Maybe because I feel like a nightingale

State of mind: uneasy
Current soundtrack: When You Say You Love Me (Josh Groban)

Today for no apparent reason I wish to point out/share one of Those Stories by Oscar Wilde. You probably know the type. Oscar Wilde has all these slightly poetic and sometimes religious short stories, which also oftentimes contain Enragingly Stupid People.

This one has a bonus—TWO ESPs! And I first found this on—of all places—ALC, which is where I currently go to do most of my JP-EN-JP translation.

The Nightingale And The Rose

"She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses," cried the young Student; "but in all my garden there is no red rose."

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

"No red rose in all my garden!" he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched."

"Here at last is a true lover," said the Nightingale. "Night after night have I sung of him, though I knew him not: night after night have I told his story to the stars, and now I see him. His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but passion has made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow."

"The Prince gives a ball to-morrow night," murmured the young Student, "and my love will be of the company. If I bring her a red rose she will dance with me till dawn. If I bring her a red rose, I shall hold her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She will have no heed of me, and my heart will break."

"Here indeed is the true lover," said the Nightingale. "What I sing of, he suffers - what is joy to me, to him is pain. Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the marketplace. It may not be purchased of the merchants, nor can it be weighed out in the balance for gold."

"The musicians will sit in their gallery," said the young Student, "and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses will throng round her. But with me she will not dance, for I have no red rose to give her"; and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried his face in his hands, and wept.

"Why is he weeping?" asked a little Green Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.

"Why, indeed?" said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.

"Why, indeed?" whispered a Daisy to his neighbour, in a soft, low voice.

"He is weeping for a red rose," said the Nightingale.

"For a red rose?" they cried; "how very ridiculous!" and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright.

But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student's sorrow, and she sat silent in the oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of Love.

Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.

In the centre of the grass-plot was standing a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.

"Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

But the Tree shook its head.

"My roses are white," it answered; "as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want."

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.

"Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

But the Tree shook its head.

"My roses are yellow," it answered; "as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student's window, and perhaps he will give you what you want."

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing beneath the Student's window.

"Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

But the Tree shook its head.

"My roses are red," it answered, "as red as the feet of the dove, and redder than the great fans of coral that wave and wave in the ocean-cavern. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year."

"One red rose is all I want," cried the Nightingale, "only one red rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?"

"There is away," answered the Tree; "but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you."

"Tell it to me," said the Nightingale, "I am not afraid."

"If you want a red rose," said the Tree, "you must build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart's-blood. You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your life-blood must flow into my veins, and become mine."

"Death is a great price to pay for a red rose," cried the Nightingale, "and Life is very dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and the heather that blows on the hill. Yet Love is better than Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?"

So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the grove.

The young Student was still lying on the grass, where she had left him, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.

"Be happy," cried the Nightingale, "be happy; you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart's-blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover, for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though she is wise, and mightier than Power, though he is mighty. Flame- coloured are his wings, and coloured like flame is his body. His lips are sweet as honey, and his breath is like frankincense."

The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him, for he only knew the things that are written down in books.

But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad, for he was very fond of the little Nightingale who had built her nest in his branches.

"Sing me one last song," he whispered; "I shall feel very lonely when you are gone."

So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like water bubbling from a silver jar.

When she had finished her song the Student got up, and pulled a note-book and a lead-pencil out of his pocket.

"She has form," he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove - "that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish. Still, it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good." And he went into his room, and lay down on his little pallet-bed, and began to think of his love; and, after a time, he fell asleep.

And when the Moon shone in the heavens the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn. All night long she sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-blood ebbed away from her.

She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl. And on the top-most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song. Pale was it, at first, as the mist that hangs over the river - pale as the feet of the morning, and silver as the wings of the dawn. As the shadow of a rose in a mirror of silver, as the shadow of a rose in a water-pool, so was the rose that blossomed on the topmost spray of the Tree.

But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder and louder grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul of a man and a maid.

And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart, so the rose's heart remained white, for only a Nightingale's heart's-blood can crimson the heart of a rose.

And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the tomb.

And the marvellous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart.

But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter, and her little wings began to beat, and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.

Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The red rose heard it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals to the cold morning air. Echo bore it to her purple cavern in the hills, and woke the sleeping shepherds from their dreams. It floated through the reeds of the river, and they carried its message to the sea.

"Look, look!" cried the Tree, "the rose is finished now"; but the Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass, with the thorn in her heart.

And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.

"Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!" he cried; "here is a red rose! I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin name"; and he leaned down and plucked it.

Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor's house with the rose in his hand.

The daughter of the Professor was sitting in the doorway winding blue silk on a reel, and her little dog was lying at her feet.

"You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red rose," cried the Student. "Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You will wear it to-night next your heart, and as we dance together it will tell you how I love you."

But the girl frowned.

"I am afraid it will not go with my dress," she answered; "and, besides, the Chamberlain's nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost far more than flowers."

"Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful," said the Student angrily; and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.

"Ungrateful!" said the girl. "I tell you what, you are very rude; and, after all, who are you? Only a Student. Why, I don't believe you have even got silver buckles to your shoes as the Chamberlain's nephew has"; and she got up from her chair and went into the house.

