#yuri gambling

[ilaiyayaya]

I am so excited to read through so much mediocrity I love wading through garbage in search of a slightly shinier piece of garbage! Honestly my favorite hobby. I've downloaded a bunch of free and cheap English visual novels, as well as like, 20 demos over the last like 3 months in preparation for just going through and binging a bunch of them over a month or 2. Most of them I know literally nothing about, I found a lot of them through just random sources like single Twitter posts or forum posts, or like Steam games with like 10 reviews. Realistically most of them probably won't be amazing given the sheer quantity I've queued up and how unknown they are but like, if I find a single one that's even like a 7/10 it'll make it all worth it. Outside of a few really popular ones like Doki Doki Literature Club and uhhhhhhhh (i'm sure there's others but it supports my point to not be able to even remember any others!) English VNs are like, super niche, like VNs in general are already kinda niche, but English VNs are like, even further beyond like nobody gives a shit about them at all (including me, until now) and that sucks I'm sure there's gotta be some really good ones, but because they're not made in Japan the losers in my silly Discord servers HATE them.

Most of them are also really short, even the longer ones aren't like, 50+ hours which is like, average for what I'm used to. Plus since I'm doing this for the sole purpose of finding new cool stuff I have absolutely no issue with just dropping one like an hour in if it doesn't click with me I WILL NOT FORCE MYSELF TO FINISH THEM IF I'M NOT HAVING FUN JUST BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE NOT FINISHING THINGS I WILL NOT DO THAT sorry I need to create a public statement in order to hold myself accountable for anything or else I will 100% force myself to 100% literally all of these even if I hate them because I'm stupid and insane. I already played a few of them, namely Without a Voice and Milk Inside a Bag of Milk (not Outside a Bag of Milk yet tho, also I know that one technically isn't an English VN it's Russian but like, I don't care about your language, I only care about Cookie's Bustle) and they were both pretty good, so off to a pretty good start so far, hopefully the rest are equally good :). I'm not reading the fucking bird dating simulator I don't even remember what it's called I'M NOT READING SHITPOSTS THIS IS SERIOUS TIME I ONLY READ SERIOUS VISUAL NOVELS

[starrysharks]

bella bartender

speedpaint link below:

https://x.com/starrysharks/status/1775239548882063616?t=G6B4eWy5MvVs3qAvwaaG7g&s=09

[tartetasin]

There is no way to quell my desire ღ

[historyhermann]

Otaku Elf Review

Otaku Elf, also known as Edomae Erufu, is a fantasy comedy anime. It is based on a seven-volume manga illustrated and written by Akihiko Higuchi. Directed by Takebumi Anzai, it is produced by C2C, a studio founded in April 2006. This post will have spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the thirty-fourth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on June 5, 2023.

This series focuses on a sixteen-year-old named Koito Koganei (voiced by Yuka Ozaki). She becomes a shrine maiden, known as miko, at a shrine in Takamini after the death of her grandfather. As a result, she becomes the caretaker of Eldarie "Elda" Irma Fanomene (voiced by Ami Koshimizu). Elda is an immortal and beautiful elf summoned from another world. Koito encounters challenges as Elda is an otaku and hikikomori/shut-in who fears going outside the shrine following an unpleasant interaction many years prior. Even so, she attempts to get Elda to enjoy life outside the shrine.

Originally, I had not been planning to write a review of this series because I'm already reviewing nine other series this season, either about magical girls (Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure and Tokyo Mew Mew New), legendary warriors (Unicorn Warriors: Eternal), VTubers (Kizuna no Allele), a yuri-themed cafe (Yuri Is My Job!), golf girls (Birdie Wing), idols (Oshi No Ko), or other subjects (Alice Gear Aegis Expansion and Skip and Loafer). One motivation for writing this review was because of Sailor Moon, which I'm currently watching, for the first time. It features Rei Hino as a shrine maiden, when she isn't Sailor Mars.

