#maybe i just want daigo to be able to talk to someone about mine who even Somewhat knew him

[todayisafridaynight]

sad to think about how daigo was probably grieving mines death alone

In my silly dreamland i like to think at least katase also showed up to pay her respects ….

[04tenno]

Mine is in the circle of hell where every demon is female and they keep hitting on him

Also as for your own personal thoughts, do you think Daigo could have been into Mine?

I mean... maybe because I'm bi, but sounds preferable to burning in hell for "quintillions of years" as described lol

And I've talked about it a few times (though I guess I've never compiled it all in one place), but personally I think it all makes less sense if Daigo isn't into Mine. Take, for example, Mine's original character story. From start to finish, while Mine's agonizing over initiating a friendship, Daigo's the one who's "making moves."

He's inviting Mine out to a bar (one that's intimate and out-of-the-way, located in the Champion District—where, As I'm Always Saying, the LGBT-friendly establishments we're aware of are clustered—with a bartender he's comfortable confiding in). He's asking if Mine's currently seeing anyone, taking care not to gender a potential partner. He's leaving the area where all the nightlife is to take Mine to the hotel district and tell him he "wants some action."

And he's clearly thrown off when Mine doesn't catch on to what he means. Like, I fully believe Daigo was intending to propose a sexual encounter of some kind—maybe going their separate ways, maybe arranging a threesome or foursome with some ladies, maybe a one-on-one with Mine, who knows—and ditch Mine at the hotel.

Then there is, of course, the reserve bottle. Now, I can't speak from experience, but I'm told it's exceedingly unusual to reserve a bottle (particularly an expensive one) for a "friend." And that's sort of corroborated by the story Kashiwagi tells in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Like, it's in how they look at each other on the rooftop. It's in how Daigo is willing to lay down his life for Mine without a second thought and always has been, even before Mine felt the same about Daigo. It's in how, despite the fandom's incessant "yandere" characterization of Mine, Daigo is just as willing to kill to protect him.

They have one of the most special bonds in the series to me. They're best friends, and Mine is undoubtedly Daigo's closest confidant; of course, it helps that Mine takes no shit, much like Kashiwagi, but I think it would've been invaluable for Daigo to have someone like that his own age. And Daigo's got nothing but praise for Mine except his misgivings that the seems too guarded around him, but then again, he's not going to force Mine to open up before he's ready.

In a series that's all about beating your own ideals into the other person, it's wonderful to see two people who genuinely like each other and are able to make themselves clear with words and actions alone. When it comes to the thoughts they allow to come to the surface, at least. I think Daigo has to be into Mine, but I also think Mine's too dense to realize it. Perhaps vice-versa, too.

That all ties back into what I was saying about the reserve bottle. I can't help see it as perfectly symbolic of their mutual attraction. Never acting, waiting for "the right time" until it's too late, but holding it close to their hearts even when the moment has passed. And then all that's left to do is preserve the memory.

But, you know, that's just how I'd like to see it. I can't make any definitive statements (not that I was asked to, but as a wiki editor, I can't suppress the urge). Overall, I'm more inclined to believe it's not purposeful. Like, twooo gay major characters!?!?! That's pushing it...

[cryingcow]

Character Story - Mine [RGGO]

I feel like i just wrote an entire MineDai pre-relationship fanfic with the word count on this >_< There’s a section in Mine’s wiki page about the “The Man Called Yoshitaka Mine” event. I’m pretty sure this takes place after that one, because Mine makes references to things Daigo said when they first met.

When it comes to idioms, I decided to leave in the ones that don’t sound too different from their English counterparts as is. The others I just tried to reword (it took a lot of googling to figure them out lol). Also, please note that anything I write before the chapter starts is shit I made up, don’t take them as facts XD

Story: Mine, Chairman of the Hakuho Clan, meets up with Sixth Chairman Dojima. He then goes out for drinks with his boss, loses him in a public toilet, and ends up saving the day with his inherent skepticism that Daigo could be sleeping with a woman (either because our boy Mine’s gaydar is on point, or he believes that the words “Daigo” and “get laid” could never occur in the same sentence).

Mine: (I wish I could be his friend so he could smile at me like that . . . but it seems I am fated to only know him as the Sixth Chairman . . .)

Daigo: “Hey Mine wanna get some drinks together?”

Mine: :O

.

CHAPTER 1

.

[Tojo Headquarters]

Driver: “Well, Chairman Mine. This is where you get off.”

Mine: “Ah.”

Mine: (Today’s my meeting with Chairman Dojima. Heh. I’ve really gotten far.)

Mine: “Hm? That’s . . .”

{Daigo walks by, talking to someone on the phone.}

Mine: “Is that Chairman Dojima? He seems to be on the phone with someone.”

Daigo: “Hahaha. It’s hard work. But I’m fine.”

Telephone voice: “But Daigo-san. Ever since becoming chairman, you’ve become a distant person!”

Daigo: “What, would you like to come visit the Tojo Headquarters next time? It’s full of yakuza . . .”

Telephone voice: “No way! Just treat me to some cabarets and soaplands!”

Daigo: “Idiot, use your own money! Ha ha ha!”

Mine: (. . . Is the other party on the phone a friend of Chairman Dojima? . . . From what I heard, Chairman Dojima was playing around with his friends in the city before he assumed the position of Sixth Chairman. Must be a friend from that time period. I thought he was strict, but it seems he can make that kind of expression . . . to a friend . . .)

Daigo: “Oh, Mine. You’re here.”

Mine: “It’s nice to meet you, Chairman.”

----

[Tojo HQ – Chairman’s Office]

Daigo: “. . . That’s all for today. Good luck from now on.”

Mine: “Yes. I will live up to your expectations.”

Mine: (By exchanging a cup with him, you entrust your life . . . It seems that I may only know this person as the Sixth Chairman . . .)

Daigo: “Hm? What is it, Mine? What’s wrong?”

Mine: “. . . no. It’s nothing. Excuse me.”

Daigo: “Really?”

Mine: (Now I have to fulfill my duties faithfully. To be Chairman Dojima’s . . . the Tojo Clan’s backbone.)

Daigo: “. . . Wait. Mine. Are you free tonight?”

Mine: “Tonight? I don’t have any plans . . .”

Daigo: “Then, do you want to go out for drinks?”

Mine: “Eh?”

Daigo: “It’s late, but consider it a celebration of the direct promotion of the Hakuho Clan. In addition, I’ve never had a drink with you yet.”

Mine: “. . .”

Daigo: “How about it? I know a good place.”

Mine: “. . . Yeah. I’ll be happy to.”

----

[Champion District]

Mine: (. . . no way. To receive an invitation from Chairman Dojima . . . I’m in trouble. What do I even talk about . . .)

{Off to the side, a thug and a yakuza are yelling and fighting.}

Mine: (Jeez. It’s a noisy town. The Chairman will arrive anytime now.)

{The thug and the yakuza keep fighting. The yakuza shoves the thug, and he bumps into Mine.}

Mine: “. . . ku!”

Thug: “What are you standing around there for!”

Mine: “. . . If you two are having a dispute, can you do it elsewhere?”

Thug: “We can have disputes wherever we want!”

Mine: “. . . You’re an eyesore. Scraps.”

Yakuza: “Scraps?”

Mine: “Yeah. Garbage. Messy trash dirtying the Chairman’s path. The Chairman will feel uncomfortable with guys like you around. Get lost now.”

Yakuza: “What part of it don’t you understand! We’re not going anywhere!”

Mine: “I guess it can’t be helped then. I’ll have to announce the Chairman’s arrival before he comes. Bring it on, scraps!”

{Mine takes care of the garbage.}

Mine: “Hn. Not so mouthy now.”

Daigo’s voice: “I think they’ve had enough, Mine.”

Mine: “Chairman Dojima . . .”

Daigo: “Did I keep you waiting?”

Mine: “No . . . I just arrived myself. Even so, a place like this? There’s a lot to be said about the location, the security . . .”

Daigo: “This is my favorite bar. When it comes to drinking, this is the best place.”

Mine: “Is that so . . . hm?”

Bodyguards: “. . .”

Daigo: “They’re coming along while we drink. Those guys are at work, don’t mind them.”

Mine: “I don’t have a problem. This is for the safety of Chairman Dojima.”

Mine: (Now, since I was invited, I have to be enthusiastic . . . It’s time to forget my daily duties and just enjoy myself tonight.)

----

[Bar that might be Shellac unless it’s just reused assets]

Daigo: “Fuu. I finally got a drink. I can’t do without this.”

Mine: “. . . Chairman Dojima, you seem tired. Are the Chairman’s duties difficult?”

Daigo: “Ah, it’s very hard. For days it seems I’ve done nothing but work.”

{A couple overhears and starts whispering near them. The woman wonders what Daigo is a chairman of, but the man says he’s probably no one important.}

Daigo: “. . .”

Mine: “. . .”

Daigo: “. . . Hey, Mine. Why are you calling me Chairman Dojima today? It’s too stiff.”

