#masu replies

[sonic-gallery]

Another World Ogiri August 2023 [What are Blaze and Silver doing...? ]

Please come home, master!

Two characters appear every month in surprising outfits and situations! Let's enjoy Ogiri together with illustrations that will make your imagination run wild!

This time, Blaze and Silver are back with a new look! High fighting ability and awesomeness that are unbecoming of a maid or butler! What kind of enemy will these two fight against, relying on each other and working together?

What kind of lines or narration would you use?

You can style it based on the atmosphere and world view of the two of you in the game, or you can create a bold arrangement! In the example, it seems reliable enough to turn away any unwanted customers... Even such free and interesting stories are OK!

Please enjoy it and tweet with the tag "#Isekai Ogiri" on Twitter ♪

We will introduce the good ones in a reply from Sonic's official Twitter account.

We are looking forward to your fun Ogiri posts!

Act8: “Reunion of the Magical Princess”

＜＜Gashaaan! >>

A large number of sharp pieces of window glass are scattered on the hotel's luxurious scarlet carpet...!

The monster's strong arms didn't stop as it tore down the glass wall of the second-floor atrium with all its might... It gouged through the floor, grabbed a white cafe table that had been thrown up, broke it into pieces, and headed towards a point. I threw it.

＜＜Dogagagaga! >>

The terrifying throw of destruction seemed to crush the poor waiter who was near the kitchen...but all of it was blocked by a psychic barrier that shone in cobalt blue, and it shattered into pieces. Masu.

"A monster that obstructs business! I'll eliminate it!"

It was Silver, a silver hedgehog with psychic powers, who screamed and his whole body was filled with psychic green light.

The monster that stands in the way is a giant golem that looks up at you and is made of a collection of toys and junk. The moment when Silver, his black garcon apron flapping in the air, tried to wield his "power" towards the monster...!

＜＜Dooooooong! >>

This time, the crimson flame arrow grazed Silver's side and hit the monster. Blow away that giant body.

After a roar, the maid descended to protect Silver while brushing off a veil of flames, turned around with her elegant black silk apron skirt, and spoke to him without even moving an eyebrow.

"Run, waiter. This is no place for ordinary people."

...Silver is not amused by being suddenly interrupted and treated like an amateur.

"You're a maid, aren't you? What on earth are you!" "The one who protects the weak from evil monsters... is the Magic Princess Blaze!"

"Magic, Koujo...?"

Blaze jumps towards the monster, leaving behind Silver, who becomes stunned for a moment. Silver couldn't resist protesting as he hurriedly chased after him.

“Who is the weak one?”

The fight against monsters is only a defensive battle.

The flame wielded by Blaze does indeed hit the monster, but it only scrapes the surface of the monster's body...Then, the fragments are immediately pulled together by a mysterious force, coalescing and returning to their original state. It is.

"First of all, I came here with the intention of doing an undercover investigation as a maid, but I didn't expect to be suddenly involved in a battle..."

Blaze, who can't move as much as she wants in her maid uniform, can't help but click her tongue.

``I was also asked to be a bodyguard at this coffee shop, and I became a waiter waiting for a monster, but I didn't find him as good as this.''

Silver agrees that he is an unexpectedly strong enemy.

"I mean, this store provides uniforms, right? Why did you bring your maid uniform?" "I-is that so? Emmy told me to wear this..."

Blaze flinched at the unexpected remark and blushed as he pinched the frills on his shoulders...but in the meantime Blaze turned around and said this to Silver.

"Hey, don't move around in front of me! You're getting in the way and I can't concentrate my firepower!" "Attack isn't working, right? First, find the weak point that triggers recovery!"

In the end, an argument begins instead of a battle. And the monster didn't miss that chance...

<< Zugon! Dogogo...! >>

The monster slowly...gathered its strength deeply, raised both of its fists, and fired a powerful blow toward the ceiling. The impact pierced the ceiling on the coffee shop floor and the ceiling on the floor above, all the way to the roof of the hotel, causing a major collapse.

A huge waterfall of frighteningly heavy rubble attacks Blaze and the others, increasing its muddy flow as it falls. When they both looked up, it seemed like it was too late...

The next moment!

"Huh!"

Silver instantly jumps over Blaze's head, spreads his arms out as if to protect her, and deploys a psychic barrier...! After deflecting the incoming collapse, Blaze uses it as a counterattack to repel the attack of the monster that attacked Silver from within the dust, and at the same time blows away the surrounding dust with explosive flames.

...This is a moment of perfect cooperation with no compromises. After catching their breath in a close call, the two finally opened their mouths.

"My body moved on its own...I don't feel like I'm meeting you for the first time." "...Ah."

Then, as he regained his stance and restored his body, Blaze continued with a serious look on his face as he looked at the monster approaching the two of them.

"I made two mistakes. The first was that I underestimated the enemy and came here without being fully prepared."

Still in the same position, this time I continued to look into Silver's eyes.

"Waiter. Please give me 20 seconds..." "I don't mind...but before that, can I ask you the second question?"

After a moment's hesitation, Blaze answered with a resolute look on his face.

"Secondly, I was disrespectful and disrespectful to my comrades who I should be relying on. That..."

Blaze interrupts him by saying he's sorry, and Silver agrees to Blaze's request.

"It's okay Blaze, we're both good friends! It's okay. I'll hold out for 20 seconds or 200 years! ...So, would you like one for me too?" "...?"

"My name is Silver."

The next moment, Blaze is immediately engulfed in scorching flames. With her eyes closed and her mind concentrating...Silver senses that she is trying to control some great power.

"Silver, thank you......Haaaaaaaaa!"

Blaze is about to unleash a blow that will change the situation, knowing the risk of exposing his defenseless side. That expectation and trust inspired Silver.

"I'll do it! Ha!"

Silver deploys full power of psychic energy in all directions. Hold the rubble all over this floor and prevent the monster from restoring, while at the same time hitting everything with psychic attacks to keep it in check...! I will protect Blaze.

However, fighting for a long time while protecting immovable objects is disadvantageous. Since you have to endure every attack that comes your way without avoiding it, you end up in a very poor situation.

Silver's plan was to survive the attack by not allowing it to attack, but the monster also seems to have noticed the plan and intensifies its attack.

What a long time 20 seconds is! How long can we hold out? Just when Silver's knees are about to fall due to repeated bullets...!

＜＜Doooooooo! ! >>

As the explosion of loud flames spread, Blaze, enveloped in such dazzling flames that it was impossible to keep his eyes open, finally released his power... and blew away the monster. It's ready.

"Aaah...! Mysterious sun, respond to the power of my flame...!"

The seven jewels on Blaze's pochette begin to contain flames and grow brighter one by one as her power grows.

Just when the monster was about to make a desperate attack with all its might, all of its power imploded on her...Blaze declared the execution of great power.

"Magical Princess Blaze! Burning Unlimited Mode! Haaaaa!"

Blaze wears multiple layers of flame in seven colors and transforms into a pillar of scorching heat. For a moment, huge wings of flame spread across her back, but they immediately dispersed and condensed into her outstretched arms...! It becomes a tremendous torrent of flame and pours out towards the monster.

"Haaaaaa!" "Haaaaaa!"

The monster also tries to resist by taking a defensive stance, but Silver supports Blaze from behind as he is pushed by the recoil of the flames, increasing its power, and he can no longer withstand it.

Everything that formed the monster was blown away, and the energy body at its center caused a huge explosion.

<< Zudoooon! >>

A huge roaring explosion that could be heard all the way to an island in the sky. The monster finally disappeared.

"Ciao, chao!"

After the dust from the explosion finally dissipated... In the remains of the monster's explosion, there was a small Chao of light crying.

The true nature of the monster was Chao's residual thoughts.

As Blaze and the others watch, the Chao of Light eventually finds a hole in the dilapidated floor, and as if realizing something, it happily steps inside.

"......?" "this is!?"

When the two of them follow Chao, they discover that they are in the basement of a coffee shop...and beneath the floor is a lush green garden with a clear stream.

The Chao of Light then stepped inside, looked around, and with a satisfied smile, disappeared into a pale light. I see...the two of them said.

"When building this coffee shop, you blocked the Chao's home..." "That monster was a mass of grudges from the Chao's who wanted to return to their hometown."

The two of them, who have come to understand the circumstances of the incident, look relieved, but sigh at the devastation surrounding them. The area has been completely destroyed, and there is no trace of that wonderful interior.

"Well, the incident has been resolved for the time being...but the store was destroyed in a spectacular manner, so we have to clean it up."

Blaze responded in a calm manner while smiling bitterly at Silver's suggestive tone.

"Okay. What should I do?"

When the two of them looked up at the light shining in from above, what they saw through the hole in the collapsed ceiling was a dazzling blue sky cut out beautifully like a painting. It was filled with clear light, as if reflecting the brightness of their hearts.

"One month later..."

After major renovations, this shop, which connected the mysterious Chao garden as an open cafe area, has been renovated as ``Chao Garden,'' a maid-style cafe that combines formality with a Chao-friendly warmth, and has gained a great reputation. Ta.

While Silver and Blaze are busy helping rebuild the store, an unexpected visitor appears. As soon as they saw each other, they stiffened without even serving customers...

"S-Sonic...!? Are you Sonic!?" "Why are you dressed like that...and us too!? What the heck is going on!?"

The moment they saw Sonic, Blaze and Silver regained their memories.

"Hey! You guys...!"

Sonic was also surprised by this, but Tails noticed that at this time, the chaos emeralds that Sonic and his friends were holding, the jewelry of Blaze's tail, and the silver pendant all glowed faintly at the same time. I didn't miss it. While Tails was deep in thought, the two of them searched through their memories before and after the incident.

"The moment I came to this world under the guidance of the Sol Emerald, I was caught up in that light."

Blaze said while stroking the seven jewels on her pochette. Marin, who came with him, wonders what to do.

"I was fighting at Eggman's base just moments ago. I was trying to prevent some kind of weapon from activating..."

Silver worries that he can't remember properly.

"In any case, how did the two of you manage to regain your memories?"

Tails took out his proud ``energy sensor'' and explained it to Sonic.

＜＜Beep beep...＞＞

"I knew it! Blaze's tail jewelry and silver pendant are mutated Chaos Emeralds! Just like ours."

Tails explains that from the wavelength of the energy emitted, they are definitely Chaos Emeralds, which is why they definitely glowed when the two regained their memories.

“As a phenomenon, the Chaos Emeralds have the power to resist this strange phenomenon.Although one is not enough, there are several nearby, and one of them has the original memory... I think that's the condition for resurrection.'' ``There certainly doesn't seem to be any problem thinking that way. As expected, Tails!''

Tails gets shy after being praised by Sonic, and Blaze and Silver also respond.

“I hear that emeralds sometimes attract each other with a mysterious power in times of crisis.I was forced to have this one from Emmy because it was the guidance of the stars...This is also one of those powers. Maybe it's Tsuna.' ' ``Certainly. It's so easy to gather four of them like this...? Huh? Isn't it strange? If that's the case, how come Sonic and Tails, who only have one each, are safe?'' Did you?”

At the obvious question, the three people's eyes focused on Tails.

"That's... At the moment the incident occurred, Sonic and I were together, each holding a Chaos Emerald. I think that's why it didn't work from the beginning... , I guess. Sorry, I can't be sure..."

Tails was starting to lose confidence as he continued to make deductions, but Sonic assured him with a smile.

"In other words, it's because of Tails that I'm safe, and vice versa, right? Isn't it great that we're the same? This is it!"

Blaze and Silver agree while looking at Tails, who is confused and extremely shy.

"Hmm. At this point, it would be best to have a better interpretation of the details of truth or falsehood. The most important thing is..." "It means that we have found a way to restore our friends!"

"YES! That's right!" "That's right!"

Tails finally regains his composure and starts proposing strategies to his friends.

``...I'll give the detector to Blaze and Silver as well. Now let's divide up and find the friends who have Chaos Emeralds and revive them! And in the end, we'll collect 7 Chaos Emeralds. I’m sure it will be your trump card.”

"I understand. I agree with your strategy. I'll leave the rest behind." "I understand. My Sol Emerald also says we should do the same."

Blaze agrees as he strokes the Sol Emerald, which trembles as it emits a pale flame.

"It's getting interesting," Sonic said in his usual tone as he stood up, and the remaining three got ready to leave with fearless smiles on their faces.

"That Eggman guy. I don't know what he did, but we'll definitely hunt him down with our hands!"

Sonic and his friends took another step forward, and with a new hope in their hands, they took another step forward...!

[notfreetoday]

MPW Ep 4 Subtitle Correction

Masterlist: EP 1 || EP 2 || EP 3

We have another change in director this episode, to Yasumura Emi, though the script is still being written by Funabiki Shinju (the director for Ep 3). This week's twitter space didn't have much info, so I won't be including it.

