him the clothes. Maybe I’m afraid of meeting him.)

(Because today...)

Kicho’s subordinate: “Hey, Lady Mai!”

Mai: “Y-Yes!”

I turned around to see Kicho’s men beckoning me through the entrance of the trading post.

Kicho’s subordinate: “Lord Kicho wants to see you.”

Mai: “Ehh!?”

Mai: “E-Excuse me.”

Kicho: “You’re here.”

He was standing by the window when I entered the room.

He then looked at me and shifted his gaze to the package I was carrying.

Kicho: “What’s that?”

Mai: “Um, I made you this outfit.”

Kicho: “Outfit?”

Mai: “Yup. A foreign style outfit for today’s party.”

Mai: “Oh, but don't worry. I’m not forcing you to wear it.”

I quickly said this and put it on the desk.

(I don’t have much time to prepare myself for this, but I think it’s better than not giving it to him.)

Kicho: “I see. You beat me to it.”

Mai: “Beat you to it?”

He walked towards the corner of the room and removed the cloth, hanging on to something, revealing a magnificent dress.

Mai: “Wow! It’s beautiful.”

Kicho: “I called you here to give you this.”

Kicho: “Since it’s a party, you can dress up to your heart’s content tonight.”

Mai: “Are you sure you want me to join the party?”

Kicho: “I’m not forcing you to do this, but I need a companion tonight. That’s why I’m inviting you.”

(Is that?)

My heart beats faster as I get the meaning of his words.

(I’m not gonna change my mind now, but I want to be with him as much as possible.)

Mai: “Are you sure about this?”

Kicho: “Do you want me to say no?”

Mai: “No.”

Kicho: “Me neither. I don’t want you to say that to me.”

Kicho: “So much so that I cut off your escape route first with this dress.”

(Kicho...)

Mai: “Then, by all means, please.”

Kicho prepared not only the dress but also the shoes and hair accessories.

Just as I returned to my room and finished putting it all on, someone knocked on my door.

Kicho’s voice: “Mai, I’m coming in.”

Mai: “Sure.”

(Wow...)

I blinked a few times when I saw him enter the room.

Kicho: “How is it?”

Mai: “You look really cool.”

(I designed it myself, but it’s more powerful than I ever imagined.)

Mai: “The colors are perfect for you. It’s really nice.”

Kicho: “I was asking about your dress. It looks like I didn't say it properly.”

Mai: “What?”

Kicho: “First of all, let me thank you. I guess you went out of your way to prepare this for me, even though you have other work to do.”

Kicho: “I could tell how good you are when I put the sleeves on. You’re very meticulous in your work.”

Mai: “Thank you. I’m glad to hear you say so.”

(It’s been a while since I’ve had someone wear and be happy with the clothes I made.)

(I’m really happy.)

As I reflect on my feelings, I realize again that I love doing this.

(Even after coming to the Sengoku period, I’m still me.)

Mai: “Right. Let me thank you too.”

Mai: “Thank you for the beautiful dress. It fits me perfectly and is very comfortable.”

The dress, like those worn by fairytale princesses, was elegantly colored in white, and the hem was made of a generous layer of fabric that, even with the slightest movement, fluffed up.

The waistline was also tight, making me straighten up my back unconsciously.

Kicho: “I’m glad you like it. Now, let’s move on to the finishing touches.”

Mai: “Huh? Finishing touches?”

He placed a wooden box on the table he had brought from his room, opened the lid, and I saw some cosmetic kit inside.

(What on earth?)

Kicho: “Sit on the chair over there.”

Mai: “Okay.”

I sat down, and he stared at me while carefully taking out the makeup kit one at a time and placing it carefully on my skin.

Mai: “You know how to put on makeup?”

Kicho: “Yes, my sister taught me.”

Kicho: “Not only makeup but also how to dress, behave, and everything else so that I can live as a woman.”

Mai: “Your sister really cared about you.”

Kicho: “I wonder about that.”

Mai: “You’re very gentle with your hands. I can tell that you’re taking good care of me right now.”

Kicho: “I see. Well, it’s only natural.”

His long fingertips lifted my chin.

Kicho: “I cherish you. I can assure you that much.”

Mai: “............”

