#daisuke shoji

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

Their Hero Academia

So I haven't talked about it here in a while, but Their Hero Academia is my next-gen My Hero Academia fan fiction, that I've been writing for close to five years now, with help and co-writing from @cryoverkiltmilk and another online friend.

Recently, I got turned on to Hero Forge as a way to get a good visual on what the characters look like and let me tell you... the results are fantastic.

So without further ado...

Toshinori “Toshi” Midoriya

Parents: Izuku Midoriya and Ochaco Uraraka

Hero Name: Cosmos

Quirk – Personal Gravity: Able to increase his personal gravity for added durability and punching power or decrease it for super-powered leaps and floating.

Muscular with bushy green hair and round cheeks, Toshi has a big legacy to live up to, but doesn’t let that stand in his way.  Toshi makes friends easily and isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right. Bright and cheerful, he’s torn between being the responsible Team Dad and letting his friends find their own way.  As the son of the Number One Hero, he’s a bit myopic when it comes to others' relationships to Heroes and the Hero system, but is trying to be better.

Katsumi Kirishima-Bakugo

Parents: Katsuki Bakugo (biological father) and Eijiro Kirishima

Hero Name: Bombshell

Quirk – Explodi-Touch: Imbues objects with explosive power

Muscular, short, with spikey blonde hair, Katsumi is a simmering cauldron of rage just waiting to explode.  A firm believer in being (Wo)manly, Katsumi’s always looking for a challenge. She’ll throw a punch as soon as look at you.  But she’ll always come through for her friends… especially Izumi.  Never gives less than a 100 percent.  She’s full of self-confidence, but has a habit of coming up against problems she can’t punch her way out of… not that that will stop her from trying.

Izumi Todoroki (Katsumi and Shinji Yoarashi are the only ones who call her Izzy)

Parents: Shoto Todoroki and Momo Yaoyorozu

Hero Name: Thermo-Dynamic

Quirk – Freezer Burn: Absorbs heat to create ice and can release the heat as flames

Pale and willowy, with long white hair that ombres to red, Izumi is the definition of silk hiding steel.  Calm, reserved, and more than a little sheltered, this former ill girl struggles to prove she is strong enough to stand beside her friends.  She considers Katsumi to be her dearest friend in all the world, and she is possibly the only person Katsumi will consistently listen to.  Do not make her angry or treat her like she’s fragile, you won’t like what you find.  Asexual, she finds her classmates romantic adventures confusing.  

Isamu Haimawari

Parents: Koichi Haimawari/the Crawler and Kazuho Haneyama/Pop*Step from Vigilantes

Hero Name: Slyde

Quirk – Slide and Glide: Generates repulsion field that can be used for travel and offense

Tall and gangly, with spiky black hair that’s pink at the temples, Isamu is a nervous but well-meaning young man who’s more than a bit starstruck and overwhelmed being in a class with the children of some of the world’s greatest Heroes, but is determined to be the Hero his parents were denied the chance to be.  More than a few people have their eye on him – he’s got the potential to be an incredible Hero in his own right!  Though awed by his heroic friends and their parents, he also knows how people can fall between the cracks and wants to be a hero for them too.

Mika Mineta

Parents: Minoru Mineta and Pony Tsunotori

Hero Name: Purple Rein

Quirk – Pop Horn: Fires rapidly expanding sticky purple balls from her horns.  

Busty, tall, with long purple hair, horns, and hooves, Mika will flirt with virtually anything that moves and is nearly as sex-obsessed as her father was.  However, she does have her boundaries and is fiercely loyal to and supportive of her friends, being more than willing to adjust the hoof-to-ass ratio on their behalf. Mika has a unique knack for being able to get under anyone’s skin, she is the master of weaponize provocation. Though she’s actually quite intelligent, she finds life easier the lower she keeps everyone’s expectations.

Chihiro Kaminari

Parents: Denki Kaminari and Kyoka Jiro

Hero Name: Shock Jock

Quirk – Extension Cords: Channels and absorbs electricity from extendable “cords” from her earlobes.

Slim and blonde with a black electrical stripe, Chihiro struggles with self-confidence, as she struggles academically and with her Quirk sometimes blowing her brains out, on top of negatively comparing herself physically to her best friend Mika.  A bit high strung and a good bit sarcastic, Chihiro is trying to figure out how to make being a Hero work for her.  Musically talented, she’s recently been made to face the music, regarding the idea that she’s romantically desirable. 

Takuma Sero

Parents: Hanta Sero and Mina Ashido

Hero Name: Stick ‘Em Up

Quirk – Acid Tape: Fires tape of varying acidity levels from the backs of his hands.

Pink-skinned with dark hair and eyes, Takuma is fame-obsessed.  He already runs his own ViewTube channel with his two best friends, Kenta Sato and Kimiko Ojiro.  Out and proud, Takuma is happy to take on the role of gay fashion disaster.  Maybe he could use some self-discipline, but that’s tomorrow’s problem.

Kenta Sato

Parents: Rikido Sato and Chizu Ito (OC, deceased)

Hero Name: Chomp

Quirk – Appetite: Able to bite through and eat anything, processing any nutritional value at high speed

Wiry and dark-haired with thick lips, Kenta is 90% of Takuma and Kimiko’s impulse control.  The most level-headed of the three by a considerable margin, he’s still supportive of his friends and isn’t completely immune to the allure of fame himself, as he’s also a content generator.  Kenta thinks his Quirk is unimpressive compared to his friends’ Quirks and the shadow of his mother’s death hangs over him, but he’s willing to give it his all.

Kimiko Ojiro

Parents: Mashirao Ojiro and Toru Hagakure

Hero Name: X-Ray

Quirk – Transparency: Bends light so that she is constantly invisible, and able to extend that invisibility to anything she touches.

Slightly short and very athletic, this invisible girl is one stand-out lady!  Obsessed with gossip, Kimiko ships people like nobody’s business.  She’s also a strong martial artist with a hair-trigger temper.  Set her off and you’ll be pounded by her fists of fury while she screams at you.  Kimiko has also started training to be a paramedic under Eri, learning to use her Quirk in ways that help people beyond stealth.

Asuka Tokoyami

Parents: Fumikage Tokoyami and Tsuyu Asui

Hero Name: Amaterasu

Quirk – Frog-Shadow: Symbiotically linked to a powerful frog-shaped creature made of light

Possessed of a green bird-head, Asuka is the “mom friend” of Class 1-A, frequently reining in the nonsense of the others.  Calm and level headed most of the time, she also frequently finds herself arguing with her other-half.  Frog-Shadow is a good bit like a toddler, self-centered and impulsive.  Despite being frequently exasperated by Frog-Shadow, Asuka loves her like a sister and they make a formidable team.

Shota Shinso

Parents; Hitoshi Shinso and Camie Utsushimi

Hero Name: Loud Kid

Quirk – Vocal Harmonics: Able to create a variety of effects through sonic screams, including sonic blasts, force fields, and sonar

The shortest of 1-A at under five feet tall with purple hair, Shota is also the youngest by several months, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s by years.  Highly excitable and prone to talking non-stop at increasingly rapid speeds, he’s a major Hero fanboy.  Perpetually cheerful, Shota makes friends easily.  Lately, he’s had to grow-up a bit after trauma in the field and is trying to shake his image as the baby of the class.

Daisuke Shoji

Parents: Mezo Shoji and Haruko Nakamura (OC)

Hero Name: Octo-Punch

Quirk – Extendo-Arms: Has four additional arms growing from his back that can extend up to great lengths

The tallest boy in the class and built like a brick wall, with silver hair and handsome features, Daisuke is a minimalist like his father.  He’s quiet and tends to keep his head down, avoiding everyone else’s drama and nonsense.  Daisuke frequently exists in a state of low-level frustration at everyone else’s antics, but is a dependable friend in a crisis.

Akaya Koda

Parents: Koji Koda and Ibara Shiozaki

Hero Name: Nurture

Quirk – Photosynthekinesis: Able to control plants and speed up their growth

A tall, broad, rocky-skinned girl with moss-like hair, Akaya is a quiet and unassuming religious girl with a kind word for everyone.  Somehow, she’s found herself friends with some of the stronger and more volatile personalities like Mika Mineta and Takiyo Aoyama. Her own self-confidence has taken a bit of a blow lately, due to anti-Mutant discrimination, and she is struggling to find her proper place among her friends and as a Hero.  Following an emotional roller coaster, she’s finding her way back.

Sora Iida

Parents: Tenya Iida and Mei Hatsume

Hero Name: Jet Red

Quirk – Jetpack: High speed flight provided by exhaust-pipe structures coming from her back

Tall, busty, with shorter blue-black hair, Sora is full of manic energy and ideas.  Constantly drawing blueprints or working on something, she, along with her twin brother Tensei, are dual-enrolled in Heroics and Support courses, and even designed the support gear in their costumes.  Sora has a bit more of a wild streak than her brother and loves to lord her being older by a few minutes over him.  Currently dating Toshi, she’s trying to figure out how to girlfriend.

Tensei Iida

Parents: Tenya Iida and Mei Hatsume

Hero Name: Jet Blue

Quirk – Jetpack: High speed flight provided by exhaust-pipe structures coming from her back

Muscular, with pink tubular hair tied back in a ponytail and the same Jetpack engines as his sister, Tensei has bursts of manic energy of his own, but is overall the calmer and slightly more rule-abiding twin… though he’s more than willing to exploit any logical loophole he may come across.  Dual enrolled like his sister, he’s more than happy to spend his time tinkering when not spending time with his boyfriend Takuma, though he frequently finds himself confused by the fame-seeking pink skinned boy.

Takiyo Aoyama

Parents: Yuga Aoyama and Haru Shima (OC)

Quirk – Sparkle: Constantly absorbing light, able to release it as illumination or lasers

A pretty blond boy usually constantly glowing blue-white because of his Quirk, Takiyo’s Quirk took the life of his mother and badly injured his father when it first activated, leading to him being adopted by Yuga and his doctor husband Haru.  Culturally, though not actually, French, Takiyo is haughty, attention-seeking, short tempered, and more than a little bit arrogant, but harbors deep guilt over what he did as a child.  A bit distant from most of the others, he’s slowly trying to become a better friend.

Koharu Kocho

Parents: OCs

Quirk – Moth: Flight via wings, able to release Paralysis, Poison, and Sleep Powders from her ‘scales’, able to spit a sticky ‘String Shot’ from her mouth, and additional senses from her antennae.

Winged, with antennae, dark eyes, and turquoise and purple hair, Koharu is the newest addition to Class 1-A.  Though she was knocked unconscious by accident and failed the entrance exam, she had General Education as a back-up plan.  She made a spectacular showing at the Sports Festival, coming in tied for third. She’s less starstruck than Haimawari, but does still find herself wondering if she’s going to come up short compared to all these second-generation Hero Course students.  Kind and thoughtful, Koharu is working hard to make sure she doesn’t forget her friends in her former class.  With the abilities granted to her by her Quirk, she’s trying to prioritize non-violent takedowns, but is slowly learning sometimes you just have to hit someone.

[hexpea]

Ch. 30 - Blackthorn Blackthorn is a symbol of hope against adversity.

As you hurried through the estate, your heart pounding in your chest with each step, your mind consumed by a single thought: Naoya. The image of him laying unconscious in the bedroom, hooked up to machines and fighting for his life, haunted you relentlessly. But as you passed by the mitamaya, shoji door open so you could see the copper plate with Naohiro's name on it. Your gaze was immediately drawn to it, Naohiro's name elegantly carved onto it. For a moment, you paused and walked into the room, your hand hovering over the plate as memories of your late husband flooded your mind. His warm smile, his gentle touch, the way he held you in his arms… You felt a pang of guilt, as if by moving forward with Naoya, you were betraying the memory of the man you once loved so deeply. But as quickly as the guilt washed over you, a surge of determination welled up within you. Naoya needed you, just as much as Naohiro once needed you. With a deep breath, you tore your gaze away from the plaque and continued on your way to the bedroom.

Entering the room, you were met with the sight of Naoya lying on the bed, his chest rising and falling rhythmically with the assistance of the ventilator, medication keeping him sleepy. The beeping of the machines filled your ears as you knelt beside him. You reached out gently to brush away a stray lock of hair from his forehead, your heart aching at the sight of him in such a vulnerable state. Memories of the previous night flooded your mind: the way he held you in bed, the sound of his voice, the fruity wine taste on his lips… Despite everything that had happened between you, you couldn't deny your feelings for him any longer.

As you stared down at him, a sense of longing washed over you, mingling with the fear and uncertainty that gnawed at your insides. How could you admit your feelings to him now, when he was essentially unconscious and on the brink of death? And what about the life growing inside you, the life that he didn't even know existed?

You got lost in your thoughts and emotions, not realizing that Daisuke had returned. You were startled by the sound of his voice. His presence felt like an unwelcome intrusion, disrupting the fragile peace of the room. You glanced up to see him standing there, arms crossed against his chest, his expression unreadable.

Daisuke's sigh cut through the silence like a knife. "We'll leave tomorrow morning," he stated firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "You can have tonight with him."

As Daisuke turned to leave, you were left alone once again with Naoya. Your thoughts lingered on your potential return to the Kamo estate. You feared that uncertain future though you didn't want to let any of that show. You knew that returning there would likely result in punishment and obviously the termination of your pregnancy, even potentially being stripped of your title -- essentially excommunication -- and forced into servitude as an attendant. You wondered if Daisuke was feeding on having to excommunicate you, the power he had over you now that your once loving uncle deemed you an enemy. You thought about how his mind would likely linger on getting to punish you in the near future during the meeting he was headed to with your father.

Bingo! You had an idea with that thought. You had to get Naoya's mother to the estate without Naobito's knowledge.

Turning your attention back to Naoya, who remained unresponsive on the bed, you felt a surge of determination wash over you. This meeting was your chance to ensure that Mizuki could see her son before it was too late. With the meeting likely to last a few hours, you knew you had a window of opportunity to make it happen. Pulling out your cell phone, you quickly dialed her number, your fingers slightly trembling with anticipation. After a few rings, her voice answered on the other end, filled with concern.

"Hello? Y/N, is that you?" Mizuki's voice brought a sense of comfort. You knew that even if you were forced to leave Naoya to die, you could leave knowing you gave him one last moment with his mother.

