#not genjo?! anything but genjo?!?!

[astralyrical]

my apologies for the inactivity as i am pretty busy with school things sksbskjs,, that said ! wukong did not just ..... steal genjo .... from her ... 😭

[blackkatmagic]

Hi! Who are some of your favorite characters (from anything)?

Uh. Mace from SW, Genjo Sanzo from Saiyuki, Eowyn from LotR, Poison Ivy and Starfire from DC, Marc Spector and Tony Stark and Eli Bradley from Marvel comics. There are....so many more, but those are the ones coming to mind right at this moment.

[recre8ed]

@r3loaded : continued from discord. ( moonlit conversations )

Somehow, the honesty is surprising. Sanzo is usually more candid during times like these, but Hakkai knows he's the sort of person who doesn't like to show this kind of vulnerability and uncertainty to others. It feels like being handed someone else's precious glassware—statements like this never mean nothing, but they mean more when it's Sanzo who's saying them.

How many times now has Sanzo offered his feelings on a platter, when it's just the two of them? Hakkai isn't sure he knows the exact answer, but the question alone makes him smile without much else in the way of reason.

"That's very like you," Hakkai says, training his eyes properly on Sanzo again. He looks almost frustrated, Hakkai thinks—it's the look he gets on his face every time they talk like this and Sanzo says something he wouldn't say if anyone else was awake. Like he's not sure how he feels about admitting to these things.

His gaze doesn't leave Sanzo this time. 

Each of the three of them know Sanzo in their own way; Goku follows, Gojyo fights, and Hakkai scrutinizes. He talks and he observes, subconsciously trying to put together the puzzle that is Genjo Sanzo whenever he's offered another piece. Hakkai would like to think he already has an understanding of what the broader picture he is, but he can't help looking for what he's missing anyway, filling the gaps with Sanzo's minute details.

Hakkai likes what he sees—Sanzo under the moonlight, and everything that lies beneath his skin.

"Maybe it's something you should consider, when you have the time," Hakkai suggests. "As long as you're alive, there are things you can do—right? Putting your situation aside, how would you want to live?"

The question is mostly rhetorical, since Hakkai doesn't actually expect Sanzo to respond to it with anything more complicated than an 'I don't know', if he responds at all. He'd only asked it to fill space, to make conversation. 

Sanzo has more thoughts and feelings that he keeps tucked away to himself, but Hakkai isn't devoid of things to confess.

"Even if I don't know where I'm going to end up, there are things that appeal to me. I'd like to live in a decently sized house with plenty of people to take care of, mouths to feed, and messes to clean up after. Somewhere close enough to a school that I could take Jeep there every day and make money teaching." 

There are plenty of Hakkai's ideals that he doesn't share; he doesn't tell Sanzo how he'd like it if they could all live closely together, if not in the same place outright. How nice it would be to clean up after Goku and Gojyo, and still be able to meet Sanzo on quiet, lonely nights. How he'd like to fall in love with someone again and feel with certainty that they'd live on through anything.

"I know that's a lot to ask of life," Hakkai admits, "but it's a good thing to work towards, and I could do it anywhere."

He'd only been joking about walking the whole way home, but the core motivator for joking about that and confessing his wants is the same—Hakkai is desperately afraid that things will go back to the way they were when all is said and done, and that distance will be dredged between the two halves of their party once again. If the journey doesn't end, they'll at least all be together. If it does, Hakkai strives for a life he can share with them all.

Not for the first time, Hakkai has the nonsensical desire to join Sanzo in smoking. He doesn't voice it.

"... If you ever do make a decision, I think everyone would continue to follow you," he continues instead. "Like a pack of ducklings who've imprinted on your unfortunate self."

[beyblader-observations]

So, I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but Garland strikes me as being Asian, particularly from somewhere around India or China. This is going to be based on anime stereotypes, so bear with me.

My number 1 example of a character that leads me to believe Garland might be Indian is Akio from Utena.

He’s actually a bit darker than Garland, but the darker than your average anime skin tone with the nearly white hair and that red dot on his forehead… it’s all very similar.

The red dot appears to be a bindi or something similar. I thought putting this on men was a cultural inaccuracy that got passed down through anime in Japan, but from my research, it looks like men do sometimes wear those.

This leads to the possibility of him being either Hindu or Buddhist. This opens up the option of him being from various countries that follow these religions. I’m going to talk about the option of him being Chinese for the moment.

Not that a sleeveless shirt in any way indicates a character being from China, but I do see a similarity between Garland’s clothing and that of Genjo Sanzo from Saiyuki, who is a Chinese Buddhist monk. The shirt itself wouldn’t be indicative of anything if it wasn’t for the fact that Sanzo also has the bindi on his forehead. As far as I know, that sleeveless shirt is not in any way an actual article of Buddhist clothing. But anime tends to inspire and borrow from each other, so it’s not entirely impossible that the intention was there.

To add to the Chinese option, if I’m not mistaken, Garland appears to do kung fu (Please correct me if I’m wrong). Of course people from anywhere can learn Kung Fu, but generally with anime, especially with Beyblade, people tend to be connected with their routes, such as how Takao’s grandpa teaches him Japanese kendo.

I wanted to theorize the option of him being Tibetan or Nepalese, since those are right on the cusp between China and India, but there’s no specific indicator of this that I could find. He could also be from a Southeast Asian country that kung fu and Buddhism both spread to.

My conclusion is that despite his last name Tzetbalt being translated as Siebald, I can’t see him as being German. He definitely seems Asian of some variety. But then we have the question of his very white, blonde haired, blue eyed sister… So it IS possible that he’s a mix of German and Asian. He could be German Chinese Indian American. These Bega bladers are a mystery, since they don’t tell us what country they’re from like they do with the other teams.

I forgot to take his first name into consideration. It’s an English word. It came from an old French word, but it’s been in the English vocabulary for a long time, so this might be an indicator of him being from the U.S.?

P.S. He also looks a bit like Shinobu Sensui from Yu Yu Hakusho. As far as I can tell from his name and what was mentioned in the story, he’s Japanese.

[tofueggnoodles]

Extreme Bath Log Disk 2 – Track 1: Mahjong Parlor 401

Click here to listen to the track on youtube.

Click here for translations of previous tracks.

Summary: As they tried to best each other at mahjong, Gojyo, Tenpou, Nobuto and Kubota talked about various things such as Tenpou’s job as a writer, his reason for learning mahjong and how he came to live with the Genjos.

--------

Tokito: The ground floor of the place I’m living in is a laundry. I heard that the business was passed down to Kubo-chan by an uncle of his.

(Sound of an automatic door opening, followed by a chime.)

Kubota: Welcome. (checks the items of clothing) One, two, three... it’s five pieces in total, right? The suit and the shirt will be ready tomorrow, but the coat will take about five days’ time. Would that be fine with you?

