#Ijin has those too

[skboba-stars]

I just think that the idea of there being a 000 in the Camp that's kept as a safety precaution is so interesting because the Cam has this child who can just demolish them and they? don't realize it???

Cue them full on destroying the camp from the inside and somehow making their way to Korea and meeting up with Ijin. I'm just imagining these top two mercenary teens who are evenly matched and the SW bodyguards watching them fight and just being like

It would also be interesting seeing how dayeon and yuna might react considering this oc of mine is afab and other than 005 and the one lady who tried to kidnap jiyeh, none of the other female/afab characters fight.

I'm considering a name for them, but I'm stuck between Khethiwe and Mahendra. Which should it be?

[iamumbra195]

!Spoilers for pretty much all of Teenage Mercenary!

I just need to get my facts down about some of the things going on in the background cause it's confusing to me and I have shitty memory. This is pretty much how I've interpreted everything that is going on, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

Iron is the head of the whole organization that Camp and Forest were a part of. They take in jobs and send them down as orders to either Camp or Forest. Forest was formed after camp and considered inferior to the numbers

None of the numbers know where these orders are coming from and they are currently investigating

They are likely the ones who killed those 26 numbers Ijin disabled during his escape, ordering someone from Forest to do it or directly ordering a traitor number (my theory) to do it because Mad Dog didn't seem to know who killed them that day. They probably killed them because they were becoming too uncontrollable and there was no real leverage they had over them to keep them working for them the way they were doing to Alice with her little brother and Ijin's escape was their best bet to get rid of them all as they were incapacitated and unable to protect themselves

The Camp has completely dissolved at this point in the story and of the 14 still living, we only know 9 so one of the missing five is likely a traitor. Maybe all five of them are and they've been integrated into Forest. 002 doesn't seem to care much about them so it's possible. Or maybe they just died. Who knows?

SW is one of Iron's competitors and is growing relevant in the world of weapons export and war. When Jiye's brother reached out to them to kill Jiye, they were more than happy to do so as that would be a blow to their competitor and would give them a way to destroy SW from the inside if the brother signed a contract with him like he initially wanted to. Ijin obviously ruined this.

The Vorrei Family (which consists of Sophia the blond girl, her brother, and Chairman Andrew) is currently in a contract with Iron but is heavily considering signing a contract with SW and their subsidiary SW defence and whether or not this happens will help with the growth of their weapons export business

This obviously angered Iron and they sent Anna to kidnap Sophia and her brother under the care of SW which would of course ruin the relationship between Chairman Andrew and SW but Ijin ruined this. This created a very good relationship between the Vorrei Family and SW

Alice has infiltrated SW because Iron wants insider information on SW so they could effectively ruin them from the inside, however the mess with the numbers and 004 being a presumptuous little prick (I love him regardless lmao) ruined everything for them

Now the timeline of Ijin's backstory

The plane crashed ten years ago when he was nine (Korean age so technically he was eight and is currently eighteen)

The Camp picked him up from the plane crash and patched him up, forcing him to join the whole training with no memory of himself or his past while speaking in a foreign language. He was trainee #982 out of the initial 1000 ppl that were at the Camp

He met 005 almost immediately after joining

Inhumane training and missions had to have continued at least until he was twelve or thirteen before the initial 1000 was whittled down to a measly group of 40.

During that training, he constantly went against the Camp's teachings, never leaving behind anyone who was injured and taking those who were dying to a peaceful area for them to pass away in rather than dying in the middle of a battlefield. He was punished for it a lot but it made most of the other trainees trust him and see him as their leader. Some of them admired 002 and regarded him as the leader and were later upset when they saw that Ijin was granted the number 001 but 002 was fine with it and followed Ijin's instructions

At some point, Mad Dog assigned him as leader of the numbers and went to kill 016 because he collapsed during a roll call of some kind but Ijin got in his way. They got into a fight and that's when Ijin gave Mad Dog his scar. Mad Dog has hated him since

He remained at camp until he was fourteen and at some point, he had killed a mother and daughter, a memory which stuck with him and traumatized him in a certain way. I believe it also provoked his 'betrayal'.

He disobeyed orders from Camp and Mad Dog sent most of the numbers after him. He incapacitated 26 and some of the other numbers like 006 turned a blind eye to let him escape however they became angry when they were told that he killed the 26 numbers even though he didn't

He was heavily injured and passed out in a river where he was found by Lucas, the mercenary village chief.

All the stuff in the village and the looters (Immortal and his gang) happened and then he became Jin for the next five years. He briefly ran into 018 and that one girl who tried to kidnap Jiye during this time and saved Sophia from her kidnapper. Saving Evelyn and her mother also helped jog his memory and remember his mother telling him "--Jin, I love you" and while the plane was crashing with an oxygen mask on his face, his parents hugged him and told him "--Jin, Mommy and Daddy love you very much." I love the fact that he started to remember after he saved Evelyn and her mom, it's such a nice detail man.

Also, someone thank Grandpa Lucas for trying to protect Ijin from the horrors of being a mercenary despite already knowing he was a child soldier. He bandaged him up after he got injured and told him to take better care of himself, gave him a lot of food and practically raised Ijin for a good chunk of his teenage years. His last message to Ijin (Chp. 163) and Ijin crying for the very first time hit me right in the feels

Ijin met Yeona's dad during his time as Jin and after the dad died, word got back to the Head of SW about Ijin.

Major Kang was attacked six months before canon and because he was Jiye's fiance and this was clearly an opportunity to meet his son's savior (and a potential asset for his developing weapons subsidiary but that's another topic -__-), he hired Jin to save the Major and his troop

I do believe SW was involved in finding Ijin's family both in order to fulfill Yeona's dad's last wish to get Ijin out of the warzone he lived in and because Grandpa Shin is shady af and probably wants to use Ijin. I don't think he's a bad person but he doesn't really have Ijin's best interests in mind. He's a businessman, after all. Good men don't make good businessmen.

Ijin being there has also brought him a ton of opportunities and prevented him from losing his granddaughters and a fuck ton of opportunities if Ijin hadn't been there to save the day so it makes sense that he and Jiye as well, are so adamant about keeping him by their side

But anyway, that pretty much concludes my info dump with a mix of my personal interpretations for now. Like I said before feel free to correct me if I've said something wrong

Now take this random badass panel of my children :)

[so-sures-blog]

Teenage Mercenary Headcanons

(Most of these are of Dayeon Yu because she's my fave character, but the Numbers are thrown in, too!)

☆☆☆

— Dayeon absolutely knows Ijin's secret, but she isn't confronting him because she wants him to trust her and come forward himself. Dayeon is sweet, not oblivious.

Who do you think sews the clothes whenever he gets slashed? Washed out the blood? Takes out the trash that has all his bloody bandages? She's literally seen him try to stab someone's eye out with a chopstick. Fight against experienced killers when she was kidnapped with Yeona. It only takes a quick google search to find out Dushik Cha is the biggest gangster in Seoul, Korea — and Ijin has him on speed dial. When the Congressman and his childrens' crimes broke the news, you think Dayeon didn't see it — didn't notice that with all the videos posted on the internet, only hers wasn't shown?

Ijin got a job at SW, the most prestigious company in the entire world, as a bodyguard. You have to have an extreme amount of fighting talent and skill to be able to become a bodyguard there, even as a part-timer. Normally, that would take months, years to be accepted. Nobody knew how he was scouted, not even the higher-ups. Which would mean Ijin was personally hired and got the job through connections with the CEO of SW.

The point is that Ijin is the most unsubtle person on the planet, and Dayeon is ready.

— The Numbers have tattoos! After they got initiated, they all got tattoos of their numbers. It serves as a reminder that they belong to The Camp and have no identity beyond that.

— I feel like Dayeon would be really into psychology. Being bullied by Huijin for years, I think that Dayeon would pick up behavioral cues from her as a coping mechanism. She is very observant, so I imagine she psychoanalyzes those around her to determine whether or not they are good people. I also see her use her psychology skills to translate into being a detective for learning about Ijin and the Numbers. I can picture her basically backing the Numbers into a corner and forcing them to talk about their feelings. She has a lot of impromptu therapy sessions.

— Ijin and Dayeon go to a rich kid school but live in a bad neighborhood. Yeona Sin, granddaughter of the SW CEO, goes to their school, and so did the Congressman's children, so it has to be a rich kid school. I headcannon that Grandpa Yu worked hard to send Dayeon to a good school, so that's why she goes there even though they don't have money. Also, they live in a bad neighborhood because how else would Ijin beat up high-school assholes and live within motorcycle-riding distance from Dushik Cha, Seoul's #1 gangster?

— The Numbers speak multiple languages! Being sent on multiple assignments in different continents, I feel like they would pick up different languages in order to blend in.

— Dayeon is good with first aid! It's not through want, but when she was being bullied, she had to patch up her own injuries by herself, so she became well practiced in it. And, when she was younger and first learning how to cook, she kept on getting cuts on her hands from the knife. But she didn't want her grandpa to worry and send her to the hospital for stitches, so she learned to do it herself! 

(Inspired by my mother, who cut herself with a knife and promptly sewed herself up with a needle and thread with no tears or medical experience whatsoever.)

She helps heal her brother's injuries. She's not as good at stitches as Ijin is, but she insists she has to when he comes home with injuries, and it's the thought that counts, right? Also, she took it upon herself to learn CPR for her grandpa when she was really young in case he had a heart attack from his weak heart ;(

— Dayeon steals her brother's jackets and wears them around. At first, it was merely coincidence — her just grabbing the first thing when she's in a rush — but soon it becomes a habit to reach for Ijin's jacket instead of her own. They're comfy and oversized, and she loves it. Her favorite is the grey one with white armbands Ijin often wears. Ijin doesn't mind. Her wearing his jackets actually protects her more even when he is not around. He goes out and takes care of high school jerks often so that they start to recognize the clothing he beat them up in.

High-School Gangster: (sees Dayeon walking home alone innocently) Ooh, cute girl!

Gang: (goes up to harass her before pausing when they see her jacket.) Wait ...

(Recognizing Ijin's jacket, paling, and realizing that he with absolutely fuck them up if they mess with his little sister.)

Gang: (jumping the guy who pointed out Dayeon, beating him up.) You piece of shit! Don't you drag us into your goddamn death wish!

Ijin traumatized all the gangs in the area, and it's beautiful.

— Ijin and Dayeon have dimples! At first, it was only Dayeon because I researched and found dimples represent a sign of beauty and cheerfulness in many cultures, which I thought suited her perfectly. But then I wanted Ijin and Dayeon to have something in common due to resemblance, and the dimples appeared. Also, I wanted the Numbers to have that extra wow factor when they see Ijin's smile and realize he has dimples.

— Grian is a melting pot filled with orphaned children of all ethnicities. I imagined that missionaries from all countries came to Grian to try and "fix it up" before having children with the locals. Maybe the parents were killed, or they abandoned them, but the point is that most of the children there grew up orphaned before they were inducted into military camps.

— Besides Ijin and 032, all of the other Numbers are in their mid-to-late twenties. Think about it — it's been 10 years since the plane crash, and they were all teenagers when they were in the Camp. And none of them look especially older or younger.

— Ijin takes after his parents in looks. He has his mom's hair and his dad's face. You can tell he was their son just by looking at him. That's why Grandpa Yu was so emotional when Ijin came back. It was like seeing his son and daughter-in-law come alive again within his grandson. But Dayeon?