Previous╏Kicho's POV╏Next

[kaidacresto]

YALLL I NEED HELPPP I cannot decide with turtle sona to go with please help me decide pls pleaseee plspls

This the first guy, they’re a map turtle and their weapon a bunch of Makibishis

The markings on their shell is a literal map, idk where to but it’s a map

markings sorta look like a zebra lol

Isn’t really good at battling, was never trained to be a ninja or anything like that

lots of tiny scars on their hands and feet from le spikes

amazing balance 💅✨

And the next ones a Mata Mata turtle! Weapons a Kanabo >:]

smile is fucking huge, giant mouth here people with a wide face

those things arnt spikes, they’re weird skin things idk just look up a matamata turtle you’ll know what I mean

mask is white

has a sorta rainbow oil coloration that I’ll show later if I color em!

likes hitting things

OK HELP ME CHOOSE PLSSSSSS I BEGETH

[ssonson]

Rudimentary Japanese ninja weapons dating to the Siege of Odawara, which took place in 1590, during the Sengoku period or “era of warring states” (1467-1615): flattened green stones with sharpened edges believed to be the predecessor of Japanese shuriken and baked clay balls likely makibishi, or caltrops, used to injure the feet of enemy warriors and horses when laid or thrown onto the ground.

[museum-of-screens]

Makibishi Comic (2007) 

Creator(s): Studio Makibishi

Type: HTML5

Language: [JP] [EN] 

Status: Available through emulation

[little-ninjai]

Ninja Makibishi | Weapon Series

[grindhousecellar]

[nobume-date]

WOW~~~~. I just know Makibishi is a kind of water chestnut since I thought it was made from metal.

And here the water chestnut in my country. They look like buffalo’s horns. Even they look terrible and pain to crack but it’s actually delicious tho. Also good as a weapon, I guess 😉

It’s my pleasure if Sasuke ask me to send him some 😆😆

Source

[Ikesen Historivia] Makibishi

[Image-heavy post. The rest is behind the cut]

Keep reading

[cyclopsbully]

[largo-265]

I listened to Cindereki[1]

(This is a translation of this post into English using a translation tool, with some adjustments.)

Is the person who wrote this scenario an idiot? (complimenting)

It's so awesome, let me just spit out my thoughts.

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

・Adam, unlike usual, is quietly narrating. great.

・Lord Langa, Prince of Light Snow. wow

・😺: I hope that Prince Langa likes a hag lol.

　🌸: You childish little bitch!!!!💢💢💢💢💢

・As in the show, I love Reki's scratchy voice in the sad scene.

・What is a "passing, muscular wizard"???????????????????

・Why does he need to do squats to use magic???????????????????('cuz he is "massele wizard.")

・🐯: MUSSELEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATS!!!!!!!!!

・i was tired from laughing so much

・Is Reki going to do that with her too!?!?!?!

・Girl and Muscular man doing squats at night.... WHAT....　

・🐯: MUSSELEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MAGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIC!!!!!!!!! *Glittering sound effects*

・MAGIC SIXPACK IS WHAT

・🌹: What a surprise! Four horses, a carriage, and a permit sticker appeared from the wizard's sixpack.

・My brain is already tired. It's only been seven minutes.

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

・I agree with the comment, "Prince Langa looks like a snow fairy."

・Tadashi is Prince Langa's chamberlain.

・Langa's self-introduction made me laugh cuz it was exactly the same as in Ep1.

・Langa and Tadashi have a great vibe. I'm going to like the new ship.

・!? Wait What!?!?!? What happening

・uh, OK. This party is not 舞踏会（butokai, dance party), It's 武闘会(butokai, fighting party.) IMAO　→I listened to it again and it was a little different. It was "武道会(budokai, tournament Competition)", not "武闘会".

・There is only one rule for this party. It is to capture Prince Langa. ooh....

・I'm glad Shadow is having fun☺ He's good at disturbance, isn't he?

・Can Carla even shoot a Makibishi!?

・I don't know of any other fairy tale that has so many explosions.

・Adam, please calm down. You are the narrator. CALM DOWN PLZ

・A lonely prince with no one to follow him.

・!!!!!!!! Langa meets Reki!!!!!❄🌺

・I love Reki's big brother nature to talk easily with new people!

