(Simple and Clean Piano Cover - Utada Hikaru)
Since it was now Sunday, Kurama was finally free to look around the area he now lived. I was going to sooner, but things have been stirring. Although there had been some semblance of peace in Makai, the awakening of the Silver Millenium Senshi had caused a ruckus. On top of that, Ningenkai being plagued by a darkness even greater than the yokai inhabiting the other world caused a great disturbance. So, instead of coming to this apartment a week before he was to begin work at his new position, he was there giving assurances that he would investigate the matters further on this side. Did they really believe I would ignore something happening right under my own nose? 'They' being the council that helped Enki with his work, as the Demon King himself had faith in Kurama and his attachment to Human World.
Wearing a simple blue shirt with black stripes and jeans, his burnt orange coat over the top, he looked like every other human wandering the Azabu Juban shopping district. The late morning was still slightly chilly, having been walking for about two hours now and making several intersecting circles around the block he lived in. The sign read 'Sendai Zaka' and looking at his map, he made mental notes of special structures on his way to speed up the process. Using that time to go over the information he's gathered so far, he's compiled it into the next steps he needed to take. One of them includes… Gaining Venus' trust. She's the key to finding out what's been happening here in Ningenkai the past three years. Even the vast surveillance of Reikai couldn't account for anything when darkness enveloped the world.
The cool investigator feels chills skitter down his spine at the absolute desolation he'd felt those times. Even with all his demonic strength, his senses alert for ill signs, nothing could prepare him or the others for suddenly having their very souls sapped from their bodies. When they came to, they contacted one another and passed on experiences, but were unable to rectify anything, only garnered more questions. The first time was when he heard a name he hadn't heard in many years. Sailor Venus. Though the name Sailor Moon seemed more common among the masses, and yet… The name Sailor Venus is still uttered by yokai mothers to keep children in line. So, when the opportunity to move to the city where most of the Sailor Senshi sightings came from, he couldn't have been luckier.
And the fates weren't done yet. One week is all it took to find her, or rather, for her to find me. Stopping at a crosswalk, he stares across the way evenly, mind conjuring memories of the strange, but powerful warrior. They use the stars and high energy physics to move about, likely able to make leaps between planets as well. The science and amount of power required to do either is definitely a sign of advanced knowledge, like the knowledge of the Mercurians. Lending more credence to her actually being the original Sailor Venus. Kurama strides across the street when the light changes, thoughts still running like a well oiled machine. That is, until a blond whirlwind hits him from behind, nearly bowling him over with a shriek.
"Ah! Gomen, gomen! Are you oka-Eh~! Akage-san~!" Crimson lashes flutter as he registers the incredibly sweet scent of Venus in her civilian form, and her tinkling voice caressing his ears. Turning from leaning forward to regain his balance, he sees the guardian of his thoughts standing next to him, hands over her lips in shock, delphinium irises expanded in fear. She was donned in a floral print cropped t-shirt, a light blue jean skirt with lacy edges, some simple black leggings, and her seemingly signature red bow tied in it's half tail as she clutched a cinched white purse to her side. Concerned ocean depths focus on him as she inches closer and cries in near hysterics, "Oh no! Are you alright! Please tell me I didn't take out a limb or two!"
Snorting with laughter, especially at the fact that she's caught him off guard, again, the redhead shakes his head with an amused expression, assuring, "I am fine Ojou-san. Just surprised is all. You were running at full speed, weren't you?" Flushing brightly, the sunny haired imp curls her fingers in front of her mouth as she admits,
"Eh, he he, possibly... But Akage-san, what are you doing here? Are you shopping for something?" Motioning with his hand that they should cross, the enchanted fox strides alongside her as they continue the conversation.
"I'm simply getting acclimated to the area. When I moved here, I wasn't given much time to explore. So I'm rectifying that now." She hums lightly, nodding in acquiesce.
"Ah, got it. Hey! So you're not doing anything else today?" Crimson lashes beat in surprise for a moment as he looks upon her, trying to wrap his head around what he knew she was suggesting. She's making it easy, too easy to get information from her. It worries him that she's so willing to associate with him, a literal stranger. She doesn't know about our spiritual connection, so is she like this with everyone? Or does she naturally sense the bond?
"I'm not doing anything else today... why? Is there something in particular you wish to do?" Grinning excitedly, the energetic superhero wags a finger and announces,
"How about I give you a tour? I know this city inside and out, and if you want to know something in particular, I could probably tell you about it!" Although expecting the offer, he can't help but ask,
"But weren't you just in a hurry-"
"Yup, so if we run, we can escape him!" The incredibly bewildered plant wielder allows Venus to pull him around a corner, noticing out of the corner of his eye a white cat running toward them. Before he can ask why they're being pursued by a feline, he feels her tug him into her arms quickly and jumps to the roof of a building. Alarmed by the man handling, the trouble-making woman puts a finger in front of her mouth and pushes his head down slightly, focusing on the cat in the crowd. The tenacious feline turns it's furry head back and forth, sniffing the air slightly before moving on. Now incredibly interested in this story, Kurama asks,
"Is there a particular reason you are being hunted down by a cat?" Smiling nervously, the half tailed blond waves a dismissive hand and answers,
"He's a bit like my jailer at the moment, and I'm a criminal on the run." Sweat dropping heavily, the ex-thief himself slowly iterates,
"So you're telling me… that this cat has the Sailor Venus on the run? That's hard to believe." She stares at him hard for a moment, the seriousness on her face startling as she asks,
"You've seen supernatural stuff, and a white cat chasing me down to catch me is shocking to you?" Huffing with laughter, he concedes,
"Alright, this isn't the most astounding thing I've ever seen, but it's quite high on that list." Giggling lightly, the tickled warrior responds,
"That's good, because there's more where that came from. Come on, we should have lost him for a little bit. After all, I ran around this block five times to get my scent down here so he'd follow it and not me." The unscrupulous vulpine can't help but be stunned that she knew how to fake a trail for someone with a strong sense of smell, and then wondering with a sweat drop how much she does this to know such a thing. Quite often I bet. Hopping to her black heeled feet, civilian Venus grins easily and laughs, "Alright, come on Mr. Redhead! We're burning daylight by just hiding here!" Huffing with humor, he stands smoothly and follows behind her through the roof door that was, thankfully unlocked. Strangely enough, she still snuck around quite obviously, rousing his blunt observation,
"You realize if you act like a criminal, you'll be treated like one." Pouting back at him, the mischievous guardian crouches and sneaks out the back door of the restaurant like a panty thief in a cartoon and chides,
"Don't be such a spoil sport, it makes it more fun!" Sighing heavily, Kurama asks himself again how he got roped into all this. Ah, right. Her soul is tangling with mine and has started a bonding process I'm too curious about to reverse. If I even knew how to correct it. He follows behind her bouncing crouched form leisurely, trying to look inconspicuous for both of them. When they get toward the opening of the alley, she springs up from her slinking position and traipses like nothing happened at all, adding to his bewilderment. I'm eventually going to get used to this. Chittering maniacally, the perky senshi turns back toward him playfully and asks, "Alright, what parts have you seen so far, and what do you want to see? After that we'll go from there."