Tokito: My guardian, Kubota Makoto, gives the impression of being the pleasant proprietor of a laundry – but that’s just his guise during the day. From 8 o’clock in the evening, once the laundry business closes up for the day, another shift begins on the basement floor, where a different shop,...

(Sound of tiles clacking against each other.)

Tokito: ... Mahjong Parlor 401, inconspicuously opens for the evening.

(Someone discards a tile.)

Tenpou: Ah, Gojyo-kun, that’s a ron. [Tenpou called a ron since Gojyo just discarded the tile Tenpou needed to win the round.]

Tenpou (reveals his hand): Let’s see... I’m a non-dealer this round, so with the seventy fu from my hand, you owe me four-thousand and five-hundred points. [Only the discarder pays the winner when a round ends in this manner. Fu: along with han, determines the basic points.]

Gojyo: Damn it! Seriously? (throws some point sticks onto the table) Here, take your winnings**. [point sticks: used to keep scores in riichi mahjong, https://riichi.wiki/Tenbou]

Nobuto: Seventy fu.... Ten-chan-sensei, are you really a beginner?

(They shuffle the mahjong tiles in preparation for the next round.)

Kubota: At least, this is your first visit here, isn’t it?

Tenpou: Mahjong is a rather profound game, don’t you think? I’ve had no experience in games at all except for Japanese chess and backgammon.

Gojyo: If anything, you’re rabid backgammon player.

Nobuto: I’d intended to bring my elder brother along, but he left the country in a hurry right after the memorial service. It was a mistake to bring along mister writer here in his place.

(They are now building ‘walls’ out of the shuffled tiles: Each of the player start to arrange the tiles, likely in a two-tile high row. Once each player has built their wall, these are pushed together at the center of the table to form a rough square.)

Kubota: He probably wanted to get back [to his job] rather quickly because of the tense situation over there. I would’ve loved to play a few rounds with Kenren-san once in a long while, though.

Tenpou: Indeed, I’m far from an adequate replacement for Kenren, but opportunely, I’m in the midst of picking up mahjong. Since I plan to include a scene featuring a mahjong parlor in my next work, I’ll be working hard at material-gathering tonight.

Nobuto: You seem to be quite in demand as a writer. What sort of novels do you write?

Gojyo**: Erotic novels.

Kubota: Porn.

Tenpou: It’s a specialized genre**.

(As the dealer, Kubota rolls a dice twice to decide which tile to start the dealing from.)

Nobuto: So the saying is true: people are not always what they seem to be.

Tenpou: Erotica as a form of literature is the culmination of mankind’s single-minded obsession throughout history.

Kubota: Well, I do think that’s a good example set by those who came before us. Pon. [This is the call to complete a triplet from a discarded tile.]

Tenpou: Jii.... [he is being dramatic by vocalizing a sound effect which indicates that he is staring fixedly at Kubota]

Kubota: Hmm? What is it?

Tenpou: This is one of those “I can tell that there’s a stain on your back” moments, isn’t it? [A stock phrase uttered by the main character of the manga “Mahjong Hishō-den: Naki no Ryū” just before he wins a round of mahjong. It likely implies that the hero is able to see through his opponent.]

Gojyo: So it’s a mahjong manga you’ve been learning from?

Tenpou: Since there are illustrations in a manga, even a beginner can easily understand what’s going on.

Kubota: Do you intend to continue learning mahjong from that unusual book?

Tenpou: It did allow me to grasp the basics**. Hmm... it seems tough to aim for a top-scoring hand with these tiles. If I’m to aim for a runner-up–

Nobuto: I already have a triplet of one bamboos, so a baiman should bring me close to the top score. [baiman: 16,000 points for non-dealer]

Kubota: Since I’m the dealer, a mangan would be good enough for me. [mangan: 12,000 points (dealer)]

Tenpou: Oh? Could it be that you two are trying to provoke me?

Gojyo: Everyone’s just trying to get ahead. Each is thinking: Is the player to my left holding a concealed dora triplet in his hand? [dora: the tile next in suit to a face-up tile in the dead wall. It adds a multiplier to the player’s hand.]

Tenpou: Come to think of it, there’s no automatic dealing table in this mahjong parlor, is there?

Kubota: I don’t like automatic mahjong tables.

Gojyo: I bet that’s because you wouldn’t be able to tamper with the tiles at critical moments if we were to use an automatic table. [He is implying that Kubota cheats – aside from saving time, automatic tables are supposed to make it harder to cheat.]

Kubota: Such a thing is a trade secret. Chii. [This is the call to complete a sequence, used only for discards from the player immediately to the left of the caller.]

Gojyo: Now who just got the tile he’s been waiting for from the player to his left?

Nobuto: Say, it looks as if this parlor’s been reserved for our exclusive use. Is it always like this?

Kubota: It depends on the day. Basically, we’re able to earn our living from the laundry on the floor above, so we don’t even put up a signboard for this parlor at the entrance.

Gojyo: Since the customers are all guys, you should’ve at least hired some cute parlor attendants.

Kubota: Hello, here’s your cute parlor attendant.

Tenpou: If you were to dress Tokito-kun in a maid costume, he might look rather fetching, don’t you think?

Nobuto: I think that would drastically alter the nature of the business.

Kubota: On that matter, the Genjo family business is an all-guys affair too, isn’t it?

Gojyo: Like I said before, if our bathhouse would employ a girl or two as part-timers, I would’ve been a bit more motivated to work there and we’d be able to attract more customers.

Nobuto: If we’re to employ young ladies, that’s definitely because there’s a certain guy who’s apt to make a move on them.

Gojyo (discard a tile with force): You’ve completely misinterpreted my intent**.

Tenpou: Nobuto-kun, you're a fine one to talk when it comes to women, aren’t you?

Nobuto: Well, at least I’m not as bad as my elder brother used to be.

Kubota: What a lively conversation we’re having.

Tenpou: That particular characteristic of Kenren’s certainly runs in the family, doesn’t it?

Nobuto: There’s nothing wrong with that. Gojyo, you’re not seeing anyone special at the moment, right?

Gojyo: I’m so busy that I can hardly find the time to meet people. Also, no matter how I think about it, our house is not the most conducive environment to casually bring a woman back to. Right, mister writer?

Tenpou: I don’t have anyone to bring back to my place.

Nobuto: Not even one? Despite the fact that you write erotica?

Tenpou: Only one-percent of the depictions in erotica are derived from real-life experience. The remaining ninety-nine percent are powered by the writer’s imagination.

Kubota: An apt remark. On that subject, I heard that your current office used to be Kenren-san’s room.

Gojyo: That’s right. It’s next to my room.

Nobuto: That time when out of the blue, my elder brother brought this mister writer home and left his two kids with me before hurrying overseas, everyone in the household was totally flabbergasted.

