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vdlest · 3 years ago

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Release (2)

Chapter 2: The Morning After

Read the first part here!

Character:

Steve Rogers x Avenger!Reader

Summary:

What would happen on the morning after the night you and Steve Rogers made love?

You and Steve did not leave the bed from the time he carried you to his arms and brought you there. He never stopped making love to you, he never stopped caressing your body, he never stopped giving you his all, and he never stopped making you feel good. You lost count of how many times you reached your climax and how many times you heard his groans, signaling that he also reached his peak.

You knew something's not right about having sex with Steve, especially now that he's still grieving over the demise of his one great love, the late Agent Peggy Carter. But despite the inhibitions going through your mind, your heart says otherwise, your heart wanted to take the risk and take whatever Steve could give and offer you.

That night, you and Steve slept peacefully, him feeling your warmth and you in his loving arms.

It was a dream come true for you.

You finally had the chance to make love to him and give yourself to the man you have been secretly wanting and adoring from afar. It made you feel good. It made your world full of bliss and butterflies. But a little part of you knows that all of these will have something in return, and you're not yet ready for it.

So for now, you'll just stay in his arms and savor this moment while it last, not knowing if he'll still be by your side the moment you wake up tomorrow morning.

»»————---　release　————----««

You felt the ray of the sun against your skin and that woke you up from your long but content sleep.

As you open your eyes, you realized and remembered all the things that have happened yesterday, the things that explain your nakedness underneath the blanket wrapping around your body.

You moved your eyes to your side, where Steve should be, but he wasn't there anymore, not even a shadow or a glimpse of him.

You rested your back against the headboard and shook your head in disbelief.

I knew it, you said to yourself and put both of your hands on your face. You perfectly knew this is how you're gonna face this morning, the morning after the best night you've had.

Of course, you wished to wake up and found yourself enclosed in Steve's arms, pulling you closer to him, and leaving small kisses on your forehead, just a little something to make you feel that what happened between the two of you yesteday isn't just a spur of the moment, but a beautiful moment.

"Hey, you okay?"

You immediately looked up when you heard a familiar voice.

You saw Steve standing near the bathroom door, he was wearing a white sando and wearing the pair of pants he must've packed with him. He was wiping his arms with a towel, but when Steve notices tears on your eyes, he threw it back inside the bathroom and immediately walked towards the bed and sat down in front of you.

"Why are you crying?" he asked you, grabbing both of your hands.

The pain subsides when you realized he didn't leave you, that he actually stayed. Maybe you didn't woke up with him beside you, but he's still here with you, he never left.

"I thought...I thought you," you can't answer him properly, and instead of answering him, a sob came out of your mouth making you close your eyes and tears run down your cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay," he pulled you towards him and wrapped his arms around you, "I'm here. If you thought that I left you, I did not and I'll never do that to you," you felt his lips on the side of your head as he tightened his arms around you, "You asked me to stay, and that's what I plan to do, always. I'll always stay."

You asked him to stay? When?

"I asked you to stay?" you asked when you pull yourself away from him.

Steve nodded, and chuckled when he saw strands of hair blocking your face. He immediately put it all behind your ears so he can have a better look of your natural beauty.

He smiled when he can finally see your face free from tears, "When you fell asleep in my arms last night, you told me to stay, and so I did," he cupped your face, "I'm not going anywhere now that you asked me to stay with you."

Hearing him say those words makes your heart grow more fond of him, it makes you fall for him even more. You wanted to give him a smile, but you suddenly remembered what Bucky told you before you approached Steve in front of that lake. He warned you about this. Steve needs a friend, he needs his friends, but he reminded you that you need to keep your feelings for him set aside.

You grabbed his hands that are cupping your face and gently put them away. You moved back away from him and rested your bare back against the headboard as you wrap the blanket around your nakedness because even though something has happened between you and Steve, you're still shy about being bare and naked in front of him.

"What's wrong?" his brows furrowed.

You exhaled sharply before you look at him, "Steve, I don't think this is right. I think what we've done is wrong," you shook your head, "This isn't right. We shouldn't have done that at the first place."

"How can you say it's wrong when I think that what happened between us is what I really needed? How can you say it's wrong when I wanted it to happen at the first place?" he asked you back, and when he didn't got any response from you but a plain stare, he spoke again, "Y/N, I know we're going too fast, but I did what I did because that's what I want to do. I wasn't drunk yesterday when I kissed you. I'm mentally stable when I gave my all to you."

"Steve, I'm sorry if I offended you. It's just that---"

He cut you off, "No, don't be sorry," he said as look down for a second, but he moved his eyes back to you after a few seconds, "I can't blame you for thinking this way."

You didn't want him to feel bad or offended with what you said. So you took a deep breath and grabbed his hand and held it, "Steve, I really enjoyed what happened last night. I really did. It was the best night of my existence so far, and I'd give anything just to feel that way again, but," you sighed and shook your head, "I just don't want to get hurt. You can't blame me if I don't want to get hurt, right?" you asked him, biting your lower lip because you're not quite sure if you're using the right words.

A smile formed in his lips when he saw you biting your lower lip.

He gave your chin a quick caress, "You really like biting your lips, don't you?" he asked you, maybe to ease the awkwardness and the growing tension.

You chuckled, "I just can't help it sometimes," you replied.

Steve sighed and put his hand on top your hand that is holding his other hand, "I completely understand that you don't want to get hurt. So all I need to ask you if you want to continue this and just take things slow or do you want us to be just friends?" the second option made the smile on his lips disappear, and your smile did too.

"What do you want from me, Steve?" you asked him, making his brows furrowed again, "A few days ago we were just friends, and even if you yelled at me, I still considered you as my friend. And now, here we are. You're asking me if I want to be a thing with you, and yet I don't know what you feel for me."

He moved closer to you and this time he grabbed both of your hands again, "When you walked away from me that afternoon you and I exploded, I realized that I'm pushing everyone away who cares about me, and seeing you walk away from me just like that, giving up on me, it stung me. It stung me more when you avoided me, and when I found out that you're not in the compound, I immediately went to Tony and asked him if he knew something about your disappearance. I was afraid that you just left. But then Tony told me that you asked for vacation leave, and I did everything just for him to tell me where you are. While I was on the plane, I kept on asking myself why I was going after you when I can just wait for you to come back, but then I had a dream about you not coming back anymore, I dreamed about losing you, and so that's when I realized everything," he said, not removing his eyes from you.

"Everything?" you asked him.

He nodded, "When Nick first brought you in the compound, my eyes never left you. Back then, I knew I only wanted to be friends with you because you have a great potential. But I remember when Clint's cousin wanted to ask you out on a date and you said yes, I can't stay still without seeing you coming back from that date. What I'm saying is, Peggy may be the woman I love for so long, she may be my first love, but it doesn't mean I can't like, fall for, or love someone else after her. And maybe it did hurt me when she died, but it's not because I still love her, but because I believed that my happiness will always be about having her and now that she's dead, I won't be able to have that happiness anymore. But no," he shook his head and squeezed your hand, "After you confronted me, I realized that I could still find happiness with other people, that I could still have that happiness with you, with us."

