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aloyiouis · 2 months ago

Note

elaborate on the motherhood

regarding motherhood and p3? Sure. I’ll use minato as a name, typing hero for too long gets annoying. general p3 spoilers as we continue.

first, we’ll seperate motherhood into two concepts. childbirth and maternal presence. childbirth is the process of becoming a mother. maternal presence is the aftermath. sometimes both can fit under the word, sometimes only one exists. it’s interchangeable. keep this in mind.

let’s skip to our awakening. to my knowledge, every persona awakening so far has only resulted in one being summoned. this is an unspoken rule of the world, so when minato presses the evoker to his head and calls to orpheus, things seem relatively regular.

until, minato starts to scream.

something is inside orpheus. and it wants out. the embodiment of minatos soul twists and contorts to fit this Thing inside of him. and then, it rips out, tearing orpheus to pieces.

orpheus’s head lurches back in a screaming position as the rebirth of death occurs.

“birth” isn’t just a means of granting life. it weighs heavily on the mother, irreversibly changing her entire body structure. you can never be the same after giving birth, you tear upon a wound that cannot be stitched together. birth is painful and life altering.

but, surely this is ridiculous. childbirth, seriously? there’s something missing here. the child in childbirth? where is the child? that thing is a strange and terrifying monster, where on earth is the-

oh, right. hello pharos. he arrived along with this being. it probably means nothing. they’re totally not the same fucking guy.

afterwards, minato passes out from exhaustion, and takes a long while to recover whilst in the hospital. for minato, carrying death was painful and life altering. since now, he can never be the same.

(this is personal input, but due to the mature appearance of mituru’s persona despite being 8 years old at the time during summoning, i think it was subconsciously filling in the lack of maternal presence. again, personal interpretation.)

moving on. we first meet minato, yukari, mitsuru, junpei and akihiko. minato had a mother, but she was slaughtered in an accident. yukari has a mother, but complications exist between them. mitsuru and junpeis mothers also seem to be out of the picture. i presume they’re dead, but i could be wrong. akihiko’s adopted, and his current ‘mother’ doesn’t seem very relevant in his life. either way, they’re all clearly lacking parental supervision in the dorms.

after speaking to the chairman (the only present adult currently) minato is now part of a group fighting against shadows, referred to as SEES. in other words, you’re a child soldier now. congrats! usually children with more stable support systems and family dynamics would be less vulnerable to such things. maybe if minato had a mother, she should see through the chairman’s lies. maybe he would’ve been protected. but he doesn’t. but he does now have a child that now visits him every full moon. maybe with enough love, pharos could grow to be unlike minato.

we are further introduced to other members of SEES. fuuka. her home-life exists behind closed doors, and she can’t wait to be rid of it. she does not speak of her mother, and that says enough about her. aigis. she was created by scientists. ken, a presumably bastard child with a single mother. he was orphaned after she was killed in an accident. and shinjiro is another orphan. Mother’s Day must be a blast for this mob.

the first death of the series to due to maternal presence. well, more like a lack of it. after shinjiro killed his mother, ken has been left alone. suicidal in primary school. poor thing. he would be happier if she was still here. he devises a plan to avenge her. in the end, shinjiro dies. but he is instead killed by strega.

strega is in a similar boat to SEES. if they had mothers, perhaps they could’ve been spared from this mess. instead they were experimented on, and implanted with beings that destroy them from the inside. hm. sounds familiar.

time passes. shadows of the arcana are defeated as something else grows. tartarus is described as a nest of shadows. it’s like an anthill. but we are yet to the see the mother, the queen. pharos leaves, says he’s remembered what he has to do.

we are then introduced to ryoji.

ryoji. he’s a masculine ladies man. bit odd at times, but well adjusted. sweet thing that seems to be made with pure love. a glaring contrast to the current state of SEES. but let’s not kid ourselves here. we know what ryoji really is. but he doesn’t.

death is a constant throughout the narrative. you can sort it into two categories. the death of a loved one and Death. the Death that Tartarus is built to host, the Death is the part of the moon, the Death that tore apart orpheus, the Death holding the contract. The Death extracted from Nyx.

Death calls himself ryoji mochizuki. and she is the avatar for the maternal being.

Nyx, the planet eater. referred to by feminine terms since a deity that caused creation of humanity and all cognitive beings can’t be masculine. men cant be mothers. according to the scientists, at least.

either way, this Death that has plagued the narrative has a label. and she is introduced as a mother. it’s contradictory combination. so far, hasn’t this discussion surrounded motherhood being the giver of life? but, persona 3 is about living as much as it is about dying. if you to say to live is to die, wouldn’t you say the same about birth? to be born is to die. you come from Her, and you will return to Her.

ryoji wears a scarf. it’s often joked to be random, but i think it’s supposed to look like a nuchal cord. for those unaware, a nuchal cord is when the umbilical cord wraps itself around the babies neck during pregnancy. although rare, it can result in strangulation. i think this is meant represent the only way he can be killed. which is by the being that created him.

the fact ryoji can only be killed by minato speaks for itself. minato had a entity that placed inside him as a child, and that thing will kill everything on this earth. Death ruined his entire life, placed a limit on his lifespan. Death is a parasite that makes him weaker by the day. nonetheless, minato holds no ill will to Death. so he spares him.

the final boss battle. the final cry. we meet ryoji, or what’s become of him. or her. you cant really tell anymore.

one unspoken point ive held though this entire post is pregnancy is a form of body horror. motherhood is a form of body horror. it can still be a beautiful and nurturing thing, but it all falls down to what you make of it. sometimes it is a role you do not want.

ryojis body is contorted and twisted into something barely recognisable. nyx avatar is primarily referred to as a she. although, she still has a flat chest and a deep voice. we see a character that was introduced to us as a child, now be fully ‘grown’ and now called Mother.

the inside the moon, you’re met with a being labelled as pure “Death”

to match the avatars avian appearance, the final fight of this game is between minato and an egg. it’s a perfect final form. i don’t have to explain to you what an egg means at this point, it’s the representation of birth of all life.

i could end it there, with the primordial mother of all life and death herself being presented by an egg. but i still have some things to about minato. as i keep repeatedly stating, by holding death minato was forever changed. and finally by the end of the game, he dies.

and he becomes a massive door at the ends of the universe, with six massive eyes. again, he will never be the same. if he had never created Death, if he had never held Death inside him, he would’ve lived. but in the end, like a loving mother (and The Universe, now protecting the world that nyx created), i don’t think he regrets a thing.

#i typed half of this halfaslsep and im posting it in the morning #there’s probably points ive missed but i wanna stop typing this #fuck it maintaggjng #persona 3 spoilers

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mixu · 1 year ago

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Naruto and H1n0t0's wedding chapter confirms SNS

Today in why Shippuden’s ending actually supports sns case, we’ll analyze the last sequence of the last chapter. (If you haven’t read the previous parts, you can find them here pt. 1&2, pt. 3, pt.4, although it’s not necessary to read them in order.) So, without further ado:

Pt 5. Naruto would rather be anywhere but here

As usual I leave my crappy clip from the scene then we’ll examine the expressions, body language of the characters and some of the editing. There’s very little dialogue but a lot to unpack.

The scene starts with Naruto and Hinata staring up at the Hokage Monument.

Who knows how long they’ve been at it, but Hinata is making the same face I make when I go to the museum and fail to understand why someone takes more than 5 minutes to appreciate a painting (excuse my uncultured ass). She then tells Neji’s ghost she is getting married (as if poor Neji cared) and turns to look at Naruto who is uncannily serious for someone who is about to marry the love of his life.

We get a close off of Minato’s face and Naruto’s profile, still serious. What is he thinking about? I very highly doubt he’s thinking about the honeymoon.

Then we get Hinata true to her stalker self, blushing, looking lovingly, dreamingly at Naruto, when Naruto doesn’t even know she’s there. She’s getting married to the man she loves (if you count that as love) so, acceptable, understandable expressions. And I want to emphasize how many expressions of Hinata they show us in contrast to Naruto’s during the whole sequence (3 is being generous).

One could argue that Naruto is looking back at her, but is he? Then why don’t they show us a broader shot of them staring at each other lovingly? Because that’s not the case. That’s their relationship in a nutshell: Hinata staring at Naruto incessantly while Naruto is barely aware of her presence. Furthermore, when Hanabi and Hiashi enter, making Naruto and Hinata turn around, Naruto first looks at Hinata as if asking “you were here the whole time?” then goes back to serious mode.

The following shots of the Hyuuga give us so much information. Hanabi is excited, smiling because she has no clue of the farce, while Hiashi is stern as he has always been, but he had changed after the Chuunin exams, didn’t he? Why does Hinata suddenly looks so worried? She was smiling a second ago? The transition of Hiashi’s expression reminds me of that meme where the father says “He looks gay to me, but whatever makes my princess happy.” So, with Hiashi’s blessing, Hinata smiles again. Once more, notice how many different expressions she has, when Naruto doesn’t even appear in the shot.

What follows is pure gold.

Is it just me or Naruto takes ages to return Hinata’s handhold?

Next, the first image of this batch is so hilarious to me. Hinata is looking down at their hands as if to confirm it is actually happening. Hanabi is more excited than anyone in the room even when it is Hinata and Naruto who are getting married. Naruto’s expression in images 1, 2 and 6 might have been as well copy pasted. Why? He is your main character, why are you hiding his face on every opportunity. Plus, number 4 is so bad. It looks like he is bracing for battle.

Naruto asks Hinata if she's ready, and off they go into a mediocre, loveless marriage for the sake of Konoha and Kishimoto’s, SJ and SP wallets. Look at Naruto’s half-assed smile.

This clip is 74 sec long and we only get to see Naruto’s face/head during 19 sec. That’s roughly a quarter of the whole sequence, and even when Naruto appears, we rarely get a close off of his face. Furthermore, when we do get a close off, there’s no range of emotion (watch Dragon Ball or FMA Brotherhood’s last chapter and compare Edward and Goku’s portrayal to that of Naruto). Why would the studio hide the main character like this? Why focus so much only in the love interest and not the couple? Because there is no happy ending for Naruto. He got trapped between duty, his promises and the expectations cast upon him, and the worst part is those who were supposed to look after him looked the other way.

You can read this post in which the author analyzes similar inconsistences across Gaiden and Boruto. The conjecture is pretty much the same: Naruto gave up Sasuke and married Hinata because that was what everyone told him, directly or indirectly, he was supposed to do.

None of these choices are accidental. We saw what the studio wanted to show us like we read what Kishimoto wanted us to read. Perhaps those last chapters weren’t as clumsy as we thought, but we were too hurt by the Last, Boruto and chapter 700 to notice the characters were responding accurately given the circumstances they were facing and the values of their world. And, people can say whatever about us sns being delusional, but Naruto didn’t get a happy ending (I won’t even talk about Sasuke because there’s no doubt that he got the short end of the stick). We know how happy Naruto is supposed to look like.

So, this is it. Even this wedding fiasco reinforces SNS and now it hurts a thousand times more. Thanks for reading my ramblings and sorry for the quality of the images and the video. I don’t have time to make better edits but I really wanted to share this. I’ll go back to the fanfic world where everything is right.

#sns #sns analysis #sasunaru #narusasu #anti naruhina #anti naruto ending

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cachu302 · 7 months ago

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Gotchard and love languages

Watching Gotchard (and being probably one of the very few fans of the show) got me in the mood to do some more character insight and character study. I really enjoy watching how the characters interact with one another, which is easily one of the main strengths of the main writer, Hasegawa. In particular, the smaller moments and scenes stand out to me more than the bigger plot points, though more so for the students than the adults.

Crap, I sound like Kyuun.

