#quite a bit of information on kohaku

[randomreadingtimewithtsuki]

I crawl out my cave once in a blue moon when I see someone opening requests for Dr. Stone. Also hi!! I love your background image i will now proceed to have Sugar Song to Bitter Step stuck in my head for the next couple of days!!

Id like to request a Gen x Reader (from the modern era) where Suika notices that the two have feelings for each other and tries to do something about it!

Thank you! Good luck on your requests!!

Hello!

I love Kekkai sensen and Klaus XD so i am not sorry for the song!

Thank you for requesting!

I hope this is of your liking please let me know what you think!

Tsuki's note: well, i did some background hope you don't mind? Also this is so cute! Detective/cupid Suika on the job! I Feel like this came out a bit weird

---------------------------------------------------------------

You joined the kingdom of science soon after Tsukasa's empire crashed down. You weren't exactly on his side, but you also couldn't just leave.

When you joined the kingdom of science, you were soon placed on the negotiators/political team along with Gen. Why? you had a knack for raking information out of people in a sweet and discreet way. You were also great at reading people, catching the little nuances.

Team in itself was just the two of you. Because it was so small you ended up getting close to each other. At first, you would help Senku read the situation and understand what you guys needed. Gen did the negotiation for the goods, you just read the people around.

Soon enough, Gen started to get a bit anxious in letting you talk to menacing people on your own - what if thy hurt you? sure, Kohaku would be with you, but still.

You, on the other hand got very upset thinking he didnt' trust your skills. After all, he was a sweet talker, so even when he said you are great at negotiation you did not buy it.

These situations let to a few arguments between you two, which caused some worried in one of the youngest members - Suika.

As a great detective she is, she took time to talk to you both separately. She gathered some information out of the situation:

Gen did trust your abilities, he was just worried about your safety.

You wanted him to see value at what you did.

For some odd reason either of you didn't want to tell the other something.

She noticed how oddly frustrated you, you are not someone to get easily affected by this kind of thing, but here you were, beyond frustrated.

And Gen for some reason, was very anxious about you taking front in some occasion. He always trusted the fighting team to keep everyone safe. Odd.

She took upon her to watch you both more closely and try to get you to chat more with her. With time she came to realize that, even though there were this tensions, you two were very close.

Gen showed you magic tricks and you absolutely loved it! You helped him organize his next motivational speech aka trickery.

Suika noticed that most the magic tricks performed for you involved some kind of gift like a flower or a flower bracelet. You always got very happy and wore them until they whiltered. A slight blush could be seen in your face while you tied the bracelet.

Thats when it hitted her: what if you both had a crush on each other? It would explain why you'd get so frustrated and why Gen was oddly protective of you! Yes! makes sense!

But how could she approach you two about it? Asking you directly seemed an option but... Would either of you open up? Gen probably wouldn't, you? maybe.

She thought really hard for a few days. How could she trick you both? You could easily see through people...Until she had one plan! Suika figured if she asked both you for help you could bond or perhaps be honest with each other.

Her plan? pretty simple! Suika could recall somethings you absolutely loved in the modern era, she did not quite know what they were, so she decided to ask Gen what it was. Same story with you, she knew somethings he missed and asked you about it.

Why? to feed you both information about things and maybe you guys had a bit more things in common!

At first neither of you thought anything of it, just a kid being curious. But after a while it started getting oddly suspicious. Why she wouldn't ask directly to him?

The first one to confront Suika was Gen. He asked her why she never asked you about those things. She stuttered a bit claiming to be a bit shy to ask. Odd. something is up.

You asked her why she didn't ask Senku instead. She said she rather ask you. Odd.

After a few days when the both of you were together, you realized you knew quite a bit about one another - things about the past. You ended bonding over a few foods you missed, besides cola.

Thats when it hitted you and Gen. You only knew those things because of Suika. What was she trying to do? You didn't immediatly grasped her idea, but Gen did.

His face flared up suddenly and told you an excuse to leave. Minutes after he left you also realized her idea - make you two bond a bit more and talk more. Did she know you had a crush on him? But wait, wait wait. He left suddenly.

The gears on your head were on full spin, ears fuming with the idea that your crush had a crush on you.

The first moments after this event together was a bit awkward. But it didn't take long for Gen to start lowkey flirting with you. He knew you liked him too.

The observer of the whooooooooole thing, Suika, was more than happy to watch you both slowly becoming a lovely couple!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading!

I am not going to lie it was hard to come up with the end i had tons of ideas but they all seem.... off.

[toujokaname]

Card shuffle / Episode 15

Author: Akira

Characters: Tatsumi, AkanP, HiMERU, Rinne, Kohaku, Hiiro, Aira, Mayoi, Anzu, Niki

"Quit pickin' fights already... Might as well be chattin' up a brick wall, HiMERU-han."

← Previous ✧ Directory ✧ Next →

[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: Café Cinnamon

Tatsumi: Hm. Well, it's certainly crucial to address issues promptly, but what exactly do you mean by "improvements"?

AkanP: Right. Umm, I'd rather have Anzu-chan, who seems to have been entrusted with the improvements by the agency, explain it, but...

Where did she wander off to? She mentioned not having much interaction with Crazy:B or ALKALOID, so maybe she's a bit shy?

HiMERU: Isn't it rather strange that AkanP can just boldly barge into an atmosphere resembling an informal drinking party?

Rinne: Akan-san, you sure dig this kinda upbeat vibe, huh? That's why, even though you're never on-site, you're always at the drinking parties. That's been a thing since way back.

HiMERU: Typical behavior from a useless person. And to think you get paid for it. Being a producer must be an easy gig, hm?

AkanP: Umm, let's see...? Ah, there she is! Anzu-chaaan, over here~♪

HiMERU: Tch... None of this sarcasm is getting through at all. Such convenient ears.

Kohaku: It's gettin' kinda funny now, but ain't it better to just give up? You'll just tire yourself out if ya keep pickin' fights, HiMERU-han.

Hiiro: Hehe. Thank you for working so late, Anzu-san.

Aira: Seriously... It's already bedtime for good kids, yaaawn...♪

Hiiro: You always seem sleepy after a performance, Aira.

Aira: If anything, it's weird how everyone stays so calm even after giving it their all in a performance... Matrix is a big deal, so I'm stressed and tired.

Hiiro: There, there... Do you want to rest on my lap?

Aira: ...Getting pampered by Hiro-kun would feel like admitting defeat, so I'll rest on Mayo-san's lap instead.

Mayoi: ...?! Thank you very much!

Tatsumi: Fufu. More importantly, Anzu-san, regarding your assignment to improve Matrix—could you elaborate on its specifics?

Honestly, even I'm getting fed up with the lack of explanations?

AkanP: Aah, please don't blame Anzu-chan, she's working so hard!

HiMERU: Indeed. Anzu-san is working harder than necessary, despite having no involvement in this affair. HiMERU offers you his condolences.

Hm, you say you're okay with it? Because you like your job? Goodness, how very convenient—

If you are too much of an accommodating good kid, wicked adults will exploit you.

HiMERU doesn't necessarily dislike such foolishness, however.

Tatsumi: Hm, hm... So, for the upcoming round, you plan to change the stage for Matrix?

"The showdown itself might get lackluster or become one-sided, potentially leading viewers to lose interest—"

"So, isn't that something we can add that might interest the viewers?" I see, it is a good improvement, isn't it?

Niki: What specifically are you gonna add, Nee-san? Are we gonna get different delicacies from around the world every time?

HiMERU: Won't that only interest gluttons like you, Shiina?

Kohaku: Ah, I might be interested too. It'd be fun to explore all the different foods from the outside ♪

HiMERU: Hehe. HiMERU also thought it was a wonderful idea ♪

Niki: You're blatantly reacting differently to me and Kohaku-chan?! That's discrimination, discrimination~!

Rinne: ...Actually, who says it matters more than what they say, doesn't it?

Niki: ? What're you talking about all of a sudden, Rinne-kun?

Rinne: Forget it. I haven't used my brain this much in a while, so I'm sleepy and accidentally blurted out gibberish.

Ehehe. I'm tired, so I'm gonna rest on Meru-san's lap~♪

HiMERU: HiMERU will kill you.

Aira: I'll help.

AkanP: Hehe. It's quite heartwarming to see you all getting along so well, but could you please keep it down a tad? Anzu-chan's voice is rather soft.

It'd be troublesome if you say afterwards that you didn't listen to the explanation, right?

HiMERU: Just to clarify, in your case, it wasn't because we didn't listen to the explanation, but rather, you didn't provide one.

Kohaku: Quit pickin' fights already... Might as well be chattin' up a brick wall, HiMERU-han.

Tatsumi: Fufu. Alright, apologies for getting sidetracked with small talk. But where precisely do you propose relocating the stage?

Considering the ease of attracting patrons, I believe the current ES setup is quite optimal—

AkanP: That's true. But, you know, after a whole year, everyone's gotten used to ES, so there's really no novelty anymore, right?

That's why, this time around, we decided to spice things up by choosing "that place" everyone's been curious about. ...Oh well, I guess I ended up explaining it after all.

Tatsumi: "That place" being...?

AkanP: The hometown of Rinne Amagi-kun and his little brother Hiiro-kun.

The colloquially named "Amagi Village" will be the stage for future Matrix matches.

[ ☆ ]

← Previous ✧ Directory ✧ Next →

[echizen-division]

Springtime had already arrived here in Echizen as the little dashes of light pink were fluttering everywhere in the park where the errand boy of Clockwork Lament was strolling aimlessly.

To be honest, he didn’t know why his proud two legs had taken him here to this place, but to take some little breather from his usual rushing life didn’t sound like a bad idea. The park here had quite an exquisite scenery during this season by the way —It was no wonder why his team leader would pick it as his favorite place to leisure around whenever he has time.

…And speaking of the devil, here the devil came. At that moment, Kohaku heard the voice of his team leader calling out to him from behind.

“Fancy seeing you here, Haku-chan★ How is your day going~?”

Quickly turning his head back, however, the errand boy was instead finding no sight of his horologist friend around.

—He wouldn’t hear it wrong, would he? He was sure that it was Shi-shi?

The boy thought to himself while looking at other directions. He did believe in his sense but …something was bugging his mind.

“Looking for someone~? I’m right here, little Umbrella-kun~”

With an exact the same voice of his team leader playfully whispering not far away from one of his ears, the wild instinct of an ex-syndicate member in him has gone off. The boy instantly leaped away to create a safe distance between himself and the sudden stranger.

—That’s right! Even though he knew how playful or a bit flirty his friend was, Nishio has never added ‘-chan’ after his name before!

“Woah~ Don’t act so cold. I come here with a good intention, you know? My fragile heart can be hurt too ;-;”

After seeing the younger’s reaction, that stranger with Nishio’s voice dramatically put one hand over his chest and the other gracefully(?) at the corner of his eye as if shedding some imaginary tears. His gesture was flawless only if he didn’t do that while wearing a pair of shady sunglasses over his face. And even if this funny dude was definitely a different person from his team leader, he could still sense some similarity of Nishio overlapping with this mysterious stranger

“…”

Okay, why the heck has Shi-shi never told him about this mischievous doppelgängers of his before? He was hella confused right now… The boy could only thought.

“My bad, you don’t have to be so scared~ I’m not that low to attack someone on their birthday. It’s just that my sweet little friends in Nara are unfortunately busy at this moment, so they couldn’t come here by themselves —That’s why I decide to offer a bit of my help. And here you go, they’ve got some pretty presents for you~~ ”

Grinning wide like a certain cat in one children’s book, there the dandy dude(?) handed Kohaku a paper bag which he has reluctantly taken it with some caution. After being assured that whatever was in this bag was safe, the errand boy opened it and found

—The two jars filled with his favorite sweets, the kohakutou! They were no doubt from a certain shop in Nara where he regularly stopped by to get some treats. And the presents didn’t end with just that, there was a purse in the shape of delicious breakfast bread —It seemed like this one was from the team leader of Miraitabi who he had once collaborated with during the shuffle event. Woah! He has never thought that those two would remember about him though!

Getting a bit excited over the new presents he received on his birthday, the boy somehow didn’t notice that the mysterious stranger was now approaching in his range before he did something unexpectable.

“It’s such a regret that I’ve to go soon~ But worry not, I believe that this is not the last time we’re going to meet…”

Within a blink, suddenly Kohaku’s land of sight has gone black! But that’s not something to worry since the blind was only lasted for a few seconds before he found out that it was just a pair of funny sunglasses sneakily wearing over his eyes.

“Happy Birthday and Adios, fellow informant-kun★ Could you also tell the clockmaker that I said hi~~”

However, when the boy got a clearer view —That sneaky cat was now gone, leaving only their amused farewell ringing in air and his own confusion.

…Seriously, Shi-shi, who did your flirty ass attract this time!?

“Oi! Where did he went???”

Kohaku in absolute confusion, looked around for any sign of the “cat” after pulling up the glasses stuck onto his face, still holding onto the bag handed to him by the mysterious stranger.

Eyes roaming to the left, and later on to the right… yeah, whoever he was, he’s nowhere to be seen anymore.

Taking one last glance at the interior of the paper bag, the boy smirked.

“I better tell Shi-shi about this!”

And so he darted off like he usually does toward a familiar antiques store.

[fireflyhwufanficwriter]

My thoughts on Dr. Stone’s S03E10 (“Science Wars”)

(Safe to read for anime-only folks.)

