Prompt: Describe a color
The endless open sky beneath direct sunlight.
I'm wearing this color today.
The irritating shade of my sister's room's walls.
You see it whenever you look at pictures of the ocean (though it's not really this color in real life, trust me).
It reminds me a lot of Naruto's eyes (hint hint)
Kisame - need I say more?
The shade of your lips when it's really, really cold outside.
Or when you're not getting enough air, take your pick.
Hyacinth and morning glories blooming in the early morning sunshine.
Eyes - Demyx, Cloud, Marluxia, Martha, Minato, Deidara, Yahiko, Fai, Cain, Abel, Tamaki, Toushirou, Uyruu, Ryuuken, Rangiku, Gin-chan (1), Grimmjow...
And Grimmjow's hair...
And his weird man-makeup.
Blastoise, Squirtle, Articuno, Vaporeon, Glaceon, Mudkip, Horsea, Seadra, Oddish, Kingra, Suicune, Dialga...
Color of sadness and sorrow.
Color of freedom.
With just a pinch of green, it's the color of friendship.
It looks glorious when combined with the red-orange of New Mexican clay.
Aquamarine, Turquoise, Topaz, Sapphire.
One of the colors on the American Flag... if you haven't guessed it yet you should bang your head against a wall.
Konan's hair.
Cats do not come in this color. I mean really.
Crunch bars!
The night sky lit with stars, very dark with pinpricks poked straight through.
But personally, this isn't my favorite color. I much prefer it mixed with yellow or with red to form new shades.
And it makes a good backdrop for the clouds.
Note: The End.
(1) -chan - honorific usually used to represent affection towards a young girl, but Gin is not a girl. And his is not young.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Stream of Consciousness: Hyuuga Neji
Prompt: Write a five minute stream of consciousness
Note: Yes, the last thing I did was a stream of consciousness, but I'm doing another one, because I feel like it, so there. Neji is not part of the Akatsuki, he's just fun to pick on.
Hyuuga Neji
Konoha Chronicles - that's what my sister calls the stories that started out w/ the jilting of Neji... yeah, poor baby
I hated his guts the first time I saw him
stuck up
brat
mean to Hinata
so cruel...
Destiny boy
a little obsessive, I'm glad Hiashi had a talk w/ him
needs to have his priorities set straight badly
Byakugan
that means he doesn't have pupils
well, I think they do (otherwise they wouldn't be able to see at all), but you can't really tell. I mean really, it's pretty creepy
wanted to bash his head it several times
but he's since become one of my favorite characters
pretty adorable
a bit girly
like Itachi like that
prodigy boy
I really want Lee to kick his ass
I hate it when he's paired with TenTen
she's lame
but that's beside the point
I made him gay in the Chronicles... I swear, he's not really, just--
looks like of gay, I mean, really, he's got longer hair than Hinata
poor girl
you know I saw this adorable comic of him where Hiashi was trying to make them marry each other
that's where I got inspiration for the Konoha Chronicles lol
that's even what they were thinking
yeah, I didn't make up the "I wonder if this is a good time to mention that I don't like girls" line
so cute... I <3 the artist of those comics... just adorable
When Naruto kicked his butt I did a happy dance
I hate it when he's paired with Gaara
I mean they don't even talk to each other! What the hell is wrong with people?
Plus, Gaara has no eyebrows
Okay, that really has nothing to do w/ it, but still--
Sensei is Gai
I'm surprised he's not traumatized by seeing so many sunsets and hugging men in green spandex with orange leg-warmers
okay, they're not really leg-warmers
oh... I wonder what Neji would look like in green spandex
do you think he's ever tried it? With Gai for a sensei
Is so mean to Lee *sniffle* it makes me sad.
Note: And that is my five minute rant on Hyuuga Neji.
Note: Yes, the last thing I did was a stream of consciousness, but I'm doing another one, because I feel like it, so there. Neji is not part of the Akatsuki, he's just fun to pick on.
Hyuuga Neji
Konoha Chronicles - that's what my sister calls the stories that started out w/ the jilting of Neji... yeah, poor baby
I hated his guts the first time I saw him
stuck up
brat
mean to Hinata
so cruel...
Destiny boy
a little obsessive, I'm glad Hiashi had a talk w/ him
needs to have his priorities set straight badly
Byakugan
that means he doesn't have pupils
well, I think they do (otherwise they wouldn't be able to see at all), but you can't really tell. I mean really, it's pretty creepy
wanted to bash his head it several times
but he's since become one of my favorite characters
pretty adorable
a bit girly
like Itachi like that
prodigy boy
I really want Lee to kick his ass
I hate it when he's paired with TenTen
she's lame
but that's beside the point
I made him gay in the Chronicles... I swear, he's not really, just--
looks like of gay, I mean, really, he's got longer hair than Hinata
poor girl
you know I saw this adorable comic of him where Hiashi was trying to make them marry each other
that's where I got inspiration for the Konoha Chronicles lol
that's even what they were thinking
yeah, I didn't make up the "I wonder if this is a good time to mention that I don't like girls" line
so cute... I <3 the artist of those comics... just adorable
When Naruto kicked his butt I did a happy dance
I hate it when he's paired with Gaara
I mean they don't even talk to each other! What the hell is wrong with people?
Plus, Gaara has no eyebrows
Okay, that really has nothing to do w/ it, but still--
Sensei is Gai
I'm surprised he's not traumatized by seeing so many sunsets and hugging men in green spandex with orange leg-warmers
okay, they're not really leg-warmers
oh... I wonder what Neji would look like in green spandex
do you think he's ever tried it? With Gai for a sensei
Is so mean to Lee *sniffle* it makes me sad.
Note: And that is my five minute rant on Hyuuga Neji.
Stream of Consciousness: Uchiha Itachi
Prompt: Write a five minute stream of consciousness
Note: My sister has chosen Itachi as my first victim. I will rant about him for five minutes and attempt to keep it G-rated.
Itachi Uchiha
red eyes
Sharingan
awesome power lol
killed by brother
sucks, there's no way Sasuke could beat him like that
if he weren't dying than Sasuke would never have won
*sobs* why did he have to die? *sniffle*
I <3
Because he's awesome
and sexy
and Itachi
Weasel, weasel, weasel
Itachi means weasel, by the way :D
His partner is Kisame
That's fish-boy, if you didn't already know
He's not important, no one cares about him... back to Itachi
murdered his entire clan on the orders of Danzo
so sad, he just wanted to rescue Sasuke *sniffle* such beautiful brotherly love!
Why did he have to die?
Moving on now...
Traumatized Sasuke... makes me want to cheer
cause I hate Sasuke
Itachi is like a thousand times cooler
loves poking his brother in the forehead
apparently he likes onigiri
he looks like a girl... I mean, seriously, his eyelashes are like so pretty most girls would just die to have them. I think they're amazing, and he's a freaking boy.
Not. Fair.
oh... when he dies he pokes Sasuke... so sad... it almost made me cry
But don't tell anyone, okay?
And then his face his the wall and just slid down... and I was like "Huh?"
And then somehow he landed face up on the ground (I was very confused)
And then he was resurrected by Kabuto-Orochimaru-hybrid-monster-thing for Madara
That just makes me hate Madara even more, because Itachi died happy, damnit
Although, truthfully, I would have liked it better if he didn't murder his best friend and then murder his whole clan and mentally torture his baby brother into growing up to become a psychotic maniac obsessed with gaining enough power to viciously murder him in revenge
Did I mention that I hate Sasuke?
To be fair, Itachi really said some horrible things to the poor boy, and he was only like eight... or was it seven? I can't remember
And then he just ups and leaves...
Note: Okay, finished...
And that was my five minute rant about Uchiha Itachi
Though I could have written more
But this is enough for now.
Note: My sister has chosen Itachi as my first victim. I will rant about him for five minutes and attempt to keep it G-rated.
Itachi Uchiha
red eyes
Sharingan
awesome power lol
killed by brother
sucks, there's no way Sasuke could beat him like that
if he weren't dying than Sasuke would never have won
*sobs* why did he have to die? *sniffle*
I <3
Because he's awesome
and sexy
and Itachi
Weasel, weasel, weasel
Itachi means weasel, by the way :D
His partner is Kisame
That's fish-boy, if you didn't already know
He's not important, no one cares about him... back to Itachi
murdered his entire clan on the orders of Danzo
so sad, he just wanted to rescue Sasuke *sniffle* such beautiful brotherly love!
Why did he have to die?
Moving on now...
Traumatized Sasuke... makes me want to cheer
cause I hate Sasuke
Itachi is like a thousand times cooler
loves poking his brother in the forehead
apparently he likes onigiri
he looks like a girl... I mean, seriously, his eyelashes are like so pretty most girls would just die to have them. I think they're amazing, and he's a freaking boy.
Not. Fair.
oh... when he dies he pokes Sasuke... so sad... it almost made me cry
But don't tell anyone, okay?
And then his face his the wall and just slid down... and I was like "Huh?"
And then somehow he landed face up on the ground (I was very confused)
And then he was resurrected by Kabuto-Orochimaru-hybrid-monster-thing for Madara
That just makes me hate Madara even more, because Itachi died happy, damnit
Although, truthfully, I would have liked it better if he didn't murder his best friend and then murder his whole clan and mentally torture his baby brother into growing up to become a psychotic maniac obsessed with gaining enough power to viciously murder him in revenge
Did I mention that I hate Sasuke?
To be fair, Itachi really said some horrible things to the poor boy, and he was only like eight... or was it seven? I can't remember
And then he just ups and leaves...
Note: Okay, finished...
And that was my five minute rant about Uchiha Itachi
Though I could have written more
But this is enough for now.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Flashback: Team Seven's Discovery
Prompt: This has no prompt. It is purely for my amusement.
If there was one thing that Kakashi had not expected, it was this.
Standing not ten feet away from him was Namikaze Minato--his teacher and mentor--kissing one Uzumaki Kushina. One might not have found such an occurence all that strange, but Kakashi knew better than anyone else after listening to many a lengthy rant on the demerits of strong-willed, redheaded, temperamental women that Minato and Kushina did not get along. Both were too strong-willed and set in their ways.
Not only that, but while Minato thought Kushina was a nutcase, Kushina thought Minato was too girly and flaky to even bother calling a man. That had done nothing to mollify the blond-haired man at all. The last time Kakashi had seen the two together, Kushina had called Minato a prepubescent moron with the brain of a squirrel, and Minato had called Kushina the thrice-be-damned demonic kunoichi (1) from Hell.
Two days later Kushina had left--presumably on a mission--and Minato the day after that--also presumably on a mission.
Now, more than a week later, Kakashi stumbled across the two of them swapping spit on Training Ground 7 in broad daylight.
What happened? Is it the apocalypse?
Behind him, Obito failed to realize that his previously mobile comrade was now stationary and slammed into the prodigy's back. The Uchiha failed to move Kakashi even an inch, instead bouncing off with an unmanly squeak and landing in an undignified heap on the ground. Rin, who at least had the decency to realize Kakashi had stopped walking (more so due to the fact that she constantly stared at him than anything else) and halted just to his left. Her large eyes focused on the pair making out under the trees and widened to the point where Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if they were about to fall out.
"Is that... really...?"
Kakashi blinked twice, just to be sure, and pinched his arm. Ow! "Yes, it is."
"What is?" Obito looked up at his gaping teammates with wide, curious eyes, his head jerking back and forth between the two so fast that Kakashi wondered if the boy would develop whiplash from the movement. "What--?"
Rin reached down, her fingers curling in Obito's hair and jerking his head in their sensei's (2) direction, forcing his eyes to settle on the pair of elite ninjas who had still not registered the presence of the three young students not ten feet away. "Look."
The Uchiha looked. "Oh..."
They all stared, and then Obito broke out into one of those grins that Kakashi knew meant nothing but trouble. It was so wide it looked like it stretched from ear-to-ear, complete with rows of straight, white teeth and a delighted giggle.
"Minato and Kushina sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G--"
Oh Kami (3), here we go again...
At this point, both of the ninjas would have had to be blind, deaf and mentally unsound in order to miss the obnoxiously off-key rendition of the playground crush song. Minato jumped, looking for all the world like a startled bunny rabbit, and Kushina turned a shade of red so dark that it rivaled her hair for brilliance.
"--first comes love, then comes marriage--"
Minato looked like he would have a heart attack. Two pairs of shocked eyes settled on the Uchiha, who had gotten his butt off the ground and was now bouncing off the figurative walls, doing what could only be described as some sort of dance, prancing around his silent teammates like a lunatic whilst he sang.
"--then comes the baby in the baby carriage!"
Somehow, Kushina's blush became darker, and Minato seemed to lack the ability to breathe for several long seconds. Then...
"It's not what you--"
"We haven't done--"
"--think it is, I swear! I don't--"
"--anything inappropriate!"