M: いや～瀬ケ崎さん強かったわ～ M: あの物腰で*マウンティングされて M: いっそ快感を覚えてしまった M: No but, Segasaki-san('s presence) was really strong M: The way he *asserted (his relationship with Yoh) like that M: (rather than being upset), I felt even more delighted! *This is a (rather unfortunate) loan word from English - "mount" or "mounting" 😅, in this case, pretty much means to "one-up" someone else, or to brag about something to another. If you do not wish to have a weird mental image in your head, please skip the next paragraph. This word appears to have morphed from the observation that monkeys, when trying to move up a rank in the chain of command, tend to jump on the back of another to assert their dominance (not scientist just translator also low-quality source don't keel me plz). - In other words, if I watch the Jp RAW MPW a full 8 hours before everyone else and spazz about it knowing full well no one else understands what was said then I'd totally be moun--- AHEM (sorry 😂)

What I mean to say is, in this episode, Segasaki all but screams "MINE" in the most thinly veiled, polite manner possible, so let's see how he does that. If you read nothing at all, the last scene with them cuddling has an important correction you should skip to. Same translation disclaimer applies, Ep 4, let's go~!

(I see a lot of people saying some of their thoughts/suspicions were confirmed in the tags of the previous posts, so feel free to chip in with what you think! MPW deserves more discussion!)

Sorry I am incapable of summarizing, the post is crazy long and I've hit the 30 image max. As such, not every scene will be screen capped and I won't be transcribing the original subs anymore...

Y: あ、いや、友達の漫画を手伝いに行ってきます (-masu form) Y: Ah, no. I am going to help a friend with their manga.

Yoh shifts up a speech level here, (he started the episode out speaking casually) using the -masu form to make an announcement -he's trying to emphasize his determination to go because he’s nervous about saying it.

S: はあ？ どういうつもりで S: Huh? For what intention?

The "haa?" here has a more "excuse me?" feel, and the next line is interrogative - so all in all it has the same energy as: "Excuse me? What is going through your head?"

S: つぅか友達って誰だよ Y: よく通話してる…あの S: やっぱりあの女か S: Actually, when you say "friend", who do you mean? Y: The one who… I speak to a lot on the phone… S: So, it’s that woman after all huh?

S: だめ Y: え？なんで？(plain form) S: 俺が家にいんだから家にいろ (word contraction)* Y: でも約束したし (plain form) S: あの女には行けなくなったって言え* S: No. Y: Huh? Why? S: I'm staying at home so you stay at home* Y: But, I already made a promise S: Tell that woman that you can’t go any more** *This line, together with the starred line below, is extremely direct, (said in the same style as his not-proposal actually) and is clearly an order. **This line is literally "to that woman, say 'I am no longer able to make it'" (Though the speaker may not actually mean to use those exact words)

Segasaki has dropped a speech level here not so much by using "rude" forms but by being extremely blunt and direct. What he's saying implies he's being possessive of Yoh, but the way he says it also stresses his power in their relationship. But again, note that Yoh's replies are all in plain form - he hasn't shifted up a level in response, as he usually does when addressed so directly. In fact, the way he words his protest carries some indignation - using "し(shi)" at the end like this indicates that this "promise" is but one of the reasons he has for going - which is why Segasaki cuts him off. Yoh might sulk and pout about being ordered, he's still comfortably seated in his usual informal speech level, which means at this point he's still feeling secure about where he stands and definitely isn't intimidated.

S: お前さ*、何で自分がこの家にいるかわかってんの？ S: You*… do you even know why you’re in this house? *Here Segasaki uses the sentence-end particle "さ(sa)" after the word "you", which in this case has the same feel as "now look here". He also ends off his question with "の(no)", which can have many meanings, but here functions again as an assertive particle, implying that this is a rhetorical question, because he thinks Yoh should know the answer. Unfortunately, Yoh has the wrong answer 😅 (which Segasaki will realize and attempt to address in Ep 5)

Y: この人のやばさ*を一瞬でも忘れていた俺がバカだった Y: I was an idiot - to forget, even for a second, how insane* this person is *やばさ (yabasa) - this word comes from "yabai" and is a slang word that has evolved much like the words "crazy/insane" and "shit" have evolved in English - it can be used both positively and negatively to describe someone who's extreme, for eg "that guy is yabai (so cool!!)" vs "that guy is yabai (stay away)". Here, Yoh's referring to Segasaki as yabai for even thinking up this so called "slave contract" - which is what he assumes Segasaki is referring to.

Y: ごめん、いろいろあって Y: あ、いや、まあ、なんていうか、家にいろって言われ Y: あ、いや、なんでもない。とにかく本当にごめん Y: 今度なんかでお返しするから Y: Sorry, a lot happened Y: Ah, no, well, how do I say this... I was told "stay at home" Y: Ah, no, it's nothing. Anyway, I'm really sorry Y: I'll make it up to you next time, okay?

S: よくできました S: Well done. This is the same phrase we talked about in Ep 3, the stamp of approval. Again, Segasaki is emphasizing his role in relation to Yoh here.

Y: あの満足そうな後ろ姿 Y: 本当腹立つわ Y: That silhouette of his, so full of satisfaction as he leaves, Y: Really makes me irritated!* *Yoh ends off with the particle "わ (wa)", which mostly just emphasizes his emotion, but is a softer assertive particle than the ones Segasaki uses.

S: 夕飯、作ってくれてもいいんだぞ Y: はい Y: 俺はいつでも稼働する家事ロボットじゃねぇんだよ S: Dinner - it's fine for you to make it for me, you know Y: Yes Y: I'm not some housework robot that you can just activate at any time you know! The original subs made it sound like Segasaki was asking Yoh if he could make dinner, but that's not the case - he's literally telling Yoh to make it, and on top of that, he says it like he's doing Yoh a favour (by allowing him to make dinner) 🤣🤣 This time though, whether it's just cause Yoh's been caught by surprise or not, he answers properly with "Yes (Hai)".

Y: いっそロボットになってこの感情を無にしたい Y: (If it was going to be like this), I rather just become a robot, and turn these feelings into nothingness.

The focus of this line is mostly on Yoh preferring to become a robot in order to mute his feelings, but the sentence structure suggests that there is something to be inferred preceding this sentence, hence the bracketed bit. (It becomes clearer later on, especially in light of his monologue)

"Dayo-chan" is a pretty familiar nickname, something you'd expect a child to be called rather than an adult, unless it is a nickname between childhood friends. It implies a closeness/intimacy between the speaker/listener, hence the the look of horror on Yoh’s face (because he knows that is going to kick Segasaki into high gear) and the surprised disbelief (that someone would dare make a grab for Yoh) on Segasaki’s face. Kills me everytime 🤣

S: もしかして例の女か S: 家まで押し掛けるとはいい度胸してんな S: Don't tell me it's that woman from earlier? S: She's got some nerve, turning up at the house like this

Y: それはだめ　それだけは絶対だめ Y: No, not that, anything but that!

S: うれしいな　葉がいつもあなたの話をするので S: 一度お会いしてみたいと思っていたんです S: はじめまして、瀬ケ崎瑞貴といいます S: 葉がいつも　お世話になってます S: What a delight, Yoh speaks of you often so S: I've always thought it would be nice to be able to meet you. S: I'm Segasaki Mizuki, pleased to make your acquaintance. S: Thank you for always taking care of Yoh.

This is like, textbook formalities🤣 Practically every statement is a "standard" greeting and is very polite (hence the weirdly stiff english translation) except Segasaki says it in a way that makes it clear he speaks for Yoh, that Yoh is part of his in-group. (Legit, might as well plant a flag in the soil that says "Yoh is mine".) He sounds exactly like how parents sound when they meet their child's teachers, or how a spouse/older family member might sound when meeting their loved ones' co-workers. This is how it comes across: What a delight, Yoh speaks of you often so I've always thought it would be nice to be able to meet you - Sounds distinctly familial. Implies Segasaki is close enough to Yoh that Yoh shares his thoughts with him often. Also shows that Yoh tells Segasaki about Man-san, rather than the other way round. I'm Segasaki Mizuki, pleased to make your acquaintance. - standard, formal greeting Thank you for always taking care of Yoh. - standard greeting, literally "Yoh is always in your care" - You usually say this (for yourself) when you thank your teacher/senior/boss/important client. So, when you say this for someone else, you are claiming this person as your family, or someone in your in-group (a close friend, or at work, a junior).

S: すみません　今朝　葉が体調をくずしてしまって S: 家でゆっくり休んだ方がいいんじゃないかって S: 僕が言い聞かせたん*です S: ご迷惑をおかけしてしまってしまって すみませんでした S: I apologize, this morning, Yoh wasn't feeling well so S: I convinced* him (not to go) saying, S: "wouldn't it be better to stay at home and rest properly?" S: I sincerely apologize for the trouble this has caused you. * 言い聞かせる (translated as convinced here) this word is usually used when someone of higher standing tells/explains something to a person of a lower standing, and carries the nuance that they've managed to get the latter to accept/agree with what they say. It can also be translated as "told/persuaded/instructed/warned/admonished", and used in sentences like "I warned the kids not to run" or "The teacher told the students lying was wrong" - so that might give you a better idea of what Segasaki is implying here. I've used "convinced" here rather than "instruct" because Segasaki is, in general, speaking very tactfully to Man-san - but his meaning is still clear to anyone paying attention - Segasaki has a big enough role in Yoh's life that he not only can apologize on behalf of Yoh for not being able to fulfill the promise to Man-san, he also has a big enough say that Yoh will listen to his decisions.

M: いや、あんたがダヨの体調不良を詫びるんか M: むっちゃ身内面*するやん M: Wait, you are apologizing for Yoh being unwell (and unable to come help)? M: Isn't that a super intimate* (gesture)? *身内面する is literally "to show one's inner-circle face/side", ie the side of you that you show to your inner-circle/in-group ie your family. Hence this line reads more like "Wait, you're apologizing for Yoh?? Who are you, his family??"

Because of the emphasis on group identity in Japan, it's very common to apologize/take responsibility for the actions of another group-member, even if you had nothing to do with it. So here, Man-san has picked up on what Segasaki has been implying since the beginning - that Yoh is part of his in-group, and a very close one at that.

S: お茶目な方なんですね S: You've got such a sweet and funny personality, don't you? The word Segasaki uses here describes a person who tends to be naturally sweet and lovable, maybe a little silly but without any ulterior motive. It's a compliment in most situations - which is why Man-san gets all embarrassed - but can sometimes come across as slightly patronizing, like how calling someone "naive" can. Note that Segasaki is still being very polite here and effectively holding Man-san at arm's length, despite the seemingly friendly/open dialogue.

S: だから　そう言っていただけると　うれしいです S: So, to hear such nice words from you, makes me really glad.

S: ところで　可奈美さんはどこで　葉と　お知り合いに？ S: By the way, how did Kanami-san come to be friends with Yoh?

The whole dialogue where Segasaki responds to Man-san's fangirling basically sounds like how an idol would speak to their fans - it's very polite and uses deferential/humble verb forms to further indicate gratitude for the support, because Segasaki is answering Man-san in the context of his work. When he asks about Yoh, he switches back down to a normal speech level, but also uses her first name - Kanami-san, which whilst very charming, is totally NOT normal (with the sparkle effect and the wine, I can't help but get host club vibes from this lmao) because you only do that with people you are close to. Man-san is obviously flustered by this, and Yoh is understandably unhappy about the sudden familiarity Segasaki displays with Man-san (I personally think he's still trying to be disarmingly charming whilst he evaluates just how big a threat Man-san is🤣🤣)

S: ずいぶん飲んでると思ったら S: I thought he'd been drinking quite a bit

Again, this implies that Segasaki knows Yoh well enough to know his alcohol tolerance.

S: 寝るなら部屋いきな* S: If you're going to sleep, then go to the room alright? *いきな (ikina) - the "na" here is different from the sentence-final particle "na" we saw in Ep 3. This is short for "nasai", as in, "ikinasai", which is a polite but sharp way to say "please go (somewhere)". This sort of wording is most commonly used by parents towards young children when giving instructions like "please sit properly" or "please eat your food quietly". It's used between teachers/students, seniors/juniors etc, and sometimes amongst friends too. You absolutely should not use it with someone above you in the social hierarchy. The short version used here though, softens the tone a lot, and adds a very tender, homely feel to the sentence. Segasaki is literally coaxing Yoh to bed as a parent would a very young, sleepy but reluctant child.

M: 本当に恋人なんだなって感じです M: ようやく現実味が M: "(You two) are really a couple!" - that's the kind of feeling I get M: It's like it finally feels real

The way Segasaki literally puffs up with pride and hugs Yoh closer... (ಥ◡ಥ)

M: ダヨちゃんって彼氏の前だと　こんな甘えた*になるんですね M: なんかちょっと意外かも S: いやお酒様様ですね S: ふだんはそっけないですよ M: So Dayo-chan actually becomes so cute and affectionate* in front of his boyfriend M: I kind of didn't expect that, I think S: No, it's really all thanks to the sake S: Normally he's pretty indifferent *甘えた (amaeta) is the kansai dialect version of 甘える (amaeru), referring to the concept of amae.

Amae is a rather complex thing to explain in English and really deserves its own post. For simplicity's sake, what Man-san means here is that she's surprised that Yoh is actually able to express his desire to be treated affectionately and indulged in - something that requires a lot of trust in Segasaki and a willingness to be vulnerable in front of him.

