#do ninjas study physics? probably not but i make the rules here and so. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yourlocalartsonist · 11 months

Text

ROTTMNT Moths Fly In Packs - Chapter Seven

A/N: Please kill me my soul has left my body writing this god forsaken LONG ASS CHAPTER but hey it was very worth it imo. Uh sorry for the month long wait. I think the AO3 writer curse found me and my poor beta reader since shit kept happening to both of us delaying this chapter even more. But hey! It's finally out, so I hope y'all enjoy while I go lay down bye- Credit to: @sweaterrat for being my beloved beta reader! Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Chapter One

Disclaimer: Chapter involves obsessive behavior, obessive language, demeaning language, injuries, manipulation, degrading language, bullying, shaming over having emotions, panic attacks, spiraling thoughts, gross creepy motherfuckers, recorded without consent, slight physical harassment, implied verbal harassment, getting restrained, uncomfy thoughts, self-degrading language, light s*icidal thoughts, violence, and curse words. This one's a heavy chapter folks so if you're sensitive to that stuff, scroll past and stay safe!

Alright, Salena. You got this. Just remember: if you’re quick and quiet, he won’t notice you. ‘Tis the rules of ninja stealth mode, baby!

Finally back at school but am I gonna face my problems? Nope! I’ve decided to take Splinter’s advice on just doing things when I’m ready. Even though sometimes I feel like I’ll never be ready. Every time I even thought about talking to Jaiden or Zane, I’d find myself getting strangely mad. I know I’ll screw things up if I talk with a temper.

But hey! That’s not my focus right now, anyway. I’ve been searching for a good opportunity to finally meet and talk to Draxum today! It turns out the world really is fucking miniature since he works at April’s old high school - aka my current one - as that scary mean lunch aid everyone fears to death. Who knew, right? I’m hoping I can make a good impression on him today! And maybe possibly get my very own weapon but that’s totally not my first priority at all…

I already planned to skip study hall to try and sneak into the kitchen. I know that lunch is next period but Draxum gets pretty busy when he actually has to work so I'd rather not bother him during those moments. Besides, it’s May! I would’ve spent my study hall sitting there doing jackshit, anyway, so I doubt the teachers care if I’ll be missing. There’s just one hurdle to my otherwise flawless plan. The reason I’m perched up on top of the fluorescent light trying not to cry from how dirty it is up here instead of in the kitchen by now: Zane’s been tailing me all damn morning.

He and I share a study hall so not seeing me there probably prompted him to run out looking for me. Guess I can’t blame him too much, I haven’t really talked to him or Jaiden so I know he’s just worried. But my god, the dude’s more annoying than an actual hall monitor right now. I’ve lost track of how long this little cat and mouse game’s gone on.

I watched in agony waiting for Zane to pass by. He stopped, looked both ways, and turned the corner, successfully convinced I wasn’t right above him. Man, I knew parkour would come in useful someplace but never have I ever thought that place would be in school.

I victoriously hopped off the pretty bright light and bolted towards the cafeteria, checking behind me to make sure Zane didn’t come back this way. I can’t wait to finally meet Drax and get my very own weapon! I hope it’s something cool! I mean, I don’t even know how it’s supposed to be picked but holy hell I am so excited and everything’s playing out so perfectly right now I genuinely can’t believe-

“Oof!”

Of course, I accidentally ran into someone. So much for ninjocity. The poor guy fell to his knees, and rubbed his head, messing up his fluffy black hair.

“Omigosh are you okay!? I am so so so sorry!” I stepped closer to him, reaching out my hand. “Here, let me help you up.”

“Argh… yeah, thank y-“

He stopped mid-sentence, wide teal eyes staring right at me. His expression looked strange, it wasn’t happy but it wasn’t sad either. Or actually, it was a little? He’s not saying anything or moving, it seems like he’s about to simultaneously laugh and cry.

But maybe I’m reading too deep into it, he could just be in shock or something.

“Um… I hope I didn’t bump into you too hard. Are you gonna take my hand…?”

“O-oh, right, sorry! I uh… I spaced out.”

“Don’t worry, totally get that!” I laughed, pulling him to his feet. “Ya know, I don’t recognize you. Are you new here?”

“Yeah, I actually just joined today, tenth grade! My name is Ca-”

“There you are!” A hand grabbed my shoulder from behind.

“Z-Zane!?”

“I’ve been looking all over for you, Salena!” His arm wrapped around my shoulder, possessively holding me close while shooting daggers at the stranger. It doesn’t take Einstein to figure out what message he’s trying to send. “Hey there, new guy. Nice to see you again. I didn’t know you and Salena already met.”

“We just bumped into each other, that was it.” He turned towards me, his look switching back from hostile to friendly “So, it’s Salena?”

I wanted to respond but got cut off as always “Oh, getting bold now, are we? What, just because you’re new you think you’re some kind of hotshot?”

“What? No, I’m literally just talking.”

“I know, that’s what I’m saying. Don’t talk to her at all.”

“Uh, why? You’ve been rude to me the entire time in class and now you’re trying to monitor who I talk to? Honestly, what is your problem?”

“My problem is cute guys like you who think they can do whatever they want with whoever they want just because they look good! I’m warning you now if you try to play any mind games on her, you’ll be hating every fucking second of being alive.”

Fucksake, what is he doing? “Zane, come on, you’re being extra.”

“Salena, don’t.”

“But-”

“Just don’t! You’re too nice to everyone and never know what’s good for you!” As he said that, I glanced over and saw the new guy looking at me with expecting eyes. Zane turned to him shortly after. “And you, stay away from her, got it? I’ll say this once and only once: she’s not interested.”

“Dude, why are you getting so worked up? I’m trying to talk to Salena, not you. I want to befriend them. It’s their choice if they don’t want that and I’ll respect it. But you don’t get to decide that!”

“Yeah, okay, look at you trying to white knight the situation. Look, Salena might be naive but I’m not!” Ah, there it is again! If the word naive were a person, I’d be on death row by now! “I know exactly what you’re trying to do, you little freak, and it’s not gonna work, ya hear me?”

“Zane, stop!” He was starting to get way too physically close to him and way too metaphorically close to breaking my patience. “He’s new to the school, we just met! Why are you acting like this? You’re being mean for no reason!”

“No reason? You haven’t said anything to me the entire day, Jaiden texts saying you’ve avoided them too, and now I just happened to find you here giggling with the new transfer and you’re telling me there’s nothing funny going on?”

I groaned. As much as I felt tempted to clock him in the face, I didn’t feel like dealing with the aftermath of having to somehow make it up to him. For now, gotta focus on making sure the new guy doesn’t pop a blood vessel on his very first day. Defeated, I reached out and grabbed Zane’s shoulders, keeping him facing towards me.

“Of course, there’s nothing going on! Hey, I’m gonna talk to other people but you and Jaiden are still gonna be my best friends.” My hand signaled the boy behind him to run while he could. “I’m not gonna just replace you guys for no good reason!”

“Then why were you avoiding me?”

“I wasn’t avoiding, I just… I had something important to do, alright?” At least that’s only half a lie.

“Oh really? Important with some guy who just transferred here?”

FOR THE LOVE OF- “Ugh, no, I told you I ran into him by accident! Like, literally ran into him. The important task is something else.” I peeked behind him, noticing the boy left. “And speaking of that, I gotta dash! It’s time sensitive so… yeah!”

“Huh? W-wait!”

You bet your ass I skedaddled away from him as soon as I could. I finally entered the cafeteria, resuming my mission from before. It’s quite empty, a stark difference from what I’m used to. You could probably hear a pin drop in here. I decided it got too eerie, so I took a page out of Mikey’s book and proceeded to swing the kitchen doors open in the loudest, most obnoxious way I could, getting greeted with a scream followed by a very annoyed groan.

“Oh, it’s one of you annoying brats. I thought I had to be worried for a second.” He didn’t roll his eyes but he might as well have, honestly.

“Sorry! I just wanted to ask-” I paused, looking past his body and catching a glimpse of something he was trying to hide. “What’s that behind your back?”

“Nothing that concerns you. And shouldn’t you be in class?”

“Eh, it’s study hall so skipping’s not a huge deal.”

He sighed “Do what you want, kid, but why insist on pestering me? Can’t you see I’m busy enough?”

“Oh! Right! My bad.” I lightly bumped into the door frame as I walked inside “Um, so like… I was just wondering, do you happen to know a Baron Draxum around here?”

The purple vines swiftly tangled around my waist, snatching me from the ground and suspending me in the air while a couple others pointed sharp at my head.

“How do you know that name!? Who sent you, tiny assassin?”

“Yo yo yo, chill, chill! I’m a friend! O-of the turtles! Ya know, your sons or something?”

He scoffed “Likely story! Those idiots get themselves a new ‘friend’ every week. Tell me, assassin, if you’re on such friendly terms with them then why would you refer to me as Baron Draxum? They don’t call me that anymore!”

“Dude, I dunno! I wanted to somehow indicate that I knew about the whole Yōkai ordeal and I thought if I called you Barry you’d think I was just another kid, ya know?”

“And why exactly wouldn’t you just say that?”

“...Good point. You know what, I did not think this through. And actually, thinking about it now, it honestly makes way more sense you’re a Yōkai! I mean, the occasional random vines in the flooring, the weird forestry state of the kitchen, yada yada. But I guess I just thought you were some sort of extreme nature lover or something, ya get me?”

SHING!

“WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!” I looked at my arms and gasped “Wait! I can prove it! My arm-wrap-glove-thingies!”

“What about them?”

“They’re Genius Tech, a gift from Donnie!” I took one of them off and threw it, landing on his eyes with a splat. “See? Donnie wouldn’t give me these if we weren’t friends! O-or at least close acquaintances on friendly terms! So ha!”

He inspected the clothing, grunting when he saw the all too familiar logo “...Fine. I suppose he wouldn’t let a thief get away with all their limbs intact. But why are you even wearing these in school?”

“…They go with my aesthetic, okay?”

“That was rhetorical, I didn’t actually care.” He finally set me down, not looking any less bit irritated, though. “Now, what do you want? I don’t have all day for your childsplay.”

“A weapon!”

“What?”

“I want a weapon!” I beamed at him, instinctively flapping my hands. “Like the ones the guys and April have! April told me they all got their first weapons from you since you’ve got a whole stash of them! So, I was wondering if I could get one, too? Please?”

“Of course you are.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering to himself. “And for the record they didn’t get their weapons, they stole them! But anyway, I can’t help you even if I actually wanted to. My weapons are down in the Hidden City, I cannot simply wish them into existence.”

Darn. “Well… is there some way to portal down there maybe? Mikey and Leo can open portals so maybe you can too?...”

“As a matter of fact, I can.”

“Great! Then lets-”

“Not doing that, though.”

“What!?” At this point, I feel like he’s just dicking with me for the sake of it. “Oh come on, you’re supposed to be some sort of great mystic warrior alchemist guy! Surely you can do something to help me?”

“Listen, kid. Barry Draxum has far too much work to do to take some random student on a lab tour, especially just to get them a weapon to fit in with their friends. Go away and stop bothering me.”

He walked past me to start prepping for lunch next period, his towering height only further emphasizing his authority. Still, I’m not backing down. Not this time.

“I’m not trying to fit in. I know you’re busy but I’m not asking this for shits and giggles. I want a weapon to keep me safe! My life has been one chaotic run-in after another with mutants and giant cats and every time has had at least one near-death experience guaranteed! Look! I’ve even got the scars to prove it!”

I held up my left arm, the bandage now visible with my arm wrap off. “Something bad almost happened last time and I got everyone worried. I just wanna make sure I don’t have to constantly need protection and burden them again. I wanna be useful, you know?”

He glanced at my arm and sighed. He may act like he didn’t give a rat’s ass but looking more carefully, it’s clear a part of him might’ve softened a little.

“I’m not opening a portal and I mean that, I promised Mikey and O’Neil I wouldn’t use my mystic powers on the surface. With that being said, however…”

Draxum walked back to where I initially found him crouching when I came here, beckoning me to join him. I gasped when he opened the cupboard, revealing two giant blades hidden in them.

“Wow…”

“You’re lucky you came at the perfect time.” He took them out, gripping the seafoam green handles. “Usually, a warrior such as I would be entrusted with the safekeeping of numerous weaponry. But after gaining a criminal record, the Council decided I wouldn’t be allowed any more than I currently have.”

“Then… how’d you get this one?”

He scoffed, “Obviously, I stole it. Besides, I wouldn’t have been able to obtain them even with the Council on my side. These don’t belong to them.” He proudly presented the weapons, the silver blades shining in the light. “They’re a privately owned contraption, made by a very famous pristine Family in the Hidden City. No one outside them owns these sickles except now, of course, me.”

“Hold up, these giant things are sickles? Aren’t those, like, usually way tinier and kinda useless compared to other ninja weapons?”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“Well, this beggar can and will.” I pointed at myself, skeptical he was still trying to sell me short. “I’ve done my fair share of research on weaponry, sickles are lame! Their blades can barely do shit and they’re way too close range to keep the wielder safe.”

“Stop sassing me, child, I’ve done my own fair share of more accurate research. These are mystic sickles, they will be different from your pathetic human tools.”

He began polishing them while continuing his rambles. “If you’re concerned about their sharpness, then you’ll be satisfied to know their blades can change by the user’s will. One minute, they’re strong enough to slice diamond and the next minute, they can’t even shatter glass. And all my sources confirmed they can turn the wielder invisible for varying periods of time, depending on their strength. It’s incredibly difficult coming across any information on them, but apparently, they were made to manipulate reality.”

“Apparently? I won’t lie, this all sounds legitimately cool and stuff but like, have you ever tested them out? Why’s all this just based on research when you have the weapon itself?”

“They don’t work from my touch.” Bruh.

“Come again?”

“These sickles are the only weapons that don’t seem to activate when I use them. So, my offer to you is if you can get these to work, I’ll allow you to own them permanently as long as you send me any new information you gain on them.”

“Oh, joy! You think that I - the ordinary human person - can get these things to work when you - the mystic magic Yōkai guy - cant?” I sighed, scratching my head before ultimately reaching out. “You know what, fine. Even if I get scammed, it’s worth a shot.”

He plopped them into my hands as I fell forward, grunting from the weight. Jeez, I can barely even pick these up. “God, for a scientist you sure are pretty bad at educated guesses- Woah!”

I flinched and stepped back when the sickles suddenly sharted floating in the air. Draxum copied my actions, both of us staring intently at them. The pink details on the handle lit up, spiraling around the grips and spreading to the blades, shining it all in a soft aura of the same hue. A part of me felt drawn to the light, as if it were calling me. I realize how incredibly stupid that sounds but in the moment, that didn’t really matter.

I reached out and held the sickles again, the aura spreading to me before fading away. They felt much lighter now, I can actually hold them with ease! The silver blades got dipped in deep, dark pink. If a rose could bleed, it’d be that color.

“Fascinating…” He adjusted his glasses. “Seems like my guess wasn’t so stupid after all, was it?” He smirked at me, genuinely emoting this time.

“I… I guess not. Aight, I’m sold! Although, I feel like the sickles chose me more than I chose them.” So, like a person getting claimed by a stray cat, I had no choice but to keep them.

“Wonderful, these are now yours, congratulations.” He held me by the shoulders and pushed me out the kitchen. “And remember, update me on any and every new bit of information you learn while using this. It was nice to meet you, blah blah blah, now don’t bother me during work ever again.”

He closed the door and almost instantly the school bell rang. I jumped, frantically shoving the sickles into my backpack right as people started coming in through the doors for lunch. I had no idea this much time passed. I should probably get out of here before-

“Salena?”

