autumnleaf16

Right now I am rolling on the ground like a little kid. “I WANT TO SEE THE LATEST OVA OF PRINCE OF TENNIS! I WANT TO SEE THE LATEST OVA OF PRINCE OF TENNIS!” to tell the truth I am not sure what is worse. To like a school that come out so late so that they only come out in the ova (ie.Shitenhouji) or like a school that come out quite early but kind of get ruined. (Rikkai. I actually watched the ‘battle’, ok…match between Yagyuu/Niou and Ooishi/Eiji. But I think it seems like a battle more. And seriously, Rikkai got ruined in the anime, I can see why Rikkai fans really does not like it.) I think my conclusion is that I am acceptant…I’m so glad Shiraishi’s match with Fuji ddin’t get changed to Fuji become really really amazing (as the golden pair did in the game against Niou and Yagyuu.) But that is not what I want to talk about today, I will probably be talking about my thoughts on the above some other day.

Anyway, after seeing extracts of the Prince of Tennis musical, where the members in a team will sing a description of a certain character, then that said character will say something. I immediately started to picture one for Shitenhouji, and on last weekend, I finally managed to write it. Now, I am ‘a modern poet’, ie.my poems doesn’t really have rhymes and rhythms so it will obviously not be able to be a proper song cause some line will be much longer then others but hey…I write because I like writing so why cares if it doesn’t have thymes or rhythms? As long as I enjoyed writing it, and I am sure not everyone is so traditional. So I really hope that one or two people might enjoy this poem that I wrote.

Now, the biggest problem I had is not being able to fit Chitose in it. I intended to include him but somehow I just have no idea about what I should write about him. Additionally, I personally think that Chitose is almost rather mercenary, as I don’t feel that he have any loyalty to Shitenhouji or Shiraishi (unlike everyone else). To tell the truth I can’t even imagine him saying their school’s principle: the whole the one who win is the winner, and go and win it if you can win it. In the end, after much frustration due to unsuccessful attempts, I simply decided to not include him. (Ok, I admit, Chitose is probably the one I like the least in Shitenhouji.)
But this scene/poem is then a response to Chitose’s departure, the idea of saying that Shitenhouji is still really strong even if he is not there.

Alright! Here is the poem. I just hope that someone will enjoy it, but it’s just basically talking about the individual members of the Shitenhouji tennis team. “speaking” means this line is said (I admit shamefully, I sort of picture this as being a scene…) I’m not saying it’s good enough but it is just that we all have our moment of daydreaming.

Poem dedicated to Shitenhouji
Watanabe:
The one who wins is the winner
so they will win their game if they can win it
This principle that these boys faithfully follow
is the guide that let them reach this point

Naniwa’s infamous joking doubles pair
embarrassment does not matter to them
They will happily use laughter as their main weapon
as they will be the one who have the final laugh

Hitouji:
With the genius whose IQ is well above two hundred
all the weakness of your attack will be exposed
Koharu:
The prince of impression will force you to doubt your partner
even make you play against yourself

Watanabe: “Which makes this doubles pair invincible.”

Koharu and Hitouji: “If you ever laugh once, then the game is our’s.”

The one who wins is the winner
so we will win the game if we can win it

Zaizen:
The speed star of Naniwa will engage you,
in a race of hide and seek
Leaving you far behind at the starting point
while he effortlessly reaches the finish line

Kenya: “You are much, much too slow.”

The arrogant second year tennis genius
a cocky smile masking his capability
He will sharply deliver the killing strike
even as he mercilessly attacks you wish his words

Zaizen: “Oh, was that crappy serve actually your best shot?”

Kenya and Zaizen:
This principle that we faithfully follow
is the guide that let us reach this point

Hitouji and Koharu:
The owner of a hundred and eight levels of Hadoukyuu
which player can even return his lightest serve?
Japan’s acknowledged number one power player
a title that remains unchallenged

Gin: “I have yet to hit beyond the first level.”

All the above:
Shitenhouji’s bible: the perfect man
the buchou who always lead us to victory
You won’t be able to find one single fault in his perfect tennis
his heart, technique and body is a rank above all

Shiraishi: “Every one, keep up the good work. We are almost at the final.”

The one who wins is the winner
so I must win the game if I can win it
This principle that I faithfully follows
is the guide that let me reach this point

A child of the wild who have no limits, Kansai’s rising star
his natural strength and tennis surpasses us all
I want you to help me bringing us to the final
so this dream will finally become a reality

Kintarou: “Hurray, I won again! Who is my next opponent then?”

Everyone:
The one who wins is the winner
so we will win the game if we can win it
This principle that we faithfully follow
is the guide that let us reach this point


Ok…now…my explanations…

The arrogant second year tennis genius
a cocky smile masking his capability
He will sharply deliver the killing strike
even as he mercilessly attacks you wish his words

Zaizen: “Oh, was that crappy serve actually your best shot?”
We really don’t have much information about Zaizen but I think he is quite sharp tongued so we seems like one who would actually taunt his opponent quite a bit.

Gin: “I have yet to hit beyond the first level.”
If Kawamura’s version is only the first level then I really don’t think Gin will need to hit beyond the first level…

All the above:
Shitenhouji’s bible: the perfect man
the buchou who always lead us to victory
You won’t be able to find one single fault in his perfect tennis
his heart, technique and body is a rank above all
Because Shiraishi is the buchou I decided to let everyone talk about him. (I admit…my personal bias…). I’ve seen the whole heart/technique and body is a rank above translated in two ways- either that it is specifically referring to Fuji, or that it is in general, for this poem I decided to opt for the second, which I think should be acceptable, since he probably is a top player in Kansai.

Shiraishi: “Every one, keep up the good work. We are almost at the final.”
He would probably say something like “Ecstasy!” (for those who does not know what I mean, go and watch the OVA…) but I want to show him as being in the role of buchou, and this is meant to be just before the semi-final…

I want you to help me bringing us to the final
so this dream will finally become a reality
While I don’t think there is a Shitehouji’s version of the pillar of Seigaku I do think that Shiraishi sees Kintarou as being able to help Shitenhouji reach the finals. So I think he would think something like that, although I doubt he would ever say it out aloud. I think the closest he’ll say is just ‘It’s all on you, Kin-chan.’ But I believe he would think something like the above inside his head.

I think I am getting a bit addicted to writing these random what if scenes, because it doesn’t require that much…effort and they are all conversation based so that is another factor why it is much easier to write. So I wrote this other one…

I am not sure about the manga but I know that in the anime Mizuki have this whole ‘Fuji is my destined rival’ due to his singles 2 match with Fuji…whenever I see him saying that (not often, as I haven’t really watch the anime) I really want to say ‘Mada mada dane to him. But the thing is, as Shiraishi beat Fuji, I think Mizuki will probably think ‘Shiraishi is my destined rival as well since he beat my other destined rival’…This seriously… “Mizuke, mada mada dane!” Both Fuji and Shiraishi are regarded by many as being able to compete for the position of top four and top five of the senior players along with people like Atobe and Chitose etc. I’m not just saying this, I have actually seen people on forums who thinks Shiraishi deserves to be in one of these two spots. (the fan girl in me: YAY YAY YAY!!!) Naturally the top three position is already taken by Yukimura, Tezuka and Sanada (although I have seen people saying Tezuka’s position is getting shaky…)

So yeah, I can imagine Mizuki thinking Shiraishi is his destined rival too now, and I also think it will be very interesting seeing Yuuta meeting Shiraishi, so this inspired me to write this random what if scene…I suppose it take place in the junior selection camp, if some how Shitenhouji was there too and it is after the nationals.

As always (action) means action or my narrative, while “thoughts” means thoughts of the character.

When Shiraishi meets Yuuta and Mizuki
Kintarou: “You are Sanada, right? I want to play a match with you!!!”
Sanada: “…” (obviously displeased at a first year student calling him without adding any suffix/honorific after his name.)
Shiraishi: “Gosh Kin-chan, you have to get yourself into trouble on the very first day. I better do something about this.”
Kintarou: “Koshimae, he’s that super strong gorilla right!”
Yanagi: “‘100%,’ that is what you want to say isn’t it, Sadaharu?” (1)
Inui: “You are wrong Renji, I think in this case it should go beyond 100%, perhaps 200%?”
Shiraishi: “On second thought…Kintarou should be able to sort this out himself. At any rate I am certainly not going to be here when Sanada starts to look for the buchou responsible…”

Shiraishi: “Well, I should be safe here. This should be far away enough to prevent any of them thinking that I had been nearby.”
Yuuta: “You are Shiraishi Kuranosuke from Shitenhouji aren’t you?”
Shiraishi: “Yes I am…”
Yuuta: “Then I want to play a match with you right now! You managed to beat my brother so if I beat you then I would have proved myself to be as good as my brother.” (2)
Shiraishi: “Who is your brother?”
Yuuta: “Fuji Shuusuke. Who you played in the semi-finals of the nationals.”
Shiraishi: “Oh, so you are Fuji-kun’s…”
Yuuta: “I am Fuji Yuuta! I am not just Fuji Shuusuke’s brother! Play a match with me and I will show you with my own skills that I am Fuji Yuuta, more then just Fuji Shuusuke’s brother…(This is yelled out) Eh? Where did he go?”

Shiraishi: “I’ve never seen a kid this sensitive before. Jeez, if he is Fuji Shuusuke’s brother then of course I’ll say that he is Fuji’s brother since I have no idea who he is, while I at least sort of know Fuji Shuusuke.”
Mizuki: “Mm-hmm, what a pleasant surprise, meeting Shiraishi Kuranosuke, the person who defeated my destined rival.”
Shiraishi: “Destined rival?”
Mizuke: “Since you defeated him then you must be one of my destined rivals as well.”
Shiriashi: “Who is this guy? If he is as skilled as Fuji then I should have heard of him…”
Mizuki: “Mm-hmm, this must be a sign of fate. My destined rival is actually…”
Fuji: “Why, it’s Shiraishi-kun! Why don’t we have a match?”
Shiraishi: “Certainly. But Fuji-kun…who is that guy that says you are his destined rival?”
Fuji: “Eh? I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you are saying at all.”
Shiraishi: “Well, the guy who is following us and is clearly trying to talk to you.”
Fuji: “Oh, that’s just some guy who I beaten once quite some time ago at one of the local competitions. Seems that he is quite sensitive about his lose although I don’t even remember who he is.”
Mizuki: “I…heard…that…”

(1) For those who failed to understand Yanagi and Inui’s data talk, this is the translation: “‘The odd of him not liking being called this is 100%’ That is what you want to say isn’t it, Sadaharu?” Note: Kintarou has described Sanada as a gorilla, so it’s not that I am being mean…
(2) I think Yuuta will still be really eager to be as good as his brother, although I think he kind of give up suppressing ‘Shuusuke (to avoid confusion) so that is why he said as good as his brother, not better then his brother.

Also…on Friday night I was reading this person’s blog- her comments about the Shitenhouji arc. It was really interesting and she wrote the following in regard to Shiraishi’s perfect tennis, how it is like what you see in textbooks: “Shiraishi is Shitenhouji’s bible…I began to think: during Shitenhoujis’ practice, does their coach say the following whenever he needs to correct some one’s posture: ‘Go and look at Shiraishi’s posture.’”
I don’t really know why but that bit really made me laugh when I read it, I think it is because I can actually see that happening. (Shiraishi: “Sensei, what have you been saying to everyone? Because there are always so many people staring at me whenever I practice.”)