My thoughts after watching Season Three, Episode Ten:

01. Hair products and make-up last episode, accessories this episode! :D

02. Senku turned copper, Rochelle salt, and a rock into an earpiece! :O

03. This episode's title is "Science Wars!" :)

04. So galena, pyrite, native copper, and a ten-yen coin would all work for the rock part... uh, WHAT are crystal radios?? :O

05. Soyuz and Kohaku did a great job at throwing and catching that thing! :)

06. A cute pose... not a hand signal or anything, but a CUTE POSE... Oh, Gen... XD But Kohaku actually delivered - that Suika pose looks... a bit strange on an adult woman in high heels (must have borrowed those from Amaryllis) and a dress, but it IS still cute! :D

07. Suika and Soyuz were happy; Gen was laughing; and Senku was amused and doubtful... Oh, Gen... Kohaku's solemn promise to make him suffer was so powerful that he felt it even without hearing it... XD

08. Ginro's using such a girly voice, haha! :)

09. We have a science team with Senku, Suika, Gen, and Soyuz, and a spy team with Amaryllis, Kohaku, and Ginro! The spy team will make Kirisame use the weapon, and the science team will nab it in mid-air! :O

10. A drone! They're going to build a drone! That's one of the most modern things - probably THE most modern thing in terms of chronology - so far that they're planning on building! :)

11. Suika's leaf ahoge is adorable, especially when it moves! :D

12. It's cool that they can make those metal fasteners magnetic, but I don't quite understand why they need to wrap copper wire around something hundreds or thousands of turns... but, that's a problem for future me, when I come to this point in the story in No Stone Unturned! XD

13. And now we can see the vast greenery and multiple huts that make up Treasure Island's stronghold, and a shadowy glimpse of the Master... :O

14. Oarashi is VERY flattered by Amaryllis' "interest" in his arms! And she laid into the other two guards, too... She is GOOD at this! XD

15. It was nice of the animation team to include that (I'm pretty sure) anime-only posture teacher to give us a sense of how much time will pass (a week) before they enter the inner palace! The manga barely indicated anything concrete about the passage of time during this part of the story, so this is really great! :)

16. Kohaku's jumping skills, speed, and eyesight are incredible! :O

17. A science rat was launched by Suika, caught by Kohaku, and sort-of hidden by Amaryllis! Kohaku and Amaryllis make a surprisingly good deception team... XD

18. The two girls have bamboo tubes filled with water only on their heads (and Kohaku was awesome in keeping hers balanced after she caught the science rat!) but Ginro has a tube on his head and two additional tubes, one on each arm, which suggests that he's in the remedial section of their posture class... I guess that lady from earlier must have put him there, haha! :D

19. In Ginro's flashback, I think that's Ganen sitting a couple of seats to Kinro's left - which is awesome! :)

20. I mean, Ginro IS slacking off, but it also takes REALLY good reflexes to balance a spinning top on a twig like that! :O

21. Kinro was practicing writing his name and Ginro's name... aww! :)

22. Kohaku, you're exactly right about the ending of Ginro's story being fantasy... XD

23. But Ginro, as he's walking away, is STILL balancing that top on that twig! HOW is he doing that?! :O

24. It was very nice of Kohaku to be kind to Ginro like that - and thanks to Ginro, she got a great idea for what to do! :)

25. This decoding of Kohaku's message is one of Gen's FINEST moments, in my opinion - not just so far in the story, but in the ENTIRE story. He had almost NOTHING to work with, but was still able to get all that information just from knowing human psychology, and knowing Kohaku, THAT well! :D

26. It IS a shame, though, that they chose a more lighthearted way of presenting this scene. In the manga, I remember it feeling a lot more intense, like they were running against the clock, and Gen was being incredibly brilliant, knowing the words Kohaku would and wouldn't use about Hyoga, and stuff! Which was also mentioned here, but in a less serious tone than in the manga, in my opinion :O

27. It's also a shame that for Suika's line, they translated "kokoro" to "mind" instead of "heart," and that they had her say it in plural form ("their minds"). If I remember correctly, it was "her heart" in the manga, which has a much more intimate and accurate feel to the whole experience, because Gen (almost) literally delved deep into Kohaku's heart to understand what she was trying to say :O

28. The lighter tone and unsatisfying translation in this particular part of the episode... despite almost everything being the same, this is one very clear instance of a specific part of the story being MUCH better in the manga, by FAR :O

29. If any Kohaku/Gen shippers out there are reading this Tumblr post of mine... they did you guys dirty with this scene, I have to say :O Kohaku and Gen's connection in this scene felt much deeper and more intimate in the manga, in my opinion :O

30. "If anything is suspiciously spherical, it is artificial" sounds like some sort of science axiom :D

31. Ruri normally refers to Byakuya as Byakuya-sama, but Kohaku does so as "Senku no chichi-ue," which is a cool detail that shows how you relate things and people to those closer to you! :)

32. I like the Kohaku/Senku writing/comprehending scene they did here, but from what I remember in the manga, all of this was ten billion percent Gen's moment from start to finish, so, it's too bad they changed it :(

33. Okay, so this episode progressed WAY slower than I expected, so that scene that I REALLY wanted to be the final scene of this episode... wasn't XD If it ends up being the final scene of the entire season, that would be AMAZING... but Dr. Stone's not that kind of anime series, so... XD Would still be unbelievably AMAZING, though...! :O

34. Realistically, MAYBE it'll be the third to the last scene of the next episode (whose title will be "With This First, a Miracle" - and hey, new end credits title card animation!), if it happens in the next episode. Although I'll also be happy if it doesn't happen in the next episode at all, because that will mean that I can enjoy it with everybody in real time when they DO air that episode! :D In any case, it's time for me to post this and then immediately watch the next episode; the last episode of the first part of Season Three! :D

https :// fireflyhwufanficwriter . tumblr . com / MyDrStoneEpisodeMangaThoughts

[crimsononiarataki]

He knew what being a Yokai orphan was like and it wasn't something he'd wish upon anyone. He knew nothing of his true heritage or anything about his family, or clan, but that didn't seem to bother him much anymore. He knew the information was lost to time at this point in his life. If anyone had any information about his kind it would have to be someone who remembered the Crimson Oni at all, really.

"When I first met him, he kept bitin' me, literally, but over time, after I took care of him, and kept him safe... and fed, he warmed up to me. He started off callin' me just 'Itto', but after a while he started callin' me dad,"

It meant a lot to him that Kohaku viewed him in such a way, while they were different types of Yokai, he showed that it didn't matter if they were blood related or not. He was going to give the kid his best life. While it may have taken him a while to be able to adopt him he'd done so the moment he was able to. While the Oni wasn't that much older than Kohaku was physically, he was considerably so when chronological age came into play, even if he wasn't aware of that himself. It was fine, really.

He was curious about how much Ayato was touching him but he wasn't sure he should ask. So he'd refrain from doing so for now after all, they were friends, and friendly touches were normal.

"Ya were born into a family with status, power, and Mora, but ya didn't treat me like I was a street urchin or anythin' like that, and it means a lot to me."

He'd offer a genuine smile at the other male, though that pink coloration still covered his cheeks for the time being. It wasn't unheard of for him growing flustered to some extent when someone touched him. Of course, with the other it was a bit more than a 'little bit' like was common to see when other people came into play. He was touch and affection starved, while, yes, he'd grown up being hugged, and held by Granny Oni until he was too big for her to do so, it was different when it was anyone else.

"Granny adores Kohaku, too. I mean, the chance of me ever havin' an actual blood related child is pretty small anyway. I know if it ever happened Kohaku wouldn't worry about bein' neglected or anything, I mean, the kid is sixteen now, but still."

He'd chuckle softly, he'd been in Kohaku's life since the teen was eight, which would have set the larger Yokai at 'eighteen' at the time, himself. He remembered the Kitsune asking if he was going to eat him which was a very odd question to be asked, since he was fairly sure that Yokai didn't eat one another in the first place. He knew of the small group that were friends with the Archon at one point. An Oni, a Tengu, and a Kitsune, if the story was to be believed.

"I think... I'm just worried that me bein' a dad is gonna scare anyone off, I don't plan on hidin' that I adopted a kid from any prospective.. er... 'mate', but findin' someone who is willin' to be with me to that extent will be an ordeal and a half anyway."

Talking to Ayato was always so easy for him. He enjoyed the other male's company, and viewed him as a very close friend. His not quite hidden feelings notwithstanding, of course, he'd have no idea that the other was having similar feelings at the same time. Even if he did it was doubtful he'd really do or say anything about them. Being a father to Kohaku wasn't the only thing keeping him from finding someone after all.

"Course I trust ya, you're one of my closest friends, and someone I trust implicitly. I think ya would like Kohaku, maybe if ya stop by the Gang's place at some point ya might get to meet him. I think ya would get along with him, actually. If ya bring chocolate for him you'll easily become one of his favorite people."

Ayato's gaze softened as Itto shared more of his story, his usual composed demeanor shifting to something warmer. He could hear the deep care and love in Itto’s voice when he talked about his adopted son, Kohaku. That kind of devotion spoke volumes about Itto's character, and Ayato admired him for it, more than the Oni likely realized.

"You've been through a lot, Itto," Ayato began, his voice gentle. "To have those kinds of words and ideas beaten into you—it's hard to undo that, I know. But you’ve shown strength, not just by surviving it but by creating something good from it. Adopting Kohaku, taking him in, giving him a home and a family..." Ayato allowed a small pause, his fingers briefly brushing along the side of Itto’s arm in a reassuring gesture, though he couldn’t help but feel a deeper pull toward the Oni, something he kept hidden for now. "That's something only very few people can do and I know you are one of them who is capable for it."

"I understand more than you think. We're both orphans, after all, though I had the fortune of being born into a family with status. But that didn’t stop me from feeling alone after losing my parents. I understand why you adopted Kohaku. You’re giving him the kind of love and support that your grandmother gave you."

There was something quietly proud in his expression now, admiration glinting in his eyes as he spoke. "It’s not something many people would do, but it shows how deep your capacity for love is. It’s admirable, Itto." Internally, Ayato felt his own feelings stirring, drawn to the Oni’s earnestness and the depth of his care. The more Itto opened up, the more Ayato found himself appreciating everything about him. But now wasn’t the time to delve into his own emotions.

Outwardly, he remained composed, offering reassurance instead. "As for finding someone... Itto, the person who is meant to be with you will accept both you and Kohaku. They’ll see what you see in him and love him as you do. You don’t have to worry about someone rejecting you for being a father. Anyone worth being with will love all parts of you, including the people you care for."

Ayato gave Itto a fond look, one that hinted at deeper feelings but masked them under the guise of friendship. "Thank you for telling me all this. I know it wasn’t easy for you to open up like that, but I’m honored that you trusted me with it." His voice softened even further. "You don’t have to carry all of this alone, you know. I’m always here if you need to talk or if you need anything. You matter, Itto—whether you realize it or not."

[wanderlust-spirits]

Layers - Kohaku Son

LAYER ONE : THE OUTSIDE

Name: “My name is Kohaku. But I have various nicknames and aliases~” Eye Color: “Blue, which is my favorite color. I suppose it depends on the lighting around me or my mood. They almost seem to change between grey and blue.” Hair Style/Color: “Naturally it is brown. Almost like a sandy brown. It has been a long time since I have had my hair past my shoulders. I usually keep it cut short. It is much easier to manage.” Height: “It is unfortunate, but I am very much on the short side. 4′9″... But do not let my height fool you! I will take on just about anyone.” Clothing Style: “Hmm? I am not sure I have a style. I do not really wear feminine clothing. I wear whatever is comfortable.”

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

Your Fears: “... I am afraid of losing control. Not in the sense of losing myself, but I like having a handle on what I am dealing with. If I am not in control then I cannot anticipate what happens.” Your Guilty Pleasure: “Oh, that is a secret! Well, maybe not so much... When I am just sitting around in the cities, I like to write detailed descriptions of the people around me. Sometimes I write small stories about them.” Your Biggest Pet Peeve: “Preying on the weak. I grew up around such things. I was weak myself and unable to do much.” Your Ambition for the Future: “Hmm, I am not sure I have one at this point in time. I don’t like to think too hard about the future.”

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

Your First Thoughts Waking Up: A sly smile crossed Kohaku’s face, “Well, usually it is about whatever I dreamed about! But I cannot go around telling everyone what goes on in my mind so early in the morning. It would reveal too much about my personal thoughts!” What You Think About the Most: “I usually think about what I am going to eat for lunch... or dinner.” What You Think About Before Bed: “This.... is really strange. Ummm, before bed is when I feel most lonely. So I always think about how it would be nice to have someone next to me. Not even in the romantic sense. Sometimes my close friend indulges me.” Your Best Quality Is: “I would say my best quality is how perceptive and observant I am. I pick up on little things quite easily. It helps when I am trying to find out about people.”

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

Single or Group Dates: “Well, I have never been on a date. I am sure both of them have their ups and downs. Single dates are more intimate though, yes?” To be Loved or Respected: “Both!” Kohaku seemed rather passionate about this, “Being loved is supposed to be the best feeling. And I also would like to be respected!” Beauty or Brains: “I will not lie, I like to look at beautiful people, both male and female. But I also like someone with brains. Someone who could banter and debate back and forth with me. So brains. But both would be great~” Dogs or Cats: “I have to choose? They are both so cute! I do have a preference for cats though.”

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?

Lie: “It is... necessary sometimes. Most of the time I just divert the attention elsewhere.” Believe in Yourself: “Yes. I would not have gotten this far in life if I didn’t” Believe in Love: “I do~ But it is also something hard to achieve. Especially something like true love.” Want Someone: Kohaku tensed up, a small blush crossing their cheeks, “I do not like to talk about my desires. That is a little too personal. But I can admit that there are some. Maybe~”

LAYER SIX: EVER?

Been on Stage: “Mhmm! I like to sing after all. So being on stage is not too strange for me~” Done Drugs: “No~ Unless you are speaking of medicinal drugs.” Changed Who You Were to Fit In: “No, not at all~”

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

Favorite Color: “My favorite color is blue. I like all shades, too! Red is also a very nice color~ My second favorite.” Favorite Animal: “I don’t have a favorite~ I like most animals.” Favorite Food: ”Ah! My favorite food is Udon! I could eat that all day~” Favorite Game: “Games... Hmmm, I like hide and seek!”

