#then that turned to “little ichi”; until one day “little star” was brought up and it stuck

[ittybittystarryshow]

if i had a nickel for each pjsekai character whose favorite nickname when tiny is "little star" i would have a total of TWO nickels

[iprincezzinuyoukai]

So after a few days that I published my first fanfic of this fandom my head started to fill with ideas, so at the moment I’ve at least three new ideas that I want to write and I hope very soon to publish, as long as it doesn’t distract me.

This one turned out to be a little longer than the last one, I tried to keep it a little short...

This will also go to my AO3 (same username), to all those kind people who read and commented on my fanfic, thank you very much and I hope this will be just as much to their liking. If you have a prompt you can tell me (／・ω・)／

Fu*k, Tumblr, how do you out read more on mobile

Forgiveness

Of all the places they could have chosen to heal their wounds that lizard had inflicted on them, it’d to be this land of ice and darkness. It wasn’t the first time they fled to this place, but they were sure they wouldn’t let time freeze them again.

Their wings had been scorched, and two heads shattered to ashes in a matter of seconds, and when all seemed lost to them, the other Titans arrived, witnessing their weakness. Witnessing their defeat.

And in the distraction, and coronation of the weak King, they managed to escape to the sea using one of the tunnels to get away.

The regeneration of their heads always bothered them, it showed that they were weak and had been attacked with their guard down, now because of the radiation this time was more painful than ever, painful and slow; Without the other two heads they couldn’t create their destructive rays, they couldn’t fight. Their wings were the ones they longed for to regenerate. They’d to get out of here, they’d to challenge the weak King again, show him that they wouldn’t be submissive like the others Titans.

They didn’t want to be here where there was nothing and no one...

A familiar schriek in the air made them look up at the direction it came from.

A light red flash flew over the dark clouds. The red demon screeched a few more times as soon as he spotted them, Ghidorah growled showing their fangs, ignoring him. Once Rodan was over them he flew in circles, dropping sparks that fell on their body and wings. The sparks didn’t hurt them, they weren’t harmful to them like the irradiation of the weak King, they were rather warm. A strange feeling that only made them realize how frozen, and lonely, they’d been until now.

The fire demon landed close enough to them, at a considerably safe distance from them. Ghidorah could see it, it wasn’t the distance like before, when he was flying by their side, shooting down those metal birds. When he’d become their partner in their conquest and transformation of this world.

The three-headed hydra grumbled and avoided looking at the fire demon when he wailed, trying to get their attention. He was the first to kneel before the weak King, that fire demon had no standards, no pride.

Rodan squealed a couple of times, from his safe distance, shaking his head from top to bottom, hoping that one of the heads would recognize his presence. None of them wanted to see him.

Ni growled at San as the red demon’s wails began to take effect on them and the third head tried to see the fire demon, something both, Ichi and Ni, began to exasperate them because — They also wanted to see him.

They listened to the desperate call of the bird of destruction, but ignored it. The wail came back and they growled. They didn’t respond to anything or anyone, whatever the red demon wanted from them, it wouldn’t work. However, as soon as they felt the fire demon trying to get close to their still unhealed wings, they lost their patience, snapping at the fire creature, they spread their damaged golden wings trying to intimidate him, this time roaring to the sky and after so long, their rays came out of their snouts, illuminating the dark sky.

When the sound of thunder and lightning was over, the world went silent again, except for the blizzard, which was all the sound left between them.

The three heads growled at Rodan, hoping the red demon would understand that they didn’t want him around.

Rodan screeched totally annoyed, to Ghidorah’s surprise, and at the three pair of eyes the fire demon spread his wings and took off into the sky quickly, breaking the dark clouds and clearing the sky.

Even the blizzard was gone, leaving him all alone again.

San looked up to the sky, looking for a bright red shape flying in the now starry sky, there was nothing else. Rodan was really gone. Their partner had abandoned them, again. The third head looked at his brothers, only Ni denied shaking his head, pointing to Ichi who let himself fall onto the frozen ground.

They didn’t need the fire demon, he was now serving the false King, surely he’d sent him to find them because he’d been the Titan with whom he’d shared most time. This was just another trap. At any moment, the weak King would appear to finish his battle —

A shriek was heard again in the air, this time the three heads raised their eyes to the red flash in the sky; Ichi looked at the frozen ground, hoping for a bioluminescent blue breaking beneath them... Nothing. Rodan had returned alone.

The fire demon landed closer to them this time, carrying two whales on his beak. Leaving them in front of them, Rodan waited.

Ghidorah wasn’t hungry, they didn’t need food, they didn’t need sleep either, they weren’t from this planet so they weren’t bound by its rules and laws — Yet they hadn’t understood why this gesture made him feel different, they had chosen a partner when in the past the idea had never crossed their minds. Why?

Rodan screeched again, this time impatient at the dubious reaction of his former King and partner.

The middle head roared, they were in every right to be suspicious, they weren’t fully recovered, they turned their eyes to the whale. They weren’t surprised it was San who started nibbling on the meat. Looking towards Ni, the right head sighed and began to nibble the soft flesh.

Ichi looked at Rodan, the fire creature looked content with himself as if he’d completed something. So Ichi didn’t have much left, but to eat with his brothers, always on guard in case the weak King appeared or the annoying Queen was laughing in the air with her even more annoying song, instead was the fire demon by their side, peering his wings like it was the most important thing to do now that he brought food to them.

Once only the bones were left, and Ghidorah was satisfied, was that Rodan approached them, bringing his magma body to their golden one, spreading his heat.

It’d have been a moment they’d have accepted, if it hadn’t been because Rodan was reeking of the weak King.

The red demon screeched angrily when two heads began to bite him and a third rubbed against his neck and wings. Understanding that his former King was trying to impregnate their scent Rodan had no choice, but to let them do their ministrations or else he’d have a three-headed King throwing tantrums.

As soon as the fire demon began to smell like them, Ghidorah was satisfied with themselves. San was the most expressive of the three, nuzzling his head with Rodan’s, to which the fire demon responded in the same way.

Oh, there was that feeling again. Wanting to prove that they were still strong enough to take back their title as King, to prove to the fire demon that they were worth for him to stay by their side.

A green curtain lit up the starry sky, then a red layer followed, and so a yellow, pink, and violet layer, creating a night rainbow that marveled at both Titans.

It was a wonderful sight, a fleeting memory from thousands of years ago when they came to this planet and the nights were painted with bright stars and colored curtains, for a moment it reminded them of when they were up there and realized that — They didn’t miss space as much as they’d convinced themselves, they’d missed the stars, and to gazing at them with someone.

Rodan looked up at the colored sky, he’d never seen anything like it before, of course he’d never gone to places as cold as these, his shrines were volcanoes, warm places, but he’d to go back for his partner. For a moment he observed Ghidorah being hypnotized by such a spectacle, it was like seeing a hatchling.

With that thought, Rodan settled next to the biggest Titan, feeling two heads settling over his body and a third nuzzle against his neck.

Tonight, King Ghidorah would allow Rodan to stand by their side, share his warmth and their stars, marvel at the secrets this planet still held, but tomorrow they’d accelerate their regeneration, and leave this frozen place, the world had to know that they were here, and that they’d be ready to challenge the weak King once again.

[cant-blink]

Stockholm Syndrome, Ch. 3 (Rodorah Fanfic)

Chapter Summary  Rodan spends a restless night with Ghidorah and more cross-species miscommunication to torture our little fire birb with :D

Chapter 3

For how exhausted he was, and still is, sleep continued to escape him.

Still sitting against the wall, Rodan barely moved from his position, beak still tucked under his wing. His mind was a muddled mess, and his eyelids felt so heavy. Yet when he closed them for so much as a minute, a deep instinctive panic would grip hold of him and with a skip of a heartbeat, he found himself snapping back awake. It wasn't as if he was convinced the dragon would kill him in his sleep; it's been made clear by now that Ghidorah preferred him alive. Yet the thick blanket of fear surrounding him was too strong to let him drift off, seizing him whenever he dared venture towards unconsciousness. It was the telepathic waves Ghidorah was giving off, he was sure of it. Rodan couldn't even move further to lessen the intensity. It was torment, utter torment.

Ghidorah was still laying by the lava pit, washed with the orange glow that lit up two piercing eyes that would flash in his direction whenever he moved. Otherwise, the wyvern paid him no mind. No words were spoken, the silence broken only by the bubbling of the molten pool. Mostly, the lead head of the monstrous creature was focused on the sky above them, beyond the rim of their volcanic nest.

