#amaterasu academy

[colyuka]

A series of polaroids I made of Natalia Matolinets' book Amaterasu Academy main seven☺️

[loremaster]

i went crazy (as i am known to do) and drew BOTH of each daily prompt for @raincodeshipweek! nothing past PG-13 here. double check the tags for ships below - or if you want to be surprised, jump in and see them all here:

Hurt/Comfort - Clockmare - I remember a while ago @pixelatedraindrops did a poll over which of the two to draw sick in bed… Halara's cat allergies won out, but I thought the opposite scenario of Fubuki needing recovery from overusing her rewind powers was cute too! This is a very cute ship that needs more love!

Healing - Kokolight - This is *THE* ship that's all about healing. (Emotional healing at least.) Yuma learns a lot from Vivia about how to embrace the uncomfortable parts of life… and Vivia learns a lot from Yuma about how not to let that diminish your spark. Plus, by the end, they understand what each other’s been through more than any other characters... almost. Also, dat height difference. Good shit.

Dancing - Aetheria trio - Similar bonding over shared grief here! But this time there's three of them! Big 3 of Cups energy. It's a shame we never really got to see much genuine interaction between Yoshiko, Waruna, and Kurane during the game's story… but sometimes the most fun parts are what we get to imagine for ourselves, hmm? Anyway, yeah. These three are bonded for life. (Too bad it wasn't a very long one...)

Domesticity - Viviakou - There's nothing funnier than two guys with opposite behaviors. Vivia wedges himself into the crack between the bed and the wall as far as he can. Yakou spreads out and takes up more room than the bed even has. Plus, he snores. Disasters, both of them. …I was going to try and come up with another ship for this prompt, since - spoilers - there'll be more Viviakou later on... but I thought of this image and laughed hard enough I couldn't not draw it!

Sun/Rain - Yakou/Amaterasu Researcher. - One of the happiest moments of Yakou's life was when his wife got him a boat for his birthday. A whole boat!!! A portable office! Never had he felt so loved before. …Never has the sun shone that brightly again. He hates the rain.

Stars - Clockbolt - Fubuki is staring out wistfully at the rain clouds, lamenting that she cannot see her star - the one her parents bought for her. But luckily - “Don't worry, Princess, I'll be your star…!” says Desuhiko. Bolder, brighter, and much, much closer than her faraway prize…Yeah, I think Fubuki would eat that up. This is a fun ship. I like that Desuhiko - against all odds - treats Fubuki like a person. And ironically I think that would make her like him more!!

Flowers - Furroughs - What else could I have drawn for 'flowers,' honestly? It's a cheap bouquet of Black-Eyed Susans! I can't see this as a healthy relationship, honestly, but that's what makes it fun! Imagining them as childhood friends who used to be really close but grew apart in adulthood strikes just the right chord of melancholy with me. Even more heartbreaking if you see them both as trans - imagine Yakou's so excited to have a friend like him, and then as soon as Seth transitions he's like "you don't know me. never speak to me again." Mmm, I do so love to put Yakou through the wringer.

Memories - Yumagami - Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone. I imagine Yuma goes through phantom pains after their pact gets broken, not knowing whose laughter keeps ringing through his ears, what's up with that tingly spot on his cheek, or why he can't look at a barrel without his face feeling hot. (Though, he's probably astute enough to put together the clues...)

First Times - Viviakou - The first time Yakou heard Vivia say that catchphrase, it didn't feel very good.

Final Moments - Viviakou - ...The last time didn't feel very good either.

Swap - Vivia/Amaterasu Researcher - Okay, hear me out. If Yakou had managed to run up that hill, make a deal with Kodaka, and get him to swap their places - that is, he dies while his wife survives and becomes Chief of the Nocturnal Detective Agency - I think Vivia would think the same of Mrs. Furio that he did of Mr. Furio (that is, helplessly smitten). EXTREMELY underrated. Please ship this with me.

Alternate Universe - Zilara - My personal pet rarepair!!! Alas, our two confident creature-lovers have been kept from each other by the cruel hands of fate. So, I cope by drawing them getting fancy little drinks together. This is an homage to Boba AU, of course, but honestly, while drawing this, I was picturing them as students at the local prestigious college campus. Maybe they're members of frat Alpha Beta Omega or something.

Past/Future - Makoyuma - This one's more of a concept/pitch than a fully explored scene, but hear me out: time travel AU. What if Yuma meets a mysterious masked stranger who turns out to be a tech-savvy time traveler from a destroyed future... but then also turns out to be himself, somehow? How is there someone who looks exactly like him, 5000 years from now? What's the connection between Yuma and Makoto? And why are they so drawn to each other?

...The last prompt for the official Ship Week is a free day - so I'm going to take the day off! Though, there are a lot of other ships I lament not shouting out here - Kokobolt, Kokomare, Twimare, Fubugami, just to name a few!!! But I'm gonna give myself a break for now. Don't worry, you'll see more art from me soon - maybe even print versions of this, and some of my other Rain Code fanart. And if there's a specific ship or scenario you really can't wait to see... my commissions are open! ;D

[biggie-chcese]

Why I think Yomi Hellsmile should've died in Chapter 4

(this essay isnt what you think it is. spoilers for the whole game btw)

Alright so let me preface this by saying that this is not a Yomi Hellsmile hate essay. I like Yomi. He's my favorite peacekeeper. He's funny, he's entertaining, and he makes for a very effective antagonist. So why have him die? Well, for the same reason I wouldn't have Yakou live: I think it makes for a better story.

So here's the true title of my essay: A Critique of how Rain Code's Narrative Handles the Peacekeepers (and by Extension, Yomi) and their Downfall

Let's start with Yomi's downfall in canon. Yuma and Vivia find out his role in Huesca's murder and, ultimately, Yakou's death, and are angry beyond belief. But they're also helpless to do anything as they escape the labyrinth with vengeance on their minds. Of course, this gets shut down immediately, and then Makoto ex machina comes in with Martina in tow to arrest Yomi for his money laundering and bribery. And right then and there, in one fell swoop, the peacekeepers are completely eliminated as a threat in the story to be replaced by Makoto.

But okay... isn't that super underwhelming? The peacekeepers and Amaterasu corp have been the main driving force of the game's primary conflict, and yet somehow they are completely eliminated as a threat because Makoto grabbed a few files off screen. And also, this brings me to my first major issue I have with this ending:

Part 1: Why the fuck do they care?

No I'm serious. Why do the peacekeepers care? So what if Yomi bribed his way to the top? You mean to tell me that the cops who spent the entire game assaulting and antagonizing civilians give a shit? They're never shown to have any sort of problem with their corruption. They send people to be executed on whims and knowingly, regularly falsify evidence on murder cases. At best the peacekeepers are indifferent to the suffering they cause, and at worst they are gleefully complicit in it. So, again, why do they care about Yomi's money schemes? In fact, they only benefit from Yomi's rule because he gives them the power to freely instill fear in Kanai Ward's citizens. The game never, at any point, has an "are we the baddies?" moment from them nor does it ever even try to have at least one peacekeeper question Yomi's authority, even when he's throwing them under the bus. Throughout the whole game, they stand as a completely one-note, cartoonishly evil representation of police corruption.

So why the sudden heel turn? The resolution of chapter 4 feels so jarring to me because the game has zero buildup to it. This also applies to Martina's return. Actually let's also talk about her.

Part 2: So... Martina's return lowkey is kinda lame

Don't get me wrong, I was pretty hype when she came back. But also, the magic wore off pretty quickly for me because I didn't understand why she was suddenly a whole different character. I suppose her brush with death gave her some time to contemplate her actions, or perhaps she felt indebted to Makoto and asked him what she should do, or maybe Makoto held her life over her head and told her to change her act or he's letting her get cubed. Who knows? We get nothing expanding on this so it could be anything.

I feel like people kinda forget that Martina was just as corrupt as Yomi? Like, she is not his helpless victim. I'd even argue that their relationship isn't abusive. Martina is in it with her own interests in mind in addition to just being a massive sadomasochist. I cannot stress this enough: whatever tf she and Yomi had going on, she was completely into it. Even at the end of chapter 2, she was drooling over him and the idea of punishment... until Yomi crossed a line.

Y'see, Martina thought she was special. She thought that whatever punishment Yomi had for her Aetheria Academy blunder, she'd come out of it alive, because she's his beloved right hand. Yomi then showed her that she's just as disposable as the rest of his underlings by ordering her to be brutally executed. That is when she becomes a victim.

Anyway, I'm saying all this to make a point that Martina hasn't shown any interest in being an honest cop until chapter 4. It's completely out of nowhere, just like with the other peacekeepers.

"But Biggie," you may be thinking, "why would Yomi dying fix these issues?" Well I'm so glad you hypothetically asked!

Part 3: We love missed potential, baby!

Kodaka sometimes does this thing where he introduces an interesting concept that plays with the rules of the game... and then doesn't commit to it. Think like the double murder clause in Danganronpa V3 chapter 3, where they mention that if two separate murderers act in the same day then only one of those murders counts. Then they do nothing with this, and instead create a very weak chapter.

This is a similar problem I have with the tail end of chapter 4's mystery labyrinth, which is a really amazing labyrinth that introduces a really amazing concept: taking down a secret mastermind. After reaping the culprit's soul, they have this cool, brand new secret area that... does nothing. No, I'm serious. Nothing happens. All it does is piss Yuma and Vivia off and waste everyone's time. They find out Yomi's involvement in the case, but they still don't do anything with that. Sure it brings a whole new feeling of hopelessness, but doesn't that make Yomi's downfall literally five minutes later through the mundane actions of someone else off screen seem all the more underwhelming? From a gameplay and storytelling standpoint, I think this is just... a cop-out. I think it'd be cool if he was involved enough in Huesca's murder to count as an accomplice, then with Vivia and Shinigami at his side, Yuma reaps Yomi's soul. It's a decent payoff for the NDA and the player while supporting the game's message about the importance of finding the truth. And god does the game need support in that regard, because the Mystery Labyrinth almost never helps and Yuma instead gets saved by someone else (which would've been nice to expand on if we go this route bc there's something interesting about Yuma calling for the labyrinth to kill people for ultimately no reason, but they don't do anything with that and that is a WHOLE other essay lol).

But this is not my main reason that Yomi should've died here. I wouldn't feel so strongly if that was the case. No, my problem lies with a character that isn't Yomi, and what is part of the entire reason Rain Code's plot exists.

Part 4: Is Makoto fucking stupid?

"/lh" by the way. Makoto is my second favorite character in this game behind Yuma, and I adore him. His story, his motivations, his undying will to be a protector of a people that no one else will protect, by any means necessary... he is such an incredible character and antagonist and I genuinely adore him. But I have one eensy weensy, teeny weeny little issue with him:

Why did he need the detectives to oust Yomi?

Makoto claims in the ch 5 labyrinth that the reason the detectives were brought over was to oust Yomi, which leads me to believe the command for the detectives to come to Kanai Ward was his work, not Number One's, then Number One simply caught onto this and took advantage of the situation to sneak in. Though, that's just a guess on my part, mind you. So I suppose he was just desperately hoping at least one of them would take care of Yomi, but isn't that weird?

The detectives don't ever find the evidence of Yomi's money laundering and bribery. Makoto does. The detectives don't ever bring Yomi's corruption to light. Yomi... already does that without their help. Actually, why didn't he secretly team up with the Resistance for that? Too busy ignoring Dohya District's glaring issues, Makoto? Too busy turning a blind eye to your people's suffering?

Uh. Anyway, the only detective that actually does something beneficial for Makoto and kills Huesca is Yakou, who was already in Kanai Ward. And don't tell me that Makoto accounted for Fubuki and Desuhiko's fortes here because that part of the plan was all Yakou's idea. If Makoto could've predicted this, he would've just called the detectives necessary to this plan instead of luring in a bunch of them at once to get slaughtered.

Tons of detectives died coming to Kanai Ward to do... what? Distract Yomi? Could the World's Greatest Mind truly never come up with a better distraction for a guy who didn't even realize his Martina Cube™ order never came in? Yomi isn't shown to be some sort of hypervigilant supergenius nor is he nearly on Makoto's level. Could he truly not have outsmarted Yomi and led him astray long enough to grab a little binder of paper?

So, once again, you may be wondering how Yomi's death would fix this. Well, Yuma, a detective, is the one who kills Yomi.

Makoto is well aware of Yuma using the Book of Death at this point. So what better way to get rid of Yomi than to carefully manipulate the detective who has the Perfect Criminal Murder Tool™? Makoto can't just assassinate Yomi himself- that would make him the main suspect and he'd have to do a lot of PR maintenance to get the rest of Amaterasu Corp off his back. But Yomi mysteriously dying of a heart attack while Makoto isn't anywhere around... well, that's different.

"But wait," you may be thinking, "doesn't Makoto want to keep Yomi alive because he's a Kanai Ward citizen, and he loves Kanai Ward?"

