#nodoka is best girl

[regallibellbright]

You know, since I watched, uh, eleven episodes in one go and I’m relatively eh on Dear Shine Sky, I skipped it pretty much every time.

I was expecting to watch everything through the final episode. Didn’t consider, though I probably should have, the possibility they would do like Healin’ Good, recognize they hit it so far out of the park with the first ending, and close on the original instead. (Well, with a mild difference. And if you need me, I’ll be picking up my fourth version of Hirogarism on iTunes.)

Yeah. This was a REALLY good finale, and the post-credits stinger with Sky performing the same kind of rescue that inspired her was perfect. Gonna miss you, Hero Girl.

[baileypie-writes]

Hello. Those new Tropical-Rouge headcanons gave me an idea. How about those headcanons (partner constantly insults villains), but this time with Healin' Good cures?

A/N ~ Sure! Hope you enjoy!

(Btw, I totally stole these insults from Reddit)

~The Healin’ Good Pretty Cure with a Teammate Who Insults the Villains~

~~~❤️‍🩹~~~❤️‍🩹~~~❤️‍🩹~~~

Fandom: Healin' Good♡Precure

Fanfic Type: Headcanons

Reader: Gender neutral, a Pretty Cure

Relationship: Platonic

Characters Included: Nadoka Hanadera/Cure Grace, Chiyu Sawaizumi/Cure Fontaine, Hinata Hiramitsu/Cure Sparkle, Asumi Fuurin/Cure Earth

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG(no swearing this time)

Warnings: Small jab about Shindoine being parentless(Reader)

~Masterlist~

~Healin' Good♡Precure Masterlist~

Guide: Each girls’ dialogue is their signature color, Shindoine’s dialogue is purple(as well as Cure Earth’s) and Reader’s dialogue is uncolored.

~~~❤️‍🩹~~~❤️‍🩹~~~❤️‍🩹~~~

~Cure Grace/Nodoka Hanadera~

~~~🌸~~~🌸~~~🌸~~~

~ Cure Grace is very shocked, and a bit uncomfortable with your… um… “comments”. Even if they were directed at the villains. She can’t find it in herself to say anything mean about anyone ever. So she can’t understand how you could.

“How do you say those all those things?”

“All what things?”

“You know, all the mean things.”

“Oh. Dunno, I just say whatever comes to mind.”

“Wow…”

~ She knows that not everyone is the same as her. For others, including you, this kind of behavior amplifies your fighting spirit and abilities. It helps get off steam as well. So while she isn’t a fan, she keeps quiet.

“Wow Daruizen, I can’t wait to talk crap about you with the others when we’re done here. Right, Grace?”

“Huh? Oh. Hehe, yeah…”

~ She’ll even defend you. If Cure Fontaine ever scolds you, she’ll try to explain and justify your actions the best she can. She just wants you to be able to heal the earth in your own way. Even if it may seem a bit obnoxious.

“(cure name), you have to stop! It’s just too mean!”

“But Fontaine, it helps distract the bad guys, making defeating the Megabyogens easier.”

“See, Cure Grace gets it!”

“Ugh…”

~~~🌸~~~🌸~~~🌸~~~

~Cure Fontaine/Chiyu Sawaizumi~

~~~💧~~~💧~~~💧~~~

~ Cure Fontaine stopped in her tracks the first time she heard your brutal insults towards the villains. She asked you to repeat it, wanting to be sure she wasn’t just hearing things. Once you confirmed she heard correctly, she was horrified.

“What did you say?”

“Huh? Oh, I just told him that he’s not the ugliest person alive, but that he better pray they don’t die.”

“Oh my goodness! Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true?”

~ She’s been trained her whole life to be nothing but polite to others, even people she doesn’t like. So while she does fight the bad guys, she doesn’t go out of her way to be mean to them. So she sees your behavior as straight up barbaric.

“I bet your parents change the subject whenever people ask about you.”

“I don’t have parents.”

“Huh, no wonder.”

“(cure name)! How rude!”

~ She can’t help but gasp every time another insult leaves your mouth. She knows she should be used to them by now, but she just can help it. Your words were just so… vile. Of course, you get scolded by her after the battle. But obviously, that doesn’t stop you.

“(cure name), can you just… not say such mean things?”

“Why? Don’t you think they deserve it?”

“I don’t think it matters if they deserve it or not. I just don’t wanna hear it.”

“Then just don’t listen…”

~~~💧~~~💧~~~💧~~~

~Cure Sparkle/Hinata Hiramitsu~

~~~✨~~~✨~~~✨~~~

~ Cure Sparkle finds it hilarious! It’s the highlight of any battle for her! The first time she heard the way you talk to the villains, she laughed so hard, her fighting skills depleted. Which is obviously a downside, but she doesn’t mind. You all still get the job done, after all!

*Megabyogen lands an attack*

“Oof! Hey, for someone like you, that’s pretty good!

“Haha! That was a nice one!”

“Cure Sparkle, focus!”

“Oh, sorry!”

~ She joins in whenever she has idea of what to say. She knows her insults will never be as good as yours, but there’s no harm in trying! It’s always a fun time for her when she gets to talk smack with you. In fact, she does so even more post-battle!

“Did you see the look on Batetemoda’s face when I said that? Haha!”

“Haha, yeah! I almost felt bad for him!

“Right? I mean, his poor Megabyogen didn’t even last five minutes either!”

~ She’d never admit this to anyone, especially you, but she really admires you for your lack of shame when it comes to being mean to bad people. She writes down all of her favorite insults of yours in a notebook. She’s built up quite the collection! She’s saving them for any occasion where she might need a nasty comeback.

“If you were the light at the end of the tunnel, I’d turn back around!”

“Ooh, that’s a good one. I better add that later.”

“Add what to what?”

“Nothing!”

~~~✨~~~✨~~~✨~~~

~Cure Earth/Asumi Fuurin~

~~~🎐~~~🎐~~~🎐~~~

~ Initially, Cure Earth was shocked and taken aback by your words. She may not have been alive for long, but those were simply the rudest things she’s ever heard! However, considering who they were aimed at, she quickly brushed them off.

“I’d give you a nasty look, but it seems you’ve already got one!”

“Oh my…”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.”

~ She is all about healing the world. So while she may not understand your behavior, she just figures that’s your way of doing it. Sure, it may not be her cup of tea, but it’s yours, so she just lets you be.

“So (cure name)’s behavior doesn’t bother you at all?”

“Not really. It’s just their way of getting things done.”

“So I’m really the only one…”

~ Also, she won’t lie, she’s pretty impressed with how good your insults are. She can barely even come up with her own. Latte finds them funny sometimes too, so that makes her happy. Though, if you ever swear in front of her, be prepared to get an ear-full from her afterwards.

“Wow, there’s no way you’re this much of a dumba-“

“(cure name)…”

“… this much of an idiot naturally. You must go home and practice.”

~~~🎐~~~🎐~~~🎐~~~

~~baileypie-writes

[magicalgirlagency]

Since it’s agreed the Kyuby is like the worst of the bunch. Who would you say is the best magical mascot?

That would be HealPre's Rabirin. They have a secure spot in my heart because of the scene where they tell Nodoka to prioritize her health first and foremost.

In the Magical Girl genre (and the Shoujo genre, in general), this was revolutionary. It has forever changed the chemicals in my brain, and I now expect more of scenes like this one in the future.

For more other mascots that I enjoy, my Honorable Mentions if you will, check this old ask I've answered:

[rayshippouuchiha]

I just need a moment to scream about Ranna 1/2. It's my first intro to Gender Bender stuff and that, Huh, am I Really a girl? Moments. I love the world building that we could see in the .... Product of it's Time shonen plot? Like, the acceptable humor of it's time but now horribly grates against my LGBTQ+ and gender equality sensibilities makes it a bit of a tragedy for me. Because the author had so many amazing ideas but they covered it in leecher humor when there were So Many ways it could have been a masterpiece? I mean, it was the 70s (I think?) so obviously there wouldn't be very many open-minded concepts from then but it still hurts, almost.

