#also the idea of him being around 60 in that god awful outfit with his full chest out is hilarious

[hnnnnnnnm]

How old do you all think Jonathan is in Arkham Asylum? I've seen people say 50s'-pushing 60 and that's so crazy to me. Mate's almost 70 in AK he should be in a retirement home

[chidoroki]

TPN - “Dreams Come True”

What better way to cheer up the TPN fandom after the second season’s final episode than with the special exhibition chapter finally being fully translated. I caught glimpses of a few pages here and there over the past couple months but seeing all the children live happily together in the human world in their own little village that they made close to Emma and Alex warms my heart. Of course I would’ve loved if we got to see more of the GP Resistance (because the anime denied us of them) but following the GF kids around the world as they experience their dreams is fair enough. We started the series alongside them so might as well finish strong with them too. I really loved seeing everyone grow up but no matter how old they get or how much time passes, I’ll probably never get used to seeing Emma without her iconic “63194.” It’s a bittersweet feeling for me, but her smiles bring me so much joy and I’m beyond happy that she accepted everyone into her life as they accepted her without her memories.

I haven’t a clue on how much time passed since everyone found Emma in ch181 to now, but seeing her call out everyone’s names is a little detail that I love so much considering she had no idea who anyone was at first. Trying to remember 60+ names doesn’t seem like an easy task to me. No doubt I was just as shocked as our girl upon learning these mere children bought a goddamn plane! We learn in a couple pages that it’s because of Norman’s company that they can afford it, but still, he’s like 15 or 16 now? He’s still a child! And I’m impressed! Not only at him, but that Oliver and Violet became pilots as well! It’s especially cute when you remember that Lucas gave Oliver a little toy plane during their time at Goldy Pond.

Speaking of GP, is it just me or does Emma’s current outfit resemble her GP one just a little bit? Sure we have no idea what color scheme this one has but come on, the short jacket, the dark shirt and jeans.. just imagine it! Jemima, Yvette, Alicia and Mark remade Gillian’s original GP outfit sometime before the Grace Field Raid arc (ch137 extra page) so I don’t doubt they could’ve done the same for Emma. Of course that’s just me being completely hopeful and missing the Goldy Pond arc to death but yeah! I’m also so happy to see Chris up and moving again! Seeing him wake up briefly in ch181 was nice but this is so much better. I imagine he and Emma have a lot to catch up on in terms of stories, with him being unconscious since ch105 and Emma not remembering anything.

But here we go, the original 15 escapees plus Norman, Phil, Sherry, I believe I saw Carol somewhere and a couple other random kiddos ready to see the entire world. They get to accomplish so much.. and in a single day too I believe? At least that’s what Phil and Alicia say a bit later about everyone’s wishes, but aahh what a lucky bunch. Hell, I’ll say we’re lucky readers too to be able to see such a great story. Can’t thank Shirai and Demizu enough y’all. I wish we got to see more of Alex though. He’s such a kind soul but I’m sure he’ll be just fine staying behind with everyone else.

This entire page where we learn about Norman as a CEO is gold. I still can’t believe this child successfully built up an entire multipurpose company not only to help their search for Emma but also because he didn’t want to live off the Ratri clan. I wish I knew about this last week when writing out Norman’s birthday post because hell yeah this deserves some praise! AND he managed to graduate school as well during all that! Well, by skipping grades which totally makes sense. I mean, if he managed to pass all the Grace Field and Lambda tests effortlessly I’m sure normal human world school was a piece of cake for him. Holy shit dude, keep on impressing me why don’t ya. Not only him but Nigel and Sonya too! I’m not surprised that Vincent helped out but I’m glad those two got a tiny moment to shine as well! Ray is another obvious choice when it comes to helping Norman, as they’re best friends and he’s always been good with machines.. but boy, I can’t take you seriously when you’re just sitting there unamused and eating chips! Hahah I love him so much! And the fact he replies to Norman’s idea with just a simple “kay” is an eternal mood.

Okay boys aside, can we talk about our fabulous girls now? Because oh my god, they’re so darn beautiful! They’re more fashionable than I’ll ever be and it’s so cute how they drag Emma along to take advantage of the 3-for-1 deal. But our girl pulls off that sporty look so well! (r.i.p. goldy pond outfit ver2.0). I’m not at all surprised that Nat wanted to go see the opera. That's perfect for him and I’d like to think the anime did something similar with that one shot we see of him in the human world. We don’t see him in a theater like this but to me it looks like he’s on the streets of Broadway? At least that’s the vibe I get from it. I’m sure there was something music related on one of those signs.