"--even like that blond-haired girly-boy like--"
"We were just--"
"--that! It was--"
Even Kakashi wasn't sure what they were trying to say, as both their voices--the loud, low feminine shouts and the softer, deeper mumbles--mixed together into an unrecognizable cacophony of diluted sound. But apparently Obito understood what they were saying, because his grin only widened. It was a wonder his face didn't come apart at the seems from being stretched so far.
"Yeah, yeah! Excuses! You can't fool me like that, Minato-sensei! I knew you'd liked her forever, and now you're totally a thing! Admit it!" Kakashi winced at the volume of the shout and wondered what the hell Obito was talking about. Minato and Kushina hated each other.
Rin wrung her hands nervously. "He has a slight point," she said softly. "It's good that you've finally gotten over your differences with Kushina-chan (4), Minato-sensei."
"I don't-- I haven't-- We're not... not..." Minato couldn't seem to get the words out. His stumbling only made Obito's laughter louder and Rin's giggles shriller. The urge to cover his ears with his hands was strong, but Kakashi resisted and wondered privately what the joke was. It appeared as though he had missed out on the punch-line.
Meanwhile, Kushina--who was usually brash and loud-mouthed--appeared too embarrassed to do anything more than squeak softly at the teens' exclamations.
"It's really about time!" Obito commented brightly. "Congrats, sensei. You're going to name me honorary big brother, right?"
Rin's giggles escalated into full-out laughter; she covered her mouth with one dainty hand and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Kakashi, meanwhile, was completely lost.
Is this another one of those social things that I'm apparently supposed to know but don't? Two people who hate each other should not be kissing. Has Minato-sensei been possessed or something? Maybe he's a spy in disguise... Kakashi narrowed his eyes on the mortified blond man, trying to see any flaw in his composition that could indicate a henge (5) or illusion. But why would a spy want to get Minato-sensei and Kushina-san (6) to kiss... This makes no sense...
A friendly arm was draped over Kakashi's shoulder, causing the young ninja to stiffen. It was Obito, he realized a moment later, spotting the orange stitching of his dark blue sleeve. "Don't think so hard, Kashi-kun," the Uchiha said, patting his back so hard that Kakashi was nearly pitched forward onto the ground, "You'll break your brain doing that!"
Finally, Rin's giggling ceased, though her smile was still wide and bright. "Come on... let's give the two lovebirds their privacy. We'll see you tomorrow, sensei."
Minato shook his head frantically. "Wait! We're not... Where are you...?"
Obito curled a hand in the back of Kakashi's shirt and dragged the silver-haired teen behind him, only pausing to shout over his shoulder at the red-faced couple. "Have fun! And remember, I'm the older brother!"
"OBITO!"
The Uchiha ignored the castigation, still wearing that shit-eating grin of his. Only once they were out of the Training Ground did he release Kakashi, who have him a dark-eyed, unamused glare. "What do you think you're doing? We have training."
His teammates stared at him for a moment as if he'd grown an extra head which spoke in opera. "I think Minato-sensei wants some alone time with Kushina," Rin pointed out.
But that doesn't make any sense! "They hate each other."
Almost in synchronization, Rin and Obito shook their heads as if in shame. "You're completely hopeless, Kashi-kun," Obito told him, giving him a pat on the head as if he were a child and not a fourteen-year-old jounin (7).
"Don't call me that."
"I mean, really... They've had crushes on each other forever. How could you not notice?" The condescending tone set Kakashi on edge. "It was so obvious!"
It's illogical! I don't understand. "It doesn't make any sense."
"Don't question." Rin looped an arm through the crook of her teammates' elbows and began pulling them back towards the village. "Let's go out to eat--that new BBQ place is great, I heard--and we'll train more tomorrow."
"But..."
"No buts!" Rin was smiling and almost dancing in excitement. "Just you wait, there's a wedding on the horizon! I can see it now. It'll be so amazing!"
I sincerely doubt it.
Two months later, Minato and Kushina were married, and Kakashi was more confused than ever before.
Note: This is non-canon, because if it was canon Obito would be dead and Minato and Kushina's wedding would be a secret. However, this is my alternate timeline and I wish for them to be this way so that is the way they shall be, da~
(1) kunoichi - a female ninja
(2) sensei - roughly "teacher"
(3) Kami - literally "divine being", but is basically just a word for "god"
(4) -chan - honorific used to address a younger female (not always obviously) with affection. However, in this case it's just that Obito would never use -san to address someone. It's just not his style. He's the Naruto of the Uchiha Clan after all...
(5) henge - an illusion where a ninja transforms themselves to look like someone else
(6) -san - roughly Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(7) jounin - the highest ranking ninjas in the village who are kicka$$ and go on dangerous missions
If there was one thing that Kakashi had not expected, it was this.
Standing not ten feet away from him was Namikaze Minato--his teacher and mentor--kissing one Uzumaki Kushina. One might not have found such an occurence all that strange, but Kakashi knew better than anyone else after listening to many a lengthy rant on the demerits of strong-willed, redheaded, temperamental women that Minato and Kushina did not get along. Both were too strong-willed and set in their ways.
Not only that, but while Minato thought Kushina was a nutcase, Kushina thought Minato was too girly and flaky to even bother calling a man. That had done nothing to mollify the blond-haired man at all. The last time Kakashi had seen the two together, Kushina had called Minato a prepubescent moron with the brain of a squirrel, and Minato had called Kushina the thrice-be-damned demonic kunoichi (1) from Hell.
Two days later Kushina had left--presumably on a mission--and Minato the day after that--also presumably on a mission.
Now, more than a week later, Kakashi stumbled across the two of them swapping spit on Training Ground 7 in broad daylight.
What happened? Is it the apocalypse?
Behind him, Obito failed to realize that his previously mobile comrade was now stationary and slammed into the prodigy's back. The Uchiha failed to move Kakashi even an inch, instead bouncing off with an unmanly squeak and landing in an undignified heap on the ground. Rin, who at least had the decency to realize Kakashi had stopped walking (more so due to the fact that she constantly stared at him than anything else) and halted just to his left. Her large eyes focused on the pair making out under the trees and widened to the point where Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if they were about to fall out.
"Is that... really...?"
Kakashi blinked twice, just to be sure, and pinched his arm. Ow! "Yes, it is."
"What is?" Obito looked up at his gaping teammates with wide, curious eyes, his head jerking back and forth between the two so fast that Kakashi wondered if the boy would develop whiplash from the movement. "What--?"
Rin reached down, her fingers curling in Obito's hair and jerking his head in their sensei's (2) direction, forcing his eyes to settle on the pair of elite ninjas who had still not registered the presence of the three young students not ten feet away. "Look."
The Uchiha looked. "Oh..."
They all stared, and then Obito broke out into one of those grins that Kakashi knew meant nothing but trouble. It was so wide it looked like it stretched from ear-to-ear, complete with rows of straight, white teeth and a delighted giggle.
"Minato and Kushina sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G--"
Oh Kami (3), here we go again...
At this point, both of the ninjas would have had to be blind, deaf and mentally unsound in order to miss the obnoxiously off-key rendition of the playground crush song. Minato jumped, looking for all the world like a startled bunny rabbit, and Kushina turned a shade of red so dark that it rivaled her hair for brilliance.
"--first comes love, then comes marriage--"
Minato looked like he would have a heart attack. Two pairs of shocked eyes settled on the Uchiha, who had gotten his butt off the ground and was now bouncing off the figurative walls, doing what could only be described as some sort of dance, prancing around his silent teammates like a lunatic whilst he sang.
"--then comes the baby in the baby carriage!"
Somehow, Kushina's blush became darker, and Minato seemed to lack the ability to breathe for several long seconds. Then...
"It's not what you--"
"We haven't done--"
"--think it is, I swear! I don't--"
"--anything inappropriate!"
"--even like that blond-haired girly-boy like--"
"We were just--"
"--that! It was--"
Even Kakashi wasn't sure what they were trying to say, as both their voices--the loud, low feminine shouts and the softer, deeper mumbles--mixed together into an unrecognizable cacophony of diluted sound. But apparently Obito understood what they were saying, because his grin only widened. It was a wonder his face didn't come apart at the seems from being stretched so far.
"Yeah, yeah! Excuses! You can't fool me like that, Minato-sensei! I knew you'd liked her forever, and now you're totally a thing! Admit it!" Kakashi winced at the volume of the shout and wondered what the hell Obito was talking about. Minato and Kushina hated each other.
Rin wrung her hands nervously. "He has a slight point," she said softly. "It's good that you've finally gotten over your differences with Kushina-chan (4), Minato-sensei."
"I don't-- I haven't-- We're not... not..." Minato couldn't seem to get the words out. His stumbling only made Obito's laughter louder and Rin's giggles shriller. The urge to cover his ears with his hands was strong, but Kakashi resisted and wondered privately what the joke was. It appeared as though he had missed out on the punch-line.
Meanwhile, Kushina--who was usually brash and loud-mouthed--appeared too embarrassed to do anything more than squeak softly at the teens' exclamations.
"It's really about time!" Obito commented brightly. "Congrats, sensei. You're going to name me honorary big brother, right?"
Rin's giggles escalated into full-out laughter; she covered her mouth with one dainty hand and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Kakashi, meanwhile, was completely lost.
Is this another one of those social things that I'm apparently supposed to know but don't? Two people who hate each other should not be kissing. Has Minato-sensei been possessed or something? Maybe he's a spy in disguise... Kakashi narrowed his eyes on the mortified blond man, trying to see any flaw in his composition that could indicate a henge (5) or illusion. But why would a spy want to get Minato-sensei and Kushina-san (6) to kiss... This makes no sense...
A friendly arm was draped over Kakashi's shoulder, causing the young ninja to stiffen. It was Obito, he realized a moment later, spotting the orange stitching of his dark blue sleeve. "Don't think so hard, Kashi-kun," the Uchiha said, patting his back so hard that Kakashi was nearly pitched forward onto the ground, "You'll break your brain doing that!"
Finally, Rin's giggling ceased, though her smile was still wide and bright. "Come on... let's give the two lovebirds their privacy. We'll see you tomorrow, sensei."
Minato shook his head frantically. "Wait! We're not... Where are you...?"
Obito curled a hand in the back of Kakashi's shirt and dragged the silver-haired teen behind him, only pausing to shout over his shoulder at the red-faced couple. "Have fun! And remember, I'm the older brother!"
"OBITO!"
The Uchiha ignored the castigation, still wearing that shit-eating grin of his. Only once they were out of the Training Ground did he release Kakashi, who have him a dark-eyed, unamused glare. "What do you think you're doing? We have training."
His teammates stared at him for a moment as if he'd grown an extra head which spoke in opera. "I think Minato-sensei wants some alone time with Kushina," Rin pointed out.
But that doesn't make any sense! "They hate each other."
Almost in synchronization, Rin and Obito shook their heads as if in shame. "You're completely hopeless, Kashi-kun," Obito told him, giving him a pat on the head as if he were a child and not a fourteen-year-old jounin (7).
"Don't call me that."
"I mean, really... They've had crushes on each other forever. How could you not notice?" The condescending tone set Kakashi on edge. "It was so obvious!"
It's illogical! I don't understand. "It doesn't make any sense."
"Don't question." Rin looped an arm through the crook of her teammates' elbows and began pulling them back towards the village. "Let's go out to eat--that new BBQ place is great, I heard--and we'll train more tomorrow."
"But..."
"No buts!" Rin was smiling and almost dancing in excitement. "Just you wait, there's a wedding on the horizon! I can see it now. It'll be so amazing!"
I sincerely doubt it.
Two months later, Minato and Kushina were married, and Kakashi was more confused than ever before.
Note: This is non-canon, because if it was canon Obito would be dead and Minato and Kushina's wedding would be a secret. However, this is my alternate timeline and I wish for them to be this way so that is the way they shall be, da~
(1) kunoichi - a female ninja
(2) sensei - roughly "teacher"
(3) Kami - literally "divine being", but is basically just a word for "god"
(4) -chan - honorific used to address a younger female (not always obviously) with affection. However, in this case it's just that Obito would never use -san to address someone. It's just not his style. He's the Naruto of the Uchiha Clan after all...
(5) henge - an illusion where a ninja transforms themselves to look like someone else
(6) -san - roughly Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(7) jounin - the highest ranking ninjas in the village who are kicka$$ and go on dangerous missions
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Pwning of Uchiha Sasuke
Prompt: Part IV of the Konoha Chronicles
For as long as Sasuke could remember, Haruno Sakura had been the most annoying girl ever. When they were six she would follow (stalk) him on the playground. When they were eight she would drool at him from behind her textbooks at the academy. When they were ten she would have catfights with her ex-best friend Yamanaka Ino over which rabid female would sit next to him on any given day. When they were twelve she became his teammate and did more flirting with him than training. Thankfully, by fourteen she had gone off to be under the tutelage of Tsunade-sama (1) and he had rarely seen her at all.
