#travel-chronicle

[idleminds]

The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2018) ‘旅猫リポート’ dir. Koichiro Miki

[foxachu]

Now that both have arrived, I need Tumblr to see the full glory of the covers for the Japanese version of The Vampire Armand (parts 1 and 2), published in 2000

Or, in its literal title:

The Pilgrimage of the [Handsome Young Man]* Armand

*fun fact! they call him a biseinen in the actual title like he's not romantic goth on these covers already

[margareturtle]

Most people visiting LA: Ooo hollywood! The beach! I hope to meet a celebrity!

Me visiting LA: omg The Blackthorn’s live here! Kit grew up here! This is where Mark threw magnus the goldfish off the pier! This is where Jeremy, Laila, and Cat took Jean to the beach! wOah

[justarandomidiot1]

Franziska von Karma meets Ryunosuke Naruhodo

If you’ve seen this before, that’s because I had originally posted this on my main 3 years ago, @someone-online!! I’m just now reuploading these to my art blog since I stopped posting this au publicly

[reverie-quotes]

You ask if we cats can see ghosts. Don't you know that there are things in this world that are better left a mystery?

— Hiro Arikawa, The Travelling Cat Chronicles

[completeoveranalysis]

OK!

UNHINGED THEORY TIME:

WHO ARE LAVA LAMPS PARENTS?

Criteria for candidates include: (a) his mother's name is Sakura, (b) his mother is a dream seer, (c) they are vaguely Sakura and Syaoran shaped, (d) they end up in the Jam Jar

Potential Answer 1: Cardcaptor Sakura and Syaoran Li, from Cardcaptor Sakura

Hints in favour: Almost everything. Clamp drop constant hints that imply Cardcaptor Sakura, including but not limited to: the world Lava Lamp is 'from' resembles our world, his father's name is Syaoran Li, his mother's magic circle is the same one from Cardcaptor Sakura, his father's sword is identical to Cardcaptor Sakura!Li Syaoran's sword, his magic circle, Touya and Yukito (in 216, his relatives) are shown in ordinary clothing resembling our world, Lava Lamp's mother gave Yuuko the Star Wand, Lava Lamp's grandmother looks like Nadeshiko, Lava Lamp's father is descended from Clow Reed.

Counterpoints: Lava Lamp doesn't seem to recognise Touya and Yukito in the Clow Kingdom, CLAMP wouldn't need to hide their faces if we already correctly know who they are, Lava Lamp doesn't seem to know how Cardcaptor Sakura is related to Clow Reed.

Also: It's a bit dark! Even though Clamp are OVERFLOWING with hints that Lava Lamp's parents might just be the Cardcaptors, it would be a bit of a downer for the main characters for such a sweet and uplifting manga like Cardcaptor Sakura to end up here.

Theory Status: The one the narrative most strongly backs up, but still doesn't feel quite right

Potential Answer 2: Someone from Tsubasa

Hints in favour: THEY DON'T SHOW US THEIR FACES. EVER. Why leave their faces out unless we would recognise?

With this in mind, let us narrow down the potential Syaorans we have seen who could be considered JUST KIDDING THERE'S ONLY ONE: CLONE SYAORAN. He's the only one with an appearance distinctive enough to be immediately recognisable: he has heterochromia.

What if Clone Syaoran is Real Syaoran's father? Which would make Lava Lamp's mother either Clone Sakura or the new Fusion Sakura we just met.

Counter point: That's completely batshit.

Counter Counter Point: Logic in the universe is dying. Also this is CLAMP. It should be completely batshit.

Another Counterpoint: Hiding their faces could be a red herring just to torture us on purpose

Which I have no defence against that is 100% what they would do

Yet Another Counterpoint: Clone Syaoran and Clone Sakura are currently dead.

AND OK I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR THAT ONE.

Unless? There is a gap in the timeline where they could have disappeared for a long period of time? Ie, long enough to disappear to another dimensions, have children together, raise them, and then hop in the Jam Jar for an undisclosed number of years? And then time travel to still make it back into the narrative on time?

And - sure! There are MANY holes times where Clone Syaoran disappears from the narrative entirely. Most notably, his magic growth is extreme between the end of Nihon and his reappearance in the Reservoir. Also that was arguably when his soul was restored. So he MIGHT have disappeared, done all that, and still made it back in time to die in the Reservoir.

