#Story Chat Y3

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #21: The Grand Adventure by Diana Peach

Welcome to August Story Chat for the second chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Diana Peach is new to Story Chat, but not a new author. At last count, she had published more than 20 titles in a…

[todayisafridaynight]

what makes minedai even sadder is that we never rlly see daigo try to build a bond with anyone else like he did with mine it rlly shows how badly it effected him like yeah he reached out to shinada in y5 but that’s rlly it and he probably would wanna leave him alone after that and not involve him in any yakuza stuff so i don’t think they would’ve hung out or anything like that afterwards. All he rlly had were saejima and majima but they were more like babysitters than anything, wish we saw more of their dynamic tho like we did with majima and daigo in dead souls since that was fun and we were lowkey robbed but in canon he’s just as lonely as he was before majimas promise to kiryu. And mine is the only person he really had a meaningful relationship with romantic or not they were still really close and we don’t see that again with daigo ever (from what i recall after y3) ok sorry for rambling LMFAO

even with shinada, he reached out to him more so out of 'duty' and trying to make up for the misfortune that befell him because of yakuza than wanting to rekindle any kind of friendship they might have had in high school (though it sounds more like they were just acquaintances if shinada needing a second to remember who daigo was is anything), so yah i doubt they really had any kind of bond afterwards

dead souls really was the only time after Y3 where we got to see daigo be more sociable with someone, but its as you say majima and saejima are more like retainers than close friends

[akiiyamashun]

I know you mentioned you enjoyed Akiyama and it pushed you to pick him up as a muse.

What was the exact reason on why you picked him up? Was / is there something that the fandom portrays him as and you don't? What is one dynamic you love to explore more about that isn't talked about enough yet you want to? Annnnnd what's your thoughts on how Akiyama would be & react towards about the homeless in Yokohama?

I know he will definitely be open towards them and understand their situation, but how would he go about in interacting with them?

unscripted asks . always accepting

Beck, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for sending this ask because I realized that I might not have... Fully explained the reasons why I picked up Akiyama as a muse (at least not after officially opening up the blog!). And not only that but all these other juicy things, too! Ugh, thank you so much for this!

But first things first: I picked up the Yakuza games again after I started chatting/plotting with @sixthxchairman over at my other blog, and Y3 was... A not so fun experience, to put it mildly. It is my least favorite entry and I struggled to move forward because of 2 main things: graphics/technology whiplash (I went from Y0 and Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 to... A PS3 remaster haha; it was a jarring experience) and the story. Gosh, the plot and pacing of Y3 is just strange, with a lot of dad Kiryu content that I did not particularly care for, Daigo being mostly off-screen and just confusing/cliché conspiracies including lost twins and everything.

I did not know a thing about Y4 when I started - I just wanted more Daigo content, really - and then Akiyama Shun happened and oh. my. god. I was smitten with him right at the beginning - confused because I had no idea we were getting non-Kiryu protagonists at the time, but I thought his initial scenes with Hana amusing; I absolutely LOVED his fighting style (I’ve always done very well with him, as opposed to Saejima, for instance) and by the time Kido did the introduction with that voice-over about who he was and everything, I was sold.

Akiyama is just a very likeable, charming and refreshing character for me - Kiryu is not a favorite of mine and I largely played the games for the other characters/overall lore (and Majima, my original love from Y0 haha). But then suddenly there was this guy, with mysterious motivations and great lines, awesome voice and fun moves. I was entranced - he felt more relatable and an everyday sort of guy than Kiryu and his mythical fighting skills and legendary reputation etc. Also a protagonist I did not feel like groaning at and questioning his motivations every 5 minutes.