Renge

Let’s start with the Osaka alchemist, Renge. Renge initially sticks out as a receiving gifts kind of person. She’s very upfront about possessions, seeming very comfortable with asking Houtaro to trade two of her on hand Chemies (Energyl and Sasukemaru, the bois!). When Minato moves to mind wipe his students, Renge’s immediate action after escaping is to start discarding her prized alchemy equipment, as Sabimaru points out. Renge felt happy receiving her alchemist tools, because it meant that she could start making an effort to help her family’s financial situation. But now those tools become a reminder of the state of the academy under Geryon’s control.

Around the time everyone resolves to keep collecting (and saving) the Chemies, Renge’s love language shifts to quality time. Some part of her has realized that she’s happier spending time with Sabimaru, Houtaro, and Rinne, more so than when she was all in on learning how to be a big-shot alchemist. Really, all four members of the Kitchen ICHINOSE Alliance seem to gravitate more towards quality time after they meet Daybreak Houtaro. Beyond that, however, Renge’s character moments become more focused on her bond with the others: how she and Sabimaru planned out extracting and transmuting Zukyunpire’s essence as a counter against the Abyssalis sisters as a way of supporting their Kamen Rider junior students. The Ninetail arc in her grandmother’s hometown really sells how Renge is focusing on spending time with her loved ones. Even when the Kyūbi Malgam unearths the hot springs, Renge focuses on how her grandmother’s town is safe, and that she’s still going to be able to visit her, rather than be like, “My Nana’s hometown can make money!”

Sabimaru

In contrast to Renge, Sabimaru starts out as a quality time kind of guy. Given that he’s poor at communication without the help of Isaac, it’s a bit surprising to see that just being around his new junior, Houtaro, is enough to get him excited about Chemy hunting. It’s not about hunting for the Chemies that gets to him, it’s more about how he can now spend time with others who share his interests. And that extends to the Chemies as well. Aside from Houtaro, Sabimaru is easily the next best friend to the Chemies, with how he’s seen playing with them while Houtaro and Rinne are away on their school trip. When he’s invited to the Ichinose Christmas celebration, he bonds with Kajiki about the idea that Santa is an alien. Now he has another friend outside of the academy that he can share interests in.

His brief stint as Dread also further reinforces his need for quality time. The way Sabimaru acts while captured by the Sisters, and his reluctance to fight, despite being strong armed to do so (so much so he breaks his arm trying to resist), it’s clear he misses his classmates. His friends. And when Houtaro saves him with the power of UFO-X, a Chemy he’s been fascinated with, he’s elated. He’s home, he’s back with his friends, he can spend time with them again, he’s not going to die as a pawn of the Sisters. Sabimaru is definitely going to double down on quality time with his friends.

Spanner

Spanner is a bit difficult to pin down, mainly because he’s a jackass so elusive. Despite that, it feels like Spanner responds more to physical touch, which is ironic, since he keeps everyone at arm’s length. Obviously, he doesn’t make many moves to get to know the rest of the gang, especially Houtaro, but it’s more telling when the only one he really lets in is his mother Kyoka. Kyoka is the only one who is shown to be allowed to invade Spanner’s personal space. When Houtaro offers him a handshake, he brushes him off. When he and Houtaro are duking it out over possession of the Gotchardriver, he’s keeping Houtaro at a distance, only striking him with the bokuto. When he takes over Houtaro’s call to Sabimaru, he basically rips Sabi’s phone from his hands (rude). Even Rinne, who we see he’s making an effort to be cordial to, he avoids contact with. When Bolt has her dangling in the air, Spanner ignores her and goes straight for him.

When his parents are revived, it’s one of the few times Spanner is visibly happy. Full smile and everything, not the arrogant smirk he gives the younger students (Houtaro). While he doesn’t physically interact with them, the implications of his time as Kyoka’s ward really start to sink in. Without his parents to offer him guidance, Spanner will lose himself to his black flames. The flashbacks of his adjustment to living with Kyoka show her hugging him, patting his shoulder in congratulations and encouragement, physically interacting with him. He’s not completely happy with her, but his is better than if he were to be left alone. And especially after he returns as Kamen Rider Valvarad, the first thing Kyoka does? She side-hugs him. Spanner, despite the torment and despairing realization he’ll never see his parents again, is content.

Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis

All three of the Abyssalis sisters start as receivers of words of affirmation, especially from Geryon. Leading up to his appearance, everything is for HIS plans. They don’t really have any other purpose than to start development on the Dreadriver. However, the creation of Dread isn’t as important to them as gaining Geryon’s approval.

Clotho is the simplest of the sisters, at least at first. Receiving the belly warmer power-up to her is evident that she’s received Geryon’s approval. And that seems to be all she needs. Grabbing the Gotchardriver from Houtaro would grant him access to the Door of Darkness, and further their plans. The process of doing so would easily net her more approval, so she steps up her game to seize power. But then Geryon gets yeeted into the shadow realm disappears, leaving her without purpose. Houtaro’s questioning of her purpose, her Gotcha, makes her realize that she craves approval, but also that she wants to keep her sisters, her family, intact. She craves quality time with Lachesis and Atropos, but her pride and rivalry with Houtaro prevents her from admitting so. And with her recent power up, who would need quality time when she can easily crush her rival?

Atropos is very clear cut from the start. She’s easily Geryon’s favorite, so out the gate she’s the only one receiving praise, apologies, and validation. Her specialty in escalating the situation easily wins her most of Geryon’s approval, so she’s content with keeping the situation as uniform as possible. Unlike Clotho, who basically wallows in uncertainty after his disappearance, Atropos doubles down on the scheming and escalating the situation, imagining herself winning more of Geryon’s affection, likely as a coping mechanism. The incident with Tsukumo could also be her attempt to deprive Rinne of her love language, as revenge for the disappearance of her own parent.

Unlike her sisters, Lachesis has rarely received Geryon’s approval. She’s the only one who doubts his leadership and methods. When Clotho tries to overclock the Dreadriver to take down Gotchard at the likely cost of her own life, Lachesis is visibly scared and worried for her sister, realizing that his plans don’t account for the sisters’ well-being. Upon Geryon’s arrival, he basically HIJACKS her body to be used for the Orochi Malgam, and leaves her defeated and alone, if not for Clotho coming to retrieve her. When Geryon creates the Cerberus Malgam, he doesn’t even bat an eye when Lachesis is thrown aside and injured, and only shows concern for Atropos, leaving the youngest sister bitter and envious. And then the tipping point comes when Geryon targets Spanner. Now Lachesis, having been given the short stick multiple times, bears witness to how truly relentless and unforgiving Geryon truly is. Is she going to be tortured like Spanner? Suddenly validation doesn’t seem so enticing when she’s at the risk of being torn apart in exchange.

Now Lachesis understands the hollowness of Geryon’s approval. Why should she try to receive validation when it’s clear he never cared for her in the first place? Her misgivings are further cemented when her own sisters are ordered to eliminate her. Clotho is hesitant, but Atropos is all in. Now she’s been abandoned, so what else can she do? She flees. Joins up with the Alchemists’ Academy as a ward of Kyoka. Lachesis is not happy, and the only love language she’s ever known now seems hollower than ever.

Rinne

I won’t go much into Rinne’s analysis since I did that in my last post. But at the very least, it’s obvious that Rinne is recipient to words of affirmation, just like the sisters. Her self-esteem is lower than that of her peers, though that may be the result of her self-isolation and full focus into her studies and alchemy, so it stands to reason that just hearing encouragement from another person (Houtaro) would be enough to make her feel seen, loved, and happy. Like mentioned above, Atropos capitalizes on this with Tsukumo by creating a scenario where Rinne would be unable to receive affirmation from her greatest connection, Houtaro, though this isn’t the case, since Houtaro absolutely trusts Rinne no matter what. In #4, just hearing Houtaro say that he believes her is enough to convince Rinne to escape the labyrinth. Houtaro believes her, believes in her, and is willing to let her know that as much as he can.

A side tangent: as seen in #14, as well as outright stated by Clotho in #27, the Gotchardriver gains power through cheers, encouragement, and belief. As such, it’s probable that the Alchemis Driver works similarly, only the effect is much more noticeable. Before Minato arrives to encourage Rinne, she’s getting easily overwhelmed by the Mammoth Malgam, enough so that her transformation fails. As soon as her teacher arrives and tells her to, “Fight like yourself,” she’s able to overpower the Malagm right back. And with enough encouragement, Majade is able to synergize herself easily with Platinum Gotchard.

Houtaro

The Gotcha boy himself. Houtaro is definitely one of the happier characters on the show, always surrounded by his friends and loved ones, whether they be Chemy or human. So it would stand to reason he’d be the happiest receiving words of affirmation or spending quality time with others. Yes, that’s true, but Houtaro seems to be at his brightest whenever he’s engaging in acts of service. For him, the simple act of helping someone is enough to make him happy. Receiving affirmation and quality time is also important, but to him, they’re more like smaller goals that help him reach the overall larger picture goal. Fighting against Malgams and freeing the Chemies will definitely make the Chemies happy that they are understood and have someone who is so willing to just be their friend, instead of seeing them as tools or freaks of nature. And if there’s someone who’s connected to the Chemy incident of the week? Houtaro makes it his goal to help them as well. Think of Mr. Asahi, who gave up on pro wrestling, only to be able to live his dream again thanks to Houtaro’s intervention. What about Riku, the boy with an overbearing parent? If eliminating the malice in his father’s heart can help resolving things and bring a happy end to all parties, then Houtaro is all for it. A classmate who wants to revive the drama club? Houtaro is willing to take part in the play just to get more students to join. Who cares if they find his acting hokey, or if Rinne s l a p s him in the middle of the show? As long as Mikuriya’s satisfied, then that’s great! Even at the cost of his well-being (fighting monsters) or striving for his Gotcha, Houtaro aims to make people happy.

Because isn’t that what Kamen Riders do?

His cooking skills also point to him favoring acts of service as a love language. Here, he is expressing his appreciation, his acknowledgment, what have you, of the recipient. Of course, since his choice of ingredients is… unique, the response of disgust and/or dismissal (or insults, in Spanner’s case) would be seen as a refusal or a downplay of his act of service. Rinne’s comment of “Something’s off,” followed by his outburst of “No Gotcha!” shows that he’s upset the other person didn’t understand his feelings. Of course, being Houtaro, it’s not enough to make him give up, and instead, he resolves to better next time. And the next time. So on and so forth. Until his feelings are properly conveyed.

TLDR, I love the character interactions in this show, and I’ve spent so much time thinking about it.

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bengiyo · 8 months ago

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Cherry Magic Anime Ep 10 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Tsuge and Minato grew closer when Tsuge used his powers to help Minato reconcile with Rokkaku by sharing his experience of growing apart from Adachi when he was a struggling writer. Kurosawa began using Adachi’s powers to flirt with him at work. Adachi was offered a position at a faraway branch, but decided to not tell Kurosawa about it because he didn’t want to be apart. Kurosawa was frustrated when he learned that Adachi didn’t involve him in this decision. We left them parting on bad terms because Adachi was unable to express himself.

I don’t know how I would cope with my crush reading the romance novel I wrote about them.

Thank you, Tsuge, for being direct with Adachi. Sometimes you need your bestie to tell you when you’re being an asshole. They’re also on your side, so they’re going to help you get your head out of your ass.

OOF! That judge just crushed Minato.

Okay, I really love that we’re getting multiple versions of Tsuge encouraging Minato not to give up. I love the scooter running out of gas as a metaphor.

Get you a man willing to commit blasphemy and drive across the city for you.

Getting emotional about Minato’s friends being here to support him because Tsuge encouraged Minato to open back up to them.

Now, Tsuge, why did you say you had ulterior motives? That’s so ridiculous. Just tell this man you like him.

My boy lost!