Looking away and studying their surroundings, he lists, "Important landmarks, convenience stores, subway stations, hotels, restaurants, and areas with supernatural stories to them." Love's champion hums, an index finger pressed mildly to her lightly freckled cheek as she contemplates his request.
"That shouldn't be a problem. There's a lot of landmarks and 'haunted' areas along the way, although most of the supernatural stuff that tried to eat people got destroyed by us senshi." Nodding in acknowledgement, Kurama's emerald gaze moves back down to her as he states,
"I'm not surprised. I've heard you ladies are quite diligent in your work." He's bewildered by the look of solemn calm on her face, having expected from his limited knowledge of her personality, to boast about it.
"Yes, we are. We have to be, because failure isn't an option for us." He stares at Venus for a moment, baffled by the sudden shift in emotion before she closes her eyes. Taking a breath and smiling wanly, she tilted her head back and toward him. "Anyway, you found a good place to start, this is the Azabu Juban Station. Down that way is our first stop. But first," the noble soldier dances toward a store as she waves him over. "Some ramune would be good while I'm showing you around. Do you have a map? It'll help with memorizing the layout of the city." Kurama nods quietly, still a bit perturbed by her somber declaration earlier as he shadows her into the shop.
(Windy Summer - Anri)
"Welcome to my shop! Is there anything I can help you with today?" Plastering on a smile, the now peppy fighter bounds in front of the counter, chiming,
"I'm just getting us some drinks." The mustached old man with round bottle cap shaped glasses raises a fluffy brow, before closing his eyes, which seemed to be consumed by his brows when they're shut, replies,
"Ah, it's to the back, jou-chan!" Heading to where he pointed, she walks up to the sliding door cooler, looking at the choices. Glancing to the side, she asks lightly,
"You want something?" Humming slightly, the long haired demon answers,
"Sure, we'll likely need it and some water while we walk around." Nodding, the half tailed blond grabs two bottled waters along with a melon soda. Watching him decide on a jurokucha, she smiles and moves back to the register. Tugging her purse around to her front, the golden puzzle begins digging through her small purse but is cut off as the mannered entrepreneur refutes,
"You are showing me around the city, the least I can do is pay you back for it." Azure gems blink rapidly, quite obviously stunned, before beaming brightly and accepting.
"Ah, alright. Arigatou." Nodding in appreciation, the old man grins, although with his giant mustache, it just looks like the fuzzy thing spread across his face.
"That's right. I thought I'd seen you around before young lady. This young man, though, I've never seen before." Handing the bag to Kurama, the shorter old man nods and greets, "Welcome to Azabu Juban! I hope you enjoy your stay here!" Smiling politely, the crimson tressed kitsune greets cordially,
"Thank you. I believe I will with my tour guide here." Smirking faintly when civilian Venus blushes and fidgets with her purse as the shop proprietor chortles heartily,
"That's the spirit! Now hurry along, the day is still young! With lots to see and do!" Trying vainly to hold in his amusement, he nods to the man before turning to a suddenly rushing cosmic whirlwind. Deciding to tease her a little, considering she seems more affable than before, he prods,
"What's wrong, Ojou-san? That man was friendly enough-" He feels a light slap to his arm as she hisses,
"That old man was way too excited about helping us! And you weren't helping!" He can't help the laugh that tumbles out, grinning mischievously,
"What do you mean? I only told him you were my tour guide." Pouting up at him, the golden haired beauty snorts,
"It wasn't that! It's… ah! No~ it's too embarrassing! I never thought it'd look like..." She flushes, hands going to her face as she looks away from him, his inner yokai rumbling suggestively. Oh? She's shy, is she? He can feel his yoki stirring beneath his skin, the instincts of a predator rearing up at the sign of weakness. With a bit of concentration though he was able to keep it under wraps, and leaving a vulnerable looking knight of the Moon Kingdom unaware. Making certain his ki was secured, Kurama smiles genially and assures,
"There's nothing like he's implying going on, so you shouldn't let it bother you." Pooching her lips further, stain lightening on her cheeks as she iterates,
"I mean, yeah… but my job needs me to be seen as single, so…" Ah, a job in one of the most ludicrous of businesses.
"You work in the media then, and if I had to guess, I'd say you must be an idol or star of some sort." Delphiniums swing his way, doe-like with surprise as she gapes,
"Oh wow, how did you- oh right, super genius, I forgot." Huffing with laughter, he twists the top on the bottle, the plastic popping merrily as he responds,
"It's a simple deduction, but I'm surprised you're still willing to help me. It's difficult getting into the industry, is it not?" Snatching the map he had in his breast coat pocket, sending shivers along his spine from the caress, the sunny performer shrugs before agreeing,
"It is hard, but being an idol is more than just putting my face on stage. It's about inspiring others to do better for themselves. Idols are supposed to lead by example, so caring more about my image is natural. If, for whatever reason, they want me to suddenly abandon you because 'we look like a couple,' then they can shove it. That'd be a terrible example I'm setting for others." The compassionate businessman studies her close countenance as cornflowers rove over the lines of the city map, golden silky strands tickling his chin gingerly as he praises quietly.
"That's quite an admirable approach. Hopefully with your influence, things will change for the better then." Blond lashes flutter as she gazes back up at him, her momentary look of amazement fading into a gentle smile as she concedes,
"Yeah, hopefully, because it's pretty cutthroat in this business. Thankfully the problems of a bunch of petty people is low on my worry list." Looking back at the map, she points to a spot on it before stating, "We're here right now, so if we take this road all the way up," dragging a dainty finger along the road lines, she stops at a particular spot. "We can use Tokyo Tower to get a bigger view of the surrounding area. Plus on the way I can show you a few shops that'll let you onto the roof if you ask." He stares in wonder at her understanding of what he wanted.
"You've asked them before?" Nodding as she began leading them where she intended to go, she answers,
"Yup, sometimes you just need a hiding spot within the city. And rooftops make the perfect escape route from normal people." The fox has to admit, he's slightly awed by her network in the city.
"Out of curiosity, why are they willing to help?"
"Because Sailor V asked them as a good friend of mine when she helped them out." She winks at him, grinning conspiratorially while he laughs lightly, agreeing,
"That helps. You certainly have a lot of connections in this city." Folding the map up and sticking it in her purse, Venus shrugs before responding,
"I have connections in a lot of places. It's how you get anywhere in the media." Rose colored lashes beat softly as he acknowledges,
"Understandable. Well then, Miss Connections, where are we heading first?" Staring at the map for a moment, she decides,
"From where we are now, you'll get to see where the '6 P.M. Demon Bus' was." Narrowing his eyes, he inquires,
"'6 P.M. Demon Bus?'"
