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gabbylyons · 1 year

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DouWata + Himawari or Yuuko with crush prompt 24!

If you do write with prompts, of course.

I was actually using that prompt list for my OCS, as it's been a long time since i've written anything longer than a scene and i wanted to practice. And yes, i do take prompts and Holic is my favorite manga/anime but, forgive if my writting seems kinda rusty!

As for your ask anon..

So..Douwata and Himawari/Yuuko

24. "It doesn't take an idiot to figure out how in love with them you are"

To Kimihiro Watanuki, birthdays were no occasion to be celebrated. For most of his life, they were a crushing reminder of his own guilty and shame, of the overwhelming loneliness that grew in his heart. After all, what there was to celebrate in a life that he didn’t want and only brought him pain? If it weren’t for this cursed existence, maybe his parents were still around, with each other. What was the use in the life they gave their own for, if he couldn’t even grace them with a memory?

Of course, those were all just some of the questions that tortured his mind. Even when he dared being happy for once, his birthday ended up being the day his first friend - his only friend - left this world. So, every april 1st, Watanuki carried on, doing anything that would help him forget himself. But at the time he turned 17, everything was different.

Yuuko had given him a day off to rest and the new volume of his favorite manga to read. It was on a saturday, so he didn’t have to worry about going to school and meeting that irritating Doumeki with his intense eyes that always seemed to be on him, or his stupid arms that always caught him and looked so invitating when he had his archer uniform on..

..no. Watanuki didn’t want to think of that idiot. No. The day was going perfectly. Nobody would ruin him.

Oh, at this point, he really should know better...

He had left to buy some groceries for lunch, and as soon as he reached the entrance of his apartment building, he felt a painful hit on his neck, only to turn around and be met with a very, very annoyed Ame-Warashi pointing her umbrella at him.

“Kimihiro Watanuki! Don’t you have any manners?! Ignoring us like that..”

The boy placed both hands on back of his head, trying to protect himself. It wasn’t until he took a better look around that he fully grasped at what was happening.

Behind Ame-Warashi, was Zashiki-Warashi, holding tightly to something with a little ribbon. Despite being too flustered, the girl smiled. Around them were Yuuko and Mokona, gloriously holding sake bottles and, almost behind him, were sweet Himawari, always so beautiful, so gracious (looking at her made all the pain disappear. Watanuki just couldn’t hold back the happiness when she was around), Kohane and...the stupid. The idiot. The utter bastard. Doumeki.

“Oi. We want birthday snacks, Watanuki.”

He felt like he was about to comburst.

“WHY DO I EVEN HAVE TO COOK ANYTHING?? ESPECIALLY FOR THIS IDIOT!!..DOUMEKI. AND DON’T YOU DARE CALLING ME UP BY OI!!”

“Happy birthday, Watanuki-kun!” - said Himawary cheerfully, making his heart flutter.

Yuuko chimmed in, approaching her employee with a big box in her hands.

“Given that this is our Watanuki’s day, I thought we should do a little surprise party, with delicious food and of course, lots of drinks!!”

“I knew it!” he retorted. “you’re looking again for excuses to drink! And what kind of surprise party makes the birthday person cook anyway???”

“Every day is a good day for delicious sake..and no one can cook like you!” Yuuko said, almost singing, making Mokona laugh. Words would always get in the way, but Watanuki would always be thankful to Yuuko for giving him a reason to live, a hope to hold on. For that, and many other reasons, she would forever be his most important person. And he could scream and shout the whole day, he knew he was going to cook when prompted. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

So that’s how he ended up going back to the shop, followed by his ‘guests’, and cooking a rich lunch for that afternoon with ingredients from that box his boss was carrying.

When they were finally gathered around outside, each eating from their own plates, Yuuko coughed discretly and poked at him.

“So..Watanuki..you’re getting older. Have you already got plans for your marriage?” she teased.

He jumped so hard he almost choked on the tea he was drinking.

“Ma-marriage? Yuuko-san I..”

“Oh my..Don’t tell me Doumeki-kun still hasn’t proposed!” she said, obviously amused. but there was a hint of something else, hidden behind her red eyes. I was more and more present on her looks ever since he fell off that window.

“If he can cook like this every day..” Doumeki said, still chewing on his food. Watanuki fell face down on the floor.

“What are you even saying you absolute cretin!! And you, Yuuko-san, what makes you think I would marry a guy like this?”

The witch fit her head on her palm and looked at him.

“Oh, well..it doesn’t take an idiot to figure out how in love you with him you are.”

He gasped. His arms were everywhere. In love, with him of all people? With that stupid smug face and caring eyes and strong arms and soft hair..

No..NO. NEVER.

His despair was broken with Himawari laughing so sweetly.

“You two get along so well!” she said “And are always doing things for each other..We just can’t help it when we like someone, can’t we, Watanuki-kun?”

As she said it, Himawari placed a hand on her shoulder and stole a glance at Yuuko so discreet that in other times, Watanuki wouldn’t have noticed. As he turned to the dimensional witch, she had her eyes locked on Himawari, so focused on her, so..soft. Could it be..?

Then Himawari got up and started picking up her plate and glass.

“I’m going to get more tea! Does anybody wants more?”

"No, Himawari-chan! I can do it for you!"

"But it's your birthday! Please enjoy it!" She smiled at him.

She walked away, but as soon as she was close to Yuuko, she bent down.

"Yuuko-san, do you need more sake?"

"Oh my, would you be so kind, Himawari-chan?" The witch said, gently holding the girl's chin with her long fingers. Watanuki mantained his fear that Yuuko wanted to eat her. Or, perhaps..Watanuki couldn't get the suspicions away, so he tried to turn the tables.

"So, Yuuko-san..you say that it's easy to see that I am in love with that idiot Doumeki, but what about you?! Even an oster could see that you're in love with Himawari-chan!

One second. Two seconds. Silence fell. Himawari froze in place. Yuuko looked at him as if she wanted to eat him.

Just when he thought she was getting up to actually devour him, she walked straight to Himawari, gently holding her hands in hers, and taking her right to her side.

"This girl's path may not have been filled with happiness until now..but she has filled mine with love"

Himawari looked like she was about to cry, but she held Yuuko's hands even tighter. Watanuki couldn't believe what was in front of him.

"So the dimensional witch is truly a wicked woman.." this time was Ame-warashi who spoke. "Talking about the misfortune this girl brings only to take the boy out of her way."

"oh, am i?" yuuko returned the same energy. "or is it something you would do to keep him away from this cute girlfriend of yours?? After all, it's not like you're trying to hide your feelings for Zashiki-warashi. And she did have a huge crush on him."

It wasn't even possible for Zashiki-warashi to blush even harder, but it happened anyway. Deep down Watanuki felt sorry for her. Poor girl couldn't even form a single sentence, being put on the spotlight by Yuuko and Ame-warashi.

"It is different, though. This boy would never be good enough for her and i have always been by her side, caring for her. There's no way he can compete with me, because i am hers in a way he could NEVER be!

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???" Watanuki was desperate. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole. So, not only his Himawari was dating his boss, but also his birthday turned into a love declaration competition??

"Oh, tried to use your brain for once!!" Ame-warashi said sharply. "You look so stupid, being in denial like that. Even that child is mature enough to not hide her feelings for you!"

She pointed right at Kohane. The little girl looked at her feet and looked embarassed, but managed to speak.

"Kimihiro-kun is the most important person to me.."

"Kohane-chan.." he looked at Doumeki. The clown who started this circus. "Why can't you even say something you stupid Doumeki??"

The archer then got up, took something out of his pocket and said:

"Enough. He is right. Besides, it's time for gift-giving."

He handed his gift for Watanuki, who was expecting everything, except what he got.

A little box. And there was a ring inside.

And before Watanuki could even think, Doumeki was down on one knee in front of him.

The sounds that Watanuki made as he was yelling and running around after that werent even human.

And somewhere, a little apart from the others was Mokona Modoki, finishing his fifth sake bottle, and wondering how was it possible to have so many fools find each other at the same time. But he wasn't surprised. It was hitsuzen, after all.

#i actually had so much fun writing this #this is pure crack lol #xxxholic

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letsgethaunted · 1 year

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Episode Thirty-Four: Japanese Curses & Urban Legends Photodump

Image 01: Onryō (illustration by Matthew Meyer from yokai.com); Keisuke Aiso’s sculpture of an Ubume that was misappropriated as the face of the Momo hoax; Goryō (illustration by Matthew Meyer from yokai.com); Funayūrei (illustration by Matthew Meyer from yokai.com); Zashiki-warashi (illustration by Matthew Meyer from yokai.com); Another ”Funayūrei" from the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki (今昔画図続百鬼, "The Illustrated One Hundred Demons from the Present and the Past") by Japanese artist Toriyama Sekien

Image 02: Yūrei by Sawaki Sūshi (1737). Yūrei (幽霊) are figures in Japanese folklore analogous to Western notion of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, 幽 (yū), meaning "faint" or "dim" and 霊 (rei), meaning "soul" or "spirit". Like their Chinese and Western counterparts, they are thought to be spirits kept from a peaceful afterlife.