"Steve," you move one of your hands away from him and cup his cheek, "You can always be happy, only if you'll choose to be. You can still have the happiness you once want for you and Peggy, but the thing is, it won't be with her anymore and that's what you need to accept."

Steve was about to open his mouth but you shushed him and shook your head.

"About us, I think it's great that we take things slow."

Finally, a smile formed in his lips again.

"Just promise me one thing, Steve Rogers," you looked down for a second before moving your eyes back to him again, "Don't break my heart."

He shook his head, "That'll never happen," and so he pull you towards him and wrapped his arms around you again, giving the side of your head a kiss.

To be continued...

-v.dl

#Steve Rogers #Captain America #Steve Rogers x Reader #Captain America x Reader #Steve Rogers x You #Captain America x You #Steve Rogers x Y/N #Captain America x Y/N #Steve Rogers Fluff #Steve Rogerts Fanfic #Marvel Imagine #Marvel fluff #Release

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gojosatoruwifey · 4 years ago

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Summary: Yugen, a Third Year student from Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. After a year, the three Third Years, including her, finally went home to Japan and while the two are either resting and catching up with their parents. Yugen chose to stay in the College for a while to accompany Shoko Ieri and study under her. So, what's the other reason she came back?

Characters: Itadori Yuuji, Fushiguro Megumi, Kugisaki Nobara, Gojo Satoru, Shoko Ieri, Geto Suguru, Masamichi Yaga ,Zenin Maki, Panda, Inumaki Toge, Okkotsu Yuuta, Yugen Akihisa, Ishida Den, Mizuki Shina, Hakari ,Zenin Mai, Todo Aoi, Utahime Iori

Genre: Supernatural,Fantasy, Slice of Life, Crack, Fluff, Action

Warnings: Curse, Swearing, Grammar Errors, mention of torn limbs

The ringing of the phone indicating that someone is calling echoed on a room until the person on the other side picks up. “Hello, Yugen-san?”

“Good morning, Yamato-san!” Yugen cheerfully greeted.

Right now, they are back to the infirmary; Itadori laid on the bed tiredly, Kugisaki on the swivel chair as she spins around, Fushiguro reading a particular book that caught his interest from the bookshelf near him while Yugen leaned her back to the window, her phone on her ears as her eyes stared outside of the glass.

“What did you do again?”

Yugen gasps exaggeratedly as she offendedly says, “I didn’t do something bad!...well… maybe…”

Yamato sighed. “Should I contact the Principal?”

“Hehe. I think you should.” Yugen carefully agreed. “I used the highway railings two streets away from Jujutsu Tech in the heat of the moment. We were attacked by a Grade 3 Curse and it’s a slime type-”

“‘We’? You’re not alone?”

“Yeah. I’m with the First Years.”

“Yugen-san!” Yamato yelled. “You should not do things that might influence the kids!”

“Are you implying that I am a bad example for the First Years?” Yugen rested her free hand on her chest as if Yamato could see her. “Don’t you know that I don’t cuss, unlike Den? Or get stressed quickly like Shina? I’m a chill person and I don’t utter such obscenity.”

“We both know that you’re the carbon copy of Gojo-san - in behavior.” Yamato rubbed her temples. Oh, the headache she gets whenever a certain troublemaker strikes.

“I don’t. I’m not like Gojo-sensei. I’m a good girl.”

“What is this I’m hearing? Is Yu-chan saying that I’m also a bad example?”

The students turned their heads towards the white-haired Sorcerer entering the room as he placed small boxes on the table which made Kugisaki halt her antics as Itadori got up and peered at the object.

“Hm?” Kugisaki’s brown eyes scrutinized the text of the box as her eyes widened in glee. “It’s a fruit sando!”

“Woah, it really is!” Itadori opened one of the cartons gingerly.

“It’s a souvenir!” Gojo exclaimed. “Leave us a few. I need to talk to this midget here.” he tapped the Third Year’s head and urged her to walk as they left the infirmary, Yugen smiled at the First Years, her fingers smoothly ending the call with Yamato.

“What is it that you want to talk about?” Yugen leaned on the pillar on the side as she crossed her arms and looked at Gojo with a questioning gaze.

“Where are Den and Shina?” asked Gojo.

Yugen blinked confusedly. “On their home.”

“You sure?” Gojo fished out something to reveal a ripped picture of a construction site and obviously from a newspaper. Slowly, Yugen’s indigo eyes slightly widened at the sight of the photo on his hand as her heartbeat drummed nervously.

Internally, she is panicking. Why does he have that picture? Does he know? Did the ‘business’ earlier he was talking about is looking for Den or Shina? I made sure not to make suspicious moves so why does he have that? What should I do? Should I act inno-

“Relax, Yu-chan. Your face is giving away your thoughts.” Yugen exhaled the air she didn’t realize she was holding and glared at the teacher in front of her.

“You’re being nosy, Sensei.”

“And you’re being skeptical, Akihisa.”

Yugen narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you want?”

Gojo hummed for a few seconds. “Hmmmm~”

He opened his mouth to say something but got interrupted when Yugen’s phone rang as she took out her phone from her skirt’s pocket and pressed the answer button on the screen.

“Hello?...eh? Five humans since she settled there?.......okay, good. Take care and see you.”

“Was that Den?”

“Yeah. Let’s go back to the topic.” Yugen says as Gojo’s lips quirk up in amusement.

“My, my. Impatient, aren’t we?” he teased.

“Why do you have that picture, Sensei?” she asked.

“First of all, it’s not my fault that someone left this on the Shoko’s desk along with scrolls sprawled on the table.” Gojo started. Yugen felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she remembered that she indeed left the ripped picture on the desk. “Second, your voice raised a bit higher than normal when you answered my question about exorcising the Special Grade and lastly...you.”

“What about me?” Yugen tilted her head.

“You’re acting shady!” Gojo blurted out. “You can lie to a stranger but you can’t lie in my face.”

Σ(‘◉⌓◉’) ‘I thought he was going to say something cooler like you can’t lie to someone who knows you.’ (一。一;;）’ but since this is Gojo-sensei we are talking about...I guess this is expected.’

“You really have an expressive face, Yu-chan.”

“I was just asking how did you get your hands to that thing, why did you end up talking like a detective from the movies?” Yugen says, “You are demanding answers since I arrived here.”

Yugen continued. “Your actions are saying that you are suspicious of me since the very beginning because if you’re not, you should have brought the First Years late but you’re early.”

Underneath the blindfold, Gojo furrowed his eyebrows.

“You being punctual means that you know something even though I haven’t said yet the truth why we came back home before the appointed time Principal Yaga thought,” Yugen stated. “Am I right, Gojo-sensei?”

“Not to mention, you eat the trap I baited,” Yugen smirked, seeing Gojo’s mouth agape in surprise. “I invited the First Years for lunch as soon as you left and in the meantime, you used that gap to survey the infirmary. When we got back to the room, I noticed that Megumi’s paper was moved to the side. As far as my memory says, the paper was placed near the lamp and I didn’t use the lamp to pin the paper either. It just means that someone interfered while I was not there.”

