#and having read the manga and light novels i could follow along alright

[originalaccountname]

Not quite the anon but saw the ask response and am curious about the event, did you attend it and how was it like?

It was a recording of one of the live representations (from about a month earlier) for which they added English subtitles. The stream was available for most international locations as far as I remember, and the tickets were ~40$ (I do not remember if it was in CAN or US though) for unlimited viewing for a week through your Zaiko account.

I did buy a ticket for it! And watched the 2 hours 20 minutes play about 3 times lol

I hope that they do the same thing for the next stage play, these productions are very well-made and very entertaining to watch!

[cosmicjoke]

Alright, so onto chapter 2 of “No Regrets”.  

I want to talk a little about these opening panels, when Levi, Furlan and Isabel are being driven to HQ by carriage.  They seem unimportant, but I think they’re actually really important in understanding Levi’s psychology going into this new situation they’re all in.

We see the interior of the carriage, with Levi and the other two, along with an escort from the SC.  Furlan and Isabel are both looking out the window of the carriage, and in particular, Isabel seems incredibly excited and in awe of the passing view.  She’s stood up, with her face pressed to the window.  And in the next panel, we see her looking at a little girl with her mother, dressed nicely and holding a doll.  This really encapsulates everything Isabel herself has probably never had.  A reliable mother to take care of her, fancy clothes and toys to play with.  Essentially, an actual childhood.  We see Isabel’s face in the window, and her mouth is open in wonder, her eyes wide.  Like she can’t believe what she’s seeing.  It emphasizes the depravation and lack of privilege she’s endured all her life.  Meanwhile, by contrast, Levi sits there with his head bowed down, ignoring the passing scenery, looking deeply unhappy, even depressed.  When he does look up though, he sees Isabel looking out the window, and on the close up shot of him, he’s got an almost thoughtful expression, if still extremely dour.  No doubt, Levi is feeling uneasy and uncertain about the situation they’ve all gotten themselves into here, but I’m also sure that he’s unable to ignore the bubbling over excitement of Isabel, her obvious joy in being, at last, on the surface.  I’ll get more into this later in the post, when we see Levi really considering his friends and their dreams, and how it influences and dictates his own decisions.

But first lets talk a little about Erwin and his role in all of this.

Now at the time this series came out, Erwin’s actual, motivating reasons for doing what he does weren’t yet known, so it’s interesting to read into his actions in this story with that context.  I have no doubt that Erwin really DOES care about humanity, and wants to fight for it, and its salvation.  But as we come to learn from the main series, he places his own dream of proving his father right about the existence of human’s beyond the walls above what’s best for humanity, and it puts his actions in this story into an interesting, if harsher light.

No doubt, Erwin is a master manipulator.  He plays both sides expertly against the middle in this story, and I’ll get more into it by the end, when his actual plan is revealed to Levi.  But what I don’t see often discussed is how, exactly, Erwin got all the parts moving in the direction he wanted, to obtain a specific outcome, and how he pretty ruthlessly uses so many people as pawns to do so.  It’s obvious from the context of what we later learn in the story that Erwin first spread a rumor about having evidence against Lovof stealing funds in order to force him into tipping his hand by trying to make a preemptive move.  What I see people miss all the time, or at least, fail to discuss, is how Erwin also, at the same time, made it public knowledge within the Capital, that he would be going after a group of thugs in the Underground who had shown exceptional skill using ODM gear, and that he would be making contact with them as soon as possible to try and enlist them into military service, and how Erwin made these plans public specifically to encourage Lobov into seeking out Levi and his friends for the exact purpose of both implicating Lobov in a crime, and gaining Levi’s and his friends strength for the SC.  One, by hiring a group of criminals to steal from Erwin and attempt to assassinate him, so he could use that as leverage in case he wasn’t able to obtain proof of Lobov’s further criminal activities, thus having two means of getting rid of one of the SC’s biggest threats, and at the same time, also manage to score for the SC the exceptional skill of Levi and his friends through forced enlistment.  He even says to Zackely at one point “I intend to make use of anyone who has even the smallest potential during this expedition.”.  Erwin manipulated and had control of this entire scenario from the start, and from behind these scenes moved all of these people exactly how he wanted to, to achieve his goals.  That’s pretty impressive, but also pretty scary.  Well, I’ll talk more about all of that when we get to it later on.

Back to Levi and his friends though.

We see them arrive at the SC HQ, and a really important conversation happens between Levi and Furlan.  

Furlan seems like he’s almost bitten off more than he can chew here, beginning to express his concern to Levi about what joining the SC actually means, before Levi cuts him off, telling him he’s got no intention of enlisting, and that he only agreed to come along so that he could get closer to Erwin and then kill him.  I think Levi genuinely felt murderous towards Erwin at this point, and really means what he says here, at least about killing him.  Though given the end of chapter 1, with the significant look shared between Levi and Furlan, and Levi’s begrudging acceptance of Erwin’s offer, it’s obvious that Levi also agreed to come because that’s what Furlan wanted him to do, to give them the opportunity they needed.  Levi’s just feeling incredibly emotional here, I think, with the way Erwin treated all of them hot on his mind.  Furlan tries to implore Levi to forget about killing Erwin, that it isn’t necessary anymore because of his own plan, and the almost certainty that Lobov and his people won’t ever try to make contact with them again.  He tells Levi, if he just listens to him and follows his plan, “I know it’ll work.  Trust me, Levi.”  Furlan asking him to trust him pulls a meaningful look from Levi, seeming to break through Levi’s angry insistence on killing Erwin.  This is where the manga improved on Levi’s characterization and motivation by leaps and bounds over the visual novel, because in the next few panels, we see Levi walking away, with Furlan calling after him, concerned, but we get to see Levi’s inner thoughts, and he’s remembering specifically Furlan insisting to him that “one day, we’ll get outta this trash heap and live up above.”  We see Levi thinking about Furlan’s hopes and dreams in these panels, and he has a saddened, and guilt-ridden look on his face, like he feels bad about having dismissed Furlan’s plans back there in favor of his own plans for revenge.  We didn’t get any of this in the visual novel, instead the text there making Levi look like he refused to consider anyones position but his own in this whole situation.  But here, Levi is clearly concerned with and considering Furlan’s desires.  

We go into a flashback then, with Furlan explaining to Levi his plans, telling him that “nothing’s gone according to plan... But with you here we’ll really be able to raise hell.”  Furlan’s trying to explain to Levi that since he now has Levi’s strength to rely on, they can actually get something done once they get into the Survey Corps.  It almost seems like Furlan’s been planning on trying something like this, or at least, had some sort of loose plan about getting to the surface, even before he met Levi.  It’s obviously something he’s been dreaming about for a long time.

Then Isabel comes back, and she’s been roughed up and assaulted, and we learn from Furlan asking her if she went to see those “low-life scumbags again?” that this has obviously happened to her before, that she’s been associating with some bad people and it’s gotten her hurt.  She denies it and lies about having just tripped, but clearly neither Levi or Furlan are buying that.  Levi asks Isabel what happened to her hair, and Isabel reacts badly, running away and hiding in her room.  We get a close up of Levi holding a knife in his hands, foreshadowing his own intentions.  Later that night, Furlan hears Isabel crying in her room, and her chanting to herself over and over that she’s going to “kill you”, presumably meaning the men that hurt her earlier.  Furlan stands there lamenting that he thinks both Levi and Isabel are going “mad”, and that all they can think about is dragging everyone else down to where they are.  He’s obviously terrified that he’s going to lose both his friends to the savagery and ruthlessness of the Underground, that both of them are going to end up becoming lost to their own anger and pain.  He starts to say “That’s why I...” before Levi suddenly comes back in, holding a bloody knife, clearly having returned from exacting revenge on the men who hurt Isabel.  Furlan asks Levi “Did you kill them...?”, and Levi doesn’t answer, but we see a completely resigned, even sad look on his face.  This of course is the world Levi comes from.  It’s the world he was raised in.  A world of kill or be killed.  Levi must have figured, if he didn’t go out and kill those men that had hurt Isabel now, then someday, they would end up going too far with her, and kill her instead.  But Furlan clearly doesn’t understand, and doesn’t relate to that kind of mindset, despite coming from the Underground too.  Of course, Furlan wasn’t raised by Kenny the Ripper either.  This is how Levi was taught to deal with his problems, and Furlan can only see him spiraling into an abyss from which he fears Levi won’t return.

We cut back to the present then, and Levi is sitting up on the roof of the SC HQ, again remembering Furlan’s words about “This is our chance.  Trust me.”.  Getting to the surface and finding better lives for themselves is Furlan’s dream.  The fact that Levi keeps remembering it, keeps remembering Furlan insisting and pushing the idea of the possibility of living on the surface, shows that this is probably something he would talk about all the time with Levi, trying to get him to agree to it, to believe in it.  Once again, Levi is contemplating the hopes and dreams of his friends.  We get another close up of him holding a knife, and it represents, I think, his struggle between his desire for revenge against Erwin, and his desire to help Furlan realize what, to Levi, is probably an unrealistic goal.

We then get Furlan and Isabel joining Levi, commenting on how beautiful the night sky is, and asking Levi how he could keep it to himself.  Levi snips testily at Furlan that him and Isabel are so loud, that he’d be too irritated to get any killing done, and then Furlan looking clearly unsettled by the remark.  But it’s obvious, given the context of the previous panels of Levi’s thinking about Furlan’s dream, that Levi is just being peevish and saying things out of frustration and confusion.  He doesn’t really mean what he says here.  He’s taking his frustration out on Furlan by saying what he knows will upset him the most.  What this also tells us is that Levi is very much aware of how bothered Furlan is by Levi’s willingness to kill.  He isn’t at all oblivious to it, and given his resigned, saddened expression after coming back from killing the men who assaulted Isabel, I would say Levi even understands Furlan’s dismay.  That’s a glimpse at Levi’s famous compassion.

The next panels show the three of them bonding, sitting together and admiring the night sky.  Isabel asks Levi if the stars are as pretty as where he used to live.  I’m just going to chalk the mistake in continuity here up to this manga coming out before, I believe, Levi’s backstory of being born in a brothel in the Underground was established by Isayama.  Regardless of this mistake, this is an important moment between the three of them.  You can see the awe and wonder they all feel, looking up and seeing the sky fully for what has to be the first time in all their lives.  Remember, all three of them have lived literally underground their entire lives, with little to no sunlight, stagnant, stale air, hideously unclean living conditions, etc...  It must be overwhelming to them , just to see nature in all its splendor like that.  It’s after sharing this moment together that Levi tells Furlan that he’s decided he won’t kill Erwin for now.  He looks at him and says “I’m going to trust you.”.  And Furlan smiles at him, clearly happy and relieved.  This scene is really important, because we’re seeing Levi choose Furlan’s dream over his own desire for revenge.  We see Levi place Furlan’s desires over his own, which is totally in line with how Levi is in the main AoT storyline.  He decides his revenge can wait, that it’s not as important as helping Furlan achieve his goals.  What’s particularly remarkable about this, I think, is that it doesn’t appear that Levi ever dreamed of going to the surface himself, and likely that he never even considered it a possibility.  So just like Levi fights, later on, for a world without fear and violence, for humanity’s salvation, even as all his life experiences tell him it likely isn’t possible, we see the Levi doing the same here, deciding to fight for his friend’s dream, even as to him, it seems unrealistic.  It’s obviously a pivotal moment too, when Levi tells him he’s going to trust him, because this ties in hugely with the theme which applies so much to Levi throughout the whole series, of never knowing if it’s better to rely on himself solely, to trust himself, or to trust and rely on his friends and their capabilities.  Levi chooses, here, to trust in his friends, and that will obviously have it’s own ramifications down the line.  Again, this is an area in which the manga improves radically over the visual novel, which had no instances whatsoever of Levi struggling with the question of the choices we make, which is absurd, since it’s one of the driving factors behind who Levi is, and how he ultimately came to see the world as he does.  It was precisely this struggle between choices, between trying to choose correctly, giving so much thought and effort to our choices, and still sometimes coming out wrong, that shaped Levi into being able to accept his lack of control and instead of regretting it, using it to keep fighting.  

Anyway, I’ll get to chapter 3 tomorrow.  

[mirage-05]

Operation Lovebirds - Stingyu

Okay people, so here is another little piece me and @eleanor-devil worked on ^^ The main topic is Stingyu, and you will see once again my OC Rin (the youngest mage of Sabertooth currently), her OC Eleanor and a dear friend’s OC, Glacé as well, although they obviously don’t have a big part in it. Metra, who is also mentioned, is a canon Sabertooth character from the manga that we decided to name. Quick notes on Rin; her full name is Trinity, she came to Magnolia after a dark mage who killed her father in front of her eyes when she was just four, she is mostly known by her nickname Rin but because she gets on his nerves a lot Rogue also calls her nitwit XD Please remember that feedback is very important and it fuels us to share more of what we have about this beautiful couple, and write more!

---

"I need to talk to you." Rin's voice startled her at first and it nearly made the girl drop the glass she was drying up at the moment, looking at her teammate with a sweatdrop on her face, Eleanor spoke up.

"W-What is it Rin? You really need to stop sneaking up on me like that..." Needless to say that it wasn't the first time the blonde did that to her, although she knew Gash was gone for good, Eleanor still held some trauma from the time she had been with him.

"Operation Lovebirds!" the young girl said while a big grin made it's way to her face.

The magnetic mage blinked her blue eyes for a moment. "Operation... Lovebirds...?"

The girl took a (supposedly) surreptitious glance around, making sure that no one was eavesdropping on them. Which didn't really seem necessary to Eleanor because the next thing she said was, "Meet me in my room in fifteen minutes? This is emergency."

Another sweatdrop... honestly it was sometimes really hard to keep up with the youngest tiger. "Rin, I can't really leave my work now-"

"Ianna-san," Rin called to the other barmaid with Eleanor, who was cleaning up one of the coffee filters. "I need to take Eleanor for a few, would that be okay with you?" 

"Yep, Rin-chan, not a problem." Ianna said with a smile, the guild hall wasn't really crowded right now anyway. Rin grinned up at the magnet mage. "See you soon then."

Eleanor sighed. As if she gave her another choice...

...

And so that was how she found herself in the girl's room in fifteen minutes. Rin was sitting cross-legged on her bed, so Eleanor sat across from her on a chair. "Okay... what's this about?"

"Sting-nii and Yuki-nee!" the girl said while raising a finger in the air but Eleanor was even more confused, first still over the weird name that Rin had mentioned earlier, Operation Lovebirds was it? And second why had this little kid called her away from her job to talk about one of her friends and their guild Master?