The gender and animal changing pools, the matriarchal Amazons, the Phoenix and Mollusc Tribes, Ranma's mom Nodoka (who really needs to kill her husband and stop scaring her kid) who is a complete badass (I'm sure Genma (the asshole who should've died on his "training trip") went on the trip because he was scared of her, the fic fodder that Ranma's training trip can give you, the Angst of Ranma's Nekoken (Genma deserved to die for that alone, death by cats asshole 🤬) and his possible grandma figure, the "Rivalry" between him and Ryouga (I'm pretty sure if Ryouga knew gay was a thing, he'd be one) over Ranma not making it to their fight because Ryouga got Lost (there's tons of fics right there for his Lost Trips, the Hibiki's are Directionally Cursed™).

My absolute fav fics are the Trans/Gender fluid Ranma ones. When they're on that journey, too. Just learning who they are. When I'm feeling shippy, then Ranma/Ryouga because they have a Connection. But Ranma xovers so easily. His girl form could be made into so many different Magical Girls (Sailor Moon, Wedding Peach, Tokyo Mew Mew, Cardcaptor Sakura, Shugo Chara, etc.) And his mom! She has no background beyond being a kickass swordswoman and housewife. She can be anything! She just made 3 bad choices. 1: marrying Genma, 2: letting Genma take Ranma on their training trip, 3: pretending that she'll hold Ranma to the contract he signed with his handprint at 3 to become a Man™.

I can't believe that Nadoka would kill Ranma over having a girl form like Genma thinks (but she would kill Genma). She was way too happy to spend time with Ranko (Ranma's go to name for his girl half) and mothering her. I fully believe she'd just be like, You're a woman, too, now so you need to be the Best Woman™ now, too. And just do Girl Bonding. Y'know, teaching Ranma how to look after themselves (cooking, cleaning, financials, more than the same clothes every day), shopping, and of course Swords. Nadoka deserves to pass on her Skills™.

I hate that all of Ranma's fiancees (that he only has because Genma kept selling his son for shit before leaving) are determined to marry him. They all click with Ranma on some level, but more like friends who just happen to be girls rather than wife material. Like, I feel bad for them, but they keep blaming Ranma for all the fiancees when they should be pissed at Genma for selling his son to so many people. Which is probably why I ship Ranma/Ryouga so freaking badly.

Both Cursed, both Amazing Martial Artists, Childhood Friends (for a while in middle school, Ranma's job was to escort Ryouga to class so he wouldn't get Lost and miss school), an actual Friendship to build on. I'm pretty sure Ryouga defaulted to Eternal Enemies over their missed fight because why else would he be so upset and feel so strongly over a missed fight with his best friend?

Anyways, sometimes I just get Feels about Ranma and I had to say it.

Ranma is a classic for a reason

[princesscolumbia]

Double Isekai - Chapter 9

So here we are at the end of my backlog. It was nice to be able to post once a day and not have to stress over jumping straight back into it, but I knew that wasn't gonna finish LLW ch. 14 anywhere near the time my backlog was gone. It did, however, firm up my desire to actually get a backlog going and eliminate that stress-point from my life.

Summary:

Ranma gets the chance to talk to someone who isn't directly impacted by the isekai and knew her both before and after. She gets some advice that she probably should have received in her previous life.

Notes:

And here we have the first canonical events that are directly impacted by the new timeline.

Preview below the cut:

The visit to Dr. Tofu's clinic went about as well as they could have expected, given the man's general open-mindedness about things involving magic and spiritual. It helped that the man could read qi auras; he'd described what he saw with Ranma like blending flavors of ice cream, which both isekai'd individuals smiled at.

"I must say, as much trauma as I'm seeing in your auras, you're remarkably well adjusted even after...well, all this." The doctor gestured up and down at the pair of them, sitting side by side on his exam table.

"Thank you, Doctor," "Thanks, Doc," they said at the same time. Ranma rolled her eyes and Nodoka giggled.

"Fascinating," he murmured under his breath, "If it's alright with you two, I'd like to set up ongoing monitoring appointments. Even in your other world the concept of the 'isekai' was fictional, so there wouldn't be any medical knowledge for managing cases like yours. While it's unlikely that I'll ever get a chance to publish anything on the issue, it would be good to at least make sure everything is working out okay for you two long-term."

Nodoka smiled warmly at the man, If I swung that way...ah well, he'll make someone a good husband soon enough, I'm sure. "That sounds lovely, and I'd be interested in reading your findings and discussing your conclusions."

"If you're sure you can keep up..." he returned her smile.

Ranma snorted, "Doc, c'mon. We taught ourselves data analytics and auto repair. Might need a reference or five, but we aint slouches."

Like many aspects of the conversation so far, Tofu showed all the signs of being pleasantly surprised by the new fold in the origami puzzle that was his most complex patient. "Fascinating...was the intelligence always there but expressed in purely martial ways or was your previous incarnation for this universe a savant and this more broad-spectrum intelligence a new addition from the merging?"

Ranma shrugged, "Think it was prolly the first one. Pops did his level best t'beat anything that wasn't The Art outa me. Kinda made me stupid in all sorts of ways. Aint sayin' I know for sure, but I did teach myself the 'roasting chestnuts' thing using adaptive methods thanks to an artificially imposed temporary disability, an' that was a LONG time before the isekai."

The conversation lasted a bit longer, Doctor Tofu completing the same physical that he did for the Tendo girls and providing a referral for a gynecologist he'd already 'felt out' about the Jusenkyo issue with a promise to have another ready if they should prove less receptive than he'd expected.

"I'll see what I can do about a counselor or therapist as well," he said after Nodoka brought up the concern, "That will be...harder, most likely. Not only is that a bit outside my specialty, without the ability to see qi and already having a history with either of you like I did, any therapist is going to be inherently skeptical."

Nodoka nodded, "As can be expected, this is a highly unusual case, to say the least." She paused visibly, as though bracing herself for a challenge, "I...don't want you to do anything that might violate your ethical obligations or result in a loss of your license, but about Ranma's male form..."

Tofu leaned back, a clearly intelligent mind piecing together the request before she could even make it but allowing his patient to ask the question anyway. Such manners...maybe some Jusenkyo water? No, don't be silly. You're a horny old woman but that's no reason to go looking for people to make dysphoric. Out loud, she said, "Might it be possible to see about transitioning her other body?" she gestured to her daughter, who was clearly doing her best to not get her hopes up too much.

Tofu appeared to ponder the question, "I'll admit I don't believe anyone has asked for such a thing in the annals of Jusenkyo." He stood and walked over to the counter he'd placed Ranma's file on earlier and flipped it open, jotting a few notes down, "I've started a correspondence with Cologne's tribe as they're the nearest group of people to the springs and so have the most experience with them." He finished his note and closed the file, facing them directly, "Most 'curse victims' opt to simply have the curse locked."

Nodoka grimaced and Ranma squirmed. The younger isekai'd woman piped in, "I aint sure that's a good idea, doc. It's...well, it's like noise-cancelling headphones if I'm thinkin' correctly."

"'Noise-cancelling...'?" parroted the doctor.

Nodoka chuckled, "I believe they're working on industrial applications for the technology now and it won't be on the consumer market for a decade or two yet, but they use the principal of a cancelled waveform to block sound." She traced a sine wave in the air in front of her, "Sound is just pressure waves in the air, so one simply sets up a microphone to capture the sound, a computer processes the opposite waveform, then broadcasts that back in the direction of the audio source," she traced an opposite sine wave going the other direction, "And the two waveforms cancel each other out."

"Problem is, doc, it's technically just more sound, only ya can't hear it," added Ranma. "And dependin' on how loud the original sound is, yer slamming a LOT of dee-bees into your ears."

Tofu gave her a confused smile, "'dee-bees'?"

Ranma smirked, "Decibels, or dBs." Tofu nodded with a quiet 'ah!' as Ranma continued, holding up a hand and punching it lightly, "It's like yer hammerin' yer eardrums twice as hard but ya can't hear it." She dropped her hands into her lap, "Aint interested in getting' magical tinnitus or whatever it'd be called."