I can’t get over how adorable all the children look and how happy they are fulfilling their wishes, even if some of them aren’t as extravagant as others. Like eating a fluffy pancake and a ton of ice cream? We can do that whenever we want. But for these kids, it means everything and they absolutely deserve to experience such simple joys like that after all the harsh nonsense they’ve been through. I also love how Ray continues to be such a great older brother by still looking out for them too. The fact he remains completely unfazed by the haunted house is perfect. This boy has been haunted by his own nightmares and demons his entire life, there’s no way a couple of lousy jump scares are gonna spook him. Though I do find it funny that Alicia and Rossi still manage to get scared while Yvette is having the time of her life. I can’t help but laugh at Thoma’s “Shirai face” as well.

I find it interesting that out of all the different kinds of exhibits they could’ve shown us while Rossi visits a museum, they give us dinosaurs.. like that seems so silly to me. Y’all have seen several demons in your young lives already and yet dinosaurs manage to amaze you too? God these kids are precious. And then our boy Phil finally gets to see and ride a train! Just look how happy he is! The poor kid can’t even sit still he’s so darn excited and I can’t help but smile with him! Thankfully the anime showed us this too.

We eventually get to Ray’s wish and guys.. oh my fucking god. Tell me that this is not the absolute best and prettiest smile we get to see from him!! It honestly leaves me speechless okay? Ray never imagined he would ever get to see the outside world, let alone live past the age of 12, and yet here he is, seeing such a beautiful sight such as this, right in front of him instead of from inside a book. You can’t believe how happy and proud of him I am right now. Did you see how ecstatic I was when the anime kept Isabella alive? Multiply that feeling by ten and there ya go. That’s my level of happiness upon seeing my favorite boy smile like THAT! AAHHH!! That panel is gonna live rent free in my head until the end of time. I can’t get over how damn perfect it is. His smile is so pure and how he looks like he’s in complete awe is beautiful. He’s about to burst into tears and I swear I might do the same because I’m making myself emotional over this fantastic boy. Someone hold me.

No seriously, hold me because we’re about to get into some angst as we move onto to Emma’s wish. We all know that ever since 2039 her one dream was to ride a giraffe once they got outside, so here we are, about ten years later and the animals in question are within reach. Our girl should be totally excited, right? Ha, not quite.

That wish was something the old Emma wanted, but since demon god had to be such a bastard, this Emma doesn’t know what to think, let alone what to even feel. She hasn’t experienced the same hardships as her family. She hasn’t gone through hell and back while holding onto that one wish that would make all the suffering worth it. The amount of joy everyone else felt upon living out their dreams, she wonders if she would be able to feel it too.

They brought her here to make her happy, but is this truly want she wants as well? This is old Emma’s wish after all. What about her and what she wants? Could this wish make her just as happy as her old self? She knows her family is only trying to help, but seeing her doubt herself does a number on my heart. Even without her memories, she’s still the same Emma deep down, as she doesn’t want to disappoint her family. She spends so much time worrying about living up to her family’s expectations, to try and be that Emma they all love so dearly.

Little does she know that she acts the exact same as usual, almost as if nothing has changed when she finally expresses how much she wants to ride a giraffe. And that’s great considering when they first arrived at the giraffes, no on had even mentioned riding them. She came across that feeling all on her own and everyone else can’t help but laugh and feel relieved. Her mind may have forgotten but her heart remembers everything. There is no “old Emma” and “new Emma” to her family, just “Emma” and words can’t express how wholesome that is because they love her regardless. All that matters to them is Emma’s happiness because if anyone deserves to feel and experience that, it’s her.

I just made myself tear up, damn it. I started this series with season one okay? I heard about this precious girl’s dream within the first minute of the first episode and here I am, a little bit over two years later, finally reading about it coming true and seeing that bright as hell smile on her face. Do you know how amazing it is to come full circle like that? My heart feels so full right now. I’m beyond proud of her and love her to death. Say what you want but I believe this to be the true manga ending in my eyes.

(damn this series for always getting me emotional)

[vsullivan]

Lucky 7 | Steve Harrington x Reader - pt. 1

Okay, so I wrote smthn for stranger things?? I haven’t written in a while pls forgive badness pls and thank. Idk if i’ll do more parts ihfoiqsdhfei I just fell in love with this show and Steve. 

She remembers looking into his eyes, searching for the tendril to connect her mind to his own. When she did, she grasped it tightly, for not a second later she was harshly sucked into another world entirely. Before her stood he, stiff as a board. His eyes were vacant, non-searching despite the wave of light that began to stream into this realm of darkness.

                                            Chapter 1: The Experiment

 She remembers looking into his eyes, searching for the tendril to connect her mind to his own. When she did, she grasped it tightly, for not a second later she was harshly sucked into another world entirely. Before her stood he, stiff as a board. His eyes were vacant, non-searching despite the wave of light that began to stream into this realm of darkness.