I’ve been jinxing myself a lot today, haven’t I? Jaiden’s standing right in front of me now. Might as well leap off a cliff and call it quits, to be honest.

“H-Hey…”

“Quite the busy gal today, aren’t you.” They’re speaking slowly, this isn’t a good sign.

“Oh, um, yeah, kinda. I just had to take care of something.”

“Cool, I guess.”

We both stood there awkwardly. My chest feels so heavy. Jaiden’s barely looking at me but I swear if they did I’d downright die from their glare. What do I even do? How do I face this?

Just… run away. You’re… you’re good at that. So run away.

“…I need to go.”

“What? Okay, that’s it. What is up with you? You didn’t come to school Monday or yesterday and you’ve avoided me all of today. Now when I finally catch up to you, you have to go?”

“I just got into a small accident, is all. I had to stay home.” Not like you tried to reach out, anyway.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t you ask?”

They groaned at me. I don’t usually bicker back but the way Jaiden was treating this, as if they don’t know what they did, it’s just… it’s just getting to me. I don’t want to be like this but it’s getting to me.

“Salena, snap out of it, will you? You’ve been acting so pissy, lately! I literally didn’t even do anything!”

My body chose to scoff “Yeah, not with me, that’s for sure.”

They squinted at me, only half understanding what I meant. “Are you… mad we didn’t hang out this weekend?” They facepalmed, framing me as the idiot for being upset over that. “Dude, you can’t be serious, I said something came up! It’s not like I totally ghosted you or anything!”

It’s not like you totally ghosted me?

“...Jaiden, I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Why not?”

Shut up.

“I don’t feel okay talking about this.”

“Oh really? Like how you never feel okay confronting anything? What, do you just expect me to drop this because her highness isn’t feeling okay?”

My face feels boiling hot, I can’t help clenching my fists. I’m trying to breathe. Everything will be okay if I just breathe.

“A-are you crying? Ugh, seriously? It’s like all you ever know is how to run away or cry! We’re not thirteen anymore, just grow up!”

Stop.

“It was annoying when you were such an emotional crybaby back then but now it’s just getting ridiculous!”

STOP.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me you’re upset that I’m right. That you’d rather selfishly push this to the side instead of just dealing with it like a normal person!”

Why are you being so mean?

“Salena, say something already! Stop with the pity party, the world doesn’t revolve around you-“

“I SAID SHUT UP!”

They did.

I didn’t mean to say that.

I don’t know for how long, but somehow I tuned out the noisy cafeteria, my ears bugged with a faint buzz. My eyes were fixed on them, and theirs on me. In all our five years of friendship, I’ve never not once yelled at Jaiden before.

“…Who even are you?…”

Those words sting. They sting because they’re right. Who am I?

“Moni! Reeves!” Draxum’s voice snapped me out of my daze. “Stop standing in the middle of my cafeteria and causing traffic!”

I guess that was our cue to sit down. And continue. Even though I don’t want to.

“Where do you think you’re headed, Moni?” For whatever reason he was still yelling at me from behind the food rack.

“T-to go find a seat?”

“I told you to head to the nurse! If that cut you got while helping me in the kitchen gets infected thanks to your horrid luck, I’ll be held responsible. So go there right now!”

Huh?…

“Y-yeah, sorry, I’m going.” I rushed out before Jaiden could say anything more. I’m a little shocked he was listening, even more so that he actually helped me.

Whatever, I’m just grateful for the excuse to get away.

I gently touched my heated forehead.

Plus, maybe going to the nurse isn’t such a bad idea, anyway.

***

The shiny streets reflected my steps as I took in the familiar damp scent. The gray fog left over after rain always gave the city a different vibe.

I got sent home early by the nurse. Apparently, another panic attack arose after talking with Jaiden. The nurse took pity on me when she realized and got me the rest of the day off, giving me a pass and everything. Told me to go home and take it easy. Come back tomorrow when I’m feeling better. I laughed at the memory. Oh, if only they knew going home meant the exact opposite.

So instead, I’m out here. Wandering in New York in its post-rainy weather to clear my mind. Maybe that’s why I keep having these thoughts. I don’t usually dwell on the whole shitty situation of my life. But right now, in the colorless skies and the somber silence, I can’t help but feel pathetic.

A pebble found its way into my boots. Annoying. I didn’t feel like dealing with it, though, so I just kept walking.

I walked more and more and more, trying to forget being present. Trying to forget this stupid mess I somehow got myself into. Wordlessly wandering, hoping the city would just swallow me whole so I wouldn’t be seen. I feel sick and ashamed but so enraged at the same time. How could they still continue to play dumb? After seeing me like that they pretended to know absolutely nothing. I’m not misreading anything, am I? What if I got the situation wrong? I can’t tell if I’d be happy Jaiden didn’t actually ditch me, or depressed I’d have yelled at them for nothing. They’re right but they’re wrong but they’re right. Or, at least I think they’re right? Maybe that’s wrong. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. But that could mean so many things. What am I even talking about? What’s-

“Hello? Anyone there?” A pale hand waved in front of my eyes. I glanced up at its owner. “Welcome back to Earth, sweetheart.”

A tall blonde boy stood in front of me, a couple other boys whom I can only presume were his friends looked down at me with him.

“H-h-hi?...” My brain, still adjusting back to reality, only spoke in stammers “C-can I help you?”

One of his friends chuckled “We were wondering the same thing. You were just walking blindly into a dead end!”

For the first time since god knows when, I scanned my surroundings realizing I have no clue where the fuck I am. Somehow, I wandered into an alley, not too deep but still pretty disorienting. There’s a wall behind them, I guess that was the dead end they’re talking about. Two of them snickered while looking at a phone.

“You seriously recorded her?”

“Course I did. I knew girls were ditzy but this? She ran into a building, like, three times! And apologized to it!” Okay, I admit, not my best moment but still, feels a little weird for them to record it. I wonder how long they were filming before deciding to actually check in on me.

“Guys, stop. You’ll make her run away.” The blonde boy spoke again. “Don’t worry kitten, we’re not here to hurt you. You just looked lost. If you want some help finding your way, we’d be glad to assist!”

…I know he’s not saying anything inherently wrong, but the way he speaks makes my skin crawl. There’s something about his tone. It’s sweeter than it should be. That specific type of sweetness no human being shows without having ulterior motives.

His gaze grew more intense. “Do I… know you?” I don’t like how close his face is to mine.

A part of me got suspicious, too. We might indeed know each other. Or at least, I might know him. Blonde hair, green eyes, creepy as shit. But it’d be ridiculous if he’s actually who I think he is. I mean, not every blonde white guy’s gonna be related to-

“I do know you! You’re that cutie my brother keeps talking about!”

Yep, it’s him. Because my luck couldn’t get any worse, I ran into Cole Evans, Zane’s freakshow older brother.

No wonder my fight or flight feels triggered.

Play it cool. “I think you have me mistaken for someone else. And thank you, but I’m not lost.”

Right as I turned around to leave, my shoulders pricked up. He put his grimy hands on them, firmly grasping onto them as if any of this is fucking okay. “Oh, don’t be like that! What’d he say your name was… Salena, right? You think I’m as boring as Zane or something?” He spoke too close to my ear. My legs are trembling, aching to run. I hate this, I hate this, I hate this. “Why’re you being such a killjoy, hm? You know I’m not that much older than you, right?”

I need to go.

I spun around and elbowed his side as hard as I could, forcing him to stumble back. I desperately wanted to sprint but his friends blocked my path, grabbing my wrists when I tried reaching for the blades hidden in my backpack. They were laughing and poking fun at Cole and he himself didn’t seem all too phased either, straightening up as the pain died down.

“Let me go!”

“Seems like she’s more tiger than kitten aye, Cole?”

“Good thing I like the feisty ones.”

I thrashed around kicking and stomping, trying to hit anything I could or at least break free but nothing was working. They’re dodging everything and the grip on my wrists only gets tighter. All the while they’re mocking me like I’m a dog or something. Is this just a sick joke to all of them?

“Aww, look at her! Is that really the best you can do to fight back?”

I need to keep trying, I need to find a way out. But they have me trapped. I can barely move around. I can’t dodge, I can’t run. I don’t know how to fight, I’m useless if I can’t run. What do I do? What do I do?

BAM!

I didn’t realize how unstable my balance was. Not until I found myself fallen on the ground finally able to freely move my wrists. The guy restraining me earlier was now groaning on the ground too, holding the freshly bruised side of his face in agony.

“You wanna fight? Then pick on someone my size!”

“Raph?...” I watched from the ground, mouth hanging open.

Without hesitation, Raph charged at them. They were cocky at first but the atmosphere quickly shifted after seeing how powerful the “person” in the gray hoodie was. I don’t even blame them, I’ve never seen him punch anyone so hard before. He’d slam them into everything: the walls, the ground, I might’ve even heard bones crack. He’s taking all of them on.

Meanwhile, I’m here uselessly watching.

I should help. I want to help. I know he’s strong but there’s a good number of them and they’re not exactly weaponless. But what do I do? What could I do? I have my sickles but what if I make things worse? What if things get too messy, what if things go too far? If the police get involved-

Wait, an opening!

They’re so distracted dealing with Raph, no one’s blocking the way out!

Run! JUST RUN!

“Come on!” I grabbed Raph’s hand the first opportunity I could and fled from the scene, him confused but not stopping us.

We ran for what felt like forever. Just chose a direction and bolted, not much logic behind it. If anything, it felt like pure instinct. Traffic lights and stop signs didn’t seem to matter to me and frankly, I’m surprised we didn’t get run over. We only stopped when my lungs gave out and forced me to gasp for air.

Raph seemed fine, a little concerned, but fine. “You okay? Was passing by and heard ya scream. When I ran in, I found ‘em surrounding you.”

“Y-yeah, I’m just… I just, I-I don’t know. Sorry, can I just have a minute?” I continued heaving in the air, can’t tell if it was from running so much or another god forsaken panic attack.

Regardless, Raph stayed crouching by me as I held my throbbing head, trying to not cry. He's quiet but attentive, noticeably making an effort to avoid physical contact for now. Strangely enough, his presence alone is making me feel better.

I steadied my breathing “Th-thanks for jumping in, Raph. Um… sorry I couldn’t, ya know, handle it myself.”

“Nah, it’s cool. Not your fault those creeps were messing with you.”

“Still…” I wish I did more.

And just like that, my breathing progress backtracked “Sorry I… A-a lot happened today. Too much too soon and I have no clue how to just… Gosh, I don’t even know, I-I guess get it out?”

“Uhh, well uh…” His eyes lit up “Ooh! Actually, I’ve got a good way to deal with that kinda stuff, if you don’t mind comin’ over to the lair for a bit!”

“Oh, um, really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Course not! Plus, Raph could use the company, anyway.”

Well, I’d definitely be safer in the lair than out here.

I gave a weak smile “Alrighty then. I’m down!”

He reached for my hand, only taking it when he was sure it was okay. We walked along the city streets for a while. His large hand practically engulfed mine, I felt like a little kid next to their big brother. Is it weird to say I feel a little safer that way?

We reached the lair, entering through a manhole and strolling till we reached an abandoned subway track. The familiar scent shot back to my brain. It’s strong but not overwhelming.

“Here we are! Home sweet home!”

It’s surprisingly empty today. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Probably doing their own thing. Hopefully safe. Raph, uh, doesn’t like thinkin’ about it too much.”

“Then Salena shall not question! So um… what exactly are we gonna do?-”

“Catch!”

I stumbled back in shock, peering down as whatever he threw now landed in my arms. They’re… boxing gloves?

“The fuck?”

“We’re gonna deal with your thoughts the best way I know: by punching ‘em in the face!”

I blinked as I realized he’s being completely and entirely serious. I hesitated at first, but then I really gave it a good thought. I’ve read before that working out can boost your mood. A little harmless violence is a strangely good way to let out anger, especially. Plus, if I make a habit of this, I might be able to boost my strength along with it! Then I wouldn’t have to solely depend on running all the time!

“Worth a shot!” I finally shrugged in acceptance and put on the boxing gloves, staring at the bag in front of me. “Do I just go ahead and punch it?”

“Yep, basically! But when you do, try thinking about whatever’s bugging ya and pretend it’s the bag. It’ll help you smash harder and make ya feel better!”

“Okie dokers, here I go.”

Smack!

I gave it a light punch to test it out, making sure to catch the bag as it swung back so it didn’t punch me instead. It hurts a little since I’m not used to the impact on my fist but it’s nothing that makes me scream and writhe in pain.

“Good job for your first hit, Salena! Now try and put some more force into it!”

I repeated my actions but with a stronger punch like he instructed. I kept doing it until I got a decent enough rhythm I could keep up with. So now it’s time for the second and arguably harder part: letting my thoughts out. I don’t really wanna think about the… situation in the street. So I guess what’s left is thinking about Jaiden instead. Ugh.

Smack!

Where do I even begin with this? I mean, I can’t even properly figure out how I’m feeling, let alone word it. All I know is that there’s a shit ton of guilt associated with it. I never meant to yell at Jaiden, it just sorta happened.

Smack!

But it’s not like it came out of nowhere, either! They’re the one who ditched me! Jaiden and I planned ahead of time to meet up and hang out, I made it explicitly clear I missed them and wanted to be with them. They said they were busy and didn’t even give me a reason for it! And then they hang out with Zane the same day? They basically chose him over me!

Smack!

But I shouldn’t have yelled either. I made things so much worse now, it’ll be too awkward to ever bring it up. They’ll just tell me off for getting mad and completely ignore everything else. God this is so frustrating!

SMACK!

Why did I have to be so stupid? Why did they have to be so mean? The things they said and the things I did! It’s all spinning around in a giant whirlpool of bad and dangerous thoughts and I hate it! I can’t stop thinking about it and I hate it! Have I been a bad friend? Is Zane that much better than me? Am I just not interesting? What did I do for them to just ditch me!

SMACK!

We’re best friends, why are we acting like this!? I let my temper get the best of me! I yelled at them, I fucking yelled at them! I’m mad and upset but fuck I yelled at them! I’ve never yelled at Jaiden before. We’re best friends. How could I do that!?

SMACK!!

I’m awful! I’m terrible! I feel like an asshole! I am an asshole! I should know better! I do know better! How could I fuck up so badly!? How could I do this!? How!? How!? HOW!? I DESERVE TO FUCKING-

“Salena!”

SMACK!!!

Raph’s arm went in between me and the bag, taking the hit in my place. I know he’s strong but judging from how loud the crash was, I doubt it didn’t at least sting.

“That was close. Everything okay? Why’d you stop punching? If the bag hit you it could’ve done some serious damage!”

“I didn’t realize I did…” I ran my hand through my hair, sighing heavily. “Ugh, fuck! Sorry, Raph. I don’t think I’m in the right headspace to do this. It’s just making everything feel more clouded than before.”

He stared at the bag for a moment. “Alright, well…” Then he let it rest, and faced me with his fists up. “We’ll spar instead.”

I tilted my head to the side, communicating my confusion.

“The whole point of this thing is to let your thoughts out, maybe if you’re just thinkin’ about it, it’s still keeping it in. If you’re cool with it, we could try talking instead of only venting while we fight and it might clear things up!” He chuckled lightly. “And don’t worry, Raph goes easy on first-timers.”

Honestly, he might actually have a point with that. “I’m open to trying!”

We’re starting off with some light jabs at each other. I felt a little out of place fighting Raph, partly cause I don’t like hitting him and partly cause I’m terrified to let him hit me. I’ve been dodging and blocking decently enough, though. HIs punches feel way lighter than normal so he wasn’t kidding about going easier.

“So, tell me. What’s bothern’ ya so much today?”