Good point! But doesn't that also apply to Yakou, whom he also had a hand in manipulating into that crazy sui-homocide of Dr. Huesca? Or, what about Fink? Remember him? Makoto killed him for "knowing too much." I know that information is missable, but it's there. And don't tell me it's just because he's a hitman and has killed other Kanai Ward residents, because Yomi has sent many residents to their deaths without trial... not a huge difference. So a body count isn't really on Makoto's "should I kill them" conditions, it seems.

If Fink gets killed for "knowing too much," then Yomi shouldn't be exempt from this, especially when he was leaking homunculus information to the outside world. That goes far beyond "knowing too much." It just doesn't make sense.

But you know what does? Makoto actually using the detectives to wipe his hands clean of Yomi's mess. Yakou is used to take care of Huesca, Yuma is used to take care of Yomi, and Makoto gets to sit back, relax, and watch everything play out just as planned.

And later, in the next chapter, when Yuma learns about Makoto using him like this, he realizes that he's truly been had.

Part 5: How I think it should play out

I'm not being a hater. In fact, I deeply love this game and have a lot of respect for Kodaka and the writing team, so please don't take my little rant as some sort of effort to bash on my favorite video game because that's not what this is. I'm not gonna prop myself up as a better writer than anyone on the team because I'm not, but I'll still try my hand at rewriting this scene to fit my personal taste. So I would like for you to imagine with me, the end of chapter 4...

Yuma and Vivia find the secret area of the labyrinth and find out that Yomi has been masterminding Huesca's murder. Shinigami points out that, hey, that's why the labyrinth is falling so slowly: we haven't finished it off! Vivia stands by Yuma's side, and all of them, driven by their rage and desire to see justice be done, reap the soul of the true mastermind through one final strike of the solution blade. Labyrinth collapses, snap back to reality, oop there goes gravity, oop there goes Yomi, who collapses on the ground.

The peacekeepers are surprised and approach the body. They find that Yomi is dead. They're shocked, and as this is happening, Yuma isn't sure what to feel. Is he glad that he managed to avenge Yakou? Not quite, because Yakou is still gone, the hitman is still out there, and everything still hurts. But a part of him feels... vindicated. Vivia seems to have equally complicated feelings about this. For once, it was... kind of worth it to find the truth, even if a bit messy.

Well now the peacekeepers confirmed Yomi is dead, but now they're accusing the detectives of this. And they're honestly kinda right. Yuma and Vivia realize that they're in kind of deep shit, but the sound of Martina's voice comes from off screen asking what on earth is going on here, making everyone freeze.

Enter her, Makoto, and Seth (I'll say why he's here too in a moment). They're surprised at the sight before them, but Makoto only pretends to be. Then you see it... Martina and Seth go from visibly suprised... to relieved. And there's something oddly triumphant, yet a bit chilling about Makoto and the two people we've witnessed Yomi throw under the bus standing over his corpse. It feels thematic now, as if righteous judgement has come. And... it also solves the "what happened to Seth" question, lol.

Makoto shakes his head and sighs, stepping over the corpse and approaching Yuma and Vivia as he comes up with an excuse: "I always told him that those temper tantrums weren't good for his blood pressure. I guess his heart couldn't take it anymore."

He then nods to the others. Seth instructs the peacekeepers to clean up the body, as they rot quickly in this city. There's this foreboding feeling in the peacekeepers' obedience and efficiency, and Yuma begins to wonder if he did a good thing. Did his actions change the peacekeepers for the better, he asks himself, or did he simply shift the power over to someone worse? Shinigami tells him she doesn't know.

Makoto approaches them with good news: they found and arrested the hitman! Yuma, frightened, does not address that and instead asks him why the other high ranking peacekeepers are here. Makoto says that they... owe him a favor. Martina expresses her gratefulness for him stopping her execution order and asks if they can do anything else, to which Makoto replies telling her no, they're doing an excellent job. After some more conversation, Seth, Martina, and the peacekeepers then leave with Yomi's body to let Makoto talk privately to Yuma and Vivia. Makoto apologizes for their loss of Yakou and offers some faux sympathy. They're both... still conflicted about this conclusion, but Makoto tells them they're free to go, so they'll think about it later. Oh, but before they leave, he gives Yuma a little gift: a suspicious black box. Of course, Yuma can't open it just yet- it's a surprise!

Then the rest could play out pretty much normally (though an encounter with zombie Yomi chapter 5 seems inevitable and also awesome).

I think this alone would solve every issue I addressed before. The peacekeepers do not change out of nowhere. They simply reallocate power and there's still this feeling of them being a threat as they're now directly connected to the game's true antagonist. There's now a theme to Martina's return with Seth's presence as well. There's now a narrative purpose to that final section of the mystery labyrinth with proper payoff. And, most importantly, Makoto's motivations to use the detectives make more sense.

By the way, if any Yomi lovers think that he should stay alive for a potential return in the sequel... isn't it such a blessing that Yakou's DLC introduced this pretty neat little pill that could still make that possible? Just saying.

So yeah. Yuma, for the sake of narrative payoff and character writing consistency, please kill this clown. Thanks for reading <3

[justlarkin]

I can't believe that Amaterasu's attack is literally just emotional blackmail 💀 "Look at everything I did for you in the past! How dare you treat me like this?! You should feel bad and stop it!" That's actually crazy 💀😭

Also, her memories with the delinquents?? Has she been the student council president at Umamichi Academy this entire time?!

[dorokora]

Chapter 16 Prologue Part 3:

We start with a dream flashback of Curren, where she had to go through painful test after test in the lab. Their words don’t bother her, as the other day her brother was scrapped for his hardware and she will be next for her software. Her brother had excellent exam results. He is on par with Isaac and Bertro. But the body's endurance is reaching its limits, and just the other day, he was discarded and taken away. She was captured by the security mechanoids. After this, she will probably be dumped at the "edge of paradise." Suddenly her giant robot brother MS-C1 appeared to rescue her and they escaped using time leap for the first time. Back to the present, Curren thinks about Michael and Amaterasu having their priorities wrong. She commented that the reason they lost was because they couldn't bring themselves to say that they didn't care about the old world that gave birth to them. They don't care about their old home that tried to abandon them. What's important from now on is just how will humans survive? Her and her siblings were incomplete. She couldn't survive on one side alone, she accepted that. The choice, the thought, there may not have been any freedom of choice, but. This is far better than being trapped and destroyed by the outdated idea of ​​a fixed "base." She will carry out Plan C. The girl decided they will live in the future. There is no need for freedom of choice. There is only one way to go.

Back to Tu'er Shen as he continues to see into the future and seeing something beyond comprehension. Back to Onyankopon who explains that “new life” are forms of life made to be adapted to the future. In other words, a resident of a different world, a utopia. This is the next step of MxOther’s plans. “New life” is migrating to the future city, and to Tokyo. And so the future of forming the majority in Tokyo has been decided. Onyankopon remembers a report about the Yoyogi academy being a testing site established for that type of research. Where multiple minds can co-exist in one body. Back to Tu'er Shen, who after seeing the dreaded future decided to find a new guild, he can’t handle what’s coming on his own. Back to Mononobe, Mononobe tells MC there’s a place he wants to take them. The old laboratory at Yoyogi.

The next day, we see Tu'er Shen and Hei Long Yi Quan, the other day Bohemio told the new recruit Tu'er Shen to join up with Hei Long Yi Quan for a mission since their abilities will be perfect together. The mission is to investigate the whereabouts of the institute that’s working with MxOther. Tu'er Shen gets a vision and Hei Long Yi Quan launched his sacred artifact at the maybe threat.

[luv-kakashi]

One of us is dead

chapter seven - team two

chapter six | chapter eight

"Thank you for meeting on such short notice," said The Hokage, as he watched the Jounins in the room brief themselves over the mission report.

"A few of our ninjas recently completed a B-ranked mission in the Village Hidden by the Rivers, and what they discovered was unexpected and shocking."

Several gasps erupted among the jounins as their eyes fixed on a detail highlighted in the report. The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of the revelation hanging heavily in the air. Each of them exchanged wary glances, before ultimately fixing their gaze on a particular individual.

Fugaku Uchiha.

"Black flames engulfed a remote area of the village. We are unaware of any residents who may have occupied this area of land, and I am not hopeful that we will ever find out. Nothing has been left behind from these flames," The Hokage exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention.

"Black flames, huh? It's a key staple of the Uchiha clan and their Amaterasu jutsu," Danzo spat, his gaze never leaving Fugaku Uchiha's.

"You sure know a lot about the Uchiha, don't you Danzo?" Fugaku retorted to the elder's comment.

"It couldn't have been one of our ninjas," a yellow-haired ninja interrupted, "The Village Hidden by The Rivers has always secluded itself from any shinobi government. What reason could lead to this attack on a silent village?"

"Minato raises an important point. However, it is difficult to overlook the possibility that an Uchiha committed this attack. Only the Amaterasu can lead to such destruction, leaving behind no corpses or ruins," The Hokage adds, a weary look painted on his face.

"Lord Third, the Amaterasu is a complex and sophisticated jutsu that only a shinobi of my calibre, or perhaps even Shisui's calibre can execute," Fugaku exclaims as he jumps from his seat, "But it couldn't have been us! We've just returned from the front lines!"

"I understand Fugaku," said The Hokage, as he attempted to diffuse the tension building in the meeting room.

"Lord Third, if I may," a voice interrupts, "Sunagakure will eventually investigate this attack, it will be unwise to conduct any research in the Village Hidden By The Rivers, considering the suspicion that's already cast on our village. Besides, we simply cannot commit any high-levelled shinobi; most of them are already on the front lines."

"I agree with you Shikaku. Thank you all for attending, dismissed," The Hokage sighed.

'A village in flames and a mysterious girl turns up. Just who are you Y/N Uzumaki?' The Hokage can't help but think, as he watches his ninja leave the room.

"Since when were you and Shisui best buds?" I asked an unusually cheerful Akira, who couldn't help but display his toothy, shit-eating grin as he watched Shisui walk into class, "You're smiling too much, it's very off-putting."

"What do you mean? Shisui and I go way back. We've always been best buds," Akira chuckled before shuffling into his usual seat by the window.

"I wish to sleep before Kiuske sensei arrives, but anyway, someone wants to talk to you."

He looks up and winks at the said 'someone' before resting his head on his arms.

"Y/N, I am so sorry for being rude to you the other day. I hope you find it in you to forgive me," said someone with unruly, curly black hair as they bowed in front of me.

"Ah, so Uchihas can apologise, it sure took you long enough," I said, earning a chuckle from the 'asleep' Akira.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Shisui muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"At least you apologised... Iforgive you," I replied, before shuffling over to let him sit with us. "Anyways, I thought you were a chunin. Why are you here at the academy?"

"Well to put it lightly I no longer have a team to work with," he sighs, recalling the tragic events of the war, "And Lord Third thought it was in my best interest to be put into a team considering how young I am. And I quote 'To allow me to integrate with my peers and maintain my youth'."

"He's making you out to be some sort of social outcast," Akira chuckled.

"So, you're our age?" I asked.

"Yeah, I graduated a while back and became chunin a few months ago," he said before Kiuske sensei dramatically entered the classroom with several boxes of tissues.

"Oh, here comes Mr. Waterworks," Shisui whispered.

"It seems like just yesterday you were all some snot-nosed brats knowing nothing about the shinobi system. And now you've all grown up into wonderful genin! I'm going to miss you brats so much!" Kiuske sensei wailed as he watched another class fly out of his nest.

"You will face many hardships during your shinobi career but never give up and stay true to yourself. Despite the struggles, never lose yourself on this journey and I promise you, you will always persevere through the hardship. I wish you all the very best." He finished off, wiping the tears that flowed down his cheeks.

"Well, at least he gave some useful advice even if he is dramatic," I said.

"He might seem like a big idiot, but he's probably one of the smartest people I know," Akira muttered as he got up and looked somewhat interested in sensei's words.

"Now it's time for teams," sensei interrupted, before calling up names of three.

"And for team two we have... Shisui Uchiha, Akira Kuran and Y/N Uzumaki."

Well, that doesn't seem too bad. At least I'm on a team with people I can stand.

"Would you look at that? I'm on a team with two of my friends." Akira cheered.

"The future of the hidden leaf lies in your hands; may you protect it with your ninja way! You are all dismissed." Sensei finished off, allowing the Jounin sensei to come in and take their students out, leaving team two in the classroom alone without their sensei.

"I wonder who our sensei is." I pondered.

"Where on earth is our sensei? Everyone's already left with their sensei. I want to get started on some missions already!" Akira cheered

"I'm sorry I'm late. I had something to do, " a voice chirped from the classroom door.

"Kushina-san?!" I asked, surprised to see the beautiful red-haired jonin again.

"It's been a while, Y/N-chan. I heard you're all eager to start your first mission, so as Team 2's first mission, we are going to get to know each other. Let's get out of here and find out each other's strengths and weaknesses." Kushina said, leading all of us to the nearest training ground.

"I want you all to tell me your name, things you like and dislike, your hobbies and dreams for the future." She asked.

