#Ota Presents In the Dark
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mummers-of-the-heart · 11 months ago
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To Be Free - Alastor (Hazbin Hotel) x GN!Reader
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Premise: The chains of caring weigh heavy.
Word Count: 225 words
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Trigger Warning for themes of murder, yandere, loss of control, manipulation, ambiguous ending, and general creepy things. Also possible OOC. Not beta read or edited. Written in 45 minutes while sleep deprived.
Spoilers for the ending of season 1 of Hazbin Hotel and the subject matter here is dark. If anyone is a BSD fan, you likely already know what to expect because it is inspired by that one character. Can be read as romantic or platonic. Also tried to keep aroace in mind with writing this. Even as someone who is aroace spec, it can be hard to express at time.
Alastor collected eccentrics. People that stood out in an entertaining way particularly. With them, he could simply stretch out a hand and play them like a fiddle as they grasped for any sort of connection.
Exert control over others.
It gave him a feeling of control that was clipped away from him. Do unto others what was done to him.
You were just another part of his collection.
You struggled to maintain your perceived humanity in hell. He watched. He laughed. He toyed.
For years, he saw you hopelessly toil away.
Alastor didn't know when he started to care. It was something he never noticed.
Perhaps it was when you managed to get your hands on some old vinyl and hummed along to the songs he listened to while he was still alive.
Maybe your attempts to cook foods similar to your favorites in the human world wormed their way into his heart.
It wasn't until he realized the damage Adam had done to him that a small itch grew in the back of his mind.
Oh, how he hated it.
How those strong emotions chained him. That realization was suffocating. Tighter and tighter they grew with each second.
What was different about these feelings and the contract?
Kill.
That attachment tied him to another person. It limited him. It took away even more control. It...
His claws dug deeper.
Be free.
Like what you read? Reblog or share your thoughts. I always love to improve my writing and discuss the thought process behind it.
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berry-hwa · 1 year ago
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As per my suggestion...!!
heres the promised mermaid au fic!!! I might not ever finish it because theres a lot of worldbuilding and writing stuff that i dont have time for😔i havent looked over this in a while and it isnt beta read either so ignore any mistakes!! All that aside now, pls enjoy!!
Well, here I am.
Looking up, her expression hardly wavered at the luxurious and magnificent hotel she stood in front of.
Here it is. Tres Spades.
Her glance shifted low to the dark blue dress she wore specifically for the famous I.V.C held at the hotel. Her pearl necklace reflected the huge amount of light from both the inside and outside and her silk, white gloves held onto a matching white clutch. She wasn't gonna look like anyone present at the party, but she was fine with that. The party wasn't what was on her mind anyway, it didn't matter if she stood out or not.
All she had to do was get to the penthouse.
Walking through crowds and crowds of people, her white heels clicked with every step she took on the recently cleaned floor. As she reached the room the I.V.C was held at, she was suddenly startled by someone talking behind her.
"Woah! I've never seen you around here. Is this your first time attending the I.V.C perhaps?"
She spun around to find two men looking at her, their eyes not leaving hers. She recognized one of the two almost instantly.
"Oh! Why yes, this is my first time here. I was looking for Mr. Ichinomiya? He was supposed to escort me to the party." She flashed a radiant smile, hoping to catch the two off-guard. As she stared at them, she realized the identity of the second man who strangely wore a fedora hat.
"Oh! We're his accomplices, and I haven't heard anything about you from Mr. Ichinomiya...would you give us your name?" The blonde smiled, crossing his arms and waiting for an answer. Her heart slowly began beating faster as she thought of a made-up name.
"Misaki. My name is Misaki." She extended her hand out for a handshake, which the brunette took and gave the back of it a gentle kiss. Her heartbeat slowly went back to normal and her smile slightly fell.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. My name is Mitsunari Baba, but you can call me Micchy or Mitsu for short. And you probably already know who my friend is." Baba glanced back and forth between the blonde and the woman.
"Of course, Kisaki Ota. I'd be ashamed if I didn't know who you were." She bowed and internally cringed, her patience slowly running low. She wasn't here to chat up some men...but, if they managed to get her up to the penthouse, at least the lying would be worth it.
"You flatter me Miss Misaki! Now, what was that about Mr. Ichinomiya escorting you to the I.V.C?"
"Ah, right. We talked over the phone weeks prior to the I.V.C, but he must have forgotten. He's a busy man after all, and so am I." Lying in situations as such was her specialty, but for some reason she felt as if she was being read easily. Can they tell?
"Boss is a very busy man. If you'd like, we could escort you around the I.V.C ourselves?" Baba gave her a handsome smile that would swoon women in her place, but she was barely phased. It wasn't her job to begin flirting with a thief.
She tried to shake off the unusual feeling she felt when she realized Ota's smile had also fallen a bit as he stared at her. Not at her, but her necklace specifically. The only explanation that sat right with her was that he'd been looking at it from an artist's point of view. She didn't know if he realized the necklace was made out of real pearls, however.
"I would appreciate it very much, Mitsunari." She smiled again for the sake of being polite.
From nearly getting lost in the sea of people to stumbling upon a mysterious looking hallway and being sold at a black market auction held in the basement of the hotel, she was only a few steps away from her goal. It didn't matter who bought her, she would escape them either way. Her eyes were set on finding one man and that man only. Her surprise when she heard she was sold to seat #100 came as a shock even to her. She fell right into the hands of the man she had her eyes on.
The cage she sat in had been carried all the way up to the penthouse, her heart racing as she realized how close she was to her target. Even if they didn't speak and wore masks, she knew exactly who the two men that carried her up there were as well.
And when she was brought in, she found herself face to face with him. Eisuke Ichinomiya.
"Who are you?"
"Boss, this is the lady that we-"
"If you let me out of this cage, I will tell you exactly who I am and what I'm doing here."
She stared at the five men who stared back at her. Her smile from earlier was replaced with a fierce gaze at Eisuke, who was staring at her cautiously.
"And how do we know you don't have any ulterior motives?" A strong looking man stood up which she quickly identified as Soryu, Eisuke's childhood friend and a mobster.
"If your security is good at checking whether or not people have weapons on them, then you don't have to be afraid Mr. Oh." She held her chin high and smiled internally at his slightly bewildered face.
"...You know who we are?" Eisuke spoke, eyebrows narrowing as he stared at her through his eyelashes. She could sense he was conflicted and a little confused.
"I know you all. And we'd be able to talk like normal people if you let me out of this cage," She crossed her arms, gaze not faltering as she stared back at Eisuke, "But we probably already know the phrase "normal people" doesn't suit you at all, right Ichinomiya?"
She saw his eyebrow twitch. As she guessed earlier, Baba and Ota took their masks off, their gazes switching back and forth between the woman and Eisuke.
"Is your definition of a succesful individual 'abnormal'?" Eisuke crossed his arms and took a sip of his wine, placing it on the table in front of him afterwards.
"I think we both know what I mean here." Her gaze went to the wine glass in front of him. Lowering her open palm, she aimed it directly at the glass before knocking it over, the wine spilling on Eisuke's leg.
All the men's eyes widened and Eisuke swiftly stood up, panic evident on his features.
"Eisuke, go!" Soryu suddenly yelled at him. Realizing he had to move as fast as he could, he dashed towards the staircase with a curse, managing to make it up before anyone could see anything.
When they made sure he was out of sight, everyone shot a glare at the woman. Only Ota seemed to stand still, still comprehending what had just happened.
"What the hell was that?" Soryu approached the cage, gun in hand now. The woman only grinned as the realization that she'd indeed found the man she was looking for began setting in.
"I think you know exactly what it was." Her fingers tapped at the golden cage as the mobster stared her down. She felt confident knowing she wouldn't be killed in that moment after what she did. They needed answers and she was aware of that. There was also no way they'd let her go unless they heard the full story, unless they didn't let her go at all. She was bought by them after all.
"I...don't get it. How did you knock over that glass?" Baba stared, still a little stunned. She rolled her eyes and glanced at the thief who was looking at her for an answer.
"I'm pretty sure you know that as well." Before looking away, she caught a glimpse of Ota looking almost...solemn, as he stared off into the distance.
"Come on now, you can't all play dumb. I'm here for one reason and one reason only."
"And that is?"
"Eisuke."
Soryu stared at her once more with a stern look on his face. Was he gonna let her out? She made it clear she'd explain everything if she was out of the cage...but how could he trust her like that? Especially when he didn't even know her name?
"Open the cage Mitsunari." A deep voice from the back spoke, the woman recognizing it as Mamoru's. At least he's not entirely stupid, as much as he is lazy.
Baba hesitantly reached into his pocket to take out a key, Soryu stepping away to make space. Opening the cage, the woman stepped out, arms crossed over one another. The men continued to stare at her for a moment before they heard footsteps coming from the staircase.
Her eyes immediately locked with Eisuke's as she looked up. He looked both furious and confused as he walked down each step.
"I'm gonna ask this one last time. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Making his way towards her, he stood in-between Baba and Soryu, eyes staring daggers into the woman. He only recieved a grin in return.
"I heard a siren call from miles away, and it lead me here in your hotel."
The CEO stared in pure confusion. He almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she sounded. A siren call. Is she for real?
Sure, it might not have sounded...that ridiculous, given the situation he was suddenly thrust into in less than twenty seconds. His eyes traveled to her neck adorned by the pearl necklace. He could feel his throat going dry even as he swallowed.
Those are real pearls.
And, sure, seeing real pearls hung on a string as an accessory wasn't the most unusual thing Eisuke had seen. But the way this woman was dressed bewildered him.
He estimated the cost of both her dress and heels were most probably around 200 dollars. Her gloves were made of silk, therefore they had to have been a little expensive. The pearls were what threw him off. A single, real white pearl was already expensive, but her necklace consisted of at least thirty pearls that varied in colors and shapes. He even recognized one of the rarest blue pearls hung onto the string, and he could feel the nervousness bubbling to the surface the more he stared.
"You've...gotta be kidding right?" The thief asked, gaze shifting to Eisuke who tried so hard to keep his expression as neutral as possible. Both him and Soryu were begining to catch onto the situation.
"I'm very serious. I came here specifically to talk to Eisuke, on behalf of my people."
"Your...people?" Puzzled, Soryu raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes now also shifting to look at Eisuke.
"I know what you are Eisuke. And we need your help." The woman's tone slowly morphed into one of pleading, as did her expression. Eisuke stared for what seemed like hours before sighing and turning his back to her.
"You have five minutes to explain."
"Five?!"
"Yes, only five."
She stared at his back as he walked over to the couch and sat down, Soryu and Baba following. She was glad she got the opportunity to talk...but five minutes? Really?!
"Alright I...just, do you mind bringing a glass of water?" Her gaze went to the artist who seemed to think about her question a little longer than he had to before nervously answering.
"Sure..." He put on a smile and strode over to the kitchen in the penthouse. Taking a deep breath before exhaling, her gaze returned to Eisuke who now sat on the couch, waiting for his explanation.
"First of all, I'd like to apologize for barging in all of a sudden and spilling wine on you. You were probably all confused and angry, especially you, Ichinomiya." Her heels clicked as she walked over to the four men, Eisuke's eyebrows forming into a frown as he recalled what happened.
"Apologize another time, get to your story." He swiftly crossed his legs and rest his chin in his palm as he waited for her to begin, as if he were a teacher about to listen to a student's excuse for a missed assignment.
By the time she stopped staring Eisuke down, Ota had come back with a glass of water as she'd asked. Funny how she has barely been here for five minutes and is ordering people around as if she owns the penthouse.
Thanking the artist, she set the glass down on the coffee table and waited for Ota to grab a seat, only for him to stand next to the couch Baba, Soryu and Eisuke sat on.
"As I said...I know what you are, Eisuke. Even if you might not know exactly what you are, we desperately need your help." She began, voice brave despite her slowly plummetting spirit.
"Who is this "we" you've been throwing around?" Baba exclaimed before getting interrupted by the woman.
"I'll get there. Let me explain."
"You fell into a pool when you were young in London...right?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at Eisuke for his reaction. He definitely didn't disappoint. His eyes went wide and he was now listening to her more cautiously, the nervous feeling on the verge of overflowing.
"You became a mermaid. Or...a merman. Otherwise known as a siren." She explained like she was some lunatic, but Eisuke knew better than to assume that when she was right. Except he had no idea what she meant by the siren part of it.
"How do you know any of this. Only my manager and some acquaintances are aware of what happened. How did you manage to find out what happened a decade ago?"
"That's not important. What is important is that I'm a real mermaid born at sea, and my people have and I have been threatened by the human race for years," She looked down, remembering the last moments with her family before they were taken from her, "They sacrificed themselves so I would stay alive and get help."
"It took you this long to find me?" Eisuke interrupted, his thoughts now racing. Had she been stalking him? Did she somehow bribe someone to tell her about him? What kind of help did she need exactly?
"I've known about you ever since you fell into that pool. You see, I'm from Britain myself, and all of us have known about you ever since that day." She explained briefly, not leaving any room for questions as she continued quickly afterwards.
"You're the first merman to have ever fallen in the pool in that cave in nearly sixty years. It just so happened that you became a siren on the day the last merman transformed 43 years before you did." She briefly caught a glimpse at Ota looking down at the floor as if he was holding something back. Did he wanna ask a question?
She decided to ignore it, passing it as just him being lost in his thoughts.
"This is...too much information," Eisuke rubbed his temple, her words barely registering. He was finally used to being this weird form of a human after so long, and suddenly there's so much information shoved into him it's almost too overwhelming.
"You think? You gave me five minutes to explain, I'm using that time wisely." She may have been aware of the conflicted situation he was in at that moment as he slowly took in what she was saying. Still though, she figured she might as well drop the bomb as quickly as she could, even if it confused Eisuke at first.
"We've been looking for a siren for years now due to our problems with the human race. And that just so happened to be you..."
Her frightless demeanor began to wear off, quickly replaced by someone in genuine need of help. Eisuke stared at her, her words still registering. So he was a siren. Was it good that he finally knew his identity after so many years? He certainly didn't feel any better knowing, that's for sure. What if she was lying?
"Can you prove to me in any way that you're telling the truth?"
The woman stared at him. Of course, Eisuke Ichinomiya of all people would never believe some girl suddenly showing up at his penthouse, telling him he was a damn siren and that there were real mer-people living in the sea with no proof. The whole story seemed like a sick joke. Even if she knew things many others hadn't known, even if she held information that Eisuke had never revealed publicly...he had to know.
"If you'll allow me to," She raised her open palm once more and focused her energy on the glass of water in front of her. Soon enough, they saw what looked like a bubble rise out of the glass. Eisuke knew she wasn't lying the moment he saw the "bubble" rise higher and higher, but still wanted to see what she would do. As the water reached her head, her hand suddenly dropped to her side, as did the bubble. The CEO's eyes widened as it splashed over her head and he was already begining to count down the seconds it took for her to transform. No sooner than that did Baba get up and rushed over to her, holding her up by her arms as her legs disappeared and were replaced by a sparkling blue tail.
"Is that enough proof for you, Ichinomiya?"
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deasbanker · 28 days ago
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Weekday treat: head over to Harajuku for an art exhibition about Ukiyo-e, explore Harakado, and walk through the Christmas lights on Omotesando street(got caught in a sudden downpour)!
7/12/2024
I met up with mom from work late in the afternoon, heading over to Harajuku by train for the first time in a year. This was because an art exhibition which I had been longing to visit came close to the end while procrastinating since this October. As soon as I reached at the station, I got surprised at a number of people there, who must have been for the sake of the special illumination on Omotesando street. By the way, golden yellow ginkgo trees before the station were absolutely stunning.
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The art exhibition was featuring the beautiful deep blues among works by Hiroshige Utagawa, an Ukiyo-e painter in Edo period, at Ota Memorial Museum of Art, Harajuku. The art museum was interesting enough for me to look in every corner because of its interior design. The ceilings were wood, whereas the walls were tiled; there was a small Japanese garden even in the middle of the gallery somehow. I liked the low ceilings and dim lighting, because I could concentrate on the exhibits in themselves more.
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This exhibition provided me with many things to learn not only in terms of art, but also in terms of Edo's customs, and I got inspired by them a lot. We could see how blue colors were used in ukiyo-e and their effects through Hiroshiges. Compared to other colors like red or green, only blue can express four dimensional space: length, width, depth and time, with just color. His rectangular pieces definitely had the flow of time, or the past, the present and the future inside. Blue can become midnight, twilight or daytime depending on its darkness. Also, one simple blue line can represent the flow of water. I found those effects so profound that I'd love to try someday.
While ukiyo-e painters have been acclaimed and known worldwide, carvers and printers, who were also involved in and contributed to works, are little known. But for such craftspeople, any of his brilliant pieces wouldn't have existed. I mean, competent carvers and printers can turn painters wonderful ideas and meticulous designs into reality; it's said to be really difficult to make a perfect gradation in ukiyo-e. I think that they deserve more recognition to the point where individual name is featured in a big way.
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Afterwards, I looked for a postcard which dad had asked me to buy him at a museum shop, but there was no. Yet, there was also a shop in the basement, which was specialized in furoshiki, traditional Japanese wrapping cloths to be used like a bag. I enjoyed looking a wide variety of designs printing on furoshiki and thought that I couldn't have too many of them.
Subsequently, I went ahead and entered a state-of-the-art complex called Harakado, which was opened just a few months ago and is now catching on with the young, in particular. That's why it was packed with people in the complex despite night. As I'd learned from a lot of TVPR(public relations)beforehand, there were several unique tenants, such as a public bath in the basement and archives of Japanese magazines.
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The purpose, when it comes to Harakado, was the archives, and I came across the issue of the pop culture magazine BRUTUS which was published in the year when I was born. To my delight, its cover was dedicated to one of my favorite novelists Haruki Murakami.
When mom and I left the complex, it started to rain and soon turned into a heavy rain. We didn't have umbrellas, though. Owing to a synergy effect of winter cold and rain, It was really freezing then. We rushed to the next spot, but I enjoyed the Christmas lights produced by Fendi and appreciated the pretty ceramic flowerpots at the entrance of Tiffany and Co. trotting.
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Lastly, I made for a quaint private bookstore named Sanyodo Bookstore, right in front of Omotesando station. This bookstore was actually founded in 1891, which startled me a lot, and I got convinced on seeing the picture of its building on the Internet. The side of its three-story building had a huge painting which reminded me of Japanese manga during the early Showa period on, having attracted passersby for decades. However, the beautiful painting was directly covered with the billboard ad of a mobile carrier, unfortunately. What was worse, the bookstore suddenly closed right in front of me due to the bad weather. I should've come earlier. I will definitely revisit this store soon.
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sunaleisocial · 6 months ago
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Bente Eegholm: Ensuring Space Telescopes Have Stellar Vision - NASA
New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/bente-eegholm-ensuring-space-telescopes-have-stellar-vision-nasa/
Bente Eegholm: Ensuring Space Telescopes Have Stellar Vision - NASA
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Bente Eegholm is an optical engineer working to ensure missions like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope have stellar vision. When it launches by May 2027, the Roman mission will shed light on many astrophysics topics, like dark energy, which are currently shrouded in mystery. Bente’s past work has included Earth-observing missions and the James Webb Space Telescope.
