#mai ougi

[nadekofannumber1]

Off + Monster Nademonogatari Gifs

(Nadeko and pals extra edition)

[sinkableruby]

if you were going to see each Monogatari character paired with another character in a story which dynamics do you think would be most compelling?

trying to catch up on asks

idk if this is for just any character or other monogatari characters but i will think on both. im also assuming this is like for dynamics we havent really seen yet as opposed to just what my favorite dynamics are

im gonna say full anime spoilers for monogatari, and spoilers for other series too occasionally? nothing TOO huge but yea

koyomi: he talks to everyone so idk how i would do this. but for outside monogatari... i want him to talk to a boy he doesnt talk to boys enough. i think he should talk to jotaro from jjba part 3 purely because i think he'd be really intimidated and it'd be funny. either that or dirk strider because (homestuck spoilers) i think they could bond over creating splinter versions of themselves and almost killing said selves as well as their mutual self hatred

senjougahara: senjougahara has the tendency to dominate the dynamic of whoever she's with and doesnt take shit from anybody so i kinda wanna see her talk to gaen izuko. bc gaen is also someone who dominates the dynamic of whoever she's with (makes sense) but i feel like senjougahara would be extremely unwilling to put up with her and very distrustful. so thered be a lot of push back on gaens scheming that i think could be interesting. as for outside monogatari, i drew a blank on this so id say maybe sakurajima mai because... not only is that series just monogatari but for a wider audience, but mai is also senjougahara but a little bit to the left. i think since they both had mysterious supernatural starts to their relationships with their respective boyfriends they would start competing over whose start was like cooler or w/e for like basically no reason. i think it'd be funny. it'd probably start a little contentious and then just become them gushing about their boyfriends. how sweet

kanbaru: i think if she talked to sodachi she could be a very positive influence in sodachi's social life that she really needs. and i think she'd also do well in cutting down sodachi's pathological self deprecation if they got close. sodachi would try to like look cool in front of her junior and kanbaru would just be like woah youre taking breaks from college thats not good are you ok... and try to offer her help in staying motivated and healthy and all that. kanbaru's inner doctor can really shine lol. outside of mono first person that comes to mind is homura from madoka and they can talk about what absolute disaster gays they are (although homura is significantly more disaster). second person that comes to mind is serinuma kae from kiss him not me because i think they could have a blast going insane about bl together

hanekawa: id like to see her talk to gaen tooe (if it were possible) because tooes ideology challenges hanekawas and i think it could further hanekawas thinking if they managed to talk. its tough for hanekawa cause shes got her whole journey shes on so shes probably super focused on that and less on bonding w ppl or w/e. i think outside of the series itd be fun if she talked to oribe yasuna just bc yasuna is so bouncy energetic and childishly playful but also so annoying that hanekawa would be a little stumped and caught off balance. she'd end up having to go along with yasunas games and be kind of annoyed about it lol.

nadeko: kinda like koyomi nadeko has talked with too many people for me to feel like i can name a new person for a dynamic. outside of the series tho... shes very reserved so she'd have to talk to someone outgoing for anything interesting to happen... she should talk to baka from the wasteful days of high school girls. baka is so rude and would probably tease nadeko for her shyness but is also so genuinely dumb that nadeko wouldnt be offended by it for very long. baka would rope her along into her usual dumb shit which means nadeko would feel put upon but also get to have fun new experiences so cool.

hachikuji: im drawing a blank. maybe numachi, just because numachi is so negative and dark and hachikuji is so encouraging and positive. i dont think theres anyone hachikuji would like get along badly with but i think hachikuji and numachi might have some disagreements that would be an interesting dynamic. hachikuji should talk to phos from hnk because they could have a fun snappy dynamic with each other and their mutual silliness. and also because phos really needs someone like hachikuji in their life 😭. other than that maybe clara valac? theyre both chaotic i think they'd have fun together :)

tsukihi: should talk to kaiki because kaiki would be totally defeated by her. tsukihi brings misfortune to everyone and he knows this so he'd be really annoyed by having to talk to her. the worst part is she would probably critique his lifestyle and philosophy and not even be wrong about it and hed have no choice but to deal with it. in exchange for not bringing it up he would have to pay her off with snacks and cute clothes. shed prolly also be genuinely pissed at him for messing with karen so he'd have to lose a Lot of money and she'd make him lose a lot on purpose, not as much because she wants the stuff but more because she knows he wants the money. she should talk to suzumiya haruhi theyre both forces of nature theyd have a wonderful time unknowingly making the lives of everyone around them 1000x more annoying. they'd like feed off each other it'd be great. they've got like equally low attention spans so theyd go pursuing a new really ambitious project like every week and have a fun time with it. theyre mutually very bored i think they'd get along.

karen: karen should talk to kagenui and do a training montage with her. they'd do a training montage that's what they'd do. karen would adopt kagenui as her mentor after like 3 seconds. im not sure who to have her talk to from outside mono. maybe someone she can mentor instead of her being the mentee. actually i think itd be hilarious if she tried to mentor bocchi. like specifically in like martial arts and physical fitness. and bocchi would be like yes i can get stronger and then all the girls will love me so shes up for it but karen would be just so bad at teaching that it wouldnt amount to anything. but she wouldnt know how bad she is at it and would just keep trying to push through... bless her heart

yotsugi: should talk to senjougahara bc they are both monotone and acerbic it'd be a monotone-and-acerbic-off. who will win. (senjougahara would bring up yotsugi's old catchphrase and win bc yotsugi would die of cringe). i'd like her to talk to iruma because iruma is so sweet and yotsugi would probably be a little rude but also a little nice to him. and then she would make him do stuff for her every now and then bc he cant say no lol. she'd probably use him to pamper herself tbh

sodachi: itd be interesting if she ever talked to shinobu bc she'd be like wow you attached yourself eternally to THAT guy? lame and then she'd like openly mock her. shinobu would probably haughty about it like who cares about the words of a mere human (she does). i think itd be cute if she talked to anya for similar reasons that i think kanbaru should talk to her, only amplified bc anya can literally mind read all her self deprecation and try to cheer her up without letting her know she can read her mind in the way anya tends to. itd be very cute. sodachi would have a lot of fun spoiling her and being like a cool big sister figure. very sweet 😌

shinobu: shes not really interested in talking to people outside of koyomi so im not sure for this one. oops

ougi: i want ougi to talk to meme. the uncle dynamic would be amazing. all the better since ougi seems to dislike being compared to him. theyre both slippery vague people who tend to talk in confusing ways and i think they would have philosophical discussions that would go NOWHERE because neither of them gets to the point. i think ougi would try to critique his ideology and meme would just rebuff the criticism. and then he could bust out the uncley affection (but only in a slightly ironic/indirect way bc hes a tsundere) and itd be very cute (although i think ougi would absolutely hate it lmao). as for outside of the series i have many thoughts about these. like how i think araragi should talk to dirk i think ougi should talk to hal. they would understand each other and also them being together for any period of time upwards of 1 minute would make everyone in the vicinity have an instant migraine. and they could definitely talk philosophy together too! i also think ougi could talk to oreki houtarou from hyouka bc hes got that whole detective mystery solving thing going on and ougi would absolutely love to ask him to solve some mystery and be his watson. and of course theyd also try to lead him around into some dark path which he'd be wary of but might still fall for despite what happened with irisu. another fool for ougi to mess with. but that might be a dynamic too similar to araragis so i also also think ougi could talk to chitanda. ougi could probably pull out some kinda repression from chitanda but chitanda is just so genuine that she would handle it very well and it wouldnt turn into any kind of disaster as ougi would hope it to. really i think they could just bond over their love of mysteries. ougi needs a fellow mystery lover to talk to. (although oreki might also be a fan of mysteries too, partly in novels and stuff and partly irl, i think chitandas bright and loud enthusiasm about it could let her and ougi geek out together and itd be fun 😄)

[katsurinssims]

This was something that was definately on my list to redo in Afterglow, but I had been putting off just down to the sheer amount of items that would need recolouring... but now my texture defaults are done, I may as well tackle my Nihongami style kit!

Ultimatley most of the information is the same as my Pooklet texture version. To save you downloading both versions, I've included all of the non-hair texture accessories in the zip, too. Remember to pick one mesh for the Long Yue bun, the original mesh, or the edited mesh that works better with the shimada hairstyle. The only new thing really is that I made a second alpha edit of the Rose hime bangs that are shorter than the original alpha, but they don't clash and you can have both. All hairpieces are in the five Afterglow naturals in seperate labelled packages. The original bodyshop previews have the details of the different mesh variations so here are those:

long yue bun / rose hime bangs / han bun / spirit of spring twin buns / kushi comb / taka shimada band / hana kanzashi / lady yi wig / spirit of spring twin bun / taoboa 5 flower / sims 2 heaven bun / birabira kanzashi / chinkoro mage / red bud hairpin / unique bun / fu rong jin pins / fu rong jin bun / aromatic bun / tama kanzashi / ougi kanzashi

you can see in the banner preview that there's a lot of ways to arrange these together, and I have a few more on display in the original post! I was watching Blue Eye Samurai a while ago, and there's a lot of shimada inspiration there, the animators took care to give the characters varying shapes and styles, so the variety is really cool to see ^^

Download Nihongami kit in Afterglow

Then I made some recolours of the base hair, the Goze Traditional Shimada. @letomills has an odd ability to intuit what I want without even asking, and made an edited version of the mesh which works better with hairlines, which is really something that disspointed me with the original mesh, so those are the meshes included! I made 3 variations on the alpha; the first is the 'original' shimada; with the shibori and the tama kanzashi. This time I made the decision to edit out the odd coin shaped kanzashi as I can't say I'm entireley sure what it was ment to be, and it was just getting in the way of nice and authentic looking styles. I also added a shibori texture to the shibori because... why was there a shibori tie with no shibori in the first place? The second alpha is the flowers one, I made the same pink and blue versions as in Leto's edit. the last is my plain, no accessories shimada, which is just hair with no extra accessories to be layered with a variety of hairpieces or just worn by itself! Lastly I thought it'd be good to do the male hairstyle that Hriveresse converted from the same pack, so I fought the mapping of traditional sumo (and the mapping won, it's horrid) to accompany the F hairs. Shimada is 3638 poly, sumo is 4048, all versions come in the original Afterglow family binned into one package each, meshes in the zips, fully compressorized.

Download Traditional Shimada

Download Traditional Shimada with pink flowers

Download Traditional Shimada with blue flowers

Download Traditional Shimada with no accessories

Download Traditional Sumo

Additional credits: Eaxis, Hriveresse, LetoMills, Moirae, Sims2Heaven, Rose, Doremi, Tamaki and Ran417 for the meshes. Antoninko for the afterglow textures and actions! check @the-afterglow-archive for more Afterglow ₊˚⊹♡

Buy me a coffee? I have a Ko-Fi!

[shewasverynice]

Fandoms: 呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga)呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime)  MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Rating: Explicit 

Major Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con 

Content Warnings: Dubious Consent, Prostitution, Drug Use, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Violence

Categories: F/M, Multi, F/F 

Relationships: Gojo Satoru/Original Female Character(s), Nanami Kento/Original Female Character(s), Getou Suguru/Original Female Character(s), Ieiri Shoko & Iori Utahime 

Major Characters: Original Characters, Gojo Satoru, Getou Suguru, Nanami Kento, Okkotsu Yuuta, Toudou Aoi, Zenin Naobito, Zenin Jinichi, Zenin, Zenin Ougi, Fushiguro Megumi, Kamo Clan, Nitta Akari, Inumaki Toge, Ieiri Shoko, Iori Utahime, Kusakabe Atsuya, Muta Kokichi, Itadori Yuuji, Hakari Kinji 

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Chapter 1 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"100 species of insects were collected, the larger ones were snakes, the smaller ones were lice, Place them inside, let them eat each other, and keep what is left of the last species." - Geography of the Suishu

In the heart of Tokyo, darkness intertwines with the vibrant glow of neon lights. As dusk descends, the streets come alive with a cacophony of sounds: the pulsating beats of music from the clubs, the raucous laughter of patrons, and the occasional distant sirens signaling trouble just out of sight. The neon signs flicker and dance, casting an eerie glow over the throngs of people who wander the labyrinthine streets while dark alleys snake through the district like veins, cloaked in shadows that seem to swallow the unwary whole.

The district pulses with life, a magnet for thrill-seekers and hedonists, drawn to the promise of excitement and forbidden delights. The streets are crowded with a kaleidoscope of humanity – tourists with wide-eyed wonder, locals shuffling one foot after the other with their gazes firmly set on the ground, and those who exist on the fringes of society, seeking refuge in the shadows. It's a place where the rules of society bend, where one can lose themselves in the neon-lit frenzy and forget the troubles that plague the outside world. It's a place where the line between pleasure and peril blurs, and where the thrill of the unknown beckons with irresistible allure.

