#farewell to yamato

[confusinglystupid]

the one WITH vocals wont fucking opload but heres the one without

#yamato #star blazers #space battleship yamato #uchuu senkan yamato #saraba uchuu senkan yamato #farewell to yamato #farewell to space battleship yamato #mugen ni hirogaru dai uchuu

[bens-things]

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato (1978) dir. Toshio Masuda, Leiji Matsumoto

#Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato #さらば宇宙戦艦ヤマト 愛の戦士たち #Toshio Masuda #Leiji Matsumoto #movie night

[classicanime79]

#70s anime #anime #space battleship yamato #yamato #farewell space battleship yamato #arrivederci yamato

[genkinahito]

Kurosaki Maon THE MOVIE “Moshi Kimi ga Anohi no Boku ni Nattemo”, Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: In the Name of Love 4K Remaster, The IDOLM@STER Shiny Colors Part 3, Detective Conan vs. Kid the Phantom Thief, BLOODY ESCAPE – Jigoku no Tosogeki Japanese Film Trailers

Welcome to the second and last trailer post of this week. Seven Japanese films have been included. There is another film, a Cinema Kabuki screening but I’m not covering that. The previous trailer post detailed two films released on January 02nd, both documentaries but very different in terms of the subject matter. There was also an indie film and a major feature debut. I also published my Top…

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#BLOODY ESCAPE – Jigoku no Tosogeki #Detective Conan vs. Kid the Phantom Thief #Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: In the Name of Love 4K Remaster #Japanese Film Trailers. #Kurosaki Maon THE MOVIE “Moshi Kimi ga Anohi no Boku ni Nattemo” #The IDOLM@STER Shiny Colors Part 3 #Youtube

[general-cyno]

I've been musing about it for a while, thanks to some posts I've read recently too, and honestly... one of the (many) fascinating aspects of zolu to me is the way they share parallels/connections and or similarities to important figures in OP's world. spoilers for the most recent arcs and reveals ahead!

perhaps the most blatant and one of my personal favorites, are luffy and zoro's similarities to roger and rayleigh. as OP's mc and someone who's on the road to become the pirate king, luffy's own similarities to roger have come up a lot throughout the story and they've been acknowledged or pointed out by other characters like shanks, rayleigh himself and yamato, for example. from the goofy parts of their personalities, to the strength of their wills, and their dreams, luffy and roger's parallels are consistent in OP,

and as seen in rayleigh's brief memory of their first meeting, the straw hat luffy received from shanks was originally worn by roger back when he was young.

albeit the circumstances are a little different - with them stumbling upon each other by chance vs luffy going out of his way to meet zoro after learning of his name and reputation - this first meeting is still reminiscent of zoro and luffy's, with both ray and zoro initially rejecting roger and luffy's invitations to join them in their journey.

as for rayleigh and zoro, there's also a bunch of parallels between the two!

due to his previous time as a bounty hunter in the east blue, zoro made quite a name for himself and as OP progresses, his renown as the pirate hunter and the straw hats' swordsman is only second to luffy's. he was also the 2nd straw hat to get a bounty, and he's usually right behind luffy whenever their bounties go up. similarly, rayleigh was (and still is) considered a legend second to roger himself, strong enough that garp still views him as a powerful foe the marines can't easily defeat and managed to scare blackbeard away from amazon lily without an actual fight, despite the latter's strength.

there's other stuff too: the eye scars, both zoro and ray being greatly skilled swordsmen, their love for booze, being users of all three types of haki and even their epithets! from what I've read from other OP fans in discussion threads and through some internet search, rayleigh's title of "dark king" in jp is actually the name or word for pluto (the god of the underworld, roman mythology's equivalent to hades) in said language. in comparison, "enma", the name of zoro's most recently acquired sword and the "king of hell" title that he claimed after defeating king in wano, are a direct reference to the buddhist deity of the same name in jp mythology, also known as yama - a god of the underworld in charge of judging souls.

from the most recent flashbacks of the god valley incident, too, you can see the physical resemblance between these duos:

(as a bit of a side note, I think it was nice that rayleigh not only took it upon himself to mentor luffy, he was also the one who protected zoro from kizaru in sabaody and after the timeskip, during the straw hats' reunion in the archipelago and as they bid their farewells, zoro went out of his way to thank him for everything too.)

all in all, considering how close roger and rayleigh were (to the point roger called him "partner"), their strength, reputation and their overall journey with the roger pirates crew - the fact that luffy and zoro share more than a few clear similarities/parallels to them is really good imo, and it speaks both of the importance of their relationship and of the kind of figures they're bound to become, or are already becoming, in OP's world and ongoing history.

although it'd be sweet to have zoro and luffy directly refer to each other as partners as well (which kid and killer, another captain/first mate duo, have done too) I'm not sure it'll happen, if only for the sake of keeping the relationships between luffy and the crew balanced, so to say. still, like I said, knowing how close luffy and zoro are and that they share parallels with other captains/first mates, I think that says a lot about them regardless and the importance they hold for each other and the story as a whole.

another interesting resemblance between zolu and characters who are connected to one another involves, of course, shanks and mihawk - both of which are not only acquainted with each other, as rivals and friends of sorts, but also served as luffy and zoro's mentors/guides at different points of their lives and presently stand as their eventual foes to face in order to reach their goals of becoming the pirate king and world's greatest swordsman.

aaand last but not least, because it's yet another favorite of mine: joy boy/nika and shimotsuki ryuma. I sort of talked about it in another post, and I find it pretty cool. nika and ryuma come from different eras and don't exactly have much to do with one another but luffy's DF awakening and defeating kaido led to "joy boy" (since luffy refused to take credit for it directly by name) being hailed as a hero to wano that's comparable and only rivaled by ryuma, who in the past defended the country and was considered a legendary swordsman, whose sword shusui (that zoro wielded for a while) is a national treasure even.

since the hito hito no mi: model nika is a mythical zoan and vegapunk's speculated that devil fruits come into existence as manifestations of hope and wishes (or a potential for human evolution someone's desired), among other things, nika's existence as an actual god is kind of a subject of current debate in the fandom BUT. the fact remains that whether real or myth, he's still mentioned in old texts and his story has been shared among those enslaved by the WG, as a call for hope and freedom. in addition, even though he was human, ryuma also became revered as a savior figure and a sword god by the folks of wano.

so when you have luffy embodying the sun god of joy and liberation,

and it turns out zoro is none other than a descendant of the shimotsuki (frost moon) family, who resembles the former daimyo of ringo and the god of the blade ryuma,

well. those are some crazy parallels luffy and zoro share outside of their equally kinda crazy and meaningful relationship, as individuals and crew.

#zolu #tp #long post #idk what oda was/is cooking with these two but it's insane lmao #as if the braincell sharing; nearly telepathic communication and almost ridiculous levels of loyalty and faith in e/o weren't enough #the manga is like. here. have all these narrative and thematic reasons as to why zoro and luffy are pretty much soulmates #love to see it #I also have Thoughts about how ray lost his home and lived on a ship when roger found him #while zoro got lost and couldn't return to his home village; which he tells luffy about after joining him #smth smth true north soulmates fate #jay reads op

[esper-union-lounge]

Puppet Strings...

Not beta read

Yamato (Izanagi) x Reader

Summary:

You always feel his presences, and hear his voice, yet he never felt real. Until the Twilight came, you were bounded by the Order's puppet strings.

Tags: TW: Implied Stalking, Dark ending, Yamato is evil, ft Luo Yan, mind control.

"You can't hide from me~"

You felt his voice was spinning around you in total darkness. In a heart beat, you looked around trying to locate where his voice was coming from.

Yet, your futile efforts have earned a chuckle that escaped from his lips.

"... I see you~..."

You heard him say.

A faint sound of music began to play gradually getting louder. The tune felt eerie, so eerie, you couldn't help but to feel a goosebumps running along your spine.

You instinctively step backwards even though you know there is no horizon for you to escape in this space. Standing at nothing but a void of emptiness.

The music got even louder, the pitch and rhythm of the music box felt intrusive. Forcing it's way into your head, you covered your ears as your mind swirled. Aching at how the force was vibrating against your skull.

As you stumble back, in agony of the discomfort, you felt something, or someone, wrapped their arms around you. A hand snaking its way up to your thoart. Hitching your breath, you felt fear erupting from your core all the way to your chest. Freezing on the spot, just like an animal would when met with headlights.

A familar voice chuckled against your ear, "Found you~"

The grip on your thoart suddenly held tight.

Immediately you jolted.

Eyes snapped open, you got up from the sofa. Your breath still heaving from the fright of your dream.

You were having the same dream sequence again, only this time the stranger seems to be coming closer.

Your head turned left and right, looking to see where your were. You mind felt ease at the familar sight of the Esper Union Lounge. Currently empty, with the television still turned on.

"You're awake," a deep voice spoke.

Swallowing, you cleared your dry throat and looked up to see Luo Yan, a chief of the Scavengers, looking down at you.

"... Yes, sir," you answered. Your voice shook a little.

Readjusting your position, you stood up and went for the television remote. You can tell, it's getting late by how empty the headquarters were. Everyone would have clocked out by now. All, except for Luo Yan.

"Breaking News, another murder case has been report in Gyrate, amassing at total of..."

You turned off the television before the news anchor could finish her sentence.

"You should head back, it's getting late, and..." Luo Yan said with a rather stern voice, " I would hate for the incident last week repeat itself again."

You can tell the Chief was on edge lately. You couldn't help but to find the the incident just a blur. Your memories a week pior felt muddled and blank, and sometimes your head feels heavy. Yet, you think the Union members were acting a little too serious about it.

Admist the muddling in your memory, all that was remembered were you chasing after someone. Supposedly, stumbling upon a scene, you witnessed something you weren't supposed to. There was a flash of the colour red before having to wake up from the hospital bed.

What exactly happened, seeing how you lost that portion of the memory, the others spared you the details.

"Setting a curfew for me?" you questioned, simply out of curiousity.

However, Luo Yan wasn't in the mood for a light banter. "Go home",he said, "I am staying here for a while, I will wrap this place up."

Without another word, Luo Yan with his usual scowl on his face. He walked away and began to turn off the lights. While you stood on your spot, thinking to yourself. Maybe, you shouldn't have tried to joke around. Maybe that incident is serious.

"Goodbye, sir," you bid your farewell and headed out of the Esper Union Headquarters.

Walking your way through the busy streets, the late afternoon glow basked Gyrate with warmth. Yet, a sudden a chill ran down your spine. The air around you felt cold, there was a sense of uneasiness as you walked along the streets.

You weren't sure if there were a pair of eyes watching you from afar, or a million pairs of eyes watching you up close. This feeling was all too familar, and it stuck with you as you returned home.

The same fear from your dream began to resurface. The musicbox tune replays in your mind.

Tossing and turning, you lay awake in bed. Looking up at the ceiling, your gaze landed at clock on the bedside table. It was hours into the night, and you couldn't fall asleep.

The throbing sensation was vibrating against your skull. The faint sound of tingling made it worse. Sitting up, the tingling sound became apparent.

The tune of its metalic strumming lure your out of bed. You weren't sure if it was your imagination but it felt so real.

Reaching for the door of your room, you turned the knob and went into the living room, only to came face to face with a stranger...

Or more so...

Someone familiar...

He stood in front of your door and smiled at you, "... Found you.~"

It seems something has refreshen your memory. It all came flooding back.

It was like a nightmare replaying itself.

The man in red, whom, you met a week pior. He continued to look at you, anticipating you for a reply. Yet, your face was drained of colour. His sudden appearance amplified your fear, rendered you speechless. Instead of answering him, like he expected you to, you opened your mouth to scream.

The stranger's smile quickly disappeared and immediately grabbed onto you, covering your mouth before you could make a sound.

The box like object in his hand continued to play the music from your dream. Intruding into your head, the agony grew while the tune filled your mind. You tried to wiggle out of the strangers grasp, however, his grip only became tighter, and he looked at you with a sharp gaze.

"Don't fight it," he spoke, his voice sounded so sinister, "You know this by now. The pain will only get worse."

You weren't sure what he's taking about. Everything felt confusing, and you began to grow weak as the second went by, it wasn't long when your protest ceased.

Your mind went blank, eyes void of character. You stood still, like a puppet.

A chuckled escaped Yamato's lips. His sinster voice echo through the room, for he couldn't contain his exictment.

"Finally," he spoke, "The plan can finally set into motion..." He said to himself.

His hand went into his pocket, rummaging for a small trinklet before Yamato grabbed your hand gently. Opening up your fist to place a golden coin, minted in a familar symbol, you saw before; inside the files of Luo Yan's office.

"Let's see if you are a good puppet for me," Yamato said, "A new order is about to take seed in Gyrate~"

His words felt like a breeze. You paid no mind of what he said. The music from the box was still swirling in your head, as you waited for his command.

He closed your palm gently, incasing the minted coin in your hand.

"If that Scavanger haven't been so hot on my trail, I would have left you alone~" Yamato chimed, "you are just the puppet I need, to go through this task~"

He grabbed your chin, pulling your face closed to his. Examining your face, before his grip choked a respond from you, "... Yes, sir.

The grip on your face hurts, you squinted your eyes in pain, despite so, your mind was still in a thick haze, ready to take in his next request.

"That Scavanger Chief would still be in the Union headquarters at this hour. Why not go give him a "warm welcome" from the Twilight Order." Yamato grinned and let go of your hand.

"Kill him," Yamato's voice chanted in your mind.

Like a puppet, his orders were like strings attached to your limbs. Involuntarily moving, as you headed out seeking to do the puppeteer's bidding.

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

Author's note:

Holy Yamato...

(C) Esper-Union-Lounge

#dislyte #esper union lounge #dislyte yamato #dislyte x reader #dislyte fanfic

[icycoldninja]

(dmc) if the gangs signature swords were turned into humans for a day, what do you think they'd be like?

Excellent notion, I'm glad you brought it to me.

If the DMC boys' swords were human headcannons!

🔥Devil Sword Dante 🔥

(Idk if this is classified as his signature sword since he has a lot of those, but since this one has his name in it I'm gonna write about it)

-Devil Sword Dante would manifest in the form of an old, yet muscular, ex-rockstar-hobo-looking dude, aesthetically similar to Dante.

-He would wear a punk leather jacket with a red undershirt that reads "Let's Rock Bitches" and would possibly have a long scraggly wizard beard, a bandana, and maybe even an electric guitar strapped to his back.

-He and Dante would shake hands, bump fists, then declare each other BBFLs (Best Bros For Life)

-They would immediately trash Devil May Cry by throwing a massive pizza party and rock out so hard the windows blow up because of the sound waves radiating from their electric guitars.

-These two would singlehandedly buy and eat up all the pizza from their local Pizzahut.

-At the end of the day, Dante and Devil Sword Dante would bro-hug and bid each other farewell. Devil Sword Dante promises to fight alongside Dante for the rest of his days while Dante promises to take good care of him when he's not in use.

-Dante secretly wishes he could turn the sword back into a uuman, permanently, because it feels like he just lost the closest, greatest friend he'd ever made.

❄️ The Yamato ❄️

-The Yamato would become the essence of motivation itself: It would manifest as a Vergil clone.

-The only difference is that this clone is mute, and does not speak, and that his arms and legs are actually blades.

-Vergil may have been frowning on the outside when he met the human manifestation of his sword, but he was smiling in the inside.

-The Yamato has no emotions, but it has motivation. Though it couldn't speak, it motivated Vergl to do things like beat up his deadweight child again he would have never dreamed of doing until now.

-Because The Yamato doesn't speak, Vergil finds the peace and quiet (a very rare occurrence until now) incredibly calming.

-He doesn't exactly miss The Yamato when it returns to sword form, but he does have a renewed respect for it. To him, it is no longer just a sword; it is a part of him.

🟥 Red Queen 🟥

-Unlike the first two swords, Red Queen does not manifest as an adult human. It manifests as a child.

-This kid is exuberant, loud, and has a penchant for mischief. Nero has his hands full, chasing it around and trying to keep it from hurting itself.

-The kid somehow conjured up some crayons and markers and began drawing all over the walls of Devil May Cry and Nero and Kyrie's house. Eventually, Nero nabs the little gremlin and takes him back to his home, where Kyrie cooks up a massive meal for it.

-Nero is exhausted after just 1 hour of dealing with this menace, but at the same time, it's growing on him. He even gave the kid a name: Little Monster.

-When Little Monster eventually has to return to sword form, it gives Nero a big leg-hug and says goodbye, saying it had a lot of fun and that it wishes they could play again sometime.

-Nero is more than happy to have that little troll gone, he kinda misses it, after a little while. Ah well, at least now he's prepared for parenthood.