THEIR nest, Rodan hated that his mind had admitted to that so easily. Hated even more that this was the first time in millennia that he was sharing a nest with someone. Instinct wouldn't let it go, and the sheer awkwardness it brought only made him feel worse. He's been so lonely for thousands of years and when he FINALLY gets someone to accompany him in the volcano, it had to be THEM. It was like a cruel joke the universe was playing on him. He would have preferred the loneliness over this.

He shivered a bit, though he wasn't sure if it was from fear or feeling too cold. He was used to sleeping in the lava pool and he felt so vulnerable without it. Like a security blanket ripped away from him, like he risked death if he didn't sleep within its comforts. A primal instinct, he's sure, from back in the days where predators were a constant threat. Really, Ghidorah probably wouldn't care if he were to go into the pool, and maybe the comfort of the magma would outweigh the fear and let him sleep? But to fall asleep so close to the hydra made him shudder even more.

And so, after several more failed attempts to get some shut-eye, Rodan settled on busying himself with preening. He wasn't sure what else to do to pass the time; the alternative would be to try to make conversation, and he'd rather not. Even if the silence was only adding to his discomfort. Unfortunately, some exchange of words between them was inevitable, and he startled when the lead head spoke up in a hushed but firm voice.

"Go to sleep." There was an edge to his voice, like he thought that Rodan was keeping himself awake intentionally and was growing impatient with him. Rodan tried not to look at the dragon, trying to appear nonchalant as he preened his wing fingers.

"I'm not tired," he lied and he wondered if he sounded convincing enough. Either way, the hydra only gave a snort before returning his gaze back to the stars. The pterosaur almost let out a breath of relief, as he didn't want to talk and he certainly didn't want to admit that he was too afraid to go to sleep. Let Ghidorah think he's doing this on purpose, he didn't care.

Rodan wasn't sure how much time has passed since those words were spoken. It was around midnight if he had to wager a guess, when the lead head started nudging San awake. The left head seemed to have been close to stirring anyway, so it didn't take much for him open his eyes and yawn. The right head too seemed to have stirred a bit, but made no effort to rise and instead looked as though he was about to fall back asleep. The active two shared brief conversation that broke the silence, still speaking their odd alien language. Although Rodan couldn't make sense of it, he could tell they were speaking of him, for the lead head gave a pointed nod in his direction. Ni, still not rising, muttered something as if adding to the conversation. Whatever he said had the middle head grunt before shifting their left wing forward to settle his head upon it. He seemed to doze off almost instantly, something Rodan felt envious towards.

No sooner had the middle head settled down than Ni opened his eyes and glared in Rodan's direction, giving a harsh growl. "Sleep."

It surprised the pterosaur certainly; at this point, he just assumed the right head couldn't speak earth's language at all. Although the word was spoken in a tired voice, it still carried a threatening tone laced with hatred. Rodan tried to show he wasn't intimidated by continuing to preen casually. Ni snarled, but said nothing more as he turned away and fell still and silent. The bird kept in a breath of relief; it always felt like he was treading on thin ice with that guy.

San was staring curiously at Rodan, tilting his head a bit before turning away. Like his brother before him, the third head watched the sky above them. But he was prone to distraction even now and after a while, San seemed to have gotten bored and he lowered his head to check that Ni was back to sleep. After a moment, he moved to check on the middle head. Fast asleep. He seemed satisfied and snaked off to the side.

Rodan became more tense. He didn't like how active this one was being compared to the relative stillness of the lead head. But it didn't look like San was interested in him as instead, he explored the nest as much as he could without moving the body too much and risk waking his siblings. The pterosaur watched San like a hawk, not trusting him, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously when San found the chunk of obsidian he was examining before they all turned in for the night. The dragon began sniffing it and pushing it around, letting out a soft purr. Was he... playing? With a rock? He concluded that yes, he was when San began throwing it into the air and catching it again in his jaws.

He never took Ghidorah as being one that would play like this. Granted, it's not as though he spent ample time with the hydra to begin with. Still, he couldn't picture the other two heads being okay with behavior like this, especially when the left head was supposed to be keeping watch. Maybe that's why San took the time to ensure they wouldn't catch him in the act. Rodan wondered what would happen if he were to rat him out...

He froze when the rock eventually landed by him and this spurred the dragon to finally speak up in a soft purring voice.

"Brother Ni told you to sleep," he started as he crept closer to the pterosaur, eyes locked on the rock. "You should do what he says."

"Why does he care?" Rodan hissed in response, mindful to keep his voice down so as not to wake the others. He didn't like the hydra slithering closer to him; it seemed too predatory to his already on-edge instincts. Especially when San finally looked at him, eyes flashing in the lava's light.

"Because Brother Ichi demands it," he told the pterosaur. He nodded towards his slumbering siblings pointedly. "And Brother Ni always makes sure his demands are met. He told us that if you don't sleep when I wake him up, he will choke you until you do." Rodan felt his wings twitch at the threat. San seemed oblivious, smirking as if taking pleasure in these words. "I can do it myself, right now, and Brother Ichi will be happy with me. But Brother Ni thinks of hurting you a lot. I don't know if I should deny him..."

Rodan stiffened when San began to move towards Ni as if threatening to wake him up right here and now and Rodan spoke before he could stop himself. "As if I could." This brought San to a halt and the dragon looked at him from the corner of his eye. He still had that stupid grin on his snout, as if they were playing some sort of game. A sick game where Rodan didn't know any of the rules or what the goal was. All he can do is try to avoid the looming threat of strangulation. So he continued, glaring at the left head. "With how persistent you guys are acting about this, how can I not be suspicious? Why the hell should I sleep?"

"Oh, our slave is so..." He paused, as if trying to think of the right word. "... silly?" San purred in amusement, snickering softly as he nodded to himself. "Yes, silly. Stupid too." At Rodan's growl, he turned fully to look at the pterosaur. "We can do what we want to you, when we want. We don't have to wait for you to sleep, that would be boring." He shook his head. "No. You will sleep now so you don't sleep while you work. Brother Ichi won't be pleased if you're useless."

"Can you just shut up?" was all Rodan muttered. He wasn't sure how he should be feeling about this conversation. San's voice wasn't nearly as harsh as his brethren, almost gentle even. But the darkness in his eyes, the words he was saying, and the threats he was implying didn't match his tone, at all. It was jarring.

"You want to escape us," San continued with certainty, not at all listening to Rodan's comment. "That's why you don't sleep. But you will be awake forever waiting." Rodan said nothing to that, and San let out a soft chuckle as he corrected himself. "Not forever. Just until we kill you."

"You don't scare me." Rodan hissed with eyes narrowed at the predatory look the dragon was giving him, feeling himself falter with that sentence although he tried his best to believe it.

"Then sleep." San called him out. Rodan glared at him, shifting his wings a bit. His pride was making this difficult, not wanting to admit that his fear was what's keeping him awake. Something out of his control. Yet if he doesn't obey, more pain awaits him. He doesn't doubt at all that Ni wanted any excuse to hurt him and thinking back to that conversation they were having, Ichi doesn't seem opposed to the idea of strangling him into unconsciousness. He continued to stare at San as the head gave a soft purr. "Very well."

Rodan hesitated as the dragon went towards Ni again and his words are almost caught in his throat. It was difficult squeezing them out, but he managed it. "I'm trying, alright?"

Again, San stopped and Rodan swallowed his pride, one set of wing claws fiddling a bit with the rock by him.

"You think I want to be awake right now? I've been trying to sleep but YOU won't let me. With this fake fear you've been using." He wanted to emphasize the 'fake'; even now, last thing he wanted was for the hydra to think any of his fear was real. Much less, make himself think his fear was real. Unfortunately-

"Brother Ichi turned it off," San pointed out, grinning wider at Rodan with a gleam in his eyes as if he'd won that unspoken game between them. "There is no 'fake' fear."

...

That bastard...

He turned his eyes away at this point, turned his whole back to the hydra. He was so tired, so paranoid that he didn't even notice the fog of terror no longer existed. When was it turned off? When Ichi fell asleep? Before they had even settled down? Was it all in his mind, where the concept of this serpent sleeping in his nest was so distressing that his pride tricked him into thinking his fear of them had to be fake? The fact that he just unintentionally admitted that he was genuinely afraid of them pissed him off, his frustration growing when he heard the playful chuckle from the dragon.

"Very funny slave."

That comment wasn't helping and he had to bite his tongue to keep from cursing San out. He didn't trust himself not to speak too loud and wake the others. He didn't want to imagine what'll happen if he disturbed their sleep. He took a deep breath, taking a moment to sort through his thoughts. He tried to speak calmly, softly.

"Fine..." he muttered. "You win whatever the hell this is..." He was too tired for this shit and he tossed the rock towards the dragon, whom eagerly snatched it from the air in his jaws.