The year 1939 marked the beginning of World War II. With fear gripping the human population, Sorcerers found it increasingly difficult to control the rising number of curses. The situation escalated further in 1940 when Japan formally entered the war, putting additional strain on the already struggling Sorcerers. However, the most devastating blow came in 1945 with the dropping of the atomic bombs.

Both humanity and sorcery were crippled, causing a massive influx of curses that spiraled out of control. The creatures emerged more and more humanoid in the wake, the fear compounding on itself and forcing an evolution into something more akin to humans themselves. Retaining their horns, multiple eyes, colorful skin, or other oddities, curses were still easily distinguished from humans but their existence had become undeniable to the population. The ability to see curses became more prominent, a necessity for survival.

In 1949, the Japanese government officially acknowledged Curses as a distinct sentient species. This decision faced strong opposition from the Sorcerers, who were still in the process of rebuilding their numbers post-war. However, misunderstandings led to exorcisms being mistaken for acts of murder by humanity. The blame for the anger in the dark hearts of Curses was placed on inequality, with people arguing that it was unfair to kill them before they had committed any crimes. Sorcerers were viewed as rogue vigilantes at best and terrorists at worst, driven off the streets and treated as if they were criminals.

Sorcerers, in the face of contempt and animosity, were compelled to abide by the regulations put in place to safeguard Japan's latest inhabitants. They were obliged to don masks, rendering them readily recognizable to ordinary individuals. A formal record was created, and once a Sorcerer's power awakened, they were acknowledged and recorded in the database. 

This had no effect in suppressing the animosity, leading to Sorcerers being singled out despite their persistent attempts to banish malevolent curses. Regardless of the proof provided, regardless of the reality, society had already made up its mind and deemed Sorcery as a criminal act. The deceitful cry of injustice by the curses had triumphed over the humans, compelling Sorcerers to conceal their deeds once more.

Naturally, this gave rise to varying viewpoints, leading Sorcerers to establish their own factions. Certain groups opted to honor their initial pledge of safeguarding humanity, while others decided to abandon their unappreciative responsibilities. Additionally, some made the choice to pledge loyalty to the highest bidder. As time passed, this division would slowly solidify and deteriorate, transforming into a distorted manifestation of the original purpose of Sorcery.

In 2018, the neon lit streets of Tokyo now obeyed a different set of rules. Those set by the government and those set by the ones who'd always been its silent guardians. 

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

The elaborately carved wooden door burst open, the brass handle slamming into the wall with a loud thud. The man responsible barged through the building, his expression contorted with anger. The red mark from the slap on his cheek burned, the ring of his attacker leaving a shallow cut on his skin. Following closely behind him was a petite woman in a sleek black suit, her short blonde hair bouncing as she struggled to keep up with his long strides.

"Sir, you need to calm down." The woman urged, "Customers aren't allowed past this door."

"I want to talk to the owner." He gritted, "That girl is out of control and I want her fired!"

"Sir, you broke the contact rules stated in the contract you signed. The girl in question is within her right to--"

"She slapped me with a ring on!" He roared, shoving past another door, "This better not scar! I'll sue you for--" He froze, finding exactly one of the women he was looking for. 

With one leg crossed over the other, she remained focused on the papers in her hand without lifting her gaze. Wearing a white top with long flowing sleeves and a high collar, her back and shoulders were openly exposed. Her sharp forest green eyes moved methodically across the pages, while her foot tapped impatiently on the floor. A strand of her lengthy dark amber hair slipped down from behind her ear as she tilted her head, briefly glancing up at the customer.

Next to her, a massive man loomed with his arms folded. His sleek black hair was pulled back into a neat bun, his broad chest exposed showcasing his intricate tattoos. The menacing snarl of the crimson Oni half-mask he sported added to his intimidating look, his intense gaze piercing. The man's strong biceps bulged, his fingers gripping onto his well-defined muscles.

"You!" The customer huffed, storming over to the woman, "You'd better have an apology ready because I'm not--"

"Have a seat." She said calmly, "Let's work this out, hmm?"

The man's stance faltered as the blond woman placed a wooden chair behind him. His lips were parted, ready to unleash a verbal assault when he spotted a light blue oni mask on the table beside the woman. He swallowed thickly as she placed her other foot on the ground and held up the papers she had been reading.

"Mr. Kato," she began, "According to this contract that you signed you agreed to a no touching rule with Himiko, is that correct?"

Kato swallowed again, "Ah, yes I did but--"

"And from what I can assume," she continued, "Is that you just decided not to follow the rule that you'd agreed upon before signing?"

He cleared his throat before muttering, "Ah, well it was a simple touch on--"

"Todo." The woman said, her eyes trained on the customer, "Would you please move me closer? I can't hear him properly."

In a swift motion, the goliath of a man lifted the heavy chair with the woman still seated in it. He carried it over and placed it gently in front of the customer then took a step back. She looked up at him with an appreciative smile, then turned back to Kato.

"What was that? I couldn't quite catch it."

At the same time, a different woman walked confidently on the ground level, her flowing dark hair moving in sync with her skirt that reached her calves. The sound of her charcoal heels echoed on the marble floor, while the kimono-style sleeves of her top added a touch of sophistication to her appearance amidst the luxurious surroundings. A porcelain doll-like mask concealed the lower part of her face, and her serene caramel eyes maintained a composed demeanor.

Walking beside her was a young man, his half mask matching Todo's but painted in cerulean. His dark hair fell just past his chin, partially covering his eyes, which showed signs of weariness. His white top was loose, but tucked into fitted black trousers. Resting his hand on the long katana at his hip, the pair strolled across the bridge spanning the shallow river in the atrium.

A resounding crack echoed through the building and the woman's eyes flicked up towards the room where she knew her partner had been dealing with the disgruntled customer. Her gaze moved down to the man beside her, her eyes crinkling to reveal a soft smile hidden beneath her mask.

"Yuta," she said, "Would you mind scheduling the carpenter to come and see about making us a new door?"

"Yes, ma'am." Yuta said with a nod.

Deeper in the establishment, the woman walked with Yuta until they reached one of the VIP lounges. Her expression quickly soured when she saw the state of the room and its sole inhabitant.

"Boe." She said harshly, raising her eyebrow at the third member of her trio laid lazily amid the discarded bottles on the stained red carpet, "Get up."

The woman lying on the ground let out a groan, her arm covering her face. Her vibrant lavender crop top was loosely tied, exposing one of her breasts, while her black shorts were hiked up. She had bare feet and her purple dyed hair fanned out around her head on the carpet. Boe flashed a smile as she fixed her top, then got up and leaned against the corner of the oversized couch.

"Mornin' Rin." She grunted, "What's up? Something going on?"

"You can't use these rooms like this." Rin sighed, "We'll need to have it cleaned for our guests tonight."

"Hey hey hey!" Boe grinned with a wave of her hand, "I was entertaining our guests! They just happened to leave before I did."

"Partying with Gojo until he gets bored is hardly what I'd call "entertaining our guests"," Rin said, "And where is your mask?"

"Eh?" Boe looked over and around her shoulders then on the square table in the center of the room, "It's here. Right here, hold your horses."

"Gonna need a new door." The woman from the office huffed as she joined her partners, adjusting her black sneakers, "I went overboard, sorry. That guy just really pissed me off."

"Oh shit!" Boe chuckled, "Did you get all spooky on him?"

"I did." She grinned, "Busted out the longsword for it."

"Sarah," Todo said, hurrying in after, "Ma'am, you forgot your mask." 

"Damn, thanks Todo." Sarah said with a nod, taking the light blue mask and tying the strings before letting it hang loosely around her neck, "What's going on down here? Boe, did you sleep in here again?"

"The carpet was nice." Boe shrugged.

"Well, in any case we need this room cleared." Rin sighed, "Tonight Yaga and his lieutenants plan on meeting here. We need to make sure everything is prepped." 

"Right, cool." Sarah nodded, "I'll let their favorite girls know." She glanced up at Todo, "C'mon big guy. Let's go."

Rin watched her companion leave, then looked back at Boe, "Get the cleaning team together and have them prep the room." She said, "And clean yourself up. They'll expect to see us tonight."

"Cool, yeah no prob." Boe said with a wide yawn, "I'll take care of it."

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

"Fuck." Gojo groaned, pulling down his eyelid while looking in the mirror with his bright blue eyes, "I went way too hard last night." The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, evidence of his excessive binge.

"You go too hard every night." Geto chuckled, combing through his sleek black hair, "I have eye drops in the top drawer. They burn, so be aware."

Pulling out the drawer, Gojo shoved various bottles and tins out of the way until he found the eye drops. Tipping his head back, he held his eyelids open as he dropped two drops in one eye before screaming and punching his fist into the bathroom door with his eyes squeezed shut.

"Holy fuck!" He hissed through his teeth, tipping his head back to get the other eye, "Jesus Christ man these are a fucking nightmare!"

Geto straightened the collar of his crimson dress shirt, smoothing it down against the lapel of his well-tailored ivory suit. Shifting slightly as he admired his reflection, he made the choice to unfasten a couple more of the pristine buttons, revealing his chiseled chest and showcasing the vibrant tattoos adorning his pectoral muscles. Giving a satisfied nod, he ran his fingers through his hair one final time, effortlessly taming his bangs into their desired position.

In the meantime, Gojo effortlessly slipped into his sleek black jacket, which he wore over a vibrant yellow leopard print silk shirt. His leather pants left little to the imagination, while his luxurious Italian shoes made a distinct clicking sound on the floor as he made his way towards the mirror. Running his fingers through his hair, he smoothly slicked it back, revealing the stylish undercut beneath the fluffy white top. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the arm of his round sunglasses and effortlessly slid them onto his face, taking a moment to appreciate his own reflection.

"Are you two quite finished with your preening?" Nanami grunted, appearing in the doorway, "This evening isn't about meeting women."

"Every evening is about meeting women." Geto said with a coy smile, "They're always watching, you know."

Nanami scoffed, yet he had also bothered to dress up in a black turtleneck paired with a tan blazer. The loose-fitting marching pants and well-polished brown shoes completed his ensemble. As he tilted his head back and clicked his tongue, his round yellow glasses gleamed, before he turned away, allowing the birds to carry on admiring their own reflections.

"Sir." Nanami said giving a quick bow as Yaga turned the corner into the hall, "We're almost ready."

Yaga acknowledged Nanami with a nod, undoing the golden buttons on his crimson blazer sleeves and rolling them up to his elbows. His emerald floral silk shirt was neatly tucked into his ebony trousers, and the rings on his fingers shimmered in the subdued lighting. The scent of Yaga's preferred cologne wafted through the air, causing Nanami to inwardly sigh as he realized that not even his superior was immune to the captivating charm of the brothel's women.

The four men gathered in the hallway and Yaga looked at each of his lieutenants, "Tonight we'll be meeting with the Zen'in and Kamo groups." Gojo immediately groaned, but was silenced when Yaga held up a hand. "I expect respectful behavior, despite our feelings on the Zen'in. Is this understood?"

Geto and Nanami agreed immediately but Gojo just clicked his tongue and looked away. Yaga's arm snapped forward, gripping Gojo's collar hard and pulling the younger man forward roughly.

"I said, do you understand?" He growled.

Gojo grumbled, fixing his sunglasses back into place, "Yeah, yeah I get it."

Releasing the white haired man, Yaga stood up straighter and adjusted Gojo's collar back into place. "Good. Let's go."

They all donned their assigned Sorcerer masks, crafted meticulously from wood and fashioned in the likeness of Oni half-masks. Each mask boasted its own distinct design, yet shared common motifs that united them as a collective. Nanami's mask shimmered in gold, Gojo's in cobalt, Geto's in carmine, and Yaga's in a mesmerizing deep onyx. The golden fangs of each mask sparkled under the neon lights as they confidently made their way through the streets towards Tenjiku. 

The facade of the establishment exuded opulence, living up to the grandeur suggested by its name. A magnificent, glowing neon sign spanned across the main pathway leading to the entrance. Lining the walkway were meticulously arranged wisteria trees, their intoxicating purple blossoms serving as both an enchanting invitation and a subtle caution. Crossing over a sprawling koi pond, the path converged with pristine white marble steps that ascended towards a majestic palace. Adorned with towering crimson pillars and intricate golden embellishments, the entire edifice exuded a sense of ostentatious luxury. Undoubtedly, its reputation for extravagance was well-deserved.