He chuckled at her metaphor, "That's not a bad comparison, though I'll want to confer with some experts to see if that's actually a concern. If it is, then we'll definitely want to look into alternatives. As for hormone replacement therapy," he sounded hesitant, and his next words made it clear why, "We'll need to try some things, and I'll need to confer with some colleagues with discrete inquiries. I'm not an endocrinologist and I'm not equipped to do the hormonal testing here, so we'll need to bring in some others to see what can be done." He adjusted his glasses thoughtfully, "This could be an interesting, if extremely niche article in a journal somewhere." He chuckled as he put a hand on his hip and scratched the back of his head, "I'll probably need to find a way to introduce the Amazon's magic and traditional medicine doctors to some open minded colleagues," he focused on Ranma, "Would you be willing to demonstrate your curse to a select few people? If your descriptions of dysphoria are anything to go by, it might be uncomfortable and I wouldn't want you to subject yourself to that..."

Ranma smirked, "I aint sayin' no, but I can talk to Shampoo t'see if she'd demonstrate first. I'm betting a girl turning into a cat'd be enough of a metaphorical gut-punch to convince just about anyone of how real magic is."

Tofu could only chuckle at this proposal, "Now, if you'll excuse us, Nodoka. We're at the part of the appointment where I talk to Ranma about things teenagers don't want their parents to hear about."

(Read the whole thing on AO3)

[merryfortune]

the green eyed monster awakened inside of her soul of blue.

Written for the Rarest of Rare Pairs Fic-a-Thon on Dreamwidth

Prompt: Any, Any/Any/Any, character realizes they want to join their best friends' relationship

Title: the green eyed monster awakened inside of her soul of blue.

Ship: Chiyu/Hinata/Nodoka

Fandom: Healin’ Good Pretty Cure 

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,650

Warnings: None

Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Hinata/Nodoka, Eventual Polyamory, Feelings Realisation, Angst, Love Confessions, Jealousy, Happy Ending 

   She was happy for them.

   She really, truly was but there was something about them that made Chiyu’s stomach churn. She didn’t get it. Because she was happy for them. Of course she was happy for them.

   Hinata and Nodoka were her best friends in the world. Of course Chiyu was going to be happy for them. Even if deep down she wasn’t because it made her realise that she was on the shore’s edge rather than in the water with them. When, in their own little world, they had decided that they like-liked each other and so entered a relationship together and consequently came out. They became girlfriends and they were the cutest girlfriends in the whole wide world. That made Chiyu a third wheel, however, but they were still… friends.

   Friends.

   That word alone made Chiyu feel even worse.

   Once upon a time, it had been one of her most favourite words in the world. They were friends! The camaraderie they basked in, in the afterglow of adrenaline after defeating monsters together or prepping for tomorrow’s pop quiz meant the world to her. Now, such shining, glimmering ideals dwindled for her as the green eyed monster awakened inside of her soul of blue.

   She wondered when it had started for them. Even though she was their bestest friend in the world, she wasn’t privy to everything. Either exactly or apparently. She could guess, though. When the binding power of magic and elements brought them together. That would be a good start.

   They did seem to get on especially well. Nodoka wasn’t overly handsy or touchy-feely but Hinata was the exact opposite. She was always holding Nodoka’s hands, or hugging her. Whether it was a small hug or a humongous hug, Hinata was very free with how she showed how much Nodoka meant to her as a friend. That was their dynamic. Not Chiyu’s dynamic with them, however. 

   Chiyu struggled to recall when Hinata showed Chiyu the same affection, preferring words with her. At first, Chiyu chalked it up to her not being a very physical touch as a love language person either but that theory didn’t make much sense when she thought about how she and Nodoka had that in common. 

   Maybe that’s when it started. When Hinata started to spill out the sides of her brim and it became especially noticeable around Nodoka even though affection between two teenage girls wasn’t something to bat an eyelash at.

   So, in hindsight, it really wasn’t so out of the blue for anyone who was out of the loop with the ever changing and fluid relationships and drama of middle school. Chiyu would know well, though. She had been standing beside them for the past year and then some, shoulder to shoulder, blissfully unaware that their pinkies were getting closer and closer to linking so they could become exclusive.

   It was crazy, they were just teenagers, she could see them going all the way - but the thought of them at the altar, ten years from now and on her on the sidelines, that made her heart hurt. It became undeniable by this point. Chiyu had spent more time - probably - thinking about how her best friends were girlfriends than they did about each other.

   It just wasn’t something they talked about either. Nodoka, ever a sorry girl, wouldn’t want Chiyu to feel excluded so she didn’t talk too much about the nitty-gritty of her and Hinata’s relationship. It just made sense, didn’t it? The two were inseparable, and despite the embargo, their hands still were held by each other, they played footsies during lunch and pecked each other goodbye after school.

   It was so sweet and saccharine. The dramatic highs and lows of first love.

  First love that Chiyu had no business to drop herself into but really wanted to. Chiyu was curious even though Nodoka was, politely, stonewalling her. She wanted to know what had been said, where it had been said, and more. But that wasn’t her place to know, Chiyu knew well but knowing well did little to settle her torrid feelings on the feelings.

   Feelings that she had no other choice but to look head on in the dark of jealousy.

   She loved them like how they loved each other but not like her.

   For herself, though, she did know. Chiyu knew when she started to feel more than just friendly with her two best friends in the world. 

   Hinata’s smile ignited a spark in her, she was always in a shower of sunshine, it seemed and that made Chiyu happy, too. She could always count on Hinata for a laugh, even when things seemed gloomy, like if she had a sprained ankle and had to sit out practice for a week because of it.

   Then there was Nodoka. Sweet, hopeful Nodoka whose quietness was compatible with her own. She saw the world in such a brighter way than Chiyu and she wanted to share in that admiration, in those firsts that Nodoka had been denied for so long due to being restricted to her hospital bed. She was what had brought that magic into Chiyu’s humdrum everyday and it was nothing less than life changing for them both. 

   All three of them became a powerful force of nature - emissaries of the Healing Garden together - but afterwards, when it dissipated, what was left?

   Chiyu felt as though she were on the outside looking in. Left without a leg to stand on. Her path was leading her away from the paths of the two most important people in her life (her family notwithstanding). The trio that they were was a trio no more because of the shift from three friends on equal standing - the bestest friends in the world, vowed together underneath that old oak tree - to two girlfriends and one friend.

   Chiyu wanted to go back to it.

   She also wanted to see a future where she was not sidelined.

   The conclusion was inevitable as it was out of ordinary but they were three, extraordinary girls.

   “So what did you want to tell us?” Nodoka asked, her eyes big and bright and shining.

   Chiyu smiled. Her heart pounded in her chest. It wasn’t the same as when they had gone out of their way and into the faraway meadows in the nearby city but it was close enough. Maybe even better than close enough because she had asked to meet Nodoka and Hinata by the flowerbeds in the park nearby Nodoka’s house. The very place where it had all begun for her, and by extension them, when she became Cure Grace.

   Chiyu smiled, albeit nervously, and took a deep breath. Her fingers curled in against her palm and she raised her hand to in front of her breast. She could feel her heartbeat emanate through and for a second, before she answered, Nodoka’s question, she relished the thrill. She couldn’t help it. It was a new thrill but adrenaline was adrenaline and adrenaline had been her company through many highs and lows of sporting events so she drew on that to quell her nervousness.

   “I’ve been thinking, recently,” she began, facing both curious faces of Nodoka and Hinata, and into a sunbeam which came through the foliage of the tree-heavy park, “about how I feel. I-I’m not expecting you to feel the same but I like you both.”

   “Huh?” Hinata gulped. “Like, like-like us?”

   “Oh my.” Nodoka exclaimed on a soft exhale of her breath.

   “Yes.” Chiyu said. “I’ve been struggling. I feel left out, I feel jealous but deep down, what I feel most, is that I like you both. Romantically.”

   “You’ve felt left out?” Nodoka asked to clarify, horrified.

   “Only a little.” Chiyu admitted with a tiny, guilty shrug.

   “Aaack, Nodocchi and I are such a dumb PDA couple aren’t we?!” Hinata grumbled.

   Chiyu laughed, “You are but it's cute.”

   “I have to say though…” Nodoka murmured. “That makes sense? I have thought you were distant ever since Hinata and I came out as a couple. I-I was worried we had done something wrong but it's relieving to know that’s not the case.”

   “Yeah, yeah, I’d noticed too!” Hinata added.

   “So?” Chiyu asked, her heart thudding in her chest. “Do you feel the same or… otherwise?”

   “The same!” Hinata and Nodoka both replied in unison, their voices raised.