Also, if that IS the order of events, that would explain why we can never see his face AND ALSO why he still has Fai's eye when fighting in the Reservoir. Because he hasn't died yet.

Big Counter point: Yuuko has never met Lava Lamp's parents. Also, Lava Lamp's parents don't have the power to cross dimensions.

Which, yeah. That seems to rule them out entirely. Yuuko has met Clone Syaoran.

(Unless she means technically, since she wasn't in the same dimension as Clone Syaoran when she first met him in Chapter 1/2, but surely that's splitting hairs.)

So that seems to... rule them out pretty solidly?

Unless Yuuko HERSELF doesn't know exactly who they are, which seems even more unlikely than anything else.

Theory Status: Doesn't compute but I kind of want it anyway

Potential Answer 3: A completely unrelated pair of Sakura and Syaoran

Hints in Favour: It wouldn't counteract with any other facts we have so far, since we know nothing about them.

Counter point: It's boring.

Theory Status: It would work but it would be disappointing.

PS - no confirmations or denials in either direction please and thank you :D

[julescarstairs]

BLACKSTAIRS CONFIRMED FOR THE BETTER IN BLACK NOVELLA EVERYBODY

[captwaddledoo]

Hikari outfit swap by @deathamaranth! Octopath Hikari seems confused by the glowy bits...

[book--brackets]

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas (2008-2014)

In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who--or what--is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic.

100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson (2007-2010)

Twelve-year-old Henry York is going to sleep one night when he hears a bump on the attic wall above his head. It's an unfamiliar house—Henry is staying with his aunt, uncle, and three cousins—so he tries to ignore it. But the next night he wakes up with bits of plaster in his hair. Two knobs have broken through the wall, and one of them is slowly turning...

 Henry scrapes the plaster off the wall and discovers doors—ninety-nine cupboards of all different sizes and shapes. Through one he can hear the sound of falling rain. Through another he sees a glowing room—with a man strolling back and forth! Henry and his cousin Henrietta soon understand that these are not just cupboards. They are, in fact, portals to other worlds.

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (2008)

A girl is transformed, through instruction in life at court, determination, and magic, from sullen, pudgy, graceless Ben into Crown Princess Benevolence, a fit ruler of the kindgom of Montagne as it faces war with neighboring Drachensbett.

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen (2021-present)

Vanja Schmidt knows no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love. Abandoned to Death and Fortune as a child, she has scraped by as a lowly maidservant with her quick wits and the ability to see her god-mothers’ hands at work in the world. But when they demand her lifelong servitude in exchange, Vanja decides that gifts not given freely…can always be stolen.

When an opportunity rises to steal a string of enchanted pearls, Vanja seizes it, transforming herself into Gisele, the princess she’s served for years. As the glamorous princess, Vanja leads a double life, charming the nobility while ransacking their coffers as a jewel thief. Then, one heist away from funding an escape from her god-mothers, Vanja crosses the wrong god, and is cursed to turn into jewels herself. The only way to save herself is to make up for what she’s taken—starting with her first victim, Princess Gisele.

Valdemar: Mage Wings by Mercedes Lackey (1992-1993)

High magic had been lost to Valdemar when he gave his life to save his kingdom from destruction by the dark sorceries. Now it falls to Elspeth Herald, heir to the throne, to take up the challenge and seek a mentor who will awaken her mage abilities.

The Numair Chronicles by Tamora Pierce (2018-present)

Arram Draper is on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram realizes that one day–soon–he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (1998-2000)

Everyone - wizards, soldiers, farmers, elves, dragons, kings and queens alike - is fed up with Mr Chesney's Pilgrim Parties: groups of tourists from the world next door who descend en masse every year to take the Grand Tour. What they expect are all the trappings of a grand fantasy adventure, including the Evil Enchantress, Wizard Guides, the Dark Lord, Winged Minions, and all. And every year different people are chosen to play these parts. But now they've had enough: Mr Chesney may be backed by a very powerful demon, but the Oracles have spoken. Now it's up to the Wizard Derk and his son Blade, this year's Dark Lord and Wizard Guide, not to mention Blade's griffin brothers and sisters, to save the world from Mr Chesney's depredations.