As I got further with the game and then somewhere along Y5, I was so deep into Akiyama hell that I knew I needed to write him; I started creating backstories, motivations, relatives and a lot of things to explain why Akiyama is who he was and my portrayal was born. I like to think I’m rather singular in the aspect that I don’t personally think he’s stupid/lazy or a shallow comic relief - sure, he acts like that sometimes, but my interpretation of Akiyama feels like it’s different from most of the fandom in the sense that I see him as someone with above-average intelligence, with strong anti-system bias and who genuinely wants to make life for others better. There are a lot of particular political and societal views that I incorporate in how I write him. 

On your second point: I would absolutely love to have the chance to write homeless!Akiyama or even his past, arrogant self prior to his fall from grace. I think these two are sides to his personality I haven’t yet touched in detail and which would be fun to flesh out more - despite the fact that he is not yet the Akiyama Shun we all love and adore. Particularly his homeless era - the original one post-Touto scandal, and not during Y6 - is a period that fascinates me because it was hard, dark and a lesser man would have been destroyed by it; somehow, he managed to not only survive, but to be reborn as someone he’s happy with and confident with his role in the world. There is a reason I keep associating himself to the phoenix so much (in addition to the little in-game hints, too).

And finally your third question re. Yokohama - I sincerely think Akiyama has an edge there because he’s not formally anything (he’s a civilian running a legitimate business), but Y6 suggests that he’s considered an ally/connection to Daigo and maybe he could be targeted by the Omi as well if he stayed in Kamurocho as a Tojo loyalist (despite not being yakuza!). Although I don’t think they would personally go after him - because, again, he’s a civilian and the entire idea of taking control over Tokyo was doing it in a way that was different from the open all-out yakuza wars - I still think it might have driven him to someplace near for a breather and discover/interact with the people there.

I sincerely think his modus operandi would be similar to what we see in the other games because he would offer food/minimal material comforts and try to understand what is going on in the city first - but the moment someone tried to take advantage of them (such as charging protection money), he would fight back and likely get pulled into the Ijin Three mess because that’s what he does - he keeps being dragged into underworld business because he won’t stay quiet or put, haha. 

But chances are (unless he crossed paths with Kasuga and friends) that he wouldn’t go deep into their business or the power structure in Ijincho - he would attempt to negotiate some deal for these people, and probably work with Hello Work/local organizations to try and find employment or better long-term solutions. I don’t doubt he would grant loans himself, or just try to find a way to put their skills to good use and overall make a difference.

[blackinquisitors]

so far in my happy ever after au, which is basically "everything I wish happened":

both kiryu and majima having their ishin hair bc they look unnecessarily sexy w it

majima does not rejoin the Tojo clan at the beginning of y3, and instead stays in Tokyo w the sole purpose of finishing up kamurocho hills

when kamurocho hills is complete, majima moves his construction company down to Okinawa and moves in w kiryu to take care of the morning glory kids. he also rebuilt the orphanage when mine tore it down and made it 2 stories tall and capable of housing more kids if they wound up on the doorstep

majima construction works together with the HLA to reintegrate ex yakuza back into society, especially after the anti yakuza laws go into effect around 2011

saejima also moves to okinawa and gets a teaching job (bc he said that if he wasn't yakuza he'd be a teacher + the dojo training side story 🥺). he works as a tutor in his spare time to kids w ex yakuza dads, since tutors typically wouldn't take those jobs

yasuko gets beefed up in this au and is a little bit Not Quite Right and has no problem killing people so she acts as a sort of defender, just straight up killing people who try to fuck with her family in okinawa. and yes she lives

rikiya also lives

Haruka has much more agency and majima teaches her how to fight, since kiryu is too stubborn to. this leads to her realising her own strength and having more confidence in herself

it also means that she gets the taste for blood a little bit and kicks the shit out of the next person who tests her. she gets counselling also

akiyama and Hana are together. and Hana does not lose weight. bc fuck that plot.

