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#this is a lot of yap about sakura (good things i love her actually)
elegyofthemoon · 5 months
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rambling about hi3 thoughts from last night and processing ✌🏼
love that honkai impact just gives me brainrot so bad it's got me rotating a billion characters not just one in my mind since i started
i still have to finish ch 12 (i was gunning it last night and i barely remember what the hell happened aside from me sobbing my eyes out so i have to restart it) and ik ch 12 technically exists in a bubble universe, but seele said something about this bubble universe feels so strange from the others so who knows what that means
but ch 12 suuuuure made me cry hard about sakura... i already really loved and adored sakura as a character a lot. her story back in yae village made me Ache because all she wanted to do was to take care and protect her sister and she couldn't do that and she grew to hate humanity for it, and yet she still tried to fight for it, but all she really wanted to do was to run away (with kallen COUGHS) from the village that had dealt her so much grief
SO WHEN SHE SHOWED UP IN CH 12 TRYING TO FIND HER SISTER ONLY TO REALIZE HER SISTER'S DEAD AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO FIND THE REMNANTS OF HER SISTER AS THE HERRSCHER ONLY TO DIE BY HER "SISTER'S" HANDS I WAS IN SOOOOO MUCH PAIN.... idk what's the deal between this sakura and the one from sakura samsara.... idk if it's even the same sakura, but i love the implications that regardless of which sakura it is, she will always have such a strong love and desire to protect her sister.... i love strong sibling bonds it makes me happy but nOT LIKE THIS OW....
what it did make me think of though was how sakura kinda reminds me a bit of lightning in ff13. i swear it's not just the pink hair.... but it's just older sister things and doing all you can to save your younger sister, even if it also means losing yourself in the process.
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fg083nrt · 2 months
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What ships from Naruto do you like, except Kakuhida? I'm asking out of curiosity :)
Also your art makes me want to eat tables!!! RAAH!!!!! (/pos)
This is a surprisingly loaded question because I have so many and some of them span for almost 20 years now.
Also, as usual, disclaimer, since I've seen all the ship wars and holywars, THESE ARE ALL PERSONAL OPINION. PERSONAL OPINION ONLY.
(endless yapping below the cut)
In the past:
My first ship when I was 12 was Pain/Konan, and I think that was the first smut I've ever read like period. I was a big cheerleader of Hinata and Naruto/Hinata because I liked that Hinata just minded her business and stayed in her lane while everyone else was going thru shit (Team 8 had the best work-life balance, I think, they just clocked in and clocked out, no shenanigans). Obviously, Temari/Shikamaru and I loved Neiji/Tenten. I think as a kid these were like really fun dynamics. Once the anime reached the Akatsuki I was all over the Akatsuki LMAO.
But now, as a grown adult, I am almost 99% just KKHD, and Akatsuki ships are like the default absolute truth to me, but recently, I've been obsessed with more Naruto Yuri.
Love Ino/Sakura for that double-income spy who owns a secret flower shop/doctor dynamic; it's just nice. Like I am a firm believer that they could have solved their differences by scissoring or something. Also like, I think their backstory is like an insane missed opportunity (but what's written cannot be unwritten, so whatever) because these pages made me feel like I was reading some kind of josei backstory. Like, go ahead and read these pretending this is not from Naruto, and tell me where do u think this could be from.
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Like "pussy from a girl who treats you like a small stupid animal (good until psychic damage hits)"
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Like, I would be like, this is either a shoujo manga, or the next page is older Sakura crying in the kitchen with a photo of Ino or something, and then by the end of the story, they, like fuck in the field or something while Sakura is like "I can't believe my toxic female friend from school has 4 fingers up my pussy!", but this could just be projecting, but I still like the ship. On a serious note, Sakura being a crybaby who was picked on would have been a fun opportunity to play with her character and create more empathy for Naruto within her, but her role was more like tying the two characters together, which worked well, but lots of people were salty, but it pushed people to support her character more so it evens out.
Tsunade/Shizune is like my next super fave, especially after rewatching the Tsunade arc. Tsunade's character is just so well done when it comes to how people cope with grief by doing destructive things, I loved it; Kishimoto is fantastic at mature story beats like this weaved between magical ninja fights. But yeah I loved their dynamic like Shizune is essentially her attendant/pet girl/assistant who is extremely loyal to her, but also nagging in a way and also Shizune is just very animated and kinda dorky while Tsunade is a calm mommy- sorry a mature rich woman of status who needs to be taken care of (nearly blacked out writing this). Their back and forth is just chef kiss, too. Honestly, I think that's my favourite Naruto arc; the first part of Naruto is great when it comes to mundane details that I now have more appreciation for.
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Their auntie banter!
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GODDDDD THAT WAS SO LIKE IT HURTS SEEING OTHERS LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAM OF
And obviously still love Temari/Shikamaru! I loved that Shikamaru was always very tsundere and going on about how much he hates girls, but deep down is actually like, "Me when a bad bitch tells me to do anything." it's a satisfying way to play with his "character flaw". Seeing him go soft on Temari was like a mini character arc within his already happening character arc during Sasuke's pursuit, like we saw him grow up twice, great stuff!