・When Langa said "It's beautiful", I thought he was referring to Reki. He was referring to the glass skateboard...

・AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

・❄HYPER　RENGA　TIME🌺

・aaahhhh waitwaitwait no it's lie don't stop plz continue INFINITY

・Just like in Ep6, Langa is holding Reki's hand and supporting her...

・They're so cute I'm dying.

・When Renga skates for so fun, an ice road is created. I don't even know what I'm talking about.

・Is the title of this piece Frozen?

・Don't skateboard on icy roads💢💢💢💢 You'll die💢💢💢💢💢

・RENGA IS CANON...I KNEW THAT...

・I'm still in the middle of the story, but I'm tired

[writingwhimsey]

Forgotten Valentine

Be My Valentine Content Creation Challenge Day 4- Surprising them with way more roses than expected.

Hosted by: @xxsycamore and @chaosangel767

Fandom: Ikemen Sengoku

Characters: Sasuke and Ava (my MC/OC), with appearances by Yukimura, Shingen, Kenshin, and Yoshimoto

A bit suggestive/spicy at the end, but mostly sweet.

Forgotten Valentine

Sasuke wandered the halls of Kasugayama Castle. "Why do you have that look on your face?"

Sasuke looked up at the sound of his best friend's voice. Not many people could tell when Sasuke was down. His best friend, Yukimura, and his girlfriend and fellow time traveller were the only ones. "I think I've upset Ava." He answered.

"Why do you say that?" Yukimura asked. "She was all excited about making you something just the other day."

"I know. She gave me the gift just the other night. A new pouch for my makibishi spikes." Sasuke said, gesturing to the new pouch at his waist. "But that's when I think I upset her."

"How so?" Yukimura asked. "Maybe she just had stomach cramps or something."

"Do I hear that you are having trouble with your beautiful goddess?" Shingen asked as he came out of a room nearby.

"You know, I can always distract you from your troubles with a fight to the death." Kenshin said, as he exited the room as well.

"Just make sure you don't listen to Yuki. I went wrong somewhere in his education." Shingen said with a sigh.

"Perhaps we can discuss your troubles over a drink?" Yoshimoto suggested as he came out to join the group. "That will at least keep Kenshin from getting bored."

The next thing Sasuke knew, he was sitting in the main hall with his friends. Sake was brought in and they were all talking. "So, Sasuke what exactly happened?" Shingen asked.

"I heard you mention something about it happening when she gave you a gift?" Yoshimoto prompted.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, when I came back from that scouting mission, she greeted me with her bright smile and handed me this new pouch." He explained. "I can tell she put a lot of work into it...I asked her if there was any special occasion...and I noticed her face fall. It was only a moment, but...she then acted like it was nothing."

"But you think you missed something?" Yukimura asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes."

"Is it an anniversary?" Shingen asked.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, that's in a few months and I already have plans to surprise her with then."

"There are no holidays that I know of coming up." Yoshimoto mused. "Could this perhaps be some special occasion from your hometown?"

"No..." Then Sasuke's eyes widened. "Wait, what month is this again?"

"It's February." Shingen answered. "I would think you would remember that with Kenshin's birthday coming up in just a couple of days."

Sasuke slapped his hand to his forehead. "It was the fourteenth when I came home, wasn't it?"

"Yes, what is special about February fourteenth?" Yoshimoto asked.

"Valentine's Day." Sasuke answered.

"Valentine's Day?" Yukimura asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, it's a holiday to celebrate lovers. Usually you go out on a date and exchange gifts with the person you love."

"Sounds like a boring holiday." Kenshin muttered.

"I think it sounds like the best holiday." Shingen said. "Nothing could be better than celebrating the woman you love."

"It sounds like such a beautiful holiday." Yoshimoto agreed.

"I've not celebrated it for so long, I completely forgot about it." Sasuke said, hanging his head. "I have to do something to make it up to Ava."

"I'm sure if you just explained the situation, she would understand." Yukimura said.

"Don't listen to Yuki." Shingen and Yoshimoto said in unison.

"I know." Sasuke agreed. "I will explain to her...but it needs to be followed up with a big romantic gesture."

"What is a tradition from your hometown that would work for this Valentine's Day?" Shingen asked.

"Well one of the most traditional gifts is roses...but being winter and not having the same things here as we do back home...there's no way to get roses..." Sasuke explained. "No chocolate here either."

