#so I will just accumulate translations forever I guess

[ranray]

Since I wanted to share a few works of mine here's my last ShinRan fic's rough translation. It's called "Do you remember that sunset?" and were inspired by "Eternal Eternity" from Sailor Moon. So it some references to that song.

I'm really sorry for all the grammar mistakes or strange phrases (if there's so), I'm not good at English.

Fluff!

“Do you remember the first sunset we saw together?”

'I'll never forget that' Shinichi almost said. Even if he lived forever, he would never be able to forget the glitter of the setting sun and the gentle smile of little Ran. They were sitting on his bed and looked out the window, just like now, but when they were seven years old. When Ran's mother left her with Kudo’s.

Shinichi just took a look at the pale Ran to guess why. Kogoro and Eri's quarrel again. Each time stronger than the previous one. Each time, Ran stood aside and twirled her favorite pocket mirror in her hands.

Ran hoped it would stop. That two or three quarrels would be enough, but she had to cry more and more. Everything is not the same as it used to be - it's a new truth, it's hard to accept. Only Shinichi's sad look remained unchanged.

Shinichi could feel his anger growing. Two adults couldn't be so stupid. He couldn't move away from Ran in those years. Shinichi covered Ran with his small hand. The icy gaze of his eyes hurled spears at his negligent parents.

Even if it was late at night and his mother told him to not worry, he would dive under the covers with his phone, knowing that Ran couldn't sleep. He didn't talk about Holmes, he didn't bother Ran with detective stuff he loved. He listened to everything Ran had to say to her father and mother. Their mothers were angry tomorrow, and two children laughed together, discussing yesterday's events.

Ran grumbled with him and Sonoko about everything that happened, everything she wanted to say. Resentment, discontent, loneliness, everything that had accumulated in her young soul. Sonoko promised that she would take her with him to unwind at the sea, she was about to persuade her parents. Shinichi promised to go with them, even if he knew that the three children would never seriously go anywhere.

Days and months passed. Spring came after winter as well as new year at school. Shinichi remembered the terrible wind that tore off Ran's favorite hat. He remembered the tall tree he had climbed for it and the bruise he had received. Ran’s quiet "thank you" was all he wanted at that moment.

To Ran, every day seemed like an eternity. Every word of the parents brought the quarrel closer. One day is like another, and time has passed without waiting for Ran.

Ran, Mouri's only daughter, was left alone. She could spend the whole evening playing toys, plugging her ears with headphones to hide from her parents' quarrel, but, in an instant, she would inevitably grab her phone.

Through her tears, she searched for Shinichi's number, trying to catch his first or last name. She accidentally mixed it with Yukiko’s, but Yukiko understood Ran. She promised to persuade Eri to keep Ran with them.

It was easy for her. Shinichi didn't expect that in a few minutes he would see Ran in the living room with a small bag in her hands. As soon as their eyes met, Ran rushed to him. She wanted to see him so badly.

To hear his carrying words to her again. If Shinichi is around, if she could touch his arm, there are two of them. It's not scary if they’re together.

They enjoyed the sky. Yukiko scolds them, but tomorrow, now, the sunset is important. Shinichi squeezed Ran's hand. "You can count on me, Ran, always," Shinichi smiled. His cheeks flushed. Ran didn't need to know that this phrase was from a romance novel.

"Whatever happens?” Ran hesitated, but Shinichi squeezed her hand without the slightest hesitation. He was able to find Ran when they were playing hide-and-seek. And he believed that he would solve all the riddles if it saved her.

"I'm sure. No matter how much time passes, I'm there. It doesn't matter when," he whispered phrases from books. He said every one he could remember, just to make Ran smile. And he was telling the truth, even if it was like this.

And Ran believed. I believed that Shinichi would be there. He will be the one who comes if it is bad, as it is now. As always. As if it were meant to be. As if it was meant to be. Ran could rely on him.

"Lean on me," Ran whispers softly at the end of the sunset. Their slight smiles... A difficult moment that brought them together. Since that sunset we've always been together.

"Still, you lied to me," Ran sighed, noticing that Shinichi’s flashbacks ended. He pouted. "I've been waiting for you for a year, but you...”

"I'm sorry," Shinichi averted his eyes. I knew that ‘I'm sorry’ is not enough. After all, he was there all the time, unable to let go of Ran. While she didn't get more than a phone call.

"I don't know how I didn't figure it out," Ran was smiling now. Forgiveness had to be earned, but it was worth her gaze and their intertwined fingers. It was all worth it. "Conan-kun's hand was like yours... As if deep in my heart I knew...”

"I've gone crazy every time," Shinichi wasn't lying. Every tear Ran shed was his pain. The pain of an idiot who believed he could protect Ran like this. "Your gaze spoke more than words," he sighed. A sad question that had stuck in his head burst out. "Don't you regret forgiving me?"

"No," Ran smiled slyly. This is his first serious mistake. And the remorse in his eyes is enormous. “We have a long way to go. And I want to go through it with you, this time together. Like back then.”

"Together," Shinichi whispered. A single word breathed more warmth than the setting sun. "Together," he repeated, squeezing his hand on Ran's shoulder.

They seemed to be back in childhood among that similar seven-years-old days. Again, the sunset they met together. A sunset that they noticed separately in their rooms when they did not want to fall asleep. Their shared moment is timeless.

"I haven't told you that I missed you yet?" Ran chuckled. Shinichi didn't have to ask. He could see it in Ran's eyes. Her pain and loneliness. "I've thought so many times to go look for you...”

"And you'd found me many times," he exhaled languidly. How many times Ran exposed him? I had to go out of my way to deceive her. Every time Shinichi wanted to admit his defeat. “Do you remember that?”

“Yes... Even though you denied everything, I felt like you were nearby," a breathless whisper, a smile on his face. Ran clasped her hands around Shinichi's waist and squeezed them so tightly that he let out a low gasp. "It's like you've always been there... Like in your phrases from romance novels.”

“Did knew what I was repeating from the books that time?” Shinichi let out a small chuckle. Instead of hugging Ran back, he sat Ran between his legs. Ran blushed thicker than the sunset. Shinichi held her so tight that she couldn't move. "It may seem strange to you, but... Thank you. I’m happy that I’m important to you.”

‘What an idiot!’ Ran wanted to say. From the moment he soothed her as a child, Ran knew that he was important. That feeling was from love, but it's something similar. Friendship. Trust.

She knew she could run over to play with Shinichi if she felt sad. She could call him if she needs to talk. Only his presence made her feel better. All she had to do is find Shinichi.

And even though time slipped forward without a trace, as long as she didn't see him, he was there. In a message, call or a trinket gift - valuable part of his feelings and him. Always with her, no matter how time has passed.

It doesn't matter if fate existed. Ran wanted to believe in the thread on their little fingers. Still, Shinichi's smile at the sunset warmed her heart even more. Shinichi hugged her with a childish smile, not hiding his nostalgia for the sunset. Happy, that they’re a couple now.

Ran turned to Shinichi. A red ray of the setting sun descended on his face. Ran pressed her hand to his warm cheek. Together again from now on.

"Ran, if you'll stare at me, you'll miss the sunset!" Shinichi only teased her. He was thinking of something else, and you could see it in his eyes. "Afraid you won't be able to find me when it gets dark?"

"Don't tease me!" Ran chuckled. She held him with other hand. And didn't want to let go of him. "No matter when, we would still meet again?"

"Trust me. Until the very end, I will watch every sunset here with you," Shinichi whispered softly. He lifted Ran's hands to leave a light kiss on her small fingers. “You won't be lonely.”

"And you promise that you won’t leave me alone anymore," Ran loved to tease him back. Shinichi didn't mind it, he laughed. He deserved it. “Promise?”

"I promise that if something happens, we'll deal with it together," it is no longer a cliché from romance novels. A sincere promise, whispered only to Ran and Ran alone. For her and silent sunset.

"Let's share everything like this sunset," the phrase broke by itself. With a smile, Ran turned to the sunset, a faint arc of the great sun floating over the horizon.

"Then let me share something," the predatory tone of Shinichi voice made Ran laugh for some reason. As soon as Ran turned to him, Shinichi pulled her into a kiss.

Their hands were intertwined, just like when they were children. A small silk thread seemed to tickle their little fingers. It was getting hot in Shinichi's arms.

Sun went below the horizon. Soon they can observe the moon and the stars.

"Ran," Shinichi licked his lips. Whatever he said, he wanted more kisses. "We making stargazing our new tradition? If one of them falls…"

"What you going to wish?" Ran smiled. ‘For us to be close,’ flashed through her mind.

"We've already promised to be together forever," Shinichi's breath tickled his nose. He didn't believe in fate. Any fate, except his and Ran's. “Let's think about what else we can wish.”

"Hmm," it was hard to hide Ran’s red cheeks. As much as she denies it, Shinichi are pretty romantic. Probably too much. “We have a long night ahead... Let's think about it together!”

#dcmk #detco #shinichi kudo #ran mouri #detective conan #shinran #shinichi x ran #shinichi and ran #fanfiction #I used a translator often #I hope it's fine #funny that there are extra 242 words compared to the original for some reason

[twilightmalachite]

Kanata Shinkai - Winter Seabed

Author: Suika

Characters: Kanata, Rei, Wataru

Translator: Mika Enstars

"It’ll be Christmas soon. See? There’s lights put up all around the city."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: Saison Avenue

Kanata: (Whew, it’s “night” already…)

(I didn’t expect the photoshoot to go on for that long.)

(Uu… Once “winter” came, it became cold all at once.)

(And “winter” makes my skin so “dry”…)

(Chiaki told me to avoid “bathing” so that I don’t catch a “cold”.)

(But if I can’t “bathe”, then I’ll dry up for sure, you know?)

(I thought if there was a lot of snow collected, maybe I could “dive” in, but…)

(There doesn’t seem to be enough accumulated. What a pity.)

(…Then I guess I’ll just have to hurry back to the “Starmony Dorms” to take a “bath” there. Otherwise it’ll become unbearable.)

(I sure don’t do “well” in the “winter”…)

(…!! My feet are slipping, I can’t keep balance…)

Rei: Whoops! Got you just in time.

Kanata: Rei…? What are you doing here?

Rei: I thought you were approaching danger, Shinkai-kun, so I rushed over. I’m glad I made it in time.

Kanata: …Fufu, you sound like you’re a hero, Rei.

But, you shouldn’t lie, you know.

Rei: …Kukuku, the heroes here are you and the others, Shinkai-kun.

Why, it’s only just a coincidence I am here too. I had just finished filming and was on my way back.

That’s when I recognized someone familiar from behind, and was just about to call out to you.

Kanata: You’re also on your way back from work, huh, Rei?

Anyways, thank you for saving me. I probably would have fallen down if you hadn’t.

Rei: Mhm. I’m glad you’re not hurt, Shinkai-kun.

So you too are on your way back from work, huh? Good job on all your work so late.

Kanata: Yes. I feel I’ve been somewhat busy as of late. I didn’t expect “work” to go on until so late.

Rei: Hm. …Perhaps it’s because the year’s end is approaching. It’s about time for the home stretch.

It’ll be Christmas soon. See? There’s lights put up all around the city.

And once Christmas ends, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s will be upon us. A busy time of the year for us all. It truly is December. ♪

Kanata: You seem to be rather “chipper”, Rei. Is it because it is nighttime?

Rei: Of course, that is one of the reasons, but… Another reason is that I was able to run into you on the way back, Shinkai-kun.

It’s far more enjoyable to go back with a partner than alone.

Kanata: ……

Rei: Oh, right. Have you eaten yet, Shinkai-kun?

Shall we take the opportunity to go out for dinner before heading back?

Kanata: Hmm… Sorry to turn down your “offer”, but I’d like to turn in.

I am actually hungry, but I’d like to head back and take a “bath” as soon as possible.

Rei: Hm, gotcha. Let’s hurry back then, shall we?

Wataru: Oya, oya oya oya?

Kanata: That voice is…

Wataru: That’s right, it’s your Hibiki Wataru…☆

To think I would see two two in a place like this…It’s as if it was fate!

Rei: It is quite rare, isn't it? For the three of us to just meet by chance like this…

Are you returning from work as well, Hibiki-kun?

Wataru: Nay, I am on the way home from rehearsal with my theater company.

We were enthusiastically rehearsing ‘til late today as the performance date is nearing.

But perhaps that was guidance by the goddess of love, do you think so?

Wataru: Look at this. ☆ Behold! I’m so overjoyed to see you both that doves are coming out! ♪

Rei: Fufu. I understand how you feel, but there is still a lot of traffic at this hour. Make your magic tricks too flashy and you’ll stand out.

Kanata: I do love talking to you two. But could we do it while walking?

We will freeze if we talk to each other somewhere like this forever and ever.

Rei: Ohh, sorry about that, Shinkai-kun.

Wataru: Hmmm…

Kanata: Wataru? Is there a problem?

Wataru: Not at all! You are right, Kanata. My apologies for my actions!

…By the way, Kanata. Didn’t you say you were hungry earlier?

Kanata: Yes? I did, but…

Wataru: So you did! Now then, Kanata, please put your hands out!

Kanata: …Like this?

Wataru: Yes, perfect!

Aaand now, please do not take your eyes off them… One, Two, Amazing…☆

Kanata: …This is, taiyaki?[1]

Wataru: Yes, a gift to show my appreciation for the fate that brought us together tonight!

Rei: Your magic tricks are spectacular as ever, Hibiki-kun.

This is a cold dessert taiyaki too, not a hot one like most.

Shinkai-kun can eat it without worry, as he doesn’t like hot food.

Kanata: Can I really have it?

Wataru: Yes, do go ahead! Please, enjoy it to your heart's content! ♪

Kanata: I will do exactly that, then. *chomp chomp*…

Ufufu♪ The sweet “red bean paste” is being spread throughout my tired body~.

It’s very delicious. Thank you, Wataru.

Wataru: Fufufu♪ You finally laughed.

Kanata: ……?

Wataru: Now then, let us happily return to Starmony Dorms. Shall we all hold hands so we do not fall?

Rei: That’s right. While I’m not worried about myself, I am a tad worried about Shinkai-kun.

Kanata: Mmu, I was careless earlier. I won’t fall again.

Wataru: Do rest assured. If you are about to fall, I will be there without fail to catch you! ☆

Kanata: I told you, I won’t fall.

Rei: …Still, it is quite strange, isn’t it?

To think that even after graduating from Yumenosaki Academy, the three of us would still be heading to the same place together.

Wataru: Isn’t that right. While we were students, we would all go to Yumenosaki Academy in this very manner…

Back then, I wouldn’t have ever thought we’d be living under the same roof!

Life is full of twists and turns, isn’t it? What a wonderful thing it is! Amazing!

Rei: Life, huh… A lot has happened this year, looking back.

Kanata: But Rei, the year has not yet ended, has it?

Wataru: You’re exactly right, Kanata! There is still Christmas left!

Look, the shop over there appears to have a Christmas tree on display!

Kanata: You’re right. It’s sparkling and beautiful~.

Rei: Right… Beautiful is beautiful, but I do wish they’d refrain from decorating with holly.[2]

Kanata: (Strange. It’s as if the “town” began to shine once I ran into Rei and Wataru.)

(…I still don't do “well” in the “winter” as ever, but I feel it’s not so bad to see the “winter scenery” with someone else, either.)

Wataru: Is there something wrong, Kanata?

Kanata: …Ufufu, nothing at all~.

(quietly) Anyone would feel despondent if they were out alone in the dark “sea”.

[ ☆ ]

story directory

A Japanese fish-shaped pastry, often sold as street food. It’s typically filled with red bean baste, but can also be filled with custard, chocolate, and more. You can see it in Kanata’s bloomed here.

Holly is considered a holy plant that can be used to harm vampires.

#kanata shinkai #idol #translation #rei sakuma #wataru hibiki

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Comte Drama CD Translations, Track Seven: "To You Who Are So Lovely" - Ending

I'm not a professional yada yada yada, these are just my rough transcriptions of each track in the CD because I need fodder for my simping.

This one reads a bit like a love letter left for MC, it's another sweet one:

…Indeed, the sand in the hourglass has fallen. It appears my day with you is over. (I'M DISTRAUGHT TOO DW BEAUTIFUL) In this way, every moment trickles into another ceaselessly…yes, forever. Even now as I say it, the word “forever” drives a painful wedge in my heart. I often wonder at the essence, the weight that word carries--so often spoken with admiration and yearning by humankind.

I think this is the first time in my life I ever went "philosopher (affectionate)" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I could listen to him all day [contented sigh]

I know very well…just how heartbreaking it is. I was shaken by that never-ending, pathless darkness…until you gave me the hope of “now.” A vampire who lives forever, and a woman who lives a finite life, hoping for a better tomorrow. I’m not sure what will become of my love for you that sprouted at the boundary between “forever” and “now.” …But I promise you this. I will never let you go. When I give you eternal love… Let’s spend that time together.

Man the way I act up when I hear fictional man say "I will never let you go" [INSERT LOUD BARKING] it's a promise, Abel 🥺💜

It may turn out to be a bumpy road…but, don’t worry. We’ll take every step of the way hand-in-hand. When I get lost…you’re so kind and strong It makes me sure that if we do ever get lost, we’ll worry about it together, and find answers together. Like a waltz, let’s take each other’s hands…and live together.

Okay all my usual court jester energy aside, I really am so fond of this motif throughout his stories. This idea that being in a relationship is about being there for each other, about promising the other will never be alone. I guess they really just embody what marriage is at its best, for me? Like not necessarily that there's only one way to be married, but that it should be about helping each other and caring about each other? Building a life and sharing that happiness, an enduring love that grows the more two people are together.

Holding hands and dancing, I'm so...

And one day, I’m sure I will… …I’m sure that I’ll turn you into a vampire. At that time, let’s live together forever. From the moment I met you that day, in Paris of the 21st century…it felt like the frozen hands on the clock of my life began to move. I was determined that I would never fall in love with a human again. I was moved by your pure and single-minded thoughts, and I wanted your love. A year later, ten years later, one hundred years of accumulating this “now” I’ve received from you… In the far distant future, I want to see you beside me. I found you in eternity…I love you, and I will dedicate my pureblood life to your fate--

If y'all need me I will be wasting away, ty--

"In the far distant future, I want to see you beside me." I WANT THAT TOO, GORGEOUS

Man the way my brain is just so: the only kind of man I want is one that can go "I wanted your love 🥺👉👈" and "I wanted her blood to run down my mouth." AT THE SAME TIME

It's about the multi-faceted yearning 🤌🏼

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp comte #ikevamp mc #he is the sweetest????? wtf #i swear if i saw a letter like this left for me i would probably actually die of cuteness #the way he's just so '🥺👉👈tg?' #and im just resisting every urge to TACKLE him like 'YES OF COURSE TG FOREVER' #aight but fr comte and mc are def that couple that exchanges love letters unironically #not like every day but once in a while when they're Really Feeling It #am i mushy and ridiculous? probably #but i am cringe and i am free #i cant hear you over the sound of me clutching comte's letter to my chest like some kind of Austen protagonist #okay but why do i see leo being nosy just to get a rise out of him and rooting through comte's drawers #and nearly finds them #but comte grabs him by the scruff of the neck and throws him out #no cigarillos for our boy for a week bad kitty (poor leonardo) #the letters were subsequently concealed in an ornate box he hid in [location censored] #brain: hol'up. no he'd leave all the mushy letters out just to fk with leo but the raunchy ones are def going in the special box #me: my god...psychological warfare... #comte: emotional vulnerability gives him hives; it's equivalent to watching a person with lactose intolerance eat ice cream on purpose #me: KJHLGHJFDSJHFJADHLGDHFJKSGLHJK #honestly idc what mc says watching these two squabble is legit the best full time job out there #comte propaganda #fangdad propaganda #baguettosaurus

[fitzrove]

Writer Asks

Tagged by @yallemagne (thank you<3) ages and ages ago... Inspired to answer because I just published a fic and feel good about it hjejejfjj

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Undisclosed amount xD I've put a bunch on anon, especially from fandoms I'm not active in anymore (lbr, mostly Endeavour). Publically, it's 26 rn.

2. What's your total ao3 word count?

212040!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Elisabeth, hopefully in the future Tanz der Vampire (I've been thinking about it for like five years), in the past Endeavour (TV).

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

They're all Endeavour because those are older and in a (slightly) bigger fandom... Unfortunately I think they're not the best ones I've written, a lot of them were when I was 18 (no offense to 18 year olds) and had just started writing fanfic ajajjjd. Which is why the top 5 are on anon except for one LOL. I really do think kudos doesn't tend to accumulate "correctly" xD People like familiar tropes and time of posting also affects it, there are many fics of mine I consider "underrated"

My top five kudosed Elisabeth fics are: black as the earth (shortened title), Flights of Angels (todolf longfic), Dominion, Midnight Man & Starwalk. tbh deserved...