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The entire chapter 235 is just an amazing growth for Shikamaru in elevating the like "men/women" way of thinking to like "what makes a person who they are" way of thinking I really love that. The character is also a great reminder for those afraid of failing btw.
Kakashi/Iruka is my fave, 50% from a historical standpoint; the fact that you can find Kakairu fanfic on Geocities from 2001, and I have some doujins in my collection that are more than 20 years old now is fascinating to me. Love how incredibly loyal the Japanese fans are to Iruka; these guys were holding onto hope for so many years till the Pain arc and then, boom, Studio Pierrot's final Naruto arc!!! It's just incredible fandom history. I love that kinda stuff, love the ship itself too, it's very homey to me, some of the legendary fic they had was fantastic, like entire book's length, incredibly loyal fans.
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Lullaby [100%]
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Read Equinox here and come back!
_________
On the day Ami turned 16, she didn’t request a big party or a car.
“Are you sure?” asked Sakura for what felt like the millionth time. She glanced up at the window. Tobirama sat at the controls, his elbow leaning on the intercom button as he listened in. Ami fiddled with the strap of the electric guitar. It had a shiny seafoam green body. She ran her fingers down the maple fingerboard.
“Yeah! This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” insisted Ami, looking up. Her eyes glittered with excitement.
“I’ve always wanted to play a song you wrote for me, Mom,” Ami added. She gave the strings a strum in an easy G-chord. The callouses on the pads of her fingers had toughened them into the perfect tools for plucking the steel strings. And her fingers were strong from years of practicing on almost any musical instrument she could get her hands on.
“Don’t thank me. Daddy wrote the riff for this,” Sakura reminded her, sitting down behind the drums. She pulled her headphones up from her neck and set them over her ears.
“Thank you, Daddy. I love you!” Ami chirruped, blowing a kiss toward the window. Tobirama didn’t return the gesture, but a smile curled his mouth.
“Happy birthday, Angel,” he said in a quiet voice before he pushed play on the backing track.
_________
Everyone in Old Pines knew about the Siren nest right on the border with the forest. It also happened to be the town’s second pack of werewolves. Technically. It was only one wolf and a half, but according to Kiba, that was enough to count.
Ami wrinkled her nose whenever Kiba and Mari showed up on the back porch covered in mud and whatever else they had picked up in the forest. Sometimes she clicked her tongue as she wiped the remaining deer blood off Mari’s face. At least they had stopped bringing back dead rabbits and raccoons.
“Did you have fun?” she asked.
“Yeah! Pop broke the deer’s neck in, like, 5 seconds!” Mari chirruped.
“Well that’s cool,” answered Ami. A smile crossing her face as her little sister tried to throw her arms around her waist. She held up a finger, reminding Mari of the filth covering her clothes. Mari whined a little but stood still.
“Sorry, Peanut. I know you don’t like seeing blood,” Kiba apologized as he pulled his shirt over his head. There were a few scrapes on his back, but he seemed otherwise unharmed.
“That’s alright, Pop. It’s more the mud than the blood, honestly,” Ami replied. And then she smiled when Kiba mussed her hair.
“Heads up!” Sakura called.
Ami jumped out of the way just as cold water spurted out of the hose. Mari and Kiba yelped in unison. As they squirmed, Tobirama’s cool voice warned them:
“If you run from this, you’re not walking in that house.”
They froze. Turned to stare at each other. And then Kiba’s head drooped. They submitted to the torment of the icy water on their hair and bodies. When Itachi approached to shampoo their hair, Kiba’s head snapped up. He threw his arms around him, pulling him into the cold water.
“STOP! HELP!” Itachi yelped, sputtering against the water. Mari wrapped her arms around him, too.
“Sakura! Turn off the water!” he pleaded.
Sakura, hand on her hip, aimed the hose to the side for a bit. She considered the three of them. Sopping on the back porch. Itachi’s hair falling into his face, making him look like a wet dog. She turned her head to look at Tobirama, who stood by the garden faucet connecting the hose to the house, smirking.
Kakashi appeared in the doorway, a bowl of cereal in one hand. A spoon in the other.
“Kakashi! Make them stop!” Itachi begged.
Kakashi took in the scene, like a good cop was wont to do. And then he took a big bite of cereal. Crunching the pieces loudly between his molars.
“Not my jurisdiction,” he decided.
Sakura aimed the hose back at them and listened to all three of them howl.
Itachi had his revenge later when he grabbed Sakura by the waist as they walked into the house. His frozen hands pressing to her stomach and back as she shrieked with laughter.
Dinner, as usual, was crowded and noisy. With so many people laughing and chewing, it was impossible for the house to stay quiet. But as they began to clear the table and throw out the garbage, Ami tugged on the edge of Kiba’s shirt. He paused mid-step, hands heavy with plates. Ami stared back at him, her big green eyes blinking slowly at him.