"As fun as it is," San continued as he placed the rock on the ground, his chuckles fading. "I don't want for Brother Ichi to be displeased with me. You must sleep now, and if you can't, then I or Brother Ni will help you. Pick one."

"I don't need either of you guys' help," Rodan hissed, not looking at him as he turned his attention to the lava pit instead. He was torn: he didn't want to come any closer to them but the consequences of what will happen if he didn't obey echoed in his mind. His best hope to falling asleep was the comfort of the lava, even if it meant he'll be spending the night laying right next to his captor. San watched him curiously as he shuffled closer, likely not expecting this, but he seemed on alert. No doubt he was ready to strike if Rodan pulled anything funny.

But the pterosaur doesn't acknowledge him, steps slow and hesitant as he reached the edge of the pool. Only giving the dragon a glance, he tucked his wings as he slid into the pool. It was barely large enough to fit him, and the lava only reach up his chest as he settled himself down. It didn't matter. Feeling the liquid rock against his armored hide, its effect was almost immediate. Despite the close proximity to the dragon, Rodan felt the instinctive sense of vulnerability leave him. This was what he was used to, rather than sitting in the open inviting whatever imaginary predators were out there to take advantage of him. If he closed his eyes, he could get himself to forget his entire situation.

Setting his chin on the rim of the pool, he was asleep before he even realized it. At least for this one night, this one last night, things can feel normal again.

-

There was a small sense of disappointment in San, as he watched the funny little slave fall asleep. A part of him was kinda-sorta hoping he would continue to be difficult, have him resort to waking up his older brother. The left head always found it amusing to watch when his sibling brutally put someone in their place. He should've done that from the start instead of toying with the slave's fear. The thought of waking the bird before stirring Ni crossed his mind, but he discarded it quickly. His bloodlust was strong, but his desire to please his eldest brother was stronger. Ichi wanted the bird asleep, San got him to sleep. The spark of disappointment was smothered in a sense of pride. He finally did something right and the praise he'll get come morning would be worth it, he's sure!

Glancing at the funny slave on occasion, San continued playing with his rock toy. He only had a short time to do whatever he wanted without his brothers reprimanding him; soon, he'll have to turn in for the rest of the night. Of course, distracted as he was, he would still keep watch as he's supposed to do. He would look up towards the sky above every now and again. He didn't like doing it though, mostly because he would get a little homesick seeing all the stars up there. Something he knew his brothers felt as well, even if they wouldn't admit it. Although this planet was very interesting and San had no qualms exploring it for the next thousand years, it didn't mean he wouldn't miss the cold expanse of space during that time, the feeling of utter weightlessness as they moved from planet to planet.

The memory of the distant galaxies awaiting them was almost nostalgic, reminding him of how small he and his brothers really are, but offering limitless possibilities and an eternity to discover those possibilities.

Maybe they have been here too long after all...

Shaking his head, San took the rock and nudged it closer to where he had slept, under the wing Ichi had placed over their left tail. The feeling of sleepiness was taking him again, keeping him on the schedule they adapted to this world. Their sleeping cycle was extremely flexible, as one would expect from all the traveling they did across the universe. They would always rest in shifts, Ni and him alternating every cycle on whom would take up watch after Ichi; that way they would both get uninterrupted sleep every other resting period. Between worlds, this was to ensure they stayed on route, each head steering their body towards their pre-determined destination.

That was another thing San enjoyed: during their travels, he was given full control of the body during his watch. As long as he didn't veer off course too much, he enjoyed the sense of freedom. When they're on a planet though, the presence of gravity meant they had to rest on the ground and his movement was extremely limited as a result. Move too much and he'd wake his siblings, then he'll get disciplined by BOTH of them and that's no fun.

With the rock safely hidden, San moved to awaken his right-sided counterpart, nudging his nose gently against his kin's snout. This got a soft growl; Ni was already stirring on his own. San purred at him, trying to appease his brother's irritation but he only got a snort before Ni rose his head up with a yawn. Almost immediately, he glanced towards where their slave was once resting, and when he saw the spot was empty, he jolted into full alertness and glared harshly towards San with a snarl. The youngest immediately lowered himself and piped up in defense.

"I got him to sleep. See?" He pointed his snout towards the pterosaur. Ni followed his gaze and exhaled sharply when he saw the fire pest motionless in the lava pool by them. San gave another purr, clearly proud of his accomplishment and almost like he was trying to get praise from his older brother. But Ni gives no such praise; San would have better luck getting it from their worst enemy than his own brother. Besides...

Not quite letting San off the hook just yet, Ni slithered towards their slave, checking for himself that the bird was asleep. Wouldn't surprise him if the stupid creature was faking it to escape punishment. San watched silently as Ni examined the slave's face and breaths. After a minute, he placed his jaws around one of the fire pest's crests. He gradually increased the pressure of his bite, getting no reaction whatsoever, even when he bit down hard enough to draw a bit of blood. The bird was knocked out for sure.

San grinned towards his brother, who glared at him before conceding that the bird wasn't faking. He still doesn't acknowledge his younger brother's success as he pulled himself away from the slave.

"See?" San persisted, only to get a harsh bite on his horn.

"Shut up and sleep." his older brother demanded and San knew better than to keep pushing. As hard as his brother was, he knew deep down, Ni was totally proud of him doing something right for once! At least, that's what he tells himself.

"M'kay," San chirped, before he pressed his forehead against his sibling's neck, ignoring the annoyed way he was pushed off. "Goodnight, Brother Ni." He only got a grunt in response and he carefully pushed himself beneath the wing Ichi was sleeping on to return to his original resting spot. Ni gave one last glance towards their slave before focusing his eyes upward, finally left in peace.

Or at least he would be if he didn't hear the sound of something rolling and sliding along the rock floor and he hesitated, narrowed eyes shooting around the cavern floor. He was prepared for an intruder, but alas, his sharp ears quickly pinpoints the source as coming from under their left wing. Peeking underneath, Ni saw that San was playing with a rock instead of sleeping like he was supposed to. Lips curling up in a snarl, he bit into his disobedient sibling's neck harshly, earning a muffled yelp. He glanced towards Ichi, whom only shifted slightly in his sleep before he returned his attention to the youngest.

"Give it to me," Ni snarled in a hushed, but no less threatening voice. San gave a whimper, peeking out from under the wing and looking up at his sibling with sad eyes. The rock was in his mouth and Ni rudely snatched it and crushed it in his jaws, spilling pieces to the ground and spitting out the ones remaining in his mouth into the lava pit. The whines only got louder as San watched the shattered remains of his toy melt and sink into the magma. But Ni wasn't moved by his sibling's distress. "Last time I'm saying this to anyone tonight: Sleep, or I'll do to your skull what I did to that rock."

Still whimpering, San retreated back under the wing and rested his chin on their tail. He really liked that rock too. It had a funny taste and he liked how it caught the light as he rolled it around. But as usual, he never got to keep his toys for long.

His whimpers eventually died down into silence as the night carried on and he drifted back to sleep.

It was a few uneventful hours before the sky began to brighten into a lighter blue as this world turned this tiny island towards its star. The morning was silent, and the sky was still clear of their storm. Ni lowered his gaze towards Ichi as the eldest brother began to stir, reluctantly relinquishing control of the body as the alpha gave a stretch of their wings. The membrane scraped along the side of the volcano nest and this helped rouse the dragon further.

Lifting his head, Ichi gave a yawn and his eyes scanned around the nest as their wings refolded to their original position. His eyes settled on the empty spot the fire pest used to be in but Ni already responded before his sibling could question.

"In the lava." His deep voice lacked the usual harshness it carried towards anyone else he spoke to, instead sounding a bit more respectful if rather monotone. Speaking to his dominant brother was the only time his voice changed in such a way; he didn't like it, but he had long since disregarded the feelings of resentment and jealousy towards his older brother. For the most part anyway.

Ichi glanced towards the pool of molten rock, only slightly surprised to find the bird next to them. Whatever worked in the end, he supposed. He nodded softly. "And how long has he been resting?"

"Some time under San's watch," Ni answered. "I imagine it wasn't too long after we slept."

"Very good." Was the only thing he said before lifting their left wing to see the still sleeping San. He lowered himself to rouse the youngest with a firm snout bump, ripping him from whatever dream he was having in the process. It was always a bit more effort to rouse the little one when he had the second shift, unsurprisingly. But San stirred after a few more nudges, drowsily blinking as Ichi gently cleaned his face. It wasn't a full grooming routine, but it did help his younger sibling wake up that much faster. Plus, he knows San would appreciate it as a reward for doing something right for once.

And he was correct, judging from the happy purrs coming from the youngest's throat. San knew his eldest brother would be pleased, and he savored the moment while it lasted. Praise towards him was always few and far between.

After that short groom, the dragon was back to full alertness and they turned their attention to their slave...