“It’s kinda my friend. I think I did something since they hadn’t talked to me much for days. And then one day when we were supposed to finally hang out, they told me something came up.” I punched a little harder, getting blocked by his forearm. “And then I found out that ‘something’ was them hanging out with our other friend who posted it on Instagram! They totally ditched me!”

He jabbed at my right, barely missing when I dodged. “Did you try talking to them? Could be a misunderstanding.”

“That’s the thing, every time I wanted to I just kept getting so mad thinking about it. And then when it actually happened, I wasn’t prepared and I screamed. They were being kinda mean but still, I never yelled at Jaiden before.”

The pace picked up some more. Raph’s hits were getting quicker and harder to dodge, I’ve had to shield myself more often. He did leave some opportunities, though. I’m gonna assume it’s on purpose to let me have a few hits but either way, it’s training so I’m gonna take full advantage of that.

“How long have you two been friends?”

“Five years, we’ve known each other since middle school. That’s why it’s killing me inside. You should’ve seen their face Raph, they looked so… shocked! Shocked that I had it in me, that I’m a shitty enough person to yell at my friend!”

“I mean, I get it but, you’re still human. No normal person’s gonna go through life never yelling at their friends.” He swung at me. “And if you’ve been friends so long, why don’t y’all just talk it out? Dontcha think apologizing would help?”

I ducked, narrowly missing it. “I mean, yeah it would, but that’s not gonna stop it from being an issue. Sometimes I’ve had to fight myself really hard to stay calm around Jaiden but I always managed to do it. Now that I blew up, though, it’ll just keep happening.”

“What do ya mean?”

“Anger issues.” I attempted a jab. “I’ve had anger issues growing up.”

“Ah. Yeah, Raph knows a thing or two about that.”

“It sucks because like, I try not to let it show. And I think I’ve done a good job. But everything’s been so overwhelming lately that I’ve been snapping left and right! I keep getting mad and forgetting to control my temper and doing stupid things as a result! It’s so annoying!”

The anger’s helping my punches get faster. I’m barely even focusing on it but I can tell I wasn’t moving this quick earlier. Somehow, I actually managed to land a hit on his plastron, though he didn’t even flinch. Still, it’s definitely helping me build up some power.

Maybe I shouldn’t have celebrated too quickly, though. He countered with a jab at my shoulder, forcing me to pause and regain my stance. He let me take my time, bouncing with his fists up like before and waiting for me to resume the fight. I did so shortly after catching my breath.

“Ya know, I’ve dealt with anger issues growing up, too. It’s why I got into working out so much, it’s a good outlet.” He started blocking more, letting me get a few more hits in to help me practice.

“Yeah, but your brothers love you a lot, you couldn’t have hurt them too bad. If you did, wouldn’t they just hate you?”

He laughed. “You’d be surprised! I was a real problem-child growing up, even worse than Donnie. I mean, I still loved my bros back then and acted the way I do now but… I still had a huge temper and wasn’t as good keeping it in check. Actually speaking of Dee, I did hurt him pretty badly once. Physically.”

My arms were getting tired. “What’d you do? If you’re okay sharing.”

“Well, uh, turns out anger issues and pre-teen hormones don’t mix well. It’s a little fuzzy but I know it was over something dumb. I was having a bad day so I started punching my room’s walls. It made a lotta noise and Donnie came in telling me I was bein’ too loud and it hurt his ears. I shoulda just stopped like he asked me to but I didn’t and started yelling at him and taking my anger out on him. Don didn’t back down, either, so we ended up arguing. I don’t even know how things got so heated but it got physical and I accidentally hit his shell.”

“What!?” I stopped for a moment, trying to take it in. I know Donnie’s a softshell and judging from how hard Raph’s been hitting even now when he’s being light, I could put two and two together. “Sorry that happened, Raphie. For both of you.”

“It’s fine, he wasn’t too badly hurt thankfully.” He threw a punch to signal me to keep going. “But he built his battleshell a few days later. I don’t think it was out of anger towards me, I don’t even think Dee remembers what happened other than us getting into a fight. But it still stung when I figured out why he made it.”

“And why was that?”

“...I think he built it so I wouldn’t have to worry about hurting him again. He knew I felt guilty and I wouldn’t stop apologizin’ to him for days. I think the battleshell was his way to keep himself safe but for my sake more than his.”

Raph began using a more offensive style, letting me play defense and rest my body a little. Perfect timing since I don’t think I would’ve been able to focus on giving strong hits. I’m just trying to process what happened. I knew Raph could get mad easily and shouts a bit. But I’ve never seen him really act violent towards his family, quite the opposite actually. It never even crossed my head that maybe he had to learn this the hard way.

“We’re both past it now and I’ve def gotten better with the whole temper thing. Plus that battleshell’s like, his favorite thing he ever made now. So all’s well that ends well, I guess!”

I slid back, shielding another hit. “Does it… still hurt you to think about it?”

He paused and chuckled. “You kiddin’? Hurts like hell.” Then went right back to fighting.

“So… how’d you do it? You seem so different compared to how you described yourself as a kid. Just… seems like a lot of change.”

“It was! I found better ways to deal with things. I worked out, listened to older songs, that kinda stuff. Still not the best I could be but it’s a work in progress!”

“I already do those things, though. I mean, not working out but like, I’ve got ways to cope with my anger. It just still happened.”

“Then there’s only one thing I can tell ya. It’s the hardest thing but also the most important.”

I freaked out when he swiped his leg at mine, knocking me off balance. I raised my head to look at him crouched by me again.

“Never give up on yourself. If you do that, it’s over.” He picked me up by my shoulders, me weighing absolutely nothing to him, and set me back on my feet. “But ‘till you do that, there’ll always be hope.”

He smiled, the snaggletooth gleaming. “Think we’ve done enough today. You look tired.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.” Truth be told, I didn’t entirely realize how worn out my body was ‘till he pointed it out. “Thanks for, well, helping me out with this stuff. You’re… a good friend, Raph.”

“Anytime.” He pointed at his shell. “Want a ride home?”

I grinned and nodded, my nerves washing away from me. I know from experience this relief is only temporary, but maybe it’s okay to enjoy it anyway.

We had a nice and pleasant walk back to my place, me on his shell as we talked about more lighter topics. He shared a lot about his music taste especially, R&B is his favorite and helps him chill out often. I’ve never given it a try myself but I’m always happy to have an excuse to. I got dropped off at my building’s entrance, strolling in as I thought about the last thing I asked him before bidding him goodbye.

“Raph… do you think I’m a bad person?”

“Not even close. Like I said before, you’re just human.”

I hate to admit it, but there’s a lump in my throat from thinking about it. Weird thing is, I don’t mind it. The elevator’s quiet hum only made this peace more apparent.

Ding!

And there goes my phone ruining that peace once again. I saw the notification, Zane texted. I guess his brother told him about our little “introduction”, if you can even call it that.

Ding!

He also told him about Raph. And he’s mad at me now, asking who the guy in the gray hoodie was. He’s more focused on Raph than on his brother’s bullshit. Lovely.

…You know what, this can wait for another day. One thing at a time, Salena. One thing at a time.

Next Chapter

#save rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt #rottmnt oc x canon #rottmnt fanfiction #unpause rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt season 3 #nickelodeon #netflix #rottmnt s3 #rottmnt oc #oc x canon #rottmnt x oc #rottmnt moths fly in packs

7 notes · View notes

365days365movies · 3 years

Text

January 12, 2021: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (Part 1)

Hey, uh...

I can’t remember if I’ve seen this movie or not.

OK, HEAR ME OUT HERE. I was 9 years old when this movie came out in the USA, and I vividly remember the buzz around this movie when it came out in theaters. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for those of you who don’t know, is the movie that really introduced wuxia to the United States in the modern century. Directed by Ang Lee - y’know, this guy...

...buuuuuuuuuut, also this guy...

AND YET, still this guy...

- this movie has won a HELL of a lot of awards, and was the critical darling of 2000. And again, I know some of you Tumblrites (goddamn Zoomers DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER NICKELODEON ORANGE AS A COLOR??? Kidding, by the way, y’all are cool) may not be old enough to remember that time, but lemme tell you: this movie was a Mandarin-language movie nominated for Best Picture. Not just Best Foreign Language Film (which it WON), but BEST. PICTURE. Trust me. It was a big deal at the time.

The film actually did win Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography. And as I watch this, I’m going to be remembering both the time period it came out in, and the film that actually won Best Picture that year. What won Best Picture that year, you ask? Well...

Yeah. But is CTHD better or worse than Gladiator? Well, that’s what I’m gonna try to figure out, as well as whether or not 9-year-old me saw this movie already. I don’t think so, so that’s why I’m watching it now.

So LET’S GO BACK TO THE YEAR 2000, PEOPLE! We just got over that whole Y2K thing (only for the ILOVEYOU virus to pop up), the election was TOTALLY NORMAL (that’s a joke, it...it was not), AOL was the most successful internet company ever (HA! Classic. And Ask Jeeves is gonna last forever, I’m sure), and the below movie would win Best Makeup at the Oscars.

Yeah. Yeah, that’s an Academy Award-winning movie. How the hell does THAT make you feel? Makes me feel conflicted, I tell you what. ANYWAY MOVIE TIME SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat, the man himself), a member of the Wudang sect of swordsmen, is retiring. He goes to his old friend (and maybe more), and leader of a private security group, Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), who asks her to deliver his personal sword, Green Destiny. Shu Lien goes to Beijing to deliver the sword to an ally of theirs, Sir Te (Sihung Lung), while Mu Bai goes to the grave of his master, who was killed by an assassin named Jade Fox.

In Beijing, Sir Te and Shu Lien talk about the whole “more than friends” thing between her and Mu Bai, and they go to store the sword in a study. There, Sir Te’s granddaughter, Jen (Zhang Ziyi), speaks to Shu Lien about the sword, and about the nature of swordsmanship. This serves an introduction into the world of wuxia swordmanship...and I am GODDAMN HOOKED IN

So is Jen, it would seem, as she speaks with admiration about the freedom that comes with the Way of the Sword (which is distinctly different from the Way of Sarah (Blessed Be Her Fall)). See, Jen’s about to get married, in that arranged way, and she’s not a fan of the whole marriage thing. I get the feeling that she’s planning on doing something about that.

But no time for existential crises now! Someone’s trying to steal Green Destiny! A ninja sneaks in and succeeds in stealing it, but Shu Lien attempts to stop them. However, the thief is trained in Wudan, much to Shu Lien��s surprise. A rooftop chase occurs, giving us the first display of the rampant wire work and loose physics characteristic of this genre, and GODDAMN IT FUCK YE-NO

Keep it together, man, you gotta treat this film critically and seriously, not like an excited little kid watch some kickass martial arts shit. Even though this fight scene is AWESOME, holy shit...

The thief succeeds, but only because a second assailant appears with a dart, distracting Shu Lien. In the morning, the night guard says it was someone from Governor Yu’s household. In the street, the attacker is believed to be the mysterious Jade Fox, who would covet the sword of the man she killed so long ago. Ugh, this movie already rules so hard. Anyway, Shu Lien comes to see Jen again, who’s currently writing calligraphy.

Shu Lien comments that calligraphy writing is similar to swordsmanship. Jen quickly notes that she wouldn’t know. She expounds again on her regrets on marriage, and Shu Lien explains that she was engaged to a fellow swordsman who died. And although Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai love each other, they both feel bound to their fallen friend, and do not act on their feelings. Oh my God, I’m digging this fated romance shit SO HARD

NO. Professionalism. Breathe...focus on the year 2000...Napster...Survivor and Fear Factor...Harry Potter...Pokemon the Movie 2000...Pokemon the Movie 2000: The Power of One...

...Whew. OK. Back to CTHD.

Jen rests in her home, while two people spy on the...Yus. Wait, Jen’s name is...Yu Jen. Um...it’s her. The ninja is Jen. You couldn’t see it in the GIFS, but the ninja could easily be a woman, no question. It’s totally Jen, acting on her desire to be a true swordsperson. I mean, look at her stare at that sword earlier in the movie. Calling it now, it’s her. But...who threw the dart from the rooftop?

Looks like it’s Jade Fox, as a man from earlier explains. See, he’s a police chief from another area, looking for Jade Fox. He believes that she’s somehow infiltrated the Yu household, possibly arriving with them to Beijing. Jade Fox killed the policeman’s wife, making this personal. Together, the policeman Tsai (Wang Deming) and the Night Guard Bo (Gao Xi’an) team up to find her.

They aren’t the only ones, as Li Mu Bai just arrived to Beijing to talk with Shu Lien, and finds out that Jade Fox ha returned. Remember, Jade Fox killed his master, so he has some stakes in this. Meanwhile that night, Tsai and Bo (Team Law) meet Jade Fox, AKA...Jen’s governess! NICE.

Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei) fights the...wait...wait WHAT DID I JUST TYPE???

CHENG PEI-PEI FROM COME DRINK WITH ME IS THE VILLAIN OF THIS MOVIE???

And now Chow Yun Fat is fighting one of the first wuxia film stars? OH MY GOD

Chow Yun Fat’s about to kill her to avenge his master, and then the mysterious ninja (AKA probably Yu Jen) saves her from him. The two of them fight, and Jade Fox kills Tsai just before they escape using a streamer HOOOOOOOO IT’S REAL HARD STAYING PROFESSIONAL RIGHT NOW

The next morning, though, Yu Jen learns more about Jade’s crimes, and expresses guilt about taking Green Destiny. Additionally, Shu Lien claims to know who the culprit is, and threatens them with punishment unless the sword is returned. Essentially confirming my suspicions, the ninja returns that night to put the sword back, and Mu Bai is waiting there for her.

Yet another physics-defying rooftop chase occurs, although this one is less frought. They actually refer to the gliding technique as “flying,” and as a technique of Wudan. Interesting, engaging, cinematical, movielian, I love it. I need more of it, MORE PLEASE.

Looks like I might get what I want. Mu Bai offers to be Jen’s teacher, as he sees great potential in her. But she shuns the ways of Wudan, allows Mu Bai to take back Green Destiny, and returns to Jade Fox. Jade Fox is trained as a Giang Hu fighter, a more brutal lifestyle.

And yet, Jen isn’t really into that either. Turns out that she’s been studying the Wudan manual on her own, and has EFFORTLESSLY surpassed her illiterate former master. With nothing left to teach her, Jade Fox leaves with a veiled threat.

The next night, a man visits Jen, and they embrace passionately. He’s a bandit from the Gobi Desert named Lo, AKA Dark Cloud (Chang Chen), and the two met when his gang ambushed her caravan travelling through the desert. He stle her comb, and this girl just GETS ON A HORSE, GRABS A BOW AND ARROW, and HUNTS HIM DOWN LIKE A DOG FOR THAT COMB. She faces down the gang of bandits, and Dark Cloud leads her away, gives her water, and she KICKS HIS ASS!! But she asses out from exhaustion, and he takes her back to his Cave of Wonders.

He cares for her, and as soon as she regains her strength, she just knocks him out. Cold-blooded, goddamn. But she gets lost in the desert, and passes out again. Lo brings her BACK to the Cave of Wonders, and cares for her AGAIN. My dude is a PRINCE. I mean, he’s a thief and probably a murderer, and definitely a bad person, BUT NEVER MIND THAT FOR NOW.

As you probably guessed, Stockholm/Lima Syndromes set in, and the two fall in love...like you do?

But Jen’s nobleman father is looing for her, making trouble for Lo and his people. He vows to go legit and make himself worthy for her love in her father’s eyes. He tells a story of a boy who leapt off a mountain to save his parents. A literal leap of faith. In their last night together, she gives him the comb that brought them together, saying to give it back when they’re together again.