“Babe?” he called over his shoulder.
“Yeah?”
“Ami and I’ll do the dishes,” Kiba offered. Sakura withdrew her hands from the soapy water. She took Itachi by the elbow and murmured something into his ear. He wiped his hands dry too before he put them on Mari’s shoulders.
“Show me that math homework, Mari. Let’s get that out of the way,” he announced. Groaning, Mari still pulled him up the stairs to where she had dropped her backpack right after school.
Sakura’s eyes met Kakashi’s.
“Let’s go walk the dogs,” he suggested.
At those words, the beagle sitting by the front door bolted to his feet. Following him was a brown and white mutt that yapped as it also ran to the door.
It smelled like autumn when they stepped out of the house. Sakura’s left hand slipped into Tobirama’s as they descended the wooden steps. And then she took Kakashi’s with her right.
“What do you think that’s about?” Sakura wondered as they headed down the sidewalk. The dogs’ panting filled the night air. Sakura could smell the hint of fairy magic as they passed behind the cafe. The lights in the windows were dark. Ino had closed up and gone home for the night by now, of course.
“You think she fought with a friend? The girls usually go to Kiba for things like that,” Kakashi suggested. Sakura wrinkled her nose as she considered that.
“Do you think she’s in trouble and didn’t want us to know?” Tobirama then said.
Sakura snorted at that. “Then why would she go to Kiba? She’d run right to Daddy.” She nudged him with her elbow. And Tobirama looked bewildered.
“Me?”
Kakashi leaned forward to level Tobirama with a knowing look. “Softie.”
“Like a big teddy bear,” snickered Sakura. And when Tobirama’s face scrunched into a scowl, she leaned closer with a smile. “I love it,” she added.
The answer to their question came later that night. Long after Mari and Ami had gone to bed. And after the dogs had fallen asleep too. Even after Kakashi had come home from his final check around the small town.
Kiba sat at the kitchen table, staring down into his beer. Swirling the amber drink around and around as he seemed to think very carefully about something.
“What’s on your mind?” prompted Sakura, settling in the seat beside him, her arms draping across his shoulders. He, of course, wasn’t even a little startled. She could never sneak up on him- not with his insane sense of hearing and smell.
“Our big girl’s got a lot on her mind, apparently,” he sighed.
“School?” guessed Itachi, sitting across from him. Tobirama settled next to Itachi, his arm resting on the back of the chair.
“Murder?” wondered Sakura, thinking back on her experiences as a teenager.
“School, actually. Well, sorta. College,” Kiba replied.
“College already?” marveled Itachi. And then he paused to think before he amended, “Actually, no. She’s a sophomore already.  That makes sense.”
“What about college?” Sakura prompted. Because if this was just a talk about the cost of tuition, she knew Kiba wouldn’t look so miserable. Between all their salaries (and the royalties she and Tobirama earned from their music), they were more than prepared to send both their daughters to private universities (if that was what they wanted, of course).
“I’m just... well.... aw, jeez, Kakashi, maybe you should sit,” Kiba fumbled through the words, rubbing the back of his neck.
“....Alright,” Kakashi agreed. He glanced around the kitchen, which, someone usually criticized of being too small for their family at least once a week. Sakura got out of her chair to let him sit instead. She settled in his lap, feeling his arms wrap around her waist.
“So what’s up, Kiba?” Sakura urged him. 
Kiba heaved a sigh that sounded odd coming from him. Because Kiba was all smiles and corny jokes. Even the girls agreed that he was the most fun, even though they tried to pretend that they were too old for the occasional fart joke.
“Well, so... Ami’s been looking at schools. And she’s been worried about.... well... distance.”
No one pretended not to have understood. 
Sakura felt Kakashi’s arms tighten a little. She placed her hand on top of his. Patting softly as she kept her eyes fixed on Kiba. Who looked guilty for having brought it up at all. 
“She was saying how she’s been thinking of going to school on the west coast. But then she started talking about how not everyone could come visit or see her graduate.”
Itachi’s forehead wrinkled. “She’s thought ahead that much about it? All by herself? Why wouldn’t she talk to us about it first?”
“She probably didn’t want Kakashi to feel hurt. Or lonely,” Tobirama guessed. 
“Did I say something to make her worry like that?” wondered Kakashi. Sakura patted his hand again. 
“She’s a teenager. That’s why. You didn’t do anything wrong,” she assured him. 
Over the years, Kakashi had worked hard to extend the reach of his territory. Each new mile he gained was a struggle. It took years and years of effort, pushing and straining against the magical threads that bound him to the cornerstone of the old church wrapped in ivy. He could freely wander the shores of the beach now. And he could venture deeper and deeper into the forest, matching Kiba’s strides with ease. 
But even that progress could only take him so far. 
