Some more of the good stuff, please!
And now to continue with what I've started. ^_^ Hope everyone's enjoying this!
--
If there was any colour in the myriad of shades and hues that Jo liked the best, it was the colour blue, and it could be in any form of darkness or brightness. To her, it was the colour for tranquility and serenity, a way to relax a troubled mind. Some people found the colour blue to be a depressing colour, but Jo did not. She loved it, and had had her room in her mothers' home decorated in a pleasing shade of pastel blue.
Many pieces of her wardrobe were varying tones of blue. There were also several articles of clothing that were various shades of green and purple, and some black and white garments, but the shades of blue dominated her closet and dressers. Her blond hair had been dyed a light shade of blue to match her eyes, and her hair had been that colour since she had turned sixteen.
Even the cloak Hiroshi Miyamoto had commented on that morning was a deep shade of blue. It was midnight blue, to be precise, and it was similar in colour and texture as the one her grandmother wore nearly all of the time. Both had a cowl, or a hood, and they were made out of velvet with a satin-like lining. The cloaks were quite warm for winter weather, and kept their wearers cool in the summer. They were made out of some kind special material that adapted to the weather, though Jo didn't know exactly what, and the cloaks tended to shimmer when night fell. There were some differences between her cloak and the one her grandmother owned, though. Jo's cloak had a glimmering, light violet embroidery along the outer edges of the main body whereas her grandmother's cloak had a silver embroidery along the main body and the cowl. They were gorgeous to gaze upon, and Jo considered herself lucky to even own one. She just didn't wear hers everywhere like her grandmother liked to do.
"That is one beautiful cloak," Mel murmured as Jo slipped out of the velvet-like garment. The two of them were meeting together for their usual study session in between their classes. Jo needed help her with biology course work, and she needed a lot of it. Her teacher, one Professor Douglas Smith, never explained the material sufficiently for Jo's liking, and it left Jo struggling in what was considered an easy subject, one that anyone could pass without even trying. Mel was a biology major at the university, one of the top students in her department, and she'd been the first, and only, person Jo had asked to help her. The older girl had readily agreed.
Of course, Mel had also been struggling with her English course work. Somehow, she'd managed to avoid taking the required composition classes she needed for graduation, but Mel couldn't keep from taking them any longer. If she wanted to advance in her biological studies, she needed to finish her general education requirements. When Jo had asked for assistance with her biology work, Mel had asked Jo for assistance with the composition classes, and Jo thought it to be only fair for her to return the favour. They were friends, after all, and friends helped each other out whenever they possibly could. Days and times had been set after schedules had been looked at and fussed over, and the two had since flourished under each other's tutelage. As a result, they looked forward to their study sessions on Monday afternoons, Wednesday mornings before they went to class, and Thursday evenings, and they made sure they had food and drinks to keep them going. (Science Fiction Project meetings were held every Wednesday when classes were over.)
"Thanks," Jo replied, smiling at her friend's comment. She folded the article of clothing neatly then placed it in her book bag. Her biology books, study guide, and notebook were pulled out in the process and placed on the table next to her food tray. A little trial and error had taught them they worked better when they ate as they studied.
"You're welcome. I can't believe you have one. Where did you get it? Fantasy Fashions in Philadelphia? If you did, I'm going to be so jealous of you. That's like one of the absolute best places to go to buy fantasy and Renaissance clothing!"
At Mel's inquiry, Jo had to laugh. It seemed like everyone who had seen her cloak throughout the day had become enamoured with the midnight blue shaded garment, and all who had commented on it wanted to know where she had bought it. Fantasy Fashions was always the top guess.
"No," she answered. "My grandma gave it to me for Christmas when I was sixteen. She has one almost exactly like this one, and I've always admired it. When I got it, I was going through my 'I want to be a wizard when I grow up' phase. I just don't wear it a lot like my grandma wears her. For me, it's a mood thing."
"Oh." Mel nodded her head in a knowing manner -- she had clothes she wore when the right mood struck her as well -- then placed her English books, her study guide, and her notebook on the table as well. They gave each other a brief rundown of the day's assignments starting off with what they had to read. Then came the assigned problems and exercises. They each asked the other what needed to be done, and they explained to each other the best way to carry out the right process for the work. Finally, once everything had been taken care of properly, she and Mel beecame engrossed in their homework, occasionally taking a quick drink of soda or juice, or a bite of food.
As Jo read over the biology material and answered the necessary questions, her mind wandered to the questions she had for her friends and their project, the questions regarding why exactly the Science Fiction Project wanted and needed someone like Jo. She knew Mel would answer her with all honesty. Mel was rather incapable of lying. Aimee and Madison would also answer her in the most honest fashion as aell, but there was the matter of timing to consider. Jo knew she couldn't ask Mel in a point blank manner while she and Mel were studying. On Mondays, they always studied in one of the busiest places on the university campus, the food court. She also couldn't ask on a piece of paper, either. There were too many prying eyes, and the university enforced a strict anti-spyware polcity. Students could only use anti-spyware devices in conference rooms and in the residence halls where they lived. They were private places and using anti-spyware in such rooms ensured no one cheated off of another person's hard work. Anyone caught violating campus policy regarding anti-spyware, though, was subjected to immediate expulsion and a bad recommendation to any future learning facility. It was a strange set up, a bit inconvenient at times, but no one dared to break that particular rule.
'And my questions can wait until the next time we end up getting together,' Jo reasoned. 'They did say they'd give me the time I needed to think about it and come to a decision. I'm sure they'll understand my concerns.'
"Is this seat taken?" a familiar and melodious voice asked. Jo felt her heart a beat at hearing Hiroshi Miyamoto's lovely and musical vocals again so soon, though she couldn't explain why she felt that way, and she immediately looked up at him. He stood next to their table, a tray of food in his hands, a book bag crammed with books slung over his shoulder, and that warm, friendly smile on his face. Jo shook her head quickly, grinning.
"No. No, it isn't. Please. Have a seat. You're more than welcome to join us."
From the corner of her eye, Jo saw Mel give her a questioning look. She could only smile and give a slight shrug in response.
"Thank you," he murmured, his smile becoming a little brighter. "The rest of the tables are filled. I was afraid I'd have to stand up to eat."
"It isn't a problem. Hiroshi Miyamoto, I'd like for you to meet one of my best friends," Jo said as he sat down. She gestured to Mel, and his gaze followed her movement. "This is Mel. Mel, I'd like you to meet Hiroshi Miyamoto. We met this morning when I was on my way to my first class. He's a science fiction enthusiast, just like we are."
"Really?" Mel's eyes lit up. Or perhaps they'd already been lit. Jo couldn't say for certain. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miyamoto-san."
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," he replied, still smiling. "And you do not have to stand on formalities with me. Hiro or Hiroshi will do just fine."
"Okay . . . Hiroshi." Mel let out an embarrassed laugh. Jo merely smiled at their interaction. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had been charmed by Hiroshi's friendly personality and charming mannerisms.
"So, what are you two studying for?" Hiroshi inquired, picking up one of his sandwiches to eat. His violet eyes sparkled bright with curiosity and friendliness.
"English," Mel replied with a slight groan. "It's a composition course, and we have to do a lot of research. I find the whole subject to be totally boring! If Jo wasn't helping me get through this class, I swear I'd have died from boredom by now."
"She exaggerates," Jo murmured, chuckling a little, "but not by much, really. The teacher is somewhat borning, unlike my biology teacher. That man is just plain inept to me."
"So you're studying for a biology class?" Hiroshi asked before biting down on his sandwich.
"Yeah," she answered. "Mel happens to be a biology major so I asked her to help me get through this class. I can't wait for next semester. I'm taking astronomy then."
"That was very nice of you, Mel," Hiroshi stated. His gaze landed on Jo. "I know Mel's course of study. What about you? What are you studying here at the university? If you don't me asking, that is."
"Not at all," Jo answered, smiling. "I'm studying English with an option in creative writing and literature. I wanted to be more of a mythology major, but the program here is weak at best. What about you? What are you studying to become?"
"Bio-engineering," Hiroshi replied, making a slight face of disgust. "I love the subject a lot, but my professors for the classes are very stuffy about what they want to lecture us on. They only want to discuss practical solutions in which bio-engineers can use. They don't believe in being creative and trying new ideas. It's stifling, really. They don't seem to understand that the world needs more from bio-engineers than just the practical uses. It's aggravating to say the very least."
"What do you mean by new ideas?" Jo inquired. She had hung on to every word he had said, his soft voice had been that captivating and spell-binding. He flashed her a bit of a lopsided grin.
"I'm not sure, really," he confessed. "It's just this feeling that I have. I know I want to try something different, something the no one has thought to do before. My one professor has told me, and my entire class, that there isn't anyone out there who would back that kind of research, at least, not willingly, but I know for a fact that she's wrong. There are some people out there who would give me the money I'd require to run my experiments. I just haven't told her yet because I know she'd scoff at me. She's rather rude that way."