Tenpou: To be honest, I was flabbergasted too. Be that as it may, the fact is that I, who lack the ability to stand on my own two feet, can now do things such as eat three square meals a day, take a daily bath and get a proper night’s sleep. Even now, I’m grateful to Kenren, who had provided me with a place where I can do all of those things.

Kubota: Certainly, if one’s living in that house, one can take as many baths as one wishes.

Tenpou: Still, I got scolded by Kenren the other day for dozing off in the bath.

Gojyo: Is my old man your mother? Kan, I call kan. [A call to declare that the player has four of the same tile in their hand.]

Kubota: Oh, you’re sure motivated. I thought you’d given up.

Gojyo: They say attack is the best form of defense. The one who’s given up and is discarding only safe tiles is the player opposite me.

Nobuto: Who knows if that’s really the case.

Gojyo: You’ve been discarding safe tiles for quite a while, haven’t you?

(A cellphone buzzes.)

Kubota: Is that your cellphone, Sensei?

Tenpou: That’s a Line message from my editor. Sorry, I thought that there would be no reception since we’re on a basement floor.

Nobuto: What does the message say?

Tenpou: It seems to be an urgent matter. They’ve found a large amount of out-of-order pages in the copies of the book that is to be launched next week.

Gojyo: That’s terrible, isn’t it? The royalties from your books pay for more than half of our household expenses.

Nobuto: If that’s really the case, it’s the management of the bathhouse that’s at fault.

Tenpou: I guess I’d have to go. The other party would’ve already seen the read receipt.

Kubota: Don’t worry about us.

Tenpou: Please excuse me then. I’ll take my leave of you now. Please allow me to continue the material-gathering on another day, okay?

(Getting up from his chair, Tenpou walks to the door and opens it.)

Gojyo: Bye.

Nobuto (eyeing Tenpou’s hand): Hmm? He’s just one tile short of a winning hand. That mister writer was for aiming for a baiman in earnest. That was close.

Kubota: What shall we do? Continue with three players or invite someone else to fill in as the fourth player?

Gojyo: Gramps is the only one that comes to mind, but it’s long past his bedtime.

(The door opens.)

Kubota: Welco– Oh, good evening.

Nobuto: Yo, young master.

Hakkai: Please excuse the intrusion so late in the evening, Kubota-san. I saw Tenpou rushing out in a hurry just now – did something happen?

Gojyo: He was called out to work by his editor. Say, why are you here, Hakkai?

Hakkai: Why else? I’m here to fetch you home, Gojyo.

Gojyo: Hah? Why?

Hakkai: You promised to man the attendant's booth during the morning tomorrow, didn’t you? Idling your time until this late in the night, you won’t be able to wake up in the morning tomorrow.

Kubota: I see. The uncle’s the mother to this one. [referring to Gojyo’s earlier remark about Kenren mothering Tenpou]

Gojyo: I’m gonna be all right. I’m not a kid after all!

Nobuto: Don’t be so tough on him, young master. That’s right, since you’re here, take over the spot that Ten-chan-sensei’s just vacated.

Hakkai (sighs): Understood. Then, Gojyo, if you beat me, I’ll let you off your duty tomorrow morning.

Gojyo: Eh? Seriously?

Hakkai: On the other hand, if I win, I’ll have you man the attendant's booth throughout the day and the evening tomorrow.

Gojyo: Hah?

Hakkai: Also, in that case, as part of the collective responsibility, Brother-in-law will take care of the tidying-up during the afternoon break.

Nobuto: Oh.

Hakkai: Well then, shall we begin?

(They shuffle the tiles.)

Tokito: It’s a long night for the men at Mahjong Parlor 401.

--------

(Round brackets): actions and sound effects. [Square brackets]: translator’s notes or clarifications. Double asterisks **: Stuff I am not sure of. Suggestions for improvements and corrections are more than welcome.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about mahjong. The mahjong stuff was cribbed from various sites on the world wide web (:

Trivia:

1. The order of their seating: Gojyo → Tenpou → Nobuto → Kubota

2. Unanswered questions: Is Tokito present in the mahjong parlor? Or is he only “there” to provide the opening and closing narrations? After listening to that one-word line at 2:22 for the n-th time, I am still not sure whether it was Gojyo or Tokito who answered Nobuto’s question about the sort of novels Tenpou wrote.

3. For what it's worth, the mahjong hand before Kanan is one possible hand of Chin Isou (all of one suit).

[geraniumplant]

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐔 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 ~

- Vash Saverem : Age 20. Plant Engineer & track star. He got a full-ride scholarship along with his brother Nai. Started a band with his friend Wolfwood. (lead singer & bass guitarist) Doesn't have his license because he never passed his driving test. He basically walks everywhere unless he can get a ride from Wolfwood or Meryl. Favorite hang-out spots are the bakery, the coffee shop, & the track.

- Nicholas D. Wolfwood : Age 22. Dropped out of beauty school to help his brother pay for & run their childhood orphanage. Nico washes hair at the salon & is a guitarist in Vash Saverem's band. His main means of transportation is his motorcycle. He's very street-smart & feeds the neighborhood stray cats & dogs.

- Genjo Sanzo : Age 23. A biblical & theology major. He's not too passionate about this choice of study but was inherited the Sanzo title from his late adopted father, so a lot is expected of him. Despite being a trust fund kid he's down to earth but a loner. When he's not on campus he can be found smoking on his apartment porch or browsing the nonfiction section of the local bookstore. (he never buys anything though)

- Vergil Sparda : Age 25. An adjunct professor of Medieval literature. He's considered prissy or stuck-up compared to his carefree twin, but the guy is overworked & lonely. In his spare time, he collects & refurbishes artifacts. He pays child support for his son who was a result of a teen pregnancy. When the mother left Vergil gave his son up for adoption to the Fortuna family, because he believes they provide him a better life.

- Mizu : age 19. An exchange student from Japan who lives with a host family. Mizu is a Sociology major & trained mixed martial artist & boxer. They practice at the dojo regularly & do odd jobs on the side, participating in several boxing matches for money. Can be found around the dojo, the gym, & the coffee shop.

D Dracul : Age 20. A Demonology major that minors in psychology. He wants nothing to do with his rich, high-status father & does many odd jobs to support himself, his education, & his stoner twin. This includes Uber, Door Dash, & picking up shifts at the mom & pop hardware store. D is an all-around friendly guy. Kinda dresses goth/hisper-like & is very quiet.

[genjyoandgojyoandhakkai]

20 Questions for (Fanfiction) Writers

Tagged by @maythedreadwolftakeyou - so excited to play! 

How many works do you have on ao3?

103 on Ao3. I still have a few more that need to get posted from elsewhere to there.