   Chiyu jumped and was pounced on. Both girls reached out and took one hand of hers each. Nodoka’s hands were pale and delicate, Hinata’s were moisturised and adorned with acrylic nails.

   “I-I feel the same.” Nodoka stammered and glanced at Hinata.

   “Me too.” Hinata agreed. “Chiyuchi, you are… our precious friend. Honestly, it's been boring without you on our dates so thank you for coming clean about your feelings. We’ve always been a team, so… it makes sense. The more the merrier.” 

   “Exactly.” Nodoka beamed. “We care about you deeply, Chiyu, so thank you for being honest with your feelings and honestly… Putting puzzle pieces in place for me, as well, I-I want you and Hinata by my side for as long as possible.”

   “Mm, mm, mm.” Hinata nodded her head furiously in agreement.

   Half a chuckle bubbled up through Chiyu’s throat as she processed what Nodoka had said and how cutely Hinata had concurred. Chiyu felt as though her heart had stopped. That this couldn’t be real! She couldn’t believe her ears. Being a practical young woman, Chiyu hadn’t once dared to imagine what would follow her confession unto Hinata and Nodoka but this… this was better than she could have hoped.

   Overwhelmed by emotion, she couldn’t help herself and shed a singular tear. It streamed down the side of her face as she was overcome with joy. Her face lit by a splendid smile.

   “I-I’m so glad.” Chiyu replied and she squeezed both their hands back in affirmations of her feelings.

   Of all their feelings.

[mahou-furbies]

First impressions on Mahou Tsukai Precure!

Preparing for Otona Precure meant I had to watch three backlog seasons within a year, which was quite an ordeal so I thought I'd take a little break from that for the rest of the year. But now I had some Christmas crafting to do which required something to play in the background. So I'm watching MahouTsukai now, in preparation for the upcoming sequel.

Five episodes in and I'm not exactly thrilled though. For some reason I had the impression that Mirai was one of the more subdued pink girls like Nodoka, but instead she fits the usual energetic-friendly-pushy stereotype I regularly complain about to a tee. Mofurun is also way too saccharine for my tastes and there is also a magic baby.

However so far Riko has been a high tier girl at least, her insecurities and the occasional aloofness that comes from them have been the best thing to come from this season so far. The magic school setting is also an incredibly refreshing change of pace, but I have seen pictures of the Cures in regular school uniforms so I figure this won't last long. Also the magic school headmaster has an incredible hat.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Congrats on falling down the vtuber rabbit hole 🥳🥳🎉🎉

Thank you, it definitely is a rabbit hole. It began with watching a clip of Fauna and now I know all of the HOLOEN team and most of the JP team.

As of rn i just watch Fauna and the boys, but I love them, Marine, Pekora, and Subaru.

Best girl is of course, YAGOO. Second best is A-Chan, Nodoka. Third is everyone else. And on that note, I will leave you guys a compilation of the best moments that I've recently watched:

[sailorlyoko]

Nodoka Hanadera/Cure Grace Headcanons

Since today is totally not madoka's birthday and since Healing Good Precure is (In my opinion) one of the best precure seasons in the Reiwa Era, here are some Nodoka Hanadera/Cure Grace Headcanons

Loves sanrio

Favorite bands are Spice Girls, Goo Goo Dolls, Of Monsters and Men, and Taylor Swift.

Her favorite Songs are "Here is Gone", "Iris", "Wannabe" "Enchanted" "Little Talks" "Guiding Lights" and "Crystals"

Headcanon english dub voice actress: Christine Marie Cabanos

Her Pronouns are She/They

They absolutely love romance movies

She grows up to be a florist

Her dad is from Hokkaido while her mom is from Kyoto

She loves braiding Chiyu's hair

She is in a Polycule with Chiyu and Hinata

Chiyu's pet names for her are "Honey" "Bun" "Babe" and "Sweetheart"

Hinata's pet names for them are "Bun Bun" " Nodo-chan" and "Babe"

She is a Polyromantic Lesbian

Their favorite video game series is Story of Seasons

She enjoys cuddling with their girlfriends

She is a little spoon

Their favorite color is pastel pink

She,Tsubomi,Erika,Mashiro,Itsuki, and Ichika have a minecraft world called Demigirl Island

They grew up in Kamakura

Her spirit animal is a Bunny

Their childhood animal was a dog named Kokomi

She loves flowers

Their favorite pokemon is Lopunny

Loves sakura mochi

Has a bunny plushie named Usa-chan

She is an eternal optimist

Loves strawberry shortcake

Likes to wear Pink fuzzy socks

Loves to draw

Plays Genshin Impact

They are a huge fan of Miraculous Ladybug

Has a pinterest account

Loves romance anime

Loves cuddling and snuggling fanfics

Writes fanfiction

Loves Yuri manga

[namedafterflowerstournament]

i wanna know how many characters were submitted whos names are just "flower" (or some variation)

Well, well, well... Two of you actually asked me about this so I resigned myself to browse through a document where 'flower' is about every sixth word to check ! (/lh)

More below.

(Side note : I usually use pixabay pics but this is an iris from my grandpa's garden)

Anyway, here are the Antheas, Zahras and Flowers I could find in the doc

- Anthy Himemiya from Revolutionary Girl Utena

- Kotoha Hanami from Mahoutsukai Precure

- Cure Flower from Heartcatch ! Pretty Cure

- Hanadera Nodoka from Healin' Good Precure

- Misaki Hana from Haikyuu !!

- Flower from Hello from the Magic Tavern

- Ikezawa Hanako from Katawa Shoujo

- Hanasaki Tsubomi from HeartCatch Precure

- Nono Hana from Hugtto Precure

- Flora from Winx Club

- Flora Reinhold from Professor Layton

- Flower from Bambi

- Nimloth of Doriath from The Silmarillion

- Flower from Battle from Dream Island

- V-Flower from Vocaloid

- Flowey from Undertale

- Unohana Retsu from Bleach

- Abarai Ichika from Bleach

- Yamata Hanatarou from Bleach

- Hanajima Saki from Fruits Basket

- Hanasaki Momoko from Wedding Peach

- Yamagishi Fuuka from Persona 3

- Haruka (english version : May) from Pokémon

- Meika Hime from Vocaloid

- Meika Mikito from Vocaloid

- Ramona Flowers from Scott Pilgrim vs The World

- Ibaraki Kasen from Touhou Project

- Kanon from Pripara

- Aster Flores from The Last of It

- Dandelion Tuft-Flores from Soil That Binds Us

- Luthien Tinuviel from Tolkien's Legendarium

- Princess Flower-in-the-Night from Castle in the Air

- Twoflower from Discworld

- Butch Flowers from Red vs Blue

- Hana from Ojamajo Doremi

- Floren from Xenoblade Chronicles 2

- Flora from Disney's Sleeping Beauty

- Flora from Animal Crossing

- Florence from Moral Orel

- Hua Cheng from Heaven Official's Blessing

I'm sure I've forgotten some, but I did my best. I also have a fair number of Blooms, Blossoms and Saki- named characters !

I tried to put the names in the right order and did check if they were submitted that way (in some cultures, the surname comes first, if you submit characters) but please tell me if I got any name wrong.

[mechanicalinertia]

STMPD Recommends Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: Nemo Blank's Chaos Factor (Or, Ucchan is Best Girl)

Okay. Time for some changes around here.

Yes, that's right. You're not dreaming, dear reader. In my neverending Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath to waste my own time on the internet, I've decided to expand on beyond writing reviews of Bubblegum Crisis fanfiction to review... other fanfiction. My powers grow, and grow, and grow.

Okay, huge forewarning, let's just get it out of the way, I don't actually read a whole lot of Ranma fanfiction. I used to read a lot more, but my tastes always tended toward the somewhat shitty fanfictions, not the actually good ones. So I'm probably just gonna recommend two incredibly good Ranma fics, and then move onto other pastures. There's a particular Homestuck-Pacific Rim crossover I've always wanted to sell people on, stuff like that.

Anyway! Here's a good Ranma fanfiction, incomplete but uproariously funny and maybe too clever by half: Chaos Factor.

Well, then. What exactly is Chaos Factor about? It... um... well... fuck. Hang on.

