#and ryuu is just sort of like. okay. sure this might as well happen

[potatoattorney]

another one

[alexhogh7137]

The Battle Between Love and Fire-

Ivar the Boneless × Reader

Chapter Eight is here...

Chapter Nine: A New Beginning

Chapter Ten Coming Soon...

Word Count 1.8k

Warnings: angst, mentions of intents to cause harm, fluff at the end

When Ivar came into your chambers, he found you distraught and crying. He walked to you as fast as he could without falling. 

Ivar "Oh princess, what is it?!"

You were practically hyperventilating, "My dragon's-"

Ivar "What about them? Ryuu is fine, sweetheart."

"No, Neith and Eldr! They are still home with my father! He will change them to be dangerous creatures."

Ivar "Are you certain?"

"Yes. My father's dragon's were very different! He used them to kill and destroy kingdoms, I don't want mine to be the same."

Ivar "What do I need to do?"

"I...I just need my dragon's, Ivar."

Ivar "So I will prepare for our travel's to Wessex. You will get your dragon's, Y/n. I will make absolutely certain of it."

__________________________________

A day goes by before you make it back to Wessex. As soon as you see your kingdom, your heart starts to pound in your chest. You never wanted to come back but you have to get your babies back. All of the flashbacks came back into your memory, they are so vivid that it feels like they happened yesterday. Your hands clench into a fist and Ivar notices your instant panic, and grabs your hand. 

Ivar "Everything will be fine, my sweet. Nothing will happen to you or your dragon's."

"I know, it is just hard to be back here is all. I just want to get them and go back to Kattegat."

Ivar "You will soon, I promise. When we get back, your life will be much different okay?"

"I just need you and my dragon's...then I'll be happy."

Ivar "Well aren't I a lucky man?!"

You chuckle and lean into his side. Hvitserk is riding horseback right behind yours and Ivar's carriage. In front and on the side are warriors and shield maiden's. Having the support gave you some sort of ease but you are still absolutely petrified that something will happen today. You just have to put your trust in the gods that everything will go smoothly. 

…

Once you reach the gates, your people notice that it is you and open them willingly. 

"Welcome home, princess." A man said.

"Thank you." You were thinking about saying that it was good to be bad but that is far from the truth. So you simply thanked him and looked ahead of you. Ivar never let go of your hand the whole way towards the castle. You searched endlessly for any sight of your precious dragon's but no sign of them, worrying you insanely. Hvitserk stops his horse by your carriage and dismounts.

Hvitserk "Do you see them?"

"No..or him."

Ivar "Isn't he the king? Why isn't he out here by now?"

"That is what I am wondering. I don't like this."

Hvitserk "Hey, you're fine and so are we okay? We will find your dragon's and go home."

Ivar "Come on, let's go find them." You both get out of the carriage and your people stare at you and Ivar.

"Princess, who is this man?" A friend of yours asked.

"My soon to be husband. Now...where are they?"

"They?"

"Neith and Eldr, where are they?!"

"I haven't seen them since you left earlier this week, Y/n. I thought you took them with you." Your heart sank. Where is your dragon's?

"Oh my gods…" You run into the castle, leaving behind your safety: Ivar and his guard's.

The first sight you see is none other than your father himself. You stop in your tracks and your knees get weak.

Father "Well well well! If it isn't my lovely daughter. I thought you weren't ever coming back. This is such a surprise!"

"Where are they, father?"

Father "They? Oh you mean your dragon's."

"Yes, where are they? They are mine-" The doors open and Ivar and his brother come in, along with his many guard's. 

Father "Oh..another surprise in my doorway!"

Ivar stops by your side, "Where are her dragon's?"

Father "Now that isn't very polite! I don't even know your name." 

Ivar "My name is Ivar. Ivar the Boneless."

Father "Oh...I know you very well-"

Ivar "You know nothing of me. Now I will ask you again, where are her dragon's?"

Father "They are in her chamber's. But I must warn you-"

"What did you do to them?"

Father "They haven't eaten anything in six days, so be careful little one. They might just eat you!" He laughs evily. You felt sick to your stomach and your eyes start to water. You put trust in your father that he would take good care of them while you were away. Note to self, never do that again. 

Hvitserk looks at Ivar and he scowls, Ivar returns the same glare. You run off to your chambers and Hvitserk and Ivar are close behind. Once you open your doors, Neith and Eldr are beyond chains up: their feet, their wings and neck are chained to your bed posts. You almost fall to your knees but catch yourself. They recognize you and screech out in joy. You have never heard them shout so loudly. 

"Hello, my babies! Oh my gods, you poor babies. Let me find you a key, Hvitserk you look over there, I'll look on this side." He agrees and finds a key in no time at all. When Ivar comes into the room, he is dumbfounded.

Ivar "Princess they are-"

"I know!" They are practically skin and bone. They don't look like yours but they surely are. You just have to feed them instantly. 

Ivar "Why would he do this to them?"

"Because they are not his and he knows it very well. He destroys everything that is not his own." 

Ivar "What do they eat?"

"They will eat anything at this point: meat, small animals, fruit etc."

Ivar "Go find some, and hurry back." He ordered a few of his men to bring back food for your dragon's. Ryuu is weeping for his brother and sister. As soon as they are unchained, they rush to you. You start to cry at the feeling of how badly they needed you, how badly they missed you. Hvitserk has to look away because he can not stand the sight of you crying. Ever since you came to Kattegat, he has grown a liking to you more than anyone. You mean a great deal to him, as well as Ivar. You hold all three of your dragon's in your arms as they nibble on your clothes, cheeks and shoulder's. The love-bites do not hurt, they are their way of showing love and affection. Ivar sits down beside you on the bed and rubs small circles on the small of your back. 

Ivar "They will get fed, princess. And in no time, we will be on our way back home."

"I cannot believe that he did this to them. If I didn't come today, they could've died Ivar."

Ivar "But they didn't, they are safe and sound in your arms. Everything will be okay." You sniff away your tears and wait for his men to come back with food. Neith and Eldr barely chewed, they just swallowed the food whole. You watched and witnessed how deprived your babies were. 

"Never again."

Hvitserk "What?"

"Never again will I trust my father." 

Hvitserk "To that I must agree with."

"Eat up, then it's time to go to your new home."

__________________________________

When your dragon's are fed enough to be able to fly, you and Ivar decide that it is time to head home. Once you walk out and into your gallery, your father stops you. He grabs you by your arm so that you cannot walk away from him. Ivar stops as well as Hvitserk. 

Ivar "Let her go."

Father "Or what, you will kill me, cripple?"

Ivar "Don't tempt me. You give me every reason to do so, considering everything you have put her through."

Father "You know nothing."

Hvitserk "On the contrary, we know everything. So let her go." He places his hand on top of his sword, ready to kill him if he tries anything. 

Father "So tell me, which one are you planning on marrying, little one?"

"That is none of your concern."

Father "Oh it is though. If one of these men is bound to be my son-in-law, I would like to know."

Ivar "I am. So I will tell you again, let go of her arm."

Father "You are marrying this cripple?! Are you serious, Y/n? You are a disgrace to this family and this kingdom."

Ivar "You are one insult away from starting a war."

Father "You don't scare me, Ivar the Boneless."

"You should stop talking, father. You have no idea what he is capable of."

Father "You are right there, Y/n. But I know what I am capable of, and he should not be threatening his king."

Hvitserk "You must have forgotten that Ivar too, is a king."

Father "Ah yes, the king of Scandinavia. How fascinating."

Ivar "You shouldn't be threatening your daughter...you should be ashamed of yourself. Bashing a woman such as herself. Who has done nothing but retrieve her dragon's."

Father "I gifted them to her, so technically they are my dragon's." You turn around and face him yourself.

"You know damn well they are not your dragon's. They are mine and always will be. You do not claim them, I do. Do you understand me?"

Father "Watch your tone-"

"No I will not! You have no right to tell me that they are yours. Who feeds them, who trained them, who cares for them? Me! You let them starve for six days! Six! How dare you?!"

Father "If you don't get out of my face, I will have you hung for blasphemy against the king."

Ivar "That is not going to happen." He takes out his dagger, Hvitserk his sword and his men get ready. 

"Do it, I dare you father. See what will happen. I know what will happen."

Father "Oh yeah, and what is that my dear?"

"You'll finally die, and all of my worries will be gone. I will die in the process but at least the good people of Wessex will not have to live another day under your rule. So do it." He lets go of your arm and Ivar immediately grabs you and pulls you into his chest. Hvitserk in turn, grabs your from Ivar and puts you behind him.

Father "Fine, go. But do not expect a home here ever again Y/n. You are no longer welcome here at Wessex. No leave before I change my mind." You leave with your dragon's and your boys and walk out of the castle. When you reach the gates, your friend since childhood stops you. 

"What? Where are you going?" She asked.

"Home. You won't see me again."

"Are you being serious?"

"You are more than welcome to come visit me in Kattegat. But yes, I will not be returning."

"...I don't know what to say."

"I love you."

"I-I love you too." After that, you left. Never looking back. Your dragon's are flying free above you and you have Ivar by your side. You look up and moan in relief.

Ivar "Look ahead of you, my love."

"Why?"

Ivar "Because ahead of you is your new life."

@hvitserkmarcosource @a-mess-of-fandoms @ivarsgoddess @youbloodymadgenius @ivarzeitgeist @heavenly1927 @kaitieskidmore1 @fadedprincess @herestherealproblem @saldelys @jzr201

[queenofwordsandnerds]

AnS Characters as D&D Classes

Honestly this is kind of difficult because all the AnS characters are so beautifully complex and it's hard to fit them into one class, but I tried my best

Shirayuki - Cleric/Ranger

I think Shirayuki might be the most difficult to classify. When I think of her, the first word that comes to mind is healer. She's very focused on using her skills, knowledge and research to help people. In the AnS universe, she's not a fighter. Not physically, anyway, although the longer the manga goes on the more skilled she becomes with using words to cut and discover. But Shirayuki is primarily a healer, and the Cleric class is the closest I could get to that. In the D&D world, she might be more of a fighter and maybe(?) have a god she devotes herself to? (There aren't really any deities or religious systems in the AnS world that I know of).

This is the closest I could get, and maybe Shirayuki could multiclass into a Ranger or something, since she also has a strong connection to nature and could probably use that knowledge to survive out in the wild.

(Plus I just love the idea of Shirayuki with a bow. Very Yona-like.)

Zen - Paladin/Fighter

I feel like 3/5 of the Zen Squad will be either Paladins or Fighters, tbh. Zen, Kiki and Mitsuhide could all multiclass into one or the other. The lack of any deity or religion makes it difficult to classify the knight-figures as full Paladins, which is the closest I could think of to Zen's princely natures.

Fighters can easily be knights too, but they tend to focus more on the art of combat and physical prowess. Paladins have a stronger sense of justice, right and wrong, and a desire to uphold goodness, which I feel characterizes Zen very well. He's a prince, and his primary responsibility will always be to his kingdom. Zen has a strong sense of duty but also fairness and rightness, which is why I classed him primarily as a Paladin and not a Fighter.

I mean, "knight in shining armor" heLLO?

Obi - Rogue/Monk

HOOOOOOOO BOY. If you know me at all you know my obsession with the Obiyuki ship (I WILL GO DOWN TO HELL OR UP TO HEAVEN WITH THEM) and Obi as a character particularly.

Obi is obviously a Rogue. For so many reasons. I even rolled up an actual D&D character for a campaign based off of him. That's how much I love him. Obi in the D&D-verse would be amazing.

"A scoundrel who uses stealth and trickery to overcome obstacles and enemies" (DNDBeyond) if that doesn't SCREAM Obi, idk what does. Especially pre-Shirayuki Obi. Before he met the Zen Squad, Obi was the classic rogue. Master of a wide variety of skills, putting those skills to use in mostly illegal or at least illicit activities, prioritizing cunning over brute strength...yeah. I don't really need to go on.

After Obi joins the Squad and becomes an official knight, he's not really a stereotypical rogue anymore in that he has a family, a home, something to protect beyond his own self-interest. He becomes much nobler, more loyal, a true knight. He just happens to be a different sort of knight than most others, putting his skills and cunning to use in a different capacity.

I would also definitely multiclass Obi into Monk because of the martial arts. Obi has extraordinary control over his physical self and can use his body to devastating effect in several ways, which is very Monk-like (sword-flipping handstand AHEM). I debated making Monk primary, but I realized pretty quickly that Rogue fits Obi first way more. The biggest reason against putting Monk first is that Obi doesn't have much of a spiritual connection to his skills, nor did he come from a monastery/academy nor have traditional training. Definitely a Rogue first.

Mitsuhide and Kiki - Fighter/Paladin

Mitsuhide and Kiki's fighting styles are very similar, especially because of their occupation as Zen's aides and guards. "Well-rounded" specialists" is a good way to describe them. They are dedicated knights and skilled warriors for sure.

The only reason I wouldn't make them Paladin-Fighters like Zen is because they have different goals and duties. Their primary goals as Zen's knights is to protect him. They don't have the same responsibility of running a kingdom and navigating politics the way Zen does. Okay, maybe Kiki does somewhat as the heiress of Seiran, but still not in the same capacity as Zen. They have strong senses of justice, etc, but it's just not the same feeling as Zen. I think of Mitsuhide and Kiki as warriors first and diplomats/nobles second, which is why I'd make them Fighter-Paladins.

I'm not gonna go through the whole cast of characters of course, I mainly wanted to describe the Zen Squad. But I'll add a few more here:

Ryuu - Wizard

Ryuu is a NERD™. Yes he's a healer like Shirayuki, but he's always been more prone to scholarly pursuits, staying up until ungodly hours to research something highly specific. He also has a fantastic memory, and of course he's a pharmaceutical prodigy by age 12. The kid's a genius, and he would be very much at home in any library, researching plants, medicines, diseases and cures.

Ryuu is very much a Ravenclaw, and Wizard is the most Ravenclaw, nerdy class there is. Learning magic from books, scholarly knowledge of the arcane, that's what Ryuu would be doing.

I could multiclass him into either Cleric for the healing powers like Shirayuki, or Ranger for the nature connection and knowledge. I mostly see him as just a wizard though, probably specializing in compounds and minerals to create complex magical effects.

Izana - Paladin/Wizard

Our King Izana is hard to classify, man. He's such a complex character but we don't know all that much about how he thinks or works. He might be even harder for me to classify than Shirayuki.

I don't really see Izana fitting any of the D&D classes strongly. He's very much a skilled warrior for sure, like Zen, but he doesn't really fit the Paladin bill in the same way his younger brother does. He's much more mysterious. He's also very very smart, skilled in politics and diplomacy. He's good at manipulating people too and using any means necessary to protect what's close to him. Very much a Slytherin. There's not really any D&D class that deals with the political side of things a whole lot. Charisma and Intelligence yeah, but most of the classes are focused more on fighting style or something else like music/art (Bard).

If I had to choose, I'd probably go Paladin anyway, just because of Izana's relation to Zen and the Paladin's focus on Strength and Charisma. I'd make him an Int-heavy Paladin though, and multiclass him into Wizard because of the strong emphasis on Intelligence and Wisdom.

Izana's tricky man

Raji - Bard

This one's mostly just for fun

Solely because of his violin skills

Also Bards have a reputation for being horny af, and although I feel bad, I think of how he wanted to make Shirayuki his concubine at first just because of her beautiful hair

I know Raji has changed and I think he's a great character who obviously learned from his mistakes

But it's just funny

I love Raji and him being a stereotypical horny Bard who loves his friends is absolutely hilarious

[tigerintokyo]

IDOLiSH7 Part 1, Ch 5.1 side story

Side Story: Uneasiness

(other parts in the directory)

Translation under the break.

-

Riku: I told everyone in IDOLiSH7 that Tenn-nii is my brother.

Riku: Yesterday was so crazy that I couldn't really think about it, but they are probably surprised.

Riku: Tenn-nii is a celebrity after all. I hope everyone still treats me the same as usual. ........*cough*.......

Riku:………….

Riku: I should probably tell them about this too......

Riku: But, if I tell them, what if they tell me to leave IDOLiSH7?

Riku: .......thinking about won't change anything. Time to go out there!

Riku: Good morning!

Yamato: Morning, Riku.

Iori: Good morning, Nanase-san.

Mitsuki: You want breakfast?

Sogo: How about some coffee?

Riku: (What a relief! They're treating me the same as before!)

Yamato: (Kujo Tenn's twin brother....)

Iori: (TRIGGER's Kujo Tenn-san's twin brother......)

Mitsuki: (He's twins with that super star idol......)

Sogo: (I'm living under the same roof as the brother of the man I saw performing yesterday.....)

Tamaki: Rikkun, I heard that your brother is in TRIGGER? I carried him on my back yesterday.

Riku: That's what you were saying yesterday, Tamaki. Something about a bomb threat too? How long are you gonna keep doing this gag?

Tamaki: It all really happened!

Nagi: I had heard that public safety was good in Japan, but yesterday was pretty dangerous.

Yamato: In my 22 years in Japan, I have never witnessed an incident like that.

Riku: So, Tamaki..... What was Tenn-nii like.....?

Tamaki: What was he like? He seemed cool.

Riku: What? I mean... D-did it seem like he was worried about his family.....? Something like the situation at home isn't good, or....

Iori: ...........Why are you being so wishy washy? You're completely different from yesterday.

Riku: Different?

Iori: You want to put the cold-hearted guy who abandoned you in his place, right? Weren't you full of hatred yesterday?

Riku: Hatred?!

Tamaki: He's cold-hearted? Then, let's not talk about him.

Riku: Ah, no....

Iori: Don't worry. You will put him in his place. Nanase-san, with your singing ability, you'll definitely overtake that cold-hearted guy.

Riku: Stop saying cold-hearted! You're being too harsh!

Iori: You said the same thing before though?!

Riku: Y-yeah, I did...... But, Tenn-nii probably had his reasons.....

Iori: ............? Then, you don't want to put him in his place? You just want to get along with him again?

Riku: I'm never going to get along with him again! Even if Tenn-nii apologizes, I can never forgive him!

Iori: ..........? So, which is it?

Riku: What I'm trying to say....

Sogo: I think I get it. Because you are grateful and love him as family, it makes it even more confusing.

Riku: Ah..... It might be something like that....

Riku: (Sogo-san said he left his family, so I wonder if he understands.....)

Sogo: (.....His face is saying, "You understand because you abandoned your family".....)

Iori: You're being fickle.

Mitsuki: Iori, you're focusing on the small details. His motive and his goal still line up. Getting through difficult feelings is hard, right?

Iori: ...........I can understand that much.

Tamaki: If it's too hard to understand, don't push yourself.

Iori: Yotsuba-san, I don't want to hear that from you!

Iori: What I mean is, if you take off without knowing the destination, you'll end up with a half-baked result.

Iori: If you want to get along again, then go get along with him. If you want to  put him in his place, then put him in his place. Stop going back and forth with it. Why don't you just choose one?

Riku: It's not as easy as, like, sorting through my bookshelf..... 

Iori: Even if it isn't easy...

Iori: I'm just saying if you don't sort out your feelings and figure things out yourself, you'll regret it later.

Riku: …………...

Yamato: Some bookshelves are hard to organize too. The sizes and genres can all be different, or maybe I probably won't read some of them, but I still don't want to just throw them away.

Yamato: Right, Riku?

Riku: Yeah.....

Nagi: But, it is curious. If Kujo-shi wanted to be in showbiz, wouldn't Riku be a good partner?

Mitsuki: That's true. Riku is really good at singing. Didn't you two ever talk about practicing together? Did you not get along very well?

Riku: ....Back then I....

Yamato: I guess you were like rivals. He seemed really professional though. Could there be another reason why he wouldn't bring Riku along with him?

Riku: ………...

Iori: Nanase-san?

Sogo: Are you okay.....? Actually, you looked pretty sick yesterday.

Riku: No! I'm good!

Mitsuki: Riku, you don't have much endurance. You need to exercise and get stronger. Let's work really hard together!

Riku: Yes! I'll work hard!

Iori: ………….

Yamato: Alright then. I need to go iron my suit.

Mitsuki: You have something to do?

Yamato: Not really. Just keeping my closet nice and tidy.

-

Tsumugi: I'm really sorry, Yamato-san. Thank you for coming with me to apologize...

Yamato: It's fine. Who is it I'm supposed to grovel to?

Tsumugi: I made an appointment with TRIGGER's manager, Anesagi-san.

Yamato: A man? A woman?

Tsumugi: I'm not sure....

Yamato: ............?

-

Kaoru: I'm Anesagi, TRIGGER's manager.

Yamato: (OK. I'm not sure either....)

Tsumugi: We're from Takanashi Productions. I'm Takanashi Tsumugi, IDOLiSH7's manager.

Yamato: I'm Nikaido Yamato, IDOLiSH7's leader. I'm very sorry for the trouble we caused......

Kaoru: Do you think an apology will fix this?!

Yamato: …………..

Kaoru: What do you mean, "they just got a little excited and started dancing"?! Do you think that's a real excuse?!

Tsumugi: It's not an excuse! A lot of things led up to it, but there wasn't a motive, they just started opening up again....

Kaoru: What?! So, your groups over there start dancing when they get excited?!

Kaoru: Then, shouldn't we be dancing now?! The leader is right here!

Yamato: No...... This isn't the right kind of "excited".....

Kaoru: You're not excited?! Then, I'll get you fired up! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Kaoru: How about now?!

Yamato: .........No.......

Yamato: I'd say I'm at about 70%.

Kaoru: 70%!? Fire yourself up the rest of the way! Or, are you the type of person who can't handle things on his own?!

Yamato: I'm sorry......

Kaoru: You too, are you just going to keep standing there? Aren't you their manager?!