Oh sure, he occasionally caught a glimpse of her. Well into their twenties and no longer part of a genin (2) team, they had no reason to interact. She was a medic and he was a jounin (3). Unless he broke something or was fatally stabbed, he didn't plan on being caught dead in a hospital. All he'd seen of Haruno Sakura for the last six years or so was the flash of her obnoxiously pink hair through a window or across the market.
And he was quite content to leave it at that.
Or he would have been anyway...
Except he had just now realized how much she had changed.
Yesterday had been Naruto's wedding (hard to imagine that dobe (4) being married...) and he had been the best man, of course. He hadn't realized that Sakura was going to be one of the bridesmaids.
Or that she looked so good in that tight lavender dress that pushed up her cleavage just so. Just think about it made him drool...
Snap out of it! Sasuke shook his head vigorously and tried to concentrate on making it down the street without tripping over any children or knocking over any old women doing their grocery shopping. But, inevitably, his mind would wander back to that image of her the day before, how perfect her hair was--she had grown it out again past her shoulders--and how well that dress hugged her curves, and how sexily she walked...
Snap out of it, Sasuke!
"...and so I had to go, because they were having a sale and there was this amazing dress. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity an-- Hey! Sasuke, watch where you're going!"
He looked up and promptly tripped over his feet.
There, standing three feet in front of him, clad in full medic-regalia, was Haruno Sakura. Her eyes were greener than he remembered. Were they that bright when we were twelve? Can't remember...
He did know that she hadn't been this well-developed at twelve, though.
Maybe Kakashi-sensei (5) is rubbing off on me...
And so, while his eyes slid from her face and then down, his feet failed to realize that the uneven ground had shifted just ever so slightly upwards in an awkward little earthen ridge that scarred the road. The toe of his sandal met the small obstruction and caught, yanking his leg awkwardly back as his foot stayed in place whilst his knee attempted to lurch forward. Consequentially, he found himself plummetting face-first...
Into Sakura's chest.
Anyone would have been embarrassed in such a situation. As a seasoned jounin, Sasuke had been on hundreds of dangerous missions before now, not to mention all of his rogue adventures along the way. One would never have presumed to think that the unmovable, unloveable, unemotional ice-cube that was Uchiha Sasuke could trip over the ground.
But he did. The fact that he landed on a soft, warm and cushy surface would have been a perk, except for the fact that it immediately caused his nose to begin leaking copious amounts of blood and his cheeks to turn the most garishly bright shade of scarlet. For a very long moment he didn't dare move.
What should I do now?
Turns out, he didn't have to do anything. One second Sakura was staring down at him with large, blank green eyes, and the next he was flying through the air at a velocity that shouldn't have been possible. Of course, the realm of physics hardly applied to Haruno Sakura. Sasuke had a singular moment--drawn out into a blur of sensation and dizzying colors--before his eyes and face registered the very hard, very red, very dirty brick wall.
"SASUKE, YOU PERVERT!"
That was the last thing he heard before there was a burst of violent pain and the world went black. As he drifted, he could only think...
It was totally worth it.
---
Sakura stared at the blood-stained, drooling, unconscious man at her feet with a scowl. I can't believe I used to have a crush on this idiot.
Sure, Sasuke was handsome, if a bit on the girly side, but his manners and attitude could use some serious improvement. Honestly, she was certain what she'd ever seen in him in the first place. Even now, when he was an elite ninja, she remained completely unimpressed. Her crush had long-since faded and died.
All Sasuke reminded her of now was a younger version of Kakashi-sensei with darker hair and clumsier feet. The urge to slam his head against the wall a second time for good measure needed to be stifled. She was supposed to be a medic, and medics healed people, they didn't give them multiple concussions, even if said person had just molested said medic.
Beside her, Ino was staring as well. "What should we do with him now?"
A few more seconds of silence... "Just leave him here; he'll be fine."
As a unit they turned away and continued walking down the street, pretending that they had not just blown-in one of the ally walls with Sasuke's head. "So, as I was saying, there's this dress on sale and I just have to get it!"
---
Never before had Sasuke appreciated strength in a woman, but damn that girl could throw! What an arm! She hadn't been that strong when they were younger, had she?
Either way, he now found himself at home, nursing the mother of all headaches as he lounged on the sofa with bits of tissue stuffed up his nostrils to collect the still-dripping blood. If anything, being bashed head-first into a wall by the woman did nothing to deter him. Quite the opposite, in fact. Never had Sasuke appreciated beauty or fashion in a woman--it seemed like a waste--but he could appreciate strength, and he didn't know any woman stronger (except the Hokage (6), who was far too old for him, thank you very much!).
It was right then and there that Uchiha Sasuke--smirking despite the pounding in his head (it felt like a jackhammer was trying to beat in his skull!)--decided it. Haruno Sakura was the perfect woman with which to rebuild his clan.
Note: I'm usually not a fan of Sakura (or Sasuke for that matter), but in my AU there is no Kyuubi attack and Itachi does not die after killing his whole clan... in fact, I think he doesn't even kill them. Someone else could do it and then Danzo gets caught and everyone's happy and... yeah... Poor Sasuke, you totally deserved it this time.
(1) -sama - honorific used to address someone of very high status. In this case it roughly translates to "lady"
(2) genin - first rank a ninja gets after graduating the academy... basically, they're mostly young kids under the tutelege of an older ninja
(3) jounin - highest ranking ninja (except ANBU) who are basically the kicka$$ ninjas living in the village who get the dangerous missions
(4) dobe - translates roughly to "dead last" or "loser"
(5) -sensei - honorific used to address a teacher
(6) Hokage - leader of the village
For as long as Sasuke could remember, Haruno Sakura had been the most annoying girl ever. When they were six she would follow (stalk) him on the playground. When they were eight she would drool at him from behind her textbooks at the academy. When they were ten she would have catfights with her ex-best friend Yamanaka Ino over which rabid female would sit next to him on any given day. When they were twelve she became his teammate and did more flirting with him than training. Thankfully, by fourteen she had gone off to be under the tutelage of Tsunade-sama (1) and he had rarely seen her at all.
Oh sure, he occasionally caught a glimpse of her. Well into their twenties and no longer part of a genin (2) team, they had no reason to interact. She was a medic and he was a jounin (3). Unless he broke something or was fatally stabbed, he didn't plan on being caught dead in a hospital. All he'd seen of Haruno Sakura for the last six years or so was the flash of her obnoxiously pink hair through a window or across the market.
And he was quite content to leave it at that.
Or he would have been anyway...
Except he had just now realized how much she had changed.
Yesterday had been Naruto's wedding (hard to imagine that dobe (4) being married...) and he had been the best man, of course. He hadn't realized that Sakura was going to be one of the bridesmaids.
Or that she looked so good in that tight lavender dress that pushed up her cleavage just so. Just think about it made him drool...
Snap out of it! Sasuke shook his head vigorously and tried to concentrate on making it down the street without tripping over any children or knocking over any old women doing their grocery shopping. But, inevitably, his mind would wander back to that image of her the day before, how perfect her hair was--she had grown it out again past her shoulders--and how well that dress hugged her curves, and how sexily she walked...
Snap out of it, Sasuke!
"...and so I had to go, because they were having a sale and there was this amazing dress. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity an-- Hey! Sasuke, watch where you're going!"
He looked up and promptly tripped over his feet.
There, standing three feet in front of him, clad in full medic-regalia, was Haruno Sakura. Her eyes were greener than he remembered. Were they that bright when we were twelve? Can't remember...
He did know that she hadn't been this well-developed at twelve, though.
Maybe Kakashi-sensei (5) is rubbing off on me...
And so, while his eyes slid from her face and then down, his feet failed to realize that the uneven ground had shifted just ever so slightly upwards in an awkward little earthen ridge that scarred the road. The toe of his sandal met the small obstruction and caught, yanking his leg awkwardly back as his foot stayed in place whilst his knee attempted to lurch forward. Consequentially, he found himself plummetting face-first...
Into Sakura's chest.
Anyone would have been embarrassed in such a situation. As a seasoned jounin, Sasuke had been on hundreds of dangerous missions before now, not to mention all of his rogue adventures along the way. One would never have presumed to think that the unmovable, unloveable, unemotional ice-cube that was Uchiha Sasuke could trip over the ground.
But he did. The fact that he landed on a soft, warm and cushy surface would have been a perk, except for the fact that it immediately caused his nose to begin leaking copious amounts of blood and his cheeks to turn the most garishly bright shade of scarlet. For a very long moment he didn't dare move.
What should I do now?
Turns out, he didn't have to do anything. One second Sakura was staring down at him with large, blank green eyes, and the next he was flying through the air at a velocity that shouldn't have been possible. Of course, the realm of physics hardly applied to Haruno Sakura. Sasuke had a singular moment--drawn out into a blur of sensation and dizzying colors--before his eyes and face registered the very hard, very red, very dirty brick wall.
"SASUKE, YOU PERVERT!"
That was the last thing he heard before there was a burst of violent pain and the world went black. As he drifted, he could only think...
It was totally worth it.
---
Sakura stared at the blood-stained, drooling, unconscious man at her feet with a scowl. I can't believe I used to have a crush on this idiot.
Sure, Sasuke was handsome, if a bit on the girly side, but his manners and attitude could use some serious improvement. Honestly, she was certain what she'd ever seen in him in the first place. Even now, when he was an elite ninja, she remained completely unimpressed. Her crush had long-since faded and died.
All Sasuke reminded her of now was a younger version of Kakashi-sensei with darker hair and clumsier feet. The urge to slam his head against the wall a second time for good measure needed to be stifled. She was supposed to be a medic, and medics healed people, they didn't give them multiple concussions, even if said person had just molested said medic.
Beside her, Ino was staring as well. "What should we do with him now?"
A few more seconds of silence... "Just leave him here; he'll be fine."
As a unit they turned away and continued walking down the street, pretending that they had not just blown-in one of the ally walls with Sasuke's head. "So, as I was saying, there's this dress on sale and I just have to get it!"
---
Never before had Sasuke appreciated strength in a woman, but damn that girl could throw! What an arm! She hadn't been that strong when they were younger, had she?
Either way, he now found himself at home, nursing the mother of all headaches as he lounged on the sofa with bits of tissue stuffed up his nostrils to collect the still-dripping blood. If anything, being bashed head-first into a wall by the woman did nothing to deter him. Quite the opposite, in fact. Never had Sasuke appreciated beauty or fashion in a woman--it seemed like a waste--but he could appreciate strength, and he didn't know any woman stronger (except the Hokage (6), who was far too old for him, thank you very much!).
It was right then and there that Uchiha Sasuke--smirking despite the pounding in his head (it felt like a jackhammer was trying to beat in his skull!)--decided it. Haruno Sakura was the perfect woman with which to rebuild his clan.
Note: I'm usually not a fan of Sakura (or Sasuke for that matter), but in my AU there is no Kyuubi attack and Itachi does not die after killing his whole clan... in fact, I think he doesn't even kill them. Someone else could do it and then Danzo gets caught and everyone's happy and... yeah... Poor Sasuke, you totally deserved it this time.
(1) -sama - honorific used to address someone of very high status. In this case it roughly translates to "lady"
(2) genin - first rank a ninja gets after graduating the academy... basically, they're mostly young kids under the tutelege of an older ninja
(3) jounin - highest ranking ninja (except ANBU) who are basically the kicka$$ ninjas living in the village who get the dangerous missions
(4) dobe - translates roughly to "dead last" or "loser"
(5) -sensei - honorific used to address a teacher
(6) Hokage - leader of the village
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Case of the Talking Computer - FFVII Style
Prompt: One day you are sitting in front of your computer when, suddenly, the computer starts talking to you. What does it say? Does it have a message for you or does it just want to chat?
Click, click, click... tap, tap... click, click...
Vincent Valentine was tired. He hadn't slept for several days now--almost a week, if he were to be truthful with himself--and it was wearing down on him. This morning he had had to spend an extra ten minutes making sure he didn't show signs of being "human" around his constant companions. The Kisaragi girl would have never let him hear the end of it if she'd actually caught him yawning.
However, until everyone settled in for the night, he wasn't going anywhere. Mindlessly, he coded and recoded every file he could get his hands on, waiting for everyone else to finally go to sleep so he could actually close his eyes and take a power-nap.
"You know, bud, you look real shitty today. Shouldn't you be sleepin' or somethin'?"
Was it just him... or had Cid just spoken to him? But no... Cid was on the other side of the room, drinking and smoking and being a disgusting waste of space. Vincent blinked, refocusing his eyes on the barrage of numbers flowing across the computer screen. You are imagining things now... How the mighty have fallen. Or maybe you are finally losing what little is left of your sanity.