Sakura patted his hand again. “Hey. Let’s make tomorrow family night. We’ll have dinner and then talk things out,” she suggested. 
Kakashi rested his forehead on her back. She felt him nod against her shoulder blade and patted his hand a little harder. 
Of course the talk with Ami went well the following day. She was such a sweet girl who had dreaded the thought of making her beloved Papa feel left out. 
“But I don’t want you to be sad, Papa,” she insisted, tears in her eyes as she threw her arms around Kakashi’s middle. And he hugged her close, his hand rubbing up and down her back. 
“I know, sweetheart. But you have to do what’s right for you. Not me,” he told her. 
“I love you so much, Papa,” Ami mumbled in response. 
Despite the tears, the night ended on a positive note. Ami was in a good enough mood that she graced everyone with a kiss on the cheek before she went to bed. 
Sakura took a deep breath as she leaned on the arm of the sofa. She watched her oldest daughter disappear up the stairs. 
“She’s such a good girl. I wonder who she takes after. Definitely not me,” Sakura remarked. 
“True,” muttered Kiba. Snickering, he caught her foot when she aimed a kick at his stomach. And through their laughter, they exchanged a look. Because even as he sat there smiling, Kakashi looked sad. He might have fooled someone else- but definitely not his family. 
“You alright, Kakashi?” Itachi asked. 
Kakashi nodded a little too slowly. “Of course,” he replied.
He definitely wasn’t. 
_________
A few nights later, something half-woke Sakura. The crickets trilled outside in a delicate chorus. As the sunrise drew closer, the blackness of the horizon began to glow. Softly at first, and then brighter. And that light diffused in through the window. 
It was the swish of the comforter that pulled Sakura from her dreams. 
“Wha?” she croaked, head rising from the indent in her pillow. 
“It’s alright. I just heard a noise,” Kakashi whispered, rising on his elbow. He turned his head one way, then the other. Throwing his legs off the side of the bed, he sniffed at the air. 
Sakura began to sit up too. Tobirama’s arm slipped off of her, catching in the crook of her elbow. He didn’t stir.
“Don’t go alone. Maybe Kiba should go with you,” she suggested. But she stopped when Kakashi turned back to her, his eyes gleaming a little too brightly in the almost-morning. 
“I’ll be careful,” Kakashi assured her. And when she continued to stare at him, he added, “And I’ll pick up coffee on the way back.” 
Only when she nodded did Kakashi lean in to kiss her forehead. And then her pout before he slipped out of bed. Running a hand through his rumpled hair, Kakashi crept through the silent house. As he descended the stairs, he spotted Kiba and Mari both in their wolf forms, sprawled out on the back porch. Mari’s hind legs twitched a little as she dreamt. 
And then there was the noise again. 
Kakashi seamlessly transitioned into other form as he left the house. Black wisps of smoke flickering from the end of his tail as he descended the wooden steps. Barely displacing the gravel path with his paws. And once he hit the street, he broke into a run. Pulled by a faint voice that was almost familiar.
He followed the sounds down the streets, turning corners on a path that he knew by heart. And in the blink of an eye, he found himself standing in front of the old, white church. The tower glowing softly in the light of the rising sun.
“Papa.”
Kakashi turned. A little golden-brown dog sat in the grass. Tail wagging. A bright red kerchief was tied around its neck. 
“Biscuit?”
“Papa,” the dog said again. His mouth moving perfectly with the sounds. 
Biscuit had lived a long, healthy life. And while the dogs that Kakashi adopted tended to live longer than normal, old age eventually caught up with each of them. Biscuit had fallen asleep one night and hadn’t woken up again. And like all of the other dogs Kakashi had taken in over the years, he was laid to rest in the graveyard of the church. 
So it was strange that Biscuit stood in front of Kakashi now. Tail swishing back and forth, head cocking to one side. 
“You made it, Papa,” Biscuit said. 
“Uh.... I guess I did,” Kakashi replied, fazing back into his human form. Tail wagging harder now, Biscuit trotted up to him. He nuzzled against Kakashi’s palm. And Kakashi responded by patting his neck, hand ruffling through the thick golden fur. 
“Oh, wow. I.... I really missed you, bud,” Kakashi then said. 
“I know,” Biscuit answered. And if a dog could smile, that was what Biscuit was doing. 
After a while of petting Biscuit, Kakashi spoke again. 
“So... this just a nice visit... or...?” Kakashi trailed off. Unsure of what was even going on. Biscuit tilted his head to the other side. 
“You’ve been feeling sad, Papa. So we decided to help.” As Biscuit spoke, ethereal threads of silver rose from the soil. They wove together into the shapes of more paws and wagging tails. They came in all shapes and sizes. Short and squat. Tall and skinny. And slowly, those silver threads condensed, turning black and gold and white. Turning into patches of white and dun on glossy fur. 
Bull snuffled at him. Pakkun shook himself before he peered up with big eyes. Shiba was there, too. And all of the other dogs he had taken in over the years. Stretching back and back all the way until the very beginning. To the first stray mutt he had taken in off the street.