"Oh? Whos is that?"
"My professor?" Hiroshi asked, frowning a little.
"No," Jo said, shaking her head some. "The people who would help you to fund your research. You said you knew of some that would."
"Oh." He laughed a little, the tone sounding slightly embarrassed. "I did, didn't I?"
"Yeah . . . who are they?"
"Torie Cronkhite and Ryan O'Connell," Hiroshi replied. "Who else?"
--
"Watch out for Pierre. He's something of a horndog. He likes to flirt. And if you complain about the attention he gives to the girls, he flirts with you." -- Robert Johnson
Yeah . . . I have some interesting characters coming to me. ;)
--
Dragons of Winter Night is the second book in the Chronicles trilogy, and it picks up where Dragons of Autumn Twilight left off. The Companions, with an addition of two more elves, a human, and a bumbling wizard, are still traveling together, and have reached the mountain where a good portion of the Dwarves live (I forget its name). The Dwarves have found the fabled forge hammer that helped to create the infamous Dragonlances, and Sturm Brightblade, the Knight of Solamnia in the group, isn't happy. The hammer, in a way is useless, without the original wielder and the dwarves are denying everyone the use of it, despite the re-appearance of dragons on Krynn.
After the celebration at the mountain is over, the Companions continue on their way across Ansalon to find answers. At some point, they're separated and continuing to fight their way to the truth or at least to some answers.
It's in this book that one of the Companions dies, adding to the bitter truth that is war. Sturm Brightblade dies fighting the Dragon Highlord, Kitiara Uth Matar, while he is defending the legendary keep of the Knights. It's with his death that things turn around for the Knights of Solamnia. (At this point, the Knights of Solamnia are despised by the people of Ansalon. The Knights had been unable to prevent the tragic event known as the Cataclysm. More on the Cataclysm in another book.)
This event happens towards the end of the book, as most sad events seem to do in science fiction and fantasy novels, and will set the pace for the final book in the trilogy, Dragons of Spring Dawning. (Next book review)
There is one good thing about reading books that are extensions of each other. The second book in a trilogy is not a sequel nor is the third book. The stories contained in each are merely continuations of the previous story, and it isn't a disappointment (usually) to read the second and third books. Usually.
If you couldn't tell, I liked this book, too. ;)
--
Now for the music . . .
I love listening to songs that made me feel good when I was a kid. Make Me Lose Control was one such song.
Now I like a great variety of music. Rock, pop, oldies, country, JPop and JRock . . . I'll listen to just about anything, but there's always something special about the songs we listen to as children.
I believe I heard Make Me Lose Control after Eric Carmen had recorded Hungry Eyes for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. The song itself has a rather nice melody to it, a combination of a gentle bass sound mixed with some keyboards, and I love how the backing singers sound something like an acapella band. (At some point, the music stops and all you can hear are the vocals coming from Carmen and the backing singers.)
In a nutshell, I love the song. :)
Turn the radio up, for that sweet sound. Hold me close, never let me go. Fever's high ---- (I can't make out the words for this part). Keep the spirit alive, make me lose control . . .
---------------
At some point during the night, it had snowed. It wasn't a few flakes here and there when Tohma had awoken in the morning, either. The snow had not only covered the ground, but had buried nearly everything under at least six inches of the white, powdery-like substance, he had noted with mild annoyance as he gazed out the window of his room of the Belvedere Hotel. Tree branches were laden with the stuff, and the roads and sidewalks were undoubtedly slick with slush and ice. Flights, both incoming and outgoing, would be delayed.
His flight to Tokyo possibly being delayed was what truly irritated Tohma the most. He had come to New York on business. Tohma felt he had not had much of a choice in the matter. His American offices had slowed in their production quota, and he had wanted to find out why. As a result, Tohma had called several meetings with his American staff for as soon as possible then booked himself on the first available flight to New York. He'd gotten lucky with the Belvedere Hotel when he'd called about staying with them. They'd had a last minute cancellation that had enabled him to get a room at the last possible moment and for the duration he felt he needed to be in the city.
He'd had to leave without Shuichi, however, and it had pained Tohma to leave the younger man behind. Their relationship had started to flourish, to truly flourish, and it was going to be their first holiday together. Tohma had wanted to spend his off-hours with the vocalist before the holiday madness began.
It had made sense for Shuichi to stay in Japan, though. Bad Luck had begun recording its new album under a renewed, and improved, contract under NG Productions. From a business perspective, it was foolhardy to delay the process by taking the band's singer with him on a whim and a personal whim at that.
There was also Reiji from XMR to consider as well when he'd made the plans to return to New York and without Shuichi. The young girl still held a flame for Shuichi, and had not been pleased when the vocalist had opted, once more, to stay with NG. Tohma wouldn't have put it by her to try and steal the singer away in whatever manner she could. For all he knew, the reason why his American offices had been suffering for business could have been because of XMR.
His hunch had not been too far from the mark. The moment he'd stepped into his American offices and into the meetings with his executives, he'd heard varying tales of the same thing: XMR was stealing talent left and right from NG Productions. His personnel had been almost powerless to stop most of the artists from leaving. XMR was simply offering a sweeter deal than what NG could offer the musicians. It was aggravating to learn, but Tohma took comfort in the knowledge there was always more talent out there, waiting to be discovered. It was also very easy to reword contracts as well, and very possible to make it difficult for any band to break a newly formed deal.
The meetings also had not taken up too much of his time, and he'd decided he could have probably taken care of the problem from the Tokyo office. At least then he'd have been able to stay close to Shuichi and wake up every morning to the vocalist's peaceful, slumbering visage while it snowed outside. Having the younger man next to him in the mornings warmed him like nothing else could. However, he'd decided to travel to New York to remedy the situation. It was December, close to Christmas, and he had counted on being able to do a little shopping for family and friends when he wasn't in his meetings. The shopping had been completed, the meetings were over with quickly, and the problem NG faced in America dissuaded for a short time. Tohma had wanted to go home, back to Tokyo and back to Shuichi, so he had arranged for a sooner flight.
A flight that had possibly been delayed now, or even cancelled, thanks to the weather. Tohma let out a sigh then turned on the hotel room's television. Though one could see what the weather was like just by looking outside, it wouldn't hurt to find out what exactly had been delayed and cancelled. It was best to find out bad news right way, in his opinion. He dressed himself in a dark green, silk shirt and black slacks as he listened. To his great displeasure, his flight to Tokyo had not only been delayed, as he'd suspected it would have been, but it had been delayed indefinitely. More bad weather was on the way, according to one of the news anchors, and the airlines weren't taking any chances. All outgoing flights had been grounded while all incoming flights had been redirected.
'So much for going home,' he sighed to himself, feeling rather melancholic about the situation and little out of control. Granted, the weather was something he'd never be able to have obey him, but he still hated the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm him. They made him feel inadequate, and undeserving of the few precious things he had in his life. Tohma ignored the laptop sitting next to the phone on the desk, his feet slipping into socks and shoes he didn't really need to wear. He'd brought the portable computer with him so he could keep in contact with Sakano and Shuichi, to make sure things in Tokyo were running smoothly and to find out how Shuichi's days were without Tohma there, but he couldn't even look at the device, not when he'd have to tell them he wouldn't be home for the holiday. It was depressing, though he would never let it show.
A knock on the door brought Tohma out of his saddened musings, a light frown touching his features then shook his head. He had not ordered room service, rarely ever ordered room service for breakfast, often preferring to grab a pastry from the continental breakfast bar or from a local bakery when he stayed in a hotel, so he knew who was not knocking on his door. Since it couldn't have been room service, it left only one person to disturb him this early, as NG's American staff knew better than to bother him before he reached the office. Reiji. She was doing her best to try and irritate him for some reason.
He schooled his features as he walked towards the door. Yes, Reiji had been trying her best to get a rise out of Tohma, going as far as to knock on his hotel door nearly every morning and talking about how she would eventually tear Shuichi away from NG Productions, but she had yet to succeed. Her boastful words were simply just those: boastful words. Shuichi had made his decisions on how he would run his life, and Tohma had accepted those decisions, had even been supportive of his lover. Reiji had not understood so she had done her best to aggravate Tohma while he was in the States. He, however, would remain as inflappable as ever when dealing with her. After all, he'd managed with Ryuichi. Conversing with a young girl determined to annoy him was hardly any different, in Tohma's opinion.
Bright smile in place, the one he always used to charm people, Tohma opened the door to greet the knocker . . . and ended up with an armful of a shivering body covered in a heavy winter coat. A lithe form had launched itself at him and latched on in an attempted vice grip, something Tohma's surprise had prevented him from avoiding. The heavy coat prevented his assailant's hugging attack from being too tight. Fortunately, Shuichi's light stature wasn't enough to knock Tohma onto the floor. At least, Tohma thought it was Shuichi when he knew it wasn't Shuichi. The vocalist was still in Tokyo. There was no way Shuichi's form had arrived in New York.
