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trinketprince · 4 years

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All the Youkaimatsus so far

JExcept sets that have all of them as the same youkais (Nekomata, Tanuki and the various Kitsune sets from Tabimatsu)

Pinup Poster from the Osomatsu Character Book #6 (July 2016)

A classic. The very first iteration of Youkaimatsu. Kind of hard to find since it was a bonus poster from the character book, so unless you were actively looking for the book, you wouldn’t find this.

Osomatsu - Kitsune (unknown how many tails he has but is often depicted in fan artworks as 6 or 9, 9 meaning strongest/wisest a kitsune has been, Spirit Fox)

Karamatsu - Karasu-Tengu (pun on Kara, Bird Man)

Choromatsu - Dodomeki (usually a woman cursed with long arms littered with many bird eyes because of greed. Most popular one imo)

Ichimatsu + ESP Nyanko - Nekomata (Two-tailed cat, legend says that cats who live longer than a 100 years gain a second tail)

Jyushimatsu - Rokurobi (available in two flavors. Long Neck and Floating Head. He is the former. Theorized to not actually be a youkai but created for entertainment. Also used as a literary device for a wandering soul.)

Todomatsu - Yukki Onna (Also a joke on Todo being scared stiff. Yuki Onna pull tricks on humans that usually end on the person’s death via cold. Has a harsh and soft side)

Youkai Units from The Great Youkai War event from Hesokuri Wars (November 2016)

Most popular Youkaimatsu set, this baby could get milked for miles, but for some reason isn’t. Has a lot of variants (Awakened, Darkness, Snow, Sakura and Hyakki Yagyou) and connected to a lot of other sets: Denki Mystery, Colorless Overalls, Mononoke and a bunch of others. She is the top DOGG set.

Osomatsu - Shuten-Douji (Oni Leader with a penchance for Sake, literally carrying a big ass bottle of it on his back, since he is the leader of the sextuplets and the one seen drinking beer the most)

Karamatsu - Aoandon (Summoned after 100 supernatural stories are told. Originated from the blue (ao) paper lanterns (andon) that were sometimes used to give a chilling atmosphere)

Choromatsu - Daitengu (Great Tengu, Tengus were theorized to be ascended souls, but also has its origins in a Dog Beast that looked like a comet. For some reason Dog Beast turned into Bird Man. The bird man’s beak is often anthropomorphized into long noses. Tells humanity to behave by throwing invisible stones at them)

Ichimatsu - Nine-tailed Kitsune (So wise. So powerful)

Jyushimatsu - Inugami (Dog God that possesses people)

Todomatsu - Bake-Danuki (also known as tanuki, mischievous spirits, mostly known in pop culture for their BIG FAT NUTS)

Dayon is a miko, a shrine maiden. Hatabou is an Onmyoji, an exorcist, Dekapan is a kannushi, a shrine priest. Totoko and Iyami are regular civillians

Youkai Hyakki Yagyou merchandise from Animate Girls Festival (September 2017)

One of the lesser known sets, considering that it’s just designs for a line of merch but their designs are so good? Why don’t people use these designs more often.

Osomatsu - Karasu-Tengu

Karamatsu - Nine-tailed fox

Choromatsu - Shuten-Douji (A possible reference to Season 1 Episode 2 where he gets the most drunk?)

Ichimatsu - Mizuchi (Legendary Water Serpent/Dragon)

Jyushimatsu - Kamaitachi (Beast that rides on dust devils. Cuts people using it’s scythe-like nails. The wounds are sharp but painless)

Todomatsu - Ungaikyou (A haunted mirror that can be used to trap spirits. The spirits in the ungaikyou can manipulate the reflection shown on it’s reflection.)

Kitsune Servant Set from Tabimatsu (September 2017)

Ok I know I said I wouldn’t cover the Kitsune sets from Tabimatsu since there are like 5 different Kitsune sets, but this one is noteworthy cause they have secondary Youkai traits other than the regular kitsune traits.

Osomatsu - Oni’s horns

Karamatsu - Tengu’s wings

Choromatsu - Orochi around his neck

Ichimatsu - True Kitsune (Or Nekomata’s paw?)

Jyushimatsu - Wanyudo (Flaming Wheel)

Todomatsu - I don’t know, but there’s something around his neck?

Japanese Youkai set from Shimamatsu (January 2018)

Shimamatsu was such a good game, what a shame it ended so soon. The 3D models were so cute. Edit: The two designs are from before and after evolution!

Osomatsu - Enma-san (A wrathful god in charge of judging souls in the afterlife. Resides over hell)

Karamatsu - Yamato no Orochi (Eight headed and Eight-tailed serpent/dragon)

Choromatsu - Kamaitachi (wields an actual scythe)

Ichimatsu - Youkai Catman or a Bakaneko (Catboy, furry)

Jyushimatsu - Yobuko (lives in the mountains, repeats whatevers shouted into the mountain, explains the phenomemon of Echos)

Todomatsu - Yuki Otoko (Snowman, a Yuki Onna basically)

“Inn” Osoma and Choroe from Osomatsu Season 2 Episode 17

A BUNCH OF PEOPLE REMINDED ME AND HOW COULD I FORGET THE BEST YOUKAI EVER. Osoma baby,,,, I’m so sorry..... Srsly, this skit was so good, I hope they make more skits like this where they make entirely new characters out of the framework of the sextuplets.

Osoma - A Zashiki-warashi, child spirits who live in store rooms or extra rooms, they died buried in their homes. Pranksters but meeting one is said to bring good fortunes to families. Osoma gets crossovered a lot with the other Youkai sets in JP fanart. A popular pairing is Dodomeki Chorosuke (from Denki Mystery) and Osoma also Kitsune Osomatsu (from the poster) and Osoma.

Choroe - Not necessarily a youkai, in fact in the episode she’s presented as just a regular human. But is theorized often to be a Yama-uba. An old woman banished to the mountains. She provides shelter to weary travelers (in the myth it’s just a humble shelter but you know. an inn is also considered a shelter) before eating them. In one story she eats the recently birthed baby of a woman who had to give birth in the mountains.

Mononoke from Hesokuri Wars (May 2019)

Technically they are all the same type of being, Mononoke, but they look different from each other. Mononoke can posses individuals and cause suffereing and even death. And technically they aren’t Youkais but Onryos, vengeful spirits. But Onryos can also be used to refer to youkais and truthfully I just wanna include this set cause their designs are so cool looking. This set’s attacks contain glimpses of units of other sets.

Osomatsu - Bear themed

Karamatsu - Wolf themed

Choromatsu - Rooster/Chicken themed

Ichimatsu - Spider

Jyushimatsu - Boar

Todomatsu - Bull or Ox

Edo Rock The Great Youkai Harvest Festival from Tabimatsu (October 2019)

This set is interesting cause rather than youkai alone, they are also musicians. This set also has another set like Hesokuri called The Great Youkai NEET which is basically the awakened versions, properly showcasing more of the youkai traits.

Osomatsu - Shuten-Douji (Again, we need to stage an intervention for you damn)

Karamatsu - Karasu-Tengu (Again)

Choromatsu - Mizuchi (actually riding said serpent)

Ichimatsu - Black Kitsune (Hot Topic, Goth version)

Jyushimatsu - Frog. Just. Frog. (could be a reference to the legend of Jiraiya, the ninja who could shapeshift into a frog/ride big frogs. His mouth is cover just like a ninja is too.)

Todomatsu - Kamaitachi (could be a reference to season 1 where Todomatsu wields a scythe)

Iyami - Oni (not sure if he’s any particular oni but he does have the horns and metal club)

Atsushi - Ibaraki-Douji? (White hair and singular horn, most imporant servant of Shuten-Douji)

Promo Merch from Sega Cafe collab (September 2020)

Edit: Thank you @zenryokubatankyu for notifying me! Another set of promo youkais! You can get them by random by ordering a drink or meal at the now-defunct Sega x Osomatsu collab cafe. And the return of F6? Damn I haven’t seen you since Season 2!

Osomatsu - Oni

Karamatsu - I’m not exactly sure but he seems like a Mizuchi, a water serpent/dragon. He also could be another legendary serpent/dragon though.

Choromatsu - Kappa

Ichimatsu + ESP Nyanko - Karasu-Tengu

Jyushimatsu - I’m not sure, at first i thought it might be a crab youkai judging from the legs, but upon closer inspection he has spider webs on his robes, so they may be spider legs instead. Could be a Jorogumo, a youkai that wields fire breathing spiders with it’s spider legs

Todomatsu - Bakaneko (I think? The veil could be the napkin a bakaneko puts on it’s head)

Ayakashi Sextuplet’s Retro Halloween Cafe merch from Web Kuji (October 2020)

Thank you @gradelstuff for telling me about this! Ayakashi are Youkai that appear above nearby bodies of water. Although the youkais they’re dressed up as (or are?) aren’t really what you would call ayakashi? Although it’s cafe themed, it isn’t actually from a cafe collaboration. These designs are merchandise meant to be won through lottery. So if say you really love Kara and Choro’s designs (I do), then tough luck buddy!

Osomatsu - Oni

Karamatsu - Now you may think he’s Dodomeki since he’s covered with eyes, but turns out there are two other eye-relateed youkai! Mokumokuren is a youkai phenomenon where eyes appear from torn paper walls and tatami floors, initially i thought this was it given the checkered pattern he was wearing. But he might actually be a Hyakume, a youkai covered head to toe in yellow eyes specifically. Underneath those eyes is a body of flesh roughly in the shape of a man. This Youkai isn’t particularly malicious, only detaching one of it’s many eyes to follow you and survey you for criminal activiy. He might also be a BackBeard, a youkai allegedly from the US, err that would make him a cryptid I guess? A Backbeard is often characterized as a shadow with a Yellow eye with a red iris in the center. Note: Backbeard’s true origins are not known as there doesn’t seem to be any cryprid called a Backbeard, it first entered the Japanese public eye as an antogonist in the show Gegege no Kitaro. Although ever since then this “yokai” has appeared in other media and games in Japan.

Choromatsu - He isn’t exactly dressed as it (only themed as it) but the youkai he represents is the one he’s holding, a Kasa-obake, One of my favorite youkais and it’s literally iconic. Thought to be a Tsukomogami, an object that gains a spirit after it turns 100 years old.

Ichimatsu - Edit: I’m not sure but he might be a Kuchisake-Onna. In the description attached to his teaser, it makes mention of specifically his wide smile, his dos dagger and his beautiful shirt. A kuchisake onna is a yokai that wanders in the street covering her face with a mask (skull mask for ichi) and a sharp object (his dos dagger). TW GORE DESCRIPTION: She asks you if you think she’s attractive and depending on your answer she muders you with her scissors, plunging it into you OR she takes off her mask showing her wide smile, her mouth slit at the corners to her ears and asks “how about now?” and depending on your reaction she cuts you in half with her sharp object OR she slits the corners of your mouth to look like hers. END DESCRIPTION. Ichi has the mask, sharp object, wide smile and “attractiveness”. Obviously it would be inappropriate to portray ichi in the same fashion as the kuchisake onna so he was probably given the internal organ tattoos to represent the gory yokai. (internal organs usually = gore in japan). This is speculah and he might be another youkai but this is all i can think of rn.

Jyushimatsu - sailor themed Jiangshi. Jiangshi are basically Zombies originally from Chinese culture. They hop around, and crave for life force. this little jyushimatsu has taken to tomato juice instead. (Bonus: the zombie that osomatsu is in the zombie set in hesokuri wars is also a Jiangshi)

Todomatsu - Kitsune (sly fox)

“The Night Path” Youkai from Osomatsu-san Season 3 Episode 6 (November 2020)

The latest and what sparked me to make this post tbh. This set reuses the Rokurobi design from the very first Youkaimatsu iteration! Full circle yo! I like to think of this set as an addition to the original youkaimatsu, since they’re both from the primary sources.

Jyushimatsu - Rokurobi (Again)

Totoko - Amabie (mermaid with three legs? prophesized about either good harvest or an epidemic, trivia: “Amabie” trended when Covid 19 hit the world)

Hatabou - Azukiarai (a youkai that originated from the sound of something like beans being washed near a river, anyone who comes near will fall into the river)

Dayon - Nopperabou (Faceless spirits that take the form of humans. They are harmless usually, they just scare humans)

Dekapan - Kappa (Mischievous River spirits)

That should be all of them!