“I don’t understand,” Kakashi whispered. He turned his head back toward Biscuit when he felt a lick on his hand. 
“It’s okay, Papa,” Biscuit told him. “Since you took care of us, we’ll take care of the town from now on. You can go.” Behind him, Bull gave a sage nod of his wrinkly head.
“Go where?”
“Anywhere,” Biscuit replied. And then he disappeared into silver threads that dissolved into the air. The rest of the dogs followed one by one. Unraveling and twisting into nothingness. Pakkun was the last to go. The pug stared up at him with big, wet eyes. 
“Take good care of Mama,” Pakkun requested. And before Kakashi could promise him that he would, the dog was gone.
Sakura woke for a second time a little while later when she felt Kakashi’s hand on her shoulder. Her eyes opened right away. 
“Is everything alright?” she demanded.
And this time, Tobirama woke up too. Squinting angrily at the morning light like he always did. 
“I need to show you something,” Kakashi blurted out. And the excitement in his face was impossible to argue with. Sakura looked over her shoulder at Tobirama. He glared back at her. The anger faded when she bent over and planted a kiss on his lips. He let out a sigh before he sat up, running a hand through his tangled hair. 
“I’m not driving,” he grumbled as he got out of bed.
It took a few minutes to wake everyone and load them into the minivan.
“Where are we going?” Itachi asked as he gripped the steering wheel. He wore his sunglasses, scowling against the morning sunlight. Kakashi stood next to the window, his hand resting on top of the car.
“Toward the highway,” Kakashi instructed. And then he slipped into the shape of a smoky black dog and took off down the street.
The minivan crackled down the asphalt, chasing after the dark shape that cut across town. When they reached the town’s limits, Itachi slowed the car. He could see the black dog sitting beside the wooden sign that read ‘Old Pines’ in dark green letters. Sakura rolled the window down and stuck her head out of the car.
“What’re we doing out here?” Ami wondered, craning her head to peer out the window. Mari leaned against her shoulder, not quite asleep but not quite awake either.
As the car rolled to a stop next to the sign, Kakashi got to his feet. He gave a pointed look toward the car before he slowly began taking steps past the sign. He crossed over the border of the town. Then took another step. Then another.
“Kakashi, what are-” Sakura interrupted herself with a gasp. Her hands flying to her mouth.
“No way,” Kiba breathed.
One by one, the members of their family piled out of the car. Sakura leaned against Kiba’s side as she watched Kakashi take off in a run down the empty road. Until he was just a black blob against the asphalt. Itachi leaned his elbow on Sakura’s other shoulder. After a minute, Kakashi began running back toward them. 
“Papa! It’s a miracle!” Mari exclaimed as she ran to greet him. She threw her arms around his neck. And, laughing, Ami threw her arms around him too. Kakashi shifted back into his human form, an arm around each of his daughters as he squeezed them tight.
“I’m so happy for you, Papa,” Ami said. 
“Thank you,” he said. And it sounded like he was choking back tears. 
“SHERIFF!” Kiba bellowed. Their eyes popped open as he grabbed them and lifted all three of them off the ground. Sakura wormed her way inside the cluster. The girls giggled as her hair tickled their noses. 
“Where should we go?” Kiba wondered. Because there had been so many times when they had seen or done things and wished that Kakashi could see them too.  
“Anywhere,” laughed Sakura in response.
“I suggest somewhere tropical because you seriously need a tan, Kakashi,” remarked Itachi, leaning on the hood of the minivan.
“Hidan’s shooting a music video in Aruba. We could crash it,” suggested Tobirama, looking over an email on his phone. 
Ami’s head popped up from somewhere under Kiba’s arm. “Really? Can we do that, Daddy?” she inquired, eyes sparkling with excitement. 
“Of course. I’m the boss,” Tobirama scoffed. He turned away to make a phone call. Holding it away from his ear in anticipation of Hidan’s adamant protest.
_________
As the years passed, the town of Old Pines changed very little. Sometimes people thought they heard dogs barking in the distance more often than they used to. But the smell of fairy magic, sweet and warm, still hung in the air near the little cafe on the corner.  And when summer retreated, the leaves on the trees began to turn orange and gold, lighting up the town in bright shades.
The once small cabin on the edge of town had grown into something that now fit such a large family. Little crystals of peridot hung from the curtain rods, tinkling against each other whenever someone walked past. The mantelpiece above the fireplace was always crowded with picture frames of various shapes and sizes- all the members of their big family squeezed together to fit into each shot.
What had changed were the souvenirs that had begun to overtake the house. Gaudy magnets appeared on the fridge. Mysterious wood carvings sat on the bookshelves. Useless and shiny bits that scattered the house to remind its occupants of distant lands.
“Don’t forget flip-flops. Hotel floors are not to be trusted.”
“Is anyone gonna check a bag? I need to take my hairspray.”