#Dmc #Dmc5 #Dmc5 dante #Dmc5 Nero #dmc5 vergil #Devil may cry #Devil may cry 5 #Devil may cry imagine #Headcannons #My theory #icycoldninja writes #Requested #thanks for requesting

[nitunio]

i keep thinking about idolish7 AUs!!!

What if Tsumugi chose three idols out of the initial seven? there's individual strengths to all, but there isn't much room for seven now is there?

EXTREMELY LONG POST ABOUT IDOLISH3 UNDER THE CUT (cw: source-typical drama and violence)

Sougo, Riku (center) and Yamato are chosen to be the IDOLiSH★TRiO

-- Mitsuki stops pursuing an idol career for a prolonged period of time, Iori is there to support him while calculating which strategies can be made to make his brother more appealing.

-- Tamaki doesn't bother with rejection, instead trying for other agencies. might do tiktok/musically to reach out to his sister

-- Nagi is upset, but is keen on staying at TakanashiPro - he's their new PR manager (and of course song provider)

i3 doesn't fumble concerts and gets to debut with an already released song (yeah trigger's songwriter steals "let's summer" in this au too)

i3 and trigger still hang out together, although its more awkward -- ryuu, sougo and yamato go drinking while riku is at tenn and gaku's (the only responsible sober adult) mercy. tenn is persistent on riku quitting.

re:vale is re:vale but momo's singing issue doesn't get resolved (yamato sincerely doesn't want to help re:vale. and so far hasn't really emotionally opened up about his feelings since all he does is drinks to blackout and neither him nor sougo remember what he was talking about. he's just an idol out of spite without anything attached)

-- somewhere at this point tamaki finds his sister and starts trailing her to see that tenn knows about her too much

momo and yuki mutually agree that they cannot continue -- banri reappears and agrees to OkazakiPro's contract, the new old re:vale is back (probably renamed too?). the zero arena opening concert gets framed as momoyuki re:vale's farewell to each other (they don't push back on ZERO's threats either, the whole thing's theme is "reminiscence" and "letting go" hence Re:vale singing Dis one and Dis banding (i'm so sorry for this pun. or should i say Dis p-), and letting new idols build on what momoyuki and ZERO made)

-- that being said yuki and banri coming back is framed as "the phoenix rising" and they probably have a song about that too.

Momo still gets spots in dramas and ads though less frequently. He prefers spending time networking and not thinking about singing. He meets Ryou at one of the events and the two share the sorrows (Momo has a tiny bit of bitterness about the Re:vale situation but their agreement to disband was mutual, his time was up, and he still loved Yuki. He confided in Ryou for the lack of a better listener and Ryou went with that bitterness and cranked it up to a 100)

-- riku actually gets better since he's always attended to by sougo and he is having fun with his time as an idol. his relationship with tenn also starts getting better, the two hang out frequently (and heavily disguised).

-- sougo and yamato have tension between each other because they keep trying to open up each other to make the group dynamics lighter but none are willing to share their emotions

Ryou tells Momo about his plan to form ZOOL. the members are -- Minami, Haruka, Touma and Mitsuki (Iori shoehorns himself in as Mitsuki's "personal manager", offers Ryou PR assistance to which he refuses and bans Iori from entering TsukumoPro)

-- momo gets more and more fueled by hate since ryou just doesn't stop generously salting his wounds while simultaneously comforting him

-- at some point here gaku confesses to tsumugi and she rejects. gaku turns his platonic love towards teammates and never pursues tsumugi again.

-- also at one of the hang outs TRG/i3 had gaku + sougo + yuki had a talk about making music and felt inspired. the motivation was to "have a great collab some time later"

ZOOL doesn't choose a target for elimination yet, Momo half-heartedly suggests Re:vale, Minami agrees, Mitsuki goes for i3 and Touma just shrugs and repeats Mitsuki, while Haruka alone vouches against TRIGGER

Mitsuki discovers his powers as MC and uses them to disrupt TRIGGER, Re:vale and i3 shows, instead turning attention to ZOOL and himself, sometimes barely dropping hints at all the dirt Ryou could dig up on idols. he is beloved on the internet as the rebel who's not afraid to talk despite how harmless he looks

- mitsuki has a falling off with his brother since iori is alarmed by the sudden personality change and keeps telling him about long-term consequences of so much negativity, while mitsuki doesn't understand why his brother just won't support him after going so long about helping him. mitsuki shares an apartment with touma. iori still attends ZOOL concerts, wishing to talk to his brother again.

-- nagi deals with bad press and all the stuff that happens to undermine i3

-- haruka teams up with tamaki to "free" aya from kujo. tamaki has a good following on tiktok/musically from his dance videos.

-- banri and yuki get married

---- ryou keeps getting momo new gigs to distract him from re:vale bc most idols are busy dealing with the allegations.

------ there's "unrequited love" thing going on between ryou (ready to ""love"" momo and idolize him) and momo (who is not interested in anyone after a heartbreak)

ZOOL distract TRIGGER, Haruka gets Tamaki backstage after B/W and he singles out / corners (while Haruka stands on lookout) Tenn who says he can't help them with anything. His smug aura gets on Tamaki's nerves and he tackles him to the ground and punches his face -> both escape the scene immediately, Tenn is put in ER, Ryou erases all the traces of ZOOL involvement in the incident, framing it as Gaku going out of control on Tenn.

Aya gets to the ER and gets spotted by media. Fans are raving about Tenn's "sister", some speculate that she looks exactly like Tamaki. Tamaki starts planning his recording to drag Kujo down.

Kujo "saves" Tenn from YaotomePro, forcing TRIGGER to disband. Tenn refuses plastic surgery to "repair the damages" and starts performing solo as the new ZERO (the costume is covering his unhealed injuries while he performs).

Tamaki gets invited to Kujo's residence and they negotiate to keep Kujo's name clean. Aya now lives with Tamaki.

Ryuu and Gaku get fired as punishment (and to save yaopro from getting bad press because oh! mitsuki is already covering the latest news about gaku not being a "cold handsome man" and ryuu being a violence enabler). They move in together and try asking for help.

-- unfortunately tenn is always forced to testify against TRG, as per kujo's order.

-- riku refuses to help TRG bc he believes what tenn says, yamato offers ryuu contacts to try for drama gigs and comforts him. sougo chooses to stay with riku since the latter has been having constant attacks after hearing the news.

Momo prepares to attack new old Re:vale by coming to the public with the "real reason he didn't want to work with Yuki anymore". Ryou writes a whole speech and "stage directions" for the sentimental video that spotlights "how much of a jerk Yuki really is".

i shall not continue. i wanted to write about

#nitunio.txt #nitu i7 ramble #LONG POST #EXTREMELY LONG POST #content warning for i7-typical drama and violence

[arcticlegend]

Like the Movie

(Trigger warning: Death)

This was a short drabble I wrote because I watched a scene from fox and the hound and cried like a little bitch. So here's this mess lol lemme know if you liked it, if there's any critiques, or if you just want to interact! I love talking to people!

It was from a movie she had watched as a child, something about a fox and a hound. He remembered her talking about how the two were an odd pair, how the hunting dog shouldn’t have been friends with the fox for they would inevitably become enemies. The story felt not too different from their own.

She was a human, a weak, frail human that didn’t have much time left. There were plenty of reasons to stay away, plenty of reasons to pass her by and keep to himself, but when he saw the book in her hands, it became impossible, his curiosity burning too hot within him to resist.

“What are you reading?” He asked almost timidly.

She thought it was just as odd as he did and he suddenly felt ashamed for his awkward attempt at conversation. Instead of brushing him off, however, she happily showed him the cover of the novel she held.

“It’s a book of Robert Browning’s poetry! I had heard from your brother that you liked Blake… So I started sifting through some different works and settled for this one. He’s very good!”

He felt strange, delighted that you would develop a love for poetry because of him, yet thought it odd that it was because of him.

“I’ve read My Last Duchess… its not what I expected… His works are very dark, but I really like them!”

He stood before her grave, eyes caught on the name carved into the stone. He held the Yamato in one hand, her recently named “new favorite” book in the other. She was gone, slipped away while he had been out on an errand. He thought by some strange hope that she would just magically get better, as if some deity above were listening to his pleas, but instead he was spurned. She was taken away before he could even say goodbye.

“Goodbye may seem forever, Farewell is like the end…”

He recalled the song she would sing sometimes, the one from the film, and heard himself saying it without his control. His voice breaking under the pressure of his grief.

“We met it seems, such a short time ago… You looked at me, needing me so…”

Her eyes peered up at him beneath her lashes, hair slightly disheveled from sleep.

“Do you ever sleep, Vergil? You’re always watching… like some angel.”

He sat down beside her on the bed, the plush, white comforter like clouds beneath him. Her skin was paler than usual, the dark rings under her eyes more prominent.

“I do. You just aren’t awake to see, foolish girl.”

He says it endearingly, brushing a few locks out of her face. It made her smile, that soft, sad smile she gave when she remembered that she couldn’t give them the future they wanted. A future together was never meant to be.

“Yet from your sadness, our happiness grew…”

You both sat outside, overlooking the lake, the colors of the sunset rippled over the dark blue, some fish breaking the patterns with excited tails. The birds chirred to each other, the cicadas started to stir.

“What do you think it would be like? To have a family? To make one…? I know it’s a sensitive topic for you…”

He gave you a look, trying not to give you the impression that he pitied you, but understood why. It was a sensitive topic to him. It was never something he wanted to discuss as he never thought it possible for him to start a family. He never considered it… at least until he met you. How cruel it seemed that the one person he connected with, the one person he finally felt safe enough to let into his life, wouldn’t last long in it. She asked him because she wanted to think about what it would have been like. She wanted him to tell her how it could’ve been if she weren’t slowly fading away.

“I’m unsure… I have a son, but I am ashamed I didn’t play a bigger role in his life. I couldn’t guide him and in the end, I only ever hurt him.”

He paused, not wanting to get on the wrong track. This was for you to think about in your final moments, for you to dream about, for you couldn’t actually live it.

“If I could start again, it would be different. I would want a family I could protect… together. I wouldn’t want to be apart from them.”

He had gave her shoulder a light squeeze, hoping she understood he spoke of her.

“I’m… not sure how to express it, but I believe it would be a wonderful thing, to be a part of something, something I belong to.”

Tears had welled in her eyes at his dreadful answer, yet she smiled as if it were gold.

“And I found out… I needed you too…”

He held her in his arms, swaying to the soft sounds of the violins over the radio. Her legs were weaker that day, so she had difficulty, but he guided her as best he could, holding her as if she were about to fall, as if she could disappear any second.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Vergil. I’m glad I picked up that book.”

He felt it, that itch in the back of his throat, the pressure in his sinuses that tried to conjure tears. Successfully, he held them back, wanting to keep this moment happy for the both of them, before she inevitably grew tired and needed to stop. He nestled his face into the crook of her neck, smelling the soft smells of her favorite perfume, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin against his cheek. He smiled softly as she returned the gesture, nuzzling her own cheek against him, giggling playfully.

“Your breath tickles, Verge!”

“I remember how we used to play…”

He kissed her tenderly, on his hands and knees above her, her thin fingers weaving into his hair. Their lips a symphony, they moved together, synchronized and full of passion. It wasn’t a normal passion, not one of fiery need as much as it was slow and intimate. He needed her to know how much he needed her, how much he’d continue to need her after she was gone.

“I love you… I love you, Vergil…”

Her words rippled through him like the water on the lake, the rasp of her voice tugging the fire in his gut sharply. He filled her, gently as if she could break, knowing full well that she wanted more of him.

He trailed his kisses down her jaw, his fingers interlocking with yours as he bottomed out, savoring the way she moaned, how her lips had parted in a silent “O.”

I need you. I need you. Please don’t go…

“I recall… those rainy days.”

He stood outside her door, listening to her weep into her pillow. It was if she were trying to remain reserved, as if she were scared he would hear, her muffled cries escaping and burrowing deep into his ears… into his heart. It tore him apart. It made him sick how powerless he felt. All the strength he had acquired, all the power he sacrificed countless lives to achieve… and for what? You still lie on that bed crying out, asking why you had to die. It made him wish he had learned something that could heal a person rather than break them.

It was a war in his mind deciding whether or not to turn the knob and console you or let you have your space. He was that way. Sometimes he needed time to think, to stew over whatever conflict was in his mind and try to find a solution.

“I don’t want to leave…. I don’t want to leave him… I can’t…”

He turned the door knob, opening it with a soft click.

“The fire’s glow… that kept us warm.. “

She grinned ear to ear when she saw the gift, not so different from the book of Blake’s poems that he carried in his coat pocket, it was a book of Browning’s works, one that had a similar cover to his own. The designs on the cover were gold and in the center was the letter of her first name. It was meant to be special, to connect the two of them, remind them of what brought them together in the first place.

“Vergil! It’s amazing! Thank you so much!”

She threw her arms around him, her frail fingers digging into the material of his coat, pressing into his muscles so delicately. It felt amazing, her touch reminding him that she was still with him, that nothing could take this away. He wished he could feel her embrace forever, making him hold onto her tighter when she tried to pull away.

“I’m glad. I’m glad you like it.”

She finally was able to pull back, looking up at him with those tired, doe eyes. He basked in the light that shined in them, loving how full of life they were. A part of him, deep down, dreaded seeing them without it, terrified of seeing them lifeless and dull.

There was no time to think about that now… All he could focus on was how warm you were in his arms and how happy you were flipping through the pages of your new favorite book.

“And… Now I find…, we're both alone.”

He made it back home, her little apartment she owned in town, not too far away from Dante’s shop. He had needed to take care of a job with Dante and also bring back her favorite snacks from the store. It took longer than he wanted to, the demons being more of a problem than either of them could’ve imagined, stealing away what little time he had left with her.

When he didn’t see her in the living room, he thought nothing about it, believing that she was probably resting. The only thing that accompanied him were the sounds of the brown paper bags crackling as he set them on the counter. He wondered for a moment whether or not she ate before she went to sleep. Of course he didn’t want to wake her, but something felt wrong in the pit of his gut and he wanted any excuse to check on her. After putting away the food and snacks he bought, he immediately went up the stairs, not bothering to take his boots off. He hoped she’d forgive the bit of dirt on the carpet.

Something felt off. The hallway felt too wide, the air felt too thick, and the upstairs felt too dark even though the lights were on.

No!

He pushed open her door, peaking inside. Her room light was off, but the light from the hallway poured into her room, spilling over the bed and rolling over her body as she rested underneath the blanket. She was on her side, the plush comforter up to her chin. It made him feel relief in the moment, yet he needed to be sure, so he sat on the end of the bed, knowing she’d sit up and smile at him. He knew that she would wake up and tell him he was so rude for almost sitting on her feet.

She didn’t. She didn’t move a muscle.

Panic stabbed deep into every bone in his body, bile rising in his throat.

"Sweetheart?" he asked, trying to hide the anxiety that tried to fracture his voice. “I’m home. I got what you asked for.”

Nothing. No response. Fuck. Was she breathing? She had to be breathing.

He pulled the blanket down off of her, thinking she’d groan and pull it right back up, but she didn’t, her fingers stiff. It made Vergil reel back in shock for only a moment before he jumped back into action.

“Baby!? Darling! Come on… You’re okay, don’t do this to me…”

He checked for a pulse, but knew there’d be none for closer inspection of her face made it clear that she had to be gone. She was blue and her skin was unnaturally cool, her lips were parted and her eyes were open just slightly.

“No… No!”

What was he supposed to do now? CPR? She gave him instruction, but he wasn’t sure if he could do it right or without hurting her. Hurting her? She’s gone….

“Don’t leave me… Not like them… Don’t leave me alone again… Please, my dearest…”

She did. She was already gone.

“Goodbye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end… But in my heart is a memory… and there… you'll always be.”

He knelt down in front of the marble stone, unable to stand as he ran through all of the memories like a marathon. His heart pounded in his chest as it seemed to have been moments ago when he had her wrapped around him, talking to him, giving as much as she could to make him happy, to make both of them happy. This was all that was left after everything… a stone and her memory. He was scared to lose it, wanting to run through it like a recording, rewinding and rewinding until it burrowed in, never to come out.

“Be safe, Vergil. I love you.”

Her last words rang in his ears as he looked down at the mound of soil he knelt in, not minding how it dirtied his leather pants, caring more about being closer to her. His grief felt frantic, like she needed to pop out from somewhere and tell him it was just a prank, that it was all a prank orchestrated by his foolish younger brother. He wanted this to be a joke.

It wasn’t. It was over like he knew it always would. He knew this was coming and it was foolish of him to think this way, but that human heart of his still desperately cried out for the feeling of her skin against his own, for the sight of her excited and passionate rambling, and the soft way she sang that dreadful poem.

It would take time… a long time to get over it, to move on from the pain of the empty hole in his heart. She wouldn’t want him to hurt. She would be upset If she knew he was in pain because of her. He thought about the song, about how though they wont see each other again, she’d always be with him in his heart, watching over him.