Were this a fic with weaker writing, I would have a pretty hard time overlooking CF's tendency to veer wildly all over the place in terms of setting and what its attention is focused on. So let's start at the beginning: Ranma goes off to train in the mountains, is accosted by a soul-stealing demon, is saved by his Neko-ken being a giant spirit tiger that mauls the shit out of the demon - and wakes up to Ukyo Kuonji, everyone's favorite crossdressing Kansaiben okonomiyaki chef childhood friend waifu, holding him close to ensure his well-being with a side of pressing her cleavage into his side.

Of course within five seconds Shampoo, Akane, Genma, Soun, Mousse, and Ryoga all show up. Of course there's an altercation where Akane falls into a river, Ranma saves her, and she yeets him into the stratosphere. Reader, Akane is many things in this fic, but she's hardly a kind soul. Which - is okay?

Yeah, let me just get this out of the way, I don't really like Akane. She's a girl out of her depth in Ranma's insane martial-arts world, a normal, sane human being whose dignity is constantly put to the test by the irrationality that is Ranma, his rivals and fiancees, and their goofy superpowers. Oh, sure, she can be cute at times, but more often than not she's the worst sort of tsundere, the childish one who treats any entreaty towards what little order she has left in her life as an affront on her person and then proceeds to beat up Ranma. Oh, sure, the manga probably treats her better, but that doesn't change the fact that Ranma saving her again and again and again and neither of the two admitting they might like each other over and over and over again is not really a healthy relationship dynamic. Sure, the other girls are possessive and jealous too, but at least they can keep up with Ranma to a closer degree, at least they're honest with their own affection. Well, whatever, this argument has been had since Internet Time Immemorial and will likely be thus for years to come. So... Yeah. One of the best quotes from CF (and there are so, so many) speaks to this: "It was true love, all right. True love for eight-year-olds."

Anyway, Ranma lands in his mom's backyard (this is after the manga's failed wedding ending, mind you), and they talk. Turns out Ranma thinks he's got this duty to the Tendo family to join the schools (his dad lied), turns out he doesn't know how to deal with love (he likes the Tendo sisters, but only knows that he doesn't know if he loves Akane), and... suffice to say that Nodoka finally says: No, Ranma, you're staying with me from here on out, and each fiancé will meet me in person and I'll determine their suitability one at a time.

Which would be a perfectly interesting pitch for a fic, you'd think, Ranma having to arrange all those meetings and Nodoka meeting the girls as they try to be on their best behavior. Only, we only get to Kodachi and Shampoo in interviews, because other plot threads are introduced fast. Very, very fast. Blisteringly fast. Among the things that just happen and don't stop happening:

Ranma gets yeeted into the middle of the Sailor Senshi, assumes they're a bunch of fiancés or pervs or whatever, and proceeds to avoid their attacks effortlessly. As Ranma's rivals and the Senshi get more and more intertwined, it becomes clear that a) Crystal Tokyo relies on wiping out everyone save a few million loyal to Serenity, something Sailor Pluto is largely hiding from her charges, and b) The Senshi are terrible at actual fights. Ranma simply summons Happosai (calls his name three times) and misery is had. Now, I don't especially like how the Senshi are sort of the butt of the joke here, especially since many gags are made out of how utterly unstoppable Kuno is by conventional standards, and those jokes are quite funny. But you can't have everything.

As such, when Ranma beats up a Youma without trying very hard, he ends up on the national news. Nabiki's having the time of her life playing the tour guide for the Tendo Dojo, right up until the government decides Ranma could be a useful asset in the war against the supernatural.

Washu from Tenchi Muyo ends up in a time warp where she inadvertently becomes Nodoka's mother (and Ranma's maternal Grandma!) Ryoko thinks having a nephew-niece is nothing short of awesome, and she and Sasami hang out with him and Ryoga for a bit.

Ryoga's wandering capacity is played up as a space distortion, to the point that he can end up in anywhere while going to anywhere else. Kasumi follows him to the bathroom of their house and ends up going through Egypt for a few moments, Mihoshi follows him to an alien planet, things like that.

Ranma flees normal life again, is tracked down by Ukyo using a somewhat terrifying ninja technique involving sympathetic ki, and they fight a samurai ghost together. Ranma figures out how to turn into a dragon and Ukyo falls even more head-over-heels in love with him, because, uh, dragons amirite? Meanwhile, Ranma is convinced that Ukyo wants Ranma to be a waitress for her, and that's cleared up... but Ranma still is afraid of her world, especially because Ukyo wants to become the head of a national okonomiyaki restaurant chain.

And it's all... funny, and sweet, and even if the tone it nails isn't exactly the manga's irreverent tone, as far as harem-adjacent tales go let it be said that Chaos Factor has a tone, and it nails that tone, and it keeps on that tone for 81k words. even if it ends somewhat anticlimactically before, if I recall correctly, Ranma and his fiancés are to have an audience with the emperor.

Look, I'm having trouble describing this fanfic that I've read a half-dozen times over because it's simply that good. I don't just encourage you to read it -- I implore you to do so. You won't regret it.

[regallibellbright]

Some general thoughts on Precure All Stars F:

1) I knew it going in, but it really is delightful that the literal plot of this movie is some kind of all-powerful alien capable of destroying planets deciding after a fight to become the most powerful being in the universe: a magical girl. (Complete with mascot made of the weak and useless parts of yourself like compassion and a desire for friendship and ugh you’re not destroying things with our incredible cosmic power, get away from me.)

2) Laura: I’m looking for someone (my girlfriend.)

Mashiro: What a coincidence! I’m looking for my girlfriend too!

3) Love how StarTwi staff have said Lala’s “On my home planet I am TOTALLY AN ADULT” is a lie, but she still got grouped in on Team Adult… as the token kid.

4) I will say, the evil alien bunny girl does have a really good sense of style.

5) Tsubasa just fanboys every time he meets a princess, huh. What a dork. <3

6) I missed Manatsu and Laura so much. But you know who I missed more? Nodoka. Also love the inherent in-joke of Nodoka talking about how she misses and is looking for Rabirin to Mashiro, who shares a VA.

7) So yeah the train part made me go wibbly. Also, Nodoka took up running to build her stamina but still can’t run as fast as the others, none of whom are particularly athletic but also aren’t chronically ill. YES. (Laura trying to use her tail to bridge the gap was a nice touch.)

8) A tiny puppy reminds Yukari of her girlfriend, who is a dog.

9) The reunions were so cute, all times. Team Soaring Sky getting a group hug. Manatsu and Laura getting a HUGE hug while Yui and Amane and Nodoka and Asumi’s are a bit more restrained. So cute. (And then meanwhile, the adorable bunny mascot with Serious Trauma is having a very reasonable freakout. Poor Puca.)

10) Team Wing sees explosions in the castle and just vanishes for like five minutes only to reappear having already defeated Supreme’s “final boss.” High achievers, all of them.

11) Also La Mer getting to do her little “Victory!” jump and kick after her attack, even though they’re still running. So cute.

12) Reiterating what I said when Toei posted the first Big All-Precure Fight Scene: People were not kidding, Milky Rose looks dead there, and I’m not sure we actively see her get up later in the scene when everyone rallies? I… assume so? Looking forward to people uploading screenshots of a lot of the quick shot sequences to get a closer look (that one and the Cure Allies shots during All For One Forever, in particular.)

13) So the last couple movies hadn’t used Miracle Lights. Sure. But would it really be an All Stars movie - for a milestone anniversary, no less - without them? Of course not.

14) I am always a sucker for a good memory montage featuring the power of love. And oh, that was a good one. Not sure my favorite: Manatsu and Laura and Yui and Amane reacting to their shared memories are both fantastic, but so’s Yukari just standing by the wall as her memory plays out, and of course they pick That Scene from Healin’ Good for Rabirin and Nodoka’s maximum emotional impact.

15) That said: Distinctly NOT a fan of Supreme’s design featuring a darker skin tone once she goes evil and only when she goes evil, even though she keeps the black costume change in the ending.

16) I was admittedly a LITTLE disappointed when I got the soundtrack to realize they weren’t repeating All Stars Memories with a like twelve-minute fight scene track that was a medley of the theme songs. I do love the eight-minute medley track. All For One Forever is more than acceptable as a substitute, though.