“Yeah, squeeze it in mine. Can I put my sneakers in yours then?”
“Has anyone seen my sweater? The blue one with stripes. I can’t find it anywhe- Nevermind. Thank you, Baba!”
The entire house overflowed with the sounds of zippers and people running back and forth between rooms. Tobirama was the only one who sat still. He had finished packing his suitcase two days ago. It sat in the corner of his room with his passport resting on top.
“Are you sure you’re alright to travel?” he queried for the millionth time. He watched Sakura sitting on the edge of the bed. She sat wrestling with a t-shirt, trying to fold it in the neat, trendy way that was all over the internet nowadays. Tobirama huffed. He got to his feet. 
“Give me that,” he grumbled. Grabbing it out of her hands, he folded it into a perfect square. And then he went on to fold the rest of the shirts sitting on the bed.
“The doctor says I’m fine. Besides. We’ve been planning this trip since last year,” Sakura replied as she watched him. 
“I moved stuff around on the itinerary so we won’t be walking around as much.”
They both started. When they looked up, they found Itachi in the doorway, his back against the doorjamb. He scrolled through his document on his tablet, which he had probably checked about a thousand times by now. 
“Maybe we should rent a car,” Itachi then worried as he eyed Sakura. 
“Absolutely not. Parking in Rome is a nightmare,” Sakura protested. 
“Can’t drive in Europe. Don’t they all drive on the left?” Kiba piped up, his head appearing over Itachi’s shoulder. He squinted down at the tablet too. 
“That’s just England,” replied Itachi. When Itachi snickered at him, Kiba knocked into the back of Itachi’s knee, making his leg buckle. Sakura stifled a snort into her fist. 
“Pop?” a voice came from down the hall. Kiba twisted his head to yell back, “Yeah?”
“Is there room in your bag for my umbrella?”
“Think so. Go for it.”
“Kay. Thanks!”
Kiba then ducked under Itachi’s tablet to enter the room. Hands in the back pockets of his jeans, he plopped down on the bed beside Sakura. She had given up on packing as Tobirama seized the rest of her clothes and began placing them in her empty suitcase for her.
“Kiba, we need to have a serious talk,” Kakashi announced as he appeared in the doorway, Ami tucked under his arm. Itachi moved to the side so she could roll Kiba’s suitcase into the room. 
Kiba arched an eyebrow. “About?”
“This,” Ami said before she opened his suitcase to reveal the contents within. 
Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. Tobirama let out a noise of exasperation.
“....You can’t be serious, Kiba,” Tobirama whispered. He sounded defeated.
“What?”
“I refuse to be seen with you if all you’re packing is flannel,” Itachi declared.
“That’s, like, all I own,” Kiba insisted. 
“No, it’s not. You have plenty of nice shirts. I know. Because we buy them for you every year, Pop,” Mari piped up as she appeared in the doorway. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at his fashion choices.
“It’s my aesthetic!”
When everyone continued to glare, Kiba threw his hands up in the air. “Babe. Come on.”
Everyone’s stare turned to Sakura. She considered this as she rubbed her hand over the bump under her sweatshirt. 
“Stop bullying him. He can wear what he wants,” Sakura decided. 
Kiba’s face turned smug. “Thank you.”
“We can always photoshop him out of all our pictures later,” Sakura then added. 
“Babe!”
“Aw, Mom. You’re such a savage,” Mari cackled. She crossed the room to slap Sakura a high five. 
In the midst of all this chatter and laughter, the doorbell rang. Mari and Ami swiveled their heads to stare at each other.
“You get it.”
“No, you get it.”
“Can someone get the door, please!” Kakashi interrupted the squabbling. The girls exchanged one last look before they both hurried out of the room. Their footsteps stumbled down the stairs together, just slightly out of sync with each other. They giggled, probably as one elbowed the other. Everyone upstairs stayed quiet as they listened to the door open. 
“Heya, pups! Excited for your trip?” Hana’s voice drifted upstairs. 
As Itachi crouched to help Tobirama continue packing, Sakura closed her eyes. 
She could remember what this house had felt like all those years ago. When she had first driven into this tiny town in the middle of the night. Her sedan crammed with her possessions. The inside of her head even more cluttered than her car. Back then, this house had just been another place to run away to. Quiet. Far from prying eyes. 
She had never imagined living somewhere so noisy. 
“Sakura?”
Her eyes opened. Kakashi was kneeling in front of her. A faint smile on his lips. 
“Are you feeling okay?” His hand brushed against her cheek. 
She had also never imagined living somewhere that felt so warm. 
“Yeah. Everything’s alright,” she assured him. Even without trying, she found herself returning his smile. 
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EOR SE.RA.PH Singularity: Act 4
Leaving the final Act and epilogue... Hopefully this can be done before going back to JP, especially given Reines Case files is ending way earlier than Seraph. I’m heading out for Doujima in the weekend, and grinding for Eater X is going to be hell
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Act 4 (1/4)
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After beating Caesar... It’s still not surprising that there’s more Servants left on the rear side, Cat. Then again... At least no one fell for his smooth-talking this time round. If anything, yes, Cat is one of our iron chef in Chaldea Kitchen!