Oh, Tsuge, you are killing me, my dude. You’ve heard Minato’s thoughts. He doesn’t dislike you!

Well well well. My boy got picked up by SHOWTA!

Adachi is just going to Nagasaki for 10 days! All this drama for 10 days? I’m going to shake him!!

We’re really in it now, girls! Both of our telepaths are in their own heads too much. I like the focus on the sides this week instead of spending an entire episode on our leads moping about each other.

#Ben watches #cherry magic #cherry magic anime #cherry magic! thirty years of virginity can make you a wizard?!#30 sai made doutei dato mahoutsukai ni nareru rashii #japanese bl #bl series

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depressedhatakekakashi · 4 months ago

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Thinking of Team Minato with Gai instead of Obito

Thinking of Kakashi starting off still being snobby and a prick, but also genuinely getting along with Gai and having an active and willing sparing partner that wanted to grow stronger and challenge him.

Thinking of Gai pumping rin up and instead of getting upset about her crush on Kakashi, reminding her to focus on her training and to keep pushing herself

Thinking of Gai supporting Rin in her medical training, but also in her trap works and Kakashi at first hovering back watching it all happen before coming forward and both helping rin with her traps and learning more about traps from her because he LOVES to improve himself and isn’t ashamed to ask for help in area’s he’s lacking in.

Thinking of Kakashi never really getting to perfect his chidori without the sharingan, but Gai pumping him up to figure something else out so he starts exploring other jutsu and creations until he comes up with his chidori stream (which doesn’t increase his speed as much and can slice through targets) so that he can STILL use his jutsu but in a new and interesting way

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thefinalcinderella · 2 years ago

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Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 1 - Eccentrics (Part 2)

Kuon Takumi making a strong argument for bringing back the guillotine~~

The translation notes in this chapter...bro...if anything doesn’t make sense, please let me know

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. Sessha (拙者) is an archaic pronoun used by samurai

2. The Sanjuusangen-dou is a Buddhist Temple in Kyoto

3. A kamidana is a miniature household altar

4. These are puns (thanks Seiya). In Japanese, it’s “待つだけうめえ” which also sounds like “松竹梅”, which are pine, bamboo, and plum. The other one is 六つのひょうたんで無病息災”. The 無病 (mubyou) also sounds like “six gourds.”

5. Rokumeikan was a symbol of Westernization during the Meiji period, commissioned for the housing of foreign guests

6. Haikara refers to dressing in the Western style especially during the Meiji era. Haikara-san refers to the protagonist of the shojo manga series, Haikara-san ga Tooru, who wears a blue hakama, arrow-patterned kimono, and a large ribbon in her hair.

7. The text in my book reads ポールダンス which means pole dancing but I’m pretty sure it’s actually referring to ballroom dancing

8. Kuon’s name contains the character for beauty, 美

Previous | Next

First target/Oomae: Onogi Kaito (second year) - seven hits

Second target /Nakamae: Yamanouchi Ryouhei (second year) - six hits

Third target/Naka: Takehaya Seiya (second year) - eight hits

Fourth target/Ochimae: Kanbayashi Hikaru (first year) - six hits

Fifth target/Ochi: Narumiya Minato (second year) - seven hits

Reserve: Kisaragi Nanao (second year) - five hits

Himuro Arata (first year) - five hits

Everyone’s gazes were focused on the ochimae. A reality that no one had ever expected was there.

Kanbayashi pressed Tommy-sensei for an answer.

“I really can’t be one of the starters! I’m okay today, but I fall apart when it comes to an actual match. Kisarag-senpai, please replace me!”

“No, no, no. This is a good chance for you to get used to real matches. I plan on snatching a regular spot, so don’t let your guard down, Kanbayashi.”

Nanao and Kaito went to the azuchi to clean up. The two of them efficiently put things away. After their underclassmen left, Nanao muttered, “...Maybe I should have touched Minato’s forehead too.”

Kaito flicked Nanao’s forehead.

“Ow! What did you do that for, Kacchan?”

“Shut up, don’t make such an ugly face.”

“What are you talking about, I’m not the ugly one here.”

Nanao flicked Kaito’s forehead back, and the two of them ended up falling on their behinds.

Seiya, watching from the shajo, sighed.

“What are they doing over there?”

Ryouhei was hanging over his mop.

“Those cousins really do get along.”

Nanao would never say this to Seiya and Ryouhei, but he was stunned when he was dropped from the regular lineup. Even though the five of them couldn’t even do taihai in sync together a year ago, through daily practice, training camps, and competitions, they were able to become true comrades. They learned that the bow wasn’t something you drew on your own. But if he mentioned that he was shaken, he wouldn’t be supporting the newcomer Kanbayashi on joining the regular lineup. As a senior, he had to avoid that.

Masa-san was next to Minato, who was watching Nanao and Kaito.

“Don’t worry, Minato. Nanao will be fine.”

“I know.”

Minato took off the bowstring from his bow and put it in his bow case.

The awkward singing of the cuckoo from this morning had become somewhat better.

Deep in the mountains, sprouts could be felt on the ridgelines, and wild hares were twitching their noses. Schools of small fish swam by, perhaps lured by the murmuring of the streams of melted snow.

Shuu was alone in the open-air bath. He fully stretched his arms and legs in the water. His eyes feasted on the greenery, his ears were intoxicated by the melody of the water, and his nose was stimulated by the scent of the trees. How wonderful nature was.

In the bath next to him, the twin brothers were shivering.

“It’s so cold, Sen-nii,” Manji said.

“Endure it, endure it,” Senichi answered.

“Shuu went in there with a completely calm look on his face earlier, you know? Look at him.”

Spring arrived later in the mountains than in the lower regions. In some places, the snow hadn’t yet melted.

“Sen, Man. You have to enter a cold bath while exhaling. Alternating hot and cold baths is a part of yoga, and it’s effective in keeping your head cool and your feet warm, as well as creating a relaxed upper body and a stable lower body.”

“Training, that’s what training is!”

When they heard Shuu say it was time to switch baths, Senichi and Manji jumped out of their bath with cries of “Hyaah!” They rushed into the steamy open-air bath. Shuu didn’t move at all, leisurely soaking his body in the cold water.

Hearing that Shuu was going to his villa, the twins forced themselves along. They were excited to see how luxurious it would be in the mountains owned by the Fujiwara family, but it was a hermitage-like house with only one attendant—the elderly butler, Toujou.

Senichi and Manji also finished up with cold water and rehydrated after getting out of the bath.

In actuality, Kabashima and Yushima, third-years at Kirisaki High School, and the graduates Motomura and Sase were also with them. The four of them had already left the baths and were relaxing in the living room.

“Please chew and enjoy your food thoroughly.”

Dinner was Toujou’s home cooking. Because food native to the south cooled the body and lowered immunity, local outdoor-grown vegetables were plentifully used. It was a very gentle flavor. They joined hands to thank Toujou, the farmers, the sun, the rain, and the earth.

“It’s so good. Motomura, make this next time,” Sase said.

“Understood. However, you should prepare the ingredients.”

Motomura went to a local national university, and Sase went to a private university in Tokyo, but they still saw each other often.

Feeling cleansed both physically and mentally, the twins picked up their phones. Kabashima frowned when he saw that.

“You guys are still on your phones even here? Go on a phone fast.”

“Huh? But isn’t there a TV there? We were thinking of watching Yotube.”

In perfect synchronization, Senichi and Manji pointed to the spot where there was a large monitor set up. This was where Shuu studied the shooting forms of different people.

“You can watch Yotube there too. Everyone, go and rest. I’m going to make a bonfire in the yard.”

“A bonfire!? How far does your garden go? And by yourself? That can wait until next time. Let’s do something we can only do now.”

At Yushima’s urging, Shuu took a seat.

On the screen were two boys dressed in orange kyudo wear.

They were Asahina and Eddie from the kyudo Yotube channel, “Yumihiki Douji.” It was launched a year ago, and the name came from an Edo-period mechanical doll. It was created by the scientific engineer, Tanaka Hisashige, and it was a doll that repeated the advanced movements of taking an arrow from a quiver, nocking it on a bow, and shooting it.

If Asahina had to be described in one word, it would be Tokyoite. Although he didn’t come from a family that had been in Tokyo for three generations, he was friendly and good-natured, and his hair was red, almost pink in color.

Eddie was an American with his blond hair tied in a ponytail and a Japanese mother. He was studying abroad in Japan because he became addicted to period dramas. He spoke fluent Japanese and he used “sessha” as his personal pronoun. (1) He often did strange poses.

Asahina made a gesture of drawing a bow.

“Hey, guys~ Today’s ‘Where’s the Common Sense!’ is ‘Secret Girlfriend.’ We’re going to introduce our girlfriend, or rather, our senpai, or rather, the mastermind behind this whole thing, let’s go!”

“I ain’t a mastermind, I’m your coach.”

“Tsucchi-dono is a rather good-looking girl, but she has a ferocious personality, that she does,” Eddie said.

“Shut it, and stop speaking so weirdly.”

Asahina and Eddie’s showy and light-hearted banter was their selling point. They talked about jokes and materials that had to do with kyudo and actually demonstrated shooting. The editing was well-done, and the way they put in pauses and onscreen text was superb.

What surprised the twins in today’s video was that these two Yotubers were high school second-years, just like them. They thought they were university students because they uploaded every Tuesday and Friday evening. Apprently, they started this channel as part of an information studies class. While many high schools nowadays prohibited the posting of images and videos on social media that could allow people to identify the name of the school, it was rare that this was done under the guidance of the school.

Tsucchi, a.k.a. Coach Tsuchiya, mentioned that she won a student tournament in her third year of university.

Footage from the first shakai was shown. Everyone was dressed in kimonos, and Asahina, Eddie, and Tsucchi shot at the targets one after another as they stood in front of them. Combined with their bright furisode kimonos, it was as though flowers were scattering everywhere.

Shuu marveled at them.

“The coach’s habit of drawing while looking at the arrow shaft bothers me, but her vertical line is good.”

“Is it okay to wear any kind of kimono for kyudo?” Senichi and Manji asked.

“Kimono has rules. The first formal dress for men is the kuro-habutae with five family crests, for married women the kuromesode, and for unmarried women the furisode. For formal occasions in Kyudo, plain kimono in any color other than black and with a single crest should be worn in order to avoid patterns. Some say that during the Edo period, commoners were so poor that black kimono were used for both weddings and funerals, while others say that with the introduction of Western culture during the Meiji period, black formal wear was adopted. Either way, the period in Japan’s history when black was considered the highest and most formal color was short, and there were some archers who even argued against it.”

Motomura took over the conversation.

“I’ve heard that judoka are given red and white belts when they hold the rank of 6-dan to 8-dan, and in Ogasawara-ryuu, purple is said to be the color for those of high dan.”

“Because of the development of kimono culture in Japan, accessories like those in other countries didn’t develop. Japanese companies rank among the top long-lived companies in the world, but there are few long-established leather goods stores. Why did the ancient Japanese try to avoid the shedding of blood? It’s because they were afraid of retaliation from the dead—curses. For that reason, they tried to settle matters by discussion as much as possible.”

“Even if we triumph by touting justice, misfortunes can still happen to anyone. If the wind changes direction, good and evil can be reversed. When that happens, there’s no escape in an island country that is surrounded by the sea on all sides. When you think about, it’s easy to understand why the Japanese value harmony.”

Sase fanned himself with a pink fan.

“There’s other things to value, isn’t there? Let’s watch Noririn’s morning routine.”

In a sense, they all held respect for Sase, who always had the idol Noririn’s goods in hand. However, if things continued as they were, this would become Sase’s one-man show.

Motomura bluntly changed the subject.

“The long-range archery at Kyoto’s Sanjuusangen-dou (2) is in the recommended videos. Sase, you mentioned before that you wanted to try participating in it.”