"You're here! I didn't think you would be! I was certain you'd have left for the office by now!" a familiar voice declared, the sound muffled thanks to Tohma's shirt. Tohma blinked in surprise when he shouldn't have been. His body's instincts had been confirmed. Shuichi was in his arms.
"Shuichi?"
Amethyst eyes gazed up at him, sparkling with happiness, and the brightest of smiles crossed youthful features. Tohma felt his annoyance at the weather quickly dissipating though he couldn't help but wonder why the vocalist was in New York instead of Tokyo.
"Yeah," Shuichi murmured, snuggling closer. "My flight came in late last night before they started directing planes to go somewhere else. I was stuck at the airport with K until the weather cleared. No one wanted to be outside last night otherwise I'd have been here sooner. I'm glad I chose warm clothing to wear, though. K wasn't kidding when he said New York could get dumped with a lot of snow every now and then! It's cold out there!"
"I can imagine it is," he said, feeling a slight chill seeping into his own clothes from the vocalist's winter coat. He quickly pulled Shuichi further into the room and grabbed the younger man's suitcases so the door could close. "Not that I'm displeased to see you, but why aren't you in Tokyo?"
"I wanted to surprise you! And K and Sakano-san decided to give everyone some extra time off for Christmas," Shuichi replied cheerfully. "I think it's because Sakano-san wanted to spend some more time with Maiko. It's their first Christmas together, after all, and K wanted to spend some time with his family as well. I think Eiri and Hiro are still trying to sort some things out between them, though. They may have had a fight or something. Hiro looked rather relieved when we were given the extra time off. I don't know for certain what's going on with him, though. I think he's still mad at me for not telling him about you sooner. Anyway, Suguru went to Kyoto to see Tatsuha, Sakano-san and my sister were going to drive to Osaka to be with his parents, and K came with me to New York since his wife and son are staying here for the holidays."
The beginnings of a smile, a true smile, tugged on the corners of Tohma's lips. There was something always reassuring about hearing Shuichi talk and his flowing, random nature as he spoke. Perhaps it was the vocalist's inability to tell a convincing lie, or perhaps it was the easy-going nature in which Shuichi spoke. It really didn't matter, though. When he heard his young lover talking, his worries vanished for a while and all Tohma had to think about was Shuichi.
Tohma also loved how Shuichi felt in his arms. The vocalist stood a few inches shorter than he did, which made it easy for the two of them to curl up together when the mood struck and not have aching muscles to deal with later.
Unfortunately, his young lover didn't stay in his arms for very long. Shuichi reluctantly pulled away from him and began to take off his winter coat. Tohma watched as the singer stripped out of his winter gear.
"It's so pretty out there, though," Shuichi said. "I love it when it snows. It always makes the air feel so clean. At least, I think it does, anyway."
"Would you like to go for a walk then?" Tohma inquired, his tone light and airy. "We could head towards Fifth Avenue and simply enjoy the weather."
A year ago, Tohma would have never made such a suggestion to anyone, not even to Mika. Why, he hadn't been able to sufficiently explain to himself. There had been a time he'd been something akin to a hopeless romantic, and a walk through the snow, or any other kind of weather for that matter, had sounded charming and quaint. Perhaps it had been due to the lack of enthusiasm from his former wife that had killed the desire in him. Mika had been a pragmatic soul, and undoubtedly still was. Taking walks through the snow or rain, according to her, was a good way to catch a chill, and no one wanted that.
Shuichi was not Mika, though, and Tohma had not failed to notice how much the younger man enjoyed outdoor activities. Rain or sunshine, Shuichi would head out the door to do something, anything, the first opportunity that came his way. The singer knew how to enjoy the simpler things in life, and he did his best to make sure Tohma stopped to enjoy them as well. Tohma's suggestion for them to go for a walk was sure to please the vocalist.
Sure enough, the moment the words left Tohma's lips Shuichi's eyes widened, and happiness shone in those amethyst depths. The singer nodded his head vigourously.
"Yeah! Of course I would!" Then Shuichi seemed to deflate, as if he realized something. "It would have to wait, though, wouldn't it? You have all of those meetings . . ."
A soft chuckle escaped Tohma, and he pulled his lover to him. Slender arms slowly wrapped themselves about Tohma's waist, and dark locks of silky hair tickled his chin. It was only natural for Shuichi to believe the meetings were still taking place. Tohma had not told anyone they had ended quickly or that he'd been ready to head for home. He smiled, nuzzling his young lover.
"No. It would not have to wait," he murmured, inhaling some and taking in Shuichi's scent. "I have no meetings today or for the rest of the week."
"Really?"
"Really," Tohma assured. "Everything's taken care of for the moment. So what do you say? Would you like to go for a walk in the snow?"
Amethyst eyes lit up bright, brighter than what Tohma could have ever imagined, and that smile, that oh so beautiful smile, returned. Shuichi nodded his head once more.
"You bet I do!"
--
Around an hour later (Tohma had insisted Shuichi take a shower and wake himself up some), the two men were in the lobby of the Belvedere Hotel and heading for the main entrance. Their hands had met, and their fingers had intertwined, in spite of the fact they were both wearing gloves, but Shuichi hadn't seemed to mind. If anything, the younger man's smile had grown wider and brighter, and Tohma noticed the slight bounce in his lover's steps. Shuichi was quite obviously happy to be there, happy to be holding hands with him, and happy to be going out. Something about that kind of knowledge made Tohma feel warm all over and not in a sexual way.
Of course, he had more than just the walk in mind for he and Shuichi. There were a number of coffee shops along the way and some bakeries as well. They could always stop along the way and pick up some treats for later in the evening. Tohma also wanted to buy a blanket for the two of them to share. Sure, they had the blankets provided to them by the hotel, but he had already made it a habit for them to snuggle under something that belonged to them. The thought of using something someone else had already slept under with Shuichi was rather unappealing to Tohma, and the thought also made him feel rather unclean, like everything they would share would be forever tainted. Tohma couldn't stand that thought. He'd never tell Shuichi he felt that way, but then he felt it hardly mattered. The singer was rather amicable to some of Tohma's strange tendencies, never questioning little things but always accepting. It never ceased to amaze Tohma.
The door of the lobby slid open, allowing the two to step into the cool, crisp morning air. Tohma paused for a moment then inhaled deeply. New York was a bustling city. It wouldn't be long before people ventured outside, either for play or to head to work, and Tohma wanted to enjoy as much of the peacefulness with Shuichi as he could.
At a rather sedate pace, Tohma led Shuichi around the streets of New York. The snow crunched underneath their feet as they walked, and the wet substance clung to the bottoms of their pants, soaking them. Soon their cheeks and noses were red from the chill, and Tohma's fingers ached from lack of activity to keep them warm. He wouldn't head back to the hotel just yet, though. He was on a mission, and nothing would deter him from accomplishing his goals, not even Mother Nature herself.
From the corner of his eye, Tohma watched as his young lover took in as much of the city as he could, from the street vendors and busy shops to the Christmas decorations and tempting aromas coming from the bakeries they passed. The vocalist's eyes sparkled from the excitement that surrounded him. They had even come across a vocal group on a street corner, dressed in old fashioned dresses and suits and singing Christmas carols, and Shuichi had stopped for a few moments, listening.
As they walked together, their fingers still intertwined, Tohma often stole a glance at the young man next to him, and couldn't help but smile. Violet eyes glimmered with excitement at each sight, an excitement that had spread to Tohma the further their feet carried them from the hotel. He could only imagine how everything had to appear to the lithe singer, how similar yet different the sights of New York City were compared to Tokyo, and all of the sights had to be overwhelming.
Tohma gave Shuichi's hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked along, not even sure as to why he did. The gesture prompted his young lover to glance in curiosity at him, but Tohma merely smiled at Shuichi and pulled him a little closer. He had no real reason as to why he had done such a thing, other than he simply had wanted to have the younger man closer to him. Tohma wanted to feel him there, despite the fact their hands were clasped together.
It was undescribable, what it felt like to have Shuichi next to him as they walked along New York's city streets. Tohma wasn't even sure he wanted to explain how he felt to have Shuichi with him. To put everything into words would be to detract from the sensations that flooded his senses as they walked along. Another glance at Shuichi, and Tohma decided he didn't need words. Things were fine simply the way they were. Tohma coudn't have asked for a better moment in time. Or so he had thought.
--
Night blanketed the city of New York as did another several inches of snow. Their walk to Fifth Avenue had been cut short, thanks to another bout of fluries, but not until after Tohma had made his desired purchases. They'd made it back to the Belvedere Hotel, purchases in hand, just as the winds had picked up and made it impossible for anyone to see more than a few feet ahead in any direction.