-

The first sleep after hibernation was always the most difficult to rouse from, not that he wanted to. Rodan was more than content to stay in his dreams for all eternity, to forget whatever horrors the waking world had to offer. In this dream realm, everything was as it should be. His island was bursting with life, and his best friends were there on the beach with warm smiles to greet him. Mostly warm smiles anyway, Godzilla always was a bit of a stick in the mud during these friendly gatherings. Probably because Mothra would have to wake him up to drag him here, sometimes quite literally by the tail. But Rodan wouldn't have it any other way, as long as the lovable bastard was still alive...

But even this had to come to an end, as an unpleasant scent intruded his nostrils. It was the smell of storms, of lightning. Something alien mixed in. No, he shook his head, not wanting the real world to intrude. But he had no choice as the images fade into blackness and he felt something nudge against his face, an unpleasant hot breath that took that alien scent and intensified it.

It happened before he could even think of stopping himself...

It was just intended to be a warning snap, not even meant to make contact. But he overestimated just how close the annoying nudger still was and his beak closed on warm scaly flesh. He heard the surprised yelp from a high-pitched voice and before he could comprehend what happened, he found himself giving the cry of pain. Sharp teeth dug into the nape of his neck and pulled him violently from his bed of lava. The warmth was gone as his head was shoved into the ground, pinning him and forcing his beak to let go. Instinct overtook him, convinced some predator has snatched him.

He again opened his mouth with a shriek of panic, flapping his wings and flinging lava and embers everywhere. He couldn't fly in here, but the instinct was too powerful. In response to his struggles, he felt his attacker shift to put a foot onto his back to further immobilize him. He heard the anger in the predator's voice as it growled and the pterosaur tried to twist around to push it off. It was useless, and he felt more teeth clamp onto one of his flailing wings, giving a savage shake that tore holes into his armor and the membrane beneath. He dug the claws of his other wing into the ground below to try to drag himself out from under the predator, wincing in pain as the toothy grip on his neck tightened, as did the talons on his back. It was the combination of pain and exhaustion that began to weaken his struggles.

He tried to get a grip on his run-away fight-or-flight response; awareness of his surroundings slowly began to return to him and he opened his eyes to see that his attacker was of the golden space dragon variety. Not a predator, just an asshole. His resistance was only making things worse. After a moment following this realization, he felt the fangs pull themselves from his neck and wing.

Still pinned, he felt one set of those same teeth scrape roughly against him, not nipping or biting. More like a... nibble? A harsh nibble that scraped his armor with uncomfortable force. He blinked as his sleep-deprived mind scrambled over itself to make sense of what was happening. Was Ghidorah trying to gnaw through his armor? Seemed like it, but what sense did that make? Rodan knew from painful experience that the dragon's jaws were more than powerful enough to break through his rocky hide.

Wait...

As the blanket of sleep left him and his mind gained full coherence, he realized that he recognized this gesture. It's been ages since he was last on the receiving end of such an activity, or even engaged in it with another creature to begin with. The last one he shared this with was his mate, the morning before she was gone from his life. It took his brain several more seconds of utter confusion, just to ensure that he was feeling this correctly, but it was unmistakable.

Ghidorah was grooming him!

Why...? What...? How was he supposed to respond to this?! He almost sputtered, unable to make heads or tails over this, but a certain annoying instinct made its return. First Ghidorah wanted to share a nest with him and now, they were preening him! This was no doubt a move at courtship, it lined up too perfectly to be a coincidence! Sure, Ghidorah's timing was off; what, with attacking him beforehand. Granted, Rodan did start it even if it was by accident. Still though, this grooming was a lot rougher than any he's experienced and last he checked, preening didn't involve pinning your partner down. Was Ghidorah trying to be gentle with this, or were they intentionally being forceful out of impatience for Rodan's lack of response?

He still balked at the idea that this monster was trying to court him. The sharing of the nest, he had a logical explanation for, but this... He's got nothing. There was no other reason to preen someone you shared a nest with unless you...

He shuddered, wondering how he can show refusal to Ghidorah's obvious advances without pissing them off. He doubted the dragon was one to take rejection well...

His bloodied wing moved slowly to try to push Ichi's head away tentatively, only for him to get a bite in response and now the nibbles are even rougher than before. Okay, that confirmed it. Ghidorah is not taking 'no' for an answer. Just... His mind scrambled for another alternative. That same instinct that claimed this is courtship helped him out here too. The best he can do is stay frozen, lay here and give no response. That way, Ghidorah doesn't get it in their heads that he was accepting them as a partner without it being too blatant an insult. Among his kind, the lack of a response showed indecision towards the courter, and although Rodan wanted to flat-out reject them, this way would probably end with less bloodshed.

At least, he hoped it would...

-

Power-grooming was not something Ichi had to do often. It typically was something he did to his brothers when they show any hint of defiance towards his dominance. Although quite loyal for the most part, Ni was the usual culprit he had to target whenever the short-tempered right head got into one of his bad moods. The most common ways it went down was Ni refusing his nightly face-cleaning, attacking something against Ichi's orders, or even being so brutal in his dominance towards San that Ichi had to interfere. In those cases, the eldest brother had to pin him down and gnaw at his face and neck without any of the tenderness of a regular groom. If there was resistance, biting was quick to fix that.

This behavior helped in preventing an actual fight from breaking out and was as far as Ichi usually had to go with his brothers. Usually.

Of course, it wasn't something he confined to his own siblings; as with many behaviors, this one crossed the borders between species. Sometimes, on rare occasions, they would come across a captive that would seem particularly defiant and would need that extra show of dominance to be put in their place. It seemed to be working in this case, as the fire pest froze very quickly after Ichi gave him that disciplinary bite. That was the desired response Ichi was looking for. Freezing showed submission, and Ghidorah was certain they finally found a technique their slave actually seemed to understand! They made note to employ this method of dominance more often with this one.

Ichi continued to forcibly groom the inferior creature, feeling the little bird flinch when he moved onto his unarmored face. After a full minute of no resistance, the pterosaur seemed to get the message and Ichi gave one last bite on Rodan's beak before pulling away with a stern glare.

The fire pest stared at them with wide eyes but just as their slave began to pull himself onto his claws, Ni lunged forward to headbutt him back onto the ground. Rodan may have submitted to Ichi, but he still needed to learn that he was the very bottom of the hierarchy. The bird started to struggle again, freezing when Ni began power-grooming him as well.

After Ni got his message across with a finishing bite on Rodan's beak just as his older brother did, accompanying it with a growl, San picked up right after him. The fire pest doesn't put up any hint of a struggle at this point, and Ichi let out a snort. Seems their captive finally got it in his thick skull.

San finished up the power-groom with the typical bite on their slave's beak, giving an extra shake to cause more pain. A bit of pay back for biting him in the first place. It was rare he got to show dominance like this to anyone, being the lowest-ranked of the trio. He could only get away with it towards captives; if he tried power-grooming towards his brothers, it would be seen as a challenge and no doubt result in him being attacked. He'd rather not get into a fight like that as dominance battles between heads can be downright brutal. He remembered the first and last time he got into a dominance fight with Ni and what a horrible mistake that was. Never again would he do that, even if it meant being number three for the rest of his life.

With the dominance display over, they stepped off from their slave, allowing him to get up. He was still staring at them, but clearly had nothing to say. Good, about time he shut up. Giving no further acknowledgement towards the fire pest, Ghidorah climbed up towards the exit and settled on the rim. Just as they had a night routine, so too did they have their morning routine. Facing to the east, they settled on their haunches and spread their wings fully. The crisp morning air began to warm as the sun's rays grew stronger over the horizon. Ghidorah was there to greet the star, soaking up its power with literal open arms.

This was the primary method for which they gathered their energy; they absorbed it through the stars. This particular star wasn't as strong as most others, sure, but it was sufficient enough and they could supplement it through other forms of radiation as well as through biological matter. Each individual scale reflected the light in a beautiful display of glimmering radiance. Morning was a time they could admire themselves fully, for as soon as they took flight, this planet's weak atmosphere would obscure the star's rays and the full extent of their skin's golden beauty was hindered.

They heard their slave climb up to the opposite rim behind them, and they glanced back at him to find him still refusing to look at them. Utter submission, just the way they liked it. They kept tabs on their captive as they continued sunning themselves, enjoying the silence of the destroyed island around them. Always a beautiful sight to start the day on. And now to finish it all off...

Getting back up onto their feet, they leapt up from the volcano's rim into the air in one smooth motion, kicking up debris from their take off and forcing their slave to press close to the ground to avoid being blown down the slope. They circled around the volcano, feeling their wings rip apart the air around them and stir up the beginnings of storm clouds.