Image 03: Ju-On (The Grudge) & The Ring

Image 04: Example of an Ikiryō: The Tale of Genji

Image 05: Example of a Jibakurei: Banchō Sarayashiki, the tale of Okiku, the samurai Aoyama Tessan, and the ten plates. (left: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's portrait of Okiku. Right: An ukiyo-e print by Hokusai depicting Okiku)

Image 06: The Red Room part 1

Image 07: The Red Room part 2

Image 08: Kuchisake-onna aka The Slit Mouth Woman - conversation diagram and a still from the movie Kuchisake-onna, 2007 © Tornado Film K.K. / Hanako-san, or Toire no Hanako-san (トイレのはなこさん, "Hanako of the Toilet") - Hanako-san, as depicted on amino apps . com

Image 09: Donnie from the Wild Thornberries

Image 10: Reikan (taken from Tara Devlin’s Kowabana podcast) Vs. Reikon (taken from Wikipedia)

#Japanese Curses & Urban Legends #Let's Get Haunted #Yūrei #Onryō #Kuchisake-onna #Reikan #Episode 34 #Instagram

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daily-rubbersoul-redux · 2 years

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Probably should have figured this out myself but I hand you Aoi

she's into fishing, crafts, and poetry

hmhmhm, well i'll give you both an overall and time accurate answer in case you wanna use this at some point lmao-

As far as in general goes, I would say... Probably Wakasagihime (funny mermaid), Miyoi (she has a funny whale hat/general aesthetic, but she's a zashiki-warashi who works at a pub in the human village and is just. very sweet i adore miyoi), or Keiki (she's a creation goddess who makes funny haniwa and tries to protect human spirits... but also kinda turns them into haniwa soldiers in the process. she gets better though, if i remember the ending of 17 right-)

Urumi could also be a good choice, shes a funny cow lady (i forgot the yokai name h-) who takes care of the fish in the sanzu river (river you cross when you die)

Also if I remember correctly, Aoi likes frogs so Suwako or Sanae could also be good picks (moreso suwako than sanae tho i would think)

As for time accurate, hmm Chiyuri from touhou 3 could be a good one; She's a sailor that's also a colleg student from the outside world and has a cool ray gun (and also hits her superior over the head with a folding chair at one point)

And hmmmm, perhaps Daiyousei as well? Well, based of the fanon interpretations of her anyways considering she technically doesn't even have a name lmao-

ye that's all i got! watch ill post this and immediately think of someone else, or like the one pc-98 character i still don't know that much about will actually be the best fit or smthn hfbcjc-

also only doing pictures for the first 3 + chiyuri, will be in order lol-

#iiiii think about touhouuuu wayyy tooooo muuuchhhh #im sorry xjncnc #couldn't find a good pic of chiyri with her normal colors also. cringe 😔

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aetherin21 · 2 years

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Gojo Satoru and mundane things he does with his infinity Headcanons

He's a silly goose and I love him for that :)))

Lucky dude who doesn't cry from cutting onions cause his ability deemed the chemicals dangerous.

Also doesn't get poked by his fallen eyelashes cause it instantly gets yeeted by his infinity :)))))

You know when oil splashes when you cook? Yeah he doesn't get hit by it...

When he feels like "eww people" kind of mood he just gently shoves people with his technique without them knowing.

Then struts his legs like a damn fashion model on a runway.

So useful in train rides during rush hour and the crowded streets of Shinjuku.

Satoru would probably use it to fly around a sold out concert cause he can.

Also when he was a kid he snuck out of his home without anyone noticing cause he would float away not touching the squeaky floor boards.

Only got caught cause one of his servants thought he was a Zashiki-Warashi and panicked. That person ended up gossiping it with their fellow workers, spreading all through the manor. So when the elders investigated thinking it was a curse, they soon realized it was just lil Satoru.

Master of the disappearing act. When he finally figured out how to teleport shit was about to go down. One minute he's there and the next he's gone.

He would use it immediately once he finished his mission just to play in the arcades or digimon.

The elders sometimes can't pin point where he is, much to their annoyance. So principal Yaga had to butt in and scold the boy for them. The sermon took 4 hours.

His usage of it lessen

So instead he uses it discreetly like "emergency" sweet shopping from time to time.

"Borrowing" some of Suguru and Shoko's stuff without them knowing.

Uses it to scare Megumi and Tsumiki to death which earned him a punch on the gut and a stomp on the foot. Doesnt use his infinity around em cause he wants to be close with the kids

Once he got catfished and just immediately noped his way when he saw 'em. Ghosting on a whole new level lmao.

Speaking of... Dresses as a sheet of ghost during Halloween and just floats around. He's lazy and it works. Very on brand.

But if he feels creative probably a witch or a vampire.

Uses his six eyes to determine items in those gacha toys or blind box. Always gets what he wants.

My dude can not be surprised on his birthday. He can see everyone hiding in the dark which sucks ass. But he pretends to be shocked anyway.

Would also pretend to not know what's inside his presents.

You know those fruity sandwiches with creams that they sell in konbinis? He can also see which one has the more filling than the other.

And whenever Satoru and Suguru share those breakable popsicles, Satoru can see which one has more even by a smidge.

Shields himself from Shoko's smoking.

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen headcanons #jjk headcanons #jjk fanfic #gojo satoru imagines #gojo satoru headcanons #jjk imagines #jjk #idk what am I writing about but this guy is just so quirky lmao #am very jealous of the idea of the mundanity of his powers

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yamayuandadu · 2 years

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SMT V and mythology

While many game franchises make use of mythology to some degree, Shin Megami Tensei is arguably the only one known for extraordinary dedication to the source material, with not only designs but even major plot points often being lifted directly from mythology or at least from literature (of varying quality) pertaining to it. In the following article I will look into how SMT V fares in that regard, relying chiefly on the portrayal of some of the plot-relevant demons, though I will also evaluate some of the central plot elements of the game. It naturally contains unmarked spoilers.

Lahmu

Doi’s Lahmu and a terracotta relief of a Lahmu As some of you may remember, my initial view of Lahmu was rather positive. The design, by Doi standards, at least tries to capture the essence of the creature depicted. True to the meaning of its name (which in Akkadian means “hairy one” - not “muddy one” as you might incorrectly learn here and there online), it certainly is hairy, and I guess it does look sort of like a nondescript aquatic creature (or like a globster, at least...), which fits a being often associated with the subterranean sea from Mesopotamian beliefs, Apsu (or Abzu, or Engur). It’s not a 1:1 copy of the real artwork, taking a much more abstract approach to the idea, of course - as you can see above, the real Lahmu was pretty similar to medieval woodwose or contemporary bigfoot and yeti in appearance. However, I think the design nonetheless does its job and, quite importantly, doesn’t look out of place next to associated figures designed earlier by Kaneko: Tiamat (probably the only depiction which tries to follow the completely bonkers descriptions in Enuma Elish instead of succumbing to the DnD influence and incorrectly reinventing Tiamat as a dragon - major improvement over the boring SMT II design), Apsu and Mushussu. I do have an issue with the compendium asserting Lahmu was depicted as a snake though, as that wasn’t a thing at any point in time.

While I have nothing but praise for the design itself out of context, and would actually love to see it used as a generic demon in future games, that’s where the good ends. The writing completely fails at capturing what Lahmu actually is. Frankly, the very idea of making Lahmu a major player in a story feels rather thoughtless - imagine trying to do the same with kikimora or something along these lines.. It doesn’t help that there is no shortage of major Mesopotamian figures with no megaten presence. It’s also rather weird that the game seems to portray Lahmu as a unique specimen, since in Mesopotamian myths this name refers to a category of beings, not to an individual, with some very rare exceptions I’ll discuss later. Lahmu isn’t exactly major by any means, but it’s nonetheless pretty easy to judge accuracy in this case. Excavations have provided us with quite literally heaps of evidence, making it rather clear what this bizarre hairy entity meant to people who first came up with it. How come? Rather than to the world of gods, lahmu belonged to that of apotropaic and household spirits - more a Mesopotamian answer to zashiki-warashi or domovoi than something comparable to major gods of classical mythology. Mesopotamian sources generally avoid associating lahmu with both the textual symbol of divinity, the so-called “divine determinative” or dingir, which preceded names of gods in texts, and with its pictorial equivalent, horned headdress. As an apotropaic creature, Lahmu was not perceived as malevolent, but rather as a protector of the household, keeping it safe (through violence, if necessary) from beings less favorable towards mankind. The role of many other fantastic creatures was understood similarly - kusarikku (bull man), mushussu (lion-dragon) and many others were frequently invoked to protect houses, and figurines of them were found buried under doorsteps in many ancient settlements. In addition to keeping evil away, they were also meant to invite good into the house. Lahmu are generally kept apart from the categories of malevolent beings (utukku lemnutu), though it is possible in some cases they were imagined as former enemies of major gods who repented and entered their service. In art lahmus sometimes also fight each other, but the meaning of this motif is unknown and doesn’t necessarily represent combat between good and evil, as summarized by Frans Wiggermann, an Assyriologist who wrote the most extensive source to date on the topic of Mesopotamian apotropaic creatures:

A slightly different, non-standard take on Lahmu can be found in two sources: Enuma Elish, the 1st millenium “epic of creation” (just one of many - hardly some grand central scripture of ancient Mesopotamia) and so-called “Anu theogony,” a list of ancestors of the sky god Anu present in some of the god lists compiled by ancient scribes, including the famous An-Anum. There the name refers to a singular being, paired with an artificially created (ie. not based on preexisting beliefs) feminine equivalent not attested elsewhere, Lahamu. Contrary to what the V compendium claims, Lahamu does not appear alongside Lahmu otherwise - the only apotropaic beings commonly appearing as a male-female pair are the scorpion people. However, even with the above taken into account, the characterization in V doesn’t reflect the myths: this “ancestral” Lahmu is likewise portrayed as benign in the Enuma Elish, not as a vanquished evil god. Indeed, he lines up with other decidedly not malevolent deities, including the usual heads of the pantheon, to praise Marduk after his victory. Additionally, it’s hard to imagine this tradition was particularly influential, as even in the Enuma Elish itself the regular Lahmu still makes an appearance, listed among various supernatural beings given a new backstory as Tiamat’s creations, alongside other usual suspects like mushussu, kusarikku, scorpion men and so on. What inspired the SMT V take on Lahmu, then? I personally have no clue, beyond being able to say with certainty that it had very little to do with Mesopotamia. A friend made a convincing case that we’re simply looking at the work of writers whose frame of reference aren’t actual primary sources or even just “occult” books, but the isekai genre. It would certainly explain the baffling use of the name for a completely generic “ancient demon lord” entity. It’s not even the authentic Lahmu wouldn’t work as part of Sahori’s arc, arguably it would strengthen it and give her more character without what in my opinion constituted a pretty lame copout. Speaking of sources: it needs to be stressed that it seems Doi’s only point of reference (based on almost word by word quotes in the design commentary), as well as seemingly the only source used as basis of the compendium entry, is the Japanese wikipedia article about Lahmu, which is, to put it very lightly, not great, and relies on sources which were already outdated before WWII, which formerly dominated the English one too. Many wikipedia editors have a weird love of resources which were discarded by most people 50 years or so ago no matter how many credible journals and monographs presenting the modern consensus and research which lead us here can be accessed freely. Of course, it generally does not seem like the staff of SMT V cares much about Mesopotamian mythology, judging from the contents of the Cleopatra dlc which just declares Mesopotamian gods were damned en masse (why is that in a dlc and no mention of it is made during the Ishtar boss fight is beyond me). Presumably Enlil and friends were not cool enough for Bethel, which seems to roughly be “every mythology normies know in one place,” a far cry from the composition of organizations in past Megaten games which usually mixed the famous with the obscure in unexpected ways (Soul Hackers’ combination of the well known biblical narrative about fallen angels and Algonquin folklore comes to mind as one example). There is also this absolute horror which I will leave without comment:

Well, at least she is not here to be presented as a corrupting influence on little girls this time, I guess. Surely they fared better when it comes to less ancient and less obscure myths, right? No way for a Japanese studio to mess up adapting the classics of Japanese mythology like Kojiki and Nihon Shoki? Well…

Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu

Perhaps the inclusion of Amaterasu in this entry is somewhat surprising at first glance. “Antonia,” you might ask, “why is she here considering she is not in V at all?” Technically that is right. That’s actually the problem, though. The game essentially writes her out, and then turns Tsukuyomi into a bootleg Amaterasu for no good reason. V heavily depends on the concept of Amatsukami and Kunitsukami, rooted in two classical works of Japanese semi-mythical historiography, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, completed respectively in 712 and 720. In theory, the distinction seems clear - Amatsukami live in heaven and Kunitsukami on earth, as expected based on the meaning of these terms - but in reality the use of them was often ambiguous in religious practice and legal documents. For example, in Ryō no gige, a legal commentary composed during the reign of emperor Junnin, the distinction is simply based on the location of the shrines dedicated to specific deities. An argument can also be made that it was hardly the central concern of both clergy and laypeople throughout much of Japanese history. In sources from between the 11th and 16th century - the time commonly referred to as Japan’s “medieval” period in western literature - kami are usually instead classified based on their placement within syncretic Buddhist networks:

as representations of some primal form of enlightenment

as secondarily enlightened through own salvationist effort

as unenlightened, and in some cases hostile to Buddhist teachings

These categories tend to be described with limited, if any, concern for distinction between amatsu and kunitsu; for example, the Ise (Amaterasu) and Suwa (Suwa Myojin = Takeminakata, kunitsukami par excellence) shrines both held their enshrined gods to be examples of the same category of deities. Of course, classification varied between shrines too, and even parts of a single temple complex could have divergent views on classification of the same deities. Putting this digression aside - the concept of Amatsukami is heavily tied to Amaterasu in the specific mythical texts SMT generally draws from when it comes to depicting Shinto deities, and the only other contenders are various poorly defined primordial entities, for simplicity often omitted in adaptations. As a result, members of the Amatsu race are all demons tied to narratives pertaining to Amaterasu, the only exception being Hinokagutsuchi (not pictured below).

Omoikane coordinates other deities while Amaterasu hides in the cave, and later serves as her advisor in other situations.

Tajikarao seals the cave to prevent Amaterasu from hiding inside ever again.

Takemikazuchi is one of the deities sent to pacify the earth in Amaterasu’s name in the Kojiki; in the Nihon Shoki he instead insists on joining Futsunushi, appointed to fulfill a similar role.

Ame no Uzume (moved to the Amatsu race in IV) rather famously performs a song, dance and striptease montage to lure Amaterasu out of hiding.

Ame no Torifune is one of the names for a nebulous “boat-god” appearing in two myths: once when Hiruko is abandoned by his parents, and, in varying roles, in the land transfer narrative. In the Kojiki, Ame no Torifune assists (transports?) Takemikazuchi due to his journey to earth.

Additionally, a number of deities who are according to myths classified as Amatsukami are included in other races, but are identified as such in quests:

Ame no Futotama (added in Soul Hackers, which didn’t have the Amatsu race in it; consistently in the Enigma race), who performs various rituals meant to make the effort to lure Amaterasu out of hiding successful. In Kogo Shui, a chronicle of the Inbe clan composed in the early 800s, he is presented as the principal force responsible for ending her self-imposed exile, at the expense of other deities such as Ishikoridome (the tutelary deity of mirror makers), probably because the intent of the chronicler was to restore the high status of his family. In Strange Journey he appears as Uzume’s wingman one of the gods seeking to bring Amaterasu back home. He explicitly identifies himself as an Amatsu in IV, where he likewise appears in connection with Amaterasu.

Futsunushi (normally part of the Kishin race, in V - Wargod) - true to myths, V explicitly has him call himself an Amatsukami. In the Nihon Shoki land transfer myth he acts more or less as enforcer of the will of the amatsukami figureheads, that being the primordial deity Takamimusubi and Amaterasu, but not Tsukuyomi; somehow it is not much of a problem to him in his side quest that Amaterasu is nowhere to be found and a guy she is, as you’ll soon see, not very fond of, is bossing everyone around…

Amaterasu’s rule over the heavenly gods is established when either Izanagi alone or Izanami and Izanagi as a pair after her birth. Two aspects of the myth vary: whether the children are born the expected way or created by a supernatural act of Izanagi alone, and what areas are assigned to them to rule. In one version Tsukuyomi rules the “sea plain” and Susano-o the earth (or rather - is meant to rule it, since he instead engages in the usual Susano-o antics and refuses to do his job); in another Tsukuyomi rules a nondescript land of the night (in kokugaku commentaries from the 19th and early 20th century sometimes identified with the “land of Tokoyo” which many readers of my blog likely know from the story of the “bug of Tokoyo” and Hata no Kawakatsu) and Susano-o - the sea plain. Finally, in yet another Nihon Shoki passage Tsukuyomi is sent to the heavens alongside Amaterasu - a role which however seems to be temporary, as you’ll see very soon. While it technically makes sense to group Tsukuyomi with the Amatsukami, since he is indeed a god residing in the same location in at least one version (for a time), it’s important to stress that in religious worship he generally lacks a strong connection to Amaterasu. At Ise, where her main shrine is located, and in relevant religious literature, she is associated first and foremost with Toyouke, a deity connected to food production whose gender seems to vary between sources. Tsukuyomi technically has a minor shrine nearby, but in at least one text from Kamakura period Ise its divine inhabitant is instead said to be one of three obscure “magistrates” serving Amaterasu (Suikan, Chikan and Tenkan). On top of that, Amaterasu and Toyouke were collectively referred to as the sun and the moon in some documents, an association based on their connection to the diamond realm and womb realm mandalas. In myths Tsukuyomi is very rarely a dramatis persona, generally speaking. In the Nihon Shoki, aside from a number of accounts of his birth (inevitably side by side with his more notable siblings) and a handful of references to legendary or historical events involving humans performing Tsukuyomi-related oracles he basically only appears in one myth… in which he gets banished from heaven for murder. The story is neither particularly detailed nor a part of any longer cycle unlike that of conflict between Amaterasu and Susano-o. The premise is fairly straightforward: Amaterasu sends Tsukuyomi as her representative to visit Ukemochi, a goddess of food. Ukemochi prepares a banquet for her guest by producing various consumables from her… bodily orifices. Tsukuyomi is profoundly disgusted by this and in a fit of rage kills her for this affront to his dignity. He then ascends back to heaven and tells Amaterasu what he did; in a fit of (arguably more justified) rage she banishes him for it and, presumably, lives happily ever after. This myth is most likely meant to serve as an explanation for separation of night and day. I’ve noticed that a number of secondary popular sources in English claim Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are spouses in this narrative, but so far I found no support for this claim - in both Kojiki and Nihon Shoki Amaterasu is pretty firmly unmarried, and I have yet to see any later myth where she would be associated with Tsukuyomi. At least one source from among the medieval Ise documents appears to indicate carnal relations occurred between Amaterasu and Toyouke (in this context male), though. It’s worth pointing out that at no point in either the Kojiki version or the multiple accounts listed in the Nihon Shoki does Tsukuyomi interact with Susano-o - conflict with him is entirely Amaterasu’s domain. In syncretic documents from Ise an additional cosmological dimension was added to it by making Amaterasu represent “Buddha nature” and enlightenment, and Susano-o the opposition to it. In V, though, the only conflict even just alluded to is between Tsukuyomi and Susano-o if you opt not to side with the former’s human guise. Not much material on Tsukuyomi can be found elsewhere, and especially not anything that would justify placing him in the position you’d expect his sister in, like in the case above. He’s briefly mentioned in the poetry collection Man'yōshū in relation to a potion of longevity - which to me seems like an echo of Chinese mythical motifs related to the moon, especially those related to Chang’e, but don’t quote me on that (chronologically it definitely would make sense, as Chang’e was already well established some 800 years prior to first attestation of Tsukuyomi). Famous narratives pertaining to the moon like Tale of the Bamboo Cutter or Hagoromo do not even allude to him. In terms of honji suijaku material, all I could find is a single instance of equation with one of the wisdom kings, in this context a minor satellite deity in a ritual. A theory which I personally think can be discarded on the account of its author being a Jungian psychoanalyst rather than historian is that of Hayao Kawai, who argued that Tsukuyomi was actually equally significant and purposely left somewhat featureless, so that struggles between opposing principles can revolve around him. The fact that he appears in no myths about conflicts between Amaterasu and Susano-o and that his only myth portrays him as rather violent feels like a considerable setback, but as we can learn from his article The Hollow Center in the Mythology of Kojiki he seems to have a kokugaku-like bias. He asserted that Kojiki matters more. According to him Nihon Shoki was a “political” work while Kojiki - simply some primal manifestation of truly Japanese spirit not bound by such trivial matters as “historical context.” Note both works were composed by a similar cadre of people at around the same time, and that Nihon Shoki is the one which usually lists multiple versions of each event, even if they’re contradictory, which by the standards of 8th century royal propaganda - which both of these books ultimately are - seems much closer to unbiased to me.To sum up, unless I’m missing something, Tsukuyomi only received a boost in prominence in popular imagination due to modern popculture. I don’t exactly think Naruto and other similar media should serve as a point of reference for such matters, and as a result I see little reason to refer to him as prominent and even less for overlooking Amaterasu in favor of him. II recognized that:

In contrast with Tsukuyomi’s general irrelevance, it should be noted that non-Kojiki non-Shoki material concerned with Amaterasu recasts her (or, in some cases, him, it can get complicated) in a variety of major cosmogonic roles (often arguably giving her more personal agency than she has in many Kojiki and Shoki passages): as a creator deity equated with Brahma (Bonten; Amaterasu effectively displaces own parents from their Kojiki/Shoki role which is rather funny), as a judge of the dead associated with king Enma and Taizan Fukun, as an opponent of Mara (unlike the Buddha, she seemingly opts to strike a deal with him), and more. She has no shortage of rarely discussed myths, many of which, by the virtue of combining elements from Shinto with Buddhism, Taoism and even Hinduism feel very suitable for the syncretic settings of Megaten games.

Disguised Amaterasu confronting Susano-o (public domain) Even assuming the decision to use Tsukuyomi over Amaterasu was tied to the idea to make the deity’s alter ego the Japanese prime minister, the entire idea feels hard to justify. Let’s even assume that a female prime minister would be too much of a suspension of disbelief (unlike, you know, gods, angels and horrid tokusatsu characters) - it still would be easy enough to declare he’s actually Amaterasu in disguise, seeing how even in the Kojiki/Shoki alone she does that on occasion, namely when she plans to confront Susano-o after hearing he’s heading to her domain. The fact she’s female in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki (and in many other sources) didn’t really stop Amaterasu from appearing as a seemingly male figure, either. She is no stranger to being equated with male figures in syncretic context, including Dainichi (Vairocana), Aizen Myo-o (one of the wisdom kings, connected to lust), and even king Enma. It has even been proposed that the easily recognizable modern image of Amaterasu as a maiden in white robes is partially derived from that of distinctly male Uho Douji, one of her Buddhist alter egos. I find it peculiar that not just Tsukuyomi but also every single other figure you’d expect to feel the need to mention Amaterasu just… doesn’t. Futsunushi and Yatagarasu do not, neither does any of the kunitsukami. Perhaps the writers felt insecure about their weird dream prime minister/toku reject (I actually do not think Doi’s “toku” designs are good toku designs but that’s another matter) original character to such a degree that they worried the mere mention of Amaterasu would be too much for him not to fall apart in the eyes of the players? Hard to think of a sensible rationale. Until proven otherwise I see no reason to entertain the possibility that Tao is Amaterasu, also, as this identification is not made - or even alluded to - in the game, and her unique race name, Panagia, is related to Mary (especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church). The case of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi seems to be a part of a bigger pattern in V - whenever possible, female mythical figures are sidelined. Vasuki being Shiva’s main supporter even though Parvati is right here is another example. I’d personally count the Melchizedek quest too, as it basically reassigns Anat’s mythical role to the archangels for the sake of… a shallow Nocturne reference, I guess? One which doesn’t even work too well because Baal Avatar in Nocturne worked only in the context of this specific story and has precisely 0 reuse potential.

As a side note, since I’ve already mentioned one of the quests pertaining to him - Baal once again does not fare well in general, ultimately serving as an antagonist for Demeter, which on an unintended meta level feels like the conflict between what made Megaten a truly unique and remarkable franchise and its current direction. As usual, he gets to exist to hype up fan favorite Beelzebub for no real reason. While Kaneko’s design will likely forever remain one of the greatest and most accurate depictions more recent than the late bronze age, it seems like Baal’s character will remain detached from it. Which is a shame because Megaten could basically pull off a Baal cycle side quest at this point, considering a large chunk of the cast already appears in the series. I think IV actually came pretty close to doing something interesting with Baal for once by having him pose as Gozu Tenno, the most major of Susano-o’s Buddhist associates and/or alter egos, but ultimately that premise was wasted on more Beelzebub instead, rather than on a fun exercise in comparative mythology. If you ask me it would make for a better twist in that quest to have Susano-o in it than Beelzebub, but alas. Luckily, V has Susano-o in a major role! Surely that resulted in something worthwhile, right?

Susano-o Aogami

Tragically Susano-o himself fares no better than his siblings in this game. Donning what seems like the combo of a bodysuit and a tailcoat, he provides the player with rather characterless advice through the game. The identity of the baffling “metal man” teased months ago had been a subject of much debate, with proposals as varied as the Demi-fiend, Indra (not to be confused with Indrajit!) and Marduk all coming up in fan theories I can remember off the top of my head. Susano-o seemed like an improbable option since he, after all, already has a popular, well established design. Sadly that was not enough to spare him.

The design, to put it lightly, doesn’t go well with either of Kaneko’s Susano-os, who do go pretty well with each other. So well that I wonder if the idea was to simply depict Susano-o at two different points in his career, especially since the peculiar motif on Devil Summoner/Soul Hackers Susano-o reminds me of his connection to the mysterious “land of roots,” Ne no Kuni, known for example from the myth where Okuninushi has to confront him in order to marry his daughter. While Kaneko based his Susano-o on traditional portrayals and on a variety of famous artifacts, such as haniwa figures depicting the everyday clothing of Kofun period Japan and the famous seven-branched sword (with one extra branch added), Aogami just looks like he’s wearing a spandex bodysuit covered in broken glass. The game waves off any inconsistency by declaring that Aogami is actually a robot clone with Susano-o’s essence, but it barely amounts to anything and much of the info (which... still doesn’t explain much, to be honest) is locked behind a paid dlc, specifically the Mephisto one. And even then, this weird decision is hard to justify, and the dialogue doesn’t really seem to deny that Aogami is meant to be the genuine article, judging from, for example, Tsukuyomi referring to him as brother. Neither feels like mentioning Amaterasu even though both of them are defined more by relation to her than to each other, of course. What makes Aogami particularly annoying is the fact that in myths Susano-o’s character is pretty well defined, and remains notably consistent between the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki and other sources. It’s described in rather striking terms: “This god’s character was evil, and he often took pleasure in weeping and rage. Many people in the country died. Green mountains withered,” declares a section of the Shoki. His deeds are described as “filthy and wicked” elsewhere, as noted here. He is held as the archetypal example of an “araburugami,” a wild, raging god. His reputation is largely tied to the myth about his conflict with his sister Amaterasu. After a trial by pledge determines he can enter heaven, he commits a series of morally reprehensible acts, which slightly vary between versions, but generally involve messing up the heavenly fields, flinging his feces around, releasing the heavenly horses and so on. Amaterasu initially lets it be, but eventually reaches a breaking point and hides in the cave, plunging the world into darkness. What causes this also differs between versions, but generally is assumed to be connected to Susano-o killing and skinning one of the heavenly horses and throwing the carcass into Amaterasu’s room, either wounding her or killing an otherwise unknown servant. In a variant of the Nihon Shoki narrative she instead decides that the point of no return is Susano-o defecating in her room. Either way, the blame is on him and him alone for temporarily depriving the world of light. Various passages related to the aforementioned myths highlight Susano-o’s impetuous, raging nature. Poor anger management seems to run in the family, considering the already discussed myth about Tsukuyomi. It’s worth noting that in the Kojiki a very similar myth presenting Susano-o as the killer is included, though the food goddess is named Ogetsuhime instead. However, prior to the dawn of the kokugaku style of scholarship in the Edo period, which favored the Kojiki at the expense of other sources, I think it’s safe to say Nihon Shoki can be assumed to be the more widely known variant, and allusions to it are known from Heian period poetry. The other famous myth of Susano-o is the slaying of Yamata no Orochi, the eight-headed serpent, and saving the life of Kushinada-hime. While the hydra (a great design and pretty fun fight) is pretty clearly meant to be a stand-in for Orochi, Kushinada at no point in time comes up despite being in the game.