"Yup, urban legend said that if you're riding the Sendai Hill at exactly 6 o'clock, you'd never be seen again. It turned out to be one of our first enemies. It's no longer the case now, but that doesn't mean people don't still scare each other with ghost stories of it." Kurama wants to dig deeper, but it would be far too suspicious to pry at this stage. Instead, he responds airily,
"I see. That's quite interesting."
(Prism - Lindsey Stirling)
"Then a little farther than that is where we killed a vampire who was trying to eat our friends' classmates." He pauses a moment, mind processing what she had just said as the disbelieving vulpine asks,
"... like European legends vampires?"
"Yup, Sailor Moon and I defeated her and her mother. She was living in the embassy of U Country. If you want, I can tell you the details I remember from the fight." Again, she was being far too transparent for his comfort.
"I would like that, but I must ask why you seem fine with giving me such information." Morning glories flit from the map to his face, not particularly perplexed by the skepticism as she answers,
"You were fine with my fighting, so you've seen battle before. On top of that, you've shown me you've got a head for combat, so why not? Besides, it's better for you to know about the dangers you can face here, considering how easily you draw them to you." Watching her carefully, Kurama nods in aquisice, doubts still clouding his mind as she strides forward with him following in curiosity. Tucking the map half haphazardly into her purse, Venus guides him toward the bus stop and reads the sign quickly. "The next one is coming in about 8 minutes, so I guess I can fill you in on Lilica Hubert and her mother right now." A shock goes down his spine at the second mention of the vampiress' maternal figure.
"She was a transfer student at our friend's school. She became quite popular with the students and was said to be the daughter of an ambassador, but it was a lie. Lilica ate the students who followed her, or would have, had we not destroyed her before she could. Her mother had already bitten some of the other students, had full control of them, and she used them to fight against us. Thankfully, Chibiusa was already suspicious and came to us for advice, and funnily enough, it actually worked. Ami-chan looked up the legends in a book of myths, and since Mako-chan was making Yakiniku, she added a bunch of extra garlic to it." The enchanted fox's face goes slack, incredulity emanating from every fiber of his being as he interjects,
"You… just did what the old myths said?" Nodding emphatically, the nonplussed star turns toward him and finally noticing the disbelief on his visage, asks,
"Uh, is something wrong?" Closing verdant eyes and sweat dropping, he scratches his temple as he clarifies,
"You ladies gave advice to your friend, from a human book of myths? With no further research?" Blinking rapidly and poking a finger to her face, she replies candidly,
"Well, yeah. We didn't know anything about vampires, at least not until after that. It made it a lot easier when we met Dracul." Lush forest greens pop open, he nearly falls over at the unworried answer, and even more so that they might have met the Dracul.
"You've met Dracul? Legendary ancient vampire who is said to be the father of all vampires?" Giggling cheerily, the poppy ribboned beauty corrects,
"He said that's just what humans say about him. Really, he's not weak to hawthorne stakes, nor garlic, he's got a reflection, he can't be burnt with a cross or holy water. He's not even weak to sunlight, and Sailor Moon tried milk on him, so he sat us down like a disappointed dad and scolded us for trying those superstitions." The bus pulls up and she prances on merrily, followed by a stupefied Kurama thinking about the girls bumbling their way into an ancient and powerful being like Dracul. Sitting in one of the seats, watching the scenery go by, he tries to remedy his vision of the senshi now that he knows they just stumble into trouble. I do believe he met his match in innocence and naivete when he came across these ladies if that's the case. Continuing to sweat drop in incredulity, he remembers something else that caught his attention in the previous story.
"You said one of your friends' names is Chibiusa, but another was called Usagi. Are they related?" She blinks at him for a moment, apparently startled by the question as she answers,
"Wow, uh~ yeah, Chibiusa is Usagi's daughter." Nodding in acceptance, he itterates,
"So Usagi-san must be older than you then." The energetic media darling at his side freezes, sweating bullets before turning away and squeaking,
"Uh, yeah, something like that!" Ivy vines gleam and narrow, eyeing her and the scent of deceit lightly perfuming her. Interesting, that whole strange story was the truth, yet with the mention of this woman's name, it causes her to lie. This is the first time in our acquaintance she's misled me fully. I wonder why? It only takes a few moments to get to their next stop, apparently, to which the flustered young woman pounces eagerly out of her seat and out the door. As they got off the vehicle, Kurama asks warily, "What happened after that? Is Dracul still alive?" Venus pauses for a moment, staring blankly ahead before she resolves his questions,
"He was wounded in the final fight. He's still alive, but he's sleeping more often than not now." Confounded more and more by their struggles, he vows to at least try to teach them a little caution with their continued acquaintance. As they begin to walk up a slope, her explanation continues, "Back to Lilica, Chibiusa had super stinky breath the next day, and was asked by a teacher to take her homework to her-" A hand on his chin, the ancient yôko considers her jump in topic. She doesn't wish to talk further on Dracul, though I understand that he may want privacy. Still it rankles not having all the mysteries solved. But… watching the blond chatter animatedly soothed his soul in such a strange manner that he couldn't be frustrated. With how much of her life she's shared with him as well, these stories of vampires and malicious enemies who inspire ghost stories, he really couldn't ask more of her.
"-Sailor Moon and I arrived just as the mother was pursuing some grade school boys-"
"Wait, grade school? They were just children?" Lapis gems flicker away, a cold sadness washing over him as she spits,
"A lot of our enemies attack kids. Children have a lot of untapped potential, so they make pretty good targets." His stomach twists, viciousness rippling along the surface when her trilling voice assuages,
"Most of the time we're either able to save the kids before something happens, or we are able to heal them. Thankfully most of the time the little ones push whatever happens out of their minds." Or have nightmares of it, surely.