“Bingo.” Yugen grinned in victory as Gojo howled in laughter. “I didn’t think that you would pick up the picture. It’s a trap that tells whether someone touched the things without someone supervising.”

“HAHAHAHAHA!! I just can’t outwit you!”

“That picture was in between Megumi and Yuuji’s paper.” Yugen shook her head with a smile on her face. “I just use a simple trap.”

“You know that I’m willing to cover you up, right?” Gojo ruffled her mahogany hair. “You’re like my daughter.”

“I don’t see you as a father figure.” Yugen teased. Her gloved fingers fixing her messy strands. “Ready for a storytelling?”

“When I am not ready?”

One cautious step on the concrete while a juniper colored hair peeked behind the worn-out wall to peek at the two figures discussing what they are gonna do next as the womanly figure childishly threw a tantrum on the larger figure when her companion says something that upsets her.

“Why can’t I go outside?!” says the lass.

Believe it or not, Shina knows that these people are registered Special Grade Curses that her group has been hunting for a year since their Second Year and now they are the Third Year, the chase of these bloodthirst Curses are gonna end today. The female Curse was wearing a torn kimono, showing her smooth blue skin while her violet hair was tied up in a bun with a few strays falling on her forehead. The other one was a large Curse standing on 6’9 with only pants as his clothes and just like the female, he had blue skin and his violet hair was tied in a tight bun.

The plan is simple yet required for them to execute it in accurate precision. It was not the usual set up.

Have Shina sneak into the lion’s den to watch the Curse’s moves and report it, Den to summon weapons using her talismans to surround the vicinity if ever the Curse escaped, and Yugen to activate her Domain Expansion within 0.2 seconds and use it to trigger the Domain Repercussions to exorcise the Curses.

Right, it’s not the complex ploy they set before the day of exorcising.

Yet, the pair already notice her presence and they sharply turn to Shina’s hiding place, chasing her as she skips from side to side of the deformed, old hallway.

‘I followed Yugen’s instruction on how to conceal my existence and lowered my Cursed Energy, how did they know I was here?’ Shina shoveled the collapsed block of cement she passed by halting momentarily to kick the objects as it obscured the visions of the stunned two Curses; their eyes caught dust and foreign particles.

“Shina, can you hear me?!” the voice of Den reverberated around the place.

“The Curses are chasing me!” Shina answered as she felt dizzy from running in twists and turns. Behind her, the growling from one of the Curses can be heard. ‘Where does Den’s voice come from?’

“Which Curse!?”

“Special Grades!”

“Shit!” the navy haired girl cussed loudly. “Yugen is fighting a bunch of Grade 1 insects! She can’t use Domain Expansion!”

“Well, damn it!”

Shina can’t see Den but she swears she heard her laugh.

It made her lips quirk up in a soft smile. She, after all, doesn’t cuss when she is not frustrated-choosing to stay quiet until her stress level reached its limit.

The running is taking a toll on her.

“Where are you?”

A glance to the left as she answered, “Floor C, Emergency Exit.”

“Why are you so far away?!!” Den whined.

“I know I should not-” Shina dodged the Cursed Energy beam from the male Curse shot on her way as she leaped to the stairs. “..ask! But how are you able to communicate with me?”

“I put Talismans earlier on the building!”

“You think I’ll let you off the hook, brat!?” the female Curse exclaimed, her long nails scratching Shina’s back as she hissed in pain-the excruciating tingles making her gaze hazy.

“SHINA!!”

A flash of similar dark uniform slams the female Curse on the wall loudly. Shina felt her breathing hitch as her green eyes caught blood dripping on Den’s head who had her rose-pink eyes glaring at the struggling female Curse; hands gripping the Curse’s neck as she tried to free her limbs from the Talismans.

“Did you injure yourself on your way here?” Shina asked as her hand pulls out a Talisman from Den’s belt bag hanging on her back; sticking one Talisman on the female Curse’s mouth, completely shutting her shoutings.

Swinging the blade multiple times, on the sides, on her front and back. The insect Curses resembled grasshoppers charging at her in full speed as Yugen swiftly sliced them; purple substance on her dark uniform and the filthy stench invaded her nose. Yugen tightly held the hilt of the tanto sword on her right hand as she continued to swing in different directions.

“This is why I hate pests.” exhaled and fastened up her jumping pace; creating a large distance to the Curses.

“Okay, okay.” Yugen steadied her footing on the ground as she bounced to feel her legs that started to numb from exhaustion. She inhaled and exhaled as Yugen focused the power on her right leg; pivoting her left leg to raise her other shin.

The rumbling noise of a large portion of air gathering in one place blared towards the insect Curses as the force crushed the earth and made the Curses retreat until the air entered their internals; bursting their bodies apart. Yugen blink at the nauseating view. The forest is also affected by the pressure as the land had a large and long dent on it.

“Ah, there’s another group. Geez,” she says as her body flashes mid-air behind the ongoing Curses; the blade of the tanto sword whistling with the wind as she swung it again.

The slapping sound of Talismans sticking to the walls loudly.

Den sprinted towards the female Curse’s torso as she smacks a Talisman different from the others; Shina is behind the male Curse, kicking him in the shins to take his balance off which the Curse quickly recovered as she dashed to the female Curse; She and Den crossed paths; their minds saying the same thing.

Talisman Technique: Synchronization.

Within those seconds, both of the Curses felt something creepier. The sensation of a boiling liquid slowly seeping through their muscles, taking its time to crawl in their body as their senses shout at them of the impending danger. The uncomfortable feeling of it made their mind distracted.

Shina rose her hand mimicking a marionettist manipulating her puppets with strings.

A tug of an invisible force.

“Wow, I just came at the right time.”

Yugen wields the tanto sword to the side as purple blood splatters in the process. Den threw a clean cloth to her. Meanwhile, the two Curses trembled upon hearing Yugen’s voice as she used the cloth to clean the purple liquid on the blade.

“The plan failed, idiot.” Den played the talismans on her hand.

“Sorry! hehe.” Yugen apologized sheepishly, still wiping the blade. “Take it easy! The theatre is starting.”

“So? You can’t move?” Den questioned the two Special Grades with mockery. The Curse pair stood frozen on their spot as they registered that they are not moving anymore.

“My Cursed Technique allows me to control living beings by touching them thrice as my Cursed Energy flows like a fluid,” Shina stated, her right index finger haul up as the male Curse’s arm moves; demonstrating her technique.

“Since Shina can’t touch you, I used my Cursed Technique,” Den said. “You see, my Curse Energy is made to create and they only manifest when I’m using these Talismans-” she waved the Talismans, “-and the papers plastered on the wall had her Cursed Energy on it and since it’s surrounding us-”

“-you Special Grades are going to die.” Yugen finished as she removed the dark glove of her right hand and throw it aside

“What a waste. I was hoping to use weapons to kill you guys to make me practice but you just have to crush that and see Shina.” Den brushed the dust on her skirt.

“Please let my sister go…” the male Curse pleaded as he struggled to move.

Yugen looked at him. “Do you know the story of Hansel & Gretel?”