But now...Jen’s fated to marry, and it can’t be avoided. Lo gives the comb back to her, as she tells him to leave. And I...I need a break. If I don’t take a five minute break, Imma explode from how much I love this goddamn movie.

PART 2 COMING IN A FEW!!!

14 notes · View notes

the-foxes-fangs · 5 years

Text

I Wish I was The Moon Part XII

Tagging the wonderful @louveau, @you-mass-effect-my-dragon-age and @otomediary

Warnings: Fiery speeches, angst

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

“I asked for information, ninja, not your opinion.” Mitsuhide said, drumming his fingers irritably on the butt of his matchlock, staring testily at Sasuke across the sputtering fire he had built in a slightly less burned out corner of the temple.

“And I asked you to give me back my glasses, but here we are.” Sasuke replied wryly, the indignation in his usually impassive expression wasted on the tattered curtain that was receiving it. “I am absolutely never providing EMT services for any warlord going forward. You make lord Kenshin look incredibly polite.” He muttered to himself.

“I don’t suppose I make anything look like much of anything to you at the moment.” Mitshude retorted acerbically. He had lost consciousness, and still felt damnably weak and unsteady despite his racing mind.

“Taking a man’s glasses, that’s unconscionable. I don’t know what I expected from the Akechi Mitsuhide, but still, that’s a dirty trick.”

“Oh, so my reputation precedes me, even into the future.”

Mitsuhide banked the fire, waving away the smoke that flared up from the damp wood as it drifted into his face.

“It’s not like I’d leave the man my bff– for reasons known only to herself and whichever star guides people toward terrible choices– loves.”

“Your what now?” Mitsuhide asked, sharply, eyes narrowed at Sasuke as he considered the revelation of frequent ceiling and floor assisted visits.

“Best friend forever.” Sasuke said reaching up to the blank space where his glasses normally sat as if to push them up the bridge of his nose disapprovingly. “And you have no cause for jealousy, she’s like a sister to me.”

“Yes, I suppose if you’d had designs you could’ve just gone back to your own time together.” Mitsuhide replied. “You said that the fissure would open again, so tell me where and when and I’ll just fetch her myself.”

“I also just told you that that course of action is extremely ill advised, if it’s even possible at all. The potential distortion of space-time–” Sasuke replied, cutting himself off with a sigh.

“Alright, so that’s the least feasible option. We’ll just put that aside for now. What other course of action can we take?”

“I’m afraid I’m otherwise employed and must inform you that I have an extremely binding contractual obligation which regretfully prevents me from joining you in any ill-advised ventures likely to result in dismemberment, severe emotional trauma, beheading or otherwise unspecified bodily harm.” Sasuke countered flatly, reaching for his phantom glasses again and dropping his hand with a noise of displeasure.

“Were you under the impression that you had a choice? I’m afraid not. Keeping you hostage is an absolute necessity.”

“I could take you in a fight right now.” Sasuke said to a patch of white ash on a scorched pillar.

“Oh I have no doubt, but you won’t. I might die, and you’re just ever so slightly more devoted to your bff than Kenshin.” Mitsuhide replied knowingly.

“Dear god, it’s like someone desaturated Shingen and surgically removed his conscience.” Sasuke whispered in horrified awe.

“And If you’re thinking ‘surely lord Kenshin will come for me!’ you should know that I know he doesn’t know you came here, and that I can keep you hidden for years.” Mitsuhide added.

“You really just added a new and disturbing dimension to my relationship with Kenshin right off the cuff there, didn’t you?”

“Spare me the inane chatter, give me options. How do we get her to the wormhole at the right time?” He asked with a gesture that was wasted on Sasuke.

“Leaving aside that we’re well beyond my known timeline, there’s no fail-safe way to ensure that any message you send will survive.”

“If I could just get her back to Tanba…” Mitsuhide said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, thinking of the myriad hiding places he had built into the castle and the ways he could draw her attention to them without alerting five centuries worth of residents.

“You should know that Tanba was a ruin in our time, and my calculations suggest that an incredibly dramatic causal variance would be required to change that outcome.”

They sat in contemplative silence for awhile, until Mitsuhide dropped his fist into the palm of his other hand triumphantly. “I’ve been thinking about this all wrong. It’s the people!” He said enthusiastically.

“Are you feeling dizzy again, by any chance?” Sasuke asked with a note of alarm.

“I feel like I’ve been trampled by several horses, but that’s not important.” He answered dismissively, his mind on fire with plans.

He had been nearly paralyzed with leaden misery at his own helplessness, feeling only the overwhelming distance between them and the implacable rule of time around him like water closing over his head.

Even if she didn’t return to him, even if they never met again, he had to make certain that she knew that she had been loved, would be loved, always. He only needed a problem to solve to find his feet.

“We have two issues– how to physically secure a message, and how to draw her attention to the correct place.”

“In extremely simplified terms, yes.”

“She won’t be too keen to look me up, if I know her. She’ll be trying to carry on and let go of me, which precludes some kind of monument. But the people– they can protect Tanba and convey my message all at the same time.”

“I don’t follow…” Sasuke replied curiously.

“Of course you don’t, but all you need to do is follow along.”

He had driven himself to the brink of collapse the rest of that winter, exhausting every moment that he could conceivably be away from Azuchi without rousing more then the usual levels of suspicion. He returned on a soft spring day just in the nick of time for a war council.

Hideyoshi strode toward him with a mixture of anger and concern, grabbing his collar to growl “where the the hell have you been?”

“Starving himself half to death, by the look of it.” Ieyasu interjected dourly.

“Are we sure he hasn’t got the plague or something? He has a look in his eyes– and where’s the lass? Why isn’t she with you?” Masamune added, studying him closely.

Nobunaga studied him impassively, and waited for the tumult to die down. Only the inner circle was present, as Mitsuhide had requested. He strode forward, but did not sit.

“What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this room.” He began, and explained her absence.

Masamune offered a low whistle, with an amused look in his eye, while Hideyoshi stared blankly and Nobunaga tapped his fan on his knee thoughtfully. Ieyasu snorted derisively, and Mitsunari knit his brow in concentration.

“That was several months ago. What have you been doing since then?” Hideyoshi asked, finally shifting out of his reverie.

Mitsuhide smiled perhaps the first entirely honest smile he had ever offered them, knowing that it was probably ghastly on his gaunt face. “Why, scheming to bring her home, of course.”

“You’ve finally lost that tangled excuse for a mind.” Ieyasu said harshly.

“Oh quite possibly.” Mitushide answered, sweeping his gaze across the room as he made his great gamble. “But then again, none of you have ever known me when I truly wanted something.”

Nobunaga narrowed his eyes with a taut smile. “And just how do you intend to accomplish such a feat?” He asked, coldly.

Mitsuhide cocked his head and looked out the window at the soft blue sky, picturing her under the cherry blossoms for half a moment. “With the closing of this rotten age, my lords. The time for peace and unification has come, one way–” he dropped his hand to his gun, “or another.”

“You crazy bastard.” Masamune said with a wild laugh. “I like this side of you.”

The blood had drained from Hideyoshi’s face, and his voice shook as his hand drifted toward his sword, hissing “what have you done?”

“I wouldn’t, Hideyoshi. If I don’t leave this council with my head on my shoulders all hell will break loose.” Mitsuhide answered, lightly.

“Speak your piece.” Nobunaga said darkly.

“With Kenshin and Shingen alive and dragging the last of the Imagawa in tow, we could be at war for who knows how long, and with unpredictable results. But I need a rough sequence of events to unfold, and it doesn’t include endless war. The remnants of monks of Heiei and the Mori are problems all their own, and then there’s your puppet Shogun.” He said, gesturing at Nobunaga.

“We’re all aware of the current situation.” Hideyoshi spat through gritted teeth. “What’s your point?”

“There are too many personal vendettas and ambitions at play for this to ever be settled under only our volition, unless it’s by battle royale with only one left alive. Given her affection for all of you, that’s not a particularly desirable outcome either.”

“All this for a woman.” Masamune said with amusement.

“Lord Mitsuhide…” Mitsunari cut in at last, with quiet dread in his voice, “you’re talking as if you’ve brought in an outside army.”

The air was electric as Nobunaga leaned forward with a hard glitter in his eyes.

“Not so much an outside army as evening the odds for the people we have no business trampling over on our way to glory. I’ve armed the women in every fief, and given the farmers instructions to stop working the fields if our demands for peace aren’t met. They may choose to rise up and kill me, of course, but as long as I’m a convenient mouthpiece, I’m reasonably safe.”

Hideyoshi struck him hard across the face, leaving him with the taste of blood in his mouth. “You’re going to– no, you’ve already thrown the country into chaos and famine!” He thundered, red faced with fury.

“It sounds quite peaceful outside to me. More peaceful than it has in my memory. No thundering cavalry, no armies marching at the pleasure of men who are, in the end, only men no better or worse than they.” Mitsuhide replied, dabbing the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

“What hope could peasant women and farmers have against trained armies?” Nobunaga asked contemptuously.

“Not much, it’s true, but how long do you think your foot soldiers would heed the order to attack their mothers, sisters, daughters and wives? You’d order them to destroy the future, and for what–” his voice rose, hoarse and strident, “to say that you ruled the world?”

He made a sweeping gesture, hoping that his words, always his favorite weapon, would secure a bloodless victory.

“Every throne casts the shadow of its own destruction, my lords. We clamber to the heavens and live in dread of those we leave below, driven to greater and greater cruelty to avoid being dragged to the hell that we ourselves have made.”

He dropped his hands and and his voice, and looked each of them in the eye in turn.

“Isn’t it better to dig graves for our pride than our people?”

The silence was louder than any sound could ever have been.

It was finally broken by a ringing, rolling laugh from Nobunaga, who finally sat back and cleared his throat with a wide, wild smile, and the tiniest flash of relief somewhere far, far back in his dark eyes.

“I knew you were going to revolt eventually, but holding a gun to all of our heads, from the Imperial court to the local magistrates–” he shook his head and chuckled again, “and not even with the ambition to rule! Ingenious.”

“My lord–” Hideyoshi said, his expression tense.

“Enough. We’ve been outplayed.” Nobunaga said with a wave of his fan. “It’s almost poetic– in the end, the people unified themselves.”

…

How many years ago had that day been? His mind was still sharp, even as his body had begun to fail him, heart growing weaker by the day. He had wrung out every bit of his strength taking aim at the distant future.

The years had been full of mountains of correspondence, leagues of riding from one end of the country to the other to keep the peace, to pluck out the seeds of war before they could be well and truly sown.

And always in the dark, the memory of her, and the hope that every step forward and every day would build a shrine that could carry his heart to her.

He whispered to her in the night, when the fear that it wasn’t enough chilled him, knowing that the odds were astronomically stacked against them, he whispered every sweet and longing word into quiet space where she should have been. Dreams of her carried him through, of the warmth of her body, the feel of her skin, every exquisite shudder and sigh, even the painful aching fire of unfulfilled lust he carried like a penitent barbarian in their horsehair shirt.

He had spent the first half of his life trusting no-one, and spent the latter half holding his trust like a weapon– trust in her, in himself, in whatever capricious force had brought them together in the first place.

The irony of dying in hopes of giving himself a second chance at life was never lost on him, who had never so much as believed in the immaterial soul. Time was an enemy and his dearest ally.

With the final preparations made, with nothing left but to leave his faith in the children and grandchildren of his friends and one time enemies, he was helped into the saddle for one last ride. The old scar on his arm ached as the early winter snow drifted down.

The ruins of Honno-ji had become an overgrown mass over the years, but he had built a small cozy hut there, the place where he had begun to live, the place where he intended to die.

“Thank you, Kyubei.” He said as took the proffered cup of sake gratefully, watching the snowfall in the quiet night.

“I’m Kyubei’s grandson,” the young man said, and gave him a conciliatory pat on the shoulder.

“Ah. Forgive an old man for losing track of time.” He said, quietly.

The quiet snowfall had lulled him into a deep, peaceful sleep, a dream where she was curled against him, so warm, a dream of a long ago kiss upon the back of his neck, of her cradled in his arms, of her beautiful body tangled with his, of her precious voice telling him

You do not have to be good

but you are

Somewhere in the deep blue dawn he heard the calling. He struggled up, half staggering, half crawling, toward the door.

“Wait– where are you going?” The boy cried out, trying to take hold of his sleeve, but he felt lighter than he had in years, felt as light as the flakes of falling snow.

“The wild geese are calling me to my place by her side…” he said, bare feet in the soft snow, strangely warm as he walked toward the place where the balcony had been and folded his legs neatly beneath him, hands in his lap, heart in his hands to give to her as he closed his eyes.

…

She had had one day and 7 hours to dispose as best she could of her life, but nothing had ever been easier. She had already been living as if she were dead, and dropped her letters of farewell into the post without a single regret.

It felt as if she were floating a little above the ground as she carefully wrapped up four sets of glasses for Sasuke, and went to the monument to wait with one more poem on her lips like a prayer

A kiss on the forehead—erases misery. I kiss your forehead. A kiss on the eyes—lifts sleeplessness. I kiss your eyes. A kiss on the lips—is a drink of water. I kiss your lips.

How many lives were folded between the two of them like ink dropped into water, and why, she didn’t ask. Just one, even if it hurt sometimes, if it frightened them both, if it was struggle, just one would be so much more than enough.

The pressure and the crackle in the air brought grateful tears to her eyes when they arrived, and she stood fearlessly and walked into the wormhole, eyes wide open.

It was the same dark haze but she felt as if she were being dragged every which way, buffeted first toward one blurred landscape and then another, searching frantically for him.

She saw the diverging paths of his life, the violent heartbreaking ends, the loneliness, and shards of incohate moments.

Snow. He was there in the snow, seated as if in silent meditation, beauty still apparent under the marks of age.

He didn’t stir as she cried out his name, again and again, telling him she had returned as the sight of his serene face faded. She felt a familiar cool hand brush her tears away with a touch so soft and light, felt guided toward a faint light, and began to run.

…

“Are you ill?” Nobunaga asked as Mitsuhide pitched forward onto his knees, and clutched his head.

“I– I just had the odd sensation of having… died.” He mumbled, faintly.

Sasuke cocked his head thoughtfully, watching the storm as it descended.

“You called these peace talks under threat of revolution you’re not allowed to die of a broken heart, you insufferable snake.” Hideyoshi said angrily.

The four of them had ridden up to Honno-ji as the storm came on, and he felt as if his head were full of intense flashes of something he couldn’t name– other selves, other lives.

“I did warn you that the timeline reasserting itself might be unpleasant.” Sasuke said dryly, and adjusted his battered glasses.

“Shouldn’t she be here by now?” Hideyoshi asked as he hoisted Mitsuhide to his feet.

“There’s no guarantee–” Sasuke began, and was cut off by Nobunaga gesturing toward the balcony.

He scrambled across the sleet slicked ground, feeling that same desperate fear and hope as he stumbled up the stairs, overcome with the sensation that it had been so much longer than a single year, weak in the knees as he slid down, straining to see into the twisting cloud.

She toppled into him, snow in her hair and on her lashes, and they fell together onto the cold and sooty wood of the balcony. She was so warm in his trembling arms, her pounding heart pressed to his.