"I'll go first. My name is Kushina Uzumaki, I like my village and spending time with my husband. I particularly dislike liars and people who make fun of others. And as for my dreams, I want to have a family of my own, and to see my husband become Hokage." She ended with her signature smile. "Okay, who's next?"

"My name is Akira Kuran. I like sleeping and watching the sky and I don't like being disturbed when I sleep." He said, before having a stare-off with me, "I dream to become a medic, just like my father." After he had finished, Kushina nodded and looked over to Shisui.

"My name is Shisui Uchiha. I like protecting my village, dango and my clan. I dislike selfish and arrogant people. I dream about achieving peace and stability within the nations." He said, before looking at me.

Oh Kami, it's my turn. What on earth do like and dislike? What are my dreams? In all my years of existence, not once have I ever pondered such things. Whatever my answer is, I can't forget that I'm just a girl on the run from captivity with no way back to her family.

"My name is Y/N Uzumaki. I like ramen, dango and watching the skies. I dislike people who bring others down and I haven't really thought of the future much but for now, I want to find my family." I said.

But what do I want for the future? All I've ever dreamed of was running away with my sister to start a new life away from the shinobi world, but what happens then? If running is all I'm doing now, then what awaits me at the end of the finish line? Do I start living then? Does my life truly start when I've made it to the end?

But it doesn't matter how fast I run or the distance I've run so far: running away is futile. It doesn't matter where I end up, I'm always carrying the pain and suffering from one place to another. The cycle never ends, and it never will. It's a race I'll never win.

A race I'm destined to lose.

Even if I do make it to the finish line, what would await me then?

I have no family to turn to, no friends to rely on and most importantly I don't even have myself to count on, so why should I assume my story has a happy ending?

I'm just a defiled, desecrated corpse that's found a way to walk, simply used by everybody, simply living for others but myself. Never have I once lived for myself. So why should I try now?

"Now that we've gotten to know each other, you three are going to complete your first mission." Kushina said, bringing me back to reality, "Shisui, since your chunin, you're going to be my partner.

I have one bell, Akira and Y/N have until noon to get this bell off me. You can use ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu against the both of us."

"Um sensei, why are we doing this test?" Akira questioned.

Why were we doing this test? I thought the test was over since we already made genin. But none of this matters to me, I made chunin 3 years ago back in Kiri, ranking doesn't matter to me.

"Out of all the genin that passed today, only a certain handful will officially be made into genin," she said, "You may start in 3..2..1 GO!"

Akira and I jumped back into the trees and I started planning out my attacks.

Kushina has the bell, so I'd have to slip past Shisui to get to her. But, Kushina's a jonin, she'll notice I'm planning something 50 miles away. Genjutsu's out of the question, there's no way it'll fool Shisui. And I can't use my full power, it'll give away who I am.

I should stick to fire style and wind style, they're the ones I'm strongest at. Perhaps I should use the clone jutsu to act as a decoy, but I'm sure they'll see through that.

"Idiot, I've been calling your name for the past 2 minutes," Akira whispered, causing me to jump at his sudden appearance. "Okay I don't stand a chance against Shisui nor Sensei alone, heck I don't even think that the both of us together could overpower them. But I'm sure we could surprise them if we worked together."

And that's when it clicked.

This was the Leaf's form of testing shinobi values. Unlike Kiri, the Leaf prioritises teamwork over ruthlessly killing your comrades. There's no way two mere 'genin' could overpower a chunin and a jonin.

"I'm not the fastest, so I'll act as a decoy. I think we should distract them with clones, then you go for Kushina sensei." Akira whispered, "We'll have to be as fast as we can. Shisui's renowned for his speed, he'll get through the clones faster than you think. Plus, I have a score to settle with him."

"Okay, I have a plan for how to take down Kushina. Wind clone jutsu." I said after performing the handsigns for the move.

Akira made 8 clones and we both headed out to where Shisui and Kushina were. Akira and his clones headed straight for Shisui and I took this moment to creep up behind Kushina. I had one hand behind my back performing my main jutsu and a kunai in the other.

I planned on distracting sensei by confusing her with my clones and transforming into the 'bells' to make her seem as if she had dropped them. But before I could even try and transform, all my clones were wiped out by a water-style jutsu performed by Kushina.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, Y/N-chan." She said, as she kicked my legs and pinned me to the floor as she held a kunai to my neck. "Looks like I win."

"Check again sensei." I gushed. Kushina was soon blown away by my wind clone she had pinned to the floor. I noticed Akira sprint towards me, he must've managed to distract Shisui.

Jeez, Shisui did a number on him; He looks awful.

"Y/N, I'll perform an earth style jutsu. Can you perform lightning? The two will combine to make a powerful jutsu." Akira panted, before straightening up again.

"I'm not the best at lightning but I can try," I whispered.

The both of us performed the hand signs for our combined move, one that will render Kushina sensei paralysed for a few seconds. That's all we need, a few seconds to swipe the bell of her.

"Earth style: ground shockwave!" "Lightning style: Lightning bolt!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath us started to ebb violently with a surge of lightning swimming through it. This was the opening we needed.

Akira and I ran straight after our jutsu, towards Kushina, but we were blown away by a surge of wind.

"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" Shisui shouted as he ran through the trees to where we were. "Sensei, are you okay?" he asked as he pulled Kushina to her feet, frantically checking for any injuries.

"I'm okay Shisui, thank you." She replied.

"Hey how did you get out of my trap?" Akira questioned.

"Mediocre traps don't require much effort to get out of." Shisui giggled before tying me and Akira to a tree.

"TAKE THAT BACK BASTARD! IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TRAP, RIGHT?" Akira yelled as he kicked his legs in annoyance.

"It couldn't have been that good if he's stood right in front of us Bakakira." I chuckled.

"I think they did a pretty good job you know! What do you think Shisui?" Kushina said, dusting off her trousers.

"I think they understood the purpose of the test right at the beginning, right?"

"It was all about teamwork!" Akira and I said simultaneously.

"There was no way we were going to get the bell on our own, so we decided to team up." Akira said

"Wait, we never managed to get the bell. Does that mean we aren't genin?" I asked, looking up to the towering shinobi above us.

"We purposely tried to pit you guys against each other to see if you could overcome your selfishness, but it seems as if that was pointless.

You worked together from start to finish. Not many teams have managed to see through that. I'm proud of you two and you should be proud of yourselves, you know!" Sensei said as she ruffled our hair.

"I'm proud of you too Shisui, thank you for backing me up there." She untied us from the tree and pulled us all into a massive group hug. "Looks like Team 2 is official! Our first proper mission starts tomorrow so I want you all well rested, okay!"

"Understood Sensei!" we replied.

"Let's go have some celebratory ramen, I'm paying. Let's go!"

ramen break sponsored by ichiraku ramen (ig: fanny_eerm)

Did life truly have no meaning up until now? The few short years I spent with my mother before the damnable world chained me to a world of crime, the sleepless nights spent with Sumire in our little attic world and meeting Team Two - all of it seemed like a fragmented memory, floating away in the distance as the aroma of perfectly balanced soy and miso wafted through my nose.

The tender pork melted in my mouth, so buttery and light in texture. The egg that had been floating on the rich, savoury broth practically dissolved on my tongue. The warmth of the broth spread through me as each bite tasted like comfort wrapped in a savoury blanket.

I paused mid-chew, eyes watering up at the perfection before me as I lowered my chopsticks.

"I... I LOVE YOU MR. TEUCHI!" I gasped, blinking at the very chef responsible for my tears who was already grinning.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoy it so much!" he chuckled as he went back to boil some more noodles.

"I think you're going to have a new regular Teuchi, you know!" Kushina laughed as she watched me wolf down my ramen.

By the time I finished, my bowl was cleaned spotless and I found myself longingly stare at the bottomless abyss hoping that Kami will refill my bowl with more delicious ramen. I turned to Shisui, who was watching me with an amused smirk.

"You know Y/N, you're souper special to me," Shisui uttered as he placed a fishcake into my bowl, "Udon know how much I care."

The entire room fell into a discernible silence as Shisui's words hung in the air. Each of us took turns to glance at the Uchiha before glancing at each other. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as a smile tugged at my lips. "Did you really just say that?" I asked as I shook my head.

"Don't be so broth-ered, Y/N, life is too short to be miso-serious!"

"Shisui you dork," I chuckled as I playfully shoved him.

Shisui laughed, clearly pleased with himself, as he dodged my shove. "Hey, I'm just trying to ramen calm and carry on," he said with a wink.

I couldn't help but grin at how ridiculous he was being. "How do you even come up with these?" I asked, my voice filled with both exasperation and amusement.

"I noodle my way through it," he replied, his grin widening.

"Okay, now you're really pushing it," I laughed, shaking my head. I sit back in my chair as my thoughts started to cloud over me. The longer I stay in Konoha, the deeper the ties I forge as Shisui, Akira and Kushina sensei as they slowly etch their way into my heart.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Y/N and Akira have officially graduated from the Academy! As fate would have it, they’ve been placed on the same team as Shisui, under the guidance of their mentor, Kushina.

However, Y/N cannot escape the lurking eye of Konoha's elitist shinobi. How long can she hide for before her entire past unravels before her. Stay tuned to find out

As always you can find this story on wattpad too!

Let me know what you think! Personally, I think I have outdone myself with chapter twelve, its real funny. I can’t wait for you guys to read it!

Lots of Love,

Suri

[raincode-archives]

Epilogue Character Profile Descriptions

Yuma Kokohead Not actually Yuma Kokohead, his true identity is Number One of the World Detective Organization.

Realizing the Great Global Mystery involved his own homunculus, he made a contract with Shinigami to solve the mystery, losing his memory in the process. He then switched places with the real Yuma Kokohead and went to Kanai Ward as Trainee Detective Yuma.

He sent Makoto out of the Mystery Labyrinth before escaping through the emergency exit. This voided his contract with Shinigami, and he headed off alone, losing all memory of their time together.

Number One's Forte is Coalescence, the ability to make use of another's Forte by receiving their permission and holding their hand.

Shinigami (Spirit Form) A death god contracted to haunt Yuma. Only visible to Yuma, Shinigami is constantly floating and bobbing along at his side. Though cheerful and chatty, this death god's sense of morality is quite far removed from that of humans.

Shinigami can open a path to the Mystery labyrinth, which is the manifestation of mysteries from the real world. The truth behind the mystery is revealed by solving the Mystery labyrinth. Dispelling it requires reaping the true culprit's soul, which results in their death in the real world.

After Number One opened the Book of Death in the WDO library, Shinigami agreed to a pact to help him rid the world of unsolved mysteries and bring happiness to everyone. The two then came to Kanai Ward together.

Shinigami (Human Form) Shinigami's true form. Her personality is no different from when she's in her spirit form, so she continues to enjoy teasing Yuma.

She can open a path to the Mystery Labyrinth, which is the manifestation of mysteries from the real world. She has many special abilities inside the Mystery Labyrinth that can aid Yuma in solving it.

Believing that Yuma would fulfill his promise to show her a world where everyone was happy, she opened an emergency exit from the Mystery Labyrinth. She saw him off as he left, accepting that he would have no memory of their time together.

Yakou Furio A Kanai Ward native and head of the Nocturnal Detective Agency. He lives in an unhealthy, unkempt, and unsanitary lifestyle. He understands the thread the Amaterasu Corporation Peacekeepers pose, but only thinks of how to avoid them. Even so, he cares a great deal for his companions.

In order to avenge his wife who was murdered four years ago, Yakou sacrificed his life to murder Dr. Huesca at Amaterasu's lab.

After his body was transported to the Restricted Area, Yakou retained his faculties and refrained from attacking people. He later entrusted Yuma with a DVD containing footage of the Project: Homunculus experiment.

Number One Number One's body double. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, Number One issues orders to the detectives via this double in order to keep his true identity hidden.

(Fake) Zilch Alexander An assassin employed by Yomi. He is a close associate of Yomi's and kills anyone that stands in his way.

After murdering and taking the place of Master Detective Zilch, the hitman killed all of the Master Detectives aboard Amaterasu Express. He framed Yuma for the crime and was returning to Amaterasu when his soul was reaped by Shinigami after the Mystery Labyrinth was solved, resulting in his death.

Makoto Kagutsuchi Makoto is in truth the homunculus of Number One, created at a Unified Government research facility. His goal has always been to protect the homunculi of Kanai Ward, and he is prepared to do absolutely anything to attain it.

Following a fierce battle with Number One inside of the Mystery Labyrinth, Makoto has become steward of Kanai Ward, working endless to protect the homunculi living there.

Kurumi Wendy A student at Aetheria Academy. Hungry for knowledge, she seeks out anything she wants to know with unwavering tenacity. Thanks to her cheerful demeanor and excellent communication skills, she's quick to get along with people she meets. Having a lifelong fascination with detectives, she couldn't pass up an opportunity to talk with one and shadowed Yuma.

She was about to be arrested for the theater club murder, but was released after Yuma revealed the truth.

She holds deep trust in Yuma. When he began to doubt his actions, she bolstered his confidence by telling him he was doing the right thing.

While investigating the restricted area with Yuma, she reunited with her murdered friend, Aiko, and was finally able to say farewell.