M: おぉ、確かに。ダヨちゃん素直*じゃないからな M: あまのじゃく**っていうか　まあそういうとこあると　困っちゃいますよね M: Ohh, that's true. Cause Dayo-chan isn't able to be honest* with his feelings M: "Contrary"** is not really (the word to use) but... he does have a bit of that in him so.... (dealing with that) can be a bit of a handful don't you think? The way Man-san phrases her last line implies that she also has to deal with this side of Yoh, and by ending off with the particle "~ne", she is seeking Segasaki's agreement that they are both sort of in the same boat when it comes to that (she doesn't do this consciously though, which is why she freaks and apologizes later) *素直 (sunao - translated as honest here) is another term you'll often see when talking about feelings/relationships, and is also somewhat of a complex topic with many different possible translations, depending on context. It is closely related to amae, because in order to express your desire to be indulged or to receive affection, you first need to be able to admit to yourself that you want that.

**あまのじゃく (amanojaku - translated as contrary here) - this is a small demon from Japanese folklore, who was of an extremely contrary nature and would often mimic both humans and gods. It had the ability to see into one's heart and would then do the exact opposite of what one desired. Thus, this term is now used to describe people who intentionally go against the wishes of others, who are stubborn/unable to admit when they are wrong, or who twist themselves into a pickle/cannot be truthful about how they feel. It's not used in a complimentary way, which is why Man-san says Yoh's not quite like that, but there are some parts of him that do sort of fit the description.

S: やだな*　葉の素直になれないその不器用さが　余計にかわいいんじゃないですか S: ね？ S: That's not nice*... Yoh's inability to be truthful about his feelings - it's precisely that awkwardness that makes him even more adorable, isn't it? S: Wouldn't you say so? *Segasaki's first line "やだな (yada na - literally "this is unpleasant/I don't like that")" is not directed at Man-san, it's a form of soliloquy (which is common in Japanese), aka he's talking to himself here. We know this because it's informal and ends with the emphatic particle "~na". He then switches back to polite speech for the rest of his sentence, which is directed at Man-san. So, "that's not nice" is actually him remarking on the unpleasantness he feels after hearing Man-san describe Yoh as contrary, just as you might walk past a pile of rubbish on the street and remark, "well that's unsightly". Of course, the fact that he's actually saying this at a volume that Man-san can definitely hear and the way he sort of drawls it out, makes it clear that he definitely meant for her to know his disapproval behind the politeness of his following sentence (See what I mean by "thinly veiled politeness"?). On top of this, ending it off with a "ne?" (the same ending particle she used to seek his agreement) as he looks up right at her makes it clear - this whole sentence is a (mild) rebuke.

M: 分かったような口を利いてすんませんっした S: どうされました？ M: では私そろそろおいとまします M: I'm incredibly sorry! I spoke as if I knew everything (when in fact I knew nothing) S: What's the matter? M: Then, it is about time for me to take my leave. In response, Man-san ratches up the formal speech in both these sentences, though (as befitting her character) she pronounces it in a rather comical way (she sounds and acts like a samurai would in the movies 🤣). Also, don't mistake Segasaki's "what's the matter" as true confusion - his indirect rebuke was met with a direct (albeit over the top) apology - so here he is helping Man-san to save face, or recover the face she lost (by sounding presumptuous and by apologizing), by not calling attention to the actual apology. It is enough that she has recognized his superiority over her when it comes to understanding Yoh. This is also why later, when Man-san voluntarily offers up the information that she has a husband (and thus is not a threat to Segasaki's claim over Yoh), that Segasaki gives sort of an embarrassed but happy smile as he says "I'm sorry". That's not just "I'm sorry I can't send you to the station" (which is basic manners) but also has a little "I'm sorry for the unnecessary posturing over Yoh".

S: なんださっきから　やだ　ばっか言って S: お前はイヤイヤ期*か S: What's gotten into you? All you've been saying since just now is "no" S: Are you in your "no phase"*? *イヤイヤ期 - yes, the term he uses here specifically refers to the "no phase" of toddlers in their terrible twos. This isn't condescending though - Yoh's repeated "やだ (yada - "no" or "I don't want it")" is distinctly childlike, but this behaviour is precisely a form of amae that we talked about earlier. Yoh is asking to be indulged here, and Segasaki is responding both in word and in physical comfort.

Y: もうやだ S: だから何が Y: 俺　万さんのことすきなのに S: は？てめぇ* Y: あんたなんか嫌いだ Y: へらへらしてんじゃねぇよ Y: 何　ちゃっかり横に座ってんだよ Y: 名前で呼ぶ必要はねぇだろう Y: ふざけんな Y: 俺のこと好きなくせに Y: I don't want (this) anymore! S: So again I ask, (don't want) what? Y: I... even whilst... liking Man-san S: Ha? You little...* Y: I hate the likes of you Y: Don't freaking sit there laughing so carelessly Y: What were you doing taking the chance to sit next to her like that Y: There was no damn need to call her by her first name, right? Y: The hell are you doing! Y: When the person you like is me. When You talks about liking Man-san, he ends off with "なのに (nanoni)" which is used to show contrast the preceeding/following topic and to express frustration - except he hasn't mentioned the preceeding topic, so it isn't immediately clear what he means until he starts complaining about Segasaki's behaviour. That's why Segasaki is caught by surprise and follows up with an angry "haa?" and an emphatic *てめぇ(temee) - A very very rude way to say "you" which he first used in Ep 2 when Yoh said he was going to leave. It's not until later in Yoh's monologue, that we learn that he's upset that he feels jealousy/bad feelings towards Man-san because he's supposed to like Man-san (as a friend).

S: お前　お前それやだったんか S: お前の方が*　そう思ってたんかよ S: あ　もう最っ高 S: You... so that was what you didn't want? S: So, (all this time) it was actually you instead, who's been thinking like that? S: Oh, this is the. best.

S: よしよし S: 取られちゃって　やだったな S: There, there S: You didn't want me to be stolen away, did you?

Monologue time: Y: こんなふうに感じること自体が嫌だったんだ 万さん相手に　友達なのに 女々しすぎるって 幼稚だろう　ダメだろうって　分かってるのに 気付いたら頭ん中　ぐちゃぐちゃで どうしようもなくなってた あんたのせいだ こんなふうに 囁いたり 微笑んだり 優しく触れたりするから いつもあんな偉そうに ああだ　こうだ命令してくるくせに 突然まるで恋人*みたいに 勘違いするだろこんなの もしかして 好きって こんなみっともない気持ちのことなのか Y: The fact that I was feeling this way was specifically what I didn't like. (Feeling this way) towards Man-san, even though she's my friend... It was too petty (of me). Even though I knew, that it was childish, that I shouldn't (feel that way), Before I knew it, everything in my head was all messed up. And then I couldn't do anything about it. It's all your fault, Because you do things like this, Whispering softly to me, Smiling at me, And touching me so gently. Always so arrogantly ordering me around, Saying do this do that, and yet, You suddenly (start treating me) like a lover* Of course, I'd get the wrong idea with all of that! Could it be that, "Liking someone", Really is a feeling as unseemly and disgraceful as this? *恋人 (koibito - lover) - Lover in English can sometimes imply a more sexual than romantic relationship, but in Japanese "koibito" usually refers to "boyfriend/girlfriend" and may not imply a sexual component at all.

S: お前から抱きつくとかできんだな S: ずっと酔ってりゃいいのに S: So you actually can initiate hugs and stuff huh? S: If only you could stay drunk forever...

And we're done!! Ep 4 marks the turning point where Yoh begins the journey towards accepting and acknowledging his feelings - the concept of "sunao". It also clearly shows the preferred way these two reinforce their relationship - through "amae". Remember how in Ep 3, Yoh talked about how he felt that an "unspoken understanding" of each other's feelings was important in a relationship? Well, this is it - Yoh saying "no" and "don't want", or leaving the room to be by himself - these are all examples of amae. He doesn't want to ask for affection directly, because he can't. So he does it through amae instead, and as we can see, Segasaki really enjoys indulging in Yoh's unspoken requests for affection and gains fulfillment from that.

[apteryxparvus]

hope you're having a pleasant day, also congratulations on your 100 followers.

i was wondering if i could ask a street musician reader and a passerby scara fic. ik it doesn't have much explanation but i hope i can leave it to you😞

Thank you! I'm a bit late with this request, but I hope you enjoy it. I completely fell in love with the idea of Scaramouche and street musician reader 🥰

Part of my ✨ 100 followers milestone event ✨ that ran from September 2nd to September 9th.

Pairing — Scaramouche / Reader

Word count — 2,922 words

Content warning — mentions of alcohol

Scaramouche strolls along the bustling stalls of Port Ormos, immersing himself in the symphony of sounds. The air buzzes with the echoes of lively merchants and customers trying to haggle over prices. Kids dart around, gleeful shouts adding to the cacophony. The rhythmic clatter of artisans’ tools echo from the nearby workshops.

The fragrant aroma of spices mingles with the smell of freshly baked goods. Nearby, a vendor proudly displays an array of ripe fruits — from plump and succulent Zaytun peaches, to imported Lavender melons and spicy Jueyun chilies.

Scaramouche pauses, and his gaze meets the warm smile of the vendor. He stays silent, feeling the weight of the curious gaze upon him. With a soft humph, he lowers his wide-brimmed hat, casting a shadow over his face. He continues on his way, his steps purposeful and gaze fixed straight ahead — he tells himself he must stay fixated on the mission, that he must not get sidetracked by the vibrant distractions, nor draw any attention to himself.

He remains composed, a ghost in the crowd, blending seamlessly.

Yet when Scaramouche turns the corner, his hearing is enveloped by a soft voice. A familiar melody resounds in the air, and his heart skips a beat as he recognizes it instantly. He cannot help but be drawn towards the source of the enchanting voice.

There, in the midst of the bustling street, you stand, a lone street performer.

His steps falter as he approaches you. He stands between the other onlookers, his presence like a moth drawn to a flame.

You’re unaware of Scaramouche’s inner turmoil, and continue to raise your voice, your own rendition of the Inazuman song filled with burning passion and purity.

“Kare wa yasei no iro ni michita sekai o samayoi masu,

Jishin no seigen wa naku, kokoro wa fukaku.

Kabukimono, kabukimono…”

Time stands still. The lyrics evoke a lost meaning known only to him, memories he had long locked away. His chest constricts as he feels the weight of the past press upon him.

The last notes of the tune float into the air, and the crowd erupts in response. A few individuals drop mora into your hat, expressing their gratitude for the performance. You nod in sincere appreciation, a humble smile making its way to your lips.

Scaramouche waits patiently for the last of the onlookers to disperse. You crouch on the ground, gathering the coins and placing them into a leather pouch. The Inazuman steps closer to you, his hat casting a shadow over your figure. The weight of his presence draws your attention, and you raise your head, eyes wide with curiosity.

There’s an air of mystery cloaking him.

You straighten up and pat down your pants. “You’re Inazuman, right?” you enquire. His eyes widen for a split second, confirming your suspicions.

“The song,” he starts, struggling to find the right words.

“The Ballad of a Kabukimono,” you reply, a knowing smile on the corner of your lips. “A forgotten tale of a wandering Inazuman eccentric. No one really knows its origins.”

“The melody is different,” Scaramouche states.

You let out a sheepish chuckle, scratching the back of your neck. “Yes,” you admit. “The original felt too somber for my taste. I want to make people feel joy, rather than melancholy.”

Scaramouche huffs, muttering something under his breath. A hint of indignation stirs within you — if he has so displeased with the performance, why did he stay until the very end? He had the opportunity to walk away at any moment, yet he didn’t.

A rebuttal stirs within you, but before you can react, the Inazuman reaches into his belongings and takes out a hefty pouch, throwing it at your feet. The coins jiggle, and you watch speechless as he turns his back to you and leaves without uttering another word.

You stand amidst the scattered coins, confusion deepening. Stooping low, you gather the shiny mora, cursing at yourself for being so caught up in the moment, you had not even thought to ask his name.

The same night, Scaramouche strolls through the now-empty streets. Once bustling, the market now stands quiet and deserted, with only a handful of passersby leisurely walking past the closed stalls. Silence permeates the air.

His puppet body carries a deep ache.

His mission was a success — he had effortlessly infiltrated the nearby treasure hoarder camp, quickly retrieving the stolen Ruin Guard cores, along with a plethora of Fontanian and Snezhnayan machinery. The thieves were caught off guard; and he didn’t even need to rely on his Anemo Vision.

But despite the ease of the task and the triumph alongside it, he feels weariness settle upon his mind. A sense of monotony weighs upon him.

And the lingering melody of the song from his past stubbornly clings to his thoughts. It infuriates him, intensifying the restlessness he feels. He finds himself revisiting the memory of your voice — how it soared, building to a powerful crescendo, how you carefully enunciated each syllable of the language long forgotten.

He passes by the spot where he had witnessed your performance — it’s empty. He mentally chides himself for foolishly believing you would remain there throughout the entire day. The generous sum he had given you, along with the contributions from the other onlookers, would undoubtedly provide you a temporary respite from busking.

He feels a slight twinge of disappointment.

His weary gaze catches the flickering lights of a nearby tavern, the warm glow beckoning him. He heads towards the establishment, hoping to find some form of solace in the warmth and anonymity of the tavern; hoping to dull the ache within his soul with a drink or two.