***

WHEW, WE MADE IT THROUGH THE ANGST

This chapter’s poem is “A Kiss on the Forehead” by Marina Tsvetaeva

#ikemen sengoku #ikemen sengoku mitsuhide #cybird mitsuhide #cybird ikemen #otome #akechi mitsuhide #mitsuhide akechi #mitsuhide xmc #thefoxesfic #fanfic #wow writing him dying was a big ouch

41 notes · View notes

ninja-scenarios · 6 years

Text

Yandere!Orochimaru headcanons + scenario

Someone asked: “Can we please have some yandere Orochimaru trying to win over a very soft spoken, kind hearted, 'mom friend's crush? Preferably Headcanons please and thank you (Orochimaru is bae)”

AHhh thank you, I needed an Oro request so badly lol <3

I went overboard with this again TT___TT

(PS: Oro is life, Oro is love)

- at first Orochimaru would wonder at why he´s interested in someone who´s so kind and caring, since he always thought to be only attracted by power. No matter how hard he tries, Orochimaru will notice that he can´t ban them from his thoughts. Also, why does everything they do seem to make him feel happy? It´s annoying, really! Gradually, the wise Ninja will stop trying to figure out the reason for his crush and will rather focus on how to capture them make them his. It´s nice to own something so pure and innocent

- a lot of observing. His crush will probably get monitored 24/7 until Orochimaru knows every single detail about their life. With who they talk to, if they brush their teeth with their right or left hand, everything they eat and even who walked by their house. Total surveillance

- Orochimaru is very confident, lso he would try to appeal with his strength, saving them from dangerous situations or offering to help with his knowledge. Should these situations not appear naturally, then he will CREATE them

- he hates seeing them caring for others. No matter their nature, they shouldn´t be too close to someone else!

- oh how pleasant it feels when they slowly start melting for him. Suddenly Orochimaru is greeted by a smile every time they “randomly” walk into the wise Sannin on the streets or with a shy “Hello, Orochimaru-sama.” (I`m sure they´ll call him Sama just out of respect, it´s always been my very own headcanon). He can´t help the smirk

- Orochimaru knows how gorgeous, charming and irresistible he is, yet he also knows not to play out every good card at once. A genuine smile here, a gentle touch there, maybe even a small sweet kiss… His crush will be falling head over heels in absolutely no time!

- if his crush owns any pets, they will probably sense what Orochimaru is up to and hate him. Remember, everything in the way will get eliminated - “Don´t cry, my dear. You can have lots of new pets once you´ve moved in. I´ll tell Kabuto to fetch a pup or maybe you can finally become friends with the snakes… Now, stop sobbing. I told you nothing in this world lasts forever, only you and me.”

- because perfection is something Orochimaru worked hard to (not fully yet) achieve, he won´t try to change himself to appeal to his crush. They will eventually get to love him for who he is. Still, being the sly scientist he is, he´ll be on his very best behaviour around them: always helpful, nice, thoughtful, kind and patient. Once his crush finally falls for him, Orochimaru will slowly but surely loosen up a bit on his manners and start neglecting them and playing a little hard to get in order to make them fall even harder

- I´m not even sure if Orochimaru will value gifts from his crush. He´ll also have a hard time giving them gifts or celebrating their birthday with them, probably only congratulating. Orochimaru´s wooing is all about psychology and the right timing

- we all know Orochimaru possesses some serious psychology skills, so he won´t rest until he finds out how his crush´s mentality works in order to predict their actions to certain situations and have complete control over them. If necessary, also to crush them in an instant

- “love” and “possession” are two things that he considers very close and almost inseparable (we´re talking about a yandere!Oro, not a Boruto-era!Oro). So the thought of them turning the great ninja down is not acceptable

- therefore, should the crush already have a partner or a love interest, they´re gonna get eliminated before you can say “let´s get this bread”. Orochimaru thinks that it´s no use trying to unnecessarily compete against someone else if they can easily be taken care of. It would come in handy anyway

- you can bet Orochimaru has made several plans on how to lure them make them fall in love with the Sannin. It´s okay if they´ll take time but every move of his, every appearance, every word and every action around his crush are serving a purpose

- if nothing seems to work out or simply to expedite the plans, Orochimaru will try to isolate his crush and possibly give them a reason to suffer in order to search for protection and comfort in his arms…

- Orochimaru lost many people in his life, so he´ll ensure his crush to never leave him, ever. This means that he´ll probably destroy the place they could go back to, their family and friends. It also means that whenever their health starts dropping, he´ll be really worked up about it and Kabuto won´t get a single free minute to himself until the poor boy has nursed them back to health

- Orochimaru will also try to make his crush emotionally dependent on him. A few examples I can imagine would contain making them wake up every time they´re trying to sleep without him. He´ll probably order some of his subordinates to secretly wake them every half an hour with a small noise until they decide to come to Orochimaru for the night. He´ll let that continue until they willingly sleep in his bed every night. Not to be misunderstood, Orochimaru doesn´t even want to sleep with them every night, he just needs to know that they´re dependent on him

- from the start, it´s not the idea of having sex with his crush that motivates Orochimaru. He´s not a very affectionate person and possibly won´t sleep with them much at all, it´s all about possession

- once his crush is his, Orochimaru will probably put a seal on them that prevents them from going too far from him or physically do something he told them not to. “There are certain rules you need to follow from now on, my dear. It´s all for your own protection. Never speak to others. Don´t try to harm yourself. And most importantly, don´t linger somewhere too far away. You´re smart enough to see these orders are valid, don´t you, my love?”

Also, here comes a small scenario because my Oro-loving-ass is too starved to turn down this opportunity!

Pairing: Yandere!Orochimaru x Female!Crush

It was truly tiring, having to accomplish each task her Taichō had assigned to the young woman. Being a Jōnin was something she had imagined to be quite different because gathering information about some ancient clan wasn´t something she enjoyed much. It was very strange how her Taichō bombarded her with one order after the other lately…

Delaying her duties for as long as possible, she took a detour to the sparsely visited library and stopped by the busy, sunlit market to fetch some snacks for Panda. The small cat sat neatly in her jacket and accompanied her throughout most of the day.

Finally arriving in the library, she warmly greeted Hisuke, a man her age that she´d practiced with back in their academy days. Making sure to tell Panda to keep silent, the Kunoichi stopped in front of the towering bookshelves of the clan-related section. The first few hours were spent finding books that had any information on it at all. So much, she had only found three. Letting out a sigh, the young woman looked up from the pile and considered going over to ask the owner for help. There had been a lot of times where he had explicitly not been of help, but maybe he´d this time.

Just as she felt desperate enough to walk over to the owner, suddenly someone else entered the library. She recognized him instantly and greeted the wise Ninja with a very sweet smile. “Hello, Orochimaru-sama! You should be outside enjoying the sunshine and not spend your time with work like me.”

His eyes affectionately smiled down at her. “The old Sandaime wants me to fetch scrolls for him.” The corners of his mouth curled upwards into a smile. “Well, my dear, what is your excuse?”

She felt proud that he even cared about her business, that he asked. With a shy smile she told him about the assignment and Orochimaru tilted his head to the side to think, as if he didn´t know about every one of her orders.

“Let me see… I was studying about that clan when I was at the academy.”

“Oh, really?” Her excitement is tangible like a happy bubble.

“Let me show you, my dear.” Orochimaru teaches her about this and that, about the clan like a wise professor. Like someone she can open her heart to, someone that will protect her and keep her safe. How wrong she is. When Orochimaru ends his patient lecture and she took enough notes, there´s suddenly someone passing very closely by their table. Orochimaru lays an arm around her protectively, to pull her closer into his cold chest and at a safe distance with the possible collision.

The blush on her cheeks tells him that she enjoys it. And even though it´s her adoration he notices, there´s an unfamiliar tug at the Sannin´s alleged heartstrings. Usually, the Sannin would pull back immediately but the library happens to be dead empty with just the two of them. It´s the best chance. His cold yet elegant fingers brush over the sensitive skin on her neck before he strokes a strand of hair behind her ear. Just when he is about to go further, there suddenly is an angry hiss followed by a tiny monster arm leaping lunging at him from within her jacket.

She jumps backwards and scolds the tiny monster cat in her jacket, which glares daggers at Orochimaru. Mh, this pet is a real nuisance, he thinks. There´s anger boiling up inside. It was the perfect opportunity, the perfect change… His fists clench without thinking, yet he relaxes them just in time.

“Orochimaru-sama, I´m so sorry! Surely Panda didn´t mean to harm you.”

He will have to give her another assignment. One that lures her to an even more isolated place.

“A lovely cat, indeed.”

Yes, indeed.

#orochimaru #oro #orochimaru x reader #orochimaru headcanon #orochimaru headcanons #orochimaru imagine #orochimaru scenario #orochimaru drabble #orochimaru drabbles #orochimaru scenarios #orochimaru imagines #orochimaru fanfiction #orochimaru x reader fanfiction

197 notes · View notes

jouissezduprintemps · 7 years

Text

Something to Prove, Chapter Six: The Written Exam

Rating: T Warnings: Swearing Words: 3054 Fandom: Naruto Summary: As Suna prepares for its first independently-held chunin exam since Gaara became kazekage, the sand siblings must make sure that everything goes off without a hitch.

First Previous Next

The shrill ringing in the air had Temari gritting her teeth in disdain. After physically attempting to distance herself from the offensive noise, she covered her head with her pillow. Blindly, she swung her arm in the direction of the bedside table. The back of her hand made contact with the clock and sent it tumbling to the ground.

The alarm sounded muffled, but it was still there. It must have rolled under the bed. Temari gathered all of her strength and forced herself up into a sitting position. There was much more resistance than she thought, as though there was a weight on her chest.

When she righted herself, it took her a moment to understand the situation she was in. A limp, muscular arm fell back down to the bed, slapping against her knee. The figure she’d only now noticed beside her stirred, and another hand appeared to drag the comforter up over its head.

“Make it stop…” Shikamaru’s voice was heavy with sleep. He sounded hoarse, which drug out the gravelly base that his voice always carried.

Temari felt frozen in place. The night before, she hadn’t been drunk enough to forget everything that happened, but she could have sworn that it was just a dream. The alarm continued to ring, much to her disdain, but she made no move to retrieve it.

Two forceful knocks came from the other side of the door. “Shikamaru, shut that damned thing up, will you?!” Kankuro shouted, clearly annoyed. “You’ve woken everyone else up with it, and you’re sure as hell not going to be the only one to sleep through it.”

Temari jumped into action as the bottom of her stomach seemed to drop. Her only thought was to keep Kankuro from walking into the room. She dropped to her hands and knees and rooted around under the bed, her fingers feeling for the offensive metal. When she found it, she drew it to her and turned it upside down, using her fingernail to silence the ringing.

“Thank you!” Kankuro called out of aggravation rather than gratitude.

Temari sighed in relief and sat up on her knees, the clock in her hands. Shikamaru had propped himself into a sitting position. His glazed eyes stared down at her, his face expressionless. As he took a few seconds to wake up, his look changed to one of confusion, then surprise, and finally recognition.

“Yeah.” Temari whispered, affirming his thoughts that he didn’t speak aloud.

“Aw, shit.”

“Yeah.”

Shikamaru berated himself for falling into the same sort of situation he’d had to get them out of just a week before. In his defense, this time, it wasn’t actually his fault. But that didn’t mean that the kazekage wouldn’t beat him like a ragdoll for it. “We didn’t…”

“No.”

“Good.”

He saw Temari raise an eyebrow, and he thanked the powers that be that they were both too hungover to start down that road. He climbed out of bed and rooted in his pack for his pants. They needed to be ready to leave in half an hour. Time to push aside his illness and focus.

When Temari pulled herself to her feet, his brow furrowed. Unlike when she stayed at Choji’s, she had opted for a tank top and a complete lack of pants, most likely due to the warmer climate. This was no time to gawk. Should he give her his pants? Would that be suspicious if her brothers saw her? Of course it would! But she couldn’t just walk out of his room dressed like that.

His brain was working at about half its normal speed. He hit his forehead with his palm, urging it to think faster.

“Get dressed,” Temari urged him in a whisper. “Just put something on so you can make sure my brothers aren’t in the hallway.”

“Good plan.” Why couldn’t he think of that? He did as he was told and left the room, leaving the door cracked behind him. Nervously, he made his way into the kitchen, where, to his relief, both Gaara and Kankuro were enjoying breakfast. To keep his cover, he filled a large mug with black coffee. Both brothers were studying him, and he tried to keep from feeling nervous. They didn’t know anything.

“Shikamaru.”

Gaara’s voice scared him half to death, but he didn’t let it show.

“Are you sure you’re capable of proctoring today’s exam?”

“Oh. Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Shikamaru assured him, attempting to be as convincing as possible. “It takes way more than this to put me out of commission.”

“Good.”

Shikamaru wasn’t sure if that was gratitude for his wellbeing or a mild threat. With Gaara, it was hard to tell the difference.

“You need to hurry,” Gaara added, noting the leaf ninja’s disheveled appearance. “And knock on Temari’s door, if you would. I’m starting to wonder if she set an alarm.”

“Right.” He couldn’t believe that he’d managed to navigate that one. Mug in hand, he walked back to his room, relieved to find it empty. They couldn’t keep pushing their luck like this.

He set his coffee down and gathered his black hair up on the back of his hand, holding the ribbon between his teeth. He should have sent her back to her room last night. That would have been the smart thing to do. They could have avoided all this trouble if he’d just taken a moment to think.

His eyes glanced over at the bed, studying the state of disarray on both sides. Perhaps it wouldn’t be terrible to admit to himself that he’d enjoyed her company. They’d both slept better for it, at least.

His head was throbbing from the lingering effects of the sake. Whatever it was they found, it didn’t play. In retrospect, it had probably been gifted to the kazekage. It tasted expensive. Gaara probably tucked it away. Most likely, he didn’t want it to go to waste, but Shikamaru had never seen him drink, either. He’d just assumed that it was a courtesy Gaara gave around Lee, who, out of a regard for everyone’s safety, refrained as well.

The ribbon cinched around his hair, keeping it tightly in place. At least he’d look acceptable. He took his mug of coffee and drank it to the last drop, ignoring the temperature. With his empty cup in one hand and the folder of exams in the other, he strode back into the kitchen. He’d need another four of those before he was able to function.

A little bit of makeup went a long way when it came to hiding how hungover Temari actually was. She wasn’t one to wear any, usually, but a little foundation, sharp eyeliner, and a bit of color on her lips had her looking healthy. Kankuro and Gaara were sure to notice, but they both knew about her escapade the night before. Aside from Shikamaru, the only other person likely to notice was Baki. If he said something about it, she was sure she could deflect whatever came her way.

For two people who downed an entire, rather large bottle of top-shelf sake the night before, she had to admit that she and Shikamaru managed to look pretty damned good.

The light stung her eyes as they followed the street down to the testing center, but she was too proud to show it. The only things she carried were her fan across her back and a large thermos, filled with enough coffee to, hopefully, give them both enough energy to survive the next several hours. To her right, Shikamaru held the folder of exams tightly. Until they were administered, he needed to keep a close eye on them, just in case. With his free hand, he allowed himself a cigarette, another attempt at sobering himself up.

If someone didn’t know they were as hungover as sin, they’d look like a couple of suave, young jonin.

This wasn’t the time or the place for them to discuss last night or this morning, and there was a slight amount of tension between them as a result. Temari had to admit that this was probably to their benefit. They shouldn’t appear too comfortable around one another in front of the genin and jonin of the other villages.

Inside the testing center, the air was crisp. It was just enough to cause mild discomfort for anyone who didn’t dress in layers. Good, she remarked. Everything about the first exam was designed to make the genin sweat under the collar.

The pair took the first flight of stairs and turned to the left. Shikamaru grabbed the handle on the door and opened it, allowing Temari to enter first. When she did so, the dull roar produced by the chattering genin immediately died. With Shikamaru on her heels, they made their way to the table at the front of the room. She set the thermos down before turning to the participants, her eyes hard and unforgiving.

