#trial 1

[elysium-the-true-faceofsalvation]

Haru's first trial MV- "Sticky Bug" (DECO*27, english lyrics from the vocaloid wiki)

Say that you love me, say that you love me Since there’s nothing else I need

The video starts with the camera focusing on a flickering light. A spider can be seen resting on its web as a fly goes towards it and ends up getting stuck on the web. As the spider starts moving down towards the fly, the camera starts moving down, eventually landing on a book at the top of a messy wooden desk.

Hey, say that you love me, so it won’t ever be forgotten

A hand appears out of view from the camera, and slowly opens the book, and a pop-up springs out, revealing a papercraft of a chibi Haru and a blue-haired boy holding hands while sitting in a bench, with a sunset shining in the back.

Since I don’t need anyone but you

A second pop-up comes out, this one being words that serve as the title of the book. It reads:

“Haru Akatori’s only love.”

The hand from before turns the page, causing a pop-up of a papercraft school to appear. The camera zooms in on the pop-up, fading to white afterwards.

I love that voice of yours

As the white fades away, the scenario turns into a papercraft world; a chibi papercraft Haru can be seen walking through the halls of what looks to be a school wearing a school uniform. He is joyfully walking down the hall as he passes through a commotion happening. A group of faceless boys are picking on a blue-haired boy wearing a black mask. He seems rather annoyed, but not very afraid. Haru looks back on what’s happening, his expression becoming down. The blue-haired boy and Haru both walk away at the same time.

Every single word you say… I don’t want to miss a single one

Haru then finds the boy sitting alone in a corner isolated from the rest of the school. Haru sits down next to him and extends his hand with a weak smile on his face. The boy lowers Haru’s hand and gives him a small nod, before standing up and walking away.

So to put it simply, let’s start recording

Haru looks down to the ground with a sad expression. He then stands up and leaves too.

I love that face of yours too Your smiling face, your embarrassed face as well

The scene changes to a hallway once again. Haru is hiding around a corner as he peeks down the hallway to see the blue-haired boy once again sitting on the ground, isolated from others. The boy seems to have an eye injury now, as he is wearing an eyepatch. Haru looks down at the ground with a concerned expression, but as he looks at the boy again, he blushes and runs away.

I want to catch every single one of your expressions So not leaving out a single moment I’ll commit everything to memory

The scene now changes to Haru talking with two girls and a boy. He’s blushing as his mouth opens, but no words can be heard. When he’s finished talking, the girls and the boy start laughing. Haru starts laughing with them as he awkwardly rubs the back of his neck.

If I’m lucky, we’ll stay like this till the day we’re covered in wrinkles Since I’ll surely be just as smitten with you on the day I die

The camera focuses on the boy’s face as he starts smirking. He then pushes Haru, causing him to fall on the ground. Haru’s eyes widen, and he tries to hold back tears from falling. A pair of shoes can be seen running up to the scene.

I want to make all your dreams come true

Haru looks up, his eyes landing on blue strands of hair belonging to someone standing in front of him in a protective manner.

As for my dream, it’s to be that stickybug right by your side

Their eyes meet, making the camera go back and forth between them. Haru’s eyes widen more and more each time the camera goes back to him.

Hey, say that you love me, say that you love me Since there’s nothing else I need

A huge flash of light happened, and suddenly, Haru and the blue-haired boy were transported to a sparkling white void. Haru and the boy looked at each other’s eyes and both started to smile.

Hey, say that you love me, so it won’t ever be forgotten

A pink sparkle started to surround Haru’s neck, and a pink cord started to materialize around his neck and extend up to the blue-haired boy’s wrist, wrapping around it.

Since I don’t need anyone but you

Haru starts to tear up as he leaps and tackles the boy to the ground, bringing him into a tight hug as he buries his head in his chest. The boy gives out a small smile as he gently hugs Haru back. A small white light travels from the part of the pink cord that’s connected to the boy’s wrist up to Haru’s neck. The boy’s expression became one of shock as the scene cuts.

The screen faded to white, and as it died down, the scenario was out of the papercraft world, now showing the pop-up book once again. The hand turns the page again, causing another pop-up to spring out. This time it is Haru and the blue-haired boy walking side by side on the street while there’s a rainbow shining above them. The camera zooms in on the pop-up and the screen fades to white once again.

I love that chest of yours too It’s not too small, it’s not too big

As the white fades away, the scenario changes back to the papercraft world once again. Haru can be seen talking to the blue-haired boy, he’s rubbing the back of his neck and is blushing and the pink cord is still around Haru’s neck and the boy’s wrist. They both seem to be older now. He keeps opening his mouth, but no words come out.