Mine: “Sorry. I didn’t realize. Then . . . Daigo-san. That’s what I’ll call you.”

Daigo: “Ah, that’s fine.”

Daigo: “You know . . . the Fourth Chairman Kiryu-san’s existence is far greater than I thought. It seems even among those who don’t openly oppose, many are still dissatisfied with my appointment as Sixth Chairman.”

Mine: (Kiryu Kazuma . . . his name will always come up when you talk with Daigo-san . . .)

Mine: “That person, Kiryu, to Daigo-san . . . is he like your aniki?”

Daigo: “Aniki? . . .That’s right, something like that. I can’t express it in one word. But family, no . . . he may be more than that.”

Mine: (More than family? Something that far?)

Daigo: “That person is now running an orphanage in Okinawa. There, he seems to be living in peace with his new family.”

Mine: “An orphanage . . .”

Daigo: “Life in Okinawa is the peace he finally got. I want to protect it, whatever happens . . .”

Mine: (For Daigo-san to declare as much . . . Kiryu Kazuma . . . must be quite the man.)

----

|2 hours later . . .|

Daigo: “Hahaha! Kanda’s face at the time must have been a masterpiece.”

Mine: “Yeah! Once my anger passed, I was amazed. He had a face like a sumo wrestler’s after I hit it.”

Daigo: “Ha-Hahaha! Su-Sumo wrestler-!”

Mine: (It seems he’s having fun. This is nice . . .)

Daigo: “By the way, Mine. Are you a private person? When it comes to friends . . .”

Mine: “Eh? Private? Me? . . . Hm? A phone?”

{A phone goes off with a notification.}

Daigo: “O-oh. It looks like I got . . . an email . . .”

Mine: “. . . !”

Mine: (What? Daigo-san’s face . . . is turning pale . . .)

Daigo: “. . .”

Mine: “What’s wrong?”

Daigo: “. . . N-no. It’s not a big deal. It’s my work email. Good grief, they must be bored. I don’t usually get emails at times like this.”

Bodyguards: “. . .”

Mine: (Daigo-san looks upset. Who did the email come from?)

.

-END-

.

CHAPTER 2

.

[Bar]

Daigo: “. . .”

Mine: (Daigo-san. Since that email arrived, he’s been acting strange. He keeps looking at the time, and acting like he doesn’t want to be here anymore. Who did that email come from?)

Mine: “. . . Um. Daigo-san, are you okay? Your complexion looks bad.”

Daigo: “No, it’s fine. I just feel a little sick.”

Mine: (Are you hiding something?)

{There’s a commotion outside. Two yakuza brothers are trying to enter the bar, but Bodyguard A says monkeys like them aren’t allowed inside. They get into a fight.}

Bodyguard B: “Sounds like trouble outside. I’ll go help.”

Mine: (Not again. It really is a noisy town.)

Daigo: “. . . Now’s my chance.”

Mine: “Eh?”

Daigo: “Mine, actually there’s something I need to tell you . . . I need to get out of here alone.”

Mine: “Get . . . out?”

Daigo: “Lately, my bodyguards have been hanging around all the time, and I’m getting sick of it. They even follow me to the toilet . . . I can’t even stretch out my wings. That’s why I want to be alone for once and take a break.”

Mine: (. . . he wants to be alone? What do I say to that?)

Mine: “By any chance . . . does the content of the email you received have something to do with this?”

Daigo: “! . . . No Mine, it’s not like that. As I said . . .”

Mine: (He keeps glancing around the place. What is it?)

Mine: “. . . understood.”

Daigo: “So you’ll let me go?!”

Mine: “Yeah. It’s likely you’ll still try to leave even if I say no. However . . . please let me accompany you. As your bodyguard.”

Daigo: “Wh-what? You too?”

Mine: “It is expected that as the Sixth Chairman, you cannot be walking around alone. ‘I will accompany you as a bodyguard’ . . . that’s the last oath your subordinates swear by.”

Daigo: “. . . Alright. Then come along with me. We should be able to get out through the back door.”

Mine: (Daigo-san’s expression when he received the email is no small matter . . . When it’s just the two of us outside, maybe then he’ll tell me what’s going on.)

Middle-aged Man: “. . .”

----

[Children’s Park]

Daigo: “Fuu. Somehow I found it.”

Mine: “. . . Daigo-san, what are you doing? You said you wanted to stretch out your wings.”

Daigo: “. . . Ah, that’s right . . . I felt like wanting to move my body somewhere.”

Mine: “If so, there’s a batting center nearby. How about that?”

Daigo: “A-Ah, that’s great! It’s been a while, I feel like hitting some balls!”

Mine: “. . . By the way, Daigo-san. About the email earlier . . .”

Daigo: “!”

Mine: “Are you hiding something from me? If you’re in trouble, I might be able to help.”

Daigo: “. . . . . . No, it’s a personal problem. It’s not something I should be telling you.”

Mine: “But . . .”

Daigo: “. . . . . . Mine, I understand your concern. From my position, it seems I am always threatened by danger to my person. I don’t know what or when it will happen. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow’s safety.”

Mine: “Daigo-san?”

Daigo: “. . . No, it’s a long story. Don’t worry about it. Well, you said the batting center, right? It’s been a while. Mine, will you join me?”

Mine: “Yeah. I’ll take you up on that.”

Mine: (Daigo-san is still hiding something. But, why won’t he tell me?)

Daigo: “. . . Don’t get cold, Mine. I’m going to the toilet.”

Mine: “Understood. I’ll be standing guard right here in front, so take your time.”

Daigo: “I’ll be right back.”

{Daigo enters the public toilets. Mine takes his position by the exit. A few minutes pass.}

Mine: “. . . . . . . . . he’s taking his time . . . unless . . .”

{Mine rushes to the toilets.}

Mine: “Not here . . .! He’s gone! Did he go out through the window?! He took his chance the moment he was alone! Fuck, what do I do . . .”

----

[Children’s Park]

Bodyguard A: “Ah! You!”

Mine: “Tch! At a time like this . . . !”

Bodyguard A: “Where is Chairman Dojima?!”

Mine: “. . . I don’t know. I’m also looking for him.”

Bodyguard A: “You’re lying! Did you bring him outside?!”

Bodyguard B: “You, no way . . . did you plan to kidnap Chairman Dojima all along?”

Mine: “Kidnap? You idiot, why would I?”

Bodyguard B: “Until recently, you were a regular man. You might be a spy sent by an enemy organization.”

Mine: “That’s a stupid idea. Right now we need to-“

Bodyguard A: “Whatever. If you don’t plan on spitting out the Chairman’s whereabouts, would you like us to make you talk?!”

Mine: “Tch. I guess it can’t be helped.”

{Mine beats the shit out of Daigo’s bodyguards.}

Bodyguard A: “Fu . . . ck . . . so strong . . .”

Bodyguard B: “Stupid. We are the elite . . .”

Mine: “Fuck! Get out of the way! Daigo-san . . .”

----

[West Shichifuku Street]

Mine: “Not here . . . Where?!”

Barker: “Nii-san, Onee-chan, why not come have fun at our place?”

Mine: “A barker? No, not right . . . now . . . wait, are you always working in this area?”

Barker: “Eh? That’s correct, why?”

Mine: “Did a man in his mid-thirties with black hair, a black suit, and a good physique pass by here?”

Barker: “Yeah, he did.”

Mine: “What?! Do you know where he went?”

Barker: “Where he went . . . I think he took a taxi somewhere.”

Mine: “Taxi?”

Barker: “Yeah. He was joined by a young and beautiful Onee-chan.”

Mine: “Eh? O-Onee-chan?”

Bodyguard A: “So . . . a woman.”

Mine: “!”

Bodyguard B: “I thought he was acting funny when he received the email at the bar. That ‘I’ve done it’ face. It seems that he missed a promised meetup with the woman.”

Mine: “Then, Daigo-san wanted to be alone . . .”

Bodyguard A: “Because he has a secret rendezvous. With who, I don’t know.”

Mine: “Somehow found . . .”

Bodyguard A: “A bad boy is attractive to a woman. Besides his money and his status, he’s also handsome.”

Mine: “. . . he said he wanted to move his body . . .”

Bodyguard B: “Heh. It’s nice to have a great time.”

Bodyguard A: “It can’t be helped. You should call it a night. You had a hard time too.”

Mine: “Stupid . . .”

.

-END-

.

CHAPTER 3

.

[West Shichifuku Street]

Mine: “Did Daigo-san go somewhere in a taxi? And with a young woman?”

Bodyguard A: “Chairman Dojima is unmarried, has money, and he’s handsome. It’s no wonder he’s popular. Right now, he’s probably with a model or an actress.”

Bodyguard B: “He should be careful not to get involved in a scandal.”

Bodyguard A: “Now, let’s head back. You should go home too.”

Mine: “. . .”

----

Daigo: “. . .”

Thug Leader: “As promised, did you come alone?”

Daigo: “Yeah. My faithful subordinate tried to follow me, but I left without telling him where I went. I made him think I was secretly meeting with a woman.”