“There you’ll always be.” He said one final time, sliding his hand over the name.

#vergil #devil may cry #writing #dmc #dmc vergil #vergil dmc #dmc3 #dmc5 #reader fic #soft vergil #vergil x reader #vergilsparda #drabble

[randomkposts]

With Persona 3 and Nocturne being remastered, It would be absolutely fantastic if Digital Devil Saga and Raidou Kuzunoha came out again too. I enjoyed watching the movies, and think I would really enjoy playing them, particularly the former. The Later, however, is part of a lore I am really enjoying learning about, and that is Devil Summoners.

The series as we know it started with the invention of the COMP, by Akemi Nakajima- a Bishōnen programer and amature magician- back in Digital Devil Megami Tensei story, a game based on novels by Aya Nishitani. Check out Marsh if you want to learn more about them. 

But back to devil summoners, the most known is Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th, of the Kuzunoha clan, and the protagonist of the Raidou Kuzunoha games. The Kuzunoha clan is a clan of devil summoners based on the legend of Kuzunoha in Japan. 

"Kuzunoha is the name of a popular fox spirit of Japanese folklore, and is closely connected to the legends surrounding famed Onmyōdō Abe no Seimei. In the legend, the father of Seimei, Abe no Yasuno was visiting a shrine in Shinoda when he came across a hunter who had trapped a white fox in order to take its liver to sell as medicine. Abe no Yasuno fought off the hunter and saved the white fox, but not before sustaining serious injuries to himself. In the aftermath, he is saved by a mysterious, enchanting woman named Kuzunoha and the two eventually fall in love and get married.  

Later, Kuzunoha gave birth to Abe no Seimei, who was born with strange powers, and by the age of five, he was said to be able to to see and command lesser Oni. One day, when Abe no Seimei was still a child, he noticed his mother possessed a fox's tail under her kimono. Realizing her disguise had been found out, she fled her home and returned to Shinoda; her husband and son pursued her and she revealed she was the very same white fox that Abe no Yasuno had saved many years ago. Kuzunoha gives her son a special book that will allow him to speak with beasts, and bids farewell to her family, never to be seen again. Her famous farewell poem can be found on a silk parchment in the Inari Shrine in Izumi."

So in the Megami Tensei overall lore, naturally that forms the basis of a clan of devil summoners who exist long before COMPS become a thing. This is also a history where the Taisho era lasted longer than IRL.

 Also Hirasaki City area was once part of a small country that fought the Yamato dynasty off with magic and demons, had ties to China, and defeated the Yamato army, but lost in the long run, whereupon the queens only daughter was captured, tortured, and executed in a cruel manor, and her spirit was so angry it needed to be sealed for safety. 

And then there's whatever is going on with Sumaru that has students in school during July, but the rumors coming true isn't new (I'd guess ten years but an exact timeline is hard to pin), and that's before the city was retconned by rumors to have a history involving things like a local princess, as of The EP timeline from which the other persona games follow. 

It's also a reality where SMT 1 was averted, and instead If timeline events happened. So there are people who are born naturally capable of using magic (such as law and chaos hero), and a highschool student brought his school into an alternate dimension, filled with demons, true death was canceled, and he became ruler. Two students then proceeded to fight their way through said world and defeat him to get back to the human world. 

The history students are screaming. The devil summoner games have connections to the persona games, and the crossover brings me joy. The tech tree evolution is hilariously wack. 

So that all said, let's talk about Summoners, facts, extrapolation, and headcanons. Starting with Showing up in multiple games. (Soul hackers 2 not included as I have not yet interacted) 

Madame Ginko:- the overseer of the Kuzunoha clan, and the most respectfully treated trans person in the series, the owner of Club Cretaceous (understandably has a lot of summoners), and has preference for Dragon Demons, according to Demikids. 

In spite of her showing up the most of anyone on this list, I don't really have a lot of headcanons for her really. I heard she was a bodyswapper, and according to her bio her hobby is moon watching, and favorite food is Oden. Her blood type is Type A, which in Japan does give personality indication.

Maybe later I'll do a post on blood types and Megaten universe characters who share that blood type. 

Has a bodyguard in the form of Utsumi Kunihiko, blood type AB, who likes pizza and breeding tropical fish. 

Kinap:- first showing up in Devil Summoners as a user of the DDS-Net who gives you hints and hacks into a museum sincerity system for you. 

In Soul Hackers, Kinap is probably not the same being as last time, but who knows, as he is never shown on screen.  Spoilers ahead for plot points in Devil summoner soul hackers. 

In mythology:- "In Mi'kmaq folklore, a Kinap is a mortal human gifted with uncanny physical strength and other powers. In many legends, a Kinap's power manifests as a child, and he either becomes a child-hero or dies young by using too much of his strength too early. In other legends, an adult Kinap features as a mortal hero slaying a terrible monster or leading the other Micmac men into battle. ."

He sends the protagonist on vision quests throughout the game. Apparently Kinap was once a Shaman who tamed Manitou, and proceeded to use him in battles to be Victorious in wars, and used the slain foes as sacrifices, to grow Manitou stronger.

Then one day he realized "oh snap. Feeding it all these souls might make it too strong and I will lose control one day." So he took preventive action and sealed Manitou away. He also created Nemissa out of a fragment of his soul, but for her to be effective, she would need to understand humans. Rather than introduce her to some humans he knew then,  he sealed her and abandoned his mortal form to watch over them. And possibly Devil Summoners Protagonist IDK. Obviously that goes super well, lol. 

Let's deffine Manitou :- " Manitou is the belief of Algonquians meaning “mysterious being,” or simply “mystery”. It is an Algonquian word that represents the unknown power of life and the universe. Common among the indigenous peoples of North America, it is related to the concept of mana, a personal supernatural force, and connected to the worship of the sun. A supernatural force that according to an Algonquian belief permeates the natural world. 

Manitou is universal and manifests everywhere: the environment, events, organisms, etc. When the world was created, Aashaa monetoo meaning the “good spirit” or “great spirit”, gave the land to the indigenous peoples, specifically to Algonquian-speaking ethnic group indigenous Shawnee. In some Algonquian traditions, it was also called Gitche Manitou.

Native Americans acknowledge traditional healers and spiritual leaders who used manitou to see the future, heal illness, and change the weather. Ojibwe traditional healers used their spiritual connection to cure patients since the illness was believed to be caused by spirits and magic. To communicate with spirits and influence manitou, a healer would sing, dance, and drum beats to enter a trance. They sometimes also used hallucinogens to make a connection. For non-healers, they interacted with spirits by embarking upon a “vision quest,” by means of hallucinogens, fasting, praying, and by isolating themselves from society. A person who underwent vision quests would see objects or animals and also heard voices that would become later on as his or her guardian spirit.

In tribes that practice shamanistic rituals, manitous are connected to an inanimate object or animals to achieve the desired effect. A buffalo manitous for a successful hunt or plant manitous may be connected for healing. It involved the belief that shamans had the power to communicate with spirits, heal the sick, and help bring souls of the dead to the afterlife.

The early Native Americans in Illinois believed that each person has his own god, which they call their Manitou. It could come in a form of a bird, serpent, or other similar things, of which they have dreamed while sleeping. These manitous were considered as a lucky token. For war, manitous came in the form of species of birds, including falcons, crows, ducks, swallows, and parakeets. Representations such as skin or feathers of their manitous were displayed on their homes to ask for guidance and power when they went for fishing, hunting, or war.

As soon as adolescents became aware, it was expected that young adults start their vision quest in the wilderness. To trigger a manitou in a dream, the young adults went fasting without food and water for up to seven days. A manitou could take the form of a bear, wolf, bison, mountain lion, deer, bobcat, bird, or some other animal. "

What does the megaten wiki say about Manitou? 

"Originally Manitou was a great spirit of the land found in North America, but Kinap utilized Manitou as a weapon in ancient times. Contact with mankind and their souls threatened to turn the peaceful mindless force into an entity of destruction. Kinap then sealed Manitou away and created Nemissa from Manitou to bring death to it should it ever be awakened and become a force of destruction.

The Phantom Society and Kadokura find the entity, and make their own plans to give it the souls of mankind for their own agendas. Manitou is also capable of feeding on the souls of demons, as shown by the slain Godly soul that it gains power from. "

It kind of sounds like Manitou should have been the one sending you on Vision quests, and generally working with Kinap. They have just sort of used Manitou as a buzzword. Nemissa Is a legend of a star goddess who seduces a hunter.

But yeah, they are more used as cool names, not particularly respectfully researched or portrayed use of legends from native people. I like Nemissa as a character, but as far as mythology goes, she's an OC with a legend based name. 

If they wanted a native legend that actually ate souls, they could go for Nalusa Chito, assuming they did their research with cultural consultants of the mythology they are inspired from and portray it respectfully. 

" Nalusa Chito, also known as a Impa Shilup, was the soul-eater, a great black beingIf individuals allowed evil thoughts or depression to enter their minds, Impa Shilup would creep inside them and eat their souls. "

Don't speak their names. 

For more info, go to

As an antagonist, it could probably suit the cyberpunk setting of the time pretty well. 

"Cyberpunk narratives often incorporate a sense of hopelessness or nihilism, typically featuring a gritty and violent backdrop, with crime, artificial intelligence, class uprising, governmental and corporate corruption, anarchy, gang warfare, and transhumanism all being central themes. The range is broad but the combination of these themes in the cyberpunk aesthetic is often used to convey deeper meanings and commentate on modern society and sometimes predictions of future society."

Soul hackers was first published in 1997, during Japan's lost decade, the name for its economic crisis. 

For more information on what caused that, check here

For more information on how that impacts the people socially and culturally, check this video by Lady Virgilia

I think ending the game by defeating a soul eating depression monster , especially during Japan's lost decade would have been a hopeful ending to the game. A way of saying "maybe it does suck now, but we can turn it around"

Oh wow, I've wandered pretty off topic. I'll end this one here, and come back and talk about Rei, and other characters later.

#shin megami tensei #megaten #devil summoner #devil summoners soul hackers #random k #madame ginko #kinap #manitou #raidou kuzunoha and the soulless army #raidou kuzunoha #kuzunoha #kuzunoha clan #persona 2 #persona 2 innocent sin #persona 2 eternal punishment #plot bunnies #shin megami tensei 1 #japanese blood types #ketsueki gata #native amarican legends #native legends used in a video game #inaccuratly #japanese #japanese culture #Youtube

[purplehairedwonder]

Chapter 1057: In the End (It Doesn’t Even Matter)

No regrets for the Linkin Park lyric in the title. (RIP Chester.)

Well, it’s happened. Wano is officially over. I have some mixed feelings on how this final chapter plays out.

So, let’s start with the elephant (or wolf? considering his DF) in the room: Yamato decides not to leave Wano with the Straw Hats.

I’ve made no secret of the fact I’m not a Yamato fan, so on a personal level, I’m relieved he’s not joining the crew. Plus, the fact his DF is of the guardian deity of Wano was a flashing neon sign that he would probably stay as well as the way he was with Momo for basically the entire raid connects him to Wano. 

But on a storytelling note, this is such a strange choice for a few reasons. 

First, it seems like every third sentence Yamato has said is about wanting to go to sea and wanting to join Luffy. What was the point of all that build up if Yamato decides to stay -- and the conversation he has with Luffy about it is off-screened!

Second, in hindsight, what is the point of the character at all? One of the reasons I wasn’t a big Yamato fan was his late entrance to the story and sudden screen time despite... not really doing all that much. But if he joins the Straw Hats, there’s at least some kind of payoff to that. 

With Yamato staying behind, well, you can remove him from the story and very little actually changes. The functions he does perform, like help hide Momo or delay Kaido, could have been performed by myriad other characters. That’s panel space that could have been given to a lot of other interesting plotlines that were going.

I don’t doubt we’ll be seeing Yamato again before the end -- maybe with Pluton? -- but for now, everything surrounding this character’s portrayal has been... odd.

Then we get Momo’s farewell to Luffy. The Straw Hats head to the port in the last chapter without saying anything to Momo or Kin’emon, and they’re both upset about this.

(Side note: I think too much space was spent on flashbacks to other moments in the manga; this would be a great place for the anime to flesh out but to save page space in the chapter.)

Something that makes zero sense to me is that everyone left without saying anything to Momo or Kin’emon but then Luffy says they’ve been waiting so they could give Momo their flag? 

Why would they be waiting if there was no way to know if Momo would realize they’d left before they actually set off?

Luffy’s response is just “we’re meeting now, aren’t we?”

Zero sense.

Still, this is a great panel. Luffy is truly an Emperor. He’s come so far from that barrel in the East Blue.

And Momo’s tearful farewell. Despite his adult body, he’s still a boy and is going to miss his hero. I’m glad we got such a lovely farewell for a character who has been with us for so long.

Sticking with the Kozuki, we see the story of the raid being told to the people of Wano with some dramatic flourishes. Hiyori gets a lot of focus (ironic considering how she was sidelined).

This panel is absolutely gorgeous...

But that is a weird message. I get the parallel to the “I am Oden, and I was born to boil” catchphrase but switching from Oden’s first name to the Kurozumi clan name and saying they were born to burn when the Kurozumi had been persecuted for the actions of a few, leading to festering hatred in people like Orochi and Kanjuro, and making it a motto for people to cheer along to...

Feels like lessons were not learned.

ANYWAY. Poor Raizo didn’t get the same glow-up that Shinobu did from Greenbull’s attack, and that makes makes the latter turning tall and thin even worse. Oda, c’mon.

AND. Saving the best for last: the departure of the crews. 

The Straw-Heart alliance is over (I cry), and Law continues to be tsundere AF.

Law:

Everyone else:

Side note: I love Nami’s outfit here.

But we can’t end Wano without one final round of Captain Trio shenanigans. I never get tired of the way these three bring out the chaos demons in each other.

This gave me a flashback to the Sabaody auction house. Even the sound effect is the same for Luffy and Law.

Some things never change XD

The ships going over the waterfall is a great panel.

Dumbasses, all three of them.

Get you a man who can do both?

I love this trio so much. I miss them already.

So, that’s it for Wano. Gotta say, somehow it was both rushed and slow, stretched and overfull. I feel like Oda may have bitten off more than he could chew with the scope here, and the rushed ending was the result. Lots of good stuff but also a lot of questionable things as well.

And now... hopefully we’ll see more about what’s happening around the world. 

#Yamato #Kozuki Momonosuke #Kozuki Hiyori #Kin'emon #Monkey D. Luffy #Trafalgar Law #Eustass Kid #One Piece #One Piece chapter 1057 #One Piece 1057 #One Piece spoilers

[analyzingadventure]

Ghost Game Finale

ACCHI KOCCHI ODOROKI, SAMAYOTTE MOMENTS MEIKYUU WA LABYRINTH

THEY ADDED THE NAUGHTY BOY TO THE OPENING FOR JUST THE FINALE, FUCK

AND WE'RE OFF. BABY BOY'S STILL SUPER IMPALED

OH NO WE'RE GOING OFF TO LIMBO

OH NO HIRO NO DON'T TURN TO DUST

Everyone is disappearing... NO NOT THE CHOCOLATE

BOKOMON?!?

THIS IS FUCKING TORTURE

Ah, God is allowing Hiro to go save the baby boy

Wait, what's wrong

NAUGHTY BOY WAS MASQUERADING AS GAMMAMON, AWFUL

I'm just

Hiro saved the baby boy... Oh my god

I just wanted to enjoy the action scene in peace, it was great, just. So much fun

But also "Planet Knuckle" is a cool ass fucking attack name holy shit

Dem hands

wWHOA HIS MOUTH OPENED????????

GAMMAMON JUST??? SEALED GULUS AWAY????

LET'S GO BABY BOY!!! GOOD JOB!!!

And now we get to meet God

OH???

THAT'S A DIGIMON????

I... I was genuinely expecting to see another rendition of either Yggdrasil or some human child acting as the caretaker of the DW, not a Digimon... I'm pleasantly surprised, because I was honestly dreading the other two options, much prefer this

Also, fun design!

OH UVER IS HERE TOO???

OH OH OH

THEY'RE HERE, THE BLACK VARIANTS ARE HERE, OH MY GOD WHAT

Oh Gulus is just chilling

THE ENDBRINGER??? WHAT

GULUS CAME FROM SPACE??? SOMEONE CALL YAMATO

2000 years from now????

Mummymon and co are helping <3

Ah, the story ends without eternal farewells, how sweet

And that was it, the finale of Ghost Game. I think I need to sort out my Final Thoughts on the series itself but, that was a lovely episode, I'm sad GG has ended.