"That's when Sailor Moon and I arrived, Lilica herself was going after Chibiusa. I used my crescent boomerang and stopped the mother from touching the boys, and our introduction was distracting enough to prevent the little vampiress herself from moving. We kicked their butts, and when Sailor Moon used her healing abilities on them, they turned into flowers." Kurama pauses, bewilderment etched into his face while he asks,
"Flowers? Do you know what kind?" The heroic star crosses her arms, head tilting back to stare thoughtfully at the sky for a second before finally revealing,
"I think it might have been like a carnation. Whatever it was, the petals pulled themselves off and the stem wilted." He nods, eyes unfocused as he mulls over the information. "You know, now that I think about it, I think Chibiusa said she ate flowers too. I wonder why?" Shaking his head, the flora specialist replies,
"Perhaps Dracul might know?" Her delphinium's bloom in excitement as she exclaims,
"Oh~ Good idea! You're so smart! It's like having another Mercury around! Except less yelling at me and more smiling!" The exhilarated investigator huffs with humor, shaking his head before teasing,
"I imagine she's trying to help you grow, not just simply chastising you for whatever wrongs you might have done." Pouting quite adorably, the sporty industry artist refutes,
"No way! She's super scary when she's angry! But she's also got those, 'I'm disappointed in you, so I really don't need to yell' kind of vibes sometimes too! It's so cruel!" Venus' pout turns to excitement when she points to a mansion that seems abandoned, "This is it here! U Embassy where those two stayed." Gazing at the gates that prevented their access, he imprints the image to memory as he requests,
"Could you bring out the map?" Sun drenched lashes quiver in question, then likely realizing his line of thinking, the spunky warrior nods and pulls the harried map from her purses confines. Taking the crumpled map and smoothing it out, he easily finds their place and puts a mental note on it to come back later. Looking back to her, Kurama quips,
"Could I hold onto this? It might survive longer." Venus rubs the back of her head sheepishly, pink spreading across her nose as she mumbles,
"Yeah, it might be better if you handle it." Lips tilting good-naturedly, he folds it correctly and tucks it back into his breast pocket of his orange jacket. Making their way further, they come across red torii gates as his guide explains, "This is the Hikawa Shrine, and right across the way here," a bell tolls in the building facing it as she finishes, "is the Ando Memorial Church, where all the teenage girls dream of one day being married! Isn't it pretty!" Smiling gently, the crimson haired demon asks,
"You as well I suppose?" She pauses in her excitement, blinking for a moment before turning away quickly, blond hair swishing as her voice becomes strained,
"Yeah, of course!" Why does she suddenly sound so forlorn? Turning back toward him animatedly, though he can still smell her distress, the chaotic eyeful beams with melancholy while waving him forward animatedly toward Hikawa Shrine's torii. He promises to come back to this topic later as he stands before the gates. Without a doubt, he can feel immense purity and power on the grounds, lending credence to it being a sacred space. Thankfully, although quite annoying, it's not harmful, at least, not until someone directs the energy he suspects. Then she turns to him and stares up in question.
"Did you wanna look around the shrine, or do you wanna keep going?"
"We can keep going, unless you need something here?"
"Nope, I'm good." Turning right after exiting the shrine, she points out Dai-azabu Hills Forest Tower, Sunhill International School, Castle Dai-azabu, until they come to a signpost marking a slope called Daikoku-zakasa. "Hill Spot helps to mark Daikoku-zakasa, so it should be difficult to miss." They pass a few gyms and restaurants until at the end of the slope he sees a large space with six decent sized Zelkova trees. The atmosphere is quite peaceful, relaxing him further as her sweet scent continues to guide him along.
"What is this place?" Lush leafy irises study the greenery around him, listening for her trilling voice to explain.
"This is Patio A-Juban. This is where our Kemi-chan statue is, and a lot of people come here to unwind. It's nice isn't it?" Kurama glances down at her with a genuine smile, the dappled light dancing across her golden tresses enchantingly, ocean depths washing over his softly as he responds amiably,
"Yes, it's quite beautiful." The alluring senshi grins happily, asking,
"Did you want to stop here for a bit?"
"No, I'm quite alright. Do you need a break though?" Shaking her head and spreading her feet to shoulder width distance, she slaps a hand to her chest with a determined look before chastising,
"It takes a lot more than a little walking to tire me out! I can go on like this for days!" Smirking to himself, his verdant gaze turns away as he states,
"I see. Well, shall we continue then?" She grins eagerly, skipping playfully beside him.
"Yeah! Next up is the Juban shopping district. It's full of shops of all kinds: food, souvenirs and gifts, clothes, games. Whatever your mood, Juban shopping street probably has it. It actually has one of my favorite places." She pulls out her melon soda and breaks the seal, drinking a bit from it while continuing to walk, while Kurama grabs the water out of the plastic bag he carried, taking a few swigs, returning it to the bag. Moving around another few blocks, they reach a street lined with store fronts, passersby peeking at the goods inside every few steps. Motioning to one gingerly, she grins eagerly and guides him to what looks like a clothes shop. Several generic greetings are called from inside until a woman comes around the corner.
"Ah! Ojou-chan! How can I help you today?" The spirited stylist beams before asking,
"Can we go to the roof?"
"Sure, no problem! Just let me know if you need anything else!" Escorting him to the roof door, she opens it easily and leads him out to the empty roof, watching him look around for a few moments.
"You probably want to see this on the map, huh?" Nodding, Kurama moves closer and pulls out the map, memorizing where she's pointing. The quiet is broken by his cell phone ringing, forcing him to move away and mutter,
"Apologies, but I need to take this."
"No problem, I'll just be shopping down stairs. Come find me when you're done!"
"Alright." Smiling at her, he waves as he flips his phone open. "Hello Yusuke." There was a boisterous laugh before the punk teases,
"Man, and here I was hoping you'd finally use the traditional phone greeting." Snorting while staring at the tower touching the sky, the spirit kitsune responds easily,
"Very funny Yusuke. Now has anything happened on your end?"
"Aww, come on! Ooh... does that mean you really can't say it?"
"The real question is can you say it, Yusuke? Or are you really Yusuke?"
"Alright, alright~ yeah, I found something. Don't get'cher panties in a twist." Smirking in victory as he knew the ramen peddler wouldn't want to say something so childish, he waits for the toushin to explain. "Hiei said the violence is hitting a critical point. There's gonna be another war there, and surprisingly it isn't just over who's gonna be King." Narrowing his eyes into the tower, he responds,
"I thought as much. I warned them that this might occur."
"Yeah, except they didn't listen. Now we got yokai overloading the border, Hiei's in a shit mood, and as usual, my backup is practically non-existent." Huffing lightly, the rose haired fox chastises,
"He only worries for the future he might provide for Yukina. You know this."
"Yeah, he and everyone else! I think you and Hiei are the only single guys around here, and if I get no help, Keiko's gonna widow herself." Snorting in laughter, Kurama jokes,
"It'll be a crime of passion, certainly."
"Gee, thanks Kurama, that makes me feel better." He hears the sound of something getting kicked before the mazoku continues, "What about you? Getting any further in your half of the investigation? Last time you said you may have found a lead." Hesitating for only a moment, calculating warrior replies cautiously,
"I'm learning a few things, but nothing on what we really want. I am getting close to something however, as they sent some 'guests.'"
"Eww, what happened to them? You know what, nevermind, I don't want to know." The sound of exaggerated gagging could be heard, causing Kurama to sigh before explaining,
"I did nothing to them, and got no information from them. They were poisoned remotely. Whoever is at the top is cautious, but also quite careless. They only provided a description of me, not who I was nor my associates." Although they wouldn't have known about Sailor Venus even if they did do the minimum amount of research.
"Wow, even I know that that's stupid." He couldn't help but prod,
"Yet you've still done things that could be considered 'stupid.'"
"Hey, if it's my best option, you can't blame a guy walking a tightrope act."
"The other lead, well, I'm working on it right now."