They gave no warning to the pterosaur, only the glow rising up their throats giving away what their next move will be. All three Gravity Beams meld into one as they struck down at the rim of the volcano. Explosions of rock and dirt fling into the air and slide down into the cavern they once rested in. They heard a loud screech from their slave, one full of anger and despair. But the bird did nothing to stop them, -as if he could-, only staying where he was as he watched his nest fall apart in front of him.

The dragon had to avoid hitting him with their powerful attacks, lest they accidentally kill him. No way did they want to end his miserable little life so mercifully. More Gravity Beams bombarded the volcano's summit, causing more damage than any eruption it could naturally withstand. The once mighty volcano that birthed this island could not hold up to this alien force and soon, it caved in on itself. With a deafening roar signifying its collapse, the magma-warmed nest and the entrance leading into it was now non-existent.

Ghidorah finally ceased their attack, looking over their work with pride and satisfaction. Below them, the bird crept slowly towards the ruined summit of the volcano, visibly defeated in his slumped posture and pathetic cries. But they had no intention of giving him time to mourn over this, for they had more important matters to attend to.

"Slave," Ichi barked down at the pterosaur, who glared up at them with particular seething hatred. Ni returned the glare, whilst San chuckled. Ichi himself kept his cold expression, giving a sharp nod towards the west. "Mainland. Now."

The fire pest clearly didn't want to leave, but they were giving him no other choice in the matter. After a moment, he spread his fire-edged wings and joined them in the air reluctantly. He held the slightest of limps in his injured wing and they could hear the grumble coming from his beak. Ni gave him a sharp nip on the tail when Rodan tried to circle around behind them, causing the pest to snap around at them with a hiss.

"Up front where we can see you." Ichi ordered firmly, silencing their captive's hiss by glaring him down and Rodan pulled up ahead with a scowl. The dragon was strategic in their positioning, flying above and slightly behind their captive. Should he foolishly attempt to make a break for it, they would know and could strike him down with ease before he got far. Better yet, it was a natural blindspot for the bird and it was quite amusing to see him fidget nervously and glance back at them with obvious distrust every so often.

With the silence broken only by the powerful beating of wings and the boom of thunder around them from the growing hurricane, they made their way towards the mainland.

End of Chapter 3

[eng-hypnosismic]

Division Rap Battle- 2nd LIVE report

Division Rap Battle- 2nd LIVE report by Numan <-- Click for pictures of the live!

HYPNOSIS MIC -Division Rap Battle- 2nd LIVE @ Shinagawa “Rhyme Tournament” Original Scream Report!

Rap project “Hypnosis Mic” features 12 male voice actors. The first time ever such a luxurious cast featuring Kimura Subaru, Asanuma Shintaro, Hayami Show, and Shirai Yusuke attended the 2nd Live, which took place at Shinagawa Stellar Ball on Aug 26th, 2018. We will report to you the hot live where the results of Battle Season were also announced! Ladies of Chuuoku, are you ready?!

Be Carved in History, Our Style! Getting Hyped by the Anthem Songs!

Kimura Subaru san, the voice of Yamada Ichiro, was the announcer before the show! He gave a few tips on how to enjoy “Hypnosis Mic” (“Hypmic” hereinafter) hip hop music, and the audiences were already very hyped!

And that’s the opening. Each Division, enter the stage!

First, dressed in red, blue, and yellow were Ikebukuro Division’s “Buster Bros!!!” Kimura Subaru-san (Yamada Ichiro), Ishiya Haruki-san (Yamada Jiro), and Amasaki Kouhei-san (Yamada Saburo) welcomed by a lot of cheerings.  

Then came Yokohama Division, with a blue Hawaiian shirt and just the right vibes, is Hama’s mad dog Asanuma Shintaro-san (Aohitsugi Samatoki), Slim-fitting black pants with suspenders, a black shirt and tie, alongside with the side part hair and glasses, is Komada Wataru-san the splitting image of his character Iruma Juto, and Riou Busujima Mason’s voice actor Kamio Shinichiro-san entered the stage in a military jacket. “Mad Trigger Crew” takes coolness to the next level.

Next was Shibuya Division. Shirai Yusuke-san (Amemura Ramuda) in a pop, Shibuya-style patterned shirt, and Nozuyama Yukihiro-san (Arisugawa Dice). “Fling Posse” is just CUTE♪

Lastly was Shinjuku Division! Hayami Show-san (Jinguji Jakurai) in a long white jacket, Kijima Ryuichi-san (Izanami Hifumi) donning a black jacket, and Itou Kento-san (Kannonzaka Doppo) in a striped blouson. The three of “Matenrou” is full of the appeal of maturity.  

Without further adieu, after everyone got on stage, they began with their first number “Hypnosis Mic -Division Battle Anthem-” right away!

The audience was fired up to the max from the very beginning of this song; which is the anthem song of Hypmic’s Battle Season!

And before you know it, without any time to catch a breath, came the second song “Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-”.

Amongst the red, blue, yellow, and white ring lights from the audience, the vibes also got brought to max intensity in the heated calls! It really was an opening that would “be carved in the history, our style”.

After the stage was fully warmed up, under Kimura Subaru-san’s MC, the performers greeted the audience again.

“Let’s all take a bath later ♥” -Amasaki Kouhei-san prompted the audiences with his full-on youngest son vibes.

“So you want to be arrested!” -Komada-san also fired up the audiences with Juto’s line. 

“Food catering is curry, so get excited!” -Kamio-san. “Onee~san~♪” -Shirai-san cutely greeted and Nozuyama-san imitated him (laughs).

“Tonight, I’ll heal all of you, my patients” -Hayami-san followed by Kijima-san greeting with his appealing voice, “We finally meet, little kitten ♥”.

After the free-style greetings of the performers, “Shibuya Division’s liar”, Yumeno Gentaro (Saito Soma-san) who unfortunately couldn’t make it that day, delivered a video message. The lip-syncing, subtitles and speech of this message didn’t match each other, such details is really fitting (?) for the liar!

The subtitles wrote, “Every single word is true,” but Gentaro only spilled his catch phrase, “Well, it’s all lies”; all the audience could do was laugh.  

Then Saito Soma-san also delivers a message as himself. A Saito-san clad from head to toe in Hypmic fashion with sunglasses. Regarding the message that is a bit sly (?), Shirai-san commented, “What are those glasses” (laughs).

And then amongst the 12 people who are there in spirit (laughs), each Division sent a representative to say some words of encouragement.

From Ikebukuro is Yamada Saburo (Amasaki Kouhei-san), “The prodigal son has returned!” (laughs). Yokohama started with “Yo, you bitches!”. Samatoki-sama (Asanuma-san)’s message was “If you don’t feel well, please tell the person next to you. Don’t push yourself too hard okay,” it was so unexpectedly kind that the audience screamed. Shibuya’s message was “Everyone in the center block!  Be bold!” yelled Dice (Nozuyama-san), and Shinjuku’s was the bewitching words of Hifumi (Kijima-san), who got put on the spot by Jakurai-sensei (Hayami-san), “I’ve been longing to meet you little kittens 💛 Let’s have lots of fun!”

Ikebukuro VS Yokohama! The scream of Hama’s fans…?!

And then began a nonstop number of familiar songs…!

First from Ikebukuro Division, Jiro (Ishiya-san)’s “Sensenfukoku” followed by Saburo (Amasaki-san)’s “New star”.

“Today behind me I have Ichi-nii. And with him is Jiro. This performance is to prove that the three boys of Ikebukuro are number one. It’s not a challenge, winning is just natural. We are destined to be the number one. Let’s aim for the top? Okay?” were lyrics that were very Saburo-like.

Then Ichiro (Kimura-san) performed “Ore ga Ichiro”. As expected from Ichi-nii, who shouted with passion, “The best! My little brothers are by my side, my best friends are also here - isn’t this the happiest thing!!”

Finally, Shinagawa got transformed into Ikebukuro West Gate Park? “IKEBUKURO WEST GAME PARK”!

Moving around the stage, firing up the audience, the three brothers of Ikebukuro are without a doubt “Buster Bros!!! STILL NO.1!”

Following up from Yokohama Division, was Riou (Kamio-san)’s “What’s My Name?”. When asked “What’s My Name?” the audiences responded in unison “Riou!”

For “Bayside Smoking Blues”, Juto (Komada-san) got a cigarette in his hand, which is fitting to the “smoking”. Pale smoke swirled around Juto at the beginning of the intro... a perfection!

After he finished singing, Juto approached Samatoki (Asanuma-san), who also had one in mouth, closely…, and quietly lit his cigarette with his own!

The audience erupted in screams due to the performance!!!