17) We finally get the Delicious Party/Kirakira a la mode teamup we all wanted and deserved. Plus, bonus food-themed Cures adding their own powers to the mix! The ULTIMATE battle cake.

18) Also great: Laura and Minami’s “did we just become best friends?” attack. (All the thematic combos were delightful but seriously La Mer and Mermaid just seeing each other and going “let’s do a combo” is PERFECT.)

19) Yukari and Akira trying to act cool once they’re reunited, like Yukari hasn’t been utterly miserable all movie because her girlfriend is gone. Lala wiping out some cannon fodder so Yukari can have a moment with her girlfriend. (Lala understands. Her girlfriend was past the cutoff for getting two major cast members this movie. Probably because Nodoka and Rabirin with Team Prism had thematic purpose and a sequence break would look seriously weird - Hikaru seems like a shoo-in for Team Sky’s Goofball Energy And Preme.)

20) Cure Puca, like Ellee, gets the benefits of being a Precure seemingly requiring you to be a humanoid teenager/whatever’s going on with Cure Earth Who Is At Least This Tall Unless You’re A Mascot: being able to give a heroic speech.

21) Things I’m remembering last-minute I enjoyed: Sora showing the others her Hero Diary and being sad when she sees the “We Are Pretty Cure” page of her and Prism holding hands. Sora incorporating Yui’s and Manatsu’s mottos into her own. The lead Cures during the Portals Sequence all being like “yeah we don’t really know what’s going on here but we’ve all been in an All Stars movie or several before, we can handle this, sure.” The emphasis on hand-holding in general, particularly that FLASH of the battle they lost and Precious that Sora gets the first time she takes Yui’s hand and the vaguer one for Manatsu’s. And in a “this amused me” way, the way everyone getting lined up for the battle before the Requisite Explosion Jump is just them floating in space like a bunch of dolls on invisible shelves because it’s the only way to manage this all, there’s like 80 of them, it is SO MANY PRECURE.

So yeah, solid movie, I enjoyed it greatly. Probably gonna give it a minute until I finally watch the Healin’ Good one.

[nijigasakilove]

Ahhhhhh masterclass episode but that needed to be a Megu and Kanata confession there 😭 stop baiting me PA, we know they’re lesbians

Been depressed all week cause of how things ended with the girls on the verge of breaking up last episode and it got even worse at the start of this episode. Everyone going their own way and doing their own thing, then Megu lashing out at Kanata.. but in a way this was all for the best. The closer you are, the more you fight with people and this makes you grow even closer.

I understand Megu being insecure about her condition and frankly a little jealous of her best friend. I mean if you’re confined to a bed and miss out on all these big milestones, school etc and see someone else close to you achieving all of it, it would sting. Being honest with Nodoka and Shion was a big step..

Every sports anime has that emotional rain scene lol. This was one of my favourites though. Megu begging Kanata to tell her the truth was such a good job by the seiyuu and then trying to stand and cheer oh my goodness. I think that conveyed everything that needed to be said without saying it. Teared up a bit. That should’ve been a confession and kiss though 😭

Can’t wait for next episode

[lunartonehana]

when nodoka refused to help daruizen>>>>>>>

[princesscolumbia]

Fission - Chapter 14

Neutrino Release - Part 1: It’s Not That Kind of Power Suit -or- You Could Fertilize All of Japan With That Speech

Summary:

Ranma and Co. get their next assignment, investigate a press conference for a new airship. Nabiki gets closer to uncovering Retribution with the help of some friends in the magical girl community. Ami ponders the implications of a new group of Senshi.

Notes:

I'll add a skin to make the first part look like 90's era forum posts when I have more spoons to do so, I swear!

When I first envisioned this fic, it was MUCH different than what I opted to write now that I've gotten here. The story beats are the same ([spoiler] and [spoiler] go to [spoiler] and wind up [spoiler]. [spoiler] winds up [spoiler] and gets the clues to [spoiler] for [spoiler].) but where the original conception of this chapter was fast paced action and run-and-gun, this is much more 'Oceans 11 meets Mission: Impossible', and honestly I like it a lot more.

Preview after the cut:

Ranma fidgeted with the hem of the skirt. 'Genderfluid' (as Konatsu had informed her fit her gender identity best...and was kinda funny given that it actually changed with a fluid, that is, water) she may be, but she still wasn't comfortable wearing girl's clothes. She had a little Genma-shaped man in the back of her consciousness yelling about how it wasn't manly, and though she loved ignoring anything that came out of her old-man's mouth, when it was inside her own head it was harder to dismiss.

She did, however, have to acknowledge that the suit they'd assembled looked good on her. The skirt and jacket weren't quite a matching Bedfordcord fabric, one was beige, the other khaki, and Ranma could not have been assed to care which was which or what the difference between the (to her eye) identical colors was when Konatsu and Kasumi were picking out the clothing articles while she waited on Kasumi's bed in just her underwear.

Underwear which, she'd been soundly informed, was inappropriate for the outfit she was to be wearing. Thus it was she had to break out one of the lingerie sets her mother had bought for her when they went out as 'Auntie Nodoka and Cousin Ranko' during one of the many shopping outings the elder Saotome spent trying to 'tame' the 'wild tomboy' she'd all but adopted.

The mentioned unmentionables were worn under the outfit, completed by a fetching blouse that Ranma admitted she'd love to have for her own...even if she only admitted it within the privacy of her own head. The top was a robin's-breast red and wrapped her torso in billowy waves. It was absolutely, stunningly feminine, fit Ranma perfectly, and somehow the tomboy had bought it even though red was NOT her color, even Ranma agreed on that.

The author will now point out that Ranma's habitual blindness when it came to her fiancée was not, entirely, her fault. Had Kasumi been just a little more aware of her baby sister's love language, she might have realized that Akane had bought the blouse as a gift for Ranma. Had Konatsu a greater, more intimate familiarity with the Tendo's, she might have realized that the box she'd snuck it from in Akane's closet was the, "Gifts for Ranma if he ever pulls his head out of his ass," box. As it was, both older girls made the same assumption Ranma did, thus inadvertently reinforcing Ranma's Akane-blindness.

The pantyhose were a bit of an afterthought, but one Ranma admitted added a little 'oomph' to the impression that she was a fully qualified (if short) worker at a business where business attire was expected to do business in a business-like way. Whatever that was. The utilitarian black pumps, a contribution from Akane's younger days, had been sitting at the back of Kasumi's closet waiting for an appropriate donation opportunity.

Her hair was down, which she always found a touch bothersome; what if combat should break out and she had to fight with her hair as much as her opponent? But it did frame her face nicely. Along with the tastefully applied makeup courtesy of Konatsu's skills, it made her look about five years older than she actually was.

Kasumi, Ranma had to say, 'cleaned up' good (and, yes, she relished the pun involved in Kasumi's primary role in the Tendo home). She had her own suit, though this one lacked a jacket, it was apparently something she'd purchased near the end of her high school career for a student government something or other where the students got the opportunity to visit the local government offices as part of their education. Kasumi eagerly showed off pictures in her album of the event, and Ranma admitted the outfit made the somewhat more gangly late-adolescence Kasumi look like a bit of an adult. Today, however, she filled it out like she was heading for the C-suite. The difference of a few years was remarkable. Where teen-Kasumi wore the suit...well enough, it still hung off her shoulders a touch baggy, the skirt resembled more a drape than one might want, and the shoes were on feet that were awkwardly poised to hold her up. Adult-Kasumi, in contrast, filled the blouse out to startling perfection. Her skirt hugged her hips well enough to make some of the men (and not a few of the women) sweat, and she strode with the poise of a woman on a mission.

Ukyo, in contrast, was dressed in a suit and white shirt that...fit the crowd. It wasn't 'James Bond' by any stretch, but it wouldn't be mistaken for an outfit a chef only wore when they had to. The suit was clearly not high-end, but for all that it was one that was clearly purchased with an eye for getting as much style bang for the yen. It was simple, it was black with a red 'power' tie, and it had just enough tailoring to fit Ukyo like it was meant to. Compared to the average career lawyer, it would look drab. When inserted into a crowd of mixed press and investor hopefuls, it blended right in. "I care about looks," the suit said, "But I care about results just as much."