Traveler's Gate by Will Wight (2013-2014)

Simon can only watch, helpless, as his family is killed and his friends captured by enemy Travelers-men and women who can summon mystical powers from otherworldly Territories. To top it off, another young man from Simon's village discovers that he's a savior prophesied to destroy evil and save the realm.Prophecy has nothing to say about Simon. He has no special powers, no magical weapons, and no guarantee that he'll survive. But he sets off anyway, alone, to gain the power he needs to oppose the Travelers and topple their ruthless Overlord. It may not be his destiny, but Simon's determined to rescue his fellow villagers from certain death.Because who cares about prophecy, really?

Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda (2000)

The evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. When the gems are stolen and hidden in dark terrible places throughout the kingdom, the Shadow Lord triumphs, and Deltora is lost.

In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a perilous quest. Determined to find the lost gems and rid their land of the tyrant, they struggle towards their first goal - the sinister Forests of Silence.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi (2016-2017)

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. It will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

[idleminds]

The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2018) ‘旅猫リポート’ dir. Koichiro Miki

[fanfictionroxs]

And if we get a scene like this with past devil's minion? Armand sees Baby Leonora in the hospital and he is stunned... and he sees Claudia burning and Louis burning.. and he doesn't know what he thinks, but he decides to leave Daniel as baby Leonora coos at him.

[crownleys]

Thinking about Ava "owns three tee shirts" du Mortain and Natalie "material girl" Sewell traveling together

[justarandomidiot1]

A conversation. Remember how Ryunosuke said he's proud of Phoenix?

[reverie-quotes]

Tell me, Satoru. What's out there beyond this field? A lot of wonderful things, I'm thinking. I wonder if I'll be able to go on a trip with you again.

— Hiro Arikawa, The Travelling Cat Chronicles

[completeoveranalysis]

[4]

WELL. 

How long do you have, Watanuki?

JUST KIDDING TIME ISN'T REAL LET'S GET INTO IT

There’s like 192 chapters of Tsubasa context to really explain here BUT LET’S JUST SAY Yuuko could finally open the Jam Jar now that... I think the two requirements were (a) her Time is moving again (long story), and also (b) because there’s still a barrier between Life and Death - just! For now!

Either way the uh…

Oh gosh. Ok Watanuki you met Sakura once. Remember that? In the dream scape? She, uh, kind of died a couple of times. Actually you first met her after one of those deaths, now that I mention it, which happened in Infinity. But then - oh actually you met her again when she was in Nihon, didn’t you? You saw Sakura and Lava Lamp Guy when they were being attacked by Syaoran. Oh gosh he doesn’t even know about the clone thing. It’s ok we’ll skip that part, he uh… Oh he died before now didn’t he? Yeah ok we’ll skip that Syaoran for now, he's not in this picture. Unless he time travelled at some point - but either way. 

SO Sakura (the one you met) died in Nihon (again) that time you saw them fighting BUT also she was actually a clone of an ORIGINAL Sakura from the first timeline Lava Lamp (your original self) was in, back before he wished to turn back time - which, by the way, is the wish that resulted in you being born also. But yeah he turns back time to save her from being killed by Evil Wolverine - who you do not know about, because you’ve been hidden from so he can’t use you for evil plans, which he does often. Like the aforementioned killing of Sakura (not the one you met), for example, who did not die (all the way), but was trapped in a little time bubble while time reset around her and she’s now fused with the empty body of the Sakura you DID meet, who was her clone. But that only JUST happened, because Lava Lamp (your brother/original version) finally saved her from that Time Hole - but that in process bumped Yuuko out of HER Time Hole, woops! So that’s also why Yuuko is gone. 

MEANWHILE the other other Sakura and Syaoran pictured here are most likely your parents, who were in a Jam Jar this whole time because they ALSO ALSO turned back time, which is why they look young here, and Yuuko JUST managed to free them BECAUSE of the slipping out of her Time Hole - so this is all kind of happening right now and also somewhere else at the same time. Maybe not even in a real place the universe was kind of falling apart around them. (Don't worry about that just yet it might also get fixed because of various wishes and so on)

Did I miss anything? Yes, definitely but let’s move on!

ANYWAY WATANUKI I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION IT’S VERY SIMPLE IF YOU JUST DON’T THINK ABOUT IT AT ALL. 

PLEASE SAY HI TO YOUR POTENTIAL PARENTS PROBABLY.

[plumilia]

hear me out: orv tsubasa chronicle au