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kachuuyaa · 3 years

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— MAPLE LEAVES AND BLACKOUT DREAMS.

11072021 ; g.i oneshot , gn!reader , bsd!reader .. again

genre ; fluff

includes ; spoilers for the latest archon quest... ig... one mention of fyodor, gods and heavenly powers, INAZUMA ..a...a.... kazuha is intrigued by you go you go! subtle flirting probably

characters ; kazuha, beidou, paimon (platonic), aether (platonic)

synopsis ; Only one human could make another feel safe in this world of faux bliss. (In which you meet the wandering samurai from Inazuma.)

author's notes ; so sorry if you're tired of my bsd!reader content but it won't stopYaba dasabadaba yoobabababa (blow!) Moosay Abalaba dooba, cadoosay (cadoosay) Metamorphosis aporphis of morkle laborth laba gorbalib (laboratory)

It has not been long since the reunion between the twins, and Aether seemed melancholic throughout your journey back to Liyue. It was to be expected, really. You knew it all along, yet you didn’t bother to tell him. It was quite easy to figure out, actually, yet you do not want to add on to the suspicion brought upon you. You don’t bother to confront him after that, not wanting to make any mistakes during your conversation with him. Completely blocking Paimon and Aether’s discussions, your eyes fixated themselves on the sleeping Chuuya on your shoulder.

He has been sleeping a lot, you realized, wiggling a bit on your shoulder, he rested his small head on your neck. You smiled to yourself, he was quite cute. You did not want to venture into Liyue Harbor for multiple reasons, if you were on the watchlist of the Knights, there is no doubt you are on the watchlist of the Millelith. “Hey, [Name],” Paimon’s voice entered your ears, getting your attention. You turned your head carefully so as to not wake the sleeping Chuuya on your shoulder, bored eyes staring at Paimon. “Ah-” she stuttered, “do you… possibly know how to get to Inazuma?” she asked meekly, nervousness coating her features-- she was still afraid of you. Well, after the meeting between the twins, how could she not? You were certainly at the top of her “Do Not Piss Off” list.

Inazuma. A beautiful nation shrouded with darkness and all things far from heavenly. You have heard of the nation, never being able to step inside, so you resort to the wind; it gives you information on anything and everything. The rumors of you and the ballads of the ancient traverse through the winds you depend on for information, and it has not let you down. Chuuya would also eavesdrop on others for information, his short stature giving an advantage. He would keep the information for himself, for angry squeaks are the only thing that leaves his tiny mouth.

So, no, you do not know how to get there. You may hold the fate of the world in your hands, able to make even the strongest of archons bow at your feet by a simple wave of your hand. Veins pumping with the blood of another world, and another world is where you reign and have died. This world is merely but a fleeting one, you assumed, and while you may have unimaginable battle prowess and an equally indestructible and flawless ability, you simply do not care. Who are you to care about a world which has no meaning to you? You belong here, yet you don’t have an obligation to protect it. Even the archons-- the so-called “protectors” of Teyvat, had destroyed a nation made by mortal hands.

The gods here were as selfish as the ones you have read before you’ve ever come here. Your life was held in another, chained, captive in another's hands. And even though you were free by being released-- reincarnated in another world (you can’t say another life; you know it’s a continuation of your previous one, how stupid), you know you were bound to experience the selfishness of the gods, those replicating what you have seen in mortals. “No, I don’t.” You sighed, looking back at the sea. The sea has always been a peaceful place, an abyss with numerous undiscovered creatures residing in it. “There must be someone you know..” You trailed off, still focusing on the scenery before you. Unsurprisingly, Paimon snapped Aether out of his reverie and called out his name. “Oh. Let me try and think of someone…” Aether began to think, but Paimon interrupted his train of thought before he could form a name. “Paimon’s thought of someone already -- Atsuko, in Liyue Harbor! She’s from Inazuma!” Paimon exclaimed, waving her tiny arms in the air, ushering both you and Aether to Liyue Harbor, yet you were quick to decline her offer. Dismissing her invitation, you waved your hand, and said, “No, No. People wouldn’t want to see someone like me venturing with the bigshot of Teyvat.” You said, a slight tease coated in your tone.

The traveling duo had to think about your words, you were right-- in a sense, yet they did not want to leave you alone. (they were completely disregarding the existence of a Chuuya-fied wisp sleeping soundly on your shoulder.) “Aww!” Paimon whined, “Paimon wanted [Name] to come with us!” Aether simply laughed, and nodded his head, standing up. “Well, if we find a way to get there, you will join us, alright?” He asked you, but it didn’t seem like a question, it was a demand, really. Deadpanning, you nodded your head, assuring that you will, in fact, travel with them after consulting Atsuko.

You lowered your presence before venturing to the foot of Liyue, trying to conceal yourself from wandering eyes. Aether and Paimon were barely in your peripheral vision and trying to hear their conversation with the Inazuma citizen was even harder. As if on cue, Chuuya squeaked, trying to get your attention, and you faced the tiny wisp who twirled around the air, orange particles following suit. “Ah, you want to eavesdrop?” you questioned, trying to understand his body movements. A little nod with a squeak of approval was what you received in return, and you allowed him to do so. You may not understand his body movements most of the time-- but hey, you try. The wisp navigates its way to where Paimon and Aether were, making sure that he was unseen and unnoticed by the passerby. Thankfully, though, he was.

After a bit of eavesdropping, he returned back to you, and you ultimately did not get what he meant, until he gestured-- with his head-- the direction of Guyun Stone Forest. You could only assume that much. Shortly after, Paimon and Aether returned to you both, and you turned to face them, awaiting their statement. “Uh- alright,” Paimon started, unable to look you in the eye. You found her nervousness quite hilarious, your mouth forming a smirk in amusement. Despite being small, yet wasn’t hesitant to voice out anything on her mind, was afraid of a mere human like you. “Atsuko told us that we must meet with the .. Crux.” The Crux, you have heard tell of their captain and their victories. How could you not? The strange relationship between the Tianquan and the captain was being spread throughout Liyue, including their many stories in the sea. The reputation The Crux has gotten for their many bone-chilling and jaw-dropping experiences was enough to make you interested. “Continue,” You replied, eyes analytical, boring into poor Paimon’s eyes. She shrieked, and silently pleaded to Aether to continue where she left off.

Chuuya, on the other hand, was snickering mentally, not only because of Paimon’s cowardice but also because of Aether’s hesitance to respond. He opted to let out squeaks that resembled laughter. Paimon jerked her head to the wisp, comical steam escaping her ears. “Stop laughing, you orange dwarf!” She stomped her legs, and you had to hold back your laughter. Aether cleared his throat, and Paimon halted her actions. “We must find Captain Beidou, the leader of the Crux.” He said calmly, and you nodded your head. Chuuya was sulking on your shoulder, forming a little ball. How cute, you think, and stood up to follow Paimon and Aether to their destination.

Guyun Stone Forest. An infamous landmark created by the spears of the Lord of Geo, known to hold an ancient god, Osial, one you were most familiar with after the battle that forced him to retreat yet again. Guyun Stone Forest was known to house the Hypostasis that you severely resented, as well as other monsters of each variety. It was a place created by a god, and it houses an ancient one-- waiting to awaken yet again. Some say that if you come by at night, you would experience the bloodshed and the defeat of Osial vividly, memories of the god experiencing his demise would flash through your head like a slideshow.

Soon enough, you both were able to board the Crux without unnecessary mishaps, you trailing behind Aether and Paimon, your presence still unnoticed by the rest of the crew. Chuuya was settled atop your head, seldomly wiggling to find a place to relax. He was still awake, though, that was enough. Aether’s footsteps alerted Beidou, who was currently talking to an unknown stranger you have never seen before, and it seems like Aether was unfamiliar with him, too.

“Hmm? Who’ve we got here…” Beidou turned to face Aether, and you moved to the side, out of Beidou’s peripheral vision. A flash of realization took over the captain’s features, and said, “Wait, I know you. You’re that traveler, Aether, aren’t you?” She questioned, “The one who fought against the Fatui and Osial, right?” She added. Aether blinked, processing her words. Yeah, he did all those, and it should be a given that his achievements were recognized, but a look of confusion would tell you otherwise. “Have we met?” He asked in response. He was a busy man, accepting commissions from complete strangers in both nations without hesitation, and they might remember him, but do not expect this man to remember you-- at all. He chooses not to remember irrelevant people.

Their conversation was not yours to mind, instead, looking out to sea. It was far more interesting than what you’re hearing, all too familiar with what they’re talking about. Feeling a pair of eyes on you, you shrugged it off, too immersed in the beauty of the sea in front of you. Beidou’s loud voice boomed, entering your ears, which snapped you out of your thoughts. “Judging by the clothes on your back and this floating thing-- and you! Another companion, perhaps?” Before Paimon could talk back to the captain, her eyes followed Beidou’s finger, which was pointing to you.

You stared back at them, your eyes swirling with amusement and recognition. “Hi.” you greeted, you were not one for formal greetings. “[Name], traveling partner--” Beidou’s voice interrupted you before you could finish, “aren’t you the suspicious fellow the Millelith was to keep track of?” Ah. So she knows. Who wouldn’t, really? Your supposed title along with Aether’s name being spread throughout Teyvat, one outshining the other. You were feared, unlike Aether, who was respected throughout the continent, yet you were one who they would want to avoid-- to show you who you need to respect. Although that didn’t bother you, it certainly irritated Paimon and Aether.

“They’re my traveling companion-- my friend.” Aether emphasized the word ‘friend’, making you smile fondly at the boy. Paimon nodded vigorously, and Beidou let it slide, albeit hesitant in doing so. “I’ll let it slide, for now.” She monotonously said, eyeing you and Aether, “but if you do something sketchy, I won’t hesitate to do something to you.” She threatened, making Paimon yelp and hide behind Aether, while you smirked in amusement. “A deal’s a deal, captain.” You muttered, turning your back on her to face the scenery you were focusing on. “And by the way, Paimon’s not ‘floating thing,’ it’s Paimon!” She said, shouting each vowel of her name.

“Paimon… hmm..” Those words that belonged to a foreign voice caught everyone’s attention-- excluding Chuuya’s, who was too entertained by the floating particles around his body-- to turn to said man. “What a fascinating being. You two give off not only the essence of wind and earth,” He paused, “but also of… yes… the stars…” He concluded. You blinked, “Eh? The fragrance of what now?” Paimon questioned, confusion lacing her tone, “That’s the weirdest compliment Paimon’s ever heard.” She muttered, and the mysterious man turned to you. “But you… you give off the essence of the stars, and the aura of the divine.” He stated, while you turned to him, and said, “Is that an insult?” You voiced out, while he merely chuckled and shook his head. “Pay it no heed… I mean only to say I am certain… that it is by fate, not chance alone, that we should meet… and that gives our encounter meaning.”

You couldn’t bother to listen to their conversation, for you were not included. Yet you managed to catch his name, Kaedehara Kazuha. Upon studying his appearance more, you realized that he was not local. The frame around his vision confirmed your assumptions, and you could only wonder what that frame came from. Where he came from, exactly. There was an oddly calming and melancholic aura emanating from the man behind you, and it may look like he was aware of it, too. The group exchanged words relating to something about a Crux Clash, something you have never heard of before. Leaning forward to the railings, you let Chuuya sit on your shoulder while nuzzling his face on your neck. Sleepy, he was, all the time. Though that didn’t bother you, really.

“Does your friend over there have some experience in fighting?” I think they do, considering their unusually suspicious yet powerful aura, Beidou wanted to add, yet she refused those words to slip past her tongue. Aether knew you never wanted to be put in the spotlight, to be the center of attraction even for a few minutes, all of those things irked you. Even though you were the center of attraction back in your past life-- for all the right reasons, you don’t want it to happen again. Tranquility is what you desire. You were offered the curse of the gods and the blessing of death, yet tranquility is what truly made you feel human amidst everything else.

Everything passes, tranquility doesn’t. “They would probably decline if you asked them.” He said, it was the truth, really. “They’re not one for formal events,” He trailed off, running out of reasons for vouching for you. You were a mysterious individual, and while you have been their traveling companion for quite some time, you still left lingering questions on your trail. Curiosity swirling in his eyes whenever he manages to take a good look at you, wondering what you are-- who exactly you were. Perhaps being mysterious came with good looks. “Oh? Is that so?” She quirked an eyebrow and glanced at your figure before tearing her gaze back to the traveler. “Yeah, they're a tough one!” Paimon exclaimed, “They don’t fight unless necessary!” Paimon then added, recalling your previous statements to the pixie. You were ruthless and merciless in battle, cunning in strategy, resorting to being the brains between the duo. That doesn’t excuse your methodical and malicious way of swerving through the situation, however.

“I’m not interested.” Your sharp voice cuts through the conversation, dismissing every thought the wandering samurai and the captain may have had. Still facing the sea, elbows on the railings of the ship. “You, too, are not interested in the masterless vision?” Kazuha asked, and you nodded. “I am only interested in following Aether.” You uttered nonchalantly, and a blush rose to Aether’s cheeks, quickly faltering. “Well, it seems like the traveler will only be partaking in the event. Let’s get you signed up, yeah?” she questioned, “Head to the tournament arena in Guyun Stone Forest. Kazuha and I will be over soon.” She smiled, clasping her hands together. Before anyone could say anything else, you disappeared. (poof! You’re gone, and honestly, it’s a surprise that no one noticed Chuuya, at all.)

Beidou turned to look at you, yet you were gone. All that was left was a little wisp with orange particles surrounding its body. It seemed to be looking around frantically, beady eyes locking with ruby-colored ones. It blinked, and it disappeared as soon as they made eye contact. Was that [Name]? The captain blinked and shrugged her shoulders. It would be an understatement to say that both of them were confused, they genuinely thought that you turned into a wisp. Kazuha’s face remained neutral, yet there was a lingering swirl of amusement in those vermillion hues of his. “Well, well. It seems like it will only be a matter of time before the answer is revealed.” (AWOOOOAOAOAOAO WOOOF WOOF. anyway.)