Dayeon looks exactly like her grandma, so much that sometimes it literally hurts Grandpa Yu to look at her. It almost seems like a cruel twist of fate — to leave him with the little girl that looked exactly like his wife to raise when he should've been left with Ijin, so Grandpa can still have some part of his son and daughter-in-law with him (Dayeon internalized these thoughts when she was younger).

— Dayeon knows how to do makeup! Again, this was mostly out of necessity — she had to learn how to cover up the bruises when she was being bullied. The bullies were smart enough to not go for her face, but sometimes when she fought back she'd catch a blow across the cheek — hence, she was forced to learn how to cover it up with makeup and over the years has perfected the art of hiding bruises. Sometimes, when Ijin comes home with bruises, she drags him to her room and helps him cover it up with makeup.

— Ijin and Dayeon actually have a lot of similarities and neither of them realize it. They have the same habits and quirks, and subconsciously hold the same fears of revealing their past traumas. It's honestly a bit ironic and hilarious, seeing as physically Ijin and Dayeon look nothing alike for siblings. For example, Ijin works out and goes on runs when something is weighing on his mind while Dayeon paces the floor until it is practically worn and tries to busy herself with chores.

It always makes Dayeon petulant when one of her friends or the Numbers point it out because she knows firsthand how frustrating her brother can be.

— When Yeona gets drunk she has the habit of buying an excessive amount of things for her friends. Dayeon's cold? Watch her buy a full set of expensive winter gear for her. The guys are feeling hungry? She'll clear out the entire convenience store. She has zero recollection of what she bought the next day and Hyeokjin and Jaehyeong find it hysterical when they see all of the absurd, random things she's bought. The whole group makes fun of how much money she wracked up in a single night. Seokju always has to take away her wallet beforehand whenever they go out.

— After the whole kidnapping arc with Dayeon and Yeona, Seokju took it upon himself to teach the girls some basic self defense. Mostly it's dodging and escaping holds, and they've both gotten pretty good! When they first started out, Ijin would be staring lasers at Seokju on the sidelines whenever he would handle his sister, which he felt he could personally do without. Now, Ijin helps out with the training while Yeongchan, Jaehyeong, and Hyeokjin spectate and cheer. While it irks him, the girls love it and take the opportunity to show off what they've learned.

[maddogofshimano]

Zhao Character Story

This was requested by the giveaway winner @trixibebe​ ! Hopefully it is worth the wait! I love Zhao a lot so this was great to do

Summary: Zhao’s been informed that one of his long time friends is planning a coup against him, and will be eliminated. This quickly turns into a manhunt--and cathunt--as Zhao faces down his old friend.

Ijincho, Yokohama, has the underground ruled by 3 powers, commonly known as the "Ijin Three". This is a story about one of those people, a few years after the boss of the Liumang had been replaced by Zhao Tianyou... Qing Jin, Ijincho Close Associate of Zhao: ...Tianyou-sama. Regarding the matter with "Jin". (Tl note: the name is 陳 which as usual could be a lot of readings. I went with Jin, but Chen might be more accurate if I were keeping with how localization does it. separately, calling him Tianyou-sama instead of Zhao-sama is interesting)

Zhao: Which Jin do you mean by Jin? Associate: Jin Yangming. (Tl note: okay yeah a name. I am guessing on specific readings as per usual) Zhao: Hmm~? What's Jin-kun done? Did he get a stomach ache? Associate: This is a serious matter. I've long had misgivings about him being a traitor. Zhao: ..... Associate: Recently he's been even more suspicious, so I had an internal investigation check it out. The result-- Associate: We learned that he's been gathering members from within the organization to stage a coup. Zhao: Are you sure there hasn't been a mistake? Jin-kun doesn't have the guts for that.

Associate: No, I'm certain of this information. Zhao: Hmmmm.... Associate: ...By all rights, the planners should have been purged as soon as it was discovered. It never would have needed to be reported. Associate: That man... It's only because Jin is an old friend of yours that it's being brought to your attention. Zhao: So he's a friend of mine. That doesn't mean he's a good person. Associate: It's been decided to do the purge tomorrow night. Just so you're informed. Zhao: ...Gotcha. Knock 'em dead.

Fierce-looking Man: ........

[a shuttered door opens] Zhao: Yo, Jin. How's the beef ramen taste? Jin Yangming: Zhao....! Zhao: Same as ever, this shop's my fave. Zhao: But the stir-fried Chinese cabbage is so good. You know how the garlic really pops? Zhao: Ah, but you were eating Chinese cabbage until two years ago, right? Did you get tired of eating it? Or is it due to your lady friend~? Jin: .......... Zhao: Oh yeah, how's your cat doing, Ranran-chan? It's just 2 years old. It's an indoor cat, right? Jin: ....I can tell you've been monitoring my activities closely. Let's just cut right to the chase then. Zhao: That right? Well, how about we do that. Zhao: Some of the elders in the group, they seem to have caught wind of your little plan. Jin: ....I figured as much. Zhao: The purge is planned for tomorrow night. Couldn't you save your own life by offering yourself up right now? Jin: Your father was a cruel and strict leader, but he had a passion for protecting the immigrants of this city. Jin: But what about you? You don't protect us Liumang at all. Acknowledging you as our leader... how could I do that?

Zhao: So you're throwing a coup? Man, you've always been way too extreme. Jin: ...Thanks for the food. I'll leave the cash for it, boss. [he leaves] Zhao: ...Haaaaa~.

The next night

[people are rushing down the street] Liumang Member: Jin went this way! Don't let him escape!!

Jin: Shit...! Zhao: I got it. Jin: Zhao...! Zhao: But I do gotta ask. What's the point in doing this? Jin: Shut up.... At least I'll be able to deal with you! [they fight, Zhao kicks his ass] Zhao: Hey, how you doing Jin? You had enough?

Jin: Shit... You're fucking dodging non-stop... Associate: Wait! Jin! Jin: ....Tch! [he runs off] Zhao: Tsk tsk tsk... He managed to get away. Associate: You all go after Jin. He absolutely cannot be allowed to escape!

Associate: Are you safe? Zhao: Fit as a fiddle. Associate: To correct the blunder of allowing him to flee, the general foot soldiers have been mobilized. Zhao: OK. Well then, let's seal off the entrances and exits to the district.

Zhao: Be sure to get the sewers and river too, anything that can be used to leave. We want him trapped like a rat. Associate: On it. I'll get it started. Zhao: Alrighty, now do I start my own punishment for the traitor?

[END PART 1]

Liumang A: Oi, did you find that Jin bastard?

Liumang B: Nah, the room was totally empty. He must have come back once and then ran off again. Liumang A: I see.... With the district sealed off he's trapped like a rat. He has to be hiding somewhere here. Liumang A: You guys stay here and kill Jin if he returns. No mercy for traitors! Liumang B: Yes sir! [he leaves] Liumang B: ....Do we really need to keep watch on this place? It's not like Jin-san's gonna come back to his house when he's being chased. Liumang C: Yeahhh. But Jin-san's really boned now. How could he even consider something like a coup? Liumang B: If he gets caught, they're going to turn him into manju filling. Still, I can sorta see why he might not agree with our new nepotism boss. (Tl note: for those unaware, manju is a stuffed bun. also nepotism is a liiiitle bit of a stretch but he is complaining that Zhao just got the job because his dad was the previous boss) Zhao: Excuuuse me. New nepotism boss here. Relying on things like heritage isn't very rational, is it?

Liumang B: B-Boss!? I-I'm sorry!! I was... Zhao: It's all good, man. But maybe watch your back better when you're in the mood for griping. Zhao: ...This here is Jin's house, yeah? You already checked it out? Liumang B: Y-Yes sir. We checked thoroughly for anything that might indicate where he fled to, but nothing turned up. Zhao: Hmmmmm... I gotcha. Was there a cat inside? Liumang B: A-A cat? No, there wasn't one... Zhao: So he took his beloved cat with him... I see. Zhao: Sorry for the bother. ...How bout you keep up the great work as look outs~. [Zhao leaves] Liumang B: Geez... I'm just glad I didn't get turned into manju filling.... [at a different set of apartments, a doorbell rings] Stern man: ...Yeah? Who is it? (Tl note: are these the same apartments you visit in LJ? haven't they been through enough??)

Zhao: Yoooo, Taka. Hope you don't mind me barging in for a sec~. Heyyy~ as I thought this place is pretty nice. Is this stuff for a pet? (Tl note: his name is 王 which has a bunch of possible readings, Taka was a very arbitrary pick) Liumang Taka: Wh-... Boss...!? Zhao: Aw you don't have to call me boss, it's fine~. You're one of the people who disagrees with my hereditary placement, aren't you? Taka: No, that's not... Zhao: It's chill if you do. I'm not here to blame you for anything. Zhao: Actually, I'm here cause I think Jin's cat is here. ...Ranran-cha~n, are you here~? [Ranran meows at Zhao] Taka: !? Zhao: Hey, that hurt~. Zhao: Since it seemed like Jin took his cat when he ran, I've been hitting up all the homes of the anti-hereditary faction to see which ones could keep a pet~. Zhao: So, Taka... This is Jin's cat that you're taking care of, yeah? Taka: No... you've got it all wrong. This is my cat. Come get some food, Ran. Zhao: ...Hmmm~. Is that it. This looks an awful lot like Jin's cat, you know. Zhao: A black and white persian with odd eyes, how'd you end up with one that's just got so many similarities? Taka: ...I saw Ranran and wanted to get a kitten just like it. I also took the name from it. Zhao: Hmmm~ ...But, well, the little bit of thick black fur on the underside of its tail shouldn't be exactly the same as Ranran's, right? Zhao: Just let me check that real quick. Taka: No, you don't need to. It's there. It truly is a miraculous resemblance. Zhao: ........Wooow~, that's a hell of a coincidence. But, hmm, it doesn't seem like this cat has any thick fur like that? Taka: Eh!? Zhao: What I said was a lie, actually. The real Ranran doesn't have any black fur on the underside of its tail. Zhao: Oooh bad luck~. You fell for the oldest trick in the book. Taka: Guh.... uuhh..... uraaaaahghhhh!!!! Zhao: Woah there, I'm not letting you run. I've got a mountain of questions I gotta ask you now. Taka: G-Get ready!! You're already going to kill me...! I'll have to kill you instead to make my escape!!!! [they fight, Zhao wins] Taka: S-So strong... Why's some nepotism baby that strong...

Zhao: Well that's a hurtful thing to say. I've never once lost a fight, you know?

Zhao: Well now that the persuasion session is over... Talk to me~. Where's Jin? Zhao: Since you tried to escape, it doesn't seem like you're hiding him in your house. Taka: I-I don't know... I was just supposed to look after Jin-san's cat for him when it came time for him to escape. Taka: I really don't know anything else.... Zhao: ....You understand from before that you can't lie to me, right? Taka: I-It's not a lie!!!! I really wasn't told anything else!! Please believe me!! Zhao: .................Yeah, okay~. I believe you. Not like you have any room left to lie. Zhao: .........But just to be safe, how about you show me around this place. Zhao: ...Yep, no hidden rooms or signs of another person living here. Seems like he really isn't here. Zhao: Well, hiding in another anti-hereditary faction members' house is basically asking to be caught. Zhao: Sooo... He probably dropped the cat off and went directly to wherever he's hiding. Taka: Y-Yes sir... He wasn't able to bring Ranran with him... so he really stressed how important it was that I look after it... Taka: He knew I had raised and loved a cat, so he believed I would be trustworthy... Zhao: ...Hey Taka, what are some of the things that cats don't like? Taka: Things they don't like...? There's a lot. Hot stuff, the sound of the vacuum cleaner, water...  Taka: Besides those... really strong smells can be bad. All of that varies on the individual cat, though. Zhao: Really strong smells, huh... [flashback] Zhao: Yo, Jin. How's the beef ramen taste?