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

Day Your Next Birthday Will Be: “My next birthday is during starlight season.” How Old Will You Be: “I will be an adult! Well, legally... I sometimes already feel like one. Old and falling apart~ That sort of thing.” Age You Lost Your Virginity: “W-what?! I haven’t! Surely, no one even thinks I am attractive enough to kiss! Why would anyone want to... do that?! I mean, I... have thought about what it would be like. That is too embarrassing!” Does Age Matter: “Yes, I would not want to date someone that is as old as my dad~ I feel like... dating is difficult at my age. Dating someone a little older is preferable... but they probably think I am young.

LAYER NINE: IN A BOY OR GIRL

Best Personality:  “Smart and doesn’t allow people to walk over them.” Best Eye Color: “I do not have a preference. All eye colors are beautiful when you look into them, honestly.” Best Hair Color: “Hmm? People truly have a preference about this?” Best thing to do with a Partner: “Are you trying to get a lewd answer out of me? The best thing to do with a partner for me would be to cuddle. I like the idea of being physically close to someone. It is comforting~”

LAYER TEN: FINISH THE SENTENCE

I love: “ The rain! Everything about it. The sound, the smell, the feeling~ It is just perfect~” I feel:  “ Content~” I hide: “My thoughts~.” I miss: “I do not exactly miss anything at the moment~” I wish: “for love~.”

Tagged by: @actualkomodo Thank you for the tag!!! <3

Tagging: @fatewalker @finalvalor @lordofcrowns @xaela-red-mage @eastern-skies @umbrarum-xiv @thecorpsedancer @fair-fae @steppe-shanties @littlestcreampuff and whoever else sees this and wants to do it!!! Make sure to tag me! 

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Mother Speculation Main Post:

This is just a main post that I wanted to put together of all of the information that we know and can formulate theories and speculations on. 

① Rin is introduced in Ep. 1 in a kimono that resembles, both in pattern and color, her kimono from the series - when she was a child traveling with Sesshomaru.

② She is lumped in with “the kids” alongside Kohaku in Ep. 1.

③ Her feelings for Sesshomaru are described using the Japanese word 慕う (shitau), which is associated with familial love the most and expresses feelings of admiration, respect, honor, and even worship (feelings more closely connected to colleges at work, student-teacher dynamics, or kohai-senpai dynamics). Not romantic love.

④ Character design-wise, Rin doesn’t resemble the twins at all and most closely resembles a young Kagome:

➄ The twins more closely resemble either Kagura or Sango. Towa has red eyes like Kagura, Setsuna has wind abilities like Kagura, and Towa’s hairstyle when she was little resembles Kagura’s hairstyle rather than Rin’s. Eye shape-wise, the closest resemblance is to Sango.

⑥ Timeline-wise, Rin will be around 15 - 16 when the twins are conceived. More likely 15, since the Reiwa era started in May of 2019 and that was likely the year when the planning stages for this anime sequel/spin-off began. That is quite young.

⑦ This is an anime that plays during primetime hours. It isn’t a late night anime aimed at the otaku audience. It is a well known franchise series that is going to be aiming at kids and teens, alongside the adult fans of the original series. A relationship between Rin and Sesshomaru would be something you would find more in an anime aimed at the late night otaku crowd.

⑧ There are Japanese articles that play up/into the “Who is the mother!?” speculation. So it isn’t just reserved for the Western fans / Western media. If the answer was just “obviously Rin!” then there would be no need for this. You can find articles on this by searching something like 夜叉姫 母 誰, etc. 

⑨ The mystery of the mother, or how it could be the mother, is part of the mystery of the show. If it was Rin, then there would be no real mystery behind that. It would also be a plot line that would allow for Sesshomaru to really grow and change (or, not as much if it ends up being someone else). Sesshomaru already cares for Rin as his ward. So the room for growth on his part just isn’t that much if the mother is Rin.

⑩ Kagura’s relationship dynamic with Sesshomaru was romantic to some level. There is already a groundwork / basis there.

⑪ There was an interview in the November Animage Magazine that released yesterday. Here is the information we got concerning the mother:

*The Mother is someone we already know

*Towa's personality is similar to her Mother while Setsuna's personality is similar to Sesshoumaru

*Towa and Setsuna relationship is similar to their parents' relationship

Source: Avalon Geek (it's a Brazillian Youtube Channel) - I got my information from the Inuyasha Reddit.

⑫ Using the information above, it being someone we already know leaves us with: Kagura, Sango, and Rin. But Towa’s personality being similar to the mother’s...that excludes Rin. In Episode 2, we see Towa starting fights, not following rules / not listening to her parental figures, and being a bit sassy/smack talking a bit. Rin doesn’t fit this personality type at all. She doesn’t fight/brawl, she was obedient to Sesshomaru, and she is always nice and polite. This personality can match Kagura or Sango though.

⑬ Sango has given birth to twins / she is shown having a history with twins. This doesn’t apply to Kagura or Rin.

⑭ Whenever there is a “Who’s the mother!?” marketing scheme, there is always a very obvious answer that turns out to be not true / a bait and switch. They did this with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 12 comic and are probably doing that here too. Since the twins are half-demons that means the mother must be human, and since Kagura is “dead” and Sango is shown happily married, everyone just assumes that it must be Rin. 

But, this is a series where a character dying doesn’t mean they will stay dead and Miroku’s original VA passed away. It’s often quite common for Japanese VAs to not be replaced if they have passed away, out of respect. Of course, sometimes it is a necessity, but given that Miroku’s original Japanese VA passed away and we saw him feeling a bit “useless” in Ep. 1, I think there is a possibility that they could have his character die sometime before the twins and Moroha are born. That is just speculation, but a possibility. 

So, imo, the main contenders for mother are Kagura and Sango (this is the less likely of the two).

[lunarsaga]

EPISODE 5: The Band of Seven, Resurrected

WELCOME TO EPISODE 5! So far, episode 6 is up on my Patreon already, and episode 7 is in progress. Support me on Patreon to see stuff first!

IMPORTANT: I am starting to integrate the art into the story a little differently! Instead of just visualizing a moment in the scene, the image will replace the lines it's depicting. It'll work more like a hybrid graphic novel, that way it'll flow better. (So don't skip over the art, read it like you would a western comic!)

Reminder: [Dialogue like this is English!]

EPISODE 5, LESSGO! ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

It was a bit of a long flight between the bone-eater’s well and the spot where Luna last left her sister and her friends.

They were still headed northeast, still trying to find Naraku. But Luna’s supply of ammunition only lasted so long, and she decided she probably needed more medical supplies if they were all gonna make it past this war with Naraku. So she’d gone back to the modern era for a few days, and called Alice to get her connections with other Hunters in Japan—so Luna could make more Sacred Salt rounds without having to explain to international customs why she was getting a bunch of empty shotgun shells, non-native herbs, and a few other assorted (weird) things she needed.

So she’d gone home for a few days. Thankfully, she didn’t have to walk; Airisu (who still objected to Luna calling her ‘Alice’, but agreed to the simple nickname ‘Ai’) in full demon form could fly pretty fast, but she ran out of steam after about an hour. It took them a full day (including rest time) to get back to the village, and the same on the way back.

But before they joined back up with their friends, Luna had a stop to make.

It ain’t hard to miss, she thought snarkily, he’s like a damn homing beacon.

Finally, among all the green of the forests, she spotted a speck of white. Easy. “There they are!”

Ai set them down just behind the little group of travelers—Rin, the little imp Jaken, the big horse-dragon (Ah-Un, Luna believed?), and heading the line was, of course, Lord Fussy Britches himself. Rin spotted them before they touched down, and greeted delightfully:

“Miss Luna!”

The Hunter’s arrival brought the others to a halt, and for some reason, Luna found a very smug satisfaction in the incredibly irritated, over-the-shoulder side eye she got from Sesshomaru. But she paid him no mind; she was here for Rin.

Luna held out her hand, unfolding her fingers to reveal three beautiful pearls, strung on a little leather cord. Each of them glinted with an odd pink sheen and were warm to the touch; anyone with any sort of spiritual senses might’ve picked up on the soft energy radiating from them.

Luna tied the cord tightly at the ends and moved to slip it over the little girl’s head.

“As if she would ever need such a ridiculous thing!”

Luna swore one of these days, she was gonna drop kick that little frog. “Look, dude—”

“It’s Jaken, insolent human!”

“—I’m just looking out for her. No need to burst a blood vessel.”

“What is she to you?”

Luna was actually shocked to be addressed by Sesshomaru himself. He was still giving her the side eye, but there was less irritation and more of… something Luna couldn’t place. Maybe she was flirting with death, but she couldn’t resist.

She stood tall, chin high, and responded: “What is she to you?”

There was the anger: contained, but frigid and harsh as the Arctic behind those amber eyes. Sesshomaru did not answer her, but Jaken sure did.

“How dare you, human! Your nerve is surpassed only by your stupidity to speak to Lord Sesshomaru that way! Surely you wish for death!”

Only sometimes. “Can it, Kermit!” She snapped at him, “I ask because he’s always leaving her alone, with nothing but you to protect her! You, who are half her size and don’t have much in the way of defense!” She moved her challenging gaze to Sesshomaru again, steadfast. “So I ask again, what is she to you, if you leave her with barely any protection so often? Because to me, she’s a friend and I care about her, so I brought her these as a last resort option, in case you’re not around and she needs help.”

There it was, that unreadable expression again. Sesshomaru was definitely incomparable at hiding his true emotions—something Luna could absolutely not stand. Tense silence hung in the air for a moment, before Luna shrugged, holding her hands up.

“Hey, think of it this way,” She said, trying a sly little smile, “You’re a busy guy. It’s one less thing you have to worry about. And if she never needs them, at least it’s a pretty necklace.”

Man, this guy was good at keeping quiet. But now, the icy glare was gone. Luna swore she could see just the tiniest arc of a silver eyebrow before the demon turned back around on the path they’d all been heading.

“Jaken, let’s go.”

Flabbergasted, Jaken tripped over himself trying to follow. “Y-yes milord!”

Grinning, Luna got back down to Rin’s level. “You take care, okay kid?”

“I will! And thank you so much for these— I don’t think I’ll need them because Lord Sesshomaru always comes to save me, but I’ll wear them anyway!”

“That’s all I ask,” This little angel was definitely gonna need it at some point. “But if you do need me, I’ll always be there for you, okay? I promise.”

The smile on Rin’s face could’ve melted the ice caps. “Thank you.”

Luna stopped her as she started to leave. “Hold on, one more thing. Each one only works once before it shatters, so you gotta save them for when you’re really in trouble, okay?”

“Okay, I will! Bye, Miss Luna!” Rin grinned, waving at her friend before hurrying after the demons.

Luna chuckled, turning back to Ai for a second before something occurred to her. “Hey, Sesshomaru!”

He didn’t turn to look at her this time, but he did pause in his walking.

Good enough. “I heard there was something going down in the Northeast—direction of the Ox and Tiger. Something to do with Naraku. Thought you might like to know.” She didn’t wait to see if he heard or registered what she said; she just hopped back on Ai’s back, and the two of them took off.

“I hope you know conflating bravery with stupid pride is more than likely to get you killed one of these days.” Ai said as she lifted into the sky.

“Oh most definitely,” Luna laughed. “But as much of a pompous man-child as he is, you can tell he cares for that girl more than he’s willing to admit.”

“That may be, but he’ll definitely kill you if you keep disrespecting him.”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take, for Rin’s sake.” Luna’s voice was soft, carried off by the wind. “That little angel’s been through enough, she deserves someone in her corner.”

~    ~    ~

Finally catching sight of their friends again was a bit of a relief for both Luna and Ai. It had been a long couple of days, going all the way home and coming back. Part of Luna hoped they’d get just a little bit of rest before whatever shit hit the fan next, but another part knew the odds on that were pretty low. Still, it was nice to be back.

Kagome was the first to spot them as they flew in. “It’s Luna!”

“Luna’s back!” Shippo proclaimed joyfully.

“Hey, y’all,” Luna greeted as Ai touched down. She hopped off the demon’s back as her friends offered their greetings. “What’d I miss?” She asked.

Miroku was the one to answer. “Quite a lot. It seems that we may encounter a new enemy: the local villagers recently informed us of a group of mercenaries called the Band of Seven. The villagers believe these ruthless killers may have been brought back from the dead.”

With a grin on her face, Luna shrugged at the idea. “Undead mercs, huh? Nothin’ we can’t handle.” She held up her fist for her sister to bump it, and as Ai changed back to her human form, Luna noticed their little group was smaller than it should’ve been. “Where’s Sango?”

Kagome bumped fists with her sister, smiling at Luna’s nonchalant comment. “She went off with Kilala. I sensed a Jewel Shard nearby earlier… so I think she may have gone to look for Kohaku.”

Luna didn’t have time to respond. Off in the distance, she heard the distinctive echo of a sound she was all too familiar with.

Inuyasha hopped up onto a tree limb, hoping to get a look at what was happening. He couldn’t see it, but he sure as hell could smell it. “And it ain’t from just a handful of people, either.”

So much for a second to rest, Luna chuckled to herself as she tightened the straps on her backpack and immediately kicked into gear. “What’re we waiting for, then?”

And off they were, charging headlong into danger as always. Luna could sense something was up; more so than usual. The stench of blood was never a good sign in the first place, but there was something else setting off warning bells. Something she couldn’t put a finger on.

The smell got stronger and stronger, until… they reached its source. Despite the amount of nasty shit she’d seen in her ten years of hunting supernatural monsters, there were some things that still turned her stomach, and seeing a single human being standing in a veritable ring of blood and gore was definitely one of them. His black hair was pulled into a twist; his lips were painted red, he had blue tattoos like tear tracks under each eye, and one side of his kimono was tucked up under his belt. The dude was just squatting in the middle of the carnage, eyeballing the barrel of a matchlock gun like it was his first time seeing one (which, hell, it might be, she thought to herself; in this time, they would’ve only recently been invented). He seemed completely unbothered by the dozen and a half bodies of freshly murdered warriors and their horses surrounding him.