Of course, Tohma wasn't going to complain about the walk having ended sooner than he'd have liked. Shuichi was with him, the two of them curled under a large, dark blue fleece blanket with white snowflakes adorning it that had caught both of their attentions and that they both had agreed was just right. Upon returning to the hotel, they had immediately stripped out of their winter gear and wet clothing, promptly snuggling with each other on top of the room's bed. Two empty cups sat on the nightstand, and Shuichi rested against him, bare flesh warming bare flesh.
Tohma couldn't have thought of a better way to have ended his day. It was simply . . . perfect.
--------------
Once upon a time, we had a Nintendo. On this Nintendo, we played games. The Nintendo is with my brother in Mount Pleasant.
My brother and stepbrother liked to play a variety of games. Me, however, I was selective. The very first role-playing game I had ever played was Dragon Warrior (known in Japan as Dragon Quest), and it was rather simple to play. Time-consuming, as I had to earn my levels. The higher the level, the better for defeating enemies that could otherwise kill my character. And I could name my character whatever I wanted. (My best friend and I were snarky one day. We named the hero of the game A slut, mostly because there was this guy that you talked to who healed you and filled your magic back up. Every time you spoke to him, he'd say, "(insert character's name) coming was foretold by tale. May the light shine upon this brave warrior" or something to that effect.)
The gist of the game: The hero is the descendant of a hero named Erdrick. Erdrick had saved the kingdom at some point from the forces of evil, and his name is mentioned throughout the game, depending on who you talk to, and you pretty much need to talk to everyone. You don't know who has important clues for you so it's best if you don't take any chances.
In many ways, the hero of the game is quite limited. He has no traveling partners to help him out so healing and curing poisoned states is something the player needs to watch. Magic and hit points also need to be watched as well, and the return spell takes you back to the palace.
Oh, and for many gamers now (the ones whose roots are the PlayStation), the graphics would now come off as cheesy. But it's at the beginning, when gaming systems were starting to become popular once more, and you could save your progress on the game cartridge. The challenge in playing the game is still there. You simply can't fight any enemy at the beginning levels. You have to fight to earn more strength, more hit points, and more magic. You have to fight to learn your spells with each new level. And it is entirely possible to reach the maximum level. I know. I've reached the top level a few times with this game, but just because you reach the maximum level doesn't mean the player should become overconfident. The final boss can and will kick the hero's ass if the player isn't careful.
At some point, the princess of the king you're hired by is kidnapped by the Dragon Lord. (I believe that's what he's called.) You have to rescue her. Gotta love the damsel in distress aspect of this game. LOL
A note on role-playing games: I think they're among the best games a person could play. Because the player has to earn the levels to be able to continue, it teaches one to be patient. Or it should. I know I've gotten a bit impatient with some of the games I've played but that's also when I know it's time to quit and do something else. ;)
If you can get your hands on an old Nintendo system and this game, PLAY IT! You can have fun just in naming your character alone! ^_^
--
The very first anime I had ever watched was Speed Racer and I remember distinctly that I disliked it. The words did not match the mouth movements, and the dialogue was, well, cheesy.
That's what I get for watching an anime at the age of ten without realizing what an anime is/was.
I like watching the original Speed Racer series now. It's still cheesy, but it's also one of the first animes to come to the U.S. and that was in the 1970s. Some of the catch phrases are out of date (I don't know anyone who still says, "Groovy"), but it's still fun to watch.
About Speed Racer: Speed is an eighteen-year-old guy who wants to become a professional race car driver. In the first four episodes (they're two-parters), he's racing against his father's wishes. (Dear old Pops doesn't want his son to become a professional despite the fact he's trained his son to become one and he designs race cars for a living. Go fig.) At the end of the fourth ep, the blessing is given, and Speed embarks on a rather marvelous racing career. Throughout the entire series, he loses maybe two races.
What I dislike about the series: People heal far too quickly for my tastes. Yes, I'm sure there are time lapses in between but you don't get that sense when you're watching them. In one frame, Speed has his arm wrapped in bandages. In the next, he's driving his car, healed. The lack of realism is annoying, but an oversight that can be overlooked. For the most part. Otherwise, it's very enjoyable, especially if you want a good laugh or something stupid to shake your head at.
--
And now . . . because it's the holiday season . . . a holiday movie review. ^_^
Now I love holiday movies. Why, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's because the characters learn what the true spirit is behind Christmas by the end of whatever's playing. I don't know. Anyway, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is one such story.
Now, I'm sure nearly everyone on my f-list has seen the original cartoon episode based off the children's book by Dr. Seuss, and we all know how it goes. The Whos in WhoVille are gearing up to celebrate Christmas and the Grinch who lives on Mount Crumpit doesn't like it. He decides he's going to steal all of the toys and decorations and food to ruin the holiday for them. To do so, he makes himself a Santa Claus suit, ties an antler to his dog's head, gets a sleigh, and goes from house to house, stealing everything. When the dawn comes, the Grinch is absolutely sure he's wrecked everything for the Whos and intends to push the sleigh with everything on it off the top of the mountain. He's about to do so when he hears the Whos singing and figures out Christmas isn't about toys and the packaging. Cut to the end where he takes everything back and joins the Whos in their holiday celebration.
Ron Howard kept that in mind when he directed the live action movie starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, but he also expanded on the story itself. In the movie, the Grinch has his reasons for hating Christmas. He's given a backstory, how he came to WhoVille, and how he does have emotions other than hatred and disgust for the Whos. And Cindy Lou is experiencing some misgivings about the season herself. (Taylor Momsen, who plays Cindy, is adorable in that role, btw.)
If you've never seen this movie, I suggest you do. It is HILARIOUS! It is a film anyone can watch, and definitely has several comedic points. I myself like the outtakes for the movie and some of the deleted scenes. ;) And it is a spin on a favourite Christmas classic. Anthony Hopkins narrates.
--
Favourite colour: Blue
--
When I was around twelve or thirteen years of age, Dole came out with a series of mixed fruit juices. One of them was a pineapple-banana-orange juice, and I gave it a try. I got a little creative with that particular juice. I mixed it with some Sprite and had a drink that had a bit of zest to it. In 1998, the juice with the zest became a punch. Here's what you need to make it.
1 two liter Sprite
1 large container of Dole Pine-Orange-Banana Juice
1 quart of orange or lime sorbet
Mix the Sprite and juice into a large punch bowl. Scoop the sorbet on top and serve.
I finally tried this on my family at Thanksgiving. My younger cousins liked it, and it's healthy, too! (And for those of you who don't like banana juice, Dole does have a pineapple-orange juice that you can use, too!)
--
Least Favourite Colour: Pink
--
"He knows about your apartment, huh?" For some reason, Eiri couldn't find it in him to be surprised by that tiny revelation. Tohma had a very bad habit of knowing just about everything about everyone who had come into his life. The older man also had a nasty habit of being a control freak.
"Yeah . . . He probably followed me or had me followed . . . like you did when you found out about it."
Ah yes. Eiri remembered how he had found out about Shuichi's apartment. It had been the first time Eiri had ever followed anyone somewhere, and he hadn't exactly been discreet when he had tailed behind the vocalist. They'd just had a nasty fight, and Shuichi had fled the place they shared. It had been raining that night, and Eiri had believed the vocalist was going over to his best friend's house. Despite the bitter and angry words lingering between them, he had wanted to make sure Shuichi got to Hiro's safe and sound. He'd been shocked to find Shuichi heading somewhere else, and he'd been jealous, extremely jealous. After Shuichi had gone inside and had headed up, Eiri had entered the building and talked to the man at the lobby desk.
Fortunately for him, Shuichi hadn't noticed him. Shuichi hadn't known he'd been followed until the building supervisor had informed him Eiri had paid him a visit. The novelist was certain the man had said something to Shuichi about Eiri inquiring about him. The man had seemed rather protective of the singer, or at least protective of Shuichi's privacy. Nothing had been said, however, once Shuichi had returned home. In fact, Shuichi's refuge (and Eiri knew that it was. The building supervisor had flat out informed him of as much) had never been mentioned until now.
"It's kind of scary," Shuichi continued. "You and Tohma both know about the place and no one else does . . . It's scary how close you two are to me, and how well you both you understand me . . . He knew. He knew I needed some space, some time to think."
Eiri found Shuichi's amethyst gaze on him.
"Tohma suggested that I go there to think things over."
--
Occupation: full-time Certified Nursing Assistant, part-time fast food restaurant cashier, and full-time wannabe novelist
--
Coming up for the next entry
Chapter Nine of the Science Fiction Project
Book Review: Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Game Review: Dragon Warrior II (Nintendo)
Song Review: Manic Monday by the Bangles
Movie Review: A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott)
Anime Review: Rurouni Kenshin
Black and White -- Reading Between Blurred Lines, Part 5
Manga Review: Immortal Rain
and more random things! ^_^
--
If there was any colour in the myriad of shades and hues that Jo liked the best, it was the colour blue, and it could be in any form of darkness or brightness. To her, it was the colour for tranquility and serenity, a way to relax a troubled mind. Some people found the colour blue to be a depressing colour, but Jo did not. She loved it, and had had her room in her mothers' home decorated in a pleasing shade of pastel blue.