He had the strong urge to tell that stupid voice in his head to shut the hell up, but he knew Chaos wouldn't listen. Instead, he tuned the demon out, locking it away in the back of his head, though the echoes of its laughter still reached the forefront of his mind.
"No, I'm serious, Vinnie. Your eyes are drooping. You know, I don't want you collapsing on my keyboard. Cid's drool is bad enough; I don't need vamp-drool on top of that. You'll clog my keys."
The Hell?
This time, Vincent really did focus on the computer. Surely he couldn't be imagining that voice, right? It had just told him not to drool on the keyboard... its keyboard. Strange... And... Cid's drool... gross... Gingerly, he lifted his fingers off the keys. Too much information.
"C'mon, don't give me that look! It ain't my fault the old geezer can't seem to keep his mouth shut when he sleeps! Snores like a freaking airship, too, I'm tellin' you."
Crimson eyes narrowed. Nothing about the machine had changed, except that it had apparently spoken to him. Either he was very, very tired and hallucinating or someone had slipped some sort of drug into his coffee this morning, because computers did not talk. Nevertheless, he couldn't resist the urge to scoot his chair back a foot or so... just in case the computer decided to jump up and bite him next.
"Don't be like that, bud! I wouldn't hurt a fly, I swear! Look, could you just, y'know, keep on typing or something? I'm bored and... it's... uh... feels... uh..."
"Are you trying to say that I have been feeling up a computer for the last two hours?" Vincent muttered skeptically. It took him a few seconds to realize that he'd said it out loud.
"No! Well... sort of? Look, not like that, you old pervert! Sheesh! Why do all humans have to be so stupid, honestly? Hey, Vinnie, do you think you could download some of those pictures of Tifa for me? I'd really appreciate it."
The red-caped ex-TURK stared blankly at the machine. Had it just asked him to download pictures of the woman with a painfully large bosom so it could oogle her? That is... just wrong. It is a machine.
"Haha, didn't know you had such a perverted mind, Vinnie, old pal."
Shut up, Chaos... He really wasn't in the mood!
"You are a computer. You are not talking to me." Maybe if he said it enough times it would become reality. He needed sleep really badly.
"Hey, are you listening to me? Vinnie, I need--"
"They do not speak."
"--some help here, bud. You understand, right? I--"
"It is a machine."
"--just want a little-- Hey, are you listening to me, you bastard? Hey! Hey, you! Vinnie?"
"It is not talking to me... Definitely not... Surely not..." Vincent shook his head, trying to keep his eyes from drifting shut out of pure fatigue. "That's it, I'm going to bed. I do not care what Cid thinks..."
Inside his head, Chaos was laughing at him.
Growling to himself Vincent abruptly stood and shoved the chair back up against the desk, trying to ignore the frequent "Hey you!"s and "Are you listening to me?"s of the inanimate object that had suddenly developed some sort of convoluted, perverted personality of his own. Or maybe this was all a really weird dream and he'd wake up with his drool smeared all over the keyboard and numbers still flashing across the screen in a dizzying tide.
"Turning in already?"
The voice sounded so much like the computer's that Vincent nearly reached down and drew his gun, only to turn and find himself face-to-face with the unshaven, drunken blond pilot who reeked of cigarette smoke. "Didn't think you slept, vamp-boy."
Vincent didn't want to admit to sleeping. Besides, this was probably all a hallucination anyway. "Your computer spoke to me. It wants you to upload pictures of Tifa's bust."
"Yeah, yeah, whatev-- SAY WHAT NOW? THE HELL, VALENTINE?"
I am going insane. I should have just stayed in my coffin and slept for another thirty years.
He walked away, leaving the Captain spitting swear-words at his back all the while. And inside his head, Chaos was still laughing.
---
The next morning was bright and sunny--exactly the way Vincent hated. Sunny days reminded him too much of Lucrecia. Feeling his mood after last night's "incident" plummet even farther (He hadn't been aware it was possible until that moment), Vincent settled himself in a chair and poured himself a mug of pure, unsweetened black coffee.
Halfway through the bitter liquid, he felt a more refreshed as his ever-present fatigue disappeared under a wave of caffeine-induced alertness. Then the door opened and bloodshot blue eyes peered in at him.
"Hey, Valentine, what'd you do to my goddamn computer, you a$$?"
For a second it didn't register, and then... "What are you talking about, Highwind?"
"My fu**ing computer said good morning to me. Did you download some illegal Shinra super-computer software or something? Wouldn't put it past one of you ex-TURK bastards..."
So it wasn't a dream after all.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Highwind."
"But yesterday you said--"
Vincent didn't wait for the rest. He'd had enough of talking computers to last him for the next several decades. He hadn't particularly liked technology to begin with, and now he had three times the reason to hate any form of advanced technology. No... he wanted nothing to do with this freak-anomaly.
"I think you need to lay off the sake (1)," Vincent muttered. Saying nothing else, he swept out into the hallway, abandoning the pilot to his fate full of screechy young females and perverted talking computers.
I wonder if the top of this airship is habitable. At least up there no one will catch me sleeping.
To make matters worse, Chaos was still in the back of his mind, laughing. What he wouldn't give to have a mental crowbar handy to beat the demon over the head with it. Then, at least, he could pretend all of this was a bad dream and forget it ever happened.
Note to self: Never touch Cid's airship computers again. They are sentient and probably harbor the genetic remnants of the Captain's drool.
"You're such a drag, Vinnie, old pal."
Just shut up, Chaos.
Note: This is complete crack born straight from the land of extreme boredom. It's just so stupid, but really, poor Vinnie. I keep reading stories where he's a complete technophobe, not that I blame him too much, poor thing.
(1) sake - rice wine... basically, an alcoholic beverage from Japan
Click, click, click... tap, tap... click, click...
Vincent Valentine was tired. He hadn't slept for several days now--almost a week, if he were to be truthful with himself--and it was wearing down on him. This morning he had had to spend an extra ten minutes making sure he didn't show signs of being "human" around his constant companions. The Kisaragi girl would have never let him hear the end of it if she'd actually caught him yawning.
However, until everyone settled in for the night, he wasn't going anywhere. Mindlessly, he coded and recoded every file he could get his hands on, waiting for everyone else to finally go to sleep so he could actually close his eyes and take a power-nap.
"You know, bud, you look real shitty today. Shouldn't you be sleepin' or somethin'?"
Was it just him... or had Cid just spoken to him? But no... Cid was on the other side of the room, drinking and smoking and being a disgusting waste of space. Vincent blinked, refocusing his eyes on the barrage of numbers flowing across the computer screen. You are imagining things now... How the mighty have fallen. Or maybe you are finally losing what little is left of your sanity.
He had the strong urge to tell that stupid voice in his head to shut the hell up, but he knew Chaos wouldn't listen. Instead, he tuned the demon out, locking it away in the back of his head, though the echoes of its laughter still reached the forefront of his mind.
"No, I'm serious, Vinnie. Your eyes are drooping. You know, I don't want you collapsing on my keyboard. Cid's drool is bad enough; I don't need vamp-drool on top of that. You'll clog my keys."
The Hell?
This time, Vincent really did focus on the computer. Surely he couldn't be imagining that voice, right? It had just told him not to drool on the keyboard... its keyboard. Strange... And... Cid's drool... gross... Gingerly, he lifted his fingers off the keys. Too much information.
"C'mon, don't give me that look! It ain't my fault the old geezer can't seem to keep his mouth shut when he sleeps! Snores like a freaking airship, too, I'm tellin' you."
Crimson eyes narrowed. Nothing about the machine had changed, except that it had apparently spoken to him. Either he was very, very tired and hallucinating or someone had slipped some sort of drug into his coffee this morning, because computers did not talk. Nevertheless, he couldn't resist the urge to scoot his chair back a foot or so... just in case the computer decided to jump up and bite him next.
"Don't be like that, bud! I wouldn't hurt a fly, I swear! Look, could you just, y'know, keep on typing or something? I'm bored and... it's... uh... feels... uh..."
"Are you trying to say that I have been feeling up a computer for the last two hours?" Vincent muttered skeptically. It took him a few seconds to realize that he'd said it out loud.
"No! Well... sort of? Look, not like that, you old pervert! Sheesh! Why do all humans have to be so stupid, honestly? Hey, Vinnie, do you think you could download some of those pictures of Tifa for me? I'd really appreciate it."
The red-caped ex-TURK stared blankly at the machine. Had it just asked him to download pictures of the woman with a painfully large bosom so it could oogle her? That is... just wrong. It is a machine.
"Haha, didn't know you had such a perverted mind, Vinnie, old pal."
Shut up, Chaos... He really wasn't in the mood!
"You are a computer. You are not talking to me." Maybe if he said it enough times it would become reality. He needed sleep really badly.
"Hey, are you listening to me? Vinnie, I need--"
"They do not speak."
"--some help here, bud. You understand, right? I--"
"It is a machine."
"--just want a little-- Hey, are you listening to me, you bastard? Hey! Hey, you! Vinnie?"
"It is not talking to me... Definitely not... Surely not..." Vincent shook his head, trying to keep his eyes from drifting shut out of pure fatigue. "That's it, I'm going to bed. I do not care what Cid thinks..."
Inside his head, Chaos was laughing at him.
Growling to himself Vincent abruptly stood and shoved the chair back up against the desk, trying to ignore the frequent "Hey you!"s and "Are you listening to me?"s of the inanimate object that had suddenly developed some sort of convoluted, perverted personality of his own. Or maybe this was all a really weird dream and he'd wake up with his drool smeared all over the keyboard and numbers still flashing across the screen in a dizzying tide.
"Turning in already?"
The voice sounded so much like the computer's that Vincent nearly reached down and drew his gun, only to turn and find himself face-to-face with the unshaven, drunken blond pilot who reeked of cigarette smoke. "Didn't think you slept, vamp-boy."
Vincent didn't want to admit to sleeping. Besides, this was probably all a hallucination anyway. "Your computer spoke to me. It wants you to upload pictures of Tifa's bust."
"Yeah, yeah, whatev-- SAY WHAT NOW? THE HELL, VALENTINE?"
I am going insane. I should have just stayed in my coffin and slept for another thirty years.
He walked away, leaving the Captain spitting swear-words at his back all the while. And inside his head, Chaos was still laughing.
---
The next morning was bright and sunny--exactly the way Vincent hated. Sunny days reminded him too much of Lucrecia. Feeling his mood after last night's "incident" plummet even farther (He hadn't been aware it was possible until that moment), Vincent settled himself in a chair and poured himself a mug of pure, unsweetened black coffee.
Halfway through the bitter liquid, he felt a more refreshed as his ever-present fatigue disappeared under a wave of caffeine-induced alertness. Then the door opened and bloodshot blue eyes peered in at him.
"Hey, Valentine, what'd you do to my goddamn computer, you a$$?"
For a second it didn't register, and then... "What are you talking about, Highwind?"
"My fu**ing computer said good morning to me. Did you download some illegal Shinra super-computer software or something? Wouldn't put it past one of you ex-TURK bastards..."
So it wasn't a dream after all.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Highwind."
"But yesterday you said--"
Vincent didn't wait for the rest. He'd had enough of talking computers to last him for the next several decades. He hadn't particularly liked technology to begin with, and now he had three times the reason to hate any form of advanced technology. No... he wanted nothing to do with this freak-anomaly.
"I think you need to lay off the sake (1)," Vincent muttered. Saying nothing else, he swept out into the hallway, abandoning the pilot to his fate full of screechy young females and perverted talking computers.
I wonder if the top of this airship is habitable. At least up there no one will catch me sleeping.
To make matters worse, Chaos was still in the back of his mind, laughing. What he wouldn't give to have a mental crowbar handy to beat the demon over the head with it. Then, at least, he could pretend all of this was a bad dream and forget it ever happened.
Note to self: Never touch Cid's airship computers again. They are sentient and probably harbor the genetic remnants of the Captain's drool.
"You're such a drag, Vinnie, old pal."
Just shut up, Chaos.
Note: This is complete crack born straight from the land of extreme boredom. It's just so stupid, but really, poor Vinnie. I keep reading stories where he's a complete technophobe, not that I blame him too much, poor thing.
(1) sake - rice wine... basically, an alcoholic beverage from Japan
Monday, October 24, 2011
Perfect Winter Day
Prompt: "What makes a perfect winter day?" Describe the perfect winter day from your past... or imagination.
The perfect winter day would not be bright and clear. How can it be a perfect winter day without snow? I can imagine sleek, off-white gray clouds blanketing the earth as far as the eye can see. They aren't angry or sad clouds, just there to spread their white blanket over me. And I would sit in a patch of grass covered with that frozen blanket, bundled up and cozy warm, my cheeks rosy against the cold, staring up at that sky. A few little glimmers of sunlight shine through, though not enough to blind me, and make all of the snow on the ground glitter like a thousand little diamonds.