Name: Bente Eegholm Title: Goddard Optics Lead for Roman Space Telescope OTA (Optical Telescope Assembly) Formal Job Classification: Optical Engineer Organization: Optics Branch (Code 551)
What do you do and what is most interesting about your role at Goddard?
I am an optical engineer, and I work on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as the Goddard optics lead on the observatory’s OTA (Optical Telescope Assembly). My work is a combination of optical systems work, technical meetings, and hands-on work in the labs and integration facilities. The most interesting part is that we are creating unique, one-of-a-kind instruments, which enable NASA, as well as anyone around the world, to become more knowledgeable about our universe, including our own planet.
How will your current work influence the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s future observations?
The quality of Roman’s future observations is directly tied to the telescope’s optical quality. As an optical engineer I am involved with providing the best imaging possible for the telescope and its science instruments. I work closely with the OTA management, and optical and system engineers at Goddard and at L3Harris in Rochester, New York, a mission partner that is building the OTA. The OTA consists of a series of total 10 mirrors. I am frequently on site in Rochester, most recently for the very important first light test and ensuing alignment process of the telescope. We are striving to get every photon possible delivered to Roman’s two instruments, the WFI (Wide Field Instrument) and coronagraph technology demonstration.
What motivates you as an engineer? And what was your path to your current role?
It motivates me to support a great purpose, pioneer technology for spaceflight, and to conquer the challenges that inevitably occur along the way. I also enjoy being a mentor for newer engineers, as well as giving Roman tours and presentations to Goddard visitors.
I received my M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in my native Denmark. The path to my current role really started in 2004 after I had obtained my green card and gotten a position with Swales Aerospace, supporting NASA Goddard’s Optics Branch, Code 551. I was a contractor for eight years, supporting the James Webb Space Telescope. This was a magnificent project to work on; it was very rewarding in terms of the optical technology to accomplish this mission, as well as the amazing and talented people with whom I was working. I supported the development and test of a speckle interferometer which we used to prove the stability of the backplane structure for Webb’s primary mirror.
After becoming a U.S. citizen, I obtained a civil servant position in 2012. I was appointed the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope product development lead for the ICESat-2 mission, an Earth-observing mission to measure sea ice thickness from space. Both a flight and a spare telescope were built, and after successful testing and delivery of the ATLAS flight telescope, the ATLAS spare telescope was a perfect match for GEDI (the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation), a mission to measure forest canopies from the International Space Station. That naturally led to me to continue to GEDI, where I was the alignment lead. GEDI launched in December 2018.
In 2019 I started working on the Roman Space Telescope and was thrilled to work on a large astronomy mission again, and in two capacities to boot. Concurrently with my role on the telescope I was optics lead on the prism assembly (a slitless spectrometer which helps enable the WFI’s study of dark energy) from 2019 until its completion and delivery to the WFI in September 2022.
I feel very fortunate to have experience from both astronomy and Earth-observing missions! It definitely widens your technical experience. Often, the telescopes and science instruments for astronomy missions typically take longer to develop and implement than the ones for Earth-observing missions. With the shorter time to launch, you have the opportunity to see the fruits of your labor fly into space within a few years, and it is beneficial to go through the steps of an entire development and launch cycle.
How do you stay updated on the latest technological advancements? How do you apply that knowledge to your work?
I enjoy learning something new every day, either by individual research or via professional organizations. I use it in my own work and in working with many optics vendors, and being a reviewer on projects and proposals. Bringing new technology to Goddard is important, and we must approve each technology for space flight before we can use it in our next missions.
What is your favorite project or challenge you’ve worked on so far in your career?
That is a really hard question. Just like you can’t choose between your children! All four of the missions I have worked on have been awesome experiences. A recent amazing event, though, was on Roman, watching the first fringes emerge on the OTA interferometer screen at the “first light” session in the integration facility. This was the result of several years of hard work for many people, and it indicated that all the 10 telescope mirrors were well-positioned, boding well for the successful final alignment, which we achieved.
What do you like best about working for NASA?
I enjoy working on unique projects, always reaching for the stars, and using new technology and methods. NASA is a unique organization, known by everyone around the globe. For example, it has been a great honor to hear from many people who follow our work how much they appreciate Webb. NASA’s work is very visible, and that commits us and holds us accountable. And we are up to the challenge!
What hobbies fill your time outside of work?
I love yoga, and hiking in nature. I also love singing in choir, especially classical music. The magnificent sound we can achieve with 75 singers, and how the different types of voices merge to convey the music, is an example of collaboration that is a bit like succeeding in a flight mission. All the different people, tasks and parts synchronized and coming together to make it work!
What advice do you have for others who are interested in working in engineering?
Maybe I am a bit biased, since both my husband and I are engineers, my son is in grad school for engineering, and my daughter is in grad school for ocean science. In my opinion, an engineering degree offers highly transferable skills, and is a great path for everyone who enjoys math and physics. People skills are also important in engineering, as most projects are performed in teams. Make sure to select math and science classes in high school, and aim for internships in college. An engineering degree requires effort and dedication, but it’s worth it!
By Ashley Balzer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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9jaboizgistworld-blog · 11 months ago
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How to Download and Install S908bxxu1avda Firmware on Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
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Are you looking for a way to update your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to the latest firmware? Do you want to enjoy the new features, security patches, and bug fixes that come with the S908bxxu1avda firmware? If yes, then you are in the right place. In this article, we will show you how to download and install S908bxxu1avda firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. We will also explain what is S908bxxu1avda firmware, why you should update your device, and how to verify the installation. By the end of this article, you will be able to update your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to S908bxxu1avda firmware without any hassle. Let's get started!
What is S908bxxu1avda Firmware?
S908bxxu1avda firmware is the official software update for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra model SM-S908B. It is based on Android 12 operating system and was released in April 2023. It contains the following details: - Model: SM-S908B - Country/Carrier: European Union - Date: 2023-04-11 - PDA: S908BXXU1AVDA - CSC: S908BOXM1AVDA - Version: 12 - OS: Android - Size: 4.5 GB S908bxxu1avda firmware improves the performance, stability, and security of your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. It also brings new features such as One UI 6.1, Galaxy Ring, Android 14, and January 2024 security patch. It fixes some bugs and issues that were reported by users in the previous firmware versions.
Why You Should Update Your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to S908bxxu1avda Firmware?
Updating your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to S908bxxu1avda firmware has many benefits. Here are some of them: - You will get the latest Android 12 features and enhancements, such as improved privacy, notifications, widgets, and dark mode. - You will get the latest One UI 6.1 features and enhancements, such as redesigned icons, menus, settings, and animations. - You will get the latest Galaxy Ring feature, which is a circular display around the rear camera that can show notifications, battery level, and other information. - You will get the latest Android 14 features and enhancements, such as improved multitasking, gesture navigation, and app compatibility. - You will get the latest January 2024 security patch, which fixes some vulnerabilities and protects your device from malicious attacks. - You will get improved performance, stability, and battery life for your device. - You will get rid of some bugs and issues that were present in the previous firmware versions, such as camera lag, overheating, and network problems.
How to Check Your Current Firmware Version on Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
Before you download and install S908bxxu1avda firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, you should check your current firmware version. This will help you to know if you need to update your device or not. To check your current firmware version, follow these steps: - Go to Settings > About phone > Software information. - Look for the Baseband version and the Build number. They should match the PDA and the CSC of the S908bxxu1avda firmware, respectively. - If they do not match, then you need to update your device to S908bxxu1avda firmware. If they match, then you already have the latest firmware and you do not need to update your device.
How to Download S908bxxu1avda Firmware for Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
There are two ways to download S908bxxu1avda firmware for your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: via OTA (over-the-air) or via a computer. We will explain both methods below: Via OTA (Over-the-Air) This is the easiest and most convenient way to download S908bxxu1avda firmware for your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. You just need to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network and follow these steps: - Go to Settings > Software update > Download and install. - Your device will check for the latest firmware update and show you the details of the S908bxxu1avda firmware. - Tap on Download to start downloading the firmware. The download time may vary depending on your network speed and the size of the firmware. - Once the download is complete, tap on Install to start installing the firmware. Your device will reboot and apply the update. - After the installation is complete, your device will restart and boot into the new firmware. Via a Computer This is another way to download S908bxxu1avda firmware for your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. You will need a computer, a USB cable, and the Samsung Smart Switch software. You can download the Samsung Smart Switch software from . Follow these steps: - Install the Samsung Smart Switch software on your computer and launch it. - Connect your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to your computer using the USB cable. - The Samsung Smart Switch software will recognize your device and show you the details of the S908bxxu1avda firmware. - Click on Update to start downloading the firmware. The download time may vary depending on your network speed and the size of the firmware. - Once the download is complete, click on Install to start installing the firmware. Your device will reboot and apply the update. - After the installation is complete, your device will restart and boot into the new firmware. Download Here
How to Install S908bxxu1avda Firmware on Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
If you have downloaded the S908bxxu1avda firmware via OTA or via a computer, you have already installed it on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, if you have downloaded the S908bxxu1avda firmware from a third-party source, such as , , or , you will need to install it manually using the Odin tool. You can download the Odin tool from . You will also need the S908bxxu1avda firmware file, which should have the extension .tar.md5. Follow these steps: - Extract the Odin tool and the S908bxxu1avda firmware file to a folder on your computer. - Run the Odin tool as administrator and click on the AP button. Browse and select the S908bxxu1avda firmware file. - Make sure that only the Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options are checked in the Odin tool. Do not check any other options or change any settings. - Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and boot it into download mode. To do this, press and hold the Volume Down, Bixby, and Power buttons simultaneously until you see a warning screen. Then press the Volume Up button to enter download mode. - Connect your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to your computer using the USB cable. The Odin tool should recognize your device and show a blue or green box in the ID:COM section. - Click on the Start button to begin the installation process. The Odin tool will flash the S908bxxu1avda firmware on your device. Do not disconnect your device or close the Odin tool during the process. - Once the process is complete, you will see a PASS message in the Odin tool and your device will reboot automatically. - After the reboot, your device will boot into the new firmware.
How to Verify the Installation of S908bxxu1avda Firmware on Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
To verify that you have successfully installed the S908bxxu1avda firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, you can check the firmware version and the build number on your device. To do this, follow these steps: - Go to Settings > About phone > Software information. - Look for the Baseband version and the Build number. They should match the PDA and the CSC of the S908bxxu1avda firmware, respectively. - If they match, then you have successfully installed the S908bxxu1avda firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Congratulations!
Frequently Asked Questions on S908bxxu1avda Download
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the S908bxxu1avda firmware for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Will I lose my data or settings if I update my device to S908bxxu1avda firmware?No, you will not lose your data or settings if you update your device to S908bxxu1avda firmware via OTA or via a computer. However, if you install the S908bxxu1avda firmware manually using the Odin tool, you may lose your data or settings. Therefore, it is recommended to backup your data and settings before installing the firmware manually.Will I void my warranty if I update my device to S908bxxu1avda firmware?No, you will not void your warranty if you update your device to S908bxxu1avda firmware via OTA or via a computer. However, if you install the S908bxxu1avda firmware manually using the Odin tool, you may void your warranty. Therefore, it is recommended to install the firmware only from official sources.What if I encounter any problems or errors while updating or installing the S908bxxu1avda firmware?If you encounter any problems or errors while updating or installing the S908bxxu1avda firmware, you can try the following solutions: Make sure that your device has enough battery charge (at least 50%) and is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Make sure that you have downloaded the correct firmware file for your device model and region. Make sure that you have installed the latest Samsung Smart Switch software and the latest Odin tool on your computer. Make sure that you have followed the steps correctly and have not skipped any steps. If the problem persists, you can contact Samsung customer support or visit a Samsung service center for assistance.
Conclusion - Download and Install S908bxxu1avda Firmware on Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
We hope that this article has helped you to download and install S908bxxu1avda firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. This firmware will enhance your device’s performance, stability, and security. It will also bring new features and improvements to your device. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! Read the full article
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otaku-mama73 · 4 years ago
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Scattered thoughts on Toumyu Tokyo Kokoro Oboe
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This written mess isn’t intended to be a guide as others have so helpfully done, but instead a loose (and possibly misguided?) interpretation of certain scenes and themes that struck me while trying to make sense of Tokyo Kokoro Oboe. 
Much of my focus will be on THE GIRL, Ota Dokan and yamabuki. Toumyu’s been a feast of testosterone, and still will continue to be so, but to finally have a feminine presence not only appear, but make such a HUGE impression is just wonderful.
(Spoilers beyond this point!)
TOUMYU X NOH
This isn’t the first time Toumyu has framed their play in traditional Japanese theatre. SOGA was stylized as a neo-kabuki retelling. Tokyo Kokoro Oboe is essentially a Noh play, namely a “Mugen,” or phantasmal category of Noh plays. A quick wiki search describes it as such:
Mugen Noh (夢幻能, "supernatural Noh") involves supernatural worlds, featuring gods, spirits, ghosts, or phantasms in the shite role. Time is often depicted as passing in a non-linear fashion, and action may switch between two or more timeframes from moment to moment, including flashbacks.
That's basically TKO in a nutshell, right?
Within the first few minutes of the play and the girl’s appearance, we get a sense that something is off and we’re definitely in for a wild ride. We are faced with an otherworldly sight of this girl in a Noh mask walking toward a thin stream of sand silently falling into a pile from the dark moon-filled sky. One can tell that this girl is young, as she is dressed in a simple muted pink traditional kimono. She is wearing a non-menacing Noh mask consistent with that of a common young girl. There are numerous tales of young females in Noh plays and perhaps there might be a connection to one of these many stories. However, a consistent theme throughout these Noh plays is that the character in the Noh mask is a spirit trying to convey something to a traveler, or in this case, to Suishinshi.
I looked into the roles of females in Noh plays and found that women roles belong in a specific category of plays known as “kazura mono,” or (wig plays):
“The woman category is also known as kazura mono (wig noh). It is the central noh in the gohbandate and is usually about the ghost of a woman and the themes center around love and suffering. Often the ghost is condemned to wander the earth trapped somehow by the love that she feels.” 
(https://www.the-noh.com/en/world/forms.html)
Going by these descriptions, I can’t help but wonder if there are parallels between the Girl and Mikazuki now. Yes, she’s a feminine character, while Mika is obviously not, but it’s like the role she has may be similar to the role or whatever burden of love that Mikazuki has taken upon himself. Mikazuki has been meddling and trying to manipulate history by saving or affecting the lives of those significant to history or not. The idea of “history as a flowing river with streams running to the side” mentioned is really telling here. The Girl is like a guide also showing to us and to Suishinshi the lives and moments of those might be lesser known. Ota Dokan being one (which I’ll get to later). Not to mention perhaps trying to address the forgotten souls of the abandoned timeline.
I also can’t ignore that moment where the Girl suddenly appears in place of the projected image of Mikazuki for that brief moment after his confrontation with Suishinshi. There is a connection that Toumyu wants us to make. Just exactly what is completely up to interpretation.
THE GIRL and OTA DOKAN and YAMABUKI
The Girl only appears to interact with only Suishinshi and Ota Dokan in Myu8. Everyone else seems to be unaware of her presence when she appears. While she appears as an otherworldly spirit, she also plays an actual role in an incident that is documented in anecdotes in Dokan’s life. In the scene, the Girl is dancing in the background waving a branch of yamabuki flowers. At the end of the scene, she wordlessly offers that branch to Dokan, who takes it, looks at it questionably without acknowledging the GIRL, and walks away. The GIRL then looks at Suishinshi and skips away. 
In actual history, there is an account that follows: 
“Here is also very famous episode about Ota Dokan 太田道灌(1432-1486), popular general in the Muromachi Period. 
One day, he made a hunting trip and was caught in a sudden shower.
He rushed into a shabby dwelling and shouted to lend him a straw raincoat.
A young girl appeared and gave him a branch of yamabuki without saying anything.
Dokan got angry and returned home in the rain.
In that night, he told the story to his follower.
Then, he explained the story of the poetry of Prince Kaneakira and inferred that the girl compared poverty to the blossom of yamabuki and wanted to say
"I am so sorry, but I am poor and doesn't have any raincoat."
Dokan was shocked to hear that and ashamed lack of wit.
After that he started to learn waka poetry.”
(http://kikuko-nagoya.com/html/yamabuki.html)
The poetry of Prince Kanekira mentioned is also recited later by Dokan towards the end of the play during his last scene in a conversation with Buzen and Samidare where Suishinshi asks who and why Dokan built Edo Castle for:
“Nanae Yae Hana wa Sakedomo Yamabuki no Mi no (Mino) Hitotsu dani Naki zo Kanashiki”
Translated to:
“Yamabuki blooms with a wealth of petals; However yet in spite of this,
Sad to say, bears no fruits (straw raincoat)”
The source explains that this poem contains a double entendre:
“[Mi in "Mi no" means fruits] [no in "Mi no" is particle] [Mino means a straw raincoat]”
There is SO much to unpack here. Yamabuki, as a flower, is said to be fruitless. Yet it is also a flower mentioned in numerous instances of Japanese poetry to describe spring scenery and the concept of beauty found in imperfections. Is Dokan implying here that he built Edo castle as a homage to the common girl who presented him with that branch? For the common people? For the forgotten? We also learn that Kuwana took Murokumo’s idea and planted yamabuki in the abandoned world in another scene and wonders if the seeds will grow. Kumo initially wanted to abandon that idea, thinking that flowers aren’t very useful, but Kuwana, ever so in tune with the earth, apparently liked the idea of planting a so-called useless, fruitless flower in an abandoned world. We later see the Girl dancing in a field of yamabuki blooms to great effect, so I’d like to believe that Kuwana was successful in getting those seeds to grow.
Here, the idea that the importance of even the forgotten, minor characters, the “side streams” of life are just as significant, or beautiful, is highlighted. It’s related to the burden that Mikazuki is carrying, bringing to light or saving those that might seem less important or forgotten.
Also of note is Samidare’s scenes with Dokan, which is actually very deliberate and just delightful. Remember the origin story mentioned before about Dokan being caught in the RAIN (Amesan- ha, ha) and asking for a raincoat but being offered a yamabuki branch by a common girl? I’d love a full translation of their duet, but I have a feeling it’s just going to be poetry sung back and forth by these two bards. Samidare also was present when Buzen killed Dokan in order to preserve history. The GIRL returns to lay a yamabuki branch on Dokan’s body and Samidare recites a haiku from his favorite Matsuo Bashuo:
“Horo horo to Yamabuki chiru ka Taki no oto” Or “Quietly, quietly Yellow mountain roses (yamabuki) fall Sound of the rapids”
(https://basho-yamadera.com/en/yamadera/horohoro/)
The source explains that the haiku is a travel narrative written by Bashuo upon view of the Nishiko waterfall, seeing yellow petals scattered despite it being a calm, windless day. Perhaps Samidare thought to recite this haiku because he was struck by how sudden Dokan’s death was, both in the way Buzen slew him and also in true history where Dokan was falsely accused of disloyalty and assassinated. No matter the interpretation, the imagery of yamabuki and Dokan will forever be linked.