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes, I try to respond to every single one of them so people will hopefully comment in the future too, especially if they're kind, funny or thought-provoking!!! However, I delete them if I don't like them or they're weird, boundary-crossing or TMI ahdjfjjf (has happened a handful of times - the joys of writing explicit stuff lol. PSA: do not tell fic authors about your sexual activities in the comments, i do not consent...)

6. What's the fic you wrote that has the angstiest ending?

I often do bittersweet, or "sweet but also has Implications" >:] Oh and I guess there's a lot of them where Rudolf dies at the end... I think the actual angstiest might be No Forevers (Endeavour fic) even though nobody dies in that one. Though I ruined it by writing a sequel to it, after the showrunner wrote one of the characters back into the show after like 10 years xD In my defense, this wasn't my idea!!!

7. What's the fic you wrote that has the happiest ending?

Beams of Morning (Endeavour). I retconned one of my own DIY bittersweet endings whoops... 🤣🤣😭 It's sappy, even, but maybe that's allowed. For elisabeth it's Flights of Angels because the happiest happy endings are ones that feel deserved.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No - I've gotten hate for my headcanons/meta and my video essays though (never to my face ;D) which can be fic adjacent. I guess it's because there's a better tagging system with fic, like, people won't be exposed to stuff they don't want to see as readily as with tumblr and youtube etc. And people also know how to leave other ppl alone!! Ajdjjfjf

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes. The unpleasantly sexy kind 👀

10. Do you write crossovers?

Noooo, I don't really read them either. The kinds of crossovers I like are the ones that are crossovers "in name only"; ie. setting or tropes lifted from one work, characters/cast from another. Wildly incongruent characters showing up in each other's universes and interacting etc doesn't fit into my suspension of disbelief most of the time 😭

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Luckily no!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I once helped someone translate theirs into English, which was cool. Oh, and recently I've been asked for permission to translate at least one of my fics - I hope it happens because it's always an honor!! >:]

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I've collaborated on series, but I haven't co-written stuff on a deeper level. I think I'm too much of a control freak to get into it ajsdjjf, I can do stuff inspired by other people and am happy if my stuff inspires other people, but if I need to agree on plot/characterisation with someone consistently I don't think it'd work out, since no two people have identical takes and preferences with stories and characters.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

For around 2.5 years it's been todolf, it captures a lot of stuff I've liked in fiction for a longer time already >:D I can't really say whether it will be the Ship of a Lifetime for me... I mean it did make me move countries (as one reason of a few) but if someone asked me in the summer of 2016 I would've probably said [checks ao3 reading history] um. h*milton x j*fferson... so like. IT CHANGES A LOT OK ajajsjdj

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but don't think you ever will?

I don't want to doom any of my current wips to the graveyard!!!!!! I am having worries about the fate of my todolf swan lake modern ballet au fic though. The original draft outline is complete but it doesn't really fit my character interpretations for tod or rudolf anymore, it's from january 2022... Idk maybe I can one day rework it somehow with different characterisations ajsjdjf but yeah mostly it's interesting concepts haphazardly tied together but no coherent plot

16. What are your writing strengths?

Imagination/coming up with ideas, metaphors, descriptions (usually), grammar and syntax, writing crown prince rudolf really well (XDD), rhythm/pacing (usually), the way it Sounds (my brain sometimes fixates on phonetics randomly because after all, English is not my first language, and sometimes there'll be like, a really pleasing/satisfying combination of sounds in smth I think to write and I think I'm good at picking up on that, like how it flows and sounds. Idk if those preferences are universal though or if it's just me writing what I think sounds pleasing)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing varied characters, writing varied speech patterns/"character voice" also in narration, vocabulary.... I am but a humble English as a second technically third language speaker,,,, (i'm doing an english language grad school degree rn lol so i think i'm no worse than natives, not humble abt this actually, but i'm on the level of like. a not so well-read native speaker. Because most actual fiction literature I've read in my life has been in Finnish, in English I've just read academic literature, fanfic and like 10 books max! I need to read more and become a better writer ahhdhhdhf)

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

No... Dialogue is a big no from me, it often feels cringe ngl ajsjdjdj. My personal philosophy is "if you need a translator's note for people to understand what's going on, don't put it in" 😅 A lot of the time different languages are also used in fic in nonsensical ways where it will look ok to a lot of people but bother the hell out of native speakers/ppl who speak the language. This is smth that can technically be done well but it's usually not aksldlldd. I think pet names and individual words can be fine but it needs to be done in moderation... I also obsess a lot over research, like, the nuances of the word need to actually mean what the author thinks it means :'D

19. First fandom you wrote for?

First published for Endeavour, first wrote for H*rry P*tter... (never-to-be-published fan comics and little stories as a young kid, like 8 years old).

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Right now it's vers l'onde souterraine... ;) I think I'm constantly improving as a writer and hopefully every fic will be better than the last!!

#asks #tag thing #you probably forgot you tagged me in this JAJSJHS it's been like 6 months probably #writing #fanfiction

[knight-queen]

Black Wolves Saga Bloody Nightmare (Common Plot Part 1)

This game covers 200+ memories and but I were to translate them individually, it will take me forever which no way I want lmao. So I decided to make the whole game into parts, specially the common plot. Each parts hopefully ends with a red-splash thing. I know it may sound inconvenient  but I found it as a best option. The main thing I am worried is the selection things because they are so long and I hope God will help me to arrange the whole story smoothly <3

The sky is weeping. Weeping for grieving over the sorrowful event that is going to happen right away.

Large droplets of rain hit the ground. Some approaching sounds of footsteps mixed with such groaning rain could be heard from far away. Gradually, gradually.

The village which is more likely has sank inside the darkness has yet to notice the impending crisis.

???: ーー...It’s raining...brother.

???: ーー...Hmph. What is wrong, Rath? You are scared?

Rath: No, it’s not….It’s not like that...Brother, it’s raining awfully too much.

???: ーー...Raining? You are wrong, these are tears.

Rath: Tears? …...What do you mean?

???: God of the Weblin is crying. He is feeling sorrow for these humans after all.

Rath: Human...human...HUMAN...I hate them.

???: If so then kill them. Paint your heart with those emotions. Wolves do not need any heart inside them.

Looks like they appeared out of nowhere. Unscared of this rain, two human-looking persons were standing in the middle of the village.

One of them is tall figued. Another one is a young man still in the mid-way of becoming an adult.

Those are the eyes of fellows, ash colored beasts, the eyes which were shining like sparkles, like starving for flames and blood.

???: ーMove forward.

He commanded splitting a single word.

*Wolves howling sounds*

*Village was set to fire*

Female Resident 1: Heeeeehhh…!

Howling wolves are screaming as if they are proceeding by tearing through the rain.

As the people are uproaring in panic, the man’s smile inside the rain deepens.

A beautiful smile that one cannot overlook if the situation would allow you.

???: Kukukuh...Devour it all. These human’s blood, flesh andーーeverything.

Female Resident 1: KYAAAAAAAAAAA!! Wolves!? Why, what are they here....!!

Male Resident 1: Just run…!! Hurry and take our kids to….gh, kyaaa!!

???: ーIt’s pointless.

The howl of wolves that vibrates the dark night. Plus their accumulated screams rise one by one, and the echo disappears in an instant.

The sound that could be heard next was the pulling sound of something heavy. Pulling human bodies one after another.

*BG turns to an wolf eating flesh*

The next sound that could be heard was the chewing sounds of the wolves mixed with rain-water. Those wolves were slicing humans as if they were nothing more than baits.

Female resident 1: Kyaaaaayaaaaaaaaaa!! Stopp….ughuh….!!

*Blood splash*

An awkward chewing sound was resounded from all around by getting mixed with raining sound.

At the same time, the scent of blood which was not getting erased even with incessant rain spread around. It stirs up the instincts of the wolves as well.

???: Fufh...it has a very beautiful timbre. Human’s shierkings are the best comfort. I hope you will not mind letting me hear more. 

From the shadows of the wolves’ flock, someone stretched their hand by appealing for help.

Strengthless, yet that person was shivering and struggling like has gotten twitched.

???: Just die, shameless.

*Blood splash*

That person has stopped moving right away.

From human, to object. To alive, to dead. From a mass of protein, to a piece of flesh. 

All left now is the despicable sound of water that wolves are using to satisfy their hungry stomach, but that could be heard inside of darkness.

???: More, fill your stomach more. Eat them all….

The male’s heart gets filled with screams and frustration. Meanwhile, a villager seemed to run away in sight of that man.

That person is a villager. His destination will probably be the stable. His intention for now is to ask his neighbouring villagers to help him out by riding on a fast horse.

Once he manages to get on the horse, then wolves or something like that will be unable to interfere with him.

???: ...Guillan.

He muttered by calling that name.

Guillan: Hiyaaaaaa~! What’s up, Arles? Isn’t it just a waste of time to kill that ugly jackass?

Arles: ーIt is an order.

Guillan: Tch, how boorish. ...Well then I am gonna kill ‘em in boldly, ‘kay? Just watch me will yaaa’ー?

Along with sliced-through-wind sound, silver light breaks through the dark night. Then he immediately scratched off the man’s head who was trying to reach the horse-stable.

Resident 1: Guggh…!!

*blood splash*

Slashed fresh blood. But that immediately got mixed and soaked with rain and soil respectively.

*Shoots*

Guillan: I hit itー! Wooooooh! Oi, they’re seriously tiny sized fish. Guess it’s worth it to get more of ‘em still alive?

The headless villager trumple down to the ground with a thud. Right there was a flock of wolves. Soon enough, they could be seen devouring by chewing him. 

They slurp down the fresh blood as they apart the flesh. Gushed and overflowed red with rain droplets have become one and they both are ending up being mud. 

Guillan: Ahh, that guy is fukin’ ugly. Me the great don’t wanna see him, so gonna mess him up.

*Shoots*

Guillan: Hiyaaa! Cool, cool. Kindly just pass away, ugly humans. 

*Another shoot*

Guillan: Hiyahahahah! Now it becomes easier to eat, yah? Eat ‘em more, ‘cuz they are merely chunks of “meat” anyways, kay?

*Blood splash*

Guillan: Ooh, It’s damn boring for some reason. It’d be better if they would fight back more. Just hunting isn’t fun though?

Arles: ーShut up. It is my order.

Guillan: Oh goodness, I smash ‘em all just as you wished right? You knoooow, wolves sob if you don’t compliment them.

Arles: ...Alright. 

*Arles pats Guillan*

Guillan: Kukukuh...I like that side of yours. Oi, shall I butcher ‘em more?

*gets ready the spin-blade*

The young man called Guillan, at his fingertips, there is the dangerous weapon that reaped out the life of the villager is rotating making a humming sound.

It is a weapon called chakram, a weird weapon where one has to bag fingers into it and hurl at the distant target by being very concentrative. 

Every single part of it’s external is made out of blade, the users will get hurt if they make an error in holding that.

The perfect owner of that weapon, that young man, was really suited to using that.

*Shoots + Blood flash*

Guillan: Arlesーwhat ‘bout attacking a bigger place? As you can see, It’s been a while since this miny village’s gone hollow.

They aren’t even responding a thing. Darning borin’. They are fukin villagers after all. Seriously trash yeah?

More, more and more, let’s do somethin’ more entertainingー?

*Shoots again*

Guillan: Hiyaaa, hiyaaaaaa, hiyaaaaaaaaahーhhh!!! Blooood, blooood, blood-blood-blood-blood, gotta chop off everything wooo!

Although he seems to have lost his mind, at the same time, the Charkram shoot off from his fingertips and hunts the prey by spinning through the rain and wind. 

*Blood splash + stab sound*

Female Resident 1: KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAー!!

His attitude is potent, and his talent is that not only was he able to master a very difficult weapon, he mastered hunting a target very comfortably and easily. That skill of his is very well-known.

Arles: ...Fufh, you are right. We can begin to prey upon a larger city onward. We must make those humans...suffer, more suffer.

Kill more...we must kill them more. We must erase them entirely.

Guillan: Hiyahah! Sounds great...I can’t wait…

Among the wolves as they run, hunt and howl in the rain, those two’s conversations are like talkings between a child and his corresponding guardian.

Right after, Arles starts gazing on the other side.

Arles: ...What is Rath doing?

Guillan: Rath? Oh...you mean that rookie huh. Wasn’t he just hunting the foolish who were simply trynna escape over there. 

He doesn’t seem to like murder thing that much. Don’t really think he is your younger bro.

Arles: ...Rath is still immature. If he abandons his emotions, he should be able to kill humans. 

Guillan: Abandon emotions? He’d feel more at ease if he’d just do fun stuff and stop thinking about troublesome shits.

*Spins his Chakram*

Guillan: Hiyyaaah! ‘Kay then, I’m gonna rampage a lil’ more.

Arles: Do not let even a single one be alive. Kill everyone except wolves, seize the souls of everyone. Everyone.

Guillan: I’m down for itー! Bossー!

The scent of blood, as well as the screams and everything which is happening gets erased in the rain, doesn’t even reach anyone. 

Now this small village has turned into a hunting ground for wolves.

Arles: ...Rath.

Rath: ……

After shifting places with guillan, the young man has shown up as if he gets out from the dark.

Arles: What were you doing?

Rath: ...Nothing particular. I was killing them. Just as you told me.

Arles: Do not worry, Rath. Set on fire after the rain stops.

Rath: ...Yeah. I know, brother.

Arles: We are doing this in order to let it know what happened. We want the foolish subjects of Weblin to realize the existence of us, the wolves.

Take everything away, their houses, lands, and lives so that they cannot even think about coming to these places again.

Rath: ...Big brother, I know.

Arles: If you know then respond. The leader of this flock is me.

Rath: ...Yeah.

Arles: Rath, do not think about the points that much. Listen to your own insects inside you. Sound yourself more like “kill humans!”

Rath: ...I know, brother. I know!!

Arles: Say it, you will kill them.

Rath: I will kill. I will...kill humans.

Arles: Say it once more. It is an order.

Rath: ...Kill, kill, kill...kill. I will kill...kill...kill. I will kill, kill...kill, kill, kill, kill them.

I must kill them.

Arles: Rath, do not hesitate. You are not allowed to forget what they did to us. 

Rath: Kill, kill, kill, kill. Yeah...I will kill them.

Arles: Alright...time to go. Fire up.

A small nod, then the young man disappeared out of sight just like he faded away in the dark. 

Arles: ...Kukukuh.

The male chuckles as he is glaring at this hellish disaster.

Arles: Other races etc, just devour all of them. Wreck them out and get rid of everything.

Look, the God of Weblin. This is the beginning of the wolves’ revenge. If you say our race is cursed, then I dare you to curse more.

Kukukuh, hahahah, HAAHAAHHAHAHAH!

As the bloody-rain continues, the man who stood in the middle of this tragic place was the king of the wolves.

Weblin Kingdom

It is a small kingdom which is lying at a corner of the continent thronged with great powers.

Garibaldi family of the Cat species rules it. Surrounded by abundant and strict atmosphere, Weblin is undoubtedly standing as an solitary island on the continent.

While wearing armor called “Nature which prevents aggression”, this kingdom was flourishing as an independent civilization on the continent.

The one that holds domination power is the species called ‘Cats’.

In this world the species that exist are ー1) ’Cats’

2) Human

3) Wolves

4) And the rare species are ‘Rat’

5) Lion

6) Dog

7) Rabbit

When wolves and humans hand over the top of the Weblin to the Cats, the races living there including the rare ones were being dominated. 

Hundred of years passed after its founding, although there were clan’s barriers in it, Weblin was still a harmonious and splendid country which existed in a beautiful environment.

Exactly like this, until ten years ago. 

As the history progressed, Cats and other races of Weblin were producing a few number of frictions. 

Exploiting takes place right one after another. The relationship between the tribes finally began to be disputed. 

There was a rebellion that occurred ten years ago.

A wolf guard-knight who used to work for the Weblin kingdom had turned the sword towards one of the members of the royal family.

Cats who ruled Weblin, and the one who ruled on their top of that was the royal family Garibaldi.  Treasoning that family was a very heavy sin.

That guard-knight’s residence was disrupted and so after he was driven out from the country. However一the uproar still was not all over.

That uproar was not only between Wolves and Cats but involved in every other race.

一And thereupon, a big plague had assaulted the country.

A brutal death-disease called “Zodiva” 一 so called this disease by human and it was in trend. 

This may dye the sufferer’s skin into black color and may also end up completely spoiling the brain-tissues. And this unknown caused plague will eventually lead the affected individual into madness.

Wherein a rumour takes place which is “Wolves are the reasons behind the origin of this plague.” This rumour got spread across many regions in no time. 

The people of the villages and towns that wolves attacked were feared, that thoroughly-outbroken disease was the wolves’ curse.

And eventually that ‘Zodiva’ name becomes identified as ‘Madness-disease by Wolves.’

In order to sweep away the fear of such people, the Weblin Kingdom Garibaldi VI had announced a certain rule.

一 “Genociding Wolves Law”

“Behead the wolves who are the origin of the nation-wrecking disease.”

Balanced relationships between the clans that had been preserved for 100 years have decisively collapsed after coming this far.

The decree to protect yourself from the wolf species was warranted as a reason to hunt the wolf species behind anyone’s notices.

In the fear of Zodiva, the other clans started wildly joining in wolves-hunting and had decided to exterminate them. 

ーAnd ten years have passed since then.

Due to the dramatic decrease of wolves, the impact of Zodiva has also descended.

However, the wolves killing law that Garibaldi VI had published still continued to function without undo. 

The wolves species began to decrease so much as if it was an endangered species. 

By changing the wolves’ position to be preyed on, the cats became more and more absolute strength owners.

Weblin, unlike the outer places where the plague was not spreaded, is now belonging to cats…

ーIt was an absolute monarchy.

Place: Weblin Kingdom Castle一 Corridor

Auger: …?

Hm, I just heard a voice. As I was walking leisurely in the hallway, I stopped and brought up my ear to listen to something interesting or not.

(Hmmm? What kind of conversation would they possibly have in such a place like this.)

Waiting Maid 1: Hey tell me, did you two heard a rumour about a witch?

Waiting Maid 2: A witch?

Waiting Maid 3: Yeah, rumour about the witch of Charmessen (Beautiful Forest)? 

Waiting Maid 1: Oh yeah exactly. You know, it’s said that there’s a witch in the Charmessen forest.

Waiting Maid 2: Yes, I have heard about it a little. It was about like the witch from the Charmessen forest is cursing the Weblin by wielding a disaster, right? 

Waiting Maid 3: Exactly, as you see the northward village has been raided up and destroyed by the wolves recently.

Waiting Maid 2: Very miserable indeed… After eating and killing the people regardless of their gender and age, they even set the places on fire.

Waiting Maid 1: Yeah, I talked to a member of knighthood who was dispatched later on…

It was not cool to ask him but, he turned pale after saying it wasn’t something that humans could do.

Waiting Maid 3: Even a brave knight has averted his eyes, it means it was a terrible spectacle indeed…

Waiting Maid 1: Same goes for the impact on the wolves, I heard the witch is manipulating the wolves to attack everyone.

Waiting Maid 2: Eeh? But what the witch would possibly achieve by making the wolves attack down. 

Waiting Maid 3: You know, it’s something that I have heard though...because the witch wants to have an eternal life, she will need so many sacrificial victims. 

Waiting Maid 1: Then she is making the wolves hunt the villages or towns to get so many sacrificed people...I am scared now.

Waiting Maid 2: Talking about being scared...recently the Garibaldi Majesty IV keeps getting in weak condition. I am scared of what if something bad happens.

Waiting Maid 1: You’re right. Majesty’s condition just keeps getting frailed lately…

Waiting Maid 3: Raids by wolves, Zodiva, Witch and so many threatening stuff are going on. So I would like the Majesty to hang on there…

Waiting Maid 2: Rather, isn’t it okay to hand over the royal to His Highness Mejojo really quick?

Waiting Maid 1: Hush…! How can you handle it if it goes to others’ ears…!?

Waiting Maid 3: As she said, no matter how number one royal successor Lord Mejojo is, don’t say so confirmly that he is going to be the next heir. 

Expecting Garibaldi VI is going to pass out is something considered as the crime of treason you know?

Waiting Maid 2: ...R- right...kh. I am so sorry for being careless.

The silence that stares around for a while continues. The three of them are more likely to sweat over what they will do if somebody would hear their conversations.