“Noririn… Poor me. Well, it’s fine. There’s so many people that want to participate that now only new adults that are higher than 1-dan and those with titles such as hanshi and kyoushi can enter.”

“Fujiwara-kun, you’re 2-dan, aren’t you? Are you planning to take the 3rd dan this year?” Motomura asked.

“Yes. Minato and I are taking it as disciples of the Saionji school.”

“‘School’ sounds kinda cool,” Senichi and Manji said as the ending music for “Yumihiki Douji” played behind them. The characters overlapped. At the phrase, “On the next ‘Where’s the Common Sense,’ it’s ‘Shooting targets in the dark.’ Shuu's eyes half-closed.

A figure emerged from the morning mist.

Nanao opened the door to the kyudojo.

After putting down his bag and uniform jacket, he replaced the water of the sakaki on the kamidana. (3) He entered the shajo and put on a muneate over his shirt and put on his yugake.

All he heard was the chirping of a little bird. It was perched on a stewartia tree branch. Perhaps it had only just left the nest, as its feathers were puffed out, and its young features and round cheeks were adorable. It was fed beak-to-beak by another bird.

“It’s not like me to come here earlier than everyone else and do morning practice. Why did they have to decide the regular lineup with a surprise test?”

It sounded even more futile when he said it aloud. He was fully aware that it was just an excuse. If he wasn’t able to do something on a regular basis, he wouldn’t be able to do it in a competition. For little birds, everyday was a competition from the time they were eggs. They couldn’t say, “I’m just practicing today, so please don’t attack me.”

What was I doing, saying, “Let’s stand on that stage again this year with the five of us.” So lame.

He watched a lot of kyudo videos. All of them were enjoyable and knowledgeable. There were some points that applied to him, so he decided to give them a try. After that, his number of hits decreased.

The other day, Masa-san told him that there was too much force in his right hand. When he drew his bow, the arrow head pointed upward and it became parallel at kai. Since the left and right weren’t equally apart, his hit rate was also reduced.

In front of the makiwara, he drew his bow while looking at his reflection in the mirror.

Yunde senkou—pushing first and pulling later. Reciting that in his mind didn’t work. He pulled out the arrow stuck in the makiwara, bowed, opened his legs, drew his bow, and released his arrow. He endlessly repeated this.

He was completely oblivious to the presence of Kaito, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, outside the kyudojo. The other members of the club weren’t sure when to enter the hall.

After school that day.

When Nanao stepped into the kyudojo, he found Kanbayashi and Ryouhei sitting side by side. They were looking at each other’s hands.

“Yamanouchi-senpai, your under-glove has a really fun design. Is that a rabbit running on top of waves?”

“It’s nice, isn’t it? My grandma gave it to me. It’s called a ‘nami-usagi,’ and since rabbits live on the moon and bounce around, they’re said to be an animal of longevity and making great strides forward. This one is a fukura suzume, a puffed-up sparrow. I heard that sparrows peck at misfortune. I have some under-gloves that are a little too small for me, so I’ll give them out to everyone.”

Kanbayashi received an under-glove with a turtle design, and Keyaki received one with a sparrow design. The two first-years had only used plain white gloves before, so they felt as if they had level-upped somehow.

The other members of the club also gathered around in interest. Kyudo wear consisted of a white upper wear and black or navy-blue hakama, so this kind of modest fashion was fun for archers.

Minato also peered at Ryouhei’s hands.

“The most famous Japanese design is pine, plum, and bamboo. The three of them can endure the cold, so they’re called the Three Friends of Winter. Pine is for longevity, bamboo is for the growth of children, and plum is for good fortune.”

Seiya took this opportunity to reel off his specialty.

“When you’re made to wait a long time at an eel restaurant, you’re told, ‘it takes a while for it to taste good.’ Six gourds for good health.” (4)

In front of his proud-looking friend, Kaito wasn’t amused at all.

“…Seiya’s dad jokes were a traditional Japanese art form.”

“What was that about me, Kaito?”

“Nothing at all.”

Next to Seiya, who had an eerie pattern behind him and whose glasses were shining, Nanao safely passed his hand through a frog-patterned under-glove.

It took some time for the first-years to hold a bow, but the hard struggle of handling an unfamiliar tool continued. First, it was hard to take the bowstring with a yugake-covered right hand. You had to raise the entire bow as well, which was even more difficult. It was impossible not to grip it, and it was barely possible to keep the arrow nocked on the string from falling off.

Makuuchi, where the arrow pierced the curtain hanging over the azuchi.

Hakiya, where the arrow swept across the ground and didn’t reach the target.

There was an array of the conditions typical of beginners, including sore muscles in both arms, blisters on the palms, and scraping on the base of the left thumb known as the yamakura. Nanao felt nostalgic. They’re just like me back then.

Suddenly, Keyaki bent down. His right arm was swelling red. His bowstring had struck his arm when he was shooting.

Masa-san brought over a wet towel.

“Let’s cool it down right away. Don’t worry, it won’t leave a scar.”

“…Okay, sir.”

“There are four possible causes. One, your left shoulder is too forward and your right shoulder is too drawn back. Two, your grip is bad. Three, you can’t do the rotation of your left and right hands. Four, you’re double-jointed. Keyaki, the spot between your elbow and wrist is hit, so I’m thinking that the reason is the first one.”

“You know the reason just from seeing where I was hit?”

“Pretty much. Make the line of your shoulders parallel with the arrow. When you draw the bow, don’t put all your force into your left shoulder, move to the daisan stage with your right elbow still tense, and pull your bow apart with the feeling of bringing the force to your hips.”

Since the fear of “what if I get hit by the string again” would induce slack in his body before the release, a supporter was placed on Keyaki’s left arm. Masa-san put his hands on his bow helped him part it. After taking a step back, he told him, “Release the string straightforwardly. Flick your thumb.” The arrow flew straight toward the target, and there was the sound of a matooto.

“…That was the first time I hit a target!”

“You’re happy, aren’t you?”

“Yes!”

Kanbayashi and other first-year students ran over to Keyaki, who couldn’t hide his joy. Seeing them, Nanao got fired up again.

“Masa-san, please take a look at my shooting as well.”

“Okay. In the textbook, it says that ‘For uchiokoshi, the arrow is always almost horizontal, and parallel to the body.’ That ‘almost horizontal’ part is called mizunagare, meaning that the arrow should be at an angle where a drop of water on the shaft should slowly run to the tip of the arrow.”

Nanao let out an exhale.

“Lower your shoulders and raise your bow while inhaling. After you finish raising your bow, exhale, and then part your bow while inhaling.”

After he continued to open up his body like that, his arrow flew sharply. It hit the target at nine o’clock.

“Mm, that’s good.”

“Huh? Now I’m suddenly able to hit. My yugake feels kind of good. Maybe it’s thanks to the lucky under-glove Ryouhei gave me.”

“That might be the case. There are preferences to the thickness of an under-glove, and there are people who decide to use a specific one for matches. My master named his arrows and said something about Jirou curving right, which made me laugh.”

“I might have been overloading myself with too much information and made myself confused instead.”

“If you ever get confused, go back to the textbook. It’s a book compiled for fifth-dan and renshi after all. Very important things are written in a simplified manner to the point where they can’t be cut down any further. That makes it a difficult book for beginners, though.”

When he found his rhythm, he wanted to shoot more and let his body learn. After Nanao landed four hits, the Nanao Fan Club, which was watching him from outside the kyudojo, erupted into applause.

Nanao waved at them with a “Merha!”

The cherry blossoms were in leaf, contrasting beautifully with the red brick school building. Students were coming and going, and the arched windows reflected the blue sky and white clouds.

Applause sounded from the detached kyudojo.

At Kirisaki High School’s kyudo club, the third-years Motomura, Sase and the others had retired, and the club was welcoming new students. What was different from previous years was the unexpectedly high number of people who wanted to join the club. It was no exaggeration to say that all of them were fans of Shuu, Senichi and Manji.

A young lord sitting in a tall chair, and the twin boys flanking him—

This was the poster advertising the kyudo club’s program, “The Sound of Civilization and Enlightenment—Rokumeikan Café,” (5) which was only displayed at last year’s cultural festival. There was also a version with a boy in Western-style clothing and a girl in hakama, Haikara-san style. (6) The images that Sase had jokingly created became viral in an instant, and the limited entrance exam slots for Kirisaki High School became even more limited. Among those who had overcome the difficult obstacles, there was one who was particularly ardent.

Kuon Takumi.

A visitor from fairyland.

His skin was so white and translucent that pale veins could be seen beneath it. He had long eyelashes, dewy eyes, a small and red mouth, and elegant curled hair. He looked like an antique doll made by a top craftsman.

A female club member spoke to him with flushed cheeks.

“Kuon-kun, I have a very precious photograph. Would you like to see it?”

It was a group photo of ten students from Kirisaki High School and Kazemai High School taken after last year’s Inter-High, and it showed Shuu leaning forward with Ryouhei’s arm around his shoulders.

Kuon’s face scrunched up at seeing the phone screen that was offered up to him.

“…How disgusting. Can you put that away?”

“Eh? O-Okay. Everyone’s having tea after practice. Would you like to join us?”

“Hmph, I’d prefer that an average person like you wouldn’t speak to me so familiarly.”

The girl stood there, dumbfounded. Her friend, who was accompanying her, was covering her mouth with her hand. She was an only daughter who was carefully raised like a princess. She was bewildered by those words she had never heard before, and her brain was unable to process them.

Since this exchange was witnessed, his popularity with his fellow first-years had been poor. Even his seniors were having a hard time dealing with him. However, there was no way a petit, arrogant, and beautiful boy would be left alone, and a group of fans had already been formed around him in school.

On that day, more than a hundred members of the club met in the kyudojo. They were divided into three groups to go through their respective training regimens. The third-years practiced in front of the targets, and the second-years practiced in front of the makiwara and took care of the first-years.

Shuu and the twins, Senichi and Manji, also coached the first-years as their seniors. In addition to practicing the Eight Stages of Shooting with rubber bows and drawing empty bows, they also conveyed the first-years the unique customs of Kirisaki Academy, an integrated middle and high school. For those enrolled in high school, it was an unknown world. They couldn’t stop feeling thrilled and excited, wondering if they would be able to fit in.

Senichi and Manji enrolled in high school. They were very well-received when they spoke with hand and body gestures based on their own experiences. For instance, about how after hearing stories about the Seven Mysteries of Kirisaki Academy, such as the tanuki family living in the corner of the tennis court for generations, or a cough coming from an empty classroom, Kabashima and Yushima summoned them to the science lab and scared them conversely. Once, as a welcome ceremony for newcomers, they had a quiz to find out what was inside the takoyaki. The winner was awarded a giant Noririn cushion, Sase’s top bias, and the first-year winner, who lived in the dorm got into a heated argument with his roommate over where to keep the cushion.

Although they kept a respectful distance from Shuu, who was the picture of a young lord, the first-years were attracted to the easygoing twins and formed a circle around them. There were even those who said that they felt blissful just from listening to the conversation between Shuu and the twins. They chatted so much that they ended up getting scolded by Kabashima, the new club president.

Kuon was outside the circle. He was among the minority of first-years who had kyudo experience and was practicing in front of the makiwara. He was small, but he had a dignified yugamae and a beautiful form. His arrows also headed directed at the makiwara. Was a whim of the god of the bow that his personality and shooting ability didn’t match? Like a peacock who wandered into a flock of sparrows, he walked around kicking the little birds about.

When he found Shuu, who had finished instructing the first-years and left the scene alone, Kuon put down his bow and arrows and rushed over to him. His long eyelashes were moist and his fingers were clasped together as though in prayer.

