#my dear friend sougo will also be there.

[melto]

gonna go watch my best friend kotarou blade get railed by another toku man for 2 hours bye guys o7

[magical-boy-bracket]

Finally, it's here! The Magical Boy Bracket round 1! Polls will start being posted hopefully some time this week, with one post every 5 minutes.

Polls will last one week. Any losers for this round will be sent to the losers bracket the week after.

Please be reminded of this very important rule when reblogging or commenting on posts: "Don't be an asshole to me or to anyone else in this tournament, and please no excessive hate towards a specific character or source material. Otherwise, you will be blocked."

Text version for easier understanding under the cut! Has full names of characters, alter ego names where it applies, as well as source titles! (Some longer titles are shown in full the first time they appear, but are then shortened the in their next appearances (which will also be done for the polls). Also, please let me know if I wrote any names or titles wrong.)

Top left (matches 1 - 16):

Akito Hibino / Lofty Purple (Bokura wa Mahou Shounen) VS Aoi Shibuya (Tokyo Mew Mew Ole)

Hojo Omamori (Fairy Ranmaru: Anata no Kokoro Otasuke Shimasu) VS Kazuki Yasaka (Sarazanmai)

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (Shugo Chara) VS Nagihiko Fujisaki (Shugo Chara)

Masayoshi Hazama / Samurai Flamenco (Samurai Flamenco) VS Natsuki Nanahoshi (Mahou Shounen Natsuki x Loveits)

Jake Long (American Dragon Jake Long) VS Ren Amamiya / Joker (Persona 5)

Idia Shroud (Twisted Wonderland) VS Tsuyoshi Kijino / Kijibrother (Avataro Sentai Donbrothers)

Kaito Hinomiya (Dear my Magial Boys) VS Kikyou / Fragrant Rose (Magical Boy Troubles)

Sougo Tokiwa / Kamen Rider Zi-O (Kamen Rider Zi-O) VS Alice "Azz" Asmodeus (Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun)

Asahi Minamikawa (Mewkledreamy) VS Kaito Odagiri / Thrilling Pink (Bokura wa Mahou Shounen)

Chrono Harlaown (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha) VS Erio Mondial (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS)

Jotaro Kujo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders) VS Chiaki Nagoya / Kaitou Sinbad (Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne)

Kairi Sanjo (Shugo Chara) VS Tadase Hotori (Shugo Chara)

Mahad / Dark Magician (Yu-Gi-Oh) VS Mem Mem (Delicious Party Precure)

Andromeda Shun (Saint Seiya) VS Pegasus Seiya (Saint Seiya)

Orion Eden (Saint Seiya Omega) VS Shuu Rei Fuan (Yoroiden Samurai Troopers)

Vanitas (Vanitas no Carte) VS Ben Tennyson (Ben 10)

Top Right (matches 17 - 32):

Akihiko Beppu / Melty Luna (Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love!) VS Akoya Gero / Chevalier Perlite (Boueibu)

Atsushi Kinugawa / Battle Lover Epinard (Boueibu) VS En Yufuin / Battle Lover Cerulean (Boueibu)

Gora Hakone / Maximum Gorar (Boueibu) VS Haruhiko Beppu / Salty Sol (Boueibu)

Ibushi Arima / Chevalier Argent (Boueibu) VS Io Naruko / Battle Lover Sulfur (Boueibu)

Ryuu Zaou / Battle Lover Vesta (Boueibu) VS Furanui de Shakin Honyalala (Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Happy Kiss)

Ichiro Dougo / Spazio Kiss (Boueibu HK) VS Karurusu de Yutari Honyalala (Boueibu HK)

Kyotarou Shuzenji / Fiore Kiss (Boueibu HK) VS Maasa Shirahone / Ritter Amethyst (Boueibu HK)

Nanao Wakura / Luna Kiss (Boueibu HK) VS Ryouma Kirishima / Stella Kiss (Boueibu HK)

Taiju Unazuki / Ritter Rosenquartz (Boueibu HK) VS Taishi Manza / Neve Kiss (Boueibu HK)

Callum (The Dragon Prince) VS Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom)

Chris Kratt (Wild Kratts) VS Martin Kratt (Wild Kratts)

Farran (Lego Elves) VS Gus Porter (The Owl House)

Guy Hamdon / SheZow (SheZow) VS Sinedd (Galacktik Football)

Prince Adam / He-Man (He-Man) VS Jack Frost (Rise of the Guardians)

Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon (Lego Ninjago) VS Mephisto (Lolirock)

Sulfus (Angel's Friends) VS Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Bottom Left (matches 33 - 48):

Link (The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom) VS Lucas (Mother 3)

Arthur Aguefort (Dimension 20: Fantasy High) VS Evan Kelmp (Dimension 20: Misfits and Magic)

Whitney Jammer (Dimension 20: Misfits and Magic) VS Kingston Brown (Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City)

Billy Batson / Shazam (DC Comics) VS Carter Kane (The Kane Chronicles)

Nico di Angelo (The Heroes of Olympus) VS Perseus Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Anselmo Flores / White Knight Heather (Dame Daffodil) VS Basil Caraway (Magical Boy Basil)

Reo Menezes (Majestikal Mistake) VS Sage (Strawberry Seafoam)

Sara / Adora Flora (Magical Mom) VS Kento Fukamiya / Kamen Rider Espada (Kamen Rider Saber)

Hikaru / Holy Saint Sungel (Mahou Sentai Magiranger) VS Kai Ozu / MagiRed (Mahou Sentai Magiranger)

Makito Ozu / MagiGreen (Mahou Sentai Magiranger) VS Xander Bly / Green Mystic Ranger (Power Rangers Mystic Force)

Tsubasa Ozu / MagiYellow (Mahou Sentai Magiranger) VS Chip Thorn / Yellow Mystic Ranger (Power Rangers Mystic Force)

Juuru Atsuta / Kiramai Red (Mashin Sentai Kiramager) VS Lucky / Shishi Red (Uchuu Sentai Kyuranger)

Kaito Goshikida / Zenkaizer (Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger) VS Stacey / Stacaesar (Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger)

Sonoi (Avataro Sentai Donbrothers) VS Antonio Garcia / Golden Power Ranger (Power Rangers: Samurai)

Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader (Star Wars) VS Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon)

Ata Ibusuki / Ritter Diamant (Boueibu HK) VS Blue Knight (Tokyo Mew Mew)

Bottom Right (matched 49 - 64)

Homura Hoterase (Fairy Ranmaru) VS Jyuuka Mutsuoka (Fairy Ranmaru)

Ranmaru Ai (Fairy Ranmaru) VS Sirius Tenroin (Fairy Ranmaru)

Takara Utashiro (Fairy Ranmaru) VS Kukai Soma (Shugo Chara)

Shigeo Kageyama "Mob" (Mob Psycho 100) VS Ezra Bridger (Star Wars: Rebels)

Magnus Chase (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) VS Gentarou Kisaragi / Kamen Rider Fourze (Kamen Rider Fourze)

Kosuke Nitoh / Kamen Rider Beast (Kamen Rider Wizard) VS Ryotaro Nogami / Kamen Rider Den-O (Kamen Rider Den-O)

Tetsuo Daishinji / Kamen Rider Slash (Kamen Rider Saber) VS Touma Kamiyama / Kamen Rider Saber (Kamen Rider Saber)

Merlin (Merlin) VS John Constantine (DC Comics)

Yumoto Hakone / Battle Lover Scarlet (Boueibu) VS Kinshiro Kusatsu / Chevalier Aurite (Boueibu)

Uruu Seiren (Fairy Ranmaru) VS Adrien Agreste / Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug)

Yakumo Katou / AoNinja (Shuriken Sentai Ninninger) VS Liam Farrow / Emerald Heart (Magical Warrior: Diamond Heart)

Henri Wakamiya / Cure Infini (HUGtto Precure) VS Pikario / Rio Kuroki (Kira Kira Precure A La Mode)

Takumi Shinada / Black Pepper (Delicious Party Precure) VS Steven Universe (Steven Universe)

Alex Harvey-Iniguez / Garnet Heart (Magical Warrior: Diamond Heart) VS Max Owen (Magical Boy)

Kouta Kazuraba / Kamen Rider Gaim (Kamen Rider Gaim) VS Haruto Soma / Kamen Rider Wizard (Kamen Rider Wizard)

Syaoran Li (Cardcaptor Sakura) VS Tsubasa Yuunagi / Cure Wing (Hirogaru Sky Precure)

[phulpakharu]

initial thoughts on gintama characters PART 2

here is the original post, if you wanna see. for anybody who's curious, i'm doing this because my mortal enemy (i.e. friend) wants essays about my thoughts on these characters... acting like this show is a class fr. i hate and love you in equal measure my dearest nemesis <3

i know you've been waiting for this one for a WHILE, so without further adieu, here is my initial impression of your babygirl, Takasugi Shinsuke.

(note: i know some spoilers about gintama, so my opinions are not gonna be clean or whatever because of that)

ALSO... THIS IS ALL SPECULATION. don't take me too seriously. i'm not trying to start disc/horse

takasugi is a man i have been waiting to meet, because @takasugisbabygirl is so in love with him, and i want to understand why. also just, the few spoilers i do know about him make me want to off myself.

so naturally, i squealed when he showed up on screen in episode 17. he was finally here !!!! and he wouldn't be showing up again for another 41 episodes, but i'll take the crumbs i can get.

my first thoughts were: 1) oh he's gonna be sooooooo fucked up and deranged for sure, and 2) THAT VOICE

THAT VOICE... oh my gosh. his voice suits him perfectly, Takehito Koyasu played him so well... wow. also, he was wearing a hat !!!!! idk what else to say about the hat, i just appreciated it is all.

okay, so a bunch of other stuff happens in this episode, so i'll scream about that briefly, before getting back to takasugi.

SHINPACHI MY TONE-DEAF SON... I LOVE YOU

KAGURA YOU ARE SO REAL AND WONDERFULLY 14 FOR ENACTING A SOAP OPERA... MY DAUGHTER... I LOVE YOU

GINTOKI I HOPE YOU GOT YOUR COTTON CANDY EVENTUALLY BABE

this ep was fucking DRAMATIC, i think nothing will top how heartfelt episode 13 was for me, it just HIT

KAGURA AND SOUGO WERE SUCH A FUN DUO.. THE SADISTS ARE TEAMING UP !! (i do not ship them because gross, and i have been informed that gin / kagu are unfortunately a big ship in this fandom??? y'all need buddha and allah and christ and five more different kinds of divine intervention fr)

that moment when gintoki and that inventor man (gengai or smth) were having ramen, and speaking about war and loss with that sad fucking piano ost... maybe it hit me a little. genuinely, i hate thinking of gintoki being in pain, i hate thinking of him experiencing loss, even when i'm vaguely aware of his backstory.

...

ANYWAYS... back to takasugi. HE WAS WATCHING YOROZUYA AND GENGAI WORKING... i wanna know what was going on in his head. what did he think when he saw gintoki? is this the first time he's observed from afar? what did he think when he saw gintoki with his surrogate children? i just want to know what he thought.

i can vaguely speculate, that he was angry, because i think he has so much of it that he doesn't know where to put it. i think he may have also felt a bit betrayed, seeing gintoki move forward with other people in his life, seemingly forgetting the past. he says as much later on, though not in those words exactly. i'm just fascinated by his heart and mind and thoughts.

speaking offffff....... that moment when he cornered gintoki after the fireworks show!!!! dear fucking god!!!!!! i don't know how to properly articulate all my feelings about this, but i will try.

1) takasugi is tasking himself with keeping gintoki busy, because he knows that even in gintoki's "defanged" state, he's a threat to the chaos and destruction takasugi wants to incite.

2) he's fucking deranged and i already love him

3) the metaphor of the beast. gosh, this was so well done. it was clear and obvious what the metaphor meant, but it's also very layered. just, wonderful! takasugi and his beast that screams outwards, that's unruly and set loose to destroy everything, because he has nothing left to protect, nothing to really fight for, just wanting to burn the world that took everything from him. wow.

gintoki and his beast that screams inwards, that's caged and locked, and silently ruining him on the inside. the rage he feels turned inward at himself for not being able to protect everyone in the past. which then manifests as him doing everything he can to protect his loved ones now. because the past is the past, even if it haunts him, what's done is done, all he has is what's in front of him. (again, this was really wonderfully set up and displayed in ep13, when kagura and shinpachi were taken away by space pirates. that moment when gin see's them being dragged away and the panic and desperation all over his face... dear god.)

4) this leads me into the set-up for what i know will be an ongoing theme of duality. gintoki and takasugi, two sides of the same coin. protection vs destruction. internalization vs externalization. glittery pink comic sans 'i will protect you' vs flaming cryptic gothic 'i will destroy you'. they're two poles, facing each other, mirroring each other, outwardly different, but stemming from the same roots. it's set up sooooo well, and i'm deeply excited to see where this will go.

5) the "fangs" : this was a veryyyy interesting metaphor. gintoki asking whether takasugi provoked gengai into attacking. and then takasugi talks about the "fangs" about the "white demon" and goshhhhh so much foreshadowing??? all for me??? i feel spoiled.

it also offers some insight into how takasugi views the world, but especially gintoki. in takasugi's eyes, gintoki has also lost all meaning, and in a way, he's not wrong. in takasugi's eyes, gintoki has forgotten his past, forgotten what the world did to him. takasugi doesn't, on a fundamental level understand how gintoki can be so... idle. how he's able to exist with the past that he has, and how he isn't just as furious with the world. and therein comes takasugi's belief as to what "fangs" are, and why he thinks gintoki lost his. why find new things to protect when you failed the first time around? why have new things to lose when the loss already broke you once before? why do anything other than let the wretched, indifferent world burn?

i need to mention, this is all speculation. i haven't gotten into takasugi or gintoki's backstories all that deeply. i don't know exactly what happened to them, but i am somewhat aware of it.

anyways, back to "fangs" because we got a little off-track. i think this whole thing is fascinating. because "fangs" can mean anything depending on who the person in question is. for takasugi, it's his desperate ambition to destroy whatever lays before him. for gintoki it's his opposing need to protect what matters to him. for gengai it was about control, about directing his grief somewhere, so he can, if only for a moment, feel less unmoored.

it's just a very interesting thing to me, and i'm excited to see how it's explored later.

aaaaaaaah so this became a little less about takasugi, and more about takasugi and gintoki.... i don't think i can be blamed though. they're literally mortal enemies, deeply intertwined, etc etc. gay as hell.

okay back to takasugi. i'm soooo intrigued by this man. i love his voice and his monologues. i love that he's deranged, but i'll probably be in pain later because i just Know i'll love him and wish for him to be happy instead.

and back to this episode... he is so, gosh... what a wonderfully set-up antagonist. that moment when gintoki grabs his sword with a bare hand, declares easily that he's not defanged like takasugi thinks, and takasugi is so taken aback by it. and again. i want to know what he's thinking. he's shocked, but what else. relieved, maybe? that the gintoki he remembers still exists? that he isn't apathetic at all? fond? i can only speculate, but he seemed kind of fond of gintoki, when he was talking to katsura at the end of the episode, idk idk. angry? definitely. why? i don't know. maybe because he doesn't understand why gintoki lives so idly, when he's clearly not lost his spark or his fangs. maybe because he wishes gintoki was angry in the same way. i literally have NOOOO IDEA, THIS IS ALL SPECULATION.

also gintoki.. mentioning sadaharu... as his beast... mf really deflects and represses his emotions using humor huh. babygirl please go to therapy, or maybe have a parfait.

...

uuuuuuh. anyways. idk if this "essay" if i can even loosely call it that, made any sense towards the end lol. i have many thoughts, but not enough words to communicate them all. but yeah. takasugi shinsuke. what a deranged little guy <3

[asknarashikari]

Minific idea: Emu and Shinnosuke has successfully dragged Haruto to witness Geiz and Sougo sparring. Sometime during the session, both boys lose their shirts then continued sparring.

Emu's like "see how exercise is good for your body?"

Haruto's like "What about Aruto, he doesn't have abs?!"