Many pieces of her wardrobe were varying tones of blue. There were also several articles of clothing that were various shades of green and purple, and some black and white garments, but the shades of blue dominated her closet and dressers. Her blond hair had been dyed a light shade of blue to match her eyes, and her hair had been that colour since she had turned sixteen.
Even the cloak Hiroshi Miyamoto had commented on that morning was a deep shade of blue. It was midnight blue, to be precise, and it was similar in colour and texture as the one her grandmother wore nearly all of the time. Both had a cowl, or a hood, and they were made out of velvet with a satin-like lining. The cloaks were quite warm for winter weather, and kept their wearers cool in the summer. They were made out of some kind special material that adapted to the weather, though Jo didn't know exactly what, and the cloaks tended to shimmer when night fell. There were some differences between her cloak and the one her grandmother owned, though. Jo's cloak had a glimmering, light violet embroidery along the outer edges of the main body whereas her grandmother's cloak had a silver embroidery along the main body and the cowl. They were gorgeous to gaze upon, and Jo considered herself lucky to even own one. She just didn't wear hers everywhere like her grandmother liked to do.
"That is one beautiful cloak," Mel murmured as Jo slipped out of the velvet-like garment. The two of them were meeting together for their usual study session in between their classes. Jo needed help her with biology course work, and she needed a lot of it. Her teacher, one Professor Douglas Smith, never explained the material sufficiently for Jo's liking, and it left Jo struggling in what was considered an easy subject, one that anyone could pass without even trying. Mel was a biology major at the university, one of the top students in her department, and she'd been the first, and only, person Jo had asked to help her. The older girl had readily agreed.
Of course, Mel had also been struggling with her English course work. Somehow, she'd managed to avoid taking the required composition classes she needed for graduation, but Mel couldn't keep from taking them any longer. If she wanted to advance in her biological studies, she needed to finish her general education requirements. When Jo had asked for assistance with her biology work, Mel had asked Jo for assistance with the composition classes, and Jo thought it to be only fair for her to return the favour. They were friends, after all, and friends helped each other out whenever they possibly could. Days and times had been set after schedules had been looked at and fussed over, and the two had since flourished under each other's tutelage. As a result, they looked forward to their study sessions on Monday afternoons, Wednesday mornings before they went to class, and Thursday evenings, and they made sure they had food and drinks to keep them going. (Science Fiction Project meetings were held every Wednesday when classes were over.)
"Thanks," Jo replied, smiling at her friend's comment. She folded the article of clothing neatly then placed it in her book bag. Her biology books, study guide, and notebook were pulled out in the process and placed on the table next to her food tray. A little trial and error had taught them they worked better when they ate as they studied.
"You're welcome. I can't believe you have one. Where did you get it? Fantasy Fashions in Philadelphia? If you did, I'm going to be so jealous of you. That's like one of the absolute best places to go to buy fantasy and Renaissance clothing!"
At Mel's inquiry, Jo had to laugh. It seemed like everyone who had seen her cloak throughout the day had become enamoured with the midnight blue shaded garment, and all who had commented on it wanted to know where she had bought it. Fantasy Fashions was always the top guess.
"No," she answered. "My grandma gave it to me for Christmas when I was sixteen. She has one almost exactly like this one, and I've always admired it. When I got it, I was going through my 'I want to be a wizard when I grow up' phase. I just don't wear it a lot like my grandma wears her. For me, it's a mood thing."
"Oh." Mel nodded her head in a knowing manner -- she had clothes she wore when the right mood struck her as well -- then placed her English books, her study guide, and her notebook on the table as well. They gave each other a brief rundown of the day's assignments starting off with what they had to read. Then came the assigned problems and exercises. They each asked the other what needed to be done, and they explained to each other the best way to carry out the right process for the work. Finally, once everything had been taken care of properly, she and Mel beecame engrossed in their homework, occasionally taking a quick drink of soda or juice, or a bite of food.
As Jo read over the biology material and answered the necessary questions, her mind wandered to the questions she had for her friends and their project, the questions regarding why exactly the Science Fiction Project wanted and needed someone like Jo. She knew Mel would answer her with all honesty. Mel was rather incapable of lying. Aimee and Madison would also answer her in the most honest fashion as aell, but there was the matter of timing to consider. Jo knew she couldn't ask Mel in a point blank manner while she and Mel were studying. On Mondays, they always studied in one of the busiest places on the university campus, the food court. She also couldn't ask on a piece of paper, either. There were too many prying eyes, and the university enforced a strict anti-spyware polcity. Students could only use anti-spyware devices in conference rooms and in the residence halls where they lived. They were private places and using anti-spyware in such rooms ensured no one cheated off of another person's hard work. Anyone caught violating campus policy regarding anti-spyware, though, was subjected to immediate expulsion and a bad recommendation to any future learning facility. It was a strange set up, a bit inconvenient at times, but no one dared to break that particular rule.
'And my questions can wait until the next time we end up getting together,' Jo reasoned. 'They did say they'd give me the time I needed to think about it and come to a decision. I'm sure they'll understand my concerns.'
"Is this seat taken?" a familiar and melodious voice asked. Jo felt her heart a beat at hearing Hiroshi Miyamoto's lovely and musical vocals again so soon, though she couldn't explain why she felt that way, and she immediately looked up at him. He stood next to their table, a tray of food in his hands, a book bag crammed with books slung over his shoulder, and that warm, friendly smile on his face. Jo shook her head quickly, grinning.
"No. No, it isn't. Please. Have a seat. You're more than welcome to join us."
From the corner of her eye, Jo saw Mel give her a questioning look. She could only smile and give a slight shrug in response.
"Thank you," he murmured, his smile becoming a little brighter. "The rest of the tables are filled. I was afraid I'd have to stand up to eat."
"It isn't a problem. Hiroshi Miyamoto, I'd like for you to meet one of my best friends," Jo said as he sat down. She gestured to Mel, and his gaze followed her movement. "This is Mel. Mel, I'd like you to meet Hiroshi Miyamoto. We met this morning when I was on my way to my first class. He's a science fiction enthusiast, just like we are."
"Really?" Mel's eyes lit up. Or perhaps they'd already been lit. Jo couldn't say for certain. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miyamoto-san."
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," he replied, still smiling. "And you do not have to stand on formalities with me. Hiro or Hiroshi will do just fine."
"Okay . . . Hiroshi." Mel let out an embarrassed laugh. Jo merely smiled at their interaction. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had been charmed by Hiroshi's friendly personality and charming mannerisms.
"So, what are you two studying for?" Hiroshi inquired, picking up one of his sandwiches to eat. His violet eyes sparkled bright with curiosity and friendliness.
"English," Mel replied with a slight groan. "It's a composition course, and we have to do a lot of research. I find the whole subject to be totally boring! If Jo wasn't helping me get through this class, I swear I'd have died from boredom by now."
"She exaggerates," Jo murmured, chuckling a little, "but not by much, really. The teacher is somewhat borning, unlike my biology teacher. That man is just plain inept to me."
"So you're studying for a biology class?" Hiroshi asked before biting down on his sandwich.
"Yeah," she answered. "Mel happens to be a biology major so I asked her to help me get through this class. I can't wait for next semester. I'm taking astronomy then."
"That was very nice of you, Mel," Hiroshi stated. His gaze landed on Jo. "I know Mel's course of study. What about you? What are you studying here at the university? If you don't me asking, that is."
"Not at all," Jo answered, smiling. "I'm studying English with an option in creative writing and literature. I wanted to be more of a mythology major, but the program here is weak at best. What about you? What are you studying to become?"
"Bio-engineering," Hiroshi replied, making a slight face of disgust. "I love the subject a lot, but my professors for the classes are very stuffy about what they want to lecture us on. They only want to discuss practical solutions in which bio-engineers can use. They don't believe in being creative and trying new ideas. It's stifling, really. They don't seem to understand that the world needs more from bio-engineers than just the practical uses. It's aggravating to say the very least."
"What do you mean by new ideas?" Jo inquired. She had hung on to every word he had said, his soft voice had been that captivating and spell-binding. He flashed her a bit of a lopsided grin.
"I'm not sure, really," he confessed. "It's just this feeling that I have. I know I want to try something different, something the no one has thought to do before. My one professor has told me, and my entire class, that there isn't anyone out there who would back that kind of research, at least, not willingly, but I know for a fact that she's wrong. There are some people out there who would give me the money I'd require to run my experiments. I just haven't told her yet because I know she'd scoff at me. She's rather rude that way."
