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so2uv · 2 years ago

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[ 📂 ] — FILE LOADED:

SHUN LIU — DEATH'S FAVOURITE.

❝please, all i want is to be left alone.❞ — shun.

— PROFILE.

NAME: Shun Liu

AGE: 22

HEIGHT: 5’10 | 177 cm

GENDER: male (he/him)

SEXUALITY: Bi (himself)

BIRTHDATE: February 28 (Pisces)

NICKNAMES: Ghost boy, ShuShu (select few)

LIKES: Photography, spicy foods (especially spicy fried tofu), bitter coffee, music, incense, cats.

DISLIKES: Sleeping, his magic, complete silence, small enclosed rooms with no natural lighting, graveyards, public transit, physical touch.

— PRIVATE NOTES.

APPEARENCE: Shun’s skin should be a warmer, beige tone full of life but instead, it has a sickly undertone glow and is cold to the touch despite not being ill. He’s slim with toned muscles and has prominent collarbones. He has straight, very dark brown hair that falls to the end of his nose in the front and rests on his nape in the back. His eyes reflect many sleepless nights, and are a deep shade of brown, though on the occasion that his powers are active, they turn a milky blue-white. He has fairly dark eyebags that he covers with concealer. He has a birthmark in the shape of a splatter of dripping paint in the middle of his left shoulder blade and a mole on his right collarbone.

CLOTHING: Large sweaters, baggy pants, and overall loose fitting clothing make up a large majority of Shun’s everyday wear. He prefers more neutral colours, such as different shades of beige and grey, as well as dark reds and blacks. Though he does own more formal and form fitting clothing, he prefers the convenience and comfort that comes with loose day to day wear. He wears a small, thin talisman made of peach wood as a necklace under his shirt, a “gift” from his grandmother in order to keep the ghosts from getting too close to him.

PERSONALITY: Shun is a timid person who’s fear of connecting with others makes him come off as cold and unfriendly to those on campus. He shies away from large social gatherings if possible and never sticks around for long once his in person classes are done for the day. His words are clipped and brisk, straight to the point leaving no room for the conversation to go on.

Behind that shell he’s made for himself, Shun is a kind soul who hates seeing others in pain because of his own actions. He’s softhearted and kind to the point of it rotting your teeth, despite having to face horrors night after night and never having his kindness returned. Perhaps he does this as a way of asking for forgiveness from those around him, to say sorry for the trouble he brings by simply being around and to punish himself.

ABBLITIES: Since the age of 6, Shun has never had a moment of peace. All his life, he has been haunted by ghosts; restless spirits that wander the street as if they were currently one of the living, with some being nicer than others, both in appearance and personality.

His dreams at night are plagued with horrific visions of the near future, filled with carnage and the death of some of those he’s interacted with throughout the day. What is going to be the initial cause of death, the struggle of the dying, and the last breath are all things he bears witness to. The time frame of when those deaths may happen can span from the next morning to a week later, with Shun learning to pick out clues within these visions as to when the dream will become reality. Sight, sound, and scent are his only companions for no one can hear or see him. He cannot speak, touch, or roam any farther from the scene of the death unless moving from one vision to the next.

There are times where these visions like to stalk him into the waking world. Through skin contact, if his powers are activated , say right after waking from a vision, or he activates his powers willingly, he’s able to see if that person has an upcoming death date. These visions last as long as the skin contact does.

OCCUPATION: Shun is a university student and double majors in Photography and Astronomy. He thinks that because he doesn’t sleep anyways, he might as well put the extra time to use by doing more work. He’s in the top 10 for his courses in terms of grades. Shun is also a volunteer at a local pet adoption centre and can often be found tending to the cats (they all love him).

HOBBIES: Restless nights where he evades sleep for another day often lead to late night walks with his camera in hand. Shun often finds himself at the park not too far from the university, standing on the wooden bridge and gazing at the reflection of the moon in the pond or laying in the cool grass, gazing at the stars. These are trips he makes alone, for now, with the only evidence that he ever left the dorm so late being the multiple new photos on his camera and phone.

RELATIVES: Father (deceased), mother (deceased), aunt from mother’s side (deceased), father’s side of the family (status unknown), mother’s side of the family (alive)

#🔎. navi !#✒️. scribbles !#— shun liu.#// omg it's finally done #// pls send asks about my man im fully down to brainrot about him

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40sandfabulousaf · 22 days ago

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大家好! We're still seeing cloudy skies and rain. The sun is starting to emerge but the winds are still strong and temperatures are cool. Gimme all the noodles! Mummy and I revisited a very popular noodle bar at the mall near our homes. She ordered chor bee hoon (thick rice noodles) with veggie and pork wantons, I had spicy pai gu la mian tang (pork rib handpulled noodles soup) and we shared blanched bakchoy with crispy spring onions. The chilli oil added just enough heat without withering my tastebuds. Their blanched bak choy without sauce was really delicious; we won't order their version with sauce again. So fresh, crunchy and so good. As you can see in the next few paras this wasn't our first visit and certainly won't be the last.

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I couldn't stop thinking of LeNu's (that's the name of the noodle bar chain) la mian, so I took Pa there. He ordered their dry pai gu la mian, I had their xue cai yü pian la mian tang (sliced fish and preserved vegetables with handpulled noodle soup) and we shared blanched bakchoy without sauce nor fried shallots. Our mian tiao (noodles) came in a set which included chilled silken tofu with century egg and bonito flakes. It was a chilly afternoon and a steaming hot bowl of la mian was extremely comforting. Pa loved the meal so much, he finished everything! When I offered to pass him the voucher for $15 off for every $40 spent so he could take his friend there, he accepted without hesitation 😅 I wish the restaurant offers more fish la mian options because they do fish perfectly. Large, thick, tender slices and generous portions, I'll happily return for this over and over again.

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Would you believe it, Mummy and I revisited LeNu again! 😅 They rival Din Tai Fung as far as noodles are concerned. After hearing me wax lyrical about their pai gu la mian tang, she tried it, but switched from la mian to guo tiao (thin flat rice noodles). I chose spicy zhu pai la mian tang (fried pork chop handpulled noodle soup). We shared poached lettuce without sauce nor fried shallots as well as hong you chao shou (dumplings in vinegar and chilli oil). Mummy LOVED the pork rib guo tiao soup! This is very delicious and tender; I love it too. As for the zhu pai la mian tang, where do I even start. The pork was crispy on the outside but so juicy on the inside, I think I might prefer this to Din Tai Fung. Also recommended it to Pa. Their hong you chao shou may be even nicer than Din Tai Fung's. Mummy and I finished this as well as the poached lettuce. SO definitely coming back!

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We had our company Chinese New Year lunch as the festivities were coming to an end. Aside from lo hei, we had fatt choy sharksfin soup, steamed patin, sous vide chicken roulade (this wasn't popular with pretty much all of us), baby abalone with flower mushrooms and poached lettuce in oyster sauce, poached prawns and lap mei fan (rice with lap cheong, pork, green beans and dark soya sauce). There was dessert but I gave it away to another colleague because I don't have a sweet tooth. It was a noisy, rowdy affair, so characteristic of Chun Jie (Spring Festival) and Chinese New Year celebrations. It was the same at other tables; so fun!

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Again, if the YouTube video shorts don't load, click on the bottom-most right, enlarge them and they will play. Palestinians are very busy recently clearing their land and homes of debris left behind from the genocidal war. Watching them clean, wash and tidy is so moving after 15 months of carnage. Touching scenes of family reunions as well as joint efforts to make what is left of Gaza habitable again are emerging from the war-torn strip. Slowly but surely, the area is coming back to life and it's beautiful to watch. Some semblance of normalcy is beginning to return to the enclave; Palestinians are brewing fragrant cups of coffee and they're preparing higher quality meals. Even if Gaza is nowhere remotely near to being restored to what it was before the genocidal war, the return of a sense of normalcy is a start. A good start. 下次见!