"Oh yeah? Is it just me, or are you being cagey about somethin?" The horticultural yokai had to admit, sometimes Yusuke was far too keen.
"Yes, well, when one deals with emotions, they must be cautious."
"Ooh~! Well, well, well! Are you actually trying to honey trap somebody!" Now actually pinching the bridge of his nose, the exasperated apparition growls darkly,
"Yusuke…"
"Alright, alright! Don't get mad at me! That's just what it sounds like." To dirty minded individuals perhaps.
"Back to the topic at hand, I believe she trusts me to some degree and is sharing some of what she knows."
"But it's nothing we really need."
"No, but it is useful. Always remember, all information is useful to someone."
"So for the guy with the big brains, it's progress, got it… You sure you're not-"
"Finish that thought, Yusuke, and you will regret it."
"Geez! Okay, message received. Fox Boy is in some serious need to get laid to get his humor back, got it!" He can feel his energy fluctuate, only the slightest bit and manageable, but it's noticeable to him either way. Which means it might possibly be noticeable to her. Scratching his temple lightly, crimson lashes close as he sweat drops as he realizes, It's quite close to when I usually transform so my temper's rather short. "Anyway, I'll be able to come down in about a week, tops. Almost got everything here handled, and then we can play good cop bad cop with her and get what we-"
"It's not that simple. She's… Have you heard the legends of the Sailor Senshi?"
"Uh, that's a non sequitur, but sure I'll bite. No, should I have?" Breathing out his nose, Kurama then explains,
"They are guardians who protect the planet against anything that would try to destroy it. They are powerful Yusuke, and I've only met one." There's silence on the other end, before he hears that the playful candor has faded from the ex-detective's voice,
"If you're this worried about it, it must be serious."
"I heard stories as a child, Yusuke. Not in the past 21 years, but from before. They painted a female warrior who was capable of destroying armies, decimating fleets, and merciless toward evil. A particular one can do all that."
"...shit, that's the one you're with, isn't it?" Glad that the tantei's leader was taking this serious, he iterates,
"Yes. I've already felt her energy, and it is ancient and powerful. Though she is childlike at times, naive to a fault, and far more human than I had ever imagined, she can throw all of that aside in a moment. The change is sudden and disorientating, from a lamb to a fierce warrior." There's a shuffle on the other end before a reply is formed.
"You admire her. That's a pretty difficult thing to do." The vulpine fighter stares in an unseeing silence for a moment, body calm but mind in turmoil while noting the truth in those words, admitting cooly,
"Yes… I suppose I do."
"Honestly, that's good to hear. If she's able to catch your attention, she must be something." Huffing with a light laugh, Kurama nearly whispers,
"She's more like a maelstrom of complications. I have difficulty keeping up sometimes."
"We'll see about that. Introduce me when I get there and we'll see how her whirlpool holds up to lil ol me." His body seems to age in that instant, thinking about the repercussions of introducing the pair. Immovable wall meets unstoppable force… Exhaling lightly, the archaic yôko states,
"I must go Yusuke, I've stayed up here too long already."
"Yeah, yeah. Work your kitsune magic, Fox Boy." Sighing in endearment and exasperation, said fox replies,
"Be safe Yusuke, and please don't do anything foolish."
"Who, me? C'mon Kurama, I'm the very definition of safe!"
"Remind me, what's your death count again?"
"Alright, fine! I promise I won't go stirring up trouble in Demon World."
"Thank you. Goodbye Yusuke."
"See ya later Kurama!" Hanging up the phone, the amused vulpine gazes at nothing for a long moment, mind sorting around his newest revelation. Forcing himself back into focus, he pockets the device and pins the thought for further consideration while navigating the stairwell leading back to the shop below. When he returns to the main area, his emerald irises find the noble guardian easily, happily browsing through some stylish sporty pieces. He can feel his gaze softening, his lips desperately fighting a smile as he watches her flutter spritely around the racks, not a care in the world. Within moments, if something were to happen, that happiness would dissipate like fog preceding a storm. He's seen many cases of madness, but as he watches this woman chatter excitedly to the store's proprietor about this and that, he hears no falsities, smells no deceit, and sees no hesitation.
Surely this is taking its toll on your sanity, becoming attached only to have to throw it aside. Why then do you keep trying? Just then, ocean waves splash against his forest, emotions swirling within their depths. He can't help but be awed by the radiance of her when she smiles warmly, calling to him. Setting aside his worries for a moment, he moves back to her side, a paper bag with some items she must have purchased on her shoulder with her purse as she calls to the owner,
"Have a good day! Thanks again!"
"No problem sweetie! Any time!" They walk along the sidewalk, her pointing out different store fronts, what they sell, and the times anything within might go on sale.
"You might be a business tycoon, but you should still shop smart." He couldn't argue the logic, so they continued until they came across a small shop with a red banner. Looking at him excitedly, she hops in front of him while Venus babbles, "Hey, do you want some taiyaki? This place sells them!" Shaking his head, as he really wasn't hungry at the moment, Kurama answers,
"Not really, but we can stop so you can grab some if you want." Jumping in the air enthusiastically, she turns and calls back,
(Konton to Souzou No Kikagaku - Fox Capture Plan)
"Alright, I'll be just a minute!" Keeping his eyes trained on her as she walks over to the chef, the furtive yokai feels a gentle breeze stir his forelocks, bringing with it the smells of the people all around them. None of them are a danger at the moment. Rose lashes lid as he watches the blond beauty chat animatedly with the chef, nearly vibrating with energy as the snack is made. He couldn't hold back the tilt in his lips as he's reminded of her naivete, her seemingly endless enthusiasm for the most mundane things, and that makes him realize something. Perhaps it makes more sense for her to throw herself into these things heedlessly, as I now see she's always prepared for… her own death. The word tastes bitter, especially in regards to this woman before him, prancing giddily as she holds her food covetously to her chest.
(Phoenix - Lindsey Stirling)
When she's close enough, the Kurama inquires, "When you enter battle, are you always prepared for your death?" She pauses for a moment, head tilted sideways in contemplation before the sunny knight asks in return,
"Where did this come from?" Holding her darkening lapis with his own verdant, he requests,
"Please, answer the question." Her visage is worried, but she answers truthfully,
"I must be, because the enemies I usually face are stronger than me." Crimson bangs shade his eyes from view, lips pressed tightly as he admits,
"It's admirable, to still enjoy your life as you do, even more so because you know you may not be able to for long. However," Ivy irises glint with hints of cold honey, the fierce stare narrowed at her as he itterates, "Don't allow it to be the reason you do everything." Venus is quite for a moment, fully blooming morning glories reflecting many emotions back at him as she slowly, gently smiles blindingly as she breathes,
"That's sweet of you, to care so much for me." Sun drenched lashes close as she exhales softly, "But I'm wild and crazy because I want to be, not just because I can be." His confusion must show because when she focuses on him again, she giggles endearingly. "When I transform, or when danger comes, I do let go of my earthly attachments to fight. I was trained as a soldier, but what I want to be is this." She spreads her arms out and spins lightly on her feet, golden hair swirling around her like the magic she invokes. When she finishes the rotation, azure gems latch onto his leafy ones as she grins, "I have many dreams, you know. My top one though, is to protect my precious person; she is my first priority. My greatest dream. I have many more, but I'm full to bursting sometimes with how much I want to do!"