makoto and majima are long distance friends and video chat frequently. she sends him post cards

nishiki lives. he was severely injured in the millennium tower explosion (amputated right arm, missing right eye, mobility + balance issues that make him use a wheelchair) and majima helps him get used to the only having one eye thing

nishiki tries to keep holding on to his hatred for kiryu but it slowly ebbs away while he recovers and goes to physical therapy, and when he finally shows up at morning glorys doorstep and sees Kiryu, he breaks down crying and apologizes

him and kiryu bond thru playing tony hawk pro skater. yes yes

[rebeccacclarke-blog]

Y3 / S1 / Week 4: Interview: Mind-map

During this weeks class we finished off the final touches to the mind map, such as colour to separate the sections better. After finishing this up, we then printed our mind-map on A3 to allow the interviewee to write and express their thoughts and feelings on paper if they wanted to option to. 

We then asked around in class for a participant for an interview. We were aiming to user test our interview method before expanding the amount of people we ask. 

Anonymous interview: Impressions

First impressions: 

Likes the colours

Wanted to start at green, green means go - the way my mind works

‘Oh gosh’ first impression, But likes the layout, as it’s different

During this interview, our interviewee noted many issues with our interview process and a few possibilities of improvements.

Things they noted:

This interview should have a choice to be anonymous as many of the questions they might not want to be associated to by name.  

Should have a choice to skip a section of questions they don’t want to answer as when you first start answering questions you can’t really stop in between.

Be more empathetic….Was there anything you or someone you know could have done about it? 

Start where ever you want, gives the interviewee some agency…

What’s your opinion on festival security? Your experience with narcotics…

Expand on social situations part, peer pressure, related to drinking First started drinking at a partyMind Map, not to daunting, likes charts and graphs to guide interview

Anonymous interview: 18 / 03 / 19

Respect:

Do you feel that people at events respect your belongings and self?:

Not really.

Have you ever had items stolen or damaged at an event?:

Yes, Definitely, it’s not fun

I was at a dave dobbyn concert years ago and I left some stuff outside, cause I had a little backpack with me because I was a kid. The backpack had hay fever meds in it and I went to go to the store and I walked in and I came out and someone had stolen my backpack and they took this like little kids back pack.

I have also had some mates loose phones, bags, wallets.

How did this make you feel?

Just really sad, it was a nice backpack

What did you do about this?

I cried, I was about 7

Drinking:

How much do you usually drink in one sitting?

8 to 10 standards

But if I am with my friends, I Super lightweight so that's always fun, only really need about 10 standards, anymore more than that I am off.

Do you feel pressured to drink?

No

Do you pressure others to drink?

Yea, mainly cause I have lots of spares left over and I am like go on, but if I have a mate that just doesn’t drink I will be like here is some juice or something.

How often do you drink?

It depends, only drink socially, unless with my dad, he is a beast, can knock back a crate or two

Do you have any regrets from drinking? Please explain

No surprisingly actually, do tend to keep a cool head, haven't done anything too crazy

Widely sensible drunk

Had drinking ever lead you to a situation where you were not in control? How did it make you feel?

Yes, not in control

I was really scared because I was at my friends party and the host was like “hey, we are going to go on a macca’s run” and I was like “yea sure” he was real chill and and we asked had he been drinking and he said “nah”, got in this truck, ten seconds in we are like oh gosh he is pissed, he was like on the other side of the road and we got out at the Mc Donalds and were like we are not getting back in this car, pretty spooky, just glad it was as 3am and no one else was on the road. (drunk driving)

Events / Festival experiences:

Have you been to any events or festivals?

Yes

Not often

What were your experiences like?

Mixed experiences, which is why I don’t go to them often.

My dad is a regular attendee of the burning man festival, he wants to take me next year.

Seen both good and bad

Bad:

Have heard some horror stories from friend who went to RnV

Bad experiences, people on really illicit drugs, can be scary/ creepy don’t know what’s going on, there's always one person that ruins the day for everyone.

Be with friends and some of them would get groped which is not fun.