Thug Leader: “. . . Is that right. Did you bring the money?”

Daigo: “Yeah.”

{Daigo hands over a bag. The leader unzips it to reveal cash.}

Thug Leader: “. . . Everything seems to be here.”

Daigo: “Will you keep your end of the bargain?”

Thug Leader: “Yeah. Don’t lay a hand on Kiryu Kazuma. He’ll be living in peace in Okinawa from now on.”

Daigo: “. . .”

Thug Leader: “Even so, that Kiryu person must be really important to you.  . . . Is he your weak point?”

Daigo: “. . . What are you trying to say?”

Thug Leader: “It’s amazing that the Tojo Clan’s Sixth Chairman can be lured out over one person.”

Daigo: “What?”

Thug Leader: “You still don’t get it? I’m saying this time it’s your turn to be the hostage!! Stupid! The aim was to get you all alone from the very beginning! If we kidnap you, we’ll get far more ransom money!”

Daigo: “Fuck . . .”

Man’s voice: “So . . . it was all for Kiryu-san. I figured that would be the case.”

Daigo: “Mi-Mine?”

Mine: “Daigo-san, I had a hard time looking for you.”

Daigo: “Why are you here?”

Mine: “You think you can get away with such an obvious lie? . . . That barker, you paid him off.”

Daigo: “But he didn’t know about this place . . .”

Mine: “. . . Yeah. There are countless taxi companies in Kamurocho. Too many candidates to question where you went. And those guys won’t give out customer information, saying it’s ‘personal information’. So it couldn’t be helped. I had to resort to buying the taxis off. When that didn’t work, I bought off the taxi companies. When you become a stakeholder, you gain access to customers’ information.”

Daigo: “You did that for each company?”

Mine: “It took hundreds of millions. Heh. It was a huge expense.”

Daigo: “Mine . . . Why did you go so far . . . just for me?”

Mine: “. . . Daigo-san. I’ve shared a cup with you. That’s not something I take halfheartedly. I’m ready to sacrifice everything just for you. Forever and always. There are absolute bonds in the yakuza world . . . you taught me that.”

Daigo: “. . . Mine . . .”

Thug Leader: “O-Oi! Who are you to come barging in and interrupting us! I’ll kill you if you interfere!”

Daigo: “Kill him? You don’t seem to understand the situation. With this guy here, you’re the one who’s going to have a bad time.”

Thug Leader: “Ha?”

Daigo: “Mine here looks like a regular man . . . but don’t you know he’s actually really strong? I can trust him to have my back.”

Mine: “!”

Daigo: “. . . Mine. With you here, we can take on a hundred people.”

Mine: “Yeah. Let’s show them how we do things.”

Daigo: “Let’s go, Mine!”

Mine: “Yeah!”

{Mine and Daigo take down the whole gang.}

Thug Leader: “How . . . there are so many of us . . .”

Mine: “You . . . which organization are you with?!”

Thug Leader: “Guh! Th-That’s . . .”

Mine: “Answer me!!”

Thug Leader: “Ta-Takashima Family . . .”

Mine: “Takashima Family? As in ‘The Four Kings of Omi’ Takashima Family remnants? Chairman, what are you going to do? The Omi will want to hear this . . .”

Daigo: “. . . No, I won’t tell the Omi. Even with the conflict finally over, I don’t want to make needless waves over these excommunicated members. The police can handle them.”

Mine: “Is that so . . . . . . Daigo-san, will you finally tell me what’s going on this time?”

Daigo: “. . . Yeah. The thing is . . . I was being threatened before today.”

Mine: “Before?”

Daigo: “‘If you want to protect the peace of Kiryu Kazuma, pay the money. If you tell anyone, his peace will be lost.’ I got an email telling me where to go. Along with a stolen shot of Kiryu-san.”

Mine: “His peace . . . then that means they didn’t directly take Kiryu as a hostage, right?”

Daigo: “Yeah. If they did that, they would be in trouble. Their opponent is a legendary yakuza. However, there are many ways to ‘disturb the peace’.”

Mine: “So that’s why. And you’re Daigo-san. You wanted to protect him at all costs.”

Daigo: “. . . Yeah. I’ve secretly stationed a bodyguard around Kiryu-san. Just earlier, I received a photo of the bodyguard killed.”

Mine: “That’s the email you received at the bar . . .”

Daigo: “As soon as I saw that picture, I had to move.”

Mine: “Daigo-san, why didn’t you tell me this sooner? If you had, I would have been able to help.”

Daigo: “‘Someone is watching you’, the email said, so I couldn’t speak about it. In fact, there was a guy there at the bar watching us. And this is my personal problem. I didn’t want to get you involved.”

Mine: “That’s why . . . it’s unreasonable for you to act on your own. You are the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, an organization with hundreds of thousands of members in the East. I don’t know the Fourth Chairman or the Legendary Dragon, but acting alone to protect one individual . . .”

Daigo: “. . . It was unavoidable. Kiryu-san is a special person to me.”

Mine: “Which is more important, the clan or one person?”

Daigo: “! Th-That’s . . .”

Mine: “Before, you told me that the clan members are like your family. Isn’t that right? You’re giving priority to someone who’s not even a member of the clan. Are you not aware of that as the Chairman?”

Daigo: “Mine . . . you’re right. I’m sorry. I still have a long way to go.”

----

|A few days later . . .|

[Tojo HQ – Chairman’s Office]

Mine: “Eh? Me be the Headquarters’ Junior Head Assistant?”

Daigo: “Yeah. I’ve been looking for someone to be Junior Assistant.”

Mine: “. . .”

Daigo: “What? You don’t want to?”

Mine: “No, it’s just . . . the other day we had just been promoted to be a direct subsidiary of the clan. I haven’t raised any tribute since then.”

Daigo: “Didn’t you entrust your life to me? Did you not say you were prepared to sacrifice everything for me?”

Mine: “!”

Daigo: “. . . Mine. I realized something the other day. You . . . you’re the one I can trust with my back.”

Mine: “Daigo-san . . .”

Daigo: “In addition, there’s no one in the Tojo Clan now who can preach to me face-to-face besides Kashiwagi-san, Mine.”

Mine: “I might have gone a bit overboard . . .”

Daigo: “So what do you say? Will you accept it?”

Mine: “. . . Of course. I will be happy to accept it . . . Daigo-san.”

Daigo: “That’s great! I’m counting on you, Mine!”

----

[Tojo Headquarters]

Mine: (Junior Head Assistant. That was an unexpected harvest . . .)

Mine: (A man named Kiryu Kazuma. He’s a danger . . . I won’t let Daigo-san take such a reckless action again. I can’t leave that matter alone, as Daigo-san’s new Junior Assistant . . .)

.

-END-

Masterlist

[maddogofshimano]

Chronicle of Rikiya’s Solitary Fight: Rikiya Sugoroku Event

This one was huge! And very very Okinawa specific! It was really hard to translate! Sugoroku events are board games, so this one had a little chibi Rikiya, which was pretty great. 

I tried to put comments on anything that might be unclear, but feel free to message me if something isn’t making sense. Rikiya is bringing a lot of gay energy to this one, honestly.

Summary: Someone has spread a rumor that Kiryu is here to take over the Ryukyu Market, and it had gotten wildly out of hand. Rikiya tries very hard to keep Kiryu from finding out that everyone kind of hates him, and also tries to get to the bottom of who’s spreading this rumor. It....... doesn’t go great.