This light took the form of memories, all of his own. From birth till’ present, everything his eyes have seen are now on display for viewing. She’s done this before, so she knows full well how long it could take to find one particular moment amongst a grown man’s entire lifetime. As it would be, all she had in both worlds was time.

  The process allows her to learn more about the person than that they, or anyone close to them, have ever known. She sees firsthand how this man passed his fifth-grade math test by side eying the paper of a young girl who sat beside him. She witnessed the moment he became a father. She also felt this excitement; experienced the pure joy he felt after receiving that C+, and the sense of ultimate adoration upon viewing his son’s face for the first time. She was also filled to the brim with a mixture of dread and ultimate shame as his wife burst into their shared room to find him in bed with the vice principle of their son’s elementary school.

Eventually, she came across the scene she’d been searching for. She watched as one of the men in long white coats handed this same man a sheet of paper. It listed a series of random words, alongside one sentence that read: When you wake up, list these words in the same order they are written.

And then, she opened her eyes. The blood dripping from her left nostril went unattended as she stared ahead, through a glass pane, into the eyes of the same man she’d seen cheat on his math test and on his wife. “Unrequited.” She began slowly, “Wilderness.” Her leg began to shake, “Representative.” She remained careful to announce every syllable, “Kettle.” Then, she inhaled sharply, “Infidelity.”

She then exhaled, blinking for the first time since she’d awakened from her journey through the stranger’s mind. On the other side of the glass, the man in the white coat nodded his head as he recorded the time it took for her to find that moment in the man’s memories. She noticed that the stranger was wearing a different outfit, alongside having a cleanshaven face from what she’d seen in his mind, while he now adorned a thick beard and clothes that seemed to have come right out of the 60’s.

She jumped as a voice sounded from above, it got her every time. “Your timing has improved since the last experiment.” It said. “Continue this progress.” She resisted rolling her eyes – a facial movement she’d picked up from an elderly woman who as a teenager, would use it to symbolize annoyance when her younger siblings would complain about her to their parents. What she wouldn’t give to have parents to complain to about these experiments she was forced to partake in.

“Now, reapply your eye mask.” She did as she was told, for no one could enter a space with her until she put the mask on, and she was all too eager to be escorted back to her room - the only place she was somewhat able to be alone.

As she placed the fabric over her closed eyelids, the sleeves of her long shirt rode up to reveal the lettering on her wrist;

007.

She then settled both arms down her sides. And with that, the door to the room opened before she felt two strong hands on her shoulders begin to push and guide her towards the next destination.

-         

“Seven!” The loud call of her name startled the young woman out of her flashback-induced trance. For that she was grateful - she hated reliving the years she spent as an experiment for the twisted wackjob she used to call “father.”

The door to her room swung open, revealing the owner of said voice from before. “Please come talk some sense into El, I beg of you.” Now the only twisted wackjob she had to listen to was the lovely Jim Hopper, who’s current facial expression was a hilarious cocktail of desperation and exasperation as he stood in the doorway. Seven bit her lip to stop a smile from forming at the sight.

“Come on kid, it’s not funny.” He huffed before turning his head to look across the small hallway, aka the location of El’s room, before turning it back to Seven who was currently sitting cross-legged on her bed with a book in her hands and small grin plastered on her face. “Those two are seriously way too close, she needs an older sister to snap her out of this puppy love.”

Seven shook her head lightly as she closed the book she held and placed it on the space beside her. “Now, you know I can’t do that.” She spoke as she stood up from her seat and headed towards her adoptive father. “But I can try to prevent teen pregnancy.” Hopper grimaced at the sentiment but still nodded in agreement as he stepped out of her way.

“It’s something, I guess.” He sighed and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. “God forbid the chance of another screaming child around here.”  Seven snickered at the thought, turning her head to look at him before she twisted the doorknob to El’s room. “You know you can’t live without us.” He signed again before saying “Yeah, well sometimes I feel I won’t live much longer because of you two.” This caused her to chuckle before she opened the door and stepped into what could only be two teens up to no good.

Seven heard two gasps as she looked down to find El and Mike scrambling away from each other. She couldn’t help but grin in amusement while watching the two settled down at opposite ends of the mattress, both of their faces flushed red from both the kissing and someone other than Hopper walking in on them.

The room was silent for a few moments, Seven not uttering a word as she crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at them. Finding the silence unbearable, Mike decided to speak first. “Uh, um, we weren’t doing anything bad, bad.” Eleven quietly nodded as the boy continued his nervous explanation. “And-and, we would never do a-anything that crossed the line.”