Tsumugi: I'm very sorry! You're absolutely right.....!

Tsumugi: Y.....Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Yamato: .........Really.....?

Kaoru: Is this 100%?

Yamato: ........um........

Kaoru: Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Tsumugi: Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Yamato: I'm sorry! I'm excited! 100% excited.....!

Kaoru: What do you do when you're 100% excited?! You said it before!

Yamato: I start dancing!

Tsumugi: Yamato-san....

Yamato: Take my jacket, Manager. .......this is embarrassing, but......

Kaoru: What?! You're going to dance?! I thought you came to apologize, but you're going to dance!? You must be crazy.....!

Yamato: What the hell am I supposed to do then?!!

Yamato: ......ah, oops......

Kaoru: WHAT...??!!

-

Gaku: .... Did someone just break a pen? Is the manager mad about something?

Ryunosuke: It seems that way..... I think I heard clapping and cheering. What's going on in there?

Tenn: IDOLiSH7's manager and leader are here to apologize for the concert.

Gaku: Tsk........ Those guys.

Tenn:  ........You don't like them?

Gaku: Of course not. They have no shame.

Ryunosuke: The reason Gaku is so upset is because it was really tough for you to go on stage, but you still gave it your all, even though you were about to pass out.

Gaku: I never said that.

Ryunosuke: You did say it. It was so inspiring to see how much you care about  Tenn.

Tenn: Gaku......

Gaku: ......what?

Tenn: You do love me.

Gaku: I didn't say that.....!! Besides, you're the one who said you loved us when you were high on that fever.

Tenn: Did you like it?

Gaku: I'm gonna kill you.....!

Ryunosuke: Anesagi-san dropped off some info on IDOLiSH7. Here's a photo.

Tenn: ………….

Ryunosuke: Are these the guys we heard at that outdoor concert that day were walking together?

Gaku: Are they? If they're that good at singing, then they don't need to steal fans.

Gaku: His voice sounded so genuine.... but I can't help but think poorly of them after hearing what they did. This center....

Tenn: .......*cough*........

Ryunosuke: Tenn, are you okay? Was the tea too hot?

Tenn:  It's fine.......

Gaku: You're smirking with an evil look on your face.

Ryunosuke: Is that smirking? Looks more like happy to me.

Gaku: Ryuu, you're not very good at reading people.

Tenn: ........It's you.......

Ryunosuke: They all look like good guys. Hm, if I had to choose, I'd say the one in the glasses looks like he could be up to something....

Gaku: He looks like he could be an evil mastermind.....

Tenn: He said you’re scary, Gaku.

Gaku: Do you know him?

Tenn: He's their leader, the one apologizing right now. He said he was a herbivore [1]. Also, he was one of the guys that carried me to the concert.

Gaku: What?

Tenn: This one, he was my taxi.

Ryunosuke: The tall one? A taxi?

Tenn: He gave me a ride on his back.

Gaku: You would just climb onto anyone.

Tenn:  If you find him, you can ask for a ride too. He's much cheaper than a taxi.

Gaku: How much?

Tenn: The meter starts at 1 Ousama Pudding.

Gaku & Ryunosuke: It's really cheap.

Tenn: That one likes to play doctor.

Ryunosuke: Ah, he does give off a doctor-y feel. He looks classy and intellectual, a beautiful person.

Gaku: Yeah, you're right.... Is he from another country? 

Tenn: How he talks is different than how he looks.

Ryunosuke: Like how?

Tenn: Like a kettle before boiling and then a kettle after boiling.

Gaku: Does he whistle?

Ryunosuke: You mean, he's boiling hot.....?

Tenn: The guy with glasses seemed like he was worried about me.

Gaku: Really....? If you say that, he's starting to look more like a fresh-faced civil servant......

Ryunosuke: So these are the guys who saved Tenn. They are good guys after all.

Gaku: Just those three guys. The other four came up with the plan to steal our fans.

Ryunosuke: I don't know...... They all look like nice guys to me.....

Gaku: I can't accept what they did! If I see them, I'm gonna let 'em have it.

Tenn: If it's for my sake, I don't need it......

Gaku: What? Shut up.

Ryunosuke: Come on, it's all okay, anyway, right? They're here apologizing, after all. So, they must be sorry about it.

Gaku: .........Tenn, are you OK with this?

Tenn: I am.

Tenn: If someone can steal our fans, it's our own fault. It means we weren't attractive or exciting enough.

Tenn: I think my performance that night was better than that. What about you?

Gaku: Of course mine was too.

Ryunosuke: I gave it my all.

Tenn: Then, there's no problem. Anyway, IDOLiSH7 won't last long.

Ryunosuke: Why...?

Tenn: …………..

Tenn: ......They can't.

-

Riku: …………..

Riku: If I were healthy.....

Riku: would Tenn-nii have asked me to go with him? Would he stand on the stage with me.....?

-

Tenn: IDOLiSH7 won't make it unless they change their center.

Tenn: I'm sure of it.

...

Next episode

-

T/N:

“Herbivore” is Japanese slang for a man who has no interest in finding a love interest. “Carnivore” would be a stereotypical macho guy, and “herbivore” is its opposite.

-

Please do not use my translations without permission.

[sabraeal]

Strictly Come Dancing, Part 3

A ballroom dance AU Part 1 | Part 2

Obiyuki Week, Day 6 Lust | Chastity

It would be nice if, for once, a club’s parking lot wasn’t nearly three blocks away from the entrance. Especially tonight.

“I can hear you back there, you know.” Shirayuki casts a glance over her shoulder, but only dares to look at his feet, five steps behind hers. “Grinning.”

“You fought for my honor.” She doesn’t need to see him to know that Obi’s mouth is pulled wide, stretching from ear to ear. “Can you blame me?”

She can’t, that’s the problem. She knows exactly how much that means to him.

Obi’s shoes scuff on the pavement, and then he’s right at her shoulder. “You know, if you were like one of Kiki’s knight dealies, I’d have to give you my maidenhood or whatever.”

“Maidenhead,” she corrects, cheeks flaring red. “And why was she telling you this?”

“For reasons. You know how it is.” Obi shrugs. “Though I suppose you’re five years too late to be getting that.”

“Obi.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to give you instead though.” His chin tilts, thoughtful. “Maybe Kiki does. I mean, ladies couldn’t go about always being maidens. And then I can --”

“It was an accident,” she squeaks, clapping her hands over her cheeks. Her palms burn where she touches them. “I only meant to invite her to one of our practices, or maybe even a competition, not--not---”

“Having a dance battle,” Obi fills in gleefully. “Over me.”

Shirayuki slides her palms over her eyes and groans. “Don’t expect it to happen again.”

“I don’t,” he assures her, bumping shoulders. “That’s why I filmed it instead.”

She jerks up, head whipping around, and -- there it is, right on his phone: her freeze-framed Critical, dance shoes and all.

“Delete that!” she hisses, leaping for it. He’s too quick; her fingers barely brush the screen before he yanks it away. It glows overhead, maddeningly just out of reach.

“Nope! Mine forever.” He grins when she jumps, giving it a taunting shake. “I’m gonna show this to everyone tomorrow.”

“No,” she whines.. “Don’t!”

“I’m gonna,” he promises. “You should be more proud of yourself. This is a big thing for you!”

He’s right, as much as she hates it. Torou might have been the better dancer, but she’d put up a fight. Six months ago, she’d have taken one look at that dance floor and broken an ankle. This is...growth.

That does not mean she wants Kihal to get her hands on it. That’s just asking for it to end up on the website, and she just does not need to become The Girl Who Did That Dance Battle Once. Not the reputation she’s looking to build.

“Beside,” he says, grinning at the screen. “It’s already up on YouTube.”

She will kill him, and no one will find the body. “It’s what?”

“Hey, I didn’t put it up there. I took this video for my own personal enjoyment. And the people who I’m going to show it to, which is everyone,” he adds. “But some other guy got you at a much better angle. He texted me the link while you were going to the bathroom.”

The noise that tears from her is inhuman, like a sheep’s dying bleat. “I knew I just should have gone at home.”

“It’s not your fault you have a small bladder,” he tells her, shoulders twitching against hers in a shrug. “Besides, it would have been on YouTube anyway.”

“But at least I wouldn’t have known about it.” She shakes her head, dropping her hands, and never has she been more glad to see a public parking sign boasting $36 ALL DAY. “Oh good, we’re here. Any further and I think my feet would have fallen off.”

“Oh,” Obi purrs, bold now that her back’s turned. “You know I’m always willing to sweep you off your feet, my lady.”

She lifts an eyebrow, even though he can’t see it. “I thought I was the knight?”

“Well,” he wheedles, “I’m a very progressive maiden. I don’t see why we both can’t be the knight, once and a while.”

“How scandalous, sir.”

He lets out a hum of a laugh. “What was scandalous tonight was my lady’s dancing.”

Shirayuki opens her mouth to protest -- even if she’d done Torou’s routine wholesale, there was no way she could have made it as sultry and seductive as the original -- but he doesn’t mean that. He means before. When he’d dared her to show him what she’d learned out on the floor, and she’d --

Probably embarrassed herself, if Torou’s the sort of girl he’s used to.

“Let’s just...” She gestures vaguely to the lot, a tiny patch of pavement sandwiched between two squat buildings. “Get going. I’m sure you’re tired from having to pretend it was sexy.”

Loose gravel crunches as he pulls to a stop. “Didn’t I tell you? Everything you do is sexy to me.”

It’d be nice if her blush could stick to her cheeks; at least then he wouldn’t see it with her back to him. But she can feel it burning down her neck now, collecting at the tips of her ears. The light here may be dim, but Obi isn’t blind, and -- and it would be nice if her skin could give her just two seconds of privacy, instead of making her wear her thoughts on her sleeve whether she wanted to or not.

She huffs out a laugh she hardly feels. “Stop teasing.”

Her foot lifts, momentum carrying her forward, until fingers band tightly around her wrist. She only has a breath to look back, to follow the line of her arm all the way down to where it meets his, and then --

Then he tugs.

It’s second nature to yield to him, to let him lead her into a turn that pulls her tight against his chest, no space between them. She’s used to this, as much as anyone can be used to standing this close to someone as stupidly attractive as Obi is, but it’s -- it’s different now, not like how it is when they’re under the practice room lights or all dressed up on the competition floor. The knit of his sweater tickles her palms, and he’s warm where she touches him, a furnace.

And none of that has anything on his eyes, a gold so molten his heat sears her too, flowing through her veins until her knees quiver and her skin flushes not just on her face or her chest, but everywhere.

“What did you tell Ryuu?” he rumbles, his hand sliding down her wrist, fingers trailing over the soft skin of her forearm, “I joke but I never lie.”

She can’t stop looking at his mouth, watching the way it shapes his words, thinking about how it had been on her barely an hour ago. Even now she can feel where his stubble scraped her, how his teeth had nipped at the place where her neck and shoulder met, how his lips had dragged lower, breath ghosting over her collarbone -- “Are you?”

His palm stutters on her bicep, his gaze dragging away from its torturous journey to her eyes. He watches her watch him, and she knows the moment he traces the trajectory of her focus, when he realizes just what she wants.

His breath catches, and with a slow, controlled exhale, his fingers wrap around her arm, squeezing it with enough pressure that it’s no longer comforting but -- but --

A promise. “I wonder.”

On the dance floor he devoured her; they’d moved in a way that, had there not been so much denim between them, would have flagrantly ignored a solid half of public decency laws. She wants him to do it here too, to push her up against one of these ugly buildings, brick crumbling the moment her back touches it, and show her exactly what he means when he tells her that her rumba lacks heat. 

But he doesn’t move.

There’s so little space between them the lack of air makes her dizzy, makes her knees weak, but she still can’t close it, can’t bear to be the one that gives first. When Zen had kissed her that one, botched time, he’d been the one to step in, to bring her close --

And though she hates to follow, Shirayuki has never learned to lead herself.

Please. She thinks it so hard the word forms on her lips, and Obi leans in, eager --

“Ei! Gata!”

Shirayuki jerks back, straining against the arm that bands tightly against her back. It loosens, just slightly, as Obi blinks, the moment jarringly broken, and she looks to see --

It’s that girl, the one from the club. The one who had taught her to -- ah, do things. With her body. She’s with a pack of others girls, all about at pretty as she is, loitering just outside the parking lot on the other side of the street. They all give Obi an appreciative once over.

Obi’s looking too, brow furrowed, concerned, holding her like he’d like to stand between them, like he thinks they might --

Oh. Get into a fight with her. Like Torou.

“It’s okay,” she starts, pressing a hand to his chest. That gets his attention right quick, his eyes fixed on her in a way that leaves her floundering for a good second. “I, um, know--”

“That’s right, baby!” the girl calls out, smile stretching from ear to ear. “You get it.”

Her arm waves, and Shirayuki blinks, confused, until she repeats the motion and --

Oh. She’s, um. Smacking an ass. Right.

“Oh, her?” Obi grins. “I like her. She’s got some great ideas.”

“Home,” Shirayuki decides firmly. “We’re going home.”

She’s halfway to the car by the time Obi jogs up begin her, laughing under his breath.

“See,” he says, too innocent. “She thinks you’re sexy! And I have to say, she looks like she’s an authority on it.”

“No, that’s not--” Obi lifts up his eyebrows, far too inquisitive, and she just huffs, hurrying to the car with as much speed and authority as these heels can give her.

“Are you trying to say that you think Senhorita Gata’s tastes are --?”

“No. It’s just -- a misunderstanding,” she grits out. Obi’s car is a clunker -- though compared to some of the others in the lot, it looks practically brand new -- but she feels better once her fingers brush the handle, once she has her hands on something solid. “She just...she thinks that you and me, that you and I--” she waves her hands, flustered-- “that we’re, you know--”

Dating is impossible. The word gets stuck in her teeth, too much of a stretch to even speak. Fucking is straight out.

“--That you want me,” she finishes lamely, on a sigh. “Like that.”

It’s silent in the lot. Cars rush by in the distance, back on the main road, and the girl and her friends are still shrieking across the street, muffled by the buildings around them as they pile into their cars. Power locks were a luxury when Obi’s car came off the line, but never has she wished harder for it to be just a year or two older so she wouldn’t have to wait, so that instead of standing here, anticipating his laugh, she could be locked away inside. It might not have that fancy sound dampening stuff either, but metal and glass would mute it well enough.

But that laugh never comes.

His shadow falls across the car, tripled in the floodlights. She can’t tell where he’s standing, but it’s both too close and too far. “Obi...”

One hand falls on the top of the sedan, just by her shoulder. The other clasps her elbow, turning her, slowly, gently, before it settles there too. She’s caged in by his arms, but it’s his eyes that trap her like a fly in amber. “Maybe she’s not the one misunderstanding what I want.”

Despite the lack of air, Shirayuki manages, with great gravitas, “Haah.”

Obi’s mouth cants at a corner, teeth peeking out from between his lips, and he, impossibly, leans closer. “You know, Kiki says that ladies would give favors to their knights before battle.”

Shirayuki knows that. She was a young, impressionable teen girl once; she’s watched A Knight’s Tale an unhealthy amount of times -- what else could she do when there was not only a cute knight and a hot lady blacksmith, but also Chaucer? Still, she just stands there, dumb, watching him watch her while her heart rate raises to something close to palpitations.

His gaze, unmistakably, settles on her mouth. “And I never did give you a favor.”

“What would you have given me?” she blurts out, because of course this is what she fixates on, instead of -- of -- doing anything else, like flirting. “Your shirt?”

Obi jolts back with surprise, blinking. “That’s not where I was--” He stops, considering her. “Do you want me to take my shirt off?”

“No!” None of this is going the way she hoped it would. She needs to make a -- a mouth parliament, so she can get some oversight on the words coming out of her mouth. “I mean, not any more than usual!”

His nostrils flare. “Than usual?”

“That’s not what I--” she is really screwing up this whole conversation-- “I mean, you know how you look!”

That was a mistake. Now he looks far too pleased with himself.

“No,” he hums, fingers trailing down her jaw. They hook behind her ear, and with barely any pressure, tilt up her chin. “That’s not the favor I meant.”

Her breath whines out of her lungs. “Then--?”

Her only warning is the warm air across her lips, and then his follow; a soft brush that sends sparks shooting right down to her toes. Once, twice, and just as she opens her mouth --

He pulls away. Her eyes flutter to half-mast, and even with the bronze of his skin and the weird lighting of the lot, she can see a blush flare across his face. “I--”

She is really, really not interested in talking.

Her hands fist in his shirt, and she yanks him back down, mouth open under his, and --

And it’s a lot different, this time.

There’s no shyness in this, no need to coax him; the moment his lips touch hers, she’s open to him, and he takes it, tongue licking into her mouth, hands falling from the sedan to her -- her ass, pulling her against him. He’s hard already, panting as she whines against his mouth, and it’s just like the club, where there’s no space between them, but it’s still too far.

One of this thighs slots between hers, and it’s all the invitation she needs to roll against him, to hook her fingers in him belt loops and rock her hips into his. His mouth slips from her on a groan, and it’s -- it’s too much but not nearly enough, one hand sliding up under his shirt --

“Okay!” he gasps, practically throwing himself off her. There’s only six inches of space between them, but they both stand there, tense, like they’re ready to leap across the canyon to close it. “We need to--to--” Shirayuki prays he doesn’t say stop -- “get in the car. Now. Before...stuff.”

“Stuff?” she pants, hopeful.

He doesn’t answer, just shoves his hand in his pocket, cursing under his breath. His jeans aren’t tight, not like how she’s seen some boys wear them, but they hug to his hips like they were made for him. She appreciates the aesthetic, but it’s clear that it’s impeding the rest of her night.

“Let me,” she breathes, reaching for him, and he jerks away. For a moment, she’s afraid she’s misunderstood -- maybe he doesn’t want stuff to happen --

“You,” he says, with a look full of censure, “are only going to make this worse.”

She nearly protests -- she is very helpful, the most helpful --

And then she sees the way his jeans bulge against the inseam. Ah. Yes. Putting her hands near -- near there would not be helping at all.

He has to work his fingers into the pocket, but only few seconds of fishing sees him victorious. The car keys chime, loud in the silence, continuous and dissonant like bells on a sleigh. He steps toward her, hand outstretched, and it’s not until the key is in the lock and the noise stops that she realizes -- his hands are shaking.

She has to side step so he can open the door, but she slides in right after, and --

“What are you doing?” He stares at her, incredulous.

She blinks. “You opened the door.”

“I -- yes?” He leans in, so close, and she rises to meet him --

Plink.

Eyes flying open, she’s just in time to see his fingers pull away from the back door, the silvery lock pulled into the open position.

Right. Because Obi’s car is practically old enough to drink. There’s no power locks; there’s not even a keyhole on the back door --

The back door that leads to the backseat, which is where people make out, when there are people who are used to making out in cars. Not the front seat, with the center console between them. The sort of thing a twenty-year-old should know, if she had any experience besides awkward kisses on fire escapes.

Obi knows all about that, all about her history -- or lack of it, but it would be nice if she could at least pretend to be a little competent.

Still, his gaze tangles with hers, intent, even as he slides over, opening up the back and --

The back. The place she should be going if they’re going to do stuff. Kissing stuff.

Maybe more than kissing stuff.

She launches herself up, hands braced between the passenger seat and the driver’s, trying to get her knees under her on the console. Obi’s car is small -- in all honesty, ridiculous tiny for a man his size -- but Shirayuki’s small too, and she’s never met a space she couldn’t squeeze through --

Until now. Her heels catch on the lip of the console, her forehead whacking painfully into the overhead lamp. A thin beam of light illuminates the back seat.

She sits back, stymied. Then tries again for good measure, cutting to darkness again, and --

“Don’t break anything,” Obi pleads, laughter shaking his words. “It’s a real bitch to find parts for this thing.”

“I’m not going to, I just--” she grunts, reaching back, yanking the buckles of her shoes -- “there.”

They clatter to the floor; she doesn’t bother to watch them, already shoving her way through, throwing herself onto the backseat with a worrying creak. She only just avoids whacking herself on the headrest, but she’s too flushed with victory to worry over it.

Obi hunches by the back door, eyes wide, one eyebrow raised. “Are you good, or...?”

“Yes!” she yelps, trying to arrange herself to look welcoming, to look like a girl who potentially goes around getting kissed in the back of cars. Whatever vibe she’s going for must be off; Obi spares her an incredulous look before he straightens, shutting the fort door.

It feels like an eternity before he bends back down, angling to slide into the back, and there’s something about his face that says second thoughts, maybe even third ones, and she just --

She goes for it.

Her lips barely bump his before he catches her shoulders, laughing. “Kid, let me close the door first.”

“Oh!” She settles back, watching how his shoulders stretch under that sweater as he reaches over. “Can you fit?”

“Of course I can fit,” he scoffs, even as his hair brushes the ceiling. “This isn’t the first time I’ve--”

He stops, lips pressing together. “You know what? Not going to sabotage myself like that. I can fit.”

The door closes with a metallic clank -- he really needs to take this thing to a garage -- and then he sits back, spine ramrod straight against the seat, hands clenched on his knees. There’s not enough space for them not to be touching, but he’s tense enough to make it feel that way. His jaw works, and there it is, the second thoughts sitting just beneath his skin.

“Obi.” She doesn’t know what she wants to say; do you want to still and we don’t have to sit heavy on her tongue, and she’s not sure which one is right --

His head snaps towards her, and she sees it, the heat behind all the hesitation. Maybe she’s not the one misunderstanding what I want. “Ye--?”