I’d call it ideal, perfect even… But you say “no, it’s still lacking”

After some time, the boy nods. Haru’s eyes widen and he starts to smile from ear to ear. He grabs a hold of the boy’s wrist and starts to run off into the distance, dragging the boy along as the scene cuts.

I say “goodbye” only so that I can go to meet you once more I say “goodnight” only so that I can say “good morning” tomorrow

The boys are now walking in an amusement park, Haru is smiling widely while the boy’s expression is covered by his black mask. The scene changes various times to them doing various things around the amusement park. To riding a roller-coaster, riding a ferris wheel, to the boy winning a plushie for Haru, to the two of them eating lunch together. All the while, the pink cord was still there.

I want to be your stickybug for a bit each and every day

The scene cuts to Haru and the boy sitting on a bench, looking at the sunset. The camera zooms in on their hands as Haru starts to move his closer and closer to the boy’s. He then rests his hand on top of the boy’s before grasping them completely.

From now on keep thinking of me fondly, OK?

He brings the boy’s hand up slowly, as his free hand moves to his face to bring the boy’s mask down. The blue-haired boy has an expression of slight shock. The camera changes to focus on Haru’s mouth as his lips move. Following his lip movement you can make out that he’s whispering:

“I love you.”

Hey, say that you love me, say that you love me Since there’s nothing else I need

Another flash of light occurs, and now they are once again in the sparkling white void. The pink cord starts to shine brightly. The camera cuts to Haru’s face, he’s tearing up and has a small smile on his face. The camera now cuts to the boy’s face, he’s tearing up as well and is smiling from ear to ear.

Hey, say that you love me, so it won’t ever be forgotten Since I don’t need anyone but you

Their faces start getting closer and closer to each other, and as they’re inches away from each other, a bright light consumes the entire camera as the scene cuts.

Pafupafu nya nya, pafupafu nya nya

As the light dies down, an empty wall with the word “Memories :)” written in pink ink at the top can be seen. Some time passes, and now there’s a photo of Haru and the boy together. Another one soon appears, coupled with another one and so on. Haru and the boy are happily smiling in all of the photos.

Pafupafu nya nya, ou mai ou

The screen glitches, and a blackened photo crossed out with a red X appears. The contents of it aren’t visible outside of a slight silhouette of two people screaming at each other. Afterwards, another photo of the two boys appears, except that the blue-haired boy isn’t smiling as contently now, and yet Haru stays the same. Similar photos keep appearing.

Pafupafu nya nya, pafupafu nya nya

More crossed out photos appear as the lyrics keep being sung. Their contents are becoming less and less visible now. A new normal photo appears of the boys together again, but the blue-haired boy is looking to the side instead of facing the camera and he’s wearing his black mask again. And yet, Haru still stays the same.

Pafupafu nya nya, ou mai ou

More and more crossed out photos appear, until they end up covering the entire wall as the scene cuts.

Hey, I love you! I really love you! I super-duper love you! I love you so much I don't even know anymore!

The scenario suddenly was out of the papercraft world now. A hand forcefully gripping a wrist appears, and as the camera goes up, it’s revealed to be Haru gripping the blue-haired boy’s wrist in a small house. Haru is crying and sweating as his mouth keeps opening frantically, and yet, no words can be heard.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, so please let me keep filling you with this love!

The camera zooms in on the boy’s eyes, his true expression unreadable due to his mask. His eyes narrow, and he forcefully pulls away from Haru’s gripping, causing a big flash of light to occur.

Hey, say that you love me, say that you love me Saying “I don’t need anything else” isn’t being honest

As the light dies down, both of them are back in the sparkling white void in the papercraft world in the same positions that they were in the real world. The boy’s pull caused the pink cord that was around his wrist and Haru’s neck to break. The camera cutted to Haru’s face, his eyes and mouth open wide.

Say that you love me, for if I’m lucky, then at any rate,

The boy can be seen walking away from Haru, until he’s completely out of screen.

I really want every single part of you…

Haru fell to his knees, his expression unreadable due to his hair. The camera starts to slowly back away as the scenario starts to change.

Now, the camera is back at the book on the desk from before, the hand now completely closing the book. The camera turns around and follows the hand up, revealing that the one turning the pages was Haru himself. He’s grinning from ear to ear as he looks down at the book. A spider can be seen hanging from a web above him as the video ends.

[heartfeltgram]

𝟎𝟎𝟑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝟏 — 𝐆𝐄𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀

Song: Gehenna (wotaku ft. Hatsune Miku)

Key: Lyrics in blue, romaji in bold, descriptions in black

CWS: Sui ideation, visuals of drowning, choking, pregnancy, blood, death, child death, implied attempted suicide.