But yet is also rather bitter that his team mates keep on praising his perfect tennis even though he doesn’t like it. I think that kind of illustrates a belief of “It doesn’t matter if no one ever finds out what I really think about perfect tennis, I will be happy as long as I playing this will somehow help the team.” A perfect example of a good and noble buchou. The whole idea of doing this purely for the team, and what make it even more noble is that he really doesn’t let any of his team members know. I think this is another reason people often doesn’t realise how great this sacrifice is, because we are not being actively reminded. I think most of these boys don’t really care what their team will say but I think any one of them will feel better if their team acknowledged their sacrifice. For example, we help people just because we want to right? But how many people will actually not feel happier if someone said thank you?

This bit really remind me of the whole Sanada/Tezuka match, when Tezuka was seen as the really noble (times a thousand) buchou by everyone else because everyone is failing to see that Sanda was equally pushing himself because no one really know that his leg is injured as well… I’m not saying the whole Tezuka sacrificing his arm thing is not noble because it is quite noble, but what I am trying to say is that there are so many buchou who made such sacrifices for their team, but this is not realised by the audience as they can’t physically see it. My conclusion is just this: a lot of the other buchou are really noble as they are making great sacrifices too. It is not just Tezuka.

I think I am talking about this subject again because I went to this forum and I saw some people talking about the Tezuka and Sanada match so that just got me wanting to make comment about this again. Some people were criticizing Sanada so I just felt like talking about this again…

Author’s Note: As I have mentioned before, Sango means coral.

The first to arrive were Inuyasha and Kagome. The former had changed little due to his acceptance of being a hanyou, but Kagome was not in the ceremonial robes of a miko, having taken over the role which was once held by Kikyo and Kaede. She seemed more mature, even though the shikon shard that she had reabsorbed into her body has already affected her aging- to let her age as Inuyasha would.
The two of them were happy, there was nothing that forbid them to be so. They had what any lovers most desired: to be with the object of your affection and grow old with them.
“But not everyone can have a happy ever after ending.” Was the last thing Miroku had said to them before he left them without any warning. “So I must do what I must.”
They had not seen him ever since Sango died. That was no unnatural as they rarely leave the village, while Miroku seemed to begin a permanent sojourn. Their only hope was that he would be at her grave this year.
As Kagome knelt in front of the grave, she heard the sound of metal clashing together. At this she immediately turned around hopefully…
It was Miroku, but he had changed greatly. He appeared much older as the once cheerful monk now wore a permanent frown, and there was a deep weariness that clung to him.
Much to both Kagome and Inuyasha’s surprise, Miroku was followed by a very serious young boy- but there was no sign of a woman.
“I have an heir but I am not married.” He stated bitterly. “This,” he gestured to the grave, “Is the only woman I would marry.”
Was it really a surprise that his son was so grim?
“It has been a whole decade since we first met.” Kagome began softly.
“And ten years since I made the mistake that ruined my life.”
There were many words to be exchanged but no one knew how to say them due to the long absence. As for the woman whose grave they were visiting, they still did not know what they should tell her.
Luckily for them, or maybe not, two more people arrived.
A young woman of eighteen years old was holding the hand of a child that could only be nine years old if they were right in their guess, both of them held a bouquet of flowers in their hands.
The young woman was a human with rather dark hair that she gathered back with a white ribbon, the style seemed very familiar. There were little hints of the girl who had ran barefooted with her hair in a permanent mess in this grown woman, dressed in a fine kimono.
Her companion was in an equally elaborate kimono, and since she had her raven hair untied with her head bowed down, her yokai traits were barely visible. But they still managed to figure out her identity as it was not likely that anyone else would visit this isolated grave.
“So we finally meet up here.” the now grown Rin said as she nodded to them very formally- a habit that had become permanent due to having lived the last nine years in Sesshomaru’s palace.
“Where is my brother?” Inuyasha butted in bluntly.
At this, Rin sighed. Her guardian that had become a father to her was never the same after her death- the woman she had hoped to have as a mother. Even though Sango had only been about ten years older then her she had seemed older, like a mother instead of an elder sister. Rin found herself unable to do the same to Namida because she could not offer the same assurance that Sango had offered her- a mother’s assurance.
As for her guardian…those who did not know him well would say that he was not affected by her death, but because she was aware of his character, she could recognize the full depth of his sorrow.
“He never stopped his grieving.” She whispered sadly.

Sesshomaru waited until night time before he knelt in front of her grave once again, as he would every single year on this particular day. Unlike his two ‘daughters’ he did not bring any flowers, instead, he would place some sort of fancy gift on her grave- objects that he would have liked to hand to her himself.
Strangely, they were usually rather feminine objects. Perhaps he chose these things due to the knowledge that he was one of the few people whom she would gladly accept these gifts from.
He brought her a comb made from coral this year. Sometimes he would wonder what happens to these annual gifts and would berate himself at the amount of concern.
There was a sense of peace here, one of the causes of him laying her body to rest in this very area. Initially he had wanted to bury her in the courtyard of his palace so she would always be near him, but he changed his mind when his mother asked him whether she would have wanted her resting place to be there.
So he chose this place, as they had been very happy here.
Eight years passed since her death, and many more years would come before he finally sees her again. It was ironic, and even unfair, that their daughter would be able to be reunited with her first.
He would not use the cliché of saying that he died with her, as he was able to carry on living, but there seemed to be an emptiness in almost everything, one of the exception being the time he spends with Namida.
He would have loved their daughter no matter what she looked like, but her remarkable resemblance to her made everything easier. Looking at Namida made him recollect all the happiness he once had because of Sango.
These memories were enough to let him have no regret.
Perhaps the greatest effect she had on his life was making him see death as a way of reuniting with her, instead of just being something that marked the end of his long life.
It was because she made him understand what it meant to live.

Author’s Note: I think what makes Miroku quite a tragic figure in this story is the fact that he never stopped loving her, but had to know that she loves another, and even sired a child with him, while he himself was forced to sire a child with another woman. Granted that it is his own fault, I still feel a bit sorry for him.
Ok, since this is the last author’s note for this story I’ll make it a bit longer. In general I have enjoyed writing this fan fiction very much. In a way it is a trial of something different, and I have enjoyed writing this fan fiction. As I said before I really like Sango x Sesshomaru stories and I am just so glad that I have been able to contribute. In a way, writing this fan fiction also made me support and like this parings even more. A message to all those that support the Sango x Sesshomaru pairing: continue support them and don’t let anyone persuade you otherwise! They are such a good couple! (my sister think I’m nuts doing this as there is nothing going on between them in the original story but I don’t care!!! I think they will make an excellent couple!) And also, don’t feel shy about putting your stories up! I was afraid of putting tears up but I am so glad that I did, because the feedback is really good, granted that I complain a lot but I do get reviews and there has been quite a few hits! Do put your stories up (to be honest, I’ll love to read a bit more Sango x Sesshomaru stories. When I first used the filter to search for them I really wasn’t sure whether I could find any).

The 2008 prince of tennis calendar is out and quite a few community and forums have websites have been posting the pictures up and in general the calendar is quite good, although I just wish that they did 12 pictures, instead of 6 pictures.

Basically…
January & February: Inui; Yanagi; Niou; Kirihara; Chitose.
March & April: Shishido; Otori; Oshitari; Gakuto; Taki
May & June: Shiraishi; Yukimura; Tezuka; Atobe; Tachibana
July & August: Ooishi; Kikumara; Momoshiro; Fuji; Kawamura
September & October: Mizuki; Kaidou; Yagyuu: Maruai; Jirou
November & December: Echizen; Hiyoshi; Yuuta; Kintarou; Sanada

Now I really love the picture of May and June, where the five buchou of the five very important schools come out. I’m using the picture as my wall paper now. Well…I think the only fault I can find with it is that Tezuka’s expression is just too…stoic? Especially if you compare him to Shiraishi, Yukimura and Atobe, who are all smiling.

A few comments about their clothing…Yukimura is naturally not wearing his jacket, but draping it on him, although he isn’t actually wearing his head band or his bracers, and I don’t think Shiraishi has ever been drawn wearing pants instead of shorts. I always thought that Atobe would be more likely to drape his jacket instead of wear it, as he always have to start the game by throwing it into the air, Tachibana’s hair is blond again and it seem to grow at a rather fast rate…given that he is not Atobe such a growth is too unusual…

But any way, my sister and I were discussing why these five made it and we decided that it is because they are the buchou of schools that are either in the final (Tezuka and Yukimura) or the semi-final (Shiraishi) or the quarter final (Tachibana and Atobe). Of course, they are also popular buchou of popular schools, (otherwise the buchou of Higa should be in it too…) But somehow we ended up joking about why Minami (the buchou of Yamabuki) didn’t make it in this one and this inspired me to write a few more random scenes…(it’s not story as it is just conversation based.) I always seem to be making fun of Minami but it’s just that him not being a distinguishing buchou is a joke of the story. Kamio, before the lottery for the Kantou regional, actually asked who he is.

A meeting of the buchou of the schools participating in the nationals (inspired by the picture for May-June in the 2008 calender): why these five are in the ‘photo’
Atobe: “Talking to you can be so tiring, as it requires ore-sama to concentrate too much.”
Shiraishi: “I have met Kenya’s cousin before and his accent is pretty strong.”
Atobe: “But unlike you, he does not suddenly switch to a different language in the middle of a sentence.” (1)
Shiraishi: “Well…” (spots Minami and says something).
Minami: “Shiraishi-kun, I don’t understand what you just said.”
Minami: “Surely he didn’t just ask me who I am, it must be his accent that made me misunderstand…”
Shiraishi: “I said ‘Who are you?’”
Minami: “Who…am…I?”
Tachibana: “Shiraishi-kun, don’t you recognize him, he’s that buchou!”
Shiraishi: “I know he is a buchou, that’s why he is here!”
Minami: “Shiraishi is from Kansai so it is natural that he wouldn’t know every single school outside Kansai. Of course, that is why.”
Tachibana: “You know, that buchou from that school!”
Shiraishi: “Which school?”
Tachibana: “That school!”
Shiraishi: “You don’t really know it yourself, do you?”
Tachibana: “I just can’t remember right now.”
Minami: “It’s Yamabuki!”
Shiraishi: “Oh, Yamabuki! I see, I see, Yamabuki, Yamabuki…” (Walks away)
Yukimura: “So you do know the school? Eh…Shiraishi-kun, isn’t that the information book about all the schools that is participating in the nationals? Oh, you found Yamabuki!”
Minami: “So you haven’t even heard of Yamabuki. But this doesn’t matter, he is from Kansai so…”
Yukimura: “I want to have a look too! So, Yamabuki is…”
Minami: “This doesn’t matter either, after all, Yukimura is from Kanagawa, which is not in Tokyo…”
Atobe: “Ore-same might have heard of the name being spoken a few times but it is not dazzling enough to be remembered by ore-sama.”
Tachibana: “Well, Yamabuki did beat Fudomine so…” (2)
Tezuka: “Is Sengoku ill?”
Minami: “No, he is perfectly fine. Why are you asking?”
Tezuka: “I was wondering why you are representing him as buchou…”
Minami: “I – AM – THE – BUCHOU!”
Atobe: “Aah? When did this take place? Why did ore-sama not know the sudden change of the buchou in a school?”
Minami: “I was always the buchou!”
Yukimura: “Now, now, Minami-kun, don’t feel so discouraged. We actually do know that Yamabuki is a very powerful school. After all, I heard that the Jimmies’ elaborate moves are countered by few, while the left-hand killer is feared by all left handed players…” (3)
Tezuka: “Yukimura, the left-hand killer is Fuji Yuuta from St Ruldoph while the Jimmies are actually known for...”
Shiraishi: “I finally remembered where I heard the name Yamabuki from! There’s a guy in there who have this serve called ‘Kohou’, and this other guy who looks like a delinquent! That’s Yamabuki, right?!”
Minami: “I’ve had enough!” (runs out of the room)
Shiraishi: “Did I just say something wrong?”
Yukimura: “Well… Shiraishi-kun, I think you might have hurt his feelings a little bit.”
Tachibana: “Aren’t you so much worse then him?”
Photographer: “Alright, is everyone here? If everyone is here then I’m going to take the photo.”