Her hands clap to his ears, dragging his mouth to hers. The moment they touch it’s as if they never stopped, his hand palming the back of her head, drawing her closer as he licks at her mouth, sending heat searing down to her toes. The other one smooths down her spine, fingers clutching at her cardigan, and she --

She would like to be back where they were before too. Her hands yank at the bottom of his shirt, urging it up his flexed stomach and he grabs the back, hauling it over his head.

It’s only too bad the light is still there.

“Oh no!” she gasps, reaching for him when he hisses, pressing a hand to the back of his head. “Are you--?”

She promptly loses her ability to words as the fabric falls away, and every inch of his chest is revealed still dewy from the club.

Oh. Oh wow. She knew Obi was built; when they’d first been paired he’d always managed to arrange their practice right as he was finishing up his routine, sweat-slicked and shirtless, but -- but it’s been months now, and he’s, well...cut.

His mouth curls. “See something you like?”

“Please,” she sighs, leaning into him. “Don’t ruin this.”

When he kisses her this time, it’s different, purposeful. With far more finesse than she managed, he pushes her cardigan from her shoulders, peeling it down her arm so that every inch feels like a caress. The air’s still cold in the car, and her skin pimples in the chill, but then his fingers trace the strap of her halter, and -- well, she definitely doesn’t feel cold, that’s for sure.

His hand splays across her back, the tips of his fingers resting on bare skin, and they’re so hot she’s sure they’ll leave a brand, that any time she puts on one of those skimpy Latin costumes, everyone will know he’s touched her. He presses into her, and with barely more than that she’s falling back onto the seat, his mouth jostling from hers to land on her cheek.

“Oh,” she murmurs, flushed. Only she could make something this sexy so awkward. “Are you--ohhh.”

His mouth sucks hard, just behind her ear, and that is -- that is like nothing anyone has ever done to her before, oh god. Her toes curl, wrapping themselves in the denim of his jeans, and when her thighs squeeze his hips--

“Jesus Christ,” he moans, hips bucking into hers, and then she just -- looses a full minute.

By the time she comes back to herself, her hands are fisted in the bristle of his hair, head thrown back, his mouth flirting with her collar bone. Her thoughts are fogged, distant; the only thing she can focus on is the way his hips rock into hers and the feel of his lips against her skin, and when he tugs, hesitant, on the knot of her halter, she can only manage an embarrassingly enthusiastic moan.

It doesn’t occur to her until everything suddenly stops that, oh yes, she hadn’t worn a bra today.

Obi jerks back, eyes wide and dark as he stares down at her. For the longest time, it’s all he can do, just breathe and look.

“Obi.”

He blinks, gaze dragging up to hers, and she can see -- he wants to take this further, wants to ask if this is all right --

“Obi,” she breathes. “I think you should take me home.”

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works 1 - 25 (FINAL) | Waver OVA

Much like the Fate/Zero post, this is mostly a set of notes which has already been released and is preserved here because of the difference editing makes. There was one completely insensitive, uninformed note and a note which I was writing down to be “more in character” which I’ve removed in all instances of the notes, though - it’s better you not know what was being said there. 

F/SN UBW 1 (Prologue)

Now that’s the Rin I know from fandom whispers.

Turns out this is ep. 0 and there’s actually 12 eps…

This brunette reminds me of Maiya.

This wavy haired guy’s a Matou? Geesh, he somehow reminds me of the Great B*stard Archer.

Miss Fujimura’s a bit of a non-sequitur…

If I remember the fan whispers right, his name is Issei Hyoudou…? (Or is that the High School DxD guy?) Update: Issei Hyoudou is the High School DxD guy, this is Issei Ryuudou.

If people die when they are killed, then machines should, too.

I already know from checking up previous info that UBW is for the 5th Holy Grail War and Shiro Emiya is part of it.

The button says “voicemail”…well, it’s actually rusu, where rusuban denwa = answering machine (denwa = phone, so rusu means something like “protecting the house (while you’re gone)”). The best way to translate it would be “voicemail” though.

Fuyuki  Church (Kyoukai)? Rin has them on her voicemail???

I seem to remembr reading that this white-haired character is an alternate universe Shiro Emiya…but I guess we’ll find out later, huh?

Hmm…I’ve seen this Command Seal before. I think it might be Dewbond’s profile pic, in fact…which tells me that he likes Rin.

The compulsion the guy is talking about reminds me of Steph from NGNL and how she was forced to fall in love with Sora.

Rin’s treating this like a gacha game…LOL.

Pride vs. pride, huh? Anyways, I think the really entertaining thing of putting me under the pump like this is that I have such an incomplete understanding of how the Fate/ universe works that the outcomes of everything create enough entertainment for those who’ve committed to said universe. The things that I do know might be really late-game though – such as the white-haired Servant being an alternate Shiro – so I have my own surprises to confirm.

“The Archer class really is made up of archers!” - …and people die if they are killed, y’know? (<- I know this from the memes. I won’t cover Deen/Stay Night, people don’t normally recommend it.)

Why is a cup omnipotent, anyway? Cups don’t have the ability to have knowledge. By the way, I bet Rin’s acquaintance will have something to do with this.

Rin’s Holy Grail War work reminds me of my own experience with piano. Basically, I grew up doing it, so I never questioned it until I thought about what I really wanted to do. I expect Rin will be the same way.

Hmm…Sakura and…the Great B*stard?

Rin says all of this about “crude garbage”, so all I can focus on is the bin off to the side…LOL.

Oooooooh…so this appearance of Sakura is why people put F/Z before this.

Saber…the reason she’s so popular is because she appears in so many incarnations of Fate/ that she’s basically become a poster girl for it.

F/SN UBW 2

There’s something that pisses me off about Sakura. It’s probably because she’s fairly submissive, like a girl who was written to be a guy’s fantasy.

The OP and ED was subbed the first time, so the fact this isn’t is interesting.

I think I’ve seen these scenes before…probably because they look exactly like the setup for Today’s Menu for Emiya Family.

Hypoxia.

Sakura’s boobs jiggled…urgh…

This episode feels a lot more like a VN intro.

Some of these scenes were from a different perspective in the prologue, so I’ll try to skip them.

Stove = heater, if you didn’t catch on.

Oh hey, Emiya isn’t part of the archery club anymore…but there’s some evidence that an alternate Emiya became that Archer Rin has.

That’s Ilya, isn’t it…?

Emiya’s magic incompetence reminds me of Waver.

Shinji is Sakura’s older bro??? I never heard of this…? Step-bro, maybe?

I read one of the labels on the machine – makanai setto – and turns out it’s a [meal] set for staff (teachers).

This series’s messages are like anvils…even more so than F/Z.

Where does Emiya work…? (For some reason, I call Kiritsugu that but Shirou “Emiya”.)

Archer’s not in white…not that much, anyway.

“…I really nearly was killed.” – Yes, and people die when they are killed, Emiya. You said so yourself in Deen/Stay Night.

I know this iconic scene where Emiya stares at Saber! I’ve seen it in all the screenshots and everything.

F/SN UBW 3

The blindfolded woman in the OP is apparently Medea. I think I mentioned her offhandedly in one of the WP posts I did, so I didn’t expect to see her so soon.

Most of this ep is explaining this stuff to beginners. I can skip that.

I don’t get the appeal of Rin, but then again, I’m neutral at best on tsunderes.

Shoten Books? Like, Bookseller Books? How redundant…

“[G]enuine fake priest” - …LOL wut?

Why is Kirei giving me Equilibrium vibes…? Oh, it’s because he has silly hair that reminds me of Christian Bale. That’s why.

Most of this episode was recap from F/Z, so I skipped it.

F/SN UBW 4

I’m laughing – this new Berserker reminds me of Tsukasa (Dr Stone).

Ah, same old Gilgamesh. He’s just in different clothes.

Kiritsugu felt like he actually was a character. Emiya? Just a blank slate, really.

Welp, that was over fast…

F/SN UBW 5

I’m getting sick of Rin’s tsundereness, fast.

Okay, crash course in types of Servants. I needed this.

*Saber reveals the outfit is from Rin* - Ooh, Shiro, don’t go judgin’ Rin like that…

Oh-hoh, Sakura does archery, huh?

I bet Kuzuki actually is a mage. That’s how these things always turn out, no?

Actually, I think Emiya might be a better match for my piano experience. There’s this one person who played at a higher level of piano than I did, but they kept telling me that I was way better than them at piano (although I don’t know if that was self-deprecation and/or inflating my ego). As I mentioned in my relation to Rin, I forcibly cut it out of my life because my parents chose it for me – in short, no desire to hit the target, in one way of speaking.

I can see why Fate/ needed a cooking spinoff now…LOL.

Shinto = New City, with a particular combo of kanji.

Are these Touken Ranbu enemies, Rin…? (They’re called Historical Revisionists, technically, and I specifically refer to enemy wakizashi.)

I seem to remember from somewhere Sakura is Caster’s master…hmm. Another thing to confirm.

F/SN UBW 6

That Rin reaction face! I’ve seen it before!

LOL, that “I haven’t been sleeping lately” is relatable.

Medea is one of the only Servants that was originally a woman, so…it’s interesting to see she’s been given a chain as a method to keep up (but also vaguely annoying to see her have such a short skirt). A chain weapon seems to be the sort of weapon for an agile user, with possible sexual overtones (if you want to interpret it that way), so it seems like it came straight from a male fantasy of a woman.

Rin is the sort that places a lot of stock into obligations, I see.

F/SN UBW 7

I learnt how to read the word “mirage” in Japanese somewhat recently (in comparison to the basics, which I learnt through a CD-ROM maybe…15 or so years ago?). It’s shinkirou.

I find it interesting that these eps. are marked as Fate/Stay Night and the series is Fate/Stay Night UBW, because Deen/Stay Night (as I’ve been referring to the Deen version of F/SN) looks pretty different to Ufotable’s F/SN, judging by that “People die when they are killed” meme.

The subbers spelt “specialty” wrong…

Well, Emiya, being in a room with a girl…alone…you really are a typical VN lead, aren’t you?

LOL! I knew Kojiro was also part of this series and I think I knew he was an Assassin, but s***! He’s an absolute looker!

…and *sigh* Caster is using her sensuality against men. A regular Fujiko Mine, she is.

I think my heart did something when Archer gave that intense stare at Caster, too. This is no time for a reverse harem!

F/SN UBW 8

Ahh! Kojiro Sasaki’s (this Assassin’s) so hot! I love it!

The only person who can beat Saber is another swordsperson, huh? Logic checks out.

That blue ring looks like the one at the start of Shinchou Yuusha’s OP.

F/SN UBW 9

I thought Shinji was gonna barf, but that was actually laughing…that’s what happens when you don’t have the volume on.

This replacement Gilgamesh (Shinji) sucks…

Just squinting at Caster’s chest…boobs do not work that way, people. Fabric goes over things like that, it doesn’t tuck itself so neatly around them.

I think Rin’s a real idiot for ignoring that Shinji is a Master and a mage…

I almost thought Shiro was gonna kiss Sakura for a second there. Apparently you should approach an unconscious person from behind and tap them on the shoulder (as opposed to going from the front to listen for breath), in case they try to punch your lights out.

Watching Eizouken, which doesn’t have girly runs for the girls, and then watching this makes you aware even Rin is capable of girly running…(LOL?)

Gee whiz, I was so sure this purple lady with the whip was Medea and a Caster-class Servant. So she’s a Rider??? Update: So it was Caster, masquerading as Rider…is that how it goes…?

So is this a locked-room – or locked-school – mystery…?

F/SN UBW 10

This is basically “You wanna go?” from Saber.

Considering the coronavirus, these words (about people getting out of the attack completely healthy) seem sort of weird…

Samosan? Seppa seppa? What dialect is this???

*Emiya asks Issei to strip* - Ooh…this is why Fate is popular with women…*thinks of the fact this was a male-oriented VN first* Maybe.

I still think the Great B*stard kinda looks like Kyo from Fruits Basket (…not that I ever mentioned it earlier).

I just realised Taiga’s shirt is striped orange/black…like a tiger.

The amount of still frames in this episode, in comparison to the usual number, is significantly higher.

F/SN UBW 11

I just realised Kinoko Nasu means “mushroom” and “eggplant” if not exactly written the way it is…what a name…

*something about being useful to others* - U-Uwaaaaah…Emiya! Stop reminding me of all the things I’ve done at the cost of myself!

Hmm? I googled Rin’s birthday and I thought she was a Leo – she’s an Aquarius (Feb. 3rd).

Rin absolutely steamrolled Emiya, LOL.

I get the feeling Archer is saying “Only you can save yourself”.

F/SN UBW 12

Randomly, there is a Volkswagen.

*something about Emiya photosynsthesising* - Rin, that’s not how people work…

Batting centre? How can girls go there in skirts without flashing anyone? That’s taking into consideration how short Rin’s skirt is, y’know…(Practicality comes first at all times, people…well, not for Saber, who’s wearing stockings, but I worry about Rin, as you can see.)

People find blushing tsunderes cute…I kinda get it for male tsunderes, but for Rin…not really.

Ack! Another double episode!

Why does this ominous vibe on a bus remind me of Harry Potter…? (Then again, the first things I remember of the movies were a shrunken head and a bus that could squeeze through gaps, which might explain things.)

Hmm? So what is Kuzuki’s place in Caster’s life, huh? Who’s controlling the puppet?

Come to think of it, who is Assassin’s real Master? If Caster has control of him, that means he belonged to someone else before that, right?

I feel sorry for Assassin. I mean, he has to keep talking to Caster with his body torn open like that…

“Princess of Colchis” – So Caster is Medea! Maybe Scott (who said I was wrong about that) was thinking I was referring to Rider. Rider and Caster do look awfully similar…but wait, so what was the real identity of Rider, then? Update: Reading over the notes, I was mistakenly referring to Rider as Caster, hence the comment.

Wolverine!Kirei strikes again, it seems.

Lel, I forgot about Lancer…and Berserker, now that I think of it.

F/SN UBW 13

So this is Brave Shine, huh? It doesn’t sound familiar at all…

…aaaaaaaaand of course Saber is in a fancy white dress. It’ll sell a lot of figures – in fact, I think I’ve actually seen Saber figures with that outfit while browsing for Nendoroids and other merch as of late.

F/SN UBW 14

Well, this blonde guy’s hair is nice…but he’s basically Shou Tucker all over again. (I haven’t even completed Fullmetal Alchemist in any form – I just know what the guy did because the fans talk about it a lot.)

Gosh, evil begets nothing but more evil, huh? (re: Kirei and blondie here)

I gotta facepalm - this blonde dude really shouldn’t have maltreated Medea. She has a reputation for a reason.

It took me a few tries and the brightening of my screen to figure it out, but Caster spotted Kuzuki.

Gilgamesh, what the f*** did you do to those poor maids?! (Even if they were homunculi…)

The subbers appear to have spelt “homunculus” slightly wrong…

F/SN UBW 15

“Going through the front door would be a bad idea.” – Yeah, and people die when they are killed.

I really respect Illya now…and can see why she got her own spinoff.

This snowy mountain makes me realise exactly why they chose Ufotable for Demon Slayer.

F/SN UBW 16

I was wondering what Gilgamesh had torn out of Illya…ew.

I was watching Shazam the other day and a piece of advice the titular superhero gives is “Look out for number one.” (i.e. yourself) Rin has much the same mentality.

I seriously facepalmed when they tried to protect each other. One person should learn to stand down in the relationship for that to work.

Hmm…so this means Lancer’s Master is male, huh? (Why is that Master still a mystery anyway…?)

I facepalmed the third time (the second was soon after the first) when Emiya thought he could seriously protect Rin from Lancer. Knowing who Lancer’s Master is a much bigger priority right now, man – this isn’t a romcom!

I like Lancer’s sideways gaze, LOL.

*Archer comes in* - Well, hasn’t it been a while since we saw this guy? (voice drips with sarcasm)

“druther” – Hmm? I’ve never heard of this word before. Apparently, it means (when used as “If I had my druthers…”) “If I had my way…”.

Hmm? What’s this? There are two pendants instead of one…?

F/SN UBW 17

There’s a lot of shots centring around Lancer’s butt…LOL. (Or is that just the female gaze I’m forcing on to this?) Even still, because Lancer has an outfit like that, it’s kinda hard not to see that he does have a fine one.

“You have a lack of pride in your sword skills.” – Uhhhhhhh…I guess that’s why he’s Archer…?

I never seem to know who the Lancers are…geesh. Like, I could pick one from a crowd of Servants, but not their real names. Update: As it turns out, Karna (the one Indian Servant I had my eye on from Apocrypha) is a Lancer in Fate/Grand Order.

Apparently, Gungnir is the spear of Odin.

Kuzuki is a Master…of the Naruto run. (LOL)

Noting “sieben” and stuff, I think Rin’s magic is German in nature.

Why does Medea have elven ears, anyway…?

F/SN UBW 18

The subs suddenly turned yellow! What the heck?! (Prior to this, subs were white.) Update: Come to think of it, only Aniplex shows have yellow subs, while Funimation ones have white subs (although HiDive let you choose between white and black, the standard is white on the hardsubs). This might mean a switchover between who’s responsible for the show happened while this anime was airing.

“…within your grasp?”

Ooh, this I didn’t expect! Saber joined forces with Rin!

“…your wish was a mistake.”

*Shiro fights swords with more swords* - For some reason, I feel like I need to play some Daft Punk right now. (I don’t even like them as an artist, even though I’m meant to be the EDM expert around here…)

This all but confirms Archer is actually a Shiro Emiya from a distant future.

I just imagined an Archer whose body was made of swords. What a compelling image – a literal human weapon.

Those hand gestures…Shinji is a massive creep.

Huh? I’ve been skipping the post-credits segments for previous episodes because I’m binging, but there’s a post-credits segment here…

Hmm…this next-ep preview had a rook (or a king? I’m no good at identifying chess pieces by their appearance) with a red glowing symbol on it facing what appeared to be the symbol of the Saber class. What an interesting representation of the upcoming inevitable faceoff.

F/SN UBW 19

Wouldn’t it not make sense for future!Shirou to kill present!Shirou? I mean, you know the time travel paradox…if you kill the present guy, the future guy doesn’t exist.

“Sorry about that, punk.” – LOL. Lancer’s great.

Hey, wasn’t Kirei dea-oh right. In fiction, when there is no corpse, you can’t have assumed the character died. They probably skedaddled off somewhere, heavily bleeding and/or on the edge of death…and I’m assuming that was how Kirei got out of his scuffle too.

All this talk about ideals makes me wanna play Odd Future for some reason, LOL. (Well, the first line of that song is “I keep my ideals”, no?)

“…it is you who is disobeying orders.”

A eunuch, huh? Rin, you do know that a eunuch has his *erhem erhem* cut off…right?

Okay, people. Why must women be the source of the Holy Grail? This is only the 2nd time I’ve gotten to this point and you’ve got enough men to fuel the Grail instead. Why not use them??? Update: It’s safe to say I get my wish later.

“You’ve been removed from the bounds of time.” Subbers, I know you’re under pressure to produce subs, but please proofread…? Pretty please? Update: I should proofread too. My E key is a bit dodgy at the moment.

I predicted, a few seconds before it appeared on my screen, that Shirou wasn’t the type to do things he regretted. Yyyyyyyyyyup. That’s Shirou, alright.

F/SN UBW 20

Okayyyyyy. That was not an episode title that needed to be subbed.

Oh, gosh. Can you please just knee Shinji where it hurts, Rin…? I know you’re being choked, but you could still do something lik that.

…(lol)…What the heck, Shinji’s such a self-preserving prick!

So how many times did Lancer actually die and how many times was he faking it out?

“Dying because of some order that comes with being a hero.”

So who’s Gilgamesh’s Master now…?

Hmm…I thought by saving Rin and Saber, Shirou was already a hero. Maybe it’s just a perception thing.

H-Hey, Shirou…you keep saying redundant things…

F/SN UBW 21

Why is Saber just standing there, anyway…? (Well, Shirou did say it was his fight, but…she can do something…)

Okay, whose idea was it to cut after “However…”?! That’s terrible pacing.

This series peaked quite a few episodes ago. Now it’s just stretching for time.

Um, hey. Random question. Didn’t King Arthur draw Excalibur from the sword in the stone? Is that a stone or a tree stump? It’s hard to tell since the zoom quality is funny, but…if it’s a tree stump, someone got a crucial detail wrong. Update: Nup, it’s a stone. Forget I told you.

Having sacrificed myself for over a year for other people’s sake, I can’t say I agree that giving yourself up for others is a beautiful thing. This is speaking as someone who volunteers at a not-for-profit (the charity store). In fact, having thought long and hard about the fact I’ve completely gone down the wrong path from having taken this one opportunity I was given (note I did get rejected from a similar place before I got the position I did), I’ve thought, occasionally, that sort of thing is disgusting.

Did the Great B*stard even age 10 years while waiting for this new war…?

“…left off 10 years ago.”

Uh-oh. I don’t like Shinji – you can clearly tell that from the way I’ve been reacting to him – but there’s no way you’d use him as a Grail vessel…right?

F/SN UBW 22

If I understand the pink box correctly, it says kayumino-ru which is…*checks that up* itch cream(?) Another of the boxes says either iburon or ipuron, but it seems to be some kind of medicine (although I can’t figure out what it does).

“…flashy gold jerk…” – Yup, that’s why he’s the Great B*stard. The most narcisstic of all b*stards –so narcisstic he survived a Holy Grail War without being the victor.

Lemme guess, Rin…if I know my visual novels right, then the way to establish the mana link is either kissing or sexual intercourse, right? Update: Oh well, transplantation of a Magic Crest will work too. With the way Rin was reacting, I thought it was gonna be really intimate, but…nup. It’s just them taking off their shirts for one another…*whistles and pretends to walk away*

The reason I don’t like tsunderes is that whenever they want to be romantic, you can’t tell whether they’re giving mixed signals or not. Then again, you could argue I count as one, so…uh…*sweatdrop*

Shirou, why are you so concerned for the pillow?!