The animation style, comedy of an immortal elf being an otaku meeting a normal person, and the centrality of food, drew me in. The latter is primarily grounded in the cooking by Koyuzu (voiced by Hitomi Sekine), the younger sister of Koito. The same can be said for Koito and Elda's stories often becoming intertwined. Also, there are characters which are portrayed as "cute", like Koito's friend Koma Sakuraba (voiced by Haruka Aikawa).

I liked that every episode of Otaku Elf has some story about past Japanese culture, especially from the Edo period. Of course, Elda does all she can to impress Koito no matter what. This is despite the fact that although she has a laptop, she doesn't know how to use a cell phone. When she does use it, she texts so much that she angers the spirits! Elda does not know everything, however, and doesn't pretend she is all-knowing. She is wise, but not omniscient.

Yordeilla "Yord" Lila Fenomenea (voiced by Rie Kugimiya) and Himawari Kohinata (voiced by Teru Ikuta) are a good addition to the series. Yord is a dark-skinned elf, who is bad at directions, and has an absurd rivalry with Elda over an equivalent of tic-tac-toe. Dr. Akane Sasaki (voiced by Yumi Uchiyama) was similarly a positive character. In fact, she is shown in the seventh episode with Kadoi, getting drunk at a bar, with both of them as an interesting pair of characters together.

There is undeniable yuri subtext in this series, specifically between Koito and Elda, especially shown in the fifth episode. Otaku Elf has a degree of intimacy it can turn to and expand in each episode. As such, the series centers on the importance of spending time with others above everything else. In that way, Otaku Elf is special.

In marked contrast to Birdie Wing, the value of studying, and education as an extension, is emphasized through Koito's intense studying in the sixth episode. The importance of taking breaks and not over-extending oneself is an interrelated theme.

I like the slice-of-life nature of Otaku Elf. This makes it different from magic-themed series such as Healer Girl and Management of a Novice Alchemist. Similarly, it is nothing like recent slice-of-life anime. The latter includes Let's Make a Mug Too, The Aquatope on White Sand, Teasing Master Takagi-san, and Laid-Back Camp.

The series differs from YuruYuri, Gabriel DropOut, Is the Order a Rabbit?, Kin-iro Mosaic, Non Non Biyori, K-On!, and Azumanga Daioh, in the same genre. Elda is a living history resource, who is good at origami, but can have awful nightmares. There's occasional casual alcoholism. But, it isn't as present as it is in Bocchi the Rock!. The latter features a sick bassist named Kikuri Hiroi, who spends most of her money on booze.

The seventh Otaku Elf episode was one of the best in the entire series. It primarily focused on Koyuzu and her desire to spend more time with her sister, Koito. Some of the funniest sequences in the episode was when she charmed people in a wholesale market so she could get fish for free.

The latter episode was only rivaled by the eighth episode. It focuses on Elda meeting another elf, named Haira (voiced by Mamiko Noto). Some of the best parts were having the historical remembrance shown in anime style resembling wood block art.  The episode features another miko, named Komari, the same age as Koito. Haira is an elf with beauty only matched by Elda. She is older than Elda and Yolde, treating them as her younger sisters. The episode implied Elda is a lesbian, as she said she liked all the teahouse girls during the Edo period.

By the end of the episode, it is clear that the series is uncritical of the fact that Komari was a social influencer and that Haira was a gambler. Even though Komari was critical of Haira for gambling, she tells Koioto that if Haira is doing what she likes, it is ok. On the one hand, this makes sense as Komari had been with Haira since she was young, allowing her to take candid photographs.

On the other, Otaku Elf, by saying that Haira's desire to be a gambler is ok, implies it is a non-issue and downplays it as a problem. Most gambling is prohibited in Japan. There are exceptions for some motor sports and horse racing. The latter is something that Haira said she wanted to do during the episode.

There is an ample culture of gambling in the island nation. The island has a difficult relationship with it. There is inconsistency between reality and law. Some have pushed to completely legalize gambling across the island. Even so, some people, and groups, have objected to expanded gambling in Osaka. They have argued that crime and addiction (to gambling) will rise as a result. Those caught gambling illegally in Japan can face fines or jail time. This hasn't stopped gambling from becoming pervasive, nor the millions afflicted with gambling addiction. The series could have done a better job with this topic.