(1) After hearing so many cases where the native Kansai dialect is described as almost sounding like a different language, I decided to poke fun at this. Although I actually really love Kansai-ben! It just sounds so nice!!!
(2) In my opinion this only happened because of the car accident…but Tachibana just seem the one who would be trying to be really nice all the time.
(3) Just in case anyone is confused about this, Yukimura is basically saying the opposite as the Jimmies are actually known for their simple but effective move, so this clearly shows that he is deliberately saying the wrong thing about Yamabuki or that he is pretending he does not know about Yamubuki. I think it goes both ways..

A reminder, this is a random humorous scene that I just feel like writing, so I made most people completely over the top, so Atobe fans please don’t kill me (I think I really exaggerated his behaviour). But the whole thing is meant to be over dramatic and over the top.

Or…second version of what might have happened…
Photographer: “Alright, kids, I need to take a picture of four buchou, so I want you guys to sort out who will be in the photo.”
Yukimura: “Since Rikkai is the school that has been the winner for the last two years, as well as being in the finals this year, I am sure that no one will object to me being in it.”
Tezuka: “Seigaku is in the final of the nationals this year.”
Shiraishi: “Shitenhouji has made into the semi-finals both this year and last year, so I think I should be in it too.”
Photographer: “Wow, that’s quite fast. We just need one more person.”
Shiraishi: “Why don’t we just let the buchou of Nagoya Seitoku be the forth person since they are the other school in the semi-final.”
Yukimura: “Shiraishi-kun, haven’t you heard the news? He’s still recovering from their game with us.”
Shiraishi: “Recovering? What…what has happened?”
Yukimura: “Oh it’s just that one of our players got a bit excited so there were some serves that were hit a bit hard, and so their buchou was bleeding a bit. But overall, it is nothing really serious.” (1)
Shiraishi: “Right…um…then I think Tachibana-kun should be the forth person in the photo since Shishigaku was one of the top four in last year’s national while Fudomine was among the top eight this year and their school really have great potential.”
Tezuka: (simply nods)
Tachibana: “I certainly don’t mind…”
Atobe: “Wait a second, what about ore-sama?”
Shiraishi: “Ore-sama?”
Atobe: “That’s right, ore-sama should be in the photo too.”
Shiraishi: “But I think it is better for Tachibana-kun…”
Atobe: “Shiraishi-kun, don’t you realise that the picture will not be dazzling at all if ore-sama is not in it?”
Shiraishi: “I must admit, that thought has certainly not occurred to me.”
Atobe: “WHAT?!”
Yukimura: “You must forgive Shiraishi-kun, Atobe-kun, since he probably only knows the top schools of Kantou as he is from Kansai.” (2)
Shiraishi: “I actually don’t really mean it that way…”
Tezuka: “Shiraishi-kun, these two are always like that.”
Atobe: “At any rate, ore-sama must be in the photo! Ore-sama is actually being very generous by offering to be in the same photo with all of you, as ore-sama is going to make you guys look good.”
Tachibana: “Well, if Atobe really want to then I don’t mind.”
Fudomine: “TACHIBANA-SAN!!!”
Shiraishi: “But I think Fudomine clearly want Tachibana-kun to be in the photo…”
Atobe: “But Hyotei wishes for ore-sama to be in the photo!” (clicks finger)
Hyotei cheerleaders: “Atobe! Atobe!”
Tezuka: “Shiraishi-kun, this is normal too.”
Tachibana: “I really don’t mind not being in the photo if Atobe-kun really wants to be in it. It really is ok for me…”
Fudomine: “Tachibana-san, we will fight with our own lives for you to be in the photo! You deserve to be in the photo so much more!!!” (3)
Yukimura: “Ah, I know! Why don’t we just somehow include Atobe-kun in it since he so want to be in the photo even though he is not one of the school that made it into the finals or quarter finals in both this year or last year.”
Photographer: “I can probably fit five people in the photo.”
Yukimura: (Smiles) “See, Atobe-kun, you can be in the photo too!”

The following bit is courtesy of Albatross-neesan (who dictated most of this to me).
This is what might have happened…
Yukimura: “Then what about this? I will step out since I didn’t play in the Kantou regional and I didn’t really contribute in the final this year because I was in the hospital. So I think it is justified that Atobe-kun should be in the photo since he did so much…” (sighs deeply as he prepares to stand up)
Rikkai: “Yukimura!!!”
Yukimura: “No, this really is alright. After all, I have been absent the whole year, and I couldn’t help you guys winning the Kantou regional…” (Staggers)
Kirihara: “Yukimura-buchou, it’s all my fault! It isn’t your fault at all, but mine! If I won against Fuji then we would have won!”
Marui: “No one is putting all the blame on you, Akaya, you are not the only one that lost.”
Yanagi: “I am sorry Seiichi, if I have been less emotional then I should have be able to fulfill my promise.”
Sanada: “No, this is all my fault! I was acting as the buchou in your absence and I promised that I will win the Kantou regional even if you aren’t there! This is all my fault, losing to that first year!”
Yukimura: “(Smiles) Don’t worry about this everyone, these things doesn’t matter at all. If I had been there then I would have been able to do something…anything…” (Staggers again)
Rikkai: “YUKIMURA!!!”
Tezuka: “Don’t worry, Shiraishi-kun, this is normal too.”
Shiraishi: “They weren’t this bad last year, I think…”
Tachibana: “Really, you guys losing the Kantou regional is not any of your fault.” (not heard by Rikkai…)
Sanada: “Yukimura, don’t strain your self for our sake.”
Yanagi: “Seiichi, why don’t you sit down first.”
Yukimura: “No, no, no, I am really alright…”
Sanada: “Yukimura, please take my seat! Don’t worry about what Atobe said, we will take care of this.” (Stares at Atobe) Atobe…
Shiraishi: “(whispers) Atobe-kun, given the current circumstance, don’t you think that you should let Yukimura-kun be in the photo?”
Atobe: “This little scene has nothing to do with ore-sama, ore-sama deserves to be in the photo in the first place.”
Tachibana: “You guys (to Rikkai), it’s ok, Yukimura will be in the photo.”
Atobe: “But ore-sama…”
Tachibana & Shiraishi: “ATOBE-KUN!!!”
Tachibana: “Considering Yukimura’s circumstances he deserves to be in it.”
Shiraishi: “And Rikkai HAS been the winner for the last two years, and they ARE in the final this year.”
Yukimura: “But without me doing anything…”
Atobe: “That’s it! I had enough! (throws off his jacket) Yukimura Seiichi, why don’t we go and have a match now and let the stronger one be in the photo. Ore-sama will…”
Sanada: (steps in front of Yukimura): “What – did – you – just – say? You are way out of your league, Atobe, see if you can win against me first before you even thinks about challenging Yukimura.”
Tezuka: “Ah, I think the photographer is a bit impatient.”
Photographer: “Kids, I think I can fit five people.”

(1) I am presuming that the buchou of Nagoya Seitoku is the guy who played against Kirihara, as he probably is one of the best in the team, since he did manage to score 5-0 with Kirihara, who, unlike the rest, was not losing on purpose.
(2) Not really true as Hyotei was the runner up of the Kansai regional last year so Shiraishi will probably know about them, but for the purpose of this scene…and for the purpose of making Yukimura evil…
(3) Just want to make Fudomine and every one else is acting in a very dramatic way since this is kind of making fun of the whole story…

What a day this day is becoming. First of all it began to rain when I got off the bus, and initially it was only raining, but then as I got in the house it began to pour, and now it is almost storming with some hail. So I am deeply relieved that I didn’t take a later bus since class finished early, if class finished early then I would be in the middle of all this. Gosh...there’s even lightening and thunder.

Shoot…there is a major as hail now. Our garage is like half white. I am going to switch off my computer just in case it suffers from this weather.

Well…the other stuff when I got home, the first thing I noticed was this burning smell in our house. Turned out that my dad burnt the stove this afternoon, burnt it really bad as I can sort of still smell the burning smell in my room (and my room is at the second floor, above the kitchen).

I am going to switch off my computer just in case it suffers from this weather.

Ok, back after about half an hour! It is sunny now, the weather is crazy! Well…not much more to write but this: I can’t wait till tomorrow as OVA 16 and 17 is finally going to be out! Well, not that I can see it immediately but if I was in Japan then I would actually run to buy it. But hopefully it will soon be uploaded on your tub! I really hope that we get to have some shot of Shiraishi and a scene I really want to see is Watanabe saying this (upon the umpire’s shock reaction at Kaidou and Momoshiro wearing masks) : “What does this matter? Do the rules say that you can’t wear masks?” I love that bit…and I think that was the first time I saw Watanabe, well, the first time I notice him properly. Although I must say, that gave me a wrong impression of Watanabe. Making me see him as being rather irresponsible, as well forming one of my basis for me not liking him, but note, this is the past, I actually quite like Watanabe now. But basically I interpreted him as someone who really like to have fun, and I thought that he should have helped Shiraishi because Shiraishi was playing tennis in a way that resulted the opposite thing happening. So big apology to Watanabe. Now I actually think Shitenhouji is very lucky as they have a very good buchou and a very good coach.

I also can’t wait to see Kawamura’s match, I just really want to see the bit when everyone- including the Shitenhouji team- standing up as he walk down. And I really hope that they have the bit when Shiraishi scolds Zaizen, not because I really hate that kid or anything, but because that bit shows part of Shiraishi’s character quite well- his own personal belief and values, as well as him being a really good buchou.

So yes, so excited! I think it’ll probably be quite some weeks before I can find a subbed version of the OVA but I’ll be happy with seeing the raw as I sort of know what will happen anyway.

By the way I have a crazy theory…and some people might shoot me down for this but it is just a theory ok? Right now I’m not sure whether I believe in it yet. But I have seen many cases where people wonder why Fuji’s kept on using his final counter instead of the other upgraded counters. And I sort of wonder: is it possible because he knows that Shiraishi is capable of returning them? That he was only able to score the games because Shiraishi just didn’t know how to react when he sees them for the first time. Ok, I have actually said this is in a polite way, so even though I am biased (by tending to think that my favourite character is really really skilled), please don’t disagree me in a very rude way. Once again- this is just a possible suggestion. Feel free to discuss this and I don’t mind if you totally don’t agree with me and think that I am totally wrong but once more, please don’t say it in a very rude way because I have not said this in a rude way.