Scaramouche steps inside the tavern, welcomed by the warm glow of the low-hanging lights. The wooden walls are adorned with paintings of the lush green foliage of Dharma Forest, while grainy photographs of Sumeru’s bustling cities add depth to the surroundings. Lively conversations fill the air — cheery and tipsy voices rise and fall; the noise mingles with the clinking of glasses.

His gaze sweeps across the crowded tavern, searching for a secluded place to settle. His eyes lock onto a hidden nook, and there, nestled in that corner, he spots your familiar figure. You’re sitting there, oblivious to the world, engrossed in your own daydreams, with a glass of a milky, effervescent beverage.

As if guided by an invisible force, he takes a few long strides towards the table and takes a seat beside you.

You look up, startled, but your gaze narrows in a split second. “Well, well, well,” you say, a hint of amusement flickering in your eyes. “We meet again, mysterious wanderer.”

“Mind if I join?”

“Of course, please, have a seat.” As he settles, you take a sip from your palm wine, the milky and powerfully sweet flavors dancing on your tongue. “It seems our encounters are becoming more frequent, no?”

Scaramouche scoffs, and you take another leisurely sip from the drink.

The silence around you carries a hint of lingering tension.

“Say,” you break the stillness. “Would a drink or two make you a better conversation partner?” you lightheartedly joke. “I am willing to offer the first round.”

The male smirks, mischief dancing in his indigo eyes. He leans back in his chair. “Since you’re probably using the mora I gave you for the drinks, I’d say the first round is actually on me.”

“I assure you, the drinks I buy are funded by my own pocket money.” You lean in closer, locking eyes with him.

“Regardless, I accept your offer.”

“Two palm wines coming right up,” you exclaim, already on your way to order from the gruff-looking bartender. 

Navigating through the crowd back to the table, you carefully balance the newly obtained drinks. You place them before Scaramouche and sit down. A moment later, you lift your glass in a toast. “Kanpai!” you exclaim in old Inazuman.

Scaramouche’s eyes fixate on yours for a brief moment, before he slowly raises his own glass. “You speak old Inazuman,” he comments.

“A few phrases here and there,” you admit, a flustered look spreading across your face. “I lived in Tatarasuna as a child, and I had the opportunity to learn a bit from the locals.”

The mention of Tatarasuna brings forth a wave of melancholic nostalgia; of fleeting memories of joyous faces, caked in soothe, of cooking lessons and exhilarating sword dances. He closes his eyes and sees the noxious black gas, with its haunting tendrils seeping across the surface of the once idyllic island.

Scaramouche raises his glass to his lips, taking a long, deliberate swig. He struggles to push back the rising tide of memories; struggles to push back the bile rising in his throat.

You notice the somber expression that crosses his face. “I’m sorry,” you say softly.

He meets your gaze, and you observe a subtle shift in his indigo eyes, how they darken. His demeanor is guarded, but in that split second, you see a glimmer of vulnerability. “Tell me more,” he inquires. “About the song, about your life in Tatarasuna.”

You nod, and take a moment to collect your thoughts. Leaning back against the chair, you recount the days of your childhood. You tell him about your parents — true adventurers at heart, with an insatiable thirst for exploration.

“They took me on countless journeys across Teyvat,” you start. “From the rolling plains of Mondtstadt, to the stone forests in Liyue. But those places, so easy to reach, were never enough for them.”

You recount the events that led the three of you to wash ashore upon the rocky outcrops of Kannazuka Island in Inazuma — a botched smuggling operation, led by an inexperienced sailor. You were stuck between two warring states — the Inazuma Shogunate and the Watatsumi Army. Amidst the chaos, a few brave locals defied the Electro Archon’s will, and extended a helping hand.

Within the safety of their village, they shared their crafts with you — under their guidance, you were introduced to the art of pottery, their steady hands guiding yours, allowing you to shape pots that held both practicality and an aesthetic appeal; you learned to weave silk, creating vibrant brocades that told stories of your past. They taught your parents the secrets of tending a garden, how to nurture each plant; they taught them the arts of stealth, of resourcefulness — they’d guide them through the thick forests, teaching them how to identify edible berries and how to track elusive prey without drawing the attention of wandering samurais or the warring armies.

“The villagers shared their stories, their own experiences. They told me about the legendary Mikage Furnace, about its role in shaping the community. But they also passed down folk songs… tales of mythical gods and primordial creatures.”

You take a sip of your drink. “The song I played today, it’s the one that I found the most fascinating. Even as a child, something about its haunting composition and the meaning behind the lyrics called out to me. The villagers themselves had no records of the origin of the melody, but they spoke of this restless longing they would feel each time it was performed.”

Scaramouche stays silent, as you take a moment to savor the last of your drink. You set the empty glass down. “I’ve always found myself wondering about the shadowy figure and his history…”

“Sing the original,” he demands, leaning in closer. “And I will tell you the truth behind the kabukimono.” His lilac eyes lock into yours, holding such intensity that it sends shivers down your spine. You almost squirm under the weight of his scrutiny, but you quickly compose yourself when you notice the raw melancholy swimming in his eyes.

You nod, accepting. “Alright then, I’ll sing the original for you,” you reply, taking a deep breath and letting your voice escape your lips.

The melody merges with the clamor of the tavern, but hidden in your little corner, the noise becomes irrelevant. Several patrons steal a few curious glances at you, their expressions a mixture of confusion and indifference, but they quickly divert their attention elsewhere, finding more interesting distractions.

But Scaramouche listens intently, penetrating gaze fixed on your lips, tracing every movement as the foreign syllables flow.

The final note fades upon your lips, and, completely entranced in the heartbreaking story of the eccentric, you don’t notice the lone tear that escapes your eye, leaving a damp trail down your cheek in the melody’s wake.

Silence stretches between you. Surprise flits across your features at the sight of the watery eyes behind Scaramouche’s stoic mask — he, who had at first displayed such aloofness and indifference, now seems stricken by genuine grief.

“Your song… stirs long buried memories,” he begins with a soft voice, answering your quiet, wordless inquiry. “In a past life, I too knew about the ache of aimless wandering, untethered and alone.”

His words linger in the air, a whispered revelation, one that hints at the depths of his own past.

Scaramouche exhales a heavy sigh, his stoic façade returning. “But a promise is a promise,” he says.

You shift uncomfortably. “Look,” you start, voice filled with concern. “If this brings you pain, there’s no need to continue. We can leave it be.”

He shakes his head, a flicker of determination crossing his features. “The kabukimono from the song… he was a puppet sculpted by the hand of the Electro Archon, intended to house the divine Gnosis. Yet, upon his creation, he shed genuine tears, and in his imperfection, he was carelessly cast aside.”

His words hang in the air, painting a tragic picture of a being cast aside by the very same hands that brought him to life.

“His divine powers were sealed, and he was locked away in a deep slumber,” he continues, voice laced with a mix of sorrow and resignation. “Until a samurai found him and took him in, despite his origins. The puppet formed a bond with the samurai and his companions.”

Scaramouche’s gaze turns distant, as if lost in memories. A sigh escapes him. “But then, tragedy struck. The puppet thought himself betrayed for the second time, and so he left, abandoning the only bonds he’d ever truly known.”

“His life was one of great suffering,” you quietly muse. Still, a doubt nags at the edges of your mind. “But how can you be certain this is the true origin of the song? Akademiya records tell a completely different tale of the Tatarasune Incident…” you trail off.

“The Akademiya is not infallible,” Scaramouche states bluntly, crossing his arms.

“But… the Akasha… the scholars have been able to preserve knowledge for generations,” you counter weakly.

“Not every truth stored is truly truthful,” he retorts. “Perhaps the kabukimono wished for his own story to remain unknown.”

You contemplate his words. “How can you be so certain?” you ask.

A subtle smirk ghosts his lips, and in an instant, clarity washes over you.

“You’re… you’re the kabukimono,” you breathe a sigh of disbelief and awe. The implications settle in your mind like the final pieces of an intricate puzzle. It all fits — the haunting melancholy in his eyes, his intricate knowledge of the past, and his willingness to share the painful truth, no matter how dark it may be.

Scaramouche remains silent, his enigmatic smirk still plastered across his face. It speaks volumes, confirming your thoughts.

Still reeling from his revelation, you meet his inscrutable gaze, a question look in your eyes. “Why reveal this to me?” you inquire, voice filled with caution. “How can you be sure that I won’t go and share this with the Akademiya scholars?”

His grin widens, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Ah, my dear street performer, it’s because I saw a kindred spirit within you. And besides, the Akademiya scholars… their pursuit of knowledge often blinds them to the depth of human experience.”

Scaramouche rises from his seat, the scraping sound of his chair against the chair breaking your thoughts. “It’s time for me to go,” he declares. “But if you’re willing, I can divulge more about the history of the kabukimono.”

You feel a flutter of anticipation at his words. “And what do you ask in return?” you inquire cautiously.

“I wish to hear more of your voice,” he admits sincerely, a surprising vulnerability seeping into his words. “If you are willing, meet me at Pharos Lighthouse, a week from now, before the break of dawn.”

And with that hopeful promise, Scaramouche departs, melting into the inky shadows of the tavern.

You remain rooted to your seat long after he takes his leave, mind reeling from the encounter. Your heart still drums erratically, head spinning, his revelations bringing up more questions than answers.

Ordering another glass of palm wine, you sip, hoping its sweet tones may calm your fraying nerves. You turn the conversation over and over, looking for a different, perhaps a deeper, meaning behind his words.

By the time your glass is empty, a weariness has settled into your bones. You offer a quiet nod of gratitude to the tavern keeper, and exit into the night.

Cool air washes over you as you step into the lamplit street, the ethereal glow of the moon overhead. And as you walk the familiar path that leads to your home, finding solace in the rhythm of the journey, the events of the night replay in your mind.

You make your way home, eager for what the future holds and the mysteries waiting to be unraveled.

*Translation of the song:

He wanders the world full of wild colors, A spirit unrestrained, a mind uncontained. Wandering eccentric.

Author's note: I AM BACK! I AM ALIVE!

University sure kicked my ass (and is still kicking it lol). I am still working on one more request, as well as the next chapter of L ♡ V E R ⇌ L ⦻ S E R (I have not forgotten about it, I promise)

[abbatoirablaze]

Catered To You, Yuki Tsunoda

Word Count: 791

“Just go in there and fuck things up,” Danny Ric smirked as he clapped his fellow driver on the back, “say you’re trying to help and then mess things up…but in a way that she has to help you.  I mean, she won’t be too mad.  It’s the end of the season…and it’ll give you an excuse to talk to her over the break.”

“That’s stupid advice,” Pierre said with a shake of his head and an eyeroll.  He looked to the smaller man, “Yuki…just go up to her and ask her out.  You don’t need to hide behind anything.”

“I don’t know,” the Australian shrugged, “I heard last week Lando tried to ask her out with the whole straight-forward method, and it didn’t work.  Offered to buy her a plane ticket to his flat and show her the sights…he’s still walking around with his tail between his legs over it.”

“Lando’s not interested in her!” Pierre grumbled, “stop messing with him.  Yuki.  Trust me.  Savannah likes you too.  You just need to walk up to her and tell her that you like her.”

“How do you know that she likes me?” The Japanese driver asked quizzically, “she-“

“She made you a whole birthday dinner on her day off…” he reminded his friend, “and she always brings you little treats from catering…remember when you got homesick after we left Japan and she made you a whole Japanese inspired feast?  People don’t do that unless they like you.”

“She was just being nice!”

Both Danny Ric and Pierre looked at one another, Daniel in a state of disbelief, “Wait…she did all that for him?”

“Yeah!”

“You didn’t tell me that,” the Australian said quickly, “yeah.  If she did that then she definitely likes you.”

Yuki felt a blush rising to his cheeks as he looked between his former partner and his current one, “you really think so?”

“Yes…now go and ask her out already!”

Yuki felt his nerves racing as he stepped through the back doors of the catering area and into the kitchen, hopelessly looking for Savannah. 

He smiled when he saw all 5’1” of her in the back making some desserts.  His heart thudded wildly in his chest as he started heading back to her. 

But he was stopped by one of the kitchen leads, “what are you doing back here?”

“I-uh-“

“Drivers and mechanics aren’t allowed back here.  You know that, Yuki,” he said with a frown.  He raised his pen from its clipboard and pointed at the small wrapped bouquet he’d brought along, “just like you know that you can’t bring non-food items back here, Mr. Tsunoda..”

“I-I’ll only be a se-“

“Out!” the leader of the kitchen said firmly, pointing towards the door, “get out before you contaminate my kitchen.”

“I-“

“Jeffrey, it-s’okay.  I’ll escort Mr. Tsunoda out!” a voice replied quickly. 

The lead moved and Yuki felt a blush rising to his cheeks as he saw Savannah quickly removing her apron.

“I’m counting this as your break!” he grumbled, disappearing. 

“Yuki, wh-what are you doing here?” she asked quickly, looping her arms through one of his and turning him towards the door.  Yuki felt like his throat was closing up as she walked him back out of the kitchen and through catering’s cafeteria, “Yuki, are you alright? Daijoubu desu ka?” (Are you alright?)