Auger: (Seriously, you ought to be careful since you don’t know if somebody had a chance to hear you or not.)

That’s right. For example, just like this, there was a possibility that the twin brother of the next royal successor prince Mejojo Von Garibaldi has been taking a peek in your conversations. 

(Everyone likes gossiping about rumours afterall~ I also don’t hate it though)

I like it even more if it comes out handy for me.

Waiting Maid 1: That being said...It just pops up in my mind. The disagreements between the Garibaldi Majesty VI and his twin princess came out pretty much a fact.

Waiting Maid 2: Eh? No kidding?

Waiting Maid 3: Oh, I heard about that too. Let me go back umm...it was about Lady Eleanora and Rayrie, yeah?

Waiting Maid 2: Lady Eleanora and Rayrie…? Who are you talking about? Was there anybody with those names?

Waiting Maid 1: Ohh, you have moved here recently. Both Lady Eleanora and Rayrie are Majesty Garibaldi VI’s wives.

Waiting Maid 2: Oh yes, that’s why...I felt like I heard those names before.

But surely both of them had passed away right?

Waiting Maid 1: ...Yeah. It’s been many years since Lady Eleanora and Rayrie had passed away.

Waiting Maid 2: I see. Guess no matter how newcomer I am or other maidens, you are gonna know those names today or tomorrow.

If that is the case then...it means Majesty Garibaldi VI is very sorry.

Waiting Maid 1: Eh? Why’s that?

Waiting Maid 2: Because both of his wives have passed out pretty early, no?

Waiting Maid 1: ………

Waiting Maid 3: ………

Waiting Maid 2: Eh? What’s wrong with the two of you? Did I just...say something weird?

Waiting Maid 3: ...You say something weird or not, Err well...looks like you still don’t know yet, so I shall inform you about that.

Waiting Maid 2: E- eh?

Waiting Maid 1: Talking about Lady Eleanora and Reyrie are prohibited in the interior of the castle.  Even if you split them accidentally, you are gonna be dismissed.

Waiting Maid 2: Di- dismissed…?

Waiting Maid 3: Told you right? Lady Eleanora and Reyrie contents are the main reason for the bad patches between His Majesty and his princes.

Waiting Maid 2: Eeh? What does that mean?

Waiting Maid 1: Well you see…

Auger: (Looks like the time has arrived)

*Footsteps*

Waiting Maid 1: …!

Waiting Maid 2: …!

Waiting Maid 3: …!!

I purposely straightened my neck up and showed up from the place that I have silently been hiding.

The maidens who were blooming like a flower while ridiculously chattering a minute ago, are instantly turning into pale blue.

That’s not surprising either. Because the rumoured person that was being chased by these ladies’ curious minds has presented his appearance.

Auger: Hey there, what three of you were talking about? Would you please let me join too? I love those kinds of conversations.

With an intentional carefree and light voice, I asked if it would be okay to accompany them.

Obvious enough, they turn around their heads side to side with immense vigor. 

Waiting Maid 1: W- we are terribly sorry, your highness Auger...we are taking our leaves…!

Waiting Maid 2: Kindly excuse our silliness…!

Auger: Eeeh, aren’t you going a bit over? I had already heard every single word of what you just talked about. That being said, you also mentioned something like ‘you will get dismissed’, no?

Waiting Maid 1: N- not at all…! No way…! If I had misunderstood something...kh, I- I am begging your forgiveness…

Auger: Nope, now way I will pardon you right? You are gonna die here.

Waiting Maid 1: Hhhee…!!

*that maiden falls down*

Auger: So, what are you upto? Oh right, you also intended to say that yeaaa.

Waiting Maid 2: W- we are begging...your pardon...gh!

Auger: Oh jeez, do not let out that loud voice. It’s earsore. 

...I am a royal master musician. My ears are very sharp. And you can tell it clearly by looking at those ears, no? Or perhaps you humans can’t possibly get what I meant.

Look carefully, my ears are really great. I may end up hearing every single thing.

Waiting Maid 2: ...R- right.

Auger: That- is- why, if you talk about such things for a second time...I will kill you. 

Waiting Maid 3: ...hhhgh…!!

Auger: Your response, lil’ human girls?

Waiting Maid 3: A- alright!! Your highness Auger!!

Waiting Maid 2: W- we beg our excuse…!

While the three parties fairly raised their voices, the ladies got dismissed from that place in no time.

Auger: Looks like there're so many rumours spreading out...Fufu, rumours are pretty fun I guess…?

I slothly resumed to start wandering while giggling.

Although it has declined, the effect of Zodiva still has not reached zero.

The raids on the towns-villages by the wolves.

The same time when those situations got paired, other threatening rumours also got spread in a blink of an eye.

Auger: (Even the ‘father is passing out’ being a rumour...mhm, pretty interesting indeed)

I was able to hear something very amusing while loitering around looking for cool news.

I’m also telling this great news to my big brother.

I have to set it up since brother has a serious gaze. He may also not be gonna tease about it like me.

Let’s make it more interesting if that’s what the case is, okey?

#black wolves saga translations #black wolves saga bloody nightmare #black wolves saga #rejet otome games #otome games translations #BWS bloody nightmare #BWS BN common plot p1

[allteacher]

Eris has been thinking about Oryx.

This is what she tells the Vanguard, but it feels wholly inadequate. She feels half-consumed, again, burying herself in Toland’s letters and in the shorthand notes she’d carved into her armor down in the pit, contrasting her scraps of arcane knowledge with newly-classified Hidden reports of some alien brightness emitting from the depths of the Shrine of Oryx. All the information she has points her unerringly to that same place, that same desolate object in orbit.

She still has not been back to the Moon.

Ikora has not leashed her, but all of her missions have been strictly planetside, no more dangerous than the assignments of civilian intelligence agents. Eris knows this is because she is a civilian, now, no matter what Hunter-instincts still guide her. But she still feels stifled, trapped in the Tower, despite what the other agents whisper about healing and recuperation and trial periods.

Despite the hopes and fears of the Vanguard, she does not want to rush headlong into her final death; there is a reason she directed the Guardian like a blade across the surface of the Moon to hunt Crota’s brood. But something is stirring in the nearest seat of Oryx’s power, and she needs to see it for herself. They must learn more about the King before he sweeps into their little corner of the universe and kills them all.

After Crota there had been scarcely a night to celebrate, to sit quietly with her grief, before her work had continued. She can accept this if she can be of use once again, if she can follow her chain of vengeance up the royal lineage of the Hive until there is nothing left, no trace of the Hive left to burn.

The Guardian comes to retrieve bounties every morning, bringing Eris what scarce information she can find in the field. The Wolves are freshly escaped from their prison, and the Tower is in a frenzy. Crota is dead with his father a million lightyears away. They are of no importance, now.

“You destroyed the Shrine of Oryx,” Eris says over a handful of sticky idols. It is not a question: she has read the after-action report.

“Yes,” the Guardian says, her black hair hanging over her eyes. “Well— we did.” Her voice, always quiet, sinks lower. “I don’t understand why the Speaker had us chasing Osiris’ prophecies, after everything I’ve heard about the exile…” She is still newly-risen, but already she knows the value of a secret.

Eris leans in at that, curious. “Osiris?” There had been no mention of him in any of the mission data, though she can already guess that the Speaker had a hand in this. Few remembered Osiris’ prophecies about the Hive; they did not need reminding of their truth with Oryx hanging on the horizon.

The Guardian leaves shortly after, bond gleaming on her arm, promising to send her a recording of the mission in full. Eris suspects she has all the information she needs. There is, at least, one person she can trust as a traveling-partner.

She needs to get to the Shrine. The Vanguard are still fighting among themselves as to Oryx’s existence and importance, the Speaker furtively seeking information from the same man he exiled, so Eris considers her mission a Hidden matter. She sends Ikora a message and departs before she can ask too many questions.

It is still early enough in the day, so she takes her ship out of the hangar and flies it into the wilderness, somewhere she can sit without being bothered by any well-meaning Guardians passing by. She adjusts her radio until she finds the channel spitting out static cut through with the trill of a harpy. She hears numbers occasionally, two two seven…

Eris waits, but she is used to it. Eventually the static cuts, the harpy-song violently ended.

“Osiris,” comes the voice on the other end, brisk, like he’s still Vanguard Commander, fielding calls. As if anyone else could be on the other end, as if anyone else could be reaching out through the heavy curtain of exile to seek him out.

“Eris Morn,” she replies, then, “I have news of Oryx.” She is still newly-returned, still refiguring herself in the wake of her own personal catastrophe. Talking to Osiris is at least easier, because he leaves no space for anything but what is necessary.

She thinks maybe he has forgotten how to do anything but question, too, in an exile less excruciating but no less lonely. Here they both are, grasping at the edges of something.

“Oh!” Sagira gasps on the other end of the line, excited. Something in Eris, at the very back of her mind, shutters— not completely alone, she forgets. The emptiness over her shoulder aches in tandem with the ever-present burning in her eyes. Some things will always be only her burden to bear.

“Yes,” Eris says, pushing forward despite the feeling, because that is what she does. “The Shrine is awake again.” She suspects he already knows, may be watching it even now. “I want to know what we can learn from it.”

She knows they will find something. She also knows that there is more to this bone-deep desire for shared action, when she has been alone in her hunt since she and Eriana and the rest first sought Crota’s realm and died in the seeking. She is certain she would die before telling anyone. Some gnawing uncertainty of what may happen to her if she was completely, devastatingly alone in those tunnels again. All that blank terror and wordless desperation, still hiding somewhere in her mind.

Eris knows she is not mad, regardless of the whispers from the young Guardians burning shockingly bright. But her wounds are still seeping, not six months since she crawled out of the Moon. She still has nightmares of finding bodies in the dust, of being stripped of her Light, of being split open that first horrific night of the Great Disaster. These, she suspects, will never stop.

The thought makes Eris feel ridiculous, like a child that cannot take care of herself. But for this, for the fate of humanity, she is willing to submit to her own self-doubt. There is work yet to be done.

“The Shrine!” Sagira squawks over the line. “I told you it wouldn’t stay closed forever! That Guardian, what, shot at it? Eris, we’ll meet you in orbit. The signal!”

Osiris sighs, irritated. “Yes, we will. Bring any information you have.” The line cuts. Because no one can see her, Eris allows herself to think of Brya.

—

Sagira transmats Eris aboard their ship once she arrives. It is remarkable how utterly alien it appears, as if the Vex had terraformed it from the inside out. She has met with them a few times, in the search for Crota’s court, but never anywhere Eris could begin to grasp the full scope of Osiris’ obsession.

Osiris huffs something at her by way of greeting, splitting his attention between a terminal screen and an ancient book. Eris occupies herself with spreading her materials out on a little card table, conspicuous, next to the navigation controls: scrolls, notes and their translations, runes, her Ahamkara joint.

After a few minutes Osiris stands, tips his head toward her. “Toland’s things?” He asks, moving to sort through the Hive-lore Eris has managed to accumulate.

“Some of it,” she says, reaching for the book Osiris had been examining. It’s one she’s never seen before, a rambling theory about Hive communication logics. She digs through it in silence while Osiris and Sagira examine her own theories, Sagira occasionally making comments as she draws comparisons.

Eris tries to keep herself from growing too comfortable, too complacent, but in the dim light and the ship’s low static hum she finds it far easier to think. Especially in comparison to her place in the Tower, where even in the shadows she feels exposed, on display.

In time they go down to the surface of the Moon, the harsh architecture of the Hive looming over their heads. Eris expects herself to be more nervous, some paranoia still buzzing in her skull. Now, though, there’s only a sort of anticipation. Clarity in action, just as it had been hunting Crota.

Osiris enters the underground first, Sagira buzzing around his head. There are a few Thrall lingering around the moldering stonework of the entrance, all neatly dispatched.

“What do you expect?” Eris asks as they make their way down the long corridor to the entrance of the Gatehouse. It’s suspiciously empty, no acolytes making their rounds, no thrall kicking up rocks to search for worms.

“If the shrine is active again, it’s worth protecting,” Osiris says, stopping at the edge of the harsh cliff-face to glance at the stars above, the darkness below. “It would explain the lack of Hive on the surface levels.”

They continue, cautious, Eris stepping lightly enough that she doesn’t break the bones littered across the steps. There’s nothing as they creep ever downward, as the yellow glare of the lamps turns to the icy blue-green of the Circle of Bones.

Eris remembers such names from her first journey to the Moon, from when she and her fireteam were first racing screaming through these corridors. She wonders if they were translated or if Toland had made them up as he saw fit.

She almost startles as she sees a lone acolyte peering off its balcony, though she throws her dagger at it before Osiris can move to kill it himself. It drops silently; she goes to observe it, crouching down to retrieve her knife. The motion makes her knees ache.

Osiris comes up behind her, nudges its cleaved skull with his boot. “Not so graceful as the Vex,” he comments.

“But much more ravenous.” It has been months since she has killed any Hive, she realizes. In the tunnels, again, she feels almost as if she’d never left.

“The Vex devour entire planets without thought. They are less visceral, but no less dangerous.”

Eris stands, looks out into the dark hallways of the Hive to ensure they are not being ambushed. “And yet you live among them willingly.”

“Not so willingly as one may think,” he says, and then he’s moving again, trailing sparks, leading them both.

Some part of her wants to know what keeps him there, if it is anything like what draws her back to the Moon, again, after so much death and pain. But he has not questioned her motives, has not pitied her. She will not seek information she would not give.

The great tunnels of the Hall of Wisdom echo as they move through them, the sound distorting as it passes down the lengths of not-quite-stone. The answering echo sounds like something screaming.

When the shrine-room opens up around them, Eris expects something grandiose in its terror. But there is no immense shadow of Oryx looking down on them, only the simple cruelties of the Hive’s existence.

At the base of the shrine is a small coven of Wizards, all hovering above a lovingly-drawn spell circle. A half-dead Ogre, larger than any Eris had seen in the pits, lays bleeding oil within it. The room is, Eris notices, completely silent. The animal part of her brain, the part that kept her alive in the tunnels, wants her to run until she can see the stars again.

She drops to a crouch, scrabbling backwards to hide more fully in the empty tunnel. Osiris’ ambient Light goes out like a match as he joins her, surveying the ritual around a jut of stone. He looks at her, head tilted, a question. She shakes her head, presses herself flat against the wall.

After a moment, the chanting starts.

It’s not the overwhelming scream of the Deathsingers, but Eris wants to scream back, to chant the names of her fireteam again, to not lose herself in the dark. She grips the handle of her knife hard enough that her hand goes numb.

The wizards sing in turns, the shrine moving under the will of their voices. The ogre shudders as it dies, the circle glowing a sickly green underneath its hulking form.

Eventually, the wizards go quiet. Osiris reaches back against Eris’ shoulder, taps in Hidden shorthand: first opening wait for transmission. She doesn’t dare to move, to acknowledge.

They wait for a few minutes, still and silent in the half-dark of the tunnels. Then the great orb begins spinning, a low drone filling all the gaps in the room.

“Oryx,” Eris whispers, listening to the discordant hum and, through it, the great deep voice of the king of the Hive.

—

They spend the next four hours translating the message. The bulk is an edict on the new chain of tithes, now that Crota is dead.

The ending, though, is what she at once expected and feared: a declaration that Crota’s death will be avenged.

“We knew he would come,” Eris says, trying to stay composed. All the blood Crota spilled, a newborn in the eyes of the Hive, and now his father coming to rain devastation. “I’ve warned the Vanguard.”

Osiris scratches something out on the pad in front of him. “The Vanguard never listens in time. You know that.” It would be barbed, coming from anyone else.

“We have proof now. That might convince them that we are right.” She sighs. She had not expected to feel so drained, so completely bloodless, after such a short journey. “They are still focused on eliminating the rest of Crota’s brood, the Wolves. It will be a struggle.”

“This is not a battle that can be won alone. The Vanguard cannot ignore the Darkness to chase Fallen forever.”

“We may not need to fight alone,” Eris says. “The Queen of the Reef has opened their gates.”

Osiris snorts. “If you think she will listen.”

“Oryx is not just a threat to Earth,” she replies, too exhausted to bristle. She is learning the shape of Osiris’ knowledge, which lies in his challenges. “And we do not know where their knowledge lies. They may yet be able to help us.”

“It is an idea worth pursuing,” Osiris replies after a long few moments, “but it will be difficult to achieve an audience. First we must prepare.”

Eris has been preparing for disaster for as long as she can remember, has spent years guarding against some future ruin. She knows the shape of it, what is at stake if they fail.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watches Osiris card through Hive dictionaries and Eriana’s blood-stained research notes. She had given everything to make it out of the Hellmouth, had become something monstrous to carry her warning back to the City, had destroyed Crota through the stares and the whispers and the doubt.

But she is out of the Hellmouth, now. The City may not trust her, but she has allies beyond its walls, those that can understand this drive to step into the Dark to understand it, destroy it so completely that there is no memory of it left. She will not live to see the end of this war, but the mantle of her vengeance will.

“Tell me about the Vex,” Eris says, arranging her own papers. It is only fair to take on this mantle in turn.

#destiny the game #eris morn #osiris #my fic #tumblr stop eating my posts

[jokertrap-ran]

(未定事件簿) EVENT! 「眷然恋影」 [Tears of Themis] EVENT: Zuo Ran Birthday 2021- Days to Re-Live Forever (4.20: Questionnaire Filling)

*Tears of Themis Masterlist / Mobile Masterlist *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Will also be filed under Zuo Ran’s tag #Tears of a Lawyer *The tracking tag for ALL Event Stories will go under: #Tears of an Event

4.18 / 4.20 / 4.22 / 4.24 / 4.26 Messages / Investigations / Call

Location: Cafe

Shortly after taking on the voluntary job, I'd soon accumulated enough points to redeem the Live-action Studio bookings.

But other than the additional, original movie props, I still had to prepare other little trinkets that Zuo Ran would like, along with a birthday cake.

In order to better understand his preferences in things, I'd specially edited the Film Museum's questionnaire. I'd added in a question about his likes and dislikes for him to fill.

Eventually, I found an opportunity to get him to fill the questionnaire out, during a break at work. I'd invited him out to the Cafe downstairs of our company. 

MC: (I really never knew that Robin had that many fans even offline...)

I'd gathered and heard countless people speak of the film critic, Robin, over the course of the past couple of days as I collected survey information.

Everyone had a myriad of wild guesses regarding this mysterious film critic, and the guesses about what his real identity might be was no different either.

But I still stick with my own stand on this. This Robin person should be Zuo Ran.

MC: (It's really interesting to be able to understand Lawyer Zuo from this point of view.)

Zuo Ran: Sorry for making you wait. I had to take a call, and it delayed me for quite a bit.

Zuo Ran's here. Ha laid his suit jacket out on the back of the chair before taking a seat opposite me.

MC: Not at all. I just came earlier, that's all.

MC: This is the Film Festival survey that I mentioned to you before, Lawyer Zuo. Could you fill it in for me?

Zuo Ran: Of course. Actually, there's no need for you to be buying me a cup of coffee for something this small.

I passed the survey that I'd added my own "personal touch" to, to him.

MC: You only ate lunch in a hurry earlier without taking a break at all. You'd have spent the entire afternoon being a busy bee if I didn't invite you out for a cup.

MC: Having a good work-life balance promotes efficiency; that's what you taught me.

Zuo Ran: You're really… I still can't win against you; however I might try.

Zuo Ran accepted the questionnaire and started filling it in without any other question whatsoever.

But looking at how serious he was when filling out the form made me involuntarily get the nervous jitters.

MC: (I'm sure he must find something odd about it once he sees the question about "What flavour of cake do you like?"...)

MC: (Haa, I'm only doing this because I'm out of ideas…)

For the past few days, I'd tried many different ways to find out what his preferences were, but they were all for naught. For example...

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Wednesday. Sister Zhao Xing and I collaborated with each other. I was going to take advantage of the opportunity that presented itself, when she requested to increase the Law Firm’s benefits, to ask Zuo Ran for his birthday preferences.

It all went smoothly at the start. We’d successfully brought up the topic of birthdays, and our colleagues all really got into the conversation regarding it.

But when I asked Zuo Ran about it...

MC: What about you, Lawyer Zuo? Would you like any birthday benefits?

Zuo Ran: I don’t really want anything in particular, so let’s just see what everyone else prefers.

MC: You can just throw anything out there, just as reference material for everyone to brainstorm about.

Zuo Ran: I…

Before he could say anything, however, his cell phone rang. And immediately afterwards, he’d been called away by his Client at the most opportune moment.

By the time he’d returned, the conversation about birthday benefits was already long over...