Gaining Lip immediately as Tamamo Cat’s next disciple... Thankfully she avoided going to actual Beni-Enma’s Hell’s Kitchen to learn. Seeing Melt happy for Lip being able to speak up without worrying on other’s opinions, she eventually appreciate Gudas for not killing her back then. And that’s no way to shoo Emiya Alter away, Cat!
Cat’s case is still surprising for me so far. None of them are Alter Egos class yet potentially to be one... Or given in Lostbelt there’s already one debatable to be either Assassin or Alter Ego. Something that surprise Melt never realized it until now, except Lip
Melt then explained to Cat what part of BB they were based on as she and Lip are completely different from each other. In basic term, Melt is a sadist and Lip is a masochist which hence they are a good pair to each other.
Emiya Alter returns once Melt finished revealing more about herself, asking if Suzuka is the only Sentinel left. With Melt’s guess on where Suzuka is, our next destination is to head for the spine
Before Emiya Alter suggest we take back BB’s advice to defeat Suzuka again the same way we defeat Lip. But, aside from the issue Suzuka has with the original Tamamo... Hope Tama Cat has a way to beat her down then
Act 4 (2/4)
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A dead end instead of a path to the Spine... A good question to learn.... It turns out Sakurament is basically QP where BB make us do the dirty work to collect all even if it’s not necessary. Yeah, I didn’t church allowed sending asshole Arnold to talk to us too, Cat
No shit, we don’t even know about Seraphix in the first place. Anyway, looks like Arnold got the map of the Planetarium we’re looking for. I think he’s more than just cog in the machine, Emiya Alter.... But, we’ll need to settle that later. I think there could be worse people to be in charge, Melt...
Though, we got 25 hours+ left aka 15 minutes before Seraphix sink to the bottom. Thank you for your concern, Lip. But we need to focus on the bigger issue to find Suzuka and get to the planetarium. Guys, Gudas really appreciate your concern for them, BUT LET’S NOT DO SOMETHING CRAZY AS DECIDING TO THROW THEM OUT FOR SERVANTS TO EAT AS MUCH I’D LIKE TO!
And despite their bickering or so, both Lip and Melt are really close to each other. Or, at least once they develop more sense of self and others, they really care for each other a lot. Also again, you’re hiding something, aren’t you, Melt? Nevertheless, we’re still trusting you, no matter what
After Melt giving another talk to the Gudas about herself, we move on to find Suzuka!
Act 4 (3/4)
Reaching to the temple soon... We’re definitely close with Tama Cat confirming her presence. Emiya Alter briefly mentions about who Suzuka is and her historical deeds in the past. To be honest, I don’t know who’s real or not but Tamamo originally IS a nine-tail fox.
Lip’s turn to mention about her tragic love story that she was known for. Yeah for someone supposed to be intellect, I’m guessing all of it went to her high school chunnibyou. Though have to admit, her strength is something with her bloodlust craving for fights.
At the mention of Masters.... WE DEFINITELY HAVE NOT SEEN A SINGLE ONE ASIDE FROM GUDAS! What the hell?! This is still one of the biggest mystery that has been yet to solve...
Anyway, reached her temple at last. Suzuka is right there all ready to kick our ass again. Before that, where’s your Master, Suzuka? .... Okay, looks like she don’t even know who her Master is.... Regardless, we’re not letting you touch Tristan to settle your score for the Holy Grail.
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5~6 turns later... That’s some fucking gimmick to keep herself alive until the finals of the Holy Grail War. Wait Melt... Before we throw that key away, there should be a way to use it from that defective AI. And shut up, Arnold! Spectators should just keep quiet and watch!
And you, Suzuka! Are you okay being that stupid, useless and inferior AI’s Servant?! YEAH, I’M CALLING YOU A FLUNKY, CHUNNIBYOU! Tama’s right, you’re nothing but a puppet to that stupid AI right now! If you’re really planning to follow your Master’s wish, then let’s end this properly!!
Thanks to Tama Cat’s trap... Time to unlock her heart! I’m feeling sorry for Hakunos at this point.... Relax we don’t event want to do this. Blame the fucking writer who needs everything to be a sex scene.
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One showdown of Suzuka and her boyfriend Hijikata later.... Not so fast on the dramatic suicide, Suzuka! Yeah, you’re definitely way too dramatic, Suzuka! There’s such thing of people dying of a broken heart... But, you’re perfectly fine! For a previously married divine goddess, there’s nothing about you like a high school girl...
Argh enough drama! Cat, do your job and smack-talk some sense into her! And we’re the winner, so we decided you get to live or not. And, we take the former of you living to join us! I’ll pass on your friend request... Social media been avoiding weird people to add later on Facebook in particular
Before we go back, another earthquake? Wait... This is..... The Demon God Pillar Zepar!! Why the---What the fuck?! It turned the whole area upside down!! We’re saved, but Melt took the hit for Gudas!!!