Despite the problematic approach to gambling, the series often highlights the importance of remembering the past and preserving it. In the ninth episode, Elda reads a manga that has been published for over 30 years. She reorganizes her room due to a ceiling leak (with the help of Koito) and finds an old videotape. Often series only focus on new technology. They act like anything deemed "analog" isn't worth bringing up. In some cases, there is a blend of the "old" and "new". In the case in Steven Universe, a videotape of the protagonist's mother (Rose Quartz) plays an important role in the series.

Similarly in Otaku Elf, Koito sees a videotape for the first time, and goes to her grandmother, who has an old Betamax player, excited to watch a tape of something recorded from before she was born. She learns that her mother, shown on the tape, was also a miko of Elda as well! In a typical scene, Elda embarrasses Koito. She thinks she will be picked up in a "bridal style" pose and runs away as a result. The latter is part of the ongoing yuri undertones of this series, even though Elda and Koito have more of a master-student relationship than anything that is romantic.

Otaku Elf is much more than a series with endearing character dynamics. It has a protagonist (Elda) who deeply cares about the town she lives in, a neighborhood of Tokyo, I believe. Unlike some other anime this season, such as Alice Gear Aegis Expansion, there's no fan service. Nor are there any characters which are "one-off jokes". In fact, the series, in some ways, counts as an isekai. It has a "genuineness and pleasantness" which evades many anime these days.

The show's animation studio is known for producing over 16 series, including two I'm familiar with: Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu (based on a manga by Katsuwo who also wrote Mitsubishi Colors) and Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina. None of the story elements in either of those series are present in this series.

The voice cast of Otaku Elf is just as strong as the show's opening song. Ami Koshimizu, who voices Elda, also voices the caddy of Aoi in Birdie Wing (Amane Shinjо̄), Mizuki Nakahara in Lycoris Recoil, Makoto Kino/Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon Crystal, Shiori in Princess Connect! Re:Dive, Yang Xiao Long in RWBY: Ice Queendom, and Konomi Yurikawa in Yurikuma Arashi. Yuka Ozaki, the voice of Koito, has lent her voice as Asuka Toyama in BanG Dream!, while Hitomi Sekine, voice of Koyuzu, voiced characters in Teasing Master Takagi-san, Konosuba, and Ms. vampire who lives in my neighborhood.

Haruka Aikawa, the voice of Koma, previously voiced a character in Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie. Mamiko Noto, voice of Haira, voiced a supporting character named Kazuki Kosuda in B Gata H Kei - Yamada’s First Time, Hakko in Canaan, Elsa in Gunslinger Girl, Kanon's mother in Love Live! Superstar!!, Shimako Toudou in Maria Watches Over Us, Gin Todo in A Place Further Than the Universe, and Saki Arima in Your Lie in April, and many other roles.

All in all, Otaku Elf is highly relatable to the hundreds of thousands of shut-ins in Japan, which the government believes is a "new social issue", and those elsewhere in the world. It might even draw in an audience from anyone who is living at "home" with their parents, or others living a "hermit-like" existence, being social recluses from society.

In any case, I recommend this series highly. I hope that it receives a second season, even though that is unlikely considering the last nine series by the same studio have not been renewed. Often, companies try and limit corporate risk by planning out each season for only 11-13 episodes. If the show is a success, "additional seasons can be ordered" as noted by Justin Sevakis.

Otaku Elf is currently streaming on HIDIVE.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[yuripoll]

[very-grownup]

Sports series and their lessons

SLAM DUNK: Ball is life.

HAPPY!: Ball is life and sex workers are great babysitters.

PRINCE OF TENNIS: Ball is life but a big responsibility because you might accidentally cause a mass extinction event.

KUROKO NO BASUKE: Ball is life and fistbumps are dangerously powerful.

FREE!: Water in large quantities destroys lives and the battle between a well-done coming of age story and capitalism and fanservice will give a director no choice but to seek solace in emotional devastation and violent action scenes.

HAIKYUU: Ball is life and volleyball is made up.

REAL: Ball is life and legs are optional.