Recap:

Osomatsu has been a Kitsune, Shuten-Douji (twice), Karasu-Tengu, Enma-san and an Oni

Karamatsu has been a Karasu-Tengu (twice), Aoandon, Kitsune, Yamato no Orochi and a Mizuchi (?)

Choromatsu has been a Dodomeki, Daitengu, Shuten-Douji, Kamaitachi, Mizuki and a Kappa (No repeats!)

Ichimatsu has been a Nekomata, Kitsune (twice), Mizuchi, Bakaneko and a Karasu-Tengu

Jyushimatsu has been a Rokurobi (twice-ish), Inugami, Kamaitachi, Yobuko, a Frog from Jiraiya and a Jorogumo (?)

Todomatsu has been a Yuki Onna (twice), Bake-danuki, Ungaikyou, Kamaitachi and a Bakaneko

You can definitely see a trend (lmao), I’m looking forward to more Youkaimatsus from Osomatsu-san!

bonus:

Osomatsu-san cameo from Yokai Watch!!!

#Osomatsu san #Youkaimatsu #Yokaimatsu #妖怪松 #Hesokuri Wars #Shimamatsu #Tabimatsu #I'm not tagging all the matsus lmao #long post

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pocfansmatter · 4 years

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Okay I said before I was going to get more in depth with blood quantum eventually so now is as better time than any I guess. Mind you I'm speaking as a Native American meaning an Indigenous person from America. Specifically from 2 southern California tribes. I cannot speak for all Native or Indigenous people. I can only speak for myself, I can’t even speak for my tribe. However most Natives tend to have the same view when it comes to the blood quantum debate. From this point on blood quantum will be shortened to BQ & Native American to Native(s).

Originally this was gonna be a reply to another comment but decided to make it it's own post so I don't associate my blog with that anti Indigenous one. Please try to read the whole post before clicking the articles. I screenshotted the main parts to keep the discussion going. Feel free to click on all the articles because they are good & most of them are from Native run news websites.

I was gonna do this with a read more tag but my laptop doesn't want to work. I'm literally getting anyther one on Thanksgiving but my old one doesn't cooperate sorry so y'all are gonna get a long post. 😕

So let's start with the basics. What is blood quantum?

"Blood quantum laws or Indian blood laws are laws in the United States and the former Thirteen colonies that define Native American identity by percentages of ancestry. ... For instance, a person who has one parent who is a full-blood Native American and one who has no Native ancestry has a blood quantum of 1/2."

In case that was confusing if one person is "full blood native" they are considered 4/4. Meaning they have no relatives who are of any other race or ethnicity. If the "full blood native" has a child with a non Native person the child would have a BQ of 1/2 Native blood. If that child has a child with a non Native that child will be considered 1/4. This will continue to get lower & lower unless the child has a baby with another Native. Then the BQ raises or stays the same depending on the other parents BQ.

Now that the definition is out of the way lets get into the issue with this.

This is a good article that narrowed down an issue with Pharrell wearing a headdress. I wanna focus on one part of the article though.

"... deeply connected to their Native culture & live it every day."

"Having Native American ancestors doesn't get you off the hook if you don't bother to do the homework."

So I mentioned before that a lot of Natives don't consider BQ as a proper way of measuring your culture. Being Native isn't something you can pull out when it's convenient like for a photoshoot. Its every single day. It's in the words we speak, in the clothes we wear & in the food we cook. Same as any other culture.

Asian people don't wake up not Asian. Black people don't wake up not Black.

So why is do some people pull out the Native card when it is convenient? Like Pharrell did or Elizabeth Warren claims.

This article sums it up well but I wanna focus on the last 2 paragraphs.

Link to the full article:

There's similarities in both articles by 2 different Native authors from 2 different news websites.

They both speak about connections to our culture. A DNA test cannot measure ones Indigenous Ancestry because being Indigenous is much more than something in your blood.

I made a post asking some questions that might help understand if one is Indigenous or not. Now I'm not saying these are all the questions nor that I'm the expert on this. These are just STARTER questions to help people understand what it means to be Native.

Does the tribe you claim, claim you?

Have you been to the reservation?

Do you participate in the community?

Have you met your family from the tribe?

Do you know your history, traditions, anything about the tribe you claim?

The big one is are you claimed. You cannot claim a tribe that doesn't claim you. Now I'm not saying the entirety of the tribe has to know you personally. I'm not even saying you have to stand in front of the tribal council & ask them if they claim you. A claim can be made as little as just your family saying "this person is one of us".

The reason I bring this up is because multiple tribes have in the past & continue the practice of "adopting" a person into their tribe. There's many examples of this. Some can be adopted because they married into a tribe. Non Natives & Natives of other tribes alike have been adopted into tribes. There can be legal adoptions like adopting a child. And countless other examples.

A lot of the time biologically those members aren't apart of the tribe & cannot be enrolled but are still viewed as a member by the community.

For personal example, my sister has been adopted by my tribe. She's actually an enrolled member from another tribe & technically my cousin but was taking away by CPS & my family took her in. She grew up & still lives on my reservation. She is from another reservation. Although her tribe still claims her as a member my tribe also does. People in my community know her as a member of my family & have grown up with her. She knows many of our traditions & practices some ceremonies with us that are specific to my tribe. No one in our tribe has expressed any issue with this so far & even if they did they would have a stern talking to. We are even in the process of organizing her to be buried on our tribal land instead of hers. Her choice & we are okay with it.

Now I want to point out another way people can be considered Native even if they aren't enrolled or cannot answer those questions properly.

Let's look at something called "reconnecting Natives".

What is a reconnecting Native?

A reconnecting Native is someone of Native Ancestry who for whatever reason has been removed from their culture, family, reservation, etc so they do not know them & are actively trying to learn those things so they can reclaim their Native roots.

So, how does this happen? This is actually a very common issue in the community.

One of the main ways a Native might become disconnected is through the process of Residential Schools or Indian Boarding Schools. What is that? Here's a snippet of an article to help explain.

Of course here is the link:

The official motto of these schools was "kill the Indian, save the man” and if you think it sounds awful I promise you, it was much worse than you could imagine.

There's a movie on Netflix called Indian Horse which I have not watched yet but is based off a novel by an Indigenous author that looks at these Boarding Schools if you wish to check that out.

The goals of these schools were to strip Indigenous children of their culture. They were beaten, starved, punished of things as simple as speaking in their languages. A lot of them didn't even speak English. It was illegal to keep your kids from this school & often times tribal children went to these schools and never returned to their family. Natives who attended these schools or are children of children who attended these schools more often than not stop practicing their culture or forget it. In that way they become "disconnected".

Those members can if chosen too began the process of reconnecting.

I found this really good article going a little more in depth on the do's & don't's of reconnecting.

But here's a screenshot of important parts.

Granted this is a long process. Lifelong. Every journey to reconnect is difficult & very different from others. It depends on your tribe & community. Some of them make it easier & some make it harder. It's up to the individual to put in the work.

Now I don't want to make it like being a connected Native is easy. Yes it's easier but connected Natives also put in work to live their culture everyday.

Now what does this have to do with blood quantum? As you can see none of these articles about being Native or even a reconnecting Native mention blood quantum or DNA being a requirement.

If one is Japanese & someone asks "how are you Japanese?" What would the answer be?

"Because I just am. Because my parents are Japanese."

If someone is white & has kids those kids are white, correct?

So if it's so easy to explain for other cultures why does mine require math? Why are some of my family members not enrolled members despite having Native parents & growing up on the reservation? Why do my people have to actively think about the DNA results of our children if we choose to have them?

Because of BQ. Its a tool created by colonizers that are forced upon us. If we do not abide by the rules & requirements the government sets in place we run the very big risk of

Losing our status of a Native American tribe.

Losing our land & land rights.

Losing funding from the federal government.

Losing our housing.

Losing Healthcare.

Losing our basic citizenship rights.

The thing about BQ is it's designed so that we fail. If we fail to keep a certain amount of enrolled tribal members in a tribe then the government can break treaties & take away our land & things that are rightfully ours.

BQ is a lose/lose situation all around for us as well as extremely racist.

Because of the BQ requirements Natives actively worry about who they have children with. Some don't date outside of the their culture in fear of their children not being seen as legally Native. The problem here is a lot of the tribe is related. The issue of inbreeding increases. How do we solve that problem? Well we can have children with Natives of another tribe. But there's a problem here too. Most tribes do not allow what we call dual enrollment. Both of my tribes for example don't allow this. Which means one would have to pick which tribe to enroll their child. That means one of the tribes will lose out on a member. So that's another way identities are erased using BQ.

Okay I think I'm going to end this here. There is so much more I could've added. I also could've expanded on residential schools, what it means to be Indigenous, & reconnecting Natives but I wanted to keep it focused on BQ. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask or research on your own. We're still here. We aren't stuck in the 1800's. We weren't all killed by cowboys but the government is still actively trying to erase us.

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rinastray · 6 years

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To Readjust

Series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Characters: Verde, Sawada Nana, Fon, Sawada Tsunayoshi

Relationship: Sawada Nana & Verde

Vday Mini-Event: Day One - Impossible

Summary: Fon hints at an intriguing possibility.

People just didn’t call him. Not out of the blue, and certainly none of the ones involved in that day. It wasn’t like they had any particular reason too. So when the phone that was mostly used to order equipment and supplies rang, he just looked at it for a long moment before picking it up.

“Nihao, Verde.”

-=-=-=-=-

Fon’s request had been… strange, to say the least. Come out to a small town in Japan. There’s something there that you might be interested in researching.

He’d even agreed to paying travel costs, so all Verde was loosing was maybe a week of time on his projects.

The house Fon’s directions led him to was quaint in its own way, and with Keiman draped over his shoulder in approximation of a plush the scientist reached out an rapped on the door. And the woman who opened the door was slender and bore the characteristics common to the Japanese, though there was something about her eyes and the curve of her jaw that hinted at foreign ancestry.

She smiled when she saw him and smoothed the apron over her skirt as she crouched closer to Verde’s height. Surprisingly though, instead of coming of as condescending the movement seemed to be accommodating. “Are you Fon-san’s acquaintance?” she asked, brown eyes bright and… was that a hint of orange in them? Fon had found a Sky, an active Sky, in this quiet little town? That alone was almost worth the hassle of getting there.

“I am.” He nodded briefly to the alligator on his shoulder. “This is Keiman. And you are?”

A thin frown crossed to woman’s mouth for a moment. “Fon-san didn’t give you my name?”

“He didn’t tell me much of anything when he bade me to come,” Verde groused.

“Well that won’t do.” The woman smiled, welcoming and warm. “I’m Narumi Nanami, but just Nana’s fine. Fon-san’s upstairs with Tsu-kun, so please come in and make yourself at home while I call for him.” Nana stepped back into the house with Verde on her heels and called up to the second floor.

Verde stepped out of his shoes as Keiman wriggled off his shoulder, dropping to the floor and scurrying off after a flash of white that had appeared down the hall. Nana followed sedately after them with a giggle. Then a sharp screech sounded from the top of the stairs along with an aborted thud and a startling flash of crimson dropped down the stairwell to the landing.

There was still a shrill noise coming from a brown haired child as they clutched at the shirt of the one who had caught them, and Verde felt himself freeze as he took in the person’s figure. Fon, an adult Fon somehow restored to his previous self though still wearing that cursed pacifier, took note of the stare and smiled one of those damnably serene smiles that he was so fond of.

“It’s alright, Tsuna,” the taller - damn him! - man said, setting his armful down and ruffling the child’s, a boy, fluffy mess of hair. “See? No hurts; just a scare.” Tsuna nodded with a hiccup as he rubbed at his eyes.

“Tank you,” the boy mumbled.

“Why don’t you go help your Mama?”

“Kays!” the boy chirped, tears forgotten as he went off down the hall.

Verde finally found his voice as the child disappeared around the corner. “How?”