"What I a silly thing Love is," said the Student as he walked away. "It is not half as useful as Logic, for it does not prove anything, and it is always telling one of things that are not going to happen, and making one believe things that are not true. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and, as in this age to be practical is everything, I shall go back to Philosophy and study Metaphysics."

So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and began to read. [+/-] The Nightingale And The Rose

My emo and my e-moment

State of mind: relaxed
Current soundtrack: Playlist name - series - song title (artist)

Work was slightly awkward today. Bad day.

Went home and talked mom's ear off. Not so bad day.

Poked Alphonne awake and turned on some AAA full-blast. Emo level decreases. Rationality returns. Acceptable day.

Anticipation of a peanut-butter sandwich with milk and a cold pill before bed. Not too bad a day.

-

You know how there're the Befrienders and the Samaritans? I was just thinking—there should totally be a Dial-a-Buddha service.

"Dial-a-Buddha, Manjusri speaking. How may I help you?"
"AIYO, Wen Shu. Terrible lah, my day today. Why are people so sorhai one?"
"It is the way of the physical world, caller."

Noa Reborn(?)

State of mind: agitated
Current soundtrack: white noise

I think I may have found Noa-tan.

One of the handphone people who shares shop space with Vision Art, behind TOA, has a sort of blocky laptop—Compaq, because the old logo sans really swooshy Q is on the back—with a black back and rounded corners. And one of the keys in the top row is missing. I haven't gotten close enough yet to verify that it's the U key (which I had to tape to Noa a few months before his disappearance), or if it really IS a Presario M2000.

If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck...but may not quite be your old duck...then what is one to do?

(ETA 1710 - You eat your face about it for a while, then go down and check, apparently. The key is missing from the wrong row, and the M2000 insignia isn't there. *sigh* False alarm, people. But honestly, I still hope Noa-tan IS out there, not broken to piecemeal for crystal meth, and...maybe at least being loved and taken care of, and once again storing founts of work, art and dodgy fanfiction?)

Clearly I have some kind of multiple brain-scheme going on...

State of mind: pensive (and maybe a little pleased)
Current soundtrack: Get Chuu! ~ AAA

Something short and sweet to ponder:

I Shall Not Live In Vain
Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one Heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching
Or cool one Pain
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his Nest again
I shall not live in Vain.

Let's all do one nice thing today, even if our hearts have been broken and fixed and rebroken and sello-taped together. (Mind you, if you had said this to me thirteen hours ago, I might have shot you a look of disgust. Mood swings. Tsk.)

The Japan blogposts seem to have frozen riiiight at the UMLand part. :P Should sit down and finish them up...but I can't stop myself from squeeing as I edit the pictures! @_@

(ETA: YAAAAAAAAAGH there's a White Day event at Ultramanland, ye gods, do want, do want, DO WANT, chocolate from teh Ultra cheffies aaaaaahhhhhh *dies of dead*)

The Only Election Post.

State of mind: shivery
Current soundtrack: mirai e (redballoon)

So the 8th of March is polls day in Malaysia. That's tomorrow. GOOD. I've had it up to my ears with posters and campaigning and everyone slagging everyone else. But really, I hope those eligible to vote go out and do it. I would like to very much, but the election is 2 weeks before my 21st birthday. -_- Never you mind, I have four, five years to patiently document any screw-ups or thumbs-up the government performs. But y'all gotta elect a sound one. No more leaks and snarks and general brainlessnesses, please.

I hope that nobody votes for someone because anyone told them to.

I also hope that nobody votes for someone because some distant relative bribed you with an angpau.

I hope that nobody votes for someone just because they are told there is Only One Choice.

I REALLY hope that nobody votes for someone just because the someone is a lengzhai or lenglui, never mind the actual prowess. (But beauty with brains? Ohoho. Bonus. :D)

I hope that you vote because you've thought it over, weighed your decision carefully, made yourself informed of both sides' arguments and are ready to participate.

So go. Follow the rules, don't slug anyone, and CROSS THE PAPER PROPERLY. Don't spoil the vote and for pete's sake, please don't do it on purpose. At least think of the dead trees.

Go.

Brainfart Central

State of mind: disgruntled
Current soundtrack: Ultraman Boy - Bokutachi no Hero (Project DMM)

It has been a most brainfarty past couple of days. I do believe I exhausted this month's ration of brainpower deciphering the Actionscript exam on Friday. Suffice it to say I have done things I should smack myself in the head for, only...I kinda need those neurons, yanno?

Am currently working on three (four?) projects at once, yet am strangely content if a little scatter-brained.

Have I mentioned the Complete "Tiga" Edition is one of the winnest of Ultra music wins?

The good, the bad, the ugly and...?

State of mind: annoyed
Current soundtrack: Black Jack - Fantastic (Ami Suzuki)
The good
I've survived my first full week at work, graduated, and made Hazmer want to go to UMLand. *evil, evil laughter* I even got a job offer—background and character design, fr srs!—but nope. Have to wait another 2-3 years first.

The bad
Leaving them AS 3 files in the student computer on Friday. Oops. Hope they're still there on Monday, otherwise have to do some heavy-duty bugging...orz Bank a/c dropping precipituously due to necessary purchases, and I haven't even gotten my first paycheck yet. Adobe Creative Suite, thou growest farther and farther away...TT_TT

The ugly
Omaigod, another teeny-weeny girl got kidnapped. Edmund Hillary's dead.