"I don't think I'm following Rin..."

"Isn't it obvious? Yuki-nee has been avoiding Sting-nii ever since Sting-nii pretended to be your boyfriend!" Okay, yes it was true that Sting had pretended to be with her but that was all to corner Gash and make him come out of his hiding spot, they knew better than anyone that jealousy fueled the guy but about the part of Yukino avoiding Sting...

"Um... Rin, I saw them talking normally to each other this morning..."

"Look..." Rin's tone was patient and understanding... like she was trying to explain this to a five year old. Eleanor didn't know what she should feel about it. "She talks normally of course and Sting-nii is oblivious by default but... Yuki-nee is shy, and proud, she will never talk to him directly."

"I think you are reading too many novels." the magnet mage said, raising an eyebrow. 

"Come ooon, don't you want to help me El? They would make such a cute couple together!" 

Oh boy, Eleanor thought. Knowing both of the said friends, she knew they wouldn't like any kind of intervention in their personal business... and knowing Rin, she knew she wouldn't give up easily on what she thought was necessary. "Rin they are adults, they should solve this themselves."

"We will all die, they will become old walking around with wood sticks before they confess to each other!" Eleanor honestly felt like facepalming at the exaggeration of the girl but in a way it was suddenly funny to imagine her two friends, all old, white or grey hair, wrinkles all over their faces and backs bent down, supported by sticks... Okay no she needed to get that image out of her head. "Sooo? What do you say??" pressed the kid while showing her big grin.

The magnet mage sighed, exasperated. "Okay okay I will help you." Someone has to make sure you don't go overboard, was what she didn't add.

"Yaaay you are the best!" the girl was practically jumping up and down, and Eleanor couldn't help but roll her eyes although she was smiling - she would probably never understand Rin's enthusiasm in playing the matchmaker - or well, in pranking Rogue for that matter. She had once asked Sting about it... and the blond had just played it off for the kid being... well, a kid. 

"So... what do you have in mind? How are we going to pull this off?"

"I'm open for more ideas but... since Sting-nii loves eating and Yuki-nee is an amazing cook..." she couldn't deny either of her points. "I was thinking maybe persuading Yuki-nee to prepare something just for him. Maybe you can keep Sting-nii away while I help Yuki-nee make him his fav-" she backtracked. "...a memorable dinner."

"Okay, I can manage to keep Sting away..." maybe there was a mission somewhere that would be enthusiastic enough for him to accept to do with her. "But I think we have a bigger problem in hands than keeping a dragon out of the kitchen..."

"Hm? What is it?" Rin tilted her head to the side.

"We... aren't the only ones at the guild remember? We have lots of members that love to go steal food from the kitchen." She was mainly refering to Orga, whose guildmates had caught him assaulting the fridge... even in the middle of the night.

"Oh! Right! Hm..." the blonde girl put a hand under her chin while thinking really hard of a solution for that problem, then she closed her fist and bumped it into her open palm. "I think I know how to kick them out of the guild earlier!"

Kick... them out? Eleanor didn't know if she liked the sound of those words and she had the feeling that either nobody would listen... or knowing Rin she would end up dragging more people into this... Operation Lovebirds and the magnetic mage knew all too well that when the whole guild tried to get involved in something... it didn't end well. But she would wait and see. Maybe, just maybe things would turn out okay...

...

"How about this one?" Eleanor showed to the white dragon slayer what was the sixth job request but the blond continued staring at the options with an unamused expression.

"Boring..." and that was all it took for the girl to hang her head in despair.

 "Oh come ooon Sting! There has to be a job that you like!" she didn't really want to use this card but this was requesting drastic measures. "I thought we got all the coolest jobs now that..." she bit her lip while eyeing the blond that was now arching an eyebrow. "Now that Fairy Tail is gone?"

Those words apparently touched a nerve. "That's part of it!" Sting was pouting now. "It doesn't make it half as fun when I know there isn't the competition with the Fairy Tail!" Well truth to be told, this had been the reason why they weren't participating in this year's games... Their master could be impossible when it came to Fairy Tail.

"Can't you think of it as honoring Natsu and his skills?" This was really dangerous water, but she had to push it and so far (thankfully) Sting wasn't taking it half as bad as he could. "I need your help on this one, y'know." Which was also true, the job was about some gold robbery... the one metal she had no power over (it could be said that she had purposefully taken that one). 

He could have deflected her, he could have told her to pick someone else for the job... but for whatever reason, Sting decided to humor the magnet mage for this once. "Okay, okay... I will come with you."

...

Watching the backs of the master and her new partner in crime fading into the distance, Rin felt proud of herself. Phase one of the operation complete... now it was her turn.

She looked at the small, red bag in her right hand (times spent with Natsu-san in Fairy Tail were never a waste). "Alright... here it goes."

...and that was how, a few seconds later, a blur in the shape of a little girl was running wild in the guild hall, screaming bloody murder as... what looked like blood squirted everywhere from her hand. Needless to say, everyone present was alarmed.

"Rin? What happened?!" Orga asked. 

"A squirrel... this size..." the girl showed with her hands what she thought was the appropriate size of a monster squirrel. "...bit me! It should be veeery dangerous, it nearly bit my hand off!"

"I don't have any memory of squirrels being able to do that..." Rufus said with a slight frown.

"Is this one of your silly pranks?" Rogue demanded, obviously not in the mood for one - well, he was the most frequent victim after all. 

"No, it's not you-" Rin caught herself before she ruined the act. "Oh! Oh, I can see the light... go and catch that little monster before it hurts anyone else..." and with that, she ended her dramatic action crumpling to the ground.

There was an awkward silence throughout the guild as they all  created a circle around the "fainted" child... nobody even dared to go down and pick her up but Metra was the first one to break the silence.

"Rin... what is going on?" 

The girl didn't answer and it was all it took for Rogue to roll his eyes at how melodramatic this kid was. "She isn't dying just so you know, her heartbeat is fine, she is just pretending."

Damn Dragon Slayer senses, damn Rogue... he was going to ruin everything! Seeing that nobody was falling for her trick, Rin finally opened her green eyes and sat up, bearing a big pout on her lips. "You guys suck, can't you just play along for a bit?? I need you to cooperate...!"

"Cooperate on...?"

Rin glared at Rogue but answered anyway. "In getting you all out of the guild before 7pm!"

"Nope. No. Whatever you're trying to pull off, I want no part in it." That being said, Rogue walked over to one of the chairs in the bar and sat down, with apparently no intentions whatsoever of ever leaving there. 

There was a brief flare of light, and everyone present gasped as Rin's attack hit the shadow dragon slayer in the face - obviously not doing much of an effect but enough to piss the black haired man off. In a moment the two tigers were nose to... err, nose, in a manner of speech, glaring each other down.

"You really want to go down this road, nitwit?" There was a vein popping on Rogue's forehead - it was honestly a wonder for all of the Sabertooth members how Rin could be so brave - or foolish - to keep getting on his nerves like that.

"Leave nicely and we won't have to." Rin countered, not backing down at all. For a moment she glanced at the clock hanging over the bar, announcing 5pm already but then went back to exchange glares with the shadow dragon slayer.

"Okay okay why do you want us to leave in the first place?" said Glacé as he put himself between the two tigers, trying to avoid a murder right in the middle of the guild hall.

"It's for Sting-nii's sake!"

Rogue crossed his arms. "He is out on a job with Eleanor dummy."

Another glare. "You think I don't know that? It's part of the plan dumba-" Glacé had put his hands over the kid's mouth before she even dared to finish the word, they really needed to stop saying swear words in front of her. Rin mumbled something not understandable under Glacé's hands before pulling them down so she could speak. "Yuki-nee is going to cook him dinner okay?"

"You lost me now..." Orga was stretching his head. "Yukino always cook something for us..."

"I can't believe you people!" the girl was becoming so impatient that she was actually stomping her feet - they were losing precious time here! "Don't you ever read any romance novels? I'm trying to do something nice for them if you just let me!"

"I think you're reading too many novels..." Metra said, shaking her head. "They are both-"

"...adults who won't confess to each other in a million years. Yeah, I know." and she was pouting even more now. "That's why they need a little push in the right direction. Or well, a big one if it comes to that."

"And I can't believe we're honestly all just standing here listening to you..."

"No, now that I think of it, it's actually a good idea." That was Orga, again. "But instead of getting us out why don't you let us help?"

"Stop encouraging her!" Rogue yelled.

The girl's green eyes immediately shone bright. "Really?? You would do that??" and the huge green haired man showed her a big grin before setting his fist on his chest.

"Yep! I am actually an expert in getting people together!"

"No, you're really not." mumbled Rufus, attempting to not roll his eyes but received a big glare from the lightning god slayer.

"Oh shut up!" he said. "Can we at least do this for our Master?? He has done a lot for us lately, the latest thing we can is help him back!"

"See! He understands me!" 

Rogue was honestly feeling like facepalming at this point, he really didn't have the patience for this. "And have any of you even pondered on, I don't know, ask both the involved if they want anything of the sort...?!"

"Of course they do!" the girl sounded so sure of herself but Rogue could bet on anything that if Sting was here right now... he would regret ever agreeing to accept this little monster into the guild. "There would come a time they will thank me and all those involved in it and I will make sure to mention you weren't of any help at all!"

And that was about it with his patience. "Yeah, right, works for me. I have a job to take care of anyway." He looked around for his exceed. "Frosch?"

"Fro wants to help Rin too..."

"Oh come on!!"

With a final blown raspberry from their youngest mage, Rogue pretty much stomped off to the door - only to see Yukino just entering the guild. "Hi everyone."

"Hi." it was all Rogue mumbled before he walked past her, to Yukino all he knew was that the shadow dragon slayer was in a bad mood... had he and Sting-sama fought again and "ended" their partnership? The girl could only shake her head with a soft smile on her lips as she walked towards the guild hall... and for some reason all the stares were on her... making her sweat.

"U-Um... is everything okay...?" she felt a sweatdrop roll on her cheek. "Did I miss anything?"

Silence for a while... and then suddenly the guild was back to what it was, noisy, loud and busy which only confused the celestial mage. Rin took this chance to approach the person she viewed as her hero.

"Yuki-nee, come with me!" she took her hands and dragged her towards the kitchen. "I have an idea for the dinner of tonight!"

"O-oh... um is that so?"

"Yeeep! See, I want it to be something special for Sting-nii, something I know he would love, because I never got to thank him properly for accepting me..." Yukino chose not to comment on that... for all her good intentions, Rin did try in the past, but she almost always overdid it. The celestial mage was actually kinda scared about what was going to happen now... 

"And... you know what he loves to eat?" For her it was a bit of a stretch that Rin would know about that, but the girl sounded so sure of herself.

"Oh it's nothing too complicated - although you would ace that too if it was." the girl said with a big grin. "It's actually a steak meal - but the trick is all in the dressing." Opening the refrigerator, she took out a plate of strawberries, which made the celestial mage sweat drop again.

"We... are going to make a dressing with strawberries?" That sounded more like Rin than Sting-sama.

"Nope. These are for me." The girl put the plate on the counter and returned to the fridge to take out more ingredients.

Yukino giggled at the amount of ingredients the girl was bringing just to make the dressing, she wondered if Sting-sama would even eat all that but she suddenly remembered the blond could have a ferocious appetite when he wanted to. She hadn't seen him in the guild hall when she arrived so she could only guess that the Master was either locked in his office doing paperwork or had gone on a mission (without Rogue apparently), either way she knew from experience that the light dragon slayer would be famished at the end of the day.

The girls then began preparing all the food for dinner.

About two hours later, just as Rin had planned, Sting and Eleanor returned from their succeeded mission but before they even made it to the guild, Eleanor had excused herself saying she needed an urgent bath which left the guild master to return on his own. Not that he minded though but he had mumbled sarcastically under his breath 'Women', apparently they couldn't have a little bit of sweat in their body.

His steps came to a halt as he entered the guild. Well, that was unheard of... the guild was actually very quiet, devoid of all the hustle and bustle of the various guild members - which was unsettling to say the least. It would almost remind him of the old Sabertooth, if it wasn't for the pool and the soft glow coming from it - wait what?

Intrigued (or rather, worried) the master immediately made it to the pool side... and what he saw made his jaw drop.

The first thing that registered about the scenery - literally the first thing to see - were... hundreds and hundreds of candles... everywhere. Beside the pool, on the eaves, on a holder in the mouth of one of their tiger statues (now that was just plain rude)... and finally on a table for two right beside the pool, which was, aside from the dinnerware and candles... were also decorated with rose petals. Lots of them.

"What the...?" he was speechless - and not of the good kind. "Hey guys - you know just how many fire hazards all these pose just now?"

As if that wasn't enough (because apparently it wasn't) a slow music begin to play... altho it was so that one could almost go to sleep listening to it. 

"Sting-sama?" he then heard a voice, although it sounded a little... unsure too... accompanied with a mouth-watering smell.

Sting turned around, although he knew who the voice belonged to, there really was only one person in the whole guild that treated him with that honorific - he knew it was out of respect but it honestly made him feel... old...

"Hey Yukino." the man looked around while scratching his head. "What is this all about?" 

"Um... I'm actually not sure... I have been in the kitchen preparing dinner since I got here..." Now that she remembered, Rin was also missing, although she had told her she was just going to get something really quick... "Where is everyone?" 

'I hoped you knew that,' he thought as he took one of the seats and Yukino set the food on the table. "I have no idea nor why there are all these candlesticks around the guild."

"Umm... yeah... it seems to be a very... peculiar setting..." trying her best not to blush, hard, Yukino lowered her gaze to the table. The truth was that... no matter how hard she tried, it remains to be the fact that she still had a big crush on the master... she had been somewhat successful to curb it down a notch while she was away from Sabertooth but returning to the guild, and more than that... seeing just how far (for the good) Sting-sama had changed... it would be a lie if she said that didn't rekindle some of that old flare.

"Ugh... those idiots... as if we can't just eat dinner, the two of us, as friends. Right Yukino?" That was when Sting finally truly noticed her face. "Eh , are you okay? You're all red..."

"N-no, I mean yes, I'm fine."

"Must be these candles, seriously, there's overdoing and there's insanity. Lemme just snuff out a-"

"No, please!" the celestial mage said immediately, trying to control her blush. "W-why don't we continue with the dinner?" Suddenly, she was intrigued to hear his opinion on this one, partly because she was curious about how accurate was Rin's predictions on their master's choice of appetite.