"Oh? Whos is that?"
"My professor?" Hiroshi asked, frowning a little.
"No," Jo said, shaking her head some. "The people who would help you to fund your research. You said you knew of some that would."
"Oh." He laughed a little, the tone sounding slightly embarrassed. "I did, didn't I?"
"Yeah . . . who are they?"
"Torie Cronkhite and Ryan O'Connell," Hiroshi replied. "Who else?"
--
"Watch out for Pierre. He's something of a horndog. He likes to flirt. And if you complain about the attention he gives to the girls, he flirts with you." -- Robert Johnson
Yeah . . . I have some interesting characters coming to me. ;)
--
Dragons of Winter Night is the second book in the Chronicles trilogy, and it picks up where Dragons of Autumn Twilight left off. The Companions, with an addition of two more elves, a human, and a bumbling wizard, are still traveling together, and have reached the mountain where a good portion of the Dwarves live (I forget its name). The Dwarves have found the fabled forge hammer that helped to create the infamous Dragonlances, and Sturm Brightblade, the Knight of Solamnia in the group, isn't happy. The hammer, in a way is useless, without the original wielder and the dwarves are denying everyone the use of it, despite the re-appearance of dragons on Krynn.
After the celebration at the mountain is over, the Companions continue on their way across Ansalon to find answers. At some point, they're separated and continuing to fight their way to the truth or at least to some answers.
It's in this book that one of the Companions dies, adding to the bitter truth that is war. Sturm Brightblade dies fighting the Dragon Highlord, Kitiara Uth Matar, while he is defending the legendary keep of the Knights. It's with his death that things turn around for the Knights of Solamnia. (At this point, the Knights of Solamnia are despised by the people of Ansalon. The Knights had been unable to prevent the tragic event known as the Cataclysm. More on the Cataclysm in another book.)
This event happens towards the end of the book, as most sad events seem to do in science fiction and fantasy novels, and will set the pace for the final book in the trilogy, Dragons of Spring Dawning. (Next book review)
There is one good thing about reading books that are extensions of each other. The second book in a trilogy is not a sequel nor is the third book. The stories contained in each are merely continuations of the previous story, and it isn't a disappointment (usually) to read the second and third books. Usually.
If you couldn't tell, I liked this book, too. ;)
--
Now for the music . . .
I love listening to songs that made me feel good when I was a kid. Make Me Lose Control was one such song.
Now I like a great variety of music. Rock, pop, oldies, country, JPop and JRock . . . I'll listen to just about anything, but there's always something special about the songs we listen to as children.
I believe I heard Make Me Lose Control after Eric Carmen had recorded Hungry Eyes for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. The song itself has a rather nice melody to it, a combination of a gentle bass sound mixed with some keyboards, and I love how the backing singers sound something like an acapella band. (At some point, the music stops and all you can hear are the vocals coming from Carmen and the backing singers.)
In a nutshell, I love the song. :)
Turn the radio up, for that sweet sound. Hold me close, never let me go. Fever's high ---- (I can't make out the words for this part). Keep the spirit alive, make me lose control . . .
---------------
At some point during the night, it had snowed. It wasn't a few flakes here and there when Tohma had awoken in the morning, either. The snow had not only covered the ground, but had buried nearly everything under at least six inches of the white, powdery-like substance, he had noted with mild annoyance as he gazed out the window of his room of the Belvedere Hotel. Tree branches were laden with the stuff, and the roads and sidewalks were undoubtedly slick with slush and ice. Flights, both incoming and outgoing, would be delayed.
His flight to Tokyo possibly being delayed was what truly irritated Tohma the most. He had come to New York on business. Tohma felt he had not had much of a choice in the matter. His American offices had slowed in their production quota, and he had wanted to find out why. As a result, Tohma had called several meetings with his American staff for as soon as possible then booked himself on the first available flight to New York. He'd gotten lucky with the Belvedere Hotel when he'd called about staying with them. They'd had a last minute cancellation that had enabled him to get a room at the last possible moment and for the duration he felt he needed to be in the city.
He'd had to leave without Shuichi, however, and it had pained Tohma to leave the younger man behind. Their relationship had started to flourish, to truly flourish, and it was going to be their first holiday together. Tohma had wanted to spend his off-hours with the vocalist before the holiday madness began.
It had made sense for Shuichi to stay in Japan, though. Bad Luck had begun recording its new album under a renewed, and improved, contract under NG Productions. From a business perspective, it was foolhardy to delay the process by taking the band's singer with him on a whim and a personal whim at that.
There was also Reiji from XMR to consider as well when he'd made the plans to return to New York and without Shuichi. The young girl still held a flame for Shuichi, and had not been pleased when the vocalist had opted, once more, to stay with NG. Tohma wouldn't have put it by her to try and steal the singer away in whatever manner she could. For all he knew, the reason why his American offices had been suffering for business could have been because of XMR.
His hunch had not been too far from the mark. The moment he'd stepped into his American offices and into the meetings with his executives, he'd heard varying tales of the same thing: XMR was stealing talent left and right from NG Productions. His personnel had been almost powerless to stop most of the artists from leaving. XMR was simply offering a sweeter deal than what NG could offer the musicians. It was aggravating to learn, but Tohma took comfort in the knowledge there was always more talent out there, waiting to be discovered. It was also very easy to reword contracts as well, and very possible to make it difficult for any band to break a newly formed deal.
The meetings also had not taken up too much of his time, and he'd decided he could have probably taken care of the problem from the Tokyo office. At least then he'd have been able to stay close to Shuichi and wake up every morning to the vocalist's peaceful, slumbering visage while it snowed outside. Having the younger man next to him in the mornings warmed him like nothing else could. However, he'd decided to travel to New York to remedy the situation. It was December, close to Christmas, and he had counted on being able to do a little shopping for family and friends when he wasn't in his meetings. The shopping had been completed, the meetings were over with quickly, and the problem NG faced in America dissuaded for a short time. Tohma had wanted to go home, back to Tokyo and back to Shuichi, so he had arranged for a sooner flight.
A flight that had possibly been delayed now, or even cancelled, thanks to the weather. Tohma let out a sigh then turned on the hotel room's television. Though one could see what the weather was like just by looking outside, it wouldn't hurt to find out what exactly had been delayed and cancelled. It was best to find out bad news right way, in his opinion. He dressed himself in a dark green, silk shirt and black slacks as he listened. To his great displeasure, his flight to Tokyo had not only been delayed, as he'd suspected it would have been, but it had been delayed indefinitely. More bad weather was on the way, according to one of the news anchors, and the airlines weren't taking any chances. All outgoing flights had been grounded while all incoming flights had been redirected.
'So much for going home,' he sighed to himself, feeling rather melancholic about the situation and little out of control. Granted, the weather was something he'd never be able to have obey him, but he still hated the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm him. They made him feel inadequate, and undeserving of the few precious things he had in his life. Tohma ignored the laptop sitting next to the phone on the desk, his feet slipping into socks and shoes he didn't really need to wear. He'd brought the portable computer with him so he could keep in contact with Sakano and Shuichi, to make sure things in Tokyo were running smoothly and to find out how Shuichi's days were without Tohma there, but he couldn't even look at the device, not when he'd have to tell them he wouldn't be home for the holiday. It was depressing, though he would never let it show.
A knock on the door brought Tohma out of his saddened musings, a light frown touching his features then shook his head. He had not ordered room service, rarely ever ordered room service for breakfast, often preferring to grab a pastry from the continental breakfast bar or from a local bakery when he stayed in a hotel, so he knew who was not knocking on his door. Since it couldn't have been room service, it left only one person to disturb him this early, as NG's American staff knew better than to bother him before he reached the office. Reiji. She was doing her best to try and irritate him for some reason.
He schooled his features as he walked towards the door. Yes, Reiji had been trying her best to get a rise out of Tohma, going as far as to knock on his hotel door nearly every morning and talking about how she would eventually tear Shuichi away from NG Productions, but she had yet to succeed. Her boastful words were simply just those: boastful words. Shuichi had made his decisions on how he would run his life, and Tohma had accepted those decisions, had even been supportive of his lover. Reiji had not understood so she had done her best to aggravate Tohma while he was in the States. He, however, would remain as inflappable as ever when dealing with her. After all, he'd managed with Ryuichi. Conversing with a young girl determined to annoy him was hardly any different, in Tohma's opinion.
Bright smile in place, the one he always used to charm people, Tohma opened the door to greet the knocker . . . and ended up with an armful of a shivering body covered in a heavy winter coat. A lithe form had launched itself at him and latched on in an attempted vice grip, something Tohma's surprise had prevented him from avoiding. The heavy coat prevented his assailant's hugging attack from being too tight. Fortunately, Shuichi's light stature wasn't enough to knock Tohma onto the floor. At least, Tohma thought it was Shuichi when he knew it wasn't Shuichi. The vocalist was still in Tokyo. There was no way Shuichi's form had arrived in New York.