(*Just for the performance, the cigarette wasn’t lit” )

Samatoki’s “G anthem of Y-CITY” came next preluding MAD TRIGGER CREW’s “Yokohama Walker”. Compared to Ikebukuro who moved around the stage a lot, Yokohama didn’t have a lot of movements from start to finish, giving a sense of ease as adults. Especially, Samatoki’s presence of contained madness - only him could pull it off!

After Ikebukuro and Yokohama performed their songs respectively, both divisions came togehter for “WAR WAR WAR”! That’s right, it’s the battle song of Ikebukuro VS Yokohama! An intense battle of crackling scattering sparks unfolded on top of the stage.. After the intense rap battle ended, they gave each other a pat of the back for the good fight, and Samatoki and Ichiro’s fistbump got the audience to once again scream.

Shibuya VS Shinjuku! The Random Pounding of Candy and Champagne?

Appearing on stage across from special guest EGO-san, it’s Shibuya Division’s turn.

Shirai-san, being Ramuda, came on stage with a lollipop!

After singing “3$EVEN”, Dice (Nozuyama-san) was also handed a lollipop, for Ramuda’s solo song “drops” performance.

Following “Shibuya Marble Texture -PCCS-” were the lyrics “What are we gonna play today”, when all of a sudden a selfie stick with a smartphone attached popped out, “selfie time!” - a truly Shibuya-like style of random excitement.

Last but not least was Shinjuku Division!

Each member entered the stage with a Matenrou towel (!) with perfect teamwork.

Then, came what everyone was waiting for! Hifumi’s (Kijima-san’s) “Champagne Gold”! The call alone was more than enough to hype up the audience. Kijima-san’s change in tone for the line “Become mine” again got the audience in an uproar.

Next, with a monochromatic commuter train displayed in the background, was Doppo’s (Itou-san’s) “Tigridia”.

And then came Jakurai-sensei’s (Hayami-san’s) “Labyrinth Wall”. The flowing lyrics without stagnation was certainly like a spiritual experience created by the hypnosis mic. Drawn into Shinjuku’s fanbase in one breath!

“Shinjuku Style ~Don’t Make Me Laugh~” was a performance by Matenrou in which they showed their team spirit.

And, of course, the two divisions appeared on stage for the battle song “BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE”! Matenrou and Fling Posse’s cacophonous punches of an intense battle!! The sudden change to low-voice Ramuda raised cheers from the audience!

Kadenokouji Ichijiku Enters the Stage! The Results of the Battle is Yokohama VS Shinjuku!

Across the stage of special guest KEN THE 390-san, where all performers once again appeared on stage, suddenly from the 2nd floor seating “Women of Chuuoku”, Assistant Prime Minister and Director General of the Administrative Inspectorate Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department, Kadenokouji Ichijiku (CV: Takahashi Chiaki-san) appeared!

Ichijiku (Takahashi-san) announced the results of Hypmic Battle Season.

Ikebukuro VS Yokohama, Shibuya VS Shinjuku, the victors advancing are…?

Ikebukuro: 32812 votes VS Yokohama: 32943 votes

Shibuya: 35479 votes VS Shinjuku: 40936 votes

Thus, next time the Final Battle is, Yokohama MAD TRIGGER CREW VS Shinjuku Matenrou, and the CD release date has been set for November 14th!

Asanuma-san, from the victorious Yokohama Division, said “To be honest, I was wondering what I would do if Ikebukuro didn’t win. Subaru has always lead us through the contents of Hypnosis Mic. For us that had never done rap, he always there to guide us. Even for the raps in the drama tracks, he always helped us. ‘What would I do if this guy didn’t win’ - I couldn’t tell the two of them (Komada-san, Kamio-san) but I was always thinking about it. But, because we won… I will do my best until I die. Thank you Buster Bros!!!!” He then shook hands with Kimura-san. As he said, “100%, I will bring your passion with me as we move forward!!!”, the audience’s emotions spilled forth.

Then, from Shinjuku Division, Hayami-san said, “ The three of us, through Shinjuku, we’ve became a very fine team that I would like to keep fighting with for just a little more,” like this year’s Koshien, I want to be number one! Hayami-san appealed.

Then came the long awaited ending of the live.

The Division leaders gave a brief response each.

From Yokohama Division’s Asanuma-san, “To the women of Bukuro, and to the women of Shibuya, I know it’s frustrating. So there are parts that I cannot celebrate, but I am truly happy that, here at this live venue, no matter the division you came to cheer for, when Yokohama sang, the red rings, the yellow rings, and the white rings were moving along like crazy. That made me very happy. I think everyone else thinks the same thing. Everyone, let’s get Hypnosis Mic fired up!”

From Ikebukuro Division’s Kimura-san, “Hip hop is fun isn’t it?! The feelings of frustration and the feelings of joy, all of this is hip hop! That’s because hip hop is a lifestyle! That’s right, I’ll push aside the frustration and return to rap, so please keep supporting us from here on!”

The last song featuring special guests EGO-san and KEN THE 390-san alongside the rest of the performers was “Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- SP version”.

The special guests added in their own division for this special version of the anthem song closing the curtains on the heated live show。

≪Set List≫

M1: Hypnosis Mic -Division Battle Anthem- / Division All Star

M2: Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- / Division All Stars

M3: Sensenfukoku (War Declaration) / Yamada Jiro (CV: Ishiya Haruki)

M4: New star / Yamada Saburo (CV: Amasaki Kouhei)

M5: Ore ga Ichiro (I am Ichiro) / Yamada Ichiro (CV: Kimura Subaru)

M6: IKEBUKURO WEST GAME PARK / Buster Bros!!!

M7: What’s My Name? / Busujima Mason Riou (CV: Kamio Shinichiro)

M8: Bayside Smoking Blues / Iruma Juto (CV: Komada Wataru)

M9: G anthem of Y-CITY / Aohitsugi Samatoki (CV: Asanuma Shintaro)

M10: Yokohama Walker / MAD TRIGGER CREW

M11: WAR WAR WAR / Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW

M12: Bounce~PINEAPPLE JUICE / EGO

M13: 3$EVEN / Arisugawa Dice (CV: Nozuyama Yukihiro)

M14: drops / Amemura Ramuda (CV: Shirai Yusuke)

M15: Shibuya Marble Texture -PCCS- / Fling Poss

M16: Champagne Gold / Izanami Hifumi (CV: Kijima Ryuichi)

M17: Tigridia / Kannonzaka Doppo (CV: Itou Kento)

M18: Labyrinth Wall / Jinguji Jakurai (CV: Hayami Show)

M19: Shinjuku Style ~Don’t Make Me Laugh~ / Matenrou

M20: BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE / Fling Posse VS Matenrou

M21: Funk U Up / KEN THE 390

M22: Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- SP version / All Cast

Summary

The performers, the guests, and the audience… everyone got excited as together, that excitement was large enough to shake the venue. Comicalization and collaboration, Hypmic continues to spread more and more. The final battle CD release date and 3rd LIVE location has been decided. Don’t miss out from here on!

“Hip hop is a lifestyle”

—Kimura Subaru-san’s words will stay carved on our hearts! PEACE!

[furederiko]

*GASP* Great goodness!!! Kyuranger just refuses to let up, doesn't it? Episode 30 delivers a heart-shattering entry, all wrapped up in a graceful power-up package...