The Curse didn’t answer.

“Hansel & Gretel are siblings like the two of you.” Yugen closed her eyes. “According to the story I read, there was a great famine struck their country and their family is starting to suffer from starvation, having no choice but to abandon the poor Hansel and Gretel. Their parent left them in the forest and suddenly, a sweet aroma filled their senses and followed the smell. As they reach a house made from different sweets, they met an old woman and she ushered them to enter her abode. The old woman turns out to be a witch! And she wanted to cook Hansel and eat him. However, Gretel is a smart girl and helped her brother to escape from the cage he was stuck and pushed the witch from the pot and she died.”

“W-What happened to Hansel and Gretel?” the female Curse timidly asked.

“Unfortunately…” Yugen opened her eyes to glance at them. “..they died in this life!”

Yugen slit the male Curse’s arms using the tanto sword on her left hand as the female Curse shrieked in fear; squirming on her spot as she thrashed around and called the male Curse in repeat.

“AAACKK!!!” the male Curse shouted in pain and Shina’s eyes widened when her ‘grip’ to the female Curse loosened; hands trembling from holding two Special Grades. For some reason, Shina can’t let the female Curse to sit still as the Curse erupt a high amount of Cursed Energy.

“Shit!” Den brings out a black talisman and sticks it towards the female Curse’s back; upon sensing her presence, the female Curse turns around and grabs her wrist then twists her body and fling Den towards Yugen and they both crash to the wall with a loud slam as the stones crumbled and fall into pieces..

“Nii-san!” the female Curse run to the male Curse and hoist him up but before she can carry the male Curse properly, a long black hand shot from the wall where Yugen and Den crashed into harshly grabbed the male Curse away from the female Curse as she yelped from the unexpected force.

Shina watched a figure stagger to her feet, swaying a little as she steadied her balance.

“Let me tell you that I hate it when my head gets hit.”

Yugen glared at the female Curse. “It really pissed me off.”

Behind her, the long black hand is still clutching to the male Curse like a child holding her doll. Yugen raised a brow. “Oh? Not fighting back?”

“I already accepted the fact that I will die in our Creator’s hands…” he answered, defeat lacing his voice. “Our purpose is to fulfill our Creator-”

“You think I will let you die on her hands, Nii-san?!” the female Curse bawled as her Cursed Energy pressured Shina and Den to the ground, leaving Yugen standing-albeit not perfectly.

‘Shina can’t tend Den’s wounds…’ Yugen shifts her eyes to Shina and Den laying on the concrete. ‘I have to finish this woman.’ her tanto sword dangling on her gloved hand.

“For now, let’s kill that Curse.” Yugen’s indigo eyes followed another long tentacle-like hand appearing on her left back as its index and thumb passed to the male Curse’s center chest like a ghost going past to a wall as it dug out a small shiny dark orb and placed it onto Yugen’s palm.

The female Curse watched Yugen crush the dark orb in horror as the male Curse on the long black hand faded into specks of dust.

The Curse’s lips quivered as she screamed.

“And that's how the story ends.” Yugen lazily shifts her weight to her other leg. “The female Curse or let’s call her ‘Gretel’ escaped by releasing pressure again and almost made Shina a limp and Den had an amnesia.”

“Woah, what a terrible ending,” Gojo commented.

“It was a good thing that my little friend-” she caresses the left part of her hair as if touching a baby, “-protected the two yet ‘Gretel’ ran away before I got my hands on her. I just can’t let Shina and Den leave there in pain.”

“Spoken like a true older sister.” the white-haired Sorcerer patted her. “You did well.”

Yugen hummed, letting him stroke her hair like a child.

“That picture…” she paused. “..the construction site. That’s where ‘Gretel’ currently lives. Den might have sensed Gretel’s Cursed Energy in that place since she sticks a talisman on the Curse’s back before she flee and she could not get rid of it even if she tried to. Den’s Talisman can seal her but since Den is not near her, she can’t seal that Curse.”

Yugen cupped her chin with her gloved fingers. “Speaking of Den, we don’t know how many meters she should get near to chant the spell and seal Gretel until I exorcise her. Will one-meter good or she have to get closer? I think there’s a certain distance between the User and the Curse if it comes to sealing and not creating..”

“Yugen-senpai!” Itadori cries out as he rushes towards them. “I finally found you!”

“What happened, Yuuji?”

“Ku-Kugisaki is going to murder me!”

From afar, Kugisaki retorted. “I'm just putting your share! Senpai and Sensei are going to eat too!”

“Hah! For all I know, you secretly want an extra!”

“Just eat in peace,” Fushiguro muttered under his breath.

E X T R A :

“Huh?” Yugen looks around the old building. The aftermath of the exorcise had great damage and the residuals of the Curses are everywhere. She glances beside her to see Den surrounded by Medics provided by Jujutsu Tech and she approach the silent woman smoking on the side.

“Shoko-sensei!” the said woman puffs out the smoke and turns in her direction.

“Yugen, you seem fine.”

“Those Curses don’t affect me.” she rests her hands on her hips. “They belong to me, after all.”

“But still, you don’t feel dizzy?” Shoko asked.

“Not anymore.” Yugen let out a sigh. “How’s Den and Shina?”

Shoko dropped the cigarette on the land as she stomps on it. “Den is still light-headed and Shina is feeling weak. They should know that they should not have to use their Cursed Technique too much. Even though you are Grade 1 Sorcerers doesn’t mean that you have to use your skills for your full potential. Yugen, you already know this, right? The three of you are strong but handling two Special Grades especially coming from the unknown is dangerous.”

“I don’t know why the Principal insists that you exorcise these Special Grades.” the Doctor sighed. “He must be teaching you a lesson.”

Yugen only smiled wryly. “I feel responsible so I don’t mind if the higher-ups dump this work to us.”

“Higher-ups? Are they involved?”

“Of course, they are.” she scoffed. “They are expecting me to fail.”

Shoko laughed in amusement, “Cowards, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, they are.”

Then Shoko held out a familiar dark glove to Yugen as the Third Year’s face brightened up. “You’re looking for this?”

Yugen whispered a small ‘thank you’ and wore the glove. “I thought it was missing.”

“Did you know that your other classmates made trouble?” Shoko says. “They receive suspension as punishment.”

“Eh??”

“All of the Third Years are suspended except the Three Espada,” she explained. “I’m saying this beforehand. Don’t be surprised if you can’t see a Third Year roaming on the school grounds. Satoru will likely not explain it.”

Yugen chuckled. “Right.”

Domain Repercussions - A Domain Technique: details will be provided from the following next chapters.

*Yamato - a female Auxiliary Manager

i only posted my work here in tumblr (gojosatoruwifey) and in my ao3 account. please report immediately if someone reposted my works on other sites without my permission.