ROBOTXLASERBEAM: Ball is life and it's important to teach this lesson to robots before their uprising so we have common ground.

YURI ON ICE: Getting shitfaced to meet your idols will only benefit your personal and professional life.

ALL OUT!: Ball is life and if you embrace this you can overcome your physical insecurities.

SK8 THE INFINITY: You don't have to be the best at something if you're enjoying it with someone you love and if there had been skateboarding in England in the 1880s JoJo's Bizarre Adventure would have been much shorter.

OOKIKU FURIKABUTTE/BIG WINDUP: Ball is life and your pitcher's health is paramount because if he is injured you have to take him to the outfield and shoot him like a horse with a broken leg.

TEPPU: There is no point in sports if you don't draw blood and excessive Jean Claude van Damme movies will permanently alter your sexuality.

EYESHIELD 21: Ball is life and Satan rules.

MEGALOBOX: No matter how dystopian the future, people will always want to gamble on the outcome of two men punching each other.

HIKARU NO GO: Ghosts are real.

[mercury-hg-3008]

Call of duty stereotyping based off what I've seen

Ghost- heartless cold guy, either no soft spots or one soft spot which is for someone

Price- dad, daddy, man old as dust, or smart and ruthless

Gaz- price's kid, only personality trait is falling out of a heli

Soap- loud scott, really dumb

Farah- a girls girl, has to be in love with someone

Laswell- mom, only super duper serious

Alex- golden retriever, always with farah

Alejandro- loud angry mexican, dumb

Rodolfo- only known as rudy (not stereotype but it's not something I enjoy seeing) also super duper serious, soft spot is alejandro

Valeria- mommy, being petty and annoying to alejandro

Roach- dumb happy guy needs to be babysat, really chaotic

Shepherd- old as dust, UGLY BLEHHH

Hadir- ???

Graves- biggest patriot, daddy and dad (shadows), always taunting, racist (why???)

König- big shy, dumb, soft, daddy dom, big scary with no feelings

Horangi- always gambling or meows, könig's personal 🐶

Nikto- hot guy with scars, kinda soft

Vladimir- daddy dom like fanfic mafia bosses

Yuri- ??? vladimir's bf I guess

[chosoette]

Found family but it’s a cancelled youtuber, a bloodthirsty useless lesbian, a sexy gambling addict, a stocks investor, and a victim of tragic yuri

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

Methinks it is a good thing that they didn’t make the cricket tournament longer than it should be. If one wants to know more about the sport, the manga is there to sate the curiosity. It was explained in the manga but that didn’t make me look forward to the events in real life. Unlike “Yuri!! On Ice” where I got to be inspired to relearn ice skating (but the fire didn’t last). Anyway, two years and a half since I’ve read this arc and I was so happy to see that CloverWorks interpreted the scenes of Vincent and Diedrich one to one from the manga.

The animators did a few changes. But these are minor ones that won’t reflect with the flow of the story.

Bard didn’t have to explain the raison d’être of cricket.

The Phantomhive Household crew telling it like it is.

Ciel mentioned the word “father” instead of “the previous Earl” as he refused to say the word after he visited their graves during the start of his contract with Sebastian. I wonder if this is the series composition writer’s choice or the dialogue editors’.

German translation is also “Vater.”

Isn’t it interesting that the Public School arc also included a betting/gambling scenes like the ones on Season 2, episode 2, the non-canon parts of the whole series?

Episode 2, season 2

Episode 7, Season 4

Anyway, no changes here. That poor boy is really named “Coward,” but the spelling.

Tanaka-san has a new VA, Mughito.

My Fazit: It is clear the way the animators wanted to pay homage to Yana and bring her aesthetics to the core.

[is-this-yuri]

i need to settle a debate, is predatory gambling (ie gacha games) yuri? im saying no and my friend is saying yes

my dear disciple, your mission is not to debate whether something is or is not yuri, your mission is to open your eyes to all the ways that it is. it always is.

in this case, it's greed. what is greed but another form of love? love for money, obviously. like with any double edged sword, corruption can stem from love as easily as goodness and joy. meditate on this, and you'll come closer to understanding the full complexities of yuri.