The just plain weird
Never mind the fact that Tsuburaya seems to consistently romanise ジョーニアス(Jōniasu) as 'Joneus', which imo looks...clunky. Now it seems they cannot decide on a constant romanisation for メビウス: TWO acceptable romanisations are mentioned. I'm not one to pass up a good running concept—with the whole 'infinity' and 'future' and 'connection' themes, and ALL those ∞ motifs, why stop at the hero name?—but for REAL, TPC. I left UMLah in an argument over this issue. Just pick *one*, clean up the typos and stick with it. If even Joneus *shudder* turns out to be official, aye, that's what I'd stick with.

Almost as weird: Mebius DVD vol 3 has a little insert that mentions Hikari was offered the post of DIRECTOR of the Space Science and Tech. Bureau (Eien Wolff retiring?) but turned it down; many say it was 'because of the planet Arb'. If they mean 'because of what happened to Arb' and not 'because he was ON Arb', Himeya Jun would probably like to go out for a drink with Hika-cchi some time.

* Because I have yet to find the Holy Grail 1st/2nd Super Hero Chronicle UM sets...

M is for maudlin

State of mind: wistful
Current soundtrack: Ayashi no Ceres - Cross my Heart (Globe)

Ikusen no ai no kotoba yori
Anata ga soko ni iru dake de ii

(More than thousands of words of love
It is better that you are just there)
Destiny ~Taiyou no Hana~, Shimatani Hitomi

I am thinking rather hard of someone at the moment, and missing him greatly, though it really is for the best that he '(is) just there'.

One misses that singular warmth and friendliness, his very physical existence. He is not mine—I could not be so arrogant—but I wish he was, in some small part, and I miss him greatly from the bottom of my little fleshy heart. One wishes to pick his mind for philosophy and listen to his tales, to savour these foreign words and thoughts like a warm draught; to just be there with him once more, to be at rest.

Strange and beautiful, things ultimately are.

...For the love of Pete, it's not Black Jack. It's not Hikoboshi either, for those who know that story. Not even Ultraman! (And contrary to what SOMEONE thinks, it is far from YOU.)

(ETA 10/1/08)

Resolutions 2008

State of mind: thoughtful
Current soundtrack: see below

This year, M.Y. resolves...

1. To carry out her tutorly duties in a way that really helps students
2. To push herself to do new things within design projects
3. To study Mandarin, and achieve enough to briefly describe oneself and order food.

Brief, brief, brief, brief the blurcase tutor!

State of mind: inexplicably sleepy
Current soundtrack: White Noise (Ceiling Fans)

Some choice snippets from today:

I got a little keychain as an X'mas present from Reuben. Wahliau, paiseh only. I got nothing for anyone (._.;;;;) What I DID bring back from Japan was a t-shirt for mom and fingerpuppets for classmates-and-one-lecturer, so um, yeah. I did manage to pass one puppet off today, to Mintos. Nice-oyaji will cheer you on your way, lassie! *thumbsup*

-

Printing was nucking futzorz today at William's. @_@ Well, what I've printed is what I've got, and dash it all if I'm not going to roll with it as best as I can.

Still, Gah, gah, and gah again. Won't be much longer now.

-

Was taken round round round the college today by the HR head, and met (Wei) Meng from the design department, whose subject I'll be tutoring with 'Ben. She has an exceedingly firm handshake (and when I say this, I mean YOW THAT'S A FIRM HANDSHAKE.) Digital Photography for MM is a fairly new subject, and I daresay I shall be getting a DSLR this term. *bank account screams in despair* It will be interesting, I think—three sorta-skinny bespectacled blur-looking young people, all teaching one subject. Mind you, Meng sounds dead stern...

(I'll also be tutoring Digital Media 1, which used to be my Time-Based Media (animated Flashy animals!). Reuben is...shall we say considerably busier?)

-

Someone was leaving the MM Department today (to China, it seems), so they decided to sign a big big card and throw him a farewell bash on Friday.

Got home. Phone deedled at me (read: Maeda Tatsuya starts singing 'wow wow wow'). It was from work asking me if I was going to join them.

Wosheet. Not on Friday. At Friday's.

Um, but you know I'm wishing you all the best in the East, right, Teck Yew? :D;;;;; Have a great time, do great work and see great things.

-

That's been my day so far. Now I have to go read my employee handbook again, for lack of better things to do; how's your day been?

One last meme

State of mind:
Current soundtrack: Ultraman Max Song Collection - Ashita ni Nareba (Project DMM)

[muse]Max songs contain a lot of the word 'genkai'. Mebius songs mention 'mugen' a lot. [/muse]

Well. As you can see, I'm back from Japan—and I returned with loads of UM stuff, a splinter in my finger, influenza virii and plenty of powerful memories. But before I actually, yanno, do some work and write up the whole trip, I thought I'd pop in what will probably be this year's last meme. :3

1. Was 2007 a good year for you?
   Yes and no.
   
2. What was your favorite moment of the year?
   ....Going to Ultramanland, obviously.
   
3. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
   A toss up between ending the year's first term—it was a very aggravating three-four months—and getting Noa-tan snatched. If they TOUCH him, I hope he shocks their balls off. D:<
4. What are your plans for 2008?
   Keep the job, start saving for UMLand AND Adobe Creative Suite, make new friends.
   