Haruka: Whaaaat! Uncle Kaz, you mean you still haven't found one yet? Kiryu: Sorry, I went to the supermarket but didn't see anything, so I was out fishing till now Rikiya: Nice to see you guys! Kiryu: Hey Rikiya. Rikiya: What were you two talking about? Haruka: Rikiya-san, have you ever eaten a gurukun? (Tl note: black tipped fusilier fish) Rikiya: Obviously I have! The gurukun is a fish that represents Okinawa itself! It's name on the mainland is takasago, right? Kiryu: That's right, but it's not very popular there. Neither Haruka nor I have eaten it before. Rikiya: Get out of here! How have you lived in Okinawa and never eaten one?! Well! All three of us are gonna go over to the public market right now! You can get all sorts of fresh fish there! Kiryu: We're going there right now? Rikiya: Yes sir! And I shall be your guide! Kiryu: Sorry, but Haruka and I actually have something to do after this... Rikiya: Is that so... Well then, it's up to me to hike out there and buy a gurukun myself! Kiryu: Is that okay? Sorry for the trouble. Rikiya: Next time though, when you have time, let's go together. In truth, I want you to help me look into the people invading the market even more than I want to show you the fish. Kiryu: People are invading the market? Rikiya: Yeah. Haven't the shop keepers seemed scared to you? Kiryu: Outside of the shops specifically for tourists, the place has a bit of a hostile air towards strangers. Especially around an outsider like me. Rikiya: Those guys are master craftsman, but terrible at talking to people. They're like that to locals too, but still, I don't think this has anything to do with foreigners or locals or mainlanders at all. Kiryu: Is that so? Well then, I look forward to the day I can visit the market with you as my guide. Rikiya: Well, I'm off! I'll be back in two shakes with that fish! <Rikiya in the market> Clerk: Hi, welcome! Rikiya: Blast! Clerk: Ah, Rikiya, what's wrong? Rikiya: You don't happen to have any gurukun, do ya? I want the freshest guy you got. Clerk: Ah, I have just the thing! Though, it's rare for you to be cooking, Rikiya. Rikiya: I ain't doing it. This is for Asagao to eat. Clerk: Asagao...? Rikiya: It's that orphanage down on the beach. My aniki Kiryu-san runs the place. Clerk: Kiryu............... Rikiya: This gurukun looks good. How much do I owe ya? Clerk: Ah, uhhhhhhhhhhh, I just remembered, a different customer actually put a hold on this fish! I'm sorry, you'll have to look elsewhere! Rikiya: What the... seriously? Eh, oh well. I'll just have to hit up a different store! <leaves> Rikiya: Hey! You doin' good? Different clerk: Ah, Riki-chan. Rikiya: I'm after a gurukun. Do ya have any here? Clerk: Ah, I've got a whole fish here. Rikiya: Yes! Kiryu no aniki is gonna love eating this! Clerk: Kiryu no aniki......!? Rikiya: Oh, you know him? Kiryu Kazuma. He's my aniki! Clerk: Get out! Rikiya: Eh? Clerk: The store is closed today! Go home now! Rikiya: Wh-What the hell? Ow! Everything's fine till I mention Kiryu, then everyone starts acting really weird..........?? Tourist: Um, were you just talking about Kiryu...? Rikiya: Yeah. Do you know somethin' about him? Tourist: Well, I overheard this at the market...... If that Kiryu Kazuma person is going to take over the market........... Rikiya: My aniki taking over the market??? What the hell does that mean?? Tourist: I don't know if it's true, but that's the rumor everyone's been talking about. Listen. Clerk 1: Isn't this market under the protection of the Ryudo Family? Wouldn't they protect us even if Kiryu did attack? Clerk 2: What a dumb thing to say, the Ryudo Family can't take Kiryu. You know that Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo? Well, Kiryu took that over in a single night. (Tl note: Tsukiji is the biggest fish market in the world) Clerk 1: Seriously!? But we're way smaller than that... Clerk 2: Mhm, plus it only took him an hour to take over. By himself. Clerk 1: Why I oughta stab that Kiryu guy! When he shows up, he'll have to answer to my butcher knife! Clerk 2: Your funeral. The rumor is that the last guy that resisted Kiryu got sold as mincemeat. Clerk 1: What a horrible bastard...! I should have expected as much from a mainlander! Tourist: I've been hearing rumors like that all week around here. Rikiya: Aniki taking over the market?? These rumor has grown like a dang weed, but who's the guy who planted it?! Tourist: Still... They say there's no smoke without a fire. Rikiya: Eh? What do you mean? Tourist: Oh, there's no deeper meaning to it. Well, I'm off... Rikiya: The hell? That woman.........? Rikiya: Ah, aniki! What's the meaning of all this? Kiryu: Haruka's errands ended up being faster than expected, so I figured I'd come over to the market. Rikiya: Ah, no, bad! You coming here is really bad! Kiryu: Why? Rikiya: Uhhhhhh, well..... They are completely sold out of gurukun! Kiryu: I see. Well, I'd still like to take a look around this place. I want you to be my guide and tell me about that invasion you were talking about. Rikiya: Really sorry! I'm already done with the market and on my way back to Asagao right now! So let's come back to the market some other day! Kiryu: I see. I was hoping to poke around and have some fun... Be safe on your way home. Rikiya: Shit! Stop! .......Dang. Aniki gettin stabbed by the market people wouldn't have been any fun at all....... Well, I was the one who got his hopes up in the first place.... I can't just say "Oh, the market's full of nasty rumors about you right now" now can I? What can I even do here...? Rikiya: Maybe I could persuade every one a single person at a time? But that would take so much time.... But where did these weird rumors come from anyways? I know my aniki's a mainlander, but stil... Rikiya: For the time being I better head back to Asagao. Aniki will get suspicious if I'm back late.... <END>

Rikiya, at Asagao: (Man, it's been a whole week and I haven't been able to do anything to combat the rumors about my aniki........ Well, people say rumors only last 75 days, so instead of freaking out about it maybe I should just wait it out..... Nnn. How many months is 75 days? That's so long....) Haruka: Rikiya-san, it's a shame that all the gurukun was sold out the other day, huh. Rikiya: Yeah... it's a really delicious fish! Haruka: I'm looking forward to eating it one day! I've been really interested in getting to know Okinawan cuisine better lately. Do you know souki? (Tl note: Okinawan stewed pork ribs) Rikiya: Of course! Stewed meat and bone done in the traditional Okinawan style. It's suuuuper tasty! Haruka: Uncle Kaz had some a year ago and said it tasted really good. I was going to go with him to buy some, so why don't you come too? Rikiya: Oh, nice. Which store? I'm glad it got my aniki's stamp of approval. Kiryu, appearing: The market. Rikiya: Hey, aniki. I got it. The market huh.... Wait, the market?! Kiryu: It'd be perfect to explore the market with you as our guide. And I'd like to meet those people you were talking about who were being invaded... Rikiya: Th-That's not gonna work! I mean, we really don't need two people to go to the market! Kiryu: What? Why? Rikiya: Because... it's....! Rikiya: Ain't it just blistering today? Hell, if a mainlander like you goes out in it, you'll get heat stroke in seconds! So just let me handle buying the souki, and just have you two stay put! Rikiya: Here, Haruka-chan, I'm gonna borrow shopping bag! Haruka: Hold on...! <Rikiya runs off> Kiryu: He's a pretty intense guy... <Rikiya back at the market> Rikiya: This sucks. I can't keep aniki and Haruka-chan from coming here for much longer without causing some big problems... Rikiya: For the time being I should listen in on how people are talking here at the market. Maybe the rumor just died..... Clerk 1: The story about this Kiryu person taking over the market all by himself. It's really unbelievable, right? Clerk 2: Yeah... It's impossible to think rationally about a story like that. There's no way just one guy could do that. Clerk 1: That's exactly it. So apparently Kiryu uses some kind of associate to work with him in his take overs. Clerk 2: An associate...!? Who is it? Clerk 1: The ryudo family captain.... Rikiya. Clerk 2: Ah! That evil asshole, he is always running around with Kiryu isn't he! Clerk 1: Right? Poor Rikiya has been completely brain washed by Kiryu. Clerk 2: Well, if Kiryu and Rikiya are working together, aren't they going to attack soon!? Clerk 1: Yeah. You're not wrong. Rikiya, bursting in: Hey! Don't be afraid! Clerk 1: R-Rikiya! How long have you been here?! Rikiya: What kinda dumbasses are you? My aniki has brainwashed me? We're gonna take over the market? Where the hell did ya get that idea! It's totally bull! Clerk 1: Well what are we supposed to think when even now, you, who loves Okinawa more than anyone, is wagging your tail over a damn mainlander! You're following him around and calling him aniki, brain washed isn't a strong enough word! Rikiya: You're wrong! I fell for my aniki's manly spirit! Kiryu no aniki is a man among men..... a real man!! (Tl note: THAT IS......... A ROMANTIC FELL FOR............ LIKE, USED FOR MINE ABOUT DAIGO..........) <Rikiya storms off> Clerk 1: Did you see that look in his eyes! It's the same as my cousins when he joined a cult! Clerk 2: He reall has been brainwashed....! Then he's going to attack alongside Kiryu soon! Clerk 1: Kiryu is going to grind our bones and destroy our business! Rikiya, returned: You guys are real nitwits on this. Yeah, Kiryu no aniki has a real intense look about him... Clerk 2: Hey! Look at that! Clerk 1: K-K-Kiryu......!! <Haruka and Kiryu are holding hands and walking through the market> Haruka: It sure is nice and lively in this market, isn't it Unlce Kaz? Kiryu: Yeah... Haruka: But, what's good to eat here? Kiryu: Ah, don't worry. You can make a lot of things from bones.... Rikiya, running over: Hold up aniki! Why'd'ya come here! Kiryu: Hey, you're the one who was so insistent on being by yourself. Clerk 1: Quick, everyone run! We're all going to die! Haruka: What's going on? Why are all the store owners running? Where are they going? Kiryu: What's happening? Rikiya: This is, uhhh.... a disaster preparedness drill! Kiryu: A disaster preparedness drill? Rikiya: Yes sir. We don't want anyone to die in a real emergency, so we're doing a drill... And because of that, you can't shop here today! Kiryu: Oh, well that's a shame. I wanted to eat that bone and cartiledge souki I had here before. Rikiya: Bone and cartelige.... Kiryu: It was cooked so long that you could even eat the bones. Rikiya: Well when the disaster drill is finished, I'll buy you some and bring it back for you guys, you please go ahead and go home aniki. Kiryu: Ah. I don't want to get in the way of the drill. Let's go home, Haruka. Haruka: Yeah. See you later, Rikiya-san. Rikiya: Whew.... that was close. Clerk 2: .....Huh? That bastard Kiryu, just went home? Was this just a reconnesince mission, and the real attack will be at a later date.....? Rikiya: Are you still on about that nonsense? Clerk 2: It's not nonsense, I heard him! Kiryu said in the market that "he's going to break our bones"! (Tl note: `break` is a homophone with `make` in this case) Rikiya: You're wrong. He was talking about souki... Clerk 2: Don't lie to my face like that! Chinpira: Hey, you all, where's Kiryu? Rikiya: What the? You assholes... Chinpira: We're bouncers. We were sent to protect the market from Kiryu. Rikiya: Sent? By who? Chinpira: I don't think this has anything to do with you, dumbass. Now did Kiryu come here already? Where'd he go? Clerk 2: He already left the market, we went that way. Chinpira: Yes! The hunt is on! Rikiya: Hold up. My aniki isn't trying to take over the market! Chinpira: I know who you are, you're Kiryu's little brainwashed Rikiya! How can you believe a shithead like that guy! Get away from him! Rikiya: If you really want to take on my aniki, you gotta get through me first. Chinpira: Heh... This brat's a lively one! He really is Kiryu's partner in crime! Let's get him! <fight, Rikiya wipes the floor with them> Chinpira: Ughh... s-strong! Rikiya: Tell me before you pass out. Who sent you assholes to protect the market, huh? Chinpira: It was... the market green horn club. Rikiya: Green horn club? Clerk 1: It's a group of all the young people working in the market. They get their hands dirty a lot, but they're extremely passionate about the market. Clerk 2: Yeah for sure. The green horn club were the first to detect Kiryu's invasion too. Rikiya: Hold up, then the source of the rumors is the green horn club? Clerk 2: Yeah, though they clearly aren't just rumors, but the green horn club spread the word around..... Rikiya: (So the green horn club is spreading these lies, but why? Should I try to get to the bottom of this right now? No. I still need to bring aniki that bone and cartelige souki I said I'd buy him. If I dillydally, he'll end up coming back to the market...) <END>