First of all, for those who doesn’t know Dojinshi (同人誌) are basically kind of like fan manga, that’s the best way I can think of to explain it. For those who are unsure please cheek on line. But anyway, on Saturday night I went to the Shitenhouji community that I belong in and I saw that if you actually log in then you can see so much more stuff, and one of it is this dojinshi. Since the person who put it up ask us to not directly link it I wouldn’t, it’s the least I can do to thank the person for being so kind by not only putting it up, they also provided translations. But I am sure they would not mind if I sort of suggests others to read it.

Warning: this doujinshi features same sex pairing so if that kind of stuff offend you then don’t say I didn’t warn you. And don’t read any more of this entry if you can’t stand that kind of stuff: fan fiction and/or same sex pairing. But the drawings are so beautiful. I know it’s not the author’s drawing but it is still so beautiful!!! And I love the idea of the story. Ok, it is a doujinshi with this pairing: Watanabe/Shiraishi and Chitose/Shiraishi. And what is amazing is that the author of that doujinshi is able to touch your heart (ok, this is a very cliché saying but that is what I felt as I read it), even though it is really short, only nine pages. So you go to the Shintehouji community (which you can find at my user info, since I belong in it) and once there, log in and click doujinshi and you should be able to find it. It’s called Cigar.

Ok…some of my opinions about it. The main character is Watanabe Osamu and I love being able to see a doujinshi/fam fiction that focuses on his character, and to be honest, I really like the idea of Watanabe/Shiraishi as a pair, that’s my favourite same sex pairing in the whole of prince of tennis (I’ve actually read quite some different ones too, including Chitose/Shiraishi, Kenya/Shiraishi, Shiraishi/Fuji, Shiraishi/Yukimura and even this Shiraishi/Atobe one. I am at the stage where I just want to read stories with him so I don’t care what they are about, as long as they are well written then I’ll read them! But I do wish there is more fan fiction with Watanabe/Shiraishi). So Watanabe is portrayed really beautifully in the doujinshi and Chitose hardly come out so can’t say anything about him. But as for Shiraishi, to be honest, I think the person portrayed Shiraishi rather fragile in that one. He appears as rather melancholic, which is not exactly the way I think of him, I think he should be more confident although I wouldn’t say it is out of character, as I think that doujinshi showed Watanabe seeing him off guarded. And of course, no one (not even Atobe) is confident the whole time…

Basically what I am saying is this: it is really worth a read if you don’t mind either fan fiction and/or same sex pairings.

So as a result I was suddenly filled with a desire to see some fan arts (rather crazy considering that I should be sleeping) and I did find some really pretty ones of Watanabe and Shiraishi, as well as ones that…*cough cough* made me quickly close the window. At one stage my sister stopped by my door way, which gave me a big fright (I wasn’t seeing any dodgy ones but she doesn’t really approve of that kind of stuff so yeah…Well, disapprove just in the sense of ‘I can’t believe you are seeing this’ and ‘You are crazy’, not so much the ‘You are sick’) (inner voice: so why are you broadcasting your crime on the net for all to see? Well…she doesn’t’ really visit here and the warning beforehand should be enough to prevent her from reaching here. Heck, she would make that comment even if I was jsut reading fan fiction, or if the picture is just any fan art, even if the picture just have Shiraishi by himself). My self defence to the slightly dodgy fan arts: I happened to stumble across them.

I remember that some while ago I posted this fan fiction pairing list for Fushigi Yugi, Genbu Kaiden and Inuyasha, maybe I should do one for Shiraishi. Basically I just talked about what I think of certain pairing, whether I like them or not.

Author’s Note: this is kind of a default chapter in a way, as it was suppose to be in the middle of the last chapter. but I decide to make it into a new chapter as it got quite long, and I like most part, so I don’t want to delete it. Basically this chapter focuses solely on Sesshomaru (although he does naturally think of Sango). I won’t say anyway because I don’t want to give much away so all the explanations would be in the author’s note at the end.
Mamoru means protect, to protect.

Ironically, as she used lies to explain herself, he ended up convincing others that the rumours which had begun were truths.
The current region of the West was much like the son that she ruled on behalf of. By being able to hide her emotions so well, most believe them to be non-existent.
That was why, she could tell that her son had changed easily, as they were too similar.
“So the stories I’ve been hearing are true.” She began easily, not taking her eyes away from the infant her son was holding protectively. “My son is travelling with a human girl, and has recently acquired another human infant.”
“Have your eyes blinded your sense of smell?” he immediately retorted back.
For the first time in his life, he was awarded with the satisfaction of surprising his mother. Her eyes narrowed at the same time as a frown appeared on both her face and mouth, and she even took a step toward him in disbelieve.
“A hanyou…”
“My daughter.” Her son stated this so calmly- as if him siring a child with a human was not the most impossible thing. She had always thought that the only way for the West to have an heir would be forcing him into an arranged relationship, as he seemed both uninterested and unconcerned with such things.
The idea had remained in her head due to the obvious reason that it was impossible for her to carry it out.
“She might be my only heir.” He continued easily, his tone almost too calm. “Although I might be able to have a son when I am reunited with the human who will be my mate.”
“Your children will be hanyou…”
“They will rule as my heirs, because I will only sire children with her. And I,” he would have rested his hand on the hilt of Tokijin to emphasize his point if it wasn’t for the fact that it was already engaged in another task. “I will protect them from anyone that dares to bear them any ill.”
“You will protect them…”
Once more, she recollected the final time she saw her mate- it was just before his elder son saw him for the last time too. The two of them had stood side by side to look at their son, one of the few things that brought them together.
“He can be very strong, but he will never be strong enough if he only live for himself.” Had been the final statement of the one who sired her son. “If he have no one to protect then he will continue living recklessly, nor would he be able to reach his maximum abilities- he would always just see that level in others as they protect their loved ones from him.”
“And we are to be blamed for that.” She admitted, one hand tugging at the fur she wrapped around her shoulder, her status was a constant reminder of why she entered into such a relationship in the first place. “We taught him wrongly., but we might still be able to correct him. That is why I ask you to not go to her in your condition now, as you will surely die.”
“I cannot abandon her!”
“Then you would abandon your own son.” She reasoned. “How would I be able to let him understand the importance of protecting someone when you will die from it?”
But he still left, and that was also the day when her son finally closed himself completely due to his obsessive quest for power. He even neglected his duties as the lord of the West by leaving his territory. She realized that the reason he had once protected the West was not due to any love for these land and people, but for the sake of showing all that he could do what his father did.
Her hand closed over the necklace that Inunotaisho had gave her. She was meant to use to help her son grow stronger when he was deemed worthy enough to know of tenseiga’s other secrets by having gained compassion.
It seemed that she would still be using this meido-seki to let him wield tenseiga with a higher level of power, only that it would be done in a different way. In a way that neither of them had even considered to be possible.

He knew his mother well enough to detect the light that suddenly appeared in her eyes, as well as recognizing it as a bad sign.
“I had been waiting for you for a different reason.” She began, her lips curled into a sweet smile as she launched her bait by dangling the necklace in front of him. “I can show you a way to make tenseiga more powerful. Of course, such abilities do not come freely, you will have to make a journey that is relatively dangerous.”
Though his outer expressions remained immobile, he was fuming inwardly. He should have realized that just as his mother had always been able to hit him at the one spot that would hurt, she would be able to find a way to rob him of his original certainty.
Tenseiga…how long had he spent in cursing his father for giving him a sword that he could not use to kill? Even though he would now be grateful to the blade forever for having brought Sango to him, he still desired more.
The truth was that he would not be satisfied until the sword let him used it as his father had been allowed to use it.
But the consequences of accepting his mother’s offer was too great. He had never worried about what might happen with his death until he met her, and then held their child in his arm. He realized that he could not act in a reckless fashion anymore as his death would leave both his daughter and Rin without someone to look after them.
He would never let his daughter grew up as Inuyasha had. Wasn’t that why he returned to this palace in the West? Because it was safer.
I made a promise to your mother, he told Namida silently, I will keep it. If I fail…I cannot face Sango again.
As he turned around to look at Rin, the little girl finally smiled again, and he vowed that he would protect Rin as well. She was like a daughter to him now, and he owed her many thanks for all that she did: to let him start caring for another. Without her, he might never have saved Sango as he would not feel a need to do so.
“No.” he declared out. “I will not make this journey.”
The sudden murmuring of the blade forced him to finally hand his daughter to Rin in order for him to pull the blade out and examine it.
“Tenseiga heard what I could not hear.” His mother explained as she returned the necklace to its original position again. “It consider you as worthy as wielder as your father was. Tenseiga will now let you use it as it had allowed your father to use it.”

He ended up sitting at one corner of the garden with their family’s’ faithful hounds in front of him. He was glad of their company as unlike all the other yokai in this palace, they did not understand that what he had announced a few hours ago was an unusual thing.
“You must all look after Namida and Rin.” He ordered, aware of the murmurings that could not be destroyed despite his warnings.
Not for the first time, he turned to thoughts of Sango, she must be with her friends by now. It was strange how she could still make him behave in such a foolish fashion even when she was no longer beside him. He ended up wandering whether she was thinking of him, and being slightly angry by the idea that she might be distracted from doing so due to that monk.
He knew that it was better for them to part as travelling with her would not be safe for their daughter, or for Rin. But he couldn’t help but to imagine about the happiness such a journey would bring.
Once more, the question his mother had asked echoed inside his mind with his answer.
“Are you happy with your actions?”
“If I had not been happy then I would not be sad now.”

Author’s Note: so originally this chapter was just the middle of the last chapter, but as I said I like the result. I guess this shows how much Sesshomaru changed as he want to protect someone very strongly. First of all about tenseiga…in this fan fiction I am saying that Sesshomaru knew that his father could use tenseiga as a weapon instead of just a sword to save people, and since there is the whole idea of tenseiga choosing him to be the wielder, and whether he was worthy enough, I decided to add in the bit of tenseiga letting him use it to a higher level due to hearing him deciding to actually give up the chance of being stronger in order to protect Namida and Rin. I don’t think this is going too far as he did say something like ‘to let this sword gain power due to your life being lost is not worth it’ when Rin died, and Tenseiga does seem to be a sword with a mind of its own much more then tessaiga, as tenseiga often cause Sesshomaru to do something.

Although I have to say, initially I thought about having him make the journey and doing something like the manga, only that it involved both Namida and Sango instead of Rin. I don’t know, probably a scene when he refused to come out without his daughter as he’ll say something like he could not face Sango due to what had happened. But this ended up as the final version and I think this outcome of his realization is quite good too.

Lastly, in regard to him addressing hounds, it seems that yokai are often accompanied by animals that are similar to them, both Koga and Ayame have wolves around them, and that bird princess had a lot of birds with her, while these bat yokai had all these bats, so I guess Sesshomaru and his family would have dogs with them.

Author’s Note: Uso means both lies and lying.