“I am Temari of the Sand. This is Shikamaru Nara. We’re your proctors for the first exam. I don’t know what you may have heard or experienced in past years, but we’re going to do things a little differently this time. There will be no speaking. There will be no jutsu. There will be no cheating. Every jonin in this room is here to watch you. Break these rules, and you’re immediately disqualified. If you are told to leave and you argue, your entire squad will be disqualified.

“On each sheet of paper are ten questions. Any chunin should be able to answer them in half the time limit we are providing. If you do not finish the exam before time runs out, you will be assessed on the answers you have provided and will lose points for any incomplete questions.”

Shikamaru stepped forward, taking the lead. “There are four separate versions of the test. These have not been marked. Should you attempt to cheat, remember that you have only a 25% chance that you will be stealing the answer to the appropriate question. The chance that that answer will be correct is far lower. Until this point, you’ve worked together as a squad. Today, we test you individually. The whole may be greater than the sum of its parts, but if even one part isn’t up to snuff, any mission will end in certain failure.

“Now, before we begin, is there anyone who would like to back out now and save themselves the embarrassment?”

The genin shifted uncomfortably in their seats, glancing around the room at one another. No one stood up. Shikamaru could easily spot at least five genin who should have taken the opportunity.

Temari opened the folder and withdrew the exam papers. She divided the stack in half, and, one by one, she handed them out to the students at the front of the room. Shikamaru worked his way in from the back. When they met in the middle, both had a small number of sheets left over. Temari took them from her fellow proctor and returned them to the file, which sat on the table at the front of the room.

She took the liberty of unscrewing the lid from the thermos and filling it with coffee. It might have been unorthodox for a proctor to bring something like that into the exam room, but, as far as she was concerned, it would just be another distraction for the nervous genin. She could see Baki’s questioning look from across the room, but she pretended like he hadn’t been in her line of sight.

The room was filled with the sound of scratching pencils as the genin tried to figure out the answers to the questions Shikamaru had formulated. He and Temari sat side-by-side at the table in the front of the room, paying close attention to the children. Every so often, a jonin would signal for someone to leave the room. At least, so far, anyone who was removed had been wise enough not to argue.

Shikamaru and Temari continued to pass the thermos back and forth, functioning almost exclusively off of liquid energy. Shikamaru kept a careful eye on the clock, watching as the minutes ticked away.

“You, glasses from the Cloud,” Temari snapped, not having to leave her chair to signal out the genin. With a look of dismay, the kid left his seat and trudged out of the hall. She took the thermos lid from Shikamaru’s hand and refilled it, disappointed that there was less coffee than she had anticipated. To her benefit, her head had begun to clear. Shikamaru appeared more alert, as well. She just hoped that they could ride the caffeine boost until the first exam was finished.

Fifteen minutes passed before Shikamaru stood. The metal legs of his chair screeched across the tile floor, calling attention to the front of the room. “Time,” he declared, much to the horror of the remaining genin.

“There’s one more problem on this exam, one that isn’t printed in front of you. Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once.

If you get this question correct, you’ll pass this exam without having to worry about the rest of your answers. If you fail this question, you’ll immediately fail.”

“Are you telling me that this didn’t even matter?!” Konohamaru’s voice stood out against the surprised murmurs of the crowd.

Shikamaru held his hand up, bringing silence to the room once more. “You have a choice. You can stay and answer the question, or you can leave now and take the exam next year. Choose wisely. If you stay, and you fail the question, you will never be able to take the chunin exam again. You’ll remain a genin for the rest of your life.

“If you stay, and you ace this question, you’ll progress to the next stage. However, should any of your teammates fail, the entire squad will suffer he same fate.

“You have thirty seconds to make your decision. You may not speak to your squadmates.”

Temari looked up at Shikamaru, studying his face. He seemed confident. Whether he was certain the genin would make the right decision or he was stroking his ego, she wasn’t sure.

She heard the legs of a chair scratch across the floor. The boisterous leaf genin with the goggles had stood up, his small hands clenched into fists. His head hung in shame as he shuffled out of the room. His squadmates took his lead, following him out of the double-doors.

Konohamaru had sparked the rest of the genin to action. The sound of the metal scraping over the tile was like nails on a chalkboard to Temari, but she ground her teeth and bore the sound. Shikamaru remained standing, waiting patiently as the last of the ashamed genin exited the hall. A quick glance around the room revealed five genin confident enough to remain.

Shikamaru drew in a breath and narrowed his thin eyes. “You all fail.”

The uproar from the five children was enough to split an eardrum.

“Sacrificing yourself is one thing; sacrificing your squadmates is another. By risking their success on the chance of your own, even when they weren’t confident enough to finish the mission, you’ve doomed yourselves to fail. You’re all dismissed. Luckily for you, I’ve decided to allow you to take the test again in six months, if your jonin think you’ve learned enough to try again.”

With a nod to the jonin in the room, Shikamaru declared that the exam had finished. He and Temari stayed at the front of the room until it was empty. They then walked down the aisles, gathering the tests and pencils that had been left behind.

Temari took a moment to look at one test in particular. Across the top, the name Konohamaru Sarutobi was scrawled in hasty print. Each question had been attempted, but it was clear that he had given up. What entertained her was the rather unflattering drawing of Shikamaru on the back of the page. It was far from the work of an artist, but the slightly-evolved stick figure’s pointed face and spiky hair left no question about who it was supposed to be. In a crudely drawn speech bubble were the words: I’m so smart and I’m gonna show off with this stupid exam that no one can pass.

She couldn’t keep her laugh contained, and she separated that sheet from the rest of the tests. Shikamaru, who had caught a glimpse of it, tried to take it from her, but she held it out of his reach.

“Give me that.”

“Yeah, right! I’m framing this!”

“Like hell you are!”

“You can’t censor art, Shikamaru!”

Kankuro paused to study the piece of paper stuck to their fridge. “Why do we have a child’s drawing of Shikamaru in our kitchen?” he asked, somehow unable to be surprised by anything that went on in his own home at this point.

“Temari insisted,” Gaara informed his brother as he filled a glass of water from the sink.

Kankuro snorted before opening the door to the refrigerator. “And she calls us weird.”

Gaara turned his back on his brother and took a minute to look out the window. “Do you think we should be worried?”

“What’d’ya mean?” Kankuro asked.

“That they’re sleeping together.”

“WHOA!” Kankuro slammed the door to the fridge shut. “Man, that’s our sister! You don’t joke about shit like that!” He knew that Gaara, because he was isolated as a child, could be oblivious to social customs, but this was stepping too far over the boundary, even for him.

“I’m not joking.”

“No. You know what? No. I’m not having this conversation.”

“We need to, if they are. This could have serious implications for both villages.”

“Nope!” Kankuro shouted, pointedly leaving the kitchen. “Not happening, Gaara!”

“Kankuro-”

“Nope!”

Gaara frowned and drummed his fingertips against the countertop. Having his brother and sister as advisors was useful most of the time, but Kankuro was useless this time around. He supposed he could talk about this with Baki, but, somehow, that didn’t seem appropriate. Maybe he was worried about nothing. Kankuro was usually more astute than him about things like this; if he didn’t think anything was going on, perhaps he was right.

#shikatema #naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto fanfiction #fanfiction #temari of the sand #kankuro of the sand #gaara of the sand #shikamaru nara

12 notes · View notes

kondou-shouri · 7 years

Text

Part 1: This Summer, Let’s Enjoy the Yukata: How to Choose and Wear a Yukata! A Yukata Date with A 2.5D Actor

Part 2 is here → Ueno Park Date in a Yukata!

2.5D Actor’s First Time Shopping for Yukata...So, a Yukata Date Scenario in Ueno!

Kondou Shouri is active in various 2.5D stageplays, and one of it is this September’s Hyper Projection Engeki Haikyuu!! The Summer of Evolution. This summer, we went with Kondou-san to a men’s yukata shop to get his own yukata. After that, with Kondou-san’s unusual suggestion, a hypothetical date at Ueno Park. Well then, please enjoy the shopping and date!

Actually, there’s a talk event on July 22 (Saturday), 『Gekidan Jungle Act 5 ~Assassins from Knasai! Gekidan Patch Attacks Tokyo in Yukata!!?~』(tickets are sold out) where Kondou-san is going to wear a yukata. Gekidan Patch performs different stages involving period drama and ninja things. However, it seems like Kondou-san has only worn a yukata twice.

“In case you want to buy a new yukata....” we took Kondou-san to a Men’s Yukata specialty shop in Ueno. We report a 3D yukata transformation!

Kondou-san: I’d like to know the various ways on how to dress up in a men’s yukata. Let’s go!

First, let’s choose a yukata from the metropolitan area’s best men’s yukata specialty shop

We went to Ueno’s largest yukata specialty shop “Fuijikiya.” Kondou-san is 184 cm tall, and has a slender body, with muscles trained due to volleyball.

Today we visited a men’s kimono and yukata specialty shop “Fujikiya.” Fujimoto-san and, the company president, Fujikiya-san met while studying abroad and opened the shop to promote the kimono, and Japan’s traditional culture.

Fujikiya-san originally worked as an apparel maker. Using his experience and sense in making clothes, he made a variety of kimono and yukata such as the kimono in denim.

Fukijiya-san, whose hobby is tea ceremony, was shocked by the current situation where men’s kimono has few sales, and also of its high price range. With that in mind, he began developing the product with a concept of what kind of kimono he would like to buy. Besides the physical stores, they also offer custom kimono and yukata for sale on the web. Currently, this shop is famous for providing costumes for numerous movies and artists.

Kondou-san: Shop manager-san’s yukata is really cool~ I haven’t really worn a yukata that much before. How do I choose one?

Fujikiya-san: In choosing a men’s yukata, there are a few points to consider

1. For beginners, it’s better to choose a black or a deep blue yukata.

Fujikiya has different yukata in black, navy blue, and white, with patterns based on it.

Since it’s hot during summer, a white yukata can be refreshing and great for it, but “Since it’s your first time to buy a yukata, I would recommend either a black or a navy blue one,” according to Fujikiya-san.

Fujikiya-san: Light colors are cool, but it takes some time to get used to, and you’ll be wearing it around thinking it’s just like normal clothes. It can get uncomfortable since you’d be worrying about things such as soiling the sleeves, etc.

Kondou-san: Certainly, i’d be worrying about it getting dirty, and I’ll get fidgety lol

2. Length of the clothes changes for different body shapes, so be sure to try it on first

Since yukata tend to shift around whenever you move, always straighten them out with your hand. If you hold down the collar, you can check if the seems are still aligned along the spine, if it still is then it should be OK.

Fujikiya-san: Just like in wearing western clothes, trying the yukata on first is a must. Please select a yukata with emphasis on its length. When you fit it, the the sleeve length should not be bothersome and can be worn cleanly.

Kondou-san: I thought that the size was not important before since you can just adjust it with the strap!

3. The position of the obi determines how well you are dressed up!

In dressing up well and looking cool, the most important thing is, in fact, the obi!

The most important thing in wearing men’s yukata is the obi. According to Fujikiya-san “children wear the obi high up their waist, and for adult men, it should be low.”

Fujikiya-san: To tie up the obi, the lower part should reach the hip joint. This is the most important rule when wearing a yukata.

Kondou-san: I’m surprised! I wonder if I can wear one perfectly...

After hearing those different pointers, we picked out some yukata designs at once. Kondou-san can’t quite decide which one to choose. He’s such a handsome man~!

It’s easy to try it on over the top of western clothes◎

Trying out different patterns

Consultations based on the narrowed down to the last two options

Kondou-san: I choose this one!

Once the yukata was decided, it’s time to choose the obi and geta. There were plenty of colors and sizes, so I guess we’re going to have a difficult time choosing again...!

Traditional Japanese pattern and solid color, even something as little as the geta can give off a little individuality

“If you wear a geta that is perfectly sized, it’s possible to step on the yukata. It’s better to choose one where the heels are slightly out.” (Fujikiya)

A popular choice for the obi pattern is the “献上柄”. “If you have a kimono, you probably do not have one, you should note the direction of the pattern should be going up, as it is often reversed.” (Fujikiya)

Kondou-san: Choosing a yukata can be as fun as choosing western clothes! Even though I thought this is a relatively good decision, I still got lost~

Coordination Complete! The total is at 19,440 JPY

Shouri’s coordinate, a navy blue yukata (14,040 JPY), a red 献上柄 men’s stiff sash (obi) (3,240JPY), and geta (2,160JPY)

Please wait for the transformation!

(I’ll skip the short interview with Fujikiya-san about yukata trends)

Kondou-san: I’m done! How does it look?

!!! Oh my, it suits you...(moe)

Kondou-san: With something like this, there’s like a special feeling whenever you wear a yukata. I’d like to go out on a date wearing one.

So...

Transformation Complete! Let’s begin Ueno Park Date!

The first (wild idea) date with Shouri-kun at Ueno Park!

Acting as if Writer K didn’t hear Kondou-san’s “I’d like to go on a date wearing a Yukata,” In order to make that wish come true, we’ll be going out to Ueno Park while wearing the Yukata. This route is the area rich in nature and it’s on the left side park entrance facing the Ueno Station. Well, let’s go

#kondou shouri #translation #interview #yahoo!#i'll be writing the date scenario in part 2 lol #this part of the feature is already quite long #I fixed the typos lol sorry! i didn't proofread when I posted it #my brain turns to mush whenever I translate smth very long so I don't wanna doublecheck anymore w

63 notes · View notes

behindheremeraldeyes · 7 years

Text

SasuSaku Festival 2017 . Days - Past/ SasuSaku Rivals . Title: Before You . Summary: Sasuke has always been the most intelligent student of his class. That is, until she came by.

. . . His early days at the ninja academy could, indeed, be called perfect. He had the perfect seat, from where he could see the entire blackboard; the best teachers, who would proudly compliment his performances; and average classmates that wouldn’t bother him with stupid things such as playing around or having fun somewhere after classes ended. Apart from that blonde idiot who kept challenging him, the Uchiha had nothing to complain about, regarding his daily routine at the academy.

Sasuke enjoyed his days there, where his skills and abilities were recognized by everyone and where he was, by far, the best among all the others. There, he was the greatest Uchiha, and even if he was sometimes compared to his older brother by some teachers, it was not like Itachi was actually there like he always was at home.

That was his place and his chance to prove his power. That was his class. Be it Ninjutsu, Taijutsu or Genjutsu, no one could beat him.

No one could beat Uchiha Sasuke.

That is, until she appeared.

It was a normal day when his eyes first captured the vibrant color of her short, pink hair. Her big, bright, green eyes were breathtaking, and thanks to that pout decorating her lips, he could barely pay any attention to the words she said during her self-introduction. Apparently, that girl— Sakura, as he later found out— came from a nearby village with her parents and would be now joining the ninja academy. She was a fragile, small girl, who seemed to be afraid of all the eyes that were set on her and of the future that started that day. She was clearly not going to make it to the end of the course, and for a moment, he even felt sorry for her.

Such a weak, defenseless girl… She could never be a ninja.

Or that was what he thought until she was finally put to test.

Her results on physical tests, as he had expected, weren’t anything but ordinary. She showed off more in taijutsu abilities, demonstrating somewhat of a precise chakra control and fast reflexes, but nothing that could surpass him. Sakura was okay, he thought. And an okay girl certainly didn’t deserve his Uchiha attention.

Oh, but when their written tests ended, he saw how much that ‘okay’ girl could really shine.

When Iruka finally gave back his corrected tests, Sasuke was certainly not prepared for the words that escaped his cheerful teacher’s lips.

“Congratulations, Sasuke-kun. Your marks were the second best!”