"Yes, it's me," you replied, your voice tinged with urgency. "I need you to come to the estate as soon as possible. There's a meeting that'll last a few hours, and I want you to be able to see Naoya." You knew she would have an hour train ride to get there, but it left more than enough time despite.

There was a brief pause on the other end as she processed your words. "Of course, I'll be there right away," she responded, her mind surely lingering on the thought of being caught.

As you continued to wait by Naoya's bedside, your mind was consumed with worry and anticipation. You lightly rubbed your stomach with your fingertips as you leaned on the mattress, cheek on your hand. It broke your heart to see him hooked up to the various machines in his own bedroom. The beeping of the monitors provided a steady backdrop to your thoughts.

Suddenly, your phone rang, jolting you out of your trance. You quickly answered, relief flooding through you as you heard Mizuki's voice on the other end. "I've arrived at the front of the estate," she said in a near whisper, her voice filled with apprehension.

"I'm coming," you said urgently before hanging up the phone.

You wasted no time, hastily making your way to the front of the estate to greet her. As you approached her, you could see the worry etched into her features. You reached out and took her hand, offering her a reassuring smile. With her by your side, you hurried back to the bedroom. You knew you had the attendants you passed by on the way on your side, they weren't tattletales. The minute Mizuki laid eyes on her son, she gave a small gasp, her eyes on him for the first time in a little over fifteen years, hooked up to all of the machines.

You knelt beside the bed with her and she took Naoya's hand in hers. Their hands were a study in contrast: Mizuki's hand a bit weathered with age, the skin lined with wrinkles and veins prominent beneath the surface. Naoya's hand, on the other hand, was strong and firm, the veins standing out against the smooth surface of his skin.

Her voice quivered as she spoke to Naoya, her eyes brimming with tears as you carefully watched her. "Naoya, my baby," she murmured, stroking his hand gently. "It breaks my heart to see you like this."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you watched her, her words a heartbreaking admission to the son she had been separated from for so long. You delicately put your hand on her shoulder in support, offering what little comfort you could in that moment. The two of you remained there, kneeling at Naoya's bedside.

After a few moments, she turned to you. "Y/N, how have you been holding up through all of this?" She asked softly.

You glanced at her, offering a small smile despite the heaviness in your heart. "It's been difficult in different ways, these past few months in general, but I'm managing," you replied, trying to keep your voice steady. "I'm just glad you're here now to see him, even if he's sedated."

As you finished your sentence, a sudden wave of nausea overcame you. You took a deep breath and placed a hand on your stomach to steady yourself. Mizuki watched you carefully with concern. "Is everything alright?" She inquired gently, her eyes lingering on your hand.

You hesitated for a moment, feeling a rush of nervousness at the prospect of sharing the news for the first time with someone else. "Actually," you began, your voice slightly hesitant. "I found out that I'm…pregnant."

Suddenly, Naoya's hand jolted involuntarily in Mizuki's grasp, a subtle reaction that went unnoticed by both of you. However, his senses were heightened, even in his nearly unconscious state, and the realization of your pregnancy with his child began to sink in.

Mizuki's eyes widened in surprise, her hand instinctively moving to cover her mouth as she processed the news. " Oh my goodness, Y/N, that's wonderful news!" She exclaimed quietly, her voice filled with genuine joy despite the somber atmosphere. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," you whispered, your voice barely above a breath. Despite the joy Mizuki expressed, you couldn't shake the looming fear of what awaited you at the Kamo estate.

"I love him," you admitted, the words escaping your lips before you could hold them back. "I've been fighting it for so long, but I can't deny it anymore. I love Naoya."

Mizuki's eyes softened with understanding as she listened to your confession. It was her turn to place a reassuring hand on your shoulder, offering silent support. "Love is a powerful feeling," she nodded softly.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself to share the grim reality with Naoya's mother. "My uncle…he's forcing me back to the Kamo estate in the morning," you began, "I won't be able to stay here with Naoya when…when it happens." Your gazed drifted toward Naoya, his form still and vulnerable on the bed. "And…my father," you continued, your voice barely above a whisper. "He'll…he'll force me to terminate the pregnancy."

Mizuki gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth once again. "They can't do that," her voice was filled with horror and outrage. "That's…unconscionable." Her expression softened with compassion as she placed and gentle hand on your now trembling shoulder. "You have to tell Naobito," she said firmly.

You recoiled at the suggestion. "I can't," you protested, your voice wavering. "He…he won't listen to me."

Her eyes held a determined gleam as she met your gaze. "Y/N, listen to me," she began, her voice steady but urgent. "Naobito needs to know the truth. He'll see the baby as Zenin property, as a potential heir, and want to protect it. That might be our best chance to save you and your child from your family."

You felt a surge of panic rising within you at the mere thought of revealing everything to Naobito. The consequences had the chance to be dire, not just for you but for everyone involved. However, as you looked into Mizuki's unwavering gaze, you knew she was right. It was the only way to ensure your safety and the safety of your unborn child.

Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you nodded slowly. "Alright," you whispered, the weight of the decision settling heavily on your shoulders. "I'll tell him everything."

After saying goodbye to Naoya's mother, you slipped toward the meeting room quietly. You could hear the muffled voices through the shoji door. You pressed an ear against the wall, straining to catch any snippets of conversation. Voices rose and fell in a rhythmic cadence, discussing matters that seemed distant and insignificant compared to what was going on with you and Naoya. Your heart raced as you waited anxiously for the meeting to end, your mind swirling with thoughts of what you'd say to Naobito when the time came.

Finally, the meeting drew to a close and you could hear the sound of the clan leaders getting up as everyone came to a stand. Some chatter filled the air as the shoji door opened, the prospect of relaxation and revelry beckoning them after a long meeting. You spotted Daisuke and your father exiting the room, their conversation hushed and serious.

Minutes continued to pass like hours until, finally, you caught a glimpse of him, his tall figure moving sloppily through the doorway. You stepped forward, your heart pounding in your chest as you began to address him.

"Naobito-sama," you cleared your throat, your voice steady despite the nervousness gnawing at you. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Naobito pauses, his expression unreadable as he regarded you. His eyes were sharp and piercing as they bore into you. The scent of alcohol was strong on his clothes as you swallowed hard, hoping he couldn't see through the facade you were desperately trying to maintain.

After a moment of silence, he nodded curtly. "Speak," he spat, his voice low and commanding. "What is it?"

"I'm…pregnant," you stated simply, the words hanging heavily in the air.

His eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before it was quickly replaced by a steely resolve. "Congratulations," he cleared his throat. "Naoya's heir is coming sooner than expected."

You met his gaze head-on, not reacting to his congratulations. "My family is conspiring against your clan," you explained, your voice unwavering. "My father has been plotting to take down both the Zenin and Gojo clans to gain more power."

Naobito's jaw clenched at the revelation, his expression darkening with anger. He didn't completely believe you yet.

"My sister has been working on the Gojo clan, while I was assigned to the Zenin," you explained with a pleading tone.

A tense silence settled between you, the weight of truth hanging heavily in the air. Naobito's gaze bore into you, searching for any hint of deception in your words. "And what of Naohiro's death?" He questioned, his voice low and dangerous.

You shook your head firmly, meeting his gaze with unwavering sincerity. "I didn't kill Naohiro," you stated firmly. "I loved him."

A flicker of doubt crossed Naobito's features, but it was quickly replaced by a hardened resolve. "And what of Naoya?" He pressed, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Do you love him, too?"

You didn't hesitate, your answer coming easily despite the gravity of the situation. "Yes," you affirmed, your voice filled with conviction. "I love Naoya, and I want to ensure that our child is safe." As you spoke, you placed a hand protectively over your stomach, a silent vow. "My uncle is dragging me back home with a purpose."

"You do know that the accusations toward your family are capable of starting a clan war?" His eyebrow raised with skepticism.

You nodded again. "If I leave here, I'll lose everything that's precious to me. My family needs to be dealt with."

Naobito's gaze softened slightly, a glimmer of understanding flickering in his eyes as he regarded you. "We'll discuss this further later," he said finally, "but for now, you will remain under close watch. You will not leave the Zenin estate."

You gave a respectful bow as you felt your heart in your throat. You felt like you could throw up again, but you swallowed it down. You kept your head low as he left, relief and anxiety swirling within you.

As night crept on the horizon, long shadows cast along the wooden floors of the estate, you made your way back to the bedroom where Naoya was lying. Entering the room, you felt a sense of calm wash over you, even despite the situation, as you closed the fusuma door behind you, enclosing you in a cocoon of silence besides the beeping and humming of Naoya's monitors. You were safe…for now.

With gentle hands, you began to prepare your futon on the floor beside the bed. You meticulously smoothed out the bedding, tucking the edges neatly beneath the mattress, ensuring that it was as comfortable as possible. As you worked, you stole glances at Naoya, his form still and peaceful amidst the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

Once the futon was prepared to your satisfaction, you paused, your gaze lingering on Naoya's still face. He looked so vulnerable lying there, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, his features softened in sleep even with a tube protruding between his lips. Despite the machines and medications, he seemed almost serene, as if he were merely lost in a peaceful dream. Unable to resist the pull any longer, you crossed over and leaned over him beside the bed, your hand reaching out to gently cup his cheek.

Leaning in close, you pressed a gently kiss to his forehead, your lips lingering for a moment as you whispered. "I love you," the words a soft murmur against his skin.

Tears welled in your eyes as you pulled away, the weight of your emotions threatening to overwhelm you. You pressed a hand to your stomach, feeling another slight wave of nausea, a reminder of the bind you had to Naoya. With a deep breath, you stood straight again and made your way back to the futon on the floor, slipping beneath the covers and curling up on your side. As you attempted to fall asleep to the sound of the various machines running in the room, you let your tears silently fall onto your pillow. Each tear gave very little relief to everything you'd been feeling, the pregnancy hormones certainly not helping. You couldn't help but dwell on the burdens that seemed to become a consistency in your life.

Your thoughts drifted to your childhood, a time where you'd yearned for your father's approval, for his love. You knew that you could never succeed your father thanks to their orthodox beliefs, but you still vied to be the very best you could -- molded to the image he crafted for you. But you were met with indifference, with demands that you could hardly fulfill. You were nothing more than a tool to him, a means to an end in his quest for power. He was no different than Naobito, but at least Naobito wore his ideals on his sleeve compared to your quiet and overly traditional father.

The memories of Naohiro also flooded into your mind, the ache of his loss even just five months later, still raw. You had shared dreams of a future together, you were going to betray your father anyway for him. But all of that was shattered on that fateful mission. That cursed spirit had taken him from you, leaving you alone in a cold reality, falling back into your father's arms just to repeat the cycle. History repeating with Naoya. Your love had come too late, Hanahaki Disease clearly bound to take his life any day. You could hardly bear the thought of losing him, too, of watching helplessly as he withered away before your eyes just as Naohiro had in your arms.

As your sobs filled the room, you heart the sound of shuffling sheets. You sat up slightly and looked up at Naoya who was still relatively still. His arms and legs twitched slightly, almost as if he was rousing from his medicated slumber.

Hurriedly, you rose from the futon once more and crawled on your knees over to his bedside. Your hand reached out gently to caress his face. "Naoya," you whispered, your voice barely above a breath, "can you hear me?"

His response was a faint, voice crackling groan, muffled by the tube in his mouth. He reached toward you with trembling fingers. You quickly took his hand in yours, your heart swelling with love as you gazed into his eyes, the amber color hardly visible in the darkness of the room. His other hand came up and began to motion, its fingers pinched and moving back and forth. You glanced between his eyes and his fingers, realizing his silent plea for something to write with.

With a sense of urgency, you hurried to the desk in the room, grabbing a notebook and pen before returning to his side. Handing the notebook and pen to him, you watched as he struggled to grasp both items, particularly the pen. Your heart ached at the sight of his slow and unsteady hands, knowing how difficult it must've been for him to attempt to write in his weakened state, not to mention the tube down his throat.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to write out a single statement: 愛し��る. I love you. It was hardly legible, his usual chicken scratch even worse than usual.

You flattened your lips in an attempt to hold back your tears, your breath catching in your throat as you read the words. "I love you, too, Naoya," you whispered back, finally able to say it to him face-to-face.

He let go of the notebook, letting it lay flat on his lap as he kept his face turned toward you. His hand moved to your cheek, caressing it softly. His thumb brushed away a stray tear or two before returning to your gaze where he pointed to his chest and then gave the 'OK' sign with his index and thumb forming a circle. You nodded with a smile, a tearful giggle escaping your lips in response.

Naoya then picked the notebook back up and underneath his declaration of love, he wrote out a single question: Are we having a baby?

You looked at the characters scrawled out and nodded again, your tears coming down a bit harder as you realized that he had heard you earlier when his mother had visited. "Yes," you nodded, your voice breaking slightly. "Yes, we're having a baby."

His eyes widened for a moment before his head turned to face the ceiling. He released the notebook and pen and weakly brought his hands together, shaking them before letting them come down to his face. He let them stay there for a moment before picking the notebook back up and pointed to his previous statement of "I love you," written above the question.

You giggled and wiped one of your tears with a finger. "I love you, too," you repeated with a trembling grin.

You had no idea what his consciousness meant in regard to his health. You also didn't know how the morning would look when Daisuke would come to try and drag you away, or what would happen between your two families. All that you had was this moment to hold on to.

Dates: July 24, 2018 - Y/N manages to sneak Naoya's mother in and she finally admits her feelings for Naoya.