Zhao: But the stir-fried Chinese cabbage is so good. You know how the garlic really pops? Zhao: Ah, but you were eating Chinese cabbage until two years ago, right? Did you get tired of eating it? Or is it due to your lady friend~? Jin: .......... Zhao: Oh yeah, how's your cat doing, Ranran-chan? It's just 2 years old. It's an indoor cat, right? [flashback over] Zhao: .....I probably got it~. Jin's location. Taka: Eh....?

[END PART 2]

[the sound of the door to the restaurant opening] Zhao: Table for one, please~.

Owner of the Chinese Restaurant: ....Your seat is right this way. Here's some water. Once you decide on your order... Zhao: Owner-san, do you remember me? The other day I was here with a regular named Jin. Owner: ....Ah, so you're Jin's acquaintance. I don't know if something happened, but he hasn't been by recently. Zhao: Is that so~. Jin was a regular here, but you had a private relationship with him too, right? (Tl note: 🤨 🏳️‍🌈 ❓ ) Owner: ...It was a pretty limited relationship. Occasionally we went fishing together. Zhao: Hmmmmmmmm~ ...For having such a limited relationship, it's awfully kind of you to be sheltering Jin from the Yokohama Liumang currently chasing him. Owner: Eh? H-Hold on, where are you going!! Zhao: ...Bathroom~ at least I was planning to, but you're really jumpy huh, Owner-san. Zhao: Could that be becauuuse~.... if I take a single look into the backroom I'll see that Jin is hiding there? Owner: !? Zhao: Looks like I got it in one.... Jin, how about you come out already? All the exits are blocked, you're not getting away again. [Jin exits the back room] Jin: ......How did you know I'd be here?

Zhao: Because you left Ranran with Taka. Jin: ........What? Zhao: You dote on your beloved cat. Therefore you would have taken it with you. But you didn't. Zhao: So the only explanation is that you must have gone to hide somewhere that you couldn't bring Ranran. Zhao: There's plenty of reasons I could think of why you wouldn't take Ranran. Safety, preference, the noise it makes... Zhao: However, you have connections with the Liumang and it's difficult to do a quick investigation, you could have established some trust, and you couldn't take Ranran... Zhao: So that made me think that the only place to hide must be Jinhua. This place reeks of garlic, which Ranran doesn't like. (Tl note: the store name is 金華 and could be some other readings but Jinhua is the reading for the city in China) Jin: ...How the hell did you know that Ranran doesn't like the smell of garlic? Zhao: Well, I didn't know about it originally. Zhao: I just noticed that the time when you stopped eating this place's famous stir-fried Chinese cabbage was the same time that you got Ranran. Zhao: ...That's when the lightbulb went off. Zhao: You started eating beef ramen without any garlic because Ranran hated it, right? Jin: .....Heh, you really solved that. You're a lot more clever than I thought. Zhao: Well, I'm a pretty capable kid, you know~. Jin: You've exceeded my expectations. But, after surrounding the shop and blocking all the exits isn't this a little naïve? Zhao: Hm? What's naïve about it? Jin: Coming at me alone!! I'm going to take you hostage and get the hell out of this town!! [they fight, Zhao wins] Jin: Wh-What was that power....

Jin: Shit... Just kill me already. Call in your men and make an example out of me. Zhao: Ahh, that was a lie actually. The only person here is just me. Jin: What the hell...? Zhao: In 2 hours, there will be a 5 minute gap in the guards at the Jinhua bridge. You can use that to get out of the sealed district. Zhao: I just came here to say that. Well then, good luck. Jin: ! H-Hey...! Hold on! Why are you doing this... Zhao: As long as it saves lives, I'm fine doing anything. Jin: This ain't fine! I just tried to kill you! What sort of game are you playing at...!? Zhao: ...Haaa, don't you know people don't like guys who can't take a hint? Zhao: Just to be perfectly clear, you know how I'm the boss of the organization? So that means I have no choice but to make an example out of you. Zhao: I've known you for a long time. Besides-- Zhao: Since I was the boss's son, everyone treated me like some kind of cancerous growth, but you never had any restraint even with me. Zhao: That pissed me the hell off... but really that isn't a bad thing. Jin: Zhao... Zhao: Well, that's all there is to say on that. Enjoy your second chance at life. See yaaaa. [Zhao leaves] Jin: ....I'm sorry, Zhao....

A short time later....

Associate: ...And since then, we haven't been able to locate Jin. He may have left Japan by now.

Zhao: My bad? I messed up on my initial call. I'm sure he must have left the city by then. Zhao: I'm sorry for being an unreliable boss. I'll be sure to work harder next time. Associate: ....We'll see if that happens. Zhao: Hm? Did you say something? Associate: No... Until next time.

[END]

BONUS TIME!

I love Zhao. he just goes around lying to people for fun. his two great loves in life are fucking with people and being a ginormous softie

Whenever I ran a line through deepl to doublecheck something it really really really wanted to call Zhao a girl due to all the tildes he uses lol. Zhao’s got 5 cards which is a pretty solid amount, including these two KSRs

that’s it for now! look forward to two more posts in the near future! I’ve got an event and equipment to share!!

[mammothartist]

Some of My Gripes with Teenage Mercenary/Mercenary Enrollment

As much as I love Teenage Mercenary there is some things that I just find a little odd. I love the story telling but there is some things that makes me go crazy. This is in no particular order, just by the order of what goes by in my brain.

Seokjo’s Odd Characterization

What drives me crazy is that Seokjo is just shoved to the side, dismissed as a character. Like he is just there to cheer on Yeona in her and ijin’s cute moments, to help out his friends, and is there to clean up their messes ( Literally and figuratively, did y’all see him cleaning up their food trash in episode 164?) This could very well be that this is building up to Seokjo’s character arc, which will probably handle his isolation and the control in his life, like Yeona’s arc. It will also handle the insecurity we’ve seen a little of being only 2nd best to Ijin, and the insecurity of never being good enough. Also, this is not a gripe but more of something I noticed but have y’all realized that Seokjo is the literally the only bits of fan service in the entire manhwa. All the other people, especially ijin, get badass or emotional moments and yes Seokjo gets those moments too, but he also gets a lot of moments of him literally huffing and puffing with his abs showing through his shirt while working out. To be honest, when I saw it the first time I thought it was just a coincidence, then it happened again. I just thought that was funny to mention.

2. The Girls Characterization

I noticed that with Dayeon, Yeona, Evelyn and Sophia are damsel and distress characters. Sure for Dayeon,Yeona and Seoha it could be justified that they were dealing with people they couldn’t deal with, like people that are physically imposing or have power over them. But Sophia it was justified by the fact she has trauma from being kidnapped, and I can understand that but it drives me crazy that the only way she was able to recognize ijin was by the hand signal he gave her. I had to specify that this was the Girls characterization because they are all under 18 I’m pretty sure ( expect for Seoha I think ?) All the women that are canonically over 18 are not damsel in distress’s by any means. 005, Alice, and Jiye are all women who have shown to be able to hold their own. I believe the only acception to the girls damsel in distress trope is Evelyn, because the reason she is not part of the trope is not because she herself she was getting attacked specifically but it was her whole town. Also she became a doctor, she is so awesome for that. I also realized that all the girls, except for Dayeon, 005, Alice, and Evelyn have their story based around their romance for Ijin, except for Jiye who has romantic interest for Major Kang, So that also drives me crazy. I think the romance between Yeona and Ijin and Jiye and Kang are the only ones that don’t rub me the wrong way because Yeona is a Highschool girl, she’s bound to have a crush. And Jiye can still hold her own and love Kang doing it. 3. The lack of Colored people within the story. I may sound like a broken record, but I find it odd that there isn’t more colored people within the story. I understand that Korea is not very diverse compared to places like America. But I don’t understand why in ijins past there is a lack of diversity. It seems like there is an effort to make it clear that these villages are based in places where the people have darker skin based on the newer chapters. The newer chapters were showing people like Evelyn, who has darker skin and different hair textures. I’m not going to say much more on this because it seems like this is changing based on newer episodes. That brings me to the next point,

4. It’s a VERY slow paced story

I love a story that takes its time, but damn sometimes it takes a long time to get to the development of characters, especially when there is filler arcs. For example, the whole thing with Seoha’s little brother, I personally can’t see what that arc was supposed to be about, especially since they doesn’t show back up after that. This is just something I can’t handle, it may not the same for everyone though.

5. The fact that the majority of the Problems in the story was dealt with a fight.

I get it , it’s an action webtoon, but the episodes where they aren’t fighting hit more emotionally and have more influence in the story that the ones they are. I believe the exception to this is the very beginning of the story when Ijin was beating up Dayeons bullies.

Those are all the points that I can think of now apart from some gripes with the art, but I honestly believe that it doesn’t change the impact that this story leaves in my brain. If y’all have any more things y’all want to add or If you disagree feel free to tell me! I love when y’all interact with my rants, especially you heelys4feelys, I love your responses.

[shroudkeeper]

“Amanokaze, tonight I ask for your strength.

Father once told me, that a pure sword needs a pure soul without ill intent, you repeated those words to me after Hayate, your own brother, gifted me blades meant to sever ..no, to protect me from mortal men.

I never intended to use it to end a life. Now I hold it in my hands, feel how heavy the burden is as the thought of using it against someone I considered family. How did we end up in this very moment, staring into the abyss together, both existing in a world bred by horrors where darkness has been our only comfort.

You were not always honorable, you paved the path for your clan, our clan. Your blade is renowned for spilling the blood of your foes into the crevices of the stone paths under your feet. You did so without qualms, for the sake of our family, it was your duty and you executed it with pride.

What I failed to see, that underlying it all, deep within the calm sea that made up your soul, was a storm swirling, birthing a typhoon. I never imagined that one day.. it was your face that I would dream about.

That my heart would hold no love for you and the emptiness I feel was fated. I never desired this.

To be present when your life thread is cut.

“I knew that you would appear for those who found nirvana at the end of my blade, did you sense them? The souls screaming for release in their corpses? The men and women sacrificed themselves to sate my boredom, I tasted their rancid flesh until I had no use of them.”

Haunting words came from a familiar voice. Behind it was the beautiful, resonating sound of steel being tapped against the stone path. I made out his tall silhouette even in the embrace of the shadows, emerging past the curtain of smoke slithering from the grates at his feet. His eyes were calm, but beyond them was a stranger's gaze, unfamiliar and hungry.

He did not sheathe his weapon, instead, it was left brandished for me to see, to know of his intentions, the severity of the words that came next.

“The oyabun turned his back on me, my own brother threatened to end my life, and even the Seikiseigumi, who are in our pockets, decided to give chase. But you wouldn't dare abandon me too, would you, knowing that your little secret could ruin you, and your family. I spared your father's suffering.. for this moment.”

Anger swelled inside my chest, similar to the day I uncovered your deceit. The blade trembled in my hand, I couldn't sign my disapproval, but he must have seen how my features contorted the longer he spoke. The venom he spilled poisoned any sympathy I had left in my heart. He laughed, but all I could hear was my grip tightening against the tsuka ito.