[pienhime]

Ten Under-Recognized Jirai Kei Characters!

Ive been meaning to make a post on some jirai kei characters that i think are underappreciated by the overseas landmine community! Mostly i think its bc they don't wear girly kei, cybercore, or other fashions associated with us on SNS, and bc their media came out before 2020. So ive compiled a list and an explanation for why i think they're jirai! I have another list for pien kei characters who arent jirai in my opinion too. If u have any characters u think the western jirai comm sleeps on, comment/reblog and tell me who & why!

1. Celestia Ludenberg

Celestia (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc) has screamed landmine to me for like, ever! She's wrapped up in her appearance and at first glance makes the effort to come off as regal and formal. But she frequently lets that disguise slip and shows her sadistic side at the slightest inconvenience, threatening violence and screaming in peoples faces. She's got both a superiority complex AND inferiority complex, and has an unhealthy obsession with gambling, her super high school level talent.

2. Nijimin Anazawa

Nijimin (Mahou Shoujo Site) is super popular in the japanese jirai comm, and its easy to see why. She's easily lovestruck and a borderline yandere (dependent type), murderous and hellbent on revenge, and her magical power literally revolves around manipulating others. She's a beloved idol and a symbol of cuteness, but she's a murderous magical girl? How much more jirai can you get!

3. Mayoi Ayase

Mayoi (Ensemble Stars) is a very interesting character! From his obsession with the occult to his self depreciating behavior to his obsessive and stalkerish tendencies, he's an overall offputting yet charming guy. As an idol, he has fans who have a totally different image of him than the creep (affectionate) he can be at times behind the scenes. Also, not to stereotype, but his favorite sanrio character is kuromi, whos super popular within jirai.

4. Yuri

Yuri (Dokidoki Literature Club) being a landmine seems a little self-explanatory to me. She's a yandere character who's probably the most unassuming of the cast at first. She's shy, smart, kind... and a self-harming yandere with a knife fetish who will literally kill herself if you get involved romantically or reject her.

5. Yoosung

Wow, when's the last time I thought about Mystic Messanger? No idea, but Yoosung feels pretty jirai kei to me in retrospect. In the beginning of the game, hes the adorkable self-conscious junior with an unhealthy online addiction. But, by the end, he's a self-harming yandere who refuses to let the player character go, and is willing to do whatever it takes to secure a happily ever after.

6. Kusokawa-chan

While I have an immeasurable hatred for her creator, Kusokawa-chan (Menhera-chan spin-off 4komas) is a comfort character of mine... for some reason. With a name that means "kawaii trash", her personality is probably predictable. She's human trash, a sadistic asshole with no respect for others who will insult and berate you at the drop of a hat, and turn on a dime on her fans. She tries to cover it up by putting on an exaggerated innocent act and kawaii-fying herself and her life, but she just cant stop herself from exploding on others with no remorse.

7. Azusa Mukami

Admittedly, everything I know about Diabolik Lovers is through its fandom as I've yet to cave and buy the games. But from what little I know, Azusa seems pretty jirai. He seems innocent, fragile even- but has the typical amount of yandere tendencies for the series. He has a self harm addiction, and if you peruse his route you're in for a toxic time.

8. Satou Matsuzaka

This might be cheating because she's so popular on yandere tumblr, but Satou Matsuzaka (Happy Sugar Life) is ultra jirai kei. It's no wonder she's such a popular choice of pfp on japanese jiraitwt! She's obsessed with living out a fantasy saccarine-sweet life with the object of her desire, and given her full-blown yandere nature and her lolicon status, its no doubt shes a toxic partner. She's beloved at her school and workplace for her seemingly sweet nature and cute looks, but her kindness is only for the purposes of manipulation.

9. Kosame Amagai

Again, I'm no expert on Diabolik Lovers! But based on what my friends on yandereblr tell me, this guy is definately a jirai danshi. He's a lover of all things cute, who uses his cute shota-like appearance and polite manner of speech to lure others in. In reality, hes an abusive partner in his route, and takes his anger out on others verbally. He's willing to cry, scream, and threaten over the smallest of transgressions. Of course, he's also a yandere as per series standard.