Yuki’s eyes went wide as they stopped outside the front door. “Nihongou ga hanase masu ka?” (You speak Japanese?”

She paled.  Yuki felt his heart racing even faster as he watched her. His lips moved quickly as he felt the adrenaline, “Tsukiatsu te kure mase nichi ka?” (Will you go out with me?)

Savannah stared at him blankly as he held the flowers out to her.

“I-Yuki…”

Yuki frowned, and his adrenaline plummeted.  He had thought that she would accept a date with him.  With a heavy sigh he turned to walk away, before he died of embarrassment. 

“Yuki wait!” she said quickly, turning the man to stop him, “I-why are you leaving?  What’s wrong?”

“You said-“

“I-I don’t know what you said,” she said quickly, cutting him off, “I-I’m sorry.  I’ve been trying to learn Japanese, but I-I haven’t gotten very far.  I-“

“You don’t know what I said?”

The young couple stared at one another for a minute while Yuki processed her reactions.  She shook her head and Yuki smiled, “I-I thought you knew Japanese when you asked if I was alright.”

“I know how to ask if someone’s alright and to say that my name is Savannah…I-I didn’t-“

“Go out with me?” Yuki tried again as he cut the young woman off.  A blush rose to her cheeks as he held out the flowers, “I-will you go out with me?”

[mydictionary-yume]

Drabblecember Day 3: Decorating

Word count: 349

Taglist: @make-my-dream, @thechavanator

Lu suppressed a squeal as she opened the box she was assigned to, giggling as she took out one of the bears.

“What are these?” She asked Yuki, taking one of them out.

“Teddy bears. What else?” He replied sarcastically, hanging another strand of garland.

“What’s with the clothes, though?”

“Should be obvious.”

“Wait, are these…”

“Everybody. Yeah. Made the clothes myself,” Yuki confirmed confidently, turning to Lu.

“They’re so cute!” Lu squealed, turning over the one she was holding, which bore a purple and green camo tee with a black jacket, complete with a tiny pair of white headphones. “So this one’s Masu?”

“Mhm. Oh, speaking of, I should probably make one for you sometime, same with the others,” he replied as he stepped up to the box.

“Even though I don’t live here?”

“Well, as gross as it is, a lot of people here have partners now, and they probably don’t want them left out,” he remarked, taking out another one of the bears. “Speaking of, here’s your boyfriend’s.”

Lu stared for a moment, only to take it from Yuki, looking it over. It was adorable, she had to admit, almost cuter than the real thing. It wore a recreation of his hoodie, complete with the collar of his plaid shirt poking out. She held it close, letting out a giggle while Yuki could only sigh.

“You really are gross.”

“What? You’re saying you don’t wanna hug cute things?”

“I am.”

It was the wrong moment for Sakuya to come into the common room and witness the exchange, complete with Lu holding the bear to her chest. The color drained from her face.

“I came to ask if you were done, but-“

“Saku, it isn’t what it looks like,” Lu tried to defend, but the deed was already done.

“You’re fine! It’s kinda cute, actually!” He said with a chuckle.

“Blegh,” Yuki added, pantomiming retching.

Lu laughed at Yuki’s disgust, setting the bear down to actually get back to work on the decoration. Even if he had to be annoying about it, she didn’t mind. She was happy, and nothing could change that.

[lcs-library]

This fic is. Really weird. But in my defense I am eepy and this is a day late and I can do whatever I want forever.

Safeshiptember Day 16: Apology

Taglist: @dango-daydreams

“Come on, just one? Please?” Lu begged, running ahead of Masumi so she could face him as the walked.

“Not worth it,” he responded, adjusting his school bag on his shoulder.

“You’re so boring! It would be good practice, you know it!”

“And?”

“I don’t know, maybe the director would like it if you did? We’ve got a show coming up? Promoting the company?”

“Fine,” Masumi sighed, knowing full well she would keep this up if he didn’t agree to just one.

“Yay! C’mon, let’s go find a spot,” she said with a smile, dragging him into the plaza of Veludo Way.

It wasn’t often that Lu asked to do a street act with Masumi, but, when she did, it would mean a lot of pestering for Masumi, and a longer walk home from school for the both of them. Even then, she knew that, despite his silly tsundere tendencies, he couldn’t help but enjoy it too, no matter how he felt about her.

They finally settled on a spot in front of the Veludo Library, setting their bags down to begin discussing the content of the street act.

“Masu, you got any ideas?”

“Not really.”

“I should’ve guessed… how about a couple?”

“Seriously? Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“I don’t know, it was the first thing that came to mind!”

“Fine, whatever, let’s do it.”

“What?”

“So, where should we go today, dear?” Masumi asked, slipping into character quicker than Lu had anticipated. She sighed, realizing she should have known better than to suggest this, but started speaking a little louder and clearer regardless.

“Well, I was hoping you’d take me for parfaits!”

“Parfaits? You realize how expensive those are, right?”

A fight ought to liven things up, she thought, noting the small crowd gathering around the two of them.

“Well, maybe you can be a good boyfriend and pay for me once in a while!”

Unfortunately, that was the moment Sakuya decided to step out of the library, clutching a few new scripts close his chest with a smile on his face. His eyes lit up as he saw the small crowd, and when he saw that it was some of his favorite people performing, he felt his smile push up even further.

However, his eyes met Lu’s right as the word “boyfriend” left her lips.

Lu gave him a blank stare. Uh-oh.

Sakuya set his books on the ground near the library’s door, storming up to the two of them.

“What the hell is going on here?!”

“Saku, it’s not what you think, I swear, it’s a-“

“I don’t wanna hear it!” He shouted, glaring angrily at Lu, shoving her aside to make his way towards Masumi. “What do you think you’re doing?! That’s my girlfriend, man! I thought we were friends!”

“She was the one who wanted it, I swear!” He replied meekly, shrinking away from Sakuya’s now imposing presence.

That was when it finally clicked for Lu, as she sat on the ground teary-eyed. Sakuya wanted to make things more interesting. To gather a crowd. Man, his acting had improved.

Lu summoned her courage, and let her tears roll down her cheeks as she let out a sob. Sakuya rushed to her side, kneeling down to where he had knocked her. He stared firmly at her, his back facing the audience so he could give her a small smile, before cheating out and grimacing.

“Why did you do this? What’s wrong with you!?”

“I- I don’t know!” She blubbered, cowering away.

“Why?” he continued to press on, Lu keeping an eye on the crowd to notice more people appearing at the dramatic scene.

“Because you’re like this!”

“Like what?”

“Like- like, this!”

“And you thought this was okay?”

“I’m sorry! I really am!”

“Sure, fine. You’re sorry. And?”

“I won’t do it again! I won’t!”

“You better.”

The two exchanged a look that simply said “we should end this before it gets serious.”

They stood up, Lu with Sakuya’s help, and bowed.

“Thank you for watching! We’re with Mankai Comapny, please come to see us sometime!” Sakuya shouted promptly, making sure to throw the extra ad in so as not to get murdered by Sakyo.

The audience clapped, some still a little uneasy, before dispersing to continue on with their activities, and the trio turned to each other.

“Sorry for just coming onto the scene! I probably should’ve stayed out of it, huh?” Sakuya apologized, going to pick up his books.

“You’re fine, it wasn’t really going anywhere, but you did scare me, so that’s what you should be apologizing for more,” Lu replied, giving him a light punch.

Sakuya laughed.

“I’m sorry about that, too! It’s fine if you fake-cheat on me! It’s not like I really care, it’s in the job description.”

“Same here.”

The two stared at each other for a moment, happy to get to see the other after a long day, even if it took a fake cheating scandal to let it happen.

“Can we go home now?” Masumi interrupted, ruining the moment.

“Oh, we should! Izumi’ll kill us, huh?” Lu replied, grabbing her own things to walk with Masumi as he almost left the couple behind.

Even then, it wasn’t like it mattered if they were late, it was nice to spend extra time together, no matter how strange it was.

[rigelmejo]

I’m going to vent for a minute. It always irks me a little when japanese lessons take so long to cover stuff like

The verb form te-iru, te-imasu, which seems to be similar to english -ing on verbs. Its how to actually say “I’m doing X verb.” However I remember when learning from Genki (and honestly a lot of japanese lesson resources), they teach verb forms like “I X verb” masu form. “I eat” taberu/tabemasu as in I eat fish (generally), not as in “I am eating fish (now/whatever time was described)” tabeteimasu (tabe+te-imasu). This creates a confusion a number of people end up having for a while... the confusion of thinking masu form (like tabemasu) means ‘verb-ing’ as in I’m doing a verb in a specific place/time, rather than I generally do verb (and may be doing it right now). Saying “I eat fish” can mean I eat fish right now, I generally eat fish, I’d prefer to eat fish (over some other option) etc. It does not specifically convey the “I’m doing X” even though that form of the verb is probably what we’ll use a lot. When watching shows, playing games, talking, I run into te-imasu form a LOT and it still surprises me it takes so long to learn. It also still surprises me that the beginner japanese class I took covered ‘te’ form in theory (since its in Genki 1) but we learned it to stack verbs (say I X then Y verb) and my teacher did not really emphasize the te-imasu form even though it’s everywhere in real life.

The form of -nde? in questions. I don’t have japanese keyboard on this computer so bear with me. I am rusty on japanese as I read it again recently but haven’t thought about the WHY of any grammar in a while. When I’m in clozemaster I see this verb situation all the time, and it seems sort of like asking a negative in english but when you mean do they want to do it positively. しませんでしたか？Shimasen-deshita. “Didn’t?” or しませんか？ Shimasenka “don’t��� This is not the example I meant but in google translate this is all I can think of. Its like when you ask “Didn’t you?” and someone replies “I did.” So you expect a positive answer. (Feel free to blank all this out, this second paragraph’s topic i am SO rusty on I honestly cannot remember clearly or correctly what the n’de form means in a question, all I can remember is I see it ALL the time when I read or watch stuff in japanese and yet... again... I remember my class never even covered it, especially given how common it gets run into).

Back to things I can adequately describe ToT (thanks for bearing with me lol). I remember last year I went through Clozemaster Japanese and just did like 600 sentence cards of the top 100 most common words. That period of study was probably the most helpful thing I did japanese grammar wise, because so many of the sentences were random grammar rather than perfectly crafted textbook sentences. The Clozemaster sentences prepared me much better for reading manga, watching shows, watching lets plays, and just generally figuring out how the fuck to parse the grammar meaning of new sentences I see. I ran into SO many ‘helper’ words (words that give some kind of grammar/meaning change to a sentence) and so much grammar I’d either never seen or never seen in informal forms, it helped tremendously. I had not seen te-imasu or gotten to practice it until then. And there’s still helper words I don’t know fully, but I recognize enough from that study period that now when I see them in sentences I get the gist of how they influence the sentence’s meaning. So I guess my point is just, I am a bit frustrated with how many japanese lessons (especially in the beginning) tend to avoid teaching some very common grammar things that appear super frequently whenever you engage with native materials. I’ve been going through glossika japanese lately for listening practice and lol... wouldn’t you know, just like Genki its covering some stuff but then other stuff like te-imasu I haven’t heard once yet, even though I run into it so frequently with japanese media. 

Anyway... I’m currently looking for a new japanese grammar guide to read through. And I am seriously doubting I’m going to find any that cover some of the grammar points I’m most curious about for a while (or at all if they’re free guides and potentially stop after beginner grammar). :/ I wonder if imabi.net or Tae Kim’s Guide go over the kind of grammar I’m looking for eventually... (Because truly, I learned like 50% of the grammar I recognize now by brute force studying those 600 sentences in clozemaster and figuring out the gist of grammar meaning from the translation, but I’d love a more clear overt explanation ToT)

[sacred-stanning]

Chapter 16 Part 7: Taking out the boss and then having an after party

We're almost to the boss. Moulder attacks this Druid just because he can.

And Cormag finishes the job and gets another pretty meh level.

Oh, and Thief appears here during enemy phase, I guess to go get the chests in the upper right corner if you don't move fast enough.

Here's the boss now. Orson starts with a Silver Sword Equipped, but he has a Slender Spear too.

But Lute solves all problems.

Orson: "Monica and I will live together happily."

So I dance up Lute and let her take another crack at him.

Hey! More res! More speed! Awesome!

I send Vanessa and Cormag over to the right to get rid of the Thief, and Rennac opens the bottom chest, which I think just straight up had money in it.

The other two chests have a Knight's Crest (don't need it, so money basically) and a Talisman.

Hey! Tethys level!

So yeah, then I clump everyone together and hit end turn a bunch to get more supports.

"Hey, you!"

Lute resolves to ignore Ross when he first calls out to her.

"You! Mage woman!"

"I thought for sure that you were calling out to someone named 'Yoo'!"

Ross introduces himself as "Ross, son of the Warrior Garcia".

"Nice to meet you, Ross-son-of-the-warrior-garcia! What a long name you have!"

It's interesting, because of how Japanese works with its multiple writing systems, it's immediately clear that she has mushed the whole phrase together to be one name because it's all written out in Katakana, unlike when Ross introduced himself above and there was a mix of Kanji (for the words "warrior" and "son"), Hiragana (for the grammatical possessive particle, "no"), and Katakana (for the actual names, "Ross" and "Garcia").