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

MC: (I don’t think it’s all that obvious when I put my own private questions into the original questionnaire, right…?)

Paralysed by nerves at the side, I looked out for Zuo Ran’s reaction.

Sure enough, he frowned right after completing the first half of the survey.

Zuo Ran: Hm?

MC: What’s wrong, Lawyer Zuo?

Zuo Ran: “Hobbies and favourite colours” ...? Does the Film Festival’s Survey really require such information?

He pointed to the part that I'd added.

MC: ...Yes, this was specifically designed to be so. We can only do a more targeted analysis of the data if we understand everyone’s personal preferences.

Zuo Ran: Also, “What kind of souvenirs and cakes would you like to receive on your birthday”? This is also for data collection?

MC: Yup. I hear that the Museum intends to give all members birthday gifts. Very considerate, aren’t they?

Zuo Ran: ...Is that so? Alright then.

He nodded and continued filling in the survey without voicing any more objections.

MC: ……

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Zuo Ran: Okay, I'm done. Here, does this look okay?

Finally, the questionnaire was completed. I took it from him and flipped through the pages, seeing that every single question had been filled without any blanks left.

MC: Yes, yes. This will work perfectly!

Zuo Ran: That’s great then. Do you… Have anything else?

MC: Nope.

Zuo Ran’s gaze flitted between me and the questionnaire for a few seconds, hesitant to say anything more.

Zuo Ran: Really?

MC: Yes, really.

What’s the matter with him? He was sighing almost inaudibly.

Zuo Ran: All I did was to fill out a questionnaire; there’s no need for you to be so nervous.

Looks like my many different reactions to him earlier had only served to make him suspicious.

MC: Not at all, I’m just… Afraid that you might have found it a tad troublesome, considering the number of questions in there...

Zuo Ran: Don't be. It’s as easy as lifting a finger, I never once found it a hassle in any way at all.

Zuo Ran: If that’s all, then… I’ll be going back upstairs to continue with work.

MC: Alright, I’ll catch up with you soon.

Zuo Ran stood up, pausing as he moved to retrieve his jacket, shooting me a meaningful look as he did.

Zuo Ran: You really don't have to think of it as a bother to me. You can look for me anytime, if you require something.

MC: Okay… Sure.

It was only till I had seen his figure disappear out the door, that I realized just what he might have had misunderstood this for.

MC: (Please don't tell me that he thought that I'd run into some sort of trouble in life that I was too embarrassed to talk to him about…)

MC: (As someone who's his partner, being so polite with him over a mere questionnaire… That must have been a pretty big tell…)

But I can't explain anything to him, in the current situation. All I could do was go wait for his birthday to come to pass before I could even reveal anything to him.

With that in mind, I thoroughly read through the survey that he'd just completed.

MC: (As expected of Lawyer Zuo, he really did do his due diligence in filing everything up!)

It could be said that the manner in which the questionnaire was filled was very Zuo Ran-like— Not only was it done in impeccable handwriting, he even listed out the main points, his logic and thought flow displayed clearly for all to see.

He wasn't sloppy or careless at all, even with those questions I'd thrown into the fray as my own "personal touch". Thus, with this, I've now collected all the information I needed to work with.

MC: Great! Looks like I've finally succeeded this time! This method actually works pretty well, all things given.

I can now go shopping to buy the other props to use in decorating the studio after work's up!

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Location: Zuo Ran's Office

That night, Zuo Ran retrieved the book "Introduction to Love Psychology" again, after he'd finished up his work.

He flipped to the page on "Mutual crushes", his fingertip skimming through the lines.

Zuo Ran: "Signs that show that the opposing party has an interest in you…"

Zuo Ran: "1, initiative: They'll be proactive in asking you about your personal preferences and the like, including, but not limited to, inviting you out to places alone…"

Zuo Ran: “2, nervousness: They'll appear a little nervous, or won't quite know what to do with themselves, especially when alone with you.”

Zuo Ran: "Inviting you out to places alone", "Appears nervous"... All of these checkboxes have been ticked, but she still seemed more concerned about the completion of the questionnaire than anything else...

Probably going over the recollections of her many different reactions earlier in the day, he pondered over the un-complicated scene, mulling over it. His brow furrowed.

Zuo Ran: Although I don't understand what your thoughts about this are...

Zuo Ran: My feelings have always been the same.

Zuo Ran: I'll try to take it slow and convey it to you.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Previous Part: (4.18: Volunteer Application) | Next Part: (4.22: Dubbing Contest)

#Tears of Themis #Zuo Ran #左然 #Translations #Otome #Mihoyo #未定事件簿 #眷然恋影 #Days to ReLive forever #Zuo Ran 2021 Birthday #Tears of a Lawyer #Tears of an Event #weiding shijian bu #tears of themis translations

[thethermocline]

One thing I think is under explored is the unique contributions of each race in LotR. For example, humans are often disparaged because we’re human, so they don’t seem special or interesting like hobbits or elves or dwarves.

But I firmly believe that there are benefits to a race that dies so comparatively quickly. Like medicine; I am certain that in a world like Tolkien’s both the elves and the dwarves would have something to learn from humans about medicine and anatomy. Bluntly speaking, we’d be the race with the most corpses and so autopsies and mummifying rituals and so on would come from us.

Also, written language. I don’t know what Tolkien says about this and I don’t care; elves would pass things down orally or not at all, since they don’t expect to be going anywhere. Humans would want to leave a record. I am convinced that humans made the first written language and after a while (and probably some wars) the elves caught on that making records is a good idea. Not to mention time keeping. Elves have their own thing, so I hear? One yén is equivalent to 144 years, or thereabouts. If that’s true, then that would have likely been formalized after humans developed the calendar. Because the length of a month probably came from women tracking their cycle, right? Elf women might have the same cycle but I don’t know. Also, if you’re immortal and your race is the only one for awhile at the start, why would you care about time passing?

I do think they kept come kind of time table just to track the growth of baby elves into adults, but I don’t think it was super formalized. Even during the events of the books, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the elves struggle to answer questions about time to mortals. They don’t know how to translate their experience of it; what counts as a long or short time if some people are immortal and others aren’t?

Not to mention, in terms of cultural differences, humans would find elves condescending, at least at the beginning of things. Because elves would mark an adult partially by a cessation of change, right? An elf grows into adulthood, and then that’s the body they’ll be in forever. But humans wouldn’t stop changing, so I bet that the elves were waiting for that first generation to grow into adults right up until they died of old age.

Though I do like to think that even after maturity, elves continue to accumulate growth very, very slowly over many centuries. I headcanon Legolas as being a young adult, since he’s canonically shorter than Aragorn, Gandalf, and Boromir. He’s both fully mature and able to go on quests but not quite yet fully grown.

And another things about human-elf relations. I bet as they figured out their differences there was some hostility on both sides. Elves would be trying to figure out why the Valar felt the need to make another race (only child has new sibling, wonders what they did wrong), which is something I think they wouldn’t be able to guess at for awhile. In the beginning humans would have seemed like a downgrade. Not as strong or fast, we’ll say of equal intelligence, and they die super fast??? As all of this became clear, I bet at least some elves were feeling like it was a cruel joke. I also imagine there were more close human-elf bonds in that first generation, before they knew how fast humans die. The shock and grief probably made some elves fade, which wouldn’t help the collective feeling of WTF. It isn’t for many generations after they removed themselves from elven guidance that humans would prove their strengths, I feel. Then on the other side – naturally – I bet the humans had some feelings of inferiority.

I mean, they would sort of have to. The elves raised them! They wouldn’t have understood their own natures except in comparison to elves. And with no other point of view, their mortality must have shocked and horrified them as much as the elves. And when someone has an attachment to someone else who they admire and are jealous and resentful of all at once…

So I think there were some hurtful things said/held as common belief that came out of that. For example, elves can die/fade from trauma/grief. Humans don’t, unless there is actual, physical damage. I’d bet the humans called the elves weak, and the elves said that humans are incapable of love. It would have been the humans, not the dwarves, who were first held to be unfeeling!

All races must seem a little callous to elves, actually. No one else fades from grief the way they do. And the other races would probably either buy into it a bit, the ~special depths of feeling reached only by the Firstborn~ or they would just call them weak of heart, to crumble so in the face of hardship.

Probably those two sentiments would slip back and forth according to the politics of the day. I can’t imagine such a thing often being seen completely neutrally.

#cultural differences #lotr #human-elf relations #dwarf-elf relations #human culture #Elven culture #meta #lotr politics fascinate me #world building #tolkien answer me

[mhdiaries]

SDCC 2015 Djinni “Whisp” Grant Diary

⟡ ⧗ ⟡ ⧗

It’s amazing how different the world looks when you’re the one in charge of it. I don’t mean the whole world, of course, just the one that exists inside the lantern. Now, instead of criticizing - which I used to do a lot of - I have to actually be responsible. I think my first decision will be to return to my original shadow look because I want my unlife to change from the inside out, not the outside in. 

⟡ ⧗ ⟡ ⧗ ⟡ ⧗ ⧗

I think I still have a lot to learn about being a djinni; mostly because when I was “shadowing” Gigi, I didn’t pay very good attention to the things she was telling me about the job. I think my jealousy made me deaf to everything except what I wanted. So, now I have a lot of catching up to do. Good thing there’s an instruction book, and an even better thing that I have a lot of time on my hands since it’s a five thousand-volume set. At least it’s interesting... well, most of it is, anyway. The legal and warning sections are full of fine print that I’m sure would make any monster who needed sleep - which I don’t - go completely comatose. Something that I learned today, which I should have already known, is that the number of wishes a djinni can grant is based upon how many years they have been a servant of the lantern. I’m only allowed three to begin. I hope whoever finds me doesn’t feel like they’ve been ripped off. Hmmm... I wonder if I should say, “You only get three, don’t waste them.” Well, the next volume seems to be full of things a djinni can and cannot say, so I guess I will find out. Just hope it’s not in the fine print.

⃞ ⧗ ⧗

There is a clock and calendar on the wall of a small storeroom deep in the basement of the lantern palace. It is the only place inside the lantern where the passage of time is recorded. I used to go there when I was a shadow and watch the time pass when Gigi was out granting wishes. At first I thought it was fascinating, but over time my fascination turned to resentment as I watched the hours and days go by while Gigi was out seeing the world. Once, when she was gone, I got so angry I tore both the clock and calendar from the wall and destroyed them. I can’t believe I was such a.... brat. Somehow I thought this would make Gigi feel bad about not taking me with her when she left, but when Gigi returned and I led her down to the room so I could gloat over what I’d done, the clock and calendar were back as if I had never touched them. I look foolish, and felt worse. Gigi kindly told me that the clock and calendar used to be in her room, but she moved them to the basement because it made her feel lonely to see the time passing. She said that they were part of the lantern, and even though they could be moved, they could not be destroyed. I think that was the moment when I realized that I was a part of the lantern, too, and I began to wonder if one day Gigi would lock me away as well. That’s when I began plotting to overthrow her, take over the lantern, and then the world. Gigi, of course, would never have done that to me, but I guess that it just shows how much a shadow knows... 

⟡ ⃞ ⧗

I am on volume 1,753. This volume could be titled When Wishes Go Wrong, and in it I found a story about the perils of wishes made in anger called The Princess and the Captain. It’s about a vampire queen who uses her last wish to punish her youngest daughter who has fallen in love with the captain of the guard, a commoner. The queen, whose word was law and tolerated no questioning of it, is displeased by their affections and forbids them to ever be together. The princess argues that the captain is her one true love, but the queen is unmoved and not only strips the captain of his rank but threatens to have him banished from the kingdom forever. So the princess agrees to forsake the love of her unlife... yeah, right... and, of course, that doesn’t last long. They are soon found out and brought to the throne room.

Now the wrath of the queen was great and she ordered her djinni’s lantern be brought to her. He was the oldest and wisest of all the lantern djinn and had been in the queen’s service for a thousand years. 

“Ninety and nine wishes have I granted you oh queen, and there is but one yet left,” said the djinni.

“Listen well, then, servant of the lantern. Since my daughter and my former captain of the guard understand neither the nature of obedience nor the unbridgeable gulf between royalty and those of common birth, I wish them to be forever obedient and forever apart!”

“But my queen....” said the djinni.

“Would you disobey me as well?” she raged.

“Be it then as you wish,” replied the djinni.

The the djinni clapped his hands and there was smoke, a flash of light and the sound of massive iron doors swinging open and then closing with a deafening crash. When the smoke cleared, the princess and the captain were gone, and in their place two lanterns stood... a hand’s width apart from each other. 

“Forever obedient - forever apart,” said the djinni and with those final words, both he and the lanterns disappeared.

The rest of the story tells how the vampire queen, being filled with remorse, leaves the throne and spends her unlife searching for her daughter’s lantern. There are, however, two footnotes at the end of the story. The first reads.

While any djinni old enough and powerful enough to have accumulated 100 wishes could have certainly fulfilled the “letter of the wish” by turning the princess and the captain into djinn, the queen’s wish never specifies whom they should be obedient to or apart from; thus it is just as likely that the princess and captain of the guard were made forever obedient to the love of the other, and forever apart from the queen herself.

The second footnote reads,

If, however, the princess and the captain were indeed both turned into lantern djinn, then the queen herself is probably still looking, because you do not find a lantern. It finds you.

7th of July

Today my lantern was found and I was summoned for the very first time! I thought that I would be ready when it happened, but I was completely taken by surprise. In fact, I had just put my hair up in a towel and was getting ready to apply a beauty mask when a voice thundered through the inside of the lantern, “You are summoned!” Note to self: find preference settings and change voice from an “In a world...” kind of intonation to something less ominous. Anyway, I put on my “game face”, took a deep breath, and hoped the monster I was about to be serving wouldn’t be able to tell that I was nervous. Guess I shouldn’t have worried too much about that, because when I said, “I am the djinni of the lantern, what is your wish?” the monster who summoned me almost fainted. He is a vampire... of sorts... and by his clothes it looks like he’s seen better days. He didn’t wish for anything tonight, so I suppose I’ll have to wait before I am allowed to grant my first wish. Now I’m more excited than nervous.  

8th of July

“You are summoned!” I thought I had it fixed, but now the voice sounds like a zombie using “baby talk”, so instead of ominous it’s just irritating. More importantly, I finally got to talk to the monster who is currently in possession of my lantern. His name is Kieran Valentine, and much like me he is trying to keep his present and future from being defined by his past. We talked for hours and I think that even without wishing for one, I’ve found a friend. It was good to be able to talk about what we’d each done in the past and not feel condemned. I think going forward it will help to know that we’ll both be cheering the other on to succeed. Speaking of wishes, he still hasn’t made one yet... but I’m good with that. 

10th of July

“You are summoned!” Ack! No, I’m right out on it blasting through the lantern like an opera singer. It still needs work, I may not have learned everything I should have from Gigi, but one thing I did pay a lot of attention to was the way that wishes work. When a djinni grants a wish, a force is released: a force so powerful that it can remake the very fabric of reality in order to fulfil its purpose. It is also a force that needs specific instructions or else it will interpret what you’ve wished for, and sometimes the results get lost in translation. Sadly, I am not allowed to give hints or coach monsters in how or what they should wish. It isn’t that I don’t want to: it’s that I physically can’t. Gigi one told me that she tried to tell a monster how to word a wish and her mouth literally closed shut and wouldn’t open until after the wish was granted. So, all that to say, I knew that KV’s first wish was not going to turn out how he hoped it would. I’m just happy that he had a “rescue wish” left, otherwise...

12th of July

I really feel bad for KV. He’s already used up two of his three wishes with nothing to show for it. I tried to tell him how sorry I was but he wouldn’t even listen. He even said it was completely his fault, and that I had nothing to be sorry for. I really hope he thinks hard about his last wish.

1st of August

“You are summoned!” Ooh, I like this version. It sounded like I was being called to the front door to meet an old friend. I’ll keep it. KV used his last wish today. He wished that we could always be friends. I think that would have come true regardless of whether or not he wished for it, but I thought it was so unselfish of him to use his last wish like that. I wasn’t exactly sure how it was going to be fulfilled until I was holding my very own iCoffin with KV’s number programmed into it. The best thing, thought, was that I had full bars everywhere I went inside the lamp! Being able to have a friend to talk to even when I’m inside the lantern is so much more than even I could have wished for.

#monster high #monster high diary #djinni whisp grant #whisp grant #whisp #sdcc 2015

[itsuki-minamy]

“K SIDE: PURPLE 09”

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

K - Side: Purple (Chapter List)

"Is it Miwa Ichigen-san?"

As he wiped the sweat from his neck, Mishakuji shook his neck and asked.

It was the usual vacant lot that he used as a training room. Hase hung up when the sun went down and it was time to finish the day's lessons.

"Oh. I think I've talked about it sometime, but he's my swordsman friend. Why don't you meet him?"

Hase said with a smile. He may have been smiling too much. Yukari narrowed his eyes a bit, turned his back on Hase, and started preparing for his return.

"What do you think, Yukari?"

"I am not particularly interested."

Yukari answered Hase, who asked again, without looking back. Hase's smile was a bit stiff and the sweat that flowed under his armpits was different from practice. But, fortunately or unfortunately, Yukari stopped, so he didn't have to worry about distracting him.

However, Yukari was cunning. It is possible that he had already noticed Hase's true intentions.

"That said, if you were learning alone, you would eventually get stuck. The sword can only be expanded by interacting with many people. You want to be stronger, right?"

"……"

"I can't bear to see your sword talent keep showing up. Miwa is a trusted friend. I definitely want you to see his sword."

Before he knew it, he was pleading. Hase didn't have the heart to confess that. He's been stuck with an idea ever since he drank it on Massive Boys.

Gather Miwa Ichigen and Mishakuji Yukari.

That is why he came here to "Niibangai".

Yukari's sword talent far surpasses Hase's. It is possible that Hase is even stronger now, due to the difference in experience and physique that he has accumulated. Yukari will grow steadily from now on. In the not too distant future, Hase will no longer have anything to teach Yukari.

But Miwa Ichigen is different. That bottomless man has the ability to accept Yukari's sword talent. Hase was convinced of that. The two sword monsters he encountered in his life, Miwa Ichigen and Mishakuji Yukari, should meet. That was Hase's conclusion.

However, even when he spoke all the words from him, Yukari's back did not move firmly. Hase was about to give up on Yukari who got up with all his luggage.

"His sword is beautiful."

The words he said at the wrong time shook Yukari's shoulders.

"The most beautiful thing I have ever seen is Miwa Ichigen's sword. I want you to see that sword, which is incomparable to mine, take a look at it and you will know."

There was no lie in the clinging words. The truth is that it was etched in Hase's mind as the most beautiful thing in the world.

That night, in the Kendo hall, Miwa brandished his sword as if he were dancing alone.

Hase had no choice but to go out because it was so beautiful.

"Yukari, by all means…"

Yukari slowly looked back at Hase. Seeing that expression, Hase swallowed the words. He was angry.

Indescribable anger, dissatisfaction and irritation appeared on Yukari's beautiful face. It was the first time the boy had such an emotional expression. Not knowing where it came from, Hase could only be confused.

"Don't do the same thing over and over again."

Yukari said that shaking his voice from him.

"I'm not interested. It is enough if I can learn to use the sword from my master."

"Nevertheless…"

"Sensei..."

Yukari turned around. He frowned and bit his lip to kill something.

"My master says to go somewhere far away, should I go?"

For a moment, not knowing what was being asked, Hase listened carefully.

"What?"

"Everyone is saying it. I think I'll do that. Taka-san, Seiya-san, Mi-chan, Sayuri-Onesama. I'll go somewhere someday. I'm going to disappear from here."

His words were familiar to him.

That's exactly what Taka-san said that night. A child as beautiful and talented as Yukari is not suitable for a gloomy place like "Niibangai". He should be able to walk into a brighter world.

"It's like it's natural. I didn't want that. I'm sure it will happen one day, so I'm not asking for it."

That should have been hope. It must have been a blessing for the future, for the possibilities. But…

"Everyone says it's natural for me to think that, and that's a good thing. Not being here. I should get out of here someday."

Yukari was walking away. As if he was afraid that he would see his wet eyes.

Seeing that, Hase's chest quickly settled in his understanding.

(Oh, what is it? This guy…)

"Yukari. Do you think you're going to get rid of me?"

Yukari's face quickly turned red. Like a child struck by a star.

Hase was about to laugh and hastily put his strength into his facial muscles. No matter how experienced he is, he knows how miserable a person is who is laughed at because of his true feelings. If he does that, Yukari won't forgive him for the rest of his life.

"No, Yukari. It's not like that."