"Roses you say?" Yoshimoto asked. "I might have just the way to help you."

"I might have an idea as well." Shingen agreed.

The two men explained their ideas to Sasuke and he nodded. "Yes, that's perfect."

"Even though this is ridiculous, I'll help." Yukimura said with a sigh.

"If you agree to train with me later, I'll help." Kenshin added.

Sasuke nodded and bowed. "Thank you, all of you."

The men then put their plan into action. Luckily Ava was out for the day with the castle seamstresses on a fabric shopping trip to one of the neighboring villages. It took a lot of work, but everything was ready by the time Ava returned that evening.

Ava walked into Sasuke's room, which she now shared with him. Her eyes widened when she looked around the room. She was surprised by dozens and dozens of colorful roses, made from paper and fabric.

"Sasuke..." She gasped.

He walked over to her. "Do you like them?" He asked.

"Yes...but how...why..."

"I'm so sorry I forgot about Valentine's Day, Ava." Sasuke said. "I just...I've never had anyone special to celebrate it with before, and then living in the Sengoku for the last few years, I've completely forgotten about it. I'm really sorry."

Ava felt tears stinging her eyes. "I figured it might be something like that." She replied. "That's why I didn't say anything. I didn't want you to feel bad about forgetting."

"So, you forgive me?"

"I was never mad at you." She replied. "I mean...maybe I was a little taken off guard by it at first, but then I thought about it and figured you probably just forgot. I didn't want to be one of those girlfriends that gets upset over something so silly. Especially when you are not only the most amazing ninja I know, but the most amazing boyfriend."

Sasuke pulled looked at her face. "And you are the most amazing girlfriend...which is why you deserve to be celebrated on such a holiday." He replied, giving her his signature small smile.

Ava gave him one of her big smiles that he loved so much. "I still can't believe you went through all the trouble of making all of these paper and fabric roses for me...I mean there are a LOT here."

"I admit, I did have some help. Lord Shingen and Yoshimoto ...even Yukimura and Lord Kenshin helped."

Ava blinked in surprise. "I'm not at all surprised by Shingen and Yoshimoto...and Yukimura is your best friend...but Kenshin? Really?"

"I had to agree to a round of training with him." Sasuke replied. "But it's all worth it to see that smile on your face."

Ava felt her heart burst. "Oh, Sasuke...I love you!" She exclaimed before flinging herself at Sasuke and pressing her lips to his.

Sasuke responded, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her back. He felt her press her body closer to his as their kiss deepened. He broke it after a few moments, both of them panting. "I love you, Ava." He said before scooping her up into his arms. "And I'd very much like to show you how much I love you."

Ava gave him a coquettish smile, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I might have an idea...but I'll never protest you showing me...especially when I want to show you how much I love you, too."

Sasuke laid her down on the futon, sliding over her. "I am looking forward to it." He said just before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss, his skillful fingers going to untie her sash.

Ava slid her own hands over Sasuke's body, undoing the ties of his clothes as she went. As they lay together, skin against skin, lips and hands moving over each other, Sasuke pulled back just a moment to look at her. "I know it's late...but Happy Valentine's Day, Ava."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sasuke."

They shared a searing kiss and were soon lost to the passion of the night.

[phlebaswrites]

Losing (And Finding)

Summary:

Hikaku has a problem.

With an unexpected solution.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Fandom: Naruto Relationship: Word Count: 617 (Complete)

This is a canon era story for @kurakura0-0​ who requested Hikaku/Izuna with weasels.

Hikaku is annoyed.

He has looked everywhere - in the armoury, with the blacksmiths, even in the tansu! - but he hasn't been able to find his blades anywhere. His kunai, his senbon, his shuriken... all gone. He doesn't even have any makibishi left!

He doesn't know who, but someone is stealing all of his weapons.

Read the rest on AO3.

[rwby-redux]

I’ll be the first person to tell you that I move at a glacial pace when it comes to answering messages. But hey, better late than never, right?

So, before I get started, I want to take a second and explain how I’ve gone about writing/worldbuilding for the Redux. When it comes to RWBY’s more fantastical elements—Dust, Aura, and Grimm—I try to place them within broad, analogous IRL categories that give me a starting point. I’ve been more or less treating the Grimm sciences as a hypothetical offshoot of zoology (something which I’ve had practice doing), while Aura gets filed under anatomy and physiology as some bizarre quasi-organ system.