“I’m not entirely certain, though I think it might have to do with Harmonizing,” Fon said, even as something shifted in the air and suddenly the martial artist was a child again. “Nana seems to get lightheaded if I try holding it too long.”

“Less a cure and more a reprieve, then,” Verde said, the implications turning over in his mind. “And if limited by your Sky’s…” He trailed off. Someone who wasn’t one of the Arcobaleno had managed to bond with the world’s strongest Storm. Verde had thought that they were too far out of the league of anyone else’s abilities for that to happen.

“I knew this would interest you.” Fon’s voice held a hint of smugness, though his face was as mild as ever, and Verde gave him a very flat look.

-=-=-=-=-

Verde ended up staying, transferring his lab to a suitable location provided by Fon’s little sister Meihua - none of them had known he had siblings, though honestly none of them had ever been very open with the others, despite Luce’s machinations attempts - and tried to lose himself entirely to the faint hint of maybe, hopefully finding away out of this curse.

Tried being the operative word though, as Nana had taken it upon herself to make sure that he ate and slept regularly. She’d even tempted Keiman into helping (the traitor). Losing that much time for research to such plebeian things as sleep grated Verde to no end but Fon’s Sky had put her foot down and had even made a rational - and sensible, as much as he hated admitting - argument.

So two or three times a day she dropped by, sometimes by herself, sometimes with her son in tow. Those times were the worst, as Tsuna always turned those wide brown eyes on him (the boy was as much a Sky as his mother, Verde was certain of that) and talked him into bathing with him. Sometimes though she’d just show up and talk, rambling on about the strain of being separated from one’s Guardian, or about the man who had fathered Tsuna.

Then one day, a few months after Fon had trusted him with knowledge of his Sky, Nana stopped by, morose and pale, and said she wouldn’t be by for a week for some reason or other, but that she had made sure to ask Meihua to keep him fed.

-=-=-=-=-

The next time Nana showed up there were dark circles beneath her eyes. Verde didn’t even notice her come in, and it wasn’t until Keiman tugged at his lab coat incessantly that the Arcobaleno even realized she was there, curled into a tight ball on the bed that had been put there for his use, face pressed against the pillow and fingers white from the force of her grip.

-=-=-=-=-

Then one day Verde did notice when she came in, because as soon as the door had closed she slid down and buried her face in her hands with a sob. Brokenly she ranted about having Guardians that couldn’t stay, because there’d be suspicions if they just disappeared from where others thought they should be. She just wanted them there with her! Was that too much to hope for?! Keiman shuffled forward and rested his head on her lap and Nana snuffled as she pet his snout.

The feel of her flames was thick and choking in the air, tangible in her frustration, her desire for her Guardians, but for as heavy as it was it simply washed over Verde and didn’t push.

“Get some rest.” For a moment Verde didn’t realize that he’d spoken until Nana lifted her head and stared blankly at him. Gah, that sounded like he cared about her well being. “Getting precise results is difficult if agitated flames keep throwing the readings off.”

Nana let out a watery laugh at his words and rubbed at her eyes with a sleeve, a vivid parallel to Verde’s first meeting with the woman’s son. “Thank you for worrying,” she said, shakily getting to her feet and making her way towards the bed. “Don’t forget that you need rest too, Verde-san.”

-=-=-=-=-

Blinking slowly into wakefulness, Verde lay still in the dark for a long moment before pressing a hand to his face and sitting upright as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His other hand gripped the edge as he fought off vertigo, feet pressed flat to the floor. This was one of the reasons he hated sleeping. Fighting through headaches and ringing was one thing, he could still work on his projects, but sleeping always left the world spinning when he woke and he couldn’t think straight through it.

Which is why it took him a few minutes to realize that a few things were off.

Usually he had to hop down from the bed to the floor, but he could feel the solidness of the ground beneath the soles of his feet from where he sat, and something… something warm seemed to hum under his skin. Not his Lightning, though that was oddly content when usually it was sparking in annoyance just as he was after waking, but… It almost reminded him of Luce, before the tragedy of that day.

That thought made him still even as his hand slid back across the bed, brushing against Nana’s arm.

He couldn't have Bonded.

But the truth thrummed quietly in his chest and on a whim Verde pulled away from the sensation, only to have his whole world disorient, again, when he popped into a tiny body. He’d have probably fallen off the edge if Nana hadn’t caught him, the faint glow of amber bright in the dark. “Verde-san?”

She sat upright and pulled the scientist on to her lap. For once Verde let her, felt the warmth of her and her Flames, and allowed them to settle again within his own.

“Oh.” Nana’s hold tightened ever so slightly, and something damp fell on his hair. Her voice hitched as she whispered a strained, “Thank you,” into the dark.

#katekyo hitman reborn #vdaymini-event #day one - impossible #sawada nana & verde #rin writes

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kimonobeat · 6 years

Text

aiko bon “Profile Interview” Chapter 1 (Part 2/3)

ーPersonality-wise, would you say you were a pretty lively little kid?

aiko: I’m an extremely positive kind of person. I was a real weirdo as a kid. Like, so weird you wouldn’t have been surprised to hear I’d accidentally eaten an eraser. (laughs) In the middle of winter I’d go out in short-sleeve shirts because that’s what I wanted to wear. My absolute favorite clothes were this floor tile beige shirt made out of something similar to gauze, and another shirt in the same color with sunflowers embroidered onto them. I’d pair them with a skirt that was a slightly darker beige, and yellow/white sandals. I went to a piano lesson dressed like that, shivering and sniveling, and my piano teacher told me to go home. I think that was in December or January? I was riding my red “Candy Candy” bicycle home from that and spotted my dad on the other side of the intersection, so I shouted, “Daddy! I went to the piano teacher’s house and she told me to go home!” real loud. But then my dad saw the way I was dressed and he said, “Very funny!” (laughs)

ーYou guys have a nice relationship. (laughs)

aiko: I did a lot of things that startled my parents. There was this lady in my neighborhood named Hama-chan. One time we were eating yakiniku with her when she started choking on a piece of meat. I saw her trying to cough it up and yelled really loudly that she had meat stuck in her ‘tailpipe’ instead of her ‘windpipe’. (laughs) Another thing that happened to me… I went to the hospital when I came down with chickenpox, and they quarantined me because it was contagious. I kept saying, “I didn’t do anything wrong, so do I gotta be here?” They made us wait for a really long time. As soon as my mom said, “It’s getting pretty late… Mom’s tired too,” I ran all the way up to the receptionist’s desk and said, “EXCUSE ME buuuuut is it Aiko’s turn yet? IS IT MY TURN YET???” two times really, really loudly. (laughs) We used to go to public baths every now and then. Anytime someone with tattoos was there, I’d say, “MISTER! LOOK! You missed a spot!” (laughs) All they could really do was laugh and say, “Listen kiddo, I got these ‘cause I’m bad. They’re drawn on.” Then I’d just keep asking more questions. “You mean you can’t take those OFF?!”

ーYou’ve got such a great personality. (laughs)

aiko: Do I? (laughs) Kids are really good at pointing out people who are different or weird when they see them, now that I think of it. I was too. When I was on the train, I’d say, “Mooom, look at that lady……” and she told me not to point. So then the next time I said, “Mooom, look at that lady. Mooom,” pointing with my whole fist instead of my finger. (laughs) She told me she wasn’t even mad, it just made her laugh.

ーYou can’t really be mad when something like that happens. (laughs)

aiko: Also, apparently my mom cried in front of the washing machine in the bathroom whenever she and my dad got into a fight. She told me anytime she ever did that, I’d come over and tug on her apron saying, “Mooom. Moooom, hang in there.” She told me I’d always do that to cheer her up.

ーThis might be rude of me, but you sound like you were a pretty funny kid. (laughs)

aiko: It’s fine, I think I was too. (laughs) But I did other things that’d make me wanna pull my hair out as an adult. When I was in like, elementary school, I’d draw pictures of naked girls. I’m not really sure why I drew pictures like that, other than because I’d seen them in movies…… I guess my bad daydreaming habit goes back pretty far, huh? I also liked bandages. I’d wrap my leg in bandages and pretend like I’d sprained it even though it didn’t hurt. I enjoyed the bandages but then I’d get my leg caught on my bike and actually hurt myself, stuff like that. I really did like bandages a lot. I guess I just liked things that looked ‘vulnerable’. Like, “Oh, dear me…”

ーIt made you feel like the heroine of something.

aiko: Yeah, that’s it. I’d say lines out loud to myself, like I was acting out a drama all on my own. I didn’t like getting attention though. I really hated it when people fussed over me. People would all touchy-feely with me because I was the only small child in my extended family at the time, asking me to sing them songs and stuff. They’d all start laughingーand I realize now that I just made them happyーbut I thought they were all ridiculing me. I got super embarrassed and really hated it.

ーSo you say, but you’re not really the shy type, are you?

aiko: Not at all. So I started doing it for money. (laughs) And not small change either. I’d tell them, “I’m not THAT cheap. 500 yen please.” (laughs)

ーYou already had the soul of an entertainer. (laughs)

aiko: Right? You know how there’s that game you play with babies where you hold out scissors, money and a pen, and whichever one they grab first is supposed to predict their future? I grabbed the money first. Maybe that’s why. (laughs) But I really hated like, New Year’s for that reason. I’ve got a lot of relatives so of course I got a lot of money on New Year’s, and I always held my tongue then, but other than that I absolutely hated getting so much attention.

ーWhy is that?

aiko: I’ve always hated taking naps. I really hated having to open up to people too. But on New Year’s we’d go to a bunch of different people’s houses and stay up late at night, which meant I wanted to sleep, but I didn’t want to sleep at someone else’s house. I’d be so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open and yet I still insisted that I didn’t want to sleep. I’d just wait until we were in the car and fall asleep on the way home. I even did that pretty recently! I went out for some drinks and couldn’t bring myself to say I was hammered in front of people. I hate letting people see me when I’m weak… I also really hated being the topic of discussion when I was little. I hated that… even though I was almost like, desperate to do things that people would end up talking about later. (laughs) Whenever people talked about something I did, I’d go hang out at the candy store and waste time until I thought they’d be done talking about me.

ーWere you a timid kid?

aiko: I don’t really think I was. When I got hurt I’d cry about it, go home, and that’d be it. One time my friend kicked a metal trash can at the park and it smacked me square in the face. I’d also pretended to be Ultraman and got dragged by a swing, all kinds of stuff. I’d just play and play like nothing even happened. Oh, speaking of which, one time I brought a dead cat home with me. I dragged this dead as a door nail cat I found floating in a ditch behind me like an umbrella, then I put it in a brand spanking new Hello Kitty toolbox I’d just bought and brought it home. I thought I needed to bury it because it was dead. When I got home I stood in the doorway and said, “Daaaad! It’s DEAD! WAHHH!”... he took one look at me, closed the door, and locked it. (laughs) You see, my dad got up for the day around the time I got home from school. He was so stunned that I showed him a dead cat as soon as he woke up, he must’ve thought I was crazy. (laughs) He wouldn’t let me back in the house, so I just went to the park and buried it instead.

ーNothing really scared you, did it?

aiko: Not really. I’m scared of them now, but as a kid I was totally fine with roller coasters and stuff like that. I used to get on rides meant for kids meant for elementary school kids when I was in kindergarten. The attendants would ask, “What grade are you in, miss?” and I’d say, “I’m in first grade!” They’d say, “Really? How old are you?” And I’d tell them I was 7. I’d always get busted when I’d lie about my age and they asked me what year I was born. My dad was so concerned that I’d get caught.

ーSo what DID scare you?

aiko: I was so scared of exploding noises, like party poppers and balloons popping. And clocks chiming on the hour. My mom and dad would fix the time on the clock by asking for the time over the phone, and it scared me out of my mind. For example, one time my dad had this clock, and my mom had the time-telling number on the phone saying countdown out loud: “3:30:25! 26! 27!” Seeing my dad fix the clock scared me more than anything. I was scared, terrified even, of the way it was robotically counting out the numbers. I didn’t like the lack of emotion in it I guess. Maybe it just scared me that it was saying it really loudly without any feeling in it. People are loud when they’re fighting because they’re full of emotions, right? That didn’t really scare me at all, I was just scared of how cool and disinterested it sounded. Oh, and also the opening theme song to “Mito Komon”. The “DUN, DUN DUN DUN” in the beginning made me cry every time.