“Fujiwara-senpai, are you in good humor today? I am extremely delighted to be able to have the honor of your acquaintance.”

“I don’t need to be spoken to formally. Excessive embellishment just gets into the way.”

“You don’t have to be so modest, senpai. Someone will come to pick me up later. Why don’t you come to another kyudojo? I have invited an eminent teacher, so I would very much like you to watch my shooting.”

“If you have a teacher, you don’t need me. If you still want me to watch you, I’ll do it when everyone’s together.”

“Are you saying that you can’t give special treatment only to me? The members here are all lower class. A noble personage such as you shouldn’t bother to pay attention to them.”

“There are no upper- or lower-class archers. You are obsessed with something that is make-believe. The Sugawara brothers are excellent archers.”

“The Sugawara senpais are…well, I won’t argue with you on that. They have exceeded the passing grade for the time being. You are a noble personage. Please go forward on the right path.”

Shuu didn’t answer him.

There was the sound of the wind. His hair swayed, and he turned his back on Kuon and walked away.

Senichi and Manji were in the shade of a tree. The twins had noticed Kuon following after Shuu and went after him as well.

Senichi frowned.

“Are you alright, Shuu? Did he do something to you? Which era did he time travel from? Damn it, I’m not leaving your side from now on.”

Manji put his elbow on Senichi’s shoulder. He put his weight on it, as though to crush him.

“I thought Sen-nii’s Shuu-love was bad enough, but in Kuon’s case, it goes too far, or rather, it’s way too bad.”

“Don’t use that ‘Shuu-love’ expression. Don’t worry, Manji, I love you too.”

“Stop it, Nii-chan!”

“Cry, scream, and beg for forgiveness!”

“Kyaah!”

In front of the two who had turned into a boke and tsukkomi routine, Shuu could only laugh quietly.

――Kuon, huh.

Shuu murmured in his mind.

Why would someone with such high self-esteem butter up to me? I can optimistically interpret this as an acknowledgement of my abilities, but there must be some other purpose. I can transparently see something other than admiration. Even if he himself intends to hide it, he can’t erase the hints drifting around him. I don’t like that kind of gaze, but there are many like it. In a way, I’m used to them.

What he couldn’t get used to was another gaze. A look that couldn’t be considered to be a part of this world, that took you to another world.

How many times had he almost fell to his knees?

How many times had he wanted to steal it away?

Recalling those clear green eyes, Shuu closed his eyes.

Late April.

The internal selection was being held for Kirisaki High School’s second successive Inter-High championship.

In the team competition, there were seven members for both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments, including five starters. All competitors except beginners would shoot ten shots, and the top seven with the most hits would be selected to the team. The method was a group of five, two sitting shots and four standing shots twice.

The number of participants this time was sixty-eight, and they were divided into the two kyudojos. The first five were first-year boys. The oomae, Kuon, lined up at the entrance in the toriyumi posture.

The toriyumi posture was the stance where one stood straight with the bow and arrows in both hands, and both hands should have the thumbs touching the hard lumps of the hipbones. The bowstring was removed from the bow, and the uwahazu, or upper part of the bow, should be kept about ten centimeters above the floor. There were two ways to shoot: Reisha-kei, which used itsukebushi (holding the arrows by the shaft ten centimeters from the arrowhead), and musha-kei, where one held the arrows by the arrowhead. Kirisaki followed the former, while the twins followed the latter.

At the signal to start, the white tabi socks stepped forward.

Kuon hit his target right from the start, and the calls of “Yes!” echoed. The following second, third, and fourth shots all missed, but all five boys landed hits for their second round. Applause erupted for the kaichuu, and the coach didn’t look dissatisfied either.

Senichi and Manji leaned forward.

“Sen, don’t you think this year’s first-years are amazing?”

“There are also students from the middle school, after all.”

On the display board next to the target-watching area, “〇’s” and “x’s” were used to indicate hits and misses, which were then entered into a computer by the record keeper. A red flag was put up when the shooting in both the first and second kyudojos were over. The officials then entered the azuchi to confirm the results. The results were read aloud.

“For the first kyudojo, the oomae has a kaichuu, the second, third, and fourth has hit half, and the ochi has a kaichuu.” The results were read out in that way, and then all the archers went to retrieve their arrows together.

All the first-years had finished their two rounds, and a total of fifteen students—six girls, nine boys—achieved a kaichuu. Now it was the second-years’ turn. All eyes were on Shuu and the twins.

Shuu gently lowered his eyelids and faced the target with half-open eyes. He raised his bow. His straight back and supple arms looked like that of a leader in a ballroom dancing pair. (7) Of course, his partner was the bow.

He felt the bow’s presence, he heard the bow’s voice, and he was led to where the bow wanted to go. His elegant and refined movements created a new tradition in high society. It was a powerful piece of modern art. A work of art that emphasized the spirit of experimentation and attempted to break away from the traditional art forms of the past. The more they danced, the livelier they became, surpassing the entire venue.

The twins’ shots that followed were contemporary. The two were fugitives, rebels of the times. Their father was a vassal who was imprisoned for counseling a statesman, and his family was taken hostage. His children became the twin knights, clad in the colors of the sun.

You people who turned a blind eye, you masses who kept silent, gaze at us in wonder.

Send up the signal fire! The fighters who flied the flag of rebellion offered their own bodies. Bodies in motion. Arms that burst open. The arms that once again sprouted up and down and left and right would be the phoenix that resurrected even after death.

It was now shooting in standing form, and it was Kuon Takumi’s turn again. His shots were like classical ballet. When the drop curtain rose, the principal stood there in the spotlight, dancing to the solemn music of the orchestra. Only beautiful limbs that were possessed from birth could dance on this stage. Before technique and skill, only heaven-sent raw material was allowed. Arms and legs so thin they looked as if they might snap, a supreme work of art in which all unnecessary things had been chipped off. The white bird left for the sky.

Kabashima and Yushima, who were now third-years, were not to be outdone either.

From their powerful stances, they lifted their bows and went to snatch their matooto. A career meant months and years. It didn’t mean accumulating years just for show. After everyone finished shooting, the team members were announced.

First target/oomae – Kabashima Umetarou (third-year) – Ten hits

Second target/nakamae – Sugawara Senichi (second-year) – Nine hits

Third target/naka – Sugawara Manji (second-year) – Nine hits

Fourth target/ochimae – Kuon Takumi (first-year) – Nine hits

Fifth target/ochi – Fujiwara Shuu (second-year) – Ten hits

Reserve – Yushima Kaoru (third-year) – Eight hits

Reserve – Ishizaka Kazuomi (third-year) – Eight hits

Kuon smiled daringly.

“Sugawara-senpais, you have the same number of hits as me. Therefore, there’s no need for me to take you seriously. I will prove that I should be the one standing next to the Young Lord.”

Senichi and Manji exclaimed at the same time.

“Huh!? What are you talking about?”

“Somebody, please attach a target to the azuchi. Sugawara-senpais, I propose a long-range shooting match.”

Kabashima and the other club members were also interested in this competition. They wanted to know the true abilities of the ones who pined for the Young Lord, Shuu. With the coach’s permission, the three decided the shooting order. Each of them was given one arrow. The one who hit closest to the center would be superior.

Perhaps the unsettling presence summoned them. Thick clouds quickly covered the sky, and as soon as the three lined up in front of the target, it began raining heavily. The officials at the target station also withdrew to avoid the rain.

Senichi went before the target first, and Manji stood at his back. The rain made it difficult to see, and Senichi’s hakama was heavy with water. He took more time than usual to carefully draw his bow. The sound of the rain drowned out his tsurune, but the arrow hit one of the outer black rings at three o’clock.

Next was Manji. His eyelashes were wet from the splashing water. His grip on his bow was poor thanks to the humidity. He lifted his bow and brought the tip of the arrow close to the target. The target fell over his left arm, and when he overlapped the target with the yazuridou, the arrow was hastily released—unfortunately. He stepped back without changing his expression.

Kuon stepped forward to face the target. He raised his chin slightly, raised his bow, and narrowed his eyes. He blinked once, and the arrow raced to the target. His arrow pierced the center white, almost right in the middle.

The target official, holding an umbrella, brought back the three arrows at different heights.

The arrow that flew the highest was returned to Kuon’s hand. The second to Senichi, and the last one to Manji.

After exiting the shajo, Kuon put down his bow.

“It seems that the long-distance match wasn’t needed. The shooting of the younger brother was a fluke. Well, the Sugawara-senpais came from commoners with no history, so it was to be expected.”

“You should know better than to underestimate people, you know? Our father is a successful man who made his company big in his own lifetime.”

“So he’s an upstart?”

“He’s an entrepreneur!”

Senichi flapped his hands.

“Manji, stop it. You can’t reason with people who are completely out of touch and can’t upgrade their knowledge.”

Kuon argued him down.

“I’m out of touch? I can’t upgrade? Your idiocy knows no bounds.”

Furthermore, he strode over Manji’s bow and stepped in front of Shuu.

“My parents told me that I have grown up beautifully, just as the characters in my name implied (8), but in front of you, Fujiwara-senpai, I am nothing. You are the genuine article.”

“Are you a genuine archer?”

“Of course. I just proved it.”

“I do not straddle over man or bow. I don’t call those who treat tools roughly archers.”

After saying that, Shuu left.

Kuon cursed him in his mind.

What, he thinks I’m going to be humiliated by something as trivial as that? After I praised him so extravagantly?

Kuon had a plan to take over the title of “High School Archer Shuu” after his name became well-known throughout the country.

You must shine even brighter.

After you’re deliciously finished up, I’m going to devour you from your head.

Kuon traced his bottom lip with his tongue.

Previous | Next

#tsurune translation #tsurune

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minevn · 1 year ago

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Please..... please let me use them as a lawn chair.

LMAOOOOO

Minato: huh? Uh sure! He doesn’t quite get it but he’ll pretty much let you do anything you want, as long as it’s safe. When you sit down on his lap, he’ll start to gently pet your hair with one arm while the other wraps around you for support. He's never sat on anyone's lap before so he doesn't get the appeal, but he grows to like having you on his lap a lot!

Haruto: might be used to it if you sit on his lap often. He’ll wrap his arms around you and rest his head on your shoulder, occasionally burying his face in your hair, whispering sweet nothings.

Jun: Blushes and let’s you do as you please, wrapping her arms around you tightly. She fidgets with her fingers, unsure of what to really do in this situation. He rests his warm face on your back, hiding his red face from anyone who might walk by, and most importantly you.

Hoshi: Looks at you appalled as their face flushes. They reject you hastily, throwing insults as well. You turn away, dejected but not wanting to force him if he didn’t want to. His brows furrow as he watches you leave before grabbing your wrist and pulling you down on his lap. When you try to speak he just tells you to shut up, he cannot hold a conversation when his brain is muddled.

Habiki: “sure.” He says without thinking, startling him when you sit on his lap. “What are you doing?” “I asked if I could use you as my lawn chair and you said yes???” He's silent because he doesn't know what to say, it's an uncomfortable silence. "I can get up if you wa-?" He wraps his arms around you tightly, keeping you in place. "Stay." He doesn't want you leaving.

Kage: Kage's mind goes blank as soon as you say it. They stare at you, their face as red as their hair. It takes a bit for him to respond, he's thinking hard about how he wants to go about this. One one hand, they KNOW they'll pass out. On the other...they really wanna change and also have you sit on their lap. They decide that you can but tells you that he'll most definitely pass out and apologizes in advance. Low and behold, they do pass out.

Kei: It throws him off guard but he chuckles and pats his lap, allowing you to sit on it. Wraps an arm around you while he continues to do work, occasionally pressing a kiss to you r neck to give you some of his attention. What kind of boyfriend would he be if he didn't give some of his attention to his significant other at all times.