#Ghost Game #GG Reaction

[madmarchhare]

The Monk and the Traveller. [Final Snippet]

This is discontinuous to the rest of the previous snippets I have posted of this story. It comes at near the very end and therefore contains spoilers as a result. For this I apologize for those who wish to read the whole story, which I intend to publish.

The story remains set in 1908, now in the area around the city of Yamagata, in Yamagata prefecture. I am not native to Japan nor have I ever visited, so please do forgive and correct me if I have made errors in description. I hope you all enjoy.

Eventually, they broke through the tree-line of the forest, coming out in the wee hours of the mourning before the sun had risen. The city was close in view, just down a road that the trio followed to enter the city. As they came up to its outskirts the beginnings of dawn lit up around them, young beams of light scattering against the city’s buildings like breakwaters, leaving long shadows that striped and pockmarked the street. They walked down the street, alone bar from a few early risers and tired policemen, glancing half-heartedly at the trio, flinching at the weapons both Collier and Yamato wore, though only the latter seemed concerned with these looks. They followed Cherry, Collier checking street signs as he attempted to place himself, while Cherry had long memorised the streets, repeatedly having been sent out to collect things for his father, or indeed the man himself. When they came to a particular junction, Collier turned to Cherry.

“I’ll see you off here for now, I want to drop off the bear before it begins to rot, and to drop of my guns,” he explained, Yamato shifting to stand closer to Collier, Cherry nodding, not all that concerned over it. “I’ll meet you at the post office or around there,” he added, Cherry slightly confused as to why he was coming back to see him when he remembered Yamato, and how he was going to have to take him.

He nodded dismissively to the pair, not that bothered by their departure, more agitated by the idea of them coming back, “yes, yes, see you soon,” he called back, already walking away to his own destination as he made his snappish farewell. He found the post office quickly, weaving through the back alleys and not-quite paths that littered the city, warming up under the awakening sun as people began to emerge form their houses, sliding open fusama[1] to step out into the new day. It seemed the post office itself was just awakening, a man changing the signs around it to show it was open and departing inside. He had just sat down inside, preparing himself for a busy day of work when Cherry slammed open the door, making the man’s heart leap out of his chest from fright. “I’m here for a delivery!” Cherry roared, the older clerk staring at him with a breathless expression as he clutched at his breast in fear.

He panted, attempting to steady his heart as tried to force words from his mouth, wheezing from his suddenly overworked lungs, “N-n-na-ame, please?” he eventually wheezed out, crumpled in his chair.

“Nekomata Sakuranbou,” Cherry answered sternly, leering over the clerk, who looked up at the priests robes nervously considering on some terms whether a spirit had come to take him beyond the Sanzu river[2]. The clerk nodded, asking to be given a moment as he rifled through the deliveries, half afraid he’d find the name in a list of obituaries.

He found it after a moment, letting out a small call of success, lifting up a weighty looking letter, “found it, it just came in… Oh, Nekomata, I remember now you’re Touzen’s son!” the clerk attested, smiling up at Cherry with squinted, watercolour eyes. Cherry himself flinched at the recognition, freezing for a moment before he pulled a pained smile onto his face, no that the clerk seemed to notice that detail.

“Yes,” Cherry confirmed in a formal tone, disguising his discomfort and impatience as he reached for the delivery, the clerk not noticing.

“You haven’t been around in an age! I suppose you’re back to help out at the temple, Touzen told me about the trouble, it’s good of you to help out,” the clerk commented warmly, a smile on his face as he handed the item to Cherry who took it quickly, but paused.

He leered at the man, his eyes veiled as he asked, “when did he tell you?” his voice low as he spoke. The clerk seemed to notice the shift in tone, but disregarded it, smiling widely at the younger man.

“Oh, we were both down in the pleasure district, he was telling me and Sasaki-San,” the clerk informed, carelessly outing the father of his conversation partner.

“I see…” Cherry replied, his voice and smile strained as anger boiled within him, unfortunately not surprised that the man would be pouring money into the pocket of a geisha while bemoaning the waning funds of his temple. “Well, thank you, I wish you well, namusan,” Cherry bid farewell, taking the package and tucking it into his robe, feeling the weight of the money rest heavily on his heart, in both senses. He swept backwards, not lingering as the clerk called a warm goodbye.

“Thank you, good luck with your temple!” Cherry offered an unenthused wave as the last of his form disappeared past the threshold of the office out into the street. He grit his teeth in a snarl, his anger boiling over onto his face at the man’s irresponsibility, though he was used to it in some sense it did not agitate him any less. His teeth shifted over each other, the monk attempting to quench his anger, like a blacksmith forging steel. It was fine, this is why he was back, to help out at the temple and curb some of his father’s excesses, though more aptly to circumnavigate around him. He just had to get to the temple. He assured himself of this, that he’d just have to go, and he kept resolving himself with this internal declaration… But he was still stood where he was, he stared ahead, a nervous smile flickering on his lips as he fussed over the idea, his body refusing to move outright. His vison swirled slightly, blurring at the edges like oil in stagnant water. He felt his beath fall short of his lungs and weight tug at his shoulders as if he was chained by the neck to the street underfoot. He bowed his head slightly, his mouth flopping open as a disbelieving, nervous smile crept onto his features, placing his staff ahead of himself to lean on, gripping with both, somewhat shaking hands his eyes shakily watching the packed dirt below him to attempt to steady himself and move on.

“Ah, there you are Cherry!” Collier called out, his voice making Cherry flinch, snapping to stand up straight, his hat bumping on his staff to lay cocked on his head. He looked back at the approaching pair, Yamato following after the taller man. Collier had changed from his hunting costume, wearing his white suit he had worn at the Surogasu’s inn, now with a white-grey striped shirt with an eyelet collar and French cuffs, the same tiger-tooth cufflinks as before. He had a paisley pattern tie, a mixture of light blues, silvers contrasted by accents of soft greens, rested under a whiteish waistcoat with blue thread on its top edge and brown horn buttons. Though, the outfit seemed dashed by the pair of hiking boots and scruffy spats he had on. Yamato still wore much the same, glancing around nervously around the street as they walked. “Sorry we took so long, a few things cropped up that caused some delay…” he apologized as he approached the monk before falling silent, a look of concern on his face, “are you alright?” he asked, hunching over slightly as he inspected the monk’s face, the latter becoming immediately flustered.

“Ah, yes! Yes, yes, I’m… I’m fine,” Cherry assured, speaking far too quickly at first before he correct himself, assuring Collier that he was fine, using the distraction to actually try and make his statement truer. Collier regarded Cherry cooly, easily parsing through the badly hidden anxiety on the monks face, Yamato seeing the same. But, both men let it lay, knowing it wasn’t their place to pry. They let the monk collect himself, “well, I suppose if you insist on following me, me might as well set off,” Cherry remarked, an unsettled expression on his face even as he attempted to brush past the affair.

“Of course,” Collier agreed, walking after the monk, Yamato nodding in agreement. Cherry lead them forward, through the increasingly crowded streets, the sound of workers, awakening children and the general clamour of life coming as a uniquely human crescendo. Cherry led the pair west, over a number of bridges that mounted various streams and estuaries of the main river that cut through the area. The three men all walked quickly, though for Cherry there was some sense of urgency to his pace, which the other two felt only polite to replicate, getting a few curious stars from people that only become more common as they approached the cities outskirts. And, it was as they did that an authoritative voice called out for them to stop.

“Stop right there!” the three of them turned to the voice, Yamato the wariest at the order, with likely good reason as a policeman approached, his gaze focusing on the young Samurai the most. He was dressed in a well maintained uniform, neatly worn and ironed, as unmarked and spotless as he face, square-jawed, without the blue shadow of stubble, and hard cheeks with unscrupulous, uncompromising eyes. The uniform itself fit perfectly, as if the man was made for it rather than the other way around, made of a deep black fabric, with brass buttons polished so they shone along with similar coloured shoulder bars. The peak of a clean white shirt collar poked up from the fastened collar of the jacket, a black peaked cap with a solid black vison on his head.

He leered down at Yamato, a look of displeasure evident on his face, as if he was looking at a pile of scum dropped at his feet. “The carrying of swords had long been illegal, I am going to have to ask you to come with me to the station,” he ordered, his voice having a dry and uncompromising tenor. Yamato shifted, seemingly preparing to run or to fight his way out of the situation, but Collier intervened before he could.

“I apologize keisatsukan-San[3],” he began steeping in between the two, his voice genial, “this young man is with me, I hired him for the week, I’m sure you can overlook this for now,” he finished, placing a hand on Yamato’s shoulder, the younger man twitching slightly from the contact. But, the officer sneered back in response.

“You don’t get to order me around, foreigner,” he spat back in a sour tone, snubbing the Englishman’s attempt at cordiality. Though, the addresser likely had his reasons.

“It was not an attempt at an order,” Collier apologized, seeming to brush off the policeman’s intended rudeness.

“Then I was simply giving you appropriate warning,” the man declared in monotone arrogance, glaring at Collier and Yamato, though seeming to pay no mind to Cherry. “In any case, I will need documentation from both of you, as you are his employer,” he ordered, attempting to toss Collier earlier assertion at the man in rebuttal. Collier looked at the officer with a disinterred expression more than anything.

“Of course,” he replied, reaching into his jacket and handing the man a small collection of papers, including a smaller one bearing the mark of the city. The officer went through them quickly, stiffening slightly when he got to the last two. “By the way, I was stopped by some other officers earlier and obtained permission, they felt it came under some of my other licences I was already qualified for, among other things,” Collier explained, smiling warmly at the officer, who glared back up at him.

“…Everything seems to be in order,” the man huffed out after a moment, handing Collier back his documents, bottling up his anger as he resumed his well practiced professionalism, “please enjoy your stay,” he bade farewell as he spun on his heel and marched away.

“Thank you keisatsukan-San, have a splendid day yourself!” Collier called kindly, though the man he addressed felt as if he was being mocked. Yamato regarded his temporary employer with interest, though it was seemingly the second time Collier had done this. Cherry looked at him with his usual soured expression, though he was in truth happy for the distraction, and that he didn’t see further delay.

They reached the liminal fringes of the city shortly after that, the feathered edge of urbanisation bleeding into open fields, transient no-man’s lands that soon were consumed by the forest threshold, early morning dew sparkling under the morning light, like ill times star-shells. They passed into forest soon again, the wooded area surrounding the path to Cherry’s shrine. It was the beautiful nature itself that was partly to blame for the temple poor notoriety, the path to it, bar from the well kept and maintained sandō, was overgrown and rocky, despite some attempts to make the path more manageable which were all mostly fruitless. But, one could not deny it was a sight of unrestricted beauty, matched by its unruly wildness. But, not one in the trio found it of great difficulty. Cherry because it was a path that was ingrained into his soul, to the point that shifting soil was memorised. For the other two, it lied in a general mastery of the wild, though the younger Samurai stumbled somewhat still green despite his skill. Birds flitted about overhead, chirping in sing-song gossip as they dived for awakening insects and damp summer berries. As they began to approach what formed the sandō, a well kempt and cleaned paved road of whitish stone that began a good way from the temple as compared to other sites, a flood of flowers surrounded it. Planted by various members of the temple, they were encouraged as a way to calm yourself, as well as improving the appeal of the shrine. Numbers of chrysanthemums in myriad colours, azaleas, hydrangeas in full bloom while others lay past their season, such as iris and some wisteria. Blooming trees, such as cherry blossom, konara[4], Japanese Snowbell and various other non-flowering trees along, mostly evergreens, with messes of Japanese holly. It was a tidy but free assemblage, spread out over the long beauteous path to the sacred. For Collier and Yamato, it was serene, both feeling the typical calm one feels when surrounded by lush trees and blooming flowers.

Unfortunately, this feeling of ease did not reach Cherry. The sight, rather than be a source of calm, only remined him of where and what he was walking into. This was made only more obvious as the temple itself came into sight. It was a grand place, resting on the slope of the mountain that it wrapped around like and inverse crescent. The main building, five stories tall, but stepped backwards, as if the building was leaning back onto the mountainside. The temple had two other building either side of it, spread like the wings of crane, almost embracing those who entered the site. Those buildings were only two stories, with irirmoya[5] roofs, turning into kirizuma[6] at outcroppings that interrupted the engawa[7] that ringed the faces of the buildings. The main parts of all the buildings were painted a holy red, a more recent attempt to align more with local Shinto shrines to gain popularity, with black kawara[8] tiles, painted with light coloured patterns near the edges, done by local children from times long past. The grounds themselves were neat, kept clean with very little growth bar from what could be controlled, but, recently becoming untended as it seemed more important matters cropped up. The entrance itself was protected by a large set of rōmon[9] gates, styled like torii gates, but retaining some aspects of their origin, fused so one large in the centre had smaller ones linked to it on either side.

The trio stepped through the gates, Cherry brushing through the gates like someone enters their own home, which, in all truth, was perfectly appropriate.

A few people were out tending the garden, their robes hiked up at their elbows and above their knees as they trimmed and pruned, but, it was clear there were far too few staff for the size of the place. A few looked up with curious expressions as they saw the foreigner and the small Samurai, worried by the weapons, until they saw Cherry himself. Cherry for his own part didn’t pay them much mind, instead walking forward towards a gable roofed structure with open sides. It was set almost in a dip, the sound of flowing water lightly coming from it as Cherry approached, taking up a ladle and scooping up some fresh water from inside the stone walled vessel and washing his face and hands. Both of his companions also followed the temizuya[10] ritual as their guide, watched by a pair of komainu[11]. As they all finished, they were approached by one of the monks, a man slightly older than Cherry with a shaved head, a trio of moles just above his left brow, dressed in a white kimono and light blue hakama, signalling he was a lower rank monk within the temple[12]. He had a disbelieving, but also rather relieved expression on his face as he approached Cherry.

“Ah… Cherry-dono, is that you?” the man asked in a somewhat quavering voice, an uncertain smile tugging at the sides of his lips, as he hunched over slightly to stay at eye level with the higher ranking monk.

“Yes, it is,”  Cherry answered matter-of-factly, his shortness of the man seeming to make him more confident of Cherry’s assertion of identity. The monk’s face lit up, but he quickly restrained the expression, attempting to act formal.

“It is good that you’ve returned! Given the circumstances…” the monk replied, falling silent as he glanced at the pair of strangers flanking his superior, not sure if he could mention the dirty secrets of his temple quite freely. Cherry himself waived a hand in dismissal, readjusting his staff so that it rested on his shoulder as he tucked his hands into the opposite sleeves.

“I know, but, first could you please tell my sister I’ve arrived? I want to speak to her before I go and see chich- ahem, the Jūji[13],” Cherry instructed, correcting himself with his father’s title as he spoke, speaking in a dignified tone, though not one that was overly forced.

“Yes, of course, I’ll take you to her,” the monk agreed, deftly excusing himself of work while he did, “it’ll be much easier with both you and your sister here! We should be able to work out enough funds soon enough,” the man asserted with a pensive but still pleased tone of voice as he smiled back at his superior and his companions as he led them to the eastern wing of the temple.

“Oh, I’ve already resolved that. I have all the money we could need with me,” Cherry explained, shifting under his robes slightly as he felt the weighty letter rest heavily on his breast. The monk in question turned back to Cherry with an incredulous expression.

“How did you manage that so soon?” he babbled out, unable to imagine the answer.

“Thanks to a generous donation from, Sakai Nanase-Sama,” Cherry answered simply, not even attempting to claim any work to his own merit. “… We should make sure to do something to commemorate her kindness,” he added, giving a sideways glance to the lower ranking monk, who made a series of jerking nods, making a metal note of the order.

“Yes, Oshō-Ue[14],” the man agreed knowing, despite lacking the specifics of the amount, that Sakai had donated a rather considerable sum. They reached the engawa when the monk turned to look at Collier and Yamato with an inquisitive and wary expression. “May I ask why you both are here?”

“Oh, I am here simply to visit your temple,” Collier answered warmly, seeming to disentangle himself from the issue, before putting his hands on Yamato’s shoulders and pressing him forward, “this one however, is here for a position at your temple,” he declared, a wide but somewhat mischievous smile on his face.

“Pardon?” the monk asked, Cherry mostly ignoring the assertion, only further flustering his subordinate. “But, what would we need a Ronin for?” the man babbled out in question, Yamato glaring up at him, about to bark out a correction. He was a Samurai, not a ronin. But, Collier quickly intervened for him.

“I’m sure he can be useful if you ever find yourself in danger, he is quite skilled. Do Buddhist temples not have some equivalent of Knights Templar[15] or suchlike?” Collier insisted, getting a confused look from the monk in return. Seeing that his angle of persuasion was not working, and that he had likely confused his opposite, he changed tracks, “if not, I’m sure he would be of use as a factotum,” he commented, his voice having a unassuming finality that he did not allow the monk time to question, striding forward as Cherry stepped onto the veranda, both men removing their shoes as they did. The monk reluctantly pushed the matter aside, seeing the conversation had briskly moved on, and removed his own geta, Yamato removing his kôgake[16] though keeping his swords and armour on, the monk glancing  at them nervously. They were led past a number of shōji screens until they came to one that was left open, which the monk led them through, a woman dressed as a Miko[17] taking their shoes as they entered. Cherry glanced over to her and gave a quick nod as she bowed her head.

