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that-angry-noldo · 1 year

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it hurts, doesn't it ?

you remember him. remember his silver laughter and bright eyes; remember how small and fragile he felt when you first held him, when he first cried in your hands while you stood, frozen, not able to tear your eyes away from his squished face, not knowing what to do. you remember his first steps and first words, his excited babbling and all of his childhood tragedies; you remember singing away his pain after he fell from a tree, remember spreading your arms wide so he could jump and hold onto you like a little monkey he was.

you remember you loved him. you know you still love him.

he is quiet and wary now, his movements quick and skittish. he doesn't talk - not to you, at least. you know eärwen can hold him close, and he can cry into her shoulder, and she knows much more about him now than you do.

and it hurts, but it's not about you. you'll take it, as long as that means your boy feels a bit safer, finds a bit of comfort; and you are grateful to your wife (beyond grateful - sometimes you wonder why exactly does she live under the same roof as you, for there will never be anything you can ever do to repay her), but,

but.

you hate that there's a but. you hate that something stings inside you when he shrinks away from your gaze; you hate that it hurts when he escapes the room when you walk in, hurts that his eyes look at you as if he wants to say something but he never does, hurts that he's so scared and afraid and why is he?

it hurts because there is just so much you want to say (i'm sorry i turned my back on you, i'm sorry i wasn't there for you when you needed the most, i'm sorry you went through it alone), but you never can; and you can't even ease his pain, not unless he allows you, and he doesn't allow you because he- why? why does he fear you, why would he fear you?

so you run from him. (you always run.) you burry yourself in work, you don't leave your office, you write and you lead and you rule; you don't venture close to his bedroom, you don't show up for breakfast or for lunch or for dinner. it is wise, you think, it'll give him space. (you know your wife thinks it's a peak idiocy, but you ignore that. you're stubborn enough to ignore that.)

it doesn't help. you still feel guilt, and your son still avoids you, and eärwen still glares at you like you're doing mitake after mistake. it's all crumbling under your fingers, and you feel hopeless - not for the first time in your life.

... you can't sleep.

it's nothing new. your sleep habbits are a mess not even Estë is able to fix in one go, and eärwen is used to it by now: she doesn't wake up when you slip out of the bed.

you wait for the kettle to boil, mixing herbs for your tea - you harvested them yourself; they are one of the few things you still grow in your garden. it storms outside, and the shadows dance in the poorly lit room; you regret leaving your bed, missing its comfort already.

you think he's a ghost when you first see him; the mug falls from your hand, shattering into small pieces. he looms in the doorway, his figure tall and wavering.

you blink, and you're quick to pick up the shards, muttering a quiet "sorry". when you raise your head, he's crouching, too, helping you silently.

his hands shake. you notice that. you throw the shards into the trash.

he doesn't go away.

the wind howls outside, and it's only now that you notice your son is shivering. you make a step forward.

"Are you cold?" you ask, quietly. he thinks, then nods. you search his face; he looks at you with big sad eyes, and you look around helplessly.

"i think there is a spare blanket in the living room," you say. "should i get it for you?"

"please," he whispers, and you freeze again; he's still looking at you, and he still didn't go - and he's still there when you return with a blanket and put it on a table so he can take it. he's still there when he fixes the blanket over his shoulders, and he doesn't go away when the kettle finally whistles and you put it off; you don't think as you brew camomile tea instead of the one you wanted for yourself, and as you put it before him. he's still looking at you, and you remember - you're not supposed to be here, you're not supposed to do this, where is eärwen, - and you look to the doorway reluctantly.

"don't leave," your sons whispers quickly, then pales. he's gripping your hand. "don't- don't leave, please, i'm- i-"

"alright," you say, softly, and sit beside him. your body is tense and your brain doesn't work, but your words make him ease his grip a bit before tightening it again.

you sit in the kitchen, and it storms outside the window, and your son is by your side.

"don't leave," he whispers again, half-asleep. "please."

you squeeze his hand, and he grips it in return. "i won't," you whisper. never again, you think.

#finarfin #finrod #eärwen #silm fic #silmarillion #tolkien

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lotusmuses · 2 years

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why are their names/titles like this lmao?? the shogun's name is super long and scara just has so many

Raiden Shogun / Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto

and

Kunikuzushi / Scaramouche / Zanhyou / The Wanderer / Kuronushi / Nameless Eccentric / Shouki no Kami

if the shogun's name is anything to go by, i fully understand how kuni forgot his original name,,, it was probably too long. calling himself "the skirmisher/balladeer" is way easier. there's no need for that many names (the only thing i want to call him is mine) ausjdjr

but also why are their names so intense 😭 The Almighty Warlord Thunder God Calamity Bringer and her older brother Destroyer of The Country

#genshin scara #genshin impact scaramouche #genshin scaramouche #gi scaramouche #scaramouche #gi kunikuzushi #genshin impact kunikuzushi #kunikuzushi #genshin kunikuzushi #gi raiden shogun #raiden shogun #the shogun puppet

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sheep33hallow · 10 months

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Self Promotion!

I like my fics, so here are my most recent updated fics.

I still think about it. (Mitake) Discountinued/Completed.

“Fucking cat.” Draken mutters. Grabbing his phone. He pulls up the group chat. Mikey phone dings. He grabs it and looks at his message then shifts his eyes up to Draken. Mikey is not amused. “What? I feel like this is a group affair. Our leader wants to impregnate our friend for his salvation apparently.” Draken says with a mocking smile. OR: Mikey thinks Takemichi's baby is quite ugly. He thinks he can do a better job than Takemichi's husband.

Eyes, Nose, Lips (Narusasu) 18/25 WIP

Sasuke was sitting upstairs on the chaise in the library breastfeeding his child, when he was rudely interrupted by the man he was hiding from. “Well, well, well. So this is where you’ve been?” A man named Naruto, a business associate of his father’s, leaning against the doorway as he spoke.

Dance Dance (Narusasu) 4/4

He was coming down from his rage. He honestly didn't know who the man in front of him was, just needed a target for today's outlet of his reckless anger. He was furious, and the trigger for it was upstairs doing homework with their child.

OLD FIC OF THE DAY:

Temptation owns a dog (AkazaxKyoujurou) Completed

Pausing while eating, Kyoujurou said, “Are you working late tonight?” Continuing to scoop more rice into his mouth. Using his chopsticks to pick up a dumpling. “I have a back piece to finish this afternoon at the studio. So it depends on how long that will go. Why?” He put the dumpling in his mouth. “Want me to make you dinner before I leave this afternoon?” He started to chew as he waited for his friend to reply. “Oh no.” He began. “I uh-- I wanted to take you out. I feel like you deserve a break and we haven’t been out together in a while.” Akaza watched Kyoujurou blush, not really understanding why. The temperature on the kotatsu wasn’t that high. OR: Akaza didn't understand his friend's recent actions. What does it mean?

#demon slayer #akaza #rengoku kyoujurou #naruto #narusasu #fanfiction #akaza x rengoku

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demifiendrsa · 3 years

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Sega has announced a new structure for Yakuza and Lost Judgment series developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, as well as the departure of now-former studio head Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Daisuke Sato. New studio head and longtime Yakuza series producer Masayoshi Yokoyama also confirmed that the next entry in the series, a sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon that continues Ichiban Kasuga’s story, is currently in development.

Full announcement:

Announcement from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

2021 marks Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s 10th anniversary. From the Yakuza series to the Judgment series and beyond, we sincerely appreciate everyone who has supported us and our endeavors to this point.

As we reach this 10-year milestone, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will transition to a new structure.

We will continue our mission to bring you the best entertainment through our games, so please look forward to our bright future.

Director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / Executive Producer – Masayoshi Yokoyama (center)

Yakuza Series Chief Director – Ryosuke Horii (third from the left)

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Technical Manager / Lost Judgment Director – Yutaka Ito (second from the left)

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Animation Director – Takayuki Sorimachi (far left)

Yakuza Series Chief Producer – Hiroyuki Sakamoto (third from the right)

Yakuza Series Art Director – Nobuaki Mitake (second from the right)

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Visual Design and Cutscene Director – Daisuke Fukagawa (far right)

Message from Director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Executive Producer Masayoshi Yokoyama

What is “Ryu Ga Gotoku”?

Two years ago when we announced Yakuza: Like a Dragon, there was a lively discussion among fans, and we were able to learn a lot from it.

Things that change; things that should be protected; things that should be connected.

Some of these were ideas that I’d never considered when we founded Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Back then, we were desperately living day to day just trying to secure our future happiness. We had to sacrifice a lot to achieve that.

Perhaps, because we devoted ourselves to keep facing these challenges head-on, we were able to keep going for this long and achieved this milestone of 10 years as a studio.

The world can change in a blink of an eye. And that requires us to change as well. It affects the way we work, the way we live, our morals and values, and even the way we make games.

Before Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio became truly established, “Ryu Ga Gotoku” was basically synonymous with “Toshihiro Nagoshi.”

However, I did not want to rely too heavily on that. So although I had little influence at the time, I kept fighting for change. Ten years have passed since then, and that resistance I had felt has changed to a feeling of comradery over time and now, I am inheriting the studio from a great creator.