The blond thought about it for a minute, then shrugged. "Sure, I'm ravishing anyway." 

And so they started eating, Yukino carefully watching Sting. After the few couple of bites, the master's expression started to soften and turn into one that of amazement... "Yukino... how did you... this is amazing!"

The silver haired girl blushed a bit more and looked down shyly. "R-Really? You think so?" Sting-sama wasn't one to actually lie about anything really but it's just that Yukino never had much faith in her skills, or rather she wasn't used to receive such big compliments; the only one that really used to do it was Sorano... and well after her it had only been Lucy-sama.

"Hell yes!" the blond exclaimed causing the girl to snap out of her thoughts and raise her head to face him again. "This is one of my favorite dishes and you did it amazing!" And he took another bite into the food. "Really, whoever marries you will be very lucky." 

And there she was again blushing hard. "M-Marry...??" she had never thought much... actually she had never thought about it at all! Who would want someone like her, who brings bad luck, as a wife anyway...? But she didn't dare voice that thought out loud. "U-Um... t-thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying the meal."

"So," he changed the topic so casually. "Where were you most of the day? I don't remember you telling me about a job..."

"O-Oh no um... I went to see if I could buy new celestial keys, since I got enough money from the past jobs."

"Oh?" The master seemed genuinely interested (which he somehow managed to accomplish while he continued chumping on the food). It actually kind of flattered the girl. "Did you have any luck then?"

"Yep." She was actually pretty happy with her new accomplishment. She fished out the newest silver key from her key pouch to show it to Sting. "I can definitely call it pure luck. We didn't make a contract yet but... this is Feres, from the constellation of the Pegasi."

"The Pegasi?" Sting repeated. He wasn't familiar with all of the constellations (although he had gotten pretty familiar with the wolf and the dragon, no thanks).

"It is a winged horse from mythology!" The excitement in the girl's voice was palpable. She really loved the celestial spirits, the master realized It was almost... endearing. "I hope it will give me some advantage... with the wind element."

"Hmm... that means you now have three of the four elements in your hands." he sounded amused but actually happy for her, he eyed the design of the new silver key, silver like the others with a pair of angel-like wings surrounding the entire key until they spread on top of it, he had to admit that it was a beautiful key. Sting began wondering if Yukino would ever use the key whenever she wanted a ride to somewhere else, certainly it would be better than riding a train.

Flying... it reminded him of his days with Weisslogia.

"Sting-sama?" her voice woke the master from his deep thoughts and he quickly blinked to focus on her again. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... yeah I'm fine. Just remembering stuff from the past."

She bit her lip, daring to ask. "About... Weisslogia-sama...?" But she quickly regretted asking the question and looked down, ashamed. "I-I'm sorry...! It's such a personal question, I shouldn't ask something like that... I have no right..."

It took Sting for a moment to reply, his gaze still far away. It was still a touchy subject to talk about, sure... He closed his eyes tight, not sure whether to continue or not. "It's okay... I know you didn't mean any harm by it." He sighed, letting his breath out in a long huff. "It's just... Weisslogia was the only parent I had as far as I know... and then I killed him... or well... I found out that was all fake memories... so all it left me in the end was..." a big loneliness... That was what he couldn't say out loud. Even with Rogue, his twin dragon slayer, the one who could understand him way better than anyone else because of their similar experience... he couldn't explain to anyone just how big of a void his foster father left behind.

He wasn't prepared when Yukino leaned a little forward and placed a hand, albeit hesitantly, on top of his. "You... you must be feeling lonely..." 

And the master was even more perplexed that the celestial mage could almost read his mind... or was it that much readable on his face? But in any case, that made him feel... a little better. It was almost soothing that he didn't need to put his feelings in words for someone to understand. "It's alright, really..." His fingers slightly curled on her hand. "Now I have a whole guild, so I can't really say I'm lonely all the time."

Yukino smiled so softly and kindly that Sting found himself returning the smile, he couldn't explain but it was so easy to talk with her, knowing she wouldn't judge him even if she didn't agree with something that he did or said; sure she would scold him but it was never in a judging way.

That's why that he wasn't uneasy to talk with her about Weisslogia, it would seem that he had already overcome that phase but he really hadn't and probably wouldn't for a while no matter how many years had already gone by... there were still times where Sting would dream of his time with the white dragon, when Weisslogia would tell him to climb on his back and took him on flights so high above the clouds or when he was stern in his training both physically and in dragon slayer magic, although afterwards Sting would fall asleep from exhaustion but the dragon scooted him under his feathery wings so he wouldn't be cold.

"So... I don't think I ever asked you about your family?" it was a casual, simple question but Sting knew that the expression the celestial mage made, albeit just for a split second, was one of pain...

"Um... w-well there isn't much to tell actually... I wasn't raised by a dragon so it can't be as interesting," this last part was clearly an attempt to hide the pain. "I had two parents and an older sister, whom I loved dearly... but then the children hunt came and well, we were separated and our parents killed..."

"...I'm sorry..."

Yukino shook her head. "No, no, it's alright. I've overcome it, it's been a while but..." she looked at her hands, closing them a bit tight. "Sometimes I wonder... if it's bad that... that I don't miss my parents..."

Sting found himself frowning a little, mostly out of confusion. He had known Yukino for a good while, and not once had he heard her talking this way, almost resentful to another person, let alone her parents. Granted, he never had much of a backstory from the girl after all, but still... something in her tone, in the tightening of her muscles intrigued him. Suddenly, he wanted to find out more about her. "Care to tell me why?" Then, realizing that he probably sounded pretty intrusive, he backtracked. "I-I mean... only if you want to of course..."

Yukino gave him a small smile this time, but it was one without humor. "It's okay..." she whispered, again looking down on her hands. "My parents... well, there had been times I wished I was non-existent to them... there were times where I had been just that... but mostly... whenever something bad happened, whenever things didn't go the way they want... I acted like the scapegoat. I don't know how I would've coped with it if it wasn't for... Sorano..." her voice broke at the end of it but thankfully her eyes stayed dry, she didn't think she could handle a breakdown in front of the blond now. She had never talked about her family so much in detail to anyone but Lucy-sama before... and it was almost mind-boggling of how easy it was to speak to Sting-sama right now... out of all the people. "I just wish I could see her once again, just one more time...I don't even know what happened to her..."

For some reason, Sting made it a note in his mind to maybe use the contacts he now had in the Magic Council to find the possible whereabouts of Sorano... of course if he had the same luck that he did when he tried to find out where the bastard that killed Rin's father was then he wouldn't find anything... but he would care about that later.

"She... she was so beautiful and was always there for me..." 

The Master blinked a bit confused as he repeated in his head everything Yukino told him. "Wait... your parents would... blame you for...?"

"...Anything... or everything that happened bad..." she still didn't look at him. "I shouldn't blame them though... they were right to think that way... whenever something bad happened I was around so..."

The celestial mage then jumped when she heard Sting punch the top of the table with a bit more strenght which made her finally lift her brown eyes to look at him... he didn't look happy. "No one..." he started. "No parent should ever make their child feel that way, a good parent would support their child when things go wrong, not put the blame on them!" He closed his eyes for a moment and then leaned back against the chair before re-opening them. "I'm sorry... I know they were still your parents but... quite honestly, no you shouldn't feel bad for not missing them." he didn't remember his birth parents but he knew that if they had been anything like Yukino's parents that he for sure wouldn't miss them.

His words... although they didn't yet erase her opinion completely about her bad luck... enveloped the girl's heart, and made her feel warm, happy... the smile that appeared on the young woman's lips was one of pure sincerity now. "I... thank you Sting-sama..."

...

Somewhere just a story above, two pairs of eyes were staring through the staircase banisters, one blue and one green.

"Really?" the mastermind behind the plan said, with a pout on her lips as she dangled her arms from the banisters and leant forward. "Is that all? Nothing's happening!"

"What did you want to happen? A kiss?" Eleanor asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well duh! That would be so cute of them, just saying."

"I think Metra is right. You are reading way too many novels." Eleanor couldn't help a small giggle as she ruffled Rin's hair light-heartedly, then looked back at the scene below with a soft smile, happy for her two friends. "Things couldn't have gone any better."

[sagara-megumi]

SasuSaku Month 2019 - Day 4: City Lights || [Fanfic] Family Ties - Chapter 2

Sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter but health and relatives visits made it a bit difficult (having nephews and nieces around asking you to play with them isn’t the best way to get inspired). Also, Sasuke made things a bit difficult XD

Title: Family Ties: Chapter 2

Rating: T/PG-13

Words: 3470

Notes: Well, as I stated in the previous chapter, there are going to be vampires in this story ^^ I don’t know if you’ve read manga about vampires before but just in case you haven’t, I’m going to tell you a little about them because Japanese vampires are different from Western ones.

It’s important to know that depending on the manga/anime they’re represented with some characteristics or others but what I think it’s the main difference is that vampires are more supernatural beings rather than undead creatures. Therefore, we can find vampires who can walk freely during the day, have superpowers, procreate, work… however, I think that one of the most important things is that they don’t have the pressing need of drinking blood to survive. I don’t want to elaborate too much on this topic because then, the notes would be too long and also, I want to uncover things as they happen in the story ^^ But if you want to check some more info, you can go here.

English isn’t my first language so if you spot any mistakes, please tell me. I hope that you enjoy it, and thank you for the notes and follows :)

.

CHAPTER 2

Expectations.

Uchiha Sasuke closed the door of his father’s office and walked along the corridor on the ground floor of the duplex house which had been his home for years, heaving a barely audible sigh. More and more expectations kept on mounting on his shoulders every single time he visited him and showed him his results, either academic, sports or social. However, it was never enough. Every single time, his brother’s name came into the conversation comparing their grades and their merits.

Despite this, he was not angry or unhappy, or hated his brother. Being a child, he had felt neglected in favour of him but Itachi had always tried to be there for him, even though he was busy himself, helping him with his studies and giving him advice. And even though he still had to deal with judgements, his views had changed as he grew. He had become aware that his father did that because Itachi was his successor as the clan head and also, because he wanted Sasuke to keep growing and be better, so nobody could say anything about any of his sons. Especially at that moment, in his situation.

He went up the stairs, heading to his bedroom. After his parents’ divorce, Itachi had stayed with this father while he, as a minor, had been taken in by his mother when she left the family clan. He now led a “normal” life that he did not want, living in a small rented apartment outside the family’s influence area, surrounded by people he did not have any interest to know and having to do things he was not used to, like doing the shopping or the washing-up.

He entered the room and, after looking through the window for a moment, at the city which was starting to come to life as night approached and buildings, street lamps and neon signs were lit, he took off his dark green uniform jacket, the striped tie around his neck and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, sitting on the bed, feeling slightly tired. He only had to wait a year and a half more to abandon all that, to be back to his origins and carve his own future, with his own kind. And he had to use that time wisely to harden himself so when he came back, people could see this strength and success over his mistakes.

He leant back, letting himself fall on the mattress and closed his eyes. His mistakes, his weaknesses… They were so many that sometimes, he doubted the clan could overlook them one day. Some were small, things that a child did carelessly and were frowned upon but others… He clenched his jaw. Others…

He buried his face in his pillow but nothing, not even his own scent, came from it. He opened his eyes and propped himself on one elbow, glaring at the fabric and pressing his lips together. The maid had changed the sheets again as if they were dirty after just one night. Maybe they feared that he brought any human odour with him. He half-closed his black eyes. It was true that the place where he lived on weekdays was full of smells he had never perceived before, like food being cooked, cars passing by, perfumes mixed in the air from men and women who passed along the corridor on the street or the sheets of his own bed which smelled of the floral fragrance of the fabric softener that his mother used when doing the laundry. At the beginning, it had annoyed him, especially for his sensitivity for smells, but after a while, he had got used to it. His thoughts went to her and the last time he had seen her, the previous morning during breakfast. She had been paler than usual, and it was as if she had lost her energy. She had said that she was tired, as Christmas was approaching and she had become busier with work, but he did not know whether to believe her or not. A part of him wanted to call her to see how she was, but another one berated him for having such feelings. That was exactly what his father and everyone around him wanted him to fight.

Breathing deeply, he stood up and finished changing his clothes. Then, he took out some books from the bookcase next to his desk and sat down, ready to study some more before dinner.

Minutes later, he stood up to take one more, a novel, for his Classic Literature homework but another one attracted his attention, and he picked it up. It was a copy of ‘Beauty and Sadness’ by Kawabata Yasunori which probably belonged to Itachi, as he did not usually read those types of books. He swallowed. And it was the same book the girl on the train was reading the day before. He had seen it in one of the glimpses he had caught of her.

In the beginning, he had not been more interested in her than in other humans who surrounded him on his way to school in that uncomfortable train carriage. She was one of the hundreds of students he crossed paths with during his day. And by the looks she sneaked at him, another one infatuated by his appearance. He had felt so annoyed that the following day, as he saw her enter the car, he had ignored her during the whole journey.

However, as he had sensed her attention gradually shift from him to the books that she brought to read during the ride, he had started to get curious about her, not so much as to steal glances at her like an idiot in love, but enough to wonder about her taste in literature or find out her school. It was not a bad one, but not the best for a bright mind as he supposed by the curiosity he had seen in her green eyes and her seriousness while reading when she carried advanced textbooks with her instead of novels.

And then, it was that aroma that she sometimes gave out. It was subtle and slightly sweet, like a summer breeze bringing the smell of ripe fruit. Now and then, it was mixed with recently applied cologne and it became a walk through a garden in spring. Even though he had already known that all humans had their own fragrance, hers had always been comforting, inviting but not tempting.

Until a few mornings ago, when she had given her seat to an old woman and she had taken a grab handle, her back to him. Maybe it was because she had been nearer him or because there had been any kind of disturbance in her feelings, or just because he was more sensitive that day, but her scent had surrounded him, intense and enthralling. His heart had thundered in his chest and goose pimples had formed on his skin, his pupils prickling slightly as his hunger-

“Sasuke?”

He jumped and turned suddenly, seeing his brother just behind him, his hand barely touching his shoulder. He had not heard him enter.

“I knocked but you didn’t answer…”

He breathed deeply, noticing that his fingers hurt, and he realised that his hold on the book had tightened until his knuckles had become white. Strange energy, like a low electrical current, fluttered in his veins, making him oddly upset.

“Sorry” he replied, clenching his jaw and trying to regain his composure. “Did you want something?”