A humorous print showing Susano-o and Kushinada-hime selling grilled cuts of Orochi meat, from the collection Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art A friend noted that Aogami is essentially what a Hollywood adaptation of Japanese mythology would be like, and I can’t really disagree with this point. His design even resembles the absolutely atrocious cgi bodysuits present in every single one of the interchangeable superhero movies. An additional sub-problem with the treatment of Susano-o in the game is Amanozako.

Amanozako as depicted by Toriyama Sekien, Shigeru Mizuki and Masayuki Doi She is a somewhat obscure yokai known chiefly for her inclusion in one of Toriyama Sekien’s famous “night parades,” where she is depicted as a hideous, enormous hag, true to her description from the Edo period encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue. As we can learn from these sources, she was believed to be a daughter of Susano-o created when he released the accumulated fierceness from his body. Another Edo period author, a certain monk named Myōryū, adds that she was the ancestor of tengu, though this is not mentioned anywhere else (granted, it’s not like Amanozako is, she is, as far as I can tell, an invention of Edo period authors) and generally speaking contradicts the common Buddhist view of tengu as people reincarnated in the realm of makai or tengudo for spreading improper teachings. It is however undeniable that Sekien’s portrayal takes many visual cues from the common image of long-nose tengu. Sekien’s portrayal in turn heavily inspired Shigeru Mizuki, the artist responsible for the modern concept of yokai, as you can see above. In V, Amanozako is instead a little girl. She doesn’t even have a tengu nose. The less said about her character, the better, but she is hardly a ferocious boogeyman and I am frankly unsure what motivated her creators. Given how much of her dialogue is like I am not sure if it’s a topic I want to explore further, so I will just say that to put it very lightly I am not a fan of the liberties taken at all. I would be uncomfortable with the dialogue even if it belonged to a character who actually fits the “little girl” role, truth to be told. I should note some criticisms miss the mark too. Some people seem to speak of the original with some weird reverence worthy of the infamous Woman’s Encyclopedia, treating hear as a powerful independent mother figure or something along these lines. This is wrong too. She's essentially someone’s oc boogeyman with two or three more or less tangible sources behind her. You don't need to make her into some grand example of transcendent "divine feminine" (a term which is generally an instant red flag in mythology discussion) to highlight that she shouldn't be what she is in V. Simply put, I believe women should be allowed to be one note boogeymen largely born from the sense of humor of Edo period night parade scrolls artists. Both Aogami and Amanozako, and to a degree Lahmu as well, seem to be part of a bigger trend in V, though not the same one as replacing Amaterasu with Tsukuyomi. It’s becoming rather obvious that the current staff behind the games seems to believe that turning the character of depicted figures upside down is what suits the series well. Examples of such changes include:

Dagda (IVA): from a fun-loving, fatherly god to skeletal nihilist

Inanna (IVA): I covered this matter in an earlier post extensively; from a pretty firmly childless goddess generally connected to the joyful aspects of sexual and romantic love (and to a plethora of other things, like war and royal power) to a pregnancy monster.

Demeter (SJR): arguably the worst one still, next to Inanna. From the archetypal mother to a ditzy little girl (“little rascal” as one of the devs put it himself, I believe). By the way, she talks with Zeus in V. Guess if Persephone comes up at all.

Susano-o (V): as discussed above: from a rebellious, very emotional and sort of unpleasant god to a stoic noble mentor figure.

Amanozako (V): from a monstrous hag to another little girl.

Lahmu (V): from a generally benevolent house spirit to a wicked demon lord.

Sadly, in V this seemingly started to spread to how preexisting Kaneko demons are written too. A particularly sad case seen above is Isis, a figure normally defined by the love for her family. I must admit this annoys me for more than one reason:

she is a major figure with a lot of source material to use, much of this material being focused on her efforts to save (or elevate) Horus against all odds, even if it results in conflict with other major deities like Ra

she is one of the best examples of what makes Kaneko’s art work uniquely well, the perfect blend of a high fashion influence with reverence for the classical image known from ancient art

in IV she instead appeared in a great quest adapting the source material pretty well

it feels like this happens only to make room for a Doi demon (Khonsu)

In a way this is actually more egregious than something bad in every possible way at once, like Aogami, who to me seems impossible to salvage, unlike Isis, who is basically a problem only because the V writers went out of their way to make sure she’s “subverting expectations” or whatever goal their had in mind. It’s hardly the most notable example of wasted potential in the game, though. That title belongs to…

Nuwa

I saved Nuwa for last, as I figured it would be thematically appropriate to both start and end the part of the article dedicated to specific demons with ones I was actually genuinely excited for prior to actually learning about their full role in the game. While to put it lightly I am not enthusiastic about how she turned out in the game, I think she has one advantage many other new plot-relevant demons lack, namely a perfectly salvageable design. Nuwa is a cosmological figure attested in Chinese sources at least from the beginning of the reign of the Han dynasty (c. 200 BCE), and still reasonably famous today, even just judging from the amount of retellings of her myths aimed at kids I was able to find. Her exact role varies depending on time period, location etc., but the core remains about the same: she creates humans, often out of clay, and in a separate myth repairs the damaged pillar of heaven, saving mankind from various cataclysms in the process. The human creation myth has been at times used to justify social stratification, and many sources state that humans were not created equal by her - while she initially sculpted them carefully by hand from clay, she eventually switched to simply spilling mud with a rope. The first batch of humans were the rulers and nobles, these made from spilled mud became peasants. Another variant attributes the creation of humans to Nuwa feeling lonely. While to a western viewer Nuwa might seem like a Prometheus-like figure at first glance, I find it important to stress that she is not really portrayed as a rebel against authority in any myths.

Nuwa portrayals from various periods of history Nuwa is commonly associated with snakes, and as you can see above many works of art, both historical and modern, depict her with some serpentine characteristics. However, their extent varies, and there are completely human depictions too (contrary to what Doi says). The pictures above are just a small sample, covering everything from the Han dynasty (the first two reliefs) to the present (the final two statues). I’m therefore not particularly bothered with keeping her form more or less human, even though I personally like the oldest version here the most. Unlike a number of other people online critical of V I also have no major issue with her outfit, it’s not really much more explicit than Kaneko’s Kikurihime and the like, ultimately, which are fine by me (I do think Kaneko was better at picking which demons to make “sexy” and at drawing attractive people than Doi is but this is another matter). I do think Doi’s trademark tip toes pose is pretty dumb, though, and there are scenes which feel like very awkward fanservice, particularly near the end of the game. I do not think “sexy Nuwa” is a fundamentally inappropriate idea given the fact that it is more or less what we learn from the classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods (I do not think Doi or anyone else at modern Atlus is familiar with it, though):

I also quite like her second form (Doi’s horror vacui tendencies notwithstanding) and find her unique skill to be one of the few genuinely fun ones in the game. It evokes imagery known from the myth - she even has a rope - and isn’t quite as annoyingly over the top as, say, Idun’s unnecessarily long animation. I think only Tandava is a cooler, more appropriate unique move.

That’s where the good ends, though. Past her introduction - which I do have to admit is rather great, and it was a good idea to highlight it in trailers since it’s one of the few actually striking sequences in the game - Nuwa’s character is basically nonexistent. In terms of depth and complexity she’s somewhere between a heroine from the original DDS novels and Pascal, and I’m under the impression in 90% of her scenes you could pretty easily swap her for Hayataro. More on that later, though. Initially I wasn’t bothered by what seemed to be an absence of Fuxi. The association between them is actually hardly universal in primary sources. They are siblings and/or spouses at times, but it is also fairly common for Nuwa to be depicted as a solo act, and there are references to association with the Chinese “flood hero,” Yu the Great, in a number of texts too. On top of that in one account her helper in the creation of humans is Huang Di, tasked with sculpting internal organs. In Investiture of the Gods Fuxi if my memory serves me well isn’t even mentioned, and Nuwa largely interacts just with her femme fatale minions. Additionally in some locations she is associated with the Jade Emperor, appearing as one of his daughters. It was only the fact that Nuwa is basically stripped of context in the game that made me annoyed about the complete absence of Fuxi, since the result feels like an attempt at disconnecting her from her place of origin more than anything. Unlike the Bethel reps, Nuwa never mentions where she is from. She doesn’t allude to any figures from myths related to her either, and doesn’t interact with other Chinese demons (note that they had no problem with having Shiva, Odin and Zeus do that). A peculiar omission which makes me wonder to what degree she dodged the sort of completely awful characterization Xi Wangmu got in IV only by being basically void of context. I am tempted to compare Nuwa to Taotie in Raidou 2 as far as Chinese demons go - while he is ultimately not that major, he’s handled considerably better, gets to boast about his myths and all around feels like an actual character. I’m a huge fan overall:

Also, I love his dumb running animation. Back to Nuwa, I think her problems stem from a few interconnected sources.