In announcing the new structure of the studio, I contemplated what I should convey to everyone. Then, I remembered the words I said on August 31, ten years ago, onstage at the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio launch announcement:

“I’m proud to be standing here as a member of the studio today.”

At the time, I had an immense sense of pride in “Ryu Ga Gotoku,” and that feeling hasn’t changed today. To me, it is something I must protect.

For fans who have supported the series and for actors and development staff, the games Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio creates must be something that all can be proud of.

This is what is necessary for “Ryu Ga Gotoku” to continue to be “Ryu Ga Gotoku.”

This time, I boldly stand in front of you with the key members of the studio to express my determination just as we did ten years ago.

Though, now that you see me acting all cool in this photo, it’s going be extra uncool if the games don’t live up to our standards, so I’m going to give it my all and stay true to my words.

I’m not going to say, “please believe in us!” We’ll continue to do our best and let our games do the talking. And I hope that you would support and watch over the future endeavors of Nagoshi and Sato, who are embarking on a new journey just as we are.

Ryu Ga Gotoku’s predecessors have passed down their beliefs and know-how to each and every staff member. You can witness it in the recently released Lost Judgment and will see it in the upcoming sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Editor’s Note: Referenced as “Yakuza 8 (title tentative)” in the Japanese version of this message), which will continue Ichiban Kasuga’s story.

This game is currently being developed by producer Sakamoto and directors Horii, Ito, and Mitake. I myself, along with Takeuchi and Furuta, are working on the story.

Whether it’s six months or one year from now, I hope to show you a new Ryu Ga Gotoku title by a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio that is different but still the same, and something that will spark a feeling of “this is what we are waiting for” within you. I’d like to continue on my life as a video game creator with earnestness.

Thank you very much for your continued support.

Head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama

Message from Toshihiro Nagoshi

As I depart from SEGA, I’m also leaving my position as the head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Thank you to the fans who have supported us and the Yakuza series for many years. You have my sincerest and deepest gratitude.

I persisted and am here now thanks to what I learned from many people around me. It’s credit to the colleagues who supported such that I could hone my mindset to continuously push boundaries.

As of today, a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is born where the series will live on. Though I don’t know for sure what they will create, I believe the new generation will further enhance the foundation we built over the years and deliver great games to the world. To achieve that, they too need to continue to learn, challenge themselves, and grow. I ask that you continue your support of the studio’s endeavors.

Once again, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all of you. Thank you so much for your support. Stay tuned for the many new beginnings!

Message from Daisuke Sato

Thank you very much for your continued support of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

On a personal note, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I am leaving SEGA to take a different path. Going forward, Series Producer Yokoyama will succeed the Studio Lead position, and Producer Sakamoto and Director Horii will become core leaders within Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

I have been involved in Yakuza’s development from the beginning and served as head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for nine years, so I feel a strong attachment towards it. It is sad to leave the place and colleagues who I shared many ups and downs with, but Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has grown to a strong organization after 10 years since its birth.

I believe that the studio has the power to not only continue the Yakuza series, but also to carry on that momentum even further beyond. The studio’s talented personnel are very capable of accomplishing this, which is why I can leave it in their care with confidence.

I am very grateful for being involved in the series that has lasted for 15 years, and I would like to extend my gratitude to all the fans who have supported us, the staff who have worked together to grow the Yakuza series, as well as everyone in the industry that touched the Yakuza series in some way.

I look forward to seeing new titles and will continue to support Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio—this time, as a fan.

I hope the fans will continue to support the new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Once again, thank you so much for your support over the years.

#Yakuza #Yakuza game #Ryu Ga Gotoku #Yakuza Like a Dragon #Ichiban Kasuga #Lost Judgment #Judgment #Judgment game #Judge Eyes #Toshihiro Nagoshi #Daisuke Sato #Masayoshi Yokoyama #Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio #Sega #video game #long post

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jinkicake · 4 years

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Get Lost~

It’s rare that you get Akaashi all to yourself, this time you truly savor it.

Akaashi Keiji x Reader

For anon,, thank you for being so patient and I’m sorry that this is on the shorter side but I kinda like how it turned out. Omg I have to take my dog to the vet tomorrow and I’m nervous for him,,, he is very skittish. (-｡-;