10. Momonga

Okay so this is only half-serious, but there's a reason Momonga (Chiikawa) is so beloved by jirai girls and often depicted fitting the visual jirai stereotype in fanart. She's ultra cute! But she uses her appearance and acting vulnerable and innocent to try to get away with shithead behavior. She's loud, erratic, and self-obsessed, and often cries when she doesn't get her way. She's obviously the worlds cutest little manipulator, and she knows it.

I hope you enjoyed this list! There's a list for non-landmine pien kei characters coming soon, so feel free to send me asks with recommendations! And feel free to add on to this list in reblogs and comments!

[witchydespoina]

Honkai Star Rail has infested my brain like a parasite and honestly it’s because the Penacony story is so funny. Like yeah the space IRS sent a gambling suicidal employee blessed by their God to uncover the dirt on what’s essentially Disney-world mixed with cosmic horror. The trailblazer gains the blessing of an all powerful cosmic being by wearing a fuckass hat. The sweetest girl in the world is actually a Gundam who’s a part of the emo space mafia. Toxic lesbian tango Yuri. This universes version of Chuu from Loona has a brother who’s a priest and we run him over with a train several times. Boothill.

[gothavi]

"you expect me, to believe you?" "why not, doctor? life's a big gamble, and i'm always the final victor."

aventio yuri because yeah. uhhhh

[heian-era-housewife]

No matter what, don't ever think about Shiu smoking alone in a bar to watch a horse race while eating some shitty junkfood. He doesn't even like it, and he doesn't care about horses either, but he bet on one anyway. No reason, except nostalgia. The food tastes bad, the cigarette is no better, and the whole place stinks. It's full of gambling addict alcoholic who yells at the scream whenever something happens (which means, every fucking second). He hates the whole experience, but he doesn't move. At some point he finally pays attention to the race, and notices that it's over. And he won. He fucking won the one bet he made on a whim while Toji never managed to gain anything from his gambling.

And that, that's the first time he cried, this exact moment is what makes him feel overwhelmed by the death of the strongest man he'd known, a trust colleague, a long-time friend. He didn't cried before, not when he found out about his death and not during the weeks after that. But he's crying know, in front of a winning betting ticket that would probably earn him more money than Toji ever had in his bank account. He didn't even watch the whole race.

He doesn't cash in, he doesn't need the money. He leaves the ticket on the table and leaves the bar. Whoever finds it would be a lucky guy, but Shiu isn't in a mood to celebrate. The day after that, he goes back to work, because the world hasn't stop for his grief and there are still reach assholes who needs to hire someone to do their dirty work. So he makes up his mind and takes the pone calls as they come.

And the ticket is probably still on the table, but yeah, don't think too much about it.

Well hello to you too, new moot. 😭

I made the mistake of reading this when I got to work this morning and had to trudge through the rest of the day with this beautiful monstrosity rolling around in my brain.

In all seriousness, this was gorgeous. I'm the kind of person who cries when they see a cute bug, so believe me when I say I absolutely lost it when it came to that winning ticket.

If I were wearing a hat, I would tip it to you. 🎩

I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful writing. In the meantime I can't promise I won't be "thinking about it". 🫠

~Yuri

[whisperingexecutioner]

“The Ghost of You” | Vladimir Makarov drabble (MW3)

____________________________________________________

Summary:

Just Makarov and his deep musings over a love lost.

Notes:   

Fandom: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty Setting: Moscow, Russia (unspecified location) Pairing: Vladimir Makarov x Female Reader Theme: Loss Prompt: Loneliness and reminiscence Attire: Casual Military gear

Inspiration: Was listening to ''Atlantic'' by Sleep Token when the idea for this popped into my head, so I wrote it. Just a drabble mostly for self entertainment cause I love this edgy man <3

Rating: G - sfw

____________________________________________________

July 14th, private cemetery on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, 7:20 a.m.