5. What countries did you visit?
   Japan!
   
6. What date in 2007 will remain etched in your memory?
   December 25th.
   
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Got the YCLMS! *beam*
   
8. What was your biggest failure?
   Failure to acquire any sort of social life. Pflurgh.
   
9. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
   Flu, flu and more flu. And a twisted ankle.
   
10. What was the best thing you bought?
    Can't think of anything beyond all that UM music at the moment.
    
11. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    In two words, Malaysian Parliament.
    
12. Where did most of your money go?
    Food and books.
    
13. What did you get really really really excited about?
    UMLANDUMLANDUMLANDJapanUMLANDUMLAND
    
14. What songs will always remind you of 2007?
    Probably James Blunt's '1973'. Ironic, I know.
    
15. 15. Compared to this time last year are you:
    a) Fatter or thinner? Slightly more weighty.
    b) Happier or sadder? Sadder. One more layer of cynicism—although when the happy breaks out, it shows all over!
    c) Richer or poorer? Marginally richer. Angpow money, mah. XD
    
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
    Socialising, schmoozing and asking questions.
    
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
    Self-doubting.
    
18. How will you be spending Christmas?
    I SPENT it. At Ultramanland, surrounded by stage shows, squeeing adorable children* and men in rubber suits.
    
19. Which LJ/MySpace users did you meet for the first time?
    ...BNF-known-as-N doesn't count, does she?
    
20. Did you fall in love in 2007?
    Speak not to me of love.
    
21. How many one night stands?
    What did I just TELL you!?
    
22. What was your favourite TV show?
    Mebius KINDA went on into 2007. Haven't watched any of those episodes though. ^^;
    
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
    Eyep.
    
24. What was/were the best books you read?
    For One More Day (Albom), Papa is Ultraseven, Home Sweet Home (Miyanishi), Never Let Me Go (Ishiguro), UM Story Zero (Mabune)
    
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Josh Groban. Yum yum!
    
26. What did you want and get?
    Ultraman music. The YCLMS scholarship. Some work. Lots of education.
    
27. What did you want and not get?
    Ultraman Fighting Evolution for the PSP TT__TT
    
28. What was your favourite film this year?
    300. SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAA!
    
29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
    I went to class, watched a movie—300—and through serendipity met some old friends for nonalcoholic drinks. I turned 20. I still don't really 'feel' it.
    
30. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
    A love interest, perhaps? One that reciprocated, for once?
    
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
    Chunky shirts and mansandals. ;) Also, I discovered layers. And makeup. And the fact I don't look half bad in traditional Eastern costume.
    
32. What kept you sane?
    Ultraman. Not the fandom batshittery, mostly just Ultraman in itself.
    
33. Which celebrity did you fancy the most?
    Josh Groban. Again, yum yum!
    
34. Which political issue stirred you the most?
    BERSIH walk followed by the batshit that was HINDRAF. Brain hurty, kthxbi.
    
35. Who did you miss?
    My sister. Shortly. Currently it's a few good men back in Arao.
    
36. Did you treat somebody badly in 2007?
    I may have.
    
37. Did somebody treat you badly in 2007?
    It is possible.
    
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year?
    Three things are very important: gumption, social skills and time management.
    
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year...
    *cough*
    My past rides into my memories
    And it's coming again with this music
    I'm trying to fight for me
    For my life; for my right
    (Another Day Comes, Pay Money To My Pain)

[+/-] Was 2007 a good year for YOU?...

If I don't see y'all again before the year is out, here's wishing you a happy, happy 2008!

*apparently the words 'adorable' and 'children' coming out from my mouth = sign of the apocalypse.

DAY SIX: ULTRAMANLAND REDUX (KUMAMOTO > FUKUOKA)

State of mind: nostalgic
Current soundtrack: 4-5 stars - Ouran High Host Club - Itsumo Soba ni (Kirii Daisuke)

Five minutes after this picture was taken, Mebius did something that took my breath right away. But first...

Went for breakfast (wtf, nabemono for breakfast? Nowai.) and set off for UMLand once more. Dad had a golf appointment with his old uni mate Hajime, so I was free as a bird! I girded my loins for battle set off for UMLand, singing ‘Radiance’ loudly for much of the way. This time, I actually made it to the East Gate proper. Boy, was it worthwhile. Lookit the ROAD!

I bought my ticket (aaaand another GUYS pin) and was just in time to take pictures with Gaia: the first session of the day! It was great that the guy bothered to put his arm round my shoulder (yeee!) but…you can sort of tell I’m going to fall over, right? *didn’t know where to put big Malaysian feet*

The day proceeded much like the preceding one, except that I, er, documented the place a bit more, and there were a few other events of note:

I ate Ultraman. Ultra-man, rather.
I specifically aimed to come in winter so I could try these: Ultra-man, or Ultra pau! Too bad that yesterday, they hadn’t any! The staff lady promised to make some today, so y’all can guess what I had for lunch. :)

Ultraman: Everybody’s Ally! Too bad the first character in ‘ally’ is the same as ‘taste’. This makes for groanworthy puns.