Seven looked between the two of them, that eyebrow of hers not wavering as she continued to give them an expectant look – for this is not the first time Hops has begged her to intervene in a teen makeout party in El’s room. “We’re sorry.” The younger girl then spoke up, her brown eyes filled with worry and slight embarrassment – Hops’ scolding has never really phased her, but Seven’s really get to her. Whenever she’s reprimanded by her older sister, which isn’t often, El’s mood hits rock bottom and won’t get better until she and Seven have made up.

“It’s okay, we just really don’t want you two to get carried away.” Seven replied, uncrossing her arms as she moved to sit next to Mike at the end of the bed. “Do you know how hard it is to take care of a baby?” El and Mike both grimaced and made the typical ‘ewie’ sound. “Gross.” Mike stated, “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Seven smiled and patted his shoulder before standing up. “I better not.” With that, she told the two to keep the door relatively ajar and waved them adieu. As she faced the door to her own room, an idea suddenly popped into that big brain of hers – the same one that rears its head every day. That idea being she wanted some Scoops Ahoy ice cream, or really to have Steve Harrington serve her the ice cream, or actually just see Steve in general.

At the beginning of summer, she’d gone to see Steve at his new job in the mall. The two had become relatively, kinda, but still not really good friends since saving Will Byers from the flayer? Hops had absentmindedly pointed out that she was going to the mall an awful lot. He was joking, but she perceived that to be a sign that she should slow down her visits, not wanting to make herself look creepy. Mostly because prior to summer break, the only time she and Steve spent together always consisted of the six kids, Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, alongside Hops and Joyce Byers or anyone in on the supernatural shit they were all dealing with. It was also spent with a lot of Steve, as Dustin had put it, making “goo-goo” eyes and flirting with her and her not realizing it in the moment so she accidentally makes situations awkward. A perfect example would be when she was cleaning Steve’s wounds after his fight with Billy and he looked up at her with a pained, yet grateful expression. His eyes were twinkling, filled with an emotion she’d couldn’t place as he said, “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” And you know what she said to him? She said, “I fell over Billy, but I landed on you, so it didn’t hurt too badly. I’m sorry about that.” Somehow, he found it in himself to slightly laugh at her response. Choosing to keep quiet as she continued her work.

It was later when Nancy told her that it was a pickup line, which Seven quite literally wanted to kick herself for not realizing that in the moment. In her defense, she was worried about the boy and all of the new friends she’d made, she wasn’t in the headspace to recognize any form of flirtation. Actually, let’s just be real. She doesn’t know how to date. She doesn’t know how to take compliments. She doesn’t know how to flirt. When Steve smiles at her or tells her she’s pretty that poor heart of hers just melts while her brain self-destructs. He’s asked her to go places with him, which she assumes would be considered “dates.” And she really, really wants to go, but there’s always something preventing that “yes” to leave her lips. Something always stopping her from verbally reciprocating his advances.

She knows what that something is. She pretends like she doesn’t, but she knows. She knows she feels like he deserves someone “normal.” Someone who can’t look into your mind, can’t talk to you without even opening their mouth, can’t ‘mind control’ (as Dustin put it) people into doing what she wants. She doesn’t want to acknowledge it because if word ever got to El that she thought this way, she knew it could very well effect how Eleven looks at herself, not that Seven thinks she should. Because she doesn’t, her adoptive sister deserves the world – period. However, everybody is a hypocrite in some sense, and this is where Seven is the definition of. Despite Steve already knowing of her powers, she just can’t bring herself to let him insert her weirdness into his life. She would prefer him never seeing her use her powers at all, thank you.

Shaking herself of these thoughts, she decides it wouldn’t hurt to go see him. She wouldn’t even need to go in and get an ice cream. She would be perfectly fine just glancing at him as she passes the store.

Guess she completely forgot her goal was to not look creepy.

- 

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

[nol-overwatch]

Writer’s Callus, Chapter Two

Fandom: Durarara!!, Baccano

Pairing: Shizuo Heiwajima / Original Female Character

Tags: Mystery, Romance, Drama, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, not too sure what else to put without it spoiling too much.

Synopsis:  A foreigner visits Ikebukuro for the first time. She’s only supposed to be there for a few days and then return home, but this is Ikebukuro after all. The city of gang violence, flying sign posts, and unorthodox sushi. Those aren’t the only things keeping her entranced; it’s when she met a certain blond in a bartender’s outfit, that she started wanting more out of her mundane life.

You can read it here on AO3 and FanFiction.

—

‘My memory is not like the other one

Turn to strike my face

Always second place’

The young woman calmly turned off the alarm clock. She would’ve let it play for a bit longer, but the events of yesterday came rushing back at her, and she smiled at that.

She slowly sat up, her green eyes blinking slowly as she surveyed the hotel room she’s staying in. Her hotel, Sunshine City Prince, was a little too fancy for her tastes, despite it being a 3-star hotel. She very much preferred staying at a local bed and breakfast, but of course, her family wouldn’t allow it.