Lol RIP Haruto

I'm gonna throw in Rintaro if you don't mind because that interview where Ryo Aoki and Shuichiro Naito (but mostly Ryo) kept talking about Takaya Yamaguchi's "beautiful body" has lived rent-free in my brain since I read it

Also, Isamu because someone has to be there to defend Aruto's honor

"I don't understand why I have to be here," Haruto harrumphed as he petulantly sat down, practically forced into the seat by his two companions on either side. "I can't believe you two even let this happen at all!"

"Sometimes, you just gotta watch a bunch of idiots beat the crap out of each other." Shinnosuke replied.

"Shinnosuke, that's not very nice," Emu scolded. Shinnosuke shrugged at him.

"I mean... that kinda sounds good, to be honest, but... I'm not like those guys over there." He said, gesturing to the other side of the makeshift arena, where two swordsmen were blatantly eating up the eye candy offered by their water-wielding counterpart in the ring. There was also the CEO just watching his bodyguard with wide eyes and an open mouth.

Rintaro and Isamu, on the other hand, were oblivious to being stared at as they were locked together, trying with all their might to push the other out of the line of sand marking the ring.

"You don't have to be a simp to cheer your friends on," Shinnosuke replied casually, shrugging off his suit jacket and pulling his shirt sleeves up.

"He's not wrong... but...." Emu sighed and looked at Haruto. "Well, that's not the reason why we brought you here."

Haruto narrowed his eyes at Emu in confusion, but a whistle sounded and he turned back to the ring to see that the bout had ended, and Rintaro and Isamu were shaking hands amicably. They moved out of the ring, and were subsequently pulled aside by their respective lovers who gushed and raved about the match.

"Wait, what are those two doing, fighting each other?" Haruto questioned as the next two fighters stepped into the ring, wearing robes reminiscent of their respective Rider suits.

"Oh, they do this a lot," Shinnosuke replied. "It's good training, or so they say?"

Haruto's mouth fell open when Sougo and Geiz disrobed, revealing that they only wore shorts underneath, putting their toned bodies on display. "Since when has the Baby Rider been that ripped?!" he demanded.

"Uh... a while now?" Emu offered.

Haruto pouted. "No fair... he's got abs and he's, what, ten years younger than me?!" he complained.

"That's what happens when you exercise often," Emu pointed out.

Haruto gaped at him. "Did you two bring me here just to convince me to do that damned regiment by body-shaming me with the Baby Rider?!" he exclaimed, outraged. "Why don't I see you doing this to Aruto or Touma, they're practically as waifish as I am and you don't get on their case!"

"Oi! What did you say about my Aru, wizard boy?!"

"Did I just hear you insult my dear Touma's body?"

Haruto froze and slowly turned to see Isamu, Kento and Rintaro, all very mad and quite ready to pummel him into a paste, with Aruto, Touma, Sougo and Geiz trying (and failing) to placate them.

"Uhhh.... oops?"

[dangerouscommiesubversive]

On Some Solemn Shore with Decade ot4

Poem: "When youthful faith hath fled," John Gibson Lockhart / Song: "On Some Solemn Shore," arranged for chorus by Andrea Ramsey (Youtube)

dear friends shall meet once more

“Daiki’s a little mad at you, you know.”

“Yeah, I’d kind of guessed that when he wouldn’t speak to me at breakfast.” Tsukasa shifts over on the couch so that Natsumi can sit down. “He didn’t happen to tell you why, did he?”

She tips her head back to look at him, eyebrows rising. “You’re being deliberately dense, aren’t you?”

“No, I really want to know, because honestly there are a few things he could be mad at me about and it’d be nice to know which one it is.”

“How about you try, all of it, and then get back to me when you’re ready to apologize.” Daiki sits down on the other end of the couch and then pulling Natsumi away from Tsukasa’s side and over to his own as she laughs and swats at him. “Like, for one, you decided to go maybe kill Sougo and you didn’t even tell me. I know he’s stupid, but I kind of worry about his well-being. And if he died it’d make Geiz upset.”

“Well, you would have just tried to stop—”

“And then getting yourself killed,” Natsumi adds, settling in against Daiki’s side.

“I came back!”

“Yes, but you didn’t know that you were going to come back, you just thought, ‘oh, if I disappear on them again that’s fine,’ and went ahead.”

Tsukasa groans. “Yuusuke,” reaching out to grab Yuusuke as he passes the couch and pressing his face to the flannel-covered stomach, “they’re bullying me.”

Yuusuke pats the top of his head. “You also forgot to pick up groceries, you promised me that next time you went walking somewhere you’d stop at that one store.”

Another groan, still muffled by Yuusuke’s stomach. “Ok, I’m a terrible boyfriend, I get it.”

“Kind of impressively bad at it, yeah.” Yuusuke gently disentangles himself, frowns down at the very full couch, and then proceeds to sit down sideways in Tsukasa’s lap, with his legs stretched across the other two. He immediately shifts a bit. “Wow, this is not as comfortable as Daiki’s always making it look.”

“I have hollow bones,” Daiki says. “Like a bird.”

“That’d explain it, then.”

“If I’m such a bad boyfriend,” Tsukasa says, now muffled by Yuusuke’s hair in his face, “why are you sitting on me?”

Natsumi punches him lightly in the arm. “He’s sitting on you because he loves you, jackass. We’re all mad at you because we love you. When are you going to get that through your head?”

“I don’t exactly have a good track record for keeping stuff in my head, Natsumikan.”

“I’m not mad at you because I love you, loving you is just sort of an unfortunately permanent fact of my life,” Daiki says airily, “I’m mad at you because I care about my tiny angry junior and you almost killed his stupid boyfriend. And if you die I’ll have to go on a lengthy quest to avenge your murder and then bring you back and I just don’t think I have the energy for it.”

Natsumi twists around and gestures menacingly at him. “Daiki. That’s not helpful.”

“I’m just saying that—” but the rest of whatever he’s “just saying” is lost as Natsumi’s thumb connects with the side of his neck and he dissolves into helpless laughter.

Tsukasa snorts into Yuusuke’s hair. “It’s really comforting to know that you’re never going to change, Natsumikan.”

She brandishes a thumb at him. “Don’t make fun of me, I’m not in the mood, you’re still in trouble.”

Yuusuke, still sprawled across everyone else, turns a bit to look Tsukasa in the eye and says, “You know it’s not just Daiki, right? Do you really want to be the one responsible for us getting stuck on a year-long quest to raise the dead? I don’t think I’d be very good at it, but I’d do it.”

“That’s…” Tsukasa’s silent for a moment, and then he wraps his arms around Yuusuke’s waist and presses his forehead to the back of Yuusuke’s neck. “Thanks, guys. I promise I’ll try to be a better boyfriend and stop wandering off.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” the other three say in unison.

[sailor-cresselia]

Kamen Rider Zi-O 49: Finale

…You know what? No preamble this time. Let’s just do this.

Kamen Rider Zi-O episode 49: Season Finale.

Let’s go.

––––

We re-open with Tsukuyomi’s transformation into Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi!

Geiz is surprised, he didn’t see this coming. Woz and Sougo are both impressed, and Tsukuyomi… throws her hand forward… and… pauses everything…

Except Swartz.

Um.

She goes up to him, and.

Um.

Bows. To him. Dropping her transformation.

And says that she has obtained the powers of a Kamen Rider, and that she will be useful to her brother. That she’s royalty, too, and will do whatever it takes to save the world.

Um. Tsukuyomi? You are pretending, right? This is part of a plot to catch him off guard, right?

Because, uh, your expression isn’t one of, you know, devotion or satisfaction, or even resignation. You look like you don’t want to do this, so. Uh.

Please be faking?

Please?!

––––

If she’s not, and if she doesn’t transform again, this is the shortest Female Rider stint we’ve had. Didn’t think anything would beat Alia’s ‘literally one fight before becoming a prisoner’ run as Necrom-P, but…

––––

Woz’s recap – Oh HELLO.

The recap vault? You know how it has an appearance in the opening, with burning pages falling from the ceiling?

Guess what’s starting to fall around Woz right now.

The contents of his recap are simple. Thanks to Sougo’s efforts, Tsukuyomi’s become a Kamen Rider. And then she defected, which nobody saw coming. This is the last page until the end of the world.

––––

There are no opening credits today. We go right from Woz’s vault to the show title, to the sponsor segment, and to the episode itself.

––––

Tsukuyomi and Swartz stand on a rooftop at night, under a blood-red moon. He asks why they had her become a Kamen Rider.

Her answer? It was part of Tsukasa’s plan, because, according to him, her and Swartz’s world is trying to end because there are no Riders.

Swartz looks… I don’t know if that’s confused, frustrated, or ‘oh shit, I didn’t think of that.’

––––

It actually kind of works with Decade’s lore, too. If a world enters a Kamen Rider season, it has to have Kamen Riders, or it will start to collapse in on itself… even if that world isn’t supposed to have Kamen Riders. The Sentai-verse got a bit screwy when he crossed over with Shinkenger, to the point of the monster-of-the-day becoming Another Diend.

I wish I were kidding about that, but that MOTW was the OG Another Rider.

And we’ve only ever really visited one world that doesn’t, technically speaking, have Kamen Riders in the series that I can remember – during Heisei Generations FOREVER. At which point, Futaros’s actions in bringing Riders there started to mess with the fabric of space-time, to the point of old monsters just showing up, uncontrollably, with nobody there to stop them.

You know.

Like has been happening here.

––––

Okay, so I don’t think they told Geiz about this plan, but Woz and Sougo both knew.

Can… can Geiz just not lie? I mean, he’s super blunt about everything, and Tsukasa did say that his acting was horrible… Did they realize that he would somehow spill the Rider Tsukuyomi part of the plan, and not tell him that part? Because that’s the only reason I can think of for him to not know.

It does also allow us our exposition, though, so that’s something.

Tsukasa starts to detail the plan. By making Tsukuyomi into a Rider, her world could be restored. Thus, as Geiz points out, creating a ‘World of Tsukuyomi,’ not unlike the AR worlds in Decade, that they could use as a refuge from the currently-ending world they’re on now.

Woz says that she’s become a rider, so that means the plan is a success, isn’t it?

Tsukasa isn’t so sure. There are billions of people here. How could they all make it to another world?

(Sougo sort of slumps back at that. Geiz and Woz are still rigid, but Sougo seems resigned.)

Tsukasa continues. Right now, they’re in what could be called the ‘World of Zi-O.’ With Zi-O on one end, and Tsukuyomi on the other, the two powers could resonate, and create a bridge.

(Sougo draws in on himself. My ‘someone has to be there to close the door behind them’ theory is looking increasingly likely.)

There’s a visual of the plan, too. Two Earths, side by side, with a beam of light coming from each and meeting in the middle.

––––

Tsukuyomi is describing the plan to Swartz at the same time, saying that for it to work, both worlds would need ‘many Riders.’

––––

However, according to Woz, it’s all for nothing, because Tsukuyomi betrayed them.

Geiz wants to know why she would do that.

…Sougo looks like he’s thinking of something.

If they need one of them on each end, and the only people we know who can go between the two worlds are Tsukasa, Daiki, and Swartz…

They need some way to get Tsukuyomi to her World without Swartz constantly trying to kill her, now don’t they? What better way to do that then have her working on the inside?

––––

Swartz asks if she will acknowledge him as king, to which Tsukuyomi replies that his ascending to the throne is divine foretelling.

Toki No Ouja’s orchestral version starts to play as she kneels, while she has that same wide-eyed, almost hollow look as before.

––––

The music continues as Sougo stands up, and says that they’ll just have to hold them off, even if breifly.

Tsukasa points out that they’re speeding up the destruction of the world. Is he ready for that?

We cut briefly to the outside of the shop, and then to Junichiro working on cleaning a small gear of some sort. We don’t get to see what it goes to when the shot draws back, showing that he’s working at the front counter, with only the lights above him on. Whatever he’s fixing, it’s hidden behind the box he was holding last episode.

The music hits its final note as that shot closes.

––––

It’s daytime, now. There’s monsters everywhere.

I have no idea who this guy is that’s summoning a smoky cloud over a valley, but he’s got to be someone’s final boss… hang on… I have an idea… I saw this sort of cloud in Decade, during the World of Kuuga arc, so…

Yeah. Yeah, this is Kuuga’s final villain, N-Daguva-Zeba. This is fine. The world-destroying has progressed to end-bosses now.

That’s made all the more apparent by Evolt summoning a black hole and destroying three buildings in the process.

Geiz, in his Time Mazine’s mecha form, is beating up a giant crab…. YUP, same one from Hibiki that they fought off in Decade, a Bakegani.

Geiz is pissed, shouting that none of them are going to get away with this.

As he literally kicks the Bakegani away, those dragonfly like monsters start to swarm him, but he’s just shooting them down with… uh, okay, apparently the Time Mazines have missiles. This is fine.

Ah, and looks like I was right earlier, those dragonfly things are the swarm of mirror monsters that showed up at the end of Ryuki, Hydragoons.

––––

Woz and Decade are fighting against a plethora of mooks and named enemies, including Revol, the Katana Ganma (y’know, the one what did the thing in episode one), a Lion Inves, and Argus, one of the Phantoms.

They use a pair of finishers to defeat the mooks, but it doesn’t do any good – the larger enemies survived, and the mooks just respawned immediately.

A hail of gunfire comes from the other direction. Sup, Diend?

He’s all smiles right now, since he and Tsukasa get to ‘enjoy’ the end of the world together. Now that’s the greatest treasure he can imagine.

…

Rider-Time. Rider-Time, did. Did Tsukasa actually say ‘Enough flirting, and fight!’?!

Because. Uh. I don’t think he actually said that, but my Japanese isn’t good enough to pick up that sort of thing, but oh dear lord if this is how we get confirmation in-show that Daiki and Tsukasa are a thing…

He doesn’t reply to Tsukasa telling him off, and everyone just keeps fighting.

(But seriously, Daiki, this is not the time to flirt. I get that it’s kind of a ‘now or never’ situation, but come on, read the room!)

––––

At 9-to-5… Sougo’s almost finished a meal that Junichiro’s barely started. (Oh no.)

He’s not… taking his time, but he’s getting all that he can out of it.

Junichiro asks if everyone is fighting, and Sougo nods.

He finishes, and thanks his uncle, formally, in a way that he usually doesn’t do.

… oh shit. Junichiro picked up on it, too.

Shit.

“Sougo, you weren’t planning on this being your final meal, were you?” The shot switches from a very justifiably scared uncle to Sougo. “First off, you still need breakfast.” Sougo nods, making an affirmative noise.

He’s definitely agreeing to the first part.

Sougo gets up, and starts heading out – but Junichiro gets him to wait for a moment, and goes behind the counter to get something.

…You know how Junichiro was looking at the broken Build Watch a few episodes ago? And how the stand was empty when everyone headed out last episode? And how I said that the box he was carrying was about the right size for a pile of broken watches? And how he fixes clocks for a living?

Tokiwa Junichiro pulls out a tray, with a soft velvety fabric as a cushion… and eighteen disks, with the mask of eighteen different heroes.

All in full color.

Sougo’s astonished – how?

His uncle is tense. Why wouldn’t he be? His nephew is going off to fight, and potentially die, and there isn’t anything he can do about that. But these are Sougo’s and his friends’ precious watches, and there is no clock that he can’t fix.

“Ask everyone what they’d like for dinner, alright?”

Sougo pauses, smiling. “Got it. I’ll be back.” He looks up at Junichiro, determined.

Sougo may or may not be planning to make it out himself, but… he’s going to make sure that his friends do, at least.

(Seriously, my ‘he’d hoped that they would all keep each other company after he was gone’ line from the 22nd wasn’t supposed to happen, come on…)

––––

With Decade and Diend, Woz starts a Ginga Planet finisher, which starts to rain mini-planets down- and everything freezes.

Tsukuyomi emerges from behind them, hand outstretched, telling them that they can’t avoid the worlds destruction.

Swartz, as Another Decade, comes on scene, calling Woz disappointing. Or calling what he’s doing disappointing, it’s a little unclear. Either way, he blasts all three riders; Decade and Diend being thrown off screen, and Woz being frozen mid-air.