WC- 880

~~~

“You just want to get on one of the lines and then get off at a random stop?” Akaashi reiterates and you nod your head excitedly as if he could see you over the phone.

“Yes! We always go to the same places, let’s be spontaneous Keiji!” You try to cheer on your boyfriend who seems to be reluctant to give in so easily but if only you could see the soft smile on his face.

That’s how you ended up at Shinjuku station at nine o’clock in the morning. You stand next to Akaashi and look at each of the lines, trying to pick which random one to go on.

“How about the Chuo line, it should take us away from the city.” You suggest and Akaashi simply nods, letting you drag him to the platform. The two of you wait for the train amongst the other people and Akaashi teasingly flicks your head.

“We couldn’t have just gone to Odaiba like we do every other week.” He smirks and you dramatically scoff, clutching your chest as if he wounded you.

“We should have just gone to Odaiba.” You whine while thinking about the beach and the gigantic mall that you love to visit. “And then Shin-Okubo afterward.” You end up dropping your head dejectedly as you think about the food waiting for you at the popular stop. Either way the two of you get on the train with the unfamiliar orange line without hesitation.

“How long should we stay on for?” You ask while Akaashi stares at the television screen. “I’m not sure, we’ll just have to see when we get out of the city,” Akaashi replies, trying to hide his smile at your puckered face.

It didn’t take long for the city to start disappearing, all the large buildings started turning into smaller ones. The place was littered with homes and small businesses and the longer you stayed on, the more unfamiliar it got. The two of you stayed on for a long time, over an hour just to watch as the small buildings soon turned into large mountains. Your legs were starting to hurt from standing for too long so when you got too impatient, you pulled Akaashi off at the platform you desired.

“Mitake station?” You hum as you read the large sign, the station was nothing compared to the modern ones you two were used to. “It looks so old fashioned!”

Akaashi simply pulls you from your gawking and the two of you scan your train cards, ignoring the way your pockets felt dramatically lighter. Once you end up on the street outside the station, you smile at your boyfriend and stare at him

“You chose the station, you lead the way.” He tries to push at your shoulders but you stand put, patiently waiting for him to take the lead. With a large sigh, he does. Akaashi grabs your hand in his and pulls you into his side, walking in a random direction following a stream that is next to the side walk.

The mountains are much less crowded than the large city and you take in all the quiet nature that the place has to offer. Gigantic trees cloud your vision with their bright green leaves and you hope you’ll remember the scenery forever. As you walk along the sidewalk you pass many small stores and shrines, houses and convince stores, it’s almost calming. The river gets louder and you look over the railing to notice the small streamed turned into a large body of water running between the hills or rock.

You hold tightly onto your boyfriends arm as he scrolls through his phone, trying to get a sense of the area you have picked. Random times he will squeeze your hand back and smile down at you, taking in with much appreciation how excited you look in broad daylight. It’s something Akaashi admires, you always look so happy and content just being with him. He wonders time and time again and comes to the conclusion every time, that he isn’t ever going to be able to let you go.

“Are you hungry?” You look up at him and have to suck in your cheeks not to gasp at how cute he is, seriously Akaashi leaves you breathless every time he looks at you. Your eyes follow his finger that is pointing to the small udon shop.

“You know I’m always hungry.” You mumble and Akaashi tilts his head back to let out one of his quiet perfect laughs, wrapping his arm around your waist as you two walk across the street.

It feels like a little getaway, it’s just you and Akaashi in a place where no one knows you. There is no chance of bumping into anyone you know and for some reason it feels refreshing, you have him all to yourself.

You have him all to yourself as you continue to spend your day in the rural area, walking around the mountains, looking at the river, eating until your heart is content. Even when the sun has gone down and you’re back on the empty train, sitting next to Akaashi with your head on his shoulder while you share airpods. You’re content and love having him to yourself.

#akaashi keiji x reader #akaashi x reader #haikyuu fic #haikyuu x y/n #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x you

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myherowritings · 5 years

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Fact or Fiction?

— “OKAY get this : pro hero bakugou & pro hero reader are shipped by literally everyone bc it’s painfully obvious that the boy likes her & people keep tagging him in n*fw stories abt reader & him & he reads one & literally cannot look at reader the same & she goes “you’re acting weird. oh no, did you read the fanfics?” because SHE HAS TOO. anyways they finally end up getting together & maybe n*fw???" by anonymous.

pairing: pro hero!bakugou x fem!reader word count: 3.0k genre: pro hero au, humor/crack, smut warnings: explicit language, masturbation (bakugou), imagined oral?, bakugou is just fucking horny y’all, 18+

a/n: tysm for the request! it’s not full on heavy fucking (i’m still warming up to writing that...so prob in my next smut fic hehe) and it’s more crack than smut lolol, but i hope you like it! [y/h/n = your hero name]

GROUND ZERO AND Y/H/N SPOTTED IN KANAGAWA PREFECTURE!

Bakugou rolled his eyes. That was the headline following a Pro Hero meeting at a neighboring ward just a few weeks ago. Of course you were spotted together. You were both Pro Heroes after all.

SECRET ROMANTIC GETAWAY?: GROUND ZERO AND Y/H/N CAUGHT HOLDING HANDS AT MOUNT MITAKE

He definitely was not holding your hand. You simply dropped your wallet--for someone so good on the field, you sure were rather clumsy--and he handed it back to you. Easy as that. It was only the angle of the photograph that made it look like your fingers were interlocked.

Y/H/N SPOTTED WITH A HICKEY AFTER HER DATE WITH GROUND ZERO

There were many issues with this headline.

For one, he did not take you out on a date. Deku invited you, Iida, and Bakugou out for dinner, but of course the paparazzi captured pictures of only the two of you, making it look like a one-on-one date.

And for two, there was no hickey anywhere in sight. You had simply banged your jaw on the table while reaching down for a spoon you dropped, causing a small bruise to form on the place your jawline met your neck.

(Besides, if Katsuki were to give you a hickey--which he wouldn’t even dream of--it sure as hell wouldn’t look as sloppy as that.)

GROUND ZERO PROPOSES TO Y/H/N?!

Now this one was just bullshit.

TOP 5 HOTTEST “GROUND Y/H/N” STORIES YOU NEED TO READ

Bakugou froze at the last headline, cautiously eyeing the link before scoffing in both curiosity and disgust and exiting the window.

He knew what the article meant by stories. He was tagged in them more times than he could count. Plus, he wasn’t stupid-- Katsuki knew that people shipped his hero persona with yours and that some fans went a little overboard with the art and writing. But honestly, he didn’t pay that much mind.

In fact, he gave little to no fucks about what people chose to do in their free time, but tagging you and him in them and commenting links for you to see? That was a different story. Doing so was obnoxious and revolting and if he ever found out someone made you uncomfortable by exposing you to a the obscenity, he would make sure they suffer the consequences.

He hoped you didn’t see any of that shit in your lifetime and he sure as hell didn’t want to either.

So, of course, the universe heard his plea and decided to give him the exact opposite.

“Can’t you people fucking keep these to yourselves?” growled Bakugou when the first thing he saw as he logged onto his social medias were notifications of tags and links to obscene creations on his page.

There were drawings of him and Deku, him and Uravity, and even him and the half-and-half bastard. But the overwhelming majority of the pictures were of him and Y/H/N. Some of the art was normal enough and most of them were incredibly well drawn and pure. But a handful of them were--to put it nicely--lewd as fuck.

And Katsuki couldn’t help but feel incredibly guilty was his eyes wandered from the exposed swell of your breasts to the curves of your hip and lower to the smooth expanse of…

He squeezed his eyes shut, throwing his phone onto his sofa with a disgusted snort. Even though it was only a drawing, he felt terrible for indulging in it like that.

“Dammit, Katsuki,” he scolded himself, running his fingers through his hair as he tried not to picture how you really looked underneath your hero costume.

Now was not the time to be wondering if your skin would feel as soft under the caress of his fingertips as he had imagined. (Yet, here he was.) Nor was it the time to pick up his phone and stare at the obscene drawing of Ground Zero and Y/H/N he was tagged it. (Yet, he found himself walking over to his sofa and doing just that.)

And it was definitely not the time to be tempted by the link to the “5 Hottest” fanfictions written about the two of you. (Yet, two seconds later, the curiosity--and horniness--won over and he there it was on his screen.)

“Don’t fucking do it,” threatened Bakugou, glaring at his reflection on the darkened cellphone.

But either he wasn’t as strong-willed as he thought or his logic was rendered completely useless whenever it came to you, because he found himself reading through a 20,000-word long story about a sex pollen quirk.

In the story, a villain with said quirk attacked you on the field and the only way to relieve yourself of the unbearable pain was-- Well…an orgasm. And for some godforsaken reason, Ground Zero was the only one able to provide you with that release.

It was ridiculous and would never happen in real life, and yet something about the writing made it impossible for him to tear his eyes away.

As Bakugou continued to read, a vivid image of you sprawled out underneath him flashed before his eyes and he stifled a groan. His throat felt dry as the Ground Zero in the story trailed kisses from the swell on your breast to your sensitive navel and lower still, hands firmly gripping your hips to keep you from squirming under the assault of his tongue as your fingers tugged at his hair.

“Y/N… Fuck,” he swore under his breath, his one hand clutched his cellphone as he continued reading on, while his other hand made its way down to his semi-erect member.

His touch started light and feathery, almost tentative in a way, as he ran his fingers up and down his length in repetitive strokes. As his cock hardened, Bakugou grew more impatient and increased the pressure around his shaft, thighs tensing at the sudden spark of pleasure.

In the story, he had just finished eating you out and, to return the favor, you dropped onto your knees in front of him. You swirled your tongue around the tip of his cock and he mimicked the motions, pretending it was your mouth around his head and not his own fingers.

Oh, how he wished it was your tongue instead of his own fucking fingers…

His vision grew hazy as his phone slipped out of his grasp, forgetting the fanfiction and picturing what you would do to him instead. Your eyes would be wide open as you peered up at him through your lashes, lips wrapped around his shaft as you took him deeper into your mouth.

As his thursts grew more and more uncontrolled, a low moan slipped out of him when he gently squeezed his fingers around his member one last time.