I’m still trying to parse out how all of this affects the Myu storyline as a whole, but this Toumyu, more than any other, was heavy with imagery and wanted to challenge viewers with making those connections. What’s really special is that every interpretation is valid and there is always something new to discover upon each rewatch. TKO truly focuses on little forgotten or unrealized details and literally makes them shine. 
If you made it to this point here, I’m really sorry! And also thanks for reading through! 
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alonelytinywriter · 5 years ago
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Dark Shadows
Yandere! Ex-Villain! Present Mic / Yandere! Ex-Villain! Eraserhead / Original Female Character
Warnings: Lemon-ish (mentioned), Self-Harm mentions (nothing described, just heavily implied), strong language, kidnapping, mentions of pretty typical yandere stuff. Ye Have Been Warned. 
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Playlist ~ Chillhop Radio
Name: Oshima Mia ~ Birthday: January 3rd ~ Age: 24 ~ Hair Color: Black ~ Eye Color: Rose Gold ~ Gender: Female ~ Height: 5′2′’ ~ Quirk: Feline ~ Occupation: Bartender
Appearance: Mia is a small, fair-skinned girl. She has rose-gold eyes with full, dark lashes, and a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her canine teeth are more pronounced and that, along with the full pointed ears and long, thick tail the grows from the base of her spine, are not the only aspects of her Quirk that manifest physically, although they are the most noticeable. Her hair, like her ears and tail, is black and typically styled into twin messy buns, braids, ponytails, or the like. She rarely wears her hair down, as she doesn’t like to fool with it. ~ Mia’s causal outfits normally consist of shorts or jeans, simple t-shirts, and comfortable flat shoes, although while working as a bartender, she amassed a collection of short skirts, shirts with too-low necklines, and dresses that where barely there. Whatever helps bring in those sweet, sweet tips at the end of the night. 
Quirk: Feline ~ Mia’s Quirk causes her body to possess many characteristics akin to a feline, such as retractable claws, paws on the surface of her hands, and her spine growing differently, resulting in her developing a flexible vertebrae with elastic cushioning on the disks and a much longer rotation along the spine, much like a cat itself. Despite all this, her Quirk never really leaned toward the Hero side of the spectrum, and she therefore decided to explore other career options, leading her to take a job as a bartender. ~ Power - 1/5 ~ Speed - 2/5 ~ Technique - 3/5 ~ Intelligence - 3/5 ~ Cooperativeness - 4/5 
~ Dark Shadows ~ 
~ The entryway to the club was like trying to walk through a wall of sound, and the inside was filled with dry-ice smoke, colored lights, and slender limbs that appeared and disappeared inside the churning smog as the patrons danced. Hizashi and Shouta had only just stepped past the bouncer when Hizashi’s eyes were drawn to the bar and he stared. She was beautiful - hair nearly the precise color of black India ink and piled atop her head in a pair of messy twin buns, liner smudged around her eyes thickly, lips painted red as blood from an open wound, and skin so pale it nearly glowed. She wore a knee length black dress that clung to her curves in the most delicious ways, a scrap of silk and lace that accented her cleavage (although there wasn’t much to show) and showed her legs (which seemed to go on for miles, despite her height), while covering her arms. And a body harness that encircled her waist, chest and neck added a wildly dark aspect to her outfit that fit the club perfectly. 
~ It wouldn’t be any of this, however, that would draw Shouta’s attention. It would be the two pointed cat ears that flicked impatiently atop her head, the tail that curled and uncurled in time with the music, her slitted pupils which widened slightly as she glanced over the crowd. Someone sauntered to the bar, leaned forward, and said something so funny that the bartender threw her head back and laughed - a sound like resonated through the club like a beacon, light and clear and 100% female - and her canine teeth glinted sharply in the dim light. She was a heteromorphic feline, and it was noticeable. 
~ Twelve minutes. It took Shouta exactly twelve minutes to case out the bar, for Hizashi to approach and make first contact, for Shouta to order the first drink. In that twelve minutes the two ex villains realize two things - One: The girl was clearly anxious around them both. Two: She didn’t recognize either of the ex-villains . . . or she didn’t care. There was fear in her eyes, that much was true, but it wasn’t directed towards them. It seemed more broad than that - the sounds, the lights, the bodies pressed against one another. Whenever a patron would lean in to closely the girl would pull back, ears flattening against her head as she frowned minutely. If the second bartender behind the counter brushed against her reaching for a bottle of liqueur, the girl violently flinched. 
~ Her voice was smooth as she spoke to them when they took their seats, and both ex-Villains noted how her cheeks dusted brightly with a rosy tint as she took their order, how the blush deepened when they complemented her as she poured the two shots into the rainbow hued glasses before them. It was adorable. The way she pouted when she couldn’t reach a bottle she needed. How her cheeks puffed out when a extremely large, extremely drunk male ordered the same drink, for the fifteenth time in a row, her breath whistling between her lips, alerting the bouncers standing near the door that the man had clearly reached his limits. How she hissed at the man who was brazen enough to reach out and stroke his hand along one of her ears. She slapped the man, and Shouta was the one to notice the pink and black dappled pads along her hand that oh-so-closely resembled a cats’ paws. They talked of nothing but the girl when she attended to the other patrons, and when she stood before them, all doe eyes and blushing cheeks, the two had a hard time hiding their attractions. 
~ They want nothing more than to kidnap her then, as she walks home from her shift at the bar as the sun rises, but as Hizashi stares at her small form he worries that she may not like either of them very much if they do so and after several quite moments of deliberations, Shouta agrees. Instead they follow their darling from the bar to a bus stop, and from the bus stop to her home, which is nothing more than a small apartment settled above a flower shop that smelled, of all things, peaches and wine. They couldn’t see into the apartment, due to its location on a main road, and being on the second floor, but they knew where she lived, and they both attended to their own plans to investigate the apartment later. To make sure it was good enough for their Darling, of course. 
~ The two spend weeks at the bar after that first night, talking with the bartender, Mia as they found out, laughing through their drinks as she poured them and speaking softly of Mia when she attended to other customers. But one night, nearing the third week, they enter and realize that Mia is not behind the bar. It shouldn’t have been so surprising - she had worked every day up until then - so that she finally had a day off should not have shocked the two as it did, but when they realized that Mia was not where they expected, they glanced between themselves and the bar as if she would appear from their will alone. 
~ “’Zashie! Sho - O - ota!” 
~ Mia’s hair was down for the first time since the two had first meet her, pooling on the plastic vinyl of the booth as Mia waved wildly, a drink resting on the table before her, as well as enough empty glasses to knock out an American frat party. She was visibly swaying in the seat, her eyes glinting between the two men as they approached, surprise written across their faces. It doesn’t take long for the two to get Mia talking, and once she does she’s brazenly open for the first time, her answers coming freely as they ask about her childhood - which had been normal to the point of boring - to her Quirk - which she playfully describes as “Beautifully useless.” - to the bright ring that seemed to run through the tip of her tail - “My parents hated it, but when I was a kit, one of my older brothers accidentally shut my tail in a door, breaking two of the bones. They had to remove then to prevent infections and it made that part of my tail . . . floppy, I guess is the word for it. It didn’t sit right. So I wanted something to make it sit. And the piercing didn’t hurt at all cause it’s all numb through there anyways cause of the bones bean gone an all, and look ~!” Mia waves her tail in front of their faces, its long length unfurling and twitching, causing a ringing bell to sound. there, attached to the ring, was a small golden bell. 
~ It was almost a good enough act to hide the shadows beneath her eyes, the way her ears laid back at the smallest of movements, the way her hands rubbed over her forearms again and again. They laughed, and pretended to drink with Mia as she continued to chat, seeming for all the world as if they were simply drinking with a friend but there was something . . . darker. Something darker that seemed to blanket the group as the questions became more personal and the responses became more clipped. Shouta’s question of her family had been met with stony silence, and for a moment the group feel silent as the club continued to blare around them. Finally, Hizashi broke the silence. 
~ “What made you deride to drink so much tonight, Little Listener?” 
~ Mia almost looked like she wouldn’t respond for a moment, eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted, but then she spoke, and her voice was barely audible over the din of the club. “Ahh, you know, life isn’t the best. Ever. So sometimes I drink so I don’t reme-mem-ber just how . . . not the best it is.” 
~ She refused to go into more detail than that, even when Hizashi tried to get her explain again and again. In the end the two escorted Mia to her home as the sun rose above the rooftops, despite her never telling either men where she lived. She was slurring heavily, eyes nearly closed as they shouldered her door open and led her to her bed. Her breath was already calm and even by the time her head hit the pillow, and Hizashi wondered if she hadn’t been sleep walking after all. 
~ Hizashi makes sure to leave a glass of water on her nightstand, along with several Advil, his hands fluttering over her form as he debated whether she would be more comfortable out of the hoodie and jeans she wore, but before he could come to a resolution Shouta moved forward and drew the sleeve of her hoodie up her arm, revealing a patchwork of bruises and fine line cuts that seemed to span the length of her forearm and biceps. 
~ It’s nearly lucky that Mia had already passed out from the drink at that moment, because Shouta is not quiet as he striped her of her clothes, revealing more bruises along her legs, although there didn’t seem to be any more of the cuts.
~ Shouta seethes silently, but Hizashi’s voice, when he speaks, holds enough emotion for them both: “We will save her.”
~ They begin to actively coming around more and more after that, running into her outside the bar, the park, the grocer, the butcher. It happens so often that Mia stops wondering if she’s going to see them again and merely wonders when. They became a group, one that went to events together and on the nights when Mia and the boys would go out together, the nights when the sun was rising on the horizon as they attempted to stagger home, it becomes common place for the boys to crash on the couch together. One or the other would make a light breakfast if they woke before Mia, and if she woke before them they would wake to donuts and coffee from a shop down the street. She had admitted a few weeks into the arrangement that she didn’t really know how to cook, and she didn’t have time to learn, so why both when she could just get everything she needed already cooked for her?
~ Summer fades into fall and by the time winter comes the two ex-Villains have more than learned that despite her happy and lighthearted front, Mia was suffering from both depression and anxiety. They knew when it bothered her more becomes her clothes, which would normally display more than enough skin in their opinion, would become revealing no matter the weather. It was due to the bruises, the cuts, they were sure, and as they had found no evidence of a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or even an abusive family member, the two had been forced to confront the notion that Mia was doing that to herself - that she was harming herself. 
~ They decide to confront Mia about it, but the night they plan on bringing it up Mia never shows to the coffee shop. At first the two assume that she had to work, something that had made her late or a no show to their meetings before, but after visiting the bar and learning that she hadn’t even been scheduled for that day Shouta and Hizashi decide to visit her apartment. And it’s a wreak. Door broken from its hinges, furniture tipped and thrown across the room, and there, in the bedroom along the door - blood. A single, bloody hand print smeared against the creamy paint. Pinned beneath a knife is a note with a brief message: If you want the girl back, you know where to find me.
~ And they do. It takes nearly three and a half days to find the cocky little fucker who took their darling from them and the moment they step through the doorway of the Yukaza hideaway, blood begins to fall. The last body - the little punk who lead the operation - hits the floor long before they actually find Mia. And when they do Hizashi openly begins to weep while Shouta stares in horror.
~ Mia was drugged, clearly so, and hurt badly. She was hung from the rafters of the hideaway by her wrists, her toes barely touching the ground. Her clothes had been cut from her, non to gently judging by the smooth red line that ran from the hallow of her neck to her belly button. Both lips were swollen and bleeding, her cheek was clearly broken, and bruises covered nearly every inch of her body. But, Shouta sighed in relief as he carefully cut her down and began wrapping her in his over sized coat, she seemed to have been used as a human bunching bag rather than a sexual toy, and for that he was grateful. 
.~ Mia wakes up in the hospital, and afterwards Shouta and Hizashi offer to allow Mia to stay with them. “You’re place isn’t safe anymore.” Shouta points out, using her fear against her. “The men who kidnapped you must have had a reason. What if they come back for you?” In the end, Mia agrees, and through the next few months the two help Mia as she begins her painful recover and by the time winter becomes spring Mia is fully healed. Physically at the very least. She suffered from nightmares nearly every time she laid her head down to go to to sleep, and during the day the smallest of noises, which bothered her before, would send her spiraling into a panic attack. She, on more than one occasion, took swings at both Shouta and Hizashi in her sleep, but neither men resented her for it. It broke their hearts to see their darling this way, and one or the other commonly sleeps with her at night despite her protests that she can sleep alone.
~ A free weekend comes up, something that rarely happens as both men are much too often busy with their jobs - although Mia never does learn where the two work - and the group decide to spend that Friday night binge watching Studio Ghibli movies and drinking their way through a tall bottle of sake. Their nearly to the end of Pom Poko when Hizashi makes the first move. They had planned this for weeks now, and the both were sure of how this would end, whether Mia truly wanted this or not. They had been kind and caring. They had waited. And now, with Mia laying on the couch between the two of them, cheeks rosy from drink, they knew it was time for them to have their reward. 
~ Mia nearly bolts from the couch when Hizashi suddenly leans into her and she fills his lips on her neck. But Shouta’s hands where on her shoulders, holding her down and rubbing soothing circles all in the same motion. “Guys, what are you -” but she doesn’t get to finish her sentence before Shouta’s lips are on hers and Hizashi whispered hushed words into her neck. Their hands were every where at once, pressing against her skin, slipping beneath her clothes. Mia couldn’t breath past the lips on hers, the smell of wine on their breath mingling with hers made her dizzy causing her mind to spin. 
~ It isn’t until their laying together in the bed, skin sweaty and slightly out of breath that the words where spoken under Hizashi’s breath: “I love you.” And when the words are whispered back to them both, softly and of so sweet, the two ex-villains can barely believe it. it seems so sweet to hear after so long, and the face that she falls asleep only moments later, head pillowed on Shouta’s chest and cradled against Hizashi’s front, they feel as if they are on top of the world. Finally, Mia had accepted them. Finally, after nearly a year of conditioning their Darling, all their hard work had finally paid off.
~ They’re both gone when Mia awakes however, and she thinks little of it. They’re both often gone when she awakes nowadays, so she goes about her business, even a little grateful that the boys where gone. It gave her time to muddle over her actions the previous night. It was hard to remember how she had acted. She had been so . . . so wanton. She hadn’t even questioned the two men, and looking back she wondered if she should have. Memories still cloud her thoughts as she walks into the kitchen, towel drying her hair, a blush coating her cheeks as the look in Shouta’s eyes as he stared up at her from between her thighs replays in her minds eye. But a voice stops her train of thought just as she reaches the fridge, the voice of an anchor man from the news, speaking urgently.
~ “ - in the area are urged to use extreme caution. both Villains are known to be extreme dangerous, and despite their four year hiatus, we are still told that the Villains Eraserhead and Present Mic are not to be approached. If spotted, please, report to a profession, and they will respond. Again, all citizens in the area are urged to used extreme caution. Both villains are known - “ It isn’t the words that stop Mia. No. Its the reflection of the T.V. screen in the window. A screen showing to photos of men that Mia knew disturbingly well. 
~ Shouta and Hizashi. Shouta and Hizashi dressed in gear that Mia had seen them both leave in more than once. Shouta and Hizashi staring at the viewer with glares hard enough to shatter ice. Shouta and Hizashi were villains.
~ Before Mia can process what she’s doing, she finds herself at a window, fingers tugging desperately at the latch. They lived at the edge of the city, in a low structured two story home that wouldn’t be a problem to jump from - she had fallen farther for less as a teenager - if only she could get the stupid fucking things open. No matter how long or hard she tugged, she couldn’t seem to make a single one budge. And when she approaches the front door, already sure of what she’ll find, she can’t help the sob that escapes when she finds it locked as well. 
~ She was so stupid. How could she have fallen for them? It had never been a problem before. They had made no effort to convince her to leave the house, and why would she? They had always brought everything she had ever needed. Food, clothes, toiletries, anything she had ever mentioned or stated she needed or wanted. They had always appeared with it the next morning, and when Mia had lamented how none of Shouta’s cats seemed to like her, he had left the house without a word and appeared only hours later, a simple ginger kitten in his hands. They had cooked for her, and cleaned after her, held her after her nightmares and been so . . . so . . . so kind. No matter what, they had both treated her as if she were something fragile, something could easily be broken. Even when she had been sandwiched between the two, heavy breath on her neck and their bodies pressed tightly against hers, they had treated her as if she were nothing more than a porcelain doll. 
~ By the time Shouta and Hizashi arrive at the house that night Mia has calmed a bit, sitting with the small ginger cat in her lap and a large knife next to her. To say the two men are surprised is a understatement, but the moment their eyes locked on the T.V. they understand. “You know.” Mia doesn’t say a word. She merely stares. “Did you see the news?” A small head shake and Shouta sighs, stepping forward lightly but Mia reacts violently, her ears flattening against her skull, her tail puffing with rage or fear, they weren’t sure. She bolted from the couch, Ginger falling the floor with a disgruntled meow, knife already in her hand. “Mia. You don’t want to do this.”  
~  “Fuck you ‘Zashi.” Hizashi startles at the use of his pet name, his eyes meeting Shouta’s for a moment before Mia draws their attention back. “Why? Why could you just tell me the truth? Why did you lie to me? Why - “ Mia bites back a sob, the knife clattering from her fingertips as she stumbled backwards.
~ “Didn’t you watch the rest, baby?” Hizashi croons. “Didn’t you see the part where the two Big Bad Villains died?” And it’s true. Hizashi forces her to watch the T.V., really watch it for the first time in hours, and she saw that his words were true. The Hero All Might had defeated both Villains, whipping the floor with them both. They were pronounced dead on scene and while the news station continued to show repeated clips of the fight as a newscaster spoke, Hizashi walked forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Don’t you see, little listener? We killed ‘em, those Villains. All Might owed us a favor, and we finally cashed it out.” 
~ “But what you did -” 
~ “Does it really matter any more?” Shouta moved forward and melded to her front. “We can be with you. And we will. We’ll spoil you rotten and give you everything in the world. You just have to say you’ll be ours. That’s all. Just say it baby.” Mia refuses to listen, sobbing and moving to pull away, but both men refuse to let her go, cooing soft words of reassurance.
~ “It’s okay, little listener.” Hizashi soothes later, his hands stroking over her skin as they lay in bed together, Mia fully exhausted from her tears. “You don’t have to love us right now. we love you plenty to make up for it. And we’ll never stop loving you.”
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new2otomelol · 4 years ago
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Maid to the Rescue - Part 2 - KBTBB fanfic
I do not own the rights to KBTBB, Voltage does. This is just a fanfic made for fun! Hope you enjoy.