Inuyasha was the one to get to the scene just ahead of the others, calling back over his shoulder: “Stay back! Don’t come over here!”

Instinctively, Luna remained in front of her sister, her arm out to try and block her view. Her stomach was churning, and her hand was poised to pull her gun if needed. No way this guy could be human… right?

“Did… that one person do all this?” Kagome’s voice was a shocked whisper.

It was then that the guy in the middle noticed them. He stood, his sword over his shoulder and his head cocked slightly to the side.

“Are you the one I’ve been looking for?” He asked, a grin on his face as he shielded his eyes from the sun. “Are you Inuyasha?!”

“Got a bad feeling about this.” Luna mumbled, “That guy isn't a demon, is he?”

“I don’t think so,” Kagome uttered back to her, “I don’t sense a demonic aura….”

“How’d you know my name?!” Inuyasha demanded.

He got no answer out of the guy with the sword. Instead, the guy squealed: “You’re adorable!”

A dumbfounded silence fell over the group. Luna glanced around at the others to make sure she didn’t just lose her mind—but no, the general consensus among her friends was along the lines of ‘what the actual fuck?’

“I especially love those fuzzy ears of yours!” The guy continued, licking his lips. “I want them~”

Alright, so this guy was nuts. Luna had had enough of ignoring the bad vibe she was picking up from him. She dropped her bag next to Kagome’s bike and readied herself for a fight: detached the ammo bag and shotgun holster from her pack and slung them over her shoulder, slipped her short sword through one of the belt loops on her jeans, and pulled her shotgun to make sure it was in hand and loaded. She kept her eyes moving back and forth between Inuyasha and the dude with the sword during the next exchange:

“Who are you?” Inuyasha demanded, “What are you after? You don’t smell like a living person, you reek like corpses and graveyard soil!”

No answer.

“Inuyasha,” Miroku said in realization: “Could he be—?”

“Yep,” Inuyasha confirmed, before calling out to the guy with the sword again: “Some villagers were talking! They said some disgusting specter rose up from the grave. That’d be you, I presume!”

Right, zombies, Luna thought to herself; if he really is undead, the Sacred Salt won’t do as much as it would a demon… It’d sting, but what I really need is-… She smirked and holstered her gun again, grabbing a different weapon from the bottom of her bag.

“Are you one of the Band of Seven?!” Miroku asked of the specter as Luna was tuning back in. “Answer me!”

After a long pause as the specter seemed to size the monk up, his response was even worse than before. “Inuyasha really is good looking, but you’re pretty sexy yourself~”

Luna snorted so hard she thought she was gonna eject her brain through her nose. Ai whacked her in the arm as a warning.

“No one minds if I suck him up, do they?” Miroku grumbled.

“No.” Inuyasha said, flatly.

“Hold on!” Kagome said, “He’s got a Sacred Jewel Shard! He must’ve been revived with the power of the Shard!”

“So that was what I was sensing,” Luna mumbled, “but why does it feel off...?”

“Where’d you get the Jewel Shard?!” Inuyasha once again attempted to pose a question to their opponent, only to once again receive a weird, adoring response:

“You know, you’re cute when you’re angry~!”

“Shut up!” Inuyasha shouted, jumping forward and drawing his sword. “Alright, dead man, you’d better start talking to me, and I want real answers!”

The expression on the specter’s face shifted from one of reverence to one more sadistic as he regarded Tetsusaiga. “That’s an interesting sword you have there… let’s see whose is stronger.” He lifted his own sword, making an odd motion around his head and shoulders with it as if he were gearing up for something. “Yours or mine?!”

When he brought his arm down, something that looked almost like a bolt of silver lightning shot from his blade. Inuyasha barely had the chance to block it as it cut an arc through the air toward him.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome called out in surprise.

“Stay back!” Miroku threw his arm out in an attempt to shield the others. “It’s some kind of trick sword!”

“That’s my cue!” Ai shifted into full demon form, jerking her head at the sisters and the little fox. “All aboard!”

Kagome climbed on no issue, but Luna glanced at Miroku, who made no move to follow them. “You coming?”

“I’ll be alright, you keep them safe.” Miroku said, resolute. Not about to argue, Luna climbed on the demon’s back and Ai leapt into the air above the fight.

“You gonna be okay holding all of us after that long flight?” Luna asked her friend.

“I’m fine, it’s the same weight as you with your pack on.” Ai sassed back.

“Yeah well, fuck me for being prepared,” Luna laughed, starting to prep the other weapon she’d brought.

Kagome managed to tear her eyes from the confrontation below to try and see what her sister was doing. “What did you bring, Luna?”

Luna grinned as she clicked the last accessory into place, then turned back to show her sister. “This? This is my baby.” She held up her favorite weapon: it was a fully-customized folding compound crossbow as long as Luna’s arm. She pressed a release on the side, and the arms shot into place, making both Shippo and Kagome jump.

“Whoa!” The fox demon exclaimed, “What kind of a weapon is that?!”

“It’s a crossbow, Shippo,” Kagome explained, “It’s kind of like my bow, but the arrows are smaller and it’s easier to fire.”

“Self-loading, too,” Luna smirked as she strung it up, “The ‘arrows’ are called bolts or darts. This thing can shoot way faster than a longbow, and since we’re dealing with Zombie Harley Quinn down there—” She grabbed a bolt from her ammo bag to show it to them, “—we’re gonna need these. They’re tipped with pure silver. Great for dealing with Vampires, Werewolves, The Undead, and The Unholy.”

Shippo reached out to touch it, but Kagome stopped him, shaking her head rapidly. “It’s safe to assume you shouldn’t touch anything Luna has in her bag, Shippo.”

The kid swallowed nervously. “G-got it...”

Below them, the fight continued. Inuyasha could barely avoid each strike of the snakelike sword, and his opponent only seemed to be having more and more fun.

“What do you think of Jakotsu of the Band of Seven, huh?!” He shouted as he swung the sword once more.

“Not too much!” Inuyasha came back at him with Tetsusaiga, but to no avail.

Kagome gasped. “He needs help!”

“That’s what this baby’s for,” Luna grinned, patting her crossbow. “Ai, can you stay out of reach of the sword but get me close enough to shoot?!”

“It’ll take a miracle!”

“Better start praying, then,” Luna lined up the shot, finger still as stone on the trigger. There was a familiar voice in the back of her head; she could hear her father saying: “Aim for where they’re gonna be, not where they are.”

I know, dad. She tried not to sigh audibly as she managed to get Jakotsu’s head in her crosshairs and pulled the trigger, quick as a viper.

And… almost missed him.

The consecrated silver bolt seemed to burn through the air as it shot just centimeters shy of the specter’s nose and grazed his arm, burning a hole in his kimono. He whipped his attention to the woman who shot it.

“How dare you interfere?!” He snarled, rearing his arm back and whipping his blade toward them.

Luna felt her stomach drop.

“You idiot!” Ai snapped at her, trying to fly out of range of the sword as Kagome and Shippo both clung, screaming, to Luna’s back. Just as the sword arched toward them, there was a familiar cry of:

“HIRAIKOTSU!”

And Jakotsu’s blade was then tangled around the aforementioned boomerang. All three riding on Ai’s back sighed in relief when they saw Sango swoop in on Kilala. Ai touched down just as Kilala did, transforming into her human form and unceremoniously dumping the sisters on their asses.

“Are you all okay?” Sango called over to them.

“We’re fine!” Shippo answered.

“Perfect timing, Sango!” Kagome said.

“Some weapon, Luna!” Ai huffed in the Hunter’s direction. Luna just stuck her tongue at her.

Jakotsu was practically red in the face, shrieking in frustration: “What is with all you vile women?! Can’t you see I’m trying to battle Inuyasha?!” In the same breath, he whipped his sword again, toward Sango this time. The movement freed Hiraikotsu, and ended up leaving a small slice on Sango’s arm as Jakotsu pulled it back.

“Stay out of this!” He continued, “None of you will interfere!”

But their “interference” had served Inuyasha well enough: it gave him just the opportunity he needed to rear back and punch the specter in the face.

“Shut up! I’m tired of listening to your pointless babble!” Inuyasha growled.

Jakotsu grunted as he tumbled back, then rubbed his cheek and pouted like a kicked puppy. “That was cruel…”

“Oh, get over it!” Inuyasha snapped, “Now tell me who gave you the Sacred Jewel Shard before I have to seriously hurt you!”

Kagome and Miroku rushed to see if Sango was okay, but she assured them that it was just a graze; she was fine. Her attention was more on the subject at hand.

“I have a feeling that the shard came from Naraku,” She said, somberly. She looked at Kagome. “When you sensed a Jewel Shard earlier… it was Kohaku. I saw the Saimiyosho around him as well.”

“That means that your brother is still under Naraku’s control…” Miroku said. Sango nodded.

Luna had set her weapon down next to her backpack, and came back with a bandage for Sango’s arm. Her mind was going at a million miles an hour, trying to figure out how the hell they were gonna handle this—first an undead band of Ronin, now they have something to do with Naraku. What was Naraku playing at...?

“Gotta wonder what the hell is next…” Luna mumbled sarcastically.

Seconds later, she would regret asking. A cloud of black smoke poured over the cliffside, drifting right toward them.

Like he knew what was happening, Jakotsu got up and collected his sword. “Inuyasha! You should get out of here while you can! Bye!” And with that, he was just… gone.

“What the hell—” Inuyasha broke off with a startled yell when the cloud reached him. “Its poison!”

“But where’s it coming from?!” Miroku wondered.

“We need to move.” Luna reassembled her bag in less than thirty seconds—side effect of doing it so often. “We can figure out what the hell is going on when we’re safely away from here!”

Why do I feel like we stepped into something huge here? Luna thought to herself as the group of friends moved away from the cloud of gas.

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation (Partial): Pash! Plus Interview 1/23/21

Please do not repost this translation without my consent! This includes screenshots of any type and amount. If you wish to share this translation, simply link to this post.

For more information regarding the use of my translations, click here.

This is another interview with the 3 voice actresses and many of the questions they asked have already been answered in previous articles which I’ve translated. Hence, I have only translated portions that are unique to this article.

“Hanyō no Yashahime” Interview with Matsumoto Sara, Komatsu Mikako, and Tadokoro Azusa! What “future development” are the three of them anticipating? “I want to see parent-child exchanges!”

— With every episode, various mysteries are gradually becoming clear, but is there anything that particularly surprised you?

All: This is difficult (to answer)! We’re surprised every time!

Tadokoro: For me, it was when Sesshōmaru-sama left without saying anything despite hearing Zero tell Homura “Burn that forest to the ground” in episode 15. I became uneasy thinking “It can’t be. Does he not love his children...?”.

Matsumoto: You would think that if you looked just at that part.

Tadokoro: I was also surprised by the story following that.

Matsumoto: The part where Inuyasha and Kagome were put inside the black pearl right? That part moved me like “Father…”. No, probably more like “understood” rather than moved. Like “Sesshōmaru-sama wouldn’t do something like that without thinking”

Komatsu: Sesshōmaru just doesn’t say important things after all.

Matsumoto: I’ve learned that he’s simply not good at talking.

Komatsu: What surprised me the most is something that actually happens later on. It’s a spoiler so I can’t say anything but… Riku’s identity is… *mumbles*

Matsumoto: We also just happened to overhear it (laughs)

Komatsu: It’s a topic we actually weren’t supposed to hear about (laughs) We truly aren’t told what’s going to happen until we get the script.

Matsumoto: Regarding the subject of Riku, we were surprised like “So that’s how it was!?” when we happened to overhear a keyword, so I think the viewers will be quite surprised as well. Look forward to it (laughs)!

Komatsu: It’s hinted at a little bit when Riku makes his initial debut…

Matsumoto: I think those who are perceptive would think “Huh?”

Komatsu: Then there’s the scene that I also said left an impression on me which is what Miroku-sama had been up to until now.

Matsumoto: Me too! I was also surprised that he properly aged.

Tadokoro: He aged well didn’t he (laughs). He was so awesome! I was curious as to what he was doing after the wind tunnel disappeared.

Matsumoto: I knew Miroku and Sango had kids from “Inuyasha” but the child rearing and conversations with them weren’t depicted, so I had wondered about that for a long time. However, seeing the communication with his son moved me like “You’ve become such a good father!” since he is my favorite character as well. That Miroku-sama hadn’t changed even after becoming a father gave me feels.

Tadokoro: Don’t you think the conversation between Kagome-san and Sango-san as fellow mothers was good too? Mom friends talk (laughs). I could keenly feel how Sango was looking out for Kagome-san when she said “Yours is going to be born soon right? Watch your step okay.”. As someone who plays Moroha, episode 16 is a must see!

Komatsu: We never had an episode that greatly featured Moroha’s past until then.

Tadokoro: It’s the episode where you learn why Moroha earns money. She had been asked once before “What are you going to do with all that money?” but she dodged the question.

— There are a lot of episodes that should be checked out (laughs)

Matsumoto: Episodes 14, 15, and 16 are pretty deep after all! (laughs)

Tadokoro: Indeed

Komatsu: They have a lot of information.

— Earlier, Matsumoto-san said, “I like Miroku-sama” so could all of you please tell us your favorite characters?

Tadokoro: My favorites are Kohaku-kun and Sesshōmaru-sama. Kohaku-kun went through something terrible and seeing him living a painful way of life by making himself a sacrifice made me think “I want to make him happy”. There’s also the major fact that I liked Yajima-san’s (Akiko) acting, so the feeling of tragic heroism oozing from his voice aroused a protective urge within me. Now he’s an adult and is firmly continuing the work of demon slaying… I feel proud for some reason (laughs). He’s become such a fine man…

Matsumoto: I love Miroku-sama and Naraku too much! Regarding Naraku, at the beginning, the shock of “There’s this kind of warped love!” was huge. While it started off as something suddenly lighting a fire in his heart for Kikyō, to think that from there things would end up going the way they did… The emotions that budded from a small happening became, more than anything, this big energy to Naraku and caused him to act the way he did. It’s probably strange for me to say, but I “learned” that that’s one form of “love” (laughs). In terms of Miroku-sama, I thought he was purely awesome. He’s the one person within the group whose position is really helpful. Figuratively speaking, the part of him that’s like the vice president and not the president of the student council is what I like. He’s the unsung hero who follows under the person who rampages the most. I also love the gap of how his tongue becomes sharp once you get acquainted with him.