Dr. Huesca Chief researcher and expert weapons developer at Amaterasu Lab. An arrogant man who believes his intellect is unrivaled. He hates having his precious research time interrupted and allows no one to enter his critical labs.

He colluded with Peacekeeper Director Yomi to secretly sell off Amaterasu technology, planning all the while to double-cross Yomi and flee Kanai Ward. Attempting to use the turmoil caused by the hitman to fake his own demise, he was instead stabbed and killed by Yakou, who sought revenge for his murdered wife.

Yomi prompted Yakou to commit the murder in order to get rid of the backstabbing Dr. Huesca while keeping his own hands clean.

Three years ago, Dr. Huesca conducted the Project: Homunculus experiment. Its failure produced the defective homunculi, which killed the real doctor.

[pinkhairedlily]

tadaima

sharing my piece for @sasusakubpzine which i'm so grateful to have been selected for. we are holding leftover sales so get a copy now if you haven't yet! 🛒-> https://t.co/DM3t6gqkDo

“Tadaima!”

Sasuke heard this greeting many times when they were kids. After classes, after missions, after errands. Everyone had families to come home to. Only Sakura had this privilege in their team, her parents still alive, but never once did he catch her uttering it.

He envied her regardless. However casual and mundane the word was to her, he craved to use it. Maybe letters strung together could bring back his dead.

But it was Sakura, his anchor after the war, who made it possible again. “Tadaima.”

And today, he’ll hear her say it to her family.

Only that, she isn’t herself. He sees her plant a longer kiss on Sarada’s forehead and feels her squeeze his arm a little tighter, signs of her anxiety bursting to the brim.

“We can go another time.”

Sakura shakes her head and grins her way out of his silent prodding. “Let’s take advantage of this while we can. A complete family. I can show them that.”

A complete family. Sasuke always thought Sakura had it easy, but not all families mean home.

x x x

Sasuke hears the Harunos before he sees them. Their noise is as loud as their eclectic hair styles and colors, but they quiet down when they register their arrival. The grand entrance ends on a neutral note when Sakura beckons him to the empty seats beside her parents at the center table. Hot seats. 

Kizashi and Mebuki manage lukewarm nods towards the three of them. Not so much as a kiss or hug for Sakura or an awed expression for Sarada inside her baby wrap. Sasuke doesn’t know which of the two irks him more.

The luncheon goes well for the first half. Everyone keeps to their little conversations. The meat is a little too hard and the broth a little too rich, but nothing out of ordinary. Perhaps it’s the food coma that makes some cousins plant their attention on them.

“Did you learn love potions at that ninja academy?” Eyeliner Guy asks. “Couldn’t think of any other way.”

Sakura smiles. “No, but I'm an expert with poisons.”

The death threat flies over their heads. 

“You probably baby-trapped him, no?” Thick Lipstick side-eyes him. “What a catch.”

Sasuke tries to smile, if only for his wife’s sake, but his annoyance seeps through his reply. “Great theories, but we actually met at the academy, fell in love later on, and got married. Contrary to what you think, Sakura is quite the catch.” He takes a sip of his now-cold tea. “I’m sure you’ll find someone in your forties. Don’t lose hope.”

Sakura almost chokes on her dango. “She’s in her twenties, Sasuke,” she chastises under her breath.

“Such a shame we didn’t see your marriage registry. We tried to find it, you know,” Green Mohawk smacks his lips, “for fun.”

“We got married outside the village, but we appreciate your effort.” He hopes his cold tone diffuses their burning curiosity, bordering on assault.

Some old people gravitate towards their seats upon hearing this. “We heard you came from traveling.”

“Ah, yes, the Land of Flowers was so beautiful.” Sakura tries to turn the conversation light, but no one takes her bait.

“Wasn’t that too dangerous during your pregnancy?” Paper Fan Grandma asks.

“You should’ve been more careful, Sakura,” Mebuki chastises, “And you should’ve known better, boy.”

“It’s Sasuke,” Sakura butts in, “And Mom, I’m a doctor. I can take care of myself.”

Mebuki not remembering his name doesn’t bother him as much as her occupation escaping them.

“So what’s your work, Sasuke?” Cigarette Smoking Uncle asks.

Sasuke has half a mind to use amaterasu on the nicotine stick. “I have duties beyond the borders of the village.”

“Ah, you’re always traveling then?” Paper Fan Grandma loves to gasp a lot.

“You could put it like that.”

“And you leave her? With a baby?”

“Sakura is very important in the village. She’s the hospital director.”

The three cousins sneer loudly at this while the older group does not feign their disappointment and tut-tuts. Sakura’s grip on his thigh tightens.

“This is why I keep telling her to focus on being a housewife,” Mebuki tells her husband as if Sakura is not in front of them. “The horrors of being a single mom! Did you hear what happened to Ayako? In debt and cheated on!”

Sakura is a strong woman. 

She never backs out from a fight or cowers in fear. She faces all her battles head-on. She has grown out of the shells of her childhood and adolescence and into these beautiful myriad of forms: a healer, a soldier, a mother, a wife.

“I can balance my work —” 

But this Sakura’s voice wavers and he sees how one of Konoha’s pillars regresses into an insecure girl who only wants her family to see her, know her, and accept her. 

Kizashi scoffs. “Sakura, do you know how hard it was to raise you? Your mother and I lost count of the sleepless nights we had because you wanted to become a ninja.”

Green Mohawk adds, “Bad decision. You’re lucky you came back in one piece.” He throws an apologetic look at Sasuke’s lost arm. 

Arthritic Grandpa points his cane at Sarada. “A child with two nin parents? Preposterous. Ninjas don’t grow well. They become orphans.”

Sakura stiffens beside Sasuke. He offers her his hand which she clasps in support, but really, it was just to stop her from springing when he says his piece, “Then I’m glad Sakura grew up okay despite being related to you. Clearly, you didn’t know her capabilities– or you only pretended to.”

A look of shock passes through their faces. Sarada takes the momentary silence to wiggle out of her baby wrap and onto Sakura’s lap. She squeezes her Mama’s cheeks, a gentle gesture of, Don’t worry Mama. I love you.

The manager of the restaurant also swoops into the awkward exchange by bringing the bill and a blank paper. “It’s a pleasure to have you dine with us, Dr. Uchiha. You saved my sister in an invasion once, but you probably don’t remember it anymore.”

Sasuke silently thanks the man for reminding Sakura what she is, what she has become. 

Sakura smiles. Finding her footing, she quickly gives her autograph “for display” and nods to Sasuke. At this cue, he gives the manager a wad of cash and ushers his family out of the restaurant without so much of a goodbye to anyone else.

x x x

"I think I made a good impression." Sasuke breaks the silence as they enter their home. 

Sakura's shoulders — broad, strong, dependable — tremble. But it's only laughter she can't contain. 

"You sure did." A soft grumble passes between them and she erupts in louder chuckles. "Can't believe I paid for food I haven't eaten. I'm so hungry."

As they enter the kitchen, his shoulders rub hers, another language meant to hold her hand. "Great timing then." 

“Okaerinasai!” Kakashi, Iruka, and Yamato, caliber soldiers, rightfully feared, don brightly-patterned aprons as they rambunctiously navigate a foreign space. Clutter decorates the countertops, and different, appetizing smells permeate the corners. 

It smells like home.

Sasuke watches Sakura’s face light up at the chaotic sight. 

Sarada is quickly lifted off Sasuke's embrace into the cradle made by three pairs of arms, and her greeting involves biting the cheeks of her uncles — her attempt at a kiss.

"No fair, Yamato. Don't turn your cheeks into wood!" Iruka bursts out. "It's painful for Sara— ow!" 

"You forget she's Sakura's daughter." Yamato massages the flushed red side of his cheek where thick gums and milk teeth had clamped down hard.

Kakashi heeds fair warnings. "Now Sara-chan, why don't I kiss you instead?" But the toddler has other plans as stubby fingers pull down his mask.

“Now don’t hog my goddaughter like that.” The three house-nins part for Tsunade whose arms are already open for Sakura. “How’s my best student?”

Where no one touched her earlier, here she is received. In laughter, in pats, in hugs. Casual, mundane things that tell of love.  

It feels like home.

“I didn’t invite you.” Sasuke notices the two empty sake bottles on the sink. “But I see you’ve already made yourself welcome.” 

“Kakashi said this is my homecoming. Besides, you rarely play host.” Tsunade shrugs, her  innocence quickly morphing into slyness. “Why don’t we play cards?”

Another bottle to the mix and a relocation to the patio later, the fifth hokage finds herself losing with an expectant audience.

"Sakura, sit next to your shishou.”

"Sakura, no." 

A student still obeys her master, and like clockwork, a gust of wind loosens her top. Sasuke grimaces at the distraction.

"Aha. I win!" Tsunade puts down her hand. "See, Sakura, you're always my lucky charm."

“Don’t tell me you didn’t see that coming?” Iruka jests.

“I recommend Icha-Icha’s Education Against Seduction.” Kakashi pulls a book out of his apron to give to his former student, but Yamato’s the first one to flip through the pages.

Annoyed, Sasuke turns to a half-flustered, half-laughing Sakura. “She cheated. Again. How did she even become your teacher?”

“How did you even become her husband?” Tsunade rolls her eyes. “I bet Orochimaru taught you love potions. Why would the most beautiful kunoichi even marry you?”

“She has the best chakra control,” Kakashi pipes, “I bet Sakura can beat your genjutsu now.”

“Monstrous strength for a doctor.” A specific memory sends shivers to Yamato’s spine. “Don’t let her fix your bones while conscious.”

A consensus runs through the group which stops Sakura’s laughter. “Are these supposed to be compliments? Why do I feel offended?” 

Inside her crib, Sarada giggles. Iruka leans down to her and whispers in acquiescence, “I know. She’s a loving mother too. You’re gonna grow up fine, Sara-chan.” 

Sasuke trains his sight on Sakura whose face is painted in happiness. There is nothing to prove, nothing to say, nothing to do. She is seen for what she is, all the sides and parts of her that make her her: a student, a doctor, a wife, a mother.

A loud bang interrupts the scene, followed by a powerful rush of chakra. 

"Good evening, constituents!" Clad in his hokage robes, Naruto commits to his ceremonious entrance. Only Sarada spares him attention with a delighted cooo-caaa. 

"Did you bring it?" Tsunade drawls over her words. Already too drunk to balance, she is leaning against Yamato, who looks like a still painting in front of the fire. 

Naruto presents another bottle of sake to the group with a flourish. "Of course, old woman!" Despite his desire to hold off on additional liquor, Sasuke accepts the gift.

x x x

The bottle, emptied after making several rounds in the group, now lies under Sakura's feet. The crowded bench trickled down to the three of them, the rest having already found abode on living room futons, limbs all splayed out and tangled like close friends under the warmth of the covers, with Sarada at the center of them all.

In the dark, Sakura's shoulders are hunched, free of the tension that hounded her this morning. The fading embers dance in her jade eyes.

"It had been a long time since we gathered like this." Her words trail smoke in the wintry air. "Too bad Sai had Yamanaka duties."

Naruto chuckles. "He missed a rare sighting of dancer Yamato."

"With deadpan expressions to boot."

Both of them turn to Sasuke at the same time and laughter spills out.

"No, I’m not drunk." Sasuke holds up his sole hand at the wordless prompting, but he puts it down quickly when his world starts spinning out of orbit. Yep, he’s drunk.

"You're no fun." Naruto sticks out his chin in defiance. "Why don't we play a game?" 

Sakura claps in agreement. She somehow salvaged a third of the wine's content from their teachers for their drinking game.

"Take a shot if you did this," Sakura grins too widely. "Never have I ever failed a subject in the academy."

The boys clink their glasses and drink. Alcohol tastes like water when you get used to it.

"What? Sasuke failed?" Sakura's pitch climbs a bit higher. 

It's an embarrassing admission, "I hated History." Sasuke wonders if his path of revenge would have taken a different trajectory if he had paid more attention. "Never have I ever failed a practical."

"What are these non-controversial questions?" Naruto snorts and empties his glass. Sakura smugly follows suit. "The know-it-all shows himself."

Sasuke shrugs, grateful to be spared from this round, because my god, I can't feel my legs. To be fair, he's doing a good job pretending he's fine. How is Naruto holding up so well? 

"Okay, last question, and I have to go home to Hinata." Naruto swirls the remaining contents of the bottle. Probably good for only two shots. 

"Hmm," Sasuke sees him rack his brain for more scandalous questions, but it's the one he picks that sears his insides. "Never have I ever fallen in love with a teammate while we were genin!"

“I hate you! That’s not how it works!”

“I’m too drunk to think of anything else!”

Sasuke swipes the bottle away from their reaching hands and swigs it into his mouth. He hopes it numbs down these butterflies and palpitations and somersaults that time traveled when he tried to touch her rosette strands as she scribbled furiously during History class.

"Sasuke-kun? You switched up the rules. You’re supposed to drink when it’s true.”

Sakura turns to Naruto, usually competitive, but has no protestations on this development.