Two days later...
Preparation for rescuing the bidders took longer than expected, but when it comes to the prime minister, we have to be extremely thorough.
Night lights on the freeway breeze past me as I speed to my location. My heart beats in anticipation for what's to come; not out of fear, but excitement. 
A year ago, a planned mode of attack would have never crossed my mind, in fact, many things scared me back then, not anymore.
A sudden beep lures me back to the present. "Siren! It's done! Net took his buddies out to the bar. Nix and I are taking off." I tap the earpiece in my ear to respond. "Great job everyone, I'm parking at the south end. Was the other vehicle dropped off and weaponized earlier?" Nix responds this time, "hell yes darling and I can't tell you how happy I am to be back with you all." God I missed my friend. "It's rock and roll time! Gage, do you have controls over the cameras and signal blockers for the warehouse?"
I hear a different beep this time, "yes sweetheart, there's 20 armed guards and a masked guy in there. Be safe. We're on standby for you." I click my earpiece one more time and give the code "operation GAMBLE is underway."
I park the car two blocks away from my intended location and exit the vehicle, proceeding to remove my weapons from the trunk. First, I store the tranquilizer guns on my side holsters and grab a couple of Glocks loaded with armor piercing rounds and other small bullets to cause damage, but hopefully not to kill. I place my knives on the inside holsters of my jacket as well and place a few hand-held darts on outside pockets of my my bulletproof vest. I have to anticipate the boys’ physical condition due to their current situation, they might be weak, or worse. Just in case, I prepared injections containing electrolyte solution and a bit of adrenaline educing drugs and store them in a small container on the inside of my boots. I finish off with my face scarf covering everything except for my eyes and connect my earpiece to the side of my tactical helmet that is equipped with automatic night vision and other goodies. Clad all in black I walk toward my destination in the darkness of night.
I reach the rear entrance of a dilapidated warehouse and notice a guard standing outside the door; a parking lot light hardly illuminates his area of supervision. I make my way slowly behind him as he leans lazily on his side against the door, attempting to ignite his lighter for some much needed nicotine relief.  The man suddenly jerks as he notices a shadow on the ground creep up from behind and a sudden sting on his neck, but it's too late to react as the Ketamin in the dart takes effect. I catch him quickly and ease him down on the ground as he falls. It's nighty night for a few hours sweetheart.
I hurriedly pick the lock on the door with my tools and enter a very brightly-lit hallway that seems to have a couple of doors. The building itself is old and has been abandoned for some time, but these guys get use of everything the government owns, thanks to the prime minister.
I scope the area out and discover one of the rooms to be the security camera section, bingo! I tap the side button of my helmet to connect to my earpiece and contact Gage. "I'm about to take on the video security guys, let's start radio silence and jam all signals for 2 minutes." I whisper and hear a small beep as acknowledgment from Gage. I open the door slowly and find 3 men sitting in front of a set of 20 monitors. Some of the videos I could tell had been looping thanks to Gage's crafty hacking. I slowly take out 2 tranquilizer auto-injectors and sprint  towards the men stabbing the two to my left  and quickly taking another to engage the third guard. The poor man is  taken by surprise which causes him to react late. He reaches for his radio and turns pale as he notices there is no signal detected.  He lunges towards me in an attempt to strangle me, but I side-step him quickly and tranq him as he passes me.
I honestly feel bad for the men, they're only doing their job, but still, these are the bad guys Lisa, focus! I turn my attention to the monitors and notice that most of the views of the warehouse are set to observe outside and to a couple of the hallways, then I spot them, the bidders. The men are sitting on what looks like steel chairs that are volted to the ground and restrained with chains that are all connected to the center of the room held by one large lock. This should be easy enough.
I engage my comm and contact Lucy. "Alright Luce, I can see where the guards are and have acquired their location, go ahead and cut off the lights and block cellphone and radio signals again, we don't want them to communicate with each other."
"Sweetheart are you sure you want to go fully silent? We won't be able to get to you in time should something happen." Gage interjects. "I'm sure guys. I got this. Stay ready for part 2 of the plan and I will contact you in the next 15 minutes, if not, send help."
"Roger Siren!" I hear them all say and then the audio goes dead. The lights cut out almost immediately activating my night vision visor. I take out my dart guns and walk out to the hallway once again.
I can hear the rushing of footsteps all around the factory as confusion and chaos sets into to their reality. I run down the hall to the second door and before I can open it, one of the men bursts in. I take a step back and shoot him with a dart. Once he falls to the ground I notice two more behind him and shoot them as well. Seven down, 13 more left.
I jump over their bodies and make it to the main open area of the warehouse. I look around to find the stairs, I need to reach the second floor. The scene before me is almost comical as I see these tough men in suits scramble around in the dark aiming their weapons at nothing and sometimes at each other. "What the fuck man? Somebody must have broken in!" one man yelled. "Dude, better not shoot at anything, we need to get our flashlights! Where's our boss?" another yells. The first idiot answers back, "he's upstairs with those assholes!"
I try not to laugh at their dialogue and shoot them and 5 other men with darts; 10 to go. I rush up the staircase and notice beams of light coming from the railing. Crap, they found their flashlights.
"I see something!" one of them yells as I climb up the last few steps and spots me. He runs towards me in an attempt to tackle me. I drop my now empty tranquilizer guns and take out one of the auto injectors. I open my stance to let him get to me as he clashes to my torso, I bring up my knee with much force to strike him in his diaphragm, knocking all the air out of him. He pins me against a wall and coughs roughly, gasping for air. I stab the needle in his arm to tranq him and knock him out.
I hear the whistling sound of a bullet pass me by as I realize the rest of the men on the second floor with me and some have me in their sights. I push the man off of me and take out one of my Glocks as I roll out of the way and hide behind a metal cabinet. I hear many more shots, but I crouch low and shoot out their flashlights, gaining back my cover. 
I venture out once more and pass by two men before another one manages to grab me by the neck and squeezes tightly as he realizes that he has acquired me. I hold on to his arm and perform a scissor kick, entangling my legs around his neck and shifting our weight breaking his center of axis, taking us both down to the ground and knocking him out successfully.
Hearing the scuffle, 3 other men walk towards me, trying to feel their way around in the dark. I shoot each of the men’s legs where I know it won't be fatal and quickly get up and run towards the door at the end of the hall where my targets are located.
Keeping the count going, I have 5 men left to go and the masked idiot as well. I take a step back against the metal railing  and support myself as I kick down the door that leads me to the bidders. Once the door is smashed I roll out of the way and take cover behind the wall next to the door. As expected, the masked man remained inside with the rest of the guards. They quickly shoot a few rounds and stop to reload.
The lights suddenly flicker back on. Figured as much, I knew one of the men I left alone would eventually make it to the breaker and restart the system. I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what I know and have planned for. "Come out you bastard or we shoot them!" a man’s voice calls out from the room.
So cliché, can't criminals be a bit more creative? Laser sharks? Something more fun? Ugh, alright, time to end this. I stand up and walk in slowly while waiving my guns in the air as a form of surrender.
"Now what in the world do we have here?" Says the masked man. As expected, he is confused by my physique. Why would an intruder be skinny and shaped like a woman? Men, so predictable. I look at Eisuke, Mamoru, Ota, Soryu and Baba and thank goodness they are aware enough to see what is going on. It won't take much to get them going, although, poor guys, they look very roughed up and dehydrated.
The masked man lowers his gun, preparing himself to make a villainous speech and I take advantage of his ideocracy. I drop my guns to give him false hope that I am turning myself in, causing the men to laugh. They should have paid attention to my fingers, my throwing knives are hooked and ready to go.
It all happens in slow motion for me I start to swing the knives quickly into position and throw them. First, I am at the masked man's shooting hand, stabbing him right through his wrist. I then start to cart wheel to the side as one of the men begins to fire and I throw two more knives with one hand, hitting both men as I use my other hand to support my movement. I end up croouching next to Eisuke because I know the guards are under strict orders to not shoot him or the others.
"Bitch! Come out here and fight us!" One of the remaining two men states as the others either tend to their wounds or run away. I laugh a little too loud by accident and one of the men catches it, grunting in frustration.
Eisuke looks down at me and whispers, "I don't know who you are, but do you have a death wish?" I shrug it off, if he only knew who he was speaking to. "Okay, so does that mean you want to fight  hand to hand?" I yell out to the remaining morons.
The men whisper to each other, more than likely coming up with some sort of half-assed strategy. "We're lowering our weapons, come out, right fucking now." I place my guns on the floor and kick them away. I stand up and walk towards the men. As expected, one of them pulls out a knife while the other tries to pull out his gun from his back belt-holster. I run towards the man with the knife and smash my left arm in an angled swing against his right arm as hard as I can, causing him to drop his knife. I hold onto his biceps pushing his arms back and using them for balance as I plant my left leg down and kick hard at the man that was reaching for his gun, hitting him right under his chin with the heel of my right boot. I then shift the top part of my body back arching as much as possible, grabbing and pulling the knife guy hard, flipping him downward, smashing his head on the floor with his own momentum. Before I can hit the ground, I had let go of the man used my arms to support me leaving me in a wheel position, except for my extended right leg. I bring that leg down hard on top of the guard’s head, propelling the lower part of my body up and helping me flip upside up again. Both men end up knocked out.
I move quickly go to collect the guns from the floor as I hear a startled Baba yell, "Holy shit, that was amazing pretty lady!" I laughed again, they have no clue of who I am and no way to know as my helmet disguises my voice. I take a quick bow for fun and quickly look around again to get my bearings straight. At least two men are able and out there somewhere and masked freak has run out of the room like a wounded dog.
I re-upholster my guns and take out the case holding the electrolyte coctails I made for the men. As I take the auto-injectors  out, the men begin to panic a bit. "What are you going to do with those?" Soryu yells. "Relax gentlemen. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already (I always wanted to say that). These are to help you get rehydrated and give you the strength you need to follow me out of here, I can't carry you all."
I head to Mamoru first and stab him on one of his legs and do the same to the rest of the men. "Who are ya kid?" Mamoru starts off the inevitable round of questioning. I go to the center of the room and begin working on the massive lock that is holding all of their chains together. Jesus, masked man has a flair for the dramatic for sure. The lock seems complicated, but I begin to work on it. "Look pops, right now is not the time." He scoffs in frustration.
"Who sent you?" Eisuke asks. It takes me a minute and the lock finally gives way, I don’t have time for idle conversation and have to ignore them. "Alright men, listen to me. You can begin pulling your chains, they are lose now." I look up at them as they stand, then see that they have thick metal cuffs, stupid masked man. I take a small container of acid I carry for just such occasions. "Okay, show me your cuffs. I will be putting a drop of acid on the hinges. Be sure to shake them off quickly." The men do as told, but not without making a fuss about it all. "What else ya got on you?" Mamoru asks, trying to be funny. I remain silent, focusing on my plan.
"Okay men, we are heading out of this warehouse towards the back end. I anticipate that we'll be followed so we have a great cinematic car chase to look forward to. Be sure to grab some guns from the ground. Let's go!"
PART 3 COMING SOON...
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recentanimenews · 4 years ago
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Reality Unravels in D_CIDE TRAUMEREI Mixed Media Project
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  That is not dead which can eternal lie, because D_CIDE TRAUMEREI, a new mixed media project (including a TV anime and a smart phone game) with a "Cthulhu Mythos" theme, has been announced for the summer season of 2021. The project is set in a world where scared and desperate people make strange pacts with unspeakable ancient beings whose very presence causes reality to bleed.
  The main staff for D_CIDE TRAUMEREI THE ANIMATION includes:
  Original work: Sumzap, Inc., Drecom Co. Ltd., bushiroad
Director: Yoshikazu Kon
Advisor: Shigeru Morikawa
Series composition: Hiroshi Ōnogi
Original characters: BlasTrain
Background Music: Kōhei Tanaka
Sound director: Toshiki Kameyama
Sound production: Bit Groove Promotion
Animation production: Sanzigen
Animation production supervision: Hiroaki Matsuura
youtube
    The main cast for D_CIDE TRAUMEREI THE ANIMATION includes:
  Yohei Azakami as Ryuhei Oda.
Ayasa Itō as Rena Mori.
Marika Kouno as Eri Ibusaki.
Shun Horie as Aruto Fushibe.
Aoi Yūki as Jessica Clayborn.
Haruna Momono as Tris.
And Others.
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    The story of D_CIDE TRAUMEREI THE ANIMATION is set in Shibuya and follows Ryuhei Oda, a second year high school student who loves kickboxing. As a child, Ryuhei witnessed his older brother die under mysterious circumstances, but in the present day he is a cheerful, outgoing student who doesn't seem bothered by the darkness lurking beneath the surface of his surroundings. One night he encounters and is bitten by a weird creature named Tris, and Ryuhei's dreams and his perception of reality take a strange turn...
  Sources:
Ota-suke
MoCa
Official D_CIDE TRAUMEREI THE ANIMATION home page
  Copyright notice: © D_CIDE TRAUMEREI PROJECT / DCTM Production Committee
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    ---
Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.
By: Paul Chapman
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msbeccieboo · 5 years ago
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Arrow 8x01 Brain Dump
So that was....awesome! I’m in shock! Obviously there was a gaping chasm where our precious cupcake used to be, but that’s gonna be the new normal for this last run, so I’m gonna try to not dwell on that too much in these last few reviews. And apparently these aren’t getting any shorter, even without Felicity...
Oliver Jonas Queen: Paragon and bestest hero everrrr (suck it, Larry)
Our beautiful boy 😭😭😭 kicking the episode off with stunning recreations of the very beginnings of the show, first on Lian Yu, then returning to Moira was just *chef kiss*. 
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That Oliver is now able to relive these moments, really feeling the feelings and speaking the words that he was previously too broken to, upon his real return from the island, and expressing them to both himself and to those people he can no longer see in his reality, is just heart-breaking and tear-inducing and beautiful and satisfying and all of the feelings. He worked his arse of to get here and to experience it and he fucking well deserves it. Ugh I just made myself cry haha. 
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More under the cut...
Stephen’s acting was a beautiful thing to watch in this episode. Oliver’s scenes with all the returning guests were just so perfect; his emotions over seeing Tommy and Moira again 😭, then not-Felicity 😍💔 then Adrian 😂 were all perfect. The scene where he was trying to seek advice or validation from Moira over leaving his family for this mission (even though he couldn’t reveal why) was just heart-breaking. Then when he breaks down (along with us!) and tells Moira he’s sorry, it’s almost like he’s doubly apologising; to Moira for not better understanding her, now that he is a parent himself, and to Felicity, William and Mia, for having to leave them behind.
It was so sad seeing Oliver doubting himself throughout the episode. He tells Diggle that Earth 2 has so many more people alive without him having been there, and then when Moira astutely observes that he is a better man now than before he went on the Gambit, he replies he’s not so sure. How can he still not see this yet?? He’s clearly been away from Felicity for too long! By the end of the episode he seems to be making some headway, at least in realising that he doesn’t need to face this crisis alone, when he delivers an EPIC SPEECH to Tommy “because were only as good as the people in our lives. Every one of those losses brings with it a choice between darkness and light. Make the right choice.” YES MY BOY!!!  I’m totally here for this whole season of Oliver going to other Earths, realising how awesome he is, then imparting this wisdom on everyone by delivering rousing speeches!! The Monitor said it himself in his voice-over, referring to Oliver “the highest [form of heroes] belong to those known as the paragons and they are the only hope of all creation.” YAAAASSSSS!!!! SUCK BALLS LARRY AND LARA!!!
Felicity/Olicity
Just because she’s not there, doesn’t mean she’ll be forgotten! I’m honestly so pleased that the show isn’t going to pretend Felicity doesn’t exist just because Emily left. Her absence is palpable, so the mentions and nods to her character throughout the episode (and the rest of the season, it seems) are very much welcomed!
The fake-out Felicity scene was beautifully done! From Oliver’s initially excited face and “it’s supposed to be red” 😭😭, his “good for her” when he found out that E2 Felicity is a badass mogul, to the OLICITY LOVE FERN on not-Felicity’s desk!!! Perfection!! 
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Source: eloquence-of-felicities
Ugh and the scene with Oliver staring lovingly at Felicity and Mia’s photo...HFDSKGHFKJGHDSFKS NOT OK!!! 😭😭😭😭
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Source: olicitygifs
Diggle
The Diggle ‘reveal’ was nostalgic perfection:
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My live reaction 😂😂
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Can I just say that I loved that he’d spoken with Felicity about Oliver, and gone after him. OTA for life!! I’d hoped that that would be the case, but you never can tell with these writers in recent seasons 😬 Dig is a master at advice-giving, and getting Oliver to see the big picture. Oliver needs a friend in this endeavour, and neither Felicity nor Dig would have him doing it alone. Dig’s purpose throughout the whole episode was pretty much to tell Oliver that he’s not alone, his death is not necessarily unavoidable, that he NEEDS TO ACCEPT FRACKING HELP (”that’s the thing about being brothers; you never, ever have to ask”😭😭), and that the whole reason that E2 has gone to crap was because Oliver was not there to protect it! 
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In John Thomas Diggle we stan.  
FTA
Our FTA babies were back, and in the lair!! AHKASFHDSDAKF!!!  I loved the power struggle, with the team trying to find the right dynamic, before finally deciding to just make the Olicity baby the leader (duh), or moreover, Mia demanding that things be done her way from now on (apples, falling, tree?). 
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Source: oliverxfelicity
William’s little comedic moments just popped. 
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Source: olicitygifs
And then his delivery of a Felicity-worthy pep-talk to Mia had me falling infinitesimally more in love with him. This is the spin-off team we need to see!!
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We finally met JJ Diggle who appears to be irredeemably (not likely) evil, and very handsome to boot, leading the Deathstroke Crew (baby Sara would have NEVER 😒😒). I was hoping for some Old Man Diggle, but alas we were not so lucky this week.  Much as I actually LOVE the flash-forwards, I did feel like they were a little shoehorned in in this episode. There was so much to unpack in the present story, that I kind of just wanted that to continue? 
Special Guests
From Moira’s first words I was crying.