"I am the exceptional genius mage, Lute."

(Lute uses an interesting word here, "kidai", which has the characters for "rare" and "world" or "generation". It's a word that expresses that something is exceedingly rare in this world. I like to think of it like the phrase, "once in a generation".)

Ross asks if Lute can use magic, to which she replies, "Saying that I 'use' it doesn't begin to describe the level I have achieved. It's more accurate to say that I live and breath it!"

Here, Lute differentiates between "tsukaeru" (use) and "jizai ni ayatsuru" (to manipulate or control something with total freedom and power over it).

Ross asks Lute if he can learn to use magic.

"Impossible"

An interesting thing to note, that's true in all of her conversations, not just this one, is that Lute tends to exclusively use "keigo" (polite speech). She ends her sentences with either "desu" (the polite form of the copula "da"), or the "masu" endings of the verbs.

I think this is done to show her awkwardness. While polite speech like this is really important in Japanese, overdoing it can make a person sound stiff or unfriendly...or like a first-year Japanese student. Of course, the whole judgment of when to use polite speech, and when to use more casual speech is its own whole thing, but that's really true in any language, it's just that Japanese has these actual grammatical forms that make it particularly obvious.

"Hey, you!"

Lute was tired. She was surprised at how tired she was was. These battles were really getting to be too much. She was so glad that she was one of the people asked to stand guard in the throne room while a final sweep of the castle was done to look for remaining soldiers. It meant she had a chance to just...sit.

"Hey, you!"

There was that voice again. How annoying! Lute recognized it as the noisy boy with the axe who was always yelling and slapping people on the back when he was friendly with them. She wasn't friendly with him, so she didn't really expect to get slapped on the back, but she also was too tired to deal with him and his yelling. She just wanted to sit here on her horse and space ou--

"Hey, you, mage girl!"

The noisy boy had walked right up to her. Lute frowned. She had really hoped that ignoring him would work, but now he was standing there, right in front of her, grinning for some reason.

Why was he always so loud?

"Hmm?" Lute finally responded. "Oh. I thought you were calling for Yoo..." she thought for a moment. She knew that there had been a name like that.

"Ewan!" she remembered suddenly. "That was it."

"I thought you were calling for Ewan," she said, looking grumpily at the noisy boy.

"Huh? No, no! I wanted to talk to you! What's your name, by the way?"

His voice was too loud, and she could smell the sweat on him even from a body length away. But Lute couldn't think of anyway out of this, so she answered curtly, "Lute".

"Nice to finally talk to ya, Lute!" the boy smiled. "My name is Ross, the son of the warrior, Garcia!"

"I didn't ask and I don't care," Lute thought grumpily, but then something occurred to her that amused her. He had said that his name was "Ross, the son of the warrior, Garcia". She loved the literal interpretation of his statement!

"Hi, Ross-the-son-of-the-warrior-garcia" she said, straight-faced, but grinning to herself inside her head. "That's a very long name you have."

The silly boy looked confused for a moment like he didn't know how to respond. Then he guffawed, "Nah, nah. My name is Ross! Just Ross! I'm Garcia's son!"

With the temporary diversion of wordplay all finished, Lute was already bored with the conversation again. She racked her brain for some excuse to be done with it when the boy spoke again.

"So...you can use magic, right?"

This grabbed Lute's interest again. Slightly. "Well, I wouldn't say I 'use' magic," she explained. "I am an extraordinary mage with a total control over magic to the extent that it's almost like breathing to me."

The boy tilted his head. "So...you can use it, right?"

Lute sighed. He didn't understand anything, did he? "Yes," she answered flatly.

"Oh wow! Y'know, I was always kinda interested in magic! Do you suppose you could show me some?"

"No."

The boy blinked. "Aww, why not? Are you tired after all the fighting? I get it, it was a rough battle!" He stretched his arms out as he spoke.

While it was true that Lute was in fact tired from the battle, it bothered her somehow that he had accused her of being tired despite not having any proof of it. The nerve of him to make assumptions like that! As if this axe swinger knew anything about the mental strain of spell casting!

"Well, I don't want to bother you if you're tired, but I just thought I'd ask because you remind me of my mom. She was a pretty good mage herself!"

He turned to walk away, and then stopped for a moment. "Actually, now that I think of it, you know who you really remind me of is my mom's sister! I always called her 'Aunty M'! She was an even better mage than my mom, and she was short like you!"

"Hmph," Lute grunted. She was too tired to even feign interest in this conversation anymore, or to complain about being labeled "short".

"And her partner was a tall woman who kinda looked like your friend, Vanes--I mean General Vanessa! I called her Aunty R since her name was Ruth. She liked that!"

Lute perked up. Wait, what did the boy just say?

The boy's face took on a sad expression, "I sure miss my mom, and my aunts, and my cousins. I lost a lot of family when those bandits attacked my village..."

"Anyway, I'll let you rest, Lute! Take it easy!" The boy turned to walk away again.

"Wait," Lute said. "What was that you said about your aunt and a...partner?"

"Huh?" The boy turned back around. "Oh, Aunty M and Aunty R? So Aunty M was my mom's sister, and Aunty R was her partner! That's what everyone in the village called her at any rate. My Aunty M brought her back to the village after she had gone out to the capital to learn magic when she was younger. They lived together and worked together and everything!" He let out a deep belly laugh, "My mom always teased Aunty M it was good that she found Aunty R because otherwise she wouldn't be able to reach the dishes on the top shelf! Har har!"

He grinned at Lute, "That's what I mean when I say you remind me of my aunts, because I always see you talking with General Vanessa. And you're short and can use magic, and General Vanessa is tall, just like my Aunty R was!"

Lute was slightly shocked. "Partners? Is this a...thing that can be done?" She closed her eyes and went into her mind library. She had read many stories when she was younger, but she didn't recall any where two women lived together who weren't sisters. She rummaged through the mental shelves. Yes, indeed, there were a lot of stories with men and women living together "happily ever after" and all that...Hmm. This might require more research. But where would she find a library while trudging from battlefield to battlefield? Was this inquiry just going to have to wait until after the war was done? Or was the library in this castle maybe still intact?

Lute chastised herself for not reading up on social customs in different societies more. Monsters, animals, and magic had always interested her, but she had never really had much interest in reading about human society. There were always so many silly rules that didn't make sense.

And then she caught herself. Why was she so intrigued by this? It certainly was a novel idea, and she was drawn to new information, but there was something more here. As she was thinking, Vanessa's face floated up into her consciousness.

"What do I feel about Vanessa?" Lute wondered. As soon as she thought it, she immediately felt uncomfortable. She didn't like analyzing her feelings like this. Feelings felt so unpredictable.

Then she remembered that the boy was still standing there while she was thinking.

"Ah yes, you," she said, looking at him. "I would like to hear more about your aunts sometime. I am curious about...um...them." Lute wasn't sure how to describe what she wanted to know, but there was something there that was itching at her mind to dig into in more depth.

The boy smiled. "Sure, anytime! Maybe once we get everything settled in the castle here we'll all have a moment to sit and relax!"

Once he had walked away, Lute resolved to have a look around and find the castle's library. The castle was in bad shape, but she had hope that the soldiers under Orson had been to busy looting valuables to be bothered with looking through the books...

Aside from Lute, Ross also unlocks a support with Gerik.

He starts by introducing himself to Gerik, again, as the son of the warrior, Garcia.

Gerik says that he must be quite strong to introduce himself that way.

Ross says he wants to get stronger, and Gerik asks him why.

Ross tells him about how he wants to live up to legacy of his dad, and also how he wants to help rebuild his village.

Gerik is impressed by Ross's goals, and he offers to help by doing a training battle with Ross.

"I may not be as strong as your dad, but how about you first try to beat me in a fight once?"

Next time: More supports and then we end the map.

[cameforexactlyonereason]

Same anon as earlier- of course and no worries! I’d like to politely suggest adding an edit to your reply on masu-pasu’s post about how you’ve been informed, as it would suck if you got harassed by people who only saw that reply and weren’t aware you had been misinformed and corrected. Good luck and good day!

Went to sleep and woke and immediately taking your advice good sir

[unicla]

「ご拝読頂きありがとうございます」は変？

(English below)

ある会社から、情報登録を促すメールを受け取りました。

締めの一言が掲題の文章。

「最後までご拝読頂きありがとうございました」

違和感はありませんか？

もし「別に変じゃない」とお思いの場合は、普段から相手に失礼なことを言ったり書いたりしている可能性があります。解説を読んでみてくださいね。

全く知らない人にタメ口で話しかける？

メールを送ってきた会社にとって、私は「潜在顧客」です。もしかしたらお客さまになってくれるかもしれない人のこと。そして、全く知らない人でもあります。

こういう人に対しては、敬語を使うのが無難です。���ぜなら、

お客さまになりうる

身内でも知り合いでもない、最も遠い関係

1番について。サービスを利用してもらって成り立つビジネスです。「お客さまは神様」じゃないですが、やはり「目上の人」として遇するべき相手です。したがって、サービスを提供する側はへりくだり、お客さまに何かしてもらう際は敬う表現を用いましょう。

2番について。お互いに会ったことのない、全く知らない人と話す際は「ですます調」を使ったり、「さん」付けで呼んだりと、丁寧な話し方をするのが普通です。いきなりタメ口で話す人もいますが、なんだか居心地が悪かったり「馴れ馴れしい」と感じたりします。ちょっと難しい言い方をすれば、日本語には対象との心理的な距離に応じて表現を変える特徴があり、遠ければ遠いほど丁寧になるのです。

言いたいことは「読んでくれてありがとう」

冒頭の「最後までご拝読いただきありがとうございました」に戻ります。

言いたいことは「最後まで読んでくれてありがとう」ですね。これを、「最も遠い関係の目上の人」向けに変更しましょう。敬語をどう取り入れればいいでしょうか。

（続きはこちら）

Is “Gohaidoku itadaki arigatou gozaimasu（Thank you for reading)" strange?

I received an email from a company asking me to register my information.

The closing sentence is the one shown above.

Saigo made gohaidoku itadaki arigatou gozaimasu.（「最後までご拝読いただきありがとうございます」）

Do you think it is strange?

If you think it is not strange, you may be saying or writing something rude to the other person on a regular basis. Please read the explanation.

Talking to a complete stranger in a casual manner?

To the company that sent me the e-mail, I am a "potential customer”. A person who might possibly become a customer. And I am also a complete stranger.

For these people, it is safe to use honorifics. Because:

1.Potential Customers

2.The most distant relationship, neither relatives nor acquaintances.

About #1. This is a business that depends on the use of services. The customer is not an emperor, but he or she should be treated as a superior person. Therefore, the person providing the service should be humble and use respectful expressions when asking the customer to do something for you.

Regarding #2. When talking to someone you have never met and do not know at all, it is normal to speak politely, using a "desu-masu" tone and addressing the person by "san". Some people suddenly talk to each other using the "タメ口(tame-guchi)”, casual style, but it may seem uncomfortable or too familiar to them. To put it another way, Japanese language has a characteristic of changing expressions depending on the psychological distance between the speaker and the target, and the farther away the speaker is, the more polite his/her style becomes.

What you want to say is "Thank you for reading”

Let's go back to the beginning, “最後までご拝読頂きありがとうございます(saigo made gohaidoku itadaki arigatou gozaimasu)”.

What you want to say is "Thank you for reading to the end.”  Let's change this for the least related superior. How can we incorporate honorific expressions?

Nouns have honorific expressions, too. For example, "返事(henji)," a reply would be “お返事(ohenji)," "ご返信(gohenshin)," and so on. There is no appropriate honorific expression for "最後まで," so we will leave it as it is.

The problem is "read". Who is "reading" it?　

It is the customer who received the e-mail. Therefore, we need to change "read" to an honorific(respectful expression).

Although "拝読(haidoku)" is an honorific, do you know who is being honored?

meaning of haidoku(Japanese dictionary)

It is a way to honor the writer by reading while worshipping, i.e., by humbling yourself, not the person who is reading.

Therefore, "ご拝読して(gohaidoku shite)" has a nuance like "read respectfully the text written by me, the great" (perhaps a bit of an exaggeration).

To be correct, you should use as follows: "お読みいただきありがとうございます(oyomi itadaki arigatou gozaimasu)” or “お目通しいただきありがとうございます(omedoshi itadaki arigatou gozaimasu).”

Is "gohaidoku sasete itadakimasu" incorrect?

A similar expression that is often seen is "ご拝読させていただきます(gohaidoku sasete itadakimasu,"I will read it over").

As explained earlier, "拝読(haidoku)" means to read with respect for the writer. If you add "go" to it, you are honoring the person who is reading it. “Go" is unnecessary.

The honorific expression that expresses respect for the other person by humbling oneself is called "humble language.” The phrase "させていただきます（sasete itadakimasu）" is often used because it is convenient.

How about "拝読させていただきます(haidoku sasete itadakimasu)"?  It means いただいた文章をありがたく読ませていただく(itadaita bunshou wo arigataku yomasete itadaku,"I will read with gratitude the text I have received with gratitude,") which may not be a problem in colloquial speech.