There’s no background music what-so-ever.

Swartz readies an energy blast, the same type he killed Tsukasa with, saying that he’ll make sure that Woz dies.

A second hand ticks, and a golden gate opens to the side, labeled 2017.

Build!

Swartz gets blasted by the Fullbottle buster, as wielded by Build in his TankTank form.

Drive!

He gets triple-struck by Drive: Type Formula running past.

Ghost!

He takes an Omega Drive Rider Kick from Ghost, in his base form.

Ex-Aid!

Five hits from Ex-Aid in Maximum Mighty X.

“Impossible! The history of Riders is supposed to be gone!”

The four summoned riders pose in a line, before turning to light and being de-spawned, the lights going back to the newly-recreated Grand Zi-O Ridewatch.

Sougo, untransformed, wearing his Ziku Driver, strides forward. “It’s not gone.” He holds up the watch. “Erase history all you want, but Kamen Riders are forever!”

There’s one big ol flaw in Swartz’s plan. Well, aside from Sougo’s determinator status. He had all of the riders coalesced into one, saying that it took away their histories. But even Grand still didn’t, since Sougo summons them out of their shows. We could see one of the canyons behind Build when he was summoned just now, and there’s the ‘OOO being summoned along with the column’ from Grands debut.

They’re not gone. They’re just tucked away, nice and safe in a little pocket of time.

Slowly, Sougo activates his two watches, places them in his driver, and, after what feels like a slight hesitation, starts his transformation.

I can’t complain about them using the full Grand transformation. Not in the last episode, not when it counts this much. It’s not nearly as bad as Decade Complete, it gets to the point way faster. This? This is good.

“One last showdown.”

––––

The orchestral battle version of Toki no Ouja plays. I specify that, because it feels… important, this time. Toki no Ouja is used as a battle theme with the higher level Zi-O forms a lot, but here it feels… more significant than usual.

Grand Zi-O and Another Decade trade punches, and knock each other back. Furious, Sougo tells Swartz to feel the power of the Riders.

OOO!

OOO Tajador swoops in, taken directly from an episode. I think it’s the episode Tajador debuted in, too – they’re definitely using archival footage, with OOO flying down and using the medal shield to block energy blasts, before he uses a Scanning Charge and claws Swartz with the Condor talons.

Sougo goes in for a quick sword attack against Swartz, moving him into the path of-

Wizard!

Wizard Infinity delivers a Shining Strike, which I think comes from that forms debut, too. He gets some damage in, but the giant fucking axe is still shoved away.

Gaim!

Gaim Pineapple Arms (this is fine) delivers a kick, but since he’s not anything more than a mode change, it’s easily deflected.

Grand Zi-O and Double CycloneJokerXtreme team up for another, powered, pair of energy slashes, which break through the shielding that Another Decade raised, throwing him to the ground.

(Okay, that’s almost all of the phase two’s accounted for, now where’s our Fourze appearance?)

Two can play at this ‘summoning the past’ game, though! They’re not just fighting Swartz, they can feast their eyes on the… Rider’s Rogues gallery.

Okay, Rider-Time, I really don’t think that’s what he called the endbosses that he just summoned, but it’s accurate enough.

So he’s opened a wall, and pulled through… uh. Not sure who that first one is, then N-Daguva-Zeba, Gamdeus, someone else, and Evolt.

Oh, wait, hang on. Still can’t tell who the first one is, but the person between Gamedeus and Evolt is Saggitarius. I couldn’t tell until he started moving, and I could see the zodiac symbols on his belt.

So, everyone charges forward. Evolt versus Wizard, Saggitarius versus Double, N-Daguva-Zeba versus OOO, and whomstever the fuck that guy is against Gaim.

And it seems that the Riders summoned by Grand can stick around as long as they need to, since they’re actively fighting now. Not that it’s a surprise, we saw this happen with Drive sticking around during the Grand vs Oma fight a while ago, but it’s good to have confirmation.

Swartz and Gamedeus team up against Sougo, and start promptly kicking his ass, knocking his sowrd away. We cut to Kuuga end-boss and whomstever taking out OOO and Gaim, and then to Saggitarius and Evolt doing the same to Wizard and Double.

(Seriously,who is this guy?! Is he one of the Lords from Agito? Because I can’t find a picture of him there, but the belt and weapon style says he would be…)

All six villains start charging attacks, which merge into one huge purple fireball, which strikes Zi-O. He’s tossed back, to the ground, where his transformation breaks and he lays gasping in pain.

Swartz charges a sickly green-and-purple fireball. “Now, die!”

He fires, and Sougo curls in on himself, bracing.

Typhoon!

Geiz Revive Typhoon blocks the blast, holding it off for a moment, before it overpowers him and flings him backward… his visor breaks as he’s thrown back, before the armor dissolves.

I don’t know if his armor broke before or after he hit the wall in an explosion.

But either way… Sougo runs to an untransformed Geiz, who’s lying on the ground, and pulls him into his arms, begging Geiz to stay with him.

Geiz is having trouble speaking, but he’s still managing, somehow, even as he’s in obvious agony. “Zi-O...” (Use his name god damn it) Geiz forces himself to grab Sougo by the shirt, as the piano version of Toki no Ouja starts. “Become Oma Zi-O… become the king of time. You have what it takes… to become the most beloved overlord.”

Sougo shakes his head, barely holding back tears, begging Geiz not to die. (Rider-Time translated this as ‘don’t leave me,’ but he’s straight up saying ‘don’t die,’ come on, guys.)

“I was so happy… to have come to this time…” While Sougo is sobbing, Geiz is staying as stoic as he can, he doesn’t have the energy to have emotions and give his last words.

“Sougo…” (We see the first tear actually fall from Sougo’s eyes, and I start crying in full as well.)

“I’m happy to have been… your comrade… and friend.”

As Sougo (and myself) beg for this to not be happening, Geiz’s hand drops from it’s deathgrip on Sougo’s shirt.

Miyokoin Geiz dies in Tokiwa Sougo’s arms.

Sougo sobs, his whole body shuddering. He turns a cold, hateful gaze in Swartz’s direction…

As sparks envelop his belt, turning the white and black driver into gold.

––––

Another Decade watches as Sougo emerges from the smoke.

Glaring, Sougo crosses his arms, and screams in rage as he throws them down. A clock emblem appears on the ground, dark golds and reds and black, seeming to crack the pavement as magma surges around.

Oh, or maybe it’s not magma, or lava. Maybe it’s molten metal. It would be appropriate for the metallic armor, after all.

The haze of the heat can be seen rising up as Sougo growls the word. “Henshin.”

The transformation is dark metal circles, and shadows and smoke. A deep gong rings out when it completes, and the sheer force of the energy pushes all the villains back a few steps.

Woz runs up, just saying ‘my overlord...’

I don’t think Woz thought that Sougo would ever actually do this. Not this Sougo, the one he’s come to know.

Especially given his shock when Sougo… when Oma Zi-O orders him to rejoice.

It’s the voice of Tokiwa Sougo, but he’s cold and empty, there’s nothing there but a calm fury. And he ordered Woz to make his speech.

The final line of which is “We are now within the moment of history’s final chapter!”

Swartz starts to laugh. (Also, in the background, Evolt’s posing it up, one hand on his hip, and whomstever the heck that unidentifiable guy is tucks his staff under his arm, and is briefly clapping sarcastically.)

Swartz laughs, saying that he’s cornered Tokiwa Sougo for all this time, for this moment. Now he can claim the power of Oma Zi-O for himself. Sending out those energy waves, he starts to draw the powers to himself.

Woz runs back, the energy there is way too much for him, but Oma Zi-O… doesn’t move. He’s standing stock still, not reacting as Swartz drains him.

Swartz is gleeful as he does this, the golden light coursing over him, eventually glowing in the gaps between the ‘cards’ of his Another Decade form. Now, he can finally surpass his sister, now, he can take the throne for himself!

The power stops flowing to him, suddenly, with a burst of fire at his chest as it cuts off.

Oma Zi-O is fine, not even having to really shake anything off. “you think someone like you can take on my power?” Ridewatches start appearing in the air – Build, Ex-Aid, Fourze, Faiz, Wizard. “i have the power of every single rider!”

And he means it. OOO, Gaim, Beast, Decade, Ghost, Kiva, Necrom, Ouja, Drive, Baron, Blade, Zeronos, Kuuga, Agito, Double, Den-O… Kabuto, Mach, Eternal, Cross-Z, OOO Tajador, Genm, Knight, G-3… Sasword, Proto-Drive, Garren, Kaixa, Rogue… and even more that I can’t identify, and more that aren’t any more than multicolored lights in the background.

And each and every one of these Ridewatches turns to pure light and draws into him.

Oma Sougo has not moved a step.

Evolt and Mystery Villain charge him, but are immediately taken out with firey punches. He turns, and a swarm of bats from OG Oma Zi-O’s Kiva attack takes out the swarm of Hydragoons that tried to divebomb him.

Kuuga’s kick takes out N-Daguva-Zeba, and a single burning punch dissolves Dragblacker as it tries to bite him.

Gamedeus gets the ‘ticking golden ball of pain’ treatment that Sougo received from OG Oma Zi-O when they met, and Sagittarius gets punched into the sky, where he promptly explodes.

Oma Sougo has only turned in order to attack. He still has not moved from his spot.

Just like when he fought himself the first time.

Swartz is impressed. But he’s gotten some of Oma Sougo’s powers, at least. He’ll go back to his world, and rule as king. He summons a wall to escape-

“HYA!”

A white blade of energy pierces him in the gut from behind, running him through.

Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi is the one wielding it.

Oma Sougo makes a small sound of surprise, as Swartz makes little choked sounds of dying.

Furious, Tsukuyomi shouts. No one needs a king like him!

“You little wench. You’ve been after my blind spot…”

Swartz turns, shoves her into the air, and blasts her, point blank, sending her flying into the far wall.

Sougo screams her name, and, furious and shaking, activates a finisher.

Demise Hour

An ominious ticking noise accompanies him as he rises into the air. Not jumps. Rises, surrounded by gold light and black swirls of smoke.

Another Decade activates his own finisher, as Oma Sougo descends, screaming in rage and despair, the clock-hand cape spreading like wings as he attacks.

The Overlord’s Decimation

Gold light from Oma Sougo’s kick meets the purple light from Another Decade’s punch, and we circle the balanced attack twice, while the deep gonging of an old bell sounds in the background.

Oma Sougo’s kick breaks through, sending Another Decade flying back, and leaving a torn ring in the air just behind where they connected.

The scene freezes, cast in the green light of the usual freeze.

––––

Tsukuyomi, with her original outfit glowing a bright white, and Swartz, in his black-and-white outfit, smoke rising from him and staggering in pain, appear.

Tsukuyomi steps forward. “This world… is already mine. Brother…”

“Sister… Spare me your words!” He’s barely able to talk, as he’s slowly dropping to his knees, juxtaposed in his human form behind the face of his paused, soon-to-be-defeated Another Rider self.

She turns to face Oma Sougo, frozen in time, as she starts to fade to transparency, pink lights rising from her. “Sougo… the two worlds are now in your hands.” She smiles, sadly and fondly, as the two Earths pictured before are shown again, and merge into one.

The royal siblings both fade. Her by quietly turning to lights as she looks at her friend. Him by crying in pain as he is turned to smoke and what looks like ash.

––––

Time resumes, and the explosion of Swartz’s destruction creates a wave of time energy that engulfs the area, spreading outward and erasing the monsters that filled the sky.

Oma Sougo stands up, and Woz approaches, arms wide. “You’ve done it, my overlord. The world is saved, and you may now reign over it for eternity.”

“No. That won’t be happening.” Oma Sougo’s tone is just shy of despondent. “Because I’m going to be tearing down space and time.”

––––

“So, this is the path you choose.”

Tokiwa Sougo, bruised, bloodied, and burned, stands in a black void in front of his future self, whos face is still obscured in light.

“You have the right to rule the world, you’re the one who saved it.”

Sougo disagrees. It wasn’t him. We cut from the wide shot of the two, to just Sougo’s face. He’s absolutely dead inside, trying not to break down. “The ones who saved the world are Geiz and Tsukuyomi, and the powers of every rider.”

Shots from throughout the show, of their lives together at 9-to-5 – of Sougo, his uncle, Geiz, Tsukuyomi, and Woz. Not as heroes or soldiers, but as people. As themselves.

Tokiwa Sougo, who was so lonely before these three time travelers came into his life, won’t accept living in a world where he rules as king, but none of them are around.

He asks his future self again. “Can the powers of Oma Zi-O only be used to destroy?”

Oma folds his hands. “Destruction… must come before creation.”

(Sir, either you’re trying to give yourself a clue, or you’ve been reading too much Fullmetal Alchemist lately. Just saying.)

Sougo firms his resolve. He’s going to bring about creation, and rewrite history.

Leaning forward, Oma has one last point to make. “You’ll never be a king again.”

Sougo disagrees. “I think it’ll work out, somehow. After all, the hands of time can only move toward the future.”

Over Quartzer starts to play.

“It may seem to move back, but time only goes forward.”

Sougo smiles, real and true, as he reminds his future self of the advice his uncle gave him, way, way back at the earliest points of the show. You can move a clock backward, but it still advances.

Oma chuckles. It’s been a priveldge to see his younger self.

Oma Zi-O, his face still obscured by blinding light, fades into golden motes and disappears.

––––

In the real world, Oma Sougo raises his arms out, and a pale gold wave of light, encircles the planet, little golden clock faces accompanying it.

Tsukasa and Daiki stand on a hilltop, as the Fuuto and Yggdrasil towers, and the Skywall, dissolve.

Daiki comments that time’s being rewritten.

Tsukasa says that it looks like a new journeys starting, and they both smirk as he opens the viewfinder of his camera and takes a picture.

The one Earth is shown glowing, before diverging into 21 separate Earths.

(It’s still only one reality, Toei, nice try. But also nice nod to the fact that there’s a new rider in town. … oh my god is the World of Zero One also the World of Tsukuyomi nah i’m just kidding but that’d be hilarious)

The worlds glow, and the TV-size version of Over Quartzer ends on a shot of the outside of 9-to-5.

––––

There’s a sign saying ‘Rooms to let’ on the door.

Tokiwa Junichiro calls upstairs. “Sougo! You’re going to be late for school!”

…wait, what?

Sougo narrates. “September, 2018. Summer vacation’s over, and the boring school days have begun.”

Wait. What?

Sougo’s on his way, walking his bike down the stairs, when some of his classmates pester him about saying he’s going to be a king, as he always does. Three of them jog past, and the fourth…

Wait. What.

The fourth says he’ll wake Sougo up, just like the anonymous one from the first episode, and flips Sougo onto his back, just like in the first episode.

Except it’s not the student from the first episode.

It’s Geiz.

Or, as schoolgirl Tsukuyomi calls him, Miyokoin-kun. Please note that they do not use her name at all. Thanks.

She tells him that he’s always too rough, grabs him by the collar, and yells at him to just be nice… before flipping him onto his back. She didn’t have to get back up like he did, and flipped him over her, as opposed to how he sent Sougo below where he was.

Sougo is recovering a whole lot faster than Geiz, who is on the ground in pain as Tsukuyomi dusts off her hands and walks away.

Schoolgirl Hora – wait what – comments that they’re always like this, and schoolboy Heure – who looks happy and that makes me happy – says that he sure admires ‘Ou-sama-sempai.’ Or, as Rider-time translates it, ‘Upperclass King.’

Hora asks what that names all about. Heure replies that well, he’s always said he’s going to be a king, right? He’s kinda dumb, but Heure thinks he can do it.

“…Whatever.” Hora checks her watch, and incidentally reveals that she’s got a little toy rabbit keychan hanging from her bag. “I’ve got some bad news for you.”

“Eh?!”

“We’re going to be late.”

All five of them start taking off – and nobody helps Geiz up, because being Geiz is suffering.

––––

They’re all running into the courtyard, and Woz watches from on top of the building. Regular, brown coat, book-carrying Woz.

He says that for Ordinary High School Student, Tokiwa Sougo, a future where he becomes Oma Zi-O is waiting for him. …Or, maybe it isn’t. Time will tell. From here on, a different history from the one in his book will have to be written.