F/SN UBW 23

You can barely recognise the guy (Shinji)…huh.

H-Hey? You couldn’t mean Assassin’s back, right? Update: Y-Yep, that’s Assassin, alright. At least I can gaze upon his handsome face again…(lol) (<- If you’re wondering, there’s a difference between “lol” (or “small LOL”), “lel” and “LOL”. That’s the order they’re meant to be in, going from smallest to biggest laugh.)

Had to check Wikipedia, but Monohoshizao is the pole (?) wielded by Kojiro Sasaki…well, the correct term is nodachi (which I know better as ootachi from Touken Ranbu), but it’s referred to as a pole. To add something interesting to that, the ootachi I like the most (my beloved Taroutachi) is said to be 221 cm (throwing that into a converter, about 7.25 feet) and 4.5 kg (converting again, about 9.92 pounds)...which is basically something no human should be able to use, so if the pole is anything like Taroutachi...I have immense respect for this Assassin as well.

Assassin’s treatment here reminds me of Tora from Juuni Taisen…in a sense, they got what they wanted.

F/SN UBW 24

Cue the law of equivalent exchange from Fullmetal Alchemist, hahaha.

How can you be so sure you’ll beat the Great B*stard, Shirou???

Well, that Grail’s Holey, alright…(I bet you’re groaning at my joke, yes?)

I thought Archer was dead?! How did he fling a weapon at the last moment?!

Archer, you’re disappearing! This is no time for monologuing!

Why do I get the feeling I’ve seen Rin give the thumbs-up before as well…?

F/SN UBW 25 (FINAL)

Eyyyyyy? London…? Update: Oh, it’s the Clock Tower! That OVA is starting to make sense now! (Although I will watch it next, so there’s no need to muse over it.)

Tohsaka without pigtails is…weird.

Sherou (?)

Oh, romantic infighting (voice dripping in sarcasm)…That’s not what I’m here for. This is not a harem.

Ponytail Rin. This just gets weirder and weirder. Also, she kinda looks like Ishtar from Babylonia like that.

Tiny Pigtail Rin…it gets even weirder.

*yells* See?! It is London after all!!!

Update: Prior to this point, I had Silhouettes (by Avicii) playing in my head on occasion, notably when Archer was meeting his end. When Shirou came face-to-face with Saber’s grave, it switched to So Amazing by Luther Vandross. Although I normally don’t mention what I have on my mental playlist in notes like these, I just want to make note of that because it reflects the switch in mood. (Also, this is basically an extended transition into El-Melloi’s Case Files.)

Hmph. Yeah, nothing like hindsight to make something huge look small.

Sakura and Shinji’s relationship…it reminds me of a grumpy old man and his young daughter…(LOL?)

Ryudou’s reaction to romance reminds me of Tenya (from BnHA) in his more crazy moments.

All this talk about the Clock Tower is making me think that older!Waver will show up at any moment now…

…wa-hey? Well, *spits out some held-back laughter* whaddaya know? That’s the older Waver right there!

Ufotable’s older!Waver and Troyca’s older!Waver look fairly different. Ufotable’s isn’t as attractive because his hair has an artificial sheen to it and the man’s face looks more like a snake’s head in shape, so he looks a bit dumb. Update: Certainly Troyca’s Waver has a more egg-shaped head, but at least that makes his hair look nicer, no?

Post-credits segment. Keep watching.

Huh…that segment wasn’t very substantial. Maybe Hoshiai no Sora spoilt me on that front.  

Waver OVA (REWATCH)

*yells* I still think Flat Escardos is a terrible name!

LOL, I think Waver just called out a bunch of political writers right there.

So who are these old people??? (Lennon Glasses and Old Lady here) I still don’t know. Update: You do find out later – Inorai is the old lady and Rocco is the old man.

Okay, so apparently the set of characters used for “Rail Zeppelin” is literally translated to Demon Eyes Collection Train...sounds like something out of Demon Slayer.

If Kayneth is the OG Lord and this Reines girl is the new one, how did Waver become gen. 2? *rewinds a little* She’s el-Melloi Archisorte, meaning that somehow she and Kayneth are blood-related (also note Monkey D Luffy = Luffy is his first name and Monkey is the last name with D being a middle initial, so Reines could have her names around the wrong way as well). Still doesn’t answer the Waver part of the question, though. Update: The character page of the official website says Reines is the rightful heir to the name “Lord (Lady?) El-Melloi”, but she appointed Waver to be the Lord while she waited to become of age and take the position.  

As you know, I gotta question the guy’s (Waver) age. In Fate/Zero he was 19 and he looks much the same ten years later, so his approximate age range is 19 – 29 here. Wikipedia (which I linked earlier) says the anime this OVA is attached to occurs between the Grail Wars, meaning I might not be able to get an exact age. Update: “[A]lmost 10 years”, so I’d wager he’s on the back end of the age range (24 – 29).

Ooh, another good boy (Bram). I forgot he existed…and that’s kinda nasty that he’s got the bloodline of Sola-Ui in him. Update: Oh! Younger sister! That is nasty!

The word shisho (師匠), if I’m guessing the right characters, means “instructor” (or “teacher” if you wanna bend it that way). “Sir” is Waver’s title…I’m guessing that translatio choice is because he’s not a professor in title, assuming professor titles in this are given like they are in real life.

There’s something quite cute about Waver making such an indignant face…then again, he does have permanent worry lines on his face, so maybe not.

Like, whose bright idea was it to crush on the loli? Ravioli, ravioli, don’t crush on the loli! (Then again, I’m probaby worse, chasing after older men…)

Come to think of it, Ufotable is good at action motion (see exhibit A: Demon Slayer), but not free-flowing comedic motion like Waver falling over like this. That’s probably why the show jumped studios to Troyca (aside from divvying up the work of the Fate/ universe – Ei Aoki did F/Z, after all, so it makes sense he’d have some ability to take dibs on whatever works best for his studio…although he wasn’t too involved with this, I don’t think). Update: He was supervisor and storyboarder for this OVA.

Waver: Official butt monkey of the Clock Tower. Calling it now.

Troyca animates F/Z (however briefly)…I must say, they did a good job imitating Ufotable.

All I really remember from the first time around is the car chase, which really shows my priorities in anime…heh heh.

Troyca’s CGI is more noticeable than Ufotable’s, but they’re still on of the best studios for CGI, I think. That’s why they’re on my favourites list over Ufotable (since Ufotable, by general consensus, does better work but I think it looks more artificial in parts – case in point, Waver’s hair).

Setting up a mystery, like all stories, is very much about setting up the boundaries that you’re allowed to play in later. The only thing is that mysteries get more stringently judged for logic.

Hey, whaddaya know? Waver can fit Rider’s old shirt now! (Or maybe it’s the smaller version Waver implied was given to him during F/Z.)

“[W]hydunit” (in English) – LOL? There’s “whodunit”, but not “whydunit” – stick to “motive” or “modus operandi”, people.

[kingdomofkitten]

The Wedding: Part 7: The Build-Up

*it is finally the big day, as everyone is getting the wedding ready to go. With the two parties, they’re getting themselves dressed up*

Retsuko: *setting up her veil* ….I don’t know, it doesn’t look quite right. Looks a little crooked.

Tsunoda: Oh, NOW you’re worried about how good things look.

Retsuko: Hey, it’s different when it’s on you!

Rie: Honey, relax. You look great!

Hiroko: Yeah! Chill a bit, my bro will love ya no matter what!

Retsuko: ….well, yeah. That part I know for certain.

Harumi: So you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Retsuko: Yeah….heh.

Riko: What’s up?

Retsuko: I don’t know. Just...something about Haida, and Ryuu...kinda makes me think about Ikari a little bit.

Hiroko: ...huh?

Retsuko: Er, nothing! I-I’ll chat with Haida about it later.

Harumi: Oh. Um, alright.

Retsuko: Yeah….um, what time is it?

Tsunoda: *checks phone* It is-*GASP!* We need to get a move on! We don’t have much time!

Retsuko: UH, a-alright!

Rie: Just put a little lipstick on, you look fine otherwise!

Retsuko: Uh, right! *gets lipstick on her mouth* ...I wonder if Haida’s stressing out as much.

*MEANWHILE!*

Haida: *setting up his tie* ...so, how do I look?

Ryuu: Oof, you SURE this guy’s gonna be my brother-in-law, dad? *snickers*

Haida: H-hey!

Ryota: Ah, all in good fun!

Ookami: Being real, you look about as good as a groom could probably look.

Hisoka: You look great, son…*sniff*

Haida: Aw, dad, c’mon, not now!

Hisoka: S-sorry! Just...oh, my son’s about to get married, I feel like I need to shed a few tears!

Ryota: Don’t feel too bad, I’m probably going to be crying a ton giving my baby girl away...er, happy tears, rest assured.

Haida: Heh, thanks.

Ryota: ...er, listen, Haida. I know, I probably shouldn’t be one to talk about this, given...well, some of the stuff I’ve done, but...treat her well, okay? Treat her the way a good man treats his wife.

Haida: O-of course, sir! I will try to make sure I treat your daughter with the utmost respect and dignity!

Ryota: *chuckles* I don’t think she’ll care so much for that, I think she just wants to be loved!

Haida: Well, I will love her until the end of time.

Ryota: Wonderful.

Ryuu: ...I, uh, I wish you two all the best...brother.

Haida: Hehe, dude, you’re still uncomfortable? I thought you warmed up!

Ryuu: It’s all still a little much for me, I’m just trying to take it all in.

Haida: Ah. Well, maybe some time soon, you and I can hang out again, do some more brother-in-law bonding, huh?

Ryuu: ...alright. :)

Haida: Awesome!

Fenneko: *opens the door* Is the dum-dum ready to go, or do we need to wait another five hours?

Haida: Er, just about, Fenneko!

Fenneko: Alrighty. If you guys wanna go out to the lobby, I’ll make sure Haida didn’t forget anything. Spoilers, he probably did.

Ryota: Very well.

Hisoka: *pats Haida on the back* See you out there, sport!

Haida: Thanks, dad! *they leave, with he and Fenneko the only ones there* So, did I miss anything?

Fenneko: Let’s see...ah. *fixes his collar* There. Now you look something vaguely resembling presentable.

Haida: Hahahaha. *Fenneko goes over to check on herself in the mirror* ...say, can I ask you something?

Fenneko: I dunno, CAN you?

Haida: No, being serious here...why ARE you so hellbent on me and Retsuko being a thing? Like, you tried to help in the hospital, you were quick to help me figure out Retsuko wasn’t going out with someone, you even helped us try to calm down Ryuu. You just overall seemed to want us to be together. Even willing to pay for the wedding! Seemed kinda...weird, I dunno.

Fenneko: …….you….you really want to know?

Haida: ...what, is there something to it?

Fenneko: Erm...kinda…….look, what I’m about to tell you? It does NOT leave this room. Under any circumstances. Got it?

Haida: S-sure! No problem!

Fenneko: Okay. So…..when you and I first met…….I MIGHT had gotten a bit of a crush on ya?

Haida: ...what?

Fenneko: I should also emphasize HAD. It’s dead now. But yeah, for a brief time, you were actually the one thing that warmed up my cold, black heart.

Haida: ...h….how long did this happen?

Fenneko: Erm, not too terribly long. I think over time, I quickly started just seeing you as a good buddy, more than anything. Pretty sure the first time I saw Tsunoda as a hot piece of ass was the final nail on the coffin.

Haida: I...huh….so, how does that correlate to-

Fenneko: I’m getting there, you impatient Ingrid. :3

Haida: Right, sorry.

Fenneko: I kinda just happened to notice you crushing hard on Retsuko, and sort of figuring out stuff between you two, and...well, realized you two would actually be pretty badass together. So, I wanted to see you two happy together more than anything. Like, that’s kinda my high...in fact, it actually kinda reminded me of something you told me.

Haida: Yeah?

Fenneko: When you and Retsuko actually started getting real serious in the relationship, I remember you being just so awestruck by how much you genuinely loved her. Like, whenever we got the time, and the alcohol in our systems, you would just list off every single wonderful thing about her you could think of. And I remember this one day, this one fucking day, you said this thing that, at the time, I didn’t really get, but it soon sunk in. You said you were so in love with her, that even if you two were to break up, you wouldn’t even feel too bad, because you now cared more about her being happy, than her being with you.

Haida: ….you know, I...I do remember that.

Fenneko: Yeah. I guess I sorta realized that was kinda my motto for you two. Like, if somehow I wound up with you, that would be kinda cool, I guess. Hell, truthfully, I wouldn’t mind hookin’ up with Retsy. But if it had you two being happy and in love with each other, then quite frankly, I would be much more satisfied. To see those faces staring lovingly at each other, with your own little bundle of joy in your arms...that would bring me so much more joy than any 4chan member could ever do.

Haida: ...wow...well, uh...I must confess that after knowing you for as long as I have, I unfortunately don’t really have any romantic feelings for you.

Fenneko: “Unfortunately”? Dude, that’s a godsend. I don’t wanna waste all this money, just so you can flip-flop on Retsuko.

Haida: But...I do appreciate all the help you’ve given. Is there any way to repay you?

Fenneko: Just listen to Retsuko’s dad, and treat the girl right. That’s all.

Haida: Will do...so, uh, is there anyone that IS warming your heart at the moment?

Fenneko: Tsunoda, duh. ;3

Haida: Heh, I never thought you would ever say that!

Fenneko: Me neither. But yeah, she...I dunno, she’s still a bitch, and gets on my nerves, but...I don’t think I’ve ever felt so close to someone as her. Even when it was you, I don’t think it ever got this bad.

Haida: You’re starting to see how I felt with Retsuko! *chuckles* ...well, if you need any real help expressing yourself to her...I’ll try to help out whenever I can. To pay you back. :)

Fenneko: ...you...you mean it?

Haida: Yeah! What are friends for, right?

Fenneko: ….*hugs him* thanks, dude.

Haida: *hugs her back* No problem.

Fenneko: *breaks the hug, and starts making her way to the door* C’mon, let’s get you hitched already. You get to the aisle, I’ll check up on the bride.

Haida: Okay...ah, man, today’s going to be awesome. All these years, leading to my special day, with the girl of my dreams. ^_^ I just hope she says I do...but I guess even if she doesn’t, that’s okay, right? I mean, as long as she’s happy...then again, there’s Ikari, that would complicate things. How would he feel? Well, I guess he’s a baby, he probably wouldn’t care. Actually, if the wedding is off, would that break us up, or just keep us in the boyfriend-girlfriend stage? Or would we stay in the fiancée stage? Oh, whatever it is, I hope we don’t have to go through tha-

Fenneko: Dude, if you don’t get going, I will marry the damn bride myself.

Haida: Gah! Sorry! *follows her* ….wait, I thought you wanted Tsunoda?

Fenneko: Do I look like I care? :3 *closes the door* Besides, I don’t mind trying to do that, given I have the power to wed you two.

Haida: ….huh?

Fenneko: Oh, didn’t I tell you? I got ordained just for this occasion! *starts walking ahead of Haida*

Haida: *standing in the hallway* …….you got WHAT?!

Now, I hear the lot of you. “Jacob, you just posted Part 6! How the hell did you post Part 7 so fast?! You should be taking longer than System of a Down takes to release a new album, you lazy piece of shit! I bet you had your thumbs up your bumhole throughout the entire time you were supposed to be writing, considering what a slob you are!”

Firstly, uh, wow, a bit rude.

Secondly....IIIII kinda finished this one up way early? Yeah, I was trying to do a thing where I had some parts done beforehand, so I have a clearer idea of where I want the story to go....ended up not going with it fully, but it did allow me to finish this! So, now, I have one (well, technically two, there IS an epilogue) more chapter left! And it’s a BIG one! With paragraphs! Narration! And even a big bit of art that I plan to show at the end!

And I wanna get this done before either May 31, or June 14, when Season 2 comes out!

Somebody please kill me, for the love of God! :D

[firebirdsdaughter]

Heh heh, whoops…

… Realised I forgot to do a Ryusoulger Raw post.

So… Y’all get to hear my initial reactions to the subbed version! Yay! XD

Let’s a-go!

In no particular order and w/ many typos:

Naohisa peeling the banana for Ui bc she’s so busy staring. XD Ui, I know Asuna is beautiful, and the boys, too, but please remember to eat?

Well, that’s either really convenient, or Naohisa knows more than he’s letting on. This is Sentai. It could be either.

Aw, poor Melto. Come here, I’ll give you a hug. ^^ Sometimes I’m a good mother.

I think I already waxed about why I love the way Banba immediately, like, flies to this guy’s side in the tags of Ryuu’s gifset, but it still holds. Believes he can’t trust people and that kindness is weakness, but still can’t stop himself. I am really hoping for an episode/something way down the line where he has a ‘I would have turned into a monster w/out Touwa and the rest of you’ moment. Might just write one myself, eventually. ^^

And the coincidence, one of the true heroes of Toku, saving the day is also still hilarious. Like, if Banba had been one block over.

Why was he even on this street to begin w/?

Why is Touwa here? I find it hard to believe Banba would at all be interested.

No, actually, I know why. Bc plot.

Aw, he came bc he loves you two and is constantly anxious. Melto is absolutely the type of person who is afraid to let the people he loves out of his sight bc what if they didn’t look both ways before crossing the street and got hit by a truck???? And I doubt Biker Dad’s death helped that at all. Kou and Asuna are all he’s got left of his ‘family’ and he’s secretly terrified of losing them, too. Hey, Melto, I think I just got an idea for an angst tidbit for you, and I’m really sorry.

Aaaaand the youngest brothers are at it again. XD Dorks.

My ‘age’ order for this family is Naohisa, Banba, Melto, Asuna, Kou, Touwa and Ui. Age in quotes bc obviously the canon ages are completely wild. But I think I’ve done the fam break down before, so I won’t go into it again. ^^

I mean, gotta hand it to Wyzul. It’s a situation where acting blatantly weird and out of place works. Like, it’s a legit acting job. People in special events/games. Ren fairs. Yes, he’s acting really evil and suspicious, but that’s easily explainable as that being the character. Another pretty good plan. Very Sentai, but actually a good plan.

OH GOD NO! IT’S A MIMIC! DX

I don’t actually play Dark Souls, but…

Okay, but I wouldn’t be getting too comfy, yet. You’re missing one, and he happens to be the most stab-happy out of all of them. Like, I’m sorry, but as a villain, I would be celebrating while Banba was unaccounted for. I’d be checking the back stairwell.

This confirms that the chibis are merely going in colour order and have no bearing on the focus character.

Mother¡Melto makes another appearance, in a small way. ^^

I don’t know, Asuna. Given that none of you remember how you got here, I think it’s very valid of Melto to fear this was a Druidon trap.

Kou takes a moment to look majestic. XD HAve you been taking lessons from Banba? ^^

This is so obviously suspicious. Like. It’s obviously magic. Touwa and Asuna win the doofus award this ep. At least Kou figured it out eventually.

Touwa is the super winner of the award, though. Asuna had the sense to snap to it when told there were Druidon. XD

Honestly, she probably needs the protein and calories. Her super strength might mean she burns through energy faster than other people.

Actually, I dunno if that makes sense.

Mother¡Melto again. XD ‘Don’t eat mystery meat!’ is kind of like he’s telling her not to take food from strangers…

Yup, Touwa’s a dumb. ^^ I love how in the character blog, Yuito was like ‘he would have gotten scolded if his brother was there.’ XD Probably one of the reasons they didn’t want Banba in Wonderland w/ them. A) he would have snapped Touwa out of it too soon, and B) given how the chests open in their own, they didn’t want to reveal too much about his past, I guess? Though I wish they would tell us at least a little more. Keep it slow, absolutely, but I’m hoping for some more concrete hints soon.

A for effort, Melto. You tried.

Also, oh, Kou. ^^ Cutie. So it is limited—bc they had to stay trapped in the ‘box,’ it couldn’t actually grant Kou’s wish. But it sure tried. Kinda like w/ that Yummy that was destroying people’s dreams when it tried to attack Eiji, and the world came out of his mind.

Aw, he’s fine. The boy is durable. ^^

Kou, now is the time when you assume this is not the real world, you dork. XD

Aw, did Banba help clean up? Actually, there’s no indication if he did or not, but it’s sweet to think he did. ^^

I mean, he’s got a point. It could have a backlash. My recommendation would be to poke it first. Though since Kou crashed into it before, it’d probably just be impervious…

Oh, don’t remind him of that, that was (obviously unintentionally) kinda insensitive of her… Well, it did say that she sometimes has a habit of saying the wrong thing/speaking so bluntly she has trouble communicating… We haven’t really seen that yet, but I think it’s kind of coming into play here, since Melto’s bio, and this ep, establish that Melto is self conscious and doubts himself in comparison to the others… So that probably hurt him a lot  more than she intended it too.

But bc he’s Melto, he didn’t communicate that, so she had no way of knowing and no chance to reassure him she didn’t mean it that way.

God, Banba’s got a compulsive apologising streak, Melto has an inferiority complex, neither likes admitting hurt/weakness, esp to people they care about… And then there’s Asuna being too blunt and saying thing w/out thinking, Kou and Touwa are probably in the ‘bottle things up’ boat, too, just of the Stepford Smiler/Snarker variety… Any more of my quirks you’d like to spread out amongst the team, Toei? Like, maybe Gold is constantly terrified he’s bothering everyone?

Sorry (exhibit A XD) that got a little nonsensical. Right now it’s mainly Banba, Melto, and Asuna who are exhibiting some of my habits (apologising [for ex. rather than thanking someone], a slight inferiority complex compared to more “successful” friends, an in ability to read social cues and saying things w/out thinking).