- I'll start with a somewhat unrelated rant: I couldn't watch this episode live last Sunday! Aaaarggh. My internet provider changed the fee (AGAIN... that I'm not even that much surprised anymore), so I'm stuck using free public wifi until yesterday noon. And get this, when I decided to renew it with such heavy heart, let's just say... I got duped BIG TIME. To the point that I'm still slapping my own face in utter disappointment and anger, for falling into the company's sneaky stupid ploy all over again. *SIGH*. Now that THAT's out of the way, on to the recap-view then... - Since the opening scene focuses mainly on Orion and Tsurugi, let's talk about what I forgot to mention on my previous recap-view. That sweet friendly river-side moment between them! Some audience might think that the conversation they brought up regarding Orion's newborn felt... a little on the nose. If you ask me, it's actually NOT. IMO, if you think about it logically and/or chronologically, that dialogue actually made good sense. How? After the supposed final battle with Don Armage, a wounded Past-Tsurugi was brought by Orion to Earth, and put in a cold-sleep aboard the Argo. Fast forward 333 years later, the Rebellions awakened Tsurugi in the present time. He likely spent at least 2 weeks after he woke up, in which during that time he: clashed with the Kyurangers, but eventually became one of them; went to Planet Tocky, and searched for the Horologium Kyu Globe; and along with the 'Time Travel' team, went back to the past to recheck history. Meanwhile, from Orion's side of things, having just completed his deed to the Past-Phoenix Soldier, he spotted the ORION crashing, ran into the Kyurangers, and was reunited with Tsurugi again. If one easily compares the two separate timelines from Tsurugi's and Orion's point of view, then it's become clear. Eventhough they have indeed been 333 years apart, thanks to Horologium, the reality was far more shorter than that! For Orion, it was merely hours if not minutes since he last left Past-Tsurugi in the Argo. Tsurugi on the other hand, had only advanced a month at most due to the cold-sleep. Logically, he still had all the memories prior to the sleep (of 333 years ago) in tact in his mind. THIS is the reason why the dialogue about family between them flowed very naturally! It's just a casual chit-chat between friends who haven't seen each other... fairly briefly. That's all! - Of course, that dialogue still serves as the key for the two of them to deduce that Lucky... might have been Orion's very own descendant. That means, Lucky isn't Orion's son, as the rumor suggested (for now at least, it's still a giant mystery anyway). Regardless of that, he's still an important figure who serves as a catalyst for the Kyurangers, due to having the blood of two Constellation Systems. That's the main reason why Tsurugi, the Kyurangers, and later Orion wants to protect him at all cost. - And that is also where the episode hurts. From the beginning of the episode (or the preview last week), it is teased that Tsurugi might give away his life to heal Lucky. Using the power of Phoenix Kyu Globe is taking the toll out of him, so the chance of him getting out unscathed is minimum at best. We even get to see Tsurugi's quick origin story, of when he first obtained the Kyu Globe when his spaceshuttle crashed. Basically, 'death flag' has been fluttering over Tsurugi, which is why the actual death comes totally unexpected and a lot more shocking. It's Orion's final moment instead!!! - On one hand, Orion IS hiding a severe bloody wound, due to shielding the Kyurangers from Don Armage's devastating attack. So he pretty much has been waving his own giant death flag too. On the other hand, he's a crucial legendary figure who will pass on the legend of the Kyurangers throughout the entire universe. Even the team smartly points out that, without Orion, the Kyurangers wouldn't have existed in the first place. Preview for this episode even showed him in battle, helping Leo Red debuts his new power-up. The general assumption is, there's no way, he's going to die, right? That's where Kyuranger throws us off balance once again, because Orion passes away anyway! It's a HUGE, and genuine "OH MY GOODNESS... NOOOOO!!!" (if not blatantly "WTH!!!") moment, and I'm positive the dead silence or echoes of jaws dropping are reverberating throughout the audience. My heart literally stops! And I'm still mulling over it until now... NOTE: Only several movies (like some Marvel Studios ones, though usually Oscar contenders) and TV shows (mostly anime titles) have managed to make feel so... heartbroken like this. Kyuranger positions itself nicely into this exceptional category, which is a rare accomplishment for a Tokusatsu series. I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but huge thumbs up for TOEI! - Not only Orion's unfortunate demise works as a twist, but also as a major shakeup to the entire story. It is an unexpected alteration in the past, so there will be massive ramifications going forward. It raises even more questions that will make every fans feel concerned. If Orion no longer lives another day, then who would hand over Carina Kyu Globe to Eris' safekeeping? If Eris never has it, then that means the Argo would not be revived in the present time, and Tsurugi would never be reawaken! More importantly, as has been pointed out before, without Orion, the Kyurangers' existence is in danger. Which urgently prompts Commander Xiao to stay behind, taking Orion's place to spread the heroic legend. Ignoring the fact that it's another giant change to the past, does this mean his role as a Kyuranger also comes to an end? *gasp*. In a way, Champ (who will be part of the "Episode Stinger" V-Cinema, which apparently takes place some time later) is already hinting that he and Xiao will surely find a way back to the present. But it doesn't stop making me feel very... anxiously curious. With the two of them being left in the past... is the show trying to throw either of them as the possible face behind the new Don Armage? That would... still be a possibility, right? One more thing, the loss of Orion pretty much rules out my theory that he is the next Don Armage. For now, at the very least. Unlike Kuervo, the Kyurangers actually bury him for good, so he's truly dead. Then again, lest we forget HOW Darth Vader was created... - The grand power up, The Miracle Star Leo Red Orion debuts! It is channeled through the #315 Supreme Kyu Globe, which is realized through the unity of Lucky and Orion's powers and shared resolution to protect the universe. And of course, through the latter's sacrifice... *sobs*. It's undeniably a GORGEOUS design, with fluttering mantle and all. Probably one of the best White member I've seen throughout Super Sentai history. Assigning the color white is also a very wise decision. Not only because white is the combination of prime colors, but in case of Kyuranger, it also adds balance to the team. No wonder Phoenix Soldier gets to be another Red, because when Leo Red uses this form, each of the original colors are still represented. Speaking of combination, it has a dang fine-looking transformation sequence that unites all 12 powers of the Kyurangers too. Turns out, despite many fan-speculations, Supreme doesn't require Naga to be with the team to pull off. It likely falls inline with my theory that Lucky serves as a catalyst for the other Kyurangers, meaning he's the only one necessary for this upgrade. And that is also one wicked finisher. Nope, not the Gate of Babylon-esque with the Kyu the Weapons, which was... nice. I'm talking about that "ALL STAR GALAXY! IN-FINISH BLAST!" that channels the entire 88 Constellations. Dang it... I feel goosebumps when all those stars lit up and create a big bang. Wonderful, simply wonderful! Fun fact: Supreme Kyu Globe, or SAIKOU KYUTAMA in Japanese, has an odd numbering of #315. If you're wondering the reason why, then well... highly likely the answer is: because it's a nifty pun. 3 - 1 - 5 is SAN - ICHI - GO in Japanese, but it can also be read as SA-I-KO. Get it?! LOL. Also, 3 + 1 + 5 equals...? Yep... NINE or KYU in Japanese. Brilliant, right! The finisher "In-Finish Blast" is also a clear pun for the word 'INFINITE', which explains Leo Red Orion's ability to bend space and time. There's also one theory that the Supreme Kyu Globe is modelled after the 9 planets of the Earth's Solar System. It's unconfirmed for now, but I think it makes a lot of sense... - Before I move on to the last point, allow me to point out several bits of the episode that I find to be really interesting: 1) Don Armage's hideous humanoid form seems to be the extent of his power. He claims that he can't hold back his power in that state, which is probably why he's also more vulnerable to attacks. We also see him reviving Akyanba and Tecchu for the mecha battle, giving us explanation to why the Vice-Shoguns keep showing up and are still alive to the present time. And before anyone complains that he's so easy to be defeated, do remember one thing: we're not even in the finale yet, as the new/present-time Don Armage is ALWAYS meant to be the true big bad. 2) I LOVE how a wounded Lucky doesn't want Tsurugi to sacrifice himself. That's a powerful scene, amped up by Lucky's genuine emotion. The concern and also pain on his face feels so real, which means the actor does a truly fine job. Say anything you want about Lucky, this proves he's definitely one of the better Reds in the recent years. Meanwhile, Tsurugi himself is showcasing a wonderful growth in character. From someone who used to be self-centered, into a team player who would risk his own life for his comrade. 3) Although I'm not quite sure why Xiao doesn't just use his Draco Voyager to form Ryutei-Oh, him being assigned to use Leo Voyager and form Kyuren-Oh is indeed a wiser choice. This way, other Kyurangers (including Raptor who spends most of the time repairing the ORION) get to participate in the big battle. It's supposed to be a final-battle-esque showdown with Don Armage after all, so they need all manpower available. 4) It seems that contrary to what Tsurugi said, Phoenix Kyu Globe does NOT have the power to restore/revive life. It can only be used to regenerate health, as shown by Lucky's critical state, and also Tsurugi's own condition when he was adrift in space. Otherwise, Tsurugi can always use it again to revive Orion and keep the flow of history. Am I right? 5) I have a feeling we'll be seeing Orion again in the future. I doubt TOEI cast a great actor like Kai Shishido for brief appearances that lasted only two episodes (three, if we count that cliffhanger ending in episode 28). Heck, we even get to see Eris several times again. Which is why the theory that either he or Kuervo might be the new Don Armage is still very much in play. Then again, noone can really tell much when it comes to Kyuranger. This show tends to startle audience with genuine surprises... more often than not. LOL. At the very least, I hope we get to see him again somehow, because even in such a short time, he has truly left a strong impression. 6) A good amount of time must have passed between the moment the team discovered Orion, and the flower scene in front of his grave. I doubt Raptor is able to completely repair the ORION for their return trip in a flash, because it was left in such a bad shape before (notice that the ship visually looks much better?). Critical audience might want to consider this before they start complaining about how fast Lucky gets over Orion's death. I doubt that grave scene is Orion's funeral anyway. It's more likely the team comes there to pay tribute for one last time, before departing home (to their era). Oh and yeah, turns out this grave is very similar to a certain character's from "One Piece". Concidence? I doubt. 7) Lastly, regarding Xiao's new role in the past. Things are starting to make much clearer sense the more I think about it. Some folks at RangerBoard (Dukemon, TealMystechRanger, and TavionJackson to name a few) back this up, by speculating that the whole scenario could be a 'bootstrap paradox'. Meaning, it has always been Xiao, and not Orion, who started and spread the "Legend of Nine Saviours" that refers to the Kyuranger. This explains why it's NINE, instead of Ten, Eleven, nor Twelve, because Xiao knows that the team would start out with the number Nine (him being the Tenth and all)! Also, remember his story about Mr. Pega? That might not be a random tall-tale after all, but part of his quest to collect the Kyu Globes. But what about the history that says that it's Orion, and not someone who comes from a dragon-tribe who told the story? Like the whole situation with Eris that I've pointed out above. That would only mean a huge contradiction, right? Now this is where things get surprisingly interesting. Turns out, there IS a particular Kyu Globe that grants its user the ability to... SHAPESHIFT. It's still a speculation/theory for now, but I honestly won't be surprised if Xiao used that to disguise himself as Orion (thus bringing him 'alive' again to do the job), in order to prevent the new flow of history from erasing the Kyurangers in the present time. This one in particular, leads us to the final point... - As if the loss of Orion isn't enough, the show delivers another terrifying surprise. The present... remains the SAME. Jark Matter is still rulling the universe. Akyanba and Kukuruga are still alive and well as they did before. Dark-Naga is now taking Tecchu's place as a new Vice-Shogun, possibly their leader. And Don Armage is still reigning, despite his clear defeat in the hands of Leo Red Orion. It seems NONE of the alterations the 'Time Travel' has done in the past affects the present. Does this mean, everything actually goes... according to the way it should have been? Thus... that causal loop theory that I've stated above gets even more plausible! One thing for sure, Armage's sinister laughter in the cliffhanger, can only mean one thing... it's back to square one for the team!