Itachi furrowed his brow slightly. It was not like Sasuke to show his feelings openly, and to his eyes, it was obvious that something had been bothering him. When he had entered his bedroom and seen him stood there, immobile, his breath slightly agitated and his mind really far away from there. However, he was showing him a composed expression now, regarding him calmly, as always. He opened his mouth go ask but his little brother interrupted him.

“I found this here” he said, showing him the book.

“Oh, that’s mine, thank you” he replied, taking it. “Shisui lent it to me, I probably left it somewhere and one of the maids thought it was yours.”

Sasuke nodded and then, put his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“And? What did you want?” he repeated.

“Oh, they called us for dinner and I thought we could go downstairs together” the younger man spared a glance at his homework and then, took a step towards Itachi. “But, are you sure you’re alright? You look a bit pale…”

“Yes,” he straightened himself and looked at his brother. “I just need to go out tonight.”

.

Sakura started to go down the stairs from the school library in the building next to the sports facilities with a loud sigh, as the librarian closed the door behind her. She had lost track of the time while studying for her exams and now it was almost dark. A chill ran down her spine as a cold gust of wind passed her and she shrugged under her thick uniform coat.

Being a third-year student was not being easy at all, but she had thoroughly organised herself to be able to get to everything. At the beginning of the school year, her father and she had split the housework in a different way so she could have much more time to study and she had left her club too; also, she had a study group with Neji and Tenten, the only ones of her friends who were the same age as her, and they met every week to review the lessons and solve questions. She sometimes felt envious of the others, who, being in second year, still could afford to go to a café or the karaoke after class. In many occasions, Sakura had wondered why she had been in such a hurry to be born. If she had only waited for three more days…

“Sakura-chan!”

She was crossing the terrace in front of the main building, which had a fountain in the centre and led into a promenade lined by rows of leafless trees, when she had heard her name. Turning, she saw Naruto running towards her, waving. There were few times now when they could walk back home together and at that moment she was grateful for his company to avoid thinking about everything which was happening in her life, at such frantic speed that she barely felt strong enough to deal with all.

He reached her and smiled widely, his cheeks red for the effort and the cold, and he bent over a bit, putting his hands on his knees to recover his breath. A moment later, he started coughing and she sighed.

“What am I going to do with you…” she said pressing a hand on his back and rubbing vigorously to get through the different layers of cloth. “If you get ill, your mum’s going to be mad at you.”

“I just…” he replied, his smile still intact, as he lifted his head to her. “… saw you and I had to catch you” he straightened and inhaled deeply again. “I wanted to ask you about your dad and his girlfriend.”

If Ino was her best friend, Naruto was like a brother to her. They had met as babies when his parents had moved to their neighbourhood, three houses down the street from hers. They had been together in each of their school stages, she helping him to study when they had important exams and Kushina was exasperated because her son preferred to disappear to play football with other boys, during the summer holidays when they went to each other’s houses and played in their paddling pools until they did not fit in them anymore, and even when Naruto confessed to her when he was fourteen and she rejected him. They had overcome bad moments, fights and bumps in the road, and after sixteen years, they were still as close. He was the only one who knew about his father’s relationship and the change that was about to happen in her life, and even though he was not trustworthy in some kinds of secrets, she knew that he would take to his grave those things that she had talked to him about in the privacy of their bedrooms and that nobody else knew.

“Nothing happened.”

Naruto looked at her curiously and scratched his head as they started walking again.

“But you said he was going to drop the bomb last Sunday, right?”

“He said it wasn’t the right moment, so he decided to wait” Sakura bit her lower lip. “However, there’s something I don’t understand… When I saw him the following morning, he looked worried, as if something… unexpected… had happened. He tried to play it off but I think he lied to me…”

“A fight?”

She shrugged trying to appear nonchalant, but he could clearly see that it was quite the opposite, so he decided to change the topic.

“Hey, do you want to have dinner at home? You said your dad was working overtime and it’s depressing to eat alone. Besides, today mum’s making stew. Gramps’s come for a few days and he’s brought some delicious mushrooms from the village.”

She smiled at him, thankful.

“Alright. But first, I’ll go home to change clothes.”

“I’ll go with you, It’s just a couple of houses away…”

.

Jiraiya was a friendly happy old man who only had a fault, he was a real pervert. Sakura had discovered it when she had started showing curves, but by then, she already knew how to deal with that side of Naruto’s grandfather.

She was overjoyed inwardly when, upon entering his best friend’s house dining room and greet the family, the wide grin on the old man’s face turned into a disappointed pout when he saw that she was wearing straight jeans and a loose thick cardigan which reached past her hips over her black jumper. Also, she realised he did not drop anything under the table during the dinner, as it had happened at other times, and she made a mental note to warn Hinata, Naruto’s girlfriend, about that when she visited the house while his grandfather was there, or she would have a hard time.

And it was really lucky that neither Minato nor Naruto had inherited that trait.

Her smartphone rang while she was enjoying some tea that Kushina had served after dinner and, when she picked it up, she saw it was her father, to whom she had left a message saying where she would be.

“Naruto, take Sakura home” his mother asked him while she bid farewell.

He made a face

“But, there’re only two houses between ours and she can manage… I’d prefer to stay here” he complained while moving forward under the kotatsu covers to make his point. “Moreover, the baseball match’s going to start.”

Kushina put her hands on her hips as Sakura chuckled, knowing what was coming. The woman started ranting about her son’s lack of manners and how Hinata could get tired of him one day if he treated her like that. In the end, Naruto stood up with a sour face.

“You shouldn’t have…” Sakura whispered to Kushina when he left to retrieve his coat. “Now I feel pity for him.”

“He has to learn that he can’t treat girls as his football teammates and that it doesn’t matter if you’ve grown up together, you’re not one either” she glanced at Minato and a soft smile appeared on her mouth. “His father was clumsy and dense for these things too, but he was more considerate.”

Both left the house and stayed in the doorstep for a moment. A cold breeze blew past them, leaving their noses freezing, and Naruto started shivering while he shrugged to emphasize the fact that he had left the comfort of the kotatsu to see her home, and she laughed.

“I got it” she took a few steps ahead and turned, walking backwards. “Tomorrow, I’ll invite you to hot chocolate so you can forgive me” his eyes glinted as they went through the gate and started walking up the street; he was too predictable. “So, why don’t you wait here till I reach my house?”

“Are you crazy? My mum’ll have my head if she sees me through the kitchen window, and be assured she’ll be watching by now.”

Both started walking up the street with their hands in their pockets. The street was empty and only their steps and breaths broke the silence. Their shadows danced back and forth as they entered and exited the beams of light of the street lamps which bordered the street.

“Hey, how are you doing with History? Remember that the exam is next week and you need to pass it or you’ll get suspended of your club activities until the end of the year.”

He hid his face in the neck of his anorak and Sakura furrowed her brow.

“I’m really trying, but you know I’m not good at memory things…”

She sighed.

“I could help you, you know” he lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes wide. “I could make you some timelines and a summary with the most important points, and you can come home to review at the weekend.”

“Really?!” he threw his arms around her. “You’re the best!” he seemed to think about it for a moment. “After Hinata, of course.”

He let go with a big smile and kept on walking, his steps longer and with a small happy gait. However, he stopped just before reaching her door.

“But, what about your entrance exams, Sakura-chan? You start them in February, right?”

She smiled and punched him lightly on the arm.

“Don’t worry about that. I’m a very diligent girl and I’m ahead of my study plan.”

He seemed relieved.

“And? Are you going to tell me which university are you aiming at?”

Sakura frowned and marched to the gate.

“No. I don’t want you to laugh at me if I can’t enter in my first option.”

“Oh, come on. You know I wouldn’t do that” she shook her head stubbornly. “Okay, but it’s not as if you’re aiming for Todai, you know…”

She turned her face away to avoid him seeing the blush that warmed her face despite the cold.

“You can go now to see your match” she opened the door. “And if your mum asks, you walked me to the door.”

“Yes!” he turned around and ran down the street, waving at her.

Sakura moved her head, chuckling as she heard the loud noise his fence made when he slammed it shut, and then, she entered. She was quite often surprised by the sharp intuition her friend possessed, even though sometimes he said things without thinking. And he was right once again, as Todai University was one of the two options she had written on her career survey before the summer holidays. Years before, she had made the decision of being a doctor, when her mother had taken her by the hand, they had walked to a park and there, sitting on a bench, she had told her that one day soon she would not be with her anymore, that she had to be a good girl so her father would not worry, and that she had to become a beautiful strong woman who knew how to face what awaited her in life.

She breathed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment so she could ease the pain in her heart. She was trying hard to accomplish all that. She had learnt not to cry in front of her father, and to make him smile when he was sad. She had kept her lifelong friends and she had made some more along the way. She had hidden her hurt when her father had started talking about the woman he had met when he was in the department store while he was looking for a present for her sixteenth birthday, when she thought that he would love her mother till the end of his life… She had been a brilliant student, earning merits, getting the best marks in all the subjects, and she had chosen the best public university so his father had not had to pay the expensive fee of a private one. Though she had chosen Keio University as a second option at her homeroom teacher’s insistence, her only aim was Todai.

Just in front of the door of the house, she breathed deeply once again, trying to calm herself so her father would not guess any of her thoughts. After all, she had to be a good girl until the end.

TO BE CONTINUED

[lintheotaku]

Watched Anime Genre

Watched List: Isekai 2016-Present 

Anime:  The Rising of the Shield Hero 

Plot:  Naofumi Iwatani is an otaku that is summoned through a book as 1 of 4 heroes to the world of Melromarc, to stop the Waves from destroying the world. Betrayal and ruined reputation causes Naofumi to be shunned by the people of Melromarc as well as the other heroes, forcing him to fight the Waves in his own way, all because he bares the shield. Pros: One of the more unique isekai animes out there. Instead of just one hero, there are four heroes, each from different versions of Japan. Instead of having a quirk or completely overpowered from the beginning, the main is instead knocked down to his lowest, resulting his not so heroic approach to situations. Gradually he begins to trust those closest to him and out of the bunch, he is the most grounded person and grasps reality far better than his fellow heroes. Cons: Pacing can feel a bit slow in the anime since there is a lot of small things building up before you get to the next big thing.(omg I want to knock some sense into the other heroes) And the anime tends to throw in a tad more details to make it feel as those Naofumi has a harem than it really is. (the one filler moment actually contradicts a detail the following canon scene) Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4.5/5] Comments: With the pacing, it’s perhaps better to be reading the manga. And since this is originally a Light Novel, I HIGHLY recommend watching AniNews’s youtube channel on Rising of the Shield Hero: Skipped Content as it helps fill in gaps not placed in the manga and/or anime. 

Andddd I really can’t wait for the Scythe Hero to appear in ep 22<3

Anime: KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World! Plot: “When high schooler Kazuma Satou dies, his given the choice to be reincarnated in a fantasy world much like a video game and be granted one item or ability. But can a dimwitted Goddess, explosion craze crimson demon,  masochist crusader, and a lucky/unlucky adventurer to defeat the Devil King?” Pros: A very clever and humorous adventure with a group of misfits. Cons: There were a few points that felt a bit much or overly done. *cough*Aqua*cough* but luckily goes back into genuinely funny scenes. Too easily can turn into perverted moments for a non harlem type series. Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4/5] Personal Thoughts: Honestly can’t help comparing Megumin’s ability to another light novel character. Agnis, from Adventures of Duan Surk, a fire sorceress that can only use high level fire magic and passes out after each use.  Except in Megumin’s case it’s Explosion magic. Besides that, and the quite troublemaking goddess- this series is unique enough as a comedy of misfits trying to live in a fantasy RPG world.

Anime: Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World Plot:  “ With the biggest crisis of his life being summoned to another world and no sign of the one who summoned him, things become worse when he is attacked. However, when he is saved by a mysterious silver-haired girl with a fairy cat, Subaru cooperates with the girl to return the favor.” Pros: A series with mix of carefree moments as well as suspenseful.  Cons: Subaru can have some very unlikable moments, other times you can feel your heart being torn to shreds to the point you wonder how would you fair in his shoes. Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4/5] Comments: Seriously Sabaru- Forget Emilia and go for waifu-Rem! TTATT

Anime: Saga Of Tanya The Evil Plot:  “An unnamed atheist Japanese salaryman, in the moment of being murdered by a disgruntled subordinate who he had fired due to poor performance at work, is confronted by a entity that could stop time which he refers to as "Being X" or god, who condemns the man for not having 'faith'. He is sentenced to be reborn in a world that is similar to World War I Europe, mixed with early aspects of World War II and magic, in an empire torn apart by countless wars with all nearby countries.”  Pros: Seeing the main getting bested and even frighten by “Being X” in an endless mind game while in a world in middle of war. Cons: ... uh what else is there to this series? Like how is the plot still moving? Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡  ♡ [3/5] Comments:  I’m not much into war types but this was alright I suppose. Not terrible, not a fave, and not memorable.

Anime: Overlord Plot: “When the shut-down time arrives, Momonga finds that the game hasn't vanished. Instead it appears as if Yggdrasil has been recreated as its own reality along with its various NPCs having been brought to life while Momonga has been trapped in the form of his game avatar, leaving him unable to use the normal player functions, such as General Message, or even to log out. With no other option, Momonga sets out to learn if anyone from the real world is also in this new world with him.” Pros: Curiously await what the future holds in Ainz’s adventure in this fantasy world and his NPCs seeking control of the world in his name. Cons: Albedo needs to dial back just a smidge. Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4.5/5] Comments: Don’t get attached to anyone outside the Great Tomb of Nazarick . 

Anime: Isekai Quartet Plot: 12 minute comedic episodes of characters (Overlord, KonoSoba, Re:Zero, and Saga of Tanya the Evil) are sent to another world to survive ‘school life’. Pros: Ever wonder what it would be like to have different series come together and temporarily work together at school? Wanna see what character would get along and their reactions? Yep, this would be the show for ya.  Cons: Episodes are too short! Once you finally get somewhere interesting, it gets cut to the next episode. Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4.5/5] Comments: Best way to watch this series is to binge tbh. It’s actually a lot of fun seeing the mains becoming friends and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. 