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen gojo #jujutsu kaisen itadori #jujutsu kaisen fushiguro #jujutsu kaisen kugisaki #jjk gojo #jjk itadori #jjk kugisaki #jjk fushiguro #gojo satoru #itadori yuuji #kugisaki nobara #fushiguro megumi #yugen akihisa #ishida den #mizuki shina #apple of the eye #jjk #jujutsu kaisen:apple of the eye

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lucidentia-sb · 6 years ago

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Eye For Film: Simon Baker talks about making Breath

Bodies in the water Simon Baker on fathers, sons, a rescue dog and Breath

People who feel they have nothing to lose can make for dangerously captivating friends. Death and water in the old romantic tradition float together hand in hand. Two boys, Pikelet (Samson Coulter) and Loonie (Ben Spence) live in a small, spread out, Western Australian coastal community in the Seventies. Baker's directing heart beats for authenticity. Riding bikes on dusty roads, catching waves among presupposed sharks, and growing up to become a man - large universal truths peek out from underneath the realism in depicting the boys' lives.

Sando (Baker), a surfing champion, lives in what could be described as an enchanted, slightly disheveled tree house for grownups with his girlfriend Eva (Elizabeth Debicki), a former professional skier, and their unwavering dog Rooster. The boys are fascinated by Sando's world, as both see in him an alternative role model to their respective fathers. Mr Pike (Richard Roxburgh) likes to pot plants, whereas Loonie's dad (Jacek Koman) has a cruel streak that puts him in an altogether more hazardous category.

This is a story of fathers and sons, friendships and betrayals, boredom and excitement, sea monsters and seduction, choosing who one wants to be like and the very different process of becoming it. Much is communicated by a well-placed gesture, the choice of a cup, a nap on the veranda or a fishing trip declined only to later be accepted. Simon Baker discerningly doesn't shy away from the tragic dimension we sense in Breath from the very first shot but for whose confirmation we have to wait until the final die is cast.

Anne-Katrin Titze: You must have put a lot of thought into the beginning and how you wanted to start with the swimming bodies. We are thinking: Is this two boys? Is it a boy and a girl? Is it a boy and a mermaid? Is it a merman? Who are they? It's a fantastic way to start this story. Did you always know this was the way?

Simon Baker: Yeah, it was sort of an interesting way to enter into a film. More so to create this slight sense of foreboding in the opening sequence. Like, is he stuck and drowned or is he...

AKT: … alive, yes, and we don't even know who that is.

SB: No.

AKT: The theme of fear and death is already there.

SB: Look at you, you got a book of notes!

AKT: These are for Whit Stillman, actually, whom I just interviewed.

SB: Oh, wow.

AKT: About The Last Days Of Disco. It's quite different, although the time frame is similar. I noticed a plate in a car in your film, stating 1978.

SB: Oh you saw that?

AKT: I did.

SB: On the sticker, yeah. That was towards the end of the film. Basically I hate putting numbers on screens and saying it's 19 whatever. I just wanted the production design tell that story. I guess you see the kids grow up, really. You see them develop into young men. Roughly it sort of spans for Pikelet - it is like 13 1/2 to about 17 by the end, 16, 17.

AKT: It's universal, childhoods take place on bikes.

SB: Yes.

AKT: I could identify very much. You go everywhere on your bike, with friends, with stuff you carry. Was that your experience?

SB: It was exactly that. And that's when you had those conversations. You would just talk about stuff. And reveal different things and learn different things about each other. Always kind of getting from one place to the other.

AKT: So it's not actually that different from Whit Stillman's walking and talking and here the bikes.

SB: He has bikes in his films?

AKT: No, he doesn't. You do.

SB: I have not seen that film for many many years.

AKT: It has its 20th anniversary, that's why I was talking to him about that. In your film you have a fantastic dog. How did you find him?

SB: He's just a local dog. He's not an acting dog at all. He's one of those dogs that rescues people. Like if someone is lost, he'll go and find them. If your kid's missing in the woods, in the bush, and you give the dog the smell of the kid's T-shirt or something like that, it'll sleep the night with the T-shirt and then they take him off to the area and the dog will go off and find it.

We had Jed, the dog's name was Rooster in the movie. And Jed's trainer, she wasn't a trainer for film dogs. That was the first time she worked on a film and she just lived in that town.

AKT: That moment when you call the dog and he comes and jumps on the truck.

SB: Jumps in the back?

AKT: Yes, there's fearlessness. This dog is a perfect connection to the characters, to Loonie - the kind of creatures your character attracts. The clothes work well in the film. Beautiful sweaters you are wearing.

SB: The sweater that I wear, the grey one? My mom knitted that!

AKT: Wow, congratulations to your mother! These are very much of the period. And timeless as well. They say a lot about the people who wear them.

SB: Yeah, they're beautiful. All hand-made. Beautiful hand-made sweaters. And Loonie has a little cardigan at one point, knitted.

AKT: All of them by your mother?

SB: No, not all of them by my mother. Just mine.

AKT: How did the project come about? How did you end up with the novel [by Tim Winton]?

SB: I was given the novel by my producing parter Mark Johnson, seven or eight years ago now, just to sign on as a producer. And over time, when we were developing it and working on it, he asked me if I wanted to direct it. And basically I said, "Look, I'd love to."

And then it was about waiting for the time because I was working on a TV show which took up a lot of my life. And when I knew we were going to the last year of that TV show, I kind of wrapped up the development of the script.

AKT: And that TV show we are talking about?

SB: That was The Mentalist. And then as soon as that show finished I went back to Australia and opened an office to start trying to get this thing up and going and get the financing together. And we kept developing the script.

AKT: There are beautiful subtleties in the script where you don't spell it out. The boy falls down the stairs and we just get the comment that the father might have had something to do with this. And that's it. You leave it at that, which is much more powerful that if you'd had a scene.

SB: Yeah, I think so.

AKT: These are good decisions. Did you subtract a lot?

SB: That's my style. Is to try to just reduce and reduce and reduce. And really only leave anything that moves the development and understanding of the character and story forward. And that's it. And sometimes for me it's more about making space for behaviour. To watch these kids behave, to see their reactions.

So, case in point, when Loonie is on the veranda at Sando's house the first time they go there. And he's standing up on the veranda and Pikelet is like "What the … you shouldn't be up there!" And he goes "Don't get all fucking sulky." And he hits the thing and walks down and [Simon mumbles something as Loonie]. And Pikelet looks at him. The way they look and react to each other to me speaks far more than anything that they say.

AKT: True.

SB: All those details, I like them to be precise in their observations. There's a scene, you know, where the two boys are leaving Sando's after Eva's just come back. Loonie's on his bike riding out and he says: "There's no way I'd let my wife run the show. He lets her get away with so much shit." Which is this completely misogynistic comment.

AKT: Yeah.

SB: In the very next sentence, he says, not even a breath later, he says: "I reckon your mom's done scones?" Right? Which means I reckon your mom's made scones. And then he goes "I love your mom!" That's like this whole complexity of what's been mottled to him as a child is this misogynistic view. But his heart and instinct is: "I want to be nurtured. I love being nurtured."

AKT: The joy while he [Loonie] is eating during that first dinner. The way he is eating, the way he is drinking the milk! I haven't seen anyone drink milk with such exuberance. It's full of life, which makes a lot of sense in the context you are dealing with.

SB: Yeah!