Naturally, Hase was getting closer to Yukari. When he put his hand on his shoulder, he noticed that Yukari's shoulder was unexpectedly small. It was the shoulder of a 15-year-old boy, of course.

"Everyone says that because you are important. I am the same. I don't think you are a bother to me or that you should go somewhere far away."

"……"

Yukari looked down as if he couldn't believe it.

It may not be unreasonable to think that.

Yukari is a foreign body to "Niibangai". Beautiful, noble and full of talent. Even if he is favorably accepted by other residents, it will not be possible not to see him as a foreign body. Sayuri and her friends love Yukari, but wasn't it such a love as treating a little bird with broken wings instead of a compatriot?

How did this sneaky kid take it? Hase cannot fully understand.

Yet he seemed possible to imagine it, albeit vaguely.

"Neither Taka-san, Seiya-san, Mi-chan, nor Sayuri-san want you to go far. Somehow they want you to stay."

Yukari looked at Hase with dissatisfied eyes.

"Then, why?"

"They don't want to get hurt."

The word passed through Hase's mouth before he thought.

"If they don't, they won't be able to bear the loneliness of losing you. If you don't prepare ahead of time, you will hurt yourself when the time comes when you're not ready for it. Everyone is afraid of that."

As he said, Hase noticed that he was smiling. The slight smile was also a bitter smile for him.

Someone who is beautiful enough to long for will stay with them forever. Everyone knows that such a thing is just a dream story.

The more beautiful a dream is, the greater the difference from reality. You can imagine the pain when you fall from there. That's why they wanted to put a cushion in beforehand, and Hase could understand that feeling painfully.

"I'm not going anywhere."

The tight voice trembled like a child. Hase was great and dominated many times.

"Yes. You don't have to go anywhere, but you can go anywhere."

"……"

"We don't want to get in the way. You know, Yukari?"

After a moment, Yukari slowly took it easy.

"Ok!"

He changed his face and started packing his luggage. Yukari was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Would you like to go home? If you don't go home and take a shower, you will catch a cold!"

"Ok."

"Let's get Sayuri back to making rice! Sayuri's rice is delicious!"

With a deliberate and high voice, Mishakuji still smiled.

"Only the sensei can say that."

"Hmm? Really? Good things are good though. That's the one thing that can't be changed."

"Originally, there is hardly any place to change, sensei."

While exchanging such a conversation, the two of them walk through "Niibangai". It seemed that something bad had fallen. It took him a long time to remember that Yukari was a 15-year-old boy.

Still, along the way, Hase finally brought it up.

"Ichigen Miwa…"

Yukari's eyes stiffened for a moment, but they quickly melted. Hase continued, admiring that it was clear.

"I won't force you to meet him. If you don't want to, there's no point in doing so. Forget my words."

The vision of that night in his mind, strangely, did not seem so bitter in Hase today.

"Remember this. Miwa Ichigen's sword is beautiful."

"……"

"Whenever you want to see something beautiful, say so. I can write a cover letter."

Yukari blinked slowly. Hase noticed a kind of flame ignite in the back of his eyes.

Hase walk slowly, without laughing.

++++++++++

"Hey, Mishakuji-chan, are you going somewhere?"

Mi-chan said such a thing, mixing surprise with his stiff voice.

Even though it was Saturday night, the only guests from "Hanawarabe" were Taka-san, Seiya-san and Mi-chan. After hooking up at another store, they seem to have fallen for "Hanawarabe", and were drunk with a good feeling. On the contrary, Mishakuji was impressed that he had never seen a place where they were not drunk.

"I'm going to meet Hase-san's friend. He lives in the mountains somewhere, so it's a day trip from tomorrow. I guess..."

Sayuri looked at Yukari only from the edge of her eyes. Yukari concentrated on washing the dishes and pretended not to notice.

"Is his friend related to Kendo?"

"That's right. He is an old friend. He asked me if I wanted to see him, in that case he would write a letter, he said that the people there would be excited and I could go see him right away."

"Well then it's a training trip. At first I thought that Mishakuji-chan had started something strange, but you are completely absorbed in it."

"Mishakuji-chan will grow up like this~. Somehow I feel lonely~"

With a sigh, Mi-chan insisted on a glass of beer. When Taka-san, who was next to him, smiled and tried to say something, Mishakuji opened his mouth silently.

"I'll be right back."

"Eh?"

"'Niibangai' is my hometown. I will be back."

The thick eyes that are peculiar to drunkenness turned towards Yukari. After blinking slowly, Mi-chan happily collapsed.

"Oh, that's good."

"I mean, that's not the norm. Mishakuji-chan is still a high school student. If you forget to study, you won't learn."

"Oh, my, when did Sayuri become an educational mom?"

"I wonder if all of today's accounts are attached to Taka-san."

"Really? It's a party, Taka-san!"

"Banquet!"

"Hey, no one told me to skip it, right?"

Looking away from the three people who started making noise, Mishakuji smiled calmly alone.

It wasn't long after he spoke to Hase in the wasteland, that he decided to meet Miwa Ichigen.

If he had been the Yukari back then, he would not have refused and they would have finally met. Sayuri's words that he would go somewhere far away were etched in his heart all the time. There was such a suffocation that everyone looked forward to Yukari's future and decided that they would not be ahead of the game. There was so much loneliness that people she thought were friends said, "You are different."

But…

(You don't have to go anywhere, but you can go anywhere.)

When he heard Hase's words, he felt his chest support.

That's right, Yukari thought. Being able to go anywhere also means you don't have to go anywhere. It is not decided by others, but by Yukari himself. Yukari doesn't have to be caught up in anything. He didn't even have to be trapped in his heart.

If he wants to go somewhere far away, he can always come back. "Niibangai" will not change, will always be there.

When he thought that, the first thing he wanted to see was Miwa's sword. He couldn't help but want to see the sword muscle that he made Hase Isshin say, "It's more beautiful than anything else."

So he's going to find it. He was surprised that it was effective, but mindless patience is not included in the beauty that Yukari thinks. Seeing beautiful things was Yukari's greatest joy, and even now, he still had the feeling that his expectations of him are bloody.

"Mishakuji-chan, it's time to go upstairs. I'll do the rest."

Suddenly Sayuri said that. Looking at the clock, it's still 12 o'clock. It should rather be the future in which "Hanawarabe" will be busy.

"You're leaving early tomorrow, right? You can't meet someone there with a sleepy face, so take a break today."

"Onesama."

Yukari looked away slightly at the soft voice. But the surprise soon turned into a miserable joy. He was sure that Sayuri still did not think about his involvement in the sword. However, this person was still willing to send it herself. Nothing more than because she thought of Yukari.

"Yes. Thank you. Well, then I'll go rest."

Yukari, leaning slightly, took off his apron.

Mi-chan laughs and lightly sets the glass down.

"Well, Mishakuji-chan. I can't wait for you to buy me souvenirs!"

Seiya-san smiled and waved his hand towards Yukari.

"See you, Mishakuji-chan. When you come back, tell me what kind of person he was."

Taka-san gently narrowed his eyes and waved softly.

"I'm glad, Mishakuji-chan. You found something you can absorb yourself in."

Yukari smiled and leaned in again.

"Goodnight everyone."

Then Yukari opened the door and went upstairs to where his room was.

That was the last time he saw Mi-chan, Seiya-san, Taka-san and Sayuri.

#k #k project #K stories #k fan clan #k side purple #mishakuji yukari

[hypmic-info]

Rio’s Kitchen Chapter 3: How To Spend Your Paid Vacation Usefully

Alternative Rap Battle’s first event is here! It’s Rio’s Kitchen, featuring the 3rd liners of the 4 OG divisions. This event lasts until the 9th of April 12:59 JST. Best get hunting! This chapter shows us how Doppo gets thrown into the mix... please let him have a normal day off for once...  

DOPPO Ugh... What time is it...

[ DOPPO CHECKS THE TIME AND SITS UP ] 

DOPPO ...Gh!!!??? 9 o’clock??? I’m totally late!!!! I’m really going to get it from that baldy again.

[ TRANSITION: LIVING ROOM ]

HIFUMI Hm~ What’s up Doppo-chin? Why’re you in such a rush?

DOPPO Ah, this is bad, Hifumi! I’m going to be late! That’s why I can’t afford to...

HIFUMI Huh? Late? What are you going to be late for?

DOPPO For work of course!

HIFUMI Heh... Work huh...

DOPPO Yeah, that’s why I gotta go!

HIFUMI Must be hard~. Yknow, having to go to work when it’s your day off.

DOPPO Huh? Day... off...?

HIFUMI Isn’t that what you said yesterday~.

DOPPO T-That’s right... I was told I had to take my accumulated paid leave off [1]

HIFUMI Ahaha ~. Doppo, you’re so serious~.

DOPPO Gh... Even on my days off I instinctively want to go to work... Aa.... I'm a corporate drone to the depths of my core... to the infinite depths of my bones...

HIFUMI Well, it’s good that I caught you♪ Otherwise you would’ve gone off to work!

DOPPO Hah... Well, like you said, that would be a pain. Even on my day off you can see that I’m truly nothing but company fodder... Hgh...

[ HIFUMI PATS DOPPO’S BACK ]

HIFUMI Now, now! So pessimistic! It’s been a long time since you’ve had a day off so why don’t you go somewhere?

DOPPO No... I want to actually take a rest so I’m going to sleep...

HIFUMI Ha... Jeez, I don't mind how you use your day off, but maybe you could do something that you don’t usually do~.

DOPPO ...Something that I don’t usually do. What do you suggest?

HIFUMI Well, what do you want by asking me? Something like going to places you usually don’t, or somewhere you couldn’t before maybe?

DOPPO Something I haven't done...　Somewhere I want to go...?

HIFUMI Hah... Well, I just got back from work so I’ll have to head to bed. Good night ~.

DOPPO Ah, good night...

[ HIFUMI GOES OFF TO SLEEP ]

DOPPO (Thinking) ...As Hifumi said, it’s a day off. I should go somewhere... but, where should I go.... That's right... I should ask that guy how to make the special drink that I had before.... [3]

[ TRANSITION: YOKOHAMA FORESTS ]

DOPPO Hah... Hah... Ha...　I was going to ask Busujima but... this forest is so deep. (Thinking) I was able to make it here, but I can’t find the exact place since the details were rough, so will I even be able to find it? N-Now that I think about it... in the worst case scenario, I’ll be lost here forever... that could definitely happen... (Thinking) I-If that happens... Would anybody be sad if I died? Oh, I guess Hifumi would be....

[ DOPPO keeps walking ]

DOPPO Ahahaha... I got really lost when I thought about that.  W-What should I do...

[ EMU NOISES ]

DOPPO W...What was that I just heard now?

[ EMU NOISES ]

??? OI~~~! Wait up~~~!

DOPPO W-What... Who’s...

[ RUNNING NOISES ]

DOPPO A-A bird...??

[ RUNNING NOISES ]

SABURO WAH! OUT OF THE WAY!

[ SABURO keeps running ]

DOPPO Huh...?

[ COLLISION NOISE? ]

ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー　ー

I checked through this chapter with @/translatingterminal because this has a lot of business words that I’m not used to. Please go follow him for more HypMic and other translations.

[1] It’s not that Doppo had to take paid leave off if he wanted a day off, his company literally told him to take the day off. He was forced on a day off. Now look where that’s got him.

[2] Doppo and Hifumi’s apartment is a little different from the manga interpretation. Doppo’s room is definitely more bare, lacking the succulents described on the Spotify Radio.

[3] The drink Doppo is referring to is the lavender drink that Rio gave Doppo the first time they met outside of Chuo. It’s the one that made Doppo feel really refreshed!... while Hifumi spilled his guts out.

I’m pretty sure it’s 25.5k needed to unlock the entire story, but if I manage to unlock more by then, I’ll continue posting! Currently at 4.1k points and need to get to 5.3k for the next chapter.

< CHAPTER 2 | CHAPTER 4 >

#hypmic #hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic arb #hypmic arb #doppo kannonzaka #hifumi izanami #saburo yamada #mod thia #rios kitchen

[strikearose]

Over a jazz tune (IchiRuki)

Here’s the translation of a little story written years ago, I hope you guys enjoy it <3 Summary: It was by pure chance that Rukia had found it one day as she was exploring the wonders hidden in the Kurosaki's attic. You can also read it on ff.net (link) and ao3 (link)

It was by pure chance that Rukia had found it as she was exploring the wonders hidden in the Kurosaki's attic. This place was truly a treasure trove and among her greatest finds were a whole bunch of out-dated items of clothing, dusty furniture and hilarious picture books. However, what that was standing before her very eyes was even more extraordinary and intriguing than anything she had ever seen before. The object had a very peculiar shape : a large sort of golden horn was fixed on top of a wooden box while a small, delicate, crank handle was anchored on the side. She felt the fabulous instrument with her fingertip, appreciating the roughness of the woodwork and the delicacy of the bronzed details.

What could be the purpose of this thing? If there was even one, of course, as her sojourns on Earth had taught her how much Humans liked to surrender themselves with objects that were utterly useless!

A smile of wonder came on her lips as she lifted the object of her dreams with her hands, eager to know more about it. Unfortunately, Rukia quickly felt disenchanted as she realized that it weighed a ton. Bringing it to the redhead's room was going to be a real pain, but she could do it on her own - she was a Kuchiki, after all!

**

His eyebrows frowned as he heard the heavy footsteps of the brunette coming in his direction. What the hell was she going to show him, now? Vintage pictures that were from a time than none of his close relatives had lived in? Other eccentric outfits that had belonged to his father long, long ago? Well - at least that was what he hoped because even he had no real interest or whatsoever in fashion, the memory of that awful purple sequined jacket still gave him chills.

Ichigo did not have the time to think of it any longer - the door of his room opened with a bang, revealing Rukia's exhausting face. Not expecting it, he watched her struggling to drag a large cardboard box into his room. It was only after receiving a murderous glare from the shinigami that Ichigo finally decided to give her a hand - hey, it was way more heavy that what he'd thought. What the hell was inside that box?

When the brunette's treasure was finally brought to his bed, Ichigo allowed himself a sigh of relief while Rukia, losing no time, immediately began to unwrap... A phonograph.

The young man squinted his eyes slightly, he had no recollection of ever seeing that thing. It probably belonged to the previous owners.

"Ichigo, what is this marvelous thing?"

His chocolate eyes slowly lowered onto his friend's face - she was literally begging him to answer. He had learned over time to appreciate this side of the goddess of death, far different from her usual professional and distant mask. It was in those precious moments, when she left aside her role of shinigami to appreciate every little thing she was given to discover on Earth, that she seemed the most human to him. Her curiosity was always genuine.

"It's a phonograph, Rukia", he smiled and closed his book for good. "It's like the ancestor of a record player, you know? It's kind of a radio, it makes music."

He wasn't going to give her in a nonsensical explanation of how the machine worked - a demonstration would make much more sense. With a cautious gesture, he lifted the sapphire from the record-deck and, plunging his hand into the box, tried to grab whatever record was supposed to be in there.

...

Nothing.

He frowned - if the phonograph was stored there, everything should be in there too.

"Ichigo?", inquired the brunette after a few moments of silence.

"Something is missing", he sighed. "Sorry Rukia but it won't work."

A veil of disappointment passed over her, quickly swept away by her usual mask of neutrality.

**

"Ichi-nii, are you there?"

Ichigo's eyes opened and he slowly lifted his head, lost. What had happened? He just remembered looking at a particularly tough math problem and then... Nothing. He had fallen asleep on his desk.

"Ichi-nii?", his little sister's sweet voice brought him back to reality:

"Come in Yuzu", said the elder Kurosaki, muffling a new yawn.

The schoolgirl opened the door carefully, smiling, and closed it behind her.

"I wanted to have a look around the garage sale downtown, but Daddy has patients to take care of and..-", he cut her off gently.

"Just give me a few minutes to finish up and then we'll go."

A big smile brighten up the face of the youngest Kurosaki - he knew how much she loved dusting off, sewing, and bringing back to life whatever ancient dolls she could find - Kon being a living proof of it.

With his hands in his pockets, the schoolboy walked through the streets and stalls of the city, keeping a close eye on his precious little sister. Yuzu was on her seventh purchase when they passed along an old vinyl stall - if Ichigo didn't bother to pay it the slightest attention, the young girl grabbed his arm and forced him to approach.

"Weren't you looking for one of those things Ichi-nii?"

His gaze fell mechanically on the discs, but it was only when he met the radiant smile of his sister that he made the connection. The sweet giggle that escaped Yuzu's lips set his cheeks on fire as he used his last savings for an 'ungrateful idiot who wouldn't even understand'.

**

Several days had passed since the yard sale but the shinigami hadn't bother to even show her face. If at first, the brunette's lack of interest had upset Ichigo - 'She brings and unwraps it, lose all interest two seconds later and leaves it in the middle of my fucking room' - he stored his latest acquisition in a empty corner of his desk and eventually forgot about it too.

The red-head was writing the thirty-seventh line of his essay when he heard a few knocks at his window. Any form resentment instantly forgotten, it took him only a tenth of a second to unlock it for her. It wasn't like he was really looking forwards her return.

...

No.

Ichigo simply had good reflexes.

And maybe bad faith, too.

The high school student didn't comment on how tired she looked - the contrite smile she gave him when she entered his room definitely erase any rancor he still felt. She looked as if she hadn't have a proper night of sleep for ages - there was no way he could have kick her out in her state.

"Yo", he cleared his throat, the silence made him feel quite uneasy.

"Good evening Ichigo."

The conversation stopped there but the atmosphere had mellowed down considerably. Rukia, removing Sode-No-Shirayuki from her waist, gently put it in the closet as he went back to his geography.

"Oh, it's still there!", Rukia's calm voice forced him to look up.

Obviously, she was talking about the phonograph which hadn't been moved for almost two weeks, forcing the poor student to hop over it each time he wanted to go to his bed.

"Yeah, it's your mess by the way so you better..-"

A murderous glance stopped him in his track - well, as he had already paid for it, the least he could do was to surrender for once.

"Here, try this one," said Ichigo, handing the shinigami the disc he had brought.

Her big eyes sparkled. At last! She was about to find out how this fabulous machine worked. With a carefully gesture, she accepted the present and placed it on the player-deck. There was a sizzling sound and then, finally, the music began.

Of course, it had to be jazz music - a waltz, more precisely. The room soon felt into a relaxing, peaceful - not to say intimate - atmosphere. And as time went by slowly, Ichigo who wasn't particular fond of the genre, began humming along the song.

They were far from the sound of clashing swords and cries of the hollow. Far from the violence of the wars they had to take part in. Far from the suffering they had to endure.

He closed the geography book, this time for good, and turned his attention to the brunette who hadn't say a word in what felt like hours.

What the ?

Ichigo almost burst out laughing when he saw her dancing - she looked simply ridiculous : wiggling her tiny body to the music, her eyes were closed, her eyebrows furrowed and she was wrinkling her nose in what seemed to be great effort.

"Rukia?"

She didn't even bother to lift her eyelids and continued her strange choreography. More serene than ever. She didn't seem to care one bit that dancing wasn't her strong suit.

"Gosh, you really can't dance..."

As if by magic, the enchantment instantly broke.

The shinigami opened her eyes, her mouth now twisted in an angry frown - she was about to strike the student with a kidō spell when she realized that he was smiling at her.

Genuinely smiling.

Her cheeks turned an almost adorable pink hue as he nonchalantly rose to stand beside her.

**

"You suck at this too."

He didn't retort.

"No, you're even worse than me Ichigo."

"Stop complaining", he glared at her. "And watch your step!"

They both went silent.

Their cheeks were bright red and their gestures clumsy - but none of it mattered at that moment.

"Ichigo?"

He opened one eye to look at her, but said nothing.

"Ichigo!", she insisted.

"What now Rukia?"

For god sake, she couldn't hold her tongue for five minutes! She definitely had a knack for ruining moments.

"Thank you."

She smiled at him, her eyes gleaming, as if all the fatigue accumulated over the last few days had vanished.

"Don't mention it, silly."

**

None of them heard the light footsteps coming up the stairs nor the weak knocks at the door. Yuzu waited a few moments and hesitated before opened it carefully. What she discovered there remained forever engraved in her memory:

Ichigo, with his eyes closed, was in a trance. With his hands placed around what she guessed was supposed to be the waist of a woman, he was moving back and forth, whirling around himself.

The poor girl slowly closed the door and ran away, promising herself never to set foot in his room again.