One of his fathers’ attempts to ‘Shinto-ise’  the temple had been to employ women in roles similar to Shinto Miko for women. Though, in truth, this changed very little for the women of Cherry’s family. Mainly due of course to the fact that they had always had a hand in how the temple was run, but simply from the shadows.

They were taken to the left-side wing of the building, the back end of which faced the main building, taken through an open corridor flanked by fusama on either side with wooden lintels overhead. Very shortly they were taken to a sliding door, decorated with painted flowers that covered the fringes of the door, along with general decoration. Cherry stood before the door, flanked on either side by Yamato and Collier, while the monk stood to the side of the door and called out in a level and formal tone, “Nekomata-Ue, your brother is here to meet with you, along with some guests who are accompanying him.” There was silence in response as both Cherry and the monk wore tense expressions as they waited through it, like artillerists waiting for a hang-fire.  

“Very well, send him in,” a voice instructed from behind the door. It was dignified, with clear diction in the words, a voice that always made you want to sit up slightly straighter. The monk returned a quick yes before pulling the sliding door to the side, bowing his head as he did before ushering Cherry and the other two inside, standing by the door as the trio entered. The room was rather large, with tatami matted floors that were comfortable underfoot, the rear of the room lined with shōji screens separating the room from the engawa outside it. The room smelled of incense, a pair of pewter burners either side of the room on small but elegant tables covered with documents and objects important to the temple, either side of them a pair of kicho[18] bearing depictions of the Buddha or kami. At the rear of the room there was a large Buddha statue on a wide pedestal, and sat in front of it, as if its guardian, was Cherry’s sister.

She was sat on her knees before a near-black wooden table, the legs of which made a shape like a trapezoid, or like a cat spreading all its legs. It was covered with stacks of documents, charms and suchlike along with an inkstone case she was using tow fill in the documents with a fine brush. The woman herself was beautiful, more like a goddess herself than a temple assistant. She was tall, with fair skin and black hair that almost shone purple under the sunlight, falling just below her shoulders on her back while the front was cut into a straight fringe bar from two clumps either side of her head that fell to just below her chin. Her eyes were the colour of cast-iron, hard and unscrupulous but still with a subdued warmness hidden in them. Her hands were lithe, but not fragile, the woman seeming to move with an air of calculated strength, a worn but cared for O-Juzo on her left wrist. She wore a white kimono, perfectly fitted over her form, well built with a modest chest, and red hakama. The only thing that someone could call a flaw was a scar that split across the bridge of her nose, ending just underneath the iris of each eye. But, in truth, it only served to magnify her beauty.   

Cherry sat on his knees a metre or so from the table, offering a deep bow to his sister as both Collier and Yamato sat down as well, offering less severe bows of respect, more akin to the monk who had led them there, bowing as he stood by the door, than the brother that kowtowed to her. “Thank you for receiving me, ane-ue[19],”Cherry thanked, his head still bowed to the floor, “I hope you have been well since our last letter,” he added, his voice strained as he fussed over formality.

“As well as could be expected, considering current circumstances,” she replied flatly, looking down at the documents on her desk as she filled them in. Cherry twitched slightly at her comment, slinking further into his bow as he agreed with a weak ‘yes’. She finally placed down her brush as she glanced up at the hunter and the samurai, “and who are you both?” she inquired, a disinterested look on her face.

Collier sat up and smiled warmly at her, “Elisah Collier, but please call me Collier, a pleasure to meet you,” he greeted, offering a quick bow to her as he did, “I am an acquaintance of your brother, I was hoping to see around your temple so I accompanied him here,” he explained, the woman regarding him the same.

“I see, well, Sakuranbou did mention you in his letters,” she responded, Cherry stiffening up both at the use of his proper name but also about his mentions of Collier. They weren’t always the most flattering of comments. “In any case, what about him?” she led, gesturing to Yamato. Collier and Cherry expected the boy to pipe up with a grand introduction but he was silent.

Collier leant down to check on the boy, and saw him with a nervous expression, a red flush across his cheeks as he glanced everywhere around the room besides the woman. Collier smirked to himself with a knowing look in his eyes before straightening himself up and clearing his throat. “This young man here is Yamato Takatoki-San, he is here about a position at your temple. He is a very skilled fighter and survivalist, and can be highly useful in many other ways,” Collier introduced, talking up the boy as he saved him from his social embarrassment. Yamato glanced up at the man with an appreciative expression, and received a warm but cheeky smile in return.

The sister regarded both cooly for a moment before letting out a soft exhale and putting a hand up as she gave an instruction to the hereto unnamed monk, “Saikan-San, you may leave I have important matters to discuss with Sakuranbou, please take our guests with you and have them fed. They must be hungry,” her voice crisp and clear-cut as she spoke. Saikan bowed again before giving a respectful agreement and gesturing for Collier and Yamato to follow him out. Both rose to their feet and left through the door, Saikan lingering in the frame as he slid the door closed, the sound of three steps of footfalls retreating from the room coming muffled through the walls. The pair waited in silence for a moment, Cherry having sheepishly raised his head, looking around the room. “Have they left?” his sister asked, Cherry standing up to check, removing his hat before pressing an ear against the wall.

The space outside the room was silent, the only disturbance being the dull brush of wind that slipped into the building. “Yes, ane-ue,” Cherry answered, glancing back to his sister.

“That’s good,” she replied, beckoning him back over as she stood up, deftly stepping over the table as they approached each other, meeting just ahead of the squat table. She regarded him with a serious expression for a moment, her brother having to look up slightly as he was shorter than his sister. Then, quite suddenly, she scooped him up unto a massive hug, easily lifting him off the ground as she did. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Nekoshou[20]!” Cherry wheezed at the sudden embrace, but couldn’t help a smile from infiltrating his face as he rested his head on her shoulder, relaxing in the embrace.

Nekomata Umemori is the eldest of four siblings, including herself, a few years older than Cherry, the second youngest. Besides her, Cherry has two other siblings, namely a younger sister Takeshou and an older sister who married a local boy, Akisei Makoto, and took his family name Akisei Mutsuchou. But, out of all them, the most responsible and the one whom Cherry was closest to was Umemori. She was a very responsible and intelligent woman, who, while not wasting time on fools was not outwardly cruel to those she disliked. Someone who preferred tact rather than an attack… not that she could not perform both quite skilfully.

After a warm moment, Umemori lowered her brother back to the ground, gently placing him down as she semi-reluctantly released him from her embrace. “… I’m glad you’re well,” she continued, moving to sit behind her table, speaking in a far more relaxed tone of voice. “We appreciate the money you have been sending us, it helps, but you being here will help a good bit more,” she said a warm smile coming onto her face. Cherry’s face split into a Cheshire cat smile from the complement before he forced his expression into a more neutral look.

“About that,” Cherry began, reaching into his robes and pulling out Sakai’s letter, Umemori regarding it with a curious expression, “I’ve already obtained the funds needed to pay off all out debts,” he finished, presenting the letter to Umemori who stared back stunned. She was silent, looking slowly between her brother and his letter before taking it gently from his hands, taking a worn looking letter opener to slash open the letter. She dumped out the contents onto her desk, a pile of bundled notes falling to the table with a sound like the rushing of leaves, the room fell into silence, to the point that one could hear the burning of incense.

“…How did you get all this?” Umemori asked, her voice flat and severe, but not accusatory as she looked up at her brother with a level gaze.

“A bit of charity,” he replied, sheepishly placing a hand to the back of his neck as he answered, the truth sounding ridiculous despite itself.

“From Collier-San?” she asked, still looking at her brother as she rested her hands in her lap, sitting bolt straight as she continued her interrogation.

“What? No! no, though I suppose he helped,” he answered, his vagueness not resolving the matter for his sister as he sat under he piercing gaze, aware she wouldn’t let it go until she was given a proper answer. “He brought me along to an event where I found a few people willing to make donations,” he begrudgingly explained, glancing away out of embarrassment. “A woman who was attending, Sakai Nanase, deciding to donate as she wanted to do a good deed,” he finished, still with a somewhat embarrassed look on his face.

His sister regarded him with a clearly disbelieving expression, turning up her nose at him as she leaded an elbow on the table, her chin in her hand, “Oh really now?” she drawled out, baring her teeth in a displeased grimace.

“I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s the truth!” Cherry insisted, his voice going up a pitch as he blushed from embarrassment. His sister relaxed her expression, still reclining her head on her arm as she looked at her brother, loosening up slightly but still managing a dignified air.

“Then why were you so embarrassed to tell me, I thought you’d become a bandit with that Yamato-Kun,” she inquired, serious in her question, but loving concern poking through the austere veneer. Cherry stayed silent for a while, staring at his knuckles, clenched over knees of his purple hakama. Umemori watched, waiting for an answer, but didn’t receive one. She moved to stand and go over to Cherry, but was interrupted when he, quietly, finally gave his answer.

“Because I was supposed to do it by myself,” he began speaking in a soft, almost ashamed voice, not daring to look up at his sister, staring at his hands clenched on his knees as he bowed his shoulders and hung his head. “I was supposed to find a way to help you all and to help the temple, and do it on my own… and instead, it ended up borrowing strength from a tiger… like I always do,” he finished in a heartbroken voice, quavering as it entered the still air, slowly cradling his face in his hands, “I should be able to help people myself.”    

 Umemori then swiftly pulled him into a deep, unexpected embrace, entangling herself in her sobbing brothers arms as he stared ahead with a bewildered expression. “I know you,” she began with a firm but caring voice, “I know that the first thing that you would do when I told you would be to work too hard. To try everything you could think off to help, no matter how hard or gruelling or how much you had to debase yourself to help us till you pushed yourself too far,” she continued, pulling her brother into a deeper embrace as she did, “you have nothing to apologize for, I know how hard you worked, and how far you did and would go to help us and anyone. And I am so sorry that I had to make you go through that just to tidy up the messes of this family and this place,” she finished, tears falling from her face, landed hotly on Cherry’s shoulder as the monk in question began to shed tears as well, slowly returning the hug, embracing with the love one holds for those who raised you, and feeling a flood of relief and serenity as he let himself sink into the hug.

He lingered in the warmth of the affection for a while, savouring it before slowly disentangling himself from it as Umemori did the same. Cherry blinked away his transient tears, attempting to composing himself as he sniffed slightly. He looked at his sister still with some embarrassment, though much less than a moment ago, and attempted to work up the nerve to ask a question he only partially wanted to know the answer to.

“So, the debt was it really…?” he began in a half-sure tone, stumbling somewhat when it came to bringing up his father.

“Yes, it was our great fool of a father,” Umemori answered plainly, sighing as she seemed to hold back a more severe insult than the one she had used. Cherry joined her in her sigh, his shoulders slumping as a disappointed, but not surprised expression fell onto his face. “He’s embarked on another project of his, though, for the amount he has likely funnelled into his own interests, he likely could have started three,” she added, hanging her head in a hand as she shook it disapprovingly. Cherry grimaced to himself, not at all surprised, but that did him no good.

                “I’m going to meet with chichi-Ue after this. We need to have a discussion,” he declared, getting a slightly surprised look from his sister.

“You haven’t seen him yet?” she asked, somewhat bewildered.

“No, I wanted to see you first,” Cherry replied, his sister allowing a small smile to break her stern façade for a moment. She nodded and rose to her feet.

“I’ll get him to meet you in the hondo[21], he’d likely summon you soon enough anyway… But it’s better to be the one to call him up as you know,” she stated, Cherry giving an agreeing nod as he raised himself to his feet, using his staff as a prop.

“Thank you,” he replied, his voice sincere as she gave a nod in return.

“I’ll find somewhere that Yamato-Kun can work as well, I’m sure he can be useful, but, what about Collier? Do you want me to send him away?” she asked, beginning to sort the money before going to hide it away in various parts of the temple.

“No, have him sit in the meeting with me and chichi-Ue,” Cherry answered after a moment, Umemori glancing up at him with a mildly surprised expression, “if someone else is there, he’ll act more carefully. He can get away with it with everyone else,” Cherry concluded, sighing slightly as his mentioned his fathers behaviour. Umemori smiled at her brother, pride evident in her features before she quickly covered the money and called out for once of the miko. One arrived after a moment, a shorter woman with a plump face from lingering puppy fat, evidently new at her job. Umemori sent her off to collect Collier from the jiki-dō[22] while she put away the money, sending Cherry to the hondo to wait while she summoned their father. Cherry once again thanked his sister before leaving the room and finding a way to the veranda outside. As he stood on the veranda he felt the chill air, the sun of the early day now pockmarked by cloud cover that suggested an evening rain, though the sky still seemed undecided. As he watched the sky for a moment he glanced at the central hondo again. The building was the grandest of the temple, each floor stepped back as if to lean on the mountain behind it, each layer, bar the top, featured hogyo[23] style roofs, the kawara tiles glistening with a beautiful lustre, small veranda’s sat on the second and third floors that overlooked high into the forest below. At the highest floor, the hogyo roof ended in a point on which a high metal point was hung, the sōrin[24], made of interwoven layers that glittered under the sunlight.

He lowered his eyes, as if he were bowing to the temple itself before again mustering his courage and striding forward. He strode to the kairō[25] and walked through, the open corridor cool with the slow rush of wind that flitted through the carved banister at its edges, the same deep red as the rest of the temple. As he came close to the main building, the first floor being reserved as a hattō[26], he noticed a newer addition, the outside of the engawa was walled with mullioned garasu-do[27] pannels. He supposed this was one of his fathers recent expenditures. He clicked his tongue at them slightly but quickly moved on. He slid open a side door that led into the hattō, the room half lit as a pair of monks tied up the hall, likely having been conscripted into the service after the previous lecture had ended. One of them, seemingly having taken a moment to rest on his broom, turned to see who had entered and blanched when he saw Cherry, immediately becoming flustered and resuming sweeping at a radical pace. Cherry watched him with a unamused expression, glancing an eye around the room. The room was a grand, vaulted hall with tatami mat flooring, long hexagon shaped lanterns hung from the rafters only a few illuminated by the candles inside. The walls were covered by painted fusama, covered with beautiful patterns and stories. Above them on the lower half of the hall, the wood still an aged brown before the area around the ceiling transitioned to a red that matched the outside. Thankfully the large black and silver mural on the ceiling depicting numbers of dragons, yokai. Finally, at the rear of the hall was where the lectures themselves were delivered. The walls behind were covered by cobalt blue noren curtains hanging from the lintel behind, bearing white chrysanthemums on their centre, a raised platform ahead of them being where the scripture was read, a podium near its front and a statue of Buddha sat at the foot of its rear, flanked either side by the noren.

Cherry turned away, the two workers still busy cleaning, though the one who had been more diligent still continued at their usual pace while his partner rushed about while he could be seen. He moved to the rear of the room, at the side near one of the hanging curtains and pushed open the to-fusama[28]set into it and stepped through. It brought him into a small lobby a few steps away from a set of worn black stairs surrounded by panelled wood while he faced a door than would take him to a hollow space in the temple used as a store room for less important documents and tools. The second floor was split between a few roles, namely a few shoin[29] that doubled as regular offices for higher ranking priests in the temples, though Cherry and his siblings also used the building Umemori did as well, as well as a hokke-dō[30] though that had become somewhat disused, the temple having taken in some non Tendai followers in the last few centuries as faith shifted, though Cherry had always tried to attend with his grandfather. Cherry continued up past this floor to the third, the entirety of it left as the honbō[31] while the fourth floor was left a rooms for his family, namely Cherry and his siblings as well as being half a kyōzō[32], the remainder of the store occupying the highest floor of the tower.

When he reached the third floor he breathed in its familiar smell, of ink and incense mixed with kizami tobacco and the perfume of geishas, a microcosm of the floors’ resident. The floor was divided into a number of rooms, his fathers’ chambers furthest from the stairs while not being at the front of the floor either. The place was clean, spotless where eyes would pry, the posts and lintels that made the corridor that Cherry walked through lacquered and covered in intricate carvings of the Buddha as simple but well done patterns of flowers and trees lined the base of fusama panels.

Cherry traced a path he had long memorized through the corridors until he came up to a pair of grand doors, red in colour with brass lining the base and top of the doorframe. He stood before the door a moment, steeling himself as he took a breath, straightening his shoulders and arranging his hair. He busied himself with his delaying for a moment before he stopped and stared ahead, slowly lowering his head a snarl twisting his lips as he got angry at his own cowardice. He snorted, gripping his staff firmly in his hand as he formed a fist with the other and rapped on the door, his knuckles sending a low solid sound out from both sides of the door. He waited at attention for a moment, hearing a light rustling of cloth come from inside before the door was pulled open, the light of the room falling at Cherry’s feet.