[ During the instrumental intro, we see Ryuko sitting up in bed, holding her head. She turns and looks at a photo of a black-haired man sitting on the bedside table as the camera focuses on it. ]

Hey, how are you? How's it going? naa genki? choushi wa dou dai?

Yeah, well, I've quit that kind of thing already aa mou ne sou iu no yametan da

Yeah, well, I hear there's no prospect of recovery anymore un nanka mou kaifuku no mikomi wa nai sou nanda

Don't ask me anything nani mo kikanaide kure

[ Ryuko is on the phone with someone, talking away during these lyrics. On the second line, her smile turns to a frown. She moves from a sitting position to a lying-down position as she’s talking, crossing one leg over the other on the sofa. ]

Regret, estimation, a friendly talk koukai nebumi danshoukai

Caregiving, joy, sharing? I surrender all kaigo etsu kyouyuu mo sarendaa da

Yes, that's right, 100% it was my fault hai sou desu shoushinshoumei boku no sei datta

The typical story yoku aru hanashi

[ Ryuko looks down at her child, who is sitting on the floor, playing with dolls and not paying attention. During the final line, her expression darkens as she stares down at the ground, the background flashing red for a few seconds. ]

I wanted to realize plain and simple tanjunmeikai o mono ni shitakute

Killing the ideal of what it's supposed to be kaku arubeki to iu risou o koroshite

[ A shot of Ryuko and the man from the picture walking together, arms interlocked, with smiles on their faces. The sunlight quickly turns to night, and the man’s expression switches to a rather sinister one as he turns to look at Ryuko. ]

I've had it enough. I don't have the courage to leave mou sanzan datte nigeru yuuki mo nai

Hurry, deeper, falling hayaku motto ochite

[ We flash to present Ryuko, who is shaking her head aggressively. In the second line, she’s shown drowning in dark water, images of happy memories with the man playing in the background as the drowning woman hides her face in shame. ]

"I want to stay alive" "ikite itai yo"

Evеry night, transparent summary suffocates my throat maiyo nodo o fusagu toumei no gaiyou

[ The scenes in the background flash to darker imagery, bad memories Ryuko had with the man. The background begins to flash red as if splattered with blood. Ryuko’s hands move from her face to her throat as if choking herself. ]

The rеality that caves in my lungs hai o mushibamu jitsuzai mo

Irrationality and loneliness, you don't have to hate them rifujin mo kodoku mo uramanakute ii

[ The floating, drowning Ryuko rotates counterclockwise as she curls in on herself, the memories in the background alternating between good and bad memories. ]

They all mean nothing sorera subete imi wa nain da

We all have to live bokura wa ikiru shikanain da

[ We go back to reality, with Ryuko sitting up in bed once more, repeating the scene from the very start of the MV. This time, instead of looking at the picture, she looks straight at the camera with a determined expression. ]

Hey you, how are things? oi omae socchi wa dou dai?

Oh, still, you are doing that aa mada sonna koto yatten da

By the way, what happened to the one you were dating? sou iya tsukiatteta ko to wa dou nattan da?

Don't say anything anymore nani mo iwanaide kure

[ Ryuko is sitting across from a faceless blonde woman at a café, holding an infant in her arms. She’s smiling and chatting away with the other woman. On the third line, her expression darkens and her eyes widen, and on the final line, in a flash of red, the blonde woman is facing a now empty chair, dumbfounded. Where Ryuko once was now lies a puff of vanishing smoke. ]

The future, jealousy, the sense of failure shourai netami haibokukan

Wireless, I can't even hang myself up waiyaresu kubi mo tsurenai na

Yes, delightful, what a profound story hai kyouetsu taihen mi ni shimiru ohanashi deshita

Are you satisfied now? mitasareta kai?

[ Ryuko cradles the child in her arms close to her chest in a black background, red eyes watching her every move. ]

Pitch dark, clouded and broken heart makkuroku nigotte wareta kokoro o

I disinfect with alcohol to sleep arukooru de shoudoku shite nemuru

I become the gloomy water of the big ocean mou antan taru taiga no mizu ni natte

Deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper, falling motto motto motto motto ochite

[ Ryuko falls back into the water, only this time, it’s red. She’s less worried about drowning this time, seemingly apathetic to the situation. She’s still cradling her child close to her. Memories flash in the background, except this time, it’s memories of who she was before meeting the man. ]

"I want to stay alive" "ikite itai yo"

Every night, the air and the future grab my throat maiyo nodo o tsukamu kuuki mo mirai mo

[ One of her hands reaches up to grab at her throat while the other holds her child. The memories in the background are replaced by memories of Ryuko trying to find the man after he disappears. ]