Kurama's narrowed eyes smooth out a little as he states evenly, "I see." Breathing out starkly, his lips tilt at the corners as he responds, "You are something else, Ojou-san." Sticking her tongue out at him, he shakes red hair as he points ahead, "Well, shall we continue, or do you want to sit down to eat that?" Clutching the straps of her purse in one hand, the other holding the pastry, she chimes,
"I can walk and eat at the same time! Onward!" As they advance, she points out more important shops or things of note until they reach a storefront that had an European crown along with the word in large red gradient letters. On either side were the words 'game' and 'cafe' in yellow letters matching the outline of the crown. The grin on the peppy performer's face was incredibly large as she leads him toward the automatic doors. "C'mon! This is it! My favorite place in this area!" As they walk over the threshold, he sees another aspect of her he hadn't known about. Arcade cabinets lined the eisles, boys and some men playing on the games with only a few women present. A blond young man with short hair turns toward them, donned in a blue and white striped apron that was tied around his neck and waist.
(Supersonic - Fox Capture Plan)
"Hey, Mina-chan! How are you? It's been a while since you came in here!" Laughing jovially, the aptly named 'Mina' rubs the back of her head as she explains,
"I've just been busy with work, y'know. Next time I come, I've got souvenirs for you though!" The curious kitsune studies the interaction carefully, the young man perking at the mention of gifts.
"Ooh! Sounds good! You better be back soon then!" The energetic worker looks toward him before recoiling and apologizing, "Oh, hey! Sorry about that, I was catching up with Mina-chan, being as she was one of our best customers. The names Furuhata, Matoki. Yoroshikune." Nodding back politely, Kurama greets,
"Minamino, Shuichi. Hajimemashite." The halftailed gamer at his side looks surprised for a moment, as though not expecting him to introduce himself. Smirking, he teases, "All you had to do was ask my name. I'd have given it to you." Pouting slightly, 'Mina' retorts,
"But that's not nearly as fun!" Huffing with laughter, it turns into heavy chuckles at the look on Furuhata-san's face.
"Wait, how long have you known each other?" Pretending to consider it seriously, the playful plotter looks off to the side before answering,
"Well, I suppose if we do this in hours-" A tiny elbow bumps his side, causing air to rush between his lips softly as she interrupts,
"Big brain here means to say we've known each other for two days. Three if you count today." The man is shocked for a moment before choking,
"Th-three days! But you two seem so close…" Mina looks at Kurama while grinning cheekily,
"I guess we're just kindred spirits!" Both men sweat drop causing the blond male to laugh heartily, replying,
"Well, if he's as you say he is, he'll like this place then! We've got all the newest arcade machines available, and if we keep going, we'll have to expand!" The bright media darling hops in excitement before gushing,
"Oh, that would be amazing~! I can't wait!" Her lapis eyes glittering so happily had him huffing in humor as well, looking back to the short haired blond,
"I'm sure I'll have fun, who couldn't with her entertaining them?" Closing one eye and wagging her finger at him, the trendy connoisseur goads,
"You say that now until you lose to me at everything! Just because you're new here doesn't mean I'll show you mercy!" The proprietor smiles and shakes his head, chiding,
"He won't hang out with you anymore if you have bad sportsmanship."
"Don't worry, I won't destroy him too badly! I'll even let him win a few." Both of them sweat drop before Furuhata-san sighs,
"You're one brave man, Minamino-san." Snorting with laughter, he retorts easily,
"We'll see." The bouncing athlete darts animatedly further in, fluttering between aisles until she comes across a free machine. "Akage-san! I found one!" Smiling in amusement and slight bewilderment, he follows where she's now sat herself, which happened to be some sort of fighting game. Sitting next to her, the strategic salaryman gazes at the characters bobbing on screen, the free fight stick covered in a splash of colors.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get rocking!" Shaking his crimson locks airily, he takes hold of the fight stick and hovers his hands over the buttons as Mina fishes through the menu excitedly, choosing an arena and her own character quickly. Looking through the stats and button combos, he picks his own character, and before the match begins, he asks,
"I'm rather curious, why don't you use my name? You've heard it already."
"That's easy, because you didn't give it to me to use, you gave it to Matoki-san." Gleaming emerald lid faintly as he mumbles,
"I see, then I give you permission to use my name. It's not a physical object to receive."
"Yeah… but names have power, Minamino-san." He glances at her soberly for a moment, gauging her mood, and finding she was detached once more. Names are sacred to supernatural entities. Focusing back on the screen shows the two fighters raring to get at one another, an announcer shouting 'Round one, fight!' Although fighting games weren't his favorite, he wouldn't say he's a slouch at them either. Yet, here was this tiny blond woman, keeping him on the ropes and getting hits in when he least expects it. She's good, but I suppose she has the right reflexes needed for games like this. Lips tilting slightly, and getting a good idea of her strategy now, goes on the offensive, blocking and countering most of her attacks. Her surprised outcry, followed by her groan of defeat and flopping against the cabinet has the impish apparition guffawing brightly, shifting the atmosphere as he inquires,
"Do you want a rematch?" Barely a second passes before the spunky loser uses the machine to push herself higher and get closer to his face, chirping,
"Of course! One round isn't enough to gauge someone's true skill!" He grins while responding evenly,
"If you say so." They continue to play several rounds, the wins moving back and forth with Mina in the lead until she looks up and squeals excitedly,
"Hey! That arcade is free! Let's play that one!" Kurama couldn't help teasing,
"Ah, afraid of losing?"
"I'm not afraid of anything! I just thought I'd give you a break!" The enchanted fox grins mischievously at her pout as she turns away, stomping toward the next arcade. When they stand before it, he's startled to find that it was a Sailor V cabinet.
"This is…" Grinning devilishly as she finishes,
(Moonlight Densetsu Eurobeat Version - Moon Lips)
"Yup, it's Sailor V's arcade machine. Go ahead, try it! It can be two players, but it's less challenging in some ways, more so in others. So I wanna see how you do solo. But I gotta warn you, it's pretty tough." Fluttering crimson lashes in intrigue at the warning as he sits down to the controls, incredibly interested in whether or not this game was actually hers or made in her image. Pressing the closest button to start, the sound of magic powering up begins, the ribbons flutter and stream across and envelope the screen, distracting enough that you don't see the game loading up. What he sees next is an image of a chibi Sailor V encircled with energy, eyes closed beneath the red domino mask and hair floating upward, before settling into a fighting stance with her hair relaxed again, the words 'Let's go! Keep moving forward! Defeat all enemies on the screen!' flash across the top.