[elle-p]

The worst scans you've ever seen and transcription of the Persona 3 part of Cut April 2015

2006年にPlayStation2用のゲームソフトとして発売された『ペルソナ3』。20万本以上のセールスを記録したRPGにして、小脱・コミック・ドラマCD・TVアニメなどさまざまなメディアに拡大してきた人気タイトルである。そして2013年より劇場版アニメとして公開されている本作は、原作ゲームの発表から10年近くを経てなお拡大を続けている稀有な作品でもある。斬新なビジュアルや深い感情移入を促すストーリー、中毒性をもたらすゲームシステムなど、本作の面白さを象徴するトピックは数多い。その中でも特に強調したい『P3』の魅力－それは、発売当時ユーザーに衝撃を与えた革新的な音楽と、受け手の想像力をかき立てるパーソナリティを持った主人公の存在��。今回は劇場版の第3章公開を機に、『P3』の音楽を一手に担うコンポーザーの目黒将司と、主人公を演じる声優・石田彰に登場願った。『P3』が広く深く愛される理由を、彼らの言葉から読み解いてみよう。

『PERSONA3 THE MOVIE』

目黒将司

『ペルソナ3』を特別たらしめた音楽の「革命」とは何か

テキスト＝清水大輔 text by Daisuke Shimizu

『PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down』4月4日公開、アニプレックス配給 ©ATLUS ©SEGA／劇場版「ペルソナ3」製作委員会

SHOJI MEGURO

1本のRPGとして2006年に登場した『ペルソナ3』 (以下『P3』) がさまざまなメディアに選出しながら現在まで愛され続け、劇場版アニメが公開されるほどの支持を獲得できた理由。それを考える上で、同作品の音楽の斬新さは絶対に外せない要素のひとつだ。では、『P3』の音楽とは何だったのか－それは、本文中で何度か述べさせてもらっているとおり、一言で表すならば「革命」である。最も象徴的なのはフィールドやバトルのBGMにボーカル曲が採用されていることだが、それぞれの楽曲がユーザーの潜在的な欲求に応え、『P3』の世界観を押し広げる大きなうねりとなったことで、本作へのユーザーの熱量が持続してきた側面もあると思う。実際、『P3』やシリーズの他作品の楽曲を演奏する「PERSONA MUSIC LIVE BAND」のライブが日本武道館で開催されていることからも、その支持の深度が窺えるのではないか。そんな『P3』の音楽を手掛けているのが、アトラスのチーフコンポーザーである目黒将司。同社のあらゆるゲーム作品に寄り添う名曲を送り出してきた作曲家・目黒による『P3』の楽曲は、単に「ゲームのBGM」の枠にとどまらない「ポップ・ミュージック」としての力を内包している。 劇場版第3章の公開を機に、革命的な音楽が生まれた背景を聞いた。

目黒さん自身も関わられた劇場版の第1章、第2章ですが、ご覧になってどんなことを感じましたか？

「ウチが作ったゲームを、監督さんからスタッフの皆さんまで全員が理解して、すごく的確なアレンジをしてくれた作品だなあ、と思いました。ファンの目線で見たらすごく喜んでもらえる���うな映画だと思うし、このスタッフさんたちにやってもらえてほんとによかったなっていう」

目黒さんが『P3』の音楽を最初に作られたのはそれこそ10年くらい前になりますけど、劇場にかかること自体はやはりすごく特別なことだったんじゃないですか。

「そうですね。劇場版の音楽をやらせていただけるのはすごく光栄なことで、もちろんふたつ返事でやらせていただいたんですけども。曲作り自体は特別ガラッと変えることはなかったんですが、ゲームでは表現しきれなかったところを、秒単位で細かく表現できたのは嬉しかったです。それから『ペルソナ』のファンに恩返しができるような感じもあって、そういう感情は大きかったかもしれないですね。技術的には、作った当時よりきれいにできたけど、『P3』とあまり変わってないのかなっていう気はします。結局、僕が『P3』の音楽だと思って作る以上は違ったものはできないし、ファンの方々が求めているであろう『P3』から逸敗しないものを作るのは大前提にあって、それは特に意識しないでもできるというか」

無意識のところに『P3』の音楽はかくあるべし、というものがあるということでしょうか。

「そうですね。当時『P3』を作る段階で、僕の中の造語なんですけど、『フューチャーポップ』を作ろうと思ったんです。後日検索したらフューチャーポップってジャン���があって、『どうしよう、かぶっちゃった』っていうのはあったんですけど(笑)。なので、基軸となっているのは僕の中で考えるフューチャーポップっていうジャンルで、それを作れば『P3』の音楽になるという感覚です」

作品がたまたま歌を呼んでいた。ゲームに呼ばれて歌を入れた、っていう感じです

いちユーザーとして当時『P3』をプレイして、ほんとに革命的なゲーム音楽だなあと思ったんです。ゲームのBGMでありつつ、単に作品に添えられたBGMというだけではなくて、音楽として本当に素晴らしいものだと感じたんですけども。

「革命という意味では、たぶん『P3』自体がウチの会社の中で革命的だったのかなとは思います。もちろん、当時から革命を起こそうぜっていうノリではなかったですけど、結果的に『1』『2』の流れから見たら革命的なゲームになったので、その作品についた曲だったから革命に見えたのかもしれない(笑)。ただ、音楽の面でファンに驚きを与えたい、楽しませたいっていうのは常に考えているので、その驚きの部分でそれまでとは違った感覚で受け入れられたのかなあ、とは思うんですけど。『P3』は、基本的には『ペルソナ』のゲーム音楽の中でも斬新なところをやってるっていう考え方はあって、やっぱりBGMに歌が入ってるのは大きいと思います。このゲームはわりとインターフェースも変わっていて、初期の段階にいろんなサンプルを見て、サウンド面でも新しいことをやってやろうと思ってました。で、ボイスが入っていたら、たぶんみんなビックリするだろうなあ、と」

おっしゃるとおり、たとえば戦闘シーンのBGMがボーカル曲だったのは当時衝撃的でした。「この音楽でイケる!」って��信を持てたのはどんな瞬間でしたか？

「それはもう、作ってる段階ですね。画面なりシナリオなりを見ていて、もちろんこの『P3』の世界観が一番大きかったんですけども、『これは歌入れるよなあ』っていう感覚は普通にありましたね。それよりも、歌を録音して、何曲もBGMとして入れることのコストやノウハウが当時のウチにはなかったので、『歌入れなきゃなんないけど、どうしよう?』っていうのが一番大きかったかもしれないです。ボーカルのツテもないし、どうスタジオをブッキングしたらいいかもわからない。何もわかんないけど、俺しかやる人いないから、しょうがないなあ、頑張るかあって思ったところが、当時の自分に対して一番褒めてやりたいところですね(笑)。ただ、その部分は『P3』が特別なわけではなくて、他の『女神転生 (真・女神転生Ⅲ・NOCTURNE)』だったり、いろんな作品でも『あっ、これ歌入れなきゃ』ってことになったらやるし、『尺八の音必要だよな』ってなったら尺八を演奏できる誰かを探して、スタジオをどうやって取ったらいいかとか知らなくても飛び込んだと思うし。なので『P3』がたまたま『あっ、歌入れなきゃいけない』と思う作品だった、というところで勇気をもたらされた感じですかね」

でも、『P3』の音楽を作ったことで、目黒さん自身の作曲家としての幅は広がったわけですよね。

「そこは転機になりましたね 。いつもどおり、他の作品と分け隔てなく音楽を作ってましたけども、結果的にはすごくいろんな面で転機にはなってます。今は40を過ぎたので、作っていると初期の段階から『こういうふうに受け入れられるだろうなあ』というのは経験則で見えてくるし、大体の予想をしているんです。他の作品なら、たとえば『ペルソナ4』(以下『P4』) のときも『あっ、歌をやっていいんだ。じゃあ次も歌ものをやろう』っていう感じではなくて、作品がたまたま歌を呼んでいたと。もう、ゲームに呼ばれて歌を入れた、っていう感じですね」

『P3』の音楽を作ったときも、想像していた反応と実際の反応が重なった体験をされたんですか？

「そうですね、サントラを出したときは正直売れると思ってました」

(笑)それはすごい！

「(笑)なぜかというと、僕の白がい いから、とかではなくて、ちょうどその頃バスタソースの《♪うた～らこ～》が毎日のようにCMで流れていて、CD化されたらバーンと何万枚も売れたんですよ。それと同じことで、ゲームでずうっと同じボーカル曲を聴かされたら、『なんだろう？ちょっと買っちゃおうかな』ってなるだろうなとは予想してました」

それはすごく面白いお話で、その時点でゲームBGMの枠を飛び越えてますよね。というのも、メロディであったり楽曲自体が、ゲームで流れてる音楽っていう意味を超えて届いていってるということでもあると思うんですよ。たらこは世の中のそこら中に流れてたかもしれないですけど、『P3』の音楽は『P3』をプレイしている人にしか届かない。でも売れたというのは、それだけ深くささったということですよね。

「かもしれない。たらこのCMを聴いて届いちゃってボーンと売れたのと、ウチのゲームが20万本以上売れて、ボーカル曲が響いちゃって『なんだこれ?』と思って買っちゃった方の割合はそんなに変わらないかもしれないですね。『P3』の音楽を作ってる段階では、『なんだこりゃ?』って思う人もたくさんいるだろう、でも作品���のBGMとしては合ってるという評価は得られるだろうなあ、っていう感覚はあって。で、サントラを出すときは、あれだけ何回も聴いて刷り込まれているから、きっと今までになく売れるだろうなあ、とは当時思ってました。ただ、『P3』で特別みんなに突き刺さるカッコいいボッブスを作ってやろうという気はなく－いや、もちろんカッコいいボップスを作りたいとは思っているんですが、それは『P3』に限ったことではなくて」

ただ、結果としてこの音楽を好きになって買った人がたくさんいるわけで、もはやそれはポップミュージックであると言えますよね。

「ああ、なるほど」

物語に添えられることで、すごく意味がある。そして、物語が一緒になっていなくても聴き手にとって意味がある。『P3』の音楽ってそういうものだったと思うんですけども。

「それは『P3』がそういう範囲の曲まで許されるゲームだった、ということでもあるんじゃないんですかね。許容範囲が広かった。『真・女神転生』や『デビルサマナー』にしても、こういう世界観でこういうお話だからこんな音楽、っていう、どこの部分をやるとプレイヤーを驚かせられるか、楽しませられるか、作品に呼ばれてる中でどこを狙うか、の範囲が、『P3』は広かったんじゃないかと思います。結局、『ゲームにつける音楽はこうだよね』というのは、シナリオなり設定なりを見ていって、それに合わせるという感じなので」

なるほど。

「ちょっと象徴的なお話になるんですけど、『ペルソナ』は『3』も『4』もいくつかスピンオフの作品が出ているんですね。そこでは僕じゃなくて部下の小塚 (良太) や喜多條 (敦志) が担当しているんですけど、特に喜多條は “『ペルソナ』らしさとは何か” とか、過去の作品にとらわれすぎていて、いかに目黒が作った曲を真似するか、から入っていったので、まあ最初はクソみたいな曲しかできなかったんですよ(笑)。で、『それは劣化目黒の曲になっちゃうからダメだ、喜多修くんが思う “ペルソナ” の音楽はこうあるべきだっていうのを自分で考えてやらないと』っていうことをずっと言っていて。それで彼は目覚めていい曲が書けるようになって、作品にもなってるんです。なんか、そういうことなんじゃないかなあと思いますね。作品の担当者、作曲家が思う “『ペルソナ』の曲ってこういうことだ” っていうことをしっかり表現すればいいだけなのかな、という。『ペルソナ』という作品からどういう曲が呼ばれているか、それに対して自分なりのアウトプットをすることが重要なのかなあと思いますね。話を戻すと、『P3』の場合はみんなが音楽としても普通に聴けるような曲がBGMとして合ってる、と作品が言ってたから作れた音楽なんじゃないかと思います」

こういう音楽が合ってる、と言ってきた作品は『P3』が最初ですか。

「最初ですね、ええ」

それって革命ですよね(笑)。

「(笑)だからやっぱり『P3』のゲームが革命なんですよ。僕はあくまで革命に乗っかったんです」

ライブでは、予想しなかった部分で「こういうふうに愛していただいてるんだ」っていう発見がある

『P3』の音楽が届く範囲はどんどん広がっていて、もとはゲームのBGMとして作られた楽曲をいろんな方が歌って、武道館でバンドが演奏していますよね。それってほんとにすごいことだと思うんですけど、実際お客さんの目の前で演乗したときはどんなことを感じま��か？

「僕自身はライブは買っていただいたファンの方々とのコミュニケーションの場なのかなと思ってます。予想しなかった部分で、『ああ、こういうふうに愛していただいてるんだ』っていう発見がいろいろありますね。ライブに関しては、『P3』のサントラが出るときに、足立 (和紀／アニプレックスブロデューサー)さんと、『これはライブをやったらソニーミュージックのオフィスのカフェテラスくらいは埋まるよね、ウケるよね、やりましょうよ』っていう話を実はしていて(笑)」

そして気づいたら武道館まで行ってしまった、と(笑)。

「あそこまでデカくなるとは思ってなかったですけど(笑)、どうファンに恩返しができるかなっていうのはずっと考えていて。そこでみんなに楽しんでいただけたらいいし、逆に僕も皆さんのペルソナ愛ってこういうものなんだっていうことを、すごく勉強させてもらってます」

わかりました。ではシンプルにお聞きしますが、目黒さんにとって『ペルソナ3』とは何ですか？

「『ペルソナ3』は担当したゲームのうちのひとつですが、僕自身のいろんなキャリアも含めて、転機になった作品だとは思います。一番は、目黒将司っていう名前を世の中に少しだけ広める転機になったのかな、ということですね。それってけっこう大きくて、いろんなお仕事もいただけるようになるし、すごく大事なところだなあと思いますね。僕自身の作曲のスキルは、『P3』だけじゃなく、いろんな作品をやりながら徐々に上がっていってると思います」

『P3』だけでなくさまざまな作品を手がけてきた経験を、次回作 の『ペルソナ5』にどう反映していきたいと考えていますか？

「常に思ってることなんですけど、僕はまだまだ全然だなと。自分を卑下してるわけじゃなくて、僕自身、作曲家としてもっとよくなれるっていう感覚でいます。なので、『P3』『P4』でゲーム音楽業界の確固たる地位を得た、みたいな感覚はまったくないです。『ペルソナ5』も、今までに得たノウハウを導入して、よりよいゲームになるように音楽を作っていくだけですね」

めぐろしょうじ

1971年生まれ。1996年株式会社アトラス入社、現在同社クリエイティブ部サウンドチーム ディレクター／チーフコンポーザー。『女神異聞録ペルソナ』(96年) で一部楽曲を担当、以降『ペルソナ』『真・女神転生』シリーズなど数多くの作品で音楽制作を担当。