Upon entering through the grand front doors, one is greeted by a luxurious entryway featuring a sleek black marble floor adorned with a lavish red carpet. The hall beyond is flanked by four majestic red pillars on either side, embellished with cascading flowering vines. The ceiling exudes a radiant light reminiscent of sunshine, with wisteria flowers hanging delicately like a chandelier, their petals gracefully suspended in mid-air, never touching the ground.

Just inside the hostess smiled brightly at the four of them with a deep bow, "Good evening, Gentleman. Shall I lead you to the VIP lounge?"

Yaga nodded, lifting his dark sunglasses to wink at the young woman, "Please, if you wouldn't mind."

She delicately concealed her enchanting smile behind her dainty hand, assuming an air of mystery as she gracefully nodded and took the lead, guiding them through the grand atrium. The opulent floor beneath their feet boasted a mesmerizing display of black marble, while at its heart, a resplendent red marble floor with exquisite carvings and adorned with a lavish seating arrangement. Encircling this regal seating area, a shallow square river meandered, its tranquil waters caressed by the presence of two magnificent bridges, exuding elegance and charm. With an air of confidence, women strode through this magnificent space, at times accompanied by patrons, and at times, embracing their own independent grace.

An abundance of doors encircled the grand atrium, serving as the rendezvous points for the ladies and their esteemed patrons. Beyond the discreet back entrance lay the expansive bar and the resplendent dance floor. Ascending to the upper level, one would discover yet another array of doors, while the pinnacle of luxury awaited on the third floor, where the exclusive VIP chambers and primary gathering spaces resided.

As Geto and Gojo strolled along, they exuded an air of confidence, relishing in the attention and admiration they received from the women who eagerly sought their affection. Meanwhile, Nanami maintained a stern expression, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Yaga, on the other hand, wore a charming smile and graciously acknowledged the greetings from the women they encountered. The fact that the leader and his lieutenants were all present in Tenjiku at once was a rare occurrence, and the women of the brothel couldn't help but anticipate an intriguing evening ahead.

With a graceful bow, the woman guiding them wished them a pleasant evening and headed towards the exit after they had arrived at the expansive VIP lounge. Just as she was about to leave, Yaga gently tapped her shoulder and slyly passed her a small stack of bills, accompanied by a wink and a half-smile. The woman blushed, concealing her smile once more before shutting the door behind them.

Gojo swiftly settled on the edge of the expansive square sofa that adorned the room, his gaze fixated on the door while his arms found solace on his knees. Geto and Nanami patiently lingered until Yaga had claimed his seat before opting to join their leader. With a hint of amusement, Geto playfully tapped his fist against Gojo's back.

"Relax, the Zen'in wouldn't be foolish enough to try something here." Geto said with a chuckle.

"I don't give a shit about the Zen'in right now." Gojo said with a smirk, not even looking away from the door for even a moment, "I wanna see her."

Geto, Nanami, and Yaga synchronized their eye rolls, knowing this situation was bound to go south. It always did.

The doors opened and Gojo immediately got excitedly to his feet only to grumble and sit back down when it was Naobito Zen'in who entered the lounge. With a grunting bark of a laugh, the old man strode past Gojo with his own three lieutenants in tow.

Naobito and Ogi, being brothers, possessed a striking resemblance with their sharp, pointed chins and slender figures. Their long gray hair was elegantly tied into sleek low ponytails. On the other hand, Jinichi stood out with his broader build and muscular physique, allowing his wild black hair to flow freely. The rough stubble on his face only enhanced his rugged appearance. As for the youngest lieutenant, Megumi Zen'in, who was merely sixteen years old, had attempted to slick back his deep black hair, but it seemed to have backfired, making him appear even more out of place. Despite their differences, all four of them shared the same piercing, cold dark eyes, each expression exuding a chilling malevolence.

Shortly after, Kamo arrived accompanied by his two lieutenants. Kamo had always opted to conceal his identity behind his mask, but Hizumi and Araki had no qualms about revealing themselves. Hizumi, tall with a long, thin face and short blonde hair, looked even taller in his well-tailored pinstripe suit. On the other hand, Araki appeared quite unassuming, with his ordinary features and quickly combed dark hair, resembling the typical businessman. 

Behind them, a small group of women entered the room. They were all dressed in slacks and white dress shirts, black vests with red trim over top and little black bow ties. They brought in bottles of alcohol, specifically chosen for each of the men's specific tastes and began to serve them their drinks.

"Where are our esteemed owners?" Kamo chuckled as he received his drink, "It's unlike them to be tardy."

"Probably had a job elsewhere." Naobito grunted, giving a lingering gaze to the woman in front of him as she poured his sake.

"Still, it's unlike them to not be the first in their own establishment." Kamo said, nodding thanks to the woman who handed him his whiskey.

All gazes shifted towards the door as it swung open once more, prompting every man to rise and welcome the trio of women who entered the room. Rin took the lead, offering a warm smile to each man she encountered, followed by Boe who casually waved at them. Lastly, Sarah stepped in, but before she could utter a word, Gojo swiftly moved in on her, catching her off guard.

"Hey sweet stuff." With a seductive tone, he murmured, running his fingers through his hair and tilting his head to the side as he stood tall above her. "Long time no see," he whispered. His hand boldly glided over her shoulder and down her spine, gently tracing the crimson scar that extended across her back from her shoulder to her hip.

"Hands off, shit stain." She growled, "I didn't come here to see you."

He flashed a wide smile as she brushed past him, paying no attention to her attitude, and eagerly trailed behind her. Sporting a mischievous grin, he settled down beside her on the sofa. When one of the ladies approached to prepare their drinks, he swiftly gestured for her to leave and concocted a beverage for her himself. 

She let out a deep sigh and reluctantly took a sip of the drink. "Not bad," she muttered, and he nodded enthusiastically. He leaned in close again, his lips parted to likely whisper some kind of lewd invitation to her before Rin cleared her throat, shutting down that conversation before it quickly spiraled out of control.

"Good evening, gentlemen," she greeted, gracefully taking off her mask and delicately setting it on the tables. "May I inquire about the reason we find ourselves welcoming so many of our distinguished guests to Tenjiku tonight?" Following suit, all of the sorcerers either removed their masks or chose to place them on the table anyway as an olive branch of sorts. 

"We needed to come together to chat about the curse problem." Naobito said, jutting his head towards the woman who'd poured his sake. When she approached with the bottle, he snatched it from her hands and waved her off, choosing to drink directly from the bottle.

"There's been quite the rise in the curse population, lately." Yaga explained, "We wanted to get together and discuss the current state of the city and how it's been handling the increase."

"Oh true," Boe said, flicking the straw in her drink, "We have seen a lot more of those creeps coming in here lately."

"You serve curses too?" Megumi asked suddenly, chiming in.

"We serve anyone," Sarah said, "Well anyone of age anyway." She raised her eyebrow at the cup in his hand, "That better not be alcoholic, kid. I don't want to pay that fine."

"I'll cover it if it comes up." Naobito chuckled, patting his great nephew on the back, "Don't you worry your pretty little head."

"If I may ask," Kamo asked, "The curses that have been visiting, were they the latest group of humanoid types?"

Rin nodded, "Yes, they were. We had one of our women unexpectedly injured after being chosen by a curse for an evening. Their new forms can be quite deceptive for the rare human who can't see the cursed energy."

"We took measures to put more advanced surveillance around." Sarah added, "They won't be able to sneak up on us again."

"As for our end," Yaga spoke up, "Our businesses have also been experiencing theft and attempts at fraud." He glanced over at Nanami who continued.

"Within the last month we've seen an increase in specifically food and alcohol theft." The blonde man explained, "Even an attempt at a large scale scam involving intercepting out shipments and swapping the liquids."

Kamo nodded, then added, "We too have seen the increase. And you Zen'in? A similar issue, I assume?"

"No." Naobito said with a twisted grin, "But we don't serve curses in our establishments so I'm not surprised they're too afraid to steal from us."

"What should we do then?" Boe asked, "Like, we can just keep letting them do whatever they want right?"

"If we just exorcize then it won't be an issue." Naobito huffed after taking a long swig of his sake, "

"If it were that simple, we'd have done it a long time ago, old man." Gojo gritted, propping his arms up on the backrest of the couch behind him, "Can't just do that anymore, though I'm sure you keep forgetting it's not still the good ol' days, huh?"

"Gojo!" Yaga snapped, only for Naobito to wave his hand dismissively as he laughed.

"Let him bark. We all know the Gojo clan's prized puppy won't bite in here." Naobito sneered.

Gojo stood up, slamming his drink on the glass table, "You think you have a shot against me, old man?" He roared. 

Naobito sat still, tilting his head back defiantly, "You wouldn't dare challenge me here, especially not in front of your favorite whore."

"You mothefuc--"

"Zen'in." Sarah snapped, stepping in front of Gojo, "Talk about me like that again and you'll regret it. We don't use that word here."

Naobito placed the vacant sake bottle gently on the table, a wide grin spreading across his face. The three women had stood up simultaneously, Rin revealing her extended claws and sharp teeth, Boe holding her bloodied knives firmly in her hands, and Sarah swiftly unsheathing a sword from the scar on her back. Naobito couldn't contain his amusement and let out a hearty laugh before settling back into his seat.

"My apologies, ladies." He said lazily, "I meant no disrespect. The sake was talking for me."

The three women reluctantly calmed down, though the hatred was still searing in their eyes. Taking their seats again, Gojo still remained standing with his hands balled into fists. He gritted his teeth before sitting down with a huff. 

The discussion picked up again after the tense moment with Geto stepping in to smooth it over.

"Well, perhaps the Zen'in are on to something." Geto said, "It wouldn't be against the law to exorcize curses who are committing a crime. Perhaps we could work with the law enforcement on this particular case?"

"Not a bad idea." Yaga agreed, rubbing his goatee with his fingers, "That would set the stage for us to exorcize any curses on our properties after hours."

"That seems agreeable to me." Kamo nodded, "And as long as we all follow that particular thought process we should have no trouble with the law."

"Or at least right away." Naobito grunted, "I'm sure the curse sympathisers will find a reason to make it a noble cause."

"They will always find a reason." Yaga agreed, "But hopefully we can put a stop to their thievery before that happens. I think a collaborative effort in this case is a good idea."

"A toast then? To a temporary truce?" Kamo said, holding up his glass, "To yet another reason to do what we were born to do."

All the guests raised their crystal glasses, savoring each sip of their exquisite libations. In due time, the ladies of the establishment were gracefully escorted into the exclusive VIP area. Greeted with affectionate, intoxicated grins, the favorite companions of the night arrived to charm and ensure the festivities, beverages, and most importantly, the cash, continued to flow effortlessly.

In the heart of the city's underbelly, where neon lights flicker like promises unkept, lies the red light district. It's a place where shadows dance to the rhythm of desire, and the air is thick with anticipation. As the moon ascends, the streets come alive with a cacophony of laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses. 

Sultry sirens beckon from dimly lit doorways, their eyes flashing with mischief. Every alleyway is a labyrinth of temptation, each corner hiding secrets waiting to be discovered. The bars overflow with the lost souls of the night, drowning their sorrows in rivers of alcohol. The scent of whiskey hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the smoke of a thousand cigarettes. 

In this city of sin, time is a concept forgotten, and consequences are but distant whispers. It's a place where the line between pleasure and pain blurs into oblivion, and the only rule is to indulge in the moment.

Main Next ↪

[yuesya]

The image of Shiki beating respect for women(or just herself) into Zenins was kind of funny. Here's a quick sketch of Toji and his kind of hero worship.

The fact that Naoya respects women in Mother Au simply because of Shiki beating up most of his male family tree is funny too.

Do older Zenins try to hush this story before the younger generation? I can't really picture Ougi or Naobito admitting to being beaten within an inch of their life because they run their mouths too much. Do Zenins tell this story each other in secret, or Naoya, Maki and Mai learn about it from the outside sources (eg. Gojos taunting Zenins when they meet).

Also I can't imagine what sort of huge scandal that was. I think several elders resided that day, because stress was literally shaving their lifespans.

Aaaah thank you for the lovely art! I love how you can see Toji's expression change between the panels haha.

This incident is something that the Zenin Clan collectively just Does Not Speak Of, except they're always very polite whenever Shiki swings around. Or whenever they encounter Shiki outside the compound. The kids get told something along the lines of, 'That woman is Insane, do not piss her off,' which, if we're being honest, really isn't the best way to go about discouraging a kid's curiosity.

Toji loves telling this story, though. Ogi tries to force him to shut up when he's regaling the twin girls with this shameful tale, and then Toji beats him up. He uses the man as a chair while he finishes telling the girls the story.