You didn’t want to be noticed by the Liyue participants, having been popular on the list of suspicious individuals. You knew that if they saw you, even if it was just a glimpse, they would panic. So, what was the best option? Well-- hide, obviously. You were sat atop one of the spears, right above the reception area. The endless praises coming from the other competitors soon reached your ears, but that didn’t make you interested. They have only witnessed him in his power, but were they able to walk alongside him? You didn’t think so, besides, they’re but mere specks of dust in his house of memories. You crossed your legs, blocking out any sounds entering your ears. That is until a familiar squeak is what you heard. Looking to your left, you saw a visibly furious wisp. When you landed your eyes on him, he started smacking your head as if he was scolding you-- well, he was. In his tiny little head, he was cursing you out, and he had embarrassed himself in front of two complete strangers. You laughed, not quite loud, and gently encased your hands on his tiny body. He slept after that.

You only watched some of Aether’s matches before you appeared-- out of nowhere-- behind Beidou and Kazuha. The samurai noticed your peculiar presence the second you got there, really, you had a very, very unique scent. He would describe it as flowers-- laid out in a field, wilting ever so slowly. An enigma that presents itself as a gentle soul, malicious in movement and methodical if necessary. You had eyes that resembled that of a certain archon he grew to despise, yet he failed to sense any correlation between the two of you. If he had, though, he would be utterly speechless that you haven’t stolen him away, yet. You presented yourself as swift in movement and uninterested in talking, although he noticed a playful side that you only revealed to Aether. He now realized that you weren’t the wisp that disappeared after a few double takes, situated on your shoulder. Even that small wisp radiated the same aura that you did.

Just who were you? Kazuha couldn’t decipher you that much, he thinks he has only so little information about you, and he was right. You were a black and white canvas, one who presents themselves as plain, quiet, yet you were familiar with all emotions at once. The ability to be stoic and to have separate personalities were one of your most prominent features, being able to lure your target into a seemingly well-made trap. Your eyes were closed, listening to the waves meeting the sand, oh, how you missed that sound.

The waves crashing never failed to land a small smile on your face, unnoticed by many, tranquility was the only word you would describe the sounds the oceans make. Calming, it was. Beidou’s laugh entered your ears, “I knew I wouldn’t regret choosing you as the favourite!” You opened your eyes slightly, directing your sharp eyes to Aether and Paimon. “So what do you think, Kazuha? [Name]? He totally dominated that guy, and did it with style, too!” She said, visible pride laced within her words. To be fair, you were proud of Aether as well, but your pride was overshadowed by nonchalance. “Impressive,” Kazuha praised, “But I also observed our favorite exercise some restraint, as if to protect the opponent from harm.” He added, and paused, turning to look at you. “Ah,” you uttered, “Good work, Aether.” you were simple, Aether knew that, yet you never praised him verbally, resorting to ruffling his hair. It did not fail to make him smile, though. Paimon smiled brightly, for that was the first time she heard those words slip past your lips. You smiled gently, genuinely, and whispered, “I know you will win.”

Paimon was ready to cry then and there. Comical tears run down her face, hugging you from the neck, “Paimon didn’t know you could be so nice!” Her voice was shaky, yet you laughed in faux offense and Aether smiled, and whispered a ‘thank you', in response. Beidou laughed heartily, and Kazuha crossed his arms with a small smirk. So not only were you playful, you had a soft spot for Aether! Lovers, perhaps? Softly chuckling, you leaned back to the stone behind you, letting your eyelids rest. As the wind kissed your face you were vaguely reminded of the man beside you, yet you made no intent to look at him. You were only brought back to reality when Beidou told Aether that he would be put in the semi-finals, and you nodded in agreement. Aether smiled, his eyes forming crescents, and sent you a thumbs up in return.

After quite a long wait, it was time for the semi-finals. After some words from Kazuha and the announcement from Beidou, you patted Aether’s back gently and gave him a look that said ‘you can do this’. Well, needless to say, he was quite hyped after that exchange. Chuuya squeaked from beside you, and you let him start floating on your shoulder. This attracted Kazuha’s attention, “What’s that?” He asked, the words spilling out of his mouth before he could ever give it a thought. Chuuya and you side-eyed him, and said, “ah. This little guy?” You pointed to Chuuya, and it seemed angered at your comment. “This guy’s Nakahara. A… memoir of a... friend, in short.” Said wisp halted its actions, although it didn’t go unnoticed by both of you. “Hm, fascinating. You two carry the same aura.” You remained silent for the most part, yet a simple sigh escaped your lips. “Hm, do we?” You muttered, softly patting the wisp’s head with your pointer finger. It seemed delighted, unconsciously leaning to your touch. “Perhaps we do,” you whispered, knowing the truth behind this small wisp below your finger. “Do you… perhaps… have some history with this creature?” He asked, curiosity and attentiveness evident in his wine-colored eyes. You paused for a moment, thinking of your words. “Well, if you phrase it like that, then… sort of, yeah.” He nodded after your confirmation, yet your answers only made him insatiable; there were still so many questions he’d want to ask you, yet he knows you won’t provide for the insatiable. You never do.

After the match, you observed Aether ask other people for information about his final opponent. You weren’t bothered to watch the matches that didn’t involve him, however, entertaining Chuuya in the process whenever he wasn’t on the battlefield. But from the observations of Beidou and Kazuha, you were able to identify that seemingly suspicious man. Your intuition was never wrong, of course. He was described to be agile, swift, and seemingly formidable in battle. Well, you would be lying if he doesn’t remind you of someone you were previously acquainted with. “Wah! Paimon is starting to think that [Name] here is our final opponent!” You blinked, dismissing Paimon’s words. “Eh? No, no, no.” You shook your head, “what makes you think that?” you asked, and Paimon scratched her head, “eh… you are fast as well! Fast on your feet! Strong too! You and our opponent are far too similar!” Paimon complained, stomping her feet in the air like a child. “Now that’s just… insulting.” You muttered, and Kazuha chuckled. “Oh? How so?” He queried. You shook your head, “I would prefer to keep my prideful remarks to myself.” and Chuuya shook his head vigorously, denouncing your statement, squeaking in retaliation. Beidou’s voice cut through your conversation, stirring the topic into the final battle.

You, again, did not bother to listen, closing your eyes until someone catches your attention. Words were exchanged between the 3 elemental wielders, and the voice that snaps you out of your reverie was none other than Aether’s, “Can [Name] come too?” You snapped your eyes open, staring at Aether, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, you spoke up, “Where, exactly?” Paimon cut through the discussion, “With Kazuha!” and a flash of realization flooded her features, “Wait, Aether, why do you want them to come exactly?” Her voice was laced with a slight tease, and a sly smile formed on her lips, making Aether pinch her cheeks and stick his tongue out when he heard her whine. Beidou did not want to interrupt, but you know what kind of thoughts are forming on the captain’s mind. Something about “are they together?” Well, something like that. Kazuha, on the other hand, never once failed to show amusement during their exchanges, especially when the topic is about you. “Well, that’s settled, come with me. Some post-match entertainment is in order.”

What you didn’t expect is that he’d completely focus on Aether in the secluded place he led you both to. “Now that we’re alone, let me cut to the heart of the matter.” He began, he eyed Aether, then to your still, peaceful figure. Seemed like Chuuya was sleeping, once again. “Traveler, you are skilled in manipulating the elements.” He began, and that is when you snapped your eyes to Kazuha, fully invested in the conversation as if you weren’t resting your eyes ten seconds ago. Kazuha brushed off your intense gaze on him, and continued, “And not just a single element, but multiple, is that correct?” You weren’t shocked, no. You witnessed it firsthand, and all the subtle attempts to cover up Aether’s otherworldly ability were futile when it came to you. Besides, you were capable of revealing even the smallest details.

“Although I cannot make sure of [Name], while yours were not as subtle as you presume, they give me an unfamiliar aura. One I cannot discern,” He uttered, turning to face and making eye contact with you. “Now, then, may I be so bold to inquire just what power you hold?” Despite the soft tone he presented you with, you still denied it. “I do not have such power as you may think I do.” You shut down his question, “I may hold the aura of the gods, but I do not have any affiliation with them.” You said sternly, hoping that he would dismiss this subject, and swallow up your lies. If anyone knew about your ability and the status you had compared to the gods above, including Chuuya’s, everyone would be against you. The sheer power you hold in your body surpasses that of bygone gods and wandering travelers. You were an unstable yet powerful force, never truly revealing your plans, and never using the ability you were cursed to use again. You never used it to spite the gods who have cursed you in the world you know you will never fit in. You were anything but human in this world of selfish souls, well, you know who would agree with you. (you know Fyodor would have a field day if he was here.)

Although you remained composed and stoic, you silently wished Kazuha would let you slip past his questions. He was, obviously, completely oblivious to your thoughts. Kazuha wasn’t oblivious about your power, though, you knew he knew that you have one. After that exchange, you completely retracted yourself from the conversation, simply observing the two who discussed Aether’s powers and skills. You didn’t miss the slight concern that Paimon held towards you, though. You didn’t like talking; to strangers, especially. Save for your interrogation victims back in the day, in meetings, you usually butt in when necessary, or riling up the boss and Chuuya whenever you felt like doing so. The only relevant thing to come out of the conversation you listened to was everything relating to Inazuma. Ah, so that’s where he came from. No wonder the frame encasing his vision looked foreign to you. You briefly made eye contact with Kazuha, and you recognized that look in his eyes. As if he was still wary of you, and your motives.

Truth is, he was completely intrigued because of you. Still wary-- yet enamored. He knows you are observant, calculating, and seemingly notorious due to all of these traits, including your intimidating appearance. You carry yourself with utmost royalty, independent in all situations, and overpowering most of your enemies with ease. He could tell by your scent that you were one to be avoided, and one who is more powerful than most vision wielders-- scratch that, maybe all. Although that would be an overstatement to some, he just has this feeling that you are stronger than you present yourself as. That was true, obviously. What is a mysterious person without their secrets? He secretly hoped he did not give you a bad impression, for you were a mysterious one who attracts even the wisest of men. He’ll make sure to ask Aether about you, even if it’s just the simplest of information. He was certain that he hears all things in nature, yet you were one who grew in a field of foreign flowers. That, he cannot decipher.

2021 © kachuuyaa. do not steal or claim my work as your own.

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yyh4ever · 3 years

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"I didn't see the afterlife for nothing!"

The 8th Catch Phrase Grand Prix

Weekly Shounen Jump - WSJ N°25 (June 8, 1992)

Before continuing with the translations of Togashi's comments from the Table of Contents, I'd like to explain from where the anime's next episode preview catchphrase comes.

The "Catch Phrase Grand Prix" was a contest held by the WSJ in which the participants submitted a catchphrase that had to do with their favorite series from the magazine. The mangaka, in turn, would draw an illustration to match the phrase.

The winner of the 8th edition (June 1992 issue), Miss Tamiya, 17 years old, from Kumamoto Prefecture, won the contest with the catchphrase:

"I didn't end up seeing the afterlife for nothing!!"

「ダテにあの世は見ちゃいねぇ!!」

Date ni anoyo wa michai nee! !

Meaning that Yusuke didn't just die, but by seeing the other world, he learned a lot and became stronger.

The coolest thing is that the winner herself (@SelectShopHIKO) posted on Twitter that her catchphrase was selected almost 30 years ago, and it was used in the anime, which surprised her to no end.

To match the catchphrase, Togashi drew the above illustration of Yusuke in the afterlife, holding the kanabo, the mythical spiked club, a weapon that belongs to the oni (demon ogre). Standing right behind Yusuke are the Blue and Red Oni.

The oni are known in the japanese folklore as servants of the Great Lord Enma, ruler of Hell, and for wielding iron clubs with which they crush humans for enjoyment. For those familiar with Dragon Ball, blue and red oni also appear in this series.

In my opinion, this illustration shows that Yusuke won against the oni, took over their spiky club and became the new bigwig in the afterworld. He surely didn't see the afterlife for nothing!

This drawing was also used as cover of the Yu Yu Hakusho volume 8. According to Togashi's comments to the Artbook (2005), the red and blue oni's stances were modeled after two black guys he saw standing around like this in some music video or magazine, and thought they looked cool.

On October 10, 1992, the first episode of the anime aired on Japan's Fuji TV network. The catchphrase from the WSJ Grand Prix was borrowed, adapted a little bit, and employed in the next episode preview only as:

"I didn't see the afterlife for nothing!"

「ダテにあの世は見てねぇぜ！」

Date ni anoyo wa mitene~e ze!

(the japanese sentence-ending particle "ze-ぜ" was also added to change the tone to a more informal masculine speech, suiting more Yusuke's character)

The famous illustration served as inspiration for this scene from the first ending, "The Homework Doesn't End":

In episode 2, Atsuko also mentions dreaming about Yusuke fighting with the oni in the next world and becoming their leader. Also a reference to the illustration, in my opinion.

I don't know how it was translated in dubbed versions, but I've seen many people claiming that Atsuko predicted the future of the series by saying that Yusuke became the leader of the demons in hell. Please, do not misunderstand the afterlife (heaven or hell) with the Demon World (Makai) neither the oni, who work to Lord Enma, with the regular youkai, inhabitants of the Makai in the YYH series.

Lastly, how was the anime's catchphrase from the next episode preview translated in your country?

#I didn't see the afterlife for nothing #yu yu hakusho #weekly shounen jump #oni #Catch Phrase Grand Prix #ダテにあの世は見てねぇぜ！#Weekly Shounen Jump - WSJ N°25 (June 8 #1992)

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harisutheforestprincess · 3 years

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What’s the meaning behind acting for Nezumi?

Usually, this question answers are simply about it being a safe place for him or a morally correct way to earn money. All of it is true, yet there is a why? underneath it. Out of all the things Nezumi could do, as work or profession, because he has the mental and physical ability, he chooses to be an actor.

It's never stated in the novels, but I believe among all those books in the bunker there must be An actor's work by Konstantin Stanislavski, considering it as a fundamental book, almost a classic, to whoever decides to start in performing arts.

For Nezumi, this book must have been more than a technique or method. It gave him tools to gain control over his entire set of emotions and still be able to express, yes, emotions. He has the dominion of his body and his mind.

Stanislavski created an acting system based on the idea an actor should place the character's circumstances differently than the actor's circumstances since they are divergent roles, to draw a line between what's the character experiencing through your body and what's your body's real experience. It sounds weird and tricky, but it's all about not becoming the role you're interpreting for the sake of your psychological health. There's when comes the Magic if.