#Youtube

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laurensjapanadventure · 2 years ago

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June 11- Himeji-jo

Today I successfully invaded the castle. Despite boasting numerous traps and holes for archers to shoot, I passed through with ease. It is a world heritage site that has never been destroyed by wars, earthquakes or fires and yet I, the greatest force of nature, have surpassed it without difficulty. It is one of the country’s 12 original castles, I can not wait to invade the others. I brought my good camera to accurately keep records of my martyrdom for prospective history books. I, unsurprisingly, have yet to upload them.

The most difficult part of the crusade was the voyage. It took us hours to get there and after leaving at 10am, we arrived around 1:30pm. The pilgrimage was not without sacrifice, as the balance on our Suica cards took a heavy dent. I nourished myself before the siege with tofu at a local establishment. Despite the carnage anticipated for the bloody battle ahead, no animals were harmed during our meal. Emily and I ate vegan dishes while Jordan ordered a pork cutlet bowl. I say ordered because he never received his meal.

Now to recount the actual raid and gator occupation. Within the actual buildings, the stairs were thin and difficult to climb. They were definitely not standardized. There were rooms in dedication to Princess Sen with her kimonos on display. I was surprised how much of the area was dedicated to her. We visited the Okiko’s Well which is rumored to be haunted. I threw a few yen in there and she is probably swimming in money considering how many coins were down there. When the day was over, we headed home at around 6:30 after a long train ride. I greatly enjoyed seeing a Hello Kitty train that I would love to ride.

I felt really bad about Jordan not being able to eat, so I decided to take him to a steakhouse to make up for it. He is a picky eater, so he didn’t like anything nearby since they all had set menus. We ended up walking to a place that didn’t even exist so I felt bad that he couldn’t eat. We decided to visit the Kyoto Tower Hotel and their cafeteria(?) area was essentially like a cyberpunk speakeasy as we would describe it. It had 1920s music with miscellaneous restaurants with a dark ambiance illuminated by neon lighting. Jordan really liked his yakitori which made me really happy. I ate a pancake because it was the only option I knew was vegetarian. Pancakes aren’t my favorite, but it was pretty good.

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reptileshrine · 7 years ago

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Reprise by Dead To A Dying World

#dead to a dying world #post-black doom metal #blackened doom #neoclassical blackened doom #post-black metal #post-metal doom #post-metal #remix and remaster #usa #usbm #tofu carnage records #2011 #2018 #alerta antifascista records

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yostresswritinggirl · 4 years ago

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and, if Albedo have his own personal botanist, what about xiao have his own personal chef, or something like that? the reader working at wangshu inn as the chef or maid 👀 (this the request... If you want to make something from this absurd idea 👀👀)

Hehe I like your thought process, anon. Albedo and Xiao really just: 😏👉👉 *finger guns* 👈👈 😑 for having reader assistants in my masterlist huh.

Making this solely a personal chef/maid thing would defo make this response hella short so I added in more info and background just like I did with Albedo's, so I hope you guys end up enjoying this one too!!

It isn't an absurd idea, but I sure as hell made an absurd answer to it kek

Xiao's Devoted "Chef"

Xiao with a Reader who is not only his Personal Chef but assistant

Background (let's gooo)

The arrival of the Adepti Yaksha in Wangshu Inn was really something I've been intrigued about for a while now, but I won't make much assumptions here because his banner is coming and more info would be given to us.

Xiao had long since been residing in and spends a majority of his time in this Inn yet its owners, Verr Goldet and Huai'an, barely knows anything about the adepti or his lifestyle.

So on a sunny, quaint day like any other where calmness passes through the lands without worry, they expected the Adepti to resign himself to a moment of peace and rest too.

So color them surprised when they save the familiar silhouette of the adepti ascending to the top floor. Porcelain white skin and clear tank top glittered with fresh blood as a broken and bruised figure lays unconscious in his arms. The couple was thankful that there were no customers out and about that day, because it would be a disaster for an audience to witness such a thing. Also bad for business, but they'll hold that in at the back of their mind.

Skilled workers were quick to work with their seemingly extensive experience with such a protocol. As they tended to the victim, the Boss stayed behind to tend to and inquire with the Adepti. Yet such a conversation between them came out strained:

There were no visible wounds that require immediate medical attention but there was a look in his eyes that feels much more broken than anything they can fix. Verr's hands hover over him in an attempt to urge him to clean up his still bloodied form. His amber eyes that were usually sharp looks through a distance light-years away.

"Xiao," the woman started and the eyes snapped out of its reverie, subtly looking around to ground himself. "What happened? And are you okay?"

"Their- the parents died from a Hilichurl ambush, I was only able to save the child," his crossed arms gripped at his forearm in the realization of his utter mistake. "32 seconds."

"32 seconds?" The Mondstadtian offered a fresh set of hot towels he had taken, and he had flinched when he saw the carnage that stuck close to his skin.

"I was 32 seconds late."

Your parents were adventurers who brought you with them as big fans of traveling and nomadic lifestyle, no set home yet freely living by. You were in your younger teens and you'd clarified you had no other family to go to.

The death of your parents came as an obvious shock to your young self yet you grieved in silence and sobs, as the only person you trust hovers next to where you rest in silent contemplation.

Verr knows that look, and it was something she hasn't seen on the Adepti before. Of pure guilt and a sense of responsibility.

That night you rested surprisingly nightmare-free as your savior stands his ground next to where you rest.

Present Times

The couple had adopted you into the Inn family without a second's hesitance and you were thankful for them as you were to Xiao. You were no heavy expense or disadvantage and that made it all the more easier to adapt into your new lifestyle.

Despite no words or explanation, you were perfectly aware of the deeds your savior had done to save you and keep you alive, and with that you had sworn to serve him until the end of your time. A life for a life, equivalent exchange.

Coming into terms with being in Liyue and the Inn, your life choices were meddled with commerce and the importance of livelihood. You were young but your guilt of being under the care of such people forced you to take on any and every responsibility you can handle.

Despite your background you were expertly skilled with cooking. Your mother and father always taught you the importance of a meal for adventurers whenever you'd camped out. And your special touch on dishes that saves adventurers had drawn in many appetites.

Business boomed and the Inn wasn't just famous for being a temporary residence, but a sanctuary that offers tastes paired with the divine sense of Celestia. You became Wangshu Inn's Head Chef, with your sous-chef Smiley Yanxiao.

At times where Xiao is forced to make rounds to seize looming threats, he'd find himself picking fresh and healthy ingredients he'd find on the way back and present to you for new recipes to experiment on.

But you also pride yourself with a different title, or titles: The Adepti's Personal Chef, Tender of the Yaksha, Adepti's Devotee.

This title was emphasized by the Sigil of Permission sewn into an armband hanging by your right arm, something you proudly wear even beyond the walls of the Inn.

You found out the Adepti's favorite during your daily visit and breaks, usually done so by hanging out in the balcony with him with a brand new recipe you recently made and wanted to test out.

While he sat parallel to you, he eyed the transparent syrup and the gelatinous substance in the obvious curiousity he shows for all your new creations, silently awaiting your opinion by watching your expression: whenever you show even the slightest distaste, he'll pointedly ignore his curiousity and the dish altogether. And if you express such pride and achievement, his interest will get the better of him, if you haven't offered the dish quickly enough.

"What is this?" He'd finally ask after your delighted moans, indulging on your own creation.

"Mmm, Almond Tofu... do you wish to try it?" Without an answer he'd pick up the only spoon on the plate and tasted it himself. And just like that, he'd froze, eyes full blown in surprise and awe.