So it's a side scroller, possibly a platformer too. It looked like there was a stage completion bar at the top, a horizontal gemed bar at the bottom, connected with a circle cut pink jewel encircled by a round bar. Perhaps a life bar? A gold bead sits next to the circle gauge, with a wing sitting at the 10 o'clock position on the life bar. Then a strange set of a heart, a wing, and a star bar in the top right corner which was empty at the moment. From the chart at the top of the button panel, the first button was a light attack, next a medium, the last heavy. Pushing the stick up made the sprite jump, which he notices makes the compass at the top flutter slightly. The direction I need to go I surmise.
He presses the purple button and studies the screen as the crescent boomerang is thrown, the gold bead loses a small slice of color. Pulling the stick back sharply he finds a barrier popping up in front of the chibi blond. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to try, he moves the stick and presses several buttons, smirking when it makes rather elegant and fast combos, and when using directions with the purple button, special combos are possible. It's quite good for a cute looking arcade game. He's startled to see the Sailor V chibi on screen turn to him with a smile and say, "You got it all figured out?" Blinking in shock, he turns to the beautiful superhero at his side who's grinning quite a bit as he intones,
"This is no ordinary game." Nodding rapidly, she leans into the side of the cabinet smugly with her arms crossed, head tilting to the side as she adds,
"Just keep playing, you'll find out more." Now quite wary, he turns back to the screen and moves the stick to the side, moving the sprite forward through some chibi detailed caverns, he comes across the first enemies. Snorting lightly at the grinning, socketless, long haired and blue skinned fodder, he maneuvers Sailor V easily. Kicking, punching, and sliding the zombie looking creatures to death as he moves forward quickly. To his further astonishment, he notices he has to react quicker and quicker, their attack patterns changing faster for each one defeated, though not quite challenging him yet. It gets harder I bet, with each level cleared. Looking at the stage completion chain, the third mark was hovering higher than the rest with the next one being a tiny circle with horns. The boss I'd imagine.
During his bouts with the monsters, he noticed the stars, hearts, and wing items in sometimes difficult to get to areas, making him assume that they were collectables. As waves upon waves of fodder fills the screen, he keeps up his rhythm and continues to mow down the enemies and collecting the majority of the items until the screen unlocks from V's character and shows a… Is that a giant green dinosaur with tiny, vestigial wings? Sweat dropping slightly at the strange 'boss' he notices a cat in a swinging cage, watching raptly as the giant lizard screeches before beginning an attack cycle. Spewing fire, he pushes the stick back for her shield quickly, incredibly surprised by the dexterity needed to react to that. I wouldn't be surprised if many were killed by the sudden attack. Kurama hears Mina gush,
"Wow Minamino-san! Not many make it even this far, let alone without dying!" The spirit kitsune is more bewildered when another voice adds,
"For real, this is crazy! She's really good at this!" He feels his temple pulse before the golden beauty at his side chastises,
"Excuse you, but he's a man!" Huffing with a laugh, he concentrates more on the pattern now that the boss' health is down to half. This is quite intricate for a video game. It's adding a new attack into the mix, firing molten strings into the air which wiggled energetically before coming at Sailor V. There were three in all at the moment, and although he could block the main monster's fire breath with the shield, the separate strings could get behind it. It was the first blip of damage he took, and although Mina gasps and moves closer to his shoulder, her silken hair dragging lightly across his jacket clad arm, he wasn't worried. It was a small chunk of health, with much more left, and he learned his lesson here. The shield is not all encompassing.
Seeing the special gauge was full, he's about to press the purple button when the bouncy artist interrupts, "Press the heavy attack and purple buttons at the same time and roll the stick for your ultimate attack." Ultimate? Doing as she says, he's awed when the chibi Sailor V winks at him and pulls the crescent boomerang from her pocket, raising it into the air between both hands and shouting, "Venus, Crescent Beam Shower!" Beams of light rain down upon the dino kaiju, it's pain sound effects echoing as it's barraged by the attack, it's life bar draining down to nothing. Before he can react, soft arms are thrown around his neck with an elated, "You did it Minamino-san! That was really good!"
He's flummoxed by the character on screen turning to him too and praising with a smile, "Thank you so much, you did an excellent job! You've helped me save the day! But don't stop now! We gotta keep going!" Once again, her warmth seeps into him steadily, her sundrenched locks faintly tickling his neck as he sweat drops lightly. Mina pulls back a bit to look up at him, and realizing their proximity, flushes brightly before turning away with wide doe eyes. The chirpy superhero's hands come to her steadily burning cheeks, her glossy lips parted as though to say something but nothing comes out. All the while the people around them are stunned silent for a moment, then one shouts,
"What attack is that! I've never seen it before!" Likely glad for a distraction, the avid gamer looks back at the person who talked and while pulling some loose hairs behind her ears, responded easily,
"That is Sailor V's ultimate attack, where normally it's just the one blast, this one is multiple, and if timed right, it can take the boss' gauge to half or lower, depending on what level you're on." They all gape at her like a fish out of water, meanwhile, Kurama adds her deep knowledge of the game to his checklist under 'likely has something to do with the game.' The boys surrounding them seem to have become more of her fans, several grabbing free machines as another one cries out,
"Are you guys done cause I want to try it!" Several agreements and excitement echoes around them as Furuhata's comment solidifies his suspicions,
"This is almost a daily occurrence, unfortunately even now I have no idea which merchant sent me this machine, so there's only a handful here." Studying the new stage which was inside a castle now, he prods lightly,
"Is this the only place in Tokyo with this game?"
"Yeah, actually, which is one of the reasons why this shop is so popular." Glancing sideways at the surprisingly quiet senshi by his side, his lips tilt gingerly as he responds,
"I see. Well, I suppose we should-"
"You should keep going." Rose lashes beat in shock as she continues, "You had fun right? We were here first, so they'll just have to wait." Many groans were repeated around them, but she had captured his confused ivy with her lapis gems. Her expression was pensive, however it wasn't upset, more it was deeply inquisitive. It was worrying, seeing the gears turn behind usually bright and carefree irises. As she had already refuted his first excuse, however, he seemed locked into this game for now. Sighing, the indulgent fox continued through the castle level, and as he suspected earlier, the enemies were only getting harder, testing more and more of his dexterity considering it was only a simple game. But is it really? Just a simple game when it's testing my very real battle experience?
The next boss consisted of what must have been a blue dragon, but as the battle began, six orbs began circling it while it also breathed fire. Interesting, it's limiting my main methods of attack. The special gauge built up over time from landing physical hits on the opponents, so with this, his attacks are finite. She said if I timed it right, it could take it's life down to half or more, so she was likely talking about this. Leafy eyes narrow, concentrating on dodging the volley of attacks as he comes up with a strategy. Adopting a diagonal jump and hit rhythm, Kurama is able to chip away it's health, the sound around him growing as more people watch him easily adjust when it breathes fire at him.