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Susanna Thompson continues to be outstanding as Moira, I love her! E2 Moira married Malcolm Merlyn, meaning we got John Barrowman back 😍😍, in a non-evil role (YAAASSSS!). Although there was no mention of Robert, given that we know on this Earth he returned from Lian Yu, and was later unmasked as the Green Arrow?? Anyway, this new Queen-Merlyn union officially made Oliver and Tommy brothers 😭😭 Oh btw.....TOOOOOMMMYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! AGSHAGFKJSAGFJKAG!!! Back, alive and kicking (literally) and gorgeous as ever. Ugh I just adore my Merlyn men 😍😍😍😍
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Source: feilcityqueen
Tommy turning out to be the Dark Archer on this earth is all we had ever wanted to see!! Evil!Tommy is a thing of beautiful fanfiction dreams!! (I also lolled at the OTT, campy, cowering Malcolm, as Oliver realised it wasn’t him!) Not to mention this scene, that re-lit our Toliver flames in the most perfect way 🔥🔥
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This moment was so good that I can just about forgive Oliver’s historically inaccurate non-shirtless state 😒😒 (strike 1)
In trying to track down the dwarf star shizzle at Queen-Merlyn Enterprises👀 , Oliver stumbles across the E2 GA who turns out to be ADRIAN CHASE!!  YAAASSSS!!!! It was great to have him back, in the growly S1 Oliver-esque fashion! E2 GA also enjoys the salmon ladder....Stephen really played us all when he told us that we’d see the salmon ladder in episode 1 😡😡 (strike 2 Steve, you’re on your last warning!) I loved Oliver’s little inside joke with himself when he said to Adrian “maybe I’m just 10 steps ahead of you” lolololol!!
Thea OD’d on Vertigo and passed away on E2, which was sad, but meaningful, as it spear-headed Tommy’s war on The Glades, much like Rebecca’s murder did for Malcolm on Earth 1. (Psst, it’s ok though, our Speedy’s back in a few weeks).
Superfluous Cast
Rene and Dinah remain disloyal rats on this Earth, and with no Oliver to mentor them, they turn out evil as well as incompetent and we got to see them taken into custody at the end of the episode...wah-wah-wahhh!! I would definitely be happy with this nice small amount of relevance/screen time for them moving forwards, please and thank you. Let’s let our boys shine for the last few outings!
Black Siren’s presence in the episode was thankfully small, and although she was saved in the end, presumably to go on to help Oliver and Dig (she kinda owes them now), I’m hoping that we continue with this minimal exposure, because, as much as I enjoyed her last season, with no Felicity to make her likeable, I’m not feeling her. I also laughed for a disproportionately long amount of time that her ‘iconic’ Pretty Bird moment that we all heard about beforehand came from Adrian, not her ‘Ollie’ 😂😂
That ending
Following on from the press previews and interviews leading up to the episode, there were comments along the lines of Oliver suffering a devastating loss, and that the Arrowverse would never be the same etc etc, regarding the end of the episode. Well...I have to say I just wasn’t as ‘shooketh’ or as moved by the ending as the previews implied I would be 😬 I mean of course the ending was awful; a whole Earth was erased, and Oliver having to see Moira/Tommy die at the end (especially after managing to redeem Tommy) must have been devastating for him in the moment, but the thing is, I’m not all that invested in Earth 2, so the magnitude of it didn’t really affect me that much. Maybe I’m just a cold-hearted bitch my heart has simply been irrevocably broken by 7x22. Anyway, I’m sure Oliver will be back and fighting fit again next week 😂
When MG, Beth and even Stephen had been throwing around the dreaded term ‘love letter to the fans’ I was more than scared about this season 😬 but the episode really did play out that way in my eyes, something I’m hoping that they are able to continue over the few remaining episodes. So yes, I lost my shit and (begrudgingly) loved this episode 😂😂 It was easier to deal with the lack of Felicity when they had thrown the (brand new, super high-spec) kitchen sink of guest stars at the episode. So it will be interesting to see how we fare over the next few episodes, where the guest stars won’t be such scene-stealers.
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Thank you to the amazing gif-makers 💗💗💗 It’s so wonderful to see beautiful new scenes again! Any uncredited gifs are mine.
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mummers-of-the-heart · 11 months ago
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The heart and the affairs of it are a funny thing. Those desires and stories it tells us are part of human nature. From soft touches to moments of heartbreak, all of these experiences and how our heart responds defines the human experience.
The fan fiction here explores the heart, both good and bad. As such reader discretion is advised.
Introduction
Greetings! I’m Ota, main blog @awritingotaku, an adult college student who likes to write and explore human nature. I am a bi oriented aroace spec non-binary Asian American.
So what is this blog?
Well, this is basically where I’m going to post fan fiction that explores qualities of the human experience, mostly reader inserts if I’m honest. Given the focus, I won’t be taking requests but suggestions are welcomed.
Directory
Full Length Fan Fiction - A Play to the Heart From Ota
Headcanons - A Note to the Heart From Ota
Dark content - Ota Presents In the Dark
Blog credits - Ota's back stage crew
Notice - Crew Announcement
Masterlist - The Program From the Director
Fandoms
Twisted Wonderland
Hazbin Hotel
Love and Deepspace
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yujee · 4 years ago
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Gintoki In Wonderland
Chapter 5/5
Everyone was panicking and was all around the place, trying to put out the fire and while escaping the deadly footsteps of the Jabberwocky. Gintoki, who was dragged by the witch and was now riding on his invisible broom, looked down on the chaos the witch and that small peddler did. He was even surprised when looking at the Jabberwocky closely, it looks like Kondo.
“Now, Snow White, no, your name is Gintoki, I was informed by the white rabbit, there is something you must do, right?” The witch then patted Gintoki on the back.
“Zura.” Gintoki replied. Though he was expecting a retort, he just smiled and jumped off from the broom and landed on the back of the Jabberwocky. “By the way, I’m forgetting something, again right?” Gintoki muttered. “How am I supposed to defeat this Gorilla, if I do not have my bokutooooo.” He shouted as he tried to cling onto the Jabberwocky’s back. The monster kept on reaching him but to no avail.
“You! Mayo guy and sadist!” he called out the siblings who were still putting out fire from the curtains. “Do you have any weapons?”
“Who are you calling mayo?! My name’s Hansel! All my mayonnaise was thrown away!” retorted Hansel. “Oi, Gretel, where is your candy cane?”
“Huh? I have it with—” Gretel turned around to look for his cane and he found it, crushed and eaten by the female dwarf.
“You glutton dwarf!” Gretel attacked with a punch the female dwarf, but it was avoided. The two then started fighting.
Seeing all of them, even in another world, Gintoki felt like he was still in his world. They were still a bunch of idiots. And he liked it. Just as he was getting a weapon from one of the swords that were pierced on the gorilla’s back, he was captured by the gorilla and he was about to be eaten alive. But he suddenly felt something inside his pocket. It was the purple apple. He threw the apple onto the gorilla’s mouth and the gorilla started to choke. Gintoki was set free from the grasp of the Gorilla, however, he fell straight onto the Gorilla’s mouth.
Gintoki went pale. “Seriously?”
Inside the Gorilla’s body, all he can see was darkness.
“…in-chan! Gin-chan!”
“…Gin-san!”
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He was hearing some voices. He woke up with a start and found himself back in his house, in his world. Just as he was adjusting from the weird dream that he had, before him were Kagura and Shinpachi, grinning at him.
“Happy Birthday Gin-chan!!!!”
“Happy Birthday to you Gin-san!!!”
The two suddenly popped some party poppers, and in an instant, everyone barged into the door.
“Aho no Sakata! Where are the drinks at?!”
“Free drinks. Yatta!” Madao and Catherine happily drink the sake Otose brought over.
“Don’t just finish the drinks by yourselves!” Otose smacked Catherine head. “Just this month, I’ll waive off your rent. But be sure to pay up next month.” She told Gintoki and puffed smoke towards the ceiling.  
“Gintoki-sama, Happy t—”
“Hey Tama, do not mention his age. Even the Gorilla mangaka did not specify his age. Everyone will be upset to hear his age, aru.”
“Kagura-chan, no need to mention it, right? We already know what he’s like. It’s no surprise at all.”
“That’s right Shin-chan. Here, Gin-san, your present. My new recipe, egg pancake.”
“Otae-san!! I want to eat that—!” Kondo tried snatching the gift but was punched by Otae.
“Kyu-chan, and Tsukuyo-san, you two have something to give Gin-san, right?”
“Ah yes, well, this one is from my grandfather.” Kyubei handed Gintoki a box and inside it was a sandpaper.
“That old man still hasn’t forgotten about that episode?!” Gintoki gritted his teeth, in irritation.
“Gintoki, Happy Birthday. Don’t be mistaken. This is not o-only from me. This is from all of us in Yoshiwara.” Tsukuyo stammered and threw at Gintoki the VIP card present.
“It’s your birthday huh Yorozuya? Well, it’s not like I wanted to drop by, but Kondo-san insisted that we do. Here.” Hijikata, squeezed some mayonnaise on the cake before Gintoki. “Desserts are better with mayonnaise.”
“Hell no! Who would want to eat that shit?!” Gintoki threw the cake at Hijikata, but Hijikata used Yamazaki as a shield.
“Danna, I’m sorry about Hijikata-san. Here, try throwing another cake.” Sougo tied Hijikata to a log and positioned him in front of Gintoki.
“Ohhhh. Thank You Soji-kun.” Gintoki grabbed another cake and aimed the cake at Hijikata’s face.
“It’s Sougo.”
“Oi! Sougo! Untie me Sougo! You sadist combo!!”
“Ahahaha. Kintoki! Happy Birthday!!! Here’s your gift—Blurgh!” Sakamoto puked as soon as he barged in through the veranda and sent Hijikata flying outside.
“Gin-sannnn!!! Happy Birthday!!!” Another usual entrance, Sacchan, came down from the ceiling. She was about to hug Gin-san but since she lost her glasses, she hugged Sadaharu instead. And of course, Sadaharu chomped her head playfully, like the usual.
Everyone seemed to be in high spirits. A drunk Tsukuyo and Catherine beat up Madao; Sacchan’s still can’t get away from Sadaharu that Otae and Kyubei must pull her out forcefully; Sougo and Kagura fight over the last slice of cake, while Kondo stops a disheveled Hijikata from attacking Sougo; Yamazaki and Shinpachi quietly eat the remaining sausages at one corner; Sakamoto and Gintoki continued drinking, that Otose got angry at them for finishing the alcohol by themselves and Tama, being a robot maid, cleans up their barf; wiping off the floors and their filthy mouths using the same mop, much to the duo’s annoyance.
Meanwhile, Mutsu, ignores all the chaos around her, and nonchalantly gave Gintoki a big box. “We really had a tough time looking for this.”
Gintoki was about to open the box when the chaos behind him subdued. Curious, he turned around and saw everyone was staring at the door. He squeezed through the crowd to get to the door. Standing before him, the cause of the everyone’s astonishment, was the Gorilla mangaka.
The mangaka handed Gintoki a card. Confused as to why the Gorilla gave out a card instead of a letter through its nose, Gintoki reluctantly, accepted the card.
He flipped the card onto the other side.
“Sorry, I’m not that mangaka. The real Sorachi sensei is busy with the upcoming film next year. I’m just a double who wanted to congratulate you, Gintoki-san on your birthday. And to remind everyone, that the next day, October 11, is the birthday of your seiyuu, Sugita Tomokazu-san.”
Everyone’s faces went blank, and one by one, they started going home, including the ‘fake’ gorilla, who felt like he just stepped into some landmine, leaving the Yorozuya trio and their house in mayhem.
THE END.
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P.S. Sorry, I think should post some omake for this story. _| ̄|○
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exaltedgrimleal · 5 years ago
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AI: The Somnium Files review
AI: The Somnium Files is a story about a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department named Kaname Date and his efforts on finding a newly founded serial killer.
The first victim is Shoko Nadami, found tied to a merry-go-round horse with multiple stab wounds to the front of her body and her left eye missing.
Referred to as Date, Date is joined by his AI partner, AI-Ball, “Aiba.” Aiba filling the role of a computer, a communication device, an assistant, and a prosthetic left eye, the two work together to try and find out the truth about the New Cyclops Killer.
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Gameplay
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The game is a point and click investigation game. The majority of the game revolves around Date going around questioning suspects and exploring his surroundings such as the crime scenes. While investigating locations does little for the story, the game keeps you interested with its interesting story and entertaining flavor text.
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When not investigating, you enter a phase called Psync. Psyncing is the act of using a specialized machine where one person can enter another person’s subconscious and explore their dreams, this place called Somnium. While it’s still mostly a point and click adventure in these phases, you’re given less freedom as most things can’t be interacted with.
While in somnium, you have a hard six minute limit. While standing still, time passes quite slowly, each nanosecond prolonged to last a normal second. Otherwise, walking around will pass time normally and performing actions will drain your time with varying results. You are introduced to two things, Timies and penalties. Timies can reduce or increase the amount of time needed to perform certain actions while penalties will multiply the amount of time needed. You receive timies and penalties by performing actions themselves.
In other words, you need to balance your time and use timies appropriately. If you get a penalty, you have to decide whether it’s worth performing the action that needs to be done with a large amount of time being spent or target the penalty on a side action that will ultimately result in a smaller penalty.
ex. There are two actions, one that takes 55 seconds and one that takes 2 seconds. Your penalty is x3. You can either perform the 55 second action with a x3 multiplier, meaning it will take 165 seconds, or perform the latter, meaning it will take six seconds.
Non-spoiler review
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I thought AI: The Somnium Files was a good game.
I do think the game was weighed down by the gameplay itself. While the main gameplay revolving around a point and click investigation similar to the investigation phases in a Phoenix Wright game were strong, the psync process was either boring or frustrating.
The idea behind the psync process was interesting, but most of the process revolved around dumb luck on what you chose to do during your six minute time limit. Because the somnium took place in a dream, it allowed the settings to be colourful and real life rules to be distorted, but I found this just made things either confusing or redundant.
I also didn’t really learn anything from the psync phases. While the game pushes on the idea that you psync to find clues on the investigation, I found it was more about diving into the subject’s psyche and potentially just make more questions. While this isn’t a bad thing, I found it didn’t fit in enough with the story to be relevant. It’s hinted you can heal someone’s mental ailments with psyncing and that is proven once, but it’s also well stated that the subject does not perceive the psync in the same way that the psyncer did.
It was fun to weigh out your timies and deal with time penalties, but I found that I only had to worry about those things in three out of thirteen psync phases. Otherwise, psyncing was a mindless effort.
Also due to the multiple endings, there are of course points in the story where it branches off into a new set of actions. Ultimately the player will find themselves with two locked routes where they cannot proceed until they play more of the story. While this isn’t a problem, the fault lies in the fact that in order to unlock all the locks, you need to play part of one route, jump to another, and jump back. This leads to confusion on which events have happened in which route if you’re not reviewing the story and keeping track.
What really sells the game is the characters and story. Written by Kotaro Uchikoshi, I was expecting an interesting narrative and I wasn’t disappointed. It kept me constantly thinking and throwing me for loops. The mystery on who the New Cyclops killer is well thought out and the story only volunteers information at a need-to-know basis, leaving you in the dark when you need to be.
Spoilers below cut.
Story introduction
The story begins with Date and Aiba arriving in an abandoned theme park, Bloom Park, in the Kabasaki District on a rainy night. Date is a member of ABIS, a top secret organization in the MPD that specializes on the act of psyncing. Psyncing is the act of one person entering the dreams of another, aka Somnium. They use this to find clues in their investigation. The psyncer can only stay in somnium for six minutes, however. If they are there any longer, the psyncer’s consciousness will be lost.
With said district having been abandoned for six years due to an explosion at a chemical plant that caused the whole district to become inhabitable, people were evacuated and restoration began. Having been six years, the location is now technically safe to enter but still off limits by government laws. This means there is very little foot traffic in Kabasaki District.
An anonymous call brings the MPD to Bloom Park claiming there is a dead body on one of the theme park’s rides, the carousel. Sure enough, there is the corpse of Shoko Nadami. Date is shown to have been this woman’s acquaintance but he knows very little about her other than she is the ex wife of Renju Okiura(Date’s best friend and drinking buddy), and the mother of Mizuki Okiura. After divorcing her husband for unknown reasons to us, she takes her maiden name and becomes estranged to Mizuki.
The front of her torso has been stabbed multiple times and her left eye is missing. Due to the dried blood on her face, it alludes to her eye having been removed while she was alive and it’s whereabouts are unknown. Cause of death is blood loss. She has been bound to the merry-go-round’s horse as if put on display.
This mirrors four murders six years prior done by a serial killer known as the Cyclops Killer. The Cyclops killer killed four young women in different ways. Postmortem, their right eye was removed. Date’s boss, affectionately just known as Boss, claims these crimes cannot have been done by the same person but does not offer any other information.
We learn that Date has amnesia and does not remember anything prior to six years ago. While he finds that suspicious, Boss will not tell Date anything about the Cyclops Killer case.
With Aiba being an effective investigation tool, he uses x-ray vision and finds a figure inside the column of the merry-go-round. Busting the column open, he finds Mizuki who is holding a bloody ice pick which is revealed to be the murder weapon. Traumatized by seeing her mother in this state, Mizuki develops aphonia meaning she can no longer speak. They wrap up for the night.
That night, Date has a strange dream. With Aiba’s help, he is able to organize his thoughts and unfolds the scene. He sees a woman on the ground with blood coming from her shoulder. It’s unknown if she is alive or dead. Standing above her is a dark haired man with cold looking eyes.
Morning arrives. Date traces the anonymous reporter and finds the call was made by an Ota Matsushita. Date first goes to Ota’s home, Matsushita Diner. Only Ota’s mother, Mayumi Matsushita, is present. Mayumi claims Ota is obsessed with an internet idol, a “witch,” and is most likely where he can see her.
 He finds and approaches Ota in the Lemniscate office building, a talent agency owned by Renju. Ota is revealed to be a huge fan and friend of a budding idol and internet personality, Iris “A-Set” Sagan, also known as Tesa by fans.
Ota admits to having been with Mizuki when they found the corpse. Mizuki received a suspicious text to go to Bloom Park and when they went, they found Shoko’s corpse. Terrified, Ota runs away. He drops his cellphone in a puddle leaving it inoperable so he used a payphone and fled the scene.
We meet Iris who claims she is Mizuki’s friend due to working under Renju, Mizuki’s father. She convinces Date to bring her to the scene of the crime due to being interested. Despite not finding anything, Iris is satisfied and Date brings her home. He is introduced to Hitomi Sagan, Iris’ mother and childhood friend of Renju. Date is shocked as Hitomi looks exactly like the mystery woman in his dream. We learn Hitomi suffered from a random break in six years ago where she was shot in the shoulder, leaving her arm paralyzed.
Date returns to ABIS headquarters and is ordered to psync with Mizuki in hopes he can cure her aphonia and/or gain clues on Shoko’s murder. Futa Amanoma, known as Pewter, is a scientist that initiates the psync.
Mizuki’s somnium is Bloom Park in the midst of a violent lightning storm. While this somnium is dream like, we know it is based on reality as you cannot dream of something you do not know.
This is where the story divides between the red route and the violet route.
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Red Route
In Mizuki’s somnium, Date sees a mysterious figure in the shadows watching. When the two wake up, Mizuki’s aphonia has been cured. She explains the reason why the ice pick was in her hand was because she found it in Shoko’s left eye socket and she panicked. This reveals Mizuki does not have the eye, as well as the eye was not in Shoko’s corpse when Mizuki and Ota found her. Mizuki also does not know who the figure was as it was too dark for her to see. She did however get scared by the figure and hid in the column of the merry-go-round, explaining why she was in there.