"Do you like it?" He can only hum in response as he scarfs down the plate by himself, chewing respectfully yet with a hint of vigor in every scoop. "It tastes... like dreams..." the way he looked at you, with eyes possessing such childlike wonder, you couldn't help but fall.

After that, Xiao had requested a daily plate/offering of it. It became a routine to the point that all workers heard of the favoritism and are encouraged to learn the recipe. But it's usually your dish that is served, unless special occasions calls for someone else.

There has been an influx of dormers and adventurers recently as citizens around Teyvat flock to the Liyue continent in hopes to watch the most extravagant celebration of the new year, the Lantern Rite Festival.

Your best efforts manning the kitchen together with Yanxiao took gruelling hours just to prepare for the dinner's first course even with hours of prep time available. Even both bosses had to lend some hands as your sous-chef can barely keep up with your stride. And after the dishes are finally distributed to the dining hall, you were already set in cleaning up the kitchen, and before you knew it-

"It has been an hour."

"It was a busy day, I'm sorry, Xiao." You could only muster a mumble in guilt as you kept your head down on the usual table, refusing to look at the disapproving expression he definitely wore, except he doesn't. His face has the slightest hints of worry and wonder at your deflated composure.

But his focus now was on the food he has been craving the whole day, already digging into his dessert. And you just tried your hardest not to fall asleep on the cold, wooden tabletop. Until your tummy rumbled through the silence.

A hum. "You haven't eaten?" You shake your head as you lift your head, gazing at the cute sight of your guardian tilting his head to the side in slight distaste for your lifestyle. You open your mouth to retort until you felt the cold utensil touch your bottom lip. "Here, I saved you the last bite. After this, get yourself a meal and retreat to your quarters, I don't want to hear any excuses." He softly urges a little push with the spoon so you get the hint, and you wrap your lips around it, chewing and gulping down cold dessert. He offered his favorite food, used the same spoon, and spoon fed you with it—

"Wha... don't- don't bite the spoon," you squeeze your eyes tight from the embarrassing thoughts in your head.

When people wish to have an audience with Xiao, most of the time they head to you for guidance after inquiring with Verr. They require a sigil of permission, and most of the times, your own sigil has been under fire a lot in their desperation.

An old merchant who desperately wants to hire the adepti to aid his caravan with personal security once tried to claw at your armband, but a split second after the tip of his fingers had touched the cloth, he was blown away to the nearest wall.

"What-," a pressure on your left shoulder pulls your other against a lean chest, protectively squeezing as a polearm materialized in front of you. You can feel the ragged vibrations of the Yaksha's unusually heavy breaths, his amber eyes sharp and dangerous, dilated like a predator.

"What gives you the idea that you had the authority to lay a hand on my assistant?" Black and teal embers conjure around you two as a dark shadow slowly creeps up from the ground. "That is their sigil of permission; I want nothing to do with you mere mortals."

If not for Verr and the other staff, things would have gone gruesome and unsightly for the business. Yes, business. Everyone disliked the guy enough to care more about the Inn than his actual well-being. When he'd come to, he was forced out of the Inn (he would have done so himself anyways as he was already traumatized).

"Sir Xiao, why did you do that?"

"He didn't have a Sigil, he was pretty much asking for it. And why have you gone formal?" You pouted at him and his only response was a quirked eyebrow. Walking over to stand behind him, you slowly wiggled your arms through the gap between his waist and slack arms, finding it easy enough with how thin his waist is as you wrapped him in a hug.

He tensed from the secretly ticklish feeling before letting down his guard in your arms. This was one of your leeway as his most devoted follower. Your constant exposure with the aid of the divine sigil has made you immune to the negative effects of Adeptal energy, enough to make him nigh worry about your safety around him anymore.

And him letting you hug him like this... let's just say it's from your mannerisms of comfort when you were still young and around him.

"Take an indefinite leave," Xiao broke the silence a few minutes after, forcing you to crane your head to the side to look at him. He meets your gaze with an amused glint. "You have no debt to pay here, you shouldn't be holed up in a place like this."

"It is true that me leaving wouldn't have majooor repercussions, but what's with the sudden idea?"

He huffs. "You're my only follower and yet you divide your attention serving temporary mortals that will pass by without remembrance. And besides," you tense at the sight of an upturn on the edge of lip, pearly whites subtly peeking, "personal does not mean sharing."

You were an adventurer at heart and it's time you indulge in that glorified life of excitement, with your guardian by your side. It was the only gift he can come up with for your undying devotion.

Holy - I had to cut this thing A LOT because I wrotE A HECKIN LOT WTF?! It's not even done in my mind, my goodness, there should be an adventuring unit here too but hhhh I got too conscious of the length sksksks I'm so sorry! P-Part 2-?

I enjoyed writing this a tad bit too much sksksks but now that the second to the last installation of this even is published, the next request should be the last one! And that means I'll have to stop the poll and start working on the requests for the 100 followers one! So if you haven't voted there, you should before it's too late!!

#exile.flower #exile.goblet #genshin impact #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact oneshots #genshin impact xiao #xiao #xiao x reader #i. fucked up #why do i always go haywire when given a simple prompt #i think this went too far hmm #followers special #gender neutral

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terrence-silver · 3 years ago

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I have some simple questions ab Terry. 1). what would his favorite food be? 2). What is his favorite movie? 3). what is his favorite book? 4). How early do you think he gets up?/what time would he go to bed? 5). Who was his favorite parent?

Terry Silver eats like a snake eats; he eats meat. In all actuality, he does. His dietary habits changed over the years the same way his personas changed, shifting, transforming and befitting each new role and each new fashion fad (a viper on a lettuce and tofu diet is a strange thing), but deep down, I think covets a good, classic rare stake paired with fine liquor when he isn't out to, if you will, wear a mask or win over a crowd with how admirable and green his choice of meals are. It is a means to an end, of course, especially when he's older. Who doesn't want to prolong themselves? He covets bizarre food too. The slightly daunting and unusual most people would be put off by. Squid ink? Blood soups? Rare types of Crabs? Undoubtedly a great many dishes that are Korean too. Wouldn't be surprised if Terry had a particular penchant for lamb, veal and rabbit meat, just due to what the flesh of a particularly tender (stereotypically pure) animal alludes to.

I think Terry would unapologetically have a penchant for old timey movies. The elegant. The classy. Old Hollywood stuff. (Maybe Japanese Retro Cinema, as a guilty pleasure?) I don't think most of modern cinema does too much for him, unless this is the 80's and a new slasher film just came out. I'm even prone to go as far and say he enjoys black and white movies in particular and always has. It would've been something, to an extent, still in fashion when he was young, so the habit remained and dragged on all throughout his life. Don't know why, but think someone lovesick and often violently obsessive and possessive as Terry would enjoy a good romance ranging anywhere from the 1930's timeline-wise to something like Bonnie and Clyde (1967) because he sees a certain ideal...in a pair of lovers shedding all inhibitions on a rampage and their eyes meeting in cathartic vigour before they're shot to death in a scene that goes on and on almost sadistically so. He doesn't know who he'd rather be; the people shooting or the couple dying. Maybe he just likes to watch.

Notwithstanding the likes of The Art of War and Machiavelli's Prince as his all go-to's alongside most major works of Philosophy you could think of, which he, yes, reads religiously in his downtime (We literally see him read Leviathan by Hobbs), I feel Terry would enjoy something gritty and gory like Blood Meridian (The Evening Redness in the West) by Cormac McCarthy. Why? A major theme is the warlike nature of man? Critics declaring they that their "first two attempts to read through Blood Meridian failed, because [they] flinched from the overwhelming carnage"? Book quotes like "You can find meanness in the least of creatures, but when God made man the Devil was at his elbow. A creature that can do anything". Yep. Outside of that, on a slightly milder, less morbid and dark note? Don't laugh, but Wuthering Heights. I think that lovers haunting each other from beyond the grave has something that would just do it for him in a weird sense, you know? There's a zeal to that manner of devotion. Not that he'd ever mention he enjoys that one.