Komatsu: While Kagome influenced me, my favorite was Kagura. She was part of Naraku’s group, but her heart wavered so much that you wondered “Was she really born from Naraku?”. There was something human about her. I think those born from Naraku were born from something Naraku had in the first place, so Kagura probably had the faint “human heart” that was in Naraku. I had a lot of empathy when she became the wind and was freed at the end. I could never forget the scene where she died attended by Sesshōmaru. It was precious in any event… Kagome is who I wanted to be but the one who stole my heart with her way of life was Kagura.

— If you were to apply Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha’s relationship to yourselves, what would happen?

All: It would still be the same (laughs)

Komatsu: It would relatively stay the same. How to put it, roles? For example, for Sara-chan, she’s a mood maker, friendly, and isn’t timid about anything. In a sense, she’s the commanding officer of the raid. I think she’s just like Towa in terms of position. Moroha’s character is very energetic with a lot of vitality and she’s completely inherited Inuyasha and Kagome’s blood. However, she’s the balancer among the Yashahimes. She reads the mood quite a bit and she has a territory where “she won’t proceed any further from here”. For example, when she didn’t talk about why she earns money. I think the part where she doesn’t fully open up at the beginning is similar to Koroazu-chan (Tadokoro’s nickname).

Matsumoto: I know! That’s exactly why you want to get to know her more. Like “Show us more!” (laughs)

— What do Komatsu-san and Setsuna have in common?

Komatsu: Setsuna is a child who can clearly state her opinion on serious matters. She calmly makes judgements and has a solid feeling for not talking when she doesn’t talk and talking when she does talk. I have a feeling I also make judgement calls of “I should stay quiet here.” Setsuna is probably listening to what other people are saying in scenes where it doesn’t look like she is. However, she purposely doesn’t say anything. She has the option of “Not answering”. She’s not silent because she doesn’t want to listen or respond. Rather, I think it’s a time when she’s thinking about various things to herself. I feel that I personally understand that very well.

Matsumoto: I think Setsuna is the “axle” of the three Yashahimes but even among the three of us, there’s a sense of “We need Mikako-san”. When there’s a problem, I look towards Mikako-san’s direction (laughs).

Tadokoro: Mikako-san calmly watches over everyone, so we end up relying on her when there’s a problem. There was a time when the three of us went shopping and I asked, “Am I buying too much?”.  Mikako-san responded, “You’re buying too much” and I returned the item to the shelf (laughs). I leave the judgement to her and end up depending on her.

Komatsu: I’m unexpectedly not thinking anything though (laughs)

— What do the three of you think is the appeal of “Hanyō no Yashahime”?

Tadokoro: For those who enjoyed “Inuyasha”, they’re probably wondering how their favorite characters are living their lives. You can find out in “Hanyō no Yashahime” which I think is a big appeal.

Komatsu: In “Inuyasha”, the grudge against Kikyō and the romance with Kagome were components of the story. However, this time, a big component of the story is discovering their births and that’s what I think is appealing.

(translator’s note: There is more to this section, but these are the only sentences that I considered unique to this article)

— Thank you. Well then, please tell us if you have any anticipations for the upcoming development in “Hanyō no Yashahime”?

Matsumoto: I would have to say I want to anticipate both fathers doing something. If they were to come running when the Yashahimes are in a bind, that would make me happy.

Komatsu: I want to see parent-child conversations.

Matsumoto: That makes me nervous….

Tadokoro and Komatsu: Indeed! It does make me nervous!

Komatsu: I’m getting all sorts of wild ideas like what sort of conversation they’ll have or what things will they address.

Matsumoto: How will they address them when they meet face to face? There was an episode where Kagome address’s Moroha as "Moroha” but… If Sesshōmaru addresses me as “Towa”, I might have a nosebleed (laughs).

Tadokoro and Komatsu: (laughs)

Komatsu: Setsuna basically said “I don’t know who Sesshōmaru is!” during their conversation with the Tree of Ages (laughs). Even when she meets her father, she’ll probably say “So you’re Sesshōmaru”. But I want (him) to address her as “Setsuna” (laughs).

All: Basically, we want to see parent-child exchanges (laughs).

— Thank you very much!

[hanyohime]

 A Broken blade 🗡️ , Rainbow Children 🌈  🦋  and the Root of all Evil🌳

Yashahime Ep. 2 and Ep. 3 (preview) observations and altering theories:

So some of my previous theories were a bit off, like Towa’s sword being found because of some reaction to Setsuna’s Eye/Golden Pearl. However, it is still unclear if the sword itself has some special ability or if Towas Silver Pearl is projecting energy into it. We saw how in Ep. 2 her sword breaks on the Three Eyed Mistress, but in the Ep. 3 preview you can see her with the blue blade of light that was advertised in the promo posters. I do not think that this light is coming form the power of the pearl per se, as the glow from her eye is White/Silver but the energy emitting from the broken blade is Blue. I believe this light/energy is coming from Towa herself, from an unrealized power.

I have a theory that sword in its broken state is how she will rid or help  individuals possessed by the demonic roots. Perhaps she will even be cable to do this without having to kill the host directly, much like the Tensseiga and the demons of the underworld. I also have this idea that her sword will be able to cast things into the rainbow corridor because they have to get rid of the Three Eyed Mistress somehow in the next episode, but I don’t have much to go on that yet... I think the sword will eventually be repaired, I believe Moroha will direct Towa to someone in the past to repair the blade. It will most likley be the mystery character who is yet to have a name, as they are seen in the promo poster with a similarly wrapped weapon, just like Towas sword. I think it would be pretty cool if it remained broken and the blade is just this mysterious blue energy that projects out from the hilt.

Side note: Despite my initial theory being wrong, Towa does find the sword in modern times but it seems to be some sort of relic, perhaps from the Higurashi shrine? She says it belonged to Ashikaga Yoshiteru which, according to some google sleuthing, is one of the most prominent Shogun of the Muromachi period of Japan. In Ep. 1, we were introduced to the Deputy Shogun, Ogigayatsu Hiiraga Danjo. How I interpreted this information is that the Ogigayatsu this is just another clan within the Ashikaga or allied with them. It also says that the Ogigayatu clan is defeated by the Hojo clan, and  the Ashikaga clan was driven out of Kyoto by Oda Nobunaga. This means the girls will be in a time where there is a lot of clan conflicts, and sociopolitical problems in general. It was mentioned that the surrounding provinces (villages?) have been fighting, in the Ep. 1 flashback. 

In the preview for the next episode we see that Towa will be possessed by a demonic root parasite that attaches to her face, most likely to get a hold of the Silver Pearl. I believe this thing was attached to the Three Eyed Mistress and is perhaps what caused her to rampage the local villages. There are a couple points in Ep. 2 where she begins to glow purple, much like the demon/creatures the girls are facing off with in the opening song. This makes me believe Root Head, who appears to be anchored to the sacred tree, must sprout root like creatures to do his bidding around the surrounding villages. This is quite worrisome as it seems that no one will be safe from these parasites. I have a feeling this will cause a lot of problems for the girls in their search for answers as they, and the company they keep, will be easy targets as they roam the land with 3 pearls. I bet stronger more fearsome demons could also be possessed in efforts to stop the girls from fixing the past, maybe even ones we are familiar with. Root Head could also be causing a lot of the clan conflicts in the surrounding villages, so that he can generate more fuel (AKA human heads) and gain more power. Yotsume, who I assume is working with Root Head, was already able to infiltrate one clan. Who knows if there aren't other allies of Root Head with other clan leaders, trying to spur on the blood shed. Just something to think about.

I believe The Three Eyes Misstress is most likely being used as a pawn to search for pearls, and it could be because of her strong ability to sense them? What I found very interesting was her saying that the pearl had demon powers, which makes me wonder about the theory of Kagome creating them. I believe she, as a priestess, would not have the ability to specifically create demonic pearls. So right now I am leaning more on the idea that they were already in existence beforehand. It also makes me wonder if the OG crew are sealed in them or they were thrown into the rainbow corrido like Towa was? But this doesn't explain where Sessomaru and Rin are if the twins have those pearls... but I’m not opposed to the idea that our beloved missing characters are in different time lines or realms in pearls form or not.

So it is now apparent that the pearls were created BEFORE the night of the fire as Towa, and presumably Sestuna, had the pearls in their eyes when they were very young. If Im going on the theory that Sesshomaru is the Silver Pearl and Rin is the Golden Pearl, something must have happened to them before the girls have the pearls, more in the past than we expected.

Another thing is that Towa mentions that they lived in the forest for a long time? I have noticed a lot of people interpret this as they lived alone in the forest, but in the english subtitles she simply states that they lived in the forest. I don’t necessarily think they were orphaned, someone had to have raised them and clothed them, but who?! Something else I noted was that Setsuna does not have her Monomoko with her when she is little, so it definitely is given to her after the fire. Does Sesshomaru save her? I have read some people suggesting that Sesshomaru may not even know he has daughters, but I don’t think this is likely because how would Setsuna receive her Mokomoko if she hadn't met him? The fandom have also been noting on how it was strange that these two girls ran around the forrest and there doesn't appear to be any demons around that may be threatening to them. I have a thought, perhaps this is an area that has been eradicated of demons from not only Inuyasha and crew, but Sesshomaru, so that his children can roam and live freely. I have a feeling that Sesshomaru will have more of a status role in the series, perhaps he reclaimed his fathers domain? I only think this because the girls are referred to as princesses, and why in a series that has put down half demons so much would they be addressed as such if it were not for their lineage? Something else that keeps nagging me is that perhaps the days of demons are coming to an end slowly? Or perhaps the scene below is an altered memory?

Another theory thats a bust is Moroha and Setsuna knowing each other, which is something I can not wrap my head around. How would these two girls who have such similar careers, never cross paths, and meet for the first time now after 10 years!? Although, I believe that Moroha meeting Setsuna for the first time and calling her “Setsu-chan” is what actually triggers the Golden Pearl in Setsuna’s eye to start glowing. Something about calling her by this nick name may be triggering a memory, perhaps there is a lost memory of Moroha calling her “Setsu-chan” when they were young and the annoyance she feels towards it is giving her some kind of nostalgia for a past she can’t remember. 

Kohaku appears to know Moroha in a way, as she has made some kind of a reputation for herself as Beniyasha. He addresses her as “dono” in Japanese which I was told meant that he is showing her respect as an equal, most likely professionally. In english it was translated as “Lady”, which confused me but the Japanese version makes more sense. But how does Kohaku know her? Does he know who she really is, or have they had run ins with each other in the past? I would assume as leader/chief of the Demon Slayers he would keep track of reported bounty hunters slaying demons out side of his devision. But it appears he doesn't know much about her abilities as he was surprised she had sealing arrows. 

Hisui also does not appear to know anything about her as he says “a demon and a bounty hunter?, as if he could only sense that she has demonic energy. So it’s safe to assume that Hisui and Kirara do not know/remember her, this could even be the first time they have met in person, and he only knows descriptions of her, but he does refer to her by name. I am a little concerned at Hisui’s haste to attack Moroha, despite her explanation that she was simply there waiting for her bounty, it definitely shows that he feels little respect for bounty hunters. At first I thought he was judging Moroha for being part demon... This made me wonder about his childhood, does he have some memories of something traumatic, perhaps a demon making his parents and maybe even his sisters disappear? However I doubt this now because of his familiarity with Setsuna and of course Kirara.

The one theory I'm most disappointed about is Hisui potentially not having a rainbow pearl. Because the Three eyed Mistress was able to sense Moroha’s and the one in Setsuna’s eye so easily, but made no indication that there was another present as she chases Hisui, Kirara and Setsuna towards Kaedes Village. So I now I have reason to believe that the largest bead on his prayer beads on his left arm is not a rainbow pearl. However! I am not completely dismissing the idea. I like to think that the prayer beads are actually concealing its power for the time being, at least until Hisui has his own moment where memories trigger a reaction from the pearl. Fingers crossed.

Whether it’s a pearl or not, I am still going with the theory that Hisui is spiritually inclined like his father. I think Hisui will play an important role in finding some of the pearls, specifically the coral and blue pearl. I hope as they set out for answers that Hisui and Kirara will be joining the girls. Hisui and Setsuna seem to have a solid working relationship (the ship has sailed folks!), and I am excited to learn more about what kind of personal relationship they have as they were most likely raised together in the demon slayer village. I have a theory that it is Hisui or Kirara who finds Setsuna during the fire which is how she eventually ends up in the demon slayer village and under Kohakus care. When it comes to any potential romantic feelings forming between Setsuna and Hisui I can see Setsuna being a little more indifferent about it and Hisui struggling hopelessly to gain her trust as more than just a fellow demon slayer. It would be really funny if he is the exact opposite of his father when it comes to love and has NO game what so ever.

Moroha seems familiar with the Rainbow pearls and the time tunnel, calling it the “Rainbow Corridor.” But how does she know about it!? After passing through the CorrIdor she also expresses that she feels weak, what would cause this? Is it Root Head draining their energy? Setsuna also seems to be having a hard time getting out of the Three Eyed Mistress’s hold, perhaps she too feels the effects of the time travel. This is completely different from the time passage Kagome went through, it must be specifically linked to the pearls (the name kind of gives that away). How much does Moroha know about this corridor? Another theory could be that she has seen this happen before to others, perhaps she recalls the events that caused the disappearance of our main characters but her memories are also altered. Before Moroha and Setsuna are pulled in, the tree (Root Head) actually speaks to them stating that it had not felt the the presence of the pearls for 10 years, so Root Head also knows or their existence, again firming the theory that they were in existence before the incidence that causes everyone to disappear and for memories to be altered. Perhaps Yotsume observed the creation or gathered information for Root Head on the Rainbow Pearls and set out a plan to collect them, and maybe in the past starting a fire was a part of this plan. Another thing is Root head says he is returning to THIS world, what could he mean by this? What world could it be returning from... curious.