I don’t think they can understand us, Lip! And if we’re at the lowest... Oh fuck that’s where Zepar is supposed to be reborn!!!
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Eight hours before we bottom! And we’re already long before you start yapping, Arnold! We’re going to save Melt, so no, we’re not going back without Melt! Lastly, you’re not even the boss of us so peace out!
Suzuka’s direction is helpful now we can get back to business. Enough of arguing who’s coming, and don’t you implied Lip’s weight, Suzuka! It’s just you and Gudas, so do your job properly.
Meanwhile, Melt woken up to remember she fallen while saving the Gudas. The Rejection Calf aka the Disposal area... Her legs broke from the fell back there. Her body has really hit her limit ever since the arrival of Gudas. Closing her eyes, she reminiscence her memories with the Gudas and more about her true thoughts.
Thankfully, the Gudas picked her out of there before she got destroyed once and for all. Gripping tight of her hand and ignoring the harem yapping, we got to get out of there before 3 Shapeshifter, 3 Eaters and 1 fucking giant Rider boar coming at us!!!
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.... And there’s more! Yup, I agree with you there, Suzuka. THIS IS COMPLETELY FUCKING BULLSHIT!!! Hey, don’t forget the rope to get us out of there!! And... The rope was cut?! What the hell?!!
But... Tristan is here and he managed to save us! Oh right, you flew with that harp of yours in Halloween event.... That’s another way to get us out of there, or not. Let’s create a camp session until someone picked up up. Tempting to beat Arnold, but that’s a goner. Wait, Cruel Thenar... Melt’s former workplace? .... I guess a pathetic AI decided to use her brains for once to save us
Ah typical loser who decided to squish the final two contestant just to get her reward. Well, where’s our supposed next battle with you? Now? Yeah yeah, you may have a certain thing like Tiamat, Goetia and so on. You’re in the end just an AI who felt the need to better herself than everyone at how fucking weak you really are. A sad case, truly.
Hold on, mistake? Weren’t you the one started this whole stupid mess?! How the hell did things fucked up!! And knew it, obviously she’s going to send us down than up
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Meanwhile... Good thing Arnold’s not a Master, otherwise, I’d like to see him the first Master get betrayed and screwed by his Servant. Considering he heartlessly get both his Director and Deputy Director killed... And now trying to get Gudas to obey him by force
And since Emiya Alter is here? Or the one who betrayed us too.... Yeah, thank you for doing everyone a favor to kill him. It’s about time someone needs to kill off that irritating character. And Mable? Oh why her?! Wait... You killed them to prevent Animusphere experiment...?
But the voice that attacked Emiya Alter... OKAY WHAT THE FUCK? That’s like an interior of a demon pillar! I thought we killed that!! This person talking to Emiya Alter is someone he knew well, given how they now spoke about themselves...
And the bloodied past, of Emiya Alter... Taunting him as the whole screen now turned bloody too. So, they are the ones who killed Gawain too! Whatever Emiya Alter have his reason, he needed to kill them in our world since he already know what they will be like in a certain distant future.
Act 4 (4/4)
Definitely right at the bottom of where Melt’s workplace originally is... At the most painful landing ever. Melt then explained Cruel Thenar was once a place to excavated oil... Aka finding leylines in truth. Oh, you want us to enter your heart?
That makes things easier in a sense. Nah, it’s fine, it’s more annoying to beat around the bush, Lip. Yeah we got the key after we ripped off from that AI before falling down. Well... At least, we got a job to do. Oh please, not all of Gudas are interested in woman. There’s this called of “I’m gay and my life is hell in a harem manga”, so there. With Lip’s advice, time to enter her heart to unlock this area!
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And WE’RE FUCKING DONE WITH HER! DW just give us a fucking Anti-Alter Ego class already!!! But with that down, Melt then showed us a way to the Planetarium via her territory. And.... We’re back at the front! That’s enough rest, you’re coming with us back to the church. So keep quiet or we’ll drop and break your legs here!
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No one is here to greet us... Where did Mable and Arnold go? What the... Emiya Alter is not even here! Before that... Some AI dropped a nice invitation to go beat her up. Hey, it’s not like we didn’t beat her over and over again like she deserved it under Martha’s punch.
That’s right, Tristan. It’s gone far too long for this Holy Grail War. With Melt back at the chapel resting, we head off to the core to get Ruler Martha, Amakusa and Jeanne to gang up on her.
After we left, Melt then begans her own monologue. Thinking there should be a way out for Gudas, she hope Suzuka, Tristan and Cat eventually found a way to do so.
And really done for the day... Literally.... Because all my energy was wasted in walking with an eventually broken shoe, running back to my house to wear a new one before heading for my interview is gone. Plus, today’s also happened to be one of the many worst days.... I’m going to need sleep before grinding some quest for KP
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