[lnbeep-art]

The Greed of Men

The other OC-turned-Great-Fairy I talked about! The large lady is Tezzie, while her short husband is Ofrae (who belongs to my bf). I’ve actually had Ofrae appear in one of the drabbles I wrote for Mii and Ougi a while back. In DeityVerse, Tez is actually the God of Autumn and Ofrae is pretty much a royal archmage of dragonkind, who are like demigods in their own right.

I really love the cutscene style of BotW/TotK, but in general I’ve always loved screenshot style whoops.

Small accompaniment story under the Read More!

He visits the Autumn Sundelion patch in Faron every day, the man with the scent of a dragon on him. At times, he comes in need of earnest assistance from the Great Fairy, and at other times, the help he requires puzzles her. A Great Fairy who gives up at the first sign of confusion, she is not, but she can be confounded by his behavior nevertheless.

Great Fairy Tezzie rests beneath the petals of her flower, already aware of the presence on the other side. She waits, contemplative. Had he been any other person to bother her, she would have ignored him. Sent him away with nothing. Yet as his steps pad across the bed of rainbow mushrooms and up to the edge of her sleeping flower bud, Tezzie sighs and resigns herself to emerge once again. It’s the second time that day. He is very fortunate he’s cute—and intelligent, though not so intelligent as to consider she could choose not to heed his call at any time.

Still, she allows her petals to fan out and rises out of the nectar.

His name is Ofrae—a researcher of the Zonai people and an archmage. His finding of Tezzie hadn’t been the surprise, but his insistence to chat with her was. Most came for wards on their armor, or time to recuperate, or blessings of protection. They were brief visits, and if Tezzie chose not to entertain them, she shooed them off or refused to answer their call. After all, she blessed them on her terms, not theirs. Unlike her sisters, she does not care in the slightest about appeasing the masses and currying their favor.

Yet few visit merely just to chat. Who did that? Yet for as foolish as Tezzie initially assumed Ofrae to be, his one glaring flaw did not detract from his wit. The amount of knowledge he held of the world had piqued her curiosity, and a majority of the time they spent talking, he told her of adventures he’d embarked on; caves and mines in the Depths that held untold treasures and secrets. Once, she had wanted to visit the underground, yet found the Gloom there to be treacherous to her wellbeing. It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying on Tezzie’s part.

It was the one time where Tezzie hadn’t entertained Ofrae that made her want to listen when he called for her. Not only had she felt lonely ignoring him, but he had seated himself on her mushroom stairs and still spoke of the sky, the Korok, whatever his heart desired. That had been the first and last time Tezzie had closed her heart to his address.

Her sister in the Hebra mountains tried to infer meaning in Ofrae’s actions where Tezzie could not. Tessa, her sister, said that the man may have asked for her blessings out of courtesy to her time, or because he truly did want them but solely from Tezzie. After all, Tessa had never seen Ofrae herself, meaning the man had never ventured out to request it of the other Great Fairies. “I know you, Tezzie,” Tessa told her. “If you really hated this man, you would make it known. Perhaps the fact you talk to him means you like his company?”

If that were true, and Tezzie had no reason to believe it wasn’t, then what did he want of her…?

Tezzie adjusts her fall-colored hair out of her eyes, then tilts her head down toward Ofrae beneath, the rubies in her ears swinging with a melodic tinkling. He’s dressed in the same attire she remembers seeing him in earlier—black suit, with the sash of his family across his shoulders and a belt on his waist. Wide, round glasses hide the sparkle of blue eyes in his tan features as they look up at her with customary excitement. In spite of herself, Tezzie smiles, a small but endeared one. Around her, fairies flutter into existence, spinning around her once then floating around Ofrae. A sign of her full attention on him.

“Haven’t I seen you already this morning?” she asks, fingers to her cheek in thought. “It’s not rest you seek. You’ve fully recovered, yet here you are before me again…”

Ofrae laughs in his usual soft manner, then clasps his hands behind his back, at ease. “I hope I’m not keeping you from anything dire, mistress.”

Tezzie’s small smile at once becomes a smirk. In the early days of meeting Ofrae, she’d thought his deferential title had been a way to insult her age. Great Fairies were as old as the earth itself, and even for a dragon man who lived well beyond the years of a human, his spark of existence could not compare. So when she had heard the word “mistress” roll from his mouth, it had been what had gotten her out of her bud in the first place, snapping at him. Fortunately, he was quick to explain his reasoning in using that for her, and over time, Tezzie found she liked it. She was the Mistress of Autumn.

“Even if you were keeping me from something, you’d still wait, wouldn’t you.” Not a question she needs answer to, and both of them know it. Tezzie leans forward against her flower, folding her hands under her chin. “So why is it that you’ve come back, Ofrae? Should I wager a guess of your intentions this time? Or shall you spell them out clearer for me?”

Ofrae’s face flushes, and he clears his throat. “W-Well…”

“No, no, I want to play your game this time. I’d like to guess. I know…it must be something very important to visit me twice in one day.”

Tessa’s words may have infected Tezzie, she realizes; she’s always been of a bold nature, but when it comes to matters of the heart? She did not know that well enough to tout any sort of expertise. In fact, Ofrae was similar to her sister in that manner—learned with script, but versed in study of emotion. He sensed what Tezzie sometimes did not sense in herself. When frustration at other matters pooled over in their talks, Ofrae made his departure to allow her reprieve. When she was caught in impassioned speech of a topic or memory, he goaded her to explore it deeper, not interjecting but listening.

Maybe she’s projecting. Maybe it’s simply hopeful.

“Is it my hand you’re after? Or my own heart?”

Ofrae’s posture goes from at ease to straight backed at once, and he splutters a moment. When he recovers, he watches Tezzie with eyebrows hiked and mouth partially open. Incredulity? Tezzie wonders. Or did he not think I’d ask it first?

“When you ask me with such a straight face, Tezzie, I’m not sure if you’re merely teasing me, or…” He trails off. “You’re really offering?”

“I’ve heard well enough of your romantic stories, Ofrae,” she replies. “Of the masters of the accordions who sing about their wives, husbands, and partners, and the way everyone seems to love love or being loved. I’ve listened to you speak of them. And I’ve learned you in these years you’ve visited me. I know you are a greedy man.” Lips hidden beneath her hands and eyes glinting, Tezzie says, “So, which is it you require from me now? My heart, or my hand? Choose wisely now. I may only entertain you once this time.”

Ofrae’s expression grows serious as he places a hand to his chin. It’s a face that delights her. Seeing how the cogs in that researcher’s mind of his turn; she hates not being exact in her words and people missing her meaning, but in Ofrae, she could confuse him any time of day just to see the pensive look on that face. One would have thought he was at a crossroads of life and death.

“I did mean to ask you if you’d ever take a walk with me outside of your flower today. It’s taken me this long to ask.” Ofrae slips his hands behind his back again. “Would it be too much to ask if I could have both of you?”

I was right, Tezzie thinks. He is a greedy man.

[aresmarked]

Some General Gridbuilding Notes

so since i've seen a number of folk be like 'how do' about putting a grid together, and now that we know the next guild war's element, i figure it'd be a good time to kinda broadly go over how you can use what the game easily provides, as well as general public resources/references to help you figure out what you should be aiming for to help you bolster your gridpower. Within the context of wind grids to help people see.

If people want I can also talk about broader pieces that sort of fall out of pure 'grid build' talk but are important to know about (e.g. Huanglong for OTK)? But I'm going to try to keep this focused, and expand out if people feel ask.

So! We're gonna focus primarilyon a very helpful feature that was added. So helpful most of my crew was like, wow, they're practically throwing these at new players: Sierokarte's Knickknack Academy. Generally speaking, obtaining the equipment they recommend will set you up very solidly across all elements. I, for one, would have killed to have had two 4* Grimnir spoons (Coruscant Croziers) tossed in my lap for beating Ygg Omega and uncapping Temperance and Judgement when I was farming to finish my M2 grid.

But if you're like me you want to know more about why they recommend the grid/summons they do, as the final goal in the academy. Further elaboration beneath the cut.

Here we see a Tiamat M1 gun, two m2 Grimnir harps, two m2.5 Grim spoons, the Exo spear and fist, a bahamut weapon, the wind Dark Opus (opus henceforth) and seraphic weapon.

If you want to see more math about the damage calculation formula, I encourage you to check out this guide that explains it in a fairly accessible manner. The long and short of it though, is that with this grid, Tiamat 5* as main summon, and Tiamat as friend summon (AKA double magna/Tia x Tia), you get guaranteed crit, and a good spread of normal, magna, and EX skill boosts to avoid diminishing returns too.

I equipped the grid to a random party to show some numbers. The calculator may look a bit different depending on your characters as well, but you can see some of the different mods that the weapons provide.

Specifically of note in this grid, the two Grim harps and two spoons are what give me the guaranteed crit. Their crit related modifiers combine, and are boosted by the fact I'm using Tiamat summon as my main and friend summon. If I change my friend summon to say, Grimnir instead of Tiamat...

You can see that the magna/omega mods and crit are quite a bit less. 89% crit chance is, not bad, per se, but 1) if you're not looking to guarantee crit you might throw in some different weapons instead, and 2) the in-game calculator can't 'tell' you what mostly critting will look like, it'll show you autos that aren't critting. Which is why 95+% crit is pretty much guaranteed crit but may look off.

(Another thing to note is that the in-game calculator only really looks at auto damage. Which is why if your team is say, skill or ougi focused the calculator again may not represent the damage you will do. Test things out!)

So this grid is predominantly magna modifiers. The weapons that aren't: the Exo weapons, the Bahamut weapon, and seraphic. Let's look closer at each:

The Exo weapons provide Ex modifiers (and my fist has some bonus from AX skills, but we aren't worrying about those rn), the bahamut weapon has normal boost tied to types of characters in the team, and the seraphic has amplify (and some normal as well). Their boosts are multiplied onto the magna boosts (which add to each other), dramatically improving the damage you can get.

In summary: when you're not sure about the specific needs for a raid, starting with a magna base and then adding a weapon that offers each other type of boost is a solid start.

Seraphic is especially important because it's probably the most straightforward way to break through damage cap, because of how it's applied to damage dealt. It basically will not leave your grid regardless of raid (until seraphic key on ultima. but if you have seraphic key on ultima you probably know what you're doing by now).

Opus. Saved for last because it'll probably have the most rambling. They are huge, the two different ones are core to both magna and primal players respectively, if you don't have it in you're losing a huge amount of power and flexibility. Once you have it you'd pretty much only take it out to put in draconic for survivability purposes.... and with draconic upgrades, perhaps eventually put both. Gasp!

Uncapping your opus to 4*, not too hard with the Academy grids. It'll just ask you to hit some raids that by and large you can just farm publically. It's the 5* uncap that is a bigger ask, and is meant to be your intro to high-level raids in Granblue. I would rec checking Diamonit's FaaHL guide if you are considering getting your opus 5* uncapped. It's old, but true, and doing FaaHL 'properly' will teach you a lot about endgame and building for specific raids.

Obligatory Bolded Note: yes the game has progressed to the point where probably, you can make a team to solo FA it down now, or join someone else who can. I do it myself! But I've also done the raid myself, 'properly'. At this point you must understand that you are getting closer to the current level of raids where leeching is frowned upon, and prioritising say, mashing through a raid and f'ing up someone else because they didn't have the time to setup properly will mean the whole raid is fucked, or that you've denied them rewards. Please, just be aware of what a raid is asking, and prepare yourself to contribute that helps everyone involved. If you're not learning it now, be prepared to learn later, for a much harder raid.

Going to pause here cause I'm moving past 'basics', but yea. I hope this was of some use to someone. If you've questions about this, or perhaps other aspects (e.g. arcarum summons, eternals/evokers, OTKs for Ex/Ex+) feel free to ask! I or someone else can definitely explain. Granblue is a dense game, deeply crunchy, but very rewarding IMO, and i hope this has helped untangle a bit of it! o/

[aokozaki]

Ougi Dark One Review:

Koyomi: Yeah, this will be the nostalgic, bittersweet way I'll remember Ougi, the way I'll remember this funny ol' year, the last year of my highschool Ougi: please help me escape school, this isn't a metaphor Koyomi: So long... this adolescence of mine... Ougi: I can't leave

Anyway! The only real unanswered question, in my book, is why Ougi specifically needs to be annihilated rather than stopped. They may be an Oddity, but they don't seem so stuck to their nature that they wouldn't agree to a truce.

Or, in other words, why does enshrining a god mean Ougi has to act? They arguably helped Nadeko's apotheosis... was that explicitly because she was a poor fit for the role?

[penultimate-step]

It's really interesting how characters view others in monogatari. I've been rereading some of Owari 3, and one thing that stuck out to me was how Tsukihi and Nadeko compare Koyomi and Karen (and Nadeko herself), calling them driven people with serious goals, in contrast to Tsukihi's more aimless approach to life.