His eyes widened, his heart skipped a beat, and suddenly, all the buzz caused by his classmates sharing their marks disappeared. He felt sick and frozen, as if he had seen a ghost entering his room in the middle of the night.

Second best. Second. What on earth was that supposed to mean!?

That couldn’t be happening, he thought, looking down at the numbers circled on the front pages of his tests.

93, 95, 97. Those weren’t perfect scores, but how could anyone have surpassed him when most of the students didn’t even reach 85?

There had to be something wrong. Iruka probably made a mistake or someone— the one— had cheated and wasn’t caught. His classmates aren’t that smart. They’ve never been, and Sasuke refused to believe that one of them had suddenly turned into a genius. No, not those kids. Not the kids he grew up with and not the kids that—

And suddenly, as in an epiphany, realization took over his body and his eyes immediately turned to the one child in that class that had not grown up with them. The one kid he knew nothing about and the one kid that could, indeed, be somehow smart. Haruno Sakura, the stranger that came from who knows where, and who had so far proven to be just an okay girl.

It couldn’t be her, right?

Yes, it could. And as soon as he saw all those children surrounding her with amazed expressions ruling their faces, Uchiha Sasuke knew for sure that it was.

For her seat was located just one row below his own, Sasuke could clearly see the numbers that decorated the front pages of her tests. All the three of them exposed a perfectly round 100, showing him that the stranger with pink hair was, definitely, a genius. She had aced all her tests, and even if everyone around her was amazed by her scores, Sakura was just there, humbly smiling as if what she had done was no big deal at all. As if she had not just stolen his spot.

Neither her cute looks nor her bubbly personality were enough to dissipate the immeasurable anger he felt towards her at that moment. Even if she was a kind girl and always tried to be nice to everyone, Sasuke couldn’t help but hate her. Hate her for being smarter, hate her for humiliating him in front of the entire academy and hate her for probably working hard on her own. He didn’t care if she had spent hours studying for the tests and he certainly couldn’t care less if she had worked harder than he did in order to get those grades.

He simply hated her.

And from that day onwards, Uchiha Sasuke had vowed to make it his personal mission to get his revenge on that girl with pink hair.

But saying was a lot easier than actually doing.

Much to his dismay, the same thing repeated itself in the following written tests. She kept her perfect scores, not letting a single mistake destroy her records or her impeccable answers, and making sure to add all the information needed. It's true that he managed to get higher grades himself thanks to the amount of hours added to his studies, but they were still not enough neither to satisfy his needs nor to shut his brother’s mouth. Lately, Itachi had been teasing him about the real reasons behind that sudden need to study, and more than ever, he was sure his brother had eyes inside the ninja academy. Apparently, he knew too much about the pinkette and their little rivalry, and needless to say, family dinners were filled with her name and teasing looks.

It was annoying.

Itachi was annoying and she was annoying, too.

And because of that— because of them, the Uchiha found himself staying at the academy after the classes ended so he could study with no annoying interruptions. He was holding a bunch of books in his small hands, as his feet dragged him towards his own classroom, where, he knew, would be a good place to acquire new knowledge. For most of the kids had already headed home, he figured that would be the one place where he could be all alone, without that pink haired annoyance that had been constantly present in his life.

He wanted to stay away from her.

But fate would allow no such thing.

As soon as he slid the wooden door open, his dark eyes widened at the scene in front of him. The room was quiet, and the light entering through the window created a peaceful veil that softly fell over her pink hair, making it shine in its purest way. Her head was lowered, her green eyes shut and a pile of books rested next to her sleeping form, as an evident indication that she had studied until her body collapsed. An almost inaudible sound escaped her lips, and for a moment, he actually thought she was cute.

Or maybe even more than just that.

At first, the Uchiha boy felt reluctant regarding what to do next. He didn’t want to wake her up, but at the same time, he was also drawn to her in pure curiosity. As a child discovering the world for the first time, his eyes wanted to take a closer look at the girl who had been the cause of his sleepless nights and troubled dinners.

Before he could even think straight, his feet had already dragged him towards her. From such a short distance, he could clearly see the soft blush on her cheeks, and he could smell the floral scent that emanated from her. Her hair was beautiful under that natural, sun light, and there was a rebel, pink lock that had fallen over her face. Sakura was there, in front of him, and at that moment, he realized how fragile that girl really was. Were he an enemy, she wouldn’t even see where her death came from. If he were cautious, he could even tuck that pink lock behind her ear and she wouldn’t even realize his presence.

It would all be just a dream, he thought.

But a dream that ended up too soon.

Her green eyes opened just in time to see his fingers approaching her face. The deep, sleepy way her emeralds looked at him made him freeze in his position, and for a moment, Sasuke felt like he was the fragile ninja of the situation. Sakura didn’t seem to be afraid or scared by his presence, leaving all the shock and confusion to him. She looked calm and peaceful, and for a moment, he could feel his heart skipping a beat.

What the hell was wrong with him?

“ Sasuke…kun?” She said, her voice sleepy and low. “ What are you doing here?”

“I-It’s none of your business!” He said, crossing his arms over his chest, hugging his books and pouting like the child he was. He watched as she scratched her eyes in order to take the sleep away, and one, deep yawn left her lungs.

“ I must have fallen asleep while studying…” She stretched her body like a kitty, lifting her arms, and right after that, her eyes landed on the books he was carrying. “ I see that you’re here for that, too.”

“ Yes. I’ll have a perfect score on our next exam, you’ll see!”

“…” A smile crossed her lips, as her cheeks grew redder in pure excitement. “ I wish you good luck, then!”

The way she looked at him with those pure, emerald eyes, and the way she spoke so truthfully and innocently made his arrogant expression drop from his face. His body felt warmer, and even if he hated to admit it, Sakura had just given him a confidence boost he didn’t know he needed.

Apparently, the pinkette didn’t realize that his words were more of a war declaration than anything, and that was enough to leave him mad. He wanted to see her suffering and apprehensive after his threat, but instead, she was acting truly supportive and excited for him. She didn’t feel bad or hurt at all, and he could not understand how she could look so happy after he had just said he would bring her down.

Sakura was supposed to have been angry at him. Annoyed, at least.

But instead, there she was, all sunshine and rainbows with that beautiful smile and those stunning eyes, supporting the boy who wanted to see her suffer.

He really hated her. And at that moment, he was ready to show her she had just made herself an enemy.

She had just found herself a rival.

“Hn, I don’t need your words!”

Pouting again and trying to seem as angry as he could, Uchiha Sasuke turned around and headed to his own seat so he could start studying. Even if he had tried to make a dramatic exit, all his credit dissipated when he sat just behind her. She probably thought he was fool for making all that fuzz for nothing, but instead of taking his words seriously, Sakura chose to pay attention to how silly he actually looked when his cheeks were puffed.

Apparently, the girls were right. Uchiha Sasuke really is cute.

And she couldn’t have chosen a better way to finally get to talk to him.

Ever since she had entered the academy, he had never really spoken to her. All the other kids had at least approached her to say hi, but the Uchiha was the only one who had actually kept quiet, choosing only to glare at her during classes. She thought about approaching him herself— and she even tried to do so— but she was always interrupted by one of the other girls or even Naruto challenging him for a fight.

Destiny certainly didn’t want them to get to know each other. Still, she was decided not to give up.

And finally, after so long, her efforts were rewarded. She was all alone with him, and even if they were studying in the purest silence, it was already a progress, she thought. He seemed to be a nice kid, and maybe, since they were together, she could use that chance to invite him to go somewhere or just talk to him about silly things that had nothing to do with the academy.

She wanted to get to know him. And she was definitely not gonna waste her opportunity.

The studying went on for less than 30 minutes until the girl decided to start her approaching plan. With all the innocence of the world, Sakura took her math book and walked up to his seat’s row, sitting right next to him. She watched as his eyes followed her, and she could also see his annoyed face when she leaned forward, breaking into his personal space. It was clear that he didn’t like that at all, but at that moment, the pinkette couldn’t care less. She opened her book in front of him, and with her small, chubby finger, she pointed out a random exercise.

“ Oi, what do you-“

“ Can you help me with this one?”

Her voice cut through him, leaving him at complete loss of words. He looked at her with those dark eyes of his, confused as to how he should really react to her proposal. “ What?"

“ I need help with this exercise. Come on, if you’re as smart as you say you are, this shouldn’t be much of a challenge for you, right?”

The words that came out of her mouth and the daring face she was making destroyed all his previous thoughts, and before he knew it, his pride was already forcing him to do as she told. He pouted once more while he read the exercise, feeling confident as soon as he realized it was not a hard one. He knew how to solve that, and as he explained her the different types of shrunken rotations, the Uchiha boy could feel, somehow, superior.

It felt like a victory. A small one, for sure, but a victory nonetheless. Still, even if he didn’t want to admit, it also felt incredibly… fun?

“ Oh! Now I get it! Thank you, Sasuke-kun!”

He couldn’t quite explain the feeling that took over him as soon as he saw her smiling face thanking him, but he could feel himself growing lighter at that sensation. Soon after that, her proximity didn’t feel threatening anymore, and instead, the way her arm was brushing against his own felt quite soothing and welcoming. Her floral scent felt really good, and before he knew it, he grew used to her presence.

The way she listened to his explanations and the way she laughed and joked about silly things made him feel comfortable around her, and whenever she looked at him with her beautiful eyes, the Uchiha found himself at complete loss of words.

They were just stunning, he would think.

And for the entire time they spent studying side by side, not even once he was indifferent to those eyes.

By the time they finished, the sun was already setting and they had solved a lot of exercises. They were both happy with how much they had actually studied, and after they parted ways after walking home together, both Sasuke and Sakura knew that whatever they had started during that afternoon, would not be easily broken.

Not even by the scores of some stupid test.

The tests that followed those studying afternoons soon arrived, and quickly ended for both of them. On that morning, all the students were gathered around the hallways where their marks were displayed, and in the middle of defeated faces, both the smart kids were excitedly looking for their names on the top of that list. His dark pearls were confident about his scores, and her emerald ones were on fire as she went up to find her name.

Anyone that saw those kids could easily tell how flared they were about the scores. It’s true that the girl didn’t care much about that at first, but since she realized how funny it felt to compete— and win— against the Uchiha, the Haruno girl took a liking for the thing. She liked the competition, and winning tasted special when he was her opponent.

Hauro Sakura had turned herself into a competitive girl, never once experimenting the bitter taste of defeat.

And on that day, the results were as sweet as ever.

Her name was proudly decorating the first place, and as soon as she saw that, she quickly turned to face her raven haired friend. Her fingers were making the victory sign, as a big smile decorated her face and her mouth let out that ‘Shannaro’ thing she had lately come up with. She watched as he pouted in pure anger and as he balled his fists, while watching his name under hers.

Uchiha Sasuke was definitely a terrible loser.

But he was a loser, nonetheless.

Yet, he was not giving up on his goals to defeat her. He could be a brat and complain like a child all the time they were studying together, but her rival was not a quitter, no.

“ Yay! I won again!”

“ No way! You cheated, Sakura!”

“As if! Admit it, I’m smarter than you!"

“ Never!! Hn, Next time I’m gonna get you! I’ll be the first!”

Oh, and she loved that about him.

“ I’ll be waiting for you then, Sasuke-kun.”

A/N: This was supposed to be a cute, little one. I'm not really good at writing about pre-genin, so I hope you guys have enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #ssfanfic #sasusaku festival #myssfics

93 notes · View notes

crescentmoonrider · 7 years

Photo

@kakashiobitos i hope youre prepared. you asked for it so dont complain afterwards

but yeah lets talk about kakashi’s various coping mechanisms this will be fun

first one is obviously kid!kakashi’s total rejection of his own emotions following sakumo’s death (kakashi no) and therefore rejection of just anyone’s emotions especially obito’s (who is so emotional and kind and if faced with a choice between his team and the mission he would definitely choose the team and Die one way or another) (we’ll get back to his projection problem later bc this is a whole other issue he has) mixed with typical kakashi “this is a memento of my father” hatake hypocrisy

because if there is one thing kakashi cant do, ever, its letting go

dad died ? let me just bury all my emotions and pretend i manage to not feel stuff while also keeping a piece of my dad with me at all times

obito died ? and gave me his eye ? oh geez i guess im gonna have to fuCKING ABSORB HIS PERSONALITY AND BECOME THE ULTIMATE FRANKEN-NINJA oh and lets not forget about how he spent half his life in front of the memorial stone

im... actually kind of suprised i dont find any for rin but i guess a mangekyou kind of makes up for this wait nevermind i forgot about ANBU, obviously the best way to cope with someone’s death is trying to get yourself killed in S-class missions haha (he probably falls back into hand-washing in dire times i think tbh)

kakashi no

but seriously his absorption of obito (of his idea of obito) is. scary. and like, the way its handled in gaiden is. so g o o d kishimoto did not fuck around with the gaiden. he fucked around with a lot of things but not the gaiden but yumi we dont see kakashi absorbing obito’s personality in gaiden - no youre right we just see hiM COMPLETE HIS SIGNATURE JUTSU WITH OBITO’S EYE, PREFIGURATING THE WAY HES GOING TO ACT HIS WHOLE FUCKING L I F E

im fine this is fine

so about his projection issues - where do i fucKING START

i already mentioned sakumobito before, but let me just add that obito never gives up why does he never give up why did sakumo give up but not obito it makes kakashi so goddamn angry

but really no projection issues could ever prepare him to the absurdity that is Team 7. like. who thought it would be a good idea to put kakashi in there. making him an instructor is already a bad idea enough and now you put him with The Cold Genius, The Village Idiot, and The Sweet Girl With A Crush and ask him to keep it together and not fuck it up ? what is wrong with this village for real

(a good thing sakura doesnt actually look like rin that much aside from the crush and medic stuff - which only comes later, kakashi’s hell-brain thanks you)

oh god seeing sask try to kill sakura must have been so terrible for him oh god this is why you dont project yourself onto your students kakashi you never know when one of them might turn into an actual friend-killer

but the worst. the very worst of it all. is narutobito like. he idealises obito so much. and then projects all of it onto nard. “i will kill the current obito and protect the obito of the past” *picture of naruto there* Kakashi my boy this is. not healthy. for anyone (yes i remember this page by heart no im not going to look for it bc im lazy)

(seriously everyone projects their dead loved ones on naruto pls leave the boy alone holy shit how is he supposed to live with everyone’s impossible expectations thrown at him fuck)

also im sure the mask is probably A Thing(TM) because no one keeps the same look for 25 years (and also @ sakumo why is your 4yo son hiding his face he is 4 being a genius ninja doesnt explain everything)

(please let me talk about my headcanon for kakashi’s mask it physically hurts me and its all my friend’s fault)

anyway you wanted to talk about the ninja system ? lets talk about it. in bullet points after the cut bc its going to be Long

first of all this is the same village that let sask live in the compound where his whole family got slaughtered im like 100% sure no one took care of 5yo orphan kakashi who found his father’s dead body after weeks/months of hearing people badmouth said father

what could possibly go wrong

speaking of which why is a 5yo even allowed with weapons, im not even talking about the missions just giving a 5yo weapons is never a good idea

also the Rules are so. fucking. this is a 5yo child why does everyone think him killing his emotions is a good idea

not even talking about the Actual killing

what even happened between the time he passed genin and the time team minato was formed who took care of him was it minato was he working on his own instead of in a team

also chuunin at 6 ? really ? what about the Emotional Maturity(TM) kotetsu and izumo were talking about during shikamaru’s match that a 6yo does definitely Not have

like i get it was war-time but still what the fuck chuunin can lead teams why would you let a 6yo lead a team of people most likely older than him im like 100% sure they wouldnt like it

also a 11yo jounin like. ok. at this point i dont even know why i ask anymore

HE A CHILD KAREN HE SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING A WAR AND KILLING PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE

shit soldiers get so many complications from that and you put a child through the same stuff how do you expect him to be even remotely alright

also did anyone take the time to talk with him after obito and rin’s respective deaths

like im not even talking about therapy that im pretty sure doesnt exist in this world but like. did minato know about the nightmares/hand-washing/stuff ? or did he wait until kakashi was Ready To Talk ?

wait nevermind i keep forgetting about the ANBU what the fuck minato you know the child has problems with emotions and you put him thERE ??? minato why

sure let the child who feels guilty for all his friends’ deaths into the squad that does the most danagerous missions im sure this will go well

why would he try to kill himself (or get himself killed same thing really)

nothing can go wrong with this plan

There Is No War In Ba Sing Se

also how old was he ? 13 i think ?