ーWhat kind of TV shows did you like back then?

aiko: I used to watch stuff like The Drifters’ show “8-Ji Da yo! Zenin Shuugou (It’s 8’o’Clock! Everybody Gather ‘Round!)” a lot. I’d just laugh and laugh. But anytime I watched “Oretachi Hyoukin Zoku (We’re the Hyoukin Clan)”, my dad would be mad at me and tell me not to watch stuff like that… even though he was watching it and laughing too. (laughs) I also loved “Hirake! Ponkikki (Open Up, Ponkikki!)” and would watch that a lot too. My favorite cartoons were “Marvelous Melmo” and “Asari-chan”. Of course, I loved music shows since I loved singing so much though. I hear that I was telling people I was gonna be a singer as early as 3 years old. My mom mostly likes Japanese pop music like Southern All Stars, and my dad likes classical music, soul, The Beatles, that kind of thing. Seems like my dad wanted to be singer when he was young too. (laughs) My love of music is probably my parents’ doing.

ーI bet you sang 24/7 at home, didn’t you?

aiko: I’d lock myself in my room and sing constantly like I was doing a one-person concert. I played music on my ladybug-shaped Columbia record player. Sometimes I’d get sent to my room whenever my parents got mad at me for doing something bad, but since I had my piano and my record player in there, I had a pretty good time anyway. (laughs)

ーWhat songs did you sing a lot?

aiko: They have an 8 mm video of me singing “High School Lullaby” (by The Imokin Trio) or something, where I’m just going, “But you’re so cold, so cold~” (laughs) I used to sing Pink Lady songs a lot too. Singing, “I lied~ to you~ And now I don’t know what to do~” and dancing. I also liked the song “Akai Hana Shiroi Hana (Red Flower White Flower)ーthe one that goes “I’m gonna pick~ a red flower and give it to him”ーwhich my mom used to sing for me. I really liked folk songs like that one. I also loved “Minna no Uta (Songs for Everyone)”. And Julie (Sawada Kenji) and Go Hiromi, I liked them a lot too. Oh yeah! I used to really love Akira’s voice, from Finger 5! I was so small back then that I didn’t understand what the name “Finger 5” even meant, but I absolutely loved his voice. Man did I love Shioni though.

ー’Shioni’?

aiko: I used to call Go Hiromi “Shioni” as a kid. I’d say “Shioni! Shioni!” and kiss the TV. (laughs) It felt so strange being on Music Station with ‘Shioni’ for the first time. He said, “Isn’t this awesome? Check out my belt!” and showed me the belt with a lion face he was wearing. It felt SO weird to me. I was like, “Shioni is really right here in front of me right now… ?”

ーWas there anyone else you admired at the time?

aiko: Matsuda Seiko and Matsumoto Iyo, I guess? I went to one of Seiko’s concerts and got to meet her up close and personal in her dressing room. I was SO thrilled. She was reaaaally pretty and cute! When I got to meet Kyonkyon (Koizumi Kyoko), I remember thinking to myself how cute she was too. One time I was filming a music video in the cameraman’s personal studio apartment, and he told me to come upstairs to the 2nd floor with him so he could introduce me to his wife… His wife was having wine with Kyonkyon! (laughs) I was so shocked when she was like, “Oh look, it’s aiko!” Idols from that time period don’t really feel like they ever existed in the same world as the rest of us, you know? They were felt imaginary almost, not human, so it’s always a huge surprise when I actually get to meet them.

ーYou said you made up your mind about being a singer when you were 3 years old. Did you ever think about switching paths along the way?

aiko: I wanted to be a veterinarian too, but my dad told me I wouldn’t be able to because I was a dingbat. So I didn’t. I gave up on that real quick, because I realized he was right. Then I was fixated on being a singer, which was just as unlikely. I was really serious about it though, so I made a promise to my mom and dad: “In the future when I’m a singer, you’ll get to go golfing every day, Dad. And Mom, I’m gonna buy you a big diamond ring.” I’d been telling them that ever since I was in kindergarten. They both said, “Wow, please do! Can’t wait!” But then I grew up, and when I debuted, my dad was so old that he couldn’t go golfing every day anymore. Or I guess I should say, he’d already graduated from golf by then. (laughs) My mom is, well, my mom, so my grandma and I had already bought her a diamond ring. It forced me to rethink it, you know?

ーBy the way, were there any other aiko baby talk words like you calling Go Hiromi ‘Shioni’?

aiko: There were! I used to say “chop it” instead of “stop it”, and “p’soon” instead of “spoon”. And “humby” instead of “yummy”. I feel like there were other ones but I just can’t remember them right now.

ーDid you look more like a tomboy up until you were in kindergarten, or really girly?

aiko: I think I was a lot more boyish, ‘cause I was one of those kids who only wore pants. I cried when they made me wear a kimono for Shichi Go San because it was so tight and uncomfortable.

ーWhat hairstyle did you have?

aiko: My hair was long. It was one length almost all the way down to my butt, with a slight wave to it. My dad Shigenobu really liked long hair, so he always grew his out to about his hips. Once when I was in 3rd grade, though, I secretly went to a hair salon and got a bowl cut. He got SO mad, so then I grew it out again. The shortest my hair’s ever been in my entire life was around the time I was singing “Rosie”, after I’d made my debut. Other than that, it’s been pretty long. My parents didn’t mind if I got it permed really, so a couple times when I was a little kid I basically had an afro… No, wait, those were wigs, they were wigs. (laughs) There are pictures of me when I was like, 2 or 3 years old wearing a wig and a black bikini, sitting in a chair and eating an apple like that one chick in the movie “Emanuelle”. (laughs)

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#aiko #aiko yanai #yanai aiko #aiko bon #translation

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the-dreamer-traveller · 4 years

Text

Journey to the Back and Forth

This is a very long and detailed dream, so I will divide this into two different parts, Past/Present and Shinra Future.

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Past/Present:

I am traveling by the back of my own back. Carrying nothing but with a long slender sword for protection, a backpack filled with random supplies and a straw hat on my head, I would look more like any normal traveler in the Eastern Asian world. Currently, I am going to visit on a nearby village for some place to stay right now, as things are getting a bit more tiring for the moment.

As soon as I have arrived in the village, I notice that I have arrived in a tragedy far too late.

Although it is a village made of straw hut and wood and paper walls, the aesthetics bring more to my mind of the Japanese villages during the Feudal era. This creates a sense of familiarity and exoticism of the place, making it an ideal place for me to travel in.

The problem is that the whole village is razed, and dead bodies of what used to be villagers are scattered around the place. Men, women and children, no one was spared. Some of their bodies are mutilated without anything to recognize that they were actually human to be with, just piles of loose meat, flesh and intestines, charred bones and just stains in the walls and ground. The sight of these dead villagers is so gruesome and disgusting, I can’t help but recoil in disgust and sadness.

I calmly walk around the ruins of the village, looking at each passing corpse, intact or mutilated, and offer a short and silent prayer to each fallen. From a short, flattened paste of what used to be a person to charred bones of an unidentified person, likely a young man, I gave each and every corpse that I pass by with a prayer of comfort and sympathy.

The murderers seem to be a group of ruthless invaders, showing no mercy towards them. Considering on the aesthetics of the setting, it is possible that it sets somewhere in the time where the Mongols are trying to invade Japan, though this is more of a speculation. Where ever they are, their trails of footprints and strange dot-like ones that are best presumed to be horses lead to somewhere far away, probably to the next village or their own camp. Death and destruction might follow them where every they go, so it is best for me to just avoid it as much as possible.

Walking down the path of the grass and dirt, I came across what seems to be a set of ruins. It would look unappealing except that it resembles something straight from the modern times. This brought me to confusion, as I happen to have previous knowledge of different worlds due to the nature of the dream, so it made me curious to see a modern warehouse ruins in the middle of what is implied to be Feudal Japan.

Curiosity nudges me to check the ruins out. Holding on my bow, I silently slide down from the grassy slope and into the large rusty doors of the warehouse. Pushing the doors with my gloved hands, I found out that the place is mostly empty, with several white robed people standing in a circle around what seems to be a circular drawing made of white chalk.

The robes that they wear are figure obscuring, making anything that differentiates them from men and women difficult. The robes are very slim, yet conceals the physical identity, with light orange curved line markings on the bottom of the robes, antler-like attachments on the head and masks. They all look at me through the black eye covering markings in their masks. They have been waiting for my presence, but I have no idea why. As soon as I step in, some of them slowly part away to form a path that would lead me to the center of the circle, the object where they stood in.

I am quite cautious and suspicious, though they have no intentions on trying to advance towards me for their own agendas. Since a path is presented to me, I calmly walk straight into the circle, and stood in the center of the markings on the floor. Once it is done, the robed figures quickly kneel down to their knees and starts chanting with a language of unknown origins, possibly a ritualistic spell. I have no idea what is going on but before I could protest or speak, a bright light shines in my eyes and I can feel my body being transported into another dimension.

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Shinra Future:

Everything begins with a bright flash of light, but it slowly dies down until the reason for the white in my closed vision is the daytime sky. Once it isn’t a bit too bright, I slowly open my eyes and my jaw drops at the sight of it.

I found myself in the street level of a cyberpunk city, where tall commercial and residential buildings stood tall around. The sky is blue, but with a dark gray tint as a sign of a slightly polluted air or rainy or cloudy day. I stood on the middle of a concrete road, and it ends up revealed that I am in an intersect where cars would have been move around. The buildings are sometimes loading with advertisement, and there is what appears to be a very large factory in the far left view of my vision, where its ominous dark blue steel frame with a chimney spewing light gray smoke that rises up to the sky.

As I have mentioned, there should be cars around here.

But it isn’t.

After cutting off being dazed and amazed by the sights, I turn myself into the reality of the place. There are several cars that are parked randomly and chaotically in the street, sometimes being destroyed, burned in fire or already charred to blackness. There are random trash scattered around, mostly debris coming from the burned items or some holes and damages in the buildings. People are panicking, confused and scared on what is going on, sometimes going out to the other way just to stay away from any possible fighting. What used to be an intersect, there is now a very large and massive crater in the center of it, deep enough that some of the drainage and water pipes have been exposed and damaged, spilling contents into some parts of the crater. I could also see some random vehicles trapped or buried in the crater, and what seems to be a bus toppled to the side.

Dead bodies are present, but not that plentiful. All of them happen to be soldiers, Shinra soldiers nonetheless. Thick armored vehicles are parked around and some of the officers are seen directing civilians away from the crater and danger zone. Some of the soldiers are wearing identical outfits with the other instances of featuring Shinra grunts but there are also other soldiers whose outfits is a mixture of both Peace Keeping officer and a SOLDIER, resulting of men wearing black reinforced leather uniforms with completely face concealed helmets that only has an x-shaped visor that faintly glows red, while holstering high grade weapons on their back or hips (a possible hint that this might be an alternate universe).

My weapons are gone, but my lucidity is present. Instead of going berserk or try to exploit some chaos for fun, I decided to pretend to be more of a concerned, possibly frightened civilian, dazed on the confusion and missing out of what is happening right now.

I shyly approach to one of the black clad officers, who turn his back to notice of my approach towards him.

“Hey, officer. Is there a problem?” I asked shyly, uncomfortable in talking to a stranger even in a dream.

“Sir, you should stay out of this area as much as possible.” The officer calmly speaks to me, suggesting out of concern for a civilian. “We are currently fighting against rebels in here, and we don’t want a civilian like you should get hurt in the way.”

“Oh, is that why I see humongous mechas next to the department store in the crater?” I asked, pointing at a very huge mecha that is stationed idly in its place. It is very tall, about half of the taller commercial building that is placed next to it, and it is painted blue with white limbs and black hands. I stare in amazement when it is revealed that it is actually a military-standard mecha, and it has been used by even some of the basic infantry.

“Ah yes, that thing. Quite a beauty, isn’t it? Glad that we manage to manufacture it en mass so that we can have some more people piloting them.” The officer said, placing a hand on his right hand in a proud expression.