Magic If it's all about imagination. You could start asking yourself questions like how does this character experience heartbreak? where is the pain coming from? is he loud about it or the opposite? and many more questions that give you an approach to how the character would solve a given situation. These elements belong only to the character circumstances found on the script, even when they resonate with you -the actor. It's at the end: a fictional world. To achieve this, Stanislavski gave a step-by-step system, so the actor can provoke an organic response in a performance and make the lie become the truth for the spectators, and not himself.

To be more specific, Stanislavski calls this experience "I am being". I am being Ophelia, but I am not Ophelia. Can spot the difference? You identify with the character, but you do not believe you are the character. The last one would be a case for the nearest psychologist.

We see Nezumi going in and out of character many times through the novels. He asks himself questions like "what was my line?" or excuses himself with phrases like "I was trying to remember my line"; he also theatrically quotes books and poems, and corrects Shion for not expressing the right emotion when reading.

Emotions become a tool Nezumi uses as he pleases when given a situation. It doesn't matter how awful that situation might be, as an example, when he goes into character to extract information from an important No. 6 citizen. Later, he's even able to torture this man. However, when Shion asks him to stop, he's able to easily let go. He is being a role, but that's not who Nezumi is. It's the Magic If in its most pure way.

I know Nezumi has no idea who he truly is, but that's a different topic.

When Nezumi is on stage, he can experience pain, love, tears, and laughter. It's through the roles he's found on every letter of a book, he's able to connect with people. Whether if this is for his survival or his benefit that's the least of importance.

He is telling a story he knows could be true, because he recognizes everything is possible in the real world, just like everything happens in a book.

"Like all of these―" Nezumi slowly looked about his room. "―these thousand of stories here, you taught me that sometimes we encounter the most unexpected things." ― Atsuko Asano, No.6, Volume 1.

Nezumi has experienced from the inner of his loins the life of many, and, I believe, it's that what helped him to cope with an awful place like West Block, probably helped him to cope with his trauma too. So acting is, indeed, a safe place for him because it's some sort of therapy. Nezumi could approach stories that are similar to his without the need of setting himself on fire every time.

Nezumi steps to the stage and he could open his heart and talk about his past, his pain, his hurt, and his hate, and still..., spectators would not have a clue.

Nezumi steps to the stage and he could be faithful to the words he spills and free himself just a little from his burden, and still..., the scrutinizing eyes are meters of distance from him.

He could be vulnerable, put his guard down, and people would think it's just a role. They could start analyzing what they hear and discuss between them what he is talking about, but they will never reach Nezumi to have a face to face talk. Nezumi's emotions will reach people, but the people's emotions won't reach him, so it will never be intimate. Because performing brings an ambiguity whether what you see is real or not. Intimacy has no place for ambiguity.

Nezumi would never talk out loud about how he truly feels, but he knows he has the choice. The stage is his. He rehearses and explores and decides what fits or not. Only then, he shares.

Acting is what Nezumi is more comfortable with. It's on stage where he savors real control because everything is inside the words printed on paper, and it's the control that makes Nezumi feel more at ease because there's not a thing that could escape from his hands and cause him harm.

The meaning behind acting for Nezumi is that, for sure, it's a safe place. The only safe place he gets during 11 years of his life. A place that's not attached to a person or a city, but attached to his body and mind. As long as he is alive, no one can take it away from him.

#no. 6 meta #no. 6 #nezumi

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grimtwin · 4 years

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What are some differences between the yyh manga and anime?

Okay well... I’ll put this under a bracket since this might be long, and I type a lot. There’s a bunch of spoilers here too so... beware I guess.

1. In the manga, after Yusuke dies, he and Botan go on several weeks worth of adventures, assisting the souls of people who have died, or people on the verge of death, to earn good karma. He’s even allowed to re-enter his body once a month in order to keep his body and spirit in sync, so his body doesn’t die again. But he’s not allowed to speak to Keiko or Atsuko, the only two people who know he’s still alive at the time.

In the anime, pretty all of that is out the window. Yusuke only possess Kuwabara’s body once, tells Keiko the information he needs her to know, and then gets his life back shortly after that.

2. In the manga... Atsuko plays a much larger role. While yes, she does leave Keiko to tend to Yusuke’s body for awhile so she can go out and party sometimes, she does threaten Yusuke’s principle (along with some Yakuza) to let Yusuke back into school. She then joins Botan, Keiko, and Shizuru in going to the Demon World Tournament where she gets the other ladies drunk in between matches, and helps beat down some pervy demons. Later on, when Sensui attacks Mitarai at Yusuke’s home, she joins in on the stare down on the street below, and after Sensui explodes part of her apartment, she stays to deal with the cops so Yusuke and the others can chase down Sensui. FURTHER STILL, after Yusuke dies, we get to see a very beautifully drawn panel of Atsuko holding Puu’s dead body and trying to get him to wake up, which is very sad, because you get the feeling that she knows her son is dead again.

And toward the epilogue, we see Atsuko once more, showing up with clients for Yusuke to help get Ruka, Juri, and Koto’s autographs, buying Keiko’s high school outfit and looking super cute, and then meeting up with Yusuke’s father, both watching over him as he works his new job. She and his father then go off to spend the night together since it’s been so long.

In the anime... Atsuko is in the first arc, crying over Yusuke a couple of times, goes off to get drunk with her cross-dressing friends, berates Yusuke for potentially cheating on Keiko with Botan, and... that’s about it. Most of the roles she played in the manga, are fulfilled by Shizuru or Jorge throughout the rest of the anime. Such as, Shizuru showing up at Yusuke’s home when Sensui was attacking instead of Atsuko (although Atsuko was in no way injured during the attack like Shizuru was), and in that specific moment where Jorge shouted for Hiei to attack Bui while he was removing his armor, that was said by Atsuko in the manga instead.

3. Speaking of Jorge, he’s just not in the manga at all. He is solely an anime version character. And because of that, the comedy route for Koenma is cut waaaaaaaaaaay back, and Koenma is a much more serious character in the manga than in the anime.

4. And back to Shizuru, in the manga, she is pretty much only in the Dark Tournament arc. She’s actually introduced to us just after Keiko pulled Yusuke’s body out of his burning home; having touched up Keiko’s burned hair, and giving her new clothing to wear. But right after that, we see that Shizuru can see Yusuke’s ghost the entire time, and tells Keiko he’s been watching her. Later we see her again where the anime introduced her to us, when Botan, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were watching the video about Yukina, and after that, of course during the Dark Tournament, but after that, Shizuru only shows up again in the epilogue.

In the anime, of course, Shizuru also has this weird kind of romance with Sakyo. He saves her from some demon guards chasing her, lights a cigarette, and Shizuru seemingly falls in love with him right then and there. But in the manga, Shizuru and Sakyo don’t ever meet once. I always found it weird that this whole thing was added into the anime, but I certainly wasn’t displeased by it. More Shizuru is great for me.

5. Botan! In the manga, her role in the beginning of the story, as I said earlier, was much larger, with her and Yusuke going around to help souls and whatnot. Overall, her anime and manga roles really aren’t changed TOO much, but one major difference is that, in the manga, she did not go on the mission with Yusuke and Kuwabara to save Yukina. She stayed back with Shizuru to have some tea. Outside of that minor deviation, her two roles were pretty much spot on.

6. In the manga, Genkai passes away at the end of the series. It was said early on in the series, before Yusuke even met her, that she felt her time was coming to an end, and that’s why she wanted to a successor. After all the stuff with the Demon World tournament is settled, and Yusuke returns to Human World, we find out that Genkai has passed away and given all her land and belongings to Yusuke and the rest of the group.

7. Mukuro and the whole... father rape thing. Yeah.... in the manga, Mukuro has a history of being a brain washed sex slave... and then after Hiei finds this out, he goes and gets a Death Tree from Kurama, infects the father with it, and gives him to Mukuro to torture for an eternity if she so wishes.

These are most of the bigger differences. There’s a bunch of little small things that aren’t super important to the overall series, just interesting stuff like Genkai and Shizuru seemingly knowing each other before the events of the story unfold, but those are worth catching on your own.

#Atsuko Urameshi #Yu Yu Hakusho #YYH #Botan #Shizuru Kuwabara #Keiko Yukimura #Genkai

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medea10 · 4 years

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My Review of Little Witch Academia

Atsuko Kagari (nicknamed Akko) has always had a fascination with witches. Or should I say one particular witch! When she was a child, she saw a magic performance done by a famous witch named Shiny Chariot. After that, Akko decided then and there that she was going to become a witch just like Shiny Chariot. So when she became a teenager, she got the opportunity to enroll at Luna Nova Magical Academy. While this school has primarily been a place for witch’s only to hone on their skills, due to financial issues they opened the school up to non-magic users. And Akko has no magic in her whatsoever!

We follow the antics of Akko as she tries to survive in a witch academy. During her time she’s managed to snag a wand that was once owned by Shiny Chariot (which she plans to return to), meet friends like Lotte and Sucy, start a rival with the school star Diana Cavendish, get one-on-one training from Professor Ursula (who has her own kind of past), and learn everything there is to know about becoming a great witch. But Akko is going to have a tough time because like I said, she has no magic in her whatsoever! BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: As I mentioned at the beginning, this series is under the thumb of Netflix (in every country). I haven’t had the opportunity to check out the subtitled version. As for the dub…boy, Erica Mendez is getting the choice roles in Netflix exclusive animes. I can’t complain, the lady does fine work. Plus Netflix gives me a chance to hear other new voice actors and seiyuus. Some were big misses with me, but others (like Sucy’s voice) won me over. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from. JAPANESE CAST: *Akko is played by Megumi Han (known for Yamato on Ore Monogatari, Momiji on Fruits Basket 2019, Kagari on Steins;Gate 0, Rio on YGO Zexal, and Chie on Tokyo Ghoul) *Sucy is played by Michiyo Murase *Lotte is played by Fumiko Orikase (known for Dianthe on Pokemon XY, Kyubei on Gintama, Riza on FMA: Brotherhood, Seras Victoria on Hellsing, Shirley on Code Geass, Rukia on Bleach, and Aki on Inazuma Elven) ENGLISH CAST: *Akko is played by Erica Mendez (known for Ryuko on Kill la Kill, Haruka/Uranus on Sailor Moon redub, Emma on The Promised Neverland, Nico on Love Live, Yuuki on SAO II, Retsuko on Aggretsuko, and Tsubaki on Your Lie in April) *Sucy is played by Rachelle Heger *Lotte is played by Stephanie Sheh (known for Mikuru on Haruhi Suzumiya, Kuro on Blue Exorcist, Nui on Kill la Kill, Hinata on Naruto, Orihime on Bleach, Illiya on Fate/stay night, Yui on K-ON, and Usagi/Sailor Moon on Sailor Moon) FAVORITE CHARACTER: I know in stories like these I always root for the underdog and they end up my favorite character…buuuuuuut…

I like Sucy! Yeah, I like the little mischevious, mushroom-loving witch. And yes, I love the episode where Akko goes inside Sucy's subconscious and we see all the Sucy's inside Sucy.

DISLIKED CHARACTER: I knew I couldn’t really hate Diana! I think most of the hatred I shared at her direction for the majority of the season was because of those two cronies that hung around her. Those two were catty bitches and I just hate those kinds of characters. But nothing could compare to Diana’s bitch aunt.

God, fuck this woman! She literally tries to usurp Diana from taking over as head of the Cavendish family line. Just so she can give it to one of her bitch daughters! She’s seriously giving me Lady Tremaine vibes, it’s not even funny. You know it’s bad that I was rooting for them to die when they got into trouble. But Diana wasn’t going to let her bitch aunt and bitch cousins die so I should stop hoping for severe payback. SHIPPING: Hmm…the shipping category is going to be fun! I think it’s only because of that one episode that involves a bee sting and the person is smitten with the next person they see. And boy did Akko get her fill when not only Andrew falls for her, but Diana as well!

Actually, I have thoughts of Andrew really taking a shine to Akko. I honestly thought there would only be two interactions at the most between him and Akko during the show. But surprisingly, there were more. I’m not really a fan of this ship, but I still find it cute. Hell, even Lotte found a boy that was interested in her at one point. She turns him down, but he still holds out hope. Also a cute moment! Hmm…at the moment I’m an open multishipper for this series. If Akko ends up with Diana, cool man! If she ends up with Andrew, whatever, I can dig it! If Akko ends up with Amanda, more power to you (and I can totally see that because Amanda is giving me total lesbo-vibes). What do you expect, this is like an all-girls school!

You know what, I’m now leaning towards Akko x Amanda more than all the others. Don’t fight me on this, I just know I like it! ENDING: Up until the halfway point, a lot of the episodes are about Akko trying to make it as a witch. Did she surpass everyone’s doubts? While Akko was able to improve her magic a bit (I give it 5%), it’s not at the level as many of her classmates. I mean by episode 20, Akko still cannot fly a broom! That should tell you something. But what’s the one thing that seems to be missing from this series?

An antagonist? Yeah, in comes Professor Croix! And to many of the students, she feels like she’s able to bring witchcraft into today’s era with her technology driven methods. And Akko certainly has taken a shine to her. However, Professor Ursula can smell this woman’s bullshit a mile away. Ursula was once the classmate of Croix. But back then Ursula was known as… Oh come on, it was so bloody obvious the moment Ursula met Akko.

Ursula is really Shiny Chariot! Meanwhile, Akko ends up trying to speak these seven secret words that’ll unlock the wand she obtained in the first episode. You know, the wand that belonged to Shiny Chariot?! And Akko has managed to obtain six out of the seven secret words. She could be the one to get the seventh word, which was something Chariot was unable to do as a student. But this positivity ends with a looming war (over a soccer match) on the rise. In actuality, there’s a force around the town as well as certain moments at the school that have caused chaos. Yes, it’s Professor Croix exploiting people’s anger for her own research. Not only that, but she used Akko for her own selfish ambitions and as a result ended up injuring Shiny Chariot to a point of altering her magic (possibly permanently). That’s one thing. Then we get quite a big bombshell!

AKKO’S MAGIC: Ever wonder why Akko has like zero magic ability?! When she saw Shiny Chariot’s performance as a child, her dreams and potential magic were taken by Chariot in order to make her performances more magical (due to audience members becoming disinterested in Chariot’s magic). Akko’s magic was taken away from her before she could even realize a thing. Damn! And you can just imagine Akko’s heartache finding out that her professor was really Chariot and that Chariot did that to not just Akko, but other children! After Chariot found out what her magic shows were doing, she immediately fell off the map.