Anime: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Plot:  “Satoru Mikami, an average 37 year old office worker from Tokyo with no girlfriend, is stabbed to death by a passing robber. After making some requests during his death, he is reincarnated in another world as a slime with the ability known as predator (which can devour other creatures and obtain their abilities)” Pros: Unique concept of an overpowered little slime Cons: Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4/5] Comments: I really need to watch the rest of this series TTwTT

Anime: The Wise Man’s Grandson/Grandchild Plot: “A young salaryman dead in an accident was reborn in another world filled with magic and demons. As a baby, he was picked up by the patriot hero "Sage" Merlin Wolford and was given the name Shin. He was raised as a grandson and soaked up Merlin's teachings, earning him some irresistible powers. However, when Shin became 15, Merlin realized, "I forgot to teach him common practice!"” Pros: comical moments and fun action scenes. Interesting uses of knowledge from past life. Cons: Um... when/why did this become a gakuen life show? Why should we care about the very generic classmates that add little to nothing to the plot besides the crown prince? .... and you call that romance? Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4/5] Comments: Has a very strong start and I REALLY WANNA LIKE it but I’m starting to lose interest whenever Shin isn’t using his magic in a battle as everything tends to be ‘oh noes we can’t let the world know of Shin’s gifts’ to ‘Look what Shin did for us!’ in the next instant.... everything looks pretty at least.

Anime: How NOT To Summon a Demon Lord Plot:  “Takuma Sakamoto is a hikikomori gamer who is mysteriously transported to the world of his favourite MMORPG, Cross Reverie, with the appearance of his own character in the game, the Demon Lord Diablo. The two young girls who summoned him, the pantherian Rem and the elf Shera, attempt to use a spell to make Takuma their servant, but due to his passive "Magic Reflection" ability, the spell rebounds, and both end up with magic collars stuck on their necks, thus becoming his slaves instead. With a serious case of social anxiety, Takuma decides to act like his character while interacting with others, and makes use of his high stats and vast knowledge of Cross Reverie's lore to survive in his new environment, traveling along with Rem and Shera to look for a way to remove their slave collars while helping them with their own, personal issues that led them to summon him in the first place.” Pros: The comedy and Diablo’s battles are satisfying to watch. Cons: The not so subtle ecchi moments, in particular one ritual scene that was... a bit much personally. Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡ [4.5/5] Comments: If you don’t mind watching ecchi stuff, you’ll have a fun time with the story and overpowering battle moments.

Anime: Death March To The Parallel World Rhapsody Plot: “Ichiro Suzuki is a 29-year old gaming programmer who was tasked with fixing several bugs in two MMORPGs his company is preparing for publication. After taking a nap, he mysteriously wakes up in a parallel world that resembles some of the fantasy RPG worlds he had worked on, as a 15-year old named Satou Pendragon. However, before he could grasp his current situation, an army of lizardmen ambush him and launches an all-out attack on him. In desperation, he uses all three of his special 'Meteor Rain' attack options (a quick fix he added to the game for new players which kills all enemies in the vicinity) at once and wipes them all out.” Pros: A very casual journey of a character with too much exp points and money. Cons: Everything always works out in the end. Is a harlem REALLY needed here? Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡  ♡ [3/5] Comments: It’s a nice laid back Isekai series. I just wish the Elf arch had more of challenge and thrill, and the very cliche harlem girl gimmicks doesn’t make the relaxing scenes all that pleasant. Guess I was really hoping more to the story? I mean it has potential just doesn’t go there quick enough.

Anime: In Another World With My Smartphone Plot:  “ Fifteen-year-old Touya Mochizuki is accidentally killed by God. As an apology, God allows him to be resurrected, but since he cannot send him back to his old world, he instead reincarnates him into a fantasy world along with a single special request. Touya uses his request in order to bring his smartphone into the new world with him, which God modifies so that the phone will function in the new world. God also greatly amplifies Touya's physical, magical, and cognitive abilities to a certain degree as a further apology for the inconvenience of killing him. Taking full advantage of his second chance at life, Touya befriends many different people, mainly females and high-ranking people in the new world. He begins to travel from country to country, solving political disputes, minor quests, and nonchalantly enjoying himself with his newfound allies.” Pros: Visuals are pretty Cons: What was meant to be ‘basics’ in magic turns out to be the over power ability of knowing all affinities, thus you’re the strongest being in the world. There’s little to no consequences for his actions... everything always works out because of his op ability and the number of girls grow.  Personal Rating:  ♥ ♥ ♥  ♡  ♡ [3/5] Comments:  This is straight up a LITERAL harem anime.  I’m having to stop watching after episode 12 as it reveals he’ll wind up with 9 wives by the end of the series. Given how everything is hunky-dory and the girls are just being unreasonable- yeah- lost interest.

[shazzeaslightnovels]

Reading Log - February 2019

Mostly Saekano with some first volumes thrown in. As per usual, there will be no spoilers, unless tagged otherwise.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata 4 by Fumiaki Maruto:

With this volume Blessing Software is now complete! But before I talk about our new member, I want to say that my favorite thing about this volume was seeing just how close Katou has become with Eriri and Utaha, especially the former. I have mixed feelings on Michiru: on the one hand, purple colour theme + short hair + can’t-read-the-room + genki gal = moe; on the other hand, I would hate her if I met her in real life. She constantly invades Tomoya’s personal space, belittles his hobbies and dreams and is way too disrespectful to the person who is giving her a place to sleep while she fights with her dad. I think she’s an enjoyable and interesting character but an awful person.  I really disliked how the anime handled her first episode. The constant shots of her boobs and ass made me so uncomfortable, especially seeing how that kind of outfit is actually pretty typical hot weather wear in Australia. It became a bit better in the following episodes but I still despise it. Overall, I’d still call the anime adaptation a good one, though. It succeeded in making Katou feel more like a boring heroine than the novel and manga did and I still love the café scene in episode 2. I won’t be covering the second season in this section anymore because AnimeLab doesn’t have access to it and I mostly only watch things using AnimeLab these days. In any case, I’m interested to see where the story goes from here.

Kumo desu ga, Nani ka? 1 by Okina Baba:

Well, this book was certainly a struggle to read. Most of the book is written in a stream-of-conscious writing style, meaning that 90% of the volume is purely narration. It’s a hard style for me, both to write and read but I think it works well here due to the protagonist’s personality being incredibly fun. But my attention did wander quite a bit while I was reading and I struggled with deciphering the skill names in Japanese. I also found the S chapters that occur after every few main chapters to be unnecessary. One of the things that can really kill my enjoyment of a story is knowing something before the protagonist does. I like to experience the story and world along with the protagonist and it’s frustrating when something important is revealed to the reader long before it’s revealed to the protagonist. This is not the most irritating example of it but I think the manga was right in skipping these chapters. It keeps you in suspense for longer. While I certainly enjoyed this volume I may continue the story through the manga instead of the light novel. The visuals in the manga are hilarious and really added to my enjoyment of the series and I don’t think I’m interested enough in the story to be annoyed with the slow pace of the manga.

This series is currently being released in English by Yen-Press as So I’m a Spider, So What? so pick it up if the series interests you.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata 5 by Fumiaki Maruto:

Definitely my favorite volume so far. It was incredibly interesting to the point where I stayed up late just to finish it. It also included a lot of my favorite elements of the Koisuru Metronome spin-off: a conflict the centred on writing issues, information on how to improve writing and Utaha being really interesting and complex. All that was missing was Mayu. In any case, I think what I want this series to do is to challenge it’s own genre and tropes. It’s a great romcom but it’s not much more than that yet.

Bishoujo Sakka to Mezasu Million Selleraaaaaaaa!! 1 by Takeru Kusakabe:

Honestly, I’m not 100% sure why I bought this book. I think I was looking for something easy to read at the time and this ranked in KonoRano 2018. Anyhow, this is written by the author of Noucome, which I remember as a series with an alright premise that got old fast but had good girls. Million Seller isn’t much different. The protagonist is a guy who becomes an editor and wants to be able to be put in charge of a series that can sell a million copies but gets put in charge of light novel series, which don’t sell as much. So he gets put in charge of two ladies, one who’s a high school student and another who’s an office lady. And it’s… fine. The characters are likeable and I was impressed that the author made the characters distinct enough that if you were to pick out a random page from the volume, you’d be able to tell who was talking to who by looking at how they speak. The thing is, the series doesn’t stand out. If want a romcom with a harem, there are better ones and it’s really not that informative on the light novel industry. There are some funny interactions but I’d only recommend it if you really liked Noucome’s sense of humour or are looking for some easy light novels to read to improve your Japanese. I won’t be reading the second volume.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata 6 by Fumiaki Maruto:

This was a really satisfying volume in terms of what it did for the plot and Eriri’s character. And, like vol. 5, every time I finished a chapter, I wanted to hurry on to the next. Iori continues to be a delight and Izumi has really grown on me. I’m excited to see what these characters do next.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata F.D. by Fumiaki Maruto:

Going into this, I knew that it wouldn’t have much to do with the main story but I ended up wishing that it had even less to do with the main story. All it is is a bunch of short stories taking place in between chapters of the main light novel that were previously published in magazine + an interview with Maruto and Misaki (the illustrator for the series) that is really hard to read on an iPad. I thought it would be a bunch of non-canon icharabu scenes between Tomoya and the heroines but there wasn’t much of that at all. Furthermore, Sayuri, who appears on the cover, doesn’t actually appear in the volume and I get the feeling that she’s only on there because Misaki created an amazing character design that wasn’t able to get shown off in vol. 6. Interestingly, some of these stories appear in other versions of the story; I recognized some of them because similar scenes appeared in the anime and Koisuru Metronome. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it while I was reading the main volumes but I really don’t think it’s worth buying unless you’re a diehard fan of the series and want to know everything about the characters. This volume did make it clear how much Maruto has grown as a writer though; the first few stories were written the earliest and felt really jarring to read and definitely felt more like the type of writing that would be used in a galge but the later stories were much better.

Baccano! The Rolling Bootlegs by Ryohgo Narita

Note: I read this in English a few years ago and loved it and the anime was one of the first that I saw and I loved that so reading this volume in Japanese has been something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

As much as I enjoy the Baccano! series, this volume has never been one of my favourites. Even in the anime, I tended to zone out during these parts. But I did enjoy it more this time around. Narita really knows how to set the scene and make you really absorbed into it. The thing that surprised me the most about rereading this was Ennis. I remember that I used to find her really boring but I LOVED her here. She’s a genuinely interesting character and her scenes with Miria and Isaac were my favorite part of the volume and I loved the scenes that were narrated by her. My favorite thing about Baccano has always been the lack of a true protagonist and that’s certainly true here. Firo’s probably the closest to it in this volume but you could definitely argue that the protagonist is Maiza and Isaac and Miria have always been so iconic that they’ve always felt like the protagonists to me. That being said, I found the scenes revolving around the Gandor siblings and Dallas to be really boring and I can see why someone might not enjoy a series that has this many characters to follow. I’m looking forward to reading the 1931 arc, in any case.

This series is currently being published by Yen-Press as Baccano! so pick it up if the series interests you.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata 7 by Fumiaki Maruto

Well, this was certainly an emotional volume. It starts off seeming like it’s going to be pretty cute valentines day volume but it becomes an emotionally taxing one by the end. But I didn’t mind it too much. The drama elements worked for me and I was so shocked by the first epilogue that I thought my eyes would pop out of my head! Indeed, like the previous volumes, I set off to read one chapter and was half-way done with the volume before I knew it! One thing that Maruto does really well in this series is balancing the heroines. I still think that end girl could be either Katou or Eriri at this point and, if not for Koisuru Metronome’s existence, I would say that Utaha still has a chance too. And part of me is still holding out for a surprise yuri ending with Eriri and Katou. Their relationship is so well written that I can’t help but wonder whether Maruto just really wants to write a yuri novel but hasn’t for whatever reason. This volume marks the end of the manga adaptation (though it looks like they also adapted the GS side novels so I’ll probably talk about that at some point) and it was a good manga adaptation. I think the adaptations of the first 4 volumes were not great but 5-7 have been adapted really well so I’d recommend it.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Girls Side by Fumiaki Maruto

The volume is split into two parts. The first part focuses on how Utaha and Eriri first met and it’s an amusing side story and definitely worth the read if you’re a fan of those two. The second scenario’s premise is more spoilery as it focuses on events that the reader heard about but didn’t see in vol. 7. While this volume isn’t required reading to understand the main plot, I still thought it was worth reading and would recommend it to most Saekano fans, especially those who like Utaha and Eriri. As for the manga, it only adapts this volume and it’s a 1:1 adaptation so no complaints from me.

Assassins Pride 1 by Kei Amagi

If I were to describe this volume in one word it would be ‘weird’. It has weird pacing in that most of the chapters could have been made into their own volume though I suspect that the reason for the fast pace is because the writer wanted to grab the readers’ attentions straight away. It has a weird protagonist because I can’t read him at all. I can never tell when he’s acting and when he’s being genuine. Finally, the future volumes look weird. From this volume and the covers of future volumes I assumed that this series would have a central OTP with possibly a slight harem element but the colour illustrations for the future volumes make it seem like it’s going to become an ecchi lolicon harem series so I don’t know what to think so I’m approaching this series with cautions and won’t be buying volume 2 until the anime comes out so that I can find out whether this series will go in that direction or not. As for the volume itself. It was fairly interesting and held my attention when I was reading but I would have preferred a slower pace. That said, I enjoyed the manga a lot. The illustrations in it are really something and the pacing is much better so even if I don’t end up continuing the light novel, I’ll likely be reading the manga anyway.

[moved-velcr0wn]

Random Drabble prompt thing: Emerald get sent on a business trip by air and turns out Takano has never been on an aeroplane before and figures out he is deathly afraid of flying. Ritsu, who was forced to sit beside him, tries to calm him down. Here ensues the flllluuufff!!! Lmao (you don’t have to use this I’m just running out of nostalgia fics tbh)

Here we go! (Sorry it took me awhile; life happened)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ricchan! Ricchan!”

“Kisa, what?” Ritsu maneuvered his way deeper into the plane’s tiny aisles. Kisa bounded in front of him, joyfully tiptoeing around other passengers’ ill-placed baggage and sprawling limbs. The two editors were near last to board the plane to Sendai for a manga production conference thanks to someone’s need to buy one more latte before take off. Kisa now sipped from his coffee cup with enthusiasm, a speck of foam caught on his upper lip, not concerned at all that they had almost been separated from their other Emerald coworkers. Ritsu was just relieved that they had even made it to their terminal in time.

“I was wondering which seat you got, because I know we’re all spread out, but I also know Hitori- ah, excuse me, thank you- got assigned his seat next to Mino, so maybe we’ll get to sit together!”

Ritsu has been so preoccupied with not being stranded in the airport that he didn’t even think to check for his seating assignment. He felt around in his laptop shoulder bag for his boarding pass and scanned the paper for those little figures.