Ultraman all the way down, it is—and then you tear it open.

Gaaaaah. So meh. Mind you, I’m used to char siew pau, and char siew pau this was most definitely NOT. There were mushrooms and…turnip?...and mystery meat (probably pork), so it was edible but not the most enjoyable of foods.

But come on, admit it. How COOL is it to admit that you’ve eaten an Ultra-man? BNF N (from yesterday) told me that she once went up to the counter and asked for ‘Urutora-man wo kudasai’ (Please give me Ultra-man). The girl’s surprise was, apparently, very evident. Pfuh. If the real Ultraman was that cheap, damn, I’d buy one and take him home! Heck, I’d buy several! ;)

Apparently the counter girl thought I was from China. Nope, sorry miss, three generations too late.

Shihan and Sensei—I mean Dyna and ‘Man showed up.

So I’m eating my average Ultraman with orange juice when, suddenly, from the main building, I hear a very familiar battle cry. Packing the pau with a paucity of pauses, I pattered promptly podiumwards, proceeding to powerfully...nearly spit my lunch out. Dyna and the original Ultraman!!! Together! Apparently this meet-and-greet or fureai time wasn’t on the list. For an Ultra Ninja Manual fan, this was near-brilliance. A pic op followed, so I grabbed my travel log and a big black marker, scribbled down something and went for piccies.

This proves two things; One, my insanity to all and sundry, and two, it really IS possible to resemble the ‘:3’ emoticon. The text, naturally, is a UNM reference.

And then I got them to sign one of the cards I got yesterday, so I had a lovely UNM assembly: Dyna-shihan, Gaia-kyoushu and Man-sensei!

Cosmos stageshow: Kimi wo Omou Chikara

Oh God. Oh, GODS. Best. Sodding. Moe. Show. Ever. How good? Fanfic-inspiring good. It did NOT help that I saw this so close to leaving UMLand, at the end of yet another tumultuous year.

I must have missed the memo that post-Cosmos, Justice and Chaos Header (CHAOS HEADER?! HED-DAH? Okaaay…) were now under Derashion fighting for ‘absolute justice’ (zettai seigi). Derashion? Hon? Take that gods-damned [white noise] ‘absolute justice’ and STUFF IT. It doesn’t exist, not in my mindset. Your justice is not tempered in the slightest by compassion or mercy. What good is your justice when it slays the pure with the wicked? What good is it when it pits Cosmos against Justice and Chaos Header, AGAIN?! I ask you, what good comes of killing Cosmos, AND Justice AND Header? WHAT GOOD WHEN YOU DARN NEAR KILL THE MC LADY? EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH?!?

*cough* Sorry. Getting ahead of myself. I’m better now.

So yes, Derashion wishes to hammer Earth because it is STILL being stupid and selfish and martial. This is underlined by the MC’s encounter with a disillusioned Hook Seijin (I think) who is reading the papers and getting ready to quit the Earth. (The MC didn’t know the name of the current US Pres, by the way. Despite someone yelling ‘George W. Bush! GEORGE DABLYU BUSH!’ from the back. Heh.) Justice and Header (in the form of Chaos UM Calamity) encounter a blissfully unaware Cosmos, and give the poor man an earful. Two earfuls. “What have you been doing? We left the Earth in your hands!” A battle ensues (horribly brutal, yet damn good). Cosmos still does not want to hurt his friends, despite getting turned into pizza by the other two, and he fires Justice this verbal salvo:

“But (if you wish to destroy me)…Why is there no weight to your fists?”

This was Justice's cue to break down and grab Cosmos about the shoulders. “Of course!” he replies. “How can I fight my friend?” (This was M.Y.’s cue to take pictures and preserve the moment, muahaha.) Chaos echoes this sentiment. AW CRAP WHY ARE YOU TWO SO ADORABLE I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO LIKE Y'ALL THAT MUCH!

Decidedly cheesed off, Derashion sends the robotic resetter Gloaker Pawn to kick everybody’s tushies. Having been kicked up and down the stage—errrr, streets, Cosmos is no match for the metal lunk and literally dies on his feet. Justice and Header plead for his life like crazy mad. DO WANT. Gloaker knocks them both off, and…'Justice’ MAY have missed a position cue, because he falls and gets stabbed—in the BUTT (Yes, an Ultra was just kancho-ed to death. Hurrah.). The robot then pushes Cosmos over, but the MC blocks his fall (eee!) and stands in front of him, against the advancing chunk of junk. (EEEE!)

Right at the end everyone revives, and Derashion is persuaded to give this stupid blue planet one more chance, and there is a very Gary-Sueish ending…although I would have preferred much more audience participation. I mean, screw this Derashion, if you’re going to kill me I demand a chance to speak! I believe in the general good of man; that is the hope you left us with 4 years ago. (5 years, at actual time of completion of this post...)

Speaking of Justice? His, er, her, er, hir voice is surprisingly feminine. It could be construed as androgynous, but it strikes me as deaaaad feminine.