Mass produced military-standard pilot mechas are very common in this world or future, but were only to be deployed should the situation ended up becoming dire. It is impressive that a future like this can exist, more so when the whole place reminds me of Tokyo and a dystopia forming together, though it has a hint of an oppressive state due to a rebellion as the officer mentions. Nonetheless, this future is clearly of the technologically advanced ones.

After I have bid my regards to the helpful guard, going to other places where the conflict has less effect, so going to the area close to a wet market seems to be the best choice.

The wet market area is a stark contrast compared to the previous area. It has smaller buildings, which are far more inclined to the more modern ones, and the wet market is placed in the left side of the large street. Still, there are few people, probably from exiting shops around the place, and they avoid a fallen electric post. There are two soldiers next to the fallen post, assessing the damage that had happen.

I walk on the pavement while observing on the soldiers, who were near next to the police car of where they came. There is also another soldier, who is observing closely into the fallen electric post. With a clipboard in one hand, he is assessing the damage that the post has, with wires scattered around and some of them are slightly sparking. I am worried, as the live wires would be a hazard towards anybody.

Speaking of dangerous hazards…

As the soldier turns his back from the post, the live wires themselves suddenly spring to life and quickly snake towards the unsuspected soldier. He was shocked, literally, as the electricity flowing in the vines are still present and they wrap themselves around his limbs, electrocuting him on the way. As he screams in pain and fear, the wires pull him closer to the fallen pole and his back is slammed towards it. The live wire’s constraints is strong enough that he cannot break free, and he is dying in the spot as electricity fries everything in his body, causing him to scream in pain and drool saliva and/or blood and large, burned wounds appearing through the ripped and smoldered clothes before he drops dead and dies, with electricity still sparking from his burnt body.

I stare in shock, and everyone is panicking on the sudden attack of inanimate objects.

I shiver at sight of his dead body, now lying forcibly in the pole. Patches of his skin is burned and open, with blood, some of the trails already darkened, visible. His head remains limp, facing to the ground, and parts of his uniform have random rips, tears and holes, with the burn marks visible in some parts of it. The sight of his body turns my stomach, and I look away in disgust.

Using my powers carefully and subtly, I unless blades from my hands and slashes away the live wires holding in his body. The live wires were sliced into pieces and falls harmlessly into the ground, with the body of the dead soldier falling down to the ground. The smell of burnt flesh is strong in my nose and I slowly approach to the body.

Kneeling close to the body as it falls into the ground with the back on the concrete ground, I look at the dead body with sadness. Poking it with my finger is tempting, especially in the face. But there is something that is telling me to respect for the dead, for he died in an unexpecting manner. I am given two different options, to carry his body and to deliver a short prayer for the departed soul.

Unfortunately and unfairly, both of them requires a certain and required level for me to perform that activity to the corpse. Even more so with prayer, which tells me that I have to be in Level 5 to pray for the dead and Level 3 to carry a dead body. I became angry and frustrated, as the restriction of my powers is kind of a nuisance and hindrance that prohibits me to enjoy with the dream. With nothing else, I stood up and walk away from the cold, electrified body.

Sometime afterwards, I took in a car through totally legal means (steal it from someone else driving and moving them out of the vehicle) and started driving around the city. Despite with the totally legal act, I prefer to stay on the road, where I would get to watch some sights such as buildings and roads that are mostly empty, due to the recent attack that scares off many civilians. The car is black and sleek, and is designed perfectly for long-range travels like road trips. I continue to drive and move the vehicle around, eventually reaching myself somewhere in the outskirts of the city, where there are less buildings, more greens and trees and has a large creek-like river with a bridge in it.

And unfortunately, I accidentally swivel around, and the vehicle edges itself close to the bridge. Once it is already a bit overboard, the vehicle slowly falls and into my inevitable death. I try to turn it around and to grab by the ledge but couldn’t do so and I just close my eyes as I can feel the vehicle slowly falling down.

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There are several cars that are parked randomly and chaotically in the street, sometimes being destroyed, burned in fire or already charred to blackness. There are random trash scattered around, mostly debris coming from the burned items or some holes and damages in the buildings. People are panicking, confused and scared on what is going on, sometimes going out to the other way just to stay away from any possible fighting. What used to be an intersect, there is now a very large and massive crater in the center of it, deep enough that some of the drainage and water pipes have been exposed and damaged, spilling contents into some parts of the crater. I could also see some random vehicles trapped or buried in the crater, and what seems to be a bus toppled to the side.

I have been start looping again and back to the start of this segment, but I have remembered on what had happened before.

And I ended up being far more bored than usual.

Normally, I would abstain violence, as it is needless and would be a hindrance on my personal journey in my dream. However, the taste of blood and mayhem is strong in this dream and I decided to let loose, even if I would have made the situation of the city even worse.

Following on my inner yet dark desire for blood, I quickly board into a military mecha, where I quickly assume control over it to start my rampage. The mecha’s joints are a bit rusty, but thanks to my lucidity, my POV quickly turn to 3rd Person, where I can now see most of the area above me and it helps me in moving around the place easier.

The soldiers notice me and try to take me down, using rocket launchers or bullets into the more sensitive parts of my joints. I quickly notice this and use the mecha’s heavy weight to crush down upon these feeble soldiers, with the each step or stomp on them transforms into red sticky paste or a swipe that sends them flying into buildings or vehicles, either breaking their bodies or bones or both in the impact. Any vehicle that stands in my way will be stomp down, either flat or damaging it greatly, potentially killing anyone stuck inside.

The military are becoming desperate, as they have no idea that one of their own mechas will turn against them. While the ground units flee, they sent out their trump card; their own mecha, ready for battle, rushing to the field and tackle me down, sending both of us falling down to the crater.

Landing on top of a large, now ruined futuristic bus, both of us engage in close combat, with our fist powerful enough to try knock out each other. Direct offense with no defense skills is dangerous as his punch, if targeting the head, will be fatal to me and so I quickly turn into dodging away from each blow. As each time it is staggering, I pound my fists into the joints of the mecha, taking advantage of its weakness and logics to try to stall it down and eventually claim victory.

A chop in the shoulders causes the mecha to experience disorientation. I can hear the faint sounds of surprises of the operators in the mecha, realizing that their weakness is found. Not giving them a chance to strike me down, I quickly aim their shoulders, with chops and punches to slowly dislodge the joints down, giving me an advantage in battle.

Now armless as the arms are sent flying, the mecha falls down, straight into a large puddle coming from damaged plumage pipes. With the mecha down, I quickly tower of it and start ripping away pieces of the mecha’s body, while screams coming from the operators are faintly heard in my head. After stomping on it, the mecha lies heavily damaged in the water, and the sounds are silent, greatly hinting that the operators are now dead. Black oil slowly seeps from the damaged areas of the mecha, slowly staining the water around the mecha black.

My blood lust has been sated, but I realized on how my activity had cost many lives of great men trying to defend their homes.

Ashamed of what I have done, I quickly realized that the whole damage is not going to help my case. I move out of the mecha and fly passed away from the warzone and into the factory, making less noise along the way. The place will be crawling with stronger units who will be hunting down the strange assailant that cause mayhem in the area and they won’t be so merciful and friendly as with the previous instance when I didn’t go nuts for blood. As I am slowly approaching to an area where it is far enough and away from the looking eyes of the public, I slowly descend my course, until my shoes comes in contact with the black metallic floor of the factory. As I am take small cautious steps towards getting inside the factory, I turn my back to look at the cityscape around me.

The place is beautiful. In spite that it has a strong dystopian cyberpunk-like atmosphere due to the dull sky and fog, there are shimmering skyscrapers, buildings that resemble more out of geometric pieces of art and roads that would boast some fancy and deluxe cars. It is all stripped away from a conflict that I have arrived too late, and only made things worse by going berserk and straight up kill everyone in my path. Now that the damage has been done, I do not know what will happen to the city now, especially since there are two different assailants running around the place, potentially causing more distress amongst the populace.

I sigh sadly, wishing that I should have stop myself from making more kills.

But what is done has been done and now I shall move forward.

#dream #dream journal #fanfiction

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mirroredtranslations · 7 years

Text

Shinobu Mustard - Chapter 47

Shinobumonogatari – Nisioisin p. 252-265

While Koyomi Araragi was receiving an entirely hopeless, yet amusing, reply from Seiu Higasa—“I don't have a bicycle, but I do have a unicycle”—a blond, golden-eyed high school girl succeeded in infiltrating the Japanese mansion that the college student and the specialists' boss had departed together in said college student's car; it was almost like they had passed right by each other.

Nude but for a jet-black cloak, the blond, golden-eyed high school girl wasn't even wearing shoes. She tried to enter the interior of the mansion without getting permission from the head of the household, but a voice called out to her from the garden.

“Hey, hey. Over here, not in there. Long time no see, high school girl. Glad to see you're doing well.”

She turned around. Atop a very fancy rock, in a very fancy garden the point of which she didn't really understand (she had recent been totally absorbed by basketball), was the little girl she had encountered about one week prior.

The blond, golden-eyed girl.

Her name was Deathtopia Virtuoso Suicide-Master—the death-prepared, death-inevitable, death-certain vampire; the ancient vampire.

The same person who had made her into a vampire.

No—the same demon.

“...You seem well, too. Didn't I bury you?”

Without showing much surprise, the blond, golden-eyed vampire asked the little blond, golden-eyed girl, who was for some reason exposing herself in handsome white clothing.

Well, she's an immortal vampire; there's no reason to be astonished that she came back to life.

But this pattern was ironic.

The little girl clad herself in the white clothing in the same manner as she had clad herself in her black cloak—perhaps that is what it means to be a “master” as a vampire.

Master—Suicide-Master.

“Indeed. Somehow or other, it seems I died again. 'Cause I drank your blood—no, your poison, you know. My goodness, I've really gone decrepit. To think that I can't even drink human poison anymore...”

“Don't make it seem like my fault. You just died on your own; I didn't kill you, did I? All I did was bury you.”

“You didn't just bury me. After that, you took up my name of all things and did whatever you pleased with it, isn't that right? Thanks to you, I was forced to take responsibility for an eat-and-run, and everything's been hectic. I just want to go home, but I'm being detained here.”

Her words were quarrelsome, but it didn't seem like she was particularly angry about having her name used in that way. Rather, the little girl seemed to be enjoying the adversity.

An enviable sensibility.

If I had one thousandth of her sensibility, one year of her millennium, I don't suppose I'd have felt so vile in that club—I don't suppose it would have turned out like this.

It appeared that despite becoming a vampire, that aspect of her character had not been “optimized”. Or perhaps, even in its best form, this is simply the limit of my character.

“Even if it was for the purpose of derailing the investigation, I do feel bad about using your name without asking. But I didn't bury you in that mountain out of malice, you know?”

The blond, golden-eyed high school girl spoke honestly.

“I mean, I'm grateful to you. I had intended to give you a burial.”

“A burial? Ah, I see. That's what it was. Interment, huh.”

The blond, golden-eyed girl laughed, “Ka ka!”

“But why did you pick that mountain? That's not where I sucked your blood. It's not even nearby.”

Pondering why the girl was concerned with such a small detail, she answered frankly.

“I'd heard there was a shrine at the top of that mountain. North... Something Shrine. If I had to bury you somewhere, I thought it'd be better to hold the service close to a shrine... But still, if I said I had absolutely no intention of hiding you by burying you, that might be a lie? And I couldn't just leave you there after you'd turned into a mummy.”

“No, no, I really don't mind. Thanks to your half-assed concern, I actually think I was discovered faster.”

“...?”

“By the way, I asked the person who first discovered my body to excuse herself for the time being. Since I failed in sucking your blood, it's hard for me to call you my minion, but even so, I can still sense when you're nearby. Unlike the completely independent Kiss-Shot.”

She was stumped by the incomprehensible things the little girl was saying with that oddly foppish smile.

“Does that mean you have something to talk about with me, Suicide-Master? Could it be that thing again, about 'thank you for the meal' and 'thank you for the food' and stuff—”(1)

Although she feigned apathy, the topic itself was actually of great interest to her, as a girl who had fallen victim to the predations of club activities—so whenever she launched herself upon her crimes, she had put it to good use.