To begin with, it’s painfully clear she doesn’t exist to be an independent character, let alone a character representing some 2200 years worth of material. She exists to act as Yakumo’s pet. Imagine if Mastema was treated like that in Strange Journey... She only ever brings up creating humans twice, and makes no other references to her mythical role. She even barely talks about being a deity. Truth to be told, she hardly talks about anything other than Yakumo. I think this is to a degree a byproduct of this game’s treatment of female characters in general, both human and supernatural ones. While I’m not a huge fan of early SMT heroines, let alone the yet older ones, I think the later games have a wide variety of solid female characters, with Rei, Yuko and Zelenin being my favorites (though even minor characters could be great, Naomi from SH only appears in a brief vision quest but leaves quite the impression, for instance). Can’t say that about V. Nuwa isn’t even the worst offender in that regard, frankly. However, human characters are beyond the scope of this article. I thought that maybe it will turn out that her Bethel hatred (which feels more than justified tbh but the game never really goes particularly deep into this) would lead to some speech about her thinking other gods betrayed their purpose by serving said organization but instead it all boils down to "that's what Shohei wanted :)" and the true ending arguably makes it even worse. Am I supposed to assume she's a self hating nihilist or did the scenario writers forget halfway through she's meant to be a deity too? Why doesn’t she feel anything about presumably erasing every god connected to her, also? Do Fuxi, Yu or the Jade Emperor not exist in this setting? As a side note, I personally can’t stand Yakumo. Neutral is generally not an alignment I’m a huge fan of, but I think Strange Journey did pretty well in that regard. Commander Gore feels like a good character to compare Yakumo to since both are presumably meant to represent humanity as its peak - but while Gore makes a variety of profound statements and is depicted as a paragon of virtue respected by his crew, Yakumo seems to be a sociopath who proudly calls other people “parasites.” His views also aren’t really challenged anywhere in the game (granted, neither are Tsukuyomi’s! Alignments are handled pretty poorly in this game overall). They kind of seem to clash with Nuwa’s, but it’s not like Nuwa matters, so the game does not address that. Nuwa just affirms over and over again he’s totally great.

Yakumo and other comparably exciting characters People compared him to Raidou and to Yasunori Kato before the game’s release, but I think ultimately zombie cop and that guy from Devil Summoner who turns into Kumbhanda are a better match. Another thing which makes Nuwa sound nihilistic and makes her hard for me to enjoy is this line:

A recurring theme of V is that demons hate their forms. Including Kaneko demons designed to match how they were imagined by people who actually believed in them, like Baal. Nuwa is probably the worst example, since only she makes so few references to who she actually is, and only she is obsessed with her Nahobino pair to such a degree. Zeus, for instance, doesn’t seem to care much than his is dead since he can wait for a new one to be born. However, due to how V setting works, this problem actually implicitly applies to all demons in the game. And this is what I will use to sum up its approach to mythology.

Conclusions: the concept of Nahobino and the future of mythology in Megaten

This post is ultimately redundant because contrary to traditions of the franchise, mythology does not actually matter in SMT V.

All that matters is the concept of Nahobino, responsible for some of the series’ arguably least coherent, least fitting and least fun to draw designs yet, as seen above. Nahobino, and all associated worldbuilding, have a very simple purpose: strip demons out of context. Their forms depicted in the series do not really matter, neither does their cultural context. Every time a plot-relevant demon is on screen they remind you of that: all they desire is to be able to become a horror vacui monstrosity. Long ago Kazuma Kaneko said that “the most important aspect when drawing demons is to study their creators.” It is undeniable that in the past that was the idea behind the series. While it wasn’t always successful at it (for example due to reliance on rather dubious sources), and sometimes odd liberties were taken, it is hard to deny that it still came from a love for mythology. I do not think this can be said about V, though. Quite the opposite, I think it’s a game which wishes it didn’t have to use mythology at all, moving one step ahead of IVA and SJR, where it felt like the core idea is tiresome subversion alone. Now even that feels secondary, even though the new game still has many examples of it.

I think it’s safe to say the age of myth in Megaten is ending. It will continue to feature enemies and summons bearing names certainly lifted from mythology, but I find it unlikely that it will go back to genuinely caring about it.

Bibliography

Mesopotamian Protective Spirits: The Ritual Texts by F. Wiggermann

Exit Talim! by F. Wiggermann (partially outdated due to Wiggermann’s own research from MPS)

Nihon Shoki

Encyclopedia of Shinto

Rewriting the Past: Reception and Commentary of Nihon shoki, Japan’s First Official History by M. A. J. Felt

Re-positioning the Gods: "Medieval Shintō" and the Origins of Non-Buddhist Discourses on the Kami by F. Rambelli

Duality and the Kami: The Ritual Iconography and Visual Constructions of Medieval Shintō by L. Dolce

Outcasts, Emperorship, and Dragon Cults in The Tale of the Heike by B. T. Bialock

Gods of Medieval Japan vol. 3: Rage and Ravage (extract) by B. Faure

Transcending Locality, Creating Identity: Shinra Myojin, a Korean Deity in Japan by S. J. Kim

The Flood Myths of Early China by M. E. Lewis

Nü Wa by U. Theobald

#shin megami tensei v #spoilers #shin megami tensei #megaten #smt #smtv

242 notes · View notes

cherrybombwritesstuff · 4 years

Text

Guardian of the Shrine

Tengu Kirishima x Fem Reader fic

Explicit/Smut

This is part of the Citrus Dome server collab Gods AU!

Masterlist coming soon @lemonlordleah-shinzawa-kitten

ENJOY!

Black, swirling shadows circled your ankles, reached out to capture your fingers as you instinctively flinched away; legs stuck in their place as though encased in blocks of ice. Your own gasping breaths filled your ears along with your thudding heartbeat. Despite how much you willed your eyes to shut they remained open, unblinking and staring at the inky void before you. The shadows rushed together, spiraling and entwining around each other until a tall figure formed in the distance. Angled shoulders jutted out each side, obscenely long arms dripped out of the writhing mass and they shakily began to reach forward, reach for you. Your mouth hung open in a silent scream, eyes wide in horror as the figure shunted closer still.

“Never...forgive…”

The words drilled into your ears. Long, black tendrils of hair slithered about the being’s shoulders and didn’t stop when they reached the floor, pooling around the creature’s pale ankles as more of it’s flesh became visible. The hair crept forward, inching its way to your trapped feet no matter how much you tried to squirm and writhe out of your stuck position.

“I’ll never...forgive…”

The summer air was thick as you gulped it down, chest rising and falling as you gasped for air. Your blankets were a twisted mess crumpled at your side. Sweat dappled your skin as you lay sprawled out on your futon, back in the comforting darkness of your room. A soft whimper left your dry lips as you wiped your forehead and tried to steady your racing heart. As your eyes adjusted to the darkness you reached to your side, grabbing hold of the talisman you had kept from your childhood.

“Baku-san.” you said between breaths, “Baku-san, come eat my dream.”

Morning sun streamed through your modest home and you stirred awake. The horrors of the night were still fresh in your mind, yet it appeared as though the Baku had consumed any further nightmares and you were able to sleep peacefully until the morning. With a groan, you pulled yourself from your blankets and straightened them out before you began your morning ritual. Your first task was to leave a piece of candy on your pillow for the zashiki warashi who had kindly taken up residence in your home. From a very early age you had been able to see and interact with yokai, something you had always considered a blessing rather than a curse. Your parents would catch you talking to guestroom children, or sneaking a bottle of fine sake outside for the troublesome tanuki.

You wandered barefoot outside, patches of sunlight warming your skin as you collected water to wash. The forest was calm, quiet other than the birds and wind as it whistled through the bamboo. The water was a cold addition to the chilly morning breeze, but it was a welcome necessity, waking you up for the full day of tasks ahead. Fully dressed with your hair pinned up, you prepared a simple lunch and packed it along with a container of water and your broom. Your isolated home was a short walk from the shrine, but admittedly those stairs made your thighs ache. Respectfully bowing at the Torii, you noticed the path was mercifully clear of leaves and debris, a testament to your hard work.

After purifying at the chozuya, you continued to the shrine which was looking much better than the pitiful state you found it in. It had long been abandoned, possibly because of the overwhelming yokai activity in the area, though many of the stories you heard could have been attributed to bandits and wandering thieves. You had restored it to the best of your abilities, cleaning away dead plants and moss where you could. The warm sun streamed against the shrine, highlighting the dips and curves of the long nosed Tengu mask that sat there. You reached the top and clapped your hands once before pressing your palms together in prayer. Silently asking for purification, for release from the blackness that haunted your dreams and followed your every footstep. The shadow was the reason you moved away from your town, choosing the seclusion of the forested mountains to protect your loved ones. It had been your hope that by pleasing the yokai you could find help, something to appease the darkness or banish it from your life entirely. But it only seemed to be getting closer with every night that passed.

"Good morning." You said brightly as you could muster.

Setting your food aside, you took your broom and started sweeping. The shrine needed regular upkeep and you were the only person available for miles around. At first, your intention had been a trade, for the guardian of the shrine to protect you from whatever it was that tormented you. As time went on, attending to the shrine brought you a sense of peace, as well as something of a companion in your self imposed solitude. After briefly tidying up, you sat at the shrine and unwrapped your food.

"It's going to be a sunny day today, I should be able to visit the lake without getting caught in the rain."

It was quiet. The only replies you could hear were from the chirping morning birds. It would always be a one way conversation, but you could feel an unmistakable presence in this place. Someone or something would always listen to you.

"I um. I dreamed about him again. I think at this point, Baku-san may grow fat from the dreams I ask him to take…"

Dread pooled in the pit of your stomach. An unpleasant squeeze at your chest caught your breath as you tried to take a few more bites of rice.

"I don't think I have much time. I can feel it getting closer to me…"

Your smile faded, eyes stinging with unshed tears before you could gather yourself in front of the shrine.

"But I'm not giving up! A-and I'll keep coming here as long as I can…I don't want you to be lonely again."

A surge of despair was the very first feeling that hit you the first time you ascended these steps. The shrine had been forgotten and whatever lingered here abandoned along with it. The overwhelming wave of sadness that enveloped you that day completely distracted from your own plight. Originally the plan was to ask for help, but it was apparent there was something here that needed it more.