BACK TO THE CONCLUSION: One of Croix’s inventions went rogue and is officially threatening the world. And it’s up to Akko, Sucy, Lotte, Diana, Amanda, Constance, and Jasminka to catch up to this rogue missile invention. Now that Akko was able to obtain the seventh word, there’s a good chance they can take out Croix’s out of control missile. Croix thankfully realized the errors of her way and understood the pain she’s caused to her students and her former classmate. Croix and Chariot decide to give their all to help the girls as well. While five of the seven girls were able to give a big boost, it was Akko and Diana who took out the looming threat. That’s right, witches saved the world! Yeah, during the series a lot of people were kinda mean to or looked down upon Luna Nova and the witch race in general. Especially, those dickheads at Andrew’s prep school! With this act, I’m sure Luna Nova and the witches will finally get the respect they deserve. In the aftermath, yes Luna Nova is now receiving more respect from those that have been quite cruel to them throughout the series run. Croix is going away to do some research. One of her biggest plans was to restore Ursula/Chariot’s magic that was lost due to her own recklessness with Akko. The students go back to their lessons and…

Akko (after 25 episodes) was able to float a few inches off the ground using her broom. She flew…sort of. I’ll let it count as a victory! THE TWO SPECIALS: A few years prior to the television series run, Little Witch Academia had two movies air. Now this is a different telling of the story. In the first special (which is 25 minutes), it has Akko come upon Chariot’s rod during a class assignment (instead of coming upon it in a forest like the first episode).

And here’s a real kicker, while Akko is still the class screw-up and has the least amount of magic, here she actually has SOME magic. In the second special (which is 55 minutes), Akko ends up in trouble (like normal) and ends up having to do a punishment assignment. She has to help orchestrate a ritual which ends up turning into a parade. So Akko, Sucy, Lotte, Amanda, Constance, and Jasminka all end up working together to do this. But Akko wants to turn this into something for people to remember and always cherish. Like her experiences with the Shiny Chariot performances she saw as a child! But there’s always blow-back because at Luna Nova, Shiny Chariot is seen as a disgrace to traditional witches. And of course there was bound to be some disagreements when working with a big group. And despite a few hiccups, everyone was able to come together to put on a convincing parade for the crowd. Little Witch Academia was quite the enjoyable little story. Yes, it’s a root for the underdog kind of story and even though the television series seems to give Akko the short-end of the stick on the magic matter, it’s full-filling to see her accomplish quite a bit. Even if it took her until the final seconds to learn how to fly! I know it’s been about 2-3 years since the ending of the TV series and am wondering if this is it for the franchise. I know there are novels and games out for this, so maybe one day.

But I do give a recommendation for those into witches, magic, and all that good stuff! It's full of fun characters, there's no harm in that. Currently, Netflix is the only outlet for this series (in just about every country). But Netflix does carry both the sub and dub (and several other languages). Now then, what’s my next Amazon/Netflix exclusive anime? Nope. You’re watching this.

Rising of the Shield Hero? But isn’t that Crunchyroll or FUNimation? Don’t care. You’re watching this now. But I have a big list of other animes to wat… Tough shit. You’re watching this. You have no choice but to watch a modern Isekai!

#anime review #little witch academia #akko kagari #sucy manbavaran #diana cavendish #amanda o'neill #shiny chariot #ursula callistis #lotte yanson #chariot du nord #andrew hanbridge #croix meridies

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skywardsoul · 5 years

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Diannakko Week 2019

@dianakko-week day 6, Adulthood! I want to apologize for having fallen a day behind. I hope you enjoy this nonetheless!

Diana and Akko go to visit her family in Japan. It might just be a fun trip for Akko, but for Diana, it's a chance to ask Akko's parents for her hand in marriage.

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20391742/chapters/48565283

Read on FF.Net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13372417/6/Dianakko-Week-2019

Few things scared Diana Cavendish. She was raised a proper witch, and witches were supposed to instil fear, command it. Not to mention she had years of aristocratic training under her belt. Trying to intimidate her was about as difficult as moving a mountain. That being said, as she stepped out of the car and followed her girlfriend to her parent’s house, Diana was very afraid.

It wasn’t that Akko’s family scared her at all, no it was quite the opposite. What Diana was scared of, was herself. For there was a moment, a single grave mistake Diana made when she first met the Kagari family, and the fear of ever making another one had hung over her ever since. Here she was, one of the most distinguished witches of her era, the family head of one of magic’s oldest and noblest clans, a fully fledged doctor at the Lady Beatrix Hospital for Magical Maladies and yet the first impression she made was that of a bumbling goofs.

The incident happened when Akko’s family had flown into England to visit their daughter. Since It was Diana’s first time meeting Akko’s parents, she had wanted to obviously make a good impression. She had Akko tell her everything about them in the days leading up to their arrival. What was their favorite foods? What did they like to see on their travels? What was their opinions on magic? Everything but the goddamn kitchen sink. When it came time to greet them at the airport, Diana felt confident that she had the perfect understanding of who Kumiko and Hayato Kagari were. What she wasn’t aware of however, was that Akko was not an only child. As Akko so conveniently forgot to explain in all the time they knew each other, she had a kid brother, two years younger than her. A kid brother who, when viewed from behind, looked remarkably similar to his elder sister, especially since Akko had just cut her hair.

Akko had gone off to buy a snack from a kiosk while Diana had patiently remained at the gate. It had been several minutes since Akko left on her venture when Diana thought she spotted her, turned around and staring at a restaurant. It seemed like the snack was not enough for her insatiable love. Struck with a random and rare romantic whim, Diana decided to sneak up on her girlfriend, and hug her from behind. So she did just that, pouncing on Akko and wrapping her arms around her waist.

“Hello there Miss Kagari,” Diana said in a somewhat sultry voice. “Hungry? Got tired of waiting?”

She had expected Akko to respond with a surprised squeak, and maybe follow it up with an adorable bout of embarrassment and a flustered excuse.

Only that was not the response she received. What she got instead was a surprised scream, followed by a decidedly more masculine voice then the one that belonged to her love speaking very rapidly and very angrily in Japanese. Turns out she hadn’t snuck up on her girlfriend at all. No Diana Cavendish had the great pleasure to make her first interaction with Akko’s parents be one where it looked as if she decided to assault their son Kaito.

Thankfully Akko was nearby and was able to quickly explain and somewhat smooth over the incident while Diana felt her very soul leave her body. The Kagari’s were very understanding, well except maybe for Kaito, and accepted Diana’s apology easily. Akko’s father found the whole fiasco quite humorous.

“I told you to change up your hairstyle Kaito!” Hayato said through a booming laugh. “You look too much like your sister for your own good!”

Of course Diana had seen Akko’s family many times since then, each one going off without any major issue. Yet that first meeting, that incident at the airport still haunted Diana’s mind anytime she was set to interact with the Kagaris. As she stepped out of the car and followed her excitable girlfriend up to the door of her parent’s home, Diana’s worry returned with a vengeance. If there was anytime she couldn’t mess up in front of Akko’s parents, it was now. Akko believed this trip to be a simple visit. For Diana, it was much more important. Sometime over the course of their week spent in Japan, Diana was going to ask Akko’s parents for her hand in marriage.

She was aware of the fact that the concept was a bit outdated, and was seen in a generally negative light nowadays, but it was the way of the Cavendish family and goddamnit maybe sometimes Diana liked being old fashioned.

Akko knocked at the door eagerly and stood back, practically buzzing in place as she waited for it to open. It wasn’t long until they heard a voice through the door.

“I told you salesmen to go away, I don’t want to buy any!” Hayato’s voice had a playful tone to it.

“Dad!! It’s us!” Akko responded with a giggle.

The door to the Kagari household swung open to reveal Hayato Kagari standing in the doorway.

“Well would you look at that! It wasn’t a salesman at all! Just and adorable bunny and her wonderful girlfriend.”

Akko practically tackled her father as she leapt forward to hug him.

“Tadaima!” Akko said through a bout of laughter.

“Okaeri,” her father responded in turn.

Akko’s father was a very kind and goofy man, standing no taller than Akko herself. If not for the grey in his hair and the lines on his face, he could easily be mistaken for a man much younger. He was energetic, much like his daughter and the ruby red eyes he shared with her more often than not were warm and welcoming.

“Hayato, who was at the door?” Akko’s mother’s voice drifted in from the kitchen. “Was it the girls? Are they here yet?”

“Yes honey! It’s them! Cool it in the kitchen for a bit and come to greet your daughter will yah?”

There came an annoyed “hmph!” in response before Kumiko Kagari entered the living room, wiping her hands on a towel.

Akko’s mother was fairly opposite from her father. While still a wonderfully polite woman, she was much more reserved and would scold her excitable husband and daughter when necessary. She was a good deal taller than Akko and her father and had pale, green eyes. The only physical features she shared with her daughter was her brown hair, and rounded face. Although a year older than her husband, pretty much anyone would agree Kumiko looked younger.

“Atsuko!” Kumiko said as she wrapped her daughter in a hug. “Oh it feels like ages since we last saw you!”

“Mom, It’s only been a couple of months…”

“Someday, if you’re ever a mother you will understand why that feels like ages,” Kumiko retorted.

“Hello Miss Kagari, Mr. Kagari. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Diana greeted, figuring now was a good time to do so.

Hayato turned to her with a smile. “Oh Diana, always so formal eh?”

“Well I-” was all Diana got out before she received a similar hug to the one Akko got.

“Dontcha know you don’t have to be so stiff around us by now? You’re practically family!” Hayato said. “And you’re Japanese has gotten so good! I can’t even tell you’re not a native speaker.”

“Hayato! Put the poor girl down, you’re making her uncomfortable!” Kumiko said commandingly.

“Oops! Sorry Diana. Got carried away there,” Akko’s father said, releasing her from his hug.

“That’s quite alright,” Diana said, giving him a smile. “It makes me happy to know you see me as such.”

“Say, Mom,” Akko interjected. “Where’s Kaito?”

“I sent him to the store a little a while ago to pick up some ingredients I still needed,” Kumiko explained.

“Yeah you’re mother is really going overboard with dinner today. Halfway through making the main course and she decides she’s gonna serve soup too. She’s been sending your brother back and forth all day.”

“It’s not ‘overboard,’ Hayato. Our daughter lives halfway across the world. Excuse me if I want to make sure dinner is special when she comes home.”

“Still! You spend so much time in that kitchen it’s almost like you live halfway across the world. Sometimes I think you love the stove more than me.”

Akko laughed as her parent’s started a strange sort of playful bickering. Diana couldn’t help but laugh at the antics too. She thought back to Hayato’s earlier words, how she was considered part of the family. She smiled as she watched Kumiko gesture angrily at her husband with a wooden spoon. It felt nice, having parents again.

“Tadaima!” Came a call from the front door, as Akko’s brother returned. “Who’s car is in the driveway?”

“It’s ours!” Akko replied with an excited shout as she tackled her brother in a similar fashion to the way she greeted her dad. “Okaeri, Kaito!”

“Argh! Akko! Get offa me!” Kaito said struggling to remove his elder sister.

“Oh come on! Don’t pretend like you aren’t happy to see me!” Akko said, releasing her brother and ruffling his hair.

Kaito smacked away her hand, but had a smile on his face as he fixed his hair. “Yeah, Yeah...It’s good to see you again Akko.”

“Heard mom had you playing errand boy. Just like when we were kids.”

Kaito rolled his eyes. “You don’t know the half of it. If i have to go back to the marketplace one more time, I swear old man Ryuo is gonna assume I’m making some kinda cry for help.”

The two siblings broke into a bit of shared laughter...one that ended semi abruptly when Kaito’s eyes meet Diana’s own.

“Good evening Kaito,” Diana said.

“Hello Diana,” he responded curtly, and somewhat dead pan.

Diana knew that Kaito didn’t quite like her. After how they first met, she couldn’t blame him for holding a little resentment, but she had an inkling that the issue went further. According to Akko, the two siblings were very close growing up as kids. When Akko made the announcement to her family that she wanted to go to school overseas, Kaito got fairly upset. Akko even said that the siblings relationship strained somewhat in the months leading up to her departure. If Diana had to hazard a guess, even factoring out their strange first encounter, Kaito saw Diana as a representation of everything that made Akko move away.

That was just a guess, but really the only guess she had. Diana grew up learning to read people to an absurd level of perfection, yet she could never tell just what Akko’s brother was thinking. It really was striking, just how much Kaito resembled his older sister. Everything from their height, general body build, shape of their face, and hair color were nearly identical. It didn’t help that Kaito like wearing his hair fairly long. The only real way to tell the two apart was their voice and eye color. Kaito had his mother’s striking green rather than his father’s red. It was honestly hard to believe they weren’t twins.

Now if only Kaito shared his sister’s friendly personality. Thankfully, before things could get truly awkward, Kumiko called out from the kitchen.

“Dinner is almost ready! Everyone wash-up and then get you butts to the dining room stat!”

No arguments were made as the other members of the house did just that. The Kagari’s ‘dining room,’ was really just a nice table situated in a corner of their living room. Akko had long since explained that the act of referring to it as its own proper room was a family in-joke. Once everyone was seated, Kumiko arrived, balancing various plates of food on her arms. Diana would have offered to help, but had learned the hard way that Kumiko Kagari never accepted help in the kitchen, carrying dishes to the table or otherwise.

“I’d be careful with the curry Diana,” Kumiko said to her once she was seated. “I know you aren’t the best with spicy foods. I may have made it with a bit too much kick.”

“Thank you for the warning,” Diana said with a nervous chuckle.

For awhile, Dinner had been going great. Akko talked excitedly with her parents, cramming as much of her day to day happenings as she could into her rapid fire sentences. Hayato kept the atmosphere at the table light telling jokes, and much to Akko’s charging, sharing embarrassing stories from her past. Every once in awhile, Kumiko would chime in with her two cents. Kaito largely stayed silent, but would laugh along with his family whenever he found something funny. Yup, it was a typical dinner with the Kagari family. Just like ones Diana had shared with them before. She had been a bit on edge what with her secret objective but as the Dinner went on, Diana felt herself begin to relax. Everything was going great.

“I still don’t see why you went and bought a house,” Kumiko said to her daughter. “Diana’s family owns a mansion, a mansion Atsuko!! Think of all the space you could’ve had!”