“But it’s true.” The bottle goes round and round in his hand. “I liked Sakura back then,” he sighs his confession into the open, this secret no longer his own.

“No way.” 

“I wasn’t just as loud about it.” Sasuke takes another swig, forgetting it’s empty, and the bottle comes loose in his fingers. “It actually faded you know,” he adds a dash of nonchalance, but Sakura, as she always does, sees through him.

“It’s true, Sakura-chan,” Naruto echoes, “Or maybe his definition of like is ‘the only girl he can tolerate’.” That earns him a good old slap on the back of the head. 

They’re twelve again, struggling to be teammates, bickering at every conversation, and building bonds Sasuke thought he could fray.

This is family.

“Stop smiling.”

“I can’t stop.”

“You’re as annoying as you were then.”

x x x x

“What was the occasion?” The question hangs in the silence of midnight as she settles on her side of the bed. Sasuke adjusts his body to her presence, accommodating her curling limbs, like fitting two puzzle pieces.

“Nothing. I told them I missed them,” he lies. 

Sakura needs her family, that was the message. She needs her home.

His fingers intertwine with the strands he liked, strands he loves. Underneath his skin, he feels her let go of wakefulness, dreams already waiting to claim her.

A murmur, a prayer, as she leaves the day, “Tadaima.” 

FIN.

Thanks for reading!

AO3 | Twitter

[iloveyosukelegs]

Non-breath oblige

description: Of course, she came here for something more important. For something he was afraid to hear in person, word for word, from one of the residents. The truth that he did not ignore, which he knew about, but still was afraid to hear the confirmation of every painful thought.

characters: Kurumi Wendy, Makoto Kagutsuchi

word count: 2.8k

tags: ‼️spoilers for ED‼️, corruption, thoughts of vigilante as the only escape from injustice, my try to extand the tragedy occurred in ch2

link in ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54586600

The girl timidly looked at the huge elevator arch in front of her. She looked around the overly rich building, furnished with expensive furniture and permeated from floor to ceiling with exceptionally exquisite decor. Even to this day, she never tired of being amazed by the amount of truly luxurious buildings in their city. Starting from the Aetheria Academy, ending with the central building of Amaterasu, in which she was now looking around warily.

This is not the first time she comes here, but she hopes to leave here for the last time.

After her hero helped her in the most important case of her life, she was left with only the Book of Death, which caused fear, sadness and gratitude inside the heart of high school student. It contained something that helped Yuma in solving all the cases from which he had the courage not to turn away from, not to ignore the truth for which he fought until the very end.

The elevator made a short high-pitched sound, opening its doors and letting the girl into a box that was perfect fittable to the size of the entire building, there were even relaxing music playing. So that people getting to the upper floors would not be so bored. Especially when your goal is the very last floor of the Amaterasu Tower.

Where the CEO in his usual pose was already waiting for her, thoughtfully scribbling on papers with a pencil, apparently thereby increasing his concentration. Kurumi Wendy smiled - someone clearly didn’t want to work anymore, considering that all the primary tasks had long been resolved...

Without saying a word, the high school student calmly walked inside the immodest hall-office, leaving her briefcase against one of the wide walls and moving closer to the busy guy at the desk. As always, he will not notice her presence, allowing her to silently comb his long, blonde hair, which is, as usual, in a terrible state, using her favorite elastic rubber bands to a neatly collected bun. Allows her to silently observe from the sidelines.

Usually, five minutes after finishing the “quick hairstyle,” Makoto Kagutsuchi notices her, confused by how he again was able failed to notice the presence of a high school student, becomes embarrassed, and then offers tea. Traditional one, with herbs, without herbs, strong, diluted, gifted by someone from the top layer of collaborating companies, that was bought here...

“Or wine? Kurumi-chan, are you drinking wine?"

And after her attempt to agree, there was the gloating laughter of a man who clearly had no intention of sharing expensive alcohol with a high school student and getting his own residents drunk. Which is surprising, because there were so many times more wine in this office than there were any tea...

But today she came here with business. This matter did not require a quick solution, but her briefcase was already packed, and the gaze of the CEO was already directed at her. There was a childish-looking flowered rubber band in his hair. Kurumi smiled, still allowing herself to dilute the heaviness of the pending conversation with the usual chatter about nonsense:

"I must say, you look much better without a mask, Mr. Makoto".

"Is it true?" Noticeable ill feeling in the eyes "is it because I remind you of your boyfriend?"

“We’re not dating” The girl said automatically, without any emotion, for the umpteenth time in the last month “and no, you`re not alike... at least your gaze is much heavier and stern. But still just as caring!"

Makoto looked at her in amazement, for some reason shyly looking away to the side and missing out the scrunched face of the high school student, teasing her too surprisingly sensitive friend.

Kurumi relaxed her face, smiled sadly, holding the Book of Death entrusted to her in her hands and placing it on the wide table.

"And since you have never let the residents down with your care..."

“Kurumi-chan...” the CEO began with his recognisable politeness, getting up from his chair and feeling an inexplicable heaviness inside at the sight of a familiar book. Even the sound with which the weighty book fell onto the surface of a stack of papers made him shudder slightly, “You... want to go look for Yuma, right..?”

“Mr. Makoto,” the high school student said in the same tone as the guy, looking surprised, “I am... going to do so, but that’s not the reason why I came here.”

“Oh, that’s how it is...” the guy apparently looked away sadly, not knowing what to answer.

There was no such need as asking hin personally for a pass to leave the Kanai Ward. This could be done through special terminals installed very close to the train station. His permission for this was no longer required at all, given that Kanai Ward was now an open city, and its residents could move freely between cities or even countries, if it was possible with the routes built into the automated trains running from Kanai Ward.

Of course, she came here for something more important. For something he was afraid to hear in person, word for word, from one of the residents. The truth that he did not ignore, which he knew about, but still was afraid to hear the confirmation of every painful thought.

Hearing about the pain experienced by someone, which he was not able to stop much earlier, felt just like another act before the court of conscience.

And the book in front of him is just a pretext - a pretext for an important conversation. And neither of them were ready to such conversation and still both of them understand the necessity for it.

Makoto nodded slowly, sitting back down in his chair and looking intently at Kurumi, who was stroking the cover of a menacing-looking volume.

"Yuma... used this book to kill the criminals? Right?"

There was a heavy silence in the room as Makoto swore Yuma didn't want it to be put it that way. Just as much as Makoto himself would not want to call murder all the industrial machinations that have been taking place in the Restricted Area for all three years.

But, seeing in the eyes of a straightforward high school student the desire to hear a simple answer - either yes or no - he gave up, not even wanting to try replacing the definitions of words, both for himself and for his original. Kurumi`s belief in them both and this city was too strong, and he should not disrupt this faith.

"Yes."

“So that`s how it is...” the girl looked away, “but it’s still funny... how everything in this city until the very end was decided only in this way. I thought about this for a long time now, starting from the moment when Waruna, Yoshiko and Kurane were declared dead. After all, massed sudden death does not happen this easy, Mr. Makoto... especially during the investigations... especially in this city..."

Makoto held his breath, his whole body was tensed. Somewhere, closer to the elevator, there was a sharp sound - an unstable briefcase sliding down the wall. What a deathly silence is standing here from day to day...

"But it's not bad. I realized that this is not bad at all. Because it's much better than an absolute nothing. You might not have seen this,” Kurumi switched to a whisper, making sure that the CEO was listening to her attentively, “You might not have seen this for all three years, but... I was very lucky.”

"Lucky?.. Kurumi-chan..."

“I was much luckier than people who were left with an absolute nothing. You know, I am the only informant of this city,” the high school student quickly smiled, “I talked a lot with the residents of Kanai Ward. Word of mouth is the best source of information! But this word of mouth contained too many stories that had no solution and no single truth. I've seen too much..."

"... truth established by those who had the power in their hands..."

... Conversations in whispers on the stairwells of numerous people who did not even allow themselves to be angry that their loved one was taken under surveillance in order to pin another crime committed by the Peacekeepers on them. Quiet tears of old women who were forced to spend her last days alone - because her bright-hearted husband was suddenly executed for a series of murders. Brutal deaths that were explained by Peacekeepers with the simple word “suicide,” in which none of them had to dig deep anymore, but only sympathize with a family that had unjustly lost their only child.

"... powerlessness of ordinary people, whose word means nothing to those in whose hands the weapon is - and each of us was often afraid that this weapon could be used against us at any moment..."

She remembers her own scream, heard throughout the entire stage of the Academy Theater, the fear from the realization that if she is taken to the Peacekeepers station now, this will be her personal end and another sad story of a victim of the unfair “truth” established by law. How she didn’t even have time to blink in those terrible seconds, how they quickly shut her up and carried her unconscious to the exit from the Academy. The auditorium, in which there were other girls, and the Academy, in the corridors of which there were her teachers - no one could do anything about it. Intervene. Even if each of them knew that Kurumi would never have committed the murder this cruel.

"... desperate attempts of Aiko’s parents back then... to influence with bribes, authority, anything - they knew that their bright Aiko would never have jumped from the roof. She brought hope to her parents too, Mr. Makoto..."

At night, Kurumi still had nightmares about the heartbreaking scream of all three girls who learned about the death of their close friend. Her own tears that did not stop for several months after the incident, because Aiko was her best friend, too... About the silence in their class: no one wanted to discuss the tragedy that had occurred, everyone knew that the cause of death written in official documents was a lie, but they were afraid to talk about it out loud. Slander towards law enforcement is not acceptable. Especially when their cameras are in every classroom, and one of their patrolmen walks around the territory, as if they were really *afraid* that someone will be able to find evidence to the contrary of the loud word “suicide”. As if they did not hide all kinds of evidences from the roof.

"...the amount of such cases occurred monthly, even those that I did not manage to find out or hear about..."

Because many people fell silent forever even with their eyes, that was not able to either cry or whisper about pain anymore.

“It’s funny how even the United Government, which did this to our bodies and personalities, called it “another event in world history.” It was as if... from the very beginning to the very end, we were considered nothing more than a failed experiment. As if behind the word “history” our previous lives and people who died during something so inhumane never existed..."

“And in order not to go crazy from an absolute nothing...” the girl took a short breath, suddenly falling silent, “even teenagers had to commit such a terrible act as “vigilante.” Isn��t it scary when kids kills other kids just because they realized that the so-called “Peacekeepers" cannot help them with anything?.. Do Aiko and all those unfairly accused people deserve to be remembered as something dirty?.. I have been looking for a person for so long who would help me find the truth..."

She was even asking for help the fans of detective genre, for some reason hoping that using books from the library and some films would really help her achieve the truth for the name of Aiko. In the girls changing room she listened to the barely audible crying of her classmates, and no one was able to stop and calm down the cry. She listened to the conversations that occasionally passed in the queues to the dining room. She was trying to get her friend’s case file, having absolutely no plan to get into one of the Peacekeepers’ sites. She was angry at the absence of cameras on the roof, the lack of recording on them exactly on the day of her death, not being able to remember whether they had once existed before, or whether it was also a detail thought out by the Peacekeepers.

She was ready to give up, repeating to herself at night with the hope that was leaving her along with her tears, “to hold on just a little longer.”

And at one day she found her hero. She found the cute boy jumping through the puddles of an underground passage in the form of the most real Master Detectives. With a cute bowl-cut hairstyle and a voice that was not entirely confident in his own words.

“But even he found a solution only in the act of vigilante,” Kurumi smiled sadly, exhaling and tapping her fingers on the eternally silent Book of Death, “but it’s not bad... if the truth is finally achieved for her... it’s not bad if thanks to such terrible method there is a tiny bit of hope for at least a few residents. If they can talk loudly again, scream, get angry, cry, grieve, hate, breathe...

The girl’s shoulders trembled slightly, and almost crystal tears poured down her cheeks, breaking on the surface of the volume.

Makoto froze, unconsciously clenching the fist of his right hand and trying to suppress the pure rage directed at everyone who had a hand in the city that was gradually collapsing from within.

"I did my best-.."

“I know, Mr. Makoto,” Kurumi’s tears quickly ended, leaving small and rare droplets of consequences on the cover of the old book, “I know that you tried for us. I will wait... for more and more residents of this city to receive the truth they deserve."

Makoto blinked, briefly seeing an image of Yuma in front of him, telling him the exact same words before he left.

“So that each of them will be able to breathe deeply, the way I was once, for the first time in several years, was able to breathe when I met Yuma. But since one of the Greatest Minds is now hidden in one of the still unknown corners of this vast world,” Kurumi smiled mysteriously, showing the space around with her hands, “then the one of Greatest Minds who remains here, must promise that he will bring his inhabitants this most necessary personal peace and quite in found truth".

“Of course...” the guy nodded, “Kanai Ward’s only informant... May be no longer worried about this.”

“Then,” the high school student laughed, “the Kanai Ward`s only informant entrusts this matter to you! But remember..."

"Yes?.."

“We are still capable of “vigilante”, Kurumi picked up a heavy volume, pointing it at the CEO and for some reason smiling mysteriously.

"Is this a threat?" Relaxed smile.