** (small explanation: Because Rukia wasn't wearing her gigai, Yuzu unfortunately couldn't fully enjoy the show.)

#ichiruki #ichiruki fanfiction #ichiruki fic #ichiruki drabble #ichiruki fanfic #ichiruki oneshot #bleach drabble #bleach fanfiction #ichigo kurosaki #ichigo #rukia #rukia kuchiki #ichigo x rukia #rukia x ichigo #still can't believe they didn't end up together #sillyme #:(

[miyu-hyperfixates]

The Untamed and MDZS appreciation and recommendation post

Okay so fair warning to my small amount of followers, this blog will probably be full of MXTX contents starting from now, because I’ve fallen into MXTX’s hell and I don’t see myself climbing out any time soon.

I’m not even kidding in the span of three months, I’ve watched CQL (like 4 times), watched the special edition, watch the MDZS donghua, read the novel, read the manhua, read a fair amount of fics, discovered the SVSSS’s characters through a few crossover fanfics, started to read SVSSS, then TGCF (as well as their respective manhua up to the last translated chapters) and well generally immersed myself into the fandoms. And I LOVE it! And I have so, so many feelings and thoughts about the characters, the plots, the relationships, everything, that I don’t even know where to start! 

Okay so for those who don’t know what the hell I’ve talking about. MXTX stands for Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù who is the author of three amazing novels: Mo Dao Zu Shi (MDZS) [also called Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation], The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (SVSSS) and Tian Guan Ci Fu (TGCF) [Heaven Official’s Blessing]. The Untamed or Chen Qing Ling (CQL) is the chinese drama adaptation of her most well known (as of now) novel MDZS.

I am going to talk about CQL/The Untamed and MDZS (novel version) in this post... But it will probably be followed by posts about TGCF and SVSSS too.

I’ve tried to be pretty vague on several points so that should keep the spoilers at minimum, in case you didn’t watch CQL yet.

[More under the cut] 

Okay so as someone of Asian descent who was born and raised in an European country and spent her formative years watching wuxia and xianxia, The Untamed/CQL is the kind of representation that I really didn’t know I needed and I am so, so glad that I gave it a chance. (Big, big thanks to @shit-happens-bitchachos for reblogging so much CQL contents that the frequent presence of it on my dash got me curious  enough to start watching it).

Watching The Untamed for the first time feels like coming back to a home that you once thought would be frigid but actually became very warm and welcoming without you noticing because you have been away for so long. And it feels both nostalgic and new, in the best possible way. It’s a wonderful feeling, really. 

Where to find it?

You can watch the drama english sub version on Netflix, Viki or Youtube, just typed “The Untamed” and you should find the episodes easily.

To be honest, though I am very thankful for the existence of such platform, I have a slight [read huge] dislike of Netflix’s choice of translation for any Asian movie/tv shows. I mean I’m not going to go off on a debate about official translation vs fan translation, nor westernization and how doing so not only take off a huge layer of subtle/or not so subtle communication but also participate to erase part of the culture. [Because I have opinions about this and I am still very much so cringing about all the “Yanli”s, it is really not the point I’m trying to make right now. ]

So out of the three version, I’d lean more on the Viki version. To be clear though this choice isn’t based on the accuracy of the translation, but strictly on the choice of naming and title convention.

As for the novel, you can find  here a complete english translation made by the Exiled Rebels Scanlations group.

The plot

I’m not going to go into detail about the plot, because I’m sure a lot of people out there managed to do so in a way more articulate way that I ever could.

So basically CQL is about Wei Wuxian, aka the Yiling Patriarch. The Yiling Patriarch is like this huge urban legend that everyone warns their children about, except he actually existed. Why such a reputation? Well, in a Cultivation society where people used spiritual energy to fight and exorcise creatures full of resentful energy (such as ghost, ghouls and other things), the Yiling Patriarch is actually the guy who decided that he was going to use resentful energy to fight resentful energy. What he is doing is called “demonic cultivation” and if you want a western equivalent it would be quite close to using necromancy. And if you want an idea of how blasphemous such method of cultivation is deemed, it would be the equivalent of going to a Christian exorcist organization and yelling loud and clear to all the people there that you’re gonna desecrate the tombs of all holy people and use their corpses to fight ghost and other dark creatures.

So the legend/story of the Yiling Patriarch goes as follow: The Yiling Patriarch and his army of corpses were actually quite useful to turn over the tide of a war that shook the foundations of the Cultivation World, annihilating the strongest Sect of the five Great Cultivation Sects (that lorded over the cultivation society). But some time afterwards the Yiling Patriarch revealed his true colors, and killed more than 3000 cultivators (among them his elder sister and her husband - orphaning their one month old son) before finally ended up being killed by his own little brother.

And now sixteen (or thirteen in the novel) years later, Wei Wuxian’s soul got called back because of a dark ritual. The ritual involved giving up their own soul and offering their body to summon up the soul of a dead, evil, person. The soul summoned would have to accomplish the task the summoner wished for, or the soul would be forever destroyed without being able to ever reincarnate. And so, Wei Wuxian woke up in the body of Mo Xuanyu, a young man who was abused by his family and wished for revenge. While trying to work out what he is supposed to do, Wei Wuxian quickly realized that the Mo family is actually being targeted by fierce corpses that are acting way more aggressively than they should. Turns out that it was because of a possessed spirit sword [a cut out arm in the novel].

Afterwards he encounters Lan Wangji, an esteemed cultivator, one of the strongest of his generation, coming from one of the most righteous Cultivation Sect. And the thing is, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji appear to have quite a complicated history that dates back to their teenage years. And CQL/MDZS is not only about how they decided to investigate the mystery of the possessed sword/arm (which ended up digging up a lot of secrets and conspiracy ), but also about Wei Wuxian’s past, starting from when he was 15 and meeting Lan Wangji for the first time.

The few things that you’re probably going to feel/think while watching the few first episodes

Confusion I think I’m not even kidding when I say you’re supposed to be in a state of perpetual confusion for the first two episodes... There’s this huge info dump, in the first five minutes of episode 1, then you’ll have to navigate this new world feeling as confused as dead-for-sixteen years Wei Wuxian... You’ll meet dozens of characters and if you can’t remember their names or who they are it’s normal don’t worry. Each character has a birth name (Wei Ying, Lan Zhan) and a courtesy name that (Wuxian, Wangji)... And so if you see Wei Ying or Wei Wuxian just know that it refers to the same person. And to complicate things further some characters also have a title (Yiling Patriarch, Hanguang-Jun)  other people might use to refer to them. So really, if you want to understand what is going on, you might want to note the name, title and relationship down... But it’s kinda tedious?  I promise it is unnecessary as those characters will all be introduced properly in the flash-back starting at the end of episode 2, and you’ll fully be able to get used to them and keep track of them. Of course, if you managed to remember a few names, once the character is being introduced in the past, you’ll get a “ Oh so at some point, this is going to happen to them” sort foreshadowing/foreknowledge, which is neat, I guess. [I recommend going back to watch the first two episodes, once the flash-back is over, to fully grasp what was going on there].

What the hell am I even watching? Okay so this one might only just be me but I was pretty hooked by the story by episode 3... and then I reached episode 8 and 9 and I kid you not, I went “Oh boy... that’s.... yeah okay... *cover face with hands*”... So I was cringing pretty hard for those two episodes out of second-hand embarrassment at the extras actors acting level... Like woah... It was supposed to be scary and threatening and all but I couldn’t just take them seriously? (You’ll know what I’m talking about when you get there)... That with some plot points made me seriously consider stopping right there.... But thankfully I didn’t. So you really just need to pass the first two episodes [which are really good] and cringe your way through the two most abyssal episodes in the show (in my opinion) and everything will go smoothly afterwards.  Though to be fair, it might be explained by the fact that no one expected that CQL would have the highest number of reviews of Chinese drama, nor that it would be the highest earning drama of 2019 and certainly not that it would accumulate 8 billions views on Tennent by May 2020. Where am I going with this?  Well it was certainly no Game of thrones in terms of budget... That’s what I’m trying to say. It had a low budget production... and well in a fantasy world where everyone and their grandma use supernatural power to fight each other and demonic creatures, special effects are a must. Choices had had to be made [and while I am very thankful for the aspects they decided to use the money on] the special effects were very touch and go.

Okay but are they going to be together or is this another case of queerbaiting? So if what you’re asking is “will we ever get a kiss, a love confession or definite proof of their relationship?”. The very short answer is “No.” You’ll never see any of those on screen for the very simple and good reason that there are censorship laws in China regarding queer relationship on screen. “So it’s basically queerbaiting?” Again no. CQL was adapted from a BL chinese novel. In the novel there is absolutely no room for doubts that they are together. But because of the censorship the producer teams had to remove all definite and obvious proof of romance, but it also means that they had to be creative and anything in the subtext or subtle areas was a go. Like really they crammed more homoerotic text (like at this point is this even subtext) in the show than in all other kinds of adaptations (including the novel, where we get kissing, sex and eloping). It got the point that contrarily to the novel, donghua and manhua where the whole Cultivation world thought Lan Wangji hated Wei Wuxian and that they couldn’t stand each other,in the show everybody and their dogs knew that the two were very close.  Also, while I absolutely hate that those censor law exist and am very disappointed that such homophobic mentality still exist and that we won’t get a full adaptation and explicit of their love story, I must say that because of this my demisexual ass absolutely love the depiction of their love in the show. I mean, when you don’t have the “easy way out” of kissing and sex and so all to show that they is definitively romance material going on here... You have to get creative, you have to convey it with all other gestures... touching, gazing at each other and so on... And it creates such a soft but intense  and intimate environment around them...By the way I’m not trying to negate their sexual relationship in the novel (#LetWangxianFreelyExpressTheirSexualLives)... I’m just saying that I’m not sure the producing teams would have gotten to such a length in the show if they could just have adapted the explicit romance scenes. Now if somehow they’d had managed to keep the same level of intense subtext and be able to adapt the romance scenes too, that would have been the best, but well...

The reasons you should still absolutely watch/read it? 

The plot

The way all those character journeys and stories are interwoven in such a cohesive picture is nothing short of amazing. And the way that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji unravel events that happened more than a decade ago piece by piece [or rather body part by body part] is so very well done. And of course half way through, you think that you’ve got the full pictures, and you’re sort of gloating all the while because you see it coming from miles away and how can the cast be that stupid... And well you are not wrong. Watch out for the canary though.   The show chose to move a few things in term of timeline (character appearing and events happening way before they were supposed to... )... They also added a few original plot points in the past.... So as a results it feels slightly less cohesive and coherent than in the novel. Anyway I won’t go into details here because I’ve got this super long post planned where I’d detailed all the differences between the novel and the show and why some things worked in my opinion but not other. CQL and MDZS are what a properly balanced plot-driven and character-driven show/novel look like.

The relationships

Of course, Wangxian (Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji) should absolutely be mentioned. Because throughout the story in the past, you watch as young, wild, ingenious, thinking-out-of-box Wei Wuxian meet an equally young seemingly inflexible, impassive, following 3000+ rules in his daily lives Lan Wangji, you watch how their personality clashes before finally acknowledging each other skills, you watch how they hurt during the war, how quickly they had to grew up, you watch how one of them had to watch the other walking down a quickly crumbling path, being alienated by the world without being able to help, you watch how they lost each other, before finally finding each other again after sixteen/thirteen years. And then you can finally watch how soft they are with each other, how in-sync they are, the trust, the devotion, the willingness to stand by each other against the whole fucking world. And as I already mentioned before, because of the censure law in China, you’ll never can’t and will never get to see Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian say “I love you” to each other on the show. It still manages to convey “I love you” in every other possible way without having them actually say the words. I mean at this point it can’t even be considered subtext... It’s plain text written in bold underlined font that can be read in every single one of their interactions, and sometimes even when the other isn't even there, [It's basically subtitles! Hah! Okay getting out of there].

It helps that the chemistry between the two actors is absolutely mind-blowing. And the acting is nothing short of amazing. If you’ve been in the spn fandom then you might know that Jensen is king of the micro-expressions ... well I’m afraid that he has been dethroned by Wang Yibo (Lan Wangji’s actor) in my mind.

But really, wangxian is not the only relationship worth mentioning in CQL/MDZS. One of the other huge highlight in my opinion is the several siblings dynamics. There are about seven sets of siblings among the whole cast and because shitty, shittier and shittiest parents were apparently the norm for their generation, we get to see the trope of “eldest child basically raised their younger siblings” in five different flavors. Of course the main focus is on Wei Wuxian and his siblings, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t see the sheer care and protectiveness oozing out of the other four sets of siblings. As someone who loves family bonding (and especially found families), I really appreciate the fact that among those sets of siblings, there are some that are related by blood, some who are half-siblings and some who are not related biologically but consider themselves siblings regardless. And while all their relationships are different - because they are different people - they all do share the same love for their siblings.  “How far are you willing to go for your siblings?” “How much are you ready to sacrifice for them?” The show answers those two questions in various all throughout the story in a more or less oblique way, and right there lies the motivation behind a lot of the characters’ actions, good or bad. Their relationship with their siblings is actually one of the major driving force of the characters (Wei Wuxian among them). And I love it, because it shows that love comes in a many, many forms.

  The overarching themes

“What’s right, what’s wrong? Who’s good, who’s evil? Who’s strong, who’s weak?”

In such an elitist society who will judge you at the drop of a hat (especially if you have the bad taste of coming from a more unfortunate lineage), how can you define the difference between “right” and “wrong”? Wherein the midst and the aftermath of a blood thirsty war, the distinction between “good” and “evil” more often than only lies on where you were born and/or your family name rather than where you actually stood or what you did in the war. This right here is the very huge underlying theme that is being woven throughout the show/novel. Not only are we, the viewer/reader, invited to think/judge for ourselves based on the actions of the characters... But our main character, Wei Wuxian verbalizes those doubts and questions explicitly a few times and implicitly in the stand and choices that he decided to take. And due to Wei Wuxian’s influence, Lan Wangji who is used to follow his 3000+ rules on a daily life basis without ever questioning them, starts to do so. (“Do not befriend evil.”, “Be righteous.” )  What does it mean to be righteous? Must the notion of righteousness always align with general opinion? How do you define the ‘evil’ that you are not supposed to befriend? Is my definition the same as yours? Is my definition the same as the rest of the world? And if it is not the case, does it necessarily means that I’m in the wrong?  And the very obvious answer to those questions is “No, there is no visible line between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘good’ or ‘evil’... Nor is there any universally agreed on way to act in order to fit in one category or the other...” And this answer is illustrated in all the ways those numerous characters are depicted: their love, their hatred, their fear, their pain, their joys, their tears, their motivations, their frustrations, their shortcomings, their hidden or not so hidden agenda, their flaws... All of them are depicted in such an awesome and wholesome human way.  They are not fully good or fully bad, they are human, with all that it entails... Main characters and main villains included (or rather, I’d say especially them) [Though the show tended smooth and cover this aspect a little bit more than the novel in my opinion]  

“Don't you understand? When you’re standing on their side, you’re the bizarre genius, the miraculous hero, the force of the rebellion, the flower that blooms alone. But the second your voice differs from theirs, you’ve lost your mind, you’ve ignored morality, you’ve walked the crooked path.” (Jiang Cheng)

Another theme that is strongly address here is the matter of “Public Opinion”. Despite (or rather because of) how fickle it is, public opinion, rumors (no matter how unfounded) could so easily ruins your reputation, your standing. And if you loose their favors than all your previous actions (no matter how praised it had been in the past) would be seen with a blackened lens. I remember feeling as frustrated as Wei Wuxian at the lack of logic, the rhetoric employed and the sheer hypocrisy that had been portrayed by the mass. I think that there is one character that can be easily recognized as the pure personification of “Public Opinion”, he is without a doubt meant to be the “voice of the mass, of the bystanders whose opinions shouldn’t really matter but actually does a lot”. I won’t tell who it is, it’s pretty obvious if you watch the show... And I think that we are meant to feel annoyed at such characters. I think we are meant to be as frustrated as that one character who at a mass gathering tried to make a stand, tried to do the right thing, but was quickly shut down with dubious rhetoric and blatant disregard because their voice didn’t carry enough power. And last but not least, the show/novel broaches the issue of how social standing is considered very, very much dependent on your circumstance of birth. Like I said before the cultivation world in CQL/MDZS is inherently elitist. In order to be able to cultivate you must learn the proper techniques and at a quite young age. But it is not something that you could do on your own unless you’re some kind of genius or prodigy. Which means that you must attract the attention of a nearby sects or begs them to take you in as a disciple. It means though that you’ll probably start a little later than the disciples that were born directly within the sect [inner disciples], meaning you’ll probably end being weaker. However even if by some truly dedication and perseverance you manage to the same level as the inner disciples, you’ll still only be seen as an outer disciples, nothing more than cannon fodder in the eyes of society. In all the major sects, there is a distinctive mark, objects that only disciples coming from the sect family line are allowed to carry, as an irrevocable sign of their high standing in society and their inherent privileges. There are some exceptional circumstances though where someone of low birth status might reach this elitist sphere. But no matter how high they reach, how outstanding they are, in some way they will always be reminded (sometimes behind their backs, sometimes subtly, sometimes right in their face) of the stigma of their birth. There are three characters in particular, whose journeys mirror and foil each other a lot.   And I think it is very interesting to see this “son of a prostitute” or “son of a servant” or “street rat” or “bastard” advanced through society. They all received very different upbringings, despite all starting more or less at a low point. And I liked that the way they decided to live later on and how they tackle/handle the cultivation world  is very much reflected and influenced by their upbringings rather than the circumstances of their birth. It brings up this very strong message that, if they are the way they are it is not because of who their parents are, but rather how the people around them reacted to them. The way they are right now is not the fruit of their birth but a direct consequences of the rejection/acceptance of society. And so when you look at them, you can’t help but see their journeys as a three forking road paths reflecting the other like twisted mirrors. You look at their actions now, then back their different circumstances and you can’t help but think “Ah, that is what might happened if things were different.” [There is a reason that canon-divergence and time travel fix-it are my favorite tropes... my bias is really showing here... haha] And it really, really hammers on the importance of kindness in the face of misery and discrimination. Kindness  and acceptance at the right moment, no matter how small can change everything. Sometimes, something even as small as a candy.  

The movie sets and props So I mentioned before that the budget of CQL really wasn’t that high and they had to make choices. And I could only applaud their choices, because really, wah! Just look at the main sects locations, the scenery, the backgrounds. It’s so beautiful!! [Had I had any gifing talent I would have included them so that you could get the full mind-blowing experience... so I’ll just send you to @gusucloud​ blog, where all the gifs and edits are amazing, (Cloud Recesses here and Lotus Pier here) and in this post  have my lame-ass screenshots instead.]

The fine details, the workmanship in most of the props in the background, the swords!!! *Incoherent flailing*

[I didn’t manage to get any close-up of the swords... but believe me, they are piece of arts!]

The music

The soundtrack of the show is absolutely amazing and beautiful.

You know how in movies and tv shows couples always seem to have “a song”... like “Oh! Look our song is playing!”... Weeeeeell...

Wangxian do too and it’s literally their song, as in their actors are singing it. You can of course hear it in the ending, but... but! I think the way it was used within the episode was very striking. It’s one of the many ways the producer teams managed to convey the romantic aspect of their relationship. And it was very well done.

Wuji, by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo

Wuji, instrumental piano + flute + Zither version

Just imagine, dude just resurrected from his 16 years of deadness and you see him moping at night by playing this beautiful tune with a freaking leaf... just because he saw some cultivators wearing the same uniform as Lan Wangji... So at this point you know that this song might means something but well, you don’t really get it...

The second time you hear this tune, we are on a mountain, and it’s through a bamboo flute that Wei Wuxian used to appease and calm down an agitated corpse [who he apparently knows]... He is luring ‘it’ out to a safe place, so he is playing the song while slowly moving back one step at a time. Then his back suddenly bumps into someone... This person catches his hand. The flute playing abruptly stops and the full instrumental version with piano+flute is suddenly blaring out in the background. And then it’s as if the whole world stops as they gaze at each other, while the music keeps playing. And really, you might fully understand the weight of their gazes, or their history, but you know that it’s there... That’s the moment where you look at them looking at each other, grasping at each other wrist, where you can still hear their song in the background... and can only go “Oh. Oh.”  [Then of course a purple ball of pure anger just had to come and interrupt them. Excuse you, they were quickly having a moment there. Kidding aside, It was such a nice scene, it’s hand down one of my favorite scene of the whole show, and the music played a really huge part in my opinion.]