However, this contrasts with our many books narrated by Koyomi - I would not at all call him a particularly goal-oriented person. Unlike Karen, who is driven by justice, Koyomi is much more reactive - he doesn't go out hunting for wrongs to right, but does intervene when things appear in front of him, as they do in several of the stories. His more driven moments come more from having hard lines that he won't let be crossed - not wanting to be responsible for people's deaths, at the end of Kizu; not wanting his loved ones hurt, in Nise 2; and several other instances in the series. Dedicated, maybe, but clearly different from someone actively striving living for their own goals like Karen.

In contrast, when Ougi compares Tsukihi and Koyomi, she thinks their key difference is not their goals, but their self-criticism - where Koyomi's awareness of himself spills over into suicidal self-loathing, Tsukihi lives more freely, not worrying about accidents or potential consequences that may result from her good intentions.

Personally, my read of their characters is that this is closer to correct than Nadeko and Tsukihi's interpretation above, but I could be wrong. And it's noteworthy that Ougi, whose role is to act as critic, is the one making this observation - of course, to her, how much a person is willing to despise their own flaws is going to be one of the first places her mind goes to compare - she isn't unbiased either!

[tendo-the-lich]

Ranking Monogatari Characters by how much they would Fucking GET you

No. I will not define what “Getting you” means I dont know why Im making this Koyomi Araragi: Wouldnt know what to do with you if he Got you. Just swing him around by his dongle, you’ll be alright 4/10* *If you are a prepubescent girl, Koyomi will Fucking GET YOU. Be alert 8/10 Hitagi Senjougahara: Has no desire to Get you. 1/10

Tsubasa Hanekawa: Has no real desire to Get you. Might Still get you. 2/10 Shinobu Oshino: May Get you. As a treat.  6/10 Meme Oshino: Is quite capable of Getting you. Has no desire to. 3/10 Mayoi Hachikuji: Is usually Gotten. 0/10 Suruga Kanbaru: Is toying with the idea of Getting you. 4/10 Nadeko Sengoku: Is extremely capable of Getting you. Vile Creature. Still wouldnt know what to do with you if she got you. 7/10 Black Hanekawa: Will absolutely Fucking Get You. Goes out of her way to Fucking Get You 9/10 Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade: Will probably Get you if you get too close, wont actively seek to Get You. 7/10 Deishuu Kaiki: Is it profitable to Get You? If Not he has no reason to Get You. 2/10

Karen Araragi: People who Strive for Justice would not Get Someone. 1/10 Tsukihi Araragi: Would Fucking Get you. Frankly would make it a goal to Fuckijng Get You. 9/10 Ougi Oshino: Is already burrowing into your walls. They have been stalking you for some time. Waiting for the perfect moment, when all the preparation and scheming comes to the exact moment when Ougi FUCKING GETS YOU 10/10

Yozuru Kagenui: She’s probably gonna get you. 8/10 Yotsugi Ononoki: Wouldnt know what to do with you if she got you. 3/10 Izuko Gaen: No Plotting. No Scheming. No running around or anything. She knows everything. She already knows that she will get you. And you know that she’s gonna get you too. There is no avoiding it. Get Got, idiot. 10/10

Dramaturgy: Tried you get you. Got Got. 3/10 Episode: I demand to see this twink obliterated. Sadly that has no bearing on this ranking. Probably gets you. 5/10 Guillotine Cutter: At the exact centerpoint of “Gets You” and “Gets Got” 6/10?

Rouka Numachi: Not sure where she falls. Like she’ll probably Get you but like...??? Not sure how to feel about being Gotten. Does she even know she Got you? Kinda takes the sport out of it.  4/10

[marathehomosexual]

what do you think of the gender of Ougi Oshino of the Monogatari Series (and by extension those connected to Ougi)?

Thats a great question, first off we need to understand what is Ougi, ougi came from the pure oddness of the arm of the rainy devil absorbed by the first servant of Shinobu, who she then ate.

The rainy devil was a reflection of Tooe, so i assume its gender is female, the first servant is male, Shinobu who ate it is female, and araragi who ended up at the end of this food chain is male.

Thus we have a perfect split Male/Female ratio. Ougi isn't just araragi, but a being that carries all of the power of these monsters in some form, carry its parts. Ougi to me is Genderfluid, they decides if they're male or female, they may have first appeared as female to get close to Araragi, but then chose to become male as they got closer to Kanbaru and Nadeko. Its very clear Ougi is in total control of that, they are what they wants to be at any time, if they have feelings about it or not is up to interpretation, but to me they're gender fluid.

Now where it gets interesting is about Araragi, the araragi who can't stop looking at woman, who has an imense self hatred, who crossdressed the minute he found a justification for it. Araragi could very easily be considered Gender Fluid or a trans woman with some of its patterns and i personally like this Headcanon.

But in a more profound sense i think Araragi has a complex about woman, his life was shaped by them, by his mother, his sister, by sodachi, by Shinobu, by Hanekawa, By Senjougahara and finally by Ougi. All of these woman set in motion something inside of him, be it his life, his love for math, his hate to bonds, his love for people, and his love for himself. Araragi is intertwined with these woman and he knows it, so Ougi, possibly the biggest change in his life took the form of a young girl, with short hair, who criticizes him, who likes him despite always annoying him, who always know the answer for everything. In a way you could say she is a distorted version of everything Araragi loves in the people around him, but even if they are different he stills loves them, he loves himself, and he loves Ougi. Ougi is in a way everything that he loves, a combination of his youth adventure with pieces of everything, and she is still him, she is him and he is her, the same way Ougi is made by all a fusion of the supernatural being of this town, Araragi is only araragi also because of these encounters

What mean to say is that Ougi is in a way an ideal to Araragi, someone that stay in his shadows and by his side, who know the answers and knows nothing, who will always make fun of and criticize him, yet who will always like him. Ougi being an ideal romantic partner or an ideal self is also up to interpretation, wich is the best of this series, its messages resonate with people in different ways, it shows great metaphor for youth and growing up and it lets you decide for yourself what it means.

TL;DR: Ougi is Genderfluid, Araragi is probably Non-binary, i love them both

[nadekofannumber1]

Kizu comp was good!

I feel like the added scenes helped convey thematic intent well, and it was fun to see more seishiro since I believe I read somewhere that one of nisio’s regrets about kizu is not putting him enough in there. You definitely can’t say that it’s possible to miss the fact Koyomi is suicidal (which was a narrative understanding bump I feel like many failed to see with initial kizu). The cutdown on the silly aspects for the sake of side novel content was so good, it helped emphasize the parallel narrative of Koyomi and Shinobu, “we are killing ourselves for eachother.” I really liked it but I’ll say more when it’s done stewing.

I think the funniest thing to actively think out is the prefis for the gag of oshino meme smokes but doesn’t light it because “it would be easier for the animators to draw” (nisio’s words not mine, this is a running gag in early monogatari joking about an anime adaptation, this is present in og kizu novel) but the constant taking out of cigarettes he’s not smoking and tossing them is funny. (Some in theatre antics were funny also but that’s just bc the people generally watching kizu comp are the people who already watched/pirated/streamed, kizu

I feel like for those who watched this movie it’s gonna be really positive effect wise for acerola bon appatite part 2, perhaps to them it may become peak fiction (new watch order where you watch kizu 3 films in the beginning but the movie comp in the middle of waza’s first original arc

As nadekofannumber1 I can connect this to Nadeko but won’t today for the sake of brevity.

As a parallels fan I can connect the narrative to Ougi and hachikuji. (It’s a Venn diagram)

Anyway,

A true “killing myself” boy meets “killing myself girl” meats “super killing myself” girl story for the ages.

[sinkableruby]

for any ppl who may be worried bc im luffyposting a lot lately no im not "done being the #1 ougi fan." are you kidding. don't be ridiculous. i still in fact do die very badly when i think about ougi dark. i still love ougi with all of my being and soul. i retain my #1 ougi fan status

[hornyhermitry]

Hey, I wanted to ask about what you think of what Naoya said to Maki about asking Mai about being an adult. I have not read that chapter yet but a lot people say that Naoya saying that is basically him admiting to have r*ped Mai. But Idk, maybe I'm biased but I think it was just to tease Maki.

Since that is such an often brought up claim, I took the time to write out a very elaborate reply to you. You say you have not read the chapter so beware: My reply contains a few spoilers and screenshots of chapter 191 and chapter 194 that contains this dialogue. It's a moot discussion because the dialogue itself does not spell this out literally in any shape or form. It's a personal interpretation without any proof. So the folks who want to read it that way will not be swayed by rational arguments about what's canonically on paper anyway. That being said, let's get into it~

For context: The whole scene contextually is Naoya having received an upgrade to vengeful spirit. In his eyes, he crossed to the other side - the side of the strong, where Toji and Gojo are.

Now he's out to use his new powers to take revenge on Maki who humiliated him before his rebirth. Due to his evolution to a vengeful spirit, he is mocking human, cursed-power-less Maki from a position above her. He mocks the difference between himself and her by using an analogy of adults and children. He says "There are many things kids cannot do that are natural for adults. Once kids become adults they forget how it was to be unable to do these things. That's how I feel right now." This is him referring to how natural his new skills and strength level feel and he cannot imagine anymore how it was to not be in such a powerful state.

Him saying that a child cannot understand an adult's skills is a very similar meaning and a reference to what Naoya already said in his first fight against Maki: "The sin of the small fry is not understanding the true meaning of strength." Here:

Maki verbally fights back by avoiding his analogy and switches to a literal and personal level and says: "Do you ever act like an adult?" Thereby implying his analogy is bad, because he is a childish guy who will always be childish and no power will change that.

To which Naoya replies "Why don't we ask Mai-chan?", following her switch to a literal level of dialogue and verbally slapping her back for calling him childish by hurting her where it counts: in Maki's guilty conscience for having left Mai at home, while she trained at Jujutsu school. We are shown that this is what she feels guilty about and she apologies to Mai after her death. Naoya knows this, because when Naoya and Maki meet after Maki's bloodbath, she told him - visibly in cold grief - that Ougi killed Mai.

Now that Mai is dead, Maki will never know if and how her sister suffered, but in any case she was alone. Mai wanted Maki to stay in the clan and rot there together with her, but Maki left her. And now Maki is dead.

So Naoya is stabbing her with words - I'm paraphrasing- "Let's ask your dead sister" to upset her once again about Mai's death and her own failure of NEITHER staying with her NOR protecting/saving her when she returned.

And Naoya also perpetually uses the "-chan" at the end of Mai's name (and Maki's name) to reinforce that he is above them and does not see them at eye-level. So this is where the pain in this dialogue between Maki and Naoya stems from. At Maki throwing Mai to the wolves and not knowing what happened at home. And Naoya saying "oops,can't ask her, she's dead haha". There is nothing about rape in this dialogue.

People (FWIW mostly children/teens from what I've seen on Discord and Twitter - aside from a few annoying click-bait and attention-hungry Twitter personas) will say anything if they think it gets them attention, a social media stat boost and another reason to hate a character they already hate.

TL;DR Haters gonna hate :)

There's nothing on the pages about this, it's just a pretty disgusting headcanon disregarding what's actually shown and said. But there's no point in arguing with fanatics about their beliefs. Just ignore it.

A last example: A 17 year old girl in a manga goes to school to write a final exam. She has lunch break with her bf and friends, writes the exam and goes home. When she returns home, her parents ask: "How was your day?" In the next panel she happily says "I did it!" and goes into her room.

Suddenly, a lot of readers and fans start going off about "omg she really fucked that guy". Why do they say that? Because some translator on TW mentioned that sometimes, in a specific context, "I did it" or "to do it" can also mean "to have sex". So they (wrongly) conclude, "ah yes, she's a teen girl with a bf so surely her reply must have meant she DID IT and had sex for the first time!" When of course, within the context of this scene, that reply was about her having (successfully) done her exam.

This is a VERY biased way to read and nothing more than wild imagination. But there's all kinds of people out there and some just want to live out their dirty sex and rape fantasies. A mild jab with a winking eye: Mostly that's coming from people who do not have a lot of real-life experience with sex. Or people. Or reading comprehension. :P

Sorry for the long reply, I figured I might as well explain properly.

Hope that helped!