“Let us return together, your little ijin is gone, and we can forget this aggravating chain of events ever took place. and return to playing your role as the future wife to our clan, and set our plans into motion..”

Plans?

There was tension building between my shoulder blades at the sight unfolding before me, the madness found in his smile, spreading from one end of his horn to the other; he was almost unrecognizable under the stark light of the moon lancing from the cloudless heavens.

[todayisafridaynight]

I've been in my feelings about Jo and Aoki's last interactions for a bit...

Because that whole scene is textbook verbal abuse, right... Aoki is very clearly trying to tear Jo's self-esteem and bolster his own, establish control, all that, and Jo just has to stand there meekly and take it. All because Jo's disobeyed one too many times and Aoki needs someone he knows he can control to head the Tokyo Omi Alliance.

Like Jo says he's never disobeyed Aoki except in that one instance, but not handling things himself at Otohime Land was very much his way of giving Ichi an out indirectly, and I feel like Aoki was beginning to catch on based on his comments about Jo neglecting the situation and acting strangely. Directly refusing his orders just confirmed his suspicions.

It's kind of lost among all the bombshells dropped in Chapter 13, but Jo's hesitance to kill anyone who's important to Arakawa is a big deal to me. It's not like he had any personal ties to Hoshino or any investment in maintaining the balance of the Ijin Three whatsoever; he went to those lengths to set himself up to be stopped because Arakawa wouldn't want Hoshino to die and that was it.

To return to the scene, I think it's also a great demonstration of Aoki's "those who use and those who get used" mentality. This next thing is... pretty badly mistranslated, at least in the subs, so it was lost on me for a while. But before the Lost Puppy line, the specific way Aoki chooses to downplay Jo's merit is by telling him he only got to his position because everyone was so sensitive to his (Aoki's) feelings and could tell he favored Jo, following him around like a lost puppy being precisely why Aoki favored him.

I don't think that was all there was to it, of course. Dude was five and deliberately brings Jo wherever he goes to this day by choice. It's kind of like those guys who get rejected once and start going on tirades about how "she should've been grateful, she was ugly anyway." But that's what Aoki wants to portray--you only had it that good because of me, and I can take it away whenever I want. Whenever you're no longer of use. Anything to preserve his status as the user and Jo's as the used.

Jo's crossed the line at this point. He is no longer of use. He does kind of get into it so that takes the edge off my frustration with The English Language, but from this point onward, he believes Aoki sees him as a "bullet"--a hitman only sent on suicide missions. So despite everything he's done for him, despite being "the favorite," he knows full well Aoki's trying to kill him before Aoki even gives Ishioda the order. And... he accepts it.

So TO GO FROM THAT to having to reconcile in prison would've been so much powerful than what the ending was trying to do. Having to come to terms with the fact you killed one of the only people who saw you for who you were and truly cared about you, were going to kill the other two, and have abused all three from the moment you realized you had power over them. And for Jo, going through everything he went through because of Aoki and loving him without question anyway... Getting to express that in some small way... I need to lie down...

ALSO tattoo essay... later... maybe tomorrow... I mainly just feel like I sound extremely mean about rggtattoos' take😭😭😭but the show must go on

YEAH NO THAT'S IT ALL FAX NO PRINTER NO EXTRA NOTES NECESSARY

It'd be the fact that Aoki'd have no choice but to confront those decisions he made and those things he wanted to happen. he'd made a social circle for himself where people predominantly liked him for the power and influence he had and totally turned his back on the people who- awfully ironically as he wanted- loved him for him

He'd already smoothed things over with Ichi, so- by his own hand- all that was left was Jo, the person he'd taken for granted the most next to Arakawa and who he planned to have executed alongside him. Jo's got every right to not forgive Aoki and to push him away, let each other rot in prison ignoring each other. So it's the worst feeling when Jo doesn't do that- its impossible for me not to imagine Jo wondering about what happened for Aoki to get so banged up if he's brought into prison the same night, and making sure Aoki's okay despite it.

Whereas Ichi was more upfront about his love and even frustrated about it ('frustrated' in that 'how could Aoki be so blind not to see how much care there is for him from us'), the breaking part about Jo is that he's forced himself to be so careful about showing his affection. Ichi's love was borderline irritating for how apparent it was: Jo's could have easily been written off or ignored.

All of that said, prison is where Aoki would be forced to realize that Jo does love him like Ichi said he does; there's no reason to keep up appearance or kiss up anymore- Aoki doesn't have any use to Jo anymore (if Aoki chose to interpret Jo's loyalties as a stepping stone to promote himself), and there's certainly no where else to run. It's probably that dawning moment that's gotta be so. Oh God What The Fuck. Like it's a sobering moment for him to go 'What have I been doing this whole time/what have I done to everyone', as corny as it sounds

[heelys4feelys]

i was rereading chapters 30/31 of teenage mercenary, and i need to talk about something yuna's grandpa said. so hamchan and his squadron are trapped somewhere and could die and this guy tells ijin not to get involved, because "he has a family now". but what he doesn't know, or understand, is that while ijin now has dayun and his grandpa, the lieutenant and his men are also his family. it's just a different family, but i think the flashbacks in chapter 31, the parallels between the soldiers teasing ijin with familiarity and dayun and their grandpa waiting for him, hamchan saying dayun is also his little sister in chapter 30, all that tells us that they are a family. a found family if you will. ijin has two families, even if one doesn't know about the other.

Yes yes yes! Ijin cares about the Hamchan and the rest of the squadron so much! I want so bad for there to be a chapter where Ijin gets to see all them again and catch up on everything that's happened. He's like the squadron's little brother despite being able to kick all their asses lol

Also, not only do the examples you mentioned support Ijin viewing the squadron as family, but so does the responses his grandfather and Hamchan give after Ijin expresses that they're important to him.

Ch. 31

Ch 34

It’s the “I don’t take your affection for granted”, the implied “You’re important to me too” and how until just over six months ago Ijin only had himself to rely on and now there’s a plethora of people who love and care for him.

There's also chapter 46 where Ijin is hanging onto the roof of the kidnappers' car and we get a flashback of him talking to Hamchan about what makes someone family and what people are willing to do for their family.

It's right after this that we see Ijin strengthen his resolve to save the director (who he has just learned is Hamchan's fiancé). He grits his teeth, hangs on tighter, and tries to kick in the window not just because it's his duty as a bodyguard, but because she is a precious person to Hamchan. Ijin is willing to put his life at greater risk because Hamchan is family to him and will do whatever it takes to protect those important to him as well.

Bonus: Ijin being happy when he hears the squadron on the phone in chapter 34

[bi-naesala]

A well-earned break

Fandom: Yakuza

Rating: E

Warnings: /

Relationships: Han Joon-gi/Zhao Tianyou, Kim Yeonsu/Zhao Tianyou

Characters: Zhao Tianyou, Han Joon-gi, Kim Yeonsu 

Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Quickies, Blow Jobs, Nonbinary Zhao Tianyou 

Summary: 

Zhao takes advantage of a break during an Ijin Three meeting to have some fun with Joon-Gi Han.

(Also on AO3)

It’s during situations like this one that his father’s words echo in Zhao’s head: he has no patience, which is a bad trait for a leader. Well, guess what, pops? He is a bad leader, and no working on his flaws will ever fix that, even if he were willing to try it.

Though, he supposes, if he were more patient, maybe this meeting wouldn’t be so excruciatingly fucking boring. This isn’t even Liumang business per se, but more like something that the Geomijul and the Seiryu clan should’ve been able to solve between them, but politics are politics and Zhao, as much as he doesn’t want to be there, isn’t so foolish not to remain, lest they disrupt the carefully crafted equilibrium between the Ijin Three.

Still, if there was a way to make things less boring, they surely wouldn’t be upset about it…

Taking advantage of a well-earned break, he goes to hang in the lounge with some of their boys, as well as members of the Seiryu clan and the Geomijul, when a stupid idea comes to him. It’s not mortal - because Zhao’s aware that, if he dies here, it would mean war - but it could still be dangerous, which in their humble opinion makes it even more alluring.

He scouts his surroundings, and he’s surprised to see that the person he’s looking for is actually here, which is weird because he’d usually be attached to Seong-hui during times like this, but Seong-hui isn’t here.

Oh well, it’ll be easier for him to approach him at least, which he does immediately.

 “Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that Joon-gi Han? Shrinking from his errand boy duties?”

If Zhao has managed to get a rise out of the other, there is no sign of it on his face. Stoic son of a bitch.

“Zhao-san,” he greets him, in that usual polite tone of his, lightly bowing his head.

“C’mon Han-kun, there’s no need to be so formal,” Zhao states; after all, his dislike for this kind of stuff is well known.

“Nonetheless, hierarchy exists for a reason, and it would be uncouth of me not to respect it,” Joon-gi replies, though he quickly adds, “And to answer your previous question, no, I’m not ‘shrinking’ from my duties. I’m exactly where I need to be.”

Cryptic answers are Han’s specialty, but at least it’s enough for Zhao to understand that, whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it under Seong-Hui’s orders. Interesting.

“Then I suppose I couldn’t steal some of your time?” they ask, exaggerating his innocent demeanor so that he’ll make Han suspicious.

It works: Han narrows his eyes at him, though no matter how hard he’s trying to keep a neutral demeanor, Zhao can see through his bullshit. He knows he’s intrigued. If Zhao has picked on the signs correctly - and they usually do - then his interest for the other is reciprocated - and how could it not be? They’re both quite attractive after all.

“What for?” Han asks, and yet he hasn’t explicitly said no. If Zhao had felt like showing all his cards, he would’ve smirked at that.

They take a step closer. “Don’t you think this meeting’s boring? Personally, I hate that we’re stuck in here at least for another hour,” he says.

Joon-gi Han doesn’t say anything, but he raises an eyebrow at him, a silent invite to continue.

“Well, if you’re so interested, I might share the idea I’ve just had after all…”

  “I-I don’t think we should do this here,” Han suddenly mutters.

What comes out of Zhao’s lips in an amused huff. “Could’ve said it sooner, huh?”

Did he really just wait for them to get inside one of the bathroom stalls and for Zhao to drop to their knees before having second though?

“If you really don’t want to, fine, but man, what a shitty timing…”

If Han is really getting cold feet, Zhao will stop, but this doesn’t mean that he won’t be a bit sad about it - though he’ll never openly show it because that would be admitting that he’s not as above everything as he appears.

Joon-gi Han stays silent for a moment, probably thinking about the repercussions this affair will have. Always the overthinker.

His answer, though, surprises Zhao.

“Very well. Carry on.”

“W-What?” Zhao stutters, taken aback by the sudden change.

“Do I need to repeat myself?” Han asks, only to then smirk. “Unless you are the one who’s having second thoughts…”

This little…

Zhao furrows their eyebrows, and a frown appears on his face before he can stop it and keep his usual laid-back demeanor. As he reaches Han’s pants and fumbles with the belt, there’s only one thing they can think.

“I’ll show you.”

 They do indeed show him, given the way Han is barely able to keep his voice down, even going as far as to cover his mouth in order to muffle those little noises that, despite his best efforts, still come out.

Zhao isn’t perturbed by any of this shit, and keeps sucking his dick like a champ. He keeps it quite simple, only pulling a few tricks when it looks like Han’s getting used to the rhythm he’s dictating just because they want to keep him on his toes; it’s not often that he gets to see the Joon-gi Han like this, with his guard lowered, and he intends to make the most of it.