And if it wasn’t enough to hammer it down. The third times will definitively do it. So both of them are fifteen years and meet each other for the first time, when Wei Wuxian goes to study at Lan Wangji’s sect. Of course there first impression of each other is disastrous, what’s with Wei Wuxian insisting to come inside despite having lost his invitation and Lan Wangji clearly stating that no one is allowed without invitation. Of course it doesn’t help that after running back to fetch his lost invitation, Wei Wuxian snuck in after curfew (breaking a protective ward on his way), while smuggling two jar of alcohol. All of the above are forbidden in Cloud Recess, by the way. So our boy just casually broke three rules and then who catch him, right when he is climbing over the wall? Lan Wangji, who’s on patrol, of course. [Like I said, disastrous first impression]...And so after frostily listing all the rules Wei Wuxian broke not even five minutes in , Lan Wangji tries to bring Wei Wuxian to be disciplined. Wei Wuxian, of fucking course, resists. And the two proceed to fight (sword and all).

Cue their song playing as they cross swords on the rooftop of Cloud recesses, under the light of a full moon night.

If that is not a meet-cute I don’t know what it is.

Anyway this song is played many, many more times in the show and I’m not talking about them because I don’t want to spoil anyone.

Also as an aside, they don’t appear in the show... But there are character songs that have been recorded. Some of them sung by the actual actors and other not. And while all of them are really good, if there is absolutely one that you must listen to, it’s “Bu Wang” by Wang Yibo the actor of Lan Wangji.  Make sure to watch the official MV only after watching the whole show (because it’s spoilery) and to activate the cc for the lyrics translation. It’s such a beautiful and painful song; and a very insightful reflection of Lan Wangji’s character.  I love it.

Lan Sizhui and A-Yuan

No argument or explanation needed, you’ll see when you get there. I dare you not to like those small fluffy cinnamon rolls! 

The Junior Quartet

Okay those ducklings deserve a whole sub-section on their own. Not only because they are all amazing kids but because of what they represent.  

What is really great here is that since the story takes place over the span of 16/13 years, you get to see three different generations at various stage of their development. In the past you get to see the parents generation at their sum-up while there child, the following generation [Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji etc] from their teenage years to young adulthood. Then in the present you see the teenagers reaching the age their parents were (more or less, probably slightly younger) and the next generation (the ducklings) about the same age as Wei Wuxian’s generation were at the beginning. And the juxtaposition between the two pictures is just so, so very telling because the differences are glaring.

I’m going to borrow the words from qrbat who wrote this wonderful fanfiction, “tell some storm” on ao3.

The parents generation was a generation of Pride and Greed, it was a generation that lauded standing your ground no matter what and refusing outsider help. They were the generation which raised their children as a “generation of War”. A war that they started and that their children, teenagers, had to fight and end for them. And in comparison the junior generation seems so unexperienced so soft... and that’s a good thing, because it means that those children hadn’t had to experience the hardship of war, hadn’t had to grow up so fast because they basically didn’t have any decent parental figures to help them. Instead of perpetuating the cycle of hate and war started by their elders, the generation of War raised the next generation as a generation of peace, as a “generation of Love” and acceptance.

And it is amazing because the juniors, simply by being who they are, are embodying  this  message from Wei Wuxian’s generations to their parents “See? This is what it means to parent. I had to sacrifice my childhood and innocence to fight your war and I still managed to raise such amazing and kind children, what was your freaking excuse? I will not be like you. Times are changing and they are changing for the better.”

.

.

*Look at length of the post* *snort* Right. Okay, would you believe me, if I told you that in the beginning this post was supposed to be an appreciation post for all three of MXTX’s works and not just MDZS because I was afraid it would be too short? Yup so turned out I had a lot more things to say than I thought.  Please feel free to react or just message me about anything MXTX’s fandom related... I am desperately in need of friends to discuss with about MXTX’s stuff!   

#mo dao zu shi #mdzs #mdzs appreciation #cql #cql appreciation #the untamed #mxtx #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #mine

[randomoranges]

bonjour-hi, here is a fic i’ve been working on for the past MONTH. it was never supposed to be the thing for m2 day, but since it took forever to get done, here it is now.

this was supposed to be a one part short thing, but then it grew and grew and grew and now it’s a 2 pat 24 page behemoth. 

the worst is that the og idea was based on ONE LINE OF DIALOGUE. can you find/guess which line of dialogue it was???

anyways. the thing in [] is not the translation of the first part of the title. you can either figure it out or google it!

also this is canon and i hope you all like a giant heap of SOFT with lot’s of FUZZIES. because that is exactly what this is. 

part 2 will be posted later today. 

Keesha Kee Taen [You’ve Changed]

February 2020 

Business had sent Edward out east for a few days and he thought for sure that he’d beat the snowstorm back home, but another weather pattern coming west found him stranded in Montreal. He was offered a voucher for a nearby hotel, but Edward politely declined it and said he’d stay with a friend. Then, to play it safe, he’d booked the last flight out the following day, in case the storm persisted and the first flights would be cancelled – that and the fact that he didn’t want to rush back to the airport so soon.

 Only then did he call Étienne to let him know that he was stranded in the city for a few hours and would it be okay for him to crash over. (And only after Étienne had asked him if he had a place to stay. Afterwards, once Étienne had reassured him that it was more than fine and that he could crash anytime, did he let Calvin know what was happening.)

 The cab ride over had been longer than usual, due to the weather, the never ending snow that fell in thick, fat, flakes, the wind gusts that created squalls and the bumper to bumper traffic, and Edward was bone tired and weary. Between time zones, being stuck in an airplane and then an airport, he was famished, exhausted and he simply wanted to bury his face in a pillow and not resurface for many days.

 Still, when he finally arrived to Étienne’s place, he was relieved at the familiar sight of the door that hadn’t changed and Étienne’s place that had remained the same. He was only a little surprised when his friend threw open the door before he could properly ring the doorbell and then proceeded to launch himself in his arms, nearly toppling them over down the few steps and into the accumulating snow. Luckily, Edward was well versed in this method of greeting and was able to prevent them from such an unfortunate cascade.

 And oh, how he’d missed this lunatic of his.

 (His warmth, his smile, the sound of his laughter, the feel of his arms around him...)

 Étienne had ushered him in, talking a mile a minute, asking question over question, as he helped Edward out of his coat, hat, scarf, mittens, boots, and extra sweater. Étienne took the carryon bag out of Edward’s hands and instead wrapped him up in another tight hug that lasted much longer, now that they were inside and out of the blistering cold. Edward was reminded, and not for the first time, that Étienne gave really exceptional hugs and he only let go when his friend stepped back.

 Edward had asked Étienne, for what felt like the millionth time, if this was okay – if Étienne didn’t have better plans and things to do, but Étienne had assured him that it was fine, that he was more than thrilled to have him over and that anything else he may or may not have planned could wait and was not as exciting as having him over, even if for a few hours. (And leave it to Étienne to put everything aside just for him, like he’d often done in the past, and how was it that he’d never noticed before? He still remembered the times when Étienne had greeted him at the airport, all those years ago, when he’d pick him up and bring him back – when Étienne’s whole face lit up when he saw him walk through the arrivals gate.)

 If Edward’s heart did a funny twist at that, well that was between him and his heart.

 They caught up, Edward finally getting a chance to answer Étienne’s long list of questions as his friend grabbed him by the hand and led him further inside his place, past the living room where Étienne had clearly been lounging in before, if Edward was to judge by the muted television and the pile of blankets on the couch, to the kitchen, where Étienne ordered Edward to sit, while he bustled away to warm up some leftovers for him. Edward tried to protest, to say he didn’t want to trouble him, but his stomach rumbled loudly and Étienne declared that he didn’t want to hear none of it and that it was the least he could do.

 Edward took this opportunity to glance around Étienne’s place and noted a few changes here and there, while Étienne chatted to him across the room as he took dishes out of the refrigerator. The walls had been painted over, were now a nice cream colour, making the room brighter, and look larger. The television set in the living room was new, but despite the new furniture, there were still some elements Edward remembered from his last visit here, such as one particular coffee table and the bookcases in the living room. Edward was surprised to see one of Étienne’s paintings on the wall, considering his friend had always dismissed his own talent, and when he asked, Étienne simply told him that it was temporary, while he looked for something better.

 Étienne returned to the kitchen table shortly afterwards, carrying a myriad of different leftovers to him as he apologised for not having anything else. They sat across from one another, as Edward ate, telling him that it was fine and better than anything he could have gotten at the airport, and continued filling Étienne in on his travels. It was easy conversation and Étienne sat, full attention on him, and Edward remembered just how intense that green-brown gaze could be when it was focused on him. How intelligent and attentive it was and how it didn’t miss a beat or a movement. Étienne had a way of making him feel as though he was the center of his attention and it had taken him a long while to get used to it. He felt important, under that gaze, and just when he thought he was boring his friend with trivial talk of smart cities or the latest development in green energy, Étienne would ask a question, or make a comment proving to him that he was keeping up and Edward’s fears would vanish.

 It had been like this before and Edward was glad it hadn’t changed.

 It was afterwards that Étienne asked him if he wanted to shower and change into something more comfortable. Edward agreed and changed into a borrowed pair of sweats and an old t-shirt, too lazy to rummage through his hastily packed bag what felt like lifetimes ago. If anything, the clothes smelled of Étienne, the shower woke him up some and for once, the slightly overheated apartment felt nice (for now).

 It was finally how he’d found himself tucked away in Étienne’s arms, half-laying on his friend on the same sofa he’d walked by earlier, while Étienne played with his hair or rubbed his back. It was late, he was tired, but Étienne was a welcome reprieve from his harried day and he didn’t want to call it over just yet.

 They’d exchanged kisses, slow and soft, not leading to anything and it had been oh so lovely. It had reminded Edward of those nice times from before, where it had seemed like all Étienne wanted to do in the world was spend time wrapped around him, simply being and enjoying his presence. It had always taken him by surprise and he’d always deflected, writing it off as Étienne being a tactile person who craved contact, until he’d found out that Étienne really did just want to be with him. (And it really was a shame he had spent all those years worrying that he was imagining things and that it was all in his head.) It felt the same now, as they pulled away every now and again from a languid kiss to smile and pick up their conversation from where they left off, before they would start all over again and Edward could spend a lifetime like this, he knew.

 There was no pressure, no need to do anything more than this, to simply be together and know that it was fine and that this is what they wanted. (Edward had asked earlier, to be sure, and Étienne had admitted that this was nice and that there would be time, later, if they wanted to do anything else, unless Edward wanted to, but Edward had assured him that no – this was lovely. And so Étienne had smiled at him, Edward’s breath had caught somewhere in his chest, and instead, he had kissed his friend again, because he could – because it felt right and because there were still times when words failed him and actions could convey what he felt better.)

 The television was still muted and Edward was content, here in Étienne’s arms. It was crazy to him to think that he could have this – that with some strange turn of luck he could have and love both Calvin and Étienne – that somehow or other, they were willing to navigate this arrangement to make it work. If someone would have told him, before, some, fifty or so years ago, that this would happen to him, that he would get to be happy, he would have never believed them. And yet, here he was, in his beloved’s arms, happy and safe (so safe). (Was it weird that Étienne had always been safe for him? That even at his worst – even when they’d been on their binges, trying to quiet the hurt and the anger inside of them – when they’d tried to self-destruct from the inside, Étienne had always been a beacon of light – his safe haven through it all?)

 It was nice – it was nice that they could still have this, that despite everything they said, everything they did (and everything they didn’t say and didn’t do) that they could still have this – still give it a go and work at it, despite everything. Edward supposed it had to be one advantage to their long lives – that they could get second chances to try again – to know that they were on the same page. And even though there were times when he feared that this wouldn’t work out, that he was in it way over his head, he would get a message from Étienne and he would know that it was worth it, that they were in this together, and that they would work at figuring it out together.

 “You know,” Étienne interrupted, sometime later, and it could have been days and months and maybe even years later, for all that Edward cared, but he rose his head a little to look at his friend’s face, wondering what was on his mind, “No one would believe you if you told them all we did was cuddle and kiss on my old couch,” He laughed at that, a small soft thing that rumbled through his chest and that made Edward want to hold him even closer and cherish him for as long as Étienne would let him.

 “You’ve spent far too long cultivating a certain image of yourself for anyone who doesn’t really know you to believe that you’re an actual softy underneath it all,” Edward teased, poking at his chest, and it made Étienne laugh again. Edward smiled to himself, pleased with the outcome, but he stuttered when Étienne took his hand and brought it to his lips to place a soft kiss to it. Étienne didn’t say anything about the blush on his cheeks and instead pulled him back down.

 “It’s okay – I prefer it that way; I’d rather have only those I want know the real me,” Edward knew – and he’d found out the hard way about that. For so long he had doubted. For so long he had wondered. At least he knew now. At least, now, he knew about these complicated sides of Étienne and what they meant (or didn’t mean). At least he was better versed in the persona and the authentic to know where he stood. Even if it had cost them twenty years and almost their friendship as well. Better late than never, and such, he supposed.

 “I missed you,” Étienne said, quiet, almost as if speaking to himself, taking Edward out of his thoughts and the comment did all sorts of funny things to his insides, just like it had before. It still surprised him (and maybe it always would) that Étienne could miss him – that someone like Étienne could want to spend time with – and miss – someone like him. Not that there was anything wrong with him, but it wasn’t how the story normally went. Étienne could have anyone he wanted and yet all he wanted was a quiet evening at home with Edward.

 “At least it’s easier now – we have cell phones and video calls and whatever else; it’s almost as if we’re in the same space,” He held on to Étienne a little tighter, fingers dancing on the hairs of his arm that were exposed from the rolled up sweater sleeve, furrowing his face deeper into Étienne’s soft body. He’d missed him too. A lot. So much. And at first he’d hated how much he’d missed him, when he was convinced Étienne didn’t want anything to do with him. He’d hated how much he’d hurt, believing Étienne had tossed him aside and moved on when it seemed he couldn’t – even when things got better for him. Even when Calvin showed up. (He’d hated it even more then, because he really had no reason to miss Étienne. Calvin was good. Calvin, too, had become safe for him, so why was it that his mind craved the affection of another as well? It had taken him a while to figure out he missed the friendship, a longer one to realise that maybe he still had unsettled feelings as well. It was still overwhelming and exhilarating to believe this was all real and that he could have it. No strings attached. Simple and easy. He was a fucking lucky guy. He missed him a little less now, if only because he could speak with Étienne and see him, but there were still times when he wished the distance wasn’t so big.)

 “Yeah, I guess, but – this is better,” The quiet admission was enough for Edward to disentangle himself ever so – enough to press another kiss to Étienne’s plush lips and to let Étienne pull him down closer, to card a hand through his tousled hair and wrap him even more in his body. To take what he could and savour it, knowing that come tomorrow he would be heading back and the next time they could do this was up in the air.

 They settled back after a few heated kisses, not wanting to get too carried away, comfortable here, enjoying the moment for what it was and Edward resumed his post with his head on Étienne’s chest, listening to the careful beat of his heart as it lulled him.

 Their conversation drifted in and out with no particular direction, one moment reminiscing about an old collective memory, the following sharing about the latest thing that was going on in their respective city, before they would quiet down again. Edward could fall asleep like this; he was already tired and Étienne’s steady hand running up and down his spine only helped ease him further down. He was warm. And comfortable. And he felt loved. There wasn’t much more he needed.

 “I love you,”

 The words broke the cozy silence and for one moment, Edward thought he’d misheard – or imagined the words, so quietly had they been spoken. He raised his head gently and found Étienne looking at him, cheeks pinked and eyes bright. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard the words. That had been over the summer, in the middle of the forest with a thundering waterfall and his own ricocheting heart as witnesses. They’d spoken about this afterwards – about their feelings, which was a novel thing they did and it had done them both some good. To finally let everything out once and for all. They’d been honest and had agreed to figure it out and work at it. And they were making strides towards it – big ones at it too, but this love thing was still relatively new (at least out in the open) and even though Étienne was  more open with him about his feelings and such, Edward knew that his friend was still trying to figure out this whole love thing. He knew of Étienne’s past failures with love and the scars it had left on his soul. He knew of Étienne’s fears around it and that he had a complicated relationship with it. At least now, he knew – and at least now, he knew how to better read Étienne and notice Étienne’s own way of letting him know that he loved and appreciated him – that they wanted the same things. (And he wondered, every time, how utterly blind he had been for not realising sooner, but he knew not to dwell too much on it – there had been enough causes and doubt in both of them.)

 He’d heard the words again, sparsed out here and there over phone calls, video sessions and whatnot. He parroted them back whenever Edward said them out loud and Edward cherished each and every utterance of them. Every letter Étienne still sent him now was signed with love and Étienne ended a text conversation with a heart emoji, but so far, he’d never been the first to say the words.

 It wasn’t as if Edward was saying them all the time and every time he did Étienne replied in some variation of his own in kind – letting him know as much as reassuring him that Edward wasn’t imagining things, or in too deep, but this was the first time Étienne told him unprompted.

 This was the first time Étienne said I love you first and Edward wanted to embrace the other man, kiss him silly and cry into the crook of his neck all at the same time.

 Étienne was rewarded with the brightest smile he’d probably ever seen on Edward’s face and he had to look away for a moment, heat in his cheeks, not really regretting what he had just said, but feeling too much from that smile and that look. Edward should always look like that – happy and radiant. (He hoped he could put that look on his face again. He hoped he could put that look on his face for the rest of his unnaturally long never ending life.)

 (And the problem was he did love Edward. A whole damn lot. Too much at times. And he didn’t know what to do with these emotions or how to process them. Sometimes, it felt as though his heart wanted to beat out of his chest. As though even if he shouted it from the rooftops it wouldn’t be enough. He wanted to hold onto to Edward and never let him go, while simultaneously tell anyone and everyone he met that this was the man that had stolen his heart (and would he please take care of it). He loved Edward more than he could handle it and it frightened as much as exhilarated him. (It used to just frighten him – because he was bound to fuck this wonderful thing up – and he had, in some way he had – but now he had a second chance and he wanted to do it right.)

 Edward looked at him as though he was the most precious thing in the world and Étienne wondered, not for the first time, what exactly he had ever done to deserve any of this (and what it was Edward had ever seen in him.) He buried his face in Edward’s shoulder, letting the warmth of his skin settle him and his own words of love calm his nerves. He would never tire of feeling this way, he knew, and he hoped he could have this for a good while longer.

 “I wish you could stay longer,” He managed to say when he trusted his voice wouldn’t betray his emotions. Edward wrangled them about so that they could be facing each other, parenthesis on his couch, and Étienne leaned into Edward’s hand when he brought it up to caress his cheek. He sighed, some tension in his body leaving, as his friend placed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

 “I know, but at least we get this – and I’m only a tap away, you know,” He did – know, but this was always so much nicer than the phone calls and the letters, the text messages and the video chats. Here, Edward was tangible and real, he could touch and feel and kiss and hug to his heart’s content. He could read every expression that played on Edward’s face and not wonder if he was stringing him along or taking pity on him. Here, he could ground himself with Edward’s presence and drink in the sight of him, even if only for a few hours. He knew Edward was right – knew he should be thankful for the terrible weather and for this otherwise unplanned visit, but as always, he still wanted more.

 “Promise I’ll come back,” Edward murmured for him and him only. Étienne took Edward’s wrist in his own hand and pulled him ever closer, before he kissed him once more, because he could – because he wanted to – and because he didn’t know when he’d next be able to.

 Eventually, Edward grew even sleepier and after one too many yawns he tried to hide behind his head, Étienne declared that it was late enough and that they should get some rest. Edward tried protesting, but his argument died on his lips when Étienne helped him rise to his feet and led him towards the bedrooms.

 They hadn’t shared a bed since last summer and it seemed they both realised that fact at the same time when Étienne stopped steps away from his bedroom and the guestroom, as if unsure where to proceed, not wanting to push Edward and not wanting to assume either.

 “The sheets in the guestroom are clean, if you want,” He mumbled and Edward recognised that nervous tick of Étienne’s he did with his fingers where he wrapped and twisted them around the fabric of his shirt, foot fidgeting and eyes looking anywhere but at him. Edward thought it was endearing, to some extent, and he reached for Étienne’s hands to steady them, before he bore holes in his shirt and to let him know that he didn’t need to worry, regardless of where it was he wanted to sleep. Even if Étienne wanted to do something and he didn’t want to, he wouldn’t judge his friend and he hoped that with time, Étienne wouldn’t fret about it as much.  

 “We can always share... if you want...” Edward suggested, suddenly feeling a little shy himself. He was fine with giving Étienne space, if that’s what he wanted, but he would much prefer having him close and snuggling up to him. To be able to hold him, kiss him good night and then good morning. Wake up beside him and watch the morning light play across his face. But, maybe he was thinking too far ahead once more and it would be best not to rock the boat, so to speak.