Terry seemingly has no clear-cut schedule of when he sleeps and his habits are often confusing when observed. He can stay up all evening, being an absolute night owl, doing goodness knows what and still be up at an unusually early time, training, like nothing happened. How he does it and how he ticks like perfect clockwork is unclear, but it is like he has always had excess energy and an almost Spartan discipline and drive intermingled with the decedent where he easily pulls all-nighters and still starts his morning routine at five o'clock sharp, easily before everyone else, doing push-ups and warm up Kata alone, right before either heading out to Dynatox's HQ, to the dojo, taking a business call, depending of the era he's in --- regardless, Terry is meticulous and orderly, regardless if he's orderly from a jacuzzi or an office. Undoubtedly a habit brought back from the military that was just drilled into him.

Could've been his mother, if only by a little bit? I feel Terry's father was undoubtedly strict and despotic, riddled with huge expectations one needed to live up to by any means necessary. But then again, so could've his mother, in a sense. I think he loved them both for all their darkness and faults and authoritarian nature regardless because they were his and Terry hasn't had anyone who was his by blood since. Nobody he was tied to that way. I think he loved them even more when they died and a great many of the possible obsessiveness, controlling (yet ironically out of control?) tendencies and maybe even cruelty they showed him was compartmentalized. Now, they joined a deceased Ponytail in their role. They became someone he absorbed into themselves through the habits and the teachings they left him with. What if his dad used to call him Terry-boy? What if he wore his father's rings? What if he had his mother's smile? I can see that much. Now, he was their only living picture.

#terry silver #kk3 #cobra kai #terry silver headcanon #terry silver headcanons #character analysis

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skellebonez · 4 years ago

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May I ask for a double with Shadowpeach with Fluff #42 and 47 please?

(I'm curious to see how this plays out)

Oh my god yes. This can only go amazingly (horribly).

“Darling I love you and all, but please step out of the kitchen.”/ “At least let me clean it.”

“Oh Heaven what have you done to my kitchen?”

Sun Wukong stood in the entrance to his kitchen, shoulders shaking and hands clasped together in front of his mouth as he tried to determine if he should allow himself to laugh. On the one hand... it was intact. The kitchen was definitely still in one piece. The walls were standing. The equipment hadn’t exploded or fallen apart. So that was good.

That wasn’t the case for the vast majority of the ingredients. Or Macaque.

Somehow, and considering Wukong himself had never managed this it was actually somewhat impressive, Macaque had managed to decimate every ingredient and get them in places where food did not belong. There was mashed fruit on the ceiling, probably because he threw it in frustration and it got stuck there. A fine layer of flour covered most of everything except the stove (thankfully, at least his stove would not catch fire today). Wukong did not remember getting that much tofu when he went to the city but either he did or Macaque had managed to do something to it to make it explode. The vegetables, oddly, looked fine if very poorly chopped.

Not to mention the rice just... everywhere. There so much rice. He would see rice in his nightmares now.

Wukong was incredibly glad that he didn’t have any meat in his fridge at this very moment because he could only imagine the absolute excessive carnage that would have occurred if he did (and likely the great amount of disinfectant he would need to buy because no doubt it will would have been raw).

Macaque looked roughly in a similar state to the kitchen. His face was mostly ok, a couple odd smears of white from the flour the only evidence of whatever he had done, but his torso and arms were just caked in everything. He didn’t know mangoes and tofu mashed together made that color but he did now.

“I got hungry and you made it look easy,” Macaque answered flatly. Not even an excuse, just a flat explanation. “And I... thought I’d surprise you. I think I at least accomplished that part.” He looked down at his hands, grimacing. “Shit. I think I need to do more than just... rinse off... Why does flour stick to fur like this Peaches?”

“Darling I love you and all,” Wukong sighed out with a smile, stepping over the puddles of fruit goop to put an arm around Macaque and lead him outside. “But please step out of the kitchen.”

“At least let me clean it,” Macaque argued, but letting himself be lead out and taking off his top so it could be washed properly as well.

“No, please, the kitchen is already dead.”

“OH HA-HA.”

#macaque: wukong does it so it can't be that hard #macaque an hour later: I have come to realize I was VERY wrong #i've been looking up vegetarian and vegan recipes #for reasons related to jttw #i have a lot of dishes to test out #macaque had probably only touched a knife and nothing else #i don't think this man has eaten more than fruit and junkfood himself #six eared macaque #monkey king #sun wukong #shadowpeaches #monkie kid #lego monkie kid #prompt fill #I actually made rice explode the first time i cooked it #so I know the pain of destroying a kitchen

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asphodellic · 3 years ago

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More self indulgence for @punky-thera

"I'm sorry."

The words are out of his mouth before the door has even closed all the way. The walk to his room from the terrace was silent, and Xiao knows well by now the look on Azriel's face. He's deep in thought, a little upset.

With him. Of course.

Xiao could argue that he'd saved all their lives and that it should be what's most important, but he knows Azriel--his partner--places more value on his life and continued survival than he himself does.

Azriel doesn't respond right away, so Xiao speaks again. He's been talking so much today, and his mouth and head feel as tired as the rest of him does.

"There wasn't a choice, Azriel. I tried to get us all out of there. I tried to be strong enough. But I didn't have the power. All I could do was send the rest of you on. I tried."

When Azriel turns to look at him, his eyes are sad. There's a weight there that makes him look older than he appears, and Xiao knows he's thinking of others he's lost. His sister...

"I would have rather stayed down there with you than come back without you," Azriel says.

"No," Xiao replies, the word snapping out into the quiet of the room. "There would have been no point in that. We would have just gone mad and died eventually."

"But we would have been together. You wouldn't have been alone."

"I've been alone before," Xiao points out before he can stop himself.

Azriel sighs, and Xiao can see the weight of their little adventure underground weighing on him. He takes his shoes off and goes to sit on the bed, making himself at home the way he always does.

So he can't be too angry with Xiao, all things considered.

"Do you want to die, Xiao?" he asks after a bit. "Aren't you...happy?"

It's a heavy question. The Xiao of the past never gave much thought one way or the other to happiness. He was alive. He had his spear and his power and the charge of Rex Lapis himself to defend this world and the people in it. What more did he need, when life was one long series of battles, and his yaksha nature called him to seek one after the other, throwing himself headfirst into the carnage. If he survived, he got to see another day, and if he didn't then...

Then it didn't much matter how he felt, one way or another.

But the Xiao of today has more than that. He still has his spear and his power and an odd sort of friendship with the man who used to be Rex Lapis. But now he has this little room above the Inn, and Ver Goldet downstairs, who sends him almond tofu and leaves qingxins in a little vase on his terrace. He has a growing number of people who care whether he lives or dies, and at the center of them is Azriel. His partner, who looks at him with big golden eyes that have seen too much suffering already.

"You make me feel happy," Xiao admits. "It is...new. But not bad. I didn't do it because I wanted to die. I'll admit that I get tired sometimes. The weight of what I've done and the karma that consumes me is incredible. I told you, yaksha are always hurtling toward disaster. It's our destiny, and we feel no fear. I wasn't afraid in that darkness because I knew you would go on, and you would live. That meant more to me than anything else. But...I was sorry to leave you."

Something eases in Azriel's expression, and he holds a hand out, inviting Xiao come closer to his own bed. They're both grimy from so much time spent underground and dusty from the trip back to Wangshu from the Chasm. By rights, they should clean up before going to bed.

Not that Xiao cares.

As always, Azriel is like a light, beckoning him in, and he's helpless to resist it. He takes Az's hand, threading their fingers together, letting himself be pulled closer to stand between Azriel's spread legs.