The sunflowers are in full bloom. As are the roses, unfurling their full, dew-laden buds before the light of day. They are beautiful, as you would have probably said, just as you were. You would have loved them. Especially the blushing red ones nearest to your plot.

I still feel your warmth beside me, sometimes, when I'm halfway in that familiar haze of a particularly lucid dream, only to wake without you here. Sometimes I wonder, if it was always going to be this way, and somehow I think some part of me knew it would be. One day. Ah, but this…it wasn't meant to happen like this. Your existance - however fleeting - was something of great importance to me. It hadn't always been so, but you made it impossible for me to feel any other way, for me not to love you. Upon our first meeting I suppose I must have caught your eye, and from that moment forward, everything you ever did was to try and prove your worth to me. Wholly devoted to both myself and my cause, you quickly became a close ally. Someone who shared in my vision, and knew better than most that loyalty was everything; any betrayal, however great or small, would mean your immediate demise. This you understood from the start. As it was, your life was a gamble and the stakes could not have been higher, but for reasons I could not understand at that time, you chose to live it by my side. To witness the birth of greater Russia, whilst tangled in your ambitious lover's embrace. My embrace. How I wish I would have realized sooner, just what it was that you felt.

The future was meant to be ours, to shape as we saw fit. We were to carve out our stake of the world, to share in the revelry as we sat in the ashes of the old nations that would give rise to a stronger motherland.

. . . so why do I now sit alone here, thinking only of you? Of a future yet un-lived?

In the end, I suppose the song will always remain the same. Perhaps, I was truly never a man meant to love and be loved, but nevertheless I did. I had loved you, любимый, my darling. In me, you will forever live on, and should my memory one day fade, your pleasant smile will be the very last thing that death steals from me.

I go now with Yuri, away from this place, away from your grave. Your final place of peace. This is not our last goodbye, but for now it is a farewell. There are urgent things we must attend to, things made possible because of those who share in my vision. Made possible because of you. If I were to say that, for once in my life I had ever truly been happy, it would have been for the joy that stemmed from our simple interactions together; for the intimate moments we shared, and at feeling the depths of your unwavering affection and fondness.

You really were something else, something special, to have fallen so far for a man like myself. One day I know that I will join you in death, my little dove, but for now I must go. I bid you do svidaniya, until we meet again.

[raina-clipse423]

Cat Doki! (Pt. 2)

Here's Natsuki (Monika and Yuri) for those who haven't seen her!

SAYORI!! She's going for a surprise attack, look at that fearsome hunting face!

She's a Devon Rex kitty, and Warriors her name is CherrySilk!

(Warriors!au info for those interested bellow the cut)

A cheerful cat of Windclan, seen running around the territory most of the time and is a little bit too clusmy to be a proper warrior. Despite that she still gets invited to hunting duty and occasionally patrol, however she's usually just moral support and cheer her clanmates on when catching prey, or the voice of reason if they come across an intruder.

Under her outgoing ways, CherrySilk is quite burdened by the gamble that is life in the forest. She avoids talking about it, but often she wonders what life is like for Kittypets. They always looks so full, healthy, and generally happy, they don't suffer the disappointment that is missing a kill, near starvation during Leafbare if there wasn't enough freshkill stocked, the fear of losing kittens and cats to bigger animals, and so on... Their twolegs do quite a good job keeping them happy in her opinion, she doesn't understand what's just so bad about kittypet life that other cats just despises it, both Kittypet and clan life are great in their own ways. The tension between clans is what hits CherrySilk hardest.

There was one... Inspirational stroll she took one day. Thinking of StarClan... How.. warm, and happy cats must feel up there, how they don't suffer from their scars anymore, kits reuniting with family.. she had aimlessly wandered to a Thunderpath, in rumbled under her paws and for a second she welcomed it, but she was startled by yowl then noticed just in time as a twolegs monster ran by and she leaped out of the way. It was her first time seeing one, and it was terrifying, loud and big. A kittypet thankfully saw her and called out to her, a "Car" she called it. She's not the first kittypet CherrySilk met, there's another tom she's met since kithood, and this kittypet is just as intriguing as he was.

Is this gonna be another great friendship?