It was raining…
The rain seemed strangely suitable, as she could recollect numerous tales where lovers had either part or reunite in the middle of some form of storm.
The hard droplets of water separated the weak links of the flowers on her head: the last garland Rin would be able to give to her personally. With great reluctance, she let the flowers slide down her hair- now loose from the usual white ribbon as he had took it- and eventually descend down.
Falling so fast that it was impossible for her to catch them.
She felt that the rain was taking away the few physical reminders she had of the past year. The crown of flowers was completely disintegrated now, and she could smell nothing but the bitterness of her tears amidst the rain.
Doing the right thing was hard, but having to come to term with her actions was even more difficult.
She did miss her friends, but she longed for him so much more, as he was the only one who could comfort her completely.
Kagome was a sweet and kind girl, true, but she was never able to understand her loneliness because she was always at the centre of attention by being the only one who could see the shikon shards, as well as being the most important person to at least two men- who would constantly fight over her. Even though Kagome would express embarrassment, Sango knew that she was secretly flattered, as every woman in such a situation would.
Inuyasha…she smiled slightly as she entertained herself with the idea of telling her hanyou friend that not only did she gave birth to his brother’s child, he also intend to make her his mate.
But this would not be happening anytime soon, even though Inuyasha forgave her generously for her previous crime of stealing tessaiga, she doubt that he could accept this news well. Although, she bitterly reasoned, would he really care that much, as his whole mind was dominated by Kagome and Kikyo.
Perhaps she was simply jealous that Kagome could be the most important person to the one that she loved, unlike her. Miroku…she was always wondering whether she was special to him due to his lavish attentions to all those other women, they were rarely alone as his eyes were always wandering.
Unlike Sesshomaru, who never shifted his gaze away from her.
As for Shippo…she was fond of him, but it was obvious that he was more attached to Kagome. To her, Rin had become what Shippo was to Kagome.

She knew that she should be grateful for the rain, as they washed his scent away from her effortlessly, as well as giving her a few more seconds before her friends would sense her. But his scents were a reminder too.
Taking a deep breath she gave Kirara the sign to appear in front of those that she had not seen for a whole year.
Inuyasha and Shippo seemed to have stayed exactly the same, as they were engaged in another of their famous food fights, not far away was Miroku, mediating or thinking about some new plans.
But right now, the only person she could see had altered was Kagome. The younger girl was still wearing that strange top, only that the colour was different. Likewise, her skirt was longer and of a finer pleat. Lastly, her hair was also much shorter.
“Sango-chan!” Kagome immediately buried her into a tight hug, accompanied by Shippo, neither noticing their friend’s nervousness. “Where have you been?”
“You better have a good excuse as we were all so worried!” Inuyasha butted in.
“Sango, I…” Miroku began at the same time, immediately realizing that she was looking at him in a different way…her eyes seemed slightly apologetic and rather cold.
Detaching herself from her friends’ embrace, she began to speak the lies that she had practised with Sesshomaru. The words should be convincing as she had repeated these words over and over until she finally managed to stop crying.
She made up a story of having lost her memory due to the shock of killing her brother after witnessing Miroku’s latest betrayal, and was saved by a hermit who looked after her until she finally recovered in every way.
“Then Kirara found me and at the sight of her I naturally remembered every thing…what I must do.” She ended. This was not a full lie as she was forced to consider how much longer she could hide with Kirara’s arrival.
Despite her practises, she was still rather nervous and even stuttered at one or two stages, but both Kagome and Shippo were so happy that she returned that they pushed away the possibility that she might have been hiding something. As for Inuyasha, he decided that he would accept what she said as the truth until they were proven to be lies.
The only one who was unsatisfied with the story was Miroku, because he still sought for the reason of why she refused to let him embrace her, as well as the cause of the change in the way she looked at him.
“What is it that you are not telling us, Sango?” he asked softly, even though he was desperately hoping that he was wrong.
He truly loved Sango, and he would never sleep with any other women due to her. The problem was that he was a fool by still enjoying the company of other females, as he was unable to resist accompanying a group of young girls the day after their engagement.
But he stopped all this when they found her gone, and he managed to stay true to his moral reform.
“Yes, there is something.” Sango said in equal softness. “Houshi-sama, I break our engagement because I am now engaged to another, to the hermit that saved me. And I will definitely marry him.”
“Sango…”
Suddenly, his broken voice angered her so much along with the slightly accusing eyes of the others. Why were they regarding her as having betrayed Miroku? He was the one who turned to other woman, while she had been driven to despair due to him. Why must she accept his infidelities in the first place? Why was she regarded as the one in the wrong when all she did was to love another when she closed her heart to the one that first broke it?
There were many types of love, and the truth was that a person must have their love returned in order to remain in love. That was why she was able to end her affections towards Miroku even though she once loved him, because Sesshomaru loved her, she would never stop loving him despite being apart from him.
“I did nothing wrong.” She stated as she walked away from them to take out the elaborate kimono that was probably his first gift to her and held it against her.
No, she was wrong, the kimono was not the first gift, it was her life. He had returned her life to her, that was the first thing he gave her. The kimono was the second gift, followed by his love, and then it was their daughter.
Their path crossed only to unwind, but surely they would meet again and remain together, because that was what they both most wanted.
It didn’t matter where they would be, as long as he was with her then she would be happy. There was also their daughter and Rin- they were like her family- what she thought she had lost forever when Kohaku finally died.
“I want only this now.” She whispered as she clutched to the kimono even tighter.

Author’s Note: I am sure I have mentioned this before, but this story’s main focus is on Sango and Sesshomaru, so this is why the others are kind of in the back ground. I think it become really obvious with this chapter, as even though the rest come out, they are not really important. Wow…first chapter where Sango is alone, next chapter would be Sesshomaru, no Sango. The opposite of this chapter. What happened is that this chapter is meant to be like this: Sango thinking, then sees her friend; Sesshomaru comes out- what he does will be shown in the next chapter; and then ends with Sango telling her story to her friends.

I think what Sango did would be quite hard for the rest to accept because in my opinion, Inuyasha and his friends are so tightly packed that you just feel that if Inuyasha and Kagome are going to be together, then Sango and Miroku would be together. So I guess if Sango choose to be with someone else, it almost seems that she is breaking the bond in their group. I don’t know, that is just my opinion. As for the views of love…I don’t know what I feel to that myself, personally I guess that is probably what happens in most case, but I also believe that it is possible you might just love someone forever even if they don’t return your love.

As for Miroku…what happened is that he was just flirting with other women, and that was it. I think Miroku would probably never stop flirting with others, but yet I think to an extent, he would be faithful to Sango in that sense- I really don’t think he would be sleeping with any other woman ever again. But yet I cannot help but to ask: why should Sango have to put up with that? Why can’t she have someone who will be faithful in every way? I guess that is one of the causes of my support of her being with Sesshomaru (along side various reason).

Lastly, there is the little detail of Kagome being in senior high school. That really is a…‘I’m doing this because I suddenly want to.’

Author’s Note: Puraido means pride.

He had knelt by her side and held her hand without any complaint throughout the ordeal, although it must have been very hard for him too, as he could easily lose both of them.
The result of the hardest battle she had fought in was the birth of their daughter.
As her parents had already expected, she was beautiful and perfect, but she must have been unsatisfied at having only surprised them with her early arrival, because she would shock them again with her appearance.
She was like her human mother in every way apart from the unusually sharp nails at the tip of her fingers, and the golden eyes of her yokai father along with having her ears pointed, instead of curved. Unlike her ‘uncle’, however, her ears were not on top of her head like a dog, but at the same place as a human’s.
“It is not impossible to think of her as fully human.” Her mother finally said as she handed her to her father, whose eyes remained tender for the last few months.
“She looks like her mother.” He stated, his lips curled into one of his rare smiles “What will her name be?”
Without discussing it, they both knew that the child would be named by her, as he would be spending more time with their child anyway due to the much shorter life span of a human. It was important for her to name the child to ensure that she would not be forgotten by her daughter.
Initially she thought about following the practise of her people by giving the child an elemental name, but she gave up on the idea due to the arrival of the perfect name.
“Namida.” (As there are no plural in Japanese, Namida can mean both tear and tears. (as in the thing that comes out from your eyes, in case- just in case somehow anyone thought of it as the wrong meaning.) which is not impossible, as sometimes I get so zoned out that really obvious stuff doesn’t really register!!!)
“Are you sure?” he immediately asked, the smile replaced by a frown.
“One day she will be the only one you would be able to shed tears for.” She whispered, her voice rather weak due to childbirth, “Perhaps…perhaps her name will also serve as a reminder of what will happen with her birth.”
“You choose to leave tomorrow?”
She nodded and stretched her hands out toward him, wishing to be able to spend this last night in his embrace.
“This will be hard for Rin to accept. She believes that what happened is a sign that you will stay forever.”
“Instead of the opposite. That is why I said it would be better if I leave before she ends up being too attached…”
“You did. But Rin…Rin was not the only one you should have warned.” He said softly as he handed their daughter to her in order to wrap his one arm around her. “Yet such warnings would be useless. I have no regrets, and I would change nothing.”
That night was the last night they spend together, as their eternity finally shattered.

She was to be dressed in her plain kimono once again with her few worldly possessions clutched in her hands tightly. The difference was that she would be leaving permanently this time, and not all her belongings were taken.
Her daughter was not in her arms, but in his…the one she was walking away from, when she wanted nothing more then to hold her daughter and be held by him.
But there were things that she had to do…things that she would not be able to do if she remained here.
Her people must be avenged, and by being the last survivor, she was bound to spend her life doing so. Until she ends this task, her life was not fully her’s. That was why she had to leave this dream.
Naraku was a dangerous foe, so it was not impossible that this might be the last time she sees any of them. She could only hope that her daughter would be able to understand her actions if she ended up unable to defend herself due to an early death.
It was unthinkable that a mother was able to leave their child behind, especially when the child was only a day old.
How could she do such a thing then?
Because Sesshomaru needed Namida more then her- to remind him about how he had once saved a human woman and ended up in love with her. He also required their child in order for him to understand that however brief a time they had, it would not simply fade into nothingness with her death.
That was why she did not take her daughter with her.

He had entertained the idea of travelling with her in order to continue being beside her, and he knew that she would not reject his protection completely, because he was the one who possessed her love. But this question was never asked as doing so would be begging, and he still had his pride.
Likewise, she might easily agree to stay with him and abandon every thing else if he should ask her, but she refused to plead with him because of the vow she had made in front of the grave of her people: that she would avenge them by her own hands.
His pride refused to let him ask her to not leave him, while her pride forbids her to turn away from her chosen path. It was this same pride that did not let them reach a compromise by travelling together as neither of them were willing to beg or plead.
But didn’t they love each other for that too?
Rin, to be expected, was still crying even though she realized that her tears would not help her to alter Sango’s decision.
“But why? Why do you have to go away?” she repeated over and over again between her sobs. “You and Sesshomaru-sama were both so happy! I love both of you! And Namida, what about her?”
“Rin, stop this.” Her guardian commanded, forcing all emotion to be gone from his voice, causing him to end up sounding too harsh, as the little girl’s crying worsened.
“It is not possible to always do what we most want to do.” Sango said softly as she placed her hand on Kirara- having reached her faithful companion at last.
The one who would take her away.
“Sango,” he finally spoke again, his voice now very soft and even slightly shaky. “Sango, will you come back?”
“Of course.” She whispered, her words muffled.
“Then when you return…I will mark you as my mate when you come back.” He stated without any hesitation. “I love you, and unlike Inuyasha or that monk, I will always love you.”
“I won’t leave again when I come back.” She promised.
Their promises were the only things that their pride allowed them to speak, even though there were so much more words that they wanted to say.
“Sesshomaru, I will return.”
“And I will be waiting for you, Sango.”

Author’s Note: as I said in the beginning, this story is not going to be happy story, and I guess it really shows in this chapter. Basically Sango leaves him because she feels bound by her duty, and Sesshomaru does not ask her to stay with him because he sees that as begging, as he would not beg. What he said to Sango about choosing to leave the next day is very symbolic because it shows that he knows she would leave all along. As for why they refused to ask the other to travel with them, it relates to pride again- asking him to help in her quest, asking her to let him travel with her. So their pride really plays a large part in this bit. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and probably Shippo would be coming out in the next chapter!!!