The science of Dust isn’t so simple. Upon closer inspection, it bears quite a resemblance to a combo of crystallography, fossil fuels, and the periodic table.

Which means three things: physics, chemistry, and math.

And now you know why this post took nearly two months to write.

For now, I’m not going to address what Dust is (what it’s made of and where it comes from) because that answer will spoil crucial backstory for the plot. We’ll get to that eventually, but it’s not necessary for talking about the properties of Dust, along with its cultural and practical applications.

There are, broadly speaking, 15 Dust types. Although several Dust types from the canon were kept, others (like Combustion and Plant) were removed, and one was rebranded (Rock > Earth). Combustion felt unnecessary to keep because its existence seemed like a circumvention of an in-universe reason for why natural gas and oil don’t exist. And Plant Dust is just weird. Not only do we know nothing about it (Like, if it’s only ever been mentioned in a book, how important to the show could it really be?), but it clashes with the other canon Dust types. Things like Fire, Gravity, and Water are either chemical processes, fundamental forces, or physical matter. Inorganic. Plants, meanwhile, encompass an entire kingdom on the tree of life. As in, living organisms made of cells. Do you have any idea how much biological diversity that is? How infuriatingly vague “plant” is when talking about the 300,000+ species that exist on this planet?

I mean, at least Fire Dust is predictable. It makes fire. What the hell is Plant Dust supposed to do? Grow me a golf course?

I could maybe see some sort of combat application for Plant Dust if it created caltrops from water chestnuts, like the makibishi used by ninja. But then you’d have to explain how the Plant Dust chose to create that one, extremely specific part of the plant, as opposed to just growing the plant in its entirety (leaves, roots, and all). Or explain why the Plant Dust made a water chestnut as opposed to a pine tree, or a fern, or literally any random weed.

Yeah, no. Fuck that. It just wasn’t worth the headache, so it got axed.

In the Redux, Dust types are more closely aligned with the classical elements, in addition to the aforementioned chemical processes/fundamental forces/physical matter. The four primary types are Fire (A), Ice (B), Electricity (Γ), and Earth (Δ). The other eleven Dust types (which are classified as aggregates) are derived from combinations of the primary four.

Primary: Fire (A), Ice (B), Electricity (Γ), Earth (Δ)

Aggregate-2: Water (AB), Acid [BΓ], Lava (AΔ), Hard-Light (ΓΔ), Sand (BΔ), Glow (AΓ)

Aggregate-3: Glass (AΓΔ), Wind (ABΓ), Steam (ABΔ), Metal (BΓΔ)

Aggregate-4: Gravity (ABΓΔ)

In addition to their elemental powers, each Dust type has its own properties—color, shape, luminance, mass, rarity, and so on. This was done to not only create variety by giving them unique characteristics, but to resolve some of my personal nitpicks with the canon (like Dust types not having a uniform look in terms of lattice, habit, and symmetry).

Steam Dust, for example, is a light gray (#AEAAAA) Aggregate-3 [ABΔ] with a tapered bipyramidal form. As its name suggests, it releases aerosolized water in the form of mist.

Glow Dust, on the other hand, is a white (#FFFFFF) Aggregate-2 [AΓ] with a wheatsheaf spray form. It passively gives off a bright glow, but when subjected to enough Aura + mechanical stress, it produces a flashbang effect.

What makes Dust so rare isn’t just its scarcity, but the fact that you can’t make more of it. Nor can you artificially combine already-existing Dusts into aggregates. Even though Water Dust is the combination of Fire Dust and Ice Dust, there’s no way to synthesize it from them. Water Dust, just like the other aggregates, has to be found and excavated as is. No living person knows what processes form Dust, or what base materials they’re made from, so for now Dust is a finite resource. It’s a problem that rhizologists (scientists who study Dust) are very keen to solve. It’s uncertain how much Dust there is on Remnant, or what percentage of it has already been depleted. Remnant’s impending energy crisis is a bit like the supervolcano under Yellowstone—it could happen in a few generations, or it could happen tomorrow, depending on who you ask.