He closes the Oma Advent Calendar decisively.

Our closing shots are of Hora and Tsukuyomi laughing to each other, Heure smiling, and Sougo and Geiz running together.

The end screen has the Zi-O and Geiz watches… and the Zero One watch in the center.

––––

So. That. Sure was an ending.

It was going great up until that world-changing maneuver.

I’ll have to try and write up some proper thoughts on this eventually, but for now…

I’ve never been a fan of the ‘it never happened’ ending for stories. It cheapens the struggles, for me. I’ll have to find a way around this when I finally get there in ReUnited, but that’s beside the point.

This is… I don’t know if I like the decision of how to save everything that Sougo came to. But the others – Geiz, Tsukuyomi, Heure, and Hora – get to have normal lives now. That’s… that’s good. They never had a chance for that before. So I’m happy for them. But…

It still feels hollow. It feels wrong that they don’t remember what happened, that nobody but Woz is around who remembers, and that he can’t even interact with them. They aren’t the same people anymore, anyway. They may be better off, they have the same quirks, but… it’s not the same.

And time even reset back to before Sougo met any of them, so this entire year may as well have never happened for the World of Zi-O.

Hm.

That’s Kamen Rider Zi-O. 49 episodes. A metric boatload of cameos from previous seasons. Two metric boatloads of re-used monster suits. A second season for Decade, and possible confirmation that Tsukasa and Daiki are a cou- okay, sorry, disregard that last bit, it’s not relevant.

But this has been the 29th season of Kamen Rider. On to season 30, Kamen Rider Zero One.

(Toei, I am begging you, find a better naming scheme, and stop using hyphens in your season names. Please.)

EDIT, MANY HOURS LATER: UTOPIA. THE VILLAIN I COULDN’T FIGURE OUT IS THE UTOPIA DOPANT. IT’S KAZU FUCKING JUN. SCREW THAT GUY.

[miyukowatchesthings]

Megamax,Heisei Generations final, Gaim 1-2

Megamax: ah what a good fun time. IT’S ALSO BEEN NEARLY TEN YEARS TOEI. CAN WE HAVE ANKH BACK NOW?!

Heisei Generations Final: clearly the intended final movie for the hesei era of rider. it’s..really good. mr Kamihoriuchi’s direction is also just real good. this is a Gorgeous movie. and the themes are just. Mmm. Now this is Kamen Rider.

Gaim 1-2: i’ve seen gaim i’ve said it’s my Least fav season. i unfort wanted to see how it holds up now that i’ve seen a bit of phase 1. oh dear this is not off to a good start. and Kouta..oh god how did we miss how dumb he was. Sougo i am so sorry. also WE GET IT UROBUTCHER. BUT PLEASE PLEASE REMEMBER. YOU ARE WRITING FOR LITERAL CHILDREN. TONE IT DOWN FOR THE START OF THE SEASON. and to quote my friend: Kaito is literally just Seto Kaiba. 

[ourmidnightmusings]

OkiKagu Fanfiction

Title: Babies Bring the Worst out of People

Summary:  Okita Sougo is forced to attend a baby shower held in honor of his and Kagura's first child. The best part? His in-laws can't wait to murder him. 

Pairing(s): OkiKagu, hints of KamuSoyo and GinTsu

Rating: M

Chapters: 1/?

A/N: I’ve been wanting to write for my second favorite couple ever! Also, there needs to be more OkiKagu fics in the world! Please let me know what you think. Hope everyone likes it! :)

"I changed my mind; I'm not going."

Kagura looked up from her third bowl full of rice and egg and spared an annoyed glare at her husband. "Yes, you are."

Folding his arms together, Okita replied in a stern voice, "No, I'm not." Naturally, any wife in his time would be a bit tense to hear the man of the house sound so serious. A proper, Japanese woman would obey her husband's words, not defy them.

His wife was neither of those things.

"HAH! It's funny that you think you have a say in anything." The Yato bellowed out in fits of laughter. After another round of knee-slapping and snorting, she went back to shovelling piles of food into her mouth. Disregarding Sougo's unamused look, she went on to prove her firmness on the matter. "Anego worked hard on this baby bath party for us, we have to go."

Okita rolled his eyes. She didn't even know what the damn thing was called. "You mean baby shower."

"Whatever, you're still not getting out of this."

He released a deep sigh and sat next to the frustrating Amanto. Glancing down at her well-rounded stomach, he began to think of ways to convince her to ditch the damn party. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with an irritable, hormonal alien that was capable of sending his ass flying should he piss her off. But he was really not looking forward to seeing a bunch of troublemakers and dealing with the shit-show that was likely to occur. And as bad as the Yorozura and their friends usually were, they were not the reason he wanted to avoid the baby shower.

To his luck, the Boss Lady had thought it would be a great idea to invite Kagura's brother and father to the event. How she even found out how to contact them was beyond him.

It wasn't that he was afraid of his in-laws. It was that he hated them and wished that they would both get lost in space somewhere. For one, Umibouzo was always giving him menacing looks and pandering Kagura to come alien-hunting with him. Then there was that prick Kamui who had attempted to kill him at every given turn. The day before their wedding was a lovely example of how close they had become.

"You're not worthy of mating with my sister if you can't even beat me in a fight." The vermillion-haired man pressed the tip of his umbrella further into his neck, grinning. "As ugly as she is, I still have to protect her dignity as a Yato."

The fight ended right away once China shot a hundred bullets at them. Never mind the prospects of injuring her own groom.

He leaned over to rub her pregnant belly affectionately. Despite the hectic process of dating and marrying the crazy woman, he loved her more each day. His happiness only increased the day she told him that they were expecting their first child. They still had a few more months until she was ready to pop, but he was excited to meet their new son or daughter. Having a new family was always something he secretly wanted. His only regret was that his older sister would not get to shower them with the same love she raised him with.

"Can't you give me a break? I'm the one who gave you this kid." Sougo pulled her away from the table, settling her in between his legs. "Unless you're not telling me something." He joked.

"Relax, Sadist. I've never slept with anyone else and you know it." Kagura rested her head on his chest. "I can give you an exact date that you blew your load into me to prove it."

"So vulgar," Okita smirked. An idea formed in his head, it was likely to fail but worth a shot. He pulled her down with him onto the floor and climbed on top of her. With ease, he unhooked the first few ties on her qipao to reveal her swelling breasts. "I wouldn't mind blowing my load into you right now though. What do you say, China?" He whispered as he peppered kisses all over her neck. She had been consistently horny during her second trimester- not that he was complaining. Maybe he might be able to sway her with the promise of some afternoon nookie?

The Amanto girl pushed him away and straightened out her dress. "I say we get going before Shinpachi and Gin-chan wreck the place." She held her hand out to him, smiling like no tomorrow.

He only groaned and helped her up.

~

By the time that they arrived, Saddaharu in toll, the Shimura house was already filled with familiar faces. Kagura's eyes had lit up tremendously, taking in the hoard of people that were socializing around the estate. It seemed that Anego invited everyone who lived in Kabukicho. Not excluding an abundant amount of friends the Yoruzura had made on their adventures. "Kagura-chan! Okita-san! Welcome!" Otae greeted the couple made their way to the yard where most of the decorations and food were. Blue and pink balloons, streamers, and banners spread out as far as they could see. Why there were even tables filled with all kinds of delicious-looking food!

Sougo snickered, patting the pregnant Yato's shoulder tenderly. "Looks like they've prepared enough for your appetite. Unfortunately, it looks like the rest of the country will have to suffer a shortage for at least a month." His joke earned him a crushed foot, courtesy of his wife's favorite pair of boots.

Ignoring his groans of pain, Kagura eagerly waddled up to the older lady. As excitement burst from her body, she gave her friend a tight hug. "Whoa, Anego! This place looks amazing!" The vermillion haired woman beamed.

The daughter of a samurai smiled and returned her embrace, mindful of her protruding belly. "I'm glad that you like it. We're waiting for a few more guests to arrive and then we'll really start the fun!"

"Who's missing?" Okita grunted, looking around the crowd suspiciously.

Suddenly, several panicked screams and screeches filled the area. The sea of people quickly dispersed as a large, flying ship clouded over them.

"KAGURAAA!"

Fuck.

"Papi!" His wife yelled back, watching in awe as her father and brother jumped off the space vessel. Abuto and a few other of their lackeys joined them as well. Umibouzu landed first, although his balance was thrown off by a loose roof tile. He tumbled comically until he fell face-first at their feet.

The married couple and Otae watched awkwardly as he quickly stood up. "Thank goodness, I made it in time." He coughed into his hand, faking composure. But as soon as he remembered the reason for this reunion, his face brightened up a second later. "How's my precious daughter and grandson?" He cooed while leaning toward her belly.

Okita rolled his eyes. He had purposely ignored him like a damn middle-schooler.

Swatting her father away from her, Kagura snorted. "What makes you so sure that it's a boy?"

"It was foreseen, of course!" The hunter proclaimed smugly.

"They say old men become superstitious when they're approaching their final days." Kamui hummed while striding towards them. "Wouldn't it be better to end you now, though? I'll let you die while with what little wit you have left." He asked with his usual menacing smile.

Abuto chuckled as he and a few other of their men joined them. "Now, now. We promised not to make trouble, right Captain?" Not that he would expect his commander to keep his word, especially when he was surrounded by a few people he had yet to settle a score with.

"Don't worry, I'll be on my best behaviour." Kamui beamed. "You're looking quite healthy, little sister. You too, Policeman." He said with a smirk.

"Likewise, Criminal." Sougo eyed him back.

Ignoring his son's rude interruption, Umibouzu huffed and folded his arms. "Anyways, I did not predict Kagura's first child. It was Kouka."

"Mami did?" Kagura's eyes widened.

"Yes. We once had a long chat about your future, just before…" Her father trailed off with a sad smile. Putting his hand on her shoulder and gave her a tender squeeze. "She said that in her dreams she envisioned you cradling a little boy. And I have never known your mother to be wrong about anything."

Kagura, somewhat stunned but also touched, was left speechless. It was only when Sougo gripped her hand that she awoke from the flashing memories of her dear mother. She hadn't realized that she was already tearing up either. Damn hormones.

Sighing, Kamui turned his heel. "Well, if you're done being sentimental about the past, I'll go and mingle."

"Try anything funny and you're dead." The first division captain called after his departing brother-in-law. He was answered with a wave of dismissal.

Clearing her throat, Otae turned back to her guest of honor. "Kagura-chan, let's get you comfortable. Everyone still needs to greet you." Also, she would very much like to make sure her home was intact.

She nodded excitedly. "Okay! Papi, are you coming?" The pregnant woman asked.

"Later. For now, I think I'll go find that sliver headed idiot. Have fun!" Umibouzu grinned before trotting off as well.

Husband and wife shared a knowing look. They would be lucky if no one died by the end of the night. Personally, Sougo blamed the baby.

[tarynnlei-blog]

One Night Only

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Hi Everyone! This is my first of many fics that I’ll be writing/  posting on this blog - show it some love! :) 

It was always the coldest and most miserable nights that Kagura found herself dragging her feet into whatever snack bar was open at the ungodly hour of two in the morning. She had left Sadaharu to rest at the neglected Yorozuya building along with her enormous umbrella, as she wanted to feel the harsh winds whip across her face and the rain prickle against her skin in a sorry attempt to get her to feel something again. Kagura flipped her soaked vermillion hair over her shoulder as she slid onto the few barstools that the place had to offer. One slight raise of a hand and the barkeep was already sliding a bottle of sake with an accompanying cup in front of her. Even at this time, the bar was still heavily occupied with men who had the same intention as her; to get piss-poor drunk in order to forget their troubles. Though she knew known of them even thought to approach her despite her looks, they knew exactly who she was and what she would do if they even dared. Kagura was about to pour herself a drink when the bottle was nimbly swiped from her fingers by a man in a red and white hakama.

“Long time no see, China.” The voice drawled.

She felt an emotion within her flicker to life, an emotion that she had not felt in a very long while. Hell, it’s been impossible to feel anything ever since Gin-chan died, but the presence of Okita Sougo always managed to make her react no matter how many years passed. But she was not that fourteen-year-old girl anymore that would fall for his cheap tricks to instigate a fight, even if she would trade anything to go back to those simpler times – when everyone was still together. Alive. Kagura boredly turned her head and met those reddish brown eyes and the familiarity of it tugged at her.

“It hasn’t been long enough, Sadist,” she sighed, resting her head in the palm of her propped arm. Then, as if remembering why she was here in the first place, plucked the sake bottle back from his grip. “I see that you’re still the same rude brute as always.”

Sougo smirked and slid onto the stool beside hers, as if what she had said was an invitation for him to join her.

“Glasses isn’t with you?”

Kagura poured until the clear liquid was close to overflowing and knocked back the drink before she answered. “We aren’t how we were before.”

That was a total understatement. In the earlier days, her and Shinpachi were almost inseparable. As a duo, they were always the ones running around doing the various requests that were given to the Odd Jobs, and as a team were the ones keeping Gin-chan safe and grounded. Now, she knew it was an effort for him to not pummel her into the ground whenever he saw her. At least that’s what she thought the dirty looks that he threw her way meant. Even from earlier in the day when she had arrived back in Edo, she had coincidentally seen him in a hassle with some nobodies from one of the many biker gangs that roamed the streets nowadays. She had stepped in to help and he had simply chewed her out because of it. Where there once would have been gratitude from her saving him, there was only irritation and mistrust. Kagura knocked back another drink. Thankfully, the sadist beside her didn’t question further about the situation. She glanced at him as he raised a hand for another cup, realising that he no longer looked like the psycho sadist that she remembered before she had left Edo to travel. His short brown hair that she used to enjoy yanking on in their fights was now long and secured in a high ponytail and his face was leaner and more mature too. She was mature enough now to admit that he was incredibly handsome, even when the young girl within her wanted to puke at the confession.

“When did you come back?” Sougo asked, pouring himself a knuckles-length.

“Today.”

He feigned a tone of hurt. “And you didn’t bother to stop by?”

Kagura swirled her cup in a hand and smiled, though there was no emotion behind it. “I knew you would’ve found me eventually.”

She paused her toying and glanced at him. “How did you find me anyways?”

Her former rival shrugged. “I saw your monster dog at the old building as I was walking by which is how I knew you were back. Finding you at a bar on the night that I also have my own problems to forget was a total coincidence.”

She paused at that. Kagura had been so busy drowning in her own sorrows that she had not even realised that the world could have changed so drastically for those who she had held dear before. She double paused at that. Did Sougo count as one of those people to her? The thought felt like an instant betrayal and there was a strange feeling that she should apologise to the man beside her for thinking such a thing. Yorozuya and Shinsengumi had always had that odd relationship; one that was fueled on rivalry as much as it was fueled on respect and camaraderie. They all loved each other as much as they wanted to pull each other’s nose hairs out. That’s how it always was. Kagura filled both their glasses as she noted the faraway look in his eyes at the mention of his issues. She assumed that that was what she permanently looked like these days.

“What’s got you looking like you’ve taken a blow to the crotch?”

The crude comment seemed to snap him out of his trance as he gave her an incredulous look. “I never thought that I’d hear such foul words from your mouth again.”

Kagura shrugged with one shoulder, the tiniest of smiles on her lips. She thought that she should try, if only for tonight. Try for the both of them, as she asked, “What do you want to forget?”

The smile on his lips faltered for a moment before he sighed, relenting. “Kondo-san’s being executed tomorrow.”

The glass that she was holding slipped out of her hands when those words left his mouth. Sake dripped onto her lap and Sougo was quick to fix the cup and grab tissues. “You’re such a klutz, China.” But Kagura didn’t care about her soiled cheongsam or the fact that her old, sadist friend was trying to reduce the chances of it staining with tissues. Gori– No, Kondo was being executed. Kagura gripped Sougo’s wrists, forcing his attention away from the small accident and towards her.

“Why?” It was the only word that she could utter.