Like this, Xiao is taller, and when Azriel wraps his arms around Xiao's waist, all of the tension bleeds from him. He sighs softly, slumping in that hold, and tracks fingers through soft, blond hair.

"I don't want to lose you," Azriel whispers.

"I know."

"You matter, Xiao. To so many people."

"I...am coming to know that, too."

"Good." Azriel's voice is firm, and he looks up again, finally smiling a little. "You must be exhausted."

Xiao just nods because yes, he really is.

"Come on. Let me take care of you for once." There's a flurry of movement while Azriel gets up, pushing Xiao down onto the bed. He calls for tea from downstairs, and something to eat, and Xiao just watches him.

He holds still while Azriel removes his gloves and his mask, setting them both aside gently. He lets him wipe dirt from his face with a damp cloth, and smooth his hair back from his forehead. When soft lips press to the marking there, Xiao sighs.

He's alive. He made it out.

He is...home.

And happy to be there.

#okay i'm done now for real #probably....#this is unedited we die like xiao tried to #azxiao #i need a new writing tag #birdie words

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sou-kk · 4 years ago

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Karma Duet (SP Void Menreiki) Event Story Transcript - Part 01

Date: August 11, 2021 (Global Server)

Part 02 | Part 03

HAKUZOSU: Argh, my head aches so much…Where am I? Why am I here?

HAKUZOSU: I’ve never been here before, yet somehow it seems familiar. What’s going on? Am I still asleep?

HAKUZOSU: These scrolls scattered on the ground. They look familiar…It’s Master Seimei’s writing!

HAKUZOSU: Huh, weird, these scrolls were supposed to go to the Onmyoji Guild. What are they doing here?

HAKUZOSU: Onmyoji Guild, Onmyoji Guild, Onmyoji Guild…Ah!

SEIMEI: Is that so…I see. I’ll go and investigate around the capital today. Thank you for reporting this.

ONMYOJI OF THE CAPITAL: We’re counting on you, Master Seimei!

KOHAKU: What’s happened, Master Seimei? Why did we have visitors at such a late hour?

SEIMEI: A monster has been reported roaming around the capital lately. It’s been catching people and dragging them off to a mansion, where it forces them to put on plays.

KOHAKU: Plays? This monster sounds like a fan of the theater.

SEIMEI: We’re not talking about theater plays. They said the “participants” were forced to wear a mask and attack each other. And only the last one alive is allowed to leave.

SEIMEI: That monster enjoys watching them as they slaughter each other and has been abducting others so it can continue the play of carnage.

KOHAKU: That’s horrible! Let’s go repel that monster!

KOHAKU: Wait. If there’s only been one survivor, how come everyone knows all about it?

SEIMEI: Ah, I see you’ve spotted the problem.

SEIMEI: You see…None of those who’ve requested help from the Onmyoji Guild had any wound of any kind on their body and yet, they were certain that they had been a part of it. Some were even able to draw maps of the mansion in great detail.

KOHAKU: Now I’m confused. Did they all have the same dream?

SEIMEI: Anyway, I think I already have an idea as to why. Let’s go and pay that Monster a visit today, Kohaku.

KOHAKU: You already know who it is?! I wouldn’t miss this for the world!

HAKUZOSU: So, then Master Seimei and I went looking for the monster…What was that monster again? It’s weird, my memory seems to be fragmented.

HAKUZOSU: But if I’m here, it must be that monster’s doing.

HAKUZOSU: I can’t just stand here and do nothing. I must find Master Seimei now. If I’m now part of the play of carnage, who knows what will happen.

HAKUZOSU: Anyway, why are there scrolls on the floor? They do look like Seimei’s scrolls…

HAKUZOSU: But there’s something strange about them.

Starting to feel anxious, Kohaku skimmed through the scrolls before picking them up and heading off to explore the mansion.

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei! Master Seimei! Are you there?

HAKUZOSU: If I’m truly involved in this so-called play of carnage, then there must be someone else here.

HAKUZOSU: I won’t lose to anyone when it comes to fighting! Instead of trying to hide, I should make more noise to get people’s attention.

HAKUZOSU: I must get back to Master Seimei at all costs! Without Master Seimei, I feel uneasy.

HAKUZOSU: No, I can count on myself. Why would I have that idea? Argh, my head hurts…

Struck by a headache, Kohaku suppressed his rising fear and anxiety, and continued to run through the mansion, which seemed like it didn’t have an exit.

HAKUZOSU: This place is so huge, and the corridor doesn’t seem to end…

The sound of footsteps caught his attention, Kohaku discovered a girl wearing a mask behind one of the doors.

GIRL (SARU): Argh! Please! Don’t kill me!

HAKUZOSU: Calm down! I’m not a bad guy. I’m not going to kill you!

GIRL (SARU): Really? Are you really not a bad guy?

GIRL (SARU): Please! Save me! This place! It’s so creepy!

GIRL (SARU): I don’t know how I ended up here. And there’s a voice in my head, urging me to attack people!

GIRL (SARU): I don’t want to die! Take me with you. Please, protect me!

HAKUZOSU: Okay, okay, calm down first. I can protect you, as long as you stop pulling my sleeve.

HAKUZOSU: You said you don’t know how you ended up here. Were you caught by a monster?

GIRL (SARU): Hmm…

HAKUZOSU: And did you see what the monster looked like?

GIRL (SARU): No. When I opened my eyes, I found myself here. And I saw strange people attacking each other…

GIRL (SARU): So I escaped from the chaos…

HAKUZOSU: Alright, you can come with me.

HAKUZOSU: Wait…Have I seen you before?

GIRL (SARU): I don’t think so, I’ve never seen you before.

HAKUZOSU: Argh, my head hurts. Forget it, I must find Master Seimei now.

Anxiety and fear kept pushing Kohaku on. He quickened his pace without caring much about the girl and continued to explore the mansion.

HAKUZOSU: Was I here earlier? Damn it. Am I lost?

HAKUZOSU: I must find Master Seimei now!

GIRL (SARU): Are you looking for your friend? Can the one you’re looking for protect us?

GIRL (SARU): When you find him again, please don’t leave me behind…

HAKUZOSU: I won’t leave you behind! Master Seimei is kind and powerful. He’ll look after you. So don’t worry.

GIRL (SARU): But, what if…What if something went wrong…

HAKUZOSU: No buts!

GIRL (SARU): I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean it! Please don’t be mad at me! And please don’t leave me behind!

HAKUZOSU: I’m not mad! No, I mean, I…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.

HAKUZOSU: (What’s happening to me? Why am I feeling so anxious? I would never normally yell like that. Is it because this place is depressing me?)

HAKUZOSU: (Anyway, I must find Master Seimei as soon as possible. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach…)

The two of them quickly walked out of the corridor. At the corner, Kohaku saw something he couldn’t believe. There was a pool of blood on the ground, with a man lying in it, his silver hair dyed red by the blood. Then a man with the same face as the man lying on the ground turned his head and looked at Kohaku.

DARK SEIMEI: …

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei? Master Seimei!

HAKUZOSU: You, what are you doing to Master Seimei?!

DARK SEIMEI: See for yourself.

Kohaku rushed to the Seimei on the ground and tried to help him up. But that pair of kind eyes were closed.

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei? Master Seimei! Wake up, please don’t leave me here!

HAKUZOSU: I’ve been waiting for you for such a long time. And you promised me that you would never leave my side!

HAKUZOSU: How could you lie about this…

HAKUZOSU: Answer me, Master Seimei…

The body in Kohaku’s arms turned into dust and was blown towards the Dark Seimei next to them. As the light dimmed, the two Seimei merged into one.

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei?

SEIMEI: Where am I? Who are you, little fox?

HAKUZOSU: It’s me Kohaku! The first shikigami you formed a pact with!

HAKUZOSU: Don’t you remember? Did you forget me...again?