And here’s the thing. I sort of like Cosmos. Not the show, which was kinda meh, and not even the movies, which Filem Karya Nusa has ruined for me FOREVER (“MusHashi! MusHashi!”). Just the music, because Project DMM was still a novelty then, and Cosmos as a character. And as you can see, I was full of adoration and squee. I think (no, I’m pretty sure) I clocked him on the jaw when I hugged him. (._.;;;;) Yes, I hugged him, finally continuing the tradition from the FIRST time. *cough*

Between squeeing and glomping and pau-eating, I made one trip to the Ultra de Restaurant but just had a Dyna Calpis, I mean a soda. Wasn't half bad. Got to chill out and watch people go buy, finish logging some things and listen to lots of Ultra music in general.

I also made several trips to the UM M78 World shop, performing reconnaissance and finally completing as much of my Ultra shopping list as I could (yet somehow completely forgetting to buy that lovely costume mask…*headthwack*). How beautiful, that so much Ultra can be squashed into that amount of space. From clothes to DVDs to squishies to postcards to figures (of course), if you can conceive it it's likely to be here. Ironic, then, that I couldn't find the Hikari Saga DVD TT_TT. I even managed to impress(?) two junior high-schoolers with my 1337 1337 sk33l5. (Yes, boy, I KNOW ALL THE ULTRA NAMES BOOHAHAHA. Run scared nao kthx.)

One also got to meet Seven (who signed the travel log), Leo, and Agul. Yes, Agul again. Not only does he seem to be a frequent 'attraction', he’s also sod-damnedly friendly. I saw him giving a little girl a ride on his shoulder! AGULLLL! Has romance cooked your brains? What would Reiko say, heck, what would Gamu and Gaia say?! XD

The final Ultra of the day was Mebius Burning Brave (…appropriately enough…). Filled with equal parts reluctance to leave, courage from N’s Agul display yesterday and female hormones from the Cosmos show, I glomped him as hard as I dared. And as I stepped away, the man very cheerfully patted me on the head.

…Ohsnapz. Mebius patted me on the head.

MEBIUS.

MEBIUS THE ULTRAPUPPY *PATTED ME ON THE HEAD*.

Gentle reader, I damn nearly cried. ありがとう、メビウス。ほんの少しの勇気付けてくれて、ありがとう。

With much reluctance, I finalized all my purchases, talked to a few staff members (oh N~I know your given na~me no~w ;)), and set back off to the hotel. If anyone tells you they heard an anguished string of Japanese being yelled at a certain building in Arao on Boxing Day evening, um…they’re lying?

The rest of the travel log for that day was filled with wobbly, wooby Ultra observations one’s readers might do better without here. Except for this one, because it's important in a fangirlical fashion:

It's probably different for the girls. Ask the boys what UM is to them. You get "Strength." "Beams." "Hissatsu waza/Surekill techniques." "Nutrition" (I don't get that one either.) Or the older ones might be too embarassed to answer. Now ask the girls what UM is to them and they say, "Protection." "Mercy." "Sense of justice." "Someone cherished." When it comes down to it, I think girls even cheer louder than the boys for their heroes.

I have a T-shirt with Ultra Mother looking out over the sea and some Engrish pondering her motives. I think I know. Koyumi is waiting for Ikio's return...the girls, fragile and tenuous, hold out for their heroes.

Got back to the lobby to find that Dad and Hajime had finished up early. Whoops. Sorry fellas! Took a train to Hakata, and then a taxi to the hotel, which had such lovely soft beds! We all wanted to go eat some Geniune Kumamoto Ramen, so Hajime said ‘oh let’s try this place’ and we flagged down a taxi. The driver, however, didn’t seem to approve.

Hajime: We'd like to go here...
Taxi driver: Aw, that place? It's all price and no taste. How about I take you to Nagahama instead?

…Brilliant. Mild-mannered taxi driver is actually RAMENMAN. ;) But his suggestion paid off, as we ended up in a little street store/yatai, sheltered from the elements with plastic sheets. Inside its tiny but cosy exterior, the good stuff. The smell of the soup was GLORIOUS (...meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat), and it was thick to the point of whiteness. We ended with a little bit of sushi at a different place (…is squid even SUPPOSED to go *squish squish squish* like that?!) but sad to say, I sort of prefer Sushi Zanmai’s. (M.Y. is a noob. She knows.)

Packed again and bumbled around and generally got on each other’s nerves before finally bedding down. Tomorrow we were going home, but I feared my heart would stay behind.

DAY FIVE: ULTRAMANLAND

This post is dedicated to (chef!)Agul and his suitactor(s) AND his other colleagues, whose woobie shenanigans kept the strange longing Ultrafic flowing for three months straight. Thanks a bunch, you big blue tsundere squeeball. ;___;

State of mind: hungry
Current soundtrack: Dance Mix - Kamen Rider Den-O - Climax Jump (AAA)

When I saw N hugging chef!Agul—nay, clinging to him as if for dear life—I was reminded very suddenly why we like Ultraman. Outside your family, you attach yourself to something that gives you stability. And that, in the form of a costumed chef who will pet you on the head, was hers.

Gweeee. Sorry. Just had to get that off my chest.

Sped through brekkies today and left the tour group—ye gods, FINALLY. I will speak not about the family who have personified kiasuism and pushy parenting for me forever. Much. Headed for the train station and promptly realized that oh shite, we didn’t know where the platform for the train was.