Sougo sighed and glanced around the rundown bar; the rowdy men that had no intentions of quieting down. He grabbed his katana that leant against the bar and the other hand shifted to grab her wrist. “Let’s go somewhere else.”

Needing to know more of the events that had occurred in Edo while she had disappeared, Kagura listened in a rare moment of obedience as the pair sneakily snuck out of the bar before the barkeep could demand their bill. The rain had lightened to a refreshing sprinkle and the streets were unceremoniously dead, save for the few dim lights that lit up their path. They walked in a moment of silence, Kagura giving him time to sort through his thoughts to tell her exactly what happened to make the former chief of the Shinsengumi to have to be put on death row. Finally, he recounted what had happened and the story was so utterly ridiculous and Kondo-like that she couldn’t restrain a small laugh from escaping her lips. As soon as it had though, Kagura clapped a hand over her mouth and stifled it before it could become something more. Sougo turned to her then, a small smile gracing his own mouth at the hilarity of the story that faltered when he looked at her.

“Why do you do that?” He asked.

Kagura remained still even as he continued. “It’s like you purposefully try to prevent yourself from feeling.” Slowly, he reached out and pulled away her hand that covered her mouth and was it the sprinkling of the rain, or the glow of the moonlight, or the slight influence of the alcohol that made her think that at that moment, Okita Sougo looked handsome beyond reason?

She shook the traitorous thoughts away. “Gin-chan is dead,” she deadpanned, “I’m not allowed to be happy anymore.”

Sougo scoffed at that. “Danna is dead, so to pay respects to him, you don’t let yourself be happy? Are we talking about the same guy here?”

Kagura’s chest tightened as they continued to walk and her old home came into view. “If you want to pay respects to the boss, you have to live your life with that same obnoxious smile that he loved so much, understand, idiot?”

She couldn’t stop the tears that flowed as she stared up at her home and the absolute truth in Sougo’s words. Though Kagura knew that in their current world, being utterly miserable was easier and more fitting than trying to be her old, carefree self. Especially when those around her were so incredibly down too. But this was her Gin-chan that they were talking about. How could she have been so stupid to think that her misery would make him happy wherever he was resting? A breathy laugh escaped her as she wiped away her tears. “This is so unlike you, Sadist. Aren’t you supposed to be putting me down?”

Sougo shrugged. “You’re miserable and I’m comforting. Let’s let the oddness of it all slide for only tonight.”

There was a sudden boldness that overtook her at the other interpretations that his words had. To let everything odd that occurred tonight slide as if it never happened. His words and his presence ever since he swiped the bottle from her fingers had led to the tendering of this small flame within her. The small flame of her former self perhaps that she had thought would have been snuffed out the day her Earth father had passed. Kagura gripped the sleeve of Sougo’s hakama to test the waters; whether he snatched his arm away or let her do it, would determine her next move.

“What is it, China? Need to vomit?”

“Take me home,” she said.

“We’re already outside–”

Kagura shook her head and tightened her grip on his sleeve. “Not here.”

As if realising the meaning behind her cryptic words, a darkened look stirred within his eyes, and for a moment she could recognise that infamous sadist that she had grown to know so well.

“You don’t know what you’re saying, China,” he said, though his voice had become slightly strained.

“Sougo.”

Kagura could have sworn that he shivered at the sound of his name on her lips and in that moment, she knew what he felt before he even uttered a word.  

                                                    *         *         *

In truth, he had wanted her to be his since he was nineteen. All of the time before then, Okita Sougo had only ever seen Kagura as Danna’s adopted kid and an absolute pain in his backside ever since he first met her at the cherry blossoms. But as time passed and through many countless battles between them and more serious situations that they had overcome together, he ended up developing feelings that went beyond his code of being her eternal tormentor –  Sougo found himself softening up towards the girl as they grew up together and the possibility for them to be something more lingered. That was, until everything came crashing down in an instant; Danna died, the White Plague was introduced, and Kagura had disappeared in the midst of it all, leaving him behind. Though here they were now. Together. In some sick twist of fate that had brought them together once more in the rubble and debris of heartbreak and misery. Danna was dead. Kondo-san was going to be executed tomorrow. It seemed they both had some serious pent-up issues that needed to be released, and what better way to go about it than to do it together? Kagura’s earlier boldness had struck a flame within him that he supposed only she could ignite. Not the type that made him want to slash and stab, but the kind that made him want to nurture and protect. Tonight was odd, indeed. Her grip on his sleeve had been replaced with their intertwined fingers as he led her towards where he was accommodated as a new rebel. It didn’t take long for them to fumble their way through the darkness of the halls, Sougo had lived here long enough to know the routes and steps to take even in the darkness, and soon they were under his sheets. He gently removed her signature hair ornament from the side of her head and placed it elsewhere, strands of vermillion entwining in his fingers as he did so. Kagura was busy pulling down his shirt, her cold fingers dancing across his chiseled chest – the movements making him shiver with delight. Though he paused when he noted the wetness of her eyes. Indeed, they both needed the distraction tonight. Desperately.

“China.”

Her gaze shot from his chest to his face, small surprise as her expression from the softness of his voice. A tone that he would only ever use with her. For her. It seemed to only make her sadder as two teardrops slipped simultaneously from her azure eyes. The pain that she felt… would he be enduring the same once tomorrow was over? The thought made his throat close up. Sougo placed a hand on her milky white cheek, brushing the tears away, and the urge to kiss her was dangerously overwhelming. As if she could read his thoughts, Kagura slightly tilted her face upwards and whispered, “Kiss me.”

He hesitated as he knew it would be her first and the situation wasn’t ideal for a girl who he knew took petty things such as ‘firsts for everything’ extremely seriously. Though he had forgotten that some parts of that girl died the day Danna had, as Kagura snaked a hand around the back of his neck and pulled his face towards her. It was an open-mouthed kiss as Kagura poured all of her pent-up emotions into it and he was there to receive it all. And he would always be. As he kissed her back, his hands running up the sides of her body, Sougo decided that he would rather slash his belly before he let her disappear alone again. Never again. He repeated those words to her like a mantra as they feverishly kissed and touched, as if it were their last day on Earth, and with the situation that was the White Plague, it sure as hell could be. So Sougo stripped his China free from her white cheongsam, his stare raking over her naked body; her milky white skin. The very heat of that gaze had Kagura begging him for more as she stripped his own clothing and tossed it somewhere across the room. Too long, he thought as he spread her legs wide for him. They had been deprived of each other for too long. As Sougo plunged over and over into his lover, hand gripping her hair, her breathy voice moaning in his ear, he forgot about the dire situation that they were all currently suffering in. Forgot about the decay of Edo, the threat of the White Plague that hung over everyone’s head, and the execution of his father figure that was scheduled in a few hours. No, all that he could think about now was the beautiful woman below him, and the wonderful taste and feel of her. After all of their suffering, this moment of bliss belonged only to them, and the world that brought them so much pain could go to hell.

[firebirdsdaughter]

This is still ‘soon’…

… Right?

So! Let’s look at subbed Ryusoulger nigh immediately after raw Ryusoulger.

… Huh. I’m not sure about that sentence.

So, I got into one of my theory rambles at the end of this. In case anyone wants to just skip to the end and avoid the nonsensical bullet points. XD

In no order:

I love the angsty edgy bros w/ my whole heart and no one can stop me.

Touwa definitely sounds a little… I dunno, wistful? I really think he is lonely, and too read too much between the lines, this sort of seems to me like he may not know about the betrayal thing. I guess it just kind of seemed like there was an edge of questioning about it? Like he’s bringing up the topic of ‘friends’ in an effort to probe his brother’s reasons for being so against it? … Probably overthinking it.

Kou inconveniently makes a noise before I can learn anything about Banba’s opinion on the word ‘friends.’ Damnit, Kou. If you weren’t so cute…

He’s so happy, gods love him. Banba just stares incredulously at him, but Touwa rolls his eyes. Definitely the more expressive of the two. ^^

Banba does let Kou back up quite promptly, though. He may not trust people or want to work w/ them, but he’s not outright hostile, at least.

Important facts: Melto now gets to eat a banana w/out having to worry about being incriminated.

Kou just takes things, does he. XD There’s his mischievous side. ^^ Though I guess he did have a reason, and it was a clever tactic to get the other two’s attention.

Banba is somewhere offscreen like ‘damnit, Touwa, don’t make promises I don’t want to keep!’

Kou’s awkward ‘wait, this isn’t mine…’ moment when Touwa says he’d have to give them the map. XD

Okay. I love all these kids, and they’re all doing great. But what gets me in the opening shot of all of them screaming is that Tatsuya, Ichika, and Tsuna are all just going for it w/ the tragic drama, while Yuito and Hayate… Maybe it’s bc there’s no other context but they both kinda look like they’re almost smiling to me? Weird, I know. And probably just me.

And the problem children are officially at it. XD Drama babies.

I still don’t understand why the hell Touwa knows about that. Have you been hanging out w/ business men? Does Kou even know, for that matter?

I love Kou being super impressed until Touwa claims he won. It’s so adorable. ‘Wow, you’re actually really good––no, wait!’

Ah, Touwa acts all indifferent, but I think he’s definitely enjoying this. Kinda seemed like he suddenly realised he was having fun and immediately tried to backtrack. Like, really, when was the last time he got to behave like a kid? Like, we know Banba loves him, and I’m sure they played as children, but it’s a little different––probably esp after Banba started shutting himself off, depending on when that happened. Gah. It’s hard to explain. Like, why there’s the whole thing about how it’s good for children to play w/ kids their own age, and stuff like that.

They both keep doing the same thing. XD You boys are so similar. ^^ … Banba is going to kill you both.

The little green dancing knights and the little black dancing knights overlapped and it’s CUTE.

I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE FULL TEAM ROLLCALL I WILL CRY.

Poor Kou get’s interrupted on his announcement speech.

No, Kreuon, they don’t.

These two are gonna find ways to turn everything into competitions, aren’t they.

DORKS.

Aw, don’t worry, Touwa. He meant both of you.

Still a cool reveal shot. Also, damn, Banba got there fast. Does he have a ‘someone just pushed my brother in a fountain’ radar or something?

Actually, he probably does have a ‘brother in trouble’ radar.

Banba officially becomes the second person to actually formally trade blows w/ Tankjoh. And the last time, when Kou did it, he was riding adrenaline and rage from Master Red’s death. This is really cool.

Like, he was able to activate KataSoul in perfect timing to not get untransformed by the purple glowy slash. And it didn’t even really knock him back––he does a bloody flip and leaps clear. And while he’s a bit out of breath from it, he doesn’t seem that worse for wear. That was impressive! Even Tankjoh was kind of impressed!

XD These two dorks. Definitely already got the bickering down. ^^

‘Oops. Nii-san’s pissed.’ I love how even Kou is awkwardly looking down. XD

I love how it looks like this woman just carefully placed her purse down before falling unconscious.

Ah, yes. The universal Toku Hospital. Pretty sure this is where Geiz and Tsukuyomi took Sougo during the Ghost arc.

How… How would you tell if that was the Minusaur host. Like. Is it it just based on the toy gun? I’m beginning to wonder if Banba was just staring at Kou when he asked about killing the kid bc he could believe Kou was dumb enough to think he’d do that before being sure.

Or just for thinking that he’d do that already. It’s not like they want to kill people, they just think they’d have to.

Like, they’ve––well, definitely Banba, I think Touwa might have some left––lost all optimism. I don’t think Banba believes in the ‘power of hope and determination’ at this point. Boy needs to relearn his Sentai tropes. ^^ I mean, he’s definitely shut off most of his empathy. Like I know I’ve said before, and I’m so annoying I’ll say it again, I think he had the opposite reaction to trauma that the trio did. They choose to find hope and carry on in the memory of their Masters, and try to find happiness to help counteract the sorrow––whereas Banba seems to have reacted by deciding he’ll stop the pain by just feeling and connecting as little as possible. If that made any sense.

Banba says nothing, and he’s really stoic, but I think he’s also uncomfortable w/ that concept. Esp since it still seems like he raised his brother, I highly doubt he could actually harm a child w/out thinking of Touwa.

When did Kou stuff that down his shirt? And how did it stay there?

I love how Melto immediately chastises Kou for taking things. XD Definitely the mom friend.

Kou just looks confused.

Maybe I’m totally overreading Banba’s reaction to Melto suggesting they split up? But it’s the sort of thing that could very well be related to a betrayal, no? I dunno. Maybe he really was just looking for an opportunity to make someone else deal w/ Kou and Touwa’s competition.

Apparently, Asuna can’t read a map.

Oh, and don’t worry about him, dear. He’s just like that. I promise you, he’ll open up eventually.

Love how he’s very purposefully walking a certain amount of feet away from her.

Okay, but  the fact that TigerLance and MirNeedle really are stuck in their temple means so much to me. I can’t believe my goofy, über-tired joke theory came true.

I love how we’re all including each other in calls now. Like, before Asuna just called Kou. But apparently we all, I dunno, exchanged numbers? Is it possible to only call one person, or are they now just stuck on conference for life?

Banba will hate that if it’s true.

Touwa is vaguely concerned, aw. I really think he’s been a little lonely, what w/ Banba just having lost all faith in the rest of the world, so to speak, while he didn’t have the same experience; so the trio are growing on him faster, and he’s a little more open to the chance of connecting w/ others.

Also, the fact that Banba was the one to associate the Minusaur’s behaviour w/ an adult playing w/ a child. He seems like the last person that would be able to make that connection, but he’s also the one that we can confirm to actually have potentially interacted w/ a child in that way.

But even if I’m wondering if I’m overthinking Banba’s reaction to the splitting up suggestion, I really don’t think I’m overthinking Touwa’s reaction to the reveal about what created the Minusaur. It seems to have hit a nerve, and I think we can now be pretty certain that the boys have (presumably, though I guess it could have been their mother) dad issues of some kind. But… Well, I’ll get more into those ideas a little further down. See, there was this idea I had… I’ll get to it at the end.

I don’t think it’s that strange for Touwa to intercede. He has an idea to beat the Minusaur w/out killing anyone. The brothers don’t actually want to kill anyone. They just thought they’d have to if they couldn’t stop the monster in time.

Though I do definitely think there’s also something personal going on.

Cuties.

Banba’s comment, not only sets up his motivations for next episode, and make sit double clear how much Touwa means to him, but also reenforces my suspicion that the brothers have dad issues.

I love MirNeedle and his weird steamboat sound.

Also Banba almost smiling and kind of teasing his brother. ^^ Even more cuteness.

I love how the touching moment where Touwa admits that he’s kind of gotten fond of these fools is promptly followed by evidence of their utter incompetence and goofy melodrama. XD

Really excited for next week. XD I mean, it was already highly likely that they way they’d get Banba to start at least working w/ the team would be through Touwa, since Touwa is the only person he’s able to trust right now, but I’m excited for how they’re doing it. Usually stoic big siblings being distressed and frantic over injured little siblings is one of my jams. ^^

Seems like Tanjkoh is deliberately goading Kou, and it turns out to be a setup of some kind. Touwa ends up getting bitten by the Cerberus-based Minusaur, which seems to be some sort of rabid dog/werewolf type thing where the bite does something. And, naturally, Banba freaks out. Presumably after they get him calmed down enough to actually go after the Minusaur rather than just stabbing the nice animal lady (emotional Banba is not gonna be rational Banba), he eventually agrees to work w/ them in order to save his brother.

According to the website, his relationship w/ Kou also changes? So we’re starting the adoption process, I think. XD

Aaaah. While I do love the little Kishiryu running about on the book, I also would’ve loved if they’d done like LuPat where the preview kinda continued under the sponsor stuff, so we got to see a little more of the next ep. Mainly bc I am a big impatient baby. XD

That’s all folks! White chocolate rubber duck for anyone who read all that (go on, eat all of it, I dare you).