What’s your total ao3 word count?

186,003. Lol I think that Despite Everything is over half my total word count on AO3. Most of my stories are of the 100 word variety. 

What are your top five fics by kudos?

Despite Everything - Dragon Age: The Veilguard - 110 kudos

Not sure I need to say anything about this, really. It’s a Rookanis story, the reason I got back into writing, and it might be the longest thing I’ve ever written.

Cake--a Round-Robin Collaboration Fic - Fullmetal Alchemist - 109 kudos

This might not count as my own, it’s a collaboration that I wrote with some friends from the FMA fandom. We get together on a regular basis for writing shenanigans and we wrote this after having wayyyy too much fun with a 5-sentence version of this. The credit for this one goes to my friends, they have many more followers than I do!

Solstice Dragon Age: The Veilguard - 41 kudos

It’s part of the larger Rookanis story from Despite Everything. 

Erogenous Zones - Fullmetal Alchemist - 38 kudos

Another product of my friends’ writing workshop MEATSWORD (Massively Entertaining And Transformative Slash Writers Online Retreat & Discussion). If you told me I’d be writing Fullmetal 2003 in 2023, I might have laughed. I swear I left a chapter off this one, though, because I remember writing an explicit chapter and it doesn’t have one posted. 

Blowing His Mind - Saiyuki - 29 kudos

This is an old story that I dusted off and completed when I opened my Ao3 account, but I probably wrote it in line...2012? 

Tea - Saiyuki - would be the next of my own stories with 25 kudos.

What fandoms do you write for?

Dragon Age (open to the entire series but so far I only have stuff for Veilguard and 2), Gensomaden Saiyuki, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, with a sprinkling of other anime fandoms with 1-2 stories apiece. It’s been over 10 years since I was active in writing, so everything’s a bit dusty trend-wise.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do! I’m always down to chat about ideas and stories. I sometimes find prompts or write gift fic off jokes, good conversations or comments. For me it’s about the people you meet, so I like to interact.

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh wow, I don’t do a lot of angst endings, and what I do have is super short, but it would probably be Hey Jealousy. 

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

That’s hard. Most things I write tend to have a happy ending of some sort, even if it’s just something funny to close it out. 

Do you get hate on fics?

No, I haven’t, but there are definitely fandoms I’ve shied away from participating because of toxicity. I read and comment, but don’t share anything if I don’t really feel comfortable!

Do you write smut?

Yes. LOL it’s been so long, it was hard to write the first couple of smut chapters, but I do. 

Do you write crossovers?

Never, but only because the perfect crossover or crack for me has yet to present itself. 

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Probably not, I have had my LiveJournal for a long time, though, so if it’s been stolen, it would have been from there. 

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No. 

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, a couple times when inspiration struck. 

What’s your all time favourite ship?

You want me to pick just ONE? 🤣 Fine, it’s Sha Gojo/Cho Hakkai with a side of Genjo Sanzo. Not sure whose boyfriend has the boyfriend, but they all just go together. 

What’s the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I want to finish my currently not-on-Ao3 Hunters. It’s a vampire AU for Saiyuki. But I feel like I just lost interest over time. When I was writing it I didn’t have a full outline of where I wanted it to go, so yeah, lesson learned, I guess. It would have to be completely redone, which I’m not opposed to, but...lots of work there. 

What are your writing strengths?

Banter and dialogue, for sure. I think humor plays with those nicely. I also really like setting a scene, I realized I’m not as good at action as I’d like. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

See above hahaha, but you can also add outlining to that list. I’m not good at it. Hilarious considering my day job requires a lot of outlining and project management, but I can’t harness any of that for my hobbies. 

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I was an anime-focused writer before, so that kinda goes with the territory, especially when so much of the setting or topic might use words, phrases or descriptions borrowed from other languages. I am for it, just not to write an entire chapter in another language, and don’t break the flow of pacing. I grew up in a culture that was heavily Spanish/English bilingual, and I think that reflects in my attitude toward using borrowed words. Sometimes the language switch is the best way to show specific emotion, and if it doesn’t interfere with the moment, I will do it 🙂

First fandom you wrote for?

Saiyuki. It was such a great fandom with well-written stories and I had always wanted to try adding to the collection. I made friends in that fandom, and I’ll always remember it fondly. I still have a few WIPs out there I might come back to.

Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Cliche for the newest toy to be the favorite, but it’s Despite Everything. I feel like I did more than I’ve ever done for a single story, and I am really really proud of it!

Not sure who to tag, but if any of my mutuals would like to play, tag me in your reply!

[rosssrandomblog]

Since this week I have no time to draw, take this meme.

For the last prompt of the saiyuki month challenge by @saiyukimonthchallenge.

[incorrect-saiyuki-quotes]

Tenjin: If you don’t have actual wings to escape Shangri-La with your son, home-made is fine

Genjo: No It Isn’t

Ukoku: it is if your son isn’t an idiot

[pafallende]

‵ @spendourlives   /   sc. — sentence from (x).

     “ i need to make a shirt that says ‘hated by families everywhere.’ ”

[multi-fandom-imagine]

Headcanons of Sanzo & Hakkai with shy s/o pls?

A/n: So cute! My favorite boys { Will Gojyo will be my number 1 }

Genjo Sanzo

👑: Is a little peeved at first, doesn’t really understand how he can handle someone who’s so shy but this is before you two even got together.

👑:When Sanzo actually realizes his feelings he starts to find it…cute. He likes how shy and flustered around him.

👑:Often tease you about your shyness but he is the only one that can tease you everyone else would just get a very blatant threat. He does not take to kindly some random asshole treating someone he loves like crap.

👑: He finds out that he needs to initiate a kiss, you’re really pulling him out of his shell.

👑: Will be the one to initiate sex, is also the dom.

👑: While he will never admit it, he likes it when you fall asleep against his shoulder.

👑: Also enjoys when you hide against his side whenever you’re embarrassed about something.

👑:You 10000% mean the world to him and Sanzo would do anything to protect you.

Cho Hakkai

🌿:Is more open about his relationship with you. Will happily hold you’re hand in public. When he knows you’re tired from walking he’ll happily carry you on his back.

🌿: Thinks you’re adorable, likes how shy you can get around him. { it’s refreshing }

🌿: You feel like home, with you he thinks that is life has meaning. While you may not talk much he just loves how soft spoken and kind you can be.

🌿: His nice guy persona drops the moment he sees that you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. You’re too important to him and he knows that you won’t say anything so it’s up to him.

🌿:Likes how the quietness between you both isn’t awkward.

🌿: Hakkai may do some light teasing but if you don’t like it then he’ll stop.

🌿: Loves that you tug at his sleeves for any acts of intimacy.

🌿: Won’t do PDA if it makes you uncomfortable.