And before me would be the pond in my aunt's yard, frozen over for the winter but too fragile to walk on just yet. The surface would glimmer with the sunshine, refracting the light down into the clear depths below, undisturbed by my cousins who usually can't keep their hands out of the water. They're deterred--thankfully--by the freezing, stinging touch of the water on skin. I don't mind, though. I don't want to play in it; I just want to watch the gentle white flakes sprinkling over its surface, doing their own little dance of sparkles on the dark backdrop.
Above me, snow would fall in gentle flurries, flakes touching my cheeks and nose and lips in little strokes and caresses, then melting on the hot skin and sliding down as droplets of refreshingly cool water. My tongue would slip out to catch them, and we're so far from the city that they don't carry the ashy taste of the suburbs. It feels like we're in the middle of nowhere, and the snow tastes pure and sweet to my eager tastebuds.
Thankfully, there is no harsh wind. What do you need the wind-chill for when it's already subzero outside? No breeze crashes over my face in a flash of uncomfortable, biting cold on my tender skin, and for that I'm happy. Breezes are nice on late spring days or early in the fall, and especially in the hot summer, but not in the midst of icy winter. I don't like the days when I have to hide inside my house and bar the windows, sitting in my room and listening to the panes rattling beneath violent wind, as if a wild animal waited just outside the thin layer of glass. No, when I sit outside I want calm...
And silence. No children splashing in the water. No screaming and running and jumping. Just perfect quiet so I can enjoy the scenery without worrying about having a wet, cold ball of sticky snow burried down the back of my coat. I would much rather be able to observe the trees on the other side of the small field beyond the pond and enjoy how the sticky newfallen snow lines their brances and trunks with its essence, giving them the true visage of a winter wonderland. I've never been much for winter games, you see, as I hate both the cold and wet aspects of winter, but I do appreciate the scenery. Even I--a winter-hater--will admit that winter has its pretty moments, and I would rather catch them than miss them.
But I think when it's all said and done, after I've captured a dozen little flakes on my finger and watched their delicate perfection--the symmetrical, crystaline beauty of Mother Nature's design--melt away on my warm skin until my fingers tremble from cold air on slick water, then I'll go back up to the house. Warm air will be waiting, bursting across my face, and there'll be a cup of hot chocolate steaming on the counter, just for me.
I guess I appreciate the chocolate as much as I appreciate the scenery.
The perfect winter day would not be bright and clear. How can it be a perfect winter day without snow? I can imagine sleek, off-white gray clouds blanketing the earth as far as the eye can see. They aren't angry or sad clouds, just there to spread their white blanket over me. And I would sit in a patch of grass covered with that frozen blanket, bundled up and cozy warm, my cheeks rosy against the cold, staring up at that sky. A few little glimmers of sunlight shine through, though not enough to blind me, and make all of the snow on the ground glitter like a thousand little diamonds.
And before me would be the pond in my aunt's yard, frozen over for the winter but too fragile to walk on just yet. The surface would glimmer with the sunshine, refracting the light down into the clear depths below, undisturbed by my cousins who usually can't keep their hands out of the water. They're deterred--thankfully--by the freezing, stinging touch of the water on skin. I don't mind, though. I don't want to play in it; I just want to watch the gentle white flakes sprinkling over its surface, doing their own little dance of sparkles on the dark backdrop.
Above me, snow would fall in gentle flurries, flakes touching my cheeks and nose and lips in little strokes and caresses, then melting on the hot skin and sliding down as droplets of refreshingly cool water. My tongue would slip out to catch them, and we're so far from the city that they don't carry the ashy taste of the suburbs. It feels like we're in the middle of nowhere, and the snow tastes pure and sweet to my eager tastebuds.
Thankfully, there is no harsh wind. What do you need the wind-chill for when it's already subzero outside? No breeze crashes over my face in a flash of uncomfortable, biting cold on my tender skin, and for that I'm happy. Breezes are nice on late spring days or early in the fall, and especially in the hot summer, but not in the midst of icy winter. I don't like the days when I have to hide inside my house and bar the windows, sitting in my room and listening to the panes rattling beneath violent wind, as if a wild animal waited just outside the thin layer of glass. No, when I sit outside I want calm...
And silence. No children splashing in the water. No screaming and running and jumping. Just perfect quiet so I can enjoy the scenery without worrying about having a wet, cold ball of sticky snow burried down the back of my coat. I would much rather be able to observe the trees on the other side of the small field beyond the pond and enjoy how the sticky newfallen snow lines their brances and trunks with its essence, giving them the true visage of a winter wonderland. I've never been much for winter games, you see, as I hate both the cold and wet aspects of winter, but I do appreciate the scenery. Even I--a winter-hater--will admit that winter has its pretty moments, and I would rather catch them than miss them.
But I think when it's all said and done, after I've captured a dozen little flakes on my finger and watched their delicate perfection--the symmetrical, crystaline beauty of Mother Nature's design--melt away on my warm skin until my fingers tremble from cold air on slick water, then I'll go back up to the house. Warm air will be waiting, bursting across my face, and there'll be a cup of hot chocolate steaming on the counter, just for me.
I guess I appreciate the chocolate as much as I appreciate the scenery.
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Wedding of Uzumaki Naruto
Prompt: This is Part III of the Konoha Chronicles because I'm having fun writing this crack.
I can't believe I got an invitation to the wedding of my ex-fiancee two days after she jilted me, Neji thought to himself as he walked towards the sprawling training grounds near the village. The paths were decorated with a plethora of lavender flowers--hanging from trees, springing from the ground, spreading their sickly sweet scent all over the place. Neji didn't mind though; there wasn't much that could make him unhappy on such a wonderful, beautiful day.
Well, except Hiashi-oji-sama (1), but that was a different matter altogether.
At least we got him to agree to come to the wedding and not murder the groom and force me to marry by cousin. Though, to be honest, Neji didn't trust Hiashi half as far as he could throw him, which was a fair distance, he supposed, but not enough to constitute trust in his uncle's erratic behavior in the past few days.
Hiashi had not taken the jilting nearly as well as Neji had. In fact, his uncle had had a minor meltdown the night before and this morning. Neji just hoped that his uncle kept it to himself during the ceremony. The Hokage and his lover would be there to watch their son get married, and Neji didn't think the Hyuuga Clan name could take any more scandal right now.
Stepping into the decorated, florally-scented Team Seven training grounds. All around, people were milling in their heavy, traditional dress, laughing and passing around the sake. Already, he could see the Hokage's spiky blond hair in the crowd next to a head of deep red locks.
And then there was Hiashi, who was off brooding in a corner.
Neji sighed, praying half-heartedly that today would go well. But then again, after the ridiculing he'd been through last night, he wouldn't have minded seeing Hiashi brought down a notch or two. Smirking to himself, Neji began to mingle.
---
Seated in the front row, Neji stared up at Naruto, who was grinning from ear-to-ear and talking to Sasuke, his best man. The Hyuuga couldn't help but feel happy for the blond (and grateful that Naruto had taken Hinata from him), and was smiling slightly, though one wouldn't have been able to tell from so far away.
"It's time for the ceremony to start." The words traveled over the training grounds in a wave of hushed whispers, eyes swiveling back towards where the bride would enter through the curtain of beautiful white flowers and beads shading the crook between two ancient oak trees.
Neji, too, was looking intently. Hiashi was nowhere to be found. His uncle had agreed to give the bride away, so he supposed that the old bastard was back there with Hinata, probably trying to convince her that all of this was a very bad idea and she should go straight back home and prepare to marry her cousin... again.
Finally, silence fell and the music began. The beads parted in a soft rustle and jingle, revealing a row of bridesmaids--Sakura, Ino and TenTen--all dressed in graceful lavender dresses (though Neji didn't think lavender suited Sakura's pink head very well). Each was smiling broadly, and he noticed that Sakura's eyes were focused on the best man rather than the crowd, stars practically gleaming from their depths as she oogled him. Even after all these years, Sakura still hadn't outgrown her childhood crush...
The sad thing was, Neji thought Sasuke might be returning her feelings--especially with the look he was giving her cleavage.
And then Hanabi appeared, her pale eyes wide and her lips un-smiling. She looked very serious as she marched down the aisle in beat with the music, dropping clumps of petals onto the unrolled carpeting rather than tossing them into the air.
Finally, it was time for Hinata. Neji looked on eagerly--the sooner this was over with the better. He could breathe easier at night knowing she couldn't be dragged back and forced to become his wife! It would be such a rel--
"No! I forbid you! Come here, Hinata! We're returning home immediately!"
"O-Otou-sama, please, l-let me g-g-go!"
"How could you even consider marrying that demon-child! I won't have the Hyuuga named soiled by--"
No... just... no... There is no way I'm going to let him ruin this for me! Growling, Neji stood and walked straight back down the aisle, kicking aside the piles of white rose petals as he headed for the beaded archway. On the other side he could hear a scuffle and then the beads were pushed aside with a faint jingling. Hiashi's face came into view...
BANG. BANG. CRASH. THUMP.
Silence.
Neji reappeared with Hinata on his arm. Her eyes were as wide as her dazed smile. Glancing over his shoulder at his uncle's prone body, Neji snorted. "Forgive the interruption," he intoned clearly, not even blinking. "You may continue."
Hesitantly, the music began again. Throwing out his chest, Neji led his cousin down the aisle, trying to make sure that she didn't collapse, because she really did look ready to faint under all that decorated silk and another giant, annoying bow. Honestly, how women could stand to wear such bulky clothing, he'd never know!
But then she turned to look at Naruto, and Neji nearly gagged at the sickeningly sweet look shared between them. Hinata looked like she was seeing Heaven and Naruto... he just looked like a pervert.
They reached Naruto's side and the blonde reached out for Hinata's hand. For a second, Neji wanted to refuse, but he knew that it was his duty--since Hiashi was incapacitated--to give away the bride, even to this demon.
But not before he gave Naruto a look. Leaning over, he hissed, "If you do anything to hurt her, Uzumaki, I'll end you."
An uncharacteristically serious look crossed the blonde's face as he nodded. Then he pulled Hinata away, and Neji returned to his seat to watch the proceedings.
As the bride and groom approached, the prosiding official's face was beaming, tears gathering in his eyes. Neji didn't think the look befitted Jiraiya the Toad Sannin (2), and he doubted that the man's thoughts were platonic. He was probably thinking about how good Naruto and Hinata would look in bed with each other.
"We're all gathered here today for the wedding of these two lovely people!" he announced joyously. From then on, Neji tuned him out.
Minutes tickled by. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, before Hiashi wakes back up again! Anxiously, he listened to the drone of Jiraiya's voice in the background, resisting the urge to nervously glance back over his shoulder to make sure his uncle hadn't made an impromtu reappearance. Hurry, hurry, hurry...
"And now I will ask if there are any objections amongst the--"
"I OBJECT!"
Kami damn it all, why couldn't he stay unconscious?
Everyone turned to stare at a panting, bruised and disheveled Hyuuga Hiashi, complete with a black ring around his left eye and a torn kimono. He looked like a lunatic, not the idea thing for the Clan Head to appear as. Neji wanted to bash his head against a wall somewhere.
Jiraiya glared at the Hyuuga. "You don't get to object."
Furiously, Hiashi pointed his finger at the Toad Sannin. "You can't stop me! My daughter will not be marrying that... that... thing!"
"Please, calm down, sir, or I'll be forced to have you removed from the grounds." Jiraiya was not smiling now, but looking highly annoyed at the interruption.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN? How can I CALM F***ING DOWN?"
From beside Neji, Hanabi asked again, "What does fu** mean, Neji-san (3), and why do you and Otou-sama (4) get to use it but not me?"
"Just never mind..."
"You leave me no choice..." Jiraiya shook his head. "Security, escort him off the premisis!" Snap.
Three ANBU swarmed the crazy Hyuuga, holding his arms behind his back as they dragged him away from the wedding. "Let me go! I am the Head of the Hyuuga Clan and I demand to be let go immediately! Do you hear me? HOW DARE YOU?"
It was just plain embarrassing. Neji felt his cheeks flaring with mortification.
There was silence. Again.
"Much better," the sannin said, grinning. "Now that that's taken care of, Uzumaki Naruto, do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"I do! Believe it!"
"And you, Hyuuga Hinata, do you take this man to be your husband?"
Neji held his breath. This was the moment when Hinata had backed out of their wedding. His ears strained, waiting... waiting...
"I d-do."
Relief. Glorious Relief. Heavenly Relief. Neji sighed, releasing the breath he had unwittingly been holding.
"Then I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride, brat!"