It’s an intoxicating feeling, Zhao can’t lie. The more Han loses his composure, the more addicted they feel to it.

 When Han’s hand shoots to grab their hair, Zhao knows he has him wrapped all around his finger, and so he begins to slow down, right when Han was beginning to feel close to the orgasm.

He almost smirks at the frustrated huff that he lets out, but no matter what, Zhao will not go faster than this. Well, there is something that could give them an incentive, but Han has to say it first.

“Zhao-san.”

Cute, he’s calling for him now, but unfortunately this isn’t what Zhao’s waiting for.

“Zhao-san… faster.”

Closer, but still not it.

 Taking pity on him, Zhao pulls away, gaze fixed on his face. “What’s the magic word?” they ask, pointing Han to the right direction.

At first Han remains silent, but the need to come soon takes over whatever sense of dignity or shame he must be feeling right now. Zhao almost wants to take a picture of him, to immortalize how red he’s become - and he can’t even look at him in the eyes!

“Faster… please…”

“That wasn’t so hard, wasn’t it?” Zhao teases him, though he’s merciful enough to wrap their lips around Han’s dick again, sucking it way harder than he was doing before.

 Now that he’s actually putting some effort in this blowjob, Han doesn’t last long.

You’d figure that someone so intent in trying to make the least amount of noise possible would keep it that way throughout the whole ordeal, but Han half-shouts that he’s close, surprising even Zhao. He either has a secret exhibitionism kink, or Zhao must’ve driven him so mad that he’s not noticing how loud he’s being. Zhao hopes it’s the second.

Knowing that they can’t make a mess - not that he truly needs an excuse to do this - Zhao doesn’t pull away when Han comes, swallowing everything. Only then they pull away, making a show of licking his lips just to fluster Han further, succeeding of course.

The expression on his face is almost comical as he watches Zhao. Is he going to act scandalized now of all times?

In response, Zhao flashes him a smile, and that seems to get Han out of his trance, as he helps him up. Zhao’s lucky their joints don’t crack, but damn it doesn’t feel good to suddenly stand after staying on his knees for such a long time. Eh, they’re not as young as he once was; being almost thirty, he’s basically decrepit now - mental note: never say something like that near chairman Hoshino, or he might get offended or worse, he’d try to lecture them.

 “Zhao-san… Um…”

Han’s voice is enough to bring Zhao back to the present, saving him the embarrassment of going on a tangent in their head about aging. Right, he’s still in the bathroom with him.

He recovers immediately, diverting Han’s attention by lightly patting on his cheek. “So? Good, huh?”

“I fear saying so will only succeed in further boosting your ego,” Han replies, matter-of-factly as always. “But… it was.”

“Aw, thank you Han-kun~” Zhao replies, purposefully standing way too close to Han than he should, just to elicit another reaction out of him, but he wasn’t expecting Han to grab them by the neck and draw him for a deep kiss. They can’t help but to let out a noise of surprise, which cause Han to smile against his lips, but oh well, it’s not like Zhao can complain about it.

Wouldn’t you know it, not only he has a nice dick, but he’s also a good kisser.

 As much as Zhao would love to spend whatever time they have left here, kissing Han and maybe going back to do something more, he knows that he has a duty to attend to, no matter how much they don’t want to do it, so he has to unfortunately pull away from those sweet, sweet lips.

“Well, as much as I’d love to stay here, we should go back,” they say, then. Han nods, but it’s hard for Zhao to understand how he feels about it; he hopes he’s going to miss this closeness too.

“Yes, Zhao-san. It would be wise to join back with the others.”

 After getting out of the bathroom, Zhao still attempts to make some small talk, because lord forbids he keeps their mouth shut for once.

“You know, you don’t have to call me Zhao-san all formal like that, especially while I suck you off. Makes me feel older than I actually am.”

“Even if I wanted to, I cannot,” Han replies. “I have to respect the chain of command, no matter what.”

“Didn’t see you thinking about that back there,” Zhao teases him, pointing to the bathroom with their head. He almost laughs at the offended expression on Han’s face at his words.

“Well…” the other begins, clearly trying to find a clever comeback. “That was an exception,” is what he comes up with, before beginning to walk away.

If he walks faster, they might be able to keep up with him, running after him like a schoolgirl with her senpai isn’t something Zhao would do, so he stays behind.

“Oh, come on, don’t act like a child!” they shout after him, but Han doesn’t stop his tracks, not that Zhao expected him to do so.

“Well, that was fun anyway! Call me if you want to do it again!” he adds, then, but this time as well he gets no reaction from Han, though they notice that his step falters just for a moment, so he must’ve breached through.

 After this nice diversion, unfortunately they have to head back to the meeting, but now his mind feels lighter at least. He’ll be able to handle another few hours of this bullshit.

And so they settle down at the business table and lets Seong-hui and Hoshino discuss what they need to discuss, all while his mind is pleasantly blank, focused only on remembering the sweet sounds that Joon-gi Han made while their lips were wrapped up around his cock.

Man, that was fun. The only downside is that he won’t be able to brag about it, because if word goes around of what happened, both his and Han’s reputations would suffer from it. Oh well, at least he can be internally proud of himself.

 They wonder if Han will ever be willing to repeat the experience; as for him, he knows for a fact that he’d love to do it again, and maybe even beyond a hushed blowjob inside a toilet stall.

Oh well, he won’t get an answer just wondering about it, but they’re not worried about that, because of course he’ll try to ask Han again - see, having no sense of shame does help in life!

Despite their effort, he can’t contain a small smirk on his lips, though they’re quick to cover it with his mouth, pretending he’s pondering on what is being discussed.

 This is going to be so much fun.

[eyesofsteelandsky]

Too Good To Pass Up

First in a series of story posts related to an on-going effort to restore Brem’s eye. Includes violence and blood. Future stories will have a LOT more of both.

The crunch of sand under the heavy, pacing bootfalls had almost withered its way into being as much white noise as the occasional lapping of the mild tide in the long stretch of waiting. Several well-worn lines and circular trails around the heavy crate she had been watching over marked Brem’s impatient path. Even with the more frequent visits and having been in the area for the better part of a week now, the East’s winds and seas didn’t bring that same feeling of home as the sandy beaches of La Noscea. As she was settling into the internal debate if they were the comforts of a stranger, or simply she was the stranger in someone else’s comforts, a familiar pudgy figure called out from the tunnel into the small cove.

“Miss Abylnpfefwyb! I’m so glad to see you learned punctuality since our first meeting! And I do see you came alone as well. Were it that everyone in our business that could take instruction so well.” The bespeckled Hingashi hyur made his way forward from that cave passage, waving at those behind him to start filtering in. An entourage including a handful of muscle, some set with swords on their hips and others with long rifles. The last threw were a pair escorting a thinly, if particularly tall woman in cuffs. Though the woman’s long hair hung over most of her face, there were still clearly a few bruises over the visible portions of her cheeks. “I do believe you’ll find that the merchandise is exactly what you asked for. I do hope my.. adjustment in payment wasn’t too demanding.”

“I wouldn’t want you walking away from this thinking I didn’t respect you, Kubo. Like the obvious respect your rather extensive negotiation assistants clearly represents for me.” One of the sea wolf’s gloved hands grips the front of the crate she had been pacing around for so long, letting it crash forward firmly enough to erase much of her trail from the sand. A faint blue glow illuminates the machinery with, as well as the pair of tanks at the back end. “One Garlean magitek engine and enough ceruleum to get any prospective magitek business’s R&D going. Though as far as I can tell what you’ve brought is a tall woman with a black eye..” The Hingan man’s smile stretched so broad it threatened to chase his hairline even further into retreat as he snapped his fingers to have the captive brought forward. Once the muscled pair had her close enough to present they forced her to hunch forward so Kubo could raise his hand to push her hair up and out of the way, revealing the Garlean third eye in her forehead. “I believe you’ll find she has two entirely untouched eyes, even if the one looks more like a clam spit it into her head. “May I present Fulcinia lux Protus. Or is the ‘lux’ reserved for those who aren’t traitors to the empire? Ijin naming habits are so hard to keep track of..” The woman in question turns the eye that isn’t swollen shut or in the middle of her forehead out Brem’s way, but it’s clear any desire to resist had already been beaten out of her.

“Looks like short of tossing an Allagan puzzle for her to solve at your feet, I’ll have to take your word on it. I -am- rather disappointed that you’re asking full price for damaged goods.” Several heavy strides draw her pointedly away from the crated engine, with one hand waved back towards the man’s payment. “Though seeing as I can’t imagine paying with most of an engine is going to work, perhaps you’ll consider a friendly discount the next time we do business?”

“Oh, of course, of course. We’ll take a bit right off the top next time, as a show of good faith. The man’s smile lingers on as he snaps his fingers again and the Garlean woman was drug over Brem’s way, with one of the burly xaela men escorting her offering the chains of the woman’s cuffs forward. “Though there is one thing I should mention, I suppose..”

“While I do so greatly appreciate the business you’ve brought me today, Miss Abylnpfefwyb, you do have to know the value of what we have here in this bay. A woman who’s made a fortune blowing Garleans out of the sky, here with a traitor and and a salvaged ship engine. Do you have any idea how much that trio of treasure would be worth, even to a fractured empire?” Kubo raised his hands and gave a loud clap, leading to several fully armored Garlean soldiers to pour through the cave tunnel into the cove, as well as the magitek whirr of several armors, predators, and vanguards activating and stepping up from the rocky ridge, and several of the true constructs walking up out of the hiding places within the waters behind the sea wolf. “And I’m afraid if I have to choose between long term business partners with an army, or a bitchy sky pirate with a superiority complex, it’s not so hard a choice. Now then, you can come peacefully or we these fine imperials can take home the obsidian we can blast you into. Your choice.”

Her fingers curl around the chain she was holding, drawing that single teal eye up from the woman she was here for to the shit-eating grin being beamed down at her by the triumphant hyur. “It’s a good trap, well sprung Kubo. Even I know better to take on everything you’ve brought with you by myself. So there’s not really any choice is there? Though I must say..” The warm leather her hand was bound in subtly tightens it’s grips over Fulcinia’s bindings once more. “There’s an important talent in our kind of negotiations. The ability to recognize the look in someone’s eye when they’ve decided to piss on a good thing. And you, Kubo, don’t hide that look well.”

Though his expression soured briefly as she spoke, eventually a laugh burst from the Hingan’s chest, waving both arms out at the overwhelming force he’d brought along with him. “And what good has that ‘talent’ brought you, pirate cunt? You’ll leave here chained like her and I’ll be spending my imperial coin before the day is done!”

“The thing is, those who don’t hide it well usually don’t know to look for it themselves.” A swift yank sent the bound Garlean flying past her to land face-first into the sand as aether went ripping around the pale pirate’s other hand, eventually forming a spear that went flying towards the engine and it’s crate, landing in a pipe that fed the ceruleum tanks into the engine. Immediately after she flung herself on top of Fulcinia and immediately forcing the aether around her into plate after plate to drop onto the pair. 

A few stray rounds from Kubo’s riflemen made it past the initial defense, one even tore into the roegadyn’s shoulder, but as she’s finishing the cocoon of protection the magical spear she’d flung erupts into flame, rushing into the pair of tanks. There’s a brief hiss of build up before the engine and its fuel supply violently burst, catching the swordsmen rushing forward in the explosion while the concussive wave slams into the rest of the crowd within the enclosed cove, knocking a few unconscious outright while others are simply sent flying backwards onto the ground. 