Flesh that deceives to be the organs naizou o kataru nikukai mo

Happiness, the space, you don't have to be skeptical shiawase mo uchuu mo utagawanakute ii

[ The memories in the background show clips of Ryuko’s pregnancy up until the birth of her daughter. Ryuko is rotating counterclockwise like before. Her arm returns to its place of holding her daughter. ]

They all don't change sorera subete kawaranain da

We all don't have to know bokura wa shiranakute iin da

[ We see the Ryuko in reality holding a paper and looking over at her child. ]

"I want to stay alive" "ikite itai yo"

I don't know why, but "I want to stay alive" nande ka wakaranai kedo "ikite itai yo"

[ The drowning Ryuko switches the direction she’s rotating in. ]

The Bible called DNA DNA to iu seisho

You don't have to hate on your instinct and fears honnou mo kyoufu mo uramanakute ii

Nothing will ever change douse nani mo kawaranain da

[ The memories change to one singular image of the man’s grinning face in every bubble as the child disappears in a puff of smoke from Ryuko’s arms as the background turns black. As the child disappears, all movement freezes on the final line, Ryuko becoming a white silhouette reminiscent of a crime scene outline for a moment. ]

"I want to stay alive" "ikite itai yo"

There's no hope ahead, but "I want to stay alive" nan no kibou mo nai kedo "ikite itai yo"

My instinct thumps in red honnou wa akaku myakuutsu no

"I want to stay alive," "I don't want to stay alive" "ikite itai yo" "ikitetakunai yo"

It's so unfortunate hontou ni zannen dakedo

But we all have to live bokura wa ikiru shikanain da

[ Throughout these lines, the background flashes between red and black in time with the music. The memories in the back switch to a dark bedroom with red blood splatters, then switch to a lone window with billowing red curtains, and then back and forth until the end of the stanza. ]

I'm sorry I deceived you damashite gomen yo

[ We flash back to reality, where Ryuko lies on the floor, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her face. ]

I'm sorry I couldn't tell you ienakute gomen yo

[ The scene flashes to her sleeping child in the bed, but the child doesn’t seem to be moving anymore. ]

And this is so sad soshite hontou ni kanashii keredo

[ The camera switches back to Ryuko, who is still crying, but smiling now. ]

But only suffering is the bond kurushimi dake ga kizuna nanda

[ The scene zooms out to a now-empty room, with the same open window and billowing red curtains as shown in one of the earlier memories. ]

[cielgram]

➤ ATTENTION WARDENS!

Umi Itsuki Voice Drama #1 - Midas' Touch has been released! Please be sure to read it as soon as you can!

Voting will be held at this link.

[lustrumlane]

The Last Day on Earth and other fairytales - Dante

She had told him that the world was going to end by ‘magic’. He told her that his almost did.

He does not see the blade fall upon her head, but the sharp sound cuts through his mind like glass.

“Why do you believe in magic?”

The botanist perked her head up from the greenhouse flowers, barely looking over her shoulder. “Why not?”

“Because it’s..y'know...well, I don’t mean to offend, but it’s never been proven to be real.”

She simply smiled. “I have, detective. I know I can do it. I’ve done it. I just need enough time to know how.”

He would watch her tend to the greenhouse, and receive a new report of a missing person when he returned to the city.

Magic is an infestation. A disease. A parasite. There’s no fault in wishing for a world of elves and dwarves and lush lands full of wonder. It’s a beautiful vision, from someone from a more normal world. But it's just not the reality of things.

It's rotten. It embeds itself into the Earth and floods your land. It’ll take away entire cities and everyone you knew there in the thick of the night and leave nothing behind. It’ll create its own hierarchy if it’s not satisfied with the one in place- and everyone will race to suck the resources dry. Damn it all. He wanted no kings in his magical world too. No rulers. No one who gets special supernatural gifts and privileges for being at the right damn place at the right time.

The voices of the other detectives are muffled as he absorbs Al’s final moments. Even the revival is drowned out by her words and his thoughts. Perhaps he was being selfish; her world was about to end, after all. This world, too. As others filed out of the courtroom one by one, he stayed, lost in his own thoughts.

[ryrysakura]

[AIMEGRAM] Trial 1 END.

With the end of Trial 1, I need some information from you guys. After all, the prisoners needs to hear what you think of them right ? Now, let’s begin the review together, okay ?