<Haruka and Kiryu in the kitchen at morning glory> Haruka: Ah! The meat is all sticky! Kiryu: That's because of how long it's been cooked, it lets you even eat the bones. Haruka: Rikiya-san, thank you for buying this cartelige souki! Rikiya: Oh, nah, it was nothing, that stuff's pretty cheap. Hehe.... Haruka: What other delicious foods are there? Kiryu: Well next time, we'll have to take a look around the market. Rikiya: (I'm doomed... They both want to go to the market even more... I gotta hurry up and get this rumor dealt with. Guess I'll have to check in with that greenhorn club.) Kiryu: Something wrong, Rikiya? I was going to check in with Nakahara later this evening. Rikiya: At his house? Kiryu: Yep. Apparently he wants to drink awamori with me. Will you be there too? (Tl note: awamori is a traditional okinawan alcohol that has a snake in it) Rikiya: Oh I really wanna but, I kinda got plans tonight already... Kiryu: Really? Why have you been so busy lately? There isn't any trouble, is there? Rikiya: What are ya talking about! There's no trouble at all! Please, just go have fun meeting with my boss for me! Ah, just remember that my boss has a habit of going wild if he drinks too much, and then getting sick. Kiryu: A drunk huh? I'll be careful with him. Rikiya: Well, give my regards to the boss for me! <Rikiya heads downtown> Rikiya: Man, this whole thing has me wondering if I'm even good enough to have Kiryu as my aniki... I really gotta solve this without bothering him. Alright, time to erase these rumors! Rikiya: Buuuuuut... I haven't found hide nor hair of this greenhorn club... Oh, there we go! Greenhorn member: Who's there? What is it this time... Rikiya: You, you're a greenhorn member of the market, yeah? Member: Yeah. I'm the head of... Wait, you! You're that Rikiya guy from the ryudo family! What's Kiryu's brainwashed crony doing here? Are you gonna raid the greenhorn club?! Rikiya: You dumbass. I ain't brainwashed at all. You on the other hand? You spread those fake rumors around the whole market, didn't ya? Member: Kiryu's takeover of the market... Sure, we made sure everyone learned about it. But it ain't a lie... Look at this! Rikiya: Huh? What's all these letters?? Member: These letters were put in the opinion box set up in the market. Rikiya: Opinion box? Member: Customers at the market write any problems and put it in the box. In the middle of all those was this letter. Read it yourself... Rikiya: "Please help me. Kiryu Kazuma is going to take over the market soon! The Ryudo family protecting the market can't compete with Kiryu. That's because... Kiryu is brainwashing their captain, Rikiya. In addition, Kiryu intends to kill the ryudo patriarch Nakahara." Rikiya: ...The hell is this letter! Who put this in the opinion box?! Member: Who knows. It was an anonymous tip. Rikiya: What, you guys just trust this anonymous tip completely?! Member: Hey, we didn't act on it at first. You own the deed to Morning Glory, if Kiryu did anything you could evict him. And obviously Kiryu couldn't brainwash a guy like you. But then, one day it all changed... Member: Out of nowhere you start calling your supposed enemy Kiryu, aniki, and you start pining* after him! (Tl note: to yearn for, long for, pine for, miss, love dearly, adore..... hot damn) Member: There's no way that would have happened besides you getting brainwashed! So that meant the letter was true!! Rikiya: No, that ain't right at all! It's just....! Member: Thought so. We got a new anonymous tip in the box today. Go on. Read it. Rikiya: "Kiryu Kazuma is going to poison the patriarch of the ryudo family... " Huh? Poison? Why the hell would he do something like that! Member: Huh? Hey, look over there! That man walking around... <Kiryu and Haruka walk by> Rikiya: A-Aniki....!? Haruka: Hey, uncle Kaz? Kiryu: What is it, Haruka? Haruka: Are you really going to give this to Nakahara-san for him to drink? Kiryu: Heh... if Nakahara tries to refuse it I'll just *make* him drink it. (Tl note: this sentence is really confusing, intentionally, but basically Kiryu is going to make sure Nakahara drinks something, which could be the poison) Haruka: Well, I guess you're already pretty strong. Though, is it really that potent? Kiryu: Don't worry. This method has been used for a long time. Kiryu: Well, we should hurry. I'm going to be late for meeting up with Nakahara. Member: See! You heard that just now, right?! Rikiya: Now hold on a minute! There's been kind of a misunderstanding! Member: Everyone get out here! Goons: What is it boss? Member: Kiryu is on his way to kill Nakahara right now! Goons: What! Then that anonymous tip we got today was right! Member: C'mon, let's all go and kill Kiryu! Goons: Yeah! We'll catch him before he makes it to Nakahara! Rikiya: Wait! Calm down! Member: Can it, Rikiya! We'll kill you too if we gotta! Rikiya: Go on and try me then! You're not making it an inch further! <Rikiya obliterates them> Member: Ugh... We gotta protect Nakahara.....! Rikiya: Seriously, my aniki isn't gonna kill my boss.... Rikiya: But what exactly were he and Haruka-chan talking about...? Nah, couldn't be. I do want to head after them and see what's up though..... Haruka: I know you said it's been used for a long time, but is that really true? Kiryu: Yeah, I heard the grown ups in ryudo talking about it. Kiryu: If you drink milk before drinking alcohol it coats your stomach, so it's harder to get sick from it... At least that's what they said. Haruka: Hmm! Well, I hope Nakahara-san will drink this milk. Kiryu: Ah, we're just a corner away from the office now. Rikiya, who has been tailing them: Ah... So that's what it was..... <returns to the greenhorns> Member: Huh? It's milk? That's an awful shitty lie, Rikiya! Rikiya: I think my aniki is just... a little scary with his speaking. And his looks. Even when he's talking about normal things it ends up sounding scary. Are you sure the comment box person didn't just misunderstand something Kiryu said? Member: No. There's multiple reports, and they come at different times of day and have different handwriting. You really think *all* those people listened to him and misunderstood in the same way? Don't be ridiculous. Rikiya: That's... well... Member: The real problem is you, Rikiya! Defending Kiryu with such a horribly flimsy excuse! I think you got brainwashed even harder than we expected. Did he embed something in your head? Rikiya: Huh? member: I saw it on TV! They put a chip in your body to control you remotely! Is that what Kiryu did to you!? Rikiya: Uh, no, that's... Member: D-Don't come any closer! You and Kiryu, that's more than we can handle! You guys... You're no longer human!! You're monsters!! Rikiya: Sheesh... This rumor just keeps getting bigger and bigger... <END>