‘dont let the children fight the kyuubi’ yeah sure minato because there are no children getting themselves almost killed on the regular none at all

like he Tried but. i guess when you grow up in a ninja system you have trouble finding the right ideas so. another point to the fucking up of kakashi indirectly this time

who even let kakashi instruct children

who even let kakashi-the-never-child-never-adult instruct children

no i mean seriously if you dont let a child have a childhood theres no way he can grow up correctly and become an Adult(TM)

did no one tell him absorbing the personality of his dead best friend isnt a good idea

gai is the only good thing in kakashi’s life and thats. Bad. gai is a lovely man but seriously why does kakashi have no one else

oh wait theyre all dead

sorry

is kakashi sent on missions underground too sometimes or do they actually have some sense

kakashi is the main reason i believe they dont know therapy in this world

probably dont even have meds

this is stupid mentally sound soldiers are more effective than completely fucked up ones

are there even some studies on the consequences of war ? shell shock anyone ? ptsd ?

the only guys who know some stuff about the human mind are I&T guys and thats not good

this post is already too long i cant talk about Obito AU here sorry

#kakashiobitos #naruto #kakashi hatake #you can read this in obito's voice if you want #he would rant as much #no actually he would rant more #and offer his solutions #depending on the verse these could be good solutions #or these could be destroy the whole world i dont care fuck the world #obito was right and we were all fools (jk)#(third time using this tag and im joking less and less)#(im starting to feel canon obito a lot)#yumi got asked stuff

14 notes · View notes

autisticplumeriaartthings-blog · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

TL:DR I’ve previously reviewed Kevin David Facebook Ninja Masterclass Course – so much so that I needed to attempt his Shopify Ninja Masterclass as nicely. Be warned that both programs are totally different and result in a completely separate area of experience. Rest assured, whichever course you choose, you will be able to simply attain the breakeven point. Read on under.

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

Long story brief, a few of the first web page results lead me to Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja course. Then again, in case you are not even acquainted with how keywords work and the respective key phrase instruments, you possibly can download them, or entry them instantly via Google. I personally use Google Adwords Free Keywords device; it helps out so much.

Nevertheless, in case you are in search of one thing alongside the strains of a fully-fledged paid service; AHREFs is the most effective. The latter supplies search engine marketing warriors with an array of real time knowledge and instruments to assist them rank their pages sooner or later of time.

Coming back to Shopify Drop delivery, it is an age-old idea. Drop delivery started a very long time in the past. The thought is straightforward; you’re advertising one thing from one or numerous online stores with out having any physical stock.

Every time someone places an order, the cost goes to your on-line or no matter account, you then purchase that merchandise out of your trusted e-commerce retailer, while maintaining your revenue on the aspect. Afterwards you ship it to your respective consumers.

I’d also like to say that Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course isn’t the only course obtainable with reference to Shopify dropshipping. There are plenty of others out there out there, but KD’s educating material is certainly one of a sort.

Each module in his course goes from a basic to specific sample in no time. Subsequently, I ended up with plenty of stuff on my arms. It took me weeks to use those methods and see any outcomes. The fundamentals start from some introductory stuff after which it goes all the best way to creating your first sale.

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Beware that it could actually take anyplace from every week to a couple of “weeks” to be able to see any Shopify Sale liquidate into confirmed cost switch. Anyhow, I’ll speak about it later, but the point is that you actually need to exhibit and exhibit endurance.

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

There are plenty of issues related to Shopify – principally it is drop delivery that you’ll want to fear about. Although one of the best information is that you simply don’t have to take a position an ‘X’ sum of money into buying merchandise’ stock, but there are a couple of dynamics enjoying in the background.

Let me make this easy for you: drop delivery, whether or not it’s carried out on Shopify, Amazon or eBay, is all the time going to be a dangerous venture in case you are not careful concerning the following:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Since I discussed earlier, the primary module is where you will study Shopify drop delivery. Kevin’s videos clarify the magnitude of Shopify, how huge of a web-based firm they are and the way a lot cash you might probably make.

Afterward, the modules take you thru some exclusive methods, which have been personally tried, tested and confirmed by KD. You’ll study something what Kevin likes to name the ‘80/20’ rule in detail. I can’t spill extra information on this, nevertheless it has lots to do with suppliers and inventory availability vs. pricing.

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

This implies you need to concentrate on what’s happening round you on the internet. Some merchandise sell dangerous, while others promote like cupcakes. The hot button is to determine the development after which place your bets on scorching selling merchandise.

For example, if you will be coping with the PC hardware area of interest, then the Holiday durations are going to return with a whole lot of alternatives for you to promote. I know for a proven fact that new GPUs with RTX architecture have been launched.

Every other gamer is saving up for some gaming graphics card because they don’t seem to be low cost lately. With Santa Claus proper across the corner, you may listing a number of the subsequent gen GPUs on your Shopify store whereas following Kevin David’s methods. He principally talks about ongoing developments in the products business and the way you possibly can squeeze probably the most juice out of it.

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

I mentioned Ali Categorical particularly, but there are lots of others that Kevin David ninjacourse mentions within the content material. The guy will stroll you through some primary parts where he ensures danger minimization, inventory purchase and vice versa.

Ali Categorical is an enormous Chinese language e-commerce hub. While they have an abundance of products obtainable at competitive rates, you’ll want to watch out for scammers. Some low high quality typical ‘Made in China’ stuff is going to land your model new squeaky-clean Shopify enterprise in scorching water. Hold an eye fixed out for those guys.

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

You must know that there are particular customs clearance fees and supply duties on totally different items. These fees are totally different than ‘Shipping Charges’, so don’t get them combined up. Also, Kevin highlights the very fact how these customs duties impact the market.

He specifically talks about why such costs are essential and how to not mess them up. Some new Shopify drop delivery sellers do not take such overhead bills under consideration, which leads them to dropping some huge cash before they will even course of such info.

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

On a personal notice, do not take customs fees on Face value so long as you’re coping with Chinese language, Indians and Pakistani customs. The officers can cost you much more or so much lower than the unique worth of the merchandise. It isn’t your fault whether your purchaser finally ends up paying greater than the talked about worth of the product.

But to be on the protected aspect, all the time mention one thing resembling; ‘Please consult with your country/ area specific air aviation custom clearing company’ earlier than buying on-line. It will forestall your store from gaining any unfavourable fame in the long run.

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Kevin strongly recommends setting aside at the least $500 – $1,000 as a collateral expense. You must know that that is an internet business with real individuals on the other aspect. In case your consumers will not be proud of a product, or they are of the scamming sort, they’ll file for refund.

PayPal principally guidelines in favor of the customer, for so long as you are not careful with retaining supply receipts, field package deal footage and different stuff that accounts for proof of supply. You will lose cash that means. But don’t sweat it, Kevin talks about such features of operating a web-based business and lets you in on certain white hat ‘mitigation’ methods.

One more reason for preserving some money as a reserve is because of how cost insurance policies work. For example, in case you are buying from Amazon, or eBay and coping with monetary transactions by means of PayPal and so on., the incoming funds might be stored on hold for 30 – 60 days! I guess you didn’t see that coming. It’s okay; once I began drop delivery I was also underneath the identical impression.

This policy was not all the time there, however PayPal and other online cost institutes decided to implement it for buyer security objective. It is advisable play by the principles here as a result of the first few weeks/ months of drop delivery will contain shopping for the gadgets from your personal pocket after which having them shipped instantly in the identical style.

By the point the money starts rollin’ in, your consumers will already have their gadgets at their doorstep. Once this cycle begins, there’s no denying that making a lavish way of life out of Shopify dropshipping could possibly be fairly satisfying.

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

More than half of so-called entrepreneurs fail at Shopify drop delivery as a result of they don’t seem to be prepared to go an additional mile. These days are lengthy completed when you possibly can jump-start an internet business with none funding.

Since competition is on the excessive streak today, Kevin David Shopify Ninjacourse talks lots about utilizing premium themes & plugins. These themes will give your store a very skilled look; it’s as if the gadgets are literally buying proper off their shelves.

The Shopify Ninjacourse comes with some freebie bundles, nevertheless it’s higher to buy a couple of themes to be on the protected aspect. After you have lastly decided whether you’re going to be promoting electronics, garments or footwear, you’ll be able to go together with one particular theme and call it a day. Plugins, then again make it easier for you to handle worth charts, customer expertise, contact info and so forth.

In case you are on a shoestring price range, you may also play together with free Shopify themes and plugins. The ninja course master class comes with a bundle of free instruments and different bonus material, relying on which day you buy it. In case you are fortunate, and the course is solely provided by Kevin as a limited time special deal, go ahead and grab it with out considering twice. You may be thanking me later.

Don’t Give up Early:

The advantage of Kevin David Shopify Ninjacourse is the way it convinces new students to remain motivated and work onerous by way of thick and thin. Lots of people surrender as a consequence of initial store launch failures, or simply because how they couldn’t develop into an “overnight” success like the subsequent huge identify in the Dot Com business.

It doesn’t all the time play straightforward n’ simple. Kevin failed quite a few occasions before he was capable of provide you with totally different particular methods that scored him a gold mine’s value of revenue by way of Shopify drop delivery alone. He has other on-line companies too, which suggests he labored his butt off before influencing others to take action.

Reserve some price range for online advertising by means of Fb Advertisements (extremely really helpful), YouTube video advertising and vice versa. Facebook Advertisements are extremely advisable because it is the subsequent massive social media sensation.

Plus, there’s Kevin David Facebook Ninja Advertisements course on the market; it’ll make lots of things straightforward for you. Simply take a look at his Facebook ninja advertisements webinar to listen to Kevin speak about why it is very important transition from real life advertising to FB advertising immediately.

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin David ninja course stresses on why domain identify, model identify and such other things are necessary. I have blown some critical cash on other Shopify drop delivery programs however none of them speak about choosing a website and why it’s necessary within the first place.

By the best way, area age additionally plays an important position in your Shopify store’s positioning in the SERPs. Google likes to favor previous domains over new ones because of current modifications in the algorithm. Don’t blame me or Kevin for it; that’s how things position with store and model names today.

It also means that you are not supposed to decide on a cool non-serious area identify. Once you set a website identify, it’s going to be everlasting; give it some thought earlier than leaping the hoop.

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

That’s the place the Shopify ninja course takes an fascinating turn; how one can drive extra clients to your retailer, and easy methods to convert them ultimately. He talks about establishing Facebook Advertisements, advertising by way of YouTube, Press Releases, Instagram and and so forth.

Out of all advertising channels, Fb advertisements are crucial. You possibly can set up campaigns without any crash course on Fb advertising, however I strongly advice towards it. Hold your horses and check out Kevin David’s unique Fb Ninja Masterclass Webinar.

Identical to the Shopify Ninja Course webinar, Fb ninjacourse stay webinar is all about understanding how the Fb advertising system is designed, why it’s so damn necessary and learn how to get probably the most profitable expertise out of it.

But that’s not all!!!

Kevin doesn’t depart you excessive and dry on the advertising forefront. He also teaches rather a lot about writing compelling advert copy, creating gross sales pages by yourself and content creation usually. If writing isn’t your forte’, you’ll be able to rent a content writer from any freelancing website.

Nevertheless, you can too use KD’s exclusive gross sales page templates, advert copy templates and bonus materials. Simply ensure you are making the required modifications to make all of it look unique, compelling and a customized piece in your audience. In any other case, it’s going to make you look silly in case you are gonna’ copy and paste word for word.

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

My only problem with this course is the worth issue. It is expensive, contemplating that you have to spend over a thousand dollars. However then once more, in case you are skeptic like me, you must enroll in Kevin’s Shopify Ninja Course Webinar instantly.

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The course is fast paced, so you might have to rewind numerous movies. Just maintain a pen and paper useful earlier than beginning your training periods. I can guarantee you that Kevin’s means of educating stuff about Shopify drop delivery is so fascinating that it will get unimaginable for viewers to go away there seats for a pen and paper.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

itstakingtoolongtoload-blog · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

Don’t Give up Early:

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

But that’s not all!!!

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

ariellblogus · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

Don’t Give up Early:

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

But that’s not all!!!

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

itsdivercity1loveblog · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

Don’t Give up Early:

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

But that’s not all!!!

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

moonlifesims4ccfinds · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

Don’t Give up Early:

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

But that’s not all!!!

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

hellonerdybihippie · 5 years

Text

Kevin David’s Shopify Ninja Course Changed My Life For Ever – Right here’s an Trustworthy Sneak Peak

Shopify Ninja Course Grasp Class – How It All Began For Me?

To be trustworthy, I was not aware of this course, or when precisely it made its breakthrough until doing my very own analysis afterwards. It simply happened a couple of months in the past for me.

I used to be Googling some search phrases resembling; ‘How to target audience for Shopify store?’ and something alongside the strains of ‘Drop shipping techniques for Shopify store owners.’

CHECKOUT THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE WEBINAR FOR EARLY BIRD ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT DEAL

Shopify Ninja Masterclass Is Not an Straightforward Capsule To Swallow:

Working with a shady supplier

Working with a brand new provider

Not making sure whether the thing being bought is as described

Buyer mishandling

Misrepresenting product description

Not speculating a sudden drop or improve in the products worth

Scroll right down to read what I am talking about. For now, let’s see what the Shopify Ninjacourse modules are going that will help you out with.

Module 1 and a couple of Are All About Laying Down The Brass Tacks!

Some other highlights of the primary two Shopify Ninja Masterclass are:

Selecting the Right Products For Your Store:

Utilizing Ali Categorical Worth Model To Your Benefit:

Kevin will fill you in on the small print on find out how to safe yourself and your retailer from such sellers.

Coping with customs, taxes and obligation expenses

GET A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SHOPIFY NINJA COURSE MASTERCLASS THROUGH KEVIN’S FREE-FOR-ALL WEBINAR SESSION

How Not to Suck At Shopify Drop Delivery In response to Kevin David

Shopping for Premium Themes, Plugins And so on.

Don’t Give up Early:

HERE’S THE FACEBOOK ADS NINJA MASTERCLASS WEBINAR LINK FOR YOU. HURRY UP BEFORE ALL THE SLOTS FILL IN!!!

Kevin Teaches What Others Don’t:

Kevin’s Secret Sauce – Driving Clients to Your Shopify Retailer:

But that’s not all!!!

What I Didn’t Like About Kevin David Shopify Ninja Course?

The seats are restricted, so there’s no assure if Kevin shall be hosting one other webinar anytime quickly.

The post Shopify Ninja Masterclass Review by Kevin David – Bizwebjournal appeared first on Tech Amender.

#Blog #Product Reviews

0 notes

almajonesnjna · 5 years

Text

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

youtube

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

youtube

The above video (Water Series – A) is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

#21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

0 notes