The sky outside her window was a pale blue color, with a slight pink tint and light gray clouds dotting the distance. ‘It’s a nice day to go out exploring,’ She thought as she carded fingers over her messy auburn locks. As she stretched her limbs, her hand landed on the familiar leather bound journal she kept at her side.

Her fingers skimmed the surface; the large print on the cover read ‘READ THIS’ and she figured ‘no, there’s no need this time’. Not with how the day started like this. With a satisfied sigh, she picked up the book and set it aside on the table next to her bed.The time on the clock read 7:03 am. She can grab her breakfast at the convenience store by the park, as she wanted to eat while watching the people of this city.

Ren turned on the TV, managing to catch up to a local morning show, while she washed up, changed out of her negligee and into her usual shirt and slacks. She packed light, knowing her family would provide her some appropriate clothes for the funeral, but she also thought of shopping for clothes here, as well as the souvenirs she’s bound to bring home.

“...the Slasher has claimed two more victims—”

The young woman looked up from the sink just in time to see a glimpse of the TV through the bathroom mirror. ‘A slasher? In a place like this?’ She wondered as she dried her face and let the towel rest on her neck. She then leaned on the doorway of her bathroom and watched the news.

What looked like a pixelated mess was first shown on the screen, until Ren realized it was just a close-up shot of the victim’s bodies. “I’m here at the west entrance to Ikebukuro Station where the crime happened.” There was a reporter in front of the ambulance, and behind her was a haphazard mess of yellow tape and police officers. It might be the camera angle, but Ren knew the place must be swamped with commuters and onlookers, especially since it’s situated at one of the busiest subways in the country. Traffic must be a pain in the ass right now.

She sat back on the bed and picked up her journal out of reflex. She was already rifling through the pages when a frown creased her face. The news of a slasher in the area worries her a lot. Should she write that down, just in case?  ‘Might be a good idea. Who knows, it might save my life.’ She thought as she reached over her bedside table for a pen, when the telephone rang.

She tilted her head, curious as to who would call her at this time, and reached for the phone instead. “Hello?” Ren said, then realized she spoke in English rather than in Japanese. She coughed awkwardly and apologized in the appropriate language. “Sorry, do you need something?”

“Good morning, Miss Shiori. This is the reception desk of Sunshine City Prince. We hope you’re having a wonderful stay.”

“G’morning. You have something for me?”

“Yes, you have a call from Mr. Masa Shiori, shall I refer the line to you?” Ren suddenly gripped the phone a little too tightly. ‘To think he would be calling already.’ Her eyes narrowed as she resisted grinding her teeth. Right, this is something she’s bound to face since coming here anyway.

“Miss?” She clicked her tongue and forced herself to smile. Yeah, it’s inevitable, but that doesn’t mean she has to face them right away. “...No, tell him I went out.”

“Understood, miss. Have a pleasant day.” There was a soft click, and the call ended. Ren then threw the phone on the bed with more force than necessary and massaged her temple. What an awful start to what should be a nice day. The family meeting’s not until the day after tomorrow, but not even a full day has passed and that annoying miscreant of a brother of hers is already ruining it for her. She wanted at least a few days to herself, but now she has to figure out a way to avoid him until then.

“Okay, first things first.” She said as she grabbed her journal once again. It’s imperative that she must write this down. At least, she was about to, when a loud growling sound from her stomach distracted her thoughts. Ren sheepishly smiled to herself; weirdly enough, that seemed to calm her nerves a bit.

“First things first,” She instead grabbed her coat, her wallet, and most importantly, her journal, and strode out of her hotel room. “Let’s get some breakfast.”

—

It didn’t matter that he turned in early, Shizuo was still late for his job.

He chanted a mantra in his head, urging himself to calm down before he’d get infuriated over something as trivial as a delayed train. Honestly, he should’ve just walked in the first place. Then he wouldn’t have to think of turning the place upside down, that would make things a whole lot worse.

Shizuo stalked the streets with a half-lit cigarette, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. He already texted Tom, but even that guy’s also late because of the delayed trains. ‘What a shitty day.’ He bitterly thought as he impatiently waited for the pedestrian light to turn green.

Sunshine 60 shopping street is just as busy as it usually is. The morning rush was starting to die down, despite the chaos that happened this morning regarding the Slasher. Shizuo thought, since it’ll be awhile til Tom-san meets up with him, he might as well get something to drink. Ah, right, he should stock up on his cigarettes. A few nights ago, he once smoked through a whole pack after chasing a certain flea out of the city. That really stressed the hell out of him.