石田彰

「ゼロの存在」を肉体化させた10年間。その道のりで得たものとは

テキスト＝清水大輔 text by Daisuke Shimizu

AKIRA ISHIDA

『PERSONA3 THE MOVIE』の原作『ペルソナ3』は、いちユーザーとして見ると特殊なゲームであるように思う。基本的に、劇中の主人公にほぼセリフはなく、何事にも一歩引いたパーソナリティの持ち主である彼が、さまざまな出会いを通して変化と成長を遂げ、やがて大きな運命を背負っていく－この構造に感情移入し、作品にのめりこんだユーザーがものすごく多いということは、発売から10年近くを経た今劇場版としてアニメ化されたという事実が証明している。受け手の想像力をかき立てる存在としてのこの主人公には、『ペルソナ3』という作品だからこその魅力があるのだ。劇場版では結城 ��という名前を与えられた主人公を演じてきたのが、『新世紀エヴァンゲリオン』の渚カヲル役や『機動戦士ガンダムSEED』のアスラン・ザラ役で知られる声優・石田彰。現在の日本のアニメ界には欠かせない名優のひとりだが、彼��この「主人公」から何を感じ、受け取り、どのような過程を経て「ゼロの存在」だったキャラクターを肉体化させていったのか。原作ゲームとの出会いから劇場版に臨んだ際の心情まで、幅広く語ってもらった。

最初は、「とにかく邪魔にならないようにしよう」という発想だった

まずは、彼に出会ったときにどんな印象を受けましたか？というところからお話を聞かせてください。

「原作ゲームでは “主人公のセリフ。” というのはないんですね。なので、プレイヤーの人が気持ちよくゲームをできるような声を求められてるんだなと、一番最初はそういうふうにとらえていたので、『とにかく邪魔にならないようにしよう』っていう発想でしたね。その後、ドラマCDをやらせていただくことになって、そのときに初めて『ああ、こういうことを言う人なんだ』『なるほど、こういうタイプの人間なのね』っていうことがわかってきて。“主人公” というキャラクターが自分の中でどんどん厚みが出て固まってきて、あとからイメージが大きく育っていったところがありますね」

なるほど。

「彼は、普段こう、自分から進んで何かしようというキャラクターではないので、そこはメリハリというよりも、むしろ何かあったときに頼りがいがあることに違和感が出るくらい、普段はさめている感じをちゃんと持っておかないと、成り立たなくなるんです。まずそこが、“主人公” としての意識を持つときの一番のポイントですね。で、それをやっているとだんだん面白くなってくるんです。ある意味変な人なので(笑)。『なんかひとりだけ消費カロリーが少ないなあ』っていうところがあるんですけれども、そこに面白さを感じてたりしましたね」

変ではあるけれど、同時にすごく受け入れられて、愛されているキャラクターでもありますよね。

「静の部分での特徴はすごく大きい人ですが、決して『こういうキャラです!』っていう動的な特徴の出し方ではありません。だから皆さんに受け入れてもらえているのはなぜかと考えると、最初に立ち戻って、“主人公” としてあまり色を出さなかったのがよかったんだと思います。このキャラクターをどう作った、ということではなくて、削いでいって、要素をなくしていった結果、ゲームの楽しさに引っ張られて皆さんが彼を受け入れてくれたのかな？という気がします」

今こうして劇場版で絵がついて、ご自身でセリフを入れた「主人公」が結城 理という名前を与えられて動いてしゃべっている。その姿というのは、10年近く彼と向き合ってきた石田さんにとっても感慨深いものがあったんじゃないですか？

「何より名前がついたのが嬉しかったですね。それこそドラマCDでも “主人公” っていうクレジットでしたから、やっと名前がついたことがとてもとても嬉しかったです。それだけで、映画になってよかったなって思うくらい(笑)。『ペルソナ3』は長年続いてきて、自分の中でもそうそう終わらないものという意識があったし、本当にこう、想像以上にいい子に育ってくれた気がします(笑)」

(笑)劇場版の主人公である結城 理は、原作ゲームやドラマCD以上に、特に物語の序盤では厭世感が強い人物として描かれている印象を受けました。今までの “主人公”と理を演じ分ける上で、意謡の違いはありましたか？

「いや、僕の感覚ではそんなに違いをつけるつもりはなんです。むしろ第1章を録り終えたときに、ずいぶんとフレンドリーになったなっていう感覚があったくらいで」

なるほど。特に第1章は距離があるというか、何か1枚挟んだ向こう側からしゃべっている感じがあると思いまして。だからこそ、第2章、第3章で仲間を思う気持ちが強くなっていく描写が効くというか。

「正直、第1章と第2章、3章との違いで言えば、第1章は劇場版ということで気負っていた部分はありますね。最初、けっこう気負ってガチガチになって球を投げていたところがあるんだと思います。でも、得体の知れないものとガチで戦わなきゃいけなくなりました、さあどうします？っていう物語の導入部である第1章が終わって、第2章では高校生の楽しい日常みたいなやわらかい話も入ってきて。なおかつ第3章では理と対比されるキャラクターも出てきて、こっちはこうだけど、そっちはそうだよねっていう見せ方ができてきたんですね。だから第2章、第3章になって変化球も使えるようになったというか、自分の武器が増えたのに比べて、第1章ではストレートでいくしかない、打たれないためにはとにかくスピードを出さなきゃっていう、そういうところにしかすがれないと思っていたわけです。なので、自分自身の緊張感という部分での差は、第1章と他の豊とを比べるとあると思いますね」

第3章では理に加えてファルロスと綾時を含めた3役を演じられたわけですけど、ファルロスと綾時がいることによって、石田さんの中で理の人物像がよりハッキリしていったところもあるのでしょうか。

「理と綾時は、お互いに持ってない部分を表しているキャラクターだと思うんですね。大きくとらえてしまえばファルロスもその一部なんですけど、理というのは、自分が関わってることはすべて自分でコントロールしてなんとかするべき、という部分を表す人だと思っていて。で、綾時は人と接しやすいように壁を薄く薄くして、その壁はフィルム状にしてすごく薄く見せることで人とベタッとくっつける、相手と距離を縮められるっていう、そういうやり方ができるキャラクターで。その両方を演じるというのは、自分の中でもバランスが取りやすいんです。2役やる、3役やるというのはフィジカル的には大変で、ちょっと負担になったりもするんですが、物語の中で理と綾時は対をなすキャラクターと言われたときに、それを自分の手の中でやれるのは、自分にとってすごくわかりやすいですね。逆にひとりでやっている分、その両方のキャラクターが自分の範疇を超えていかないので、思ってもみなかったものが生まれない部分もありますけど、なんとか納得のいくものにさせていただけたなと思います」

第3章を拝見して印象的だったのが、理が心の底から笑うシーンで。原作のゲームからこのキャラクターを知ってる身からするとすごくグッとくるシーンなんですが、石田さんにとってもすごく大事なシーンだったんじゃないですか？

「そうですね。理が『どこまでみんなに溶け込んでいくのか?』っていうところが物語のポイントになるので、確かにすごく大事��と思います。大事だし、第2章の屋久島に行くシーンあたりから、『壁取り払い始めてるよね、君』みたいなことは理に対して思ったりもしてました。ずっと仲間と一緒に行動をしているし、徐々に徐々に距離は詰めていってるんだけど、理なりのみんなへの近づき方として、僕にとって一番わかりやすい近づき方をしたのが今おっしゃったシーンだと思います。いろいろ迷って、迷って迷って、最終的に『自分はこうするんだ!』って決めて行動に出たのがそこなのかなっていう気もちょっとしていて。でもそれは、映画を観てくださる皆さんがそれぞれの理像を受け取ってもらって、理の理らしいところってここだよねっていうポイントを持っていただけたらいいと思いますね」

薄い色を何回も何回も、何十回も重ねていきながら濃くしていった。そういう作業です

今後、物語は佳境に入っていくわけですが、どのようなイメージを持って臨みたいと考えていますか？

「そうですね、話の流れを意識して、観てるお客さんを泣かせてやろうとそういうスケベ心を出さないようにしようかなと」

(笑)。

「そういうことを考えると、よく失敗するので(笑)。そうしたいっていう感覚は湧いてくると思うんですよ。思うんですいく、そこは抑えてやらなきゃいけないんじゃないかな」

わかりました。では最後に、「声優・石田彰にとって『ペルソナ3』とは何か?」というお話を伺いたいと思います。10年間演じる中で主人公の彼がどんどん肉付けされていって、石田さんにとっても、観ている人にとっても人物像が見えてきましたよね。そういうキャラクターを演じる経験というのは、やはりすごく大きいことなのでは、と思うんですけども。

「ひとつのキャラクターを、その成長も含めて長ーいスパンでやらせていただくというのは、限られた運のいいキャラクターでしか経験できないんですよね。これだけいろいろとこの主人公について考える、特に劇場版になってそういう機会を与えてもらえたなと。すごくこう、ひとつのキャラクターを深く掘り下げることができた作品だし、そういう作業を強いられたキャラクターでもあって(笑)、いい修行をさせてもらったと思います。感覚としては、薄い色何回も何回も、何十回も重ねていきながら濃くしていったっていう、そういう作業ですかね。最初の頃は、ここにも塗り残しがある、こんなところにも範囲があったっていう発見がいっぱいあって、それが出揃って見渡せてからも作品が続いているので、そこにどんどん色を塗り重ねていってる感覚ですね。そこに面白さを感じながらやっています」

[rimeiii]

Matching WHB kings, nobles, angels, and humans to songs in my playlist

All of them are like. Video game music, unfortunately. And mostly based on vibes. So...

(More below the cut because it's a lot)

(And it would mean the world to me if you checked out these songs because they're all bangers tbf-)

Gehenna

Satan: Operation Basepoint by Life Awaits, from the Arknights OST (Contingency Contract #12, menu theme)

Sitri: Tea Break by the Atlus Sound Team, from the Persona Q Shadows of the Labyrinth OST (cutscene theme)

Leraye: The "Bad Guy" is Here! by Adam Gubman, from the Arknights OST (Ceobe's Fungimist, Dreadful Foe theme)

Zagan: Operation Spectrum Battle Theme by Cybermiso, DOT96, and Tigerlily, from the Arknights OST (Contingency Contract #5 permanent map theme)

Paimon: Light the Fire Up in the Night 'MAYONAKA' by Lotus Juice and Shihoko Hirata, from the Persona Q Shadows of the Labyrinth OST (Persona 4 side regular battle theme)

Belial: Heaven by Shihoko Hirata, from the Persona 4 OST (Heaven dungeon theme)

Astaroth: Rhythm in Literature by Adam Gubman, from the Arknights OST (Integrated Strategies 2: Phantom and the Crimson Solitaire, The Playwright's boss theme)

Tartaros

Mammon: Operation Blade by Obadiah Brown-Beach and Xueran Chen, from the Arknights OST (Contingency Contract #2, menu theme)

Bimet: Princess Amagi by the Atlus Sound Team, from the Persona 4 Arena OST (Yukiko Amagi's theme)

Eligos: Active Angel by Daisuke Ishiwatari, from the BlazBlue OST (Platinum the Trinity's theme)

Valefor: Wecgas fore tham Cynge, Searu fore tham Ethle by LJGH, from the Arknights OST (Episode 11, Steam Knight's boss theme)

Hades

Leviathan: Абсолю́тный нуль температу́ры by Bao.Uner, from the Arknights OST (Episode 6, FrostNova's boss theme in H6-4)

Foras: Keter Battle 1-3 by Project Moon, from the Library of Ruina OST (Keter floor battle themes)

Glasyalabolas: Unseen Entities by Raito, from the Under Night In Birth OST (Merkava's theme)

Barbatos: Ready? by D.D.D., from the Arknights OST (one of the menu themes of Heart of Surging Flame)

Avisos

Beelzebub: The Mushroom...Moves? by Adam Gubman, from the Arknights OST (Ceobe's Fungimist, menu and regular navigation theme)

Bael: Bullet Dance by Daisuke Ishiwatari, from the BlazBlue OST (Noel Vermillion's theme)

Stolas: Operation Pyrite by Jason Walsh and Alan Day, from the Arknights OST (Contingency Contract #1 menu theme)

Amon: Splash by PMP Music, from the Arknights OST (one of Ideal City's battle themes)

Naberius: Signore dei Lupi/wlfmstr by Adam Gubman and Shawn W. Smith, from the Arknights OST (IL Siracusano, Zaaro's boss theme)

Paradise Lost

Lucifer: Mortal Eye by Adam Gubman, BONZIE, and Christine Hals, from the Arknights OST (Typhon's character song)

Marbas: Conciliation by Kikuo, from the BlazBlue OST (Es's theme)

Morax: The Cure by Obadiah Brown-Beach and Denney, from the Arknights OST (Silence the Paradigmatic's character song)

Buer: Canto IV Boss Theme 1 by Studio EIM, from the Limbus Company OST (Effloresced E.G.O. Dongbaek boss theme)

Abaddon

Phenix: Lust SIN by Daisuke Ishiwatari, from the BlazBlue OST (Jin Kisaragi's theme)

Dantalian: Tumult - Raise Thy Sword in Pride by Yuzo Koshiro, from the Etrian Odyssey III The Drowned City OST (labyrinth boss theme)

Ronove: Torture + A Gifted Tormentor by Hironao Nagayama, from the Dragalia Lost OST (Legend Agito boss theme)

Niflheim

Andrealphus: Gazing from Great Heights by Obadiah Brown-Beach, from the Arknights OST (Children of Ursus menu theme)

Gusion: Aleph-0 by LeaF (featured in Phigros and Chunithm)

Bathin: Ad astra by Steven Grove, from the Arknights OST (Lone Trail menu theme)

Angels

Gabriel: Fear of God by Shoji Meguro, from the Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey OST (regular encounter theme)

Michael: Judgment Day by Hironao Nagayama, from the Dragalia Lost OST (Rise of the Sinister Dominion boss theme)

Raphael: The Fifth Primarch by Tsutomu Narita, from the Granblue Fantasy OST (What Makes the Sky Blue, Sandalphon's boss theme)

Humans

Minhyeok: Morning Dew by Adam Gubman and Nini Guerry, from the Arknights OST (Muelsyse character theme)

Solomon: case i by Lucrezia, from the Dragalia Lost OST (Chapter 14 insert song)

MC: Battleplan Pyrolysis by Monster Siren Records, from the Arknights OST (Contingency Contract #1 Battleplan Pyrolysis menu theme, event literally came out today kekw)

[byneddiedingo]

Tatsuya Nakadai in Kagemusha (Akira Kurosawa, 1980)

Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken’ichi Hagiwara, Jinpachi Nezu, Hideji Otaki, Daisuke Ryu, Masayuki Yui, Kaoiri Momoi, Mitsuko Baisho. Screenplay: Masato Ide, Akira Kurosawa. Cinematography: Takao Saito, Shoji Ueda. Art direction: Yoshiro Muraki. Music: Shinichiro Ikebe.