Good:

Heavy metal concert, very wholesome, metal-heads are really friendly and lovely, helping lost kids by putting them on their shoulders, crazy and awful with the death wall, there were still people helping even though it was crazy.

Unexpected, but good and everyone was really nice and wholesome.

Mosh Pits:

Do you feel safe in mosh pits?

Yes and no, more leaning towards yes, because I am 6ft 2, also no because all the other guys are like ooo punching bags, sometimes happens in town when I am with all of my friends which are mostly women, have to stop guys from stop groping girl mates. Guys sometimes try to start fights.

Do you like being in mosh pits?

Yes, like being in mosh pits, do I feel safe in mosh pits yes, is there danger yes.

Have you ever had any bad experiences in mosh pits?

No

Witnessed something bad and it quickly gets taken care of, always accident never anything malicious, people are mindful.

Social Situations:

Have you ever felt vulnerable in a social situation?:

Scared in social situations, yes

Surrounded by people you don’t know, if your in a group and you don’t know any of the inside jokes, awkward/outcast,  bit of a challenge to try and fit in

Peer pressure - definitely, had to leave a social situation because everyone was doing crazy things I wasn’t comfortable with so I just left.

Sexual Harassment:

How do you define sexual assault?

All about consent, not being comfortable in a sexual situation where someone is clearly taking advantage of you.

Sexual Harassment- unwilling party being exposed to something they aren’t comfortable with.

Have you been sexual assaulted?

Very long time ago but, yes (ask if you are comfortable … be more empathic)

How did you feel?

Not very fun, not good at all

Did you do anything about it?

No didn’t do anything about it, because I was only 6 and scared

Event Improvements:

What do you think could make events better? Please explain...

Security needs to feel friendly, mingling with the crowd

Western Springs, cops with casual clothing, police uniform, flannel shirts, armed, very friendly, private security, chatting with everyone

What makes an event feel safe or unsafe, the vibe of the event if its an event where, for example a mental concert friendly, people with kids.

Some events have undertones, some people aren’t having a very good time, sounds bad but you look at some dudes and you can see he is here for the wrong reasons, sometimes you can tell other times you can’t tell till its too late and he is with one of your friends and you can tell she isn’t at the wheel.

What would you do if you saw this guy there for the wrong reasons?

Friend got drink spiked, and he started vomiting in the gutter at family bar.

I have had my drink spiked a couple times it’s not good, feel really nauseous, almost like if you have ever been in a strobe light it’s like you don’t see things normally, you feel abnormal, loose, can’t feel anything and if you eat certain things you will just start throwing up, your in your body but not in control, scary, luckily me and my friends realised it and made a beeline through a crowd home.

[steveramsdale]

Well, What Happened Blog

Well, what happened? Blog

Sort of something, but not quite.

This blog starts with the exciting development for which we have waited but then goes…..ahhh.

We’ve bought a van! On Sunday, almost as planned (it was supposed to be Saturday) the deal was sealed. That sentence was easier to write that the actual process was to complete.

I think I had explained that I needed to meet the owner at the office of a notary (notarious) who had to witness the deal and prepare the formal documents. I had also been told I would need an interpreter. I asked if this needed to be some kind of official person but was told, no, I could bring a friend. Our very good friend and local colleague, Kate, agreed to help us. This turned out to add a small complication!

Why does it go…..ahhhh? I am not allowed to drive the van until I have been to register for number plates at a local police station and then purchased insurance. So I have not driven anywhere this week. Doniyor, who sold the van to me is coming today (Saturday) to help me again to find the police station and get my number and have his number plates removed. This means that I may be driving later today – that is one more complication! There is also a positive development. But first, the sign over story.

You know that my original contact was with the father who ‘owned’ the van although it was legally in the name of his youngest son who was in Moscow. You also know that the middle son is the most fluent English speaker with whom I have been communicating for the most part. He contacted me about what I would need – including an interpreter- but on Friday asked if we could do the deal on Sunday instead of Saturday.