[blackkatmagic]

U and V for the ask meme?

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

I already implied the first, but - Genjo Sanzo from Saiyuki is probably my favorite character in anything ever. He's the first character where I ever really felt the whole "good is not nice" trope, and his personal philosophy, and how he lives it, really hit me hard at a time in my life when I needed that.

The second...is likely Gemma Doyle from the book/series A Great and Terrible Beauty. She's a character who's trying so hard to fit in and do what's expected of her and as the trilogy progresses she starts to lose that, starts to push boundaries, and she ends up this half-wild magical thing who makes her own choices in a defiant, desperate sort of way that just resonates with me. She's also vaguely queer and maybe a little in love with her best friend and I adore her, okay.

Third would have to be Eli Bradley from the Young Avengers comics, even though he was dropped from the team after like one volume, because I really love his storyline about trying to be a hero, trying to live up to his family's history and make that history right at the same time, and ending up going to bad places in the course of that quest. And it's just - it's nice to see a character who's a little cold and a little brusque and is still so desperately good, who tries to be better and has things blow up in his face and still keeps trying.

V - Which character do you relate to most?

Oof. Um. This is going to sound kind of bad, but. Marc Spector, honestly. I've had a lot of struggles with mental health and faith and purpose, and maybe it was just finding the MK comics at the right time, but Marc resonates with me personally in a way not a lot of characters do. He has family issues and anger issues and his mental health problems pushed a lot of the people he loved away. I'm bipolar, rather than having DID, but Marc's story is one I really, really feel.

And maybe sometimes I also want to carve a man's face off in an alley, so.

[r3loaded]

It isn't until Hakkai responds that Sanzo raises his eyes from the most recent of the books he's taken from the temple's archive. He marks his page with a fold to the corner and a wordless hum of acknowledgement, carried by an ease that surprises even himself.

Sanzo sets aside his reading and adjusts to Hakkai's presence in the room without complaint. Reticent as he usually is to accept company of any kind, there's a strange allowance he grants the other man-- a space he permits him to take up each and every time he returns to Keiun Temple and crosses that threshold into Sanzo's life. Why Hakkai keeps coming back and why Sanzo lets him; two questions that stand unanswered, and yet even so, Sanzo greets him by asking after his well-being, however roughly, as opposed to demanding he get out.

It's almost funny. Anyone even passingly familiar with Genjo Sanzo's demeanor would find it hard to believe, even if they saw it with their own eyes. Come to think of it, when had he learned to tell Hakkai apart from any other intruder without so much as a glance, anyway?

Sanzo turns his head towards him, the early evening light catching in his hair and on the rim of his reading glasses as it streams in from the open window at his back. Thick clouds of grey pass through parted lips to swirl around his face, drifting through into the open air beyond. In the garden, he can hear Goku running as wild as he pleases, laughing along with the barking of that stray dog he brought around a while back-- right before they first left to track down Cho Gonou, actually.

Sanzo hadn't the chance to tell him he couldn't keep the damn thing at the time. At least the little monkey seems to have built up enough sense not to bring it into the interior temple, somehow. Sanzo doesn't doubt that the monks probably have something to do with that; They won't treat the dog any better than they treat Goku.

"Good." Replies China's 31st High Priest as he crushes the burnt-down end of his cigarette into the half-full ashtray on his desk. He's not one for sentiment, and doesn't care much for saying anything more than he deems necessary. Thus, he doesn't mention how much it might mean that his decision to stand for something-- someone-- hadn't gone to waste. 'Good.' will suffice just fine. 

"With the way that moron chased after you in the first place, I'd call bullshit if you told me he was complaining now." 

The smile Hakkai gives him has become a familiar sight now; one that Sanzo doesn't return, but also doesn't reject-- even when razor-sharp intuition tells him there's something missing from it. Something behind it that Hakkai would prefer he didn't see.

Lucky for him, what Sanzo doesn't see is a need to pry into his-- and presumably Gojyo's-- business. At least, not at the moment. Whatever odd something they are to each other now, they aren't so familiar that Sanzo has the room to wade deeper into Hakkai's personal life than he chooses to bring him.

Instead, he turns his attention towards the bag that Hakkai has brought. Leaning an elbow against the surface of his desk and his cheek against his knuckles in turn, Sanzo watches the other man as he retrieves whatever offering he's brought to punctuate his gratitude.

Violet eyes widen by an almost imperceptible fraction, brows lifting just enough that the ever-present furrow between them smooths for a single beat of silence. Hakkai's explanation snaps him out of his initial surprise at the home-cooked meal-- There's no way Hakkai knows that it's his favorite, is there? Did he really pay that much attention?

Sanzo exhales a short breath through his nose, accompanied by a clipped, wordless hum, eyes shifting up from the containers to the smiling man across from him. He lifts his head from his hand and rises to his feet, making his way to the window and leaning through it-- one foot braced against the sill, corresponding hand upon the frame to keep his balance.

"Oi, Goku!" He shouts unceremoniously to his ward-- who is, of course, covered in dirt. What a surprise. "Hakkai brought dinner-- Go wash up before I dunk you in the river myself! And don't let me catch you bringing that dog inside, you hear me!"

As with all things, he leaves no opportunity for argument. As if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred at all, Sanzo extracts himself from the window and slides it shut after his piece has been said. He looks back to Hakkai, gaze as sharp and appraising as ever as he removes his glasses, placing them folded atop the cover of his book.

"I'm not about to turn it down; you make good chazuke-- and that brat would never let me have a single damn moment of peace if I cost him a meal from you. But I don't need you to thank me-- not like I was taking some kind of risk, letting you go and live your life." No matter how Hakkai feels about it, Sanzo is convinced of the accuracy of his own assessment. Just as certain now as he was then, he knows Hakkai won't forsake his choice to take responsibility for him-- especially not by turning around and making him regret it. "That was the whole point."

He cuts through the room, undaunted in spite of the hidden weight in their exchange. Instead of dwelling on gratitude, misplaced or not, Sanzo focuses instead on gathering bowls and chopsticks. He wouldn't be caught dead eating among the rest of Keiun's residents-- it was easier for everyone for the temple staff to drop off his and Goku's meals here and for him to keep spare dishware on hand to wash and reuse when necessary.  "Since you just said you aren't keeping that busy, I assume you're staying for dinner."

@r3loaded asked → " how's the whole 'dead' thing working out for you? " ( src. / accepting. )

That brusque and uncompromising manner of speaking is, Hakkai has come to learn, quite usual for Genjo Sanzo. It's a little nicer than he would have expected to have someone around who treats his current existence so matter-of-factly. Sanzo does not step delicately around the rotten wood in the floor of Hakkai's newly forged heart—he punches through it, unforgiving and half-uncaring, so those weak spots might be replaced.