And Naruto did. Very enthusiastically. And Neji didn't care one witt.
He was free.
Note: Aw, aren't Naruto and Hinata cute? And Neji no longer has to worry about marrying Hinata. Hopefully Hiashi won't try to marry him off to Hanabi... that would just be disturbing. On a brighter note, my sister is trying to think of a collective title for this little series of vignettes, since from here on out they won't focus very much on the Hyuuga Clan... for the most part, anyway.
(1) -oji-sama - respectful way of saying "uncle"
(2) Sannin - group of three powerful ninjas named Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru who were students of the Third Hokage
(3) -san - rough equivalent of Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(4) Otou-sama - respectful way of saying "father"
I can't believe I got an invitation to the wedding of my ex-fiancee two days after she jilted me, Neji thought to himself as he walked towards the sprawling training grounds near the village. The paths were decorated with a plethora of lavender flowers--hanging from trees, springing from the ground, spreading their sickly sweet scent all over the place. Neji didn't mind though; there wasn't much that could make him unhappy on such a wonderful, beautiful day.
Well, except Hiashi-oji-sama (1), but that was a different matter altogether.
At least we got him to agree to come to the wedding and not murder the groom and force me to marry by cousin. Though, to be honest, Neji didn't trust Hiashi half as far as he could throw him, which was a fair distance, he supposed, but not enough to constitute trust in his uncle's erratic behavior in the past few days.
Hiashi had not taken the jilting nearly as well as Neji had. In fact, his uncle had had a minor meltdown the night before and this morning. Neji just hoped that his uncle kept it to himself during the ceremony. The Hokage and his lover would be there to watch their son get married, and Neji didn't think the Hyuuga Clan name could take any more scandal right now.
Stepping into the decorated, florally-scented Team Seven training grounds. All around, people were milling in their heavy, traditional dress, laughing and passing around the sake. Already, he could see the Hokage's spiky blond hair in the crowd next to a head of deep red locks.
And then there was Hiashi, who was off brooding in a corner.
Neji sighed, praying half-heartedly that today would go well. But then again, after the ridiculing he'd been through last night, he wouldn't have minded seeing Hiashi brought down a notch or two. Smirking to himself, Neji began to mingle.
---
Seated in the front row, Neji stared up at Naruto, who was grinning from ear-to-ear and talking to Sasuke, his best man. The Hyuuga couldn't help but feel happy for the blond (and grateful that Naruto had taken Hinata from him), and was smiling slightly, though one wouldn't have been able to tell from so far away.
"It's time for the ceremony to start." The words traveled over the training grounds in a wave of hushed whispers, eyes swiveling back towards where the bride would enter through the curtain of beautiful white flowers and beads shading the crook between two ancient oak trees.
Neji, too, was looking intently. Hiashi was nowhere to be found. His uncle had agreed to give the bride away, so he supposed that the old bastard was back there with Hinata, probably trying to convince her that all of this was a very bad idea and she should go straight back home and prepare to marry her cousin... again.
Finally, silence fell and the music began. The beads parted in a soft rustle and jingle, revealing a row of bridesmaids--Sakura, Ino and TenTen--all dressed in graceful lavender dresses (though Neji didn't think lavender suited Sakura's pink head very well). Each was smiling broadly, and he noticed that Sakura's eyes were focused on the best man rather than the crowd, stars practically gleaming from their depths as she oogled him. Even after all these years, Sakura still hadn't outgrown her childhood crush...
The sad thing was, Neji thought Sasuke might be returning her feelings--especially with the look he was giving her cleavage.
And then Hanabi appeared, her pale eyes wide and her lips un-smiling. She looked very serious as she marched down the aisle in beat with the music, dropping clumps of petals onto the unrolled carpeting rather than tossing them into the air.
Finally, it was time for Hinata. Neji looked on eagerly--the sooner this was over with the better. He could breathe easier at night knowing she couldn't be dragged back and forced to become his wife! It would be such a rel--
"No! I forbid you! Come here, Hinata! We're returning home immediately!"
"O-Otou-sama, please, l-let me g-g-go!"
"How could you even consider marrying that demon-child! I won't have the Hyuuga named soiled by--"
No... just... no... There is no way I'm going to let him ruin this for me! Growling, Neji stood and walked straight back down the aisle, kicking aside the piles of white rose petals as he headed for the beaded archway. On the other side he could hear a scuffle and then the beads were pushed aside with a faint jingling. Hiashi's face came into view...
BANG. BANG. CRASH. THUMP.
Silence.
Neji reappeared with Hinata on his arm. Her eyes were as wide as her dazed smile. Glancing over his shoulder at his uncle's prone body, Neji snorted. "Forgive the interruption," he intoned clearly, not even blinking. "You may continue."
Hesitantly, the music began again. Throwing out his chest, Neji led his cousin down the aisle, trying to make sure that she didn't collapse, because she really did look ready to faint under all that decorated silk and another giant, annoying bow. Honestly, how women could stand to wear such bulky clothing, he'd never know!
But then she turned to look at Naruto, and Neji nearly gagged at the sickeningly sweet look shared between them. Hinata looked like she was seeing Heaven and Naruto... he just looked like a pervert.
They reached Naruto's side and the blonde reached out for Hinata's hand. For a second, Neji wanted to refuse, but he knew that it was his duty--since Hiashi was incapacitated--to give away the bride, even to this demon.
But not before he gave Naruto a look. Leaning over, he hissed, "If you do anything to hurt her, Uzumaki, I'll end you."
An uncharacteristically serious look crossed the blonde's face as he nodded. Then he pulled Hinata away, and Neji returned to his seat to watch the proceedings.
As the bride and groom approached, the prosiding official's face was beaming, tears gathering in his eyes. Neji didn't think the look befitted Jiraiya the Toad Sannin (2), and he doubted that the man's thoughts were platonic. He was probably thinking about how good Naruto and Hinata would look in bed with each other.
"We're all gathered here today for the wedding of these two lovely people!" he announced joyously. From then on, Neji tuned him out.
Minutes tickled by. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, before Hiashi wakes back up again! Anxiously, he listened to the drone of Jiraiya's voice in the background, resisting the urge to nervously glance back over his shoulder to make sure his uncle hadn't made an impromtu reappearance. Hurry, hurry, hurry...
"And now I will ask if there are any objections amongst the--"
"I OBJECT!"
Kami damn it all, why couldn't he stay unconscious?
Everyone turned to stare at a panting, bruised and disheveled Hyuuga Hiashi, complete with a black ring around his left eye and a torn kimono. He looked like a lunatic, not the idea thing for the Clan Head to appear as. Neji wanted to bash his head against a wall somewhere.
Jiraiya glared at the Hyuuga. "You don't get to object."
Furiously, Hiashi pointed his finger at the Toad Sannin. "You can't stop me! My daughter will not be marrying that... that... thing!"
"Please, calm down, sir, or I'll be forced to have you removed from the grounds." Jiraiya was not smiling now, but looking highly annoyed at the interruption.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN? How can I CALM F***ING DOWN?"
From beside Neji, Hanabi asked again, "What does fu** mean, Neji-san (3), and why do you and Otou-sama (4) get to use it but not me?"
"Just never mind..."
"You leave me no choice..." Jiraiya shook his head. "Security, escort him off the premisis!" Snap.
Three ANBU swarmed the crazy Hyuuga, holding his arms behind his back as they dragged him away from the wedding. "Let me go! I am the Head of the Hyuuga Clan and I demand to be let go immediately! Do you hear me? HOW DARE YOU?"
It was just plain embarrassing. Neji felt his cheeks flaring with mortification.
There was silence. Again.
"Much better," the sannin said, grinning. "Now that that's taken care of, Uzumaki Naruto, do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"I do! Believe it!"
"And you, Hyuuga Hinata, do you take this man to be your husband?"
Neji held his breath. This was the moment when Hinata had backed out of their wedding. His ears strained, waiting... waiting...
"I d-do."
Relief. Glorious Relief. Heavenly Relief. Neji sighed, releasing the breath he had unwittingly been holding.
"Then I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride, brat!"
And Naruto did. Very enthusiastically. And Neji didn't care one witt.
He was free.
Note: Aw, aren't Naruto and Hinata cute? And Neji no longer has to worry about marrying Hinata. Hopefully Hiashi won't try to marry him off to Hanabi... that would just be disturbing. On a brighter note, my sister is trying to think of a collective title for this little series of vignettes, since from here on out they won't focus very much on the Hyuuga Clan... for the most part, anyway.
(1) -oji-sama - respectful way of saying "uncle"
(2) Sannin - group of three powerful ninjas named Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru who were students of the Third Hokage
(3) -san - rough equivalent of Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(4) Otou-sama - respectful way of saying "father"
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Eloping of Hyuuga Hinata
Prompt: This is actually Part II of Konoha Chronicles so it's not a new prompt. I just felt like continuing it.
.
It was the day after the failure of a wedding and Neji felt like a million bucks. Not only did he not have to marry a gi-- Hinata, but Hiashi-oji-sama (1) was in a right state. Though he didn't dare laugh aloud as he watched his furious uncle pace across the study floor until the carpet frayed, inside he was laughing his a$$ off. It was just too funny!
"How could she do this to us? How dare she? That ungrateful--"
Tuning out his uncle's continued ranting, Neji turned to look at the "present" Hinata had left for her father. This morning when they'd awoken, Hiashi had had every intent--according to his rant anyway--of forcing the two of them to the alter even if it meant knocking them unconscious, tying them up and dragging them there, then forcing an Uchiha or Yamanaka to put them under a mind-controlling jutsu (2) until they said their "I do"s.
Quite frankly, Neji was grateful that Hinata had chosen to disappear in the night. He really didn't want to marry her.
The young man's eyes lingered on the perfumed parchment on his uncle's desk, examining the graceful curving vines and blossoms lining the edges. However beautiful the paper was, though, its beauty couldn't compare to the glory of the words written upon it, at least, in Neji's opinion.
Dear Otou-sama (3),
I'm sorry, but I simply couldn't go through with the wedding. I couldn't marry Neji; he doesn't even like girls anyway. Besides, I'm in love with another, and my heart is telling me that I need to be with him. Please forgive me for my disobedience, but I am giving up the title of Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan. Give it to Hanabi, or even Neji. I would much rather spend my life with my beloved Naruto.
Love,
Hyuuga Hinata
Neji hummed. Her beloved Naruto, huh?
"--that bloody demon, how dare he steal her from us? I'll--"
And, of course it was the demon-boy's fault. Actually, Neji considered this to be one of the few things that Naruto had ever proven to be useful for. He would have to remember to use the family fortune to buy the boy a life-time supply of ramen next October. That would be a fitting gift, certainly?
"--and then she must be brought back, even if I have to--"
Why won't he just give it a rest? Neji sighed and shook his head, reaching out to stroke his fingers over the thick parchment once more before abandoning his post at his uncle's side. "I'm going to my room now, Hiashi-oji-sama."
"--drag her back myself. And then I'll fry that demon-child for ever daring to lay his filthy hands on the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. How dare he?"
So much for being acknowledged. His uncle had not even paused to reply.
Neji slipped out into the hallway and towards his room. However, he had only taken a few steps before running into perhaps the last person he wanted to see. Little Hanabi was standing in the hallway, her eyes every bit as disconcerting as they had been yesterday when they watched him make a fool of himself in celebrating of his own jilted marriage.
"Hello, Neji-san (4)," she said cutely. "Where are you going?"
"To my room."
She raised a hand and cutely cupped her chin in a classical "thinking" look. "Neji-san, you still haven't told me what the word fu** means."
Scandalized, Neji raised a hand to cover her mouth, but too late. The frantic ranting of his uncle paused at the sound of the f-bomb leaving his five-year-old daughter's mouth. Kami damn it all, he's going to kill me!
"Uh..."
His uncle appeared in the doorway in all his righteous fury. "What was that?"
"Otou-sama, Neji-san won't tell me what the word fu** means. I asked him yesterday because he was dancing around after nee-san (5) ran away and screaming and he said it so I asked him what it meant and he told me to 'never mind' and go to my room, but I still want to know, so--"
Neji felt a knot twist in his stomach. "I didn't mean to let her hear, I--"
"--I thought that if he wasn't dancing around being happy and stepping on his clothes he might be in a better mood and answer me, but he's not. Otou-sama, why was Neji dancing yesterday? I thought he was supposed to be sad? He was laughing and called you a bad word."
By this point, Neji's cheeks were bright red with complete and utter mortification. Kami strike me down now... why can't children learn to keep their mouths shut? Does she ever run out of breath? Maybe I should take a gag to her, then--
"Oh really..." Hiashi's glare was turned on him, and Neji gulped.