<Kiryu, back at Morning Glory> Kiryu: Shit... I've already beaten (Tl note: punished, tormented) this guy for 2 hours and they're still hanging on. What a horribly stubborn bastard. Kiryu: I guess next I could submerge them in some boiling water? No, I have a hand at stake here... Haruka: What was that uncle Kaz? Did you drop something? Kiryu: Nah, I didn't drop anything. This frying pan has oil stains. (Tl note: KIRYU I THOUGHT IT WAS A LEECH AT LEAST. WHY DO YOU TALK LIKE THIS) Rikiya: (.....He was talking about oil stains...... For a minute there I thought he was torturing someone..... No wonder the anonymous comment box had messages like that, they must have misunderstood what aniki was talking about...) Rikiya: Hey, aniki. Have you ever thought about, uh, speaking in a little more friendly way? Kiryu: Huh? A more friendly way? Rikiya: Well, you've got kind of an intimidating way of talking, you know? It might make people think you're a lot scarier than you are... Kiryu: Has someone been misunderstaning me? Rikiya: No, nothing like that... Though I'd be pretty bad is nasty rumors started spreading about you at the market, right? It's not like you could go to each person in the market individually and clear up that kind of misunderstanding...... Kiryu: I'm not worried about that. Rikiya: Eh? Kiryu: Where do you go to untie a tangled up string? It's the "root" of it that's tangled, not the tip, right? It might look like a massive knot, but the base cause might be a little twist at the base. If you solve that, the rest will follow. Rumors and misunderstandings are the same. Rikiya: I getcha..... So basically, if you solve the first misunderstanding, it'll solve everything else?! Kiryu: Mhm. Everything stems from the root. Both for tangling and untangling. Rikiya: (All I gotta do is find the original person who submitted that rumor anonymously! Time to find them and solve this misunderstanding! Now that I know that, I better go keep an eye on the opinion box!) Rikiya: Thanks! Aniki! Kiryu: ...Hm? What happened to having nasty rumors spread about me? Rikiya: Wh-What are ya talking about! There's nothing like that happening! All the locals know you're a big softie! Kiryu: Speaking of the locals, what ever happened to that invasion of the market? Rikiya: Sorry! I... Gotta go right now! See ya! <Rikiya hurries to the market> Clerk 1: Hey, did you hear? Kiryu's putting chips in people's heads if they oppose him... Clerk 2: So for the rest of my life I'd end up being a brainwashed slave for Kiryu... Rikiya: (This rumor is seriously out of hand... I better hurry up and catch whoever's putting these things in the box. Though... I've been watching the box for a while now and no one's put in any letters... Well, guess I'll just have to camp out here every day until I catch the person behind it... Hm? Those men...?) <goons enter> Rikiya: (They look kinda familiar... That's right! Those are the assholes from the greenhorn club. Are they here to fight? That would make a huge mess here... Wait, the guy on the right has a letter in his hand...?) <goon puts it in the box> Rikiya: (He put it in! Why would the bouncers...? Are they the ones making up these rumors about Kiryu this whole time!? Was all this so they'd get hired as bouncers?! That's gotta be it!!) <Rikiya barges in> Rikiya: Hey, hold up! Goon: R-Rikiya?! What are you doing here?! Rikiya: I just saw you putting a letter in the opinion box, and I'm gonna check it out. Goon: Wh-What!! You can't do that, that's an anonymous message!! Rikiya: I'm pretty impatient about this. Did you put in another bad letter thinking I wouldn't see it? Goon: This doesn't concern you! You're not laying a single finger on that opinion box! Rikiya: Oh? Are you saying I can't see that letter without laying you out? That's fine! Come at me! I'll keep beating you down as many times as it takes! <Rikiya makes good on his word> Goon: Ow....... Don't touch that letter...... Rikiya: I'm gonna ignore your advice. Now let's see, here's the letter you put in... What do we have here~ "A complaint about the greenhorn club. The greenhorn club has not properly compensated the bouncers hired to prepare for Kiryu's invasion of the market. The greenhorn club should pay the bouncers as agreed." ...The hell? Goon: You happy? This is all your fault... The greenhorns said "we're not gonna pay that much to a bouncer who loses to Rikiya"! They went and cut our pay without even negotiating with us... so this is a letter of protest! Rikiya: So, you weren't the one behind the rumors about my aniki... Well, shit. Goon: I have no idea what you're talking about! Rikiya: Whatever, it's fine. You just head on home. If I see you here again though, I'm not gonna be so lenient. Goon: Damnit! <goon leaves, running directly into the tourist woman from the start of this> Tourist: Kya! Goon: Look where you're going, you moron! Rikiya: Are you okay, lady? Tourist: Ah, yeah, sorry. Rikiya: You... We met before, right? We were talking about the rumors about my aniki Kiryu? Tourist: Yeah, it's been a while! Rikiya: I guess you come to the market to shop pretty often. Huh? That in your hand... is that a letter? Tourist: Ah, this is, uh, well... Rikiya: Do ya mind if I take a peek? Tourist: N-No way! Rikiya: It's not decent to read a woman's letter without her permission, but the circumstances are dire... I'll give it back! <Rikiya swipes the letter> Rikiya: What do we got... "A follow up to Kiryu Kazuma's take over plan. Once he takes over the market, he'll start demanding expensive protection rackets from each store. Anyone who can't pay up, he'll kill, and make it look like an accident." ...So you're the one behind this!! Tourist: Uh, this is...!! Rikiya: This "follow-up" is all made up, isn't it!? Lady, who the hell are you!? What's the meaning of all this?! <END>