[colorfuldreamsmkg]

hades in the dead of winter | Suzie | 1-4 | RE: Jed, Hitome, Erika

Suzie had been about to explain herself, to call on Takuma or Cecilie to confirm the alibi that she knew was true, but people opted to doubt regardless. But she didn’t even get the chance to, before Erika started tearing into Hitome. Making it about who was better. Jed, whether from his current lack of sobriety or not, taking the chance to kick Hitome while she was down. Miku announcing her stupid hotseat mechanic to… well, Suzie couldn’t really discern a real reason behind it to put pressure on someone who was already being backed into a corner.

Some people seemed to take to being at each other’s throat much more than others.

She had spent time with her, but Suzie hadn’t considered Hitome a friend before this. She definitely didn’t now - it was hard for her to look past murder, accidental and lured out or otherwise. Hitome had been closer to Suzie than most, perhaps making the first steps towards something resembling camaraderie. But a hastily erected wall had manifested between them now - leaving Suzie’s enigmatic expression wholly unreadable. Suzie felt bad for Hitome, sure - she didn’t think she was a bad person, and recognized the real enemy in Miku.

But she had to be careful who she let in, in a place like this. Getting too close to anyone meant getting burnt. Hitome had been though hell, from the sounds of it. To keep it together as long as she did was something deserving of respect, probably, and to exploit that was something Suzie couldn’t abide. Were it a different situation, maybe she’d be there with her, trying to reassure her.

But peoples’ lives were at stake here. Suzie's own was foremost in her mind, naturally, but it was more than just her too. She could not let this be her problem.

She could not let herself be tangled in the web of these peoples’  lives. They'd only drag her down.

Dahlia’s death wasn’t done in ill-will. It wasn’t a misguided attempt to put a stop to the fear cubes. Neither malice nor mercy. But a lapse of self-control being taken advantage of and weaponized. To Suzie, that was more dangerous than the rest - at least intent could be predicted. She’d misjudged Hitome.

And now was the part where everyone expressed their sympathies. Suzie drew her hand into a fist, white-knuckles resting on her desk the only indication of the tension she was feeling. Miku’d already told them what was coming next for Hitome.

It would be pointless to launch into some diatribe against her. Hitome felt worse about this than anyone, she wagered. But she wasn’t the type to reach over and reassure someone at a time like this. No, that’d get her too close.

“... Thanks for coming clean.” 

It was four words, said distantly, as though from the other end of a long tunnel. More out of a professional courtesy for something that Suzie imagined couldn’t have been easy for Hitome to do, knowing what came next. That was the meager scraps of so-called "compassion" she had to offer.

[serien-grl-22]

I am probably the last person to realise this:

Artemis is the older sister of Apollo. Her colours are silver and she has black hair while Apollo's colour is gold and he's blonde.

Thalia is the older sister of Jason. Her weapons/jewellery is silver and she has black hair, while his weapon is gold and he has blonde hair.

Artemis prefers the appearance of a young girl and Thalia will physically always be 15 (a "young girl").

Apollo and Jason are both the disfavoured child from their father.

[grandthefoxdelusion]

Slimey Suit trials - 1#

The slime seemed more focused on the tail, and less on the rest of the body

[andsewingishalfthebattle]

Novice sewing pattern: Cut out shapes. Line up the little triangles on the edges. Stitch edges together. We've also included step-by-step assembly instructions with illustrations.

Novice knitting pattern: yOU MUSt uNDerstANd thE SECret cOdE CO67 (73, 87, 93) BO44 (63, 76, 90) 28 (32, 34) slip first pw repeat 7x K to end *kl (pl) 42 * until 13" (13, 13, 15) join new at 30 pl for 17 rows ssk 27 k2tog mattress lengthwise BO and sacrifice a goat to the knitting gods. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT "INSTRUCTIONS," I JUST GAVE THEM TO YOU

[elysium-the-true-faceofsalvation]

Haru: “[Humming a sweet song]”

Haru: “If you love someone, let them go…”

Haru: “… Sigh…”

Numen: “… You have a beautiful voice.”

Haru: “Woah! I… I didn’t see you walk in…”

Numen: “No worries!”

Haru: “So… Um… This is awkward now…”

Numen: “Let’s just rewind a bit, then.”

Numen: “Hello there! Um… Let’s just talk for a bit!”

Haru: “Oh! Okay! What do you want to talk about?”

Numen: “Eh?”

Haru: “…?”

Numen: “I’m… Not used to having that much control over the conversation…”

Numen: “Um… Let’s start with the basics! Like an introduction.”

Haru: “Okay! My name’s Haru Akatori! I’m 18 years old… And… What else can I add… Oh! I really like the color pink!”

Haru: “So, how’s that for an introduction?”

Numen: “It was great, Akatori-san!”

Haru: “Please, just call me Haru! We’re friends now, after all.”

Numen: “… Friends?”