With all of this, I am now convinced that almost everyone has had their memories tampered with, in one way shape or form, and some more than others.

Once again, that all I got for now! I’ll probably edit this post a few times tbh

This post goes out to @hanmajoerin @kumikodiary @inukag @viva-el-belt-libre @d-o-v-e-y​ @companion-for-who​ @biancam70​ thanks for going theory crazy with me!! <3

[dr-stone-things]

Heyy there Happy New Year hope u had a great start for it🥳 Could you please do a hc about Senku and Tsukasa s/o getting her period and having cramps like how would they manage to confort her bc she is being moody if ya know what i mean??😆

Sure!

Senku And Tsukasa Comforting S/O on Period HCS

Ok so, even though Senku is literally a master, a genius, a know it all about the human body and how it works, he’s still not the best at dealing with his s/o on their period. He thinks that lecturing his s/o about their period and how it’s caused is the best remedy so they can know how to deal with it better. Of course, s/o doesn’t appreciate this too much and Senku probably won’t notice this until they start getting more and more moody at him. Even then he’d probably just leave them be until Kohaku starts screaming at him that s/o wants his affection.

He’d be pretty awkward at comforting his s/o, but he really does try his best. If it’s in the modern world, pre Stone Age, he’ll begrudgingly offer to do simple things like carry your bag (and be out of breath within five minutes.) He’ll help you with any homework you have in case you’re too tired to process it, because I mean, let’s be real, Senku probably finishes his homework at light speed. He’s just too smart. Whenever s/o is on her period he tends to do very unlike Senku things. He’s really trying his best not to get yelled at again. Probably gives them a crash course on menstruation and stuff.

After the pertification, it’s a bit harder to deal with this kinda stuff so he puts in a lot more effort. Probably makes these makeshift pads for s/o. Instead of painkillers for their cramps, he has to find some other way to lessen your pain so he probably does some weird experiments and asks Kohaku and the other women of the village how they deal with it. Probably makes some herbal tea or something. While his s/o is on her period, he gives them little to no work to do but he won’t complain if they offer to do more. But if he sees them overworking themselves and clutching their stomach he’ll demand that they rest. It’s the little things that count, he makes them cotton candy as a replacement for chocolate (which he promises will come one day.)

As for s/o’s moodiness, he really tries but sometimes he does get annoyed. I mean, you can’t blame him though, it is kinda hard to deal with someone with constant mood swings. But for the most part, he’s pretty fine with it. He knows it’s normal for women to have these symptoms and stuff. He’s literally your personal doctor. If you’re having any weird body changes, there’s a 99% chance he’ll know what’s happening to you.

In general, Senku is a pretty good and cute boyfriend overall. 

Tsukasa, just,,, *wipes sweat off forehead* He’s just the best… I’m telling you, human teddy bear here. He just loves you so much and doesn’t want you to be in any pain and he just tries to hard to make you feel like a queen. Similarly to Senku, I think he also knows everything that’s going on with your body, from why you’re menstruating to how long it will last; this man is fully informed and prepared for the situation that is known as your period, cramps, and moodiness. But he won’t bother you with the needless information unless you ask him, he’ll probably just drop some random facts here and there. He has a calendar that he uses to track how long your period lasted, and how your mood was. He keeps track of your moodiness very well. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he downloaded one of those period apps on your phone to keep track of your period for you.

He is a man who knows exactly when your period is about to begin. He reminds you it’s coming and you didn’t even remember about it. He’s the best. If you’d like (he does it regardless anyway) he stocks up on pads, comfort food like chocolate and ice cream, and basically anything you want. Pre stone age, he will always carry your bag and any books. He will not let you lift a finger and wants you to get as much rest as possible. He doesn’t want you to get light headed and pass out. He might even give you a piggyback ride so you don’t have to walk. Basically, perfect man, will do whatever you want him to, bae.

After pertification, you are quite literally the queen of his empire, and everyone will treat you as such. You will not lift a finger, not do a chore, and everyone will pretty much listen to your wants. Tsukasa will have to think of some natural remedies since there no more science pills and stuff. But he’s practically a man of nature and probably knows about all of the good herbs and stuff. Goes around in the forests and tries to find edible herbs to lessen your pain. Also, offers you so much love and cuddles. For the entire day, y’all might just be chilling with no one bothering you two at all.

As for your moodiness, I mean I don’t know why you would get moody with this angel of a man, but Tsukasa completely understand. He becomes immune to it and just chuckles as your mood swings. He ushers you into his embrace and is open to anything you want to do to make you happy.

Tsukasa Shishio, my man, 11/10

[toujokaname]

Card shuffle / Episode 7

Author: Akira

Characters: Niki, Tatsumi, HiMERU, Kohaku, Aira, Rinne, Hiiro, AkanP, Mayoi

"...I've been in your care for a long time, after all."

← Previous ✧ Directory ✧ Next →

[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: MDM Stage

???: I-I'm so sorry! I'm late!

Niki: W-Woah, what's this?!

Tatsumi: Oh? Who might that person in the suit be, hurrying toward us...?

Are you familiar? Maybe it's a new Crazy:B member?

HiMERU: —You must severely lack interest in us, Tatsumi. Crazy:B is not recruiting newcomers.

Kohaku: Koh koh koh ♪ Who'd wanna join a buncha scumbags like us?

Aira: Well, yeah, Rinne-senpai may be a jerk, but at least the rest of Crazy:B are good people, right?

Kohaku: That's just like you to say, Rabu-han. That is, how's it any different from not understandin' us at all?

Rinne: ......

Hiiro: ...? What's the matter, Nii-san? You're making a bitter face. Did you eat something strange again?

Rinne: Don't talk about me like I'm a habitual food scavenger. I ain't Niki.

Niki: How come I'm always catching strays~?!

Rinne: Anyway! You lot, quit yapping and greet properly.

This person is AkanP, the producer in charge of this project, Matrix.

AkanP: Ah, yes! I'm sorry for not showing up sooner! I've been a bit busy with personal matters...!

Hiiro: Fumu. Come to think of it, I recall seeing that name in the project proposal.

Aira: Hiro-kun's got such a good memory... There were so many names of people, I couldn't keep track of all the details.

Mayoi: I think it can't be helped... The project proposal was filled with minuscule, needlessly intricate text, making it rather challenging to decipher.

And even after reading it all desperately, I still couldn't understand what exactly they were trying to say.

HiMERU: A prime example of a bad project proposal...

(Whispering) ...Hm, so this is the rumored LandmineP.

Kohaku: Ha-haah. So it's Akan-han for bein' an akan (useless) person.

Rinne: Oi, oi, don't start making fun of names, or you might make some HiMERU-kun cry ♪

HiMERU: HiMERU takes pride in the name HiMERU, though?

AkanP: ......

Kohaku: Ah, sorry. It's just, we've caught wind of a lotta weird rumors.

AkanP: It's fine~... I know I've been called a lot of things. Haha, so I'm AkanP because I'm useless.

Kohaku: S-So you do hear folks talkin' smack about you! You never even tried to acknowledge our attempts to reach out!

HiMERU: At this point, your human failure index is quite high. This index measures how useless you are as a human being, with Amag... With Rinne as the benchmark at 100.

HiMERU: By the way, Shiina scores around 85.

Niki: It's higher than I thought it'd be?!

Kohaku: And me? And me?

HiMERU: Oukawa is not a failure as a human being. Right, HiMERU would say about 4 or 5.

Niki: What's with that unfair index that's mostly determined by HiMERU-kun's subjective opinion?!

Rinne: Heh... Only a 5 on the failure index? Garbage.

Kohaku: Ahh? Where do ya get off tellin' me this or that when you're settin' the bar for what a failure should be?

AkanP: Ahaha. You seem to get along better than I expected, that's a relief.

Rinne-kun, you never gave off the impression of being very good at socializing with others.

HiMERU: ? Are you two acquainted?

Rinne: ...I've been exchanging messages with Akan-san regarding this project. That's all.

HiMERU: ? As Oukawa mentioned earlier, we were unable to establish any contact over here...?

Tatsumi: That goes for us as well.

Thanks to that, while we've heard about this Matrix competition, we don't even know what kind of match it'll be.

AkanP: Eh? Rinne-kun, you said you'd inform everyone properly—

Rinne: Aah! Yup, don't sweat it, just leave it to me! I won't do anything to embarrass Akan-san, for real, real ♪

Rinne: ...I've been in your care for a long time, after all.

Aira: ...?

[ ☆ ]

← Previous ✧ Directory ✧ Next →

[iintend-tobeyourlast]

Analysis of Sesshomaru in Inuyasha anime (2000-2004, 2009-2010)

First of all let’s be real Inuyasha actually should have been named The Adventures of the Great Dog Demon’s Two Very Dramatic Teenagers.  

Two main traits of Sesshomaru I noticed were he is 1) very pro freedom and choice and 2) kind of obsessed with “fair” fight. 

I’m really curious how he got these traits, Inuyasha’s are he fights to protect the weak and who he loves and his backstory explains why. But Sesshomaru fighting for freedom and choice and wanting to fight fairly is a bit odd for a full blooded demon and an heir to an empire. I’m guessing he never felt free to make his own choices growing up with too many expectations placed on him? (but his parents seem very hands off and let him rebel). Maybe that was his issue his parents were too hands off and the other demons always feared him so he got lonely and he also wanted someone to see him and not the Great Dog Demon’s son or powerful Sesshomaru (which I firmly believe Rin was the only character to see him for him, or at least the first in this entire life, maybe second, maybe his father was first but I have a feeling he wasn’t around that much in Sesshomaru’s youth). Side note: I’d love to hear Sesshomaru’s actual backstory on this

Pro freedom and choice

The characters that make the biggest impacts on Sesshomaru are Inuyasha, Rin, Jaken, Kagura and Kohaku.

Sesshomaru helped Inuyasha control his demon form, when the blood lust was about to kill Kagome and everyone else

Rin didn’t have anyone to listen to her and was abused in the village she was living with before she met him, she makes the choice to follow him several times. Even when he leaves her with Kaede Inuyasha says it is so that she can make a well informed choice in the future, continue to live with humans or follow Sesshomaru, by doing so he also gives her an opportunity and safe village to be free from the fear of humans and abuse

Jaken is the only demon subject he has, Jaken has no relation to Toga unlike other demons who tried to follow him, like Royakan, and Jaken made his own choice without Sesshomaru asking him to follow Sesshomaru

Sesshomaru starts to respect Kagura when he realizes she just wants to be free from Naraku

Sesshomaru stops trying to kill Kohaku when he realizes he’s being controlled by Naraku

Side note: Sesshomaru starting fighting Naraku because he kept on taking away everyone’s free will? 

Obsession with “fair” fights

Sesshomaru wanted to fight his father but wants to build his strength independently and create his own empire instead of inheriting. Sesshomaru could have easily killed Inuyasha before he got Tessaiga (it is clear that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have met before Kagome meets him) yet he only tries to kill Inuyasha after he gets Tessaiga and I think there’s 2 reasons for 1) this the guy had a major sword obsession and that was the cherry on the top of “my dad betrayed me” cake, like the fact that Toga died to protect Inuyasha and Izayoi Sesshomaru verbally takes it out Inuyasha but 2) the true punch in the gut, “Inuyasha is the favorite son” (in his eyes), is Inuyasha getting the legendary sword and Sesshomaru getting the “useless” one. But he backs off when he starts to realize Tessaiga is controlling the demon blood in Inuyasha.

It is very clear he thinks fair fights are important because he actively avoids fighting Inuyasha as a full demon. But in my opinion after that point I think he and Inuyasha only fight because that’s the only way they know how to communicate with each other and the kill factor of it has largely died out. They also start helping each other’s companions out but Sesshomaru always pretends like he didn’t help.

Side note: I read this theory that we’ve seen Inuyasha as a kid hunted by demons and Inuyasha wasn’t particularly strong so how did he manage to survive for 150 years? The theory was that Sesshomaru kept major demons away from him. I’m also soooo curious how they first met.

Why the person who made him feel compassion had to be Rin

It couldn’t have been anyone older than a child because

The guy is ridiculously competitive

He likes his followers to follow his commands (only children and Jaken like demons would do that)

He’s a loner, he definitely could not tolerate people forcing him into conversation often like Inuyasha’s gang did with him

He also likes his followers to talk a lot (Jaken and Rin are ridiculously chatty without requiring responses)

Human teenage girl is out it would remind him too much of Inuyasha and Kagome

Human adult woman is out because it would remind him too much of Toga and Izayoi

Guys are out because it would remind him of his brother (maybe also his father)

It couldn’t have been a human boy because again that would remind him of his brother

It couldn’t have been a demon child because they age much slower so they’re stuck in a state of immaturity also they’re not as fragile and are more self sufficient than human children (I think it is not uncommon for demon parents to be absent and demons obviously don’t die as easily as humans)

So therefore it had to be a young human girl and it was Rin because like I mentioned earlier he’s very pro freedom, choice and “fair” fights so adults beating up a little girl is a huge no no in his book. The biggest thing is probably that they were both incredibly lonely when they first met. Interestingly, the first episode with Rin, Sesshomaru talks a lot and Rin is mute whereas when they travel together Sesshomaru is fine with simply watching her and Jaken’s antics and Rin talks a lot. So they’re very comfortable with one another and feel like they can be true to themselves in front of each other. Rin also fits his companion preferences very well, she does not like humans (honestly this is probably a huge selling point for him), she’s actually quite mature for a child due to her traumatic life experiences, self-sufficient for her age, kind/takes care of him and Jaken when they’re ill, she’s chatty and brave, adores him, has no place she belongs (like him I mean why else is the guy hanging out in the forest instead of going to his mom’s palace or whatever his dad owned) and she follows him optionally and chooses him time and time again.