The room was a large open space, with tatami mat floors either side of which were a set of sixteen, eight on each side, high ranking monks sat on maroon coloured pillows before small indigo coloured tables. The all wore Hō[33] robes over purple hakama kanmuri[34] on their heads, monks of second rank closest to the door in red Hō while those of the first rank were sat closer to the jūjishoku wearing black. A pair of lower ranking priests stood by the door, bowing their head to Cherry as he entered, both wore samune[35], the working dress used to indicate they were separate players in the meeting. As Cherry stepped into the room he felt the watchful gaze of the assembled monks be levied at him. They were a varied assemblage of people, some thin some plump or fat, many with shaved heads. They looked at him with varied expressions, mostly stern and stoic, but generally pleased at the young monks return in the temple’s time of need. Collier himself was sat close to the door, at the end of the line of lower-ranking priests sat cross-legged on a white pillow. He nodded to Cherry as they saw each other but kept quiet after that.

Cherry strode forward into the room, staring straight ahead out of the opposite end of the hall lined with shōji screens. The room was built from unpainted sugi[36] wood, blackish in colour, covered with various decorations from hanging noren to various brass accoutrements. Cherry came to the centre of it, a purple-red pillow placed there which Cherry sat on, his legs tucked underneath him as he sat up straight, one of the monks who had opened the door coming over to take Cherry’s staff which he allowed. After a moment of waiting, a few impatient whispers began to bubble up from the assembled monks, until a quartet of miko walked through the rear entrance at the opposite end of the room, one of them being Umemori. They all wore formal attire, as if preparing for a service, being led by Umemori the room falling into organized silence as they saw her. She stood on one side of a raised platform which lay at the other end of the room, mostly panelled in wood bar from a square of two tatami mats where the head monk was intended to be sat. She spun on her heel to face those assembled as another woman stood on the other side of the square as well, the two remaining standing further back behind the square.

“A thousand apologies for the delay,” she declared in a clear but humble tone, bowing her head to the assembled monks, “we now present the Jūjishoku of Monjusan temple, Nekomata Touzen,” she heralded, both her and her opposite falling back just ahead of the other two miko. The man himself then walked in from a side door, in a wide almost arrogant gait, but still. He got to his seat and spun on his heel before sitting down quickly, not standing on ceremony. He was a tall man, more comparable to Collier than to his son, with a large squarish face half covered in a white-black beard that left the corners of his mouth clear, the moustache and beard almost layered onto the other, sticking out from the man’s face in a downward sloping pyramid, almost imitating the hogyo roof of the temple, though the centre was somewhat stained by the taint of tobacco. The rest of his hair stuck out in a myriad of small arches at the side of his head covering his ears. He didn’t wear a kanmuri, as if stating he was above his own reforms. He wore Hō robes and purple hakama, not circumventing that new rule, but also wore a kesa like a stole over neck. His face was hard and stern with a heavy brow and small eyebrows, a number of moles on his brow and above his right eye.

He seemed to inspect the crowd before him with a level expression, his gaze lingering slightly on the foreigner in his court. He let out a slight exhale before beginning, “welcome back, my son,” Touzen delivered in a sombre, though seemingly joyful, voice.

“Thank you, Jūjishoku,” Cherry replied in a respectful tone, bowing to his father as he held down his transient agitation for the moment.

“Of course, I am glad you have decided to end your asceitic journey and help here at the temple, you have a duty to do after all,” Touzen declared utterly unbothered by the hypocrisy of his statement as Cherry flinched from the mention of his own duty. “But, that can be left for another time…” the man continued, sweeping the conversation along as he usually did, “you called me here as you had something to discuss. Speak your mind,” he declared flippantly, with the air of someone who was unlikely to care about what would next be said while the other monks glanced at Cherry to see what he would say, many hoping he would speak their minds for them.

“… It was about the matter of your recent, projects,” Cherry began, Touzen’s amicable expression falling from his face in a moment as he watched his son with a scrutinising gaze, sitting straight as he did. “Your recent expenditures have been taken their toll on the temple’s finances while doing little for our situation with donations and attendance,” Cherry continued, feeling the gaze of all those gathered, most pressingly the now disdainful leer of his father. “To recuperate this, I would insist you put a hold to this, along with any other activities,” he finished, a note of disdain of his own breaking through his restrained tone, the possibly imagined scent of perfume from geisha not helping.

“A ‘tightening of the belt’, then?” Touzen inquired, cocking his head as he rested it in his hand, Cherry flinching at his darkened tone. “As far as I understand it, you yourself have acquired enough to resolve our debts,” the abbot declared, Cherry snapping his head up to look at him then to Umemori, incredulous as to why she broke her promise and told him, but she was just as incredulous along with a number of other monks now watching Cherry. “Of course I am left to wonder how you acquired so much money so quickly,” Touzen continued Cherry feeling a flush of dread chill his body, though he couldn’t exactly place why, “but I doubt it was through any unjust means. You always lacked nerve for anything such as that.”

Cherry winced at what he knew to be an insult, “No, I…” he began before Touzen struck down his attempt to speak with his own accusation.

“Though why you did not inform me of the donations yourself is worrisome. You did not intend to keep it for yourself did you?” his voice cruel as he spoke, knowing that his son intended to hide it from him not the temple, but, not shying from using the situation.

Cherry felt the gaze of the other monks, now tinged by a look of disrespect and distaste, “…No, of course not,” Cherry finally replied in a defeated tone, hiding his head in his bow.

“O-tōsan[37] I think that is enou…” Umemori began, attempting to step in for her brother, but was again cut off.

“Be quiet Umemori, your brother and I are having a chat,” he replied flatly not bother to turn to her has he waived a dismissive hand in her direction. She grimaced at the instruction, looking at her brother with a concerned expression but remaining where she was only just holding herself back from striking her father. Touzen looked down at Cherry, the white elephant of a man having gained the reigns of the meeting from his son. “In any case, though I fail to understand what ‘other activities’ you mean, it is no less my duty to lead this temple and improve the lives of our faithful. We must give, even if we only have a little,” the man declared in a magnanimous display as a coral O-juzo rattled on his wrist, thou successfully conning a number of the monks with his pretence. “I have done all I could to improve this temple and to protect our believers and all those under our care,” he continued in disregard to the speckled makeup on his collar, a mark of his frequent visits to the pleasure district, “so it is of course inevitable that our finances are wounded as such…” Cherry grimaced hard, staring at the ground while he sat in his bow, his rancour shouting in his heart attempting to raise a standard and fight back against his fathers words… But he couldn’t. He couldn’t summon the courage to talk back and refute his false claims, the foundations of himself crumbling before his fathers words. Like always.

Touzen saw he had snuffed out his opposition and let a cruel, arrogant smile fall on his face, disguised as benevolent mercy to his watchers. “Well, that is likely enough of that matter,” the father relented, knowing he had already crushed his son’s spirit for the while, “we should instead congratulate you on your return! Its good that you decided to stop with your charade of a journey, Buddha knows what kind of activities you could have gotten into that might disgrace this temple!” Touzen finished, looking scornfully down his nose at his disobedient son, attempting to crush what little remained of his reputation. Umemori glared with fury at her father, her gaze white hot with hatred, while Cherry hid his face, tears beading in his eyes from fury and sadness, still unable to make a single noise in protest or contradiction.

Just before Cherry himself broke into tears or Umemori went to punch her father, a different voice interputed.

“I believe that is rather too cruel, Jūjishoku,” Touzen and the other monks turned to the new voice while Cherry froze, already knowing who had spoken. Collier sat, one hand raised in protest, calling attention to himself as he looked at Touzen with a sombre, almost upset countenance. He received strange, sometimes insulted looks from the assembled monks for his interruption, the most notable being Touzen’s look of baffled disdain.

“And who are you to interrupt?” Touzen demanded, fully acknowledging the presence of the foreign element in his court. Umemori glanced at Collier nervously, though thankful someone had spoken up for her brother.

“I travelled here with your son, and wished to see his home,” Collier replied eloquently, meeting the other man’s gaze firmly, “I can assert quite strongly that your son has done nothing of any sort that could damage the reputation of this, his, temple nay it could only advance it.” Collier’s assertion ruffled the court, most distinctly Touzen himself. His frown bared teeth for a moment before settling back to a more serene look of arrogant displeasure.

“You still yet fail to answer my question of your identity, and why my son brought you here. He is a rather, prickly, person,” the man responded, sweeping aside the words Collier had put to Cherry’s defence.

“Elisah Paul Collier, but please call me Collier,” he introduced, giving a small and wordlessly reluctant bow to the Jūji as he did, “as to why he brought me here, I simply expressed an interest,” Collier answered.

“And it was not in return for a decent donation, Collier-San?” Touzen asked regarding Collier sceptically, “I had heard that some form of donation in return for a favour was involved in his acquisition of funds, rather than of any substantial effort on my son’s own part,” Touzen replied, his scathing accusation cutting deeply into his son, gritting his teeth in anger, clenching his fists to smother his feelings.

“Those who expend no effort don’t tend to beg on the streets till half-dead for their families own benefit,” Collier scathingly shot back, a slight rumble of powerful anger and second hand indignation rattling in his voice and shaking the room. The Englishman let his amicable visage fall from his face, looking at Touzen with a disgusted expression, his face almost in a sneer. The other monk’s looked between themselves, pushed into internal reflection with a rejection of Touzen’s statements. The Jūji themselves looked back at Collier, his molten fury hidden from his face at the foreigners questioning of his byzantine authority. In response, he retreated behind the palisades of his previous arguments.

“Be that as it may,” he deviated, regaining the room’s attention with his voice as he attempted to wrestle back the reigns of the conversation as well, “that does not erase the fact that it is our duty to provide to our followers,” continued, reasserting his previous position.

“But it is your faith to not be prodigal, or ostentatious[38],” Collier lectured, causing Touzen to falter slightly.

“…And what do you know of my faith?” Touzen asked, suffocating his anger as he put on a genial show.

“I studied it while I was travelling in India, though it is not my faith,” Collier answered flatly, not breaking eye contact with the man.

“If it is not you faith then I don’t see why you feel you should intrude.”

“I am simply practicing a tenant of all faiths, to offer help to those that need it,” Collier replied, getting agreeing nods from the other assembled monks, but those were quickly shuttered by a fiery glare from Touzen, “’if we fail to look after others when they need help, who will look after us?’[39] to quote.”

Touzen glared at the man, aware of the eyes on him as the two men engaged in a verbal stand-off. “Then why do you criticise me for attempting to help those around me? Calling for me to halt my charity?”

“Cherry’s point wasn’t to criticize your charity, but your distraction with these projects to possibly improve attendance rather than to simply be content and look after those already here,” Collier replied, eloquently voicing the principal of Cherry’s argument, the monk in question looking to Collier with a look of embarrassed appreciation. “Along with a request to you to limit your own activities,” Collier commented looking disdainfully at the Jūjishoku. Touzen glared at the man with fury, a snarl forming on his lips as the other monks whispered in hushed voices, shifting to Cherry’s side.

“By any argument, I believe it would be best to listen to your son on this matter,”

“And who are you to question me?!!” Touzen boomed in a thunderous voice, grabbing a wooden rod rod held in a stand as he left to his feet, brandishing it one-handed like a cane, his face twisted into an abusive snarl, veins popping from his forehead. Collier leapt up as well, suddenly on his feet from a silent movement, both men staring at each other equal in height as Touzen stood on his platform, the monk glaring at Collier with tunnel-vision outrage, discarding all of his peaceable façade. Both men stared down at the other, Collier with calculating but cold power while Tozen bared his fangs in white hot fury. Touzen was the first to take a step forward, Collier about to match it when Umemori put an arm out to stop her father.

“O-tōsan, that’s enough,” she said firmly, not looking him in the eye.

“I told you to stay quiet!” Touzen snapped, ignoring her direction.

“I said, that’s enough,” Umemori repeated in a chilling voice, looking coldly at her father, making her father flinch slightly, then checking around as he realized what he had done, seeing the assembled gūji[40] and gon-gūji[41] look at him with wary and unsettled glances, many of the younger monks never having seen one of his outbursts before, or at very least, not one that others could vouch had happened. Touzen nervously glanced around, aware that his moral authority had crumbled under him, fretted for his practical authority. He ran it over in his head for a moment, the inertia of his anger tainting him for a moment longer before it disappeared from his pre-tarnished disposition.

He huffed slightly, gesturing for a miko to come forward, “fine,” he grumbled his voice levelling out into an irritated but more passive tone as he shoved the cane in the woman’s hand and stepped back from his daughters outstretched arm, unabashed by her look of disapproval. “I shall take your advice on this, Sakuranbou,” addressing his son by name for the first time, the boy in question looking up at him with a stiff expression having raised his head as his father turned, moving away from his seat, “I’ll halt my projects and place it under your suzerainty for the while,” he called back in a disinterested voice, “but we’ll discuss the intricates another day, I am feeling tired,” his voice dismissive as he declared his retreat, walking to the door he had entered through.

“Thank you, Jūjishoku,” Cherry replied, offering a far shallower bow than before, but still bowing nonetheless. Touzen huffed silently to himself as he opened the door, he looked back a final time, his gaze lingering on Collier longer than the rest.

“You all may go… I apologize for my rudeness Collier-San,” he called back, a blithe instruction and a half-hearted apology being his final remarks before disappearing from sight of the entire assembly. The room was silent for a moment before being broken by the quiet noises of the hall emptying of people, rising form their seats wordlessly before departing though a few came over to Cherry to deliver whispered congratulations or apologies. Cherry offered tributary replies to them, still somewhat shaken by the affair while Umemori took a glance to her father’s exit before rushing over to her brother as the last of the temple’s leaders fled, leaving only the monk’s left to hold the door, both of who fled as they read the situation.

Umemori embraced her brother, feeling him quiver in her embrace from nerves, “well done, I’m sorry you had to do that alone,” she apologized pulling him into a deep hug, feeling the bitter anger at her own inaction.

“No, thank you for being here and for trying,” Cherry thanked, tightening his own grip in the hug, needing the embrace just as much as Umemori. “… And thank you Collier,” Cherry added after a while, peaking his face out of the embrace to look at the man. Collier glanced up, adjusting the wakizashi in his jacket with one hand, one that Cherry was quite unaware of. He wanted to be surprised or snap at him, but he was somewhat relived that he hadn’t brought something worse. Granted not that the monk could complain, his tantō tucked into his kesa.

“Think nothing of it, I was happy to,” he replied adjusting his jacket and steeping closer to the siblings, only now loosening their embrace. “I only hope I didn’t overstep the mark,” he added with a somewhat sheepish chuckle, glancing in the direction Touzen had fled. “It would do no good if I made things worse,” he commented as he stroked his beard a glint of evening sunlight flickering on his face as a bird swept by the shoji at the rear of the room.

“Don’t worry, Cherry and myself will sort things over, we should be able to manage O-tōsan together,” Umemori stated, smiling at Collier warmly, which he reciprocated, warmed by her attempt to put his doubt to rest.

“Then I shall entrust you to your business,” he replied warmly, taking a verbal step back as to allow the pair forward on their own.

“Thank you, Collier,” Cherry said kindly, his voice sincere. Collier smiled back in return and placed a hand behind his back before offering a shallow bow.         

[1] Literally meaning ‘sliding doors’, they are somewhat similar to Shōji, but, unlike them, fusama are made using opaque paper so as to not allow any light to shine through them.

[2] Sanzu-no-Kawa, literally ‘the river of three-crossings’ or simple the Sanzu river, is a mythological river in Japanese style Buddhism similar to the Greek concept of the river Styx or the Chinese concept of the Yellow Springs. 

[3] The Japanese word for a police officer, which can be used with the honorific ‘San’ where the name of said policeman is unknown.

[4] Jolcham Oak.

[5] A type of roof structure in Japan, featuring a hip-and-gable.

[6] A type of roof structure in Japan, featuring a simple gable

[7] Japanese veranda, literally meaning ‘edge side’ are non-tatami matted floors that resemble porches. They are usually made of wood or bamboo.  

[8] Traditional roof tiles in Japan.

[9] A type of two-storied gate used at entrances to Buddhist temples and monasteries, though now also with Shinto shrines, in Japan, the second story is inaccessible.

[10] The temizuya is a structure containing purified water at the entrance to the innermost sanctums of a shrine, it is here that entrants and devotees conduct a purifying ritual before entering further into the shrine. You are supposed to wash both hands and your mouth, and do so with only one use of the dipper, washing the handle with its own water as you finish.