Haru: “Are we not friends…?”

Numen: “I don’t know about that…”

Haru: “…”

Haru: “Now it’s your turn to introduce yourself, my friend!”

Numen: “Okay…?”

Numen: “Um… My name’s Numen! And I'm the Angel of this place! Nice to meet you, Haru!”

Haru: “Heya, mr. Angel! Or is it ‘ms’? Is ‘mx’ okay too…?”

Numen: “Any is fine, really!”

Haru: “Great! So… What are we going to talk about now?”

Numen: “Um…”

Haru: “You don’t have very good social skills, do you? No worries! I know exactly where to go!”

Numen: “Huh?”

Haru: “Let’s play a game that I created!”

Numen: “A… Game?”

Haru: “It’s called ‘5 facts’. In this game, we just have to say 5 facts about ourselves to the person we’re talking with! It’s sort of an ice breaker game!”

Numen: “Oh, okay then!”

Haru: “Great! Let me start.”

Haru: “So… My hair was originally black! I dyed it pink because I thought it was too gloomy!”

Numen: “Hm. What exactly do you mean by gloomy?”

Haru: “Well, it just seemed weird on me.”

Numen: “Why exactly?”

Haru: “It made me look very… Unapproachable and maybe even menacing. It just did not fit with the feeling I wanted to pass to people when they saw me.”

Haru: “So, I just dyed it a more vibrant color like pink!”

Haru: “I think that it worked, considering people don’t think I want to be left alone as much anymore.”

Numen: “I see… You can continue now.”

Haru: “So, Um… Most of the friends I had were girls! And… I really like singing!”

Numen: “I see… Interesting!”

Haru: “Thanks!

Numen: “Do you write lyrics too?”

Haru: “Oh, no, I just sing.”

Haru: “Like, I either cover already existing songs or sing songs others write for me. But I’m not creative enough for songwriting.”

Numen: “Why do you believe that?”

Haru: “I mean, I’m not a creative person in general. I’m not good at expressing myself to the point of being able to place it on paper.”

Haru: “And I’m not good at interpretation either, so I’m also not a person who comes up with solutions to difficult problems with their creativity.”

Haru: “So, I can only sing if the difficult parts of it are laid out right in front of me, which makes me not a very artistic person, y’know?”

Numen: “Hm. I get it… Continue

Haru: Oh, um… People tell me I’m really good at planning hangouts!”

Numen: “Did you hangout a lot, Haru?”

Haru: “I loved going out with others! Like going to the movies and stuff, it never failed to put me in a good mood!”

Haru: “I wished that we could hang out together… I bet it would be fun!”

Numen: “I wished so too! You seem like a fun person to be around!”

Haru: “Thanks! So for the last one… Oh! I had a wonderful boyfriend! We loved each other very much!”

Numen: “That’s great for you!”

Haru: “Thanks, Angel-kun!”

Numen: “How did you guys meet?”

Haru: “Oh, if I’m not mistaken… We met around 8th grade. But, we were only friends at that time. We only actually started dating 2 years after we met.”

Numen: “Hm… I see”

Haru: “I love him so much… I wish you could meet him. You two would get along well!”

Numen: “Really?”

Haru: “Yes, really! He may be quiet and distant, but I assure you, he’s just shy, you know?”

Numen: “I see… He seems like a good person, Haru!”

Haru: “His name is Ryuji Shida… It’s a beautiful name, right?”

Numen: “Eh? Are you sure it’s okay to just… Say his name like that?”

Haru: “Huh? Why wouldn’t it be?”

Numen: “… Huh… … Forget about it. It’s nothing.”

Numen: “Do you just… Brag about him to anyone you meet?”

Haru: “Yeah…? I mean, is it a bad thing for others to know he’s wonderful?”

Numen: “Hm… I guess not…”

Haru: “Anyways… Now it’s your turn to say 5 facts about yourself!”

Numen: “Oh, okay then!”

Numen: “…”

Haru: “Are you thinking? Go on, take your time.”

Numen: “Thanks… … I…”

Numen: “… I-i… …!”

Numen: “I-i…!”

[chair falls down]

Haru: “A-angel-kun!?”

[ragged breathing]

Numen: “I-i… I-i…”

Haru: “A-angel-kun, calm down! What happened?!”

Numen: “I-i… I can’t think of anything!”

Numen: “Everything starts becoming blurred when I-i think about myself… Just… WHO AM I?!”

Haru: “Angel-kun! Calm down! Snap out of it..!”

Numen: “… H-haru…?”

Haru: “Angel-kun… Everything’s going to be fine… Just calm down.”