Luckily Japan had thought of that, and all you needed to do was just follow the handily coloured trail.

Boarded the limited express/tokkyuu Ariake no. 10. Talked to an old guy in the train who later helped me with my bags, yay! Snagged a taxi and headed for the teenyweeny but cosy-cosy Hotel Blanca. Surprise surprise, it literally DUMPS you into Mitsui Greenland. (Now I know where to stay the next time if I can’t afford Verde! *w*) The reception was very kind, evidenced thusly:

R: OK, and here we have some discount vouchers for (insert little list of Greenland-connected theme parks)
M: Gee thanks, that’s all really nice of you, but I just want to go and see Ultramanland today.
R: Oh, that’s very easy. *unfurls Map of Awesome* You go aaaaaaall the way over there, and when you arrive at the East Gate, you just go out. K?
M: ‘Kay! :D Thanks!
R: Have fun! See you!
M: Oh I WILL. :D Byebye!

…I went aaaaaaaall the way over SOMEwhere. Couldn’t find the gate at all, and Greenland is all over goddamn hills. Would you believe I wound up ENTIRELY LOST and ended up exiting from a service/staff exit?

M: Wait! Stop! *hee haa* I want to get out!
Staff: Uh, miss, you know if you’ve come out here you can’t come back in?
M: _Ohshit._ Uh…I have this…coupon thing…this is OK, right?
S: Oh yes.
M: Lovely. So, which way is UMLand?
S: *points*
M: Thank you! *hee haa jog jog jog*
S: Have fun!
M: I WILL! 8D~

A few hills and one crossed road later…it APPEARED LIKE A BRILLIANT VISION @o@. Tiga, Dyna AND Gaia statues were there, guarding the road before it. And LO, M.Y.’s heart did sing and soar and do happy bouncy dances.

Tickets were being sold with original CREW GUYS badges (for a small surcharge) so I got one—AND a discount voucher. Which I could use tomorrow. ♥ I’d missed the opening ceremony by a fair bit, so went walking around a bit before catching every single show that went on after that. (and to be truthful, some of the pictures I'm still planning to put above this? Taken when I returned the following day.)

This was how it went.

Christmas Fantasy — Santa’s White Bag and Black Bag (Santa no Shiroi Bukuro Kuroi Bukuro)

Otherwise known as The One With Booska In. Oh gods. I HATE Booska. Wryyyyy?!!

Anyway. Show starts with your friendly yellow monster being lent a white scarf from the MC lady. The story moves on to Santa, who senses a dark aura and traps a rampaging Red King in the form of a toy, in his black bag. Santa goes on to natter something about all darkness being evil. ‘Ah,’ says M.Y., ‘I know where this is going. Agul’s in this, isn’t he? Light-and-shadows-and-balance, and all that.’ Wrong. Santa was dead serious. : Booska bumps into Santa, knocking him out (lay off the ramen!) and accidentally procuring the black bag and Santa’s other, white one. He accidentally chucks the RK figure out, which brings it back to life and prompts Gaia to appear—in a Santa suit!— (“Eh? Where’s the party?”) Booska makes his escape, and a short interlude follows involving Christmas music, and Nice in a Santa suit singing ‘Jungle gym’ in lieu of ‘Jingle bells’ and performing an Opappi routine.

Nice: Sonna no kankee nee, sonna no kankee nee…
Everyone else: BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
M.Y.: _What in the world is this unholy doinkery?_ OAo;

A voice issues from the black bag, begging Booska to release its wronged owner. As is usually the case, it is a fakeout; Booska does this anyway, and a seijin pops out mwahaha-ing away, intending to steal the presents and destroy all his competitors. Boo runs in shame (Gaia appears again around this bit) but is persuaded to atone for his doings by the mysterious MC lady. He returns, and another fight ensues where he recaptures Santa’s white bag. He vacillates for what seems to be FOREVER about what figure to chuck out from the bag (JUST THROW THE WHOLE THING, DAMMIT!)

So he throws a figure. Just one. Finally. And Agul appears, back to the audience and looking frightfully awesome, because he is the original Blue Badass Antihero Ultra. The first thing out of his mouth?

“Merry Christmas.” (+ thumbs up)

“Not what we called you here for, Agul!” ←x_x; (Gaia, half-dead)

"...Do you have ANY idea how embarassing it was to say that?!"

Ahem. Anyway. The two fight, and are duly trounced. However, Santa appears to kick some butt (wait a minute...) and the MC heals the two to full power. (WAIT A MINUTE...) The final battle ensues, and Santa/MC reveal themselves to be Ultra Father and Ultra Mother. Ohboy. Why did I not see this coming? This, btw, is also about the only time I’ve seen Ultras do a dance in real-life. A-Agullll… *sweatdrop* (trust me. You may not want to ask where the dancing came in...)

OYAH. ‘Santa’? Agul is ‘dark’. Faust and Mephisto were ‘dark’. Tiga WAS dark. Your manga oniisan was dark. You of all people should know the world is not binary.

After the show, Father went off outside to take pictures with the adoring public. While in the queue, I overheard a conversation between a mother-of-two and um, some-other-lady, and chipped in helpfully with ‘yeah, Ultra-love is eternal.’ See how much of a kaypo Malaysian I am? XD We then got to talking further.