“Moooooom, I told you,” Akko said with a roll of her eyes. “Diana didn’t want to live in the mansion her whole life. Besides, I’m more comfortable in our house then a big place like that anyway.”

“What makes you not want to live there?” Hayato asked Diana.

“Well, I have a lot of complicated feelings towards my family home. One’s I’d rather not associate my relationship with,” Diana explained as politely as she could.

It would do her no good to explode into a rant about her aunt or reminisce about her mother.

“Well I can understand wanting to make your own life, trust me,” Kumiko said. “But giving up such a big living space for it? I mean a manor like that is the perfect place to raise a family! If you ever have children you might get crowded in that current house of yours.”

Diana nearly choked on her food.

“Mom!” Akko said, a blush staining her face.

“Oh come on. I said ‘if,’ not ‘when,” Kumkio replied with a wave of her hand. “Besides, you want children eventually right Diana?”

Diana felt her earlier nervousness return with a vengeance.

“Um, well, I suppose-”

“Wait a minute, is that even possible?” Kaito interjected. “They’re both women.”

Diana doubted it was her sake, but used to opportunity to shovel some food into her mouth. Hopefully that would keep the question from being directed at her.

“Please Kaito, don’t be silly. Adopting children is always a possibility. Besides, they’re witches,” Kumiko said in a know-it-all kind of way. “I know they have ways to conceive children between women. I wasn’t born yesterday.”

Diana swallowed her food, but immediately went for another bite. This was definitely not. Where she wanted this conversation to go. It was much too proposal adjacent for her tastes.

“Can’t be worrying about kids yet Kumiko! The weddings gotta come first!” Hayato said with a loud laugh.

Akko groaned in annoyance. Diana felt like she was starting to sweat.

“You’re getting married?” Kaito asked Diana flatly.

Diana swallowed the food in her mouth before responding with a waver “Well, no, but-”

“But you do plan to don’t you?” Kumiko asked pointedly “Marry my daughter I mean.”

“Mom, stop.” Akko said “This isn’t an interrogation.”

“Nobody’s interrogating anyone Akko. Your mothers just curious.”

Diana felt her face starting to heat up. Was it always this hot in here? She tried to ignore it and kept eating.

“Weddings are important Atsuko. I just want to get an idea of when I should expect one.”

“You’ll know when I know!” Akko said to her mother.

“Is that soon?” Kaito asked dryly, again directly to Diana.

Yeah. He definitely didn’t like her. Diana tried to act natural, taking a couple of more bites of food before responding.

“Uh, Diana,” Akko said, trying to get her girlfriends attention.

She had a feeling that her girlfriend was trying to save her from having to answer, but Diana was determined to tackle this herself. If she appeared to be nervous about marrying Akko, her parents would never sign off on her proposal.

“It's hard to say. It’s definitely a goal, after all I love Akko, but I don’t know if I could-”

“Diana,” Akko tried again.

“I mean trying to nail such a specific time frame is-”

“Diana!” Akko shouted.

Diana finally snapped her attention to Akko, freezing mid sentence holding her spoon above her plate.

“You know you’ve been eating mom’s super spicy curry right?”

Slowly, Diana looked to the food she had been shoveling into her mouth in her attempts to appear nonchalant. Ah. so she was. The sweating and sudden increase in temperature made sense now. Suddenly the effect of the curry all hit Diana at once, and she felt like she was on fire. She remembered shooting up from her seat in a panic, remembered Akko shouting something, Kumiko steering her into the kitchen, and then drinking an inordinate amount of milk.

Diana felt like an idiot. For the second time, she had utterly embarrassed herself in front of Akko’s family. She slid to the kitchen floor, defeat written across her face. She could hear Akko’s voice coming from the living room. From what Diana could hear, she wasn’t happy. Diana brought her knees up her face and rested her head against them. She felt like a child. She wasn’t a nervous teenage girl, meeting her girlfriends parents for the first time, but that was exactly what she acted like. If she could have melted through the floor just then, she would have.

Diana heard someone enter the kitchen, and looked up, expecting it to be Akko. She was surprised to say in the least to see Kaito standing there instead. The youngest Kagari shuffled a bit awkwardly.

“Hey. Akko sent me here to check on you,” he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Even his mannerisms were similar to his sister’s.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I am now,” Diana answered.

Kaito looked like he wanted to leave just then but instead let out a sigh and moved to sit next to Diana on the kitchen floor.

“Look, I’m sorry for earlier,” He said after a second.

Sorry? For what? That she made herself look stupid.

“I hardly see what you have to be sorry about,” Diana responded. “It’s not like you forced me to eat the curry.”

“No but anyone could see you only did that because we were making you nervous,” Kaito said. “And that, was at least partially my fault.”

Huh, he was a perceptive one wasn’t he.

“Honestly I thought you would be enjoying this. A chance to see the girlfriend you dislike make a fool of herself?”

Diana didn’t know why she said that. She usually had more tact for things of this nature, but after everything that had just happened, maybe she didn’t have the patience for tact.

“I don’t dislike you,” Kaito said.

Diana merely raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay well I did...maybe I still do a little, I don’t know,” Kaito stammered. He rubbed his head again. “It’s not like I don’t like you as a person or anything Diana… It’s just…”

He tapered off the thought.

“Just, what?” Diana pressed.

“Akko and I have been partners in crime for pretty much forever. I guess I just got kinda mad when she decided to move away. I thought, at the very least, she was gonna come back once she graduated you know?” Kaito paused to take a breath.

“But then she met you, and the next thing I know she’s living halfway across the world for probably the rest of her life. I don’t hate you Diana...I just hate not getting to hangout with my sister. Anyone that reminds me my best friend moved away is gonna make me a little cranky. That’s all.”

Silence fell between the two. Until Diana broke it with a laugh. Here they were, two adults, both with such childish problems.

“You know what, Kaito? I understand,” She said, turning to Akko’s brother with a smile. She saw him blink in surprise as she held out her hand to him. “But maybe we can move past that?”

Kaito shot her a grin that would have looked perfectly at home on Akko, and shook her hand.

“Deal.”

There was another pause, although this time Kaito broke it.

“You were gonna ask my folks if you could marry her, weren’t you?”

Again, perceptive.

“I was.”

Kaito stood, stretching his legs a bit before walking to the kitchen door.

“Don’t bother. The answers gonna be yes. They consider you a part of this family more than my dad’s own brother, although that might be because he nuts,” Kaito said, turning to look to her with a smile.

“That’s not exactly a high vote of confidence,” Diana responded.

“You love her, right?” He asked.

“With all my heart,” Diana instantly responded.

“Then you’ll be fine,” Kaito said as he walked out.

Akko walked in right as her brother left. Instantly she was at Diana’s side, and pressed a much needed kiss to her lips.

“You doin okay?” Akko asked worriedly, running her hand through Diana’s hair.

Diana smiled. “Yeah, I am. And you know what Akko? I think I finally got your brother to like me.”

#dianakko week 2019 #little witch academia #diakko #alec writes #lwa

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recentanimenews · 4 years

Text

Bookshelf Briefs 5/19/20

After-School Bitchcraft, Vol. 1 | By Yu Shimizu and Kazuma Ichihara | Yen Press – Afterschool Boobcraft would be a better title for this supernatural romance about Ririki, a ditzy high school student who accidentally discovers that her chemistry teacher is a sorcerer. Though Ririki quickly realizes that she, too, has hidden powers, nothing about her giggly, helpless behavior suggests that she’s competent enough to tie her own shoes, let alone cast a spell. Renji, her teacher, is even less of a character, defined primarily by his brusque demeanor and perma-scowl. Anyone reading for plot will find the the crude, obvious fanservice irritating, while anyone reading for fanservice will find the series’ pedestrian efforts at world-building an unwelcome distraction from the parade of costume failures and panty shots, all of which are drawn in salacious detail. Not recommended. – Katherine Dacey

Animeta!, Vol. 3 | By Yaso Hanamura | J-Novel Club – Miyuki Sanada is making gradual improvement as an inbetweener, though she’s been told that if she doesn’t pass the key animation exam within a year, she’s fired. Meanwhile, her fellow new hire, Maria Date, seems to be leaving her in the dust, is actively campaigning to take her place with the prestigious Studio 7, and gets invited to enter a character design contest by the big boss. I appreciate the sports manga feel this rivalry evokes, but the most compelling part of Animeta! for me is the plight of Yuiko Fuji, the inbetween checker who once tried to become a key animator but had no flair. She’s amazing at her current job, but seeing new talent getting promoted over her is tough. This series has really grown on me, now that its been fleshing out its characters more, and I reckon I’ll stick with it for the long haul! – Michelle Smith

A Certain Scientific Accelerator, Vol. 10 | By Kazuma Kamachi and Arata Yamaji | Seven Seas – Last time I said the cliffhanger was chilling, this time that extends to much of the book. The Index series has usually been too concerned with action and harems to get into pure horror, but its spinoffs have no issues with it, particularly this one. Cannibalism of a scientific sort continues to be the norm here, with our tragic villain continuing to be sympathetic. As is Yomikawa, possibly the nicest character in the whole Indexverse. For those who aren’t reading this for nice, the good news is that Accelerator is back in action by the end of this and ready to beat villains up while continuing to state what a villain he is. Index fans will enjoy this, though may also be creeped out. – Sean Gaffney

Cocoon Entwined, Vol. 2 | By Yuriko Hara | Yen Press – Yes, it is still tempting to review these volumes by just saying “hair” and being done with it. I mean, the start of the second volume seems to be narrated from the POV of a former schoolgirl’s hair, which is now made up of the uniform of our heroine. But there is a bit more to it than that, as we cycle back a bit and get more insight into the mysterious Hoshimiya, whose hair drifting down in single hairlets (hairlets?) continues to be an emotional gut punch for most of the school. There’s also discussion of traditions, why they’re kept and when they might have to be broken for the sake of moving on and fixing things. It’s quite an emotional drama. And rest assured, it’s filled with hair. So much hair. – Sean Gaffney

The Golden Sheep, Vol. 3 | By Kaori Ozaki | Vertical Comics – The third volume of The Golden Sheep is its last, and while it was nice that the four friends at the center of the story ultimately resolved their differences, it all felt rather too easy and anticlimactic. I did like that Yuushin finds purpose in striving to achieve enough independence to live with the stray kitty he rescued, though. (It is an extremely cute kitty.) The volume is rounded out by a twisted short story called “Love Letter” in which an unborn soul chooses to be born to a teen runaway and ends up dying from neglect, but loves its mother so much that it opts to return to earth in any guise that allows it to see her, including another cute kitty who soon meets a tragic end. It left a weird taste in my brain. – Michelle Smith

How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?, Vol. 3 | By Yabako Sandrovich and MAAM | Seven Seas – The first volume it was the fanservice that got my attention. The second volume it was the advice on keeping fit. And in this one it’s the comedy that’s really reaching out to grab you, taking the series in places I was not expecting it to go, like turning the main girls (including their teacher!) into a muscle-bound idol group, something that is impressively different but goes over like a lead balloon. Zina has fit in well with the others, and moreover she knows Satomi cosplays, so can cheerfully use that for blackmail. There are also hints that romance may come into this series—Hibiki has always been attracted to Machio when he’s not bulking out, but there’s a suggestion that her feelings may run a bit deeper than that. That said, I expect comedy to prevail. This is fun. – Sean Gaffney

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 14 | By Aka Akasaka | Viz Media – The first half of this book is almost all dedicated to Kaguya and Shirogane finally, finally, confessing—not through words, but through actions. It’s the payoff everyone has been waiting for, and it’s handled perfectly. The second half of this book then drags it all back to hilarious comedy, with the chapter about Kaguya french-kissing Shirogane being the highlight of the volume and possibly the series. Of course, there’s the question of where do we go from here—Kaguya ends up breaking her brain so much over this that she reverts to her old icy persona, and there may be a new love triangle developing around Ishigami. So don’t stop reading just because Kaguya got confessed to—there’s still plenty more fun. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 4 | By Hirofumi Neda and Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – The gag series has caught up to the main storyline, or at least wants to avoid the Overhaul Arc, so for the most part this volume is original material. Sometimes that’s good—the author shows a surprising taste for very dark character-based jokes when they want to, including one with Todoroki talking about his mother that made me gasp. There’s also a parents’ day again (it goes a bit better than the one in School Briefs), which allows us to see parents we forgot existed, like Uraraka’s mother. That said, there’s also a sense that the series is starting to get a bit tired. The next volume is signposted to be the last, and that’s a good thing. Go out while you’re still flying high. – Sean Gaffney

Nori | By Rumi Hara | Drawn & Quarterly – Born in Kyoto and currently based in New York, Hara has been creating comics for about a decade, but Nori is Hara’s graphic novel debut. The volume has its origins in a series of self-published mini-comics which earned Hara multiple award nominations. Nori collects six short tales of varying lengths which feature the adventures of the titular Noriko, an imaginative three-year-old, and Hana, her grandmother and caregiver. Except for a surprise trip that takes Nori and Hana to Hawaii, the stories are largely set in Osaka in the 1980s. All of them are incredibly charming. Hara effortlessly blends mythology and legends with the characters’ day-to-day lives and Nori’s fantastical imaginings. Some of my favorite moments are Nori’s interactions with older kids—some of whom really aren’t sure what to do at first with a precocious toddler hanging about as they explore the natural world together. Nori is an undeniable delight. – Ash Brown

That Blue Summer, Vol. 4 | By Atsuko Namba | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Rio Funami is a Tokyo girl who’s been sent, along with her bookish little brother, to stay with her grandmother in the countryside for the duration of her 40-day summer vacation. She’s fallen in love with a local boy named Ginzo Izumi, who initially rejected her, believing they belonged in different worlds and valued different things. However, as time has gone on, Ginzo has come to see that’s not true. In fact, Rio seems enraptured by the village he calls home and understands the calling he feels towards graphic design while simultaneously feeling obligated to stay and take over the family liquor store. This is more than just a generic romance—it’s about passions versus practicality and finding reasons for joy in any situation. I’m enjoying it a lot and isn’t that cover a beauty? – Michelle Smith

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 14 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – The race that would never end has ended! And yes, our hero manages to capture first place, The first half of the book is really fantastic, showing off how good the author is at wringing drama and emotion from every last meter. The second half pales in comparison mostly as it’s setting up the next chunk of book, though seeing Onoda suddenly fail so hard simply as his mentor has left (transferred to another country) is poignant, and I suspect he needs another race or two before he can get back into form, so I expect more failure. Oh, and Kanzaki shows up briefly to remind us she exists and also help the core team get new bikes that work to their strengths. Still excellent shonen sports. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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theguardianyaksha · 4 years

Photo

Surname, Given Name: Kawaguchi, Amaya

Birthday: September 15th (Virgo) Age: 19 Height: w/shoes 158 cm (5 feet 2 inches) w/o shoes 153 cm (5 feet) Weight: 56 kg (123 lb) Pronouns: She/Her Blood Type: AB Marechi: No

Rank: Hashira Weapon: Light cerulean blue Nichirin Blade Breath Style/Blood Demon Art: Breath of Snow - derived from Breath of Wind and Breath of Water. This unique style makes use of quick and fluid movements to freeze a target. It can cause the temperature to drop to dangerous levels for both the user and their opponent.