The moment he reached his climax, Katsuki’s eyes fluttered shut as his chest rose and fell in shallow pants. He was sweaty and flushed and sprawled out on the sofa, praying you would be there between his legs when he opened his eyes.

But of course, that wasn’t the case. And all Bakugou could do was laid spent on his back, wondering how the fuck he was ever supposed face you after that happened.

“Well, fuck…”

- - - - -

It was a Saturday evening and Bakugou and some of your other Pro Hero friends were supposed to meet up at your house, but that wasn’t what ended up happening.

Instead, the moment Katsuki texted the group chat that he was almost there, every single one of your friends began making excuses as to why they could no longer show. Deku had to babysit, Yaoyorozu had a last minute dinner date, Shouto was visiting his family… And the list went on, each excuse more pathetic than the last.

And so, that was how you and Bakugou found yourselves eating Chinese take out on your sofa while a shitty reality TV show played in the background.

“So,” you said, plopping a piece of steamed broccoli in your mouth and chewing slowly. “How was your day?”

He avoided your gaze, glaring down at his container of chicken and rice. The whole evening so far was filled with one awkward encounter after another-- Entirely his fault, he could admit. But he couldn’t help it! How the fuck was Bakugou supposed to look you in the eye and pretend everything was normal when just last night he jerked off to a sex story about Ground Zero and Y/H/N?

There was simply no way.

“I’m fine,” he managed, voice gruff as he almost choked on his words.

You stared curiously at him and he tried his hardest not to look your way. He knew one look into your eyes and he would be stuck wondering how they looked rolling back into your head as he fucked you senseless.

“Why are you acting so weird?” you asked, scooting closer to him on the couch. “Are you mad at me?”

Katsuki shook his head, pressing himself against the arm rest. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he would disappear into it.

“Then what’s the matter?”

You set your food aside on the coffee table and turned your body towards him, tucking your feet underneath your legs as you leaned forward. When he jumped at your brief touch, you studied him with unwavering intensity.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” you said, sticking your tongue out.

He winced at the sight of your pink flesh. God-fucking-dammit.

You pouted when he didn’t respond, nudging his shoulder with yours. “Okay, fine. I’m only kidding-- Please, tell me!”

“Nothing’s the matter,” Bakugou lied through clenched teeth.

“Sure. You’re acting like I was after I read all those--” you cut yourself off, eyes widening in realization. “No way!”

“What?” he asked defensively.

There was no way you could have meant that you read those obscene stories… Right?

A teasing grin grew on your face as you scooted closer to him, whispering conspiratorially. “Don’t tell me you did it.”

Bakugou jerked away, your close proximity and warm breath too tantalizing after the events of last night.

“What did I do?” he repeated.

“You know what.”

He had a feeling he did know, but he damn well hoped he was wrong. “No I don’t.”

You narrowed your eyes at his avoidance before nodding understandingly. Giving him a little more room, you leaned back against the sofa and folded on leg across the other. (Unfortunately for Bakugou, all that did was draw more attention to your exposed thighs-- Or, as the fanfiction called it, “a long expanse of smooth skin leading to a delectable center.”)

“Remember that one week around Deku’s birthday when I was ignoring you?” you asked suddenly.

He snorted at the memory. “Yeah. You didn’t reply to my messages for days and when we saw each other at his birthday dinner, you turned into a bumbling mess and tried to leave the room.”

To this day, Katsuki still wasn’t certain what exactly had happened that caused you to avoid him like that, but he has a sinking suspicion he was about to find out.

“Exactly!” you agreed. “I got flustered whenever you were around and could hardly think straight.” You turned your body towards him once more, crossing your arms across your chest and accidentally pushing your breasts up. (Not that he noticed.) “Me back then? That’s how you’re acting right now!”

His nose crinkled indignantly. “Bullshit! That doesn’t describe me at all.”

“Oh, really?”

He nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Hmm,” you drawled, leaning forward and giving him a clear sight of your cleavage. Bakugou almost choked on air at the sudden assault. “If that’s true, then why have you been staring at my boobs the whole time we were talking? And why does your vein look like its about to pop out of your neck from your overwhelming self-control?”

“And why are you spewing all these lies?!”

You smiled knowingly and he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to wipe the look off your face with an explosion or with a kiss.

“They’re not lies. Do you know how I know that?”

Katsuki rolled his eyes. There was no reason to argue any longer. “Hmph.”

“Because I was once in your shoes, too, young grasshopper,” you said serenely. Before he could get mad at you for fucking around like that, you continued. “I know you read those stories.”

This time, there was no almost-- He really did choke in surprise. You stared at him in alarm, moving closer to gently pat his upper back as he coughed up the fucking air. As if today wasn’t embarrassing enough…

“What stories?” he wheezed, trying to save face.

The word was such a vague term. It could have referred to many things. Maybe you got tired of hearing stories about how great of a Pro Hero Ground Zero was… No. That didn’t make sense even to him.

“Oh, come on. You don’t have to play dumb with me, Bakugou. You know what I’m talking about. And I know you’ve read them-- It’s written all over your face!”

Bakugou made an indignant noise of protest, but what you said next shocked him into silence.

“I know that look on your face very well… Because I’ve read them, too.”

He could only blink in response.

“After I read one, I couldn’t look you in the eye for weeks!” you said, shaking your head with an embarrassed, yet amused, smile. “When I saw you at Deku’s birthday party, I couldn’t even glance your way without thinking about ‘the beads of sweat framing your flushed face’ or ‘the way your red eyes darkened at the captivating sight sprawled out underneath you’.”

An angry blush invaded his cheeks and made its way to his neck and ears as the image flooded his head. Bakugou felt an uncomfortable heat as he tugged at the collar of his shirt. But nothing in the world could prepare him for what you were about to say.

“And don’t even get me started on your ‘big tiddies’,” you huffed, pursing your lips disdainfully.

There was one beat of silence… Two…

“My big what?” he forced out.

You shrugged drumming your fingertips along the couch cushion. “You know-- It’s what your fans call your pectoral muscles.”

If it were possible to die from embarrassment, Katsuki was sure it was bound to happen to him within the next few seconds.

First, you admitted to reading those lewd stories about the two of you. Second, you recited direct quotes about what was most likely his orgasm-face verbatim. And third, you were talking about tits while yours were resting comfily atop your crossed arms.

You tilted your head to the side, deep in thought. “Now that I look at them… They are rather big. I bet they’re bigger than mine.”

Well, if yours were anything like the drawing he saw yesterday, he would have to say you were wrong. Utterly and completely wrong.

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Bakugou muttered under his breath as he eyed your breasts, only loud enough for him to hear.

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

Shrugging, you brushed off his comment with a pensive look on your face. “Your fans’ description of your chest is so spot on, I’m beginning to wonder if the other things they’ve said are facts too.”

“What other things have you heard?”

“That you have a nice ass. But just one look at your butt in those jeans is enough to prove them right.”

Bakugou’s embarrassment faded away at the compliment. He did have a nice ass. And he damn well worked hard for it too. He puffed up in his seat at your praise while you rolled your eyes in amusement.

“Yours is pretty nice, too.”

“Thanks,” you mumbled, sticking your tongue out at his teasing. God, if he saw that fucking tongue one more time tonight… He wasn’t sure what was bound to happen. “You know what else they said? That you’re packing.”

Your eyes flitted downwards to his jeans and he shifted in his seat to subconsciously give you a clearer view. You made a quiet nose of surprise but didn’t back away, instead meeting his gaze with a darkened look.

Only the sound of the static from the forgotten television played as neither of you wanted to move and break the fragile moment. When you swallowed slowly, taking your plush lower lip between your teeth, Bakugou decided he was done with letting you have the upper hand.

“You know,” Katsuki said slowly, his voice so gruff it startled even himself, “I guess there’s only one way to find out if that’s true or not.”

The air was thick as you crossed and uncrossed your legs. “W-What exactly are you saying?”

Bakugou smirked. “Not so cocky now, huh?”

You puffed your cheeks up in a pout that did nothing to help Katsuki’s thinning self-control.

“Cat got your tongue?”

“No, but a loud-mouthed asshole got on my nerves.”

He scoffed in laughter, taken aback by your blunt tone. Shrugging as you sulked, he warned, “Don’t start something you can’t finish, baka.”

“Oh, I can finish just fine,” you remarked with a challenging look in your eyes. “Don’t you worry about me. And I bet when I’m finished, you’ll see it won’t be like the lewd stories you’ve read.”

Tilting his head to the side, he met your gaze without backing down. “It won’t?”

“Nope. It’ll be better. Because it’s the real thing.”

“Is that a fact?”

With a mischievous grin, you leaned closer to Bakugou and craned your neck up so your face was mere inches from his. Using his own words against him, you replied, “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

And it was safe to say that, yes, the real thing was leagues better than the stories could ever imagine it to be.

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nighttime-tea-party · 3 years

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hey!! do you have any fics planned for the future? if yes, which fandoms are you interested in? not trying to push u or anything, just interested since i really enjoy your writing style!

Thank you so much for your interest!! I'm not the type of person that overflows with ideas but that being said, I have two things in the back of my mind that i definitely do wanna give shape to eventually. One is a sebaciel project that I've actually already started working on but had to put on a back burner because I wanna use the little time and energy I currently have on #wanderlust. The other fanfic idea is a kind of dark fairytale with the ship Minato Yukina/Mitake Ran from the mobile game Bandori. These two girls are rivaling vocalists of rock bands and what I want to write would probably turn into a pretty long one-shot. I've got the entire story planned out so all I'd have to do is sit down and write it but same as with the sebaciel project, it will have to wait for a little longer. Basically, it'll be about one of the two girls following a strange singing voice deep into the woods against advice and, well... staying there forever. It will be readable without knowing anything about the game the characters are from.

I've also written two very short one-shots for the little known manga Peacemaker Kurogane but those two are set in canonverse and probably don't make a lot of sense unless you know the characters.

#one day I wanna write something that isn't based on a ship haha #but I'm not ready for that kind of creative endevour yet #basing a story on a ship is... easier?