“You’re not Japanese?”

“Oh no, Malaysian.”

“-_-…Do you go online?”

“-_-; …Yeah, I’m M2000…”

“Oh my. I’m N.”

“ZOMAIGOD N-sama!” *takes her hand and pumps it*

N is a BNF I hadn’t been in contact with for about a year. I had mentioned to her friend (and one of my worships) S that I would be coming down, but never expected to see her instead! Sorry guys, no pictures—Japanese BNFs, particularly from this fandom, are all veddy veddy veddy shy and secretive. In public, anyway. But she is kiut, and her kids are kiut too. :D

We talked a bit and spent s’more time hanging out later. But now it was time for the next show!

A Warrior’s Determination (Senshi no Kakugo)

Hikari sounded good. Mebius sounded…generic. ):/

Kyuraso Seijin works for an ebil organization, but seeing Mebius and Hikari in action, he decides he wants to be an Ultra too. Someone’s willing to help—too bad someone happens to be Mefilas, who happens to be planning world domination. Again. Smarmy man obtains Man and Seven’s cell samples in battle, and turns Kyuraso into Chaosroid U.

:O Mebius and Hikari are warned about Mefi’s plans, and Hikari (smexily) beats some info out of a Muzan Seijin but is tricked and bashed up. Flying in to help is Scott, and the two go to help Mebius, who has been tricked into some sort of pact by Mefilas. (“Defeat Chaosroid, and I will leave the Earth.” “…That’s a promise, y’hear?” “Yes, of course. IF you win.”)

Kyuraso!U is finally defeated (of his own volition), as is the Chaosroid S(even) that later appears. But the coolest part of the show is Mefilas going down in a blaze. Mebius is cheered to full strength by the audience, and fires off a beam—and straight down one side of the stage, a full line of firecrackers went off with a splendid and cool effect. How splendid and how cool? Dude, I watched this show FOUR TIMES and I forgot to take a picture of it at every single go. I just stared with my mouth in an ‘O’.

Mefi acts well, and is deliciously cruel (how DARE you kick my puppy!!!) but talks waaay too much. Pontificatus maximus…

During the show I saw three kids with hand-sewn UM appliqués on their jumpers. Law, were they squeeable.

Ultra Gakkou

…Um, 80 teaches road safety. Baltan interferes. Then he doesn’t. There’s not a lot more to say. I wish there was!

Paper Theater (Kamishibai): Ultraman MomoTaro

LORD SAVE US ALL, ULTRAMAN MOMOTARO. *dies laughing*

The story goes as the Momotaro story generally goes – old couple (Ultra Father and Ultra Mother) find a peach and cut it open to have a kiut little baby spring out. Ultraman Momotaro goes forth into the world with his banner (it says ‘Uchuu-ichi’ instead of ‘Nihon-ichi’) and ‘millet dumplings of light’ to defeat the monsters on Ogre Isle (for some reason, this includes a daikon-snarfing Gomora). On the way he meets Nice (the dog), Zearth (the monkey) and Dyna (the pheasant).

Very cute, with JUST as much crack as you’d come to expect from something containing Taro. *dies laughing again*

Ultra Petit P

The last time I went, there was a fadorable Zetton in the Petit P. Picture him, this angular, grumbly black space dinosaur, killer of Ultras and emitter of searing fireballs, *squealing* into the audience, “Minasan, konnichiwaaaa~! Boku wa, Zetton desu~~~~!” This time it was a not-as-fadorable Taraban, and a definitely-not-fadorable Hanejirou. Mm. This should tell you something, as Hanejirou IS the essence of fadorable. Both were in Santa suits. The day after, Taraban took leave and was replaced by Zarab.

Nothing much to report here. It was a song guessing game.

Seems that N comes extremely regularly to Ultramanland, so everyone knows her and her chibbits. :o~ Ii naaaaa. She was extremely reluctant to leave at 5, as was I, so we, er, dillydallied near the Ultra de Restaurant (‘Land also has an Ultraman M78 World shop and Ultra Dessertland). Apparently less and less people go to Ultraman per year (although that day, supposedly, was not too bad.) Chef!Agul showed up, and aye, I remembered N luffluffLUFFS Agul. Seeing her hug him, and him stroking her hair, made me wibble mightily. I have to admit that much. When I saw N hugging chef!Agul—nay, clinging to him as if for dear life—I was reminded very suddenly why we like Ultraman. Outside your family, you attach yourself to something that gives you stability. And that, in the form of a costumed chef who will pet you on the head, was hers. And it’s not just her. To the fans, he is ‘mercy and (a sense of) justice’. He is ‘a cherished thing’. He’s Ultraman. We may never find the likes of him again, yet one can always hope.

Got back to the hotel, futzed around figuring out how to pack stuff, and went for dinner at the hotel’s little restaurant. We were the only people there. O_o; It was fun translating the courses for Dad. It was NOT so fun realizing that Ho Lee Shuet, the little fish was NOT the main course and was followed by a little steak. So…much…meat…*falls over*

Even the weather seemed happy to cooperate. I hoped it would tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would try to complete every goal I set, including the shopping. I was still short of much music!