“Ricchan, I’m in row 35, the aisle seat! How lucky; I’ve had so much to drink this morning, and you can’t even understand how badly I’ve got to go.”

Ritsu didn’t have any desire to want to understand that, but anyways…

“It says I’m in row 40; sorry, Kisa.” Ritsu had gotten the aisle seat as well, so that was a plus. Kisa looked back at Ritsu with disappointment, still making his way down the aisle to their seats. “That’s just too bad. But who knows, we may share a row on the way back home.” Kisa sent a hopeful grin to his coworker and friend, then turned back to focus on the path his feet were taking.

“Yes, maybe.” Ritsu jostled his laptop bag up farther onto his shoulder. His hands held his boarding pass as he searched the adjacent seats for which row number they were at now. A woman sat in her chair, already buckled in for takeoff with a chubby toddler crawling into her lap, tiny hands grabbing for her hair. Ritsu looked above her at the overhead compartments. It read 33. Just a bit father then.

Kisa finally hit his row and sat down happily next to his temporary neighbor for the next hour or so. The other occupant of row 35, an older man with a large, puffy winter jacket (it was summer for heaven’s sake) bristled at his sudden jovial presence and turned away to scowl out of the plane’s tiny window. Kisa’s eyes widened, and he gingerly waved goodbye to Ritsu, who smiled in encouragement. Just an hour Kisa! Hold on for an hour! An hour wasn’t so bad.

As Ritsu meandered deeper into the plane he searched the rows for his number.

38, 39, 40!

No. No, he could not sit here for an hour. The next sixty minutes would kill him.

“Takano, you’re in my seat.”

Takano’s eyes fluttered open in surprise at the sound of Ritsu’s annoyed voice. The man was leisurely reclined back in Ritsu’s seat, disregarding the fact that all of the chairs would have to be in the upright position before take off. His long legs were spread wide, suit jacket laid across his lap with precise care.

“I don’t think I am.”

Ritsu barely suppressed a shout of anger. He was holding him up! Holding the whole plane up! The brunette showed his boarding pass, still clutched securely in his grasp, to his boss. “I have the aisle seat.”

Takano read over the pass and stood up, scooting over to the other sear. “Your throne awaits, your majesty.”

Ritsu rolled his eyes, sitting down with a huff. He shoved his bag under the chair in front of him and buckled his seatbelt in, glancing over at Takano. There was something off about the way he was sitting. He was tensed up, eyes darting from one thing to another in the cabin. He made eye contact with Ritsu and raised a brow.

“I’m glad you could finally make it. We almost left without you.”

Ritsu straightened his back and shook his head. “Kisa demanded that I go with him to get another coffee from one of the shops. The line was long, and I should have just left, but I didn’t, then we almost missed our boarding time-“

“Hey, it’s fine. You’re here now.”

Ritsu leaned back in his chair. That was true. “Ah, yes. I am.”

“You are.”

Silence fell over the pair.

After many beats of awkwardness, Takano spoke up again. “I didn’t expect this to be so big.”

Ritsu turned to him. “The plane? I think it’s average size for a non-international flight.”

Takano shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. This is my first one.”

“This is your first time on an airplane?”

“I guess so.”

Ritsu couldn’t even comprehend that. His whole life was filled with family trips and school visits and vacations, all of them involving planes.

Ritsu nodded and pulled out an in-air magazine to occupy himself with. He was scanning over the snack selections when Takano spoke up again. “How many of these things crash on average?”

Ritsu closed his magazine and focused on Takano. His fingers were tapping onto the armrest at a rapid pace. His leg bounced up and down and up and down. His eyebrows were pinched together.

Takano was scared of flying.

Ritsu searched his face. His boss, his ex-lover (arguably, current lover) was scared of flying on an airplane.

Ritsu’s voice was soft when he spoke. “It’s extremely rare for one to even have a problem, much less malfunction completely in the air.” Takano searched his eyes for verification. “I promise we won’t crash.”

Takano nodded gently.

The pilot spoke over the intercom about safety and information about the flight and arrival time. A flight attendant stood in the aisle and demonstrated how to attach and detach safety belts, activate life jackets, and exit the aircraft in the occurrence of an emergency. Takano watched with rapt attention. Ritsu couldn’t help the growing feeling of concern for him. He just seemed so vulnerable.

When the plane finally was positioned for takeoff, Takano started up a staccato breathing pattern, his breath jumping at every movement the plane made.

Ritsu’s hands seemed to move on their own as they reached over to pet along Takano’s tense arms. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s just setting up on the runway.” Takano shuddered out another breath and turned to the window. Unshed tears swam in the bottoms of his eyelids. Ritsu’s heart dropped.

Takano’s voice shook when he spoke next. “This is so stupid.” He looked over at Ritsu. “I’m sorry.”

The brunette shook his head to the side and continued consoling Takano with measured strokes. “Don’t be sorry. This is totally normal. Plenty people get nervous on airplanes.”Takano didn’t respond. The plane filled with sounds of whooshing air and whirring machinery. Takano’s hands fisted the armrests, his knuckles white and shivering. Ritsu’s attention went to his hands, tracing lines onto the backs of his fingers. “It’s alright, Takano. Just the engines.”

The plane jerked into motion and propelled itself down the runway. Takano’s unsteady gaze shot to the window to watch the scenery rush by them. “Fuck, we’re going fast.”

“Think of it as a car, just a really fast car in the air, yeah? Um.” Takano’s eyes finally let a tear slip down his cheek, leaving a damp trail behind. Ritsu hates to see him like this. Maybe if he got his mind on something else? “Do you remember the field trip our school took to that chemical plant?” Takano’s distress seemed to slightly drop as he focused on Ritsu’s words. “I hated that trip. I read throughout the whole bus tour, not a care in the world. But you kept pestering me to look out the windows at the nitrogen facility. Of course, I would look ever now and then just to sate you, but. That novel was so good.” Takano’s full attention was on him now. “I’d like to find that book again and reread it.”

“It’s called Wind With No Luck. You, uh. Fell asleep on the ride back, and I read some of it.” One of Takano’s hands unattached itself from its strong grip to wipe at his face. “I thought its language was too frivolous for the subject matter.”

Ritsu smiled at the man. It was working. “Understandable, but I quite enjoyed it. Lovely character setups and an effective use of foreshadowing.”

Takano agreed with a hum. The plane suddenly rose up, taking flight. Takano’s hands reached for Ritsu’s, and of course, Ritsu allowed Takano to take his fingers and intertwine them with his own. How could he not? His grip was bruising, but Ritsu didn’t care. What was more important was Takano right now.

“Try breathing with me,” Ritsu prompted. He took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly, then once again. Takano nodded and followed. Deep breath in, slow exhale. Ritsu smiled at the man. “Good. Really good.”

The pair sat there breathing together as the plane ascended into the sky. Ritsu’s fingers resumed their tracing onto the backs of Takano’s hands. Streams of light flowed in from the window as their plane pierced the clouds and reached the airspace above the horizon.

When the plane seemed to neutralize into a more linear path of travel, the intercom crackled to life above them, the pilot updating the passengers on the flight’s info and informing them that the seatbelt signs would be turned off. Takano seemed to let every ounce of air out of his lungs in a long exhale. Ritsu shifted in his seat. He noticed the person in the seat in front of him stand to roam the plane. The man glared at their intertwined hands and clucked his tongue in disgust. Ritsu stared right back. Who was he to reprimand them? Especially while Takano needed him right now.

Takano’s loosening grip pulled Ritsu‘s attention away from the scowling man and back to Takano. His eyes were dry, eyes affectionate, his lips curled into a loving smile. “Thank you, Onodera.”

Ritsu continued to draw never-ending lines into Takano’s hands. “It’s no problem at all.” Ritsu unconsciously leaned into Takano. Ritsu was so glad he was feeling better.

Takano’s breath was back to normal, and his whole posture was much less tense. The two sat there in peace, neither one detaching their hands from the others’.

Ritsu looked past Takano to peek at the window. The clouds swirled like paint, colored gold with the sun’s beams of light. His attention was drawn to Takano, eyes shut gracefully, and smile adorned.

Maybe this flight wouldn’t be so bad after all.

[icedfairy]

My entry for @touhoushipcollab.  Sanae Momiji as promised.  The season bit is the first section and then I go off into my own nonsense as standard.  Enjoy

Sanae squeezed Momiji's hands as they lay next to each other, watching the autumn leaves fall.  Before she would have worried about meeting here, where any tengu with a camera could take a picture.  But the two's relationship was an open secret now so most reporters wouldn't bother.  Now they could just relax together.

"Still it would be nice if we could go into town on a date," she muttered absently.

The wolf tengu's ears twitched.  Of course Momiji would hear her.  "It would be nice."  The woman grinned slightly.  "But I've read enough novels to know the downsides of forbidden romance."

Sanae smiled a bit in return.  She hadn't expected Momiji to love romance novels, or enka songs, but she had to admit the wolf tengu had really good taste.  Even if she prefered mecha shows herself.  "Hm, that reminds me.  You never told me which book was your favorite."

"The Yojimbo's Secret."  Momiji's grin widened.

"Wait."  Sanae thought for a moment.  "Wasn't that the one with the swordswoman, the young noblewoman, and the maid servant?"  She blushed as she remembered some of the choice passages.

"That's the one."

Momiji's tail wagged as Sanae felt her face burn.  She knew Momiji could be passionate but...  Well romance was about fantasy right!  She fanned herself to try to cool down.

Fortunately Momiji took pity on her.  "My second favorite is 'The Dutch Lady.'"

Sanae tried to remember that one.  "Oh.  That's the one set in the Meiji era isn't it?I remember reading it right after I came to Gensoukyo."  The lack of mecha manga had really forced her to broaden her reading base.  "The daughter of a noble family meeting the duchess from across the sea beneath the changing leaves."

"Two souls destined to part joining together for a brief moment.  A moment of perfect joy."  Momiji caught a leaf.  "It was nice seeing a writer use autumn leaves instead of cherry blossoms for a romantic meeting."

"Even though we started dating at a flower viewing festival?"  Sanae pretended to look hurt before giving Momiji's arm a squeeze.

Momiji returned the hug.  "It's just overdone in fiction.  I prefer the leaves, but I don't hate flowers."

Sanae looked above to the leaves.  Shizuha had outdone herself as usual, painting the maples a deep red.  She had to admit the display was honestly more colorful than the sea of cherry blossoms.  But she still prefered the spring festivals.  "Do you like it more because of your name?"

"That might be part of it, but I suppose it's more because of the meaning."  Momiji pointed to a tree.  "Flowers bloom and die because of love.  But the leaves change and die to save the tree.  So that more leaves might sprout after winter."  She smiled.  "I guess I appeals to me as a warrior."

Sanae sighed.  "You really think too much about dying dear."  She poked Momiji in the side.  "And saying you like duty over romance isn't the best thing to say to your girlfriend."

"I don't like duty more than romance.  I just have priorities," Momiji protested.  "Besides you have that same sense of duties as well.  After all, you sacrificed your old life to stay with your family didn't you?"

"That's one way of looking at it."  Sanae shifted on the bed of leaves to look at Momiji.  "And I found love doing it."

Momiji shifted to look at Sanae.  "Yes we did.  And a duty that goes beyond that."

Sanae gazed into her lover's eyes and smiled.  "Well, maybe I can learn to like autumn more."

----

"Now."  Momiji's ears twitched towards her.  "Back to your first question.  I know you weren't just interested in my reading habits.  You were worrying about something, aren't you?"

"Alright."  Sanae sighed.  Having a girlfriend with supernatural senses was both a blessing and a curse.  "Well...  I just wonder if I make you feel like you aren't feminine.  Like you have to be strong and in charge.  The experienced one in the relationship."

Momiji sniffed, but she seemed more amused than annoyed.  "Strong not being feminine is human nonsense.  And I'll always be the more experienced one in our relationship Sanae.  You aren't going to become older than me."

"I know I know, it's just-" Sanae shook her head.  "You like stories about girls who are cute and who get excited over flowers and frilly dresses.  But you're always cool and collected and strong when we're together.  I'm just wondering if you afraid I'll judge you for that, and-"  Sanae stopped as Momiji stared at her.

"Ah."  The tengu girl was blushing.  Very brightly.  "It's not that I'm afraid of it.  It's I've never been good at it.  And well, I enjoy the company of strong women.  Which means I'm usually following the path of the warrior."

Sanae nodded slowly.  "I get it.  I mean I didn't really fit the girly girl stereotype myself back home."  Apparently giant robots weren't girly or some nonsense.  "But wait, you like strong women?  So what about me?"

Momiji leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek.  "Sanae.  You've beaten me in danmaku every time we've dueled.  Besides I'm not some oni who cares only about physical strength.  You've got plenty of strong points."

She snuggled up to the other woman.  "Thanks.  That makes me feel better."  She had a hard time seeing herself as strong, especially compared to someone as cool as Momiji, but she was happy her girlfriend appreciated her.

They hugged each other before Sanae sat up.  "I'm glad we're both comfortable with who we are.  But maybe we could do something girly together?"

Momiji's ears twitched.  "And how would we do that?  I don't think we can go shopping in the human village.  That's pushing the open secret a bit far."

"You're right."  Sanae grinned.  "So we'll go to Makai instead!  I got Alice to tell me about the best places, so we'll put on fancy clothes and just go be tourists."

"Makai?"  Momiji blinked a few times.  "Hm...  I didn't realize there was much there besides demons.  But that does sound interesting."  The wolf tengu smiled.  "It's a date then."

----

The hardest part of the date so far had been getting into her dress, Sanae decided.  The second hardest part was not staring at Momiji.

Youkai tended to stick to their favorite outfits.  The only alternate outfit she got to see Momiji wear on a regular basis was a swimsuit.  She considered herself lucky the few times she managed to get her girlfriend into modern clothes.

Right now Momiji was wearing a orange-red kimono with gold embroidery, and a jeweled maple leaf hairpin.  She carried a red paper umbrella on her shoulder.  It wasn't extravagant or 'sexy' but it transformed the no nonsense warrior into a silver haired beauty.  Somehow Momiji's stance and demeanor changed along with her clothes.  Sanae could still feel the woman's confidence, but it felt softer.

Sanae on the other hand felt like an imposter in her dress.  She'd ordered the pink, frilled, Victoriansque piece from Alice, complete with gloves and a parasol.  But while the thing fit perfectly, pieces just kept twisting and folding every time she did something like walk a little too fast.  She hoped her troubles were cute at least.