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ask-de-writer · 8 years ago

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Hope's Return ~ An RP with Hope Flower Hataki

Return to the Master Story Index Return to RPs

HOPE’S RETURN ~ An RP

///////////////////////////

Hope Flower Hataki

It was three years since Hope left to make her own way in life. On the three year anniversary of her leaving, a white anthropomorphic dragon appeared at the edge of a Rom camp.

While initially startling the Rom she was actually quite friendly and seemed to know and happily participate in the traditions of the Rom. She told of knowing De Writer and wanting to find him again.

Ask De Writer

The band's Rom, a dapple gray unicorn horse with a long, somewhat curved horn, standing by the cooking fire, listened carefully to what the unusual stranger told him.

He introduced himself, “I am Maro De Innis, Rom of the band of De Innis. If I have heard you correctly, you are not simply seeking the Old Blue One, De Writer, whom you call grandfather. If you can call the Old Blue One grandfather, there is only one band that you can be seeking. The band of Marchhare, the Ghost Who Guides. Not so?”

The white dragoness nodded.

Maro smiled. “I hope that you can partake of our hospitality for a day or two. We can make a note for the Old Blue One. He will get it swiftly and relay it to Marchhare. Marchhare can be here in only a day or so after he gets the note. As fast as the Ghost Who Guides is, he has some obligations.

“The band of Marchhare is up in the Red Branch District. They have Laid the Stones on Sando's Lake and are now climbing the pass road on their pilgrimage to the desert of Celestia's Anvil and Marchhare's Lake. Marchhare will wait by the spring of Sha Ja Shehan. The others will take turns going to Lay the Stones at Marchhare's Lake.”

The unusual dragoness shook her head in amazement at the news.

Maro grinned. “We almost could not believe it ourselves! After only 843 years, Marchhare has finally admitted that he died there on Celestia's Anvil, less than a day from safety! The rest of us have not stopped laughing about how long it took for him to accept that he is a ghost!”

The white dragoness, with a happy smile, sat close to the cooking fire and began to expertly grind Ka'chek patties to the basic flour used to make so many forms of pastry. Maro watched her and nodded to himself. No pony or other being who was not Rom knew the secrets of Ka'chek.

With certainty, he said, “Now I know who you are. Some time ago, Marchhare and his band were given a Changeling egg to care for. They adopted the young Changeling who hatched from it and named her Hope. She was also made a goddaughter to both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.

“After she was grown, she left Marchhare's band to go spend time with her egg mother. Marchhare speaks of you often.

“However changed you may be, you are Hope. I know that Marchhare and his band will want to see you.”

Hope Flower Hataki

“Quite correct my good sir! I’m Hope, though my egg mother did not have long left when I finally got to her. I was adopted by another of a far away land. She raised me further as her own, and is responsible for my changes. She is a kind woman. I love her very much.

“I felt it time to visit my first family again.”

She smiled, looking at Maro. “I realize I’m anthro and… well hardly clothed. Would you rather I shift to a more fitting form for this place?”

Ask De Writer

Maro nodded his agreement. “Indeed, if you can become more of a horse, we do have sashes and harness that we can loan you.”

He was about to turn away when struck by a thought. “Your Freedom, Hope. Where is it? Did you leave it with Marchhare, or did you take it with you?”

While waiting for an answer, he rapped on a caravan door.

It popped open, pushed from the inside! A half dozen foals bounced out, their sashes swirling about them, brilliant in the sunshine of the wayside. They cheerfully surrounded Hope, demanding, “You must tell us all of your travels and the places that you’ve been! We can take your stories and make them into new songs and dances!”

Hope’s eyes began to tear up as she realized that she understood the youngsters around her. Not a one was using any Equestrian word. They were all happily babbling in Gyptian, the language of the Rom. A language that Hope had not heard in years, except in her dreams. The language that she had been raised with. A melodious language that she had missed more than she knew.

She turned to Maro and answered his question in perfect Gyptian.

Hope Flower Hataki

Hope smiled, huddling the foals to her form. Hope’s body began to change. She tried for a horse but only managed a small dragon slightly larger than a horse. She curled her body around the foals and smiled.

“My Freedom… I left it with my family. I didn’t know where I would be going or if I would lose it. I wanted it to be safe,” she said before focusing on the colts and fillies.

”Alright dears. Let me tell you the tale of Cypersun…” She nuzzled one of the youngsters happily, “Cypersun is my new home. A great city that, during the warmer months, floats high above the ground on magical crystals. I am the princess of this wonderful city. My new mother is the queen. She is a very kind woman by the name of Nightmare Flower.

“She took me in when I had nothing and raised me into my adult years… Most of my time has been spent there working with the people and helping to keep it safe.

“I’m queen of a small changeling settlement underneath the city and I ensure peaceful coexistence,” she said with a little smile.

Ask De Writer

Eyes sparkling, the foals listened enrapt as Hope told them of her new home. Maro and the rest of the band had gathered quietly to listen as well.

When she was done, Maro handed her a note and a package. He smiled as he watched her read the note, written in old Marchhare's familiar hoof.

“My Dear Hope:

“I am so happy to hear that you have come back to see your old family. Dark was delighted to hear that the Changeling that she spent so much time raising has returned. She is most interested to see your new form. Draconic I understand?

“You have some others who want to greet you too. Black Lotus and Arlyal are eager to see how you have grown. The Princesses will be wanting to meet you, I am sure. Whether they can get free of Royal duties to do so, I do not know.

“I have taken the liberty of entrusting your old Freedom to De Writer for delivery to Maro. His band has several expert leather workers, if it needs to be adjusted.

“While you are here, wear it with pride.

“We are presently camped at the secret spring of Sha Ja Shehan, the spring that saved the original Rom, 843 years ago. The others are going out into the desert to Lay the Stones at my Lake. I have finally admitted that SOMETHING besides a nap happened back then. I have not gone to see my bones or Lay the Stones for myself, yet. It still seems just a bit creepy to do that.

“We will return to join Maro and his band as swiftly as we may. It will take about

five days of Pulling to get there.

“Your father by adoption, Marchhare”

Hope eagerly tore open the package and took out her old but carefully preserved Freedom. The gilt work and leather dyes were all just as bright as she remembered.

Hope Flower Hataki

Hope smiled, running her claw over her Freedom gently. Her eyes tearing up slightly but never fully shedding the salty liquid. She strapped it to her head, still fitting, even in her new form. She smiled at Maro.

��Thank you for this… I appreciate it greatly” she said eagerly, laying back with the youngsters, happily playing with the young fillies and foals.

Ask De Writer

It did not last. All too soon, the camp began to stir up the cooking fire, adding more wood to the coals. Youngsters scampered off to their chores, just as Hope had done when she was little.

She rolled up to her feet and went to gather more firewood. She was gathering up cut wood from the wayside's free wood rick when a colt trotted up.

He cheerfully pointed out, “I usually get the dinner wood. Thanks! Um, not to be snoopy, but by looking at your teeth, I would guess that you are going to want meat with your dinners?”

Hope looked down at him and nodded.