On Sunday morning, the two brothers and, as it transpired, the wife of the younger brother, were heading my way. I put Kate in touch with them to arrange meeting places. The brothers were in two cars so middle brother picked up Kate and younger brother and Mrs Brother came for us. She is also a primary teacher (and has a class of forty Y3 children).

We all met at the office which is further to the west of the city than we have previously been. It is fair to say that it is an old and well used building. It was also very busy. I will not offer a prize to anyone who has guessed that we were there for nearly three hours! During that time, many people came and went – all transactions in the realms of car sales, house buying, rental agreement etc are conducted through a notary, so the services are in demand.

The brothers went to start proceedings with the admin side and suggested to me that the use of an unofficial interpreter might, in fact, be problematic and that I should give the impression that I was practically fluent in Russian. This is about 20 years from being the case. We shortly has our first meeting with the notary who inquired as to my understanding. I was unwilling and unable to deceive him. He asked Kate about her qualifications and was satisfied as long as he could see her diploma. She had not been asked to bring this. He agreed that a picture of if from her father would suffice. We then left this first meeting.

The middle brother then had to leave on other business. Kate had to negotiate with and coach her father on the electronic transmission of a picture of her relevant certificate- another easier said than done event. As the rest of the procedure was progressing slowly, this was not a particular problem. However, in the end he had to seek the assistance of their neighbour for the task to be completed.

There was much back and forth for the younger brother to the admin office and various questions – such as had I had my passport translated in to Uzbek (no). This gave us time to chat to his wife (you may have guessed that I have forgotten her name). You may also be wondering if she had simply come for a morning out (no).

Eventually we were summoned back to the office of the notary. Questions were asked. Documents were scrutinised. Various forms were signed and stamped. It was revealed to me that when a man sells his car, his wife has to be there to confirm that she gives permission for the sale(!). We are not, generally, living in the midst of gender equality, it is fair to say, but this is one, small mark in the positive column.

I had to sit with Doniyor on a small sofa and hand over the cash. He had to count it – no, that was not the longest part of the transaction. And finally, the documents were handed over, hands were shaken, I chose the wrong Uzbek farewell ‘greeting’ to use with the notary and we were able to leave the building that was starting to feel like home.

Briefly breathing the fresh air, we then had to go the 20km or so to their house to get the van which Doniyor would then drive back home for us. Of course there was tea. We were also given somsa, fried eggs and fried potatoes, home made jams, bread, home-produced honey and apricot juice and more tea. Dad explained a few quirks of the van and we generally had a pleasant time. The drive back – about 30 minutes- was great.

What of the other complication? Do you have time to hear of it? Ok.

Later on Sunday, I had a very little drive around our compound. I had forgotten about the joys of driving before power steering was invented. But it was fun. I reversed in to our garage, which is now not just a cat refuge. On Monday I did not start the engine but did have a good look at some jobs that might be priorities in the conversion process. On Tuesday I did decide to start the engine and drive around the estate again but I could not start the engine. I remembered that on our first viewing, they had trouble also and used a power pack to jump start it. I had bought one and brought it back with me, but this would not help. I decided that the battery was done. So on Wednesday, we went to buy a new battery – which entailed another several sentence story I will not relate. However, this still did not enable me to start it. I am confident that Doniyor will get it started on Saturday and show me the technique. I also have a mechanic coming to see it and make a list of jobs that need doing. This story will run and run.

The other positive development began on Monday evening at choir practice. Our American friend in the choir drives a diesel Land Rover so I was asking him where he gets fuel and we discussed my purchase. He then told me about someone he has met. This man, who is either Dutch or Scandinavian, runs a business and a few sidelines – for example, he employs craftspeople who are reupholstering Pete’s furniture. However, this man (Pim) drives a vintage car he has restored. He has workshops which include such this as welding equipment. Pete felt sure he would be interested in and able to help me. I called Pim and he is indeed ready to get involved. Those who know me well know I am not a talented DIY type person. I also lack any tools. Our aim had been to do very basic conversion work so the van was fit to drive home as a simple camper and then do a more thorough conversion in the UK. Now it seems we may be able to do a unique Uzbek conversion that will last. We shall see. It begins.