 “No, that’s fine – I mean, yeah we can share, but only if you’re okay with that!” Étienne was quick to reassure him. Edward laughed and took Étienne’s hand before walking into his friend’s room.

 Étienne turned the lights on and Edward took a moment to observe the room. It seemed the entire apartment had been repainted and Étienne’s room had not been an exception. The decor had changed some, but he was somewhat relieved to find some old staples from before, such as some of Étienne’s hockey memorabilia dispersed here and there. Who would have thought that a signed framed photograph of an old Habs great would ever bring him comfort? His friend told him to get comfortable, while he went to change (maybe to buy himself some time and get his nerves under control, who knew) and so Edward slipped under the covers and settled in.

 The bed was still as comfortable and the pillows were as plush as he recalled, even if they were new, and he supposed Étienne had always been a creature of comfort. He sunk in, pulling only some of the covers over him, not needing as many as Étienne did and let out a content sigh.

 Étienne returned shortly afterwards and laughed as he walked into his room. Edward gave him a puzzled look, but Étienne shook his head as joined him in bed, “It’s just that, you took my side,” he told him as he removed his glasses and placed them on the night table.

 Edward gave him a curious look at that, disbelief written all over his face, “What are you talking about? I always slept on this side of your bed before,” He knew it – he would swear by it, but he always had the side by the window and Étienne the one by the door. They had never talked about it, there had been no Official Discussion, but it was the way it had happened and they had kept to those sides for all the times Edward had visited. Even when Étienne had stayed over, Étienne had taken the side Edward didn’t sleep on and once more there had been no talk about it – it had happened naturally and that had been that. But then, Étienne’s cheeks burned and he looked away, almost as if embarrassed. Even though there was only  the bedside lamp turned on, Edward saw the colour rise and then it clicked, “Did you actually switch sides?”

 “Don’t give yourself too much credit! It just happened.” The fact that Étienne was defending the change said enough for Edward and he promised himself to properly tease Étienne when he wasn’t so tired. Still, he thought it was endearing and he did wonder how it had come about. Had it been intentional? Had he simply rolled over to the other side one day and then found it better? (Had he missed him and tried to furrow his face in the pillow hoping to catch the scent of someone who hadn’t slept there in far too long? Not that he was talking from experience...)

 “Softy,” Edward called him, grinning wolfishly at him.

 Étienne took his pillow, hit him with it, before he settled down, and pulled Edward close, “Only for you. So, don’t get any funny ideas.” Edward only mildly protested, but didn’t add anything to it and decided to humour him for now.  It was too late to put up a fight and the warmth of the room was making him sleepy. He made himself comfortable, with Étienne holding him close and felt himself drifting off without even trying. Étienne resumed what he’d been doing earlier and ran his hand up and down Edward’s back, content to have him here. In return, Edward’s weight and warmth soothed him and eventually, so did his even breathing.

 When he’d returned home from his visit to Edmonton, last summer, it had taken him a good while to come to terms with the fact that this was real and that he hadn’t hallucinated the whole thing. (In truth, it had taken until he had received a text message from Edward to help him realise it. No big fanfare, just a simple message telling him he’d had a lovely time and he was glad they were patching things up. The heart emoji at the end had certainly helped and Étienne had only stared at it with a dopey hopeful smile for about an hour or so.) And yet here he was, months later, Edward sleeping in his arms, and the small yet eternal optimist that somehow or other lived on inside of him dared to dream again.

 He looked down slightly, to Edward’s slack jaw and slowly rising and falling chest and he wanted to wrap Edward tightly in his arms, keep him close to his heart, and never let go. He wanted to stop time, just for a moment, long enough for him to catch his breath and fully realise what it was that was happening to him. It was still hard to wrap his head around it all, especially when he’d come to terms with the fact that Edward had moved on, that their friendship was over and that that chapter of his life was over with. But then, somehow or other, by some miracle, probably, they had reconnected and now he could tell Edward how he felt about it and not go into a minor (major) panic over it.

 He supposed this whole “admitting to being in love” thing had its perks, but he wasn’t about to tell anyone that. (He wanted to keep it for himself just a little longer – bask in the way it made him feel and let it soothe him when he couldn’t sleep.) Instead, he let out a content little sigh and marvelled at how things had changed.

 --

part II

#pc: montreal #pc: edmonton #Edward Murphy #étienne maisonneuve #fic #i need a canon tag #2020 and beyond #why work on 2020 when you can jump ahead lamao #monmonton day

[chibalein]

Official Statement by Kajiura AND Hikaru/Keiko on Kalafina Disbandment

NOTE: In response to @putschki1969 comments (thank you again), I corrected a few parts of this translation . As Tumblr does not edit the reblogged posts as well, I re-uploaded it, so please refer to this post from now on. I would also appreciate it, if you deleted the old reblogs.

Sorry guys, I was too hasty while translating and made some stupid and avoidable mistakes v.v (damn you japanese language) That happens when you already interpret while translating, so never take fan translations for granted, kids.

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I was VERY surprised to see on Twitter that Hikaru actually “reacted” to the news of Kalafina disbanding. She as well as Kajiura posted a link to the FictionJunction homepage where an official statement by Kajiura AND BOTH Hikaru and Keiko was released regarding yesterday’s news. Here is the link and a translation of the statements. This is MY translation - please take it with a grain of salt and PLEASE correct me, if I got something wrong. I don’t want to twist the meaning just because I used the wrong English word.

http://fictionjunction.com/kalafina20190314/

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“About the report of Spacecraft’s “Regarding the disbandment of Kalafina”:

Yesterday, Spacecraft released a report about “the disbandment of Kalafina”, although it was very sudden and somewhat surprising that they haven’t used “hiatus” but the strong word “disbandment”, the three members undeniably have stopped their activities a long time ago. Above all else, as the former producer of Kalafina and as an individual person, I continued to feel very sorry for being unable to properly address the issue to everyone who supported Kalafina until now.

As for the former Kalafina members Keiko and Hikaru, when I reached out to them they felt the same way after all and since they wanted to use the opportunity to greet everyone, therefore I gathered their messages and provided a temporary* place on my website.” (Kajiura)

*Note: I’d like to point out the word used for “temporary” here which is “rinji 臨時”. My dictionary says it can mean “temporary”, “makeshift” and “extraordinary”. So for me, it means that they actually had no other way of releasing this kind of statement the “official” way (e.g. via Spacecraft or Hamony) but using the somehow unrelated FictionJunction and Kajiura. However, just my thinking, I’d love to discuss that in the comments (so japanese speaking people, step up).

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Message from Keiko and Hikaru:

To our important fans,

We are very sorry that we didn’t take the responsibility last year, when we passed our 10th year, to express our feelings that needed to be expressed in our own words and ended up addressing the issue this way.

In the 10 years of Kalafina, there was a harmony only the three of us could create, there was the musical world spun by Kajiura-san... moreover, because you were waiting for us, we could keep on going.

Furthermore, thanks to the many outstanding works we encountered, we were able to deliver our music in various places. Each and every accumulation will never disappear and we couldn’t ever forget them. Last year, our one big decision was to “stop walking [as a group] for a while in order to pursue our own individual music careers”. We feel very sorry that this information had this kind of timing, but we want you to please watch over the paths we chose.

To everyone who have supported us until now, we appreciate it from our hearts... Thank you.

March 14th 2019 Keiko. Hikaru

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Message by Kajiura Yuki:

I can imagine that the message by the two members might be enough already and that my words might just be unnecessary... so again, everyone who supported Kalafina until now, thank you so much. And to everyone who waited anxiously for such a long time in this half-baked state thinking “what will happen now”, I apologize.

Actually, the information that “Kalafina will suspend their activities” was supposed to have been released a bit earlier to everyone, it should have been like that. You were supposed to understand and support the choice of the three members, who worked for my music so sincerely like no one else did for more than 10 years, to go separate ways. However, being able to apologize for the delay and expressing my gratitude from the heart, it might be very selfish... but as the former producer I feel a bit relieved to finally get the opportunity.

Even now I clearly remember the day giving this unit the name “Kalafina”. (I thought that even if I say so myself, it’s such a lovely name!). For the members, the past ten years were full of days of challenge, grappling with a new form of “songs”, weren’t they. I am so proud because of the hard struggle of the three members, they were able to deliver “unprecedented music” to everyone. And as these days of grappling could continue, we received each and everyone’s support who devoted themselves to listen to our music.

Perhaps, everyone wasn’t just listening to Kalafina’s music, but... somehow it inspired everyone’s imagination, while spinning your own story together with everyone, I think that is an exciting thing... Just like this, Kalafina’s story definitely isn’t concluded just by the three members or myself, but because you made this world with us together, Kalafina was able to progress. These are my strong feelings. I am, really, just, thankful that you played in this musical world with us.

I, who is now independent and has left Kalafina, may be thanking you too much, but I truly wanted to properly convey my feelings, so I wrote this very long article.

I loved Kalafina. Having been able to walk together with these three wonderful singers for ten years, now and forever, I am proud of that. These were times I wished they would never end. I want the members to talk about their individual “Kalafina” and these days proudly with a raised face too. I want them to treat the ten years of singing with all their power as fuel for walking on their new paths with dignity, I pray for that. ... even if I say that, I don’t intend to say farewell forever to the individual members, as long as we can continue music mutually, we surely will be blessed by fate again somewhere!

Spinning the music of Kalafina was truly fun. When I went to concerts, I would forget that I was the producer and just enjoy these times of music. If I was granted one selfish wish... I may have caused an uproar to everyone who loved Kalafina one way or another now... for the sake of these enjoyable times of music, if you could retain those memories. I pray for that.

With a gratitude I won’t get tired of telling you. Thank you very much!

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

Allright, that’s it. That’s a lot of subliminal info actually, at least in my opinion. I got the feeling that things did not go as intended for Kalafina... again, my translation may be misleading, but I feel like after Kajiura left Spacecraft, maybe the girls wanted to explore some individual paths but not entirely throw away the idea to reunite at some point again. However, this door was closed by Spacecraft now and I just wonder whether all of them were included in the decision as much as they should have been. I am surprised that after all this time, Kajiura and Hikaru/Keiko actually reacted to the official disbandment, but maybe now they were finally allowed to (I can imagine that some part of the contract forbade them to “tell the truth” to avoid bad publicity). Like I said above, it’s kinda strange to release this kind of statement on Fictionjunction and it makes it seem that they couldn’t do so on “official” sites like Harmony, which would make more sense and be more accessible to the actual fanclub members.

At least we know that Keiko is alive and in contact with Hikaru and Kajiura XD I feel bad for Wakana though. We don’t know how the relationship between her and the others developed since she is the one who apparently had no problems (or she just got the better offers) to stick with Spacecraft or whatever, while the others seemingly did. She is left out of this whole news, despite being a vital part of it. I guess she is “not allowed” to react to it, especially so shortly before her solo career truly kicks off...

Anyway, what do you guys think, let me hear!

#kalafina #hikaru #keiko #wakana #harmony #fictionfunction #disbandment #kajiura yuki #statement

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 154: The Inevitable

Previously on BnHA: Even though the previous chapter ended with Deku arriving to punch Overhaul in the face, the majority of the chapter somehow was spent getting up to that moment which we’d already gotten up to! But finally it happened, and Aizawa, Nighteye, and Deku burst onto the scene. Nighteye gave Mirio a big ol’ hug and told him he did so good, and it was one of the few highlights of this arc, and so deserved. Deku and Aizawa went to apprehend Overhaul, but one of Overhaul’s Endless Minions woke up and used his quirk to basically paralyze Aizawa, so that Aizawa in turn was forced to blink and Overhaul was able to reactivate his own quirk. He proceeded to straight up murder his loyal right hand man and fuse their bodies together to form some kind of grotesque monstrosity, but like, it’s not even the good, interesting kind of grotesque. It’s just the same old Overhaul with some extra demon arms that’ve got big claws on ‘em, and now his mask is fused to his face like a demon bird beak as a bonus. Whatever. Nine seven chapters to go.

Today on BnHA: Overhaul revels in his new power-up and taunts Mirio a bit, mostly just to make sure everyone knows that his quirk is gone for good. Nighteye tells Deku to take Mirio and Eri and get them to safety while he holds Overhaul off. He thinks about everything he taught Mirio and how strong he became and how proud he is of him, and that all he wants to do right now is protect him and Eri. As Deku hauls Mirio and Eri away from the carnage, the narration starts talking about how Nighteye spent so much time desperately trying to change the futures he saw, but that it never worked no matter what he did. In spite of this, and in spite of knowing that his actions are merely “drawing out the inevitable”, he continues to fight Overhaul until he is brutally impaled on some more spikes. Enraged, Deku turns back, leaving Eri with Mirio, and activates One for All at 20%.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 185 now, so any ETAs will reflect that. Posting this a few hours early since I won’t be able to later this evening.)

fun fact, Fallen Angels/Jaimini’s Box doesn’t have this chapter translated on their site. in fact they don’t have any chapters translated from 154 all the way until 167. I can only assume they were getting as sick of this shit as I am. can’t even blame them for bailing

so Mangastream, that leaves just you. the brave souls who stuck it out till the bitter end. you guys are the real heroes academia

unfortunately the FA scans were also the cleaner scans, so now we’ll have to deal with these kind of dark, smudgy-looking pages. on the bright side, if you squint you can almost pretend like what’s happening on the page is actually interesting

sorry to rag on you before you even get started, chapter. but let’s not kid ourselves here

so Overhaul says he’s in a bad mood but “this is a little better”

and the text is all “that form... grotesque!” but again, it’s just his normal form with a couple extra demon arms. nothing we haven’t seen from Shouji or Tokoyami. do you guys remember Shouji and Tokoyami. good kids. wonder whatever happened to ‘em

Deku is like clinging to one of the floor spikes and trying to assess the situation

oh?

if Aizawa gets a one-on-one fight with that guy it had better be sick as hell. do NOT fuck around with my Aizawa fight. I will not forgive you

(ETA: does it count as fucking around with my Aizawa fight if we don’t even get an Aizawa fight. given how they probably would have managed to make even that inexplicably bad, it’s probably for the best that we didn’t get this in the end.)

Overhaul is monologuing about how germophobic he is and how this is the first time he’s been pushed to this point

oh shit he’s bringing out the big guns

did Mirio even know that his quirk was gone forever? up until this point he had no reason to assume the effect wouldn’t just be the same as with Tamaki. he really drew the short end of the stick. poor baby

oh here’re the rest of the bullets

-- excuse me, they’re the ones dragging this out?? WHO WAS IT THAT ORDERED HIS SUBORDINATES TO CREATE A NEVERENDING MAZE OF MEDIOCRE SECOND TIER VILLAINS

now he says Mirio has gotten all his friends mixed up in this and that they’re all gonna die

why does he keep taunting Mirio even though he’s already basically out for the count. still sore about how badly he fucked you up huh buddy. you prick

Mirio is all

um, yes way. he was torturing a six-year-old on a regular basis just to make no-quirk juice. he doesn’t even have a deep-seeded reason for it as far as I can see. he’s just in the mob and wants to make money. and even his boss was all “dude I get that you wanna make bank, but that plan is too fucked up even for us.” but he went and did it anyway

so yeah, I don’t know why anyone’s surprised that he’s cool with callously murdering his own subordinates, or why that of all things would somehow be the straw that broke the camel’s back

here comes Deku again!

did he throw that spike at him? nice

he caught it, and it did nothing, but still. nice

he’s grabbing another one! and thinking of Mirio!

stab him in the face Deku. do it for senpai

you know who I miss? fucking Stain. I miss him so much. I’ll never say a word against him again. that’s a lie but my god it’s like how you weirdly appreciate George W. just a little more after dealing with Trump. even though W. was just the worst. still so bad. but like, it gives you a new sense of scale and an understanding that no matter how bad things are, they can always get just a little bit worse

anyway, Deku’s diving in still but Overhaul is creating more spikes, this time from his hands

they’re crumbling upon impact with Deku’s kicks, but he’s thinking that if it weren’t for his iron soles he’d have been done in just now

I’m sorry are those things not impressive? what else do you need? he’s got smarts too, for what it’s worth

what in the

was that another one of his stamps?? Nighteye is such a freak

yep. look at this

take that bitch. I’m gonna sign for you like a package from Fedex

we’re now flashing back to a conversation they had while running in the hallway for those five long hours

“don’t you DARE fucking break your bones again you little punk”

Nighteye’s asking what Overhaul did with Aizawa

oh shit this is the first interesting thing Overhaul has said in ages

(ETA: so what a surprise that absolutely nothing came of it)

yeah, I bet he’s interested. oh shit. so now he’s whisked him off to the “VIP room.” what’s in there, caviar and high-stakes poker tables?

you guys. Nighteye is piiiiiiiiiiiissed

yeah for real. because he used the permabullets even though he only had five of them. I was wondering about that too

now Overhaul is disintegrating his two right arms. what are you playing at now

look how fucking weirdly Nighteye dodges

the hell kind of dodge is this

Overhaul is thinking he’s not particularly fast, but that his movements are similar to Lemillion’s. “so this guy’s the teacher...”

Nighteye’s flashing back to Mirio’s internship when he explained to him that by accumulating experience he would learn how to predict people’s actions and move accordingly

I’m so sorry this asshole took your son’s quirk Nighteye

all right so now Deku’s reached Mirio and Eri and he’s asking if they can move

Mirio’s all “no sweat” ffff

ffffffffffffffffff

baby sweetie honey nooo shhhh. don’t apologize for being sad that he forcibly destroyed a part of you. something that was unique and that you worked so hard to perfect and that was going to lead you toward your dreams. fuck. you’re allowed to be fucking bummed out kiddo. it’s gonna be okay

so Deku’s grabbing them all and he’s kicking open the path that Overhaul just tried to close up again

and now Eri is clutching at him and crying ffffffffffffff

THIS IS NOT OKAY. HORIKOSHI!!! COME THE FUCK ON. WHAT IS THIS

and Mirio’s looking back over his shoulder as they retreat, and he seems to have seen something troubling oh shit

this is all very interesting, but I thought he could only do one person a day? I still don’t fucking get how his power works in combat

(ETA: as the next page clarifies, I guess he used it on Overhaul and that’s how he saw himself and Deku dying at Overhaul’s hands. and this must mean it’s been more than 24 hours since he used it on the babysitter guy. and this is also why it takes him a full day to die afterwards, so that he can live just long enough to look into Mirio’s future one last time. ...fuck me why am I thinking about that noooo)

OH SHIT!?!?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. “THE INEVITABLE”!?!?

WHAT THE FUCK

DID THEY JUST FUCKING KILL NIGHTEYE WHAT THE FUCK

AT THE VERY LEAST WE ALL AGREE HIS ARM IS GONE, YES. STRAIGHT UP NO LONGER GOT A LEFT ARM

HOLY FUCK

AHHHHHHH EVERYTHING JUST SUDDENLY WENT BLACK

AND HIS EYES ARE LIKE

I’M FREAKING OUT!!?!?!?!?!

DEKU’S LOOKING BACK TOWARD THE SCENE AND HE’S TOTALLY BUGEYED

OVERHAUL IS SENDING SPIKES THEIR WAY

HOLY SHIT DEKU!?!?

OH SHIT

DEKU BE CAREFUL OF YOUR LIMBS!! ALSO YOU’RE THE BEST, HOLY FUCKING SHIT

even Overhaul has abruptly stopped his endless spike attacks and is now resorting to cautious trash talk

oh shit

CALL BACK TO THE ALL MIGHT PROPHECY OH SNAPPPPPP

DEKU YOU ARE SO COOL JESUS CHRIST THIS WAS SUCH A COOL MOMENT. I FORGOT THE MANGA COULD DO THAT

WAS IT WORTH 900 CHAPTERS OF BULLSHIT? AND MIRIO LOSING HIS QUIRK? AND NIGHTEYE FUCKING DYING FUCKING JESUS CHRIST? NO

BUT GOD IT’S SOMETHING, AND THAT SOMETHING IS ADMITTEDLY PRETTY COOL

I swear to god if he loses even with this. just...

just remember Deku. Nighteye literally died for this shit. probably. oh my godddddd

no bonus. because I’m pretty sure the next omake is supposed to go with tomorrow’s chapter. it’s really hard to figure this out tbh. but I guess I should be grateful that we even still have translated omakes right now, since even that will come to an end once we hit chapter 167. enjoy it while it lasts I guess

#bnha #boku no hero academia #overhaul (bnha) #midoriya izuku #sir nighteye #toogata mirio #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #well at least we're in the home stretch now #just one more week and we can say goodbye to all this misery #remember everyone #before we throw this arc away #we should thank it #this is because the arc taught us that we do not like to read arcs like this