[11] Stone statues depicting shishi [‘Lion-Dogs’] stand at the entrance of Buddhist and Shinto shrine entrances, or at the houses of the wealthy or important buildings. These fierce guardians are intended to protect the shrine/temple from evil.

[12] In Shinto temples, one way in which the rank of priests are shown is that those of lower ranks[3rd and 4th rank] wear hakama[a kind of loose fitting trouser] of a light blue colour, while those of higher rank wear purple, like those Cherry wears. Though this is a Shinto practice, it has been adopted at Cherry’s temple as another measure to fit more with Shinto practices.

[13] A Japanese term for the abbot of a large Buddhist temple/monastery. Other variations include jūjishoku or jūshoku and occasionally jishu.

[14] A Japanese term that can be used either as a title or an honorific referring to a Buddhist priest of high rank

[15] A Roman Catholic military order whose alliance lay with the pope and his office. Also known as ‘Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon’, ‘The Order of Solomon’s Temple’ or simply ‘The Templars’.

[16] A type of armoured shoe worn by Samurai, distinct for having a split between the large toe and the other four. 

[17] Shrine Maidens at Japanese Shinto shrines, usually wearing red hakama trousers and a white kimono. They are not ordained priestesses, but local unmarried women intended to aid things at the shrine. This does not mean however, that women priestesses did not occur.

[18] A T-shaped stand with curtains tied to it’s arms. Used as decoration in Japan, originating from the Hein period, but becoming obsolete by the Edo period.

[19] A highly respectful way of addressing one’s older sister.

[20] ‘Little Cat’, here it is intended as a nickname Cherry’s sister uses only for him. He finds it slightly embarrassing, but is warmed by the affection. He would prefer she called him Cherry, or Sakuranbo if nothing else.

[21] The ‘main building’ of the Buddhist temple, also called a Butuden [Buddha Palace].

[22] A refectory in a Buddhist temple where monks would take their meals together.

[23] A type of roof structure in Japan, square and pyramidal in shape.

[24] A spire reaching up from the centre of the roof, it is constructed in tiers.

[25] A long roof covered passage connecting two buildings in a temple.

[26] Literally the ‘Dharma hall’, it is where the head priest gives lectures on Buddhist scriptures [the hō].

[27] Literally meaning ‘Glass door’, they can be mullioned or single pane and are often used on engawa veranda’s as panels or as sliding doors placed in grooves.

[28] Solid wooden sliding doors used in Japanese architecture. Made from sugi[Japanese redwood].

[29] Originally a study and place for lectures on the sūtra within a temple, it cam to simply mean a study.

[30] Literally meaning “Lotus Sūtra hall”, a hall whose structure allows for meditation while walking around a statue. Typical to Tendai Buddhism.

[31] Residence of the head priest or abbot of a temple.

[32] Literally meaning “scriptures deposit”, it is a place which stores sūtras and books about the temple’s history.

[33] A belted robe used in formal occasions by Shinto priests modelled after robes previously worn by ancient nobility, used in Cherry’s temple as part of his fathers attempts to “Shinto-ise” the temple.

[34] A type of headdress similar to what was worn by a previous office of nobility. They are black and feature a cap with a larger portion that extends from the back.

[35] A simple pair of trousers and top, made from linen or cotton, originally used by zen Buddhist monks as work clothes.

[36] Japanese redwood/Japanese cypress. When referenced as such it usually refers to yakisugi[lit. ‘to heat cypress with fire’] a technique of wood preservation where the surface of the wood is charred without burning the whole piece the wood becomes more water-proof. Sometimes referred to as burnt timber cladding.

[37] An honorific used to address one’s father. Much less formal than chichi-Ue.

[38] Two of Buddhism’s 108 Earthly Desires.

[39] A quote from Buddha.

[40] The term for a first rank of Shinto priest. Used here due to Touzen’s reforms at the temple. Their official positions are different.

[41] The term for a second rank Shinto priest, subservient to the first. The reason for it’s use here is as above.

@truegoist @adanaac @sleepy-gry @hiddenfolk @httpghostface

#writitng #writing is hard #creative writing #writing #writeblr #japan #fiction #historical fiction #the monk and the traveller #HMAD #I'm nearly done with this story #it's gonna come to like 76000-77000 words

[moonelnone]

-Hiken is back and isn't gonna get rest anytime soon unfortunately due to some brainstorming ideas invading my thoughts!

Regarding the "modern" situation I believe it wouldn't make much of a difference since we've seen that in the manga there's advanced technology but its existence didn't exactly make much of a difference to most villagers except for the den den mushis and some other small creations. Besides having the story set within the canon timeline would make even more interesting, if anything it can be dragged onto adulthood. sunny was just lucky to have Kel and the others to pull him out at the time and his house provided everything but in op universe Ace's gonna have to deal with the guilt for over 10 years.(he's guilty and he knows it) if I had a hand in the plot I'd include some of the whitebeards .

As for the headspace I believe the amount of violence would either be toned down or the damage done can never actually harm a character but tire them out instead (like Luffy bouncing every time he fell or was punched cuz he's rubber and all) as I believe that even the smallest amount of blood would trigger what I call "static distruction". One thing I've always thought about is how would a world crumbling down would look and sound like much less its effect on a person's mentality. I imagine ace shutting down at the smallest peck of blood on a comrade in-battle.then I may as well suggest the _self sacrifice mechanic_ which is pretty self-explanatory. Ace would rather be the first and only one to fall in battle than have his allies and loved ones hurt. Maybe even -protect "character"- but he probably won't have the option to protect himself.

there's still a lot more that awaits you dear creator if you wish we could have a long discussion. I must say I'm quite passionate at doing what I love but it really helps a lot to tell what's on your mind. Let go of the load if you get what I mean.(I've got to go now)

-Hiken bids you farewell for now 😊

Ah I just woke up! I'd say I'd just make two separate versions, one in a moderns setting and the other in the canon timeline so I don't loose anything from it XP

Ace and Sabo dealing guilt for 10 years? Sheesh poor brothers, I really wonder how that would affect their adventures, That Self Sacrifice mechanic is pretty interesting but mostly sad the more I think about it since it implies a lot,, The violence being toned down I think is a nice touch, the headspace battles would probably feel more Silly and Lighthearted I think... Though I'd like to also think the Bosses-- Yamato, Uta, and Law would have some symbolism in the headspace tho... I'm thinking maybe of scenarios where the bosses would act like the negative sides of who Ace sees fit (Idk really I just want to spice things up XD)

I really do wonder how would Ace and Sabo grow up in this version of the au, In the modern version I did plan some important things for them like a few religious themes enhancing the guilt... But this version seems to intrigue me, Feel free to tell me more!

#Tokumei answered #Yamato boss could represent Luffy's easy going nature #The Kori island could be a representation of Ace's feelings about the accident I don't really know how to explain it that easily but #just imagine the vibes of Snowglobe mountain in omori #Also do you think Ace still has narcolepsy here? #I got narcolepsy myself and let me tell you hallucinations are not fun sometimes

[fallensnowfan]

First half of chapter 34 of One Piece Academy is up! The title is Parent's heart, Child's heart.

It starts with some action scenes, then Yam, very dramatically recounts, more than the way I describe here, how the Academy versions of the retainers joined Oden, that they were outcasts in the past until he(Oden) gathered them all, and accepted them regardless of their backgrounds or what side they fought on.

Captures that undertone that, while it is considerate for Oden to have given them all a home and place to belong, also doesn’t pass over the fact that he didn't see their individuality very much.

I believe I recognize each of them lined up here, though it’s tough to say for sure if the silhouette on the far left is Izo or Shinobu. The figure being next to Raizo, rather than next to Kiku, makes me think it’s more likely to be Shinobu. Perhaps we’ll find out in the next update.

Yam says goodbye then returns to Onigashima to talk with Kaido, though not before Luffy refers to the fella without a nickname, (YamaTO, as compared to Yamao) for the first time. Same as when they parted ways in 1057. After that farewell, we transition to the lovely Okiku right after! The two trading places of who is with the main group it seems. She doesn’t say much here again, only commenting that the class was lovely, while now holding what appears to be a shinai(bamboo kendo sword) wrapped in cloth.

Koby notices her though doesn't know who she is. Potentially confirming that she does go to a different school? Or that Koby doesn’t read the main manga or hasn’t reached Wano yet. Regardless, she looks so elegant here. Academy Okiku has a fully stocked make up set, one of the really really nice ones and I can’t be convinced other wise.

I hope we get to see the Straw Hats, Okiku, Vivi, and Koby meeting Tama, who I guess is implied to have been rescued, and Tsuru in part two of this chapter. Go big on the Act One and Two vibes Wano has, where there is a good balance of characters getting to have fun interactions, as well as bursts of action.

It’s good that the battle was kept off of the mainland, though Act Three tipping the scales too far towards more solitary action scenes, and just not doing enough with so many characters who were already established before Act Three began, are its biggest faults.

The focus then moves to Onigashima, where we see King is giving cooking tips to Jack as Yamato returns, which is very funny for how odd it is to have King's over the top design be in a more domestic scenario, full mask and flames, the whole deal!

We wrap up with Kaido insisting that Yamato hand him the soy sauce, set barely an arms’ reach away on the table they are both sitting at, with increasing intensity each time Yamato refuses to comply, which is just hilarious. Kaido would be that kind of parent.

#one piece #one piece academy #chapter 34

[digitalworldbound]

takeru week, day three

what if?

characters: takeru and hikari (implied takari), takeru and yamato (sorry it's a day late!)

summary: as childhood comes to a close, questions bubble up to the surface of takeru's mind. if it hadn't of been for the digital world, would takeru still eat weekly dinners with his brother? would hikari still wait for him after school if that hadn't of been whisked away to another world? Also on AO3 and FFN !

Takeru Takaishi had always thought it strange that his destiny was laid out for him, ever-present and never changing. As a young boy, he couldn’t find it within himself to complain. Patamon had quickly become his closest confidant, the one person sworn to be by his side for the rest of his life.

As he grew older, questions surmounted the adventure, doubts clouding his mind’s eye. If it hadn't been for the ominous beings that lingered on the sidelines, watching the Chosen with a close eye, would he have still rekindled his relationship with his older brother? In a world without Digimon, would Yamato still invite him over for their weekly dinners, or would they still be practically strangers? 

In an effort to regain some normalcy in his life, Takeru had taken to playing basketball. Being a part of the team helped him connect with others, free from the burden of his childhood.  Still, a voice nagged at him from his subconscious: If he had never gone to summer camp, would these people still be his friends? Would he have even liked basketball in the first place?

The halls of Odaiba High School were crowded with classmates, the late summer sun beckoning them outside as club activities drew to a close. 

Hair damp with sweat, Takeru shoved his school shoes into his locker, cramming his feet into a pair of sneakers. 

His muscles were tense with overexertion. Practice had been unusually brutal, the red-faced coach pushing the team harder than ever as the biggest game of the season approached. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, the sky aglow with golden light. 

Just on the other side of the entrance, Hikari Yagami stood patiently. Takeru could see the crown of her head as he descended the stairs, his pace quickening.

A grin twitched onto his lips unwillingly. He attributed it to muscle memory; over half of their lives had been spent laughing together. It was only natural that the sight of his best friend brought a smile to his face. The butterflies in his stomach were another matter altogether, but he had ample practice of tampering their excitement. 

Before Takeru rounded the corner, Hikari whipped her head around. Her eyes crinkled slightly at the corners, her own lips tilting upward. Around them, birds chirped out their farewells before flying off. 

“How was practice?”

By now, her question was a mere formality. Takeru knew she had seen the bags underneath his eyes and the defeated slump of his shoulders. Still, Hikari eyed him with guarded curiosity. 

“It was fine.”  

Though Hikari didn’t say anything, Takeru could hear the tension in his own voice. Silence stretched between them as his companion gave him time to think. He had learned early on to keep his feelings suppressed, the thought of burdening someone else with his problems incomprehensible.

Beside him, the sleeve of Hikari’s uniform brushed against his. Takeru relished her proximity.  Warmth seemed to radiate from her form, Hikari’s mere existence putting him at ease. 

Thankfully, Hikari remained lost in her own thoughts as they made their way down the road. Usually, their afternoons were spent discussing the minute details of their day, from homework to troublesome teachers, even their plans for the future. They had yet to find a topic either of them were unwilling to talk about; they had yet to have a reason to hide anything from one another.

As of late, the pair had been focused on college entrance exams. An involuntary shiver ran down Takeru’s spine despite the warmth of the afternoon. 

Walking down the sidewalk methodically, his sore muscles were forgotten as his mind focused elsewhere.  

Yamato had once told him that upper education was a trap. Much like their father, Yamato believed that children shouldn’t be expected to decide on a career path that will dictate the rest of their lives. Takeru remembered agreeing whole-heartedly, unable to fathom his rockstar brother smothered in a business suit, following orders from elderly men with nasty attitudes.

And yet, even his brother had succumbed to the system, his weekends spent with mathematical problems instead of sold-out venues. 

Takeru supported his brother unconditionally, swallowing his questions in lieu of congratulations. He only allowed the questions to float to the forefront to his mind late at night in those moments where sleep evaded him. 

If they hadn't spent a summer in another world, would Yamato still have loved the stars so much that he would dedicate the rest of his life to unraveling their mysteries? 

“What’s on your mind?” Hikari’s voice was soft against the breeze. She didn’t look his way, focusing her gaze on the path ahead to give him the space he needed.

Sometimes, Hikari’s perceptiveness unnerved him. Without so much as speaking a word, she could read his mood, adapting the conversation to fit his needs. 

His footsteps slowed until they stopped completely.  Hikari looked back over her shoulder, eyebrows gathered with worry. 

Words gathered at the tip of Takeru’s tongue, his thoughts murky and muddled. With unwavering patience, Hikari waited, hands delicately clasped behind her back. 

A shaky exhale was his only preamble before his mouth opened, words falling from his lips in an odd, disjointed way. “In a world without Digimon, would we still be the same people?” 

In the grass, a cicada hummed, the sun dipping even lower beyond the horizon. 

Anxiety seemed to seep from his pores, a strange sort of anticipation building in his stomach, leaving him queasy. 

Hikari tilted her head in thought, as if Takeru’s question was as natural as a comment on the weather. Finally, she met his questioning gaze, amber eyes keeping her emotions well-hidden. 

“It’s impossible to tell,” she admitted. When Takeru didn’t respond, she took a step closer, the toe of her shoe grazing his sneaker.  “Is everything alright?” 

Concern seemed to radiate off her small frame. Even as they straddled the cusp of adulthood, Takeru couldn’t shake off the need to protect her, to shield her from anything painful.

Takeru had to accept that it meant keeping parts of him away from her, too.

“Yes. No. I don’t know,” he rambled honestly. “But if I had never gone to summer camp, if we had never been to the Digital World and met our partners, met each other, would we still have been friends?”

He paused, his heavy breaths falling between them. Hikari’s silence unnerved him. Anxiously, he searched her face for an answer, coming up empty. 

Disappointment settled in Takeru’s stomach; if anyone were to have an answer to his question, it would have been Hikari. Suddenly, embarrassment colored the tips of his ears, vulnerability creeping up his neck. 

Though Hikari looked at him with gentle reassurance, Takeru took a step back, excuses bubbling in his throat. 

“Takeru?” 

Without a word, he backed up, the collar of his uniform shirt overbearing against his throat. “I should probably get home. Mom needs help with dinner.”

Despite Hikari knowing that his mother was out of town on a business trip, she remained silent, stepping aside so that Takeru could pass her. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she offered.

Her voice was lost to the breeze as he broke out into a run, heart pounding erratically in his chest.

-

As soon as the front door creaked open, the sound of something fluttering filled Takeru’s ears. 

“You’re home!” Patamon cried, his paws burrowing into blond locks. Outside, children played in a nearby park, their laughter filling the warm air. 

The tightness in Takeru’s chest alleviated a little, Patamon’s infectious happiness making it easier to breathe. 

Beyond the doorway, his apartment was bathed in darkness. A news story had been brewing on the mainland, ushering his mother away for the better part of two months. The fridge had been stocked with leftovers and microwavable meals, but Takeru wasn’t feeling hungry.

The silence in his home was off putting. As Takeru listened to Patamon’s excited chatter, he wistfully wished to be eleven. His house had once burst at the seams with Daisuke’s personality and Miyako’s enthusiastic voice. Iori would sit in the arm chair, watching the scene unfold as Ken playfully egged Daisuke on. Hikari and himself would be off to the side, talking about their favorite books or television shows. Outside, the world was falling apart, but it didn’t matter. As long as they all had each other, they knew that they would be fine. 

Now, his apartment remained empty. Growing apart was a side effect of growing up; not even the Chosen were immune to the changing fortunes of time. 