[shewasverynice]

Fandoms: 呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga)呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime)  MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Rating: Explicit

Major Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con 

Content Warnings: Dubious Consent, Prostitution, Drug Use, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Violence

Categories: F/M, Multi, F/F 

Relationships: Gojo Satoru/Original Female Character(s), Nanami Kento/Original Female Character(s), Getou Suguru/Original Female Character(s), Ieiri Shoko & Iori Utahime 

Major Characters: Original Characters, Gojo Satoru, Getou Suguru, Nanami Kento, Okkotsu Yuuta, Toudou Aoi, Zenin Naobito, Zenin Jinichi, Zenin, Zenin Ougi, Fushiguro Megumi, Kamo Clan, Nitta Akari, Inumaki Toge, Ieiri Shoko, Iori Utahime, Kusakabe Atsuya, Muta Kokichi, Itadori Yuuji, Hakari Kinji

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　Chapter 14　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Yaga led Gojo into his office, the door closing behind them with a soft click. The room was dimly lit, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the walls. Yaga gestured for Gojo to sit down, then pulled his chair around to sit directly across from him. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs and his hands clasped in front of him. His expression was a mix of concern and frustration.

"Sit," Yaga said quietly, his tone firm but not unkind.

Gojo sat down, his usual confident demeanor subdued. He avoided Yaga's gaze, staring instead at a spot on the floor.

Yaga sighed deeply, the weight of the situation heavy on his shoulders, "What on earth is going on, Satoru? What are you thinking?"

Gojo remained silent, his jaw clenched. He couldn't bring himself to meet Yaga's eyes.

Yaga took off his sunglasses, something he rarely did, and leaned in closer, "Look at me, Satoru."

Reluctantly, Gojo lifted his eyes to meet Yaga's. The concern and worry in Yaga's gaze were palpable, and it struck a chord deep within him.

"I'm worried about you," Yaga said, his voice softening, "I'm worried that you're losing control of yourself. You're losing everything that made you who you are and you're becoming the monster people believe you to be."

Gojo's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions—anger, shame, and a deep-seated sadness. He took a shaky breath, trying to find the words to explain the chaos inside his mind.

"I... I don't know what I'm even doing," Gojo finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, "Everything feels like it's falling apart. Sarah, the family, me... everything."

Yaga nodded, listening intently. He paused for a beat before he said, "You've been through a lot, Satoru. But this... this isn't the way to handle it."

Gojo's hands tightened into fists, his frustration bubbling to the surface. He shouted, "Then what the fuck am I supposed to do, Yaga? Just sit back and let them win? Let them take everything from me?"

"No," Yaga said firmly, "But letting your anger control you and burying your feelings by getting high isn't right. You're better than this. You have people who care about you, who are willing to help you if you let them."

Gojo's gaze dropped again, his shoulders slumping. The weight of Yaga's words was heavy, and he couldn't deny the truth in them.

"I just... I don't know how to fix this," Gojo admitted, his voice cracking, "I don't know how to make things right."

Yaga reached out, placing a hand on Gojo's shoulder. "You start by taking a step back. By letting us help you. We can figure this out together, but you need to let us in. You need to trust us."

Gojo looked up, meeting Yaga's eyes once more. There was a glimmer of hope in the older man's gaze, a promise that he wasn't alone in this.

"Okay," Gojo said, his voice steadier. "I'll try."

Yaga gave a small, reassuring smile. "That's all I'm asking for. One step at a time, Satoru. We'll get through this together." Yaga let the heavy silence settle between them before speaking again. "Satoru, I think it would be best if you took some time away from Tenjiku. You need to clear your head, get some perspective," he suggested gently.

Gojo looked up at Yaga, a mixture of relief and uncertainty in his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but Yaga held up a hand, stopping him.

"Before you say anything," Yaga continued, "I need you to be honest with me. Do you truly believe you love Sarah?"

Gojo swallowed hard, his throat tight. He looked up at Yaga, his hands wringing in his lap. "I do. I've loved her ever since I was a kid. She was the only woman who ever treated me like a human, not like a monster or some kind of god," his voice cracked, and his voice stammered as he continued, "I know I messed up. I know I don't deserve her, but I know I love her. I don't know why I can't do right by her."

Yaga hesitated, choosing his next words carefully,  "Satoru, do you know what happened that day when Sarah was forced to undergo the ritual?"

Gojo's face contorted with pain, and he finally let the tears fall. "I don't remember because..." he admitted, his voice breaking, "I was drugged. I didn't want to believe it for a long time, but I was drugged because my family knew I wouldn't let them feed Sarah Sukuna's fingers if I was lucid."

The confession hung heavy in the air, the raw truth of it nearly unbearable. Yaga moved closer, placing a comforting hand on Gojo's shoulder.

"I had a feeling," Yaga said softly, "You were manipulated, and that manipulation has had consequences far beyond what anyone could have anticipated."

Gojo wiped his eyes with his forearm, trying to compose himself, "But what do I do now? How do I fix this?"

Yaga sighed, thinking carefully. "First, you need to take care of yourself. No more drowning yourself. No more sneaking in to see her. Stay away from your vices. Then, when you're ready, you need to have an honest conversation with Sarah. She deserves to know the truth."

Gojo nodded slowly, the weight of Yaga's words settling in. He sniffled a little, trying to catch his breath. Yaga gave a small, encouraging smile. "One step at a time, Satoru. We'll get through this together."

Gojo took a deep breath, "Alright. I'll... I'll try."

Yaga squeezed his shoulder gently. "You're not alone in this, Satoru. Remember that."

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

The air in Shinjuku was thick with tension as the two groups stood opposite each other. Yaga, Geto, Gojo, and Nanami faced off against Naobito Zen'in, Jinichi, Ogi, and Megumi. The neutral ground they stood on felt anything but neutral, the weight of their histories and grievances palpable in the space between them.

Yaga stepped forward, his expression composed but serious. "Naobito, I regret that the situation has gone this far already, but I must address the matter that has fueled this conflict."

Naobito's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent, waiting for Yaga to continue.

Yaga took a deep breath and asked plainly, "Did Toji kill Fumiya on purpose?"

Naobito's gaze remained on Yaga's and there was a long tense pause. Finally, he grinned and a loud barking laugh echoed through the streets. He leaned forward, "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But if it were me? I'd be after my pound of flesh."

Gojo and Geto gritted their teeth, taking a step forward only for Nanami to hold his hands up to stop them. Yaga didn't look back, still holding himself high and keeping his expression calm. He nodded once before he spoke once again.

"I see," Yaga said while slipping his hands into his pockets, "Then we have no choice."

Both groups parted, and just like that everything changed overnight.

In the neon-soaked alleys of Shinjuku, tension hung in the air like the heavy smog of the city. The Yaga group and the Zen'in group eyed each other from across the streets. At first, it was just heated words, exchanges of threats in dimly lit corners. The standoffs were frequent, and every encounter seemed to tighten the invisible noose.

The first punch was thrown in the heart of Kabukicho, a district known for its labyrinthine streets and flickering neon signs. A Zen'in thug shoved a Yaga member, the shove turned into a punch, and the punch ignited a wildfire of violence. Fists flew, and the air was filled with the sound of flesh meeting flesh, of grunts and curses. The skirmish was brutal but short, leaving both sides retreating to lick their wounds and plot their next moves.

But that first taste of violence was a harbinger of worse to come. Blood was drawn on a rain-soaked night outside a smoky bar. A knife glinted in the dim light, and then it was buried in the side of a Yaga shatei. The crimson spray on the pavement marked a point of no return. The gangs responded in kind, blades flashing in the darkness, the violence escalating with every heartbeat.

When the first kill happened, it was under the sickly yellow glow of a street lamp. A Zen'in enforcer was found with his throat slit, the work of a skilled hand. The city held its breath as the news spread through the underworld like wildfire. The Yaga group knew they had crossed the line again, and so did the Zen'in. The retribution was swift and merciless.

The sorcery began in earnest. Dark energies crackled through the air as curses were summoned and unleashed. Shadows moved with unnatural speed, and screams echoed through the night. The battles were no longer just physical; they were waged with ancient powers that turned the streets into a battleground of supernatural horrors.

A quiet night would suddenly erupt into chaos as sorcerers clashed, their powers ripping through the cityscape. Buildings shuddered under the force of curses, and the air buzzed with raw energy. The lights  flickered in the aftermath, casting long, twisted shadows over the carnage.

Yaga's group fought with a grim resolve. They were forced into a war they never wanted, but ready to fight for their territory and their people. The Zen'in, ruthless and unyielding, pushed back with all their might, their own sorcerers unleashing hellish fury.

As the violence escalated, the once-bustling streets of Shinjuku became a warzone, each side vying for dominance, each clash more brutal than the last. And amidst the chaos, the true cost of their conflict became painfully clear: a city caught in the crossfire, lives shattered by the unrelenting cycle of revenge, and a fragile peace that seemed more elusive with every drop of blood spilled.

In this dark and twisted version of Shinjuku, the lines between right and wrong blurred, and the only law that remained was the law of survival. And as the war raged on, it was anyone's guess who would be left standing when the smoke finally cleared.

Yaga sat at his desk, his mind heavy with the weight of the current situation. His office was silent, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as memories of the gang war from twelve years ago flooded his mind. The brutal violence, the senseless loss of life, and the deep scars it had left on both sides.

He had promised himself that if he ever became leader, he would focus on maintaining neutrality between the groups, avoiding the bloodshed that had plagued their past. But now, as he faced the reality of the situation, he couldn't help but feel a profound sense of disappointment.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. The responsibility of leadership was a heavy burden, one that demanded difficult decisions and sacrifices. He knew that the path to peace was never straightforward, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed in his mission.

Yaga opened his eyes and straightened up in his chair. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past. There was work to be done, strategies to be devised, and alliances to be mended. The future of their family depended on it.

Meanwhile behind the thick, black-out curtains of his penthouse suite, Gojo grappled with his own personal demons. The once-untouchable sorcerer, feared and revered in equal measure, had become a shadow of his former self. He lay in a sweating, delirious mess on his luxurious bed, the sheets tangled around him like the chains of his addiction.

Yaga's words echoed in his mind, a mantra of tough love that cut through the haze of his withdrawal. "You have to do this, Satoru. You have to take back control." Gojo had taken those words seriously. He knew he couldn't continue down the path he was on. The drugs, the alcohol—they were a crutch, a way to numb the pain and the guilt that gnawed at his soul. But they were also the chains that bound him to his own self-destruction.

Hani had offered to filter out the poisonous addictions, to ease the torment of his withdrawal with his healing sorcery. But Gojo refused. He knew that if he didn't face the full brunt of his addiction, if he didn't do his time, he would never truly get clean. So, he locked himself away, cut off from the world outside, and let the hell of withdrawal take hold.

The hours bled into days, each one an eternity of agony. His body ached, his skin burned, and his mind was a maelstrom of regret and self-loathing. He saw visions of the past, of Sarah's anguished face, of the friends and allies he had let down. The high and mighty Satoru Gojo, brought low by his own vices.

Every so often, he would hear the muffled sounds of the city below—the distant sirens, the shouts, the crashes. The world outside was a blur, disconnected from the torment he was enduring. He was alone in his suffering, each moment a test of his willpower.

Nanami and Geto were holding the line with the tenacity of seasoned warriors, their resolve unshaken despite the chaos around them. Geto, with his overwhelming power, could have turned the tide of the conflict with a mere flick of his wrist. Yet, he chose restraint. Yaga's insistence on minimizing bloodshed rang in his ears like a solemn vow. He respected Yaga's wisdom and believed in the possibility of a less violent resolution, even if it seemed increasingly distant.

Geto's strength was undeniable. His ability to command cursed spirits and his strategic mind made him a formidable opponent. But he wielded his power with precision, engaging only when absolutely necessary, neutralizing threats without resorting to lethal force. He moved like a ghost through the battlefield, a shadow that struck fear into the Zen'in without leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Every confrontation was a delicate dance, evidence of his control and commitment to Yaga's vision.

Nanami, on the other hand, was a man of pragmatism and relentless determination. He was the linchpin in their efforts to uncover the mystery of Q.N. and the drug manufacturing. His days were a blur of investigative work, piecing together fragments of information, following leads, and cross-referencing data. The homeopathic pharmaceutical manufacturing facility they had infiltrated in Malaysia had provided a trove of clues, but it was like untangling a web of shadows.

The Queen of the Night, or Q.N., was proving to be a particularly elusive enigma. The documents Rin had found hinted at something deeper, something more insidious than they had initially suspected. Nanami's mind worked tirelessly, sifting through the layers of deception and misdirection. He knew that if they could uncover the truth behind Q.N., they might find the leverage needed to bring about a ceasefire or even dismantle the Zen'in's operations from within.

There were moments of grim humor shared between Nanami and Geto, a brief respite from the relentless tension. They both understood the weight of their roles, the thin line they walked between maintaining order and descending into chaos. They communicated through nods and glances, a silent understanding forged through years of camaraderie and shared battles.