"It`s more of the simple warning! Just promise me to... show the residents of this city more humane and fair ways to achieve the truth..."

“I will do my best to achieve the peace where no one have to fight for the truth anymore, Kurumi-chan.”

The girl, seeing in the CEO’s gaze the same mood that was born in her heart, embittered by the stories told by her here, full of flowing pain and resentment, only nodded quietly, bowing for the last time to one of the main saviors of Kanai Ward and taking back the book she had brought with her.

Now she has shared all the information accumulated over the years of personal research. About something personal. About something that not a single attentive glance of the cameras that CEO had a direct access to could see, about something that none of the residents, accustomed to silence and fear of authority, could tell him personally.

“We all trust you with our heart, Mr. Makoto.”

"And I will never dare to let you down again... because it’s really important for me to know what you grieve about, what you`re sad about, what you dream about and what you’re happy about."

Kurumi turned around, smiling broadly at Makoto one last time and leaving her favorite rubber bands, keychains and badges on the table.

“In memory of me and the unremarkable students of Aetheria Academy.”

Makoto, looking at the back of the girl hiding in the elevator doors, only covered his face with his hands, once again in several years fully realizing the damage caused by the “police state.” He would never find the answer to what he would need to do to completely fix the city that had suffered so deeply, but at this moment he believed more than ever that with the freedom this city acquired, the sun of hope would shine more brightly in Kanai Ward.

Or should he say the raindrops on the windows of their apartments? The rain protecting citizens from the previous horrors.

And he, too, could now breathe.

Inspired by Non-breath oblige by PINOCCHIOP but it was greatly changed by the realities of Kanai Ward fate, so I can’t call it a songfic or anything like that...

[asaka-lucy-dr-rc]

What's your reaction to "The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy" announcement trailer?

Sorry for the late answer! I'm glad you asked, because it's exactly what I wanted to talk about.

First of all, the timing of the announcement was not surprising to me, as Kodaka had given the impression on his X account that they would be announcing a new title soon, and when the trailer started on the Nintendo Direct, I immediately realized that this was the title he had been talking about all along.

However, I was surprised that it was a "school" story after all, and I thought again that the content of Danganronpa V3 was full of what they wanted to do. When I finished DRV3, I think it had a lot of different elements in a good way, but at the same time, it felt chaotic. I got the feeling that they no longer hesitated to cram in various elements without explaining anything. For example, there's no reason in Shuichi suddenly driving during the trial, there's no reason in the cornered criminal suddenly doing something like cosplay, and even though Tsumugi explained it's all Danganronpa cosplay in the final trial, there are facilities (such as the casino and the love hotel) that don't exist in Danganronpa. I know the reason for the various inconsistencies in the whole thing is that there are some lies hidden somewhere, but I think originally each of those elements was something they wanted to do more deeply. I also felt that when I played RAIN CODE,  I felt that the Reasoning Death Matches were a totally improved version of the Argument Armament in V3, and the fact that the protagonist is a detective and the idea that solving mysteries can sometimes lead to misfortune is similar to V3 as well. Going back to The Hundred Line, the setting of this school is very similar to V3. Thus my first impression of the announcement trailer was that what they wanted to do had not changed much since V3. 

By the way, the school uniform is similar to the Amaterasu Corporation uniform from RAIN CODE, and Shinigami and SIREI are clearly similar, so it seems like they're not hesitating to repeat what they've done before, but Kodaka says they've packed in what they want to do in this game, so I think it's good that their direction is consistent. 

Well, to be honest, I'm a little confused right now. Although I don't have such an opinion, there were a lot of people in RAIN CODE reviews and X comments who said that if they wanted to make a game that was so similar to Danganronpa, they should have just made a sequel to Danganronpa. I thought maybe they wanted to make a more free-form game and break out of that mold, but in the end, the main characters of The Hundred Line are students and can't leave school, so I'm starting to think that maybe they wanted to make Danganronpa-like game after all, and that confuses me. But I also think it could be that they're trying to trick their fans into thinking that, so maybe it's right to think that way (in other words, just like they hoped 😄).

In any case, I have already decided to buy this game. I'm not sure what it will be like, but at least it was announced that Masafumi Takada is the audio director, so I'll definitely buy it because I'll definitely be able to listen to his new song, which is worth it to me. Of course, I'm also looking forward to the art of Rui Komatsuzaki and Shimadoriru! I'm just happy to be able to see their new art. 😊✨

The way I'm talking may make it seem like I don't have high expectations for Kodaka's scenario, but I don't really know what kind of scenarios Uchikoshi writes, and also Kodaka said in an interview that he hired a new writer for this title, so I lowered my expectations a bit. 

So if anyone reading this is planning to buy The Hundred Line, let's look forward to its release together! 🙌

Thank you for asking! 💖

[sakura-code]

Kurumi Wendy

Character Expansion

I’ll admit as much as I like Kurumi, I feel like she is kind of underdeveloped even though she is suppose to be an important character and part of the main cast. So I wanted to expand her character more, along with adding informations to give her more depth. They will be referenced in my fics, but only briefly (and maybe gets overshadowed with the main stories that people may forget).

I used information from the game and interpreted them in my own perspective, or just made speculation of my own choices. You guys are free to use my speculations if you want to.

Her parents are workaholic who are busy a lot of the times in an isolated city where other businesses outside of Amaterasu may be overshadowed, hence why they don’t appear a lot. They also have a lot of trust in Kurumi to take care of herself, hence why she’s always out and about, especially when there may have been they probably would want her staying home (like the time she got nearly arrested and the fact four of her classmates died, yet she was still out and about freely the next day)

When Kurumi was younger, her grandfather would always look after her when her parents are busy, hence why she looks up to him so much and talks about him more than her own parents

Her grandfather was a retired detective, hence why Kurumi looks up to detectives so much to the point of looking to them as heroes, and some of the quotes she passed down like “finding the truth” and knowing so well about being a detective despite not being one

Aiko was Kurumi’s first and closest friend she made in Aetheria Academy. She was wary to befriend many of the students since most of their parents do work in Amaterasu, and she does not want to get caught as an informant.

After Aiko’s death, Kurumi actually became withdrawn from her other friends to the point the friendship faded away. It’s like she’s still friendly to everyone, but she doesn’t make close, personal relationships with them since she has been so focused on figuring out Aiko’s death

This is more of a headcanon, but I headcanon her (along with Yoshiko, Kurane, Waruna, Karen, and Aiko) to be 17-18 and in their senior years in high school

[loremaster]

CHAPTER 1 - Man Door Hand Nail Fur Door (Comic)

...aka the Zilara manifesto.

(tw: strangulation, suggestive themes) BOBA AU MASTERPOST: [link]

Yakou tells Yuma to go to the hotel and corral all the other detectives who have been sleeping soundly in the nice fancy rooms over there. Yuma, who got 3 hours of sleep on Yakou's creaky couch, says "Okay, sure thing, Dad." ((side note - wouldn't the train detectives have had rooms reserved at the hotel? Couldn't Yuma have had one of those?))

Instead of agreeing to meet up, they all send poor little Kokohead around the city doing side quests.

Pucci wants to know if Kanai Ward has any good symphonies; recordings of classical music are all well and good, but it's no substitute for the acoustics of a live concert hall. Closest thing Yuma can find is Aetheria Academy's chamber orchestra program. Musicians in Kanai Ward used to be part of a larger regional symphonic orchestra, but since Amaterasu locked off the city, they've had to resort to busking. Pucci seems disappointed, but resigns herself to checking out the high school girls' next concert anyway.

Aphex is cruisin' for a bruisin'. He spotted some suspicious movement in one of the districts on his radar (drug deals?), but every time he goes to check it out, he can't find out which people in the crowd are the suspicious ones. They must be afraid of Aphex's intimidating appearance, so Yuma goes in his stead to grill the people hanging around the square. Turns out they weren't dealing drugs, they were passing around anti-Amaterasu propaganda. They beg Yuma not to tell Aphex. Yuma goes back to the hotel to tell Aphex... who thinks anti-fascist action is cool, actually, so no need to do anything about those guys.

Melami wants to know about the local fashion scene, and is very curious about the dronebrellas she's seen around Kanai Ward. She sends Yuma to see what the big deal about them is, and once there, he gets roped into a long winding sales pitch for technology he can't afford. He relays as much of this as he can remember back to Melami, but once she hears they only come in one color, she decides she's not interested. What's the point if you can't customize it? Just get a regular umbrella. Or a rain coat. That's a much better way to show off your personality! Yuma tries not to scream about how much time he just wasted.

Zange shows Yuma a picture he took (with his mind) of a specific location in Kanai Ward, but can't quite remember where it was. Yuma has to go on a scavenger hunt to find the place that matches the picture and tell Zange how to get there. Zange assigns Yuma a numerical score based on how long it took him complete the quest (which is always too slow). This will be a repeatable quest/minigame with different locations every time.

As Yuma is about to leave the hotel, Zilch stops him. He offers a more formal introduction (since, you know, they didn't actually meet aboard the train) and volunteers (insists) to accompany the poor useless trainee as a senior detective, to show him how it's done.

Zilch has four animal companions with him at the moment: three caged mice and a dog named Bosch.

He doesn't seem to treat them very kindly, though. He isn't careful handling the mice's cage, and he orders Bosch around like one would speak to Alexa.

Anyway, Zilch and Yuma go look for the last remaining detective, Halara Nightmare. Canon ensues.

They run into The Boy and accept the quest to investigate the Nail Man murders. Halara needs some convincing.

At the church, Zilch makes a new friend, or so he thinks.

Zilch tactlessly asks the nun if her ears are natural or not, and starts bragging about how well his own surgery went. For the ears and tail, that is. The Nun doesn't like Zilch's attitude one bit. She watches him use his mice for spying and gets freaked out. The nun threatens to kill Zilch but he doesn't think she's serious.

Zilch says that he didn’t expect there to be a Metal Fox Church here, of all places. Yuma asks him to elaborate, and he says they’re a denomination that exists elsewhere in the world. The church near where he grew up was much larger and more spectacular than this one. The Metal Fox is a deity known for its fortitude and cunning, that offers protection from “hunters,” or persecution of any kind. Zilch doesn’t seem to believe in its teachings at all. #atheistpride

Meanwhile, the dog, Bosch, sniffs around and seems agitated by something. He can place the smells of all the church NPCs around the scene, but there's something else, too. Zilch barks the order - literally - for Bosch to track whichever scent doesn't belong, and the dog goes off on a solo mission.

Zilch has a plan to catch the Nail Man red-handed, but he won't tell what it is yet. He needs to prepare some stuff. So in the meantime, Yuma and Halara hold hands at several different crime scenes.

While Shinigami keeps blabbing about stripping detectives, Halara fucks off to who knows where and Yuma returns to the church to meet with Zilch. Zilch leads Yuma to the nearby woods and reveals his master plan to lure out the Nail Man by taking a doll with a slip of paper on it to the forest, and writing the name of someone for the Nail Man to kill...

"Yuma Kokohead," of course.

Yuma is terrified of being used as bait, but Zilch promises he'll intervene before the Nail Man can actually kill him, it'll be fine. So Yuma the pushover gets tied to a tree...

Halara unmasks the cloaked figure to reveal the priest of the Metal Fox Church, as they suspected. The priest begs for mercy - he was only trying to protect the people of Kanai Ward by purging it of corruption (and letting an innocent man take the fall for it)...!

Yuma thinks he might not have to rely on Shinigami's powers this time, but then...

Bosch leads them back to the church where Seth and his Peacekeepers are threatening Yakou.

And with that… it’s Mystery Labyrinth time!

Zilch’s voice is back to normal inside the Labyrinth. He seems oddly relaxed around Shinigami - because he insists this is not real and actually a dream. #atheist4lyfe

Yuma deduces that Zilch's name was written in the woods by the nun. She witnessed Zilch’s mistreatment of his animal companions and tactless assholery - but the thing that pushed it into murder territory was actually her recognizing the crest of the Alexander family on his fur coat. The full truth comes to light - the Alexanders have been known for generations as prolific trophy hunters. They “live alongside nature,” sure, but it’s a heavily controlled and subdued “nature.” This is antithetical to everything the Metal Fox Church stands for, so the nun, devout to her faith, believed Zilch to be an invasive threat to their way of life, and the peace of Kanai Ward.

And, since this revelation is taking place in the Mystery Labyrinth, of COURSE she gets a cool Mystery Phantom.

The gang also, like, solves the actual mystery.

Then once they find all the evidence they unmask the true culprit and his copycat, and the Priest's and Worshipper's souls are reaped.

Zilch is horrified. Somehow he didn't expect this was actually going to affect reality. Shinigami assures him that he won't remember any of the Mystery Labyrinth anyway, so...

Aaaaand eventually they do leave the Labyrinth. Halara is back to their usual steely exterior.

The masked priest in front of them drops to the floor dead. A scream from the church can be heard, presumably because the worshipper has just done the same. They go to check it out.

Then… Yomi shows up. He intimidates the group and doesn’t seem to deem any of the detectives worth his attention… until he notices Zilch.