I was just going to add – ‘I saw EB’ and leave it at that as this was turning into a longer than usual blog. But then…. I have to admit that I was predicting EB for mid to late February but I thought I saw one on Sunday then definitely saw one on Monday. However, on Thursday, one of my taxis was an EB and it had the total new car smell, unlike the, as yet unnamed, van. (Suggestions on a postcard.)

If is as well that I did not even leave НБУ – our little estate- on Saturday and that not one child said one interesting thing, otherwise, this blog would never end. As it is, that’s it. Until next time.

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #20: "Least I Can Do" by Doug Jacquier

Welcome to August Story Chat for the first chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Doug Jacquier is one of the original contributors to Story Chat, whom you may know as “Editor, Witcraft.” The…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #19: "Cozy Coffee Cafe" by Kay Castaneda

Welcome to July Story Chat for the second chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Kay Castaneda is a new contributor to Story Chat, but she is a voracious blogger whom you may know as “Bookplaces.”…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #18: "The Rebellion" by Sadje

Welcome to June Story Chat for the second chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Sadje is a new contributor to Story Chat, but she is a voracious blogger whom you may know as “Keep It Alive.” She…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #17: "Let the Chips Fall" by Marsha Ingrao

Welcome to June Story Chat Y3. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. This is my second story for Story Chat. During Story Chat, new and old friends come together for a week to chat about the story. Comments are curated and compiled into a summary post for posterity. We invite you to…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #16: "Cruising at Half Speed" by Suzanne Vickery

Welcome to June Story Chat Y3. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. This is Suzanne’s first story for Story Chat. During Story Chat, new and old friends come together for a week to chat about the story. Comments are curated and compiled into a summary post for posterity.  “Cruising at…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #15: "Waiting" by Philip Cumberland

Welcome to May Story Chat for the first chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Philip is a veteran contributor for Story Chat, and you may also know him as “Fenland Phil” “Waiting” by Philip…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat Summary #14: "Chorale" by Cathy Cade

The Story’s Success With 97 recent views, 25 likes, and 84 comments, this month’s SC story, “Chorale” by Cathy Cade, was a huge success. If you love to read short stories, you will enjoy Story Chat. For links to all of the SC stories, bookmark the Story Chat Page. What Cathy Said About her Story Chat Experience “Thank you for reading, and commenting. I’m pleased you enjoyed it. 🙂” Cathy…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #3: "Chorale" by Cathy Cade

Welcome to April Story Chat for the second chat of the month. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. The readers, in turn, chat with her and each other, analyzing the story. Cathy Cade is a regular contributor for Story Chat, but you may also know her as “Writing Wrinkles.” Her blog is…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat Summary #13: "In Search of Light" by Miriam Hurdle

The Story’s Success With 231 recent views, 44 likes, and 183 comments, this month’s SC story, “In Search of Light” by Miriam Hurdle, was a huge success. If you love to read short stories, you will enjoy Story Chat. For links to all of the SC stories, bookmark the Story Chat Page. What Miriam Said About her Story Chat Experience “Hi Marsha, thank you for featuring my story on your Story Chat!…

[tchistorygal]

Y3 Story Chat #23: "In Search of Light" by Miriam Hurdle

Welcome to September Story Chat Y3, our seventh month of year three. Story Chat is a unique blogging program in which a different author bravely shares their short story with Always Write readers once or twice a month. This is Miriam’s first story for Story Chat, but she is a well-know author. During Story Chat, new and old friends come together for a week to chat about the story. Comments are…