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solstice-catacombs · 3 years

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Squid Game || Akito || Trial 3.2 || Re: Jane, Oberon, Fenwick

When the penny dropped, Akito had to take a moment to process the truth of the matter. A creeping sensation of dread stirred within him as he chewed on his gloved thumb.

"Bassett-Bouchard-san is right, unfortunately. And even if Mitake-san hadn't died in the moment... Well, I'm certainly no medical expert, but being under that heavy grandfather's clock for as long as they would've been? It probably would have killed them through suffocation instead of blunt force trauma." He thinks back to the investigation. "Everything else seems to line up though... that Mitake-san intended for this engineered apparatus to seemingly fake their murder, but ended up dead through a purposeful arrangement, or an unlucky misadventure."

Akito exhales. "Here's the thing... It doesn't matter who we think killed Mitake-san, but who Oberon thinks is responsible for their death and thus the 'killer' of the trial. There's an argument for Doe-san to have accidentally contributed to their death by virtue of helping make the contraption to begin with, as there is to blame the architecture of the Catacombs and thus Oberon for trapping us and setting it off in the first place. I don't think he's going to accept the latter, and I sure as hell won't be condemning Doe-san on the former so... I would like to propose we vote for Mitake-san."

He glances at Jane. "I know you want to try and stick it in Oberon's face, but please reconsider asking us to vote for you. I don't think losing you on top of everyone else so far will do any of us good." He swivels his gaze to Oberon. "And as for what really happened, this entire set-up relied on Mitake-san working the inner architecture of the Catacombs for their own demise. Truthfully, every single death so far has been your fault, but because I don't think you'll be willing to entertain our voting for you, I posit that by planning out the events that lead to their own death, however accidentally, Mitake-san is their own killer. That, I would like to be confident of, but I can only hope it's warranted..."

#submission #chapter 3 trial #akito

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winterbl0ss0m · 3 years

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assigning some of my favorite characters genshin mains and teams because i Can and i Will

i know the amount of 5stars ive assigned a lot of them is lowkey unreasonable but i dont care dhsjfbsk this is purely based on vibes or if it fits their character also this is my opinion so let me vibe please

suzuya juuzou - rosaria main definitely. he’d also love and use hu tao, xiao, and zhongli (shinopapa vibes *cries*). i realize now i unknowingly gave him a full polearm team, but honestly it makes sense bc he would Absolutely Love all the polearm users, the polearms remind him of his scythe (he wishes rosaria had an actual scythe). i also think he would love scaramouche and is anxiously awaiting him becoming playable (me too dude, me too)

nagito komaeda - bennett main !!! he would see that unlucky boy and be like , you are me, i love you, you are precious, im maining you (he would be so much nicer to bennett than he is himself and he would probably cry while doing bennett’s hangout event). i think he’d also use ganyu, xiao, and ningguang (i have no basis for the latter three that was entirely gut feeling but i think it fits honestly). i also think he would have almost every 5star unlocked, as well as every 4star at c4 or higher, because his luck is just too damn good- although his bad luck kicked in and almost stopped him from getting xiao who he really wanted, so he whaled in order to get him

inosuke hashibira - not only would he main razor, but he would probably refuse to ever switch to any other character- he would have the starters (traveler [whose name is “INOSUKE” in all caps just like that], kaeya, and amber) but theyre all level 20 and razor is constantly on life support, but he is completely maxed out (c6, level 90, full level talents, fully levelled wolf’s gravestone). tanjiro is constantly yelling at him to start using more characters (he is the reason the others are level 20) but that just makes inosuke even more stubborn. should he eventually cave, he would probably also use venti (reminds him of zenitsu), childe (reminds him of tanjiro), and noelle (for nezuko- although he had to ask tanjiro for some help on that one)

ran mitake - Definitely xinyan main <3 i mean, the sole rock n roll musician of liyue ?? you Cannot !! tell me she wouldnt love xinyan. she would also have a super rad support barbara, as well as jean (reminds her of tomoe) and xingqiu (reminds her of moca). she doesnt have the room on her team, but she also really loves noelle because she reminds her of tsugumi, and amber because she reminds her of himari. she used them for a very long time because of that, she got clowned by some players who think the starter characters suck, but its ok cause ran knows theyre wrong and she does what she wants<3

ako udagawa - i struggled here bc i think she would absolutely Love a bunch of them but lets see- she would definitely Main and kin fischl for so many reasons (her style, the way she speaks, her general personality, and she wants a pet like oz). i think she’d also really love rosaria and hu tao (she Loves their aesthetics as well as how they are in battle, although hu tao is typically on the verge of death bc she always forgets to make food), as well as jean and sucrose (those two remind her of tomoe and rinko respectively and she’d probably switch them out depending on what she’s doing)

rinko shirokane - definitely sucrose main <3 she would also probably use fischl bc ako vibes !! plus i think she would be SUPER great at doing aimed shots and would do SO MUCH DAMAGE when hitting oz with an aimed shot- as well as mona bc i hc that she’s really interested in astrology and also hc that she loves mage characters in games (whether that is canon or not, i am not sure). also she would use bennett, both for extra healing as well as really loving him- she probably feels so bad for the poor unlucky boy awww :((

rio ranger - he switches between maining xiao and childe. he also uses diluc and rosaria !! he used kaeya for a very long time, but when rosaria came out he was like “I NEED HER”- pulling for rosaria was actually how he got childe, but he didnt mind because he actually really liked childe

reko yabusame - i really tried to give her someone other than xinyan but honestly i think she would love xinyan too much to not main her. she loves her style and her backstory so much, and she really wishes xinyan got more content. she also uses childe (bc alice vibes- no its not bc of the murderer stuff, i personally think they relate in other ways), sucrose (bc nao vibes), and beidou (bc she thinks beidou is hot as fuck, plus good elemental reactions and defense)

joe tazuna - i cant quite pick a single main but i think his team would be razor (dogboy joe go brr), bennett, venti, and maybe klee !! he loves the vibes of them all. he pulled jean and considered using her because she has sara vibes, but he decided to stick with venti mainly because he simply did not feel like grinding for her materials (i mean can you blame him? im currently struggling enough with that)

mutsuki tooru - first off the only reason he started playing was bc he saw saiko playing it and was intrigued. he would switch between maining xingqiu and venti !! it was love at first sight for him. he thought he would never get venti for a long long time, bc he missed venti’s first run. he used chongyun up until he pulled venti !! he also started saving his primos as soon as he heard speculation about venti having a rerun- and sure enough, he pulled him!! he felt like the happiest boy on earth<3 he would also have xiangling because he likes her vibes as well as her abilities, as well as albedo just bc he really likes him (he’s super invested in the homonculus + khaenri’ah theories and probably would make multiple tumblr posts about it)

ibuki mioda - xiny- *SMACKED* Actually i think she would have xinyan on her team, but her main? either klee or xiangling !! she loves their vibes n they lowkey remind her of herself. i also think she would really like diona for some reason, and probably beidou, idk why i just get the vibes !! she would have a Sick diona i just know it

chihiro fujisaki - i feel like he would switch between maining yanfei and sucrose !! yanfei just bc they like her, sucrose bc he relates to her a Lot <3 they would also use ningguang bc he admires her intelligence and determination, as well as chongyun- i almost gave him barbara, and i think they would love to use her, but he probably figured its not a good idea to have a full catalyst team despite how much they love catalysts, so he went with their next fave !! plus he knows claymores are super useful so it was a huge plus. he’s Super smart so they have so many tactics he uses, they’re Amazing with artifacts, and they Live for skillfully executed elemental combos

mikan tsumiki - she would have a full healer team, no doubt. barbara main !! duuuude she would have the SICKEST dps barbara omggg- she would do So much damage And be an Amazing healer !!! plus bennett, jean, and qiqi !!! she loves them all very much <3

#this was rlly fun to make #this started from niko saying what he thinks natsu dragneels main would be and then i started brainstorming some #and i got rlly into it #thus this post was born #hehe #im quite proud of this im ngl #you cannot argue with me bc i am right #ash has no braincells #my shit #long post

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falneou17 · 3 years

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BanG Dream! Favorite List - 9

So now that Morfonica has officially been introduced into the EN server of the game, I think it is time for this list to get updated. Yes, I know I originally said that I would wait until RAS would be introduced as well, but I changed my mind. Mainly because, unlike Morfonica, we already know quite a bit about RAS from the second and third season of the anime.

Which should already hint at something, but let’s just go into the list... I should also specify that while I will not spoil anything specific about the Morfonica band story, I have read it and it has made an impact on this list...

Favorites

Yamabuki Saaya (1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)

Not here at the start, however. The start is still the same as always, as a certain vocalist would say. I mean, what can I say? Saaya is awesome, and the only thing that is holding her somewhat back... well, there are two things, really; she’s relatively static and she’s in a band who... isn’t as notable for me, as should become very obvious going down this list (if it wasn’t made obvious already). Nevertheless, Saaya’s still at the very top even if I don’t talk about or write her all that often.

Aoba Moca (2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2)

No change here, either. Moca is still the same old Moca as she’s always been. The same lovable, teasing, going-at-my-own-pace genius. It really does take something special to be mistaken as my favorite character of the franchise for so long, and Moca definitely has it. And, to be fair, Moca did steal the number one spot for a bit... it’s just that Saaya has reclaimed the throne since then.

Mitake Ran (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3)

It would be weird if Ran’s spot wasn’t the same as it’s always been, now would it? In all seriousness, Ran may or may not have been rising in the rankings ever so slightly... mainly because of some interactions during lives that I found out she had. She’s got some pretty fun ones now that I may or may not have never heard before myself.

Satou Masuki (20, 21, 10, 9, 9, 7, 4, 4, 4)