With the signal sent and received, the roar of an airship’s engine announces the presence of the pirate’s vessel only moments before it rose into view from its hiding place among several several sea vessels. The First Mate was already shouting the command to fire as the heavy Garlean machinery on the ridge tries to whip around and chase the mobile arial target, catching each in a steady stream of cannon fire. Shouts of retreat from both Kobu’s men and their Garlean cohorts sounded almost immediately, though it wasn’t slowing the fire from the ship above.

Though the heavy aether around them distorted the sound, the shift in the battle, it was enough to get Brem to drop the spell and yank the chained Garlean up with her. “You want out of this alive? You come with me.” The intensity of her rushed words, half of a metal face, and the battle raging yalms away was enough to get a bobbly-headed nod from the shell-shocked woman as the pair rushed past the burning wreckage of the engine crate. With one arm wrapped around Fulcinia’s core as best she could manage, the roegadyn flung the other upward with another ripple of aether, launching the familiar shape of a frog tongue up to an anchor built onto the side of her ship. As soon as the magical shape tried to pull back, the anchor itself whirred to life and instead yanked back with equal force so that the sea wolf and her ‘cargo’ were hauled rapidly skyward, tumbling out onto the main deck of her airship.

“Welcome aboard, Cap’n! Orders?” The bright faced First Mate flashed that energetic and occasionally frustrating grin down to the bleeding pile of roegadyn.

There’s a snarl as she hauled herself up to her feet, motioning down to Fulcinia. “Get her below deck, keep someone with her and get that eye looked at.” Stalking over to the weapon rack on a nearby wall she yanked a long rifle free, stepping to the edge of the deck to raise it. Aiming one-eyed always had it’s challenges, but hours of practice and a burning pit of fury in her stomach steadied her hand. One loud crack of gunpowder and the paunchiest of the figure’s fleeing the beach collapsed just short of the tunnel out, blood flowing readily from the freshly formed hole in his throat. “Get us the fuck out of her. Once she’s cleaned up, me and my ‘guest’ are takin’ the ‘cutter. You need to get the ship back to home port before the Garleans start swarmin’.”

[endangered-liaison]

38 Fleur?

38: What recharges them when they’re feeling drained?

Sleep. :P

More seriously, though - Fleur is at her happiest when she’s able to go on walks. Since coming to Kugane years ago, those walks have tended to be within city limits - she IS still considered Ijin, after all, so she’s not able to explore most of the rest of the island. Walking through the town, exploring its alleyways and its markets, smelling the food and the perfume and seeing the clothes and goods from across Eorzea. Buying flowers - she used to pick them herself most of the time, but in Kugane it’s hard to find more flowers for her to pick than there are in her little window garden she has in her apartment. She finds peace in tending to that little garden, too (though with her current work in Eorzea, she gave them away to another member of her Clan. They would die without her tending to them, and that would break her heart when she returns).

But sometimes, the desire to be outside of city walls gets too strong, and she follows smuggler’s routes, or pays off a guard or three. By this point, she’s walked and explored a good portion of Hingashi, evading people and guards and Sekiseigumi. Just to taste nature. To walk amongst long grass, and run her hand over trees, and to pick wild flowers and braid them into her hair.

She supposes that’s one advantage of Eorzea, while she’s here. She doesn’t need to pay anyone off to be able to walk amongst nature. And there is so much more for her to see. So much more for her to explore.

Walking in the Shroud has become a new favourite pasttime, whenever her leads have taken her inland and away from Limsa Lominsa. It’s a crowded woodland, where you always feel like you’re being watched and followed. No wonder she feels right at home there.

[so-sures-blog]

So … is he?

[I thought of this while showering at midnight, then wrote the whole thing in the next three hours on a school night.]

You're really gonna tell me they don't have the same eyes?

***

It always started as a question before it snowballs into something more.

“Dayeon, can we ask you a question?”

Dayeon turned to see 008 and 018 standing behind her. She smiled, trying to seem as open and friendly as possible. The Numbers were nice to her — intimidating in general — but indifferent to her mostly. They mostly kept to themselves and didn’t approach her often, but when they did she tried to be as genuine as possible. Ijin saw them as family and trusted them, so that meant Dayeon cared about them too.

“Yeah, what is it?” She asked 008, who was the one who spoke first.

The man — giant really, because Dayeon had to crane her head all the way up to look at him — shifted his feet, appearing oddly uncomfortable. 018 crossed his arms, defensive and avoiding her eyes.

“Well, 018 and I were discussing about 001 and his normal life — how he’s interacting with normal people his own age and —”

“Oh my God,” 018 interrupted, rolling his eyes. “We wanted to ask, is he gay?”

Dayeon choked and did a double-take. “What? No, he’s not. Why would you say that?”

“Because he has girls literally hanging off him and he doesn’t even notice! No guy would ever act like that unless he’s gay.”

“He’s not gay, just oblivious! This is the first time that he’s interacting with normal girls his age — he’s totally clueless when it comes to romance!” Dayeon argues back.

“Are you sure? Even if he’s oblivious he’s sure to pick up the cues of a girl liking him. He was literally trained to read body language,” 018 pointed out.

Dayeon pauses; that was actually a good point. She thought of all the times Yeona’s crush was painfully obvious. Was Ijin actually oblivious, or was he faking it? “Still, it's not like there were any girls that were interested in him back in the Camp for him to pick up signs; he was nine years old and all he was focused on was surviving.”

“Yeah, but so was 032 and he still —” 008 smacked 018 and he quickly stopped talking.

“What are you talking about?” 016 materialized behind her and Dayeon jumped; she didn’t even hear him coming.

“We’re asking her if 001 is gay,” 018 interjects bluntly before she can open her mouth.

“Is he?” 016 raised a brow. “I mean, it would certainly explain why he doesn’t notice all those girls.”

“Thank you,” 018 guestured to 016 empathetically.

“No, he’s not!” Dayeon said. “He’s shown no interest in guys!”

“If 001 has all those pretty girls hanging off of him and doesn’t have a girlfriend by now then he really is gay. Even if he’s oblivious he would notice someone taking an interest in him.” 016 pointed out.

“That’s because he isn’t even interested in romance. He’s more focused on his family and living his normal life. Besides, he isn’t really … emotionally available, if you know what I mean.” Dayeon winced, trying to phrase Ijin’s decade of trauma as delicately as possible.

“Oh, but 032 is?”

“What?”

“Nothing,” 016 dismissed immediately.

“Alright then. If you want to know so bad, I’ll just ask him myself,” Dayeon said. She turned around and scanned the area, taking note of where everyone was. 002 was off to the side restocking the supplies while 004 was beside him, cleaning his knife. 006 and 032 were settled down across the camp having lunch. She spotted her brother on the other side of the clearing.

Dayeon walked up to Ijin, who was busy organizing his guns.

“Ijin, can I ask you a question?” She asked, adopting an innocent expression. Her brother looked up before smiling that small, sweet genuine smile he always saved for her. For a moment, Dayeon almost felt a bit guilty before she shoved it away.

“Of course. What is it?”

Dayeon plopped to the ground beside him before taking a deep breath and saying —

“Ijin, are you gay?”

On the other side of the clearing, 006 spat out his drink.

“W-What?” Ijin looked startled at the question.

“Are you gay?” Dayeon repeated calmly. Vaguely, she can hear the sounds of 032 choking on his food and the thwack, thwack, thwack, of 006 smacking his back to clear his throat.

“N-No …?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes …?”

“Alright! Just wanted to know!” Dayeon said brightly before kissing his cheek and walking away. She could feel the eyes of all the other Numbers burning into her back and she tosses the group of 008, 018, and 016 a sweet, victorious smirk before heading to find 005.

She would find this hilarious.

[little-purple-thundercloud]

A bit about L’yhta Mahre

PLACE IN SOCIETY

✖ FINANCIAL – wealthy  / moderate / poor / in poverty

L’yhta is quite well-off thanks to her inheritance from her mentors, the sale of items she finds during adventures, and the rewards from levequests. That said, she has essentially no control over her finances, which are handled by the Tower’s majordomo, Volkido, nor does she particularly desire grand luxury. As such, she doesn’t typically have access to, nor employs, these assets, and instead lives a lifestyle of moderate means.

✖ MEDICAL – fit / moderate / sickly / disabled / disadvantaged / deceased

L’yhta naturally has a very fast metabolism, and she’s also a professional adventurer; as such, she gets a lot of exercise that keeps her quite fit. She also tends to run around a lot, even when she could just as easily walk.

✖ CLASS OR CASTE – upper / lower / middle / working / unsure

“I’m used to being feared and. Having people keep away from me.” Powerful practicing thaumaturges can parley their status into considerable class if they want to do; she has no interest in such things (and indeed tends to find class structures abhorrent due to what they’ve done to people she cares about), so in practice, she ends up being an anomaly that those who care about social class aren’t quite sure what to do about.

✖ EDUCATION – qualified / unqualified / studying

An arguably abusive training regimen, followed by the fact that magic is effectively her entire life, has given this woman broad-spanning knowledge across a variety of topics.

FAMILY

✖ MARITAL STATUS – married, happily / married, unhappily / engaged  / partnered / divorced / widow or widower / separated / single / it’s complicated

"My personal life is a, what do they call it? A trash fire, you know?” L’yhta’s current romantic situation is as a member of a poly pod, though she isn’t romantically involved with everyone in it. However, she also holds a flame for the auri girlfriend she rarely sees and the miqo’te bard that she’s not entirely sure how she feels about (and never has been). She was also briefly married, but that relationship fell apart due to disputes over her polyamorous inclinations.

✖ CHILDREN – has children / no children / wants children / adopted children

L’yhta doesn’t currently want children. Beyond the fact that she feels awkward around them, she feels children are incompatible with the life of an adventurer. She is also increasingly of the opinion that she’s incapable of having children at all, due to an ill-advised experiment in magic years ago.

✖ FAMILY – close with sibling / not close with siblings / has no siblings / siblings are deceased / it’s complicated

As she came from a tribal background, she has several siblings -- five sisters and a brother. Her brother is currently the nunh of that tribe; her sisters view her with anything from naked contempt for abandoning the tribe to benign distaste for "not being useful.” That her skill in magic obviates the need to be skilled at hunting with a bow or chopping down trees is lost on them, or perhaps they’re just jealous.

✖ AFFILIATION – orphaned / adopted / disowned / raised by both parents / other

L’yhta was raised within a tribe, and she looked up her father with considerable hero worship. Unfortunately, he died shortly after the Calamity (at the hands of her older brother, no less), and her mother perished a few years later. She’s collected father figures since then -- most notably her mentor in magic, Robert Fletcher, and the Voice of the Tower, Eamont Desormaux.

TRAITS & TENDENCIES

✖ disorganized / organised / in between

Her lab area and notes, and indeed anything involving magic, are meticulously organized. As for the rest of her world -- well, there’s a reason Volkido has a maid clean her apartment daily, and as of yet her partners have yet to complain too vociferously about smallclothes and plates lying in random places around the house.

✖ close-minded / open-minded / in between

L’yhta can be extremely close-minded about certain things (religious zealotry, nobility, class structures, and harming others), but outside of those areas, she’s quite open-minded and accepting of other approaches and ways of life.