In the main lounge, Nanami and Geto sat in a rare moment of reprieve. The room was dimly lit, the low hum of the air conditioning the only sound breaking the silence. Geto leaned back, his feet propped on the table, a cigarette dangling lazily from his mouth. His eyes were closed, taking in the rare tranquility. Nanami, equally worn out, had a cold washcloth draped over his forehead, his posture mirroring Geto’s in its relaxed sprawl.

The silence between them was heavy but comfortable, each man lost in his own thoughts. After what felt like an eternity, Nanami broke the stillness, his voice a quiet murmur. “How’s Gojo doing?”

Geto opened his eyes slightly, exhaling a slow plume of smoke. “Haven’t had the time to check,” he admitted, a hint of regret in his tone. The ongoing conflicts and his own duties had kept him too occupied to visit their troubled friend.

Nanami sighed, shifting the washcloth on his forehead. “I need to ask him about some of the things Rin and I found,” he said, his mind already drifting back to the complexities of their investigation.

At the mention of Rin, Geto’s fists clenched imperceptibly, a flicker of irritation passing through him. The casual way Nanami said her name grated on him, though he knew it shouldn’t. He never expected that Rin would move on from him, especially not with someone like Nanami.

“I’ll make time to see him,” Geto said finally, his voice steady, “We need him in a better state if we’re going to make any headway with the Zen'in anyway.”

Another silence fell between them, but it was less heavy this time, each man drawing some measure of comfort from the other’s presence. They were comrades in arms, bound by their shared struggles and the unspoken understanding that they were fighting for something greater than themselves.

Geto took another drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke curl lazily upward. “We’ll get through this, Nanami. Like last time.”

Nanami removed the washcloth from his forehead, sitting up a bit straighter. “I know we will,” he replied, a steely resolve in his voice. “We have to.”

Yaga entered the room, waving for them both to remain seated. He settled onto the couch with a deep sigh, rubbing his temples. The tension in the room was palpable, the weight of their collective burdens heavy in the air.

“How are you both holding up?” Yaga asked quietly, his eyes scanning their weary faces.

Nanami was the first to respond, his frustration evident. “I’m frustrated with Gojo. All of this... it’s because of him," he gritted.

Geto’s eyes snapped open, and he quickly came to his best friend’s defense. “Satoru has had it hard under his parents’ thumb, always under scrutiny to be the strongest. You can’t understand the pressure he’s been under," he said, sitting up.

Nanami’s expression hardened. “All of that happened when he was young, Geto. Gojo is an adult now. At some point, you can’t blame your past for everything. You have to take responsibility for who you've chosen to be.”

The room fell silent as the weight of Nanami’s words hung in the air. Geto clenched his jaw, his fists tightening. He knew there was truth in Nanami’s words, but his loyalty to Gojo was unwavering.

Yaga watched the exchange, his gaze shifting between the two men. “You’re both right,” he said finally, his voice calm but firm, “Gojo has had a difficult past, and that’s shaped who he is. But Nanami is also right. At some point, you have to take responsibility for your actions and make a change.”

Geto looked away, his expression conflicted. He knew Yaga was right, but it was hard to reconcile that with his deep-seated loyalty to Gojo. “I don’t want to see him spiral any further,” he admitted quietly, “He’s been through enough.”

Nanami sighed, his anger giving way to a more subdued frustration, “None of us want that. But he has to want to change for it to mean anything.”

Yaga nodded, his expression thoughtful, “We need to support him, but we also need to hold him accountable.”

"What are you suggesting?" Nanami asked, "Should we try to get him into rehab if he messes up again?"

"I doubt that rehab would be able to hold him," Geto sighed, pulling out his bun and brushing his fingers through his hair, "I don't like to suggest this but perhaps we could ask-"

"No," Yaga cut him off, "Not Sarah. He needs to stay away from her. He cannot be allowed to see her again until he's clean."

"But," Geto protested, "He listens to her and she could-"

Yaga shook his head, "No. He can't control himself when he's with her." He leaned forward and looked at Geto over his sunglasses, "Do not encourage that behavior, Suguru."

"But, Sir I-"

"Suguru, if you aid him in meeting or communicating with her in any way I will have you severely punished," Yaga said firmly, "This is not something I'm going to allow to go on any longer."

Geto opened his mouth to protest again, but Yaga's expression quickly silenced him. Nanami nodded in agreement, "Yes, I think this is the best option for them both."

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

The hallway leading to Gojo’s room was eerily quiet, the tension building with each step Nanami, Geto, and Yaga took. The air felt thick, as if the weight of their concerns had settled into the very walls around them. As they reached the door, Yaga took a deep breath and knocked softly before pushing it open.

Inside, the room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn tight against the midday sun. They could see a lump under the sheets on the bed, motionless and silent. The room smelled faintly of sweat and the lingering remnants of old smoke.

“Gojo?” Yaga called gently, stepping inside with Nanami and Geto close behind. “We’re here to check on you.”

Nanami and Geto exchanged worried glances as they moved closer to the bed. The lump under the sheets didn’t stir, and a sense of unease began to gnaw at them. Yaga kept his voice calm and encouraging. “We know this is hard, but we’re here for you. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Geto, his brows furrowed in concern, took a step closer. Something didn’t feel right. The lump was too still, too lifeless. His heart began to race as he reached out and grabbed the edge of the sheets, pulling them away in one swift motion.

The bed was empty.

Nanami’s eyes widened in shock, and Yaga’s face darkened with immediate realization. “He’s gone,” Geto muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yaga’s expression hardened. “We need to find him. Now.”

Without another word, they sprang into action. Nanami quickly searched the adjacent bathroom and closet, finding no trace of Gojo. Geto darted to the window, throwing the curtains open and checking the fire escape. It was clear.

“He can’t have gone far,” Nanami said, his voice tight with urgency.

Yaga nodded, his mind racing. “Check the usual spots. The roof, the garden, anywhere he might go to be alone.”

They split up, each heading in a different direction. Yaga stormed down the hall, his footsteps echoing in the silence as he made his way to the garden. He knew Gojo’s penchant for finding secluded places to think, and the garden had always been a favorite.

Nanami took the stairs two at a time, heading for the roof. He remembered the times Gojo had sought solace in the open air, away from the confines of the building. As he burst through the door onto the rooftop, he scanned the area quickly. Empty.

Geto moved with purpose, his mind replaying every conversation he’d had with Gojo recently, searching for clues. He headed for the gym, the place where Gojo had often taken out his frustrations in a physical form. As he reached the door, he paused, listening for any sounds from within.

Nothing.

Minutes felt like hours as they scoured the building, each passing moment heightening their worry. Finally, they reconvened in the main hall, their expressions grim.

“No sign of him,” Nanami said, frustration evident in his voice.

Yaga’s face was set in a determined frown, “He’s out there somewhere. We just have to keep looking. We can’t let him spiral further.”

Geto clenched his fists, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and resolve. “We’ll find him. We have to.”

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

Rin and Boe walked briskly down the dimly lit corridors of Tenjiku, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Their disagreement had started the moment they left the shared office.

"Banning all gang members is going too far," Boe argued, her tone exasperated, "We just need to ban the troublemakers. Most of them come here to unwind, not to start fights anyway! Let them come play."

Rin’s eyes flashed with determination, "You’re far too lenient. If we allow them to stay, even the peaceful ones, it’ll only encourage the others. We need to send a strong message so we don't accidentally take a side."

Boe rolled her eyes, "You're being paranoid. Not every gang member is out for blood. Most of them respect the neutrality of Tenjiku."

Rin sighed deeply, "And what happens when one of them doesn’t? One slip-up, and we’re in the middle of a full-blown war. I’d rather prevent that altogether."

Their argument carried them all the way to Sarah’s room. As they approached, Boe knocked on the door. “Sarah, we need to talk about—”

She trailed off when there was no response. Rin pushed the door open, and they stepped inside. The room was empty, the covers and sheets pulled down on the bed, and no sign of Sarah anywhere.

“She’s not here,” Boe said, her brow furrowing, “That’s strange.”

Rin’s eyes scanned the room, her concern growing, “Where could she be? She rarely leaves her room without telling anyone.”

The two women exchanged worried glances and then set off to search Tenjiku. They checked the atrium first, hoping to find her among the plants and tranquility she sought solace in lately. But the atrium was empty, save for a few patrons with their women.

They moved on to the rooftops, where the breeze and open sky often brought a sense of peace. But again, there was no sign of Sarah. She couldn't have gotten up there without Todo anyway.

Rin’s frustration was growing, “This is ridiculous. How could she just vanish like that?”

They rushed to find Todo, who was overseeing some maintenance work. He looked up as they approached, his expression shifting to concern when he saw their faces.

“Have you seen Sarah?” Boe asked urgently.

Todo shook his head, “No, I haven’t. I thought she was in her room.”

Rin’s worry was bordering on panic now, “How can a woman without a left arm and leg just disappear? She couldn't just walk out!”

Boe’s expression turned serious, “Do you think someone took her?”

The question hung in the air, heavy with implications. Rin’s mind raced, her eyes absently tracing the ground as she fought off the worst of her immediate thoughts. Boe seemed to be on the same page, her hands tightening into fists.

"Boe... Do you think he would--"

She was cut off by the sound of a door opening nearby. They turned to see a young staff member approaching, looking uneasy.

“Miss Rin, Miss Boe, I heard you were looking for Sarah. I think you should see this.”

They followed the staff member down another corridor to a storage room. Inside, they found a folded piece of paper on a crate. Rin picked it up and unfolded it, her eyes scanning the words quickly.

“It’s a note from Sarah,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, “She says she had to leave, but she doesn’t explain why or where she’s going.”

Boe’s face darkened with worry, “This doesn’t make sense. She can’t have gone far on her own.”

Rin’s mind was already working on the next steps, “We need to alert the others and start a search. If she’s in danger, we have to find her fast.”

Boe nodded, her expression dark and serious, “Yeah. We’ll figure this out. We have to.”

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

The night was a blur of neon lights and shadows as Gojo stumbled through the labyrinthine streets of Shinjuku. His footsteps were unsteady, and his vision swam with the remnants of his latest binge. A half-empty bottle of liquor dangled precariously from his fingers, the glass slick with condensation. An empty baggie, once filled with cocaine, crinkled in his pocket with every unsteady step.

The city was alive with its usual chaos, but to Gojo, it was a cacophony of indistinct sounds and colors. His mind was a fog, unable to focus on any one thing for more than a fleeting moment. Faces blurred past him, voices merged into an incomprehensible din, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis. He paused to take another swig from the bottle, the liquid burning down his throat and adding to the haze.

Yet, beneath the surface of his inebriated state, there was a strange sense of purpose. His steps, though staggered, were not entirely random. He moved with a subconscious drive, his body following a path his mind couldn’t fully grasp. The streets grew quieter as he ventured deeper into the less populated parts of the city, the vibrant lights giving way to dimly lit alleys and the occasional flickering street lamp.

Gojo’s journey brought him to a secluded old motel, its once-bright sign now a dull, flickering beacon in the night. The building was a relic of a bygone era, its exterior worn and covered in graffiti. He pushed through the creaky door, the sound echoing in the empty lobby. The clerk didn’t look up, too engrossed in a worn paperback to care about the disheveled man who wandered in.

He made his way down a narrow hallway, each step feeling heavier than the last. The air was thick with the musty scent of neglect, and the walls seemed to close in around him. He stopped in front of a door, its number barely hanging on, and fumbled with the handle. After a moment of clumsy effort, he managed to push it open and stagger inside.

The room was dimly lit by a single lamp, casting long shadows across the threadbare carpet and faded wallpaper. In the corner, Sarah sat in a musty old armchair, her green eyes sharp and watchful despite the dark circles beneath them. She looked up as he entered, her expression a mix of anxiety and something darker.

“Did you get them?” she asked, her voice cutting through the fog in his mind.

Gojo nodded slowly, the motion making his head spin. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silk bag, handing it to her with unsteady hands. Sarah took it, her expression unreadable as she examined the contents.

For a moment, there was only silence. Gojo stood there, swaying slightly, his mind a chaotic mess of thoughts and sensations. Sarah’s gaze lingered on him, a mixture of pity and something far more complex.

The room seemed to close in around them, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Gojo’s vision blurred again, the edges of his consciousness fraying. As he slumped against the chair, sliding down to the floor with his head in her lap, Sarah’s voice was the last thing he heard before everything went black.

“We’re not done yet, Satoru. Not by a long shot.”

⤶ Prev Main Next ↪

[whentranslatorscry]

Hitagi Honeymoon

007

“Hey Oikura, I'm going on a honeymoon to Tochigi with Hitagi tomorrow, would you like to come along?”