First Style: Snow Flurry - A quick succession of forward jabs, usually aimed at the throat.

Second Style: Blizzard’s Fury - Multiple quick slashes, usually used to chop off a demon’s limbs.

Third Style: Dance of Winter - Fast moving slashes done in a spinning motion.

Fourth Style: A Light Snowfall - A thin sheet of snow falls and disperses enemy projectiles.

Fifth Style: Everlasting Winter - The user moves quick enough to make it seem like they are in more than one place at once.

Sixth Style: Absolute Zero - A spinning attack unique to Amaya meant to slow a target’s movements.

Seventh Form: Yuki Onna - An attack unique to Amaya, in which the user dashes forward and hits the opponent with multiple slashes.

Stats:

Breathing Technique - 6/5

Speed - 5/5

Strength - 4/5

Stamina - 4/5

Intelligence - 5/5

Charisma - 3/5

Abilities:

Master Swordsman

Enhanced Strength

Immense Speed

Enhanced Reflexes

Flexibility

Ambidextrous

Demon Slayer Mark

See-Through World

Personality:

Seems cool, calm, and collected at first look but is pretty awkward

“Snow Princess”

Seems to space out a lot, but is actually paying attention

A people watcher

Quiet, prefers to listen to other people talk. Will give some sort of gesture to show she is still listening

Will not start a conversation. People have to engage her if they want to talk.

Afraid of people to some extent

Blunt with her words

Has trouble trusting people after past experiences

Will talk more if she actually likes someone

Is an ailurophile (cat lover)

Is (unfortunately) more likely to talk to a cat than you

Has a tendency to ignore people who annoy her and pretends they don’t exist

Would kill for her friends

Likes Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream

MBTI - INTJ

Appearance:

Blue eyes

Black hair tipped white

Bangs point down in the middle and slant in towards center on the sides

Hair is tied back with 2 ribbons and a snowflake hairpin

One of the ribbons accompanied by the snowflake hairpin holds some strands of hair from the front

The second ribbon holds the rest of her hair in low ponytail

Pale skin, she usually only goes out when there is very little sun

Thin, short arms and legs, small hands

Does not look very muscley but actually pretty strong

“Dainty” appearance

Usually blank faced

Voice Claim Japanese: Maki Kawase (Junko Konno, Zombieland saga)

Voice Claim English: Christine Marie Cabanos (Hapi, Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Background:

Amaya grew up with her mother(Amaterasu), father(Mamoru), older sister(Amane), older brother(Makoto), and two younger brothers(Masaru and Masaki) in a mountain home. She enjoyed growing up surrounded by her family, and life had been relatively normal. She wouldn’t have asked for it to change in any way, but fate had other plans.

When she was 11 years old, a demon came across her home. Amaya was petrified as she watched the demon kill one of her family members one by one. Just when she thought it would be the end of her life, Amane had jumped up and shielded her and Makoto from the demon. As she cried for her sister, a demon slayer had shown up and saved the remaining siblings. The two were led to the village at the foot of the mountain after the dead had been buried and respects had been paid.

Amaya and Makoto stayed in the village where they met two orphaned kids, Eri and Eiji Mori. The orphaned children all stayed with an elderly woman. However, it had taken a few months before the Kawaguchi siblings were able to settle down and get used to a life without the rest of the family. As she grew more comfortable with her situation, Amaya began to play games with Eri and Eiji in the streets while her brother watched them. She thought life wouldn’t change anymore after this, but her brother had other plans.

When she turned 14, Amaya learned that Makoto planned on becoming a demon slayer. She had begged him to stay, not wanting to lose the only family she had left. However, her pleas fell to deaf ears as her brother was set on his decision. Makoto told Amaya to become a demon slayer and find him again, only then could they be together again.

As she watched her brother leave, Amaya made a silent vow to become a demon slayer. She began training on her own and set out for final selection when she turned 15. She had passed and returned to the village to tell her caretaker. While her new found grandmother had been proud of her, Eri and Eiji were not. The Mori siblings still offered their congratulations, however and continued to play games with Amaya until a swordsmith arrived with her Nichirin Blade.

Amaya left the village with the promise to write back to everyone she knew there, and she set out on her first assignment. During a particular assignment, she ran into Makoto again. She had been excited to see him again, but Makoto only had a look of horror and disgust on his face. Her world had gone numb when her brother told her to stay away from him and that he never wanted to see her again.

Heading her own way, Amaya completed assignment after assignment for the next year. Then one assignment brought her back to the village she had spent part of her life. Worried, she rushed back without hesitation. Upon arriving at the village, Amaya headed to the home where she had stayed, only to find that the elderly woman had been killed. Filled with rage, she turned to confront the demon that had been lounging in the corner of the room. Her rage turned to mute horror when she discovered that the demon was none other than her friend, Eri.

Amaya had hesitated, but she pushed down the feeling of dread and faced her unexpected opponent. With a heavy heart, she struck down her demon turned friend. Just as she thought things would settle down, the dying Eri informed her that Eiji had also become a demon and had gone to another location. As Amaya was about to grieve for her losses, one of the villagers entered the building. Not knowing the full story, the villagers had believed she had been the one to kill the elderly woman.

After being chased away, Amaya found herself fleeing up the mountain to the home she had lived in with her family. She stopped to rest just outside of the home and tried to collect her thoughts. As she was able to calm herself, she heard her kasugai crow arriving with a message: “Kawaguchi, Amaya. You have been promoted to the rank of hashira!”

Amaya went on to complete more difficult tasks, and she met different demon slayers on the way. However, she refused to allow herself to get close to any of them. Whenever she felt like it was happening, she would just leave that demon slayer. It went on for a long time, until she met a particular one that stuck out to her.

Taisho Secret(s):

Amaya has a scar on her back, but it wasn't from a battle as some newbie demon slayers have been led to believe. She got the scar from falling out of a window backwards. Shinobu was there to witness it. The other hashira are aware of how it happened, but most of them(except Shinobu and Himejima) tell some convoluted story of how it happened. As a result, newbie demon slayers do not know what to believe.

The home that Amaya is currently living in is the very same one she grew up in. She chose to return and repair the place because it holds some sentimental value. That and, it is also where the rest of her family is buried.

The snowflake hairpin that Amaya wears belonged to her older sister Amane. Amaya found it hidden behind a bookshelf while she was repairing the damages done to her home.

Relationships:

Kasumi Shimizu - “She is actually pretty nice… Sometimes she gives me some food to eat when we are paired up on assignments.”

Makoto Kawaguchi - “He is my older brother, but I don’t think he likes me very much. He said he never wanted to see me again.”

Atsuko Suzuki - “She is like an older sister to me, but I will not let anyone know that.”

Misaki Fujimoto - “She is a close friend of mine. We get along well.”

Ren - “She seems like a nice kid.”

Sayuri Yukimura - “She is a friend of mine. Kind of like a younger sister.”

Yuka Yukimura - “Why is she so loud?”

Yoshi Yukimura - “He… can be annoying at times.”

Yusuke - “I took him in after finding him in an abandoned village. He is a good kid.”

Kiku Inoue - “A brat…”

Eri Mori - “She was my friend… She said she hated me for leaving.”

Eiji Mori - “He’s still alive somewhere out there, and he probably hates me just like Eri did. But I don’t blame him...”

Tsubasa Kurahawa - “I like Tsu… He’s the first friend I’ve had in awhile. I’d kill for him.”

Ishikawa Rei- “I’ll admit, he is like a brother to me. But um... I don't know if he is okay with that...”

Nomura - “I think she is like a sister. An unpredictable one, but still a sister. I care for her even if she doesn’t know it.”

Akira Sato - “...is it wrong to say I don’t like him?”

Minoru Maki - “He ran away from me. Did I do something wrong? All I did was say hi…”

Hanata Fujisaki - “She fell asleep on my shoulder before. I didn’t want to wake her up, so I just stayed there.”

Orihime: “She is an amazing person. She is also my adorable tsugoku.”

#kimetsu no yaiba #kny oc #kny ocs #my ocs #kny hashira oc #kawaguchi amaya

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cannondisabledcharacters · 4 years

Note

Atsuko from the WebToon The World Where I Belong has an unspecified mental illness.

Added to the queue, thank you

#not character of the day

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hotarutranslations · 6 years

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Juice=Juice’s Kanazawa Tomoko “20 questions 20 answers” haro puro love talk!

In 2018, we’re having a celebration of the Hello! Project 20th Anniversary (Hello Love). For the members who belong to Hello! Project, their thoughts on the 20thanniversary activities and enthusiasm for 2018, thoughts of an everyday idol, we had a passionate “20 questions 20 answers” talk~ This time its Juice=Juice’s Kanazawa Tomoko!!

Kanazawa Tomoko = Born July 2nd 1995, 23 years old. Hometown Saitama. Blood type B.

Q1: Tell us the origin of your name!

My father liked Nakajima Tomoko-san who played Hotaru in the drama “From the Northern Country” (Fuji TV 81~82), so it comes from Nakajima-san’s name. He picked Tomoko, but worried over whether he should pick Hotaru, but after all he chose Tomoko.

Q2: Who is a senior you admire?

Former C-ute-san’s Suzuki Airi. Before I joined Hello! Project I supported her as a fan, and now I’m thankful to be able to call her my “senior” as I love her. After all when you speak of Suzuki Airi it’s her really pretty singing voice. I think that Suzuki Airi-san’s best weapon is that anyone would think her singing voice is nice, I want to be able to also sing in such a wonderful way.

Q3: Who would you want to be reborn as?

What should I do~! Um, Morning Musume ‘18’s Makino Maria-chan. Isn’t her style really good? I went and saw Morning Musume-san at their Nippon Budokan live, even though I was far away I could see her style was striking, I have the impression that any costume suits her. If I were to become Maria-chan, I think I’d wear a lot of different clothes in private (laughs). For example, I could wear tight pants that I cannot wear myself, I’d also want to wear cool costumes at lives.

Q4: What are you the best at in Hello! Project?

An unbalanced diet. I’m the type that can get into anything and I’m able to eat the same thing for a whole week. It has drawbacks though (laughs), after the thing I’m into’s boom has passed, I will still only ask for that thing from the shop. I don’t think I can lose to anyone else with that, I think I’m always eating the same things. Recently, at home its butter rice (laughs). I like eating with butter and soy sauce so I’ll eat it every day.

Q5: Tell us something amazing about Hello! Project!

Everyone does their own makeup, they have image of really being skillful with their hands. I don’t really know what other idols do so I don’t have anything to compare it to but, there are members who change their hairstyle throughout one performance. I can only make it straight on my own, since I’d have to curl it or put it in twin tails on my own. That’s one thing I think is amazing about Hello! Project.

Q6: Who would you want to be in a special Hello! Project unit with?

Oh man, thinking about it is fun so its super troublesome (laughs). Recently, I’ve been into Taiyou and Ciscomoon, I like Inaba Atsuko-san’s voice. Since I also like Morning Musume ’18 Oda Sakura-san’s voice, I think it’d be fun to sing together with the two of them. I have the impression that they have sexy voices, they’d have like fakes in succession, I’d want to sing something adult-like and sexy.

Q7: Tell us a Juice=Juice song you like!

“Synchro”, it’s on the new album. The lyrics are like we’re singing about ourselves, before we show it off to everyone we feel like there is a lot of emotional attachment to the song. From the era of 5 people to 7, and now that we’ve become 8 people it has become a very meaningful song to sing. I want you to carefully listen to the lyrics.

Q8: What is Hello! Project song you like?

On C-ute-san’s album, Suzuki Airi-san’s solo “Yes! all my family”. I really like that song’s lyrics. Things that are common in everyday life, I think that its happy, I’ve thought ‘isn’t that natural?’. Since it’s a song of becoming aware of happiness, I really like it.

Q9: What is the difference between current and previous Hello! Project?

Its somehow like this, recently there is the image that we’ve become aware of the 16 beats in a song. It felt like before the choreography would be in 8 beats. Of course before the foundation was that of 16 beats, I wonder if it’s that we now pick up the sound in more detail. I think that the ‘getting into it’ is completely different from the past. The dances are completely different.

Q10: Other than yourself who is your oshi?

Tsubaki Factory’s Asakura Kiki-chan. Recently, she got a shortcut, and her freshness has increased. In any case she is always smiling, not just on stage, even backstage if you make eye contact she’ll smile and its really cute. Since you can feel energetic just by looking at her, I definitely want everyone to look at her a lot (laughs).

Q11: What do you want us to see most from yourself?

There isn’t anything like that, ah that’s right~ my shoulders (laughs). The joints in my shoulders are soft. Therefore, when I’m dancing I think there’s a part where you’ll understand it, so I’d like you to look at my shoulders. There is a normal flapping like hey hey that a bit different from everyone else. My inner muscles are a bit weak, although it feels like I’m making my shoulders a weak point. I also think they’re cute (laughs).

Q12: What is work you would like to challenge?

Since I like talking, I want to do work as a moderator or MC. This year I’ve gotten to widen my talking work.

Q13: What do you want us to see most from Juice=Juice?

Juice=Juice is a group that really loves lives. I think that the number of lives in Hello! Project is a lot but, in any case I want you to see a live. Within that everyone is conscious of their singing, ‘this song is like this’ is something we’ve recently decided to talk about, so I have the desire to make those things alive (laughs). Also the members that have said this are Takagi Sayuki-chan and Danbara Ruru-chan, listening to them sing every day is moving and wonderful anyhow. Therefore, I’d like everyone to hear those two.