Shizuo slipped into the first convenience store he saw, right across the usual place he and Tom would often meet. “Welcome,” The store clerk greeted him just as the blond nodded and immediately headed over towards the vending machines selling his favorite brand.

It was then he saw that person again, his whole world slowing to a momentary pause.

They were still wearing the same outfit as yesterday, though it looks like they didn’t style their hair properly; it was tousled to the side revealing more of their face. Now that he’s standing so close, he can see that they’re probably a young woman, around his age. She looked as if she was contemplating something, and stood in front of the vending machine he was aiming for.

‘Her eyes are closed again.’ Thought Shizuo, and immediately he shook his head. The hell was he thinking all of a sudden? Who gives a damn whether he can see her eyes or not. He sighed loudly, moving to the next vending machine so he could get his cigs then get out. This day’s not going into his favor, huh.

He started punching in buttons, when suddenly, he heard her speak up. “...Blue American Spirit.”

“Ah?”

He swiveled his head to her side, and he was shell-shocked once again. Frankly, she wasn’t even looking at him, but at the vending machine he was using. And it was only then he got a clear view of those pale green eyes of hers, ones that continue to stop him in his tracks for god-knows-why.

It really was a question that has plagued him since last night. Why? Why is he acting like this towards a complete stranger? It was a surreal, almost familiar feeling.

Kinda like...the first time he met Celty, his mysterious transporter friend. No, he’s quite sure, it felt exactly like that feeling.

Unaware of the emotional turmoil brewing at this guy’s head, the young woman tapped her chin and continued to stare at the row of different cigarette brands in the machine with remarkable interest. “That brand seems to be incredibly popular here. That must mean their investment would do well then.” She said quietly, her gaze unmoving.

‘What a weird woman.’ Shizuo concluded. This city is full of strangers and weirdos, and this one didn’t seem to be an exception. “Lady, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He grumbled as he adjusted his blue sunglasses. “But lemme just buy my shit, alright?” He turned to face her, but suddenly flinched when he found her looking at him directly.

What, did he assume wrong? Is she actually a pretty boy? He mentally shuddered. Tom, and even that oddball Shinra, did tell him to be careful when addressing someone based on their looks. A lot of people would take offense if they were addressed wrongly, however this one didn’t seem the slightest bit offended. Rather, her lip curled into an apologetic smile as she slowly shook her head.

“Mhm, go ahead then. Please excuse my rambling.” She bowed politely and walked off to another aisle. Shizuo slowly went back to buying his pack, his mind rewinding back to what just happened. That was definitely a foreigner; her Japanese is perfect but there’s an underlying accent there that he can’t quite place. Unlike Simon, his Russian friend who works at a sushi place and has a distinct accent, she sounded American.

His brow ticked in annoyance. There he goes again, thinking about this stranger. He should tell Tom when they meet up, ask for his advice on what to do before this becomes a problem. Shizuo finally got his pack, and went towards the back where the refrigerated drinks were kept. He grabbed a carton of milk, and sauntered over to the counter to pay for it.

That auburn-haired woman was there too, having her items checked out. She got a carton of milk as well, albeit it’s the fruity one, and three spicy tuna onigiris. It also looked like she was rummaging wildly into her pockets, “That’s odd. I swear I brought it along with me…” She muttered to herself as she started emptying her pockets. Both Shizuo and the store clerk deadpanned at the stuff she was placing on the counter: candy wrappers, spare change, a book, a brochure for a museum, two subway maps, and what looked like hotel keys.

‘Why can’t she just use a bag to hold her stuff?!’ The both of them had the same thought.

“Ah! Here we go.” Finally, she procured a small, colorful card with a flourish. “I can use this point card here, right?” She beamed as the clerk hesitantly separated her stuff from the food on the counter.

“Y-yes, miss…”

The cashier started putting her items in a plastic bag just as she began cleaning up the mess she made. If Shizuo didn’t think she was unusual before, now he thinks she’s got a few screws loose. ‘Not the first time I met someone like that. ’ He thought as he silently watched their exchange with a bored expression.

“Here you go, miss. Please come again.”

Plastic bag in hand, she thanked the cashier and, to the blond’s surprise, tilted her head to face him once again. Still that apologetic smile on her face, but a little wider and much more relaxed, she gave him a small, informal salute. “Sorry to keep the line waiting!” She chuckled before quickly leaving the store. The man stared after her, eyes blinking in confusion.

‘That a tourist thing?’ He wondered as he paid for his pack of cancer sticks and his milk. He declined the plastic bag, deciding to consume it immediately after buying it. That, and Tom must be waiting for him at the usual place.

“Oh,” The voice of the cashier snapped Shizuo from his thoughts. “That woman forgot this.” He said, holding up a worn-out, leather bound book. The blond recognized it as the one she was digging out from her pockets, and it looked like the same one she was reading last night too.