"O-of course not!" he quickly said. "I would never do something so disrespectful to the family's honor! She's making it up! I did say... that word... but the rest of it is lies--lies! I'm every bit as upset by Hinata's disappearance as the rest of the Clan, believe me, I--"
"Very well..." Suspicion still lingered in Hiashi's eyes as he turned to his young daughter. "Go to your room, Hanabi."
"But Otou-sama, I still don't know what the word fu--"
"I said go to your room."
The brat sighed and pouted, stomping her tiny feet. "How come Neji-san gets to know?"
"Just go to your room..."
With an offended little humph, the tiny girl was on her way, arms crossed, marching holes into the carpet as she retreated, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two men. Hiashi stared straight through Neji.
"So... is it true, Neji?"
"Is... is what true?"
"That you don't like girls."
"..."
"I thought so."
Note: Complete crack-fic, but I couldn't resist having a bit of fun before committing myself to hours of dreadfully dull bucketing and sorting of research.
(1) -oji-sama - respectful way of saying "uncle"
(2) jutsu - a fighting skill or spell used by ninjas in the manga Naruto
(3) Otou-sama - very respectful way of saying "father"
(4) -san - roughly equivalent of saying Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(5) nee-san - somewhat respectful term for "older sister"
.
It was the day after the failure of a wedding and Neji felt like a million bucks. Not only did he not have to marry a gi-- Hinata, but Hiashi-oji-sama (1) was in a right state. Though he didn't dare laugh aloud as he watched his furious uncle pace across the study floor until the carpet frayed, inside he was laughing his a$$ off. It was just too funny!
"How could she do this to us? How dare she? That ungrateful--"
Tuning out his uncle's continued ranting, Neji turned to look at the "present" Hinata had left for her father. This morning when they'd awoken, Hiashi had had every intent--according to his rant anyway--of forcing the two of them to the alter even if it meant knocking them unconscious, tying them up and dragging them there, then forcing an Uchiha or Yamanaka to put them under a mind-controlling jutsu (2) until they said their "I do"s.
Quite frankly, Neji was grateful that Hinata had chosen to disappear in the night. He really didn't want to marry her.
The young man's eyes lingered on the perfumed parchment on his uncle's desk, examining the graceful curving vines and blossoms lining the edges. However beautiful the paper was, though, its beauty couldn't compare to the glory of the words written upon it, at least, in Neji's opinion.
Dear Otou-sama (3),
I'm sorry, but I simply couldn't go through with the wedding. I couldn't marry Neji; he doesn't even like girls anyway. Besides, I'm in love with another, and my heart is telling me that I need to be with him. Please forgive me for my disobedience, but I am giving up the title of Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan. Give it to Hanabi, or even Neji. I would much rather spend my life with my beloved Naruto.
Love,
Hyuuga Hinata
Neji hummed. Her beloved Naruto, huh?
"--that bloody demon, how dare he steal her from us? I'll--"
And, of course it was the demon-boy's fault. Actually, Neji considered this to be one of the few things that Naruto had ever proven to be useful for. He would have to remember to use the family fortune to buy the boy a life-time supply of ramen next October. That would be a fitting gift, certainly?
"--and then she must be brought back, even if I have to--"
Why won't he just give it a rest? Neji sighed and shook his head, reaching out to stroke his fingers over the thick parchment once more before abandoning his post at his uncle's side. "I'm going to my room now, Hiashi-oji-sama."
"--drag her back myself. And then I'll fry that demon-child for ever daring to lay his filthy hands on the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. How dare he?"
So much for being acknowledged. His uncle had not even paused to reply.
Neji slipped out into the hallway and towards his room. However, he had only taken a few steps before running into perhaps the last person he wanted to see. Little Hanabi was standing in the hallway, her eyes every bit as disconcerting as they had been yesterday when they watched him make a fool of himself in celebrating of his own jilted marriage.
"Hello, Neji-san (4)," she said cutely. "Where are you going?"
"To my room."
She raised a hand and cutely cupped her chin in a classical "thinking" look. "Neji-san, you still haven't told me what the word fu** means."
Scandalized, Neji raised a hand to cover her mouth, but too late. The frantic ranting of his uncle paused at the sound of the f-bomb leaving his five-year-old daughter's mouth. Kami damn it all, he's going to kill me!
"Uh..."
His uncle appeared in the doorway in all his righteous fury. "What was that?"
"Otou-sama, Neji-san won't tell me what the word fu** means. I asked him yesterday because he was dancing around after nee-san (5) ran away and screaming and he said it so I asked him what it meant and he told me to 'never mind' and go to my room, but I still want to know, so--"
Neji felt a knot twist in his stomach. "I didn't mean to let her hear, I--"
"--I thought that if he wasn't dancing around being happy and stepping on his clothes he might be in a better mood and answer me, but he's not. Otou-sama, why was Neji dancing yesterday? I thought he was supposed to be sad? He was laughing and called you a bad word."
By this point, Neji's cheeks were bright red with complete and utter mortification. Kami strike me down now... why can't children learn to keep their mouths shut? Does she ever run out of breath? Maybe I should take a gag to her, then--
"Oh really..." Hiashi's glare was turned on him, and Neji gulped.
"O-of course not!" he quickly said. "I would never do something so disrespectful to the family's honor! She's making it up! I did say... that word... but the rest of it is lies--lies! I'm every bit as upset by Hinata's disappearance as the rest of the Clan, believe me, I--"
"Very well..." Suspicion still lingered in Hiashi's eyes as he turned to his young daughter. "Go to your room, Hanabi."
"But Otou-sama, I still don't know what the word fu--"
"I said go to your room."
The brat sighed and pouted, stomping her tiny feet. "How come Neji-san gets to know?"
"Just go to your room..."
With an offended little humph, the tiny girl was on her way, arms crossed, marching holes into the carpet as she retreated, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two men. Hiashi stared straight through Neji.
"So... is it true, Neji?"
"Is... is what true?"
"That you don't like girls."
"..."
"I thought so."
Note: Complete crack-fic, but I couldn't resist having a bit of fun before committing myself to hours of dreadfully dull bucketing and sorting of research.
(1) -oji-sama - respectful way of saying "uncle"
(2) jutsu - a fighting skill or spell used by ninjas in the manga Naruto
(3) Otou-sama - very respectful way of saying "father"
(4) -san - roughly equivalent of saying Mr., Mrs. or Miss
(5) nee-san - somewhat respectful term for "older sister"
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Jilting of Hyuuga Neji
Prompt: You've just been jilted at the alter, what do you do?
Note: This is the first in a series called the Konoha Chronicles - 10/29
"From this day forward let it be known that Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji are engaged to be married on the fourteenth of July."
Two weeks.
Neji was still numb as his hand was lifted by his uncle's and a softer, smaller hand was placed within it. The skin was very smooth when he closed his fingers around it--too smooth. Hinata. His cousin. It was just so wrong.
Of course, the Uchiha Clan did this, too, but...
I can't marry Hinata. I... I...
I wonder if this is a good time to mention to Hiashi-oji-sama (1) that I don't like girls...
All around them there was polite applause and few smiles. Neji glanced over at Hinata, who was as wide-eyed and shocked as he was. Her pale eyes stared straight through him and her hand twitched nervously in his. Even when his uncle released their joined hands, Neji didn't dare to let go. Hinata looked like she was about to faint.
This is not happening... He was part of the branch family. Why on Earth would Hiashi do this?
"Uh... well... uh..." What did one say after such a momentous and life-altering moment?
"M-my h-h-husband will have l-longer hair than m-m-me," Hinata commented in her typical shaky voice. Blood rose up to her cheeks in a rush, and Neji gasped, grabbing hold of her slender form just before she hit the ground, holding her uncomfortably against his chest. She had fainted dead away. Again.
---
There was simply no way this situation could get any worse. Two weeks later found Neji standing in front of a mirror, scowling at his reflection. All the thick, ceremonial silk he was wrapped him made him feel as though he were hefting around an extra two-hundred pounds on his shoulders. Not only that, but his hair had been knotted traditionally. Everything had to be "perfect" for the wedding of the family heir, of course.
Is this really my destiny? To marry Hinata? I know I'm supposed to protect her, but--
But he didn't want to marry her. Just the thought of--
Neji resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands and flee from the Estate. His uncle would be most displeased with him if he backed out now.
But... but this is my destiny. My destiny is what I make of it! Is it really my fate to marry Hinata? But I don't want to marry her. I... I... I'll go up to the alter and when he asks me to take her as my wife I'll... I'll say no. I will. I'll object! I don't care what Hiashi-oji-sama thinks! I won't marry Hinata!
Taking a deep breath, Neji lowered his hands to his sides and stood up straight. He had a wedding to crash. Besides, he doubted Hinata would be too heartbroken. She hadn't seemed all that interested in marrying him either...
---
They were in front of dozens of people, all eyes focused on them. Hinata wore a beautiful kimono, lavishly decorated with brilliant flowers and tied with a bow bigger than the girl's entire torso and head. Neji had thought he was suffering, but she must be dying with all that silk hanging off her.
"And do you, Hyuuga Neji, take this woman to be your wife..."
This is it. Say no! Say it! No, no, no, no, no...
"I... d--"
NO, YOU IDIOT, SAY NO!
"I do."
Oh Kami, you didn't-- What's wrong with you? Inside, Neji was suddenly panicking. Maybe it was his fate to be married to Hinata. He had actually just agreed to marry her. Nothing had gone as planned! He was going to stand up to his uncle and--
"And do you, Hyuuga Hinata, take this man to be your husband?"
He waited painfully for the pitifully whimpered "I do" to come from his cousin's mouth. Seconds passed by, and to the panting, sweating Hyuuga it felt like ages. Hesitantly, he glanced over at Hinata's face, waiting... waiting...
"HELL NO!"
The sudden noise almost caused Neji to trip over his robes as his body instinctively jolted into a fighting stance. It took a few long seconds for him to realize where that noise had come from.
Hinata.
The shy, soft-spoken heiress... had just shouted... and sworn... in front of the entire clan... in front of the entire village.
Had the world just ended?
No one spoke for a few long moment, and then... "I... I..." Hinata turned, facing him, and gave him a wide-eyed look. "Sorry, Neji-nii-san (2)." And then she was gone in a flurry of silk, abandoning her shoes right there at the alter as her body formed a blur. She was out the door within seconds... gone.
All hell broke loose.
"What-- HINATA, GET BACK HERE! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? HINATA!"
And there went Hiashi-oji-sama.
There was shouting and screaming and much flailing. Neji just stood and stared, watching everyone freaking out as his uncle took off after the wayward bride. And then he sat on a step near the alter, staring straight ahead.
She's gone.
He didn't move. Eventually, the rest of the family ambled out, some fleeing the scene as if embarrassed to be seen by the rest of the village, others taking off after Hiashi in an attempt to track down the young bride and drag her back to her shell-shocked soon-to-be-husband. And Neji didn't care. He should have been first in line to hunt her down and force her hand, but he didn't care... at all.
It took several more minutes after all the chairs on the green lawn were abandoned to collect himself. Hinata is gone. I'm not getting married. I'm not marrying Hinata.
And then, abruptly, relief flooded him. Invigorated, he stood, stripping off the top two layers of his ceremonial kimono, throwing them into the grass and stepping on them sacriligiously. A genuine smile broke across his face as he threw his hands over his head and--
Did a victory dance.
"Yes! I'm not marrying Hinata! I'm not marrying my cousin! My destiny has been revealed! Fu** yes! I'm free, damnit! I'm fu**ing free! Take that, you old bastard, Hiashi! HA! I'm not marrying Hinata! I'm not marrying Hinata! Yeah, this is fu**ing awes--"
Neji blinked, abruptly cutting off his victorious tirade and embarrassingly off-key singing when he met a pair of pale eyes boring straight through him. A little girl was still seated in the front row on her own folding chair, her eyes curiously staring at her older cousin who had just vandalized family property and was dancing in a very unmanly fashion. Neji's arms were still raised over his head, and all he could do was stand there like an idiot.
"Neji-san (3), what are you doing?" Unlike her sister's, Hanabi's voice was not hesitant or shaky, but curious. She cocked her head. "And what does fu** mean?"
Oh Kami... This is so humiliating... Granted, it was only Hanabi, but still, no one could ever find out about this! No one!
"I'm going to my room," he said quickly, trying to look dignified as he lowered his arms. "You should return to yours, too, Hanabi-chan (4)."
"But Neji-san, what does fu--"
"Never mind," he interrupted quickly, already walking swiftly away across the lawn. "Just... just never mind."
He would continue his dance in the safety of his room beyond locked doors. Nevertheless, he couldn't keep a smile off his face.
Take that, you bastard. This is what you get for making me marry a gi-- I mean Hinata! Ha! Look who has the last laugh now!
He hummed all the way there, too.
And they all lived happily ever after... sort of.