Yani: "Okay...gimme a sec!"

"There!"

Okay okay I was just gonna leave it at that but I'd feel bad. Yani would be overjoyed to be your lawn chair, would actually transform into one if she could. Yani would let you do pretty much anything to her, so if you want her to be your lawn chair then there ya go! Though she may not actually be the comfortable since she's not the greatest at sitting still, she'll try!

Aki: Laughs for a good 10 minutes. "Yeah, do whatever you want!" She'll lean back and relax, leaving her lap open for you to sit on. She'll play around with your hair, clothes, or fingers cause she gets kinda bored easily, still she doesn't want to ask you to move cause she likes you on her lap.

#💝-minevn #visual novel #yandere vn #🎤-asks #🐠-Minato #📙-Haruto #🎀-Jun #🍽️-Hoshi #🎻-Habiki #👤-Kage #💻-Kei #💕-Yani #🐍-Aki #I'm sorry for Yani #do you still love her?#would you love her if she was a lawn chair?

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ridiasfangirlings · 9 months ago

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munakata introduced scepter 4 to fushimi as a place "not fit for children to run off to when they get into trouble," implying that fushimi either isnt that childish/he sees him as equally skilled and valued as all of his adult employees. but do you think as time passed, he started seeing those tiny child-like qualities fushimi has and smiling about it despite the fact he does not see childish qualities as something that fits within his ideal scepter 4?

Honestly the man who hired Doumyouji doesn’t get to talk about how S4 isn’t the place for childish people (for that matter, don’t complain about S4 not being a place for children when you’re the one recruiting teenage children, Munakata). I feel like Munakata’s intent there was less looking down on Fushimi for being a child and more that he wanted Fushimi to join S4 for the ‘right’ reason. Like the idea that Fushimi runs to S4 not because he wants to or out of any sense of belonging but simply because he has nowhere else to go, treating S4 like a place of refuge rather than a place where he’s expected to be a clansman working towards a goal. Actually even thinking about it I could see Munakata’s words there being less harsh towards children in general and more a kind of general childishness that Munakata ascribes to Homra in particular — because Homra absolutely is a place a kid in trouble could run to when in trouble, as long as you pass the test anyone can join and Homra will shelter them (this is particularly relevant in regards to the Minato twins being sheltered there right at that time in LSW too, in Munakata’s eyes being ‘children’ who got into trouble and ran away somewhere with no purpose other than to escape a situation). I think Munakata was well aware even at the time he recruited Fushimi that Fushimi had a certain childishness to him and didn’t mind, it’s just this specific thing that Munakata wanted Fushimi to grow away from because he had no use for a Fushimi who just runs from a problem rather than facing it head on — when Fushimi specifically faces off against ‘Niki’ in jcube and takes hold of his own destiny, that’s the point Munakata appears to back him up and invite him to S4 because this is what Munakata was waiting for.

So that said I feel like Munakata does enjoy the childish part of Fushimi quite a bit. In the Sand Castle short story for example, there’s the moment where Munakata compliments Fushimi’s castle and it’s noted that for a moment Fushimi looked ‘disarmingly innocent’ before settling back into his usual cynical expression. It’s not noted in the text but I imagine this is absolutely something Munakata noticed, and at least he’s very clearly aware of the reasons why Fushimi destroys his castle and then simply chooses to make him a new one that will last. Munakata doesn’t have any issue at all with the fact that Fushimi was building a sand castle — something kids do — when he’s supposed to be digging for shellfish (Captain’s favorite privilege at work), in fact Munakata’s very interested in it. I think Munakata appreciates that Fushimi is talented beyond his years but is also well aware that the Fushimi who initially joins his clan is just a teenager and as Fushimi gets older Munakata is willing to be indulgent of Fushimi’s childish moments even if only as part of helping Fushimi work through that part of his personality. In particular I think Munakata would enjoy seeing Fushimi get to have ‘good’ moments of childhood wonder because it’s so clear even without knowing the details that Fushimi’s actual childhood deeply lacked those. Also it’s mentioned in Case Files that Munakata sees something of himself in Fushimi, that Fushimi is what Munakata could have been if he hadn’t had such supportive parents, so I feel like the part of Munakata that also childishly enjoys new experiences and interesting things allows Munakata to understand Fushimi’s childish side more than Fushimi even realizes.

#k project #Talking K #you don't get to complain about childish people Munakata #he's the one hiring teenagers what did he expect #I think he's well aware of Fushimi's childish streak though #but what he wanted was for Fushimi to solve his own problem and not run away

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twilightknight17 · 8 months ago

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Last night on P3R: food, friends, full moon, and Featherman!

I learned something new today! Mitsuru wants to hang out and make karume-yaki, which I looked up, because I’ve never heard of it. Karume-yaki translates roughly to English as “baked caramel”, and is also known as honeycomb toffee. You make it with brown sugar and baking soda, which makes the melted sugar bubble and gives it the honeycomb texture.

Apparently it’s a popular recipe for children, and in Japan specifically they use egg white to give it a more domed shape like a cookie?

But I dunno. This doesn’t seem like a good recipe for children?

She calls it simple, but Mitsuru, I’m pretty sure anything with a candy thermometer and molten sugar maybe shouldn’t be done by a kid. Molten sugar can fuck you up. X’’’D

But they actually do sound good. I kind of want to try that now.

Anyway, it’s the first day back to school, and listening to my fellow students talk, it’s becoming very clear that everyone is just getting used to Apathy Syndrome. Some were even talking about how it would be better to have Apathy Syndrome, because then you wouldn’t be stressed, or something. Which, okay. You wouldn’t be stressed. You would be a shambling zombie person standing around in the mall or something, though.

After answering a question correctly about superconductors and planning to make a kimono with Bebe, we head home for the day, where we discover that Aigis wants to attend school. And Ikutsuki thinks it’s a great idea, so she’s transferring in tomorrow.

Nevermind that this could go terribly wrong. I mean, won’t things fall apart as soon as a teacher asks her to take her “headphones” off?

Oh, come on. Akira took Morgana to school for a year! He can be Aigis’s emotional support dog or something.

After that, we’re off to the mall to cash in stuff from my last Tartarus trip, check for new stuff in Escapade, and meet up with Tanaka. Escapade has some new dialogue, but no new sketchy websites.

ALSO, the ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY of my favorite Escapade patron succumbing to Apathy Syndrome. Why, dude?? You were so close to the groove!

Tanaka continues to be charming as always.

Not by you!! My mom is somewhere in the Velvet Room. :/

Day 2 of school goes well. No one really bats an eye at Aigis, but she does take the seat right beside Minato and announce out loud that all she cares about is staying by his side. So, definitely ulterior motives for coming to school.

Welp, can’t social link with her yet, but I’ve got other things to do, so--

Senpai, I’m begging you. It’s the second day of school. I have five social links ready to rank up right this second. Please run your own errands. I am trying to improve my relationships so I can kick more ass with my personas. It’s for the TEAM.

THIS is your errand??? You could have done this yourself; he literally changes his mind and decides to come back as soon as you mention Ken joined the team. I didn’t say a WORD.

Apparently not because Akihiko-senpai just dragged me here without permission. Also I’m not allowed to go to Tartarus without third-year supervision. I’m basically a figurehead. Or a toddler.

Whatever. I’m going home to read yakuza books with Aigis.

...all of my friends are still lunatics.

I rank-up with Kenji, and I think that if I decide to do a social link and the link immediately bails on me, I should get to do a second one. Kenji asked if I wanted to go out for ramen and then decided, nope, he’s gonna go check out a cram school, because he’s thinking about colleges. Apparently his “girlfriend” (the ethics teacher) mentioned that he needs to be thinking about his future.

He thinks Minato should be thinking about his, too.

We can’t think about our future, Kenji. Sorry.

But yeah, Kenji runs off and Minato just goes home. I totally could have called one of my other FOUR links that are ready to rank up. -_-;;; Worth it, I guess, because back at home, Shinji wants me to explain the rules for using the kitchen.

This man cooks like a professional.

Sir, this is the best food I’ve had all year. The leftovers in my inventory are described as “exquisite”. Please. I am begging you to cook for the dorm as much as possible. Koromaru will thank you, too.

Junpei is still stopping on the way home to talk to Chidori, who is posing philosophical questions on this fine afternoon.

Junpei explains that he feels alive when he’s getting to be a hero. He likes feeling like the main character, the brave superhero using his powers to defend the world in its darkest hour (literally).

She does sound… kind of genuine here? But its hard to say. Junpei eats up the positive attention, though, and starts explaining about personas and how he works with a team. He calls himself the leader, though.

My guy, you don’t know it, but I know who you’re talking to, and I have a nasty feeling that you’re gonna get snatched by our enemies.

...oh, hey, max courage! I can hang out with Fuuka now if I want. Still no academics rank-up, though.

...welp.

She wants him to call off “his” team. End this operation and any future ones. But unfortunately the team is already at Paulownia Mall, looking for the big shadow. Fuuka tracks down the signal as coming from a “web” underground, which turns out to be the power cables. Escapade has been having power problems for a while, and they’ve just been getting worse recently.

Awww. No concert means no chance to see baby Rise. She’s… what, 13? God.

Either way, time to fight a shadow up in the club!

But first I gotta be an edgelord for a second in front of the blood fountain.

Xurkitree, is that you? You’re the Hermit? XD

This one’s gimmick is spending a turn or two charging up so it can do powerful lightning skills, otherwise it’s stuck with base-level zio. You can stop it from charging by attacking it, so it’s just a matter of timing. At least until the last quarter if its health or so, when it goes permanently charged.

I’m slightly disappointed that even though we’re in a nightclub with a shadow hooked into the electrical system, it was just a normal fight. Like, the Priestess got that monorail to move. Why can’t the Hermit cut on the rainbow disco lights and play me a dance remix of the battle theme? XD

Just the one shadow this time, too. Hermit was all alone, which I guess is appropriate.

Chidori has dragged Junpei up to the roof of the dorm, and can’t understand why he would lie about being the leader of SEES. (To impress you, you silly girl.) Everyone storms the roof, with Ikutsuki on our heels (since he apparently didn’t hear anything??), and Chidori tries to call her persona, Medea. Junpei knocks her evoker away before she can, and Aigis gets hold of her so she can’t run.

...not what she asked, Chidori! Besides, we don’t kill people.

She’s completely overwrought, so Mitsuru and Ikutsuki make the decision to have her sent to a Kirijo hospital so that they can keep an eye on her while we figure out what to do.

That goes well. She wont answer questions, won’t even talk unless Junpei is there, and freaks out at the mention of her evoker because not being able to summon her persona is completely destabilizing her mental state.

Mitsuru wants to know where she would have gotten the evoker, but it’s impossible to get anything else out of her.

I can’t go to Tartarus even if I wanted to because Mitsuru and Akihiko are spending their evenings at the hospital, so I guess I’m gonna chill and do social links.

Kaz, my track team buddy, has inflamed the tendons in his knee, and his doctor says he’s not gonna be able to walk if he keeps pushing it. Which… dude, track is not so important that you should permanently screw up your physical health. Even if you promised your nephew.

...oh my god Kaz.

Apparently his nephew doesn’t want to do physical therapy, so Kaz made a deal that if he becomes number one in Japan, the kid will do it. Which… Kaz, still. Your health. Your nephew wouldn’t want YOU to not be able to walk either!

At midnight, Strega is having a meeting in wherever the hell they live, trying to figure out what to do about Chidori.

Glad that Jin seems to be a relatively normal person outside of the assassin-ing. You know, showing basic concern for your teammates? Takaya, on the other hand, wants to get her evoker back first, because “It would mean nothing to free Chidori without it. For us, our persona is as precious as our very lives.”