Numen: “…”

Haru: “You… Are you. And… That’s all there is to it. You don’t need to keep questioning who you are… Because even after everything�� You’re going to still be… You.”

Haru: “And I think that’s beautiful.”

Numen: “…”

Haru: “Did… I say something wrong…?”

Numen: “No… It’s just that… Ever since I woke up here in Elysium, my life has been exclusively just this… And… I don’t know if there’s something more to me than this…”

Haru: “… I don’t know how to answer that… I don’t even know why I’m here myself… To me… Everything was just fine.”

Numen: “… Huh?”

Haru: “Hm?”

Numen: “You… Think everything was fine to you…?”

Haru: “Yes…? But… Shouldn’t the stuff you’re going through be more important in the conversation…?”

Numen: “Forget about me for now!”

Haru: “O-okay…?

Numen: “What do you mean everything was fine?”

Haru: “Well, I think there was nothing really wrong with my life for me to be here…”

Haru: “Like… I was pretty happy with how my life was. I had a loving boyfriend, we lived together and it was grea-”

Numen: “Are… You sure…?”

Haru: “… Huh?”

Numen: “I… Think you’re here for a reason.”

Numen: “Is it really possible for everything to have been fine…?”

Haru: “… Well… I didn’t see anything wrong with it…”

Haru: “But… If you don’t think that’s actually the case…”

Haru: “Then I’ll simply not believe you.”

[bell rings]

Haru: “Huh? What’s that?”

Numen: “Oh, our time is over.”

Haru: “Really?!”

Numen: “… It was great talking to you, Haru… But… The extraction is about to begin…”

Haru: “Hey… Could you not go away…?”

Numen: “Huh?”

Haru: “Like… Don’t leave me alone…”

Numen: “I-i… Um… It won’t take long, I swear. It would feel like you were asleep…”

Numen: “And you’re going to be able to return to the others after it too.”

Haru: “Okay…”

Numen: “Ahem… Soul N. 05, Haru Akatori, now, sing your life.”

[heartfeltgram]

𝟎𝟎𝟑 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐀 — 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄, 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓

[ The audio opens up with the creak of a metal door followed by footsteps. ] 

SHIKI: I'm sorry I'm late. I was havin' a smoke, you see. It relaxes me before times like these, ehe. Anyways, my name is Shiki. My brother and I are the wardens here.

RYUKO: Ah. I see. It's nice to meet you both. I'm guessing you guys know who I am already?

SHIKI: Of course we do, silly! Uh- [whispers] Brother, which one is she again?

SHIRO: She’s Ryuko Irie, sister. Try not to forget next time…

SHIKI: Riiight, Ryuko Irie, Prisoner Number Three! And I won’t forget next time! You’ll see!

RYUKO: ……. [She sighs.] Can we get this over with?

SHIRO: Better sooner than later I’d say. 

SHIKI: I got this! Name, age, and occupation, please!

RYUKO: Ryuko Irie. I’m thirty-five years old. And… I don’t have a job.

SHIRO: So I went from the youngest prisoner to the oldest … How come you don’t have a job? Any special reason, or were job searches just failing you? 

RYUKO: Oh, believe me. I tried applying. Rejection after rejection after rejection. My daughter’s restlessness didn’t paint me in a good light, either.

SHIKI: You have a daughter? SHIRO: Yeah, I forgot to tell you that. Mochizuki mentioned it to me earlier. Say, how old was your daughter? 

RYUKO: Three. I miss her dearly.

SHIKI: Did anything happen to her?

RYUKO: …………………… [ She says nothing, just sighs heavily and looks down at the floor. ]

SHIRO: …Perhaps we should move on from that subject. 

SHIKI: Ah, right… Say, Ryuko… How have things been around here? Any prisoners you’ve gotten along with?

RYUKO: Mmm. Choko keeps me company a lot. I’ve grown rather fond of the kid. Though I wonder what she’s been through… she seems rather mature for her age. As a mother, it worries me.

SHIRO: I did wonder if you started to see her as a daughter yourself. 

RYUKO: Yes, I do, in a way… She reminds me of myself when I was younger.

SHIKI: Interesting. About before… Why were you having trouble getting hired?

RYUKO: Ah… Well, it’s… a long story. I’m not sure you want to bother with it right now.

SHIRO: I’d say that any information is good information, if you’re comfortable telling it. Maybe try and sum it up? 

RYUKO: Well… Some unfortunate circumstances happened, and… my husband left me after my daughter was born. Money was tight, so I tried to apply, but… Because I had a kid, and no one to watch over her… they deemed me unacceptable. It isn’t fair.

SHIKI: Ohh… Is that why you aren’t wearing shoes?