Note: Poor Neji-kun. He's never actually forced to marry Hinata or anything; that would be more than slightly incestuous. However, I couldn't resist playing off this idea. I got it from an adorable comic on dA.
(1) -oji-sama - a very polite way of saying "uncle"
(2) -nii-san - a somewhat polite way of saying "older brother"
(3) -chan - honorific signifying affection, generally towards a young girl
(4) -san - rough equivalent of saying Mr. or Mrs. (or Miss, if you're an unmarried girl)
Note: This is the first in a series called the Konoha Chronicles - 10/29
"From this day forward let it be known that Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji are engaged to be married on the fourteenth of July."
Two weeks.
Neji was still numb as his hand was lifted by his uncle's and a softer, smaller hand was placed within it. The skin was very smooth when he closed his fingers around it--too smooth. Hinata. His cousin. It was just so wrong.
Of course, the Uchiha Clan did this, too, but...
I can't marry Hinata. I... I...
I wonder if this is a good time to mention to Hiashi-oji-sama (1) that I don't like girls...
All around them there was polite applause and few smiles. Neji glanced over at Hinata, who was as wide-eyed and shocked as he was. Her pale eyes stared straight through him and her hand twitched nervously in his. Even when his uncle released their joined hands, Neji didn't dare to let go. Hinata looked like she was about to faint.
This is not happening... He was part of the branch family. Why on Earth would Hiashi do this?
"Uh... well... uh..." What did one say after such a momentous and life-altering moment?
"M-my h-h-husband will have l-longer hair than m-m-me," Hinata commented in her typical shaky voice. Blood rose up to her cheeks in a rush, and Neji gasped, grabbing hold of her slender form just before she hit the ground, holding her uncomfortably against his chest. She had fainted dead away. Again.
---
There was simply no way this situation could get any worse. Two weeks later found Neji standing in front of a mirror, scowling at his reflection. All the thick, ceremonial silk he was wrapped him made him feel as though he were hefting around an extra two-hundred pounds on his shoulders. Not only that, but his hair had been knotted traditionally. Everything had to be "perfect" for the wedding of the family heir, of course.
Is this really my destiny? To marry Hinata? I know I'm supposed to protect her, but--
But he didn't want to marry her. Just the thought of--
Neji resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands and flee from the Estate. His uncle would be most displeased with him if he backed out now.
But... but this is my destiny. My destiny is what I make of it! Is it really my fate to marry Hinata? But I don't want to marry her. I... I... I'll go up to the alter and when he asks me to take her as my wife I'll... I'll say no. I will. I'll object! I don't care what Hiashi-oji-sama thinks! I won't marry Hinata!
Taking a deep breath, Neji lowered his hands to his sides and stood up straight. He had a wedding to crash. Besides, he doubted Hinata would be too heartbroken. She hadn't seemed all that interested in marrying him either...
---
They were in front of dozens of people, all eyes focused on them. Hinata wore a beautiful kimono, lavishly decorated with brilliant flowers and tied with a bow bigger than the girl's entire torso and head. Neji had thought he was suffering, but she must be dying with all that silk hanging off her.
"And do you, Hyuuga Neji, take this woman to be your wife..."
This is it. Say no! Say it! No, no, no, no, no...
"I... d--"
NO, YOU IDIOT, SAY NO!
"I do."
Oh Kami, you didn't-- What's wrong with you? Inside, Neji was suddenly panicking. Maybe it was his fate to be married to Hinata. He had actually just agreed to marry her. Nothing had gone as planned! He was going to stand up to his uncle and--
"And do you, Hyuuga Hinata, take this man to be your husband?"
He waited painfully for the pitifully whimpered "I do" to come from his cousin's mouth. Seconds passed by, and to the panting, sweating Hyuuga it felt like ages. Hesitantly, he glanced over at Hinata's face, waiting... waiting...
"HELL NO!"
The sudden noise almost caused Neji to trip over his robes as his body instinctively jolted into a fighting stance. It took a few long seconds for him to realize where that noise had come from.
Hinata.
The shy, soft-spoken heiress... had just shouted... and sworn... in front of the entire clan... in front of the entire village.
Had the world just ended?
No one spoke for a few long moment, and then... "I... I..." Hinata turned, facing him, and gave him a wide-eyed look. "Sorry, Neji-nii-san (2)." And then she was gone in a flurry of silk, abandoning her shoes right there at the alter as her body formed a blur. She was out the door within seconds... gone.
All hell broke loose.
"What-- HINATA, GET BACK HERE! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? HINATA!"
And there went Hiashi-oji-sama.
There was shouting and screaming and much flailing. Neji just stood and stared, watching everyone freaking out as his uncle took off after the wayward bride. And then he sat on a step near the alter, staring straight ahead.
She's gone.
He didn't move. Eventually, the rest of the family ambled out, some fleeing the scene as if embarrassed to be seen by the rest of the village, others taking off after Hiashi in an attempt to track down the young bride and drag her back to her shell-shocked soon-to-be-husband. And Neji didn't care. He should have been first in line to hunt her down and force her hand, but he didn't care... at all.
It took several more minutes after all the chairs on the green lawn were abandoned to collect himself. Hinata is gone. I'm not getting married. I'm not marrying Hinata.
And then, abruptly, relief flooded him. Invigorated, he stood, stripping off the top two layers of his ceremonial kimono, throwing them into the grass and stepping on them sacriligiously. A genuine smile broke across his face as he threw his hands over his head and--
Did a victory dance.
"Yes! I'm not marrying Hinata! I'm not marrying my cousin! My destiny has been revealed! Fu** yes! I'm free, damnit! I'm fu**ing free! Take that, you old bastard, Hiashi! HA! I'm not marrying Hinata! I'm not marrying Hinata! Yeah, this is fu**ing awes--"
Neji blinked, abruptly cutting off his victorious tirade and embarrassingly off-key singing when he met a pair of pale eyes boring straight through him. A little girl was still seated in the front row on her own folding chair, her eyes curiously staring at her older cousin who had just vandalized family property and was dancing in a very unmanly fashion. Neji's arms were still raised over his head, and all he could do was stand there like an idiot.
"Neji-san (3), what are you doing?" Unlike her sister's, Hanabi's voice was not hesitant or shaky, but curious. She cocked her head. "And what does fu** mean?"
Oh Kami... This is so humiliating... Granted, it was only Hanabi, but still, no one could ever find out about this! No one!
"I'm going to my room," he said quickly, trying to look dignified as he lowered his arms. "You should return to yours, too, Hanabi-chan (4)."
"But Neji-san, what does fu--"
"Never mind," he interrupted quickly, already walking swiftly away across the lawn. "Just... just never mind."
He would continue his dance in the safety of his room beyond locked doors. Nevertheless, he couldn't keep a smile off his face.
Take that, you bastard. This is what you get for making me marry a gi-- I mean Hinata! Ha! Look who has the last laugh now!
He hummed all the way there, too.
And they all lived happily ever after... sort of.
Note: Poor Neji-kun. He's never actually forced to marry Hinata or anything; that would be more than slightly incestuous. However, I couldn't resist playing off this idea. I got it from an adorable comic on dA.
(1) -oji-sama - a very polite way of saying "uncle"
(2) -nii-san - a somewhat polite way of saying "older brother"
(3) -chan - honorific signifying affection, generally towards a young girl
(4) -san - rough equivalent of saying Mr. or Mrs. (or Miss, if you're an unmarried girl)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Review for Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
I have decided to write a little something about this book because I really enjoyed it quite a lot. I hadn't really expected to like it when I first found out what it was about--namely, romance. I'm not a "romance" kind of person, so I was a little leery of reading it. Once I got started, though, it was a great story.
I'll try not to reveal too much, but here's the basic plot: The story begins in the 1980s with Henry, the main character, who passes the Panama Hotel between Chinatown and what used to be Nihonmachi (Japantown) and sees old belongings being brought up from the boarded-up basement--belongings of Japanese families forced to leave their homes in the 1940s. Over the course of the story, the reader jumps back and forth between Henry's young self, who is struggling to find a balance between what his parents want for him and believe in and his friendship with a girl named Keiko, a Japanese girl. I won't say much more, except that it's about Japanese Internment in World War II and that it has a happy ending.
Overall it wasn't the best book I've ever read, but I loved the descriptions in it. You could see the places the author was taking you. You could imagine what it was like to visit Nihonmachi or the sound of Sheldon's saxaphone echoing down the street. There were a lot of culture references that I didn't completely understand, but beyond that I just really loved the flow of the book. It fit together in a way that made sense to me even though there were a lot of time-skips in it.
What I really liked about the main character especially, though, was that you could connect with him. Yeah, I'm a white girl and I've never been the only white girl in a school full of colored people or anything, but I think we can all relate to how Henry feels whe he's the outcast of the school. I think at some point or another we've all had the same problems he has--we've all had bullies and seen jerks, we've all had crushes that make us do stupid things, and we've all disagreed with our parents over things. I loved that about this book. I could really relate to this Chinese kid.
One of the things I maybe didn't like so much was how underdeveloped some characters were. You didn't get much insight into people like Keiko because everything is from Henry's point of view, and Henry doesn't always know what's really going on behind the scenes. I think perhaps if Keiko had been a bit more developed I might have been more attached to her as a character. By the end I was indifferent towards her, which I don't think was the point. It's not that I didn't like her, just that she could've been more than she was.
On that note, though, there are characters who I think were well-developed (beyond Henry, of course). I think that Sheldon was a totally awesome character, a really cool guy. He's not a main character, but more of a supporting character, and his actions have huge consequences in the book in a weird, twisted sort of way. I just like his personality so much. Though I didn't like Henry's father much, I think his character was well-developed, too. He made me so angry at times that I just wanted to scream along with Henry out of sheer frustration. Nevertheless, it contributes to the book and helps the reader understand why Henry is the way he is.
But enough of me ranting, huh? I don't want to give too much away! I'll end on this note: this book is very bittersweet and I loved it. It wasn't the kind of book you stay up all night reading with your heart racing, but it's one of those books that leaves you with a message. Don't put it down because it's got a little historical fiction in it. It was worth taking the time to read.
I have decided to write a little something about this book because I really enjoyed it quite a lot. I hadn't really expected to like it when I first found out what it was about--namely, romance. I'm not a "romance" kind of person, so I was a little leery of reading it. Once I got started, though, it was a great story.
I'll try not to reveal too much, but here's the basic plot: The story begins in the 1980s with Henry, the main character, who passes the Panama Hotel between Chinatown and what used to be Nihonmachi (Japantown) and sees old belongings being brought up from the boarded-up basement--belongings of Japanese families forced to leave their homes in the 1940s. Over the course of the story, the reader jumps back and forth between Henry's young self, who is struggling to find a balance between what his parents want for him and believe in and his friendship with a girl named Keiko, a Japanese girl. I won't say much more, except that it's about Japanese Internment in World War II and that it has a happy ending.
Overall it wasn't the best book I've ever read, but I loved the descriptions in it. You could see the places the author was taking you. You could imagine what it was like to visit Nihonmachi or the sound of Sheldon's saxaphone echoing down the street. There were a lot of culture references that I didn't completely understand, but beyond that I just really loved the flow of the book. It fit together in a way that made sense to me even though there were a lot of time-skips in it.
What I really liked about the main character especially, though, was that you could connect with him. Yeah, I'm a white girl and I've never been the only white girl in a school full of colored people or anything, but I think we can all relate to how Henry feels whe he's the outcast of the school. I think at some point or another we've all had the same problems he has--we've all had bullies and seen jerks, we've all had crushes that make us do stupid things, and we've all disagreed with our parents over things. I loved that about this book. I could really relate to this Chinese kid.
One of the things I maybe didn't like so much was how underdeveloped some characters were. You didn't get much insight into people like Keiko because everything is from Henry's point of view, and Henry doesn't always know what's really going on behind the scenes. I think perhaps if Keiko had been a bit more developed I might have been more attached to her as a character. By the end I was indifferent towards her, which I don't think was the point. It's not that I didn't like her, just that she could've been more than she was.
On that note, though, there are characters who I think were well-developed (beyond Henry, of course). I think that Sheldon was a totally awesome character, a really cool guy. He's not a main character, but more of a supporting character, and his actions have huge consequences in the book in a weird, twisted sort of way. I just like his personality so much. Though I didn't like Henry's father much, I think his character was well-developed, too. He made me so angry at times that I just wanted to scream along with Henry out of sheer frustration. Nevertheless, it contributes to the book and helps the reader understand why Henry is the way he is.
But enough of me ranting, huh? I don't want to give too much away! I'll end on this note: this book is very bittersweet and I loved it. It wasn't the kind of book you stay up all night reading with your heart racing, but it's one of those books that leaves you with a message. Don't put it down because it's got a little historical fiction in it. It was worth taking the time to read.
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