Dude, you have a problem. X’’’D

He’s also got… Okay, so I didn’t mention it before because I didn’t know enough to speculate, but when we fought that fucked-up Abbadon on the bridge, it dropped something vaguely gun-shaped, and Takaya took it with him. He’s got it now, and, uh…

So, human experimentation. Great.

So, we killed a former human experiment who lost control of their persona and turned into a demon. I love knowing that even more terrible things happened on this island.

Takaya apparently doesn’t use an evoker because he’s above needing tools to summon. Which… if he wasn’t clearly still forcing it, I’d say that makes him the most stable of all of us. X’’’D He’s impressed by Minato’s ability to summon multiple personas, though.

After that we make a quick stop back at the hospital, where Chidori still isn’t talking, but they have noticed that she heals faster than normal from cuts and stuff. Junpei is still worried about her, much to Akihiko’s annoyance.

The healing probably has something to do with her persona, since she has navigator abilities? Fuuka can do a group heal as her theurgy.

Mitsuru and Akihiko want the rest of us to keep our regular routines as much as possible, so I’m gonna vibe with Koromaru.

We end up helping a kid cornered on the playground by a stray dog, and guys, I gotta say…

You know how in Japanese, there’s this specific way that “delinquents” talk? This dog’s bark sounds like that. XDDD

Keeping up the theme of hanging out with my smallest teammates, I head up to check on Ken next, because he’s been acting weird. He claims he’s fine, but he’s hungry, so we go out for ramen.

That’s because you’re a kid. Seriously.

He almost immediately asks whether I come here with Akihiko and Shinjiro, and what kind of things we talk about. First of all, no. Second of all, nosy. Gonna tell me why you’re being weird about Shinji, Ken? Isn’t that the point of social links? Everyone else has spilled their deepest darkest secret on the second hangout. XD

Ikutsuki is WRONG, unsurprisingly. Maybe he should have stayed in contact with the Nanjo Group.

I really am worried about Ken. Shinji asked if he joined willingly, but like I said before, even if he was willing, he should have been told n--

HOLD UP, FEATHERMAN COMMERCIAL

New Featherman details!! New Featherman details!!! Time to add more to my big dumb giant document. :D

Anyway, Ken, I think you’re doing a great job, but try not to burn yourself out. Also it’s fine if you like Featherman. So do I. Or, I keep trying to, at least.

...and maybe stop… whatever mindset is causing that? Jeeze, kid.

We walk by one of his classmates on the way home, too, who practically begs him to join the soccer team because he’s really good. But Ken says no.

Honey, you’re in… what, fifth grade? And we go to Tartarus like twice a month. Go play soccer. Exist. Be a kid.

September is off to a rough start. Maybe the culture festival will be better.

#Li plays P3Re

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tokuteasings · 2 years ago

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Dating - Zack, Minato Yoko, Oren Pierre Alfonzo

Phew~! Finally rounding out the Gaim dating headcanons with the good boi, the QUEEN, and the chef~!

Thank you all ever so much for joining me on this ride~!

Warnings: Me talking about Gaim, angst, i miss yoko bc i love her and zack deserves better. Also Knuckle Gaiden spoilers, Gridon spoilers,....Gaim spoilers in general

Zack

Sunshine. Literally just sunshine. Zack is a young man who knows what he wants and how to get it…most of the time. See, he may claim to have this confident swagger but in reality he’s just a big fucking dork. But here’s the thing, he’s YOUR dork. So, legally, he’s your problem now. It’s not that he’s a tsundere (ever so slightly) but it’s more so there are so many nerves within him that are just threatening to burst that he has no place to put them. But his heart is just oh so full of love that he can’t help but put it all on to you~! By that, I mean that Zack is a learner. He does his best in every single little thing that he does for you that you can’t help but be floored by his earnest and honest affections. It’s almost like he’s taking baby steps into this relationship. He’s not stepping on glass but taking this into leap and bounds with you.

Zack is a beautiful man and while he is aware of this, he is humble about it. He doesn’t mind that you watch him but there’s this adorable little blush to his cheeks that just…spreads down to the tips of his chest. Also!!! You should kiss his chest! It’s like the fastest way to make him laugh and giggle but also the best way to initiate sexy times if you’re into that. If anything, you need to get used to seeing Zack half naked because he’ll just…walk around half naked in the home you spend together! He gets hot really easily and hates it, so he does this to quickly cool down. You tend to keep your home cold as hell because of this.

He keeps the relationship on the downlow most of the time. It’s not that he isn’t happy to be with you! He wants to shout it to the world but there is a part of him that worries…Kaito or Peco may not approve. Peco finds out super quick though and is more than happy to support you two! If anything, he probably set you two up. But Kaito honestly could not care? What you two do is your damn business. It’s a load off of Zack’s shoulders. Team Baron are exceptionally supportive whenever they can on the lowkey than Team Gaim. But listen, they are thankful that Zack keeps coming towards the base with the brightest of smiles and the biggest pep in his step…it’s a good look on the leader besides, he deserves it.

It’s not that PDA is lowkey, it’s present but it’s so natural that Zack doesn’t really think about it. It’s a comfortable sense of PDA that was probably present from when you two were friends and it passed into the romantic sense. It’s simple hand-holding, loving hugs, side hugs, head pats and now it turned into kisses and longing gazes - hands unwilling to let one another go and cling to each other for as long as you two can. He always has this sweet and sappy smile upon his lips whenever you two are holding hands; like a giddy child or a boy with his first crush. He never fails to lace his fingers with yours because it’s comforting, it’s his rock. Thus, I firmly believe that he loves hand and finger kisses.

Zack knows he isn’t the strongest Armored Rider out there, but he is also one of the Riders who takes time out of his day to train with you. This world is going to shit, and he only wants to return this city back to the way it was. He wants to live out his life with you (if such a thing is even possible) in this city that he has come to love. These training “dates” are not often, but are a way for Zack to blow off steam that isn’t dancing. If anything, if he asks you to train with him, you know he has something on his mind. He’s keeping it bottled up because he doesn’t want to bother you, Peco, or Kaito with it and it’s not that you can communicate with fists with him…it’s more so Zack wants to let his mind clear up before he thinks about it. IT’s best to listen to him during these times, come with plenty of first aid kits, and kisses. He’s also just a normal person thrust into this war…the both of you were just normal people yesterday. He may put on a brave face in front of you, but these are the times when he is the most vulnerable. He always thinks ahead that it scares him, what if the worst things come true…? If something happened to you, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Zack is such a people person that most of the time, dates are probably going to be in a public space like a restaurant where he’s best friends (lowkey adopted by) with the owners and staff or at a club. He understands if you’re not the kind of person who likes going out and he has back up plans for that! Zack is a very go-with-the-flow sort of person so he’s happy just spending time with you in any capacity. It’s hard for him to pick a good date idea (has to ask Peco or even Kouta for ideas) but really as long as you two are having fun, he’s happy! More often than not, he enjoys spontaneous dates. So randomly he’ll show up to take you out somewhere because he noticed you’re feeling down and he refuses to see you frown! More often than not, you two will just go walking down the street trying to figure out what to do for the day, let your heart take you!!! But if he had to pick, Zack’s fave dates are the ones when you two are outside and doing some sort of physical activity. Be it a walk in the park, or ice skating, or a picnic in the park.

Zack’s love language is physical touch, verbally, and time together. He has to have his arm around you in some capacity. Around your waist or your shoulders or just holding your hand. Zack never fails to tell you at least one compliment or that he loves you every single day. Of course, as stated before, Zack spontaneously likes to surprise you with random dates just to take your mind off of things. In a way, Zack is just the boy next door - the perfect guy to take home to your parents. Listen, he can’t cook for shit but he knows his way around with at least picking out the delish places around Zawame City. He tends to bring you food from the best places that he knows, the hole-in-the-wall places with the best foods. More often than not, Zack greets you with the biggest of hugs and may pick you up and spin you, lol.

What happened to Zack when he lost the use of his leg was devastating. You stayed by his side as he was recovering, as he traveled to New York to dance again and eventually when he came back to Japan and his…perhaps “final dance” with Kaito. You could have sworn to see the former leader dancing with Zack and giving him strength. Or was it Kouta? Either or…but still, what amazes you is his strength. How he keeps on going despite everything that happens to him. Zack wants to be your source of strength so he never fails to try to cheer you up as you have done for him during these…dark times, even during the Inves invasion you two were each other’s source of light.

Dancing!!! Zack loooves dancing! It’s his favorite form of exercise and Zack tends to dance with you randomly around the house. He knows freestyle dance, yes, but he knows ballroom dancing as well. He tends to randomly grab you during calm moments in the home with the radio on or something playing in the background and just…almost break out into song with it and dance with you. It’s like living in a musical because Zack loves musicals! Music and dance are such a big part of his life and don’t be surprised if Zack actually composes a song for you. He isn’t a good composer but he knows how to play piano so he WILL sing you to sleep and will have an entire fucking playlist of songs you two have designated as “your songs”.

Loving Zack is a dance. It’s sweet, eventful, full of ups and downs. It’s the ballroom dance and the orchestra combined into this sweet symphony that will never ever stop. In fact, Zack is one of the few Riders that actively thinks about marriage if the time allows. If you are not ready for that, it’s fine. He wants to let you know that he loves you, and will get you a promise ring. It’s not just a promise to be together but…a promise to be there for each other. A promise to help each other when you two are done. A promise to be each other’s strength, the other leg or other arm to support each other with. But you two have a set of separate dreams, whatever those may be, and it’s important to chase those too. So Zack will be supportive of whatever you do, and you will be supportive of him. It’s a calm and loving cycle of affection between you two.

Minato Yoko

One of the most dangerous of people to date, not only because of her past (and has a huge target on her back) but because you can never truly know what the hell is in Yoko’s head. Perhaps there is a permanent sort of maze, a labyrinth you cannot escape no matter how hard you try. She has you captivated, trapped, and you honestly wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. But Yoko is strangely soft around you and she isn’t emotionless just…keeps them on the downlow. She shows affection in different fashions and isn’t the most super verbal person, but Yoko loves you - adores you, and she is fiercely loyal to a fault. There are days when you think she doesn’t love you but she surprises you with a random peck to the cheek or lips and perhaps your favorite meal. Yoko shows her love in the littlest things.

As such, her love language is time spent together, gift giving, and acts of service. She’s generally rather a reserved woman and she is a bit of a homebody. She doesn’t mind going out on a fancy dinner date with you (she loves dressing up and who could blame her) or even something simple like getting junk food together. But to Yoko, she’s simply elated to even just be in the same room with you, texting or just cuddling. She is fine with not being uber clingy (she’s here or there with clinginess) but simply existing in the same space as you. Acts of service is more so along the lines of the fact she isn’t so verbal most of the time but aligns with the idea she shows love in gestures. It’s sometimes as simple as a hand in yours and a squeeze, or having cooked you a quick meal before you two go to work, or delivering lunch to you during your breaks together. If you do the same to her, Yoko will joke that you’re trying to butter her up but very much loves it when you do so.

Yoko keeps her personal life and work life very much separate. If you two work together in Yggdrasil as Armored Riders or otherwise, Yoko doesn’t interact with you much in the buildings. In fact, she even keeps your relationship a secret…especially from Ryoma. She doesn’t trust his ass for shit and knows he’ll use the two of you against each other somehow. So she would rather be safe than sorry. This means PDA during work does not fucking exist and you two have to keep a very professional sort of lie around one another. Ryoma does eventually find out and teases her for it, which ends up with a smile and a threat to his life. Once you two are no longer working with Yggdrasil and are working to starve off the Inves invasion, Yoko is a lot more open with her relationship with you. Everyone is surprised that Yoko was even in a relationship in the first place. It’s really none of their damn business and she could honestly care less if you two are found out by them. She’ll actually be slightly more open with you during these times, letting her hands graze against yours and a bit more of the cheek kisses she’s almost signaturely known for.