And I love them for it. DX Really gotta write more Melto now!

Aaaaaaaaand… Now I’m crying all over again. DX I mean, hi Biker Dad and all, but poor Melto… TT^TT

This poor baby… DX Like, you can tell that for a fraction of a second, he’s almost like ‘oh my god, you’re alive?!?!?’ And… Then the memory hits him. DX

And then he promptly logics himself out to ‘I’m hallucinating.’ Oh, baby… DX

I know it would’ve broken the illusion, but… I wish Melto could’ve hugged him. Let the boy hug his Biker Dad. DX

Or, if not, can someone please hug someone??? Please?!?!?

Aw, he’s scared, though. I mean, I totally think he was the anxious, ‘oh my god what if I turn around for a moment and they fall of a cliff?!?’ sort of person before, but losing their Masters magnified that. He loves them so much he was afraid of something happening to them before, but now that something terrible has happened to someone else he loves, it’s even worse.

Basically, he was already terrified of something bad happening to the people he loved, and then something did, validating that terror.

Inferiority complex probably didn’t help. It’s not exactly resentment toward people perceived as ‘better’ (though there is some in it), but feels like a failure on the part of the one w/ the complex for not being ‘good enough’ or able to ‘catch up.’ He knew they were good at fighting, but was terrified by their recklessness and feared he might not be strong enough to help them one day, or something. Not sure any of that made sense.

I do like the idea of Biker Dad inside the Blue RyuSoul just being like, ‘oh no, Melto is worrying himself into a corner, maybe it will help if I astral project and give him a pep talk.’ Might be cute if the Masters’ souls are still semi ‘present’ or ‘aware’ in the RyuSouls.

…

… Ooooooo. I just got an idea. Kinda like in that Magiranger episode. Like, the trio get trapped in some ‘magical dimension’ or something again, and, like, the Masters are somehow there, or their souls come out of the RyuSouls somehow… Anyway, could have something like when… Houka, I think it was, didn’t want to leave that place bc it seemed like their mother was there. Could also include friendship bc maybe the final straw for them finding the will to go isn’t just ‘we need to protect the world’ but also, on a more personal level, the Tatsuis and the brothers? Like, if they realise that the boys are getting overwhelmed in the real world, esp if the brothers are partially fighting to try and rescue them, and are about to get defeated, and meanwhile Ui’s in the line of fire bc she’s trying to help civilians and doing everything she can, too… Could be cute. And heartbreaking.

That was a bad explanation, I’ll try to be more concise later.

Why… Is he explaining this?

Again. I wouldn’t be celebrating while mister handsome murder boy the Majestic Knight is still at large.

I like how it’s still saying ‘here, here.’

Wow, Melto can jump!

Oooo. They came out of the fire! Cool effect.

I’d question how Biker Dad knows this, but he’s dead, so maybe he’s omniscient now. I dunno. I’m inclined to give more leeway to people knowing weird things if they’re dead. Bc they’re no longer tied to this plane, ya know?

Anyway.

…

……

……… Butt. DX

AAAAH! DX Poor baby. He’s all like ‘I did it, dad!’ and briefly forgets that it was an vision, and then of course Biker Dad is gone, and it… TT^TT

Ah, yes. The perfect way to get me to stop crying. Cut directly from sad, introspective Melto to Banba tenderly caressing the lid of some random box. XD

Now, I will not grow out of that joke. XP Ryusoulger here, making me jealous of inanimate objects like pros.

Must everything he does be so very attractive? And by that I mean sexy? But for some reason I am very self-conscious about that word???

Touwa still wins the super doof award.

And now, Melto does math. I think.

XD Kou’s crash into the dome was useful! Though I’m impressed Melto could have any estimation of what the height of that was. ^^

I really like the little collars of the suits. I really do.

AH. I FIGURED IT OUT. THE LITTLE ‘LIFE BLOBS’ ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE MINUSAUR!

(pictures at the bottom)

CUTE.

XD Using the Minusaur’s power against it. ^^ Nice going Melto.

I guess it’s not technically him piloting alone—though he does seem to be the one in control…

XD Wyzul and Crayon’s reactions are so funny. ^^

Touwa just lying on the grou w/ his arms folded is still funny.

Banba just… Freaking teleports behind Kou. How did he even find them? Did he walk down the street carrying the box while fully transformed? XD

Banba interrogating the mooks is hilarious bc, esp in most recent years, they can’t actually talk. The most recent exception I can think of is Kyuranger’s mooks.

XD The absolutely unnecessarily fancy sword twirling he does just to point it in the other direction. <3

I mean, I guess it might seem a little silly, but… Isn’t there a belief in Shinto that all things have souls, even inanimate objects? So… Not so far afield, really. Though that does kinda make it sadder that Banba just smashed it. DX Requiescat in pace, antique miniature garden box. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Most easily defeated Mimic. Ever.

Asuna and Kou are either staring into my soul, or thinking about how cool Banba is, and I find both to be valid.

Touwa, don’t be mean. DX Ah, dorks.

This scene is really cute. Y’all here turning into a family w/out noticing, between the younger sibs teasing Melto and then goofing off among themselves, Banba just walking behind them like a tired babysitter and even shooting a look at Melto like he’s trying to make sure Blue’s still w/ them… Cuties.

Also, Touwa bouncing. ^^ <3

The soft piano version of the theme song definitely helps, too. ^^

That hug is still available if you want it, Melto.

And yes, I’d like to think it was. ^^

Still wondering what was up w/ that hooded person. They’re in the opening. They can’t just forget they exist! What happened in the rest of that secene w/ the brothers? Not even Touwa has mentioned it. Did they get their memories of the encounter wiped? Or is there something more?

Preview:

I like the opening shot of Asuna playing a carnival game while the boys watch. Like, it’s so cute and family-y. Melto’s so excited for her like a proud mom and Kou seems to trying to perfect his strategy. XD

Asuna once again finds herself talking people out of… That.

At this point, I don’t care how short that Banba sulking scene is or how little it relates to the plot. I just want to see it. ^^

That’s all, folks! Virtual mochi for anyone who read all that! I really liked this episode, and I’m glad for Melto getting a chance to be very heartbreaking, too. Next episode is an Asuna ep, and while I’m a little cagey about it bc of the short summary we saw at first, I’m willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt and not jump to conclusions about how they’re going to handle it. Hoping we’ll see Anky Mom, too, though there haven’t been any shots of her in the previews… Well, it wouldn’t make much sense if they didn’t eventually bring her back in some way. Still hoping for more concrete info about the brothers’, and specifically Banba’s past. Not all at once, but you could slowly start giving us more. Though it’s not that pressing, and is mainly bc I’m an impatient baby—they’ve got time to do it. And then there’s mysterious hooded person who is in the opening. Gaisoulg? Master Gold? Probably too old to be Gold, but who knows. It does seems strange that not even Touwa, the more friendly of the two, has brought it up to the trio. You’d assume he’d mention ‘oh, yeah, mysterious cloaked man came and sought us out and [something something]’ Makes me very suspicious of cloaked man. Did he wipe their memories? Threaten them? Just plan ask them to keep him a secret? Is he friend of foe? Is he Naohisa? Who knows. But I’d like some clues. At some point.

Lastly, the screenshots I promised, of the life blobs, and the thing everyone else probably already noticed:

[kurogabae]

Tsubasa: Trainwreck Chronicles

And Why Bee Train Has Failed Me Not Only as a Company, but as a Concept in General; an Essay by Popular Demand

part 1 -- part 2

In part 1 (linked above) I spoke about the anime adaptations of the opening/introductions of our main cast through Jade and our first filler. These were episodes 1-16. Out of 26 for the season and 52 for the series. I don’t feel like my time has been wasted with pointless, endless, literally 30+ second long shots of characters staring at each other or into the distance for no reason. No. Not at all. Those moments added a lot of needed and organic tension and suspense.

Really.

But Sakura gazing longingly at a giant fish aside, we’re going to get into what is probably my most hated canon arc of the anime - Outo. Now, I loved Outo in the manga, it was an amazing world and it really kick started a lot of character and plot developments in TRC, not to mention that it was just generally a lot of fun. It was the longest world thus far and it had had the most characters in it as well. Outo was great. It’s one of my favorite worlds, right along side Piffle and fanon!Yama. 

Bee Train did me dirty guys. Real dirty. 

Outo:

So the animation swings wildly in this arc from “yeah that’s not so bad” to “Fai is that your hair or a giant yellow spider eating your head?” - pretty par for the course as far as the anime goes. Mostly. But then we have the changes to plot, both for the sake of the Children(tm) and... Just Because? It’s also in Outo that we start really noticing that whoever was in charge of directing the music usage was really just throwing music at the animation and hoping something stuck. 

I’ll try to keep this linear but I make no promises.

We start off pretty normal - arrive, greeted by The Ladies, whisked off to City Hall. Fai gives them all their delightful Outo names while Syaoran looks on in a mild panic. They buy the cafe and get attacked - and here I have my First Issue.

For some reason, probably to make me hate them more than I already do, they change the events of the Oni attack just enough that Kurogane doesn’t grab Sakura out of the way of the ambush, iirc Fai grabs her. This might seem like nothing, but the anime has kept Kurogane and Sakura’s interactions to basically zero and if someone were to only watch the anime they would miss out on a lot of very small but meaningful moments between those two. Also, it’s important to me okay!

Morning comes and plot is still basically on track - Syaoran and Kurogane become oni hunters and Fai and Sakura open the cafe. 

Now, when the family gets their costume changes, things get a little odd and the music is to blame. Sakura wakes up and goes to greet the family, who are all wearing what they’ll be sporting for the rest of Outo. As her view pans (ba-dum tss) over each of them a weird smooth jazz sort of music starts to play. I don’t know what to call it, but the tone makes it feel vaguely sexual/romantic, or at least like that’s what the intent is. Now if this had happened over Syaoran alone it probably wouldn’t have been weird, but funny. It doesn’t just happen to Syaoran though, Kurogane gets the music too (Fai is the first she sees and the music only starts playing as Sakura begins to look away). It’s a really strange music choice for this moment.

When Sakura changes into her cafe maid outfit and the boys see her it isn’t just a Sakura and Syaoran moment, which would be fine. If they weren’t playing that music again. And also Kurogane hyuus. At Sakura.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It was all very weird. I didn’t like it. Could have been just me.

Night one of oni hunting is here and so is another change that I don’t understand? Before when they added characters to the scene it was Sakura and I assumed it was them trying to give her more screen time, but Sakura is very much left out of this whole bit while Fai, who should be back at the cafe with her preparing to open up a business, is with Kurogane and Syaoran. Why? “I like to watch you at work, Kuro-sama.” (Which would have been simply amazing foreshadowing if we were ever going to so much as glance at Fai’s backstory in the anime, which we aren’t. Hell, at this point we don’t even know what it is because Celes hasn’t been published yet, so Bee Train is pulling this out of their ass. What a waste.)

Syaoran and Kurogane kill some oni, there’s very vague talk about Syaoran’s blind eye (they never outright say he’s blind in it, just that he “has trouble with it”), and we get to meet Yuzuriha and Kusanagi. Syaoran does not fawn over Inuki and I am once again personally insulted. It’s here that Kurogane learns about the names.

Fai manages to make it all the way back to the Cafe alive before Kurogane corners him. Also, even though Fai was gone all night with the puppies he still has a chocolate cake made and ready to serve to Yuzuriha and Kusanagi after they follow his and Kurogane’s immature murder trail home. Which is frankly bullshit. I know Sakura didn’t make that cake.

Syaoran and Kurogane don’t have to fight to prove their worth to the information seller, which is whatever I guess. Probably just trying to save time and budget, but that didn’t really help you now did it Bee Train?

Now, surprisingly, I actually liked the change they made to the bar scene/the fight before the bar. Fai and Kurogane don’t have their Moment in the bar, since this time they’ve missed Oruha and will have to come back. And instead of fighting on the way to the bar, the oni attack them on their way home. The song “Kaze no Machi he” plays over not only the KuroFai vs oni fight, but also sweet moments between Syaoran and Sakura in the cafe, effectively setting a very nice parallel between the two couples while still contrasting them. It’s a wonderful scene and it’s part of what makes me so extra mad at Bee Train for how they treated the whole series, because they clearly know how to do their jobs, they were just too lazy to give TRC the effort and care it deserved. 

It was a really great scene and I would suggest watching just that couple of minutes, even if you don’t watch anything else from the Bee Train anime, simply because of how well it’s put together. Was it all just a happy editing accident? Maybe, but it’s one that I love.

Of course, like all things I love, Seishirou soon shows up to ruin them. This time with bad special effects.

This is of course after a pretty much canon-compliant intro to Ryuu-ou and Souma, complete with Kurogane dropping his freshly injured boyfriend on the ground in shock. Followed by pouting that I will take as a personal apology.

It’s not enough to make up for the lack of drunken shenanigans. Not even close.

Syaoran’s learned that not all of life’s problems can be solved by kicking. Sometimes you need to stab them. He asks Kurogane to teach him, but unlike in the manga where this is a sweet, if somber, moment between just the pair of them, Fai is, again, on the scene where he shouldn’t be. He’s also acting rather bitchy and tells Syaoran that if Kurogane teaches him to use a sword he needs to be ready to kill with it. Now this new dialogue is fucked up on a couple of levels.

Firstly, this is the same night Kurogane just lectured Fai about valuing his own life and admitted to killing more people than he could count in order to protect what he considered important to him. I’m sure we’re meant to read this as a type of semi-protective warning on Fai’s part towards Syaoran, but it comes off as petty at best and out right cruel at worst, to both Syaoran and Kurogane. Syaoran because he’s thirteen and he just wants to help save the love of his life who he is convinced he’ll never get back. Kurogane because he’s having this thing that’s pretty central to him at this point in his life thrown in his face with venom and treated like a danger towards his own adopted son. 

Second, and big spoilers, if you’re watching this after Tokyo and Celes have been published (which at the time of the airing they were not) Fai telling Syaoran to “be prepared to kill” is fucked up. It’s clear in Tokyo that Fai has known for a while (we don’t find out how long exactly until Celes) that Syaoran is a clone. He also has known that Syaoran is a very real threat, basically a ticking time bomb. Fai would not be egging him on like this. 

So, the whole exchange is very drastically changed in tone by giving Fai a small handful of lines, and in my humble onion it isn’t for the better. 

Do you wanna know what is better though? The quality of these weapons compared to the everything else that’s been seen in Outo so far, and we don’t get better. The animation takes a noticeable dip from here on out. It’s especially noticeable because Bee Train has gotten into the habit of padding episodes with flashbacks and recaps of things we saw only a few episodes ago like they’re fucking Naruto and when you cut from one of the decently animated flashbacks to the current shitshow it’s really jarring.

Quality aside (for the moment) the puppies finally get their swords but before they had left, Sakura asks Syaoran about what he and Kurogane are planning to do during the day. It’s a fair question since they’re heading out early, but no oni can be hunted until night. For some reason he doesn’t tell her they’re going to get weapons? Or that he’s going to train with Kurogane? He just says “It’s nothing to worry about” and like... why? 

On several levels why. First we have the whole why have Sakura ask if Syaoran’s not even going to tell her anything - maybe to add tension, as if they didn’t have enough, maybe to add angst, as if they didn’t have enough. He’s got no reason to hide this. She knows he hunts oni, telling her he’s going to better arm himself would only be a good thing, hell if he really wanted to avoid saying that he was going to get a sword he could have said that he was going with Kurogane to get one since Kurogane’s broke the night before. Second, Syaoran not answering only makes Sakura feel bad and worry more and I’ve never been so frustrated in my life. Yes, Syaoran tries to keep things from hurting Sakura but in the manga he doesn’t treat her like spun glass.

And then Mokona just tells her anyway so honestly the entire exchange was 95% meaningless and I demand to know who made these choices so I can meet them in the pit!!

Really the purpose is probably to waste time and pad the episode, but there’s enough in Outo that they really shouldn’t need to do this? But hey, what do I know? I’ve only read this series 10 times and done I can’t tell you how many analysis essays on the characters and plot. Surely some hacks who probably only glanced over the material know better.

So now Kurogane is throwing rocks at Syaoran. Not a whole lot is different for a while - we throw rocks at Syaoran, we blindfold Syaoran, we leave Syaoran all on his own to wander the city, Ryuu-ou stops Syaoran from getting his ass kicked by oni that he’s too focused on puzzling out to dodge, they flirt, they flirt so much. 

Ryuu-ou takes Syaoran to see the Biggest and Prettiest cherry blossom tree in Outo, because Ryuu-ou goes big or not at all and he’s got a boy to woo. 

Meanwhile, Fai has gotten a piano for the cafe that he can’t play and Sakura can speak to musical instruments, kinda. After another TouYuki cameo where they don’t recognize Sakura, Fai leaves Sakura to look after the cafe for reasons I can’t recall but that are probably dumb. Oruha shows up and she and Sakura have a Magical Musical Moment where Oruha plays the deus ex baby grand and learns all about how Sakura can’t remember Syaoran and somehow sees all the memories that Sakura can’t see/doesn’t have and folks I could not tell you what this adds to the story other than more confusion to people new to the series and frustration to people who have read the manga.

Let me break it down - Sakura doesn’t have these memories. Yuuko literally took them away as payment, they no longer exist. If they try to exist Sakura goes through a soft reset as seen earlier in this arc. Oruha should not be able to access them, super special VR powers be damned. The memories aren’t there to access. 404: Childhood Friendship not found.

This is all without touching on the creep factor of someone casually rooting around in Sakura’s head without her knowledge or permission. Hasn’t she’s lost enough autonomy?

Magic Music Memory time over, Oruha leaves and we’re spoiled and shown that Outo is VR and not actually the world we think it is, ruining both a really neat reveal and the weight of Syaoran and Fai’s “deaths” later in the arc. Do you want suspense and angst or not Bee Train?!?!

After reading some notes I had on the anime I think Fai left Sakura alone to go drinking with Kurogane because it’s now that they have their Moment in the Clover bar and finally meet Oruha (who stopped at the Cat’s Eye, sang with Sakura and read her mind, and then popped back to Clover because fuck you). 

So. The dads are drinking and gathering info, the boys are flirting, and Sakura is doing what she did in Hanshin - where she enters zombie mode and autopilots towards her feather. Yuzuriha appears in the nick of time to stop Sakura from meeting Seishirou and for this I think she should receive a medal of some sort in all honesty. 

As the girlfriends make their way back to Cat’s Eye Seishirou summons a Giant Deku Baba (seriously, Nintendo should look into copyright) and attacks the boyfriends. Ryuu-ou has to, once again, pull Syaoran out of harm’s way as he stands there aghast at the sudden turn of events. Things get a little too close to becoming a very uncomfortable tentacle based hentai and everyone escapes with their lives and virtue intact.  

Syaoran tries to defend Seishirou’s honor because he thinks Seishirou has honor to defend, but no one is buying it. We also get a brief look at our resident Lava Lamp Dweller (who I might remind you all we never get answers about in ANY form in the anime) before we are swiftly moving along to another moment between Syaoran and Sakura where he’s pretty much lying to her face about things he doesn’t need to lie about and Sakura ought to chew him out. 

Why? Why Bee Train? This is so OOC. Rewrite this fanfic. 

It’s Tower of Terror time and Kurogane is Delighted about the 3% chance of survival he’s been handed. So far we’re back on track. Except we’re not.

Manga readers will remember looking back on this as one of our first Big Hints about Kurogane’s past - his hang ups about the demons leaving behind no bones or bodies of their past victims, implying that they’ve been eaten whole, and how that seemed to bother him. There’s the vaguest of hints that Kurogane still has a personal grudge with demons here in the anime, but it’s a lot less impactful and I don’t know how much meaning it would have to someone who didn’t have prior manga knowledge to fall back on. I feel like it falls a bit flat (especially once we see how Kurogane’s past has been sterilized for a younger audience).

Aside from that, the tower is more or less the same, bad hentai jokes and all. 

Things also go very similarly at the cafe - Sakura works herself up into a tizzy and passes out, Fai feels the first emotion outside of Guilt and Horny he’s felt in upwards of a century, and Mokona tells him that he’s fine and that no, that’s not heartburn it’s affection. 

Enter King Trashface. He’s holding the feather in some sort of weird space disco ball? Not the worst thing, just an odd choice? He and Fai exchange words (starting with Fai telling Seishirou to fuck off in the most polite way ever) - during which Fai’s animation makes it seem that the closer Fai gets to “death” the more his face distorts, which is terrible and hilarious. 

Before Fai gets turned into demon chow though, Seishirou calls him out on being Mr. Deathwish, especially since Fai is fighting without using magic that could very possibly save him. At this point Fai flashes back to his and Kurogane’s “how about we don’t die” talk earlier and Fai says that he might want to live after all. Which is like. Bullshit at this point in the journey. He doesn’t want to live, he really really doesn’t and the very fact that he’s not using his magic is proof positive of that (see: Le Court). Though also, even with a bum ankle he thinks he can take Seishirou until he pulls out the feather. At which point Fai basically tells Mokona to pay attention to how he dies so she can tell the others about it. Which is so... against what he just said?

This is well before we ever see even a manga version of Fai with anything resembling self preservation or a proper will to live, but we have enough of his character for the anime writers to know that this is a very big leap for him to be taking so soon. I feel like if they wanted to give him a hopeful outlook (which is what I think they were trying to do after coming off the scene with Sakura and Mokona) they could have had him seem more wishy-washy about it, or phrased it as a curiosity. “Something I didn’t expect has happened and I wanna see where it goes” is a much better way for him to have made the same statement. At least in my opinion.