Without thinking, he grabbed the book out of the cashier’s hands and bolted out of the store. He almost bumped into someone in his hurry, but Shizuo didn’t give it any thought as his gaze swiveled up and down the shopping street, looking for that particular auburn head. He’s tall enough to look over the heads of the average person, but damn, there’s still so many people walking by this way. “Damn it…” He cursed as he squinted at the distance. She can’t have gone too far, but…

“Huh, Shizuo?” He heard a familiar voice and he followed it to one Tom Tanaka, who was curiously looking at him in front of the store. “What’s up? What are you—”

Shizuo interrupted him. “Tom-san, did you see someone walk out just now?” His sudden question made the man in the dreads scratch his chin in contemplation. “Huh? No, not really. I just got here myself.” He replied as Shizuo continued to look up and down the street. No good. There really is no sign of her. Usually by now he would have noticed that certain hair color, or that mysterious aura of hers.

Or even just the uncanny way her eyes would stare, as if she’s seeing the depths of his soul.

Sighing, his shoulders drooped while he rubbed the back of his head. Tom frowned at him, then looked down towards the book he’s holding. “Does that...belong to them or something?”

“Yeah...idiot forgot it on the counter.” He clicked his tongue as he tucked the book under his armpit. He and Tom stood by the shade of a newspaper kiosk as the blond explained the situation to his boss.

Now, he’s stuck with that person’s possession. Should he return it to the store and have them take care of it? He pondered over the thought until the older man spoke up, “Well, if it bothers you so much, why not try and read it? Their name might be in there, or maybe an address.”

“Oh, yeah. You might be right.” Said Shizuo, who grasped it on hand again and rifled through the pages. His eyebrows then shot up above his glasses, and the next, frowned deeply. Tom was in the middle of checking out a magazine from the kiosk stand when he noticed his bodyguard’s alternating expressions.

“What’s wrong? Is it not there?”

“...No, it’s just...” The blond then held the book wide open and showed it to him, who peered at it carefully then did a double take.

“Don’t suppose you can read english, Tom-san?”

“Hell no, I didn’t even take it seriously during high school.”

“Me neither.”

He forgot he was dealing with a foreigner here. He sighed as he gingerly flipped through the pages. Even though it’s written entirely in english, what surprised him the most was the content of this book. He couldn’t understand a single word, but every page, every line, it’s written and filled completely to the point that the page started thinning under the weight of the ink. He figured, that person must’ve cared for this book a lot. She’s written on it so often to the point that it's sagging under the weight of overuse. When she finds out it’s missing, would she remember that she left it here? Is it actually a good idea just to leave it to the convenience store staff then?

Shizuo reached the last page, or what he thinks is the first page considering it’s a western book, and there on the very bottom of the page was a single line, two words. This must be her name, and he racked his brain trying to remember how to fucking read it.

Tom watched him glare at the page with intense concentration and sighed. He tried hiding an incoming smile, so as not to embarrass his subordinate. “We’re gonna be in Sunshine 60 for the whole day, so when they come back looking for it, you’ll spot them right away. Sound good?” He said in a reassuring tone, causing the other to finally calm down. Some of the tension left Shizuo’s face as he looked away and awkwardly adjusted his glasses.

“...Sounds good.”

—

It did sound like a good idea, until the sky darkened to a burgundy orange, and soon night would fall over the city of Ikebukuro.

And there’s still no sign of that weird foreigner lady.

He and Tom went through their usual routes. The pachinko parlors, the manga cafes, nondescript bars and clubs, each time had the same situation as the last. His boss would inform their clients of their debt, they’d bargain for another day or two, Tom would persist, and they would bring out some sob story explaining why they couldn’t pay today. And that’s where Shizuo would finally step up, at least, Tom would mention his name first, and if they didn’t budge, then yeah, he would step in and wreak havoc. He always hoped their clients would finally start thinking with their brains first and just pay up front already, but then again if they keep doing that, he might not have a job anymore.

Anyway, it was only after Tom told him it was the last client of the day that Shizuo then noticed the setting sun. He stopped by the same convenience store for the 5th time, and asked the clerk if she’s dropped by already. And every time, he received the same answer, “No, sorry she hasn't come back yet.”

Now he and Tom were having a late afternoon snack in front of the very same convenience store he kept visiting. Tom got himself a hot cup of coffee, and Shizuo with his usual bottle of cold milk.

He didn’t think this would already be a pain in the ass. Lugging it around was okay, but keeping an eye on it, making sure it doesn’t get lost, during their rounds, was something else entirely. Maybe he should’ve looked for someone who could understand the language. “Mhm,” Shizuo took a long drag out of the fifth cigarette he’s smoking today. “Does Celty know english..?” He contemplated out loud, as Tom started lighting his own after finishing his coffee.