As I said in my previous entry, this is the result of reading too much fan fiction and just general forum discussions. Well, ended up doing this on the same day, but I guess I can see it as a celebration at having handed an essay in- which I will try to not think about until I get it back. (shudder) I don’t want to think about it.

Ok…I have been reading some forum and blogs and I think the interesting thing is that Shiraishi is often regards as the one person from prince of tennis who we might actually see in normal life. This is because of his playing style, people often describes him as normal because he doesn’t have any really elaborate playing style, the way he play tennis just mastering all the basic, which is what can be done in real life. I really like this opinion that I saw on someone’s blog. “My view on Shiraishi is this: someone normal at last, granted that he doesn’t look like a junior high school kid, and is skilled at a level beyond junior high, but he is the first person who actually plays tennis in a normal way.”

I think this is quite accurate and it also makes sense when you consider his sacrifice. Shiraishi is not Tezuka, he is not doing something drastic, like sacrificing his arm. His sacrifice is to do something in a way that he doesn’t like, and I guess you can say it is ordinary, but because it is ordinary, it is something he have to do every single time he play tennis. If it is drastic, then he would only do it once in a while (forgive me, but eg.Tezuka’s arm. I mean, he doesn’t do that every single time because if he does then he probably would have to end up in hospitals for a long time). But because of this, we can not dismiss his sacrifice as something trivial. It isn’t, because Shiraishi must perform this sacrifice all the time. And when you think about it, these sacrifices are often very great because as I said, it is not one off.

Once more I must point this out to those who does not think that what Shiraishi does is noble: he is a boy who loves tennis, and yet for his team he chooses to play tennis in a way that he does not enjoy, even worse he knows that he can do it in a way that he enjoy. Even worse, he knows that he can be very good without it. I think most people agree that he only start to play perfect tennis when he become the buchou, so his old way let him be the buchou and singles 1, so he was really good too. Yes, I admit, I have no proof but from the way he say a buchou’s duty is to score a win for his team no matter what, I strongly believe that he didn’t use to play perfect tennis, but the way that he like. And remember, he was made into a buchou ever since his second year, so his old way must be really good. So the worse thing is that he knows he can be quite good without perfect tennis, but for the sake of his team he chooses to do something he does not like just because it is more likely to let him win. Even if it is a small increase of his skills, he have to do this because he sees himself as obliged to do everything in order to score a win for his team.

Alright, I rest my case. So anyway…I think for most Shiraishi fans, and many non-Shiraishi fans, we wonder why his left arm is bandaged. I really think that it is more then just controlling Kin-chan because he does not seem like someone who like to waste time so I think there was something that requires him to wrap his hand up. And he actually never tell Kintarou that his hand is poisoned, he just doesn’t say it is not. In Volume 35 it is Kintarou who is the one that keeps on saying Shiraishi’s arm is poisoned.

So anyway, I have read a lot of argument and debate about why his hand is bandaged so I will just put them all up. It’s from a lot of fan fictions and forums. That is one reason I really want to see him when he was little (another reason is because he’ll look really cute as a little kid *side tracked slightly* but if he have his hand bandaged even when he was little, then we will at least know it is not just due to Kintarou. Personally I am really sure him bandaging his hand is not just due to Kintarou

1= to control Kintaoru
I really hope that this is not the case, because if you think about it, it is really sad, it really make you feel upset, and what made it more sad is that it is so obvious, but I’ve never considered this fact. Basically, on a form this person was talking to her friend about Prince of tennis, which led them to talk about Shiraishi. And her friend said this: “But why does that guy bandages his left arm up? Wouldn’t that be really hot?” Like most of us she just said: “Oh, it’s to manage Kintarou.” And had a laugh about it, because how many of us haven’t actually laugh when we first saw the poisoned hand thing? I am sure most of us have. But then, she said, when she got home she had a good think and she realise that it would actually be very uncomfortable for a person to wrap almost the lower half of his arm in bandages. As I read that I was just stunned, this is so obvious but I never thought about that. Any normal person doing that will get pretty uncomfortable, wrapping almost your entire left forearm up if you don’t need to. Even worse, Shiraishi plays tennis underneath the sun. That would be really uncomfortable. So if he does this just to control Kin-chan it is another sacrifice he does as the buchou, because he needs to control/manage all his team members he must do this sacrifice, which is really uncomfortable. That is why, I really hope this is not the real reason, because it really makes you weep-all that he does for his team. Yes, wrapping your arm in bandages is nothing out of the ordinary but it will be really uncomfortable, and once again, it is something that you do every single time.

2= when he takes if off it will be the time for him to use his ultimate weapon in tennis.
I don’t think this is the case because it is not as if he took his bandages off at all, and it is clear that Shiraishi is someone who plays his best since the very first ball.

3= he just does it to look cool.
I don’t think Shiraishi is the kind of guy who does this, considering that this is time consuming and very uncomfortable, as previously discussed.

4= he had some type of tattoo that needs to be covered.
I actually quite like this idea, although once again, he does not seem the type of character who will do this, especially as he is only in junior high school. If the story is about senior high school or university students then I think this can be pretty likely. But I mean, most kids would not usually do that kind of stuff in primary. A bit early, and he does not seem to be like a bad kid so…I have seen some interesting fan art of this theory.

5= he have to bandage his hand due to fighting.
Well, I get the impression that their tennis club is pretty amiable, somehow I can see Watanabe making sure of that. So I really don’t think a Tezuka thing happened to him, although it is technically quite possible since there could be people who resent him being buchou, but I don’t believe this. Somehow I really believe that his senior team mates accepted him being the buchou even though he was only a second year because he managed to prove his skills. And Shiraishi doesn’t trash talk so he would be very polite with his seniors so that would not give them any reason to be resentful at him. I think he would have beaten some seniors but is polite about it, so they wouldn’t be mad. So I don’t think it is because of fighting.
As for the fight being recently, I really like what a person on the forum said about this: “If there is fighting, then I don’t see how it would reach him when Kintarou is there.” That’s true…

6= It was due to some accident like falling.
Well, most people disregarded this theory by saying he can’t be falling all the time.

7= suffered some sort of incident that required him to bandage his arm up. He got scratched by a cat, or got burnt.
This is probably the most likely case, although I do wonder, would he prefer to let other people see that instead of being more uncomfortable by hiding it behind bandages.

My own intepretations
8= my initial view is that he have some sort of skin diseases on that part of his body so he have to wrap that bit of his skin up as it can’t be exposed to the sun, or is sensitive to the sun.
Personally, this is the view I think is most likely although the main problem is this: is there such a diseases in the first play? And it also only affects his left arm. This is the one that I use in my fan fiction though.

9= he had some sort of depression which caused him to injure himself, so he have to cover his scars up.
While I do think that he tend to bottle things up, he never let his team members know that he doesn’t like perfect tennis is an example. He doesn’t even let them suspect that he doesn’t like it, as he allows them to praise him for having perfect tennis. So I think this is an example that he tends to bottle things up. However, I don’t think he was ever at that stage, at such a depression that would cause him to attempt suicide or just try to cut himself.

Finally…
And this interpretation I read from a person’s story which is really interesting because it is a combination. In that person’s fan fiction, Chitose and Shiraishi meet for the first time and Chitose asked Shiraishi (a bit bluntly and rudely- I am not insulting the author because they are the one who used that word) whether his hand is bandaged because he is one of the depressing people. Upon this Shiraishi actually laughed and told him that it was due to being scratched by a cat. So in regard to theory number 7, I think this kind of make it more likely. Maybe his scars is really bad so he had to bandage his arms up because if he doesn’t, then people will think that he is suicidal, which gives a really bad impression.

I’ve been reading some fan fictions lately and as usually, whenever I start to read fan fiction I actually start to think about the characters. It’s actually quite good, I didn’t use to like the Rikkai people but after reading some really good fan fictions I was actually starting to think that they are actually pretty interesting. I was even start to think that Kirihara is not so bad until he hit Inui in the latest chapter…

The more I think about it, the more you kind of feel sorry for Kirihara because I think he is used by the author the most…what I mean by use…manipulated by the author? Personally I think he’s Konomi-sensei’s number one victim, he is a victim as the author uses him to change our perspective towards Rikkai- unless you are a Rikkai fan. I’m not, so once more, after what Kirihara just did in Genius 358, I have decided to root for Seigaku. I was actually sort of neutral before. Although there is still one possibility where I will want Rikkai to win, if they will win by beating Echizen. And it’ll be really weird if the hero school doesn’t win, admit it- everyone.

But anyway…why I think Kirihara is the victim of the author…in my case, whenever I start to think that he is not so bad he show me the opposite. When he first come out I actually thought that he’s quite a cute kid but then he hit Tachibana so that really got me pissed, (I admit, I am biased as I quite like Tachibana. Fudomine used to be my favourite school and I was actually torn between their match in the quarter final of the national. I mean, I know that Shitenhouji will win because I have seen Shitenhouji playing Seigaku but yet I kind of wish that they won’t get eliminated so soon because I really like them. I still like them, but I just like Shitenhouji much better now due to Shiraishi.) But then at the beginning of Kirihara’s singles 2 match I was quite touched by him blocking Sanada’s slap at Yanagi with his tennis racquet, I was just quite touched at that scene so I was kind of thinking maybe he isn’t so bad, and well…(the hospital scene didn’t happen in the manga.) But then…he hit Fuji’s eyes. To be honest, I think he did it on purpose. How can you say ‘I didn’t know I would hit his eyes’ when you deliberately hit his face, the chance of you hitting his eyes is pretty high. Even worse is his ‘hahaha, you can’t see’. That is just really off because that could have been so dangerous, for example, Chitose said that he still can’t see that well with his right eye (which accidentally got hit by Tachibana.) So Fuji might have got permanently injured. I mean, Rikkai is actually quite lucky that Fuji was only temporarily blinded, because if Seigaku planned to sue them, then they can probably succeed as some of the players from the other school can probably be witnesses, and say that Kirihara was deliberately hitting Fuji’s face, and once more, it’s pretty hard to say he didn’t intend to hit Fuji’s eyes because if you hit someone on the face, it is likely that you will hit his eyes. Not to mention money paid in compensation, the lightest is probably Kirihara being kicked out of the tennis club, although it is likely that Rikkai will be forbid to continue participating. But anyway…a bit off topic, so that really made me dislike Kirihara. Then due to reading fan fictions and dream novels I was starting to consider that maybe he does have a nice side, and my talk with Penguin-chan (an online friend of mine) really helped. She is a big Rikkai fan- as I am a strong Shitnehouji fans. And it is big fans like that who help you to see these characters more well. So I even didn’t mind him in the beginning of the Doubles 2 match in the national, when he was pretty psycho but it didn’t seem that vindictive. But then he went and purposely hit Inui, once again, that was deliberate. I think when it gets to hitting Inui deliberately to make Kaidou more upset is just going too far. I really like what Kaidou said: “If you want to hit someone then hit me, since I was the one taunting you.” To be honest, even if he hit Kaidou that would be wrong, cause Kaidou only returned his taunt, but at least it wouldn’t be that bad, whereas Inui didn’t do anything to him and he was just hitting Inui on purpose, in order to upset Kaidou. (But then Kaidou is one of the Seigaku regulars that I like, the other being Kawamura and Ooishi.)