"Maybe if it reveals itself, I can talk to it and find out why it's so angry…"

You weren't fooled by your own shaky tone and apparently, neither was the being in the shrine. As you finished your half of the food, warmth began to radiate from the Tengu mask. It draped over your shoulders like a comforting blanket, easing your nerves as you sighed out your frustrations. With every visit, the presence grew stronger as though you could almost reach out and touch a tangible being.

"Thank you…"

As much as you wanted to remain there, the day's list of tasks was long and if you wanted to sustain yourself, you had to get started. You stood and took hold of the empty lunchbox from yesterday, leaving half of your food behind to share with your only friend out here. It was always gone by the time you came back, though you couldn't exactly prove who was finishing it off. Dusting off your knees, you respectfully bowed and said your goodbyes before heading back down the steps to the shrine and into the forest. Heat rose along with the sun. Splashing your face with the clear water of the lake helped somewhat and you hoped the locals wouldn't mind. You left a new batch of cucumbers floating there, knowing the Kappa would appreciate them and, who knows, maybe they could eventually help ward off your demons. There was still hope but your heart grew heavier as the day went on. A full day of chores would ensure you slept despite your fear, though you couldn't help but wonder if you would even wake up again the next morning.

With aching feet you trudged back through your door, announcing your return out loud for your own benefit. The candy left out had mysteriously disappeared which brought the touch of a smile to your cheek. The sun burned an angry red as it disappeared over the horizon, forcing yourself to light the lanterns around your modest home. Your limited crops had been tended to, bamboo and wood had been chopped and you had collected enough water for your bath, which you sorely needed by now. After a simple meal, you washed the labours of the day from your skin before climbing into the steaming tub for a soak. The hot water soothed your aching muscles, but the heat couldn't penetrate that cold, sickly feeling in the pit of your stomach. It was there. Its presence was weak, but it grew with every passing hour of the night. The shadows around you flickered in the low light of the lantern flames, at least that's what you told yourself. Movement kept grabbing your attention, twitching at the corners of your eyes until you sharply turned to glance behind you.

Nothing, nothing you could see with a naked eye that is. You released a breath you had been holding and rubbed your eyes, looking again just to make sure. This time something did catch your eye, small and unassuming but it hadn't been there a second ago. You rose out of your bath, wrapping a towel around you as you closed in on the unfamiliar object. Your eyes adjusted and you recognised a long, black feather placed neatly on the ground by the door as though it were waiting for you. Instinctively you picked it up and immediately you could feel a tingling warmth radiating up your fingertips. Its origin was a mystery but for some bizarre reason, holding it brought you comfort. Given the amount of yokai you had been trying to appease, it could have been a gift from any one of them. Maybe this could bring you peace tonight. With a hopeful smile you quietly thanked the gifter before changing into your night wear and letting your hair down. Your intention was to place the feather under your pillow before you slept, that was until you threw back the covers to your futon.

Hidden underneath was the shattered remains of the Baku charm. The amulet that had protected you from nightmares since childhood lay in pieces, sadistically spread out beneath your blankets for you to find. A helpless whimper escaped you before you could stop it. Exhaustion from the relentless dread and the days work enveloped your limbs regardless of your discovery. With a heavy sigh, you collected the pieces and sadly gathered them in a pile at the side of your bed. Kneeling at its side, you clutched the feather close to your chest, its softness bringing you a little comfort, but it couldn't banish the darkness that was now rapidly closing in. An uneasy pang twisted your gut and you opened your eyes, frantically looking around your room. Breath caught in your throat when you noticed small, scattered holes in the Shoji. Against your better judgement, you crawled a little closer to inspect them, only to be met with the staring mokumokuren. Instantly you jumped back in fright, shuffling away from what must have been dozens of disembodied eyes, completely trained on you. They weren't here to harm you however, they were here to watch.

The air turned thick and suffocating, like a miasma of oppressive fear. The shadows around you curled and moved, revealing their true forms of long tendrils of black hair. You shook your head in disbelief, gasping for breath as it slithered from the corners of your room.

"...never forgive…"

Those words hit you into reality and you scrambled to your feet on trembling limbs. A ghostly white set of hands shifted through the wall, long fingers reaching for you. Fear gripped your body, the only command that echoed through your head seemed to be whispered over and over outside the house; run. Almost tripping over your own feet, you turned on your heel to flee. A searing, white hot pain hit your shoulder, forcing your torso to twist as you hurtled out of the door. Landing hard on your knees, you paused to look back, horrified to find a burning black hand print on your bare shoulder. Heavy footsteps thundered through your home, pale arms and feet almost glowed in the darkness and you recognised the figure lurching towards you as the same one that haunted your nightmares. His hair almost reached the ground, twisting around his jagged shoulders. Dressed entirely in white robes that enveloped his gaunt figure. Black, sunken circles sat where his eyes should have been. His pace was slow, until a random jerk of movement pulled him forward, closer to you. Inwardly you begged your limbs to move, fingernails scratching at the dirt to drag yourself away.

"I'll never...forgive you…"

What did those words even mean? It seemed as though you would die tonight never knowing. Your eyes burned with tears as you crawled further away. A flash of red fur caught your attention, snapping your head to look at the path before you. A fox stood inches from you, its golden eyes locked on yours before it turned and dashed towards the forest trees. It stopped before disappearing, glancing back at you, waiting for you to follow. His fur seemed to glow, sending a sliver of hope to your stomach and it pulled you to your feet. Foxes were messengers, this had to be the help you had been looking for. The creature was fast but wouldn't let you lose sight of it, stopping every now and then to allow you to keep following up the steps of the shrine. The darkness continued to trace your footsteps, blackness curling through the ground like an infection spreading, filling everything it touched. You stumbled on the stone in your bare feet, lungs burning as you finally reached the top, only to have that same searing pain from before grasping around your ankles. You fell hard on your stomach, kicking at the creature as tendrils of black hair began to travel up your legs.

"Let go!! I didn't do anything to you!" you cried out as it climbed over your body.

"I'll never forgive you!" It roared back in response.

The fox shrieked, its fur bristling as it faced the ghostly creature. The pain on your legs subsided and your attacker snarled as it suddenly retreated back. Light pooled at the base of the shrine, gently swirling around you and creating a barrier which the being refused to touch. It was cool to the touch, bringing some relief to your burning skin. Long black feathers started drifting around you, floating gracefully to the ground and you realised the creature's attention was no longer on you, it was staring above your head at something that stood behind you. d, straight past you.

“Why are you still here?”

The voice was unfamiliar, yet oddly soothing. You turned away from the monster to find yourself gazing up at a man, face covered in the Tengu mask from the shrine and shoulders obscured by two large, feathery wings. He stepped around you, protective light surrounding him as he placed himself between you and the gaunt man.

“She...She’s gone… it’s their fault. Their fault...THEIR FAULT!”

You covered your ears as the spirit wailed, cowering behind the tall being as he relaxed his wings, creating a wider guard between you.

“This girl isn’t who you’re looking for. Your love died years ago…”

The black hair was retracting, slithering back to a shorter length around the creatures shoulders. It shook its head, bony fingers clawing at its scalp as it’s shrill voice dissolved into a whimper.

“Their fault… theirs…”

The winged man reached out, resting a large hand on the spirit’s shoulder.

“Your love died in childbirth right?”

A pathetic wail escaped his crooked mouth. You peered around your protector’s robes, your heart stopping when you noticed large tears oozing out of the creature’s sunken eyes.

“Let go of your grudge my friend. Then you’ll be able to see her, she’s been waiting for you.”

Time seemed to halt around you. Falling feathers slowed mid air and a deafening silence swept through the forest. The monster’s visage seemed to crack, peeling away like rust to reveal a dark haired young man, tears streaked across his face. The kind being gently turned his shoulder, inviting him to cast his eyes to the bottom of the steps to the shrine. She stood inside the archway, a beautiful young woman dressed in white. The spirit whispered her name before heading down the stone steps. The black infection that stained the ground retreated with every step he took, disappearing completely when he closed the gap between him and the smiling woman. Swirling light surrounded the both of them, but before you could witness their fate, the winged man turned to face you, intentionally blocking out the event as time began to flow normally once again.

“You’re safe now!” he said brightly, head tilted to the side.

You simply couldn’t find the words, not after what you had witnessed. Hell you couldn’t even make sense of it yet. The roaming light faded, leaving you both bathed in the moonlight.

“Are you alright?” he questioned after a brief silence, taking a moment to remove the mask.

He seemed not to notice your eyes widen as you took in the sight. Beneath the mask was the face of a man, high cheekbones surrounded by spikes of red hair. After the night’s events nothing really should have surprised you, yet you still felt unprepared for how handsome he was…

“I-I um… what...who was that person?”

He knelt down by your side, taking your comparatively small hand in his while resting the other on your shoulder. The danger was gone, but you were still shaking.

“That was an Onryo… from what I can tell he’s been haunting your family for generations.”

His matter of fact tone caught you off guard, yet you nodded as though you understood.

“I...I see. And um...wh-who are you?”

His eyes widened and he scratched at the back of his head. His mouth curved in a wide, embarrassed smile that revealed two rows of sharp teeth.

“Oh yeah! Probably should have introduced myself huh? My name is Kirishima Eijirou, this is my shrine.”

His tone was bright and welcoming, a stark contrast to the horrors you had faced moments ago. He read your blank expression and let out a sympathetic chuckle.

“Let me get you home… you’ve had a rough night huh?” he grinned before slipping his powerful arms beneath you and lifting you off of the ground.

You could feel your cheeks burning as he held you against his broad chest, bare skin showing through flowing, open robes. He walked down at a steady pace, as though you weighed barely anything to him as he carried you.

“Um… Kirishima?”