[fireflyhwufanficwriter]

My thoughts on Dr. Stone’s S03E07 (“Ray of Despair, Ray of Hope”)

(Safe to read for anime-only folks.)

My thoughts after watching Season Three, Episode Seven:

01. They're up against a storm, and all hands are on deck! :O

02. It's cool that there's a microphone thingy up where Kohaku is! She can relay information without having to shout - or ask questions, like she did when she asked about their lead when it comes to science! :)

03. Kaseki's so proud of the eyes of science that he made! :D

04. Ryusui is a very capable captain - he's very good at anticipating what the weather will be like! :O

05. This episode's title is "Ray of Despair, Ray of Hope" :)

06. And just like that, there's no more storm! Ryusui was right… AND he rewards hard workers! :D

07. Suika! :) I can't blame her for wanting to volunteer when Senku mentioned "recon squad," because reconnaissance is Suika's specialty! But clearly, Ryusui does NOT want her to go to the island! :O

08. The four-person team will consist of Senku, Soyuz, Kohaku, and Gen! :) Oh, they have a mechanized speedboat! :)

09. And so continues the tradition of Kohaku helping Senku climb high places :D Although this time, he WASN'T carried by the scruff of his robes like a little kitten, like when they were climbing the bald mountain to make powerful magnets... :D

10. Chrome isn't even annoyed or worried about Suika being there - he knows that Suika is capable and helpful in her own right, having been part of Gen's fake-murder investigation AND reconnaissance concerning Chrome's own incarceration. He has faith in Suika's abilities! :D

11. Aww, Suika wants to help, but I really see Ryusui's point as well! He's such a caring, responsible captain! He had to be stern, but it was because he was worried about Suika and wanted her to be safe! :')

12. And it was quite sweet of Francois to explain Ryusui's position to Suika! :D

13. And this Taiju-Suika interaction is so wholesome as well! Taiju knows she wants to help, so he gave her a way to do so! And Suika's not proud; she doesn't NEED to be a conquering hero or super detective or anything - she's just as happy with the prospect of helping to clean the ship! :)

14. Ginro saw a chance to get out of cleaning, and he took it! A perfect job for a man of the water! XD

15. Ukyo's realization about the statues' petrification... Ryusui's realization about somebody watching... and even Kohaku's realization/thought that something was shining on the ship... :O

16. Senku's STILL tired from all the physical exertion! I get ya, Senku... I get ya... :D

17. Oh, Soyuz... Oh, Gen... :O Seeing all of their friends petrified must have been... bone-chillingly HORRIFYING...! :O

18. And Ryusui kicked Suika away from the ship to save her! What a great guy! :O This was actually the action in the manga that made me like Ryusui! :)

19. Kohaku and a chasing-after-her Senku found a small seashell mystery, but Soyuz, Gen, and Suika have a bigger petrification mystery on their hands... :O

20. And now, Kohaku and Senku know the very bad news... Kohaku has ALWAYS taken immediate action when somebody was in danger... Senku, Suika, Kinro, Chrome... and Senku again... and now, SO many people, so many of her friends, are in danger! :(

21. Gen was SMART to tie a connecting rope between himself and Kohaku! XD But also... Kohaku must trust Gen a LOT to be so relaxed around him that she didn't notice him tying a piece of rope around her leg. She must REALLY trust Gen! :D

22. Soyuz has remembered a little bit more about his past... and I'm just gonna take this moment to say that Soyuz is SO muscular. Like, he is BUFF. He has muscles and muscles and muscles. He's not like Magma, who's, like, a bigger person - Soyuz is, like, wow! :O

23. And now, Senku and the others know more about the enemy... and more about their potential ally, thanks to some shell and insect analysis! :)

24. So Senku is using adhesive, or cyanoacrylate, and its steam lets fingerprints appear on seashells... did this happen in the manga? I don't remember this... :O

25. Gen thought of all that information AND found a strand of hair in the woods?! XD

26. The kingdom of science's blonde-haired centrifuge can also fight, and see things from great distances! :D

27. So Senku was carrying around microscope components in his pouches? Hmm, not the worst things to be carrying with you! :)

28. And now it's time for Kohaku and her vision to help! Dr. Stone is incredible at putting everybody's strengths and skills together to achieve great results! :D

29. Girl spotted! And a pretty girl, at that! :)

30. Hahaha, Kohaku's enjoying watching this unfold! XD

31. "A bride of the inner palace..." Uh-huh. Manga readers know that THAT means... :O

32. Confessing on the last possible day is so... traditional, hahaha! XD

33. Hmm, weird Senku face, and thick, black outlines for Senku and Gen... :O

34. Senku just outright asked Amaryllis where the treasure box is! XD

35. Kohaku just threw Senku to the wolves... wolf... girl! XD He does NOT appreciate it at ALL! :D

36. First, Soyuz, and now, Senku... and Amaryllis has to keep correcting herself because Senku... well, his might isn't on the outside, that's all I'll say! XD

37. Gen said, "That kind of attack isn't going to work on Senku-chan. Not until civilization is restarted." Good information, Gen! :D

38. Kohaku's right arm got so muscular after she offered to embrace Gen! XD I don't think this was in the manga either, but it's funny! XD

39. I also don't think this chloroacetone tear gas stuff was in the manga... Unless I also forgot about it... but I CANNOT believe that I forgot SO much stuff from the manga :O

40. I know it's a serious scene, but the idea that becoming the prettiest girl was the only way to save everybody she knew is funny! It's the kind of thing that would only make sense in ONE specific context... in this case, Dr. Stone XD

41. Oooh, the island's most beautiful girl, Amaryllis, has joined the party! :D She knows the secret of the petrification beam; she is indeed very pretty; and her turquoise-colored accessories (are they made from shells of some sort?) are a really pretty color! :)

42. So at the moment, we have most of the crew petrified, some people who are NOT petrified, and Amaryllis is about to tell Senku and the others the secret of the petrification beam! :O We also have a new post-credits title card animation thingy, and the next episode's title is going to be, "The Trump Card Aboard the Science Vessel!" After I find something to eat for breakfast, I'll get right to watching that! :D

https :// fireflyhwufanficwriter . tumblr . com / MyDrStoneEpisodeMangaThoughts

[chierafied]

Challenge Accepted! (SKW2020D7)

For SessKag Week 2020 Day 7, I tried my luck with the SessKag Trope Generator and got "Sesshoumaru mistakes Kagome's Sass for Flirting" & "Sesshoumaru's mobile day care". This bit of silliness ensued.

Also posted on AO3, Dokuga & FFnet!

When, in the final year of high school, Kagome had needed to fill out forms for career counselling and to start seriously planning her future… This hadn’t made the list.

For one, she had not been sure back then if she ever could return back to the Feudal era. 

But even when she had been considering that unlikely (or so she had thought) scenario, she had pictured it all very differently.

She’d had daydreams of her and Inuyasha. Of a peaceful life in the village together with Miroku and Sango. Or maybe one of adventure, back on the road and roaming across the Sengoku era Japan.

Being covered in someone else’s bodily fluids and wrangling a hanyou toddler gearing himself up to a full-blown temper tantrum hadn’t featured into her expectations. 

Not even in those rosy imaginations of her and Inuyasha’s possible future children.

She really hadn’t had a clue back then, huh?

To begin with, the well had reopened, and Kagome had abandoned all the plans she had made for the future in a split-second decision to return to the past.

Secondly, she and Inuyasha, well… It turned out they were the best of friends, but any romantic notions Kagome had once harboured had died a fairly quick death when expectations and reality did not quite manage to meet.

And finally, somehow, she had ended up running an unofficial orphanage in Edo.

It had probably begun because Kagome had been giving lessons to Shippou and Rin, as well as Miroku’s and Sango’s children. 

She’d wanted to fill her days with something productive, but it turned out that growing up in the 20th century didn’t really give you all the skills and knowledge needed to fit into the life in the 16th century.

But the one thing that she did have that most people around her in the village lacked, was comprehensive education.

In hindsight, deciding to put her knowledge into a good use might have been a mistake, Kagome reflected, struggling to tie the obi around the screaming toddler. 

Another young hanyou, twin sister of the charming boy currently preoccupied with throwing his tantrum, tottered in on unsteady feet, then latched onto Kagome’s leg.

Literally.

Kagome winced.

“Momo-chan, sweetheart, please remember to be mindful of your claws,” she told the hanyou girl clinging to her leg.

The girl solemnly looked at where her tiny hands were resting on Kagome’s bare shin, and then carefully eased her hold.

Kagome let out a breath, and as little Mr Cranky Pants was all changed up, set the snarling and shrieking child down.

He kicked his tiny clawed feet against the floor in utter fury, and Kagome had a snapshot of understanding what Inuyasha might have been like as a child. 

She'd probably dodged a bullet there. Imagine her and Inuyasha's offspring, inheriting their temper from both parents!

Not a rosy picture at all, that.

In fact, it suddenly made Shinji-kun seem a veritable little angel.

Or perhaps that title should go to Momo-chan, Kagome amended, as the girl knelt down by her brother and stroked his hair.

Awwww!

Moments like these, Kagome thought, warmth swelling in her chest, were what made it all worthwhile.

But first things first, she really needed to change into a clean kosode herself and wash the baby puke out of her hair.

“Rin?” she called out, hoping the young woman would be free to look after the twins while Kagome made herself presentable again.

All right, so she might have exaggerated a little, earlier. It wasn’t really an unofficial orphanage, and Kagome wasn’t quite running it either.

They had six orphans altogether, and although Kaede, Rin and Kagome were the main caretakers for the children, the whole village pitched in to help where they could.

Even Shippou, who was always a very sought-after playmate whenever he came back to Edo.

Most of the children were human, only the young twins were hanyou. 

The three oldest children, each old enough to look after themselves, for the most part, lived with Kaede and Rin. The arrangement suited all of them, actually, because Kaede was not getting any younger, and the additional help around the house was a huge weight off of her and Rin’s shoulders.

Kagome, meanwhile, had had the dubious honour of looking after the hanyou twins.

The logic there had been that, as a miko, she was the best suited for the task, as most villagers would not be a match for a pair of half-demons, toddlers or not. And unlike Kaede, she was young enough to keep up with the pair.

Kagome, technically, was also taking care of the youngest child, hence the baby puke in her hair.

In practice, though, the infant boy spent a lot of time over at Sango’s and Miroku’s, as Sango had very kindly volunteered to be the little baby boy’s wet nurse.

Rin still had not showed up, but all of a sudden, Shinji-kun’s temper tantrum ended, and the snarling and shrieking stopped.

Ahh, blessed silence, was all that Kagome had time to think before a flare of youki from the edge of the village raised her hackles.

Oh no.

He was back.

And he only ever did that stupid flare thing when he wanted her attention.

And he only ever wanted her attention when…

“Oh god, not another one!” Kagome groaned out lout, exasperation seeping into her very bones.

It was all the miko’s fault.

Sesshoumaru did not know how, but it was the only logical conclusion he could draw.

For years, decades, well over a century, he had wandered far and wide, in perfect solitude. (Jaken didn’t count.) 

But somehow, right after his paths had first crossed with the miko, he had met Rin. 

Eventually, they’d been joined by Kohaku.

After their victory over Naraku, he had parted ways with the both of them and resumed his peaceful lone existence.

And alone he had remained (Jaken still didn’t count), for a blissful three years.

Then the miko had returned.

And once again, inexplicably, he had come across a human child who had insisted on following him.

Then there had been two others, banded together until they stumbled on Sesshoumaru.

Then a pair of young neglected hanyou.

Then he had come across a raided village and had heard the wail of a human infant from among the ruins, tucked away into a safe corner, probably by its now-deceased mother.

Since it was all miko’s fault, Sesshoumaru had decided the children should be her responsibility, not his.

It was a stroke of genius, even if he said it himself.

Like killing two birds with one claw.

From the very start, the miko had been a complete mystery to him.

Not the least because of the mixed signals she was always sending.

It had always been obvious there was some sort of… involvement between the miko and his younger half-brother. Sesshoumaru hadn’t known or hadn’t cared to know the exact nature of it.

Yet, throughout their very loose acquaintance, the miko had been challenging him.

Even upon their first meeting, when she had watched from the side lines while he and Inuyasha had battled over the mastery of Tessaiga in their father’s tomb, the miko had still managed to stand up to him, by yelling advice to Inuyasha.

Then, adding insult to injury, she had been the one to pull their father’s fang out.

At every turn, she had defied him and stood her ground, talked back to him, demanded explanations of him, called him names, never shown fear... Always ready to pitch her will against his.

The miko had shattered his armour with her arrow early on in their acquaintance, and if that hadn’t been a challenge, Sesshoumaru didn’t know what was! Especially when she had promptly fired another arrow at him afterwards! 

So now, at last – and once it had become clear whatever there was between Inuyasha and the miko did not exceed the bounds of friendship – Sesshoumaru had started to challenge her back.

Currently, his preferred method of doing so was depositing the orphans he collected at her doorstep.

And to the miko’s credit, she had risen to the challenge marvellously.

Speaking of…

Sesshoumaru slanted a glance over his shoulder, and at the human boy following after him beside Jaken.

“We are almost there,” he informed them, his voice even.

Soon enough, they could see Edo in the distance.

A small smile rose to Sesshoumaru’s lips.

He was looking forward to the next encounter, eager to see how the miko would respond this time.

Sesshoumaru gathered his youki around himself and then let it flare up, sending a signal to his miko.

He was coming to give her her next challenge.

After finally getting Rin to look after the twins, Kagome marched to the edge of the village, where she immediately assumed a confrontational pose – hands on her hips, blue eyes glaring at Sesshoumaru.