So that is why I have decided: “Seigaku’s double two must win.” Or I can see this: Inui and Kaidou defaulting as Inui can’t play anymore (he actually collapsed on the ground in the last page), and Yanagi will actually say they default as well, as he think Kirihara did too far, or Yukimura would.

By the way, I am convinced that Watanabe told Gin that he can’t play anymore, that he is the one who defaulted the game for him, because I think Gin would have tried to see if he could still return some serve even though his arm is broken. I think this is what happened, Watanabe actually rushes up to stop Gin from continuing to play because he sees that he would probably want to try. I think Watanabe realises that he’s at a situation where to even try will do some damage, so he, as the coach, quickly steps in to stop him. That is why I really think Watanabe would drag Shiraishi off the court if Shiraishi is doing what Tezuka do- the whole sacrifice his arm thing. Actually I used this idea to write a fan fiction. “Conflicting Wishes”, which is on my blog. But writing that story made me realise a very important thing. Tezuka said this to the Higa captain: “Do you think your team members really want you to win this way?” now I just can’t help but to think, “Tezuka, that can apply to you as well.” I mean, him sacrificing his arm is going to traumatise his team members forever. Those who lose will honestly think: “Tezuka doing that is all my fault, because if I had win, then he wouldn’t need to have play and ended up sacrificing his arms.” I guess this is more related to the Hyotei match, not so much the Rikkai one because he was singles 3 in the Rikkai one. However, I guess we can’t really blame them as they are boys, but then I do blame their coach. The coaches should realise this might actually leave a permanent scars on the other boys, a permanent self-accusation.

Some self advertising, this is how I dealt with this issue in my fan fiction. Basically what happened is that Shiraishi was injured really badly and as a result Watanabe forfeit the game for him, even though he wanted to continue playing. This is what Shiraishi says later on: “I now see that I did the right thing for my self and my team. I will cause them to be guilty throughout the rest of their life if I destroyed myself for their sake.” He means him doing the right thing as in the fact that he accepted Watanabe’s decision although I don’t think his protests would have mattered because I am sure coaches’ word overrules.

Ok, this is longer then I thought, so I will type the next bit up another day, it’s about Shiraishi. Because I’ve been reading too much fan fiction so I just thought “I want to write something about him. (again).

Seems I am in another reflective mood today, this is another talk about daily life. I read ‘The pilot’s wife’ by Anita Shreve sometimes ago (by the way, it is a really good book, I highly recommend it.) and today, this realisation suddenly just hit me. Well, more of an understanding really. There was a scene where Kathryn (the protagonist) was thinking about her parent’s relationship, how it ended up quite bad. Her mum became really insecure and demands her father to constantly tell her that he loves her, and this really troubled their relationship as her father simply can’t stand her being like all the time. The sad thing is that he would have tell her that he loves her quite often it isn’t for the fact that she demands him to do it.

I think to an extent, a lot of us are like that as well. There are a lot of things that we would have done, but choose not to, because we feel as if we are ordered to do it.

I think the best example for me is my sister’s blog, I would probably leave a lot of comments if it doesn’t seem like that she is forcing me to leave a comment all the time. Ultimately, no one likes being ordered and sometimes she asks me then ‘no problem,’ I will leave a comment on her blog. But when I feel that she is ordering me to do it, then I just refuse to leave any comment. Of course, this happens a lot in other aspect of my life too. For example, in regard to reading fan fictions. I can not stand authors that do a ‘leave me a review or I will not update’. I just can’t stand it as to me, that is translated to ‘do it or else’, and in such a situation I just think: ‘ok, or else, tough luck.’ I might have left a review if they didn’t have that, but because they are doing a give me a review or I wouldn’t update, then I feel that this is them threatening us and I guess it is a way of passively protest for me. I refuse to give in. Mind you, I don’t mind people who beg for review because they are not forcing you, they are asking you. I understand if they say this: ‘Please leave me a review as otherwise I don’t know if anyone is reading it, so I might stop writing.’ That is understanding, but not a ‘I wouldn’t update unless I get a certain amount of reivews’.

And making sure my blog pet get feed...article from wikipedia
和服從字面上講是日本的民族服裝，因為日本人是大和民族。這個詞的對義詞是洋服。


[編輯] 和服的歷史
今天日本傳統服裝主要分為現代服裝「洋服」，即從歐洲傳來的樣式，和傳統服裝。和服早期深受中國的漢服影響，尤其是日本歷史上的古墳時代(相當於中國漢朝、三國時期的東吳)。但到了平安時代(相當於唐末宋初)，由於中日因雙方內外條件變化而暫時中斷交流，日本文化進入了一個高度本土化發展的時期(也是一段自我孤立時期)，和服的構造也因而更具有其本地色彩。

日本平民和服受東吳傳來的編製縫紉風格影響較深，稱為「吳服」。而貴族的服裝則受之後的唐朝影響更深，稱為「唐服」。從鎌倉時代起貴族和武士逐漸開始在家裡穿著吳服，從室町時代開始上層貴族也開始穿著吳服。江戶時代起吳服的樣式和今天的和服已相差無幾。今天，平民在節日、慶典上多穿著吳服，即一般意義上的和服，而皇族禮服仍以唐服為主，偶爾穿著吳服，禮服中是華麗的是十二單衣。


[編輯] 和服和着物
在英語等歐洲語言中，和服稱為Kimono，即日文着物（きもの）。着物廣義上指所有的衣服。狹義的着物指和服，即東吳風格的日本傳統服裝。


[編輯] 和服和吳服
今天和服和吳服概念幾乎重疊。很多賣和服的商店，還是寫著「吳服屋」。精確地講，通常吳服專指以絲綢為面料的高級和服，而用棉布做的和服被稱為「太物」。

I had a semi argument with my sister due to an incident in the weekend, and the result of it is that it made me realise a really interesting in regard to favourite characters and finding information about them. An interesting metaphor that made me understand…

So Albatross-sis (this sister) was writing ‘what if scenes’ and to be honest, I think they are fan fiction but she goes ‘no no, it’s different’. I don’t see why Kuso is different from fan fiction. They are both things that are not happening, so it is fan fiction in my opinion! Fan fiction are basically us fan fiction writers re-structuring the story with what if stuff. But anyway, she was writing kuso (in Chinese that’s basically what if scenes, kind of.) and she got stuck on Shitenhouji which she says that (I am so sorry to repeat this, but this is the exact opposite of what I think) Shiraishi have no personality and is not really an authoritative buchou, which I disagree on both account. Granted that his team members are not addressing him as if he is some unapproachable figure, there is still a clear sense of him being the buchou, and that if he said something his team members will obey him. Ok, the yakiniku competition, she uses this as a way to say he’s not really authoritative, well my defence- this had nothing to do with tennis. Being buchou for him is not a role that he must play twenty-four-seven. The yakiniku competition is not something he needs to be authoritative for. It’s a bit hard to explain but I mean, I think he and his team separated this- their relationship at that moment is that of friendship, not as buchou and team mates, which I think is quite right. I also can’t help but to think of that scene as Shiraishi prepares to leave, followed by the rest of his team. He was at the very front, clearly the buchou and I think the fact that they all walked behind him showed this. He is leading them away.

But anyway, my realisation. I got a bit side tracked. Something that I realise, and I’ll use prince of tennis as an example as this is what caused this realisation. As I read the story, it is as if I have a basket of wool in front of me. As I read on, I am taking the wools out of the basket and look at them briefly. Eventually I will find one that I particularly like due to what ever reasons. Basically this is me having found a favourite character.

But the problem is that some of the wools are neatly rolled up, while others are tangled. Important characters like the Seigaku characters are the balls of wools, to discover stuff about them you just have to unroll the wool, which is pretty easy. But for characters like Shiraishi, his wool is pretty tangled so you have to carefully untangle it, while requires quite a lot of work. You can’t just find out information to what he is like very easily, you must put in some effort to discover his characteristics by carefully analyzing his speeches and actions, because some information are hidden quite well. This is the untangling of the wool, which would be time consuming. Sometimes you will get stuck on a particular knot and you probably wouldn’t figure out how to untangle until some time passes.

So when my sister told what she said to me, about his personality, I think it is because she wasn’t trying to untangle the wool, she was just tossing it about. And in his case, you really have to untangle the wool in order to know what he is like.

As for fan fictions, I think it is as if people untangled their wools and wove it. Since they wove it, they naturally used others wool and altered that wool. But the wools you see from the weaving should be enough to make you wonder.

So this is my interpretation of this process. Although I admit, I am very bad as I have only probably almost finished unwinding Shiraishi’s skein completely, while the rest of his team and his coach have their wools partially untangled. As for everyone else (nervous laughter) I think they are all still in the basket. I know that this is a pretty weird metaphor but this was what came to mind.

I think the problem with our argument is that I am incredible hard head in regard to the stuff I am convinced is that way. If I really made up my mind then I just can’t change it. But I am not that intolerant though, I mean this is just what I do: “Ok, that is your opinion and I don’t agree with it but that is ok, cause we all have different opinion. I don’t mind if yours is different.” I spouse it can be annoying if you really think that I am wrong but…it isn’t stuff that are black and white. It’s not as if I am saying, ‘oranges are pink and whatever you can come up with as a proof is still not going to convince me’. No, I just do stuff like…using prince of tennis example: ‘I think Shitenhouji is a very strong team, stronger then this certain school, which I will not reveal.’ But this actually caused an argument that ended up quite bad. But there is no proof that I am wrong or she is right. But I mean, I do this with Satsuki-sis the whole time, and I mean, we sometimes get so childish, ending up doing a ‘Is so’. ‘Is not’ but she’s not pissed with me about that, and I don’t think she had been seriously mad at me because of that. The only time I can recall when she was seriously pissed was when we were both going through a rough period due to family and school and blamed the other for not understanding us, which has nothing to do with how we interpret a certain story.

Well…I guess this is a rant…

Author’s Note: as I said before, this is the chapter when the two of them finally gets together. This is the hardest chapter that I have ever wrote and I noticed that even though I am obsessed by romance stories (all my fan fiction are dealing with romance, the category is always romance) I haven’t actually focus on people falling in love that much, but rather, on people who are in love. In my fushigi yugi fan fiction, it was love at first sight, so the story deals with them when they both realize their love for each other, while in my genbu kaiden one it has the guy realizing he love her as he doesn’t want her to leave, and in Lost I start the story with a couple that were already in love. So what I am trying to say is…forgive me if it is not done that good.