Overall: To be honest, not unlike that wicked finisher, all kinds of logic was flying off the table in this episode as well. But dang it, if that wasn't another mindblowing rollercoaster episode. One that took my breath away, torn my heart into broken pieces... like a fierce punch in the gut that I haven't been able to fully recover ever since. For an episode that served as a power-up debut (which was simply marvelous on its own), it's still packed with all the right flavors. The humor, intensity of emotions, the high stakes? And yes, I totally couldn't hold back my tears when Orion closed his eyes for good... which says A LOT. If this were another show or Super Sentai season, this episode could easily serve as a finale or some sort. But nope, Kyuranger is not stopping anytime soon. The past might have been altered, yet the present remained the same. If the real Don Armage was eliminated in the past, that means the current Don Armage's identity is someone else entirely. Still a massive question mark that is shrouded in mystery. Personally, I can no longer predict what's going to happen next. It's one surprise after another, and to think that we still have (at most) 19 more episodes after this! This show is NOT pulling any punches, and continues to be a delight week after week. That's why I honestly can't believe some audience are still looking down on it despite a streak of strong features. Oh well, I guess it's their loss... Next week: 'Save Naga' Team is back on center stage! PS: Tsurugi makes his very first spotlight in the ending sequence, pairing up with Lucky. Oh and yeah, Gigant Phoenix and Kyutamajin have already been added to the opening since episode 28. I don't think I have mentioned about it before. LOL.

Episode 30 Score: 8,5 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: September 22nd, 2017 - Version 2.14. (WARNING: It might contain spoilers for future episodes)

All images are screencaptured from the series, provided by the FanSubber Over-Time. "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

[kats-play]

IchiLARP 2017 epilogue

Thanks to everyone that came out to Ichibancon and participated in the LARP. We had just as much of a blast as you guys did. In keeping with Ichi tradition, at least one of my NPCs gets an epilogue and Lucy (Elfen Lied) got one hell of a twist to her story: getting adopted by the Joestars (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure). Much better than the super-sad ending she gets in the anime or manga. Enjoy!

Bonk.

Children taking turns kicking her. The teacher ignoring her cries for help.

Bonk.

Children holding her down and forcing her to watch. The terrified yelps of her puppy, suddenly silenced with a crack and spray of blood.

Bonk.

Kohta screaming over the dead bodies of his father and sister. She just wanted him to stay and be her friend. She didn't mean to...

Bonk.

Gunshots. The runaway gasping for air. “We'll help her if you come quietly...” Tranquilizer for her. An execution for the runaway.

Bonk.

“Oh, what a precious little dolly...” She would learn to fear Kefka's laugh.

Bonk.

It was too much for Lucy. Her memories were returning too fast for her to process. The people trying to talk her down didn't understand: She needed be Nyu. Nyu didn't have vectors. People didn't fear or hate Nyu. Being Nyu was joy and happiness.

Bonk.

Lucy's vectors whizzed around behind her, keeping her would-be helpers at bay. She was vaguely aware of shouts and things being thrown behind her. If she hit her head hard enough, Nyu would come back. All she had to do was let the vectors shield her until Nyu resurfaced. They wouldn't hurt Nyu. Lucy was content to sleep forever, if it meant she wouldn't be used and abused anymore.

Bonk.

Thick, strong arms wrapped around Lucy's body from behind. She stopped headbutting the wall, tensing for the pain she knew was coming. But the arms merely stayed there, gently holding her. Salt and pepper whiskers tickled her ear as Joseph Joestar bent his head forward.

“Shh... it's going to be okay.”

Lucy forgot she could cry. And when she started, she couldn't stop. She turned away from the wall and buried her face in Joseph's chest. Her body shook as all her pain came out in tears and near-screaming. And Joseph sat with her on the dirty saloon floor, rocking her gently and stroking her hair. Giving her all the time she needed to let it out.

“Oi! Lucy! Wake up!”

Kefka's laugh echoed through her head as she woke up. She looked over to see Jotaro Kujo  leaning on the door. His Stand, Star Platinum, towered over her, gently shaking her awake. She looked away in embarrassment. Counselors at the Speedwagon Foundation had made a lot of progress with her, but she still had the occasional night terror. Because of Star Platinum's speed, only Jotaro had the ability to wake her up without getting skewered by her vectors.

“Nightmare?”

Lucy nodded, rubbing her eyes.

“Areare...” Jotaro ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, we need to get ready for school in an hour anyway. We'll get strawberry crepes on the way home today.”

Strawberry crepes were Lucy's favorite dessert. Though Jotaro acted annoyed when she had a nightmare, he always did something nice for her the following day.

Lucy went to the bathroom to start her morning routine. When she returned to change into her school uniform, she saw her futon was already folded up and put away.

“Oh! You look so cute in your new uniform!”

Holly Kujo hugged Lucy tight before ushering her to the kotatsu for breakfast. The fluffy eggs and crisp bacon made Lucy salivate before she even picked up her fork. Holly continued fussing over Lucy, tying a ribbon around her horns and arranging her hair.

“Holly, let the girl eat. She's got a big day today.” Joseph folded his newspaper and winked.

“Oh, hush and let me fuss over Lucy! I always wanted a daughter and now I have one. ”

“I think Lucy would count as your sister, Ma. The old man is legally her guardian.” Jotaro Kujo entered the dining area and sat down.

“But she's too young to be your aunt. And you wanted a sister when you were little, Jojo!” Holly scritched one of Lucy's horns before sitting down and serving tea to the family.

Lucy adjusted the hem of her pleated skirt and picked at the food on her plate. Was this what counted as “normal”? Jotaro needling Joseph. Joseph scolding Jotaro over his disrespect. Holly heaping food on their plates and chirping away about her school days. Lucy had spent her entire life as a street or lab rat. Sitting here, eating with a family, still felt unreal.

“Lucy?” Joseph's voice cut through her thoughts. “Are you okay? You've barely touched your breakfast.”

Lucy smiled. “Just... nervous about my first day, Papa.” She forced herself to eat, letting the resumed chatter wash over her. She could feel the warmth and love in this house. While it still felt strange, it was something she was getting used to.

Soon enough, Lucy and Jotaro were putting on their shoes and collecting their bookbags. Holly handed them both a handcrafted bento for lunch and gave them a gentle kiss on their foreheads. As Jotaro opened the door, Lucy dashed back into the living area, where Joseph was replacing a lightbulb. She wrapped her arms around the elderly man's waist, hugging as tightly as she could.

“Oh? What brought this on?” Joseph patted Lucy on the back, chuckling.

Lucy buried her face in Joseph's chest. “I... um... nyuuuu... Just want to say thank you, Papa. For everything.”

Yes, this was real. Nothing was going to take it from her. She didn't need to hide behind Nyu because she was now something better.

She was Lucy Joestar.