Her flabbergasted teammates' faces were quite the sight.

“If there's something you'd like to ask—”

“Nah, I have nothing to ask you. I've heard the gist of what you've done from the former minion of the former Heart-Under-Blade... He seems like a rather promising guy, but he's got a bad habit of easily letting his guard down around anyone; all I had to do was play the fool, and he told me everything. Even someone like me.”

“......”

The former minion of the former Heart-Under-Blade.

The blond, golden-eyed high school girl surmised that referred to the alumnus Koyomi Araragi.

She had managed to lay her hands on a certain degree of information from the specialist's investigation, but it wasn't the full picture, and just one week ago, she hadn't even known about this world's existence until she encountered the blond, golden-eyed little girl; she didn't have the ability to analyze the information she'd acquired.

She could only guess the details, and had no assurance that her guesses were right—but somehow or other, it seemed true that that famous senpai was a vampire.

“What, then. So you don't have a question, you have a complaint?”

“I don't have a complaint, but I am displeased. To think a bearer of my tough, cool blood would be striding the streets at night for such an uncool reason like revenge.”

Is that what you wanted to do?

Is that why you became a vampire?

Speaking in an amused tone, quite contrary to the words she was saying, the blond, golden-eyed little girl raised her chin up.

“You wanted to become a vampire because you wanted to do stuff like that? Is that why you wanted me to eat you?”

“......”

“Oh, I haven't told the people who are after you about that yet. I have no intention of covering for you, but I sucked your blood in order to put on airs for my old friend. Well... After talking to her it seems she was trying to do the same thing for me, and to say it like you might, it's not like I had absolutely no feelings of that sort myself.”

In any case.

I haven't told them that when I simply asked you for directions, you suddenly prostrated yourself in front of me and begged me to “make you a vampire”—the little girl continued condescendingly.

That must be her personality; however, it irritated her. The same feeling that she always had when she participated in club activities.

Or maybe it was like her rebellious period, when she'd cried to her mother when she was a human, “I never asked you to give birth to me!” But then again, the blond, golden-eyed high school girl had prostrated herself before the little girl and begged her to give birth to her.

“It's not like I was fasting in order to stay faithful to Kiss-Shot—to Princess Acerola—so I had no real reason to refuse the request. I was feeling so carefree that it didn't really matter if I failed. But I never expected that I'd end up turning into a mummy. Even after living for a thousand years, unexpected things still happen, you know?”

Even if you live for a thousand years, huh.

So it's perfectly natural for a teenager too—or possibly, it gets more natural the longer you live.

The blond, golden-eyed high school girl was sick of imagining that—so sick of it she'd rather die, despite at present being immortal.

“...Is that unusual, then? People like me. Fools who ask to be made vampires of their own volition. Fools who do it without even making a pretense.”

“Not entirely. There was another one, six hundred years ago. Ka ka—maybe I remembered that and got all sentimental.”

“Sentimental...”

Vulnerable.

“The former minion of the former Heart-Under-Blade seems to have a bunch of tedious opinions about the issue of eating—but if you ask me, he's missing the crucial point. He's only considering it in terms of eater, eaten, perpetrator, victim; it's not so big of a problem that I had to point it out, but from my view, having lived for a thousand years, it's too shallow.”

In his assumptions about the person being eaten...

He's left out the possibility that the one being eaten wants to be eaten.

The little girl stuck out her tongue.

“Maybe it's easier to understand if I explain it using plants. You know bananas? It's a fruit structured in such a way that no matter how you look at at, it seems like it exists only to be eaten by you primates. It's compact, it's easy to hold, it comes with a wrapper, and it's full of nutrients. You can even rely on it for a punch line where someone slips on the peel.”

“So you're saying the banana wants to be eaten?”

You're saying me asking to become a vampire means I'm a banana?

That's the same reasoning as saying that it's not cruel to eat livestock because they're born for the sake of being eaten—or possibly the same as saying without a doubt that castrating a pet is for the pet's own sake.

You need some doubt, even if it sounds childish.

“Why do flowers bloom so beautifully, why do they produce such sweet nectar? High school girl. To spread their pollen, right? Fruits taste good in order to spread their seeds, right?”

“But that's just plants, isn't it? Surely there's no animal that wishes for itself to be eaten.” Only something like me. “I don't believe there are any.”

“Really? Don't you think there are worms and such that take their shape for the sake of being eaten?”

“I don't eat worms.”

“Ah, is that so. It's good to have likes and dislikes. And things you're particular about. Even disliking things you haven't eaten yet. But there are lots of people who go off making themselves unfortunate of their own accord, right? I'm talking about people who drive themselves into a corner, who get hurt of their own accord.”

“That's...” Only someone like me. “Even if there are people like that, I still can't believe there's a creature that would willingly wish to be eaten.”

“I said, there was one, six hundred years ago. A creature—a human, like that. A princess like that. Though, unlike you, she didn't want to become a vampire for disgraceful purposes like revenge and grudges. She tried to become a vampire with lofty ideals that a tough and cool vampire like me couldn't understand—unlike yours, her reasons were exceptionally productive.”

“......”

Not stillborn—is that what she's trying to say.

“Now that I see she's completely forgotten and utterly lost those lofty ideals, it seems as though she's accomplished them. I'm relieved from the bottom of my heart. How about you? How does it feel to do what you set out to do, eating those humans using your mighty power?”

Being compared with a forbear she'd never even met, the blond, golden-eyed high school girl felt as though she'd been seen through.

She felt absolutely no sense of accomplishment.

Rather, she felt empty.

Revenge is a futile thing—she'd never thought those cheap words would turn out to be the truth.

From the bottom of her heart, she was empty.

Dried up, like a mummy.

However, she couldn't quit.

Right.

In the first place, she hadn't done what she'd set out to do.

That's why she'd slipped past so many sets of eyes to come here—to do it.

“Slipped past? Don't use such a showoffy turn of phrase, high school girl—you plotting to make me die of laughter? Making plans, playing tricks, weaving facts with falsehoods, darting about from place to place like a cockroach, and finally coming here in secret. As far as the 'living' part goes, the cockroach is superior to you.”

“...That's right. In that regard, it was disappointing. A letdown. I'd thought vampires were better than this. Really, being weak to the sun is just the worst, isn't it?”

She'd intended to be sarcastic, but the blond, golden-eyed little girl didn't seem to heed it. Far from it; her attitude was full of composure.

“Yeah. We're not all that great. It's continuous stoicism, like a diet. These past thousand years, I've darted around in secret from place to place just like you—and I got captured, as if it's time for me to pay the piper. I called you disgraceful, but I'm just as disgraceful myself.”

“...Don't dishearten me like that. I wanted you to play up the good parts of being a vampire. If you'd like, I can prepare a whiteboard for you? You can give a presentation aimed at young people who will very soon have the right to vote, Ten Reasons Why You Should Become a Vampire.”

“You'll never have the right to vote, you know. And what you're feeling now isn't disappointment, it's despair. As befits the walking dead.”

“The non-walking dead... you mean it's better to be a mummy?”

Naturally, it brought to mind the former teammates she had attacked—although she'd never thought of those girls as teammates.

Just when her feelings turned gloomier than the dark of night, the blond, golden-eyed little girl voiced a proposal.

“I have good news for a desperate girl like you. Nothing good about being a vampire, but good news nonetheless.”

“Good news? Like a good story?”

“Vampires don't get good stories. If I had to say, this is a business proposal. In other words, it's not so much good news, as it is a good offer.”

“Tell me.”

She snapped back, immediately.

It seemed she wouldn't be able to achieve her goal in coming to this Japanese mansion—but it would be annoying to be turned away and go back empty-handed.

The investigators were steadily closing in on her.

It's only a matter of time before a cockroach gets crushed.

She wouldn't deny that she had drowned in the mighty power she had obtained following her supplication, but even so, but she wasn't such a fool as to be unable to objectively judge the situation she was in.

She'd had good grades. Until she'd joined the girls' basketball team, that is.

“What's the good offer?”

“Go ahead and eat me.”

The little girl spoke without putting on any airs.

“If you wish to return to being human, you can suck up all my blood. Since I'm the one who turned you, that will let you go back to being human.”

“Did I say anything about wanting to turn back into a human? I know I said it wasn't a good thing to be a vampire, but I don't recall saying it was a bad thing either?”

“You said it was the worst, didn't you?”

“A figure of speech. Please don't find fault with my Japanese. And I don't recall saying being human was all that great—or that being a high school girl was all that great, either.”

“If that's what you think, don't just suck my blood; eat my whole body. Bite and break, down to my flesh and bones. By killing your master, you'll obtain more power than what you have now as an incomplete vampire. Uh, what was it? Like in smartphone games... Leveling up?”

Not lacking for kindness, she gave an example that a teenage youngster would find easy to understand; however, a vampire talking about smartphone games is a bit, well...

Somehow, it seemed this hungry, gourmet, dandy vampire was bad at giving presentations.

“Either way, there are no drawbacks for you. If you want to go back to being human, you can go back to being human. If you want to become a more powerful, more dreadful vampire, you can become a more powerful, more dreadful vampire—at the very least, you won't have to scurry around secretly as much as you do now. So, what'll it be?”

“...So is there anything in it for you? In this good news. In this good offer. In this business proposal.”

The two options seemed to call for a decision to be made as soon as the question was posed, but the blond, golden-eyed high school girl carefully delayed answering. The offer was too good to be true—rather, it was suspicious.

It almost seemed unappetizing—she oughtn't eat it up without scrutiny.

“Whether I drink your blood or eat you, basically, that means you'll die. Despite living for a thousand years, being tough and cool, you'll die. What the hell? Self-sacrifice, is that it? The death-prepared, death-certain, death-inevitable vampire is going to die for just my sake?”

“Of course not. The basis of a business proposal is that it kills both birds with one stone, right?”

Even with her falling language grades she knew that “killing two birds with one stone” didn't mean that both parties benefited from a deal, but it would be childish to find fault with the freedom of expression of a vampire who'd come all the way from overseas.

“Even if you don't drink my blood or eat me, I'm going to die anyway. Like this.”

“If things keep up like this, you mean?”

“No, I'm going to die. No ifs. Whether I do something or do nothing, I'll die. It appears I'm at my limit. I could easily have fallen into truly eternal sleep when your poison turned me into a mummy—if you hadn't buried me where you did, I would have. By divine arrangement—or maybe, by Heaven's grace—I've swollen up again, true. But in the end, this is like a dream on the verge of death.”

“You talk like you've drunk water from the Sanzu River.”(2)

“Quite right. The water of a mirage.”

For some reason, the frivolous talk flowed readily.

Really, what was it she drank?

“I'll starve to death. I'll die of anorexia. Wouldn't that be super uncool? That's why I want you to kill me—this time, I want you to kill me. I want you to kill me once more.”

“......”

“Truth be told, I'd thought about asking the former minion of the former Heart-Under-Blade to do it, but he didn't seem to be the right kind of person. Just when I'd reluctantly switched over to negotiating my escape from this country, your arrival here gave me some hope. Hope, even for a desperate vampire.”

“So, you want to commit suicide? Like, the cause of death for eight out of ten... or nine out of ten... vampires is suicide, right?”

Since it was a hypothesis she'd produced by independently analyzing the internal information she'd obtained, she wasn't very confident in it, but somehow, it appeared to be at least half correct.

“Yeah. We all commit suicide,” she agreed. “Both Kiss-Shot and her first minion wished for their own deaths in this country. But if you ask me, suicide is even more uncool than anorexia. It's not remotely suitable for the conclusion of my tough and cool story.”

That's why.

I want to be killed before I start wanting to commit suicide.

“So you want assisted suicide—er, euthanasia?”

“I want to die with dignity. That's the only way to die that suits my pride. Dying nobly, and harshly. I did pretend to still be vigorous, hale, and hearty with Kiss-Shot—but I was putting up a front.”

This is the end.

Said the blond, golden-eyed girl—the end? The end of what? Scurrying around in secret? Or, possibly, the vampire race itself?