However, as explained earlier, "拝読(haidoku)" means "to read with respect," and it is already a humble word. Piling humble words on top of humble words makes it sound too humble and strange. In the written form, "I will read with gratitude the text I received," saying "I will read with gratitude" over and over again is maddening, and some people may think you are joking.

In the written form, it is better to say simply, "拝読しました(haidoku shimashita,) I have read it.”

One more thing to take care

Here is one more usage you should be careful about. You cannot use "拝読しました(haidoku shimashita), I have read it" in situations such as you read the book that your boss recommended to read, and you are expressing thankfulness to the boss.

This is because, as mentioned above, "拝読(haidoku)" means "to read out of respect for the writer.” If it is your boss who wrote the book, "拝読しました(haidoku shimashita,) “I have read your book" is correct. If you read a book that was merely recommended to you, "おすすめいただいた本を読みました(osusume itadaita hon wo yomimashita,) I read the book you recommended to me" is polite enough.

Honorifics are difficult. It is because it is necessary to consider the meaning of the words, the content of the message, and the distance from the listener. Let's start with expressions that you understand the meaning of correctly and get used to them through experience. 

[sakurauchis]

just wanted to let you know your header gif kills me inside every time, i love it

THANK YOU!!! tbh I haven’t changed my mobile header since tsukki’s big moment in 2016 :’))) glad it brings you the same emotions/joy like it does for me haha

[sonic-gallery]

Another World Ogiri October 2023 [What are Cream and Big doing...? ]

★Example

Dad had turned all his wealth into a glowing ball.

Two characters appear every month in surprising outfits and situations! Let's enjoy Ogiri together with illustrations that will make your imagination run wild!

This time, we have Cream & Cheese in a cute detective costume, and at first glance, it looks like "Mafia Don"? Big is here! Cream saw some kind of suspicious transaction going on...?

What kind of lines or narration would you use?

You can style it based on the atmosphere and world view of the two of you in the game, or you can create a bold arrangement! In the example, she seems speechless at the unexpected action... Even such free-spirited jokes are OK!

Please enjoy it and tweet with the tag "#Isekai Ogiri" on Twitter (X) ♪

We will introduce the good ones in a reply from Sonic's official Twitter (X) account.

We are looking forward to your fun Ogiri posts!

Act 10: “Chibikko Tantei and Mafia Don”

〇Month x Day Tantei Secret Memo

“At 9:12, I found Yogisha, started playing, and hit the square!”

At first glance, Station Square appears to be peaceful and bustling, on a calm day.

``Cream the Rabbit'', a rabbit girl wearing a cute detective suit, and her friend Chao ``Cheese'' are busy tailing ``Yougisha'', who is involved in a Chao kidnapping case that is causing a stir in the city. Helping... Cream, who had learned a lot at the detective agency where she worked part-time, dedicates herself to her role as a detective in order to protect the peace of the city.

The suspect's name is "Big the Boss." A taciturn large cat wearing a luxurious-looking coat and a matching hat...His small eyes shine with a suspicious light behind his sunglasses.

The people of the town started calling him the "Don of the Mafia" because he had such a personable personality, and various speculations and rumors abounded about him.

Since he matched the few sightings of the kidnapper, ``a silent, strong man,'' Cream began investigating him as a suspect in the case.

"10:10...Bad transaction at the bank?"

The main entrance of the bank... ``Mafia Don'' slowly emerges from a black luxury car that moves slowly.

Cream, who had been following him from the sky with her big ears flapping, landed gently on the branch of a streetside tree next to the bank, and from the shadows she saw him being welcomed by a bank employee and walking in majestically from the front. Masu.

As soon as he picks something out and hands it to him as he walks, the banker bows and scurries off to the back...his behavior is very suspicious. And then, Cream saw that "something"...it was a photo of Chao.

"...A picture of a beautiful Chao!"

A few minutes later, ``Mafia Don'' appeared confidently from the front entrance, holding two large metal attaché cases filled with money in his hands.

"...Ransom!?"

Big leaves the place in his car after being seen off by a bank employee who bows respectfully. ......Wouldn't banks be able to go against Mafia Adon? The ransom money ended up in the wrong hands.

“Next time, hold on to the decisive moment and show it!”

Cream flaps her ears again and picks up the speed in pursuit of the car.

“11:05, fishing pond Nobuki merchant!?”

A quiet fishing pond with few customers... ``Mafia Don'' is alone fishing a fishing rod in an out-of-place suit. Is it a meeting for something? He occasionally glances at the attaché case next to him, but doesn't move in the slightest.

"Cheese, it's about time..."

The moment Cream, who was looking inside the fishing pond from outside, looked up at the sky to bring back Cheese, who had been out scouting...

<< Paan! >>

A sudden bursting sound! Cream panics and ducks down. Looking back, Big gave one of the duralumin cases to the man who appeared before he knew it, and received another black case in return. The two of them open each other's cases and check the contents.

“Chao!”

Cheese came back at a great speed. With her pale face, he repeats gunman-like gestures towards Cream and tells her what it was.

“P-pistol!?”

Cream could hear their conversation in her trembling ears.

"It's classy, ​​isn't it? If you let this go, everyone will love it."

"Mafia-no-don" nods loudly in satisfaction as the man points to a black box and speaks. In a broad daylight transaction, he even obtained weapons using the kidnapping ransom money. After all, ``Big the Boss'' was a bad ``Mafia Don''.

Cream was starting to get really scared, but considering the safety of the kidnapped Chao and the others, she couldn't say that anymore.

"I-I'm not scared, Death! I'll definitely show you how good I am!"

Cream and Cheese stood up from their slumped positions and resumed their pursuit with renewed determination.

“17:15, Dark Exchange!”

``Mafia Don'' slips into the narrow alley next to the casino in the entertainment district of Station Square. Accompanied by his henchman Frog, he slowly advances with a case containing money and a pistol in his hands.

A lot of money is the ransom money for the kidnapped Chao.

Is the pistol used as a threat when kidnapping Chao?

Cream, trembling at her own horrifying imagination, still managed to follow Mafia-no-don until she stopped in front of a small, dark and dirty stall. On the other side of the counter is a suspicious-looking Chao, his face hidden behind sunglasses and a mask.

A dark and shady store that could only be described as a dark exchange was the destination of Mafia Don. When he silently places the case on the counter, the store owner and Mafia Don smile evilly.

"Thank you, sir...This is today's show."

The shop owner grumbled and pulled out a shiny golden Chao egg...! Big reaches for it with an even worse smile.

Money and a pistol... "Maphia Don" had commissioned a professional at this underground exchange to kidnap him! He keeps his hands clean and uses money and weapons to manipulate evil deeds...this is exactly what "Mafia Don" does. The cream will pop out irresistibly.

"That's so bad! Yuukai's red-handed and I'm going to do it!"

The two of them turned around in surprise at Cream's voice.

"What?! This is just..."

Cream stops the store owner who is reaching for the case and directs him towards the cheese.

"There's proof! ...Cheese!"

"Ciao chao!"

"Here's the pistol I use for Yuukai...is that...?"

...What was inside the opened case was not a pistol...but a cracker, a staple item for parties. When one of his subordinate frogs makes a sound, the atmosphere becomes quiet.

"We have free kindergarten, little girl... Your husband is always..."

"No, I mean... the Chao egg you gave me as a ransom...! Mafi's donga..."

Hearing this, the shop owner and ``Maphia Don'' looked at each other. After a few seconds of silence, they burst into laughter and tell Cream everything.

This is the back entrance of Chao's kindergarten. Big is the president of a large company, and while secretly donating money to kindergartens, he sometimes volunteers to send lost Chao children to appropriate kindergartens.

Big is loved by the people of the town who know that he doesn't need anything in return as long as he can see a photo of a healthy Chao, and today he came to the park for a Halloween party and received various gifts from the people of the town. That's how it was.

“Then, everything is different...?”

Cream felt a sigh of relief, but at the same time, she held her head in her hands in embarrassment at the misunderstanding. Big handed her more sweets than she could hold in both hands, and then stroked Cream's head with his big, warm hands.

"Usagi-chan, thank you for worrying about Chao."

"...Mr. Big was such a great Mafia-no-don!"

Cream apologized, saying she was sorry for judging him based on his appearance, and after that, happy laughter filled the back alley. ...But the next moment!

Suddenly, two rocket punches with wires come out of the darkness of the building and grab Big's duralumin case. This is an important case containing a Chao egg.

"Wow, what are you doing?"

A giant robot is trying to steal the egg from the distant darkness with terrifying power. Big desperately resists.

"Maybe...that's Chao's Yuukaihan!?"

Although the kidnapper wasn't big, the kidnapping incident did happen. And now, the real culprit has appeared...!

“Wow, that’s a huge draw!”

The robot tries to snatch the case from Big, but Big also grabs the robot's wire. and......

"It's here!"

When Big pulls up with all his strength, the robot flies in the sky in a parabola. He pulled even harder, and the robot slammed into the ground.

<< Dogoon! >>

A large green robot with a trash can-like head flips over due to heavy damage...It is covered in sturdy armor, but inside the lid of its head that opened due to the impact, Electronic parts that look like they're stupid are visible and hidden.

Now is the time to deal the final blow!

"Now Death! Cheese!"

"Chao!"

At Cream's signal, Cheese's Chao attack flies out and hits the robot's vital point!

<<Gashan! Bibibi...! >>

A robot that emits an electric spark and stops functioning. Cream flies into the air and wraps the fully stretched wire around it, blocking its movement.

"Bad robot who is trying to steal Chao! He's caught red-handed!"

Detective Cream & Cheese has finally caught the real culprit behind the Chao kidnapping case...!

after that......

After following the robot's trail, they find many Chao in a warehouse on the outskirts of town, and all of them are safely rescued. All the ones caught were rare Chao. Why on earth did you do this? ...The rest is the police's job.

What Cream was more interested in was "Maphia Don". Needless to say, she was so taken with her activities supporting Chao and the others that she started helping out the "Good Mafia" from time to time.

"It seems the mafia don has a new henchman."

It didn't take long for such a new rumor to spread in Station Square...!

"Next day at 10:35 at Mystic Ruin..."

"...Big's fishing skills are a total shame for catching a robot! Cream's as hard-working as ever, and the little detective was perfect!"

......On the hill near Mystic Ruin Station where Tails' workshop is located.

When Sonic saw Big and the others who had come to deliver the Chao eggs entering the entrance of the Chao Garden, which he could see from there, he said so with a nervous expression on his face.

"That robot was ZERO, the one who kidnapped Emmy before. He's still the same, isn't he?"

Sonic continues and can't help but smile bitterly. Then the door to the workshop swung open behind them, and Tails ran out.

"I got it, Sonic! I got it!"

Tails, who was researching the equipment in the workshop, revealed a surprising truth.

"Since I found out that the cause of the abnormality was the Phantom Ruby, I did a lot of research focusing on that energy..."

When the star was examined from space using an observation satellite, it was discovered that the star itself was completely covered in a thin film of light made from the energy of the Phantom Ruby. And the strange thing was happening only within this planet.

Eggman used the Phantom Ruby's power, which can only be used once, to distort the perception of the world through virtual reality, against the "star" where Sonic and his friends live.

"In other words, Eggman...distorted the perception of this planet itself and caused this global disaster!"

The effects of the incident were relatively minor...A disturbing wind blew through Tails' workshop, which had been transformed into a bakery from the outside, and Sonic and his friends.

What does it mean? Seeing Sonic's expression, Tails continues.

``If the planet itself is deceived, all of us born on this planet on Earth will be affected by it... all over the world.Eggman used the Phantom Ruby weapon at the best cost performance. I'm already surprised..."

Sonic whistles. Tails also lets out a half-admired sigh.

"Then, are you saying that all the strange things happening on Achi Kochi are just images that this planet has? Even the scriptwriter was surprised...!"

"No, that's not it Sonic..."

Tails continues.

``After all, even Eggman couldn't control how to deceive the entire star.As a result, the curtain of light in the universe functions like an antenna that collects images, and the ``thoughts'' of all people. They received it and fed it back to the stars...and it began to be reflected as ``anomalies'' in various places.''

Tails adds that this time, it is not a hypothesis, but a conclusion based on solid observations of the many rays of phantom ruby ​​energy extending from the curtain of cosmic light and reaching the earth's surface.

``...Hmm, I guess this situation is also of our own making. It's funny, but I feel like it's a little troubling to have the image inside of us taken out without permission. I’ll do it too...”

Tails answered with a wry smile as he pinched the hem of her skirt.

"But..."

Even though it makes sense, I still have questions.

"What does Eggman gain by doing all this? He could have taken advantage of this chaos and conquered the world...what exactly is his goal?"

Sonic was confused after learning so many things. There was silence for a while...

After a few seconds, Tails opened his mouth with a bright smile.

"I don't know about that, but...Anyway, if we destroy the facility or device that maintains this curtain of light, the star should wake up! Its location has already been determined by investigating the flow of energy. What! So Sonic...!

Sonic, who regained his excited expression at Tails' proposal, accepts the rest.

"OK, that's right! Let's head over there first and do something about this messed up situation! I asked for navigation, Tails!"