<directly following the previous one, Rikiya is questioning this tourist lady> Rikiya: Why the hell are you doing thing...!? These rumors about my aniki...?! Tourist: They aren't rumors! Kiryu Kazuma comes to my shop every week. Rikiya: Shop? Tourist: I'm a waitress at a coffee shop on the outskirts of ryukyu. Rikiya: My aniki goes there? But these rumors, it's just not adding up! First of all, why would a normal kid like you even know who Kiryu is? Waitress: Because he keeps calling himself that name on the phone... Rikiya: Phone? Waitress: He's always talking to someone. Every time he answers he says "It's me. Kiryu Kazuma." Rikiya: Okay, yeah, that's how aniki answers the phone, but who's he talking to? Waitress: I don't know. But every time he's always making plans to take over the market... First let's brainwash the captain of the ryudo family... Then let's poison the patriarch... Rikiya: You heard him say the stuff in your letters? Waitress: Yes. I didn't think there would be anyone who could protect the market... but if I could warn them, then at least Kiryu wouldn't be able to kill anyone... Rikiya: So you put a message in the opinion box then. Waitress: Yes. I'd heard that the greenhorn club were pretty strong. So if I could let them know, maybe they'd be able to stop Kiryu.... Rikiya: Miss, the guy you've been seeing at the coffee shop is not Kiryu Kazuma. It's a fake. (Tl note: Rikiya this is a wild assumption. I love it) Waitress: I can't believe that... But, how about you come to the coffee shop right now and see for yourself. Rikiya: What, right now? Waitress: Yes. Middle aged man: Could you wait a moment? Right now, did you say that Kiryu's in a coffee shop? That's strange. I just saw him and the convenience store. Rikiya: Eh? Middle aged man: I'm the manager and was just at the store a little while ago, and I saw Kiryu arrive. Rikiya: Was Kiryu possibly talking on a cellphone? Manager: Yeah. He was talking to someone, I don't know who. It was about a plan to take over the market... So, I eavesdropped, and I wrote this letter on what I heard to put into the opinion box. Man: I wrote the same thing in my letter from when he visited my store. Rikiya: You too...?? Man: He was in my barber shop. I heard him talking to someone on the phone about a plan to take over the market. Rikiya: Hey, hey! Is there a fake Kiryu Kazuma running around town!? We gotta get to that coffee shop! Lead the way, lady! Waitress: Yes! <they go> goon 1: Do you think it worked at the convenience store? goon 2: It went great. The manager was pretending not to listen, but he clearly was! goon 3: The barber too. He wrote down the whole conversation! goon 1: Hehehe... Perfect. It worked even with no one on the other end of the phone. goon 3: Well, think it's time to head back and see what the greenhorn club has to say about these letters? goon 1: Yeah. Seems they hired some chinpira to be their bouncer, but a goon like that can't handle Rikiya. That's something I plan on taking care of myself. goon 3: So, next time they'll hire a stronger guy, right? They're counting on someone to save the market they love so much. goon 1: Well, if they can find anyone that has the balls to take on Kiryu. With Kiryu seen as a threat ryudo family will lose their backing. They're gonna be shaking in their boots. Then the market will be easy pickings for us... the Tamashiro Family. goon 3: Hehehe... Man, inciting the citizens to wipe out Kiryu for us is a great plan. goon 1: Ain't it! We don't even get our hands dirty, they'll do all the hard work for us. We're gonna fly up the ranks of the Tamashiro Family for this one! goon 3: Yeah. But we gotta keep it a secret from the higher ups till it succeeds, I don't want them stealing all the credit. goon 1: Yeah... Alright! Let's head back to the office. Heeey! Check please! Rikiya: Yes sir. Three iced coffees comes out to 15 dollars. goon 1: Sure. Give me a receipt. Rikiya: Right now we're offering a free bonus to all Tamashiro Family members of being beaten half to death. goon 1: Oh, got it. Beaten half to... goon 1: Hey! You! Rikiya of the ryudo family! Rikiya: What made you think this was a good idea. Are you all idiots? Didn't you just join up last year? Your only saving grace is that I didn't tell the higher ups about this plan. If I told them, wouldn't all of you get kicked out of the family entirely? goon 1: What are you saying! This plan is going great! Once Kiryu bites it, the market is ours! Rikiya: Moron. You're the one who's going to bite it. goons: Let's teach this brat a lesson! We'll kill you first! <Rikiya kicks their asses> goons: Sh-Shit...! Don't think this is over! We'll have that market!! <they run> Rikiya: Heh, what a bunch of losers. Waitress: Should you chase them down? They might start spreading fake rumors in the city again... Rikiya: Don't worry about it. After today, no one's gonna believe rumors about my aniki Kiryu. Waitress: Are you going to tell the truth to everyone in the market? Rikiya: Yeah. But I can't be the one to say it. Everyone thinks I'm brainwashed, remember? So, can I count on you to explain things? Waitress: You want me to? Rikiya: You're the one who put in the original anonymous message, so it makes sense. If you tell them the truth, it'll unravel this whole tangled web. Waitress: I understand. I'm going to go tell them the truth. Rikiya: Please do. <she leaves> Rikiya: <answering the phone> Hello? Man's voice: Rikiya, you bastard! You've really done it now! Rikiya: That voice... The greenhorn club's leader? Boss: A surprise attack's a real dirty trick! Rikiya: Surprise attack? What are you talking about? Boss: Right now, you've sent Tamashiro members to take over the market! Rikiya: What?! Boss: I should have known Kiryu would brainwash the Tamashiro family too! goon 1, through the phone: I'm smashing everything! This is Kiryu aniki's orders! Boss: S-Stop it!! Rikiya: ...Shit! Those Tamashiro bastards got desperate! I gotta get that lady back from the market!! <she's back at the cofee store> Waitress: What were you talking about when you called me just now? Rikiya: The Tamashiro family is attacking the market! I gotta go stop them! <at the market> goon 1: Ain't this great! Today this market is gonna belong to Kiryu aniki! goon 2: Protection money starts at 1,000,000 yen! Pay up if you don't wanna get squashed! Clerk: Kiryu brainwashed the Tamashiro family too! If I pay that much, I'll go bankrupt! goon 1: I think you'll be lucky number one to pay up. Unless you want Kiryu to show up tomorrow and kill everyone? I'm sure all of you are adults, you can get the money from somewhere! Otherwise Kiryu aniki will... <Kiryu steps in> Kiryu: Otherwise I'll what? (Tl note: YESSSSSSSSSSSSS) goon 1: Ah, this is Kiryu aniki. One second, I have to talk to... goona 1: ....Eh? Kiryu?! Why are you here?! Kiryu: Am I not allowed to shop? I thought the market was open to everyone. goon 1: Y-Yeah...! This market is for everyone...! Especially for aniki! Hahaha! goon 1: Please enjoy the market as much as you like!! We're just gonna get out of your way..!!! Kiryu: Wait. Kiryu: How about you step aside? Something doesn't feel right here. goon 1: Y-Yes sir. (This is my first time seeing him in person, he's so strong! I'm scared!) <Kiryu looks at the letter submitted> Kiryu: I've brainwashed the Tamashiro Family? I'm going to take over the market? Kiryu: Well, looking back on how Rikiya has been acting and talking lately, I've got a pretty good idea on what the situation has been. Clerk 2: K-Kiryu really did come here!! Please, spare my life...!! Kiryu: I'm not going to take over the market or kill any of you. All of that has been a lie from the Tamashiro Family. Clerk 2: You can't fool me! You're a villanous mainlander! Aren't you going to kill me if I can't pay protection money?! Clerk 2: Well, I'm not just gonna roll over and die! I'll cut you to shreds... with this butcher knife! Kiryu: I'm not going to kill you, are you even hearing what I'm saying? Clerk 2: Yeah. I'll believe you if you just let me stab you quietly! Not like that's gonna happen! Do you have weapons hidden around here? A gun? A dagger? What are you going to kill me with? Kiryu: Nope, I came to this market unarmed. Kiryu: Stab me. The heart's on your right. Clerk 2: I-I'm gonna do it! I'm really gonna stab you! Kiryu: Yep. I'm ready. Clerk 2: Hnn....! Hnnnnnn.....!! Dieee!!!!!! goon 1: (Woah! he did it! That's the end of Kiryu!) Kiryu: ...What is it? Why did you stop? clerk 2: What is this? What the hell is all of this!? Kiryu: I want you to believe me. So, this is what I'm doing. clerk 2: You'd throw away your life for a reason like that...? Kiryu: Believing in someone isn't a superficial thing. Especially when you're a stranger to me, trust is hard to build. But, I have to believe in people. I do it for all the orphans living at morning glory. Kiryu: If I, the caretaker, go behind their backs like this, those children won't be able to keep living here. clerk 2: So this... for those children? Kiryu: Yes. I would gladly risk my life to care for them. clerk 2: You, who only thinks of those children even at risk to your body... Can't be the same person who plans to take over this market... clerk 1: I feel the same... You just aren't the kind of guy I've heard about in the rumors! clerk 2: I've decided! I believe Kiryu! clerk 1: Yes, me too! goon 1: (Shit! This is all falling apart!) Kiryu: Hold on a minute, Mister Tamashiro Family Member. goon 1: Wh-What for..?! Kiryu: I'm not the one that needs anything from you, it's them. Clerk 1: Is this all your doing? You spread these terrible rumors and scared us all? Clerk 2: We'll make you feel just as intimidated as we were! You dirty rat! (Tl note: the actual phrase here is an okinawan one meaning he can't be place upwind cause he'd make everything downwind stink) <fade to black> Rikiya: Ha.. Ha...! Where are they? Where's teh Tamashiro family? Goons, beaten to shit: H-help me...! Rikiya: You're, Tamashiro family? goons: We're never gonna come back to this scary ass market again! Rikiya: They hell is going on??? Clerk 2: Rikiya. Rikiya: Meat clerk? Clerk 2: You really weren't brainwashed... We were all wrong... Please, forgive me! Rikiya: Oookay, why are you saying this all the sudden? Clerk 2: We were all brought to our senses. By that guy's manly energy. <Kiryu walks over> Rikiya: A-Aniki!! What are you doing here!? Kiryu: Shake off that shock, you've got a market to show me around, right? Rikiya: What do they mean by, you brought them to their senses with your manly energy? Kiryu: Don't worry about that. There is one thing I don't understand though. You've known about these bad rumors the whole time. Why did you hide it from me? If you'd told me about it earlier it never would have gotten this messy. Rikiya: That was... I had told you before that the people at the market were all kind hearted, and my pride as your otouto (Tl note: opposite of aniki) wouldn't let me make myself a liar like that... I wanted to solve it myself! I didn't want to bother you aniki! Kiryu: We haven't actually exchanged oaths. You just call me aniki. Rikiya: ................ Kiryu: However, if we were really kyoudai, you should bother your aniki a lot. That's the otouto's job. Rikiya: Eh? Kiryu: You said that's your pride as an otouto? I have the same pride as an aniki. I can't allow myself to be taken care of by my otouto. So next time, when there's any trouble, come to me right away for advice. Kiryu: ......Then I'll be happy for you to call me aniki. Rikiya: Uuu... Aniki! Thank you so much! Clerk 2: Hehe. You got yourself a real fine aniki Rikiya! Kiryu-san, we can't apologize to you enough. I fell for those rumors and thought you were a terrifying person. I'm so sorry. Kiryu: It's all fine. By the way, you run a meat store, right? Clerk 2: Yes. We've got every delicious thing you could want, I'll give it to you on the house! Kiryu: Oh, no. I couldn't impose on your like that... That butcher knife however... Clerk 2: The knife... Wh-What do you want to use it on...? Kiryu: For offing. (Tl note: the specific term is シメる which is yakuza slang for killing someone, based on strangling them) Clerk 2: Offing? Kiryu: Why do people never understand me. I'm going to use it to kill. Clerk 2: But I thought... that you weren't a scary person! H-H-Help me!! <he flees> Rikiya: Hold up, what did you mean by that?! You were gonna kill with it?! Kiryu: Hm? Oh, I just bought this at the fish market... Rikiya: That's... a gurukun!? Kiryu: I came to buy it, since it had been forever and you still hand't brought me one. If you ask the fishmonger for a very fresh one, he'll sell you ones that are still alive. But since it's hard to carry with it thrashing around in the bag, I wanted to just off it here. Rikiya: So that's what you meant.......... Aniki, you remember what I was saying to you a while ago? About trying to speak in a more friendly way? Kiryu: Yeah. I've been working on that little by little. Rikiya: Then what was that! Half of this whole thing is your fault cause you sound like a really bad dude! No one would have believed the rumors if you actually sounded like as nice of a guy as you are! Kiryu: Heh, finally the old, hotblooded Rikiya has returned... Great, now I can finally enjoy Rikiya's guided tour of the market. Please show me around thoroughly. It's time to begin our tour. Rikiya: Wait, aniki! Stop just running off on your own...! Jeez~ I guess it can't be helpeddd~ <END>

Bonus facts: okay this isn’t really a fact but my husband walked by while I was reading this and said it was a Rikiya dating sim

By the way, here’s the word I was kind of losing my mind about. It’s uh. It’s a lot tbh.