He hasn't lost any more health yet, and watching as the health bar dips below half, he's expecting it when it changes strategies and starts tossing the ring of energy balls at him. Sliding and jumping over the laser orbs, the intuitive fighter continues his barrage while occasionally resorting to tossing up a quick barrier when he knew he couldn't dodge. Once he reaches a certain point, he hits the sequence of buttons needed for Sailor V's 'Ultimate move' and watches as it drains the health until nothing remains, the dragon releasing a last roar of anguish. Smiling at the victory screen lightly, verdant seek out morning glories and once finding them, is captivated by the emotions swirling within. What surprises him more is the smell of arousal drifting from her, her lips parted as she stares at him longingly.
(Brave Enough - Lindsey Stirling feat. Christina Peri)
Quite unsure what he's done to garner such a reaction, he breathes through his mouth again, desperately wishing for more space in here. Thankfully she becomes distracted by the people around them talking, some asking him about his strategies, and prying knowledge of the game from her. He's slightly perturbed when one of the boys questions, "Hey, you look familiar, have I seen you somewhere before?" She waves her hands frantically at them in a negative answer before reaching over and tugging on him with a beautifully wistful smile on her lips, giggling tightly as she states,
"We gotta get going, he just got to this city so I'm showing him around!" Although the tilt to her lips warmed his heart, the smell of melancholy and tears tore at his insides. What makes you such a dichotomy of heart and body, Mina-san? And why… He watches her golden hair sway, her fingers warm around his while her trembling leaves him feeling starkly cold. Do you feel so much pain?
Author Notes
Sorry I had to leave you on a cliffhanger, lmao. (Although not a big one really) You should really listen to the last song, as it gives a little insight into how Mina's feeling. As for the name of the chapter, it comes from one of my other favorite series, DEVIL MAY CRY baby!
Idol business is incredibly cutthroat, and has been since the 90's. An idol is a type of entertainer whose image is manufactured to cultivate a dedicated consumer fan following. Talent agencies commercialize idols by recruiting preteens and teenagers with little or no experience in the entertainment industry, and market them as aspiring stars. There is a lot of competition between companies and team members, it can get really petty between members as well. There's a lot of training involved, weight is measured daily (Which isn't surprising given they fine you if you're over a certain weight in Japan, which is crazy), particular genres and routines are picked for the members so even if they want one thing, if it's not popular, it won't be used. Contracts are written differently for different members, and trainees aren't paid, so many have a side job.
watch?v=K4htvWc2r1o
wiki/Japanese_idol
When Yusuke was teasing Kurama about the 'traditional greeting,' there's a thing they say in Japan over the phone, though most 'professional' people don't use it and less than believing it, they more or less just do it out of habit now. When you answer a call on the phone, you say, 'Moshi Moshi,' many debate the origins, but most go with, 'kitsune can mimic people perfectly, but can't repeat phrases said twice in a row.' So, Yusuke was trying to get Kurama to prove he, being a fox himself, could repeat the phrase. japanese/moshi-moshi/
I had fun with the arcade part. Hell, I had fun exploring Azabu Juban without actually ever having set foot there. Are there some inaccuracies? Of course, I've never seen it myself, just images and a sweet article that almost literally takes you on a walk through there without video. I was nearly in tears when I found that. Trying to figure out what all the bars and gauges meant in the Sailor V game in Crystal was interesting too, having to revisit what I knew of fighting and platformer games. I won't say I'm a super nerd when it comes to old games, but I'm pretty nerdy. So I kinda sorta geeked out on it. Hopefully I made it interesting though.
I didn't think Kurama was the type to go for Ramune, but out of curiosity, if he had to choose a flavor of Ramune Kurama would probably grab the most natural tasting one he could. So there were three flavors without dyes: Lychee, Yuzu, and Yogurt (What?). So I was like, "why not just go with his color scheme?" Although he probably would drink the yuzu flavor too. If you don't know what yuzu is, it is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in Australia, Spain, Italy and France. It is believed to have originated in central China as a hybrid of mandarin orange and the ichang papeda. Ref. wiki/Yuzu
Otherwise, I'd say Kurama is a tea drinking kind of guy, which is why I went with Jurokucha (十六茶) which is based on the concept of, "a tea that blends 16 (Juroku means sixteen in Japanese) good ingredients in an exquisite balance".
The main ingredients are below and has refreshing aftertaste.
2 kinds of Barley
Hub tea (Senna occidentalis)
Barley Sprouts
Corn
Brown rice
Dandelion root
Loquat leaf
Kawaroketsumei (Chamaecrista)
Burdock
Foxtail millet
Panicum miliaceum
Red bean
Perilla leaf
Jujube,
Yuzu peel
/10-best-japanese-bottled-unsweetened-teas-8216/
Torii - is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
Taiyaki - a Japanese fish-shaped cake, commonly sold as street food. It imitates the shape of tai (鯛 red seabream), which it is named after.
Toushin is a word that literally means "God of War" in Japanese.
Mazoku are special types of Elite and powerful demons. Mazoku also means "Tribes Of The Devils"
Hajimemashite はじめまして - How do you do?; I am glad to meet you
初めまして
Yoroshiku よろしく - best regards; please remember me; please treat me favorably (favourably); please take care of;
宜しく
Kaiju - Kaiju is a Japanese genre of films and television featuring giant monsters. The term kaiju can refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and engaging the military, or other kaiju, in battle. The kaiju genre is a subgenre of tokusatsu entertainment.
Tokusatsu - Tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of special effects. Tokusatsu entertainment often deals with science fiction, fantasy or horror, but films and television shows in other genres can sometimes count as tokusatsu as well.
Chibi ち - small child; pipsqueak; small fry; small, cute versions of manga, anime, etc. characters, typically with oversized heads
禿び
All of the spots mentioned can be found here on this site: articles/18435-sailor-moon-real-life-locations-in-tokyos-azabu-juban
/en/places/596
/tokyo_
maps/dir/Azabu+Hikawa+Shrine,+%E9%BA%BB%E5%B8%83%E6%B0%B7%E5%B7%9D%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE+1+Chome-4+Motoazabu,+Minato+City,+Tokyo,+Japan/35.655182,139.734954/ 35.6541259,139.7332619,18z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x60188b0aba2ecfad:0x65a4f77e3b1da57a!2m2!1d139.7310565!2d35.6528783!1m0?hl=en-US
On what direction to walk around Azabu Juban to see the sights.
/columns/otaku-travel/visiting-sailor-moons-setting-of-azabu-juban/
why-does-ami-think-vampires-like-to-eat-flowers/
/75398
/en/2223
Kurama's Apartment (Same as Mamoru's) - 2 Chome-1-8 Azabujuban, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan
Just a little excerpt:
Pressing the purple button pops up the text 'Not enough energy!' with Sailor V sighing and shrugging while shaking her head before taking her fighting stance again