SEIMEI: …

GIRL (SARU): Is he the one you were looking for? So he…forgot about you?

GIRL (SARU): He must’ve abandoned you! I’m sure he has!

GIRL (SARU): You gave him everything. You formed a pact with him, offered your trust, your power, and your life, and yet, you were abandoned and betrayed.

GIRL (SARU): You claimed that there were no buts. But this is a but.

HAKUZOSU: No it’s not…

HAKUZOSU: I’ve not been abandoned…Have I, Master Seimei?

SEIMEI: Your Demon Force is pulsing, little fox. It’s too dangerous.

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei? What are you talking about? Why are you holding an amulet? Are you…going to attack me?

GIRL (SARU): Look, the one you’ve been protecting has now abandoned you!

HAKUZOSU: Shut up!

HAKUZOSU: My head aches…

The world started to shake as Kohaku was plunged into darkness. In the pitch-black darkness, he saw Seimei holding an illuminated amulet in his hand. Kohaku covered his head as he stubbornly looked at the man before him, as though waiting for an answer.

HAKUZOSU: I’ve not been abandoned by you, Master Seimei, right?

The man before him remained silent. Then suddenly, a magic circle appeared around Kohaku. Countless chains reached out and wrapped themselves around him.

GIRL (SARU): You bound yourself willingly, and you offered your name and your heart to him, only to receive this heartless betrayal in return.

GIRL (SARU): This is your destiny. You have always been alone…

HAKUZOSU: Master Seimei…

Kohaku lowered his head as the chains wrapped tighter. He then looked up at the man before him and waited for his attack. Then suddenly, he heard a familiar noise coming from afar…

VOICE: Wake up! Don’t act like a stray dog!

HAKUZOSU: I’m not a dog!

HAKUZOSU: What?

Kohaku responded before he realized what was happening. He suddenly raised his head, and scrolls fell from his arms, and lay scattered on the ground. At that very moment, Kohaku saw a note among the scrolls. It was written in a hand that he knew too well. “Send these scrolls to the Onmyoji Guild of the Capital, Kohaku. You can get some of that fried tofu you like on your way back from town. Seimei.”

VOICE: Look closely at the things before you.

He started to hear sounds he was familiar with. These sounds smashed through his fear and panic, dissolving the chains. His world became clear again. Kohaku opened his eyes to see that the strange Seimei had disappeared, along with the chains wrapped around his body. The girl behind him disappeared, leaving only a cracked mask in her wake. It was Saru. Though cracked, the face distorted by fear was still vivid.

HAKUZOSU: What’s happened to me? The strange feeling that I’d had ever since I woke up has gone!

HAKUZOSU: Right! Master Seimei! That was Master Seimei’s voice! He woke me up with that note!

HAKUZOSU: Great, I finally see you aga—

HAKUZOSU: Wait! Why are you here?!

DARK SEIMEI: …

OOTENGU: What’s that attitude? Master Dark Seimei just saved you from that mask’s attack!

OOTENGU: Plus, your Master Seimei is not here. You were stalking us alone in the streets!

HAKUZOSU: Streets? Stalking? Right!

Looking at the scrolls, Kohaku remembered what had happened: he had been running an errand for Master Seimei. On the halfway, he saw Dark Seimei and his shikigami. Kohaku thought it was suspicious seeing them in the capital at this time, what with the rumor about a play of carnage, so he followed them in secret.

HAKUZOSU: Come to think of it, I followed you all the way to Menreiki’s mansion and heard you talking about Lady Yuki Onna. And then, I passed out!

HAKUZOSU: When I woke up, I found myself here, in this place. And my memories were all scrambled…Argh!

HAKUZOSU: The play of carnage that’s been happening in the capital was the doing of you and Menreiki?!

HAKUZOSU: So what was that business with Master Seimei I just saw?

OOTENGU: No. I wouldn’t use such despicable and sick way of going about things.

Ootengu picked up the cracked mask from the ground and handed it to Kohaku. The distorted look of the mask gave Kohaku a fright.

OOTENGU: You were affected by the mask.

OOTENGU: Saru. This one embodies fear.

HAKUZOSU: What? A mask? What’s this…all about?

OOTENGU: She’ll explain everything.

OOTENGU: It’s time to show yourself, you’ve been following us for long enough.

HAKUZOSU: Who goes there?

THE YOUNG LADY: Me.

HAKUZOSU: ?!

HAKUZOSU: I was still sleepy and didn’t recognize you. Now, let me take a closer look, you…You’re that Menreiki, aren’t you?!

THE YOUNG LADY: Menreiki?! I’m not that monster.

THE YOUNG LADY: I’m just a nobody caught here and forced to perform in this play.

THE YOUNG LADY: I’ll tell you everything. And in exchange, I hope you can eliminate the monster hidden in this mansion—

THE YOUNG LADY: —Menreiki.

Somewhere in the mansion.

GIRL (SARU): Phew, that was dreadful, what happened to those people…

GIRL (SARU): Wahhhh!

???: There’s no escape…

GIRL (SARU): Please, don’t kill me! Help! Save me!

A monster appeared out of a dark mist, wearing a dark mask. Crimson flowers bloomed as the wooden carving knife fell. The girl in white slowly fell to her knees.

GIRL (SARU): Why…does it always have to be like this… Whatever I do, ahem, it always ends up this way…

GIRL (SARU): Why can no one answer me and save me… I feel so cold. So cold.

The monster with a dark mask closed the eyes of the girl and sighed as she watched the body disappear.

MENREIKI: I’m here.

MENREIKI: I’ve always answered you.

MENREIKI: But you, you never seem to hear me.

#onmyoji #netease games #sp menreiki #sp void menreiki #karma duet #event story

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voidstilesplease · 4 years ago

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I'm only 37% into The Sword of Summer, but my gods, the unsettling vivid images I've already encountered 🙈. (spoilers? 🤷)

The einherjar of HV kills each other every day as part of their training. Like actual decapitations, chopped limbs, arrows through the neck, hammering of heads, impaling each other with double-axes 👀. Real carnage, the perfect picture of a bloodbath.

They have a magical beast that they slaughter and eat every day like a ritual to feed three rounds of thousands of warriors as the poor animal reincarnates for eternity. (And its left flank is apparently made of tofu.)

The main character visits his dead body in the funeral home, sees himself suited up and caked in make-up inside a coffin, and rolls his own corpse sideways to look for his missing sword. I can't bloody shake this image from the back of my eyelids, WTH.

And the latest is a dwarf casually carrying a severed head of a man with a shriveled up face inside a bowling bag. 👀

I don't know. I mean, I've been warned first sentence in, I guess. So, I should stop being surprised, really. Like, what did I expect, it's Norse Mythology. I have 63% more to go of this brutal Viking madness wrapped in hilarious, ridiculous narration plus two other books in the trilogy. I wonder what else is in store for me. More Painful Deaths, I believe! Yay!

#currently reading #📖: mcga: the sword of summer #rick riordan #riordanverse #magnus chase #the sword of summer #norse mythology #books #bookish #bookblr #late to the party woes #magnus chase spoilers

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ranma-rewatch · 4 years ago

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Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga

Well, howdy there. I’m up to episode 8 of Ranma 1/2, the second episode of the introductory arc for the best boy in anime history, Ryoga Hibiki. Last episode gave us a general idea of who he is, but it’s this one where we’ll get to see him and Ranma actually fight, as the title gives away. I’ve said it before, but I absolutely adore titles like this. One time I was writing a fanfic for this series, and I won’t lie, making up similar styled titles for chapters was one of the best parts. So, excited to watch it, next paragraph I’ll have done just that!

That...was kind of disappointing. I was really looking forward to this episode, and while there was a ton of stuff I really enjoyed about it, there was a lot I did not care for in the slightest. But before I talk more about that, I’ll do my recap.