Her gaze flicked to the young boy nervously fidgeting next to Jaken. He was human and looked to be around ten years old.

Kagome swallowed a sigh and turned to the boy.

“Hello, sweetheart. Welcome to Edo, my name is Kagome. I’ll talk to you a little later; for now you’d probably like something to eat, right? Jaken, please take him to Kaede’s.”

The kappa sputtered, but despite the grumbling under his breath, obeyed, telling the boy to follow along as he tottered away.

As soon as the two had left, Kagome whirled back to Sesshoumaru.

“How does this keep happening?” she demanded to know. “Where do you find these children? Why do you keep on bringing them here? I can’t do this anymore Sesshoumaru, I swear! This has gone on long enough!�� 

She was pushing into his personal space now, all but wagging her finger at his face in righteous fury.

“I agree,” Sesshoumaru intoned smoothly.

“I’m telling you,” Kagome growled. “...Wait, what?”

“You are correct, miko, that is time to bring this charade to an end. Entertaining though it has been, I suggest it is beyond time for us to formalise our relationship.”

And just like that, Kagome’s anger was gone. Vanished, together with any sense she’d previously had of this entire conversation.

What was the infuriating daiyoukai on about?

“What relationship?” Kagome asked, suddenly apprehensive.

“Do not act coy with me, miko,” Sesshoumaru said, his eyes hooded. “We have been going around these circles for years now.”

“What circles?” Kagome was growing both more alarmed and confused by the second.

“I have presented you with multiple challenges,” Sesshoumaru told her patiently, nodding towards Kaede’s hut. “You have risen to each one and proven yourself brilliantly.”

“Challenges?” Kagome glanced at Kaede’s hut, then her own, then at Sesshoumaru. “You’ve been bringing me children because you’ve wanted to challenge me? What the hell?!”

“In part. Mostly I brought them because of the inconvenience. Nevertheless, I figured you would not be averse to a challenge, now that you and Inuyasha are no longer… involved.”

Flabbergasted. That was the word. That was what Kagome was feeling. Her mind simply wasn’t keeping up with the complete lack of logic of Sesshoumaru’s conversation.

“What does Inuyasha have to do with this?” 

“You have been challenging me since the beginning of our acquaintance,” Sesshoumaru began.

I have? Kagome wondered, trying to think back to see what on Earth Sesshoumaru could be referring to.

Maybe the time she’d had an arrow ready and aimed at him and had shouted the next one would be for his heart?

She grimaced.

“But for the longest time I was not certain if I should respond in kind, especially as Inuyasha had a prior claim,” he continued.

What claim? No. Kagome shook her head. No matter how much the daiyoukai tried to explain, none of this was making any sense.

“However I have now responded to you in kind. And you have proven yourself to me, and I assume likewise my performance whenever you have challenged me has met your approval as well. Thus, I think it is time to stop playing these games and make it official.”

“Make what official, Sesshoumaru?” Kagome snapped losing patience. 

Feeling stupid also didn’t help her temper.

Sesshoumaru blinked, slowly.

“Our mating, of course.”

Kagome’s mouth fell open. No words came out.

She was pretty sure that hell had just frozen over.

Unless…! Maybe?

She pinched herself and hissed in pain.

Nope, still in the middle of this absurd conversation.

She probably should say something.

Ask Sesshoumaru if he had completely lost his damn mind, maybe.

Be firm.

“M-mating?” Kagome squeaked.

Way uncool, Kagome, she chided herself.

Her mind was furiously trying backtrack. Trying to find a previous save point from a time when the world had still made sense.

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru said, unhelpfully, plunging Kagome further into chaos.

“So what you mean by challenging is…?” Kagome asked, in a vain attempt to recover some sanity.

“A typical behaviour of a suitor. How do you know if the object of your interest is truly worthy of your affections if you do not challenge them to prove themselves to you?” Sesshoumaru said, finally sounding unsure of himself

Oh.

The light bulb finally clicked on.

Oh no.

Was Sesshoumaru telling her… That basically the entire time they had known one another… he had thought she’d been flirting with him?

Kagome stared at him in mute horror.

He’d been bringing her orphan children in some convoluted and misguided effort to flirt back?!

Oh god.

“I sense some reluctance from you.” Sesshoumaru frowned.

No shit!

Kagome tried to gather her brain from the floor and scramble it for some sort of sensible words she might offer to Sesshoumaru, but before she could find any, he continued.

“Perhaps I have not proven myself to you yet? Do you wish to issue one last challenge?”

“I… Umm…” were all that Kagome’s poor brain had left to offer.

Sesshoumaru nodded gravely. “Very well. I accept.”

With three quick steps, Sesshoumaru had closed their distance.

All of a sudden, Kagome had to crane her neck in order to meet his eyes.

There was a look there, glimmering in those golden depths, that unnerved her more than this entire disaster of an encounter had.

As he leaned forward, Kagome’s eyes widened, her heart jumped, her stomach plummeted, her breath caught.

And then he was kissing her and… wow.

Wow. 

Okay, maybe this crazy notion of his did have some merit if this was what he had to offer.

His hand had come up to cradle her head. His fingers tangled in her hair, his claws lightly scraped against her scalp.

Whoo, talk about toe-curling.

One eternity later, Sesshoumaru pulled away.

Kagome drew in a quivering breath, her heart beating a mad, giddy rhythm. 

Had he proven himself?

You bet.

Still dazed, she looked into his eyes, the slow beginning of a smile blooming on her lips.

And then Sesshoumaru spoke.

“Are you aware that someone appears to have vomited milk in your hair?”

Ahh, yes.

That.

That they would probably still need to work on.

“Yes, I am,” Kagome retorted. “That tends to happen around babies.”

“Noted,” Sesshoumaru replied, deadpan. “So, have I proven myself sufficiently?”

Kagome bit her lip and took a moment to consider.

“You have proven yourself,” she said slowly. “But I am not ready yet to make our mating official. I think it would be fair if we tried some human courting, first.”

Sesshoumaru tilted his head.

“I suppose that your customs should require equal opportunity,” he admitted, his voice considering. “I must confess, however, that I am woefully ignorant of the ways of human courting practices.”

Kagome gave him a rueful smile.

Just as ignorant as she’d been about youkai flirting, she’d bet. But still, going forward, it would be best to avoid any further confusion and miscommunication.

“Don’t worry,” Kagome told him, reaching to take his hand in hers. “I’ll tell you all about it.” 

[endlessfangirlao3]

Why I like Gen

@assagirigen on twitter dared me so-

Gen Asagiri is an interesting person.

 When we first meet him he shows himself as a shallow man who wants nothing more than to be on the winning side. Does matter to him which side wins he just wants to be on that side. The reader already knows about Tsukasa and his plan at this point. We know he is killing older people and only letting the young live, so to hear Gen say he doesn’t care about that and saying he was leaning more to Tsukasa. was a great way of showing how shallow he can be. All though I don’t think he is as shallow as he claimed.

 Right after he says all of this he saves Senkuu from being killed by Magma. At this point Gen only heard claims of what Senkuu could do and has no proof for himself. Gen’s mission was to make sure Senkuu was dead so if Gen stepped aside and let Magma kill him Gen would be done with his mission, but no Gen stands up to one of the strongest people in the village with only flowers. The moment Gen saw electricity in the stone world his thoughts of a harem were totally outweighed. (Literally. Chapter 24 last page) If Gen really was on Tsukasa’s side his harem would be more important to him, but Gen isn’t and even praises Senkuu saying “Y..You can’t be serious Senkuu!! In this completely empty stone world starting from zero! I can’t believe you really did it..”. At this point Gen has proof of Senkuu’s genius, but he still knows being in the Kingdom of science meant manual labor. Something he was not about. Still, he helped Senkuu by convincing Kinro and Girno to help with the generator. I think the moment Gen saw the light bulb he knew Senkuu could 100% bring back the old world.

In chapter 26 we see a flashback Tsukasa depetrified Gen. The moment Tsukasa says he killed a man (That at this point Gen had no idea who) Gen looks suspicious of Tsukasa. 

In the same chapter we see the group talk about Gen and asking if he is a good guy. Chrome even asks if Gen is listening trying to rile him up. Gen blows off the statements from Chrome saying he is a silver tongue mentalist and he doesn’t care, but us the reader already know where his loyalties are. Even part of his name means loyalty. Asagiri, Giri (ぎり) being loyal/ duty. Gen walks over to the generator and runs his hand over it foundly. Even after Gen got stabbed and almost died by Magma he was still loyal to Senkuu and the kingdom of science. We find out that he used blood bags and that dulled some of the blows but it still left Gen hurt. One thing I want to point out quickly is when did Gen back the blood bags? You could say before he got to the village, but he didn’t know he would be attacked there. He was so confident in his flower trick why would he need blood bags? I think Gen knew he had to get away from Tsukasa because it wasn’t safe there. In chapter 50 we see another flashback where Gen thinks “It’ll be hard to break through with just eloquent words” when he looks at the blissfully happy people in the empire of might. Gen was planning to leave/ stop Tsukasa but he couldn’t do it alone. So what he said before was just a lie to see what Senkuu could do and if Gen was truly safe if he joined the kingdom of science. Gen heard what Kohaku said about if he didn’t go back to tell Tsukasa Senkuu was Dead Tsukasa was suely going to find out. Gen could have asked a lot of Senkuu seeing how smart he was, but no he just just asked for a cola.

The next morning Gen, still recovering, ran up a mountain to the empire of might. He makes it there and is clearly out of breath but waste no time telling Tsukasa that Senkuu was dead. In short Gen in that moment laced his fate with the Kingdom of science. If they went down so did he. Even adding “Without a shadow of a doubt”.

We don’t see Gen again for quite a bit of time but the next time we see him he says that “I need the kingdom of science to win this too,” He knows he had tied his fate with the Kingdom of science. He frames it like it is all for Cola but a few pages later Gen says “heh well, I don’t exactly think he is that nice of a person” When Gen finds the carbonic acid. Gen didn’t actually think Senkuu was going to make him a cola. When Gen walks back to the lab and sees the cola he is surprised too and the smile he had on his face while drinking the cola too says a lot about how this isn’t something he expected but an unexpected gift.

Gen is still a double agent in chapter 45 when he informs Senkuu that Tsukasa’s armies are coming. He still acts like he is just a shallow person but when Gen says that he is sweating and his scar is a bit beant. Gen puts himself in harm's way again By telling Hyoga goons that he is going to be a spy in the village. When Hyoga shows up Gen picks up on Senkuu’s plan and manipulates Magma into doing what Gen asks of him. Gen used his knowledge of Magma and his wants to help Senkuu. Gen made it look like the village had guns and forced Hyoga to retreat. Gen knows that will make the prideful idiots pissed off that they lost and they will want revenge as quick as possible so Gen brings up attacking during a storm. Gen leaves small trail flowers and makes small cuts into Hyoga’s spear with the hope that it will help save someone. Gen knows damn well how strong Hyoga is but he still risks his life making those cuts and leaving a trail. Gen has 100% of confidence In Senkuu and the kingdom of science and so officially sides with them. Even with a seemingly impossible goal of a phone Gen still gets the villages on Senkuu’s side and they help with the telephone.

Once Gen officially joins the kingdom of science we see him enjoying himself and actually smiling a lot more. He goes along with a meme, appreciates a christmas tree, and  he even does a little song while making batteries. (adorable). I also noticed that part of Gen’s manipulation is through his hand movements so when he is relaxed he hides his hands. (he does it a lot)

Chapter 54, Senkuu is visibly more stressed and then Gen notices he looks a bit sad. (excuse me fangirling) What does Gen do? Leave it be and let Senkuu be stressed? NOPE! He gets Senkuu up to watch the first sunrise of the new year. He even says “Changing the mood and refreshing one’s spirits… that is my job isn’t it?” Gen didn't say everyone. He said one’s like he knows Senkuu is worried and wants to help him relax a bit.

When Gen sees that Magma is clearlying going to try and kill Senkuu, Gen tells Mamga a quick story and saves both Chrome and Senkuu. I am guessing he told the same story to the village and convinced them to help with an observatory for Senkuu’s birthday. Did Gen have to do this? No. It didn’t do anything besides just make work for him (I swear this is not going to be a Sengen rant). The pleased face Gen has looking at Senkuu just says everything.

Not saying Gen isn’t still a manipulative person who will lie to get to his goals but it’s not really his goals anymore. It’s the goals of the kingdom of science Gen is now lying for. Even with his beyond crazy plan of tricking the Empire of might into thinking Lillian is still alive he knows that it’s wrong morally but that doesn’t matter. It will help take Tsukasa and Hyoga down. Gen was fully ready to be hated and hunted down by the others for lying but as long as they can save everyone that doesn’t matter.

Chapter 64,

Gen is with Chrome and Magma when they find the people that are going to be depetrified. Magma brings up just killing them and how that would just be the easiest thing. Gen’s logical side agrees and he says breaking them would be for the best, but right before Magma can smash the man Gen thinks about how the statue isn’t just a sauce but a human with a family, memories, and loved ones that would miss him. Gen stops Magma and says that they have done nothing wrong. “Even for a realist like me.. When the time comes that we take direct action we’re really weak aren’t we~? So weak…” Even though it would be the easiest plan Gen can’t bring himself to let people be killed.

Skipping the treasure arccc! I refuse.

American arc!

Last one alright. Gen is captured by Stan and is questioned about the leader of the ship. Gen being the master liar says it’s Taiju. Gen even apologized to Taiju for doing that to him. Gen knows he is in a lot of danger. This isn’t science v raw brute force anymore. This was science v science but still Gen remains loyal to Senkuu and buys him time.

Gen is full of cheap tricks he uses for the kingdom of science. While yes Gen is manipulative he uses it for good which I like. He could use it for his own gain but he never really uses his knowagle against people for his gain. Gen knows he is manipulative and is honest with himself about it. He was willing to take on the hate of others just to save other people. That’s why I love Gen Asagiri. (Also he’s design is great)