SHIRO: I don’t think you’re supposed to make comments like that… anyways, I’m sorry the job market was so difficult for you. 

RYUKO: [ There’s a long stretch of silence before she replies. She seems to be staring off into the distance. ] That……isn’t the reason, no. I… I don’t want to talk about it.

Anyways, why are we even bothering with this conversation? I’m guilty as charged, so just go ahead and sentence me already.

SHIKI: Huh? Just like that?

SHIRO: That at least answers my next question, however sad it is. But we’re having this conversation to get to know you and not make baseless assumptions. 

RYUKO: You guys are wardens, right? Isn’t it your job to hand out our verdicts? Getting to know me is pointless when I’m telling you that I’m guilty. I admit it. I killed her. I killed her with my own two hands. So just… sentence me, dammit!

SHIKI: Brother, this is getting too intense…

SHIRO: As much as we’d all love to get out of here as soon as possible, it doesn’t work like that. Even when this trial is over it won’t work like that. Firstly, we still need to know what's going on … on the inside.

RYUKO: ………….. [She says nothing, just averts her gaze with tears in her eyes.]

SHIKI: I don’t think she wants to do this anymore, brother.

SHIRO: …Are we done here then? 

RYUKO: …..Do what you want. I don’t care.

[ The mechanical bell tolls once more, indicating that time is up. ]

SHIKI: How about I start us off? [She clears her throat.] Prisoner number three… 

SHIRO: Ryuko Irie…

SHIKI & SHIRO: Sing your sins!

[ MV: GEHENNA ]

[cielgram]

➤ ATTENTION WARDENS!

Yoru Makoto Voice Drama #1 - A Toast to the Fallen has been released! Please be sure to read it as soon as you can!

Voting will be held at this link.

[lustrumlane]

Fast Friends

Al calls out the Bartender's Echo, bringing eyes to the figure at the back of the room. Even past the shade all the echo's are cloaked in, you can see the sadness hanging over them.

"Fuck me... I tried, I fucking tried," the shade laments, turning their head away with a sharp bitterness.

They hadn't been obstinate out of some kind of code or business agreement: they were trying to protect her, truly and genuinely.

[ryrysakura]

Don’t forget to vote ! She’s a real pain in the ass honestly ! Have fun~ if you’re curious about her just click on her tag and look at her conversation with the other…

[reasonsforhope]

"People living with diabetes might have a new hope. Scientists have tested a new drug therapy in diabetic mice, and found that it boosted insulin-producing cells by 700% over three months, effectively reversing their disease.

Beta cells in the pancreas have the important job of producing insulin in response to blood sugar levels, but a hallmark of diabetes is that these cells are either destroyed or can’t produce enough insulin. The most common treatment is regular injections of insulin to manage blood sugar levels.

But a recent avenue of research has involved restoring the function of these beta cells. In some cases that’s started with stem cells being coaxed into new beta cells, which are then transplanted into patients with diabetes. Researchers behind this kind of work have described it as a “functional diabetes cure.”

Now, scientists at Mount Sinai and City of Hope have demonstrated a new breakthrough. Previous studies have mostly involved growing new beta cells in a lab dish, then transplanting them into mice or a small device in humans. But this new study has been able to grow the insulin-producing cells right there in the body, in a matter of months.

The therapy involved a combination of two drugs: one is harmine, a natural molecule found in certain plants, which works to inhibit an enzyme called DYRK1A found in beta cells. The second is a GLP1 receptor agonist. The latter is a class of diabetes drug that includes Ozempic, which is gaining attention lately for its side effect of weight loss.

The researchers tested the therapy in mouse models of type 1 and 2 diabetes. First they implanted a small amount of human beta cells into the mice, then treated them with harmine and GLP1 receptor agonists. Sure enough, the beta cells increased in number by 700% within three months of the treatment. The signs of the disease quickly reversed, and stayed that way even a month after stopping the treatment.

“This is the first time scientists have developed a drug treatment that is proven to increase adult human beta cell numbers in vivo,” said Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocaña, corresponding author of the study. “This research brings hope for the use of future regenerative therapies to potentially treat the hundreds of millions of people with diabetes.”

The results are intriguing, but of course being an animal study means there’s still much more work to be done before it could find clinical use. So far, harmine alone has recently undergone a phase 1 clinical trial in humans to test its safety and tolerability, while other DYRK1A inhibitors are planned for trials in humans next year.

Perhaps most importantly, the team will soon experiment with combining beta-cell-regenerating drugs with others that modulate the immune system. Ideally this should help overcome a major hurdle: the immune system will continue attacking new beta cells as they’re produced.

The research was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine."

-via New Atlas, July 14, 2024