In a world where science is in a golden age, there are no more shadows and crevices for oddities to live—was this like an ancestor lecturing her about a dwindling tradition?

She even got a little angry.

The offer certainly didn't have any drawbacks for her, but she felt as if she'd be quitting when she was ahead; would that be eat-and-run?

“Why me? Why was I chosen?”

“You're the one who'll choose. I made it sound like just two options, but you don't have to drink my blood or eat me. Even in my weakened state, there's a limited number of people who are able to kill me, but I'm in no particular hurry. I'm in no rush to die. But after seeing my old friend living happily and carefree with my own eyes, my regrets have gone away.”

I feel no regrets.

To the ears of a girl who had left behind so many false messages around the high school girls she had attacked, those words echoed with bitter irony that even approached abuse.

“So—that's the reason, that's the only reason you came to this country? To make your regrets go away?”

“Right. It was one of the ten things I wanted to do before I die. If I didn't confirm the safety of the friend I'd fallen for, tough and cool me, I couldn't die even if I tried.”

She had followed her feelings at wit's end, and chose to become a vampire. She couldn't understand the idea of “feeling no regrets”.

She couldn't even try to understand.

Far from it.

There was nothing left for her.

No choices, no margins. Not even a self.

“I see. I will kill you, then. That will resolve our debt. I chose to be killed, so I will choose to kill you. Die with pride. Die nobly, and harshly.”

“Thanks for that. Guess my begging paid off.”

Her self-important attitude up until now was begging? Far from prostrating herself, she'd been leaning back.

“By the way, what did you decide on? Will I die from having my blood sucked? Or will I die from being eaten?”

“What will it be, I wonder...”

As if the blond, golden-eyed little girl had surmised that she didn't intend to say, she changed her question.

“Well, either is fine as long as you don't screw up. Oh, that's right, would you mind telling me your name? I'd like to know the name of the vampire who will kill the great me.”

“...Alright. I'll tell you that much. The name of your killer is—”

The moment she would have given her name, and the moment she would have gone in for the kill, a voice cut in boorishly from behind her.

“Kie Harimaze.”

Looking back, she saw a college student wearing what appeared to be high-quality women's pajamas, hair in twintails, gasping for breath.

In other words, Koyomi Araragi.

Footnotes: (1) Itadakimasu and gochisou-sama, expressions of manners used before and after a meal, respectively. (2) The Sanzu River is the Buddhist equivalent of the River Styx.

#shinobumonogatari #shinobu mustard #monogatari #translation

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michikoroko · 8 years

Text

Golden Love

Someone said I wouldn't make it but I did.

It's a Friday morning. Bangkok's rush hour had begun. Wearing my slip ons, white t-shirt and "Thai" pants, I carried my backpack to Sala Daeng train station, keeping my passport, cellphone and money tucked inside another small body bag. After transferring at Siam Station, I got off at Mo Chit, which is also the last stop on the Sukhumvit line. The station didn't provide free wi-fi, so I had to rely solely on my offline resources (for directions). The best tip when you travel solo is to have internet data but in case you've missed out on buying a local sim card or renting a pocket modem which you can carry around, then research about your destination a day before and screenshot everything.

Thailand is a multi-cultural country and English signs are present in some places. But sometimes, it's hard to find someone to answer your elaborate questions.

I eventually crossed a sky bridge to go to the other side of the road where people waited for buses in different colors and number schemes which messed me up big time. According to my screenshot, I could take any of the 6 buses on my list. When I asked the man inside the info portal, he said I could only ride 2 of those to Mo Chit 2 Bus station for Northern and Eastern Thai routes. Actually I wasn't sure if I understood him right but from what I've heard, I could only take bus number 3 or 7. The over thinker in me wondered what could have happened if I took the wrong bus. Ha.

Anyways, I met a family from Hong kong while I was waiting for bus number 3/7 and while being convinced by this taxi driver to rent his car for a day instead of taking the public commute. It was expensive but convenient. I swear, with the heat at 10AM, I was so close to giving in. Good thing Paul agreed I could go with them up to Ayutthaya. Saved me tons.

The local bus ride to Mo Chit 2 reminded me so much of my bus ride when I went to Sagada, Mountain province, in my country. It was an old, ordinary bus which accelerated while the passengers were still boarding. The metal railings were rusty, and the roof partly black, maybe from accumulated smoke. The seats were cushioned though and the conductor was a lady holding paper tickets and she had some paper money tucked in between her fingers. I think I asked her three times if the bus will stop at my destination (just to be sure) good thing she didn't lose patience. *whoops* I sat beside the window, "inhaling" the city, letting the wind brush against my face, and staring at random noodle characters as we moved. I paid 6.50baht for the 10 minute blissful ride.

A group of Thai drivers approached us at the entrance of one of the busiest bus stations in Bangkok, asking where are we going. I was skeptical to follow one man directly to the van because I was thinking he might charge us more than the standard ticket price which is only 60baht. So I asked the driver. He was wearing a blue uniform polo and an ID. He had tan skin, deep eyes and tried his best to talk to us in English. The people in Thailand look so much like my countrymen to be honest. Maybe it was also a reason why I felt at home the moment I arrived. I was relieved when he said it was only 60baht indeed. I boarded the mini bus (which is actually an air conditioned van) and took the 1st row at the back of the driver. Paul's parents sat happily at the back. Paul sat beside me and although he kept on looking at his phone for directions, I think he's finally relieved too. After the van has been filled up, we finally left for the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thai: พระนครศรีอยุธยา) is the former capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River, the city was founded in 1351 by King Ramathibodi I, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. It is one of the world's largest cities at that time, when it was sometimes known as the "Venice of the East".

In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognised internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins, characterised by the prang (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendor.

And I am here to travel back in that time.

I fell asleep (but not really) and when I opened my eyes, a Chedi greeted me in the middle of the city. I was imagining corn or rice fields, rivers, small houses and long winding roads but Ayutthaya isn't like that. They had malls, offices, schools, restaurants, hotels and cars filled up the roads just like what I've witnessed in Bangkok. The charming thing about it is that in between these modernities, lie history preserved by time and culture unshaken by intruders. I knew I was up for a treat when I've arrived at my hostel by a motorbike.

Leaving my slippers outside, I entered Stockhome with a bright smile. Chill music was playing, vintage cabinets are around, books and figures piled in the corners, plants hanging, photo frames screaming "artsy" and the smell of coffee was very inviting. A boy at the front desk accommodated me and showed me my bed. He also gave me my own key. The sun outside was shining brightly and I was freakin tired but the breeze was cool enough to calm me and God, this house is quaintly beautiful.

After drinking lots of water, and resting for a bit, I started planning my day out.

Another tip when you travel solo is to keep your valuables few and handy. If you stay in a guest house, especially if you are in a dorm room, chances are you will be leaving your bag(s) behind when you go out without no one to look out for them. Lockers provided are just usually boxed types where you could leave small stuff but I don't know I do not like leaving things in there anyways.

I brought my bandana, my small body bag, rented a bike and secured a map. It was akhgahldnadbgk hot to walk and too expensive to rent a tuktuk alone so biking was the best option. I have my own pace and sightseeing preference, although there was no one to take my candid photos. Haha. Kidding.

Not too far, I've reached the first stretch of Ayutthaya's glory.

There were people in groups but not too many to ruin my photo goals. The tourists were mindful of their behavior which is good and everyone followed the signs. I was biking along a brick road but I had to stop and stare at the temples, pagodas and monumental proportions around me. The sun was shining outrageously, it was blinding but wow. So majestic, spellbinding, and beautiful these ruins -- thought my jaw dropped to the ground.

They did that???

The day is still young and I have the whole city at the palm of my hands!

I picked one park to pay for and explored the others by passing through the free bike lanes. I was provided my own chain and lock so I didn't have any problems leaving mine anywhere if I wanted to stop by some tracks.

I've noticed that many of the tourists were Japanese. The tour guides spoke Nihongo. A group of girls low key talked about me and said that my Thai pants are kawaii and they thought I didn't understand that but I did. One girl noticed I looked at them and almost instinctively, we bowed to each other.

I didn't take a lot of selfies because all I did was to take pictures of every structure I've walked by and photograph the sky and my feet or my bike. I was too preoccupied by the beauty before my eyes in spite of myself. I remember my history books and my childhood while I look at the tall prangs. Like a movie scene, for a minute, this now empty Kingdom came back to life in my head. But still, a lot of questions flooded my mind. How was it being a girl in this city back then? what did the boys loved doing in their free time? how did the people spend their days or cook their food?

I could only wonder.

After 2 hours and a half of looking, I left Wat Mahathat and pedaled again. It was almost sunset. As I went further down the road, I came across the Elephant park, where people paid to ride the Elephants wearing red and gold vests with small seating carts on top. They looked lovely from afar but I was opposed to riding them because my sensitive heart felt like crumbling at the sight of their dewey eyes while touring the people around.

I was at my last temple stop for the day when I saw two familiar girls parking their bikes beside mine. I am sure I saw them at the unicorn cafe in Bangkok so I approached them. I thought they were established travel buddies from the start but turned out they only knew each other in Bangkok. One is from the Netherlands, and one is from Chile. So basically, we are three solo travel girls hoping to feed our wanderlusts.

I asked them if I could go with them and they didn't hesitate even for a second to say yes. They even invited me to have dinner with them later in the night. Sareengka took beautiful photos of me on top of this beautiful chedi which is impossible in selfies. I was so grateful. Nicole gave me her number and said we could get in touch even after I come back home as they will continue to travel for the next two months. We said our good byes for the mean time and I called it a day. I couldn't wait to get back to my hostel, take a cold shower and change into some fresh, clean clothes. I sweated like crazy and my face still felt like burning from the heat.

But before bringing back my bike to the shop, I stopped by a corner and held my heart. Isn't it amazing? to find the courage to roam the streets where they do not speak your language? to handle your own wheels and control your own brakes? to eat and drink alone without feeling lonely? to find people without even looking for them in the first place? to meet strangers in an unfamiliar city, to bond like long time friends and to develop this sense of accomplishment because you made it this far? isn't it wonderful to fill your brain with images of the ruins as the sun begins to set, making it look like the sky is touching the tip of the pagodas in illuminating shades of gold and brown? I thought about a lot of things. I let myself swim in emotions. It was one of my best winning moments. Today, I let life happen. This day wouldn't be nameless in the years to come. I will remember this forever.

🎶 "The world isn't over yet. We've still got a chance to place our bets. We'll start over fresh, living a life with no regrets" -No Regrets (Magic!) 🎶

PS: vlog is coming!

#travelogue #ayutthaya #thailand #historicalpark #historylover #personal #becoming #wanderlust #noregrets #solotravel

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dinakaplan · 6 years

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Amazing Alliums — Why These Disease-Fighting Veggies Are Worth Eating Every Day!

Have you heard of alliums? The most common ones are onions and garlic. These veggies have some incredible benefits. In this article, you’ll see exactly why Allium vegetables are so good for us (for most of us, anyway). And you’ll learn easy ways to get more of them in your diet.

Once upon a time, according to an old Jewish folktale, a man heard from a traveler about a wealthy kingdom that didn’t use onions in their cuisine. In fact, they had never seen or heard of the tasty bulbs!

The enterprising man packed a cart with onions and traveled to the kingdom. And when he arrived, he presented the onions to the king.

The king loved them. And he rewarded the man by filling his cart with gold. Upon his return to his own village, the man told his neighbors what had happened. One of them reasoned that he could make even more money by introducing garlic to this kingdom. After all, garlic is even more pungent and delicious than onions!

The neighbor’s intuition proved correct. The king adored garlic and proclaimed it the best tasting food he had ever eaten. Mere gold wouldn’t adequately compensate for this delicacy. Instead, he sent the man home with the greatest treasure his kingdom could supply: a cart full of onions!

This story tells us a lot about the human love of Alliums: a unique family of plants that are widely used in both traditional medicine and everyday food.

Even if you haven’t heard the term “Allium” before, you’re probably more familiar with these vegetables than you think. And you probably eat the most common ones, onions and garlic, pretty often.

Me? I eat Alliums almost daily. I love them almost as much as that folktale king!