He hummed in response, looking down at you in anticipation. You held your breath, sure that your cheeks were turning the same colour as his hair.

“Do you know why I was being targeted by that spirit? You seemed to know who he was…”

He cleared his throat and glanced away for a moment.

“Oh uh, I was looking into it for you. I could feel it clinging to you when you first started visiting the shrine… so I asked for some help!”

You studied his face as he spoke, a little taken by his sculpted jawline and in the limited light it almost looked as though his cheeks were turning a warm shade of pink.

“The Baku told me about your dreams, it wasn’t difficult to figure it out from there. I just had to find the person he was mourning.”

It didn’t seem as easy as he was making it sound.

“His love died in childbirth a few generations back. Looks like he was shunned from her family after that, his child was taken and raised without him. I’m not sure how he died but his pain lingered. He haunted the descendants of that family...but it looks like he was really able to get to you huh?”

He gestured to the blackened handprint seared into your shoulder, careful not to touch it. The cool night air grazed your skin and it made you realise how exposed your nightwear had left your skin. Awkwardly you pulled the material closer, shielding what flesh you could under Kirishima’s lingering gaze.

“I’m sorry…” he murmured.

“I wish I could have helped you sooner. You must have been so scared…”

Your heart fluttered a little, his eyes cast down in guilt. Without hesitation you reached for his cheek, caressing his skin with your thumb.

“It’s alright, really! You protected me, I owe you my life…”

He didn’t shy away from your touch but you could feel him stiffen, mouth hanging open slightly as blood rushed to his ears and cheeks. Your eyes locked with his, melting what little confidence you had and you retracted your hand quicker than you intended.

“Ah...nah. It was the least I could do…”

It wasn’t long before you were home but he didn’t let go, carrying you through to your bedroom. Your lanterns flickered on as he passed them, lighting the room enough to highlight the shining black feathers of his beautiful wings. He set you down carefully on top of your futon and you noticed the little holes from before had disappeared from the shoji.

“Now then… the curse should be gone, but uh… those marks are going to leave some nasty scars.” he explained, noting the cruel handprints on both of your legs.

They still stung, though they were a little less angry from when they were inflicted. Kirishima sat back on his haunches, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“I uh, I could help heal them for you but, it may feel a little strange.”

You couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, still attempting to wrap your mind around the being before you.

“You’re a Tengu aren’t you? I didn’t know you could heal people…”

He barked a laugh at that, gaining a little confidence as his wings bristled with pride.

“Oh yeah! We can do a lot of things you wouldn’t know about.” he said with a wink, and you had to wonder if he even realised how damned suggestive that had come across as.

“Well… I know I can trust you. I can handle a little strangeness after tonight.” you reassured him with a smile.

His smile seemed to widen at that and he moved in a little closer.

“Alright then. Just lie there and relax for me, ok?”

You weren’t sure if you were still jumpy after the attack, or if it had only just properly dawned on you that you were alone in your bedroom in the presence of a very attractive yokai, but the way he hovered over your body sent your heard thudding violently in your chest. He began at your legs, large, calloused hands drifting over the soft skin of your calf. He held your ankle so delicately, contrasting the power that must have lay beneath those thick muscles of his arms. A tingling sensation caressed your skin where he touched you, pulsing through your skin like a soothing massage. With utmost care, he lifted your leg a little higher and pressed a soft kiss to the afflicted area. Before you could stop it, a quiet moan escaped your lips in response; had your skin always been this sensitive? With a hand over your mouth, you watched as he took your other leg and repeated the same actions. You couldn’t help but watch, noting how his eyes shut when he kissed your ankle, how long his lashes were and how they complimented his masculine features. Even though you bit down on your tongue, a quiet moan was caught against your hand and the warm, tingling sensations in both of your legs lingered even after he let go. There was no time to recover as he moved upwards, reaching over to your shoulder to gently pull your clothing away from it.

“Just one more to go. But I can stop if you need me to…”

Catching your breath, you reached out to him, small hands grasping at his firm shoulders.

“Please...don’t stop.” you asked him, eyes glazing over with the pleasurable touches that continued to ghost your legs.

The Tengu climbed over you with a wolfish grin, caging you in with his sculpted arms.

“Very well… you asked for it, little one.”

His fingertips tickled your skin before you could regret your choices, glancing over the final burn and instantly easing the sting. This time you didn’t hold back your voice, mewling shamelessly as his lips once again met your flesh. He didn’t stop at one, trailing soft kisses along your collarbone and with each touch he left behind those delectable tingles that pulsed through your body.

“Ahh! K-Kirishima…” you whimpered, writhing beneath him as pain transformed completely into pleasure.

“Do you want me to stop? Or do you want me to keep going…” he breathed against your neck, sharp teeth grazing you before he nipped at your ear.

“Kirishima… I want you, please I… I need you…”

You could barely register the words that left your mouth, but you couldn’t find it in you to regret them. This rescue wasn’t your first meeting, he felt far too familiar for that. This yokai, this man had been your only meaningful company while you suffered a curse. The energy he poured into you was the same you felt everyday at the shrine and you refused to let it go.

“As you wish…” he whispered before peeling your robes from your body.

He moved over you fully, pressing his mouth against yours in a passionate, breathless kiss. His thick fingers ran through your hair and he moaned against you.

“I’ve waited for this…” he admitted, kissing a path down your chest.

His hands took hold of your breasts, fingertips gently pressing into your pliant flesh as his mouth closed over your nipple. Your back arched, his touch electric that ran currents through your entire being.

“Keep making those sounds for me little one… don’t you dare stop.” he growled against you.

He continued down, spreading your thighs and pinning them there as he took in the sight of you.

“You’re so beautiful y/n...so damned beautiful.”

Your eyes flew open as he nibbled at your inner thigh, sucking little purple marks into your soft flesh.

“Y-you...you know my name?” you breathed, hips bucking as he kissed his way closer to your mound.

“I do...I’ve known since you started restoring my shrine.”

He took hold of your hips, keeping them still as he placed teasing kisses down the length of your slit.

“You’re mine y/n. I knew from the first time you came to me… I had to claim you for myself…”

You bit your lip as his tongue separated your silken folds, sliding up and back down again before he circled your sensitive clit. He groaned in satisfaction at your taste, upping his efforts as he lapped at your nectar hungrily. He didn’t give you a moment to adjust, strong hands securing you down as he took that sensitive little pearl between his lips and flicked his tongue against it.

“Ohhh fuck!! K-Kirishima...you’re gonna make me…”

You barely had time to warn him before it hit, jolts of tingling pleasure pulsing through your body, shaking you to your very core. He pressed his tongue against you, continuing to drink your essence as you squirmed in his grip.

“Good girl… my good girl…”

He released you and pushed himself to his knees, stripping himself of his robes and stretching out his wings before he climbed back over you. Gazing up at him through your lashes, you were able to appreciate his body in full. Solid muscle rippling beneath his skin as though he had been sculpted by a master. His cock was thick, fully erect and you could barely stand the wait. You need him inside you, to fill you and claim you just like he said he would. He crawled back over you, the tip of his cock trailing against your thigh before it pressed against your soaked, needy cunt.

“Tell me what you want little one...I need to hear you say it…”

His lids were heavy, drunk with lust for you as he kept himself from sheathing his cock inside your welcoming pussy right then and there. You reached up, your fingernails tracing his scalp as you pulled him in for a hungry kiss.

“Kirishima...please fuck me. I need you to take me…”

“Oh fuck… good girl…” he growled before finally thrusting his hips and bottoming out inside you.

You held onto his neck, coaxing him to hold you close as he moved against you. It was impossible to hold back, moaning and mewling against his ear as he fucked you, his thick shaft filling you perfectly, the head of his cock pressing against every sensitive spot you had. Without warning he wrapped his arms around your lower back, lifting you up to sit on his lap as he impaled you over and over. You clung to him as you brought your hips up and down and matched his rhythm. He was beautiful even now, face contorted with pure pleasure as you clenched around his cock. He groaned against you, holding you against his glistening skin.

“Fuck… you’re mind little one...all mine…”

He quickened his pace, his moans echoing through the room along with the clashing of flesh as he neared his limit. Your thighs tensed, white hot pleasure coiling in the pit of your stomach as you reached the edge of your second orgasm.

“Oh fuck… fuck you feel so damned good… so good!”

He called out as he released, filling you with hot fluid as you milked his cock for everything he had. You followed a second after him, squeezing around his twitching shaft as your head fell back, dark spots forming in your vision as you both fell together in ecstasy. Kirishima rocked backwards, landing less than gracefully on his back with you clinging to his chest. For a few blissful moments you lay there, painting for breath, sweat glistening on your skin.

“Damn little one...heh, who knew you had it in ya!” he laughed, his chest bobbing as you lay on top of it.

Still too spaced out to talk, you lay against him with a smile and lightly kissed his chest.

“Hey uh… was this, really ok?”

His question surprised you, almost as much as the uncertainty in his voice.

“I mean… after everything that happened to you tonight. I’d hate to think you regretted it or somethin’... So, was this ok?”

He gazed down at you, eyes wide with worry that he may have just crossed the line. How could a powerful Tengu be this damned cute? You shook your head with a smile before planting a sudden kiss on his lips. His voice was muffled against you, but he relaxed into it soon enough.

“I’ll take that as a yes!” he giggled, his body relaxing beneath you once again.

“Hey, does this mean we can do it again!?”

His demeanour had switched to something akin to an excitable puppy, it was just too precious to deny.

“Who am I to say no to such a noble Tengu?”

#bhna fanfiction #kirishima x reader #kirishima eijiro x reader #kirishima eijirou #bnha au

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