Of the four of them, Konatsu was the greatest, and most startling, transformation. While another skirt suit simply wasn't in the cards for the ninja, Kasumi did have, tucked away in the back of her closet, a dress that was a shade of red that was just a touch deeper than Ranma's blouse. Thanks to Kasumi's rather more demure sense of modesty compared even to Akane, the dress provided full coverage in the area the ninja was most likely to be clocked as something other than a 'cis' woman (another term Konatsu introduced Ranma to after attending the support group meeting), her chest. Also including a nice, voice-box-covering neck, it paired perfectly with a waist-length white jacket and black pumps to make a stunning executive appearance. With her hair down from her ponytail she was absolutely eye-catching.

Ranma, apparently having to play the role of put-upon personal assistant given that she was the shortest, smallest, and youngest, was struggling to maintain a meek, demure attitude. I'm not made for this... she grumbled mentally. "But sir, the passes are here..."

The meathead that was the security guard allowing people into the event glowered at her. Ranma had taken the man's measure within about 1.5 seconds and already had figured out about sixteen ways to completely wipe the floor with him, but because doing that would draw attention, she had to play-act like a clueless, hopeless, weak little lamb. Fighting back the urge to sigh in exasperation, she weathered his self-important blustering, "Listen, girlie, I don't care what passes you say you have. I don't see your company on the list, so y'aint getting' in."

Ranma felt her eyebrow twitch, about ready to lay a smackdown on the moron in a monkey suit just for calling her 'girlie.' She was saved from both the monkey-suited moron and her shortening temper by an unexpected voice behind her, "Red, babydoll, what's the hold up?"

Poleaxed, Ranma turned to see Konatsu holding herself...almost like a diva. She was smacking some gum audibly, and giving her a look of shared long-suffering, "Is this guy giving ya problems getting' us in?"

Ranma fought off the desire to drop her jaw at the inflection and accent the ninja had affected. What is that, Kansai? It aint Osakan... "Uh...yes, ma'am. This..." she rolled her eyes and added an undercurrent of frustration to her voice, "Gentleman is denying us entry even though we have our passes ready."

It was everything Ranma could do to keep a straight face as Konatsu sputtered like a poorly maintained car motor, "What?!" she made a show of pushing past Ranma and getting in the guard's face, "Listen buster," she jabbed the man in the chest right next to his somewhat ratty looking black tie, "It's Saturday. I'm supposed to be at the salon today. But these nimrods 'r' runnin' this event on Saturday an' the only reason I'm here and not enjoyin' the life I had to fight and scratch to claim in a world full'o meatheads like you is 'cause 'o' yer boss' slick lookin' pamphlet got my investors all in a tizzy!"

The guard was now looking almost panicked as his eyes went up to meet Ukyo's. The apparent man of the group simply gave a, 'women, what can you do?' commiserating smile to 'his' fellow 'man.'

Konatsu snapped her fingers in front of the guard's face, "Ut-ut-ut! Down here, idiot! Don't look at my assistant, look at the one in charge here. I don't care if ya swing that way, he's on the clock an' I'm payin' overtime for makin' him work on a Saturday. Did I mention it's a Saturday? When I normally have my spa treatment that I need for dealin' with idiots like you all week?"

"Listen lady!" the now slightly panicky guard attempted to temporize, "I'm just here from the agency! If I let someone in that don't belong and word gets back to my bosses, I get fired!" He waved a clipboard with a packet of paper on it at her.

"Give me that!" snapped Konatsu. She snagged it from his waving hands and began paging through the stack. Finally, at the last page, she said, "Ah-hah! You didn't check your addenda, idiot!" she flashed the last page of the clipboard to show a short list that was, apparently, last minute additions. She then snagged the pen he'd tucked in his shirt pocket and started scratching some check marks to match those on the previous page. The guard couldn't see from the angle she was holding the clipboard, but Ranma could, and saw that the ninja was simply making fresh marks over existing checks in boxes. She then flipped the packet of papers back over to cover her lack of actual additions to the checklist and slapped the clipboard against his chest, the pen tucked into the same palm. "There! I just did your job for you, now step aside so the grownups can get this over with so I can get back to my spa day!"

The guard moved to grab the clipboard but failed to account for the pen, so when Konatsu pulled her hand away the pen clattered to the ground, requiring that he bend down to pick it up. She gestured for their group to get moving and they did so quickly, Kasumi and Ukyo just ahead of Ranma as she crossed the boundary to the tarmac the event was apparently taking place.

Konatsu started to join them before the guard straightened, "Wait, hold on, I..." As the ninja paused and whipped around, glaring at the man so hotly Ranma was sure he'd catch fire. Gulping at her apparent anger, he flipped to the last sheet on the clipboard and scanned quickly. Finding nothing obviously out of place, he looked up nervously and just bobbed his head, "O~okay, ma'am. Sorry for the confusion. Enjoy the event." Swallowing nervously, he turned to the next entrant, obviously doing his best to put the entire exchange out of his mind.

Konatsu tugged on her jacket straight and primly re-arranged her hair, tidying her appearance. Ukyo and Ranma were clearly struggling to contain their shock at their friend's performance. "...Ko-chan," said Ukyo finally after they'd put some distance between the entry and the rows of chairs set up before the stage, "...what was that?!"

Konatsu cleared her throat, blushing prettily,"W-well," she said in her normally demure, Tokyo-urban accented voice, "A ninja must blend in, using their entire being to properly infiltrate a potentially hostile location. I had to learn how to, well, perform some confidence jobs in order to master that part of my art. It's...not very lady-like, and it can result in some people being hurt, so I don't much like doing it, but...well, I am a kunoichi..."

Ukyo chuckled and rubbed her back affectionately, "A genius kunoichi, don't forget that part."

Konatsu blushed even harder, "Ukyo-sama, stop! You flatter me! I'm sure anyone could have gotten us in just as well..."

Kasumi slowed her walk enough to draw even with Konatsu and wrapped her arm around the shorter girl's shoulders in a half-hug. "Konatsu-chan, you were wonderful and fully deserve the praise."

Konatsu's only reply was to blush somehow even brighter red and make little embarrassed noises.

[merryfortune]

The Princess’ Garden Floristry

Written for Femslash February 2023

Prompt: Garden

Title: The Princess’ Garden Floristry

Ship: Haruka/Nodoka

Fandom: Go! Princess Pretty Cure & Healin’ Good Pretty Cure

Rating: T

Word Count: 2.066

Tags: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Meet-Cute, Childhood Friends, Reunions, Aged-Up Characters, Crushes, Developing Relationship

   There was a girl that Nodoka knew once that wanted to be a princess.

   They had only met when they were seven or eight and it wasn’t very often but occasionally, she would come to the hospital that Nodoka was staying at so she could try doing good deeds in the image of how she wanted to be. 

   As far as Nodoka was concerned, she was a princess. She denied it though. She didn’t think she was pretty enough or graceful enough but she had a very big heart. Not many children, Nodoka thought as she collected vague musings on her previous classmates, from before she got sick, would worry for those who were ill. She did, however.

   And she always brought flowers with her.

   That was Nodoka’s favourite part of the visits that this girl gave her… and the others of the ward that she belonged to. She was just so sweet and knowledgeable and passionate. As far as Nodoka’s child self was concerned, this girl knew everything and anything about flowers. What they meant in the language of flowers, how to best grow them, where they were native to. All those sorts of things.

   She always saved her favourite, roses, for last and for Nodoka, Nodoka recalled. Her heart fluttered whenever that girl gave her a smile and her spirits soared. Even if she was prone to a coughing fit or stomach pain afterwards. Not quite so romantic but that’s just the life of being chronically ill.

   “Did you know there are over thirty-thousand varieties of roses?” she told Nodoka one day.

   “Nope,” Nodoka replied, shaking her head, “that’s so many.”

   “It is.” she smiled. “There are pink ones, red ones, orange ones, ones which are more than one colour. Some are big, some are small and I love them all.”

   “I do too.” Nodoka replied, entranced by the girl and her love for all things flowers. Then she blinked. “Are there blue roses?” Nodoka asked innocently.

   Now, blue was not her favourite colour. Nor was it even this girl’s favourite colour, if Nodoka recalled correctly from how she always wore a pink dress. In fact, pink was Nodoka’s favourite colour, too but blue, she thought, had a special place in her heart.