PDA is not often either. It’s not like you’re loving a stone wall or something but more so Yoko prefers her own bubble of space. She’s fine with simple hand holding on her off days (you see hints of her happiness every now and then, with wistful smiles and collected giggles under her breath) and prefers small pecks on the cheeks and lips whenever she can. There are moments of passion whenever you two are alone, however, just simply being in the same space together. Her kisses sometimes…knows she won’t make it through a fight and when those moments happen, she kisses long and slow. She pours out every ounce of love she has for you into these kisses, what words cannot fill in. You two are always left breathless after these kisses and Yoko has this smirk to her lips. It’s confident but loving, her eyes shimmering with a light you cannot put your finger on. It’s during these moments when Yoko will whisper out a rare but warranted, “I love you,” and press her forehead against yours, holding your fingers tightly.

Yoko knows her strength. She is also going to use you as a sparring partner whenever possible. However, she also takes time to teach you new things and correct your posture. Yoko is the most physically capable of all of the Riders and next to Oren, she has the most battlefield experience. She is a bit sneaky and teasing during these times, seeing your blushing face during these moments make her laugh and it’s a rare and wonderful thing to hear from her - tingling and bell-like, from her chest and she lost her burdens. She prepares plenty of after-sparring kisses and foods and drinks of course. But Yoko always gives out pointers at the end. But sometimes she brings homemade items for you and it’s those rare days you know Yoko is saying, “I love you” to you in a nonverbal way. She has seen death, she’s killed and has almost been killed. Life is short and finite and she wants to spend even the littler moments with you whenever possible.

Shopping dates are something Yoko enjoys and it’s one of her favorite ways to show affection to you. She can give gifts, spend time with you, blow off steam, and look good all the while! Yoko knows she’s a fucking vision and sometimes she may tease you every now and then but she likes dolling you up. She tends to pick out things that remind her of you, things that would suit your wardrobe or things she finds in the spur of the moment. She tends to personally attach things to you (not just to have her hands on you but to feel a simple connection with you and tease you lol) and always gives out compliments. If you have low self confidence, Yoko will take you on shopping dates more often and make you stand in front of a mirror and point out every single little thing she loves about you. Do not fucking fight with her on this, Yoko will say these daily if she must.

Speaking of arguments…it’s a terror to get into an argument with Yoko. She’s so quiet most of the time, and you can never tell if she’s angry (kind of because she has furrowed brow and twisted lip) and how she will strike back. Yoko normally will tell you if she has some sort of problem and it takes a lot for her to get mad but arguments will mostly be about safety, each other and how to make ends meet, and perhaps…Kaito. Yoko has this strange interest in him, in his strength and it makes you feel inadequate. Yoko doesn’t pop a vessel at this but more so that she’s insulted that you don’t trust her. She understands where you are coming from, however, but Yoko is an enigma. But she becomes better, she states each of her boundaries and Kaito can never measure up to you. She may find interest in him, but you are the person she would lay down her life for without a doubt.

Yoko is beyond protective. Despite her short self, she is found glaring literally at anyone who looks at you funny. It’s doubly so on the battlefield. Because of the fact you two know how each other works, you two are perhaps beyond deadly. You are constantly tossing each other’s weapon back and forth, or rushing to each other’s rescue. You two can communicate with a simple glance and have this practiced sort of dance between you. A queen and her beloved, the royal who protects the queen with their life and she with theirs. Yoko also doesn’t get jealous but more so protective, and tends to wrap her arm around your waist whenever she does so. It’s not to stake her property but more so to ensure you’re safe and she can pull you out of danger. Maybe you’ll get a kiss too.

One thing Yoko enjoys doing during her down time is doing her nails. It’s calming to her and precise. She knows style when she sees it and she loves it if you two do it together! The two of you pick out things for each other and Yoko likes tickling you a bit whenever she’s doing your nails. Your laugh is one of her favorite things in the world, as is your smile and your words for her. Plus, at the end, she gets to hold your hand all the time! Sometimes you get hand and knuckle kisses for free. Actually, those kinds of kisses are her fave. She uses those hands of hers so much to harm others that seeing them loved is such a change of pace for her and she’s not complaining.

Loving Yoko is as dangerous as she is. She knows more than anyone that they might not make it out of this Inves invasion. She is a warrior at heart, she is not meant to settle down. But with you…she can forget that. She can be herself, not a killer, not a mercenary, just Minato Yoko. She is allowed to live for herself and not for others. So it hurts the most when she dove in front of you to protect you, the promise to stay alive still burning on her lips and tears streaming down both of your faces as she is slowly fading into the darkness. Kaito lets you grieve as Yoko spills out those words she could never say but wants to. She tells you how much she loves you before she passes and presses a strange little letter into your hands as her pulse fades. It’s a paper full of affection, adoration, and everything in between. It’s apologies and supports and love most of all. You live on in her name, in her honor.

Oren Pierre Alfonzo

Ohhh loving Oren is an adventure. This man lives and breathes drama and will fucking ham it up whenever he can. Sometimes he likes to randomly and dramatically drape himself upon furniture like a faint Victorian maiden or just upon you so you can catch him! It’s kinda hilarious when he does this because he makes up silly excuses such as, “Oh my darling~! I feel faint~! Catch me!!” or “My beloved! Oh you won’t believe what has happened!!!” but Oren does this outta love and gives you kisses whenever you do catch him.

Also does not hesitate to carry you in a bridal style. This motherfucker is jacked and he will not hesitate to randomly pick you up and spin you around! He’ll sling you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and just take you wherever! Though if you are able to lift up Oren, this man is over the moon!! He’ll pepper your face with kisses and call you his knight in shining armor! Though, honestly, because Oren doesn’t sleep often (he does, he promises, he just works late as a chef and all) he tends to come home later. He tends to carry you into bed and cuddle the ever living shit outta you. Sometimes you don’t even make it to bed and just have a blanket around your shoulders. More often than not, you tend to stay up waiting for him to come home. Though there are times when you catch Oren asleep and he won’t wake up. He’s a naturally deep sleeper and you will put a blanket over him. When he finds out, Oren peppers you with kisses~!

Oh this man will cook everything and anything for you. There’s a dish you’re craving? Oren will order the ingredients in one-day shipping and cook it for you right away in the kitchen! Oren’s biggest love language is food itself and he memorizes your likes and dislikes. He tends to follow through with food trends and sometimes you come home to like…the most whack ass but delicious food you have ever had. Oren is a firm believer in the fact if you pour love into your cooking, it’ll taste good. He pours ALL of his love into cooking for you! Also he gets up super early in the morning to make like the fucking most ass expensive bentos for you with the best ingredients. He leaves a note for you inside as well. It’s always these sappy little notes with stickers and drawn on hearts and maybe a lipstick mark.

God, Oren is the most clingy bitch known to man. He’s obnoxious about this and tends to send you videos and texts and calls like every 6 seconds telling you how much he misses you~! He knows how to turn off his clinginess if you need some alone time or are doing something busy and then will switch to support mode with an excessive amount of emojis, stickers, and kaomojis. Oren’s basically your biggest hype man and he’s going to ensure that you know he loves you. The videos sometimes are him (and a very reluctant Jonouchi) holding pom poms and doing a dance to cheer you on! Listen, Oren may b e over the top but he loves you he swears.

Speaking of Jonouchi, he’s nothing but supportive for you and Oren. Sure he may give his mentor gripes (or is scared to) but you think of him as a sibling more than anything. If Oren is the high, then Jonouchi is the low. He often complains that Oren is being annoying and you should come shut him up. But really, he knows the two of you can and will take care of each other. He doesn’t have to like play threaten you two or anything. If anything, it’s Oren threatening him. “Don’t look at my beloved too much, because you’ll become blinded, boy!” “Ahuh. Sure.”

Oren tends to call you by all sorts of nicknames! In English, French, and whatnot. He tends to call you: “royal” “darling” “beloved” “mon amour” etc etc. Though he will use your name or your Rider title and twist em up to make cute little personalized nicknames!!! If you call him nicknames too, Oren will be over the moon! It’s one of his ways of showing affection for you. But he adores your name just as much as making up nicknames and pet names for you. He gets really sappy whenever he says your actual name and he’s letting down his guard so it’s sweet to see him like this. He’ll hold you hand and whisper your name into your arm as you two sway to this music in your heads and it’s calm and it’s perfect.

Like Yoko, Oren will not hesitate to use you as a sparring partner. He will not hold back just because you’re his significant other! Though, he has this ritual before he spars with you. He gives you a quick peck on the lips, “No hard feelings, okay, my love?” and then off you two go to beat each other black and blue respectfully. Oren gives out a lot of pointers, more so than Yoko and he is a loooot more handsy. He is a super physically affectionate person so of course he’ll help position you better. Sure it can lead to sexy times and Oren may tease a bit but he’s deadly serious about making you stronger and stay alive. It’s a hint of vulnerability because he’s seen so much death and a single careless mistake could cost you your life. He’s not going to let that happen. When you two are done, it’s nothing but comfort kisses and feeding each other post-workout snacks! Oren also always compliments you on your job well done.

As said, Oren is your biggest hype man and this extends to out on the battlefield. Oren is super protective of you during fights and you can always hear him from across a fucking lake of how proud he is of course!!! Oren will also literally come barreling outta nowhere if you call for him, outside of the suit or inside. Oren adores you and not many people expect him to be absolutely fucking terrifying. One time you got hit on by a drunk person and Oren fucking threw them across a whole ass street and berated them for trying to harm his beloved and beautiful partner!!! Yeah don’t make Oren angry. Like ever. But he tends to run over to you to check your safety more often than not. You’re his biggest priority! Fuck all the people around him.

Arguments with Oren don’t really exist because Oren is so honest and truthful that he will tell you right away with no hesitation. He is very verbal about his wants and needs and he wants to tell you things right away if something is an issue. However, if you’re not confrontational like he is, Oren will be a lot more gentler with his approach. People fear the “can we talk” notes but Oren is more along the lines of, “I want to find a solution with you, because what we have is worth every single little thing we get into.” and Oren will fight for this relationship. Many will think he will let it drop at the drop of a hat but he wants this relationship more than anything. He’s never physical with these kinds of things and wants to come to a peaceful solution more often than not. He also hates raising his voice and having people shout at him in return. It’s from his military training and Oren hates raising his voice towards you. You deserve better than that and it’s unbecoming of the two of you to get into screaming matches. SOmetimes if Oren gets too heated, he’ll walk away from the argument and stress bake in order to calm down. He’ll share these treats with you and discuss even more solutions.

Loving Oren is like the pastries he cooks, sweet as sugar. Oren is nothing short of a supportive partner who wants the best for not only himself but for you! As one of the few Armored Riders left in Zawame City, Oren has taken it upon himself to be a figure of justice alongside you! Alongside Jonouchi, you were beyond worried when he was controlled by the Hellheim fruit and went on a rampage but he never would (and never could) harm you in any sort of capacity. Oren loves you and you alone. He wouldn’t mind settling down but it’ll take Oren a while for him to think about it. He’s busy, yes, but it’s along the lines of he wants to take it slow. Marriage is not an end goal but something you two can achieve together if you two wish. Of course, his proposal will be the most over the top thing but for Oren, as long as you’re by his side…he’s the happiest person in the world.

#kamen rider gaim #kamen rider #kamen rider x reader #kamen rider imagine #minato yoko #zack gaim #zack #oren pierre alfonzo #i also miss mai now that i think about it....i should make sutff for her later #kamen rider knuckle #kamen rider marika #kamen rider bravo #....as im reading the shit i wrote for yoko i think i have a problem and its that im gau

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