To be fair, Masuki... hasn’t really had a chance to show up, so she hasn’t had the opportunity to show that she deserves to rise in the rankings. Considering she would have to compete with Ran for the number three slot, she probably wouldn’t be rising any time soon, but still... she’s skyrocketed this far up the list, what’s a victim or two more thanks to her rising up the list?

Hazawa Tsugumi (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5)

Speaking of victims of Masuki skyrocketing up the list in the past, hi Tsugu. Admittedly quite static, but in Tsugu’s case... why change something that is already as great as she is? Being “normal” is usually a curse in these fave lists of mine, but Tsugumi manages to be a nice contrast to her colorful friends.

Kirigaya Touko (NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, 22, 9, 6, 6)

The first of many (read: five) Morfonica girls. This should not come as much of a surprise; she was already 6th on the previous list. Now that Touko is officially in the game and I can read her band story and her card stories and all... I contemplated for a moment whether I should push Tsugumi down a spot, I really did. But... as much fun as Touko is to see on the screen, I do believe that Tsugumi deserves the higher spot. That being said, I love how Touko manages to be a mix of Lisa’s gyaru-loving self (without the issue that Lisa is facing... more on that when we get to Lisa), the teasing nature of Moca, and the going-at-my-own-pace nature of Moca as well. Definitely a fun and welcome addition to the cast, but...

Hiromachi Nanami (NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, 28, 22, 22, 7)

Talk about a jump; Nanami’s fifteen spots jump puts the eleven spots of Masuki and thirteen spots of Touko to shame. What can I say? Morfonica definitely delivered when it comes to how much I love their characters. When I first read about Nanami I thought she would be the type of girl who is just awkwardly trying to insert herself into the conversation. Now that I have access to scenes featuring her, I can see how much fun watching this little genius is. As somebody who is writing mainly Moca-focused fanfics, it’s a refreshing and amusing change of pace watching Nanami scenes. Is seventh spot a bit ambitious? Maybe. But that’s why she can always change, right?

Uehara Himari (6, 7, 8, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 8)

Nothing really changes for Himari, aside from the fact that Nanami now jumped up above her. I don’t like my favorite band’s leader any less; as a matter of fact, with Afterglow’s first album right around the corner... how can I not like my favorite band’s leader?

Udagawa Tomoe (8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 9, 9)

Ah, Tomoe... the most awkwardly ranked Afterglow girl for me. I really love Tomoe, she’s an integral part of Afterglow and her more outgoing expressive nature serves as a nice contrast to the more subdued personalities of her bandmates. But in terms of writing Tomoe it’s always super difficult to give her the best scenes to shine in because of said contrast. Either way, she definitely deserved this spot.

Shirokane Rinko (7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 10)

...yeah, your safety net is starting to get torn. Not only with the introduction of Morfonica (and RAS in the not-too-distant future), but also... the main reasons why you’re still up here are not even necessarily tied to Rinko as a character. What’s worse, the era of Akesaka!Rinko is long gone... which makes it really challenging for me to try and incorporate her newer characterization... which means what is keeping Rinko up is the memory of Akesaka!Rinko, not Rinko herself... In other words, as much as it hurts me to say this, I’m not expecting Rinko to survive dropping significantly in the coming few lists...

Futaba Tsukushi (NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, 18, 17, 16, 11)

And here we got another rise, the “favorite of the Morfonica girls based on first impressions”. As Touko would call her: Fusuke. As I call her: the Himari of Morfonica. I don’t know if it is because Afterglow is my favorite band, but... the comparisons between Morfonica’s members and Afterglow’s members is pretty obvious. Like, Fusuke is (1) the shortest girl of her band, and is made fun of it quite a bit (by Touko, no less XD), (2) the leader of the band, and (3) she even has pigtails. I know people compared her to Arisa when she first was released, but tell me that that doesn’t sound like Himari to you. Especially since I compared Touko to Moca earlier.

Loves

Tamade Chiyu (13, 13, 16, 14, 15, 11, 11, 10, 12)

Same old song for RAS.

Asahi Rokka (12, 12, 12, 12, 11, 10, 12, 11, 13)

Same old song for RAS.

Nyubara Reona (14, 14, 14, 15, 16, 15, 13, 12, 14)

Same old song for RAS. Although, and I think I mentioned this in the previous list, I know the cards she will get. And without spoilering any of them, let’s just say that they are very colorful and I think that Reona definitely delivers when it comes to card art.

Kurata Mashiro (NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, 21, 16, 15, 15)

Mashiron! Or Shiro! Or however you want to call her! I like to call her “adorable”, because that’s what she is; she’s adorable. I knew that you were the shy-type, but I honestly didn’t think I would continue to like you as much as I do considering how much of a shy-type you are. Honestly, you make Rinko look like the most confident girl in the franchise in comparison. But you’re great. You got a great singing voice and a lot of potential and I look forward to see how you will grow over the years.

Maruyama Aya (9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 12, 14, 13, 16)

Nothing has changed about you, for better or for worse. Except the fact that a couple girls shot past you, but that’s beside the point and not at all this girl’s fault. I think Aya still has a lot of potential, but I don’t feel like I have seen enough of it to justify moving her around the list. The fact that she is still up here should signify that she’s definitely still a very good character.

On a side note: my girlfriend wanted to remind me that she still likes Aya, so I guess that’s reason enough for Aya to not drop more than she has? And she technically hasn’t even dropped; Morfonica just jumped...

Wakamiya Eve (11, 10, 11, 13, 12, 14, 15, 14, 17)

Pretty much exactly the same as Aya above you. It becomes harder and harder to think of things to write for characters who don’t move much on the list over the many lists I make.

Likes

Wakana Rei (25, 20, 15, 11, 13, 13, 18, 18, 18)

Same old song for RAS.

Yashio Rui (NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, 24, 29, 29, 19)

Okay, Rui here is an interesting character. For many reasons. I really like what she has going for her; her characterization, her motivation, her emotions (or lack thereof). Just like how Tomoe’s super expressive and outgoing personality contrasts nicely with the more subdued personalities of the rest of Afterglow, Rui’s stoic personality is a nice balance to the high emotional levels (...with the possible exception of Nanami) of Morfonica. That being said, whether Rui doesn’t show or doesn’t feel any emotions is a different thing, and depending on what it is will strongly influence how easy it will be to try and write her.

Shirasagi Chisato (22, 22, 22, 21, 22, 27, 26, 19, 20)

Again, nothing much I can say about you... this list is about Morfonica, mostly... though I will say that I’ve been seeing a lot of good Chisato art as of late.

Hikawa Sayo (17, 16, 18, 18, 17, 17, 19, 20, 21)

Again, nothing much I can say about you other than that being in the band that you are really hurts you...

Okusawa Misaki (10, 11, 13, 16, 14, 16, 20, 21, 22)

Again, nothing much I can say about you other than that being in the band that you are really hurts you...

Imai Lisa (5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 5, 8, 17, 23)

Again, nothing much I can--okay, fine, I will talk about you. In a bubble, I admit that you are a great character. I like Lisa, I like most of her relationships with the other girls and I like her bright and upbeat attitude, especially considering which band she is in. However... what I really despise about Lisa is that she reminds me of a character who I don’t even want to name anymore, and as Kaoru can attest to... that’s not a very good thing to say the least... so down the list you go...

Ichigaya Arisa (15, 17, 17, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24)

I considered putting Arisa above Lisa (or, better phrased, Lisa below Arisa), but... I don’t think that’s fair. I think that, despite Lisa’s shortcomings, I definitely still like Lisa more. That being said, I’ve seen a fun new art of an Arisa card in the future that I will definitely be keeping my eye on.

Toyama Kasumi (26, 24, 23, 22, 21, 25, 23, 24, 25)

You know what’s the saddest part about Kasumi? I think I would like her a lot more if she was not pushed to be the protagonist of the franchise. Yes, I know that somebody has to do it, but... Kasumi has a lot going for her. A lot going for her that ended up being pushed under the rug. I mean, for one, Kasumi got an incredible singing voice that doesn’t get to shine as much as it possibly could because she needs to fill the role of “face of the franchise”.

Above neutral

Hikawa Hina (24, 23, 25, 25, 24, 29, 30, 28, 26)

Talking about why I like Hina is kind of funny, but... as I said in the last post, I started playing Genshin Impact a little while back and my main character is Xiangling (a character voiced by the same person who voiced Hina). So by liking Xiangling more in Genshin I started liking Hina more in Bandori. That’s it. That’s my reasoning for putting Hina above Maya. Because Hina is Xiangling and Xiangling is awesome.

Tsurumaki Kokoro (16, 15, 19, 19, 20, 20, 24, 25, 27)

Ah, Kokoron. You mean well and you’re definitely much deeper of a character than a lot of people might think you are. Unfortunately, the happy happy type songs aren’t my type of songs and, as I have said many times, Kokoro is a nightmare to depict in writing.

Matsubara Kanon (23, 25, 24, 24, 23, 26, 28, 26, 28)

Kanon is great. ...yeah, that’s all I have. Sorry, Kanon, but trying to find new things to talk about when nothing too significant has happened is pretty challenging... I still don’t feel like Kanon has surpassed Kokoro, either, but... it’s definitely getting closer and closer.

Yamato Maya (27, 26, 26, 27, 27, 31, 27, 27, 29)

Maya didn’t drop; I just decided I like Hina more. I still like Maya, I think Maya can offer a lot of potential. But it’s probably already a bit late for me to start diving into said potential, huh?

Kitazawa Hagumi (29, 29, 29, 28, 29, 33, 33, 31, 30)

And there we go, Hagumi surpassed Afterglow’s drummer’s younger sister. Why? Because, well...

Neutral

Udagawa Ako (19, 18, 20, 20, 19, 23, 25, 30, 31)

Being in Roselia is really detrimental for you, huh Ako? What’s worse, her one and only niche of being a gamer has effectively been taken away from her as Shining Sunlight proved I can do a gaming-focused plot without Ako and it works well enough. So far, anyway.

Hanazono Tae (18, 19, 21, 23, 26, 30, 32, 32)

The same as always for this girl, and unlike the girls at the top I am begging Bushiroad to do something that would help her climb up the rankings again. Because Tae is likeable and a nice character... she just doesn’t stand out enough for me...

Ushigome Rimi (28, 28, 27, 26, 28, 32, 32, 33, 33)

And the same holds true for Rimi. At least Rimi got some cool calls in lives, but... that’s not enough... that really isn’t enough...

Below neutral

Seta Kaoru (VB, VB, VB, VB, VB, VB, VB, 34, 34)

I will admit this: the fact that another character has taken your place on the very bottom of the list definitely helped make me dislike you less over the months. And I will also admit that you have some niche potential, especially since my earlier first impression of Rui being like you seems to be false (for better or for worse). Will I take you up to take advantage of that? Probably not... but fair is fair: I know the possibility is there so I figured I might as well acknowledge the fact that I know of the possibility.