"You're here! I didn't think you would be! I was certain you'd have left for the office by now!" a familiar voice declared, the sound muffled thanks to Tohma's shirt. Tohma blinked in surprise when he shouldn't have been. His body's instincts had been confirmed. Shuichi was in his arms.
"Shuichi?"
Amethyst eyes gazed up at him, sparkling with happiness, and the brightest of smiles crossed youthful features. Tohma felt his annoyance at the weather quickly dissipating though he couldn't help but wonder why the vocalist was in New York instead of Tokyo.
"Yeah," Shuichi murmured, snuggling closer. "My flight came in late last night before they started directing planes to go somewhere else. I was stuck at the airport with K until the weather cleared. No one wanted to be outside last night otherwise I'd have been here sooner. I'm glad I chose warm clothing to wear, though. K wasn't kidding when he said New York could get dumped with a lot of snow every now and then! It's cold out there!"
"I can imagine it is," he said, feeling a slight chill seeping into his own clothes from the vocalist's winter coat. He quickly pulled Shuichi further into the room and grabbed the younger man's suitcases so the door could close. "Not that I'm displeased to see you, but why aren't you in Tokyo?"
"I wanted to surprise you! And K and Sakano-san decided to give everyone some extra time off for Christmas," Shuichi replied cheerfully. "I think it's because Sakano-san wanted to spend some more time with Maiko. It's their first Christmas together, after all, and K wanted to spend some time with his family as well. I think Eiri and Hiro are still trying to sort some things out between them, though. They may have had a fight or something. Hiro looked rather relieved when we were given the extra time off. I don't know for certain what's going on with him, though. I think he's still mad at me for not telling him about you sooner. Anyway, Suguru went to Kyoto to see Tatsuha, Sakano-san and my sister were going to drive to Osaka to be with his parents, and K came with me to New York since his wife and son are staying here for the holidays."
The beginnings of a smile, a true smile, tugged on the corners of Tohma's lips. There was something always reassuring about hearing Shuichi talk and his flowing, random nature as he spoke. Perhaps it was the vocalist's inability to tell a convincing lie, or perhaps it was the easy-going nature in which Shuichi spoke. It really didn't matter, though. When he heard his young lover talking, his worries vanished for a while and all Tohma had to think about was Shuichi.
Tohma also loved how Shuichi felt in his arms. The vocalist stood a few inches shorter than he did, which made it easy for the two of them to curl up together when the mood struck and not have aching muscles to deal with later.
Unfortunately, his young lover didn't stay in his arms for very long. Shuichi reluctantly pulled away from him and began to take off his winter coat. Tohma watched as the singer stripped out of his winter gear.
"It's so pretty out there, though," Shuichi said. "I love it when it snows. It always makes the air feel so clean. At least, I think it does, anyway."
"Would you like to go for a walk then?" Tohma inquired, his tone light and airy. "We could head towards Fifth Avenue and simply enjoy the weather."
A year ago, Tohma would have never made such a suggestion to anyone, not even to Mika. Why, he hadn't been able to sufficiently explain to himself. There had been a time he'd been something akin to a hopeless romantic, and a walk through the snow, or any other kind of weather for that matter, had sounded charming and quaint. Perhaps it had been due to the lack of enthusiasm from his former wife that had killed the desire in him. Mika had been a pragmatic soul, and undoubtedly still was. Taking walks through the snow or rain, according to her, was a good way to catch a chill, and no one wanted that.
Shuichi was not Mika, though, and Tohma had not failed to notice how much the younger man enjoyed outdoor activities. Rain or sunshine, Shuichi would head out the door to do something, anything, the first opportunity that came his way. The singer knew how to enjoy the simpler things in life, and he did his best to make sure Tohma stopped to enjoy them as well. Tohma's suggestion for them to go for a walk was sure to please the vocalist.
Sure enough, the moment the words left Tohma's lips Shuichi's eyes widened, and happiness shone in those amethyst depths. The singer nodded his head vigourously.
"Yeah! Of course I would!" Then Shuichi seemed to deflate, as if he realized something. "It would have to wait, though, wouldn't it? You have all of those meetings . . ."
A soft chuckle escaped Tohma, and he pulled his lover to him. Slender arms slowly wrapped themselves about Tohma's waist, and dark locks of silky hair tickled his chin. It was only natural for Shuichi to believe the meetings were still taking place. Tohma had not told anyone they had ended quickly or that he'd been ready to head for home. He smiled, nuzzling his young lover.
"No. It would not have to wait," he murmured, inhaling some and taking in Shuichi's scent. "I have no meetings today or for the rest of the week."
"Really?"
"Really," Tohma assured. "Everything's taken care of for the moment. So what do you say? Would you like to go for a walk in the snow?"
Amethyst eyes lit up bright, brighter than what Tohma could have ever imagined, and that smile, that oh so beautiful smile, returned. Shuichi nodded his head once more.
"You bet I do!"
--
Around an hour later (Tohma had insisted Shuichi take a shower and wake himself up some), the two men were in the lobby of the Belvedere Hotel and heading for the main entrance. Their hands had met, and their fingers had intertwined, in spite of the fact they were both wearing gloves, but Shuichi hadn't seemed to mind. If anything, the younger man's smile had grown wider and brighter, and Tohma noticed the slight bounce in his lover's steps. Shuichi was quite obviously happy to be there, happy to be holding hands with him, and happy to be going out. Something about that kind of knowledge made Tohma feel warm all over and not in a sexual way.
Of course, he had more than just the walk in mind for he and Shuichi. There were a number of coffee shops along the way and some bakeries as well. They could always stop along the way and pick up some treats for later in the evening. Tohma also wanted to buy a blanket for the two of them to share. Sure, they had the blankets provided to them by the hotel, but he had already made it a habit for them to snuggle under something that belonged to them. The thought of using something someone else had already slept under with Shuichi was rather unappealing to Tohma, and the thought also made him feel rather unclean, like everything they would share would be forever tainted. Tohma couldn't stand that thought. He'd never tell Shuichi he felt that way, but then he felt it hardly mattered. The singer was rather amicable to some of Tohma's strange tendencies, never questioning little things but always accepting. It never ceased to amaze Tohma.
The door of the lobby slid open, allowing the two to step into the cool, crisp morning air. Tohma paused for a moment then inhaled deeply. New York was a bustling city. It wouldn't be long before people ventured outside, either for play or to head to work, and Tohma wanted to enjoy as much of the peacefulness with Shuichi as he could.
At a rather sedate pace, Tohma led Shuichi around the streets of New York. The snow crunched underneath their feet as they walked, and the wet substance clung to the bottoms of their pants, soaking them. Soon their cheeks and noses were red from the chill, and Tohma's fingers ached from lack of activity to keep them warm. He wouldn't head back to the hotel just yet, though. He was on a mission, and nothing would deter him from accomplishing his goals, not even Mother Nature herself.
From the corner of his eye, Tohma watched as his young lover took in as much of the city as he could, from the street vendors and busy shops to the Christmas decorations and tempting aromas coming from the bakeries they passed. The vocalist's eyes sparkled from the excitement that surrounded him. They had even come across a vocal group on a street corner, dressed in old fashioned dresses and suits and singing Christmas carols, and Shuichi had stopped for a few moments, listening.
As they walked together, their fingers still intertwined, Tohma often stole a glance at the young man next to him, and couldn't help but smile. Violet eyes glimmered with excitement at each sight, an excitement that had spread to Tohma the further their feet carried them from the hotel. He could only imagine how everything had to appear to the lithe singer, how similar yet different the sights of New York City were compared to Tokyo, and all of the sights had to be overwhelming.
Tohma gave Shuichi's hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked along, not even sure as to why he did. The gesture prompted his young lover to glance in curiosity at him, but Tohma merely smiled at Shuichi and pulled him a little closer. He had no real reason as to why he had done such a thing, other than he simply had wanted to have the younger man closer to him. Tohma wanted to feel him there, despite the fact their hands were clasped together.
It was undescribable, what it felt like to have Shuichi next to him as they walked along New York's city streets. Tohma wasn't even sure he wanted to explain how he felt to have Shuichi with him. To put everything into words would be to detract from the sensations that flooded his senses as they walked along. Another glance at Shuichi, and Tohma decided he didn't need words. Things were fine simply the way they were. Tohma coudn't have asked for a better moment in time. Or so he had thought.
--
Night blanketed the city of New York as did another several inches of snow. Their walk to Fifth Avenue had been cut short, thanks to another bout of fluries, but not until after Tohma had made his desired purchases. They'd made it back to the Belvedere Hotel, purchases in hand, just as the winds had picked up and made it impossible for anyone to see more than a few feet ahead in any direction.