Seeming pleased with himself, he pointed to the woods behind the wayside. “Thought so! There is a warren of coneys back there. We are not like Marchhare's band. We are really not used to Rom that eat meat. If you could, would you make whatever fire you need to cook the bunnies downwind from our camp? We would appreciate it.

“I loved hearing your stories. I have started working on a song about Cypersun, the city that flies.”

Hope nodded silently, and gave the colt the wood that she had been gathering.

In spite of her size, Hope was utterly silent as she slid into the brush, following the scent of the rabbits toward their warren.

Hope Flower Hataki

Hope’s eyes locked onto the two rabbits she was hunting. With one lunge, one was in her teeth, the other skewered by her claws. A painless death. Hope didn’t need a fire. She preferred just eating the rabbits outright.

She cleaned the blood from her body in a small pond before returning to the encampment to spend more time with the Rom.

Ask De Writer

Hope emerged from the woods, well filled. She thought. Then she smelled the long absent but heavenly scent of baking Ka'cheks. Suddenly she felt far more at home.

The mares and stallions of the band made room for her at the fire without being asked. After watching how Hope pitched in, the mare on her right said cheerfully, “It is good to have another pair of hooves preparing the meal.

“I know, you have claws. So do the Gryphons, who are always welcome in our camps after the honorable way that they dealt with us at the Hockington Fair. Our band was one of the ones that your cleverness freed from being sold as slaves.”

Maro strolled over beside Hope to assist with the cooking.

He said conversationally, “We had a very good fair at Mareimount. We were planning to spend three days here to make more things to sell. The whole band has agreed to a new plan.

“We will break camp tomorrow morning and Pull north. In only two days we should be to the Haymarket District Wayside #2. That is the first one south of the Red Branch cutoff road. Marchhare will meet us there. Even with a road taking us as far as the spring of Sha Ja Shehan, we cannot cross the Sunset Range in only a day. We should meet in the evening of the day after tomorrow. It is the fastest that we can get the bands together.”

That evening, the dances were more fun than usual. Like all Rom, Hope was raised with dancing and music.

Milea Bel Sansin had modified a set of colorful sashes to fit Hope's draconic form. Hope used them to full advantage, flourishing them, while her amazingly flexible body moved to the music in ways that the other Rom of the band watched with care.

By the time that the band retired for the night, they had three new dances added to their repertoire.

For the Rom, breakfast was a hurried affair. With all stowed away, hitches were set up with the usual practiced ease. Hope was given a singletree leading Maro's caravan.

She called the starting cadence, “Pull! Pull right! Pull left! Pull! Pull! As soon as the heavy caravans of the band were underway, Hope began to sing her first road song in years. She led off with The Two Green Vines, one of the two oldest road songs of the Rom.

As she was leaning into the harness, Hope was feeling the tensions of the others who were pulling and adjusted her pace and strength of pull so that they all could pull in a balanced fashion. It almost startled her to realize that so complex a task as leading a Pull came to her so naturally.

Memories of her many happy Pulls with Marchhare's band flooded out of her past, nearly overwhelming her with the love that she had never really left behind.

The shade of trees overhanging the road came and went. Underfoot, the familiar crunch of the Road's finely compacted surface and the soft grumbly crush of the wheels made a different song as the Kilometers passed away behind them.

Hope Flower Hataki

Hope happily lead the band through all the pulling songs she knew.

Before long the caravan pulled into a wayside. Camp was set up once again for the evening.

They'd made good progress. They were right on the planned schedule.

Hope sat on top of one of the caravans, watching over the trees as the sun set in the mountains.

Ask De Writer

Hope watched the sun create dark shadows out of the hulking mountains before her. The ones further north or south, had gone to the purple of distance, with rims up to their peaks of red and gold, mimicking the clouds that also carried the colors.

She came close to shedding a tear as the sight, so familiar from her youth played out before her eyes.

Something else familiar was going on, too. The cooking fires were lit. Vegetables and pastries were cooking. It was time to help. She leaped lightly from the caravan roof to the ground.

She was cheerfully told, “We got the cooking going! You get to help with cleanup! For now, we know that there are more bunnies for you, just over there!” They pointed to the brush, back of the wayside.

With her usual silence when hunting, Hope slid into the brush under the big old trees of the Red Branch section. It was dark beneath them, but that was not a problem. The heat of the day made everything glow a sort of silvery color. Scent also led her unerringly to her prey.

Between her claws and her jaws, Hope soon had the bunnies that she needed for her dinner. She took a few minutes to appreciate her somewhat surreal surroundings before dining on the rabbits that she had caught.

Hunger sated, she made her way back to the camp. She was in time to help with the clean up.

As the last of the dishes, pots and pans were cleaned up and stowed away, music began.

From their opening poses, the dancers, both stallion and mare, began. They were working on new dances, trying to fit in the sinuous, sensuous moves that they had watched Hope perform, the night before.

Return to the Master Story Index

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#HOPE'S RETURN an RP #RP with hopeflowerhataki #An RP #MLP related

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floraexplorer · 5 years ago

Text

A Day Trip to Shibamata, Tokyo’s Retro Japanese Neighbourhood

Welcome to Shibamata, the most nostalgic neighbourhood in Tokyo.

In fact, Shibamata’s nostalgic nature was pretty perfect for my first full day in Japan, because I felt like I was stuck in something of a time warp myself.

For those who don’t know, the direct flight from London to Tokyo takes twelve hours and crosses nine timezones. By the time I landed, I was in a state of delirium – and the bright lights and street-side chaos of central Tokyo only exacerbated my condition!

But when you’ve just arrived in Japan, there’s no time to waste. So the next morning, still jet lagged and unsure of what time my body thought it was, I jumped on a succession of subway trains, switched to a tiny above-ground carriage and stepped off at a platform marked by a beautifully classic hand-lettered sign. We’d arrived in Shibamata.

What should I know about Shibamata, Tokyo?

Shibamata is a neighbourhood in Katsushika Ward which is in the eastern part of Tokyo – an area pretty far away from the usual tourist routes, or so I was told. In Japan, Shibamata is most famous for being the hometown of the protagonist in an old Japanese film series called ‘Otoko wa Tsurai yo’ – in English, ‘It’s Tough Being a Man’. Filmed from 1969 to 1995, the series starred a man called Kiyoshi Atsumi who plays Tora-san, “a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love”.

Although Tora-san travelled the length and breadth of Japan in his films, he always returned to Shibamata, where his sister, aunt and uncle lived. It gave Shibamata a lot of media exposure, and cemented the area’s reputation as a traditional neighbourhood emblematic of ‘old Tokyo’.

And as for Tora-san himself? Well, he’s become the mascot of Shibamata. When we stepped off the train, walked across the tracks and exited Shibamata station, the first thing we saw was the bronze statue of Tora-san, his hand outstretched towards another statue of his younger sister.

[Image via Flickr]

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Walking down Taishakuten Sando street

The central street in Shibamata, known as the Taishakuten Sando, is just 200 metres long but immediately evokes an old-world charm which is hard to find in modern-day Tokyo. It leads visitors directly from Shibamata station to the famous Taishakuten temple and is lined with shops selling all kinds of local specialties: traditional street food including doriyaki pancakes, Japanese crackers and sweet rice dumplings flavoured with mugwort.