Date brings Mizuki to Bloom Park to investigate and question her. They find there was a car in the area from security footage that belonged to Renju. Hoping to find him, they go to Sunfish Pocket, a maid café that Renju owned. In the building, they find a horrifying scene: Renju’s corpse.
Renju’s corpse has a bruise around his neck and his cause of death is asphyxiation. He has been strung up on the ceiling with a large hook in his mouth attached to three beer kegs on the ground weighing him down. He is missing his left eye, and like Shoko, it was removed while he was alive.
Date gets information from his informant, Mama, and learns that both Shoko and Renju were involved with a Yakuza gang, the Kumakura gang. When he goes to investigate the Kumakura building, he finds So Sejima there, a politician. So puts out a smoke and leaves, leaving Date without any leads.
When Date runs into Ota, Ota admits he saw Iris and Renju together a few hours before Renju was found dead, leaving Iris suspicious. Iris is brought in for questioning, and backed into a corner thinking she is going to be pinned for a crime she didn’t commit, she texts Ota. Ota texts back promising he will not tell anyone about, “that thing,” putting even more suspicion on Iris. When Date is unable to get any information from her, he psyncs with her.
Story proceeds to the green route or continues on the red route.
Red Route continued 1
Iris’ somnium is an abandoned warehouse with a few old fashioned televisions. Each one shows various animals that have been killed. It ends with an unknown figure kissing So Sejima. Having learned nothing from the psync, Iris is released.
Driving Iris home, she requests that her and Date stop at Matsushita Diner and they meet Ota. Questioning Ota about, “that thing,” Date is incapacitated. Aiba is able to record Ota telling Iris he is going to get the car ready as he leaves the diner. Aiba is only able to see their feet as Date is on the ground. Mayumi supposedly threatens Iris to leave her son alone to which Iris calmly walks towards her saying nothing. Ota returns asking if anything had happened, and when Iris denies anything, they both leave. Mayumi follows them. Learning that Mayumi suffers from dementia, it is unknown if she remembers this happening.
When Date regains consciousness, he receives a call from Boss who sends him a link to a livestream. Iris can be seen on a table underneath an ice cutting machine, her left eye removed. She can be seen breathing. He quickly gets into his car and drives towards the location, the Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse.
As he is driving and watching the stream, a large figure in a polar bear costume appears on screen, starting the ice cutting machine and leaving view. The saw blade slowly lowers towards Iris’ abdomen but is turned off by Ota. Ota threatens the now unseen culprit and supposedly goes to fight him off.
Date arrives in the nick of time. He finds Ota has been stabbed who is lying on the ground in a pool of blood but is alive. While Date goes to find the culprit, he is unable to. Both Ota and Iris are rushed to the hospital and undergo surgery. 
It is learned that at Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse, there is the Matsushita van and a stolen car. Ota’s story is that he and Iris stopped at a convenience store. When he was in the store, the polar bear stole the van when Iris was inside. Ota stole a car to pursue them but couldn’t find them until hours later.
When Ota has been stabilized, Date questions him but he is unable to get any useful information. Boss has Date psync with Ota.
In Ota’s somnium, Date relive’s Ota’s memory of the warehouse, albeit a bit exaggerated as Ota deems himself a heroic figure.
Story proceeds to the green route or continues on the red route.
Red Route continued 2
Date sees the polar bear is holding a custom knife that belongs to Mayumi. He goes to question Mayumi who confesses to being the New Cyclops Killer. While Date nor Boss believes her and think she is protecting someone, they interrogate her. With her testimony being unreliable, they decide to have Date psync with Mayumi. The psync is postponed as the machine is broken, so Date continues his investigation.
He finds Mayumi had followed Ota and Iris in a taxi. When they stopped at a convenience store, Mayumi also did the same at a nearby store so they would not spot her. She saw the van driving away, so they followed again thinking Ota was in the van. The van stopped at So Sejima’s mansion and then at the Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse. When Mayumi entered the warehouse, she saw the polar bear ripping out Iris’ eye. Because Mayumi did not know Ota was left behind at the convenience store, she assumes Ota is the killer which is why she confessed, in order to protect Ota.
It’s revealed that the knife was at the scene because back in Matsushita Diner Mayumi threatened Iris with it. Iris walked up to Mayumi and took the knife from her, leaving with Ota and the knife in hand.
Knowing the van stopped at So’s mansion, he arrives there to question So only to find So’s chopped up corpse. The body had been dismembered and stuffed into a decorative vase. His left eye is missing.
Date sends CSI to the Sejima household and returns to ABIS headquarters to psync with Mayumi.
Ota End
Date does not find anything related to the case in Mayumi’s somnium but was able to regain some of Mayumi’s lost memories. Mayumi and Ota reconcile in the hospital and both apologize for possibly having doubts of each other.
Yellow Route
Date sees that Ota was able to injure the polar bear’s leg during their confrontation. He is pulled out of somnium before he is able to see Ota unmasking the polar bear. When he asks Ota if he saw the polar bear’s face, Ota claims he did not and was stabbed as he tried to look.
Date and Mizuki return to Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse to have the pool of blood Ota was lying in analyzed. They find it has two peoples’ DNA, so if they are able to find out whose blood is mixed with Ota’s, they will know the killer.
At the warehouse, they spot So Sejima who is walking away with a limp. With suspicion on the politician, Date returns to the Kumakura office and retrieves So’s cigarette butt. They use it to confirm it is So’s blood in the warehouse.
Date and Mizuki raid the Sejima household. When Mizuki is held at gunpoint, Date and Aiba initiate a plan to incapacitate So. While it works, So uses the last of his strength to shoot. Date is able to protect Mizuki but gets shot in the left eye.
Date lives as the bullet was stopped in Aiba, his prosthetic eye, but he is in a coma. Mizuki psyncs with him to attempt to pull him out of it.
Mizuki End
Mizuki and Date visit a shrine they have been to in the past. They talk about how So was held countable for the New Cyclopse Killer victims despite Date having his doubts that the mystery was completely solved.
Green Route
Iris’ somnium is an abandoned warehouse with a few old fashioned televisions. Each one shows the original Cyclops Killer victims and how they were murdered. Having learned nothing from the psync, Iris is released.
Driving Iris home, she requests that her and Date stop at Marble, a bar owned by the informant, Mama. When they arrive, Mama is not there and instead Ota is sitting at a stool. Questioning Ota about, “that thing,” Date is incapacitated. Aiba is able to record Ota telling Iris he is going to get the car ready as he leaves the diner. Aiba is only able to see their feet as Date is on the ground. Mayumi supposedly threatens Iris to leave her son alone to which Iris calmly walks towards her saying nothing. Ota returns asking if anything had happened, and when Iris denies anything, they both leave. Mayumi follows them. Learning that Mayumi suffers from dementia, it is unknown if she remembers this happening.
When Date regains consciousness, he receives a call from Boss who sends him a link to a livestream. Iris can be seen on a table underneath an ice cutting machine, her left eye removed. She can be seen breathing. He quickly gets into his car and drives towards the location, the Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse.
As he is driving and watching the stream, a large figure in a polar bear costume appears on screen, starting the ice cutting machine and leaving view. The saw blade slowly lowers towards Iris’ abdomen but is turned off by Ota. Ota threatens the now unseen culprit and supposedly goes to fight him off. Shortly after, the polar bear reappears on the screen and starts up the ice cutting machine again. Iris is cut in half by the machine and the camera is splashed with blood.
Being the first to arrive at the scene, Date finds Iris’ body in two halves. On the table she originally was strapped to, there is a polar bear cut in half as well. Taking off the mask, we see Ota who is now dead. His eyes are intact.
Devastated, Date turns to another point in the investigation. He discovers a prisoner known as #89 is linked to the case and interrogates him. #89 is said to have been the Original Cyclops Killer. #89 tells the story of a man known as Falco who worked as a detective during the day and an assassin/hitman during the night. He got involved with the Kumakura gang and became a hired gunman for them. Eventually meeting a younger Hitomi and Iris, he began romantically seeing Hitomi and Iris began calling him, “uncle.” Falco decided to get out of the dirty business of being a gunman. The Kumakura gang leader, Rohan Kumakura, agreed to let Falco go as long as Falco performed one last kill, the target being Hitomi and Iris.
Date psyncs with #89 to learn more. Upon the completion of the psync, Date receives a video of So Sejima looking dazed with his left eye missing. He is shot in the head by a mystery figure who, when showing their face in the camera, proves to be Boss.
After a firefight, Boss is detained and psynced with. Her somnium is a warehouse with several doors, each main door showing the murders that have happened in the past few days. It shows a strange occurrence where each victim was killed by another victim: Shoko was killed by Renju, Renju was killed by Iris, Iris was killed by So, and So was killed by Boss.
Date and Pewter question Boss. Boss reveals that while it is Boss’ body, it’s not Boss’ mind. The mind inside Boss’ body belongs to Saito Sejima, So’s son who was said to be soul searching far away. He explains that if you stay in somnium for more than six minutes, the minds of the participants are swapped. Saito used a psync machine to transfer into Shoko’s body. As Shoko, she lured Renju to a remote location where she switched minds with him, meaning Renju’s mind was in Shoko’s body and Saito’s mind was in Renju’s body. Saito used Renju’s body to kill Shoko and tied her to the horse of the merry-go-round. He then switched minds with Iris and used Iris’ body to kill Renju. Then he switched bodies with his father, So, and killed Iris in So’s body. Lastly, he switched minds with Boss and killed So’s body with Boss’ mind inside.
Annihilation End
Saito claims this was all revenge and wanted his original body. Date comes to the conclusion that Date’s body is actually Saito’s original body, Date’s original body unknown. Saito threatens Date to switch bodies with him with Hitomi, showing him evidence that Hitomi is attached to a bomb.
Date and Saito switch minds but Date is too late and Hitomi explores.
Violet Route
In Mizuki’s somnium, Date discovers the completely frozen corpse of Iris with multiple stab wounds to her back and her right eye missing. Date is confused as he just saw Iris earlier. He then hears an unknown ringtone.
Upon awakening, Mizuki has not been cured of her aphonia. Date calls Iris and tells her to lock her doors and not go anywhere with anyone.
With the lead of the ringtone in mind, Date returns to Bloom Park to find where it was coming from. He and Aiba find a burner phone that had been thrown in the merry-go-round horse’s mouth. They track who called the phone when Mizuki was in the park and discover it was a person named So Sejima, a big politician.
Pursuing the mysterious phone call, Date hears that there has been a big car accident that Renju was in. After getting out of surgery, Renju escaped the hospital and cannot be reached.
Date makes a few stops finding out one, Ota could not reach Iris at all, two, Hitomi is a teacher and teaches Mizuki, three, Hitomi was able to cure Mizuki’s aphonia, and four, Shoko had ties to the Yakuza gang’s Kumakura household.
Arriving at the Kumakura office, he learns that the leader, Moma Kumakura, is a big A-Set fan. Date promises to introduce Iris to Moma in exchange for information on Shoko or Renju.
Finally returning to the phone call, he finds So leaving a warehouse. Inside, Date finds a body on a table: Iris. She is exactly as Date saw her in Mizuki’s somnium.
So is brought to ABIS and interrogated. While So claims he does not know who Iris is at all and that he did not kill her, he is psynced with. In So’s somnium, we see an unknown figure stabbing Iris. It is unknown whether the unknown figure is So or someone else. He saves Iris in So’s somnium before both of them wake up.
Date gets a call from MPD about the body he found in the warehouse. The policeman questions Date on where he found the body and when Date says the table, the policeman claims there is no body in the warehouse. Date arrives to see that indeed there is no body. Confused, he rushes to the Sagan household where he finds Iris fine and well. Because Iris amuses him with the idea of a parallel world, Date believes he saved Iris.
Continuing with his investigation, he finds that a prisoner in Fuchu Prison known as #89 claims to know who the New Cyclops Killer is. They call him out for interrogation, but he escapes by incapacitating Date and holding Pewter at gunpoint. It is revealed that #89 got in a car that fled the scene, that car being drived by Renju.
Desperate to find Renju, Date gets a call from Moma claiming he has seen Renju. Moma is introduced to Iris when he gives information, but Renju is in neither location.
Date and Iris go to Marble, a bar with an informant owner, Mama. He tells Boss and Mama about his trip and Mama claims someone will be there to talk to Date about Renju. Upon arrival, Date and Iris are attacked by several gunmen trying to kidnap Iris. They are able to defend themselves and escape unscathed.
Iris claims she is being hunted by a secret society known as NAIXATLOZ, also known as NAIX. She claims to have learned about their secret involvement with the Wadget System and that is why they are targeting her.
Date psyncs with Iris to see if what she is saying is true or not.
Story proceeds to the magenta route or continues on the violet route.
Violet Route continued
Believing Iris, Date promises to be her bodyguard.
The two find out from Mama that the person that was going to speak to Date was Futa Amanoma, which we know is Pewter. Knowing he is a traitor, Date confronts him where he explains that he intentionally let #89 escape because Renju asked him to do so. Pewter also admits to having let the hitmen target Date. Pewter then uses Aiba to perform an electrical shock in Date’s head causing him to pass out and kidnaps Iris.
When Date wakes up, he enlists Ota, Mizuki, and Moma to rescue Iris. They find her location at the Okiura Cold Storage Warehouse and perform a raiding party. After rescuing Iris, they all split up in hopes they would not be pursued and caught.
Date brings Iris to an abandoned warehouse where he finds a psync machine that was supposedly stolen and its location was unknown. Before he can read into anything, Iris collapses. Aiba does a scan and notices her brain is experiencing massive failure.
Date believes that if he psyncs with Iris and saves her in somnium, he can once again save her in real life.
Iris End
Iris wakes up and thanks Date for everything he’s done. Date promises that Iris is going to be okay and will continue to live. She begins to ask him something but succumbs to her condition and dies. Date yells her name to no avail.
Magenta Route
Date decides to not believe Iris about NAIX. She gets angry and runs off leaving a note saying not to worry about her and that she would be with the person she could trust the most.
Date learns that Iris is suffering from a brain tumor that will kill her within a few months which causes her to potentially hallucinate, explaining why she is so set on her belief that NAIX is after her.
Thinking the person she can trust is Renju, Date goes to Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse and finds the frozen corpse of Iris again. Hitomi is brought to ABIS to identify Iris’ body, but she is very calm. In order to find out the truth, Date psyncs with Hitomi.
We learn that eighteen years prior, Hitomi and Renju were friends with a girl named Manaka Iwai. Manaka became pregnant with So Sejima’s child and kept the baby. When the baby was born, she asked Hitomi to take care of the child so she could confront So about it. Saito killed Manaka by stabbing her in the back several times.
Rohan Kumakura, the previous leader of the Kumakura gang, is tasked with disposing of Manaka’s body. He pulls out her right eye before they bury her. Hitomi and Renju clean her up and freeze her body so they could expose So when the time was right. From then, Hitomi raised the baby as if it were her own, naming the baby Iris.
Hitomi explains that Iris was diagnosed with a brain tumor that would kill her. There was only one cure, using nanomachine treatment that was too expensive for Hitomi to afford. She decided to blackmail So with Manaka’s body to try and get money from him to fund Iris’ treatment. She put Manaka’s body on a table in the Okiura Fishery Cold Storage Warehouse and called So to the location and threat. That means the body Date saw earlier was not Iris and instead was Manaka.
Hitomi also explains that she did not come to the cops about it earlier because she got a call from someone who said they had Iris, and if Hitomi told anyone, Iris would be killed.
Date and Hitomi track down where the culprit is and enter a warehouse. Date is electrocuted and falls unconscious and Hitomi is kidnapped. When Date wakes up, he finds himself strapped to a stolen prototype psync machine with prisoner #89 looking down at him. #89 explains he is Saito Sejima, So’s son, and that he is the Original Cyclops Killer. 
The whole story started with a detective named Hayato Yagyu, known just as Yagyu, became an assassin/hitman. He got involved with the Kumakura gang and became a hired gunman for them. Eventually meeting a younger Hitomi and Iris, he began romantically seeing Hitomi and Iris began calling him, “uncle.” Falco decided to get out of the dirty business of being a gunman. Rohan agreed to let Falco go as long as Falco performed one last kill, the target being Hitomi and Iris.
Boss and Yagyu talk and decide to have Rohan and Yagyu swap bodies. Boss explains ABIS and psyncing, as well as if you stay in somnium for more than six minutes, the psyncer and subject’s consciousnesses would swap places. This would give Yagyu’s mind in Rohan’s body the opportunity to one, tell the Kumakuras to never touch Hitomi or Iris, and two, to kill Rohan in Yagyu’s body which would dispose of Rohan and Yagyu’s body who would be known as a hitman and scandal in the MPD. After they perform the psync, Rohan in Yagyu’s body escaped ABIS headquarters and went to kill Hitomi himself. Yagyu in Rohan’s body goes to save her, but in the process, accidentally shoots her.
Rohan’s mind is arrested and he is put in prison, given the title #89. Yagyu’s mind finds out that the Original Cyclops Killer, Saito Sejima, had an accomplice: Rohan. In Rohan’s body, Yagyu tries to get a confession out of Saito. Saito immediately is suspicious of Yagyu and learns about the psyncing process. He forces Yagyu to switch bodies with him meaning Yagyu’s mind is in Saito’s body, and Saito’s mind is in Rohan’s body.
The process is halted midway, however, which caused both of their memories to be shattered. This left Yagyu as an amnesiac where Boss finds him and gives him a new identity: Kaname Date. Saito in Rohan’s body was caught and since he was acting insane due to not knowing anything, he was brought to a hospital for the criminally insane. He was in Rohan’s body for five years until he pieced together his memory and escaped the hospital.
He lured Shoko out and swapped bodies with her and pushed Shoko, now in Rohan’s body, off the roof to make it look like a suicide. He then waited a year and switched bodies with Renju only to kill Shoko’s body with Renju inside. He went to kill Iris, but Iris refused to go with him because Date told her to not go anywhere with anyone. So, he had #89 escape and swapped minds with him. This meant that Saito’s mind was in #89′s body, #89′s body being Yagyu aka Date’s original body, and Rohan’s mind was in Renju’s body. Because of the car accident, however, Rohan’s mind perished when Renju’s body died from the accident injuries.
Finally, Saito explains he wants his original body back. Due to a brain deficiency, Saito’s body only could produce oxytocin when he killed something. This made his serial killing habit pleasurable. However, in other bodies, he did not feel this pleasure and therefor wanted his body back. Date is confused as even though he is in Saito’s body, he does not receive pleasure when killing and Aiba explains that she administers oxytocin to Date’s body regularly, preventing Date from going down Saito’s path.
Saito and Date switch bodies, meaning they are both now in their original bodies. Saito threatens Date with both Iris and Hitomi’s lives. Without being able to do anything, Aiba explains that she has a solution: she can self destruct in Saito’s eye socket which would cause his skill to explode. Date and Aiba agree that this is the only thing that can be done and Aiba destroys herself.