All(ium) in the Family — What Are the Allium Vegetables?

The word Allium is Latin for “garlic.” But the Allium family includes onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, chives, and shallots.

Below, you’ll find more about the history and uses of some of the most popular Alliums.

Garlic

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Humans have used garlic for thousands of years. Even the Bible and early recorded history mention garlic.

Garlic and its extracts have been used to treat a variety of conditions. These include leprosy, deafness, earaches, gastrointestinal problems, parasitic infections, and fevers.

It was one of the earliest interventions used in historical epidemics, such as cholera, typhus, dysentery, and influenza. (It’s also a popular vampire repellant!)

Today, garlic is most popular as a seasoning that provides a strong aroma and flavor.

When you buy or eat garlic, it’s usually the clove or bulb. But did you know that you can also eat the green shoots (called scapes) that grow off of the cloves?

You can find garlic in whole bulb form, in cloves, as a paste, minced in a jar, or ground into powder.

Onions

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Onions may be a household staple today, but in the past, people viewed them with reverence.

Ancient Egyptians worshipped them. They even buried onions with pharaohs, believing that their round shape and internal rings were symbolic of eternity. Onions were also once used as currency in the Middle Ages to pay for things like goods and rent.

Onions come in a variety of colors and sizes. And they have a huge range of uses in cooking. You can find red, white, yellow, pearl, and sweet onions in many grocery stores.

Most are inexpensive and shelf-stable when kept in cool, dry places.

Chives

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Chives are some of the hardiest Alliums and are a variety of onion.

Sometimes, I forget I planted them until they pop up — usually even more densely — in my garden the following year. And if you don’t remember to cut them down in the fall, they’ll start growing beautiful purple flowers and lose some of their pungency.

These flowers — called chive blossoms — are edible and great on salads. Did you ever pick chives straight from the garden and chew on them as a kid? I did, and while the taste was a bit sharp, it was also memorable.

Shallots

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Shallots are sometimes considered gourmet onions, which is often reflected in their high price at the grocery store.

Shallots have the botanical name ascalonicum. And they get their name from Ascalon, an ancient Palestinian city.

Shallots didn’t get much recognition on their own until 1963 when they were subcategorized apart from onions.

Scallions

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Scallions are also known as green onions and spring onions, Welsh onions, or Japanese bunching onions.

They’re popular all over the world but are native to Asia.

Scallions are long, skinny, green onions with a white bulb at the end.

They can grow to be 20 inches long. The green and white parts of a scallion offer different tastes and uses in different dishes.

Leeks

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Leeks look a bit like scallions, but they’re a lot thicker. Leeks also have a green and white end, all of which you can eat.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy these is in a potato leek soup.

Leeks have been the national symbol for Wales for centuries. One legend says that soldiers wore leeks in their helmets during a battle against the Saxons. March 1st is St. David’s Day, a Welsh holiday which celebrates the life of their patron saint. To this day, many Welsh people honor the occasion by wearing leeks.

Organosulfur Compounds — The Most Unique Property of Allium Vegetables

Alliums contain sulfur in the form of organosulfur compounds.

These compounds have widely known health benefits.

For instance, they have antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. They have also been shown to help prevent blood clots, be anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and potentially anti-aging.

These compounds are responsible for many of the most potent health benefits offered by Alliums. (I’ll discuss more a bit later.)

Why Alliums Can Fend for Themselves

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Ever had garlic or onion breath after a delicious meal? (It’s okay — you can admit it!)

This lingering pungency is a characteristic unique to the Allium family, thanks to that high sulfur content I mentioned.

Not all Alliums smell or taste quite as strong as garlic and onions. Their strength actually depends on the sulfur content of the soil in which Alliums are grown.

In fact, if an Allium vegetable grows in sulfur-depleted soil, the plant would lack this typical trait. Wouldn’t it be strange to eat an onion that didn’t have an onion flavor?

The taste and odor that so many of us love about Alliums is the same reason predators in the wild can’t stand them. This zestiness is actually a natural defense system. Alliums release their sulfuric compounds when their tissue is damaged.

Have you ever felt your eyes burn or tear up while cutting an onion? Or have you noticed the way your sinuses may instantly clear when you mince a fresh clove of garlic?

This is the Allium defense mechanism in action. And it works well in nature to keep predators from eating these plants. At least, until the insect and animal kingdoms figure out how to make use of onion goggles!

If you’re the outdoorsy type, this unique property can actually benefit you directly. When you eat garlic, your body gives off a scent that ticks tend to avoid — helping to prevent tick bites.

Why Alliums Make Your Eyes Water

Onions, leeks, scallions, and shallots have something else up their sleeve. It’s called the lachrymatory factor — which refers to its ability to make your eyes water. The effect of this enzyme intensifies when you cut or chop them.

Want to chop onions without crying your eyes out?

This video shows you one way to cut an onion to prevent crying:

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Note: You wouldn’t want to place the inner bulb in the garbage disposal, but you could compost it.

And here are a few more ideas that might help :

Try cutting onions under running water;

Slice them close to an open flame from a gas stove or a candle — just don’t forget to extinguish it when you’re done;

Try freezing onions for a little while (but not too long so that they become mushy);

Or you can always try wearing goggles.

And make sure you wash your hands well after cutting onions!

5 Fabulous Health Benefits of Allium Vegetables

In addition to their remarkable sulfuric compounds, Alliums provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, potassium, selenium, and manganese.

Onions and garlic are particularly rich in soluble fibers called fructans, which can help promote healthy gut bacteria. This is one reason members of this vegetable family are so potent at supporting a healthy microbiome.

There are many other excellent benefits of eating more Alliums. Let’s unpeel some of these layers.

#1 — Alliums Have Antioxidant Power

The Allium family offers powerful antioxidants, such as quercetin, which can have applications in treating chronic disease.

Quercetin can slow tumor growth. And it’s been shown to be effective in colon cancer treatment. It may also reduce symptoms of bladder infections, help reduce blood pressure, and promote prostate health. It’s also a natural antihistamine.

Garlic, onions, leeks, and chives contain other flavonoids that promote the production of glutathione, known as “the mother of all antioxidants.”

Glutathione is essential for every cell in your body. It boosts your immune system, protects your heart, and helps remove toxins.

#2 — Alliums Are Heart Healthy

Eating garlic and onions can be good for your heart. They are known to prevent blood clots, lower triglycerides, prevent plaque buildup in your arteries and have antioxidant properties.

Garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Onions may also help to increase HDL (“good” cholesterol), especially when eaten raw.

A 2017 study in the Journal of Hypertension looked at the relationship between frequent consumption of Allium vegetables and incidence of cardiovascular disease. The researchers analyzed 3,052 adult men and women for six years, using food frequency questionnaires to evaluate their diet.

Even with adjustment for potential confounding variables, they found that those who consistently ate more Allium vegetables reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by a stunning 64%.

#3 — Alliums Have Antimicrobial Properties

Studies have shown that pure allicin (one of the compounds in garlic) can be effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E.coli, Candida albicans, and human intestinal parasites and viruses.

This is particularly interesting because — amidst a full-blown antibiotic resistance crisis — modern medicine is increasingly ineffective in the face of “superbugs.” Instead, natural substances, such as allicin, appear to be coming to our rescue when pharmaceuticals no longer can.

A 2015 study conducted at a hospital in Western India showed that garlic juice was effective against E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two bacteria commonly found in hospital settings.

Oral bacteria can be significantly reduced by a mouthwash that contains 10% garlic in the solution. (Note: I don’t recommend using this mouthwash before a date!)

#4 — Alliums Help Prevent Cancer

A 2011 meta-analysis published in the journal Gastroenterology found that people who ate large amounts of Alliums had a lower risk of gastric cancer.

The researchers reviewed outcomes from 21 studies on Allium vegetables and gastric cancer conducted between 1966 and 2010, which involved 543,220 participants. They concluded that high consumption of onion, garlic, leek, Chinese chive, scallion, and garlic stalk has a strong potential for cancer prevention.

Additional studies show the benefit of eating Alliums for other types of cancers:

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) is a vast and ongoing study of people from 10 different countries. It looks at the impact of nutrition on cancer. So far, it’s found that those who eat more onion and garlic have a reduced risk of intestinal cancer.

Other research shows that Allium intake can reduce the risk for prostate, esophageal, breast, and pancreatic cancers.

A 1999 study of 234 adults shows that Alliums— particularly garlic, onions, scallions, and chives — reduced risk of esophageal cancer when eaten at least once per week.

Researchers in a 2002 study in China also found garlic and scallions especially promising in reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men.

And a 2016 study published in the Journal of Breast Cancer found that eating a lot of garlic and leeks could reduce breast cancer risk.

(Allium vegetables are some of the top 10 cancer-fighting foods.)

#5 — Alliums Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Alliums are also great for reducing inflammation. This is one reason why they’re said to have a potential for anti-aging effects.

The quercetin in onions can be therapeutic for inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and relieving painful joints.

South Korean researchers isolated thiocremonone, an organosulfur compound in garlic. They found that it displayed anti-inflammatory properties.

Heating garlic appears to reduce its allicin activity and anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that eating raw garlic offers more benefits in this regard.

Why Alliums Aren’t for Everyone

Alliums are accessible and offer health benefits for many people, but they’re not for everyone.

Health professionals may advise some people to avoid including allium vegetables in their diet:

IBS — Between 25 and 45 million people in the United States experience Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder that can cause extreme stomach discomfort and changes in bowel habits. Some of the most popular Alliums — garlic, leeks, shallots, and onions — are very high in fructans, which can, in some cases, trigger IBS symptoms.

Alliums and the Ayurvedic Diet — Alliums, specifically onions and garlic, can be strictly off the menu when it comes to the Ayurvedic Diet. The Ayurvedic Diet was created alongside the traditional practice of yoga. Garlic and onions are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine, so why avoid them in the diet? Ayurvedic practitioners believe that onions and garlic fall into a category of foods that increase one’s fiery energy, which takes away from the focus needed to experience healthy emotional balance. I’m not aware of any research studies that appear to back up this particular piece of the Ayurvedic approach.

How Can You Enjoy Alliums?

Alliums offer delicious flavors to meals.

They make your kitchen smell different (love it or hate it, there’s no question you’ll notice it!). And they’re highly versatile. You can use them in soups, sauces, salads, casseroles, atop pizza, in a breakfast scramble, or simply roasted by themselves.

Excellent Recipes That Center Around the Use of Allium Vegetables

Creamy Potato Leek Soup from The Full Helping

This simple and tasty soup only calls for a handful of ingredients, including nutrient-packed nutritional yeast. It’s perfect for a chilly evening meal. For even more Alliums, you could add garlic to the base and top your finished bowl with sliced green onions. (You can avoid the oil by using water or vegetable broth to cook the veggies.)

Citrus and Onion Salad from The Kitchn

An atypical pairing of fruit and vegetables, this salad is a winning combination of citrus sweetness and onion bitterness. Plus, you have the added benefit of many colorful nutrients together on one plate. (You can leave out the oil if you wish.)

Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes from Minimalist Baker

It doesn’t get much better than a creamy, garlicky sauce on top of a hearty pasta dish. This is a perfect example of how you can use garlic to blanket an entire meal in the best way. (You can use water or vegetable broth to cook the vegetables. And you could also use pasta made from beans or lentils for a protein-packed meal.)

Allium Broth from Food Republic

Why does bone broth get a lot of attention these days? Try this nutrient-rich, bone-free allium broth. It’s sure to warm your belly. And it might even boost your immune system in the process.

Alliums Are Worth Adding to Your Diet (In Most Cases)!

Though some Alliums might make you cry when you chop them, you can take steps to avoid that problem.

And it’s worth it! Allium vegetables contain many potent natural substances that are good for your heart, your cells, and your immune system.

Also, Allium vegetables are tasty (a little too tasty, some might say). And they’re one of the most affordable and nutritious ways to add flavor and aroma to almost any dish.

Tell Us in the Comments:

Do you like Allium vegetables or do you find them too strong in taste or odor?

What’s your favorite way to use Alliums at home?

Do you have a favorite (or least favorite) Allium?