Though there is a bit of an issue there, too. About half or more of this episode is Ranma and Ryoga fighting. I’m recapping the episode to you in a text-based format, so going blow-by-blow to describe every move of the fight would be pretty boring, I’d imagine, even if a lot of what happens is actually really great and ties together well. But on the other end of the spectrum, a lot of the plot momentum in the story is carried by the ebb and flow of the fight scene, so just glossing over it wouldn’t work either. I’m going to try for a middle path, but I apologize if I don’t stick that landing.

The episode starts at Furinkan High School, in the middle of the night, as the school’s Chemistry Club is secretly meeting to put their finishing touches on an...explosive mine? Which then blows up? I’d love to tell you this makes sense later...but it does not.

We cut from there to Ryoga, who is dramatically monoguing about how badly he wants to kill Ranma. NEXT SCENE. At the Tendo Household, Ranma and Akane are discussing again why Ryoga wants to beat Ranma up so badly. He’s still confused, since he was sure it was because of the bread. Speaking of Ryoga, Kasumi shows up to deliver a letter that arrived from Ranma, from his rival. It’s a letter of challenge, but the date on it was the day before. Ranma doesn’t think that’s a problem though, considering Ryoga’s relationship with timeliness. To accentuate that point, we get a small scene of Ryoga misunderstanding someone’s directions and going the wrong way, again.

The next day, in what looks to be between classes or during lunch or something, one of Akane’s friends comments on how long her hair has grown out. Akane notes in narration that it’s “finally” longer than Kasumi’s, to really connect the dots we see she’s thinking of Dr. Tofu. But there’s no time for that, Ryoga is back again! In the sports field! While sports are going on! He gets knocked out by a stray ball, but in no time Ranma is down there to fight him, and most of the school has gone down to watch.

Nabiki and her henchwomen, which she has apparently, smell an opportunity, and organize a betting ring on the fight. There’s some brief banter between Ranma and Ryoga, during which it’s revealed it’s actually been a month since the last episode and Ryoga ended up on Okinawa while lost (meaning he’s now been to all four of Japan’s main islands), but then the fight finally begins. Ryoga starts by mainly using his umbrella, and Ranma sticks to dodging.

From there, we get a few audience cutaways. It turns out everyone put their money on Ranma, so Nabiki realizes she’ll need to do something to make sure Ranma loses and she doesn’t lose a ton of money on the bets. The Chemistry Club shows up, and they realize that if Ranma dies, they’ll have a chance to...do something to Akane they never clarify, but is implied to be somehow taking ownership of her. Yeah.

Back to the fight, Ryoga tosses his umbrella at Ranma as a distraction, then pulls out a length of wire and throws a handcuff onto Ranma’s wrist. Now they’re chained at the hand, so they’ll have to fight close quarters, which favors Ryoga more. The umbrella ended up landing near the audience, and some of them try to lift it, only to realize it weighs an incredible amount. Even Akane, who is quite strong, can barely lift in less than a foot off the ground. Realizing that Ryoga’s been carrying this monster of a weapon with one hand this whole time, seemingly with no difficulties, Akane tries to warn Ranma that his opponent is far stronger than he seems.

We cut from there to a student running to see Kuno, and let him know Ranma is fighting some really strong guy who seems to be around Ranma’s level. Kuno claims he is “meditating”, which turns out to just be looking at posters of Ranma in his cursed form and Akane while trying to decide if he likes one more than the other.

Ranma finally decides to take this fight seriously, and uses Ryoga’s trick to his advantage by tangling Ryoga into being grappled, with only one hand to use and Ranma sitting on his back. It’s a great move, but Ryoga is in fact so strong that, with one hand, he can throw both of them dozens of feet into the air, where they start fighting mid-air. That was a miscalculation on Ryoga’s part though, as Ranma is basically built for air juggling.

They end up outside the initial fighting area, right where the Chemistry Club hid a bunch of their explosive mines. They don’t blow up as they’re stepped on though, and after several gags they end up trying to beat up Ranma by jumping out with mallets...right as the fighters dart away for somewhere else, setting off their mines and blowing themselves up. And that was the last anyone heard of them. I guess they’re actually dead. It’s canon now.

Nabiki runs after Ranma and Ryoga as they leave the school entirely for their fight. They’re just on some random street of the city now, and the handcuff tether broke as they left the filler characters behind. Nabiki approaches Ryoga as they’re fighting, offering him what she claims to be a steroid, but is actually just some vitamin pills. Ryoga takes them anyway, and with that plus Nabiki’s thorough encouragement, he acts as though he’s suddenly far stronger. Thanks, Placebo Effect! In fact, he lefts a cement telephone pole out of the ground and uses it as a melee weapon. Amazing.

Ryoga chases Ranma through the city and into the zoo, where some animals are let out from the carnage of their battle. By this point, Ryoga is getting tired of Ranma running away all the time, and says he’s acting like a girl. That hits Ranma’s Berserk Button, and he starts fighting back, breaking the weaponized piece of public property and several other things just as the other students start arriving to keep watching the fight.

The only problem is that A) Ranma broke a water fountain, making it spray water everywhere; B) Ryoga dodged the water using his umbrella, but Ranma got splashed and his curse activated; C) Ranma’s favorite shirt was slashed in the chest area earlier, meaning now parts of his breasts are showing. Ryoga is confused for a second, and Ranma actually gets really emotional, making it clear how much he hates his curse, how much of a struggle living with it is. From Akane’s face in the background, she finds it a bit overwrought. Kuno also briefly shows up to leap at Ranma, only to be taken out with a kick.

If Ranma thought the reveal of his curse and his explanation of how bad it makes him feel would make Ryoga take it easy on him, he thought wrong. In fact, Ryoga seems even more angry now, pissed off at the idea that looking so attractive could be a genuine problem. (Some fuel for you Ranma/Ryoga shippers out there.) Ryoga reveals a new trick. Apparently he has a bunch of bandanas, and he can throw them as sharp boomerangs? Okay.

Worried about him, Akane tries to help Ranma get out of there, sure he wouldn’t be able to win in his cursed form, only for Ranma to have to protect her, picking her up into his arms to run away to get some room away from their assailant. They then have a brief moment of realizing how close they just were, and each struggling with whether to go into why they’re upset at the other or say something about their cute moment. They both decide to go with the former. Oh, and there’s a brief cutaway scene of some zoo person trying to catch an animal, seeing Mr. Saotome come out of a store in his cursed form, and assuming he’s an escaped animal too.

While Ranma and Akane argue in a tree, or as Ryoga accurately calls it, “flirting”, he cuts down the tree using his best, which can apparently become tense and really sharp? Anyway, he’s on the attack again, and in the heat of the moment Ranma says a very bad thing, insinuating that he doesn’t like Akane. She slaps him, absolutely done with him. After all, she’s been worried about him, tried to help him, and in response he’s gotten angry and insulted her. Ranma tries to recover, going after her, but she dramatically turns around to say she is done caring about what he thinks...right as one of Ryoga’s sharp weapons falls from the sky, cutting off a large chunk of her hair mid-turn.

That’s the end of the episode! It was a lot, but it also wasn’t. Hmm...where to start, where to start...should I begin with what I didn’t like, or what I did? I think I’ll actually get the rougher parts out of the way first, so then I can relish talking about what I enjoyed.

There are no two ways about it: this fight, which I had remembered so fondly over the years, is full of filler material. To no one’s surprise, the Chemistry Club are anime-only characters, and unlike other such new elements from later in the series, which I enjoy to certain extents, these characters are nothing. Actually, nothing would have been better. They add no stakes, nothing worthwhile at all, they break up the fight in the process, and what we see of their characters is genuinely despicable, even worse than Kuno. It is left vague exactly what they want Akane for, but it’s left open to interpretation enough that it could be anything from getting her to join as their only girl club member, to being their shared sexual object. If you think I’m reaching for that, please, watch the episode. These are the inceliest incels who ever inceled, and they kind of scare me.