"Yeah! Leave me alone!"

When Sonic smiles and says, ``I can rely on you after all,'' Tails shyly smiles back.

The two of them finally started running toward the center of the incident.

[theinternetisaweboflies]

The Other Half (of the Worm) by girlinstory

Dazai and Atsushi go out for drinks after the events of Dead Apple. 

Dazai returned to the dormitory along with the rest of the agency. Coverup wasn't their job, after all. That was Ango's problem.

The walk took longer than it normally would, but convincing Atsushi to go out again took longer still. At first, a raincheck for the celebration was requested, exhaustion cited, but they both knew Atsushi wouldn't be getting any sleep that particular night.

The argument gave them time to change out of their bloodstained clothes. Dazai refused to leave, lest Atsushi go out the window (again), but he did turn a gentlemanly back while his protégé changed.

Dazai had already thrown away his white suit coat and vest. The black shirt barely showed the blood. He was practically presentable.

They went to an izakaya around the corner. Too pricey to be a usual haunt, but that was the point. He ordered for them both. Shōchū, served in a wooden box. He showed Atsushi how to hold the masu, and his protégé followed diligently along, copying his movements correctly if somewhat sluggishly.

Dazai ordered food too, because he was a responsible mentor. Small plates of hot things that were simple to consume. Yakitori, some dumplings, tempura, (not edamame).

Atsushi still didn't eat.

Well, it was Kunikida's card.

He waited until Atsushi had finished his shōchū, which took so long Dazai began to suspect the the first few, tentative sips had already worn off. Then he asked, as nonchalantly as possible after all that build up, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Why?" Atsushi laughed, but for the first time Dazai did not find the sound particularly melodious. "It doesn't matter what I say now."

"Why is that?"

Atsushi held the masu between two hands, forming them into a square. "I told Kyouka not to kill him, but it turned out I already had."

They were interrupted for a moment by the somewhat tired "Irasshaimase!" as another group of patrons entered the izakaya.

"And how did she reply?"'

Atsushi frowned. Dazai could barely see it in the low lights from paper lanterns, but he could hear it in his voice. "She said that the Port Mafia's killing and the Agency's killing were different."

"What do you think?"

"I think Kyouka is right, but I- but I don't-" He gave a little growl in frustration, something Dazai would have teased him about under any other circumstances.

"But you still don't like to kill?" he prompted instead.

A nod.

Dazai stripped the panko off a shrimp. "Do you remember that friend whose grave I was visiting?"

Another nod.

"He was a member of the Port Mafia. He could have been an executive, but he never graduated past flunky because he didn't like to kill people either."

"Did he die because of it?" Drunk Atsushi was blunt. What a fun fact.

"No," said Dazai, but of course, he had to add, "He died because other people tried to take advantage of his ability."

This time, Atsushi didn't ask, though his silence was eloquent.

Dazai tried not to let his own silence speak too much. Atsushi would only apologize again if he knew how regularly he gave his superior palpitations- and not the fun kind. Dazai had a new nightmare every other week, whenever Atsushi decided to throw himself in front of some novel peril.

Surely there would be new ones now, about black cages and electrical currents, but the last time Dazai had actually slept- sometime last week- his dreams all featured Kyouka's murder and Atsushi's subsequent Kill Bill style rampage (with the yellow jumpsuit, but without the happy ending).

"That's why I left the Port Mafia."

"I see," Atsushi said slowly, like he was afraid slurring would be an insult to Oda's memory. "Thank you for telling me about him."

Dazai grinned. "Are you still upset that Kyouka didn't tell you the phone was from her mother?"

"What? No! I just-"

"She was ashamed."

Atsushi was frowning again. "Of what?"

This time, Dazai leaned into his own intoxication and used the pad of his thumb to smooth out the furrow in Atsauhi's brow.

"I imagine because she had used the cellphone to control Demon Snow to fight alongside the ability that killed her parents."

"But that's- How else is she supposed to survive? She has nothing to be ashamed of!"

Dazai hummed inarticulately. The furrow came back, and he smoothed it again. "You're very understanding of others for someone who's so unforgiving of himself."

There it was again. Dazai was doomed to toil eternally over Atsushi's forehead, like Sisyphus with his boulder, but he had taken it upon himself and would not fail the challenge now. This time he kept a hand on Atsushi's cheek, elbow resting impolitely on the table between them.

"What happened to Shibusawa was an unusual iteration to be sure, but it was still self defense." Dazai gentled his voice to make up for the harshness of the words. "You were a child who was strapped to a chair and electrocuted. What choice do you think you had that you could make the wrong one?"

And wasn't it serendipitous how Dazai's hand was now perfectly positioned to wipe away the tears that followed?

[neartheeasternfence]

Voi Che Sapete Che Cosa è Amor

Impressions; Chapter 48

Continued from Pretend as Nothing Happened?

People do not wait for just a few seconds until elevator doors close automatically. It has become a kind of manner to use the close button. It is quite lyrical to see the black leather glove come to lap over Yashiro’s hand trying to press the close button and the glove hand softly counteracts Yashiro’s move. Doumeki presses the open button and says, “modori-masu.” Yashiro shows agitation clearly on his profile. If Doumeki’s words were translated verbatim, they might be turned into something like “[I] will [come/go] back.” At this stage, it would be either unclear from where to where he is coming/going back, or it is ambivalent. The close-up of Doumeki’s eye in a single panel would present that his heart is also wavering. Yashiro once interprets that Doumeki intends to leave, in other words, rejected by Doumeki. However, when we turn the page,* Doumeki continues, “to get the luggage (bodyguard weapons).” Therefore, he means “I will go back, to bring the weapons, (then I will come back to you for your bodily protection (and...?)).”

Despite Doumeki telling Yashiro to sever Inami and to satisfy Yashiro’s need with Doumeki (ch.46), when Yashiro questions, “I have to manage it with you, don’t I? (Aren’t you supposed to stay by my side and fulfill my needs?),” Doumeki makes a reply, “You have Inami, don’t you? (You would not need me).” He cannot help but be concerned with Inami. Even he, who has been getting annoyed (albeit relatively expressionless) with Yashiro’s relationships with men, and has driven Inami away himself, at the same time bears a bit of a drawback with Inami. From the viewpoint of things like affection, Inami is meaningless to Yashiro. I do not think Yashiro seems to understand what ‘love’ is. Love is also something that is learned...

Yashiro knows a lot about sex, supposedly too much. The urge striking, he is ready to do it promptly (at least until four years ago). He never minds being called a lecher. He would sooner take advantage of the reputation and enjoys teasing and scaring Kamiya. Again, he is likely to have been driven by such an urge. Is it because with Doumeki, he can reach orgasm? That may be so, yet there must also be some other emotion in Yashiro than just that. Recently, Yashiro has been more driven than ever, and the only person vaguely aware of the fact is the steady fuck-buddy Inami. Besides, why can he react exclusively against Doumeki? Yashiro himself must like to know the reason. I assume Yashiro would be in the vicinity of ‘love’ now.

Doumeki is not unaware that it can be an act of desire or necessity, depending on the circumstances. He seemed to have accepted it as a mite eccentric service to his beautiful boss. And he had already fallen in love with the person. Keeping his true feelings hidden, he gradually began to want such acts himself, and his bodily function was also recovering in line with it (he had hidden that as well). He cannot separate his ‘love’ for Yashiro from such acts. Such people, or those who think they should be or want to be, might be the majority. I wonder how we are actually behaving.

On the next night of the day they met again, Doumeki, driving Yashiro home, told him to move out of Kido’s case and encountered Inami (ch.45). Probably the day after, Yashiro went to Inami’s place for a physical examination(?). And when he came back by Inami’s ride, Doumeki came to pick him up (ch.47). Yashiro is re-taken to a meeting with Muraji, and Kamiya drives Yashiro back home to watch and escort him. Doumeki is waiting there ahead of them. He comes there a third time to deliver the weapon that Muraji gave and Kamiya forgot. The progress is hectic. Anyway, Yashiro is trying to take Doumeki to his apartment, even though he throws Kamiya out of the entrance. And Doumeki tells Yashiro that he does not forget (very possibly all) the affairs of four years ago. They would rather stop “pretending as nothing happened.”

---------------------------------------- Note: *Manga is designed to guide the reader’s gaze by allocating and arranging panels and bubbles based on a two-page spread. The purpose of this ingenuity is to encourage readers to turn the pages and continue reading. The better the artists, the more smoothly they will do so. However, they say that such accomplished ‘manga grammar’ is under pressure to be modified. Because eBooks are often read in single-page units, not as spreads, plus, in the case of the webtoon, which is arranged vertically from the beginning, the ‘grammar’ is even insignificance.

[beevean]

逆転裁判　逆転のトノサマン Part 2 (捜査 1)

I will finish this game. I promise. I just need to speed things up.

I’ve decided to cut the vocabulary section, as that was my main drive to analyze everything and waste so much time. I think the small localization differences are more interesting anyway.

This post goes from the first meeting with Oldbag to the end of the first part. Nothing exciting happens here. Here’s all my playthrough from the beginning.

Oldbag says about Powers 「お茶の間に出せるシロモノじゃないよ。メシがまずくなる。」, “He’s not a fine thing that can be served during tea, the meal would go bad.” Somehow she sounds even more condescending. Speaking of which, she always refers to herself as “oba-chan” and to Powers as “that kid”. (why is she popular in japan i have no idea)

Yet another example of AA1!Phoenix being translated to be ruder: when Gumshoe tells him that Edgeworth is all sad after losing to him, Phoenix replies in Japanese “I... I didn’t know that”, with something of an apologetic tone「し、 知りませんよそんなの 」. English Phoenix responds with a far blunter “Umm... so?”

“That’s my endearing character trait!” was a far more drastic “My identity will crumble down!”「あ。。。あいでんてぃてぃがホーカイするッス！」

Mr. Monkey is described as a tenguzaru (テングザル), or proboscis monkey. I understand why they had to simplify it, but I found it interesting. Of course, the next comment isn’t “what kind of monkey has a nose like that?” but “do tengus have such a round nose?”

Typical example of localization: in Japanese Oldbag seems to like tea and yokan, which in English became coffee and donuts. Of course the English translation also took the opportunity to sneak in a “cops love donuts” joke, which in Japanese was Maya praising “the oba-chan of Nippon”.

As a reversal of the typical “AA1!Phoenix was ruder in English”, “I'm glad someone around here seems to be enjoying themselves” was an even more sarcastic “People can laugh so cheerfully”「人間って、こんなに朗らかに笑えるもんなんだ」

I may be wrong, but it looks like in the English version there’s a piece missing: if you investigate the drain grate in Studio 1 (and specifically the grate, not the drain itself), Phoenix comments that it’s bent and it would be a hassle to fix. It’s not that crucial to the plot, but this is the first time I’ve noticed that the translation straight up cut an object that could be investigated.

Another cute example of localization: the vending machine in Studio 1 sells “tea, miso soup, shiruko, kudzu tea and oden” instead of “cola, candy, chips and gums”. Similarly, on Will Powers’ table, there are wagashi instead of “cookies”. I honestly had no idea that the first game was so Japanese, I thought they started to add stuff in the second game.

Again related to localization, Will Powers has “Western clothes” mixed with “Japanese clothes”, instead of “some regular suits in among the costumes". Interesting.

Penny seems to be slightly more formal in Japanese. For example, when Maya introduces Phoenix and herself as Will Powers’ lawyer team, she says in English “I don’t envy you guys one bit!”, while in Japanese it’s just “That must be hard”. Or when Phoenix asks her if she knew that Powers was sleeping in his room, Penny says “No!” and it’s clearly embarassed in English, but simply “I didn’t know, I’m not so improper” in Japanese. They also did no effort to convey her use of the “masu-desu” form. (tbf it’s not like she has a shining personality anyway, so i don’t blame the translator for spicing her dialogue up)

Fun untranslatable detail: “Nick! You're craftier than I gave you credit for” was “うわあ、なるほどくん、おぬし、意外と悪だね”. Which means roughly the same thing, but おぬし is an archaic pronoun to refer to equals and inferiors, the joke probably being that Maya is speaking like a samurai. How can you even translate this sudden word choice?

I’m happy to report that the “ladder-stepladder” running gag is perfectly intact and the translation was faithful :)

“Eat your miso ramen hamburgers Maya.”

[hellothisismasu]

Hi, hi! I love your My Life in Rune Factory pictures (I have yet to play the game, sadly). But do you happen to know the original blog that started the idea? Thanks!

Oh Thank you very much!!! ;//v//; That means a lot to me~ (Oh, if you do, I hope you have a lot of fun!!! The characters certainly are lovable in the franchise~)

the You in RF Meme tag definitely was started Here by @yvesaffection, but it grew out of hand into an RP Group now organized at the @dorksinselphia blog!!!

But, if you’re talking about my inktober-yirf posts, that’s specifically an AU of said RP group where its an anime and that’s just…. another mess altogether. Though, mostly it’s attributed to @youhavetofarmatleast !!!! i think the blog-specific stuff for that au is @lux-no-kimochi

You didn’t ask for all this sub-fandom lore but here we are;;;; i’m sorry ;v;