And that’s all the characters, right? I definitely didn’t miss anyone, or at least I don’t think so. Eh, if I did then she probably isn’t important enough for me to mention.

#BanG Dream! Fave List #Falneou17

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lyendith · 5 years

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Ciconia no Naku Koro ni Phase 1 : To You, The Replaceable Ones

I had planned to write this… review? analysis? of Ciconia Phase 1 right after finishing the game about two weeks after its release, but since then I've had trouble organizing my thoughts. The reason is that this first installment alone tackles a lot of themes: war, nationalism, technoscientism, media consumption and manipulation, the blurring limits between physical and virtual reality, education systems, generational gaps induced by technology, artificial procreation, old people robbing the youth of their dreams, the meaning of family and interpersonal bonds, and even transidentity (albeit briefly). And it is quite remarkable that almost all of those themes are represented by one object: the Gauntlet and the idea of “parallel processing” associated with it.

It's gonna be a long and messy review, I'll probably forget to mention some aspects of the story or overlook others, and I won't talk about every single character, but I'll try to cover the essential parts. Not easy considering how densely-packed the story is, but let's go!

So to start, I should probably focus on this VN's protagonist, Mitake Miyao. On a surface level, he's a bit of what you'd call a “tsundere”: harsh, a little irritable and sarcastic with his pals, but always well-meaning and easy to befriend in the end. One of the running threads of the story so far is that he's too well-meaning in fact, idealistic to a fault, which contributes to his odd charisma but also makes the increasing realization of his powerlessness all the more depressing. You don't want to see this guy fail, but because of the way the story is framed, you know he inevitably will.

For a while, the narration and dialogue like to repeat that “youngsters are each generation's main characters”, but that's a sentiment I couldn't quite share − in our real world, youngsters may be the ones will all the dreams, but they sure as hell aren't the ones making the decisions. The climate change crisis, for example, wouldn't be left unaddressed if that was the case. And sure enough, Ciconia isn't so naïve as to ignore that reality. Every single step of the way, Miyao thinks he can use his power to overturn the situation. Every single step of the way, he's reminded that in the end he's just a pawn moving however his higher-ups or other nebulous forces wish him to. That's a really powerful and relatable theme in this day and age, which raises the question of how far you can oppose a system you're an essential part of.

One thing that makes Miyao special, at least compared to his pals from the AOU, is that he's “ciconia-born” − born from natural procreation. Which means that unlike Jayden or Gunhild, he has bilogical family bonds but also hasn't been subjected to a genetic selection that would predetermine his path in life. At least supposedly, but we gradually learn that that may not quite be the case. In fact, that biological link to Toujirou ends up acting as a tether that robs Miyao of even more control on his own life than he thought, leading to the final tragedy of this first Phase.

There also lies this story's commentary on technology and man's increasing dependence on it − technology makes the kids' life easier, but it's also their undoing. One technology prevented an apocalypse that another caused, and the loss of the former brings about a new apocalypse. Humans created the 8MS but only a handful of scientists have a full understanding of how it works, just like today's technology are only fully understood by a small elite of technicians. We are increasingly dependent on tools whose principles are increasingly out of our grasp. Again, the Gauntlet is another reflection of that.

But back to Miyao and the Gauntlet Knights. In retrospect, it is clear that the way both the characters and readers learn about most dramatic developments through disincarnated news reports (with a goofy “news flash” alert by the frog AI Keropoyo to make it worse) is meant to build up that feeling of powerlessness, and also of disconnect. We should be alarmed that war is approaching, that terrible things are happening… but it all feels distant. After all, do you cry or tremble in fear when you learn that an eathquake killed a thousand people on the other side of the globe? No, you'll think “it's terrible” for a minute and then move on, because what can you do about it? Reading the second half of Ciconia felt a lot like that. And while that's part of the message, it is also to the detriment of the reading experience a lot of the time.

For a while (around the 60-to-80% portion of the game, roughly) we get a lot of redundant dialogue about commenting the news and Miyao rambling on about how they're all COMRADES MAINTAINING THE WALLS OF PEACE, again and again and again, to the point it becomes annoying. That's my only real gripe with the game − the feeling that, at times, Ryukishi forgot he was writing a story and went into political or philosophical essays about its themes instead. Maybe a manga or anime adaptation could help make these parts more… show-don't-telly. But as it is, it could have used some serious trimming down. That's hardly something entirely new − who can forget Krauss' tangent about 1986 Japan's economic situation or Beatrice's explanation of Hempel's crow? But in Ciconia the narration doesn't seem to come from any specific point of view except that of the author (and even on that front, the opening disclaimer warns us that the views expressed don't necessarily reflect the author's opinions), so those parts become all the more conspicuous. Unless this all turns out to be part of a Witch's game, which wouldn't be surprising.

Where Ciconia shines however, is at weaving a web of connections between the characters, one by one, to make you care about some and suspicious of others, sometimes both, and deliberately confuse you about who really controls whom. First we have the kids, with Warcat and Grave Mole which instantly grew on me (the slice-of-life TIPS focused on them had some of my favorite scenes actually), then the other kette with their own quirky charms… then the “villains”, with Toujirou and Seshat, then the Three Kings and Jestress who has a delightful dynamic with Toujirou, and then Toujirou is revealed to be Miyao's father, etc... It's a testament to how well all of those characters are established that I could remember almost all of them very quickly despite their massive number. Save for the Cairo Squad maybe. They're just kinda there. The (mostly) gorgeous character designs certainly help, even if Ryukishi still has a somewhat loose grasp of body proportions and of the… number of fingers on human hands. There's some improvement even in that department though.

While Miyao is for the most part the center of the cast, at least on the kids' side, that doesn't mean the others aren't interesting in their own right. Jayden is your classic “best buddy dudebro” whose easygoingness lets him bounce off Miyao's more strait-laced personality in a fun way, but his relationship with Meow, Miyao's “little sister” who shares the same body, allows him to show more sensitivity and shyness he would otherwise have. Speaking of Meow, she brings about another interesting element of worldbuilding − the existence of “Congenital Parallel Processors”, or CPPs, i.e. people born with multiple personalities, who are not considered mentally ill but a full-fledged minority with its own issues and “coming outs”. Although that aspect isn't developped much (Meow herself kind of disappears from the radar in the second half), we do get other examples of how it can manifest, notably with the character of Naima, whose unnamed alter-ego is violently protective of her, or Rukshana who's prone to abrupt personality changes when she laughs. The way Jayden kinda walks on eggs but genuinely tris to to treat Meow as her as her own person while respecting her and Miyao's privacy is frankly adorable, and I almost wish we got more of that at least in the TIPs!

The kette I found the most interesting, though, was Grave Mole, composed of Chloe, Lilja and Koshka. While a lot of characters have issues, all three of these girls are complete mental wrecks to some degree. Koshka spends her time between grumpily taking part in Kizuna chat rooms and horrific body experiments (usually simultaneously) when she's not training, Lilja has to take drugs to pretend like she's a happy, cute and mischievous cat-girl for the sake of making Koshka a more-or-less functional human being, and Chloe has to constantly deal with unfair punishments and a constantly battered self-esteem. As comedic as Okonogi's angry rants and karate-chops are played (and as much as I like this version of Okonogi, strangely enough), that scene where she gleefully lets Lilja be killed in battle makes it clear that her mental state is just as unstable as the other two's.

On the antagonists' side, things are a lot more blurry: a lot of them utter the arc phrase “All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path.” However, what the right path is seems to vary depending on who says it. That's where a lot of the mystery lies − be it with Jestress, Seshat or Toushirou, their goals seem contradictory, and Tak… I mean Vier Dreissig doesn't even seem to have a goal beyond SCIENCE. But a big part of Phase 1's hook is that constant uncertainty as to who is playing whom and for what purpose. Even the Three Kings, who seem like your bog standard Illuminati knock-offs, might not be as much in control as they seem − hell, one of the big catastrophes (the fatal damage to the atmospheric 8MS) happens completely outside of their control, in an almost comically sudden way.

Speaking of comical… let's get to what I found personally fascinating but what other readers might have gripes with: the brutal tonal shifts and dissonances throughout the story. A cheery scene to announce the big success of a plan for the Order of the Public Bath? Keropoyo pops up to gleefully announce… an avalanche of terrible news that make the success from a minute ago meaningless. A big conference for peace where World War IV will most certainly be stopped? All of its participant die in an “accidental” explosion. Not to mention characters that are walking balls of tone dissonance like Chloe (who has many comical scenes but is clearly broken beyond repair) or the Yeladot Shavit girls (who by the end are forced to spew out fanatical bullshit with the same sparkly smile they sport when gushing about yuri ships).

This is of course embodied by the incredible climax where all the Gauntlet Knights celebrate their comraderie together in a virtual room… while their real selves are busy killing each other lest they're court-martialed for treason. The moment where all of Miyao's ideals are brutally trashed and scattered in a battle we don't even know the purpose of. The moment where the kids' taent for “parallel processing” becomes their sole mean of escaping the horror of their situation. The moment where all the absurdity, all the unfairness explodes in a depressing flourish. The moment also where the thematic resonance with Umineko becomes fully apparent − how can we not be reminded of Sayo and Maria escaping their shitty lives through their magic? Though of course Rose Guns Days also constantly came to mind, with the focus on war and nationalism, Japan being divided between a union led by the US and one led by China, and two of Miyao's closest friends being the American Jayden and the Chinese Lingji; as well as Miyao being an idealistic and charismatic leader-by-circumstance whose dreams crash into a wall much like Rose's in RGD.