“Die.”

“You shouldn't tell a twenty-four-year-old to die.”

“I had too many things to say, so I simply and succinctly said ‘die.’ I didn't want to speak more than one word to you. But, I'm an adult too, so let me organize and list my objections one by one: don't invite me on a honeymoon, don't invite me the day before, and I hate you. Hate the hate with hate by hate for hate to hate at hate of hate.”

“What? You came to the wedding, didn't you? That was the first time I saw you dressed up. You looked fantastic.”

“I attended as a friend of the bride. Don't address me so casually, you married man. Don't say ‘fantastic’ without any sincerity.”

“Can't you take time off? Just for three days.”

“When will you stop thinking like a college student? I have work. Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, and the following day, and the day after that and the one after that and even the day after that. I may have unpaid leave but no paid leave.”

“You should retire, just say you're sick and need to be hospitalized.”

“Don't try to put me in a hospital. Even if every page of my schedule book was blank, I would eternally refuse to go on a trip with Araragi.”

“Which Araragi is that, though?”

“It should go without saying. It's not at all complicated. I'll continue to call Senjougahara-san by her maiden name. After all, she's going to get a divorce soon anyway.”

“Ahahaha. So, about that.”

“Don't ignore my curse.”

“I have thoughts about us sharing the same surname. Well, I knew it was a sudden invitation and you might not come, but if I didn't at least give it a try, I thought you’d be complaining later.”

“Don't make me out to be someone so troublesome.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“If you're asking if I don't like being called a troublesome person because I am one, the answer is yes.”

“You really are troublesome.”

“Even if I had an appointment booked six months in advance, I still wouldn't go.”

“Your schedule is packed all the way to half a year later. That's amazing for a town hall worker.”

“Ah, isn’t this just like you? Even after getting married, you never quite become an adult.”

“Well, now that I have a family of my own, I thought we’d have a close-knit family relationship with you from now on…”

“Impossible. I don't have a family.”

“"That was tactless of me. My apologies. Let me formally apologize for what I just said. However, you did accept and witness our marriage registration, so you're practically quasi-family to us as a married couple?”

“No, that was part of my job. What even is a quasi-family?”

“Witnessing for us was part of your job too?”

“Senjougahara-san, who ended up with a guy like you who barely understands how to fill out paperwork, brought the marriage form without a name listed for the witness. So I reluctantly lent my name just so it could be processed.”

“We are very happy and grateful for that, but it's also kind of worrying that you might end up becoming a co-signer for someone's debt someday like this.”

“Don't worry. If I were to become a co-signer, the debt review would not even pass.”

“What kind of past do you have?”

“A turbulent one. My credit history is a mess. My name got changed and reset once, but still.”

“Oh?”

“Haven’t I mentioned that? No no, you just forgot as usual, Araragi. When we first met by some mistake, I wasn't Oikura.”

“Was that so? Oh right, I think Ougi-chan mentioned something like that, maybe she didn't—”

“Who's Ougi-chan? Another new addition of the Araragi Girls? She wasn't at the wedding.”

“She's stuck at school, unfortunately, so couldn't make it to Tochigi…Oh, I see. You didn't idolize Euler just because you were Oikura. You loved mathematics even before the Old Oikura began.”

"Old Oikura or not, it's still me—it's just a change in the name.”

"I see, that makes sense."

"What other cases could there be?"

"Well, I feel like for some people, their name really shapes them. Like me - having the name 'Koyomi' makes me want to become a historic figure."

“Your 'koyomi' and 'history' use different kanji.”¹

“No way.”

“How embarrassing it is to think that someone like you is representing Japan and training in America. I wonder if I should revoke your working visa with my authority.”

“Are you such a powerful figure? I can't believe someone so capable could be exploited like this. I'm not exactly representing Japan and training at the FBI Academy or anything.”

“So you've always been a student."

“Don't you worry about me. I'm enjoying my eternal life, oh, I mean eternal moratorium.”

“You’re not exactly living up to your name. Not turning the pages of the calendar.”

“You have a way with words. In that sense, you’ve grown up, just like your name suggests.”

“How annoying. I know that when I was attending Naoetsu High School, people were badmouthing me behind my back, calling me 'Oikura Sodatanai.'”²

“I didn't know that… I know you were called 'How Much,' but why 'Sodatanai’?”

“Then I've just revealed some unnecessary information. Senjougahara-san told me about it some time ago.”

“She might be the source of that rumor. If it was during our first year of high school.”

“How can that be, when I looked after that sickly girl without holding back anything?”

“She loved to talk bad about people she liked. And she didn't speak ill of those she wasn't interested in.”

“It was just a lovely little tsundere moment, that nickname, wasn’t it.”

“Oh, for the first time in my life, I heard you praise someone, although it was such a simple compliment.”

“Is it just Senjougahara where you're going?”

"Well, despite everything going on, my schedule is getting packed. It's only a two night, three day trip but…I've got to catch a flight to Washington on the fourth day."

"You should be the one taking time off. I'm sure they'll understand over there."

"Even though I've been pulled every which way, I'm still technically in training. The wedding itself was quite the forced march…and with everything commission-based at work, I can't take too much time off."

"Sounds like a tough work environment all around. I definitely wouldn't go, but as a witness I'll be happy to proofread your honeymoon itinerary. What's the roadmap looking like?"

"It's nice getting your corrections again."

"I doubt you remember back when I used to proofread your work."

“I remember, maths fairy.”

"Want me to send you to an early grave?"

"You're the only one who could raise me up or put me six feet under. Anyway, no way around the two night, three day schedule, so I've had to drop some places like Ashikaga, but there are still a few spots we just can't miss."

"You should build in some wiggle room on a trip like this. Otherwise it'll be too jam-packed."

"You're probably right. We're driving back and forth to squeeze it all in."

"Driving instead of taking the bullet train? Why? You want to be jammed in while stuck in traffic too? Haven't you heard of traffic jams?"

“Don't shoot down the idea all at once. I did suggest the bullet train, but Hitagi-san really wants to drive.”

“Right.”

"Ever since high school, she got her license on the sly before she even graduated. She's just that kind of person, you know? I heard about this mountain pass called Irohazaka from someone else, she said she really wants to try."

"They'll rescind her license for that."

"Well, that's a problem for day two. On the first day we're going to Nasu Highlands. There's something I need to see there-- the Killing Stone."

“Killing Stone? On your honeymoon?”

"I know how that sounds, but it's not like I'm excited to see the Killing Stone itself. That's just incidental. The main thing is I want to go glamping. It's really trendy right now. Barbecues, hot springs, a nice relaxing experience-- that's what I'm looking for."

"No amount of barbecues or hot springs can offset a place as ominous as the Killing Stone. If you're not excited about it, then who is?"

"The next day after having nasuben in Nasu, we'll go down from the highlands to Nikko. We'll see the Sleeping Cat at Nikko Toshogu Shrine."

"Not answering my question at all. The Sleeping Cat… to commemorate Hanekawa-san, I assume?"

“She's not dead. Hanekawa is still alive… probably. But I read about it in the guidebook-- apparently there is a bird carved into the back of the Sleeping Cat. Cat with wings. It made me wonder if Nikko Toshogu Shrine was the inspiration for Hanekawa's character."

"Surely you're not going just to see that-- it's a World Heritage Site. You should try to learn something other than math, you know."

"Along with Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Futarasan Shrine nearby is also a World Heritage Site, and it's famous for being a shrine for matchmaking, so I'll be sure to properly visit and pray there too."

"Ah, now it's sounding more like a honeymoon. Finally."

“I also heard there's a huge sword, Nenekirimaru, at Chugushi Shrine near Lake Chuzenji, so if possible, I’d like to show… uh, see it too.”

“Suddenly you're acting all suspicious. I feel like there are opinions from lots of different people mixed in. Are you two really deciding this just between yourselves?”

“As you can see by me asking for your opinion like this, I do want to take in lots of different views-- that's just the democratic sort I am.”

“Hmm… smells fishy… I'll launch a negative campaign against you if you run.”

“What an unpleasant threat.”

“So you want to climb Irohazaka to get a look at that big sword?”

“I'd love to ride one of those swan boats on Lake Chuzenji if they've got any going. We talked about climbing Mt Nantai too but it looks like you need to submit a climbing plan for mountains at that level, so I dropped that idea.”

“It'd be great if you got lost and died up there. Just you, mind.”

“Well, if that's what you want I could make it happen, but if there are casualties it causes trouble for the mountain. I don't want to upset nature. So I'll drive carefully on Irohazaka. And if we've got time after that I want to see Kegon Falls and Ryuzu Falls before heading to Senjougahara while there's still daylight.”

“Why's that? To see the stars?”

“I'm going along with Hitagi's idea that it'll be an anticlimax if we can see stars before we get to Senjougahara. She wants us to watch the sun slowly set when we get there, spot the first star, and then spend the whole night gazing at the starry sky.”

“Rather than stargazing, it sounds like serious amateur astronomy. What, we're camping out the second night too?”

“The second night we sleep in the car.”

“Hardcore.”

“To be honest, when I suggested it I was planning we'd look at the stars for a couple of hours then head to a hotel. Apparently it's got some nice ones. But when I asked, Hitagi said it was her lifelong dream-- to look at the stars all night long, without blinking. So it's full-on hardcore stargazing.”

“She really is a romantic. And you just casually invite me on some crazy tough trip.”

“When we die, we die together, Oikura.”

"Death comes for us all eventually, I suppose. I won't deny the allure of stargazing, but unless it's a meteor shower or a lunar eclipse, can you really spend a whole night just staring at the sky without getting bored? I've spent my life looking at the ground, so I don't really understand it."

“Don't casually mention such sad things…”

"I've stomped on the ground all my life imagining it was you.”

“Don't casually mentions such scary things either… But the stars keep moving relentlessly, you know. It's like timelapse photography- or fixed point observation, I guess… They may not be shooting stars, but if I can make even one person's wish come true, I've no complaints. Except for the other guys, that is."

“Other guys?”

“Oh, I just mean there might be other tourists there stargazing too.”

"Maybe, it being a weekday and all… I won't call it a bad hobby, but I can't imagine those starry-eyed stargazers sticking it out all night. Even if it's summer, it must get freezing spending a night on Senjougahara, right? It's pretty high up there."

“Is it? I thought it was a marsh, so I imagined it was quite flat.”

“What was that about climbing Irohazaka?”

“Oh right… I'd better take precautions against the cold then. That's good advice. You really let your guard down, Oikura.”

“I thought Senjougahara-san wouldn’t overlook something like that. What's the plan for the last day after stargazing all night at Senjougahara?”

"I'm keeping that day open, as a buffer. If all goes well, we'll finish up with one last stargazing session, then head home. But I don't anticipate a trouble-free trip, traveling with me and all."

“How lame… With you, Araragi, you’re not so much a troublemaker, but more like a firestarter.”

“So what do you think about our honeymoon roadmap?”

“It isn't over until you get back home.”

“What do you mean?”

“After spending the entire night stargazing, descending Irohazaka seems to be a risky proposal, no matter who drives.”

“We'll be fine. It's not like we'll be drinking while watching the stars, and we'd already have traveled the path once on the way up.”

“But you wouldn’t have. You're ill-informed, Araragi. The ascent and descent of Irohazaka are two separate paths.”

“Ah, I think I recall hearing that from… someone else.”

“What someone?”

“A fanged someone.”

“What's that supposed to mean? I haven't been there myself, but if the geography class I took in college was accurate, the ascent should be Irohazaka no. 2, and the descent Irohazaka no. 1.”

“The ascent is the second slope? We must view the mountain peak as the starting point, I see. The seat of the gods.”

“The forty-eight syllables on the slope are counted from the bottom up. Anyway, drive safely. Before descending, make sure to take a nap. Apart from one major concern, that's pretty much all I wanted to say.”

“There's something bigger than a traffic accident? You should've led with that!”

“If mentioning the ominous Killing Stone was simply a side note, then I assume the main events of the honeymoon are the glamping on the first night and stargazing on the second, right?”

“Well, yeah. I'm looking forward to Toshogu Shrine and the Nenekirimaru, but it's actually my first time going on a trip with Hitagi. That’s why those two are something I centered on.”

“Have you checked the weather forecast?”

“Huh?”

“What if it rains?”

I was stopped dead in my tracks.

Prev Chapter | Next Chapter

Comparison of 暦, koyomi (calendar), and the first kanji in 歴史, history.

Sodachi is a verb meaning “to grow”, and sodatanai is its negative form. This joke was actually first made in Owarimonogatari audio commentary narrated by Sodachi and Hitagi. That is the conversation Sodachi references shortly after. 

翼Tsubasa=wing.