   Feeling blue: blue was a feeling of sadness, of hopelessness and worse but it was also a colour of freedom. Whenever Nodoka recalled her last day as a well and healthy child, she thought of the green grass, the multi-coloured flowers in the park, and the huge, blue sky overhead. So blue, as deathly as it was, was still a colour she liked and having already seen parades and cavalcades of pink roses, orange roses, and other types of roses, Nodoka wanted to know. Were there blue roses as well?

   She thought, surely, if there were more than thirty-thousand kinds of roses, then it was possible that there were blue ones. Not to mention, this girl had brought pansies along before as a gift and they came in blue. Bluebells, too, and some violets were more blue than purple, too. Nodoka liked them all but with the sky in the corner of her eye, yearning to be outside in the gardens with this girl rather than bedridden, Nodoka was curious.

   “There aren’t actually.” the girl replied to Nodoka’s question.

   “Oh.” Nodoka murmured, disappointed and visibility deflating in her shoulders. She turned her head slightly, more towards the windowsill and what view that she had of the hospital’s courtyard. Sitting on her windowsill was a trio of flowers - blue, pink, and yellow - and all gifted from this girl.

   “Hey, look at me,” the girl said, gentle, excited, and Nodoka obeyed, sheepish, coughing, “I know a trick that turns roses blue. They may be artificial but I think they’re still pretty and special.”

   “Can I see this trick?” Nodoka asked.

   “A-yup,” the girl nodded her head vigorously, “let me go get a white rose and I’ll need a texta.”

   “There should be some in the kid’s playroom just down the hall.” Nodoka said, trying to be helpful.

   “I’ll only be a minute then.” the girl said.

   She was, obviously, a little longer than a minute but Nodoka held her breath in bated and it felt just as swift all the same. What the girl showed her, was a moment that Nodoka came to cherish forever and always as it was, to her child mind, sheltered and sickly, completely and utterly magical.

   The girl returned but seemingly empty-handed. She showed off the rose but not the texta that she had procured.

   “Watch closely.” She invited Nodoka to pay attention.

   Which she did, most rapt.

   The girl thrust out her hand, the stem of the rose embedded inside of her fist. The rose was white. At first. But the stronger the girl held her hand in a fist, the more that white changed to blue. It was very slow and very pale but Nodoka watched as blue threaded through the veins of the rose’s petals and it no longer remained white.

   “Tada. A blue rose, just for you.” the girl cheered.

   “Thank you, I love it.” Nodoka replied and honestly, she could have cried.

   She had never had someone go to such lengths before. Now there was another variety of rose in the world for her, just for her and the proof of it was dyed in the ink of the stains on that girl’s palms as she handed over the rose to Nodoka. She kept the rose in a glass container filled with water, on the windowsill with the previous flowers, and she would have loved to have kept it forever and ever but flowers withered away.

   So did names and faces, unfortunately. 

   But Nodoka believed that the girl had the sort of name that, once she got a hint or prompt of it, she would immediately remember it in full. It was that sort of name, she thought. Same for if she saw all the finer details of her face beyond vague recollections of greeny-blue eyes and maybe gingery-brown hair. 

   Still, it hurt Nodoka so much that she no longer recalled the name of that girl who had been such a bright spot in amongst all the invasive procedures and the slogs of days going by in pain and boredom. It felt like a desecration to all the joy that girl had sparked in Nodoka but again. That was just the phase of the world, of life. Flowers withered and people forgot. 

   After all, the girl eventually stopped visiting. Nodoka never found out why. Maybe she moved away? Maybe she stopped wanting to become a princess and thus, her good deeds fell to the wayside. Maybe her interest in flowers withered away, too.

   Nodoka hoped that it was the first option. The others… To think of them and the blur of that girl’s face which she always recalled as being sweet and smiling, it would break Nodoka’s heart. She wanted nothing but the best for that girl because she had always wished nothing but the best for Nodoka: with that big, princessly heart of hers adorned with a smile and a presence like a ray of sunshine.

   Because, in the end, years later after spending all her youth in and out of the hospital, doing school by distance education, Nodoka did get better. Her illness became more manageable. She still lived with her parents, however, and they had recently moved to downsize to somewhere with fresh air… and fresh flowers almost everywhere.

   “You should go visit this florist, I like the sound of the shop and a bouquet would liven up the house as we move in.” Her Mother suggested.

   Nodoka was handed a newspaper clipping. It read - The Princess’ Garden Floristry, grand opening - and was dated for today. The logo that was printed on it was pink and looping, festooned with roses and something about that name. It was so obvious that no wonder her Mother thought she’d like it.

   In tiny text, it had a street address and with a smile, Nodoka replied, “I’d like to go but are you sure you don’t want me to help with the move in?”

   “You're so young, you should go out and explore, catch the bus there or home, but don’t push yourself.” Her Mother diplomatically replied.

   That was her Mother’s way of being nice saying she was worried Nodoka would get hurt or tire herself out too much. Not that the exact same thing couldn’t happen if she wasn’t wandering out and about in the town that they had moved into but Nodoka smiled.

   “I’d like that, I’ll see you when I get home then.” Nodoka replied.

   Nodoka nodded her head and collected her purse. She held onto the clipping tight and kept the address in mind. It actually wasn’t that far away, it wasn’t exactly a hop, skip, and a step away but Nodoka found it easy enough. That big logo of theirs especially helpful as it was plastered over the storefront’s facade.

   Seeing it up close, it looked both gauche and amazing. Nodoka’s inner child squealed in delight at the white bricks and the ribbons and the bunches of flowers on display in the window. The decor of the building most certainly lived up to the royal decree of having such a name.

   Nodoka came inside and the bell attached to the door tinkled over head. It had such a pretty timbre. She began looking at the pre-made bouquets and there was a focus on roses. Pink ones, orange ones, red ones, and ones which were multi-coloured but a Nodoka wandered closer to the cash register, she saw a most amazing bouquet at that closest point.

   This bouquet was of white and blue roses. Artificially blue, Nodoka was willing to bet but blue nonetheless and a sky blue. Not an overwhelming blue like the ocean nor a sad blue, either, just a pretty blue.

   Nodoka’s ears pricked on the sound of footsteps as the storeperson came in from the backrooms. Nodoka turned her head and her jaw dropped. She knew that lady, about her own age though much more filled out and womanly-looking.

   And, more amazingly, the storeperson knew her.

   “Nodoka.” she gasped.

   “Haruka.” Nodoka finally, blessedly remembered.

   Haruno Haruka. A very springy and very quirky name which was exactly the sort of name that Nodoka knew she would recall instantly if she had some sort of hint and there was no hint better than the blue of Haruka’s eyes and how she smiled so sweetly.

   “It's been ages.” Haruka sheepishly said. “I-I’ve missed you, I always wondered about you.”

   “Me too.” Nodoka said and she shuffled closer to the cash register Haruka stood behind. She fidgeted and she felt rather silly for asking but she had to, “So, um, did you ever become a princess?” she asked.

   “I think so.” Haruka smiled warmly. “I made it through my ugly duckling phase and I’ve learned to dance and play violin but being a princess does not pay the rent,” she laughed, “so florist it is. What about you?”

   “I, um, am unemployed, and new in town, my parents and I moved in literally today but I would like to become a full-time student. I don’t even have to say if my health allows anymore, I’m much stronger than I was compared to back then. I still have bad days but what can you do?”

   “I’m really glad to hear that.” Haruka said. “So, let me guess, a bouquet as a housewarming gift, yes?”

   “Yes.” Nodoka replied and she could feel the stars in her eyes as she found herself falling head over heels for her long-lost childhood friend, “And I already know which bouquet I want.”

   “That’s good. Which one?” Haruka asked.

   “I would like this one, please.” Nodoka said and she pointed at the nearest bouquet of blue and white flowers.

   “I thought so.” Haruka said and she allowed Nodoka to take it off the display.

   Nodoka embraced all the flowers, the softness of the petals peeking through the plastic wrap they were in. She smiled all giddy as Haruka rang her up through the cash register.

   “Please visit any time, Nodoka.” Haruka bade her. “I would really like to see you again sometime.”

   “I will.” Nodoka replied, eagerly taking the invitation. “I want to see you more as well.”