Resolution End
With Iris, Ota, Mizuki, and Hitomi now privy to the classified information about what ABIS is and the Original Cyclops Killer, Boss is able to pull some strings from the higher ups to buy their silence. Boss funds Iris’ nanomachine treatment and she undergoes surgery to have the tumor in her brain taken care of.
Three months after the treatment, Iris is released from the hospital and her and Date travel around the town so she can thank everyone who visited her.
At ABIS headquarters, Date is put to sleep by Boss. When he wakes up, he sees Pewter to alludes to Boss having done something and it is assumed he returns to prison for unintentionally helping Saito having thought it was Renju.
Iris eventually takes Date to the harbor where she has a surprise for him. He closes his eyes only to open them and see the Aiba. Aiba, having been restored, is now back by Date’s side and the two reunite happily.
The story ends with all the characters dancing and having a good time together.
Takeaways
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While I was playing, I had two predictions: one, that the person who was playing patty cake with Iris was Date, and two, that Date prior to his memory loss was the original Cyclops Killer. Both of these ended up being true in a sense, but there was still a much bigger picture I hadn’t caught onto until they were revealed which was very entertaining.
And it’s worth mentioning that there is a secret ending called Me and My Girlfriend’s Atami End. In interviews, Uchikoshi said that no choices you make in this game are wrong ones, but I’m pretty sure this ending is a wrong ending as it involves Date abandoning his investigation to run away with the receptionist of Lemniscate. I honestly thought it was a joke Date was trying to pull until the game actually gave you a Fin screen and made you save, haha.
It was also very interesting to learn that small things that happened in the game pointed to bigger narrative points about characters, like how Aiba would mention that Date’s dosage possibly increased which is later revealed to be oxytocin for Saito’s body.
As well as little things like how Date is the only character we refer to by his last name, Date and Yagyu.
It turns out that the stolen psync machine is a bit underdeveloped compared to the one in the ABIS headquarters, and one of the problems with it is the left eye must be removed in order for it to work. With the well functioning machine, nanocords are able to go around the eye and reach the brain, but with the underdeveloped ones, the eye must be removed for the cords to reach the brain. Since we learn that Rohan is the one that took the eyes of the Original Cyclops Killer victims, it makes sense that Saito didn’t need them.
I get very emotional over some of Date’s intentions, as well. While it’s not talked about in the game, it’s interesting to think that the reason why Date has such a strong paternal instinct towards Mizuki is because he had that with Iris while he was Hayato. He was awkward about it because he was never really a father as well as his built family was almost broken because of him.
And Date being such a well rounded character made it fun to play as him and explore the world around him.
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Even though AI: The Somnium Files wasn’t a perfect game, it was still very entertaining. It took me about twenty two fun-filled hours to play through the whole thing. I am very excited to see what Uchikoshi comes up with next, whether that be a sequel, prequel, or a completely new project!
#MyNameIsKagami
48 notes · View notes
rike-with-love · 5 years ago
Text
Melody of our Hearts (chapter 2)
Author’s notes: Here’s the second chapter as my apology for being MIA for so long!!
Pairings: Okikagu, Gintsu (minor), Takaban (minor)
Rating: M for mature content, bad language, fluff, light angst, enemies to friends to lovers
Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama or it's characters, Sorachi Hideaki does. I only own this story.
Chapter 2
<- Previous Chapter ~~  Next Chapter ->
”So the stage is reserved for us from 4pm to 6pm.”
”Okay,” Gintoki said to his loyal assistant, Shimura Shinpachi as he presented a piece of document in front of the silver haired CEO.
”And Kawakami-nim will take care of the soundtracks as we spoke earlier,” Shinpachi said and placed another paper on the desk.
Before Gintoki could answer him, third, fourth and even fifth paper was gently swiped to rest on the wooden surface.
”Here are the receipts we need to copy for our accountants – here's the official approval from the city to hold the concert – here's a bill of the advertisement for the concert.”
Shinpachi's words spiralled through Gintoki's ears, so much to remember and so much more to do. ”Oi oi,”, he wailed. Then, from the corner of Gintoki's eye, he saw yet another paper coming. ”Ne! Shinpachi!”
”What is it Sakata-nim?” Shinpachi asked and straightened his almost oval-shaped glasses.
”Please, you can call me Gintoki”, the man said, discreetly guiding the conversation to somewhere else. ”I'm not that into the honorifics.”
”But Sakata-nim, you're my boss now. I don't want anyone to think that I'm disrespecting you.”
Gintoki turned with his chair towards the young black-haired man. ”Shinpachi, we've been friends for years, you don't have to worry about that”, he said. ”Just leave the honorifics for the public stuff, ne?”
Shinpachi smiled and his brown eyes sparkled. ”I guess I can do that...Gintoki”, he said.
There was no-one who could call the young man rude in any way. He was a polite and hard-working person, someone Gintoki could really count on.
Shinpachi was also quite good with computers. Actually he was a lot better than Gintoki could ever imagine. In addition to his diligentness and computer skills, he had a decent sense of style. Actually he was the one who made Gintoki dress like a boss should.
Gintoki's taste in clothes was pretty casual, so he went with a white dress shirt and a light grey suit. A tie was an enigma he wasn't ready for, but maybe someday in the distant future.
Shinpachi on the other hand liked to dress up. He wore a light blue dress shirt with a beige cotton vest. He also claimed that his pants were dark blue rather than black, but no-one really cared.
Gintoki felt like he had successfully turned the tides of the conversation. But he was wrong, oh so wrong.
”Now, can we get back on the preparations of the concert?” Shinpachi asked, he knew very well his bosses lazy agendas.
”Haha, certainly”, Gintoki said with a forced smile.
Shinpachi flashed his shiniest smile and began to bombard Gintoki with documents. As the papers kept piling up, the easy-going CEO got lost in his thoughts.
Gintoki had always known it wasn't a cakewalk to run a business, especially not a record label, but that was the exact reason he had hired people to work for him. For Gintoki's salvation and headache, his employees worked faster than his mellow brain could adapt.
Maybe I could hire someone to be the boss so I could just jump on a plane and enjoy some parfaits under the sun in Bahamas, Gintoki thought to himself.
Not that he could afford a trip to the Bahamas. Or a plane. Or a parfait for that matter. More importantly, if Gintoki would distant himself from the company, he wouldn't be able to help Kagura in achieving her dreams as an idol. He was his manager after all.
When the Yorozuya Entertainment was founded, it was difficult to just get by. It took time to find idols, it took time to make music. There wasn't a possibility to hire more people and that was the exact reason Gintoki decided to become the manager for the label's idols. Just for the time being anyway, he had said. To get things started you know, he had also added.
The voice of Shinpachi finally snapped Gintoki out of his trip down memory lane and the pressing worry of the massive loan he had taken for the company.
”A bill from the security firm – a bill from the equipments we bought for the concert – a bill from the fabrics...”
Shinpachi's words sounded all the same to Gintoki. Why am I so lousy with these things, Gintoki thought to himself.
”GINTOKI!” A loud shout came from the door, startling both Gintoki and Shinpachi momentarily.
At the door was non-other than Shimura Tae, the head of public relations of YE, the older sister of Shinpachi and the one keeping Gintoki's laziness in check. ”I need you to sign these papers right now,” she said with a ominiously calm smile.
Tae, who more commonly went by Otae was a sharp young woman. After moving to Seoul she had graduated from business school with impressive papers.
Otae was one of the first persons Gintoki wanted to hire, she was a ball of endless ideas with an unwavering drive to make them happen. There wasn't anyone who could have been a better fit for the head of PR than her.
She looked very similar to her little brother, aside from her brown hair and her not needing any glasses. She liked to wear a tight pencil skirts and a matching blouse. Today's colors were purple and white.
Otae had shoulder length hair, often worn in a neat ponytail. She had bangs to frame her petite face nicely. Also, she wasn't shy with accessories, usually sporting a tiny scarf around her neck with a matching color as the rest of her outfit.
”Hello ane-ue*!” Shinpachi said. The siblings were originally from Japan, so they liked to refer to each other in Japanese. Sometimes it was funny to observe when the two got into an argument and the language switched immediately back to home shore.
”Hello Shin-chan*, did you give Gintoki all the papers?” Otae asked and pushed a dark brown strand of hair behind her ear.
”Almost there”, Shinpachi chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck a little.
As the Shimuras chatted, Gintoki was halfway sliding down from his chair.
”Uh, Gintoki?” Otae asked.
A single call of his name froze Gintoki right up. Otae had a flair in her voice, soothing but chilling at the same time. A perfect voice for tortu-...uh...negotating with people.
”Yes, Otae?” Gintoki asked and magically sat up while casually fixing the sleeves from his shirt.
”Would you mind signing this?” Otae asked and tapped a piece of paper with her pen. ”It's a permission to-”
Gintoki raised his hand at Otae, who stopped talking out of surprise. It was rare for Gintoki to act all bossy and condescending towards employees, friends – towards anyone really.
”Me and Shinpachi here,” Gintoki said and began to fondle the documents on his desk. ”We're a little busy at the moment.”
Gintoki didn't have anything against the adamant woman, he just wasn't in the mood to handle another important matter. It was probably something urgent as it came from her.
Shinpachi glanced at his boss with wide eyes. All of a sudden Gintoki was very into the paperwork.
”Yes, thank you for taking things seriously for once,” Shinpachi said.
Gintoki looked at the young man standing next to him. ”But I always do.”
”No you don't.”
”Nope, not even little bit.”
Gintoki huffed. He knew they were right, but he also wanted to be the boss. ”I'll forgive you this time, okay?” he said. Both Shimuras nodded as they were trying to take him seriously and Gintoki took what he got.
”Alright Shinpachi, give me all the details,” Gintoki said and actually took one paper into his hands.
”Ah, wait,” Shinpachi said and searched the stack of papers he was holding. ”Just one more.”
Gintoki elevated one hand, ready to receive the last document. ”Take your time Shinpachi.”
”Hah! Here!” Shinpachi cheered and offered the paper to Gintoki. ”Here's the rent-”
Gintoki moved like a shadow the second he heard the word 'rent'. Before anyone could say another word, Gintoki had grabbed his gray jacket from his chair and suddenly stood next to Otae, carefully examining the permission note she tried to offer him a moment later.
”I'm in a meeting right now Shinpachi, take care of those for me”, Gintoki said and walked out of the office with Otae.
”Heeeyyy!” Shinpachi yelled after them, a vain effort that he pretty much new from the start. ”You can't run from the rent forever!”
*
*
It had been a busy week at the YE building. After the release of Kagura's first single, Eli & Zura and Sugar Addicts released their first singles as well. Otae's PR plan for the company was to come out to the k-pop scene with a bang. Three new artists debuting at once was a real bang to say the least.
On top of everything, the free outdoor concert was well on its way. Almost everything had been taken care of, but Gintoki was a ball of stress on every single little detail. Yes, he appeared that he didn't care or had any interest on the matter, but that was just his defence mechanism. Honestly, he felt a little overwhelmed by the paperwork and stuff like that, but he cared.
Luckily he had Otae and Shinpachi. They were a power house together - and separately. They took care of running errands, permissions, equipments, all of that. This way Gintoki could focus better on the idols or as he so endearingly called the 'moneymakers'.
Gintoki helped everyone to prepare with the best of his ability. He wasn't a singer or a dancer, but he was a long time fan on k-pop. Yes, he was a grown man in his late twenties, but that didn't stop him from enjoying the music.
Gintoki understood showmanship, he was good at looking at the big picture, but he needed help with all the separate parts to build the idols into a functioning package.
Sugar Addicts had a member called Tsuu, going by the stage name Otsu. She had been dancing for several years. She sort of became the unofficial choreographer of the group and pretty much a choreographer for the whole company.
Apart from Sugar Addicts, none of the other idols had any prior professional dancing experience. However with Gintoki and Otsu's help, the rest of the idols; Kagura and Zura & Eli were able to add enough movement for their performances to pop.
Kagura had the rhythm and she had the spark, but learning steps wasn't really her strong suit. Still, she was better in dancing than Eli & Zura, a duo consisting of Katsura ”Zura” Kotarou and Elizabeth ”Eli” Dragonia.
Zura was a peculiar rapper/singer and an old childhood friend of Gintoki's. He was...how to put this nicely...he was a total corky lovable weirdo. Zura did all the vocals for the duo and Eli, well Eli played a synthesizer*. He couldn't really participate with the vocals as the man was mute.
When Gintoki was trying to get Zura to join his label, he explained that all the music could be produced by computers, but Zura didn't really care. He had only one condition before signing any papers, Eli and him would form a duo together, no matter how weird it sounded to anyone.
Gintoki knew it was a risk, there wasn't anything like that in the k-pop scene, but Zura managed to convince Gintoki that they would become the next big thing, the k-pop version of Modern Talking*. It sounded too interesting for Gintoki to pass by, so he agreed to debut the duo.
It was still a mystery where Zura had found a mute man named Elizabeth, but they seemed to be inseperabtle friends despite it all.
After Kagura's demand on finding someone to help with the costumes for the idols, Gintoki found Tsukki. She was a talented stylist who never told anyone her full name, she just went by with Tsukki. She was a beautiful woman with blonde hair and sharp purpleish eyes. She also had a scar on her left eye , but no-one dared to ask anything about it.
Tsukki was a woman shrouded in mystery.
And what it came to making music, Gintoki was totally at loss. Luckily the company found a musical genius to work for them.
Kawakami Bansai, a graduate from Korean National University of Arts. He was a prodigy. The young man was courted by many big companies when he was close to graduating. His future promised great things for him, he could have worked for anyone in the entire music industry, that's how talented he was. But...after graduating, he simply vanished.
No-one ever knew why did he go or where did he go. Well, there was one person who knew why he disappeared, but that's a whole another story.
So how he ended up working in a new, rather unsure record label? Gintoki and Shinpachi didn't know Bansai or his background in music when they met him for the first time. The man was playing a shamisen* in a park, eyes hidden behind sunglasses, expression telling of his fondness for the instrument he was playing.
Gintoki liked his music and he asked if the man wanted a job. Bansai paused his song and looked into the silver-haired man's maroon eyes. There was nothing suspicious in the way the man looked at him. For some reason Bansai felt like trusting this man, thou he wasn't even sure what trust even meant anymore.
Only after Bansai signed his contract in Gintoki's office, he casually mentioned his degree in music. Gintoki practically and literally fell off his chair, how could he have known the man was a mastermind in music.
Otae suggested on upgrading his contract and salary, but Bansai refused. The only thing he desired was to make music without crazy expectations and no questions from his past. Gintoki and Otae both agreed to his terms, they would have been fools to decline.
And there it was, the group of people who together formed the Yorozuya Entertainment and Gintoki couldn't be any prouder.
*
*
In a nice cozy office/work space of Tsukki, a final fitting was well on its way. Kagura twirled in front of a mirror and admired her outfit for the concert.
”Well, what do you think Gura?” Tsukki asked.
Kagura had her long vermillion hair done with her signature look. Two small buns on top of her hair. It was like she had small round ears made from hair. The rest of the her puffy hair was flowing free, reaching all the way to her lower back.
The outfit Tsukki had sown for her was a perfect fit. Kagura had a red, off-shoulder shirt with long sleeves. Tsukki styled a high-wasted black cotton skirt to accentuate her small frame.
The skirt reached just over Kagura's knee, the length matching nicely with her black ankle boots. No heels was Kagura's only wish for Tsukki when the design for her outfit was being created.
”It's really pretty Tsukki, I love it,” Kagura said as she played with a black  velvet collar around her neck. It even had a cute golden heart in the middle.
Tsukuyo crossed her arms and smiled. ”I'm glad to hear that,” she said and walked to her desk.
It was hard to tell it was a desk from all the sewing equipments and drafts of clothing covering the whole thing. She really needed a bigger room to work in, Kagura thought, but she very well knew this was all they could afford at the moment.
”You were the last one to do a fitting, every costume is now done for the show.”
”You're very efficient, yes,” Kagura pointed out to the blonde woman wearing a black form-fitting suit, hair cut into a short bob to fit the look.
Tsukki hummed happily. ”It wasn't that big of a project, there's only eight idols to dress after all.”
”That's true,” Kagura said and returned to posing for the mirror.
Tsukki began to dig out some papers to deliver for Gintoki. Probably more bills to pay for the poor CEO.
”Tsukki?” Kagura asked and looked at the ever elegant woman through the mirror.
”Yes Gura?”
”Don't tell A-Gin...but I'm a little nervous about the concert.”
Tsukki lifted her gaze up. ”Why would you be nervous?”
”It's just that...the interview for the radio went well, but...”Kagura paused.
”But what?” Tsukki asked. She seemed to be seriously nervous. Sure, Tsukki hadn't known Kagura for a very long time, but the girl was like an open book when it came down to reading her emotions. She was one of the most confident and robust personalities Tsukki had ever seen, so seeing her falter worried her.
”You can talk to me,” Tsukki said and connected eyes with Kagura through the mirror.
”Well...this is the first time I'm performing live and...what if I screw it all up...”
Tsukki abandoned her papers and walked straight to Kagura. She placed her hands on her bare shoulders. ”Listen to me Gura”, Tsukki said in a really empowering voice. ”Look at the mirror.”
Kagura did as Tsukki said, and looked at her reflection. She sure looked like an idol...it felt almost surreal. ”What do you see?” Tsukki asked her.
”I see...me and you.”
”Yes, that's true. What else?”
”I see...your pretty clothes, yes.”
Tsukki shook her head a little. ”Those are not my clothes anymore, they're yours to wear, yours to feel confident in.”
”O-okay...” Kagura answered unsurely.
”You don't have anything to worry about Gura, you know you were born to command a stage.”
A smile sneaked on Kagura's pink lips. ”Uh-huh...”
”Just be yourself and sing the crowd into a bliss, okay,” Tsukki said and squeezed Kagura's shoulders slightly before letting go.
Kagura turned to look at Tsukki as she returned to her desk to get back to work. ”Hey...” Kagura said.
”What is it now?” Tsukki asked. She didn't even spare a look at Kagura, but that didn't bother the young starlet. Tsukki was all about keeping up a tough exterior, rarely allowing many feelings out.
”Thanks for the pep talk,” Kagura said.
Tsukki glanced at the redhead. She had a pleased look on her face, but it lasted only for a second. She's a complete softie inside, Kagura giggled to herself.
A knock on the door drawed the attention of both women in the room. ”Come in,” Tsukki said.
It was Gintoki coming in. ”Ne, how are we doing in here?” he asked and rolled his shoulders a little.
Kagura cocked an eyebrow. Was the ever lazy Gintoki being nervous. A thought of something being seriously wrong immediately crossed her mind. It was the day of the oblivion when Sakata Gintoki would stress openly about something.
Suddenly Tsukki turned her face away from the door. "We're doing perfectly fine here Sakata-nim," she almost mumbled.
”Uh, great...” Gintoki said and gulped a little.