Anyway, onto that theory I promised to get to. So, when things were first getting revealed, and it turned out that Green and Black were brothers and we learned about Gaisorg/Gaisoulg, and how those three would be appearing in Strongest Battle, I had a thought that maybe Gaisorg was their father, who was either getting controlled by the Druidon (like Wolzard) or had gone evil for power, or something (like Ikkou and Isshu’s father). When it turned out that it was the armour, and esp when the brothers didn’t seem to recognise it, I pretty much ditched the idea. However. There have been developments. Someone picked up and took Gaisorg’s helmet away at the end of Strongets Battle. They’ve stated that Banba was betrayed in the past. This most recent ep indicated that Banba and Touwa have some kind of father issues––namely, that their father was likely rarely around, esp for Touwa. Banba’s line to the father about how there’s nothing more precious in the world than family. So now I’m wondering. Was their father the one who betrayed him/them? Maybe he wasn’t around bc he got obsessed w/ being stronger? Or maybe he betrayed them early, and Banba made the call to get away from him? Banba coming out of his usual stoicism to inform someone of the importance of family could just indicate he’s dealt w/ someone who failed in that regard, possibly in almost exactly the same way. A father who put duty (or maybe just plain power) before his children. Could also explain Banba’s desire to prove his own strength, prove he’s better than their father. And while he’s obsessively devoted to the mission (possibly after seeing his father lose sight of it?), it’s certain he would never put it above Touwa. His arc could partially be not just learning how to trust again and finding friends/a new family, but also getting away from their father in his own way.

Alternatively, I’m riding the high of the fact that my goofy ‘what if TigerLance and MirNeedle are trapped’ theory, and I’m running my mouth. But it does smack of a rather stock Sentai/Toku style, though in those the fathers usually turn out to be under the control of the bad guys, or it’s some sort of secret plan. But maybe we are pulling a KR here, and dad’s just plain a dickwad. Might be interesting.

[tren-fraszka]

Hate Exchange Letter

Dear creator,

Thank you for taking your time to check my requests. I know my requests can sound a bit tricky, but please don’t be discouraged. I wish you will have good time writing first and foremost!

My AO3 is Tren, if you wish to check it out.

Likes: comedy, casefics, canon compliants, AUs, time loops, bodyswaps, roleswaps, “being hoisted by your own petard” plotlines, snark, pettiness, rivals, enemies to friends to lovers, violence, friendships and character bonding,

DNW: explicit sex, A/B/O, mpreg, rape depicted as positive (so no “it’s okay, because the other person enjoyed it/it was what they truly wanted”), trans headcanons, soulmates, stories ending with surrender to fate/destiny, fourth wall breaking in canons where that doesn’t occur.

Also, I included what ships I’m okay with in each fandom. Please do not include any ships that aren’t canon and I have not allowed in those sections (if you feel really strongly about a ship, you can ask through mods just in case, if I didn’t include my opinion on it).

Additionally, while I almost never request fanart as possible medium, because I prefer my main gift to be fic, I would be very okay with receiving fanart treats.

                                                REQUESTS

PERSONA 5

Hate that ends

Hate that exists and continues

Hate that starts

Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira

I’m a big sucker for party traitors, so it isn’t really a surprise that I walked out of my Persona 5 playthrough with a new shiny ship. I love how messed up it is with both of them planning to outplay each other in a deadly game and yet still forming an emotional attachment. I also really love how they are mirror images of each other. They are extremely similar, and yet they are also each others opposites. There’s just something fascinating in watching them interact.

I’m okay with all takes on hate for this ship. Akechi has canonically very love-hate relationship with the protagonist, so you can spin this however you want. You are also free to make Akira as bitter about the whole thing as you want. I’m always a game for Akira having all the regrets about Akechi’s death and hating Akechi for leaving him with all the emotional turmoil.

For the story, I’m very okay with some in-between the canon flirting with the obligatory dash of scheming and mind games. I’m also all about different ways their confrontation could go down. Maybe it’s Akira who dies and Akechi lives through with his hateful feelings not coming any closer to being resolved? Or Akechi can’t keep his feelings in and slips at some point?

AUs 

I don’t mind AUs, just be aware that the messed up relationship between the two of them is a huge draw for me, so I would definitely opt to preserve that part in some form. You don’t have to do the exact same scenario, but at least make them childhood friends, who ended up on the opposite sides of some conflict. Or undercover spies who got in relationship without knowing each other true identities and they really should kill each other since they work for different clients. The exact setting is of secondary importance to me, so choose whatever you feel would work best. AU Divergences are also welcome. I’m always a game for Akechi surviving. Especially, if he gets to shoot the final boss in the face.

Akechi Goro & Self

He has so many issues you are practically spoiled for choice. Bastard by birth, believes himself to be a reason why his mother died, spent years in foster home system which just enforced his belief that he isn’t worth of love, became a supernatural assassin despite having strong sence of justice. And did I mention having to kill the only person he had formed a legitimate connection with? Yeah, just one of those things would be a great self-hatred fodder, but all those things together mix to create a true picture of self-hatred. You can’t go wrong with it. 

There are so many prompts you could potentially use for this in Akechi/Kurusu segment above (just take out the potential shippiness if the pairing is not your thing), I don’t think there’s much point in repeating myself. You are free to AU as much as you want and have fun.

Hate that ends

Sakura Futaba & Self

I loved the chilling exploration of Futaba’s problems in her palace and further revelations we get through Sojiro’s social link. I would love insight into her deteriorating self-worth post her mother’s death and then followed by slow improvements once Sojiro takes her in.

I would love insight into Futaba trying to figure out the truth about her mother’s death, her initial refusal to believe that it is her fault, followed by slow acceptance over the time, as she fails to find any evidence to the contrary.

I asked for Hate that ends, because I would prefer a take that is compliant with the canon story. I know this is pretty constraining, but at the same time it means that you don’t need to concentrate on the improvement factor. As long as the story ends heavily implaying that Phantom Thieves are about to help her with her issues I will be satisfied.

However, if you do dig the hope aspect I will love some quality Sojiro & Futaba family interactions and her slowly acknowledging that maybe she deserves more than a slow death in seclusion and decides to seek help form Phantom Thieves.

Ships

I ship Akira and Goro, and don’t want them shipped with anyone else. I’m okay with including pretty much any other ships, except for the ones between the characters who are still students and adults.

GOLDEN KAMUY

I’m reading manga chapters as they come out, so you are free to incorporate any new developments into the story. I will definitely be caught up.

Hate that exists and continues

Ogata Hyakunosuke/Sugimoto Saichi

If you know this canon I probably don’t even need to explain to you what I want. They hated each other from the very beginning of the story and the world may end, but their hatred would still live on. You don’t have to be too shippy with this, if you don’t want to, I mostly want to just get more off their passionate hatred we get in the canon.

For the prompts, I would love if they had to work together (just the two of them, or maybe with Shiraishi as a suffering third wheel), because someone kidnapped Asiripa and they had to get her back. Or chasing someone who stole the skins from them.

Alternatively, I would love petty matches over Asiripa’s attention when they act perfectly nice to each other, because she is there, but keep competing for her attention to annoy each other.

Also, this canon is ripe for tropes like huddling for warmth, or sharing one blanket, and would definitely encourage the hate-filled take on those. Also time loops with those two nd how much of a disaster it would be.

AUs and ships

I’m all for canon divergences or changed settings. You want Sugimoto and Ogata as coworkers in modern setting? Go for it. I would love any messing up with the story, because there are so many things that could have gone differently here. 

I have no strong ship preferences here as long as Asiripa is not shipped with anybody. Also I prefer Sugimoto to have no romantic experience, aside from his canonical one-sided crush, before he started to have feelings about Ogata.

THE RISING OF SHIELD HERO (ANIME & MANGA)

I watched anime and read manga, but have not checked light novels. So please, no spoilers for anything beyond manga.

Hate that starts

L’Arc Berg/Iwatani Naofumi

Naofumi spends a lion share of the plot having terrible trust issues after Myne’s betrayal and you can’t convince me that he isn’t extra salty about L’Arc.

L’Arc is literally the first person Naofumi willinglu opens up to after spending majority of the plot avoiding trusting anyone, so the fact that this person turns out to be his enemy must sting. While L’Arc isn’t a type to keep grudge, Naofumi certainly is. Which is why I just want Naofumi being all bitter about his feelings for L’Arc after the betrayal.

I would love some more adventures of those two before the Wave happens and everything goes to shit. Or maybe they meet after the Wave with Naofumi having been separated from the party and struggling with something, and L’Arc runs into him and helps him out (because he’s not the type of guy to stab someone in the back). Which just prompts Naofumi to be even more bitter, because he wants to really hate L’Arc, but unlike Myne he can’t just label him as completely evil.

Or Naofumi going through all the memories he has of L’arc wanting to find good reasons to hate him more, but just coming with more reasons why he loved him in the first place.

AUs and ships

Setting changes and canon divergences are all fine, as long as you keep the element of betrayal.

I’m okay with Naofumi also having some feelings for Raphtalia for an awkward romantic triangle, as long as his complicated feelings for L’Arc are the focus of the story. Other than that I don’t want either of them shipped with anyone else.

GINTAMA

I have watched anime up to Gintama': Enchousen, so please no spoilers beyond that season.

Hate that starts

Hate that exists and continues

Hijikata Toshirou/Okita Sougo

I loved their vitrolic relationship from the very start and the more we got of their backstory, the more I loved it. I would be okay with the story not being very shippy, as long as I get plenty of their amusing interactions.

I love how well they understand each other, including the reasons why they don’t get along, but somehow it is easier for them to maintain that animosity than to try and repair their twisted relationship. 

I always enjoy small tidbits of how terrible they are at working together when it comes to solving anything that isn’t Shinsengumi-threatening emergency. I loved that episode which was just showing Hijikata and Okita attempting to do normal police stuff and utterly failing to have any sort of law-abiding integrity while they were at it.

If you want to go to the backstory and how they already didn’t get along in the dojo I’m also all for it. Any involvement of Mitsuba to add oil to the already bright flames of mutual dislike is welcome. I love how her presence mellows both of them when she’s there, but in the long run it just made their relationship even more of a mess, because they both wanted the best for her in their own way.

For shippier request I would love a date attempt by those two homicidal idiots. There are just so many ways this could go wrong. Or Gintama staple of handcuffed together with Hijikata constantly having to stop the dismemberment attempts.

AUs and ships

I’m open to any sort of setting or canon divergence. Then again, I dare you find a cooler setting than samurai police in alien infested Edo.

I don’t want the two of them shipped for anyone else, except for maybe acknowledging  Hijikata’s canonical feelings for Mitsuba (because that just makes Hijikata and Okita’s relationship even more of a trainwreck). For other ships I enjoy Gintoki shipped with either Otae or Tsukuyo, and Kagura and Shinpachi as two characters who are not yet ready for relationship, but would make a nice match once they grow up more.

BOKU NO HERO ACADEMIA

I read the manga chapters as they come out, you can assume I’m caught up on all new developments.

Hate that ends

Bakugou Katsuki/Uraraka Ochako

I love how different the two of them are, but at the same time how well they compliment and understand each other. Also, while I love them as a pairing I won’t mind if you write them as friends, as long as you don’t pair them with other characters.

For this exchange I would love a more conflict driven beginning of their friendship. Bakugo says a few words too much about Midoriya? Uraraka tries to talk to Bakugo about how he treats Deku or just about how he acts in general and accidentally pokes his terrible inferiority complex? Or they run into each other before the UA entrance exam and somehow end up having a more bitter relation? All of that is good.

I would love if then they were forced to then acknowledge each others strengths as heroes, but possibly still feeling somehow bitter. Maybe they end up working together when UA is attacked? Or incorporating their duel during the sports festival (which I love, it’s what started this ship for me). Or maybe Uraraka gets kidnapped together with Bakugo during the camp and she ends up revising her opinion of him while they are in captivity together. 

For more prompts I would love having them complete some sort of exercise or exam together. I would love to see them pretend to be villains for the sake of exercise and butting heads, because they dislike each other. Or they work together on something for school festival. Like making a perferomance together. Alternatively you can go for a future fic where the two of them take part in an action to stop villains as full-fledged heroes, but they can’t let go of all the hang-ups they have about each other from when they went to school together.

AUs and ships

I would very much encourage any future fics for this pairing. I love seeing characters as fully-fledged heroes. I’m okay with other setting changes, though I would prefer for the competence aspect to still come in play somehow in them (with Bakugo being stupidly talented and hard working, while acknowledging Ochako’s potential). I’m also very okay with canon divergences.

I don’t mind past Midoriya/Ochako if you want to incorporate it into the story, but I’d rather not get any love triangles for this pairing. Either have Ochako’s feelings sizzle out or have them date and break up at some point in the past. When it comes to other pairings I like Midoriya/Todoroki and Eraserhead/Mic, but have no strong feelings on other characters pairings, so you are free to do whatever I guess.

FATE/ZERO

I’m well versed in Fate franchise so if you wish to expand beyond Fate/Zero to include either some parts of Fate/Stay Night or El-Melloi II Case Files I will be very fine with that.

Hate that exists and continues

Kotomine Kirei & Self

Kotomine Kirei and his self-loathing is unironically one of my favourite ships in Fate. I loved Kirei’s internal monologues in the novel, as he slowly inched toward the self-discovery that he is in fact the very thing that he was taught to hate the most.

Give me all the religious guilt. All the nagging thoughts that follow Kirei’s enjoyment of ruining other people’s lives. Kirei already thought of himself as lacking before the events of Fate/Zero and watching his doomed pursuit of finding something meaningful in his life was great.

Kirei was basically doomed to suffering, either by continuing his empty life or by embracing his true self and plunging himself into depth of self-hatred. And I’m all about that freefall, sponsored by the ancient king Babylon. So give me Kirei struggling within the confines of Holy Grail War, trying to find himself, yet suspecting that nothing good will ever come out of it.

AUs and ships

I’m okay with canon divergences, less about setting changes due to how deeply Kirei’s issues steam from his specific situation, but if you can make it work I will be for it. I would be very excited for canon divergences. Maybe Kirei making slightly different choices during the Holy Grail War? Maybe alternate timeline when he decides not to betray Tokiomi, but somehow still ends up on path of evil despite his efforts. Maybe he summoned a different servant, who influences Kirei differently? I’m always surprised by how interesting alternate scenarios people come with for Holy Grail Wars, just give me your take.

For alternate timeline takes, you can make my day by including wreacking Matou’s mansion and/or killing Zouken. Even if it’s just a footnote.

I very much ship Kirei both with his dead wife and Gilgamesh. You are free to incorporate both of those ships. 

Hate that exists and continues

Waver Velvet & Self

Another contender for the biggest self-loathing in the franchise. El-Melloi II anime reminded me just how much I enjoyed that aspect of Waver.

I would love an alternate take when Waver and Keyneth actually had a more proper face-off other than their first meeting on the battlefield. I would love if Waver saw Kayneth wheelchair-bound and blamed himself for that.

Or something more canon-compliant exploring Waver’s feeling of uselessness and guilt he has. Either is good. For extra self-loathing you could get the family Waver is staying at caught in the crossfire of one of the fights. Or Waver gets used by some other master to attack another and only belatedly realizes that he was nothing more than a tool used for murder. 

Just give me some quality Waver suffering and self-blame whether dislpaced or not.

AUs and ships

Similarly as above, I’m stocked for any canon divergences. Maybe Waver summoning a different servant? Waver making different choices as to how proceed with the war. Maybe making an allience that doesn’t work out for him in a longer run? 

For alternate timeline takes, you can make my day by including wreacking Matou’s mansion and/or killing Zouken. Even if it’s just a footnote.

I don’t ship Waver with anyone, so I would prefer no romantic plotlines for him. I find his relationship with Rider interesting and definitely important, but can’t see it as romantic.

[otraestrella]

Gintama's double standard

I just can't find words to express how burns my ass now. When tomorrow eternal ice of Antarctica will melt, don't be surprised.

Double standards of HijiOki-shippers/OkiKagu-haters just amazed me.

Humoruos moments of OkiKagu (like arc of Kagura's burial) they take seriously and they really say that SOUGO WANTED TO KILL KAGURA IN TRUTH. It sounds absurd that there is people who doesn't understand Gintama's jokes, but i'm not kidding - some HijiOki-shippers really do that. There and then they say that aggressive behaviour Sougo to Hijikata is cute joke and this way Sougo masks his romantic love to Hijikata. Sorry WHAT???