In the climactic moments of Kagemusha director Akira Kurosawa shows the general, Katsuyori (Ken'ichi Hagiwara) sending wave after wave of troops, first cavalry, then infantry, against the enemy, whose soldiers are concealed behind a wooden palisade, from which they can safely fire upon Katsuyori's troops. It's a suicidal attack, reminiscent of the charge of the Light Brigade, but Kurosawa chooses not to show the troops falling before the gunfire. Instead, he waits until after the battle is over and Katsuyori has lost, then pans across the fields of death to show the devastation, including some of the fallen horses struggling to get up. It's an enormously effective moment, suggestive of the dire cost of war. The film's title has been variously interpreted as "shadow warrior," "double," or “decoy." In this case, he's a thief who bears a remarkable resemblance to the formidable warlord Takeda Shingen and is saved from being executed when he agrees to pretend to be Shingen. (Tatsuya Nakadai plays both roles.) This masquerade is designed to convince Shingen's enemies that he is still alive, even though Shingen dies soon after the kagemusha agrees to the ruse. The impostor proves to be surprisingly effective in the part, fooling Shingen's mistresses and winning the love of his grandson, and eventually presiding over the defeat of his enemies. But he gains the enmity of Shingen's son, Katsuyori, who not only resents seeing a thief playing his father but also holds a grudge against Shingen for having disinherited him in favor of the grandson. So when the kagemusha is exposed as a fake to the household, he is expelled from it, and Katsuyori's arrogance leads to the defeat in the Battle of Nagashino -- a historical event that took place in 1575. The poignancy of the fall of Shingen's house is reinforced at the film's end, when his kagemusha reappears in rags on the bloody battlefield, then makes a one-man charge at the palisade and is gunned down. The narrative is often a little slow but the film is pictorially superb: Yoshiro Muraki was nominated for an Oscar for art direction, although many of his designs are based on Kurosawa's own drawings and paintings

[eiffeltornet]

bet

@aquadread @sharkwithc4 @veggiefritterz @vincentbeloved @silly-simon05

Blorbo Poll

Rules: make a poll with five of your all-time favourite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favourite.

Tagged by @powersuitup. Probably very predictable picks for anyone who knows me but whatevs.

NP tagging @tweetthang96, @coolnerdyrn, @kayliemalinza, @raaorqtpbpdy, and @thephilosophersapprentice.

[jokerfan99]

Saeko Busujima (2) by KrazyKamikaze44

Lineart & Coloring: krazykamikaze44

Commissions now available. Details below www.deviantart.com/krazykamika…

HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD © Daisuke Satō

Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/krazykamikaze44

[therealgingastuff]

Daisuke looks at the Ohu dogs through the binoculars and recognizes Akame running along with Weed. 

Apparently, Akame has a very flexible long neck thanks to his ninja dog skills. 

(2nd and 3rd pics are the close-ups from the 1st picture)

[flapper-dai]

d1sk_t  仲良くなってきたぜい🤞新しい刺激って最高やなー！！！

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

Their Hero Academia – Chapter 74: 10 Short Films about 1-A

Presenting the next installment of my on-going, nextgen, MHA fic! Earlier chapters can be found here

“What’re you watching, dork?”

Toshi looked up from his desk to see his sister, Hana, standing in the doorway.  “Oh, just a video Shota sent over.  He wanted to know what I thought.  It’s Sequoia Rose and Kestrel fighting some of the Sons of Stain… Looks like they were planning some kind of raid on the local Agencies before they routed them out.”

It was a pretty impressive fight.  But the Sons of Stain were no joke; they were followers of the late Hero Killer, who still believed Hero Society was corrupt and worked to bring it down.  There was something very satisfying about seeing them get beaten.

Hana rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how you can just watch all that stuff in your free time.  Dad’s a Hero.  Mom’s a Hero. More than half the adults we know are Heroes.  You’re studying to be a Hero and so are all your friends!  Don’t you get tired of it?”

“No?” he tried. “It’s just all… so cool!  Besides, Rose and Kestrel are still pretty young!  There’s a good chance I might get to work with them someday, so it helps to know about…” She rolled her eyes again and Toshi trailed off.

“Do you even hear yourself?”

“You know,” he said, “just because you pretend you’re too cool for this kind of stuff doesn’t make you cool.  We used to watch videos together with Dad!  You used to run around in a Froppy onesie!”

Hana looked him dead in the eyes.  “Meh.” He actually felt a chill go down his spine, but pressed on.  

“Oh, come on!  You wanted to be a Hero when you were little! What changed, Hanners?  Your Quirk’s way stronger than Grandma’s! It’d be perfect for Hero work!”

“Maybe I don’t want to spend my life beating people up, dork!  You ever think of that?” Hana looked annoyed.  He’d known for a while now her interest in Heroes or in being one had been waning, but her disinterest seemed to have picked up speed since she became a teenager.  She did want to be a doctor, which was still helping people, but…

“But you could be a Rescue Hero, like Mom!  Or a Medical Hero, like Aunt Eri!  Your Quirk would be great for that!  You could move rubble or people, maybe even help with injuries....”

Hana pointed at him and he felt a slight shove in his chest, nearly knocking him out of his chair.   “Tosh,” she said. “Let it go.  Not everybody wants that life.”

“Even with a punch like that…” Toshi began, but the fire in her eyes silenced him.  “Okay, okay.  I’ll let it go.”   He smiled. “You know we’ll all be proud of you, no matter what you do, right?”

There was another eyeroll.  “Could you be any sappier?  I’m surprised you aren’t crying.”

“I don’t cry that much!”

“Suuuure….”

“But you know, though,” he said, “Aunt Eri and Katsuma got through med school way faster with way less debt…”

***

“You’re what?” Katsumi growled, staring at Dad.

Dad looked up from where he was packing his suitcase.  “Going to the Training Camp,” he said.  “The other teachers think it’ll be a good idea if I go and get an idea of what you kids can do.”

She threw up her hands in irritation.  “And you were planning on telling me this when?”

He shrugged.  “Didn’t find out until a couple days ago.”   He’d been commuting back and forth to U.A. a lot lately, getting things set up so he could start teaching the next term.  She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that or how she felt about having him around and in her space that often.  “And I’m telling you now, aren’t I?”

Scratch that.  She was relieved to still have him around after his injuries.  But she still wasn’t sure how she felt about him being their teacher.  Aunt Itsuka was a homeroom teacher, not a subject teacher, so it probably wasn’t as bad for Kana as this would be, but maybe she’d talk to her and see how she dealt with it.

She crossed her arms. “So you’re leaving Tai alone with Papa to eat take out the whole time we’re gone?”

He gave her a look. “I’m not that dumb.  Tsukushi’s given them a standing invitation to dinner while we’re gone.  She’ll make sure they’re fed.”  

Leaving Papa and her little brother to the Monomas?  Dad was desperate.   Well, Papa and Tsukushi got along.  And Tai loved Takeru.  It was really only Dad and the elder Monoma who fought, usually over stupid stuff like hedges and an ever escalating “niceness” war that probably wouldn’t end even when they moved.

“Don’t worry,” Dad said. “I’ll give you your space.  I’m not going to be looking over your shoulder the whole time or anything.”

She held his gaze, then shrugged.  It wasn’t like she had anything to hide anyway.  It was just the principle of the thing.  “Yeah, all right.”

He grinned after that. “Don’t think I’m going to go easy on any of you, though.”

“Wasn’t asking you to.”

“Not even Izumi.”

The words caught in her throat.  She could handle All Might pushing them.  His jocular demeanor meant that even when he was driving them the hardest, it was hard to get mad at him.  Even Aizawa’s pushing was a serious, focused thing.

Dad would push as hard of any of them, probably harder.  It was, she admitted, what they all needed, how nuts things were right now.  He’d force them to go beyond their limits, because he knew no other way.

Could she handle seeing her best friend pushed like that?  She’d been trying hard to let Izzy face her own challenges and not step in immediately to protect her.  Even since the Sports Festival, she’d been more acutely aware of how Izzy could take care of herself.  Dad knew that about her.

“She’ll appreciate that.” She’d have to try and do the same.

***

KA-BOOM!

The device exploded, leaving a large scorch mark on the opposite wall of the testing range.  Automated systems activated, with arms extending from the wall and spaying fire-suppressant foam over the flames. Later, a cleaning robot would emerge and take care of the mess.

Flipping up her protective mask, Mother let out a laugh.  “Aw, I thought for sure that baby was going to work!  But didja see the size of that explosion!  Wowee!”

Sora joined her in the laugh.  “Most spectacular!” she agreed.  “Perhaps we should adjust the fuel to power ratio by twenty-percent for the next version?”

Her brother shook his head. “If we are intended to make a rocket-propelled gauntlet for our costumes, then we will require sufficient force to do any damage.  Better to reinforce the material to survive the forces involved.”

He was incorrect about that. “Material strength will only go so far,” she told him.  “And reinforcing the material will add additional weight, which will diminish speed.”

The incorrectness persisted. “Incorrect,” he said.  “The advancements being made with lightweight alloys should prove sufficient to…”

Both of them frowned, then turned to face Mother.  At the same time, they began, “Mother tell him/her that I am correct!”

Mother let out another laugh.  “Babies, babies, babies,” she said.  “I think it’s adorable when you have a science fight.  And as much I’d love to weigh in on this one…”   The clock on her design desk chirped with an alarm.  It was loud, shrill, and impossible to ignore.   Father had insisted on her having one like that.  It would even trigger back-up alarms if not silenced with the correct passcode.  It was ultimately necessary to allow Mother proper time-keeping.

She silenced the alarm. “I promised your father I would have you both in one place so he could talk to you.”

At that, the door to the lab snapped open and Father walked in.  He had his projector laptop under one arm.  Sora looked at Tensei nervously.  It was rarely a good sign when he brought that out.  It would mean he had a topic for discussion that he considered important enough to require slides.  

Father regarded them seriously and set his laptop up.  He pushed his glasses up his nose.  “As you know, you will be leaving on Monday for the two week Training Camp.  While I trust Aizawa and your other chaperones to maintain order, I also still remember the third year camp my own class undertook.   Denki and Kyoka were somehow able to sneak away to go skinny-dipping.  The resultant pregnancy scare that resulted a few weeks later is not something I wish to see repeated with either of you or your class.”

Tensei brought a hand up.  “Father, seeing as how Takuma and I are both male, that would be a highly unlikely outcome, should we choose to engage in such behavior.”  He went a bit red.  “Even though we will not.  May I be excused from this discussion?  It seems as though it would be better focused on Sora.”

The traitor!  She made a mental note to hide his soldering kit later.

Mother, however, just shook her head.  “Let him have this.  He spent all of his last day off making these slides.  I tried to distract him, but he resisted my feminine wiles.”

“Mei!” Father erupted. “That is not an appropriate thing to say!”

“I thought it tied right in, Tenny.”

Father went a bit red, as he often did when Mother teased him.  “Regardless,” he said, “as you are both now in relationships, I feel this next stage of talks to be highly necessary.”

The presentation projected from the laptop’s holograph lens began with Relationships: How to Make Smart Decisions That Will Ensure a Successful Future for You and Your Partner.  Looking carefully, she could see the slide was numbered as one of one hundred fifty.

It was going to be one of those presentations then. Father certainly did love to lecture. Takuma, she understood, but how could he not trust Toshi?

“Perhaps we should be taking notes?” Sora ventured.  “But I believe I left pen and paper in my room.  I should go and get them!”

“As should I!” Tensei agreed quickly.  

Father seemed to be searching their faces for signs of deception, but nodded.  “Very well,” he said.  “Ten minutes, then we will begin!”

More than enough time. She ran out of the lab as fast as her legs would carry her, Tensei hot on her heels.  

***

Carefully, Kimiko closed her suitcase.  She had enough clothes to get her through the Training Camp and a few of the medical textbooks Doctor Izumi had provided her with.  According to Doctor Izumi, since she was progressing well with her studies, she’d be able to receive additional medical training at the camp.  The studying was often long and arduous and cut into her gossip-wrangling time, but she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t also rewarding.  It was an application of her Quirk that didn’t involve sneaking around, didn’t make being invisible the be-all and end all of what she was.

There was a knock on her door.  “Come in, Daddy,” she said.

Her door slid open as Daddy padded inside.  He smiled. “How’d you know it was me, ‘miko?” As always, he was able to look her right in the eyes, something almost no one else could.  Even Kenta had trouble with it sometimes.

“Pretty distinctive knock,” she told him.

Daddy smiled again. “You’re getting good at observing,” he said.  He nodded towards the shelf where some of her medical books still were.  “You’re getting good at lots of things.”

“Oh, Daddy,” she said. “You’re going to make me blush!”

He chuckled at that. “You’ve got everything you need? Sunscreen?  Extra changes of clothes?  Reflectors?”

“Yes, yes, yes, …wait, no!”   Kimiko ran to her dresser and pulled out her reflective headband, armbands, and gloves.  They were useful when she was going places in the dark, otherwise it was very hard to see just her clothing.  They stood out when she couldn’t.

She stashed them in her suitcase.  “Whew! You’re a lifesaver, Daddy!”   She threw her arms around him in a hug.

“Offf!”  Daddy grunted, returning the hug.  “I still need to breathe, ‘miko!”

She let go, but gave him an affectionate punch on the arm.  “Oh, Daddy!”

“Smart, pretty as your mother, and a heck of a right hook,” Daddy said, beaming.  “No wonder you’re going to make a great Hero.”