✖ cautious / reckless / in between

If there’s a ruin to be scaled or a cave to be plumbed, she’ll already be up or down it before anyone can voice opposition. She does show caution in some instances, in which case you know she’s pretty scared.

✖ patient / impatient / in between

The longer she has to wait for people to plan a course of action, the more fidgety she gets. This is a mage who thrives on action and doesn’t want to wait! She can be patient when it comes to things that require patience (such as alchemy), but she’ll be jumping to something else to stay occupied while the time passes.

✖ outspoken / reserved / in between

While she’s gotten better at holding her tongue over the years, L’yhta is a Big, Open Personality who largely isn’t afraid to speak her mind (unless she’s afraid it’ll wreck one of her relationships).

✖ leader / follower / in between

As much as she proclaims that she’s a terrible leader and she should never be followed, her knowledge combined with her personality put her at the forefront of most situations, and she’s always ready to take charge.

✖ sympathetic / unsympathetic / in between

“Ever since I have known you, you have never lived for yourself.” One could say that L’yhta suffers the Curse of Empathy -- she cares deeply about everyone’s feelings, even that of the world as a whole, and will readily shove any issues she has aside to take care of others.

✖ optimistic / pessimistic / in between

L’yhta is optimistic about the world as a whole; she truly believes that Good will ultimately triumph over Evil, that there will always be Lights in the Darkness, and that Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love will win the day. That said, she’s deeply pessimistic about herself and her life, largely feeling like she’s a walking disaster that ruins everything she’s near and that she’s never strong enough, never smart enough, never fast enough, and never wise enough to be a positive in others’ lives.

✖ hardworking / lazy / in between

Throwing herself into her work is one of L’yhta’s primary coping mechanisms for stress and her constant depression and inferiority complex, but even outside of that, she’s driven to improve the state of the Art.

✖ cultured / uncultured / in between

"Oh! And I’m her uncultured ijin girlfriend, you know? It’s great to meet you!” L’yhta has never found much value in “high culture.” This is not the miqo’te to ask about which spoon to use or how best to greet a Hingan noble.

✖ loyal / disloyal / in between

When she feels she has let someone down, L’yhta beats herself up about it. She’s tremendously loyal to everyone she knows, or at least tries to be; when she fails to live up to that ideal in any way, she tends to spiral into self-hatred.

✖ faithful / unfaithful / in between

Romantically, L’yhta has been unfaithful before, and it’s a sore spot that she flagellates herself now and then. She takes great pains now to be exceedingly careful about anything that might even be perceived as being unfaithful, to the extent that her partners sometimes think she’s too cautious.

Religiously, she has a deep devotion to her conception of the Mothercrystal, which to her represents the source of the Lifestream and all aether in the world. For her, protecting the children of the Crystal is a duty -- one she takes on gladly.

SEXUALITY & ROMANTIC INCLINATION

✖ SEXUALITY – heterosexual / homosexual / bisexual / asexual / pansexual / omnisexual / demisexual

L’yhta identifies as bisexual, but in reality, she’s closer to polysexual.

✖ SEX – sex repulsed / sex neutral / sex favorable

✖ ROMANCE – romance repulsed / romance neutral / romance favorable

✖ SEXUALLY – sexually adventurous / sex experienced / naive / inexperienced / curious / uninterested

L’yhta really enjoys sex, yes, but she also heavily compartmentalizes. As such, if her mind isn’t on fooling around, she typically will appear entirely uninterested and not even pick up on innuendo. More than once she’s been talking about magic theory and entirely ignoring the obvious Fuck Me Eyes she’s getting.

ABILITIES

✖ COMBAT SKILLS – excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

While she’s not especially dangerous in melee, L’yhta is an extremely talented and experienced combat mage and adventurer with a keen eye for small group tactics.

✖ LITERACY SKILLS – excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

L’yhta will be the first to say that she’s not especially talented at linguistics, despite being conversationally capable in Hingan, Doman, Belah’dian, and Mhachi; being able to read Nymian and Amdaporian; and being marginally skilled at translating Allagan. It’s probably more fair to say that outside of learning languages well enough to be able to use them for magic or singing, her linguistic skills are iffy at best, and that’s mostly because she’s easily distracted from exercising them.

✖ ARTISTIC SKILLS – excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

L’yhta can sing and dance (ballet and ballroom) with reasonable amateur competency. She can also draw circles and other arcane geometries freehand, though she doesn’t consider this an artistic skill so much as a magickal one that every arcanist or esoterica researcher must be able to do.

✖ TECHNICAL SKILLS – excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

Within the area of magic, L’yhta has incredibly advanced technical skills that enable her to create new spells and cheat reality (and the Reaper). Outside of that area, her skills are laughably poor. She can barely turn on magitek devices, can only cook a few simple dishes, and doesn’t really understand the principles of teknology.

Tagged by: @mercermachines​, thank you! :)

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do it! I’m late to this particular party, I know.

[thanidiel]

Prompt One: Imposter

Zhen Jian.

甄健

Ken Ken?

Shin Ken?

No.

Too close.

Perhaps…

陶工健

Toko Takeshi?

Almost there.

陶工武

Toko Takeshi.

Toh-koh Ta-keh-shi.

It sounded so harsh to say - the syllables pushed out spitting from his mouth with rolling blows of his tongue. Nothing like the soft wind of ‘jhen chien’ gently eased out from under his teeth in twin breezes.

Parallel, in a way, like Earth and Sky.

Which meant it was fitting; opposite, in its energy, if not its meaning.

If anything were to be left intact, it ought to be the meaning.

A name is supposed to be a reflection of the spirit.

This… name manages to be both less him, and more him. It rips away the pride of his family, and then tacks on something added over the course of his life. Or… not tacked on. It is something more elegantly incorporated than that.

Takeshi.

It could be a direct translation: to be strong, healthy, of vitality. 健

It also simultaneously related to what is martial and militant. 武

It depends on whim, how you choose to transcribe it.

He has layered himself, like a curtain or blanket.

Hui would have called it an inside joke.

She always referred to the quirks of the language lessons he’d transfer down onto her after School like that. Everything written or said was either an inside joke amongst all those who spoke Hingan, or had a story woven into its elements.

He guided her hand through ‘Bei’, 貝, once, and she paused to point towards the two downward strokes, the tails that finished the stroke order. Observed to his canting head and narrowed eyes how it resembled the strings pushed through stacks of koban to hold them on your person.

It would not do good to bring old memories into this.

He stares back at himself in the little mirror the host’s daughter had offered him. This new person, new name.

His whiskers had begun to sprout free on his face ever since Garlemald had surrendered him and his. And so too, has hair atop his skull begin to droop down like long stalks of plains grasses.

There was more freedom than what had been insisted upon him in the years past. But, still, such would not be tolerated. He had felt such pleasure, just before, on the possibility of being able to grow his hair long again as their Father and Mother had, and all those before them. But such would not be, or, seemingly, ever be.

So he cut, and trims, and scrapes down all that had grew from his cheeks, and chin, and ‘round his lips until there is only his dark skin when he turns the glass here and there. And he levels his hair into the shorter fashion he remembers that Hingans seemed to prefer, from the few that would pass through or by the Consulate.

When it is all done - he looks almost as he did in the black-and-gold armour that consumed the last seven years of his life.

His hair is just an ilm longer.

And his face…

He looks more gaunt. Tired. Sunsinged.

He had not eaten well in the past moons, with the exception of this poacher’s kindness. Not that he was given good fare before his release, but he was given enough to be healthy, useful.

But does he have the important characteristics down?

...No.

He does not look very much like other Domans at all, much less Hingan.

His dzo-eyes absorbs the light unlike the reflective green he remembered them as. And his skin is like milk-tea where it ought to be white and gently hued. His crop of hair? Not nearly a dark enough brown to even somewhat pass as black.

He could pass as well as a Garlean could.

Perhaps he could fix some aspects of this after the Tithe sees him to Shishu.

Or perhaps he could disappear into Kugane.

It has to be Kugane, doesn’t it?

He could not imagine being allowed into Shishu greater, or Roshu, at that. Much less finding much of any work as ijin beyond Kugane’s walls.

At least inside, if he could fake everything else, he could say he had some uncommon heritage; a Roegadyn father and Hingan mother. He would not be the first story of that spread through the port city. And neither would they banish him for what Fate has made of his life. It rings almost preposterous that he looks towards a city of decadence for bare work and survival.

But if Doma would reject him so readily, then he would reject Doma in turn.

What is my name?

Zhen Jian. 甄健

Toko Takeshi. 陶工武

[shroudkeeper]

.rule number one.. [#08 clamor]

The streets were animated, and though it was late in the hour, it did not deter the ijin,  or many of the locals,  from continuing their celebrations down the avenue. Entertainment was everywhere, especially in the buildings that lined the streets glowing scarlet and bright. They were purposely lit for attention, to draw the ever-curious eye to glance up. Beauty was admired and paid for by those who ventured down this long street. From the near destitute who asked for alms during the day, to the most lucrative of businessmen, they were not immune to the sight of the men and women on display, enticing their eyes, and their pouch of koban. 

Fair crowned women were not often seen this far to the east, though perhaps that is what made this particular girl all the more valuable. A woman from a foreign land appeals to those who have a particular taste for diversity.  She was often found seated at the window looking out to the people that looked at the fantasy on display from behind her gilded cage. Her golden eyes had locked on to someone, a man who did not smile at her, only watched her as if studying her. Dark hair was pulled taut into a ponytail, revealing his features under the glaring light of the lanterns. The way he looked at her was different, intense, what most saw as a treat to sample, he was looking at her differently as if he recognized her..maybe. The tayū leans into the window some, attempting to get a better view of this swordsman. Never had she seen him inside the establishment before, was he truly interested in shopping around or --

CRASH! Her heart nearly leaps out of her chest as stops at mid-thought while scrambling to her feet. She pulls her kimono together and opens the shōji so suddenly that it causes a gust of wind to enter her small room. Wide eyes watched as some of the kagema wrestle down one of the clientele who had thrown the ceramic sake bottle across the wall and toppled over a few tables. There was a young oiran weeping in the arms of an older woman as the man nearly stumbled down the steps. Her kimono was drenched in sake.

“Get him out of here!” Disgruntled, the older courtesan glared as she tried to soothe the humiliated girl.

“Oh he is going to make her mad, watch out, boy,” One of the males shouted at him from the tables, flushed slightly from the sake. Rivienne shuffled out to the railing just to watch the half-dressed man take a tumble, then she recognized his face. Ah, he was one of the younger sekiseigumi guards, the scarlet of his haori was a dead give away. He was not a frequent client, from what Rivienne could tell. His brown hair was unkempt, there was the smell of alcohol permeating from him. He could not be over the age of 21 springs, from what she could gather. Sounds like someone got a little too physical with one of the girls he could not afford. A pity. The patrons watched as the drunk tried to gather himself back up, only to feel the slam of someone’s foot between his shoulder. 

Hmph! There came a sound of from the hall and Rivienne watched the door, leading to the madam’s room, swing open suddenly. The smell of perfume immediately hits the elezen like a train.

One of the rules of the brothel, which this undignified swordsman has already forgotten, was not to cause a racket. There is an audible groan from him as he pushed off the ground, only to be forced back down. His dark eyes narrowed and turned sharply to their corners, only to catch the flash of steel, the flat side of a katana. With a quick turn, the edge became dangerously close to his skin; the threat was made.