So…

All in all, Ciconia might not entirely be what I expected from a When They Cry game, but it is certainly what I expect from a 07th Expansion game: a thought-provoking experience. Again, I finished my reading shocked and confused. Although it might seem like it shows its cards more explicitly than the openers of Higurashi and Umineko, deception still plays a big part in the story, even if the interaction with the reader is less direct.

Now there might be no murder mystery for the reader to solve, but that won't stop me from speculating! The invisible turning point to me is the “Proof of a Program” chapter, where Blue Miyao tells Miyao that he'll show him someone's face, and that that will activate Miyao's murder program instantly. Miyao first laughs it off, but then the scene brutally cuts to something that might be a flashback, a flash-forward or a nightmare, maybe all of that at once… The most graphically horrifying scene of the entire game, to the point it's almost at odds with the rest. And then… it's never mentioned again. Not even when Miyao meets again with Blue Miyao. Like it never happened. My theory is that everything Miyao experiences from that point onward is some kind of simulation, and that's where the obligatory When They Cry time loop will come from this time. See you in May for the answer?

That is all for today, folks!

#Ciconia no naku koro ni #Review #Back to Trianthology soon!

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xsecretblastsx · 4 years

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What do you think about the Chuck and Jenny thing at the end of s3

It was awful in from whatever angle you want to see it. I mean the way it impacted Chuck and Blair's relationship is like the less of my issues with these plot.

By this point in the series even if I disliked almost all Jenny's actions in S3 I couldn't help but feeling incredibly sad for her. Because it was obvious this wasn't how or why she wanted to lose her virginity. And there's her history with Chuck because I felt the show handled the aftermath of what happened between in the pilot pretty badly. I complained a bit about it in my recap of 1x02, she was 14 and the next day she's going to Blair and the way she's like is he talking about me? Sounded just wrong and she was more interested in the impact it could have more in her social standing but not in a way as if she's scared or worried he may try to go after her, but more did this thing made me gain popularity points? It wasn't the best message to send.

The show after 1x01 always treated it as if it had been just an uncomfortable moment at most for Jenny, and I get they mostly did it because the different direction they ended up going with Chuck's character but we ended up with a situation where the incident it's mentioned on occasion but treated as if it wasn't a big deal, in the sense that Jenny never particularly avoided Chuck. I just find it really bad taste for the show to have her lose her virginity with that guy, by her own choice maybe but for all the wrong reasons.

And then there's Chuck who by all accounts should have known better. I get it he gave her an out and he didn't forced her, but he shouldn't had go along with it. Not only because he was older, but also because as much as he may see sex as not a big deal, he knew things between them were always going to be tainted at least somewhat by the events of 1x01, that's why he tells her in S2 he'll be gone if she ever lived there so even if he was going through one of the worst moments of his life so far thinking Blair didn't love him anymore somewhere in his mind he must have been aware of why doing this with Jenny was wrong, particularly for her.

And the aftermath was horrible to Jenny, not that Chuck didn't have to go through even more heartbreak, Jenny fells terrible about the whole thing, is dealing with her regret over what happened and then has to endure Blair Waldorf's tirade of epic proportions. And I did wish at some point Chuck had apologized to Jenny for what happened, it may have been a mutual choice but he was older and allegedly wiser but also because how dismissive of her he was after it happened, she may have gone before he got to her but she knew he wanted to get rid of her as soon as Blair stepped out of the elevator

All in all I rather wished this had never happened, beacause neither Chuck or Jenny needed to made another terrible choice, Jenny was already in her way out and Chuck and Blair had a mountain of issues already, and this may be a petty complain but the Chuck/Jenny thing also took some focus of the actual problem between them, Blair may have claimed different but she wasn't over the hotel incident, she wouldn't really be for quite a while, hence why she still mentions in S5 and it takes Chuck really long to realize this (among other of his mitakes) because in his mind they had already moved on from the hotel and Jack thing and they were not together for the Jenny thing and it wasn't as simple as that. He only gets it until S5.

#anon #ask #chuck bass #jenny humphrey

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asterinjapan · 5 years

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The final

So that’s it for Japan 2019, huh…

Today was my last day in Tokyo, and also my last full day in Japan proper. Thanks to daylight savings ending in the Netherlands today, my flight tomorrow will be around 11:30. That’s an hour later than in summer, so that means a slightly less ridiculously early train trip, haha.

Since it was my final day and rain was predicted, I hadn’t really planned on leaving Tokyo. In the end, it stayed dry for almost the entire day, because of course my weather related luck hadn’t run out yet, pff. I didn’t want to over-exert myself before leaving, though. Been there, done that, only makes the jetlag worse, so nope, a calm day today. Follow me below the link for the details! I took some pictures on my camera, but with everything packed, I’ll post those after I’m back in the Netherlands.

So! I started the day with a bit of a scare, since I couldn’t check into my flight online and the airline company didn’t respond. I decided to take it out in karaoke, only to find out that you can totally sing until 5 AM in the morning, but starting before 11 AM was not possible in Ikebukuro, pfff. Instead, I took the train to Shibuya to say hi to Hachiko one last time and visit my shrine once more. After crossing the scramble crossing however, I found a karaoke joint from my favourite chain (Big Echo) that was open 24/7 and currently had no waiting time, so in I went!

This building actually had ‘princess rooms’, titled Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and so on, but my room was just next to them (you can book a room just for yourself, so no need to share with strangers). I had booked for 90 minutes and just put a bunch of Japanese songs on blast, with the Japanese people in a room near me putting Ed Sheeran on blast, haha. Though I do admit I also picked a bunch of Disney songs and Total Eclipse of the Heart, because I wanted to let it all out. It definitely worked and I had a great time. And the price tag was a lot lower than I was expecting – prices are down before 7 PM, so if you ever want to do karaoke in Japan, be sure to do so during day time to save some money.

I explored the streets of Shibuya that I knew, had some nice finds into the nearby 100 yen shop, went for lunch at a café, and eventually found myself floundering a bit, mindlessly browsing for clothes I wasn’t even set on getting. It was only 3 PM though, so I made myself walk back to find the Miyamasu Mitake shrine again. And once again, it was completely quiet, tucked away in between the skyscrapers and somehow drowning out most of the sounds. I gathered myself here, took some deep breaths, and actually felt my upset stomach settle into normalcy again. Yep, I love this shrine alright. I definitely recommend it, but please don’t go there in droves now, haha.

I made my way back to the station, with a slight detour through the Starbucks that looks out over the scramble crossing just to shoot a picture from above, and then hopped onto the Yamanote line for Ikebukuro.

I wasn’t even planning on that much, but I went into Sunshine city anyway, visiting the Pokémon Center and just – generally seeping in the familiar atmosphere. It’s the weekend before Halloween, and although the big event here is behind closed doors and a paywall, there were still quite some people out in full costume. I saw an Ash and an N cosplayer in the Pokémon store, haha.

I went through my favourite stores too, only picking up a small strap for my phone, but as said, it was also comforting to just take in the familiar sights and streets. I actually had the perfect amount of money with me for dinner, breakfast for the train tomorrow and the last minute small fry at the airport, so unless I wanted to visit the ATM I couldn’t even spend much money, but it was fine. Things change over the years, of course, but Shibuya and Ikebukuro remain familiar. (Although I had to laugh a little at the contrast with my first visit in 2010. Back then, most people I went to school with had iPhones while most of the Japanese people still used flip phones. Currently, they put up warnings everywhere to tell people to not look down at their smartphone while walking. Not that most people heed that warning, but hey. At least it also means there’s a lot of free Wi-Fi spots going around.)

A little after 7, I picked up breakfast, dinner and some dessert and ate the latter two in my hotel room. I, uh, was getting a little emotional over having to leave tomorrow, so I didn’t want to eat out in case I broke down crying or something. Luckily, the TV provided a distraction, as the figure skating grand prix season has started and some of the biggest names in Japanese figure skating competed in the Skate Canada event this weekend. The competition was already done, but this program featured the highlights of the men’s and ladies’ programs, so I ended up watching it all and staying up a bit late, considering I still had to figure out my suitcases, oops.

That is all done now, though! I’m – actually not entirely sure my small boxes of Kitkat will survive the trip, but the candy themselves should be alright. All legitimately breakable things are in my carry-on. I am definitely over the weight limit for one suitcase, but the airline eventually checked in with me and let me know that although I can only check in at the airport, the second bag had gone through okay. So that’s a relief, and with the Narita Express up and running again, I should be at the airport a good three hours before my flight.

I can’t believe how fast these 4 weeks have gone by. It does feel like I’ve been in Japan for a long time though, maybe because settling into Tokyo is pretty easy by now. But I had a great time, despite the typhoon troubles in my last week (which I don’t even dare to complain about, considering how lucky I’ve been overall). Maybe I could have done more in this last Tokyo week, but hey, I still had a good time, and that’s what counts.

I’m going to close down the laptop and try going to sleep, as I have an early alarm tomorrow. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this trip and Japan in general, but I think I’ll save those for my retrospective post.

I’ll probably shoot this blog a quick message once I’m back home safe and sound, then the final pictures will follow and then – the final posts, I guess. My final thoughts, the usual photo sets of the highlights… And then I will have a hell of a time browsing through all my pictures to compose a photo album, because I almost filled up my entire SD card. I can put like 4000 pictures on one of those and that’s not taking into account the candids and panoramas I took on my phone, so, uhm.

But that’s for later. For now, sleep and the final lapse of the journey!

See you tomorrow, probably from the Netherlands again!

#report #japan 2019 #report: japan 2019

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