Shinigami wonders if he recognized the Alexander family crest... but Yuma makes the connection and realizes Yomi might have had some sort of connection to the impostor on the train. That's pretty scary to think about. Was this the guy who tried to kill off all the Master Detectives coming into Kanai Ward? He seems dangerous...

Good thing Yomi has a devoted right hand to play around with. In front of everyone.

But anyway, regarding the Nail Man situation, Yomi decides to throw Seth under the bus, and punish him accordingly.

Bye Seth! Or should I say... Steve. :noes:

After his near-death experience, Zilch has a change of heart and decides he doesn't need a fur coat after all (seeing as it almost got him killed). Halara accepts it as payment for their services solving the case.... at least Zilch's half of it - Yuma still owes them a small fortune.

And with that the day is saved. Yuma plays a bit of baseball. Halara has a comfy new bed for their beloved strays. And Zilch... has a lot to think about.

-----

HELLO BOBA FANS!!! Thanks for your patience waiting for this update! I hope you can tell I've been working on this very hard (in between assignments for cartoon college)! The post didn't even fit all the images I made for this chapter - I'll be sure to post the other ones separately. At some point.

This chapter was an interesting challenge to write, trying to hammer down Zilch's character - how to make him distinct from his impersonator, but similar enough to lend credit to the impersonator. It took a while but I think I've finally landed on a solid backstory. I'll be posting more about him in the next installment of Boba AU - Zilch's Gumshoe Gabs. Then after that will be Chapter 2! Super excited to rub my gay little hands all over that one.

If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading! If you liked this, then please... I beg of you... draw me some Zilara ;_;

BOBA AU MASTERPOST: [link]

[tsukuyomii45]

Just got a very dark AU in my mind about Obito and Rin.

It is based on if Rin continued to be selfish and pursued Kakashi instead of Obito even after Obito's death.

Rin does become a Jinchuriki, but Kakashi rescues her and succeeds in reassuring her that Minato can help. She kisses Kakashi, which Obito sees and then he overhears Rin once again confess that she loves Kakashi and not Obito, she even says that she never saw Obito as anything but a friend and she'll never see him except as a friend.

This breaks Obito and he slaughters the Mist ninja, before escaping, with Rin and Kakashi witnessing his rampage.

However, this is where things changes from previous AUs, his love for Rin turns to hatred. He returns to Madara, and continues to learn but unlike him, he doesn't want peace, he wants destruction.

Throughout his time with Madara he somehow learns of Otsutsuki, and learns that they were the ones who gave the ability to control chakra to the humans. He learns about Kaguya and the god tree and how the Otsutsuki harvest chakra from planets to make themselves become gods. This gives Obito his new dark belief; He will finish what they started; harvest the world of all its chakra and become a god.

Obito then begins searching for other Otsutsuki outposts on earth eventually coming across Kara. Obito secretly infiltrates their organization and pledges allegiance to them, but really he's just using them.

With the help of Kara, Obito kills Madara and seals away Black Zetsu. The remaining Zetsu join the Kara as spies and foot soldiers.

Obito trains with Isshiki and starts to experiment with the Karma, he even convinces the Otsutsuki to send more Ten Tail seedlings should they fail.

Obito contacts the Akatsuki and asks Nagato to help him recover the texts of the Uzumaki. With this new found knowledge as well as his power growing daily, Obito decides it is time to up his game, he takes one of the Ten Tail seedlings and uses it to create a brand new type of Karma, which he then implants himself with, this Karma will make him as powerful as a real Otsutsuki without having to become a host, but it can't be activated until he actually absorbs the chakra of a real living Otsutsuki or other large amounts of Chakra. So Obito bides his time, waiting for the right moment to strike.

His first targets are the tailed beasts. And now that he has all the knowledge about sealing from the Uzumaki clan, he knows exactly what to do.

He decides to leave Rin and Kushina for last, as part of his revenge, and targets Son, Kokuo and Chomei first.

During this time Rin and Kakashi date for a short time, but quickly realize that there is no really spark, they do love each other but just as friends. They do make love several times, and whilst it is pleasurable there is no really deep bond between them. Obito actually sees them having sex once and that just further fuels his hate and rage.

Eventually by the time that Naruto graduates from the academy, Obito and Kara make the first move, capturing Kokuo first and then Chomei. And not long after that Son Goku. This causes concern throughout the world.

For the next few years, Kara capture and steal the Chakra from multiple powerful individuals. Starting with Kakazu, then Hidan and then Deidara. The Akatsuki themselves are still in their original form and are allies of the Leaf. With Nagato visiting Kushina often.

For a brief period Kara cut down on their activity, and slowly start to feed the new Ten tails the chakra of the beasts as well as the other prisoners.

By the time Shippuden rolls around, Obito is easily one of the most powerful beings on the planet thanks to his training and also having been imbued with a small amount of Otsutsuki chakra, not enough to unleash the full power of his modified Karma, but enough to make him more powerful than Madara and Hashirama combined. His Kamui abilities are evolving, he can now use all nature releases, and even amaterasu, his woodstyle is just as powerful as Hashirama's and his general power is unmatched.

Eventually one day he crosses paths with Team Kakashi, with Rin and the Akatsuki tagging along. They at first try to talk to him, but he just walks off without a single word, but Kakashi and Rin recognize him as the man who slaughtered the Mist Ninja all those years before and move to stop him. Obito wanting to blow off steam unleashes a powerful blast of Chakra against them, not killing them but doing more than enough harm to incapacitate them, and for good measure he uses a combo of fire and lightning to destroy half the area as a warning.

They report this Minato and he and other Kages realize that this must be the one who stole the other Bijuu. Kurama, Isobu, Shukaku, Matatabi, Saiken and Gyuki are very worried, since this man has the ability to somehow "kill" tailed beasts permanently.

Rin for some reason feels that the masked man was familiar and wants to find out who he is.

Not long after, Saiken is taken and Gyuki is also almost taken, but survives thanks to Matatabi and Isobu.

The Ten tail has grown and Isshiki has his power fully restored, and so he decides now is the time to move.

Multiple attacks occur on the Hidden Leaf, Cloud and Sand. With Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Gyuki and Kurama being the last Bijuu left.

Oito attacks the leaf and holds nothing back, destroying the Uchiha district as retaliation for how they treated him in the past, then he destroys the hospital, to prevent the injured from being healed and also to hurt Rin.

Minato, Kakashi, Kushina, Rin, Fugaku, Mikoto, Nagato, Yahiko and Konan, along with Team 7 and Team Guy face Obito. But Obito easily overpowers them, using all his abilities.

Rin demands to know who he is, but Obito just taunts her saying "Why should she care?"

He knocks Rin down and says "He will enjoy watching her scream as he extracts Isobu from her", it is at this point that Rin catches a glimpse of his eye underneath the mask and she vaguely recognizes it; it is a Sharingan, but one that has start to turn purple. Obito is about to take Isobu from her but Naruto and Kushina stop him, Fugaku, Yahiko and Sasuke repel him before Nagato sends him flying with an Almighty push.

Kara's attack fails but, they succeed in capturing Matatabi, Shukaku, Isobu, Gyuki and Kurama all mourn for their beloved sister and for the fact that they are the only four left.

Everyone is left shaken after the attack, but most of all Rin, who somehow recognizes the eyes of her attacker, but they were so full of hate, hate directed right at her.

Everyone is on edge and they all have questions about who these people are and what they want.

Seeing that they have to inform the humans in order to protect themselves, the 4 remaining Bijuu decide to tell the entire ninja world the whole story of how the ability to control Chakra first came be on Earth...

CLIFF HANGER!!!!!!!

I love everything about this, but I do need to comment on one thing, and I say it in pure honesty and respectfully too: The root of Obito's hatred. Rin not loving him is a bit too weak of a reason for him to fall into despair and gain all of those powers and motivate him to destroy the world. One can easily look at this and think that Obito went mad for being in the friendzone, lmao, and it would make his character lack depth. So I think a little modification regarding his purpose would be good. :)

Recall that he was willing to let Kakashi have Rin in the dream world; he was already willing to let go of everything he ever wanted. Of course, I'm really hoping that's not going to happen in this AU LMAO - I'm tired of the whole Kakashi/Rin thing in this show already XDD

The plot and build up in this is quite spectacular and I'm already anticipating Rin's reaction, so proceed with more. :) Let's go!

[ryusei-yellow]

We begin a year before the start of the game. Yumenosaki is not doing well. Sure there are some students that still desire to excel among their peers(Valk) but everyone mostly agrees that Yumenosaki is becoming the epitome of whatever happens when you stop washing the dishes for a week: Dirty, ugly and followed by a group of people trying to furiously blame each other for it.

The students started to believe that in order to gain success they just need to become part of the top units of the school because their popularity alone would make them national idols -> they get lazy and unmotivated and start trashing the whole place and getting into fights + bullying (Chiaki).

There are people that realise that change needs to happen, but only one who is willing to go through with it. That someone is local rich blond kid Eichi Tenshouin, alive, out of the hospital and about to make that everyone's problem.

(Meteor Impact + Valk forming happens here but since you'll be reading the former and the later doesn't have as much importance I'll be skipping it)

Eichi teams up with Keito (he hasn't formed Akatsuki yet btw) in order to change Yumenosaki into something better. Eichi proposes the idea of pining the blame for the students' horrible performances on 3 top students, the Three Eccentrics, and that way the built up frustration and fear of the students will create strong feelings enough to revolutionise the academy. Those 3 eccentrics will be Rei(Susanoo, Japanese Kami of storm), Kanata(Tsukuyomi, Kami of the sea) and Wataru(Amaterasu, Kami of the sun). Then Eichi rectifies, saying that they have to Get Bigger, and decides to add 2 more, creating the Five Eccentrics instead.

Eichi is a little lost so he decides to ask Tsumugi because he's friends with a lot of people at the academy. Tsumugi suggests Shu as the fourth eccentric. Now they only need one more member, a first year specifically. Tsumugi proposes Hokuto and Subaru, but he later meets Natsume in the secret room of the library (becoming friends with him) and they make Natsume the last Eccentric instead.

Tsumugi and Eichi agree that they need an underdog unit in order to execute the Eccentrics and become an example for the rest of the academy. They add Nagisa and Hiyori (fun fact, Ritsu also apparently could've ended up in the unit) into the blend and call it Fine, Italian for "the end".

They need a plan to take down each one of the eccentrics. Eichi stirs up trouble in Yumenosaki's sister schools, that way Rei (the strongest eccentric) has to leave off for trips constantly to try and fix things, and Fine doesn't have to deal with him.

So who are they executing first?

The French one.

Shu Itsuki is having the time of his life, being the emperor of the school and sole conductor of the 3 man orchestra that is Valkyrie. Valkyrie currently has 2 members beside him: Nazuna (his perfect little angel with the voice of a thousand suns) and. Mika. He's just sort of there. whatever. Don't pay attention to him

Problem: Nazuna is going through Puberty™. His voice is changing and since his more mature voice brings Shu dysphoria (Shu believed that dolls >>>>>> people, and since he found comfort in Nazuna's doll-like appearance and voice, letting go of that isn't something he wants) he bans Nazuna from singing. Instead, they use prerecorded songs and Nazuna lipsincs.

Nazuna doesn't like this and thinks Valkyrie needs new songs in order to maintain their position in the academy, so he practices on the rooftop. He forges a friendship with Kuro, who's also Shu's childhood friend. (I'm starting to get off track so just please please please read Reminiscing Marionette if you're interested in exValk lore. It's really good I promise)

What will Fine do? Sabotage Shu's performance by turning off the recorded lines, of course. Mika (only served as backup dancer until now) takes the initiative and starts singing, Nazuna joins right in. They finish the performance and walk off stage, as they pass by their rivals, Fine, Eichi whispers something in Shu's ear:

"Thanks for playing like I thought you would"

Shu has a massive breakdown. He also acquires OSDD-1a and starts using Mademoiselle to express what he actually feels. Fun fact; Mademoiselle was probably inspired by Kuro's mom.

This is a turning point for the academy. Fine become a beacon of hope, the underdog unit that beat Yumenosaki's emperor, and other students start hating on the Eccentrics and rekindle their passions for Idols and music.

The student council(Rei used to be the president, now Eichi is) also creates a rule: units can only have 2 to 5 members (DreamFes system also gets added here). This means the Eccentrics can't perform alone (and since nobody likes them..boo hoo) and also the mass units, like Chess, disband into smaller groups.

One of these smaller groups is Knights (minus Tsukasa). The other exChess members host a fight in order to find out who's the strongest of them all. Leo, local egocentric Mozart in the making, is like "lmao here's the deal. You either use my super skibidi poggers songs or you get to be friends with me. Since I'm such a cool friend." "Nah man, we actually only liked you for your talent," reply the exChess members. "Haha lol okay I bet you don't even care about this competition. I can just bribe you out and Knights will win by default", says Leo, sweating heavily. "Sure man. where's the money at?" Reply the exChess members.