Anyway, he dies and I find his death scene really funny because you just see his legs dangling slowly and it’s so... idk it might just be me but I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Now I am pretty sure Seishirou causes this but Outo starts glitching. Everything starts going full Matrix rainbows on us and all the NPCs vanish. Souma is worried about the game falling apart and Ryuu-ou and Yuzuriha are both worried about their potential love lives new friends.

Here we come to a few things I very much HATE that were changed. Once Fai is dead Sakura goes zombie again and starts to follow after her feather/Seishirou before the puppies get home, so only Mokona is there waiting. This means I have lost yet ANOTHER FATHER-DAUGHTER MOMENT!! It also means that when Syaoran runs after Seishirou and gets murderized she not only sees it happen but... dies? with? him? Because she hugs him while the game is transporting him out? I dunno. It’s bad and dumb and I hate it. 

So Kurogane thinks they’re ALL DEAD, which is great. It’s not like he isn’t already having a bad enough day. Not that you could tell by looking because the animation doesn’t have him emote at all. He looks basically bored as Mokona tells them that Fai is dead while Syaoran is a step away from a full on meltdown. @beetrain you do know that Kurogane has emotions other than anger and Fight Me(tm) right?

And now Seishirou is idk posturing? Bragging? He talks about how there’s no one left to oppose him now that the 13 year olds are dead, completely ignoring the pissed off ninja murder machine that has nothing left to lose that’s coming for his sorry ass. I don’t remember him being that cocky in the manga? Am I misremembering or did the anime somehow make Seishirou even more unlikable? Either way, Kurogane finds the slimeball and, to my extreme annoyance, only asks if he killed Fai and Syaoran - not Sakura - even though he believes all of them to be dead. The anime keeps doing this and I have ranted about it so much I’ll spare you the retyping. For now.

A quick list of minor things that happen that I dislike:

Fai’s coat and Sakura’s cloak both pull random appearing and disappearing acts between episodes

No one is even a little surprised when Syaoran’s sword sets itself on fire

The pacing could kill a man. Unfortunately Seishirou lives.

My soap opera isn’t real and this is

Seishirou knows Syaoran is a clone and drops hints about something we are never getting resolution to

Oruha, after allowing Seishirou to fuck off, just, you know, tells Sakura that she has missing memories of Syaoran

Memories that she somehow was able to access even though they no longer exist within Sakura

If Yuuko says no memories she means NO MEMORIES!!!

FWR watches the demon rampage across Edonis. He’s probably reminiscing. Like an asshole. 

Outo wraps up and is it the worst of the arcs? No. But am I bitter about the things that were done to it because it changed a lot of fundamental things about the characters and the plot? Yes. 

See you next time, where I’ll probably talk about more than one arc. Until then, have this.

[part 1] [part 2]

[seigyokus]

9.4 - Calculation and Fabrication

Idolish Seven - Part 3, Chapter 9.4 For more Part 3 translations, click here!

Translation below the cut!

Thorvald: Good evening. Sorry to interrupt in the middle of a meal. I would like to offer a suggestion to everyone. Thorvald: How do you feel about setting up surveillance cameras in this room? IDOLiSH7: No! Izumi Mitsuki: You goddamn stalker! First you follow Nagi around, then you come in and drink our miso soup, and now you wanna set up cameras!? Nikaidou Yamato: You’re mighty bold for a stalker! Like hell we'd say yes to that! Thorvald: It is only reasonable for all of you to react that way. Very well. I shall be bringing Nagi-san back to Northmare with me then. IDOLiSH7: What!? Yotsuba Tamaki: He! He's tryna kidnap Nagicchi! Nanase Riku: We would never hand Nagi over to a stalker! Sougo-san, do you see anything that'd work as a weapon? Osaka Sougo: ......Here, take this! Izumi Mitsuki: You can't just throw glass pots around! That one’s expensive! *door opens* Rokuya Nagi: Thorvald.... Oh! What's the matter, everyone!? Nanase Riku: This dude's been stalking you, hasn't he! Rokuya Nagi: Well, if you were to call him a stalker you would not be wrong, but.... He is not the stalker I spoke of the other day.... Nikaidou Yamato: Y’know.... You’ve got an awful lot of stalkers.... Rokuya Nagi: Hm.... I am quite a sinful man, if I do say so myself. Thorvald: You misunderstand. I am not stalking Nagi-san in the slightest, I-- Ah.... Yotsuba Tamaki: ......!? A bunch of stuff just fell outta his pocket! Izumi Mitsuki: And they're all pictures of Nagi...! Nanase Riku: He has pictures of Nagi as a kid too! He's a veteran stalker!! Izumi Iori: ......This picture.... It must've been taken in a rather luxurious mansion.... Ah.... Rokuya Nagi: Thanks, Iori. Rokuya Nagi: Dropping pictures of my face to the ground is rather impolite, Thorvald, is it not? Thorvald: I apologize for the unacceptable behavior-- Ah.... Sorry, Nagi-san. Rokuya Nagi: In spite of the fact that you are behaving in a manner unbefitting of a subject of Northmare, you dare to warn me? I declare hereafter.... (1) Rokuya Nagi: ....... Izumi Mitsuki: Oh.... They started talking in Northmarean.... Nikaidou Yamato: I have no clue what they're talking about.... If they were talking in English, at least I'd have some idea of what's going on.... Nanase Riku: Nagi, are you sure you don't need to contact the police? He really isn't a stalker? Rokuya Nagi: ....... It is alright. Do not worry, he will be going home now. Thorvald: Thank you for the dinner, it was very delicious. Thank you for having me over. Thorvald: Nagi-san. You can only defer for so long. You are running out of time. Rokuya Nagi: All because the entire lot of you are incompetent. Thorvald: That is, unfortunately, painfully through. (2) Yotsuba Tamaki: You mean, 'painfully true?' Thorvald: That is, unfortunately, painfully true. Good night. May you have splendid dreams. *door closes* Izumi Mitsuki: ....... He came and went like a storm. Man, what a guest.... Rokuya Nagi: A storm would have been more well-mannered than him. Nikaidou Yamato: Nagi, are you really okay...? What the hell is this stalker business? And why didn't you tell me about it? Rokuya Nagi: He is my otaku friend. I was only jesting when I called him a stalker. Nikaidou Yamato: Why'd he break the window, then? Rokuya Nagi: Perhaps he got a little carried away in his excitement. He's in a foreign country, after all. (3) Yotsuba Tamaki: Really? Like, he said he was gonna take you with him back to Northmare and stuff.... Rokuya Nagi: Don't worry. He was just copying something from an anime. Izumi Mitsuki: You're positive everything's okay, right? You're not gonna get stabbed by some weirdo outta nowhere, right? Rokuya Nagi: Oh! My friend! Thank you for worrying about me! I am very happy! Rokuya Nagi: I am alright. If there is ever a night where I cannot sleep, kept awake by my fear, I'll take my Kokona DVD with me and go to your room. Rokuya Nagi: Why don’t we watch it right now! Let's turn on the TV.... Oh.... TV News: Weekly magazines have been publishing a special scoop on TRIGGER's Tsunashi Ryuunosuke-san and Hanamaki Sumire-san! Just what kind of relationship do they have? Nanase Riku: Tsunashi-san...?

Reporter: Tsunashi-san, is it true you invited Hanamaki-san to join Yaotome Productions? Reporter: And when did you get so close to her? Anesagi Kaoru: Please let us through. Ryuu, hurry up! Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Sorry. I’m afraid can't answer that.

Man: Did you hear? Apparently Yaotome Productions just went and snatched up Tsukumo Production's top seller! It was all over the news! Woman: He's being super ungrateful to both agencies! I bet he just wanted to get his girl into the same agency as him, that’s all. Man: Nah, I don’t think so. She was gonna be TRIGGER's rival at Black or White, so he seduced her and made her fall for him!

Yaotome Gaku: Ryuu's getting unilaterally bashed.... Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I'm really sorry.... I didn't know this was going to happen.... Yaotome Gaku: You didn't do anything wrong. You've been politely declining interviews and doing the usual stuff! Yeah? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Yeah.... But it feels different this time around.... Yaotome Gaku: How so? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: The interviewers are really.... Aggressive. It's like they're on the offensive. Yaotome Gaku: ......The articles are like that too.... They've said all sorts of things about us, but this is the first time they're being so blatant. *door opens* Yuki: Is everyone here? Kujou Ten: Yuki-san.... Momo: Ryuunosuke, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: What's wrong, Momo-san? Momo: I know I texted you about it, but all of this is my fault, Ryuu! Yaotome Gaku: What do you mean......?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Modern-day Chiba Salon...? And I'm the one who’s supposedly managing it...? Momo: Ryou-san's got it all wrong. He's trying to get all of the power in the industry right now, and one of the things that'd get in his way is organizations. Momo: Power is like a game of Othello. You get people to turn to your side, little by little, bit by bit. Momo: If one or two people protested, they wouldn't stand a chance. But if all of those people teamed up.... No one would have to turn to his side and they'd all be able to resist. Momo: I gathered all my friends together so we could have fun, but he probably thinks we're that kind of organization. Yaotome Gaku: But isn't that weird? If anything, he should be gunning for you and not Ryuu, Momo-san. Momo: That's true.... Have you ever done something that he'd bear a grudge against you for? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Me!? I don't think so.... Kujou Ten: People don't usually hold grudges against Ryuu. He's not that type of person. What about you, Momo-san? Yaotome Gaku: Alright, hear me out. I'm only asking this because we don't want to doubt your innocence, not because we suspect you. But you're not on the same team as Tsukumo Ryou, right? Momo: Of course not! If it came down to attacking Ryuu, then I'd rather send an assassin to off myself! Yuki: Momo would never betray you guys. Momo: Yuki...! Yaotome Gaku: And why can you say that so confidently? Yuki: Because he'd never do something that'd make me hate him. Right? Momo: I swear on that. Kujou Ten: I think so too. Gaku, you’re being rude. They've looked after us all this time. Yaotome Gaku: I said it was just in case! Yuki: Well, how about you, Gaku-kun and Ten-kun? Have either of you ever done something to incur Tsukumo's wrath? Kujou Ten: ...This has nothing to do with President Tsukumo, but there's a boy who sees me as his enemy. Yaotome Gaku: What's he like? Kujou Ten: ......He's one of the kids Kujou-san took care of. Yuki: Kujou, again......? Kujou Ten: ....... Yuki: Well, whatever. As long as you're happy with Kujou-san. Kujou Ten: If there's something you'd like to say, please speak. Yuki: Ten-kun, are you a masochist? Momo: Yuki, that’s a little too direct! Kujou Ten: I don't really understand, but just know that I'm a sadist when it comes to senpai who ask inconsiderate questions. Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Ten, that’s pushing it a bit! You might actually start a fight with him! Yaotome Gaku: Well, we can't help it. Ryuu, you were set up by that woman. We just gotta prove that. Yaotome Gaku: Is there anyone who could prove it? Was there anyone else who was there? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: ......Ah. Yaotome Gaku: There was!? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: There was.... But given the situation and the fact that Tsukumo's definitely got something up his sleeve, I can't get them involved. Yaotome Gaku: This isn't the time for that shit! We're gonna get their testimony and prove your innocence! Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I can't. I won't tell you. Momo: Wait, is it.... Your girlfriend? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: N-no! Yaotome Gaku: What the hell? You should've told us you were dating someone! Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I'm not! Yuki: Of course he wouldn't want to get his girlfriend involved. What kind of girl is she? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I'm telling you guys, it's not a girl! Kujou Ten: If that's the case, then why don't you tell us who it is? Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Yeah, but.... I don't want to get him involved.... Yuki: Fine. So be it. Momo, Gaku-kun. Hold him down. Yaotome Gaku: What are you gonna do? Yuki: Torture him. Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Torture!? Huh? Wait-- Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Ahahaha! Ah! Stop! Stop it! Ahaha! It tickles! Ahahaha! I, I can't take it anymore! Kujou Ten: How merciless.... Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Ahahaha! Ahahahaha! Okay! Okay! I give up! I'll talk!

To be continued....

TL Notes/comments:

THANKS @kuriiii FOR PROOFING!!! 

THORVALD IS THE GODDAMN FUckIng drops 2098042 pcitures meme I CANT BELIEVe

(1) this bit kind of goes on for a bit without any real subject so i just tried 2 make it sound as official as possible (2) alright there's a japanese saying/kotowaza that goes 'mimi ga itai' (lit. my ear hurts) which applies to anything that has been said over and over to you to the point where you're tired of hearing OR something that is painfully true. Thorvald says 'mimi ga nigai' (lit. my ear is bitter) LOL (3) literally he says 'hustle' but clearly some katakana-eigo is at work because with every example sentence I read the more i was like 'yeeeeeeeah hustle does not mean what it means in english in japanese'

As usual, if you see any mistakes/mistranslations/etc, please message me!

Thank you for reading!!

[silvormoon]

Buttons

After the graduation ceremony, so many of the third-year Apes flock to give their buttons to the Beppu twins that they’re nearly stampeded. They have to run and take shelter behind Gora, who shouts and waves his axe until everyone agrees to form up into two orderly lines, one for each twin. Once everyone has settled down, the twins are happy to graciously accept their admirers’ gifts, and offer words of hard-earned advice: Don’t worry if you hit a roadblock in your chosen path - sometimes what you think you want isn’t what’s best for you. Don’t be jealous of someone else’s success - learn from their example and let them inspire you. When you go out into the world and find yourself surrounded by strangers, it can be scary to try to make friends, but don’t let that stop you - maybe the person you’re longing to be friends with needs a friend, too.

Kinshiro makes his way through to Akoya and solemnly twists the button off his jacket.

“I’m leaving it all to you,” he says. “You’ll be president of the Student Council now, so please take good care of my beloved Binan High for me. Try to learn from my mistakes and be a better president than I was.”

“I’ll do my best,” Akoya promises. Then he surprises Kinshiro by putting his arms around him and hugging him tightly.

“You and Arima were the first real friends I ever had,” he whispers. “Take care of yourselves out there, and come visit me again soon.”

For a moment, Kinshiro has no idea what to do. Then he closes his arms around his friend and returns the embrace. They stand like that for a long time.

En ambles his way over to stand with Io.

“Well, I guess that’s it,” he says. He offers a button to Io, who eyes it with some curiosity. Usually he’s the first to take free things, but he’s not sure if this can really be meant for him.

“What’s this for?” he asked.

“I’d like you to have it,” says En. “And maybe, once in a while, look at it and remember that it’s okay to slow down and take it easy once in a while. You only get but so much life to live. I don’t want to see you get to the end and realize you spent the whole thing saving up for a future that you aren’t going to get.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” says Io. He flashes a smile. “And, Sempai... I hope, wherever you’re going, you’ll find something you love doing as much as I love what I do. You know, a wise man once said, ‘Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’”

En grins. “Well, I don’t know about that!” and they both laugh.

Ryuu stands amid a crowd of admirers - he can’t match the Beppus for sheer popularity, but he has his share of admiration even from the older students. It takes him a while to realize that Arima isn’t just drifting aimlessly, but charting a course through the crowd towards him.

“What’s up?” he says. He knows Arima is a friend, a part of the team, but they’ve barely exchanged more than a handful of words in all the time they’ve known each other.

“I’ve decided to give this to you,” says Arima, offering him a button.

“Why me?” Ryuu asks.

“Who knows? It seemed like a good idea,” says Arima, with his usual vague smile, but there’s a twinkle in his eye that suggests he thinks a great deal more than he’s saying. “And perhaps, also, as a reminder.”

“Of what?” Ryuu asks. “It’s not like I’m ever going to forget any of this.”

“Nothing like that,” says Arima. “Only... I know you’re the sort who loves variety. You have a lot of love to give, and you like to share it around to everyone, and that’s fine. But I thought it wouldn’t hurt to remind you that there’s something to be said for the idea of devotion.” He smiles fondly in the direction of Kinshiro, who is still trying awkwardly to escape Akoya’s embrace without hurting his feelings. “When you find one person whose happiness matters to you, when you get the chance to stand beside them for the long haul, to watch them struggle and grow stronger, to share in their happiness... I think there can be no greater joy in life than that. I hope you won’t miss out on it.”

Thoughtfully, Ryuu takes the button from Arima’s fingers. His gaze strays to where Io and En are still laughing and joking together.

“You know,” he says, “you might just be on to something, there.”

“Here,” says Atsushi, pressing a button into Yumoto’s hand. “This is for you.”

“For me?” Yumoto looks down at the tiny thing in his hands as though he had never imagined such a thing could exist, or could happen to him.

“That’s right,” says Atsushi. “I think we’d all give you ours if we could, but there’s only but so many second buttons to go around, so I hope you’ll think of this as being from all of us.”

“Thank you,” says Yumoto, with that sincerity that only he can muster. “I’ll treasure it.”

Atsushi smiles. “I know you will. You know, I’m counting on you. It’s up to you to keep the Earth Defense Club going once we’re gone.”

Yumoto looks downcast. “I don’t know if I can.”

“Sure you can.” Atsushi puts a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. “En and I might have started it, and I might have been the one to put my name on all the paperwork, but you’ve always been the heart of the team. More than anyone else, you’re the one best qualified to keep the spirit of the club alive.”

“What should I do?” Yumoto asks.

“What you’ve always done,” said Atsushi. “I think... from now on... you should try to find the ones who would have been monsters, before they can become one. Find the ones who are all eaten up with anger, or loneliness, or jealousy, or despair, and show them what love is all about, in that way that comes naturally to you.”

“I don’t know if I can do it without you,” says Yumoto. “It just won’t be the same.”

“Of course you can,” Atsushi says. “Think about it. When the club started, it was just En-chan and me. Then Io and Ryuu joined, and then you, and then we got to be friends with Kin-chan and Ibu-chan and Akoya and the Beppu brothers. The club is always changing, but the heart of it stays the same. When school starts again, you’ll be the sempai, and you’ll find the ones who need the Earth Defense Club and bring them into it. You’ll teach them all about love, and friendship, and about baths and goofing off and having fun. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?” His eyes brighten a bit, and he smiles. “It really is. It doesn’t matter where we go, or how far apart we are, we’ll still have the spirit of the club with us. As long as we remember that, there will always be an Earth Defense Club.”

[another-miracle]

It becomes a game of sorts for them.

“Why, Miss,” Obi leans over her against the door frame. “Where do you think you’re going with that bowl of chocolate, hm?”

Shirayuki looks up, then quickly glances away. Her face is slightly flushed, and the smile on her face is trembling a little as her eyes dart everywhere but at him. “...Nowher-”

“You wouldn’t happen to be bringing that to Little Ryuu, would you?” Obi moves to pluck the bowl from her hands, but Shirayuki dodges before zooming out into the corridor. He watches her go, hands on hips, and laughs.

Oh, it’s on.

“Little Ryuu! Look at this! I’ve found out a part of the garden that grows that flower you like so much!” 

Ryuu looks up from his notes at the older man leaning against the open window. He watches as Obi twirls the stem of a red flower in his hand, and his eyes widen. Immediately, he stands.

“Where did you get that?” Ryuu asks, hands open to receive the blossom. Obi hands it to him, a smug grin on his face. Distantly, Ryuu hears a little noise of protest from his red-haired co-worker behind him, but doesn’t pay her mind.

Obi laughs. “I was wandering around in the botanic gardens, in that greenhouse right there-” he points, “and Yuzuri showed me where this famous yura shigure was planted. So, how about it? A little laugh of appreciation for this old ma-Geh.”

And Ryuu is back at his table, scouring his notes for the conditions of the yura shigure and mumbling to himself about how on earth does a summertime flower grow in the dead of winter? As he flips through the papers, he hears Obi and Shirayuki exchange words for awhile. He isn’t paying attention to the conversation. All he knows is that Obi is affronted and Shirayuki is laughing.

He smiles.

“Hey, Ryuu.”

“Yes, Shirayuki.”

“Why do potatoes make such good detectives?”

“...what?”

“Because they keep their eyes peeled!”

“...I don’t understand.”

“...It’s okay. Shut up, Obi.”

Golden eyes are fixed on his target through the crack in the door. He keeps his breathing quiet, ensuring that the door doesn’t make a sound when he pushes it open. Step by step, he approaches. Crawling behind his target, his arms extend, fingers reaching, then-

“Obi, what are you doing?”

Obi freezes, finger frozen against Ryuu’s sides. He looks up to see Ryuu staring down at him, blank-faced as usual. There is a dulled glint of amusement in his eyes, but Obi knows better - he probably disturbed his work. Crap.

Obi stands to his feet. He rests his palm on the smaller boy’s head and gives his hair a ruffle. “Was trying to see if you were ticklish! But I disturbed you, didn’t I? I’m sorry. What are you working on?”

Ryuu turns back to his table, and drawls on a little about how the combination of two liquids may serve to fulfil a more useful purpose. Obi listens as best as he can, asking questions here and there, as Ryuu explains things he never knew when he was his age. With the small dimple appearing at his cheek as Ryuu picks up the papers to show him a diagram he created, Obi figures the child-like expression on Ryuu’s face is worth a thousand laughs. 

The prank can wait. For now.

Shirayuki struggles against his hold, hands clenching and arms trembling against the force. She pushes as best as she can, but to no avail. Obi is just too strong. A small sound of frustration leaves her lips as she tries pushing at him again. 

“Miss,” Obi wheezes. “Please.”

“It’s just for a bit, Obi! It’s not that hard!” Her hands try to make a grab for his face, but he dodges. 

“I beg to differ, Miss.” Obi’s eyes are clenched, his neck extended away from her, giving her a view of the tendons working at his throat. She swallows. No, don’t get distracted.

“-iss, what if someone sees us like this?” Obi’s voice is scandalized, and she resists the urge to roll her eyes. The man can be so dramatic at times.