Hakkai is more than a little infatuated with the way Sanzo lives, though he's not ignorant to the fact that there's clearly something heart-rending behind Sanzo's rotting interior, too.

"It's working out well, as a matter of fact," Hakkai reports. He is both polite and deeply grateful, and the two sentiments seem to battle for presence in his tone of voice. Sanzo probably isn't the sort of person who'd appreciate his sentimentality, and anyway, they hardly know eachother. "Gojyo hasn't complained to me about my continued stay in his house, and I've finally been able to make myself known to the locals."

He doesn't mention the tension that's seeped its way between himself and Gojyo, thick but permeable. Hakkai feels like his every step is under some strange kind of scrutiny—Gojyo never complains, but he rarely engages with Hakkai's gratitude or his care, which in many ways is worse than just complaining. Hakkai sometimes feels invisible there, though the two of them speak to eachother.

He wonders if the only thing keeping him there is the thought that he doesn't want to leave behind the man who had picked him up, half-dead and spilling his intestines on the road, and nursed him back to health. If Gojyo really doesn't need him as much as he'd thought, what else is there that stays his leave?

The close-lipped smile he gives Sanzo is, of course, made to hide those complicated feelings. Above everything else, he's grateful for the life that he's been allowed to live, and no matter how things go with Gojyo, he's determined to spend as long as he needs repaying the debt he owes to Sanzo in the little ways he's capable of; tutoring Goku and spending time at Keiun Temple. 

"Actually, I wanted to thank you for trusting me enough to allow me to go back there." Expertly changing the subject, Hakkai reaches down to the bag he'd packed in preparation for his trip back to the temple. "If you'll excuse the poor presentation—I brought something for you."

Steadily and easily, he removes the bulk of the bag's weight and sets it on the desk that separates him and Sanzo; two medium-sized containers, washed and reused from some cheap restaurant or another that Hakkai doesn't yet know the name of, filled with his own cooking. He pushes the slightly smaller one on his right towards Sanzo; despite the distance he'd travelled, the materials of the container are still warm.

"I don't have much else to busy myself with, as I'm sure you could have guessed. You seemed to enjoy the chazuke I made during my stay here, so I figured it would be a suitable thing to bring over. Although," Hakkai glances at the other, larger container, an amused smile creeping onto his face, "I did realize Goku wouldn't be satisfied with just that, so I brought him some stir fry."

[ichika27]

Saiyuki Reload -Zeroin- 11

A few more episodes and it’s over. I really wish they’d make another season that goes after Blast. Anyways, I understand why people enjoyed this arc in the manga cause it’s great! I’m so happy they decided to make a new adaptation of it.

Hazel has just woken up from a dream. He saw his past up to this point and wondered if anything would have changed if he had taken care that flower like his master asked him to back then. Hazel tells them that due to his desperation back then to be strong and become an exorcist, he got more enthralled with the "crow" rather than his master's words.

Sanzo asked if this so-called crow was the same guy who told Hazel about the Seiten Taisei and told the other two that he too had met this crow and that he knows of this crow's other persona (as the doctor).

And so Priest Ukoku Sanzo finally appears. Upon mentioning that Sanzo should've been taught by Komyou how to greet people, Sanzo fires a shot at him. Sanzo shoots the man multiple times but somehow, none seem to stick and Ukoku just calmly walks over towards him. When he finally got closer, Ukoku was able to hit Sanzo and dodge all of Sanzo's attacks.

Ukoku then manages to injure Sanzo's right arm so Sanzo ended up trying to use his sutra.

Sanzo was unable to finish his incantation as Ukoku seemed to have used his own power. Sanzo sees a vision of the sutra getting destroyed although it's fine in the real world. Sanzo tried to attack him again with his fist but Ukoku just happily dodged them all.

As he does this, Ukoku tells Sanzo all of the info he knew about him and then informs Sanzo of who his real parents were - Sanzo's biological father is Rin Tokou who is a 51 yo politician and his mother is 17 yo Kouran who is a daughter of a shop peddler. The two weren't able to be together due to politics and Kouran got driven out due to her pregnancy and passes away after giving birth. His father went missing shortly after and his whereabouts are unknown even now.

Ukoku continued to dodge and successfully attack Sanzo during his monologue. Ukoku then got to the part where Komyou died protecting Sanzo which pissed of Sanzo. He also said that there's no way Komyou could get killed by weak demons just like that so Komyou must've lost on purpose for Sanzo.

As Sanzo is on the ground from Ukoku's last attack, Gato jumps in to fight, asking Hazel to let him do what he wanted for three minutes. Ukoku shows that he also knows a lot about Gato - where Gato came from and how he met Hazel. Gato isn't affected by this as he thinks all Ukoku has is nothing but data.

Gato fires at Ukoku who runs up to him and dodges. When Gato grabbed Ukoku by the head to fling him away, Ukoku uses his powers and Gato finds one of his hands cut off. This made Hazel panic and tells Gato to move away from Ukoku as Gato may get erased.

Meanwhile, Sanzo managed to finally get up after desperately trying even though he's still in pain from having his limbs broken. He than says he feels ashamed if this was all he got as it meant he can't shoulder the name "Sanzo Party". Ukoku's response to this is to say that being unsuccessful at killing Goku was a miscalculation.

Ukoku activates his sutra, the Muten Scripture whose power is to turn everything - from attacks to even spaces - into nothingness. It could even turn reality into a void.

Ukoku explains how there are two things that humans use to confirm their existence: their "sense of self" (one's experiences and memories) and "others" (confirming one's existence through the eyes of others) which helps build up one another. He then asks what would happen if "Genjo Sanzo" never existed and proceeds to engulf Sanzo in darkness.

Slowly, Sanzo's memories are disappearing starting from the latest ones. Hazel tried to call out to him but he and Gato suddenly disappears or so it seems as Ukoku informs Sanzo that Sanzo is the one disappearing instead.

Sanzo's very existence is starting to disappear. Sanzo tries to run away from the darkness but it follows as Ukoku tells him that he no longer exist and the people he knew had never met him. Memories of meeting Gojyo and Hakkai slowly disappears with the lasts being Goku's.

As he sees the moment when he had met and freed Goku from the cave prison, Sanzo reaches out as he asks for it to stop...

And someone grabs his hand and pulls him out of the darkness flinging him towards a tree in the back lol.

Sanzo opens his eyes and sees his comrades in front of him with Gojyo and Goku arguing about whose fault it was that Sanzo now probably has additional injuries while Hakkai is healing him. Sanzo yells for the two to shut up but his body is still in too much pain and can't get up.

Ukoku says Sanzo must be ashamed to be seen by his comrades in a weak state but Goku responds by saying they've seen each other in such situations before as they travel together after all.

Ukoku smiles as he once again remembered the bet he had made with Komyou. With Komyou betting on the next rising sun.