And given that Dust is Remnant’s dominant energy source (nearly to the exclusion of all others), it’s understandable why people are desperate to figure out how to acquire more.

Which segues rather nicely into the industrial side of Dust—extraction, production, marketing, and usage.

Dust is found naturally-occurring within a substrate of soil or rock. Because the majority of deposits are underground (with a few notable exceptions), extraction methods are limited to mining. And even then, Dust companies have to rely pretty much exclusively on underground mining techniques. You can’t employ surface mining (like strip mining, open-pit, or mountaintop removal) because it involves the use of explosives, and given that all Dust types are fairly sensitive, you really don’t want to try and excavate it with a stick of dynamite. All of which is to say that Dust mining companies are dependent on manual labor for their operations.

Individuals who work in Dust mines are known as colliers (with “collier” sometimes being used as a Faunus slur, due to the racial disparity among Dust workers). Dust-mining is often regarded as Remnant’s second-most dangerous career (with the coveted number one title going to Huntsmen), and comes with a number of occupational hazards: lung diseases (silicosis, pneumoconiosis) from inhaling rockdust, hearing loss from mining equipment, cave-ins/rockfalls, and an overall decrease in anticipated longevity due to stress and fatigue. Where Dust mining differs from traditional mining (ores, gemstones, oil, etc) is in the addition of diseases unique to colliers. For example, chronic Dust poisoning is the result of long-term exposure to raw Dust particles that are accidentally inhaled or ingested during excavation. The buildup in a person’s systems manifests as a constellation of health effects, including emesis (vomiting), epistaxis (nosebleeds), and alopecia (hair loss). Think of it like magical radiation sickness and you’ve pretty much got the gist.

At this point, it sort of goes without saying, but for the record—jabbing Dust crystals directly into your body would be a really bad idea. Suffice to say, Hazel in the Redux doesn’t do that. (He does have some other issues regarding Dust, but that’s a post for another day.)

When I do my actual write-up on Dust, I’ll go into greater detail on the manufacturing process, and how Dust is refined into its modern, usable form. That being said, I do want to briefly explain how Dust works; as in, how its elemental properties are harnessed.

In Part II of the deconstruction post for Dust, I talked about how it doesn’t make sense for the canon to treat Dust as a coal analog, given that the powderized form is considered the “refined” version of Dust, and yet it’s initially extracted from the earth as a crystal. This implies that at some point between mining the Dust and putting it on a store shelf, it was ground up into the powder form we see commonly sold in stores like From Dust Till Dawn.

Note the wall-mounted tubes in the background, which dispense powderized Dust. | Source: Volume 1, Episode 1: “Ruby Rose.”

Keeping with the comparison, Dust crystals are to coal what Dust powder is to fly ash, which would mean that Dust powder should be the spent byproduct, not the “refined” form.

So. How does the Redux fix this?

First, by giving a definitive, concrete answer as to how Dust’s powers are released. All Dust types have a threshold called Rigel’s number—the amount of minimum Aura exposure and mechanical stress needed to fracture the crystal. When Rigel’s number is met and the crystal breaks, it releases its stored energy.

You could argue that it’s similar to splitting an atom, but I prefer to think of it more like squeezing a lemon.

The intact fruit is the crystal, the juice is the elemental energy, and the wrung-out pulp is the powderized Dust. If you slice a lemon and squeeze the halves, you’ll get juice, sure, but it’s not as efficient as using a juicer. No matter how hard you clench your fist, the pulp is still going to hold onto some of that tantalizing juice. If you’re in the habit of frequently making lemonade, then at a certain point you concede that there’s probably a faster, more efficient way to make it (that doesn’t involve getting the juice into any open cuts on your fingers). With a sigh, you grab your keys, drive to the nearest supermarket, and purchase a juicer.

And voilà—hassle-free lemonade. Less wasted juice, less wasted time, and less stinging cuts.

The above comparison neatly encapsulates the history of Dust refinement technology over the ages. People of Remnant wanted to optimize the amount of elemental energy they were extracting from the crystals, so eventually, they figured out how to break down the residual shards and fragments (ie. “wring out the pulp”) into powder.