"Is something the matter?" Momiji asked.  Even her voice seemed more feminine.   Sanae felt a little jealous.

"No no, I'm quite fine.  Let us see what Pandemonium has to offer us shall we?"  Sanae twirled her parasol and tried to focus on the street.  At least playing the role of 'foreign noble lady' let her fake some confidence.

The streets were pretty impressive.  The passersby were all demons, but the shops were filled with curios and boutiques like any other tourist town back home.  Perhaps better, since the goods here were less cheap manufactured shirts and more local high end goods.

And all above it the burning trees of Hokkai swayed, each leaf smoldering blue in the darkness that filled Pandemonium.  The first time Sanae'd saw the strange plants she'd been worried about getting hit by a flaming branch.  Now she'd gotten used to them though, and the light they shed really enlivened the streets.  Especially since they were burning bright before snuffing out for winter.

A tailor shop caught her eye as they walked down the street.  She'd just been thinking about wardrobes.  Maybe if she talked Momiji into buying something the wolf tengu would wear that as well.  Besides the clothes were pretty nice.  Makai seemed to have a better connection to the outside world for some things.  "Let's take a look in there."

Momiji glaced past her then closed her parasol.  "Why not?"

They slipped through the crowd into the store, nodding to the proprietor before heading over to the dresses.  To her quiet delight, Momiji went to the modern section first as well.

"I'm surprised," the wolf tengu said.  "I wouldn't think that outside world dresses would be easy to modify for wings."

Sanae looked at the backless black dress Momiji was inspecting.  "That's just how it's made."

"Eh?"  Momiji looked confused, and Sanae forced herself to stifle a chuckle.  "I know that the outside world isn't as uptight as it used to be about arms and legs, but there's no back on this!"

"It has side slits too," Sanae pointed out helpfully.  "Maybe I could find one in blue that matches it..."

Momiji covered her face with her sleeve.  "You aren't trying to trick me are you?  This is formal wear in the outside world?"

Sanae chuckled.  "For high class dates and parties, yes."

"It seems I underestimated how much social mores had changed."  Momiji looked at it again before stepping back.  "Well it's a little risque for me."

"Too bad.  I think you would have looked nice in it," Sanae tried not to seem too disappointed.  It was a lot of money for something that couldn't be worn often.

Momiji glided next to her.  "If I'm going to wear something only for you to see, I'm going to pick something a lot more risque then that."

The room spun for a second as Sanae's brain rebelled.  Fortunately she got ahold of herself before she fainted.  Though she supposed that was 'in character' for her dress.  "Well," she coughed, "let's see if there's something better for us."

They peered through the rest of the selection, but there weren't really any dresses that were better than anything they could find at home cheaper.  However just as Sanae was considering heading out, she saw two hairpins made of silver and turquoise.  They were simple flower designs, but they added a bright splash of color.  "What do you think about this?"

Momiji peered at the pins and smiled.  "It's beautiful.  I've never seen that stone before."

"They aren't found in Japan."  Sanae, waved over the shopkeeper.  "Excuse me.  We'll take these."

One painful haggling session later she was the proud owner of the jewelry.  "Here," she said, handing one to Momiji.

"Thank you."  Momiji bowed, then reached over.  As Sanae blinked in surprise the wolf tengu deftly slid the pin into her hair.  Momiji then stepped back.  "Would you do mine?"

"Of course!"  Sanae carefully added the new pin next to Momiji's old one.  She grinned as she stepped back.  "The crow tengu are going to notice though."

"Notice what?"  Momiji leaned against her shoulder.  "It's just a gift between very close friends."

Sanae giggled .  "I suppose that's true."  She adjusted her gloves again then headed out the front of the store.  "I think there's a street with some restaurants through that alley.  Shall we have lunch?"

"That sounds like a good idea."  Momiji's ears twitched.  "Though I hope they serve something other than the salads Alice prefers."

"Maybe one of them will serve wyvern?" Sanae mused as they headed into the side street.  Eating a magical creature would be something to talk about.

She felt the aura of the alley change a second before the large figure stepped in front of them.  Sanae's heart started racing as she took a step back.  Something that resembled a seven foot tall minotaur stood before them, holding a small stabbing sword.  The creature's voice was gravelly, but calm.  "Quiet now ladies.  Drop your purses and jewelry and there won't be nothing to cry about.  Better deal than most human girls get."

Sanae closed her parasol, letting her mind summon up her godly powers.  The on and off roleplaying was over.  "You don't want to mess with us.  Leave or I'll exterminate you."

The man moved without speaking, but Sanae hadn't waited for his response.  She swung her parasol forward calling up the wind.  A massive gust tore through the alley sending the demon staggering back.

And then Momiji was there, a knife buried to the hilt in the creature's eye.  The wolf tengu twisted the blade to free it, then pulled it out as she stepped back.  The minotaur crashed to the ground.

With a quick flick of her wrist Momiji shook the blood off.  "Well, maybe I should consider being girly more often against small fry."

Sanae felt her eyebrow twitch at that.  "That was girly?  You stabbed a knife in his face."

"The traditional technique is to cut open the femoral artery.  But that sprays blood everywhere."  The tengu slipped the knife back into her sleeve.  "This was much cleaner."

The priestess sighed then hugged her wolf girlfriend.  "I love you Momiji."

[jokertrap-ran]

A3! (Act! Addict! Actors!)  Furuichi Sakyo N【 Longing For Autumn 】 『 Formation! ⚪⚪ Club』 (FINAL)

*Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Name will remain as my normal ( ラン )

Ran: (Now then, I should be preparing the meals soon……)

Sakoda: Oh, sister Director!

Sakoda: Hello!

Ran: Sakoda-san!? Since when were you here?

Sakoda: Since a little while ago! Pardon the intrusion~

Ran: You're even reading a manga—

Ran: Wait, huh? Isn't that shoujo manga Muku-kun’s?

Sakoda: Oh, you mean this one? It's bro’s!

Sakoda: I bought the latest volume like I was asked to do so but I was wondering where I stopped at the previous volume~ So I borrowed it from his room!

Ran: …...By bro, you mean Sakyo-san?

Sakoda: Of course!

Sakoda: He's the only bro I have!

Sakyo: It's dangerous if you stand at the entrance isn't it.

Ran: Oh, Sakyo-san.

Sakoda: Bro! Welcome back~! I was waiting!

Sakyo: …...You again.

Sakoda: I wish you wouldn't make such an annoyed expression! I bought the newest volume you asked me to help you get!

Sakyo: Oh…...Is that so.

Sakoda: Yeah! I lined up at the bookstore since morning for your sake!

Sakyo: I see.

Sakyo: And so you opened the latest issue without my permission and read it before me just like that?

Sakoda: Gyaa—! I'm sorry! Please spare me from the head lock!

Sakyo: Honestly. At least say a word about it.

Sakoda: Uu…...Sorry.

Ran: So you read shoujo manga too huh, Sakyo-san.

Sakyo: I basically read anything. Novels…...Art collections. If it's recent, I guess it'd be light novels.

Ran: Light novels……! That's surprising.

Sakyo: It's interesting to read various things for the sake of gathering knowledge.

Sakoda: Bro watches all movies regardless of genres too! That's why he's knowledgeable!

Sakoda: As expected of bro~!

Ran: I see…...I have to follow his example too.

Sakyo: That's right. If you're the director of a theater company, it wouldn't hurt to know more about various works.

Ran: (Even so, Sakyo-san and Shoujo-manga’s a really huge gap)

Muku: U-Um! Sakyo-san!!

Sakyo: …...Sagisaka huh. What is it.

Misumi: What, what~? It's unusual for Muku to confront Sakyo, isn't it~?

Ran: Yeah…...I wonder what's wrong.

Misumi: I wonder if they're talking about triangles~?

Ran: (I don't think that's it……)

Muku: U-Um…...Sakyo-san, you do read Shoujo manga, right?

Sakyo: …...Yes?

Muku: I heard that you read various and countless shoujo manga! That “It’s normal for bro”!

Sakyo: ——Sakoda huh.

Ran: It must have been Sakoda-san……

Misumi: Sakyo and shoujo manga~!

Misumi: That's new~!

Muku: Err and so…...If you're alright with it,

Muku: Won't you join the shoujo manga club!?

Sakyo: Ha?

Muku: F-For me the first other guy I know who likes shoujo manga is you, Sakyo-san……!!

Sakyo: Wait.

Sakyo: I never said a word about me liking it though.

Muku: What!? C-Could it be that I'm mistaken!?

Muku: Aahh! Is it an inconvenience!? So much that you'd want me to disappear!?

Sakyo: I never said something till that extent.

Muku: I'm sorry! It's like, why am I getting all excited about it all by myself, right……?

Sakyo: Oi.

Muku: For someone like me, falling into a manhole and going to the other side of the globe, it'll be fine if I get homesick since I'm not familiar with Brazil!

Sakyo: ——Haa.

Muku: S-Sorry, it was an inconvenience after all huh……

Sakyo: …...No choice then.

Muku: What!? Could it be that you'll join……?

Sakyo: I'll go along with you if you're fine with my irregular participation in it's activities.

Muku: Really!? I'm glad……

Muku: Thank you very much, Sakyo-san!

Muku: It's soon but next week, I’ll lend some to you as a recommended shoujo manga pickup!

Sakyo: I got it, I got it. Honestly…...

Ran: (Sakyo-san’s somehow saying it in a really kind manner)

Misumi: That's nice~

Misumi: Together with me too so I'll join you~!

Sakyo: That's rejected.

Misumi: Whi~nes.

[drink-n-watch]

Irina: Random fact about The Morose Mononokean: the review for season 1 was my first ever post! You don’t need to look it up just take my word for it. At the time I thought that writing posts about anime was some form of magic. It seemed so crazy that you could consistently just watch a series and say something about it… It still does occasionally. Coming back to the series is a bit like coming back to the roots of I Drink and Watch Anime. It’s where it all started. No pressure or anything.

I said relax!

And what better way to celebrate that than with one of my first and most consistent sources of encouragement and inspiration: Karandi! I think we don,t need to introduce her here… Karandi is one of the best people to work with and I strongly recommend you take every opportunity to do so. Make some up if you can.

Karandi: Thanks Irina, I’m really glad to be collaborating with you again. It is always great fun and I’m really glad we’re discussing The Morose Mononokean.

I: Well here we are, two and a half years later, and as you said on Twitter, it’s like we never left. Aside from a very brief recap montage at the beginning of the episode, it basically just follows season 1 as if no time had passed at all. I wonder if people who don’t have access to that first season will be confused.

recap complete!

K: While season one didn’t blow me away, I really enjoyed its kind of laid back story-telling and the characters. Plus, there were a lot of ideas that had been introduced still to be explored so I’m really glad this came back for a season two.

And this really does just throw us back into the story. I think the opening sequence with Hanae and Fluffy chasing a yokai and Abeno waiting to send it back to underworld really fills in enough of the details about the character relationships and their purpose for those who have watched season one to be reminded of where we are, though as you said, people who haven’t watched season one are going to have to play catch up for a bit.

I: The episode follows Hanae (a young man who can see yokai) who is still working off his debt to Abeno (a young exorcist), when they get called to the underworld to help the Legislator with some paperwork.

don’t worry about it – just sign those documents and don’t forget to add a drop of your blood…

K: I love the split reactions between Hanae and Abeno to this. Abeno really just wants the Legislator to leave him alone and do his own work while Hanae is inclined to help, and once money is offered, Hanae is fully on-board. I also liked that they used this opportunity to confirm that Hanae isn’t just going to quit once his debt has been paid. While that might have been the catalyst for him taking on the job, he’s genuinely drawn to this world now and he isn’t planning on ditching Abeno. Maybe Abeno will even start paying him better? Seems unlikely.

I: Those two have always been an odd couple and it seems they’ve gotten even more comfortable with each other. It works fairly well.

this flower means : pick up the dry cleaning

All the main characters seem to be back. I have always loved how Hanae’s mom expresses herself through the language of flowers and was happy to see the gag reprised! Anything pull at your nostalgia strings?

K: I’m all for Fuzzy (Moja). While he doesn’t have the personality of a stand-out animal companion like Nyanko-Sensei (alright, given the subject matter Natsume comparisons are almost a given), I absolutely love his interactions with Hanae. For a character that doesn’t speak, he is incredibly expressive and just so cute.

hmmm… this is the best screen cap of Fuzzy I got… my priorities may be skewed 

I: Is it just me or was there a slight animation boost? Abeno and Hanae seemed a bit more detailed and consistent than before.

K: I do think the animation got better or at least this first episode seemed to be at the upper end for this anime. And I love the rich use of colour in this anime and how they contrast the normal world and the underworld. There are some bold colour choices here but it never ends up being hard on the eyes or feeling excessive.

I: Oh good – I thought I was projecting hopeful thinking on my screen.

Just look at this!

I had forgotten just how gorgeous the underworld is!

K: I’m kind of hoping this season explores the underworld more and the characters there. And this first episode kind of plunges us straight into that which is why I’m really happy with how this has started.

I: I really enjoyed the new OP and ED. That mix of traditional sounding music and pop beats was really intriguing to me and I think it fit the show well.

K: Hmm… The OP I really enjoyed but the ED I found a little bland (though that may have been more visually than the music, I’m struggling to remember the ED from the sound point of view).

this is turning into an underworld scenery post

I: I was also impressed by the voice acting this episode. Was season 1 much better than I remember it or something? Junichi Suwabe was in my Top 5 voice actor post so it’s not surprising that I really enjoyed Rippou’s performance but I think everyone else more than kept up.

The episode was a lot of fun. A basic light supernatural Slice of Life (to me it played like something in between Natsume and the Flying Witch). I don’t have much to say about it but I just liked it. I was smiling through all of it. What were your thoughts?

K: This brought us straight back to the characters doing their work and we went straight into a story in the underworld with one of the more interesting characters from last season, the Legislator. I’m really liking how this has started as it seems to be doing exactly what I wanted from a second season, which is more of the same but just giving us a bit more information and insight into the underworld and the yokai.

this little guy is a smartphone

Though, I still want to know more about Hanae and they flashed back to his previous time in the underworld when he was attacked so I kind of hope they plan to explain what happened then because I am incredibly curious.

Also love that the first episode ends on a cliffhanger. A lot of the episodes in season one were self-contained but the stories split over more episodes just felt like they were a bit more memorable and more interesting.

I: I did not expect that cliffhanger right off the bat!

dum dum DUM

I was pleasantly surprised by this episode (I’m not sure why I expected it to be worse) and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.