---

Okay, I have so many thoughts and opinions on this episode’s contents and what I wanted to write here had been playing in my head for days. It felt like there’s so many things I’d be typing that I felt too lazy to start this hahaha. Since it’d be super long, I’d be putting it on a separate post.

It’s finally the battle between Sanzo and Ukoku!

Ukoku is that one annoying asshole villain who isn’t only hard to kill but is being a smug bastard while doing it. I appreciate the Genjo Sanzo lore though. I don’t doubt the info he’s got (how he got it, I dunno) although the part where Sanzo’s real dad went missing and hasn’t been found makes me wonder if he knew where the man was also (but then again, it doesn’t matter unless the guy would show up for some unfathomable reason later).

Ukoku Sanzo’s power is pretty scary the more you think about it. It’s literal nothingness. He can just make anything disappear in a blink of an eye and he can also make it so that you won’t even know what was gone if he wants to. The darkness can be scary but the fact that it can eat you not just from the inside mentally but also your time itself. Many people fear death and their impending last moments but what if those last moments meant there’d be nothing at all left of you at all? I personally believe in the afterlife but if there’s such a thing as the power to take everything away, then we won’t even have that.

It’s kinda rare to see Sanzo feel... scared. The current situation wasn’t something he could easily deal with and it’s trying to take away everything from him including himself. I love that at the end when his memories of reaching out to Goku switched to the current situation of Goku being the one to grab his hand to bring him back to the light. Sanzo took Goku out of his prison of basically nothing (no memories as they were sealed away and nothing much to do for 500 years of his life) and now Goku took Sanzo out of the darkness that was threatening to make Sanzo’s life basically nothing (memories being erased and his entire life not existing in the first place). It’s great!

And if we add the events of Gaiden in there: Goku took Konzen out of his boring monotone life by reaching out first. Konzen dies with his life meaning something and promising to reach out to Goku first next time they meet which he did and as stated above, he also saved Goku’s life of boring monotone imprisonment. Oh my god this show is continuing to give me the feels!

And the guys making a ruckus when Sanzo’s been saved (sort of, Goku broke his bones further by yeeting him to a tree). The last time they all saw each other, Goku and Hakkai were injured and unconscious and Gojyo was upset at Sanzo but now that they’re reunited, everyone is just talking and acting like they normally would. Like everything went back to normal and it didn’t feel wrong - none of them are faking their emotions or forcing things to be like it was before like nothing happened. This is just how they are as a group. As Goku said, they’ve been travelling together after all.

I wonder what happened to Hazel and Gato though. They just sort of suddenly disappeared. They’re probably still there so I’m wondering if they’d back up the Sanzo Party with the fight against Ukoku Sanzo.

I love this arc. I heard it was good but holy crap it’s better than I expected! The themes, the events, and all of the feels. I’ll miss this once this season ends. I guess we’d have until next week or two after this. Til then!

[tofueggnoodles]

Extreme Bath Log Disk 1 – Track 5: Genjo Family’s State of Affairs

Click here to listen to the track on youtube.

Click here for translations of previous tracks.

Summary: It came to light why the yakuza were after Nobuto and how they had managed to track him down. Hakkai and Gojyo had a heart-to-heart talk, as did Tokito and Kubota.

--------

Sanzo: So? What’s the meaning of this?

Gojyo: Even if you can explain the reason behind this matter, I won’t let you off without at least two or three punches, Nobu-nii!

Nobuto: I’m surprised at the way things turned out too. Well, it’s not that I have no inkling of the reason behind this at all....

Goku: So what’s this inkling you’re talking about?

Nobuto: To put it simply, my guess would be that a resentful business rival has hired a yakuza gang to beat the hell out of me.

Sanzo: Don’t make it sound as if it’s someone else's problem, profligate son!

Gojyo: Since the yakuza is so readily involved, the business you’re running is obviously far from legit, isn’t it?

Nobuto: On the contrary, I think that stuff such as the sales of imported miscellaneous goods is a common business these days.

Hakkai: In other words, you’re in the business of acquiring low-quality furniture at dirt cheap prices from certain areas in Asia and selling them at extravagant prices in Japan by passing them off as antiques.

Nobuto: As expected, this young master is as shrewd as ever. [Like Tenpou, he uses the term ‘young master’ to refer to Hakkai.]

Gojyo: That’s not a business – it’s nothing more than a plain scam.

Nobuto: So far, I’ve yet to receive any complaint from the customers, so it’s not like I’ve messed up, at least not in that aspect. But, the harassment from my business rivals have been continuing at an excessive rate recently, so I decided not to go home and flee for the time being.

Tokito: It’s not my place to butt in on your family affair, but how did those guys find out your family home is here, Uncle Nobuto? You even went to the trouble of using the alias Nakajyo for your business, right?

Sanzo: Don’t tell me that you’ve sold off the title deed of this house....

Goku: Ah! I’ve seen something like this in TV dramas!

Nobuto: Heh. I won’t do such a stupid thing. After all, I promised Mother never to cause trouble for our family. As expected of me, I’ve even changed my residential address in the official registry. I also made sure to consistently use my fake name when conducting my business.

Gojyo: Then, how of all things had they discovered the address of your family home?

Hakkai: Brother-in-law, have you by any chance received anything else from me apart from a text message?

Nobuto: Oh.... I received the message about the memorial service, so I came back here as soon as I could, only to run into this situation.

[memorial service: Hakkai is organizing one for the thirteenth anniversary of Konzen’s death, first mentioned in Track 01–02.]

Hakkai: In that case, I must apologize. Perhaps I’m to blame for this.

Goku: Eh? Hakkai?

Sanzo: What do you mean?

Hakkai: After sending out the text message, because I did not receive any reply from Brother-in-law, I sent a postcard as well just to be sure. On it, I wrote about the memorial service and included our address as the return address.

Gojyo: Whoa! Does that mean that Nobu-nii’s letterbox was rummaged through [by the yakuza]?

Nobuto: Now that you mention it, I don’t recall seeing such a postcard. Well, I’ve not been going home recently anyway.

Hakkai: I’m so sorry! It was thoughtless of me.

Goku: No, Hakkai’s not really at fault here.

Gojyo: The ones at fault are Nobu-nii, who did not bother to reply to Hakkai’s message and who runs the sort of business which is bound to incur the wrath of small-time yakuza, and gramps, who raised Nobu-nii.

Sanzo: Indeed.... Hey!

Tokito: No way! Did Mr. Genjo just make a belated rejoinder? **

Hakkai: Having known the nature of the business that Brother-in-law’s running, I should’ve at least written my message in code or something.

Nobuto: It would’ve been scarier to receive a postcard written in code.

Gojyo: I mean, our shop’s been wrecked in such a dramatic manner. At least fork out the money for the repairs, Nobu-nii. You’re loaded, aren’t you?