“It’s fine! Now let me-”

The doors slides open with a bang. Ryuu stands at the entrance, a handful of scrolls and flasks. His eyes land on the two of them and Shirayuki freezes. She wonder how this might look like - her knee between Obi’s legs, wrists cuffed in his hands, a feather tip dipped in ink hovering over his face. He is covered in markings encircling his eyes, nose, mouth, making him look like a cat.

Ryuu coughs. “...I’ll give you two some privacy.”

The door slams shut, and both Shirayuki and Obi are frozen. A moment passes, and they stare at each other. Obi’s face looks ridiculous and Shirayuki cannot help but let out a snort. 

“P-plan failed, huh,” Shirayuki laughs.

Obi lets out a tch. “Very funny, Miss.”

She helps him wipe off the ink later.

A week passed, and regardless how hard Obi and Shirayuki try, they just cannot get Little Ryuu to laugh. A smile, yes. But no boisterous laughter characterising every other boy his age does Ryuu provide. Granted, Ryuu isn’t just any other boy, so perhaps the two have gravely underestimated his humour threshold. 

“It’s no use, Obi,” Shirayuki sighs, treading alongside her partner-in-crime. “Ryuu’s just no good for laughing. All we get is a smile - not that it’s bad, but I was really hoping for more.”

Obi scratches his cheek. “Maybe it’s his personality? We shouldn’t force him to do something he doesn’t want. I think we’re distracting him from his work.”

“You’re right,” she replies. “We’ll just come clean with him and apologise for disrupting his research.”

“Yeah,” Obi replies, pushing open the door to their quarters. “That sounds like a good ide-Watch out!”

In an instant, she is plastered against the wall next to the door, Obi’s body lined up with hers. A loud clang sounds, and a rush of white powder clouds Shirayuki’s vision, causing her to close her eyes. Then, there is a wave of something soft, and she opens her eyes to see...feathers?

“Little Ryuu, what is the meaning of this?” Obi bites out, and Shirayuki looks up. 

There are some sights one never will never forget for a lifetime. The way Obi looks now - half his body drenched in water, the other half covered in flour and feathers, eyes narrowed and dead as if his soul has transcended to another plane of existence - easily makes it to Shirayuki’s top ten. Her hand immediately goes up to her mouth, and she feels tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she tries to stifle a laugh. 

“Pfft!” 

The two turn towards the sound. Shirayuki’s hand drops to her side and her jaw slackens. She’s sure Obi is in the same predicament as her, despite the extra foliage. 

There, Little Ryuu stands, trembling - an arm around his tummy and a hand slammed over his mouth. Little noises of stilted giggles fill the room as Ryuu holds in the laughter that is trying to burst from him. 

“S-sorry, O-obi,” his voice muffled by his palm. “I kinda knew what was going on, and I wanted to get back at you guys. B-but... pfft!”

Obi recovers first, walking up to Ryuu and bending towards him. “You mean, this?” He points to his face caked in white and fluff. “Why, Little Ryuu, how rude. My face is the handsomest in all the land! Wouldn’t you agree, Miss?”

It is impossible to hold it in, and Ryuu laughs in earnest as he witnesses the murder of Obi’s good looks up close. Obi begins making weird gestures at Ryuu, causing him to surrender to another fit of laughter once more. And Shirayuki can’t help but giggle along, chest full and heart warm at the childish creases surrounding his smiling eyes and the light bells of boyish sniggering. 

Well, mission accomplished, she thinks. Though neither have won the bet, at least they won the boy.

[lilspotofsunshine]

summary(?) for limit chp 6

spoilers ahead

uh here’s an Attempt at translating the first 5 preview pages from canna's website… the rest is a mishmash of stuff translated from some japanese blogs that posted their summary of the chapter.

p1 His first time being in Kouhei's room, and now it's just the two of them alone at night......!?

Kouhei's mom: zzz

p2 Taichi: ALRIGHT!!! BRING IT ON!! Kouhei: (This really isn’t seductive at all…) Kouhei: “Bring it on”… Kouhei: Taichi… are you sure you get it? Taichi: I-I get it! Don’t look down on me! Taichi: Even I would have some idea of what this is! Taichi: (Though I’ve never done it before) Taichi: B-but, we’re both men! So! Taichi: I thought about how we’re gonna do it…

p3 Taichi: We’d have to grapple with each other, kinda like this, huh. Kouhei: Grapple!? Um, this isn't pro wrestling! Kouhei: …… Kouhei: …Say, Taichi… Kouhei: Are you forcing yourself? Taichi: Huh? Kouhei: Like, are you maybe doing this for my sake? Taichi: N-no! That’s not it! Taichi: I’m not… [Misunderstandings will start to pile up…] Kouhei: ……

p4 Kouhei: …This is also Kouhei: My first time with a guy, so Kouhei: I don’t actually know how far I could take this. Taichi: ! Taichi: Kou… Kouhei: O—ne Taichi: !?

p5 Kouhei: Two— Three— Taichi: Huh!? What are you-! Taichi: Thumb wrestling!? Kouhei: Fo—ur… Taichi: Wait, this fingerrrr—! Kouhei: Fi—ve… Taichi: Ughghhghhhhh! Taichi: GAAHH!!!! Kouhei: And o—ne Taichi: UOOOHH!! Kouhei: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 〜 Taichi: Ngaaaaahh!! Kouhei: 10! Taichi: CRAP I LOSTー!! Kouhei: Haha Taichi: Damn it… Taichi: Wait, one more time! I want a rematch…

Taichi moved forward but ended up getting hugged by Kouhei (?). Taichi’s heart began beating really loudly, making him get all flustered.

“Damn it heart, keep it down!!! At this rate I’m gonna get laughed at again…” 1

Eventually, Taichi noticed that some of the rapid heartbeats were coming from Kouhei too. Kouhei looked calm on the outside but it turned out that he was just as nervous.

In an instant, Kouhei flipped their positions so that Taichi was now lying on his back. Feeling completely bewildered by Kouhei’s strange mood, Taichi let himself be kissed.

Suddenly, Taichi yelled out in surprise.

“Y-you! J-just now… t-to-tongue…!”

“What?”

“What was that!!! Out of nowhere…! T-that surprised me!!!”

With a look of deep yearning, Kouhei said, “Taichi. I love you.”

He gently dropped a kiss on Taichi’s forehead. Taichi, who had turned beet red, started feeling really nervous and panicky in response to this Kouhei, who’s giving off a different vibe than usual.

“W-wait! Kouhe…! H-Hold it, time out!”

Turned out that Taichi’s mobile phone was ringing. He got off the bed hurriedly.

“Chiba-san!?”

Apparently, Chiba called to let Taichi know that it’s alright for him to report to work in the afternoon because of his grandfather’s situation.

Once the call has ended, Taichi rushed over to Kouhei’s side, apologising for making him wait.

Kouhei asked if that was Chiba, and Taichi explained what he was told over the phone.

“Hmm… sounds like you guys are on good terms now.”

Even though you thought he was a huge jerk before, Kouhei added a little coldly.

Obliviously, Taichi started telling him about what happened at the retreat with Chiba to cause this change of heart, which bugged Kouhei even more. He gripped Taichi’s shoulder and interrupted him.

"I think we should go to sleep. A lot happened today… you must be tired.”

Kouhei gave Taichi a quiet smile, but the situation earlier seemed to have soured the overall mood. They ended up sleeping in separate beds.

Staring at Kouhei’s back, Taichi wondered if maybe Kouhei was upset with him. They’re finally right next to each other but somehow, it felt so much lonelier than when they were miles apart.

Kouhei seemed to be having trouble sleeping too, so they both spent the night wrapped in that unpleasantness, waiting for morning to come.

The next day, Kouhei woke up first to find that Taichi had ended up upside-down, with his legs where his head should be. Taichi started rolling over and looked like he’s about to fall off the bed, so Kouhei rushed over to move him back to safety.

“…want to eat… mburg…”

Gazing at Taichi’s sleeping face, Kouhei was reminded of how hard he had cried at the hospital the night before.

As he’s stroking Taichi’s hair tenderly, his eyes caught onto the burn scar peeking out from under Taichi’s sleeve.

“…I’m sorry, Taichi..”

Kouhei got up to turn off the alarm when he heard Taichi’s voice.

“…Kouhei…”

Turning around, he saw that Taichi was still fast asleep.

“…Must have imagined it,” Kouhei thought, and left the room.

At the university, Maya had just successfully turned down an offer from friends to have lunch together. It was exhausting having to use her full concentration during the lecture, so she looked forward to having some peaceful, alone time during lunch.

Yasu showed up to inform her that there’d been scheduling changes to the screening event (?). Then he asked, "If you don’t have any other plans, do you wanna go out for drinks?”

Maya looked surprised by this unexpected invitation.

Kouhei headed out to the soccer practice spot, where he found Ryuu kicking a ball around alone. Kouhei went up to him and started signing.

“Hey. Do you always practise here?”

They started conversing in sign language. Ryuu had questions of his own.

"You look free. No date today? What about that girl who was with you the other day?"

"Maya? She's a friend," Kouhei replied.

"Shall I introduce you to some girls? You’re good-looking so you’ll be a big hit with them!”

He went to snap a photo of Kouhei, but was turned down.

"Sorry, I already have someone I like.”

"Someone you’re dating?”

…Sort of, Kouhei replied a little shyly.

That piqued Ryuu's curiousity, which led him to prod Kouhei about it.

Kouhei confided that he feels insecure about the relationship sometimes. Things like how he had fallen in love with them first and how it had been one-sided on his part for a while. It still feels kind of like that, even now. He thought that he’d be okay with it, but lately he’s starting to wonder if he’s just no good for them.

After all, if he loses any more of his hearing, he can't be there for them when they need him the most.

Hearing this, Ryuu got mad and kicked the ball harshly.

“You make it sound like being deaf makes a person totally useless. That’s really irritating.”

He started signing very quickly.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you break up? Either way, it’s not going to work out since you’re both living in different worlds.”

Kouhei began to feel pressured by Ryuu’s rapid fire signing which he was struggling to keep up with.

“You want to live as a hearing person, don’t you? ‘Cause you don’t wanna be a deaf person?” Ryuu asked, looking straight into Kouhei’s eyes.

“Tha… that’s not…!” Kouhei exclaimed, wanting to deny it but he remembered the time he lost his hearing. He had been relieved, thinking, “I’m glad it was only for a moment.” Recalling that, Kouhei found himself at a loss for words.

“But you’ll never become a hearing person again, so you might as well come over to this side.”

The chapter ends with Ryuu holding his hand out to Kouhei.

i was this close to typing out “be still, my heart” lmao ↩︎

[yotsutama]

SS1.11.3 - Preparation For You

Part 1 Side Story Chapter 11.3

Side Stories

Sougo: Aah, the sea breeze feels so nice......

Sougo: I wasn’t feeling well so I went to bed earlier, but I woke up at a weird time now. I wonder where everyone went?

*thud*

Sougo: Uwa,

Elementary school boy: ......gh, wassaibīn!

Sougo: Eh......?

High school boy: Nda! Kumankaikūwa! ... We are so sorry! Are you alright?

Sougo: I'm fine. Here, you dropped this. This is...... Are you going to play with fireworks?

High school boy: Yes, with our family. Are you sightseeing?

Sougo: I'm here because of my job. I hope I can go sightseeing tomorrow though.

High school boy: I see. Please enjoy your trip in Okinawa. I'm sorry my little brother bumped into you.

High school boy: We'll take our leave now.

Middle school boy: Guburīsabira!

Sougo: Thank you. Be careful, okay?

Sougo: ...... What a polite boy. It would be nice if Tamaki-kun was like that……

Sougo: …… No no no no! I must not compare them! Tamaki-kun is doing his best now.

Sougo: It's natural for me to follow him up since I’m older. I must be firmer.

Tamaki: What are you mumbling about?

Sougo: Hii......!

Tamaki: Are you alright now?

Sougo: I-I'm fine. What are you doing here Tamaki-kun?

Tamaki: Sou-chan, you disappeared so I was looking for you.

Sougo: ..............

Tamaki: Here. Sheー...? Shequasar? I bought it for you. They said it's good for your health. Drink it?

Sougo: ..............

Sougo: ...... He's nice......

Tamaki: Huh?

Sougo: It's nothing. Thank you.

Tamaki: Let's go back already. The sea is scary at night.

Sougo: It's not scary as long as we don't go into the sea.

Tamaki: What if a lot of hands come out?

Sougo: From where?

Tamaki: The sea.

Sougo: Ahaha. That is scary.

Tamaki: I already said that.

Sougo: It would be nice if we brought fireworks though. You could have been excited that way.

Tamaki: You want to play fireworks?

Sougo: I don't know, it just came to my mind.

Sougo: Tamaki-kun, the other side of me isn’t near the sea, you can walk over here instead.

Sougo: If hands really did appear from the sea, I’d be your shield. That way, you won't be scared, right?

Tamaki: I don't wanna. That's even scarier.

Sougo: Eh?

Tamaki: Rather than losing myself, it's scarier when you lose other people. Is it not like that for you?

Sougo: ...... That might be true.

Tamaki: .............. Did you have someone? Someone you lost?

Sougo: ..............

Tamaki: ...... No, I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to......

Sougo: Sorry......

Tamaki: ..............

Tamaki: Drink that and get better. Let's go back. And then, when you wake up, make sure that you sleep in the bedroom, okay?

Sougo: Yeah. Sorry for making you worry......... Where is everyone else?

Tamaki: They went somewhere.

Gaku: My bad, Nanase. I pulled you into the room all of sudden.

Riku: No...... Me too, I got the wrong room.

Gaku: But really, I didn't know Tenn was like that. I thought he was just a perfectionist……

Gaku: It's because he flew into this world, to the point of cutting ties with his family, that it makes him so strict towards other people and to himself.

Riku: ...... Did Tenn-nii say anything? About his family......

Gaku: ...... No...... As I said before, he never talked about his private life.

Riku: I see......

Gaku: ..............

Riku: Does he want to forget it all? About me, and our family......

Riku: I wonder if he wants to forget it all.

Gaku: Nanase......

Riku: I don't understand Tenn-nii at all. Through not understanding him, I became unable to understand myself too......

Gaku: Yourself?

Riku: Am I sad because I'm lonely? Am I angry because he left us? Or do I actually just want to apologize to him......

Gaku: Why do you have to apologize?

Riku: ...... I always gave him a lot of trouble.

Gaku: ..............

Gaku: Nanase, were you a delinquent?

Riku: Delinquent!? Do you mean like, doing bad things!? No! I would never do that!

Gaku: I know. You don't look like that kind of person.

Riku: Yaotome-san, were you a delinquent?

Gaku: There's no way. I was an honor student, you know.

Riku: Ohh! So, you only look like a delinquent then!

Gaku: You and Tenn have different types of rudeness, huh.

Riku: I, I'm sorry!

Gaku: Haha....... It's fine. So, this is what they call twins, huh.

Riku: ...... Twins...... They say twins have some sort of telepathy, but it's not like that at all for me......

Riku: I don't get what he’s thinking....... Yaotome-san, do you know?

Gaku: What Tenn is thinking?

Riku: Yes.

Riku: What kind of person is Kujou Tenn from your perspective, Yaotome-san?

Gaku: ..............

Gaku: At the very least, he is a totally different person from the Nanase Tenn you talk about.

Gaku: A gentle boy, that gets weak when being taken care of, and smiles all the time...... I’ve never met that kind of Tenn.

Gaku: Tenn is strong, brave, very strict, and he's not coldhearted, but he never shows any mercy.

Riku: No way......

Gaku: However, I......

Gaku: I like Kujou Tenn better. Rather than the very sweet Nanase Tenn you talked about.

Riku: ..............

Gaku: I wouldn't hate the gentle Tenn, but I don't think I would think of him as special.

Gaku: So, in other words, I don't hate Tenn after all....... Shit. This is pissing me off.

Riku: …… Why are you pissed off?

Gaku: Because your brother is that kind of person. If he found out about this, he would make fun of me with that smug face of his.

Riku: Is that, really Tenn-nii......

Gaku: The Kujou Tenn I know is that kind of person.

Riku: ..............

Riku: Cold, without mercy. I’ve never known that kind of Tenn-nii. He did get angry when he was worried though.

Riku: I wonder what happened...... Did he really change?

Riku: Since he met TRIGGER...... Since he met Yaotome-san and the others......

Gaku: No. He was like that from the start. He wasn’t influenced by anyone.

Riku: Then......

Gaku: The current Tenn is the real Tenn, that's all.

Riku: ..............

Gaku: He only acted nice in front of you. He just wanted to be a good big brother to you.

Riku: Th......, That's wrong! The Tenn-nii that's with me is the real Tenn-nii!

Gaku: No. The current Tenn is the real one. I'm always by his side. There's no way I'm wrong.

Riku: Always by his side......! Don't brag about it, please!

Gaku: I'm not bragging!! It's not like I'm always with him because I like it!

Riku: But you just said that you like him!

Gaku: I just said that if we compare him with the past Tenn! If I compare him with Ryuu then it's Ryuu >>> impassable wall >>> Tenn!

Riku: That's cruel......!! Yaotome-san, you always make fun of Tenn-nii, right?!!

Gaku: I never make fun of him......!! It's him who always makes fun of me!!

Riku: Tenn-nii would never do that! He's as gentle as an angel, and very kind, even when he said no, if I ask nicely he would always allow me to......

Gaku: That, is that really Tenn......? You aren't being influenced by some drama?

Riku: It's real......!!

Gaku: Ah, I know. It's him, right? The violinist role that appeared this year......

Riku: The Tenn-nii I know is the original!!

Riku: ......gh, cough cough......

Gaku: Oi, are you ok? You're a singer, so take care of your throat properly.

Gaku: Here, water.

Riku: Thank you very much......

Riku: Yaotome-san. You look like a delinquent but you're very nice......

Gaku: This twin is so noisy, huh.

Gaku: ...... Nanase.

Riku: Yes.

Gaku: If you became an idol because of Tenn, don't you want to sing with him?

Riku: ..............

Riku: If I say I wanted to, would Tenn-nii do it for me?

Gaku: ..............

Gaku: I wouldn’t let him. He's our center after all.

Riku: ...... You’re bragging about him after all......

Gaku: I’m not, duh.

Nagi: Freedom......!! Finally, we are released from the scolding!

Tenn: You want to move on to the second round?

Yamato: Stupid Nagi, shut up!! No, no! It's already enough Kujou! It really went through our bones!

Mitsuki: It felt more like it went straight to our insides...... But thanks to you we feel better now!

Mitsuki: Thanks, Kujou!

Iori: .............. Why......

Tenn: What?

Iori: Why do you care so much?

Iori: We're from different agencies, you should have minded your own business......

Mitsuki: Hey, Iori! He gave us advice, you know!

Tenn: I didn't do it for you all. It was for your fans.

Tenn: And, as an idol, you annoyed me.

Iori: ...... Is it because I made a mistake?

Tenn: That's not it. You were standing on the stage, but you forgot about the audience.

Iori: ..............

Tenn: Anyone can make mistakes. First of all, a mistake is not always bad.

Tenn: What's important is, how to recover from it.

Iori: Recover……

Tenn: Yeah. You didn't recover. Even though you have your fans waiting for you.

Iori: ..............

Yamato: Kujou's saying the right thing. But these guys are still young. It's natural for them to get upset after making mistakes......

Iori: What should I do, so that I don't get upset?

Yamato: Ichi……

Iori: Please tell me.

Tenn: It's to be aware.

Iori: About what?

Tenn: About your task. About what's expected from you.

Iori: ..............

Tenn: Even if you made 100 mistakes, there's someone who would be happy by just seeing you smile.

Tenn: Even if you had 100 weak points, there's someone who would be saved with your one strong point.

Tenn: You don't have to be a perfect human who can bury those 100 weak points. That's not a human, just a robot.

Tenn: Do what only you can do. Make sure that those who love you are happy with your own way.

Iori: ...... What only I can do......

Tenn: Yeah.

Tenn: That time, it was so obvious how upset you were. Even when Riku laughed, no matter who laughed, it wouldn't erase the fans' uneasiness.

Tenn: It was only your smile that could have changed the mood in the studio that time. That could have reassured the fans.

Iori: ..............

Mitsuki: ...... Isn't it enough already? It wasn't just Iori's fault. We also......

Tenn: Of course. You couldn't follow this boy up until he could laugh that time.

Tenn: You were just comforting him because he made a mistake. You should reflect on that.

Mitsuki: Yes......

Nagi: OH...... I thought the scolding was over......

Tenn: I'm sorry that it sounded like a scolding.

Tenn: I just wanted to tell you. A mistake is not something you should be afraid of. Being afraid of making mistakes, is what you should be afraid of.

Tenn: Compared to success, a mistake impacts our hearts more. If our hearts are captivated, our bodies will feel as heavy as a stone.

Tenn: However, you must not forget how to fly.

Iori: ...... Kujou-san......

Tenn: Don't lose your courage. Those who laughed at your mistake, can be happy whenever anyone makes mistakes.

Tenn: Those who are happy because of your success...... You're the only one who can make them happy.

Tenn: That's where your task is. Whenever it is, don't forget to always hold on to it.

Nagi: OH...... It rings in my heart. It's enough. Thank you for the meal.

Tenn: You just want the scolding to end, right?

Nagi: That is not really incorrect.

Tenn: Haha...... How honest.

Nagi: Kujou-shi, why do you think like that?

Tenn: It's just from my experiences. Just like children, the more we fell, the faster we stood up.

Mitsuki: Kujou, did you also have times when you made a lot of mistakes?

Tenn: Of course.

Mitsuki: Seriously!?