Sougo saved Kagura from falling in Farewell Shinsengumi arc and threw her up:

HijiOki-shippers - he wanted her to DIE there were a lot of enemies on the rock!1!1!1!1 /and for them doesn't matter that Sougo always believe in Kagura's power/

Sougo burns Hijikata's face, shoots at Hijikata, flings him down:

HijiOki-shippers - ohHhoHoH Sougo is so in loooove with Hijikataa!!1!111!1

And also they say that in that way he masks his feelings. Of course it's true - Hijikata is FRIEND for Sougo. They help each other, they fight together. But it doesn't matter that they are in love - they have no romantic feelings to each other.

And what drives me crazy - in the same situation with Kagura they talk about hate. Here they can't see through jokes and fights, arcs with OkiKagu's common understanding go past them.

Of course, dear HijiOkis, Sougo came to say goodbye to Kagura because of hate. And of course Kagura tried to help him after Shinsengumi's collapse because of hate. Of course of course of course. Bla-bla-bla.

I don't want to think bad about all HijiOki shippers. But guys please... stop this shit.

[razberryyum]

Gintama manga chap 691

~

Dear Gintama gods and Sorachi-sama,

They were working together!! I am so happy to learn that the Shinsengumi boys and Zura were working together all along!  And I guess, Zura and Takasugi as well? Honestly, I’m still a bit murky on that so I’ll hold off on it for now. But the Shinsengumi and Zura, as a team, yayy!!! Joyness! It was obvious something was amiss when Zura disbanded them as soon as he became Zurump since the last time they were together they were already friends: it did not make a lick of sense that as soon as Zura ascended to power, he would immediately turn on the Shinsengumi like that. In fact, I would say that it was downright contrary to his character and therefore completely unbelievable.  I could never believe he would do something as traitorous to his friends as that. Nay, nevermind traitorous, he would be downright evil if he had really turned on his friends, especially when he knew they were good people who had spent their entire lives protecting the country and its people.  

And then there was also the whole crazy things with the Shinsengumi turning terrorist assassins against Zura, which also made no sense. Despite his “beef” with the now defunct Shinsengumi, Prime Minister Zurump was from all appearances doing a great job so I never understood why Matsudaira, Sougo, et al would even want to assassinate him. It was also contrary to their characters to put their own grievances ahead of what was best for the country. Even if Zurump had dismissed the Shinsengumi, forcing them underground, as long as he was executing his duties as prime minister in a beneficial manner to the country, I truly doubt they would ever try to remove him his position, least of all kill him. Of course, sure enough, the answer is, they indeed wouldn’t harm him and therefore all of their assassination attempts were all fake. I love it. It warms my heart to know that they were working together all this time for the sake of the country, with Zura really acting as the ultimate scapegoat since he is in the most hazardous position, being the prime target of any attacks and having to bear the brunt of any blame had things gone south. It really makes me love him more that he would put himself up for potential sacrifice like this. When he said that both now and in the past, he has simply been acting as a disciple of Yoshida Shouyou, I almost teared up in pride. I’ve changed my mind: if they are going to revive baby Shouyou and bring him up as a decent man instead of a monster, I want Zura to be the one to bring him up. With an assist from Elizabeth.  

As for Takasugi and Zura being in on the plan together as well, I’m still trying to work out the kinks of that one. Obviously the Shinsengumi were kept in the dark about Takasugi’s involvement, which I’m fine with and that actually makes sense since it would explain why they’ve been after him all this time, and it would also exonerate them from the crime of assassinating the prime minister since Takasugi was on camera when he committed the crime. But I do wonder when did Zura and Takasugi hatch the plan to destroy the terminal in order to attract the Tendoshuu down to Earth? It had to happen before Takasugi returned to Edo since as soon as he got there, he was already setting off to see Zura. I guess the back-and-forth conversation they had at Zura’s office was only for show for the cameras he might have set up on his premises? Or was it just to reaffirm that they were on the same page regarding their goals? I could accept the second option even though technically, if Takasugi had already set up the terminal to explode and Zura had already started the plan to evacuate the people there, they were already at the point of no return. But when did they get together to come up with such a plan? Or, do they actually call each other once in a while to create schemes together to bring down evil organizations? I just imagined the two of them chatting on the phone, and I already love that idea. I hope that’s what happened. Either way, I’m glad things worked out, which led to a beautiful and adorably violent reunion between the original Joui 3. Watching the three boys acting like utter goofballs as they struggled to capture Shouyou’s heart was an absolute joy, even though at one point, I was seriously worried about Zura’s beautiful face after it crash-landed into the building’s cement outcropping. I love that in the end, both Zura and Takasugi entrusted their beloved teacher’s fate to Gintoki, which is really just the most appropriate thing to do: Gintoki was the one forced to take away Shouyou’s life, now it’s only right that he would be given the choice to return it. Whatever decision he makes, and it will definitely not be an easy one no matter what he chooses, at least it would be the decision that he would be most able to live with. All these years Gintoki had to be the one to carry the burden of guilt for having executed their father figure, now maybe he can finally find a way to bury that guilt which has haunted him so much by either giving Shouyou another, better chance at life or finally laying him to rest permanently for the sake of humanity. I hope that Zura and Takasugi are successful at obliterating the Tendoshuu once and for all so that if Gintoki does indeed choose to revive Shouyou, the child at least would no longer be hunted for his immortality.  

Lastly, I just want to say, Soyo for President 2018, 2019, forever!! Seriously, seeing her standing before her army of policemen, asking them to protect the people just made my heart swell. She is really the representative of the next generation that Zura and everyone else was acting as a stepping stone for. They are clearing the way for her to take power so that the world she would be in command of would be a peaceful one, cleansed of the Tendoshuu and most of any other threatening forces. That’s what I feel in my gut they are ultimately doing. I do hope you prove me right on that, Sorachi-sama. I cannot wait to see what becomes of their collective, painstaking efforts!  

Yours truly,

A silly fangirl with yaoi dreams

(^3^)

[tamapuddi]

[Dear Butterfly] YOTSUBA TAMAKI Part 1: THE DIRECTION OF THE NEW SONG ~TAMAKI’S SIDE~

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

Banri: Thank you for your hard work, the both of you Tamaki: O-. Thanks. Sougo: Manager, Banri-san, thank you for the hard work. Banri: I feel bad for finishing this up immediately but this is the write up of the plan for this time’s promotion. Sougo: Thank you very much. It’s amazing. Compared to when we first debuted, there is an increase in programs that I’ve seen before.  Tamaki: There are so many ... isn’t it kind of tiring? Tsumugi: Athough there is also the subject of business, we have recently released information to the press and were also given a lot regarding the cost of gathering data.  Tsumugi: The both of you might have to put up with a lot of burden but please do your best! Sougo: We will do our best. Tamaki: Ah- this. This is the television program I always watched with Iorin.  Tamaki: [Get to know about the things you like, get to know about the things your friends like] Banri: In here, going by [Dear Butterfly]’s theme, the plan is for the both of you  to think about where you would go to have fun. Sougo: This is such a large framework to undertake.  Tamaki: Member interview, MEZZO” photography ... Will it be alright if we were to use the camera to film what the members say? Tsumugi: Yes! If the both of you are alright with it, you may borrow a camcorder from the program and create materials for the video.  Tamaki: Ho-. It sounds like fun. Alright then.  Sougo: I am worried if it would be a good material for use .... but if Tamaki-kun is fine with it, I will try to do it as well.  Banri: Thank you! Be sure to inform every member about it. I’m also looking forward to the direction the both of you will decide to take with the interview! Tamaki: Sou-chan, where do you want to go? Sougo: It’s alright for you to decide it, Tamaki-kun. Banri: It’s for the both of you to decide on. Please discuss with each other and find a place where the both of you can enjoy together. Banri: Sougo-kun, Tamaki-kun, do your best.

Tamaki: I’m home-. Tamaki: Oh, Iorin.  Iori: Welcome back, Yotsuba-san. I was entrusted with the camcorder and the written up plan for safekeeping.  Tamaki: Oh-, That guy didn’t come. Did the camera come? Lend it, lend it. Iori: This is a valuable opportunity to publicize the framework in such golden time’s variety. Iori: In addition, this is able to not only to convey MEZZO”’s, but also IDOLISH’s charms to the public. We have to discuss in order to use the videos and comments properly ... Tamaki: Ya--y. Iorin! Look over here, over here! Iori: Were you listening to me !? Tamaki: Iorin, you love Usamimi Friends, don’t you? If it’s okay, which character do you like most- Iori: Stop, stop! Please stop, this is definitely not good! Tamaki: Eh, what...?

Iori: I’ve told you a long time ago regarding this but, I definitely do not like Usamimi friends. Tamaki: Say. I’ve also thought about this a long time ago but how long are you gonna keep doing this? Iori: What do you mean by how long? It has been this way from the beginning till now.  Tamaki: Alright, alright, we’ll go with that then. Iori: I wish to strike you down. Tamaki: Then, Iorin, please tell us your television uses, lies, the things you like. Please. Iori: I feel bad.... Tamaki: Iorin is that, isn’t it. You like Mikki. Iori: That is true. I do like him. He’s my brother, after all.  Tamaki: I like my sister too so we’re together in that. Iori: It’s for certain that it might be what the both of us have in common.  Tamaki: And, you also like Rikkun, right. Iori: I respect Nanase-san as IDOLISH7′s center. I also give my recognition for his ability.  Tamaki: I like Rikkun too. And also, you like me too, right.  Iori: Yotsuba-san? Tamaki: After all, you are always concerned about Rikkun and me. Don’t do this, don’t do that, saying stuff like that.  Iori: That is because the both of you are doing something dangerous that would get your hands burned. Iori: But, I suppose. As a member, as a classmate, there are good feelings held for you. Tamaki: Then, between me, Mikki and Rikkun - if we were about to fall off from a cliff, who would you save first? Iori: Ha? What sort of question is that? You are completely straying from the point. Tamaki: That’s fine. Tell me. I won’t get angry. Who? Iori: Then, I’d like to listen to the reverse scenario. In Yotsuba-san’s case, if it seems as though your sister, Osaka-san and I were about to perish, who would you save? Certainly, it would be your sister, wouldn’t it? You then will abandon us?   Tamaki: Wait-. I was the first one who asked though-? Iori: Please do not ask a question that you can’t even answer yourself. Aa jeez, this is not good. You have to think over more about comments that would allow us to seem attractive.  Iori: Osaka-san was doing his best by reading a book on cameras, you know. Yotsuba-san should follow after his example more.  Tamaki: Then, let’s use Iorin’s favourite face for attractiveness appeal.  Iori: Favourite face? Do you mean the expression I make when I am faced with what I like? Tamaki: Yeah, yeah. Then once that face is seen, oh! Right now, Iorin is putting on his favourite face! -was what I was thinking. Tamaki: Ah! This face of yours, this face is Iorin thinking that 'I’m cool!’ kind of face. Fan too, me too.  Tamaki: Then, here we go. 3, 2, 1... Iori: P-Please wait a minute! This is kind of embarrassing. I can’t do it. Tamaki: Why? Always, whenever we take a picture, you are always telling us to do this and do that.  Iori: You do it first, please. Here, lend me that camera.  Tamaki: Jeez-, Iorin has been like this from the beginning. Alright, I’m going to do my favourite face.  Iori: Here we go. 3, 2, 1.... Cue-. Tamaki: Nn.  Tamaki: MEZZO”, [Dear Butterfly], is on sale! Please take care of us! Iori: ...Are you smiling? Tamaki: Why. Not good? Normally, everyone’s smiling face is good.  Iori: Somehow, it’s surprising. You do seem to give off a feeling of coolness. I had always thought whether if you would be able to give a more expressive look like this.  Tamaki: Eh? Is it better that way? Do you like the me who gives off a feeling of coolness? Iori: Leaving my preferences aside, the gap is popular. I feel that it is good - your smile.  Tamaki: Now then, Iorin is up next. Alright, lend me the camera.  Iorin: ... Favorite face .... Tamaki: Here we go. Alright, cheese! Iori: Although you’re filming, you were saying ‘alright, cheese’? Tamaki: Eh, what’s that, isn’t that a sulky face. You look like those people in the bank. Even the people in the bank were smiling more, you know.  Iori: It’s fine like this. Tamaki: It’s not cute. I like Iorin’s smiling face. It’s more cuter that way. You like cute stuff, don’t you? Iori: Like I said, my favourite things are cool and sharp things! It’s fine this way. Iori: ... Tamaki: I think that smiling is definitely better.  Tamaki: Kya-! Iorin, smile-! Iori: ... Fu... Tamaki: Face this way, Iorin~!! Iori: ... Fu, fufu..... Tamaki: Ahaha! I did it! I took a picture of your smile! Iori: Jeez.... What a pushy person.  Tamaki: Ahahaha!

Translator’s notes  Bear with me as I go on my fangirling over Tamaki-Iori adorable interactions in this chat. You can see Iori is the type to instantly go into professional mode and coming up with plans and plans while Tamaki is just on the side playing with whatever equipment they have and highly potentially - aggravating Iori at the same time. I can imagine this scenario to be in school where Iori would explain to him the most complex math problems and Tamaki is just pointing out a butterfly at the window ............ Iori’s denials over his love for cute things, book three.  I love how Iori keeps denying it from story 1 to story 3 and Tamaki is probably going ‘is this guy seriously gonna keep this up?’ in his head from story 1 to story 3 and it’s just so ridiculous and precious. wipes tears.  The day when you wish to scream your love for cute rabbits into a mic, we will all stand behind you and support you, Iori.  I can’t believe Tamaki is pulling the ‘ if one of us falls, who will you save first ‘ tactic and Iori just deflects it when the same question-!! I'd like to think that Iori putting himself as one the choices means something but I have a feeling he didn't throw in King Pudding because Tamaki would just yell its name without any regrets... I can’t believe even more that Tamaki had made Iori laugh by going ‘kya-’ and doing lots of cutesy things!!! They are!! So good!! They are cuter than me and my Tamaki figurine!! Tamaki’s and Iori’s interactions are so wholesome!! screams for another hundred years

[yotsutama]

Yotsuba Tamaki [Linked Feelings] Rabbit TV

Part 1 + Part 2 + Part 3

Part 1: Tamaki As Veigue

Tamaki: Hey, Iorin.

Iori: What is it, Yotsuba-san.

Tamaki: You read that all the time, aren't you bored of it?

Iori: Boring or interesting doesn't matter right now. First of all, we must study about the Tales' world. You should read the documents they gave you as well.

Tamaki: But it's as thick as a novel.

Iori: This thickness shows how heavy the story is.

Tamaki: What, it's heavy too?

Iori: At first glance from the title alone, it seems like each game would have the same setting, but they actually take place in their own worlds.

Tamaki: Iorin and Sou-chan always pay attention to the settings and the plot right?

Iori: I think it's important, so that we can understand the content properly.......

Tamaki: Ooh.

Iori: Don't give me that "ooh", you should learn about the Rebirth world as well.

Tamaki: I played that game, so I already got it more or less!

Iori: Is that so?

Tamaki: That is so! A picture is worth a thousand words, isn't it? Iorin, don't just read the documents, you should play the game!

Iori: You have a point there but, I don't play games that often......

Tamaki: You play whenever Rikkun or Mikkii tell you to though?

Iori: That's because I had no other choice!

Tamaki: Huum. Iori is like Annie from Rebirth, huh?

Iori: Annie?

Tamaki: The smart one.

Iori: Isn't your commentary too sloppy?

Tamaki: And Veigue is someone who takes good care of his sister, and likes peach pie a lot. (1)

Iori: Is that so. That sounds just like Yotsuba-san.

Tamaki: Ooh. And Nagicchi said that we're similar in the same way that we can't put our feelings in our words very well.

Iori: I see. How the characters say their lines or how they feel, if I don't play the game there are so many things I won’t know.

Tamaki: Right? That's why we should play together. Rikkun said that he also wanted to play it in Iorin's room.

Iori: Why do you and Nanase-san insist on playing in my room so often!? My room is not a game center!

Tamaki: Because we can play in peace in Iorin's room~.