Q14: What will you be doing in 20 years?

Realistically thinking, I think it’d be difficult to be active in Hello! Project (laughs). But, it’d be nice to have some kind of connection to Hello! Project after 20 years. Just being a fan supporting them would be fine, watching that era of Hello! Project would be the most ideal. If I could contribute in some way to the shape of that Hello! Project, that’s something I can vaguely imagine. Although I can’t make any particular promises (laughs).

Q15: Since it’s the 20th anniversary, tell us a secret!

I think that my fans know I’m not good with fish; I really can’t eat fish at all. I say that now but, actually recently, I was able to eat salmon. I like to have it gone through the fire a bit, but I can eat it raw also. Since it’s kind of like paccio. Ah, carpaccio (laughs). If carpaccio is available, if you haven’t tried it you should as it is very delicious. From there salmon became no problem. I just say that I’m bad with fish, I can’t really say “I’m into it”…As I didn’t think I’d say it (laughs).

Q16: After the 20th anniversary what do you want to be able to do?

I’m always thinking that I want to improve my performing but, I’ve suddenly though that it really isn’t a personal thing. I went and saw Cirque du Soleil’s “Kurios”; there was someone using a yo-yo, I thought it was something really wonderful. I wrote it on my blog, and the yo-yo performer sent me the yo-yo. Therefore, now my personal goal is to make improvement with the yo-yo. It would make me happy if I was able to show it in some sort of performance. I have about 10, but I’m in the situation where I don’t really know how to use them, but with a little progress, maybe I could show some skill. Since I got a DVD for practicing, while watching I can do a ‘walking the dog’ (laughs).

Q17: What would you be if you weren’t an idol?

Up until high school I just had an ordinary life of going to school, originally in middle school I wanted to be a civil servant. Therefore, perhaps if I had gone as normal I would have been a civil servant. My relatives aunt did clerical work at a school, and it happened to be my school. I always saw her, and I came to want to do work like that. Therefore, if I perhaps did not become an idol, I think I’d also be a school clerical worker around now.

Q18: What are you most into right now?

Its yo-yo’s but, other than that…my little sister gave me an aroma set as a birthday present. I’ve used aroma’s up until now but, now I’ve come to use them more than before. When I’m reading a book I’ll have an aroma scent; since its more healing, it’s like I’ll read and aroma therapy. It’s something trendy so I can’t talk much about it though (laughs).

Q19: Who do you get along with in Hello! Project? Tell us an episode!

The most troubling question (laughs)! Honestly I don’t do much with anyone other than the Juice=Juice members. Therefore when talking about who I get along with, I think “Is there no one?” but I feel a bit embarrassed and don’t say that (laughs). However, in terms of hanging out with a member in private Miyamoto Karin-chan is easy to invite. We’re in the same group so I know her schedule, so I don’t really have to worry about her refusing right? Therefore, if I want to see a movie I’ll often contact Karin-chan or (Takagi) Sayuki-chan, so it’s like that (laughs).

Q20: What is an idol to you?

I originally really liked idols so, my image is, a bit different than ‘you can become whoever you want as an idol’ or ‘the sense that you can go and meet them’. For example for an artist, you certainly have a strong memory of going to their lives and having an exciting time together but, with an idol it’s like idolization; to me it’s like they’re close but very far away. In this world they really have the presence of being transient. Cheering for them, there is always the worry that one day my oshimen will graduate, they really have a strong image of transience. In reality, they’ve all certainly thought of wanting to continue for a long time, this is something I think very strongly, as a fan looking at them they have a pale transient feeling, huh.

https://thetv.jp/news/detail/157645/

#Kanazawa Tomoko #Kanatomo #Juice=Juice #Hello! Project #Translation #Interview

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popentertainment-moviereviews · 6 years

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OH LUCY! (2017)

Starring Shinobu Terajima, Josh Hartnett, Kaho Minami, Shioli Kutsuna, Kôji Yakusho, Megan Mullally, Reiko Aylesworth, Nick Gracer, Liz Bolton, Miyoko Yamaguchi, Hajime Inoue, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Stephanie A, Leni Ito, Calvin Winbush, Eddie Hassell, Todd Giebenhain, Tre Hale, Noelani Dacascos and Kimie Tanaka.

Screenplay by Atsuko Hirayanagi & Boris Frumin.

Directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi.

Distributed by Film Movement. 96 minutes. Not Rated.

“All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?” John Lennon & Paul McCartney.

The lead character of Oh Lucy! is not Eleanor Rigby, of course, but that lyric pretty much nails her. In fact, her name isn’t even Lucy; it is Setsuko. However, Lucy was the name that a hunky young English teacher played by Josh Hartnett wanted her to go by, so she did it to make him happy. After all, he makes her feel weirdly alive. A never-married 40-something office drone can dream, right?

Setsuko is not the only lonely person in the Tokyo and Los Angeles settings of the Japanese film Oh Lucy! She may not even be the loneliest person in the movie. Oh Lucy! is a film chock full of people who are cut off and feeling abandoned – even including the people who seem to have solid relationships.

Did I mention Oh Lucy! is a comedy? It is, despite a longing melancholy at its center. It even counts among its producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, which is pretty crazy stuff all on its own. This film does not exactly seem to be in their wheelhouse, and I mean that as a good thing.

The idea of a lonely past-her-prime woman falling for a younger man who is probably completely unattainable is not uncommon in film – a couple of years ago Sally Field’s character in Hello My Name Is Doris could have been an American soul sister of Setsuko’s. And the desperate measures that the lovelorn are willing to take for a small chance at happiness is always interesting, even if sometimes in a slightly soul-crushing way.

Oh Lucy! is a bit more complex than the typical lonely-hearts comedy. Beyond her fantasy romance, Setsuko is having problems with her family (particularly her sister and her niece), her co-workers (which is probably fine, because she pretty much hates her job) and even a nice widower who seems interested, but Setsuko barely even notices him in the bright glow of her new crush.

The movie starts with a shock. Setsuko is one of a multitude of commuters on a train platform, all wearing surgical masks (apparently that’s a thing there, because of pollution or illnesses or whatever) when the man beside her jumps out in front of the train.

However, this blast of violence really has little to nothing to do with the story, other than helping to illustrate how detached and numbed Setsuko is. (The poor guy gave his life to be an illustrative psychological plot point.)

The only thing that really has any kind of life in Setsuko’s world at all is her adorable niece Mika (Shioli Kutsuna). Mika is almost like a human Hello Kitty (or Powerpuff Girl), a youngster still in awe of life and the possibilities ahead of her. Setsuko envies her carefree confidence and willingness to just be her giddy self. Mika talks her aunt into buying out an expensive contract she took out for English lessons.

With nothing better to do in her life, Setsuko decides to give the lessons a chance. Her staid existence is immediately thrown into a twirl when she meets the handsome American John (Josh Hartnett), who somehow ended up teaching English to Japanese people, even though he doesn’t appear to speak much Japanese.

However, he is an oddball force of nature, insisting that the class is an all-English zone, making his students wear wigs and take on Americanized names, and explaining to his students, “I’m a hugger.” He also teaches a very simple, colloquial version of American English, basically on the line of “Hey, Lucy…” “Hey, John…” Not that there are a whole lot of students, the entire class seems to be Setsuko and a nice, but slightly nerdy widower (Koji Yakusho).

Setsuko (now known as Lucy for the class) falls for the handsome, goofy John, but by the time she goes for her second lesson she finds out that John is gone, returning to America – with her niece Mika. In a fit of jealousy and emptiness, Setsuko decides to use some of her massive amount of accrued vacation time to follow them to Los Angeles. Setsuko’s sister (and Mika’s mother) Ayaka (Kaho Minami), who she has a very strained relationship with, insists on going as well, so the two bicker and fight through their mutual trip.

Will & Grace co-star Megan Mullally shows up in an unimportant cameo role as a woman who sits between the sisters on the transatlantic flight – I guess Ferrell and McKay pulled in a favor to get her for the role – though Mullally always brings a spark to whatever she does. In fact, when her character disappears so quickly, you spend the rest of Oh Lucy! kind of hoping she will pop back up.

Once they make it to LA, things in the movie get progressively darker, on a psychological level, and Setsuko’s fantasy life becomes more desperate and pathetic. Still, Oh Lucy! is an interesting character study, a dark comedy which becomes a dark night of the soul, but also one that shows some possibility of redemption. It is sweet and sour and not exactly what you expect it will be, kind of like life itself.

Jay S. Jacobs

#Oh Lucy!#2018 #Movie Reviews #Shinobu Terajima #Jay S. Jacobs

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ruffsficstuffplace · 6 years

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And The AWRD Goes To... (Part 12)

Like many other things about them, Nick’s office was similar to, but still distinctly different from Freya’s own.

The floor space was also crowded and sectioned off, but this time, by furniture—tables, comfortable sofas, even a small wooden platform that was attached to the storage nook in the ceiling, provided a place to cram more people in at once than was probably recommended by the fire department. Papers, books, and random items filled his bookshelves and racks, but they were constantly changing arrangements or here today and gone tomorrow, Nick never leaving a crafting project, a book, or a stack of paperwork unattended for very long, if it wasn’t just the belongings of a harried student using his office as a more convenient storage area than their dorm. All throughout, specially wired and powered lamps beamed sunlight or a very good imitation of it in even the most out of the way nook or cranny, always casting the room in a friendly, warm glow.

And of course, there was the snack bar in the corner, always well-stocked with alcohol, coffee, food, and its crown jewel: Nick’s own personal slushie machine, great expense and effort invested in it to make it take Mistral spring water and produce ice that tasted exactly like fresh snow from Atlas, the kind you could have picked up anywhere in the continent.

Jasminka, Ruby, Constanze, Sucy (plus two armed guards), Jaune, Yang, and Amanda were crowded around it, the first two marveling at the multitude of exotic flavours Nick mail-ordered from all across Remnant, the next two eyeing the machine and the visible mechanisms with great interest, the last three crying out in agony as they suffered brain freeze.

“Oh my fucking, fucking, fuckity-fuck, shit, argh!” Amanda cried as sat on a nearby chair, her head nearly touching her knees from how far she was bent over.

“My skull is cracking open like an egg!” Yang screamed as she writhed on the floor.

Jaune just whimpered and cried as he sat on the floor with his back to the base of the machine.

“Told you an Atlesian brain freeze is a whole different beast,” Nick said as he sat behind his desk, nearly hidden by the stacks of paperwork he was working on.

From where she sat with Diana and Lotte, Blake sighed, her ears twitching with annoyance. She tried to focus her attention back on their books and notebooks spread out on the coffee table in front of them, before she heard someone knocking on the door.

“Professor Schnee?”

“I got it, Belladonna,” Nick said as he pressed a button on his desk. “They replaced my inner ear canals too when they were turning me into a rip-off Dustman, don’t worry.”

The double doors swung open, and in came Weiss in a wheelchair, Akko pushing her while a nurse followed shortly behind. Everyone stopped and looked up, even the stabbing, rapidly expanding pain of an Atlesian brain freeze forgotten as they saw them.

“Hey Weiss!” Ruby said, waving with one hand while her other held a strawberry/firemelon slushie. “Wow, you recovered fast!”

“She didn’t actually,” the nurse said. “She just insisted she wouldn’t leave her room with any of the tubes still attached. So if we could all make this quick, that’d be much appreciated.”

“Don’t worry, this won’t take more than half-an-hour, tops,” Nick said as he put his pen down, earmarked the paper he was working on before he got up from his desk. “Everyone from batch 7, line up in front of me, enough space to step up when I call your names specifically.”

In short time, they all were, even if Yang had to have a hand on the back of a chair, and Amanda and Jaune were helping keep each other up.

“Normally, we’d have done the whole team assigning ceremony yesterday in the Great Hall, with Lionheart, a big-ass screen with your names and faces on it, and the good ole initiation buffet afterward, but these aren’t normal times, so I guess you’re all going to have to be content with me, my office, and everything I have in the snack bar.

“So without further ado, let’s get right to it, kiddos:

“For the next four years, barring death, crippling injury, dropping out, or getting any of your asses expelled for whatever reason, the other members of your team are going to be the people you do EVERYTHING with here in Haven.

“You will share the same dorm as them, you will train with them, you will go to the same classes as them, you will learn to act as one fighting force on the battlefield, you will work together to keep your collective grade point average up, and you will sure as shit have to learn how live together peacefully, or at the very least not kill each other until you get your hunting licenses.

“From here on out, it won’t matter to me if you were the top student in combat school, you were the one that just barely passed the grade, you got in here through your personal achievements out there in the real world, or anywhere in-between—what matters now is what you’re going to be here, in Haven, today, tomorrow, and for however long you’ll be in this school.

“You will all pass together, or you will all fail apart. You will all stand together, or you will all fall apart. You will either prove to us that you’ve got what it takes to be a real huntsman or a huntress together, or you will all start looking for different careers apart.

“Do you all understand? ‘Sir, yes, sir!’ is the only answer I want to hear, or else you can just go walk back out that door, and don’t even bother asking for a slushie to go.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” they all said with varying levels of enthusiasm.

Nick scowled. “You know, I’m getting the feeling not all of you do—I SAID, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

“SIR, YES, SIR!” they thundered.

Nick smiled. “Now THAT’S what I like to hear.” His expression turned serious. “Antonenko, Yanson, Belladonna, von Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger, step up!”

They all did, Lotte twiddling her thumbs, Jasminka pausing her slushie drinking, Blake looking wide-eyed and nervous, and Constanze looking as grumpy as ever.

“From here on out, you are Team BLJC, lead by Blake Belladonna!”

Blake blinked, her mouth falling open. “S-Sir…?!”

“You got any complaints or questions about who I chose as a leader or put you in a team with, you do it later when we’re done. Now, BLJC: step aside! Xiao Long, Manbavaran, O’Neill, Arc, step up!”

Jaune’s eyes widened. “Professor Schnee…?”

Nick glared at him. “Later, Arc.” He turned back to the others. “From here on out, you are Team JAYS, lead by Jaune Arc!”

Jaune blinked, before he stared at Nick like an alpha beowulf plus pack had mysteriously appeared right before his eyes.