And then, someone had an idea: Not everyone has the time to squeeze lemons in a juicer, or the means to afford a juicer. And sometimes people just don’t want to bother with buying lemons. What if there was a way to sell ready-made, pre-squeezed lemon juice to consumers?

And thus the Dust cartridge was born. Engineering breakthroughs gave Remnant a pre-crushed, flash-frozen powder where the elemental energy was suspended within a stasis that inhibits/delays its release, until the appropriate trigger-mechanism is activated. After the cartridge is fully drained of its energy, the now-useless powder inside is thrown out. Safer, smarter, and cheaper.

Dust cartridges are Remnant’s batteries, meant to be used with technology (appliances, gadgets, vehicles, and so on) that was designed for compatible Dust types.

Want to keep your food cool? Not a problem! Just insert an Ice Dust cartridge into your refrigerator, and the Dust will take care of the rest.

Need to perform zero-g surgery on a patient? Thankfully, there are operating tables with Gravity Dust inlays that can be flipped on and adjusted with a switch.

Out on a sailboat, but there’s no breeze to get you moving? Modified nautical bellows with a Wind Dust cartridge can literally put the wind back in your sails.

While some of these applications are based on newer, novel technologies (like the zero-g surgery), others are far older. Long before cartridges were a thing, ancient societies would store their food in specialized insulated buildings similar to ghiacciaia or yakhchāl. The interiors were lined with Ice Dust crystals that passively radiated cold air, creating an ideal environment for preserving food.

Naval bellows, meanwhile, were an invention from the Ancient Sanorum of Vale. Similar in appearance to the kind of bellows used for forges, only instead of having a valve for air intake, the handles contract around a Wind Dust crystal. The applied stress releases a powerful, controlled gust that’s funneled through the nozzle into the sails. The only difference between ancient and modern naval bellows is the use of a Wind Dust cartridge, rather than just the insertion of a raw crystal. The cartridge makes it easier to adjust the force of the wind being released by the bellows.

I haven’t finished writing up the full list for modern and pre-modern Dust application, but a few of the ideas I had included:

Water Dust for ecosystem management: After the Great War ended, Vacuo’s government made combating desertification a top priority. They wanted to undo the damage caused to their oases from foreign mining operations during Mistrali occupation. The Water Dust reseeding program, as it’s called, uses Water Dust in a manner similar to drip irrigation/sub-irrigation planters. The way it works is after new vegetation is planted, the soil is “seeded” with Water Dust. It passively releases water that’s gradually taken up by the plants, allowing them to grow to maturity and propagate. What makes this ambitious program so appealing is that, as vegetation grows, it decreases the albedo (surface reflection of light) and increases surface friction, which in turn alters the climate by contributing to precipitation. The Water Dust would effectively be kickstarting a positive feedback loop that would eventually reduce the aridity of the region and revitalize the native ecosystems. It’s been relatively successful so far.

Lava Dust for waste disposal: Incineration has a lot of appeal as an alternative to landfills. It’s useful for getting rid of waste, but critics have been quick to raise concerns about health hazards from emissions. Using Lava Dust for waste disposal is a practice that goes back centuries.

Fire Dust for forges, campfires, etc: A common and popular alternative to flint.

Fire Dust for warmth: When Fire Dust is fractured, it releases fire, but when it’s merely exposed to Aura without mechanical stress, it passively radiates warmth. For generations, people living in northern Anima and Solitas would keep Fire Dust crystals on their person as an additional source of heat. Functionally similar to IRL pocket warmers.

Glow Dust as a light source: When readily available, Glow Dust has been the default source of light. The intensity of the glow that it passively emits is dependent on the amount of ambient Aura. In high-traffic areas, like city streets, Glow Dust is placed inside of lanterns and lampposts. The concept of Glow Dust generating light from the ambient energy given off by large numbers of people, comes from the idea of kinetic pavement.

Earth Dust for architecture: Through careful, controlled activation, people developed a technique for constructing adobe buildings from Earth Dust. Earth Dust crystals save on the transport costs of hauling heavy building materials on-site, by virtue of one crystal being a percentage of the total mass it generates post-fracture. Once the crystal is activated, it releases a large, round mass of earth that can then be hollowed out to create an insulated, habitable structure. Adobe buildings made this way are still a popular, cost-effective construction method in Vacuo and southern Mistral.