Without the sound of his mother furiously typing, Takeru’s footsteps were too loud, too out of place. Somewhere, across town, Takeru was sure his father would be working himself to the bone, too busy or too lonely or too lazy to call. 

If their children’s lives hadn’t  been predestined for another world, would his parents’ marriage be intact? Is there an alternate universe where Takeru comes home to his family, complete and whole and together?

“Did you have fun today?”

If Patamon noticed Takeru’s empty stare or lackluster voice, he didn’t comment.  The emptiness of the apartment was soon filled with his partner’s chatter, Takeru taking care not to jostle him from his perch as the door of the bedroom shut behind them.

The muscles in Takeru’s legs protested as he sank into the soft mattress. He laid back, welcoming the weight of Patamon on his chest. Blue eyes unfocused, Takeru stared at the ceiling above him, idly scratching behind his partner’s ears.

As Patamon prattled on about the cartoons he had watched, Takeru’s mind drifted elsewhere. 

From the time he had been eight years old, Hikari had always been his sounding board, the one person to tell it like it was, to call him out if the situation called for it. She was sweet and kind and honest; she was his most trusted friend.

But would she have been his friend if their lives hadn't been threatened by digital creatures? Would Hikari wait for him by the gate, no matter the manner in which their friendship had blossomed?

The mere thought of Hikari, one of the only constants in his life, caused Takeru’s pulse to quicken uncomfortably. Atop him, Patamon’s voice tapered off, sentence left unfinished. 

“Are you okay?” Patamon’s ears were pressed tightly against his head, large blue eyes shimmering  with concern. Takeru’s hand moved from behind his partner’s ears to his middle, patting him in reassurance. 

Hikari’s worry from earlier was now reflected in Patamon’s eyes. Takeru tore his gaze from his partner. Posters of various sports players decorated the walls, corners curling with age. A blurred photo of him and his brother stood proudly on the bedside table, stage lights gleaming in the background. 

“Just thinking,” Takeru offered. Silence stretched between them. When an explanation didn’t follow, Patamon tilted his head almost imperceptibly. 

“It’s just,” the blond stalled, struggling to formulate a coherent thought, “I don’t know. It’s too hard to put into words.”

“Could you try? I want to help you.”

The bedsprings creaked as Takeru turned on his side, Patamon snuggling between his arms and chest. With his ears tucked neatly down his sides, the Digimon burrowed his nose into the starched button-down. 

After a moment, thoughts formulated on the tip of Takeru’s tongue, spilling out between them. 

“Without you, would I still have liked basketball?”

In Takeru’s grasp, Patamon stilled. “Without me? Why would you ever be without me? Did I do something wrong?”

Takeru pulled his partner closer to him, resting his cheek on Patamon’s head. “Of course not. You’ve been in my life longer than you haven’t; I can’t remember a time before you. But that’s part of the problem. I want to like basketball because I find it enjoyable, not because my circumstances led me to it for a reprieve.”

Patamon’s eyes glittered with an unidentifiable emotion, mouth set in a firm line. “I don’t even know how to play basketball. It seems that you don’t really need me to throw a ball into a net. If you’re worried about the team or the upcoming game, you can always take a break. I’m sure your coach wouldn’t mind.”

“It’s not just about basketball!” Takeru’s ferocity shocked even himself, heart clenching at the way Patamon flinched. 

With his pulse pounding in his ears, Takeru sat up, propping himself against the pillows. The last remnants of sunlight filtered through the blinds, bathing the room in a golden light. 

Tenderly, Takeru pulled Patamon onto his lap. “I’m sorry,” the blond began, voice thick with emotion, “I don’t know where that came from.” 

Instead of talking, Patamon opted to muzzle his head against Takeru, allowing the boy to pet him once more absentmindedly.  As Takeru’s heartbeat slowed, Patamon’s courage grew.

“If whatever is bothering you is too big to handle on your own, you could always go to Hikari.”

Takeru stiffened, warmth crawling up his neck. Unexplainably, his stomach twisted itself in knots. “I don’t think she’s an option at the moment.”

“Well, then Yamato can help. He always loves helping you out! Plus, if we go over tonight, then maybe he can cook us some real food.”

“Hey!” Takeru’s lips twitched upward with indignance. “Are you insinuating that the delectable, wonderful, tasty meals I make aren’t real?”

“Takeru, I don’t think anyone considers instant ramen to be real food.” 

“Whatever,” Takeru laughed. Fishing his cell phone from his pocket, he typed out a quick message to his brother. The bed creaked once more as he stood up, neck sore from tension. Patamon fluttered beside him, a small grin playing on his features.

“C’mon,” Takeru motioned with his arm as he walked towards the bedroom door. “Let’s go.”

-

Their father’s apartment was as cluttered and disorganized as the last time Takeru ventured over to the other side of town. 

His brother answered the door in a pair of ratty sweatpants, their mother’s old apron tied around his waist. “I’m glad you messaged me; I was just getting dinner on the stove.” 

From the look of the grocery bags that littered the kitchen counters and brand-new carton of eggs, Takeru doubted that Yamato had been coincidentally making his favorite meal, but he knew better than to push it. 

“Thanks for letting me come over at the last minute.” 

Gabumon smiled up at him from the kitchen table. With his little chef’s hat, the Digimon looked at home amidst the vegetables Yamato let him chop.  Patamon squirmed in Takeru’s grasp until he was released, happily swooping toward Gabumon as they began an animated discussion about one of their favorite shows. 

The smell of curry udon elicited a growl from Takeru’s stomach. Sheepishly, he grinned at his older brother, rubbing the back of his neck in the doorway.

“You must have been hungry,” Yamato commented. He turned back towards the broth simmering in a pot, humming a tune too low for Takeru to make out the melody.  

“I guess.”

“Takeru only knows how to cook instant ramen, and it always turns out crunchy,” Patamon added helpfully. Gabumon remained silent. For a moment, the sound of spring onions being dutifully chopped was Yamato’s only accompaniment. 

Takeru cleared his throat. “Mom’s been…busy.” 

Yamato nodded, the tune he hummed intensifying. Takeru didn’t miss the way his brother’s eyes narrowed or the way Gabumon sent him a knowing look.

A dining room chair scraped against the floor as Takeru took a seat. The familiar smells of his father’s house washed over him. A whiff of tobacco melded with the scent of Yamato’s cooking, creating something uniquely male. Takeru was home. 

Few words passed between the  brothers as Yamato served dinner. Forks scratched against the plates, the low hum of the television filling the space between their thoughts.

“So, what’s going on?”

Over the kitchen table, Yamato’s eyes stared intently into his little brother’s. Beside Takeru, Patamon tensed. Takeru followed suit.. 

Hard work went into perfecting the way people perceived him. Takeru worked tirelessly to ensure that he didn’t let anything slip, that he never made people feel the need to comfort him or take care of him. All of his efforts were to ensure that no one felt burdened by him, and yet, Yamato was able to read him with a single look.

“It’s nothing.”

With a raised eyebrow, Yamato leaned in. “Sure doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Despite the warm food and his brother’s obvious concern, Takeru felt numb. Immediately after their parents divorce, it was hard to look at one another, much less hold a conversation. Their summer in the Digital World had changed that, and had connected them in the most impossible ways.

Would Yamato even care this much if trauma in another world hadn't bonded them together? 

An uncomfortable warmth crawled up Takeru’s neck. The corners of his eyes felt itchy, hands clammy. “It’s just -”

Yamato’s calloused finger stopped him. “Wait, don’t tell me. Did you finally put the moves on Taichi’s sister?” 

For a moment, Takeru’s train of thought was thoroughly derailed. “Do you really think I would make a move on Hikari and not tell you about it? With how fast word travels in our group, I wouldn’t make it home without ‘Taichi’s Big Brother Intervention’.”

Gabumon cracked a smile, Yamato’s own lips curling at the edges. Despite all of the changes around them, it was comforting to know that some things would always remain constant. 

The tendrils of anxiety loosened. Thoughtfully, Takeru chewed on his food. Once his hunger had been satisfied, he was able to think more clearly. 

“Would you still make me dinner even if we hadn't gone to the Digital World?”

Time seemed to stand still. Yamato’s fork hovered in the air, Gabumon frozen beside him. Patamon seemed to be the only one unaffected, happily humming to himself as he continued to eat. 

Just as Yamato gathered his thoughts, Takeru barreled on, the words rising up with such ferocity that he was unprepared for what stumbled out of his mouth. 

“If we had never gone to that summer camp, would you even talk to me, or would you push me out just like you did Mom?” 

The fork clattered onto the plate. “What?”

Takeru said nothing. He attempted nonchalance as he shoveled another forkful of dinner into his mouth, but his hands were shaking. 

Underneath Yamato’s incredulous stare, Takeru’s chest grew tight. It was as if a balloon had been inflated, pushing everything out. His words still hung in the air, the tension in the room unbearable. The itchiness in the corners of his eyes only grew stronger, his cheeks inflamed.

Takeru made no effort to stop the tears that welled up in his vision. One by one, they trickled down, trails of water etched down his face. 

Slowly, the anger drained from Yamato’s eyes. Takeru had grown a lot since their adventure, the older boy mused. Barely seventeen, Takeru’s height rivaled his own, his boyish features maturing into that of a young man. 

Despite all the physical changes, Yamato could still see the boy with the green hat. Takeru had been so young, so recklessly joyful that Yamato was sure he would be fine.

And for a while, Yamato supposed he was.

Yamato’s silence gave Takeru enough courage to continue. Sniffling, Takeru met his brother’s gaze. 

“As soon as we stepped into the Digital World, our lives were irrevocably changed. How can any of us go back to normal after caring for another creature, watching our comrades disintegrate no matter how hard we fought to protect them? I didn’t even know how to take care of myself, much less Patamon. I was eight years old! Eight! And I didn’t have a choice.

“Getting to meet the others and bond with you was the best part about all of it, don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful to have been chosen as Patamon’s partner and to be your brother, but the choice still wasn’t mine. Omnipotent beings took our destiny into their own hands, creating a story that fit their narrative. Mom and Dad splitting us up was bad enough, but then we were pulled from the only world we had ever known and were told to defend it with our life if necessary.” 

Takeru took a deep breath, his cheeks dry.

A strange sort of passion had taken over him. He no longer thought about what he said, but let the words fall where they may. Even Patamon had stopped humming to listen, food forgotten

Across the table, Yamato was still with attention, guilt simmering in his stomach. 

Taking a sip of water, Takeru continued. 

 “It was as if our lives were never in our hands, not truly. And now, I can’t tell which decisions are mine and which are Theirs. I use basketball as an escape; I do my best to live an average life. I want to feel like a normal kid, but if I had never gone to the Digital World, would I have needed an escape at all? If I had lived a normal life, do you think that I would have chosen a different club for myself? Would any of the others have been my friends? If - If I had never gone to the Digital World, would I still feel this way about Hikari? Would I have even met Hikari?”

Takeru’s chest heaved with every breath. A strange look crossed across his features, hands curled into fists on top of the table. “Would we have gotten closer without the Digital World?” 

The question hung uncomfortably between them. Gabumon excused himself, dragging a disgruntled Patamon along. 

Yamato’s bedroom door clicked shut; the brothers were finally alone. 

Finally, Yamato spoke. His dark eyes bored into his younger brother’s crystal blues. He was mistaken earlier, Yamato amended. Looking into his brother’s face, any trace of the reckless eight-year-old was gone. In front of him sat an anxious mess of blond hair, doing his best to live life on his own terms. Takeru was a man in the making.

Takeru could shoulder the truth.

“Probably not.” 

The color drained from Takeru’s cheeks, fists trembling. “But, Yama-”

“Takeru, you are the most intuitive person I know. You knew the answer before you asked the question. Our parents would never have let us spend that much time together unless we went to summer camp. I didn’t even want to go to summer camp, but I knew it was the only time I would get to see you. No one could have made that decision but me. Despite the fighting and the loss, I have never regretted my choice. Have you?”

-

Takeru let Yamato’s words stew for a few days. School was a blur, his thoughts preoccupied with the ‘what-ifs’. 

At night, visions of his parents fighting followed behind his closed eyelids. If he hadn't been predestined for another world, would his parents still be together? 

Only the sound of Patamon’s even breathing could coax him back to sleep. 

It didn’t take Hikari long to notice the difference in his disposition. The dark circles underneath Takeru’s eyes had grown larger, his normally neat hair mussed with carelessness. Even at the big game, Takeru fumbled the ball, costing his team the point, and eventually, the game. 

In the evenings, Takeru was uncharacteristically silent, his mind seemingly elsewhere. 

This time, Hikari didn’t pry. She stayed near him, as if she were trying to comfort him with her presence alone. Truthfully, it scared her to see Takeru so dejected. 

Still, Takeru was stubborn. The more people pried at him, the further he retreated. 

Hikari had learned to be patient, her efforts eventually rewarded. 

Summer’s heat had begun to slip away. Clouds had clung together in the sky, the world washed in gray. Remnants of a thunderstorm formed puddles in the street. The air was uncomfortably sticky, moisture almost suffocating.

Takeru’s sneakers splashed carelessly, his head downturn. The first time he had splashed water onto her legs, Hikari ignored it. By the fourth time, her annoyance peaked.

“If you’re going to mope, maybe you should do it somewhere dry.” Her amber eyes looked at him pointedly before she wiped off the dirt and water with her sleeve. 

He offered her an apologetic glance, the corners of his lips twitching in mirth. “And here I thought you enjoyed a nice swim.”

Hikari didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her smile. She wouldn’t let his humor deflect from whatever was going on; for once, she held her ground until he gave in. 

“I’m just going through a lot right now.”

Together, they turned the corner, bodies pushed closer through the crowds. A row of shops decorated the side of their path, groups of people lingering on the street. 

For a moment, the sounds of bicycle bells and murmured conversation were enough for Takeru to gather himself.

“Do you remember the first night after we got back from the Digital World?” He looked at her, satisfied only when Hikari nodded. “I laid in bed, so tired, so sleepy, but my eyes wouldn't close. At first, I thought it was because I was worried about nightmares. Devimon had scared me pretty badly and I still dream about the way Puppetmon chased me. That first night, I didn’t shut my eyes until I could see the sun peek over the horizon.”

Ahead, the path opened up. Even with his mind elsewhere, Takeru felt a small hint of satisfaction when Hikari remained close. As always, she was his constant, always beside him whenever he needed her. 

Fighting the urge to put her palm in his, Takeru stuffed his hands into his pant’s pockets, an easy smile playing on his lips. 

“It wasn’t until later that I realized I was waiting for the sound of Yamato’s harmonica to lull me to sleep. For months, the sound of his music was the only thing that could console me. No matter how bad things got during the day, I could always depend on my Aniki-san to be there.

“I’ve been worried that, in a world without Digimon, my brother would be absent. I was worried that he would be just some guy I knew in another life, a body to fill the crowd at my wedding or something. And truthfully, it’s probably true.”

Hikari stopped, her hand reaching out to grab his arm. “Takeru, your brother loves you.” 

Takeru looked down, smiling softly at her concern. 

The crowd of people parted around the pair as they stood in place. 

“I know,” he whispered.

With Hikari’s hand still on his arm, he started walking forward. It was almost time for the both of them to part ways, their apartments too far apart to walk side by side much longer. 

“Yamato loves me, and that’s why he was honest with me.”

Hikari’s grip tightened. Takeru could feel his cheeks flush, but made no move to hide. Hikari always had a way of knowing exactly what he was thinking.  

“I think,” she began, voice sturdy against the noise of the shops. “I think that wondering about what life could have looked like is only natural. There will always be a part of us that wonders if life could have been easier or happier or better, but I don’t think it matters. Even though it wasn’t our choice, we will never know a world without Digimon. And if your brother is closer to you or loves you more because of Digital World, then maybe our trip is a cause for celebration, not regret.”

Takeru’s smile deepened, the corners of his eyes crinkling. It wasn’t fair that Hikari could sum up his worries and thoughts in such a simple way. It wasn’t fair, but he loved her all the more for it. 

“Thank you, Hikari. I was just so consumed with the thought of a destiny I didn’t choose, but Yamato made me realize something.”

“Hmm?”

“Despite me not choosing the Digital World or the fighting, despite that I will never live a normal life, I realized that I wouldn’t want anything different. Because of the Digital World, Yamato and I are closer than we ever could have been. I am strong and confident and have some of the best friends both worlds can offer.”  Takeru inhaled, his pulse irregular and palms sweaty. 

“Because of the Digital World, I met you, and I could never regret that.” 

Around his arm, Hikari’s hand squeezed. Her smile was soft and shy, cheeks tinted pink. Against the gray sky, she beamed, and Takeru couldn’t help but to smile. Even if he hadn't chosen the events that led him to this moment, he would never know of anything different. 

He wouldn’t want anything different. 

#takeru takaishi #takeru takaishi week #takeruweek2022