“Daaaaaddy!” she wailed, arms flailing.  “You’re too much!”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

He always did believe in her.  When she’d told her parents she wanted to be a Medical Hero, get her paramedic’s license, they’d both been supportive, but Mom had been more cautious, telling her about all the hard work that would be involved.  But Daddy, Daddy had immediately thrown his full support behind her.

She gave him another hug. “Thank you.”

After the hug, he crossed his arms.  “Now, you’re going to behave yourself on this trip?”

“Of course, Daddy!”

“You’re going to pay attention to Aizawa and the other teachers?”

“Of course, Daddy!”

“Not going to hit your friends too much?”

“…I’ll try, Daddy!”

“Not going to spend the whole time shipping your classmates and friends?  Or trying to arrange a ‘summer romance?’”

“…I’m only human, Daddy.”

“’miko…” he began, a chastising tone in his voice.

“Fine,” she said, stomping her foot.  “I’ll try and keep it to a minimum.”

“That’s all I ask.”

***

Shopping in the upscale boutique, Takiyo reached for the designer shirt. Another hand did so at the same time. Wrapping his glowing fingers around one side of the hanger, he tried to take it.  But the other hand, ending in sharp looking claws, wrapped around the other side and tugged too.

He looked to his right and shot them a glare, finding a boy his age, with a mane of purple hair and a feline-ish cast to his face.  He was very pretty, with a style that suggested the kind of trying too hard to look like he wasn’t trying hard to look that good. “Pardon,” Takiyo said, “I had it first.”

“Oh, please,” the boy said.  “I saw it first.  It’ll look better on me anyway.”

Takiyo wondered if he could distract the boy by using his Quirk like a laser-pointer, but he doubted he was cat-like enough for that.  “There must be something wrong with your eyes if you think that’s true.”

“Mmm-hmm,” he said, his yellow, vertically-pupiled eyes moving quickly.  He tapped a finger against his chin. “U.A. student, right? First year?  I do remember seeing a glowing boy during the Sports Festival.”

Takiyo’s thoughts darkened at that.  He hadn’t stood out nearly as much as he would have liked and he was certain he’d only ended up on an Internship with Cellophane because the class’s parents had arranged for no one to be left out.  Still, if he had made enough of an impression for someone else to remember, even someone infuriating…

He put his free hand on his hip.  “If you remember me, then you should remember how stunning I am.”  He almost regretted his words.  He had told Koda he was trying to be nicer to people.  She would be disappointed in him and he hated to think of that.  He could already see her disappointed face in his mind…

The boy shook his head, sending his mane waving in what had to be a practiced motion.  “You keep telling yourself that.”  He snapped his fingers, then licked his lips. “Now the boy who took first… that’s a different story.  Though my friend was rather partial to the girl who took second.  But nobody was talking about you, honey.”

Neither of them had let go of the shirt in the meantime.  It was the last one left in that color and style and he was not backing down.  “Regardless,” Takiyo said, “none of it changes the fact that I had my hand on this first.  It’s mine.”

The cat-boy laughed, but did release his grip on the shirt.  “I suppose it’s the duty of the pretty to do everything they can to help the less fortunate.  And you, my friend, need a lot of help.”

Takiyo gritted his teeth, feeling his glow intensify for a moment.  “Must you be so infuriating?” he demanded.  

The boy laughed as he walked away.  “Oh, you’ll see just how infuriating I can be, honey.”

What did that mean?

***

“Up!  Up!”

Takuma looked down to see his little sister, Moji, tugging at his pant leg.  She looked a lot like a miniature version of Mom, with pinkish skin and horns, topped by dark, fluffy hair.  At only two, she didn’t have a Quirk yet, but he was sure it would be trouble, whatever it was.

With a grunt, he bent down and picked her up.  She wrapped her arms around him and he planted a kiss on top of her head, causing her to giggle.  “Did you come to see your favorite big brother? Or did you just want a snack?”

She gave this serious consideration.  “Snack!”

Takuma laughed and shifted her so he was only holding her with one arm.  “Okay, hang on, I think we’ve got goldfish crackers around here somewhere… Assuming Mom hasn’t eaten them all.”  At four months pregnant with twins (Or as Dad like to refer to them, “Players to be named later.”), Mom had developed a lot of cravings.

“Snack?” Moji repeated, more insistently.  She had a bit of a one track mind sometimes.

“I’m getting it,” Takuma told her, finding the small serving pouches.   He set her down, ripped the top off, and handed it to her.

“Snack!” Moji said again. “Thank you!” Her cravings satisfied, she walked off, leaving him alone in the kitchen.   She dodged around Mom as they passed each other in the doorway.

“Hard to believe you used to try and sell your brothers,” she said.

“In my defense, Kenta really wanted a brother.  He would have liked Yamato.”

“You’re not going to try and sell the twins, are you?”

He shook his head. “Nah.  I’ll be out of the house by the time they’re old enough to be trouble.”

“You will, won’t you?” Mom asked.  “Hard to believe you’re almost sixteen.  I must have done something right.  Tsu and Momo were so worried when I had you!  They were afraid I’d leave you at the park or something!  As if!  That only happened two times.”

“Three,” he corrected. “It was raining.”

“Meh, who’s counting.” She crossed the room and pulled a container of ice cream from the freezer.  Mom grabbed a spoon and proceeded to eat directly from it.   She gestured with her spoon.   “So how’s things going with you and Tensei?  Good?  Tell me it’s good.  In-Laws with the Iidas?  Mama’s gonna have a nice retirement!  You know, Training Camps are great for cementing relationships…”

Takuma felt himself flushing a deep purple.  “Nope, nope, nope, not having this conversation!”

Mom cackled at his discomfort.  “Oh, come on. You can’t possibly be traumatized by this.  Your dad and I have always been very frank about sex.”

Too frank, really. And with four siblings and two on the way, too often too.  “Nope, nope, can’t talk, gotta go upload my last video!”

Not entirely a lie; he wouldn’t be able to upload anything while at the camp.  Two weeks without external validation from strangers?  He was gonna die!

***

The Anivoice Agency was not a large organization, but the building was significant.  This was because the ground floor contained an animal rehabilitation center.  Most of the animals had been seized from trafficking operations.  Father was frequently called upon to rehabilitate the animals before they were returned to the wild.  

While there were employees charged with caring for the animals, Father also liked to spend time with them.  Akaya had many memories of helping and was accompanying him today.

They paused before a large enclosure holding a gigantic beast, combining the features of many animals. “How are you, Manny?” Father asked. “Feel like talking?  No?  Okay, let me know if you do…”

Manticore made a soft rumble.  He had been in Father’s care for ten years and was barely closer to regaining his humanity than he’d been the day he arrived.  Yet Father tried.  

Father turned to her. “Looking forward to the Camp?” With other people, Father often had trouble finding his words, but never with her or her mother and brother.

What could she tell him? That the words that had shattered her during her Internship still haunted her? That her classmates were all finding themselves in relationships, while no one had expressed any interest in her? That she was certain that no one would look upon her with romantic eyes?

“I am,” she said.  Not entirely a lie.  She could throw herself into being a Hero. And there would be plenty of time to spend with her friends.  It did not do to devote oneself entirely to romantic pursuits.  Father and Mother had not even begun dating until they had graduated.

She had time.  She could tell herself that.

“I’m glad.”  Father was also not one to push, preferring instead to simply listen.  

Her faith taught her honesty…

“I’m not,” she said. “I haven’t felt truly glad for a long time.”

“I know,” he said. “We were worried you would never tell us.”

“You knew?” she asked.

“You’re like me, easy to read,” he said.  “Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

“It began during my Internship.”  She told him all that had happened.

“I’m sorry you went through that,” he said. She could tell he was pushing down anger on her behalf. “The world’s filled with too many people filled with hate.  But love wins.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“It did for me.  For Grandma. For her father. Our skin is stone, but our heart still feels.  We’ve all felt it.  You’ve already braver than I was at your age.  Stronger too. I know someone will see you for the amazing person you are.”

“Would that I could be so certain.”

“It will get easier.  Someone will see you and just go ‘wow.’”

“Do you truly think so?”

“I know it.”

She wished she could believe it so easily.  Something about the way Father said it made it sound possible.  “Okay.”

For a moment, the world was all right.  Manticore cooed encouragingly.  “Thank you, Manny,” she said.

***

“It’ll be fine, Mom,” Daisuke said, sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea.  Mom sat across from him, likewise drinking tea, a nervous look upon her face.  Dad was at work.  

Mom was a tiny woman, dark-haired and serious.  She had an arm-stretching Quirk and had been a graduate of U.A.’s General Education program. She worked in finance, well away from the world of Heroes.  And she was worried.  It didn’t show on her face, but he could tell by the subtle way her teacup shook in her hands, the way her arms kept ever so slightly lengthening and then retracting to their normal length, the way she was blinking too much, her breaths quick and shallow.

“The first time your dad went away to a training camp,” Mom said, setting her cup down, he lost a hand, most of his classmates were injured, Bakugo was kidnapped, and Fumikage almost was too.”

“The hand…”

“And don’t say the hand grew back!”

“…Yes, Mom.”

Mom frowned.  “I’m sorry.  I’m just…  I’m not like Tsu or all the other spouses.  I’m not a Hero.  I worry enough about your dad when he’s out there.  Haru gets it, Mei a little, but… I remember how worried I was when the news broke about what happened at the Training Camp… I don’t think I slept a wink until he called.”

“It’s not going to be like that,” he told her.  “One, there’s no Villains after us.  Two, even if there were, Tokoyami’s Quirk isn’t like her dad’s and wouldn’t go berserk no matter what else happened.  And three, anyone who kidnapped Kirishima-Bakugo would return her within the hour.”  No offense meant to his explosive classmate, but she would be far more trouble to kidnap than anyone would want to deal with.

Mom frowned at that. “I know.  Just promise me you’ll be careful, all right?  Even with your teachers watching out for you, you’re going to be out in the middle of nowhere.  If somebody gets hurt…”

Mom worried a lot.  It was easy to forget sometimes, how many people didn’t have powerful Quirks, how many people weren’t Heroes.  At U.A., it was a bit of an insular bubble for his class, the children of so many Heroes who’d not only grown up as friends, but were all concentrated in one place.  People like his mom had to worry more about Villain attacks, about who would help if something went wrong, about who would get hurt.

His Quirk and his strength made him a frontline fighter and a brawler.  She would worry about him getting hurt no matter what.  But how could he not put his skills to use?  His Extendo-Arms might not have been as flashy as the majority of his classmates’ Quirks, but he had the right skills and the right Quirk to be the right person for someone who needed a Hero.  He didn’t seek fame or glory.  He just wanted to help.  It was enough.

“I promise, Mom,” he said.

***

“Can we have Mighty Burger for dinner?” Taki asked.  Asuka’s dark-haired younger brother was the only one in the family to look entirely human. Though the eleven year old’s shadow never quite seemed to match his movements.

“Yeah!” Nanami added. Her nine year old sister’s wings flapped furiously, though not quite enough to get her off the ground.  

“That would be good,” Asahi said.  Her frog-faced brother, all of thirteen, had not picked up the moodiness that some teens seemed to.  If anything, he was too well-behaved.

With Mom at sea and Dad at work, it was left to her to manage her younger siblings.  Normally, Asahi would be in charge since she’d started UA, but as long as she was there, she was drafted into the role of caretaker.  Not that she minded.  She had already done so before attending U.A and had been doing so for much of the Summer break.  They’d spent much of the afternoon at the library, so that Nanami could check out books and so that Asahi could begin to do research for a project he would have in his next school term, and were now walking home.  

“I don’t think so,” she said.

“Mighty Burger!” Taki insisted.

“Mighty Burger!” Nanami said.

“Mighty Burger!” Even Asahi was joining in now.

Asuka felt the familiar sensation of Frog-Shadow leaving her body.  “Mighty Burger!” Frog-Shadow insisted, joining in the now repetitious chorus of wanting to get take out.

“We have food at home,” she said firmly, using the same tone of voice her mom used to manage them. “I’m making pasta for dinner.”

Frog-Shadow zipped and around and hovered right in front of her beak, eyes wide and pleading.  “Pleeeeeease,” her familiar begged.  “They’ve got Hero Babies toys in the kids’ meals!  I wanna get Baby Ground Zero before they discontinue it!”

“…Why do you know any of that?” Asuka demanded.

“Because Toshi told you about it and I know everything you know.”

Asuka squeezed her eyes shut tightly.  Ever since she had almost lost her, she had made a greater effort to include Frog-Shadow, allowing her to roam freely and speak to her more often.  It had, by and large, been going quite well.  Being included more often had tamed some of her childish impulses, though it seemed that it was still an uphill battle.

“I’m pretty sure you’re outvoted, Asuka.” Taki said.  The shadows around him rippled a bit.

Asahi just laughed, a low, croaking sound that flared his throat pouch.  “Hey now, Mom and Dad left her in charge.  If she says we’re having pasta, then we’re having pasta.”

There were now four pairs of eyes staring at her.  She should be strong.  She should be tough.  She was the responsible adult here.  If she could wrangle her classmates as Vice-Representative, then she should certainly be able to handle her family as eldest child.

And perhaps if she flapped her arms hard enough, she could learn to fly without Frog-Shadow.

“Fine.  Mighty Burger!”

***

“Hi!  Welcome to the Nice Guy Convenience Store!  Let me know if you need help with anything!”  Isamu said to the customer who had just entered.  Ever since he’d returned from I-Island—and he still couldn’t believe everything he’d become privy to during that time—he’d been working in his dad’s store, pitching in where he could.  It was nice and normal and grounding.  The woman grunted and nodded in acknowledgement.

Weird. The dark-haired woman looked familiar.  Where had he seen her before?  That was going to bug him until he figured it out.  She headed to the back to pick up a handful of ready-made frozen meals and a six pack of energy drinks.  

The woman seemed to be eyeing him as well when she returned to the front.  As he was ringing her up, she asked, “U.A. kid, right?  One of Eraserhead’s brats?”

“Ah, yes, ma’am,” he said. Was she a Pro-Hero?  He didn’t think so, though she could have been an Underground Hero.  But not that many people would know who Aizawa was, even if his own face had been on practically every television in Japan during the Sports Festival.