“Hey, would you look at that!” Amanda said as she clapped the stunned Jaune on the back. “Congratulations, Johnny Boy!”

“Save it for later, O’Neill,” Nick said coolly. “JAYS: step aside! Now: someone wheel my granddaughter up to me, and Cavendish, Kagari, and Rose, step up!”

The nurse took over for Akko as they all stood together in a line. Ruby looked from side-to-side, wondering who was going to become their leader, Akko and Weiss just shot each other knowing looks, while Diana stood stock straight, her face impassive and serious.

“From here on out, you are Team AWRD, lead by Atsuko ‘Akko’ Kagari!”

Save for Ruby, it was as if you had just struck the newly formed team in their chests, thundering blows that stunned them and rendered them slack.

“N-Nani?!” Akko blurted. “Seriously, Uncle Nick…?!”

“Yes, seriously.” Nick replied. “Now, all of you: back here with your teams!”

AWRD scrambled to make room for the others as they all formed a semi-circle around Nick. He put his hands to his hips as he gazed at them all, some faces excited, some nervous, some disappointed, some confounded, some completely and utterly terrified.

“I know it might feel like we just randomly lumped you all together based on who’d make the nicest sounding team names, but believe me, unlike one of the other hunstman academies, we don’t leave your team compositions up to chance. Know that to the best of all of your professors abilities, we debated and carefully chose who’ll be working with who for the next four years, and who’ll be leading it.

“It may not seem to many of you that we made the best choice in team compositions, and you’d be right—because it’s up to all of you, not just your leaders, to do the rest of the work from here on out, become what we hope to high hell you can all become at the end of your time here in Haven.

“That’s all I needed to say, and you needed to hear: DISMISSED!”

Diana, Akko, Jaune, and Blake all tried to step up at once, Nick held up both his hands and stopped them. “One at a time, and in private. First up, does anyone else here have any questions?” No takers. “Good, then get your stuff, make one last trip to the snack bar if you’d like, then get out, your new dorms are waiting. For the rest of you...” he looked back at the four.

“I’ll go last,” Blake said.

“Kind of you, Belladonna. The rest of you, we going to start volunteering, too, or do we do this the old-fashioned way?”

“The old-fashioned way…?” Jaune asked.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard,” Nick said, making a fist, and a V with first two fingers, before opening his hand flat. “Also known as three of the leading causes of death to Atlesians, behind Grimm and each other.”

“Oh!” Jaune said. “You mean Rock Paper Scissors. Sure, I can do that!”

“All three of you at once then,” Nick said. “If you all cancel each other out, try again.”

Akko, Diana, and Jaune formed a triangle, their hands held out, eyeing each other with varying emotions on their faces.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard, go!”

Jaune won, Diana groaned as she and Akko faced each other while he stepped to the side.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard, go!”

Diana lost, fuming, before she forced herself to relax, turned around, and left the room.

“Diana...?” Akko asked as she followed after her, but she didn’t respond.

Nick eyed them with concern, before headed behind his desk, pressed the button again and locked his door behind Akko. “Come with me, Arc, have a seat,” he said as he walked to the snack bar. “Want a hot cocoa? Good stuff for killing brain freezes, if you don’t know the tongue trick.”

“There was a tongue trick…?” Jaune said.

“Yeah, works like a charm, but that’s not important right now,” Nick said as he poured himself a mug of hot chocolate from a steaming vacuum flask, into a giant, well-worn red mug. “So, cocoa?”

“I could use one, thank you...” Jaune mumbled.

Nick poured him out a smaller mug, one with a friendly cartoon Atlesian bear on it. “Careful, I can only ever make it blazing hot—you won’t completely dissolve the flavour rocks otherwise,” he said as he handed it over.

Jaune thanked him, warmed his hands on the mug, blew on it gently, then took a tiny sip. “AGH!” he screamed as he burned his tongue, accidentally spilled the rest of it all over his lap.

Nick sighed as Jaune started screaming even louder, setting his mug down on the coffee table, picking Jaune’s mug from his lap with his robotic hand, before touching his shoulder with his organic hand. His screaming wavered to a stop as red-gold energy suddenly surged from Nick into him; the burning, searing pain of the cocoa didn’t disappear entirely, but it was suddenly much more bearable, like it had been sitting out for ten minutes or so before he spilled it.

“How’d you do that…?” Jaune asked.

“My semblance,” Nick said as he pulled away. “Got more than enough to help me survive whatever the hell Remnant decides to throw at me next, only makes sense that my special power is sharing the surplus with others.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“Indeed it is, but we’re not here to discuss semblances, are we?” Nick said as he settled into the seat across him, the cushions flattening, the sturdy wood creaking from his weight. “So what’s bugging you, Arc?”

Jaune looked down at his cocoa-soaked pants. “It’s just, well… everything about this whole team: who I’m with, and especially that you put me in charge of it...”

“Can you please get more specific?”

“Well, there’s Sucy, and I don’t think I really need to elaborate on that, and I mean, Amanda saved me back in the Hills, but then she started dragging me straight into all those Grimm, and she refused to do or go anywhere safer because it’d be ‘boring,’ and Yang just scares the crap out of me—did you know she literally explodes into fire when she’s angry? That’s her semblance, she explodes, and--”

Jaune groaned. “I just don’t think I’m cut out to lead them!” he said to Nick, before he stared down at his pants once more. “… Or, you know, be in a team with them, in general.”

“On the contrary, Arc, I think you’re the best guy I could have chosen to lead these three.”

“But just—why…?” Jaune asked.

“Well, I can’t let you read the entirety of your old professor’s entire recommendation letter for confidentiality reasons, but among other things, she mentioned that you got along well with others, whoever they are; are very adaptable even under intense pressure and imminent danger to life and limb; and you’re a pretty selfless, honourable, and honest sort of guy in general.

“Now, does this sound like the kind of leader that sounds like he’d be great for pulling together three different students, with three very different personalities, with three completely different backgrounds, with three different exceptional aptitudes, but all with a reputation for bad behaviour, abrasive attitudes, and getting into so much trouble all of them have been arrested at least once?”

“...”

“I asked you a question, Arc, and I’d really appreciate an answer.”

“… Yes, sir.” Jaune said.

“And do you think that, based on your old professor’s recommendation, you’d be a fit leader? Or do I have to call her and ask her to give me a new assessment, without all the fluff and the exaggeration to help get you into Haven?”

Jaune’s eyes widened, before he shook his head. “Ah, no sir! I mean, the calling my old professor—I can be a leader, I’ll be a great leader, I’ll--”

“Arc.”

Jaune stopped, sighed, looked at Nick with shame all over his face.

Nick’s eyes softened. “Look, Arc, I know it’s terrifying—the transition from combat school to huntsman academy, going from training simulations to fighting actual Grimm in the wilderness, being chosen to be the leader, whether you want to or not.

“You don’t feel ready. You don’t feel like you should be here. You don’t think it’s time to say goodbye to being a teenager and hello to being an adult, with all the crap and responsibility that entails.

“But the thing is, Arc: I believe you’re ready for this. I believe you should be here, and so did Frosty, Ursula, and Lionheart himself. And I’m ready to help you figure out how to deal with life, whether that be in class, on the battlefield, or anything else you might need help with—Haven believes in a very holistic education, after all.

“Now… can you believe you can do this, Arc? Work with these three, be their leader, and become one hell of a hunting party together?”

Jaune looked up, before he looked back down at his pants, and shook his head. “No, sir.”

Nick frowned. “You free to talk tomorrow around five PM after class, Arc?”

Jaune nodded. “Yes, Professor Schnee.”

“Five PM tomorrow it is—feel free to reschedule, but know I’ll have people coming in and out of this office 24/7 soon enough,” Nick said as he stood up. “You want another cocoa for the road, Arc? It’ll screw up the flavour, but I can put in just enough ice so you won’t fuck up your tastebuds again.”

“No thank, you Professor Schnee,” Jaune said as he stood up. “Oh, and sir?”

“Yeah, Arc?” Nick asked as he picked the mugs up.

Jaune smiled a little. “Thanks… for believing in me.”

Nick smiled. “No problem, Arc. Come on, I’ll see you to the door.”

As the double doors opened and Jaune stepped out, Nick peered at the two waiting benches on either side of him. Diana and Blake quietly studying on one, Akko sitting restlessly on the other, an invisible wall between them. “Your turn, Kagari,” he said.

“Okay, Uncle—I mean, Professor Nick,” Akko said as she got up, cast an uneasy look at Diana as she stepped into Nick’s office.

Diana didn’t even bother to look up, her attention entirely focused on her notes.

“Something happen?” Nick asked after the doors were closed behind them.

“Nothing, Uncle Nick,” Akko said. “We just kinda, looked at each other earlier, before Diana sat down with Blake and started comparing notes again.”

Nick frowned. “Silence is never ‘Nothing,’ Akko—believe me, Frosty has taught me that the very hard way.”

Note:

BLJC – Blackjack

AWRD – Award

#rwby #little witch academia #and the awrd goes to #dianakko #white rose #fanfic

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rewoundcircuit · 5 years

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TRIAL 6.4 | “ toying somewhere between love and abuse. ” | AKI | 🐯 | RE: current discussion ATTN: atsuko, monokuma, kimi (but barely)

...Questions and answers, once again, and.

.... Aki finds herself a little at odds -- if only because this just feels so familiar, in the strangest way. A friend of hers, explaining to anyone who will listen about how righteous her opinions are -- but instead of it being about whales or the environment or muffins or the meaning of being an artificial intelligence-- ....

It was less petty. Something that people lived and died for -- usually so far away from her sleepy little gated suburb, long removed from her private school and the rooftop arguments; and this time there's no fishing pole for Jian to offer Atsuko in a peace offering -- no Taisei to proclaim, loudly, "It's called being kids and it's stupid and doesn't matter!"

There was just her, and ten other people -- all of them in various stages of exhaustion, of feeling tormented-- And no simple, clear solutions -- no uncomplicated ground or easy answer.

(Though Himawari seems to think it's easy -- determining quickly that Atsuko was cruel and based her plans in cruelty -- and maybe there wasn't anything to deny there, either, considering, but--)

(And... when she whispers to Kimiko for a little while -- trying to figure out how to possibly think -- maybe it was just as simple, but--) (Oh, even that was fraught....)

...When it came to Aki, she could never... see anything important... clearly.

So she's quiet, for a time. Letting others speak for her until--

Well, first, Yoko earns an alarmed sort of look -- a hushed whisper to Kimiko, a little widen in her eyes, as if it disrupted her-- And then Ryuu drags her eyebrows up with sympathy -- and maybe there's a pang there, thinking about family, but more importantly, friends, and-- --Kimiko earns a look that is the very definition of '^'?!?!

...Though she doesn't address it immediately. Instead, still sort of collecting herself as Mayura does.... Well, make a few good points, down the line. But it's still....

It's still not... exactly what... she herself thinks. And so, eventually, during the lull....

...well. predictably. aki is a lesbian so the first thing that happens is that she turns to kimiko and just.

"...W-wait--? Really?"

Before she just. Closes her eyes. Looking a little embarrassed but not exactly upset.

A hand reaching up to rub the back of her neck before:

"...because if true that's really... cool."

Okay. Yeah. Could we move this on, girls?

It takes her a few more seconds before she just... eventually gives a little sigh, pushing her hair up for a moment... collecting herself, but eventually she starts up again.

In a low, wavering voice:

"...I don't get any of this."

It's an admission, and it seems pained. As do her next words:

"...I believe that systems we have are broken, sure. I think there should be more avenues for upward mobility, I think that the elite definitely make it so it's easier for them to retain their positions. I also... agree that we have some elite that don't belong in their positions -- people who were born into it, for instance... who never had to... work for respect or a living."

Then her gaze goes back to Atsuko's, in some kind of confusion:

"...But I can believe all of that and still just... not understand what you're coming from, Tsu-chan. I... really don't see where the jump from... 'we need to change the world' to 'let's put a bunch of talented students into a murder game' carries... any... justification. You say this is... to prove that we're flawed -- but I don't think it does. I've never thought that. We're... children in a situation where we're told we have to kill or be killed... you intentionally drugged us to kill... you had us think our loved ones were dead, you taunted us with our sensitive secrets being released on television. I... really don't understand... what any of this says -- besides that people who watch this kind of television are sick... or that you really didn't think this through."

(If she didn't have Jian to do this for her -- to articulate the doubts she was still filled with--) A little look at Kimiko for a moment, before she turns back:

"...I'm... with Kimi-chan and Umenoyakakutani-san in that I also don't think I can trust an organization that... seems so quick... to decide that... the best way to get what they want... is to kill people who didn't sign up for any of this. You... keep talking about how you don't want to force anything, but what is this if not a kidnapping and prolonged torture, to get precisely what you want from us? And now to make us make this choice -- it's another brand of torture. Forget all the people who died here -- died here for nothing, because you decided they were worth risking for your nebulous, untenable goal -- or join a group that obviously has no idea what it's doing, become a fugitive, and never be able to forget the atrocities you willingly put us through. For nothing."

Her eyes seemed to be filled with some kind of unplaceable pain as she looks back at Atsuko.

"...It's... so cruel... really... really cruel. Beyond the murder game cruel. But all the same... I don't think I can agree with Shida-kun ... or Umenoyakakutani-san.... Not fully, because... I don't want you alive just to be tortured. I... do still care about you. I... guess... and...."

"...I... almost see the point. This is real, isn't it? They made... the robots -- they'll be innumerable and unkillable, programmed only to serve an elite group that doesn't... deserve that level of protection. It's... sort of like that movie, you know...? The Matrix... red pill, blue pill.... If we choose to leave... we're... saying that we don't mind... living in a world... run that way -- with no hope of recourse...."

There's a long pause, and she seems thoughtful. Before her eyes go to first Monokuma:

"...Monokuma... if you want to talk -- but if you don't, it's okay, but: why... did you choose to help us at all...? And... why was there a morgue set up for... your bodies too...? That's... really weird to me...."

And then Atsuko:

"...And Tsu-chan... I just... really need to know... why... did you allow us to hear this? Even... allow us to go with you -- even allow us to stop...? We caught you, so what? If... you really were planning on seeing this through ... what changed your mind...? Couldn't someone else have just taken over for Monokuma...?"

#rwc #chsix #trial #aki #submission

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