Many of the kitchens making these snacks are easily visible from the street – easier still if you crane your neck a bit!

We stopped at a dagashiya shop, an old-school sweet shop which evoked a number of gasps from our Japanese companions. Apparently the shop displays their products in the exact same way – it reminded them of childhood, and a nostalgic memory they hadn’t been expecting!

As we left the shop and continued on our way, it made me look differently at the street scenes of Shibamata. How many Japanese visitors were here looking for that same feeling? Were they longing for a glimpse of a Tokyo which no longer seems to exist?

Visiting the Shibamata Taishakuten temple

At the end of the Taishakuten Sando is Shibamata’s crowning glory: the Taishakuten Temple. Founded in 1629, the Taishakuten Temple has been rebuilt a couple of times but the current iteration survived the bombings of World War Two – an impressive feat, considering how much of the temple is carved from wood.

And your first step into the temple complex is right underneath the stunning Nitenmon Gate, built more than two centuries ago.

Once inside the temple grounds, we walked towards a water basin set in stone beneath a canopy. There’s a particular etiquette to follow when visiting a temple or shrine in Japan (which of course I had no idea about!) but thankfully our guide showed me the first part: how to wash my hands.

Pick up a wooden ladle in your right hand and fill it with running water

Pour the water over your left hand

Switch hands, fill the ladle again, and pour water over your right hand (ensuring your ‘cleansed’ left hand doesn’t touch your ‘dirty’ right hand!)

Switch hands again so the ladle is in your right hand and refill it

Pour water into your cupped left hand and ‘drink’ (you can pretend to do this if you don’t feel comfortable actually drinking)

Wash the ladle by allowing the running water to trickle down it

Balance the ladle back on the basin, scoop side down, for the next user

Although I tried my best to get this process right the first time, our recently-arrived temple guide (who was watching from the sidelines) told me to repeat the whole thing again because I didn’t do it perfectly…

Once our hands were adequately washed, we could advance to the entrance of the temple – but there, a second custom had to be followed.

I would’ve thought my ability to remove my own shoes was pretty easy by now, but as I looked around I realised there was a particular method everyone seemed to be employing… Well, everyone except me!

To be respectful at a temple, you’re supposed to face away from the temple entrance and slip off your shoes, taking care to step backwards onto the genkan (a little raised platform). Then you pick up your shoes and place them in the lockers provided, before entering the temple.

Gazing at the wooden carvings of Taishakuten Temple

The exterior walls of the Taishakuten Temple are covered with intricately carved wooden panels depicting Buddhist scenes from the lotus sutra. The wooden carvings were first started in the 1920s but they took over twelve years to complete and required a number of different artists. As a result the skill level changes somewhat: guides can even point out sections where the same artist has improved over time!

A set of wooden walkways allow visitors to circumnavigate the entire building and get relatively close to the artwork – and there’s also a glass wall built around the walkway, protecting these precious carvings from any inclement weather.

As I skim-read the little English signs explaining the stories of each panel, our temple guide told us a few interesting facts about the wooden carvings – namely, that they’re too delicate to be properly cleaned. Staff have attempted using brushes and their finger tips, but now they only remove the tiniest of cobwebs once a year.

He also explained the significance of dragons at Shibamata Taishakuten. There are dozens of the beautifully carved beasts supporting the carving’s lower structure, there to both protect the temple and also to symbolise peace.

Apparently you’re able to distinguish between dragon nationalities by the number of claws they have. According to Japanese mythology, three-clawed dragons originated in Japan. When they migrated towards Korea they gained another claw, and by the time they reached China they’d developed five claws!

Wandering in the Japanese gardens

We made our way along the covered walkway towards the Japanese gardens just behind the temple. This serene little space is filled with elegant trees, shallow ponds, stone pagodas, and trickling fountains – and the same wooden walkways run throughout, so you can observe the gardens without disturbing the peace.

By the time we’d been walking for half an hour I realised my feet were utterly freezing. Walking on tatami mats and cold wooden planks in just your socks can be perilous for someone with awful circulation like me – and in Japan you spend a lot of time without your shoes!

I hopped along the covered walkway, repeatedly curling my toes under to try and warm them up – to no avail. Whenever I found a patch of sun on the walkway I raced towards it and let my chilly feet soak in the warmth for as long as possible.

The best way to avoid this in Japan? Always wear double socks!

Read more: Essential things to know before travelling to Japan

Apart from my poor circulation, wandering through the Japanese gardens was a beautiful experience. We watched the koi fish swimming lazily past the turtles, and even came across a woman posing for her wedding photographs wearing a traditional kimono and holding an open parasol.

Although I only saw her from behind, I immediately got a little snap-happy through the wooden fenceposts and conducted a little photoshoot of my own!

When we made our way back through the temple complex to grab our shoes, I kept getting waylaid by people-watching: the women painting watercolours of the temple’s facade; the couple watching a dancing dragon puppet sequestered inside a coin-operated machine; the man hunched over on a little stool while organising the souvenirs he was presumably selling.

I began to understand just how many snippets of stories I was going to keep seeing in Japan – and I loved it!

Eating lunch at Yabuchu

My first full lunch in Japan required a lavish meal, and I wasn’t disappointed. We walked intp Yabuchu Taishakuten Sando store and immediately saw a table laden with food in separate wicker baskets: prawn tempura, onigiri, seaweed salad, and slices of duck which we fried ourselves on little heated griddles.

When we’d finished our tempura baskets, the second course arrived: cold soba noodles dipped in soy sauce, spring onions and wasabi. I’d never eaten soba noodles before and was really excited to try – but it was hard to ignore the family on the table next to ours, who were all making the most fantastic slurping-noodle-noises.

Stifling a giggle, our Tokyo guide explained why that noise was a positive thing – “It’s something we’re brought up doing, as a marker of how much we’re enjoying our soba!”

Leaving Shibamata

We walked back along the Taishakuten Sando in the early afternoon sun towards Shibamata station. I looked at the glinting light and thought again about how much nostalgia I already felt for a country I’d only just begun to explore.

If you’re looking for a classic introduction to old-school Japan, Shibamata is the perfect place to start.

Have you visited Shibamata? What other unknown neighbourhoods in Tokyo would you recommend?

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Tips for visiting Shibamata, Tokyo

– How do I get to Shibamata from central Tokyo?

First, take the Keisei Main Line (from Shimbashi Station) to Keisei Takasago Station. Next, take the Keisei Kanamachi Line to Shibamata Station. This is the main entrance to the town and all sights in Shibamata are within walking distance. A one way train journey takes about 25 minutes.

– How much does the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple cost?

The temple is open all year round, and admission is free. The carvings and garden are open 9am to 4pm, and admission costs 400 yen.

NB: my trip to Japan was supported by Tokyo Metropolitan Government and #KyushuxTokyo – but the observations about wooden carvings and frozen feet are all my own.

The post A Day Trip to Shibamata, Tokyo’s Retro Japanese Neighbourhood appeared first on Flora The Explorer.

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