That, mercifully, had started dying down.  The U.A. Sports Festival was a major event, but compared to daily Hero fights and premieres, it was easy to get forgotten by anyone who wasn’t a diehard fan.  

Was he in danger? He let one of his hands behind the counter.  Slowly, he began charging up an energy pulse, just in case he needed it.  He just needed to keep his face neutral…

“Thought I recognized you,” she said.  “You’re the zippy kid who tackled me at the last second.”

Isamua’s eyes went wide. Shadow-Thief?  She was on parole, right?  Aizawa said they earned their paroles…

“Yeah,” he said.  Should he apologize?

She shrugged.  “Just didn’t expect to see any Hero kids working a regular job.  I thought all you Hero types had rich families.”

“Not a Hero family,” he said.  “Just me.”

“They stuck you with all those Hero kids?” Shadow-Thief asked.  “What the hell?  That ain’t exactly fair to you, is it?”

“I’ve already learned a lot from them.”  Isamu shrugged.  A sudden and rare burst of confidence filled him.  “And besides… I think I’m doing all right for myself.”  Sports Festival winner, Intern with Deku, “Hero” of I-Island, even if he wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that last one, especially the paycheck that had shown up from the Mighty Agency for “services while deputized” with way too many zeroes in it.  At least that adventure had been kept out of the news.  

Shadow-Thief laughed at that.  “You, you’re all right, kid.”  She took the bag with her purchases in it and headed for the door.  “Stay in school kid.  I wanna get to say I was your first take down someday.”

What did it say about his life that getting encouragement from a former Villain was not the strangest thing to have happened to him?

[hexpea]

Ch. 12 - Iris The iris symbolizes faith, courage, hope, and wisdom -- its name derived from the Greek word for 'rainbow.' AN:TW: drug use

You led Naoya through the winding corridors of your family's estate, a masterpiece frozen in time compared to the Zenin estate. The shinden-zukuri style was evident in every meticulously crafted detail. The hallways were adorned with sliding fusuma doors that featured delicate hand-painted scenes that depicted Japanese folklore. Soft ambient light filtered through the shoji screens, casting a warm glow on the tatami mat flooring beneath your socked feet. Being back home brought you a certain sense of nostalgia, the scent of fresh wood bringing you back to your childhood.

"This way," you murmured, guiding Naoya toward your bedroom.

As you entered the room, Naoya's disdain collided with the traditional atmosphere of your room. The minimalistic interior, though lacking in the opulence he was accustomed to, radiated an understated grace. "This is it?" He scoffed in a voice full of derision as he glanced around the nearly empty room. "Where's the comfort?"

You suppressed a giggle at his incredulous expression. "Welcome to the Kamo estate," you replied with a teasing smile. "Where tradition reigns supreme."

His eyes narrowed as he took in the room once more. "It's like stepping back in time," he remarked, his voice laced with contempt.

You shrugged nonchalantly. "Our family takes pride in preserving our heritage," you explained. "The Kamo estate has remained virtually unchanged since the Heian era."

Naoya's expression shifted from disdain to disbelief. "You mean to tell me we'll be sleeping on futons the entire weekend?! ...How quaint."

You nodded with a teasing smirk. "That's right."

Naoya let out a snort. "Your family's living in ancient times," he muttered under his breath.

You chuckled at his reaction, finding amusement in his discomfort. "It's not so bad once you get used to it," you reassured him, though your own apprehension about the upcoming nights on the thin mats lingered in the back of your mind. You knew Naoya was going to complain the whole weekend about it.

"So, Y/N," he began, quickly changing the subject, a trace of irritation in his voice, "do you know of any nightlife around here? Places where I can actually unwind? Or is this entire city stuck in a time warp?"

You couldn't help but shake your head with a small smile. "I never went out much before I got engaged to you, Naoya, let alone when I was married to Naohiro. I'm afraid my knowledge is very limited on that."

Naoya groaned, the prospect of being confined to the Kamo estate seemingly unbearable. "I can't fucking believe I'm stuck in this ancient place with no escape! There must be something around here." He got out his phone and began to do some Googling.

A mischievous idea crossed your mind, and you suggested, "why don't we ask Daisuke? He used to be quite the partier in his twenties."

Naoya scoffed, dismissing the idea immediately. "Daisuke? Please. I doubt he knows of any places worth my time. He's practically an old man."

You raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smirk. "Daisuke's only thirty-eight, Naoya. You might be surprised. Besides, he knows Kyoto better than anyone. Let's go find him and see if he can't point us in the right direction."

Naoya grumbled under his breath but allowed you to tug him along. It didn't take you long to find him in his room tending to one of his few bonsai trees. He was meticulously clipping some of the branches when you walked in.

You greeted him with a warm smile. "Uncle, we're wondering if you could recommend any places for Naoya to unwind. You know, some nightlife options."

Daisuke glanced up from his meticulous work, his eyes narrowing at the mention of Naoya's name. "Unwind, you say? I doubt he knows how to do that without causing trouble."

Naoya crossed his arms, a defiant smirk on his face. "I can handle myself just fine, Kamo. Your bonsai guru here probably never had a wild bone in his body."

Ignoring Naoya's remark, Daisuke turned his attention to you. "Nightlife? Well, Kyoto's changed a bit since my days, but there are still a few places worth checking out. I'll jot down some names for you, Zenin." He moved swiftly to the table in his room, kneeling down to write down a list on a small notepad before tearing the sheet off and standing up.

Naoya grunted, reluctantly accepting the list Daisuke handed to him, crumpling it in his fist as he took it. "I doubt I'll find anything worthwhile in this ancient city."

Daisuke shot him a pointed look. "Respect the traditions, Naoya. They've been around much longer than you."

Rolling your eyes at the exchange, you decided to change the subject. "Thanks, Uncle. We'll let you get back to it."

As you walked away, Naoya muttered under his breath, "old man and his trees. What a waste of time."

You walked back to you room from there. When you got to your room, you noticed that the attendants had finally brought your luggage to your rooms. Naoya wasted no time in rooting through his for more casual clothes in order to participate in his upcoming night of revelry.

"Naoya, leave my uncle alone," you scolded him gently, watching as he continued to rummage through his belongings. "And remember, in ten years, you'll be pushing forty, too." Naoya shot you a cold look but chose not to respond, instead focusing on selecting a set of clothes. As he prepared to change, you decided to broach the topic of his plans for the night. "So, are you really planning on going out tonight?" You asked, trying to hide your interest.

"Obviously," Naoya replied dismissively, as if the idea of not indulging in his usual festivities was absurd. "I'm not going to let a weekend away from Tokyo mess with my routine."

You hesitated for a moment before deciding to extend an unexpected invitation. "Can I come along?" You found yourself blushing, the fear of rejection, as if it even mattered coming from him, too much for you to handle.

Naoya raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by your unexpected request. "Why the hell would you want to come?" He retorted, a tone of disdain in his voice. "It's not your scene."

You folded your arms, determined not to let his arrogance dissuade you. "Why not? I want to unwind, too, Naoya. Besides, I remember how much fun we had that night a few weeks ago. It might surprise you, but I can handle a bit of nightlife. It's like you said, why would I want to spend my wedding weekend sober?"

His eyes narrowed as he shot you a skeptical look. "That was a one-time thing. And I'm not interested in a repeat performance."

You rolled your eyes at his predictable response. "Relax, Naoya. I'm not expecting a repeat of our last escapade. I just want to have a good time and unwind a bit."

He sighed in frustration, realizing that arguing with you might be more trouble than it was worth. "Fine, but don't expect me to babysit you. You're on your own. And we're definitely not repeating anything from last time."

You smirked, seeing through his attempt to assert control. "Sure, Naoya. I'll find something to wear, and we'll see how much you can handle."

"Quickly, or I'm leaving without you," he warned, a hint of impatience in his tone as he began to undress.

You chuckled, heading to your suitcase to pick out an outfit. As you sifted through your clothes, Naoya finished dressing and stood to watch as you continued rooting through your things. He glanced at his watch, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Come on, Y/N. Time is ticking," he urged with an irritated expression.

Rolling your eyes, you selected an outfit and held it up. "How about this?"

He glanced at it briefly and nodded in approval. "Good enough. Now, hurry up. We're not here for a fashion show."

You rolled your eyes at his impatience, accustomed to his brash demeanor at that point. You proceeded to get undressed without a second thought. Naoya, however, found himself in an unexpected dilemma. His eyes involuntarily fixated on your form as you stood in your underwear, the sight stirring his dormant desires for you. 

He quickly averted his gaze, a surge of frustration coursing through him. "You really don't care, do you?" He muttered under his breath, his voice laced with both desire and disdain.

You shot him a pointed look, unfazed by his comment. "Why should I? We've seen each other naked before," you retorted nonchalantly. And it's not like you don't do the very same to me...you thought.

Naoya's jaw clenched as he struggled to maintain composure, his mind battling against the conflicting emotions swirling within him. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to parade around like a slut," he remarked sharply.

Your expression hardened, a flash of anger igniting in your eyes. "Watch your mouth, Naoya," you snapped, your voice cold and firm. "I won't tolerate your disrespect."

Naoya's anger flared at your defiance, his ego wounded by your rejection of his authority. In a swift motion, he grabbed you by the arm, his grip tight and unforgiving, as he pulled you closer to him.

"You think you can talk to me like that?" He hissed, his tone dripping with venomous authority. "You're going to learn your place, Y/N. You're going to learn to obey me."

Your breath caught in your throat as you felt his rough grasp, his words sending a shiver down your spine. With your resources back at the Zenin estate, you were unarmed to defend yourself against his aggressive nature. You were physically strong, but you knew he was stronger. Despite the fear bubbling within you, you refused to cower before him. 

"I'll do as I please," you retorted defiantly, your voice trembling with suppressed rage.

Naoya's grip tightened, his fingers digging into your skin as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against your ear. "Not anymore," he growled, his tone laced with a dangerous edge. "You're going to be my wife, and you will do as I say."

You felt a surge of anger coursing through you at his arrogance, but you knew better than to provoke him further. With a deep breath, you forced yourself to remain calm, refusing to show any sign of weakness. "Let go of me, Naoya," you asserted, yanking your arm from his grasp with a determined force. "Neither of us wants this marriage, so let's just leave each other alone. I won't tolerate your attempts to control me."

Naoya's lips tightened into a thin line, his jaw clenched in frustration as he reluctantly obeyed, releasing you with a sharp exhale. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, his eyes blazing with an intensity that sent a chill down your spine.

"Hmph," he grunted, his gaze locked on you with resentment.

Ignoring his hostile glare, you focused on slipping into your dress, the fabric clinging to your skin as you struggled to get the zipper up your back. Frustration welled within you as the zipper stubbornly refused to cooperate, your fingers fumbling with the delicate mechanism.

Naoya's patience wore thin as he watched you struggle with the zipper, his irritation bubbling to the surface. With an exasperated sigh, he moved towards you, his steps heavy with frustration. Without a word, he grabbed you by the waist and forcefully turned you around to face away from him, his grip firm and unyielding.

Your heart raced as he suddenly pulled you closer, his proximity sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through your veins. With one hand, he pushed your hair away from your back before settling it against your waist. His touch was rough, his fingers pressing into your skin with an intensity that bordered on painful. Despite the discomfort, you couldn't deny the heat that bloomed in your cheeks at his proximity. With a grunt of frustration, Naoya aggressively zipped up your dress, his movements rough and hurried. His hands lingered at your waist, his touch possessive and demanding, sending a shiver down your spine. 

"There," he muttered curtly, "let's go."

His abruptness caught you off guard, leaving you standing there as he turned away without a second glance. You hurried behind him, fixing your hair along the way as you followed him toward the front gates of your estate.

As Naoya walked outside, you followed closely behind. His demeanor seemed more agitated than usual. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone while you pretended to adjust your dress while subtly eavesdropping on his conversation. His voice was hushed, but you strained to catch every word, your curiosity piqued by the secrecy of his tone.

"Yeah, it's me," Naoya muttered into the phone, his tone curt and businesslike. "I need a favor. I'm in Kyoto for the weekend, and I need to...unwind." You frowned at his choice of words, a nervous sensation settling in the pit of your stomach as you realized the true nature of his intentions. "Yeah, that's right. I need something to take the edge off," he continued, his voice tinged with impatience. "You know what I'm talking about."

Your heart skipped a beat as the realizationdawned on you. You panicked slightly, a subtle hint of interest alongside your usual disgust for his unfortunate habits. You continued following, slightly jogging to match his wide steps as he hurried toward the front of your estate.

"Just tell me where to meet you!" Naoya snapped, his frustration palpable even through the phone. "I don't have time for games!"

You recoiled at his aggressive tone, the reality of his true character becoming clear once again despite his brief tender moments of comforting you on the plane ride. Despite his rarely charming facade, Naoya was nothing more than a manipulative, entitled brat, willing to stoop to any level to satisfy his selfish desires.

After a brief exchange of information, Naoya hung up the phone with a satisfied smirk, his eyes glinting with anticipation. He turned to you, his expression masked with a false sense of nonchalance as he gestured for you to follow quicker. "Come on, Y/N. We're not getting any younger," he quipped as he sped up even quicker. He halted in his tracks when he realized he didn't know where he was going. "Where do you keep your damn cars?"

You rolled your eyes at Naoya's impatience, leading him toward the estate garage with an exasperated sigh. Inside, Naoya's expression shifted from annoyance to mild disbelief as he scanned the row of basic luxury cars, none of which met his expectations for a night out.

"Boring, I should've expected..." he grumbled under his breath.

You suppressed a smirk, shaking your head as you gestured toward a black BMW M4 that was tucked away in the corner. "That's Daisuke's car," you mumbled, grabbing the key from the hook by the door. "It'll have to do."

Naoya raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk as he turned to you. "Can you even handle driving this?" He chuckled lowly, his tone dripping with condescension. "Or are you going to scratch it like you did my LFA?"

You shot him a withering glare, your own patience wearing thin as you resisted the urge to snap back at him. With a deep breath, you ignored his taunts and climbed into the driver's seat, starting the engine with a determined resolve. As Naoya put in a certain address into the GPS, your eyes widened in alarm as you glanced at the screen. "That's a seedy part of town, Naoya," you remarked, your voice tinged with nervousness as you pulled the car onto the road and began carefully driving down the street.