They’re not the only rancid fat in this episode. Kuno did not need to be here. At first, I was happy to see we’d get a little bit of him during this story, but his first scene was just a boring repeat of an already becoming stale joke (Hahaha isn’t it funny that he’s in love with two people at the same time?) and his second scene lasts for about four seconds and is a dull moment in the middle of an emotional scene for Ranma. Genma’s cutaway scenes aren’t as bad, but they’re not really good either. They’re the most neutral.

Of all the side-stories going on here, the only one I actually liked was Nabiki’s. It affected the plot a little, it was in-character for her while driving further to show how money-obsessed she is, she got some anime-only henchwomen out of it (Kikuko and Ryonami for those who care), and I never felt like it was hurting the fight itself. I get that a lot of these other elements of the episode were there for comic relief, but in my opinion it was bad comic relief. It undercut what the other parts of the episode were trying to do, not accentuating them like they should have, and they were just unappetizing. My last complaint would just be a lot of the opening scenes, which were basically mini-recaps about who Ryoga is and what he’s like, didn’t really feel needed.

All of that out of the way, allow me to now gush over what I love about this episode. This fight isn’t the best Ranma vs. Ryoga fight in the series (In fact, I don’t think it would make my Top 3. Yes, if you haven’t seen this show, they really do fight that many times over the course of it.) But it is still a pretty good fight with lots of memorable moments. Ryoga is the first opponent to actually test Ranma’s strength in any real ways, and there are some really killer bits of action here, such as the grappling, the mid-air fighting, and the telephone pole weapon.

What makes this more than just a cool looking fight are the emotional aspects to it. On Ranma’s side, he doesn’t really care about fighting Ryoga, up until his pride is hurt by Ryoga’s comments. For the first time, it’s Ranma getting mad, and from that we get to see how Ranma feels about his situation. That draws out some hints to the mystery behind why Ryoga is angry as well, if you’re paying attention to the clues. (I couldn’t think of anywhere else to mention this, but I am still reeling from how often Ryoga this early in the series relied on weird weapons. Where does he get them? I am quite glad (if I remember correctly) that they phased that part of him out with time.)

On Akane’s end, in addition to another case of Ranma saying the wrong thing to really hurt their attempts to connect with one another, we also learn more about her hair. While a little clumsy, early on it’s made clear, without being outright stated, that the reason Akane wears her hair long, and has been actively growing it out, is so she looks more like Kasumi, hoping to catch Dr. Tofu’s eye. Thus, when the episode ends with that hair being accidentally rendered far shorter, we know that means something to her.

I’d also say this episode does a good job of getting us further into the idea of a status quo developing. After all, it’s apparently been another month of Ranma living with the Tendo’s now, and the school at large seems to be settling into what Ranma brings to them with his presence. They’re not stunned by someone showing up to fight Ranma, they’re chasing after them to watch it. Only other thing to note is, in addition to Nabiki’s minions, Akane’s best friends finally appeared, Yuka and Sayuri. I actually wasn’t sure at first, since Yuka’s hair is a lot shorter than will be her norm later on, but I did confirm that they are in fact her equivalents to Ranma’s Hiroshi and Daisuke. They get even less characterization than those guys do, but they’re a nice addition to the growing cast regardless.

I still have a few characters who have shown up that I haven’t done a spotlight on, but none of them really featured in this episode, so I decided to do my first repeat. That’s right, we’re talking about Ranma again, and because I’ve already discussed his voice actors and actresses, I won’t need to go over them again, except to say I still love his Japanese voice actor for his uncursed state, but find his actress in that language to not quite work for me.

So, it’s been a little while since the first episode, and we’ve gotten to see Ranma a little more. Since this was an action-heavy episode, I think I’ll start with talking more about his fighting style. I said in that first episode that Ranma is fast, and he is. So far, he’s spent most of his fights dodging his opponent, rather than attacking them, and when he does it’s sometimes with such speed that they don’t even see it happening. It’s the very fact he’s more defensive that is occasionally shown to annoy Akane, and you can see it having another layer to it: Ranma would much rather avoid things he doesn’t like, rather than face them head-on.

But he’s not just quick, he’s quick-witted. To match his meticulous mobility, Ranma thinks on his feet, always looking for ways to outmaneuver or outsmart his opponents. We can see from how easily he lifts Ryoga’s umbrella, even in his cursed form, at the end of this episode that Ranma is also very strong, but he doesn’t rely on that strength, he uses his brain instead. Personally, I’ve always thought that was evidence that, at least with Ryoga of all people, he would probably lose a straight-up strength vs strength fight, but I’m not sure if that’s ever openly stated. Still, I also don’t see Ranma lifting telephone poles out of the ground.

In terms of his personality, I’d argue that through the episodes thus far, Ranma has shown to be a complex protagonist. On the surface layer, he’s a fairly abrasive person. He enjoys nettling people, at least those he knows are easy to rile up, and frequently says the worst possible thing to someone without realizing the damage his comment will do.

But there’s also more to him than that. Whether he wants to admit it or not, and he clearly doesn’t want to, Ranma does care for Akane. He does go out of his way to try and comfort her, cheer her up when she’s down, give her advice with her problems. When she might be in danger, Ranma runs in to help, and is upset that she’d endanger herself during his fight with Ryoga. In other words, Ranma is a tsundere, leaning fairly heavily on the tsun side.

One other important piece of who he is that we’ve gotten only hints of here or there so far is his pride and how it relates to his masculinity. Ranma is a very proud person, and he’s clearly not a fan of people taking him lightly or treating him in a way he doesn’t like. That includes being treated as though he was a girl, because he isn’t.

That is honestly understandable. Sometimes, completely outside of Ranma’s control, his physical body changes into something he doesn’t feel comfortable with. When he’s in his cursed form, people see him and treat him differently, and he keeps trying to assert his masculinity, to no avail. Ryoga gets Ranma angry by saying he was acting like a “girl”, completely unaware of the curse at the time. As I’ve said before, I think this actually relates quite well to the transgender experience, in these cases specifcally gender dysphoria and midgendering. I can’t remember how much we’ve seen of it up to now, but Ranma’s rejection of femininity in any way, something he does to try and preserve his masculine pride, often leads to him acting rude or even misogynistic to others. It’s an interesting part of his character, but I do feel the need to say right now that I absolutely hate the stereotype with trans men where some people claim they act misogynistic to try and be more masculine. Like, I know some people do it, but using that brush on all trans men is just wrong and transphobic, no thank you.

Welp, that certainly was an episode. Even after going into all the really interesting and good parts of this episode, I am still left with a bad taste in my mouth. By no means did the bad outweigh the good, but the fact the worst parts of the episode were frequently interspersed among the best parts of it broke up the pacing in a bad way for me. It’s still in the top half of the episodes so far, as I’d put it between episodes 6 and 4. The current ranking is now:

Episode 7: Enter Ryoga, the Eternal ‘Lost Boy’

Episode 2: School is No Place for Horsing Around

Episode 6: Akane's Lost Love... These Things Happen, You Know

Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga

Episode 4: Ranma and...Ranma? If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Another

Episode 5: Love Me to the Bone! The Compound Fracture of Akane's Heart

Episode 1: Here’s Ranma

Episode 3: A Sudden Storm of Love

This storyline isn’t over just yet though! Next week, we’ll be looking at the fallout of Akane’s impromptu haircut in episode 9, “True Confessions! A Girl's Hair is Her Life!”. See you all then!

#episode 8 #School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga #ranma 1/2 #ranma saotome #ryoga hibiki #akane tendo #anime analysis #anime rewatch

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