He also has thoughts on most of the Y3 cast as he goes around the board, here’s his one for Kiryu.

Kiryu no aniki I had no idea a person even greater than my boss existed... No, greater than anyone in the whole wide world!

[sincerepinkhibiscusrightear]

So, I finally watched Boku No Mirai. I wasn’t able to the day it came out because I was in class all day. By the time I got home I basically sat in complete exhaustion until I passed the heck out. BUT my feelings under the cut. Note: It is currently 9am, I am sleep deprived and slightly sugar high. It might get a little off track.

I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to watch this last movie or not. I, like the rest of you, am tired. So, so tired. I was afraid that it would make me angrier than I have been. It’s been three years. I just wanted it to end, but I was afraid of it ending.

I loved it. I cried five times throughout the movie. I was able to appreciate Meiko as a character. The thing that I was worried about the most and hated the most about Tri was rectified.

Does that mean I don’t have my problems with Tri? Heck no. But I’ve been angrier at Loss. But let me go through it.

I watched 4 of the 6 movies with my friend and fellow rp partner @spiritxgun and maybe he can speak of his own thoughts and feelings on the movies. We marathoned Digimon 01 together and went straight to Tri. We initially only meant to watch the first two movies. The first because I thought it was good. The second because it centred around Mimi, and she is the whole reason we watched. Since 02 barely has Mimi in it, there was little point in slogging through what I considered a terrible series just for 2 episodes where she was actually featured as a full character and not just seen for 3 seconds.

But Boku no Mirai crept up on us and I asked him to watch with me, and since we were going to watch the ending, why not the whole thing. Cue marathon. Anyways, sorry for the long sidenote.

Going back to the Real World, the kids have a quiet moment as they basically wait for what to do next. There’s a lot of unsureness and waiting. But there was a good scene with Yamato and Gabumon that I’m glad was there.

I’m not sure why Ordinemon preferenced going after Meiko on the pier and not Hikari in the bed. Ordinemon is 50/50 both their partners. Maybe Meiccoomon just held stronger influence. That’s likely it. Now it’s a desperate race to defeat Ordinemon.

I’m actually quite happy that Homeostasis wasn’t made out to be evil. Or that Yggdrasil necessarily went crazy. She was just doing what she thought was best, and I think it was rather kind of her to take the time to warn the children they were going against what she thought was against everyone’s best interests for peace, order and balance. Others may not see it as kindness, but that’s what I took away. These were her charges and while she doesn’t have a full range of human empathy, it is required, I think, to some degree to keep balance.

It just turns out the kids didn’t want her balance if it meant rebooting everything all the time. You know what? Good on them. I was starting to get annoyed that it felt like the kids were just caught between two feuding gods and had no business doing anything. So being proactive and fighting against her wishes was wonderful.

I also loved that Hackmon actually felt the most empathy toward the children. At least that seemed to be what was hinted with his words of ‘this isn’t what I wanted, either.’ Of course I can’t quote verbatim.

Actually, thinking of Hackmon and how James was surprised at Hackmon being Jesmon, I realized that we never saw Alphamon’s other forms. Any of them. Coupled with that, the mystery of the fake Gennai since Gennai was being kept with the 02 kids. Maybe Fake!Gennai is Alphamon?

Both of us wanted Fake!Gennai to die. Both of us thought at the same time how hilarious it would be if he got caught in the crossfire while gloating and just ceased.

I’m glad actually that one of my fears was proven wrong. I was hoping that Tri wasn’t just an excuse to establish the formation of the Royal Knights. That somehow Homeostasis wasn’t going to be overthrown for Yggdrasil, that constantly malfunctioning thing and get established a round table of knights that never seem to get along and always feud with one another and fall apart at the seems, replacing the concept of a Digidestined/Chosen Child for that.

I’m happy that the world isn’t idyllic and perfect like 02′s epilogue depicted. I hated it. Even as a child I thought it was too simplistic and fanficcy. Of course it sucks that everyone but the Chosen detest digimon now, but at best I expect an uneasy acceptance of digimon with fluctuating parts hate, neutrality and like for digimon as the world comes to terms with the idea of the Digital World existing alongside theirs.

I’m also glad that the memories of the digimon were restored. I know a lot of people hate the idea of their memories coming back. But it wasn’t the idea of the memories coming back that irked me. It was the status quo of the relationships not changing. At all. None of the digimon acted any differently or formed different relationships with their partners despite the lack of memories. Gatomon/Tailmon retained her Champion form despite the reboot making it so that in the new Digital World’s history she no longer had to struggle under Myotismon. But it seemed like the reboot wasn’t a complete clean slate. The history still affected the digimon in some way, and I think that was a hint that the memories would return. That something would be restored. I just wish there was a more visible contrast to there being a change in the first place. But I would have been just as angry if the memories had been returned in the same movie it was revealed they were definitely lost.

I’m sorry but Memory Loss for Drama/The Sads just is really a pet peeve of mine. I am who I am because of who I was, and my memories are a testament to that. So such a concept as one’s memories is important to me, personally. I don’t expect anyone else to share my feelings on the matter.

Regarding Wizardmon, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I think it was great how he was shown, but considering his hat was on the poster I would have liked to see him have more screen time. But seeing him there still made me cry and whisper soundlessly to James and somehow he still heard me through my microphone. How, I have no idea because honestly I was that quiet.

Since we’re talking about characters making appearances, I’ll also talk about the 02 kids. I am one of those people who don’t really give a fuck about the 02 kids. Sorry, but they more annoy me than anything. Except for maybe Iori and MAAAAYBE Ken. Maybe. If I hadn’t known that Tri was supposed to focus on the 01 kids I’d be more upset. But since it was very clearly established it wasn’t going to be on the 02 kids, I was satisfied with the idea that the kids probably wouldn’t actually be SEEN until the 6th movie and lo and behold I was right.

The movies do actually a good job with never letting us forget that the 02 kids are missing. But it was very evident we wouldn’t see them until the end. Why the 01 kids never wondered why they were absent, I’m not sure. I figured they moved to go to different high schools. An explanation just for clarity would have been nice.

The password for unlocking Meiccoomon’s memories was good, man. James was there speculating it would be Meiko’s name. But he figured that would be too simple. When he asked what I thought, I said ‘Ta much’ and TA DA! I win~

On Mimi, I was actually super happy that Mimi was so empathetic and passionate in this movie. I loved how she picked up Koromon. I wanted her to comfort him more. There wasn’t a lot of her in terms of screen time, but I was happy with what was there. It felt very ‘her’ to me, or how I always saw her to be.

The pacing was better than the last two movies. The animation budget seemed to be better, but I think there were a few quirks of what felt like a running-low-on-budget production, but it wasn’t as bad as that frigging montage of stills in Loss. That took both of us out of the story.

The second reboot itself felt a little iffy. Maybe I’d be more pissed if I hadn’t immediately thought of the concept that they already justified such a possibility with their more philosophical discussions previously. Plus it was definitely in line with Homeostasis and what she would do. Going back to Hackmon, I’m glad someone, even if it was Meiko, finally brought up the idea of whether or not Homeostasis even cared about them as people or was heartless, and going after Hackmon. Hackmon, likewise, I’m glad told Meiko to shut up about apologizing. But in a nicer way.

There was no repeat of conversations unlike Symbiosis, which started feeling repetitive. So that was good.

Both Maki and Daigo seemed to have died. Maki I stopped caring about, though I recognize the tragedy of her character. A Chosen fallen into despair and gone astray. She was abused and cracked under pressure of being a pawn. Daigo got his heroic farewell and I wouldn’t have been happier any other way. Even though he was the favourite of the newcomers. I just wanted him to be happy, but if he can’t be alive and happy, I’m glad he’s at least still happy while dead.

Orinemon’s ass shots were distracting. There’s no getting around that. Seriously who fucking flies like that? How is that natural looking in any way shape or form? It’s not aerodynamic by any means. Sure, her wings double as hands doubling as digimon n stuff but feetwings still need aerodynamic everything to fly properly. Legs down and bent over is not that.

I’m glad at least it felt like no other character got that treatment. Lillymon once with the flying I guess. But they could have been so much worse with Angewomon and Rosemon and they weren’t.

Yamato’s quip about shooting for space irked me. I’m sorry but why the fuck? Just a casual ‘lol I guess I’ll be random and quit my music career to 1-Up/Emulate Taichi’. You did NOT earn that! GTFO with it you are still a musician to me and always will be. Shoot for the stars in your music videos you absolute loser dweeb.