Naoya grumbled in response, his gaze fixed on the road ahead as he clenched his jaw. "I know," he muttered, "it's where I'm going to pick up the coke."

Your heart skipped a beat at his casual admission, your cheeks flushed with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. "Speaking of...coke..." you began tentatively, your voice barely above a whisper as you glanced at him every few seconds while driving. "Can I have some?"

Naoya's smirk widened at your request, amused by your sudden boldness. "Well, well, it looks like I've brought out the rebellious side of the Kamo's precious princess," he remarked with sarcasm as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms.

You rolled your eyes at his comment, biting your lip nervously as you waited for his response. Despite your apprehension, you couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement at the prospect of indulging in something forbidden with him.

Naoya chuckled lowly, the sound vibrating through his chest. "Sure, princess," he replied, his voice laced with mockery. "We can share some. But don't come crying to me if you can't handle it. I'm not going to babysit you."

You bristled at his condescending tone, a surge of defiance coursing through you as you met his gaze head-on. "Don't worry about me, Naoya," you retorted sharply. "Need I remind you of my technique? I think I can handle it...and if it becomes too much, I'll just flush it out of my system."

Naoya's smirk faltered slightly at your confident response, his eyes narrowing as he studied you intently. "Fine, suit yourself," he replied curtly, his tone betraying a hint of begrudging respect. "But don't say that I didn't warn you."

As Naoya finished speaking, you pulled in front of a dark set of office buildings, the ominous atmosphere immediately making the hair on your arms stand up. Naoya wasted no time, swiftly getting out of the car and disappearing into the shadows to meet with the mysterious figure. You watched nervously, biting the inside of your cheek as you awaited his return. Minutes felt like hours as you sat in the car, your heart racing with fear and anticipation. 

Finally, he emerged from the darkness, a triumphant smirk plastered across his face as he brandished the baggie of cocaine like a trophy. "I got it," he declared proudly, his voice tinged with excitement. "Let's get this night started."

You swallowed nervously, your hands trembling slightly as you reached for the baggie. Naoya pulled it away with a teasing smirk, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Not so fast, princess," he chided playfully. "I'll be the one in charge tonight."

You suppressed a sigh, resigning yourself to the fact that his ego would always come first. With a forced smile, you nodded in agreement, silently cursing yourself for getting involved in his reckless escapades once again. He shoved the baggie into his pocket and plugged in one of the clubs from Daisuke's list into the GPS and instructed you to get there. You complied without protest, driving through the dimly lit streets of Kyoto with a sense of unease gnawing at the pit of your stomach.

You expertly maneuvered the BMW into a tight parking spot, your hands steady despite the lingering nerves that prickled at your skin. As you paid for parking, your eyes darted around the unfamiliar surroundings, taking in the neon lights and pulsating music that spilled from the entrance to the club. Naoya, his excitement palpable, wasted no time in grabbing you roughly by the arm, pulling you toward the entrance with an impatient urgency. You stumbled slightly, caught off guard by his sudden aggression, but swallowed your protest as you shot him a warning glare.

Once inside, the sensory overload hit you like a wave, the cacophony of music and flashing lights overwhelming your senses. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and alcohol, the pulsating beat of the music reverberating through your bones. The club itself was a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors and crowded dance floors, the walls adorned with neon signs that flickered with a hypnotic glow. People of all walks of life mingled together in a chaotic dance of bodies, their laughter and shouts blending into a symphony of chaos. You couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension as you followed Naoya deeper into the heart of the club. It was a side of Kyoto that you'd never seen before, a raw and untamed world that existed beyond the confines of your sheltered upbringing. This was your home like you'd never seen it before.

As you navigated through the throngs of people, Naoya abruptly pulled you to the side, his grip firm and possessive as he led you away from the prying eyes of the crowd. You opened your mouth to protest, but Naoya silenced you with a steely glare, his lips curling into a smirk of triumph. "Do you want this or not?" He demanded, his voice low and commanding as he produced the baggie of cocaine from his pocket, holding it tantalizingly close to you.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you nodded nervously, your eyes locked onto the baggie in his hand. Despite your reservations, the allure of the drug was too powerful to resist, a forbidden temptation that promised to drown out the chaos of your thoughts.

As Naoya smirked at you, the neon lights dancing on his face, opened the baggie, the faint scent of the drug mingling with the sweat and alcohol that permeated the air of the club. Licking his thumb, he then placed it in the baggie, ensuring that the powder coated his skin before shoving the bag back into his pocket. With a firm grip on the nape of your neck, he pulled you closer, his touch sending a shiver down your spine as he held your head still. His eyes locked onto yours, a predatory gleam dancing in their depths as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against your ear.

"Ready, princess?" he murmured huskily, his voice sending a jolt of anticipation coursing through your veins. "This is gonna be one hell of a ride."

With that, he pressed his thumb against your gums, the powder transferring onto your flesh with a tantalizing warmth. Your breath hitched in your throat as the cocaine's roughness scratched against your sensitive gum-line. Naoya's thumb left your gums and he sensually licked the residual powder from it, his eyes never leaving yours. Within a few minutes, you began to feel the effects, a rush of euphoria washing over you like a tidal wave. The world around you blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations, the pulsating music fading into the background as you became lost in the intensity of the moment.

Naoya's smirk widened into a wicked grin as he watched the drug take hold of you, his fingers trailing lightly against your jawline as he leaned in closer, his lips hovering just inches from yours. "Feel it yet, princess?" He taunted, his voice laced with a cruel edge that made you shiver. "Or are you too much of a fucking lightweight to handle it?"

You let out a shaky breath, your body humming with pleasure as you leaned into his touch, craving more than you should for the intoxicating sensation that only he could provide.

"Fuck you, Naoya," you whispered hoarsely, your words slurred with the effects of the drug. "I can handle anything you throw at me."

Naoya chuckled darkly and rubbed some of the cocaine onto his own gums. Meanwhile, you couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration coursing through your veins. The drug took hold of you with an intensity that bordered on intoxicating, filling you with a sense of euphoria that eclipsed any sense of inhibition. As he pulled away, he murmured into your ear about how long the high would last, his words barely registering in the haze of pleasure that enveloped your mind. You nodded absentmindedly, your senses heightened and electrified by the rush of adrenaline that pulsed through your veins. 

With a sly grin, Naoya disappeared into the crowd, leaving you to your own devices in the midst of the pulsating chaos of the club. You took a moment to steady yourself, the world spinning in a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations as the cocaine took full effect. Determined to make the most of the night, you decided to head to the bar and order a drink, the burn of alcohol mingling with the lingering warmth of the drug in your system as you allowed its effects to take hold. Each sip sent a thrill coursing through you, the combination of substances heightening your senses to a dizzying degree. 

As you mingled on the dance floor, the music pulsating through you like a second heartbeat, you lost yourself in the music. Every movement you made felt fluid and effortless, a motion that carried you away on a wave of pure ecstasy. You felt alive in a way you'd never felt before, the weight of your responsibilities and obligations fading into insignificance as you surrendered to the hedonistic pleasures Naoya was well-accustomed to.

Dates: June 22-23, 2018 - Naoya and Y/N head off to a club in Kyoto where Y/N decides to try a little something new.

[snesgsts]

(1994) Spider-Man: Lethal Foes

this is like...stage music with an attitude, or boss music without one. does that make sense? probably not.

but like. this has a constant forward momentum that I found myself really enjoying.

like obviously the boss music is going to be strong, but the stage music is often still tense in an action-packed way. 

i think ill give it the “good and underrated” tag combo

[netego]

⛤ 𝔱𝔞𝔤𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱

+ my works +

#uploads

jp lit: #japanese literature, #yukio mishima, #ryu murakami, #natsume soseki, #yasunari kawabata, #fuminori nakamura,

photography + models: #issei suda, #daido moriyama, #nobuyoshi araki, #ihei kimura, #kiichi asano, #gasho yamamura, #Kansuke Yamamoto, #masao yamamoto, #takuma nakahira, #shomei tomatsu, #hisaji hara, #fukase masahisa, #xiuxiukong, #yuko tatsushima, #sayoko yamaguchi, #fashion, #fruits mag, #daisuke yokota, toshio enomoto, shoji ueda, nakaji yasui, ishiuchi miyako

tunes + musicians: #music, #zabadak, #jun togawa, #tmge, #zelda, #syoko, #dendö marionette, #j-rock, #playlist,

painters + illustrators + mangaka: #art, #yoshitomo nara, #shuji tateishi, #takabatake kasho #suehiro maruo, #hiroshi nakamura, #harawatazinja, #ai yazawa, #nana,  #keizo miyanishi, #shigeru mizuki, #tadanori yokoo, #yutaka Matsuzawa, 

#dai nippon gothic (thx akkawi), #dolls and bodyparts, #noh, #shibari/kinbaku, #jp-cd,

#flowers, #beetle, #wings,

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sideblogs: dainippongothic + mishimaesque + 100yencoin + tokyodarkcastle + noires x roses + lovenippon + 

[byneddiedingo]

Jinpachi Nezu and Mieko Harada in Ran (Akira Kurosawa, 1985) Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryo, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Hisashi Igawa, Pîtâ, Masayuki Yui. Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide, based on a play by William Shakespeare. Cinematography: Asakazu Nakai, Takao Saito, Shoji Ueda. Production design: Shinobu Muraki, Yoshiro Muraki. Film editing: Akira Kurosawa. Music: Toru Takemitsu. Costume design: Emi Wada. Lavish in color and pattern, Ran may be Akira Kurosawa's most pictorial film, to the point that the images and costumes and sets sometimes threaten to overwhelm the human drama at its core. This is Kurosawa's second effort at translating a Shakespeare play into medieval Japanese terms, and I prefer his adaptation of Macbeth, the 1957 Throne of Blood, to this reworking of King Lear. It seems to me that in Ran, Kurosawa stumbles over the analogous figures from Shakespeare in ways that he doesn't in his earlier film. Turning Lear's daughters into Hidetora's sons robs much of the delicacy and painful sadness of the Shakespeare play, especially in the final reunion of Lear and Cordelia. And King Lear is a more complex play than Macbeth, with its intricate subplot involving Gloucester and his sons, and the multiple intrigues of the households of Goneril and Regan. Kurosawa has pared down and fused some of these secondary stories, but he still loses sight at times of his central figure, the Lear analog, Lord Hidetora. Tatsuya Nakadai is unquestionably one of the world's great film actors, but he's too sturdy a figure for the enfeebled Hidetora, and the stylized old-age makeup often hides his features -- except for the great, glaring eyes. There are grand things, however, in the film, including a wonderfully villainous performance by Mieko Harada as the Lady Kaede, and a curiously effective Fool, performed by the androgynous actor-dancer known as Pîtâ.

[doctorstrangeaskblog]

((For Muse or Mun)) What music artists do you listen to in your spare time? I love Gorillaz, twenty one pilots, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, Imagine Dragons, and Fall Out Boy

Muse, Bon Jovi, Lordi, Pink Floyd, Amaranth, Within Temptation, Rolling Stones, Guns and Roses, Murray Gold, K pop, Madonna, Beyonce, Daisuke Inoue, anime songs, Evanescence, Green Day, French songs from the 80's, Japanese songs from the 80's, a lot of pop songs, Britney, Phil Collins, David Bowie, Queen, Metallica, ABBA, Air Supply, AHA, ambiences from youtube like LOFI and relaxing songs, Chicago, Shoji Meguro, OSTs, Linkin Park, Beegees, Imagine Dragons, Michael Jackson, REO Speedwagon, The Police.....

[underthelindenbaum]

TAMB - Nishi no Shonen to Seiran no Kishi (information)

Information about the OAD:

Mahoutsukai no Yome Nishi no Shonen to Seiran no Kishi (The Boy From The West and The Knight of The Misty Mountain)

“Take care not to be run over by the hunting troops.”

This original story by Yamazaki Kore will be told in three parts. The first part of the Blu-ray Disc will be released along with Volume 16 of the manga on 10 September 2021.

OAD Special Site Official Twitter Official Instagram

Price (tax included): 4,980 yen - Bookstore order deadline: 13 June 2021. - Official mail order deadline: 28 June 2021. * Made-to-order, reservations are needed.

Contents: - The Ancient Magus' Bride manga volume 16. - Part 1 of the OAD (Blu-ray Disc). - Special box for each parts of the OAD with illustrations by Yamazaki Kore. * The box is sent out alongside manga volume 16.

Synopsis

This story took place shortly before Cartaphilus fell asleep and Chise enrolled in The College. Having received the invitation from The College, Chise and Elias had begun to prepare themselves anxiously. In the midst of that, Spriggan came to visit them while bringing along an eerie horse.

“The ghost hunting troops have started behaving strangely,” he said.

―― Having moved from London, a normal boy named Gabriel was bored out of his mind due to his own circumstances, the separation from his friends, and the unfamiliar land.

At that time he looked out the window, seeking for an escape. There was a purple mist that he saw in a flash. He left the house to pursue it. To the world where the boy shouldn’t normally walk into, his story behind the thick veil in which magi lived began.

Cast Chise Hatori: Tanezaki Atsumi Elias: Takeuchi Ryouta Ruth: Uchiyama Kouki Silky: Endo Aya Titania: Oohara Sayaka Oberon: Yamaguchi Kappei Spriggan: Yasumoto Hiroki Gabriel: Igarashi Hiromi Mysterious Boy: Ichikawa Aoi

Staff Story: Yamazaki Kore (The Ancient Magus' Bride) - (published by Blade Comics / Mag Garden) Director: Terasawa Kazuaki Screenplay/script: Takaha Aya / Yonaiyama Yoko Character design: Hirotaka Kato Animation director: Tokuoka Kohei Color design: Kobari Yuko Art director: Tamura Seiki Cinematographer: Suzuki Mayo CGI Director: Katsuaki Miyaji Edit: Imai Daisuke Music: Matsumoto Junichi Music production: Flying Dog Sound director: Hata Shoji Sound effects: Izumo Noriko Sound production: Sound Team Don Juan Animation production: Studio KAFKA Production: The Ancient Magus' Bride OAD Production Committee