K: Part of me wondered if the story was going to stagnate and just have the characters continue to help yokai without getting into looking at their lives and development, given season one kept hinting at all these ideas about these characters but didn’t explore them. Season two seems to indicate it is going to explore some of these ideas and that makes me excited (more-so than I was just at the thought of a second season which I thought would be pleasant but not overly noteworthy).

more fun than expected!

I: As you mentioned, right at episode 1, we are getting a lot of what I wanted from the first season. The complex politics that seem to govern the underworld are already being brought into the storyline while at the same time we got a hint of Hanae’s human friends. Now they just need to tell us a bit more about Abeno.

On a side note, the cover art for the mangas is really beautiful. Those colours are amazing!

K: Are the mangas in English? Why am I asking that… I still have the Natsume manga and about a dozen other light novel series to finish reading.

Well, I’m looking forward to episode two and to collaborating with you this season and hopefully some of our readers end up watching this series and following along as well.

Please come back next week – or rather meet us both over on Karandi’s blog for episode 2.

I actually really like Abeno but somehow didn’t end up using any pics of him in the post. So here they all are!

The Morose Mononokean 2 episode 1 w Karandi and Irina – Picking up Where we Left off Irina: Random fact about The Morose Mononokean: the review for season 1 was my first ever post!

[cddump]

Again (Sitting Seven)

“Young Casper, is everything okay? Are you in need of assistance?” Chandra held his arm out to Casper, who had finished his laughing fit. He took hold of Chandra's hand and stood, still panting from his run. “It's fine. All you need to know is that I have an overactive imagination. And I'm out of shape.” “What's going on?” Ash placed the plate of apple slices on her computer desk. “Oh, habibi, have you been taking your medication?” Chandra handed the orange bottle to her. “I found this one in my office so I became worried.” “I'm taking them. I thought I lost them so I went to get another refill. It was a pain in the ass, but I manged to get them fine.” “I'll just be going now,” Casper said. He wanted to get out as soon as possible and was already inching towards the door. “Wait, why did you burst in here?” Casper sighed. “I thought...I don't know. I thought you forgot those meds and that they were like...” he trailed off. How could he say he thought she was going to commit suicide? “I was just worried.” “What, did you think I was gonna off myself or something? They're just anxiety pills. They help with panic attacks and stuff.” “Yeah well, I didn't know that.” Casper reached the door and walked through when he heard Ash's footsteps rush up to him. Oh boy, here we go. Sure enough, she grabbed his arm and spoke up. “Wait! Wait wait, did you really think I'd try and kill myself?” Chandra easily pulled Ash off of Casper, “Now habibi. Young Casper was just worried and was being a good neighbor. Do not read into it too deeply.” “But dad! We have a real connection! I can feel it!” “That's what you said about the last person that moved in. And you ended up driving them out with your antics.”

“Wait, what?” Casper turned around to face the two. “What do you mean she ending up 'driving them out?' “D-don't worry about that!” Ash said as Chandra sighed to himself. “Look, Casper's already made it farther than the other guy did! And Casper's single.” “No I'm not,” Casper lied, “I have a girlfriend.” Ash's face went pale. “W-why didn't you say that in the first place?!” It was a pathetic lie, but if it kept her out of Casper's hair for a while he'd be able to live with it. “What's her name, then?” “Now habibi, don't pry into Casper's personal life like this.” “Zoey,” Casper said, pulling up the first name he could think of. Well, the second name, actually. The first name was his sister's, and he wasn't about to claim to be dating his sister. “Zoey? You mean the girl on your lock screen?” “That's right. W-why do you think she's on my lock screen?” “I thought it was because it was your sister's picture...But why didn't you mention you two were dating when you showed me the picture the first time?” Shit! “Ah...well, you know...” Casper covered his face from view with both hands. “It's embarrassing, you know? I can't talk about her with a straight face so I tried to brush her off!” Ash wasn't having any of it. “If that's the case then why'd you move here instead of with her and your sister?! It doesn't make--” Chandra stepped in. “Now now, habibi. Young Casper has his reasons for his decisions. Speaking of which, now that I see you're fine with your medication, Casper and I have a few last things to discuss about his staying here. Would you join me outside, Casper?” Casper only nodded a silent thank you for the escape. Once more, Casper found himself in the hallway, three floors above Ash's room. The afternoon light had already begun to evaporate, and in its place were the slowly darkening skies. There was just a sliver of sunlight reaching past the horizon and though there was enough visible light left, the hallways were already illuminated by the automated ceiling lights. This was now Casper's home but the artificially lit hallway reminded him more of a hotel than a long-lasting living space. “Correct me if I'm wrong, young Casper,” Chandra said, “but you are not currently in a relationship, are you?” Casper looked towards the stairway, making sure Ash hadn't followed them. “No. Sorry I lied. Don't tell her, alright?” “I understand. My poor habibi has an overbearing personality at times. We've tried to talk to her but nothing's gone through. Maybe we should just accept her for who she is instead of trying to change her. Either way, I hope you can still get along with her.” Casper couldn't help but smile. “I think I've seen the worst of her at this point, so that should be fine...Or rather, I hope I've seen the worst of her.” Casper heard a soft whirring noise outside. Looking up, he saw a drone fly near the apartment building. “Are those things popular here? I saw one yesterday too.” “Hmm?” Chandra followed Casper's gaze. “Ah, the flying drone? No, though I do believe I see one flying around every so often. It would be fair to say there is probably one enthusiast in the city, but nothing beyond that.” “Oh. Alright. Hey, did you actually need to talk to me about something or was that just to help me get out of Ash's room?” “Hmm? Ah yes. Did you sign the papers this morning?” “Yeah. Gary should have them, I think.” “Then everything is perfect, young Casper. Please enjoy your stay. Here, allow me to give you small gift to welcome you.” Chandra pulled out his wallet and produced a small slip of purple paper folded into an envelope before handing it to Casper. “What's this?” Casper asked as he undid the flap. Inside was a plastic card, the same shade of purple as the envelope in came in. Written on it were two words in whimsical font: Coff-Coff. “It's a gift card for the coffee shop down the street. It isn't much, I'll admit—only five dollars—but I always feel the need to get something like this for people moving in. Considering your insomnia, I hope it does not offend you that I chose a coffee shop. I did so without realizing, you see. If it's a problem I can replace it with something else. Or perhaps a different--” “No no, this is fine! Really, don't worry about it. Thanks, Chandra. I appreciate it. In fact, I think I'm feeling a little thirsty right about now.” “Oh! Yes yes of course, please by all means! I have a few things I must take care of as well. Please take care, young Casper. Night is falling, after all!” A few seconds after Casper pressed the elevator's call button, the doors slid open for him. A pair of blue eyes looked up at him. “Oh, good evening,” the man said, “I haven't seen you before. Are you visiting someone?” The man standing in the elevator was tall and lean with pale skin and spoke in a British accent. He wore a dress shirt and slacks, and his black shoes shone in the elevator's light. Casper rubbed his fingers through his black hair, comparing it to the man's light brown hair. He was clean shaven while Casper sported stubble from his already growing beard. The fact Casper wore a a simple v neck shirt and hoodie with jeans while the other man was dressed in a more formal manner made Casper feel as if he was inadequately dressed. He stepped into the elevator. “N-no. No, I just moved in last night. Do you live here too?” “No. I was visiting my cousin, but he seems to be out, which is rare. I even checked the roof as he likes to spend some time there, but found nothing. Ground floor?” “Yeah, thanks.” Casper noted the man had already pressed that particular button as the doors began to close. “So who's your cousin, if you don't mind me asking?” “He lives on the first floor. Maybe you've met him, his name is Alexander.” Casper stared at the man, shocked. “You're related to him?! But you're so normal!” The man laughed. “Yes, I get that a lot. Alexander is...very eccentric and pursues strange hobbies.” “Hobbies, huh?” The man laughed quietly to himself but said nothing for a few seconds. Casper expected him to talk about Alex but instead said a single word that surprised him again. “Insomnia?” “Wh...what?” “I'm asking if you have insomnia. I can see the dark circles in your eyes despite looking as if you've slept more than the majority of the day.” “...Just a rough night's sleep.” “More like a rough couple of year's worth of sleep, but if you say so. I won't pry any further. My name is Richard, by the way. Richard Cain.” He held out his hand, which Casper hesitantly shook. “Casper Donn. Local insomniac.” Richard laughed again as the elevator reached the ground floor and opened once more. “Where are you off to then, Casper?” “This place called Coff-Coff.” He held up the gift card in between to fingers to show Richard. “Every been there?” “Yes I have. In fact, that was my next stop. Would you like me to join you?” Casper looked Richard over once more. They seemed to come from two different worlds; Richard dressed as if he was ready to head into a party while Casper looked as if he was about to get busted for smoking weed. “...Should I get changed first? What's the atmosphere like?” “Hm? Oh! No no, please you're fine as-is! If anything I'm over dressed. I'm just very used to this type of attire.” The pair walked passed the the security office where Gary eyed them for a moment before returning to his book. Casper could clearly see Gary had placed a Japanese manga over the book's pages and pretended to read the book while secretly reading his graphic novel instead. “I work at the local bank, you see. I spend a lot of time there and my closet has been filled with more dress-wear than casual clothing before I had realized it.” “Oh. Well, at least you're always looking fly, right?” Richard chuckled again as he exited the apartment building. Darkness had taken over the town, and the concrete walkway leading out of the lot was brightened by lamps that dotted the area. Casper looked towards the sky but saw only darkness. There were no stars to be seen in the city. Instead he brought his gaze forward. The streets were bathed in artificial light and the noises of passing cars in the distance filled the air. “So where do you work, if you don't mind me asking? Did you have a job lined up in this city before moving in?” “Huh? Oh, I uh, make a webcomic called Animals! Deluxe.” Richard rubbed his chin. “I'm sorry to say I haven't read it.” This time it was Casper's turn to laugh. “Don't worry about it. To be honest it'd be even weirder if someone like you had said you were a big fan of it.” “Is that so?” “You don't seem like the kind of person who'd read cutesy comics, you know?” “And you don't seem like the kind of person to produce cutesy comics. You seem a bit more on the rougher side.” “That's just me being grumpy from not getting any sleep.” “Speaking of. I find it hard to believe an insomniac would go to a coffee shop, much less during the night.” “I like hot chocolate,” Casper defended himself.

[shazzeaslightnovels]

Adachi to Shimamura 1 Review

Author: Hitoma Iruma (has written A LOT. Author of Usotsuki Mi-kun to Kowareta Ma-chan, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, the Sayaka light novel spin-off of Yagate Kimi ni naru/Bloom Into You, among plenty of other series and one-shots)

Illustrator: Non

Label: Dengeki Bunko

Release Date: 9 March 2013

Adachi to Shimamura is a series I’ve heard praised as one of the few best yuri light novels. Despite this, I was a bit cautious about reading it. I couldn’t help but be worried the series was overhyped and that it would end up being another Class S yuri. Additionally, I don’t usually read slice of life stories in light novels as I find that I struggle to pay attention.

Thankfully, these concerns were unnecessary. While I certainly found the novel to be quite bland initially, around half-way through the volume, the POV changes and it became immediately more interesting. I also probably wouldn’t categorise it as Class S as the volume makes it clear that Adachi’s feelings for Shimamura are romantic and starts to explore what that means and the anxieties that come along with those feelings but there are no named male characters yet (indeed, the only real male character is Shimamura’s dad) so it could be categorized as such. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing how their relationship develops from here.

English Release:

Seven Seas has liscensed this series in English as Adachi and Shimamura. The first volume is planned to be released in 2020 so please check it out then if the series interests you.

Story:

Genre: Yuri / f/f romance, Slice of Life, High School Setting

Adachi to Shimamura focuses on Adachi and Shimamura, two high school girls with a habit of skipping class. The series follows their daily lives and their relationship as it goes from classmates to friends to potentially something else...

The story of Adachi to Shimamura is a simple one that focuses on showing the reader their every day life. It’s quite mundane but it works due to the relationship between the two leads and it’s fun watching them slowly grow closer to each other. The romance between them is very much a slow-burn and I wouldn’t surprised if they take a few volumes to enter a romantic relationship but watching their relationship grow is fun in the mean time and I’m excited to see it grow more as the series continues

Character:

The leads of the series are, of course, Adachi and Shimamura. Shimamura is the narrator for most of this volume and she’s pretty good, if a bit too “normal” to really stand out. Adachi, on the other hand, ended up being quite the interesting character. The portions that she narrated were really interesting and it’s cute to see her struggle with her crush on Shimamura. As for their relationship, it’s cute and enjoyable but there is a sense that Shimamura may not hold the same feelings as Adachi has for her. Still, they have an entertaining dynamic that makes the volume worth reading.

The other notable characters are Shimamura’s friends, Hino and Nagafuji, and a strange young girl named Yashiro who wears an astronaut suit and claims to be an alien. Hino is alright. She’s a bit of a bland character but she’s nice and likeable enough. Unfortunately, most of the scenes that Nagafuji can’t resist mentioning that she has big boobs and it’s unpleasant, to say the least. Yashiro is the side character that stands out the most, due to her quirky personality and there’s a possibility that she’s related to Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko’s Erio due their resemblence to each other but I don’t know whether it will end up as an actual cross-over or if it’s just a reference. Regardless, she’s enjoyable and has an intriguing story that I’m excited to see more of.

Adaptation Notes:

An anime adaptation was announced earlier in the year and I’m excited for it! The series is complete at 8 volumes so it would be nice to get a 2-cour full adaptation of the series. I’m almost certain that this would be the first yuri light novel to receive an anime adaptation since Strawberry Panic (which aired over 10 years ago) so that’s really awesome and I hope we see more in the near future.

The series has received two manga adaptations: one with art by Mani that’s complete at 3 volumes and a more recent one with art by Moke Yuzuhara. Mani’s manga is the one that adapts all of volume 1 and I’m guessing that it adapts at least some of volume 2 and then Moke Yuzuhara’s continues the story but I won’t know for sure until I read more of the light novel. Obviously, I’ve only read the parts of Mani’s that adapts this volume and it’s pretty good. It cuts out some needless stuff but is ultimately a good and faithful adaptation that retains the strong parts of the original light novel and the art is cute. If you don’t have access to the light novel, then it’s a good substitute.

Recommended for:

If you want to read more yuri, you should definitely read this, especially if you enjoy slow-burn romances, as well as slice of life series. 

I do have volume 2 so I’ll be reading it soon and I look forward to it but, first, Sekai no Owari no Encore 3!