Kagura stared at Tsukki for a moment. Where did the ever calm Tsukki went, she wondered. ”A-Gin...can we talk a little?” Kagura asked and walked closer to Gintoki.
”Oh, Kagura...I didn't see you there,” Gintoki said.
”What?” Kagura almost laughed.
”I-I mean of course I saw you there, that's not what I meant jeez...”
”Let's go already, yes”, Kagura said pulled her foster-father towards the door.
Tsukki cleared her throat behind her desk and tried to get up quickly. ”Before you go-” Tsukki said before she bumped her knee on the wooden table. "Tsk!"
"Tsukki!" Kagura called.
Gintoki moved by instict as he rushed to check on Tsukki. He went to her side to see if he could help in any way. "Are you okay?"
"It's nothing," she hissed and turned to Gintoki, who was closer to her than she had expected for him to be.
Kagura watched in complete silence as the usually super serious stylist slithered away from her desk, with a flushed face. Her completely black suit just made her blush more apparent.
"I-I'm fine," Tsukki said and tried to compose herself. "Uh, there's some documents for you on my desk Sakata-nim."
Kagura noticed a sudden shift in Gintoki's behaviour.
”Ne, Tsukki...when will you drop those unnecessary last names and stuff like that,” Gintoki said and leaned his right arm's elbow against the wall. ”You can call me Gintoki.”
Tsukki rolled her eyes at the surprisingly suave boss. Kagura felt equally amused by him as Tsukki was agitated.
Without any warning Tsukki grabbed Gintoki by his open jacket, never breaking eye-contact with Gintoki. ”Listen Sakata-nim,” she said, face still adorably pink. This felt like the right time to take a step back for Kagura.
”I-it's Gintoki.”
”For gods sake, do you understand you are my boss? I don't want to raise any rumours by calling you anything else than Sakata-nim."
Gintoki opened and closed his mouth like a confused goldfish in its glass bowl.
"Do you understand?" she snapped and shook him a little.
Gintoki laughed nervously at the woman. ”Ahaha...I know, I'm...I'm just joking...haha...” he said and slowly quieted his laughter down.
Tsukki let the man go and pointed her finger at the documents she was talking about.
Kagura was waiting outside Tsukki's office. She had seen and heard just about everything and all of it tickled her funny bone. ”Let's go A-Gin!” Kagura shouted to draw his full attention.
”Ah, yes! We have to go now. Have a nice day Tsukki!” Gintoki said and shut the door behind him as fast as he could.
Gintoki exhaled deeply through his mouth. Kagura crossed her arms and waited for him to say something and to try to explain himself out of everything that just happened.
”Well...?”
”Well what Kagura? We should be going already?” Gintoki hissed a little. ”We need to go and check out the stage at the park and-”
”No no no...wait”, Kagura grinned at the man. ”Do you have anything to tell me...anything at all?”
Kagura was a young woman with a quick mind. She was excellent at picking up on things, not that anything about Gintoki's behaviour was hard to read. She had known him for most of her life after all.
Gintoki squinted his eyes at Kagura. ”What are you talking about brat?”
Kagura rolled her eyes. ”Well you obviously have the hots for Tsuk-” Kagura's statement was muffled out by Gintoki's hand blocking her mouth.
”Shhhhhhhhhh! Shhhhhhhh! Someone could hear you”, Gintoki whispered. He wasn't actually blushing...but there was a some kind of glow on his cheeks.
”Mmmffhghmmmmm!” Kagura tried to point out.
”What?”
Kagura pushed his hand off her mouth and frowned at him. ”You heard me.”
”I don't know what you're talking about”, Gintoki brushed her words right off. ”You kids nowadays think you know everything.”
Kagura was familiar with Gintoki's ways of handling difficult situation. He wasn't old, but he was an old(er) soul to say the least. He began to blame the youth when it was about remote controllers, computers or crushes.
”So are we going to the park now?” Kagura asked, graciously pretending she hadn't pointed out anything.
Gintoki smiled at her. ”Yes, we definitely are”, he said.
”Great, let me just change clothes,” Kagura said and pointed out her new outfit. ”I don't want anyone to see this yet.”
”Of course,” Gintoki said and walked Kagura to her dressing room.
Before closing the dressing room's door Kagura couldn't help but to tease Gintoki just a little bit more. "Oh, A-Gin!"
"Hmm?"
"I'm pretty sure she's into you too," Kagura said and vanished before Gintoki could do anything.
"H-hey!!!"
* *
Kagura stopped teasing Gintoki about the Tsukki thing, he seemed to prefer not to talk about it. Maybe some other time he could confess his crsytal clear feelings, but now he had so much more on his mind.
When Gintoki and Kagura got to the company's car, Gintoki had a simple question for Kagura before they entered the vehicle.
”Can I ask you something Kagura?”
”Uh-huh, ask away.”
”The concert is only one week away”, Gintoki said to her, voice remaining as calm as he was talking about puppies. ”How do you feel about it?”
Kagura smiled. ”Well...I'm very excited.”
”Good...good.”
”Yeah.”
”You're almost a fully debuted idol.”
”I guess I am,” Kagura felt like Gintoki was tiptoeing about something and it annoyed her. ”Where are you getting with these questions A-Gin?”
”Kagura, you're like my daughter...do you really think I'm not worried about your well-being? This industry is very stressful.”
”Worried?”
”Yes, I feel like you're not telling me everything.”
Kagura knew what he meant. So he had seen her nervousness through her smile, she thought.
”I...I'm just afraid.”
Gintoki's eyes sharpened at her words. ”Afraid?”
”...I know how much effort you've put into me, this company and everything...”
”That's true...but what are you afraid of Kagura?” Gintoki asked.
Kagura could feel her eyes getting watery. This was one of her biggest fear and talking about it made it feel more real. ”Well what if I screw the show up or something else? I don't want to let you down and-”
Kagura's rambling quieted down as Gintoki pulled her into his arms.
”Silly girl...” Kagura listened to Gintoki's voice. It was deep and endearing. Also fatherly. It was just what she needed to hear.
”You could never let me down, no matter if things won't work out the way we planned.”
Kagura answered his hug by latching her fingers into his gray jacket. Even the stupid soft fabric felt comforting.
”I'm still going to work my ass of, yes”, Kagura said and sniffed quietly.
”I know that already Kagura..I know,” Gintoki said and patted the back of her head.
”Can we go to the park already A-Gin?” Kagura asked and tried to calm down her voice. She didn't want to cry over stupid things, she was too busy to do that.
”Yes, let's go then.”
A/N:
*ane-ue: a honorific for a sister in the Japanese language *chan: a honorific for someone younger in the Japanese language *Modern Talking: a German duo consisting of singer Thomas Anders and arranger, songwriter and producer Dieter Bohlen *synthesizer: an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals that may be converted to sound *shamisen: a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument sanxian
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tres-spades-hotel · 6 years ago
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You Fell For the Paradox, Huh?
I was re-reading Eisuke’s Season 1 Epilogue to get affection for the VIP Room, and I noticed a lot of things that I didn’t realise before. So I decided to put it out in a sort of analysis post. (Disclaimer: any lines used in italics are by Voltage’s writers) Enjoy!
At the beginning of the Epilogue, Baba and Ota visit Eisuke’s suite (interrupting his and MC’s sexy time) and Ota asks why they fell for each other, what reason they had for it. MC’s reply is one of the reasons I also fell for Eisuke, she says:
“I like how Eisuke’s not kind… but he is.”
Ota then asks Eisuke his reason. And all he says is:
“Hmm… Who knows...” With a smirk on his face.
I found this quite funny since in the recent seasons and stories, specifically the crossover substory with Masquerade Kiss, Eisuke is more than happy to tell anyone and everyone, and shout to the whole entire world about his undying love for his MC. I haven’t played the recent story with the MK MC but from @flatsuke recent post on the story, it was quite obvious about who Eisuke’s whole world is.
In his Epilogue, Eisuke didn’t tell anyone about his reason for falling in love with the MC. The premise of the story was about the concept of explicitly telling someone you love them which Eisuke has never done before. He had to force himself to tell the MC ‘I love you’ but when compared to his Season 5 Forbidden Choices ending, Eisuke, on his own volition, says ‘I love you’ to the MC.
This is a major step up for Eisuke in achieving emotional maturity. It’s amazing to see how much he has changed, but also how much he hasn’t changed. In the first episode of the Epilogue, Eisuke says that he would fire the MC if her work wasn’t up to the high standard that is expected at the Tres Spades Hotel. He doesn’t treat her any different compared to the other employees. Like Baba said, it’s the paradox we fell for, right? Eisuke’s both kind and unkind, but he’s also changed so much, and at the same time not at all. Eisuke went from a man who felt absolutely not emotion, to a man who feels every type of emotion.
In Exposed Body, Exposed Heart, Eisuke is beyond caring about how he is presented when it comes to the MC. No matter what, she is his and he loves her infinitely to protect her against anyone who poses as a ‘threat’. Even if they’re childhood friends or family. In Doctor’s Orders, Eisuke went to a bar on his own when the MC went to a wedding. When the others tease him about it, he simply agrees with them that he’s lonely without her (”What would you do if I said you were right?”), spoiling their fun. These stories are the recent ones and they really show how much Eisuke has changed.
Anyway, back to the Epilogue, when Eisuke says ‘who knows’ to Ota and Baba, he makes it a game for them to guess why he loves the MC. But by the time its Season 5/6, every kind of reason ever for why you could be in love with someone is why he loves the MC so much. And he’s willing to show it off as much as possible.
Something that did catch my eye in the Epilogue was Eisuke choosing to not bring the MC to the 5th anniversary party in the hotel. This really confused me because it seemed so out of character for him. In the last episode of the Epilogue, when Eisuke and the MC are in the MC’s apartment, the MC asks Eisuke why there was a dress on his bed when she was cleaning his room. He says:
“That’s what I was going to have you wear to the party tonight.”
When the MC asks why he didn’t bring her to the party, he simply says:
“I don’t know.”
This seemed extremely odd to me because Eisuke is never unsure of anything. This may be the only instance that he does say ‘I don’t know’ (but if there are other stories when he does say this please tell me!). It’s not natural for Eisuke to be so completely unsure of something as simple as taking a woman to a party. Obviously, there could be a multitude of reasons for this, such as it was a plot device only and a reason was never actually made by the writers. The MC justified Eisuke’s decision by saying he doesn’t really need to show her off as his girlfriend anymore since they were no longer putting on a show like in the main story. However, why wouldn’t you want to show off your new girlfriend at a party? It completely confused me as to what kind of reason Eisuke could possibly have had for not bringing the MC to the party. There wasn’t any reason for Eisuke to have said no, right?
On the other hand, Eisuke may had been trying to comprehend (unconsciously) the idea of having a girlfriend who is really in love with him and is neither from a high class or dating him only for money. He wouldn’t have thought twice about taking a random woman with him as his date but because it was the MC, he suddenly didn’t know what to do. He’s never had someone who loves him like the MC does, he doesn’t have any real experience with unconditional love so this brings out a behaviour that is uncharacteristic of him as a character. Baba and Ota commented on how naïve Eisuke is and this definitely shows when he was said to have been bored at the party without the MC. Something as simple as love, is also equally as complicated.
At that point, Eisuke is battling with this idea of unconditional love which shows in the Epilogue. The MC comments how, despite them being girlfriend and boyfriend, Eisuke doesn’t dismiss the groupies who hang around him constantly. It’s not until one of the groupies attempt to slap the MC in the face when Eisuke realises that the groupies shouldn’t be around him. And this is a reoccurring theme: it’s only when the MC is in trouble or in danger that Eisuke begins to see clearer. Another example is the Season 5 Hidden Secrets when the MC was poisoned and the only antidote is in Japan. He realised that if he hadn’t kept the MC in the dark, she wouldn’t have been at risk.
In conclusion to this extremely looong post… we definitely fell for the paradox! Eisuke is an amazingly written, complex character who deserves all the love in the world! Re-reading stories from Season 1 and comparing them to the new seasons really shows all the changes in Eisuke’s character and I can’t wait to see many more amazing changes in the future!
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alexiethymia · 6 years ago
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Gintama and Family [anime and manga spoilers]
I have already found religion, but then I have also found Gintama
I cannot adequately explain the feelings I have for this show, how it made me cry, and laugh, so much, and fall in love with it so quickly. The combination of heartfelt emotion from impactful lessons interspersed with snorting my drink through my nose due to the crass humor and then followed by gross sobbing. 
I’ve said it enough times, but previously the only anime that could make me feel those full range of emotions, sometimes all at once were One Piece and Full Metal Alchemist. But where One Piece is about reaching beyond the horizon, following your dreams, and looking toward the future, while FMA is all about finding peace and accepting your past, I think Gintama is simply about the present, living day-by-day the only way you can. It doesn’t have to be grand. You don’t always have to be positive. You can live life feeling as if you have no dignity or goal, but live in the present as best as you can, since as Gintoki said, life will only get worse haha. 
But seriously, I’m a sucker for found family stories. 
You have Gintoki, as a child, who had no hope and no future, surviving among corpses, but not living. He eventually finds a teacher, but really more of a father, or that father finds him. You’re not sure where it starts, with Gintoki or Shoyo-sensei. In Shoyo-sensei’s words, they raised each other. Both solitary creatures who had reason to be scared of humans or hate humans or not just care about humans, but they found each other and they were each saved, and everything begins from there. 
Gintoki finds sibling disciples. Katsura and Takasugi become like brothers to him. They eventually end up burying their fellow students. He finds more brothers-in-arms in the war, Sakamoto and Kurokono. He ends up losing his father. By his own hand at that. And then he even ends up losing the brothers he saved.
Most of everyone at this point would have given up, broken down, cursed the world. Imagine the guilt and the loathing he must have felt at that point in his life. But small acts of unrelated kindness saved him, in a way in response to his own. Saving a little’s girl’s life. A promise made. Being saved by an executioner. An old granny’s kindness. Another promise made. 
He of all people should be one of those to hate the Amanto the most, but he takes one in and treats her like a little sister or a daughter. Family becomes a sukonbu-loving amanto and her monster dog god, a megane and his older gorilla sister, a robot meido, a neko auntie, and a baasan. Speaking of Shinpachi and Tae, I love the sheer number of family relationships/sibling relationships shown in Gintama: Kagura and Kamui and Umibozu and Kouka, Sougo and Mitsuba, Tetsuko and Tetsuya, Shigeshige and Soyo, not even counting the side characters, and how blood-related or found family both are shown to be as equally important. Shinpachi and Kagura, though blood-related they may not be, they look out and protect each other. Shinpachi is a weak feeble human who wouldn’t recover from sword wounds or gunshot wounds as quickly as Kagura but you’d lose count of the number of times he shields Kagura with his own body and protects her the way Kamui once did. 
So many people have lost a family member, but found family again. For Otose, despite not having kids, how must she have felt to have found Gintoki, especially as she would have been reminded of Tatsugorou. The same thing for Gengai who lost his son, and then besides Ginnoji, gains Tama and Kintoki, and the rest of his robots. Even robots and the bonds made with them aren’t treated any less than those with ‘humans’, though even the meaning of that is very subjective in this show. 
Despite losing Takasugi, Katsura is still there. As someone’s who’s been there with Gin since almost near the beginning, it’s so important that he’s there and he understands and supports Gin in his own Katsura way. He has Elizabeth and his Joui faction. He even comes to care for Shinpachi and Kagura, the same way Gin does. Sakamoto is there too with Mutsu and his Kaientai. And even Takasugi has his Kiheitai. No one ends up truly alone. And the four of them, the choices they made and the paths they walked on, no one can truly say which one was ‘correct’. Gin may seem apathetic, not caring about the fate of the nation and all that. But, it’s just that he doesn’t care about the unimportant things, but for things that matter, he care so much, it seems as if he’ll sink from the weight of it. But he still shoulders that burden. 
Don’t get me started on the Shinsengumi, and the bond between the Shinsengumi and the Yoruzuya, how the Shinsengumi are a found family of their own and how perhaps Gintoki gains a bash brother in Hijikata and is reminded of his petty rivalries with Takasugi and how Kondou sometimes reminds him of Shoyo, how home for Gintoki is now where his family is and home wouldn’t be home without them, a certain terrorist, a monster duck, a gorilla officer, a sadist, and a mayonnaise lover, how the Yoruzuya saved and protected the Shinsengumi, and now how the Shinsengumi sacrificed two years each with their own burdens (Hijikata despite his pride being demoted, Kondo despite his love for Otae going through with a political marriage, Sougo doing the dirty jobs he doesn’t want Kondo and Hijikata to do) and their own existence just so they could help rebuild the Yoruzuya
The bond between Hinowa, Seita, Tsukuyo and the rest of the Hyakka, how the story doesn’t shy away from the darkness of Yoshiwara, and amidst that, paints a beautiful story of motherhood
There’s also Sacchan, Zenzo, Kyuubei, Hasegawa and the rest of Kabuki-cho. And speaking of Sacchan and Zenzo, the friendship they’d formed, along with the rest of the Oniwabanshu, with Shigeshige. Soyo’s friendship with Kagura and Nobume. Nobunobu’s with Katsura and Sakamoto. How the barrier between the supposed ‘rulers’ and those to be ‘ruled’ are shattered, and how those who were supposed to be at the top learned the most due to these friendships. 
Nobume and Isaburo’s father and daughter relationship. And despite losing Isaburo, the connections she’d already made are still present, along with other connections through Shoyo. For Gintoki he learns he has a kouhai-deshi, a younger sister fellow student. 
Oboro, despite the tragedy of his life, dies not alone. Takasugi learns they have a senpai-deshi, an older brother apprentice. He honors the last wish of the first student of the Shoka Sonjuku. 
Gintoki shouting that he never lost anything. See he’s far from perfect, lazy, unmotivated, having scrupulous morals, probably a diabetic by now, but he makes a damn good father-figure or older brother or teacher, because he also learned from the best, just as how Shoyo learned from him (and Oboro) and through him, how to be ‘human’. Gintoki doesn’t fight to be the strongest, or for some lofty goal, or for something noble like changing the country. In fact, he’d rather not fight at all and just read Jump. He just fights for what he wants to protect, but see, he kept on making so many bonds that they grew wider and longer intertwining so many people, that it was only a matter of time that he would become the center of a country’s rising and falling. 
The word love doesn’t get thrown around at all, but you feel it deeply the emotions each of these characters feel for the family they may have lost, still have, gained, reclaimed, or found. Kagura reclaiming her blood family with those tiny hands of hers, and it doesn’t matter earth brother or blood brother or earth father or blood father, love isn’t an expendable currency. It only multiplies the more you give of it. Pirako wanting to reclaim her father, making mistakes along the way. Pirako and Jirocho atoning together. Gintoki realizing that perhaps he never lost Takasugi at all. 
How could a corpse-eating demon child ever have foretold that although he may be surrounded by death now and it would continuously haunt his footsteps, he would eventually be surrounded with so much love and bonds and people in the future? 
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