That's how Leo's brat summer comes to an end. Now it's time for year long depression arc and burnt out gifted kid syndrome (he locks himself in his room and forces himself to compose 24/7 + it's implied he did sh in there too). Knights takes a long hiatus.

Also Venus Cup happens. Trickstar perform together for the first time and become besties.

Kanata's execution happens here I think? Most of it is explained in the event.

After that happens though, Natsume calls Rei, terrified by what's happening in the school. Rei comes back to Yumenosaki and Eichi reveals that he's the one who has been causing trouble in the other schools in order for him to not get involved. Rei lets it slide, saying there's nothing left for him to do. He finishes saying that Eichi himself isn't so different from the monsters (the Eccentrics) he created himself. Rei has been defeated.

Tsumugi comes to the secret room to talk to Natsume. Natsume is Pissed and going through his "I Can't Believe You've Done This" era, calling Tsumugi a Fine member. Natsume is the youngest eccentric, so the others (who've all become good friends after being ostracized and hated by society overnight) decided to shield him from the shade. This only makes Natsume's guilt worse, and he's actually the one who hates Fine the most out of them because of it (except maybe Shu..).

Tsumugi says the last live will be Wataru's execution, and Natsume says that Fine has ruined everything, and also used everyone for their dirty work. Tsumugi doesn't understand why his friend is so mad, and compares Fine to magic, praising Eichi again. Natsume asks why Tsumugi let this happen. Tsumugi replies it was a natural sacrifice to pay. They only wanted everyone to be happy, isn't that what true idols do? People will begin to hate Eichi at some point, but that doesn't matter, because Tsumugi is Eichi's friend, and he'll protect him no matter what just like the Eccentrics protected Natsume. Because that's what friends do. Natsume kicks him out of his room.

Eichi had collapsed again, his condition having worsened exponentially. He doesn't want to die. He doesn't want to die yet please don't let him die yet.

Suddenly, a voice speaks from beside his bed, asking if he's the villain of this story. It is the last eccentric, Wataru Hibiki. Eichi tells Wataru to put his mask on, this conversation wasn't in the script of the play. Wataru tells Eichi this is a shitty script and that he doesn't know what role he's playing in this so-called tragedy. Eichi explains that he saved Wataru for last because he's the best actor in the cast and will play his role perfectly. However, he... He doesn't want to defeat Wataru. Wataru shushes him, saying he should keep his feelings locked away if he wants to be a true idol. Then he disappears.

Unfortunately. Natsume has eavesdropped on the entire conversation, and he won't let Wataru lose, no matter what.

The day of the live, Natsume gives Wataru a script of an outcome where the eccentrics win and get to be happy. Wataru says that if they win now, they will truly become the monsters that everyone thinks they are. Rei walks away with a very depressed Natsume and everyone prepares for the show.

(Is this a good time to mention that Natsume and Wataru see each other as their big/little brothers? I think it's a good time to mention that)

Eichi is alone backstage, still very frail. He says he's alone because the rest of Fine are only here because of the contracts he made, their relationship is exclusively of convenience. Wataru asks if Eichi has any friends. Eichi says Wataru hasn't got any friends either. Wataru corrects him, saying he values the other eccentrics as his friends more that anything, and thanks Eichi for allowing him to meet them, saying he's never been so happy in his life.

Tsumugi walks over and asks Eichi about their contracts. It says that, after this live, Fine will disband and go their separate ways. Eichi says this isn't a mistake at all, and that it's time for Tsumugi to rest. This entire thing must've been very annoying, right?

Eichi believes Tsumugi only became his friend unitmate in order to pay his mother's debts. However, Tsumugi genuinely wanted to be friends with Eichi and the rest of Fine. He's incredibly hurt and disappointed. Wataru says he's never seen anyone play the role of The Fool better.

Tsumugi replies that he just wanted to make everyone happy. Wataru explains that he can't force people to be happy. Being happy is a choice (Wataru liked Aristotle no clickbait), so you can't impose it on others, you can only help people find their ways there.

Wataru then puts the mask back on and urges the heroes of Fine to defeat the big bad Eccentrics and save Yumenosaki once and for all. Isn't that what they've always wanted? Why are they all so hesitant to go step onto the stage?

Wataru (he's performing with undercover Hokuto) is defeated. The five eccentrics are no more, and Fine disbands.

Out of the corner of his eye, Eichi sees Tori and Yuzuru, though he doesn't recognise them, watching his performance. He then feels sick and falls down, but Wataru catches him, saying he shouldn't collapse while the audience is watching. As the audience leaves, Eichi passes out, and his blood splatters onto Wataru's chest

Tsumugi and Natsume reunite in the garden, burning away the exFine contracts and the script where the eccentrics won. Nothing about that matters now. The war is over, so why do both of them still feel so... Dead?

Tsumugi tells Natsume to punch him. Natsume agrees

Eichi wakes up in the hospital, ready to let himself die. He doesn't deserve to live.

Wataru appears. Eichi asks if he's here for revenge, which Wataru denies. His friends are recovering, Shu found Mika, Kanata found Chiaki, Rei is going strong with Koga, and Natsume has found Tsumugi. You'd think the only loser of the war was Eichi, but Wataru feels just as lost, and asks Eichi to give him another role, because the last role Eichi gave him was the best in his life.

Eichi agrees that he needs a plan for what'll happen after his character dies. But what if he didn't die? Then he'd become the next Emperor, the next tyrant. Who knows, maybe Yumenosaki would go back to what it was before, and then he'd be defeated by some new underdog unit. He gets many ideas, and suddenly, suddenly Eichi wants to live. He wants to see what happens next, he wants to be part of it too!

But it's too much. He'd need help. He asks Wataru if he would like to see what the future has in store with Eichi, by his side. Wataru agrees, saying he's excited for the next era. The era of Trickstar.

[dorokora]

Chapter 16 Prologue Part 2:

We start with the backstory of Tu'er Shen at one point he was a human who couldn’t see the future at the time. He fell in love with someone he shouldn't have fallen in love with. His love was considered "unbelievable" by many people at that time. He gave in to his curiosity and desire and went to peek at a secret that I shouldn't have peeked at of the person I was in love with. He was executed for that crime. He committed the crime of peeping, and those were the rules and the law of the time. After he died, he was given a second life by an official of the underworld.He is given a red-eyed, heterochromia sacred artifact that allows him to peer just a little bit into the future. To jump over anything He was given the body of a rabbit with springy limbs. Now in Tokyo, he can live his life to the fullest without being punish for it. Thanks to his sacred artifact, any risk can be avoided at the last minute. That's why he enjoyed the danger and thrill. Back in the present, Tu'er Shen suddenly received a vision of the future.

Back to Mononobe, he wants both MC and Lil’Sal listen to everything he’s about to tell them. Ars Almadel Salomonis (Lil’Sal), If we compare it to the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Lil’Sal is the "Holy Spirit." Lil’Sal is a life form created by a magic formula once created by King Solomon. King Solomon was a man who prayed to "God" and was granted omniscience. He was given the ring by Michael, who succeeded him to the highest position. Solomon was one of the people who started the "game" that's taking place in Tokyo. However, such an omniscient being cannot be contained within the finite, closed city of Tokyo. To know everything about Tokyo, we would need to put more than that amount of matter into a brain...or a computer. Omniscience can only exist outside the world. So Solomon needed another limb to operate internally. That's what Mononobe Kyouma is. Solomon has been resurrected in the body of a distant descendant; it is like a clone of his body from when he was younger. The game was created by three people; Solomon, MxOther, and a research institute run by the local Tokyo residents in the last century. The clone kids were artificially bred and born in the laboratories. All of those children were half Mononobe/Solomon, biologically. Originally, "Young Solomon/Mononobe," was an individual created for that main purpose. Using factors he provided and every artificial means imaginable, the clone children were mass-produced. Mononobe was assigned to be MC’s "supervisor" after that was done. The purpose of this laboratory is to "create a sustainable system." They also said that it would give birth to “new life” or “The people who will play key roles in the future.” One aspect of this is artificial immortality. This was a research project formerly conducted at Fusimi Academy (the Cult School). Fusimi Academy's "old game" was a failure. The "Old Game" ended with just one survivor and an outside ally (Arc and Suzuka). As a result, the former laboratory was destroyed. The old laboratory no longer exists, but the "game" continues to this day. The laboratory's aim is to create a lasting system. Yes, the institute is alive. They teamed up with Solomon, MXOTHER, and the Game Masters. A new laboratory continues to exist in the upper reaches of the Babel Tower.

Back to Onyankopon, he says the research institute is highly motivated to continue this "game." In the battle at Yurakucho (during CH14), They tried to kill MC, to trigger a forced loop. However, due to the unexpected departure of King Solomon, Their plans this time was to secure MC. After the defeat of Michael and Amaterasu, they even tried to intervene more directly. Even with Curren intervening nothing went as planned. Their next stage of their plan has already started. Cut to Tu'er Shen, who suddenly gets another future vision this time it’s worse as if so much knowledge had been stuffed beyond the capacity into his mind. Back to Mononobe who says that one of the reasons this game is played is "For the protection of the old human race." In the near future, the humans will have no space to live here anymore. The game will keep repeating until that day comes. The “new life” will be the protagonists of the new era.

[royaldreamweaver]

What is the significance of inventing the Shihakushō - why did she actually invent it and why was it worth a 'promotion'?

All right, I'm now mentally in a place to do an hc of something this integral as a concept. So--lets journey!

First, lets think about what the shihakushou is and how it behaves.  I think that it actually has a lot to do with some of her cohorts, as it makes sense to me that her own abilities work with, and are shaped by the powers of her closest friends—as Oetsu invented the asauchi/zanpakuto, and Tenjiro invented healing kaido.  Shutara’s strengths are not in what she is herself…but how she can see the spaces between. One cannot have one without being a ‘shinigami’, but canonically it’s not necessarily true that a shinigami is aware of this fact to the profundity of its truth.   If you follow the narrative from inside the Seireitei, it’s given to a shinigami—once they graduate from the academy, the wearer moves from dressing in the student robes to the professional garb of the black shihakushou. Yet it can also be manifested when one suddenly becomes a shinigami—such as when we see Ichigo’s power come into existence with a shihakushou automatically.  I strongly believe he was clothed transdimensionally. GIven that Oetsu can canonically understand who has a zanpakuto and what condition they're in--it makes sense that she has a mirrored ability in her own connection to cloth and wearer.

A shinigami’s shihakushou will go fully white and altered in form if a shinigami tranfers all of their Reiryoku, as in the case of a shinigami transferring their powers to a human via a zanpakuto.  In certain cases like with Unohana speaking to Ichigo about her healing, his own shihakushou’s tattered state was tied to the fact that his reiryoku was in tatters even though his physical body was in good shape after being healed in Hueco Mundo.   It’s intimately tied into the wearer, their status, and the qualities of their soul.

So…given that in order to truly ‘wear’ a shihakushou as intended, one must a) have an energy that can harmonize with the fabric (ie be a being with shinigami-like spiritual power), b) have the potential to command a zanpakuto—even if it’s not well understood by the user, and c) harmonize with the fabric enough to let it become one with you to allow for others to heal you, see your status, protect you, and it allows for your identity to blend with others even when you are displaying in the state of the garment how you are as an individual. 

Uniforms are powerful statements.  It identifies one as part of a group to an outsider, as well as fosters a group identity in an individual when worn.  It is a statement of teamwork.  And of course as a leader of the Divine Blades, she understands a plain uniform that must blend in, but allow for exceptional work  It is not lost on Shutara that there are much flashier inventions in Soul Society.  However, as simple as a black garment may seem, it is equally complex as the creations of those she works beside.  The work of Tenjiro’s healing on a person can be seen easily on the body—but through cloth, you can see what’s not there overtly, and its so simple that even someone who cannot sense reiatsu could find someone injured, see the gravity, and get them help.  Oetsu’s work is honored in tying the ability of the fighter and their weapon into one readable unit.  It’s simple as breathing to her to think about who is beside her and what they need.  Just the same as the fact that she lends her name to the Shutara scale used in alerts, Shutaras abilities exist to keep many under her protection or her thrall, and she doesn’t much care that her abilities are defensive in nature; she cares about the sheer number she can save.  She is the humility of Toyouke, goddess of cloth and necessity, dressed up in the resplendence of Amaterasu, goddess of silk-making.

She is known for being an illusion caster in a group setting who must keep MANY in mind.  She is a living avatar of the importance of fighting beside and for others instead of as a single warrior obsessed with their own strength and power—this is a difference and not a weakness.  If she is in battle, she is not doing so on her own unless the straits are dire.  There is strength in numbers and relying on your team.  She has made a basic, humble cloth, that makes people in fandom wonder why that is an ‘invention’ in the first place…let alone one that would place her in the Guard.  But that’s precisely why she’s there.  She fills in gaps, highlighting the strengths and buffering the weaknesses in her comrades. The oldest protection spells in human history are knotwork, clothing your family in the power of your love spun in cloth--and this realty isn't lost on me.  Her own gift is just as cloth is…something that ties together people and keeps them covered.  And even more than that, like any woman’s work—easily taken for granted.