The other important thing you need to know about Dust is that it’s functionally inert. Even though mechanical stress is necessary for harnessing the full effect of a crystal’s elemental properties, Dust can give off lesser, passive effects with just the exposure to Aura.

Fire Dust only creates fire when it hits Rigel’s number. But when it’s immersed in the presence of ambient Aura, it passively generates heat.

Same thing goes for all of the Dust types—Ice Dust actively produces ice, but passively radiates cold air; Electricity Dust actively produces high-voltage shocks, but passively zaps people in a manner akin to static electricity from using a hair comb; Wind Dust actively produces powerful gusts, but passively encircles itself with gentle eddies.

The reason why Dust gets labeled as functionally inert is because, strictly speaking, no Dust has ever been observed not giving off a passive effect in some form. Even in areas devoid of animals, Fire Dust crystals measured with infrared cameras still gave off a weak heat signature. The only time when Dust is classified as technically inert, as opposed to functionally inert, is when it’s outside of Remnant’s atmosphere.

This peculiar behavior has stumped rhizologists for centuries. After all, shouldn’t the Dust crystals be rendered elementally null if there aren’t any animals around to provide them with a source of ambient Aura?

This conundrum (called Gannet’s paradox) is further exacerbated by the presence of Dust vortices—areas with large enough concentrations of Dust to create a self-sustaining macrocosm of their passive effects. Lake Matsu, for example, is a vortex created by Gravity Dust. The islands scattered above the lake are kept suspended by the massive and numerous crystals embedded in the earth.

There are several Dust vortices across Remnant that have become the foundation for unique ecosystems, complete with their own endemic species. These areas are often protected from mining corporations because of their cultural and ecological significance.

That’s far from everything I have to say about Dust in the Redux. I haven’t even gotten to talk about its cultural implications, or the importance of Dust vortices for pharmacological usage. I’ll get around to those eventually, but here seems like a good place to stop for now.

On a parting note, re: ovens—gas isn’t used for lighting them! What you have instead are either electric ovens (powered by Electricity Dust cartridges) or more traditional ovens that are modified to use Fire Dust cartridges. Electric bills do exist, but their source of energy comes from Electricity Dust, rather than steam turbines or hydroelectric dams. The only alternative fuels that exist in the Redux are solar, hydro, and wind, and even then, their implementation is limited to Menagerie and Vacuo. Dust tycoons like the SDC have used political clout and lobbyists to undercut the alternative energy sector in most places, so it’s rare to see technology that isn’t Dust-powered.

[little-ninjai]

Ninja Makibishi | Weapon Series

[thescentoflavender]

poor Yoshimoto—all he wants is MC to be happy, even if that means his love goes unrequited 💔

On a more positive note, as I’ve said before, Yoshimoto and Mitsuhide are really quite alike in thinking and their ideals. Yoshimoto is one of the few—only?—warlords who can truly understand Mitsuhide, even though they may be enemies. 

~Please don’t repost this translation in any way~

Sasuke: They don’t seem to have any political meaning attached to them. They’re just “return gifts for my makibishi”.

Yoshimoto: That is to say, these are appreciation gifts for the Uesugi-Takeda forces’ help in defeating the shōgun, given in a non-official capacity.

Reaching out to take a sweet, Yoshimoto popped it into his mouth.

Yukimura: How many times have I told you not to do that, what if it were poisoned?!

Yoshimoto: If Mitsuhide was truly interested in acting against us, he would hardly choose a way as transparent as assassination by poison.

Yoshimoto: It is thanks to him that I found a new path in life. 

Yukimura: In a nutshell, Mitsuhide isn’t any less inscrutable a person than this dummy.

Sasuke: I have to agree. I fear there isn’t any other person who can lay claim to understanding Yoshimoto as perfectly as Mitsuhide can. 

Yoshimoto: That is hard to say. For all one knows, in this world... there may be an exception.

With a slightly sorrowful but satisfied expression, he cast his gaze towards the distant lands of Azuchi. 

Translation Notes: Some changes in meaning to make the lines flow better. 

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Tagging: @forallyourikemensengokuneeds​

[shoua]

30th June 2019

When I catch and shake Sasuke he drops his makibishi lol‬

https://twitter.com/sa_naaiiii/status/1145321278758256641?s=21