Iori: I am not at peace if you two are there.

Tamaki: Rikkun's room is too bright. And it's better to not let Rikkun go in my room.

Iori: So, you realize that your room is dirty.

Tamaki: Well.

Iori: Don't look so proud.

Tamaki: Isn't it fineー. Stop being so stingy, Stingiorin. Let's play games with Rikkun here.

Iori: S, Stingiorin...!?

Tamaki: Lol.

Iori: It's not funny at all!

Tamaki: Iorin, you don’t like playing games with us?

Iori: ... It's not like, I don't like it.... I am just not used to these kind of things......

Tamaki: Do you really have to be used to it?

Iori: I think someone like Yotsuba-san wouldn't understand it.

Tamaki: Huh? Oh well. I'll come here with Rikkun tonight, okay?

Iori: How did it end up like this!?

Tamaki: I'll teach you how fun it is to play games together while eating snacks and drinking soda.

Iori: I have a bad feeling about this......

Tamaki: It’ll be fun!

Part 2: Talking With Riku and Nagi

Tamaki: *yawn*.... I'm so sleepy.........

Nagi: OH, Tamaki. That's one big yawn. You didn’t get enough sleep?

Tamaki: Mm... I stayed up late playing games with Rikkun. Right Rikkun?

Riku: Yeah! We played in Iori's room.

Nagi: WHAT!? Why didn't you call me!?

Riku: We wanted to, but when we passed by Nagi's room, we heard someone crying.... We wondered if something happened to you.... Are you alright?

Nagi: I was crying while watching Kokona. The confrontation scene between the wolf commander and Kokona, it was such a good scene......

Tamaki: You were crying, so we thought it was better to leave you alone at the time.

Nagi: This and that are different!

Riku: Sorry, Nagi! Let's play next time! We played Rebirth and Abyss yesterday.

Nagi: Will you play Symphonia with me?

Riku: Of course! Um, Tamaki is Veigue, Nagi is Zelos, and I'm Luke, right? I want to know more about the characters!

Tamaki: Also, we have to continue Tales of Link too.

Nagi: We're so busy even though it's just a game... I like games though so I'm happy.

Riku: Nagi can play any type of game, right?! You're so good at it, I’m jealous.

Nagi: Are you not that good at it Riku?

Riku: Umm, I want to be good at it.

Tamaki: It's because Rikkun likes to move his body.

Nagi: Aren't you like that too Tamaki...?

Tamaki: I don't move around that much!

Riku: There're dungeons and puzzles in Tales of, right? I'm not good at that kind of stuff, so I asked Iori to do it for me.

Nagi: OH, you can figure out how to solve the puzzles by talking to the NPC’s.

Riku: It's so troublesome so I didn't do that.... Is it that important?

Nagi: It's important to communicate in RPGs! Tamaki, you don't do it either, do you? Even though you are good at collecting items.

Tamaki: I can find all the chests and boxes.

Riku: I feel like we can solve anything with Nagi and Iori's help!

Nagi: Leave it to me. I'm sure I can be more helpful than Iori.

Tamaki: Nagicchi likes to challenge Iorin, huh?

Nagi: Fufu, you're right.

Riku: Are you and Iori rivals or something!?

Nagi: Well... If I had to say it, our relationship is like Zelos and Lloyd’s in Symphonia.

Riku: Eeh? That's too hard to understand, Nagi!

Nagi: You will understand it when you play the game.

Tamaki: Nagicchi, you unexpectedly really like Zelos, huh?

Nagi: Because I can get free items when I talk to the female NPCs if Zelos is the onscreen character.

Tamaki: What the heck......

Nagi: It was just a joke. He likes to fool around, but he always looks forward. I respect that side of him.

Riku: That sounds like Nagi!

Nagi: OH! Do I look like I like to fool around?

Tamaki: You do.

Nagi: Even Tamaki says that to me......

Riku: Reading the documents, playing the games, and hearing everyone talk makes me realize that everyone has similar traits with their own characters!

Nagi: You might be right.

Riku: Luke's circumstance makes me sad though......

Tamaki: Right. Everyone has something they hold dear, and that makes them cross paths with each other.

Riku: Yeah... There's a deep story behind every character in the Tales of series.

Tamaki: Yeah.

Nagi: Veigue begins his journey to search for his sister, doesn't he?

Tamaki: He passes by Claire all the time. I want them to meet already.

Riku: Ahaha, we're talking about him as if we’re talking about our friend!

Nagi: It's mysterious, it feels like we are on a journey when we play the games.

Riku: Hey, let's play tonight too! Together, with Nagi!

Nagi: Yes! Please count me in too!

Tamaki: Let's meet in Iorin's room.

Riku: Won't Iori get mad?

Tamaki: It's fine. He always gets mad, but he's actually happy deep down inside.

Riku: Really?

Tamaki: Yeah. But he'd get mad for real if you spilled pudding on the floor.

Nagi: Anyone would get angry if you do that. I haven't forgotten, you spilled snacks on my manga I lent you and now the cover has spots of oil on it......

Tamaki: On the other hand, Nagicchi would get angry if you do that.

Riku: Wow, I learned a lot, Tamaki!

Part 3: PV Shoot Behind The Scenes ~Tamaki’s Side~

Tamaki: Mikkii, are you going to do the narration after this?

Mitsuki: Yeah! I'm gonna do it after Momo-san.

Yamato: What was it again? "My fists will open the heavens!" was that it? (2)

Mitsuki: Well, you're right, but you definitely made fun of me just now, right.

Yamato: I didn’t, I didn’t.

Mitsuki: Should I cut through your forehead with these fists? (3)

Iori: Nii-san, please calm down. Nikaido-san is trying to deal with his nervousness.

Nagi: OH, Iori just defended Yamato...!

Sougo: It's such a historical moment, isn’t it?

Yamato: Oi, oi, you two over there. You're casually being very rude there.

Iori: Well, if Nikaido-san didn't do that because he's nervous, I'd cut through his forehead instead.

Yamato: That's scary so let's stop, okay?

Tamaki: Sou-chan, don't think about weird things just because you're holding a sword, okay. Don't use it like how you used the potato peeler and screwdriver towards me, okay.

Sougo: Eh? what do you mean?

Tamaki: Waaaaaa! Don't point it at me!

Sougo: Ahh, sorry Tamaki-kun. I'm just impressed by how elaborate this prop is.

Riku: Hey, Iori. What is this? A neck warmer?

Iori: It's a stomach band! Don't let your stomach get cold!

Nagi: Iori, how about this?

Iori: It's your headband, it’s part of your costume!

Sougo: Nagi-kun, it's not good to tease Iori-kun.

Riku: Why am I wearing a belly band?

Iori: It's your costume's fault...!

Riku: Luke’s costume? Eheheh, it's cool, isn't it!

Iori: Don't "eheheh" me! Please use that to keep your stomach warm. Don't blame me if Kujou-san says something to you.

Riku: Tenn-nii...? ... I think I should wear the belly band after all.... It’s still not my turn....

Iori: You're honest if I bring Kujou-san's name into the conversation, huh?......

Tamaki: Iorin, let's do our best.

Yamato: If Mitsu wore that, he'd look like he'd just be wearing a T-shirt.

Mitsuki: Old man, you really want me to hit you...?

Sougo: TRIGGER and Re:vale are splendid as usual. Anything fits them well.

Tamaki: We’ve only talked about the costumes. Is the filming not done yet?

Sougo: It seems like the preparations take a long time. To show the Tales world well, preparing the settings is hard.

Tamaki: Ahh. I want to play with the magical sword soon.

Riku: That’s not good, Tamaki. You have to act like Veigue today!

Tamaki: Ooh, you've got a point.... I mean, you’re right. (4)

Iori: Veigue is a cool and quiet character, if I remember right.

Tamaki: Yea.

Nagi: You don’t sound like him, Tamaki...

Tamaki: Why!!?

Sougo: Practicing your act as your role is good, but the usual Tamaki-kun is the best Tamaki-kun, right?

Tamaki: What, the heck is that.

Mitsuki: He's blushing, he's blushing.

Yamato: MEZZO" are two super-duper-ultra good friends, after all~?

Tamaki: Don't make fun of me! Jude and Alvin are like that too, right.

Mitsuki: Nah, nah, nah.

Yamato: We always exchange blows, okay.

Riku: The only characters in the same series here are Yamato-san and Mitsuki! I'm a bit jealous now!

Iori: Nanase-san is with Yuki-san, right? Both of your characters are from Abyss.

Riku: Yeah! Will Yuki-san let me take photos with him...? And, Tenn-nii too....

Sougo: Let's ask them, Riku-kun...!

Riku: Yes...!

Iori: Don't get too worked up, please.

Nagi: For me, I'm from the same series as Tsunashi-shi.

Yamato: Nagi, you should take photos with Tsunashi-san too.

Nagi: I will have to pass.

Yamato: Why?

Nagi: I'm afraid his muscles are contagious.

Mitsuki: Don't say it like that!

Tamaki: Muscles can spread? I wonder if I should get close to Ryuu-aniki. I want to see his handcuffs too.

Sougo: There's no way it can, Tamaki-kun......

~ end ~

T/N

thanks for always Sophia @ousama-pudding for proofreading!

(1) Veigue was adopted by Claire's family when he was young when his parents disappeared, and it's a really heated debated about if they are in love with each other or just siblings so we purposely left it as 'sister' bc that's what their actual relationship is but we didn't want to cause any trouble between people who shipped them and people who didn't like that ship

(2) Jude has a similar quote in Xillia 1 but Sophia couldn't find the exact quote. He had a similar version to this quote in Xillia 2 when he activates his mystic arte

(3) Yamato is dressed as Alvin from Xillia and Alvin has his bangs swept back so his forehead is showing XD

(4) Tamaki is trying to act like Veigue who’s cool and quiet so he deepened his voice and shortened his sentences. He usually says 'Usu' (meaning yes) but here he says 'Aa' bc it's cooler and manly

in case anyone is wondering I changed my url and gonna upload Iori and Tamaki's photobook interviews after this~

Thanks for reading!

[dangerouscommiesubversive]

Love your fics! Everyone's interactions are so cute. Will you be confortable writing a promot of Tsukasa from Lupat interacting with Tsukasa from Decade?

Thank you, sweetheart! I love writing them! And I appreciate this request on a spiritual level. You’ve also left the actual choice of prompt up to me, so,

C is for colors, and the color of the day is pink

Tsukasa gets a text from Keiichiro when she’s halfway to GSPO headquarters, and it reads, [Noel is here.]

[oh fantastic it’s been a while]

[Yeah. He brought some company.]

[shit company from Paris do I need to run back and get my dress uniform]

[No, you’re fine, it’s not that kind of company. But you might want to brace yourself.]

[why]

[keiichiro you asshole why am i bracing myself]

--

She gets to HQ, and, as expected, Noël is already there, bright and smiling and kissing her on both cheeks in greeting because he’s like that. If any other guy had tried to kiss her just to say hello, she’d probably have socked them, but because it’s Noël she doesn’t mind.

“Right, yes, and I brought guests, I’m sure Keiichiro told you, I saw him texting.” Noël beams at her and gestures back over his shoulder. “This is Dion--Daiki, that is, Kaitou Daiki.”

Tsukasa looks at Noël sidelong for a moment at the name-slip, which is very unlike him, and then looks over his guest. Kaitou Daiki has bleached hair, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a truly enormous, vividly blue gun strapped to one thigh. The ridiculous gun, and the look on Noël’s face, are enough for her to say, “You know, I was wondering when we’d finally meet one of your exes.”

Noël sighs wistfully, and his friend grins and puts down the coffee cup. “Oh, he wishes.”

“Shut up and don’t remind me of the greatest romantic failure of my life, Dion,” Noël says genially. “This is my dear friend Myoujin Tsukasa, who I was telling you about, she’s the brains of the operation here when I’m not around.” Keiichiro and Director Hilltop both make faint, half-hearted noises of protest in the background, but Noël ignores them. “PatRan Sangou, as I said.”

Tsukasa blinks. “Oh, we’re doing those titles?”

“You told me about her, you didn’t mention her name was Tsukasa.” Daiki looks amused for some reason that Tsukasa can’t quite determine as he shakes her hand. “I didn’t realize we were doing titles either, although I guess it makes sense. Kamen Rider Diend.”

“It’s nice to meet y--” Tsukasa trails off into a strangled noise. “Did you. Did you say Kamen Rider?”

“Oh, so she’s heard of them, but you haven’t? What’s up with that?”

“Noël didn’t grow up in Japan,” Tsukasa says, faintly.

“Huh. You know, I hadn’t considered that. Anyway, yeah, hi, I’m Diend, and this is my partner,” as the other man Tsukasa had barely noticed in all the fuss stands up from the table, “Kadoya Tsukasa.”

“So that’s why you thought my name was funny.” Tsukasa nods, starting to collect herself mentally as she looks up at this other Tsukasa. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She pauses and considers Daiki’s wording--partner could mean plenty of things. “Are you...also a Kamen Rider?”

“Just passing through, fortunately. Kamen Rider Decade.”

Tsukasa opens her mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a dry noise of shock.

Over at the table, Sakuya starts to say, “Wait, Tsukasa, isn’t that the one you--” and then cuts off, presumably because Keiichiro kicked him in the ankle before he could mention her fanfiction.

--

She reminds him of Natsumi, although she’s slightly shorter. Granted, she doesn’t exude threat the way Natsumi does, but she almost certainly can, and Tsukasa’s not too proud to admit that it may just be a him problem on the Natsumi front. He considers asking her if she knows any pressure point techniques, but what he says is, “I’m guessing you’re the scary one on your team.”

Behind her, Daiki’s French twink and her other two teammates nod emphatically. She just blinks. “What makes you say that?”

He taps his own jacket lapel. “Pink piping. Pink Sentai are always terrifying.”

“Really? Have you met many others?”

“A few.”

“Mm. I mean, I don’t think I’m especially frightening.” She frowns. She’s also sort of staring at him pop-eyed. Daiki introducing himself as Diend had definitely startled her, but this feels different. “You’re...I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, you’re really Kamen Rider Decade?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Were you expecting me to be taller?”

“No, I was pretty sure Kamen Riders were an urban legend.” There’s something she’s not saying, and it definitely has to do with that Keiichiro guy kicking their other teammate in the ankle. “I’m, uh. Actually a big fan of yours, I spent a couple of years in high school trying to track down pretty much every story about you I could.”

“She had a Kamen Rider scrapbook,” Keiichiro adds, with the kind of grin that can only come from embarrassing a dear friend tremendously. “She brought it to the academy with her. But she could only find two pictures of you.”

“It’s surprisingly tough to find pictures of him, considering how he hauls that camera everywhere,” Daiki says cheerfully. “Tsukasa, are you all right? You’ve gone sort of pale.”

Tsukasa thumps on his own chest, as the other Tsukasa and the rest of the PatRangers look at him in surprised concern, and manages to wheeze out, “I’m sorry, did you say high school?”

The other Tsukasa nods slowly, frowning. “Yyyes?”

“I need to sit down.” Which he does, heavily, in the chair he’d been occupying at the table, and buries his face in his hands. “Daiki, I’m old.”

He can feel the PatRangers staring at him as Daiki pats him on the shoulder and says, mercilessly unhelpful as always, “At least she didn’t say grade school.”

The other Tsukasa makes a worried noise and says, rather more helpfully, “Weren’t you nineteen or something when you became a Kamen Rider? I thought all the stories said you were really young.”

“Twenty. I think.” Tsukasa isn’t ready to look up at them yet. “When I figure out how old I am I’ll tell you.”

“And I was fifteen, you’re not old.” She sounds like she might laugh at him. It’s very reminiscent of Natsumi. “I was so excited to find out that there was a Kamen Rider who was all pink, it’s always been my favorite color.”

Daiki lets out a stifled noise of amusement. “It’s really more of a magenta, you know.”

“It’s fine,” Tsukasa says into his hands. “Sougo’s pink too. Pink people have to stick together.” He glances up at the other Tsukasa, who’s looking increasingly concerned. “You don’t happen to know any pressure point strikes, do you? You seem like the type who should.”