Nobuto: Of course I’ll do that, since I’m to blame for this incident.

Sanzo: Nobuto, I want to tell you to leave this house right away, but for Konzen’s sake, stay here until the memorial service is over. However, if it’s found out that we’re harboring you, we’re sure to run into more trouble. Until the end of the memorial service, don’t take even one step out of the house. Understood?

--------

(Sound of pieces of wood being moved.)

Hakkai: Ah, Gojyo. You’re still up this late in the night?

Gojyo: If there’s something you need help with, tell me.

Hakkai: Thank you very much. Brother-in-law cleared away the broken glasses, so I’ll manage one way or another to tidy up the remaining mess.

Gojyo: I see.

Hakkai: Still, we can’t let the customers in the bathhouse in its current state. We’ll only be able to open for business after the repair work’s done. According to the craftsman who was here a while ago, that’ll take at least three days.

Gojyo: Good grief! That can’t be helped, I guess.

Hakkai: It seems we’ll be open in time for the Tanabata Festival, but I feel bad for the regular customers who depend on us for their bathing needs. Well, even internet cafes offer shower facilities these days, so I guess they’ll be all right.

Gojyo: I’m sorry.

Hakkai: Why are you apologizing?

Gojyo: Why, it’s because a member of our family has caused trouble for you– Ah.

Hakkai: That’s right. You said it out loud, didn’t you? I’m a member of this family too, you know.

Gojyo (chuckles): That’s true. So there’s no need for me to apologize.

Hakkai: That may be so in this case, but there are quite of lot of other things you owe me an apology for: the balled-up socks you throw into the laundry hamper, that long hair of yours which regularly clogs up the drainage, also–

Gojyo: Okay, I got it, I got it! My bad, okay?

(Hakkai laughs.)

Gojyo: Don’t laugh.

Hakkai: Sorry. Ah, could you please fetch a fresh roll of tape from over there?

Gojyo: Okay. Hey–

Hakkai: Yes?

Gojyo: Why did you stop me from returning the blow earlier?

Hakkai: Sorry. It was because on the spur of the moment, I suddenly remembered a promise I made to Kanan.

Gojyo: A promise?

Hakkai (rolls out the tape): Please hold down the part over there.

Gojyo: Eh? Oh, okay.

Hakkai: Back then, around the time you first met me, you were still leading a pretty wild life, weren’t you? You were in trouble with the police time and time again. As a high-schooler, you went beyond being a delinquent. To be frank, you were a full-blown hooligan.

Gojyo: Hah. Well, that’s true.

Hakkai: That time, Kanan, who had taken on the role of a mother to you, said to me: “The next time he has a brush with the law, that boy will definitely acquire a criminal record. I wish to stop him before that happens, so I want you to help me where you can. Gojyo’s certainly hotheaded, but at heart, he’s a kind and straightforward boy.”

Gojyo: Kanan-nee....

Hakkai (continuing to impersonate Kanan’s way of speaking): “Well, even if you punch him five or six times in order to stop him, I think I won’t mind.”

Gojyo: Kanan-nee....

Hakkai: But, I must apologize on my part. I was thinking that if I can’t even adopt a resolute attitude and get over this mere incident, I’m not fit to run the business in the future. Such thoughts got me worked up.

Gojyo: You’re too much of a perfectionist. Don’t try to settle everything by yourself. When push comes to shove, you should rely on us and ask for our help.

Hakkai: Oh–

Gojyo: What is it?

Hakkai: No.... Father told me exactly the same thing when he came here a moment ago.

Gojyo: Geh. That geezer!

Hakkai: No matter what you say, you both are very much alike.

Gojyo (clicks his tongue and grumbles): As I said already, don’t laugh.

--------

(Sound of a door being opened.)

Tokito: Ah, Kubo-chan. You’re done for the day, aren’t you? I’ll help tidy up the shop.

Kubota: Hmm. It seems that there was a major incident at the Genjos’ today.

Tokito: Eh? You’ve already heard about it?

Kubota: The housewives' grapevine is scary, you know. Be that as it may, picking up a fight with yakuza customers and incurring damages to the bathhouse as a result – the gossips sound pretty dark.

Tokito: I see.

Kubota: Is something the matter?

Tokito: No.... I’ve been thinking that having a family is rather troublesome.

Kubota: Mm?

Tokito: I’ve been watching Goku and his family all this time. They’re sure eccentric, but I realize that they’re always together as a family, loud and cheerful and looking as if they’re enjoying themselves.

Kubota: Indeed.

Tokito: Goku seems to be the apple of his grandfather’s eye from the time he was a child, so much so that now and then, he appears to possess knowledge similar to an old man’s. I know that he respects his father very much, even if the man only comes home once in a while.

Kubota: Even though Mr. Genjo puts up such a tough look, he’s sure soft on Goku-kun.

Tokito: Is that what it means to be related by blood? I don’t know what a family is. At times, it seems like a wonderful thing that I can’t help but feel a bit envious.

Kubota: Hmm.

Tokito: It’s precisely because they’re family that there’s always one thing and another. There are complications and mixed feelings. From the point of view of an onlooker, it might be a never-ending trouble... that’s what I realized today.

Kubota: Well, perhaps that’s how it is with families.

Tokito: Also, I wonder if it’s Uncle Hakkai, who’s been living with them the whole time, who thinks the most of the family, despite not being related to them by blood.

Kubota: To all living things, blood relations may be precious, but it’s not strange for humans to form relationships that go beyond blood ties.

Tokito: Hey, Kubo-chan, can I ask you for a favor?

Kubota: What sort of favor?

Tokito: I feel bad that they’re always having me over there when we’re hanging out. Would it be all right for me to bring Goku or Saito back to my room once in a while? I’m just someone whom you’ve kindly allowed to live here, so if you say no, it won’t particularly bother me.

Kubota: First of all, this is your home too, so you shouldn’t worry about such a thing.

Tokito: What’s the second thing?

Kubota: As long as you’re having a good time, I’m fine with it.

Tokito: Ah....

Kubota: What is it?

Tokito: I’m just thinking that Kubo-chan’s thoroughly soft on me.

Kubota: Then, will you become the apple of Kubo-chan’s eye?

Tokito: Hmm. Nope.

Kubota: I think you should spoil me a bit more.

--------

(Round brackets): actions and sound effects. [Square brackets]: translator’s notes or clarifications. Double asterisks **: Stuff I am not sure with. Suggestions for improvements and corrections are more than welcome.

[candycutter13]

Character Quote #249

“Hold nothing. If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Free of everything, not bound by anything. Live your life just as it is.”

Source: Gensoumaden Saiyuki (S1 Episode 11) Character: Koumyou Sanzo & Genjo Sanzo