Towa means forever as well as eternal, eien kind of means the same thing but I like the word towa better ever since I heard the song “Towa no hana”

She was sitting with a bunch of lilies in front of her- Rin’s latest gift. For the sake of the little girl, she had accepted it with a rather forced smile , as lilies brought her too many memories.
Her trainings had dominated her whole childhood, but there were times when she was able to pick flowers with other children. The flowers that she picked in these rare moments were always lilies, they had been her favourite flowers due to her mother.
She would be rewarded with a loving hug regardless of the type of flowers she had picked, but lilies always made her mother happier. That was why she ended up loving lilies- that smiling face with the garland of lilies was the few images she had of her mother.
Picking up one of the lilies in front of her, she managed to smile slightly as she thought of the bouquet her brother once picked for her. This must be another indication that her wounds were healing- she could think about him without crying every single time.
Was this an indication that she should start focusing on her own life?
But things had changed, she no longer wanted to marry Miroku. Instead, she was thinking about a yokai, trying to work out what she really felt towards him.
Her father once told her that the most dangerous type of yokai were those who could appear as humans…like him. But it was he that saved her when no one else could, and it was also he who made sure that she was healing.
Now they were sharing their pasts…neither of them condemning, or even judging.
What exactly were they doing?
More importantly, why?
As she told him, she was unwilling to leave him right now. In a way it was similar to how she had been with Miroku.
But there was a slight difference with her emotions, what she felt for Miroku was a love that was sweet and gentle, as he held her she would imagine the two of them living in a peaceful village with children. When she gazed at Sesshomaru, she only sees the two of them together in this cave.
She could only see him as who he was right now.
Perhaps she had fallen in love with Miroku because it had been ideal to do so. He was the first man to comfort her after her people were all gone, and since they were usually thrown together, it really shouldn’t be that surprising for them to grow so close, and eventually fall in love.
With Sesshomaru…she was in love even though it seemed an impossible situation, at the very least it was highly unusual. She didn’t even know how it had happened, nor could she work out the exact moment- although she had been afraid that something like this might occur.
Love was not as perfect as she had once thought, because it was not the path to eternal happiness. No matter what he might feel, this story would only end in tragedy. To love him would only cause her pain as they could never be together for a long time, and if she was somehow loved back- she would be burdened with guilt for being responsible for his pains.
“But I still want to be here,” she realized, “no matter what, I want to be beside him.
“I am in love with him.” She admitted, letting the flower in her hand fall to the ground.

If he had not been so occupied by his thoughts, then he would have heard her words and saved himself from agitation. But he was so eager to find out the answer that he didn’t even wait for the arrival of the night.
He would only admit that he was in love if she could care for him…if being in love meant desiring her so much that he was willing to be weaker. As she smiled at him, he realized that he would actually give up some of his own strength if it would help her.
Strange as it was, he no longer considered his actions as degrading.
“Sango, what am I to you?”
Without hesitation, she told him the truth. She decided to be blunt, as she was getting tired of wandering about everything, eve if it meant that she might have to leave him.
Maybe she was brave because she believes that she had some sort of chance, as he was becoming very different from the yokai who saved her due to some strange reason.
“You are special to me because I think I love you”
She thought of many reactions, but having him place his arm around her shoulders to draw her close to him was certainly not one.
“I do not know what love is.” He whispered, his voice finally gentle, and even though it sounded rather alien, she liked it. “But I do know that I want you to be by my side, and I wish to be the one you care for the most, because you have become the most special person to me.”
“But you must know,” she whispered gently as she tilted her head to look straight into his now warm eyes. “We will still have to say good bye.”
He nodded, but he did not release her.
They would not have a long time together, but to any pair of lovers –even ones as strange as them- each single night could be like an eternity.

Kirara was to finally find her mistress a day after their declaration. Although he was glad at how happy she was, the other yokai’s arrival reminded him that all this was only temporary. That was what made him to finally tell her of his other wish.
“I wish to have a child with you.” He said softly to the woman who now spends each night intertwined in his arms.
At first she was puzzled, but then her eyes lit with understanding, as he had expected it would. “As a reminder that all this happened?”
“No matter what you will leave me first. That is unchangeable.” He whispered. “But if we have a child then I can have part of you beside me.”
“But the child will be a hanyou.”
“I can give them a life different from Inuyasha’s.”
She shook her head and sat up, wrapping her arms around her legs as her eyes darkened.
“The child will be a hanyou.” She repeated.
“But you will be the mother, so I will love them.” He promised when he finally understood the implications of her words correctly. “I…I would still hate Inuyasha if he was a yokai.”
Assured by his words, she allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace once again. Soon they would resume their love making. With Miroku, she had never been able to forget the importance of marriage, thus she had refused to make love to him when he suggested it after his proposal.
Such conventions were thrown away in regard to Sesshomaru.
Perhaps it was because every part of their relationship was the opposite of conventionality. Though they loved each other, they could never wed or remain together for a long time.
It was the complete opposite from her childhood dreams, what she could have if she returned to Miroku. He would probably still wish to marry her, and be faithful for periods of time. With him, she could be married with children who would have both parents.
She scattered these dreams because she loved Sesshomaru that much. The memories of being with him would be enough to comfort her when she was no longer with him.
It was almost cruel to let her love the man she would never marry so much more then the one she once agreed to marry.

Author’s Note: first of all I did try to make this chapter good and by good I mean good, as well as not being out of character. But if you don’t like, I wouldn’t be angry. But anyway, I hope that what Sesshomaru ask of Sango is not really out of character, because as he would outlive for her for such a long time, I think he would want to have a child in order to remember what had happened with her, and prevent himself from forgetting. Maybe I will be able to expand this idea in the next chapter. But anyway, in regard to Inuyasha- as stated in the last chapter, his hatred for Inuyasha is mainly due to jealousy and how Inuyasha caused his father’ death. Also, Miroku is not going to be a bastard in this story, Sango’s refusal had nothing to do with his actions. I know that the eternity idea is cliché but I really want to use it so… Lastly, names are used a lot due the fact that Sango was thinking about both him and Miroku.

Author’s Note: Netami means jealousy (or so says the English-Japanese dictionary that I used.) by the way, for some reason this chapter didn’t get put up when I thought I did…strange.

Things changed after that day, he would sit beside her when Rin finally grew tired enough to go to sleep. The two of them would sit in silence and stare hard at the other in an attempt of working out why they were both still here.
Strangely enough, it was not an uncomfortable silence.
Nonetheless she still decided to break it, and the task proved to be easier then her anticipations. She simply began to explain what happened to her family on a certain night- why she ended up travelling with his half brother.
He remained silent throughout her story, even when she began to tremble due to some of the memories, and if it wasn’t for the fact that his eyes never once left her face, she would have thought that he fell asleep during her narration.
“That is why,” She ended bitterly, “I want to kill Naraku.”
She expected no answer from him, as up till now, all the talking in their ‘conversations’ was done by her. She began to feel a bit nervous for having revealed her past, as she was afraid of his interpretation.
Unable to continue holding his gaze, she walked to the sleeping Rin, a way for her to turn away.
“A strange tale.” His voice almost made Sango jump up in alarm as it was completely unexpected.
“It is strange that you would do so much for a brother who is so…” the word he had in mind was useless, but something made him substitute it for less harsh adjectives. She deserved his respect for being able to tell him what had happened without crying at all. “A brother who is so troublesome and reliant.”
“It is normal that I want to look after my younger brother!” she said angrily, although she was controlling herself as well, her instinct had been to scream “Don’t you dare compare us with your dysfunctional family!” at him.
“I could never do something like that for Inuyasha.”
Once again, she did not miss the sneer in his voice whenever his half brother was involved. Even though it was foolish to interfere in a pair of siblings’ fight, her curiosity still won over her common sense.
“Why?”
“I hate him.”
“I do not mean that, I want to know why you hate Inuyasha so much.”
For the first time since she met him, she saw his face briefly attacked by emotions. Of course, she would not know that she was the first person to ask him that question.
It appeared as an easy enough question, he has hated his half-brother ever since he learnt of Inuyasha’s existence…his survival. But he has to ponder about the answer, because he never really explained his reasoning to himself.
“I hate him,” as if it wasn’t bad enough that he was justifying himself to a human, he was also concerned about her reaction. “I hate Inuyasha because he caused my father to die…I lost the chance of being close to my father when I finally had it.” Her dark eyes were so warm, almost bewitching, as he found himself unable to hide the truth. “But most of all, my hatred is caused by jealousy.”
He told her what he wasn’t even willing to admit to himself.
“Why would you be jealous of him when you are the one who had the chance of knowing your father as well as being the rightful heir?”
“I am his heir, but that is all I was to my father.” He interrupted her bitterly. “Perhaps I might have been a son to my father had he not died because of Inuyasha.”
As she worked out the truth, her dark eyes began to glow with a strange light. It was not pity, as that would only disgust him, it was a sympathy that was both genuine and sincere…something he could be grateful for.
“You were born for the sake of being born.” She realized, her hand automatically stretched out to comfort him.
He did not accept her hand by holding it, but nor did he shove it away. Instead, he simply let it rest over his hand. He even began to describe his childhood for her.
While his parents were never unkind, they could not be called loving either. Their marriage had been for the simple purpose of producing a strong heir, and that certainly affected in the way they taught their only child. Under their teaching he was denied of possessing their love, causing him to be almost obsessed by his own strength- that was the only thing he was certain of.
Luckily, his parents realized their mistakes before he decide to reject all forms of love, they tried to make amend, but his father’s death made it all too late. He chooses to deny love because he saw it as weakness.
Although his eyes ended up rather distant, he did not turn his gaze away from her at all- it almost seemed as if he was reminding her that he was still talking to her.

Rin went to sleep early that night, and the mischievous grin on her face went unnoticed by both adults, who were sitting outside the cave’s entrance. Sango was in the elaborate kimono again, while Sesshomaru had put his pelt on his lap, finding himself unable to resume wearing it just yet.
“You are strong,” he said, preventing her from speaking first. “Unusually strong for a human woman. What is it that causes you to kill your self when you already survived so much hardship?”
It was difficult for her to answer this question, although she had been preparing for it. She no longer loved Miroku, but it was still not easy to tell another about the dreams she once wove for her future.
Would he think of her as pathetic? Even if he might, she did not really care. She wanted him to know about her, because she would not have him accept her as something other then who she really was. Surely what happened to her was an indication that love related to weakness, but she was not afraid to tell him about Miroku’s betrayal, because she felt that he would not be harsh to her.
His eyes darkened, while his lips curled into a sneer when she reached the act of betrayal. As he spoke, his voice was accompanied by great anger.
But they were not directed to her.
“He is a fool.”
Perhaps he feared that he had revealed too much, as he left her without any further words. He would not be beside her any longer due to the strange effect she had on him.
She made him felt like a normal man, that was a sign of weakness, and he was also letting emotions taking control of his senses. When she told him about what the Monk did to her, he was angry that someone would dare to hurt her like that. He was also jealous that the monk had all her affections, she trusted him more then any others…
She loved him.
“I am jealous because of a human woman,” he admitted. “I have become foolish because she has become special.”
He didn’t want her to leave him although he knew that she would do so one day. Her presence made him strangely content for some reason, and he was beginning to look forward to the end of each day, because he would spend the nights with her.
No one has ever affected him in such an impossible fashion before, he could probably work out the answer, but he refused to.
Humans were still weak and pathetic, especially his half brother’s companions and the human woman who caused his father to die, because she was too useless to do anything herself.
Only Sango was different, because only she was special.
But what was he to her?

Author’s Note: this chapter have been rather difficult to write, and I am quite nervous about what everyone thinks. The story is developing really slow because I want to make sure that the two of them are still in character. I found it really hard to explain Sesshomaru’s actions and can only hope that what I did is alright. I always thought that his mother died and then his father took up with a human woman, so oldest case in the world: there’s jealousy. Or I thought that his mother really loved him and was very bitter at his father’ s betrayal. But then his mother actually come out, and she is really…amazing? As there is no hint of her being the cast off woman as well, so I think that his parents marriage/relationship was purely political, or it ended before his father met Inuyasha’s mother. So I had tried to explain why he would still hate Inuyasha given that his parent’s relationship was political, and his mother doesn’t actually really care. (he is such a hard character to write).