Tenn: Even now I'm still under pressure. Who do you think have been singing beside me?

Yamato: Yaotome and Tsunashi-san...... You really appreciate those two, huh.

Tenn: Well, yeah.

Mitsuki: So Kujou can also make mistakes too. Hearing that, kinda makes me feel rest assured......

Iori: ...... Thank you for your advice, I am going to use it as my references from now on.

Tenn: Yeah.

Iori: And, someday, I will show you that we can surpass TRIGGER.

Iori: Because I think, that's how we can make our fans happy.

Tenn: .............

Tenn: Suit yourself.

Ryuunosuke: Ahaha! You got better at speaking in formal speech, huh.

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: I learned it from my part-time job. I also learned it from watching Nii-san on TV.

Ryuunosuke: I see...... It feels a bit awkward speaking with you like this.

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: Haha...... Speaking about awkward, can I talk about other awkward things?

Ryuunosuke: Ah...... Ok.

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: Our youngest brother is worried. What if Nii-san got stolen by people there, just like our mother was?

Ryuunosuke: .............

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: I understand that you're there because of your job.

Ryuunosuke: ...... How silly. I'm our father's son, and your big brother, you know?

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: But, you're saying different things on TV?

Ryuunosuke: .............

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: Sorry...... We're just worried. Nii-san, you're not good at lying, so we thought you were having a hard time there.

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: You don't have to worry about us. We're proud we have a big brother in TRIGGER.

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: ...... I'm already use to being asked if I’m also sexy too......

Ryuunosuke: ...... You got asked that?

Ryuunosuke's younger brother: Nope, I'm fine. Let's talk about other things, I'm tired of it!

Ryuunosuke: .............

Ryuunosuke: ...... I can't stay like this, huh.

To be continued......

T/N

@aseria THX FOR ALWAYS (^_-)-☆

Wassaibīn! = Sorry about that!

Nda! Kumankaikūwa! = Hey! Come here!

Guburīsabira! = Bye bye!

Shequasar = Citrus depressa or シークワーサー[shīkuwāsā], in English usually called shequasar. A Taiwan tangerine, flat lemon, hirami lemon drink.

"Ah, I know. It's him, right? The violinist role that appeared this year......" Gaku was most likely trying to say that Riku probably got influenced by a drama about a violinist who was very kind and believes that Riku was mixing the character up with Tenn since he couldn’t believe Tenn was actually this kind (lol)

Thanks for reading~

[sabraeal]

Merry and Bright: Part 3

It’s strange, the way memory can carry you.

It’s been six years since Obi’s been in this house, three times as long as he ever lived here, but still his feet guide him like the difference between seventeen and twenty-four is a day. He turns left, turns right, and then he’s standing in the bathroom at the end of the hall just like he did every day before school, squinting blearily at his reflection and grimacing. It’s like he never left.

When he’s more awake a few minutes later, washing his hands and splashing water on his face, he wonders if he ever truly did.

He shuffles down the hallway after, scratching at the shiny lump of scar tissue that cuts across his chest. It’s been itching like crazy since last night. His shoulder twinges too, nagging for relief. He should ask Doc about it -- she’s got those tiny fingers, perfect for digging into the meat of his shoulder and unraveling those painful knots, but --

But he knows what she’ll say, what she speculates might be going on in his headspace. She’s not -- she wouldn’t be wrong, not even a little, but he doesn’t need the psych eval right now. He just just needs to -- to get through the week. And try not to jab her with his dick in the night while he’s at it.

He scrubs his hand over his face, stubble rasping over his palm. Just two goals. Setting the bar low.

Obi’s got a feeling it’s still not low enough.

At the top of the stairs, he starts tugging on his shirt, trying to get the cotton to cover the bulk of his scar without having to button up a suspicious amount -- the last thing he needs is Gayle asking questions, or, god, trying to see it -- when he hears murmuring from the kitchen. For a moment he’s struck by the visceral feeling of being in trouble; he’s on his feet now, but it feels like he’s crouched against the banister, listening to serious voices saying things like adjustment periods and family cohesion. The words disruptive influence surface from his past like some monster from the deep. He churns them over endlessly, paralyzed by the memory. His chest is tight, he can hardly breathe; it’s like he’s already got one foot out the door everywhere he goes --

And then he hear her, the bell-like ring of her laugh, and he can breathe again, can think again. All his ghosts are banished.

For now at least. A temporary fix for a long term problem. A temporary fix that has a long term boyfriend is more like it.

Another bell jingles through the house, obnoxious and twee, and Obi finds himself staring down a flight of stairs into a pair of beady eyes set into a cloud of black-and-tan fluff. By habit, he bows his head. “Your Lordship!”

As if flattery has ever placated the Baron.

As much a tattle-tale as ever, the little ball breaks out into hysterical barking, dancing around in agitated circles to alert his masters to the clear intruder on the second floor.

“I see you’re still too stupid to know how stairs work,” Obi deadpans, glaring down as the Baron tries to gnaw on the banister, personally offended by its presence. “I guess you can’t teach a new dog new tricks either.”

“Obi?” Gayle’s voice calls up, unsure. “That you, honey?”

He opens his mouth to reply, but he’s not given the opportunity. Instead, he hears a barstool screech, and Doc blurts out, “I’ll go get him!”

She wheels around the corner, bounding up the stairs like a red-haired missile, shoving him back into the bathroom and slamming the door.

“Woah, Doc,” he says, trying to ignore the way her hand is splay over his chest, the way her hips trap him up against the rim of the sink. Yeah, this is just what he needs; he finally fells his morning wood and then this happens. Great. Great. “Where’s the fire?”

“I have to talk to you.” She isn’t looking at him, just staring at the base of his throat like somehow that has answers.

He lets out a long breath. He can handle this, it’s -- it’s fine. “Okay.”

She hesitates, her shoulders heaving with the harsh rhythm of her breath. He’s not sure what’s gotten into her, why she looks like she’s run a mile at ten in the morning, but it can’t be anything good. The longer it takes her to drum up her courage to speak, the more worried he gets; not about the content of what she has to say, but about -- about the journey she’s had there. Doc’s clever; she thinks a mile a minute, but she’s also prone to get caught up in her own bad thoughts, letting them go around and around in a loop until she’s worked up, upset about a grain of sand she’s turned into a mountain in her own mind.

She’s taking too long. He leans back, his hands curling around the rim of the sink, and drawls, “You know, if you take much longer, they’re going to think we’re doing something else in here besides just talking.”

That does the trick. Doc flushes an alarming shade of red, and he thinks she’ll step away, put some space between them, but --

“We can’t tell them,” she blurts out, her words jostling out of her like they’re in a rush. Like if she doesn’t say them quick they’ll miss their train. “About us, I mean. The not dating thing. We can’t tell them we’re not dating.”

“Are you --” he can’t even believe he’s saying the words -- “asking me to lie?”

“No! I mean, yes, but...” She wrings her hands, mouth similarly twisted. “They’d just -- I don’t want them to be disappointed. In you.”

“Doc, please,” he laughs, rolling his eyes. “I think my -- Bob and Gayle are already well aware I’m a fuck-up. This is not going to come as a surprise.”

“Obi.” There she is, the girl he knows, eyes steely and jaw set. He should have know this would bring her out. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.”

He knows better than to push it, to tell her it’s true.

“All right,” he says instead, leaning subtly forward, crowding her without moving a step. “We don’t tell them. But are you prepared for that?”

She blinks. “Prepared for what?”

Ah, good. This will work like a charm.

“You’re going to have to pretend we’re together.” His voice drops deep into his chest, almost a purr. The pink flush of her skin spreads down to where her -- where his sweatshirt isn’t zipped to cover. He smirks, bending near her ear. “That means no asking for a separate bed tonight.”

Her nose twitches, rabbit-like in her indignation. “Fine.”

“You’ll have to say sweet things about me.”

“I already do that,” she reminds him. “All the time.”

His heart flutters inconveniently at that, the little traitor. Far less suave than he’d like, he blurts out, “You might have to kiss me.”

Her face does something odd, a little shiver that masks her reaction. Then she is learning forward, hands braced beside his on the sink, chin tilted up in challenge. This close, he’s struck by how dark her eyes are, like looking up through a forest on a rainy night. “If that’s what it would take.”

He’s never heard that tone from her, low and hoarse and -- and sultry. His heart picks up its pace, pumping blood to even more inconvenient places. “Doc --”

The knock on the door sends them spiraling away from one another, both of them eager to put some plausible distance between them.

“If you two are about finished,” Bob offers dryly through the door, “Gayle says the pancakes are done. She’s grumbling something fierce about Obi looking skinny.”

“We’ll, uh --” Doc seems to run out of words.

“Be right down,” he finishes, arching a bow. He sweeps a hand toward the door. “After you.”

Bob’s the first to go down the stairs, which is great since it gives Shirayuki plenty of time to think about how she would like the earth to swallow her whole. She’s stepped out of the bathroom, Obi not far behind, and all Bob has to do is lift one single eyebrow -- so like another expression she knows -- and her whole body breaks out in a blush.

He thought they were doing -- doing things in there. To each other.

What’s worse is that she wanted to. She’d had her hand splayed over his chest, half of it on the skin bared by the vee of his collar, feeling how his heart thrummed steadily against her palm, and oh, how she wanted --

“Hey,” Obi murmurs, too low for Bob to hear ahead of them. Despite herself, a tremor shudders down her spine, sending sparks over the surface of her skin. “You should check your phone.”

It’s like having ice water dumped over her. Her steps stutter at the landing, mind running though every worst-case scenario. Something’s happened to the turtles. Something’s happened to Yuzuri. Something’s happened to Ryuu --

“Is something wrong?” she ekes out before she can spiral too far, before she works herself into a panic.

He blinks slowly, shaking his head in an exaggerated motion that makes her think he’s not as awake as he pretends. “Nah. Chief’s just been looking for you is all.”

“Oh.” A thousand wings take flight in her stomach; she would have thought it was excitement once, that she was happy he was thinking of her, but -- but --

It’s not that anymore. It’s the low drone of bees, all her anxiety and guilt churning into an angry swarm that batters against the soft tissues of her gut. They haven’t talked for -- for a long time. Graduation at least, when he’d called her to congratulate her on walking. He’d been upset a few weeks before, hurt that they hadn’t chosen to go to Clarines, but it was the sort of impotent anger of someone raging against a situation. He hadn’t tried to change her mind, just said that’s disappointing in a way she knew meant you’ve disappointed me.

It’d been short then, just pleasantries, and then she’d gone to dinner with Obi and --

And that had been it for that. For her.

Shirayuki slips back to their room -- Obi’s room, she reminds herself; she’s the one who’s a guest here, who’s superfluous. She slips out her phone, flicking it awake. There’s no missed calls, no unread texts.

It’s not even a surprise. Not anymore.

She expects to her belly give an unpleasant swoop, to feel let down but -- but she doesn’t. She’s relieved. Obi’s always telling her things; Chief’s looking for you, he says now, but for the past three years it’s been he’s thinking of you, today Chief was talking about you, Chief says he’d like to hear your voice. Obi’s said more about Zen’s feelings for her than he ever had himself.

Shirayuki shakes her head. She’s not being fair.

This is just – this is nerves. She hasn’t talked to him in months, not for long, and it was bad enough when she just had the vague beginning of these feelings, but now – now –

There’s other things. Stuff she can’t just…forget.

Even if he does.

She punches the call button before she can talk herself out of it. It rings three times, and for a minute she thinks it might go to voicemail, she might just be able to avoid –

“Shirayuki?” Zen says, his tone a little tense. “Is something wrong?”

“Ah.” Yes. “No, I just…Obi said you were looking for me.”

“Oh. Oh.” She hears the scrape of a chair, and she realizes he’s leaving a room, that he’s going to go have a private talk with her. “Yeah, Mitsuhide had said you were traveling, and I wanted to make sure you got in okay.”

“Oh, yeah.” She taps her nails on the bedpost nervously. “Yeah, we got in late, but – we’re fine.”

His words have an odd edge when he asks, “You slept well?”

(His breath is hot on her neck, sending shivers straight down to her toes; she tries to move, she does, but all she does is wriggle closer to his hips and --

Oh. Oh.

They mostly fall asleep on the couch now, not some tiny single in his room. It’s been a while since she’s had to feel...things, and she’d...forgotten about that particular fact. Oh my.)

“Yes,” she squeaks. “Uh, as much as could be expected. It’s always weird to sleep in a new place.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, voice still strange. “Isn’t that saying it’s weird to sleep alone in a new place?”

“Is it?” Her palms are slick, and her stomach churns. It’s – it’s not any of his business, not really, not anymore. She’d worried that when they talked she’d feel guilty, feel like she’d betrayed some understanding they had, ruined something she liked but –

But she doesn’t feel anything. She just…doesn’t want to have an argument. Have their first argument, really. Not over this.

“Are you leaving for Switzerland soon?” she asks. “You’re going to celebrate with your mom and Izana, right?”

“And Haki, yes.” He sounds relieved at the turn in conversation. “I’m sure it’ll all be wedding talk. Mother wants them to have it at the Vineyard, Izana wants France, who knows what Haki wants…”

“Sounds…” She smiles. “Normal.”

“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” He hesitates. “I think it might actually be…nice.”

And that’s as much as a death knell as anything. She was never welcome to their chalet, and Zen…

Zen belongs there.

“I, um, have to get going,” she says, trying to cover her relief. “Obi’s parents made breakfast.”

“Man, it’s so weird to hear that,” Zen sighs. “Obi having parents. You know, after everything.”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “But it’s nice.”

He’s silent for a long moment. “It is.” He clears his throat. “I guess I’ll, um, see you then?”

“Yeah.” She nods, even though he can’t see it. “Sometime.”

“Sometime,” he agrees.

[bubblesthemonsterartist]

Ever After, Epilogue

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.

-Louis L'Amour

  The days grow longer, the temperature rises, and with the snowmelt comes the news of the death of the second Princess of Clarines.

“You have to admit,” Obi begins as he follows her at a meandering pace through the field, “you tripping and falling into a ravine makes sense.”

“I’m not that clumsy,” Shirayuki mutters as she kneels before a gnarled shrub. Her brows furrow as she holds the illustrated pages of her book against that of dark branches hooked with thorns and the buds of deep purple flowers. He curbs his impulse to pull her away from it.

When she shifts back without touching it, Obi exhales, lacing his fingers behind his head. “As you say,” he murmurs, watching as she tilts her head, mouthing numbers as she counts the corners of the leaves.

Her lips purse and she spares him an annoyed glance out of the corner of her eye. Brushing her hands off on her skirt, she pushes herself to standing just as the wind picks up.

She’s been wearing her hair free these days when it is just the two of them, but the problem is that she had forgotten how unruly it could be unrestrained. She sputters as it whips into her mouth and he stifles a laugh, reaching for her elbow and pulling her away from the plant before she can fall into it.

“Here, let me,” he grins, reaching into his pocket.

She goes still when he gathers her hair away from her face and holds it between his fingers at the base of her skull. It’s been awhile since he’s done this, but it doesn’t take long—as a matter of fact, it is easier than he remembered to twist her hair, folding it one way and then the other while lacing the pin through just right. When he lets go, it holds.

Shirayuki makes an inquiring noise, frowning, and reaches upwards to touch her hair. His heart beats louder in his breast when she runs her fingers across the bun, tracing the smooth metal pin where it is exposed and then circles a familiar round glass bauble.

Her eyes go wide in recognition. “I thought I lost it,” she whispers.

Obi swallows, a little nervous. She had asked him not to keep anymore secrets, but he had many and holding tight to them was a habit. “Kiki gave it back.”

There’s a pause, Shirayuki’s eyes becoming intense as she searches her memories. “When?”

“In Clarines. When she dropped the coin purse. It… wasn’t a good time to bring it up.”

Shirayuki nods, understanding, and her face is twists. “I wonder where she found it. It broke my heart when it went missing,” she whispers, her eyes watering when they find his. “It was like I lost all of you at once.”

His heart bleeds anew. Those words. He would never forgive himself for making her speak those words. A brittle smile crosses his lips and she steps into him, wrapping herself around him and pressing her lips to his chest. He gives her his arms and whatever other comfort she would seek in return, holding her tight to him.

They’d been through much these past few months. So much. And they weren’t done yet. Soon, they would have to move on again and find a place that they could call their own. He wasn’t sure that Sama would be the best place for that.

Obi breathes her in, the glass bauble from the hairpin glinting in the sun. Another gust of wind cuts through the plains, bringing with it the fragrance of spring. He can only hope that it is a good omen.

Shirayuki’s stomach grumbles loudly, bringing his thoughts to more immediate matters.

They both pull back slightly from each other and laugh, his teasing and hers shy. “Hungry?”

She smiles into her shoulder. “Maybe a little,” she admits bashfully, one hand letting go of him to wipe away the dampness gathered in the corner of her eyes.

“Ahh, see? That’s what I told you would happen if you skipped breakfast.”

Her cheeks puff a little, but the annoyed look she wants to give him doesn’t exactly work when she has that glint in her eye. “That wasn’t entirely my fault,” she admonishes.

He hums, heat sizzling right under his skin at the reminder and he pulls her a little closer. “You know—”

Her stomach grumbles again.

“—we should go get you something to eat,” he grins.

They break away so she can cover her hair once more before they walk hand-in-hand back towards the village.

Once they’ve reached the town, they follow the route towards the tavern, waving in greeting at familiar faces along the way. They’ve stopped briefly to look at the display of herbs outside the apothecary when Altan, the midwife’s son, rounds the corner with a harried look on his face.

He slows when he sees them, altering his trajectory slightly before approaching them at breakneck speed. The boy was always in a rush, but something about the expression on his face made Obi’s hackles rise. When Altan stops in front of them, resting his hands on his knees as he takes dramatic gulps of air, he knows something is amiss.

“Miss Baeksul! Mr. Nanaki!” the boy begins, breathless. “There’s a new foreigner from across the river. He says he is looking for you.”

Obi straightens and Shirayuki goes very still at his side. “Did he say why?”

Altan shakes his head in the negative, coughing. “He wouldn’t. But he asked for you by name, Mr. Nanaki.”

Obi takes a slow inhale through his nose and nods. He was going to have to change his go-to alias.

“Thank you, Altan.”

The boy nods at Shirayuki, grabbing Obi’s sleeve and ushering them forward. “I’ll take you to him.”

They approach the tavern in the dusty wake of Altan’s boots, sharing a worried expression. They still had their emergency bags packed, but they hadn’t intended on leaving for at least another week.

Two unfamiliar horses are tied up outside the inn, both of them loaded down for a long journey. They’re of excellent pedigree, extremely well trained and cared for. Eyeballing them, Obi determines that it would be hard to outrun them if they weren’t loaded down.

His shoulders tense when he notes that one of them bears the brand of Clarines on its flank.

“Shirayuki,” Obi mutters lowly. “Let me go inside alone and—”

She’s already shaking her head. Her eyes are steel and he notes that she’s looking at the brand, too. “No. I’m going with you.”

There are very few people inside the pub at this time of day—it’s too early for the midday meal and too late to be recovering from the drink from the night before. But there is one person who stands out, taller than even him and hunched over the bar with an untouched drink within arm’s reach and a book tucked under his nose.

Obi feels his heart lurch.

“It’s him, Mr. Nanaki,” Altan whispers dramatically, pointing at the figure.

When Obi doesn’t reply, Shirayuki tugs at him in confusion. Another beat passes and he can barely hear her voice when she says, “We’ll take it from here, Altan. Thank you.”

The sound of feet rushing back out the door register in the periphery, but Obi is already staggering forward, barely unable to believe his eyes.

He should know better than to approach another man’s exposed back like this, he really should, but he cannot stop his hand from reaching out at clapping on the others shoulder.

The man straightens, closing his book slowly and turning around. Blue eyes rest first on Shirayuki, and then him, his face graced with a very rare hint of a smile.

“I found you,” he murmurs after a pause. “Again.”

Obi can’t find his words. This boy. This stupid boy. What was he thinking? Did he even think?

“Ryuu?!”

Shirayuki is rushing forward, crashing into him before he can breathe and wrapping her arms around his lanky form. Ryuu’s face pinches at the contact, his hands unsure of themselves, but they eventually rest on her back with an awkward pat.

Her fingers are still tight on his clothes when she pulls back, her eyes red and swollen before reaching up to take his face between both of her palms. “Who told you that you could get so big?” she laughs, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Ryuu blushes a little under her scrutiny. “Sorry.”

As happy as he is to see him, as elated as he is to know that he is okay, Obi struggles to keep his voice even. “What are you doing here, Ryuu?”

Ryuu’s face scrunches a bit at his tone. Ah, so he can still feel guilt. Good. “I’ve been exiled,” he begins, and he looks a little panicked as Shirayuki draws away from him. “Sort of.”

Shirayuki’s brows draw up in confusion. “Sort of?”

“The, um, bird,” Ryuu winces and Obi feels some satisfaction. He should wince. He told him not to— “Izana heard that I was using it, um, for inappropriate reasons and was going to send me on an expedition through the Southern Seas, but Zen convinced him to send me as an ambassador to Sama. As a good faith exchange of knowledge.”

Obi doesn’t know whether to feel grateful or enraged. “So a suicide mission.”

Ryuu shrugs. “Both cases were, but only one of them pointed me in your direction.”

Obi’s heart is a wretched thing.

Shirayuki swallows hard, taking one of Ryuu’s hands in hers as she crawls up onto the stool next to him. “Must you go?”

Ryuu looks uncomfortable as he nods, glancing at the contact between the two of them, up at her wet face and then to Obi. Something in Obi’s chest cracks.

“About that,” he begins quietly. “I was wondering if you both might come with me.”