“Why not try contacting her? As for me, I’ll see if anyone at the office knows the language.” The man in the dreads said as flipped open his phone, already typing in a text. Shizuo’s relieved that Tom’s on the same page as him; he didn’t even need to explain much. This is why he’s one of his few friends in this city.

The blond unflipped his phone, ready to text the Urban Legend herself when, just as quickly as the thought crossed his mind, he heard it. It’s the rush hour; people are coming home after a full day of work, or at least, hitting up Sunshine street. One would be hearing all sorts of things at this hour, the general conundrum’s almost deafening. However, he heard it immediately, the separate sound of running footsteps, light but hurried and obviously in a panic. Shizuo inclined his head towards that sound, and sure enough, it’s that woman again.

Her hair askew and matted with sweat, her green eyes were wildly looking around until she caught sight of the convenience store she stopped by earlier. She was about to run inside, when she realized too late she was going to crash into someone. “A-ah!” She gasped, stumbling over her feet as if she tried to stop herself, but in the end that person’s body’s becoming closer and closer she’s going to crash—

“Whoa, there.”

The woman blinked. For some reason, she was completely halted. She didn’t fall over too. What on earth..? “Hey, you okay?”

Shizuo gripped her shoulder, easily stopping her from crashing onto him. He crossed the street as soon as he saw that familiar auburn head, intending to call her out as soon as she’s within earshot, but saw instead that she might get into an accident with that kind of speed. Good thinking on him, to use his own body as some sort of wall.

Tom put down his phone, his bespectacled face surprised to see that the owner of that book is a woman, and a woman that seemed to make an impression on the blond as well.

She was panting, clearly out of breath from running, but she stared up at Shizuo with the mildest surprise. “Y-yeah, thank you…” She slowly said, finally standing up straight to look at him properly. The blond could see that she was scrutinizing every detail on him, and that drew a frown out of him. “Something on me?” He didn’t intend for it to sound menacing, but it did anyway, causing her to shake her head hurriedly.

“N-no, that’s not it! It’s just that….If I remember correctly, you’re that guy from this morning, right? Buying cigarettes at this store?” She gestured to the shop while he nodded along. “I know it’s far-fetched but have you seen a journal around here? It’s leatherbound, it has some printed letters at the front—” She went on to describe the appearance of the book, the very same book still tucked under his arm, and he wondered if she ever spotted it on his person.

She was still explaining, her voice growing frantic and weary. Doubts and hopeless thoughts were filling up her head, prompting her to trail away in her words. She looked as if she was on the verge of breaking down right in front of him.

Without another word, Shizuo handed her the book. She had stopped talking then, the mere appearance of the book sent her mouth agape, her lower lip quivering as she gripped it a little too tightly. “This...this is…” She started as she visibly shook.

The blond blinked. ‘Is she going to cry? Over this book of hers?’ He put up his hands, as if to calm down whatever’s coming, but then she looked up at him with a wide smile, tears pin pricking her viridescent orbs. “Thank you! Thank you so much..!” She exclaimed.

“Uh, I—”

“You have no idea…” He paused. “You have no idea how important this is to me…” She uttered as she brought the book closer to her chest. Shizuo rubbed the back of his neck. He always seemed to be tongue-tied around this woman. Not that she was a difficult person to deal with, rather it was as if he didn’t know how to interact with her. He looked at Tom for advice, but for some reason the dreadlocked man was looking away, his back turned on them while looking at some magazines on a nearby kiosk.

“Uh,” He awkwardly began. ‘If Tom won’t help me, then I might as well finish this on my own terms.’ “Sorry, I tried going through it.” She tilted her head at him, as he explained further. “I was looking for a name, or at least, an address, but then I couldn’t read english.”

She hummed thoughtfully at that. “Mhm, that’s okay. I know you’re only trying to help.”

She then rummaged into her pockets and procured a pen. Stepping closer to him, she opened the book right on the first page, where he thought the only two words there were her name. She calmly smiled at him, her otherwise spent appearance looking quite serene right now. “My name is…” On top of those two words, she wrote her own name in kanji.

Ren Shiori.

Shizuo read it over and over again. He thought that name fits her so well. “And you are?”

“The name’s Shizuo Heiwajima.” He replied bluntly. It’s been a while since he had to introduce himself, usually people in this city knew his name before he even got to do normal introductions. His name became a warning to those who are new to Ikebukuro, a warning to stay away from him.

So was it okay? For a foreigner or a tourist, to know his name so casually? That looks to be the case because Ren nodded at him with a tiny grin, the barest signs of apprehension visible on her face. “It’s nice to meet you, Shizuo.”

And in turn, she thought that name suited him well.