Of course, Tohma wasn't going to complain about the walk having ended sooner than he'd have liked. Shuichi was with him, the two of them curled under a large, dark blue fleece blanket with white snowflakes adorning it that had caught both of their attentions and that they both had agreed was just right. Upon returning to the hotel, they had immediately stripped out of their winter gear and wet clothing, promptly snuggling with each other on top of the room's bed. Two empty cups sat on the nightstand, and Shuichi rested against him, bare flesh warming bare flesh.
Tohma couldn't have thought of a better way to have ended his day. It was simply . . . perfect.
--------------
Once upon a time, we had a Nintendo. On this Nintendo, we played games. The Nintendo is with my brother in Mount Pleasant.
My brother and stepbrother liked to play a variety of games. Me, however, I was selective. The very first role-playing game I had ever played was Dragon Warrior (known in Japan as Dragon Quest), and it was rather simple to play. Time-consuming, as I had to earn my levels. The higher the level, the better for defeating enemies that could otherwise kill my character. And I could name my character whatever I wanted. (My best friend and I were snarky one day. We named the hero of the game A slut, mostly because there was this guy that you talked to who healed you and filled your magic back up. Every time you spoke to him, he'd say, "(insert character's name) coming was foretold by tale. May the light shine upon this brave warrior" or something to that effect.)
The gist of the game: The hero is the descendant of a hero named Erdrick. Erdrick had saved the kingdom at some point from the forces of evil, and his name is mentioned throughout the game, depending on who you talk to, and you pretty much need to talk to everyone. You don't know who has important clues for you so it's best if you don't take any chances.
In many ways, the hero of the game is quite limited. He has no traveling partners to help him out so healing and curing poisoned states is something the player needs to watch. Magic and hit points also need to be watched as well, and the return spell takes you back to the palace.
Oh, and for many gamers now (the ones whose roots are the PlayStation), the graphics would now come off as cheesy. But it's at the beginning, when gaming systems were starting to become popular once more, and you could save your progress on the game cartridge. The challenge in playing the game is still there. You simply can't fight any enemy at the beginning levels. You have to fight to earn more strength, more hit points, and more magic. You have to fight to learn your spells with each new level. And it is entirely possible to reach the maximum level. I know. I've reached the top level a few times with this game, but just because you reach the maximum level doesn't mean the player should become overconfident. The final boss can and will kick the hero's ass if the player isn't careful.
At some point, the princess of the king you're hired by is kidnapped by the Dragon Lord. (I believe that's what he's called.) You have to rescue her. Gotta love the damsel in distress aspect of this game. LOL
A note on role-playing games: I think they're among the best games a person could play. Because the player has to earn the levels to be able to continue, it teaches one to be patient. Or it should. I know I've gotten a bit impatient with some of the games I've played but that's also when I know it's time to quit and do something else. ;)
If you can get your hands on an old Nintendo system and this game, PLAY IT! You can have fun just in naming your character alone! ^_^
--
The very first anime I had ever watched was Speed Racer and I remember distinctly that I disliked it. The words did not match the mouth movements, and the dialogue was, well, cheesy.
That's what I get for watching an anime at the age of ten without realizing what an anime is/was.
I like watching the original Speed Racer series now. It's still cheesy, but it's also one of the first animes to come to the U.S. and that was in the 1970s. Some of the catch phrases are out of date (I don't know anyone who still says, "Groovy"), but it's still fun to watch.
About Speed Racer: Speed is an eighteen-year-old guy who wants to become a professional race car driver. In the first four episodes (they're two-parters), he's racing against his father's wishes. (Dear old Pops doesn't want his son to become a professional despite the fact he's trained his son to become one and he designs race cars for a living. Go fig.) At the end of the fourth ep, the blessing is given, and Speed embarks on a rather marvelous racing career. Throughout the entire series, he loses maybe two races.
What I dislike about the series: People heal far too quickly for my tastes. Yes, I'm sure there are time lapses in between but you don't get that sense when you're watching them. In one frame, Speed has his arm wrapped in bandages. In the next, he's driving his car, healed. The lack of realism is annoying, but an oversight that can be overlooked. For the most part. Otherwise, it's very enjoyable, especially if you want a good laugh or something stupid to shake your head at.
--
And now . . . because it's the holiday season . . . a holiday movie review. ^_^
Now I love holiday movies. Why, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's because the characters learn what the true spirit is behind Christmas by the end of whatever's playing. I don't know. Anyway, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is one such story.
Now, I'm sure nearly everyone on my f-list has seen the original cartoon episode based off the children's book by Dr. Seuss, and we all know how it goes. The Whos in WhoVille are gearing up to celebrate Christmas and the Grinch who lives on Mount Crumpit doesn't like it. He decides he's going to steal all of the toys and decorations and food to ruin the holiday for them. To do so, he makes himself a Santa Claus suit, ties an antler to his dog's head, gets a sleigh, and goes from house to house, stealing everything. When the dawn comes, the Grinch is absolutely sure he's wrecked everything for the Whos and intends to push the sleigh with everything on it off the top of the mountain. He's about to do so when he hears the Whos singing and figures out Christmas isn't about toys and the packaging. Cut to the end where he takes everything back and joins the Whos in their holiday celebration.
Ron Howard kept that in mind when he directed the live action movie starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, but he also expanded on the story itself. In the movie, the Grinch has his reasons for hating Christmas. He's given a backstory, how he came to WhoVille, and how he does have emotions other than hatred and disgust for the Whos. And Cindy Lou is experiencing some misgivings about the season herself. (Taylor Momsen, who plays Cindy, is adorable in that role, btw.)
If you've never seen this movie, I suggest you do. It is HILARIOUS! It is a film anyone can watch, and definitely has several comedic points. I myself like the outtakes for the movie and some of the deleted scenes. ;) And it is a spin on a favourite Christmas classic. Anthony Hopkins narrates.
--
Favourite colour: Blue
--
When I was around twelve or thirteen years of age, Dole came out with a series of mixed fruit juices. One of them was a pineapple-banana-orange juice, and I gave it a try. I got a little creative with that particular juice. I mixed it with some Sprite and had a drink that had a bit of zest to it. In 1998, the juice with the zest became a punch. Here's what you need to make it.
1 two liter Sprite
1 large container of Dole Pine-Orange-Banana Juice
1 quart of orange or lime sorbet
Mix the Sprite and juice into a large punch bowl. Scoop the sorbet on top and serve.
I finally tried this on my family at Thanksgiving. My younger cousins liked it, and it's healthy, too! (And for those of you who don't like banana juice, Dole does have a pineapple-orange juice that you can use, too!)
--
Least Favourite Colour: Pink
--
"He knows about your apartment, huh?" For some reason, Eiri couldn't find it in him to be surprised by that tiny revelation. Tohma had a very bad habit of knowing just about everything about everyone who had come into his life. The older man also had a nasty habit of being a control freak.
"Yeah . . . He probably followed me or had me followed . . . like you did when you found out about it."
Ah yes. Eiri remembered how he had found out about Shuichi's apartment. It had been the first time Eiri had ever followed anyone somewhere, and he hadn't exactly been discreet when he had tailed behind the vocalist. They'd just had a nasty fight, and Shuichi had fled the place they shared. It had been raining that night, and Eiri had believed the vocalist was going over to his best friend's house. Despite the bitter and angry words lingering between them, he had wanted to make sure Shuichi got to Hiro's safe and sound. He'd been shocked to find Shuichi heading somewhere else, and he'd been jealous, extremely jealous. After Shuichi had gone inside and had headed up, Eiri had entered the building and talked to the man at the lobby desk.
Fortunately for him, Shuichi hadn't noticed him. Shuichi hadn't known he'd been followed until the building supervisor had informed him Eiri had paid him a visit. The novelist was certain the man had said something to Shuichi about Eiri inquiring about him. The man had seemed rather protective of the singer, or at least protective of Shuichi's privacy. Nothing had been said, however, once Shuichi had returned home. In fact, Shuichi's refuge (and Eiri knew that it was. The building supervisor had flat out informed him of as much) had never been mentioned until now.
"It's kind of scary," Shuichi continued. "You and Tohma both know about the place and no one else does . . . It's scary how close you two are to me, and how well you both you understand me . . . He knew. He knew I needed some space, some time to think."
Eiri found Shuichi's amethyst gaze on him.
"Tohma suggested that I go there to think things over."
--
Occupation: full-time Certified Nursing Assistant, part-time fast food restaurant cashier, and full-time wannabe novelist
--
Coming up for the next entry
Chapter Nine of the Science Fiction Project
Book Review: Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Game Review: Dragon Warrior II (Nintendo)
Song Review: Manic Monday by the Bangles
Movie Review: A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott)
Anime Review: Rurouni Kenshin
Black and White -- Reading Between Blurred Lines, Part 5
Manga Review: Immortal Rain
and more random things! ^_^