“Do you know wh--” He was on neutral ground, his rank didn’t matter. The madam of this pleasure playground immediately cuts him off. She was a hyur, smaller and lithe like a branch, but she was not a pushover and was ready to stand up to anyone, even if they towered her by a few fulms. It didn’t matter, her house, her rules. She was elderly, but she was not going to let anyone, not even some green sekiseigumi guard, throw their weight around. In a low voice, she pressed that cold steel to his warm skin.

“I suggest you leave, or I will carve my name on that baby face of yours. I am sure your superiors will enjoy knowing how disrespectful you were.” The old woman gave his rear end a swift kick to send him on his way to the door.

[willow-of-hingashi]

Wretched [RP]

(( Rating: PG-13 ))

(( Trigger Warning: Mentions of domestic violence, mentions of alcohol abuse, implied drug abuse, and crude language. )) (( Genre: Slice of Life, Angst ))

(( Cast: Emmaline Ibori of @the-firetouched​ and Nobuyuki Ienaka ))

Emmaline Ibori is late. A frustrating twinge of anxiety reminds her of this fact, and yet it feels separate from her body. Her clothes are rain-spattered; her face, wan. The tightly coiled hair is beginning to fall in her face in flat, frizzy curls. But her eyes betray nothing at all. They are frozen amber. She will freeze herself out, if she must. >> Emmaline Ibori | But she is here now, she realizes, and she cannot do what cowards do, which is run. She knocks on the door with gloved hands; the gloves do not match. Her knuckles tingle. In one hand, she clenches the blossoms Nobu had gifted her. She takes a breath to speak, but there aren't any words she can say without choking. So she waits in stony silence. Uncertain.

Nobuyuki Ienaka had been pacing, occasional glimpses cast towards the chronometer. He kept the food warm in the oven before he could add the finishing touches, as he'd wanted to do just before Emma had arrived. However, she was late. As he fret, the rain hammered against his windows. She was usually just on time, like her himself would be, obsessed with being punctual. However, this made him worry. Had she gotten lost? She's been here many a time before. Had she been attacked? Surely, she could fend them >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | off, yet. . . a knock sounds at the door finally. He scurried over in his kimono, tabi-covered feet padding against the wooden floor. He was quick to unlock the door and peer outside. "Emma?" His voice froze uncharacteristically for a second. "Kami, you're /drenched/. . . come inside. I'll fetch some towels for you. . ." He stepped back, giving her a wide amount of room.

Emmaline Ibori steps inside. Her brain, semi on autopilot, remembers to take off her boots. Especially in his well-kept apartment. Only when Nobu makes mention of the soaked clothes on her skin does she realize she has been clenching her teeth against the cold. A coat was wrapped around her waist (useless, now), but at the time, she didn't think she'd ever need it...>> Emmaline Ibori feels incapable of speech, but now that she's here, the words feel like they'll garrote her if she stays silent. "Sorry," she says. Her voice sounds low and stilted. "It's. Uh. It's...over. I think. My da. I don't think...I don't think I killed him, I. Don't. Uh." She turns away at once to hide the heated tears forming against her will.

Nobuyuki Ienaka was in the process of turning to retrieve towels after ensuring Emma was safe. Her words contradicted his thoughts. He squinted for a moment before blinking. ". . . what?" He'd almost forgotten to use Common in the time it took for him to register the words. "Killed. . ." The word is subconsciously bitter in his voice. As if against his will, his short brows knitted together. "What did he do to you?" His voice is dangerously low as he moved to shut the door behind Emma with a single motion.

Emmaline Ibori | Her eyes lock on the seam between the window and the wall. Try to be normal. She sets the blossoms carefully on the desk. They somehow survived the trip; she isn't sure how. "He couldn't do shit to me," she says, and those were not the words she expected to come out. "He's a drunk. I'm a trained marauder. He was angry like...I'd never seen it before out of him, and..." She takes a deep breath, as if to reset. >> Emmaline Ibori: "I'm home. Getting ready. He comes in through the door. I ask him, old man, ye don't look good. I say...did ye get in another fight you can't win? And sometimes he laughs. He didn't this time. This time he starts.../yellin'/. I don't even know what." A lie. Start over again. "'Yers a disgrace, yer why I'm out here alone without her.'" She waves this off. Tries to. "So. Idiot...lunges at me." >> Emmaline Ibori turns to face Nobu finally, and the fire behind her eyes is frightening. "It doesn't take much. Two punches to the face and he's on the ground. He didn't...he couldn't even /grapple/ right." She's disgusted by this and can't explain why. "So. I left."

Nobuyuki Ienaka was taken aback by the fury and pain he could see on Emma's face. Still, he was stoic, masking it. His jaw worked uncomfortably. This concept isn't foreign to him, though the most he'd gotten into with his aunt Setsuko were shouting matches his uncle Hayao was quick to diffuse. Something felt different this time. The wretched things Aunt Setsuko would speak of Emma, of ijin, paled in comparison to words that were coming from Emma's father. Emma was a stranger to Setsuko. Emma was her >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | father's daughter. His only child. "Do you. . . do you have anywhere else to stay?" That is his first thought to come to mind, before the Yellowjackets eventually dealing with it and all the court nonsense that might ensue, should charges be pressed by either of them. At the moment, he doubts it. Such situations were often kept in the shadows.

Emmaline Ibori | That was indeed the rub, wasn't it? Her shoulders rise near her ears. "I went to Syhrwyda and she said..." She puts a hand to her face, as if to hold all the pieces in, but then recoils from her own glove. "She said leave him. Said I shoulda done it a long time ago. Offered to stay with her but..." She can't be in that town anymore. "I said I'm 26, I can take care o' meself. Left him on the floor sobbin'. I did." >> Emmaline Ibori || He wouldn't come after her. He'd be too ashamed. He might finally die, she realizes, and that's enough to prompt the tears forward, even against her bared teeth. "I got nowhere, Nobu," she says, her nickname for him slipping out. "I got. Nothin. And might have less soon 'nuff."

Nobuyuki Ienaka took a slow breath, exhaling out of his nose a bit more forcefully than intended. His arms came to fold as his eyes closed. "You're not going to a shelter," he abruptly declared. "You can't just- you're not living in a shelter and then expecting to pick up random mercenary jobs. You cannot be expected to live like that." His voice was firm before his eyes opened. For a moment, he was silent. He moved towards the kitchen, added, "I need to clear out the oven before it burns." He seemed >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | frustrated, though he didn't initially make it apparent if it was with Emma or her father. But knowing him and his relationship with her, he couldn't be angry at her. Even if he didn't know her. The food lands on the table with a near slam. Lobster split in the shell jerked and crab croquettes rolled off their plate. Finally, he looked to Emma, if a bit pointedly. "And you don't have a stable job." It was more of a statement than a question. It was, at least, what he described her job as >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | an axe-for-hire. That's usually what it was, if they weren't part of the Adventurers' Guild.

Emmaline Ibori is grateful he walks away to do something productive; it gives her time to sniffle and wipe her face. The gloves come off. She tries to delicately place them where they won't make his house dirty. By her boots, most likely. Her knuckles are cracked and bloodstained. She doesn't look at them as she rubs them until they creak. Instead, she watches Nobu move -- and something in her stirs underneath the stoicism. >> Emmaline Ibori || What was it? Appreciation? Shame? A mix of both, so it must be...a kind of thankfulness. A graciousness that is impossible to wrangle. "Aye," she says to his assessment. It is fair. "I can find 'em well enough. I have /some/ savings but..." Well, to be frank, she'd been terrible about preparing for the future. In so many respects. "But yer not wrong. Do you want help?" With dinner, she gestures.

Nobuyuki Ienaka turned quite sharply to face the living room Emma was in, which was connected to the kitchen and dining room, small as it was. "You cannot just 'find them well enough', they're USING you," his words spill out. There was a sudden shift in his cloak of calmness; his fists were tightened at his sides, his brows furrowing. He didn't even respond to the offer. "You've. Been. Their TOOL. You CANNOT live as someone else's weapon. For what? Pittance?" He arms folded tightly again. "So, what will >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | you do now? Just. . . collect leves until you run out of allowances, then wait for some more? Where you could get mauled or even /die/ on jobs for someone else's errands? Is that what you want to do?" His dark eyes are solidly focused on Emma. Gradually, his shoulders relaxed. ". . . you're not going to a shelter until you can /maybe/ afford an apartment. You're staying /here/ until you get a decent job."

Emmaline Ibori has that old gut feeling -- the one where there could be trouble, like an old buried mine, if she didn't tread carefully. But it wasn't danger this time. It felt more like a weird...understanding. She can't help but wonder if he had ever felt like that. She raises her hands, to signal her acquiescence and to calm him. "Alright," she says. Her energy /readily/ flows into something to solve that isn't her whole fucking life.>> Emmaline Ibori: "You're...right." He was, even if most of her jobs weren't so bad as the Thavnair one... "It's not the most brilliant plan ever, aye. But I dun wanna be a drag on your resources either..." She feels obligated to say it, even if she'd do the same for him. "...is your Onsen hiring? Heh." It's said jokingly. But. Shit. "Jes' kiddin', I wouldn't make ye do that for me."

Nobuyuki Ienaka 's brow twitched. He looked to the floor for a moment, as if it had gravely wounded him. He was coming back down from. . . wherever he previously was for a moment there. "I- damn it, Emma. I don't want to leave you alone. Let me be selfish, okay? Let me take care of you." He turned his face away quickly, almost putting a crick in his neck. "Just so. . . just until you get your own place. This is a one bedroom apartment, but you can use everything here. J-Just don't go in my room." Slowly, >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | looked back to Emma again, his expression still stern. "You said you can bartend. We've got security out the ass so maybe you can apply to be a server. You can. . . you can tell Mina-san I referenced you, okay?"

Emmaline Ibori blinks and looks away, too, as if to provide him the privacy of his own vulnerability. But it conveniently allowed her to wrangle her own strong reaction accordingly.  "...no to your room. I can do that," she says. She smiles despite herself. It is kind of funny now, isn't it, all this...shit? It's that or cry about it. >> Emmaline Ibori: "Llymlaen's bobbles. Me as a server. Fuck, it's worth a shot," she says, and a hoarse laugh bubbles out. She wipes her nose. "It's that or, shit, I dunno. Fishin'. But fishin' got no chance of hearing you cuss," she says weakly, teasing. "Knew you had it in ye."

Nobuyuki Ienaka stiffened for a moment at Emma's words, but it was intentional, to keep a hardened exterior. "I know you're going to drag me fishing one way or another," he replied, trying to sound displeased but failing. "You could do both well enough. Minette-san does such. Hells, she won't /stop/ offering to dump fish on me." He canted his head, glancing away. "And here I got up early to buy a lobster and crabs. I'd probably curse more fishing than anything else, if we're being honest." He looked back >> Nobuyuki Ienaka | Emma intently, managing a faint smile. "Now, go eat, 'my lady'. We have things we can figure out in the morning, like a resume to fill. But none of that now. I worked hard on that lobster; I didn't spill crustacean blood on my best apron for nothing."

Emmaline Ibori laughs again at that. She likes it. She likes his weird teasing and his barb-like attempts to get back at her. "I think I like this Min," she says, smiling a little. "Alright...'m'lord.' I'll do me level best not t' leave water stains on ye furniture." She finally feels warm inside again, at least. So that was a start.