「黑風影」

Although I have been very active on batoto in recent years, for the 3 years that I have been actively part of the batoto community, I want to say thank you Grumpy. Thank you for your tireless labour of love, whenever there has been an attack on the site, whenever it is down, making improvements on the site for an enjoyable experience. Batoto has been my first forum experiences and I was glad to be apart of the family. Thank you again Grumpy! Enjoy that vacation and restful sleep that is well earned and may you go to greater horizons!

“Ahhh, so it’s still here”

When all you can hear is rain and all you feel is the coldness deep down, this place was the haven for the people that has no where else to turn to. Looking above the neon sign flickering read: The Bar.
Peering into those antique frame windows were the stillness of barren furniture and layers of dust in place of memories.  The noticed sign posted on the shut door remains barely legible” Closed until further noticed”, yet upon touch, traces of warmth lingers behind these wooden doors.

Stepping into back alley heading towards the hidden entrance.
Hesitating to slip into darkness once more,
brightening the room with every step as if it welcomes the presence of the guest.
However, the feeling of emptiness remains as the figure that stood behind the counters was no where to be found. Even so, without looking, without words, two pairs of class and a bottle of secretly stash wine are taken from the shelves like clockwork breathing in life into a place that stopped. As per usual, dropping the drinks and glass on the counter and moving into the familiar seat at the counters. Pouring the drink into the glass for two, the blindfolded person sat in thought waiting.

Time has past, accompanying the person was the sound of the endless rain and the glow of the outside light seeping through the windows.

“………”

Memories of a gentle soul was waiting there, patiently waiting for the stories you would tell her. As if to answer her expectation, the blindfolded person began break the silence that filled the room.

“Hey… you are there, right? Anni?”

Silence answered. Accepting the silence, the person continued to speak into thin air.

 
“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Do you remember when you first open the bar? It was grand wasn’t it? Serving drinks and tasty food, enjoying music, listening to people banter, sometimes happy and sometimes sad. Some people came but didn’t have courage to speak, others made a ruckus and a mess making it hard for servers to clean. I was one of the many that came by here. We were all so excited when this bar reached 100 and we were thinking to carry on the legacy that created to 1000, hoping you would drop by again. You promised you would bring cake but that 1000 never came…it was too late.”

The person took a sip of his wine, disappointedly, it was the taste of bitter sweet sorrow that left in person mouth. Swirling the glass of wine, the person continued.

“I remember walking in for the first time just ordering strawberry sundae just for kicks. Who orders that in a bar right? But your bar managed to do just that. Without knowing many people, to coming out with a bunch of friends.. Honestly, I had many good times in this place, even when my mood was foul, you always manage to make me feel warm.  Always super excitedly welcoming your customers and friends alike. Always scolded me for eating lolis or staring at cute maids and praising me for my doodles and poems… Heck you would even join for drinks on duty. I had fun talking about how you were going to drift the streets while I stand on top of the car or join xinhope’s concert…”

Musing at his own words and the fondness of his memories, he chuckles a bit.

“After a couple of PM we became good friends and talked outside on skype. Hanging out for hours and hours on call whether it was with iccy and a couple of the gang or just with me. I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed our time together right?”

Gesturing for a toast, clinking the untouched glass sitting on the counter, taking in another sip of memories.

“I got to know you even better from those calls. Being able to listen to your bright laughter or talks about pretty much anything from anime, manga, dramas to eating your BF every morning. You man eater.”

A smile spread across the person’s face whose lost in thought,

“Shamelessly enjoying talks about love or teasing others was one of the many fun traits of yours that I won’t forget. But that wasn’t all to you, you were always watching out for us, checking in on us, worrying about us in the background. You care for us shows in your action and expression.”

Tracing the wooden countertop, the blindfolded figure paused. Putting down his glass for a moment in search for words to continue. Pursing his lips unable to swallow the grief that swelled in his chest. When the lips finally opened, letting out a deep sigh. His voice trembling holding back emotions that will escape at any moment. He continued.

“Even in your toughest moments, even if your grief of loss, even when faced with despair, even when corned in pain, you’ve bravely continue to live on, smiling, being considerate of us. I had always admired you for it. How strong you were despite all that has happened, you were constantly thankful and never gave up your fight.”

The sound of the rain covered the droplets that began spill forth from his eyes.

“I thought you were going to make it. I truly thought that you could’ve overcame anything after your first trial and you would get better. We were talking to you just a few months ago. It was naïve of me to think that you would be alright.”

Frustration sets in realising his own powerlessness towards the past. Combing out his bangs he tried to calm his breathing. Taking another gulp of the drink in front of him. He continued is confession.

“So when the news came pouring in… I was shocked. I filled with thoughts of what could’ve been. Denying after grieving… your face surfacing on my mind… recalling that voice of yours… It feels like the world as gotten a little darker today losing such a special person. You probably didn’t want to see me like this, wanted to me to remember you with a smile and continue living. “

With a complicated smile, he asks the silent smiling figure from his memories,    

“Anni, if the world is really just made of electrostatic signals from atoms, would you be able to hear me from here?”

A desperate plea for higher power to his wish to be granted, uncertainty pushed away by belief. But deep down, it may be a selfish act to please his own ego. Regardless, his words pressed on echoing into the empty bar.

“If you can here me… if my words do transmit. Thanks, Anni for being in my life, thanks for being this squishy’s friend. Yeah, its not goodbye, If we have a next life, let’s go out for coffee. When I mean, coffee, I mean I just watch you drink that stuff while I sip tea. Haha…You silly girl, you never did remember I don’t drink coffee.”  
 

He laughs meekly imaging her protests and laughter. For an instant, a warm air surround him as if he was hugged. To reassure the her or maybe just himself, he responded.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. You are here with me, forever remembered, so please smile as well.”

With a parting farewell, he leaves an empty glass and a daffodil on the counter.

*Wobbles in like a ninja*

1. Your home~~~ *squishy glomps iccy*
2. You have the pics from my visit XD Wished I could've stay longer for the snow sculptures and had more time to recover.
3. You know why :3
4. Will I go again? Yes please, If I survive another trip XP

Pretend I am not here

ToD?

More than a week late on the updates. The QC updates took faster than I thought!

Well you guys, it think its time to book an entire week off just for this. It didn't take another year and safely made it before christmas!

All you type moon fans, time to get ready for another holy grail war!

FATE HOLLOW ATARAXIA FULL PATCH FULLY QC PATCH IS OUT!
Grab it hereand make sure you give your thanks!

I understand that everyone here is amped up by ufotable's UBW anime going on, but I interupt this scene to bring you a very important message....

*ahem*

(Gilgamesh at the far back yelling towards the sea): REJOICE YOU MONGRELS! GROVEL AT THE SIGHT OF ITS GLORY!
The years you have been waiting for is finally over, sorta.... Fate/Hollow Ataraixa 100% patch is finally out(12 days late for this news)! However, this is beta patch... they are still working out with QA process. So if people don't exactly care about typos and crashes, you can join in and help out the QA process. Those who still want to wait since you aren't in a rush to play it, well, just for a warning the final QA would probably be a very slow progress.

"Hmph. How rude to throw me and my precious pumpkin out of the harvest contest. I'll show them who has the best pumpkin!"

"kukuku, I have my head but I'm looking for a body"

"Hey you, yes I mean you over on the other side of the screen. Now look at the girl, then look at me, look back at the bountiful girl and stare right back at me. Yes, I know you want to be me but you can't be as awesome as me.However, as the most interesting cucurbita in the world, I don't normally get laid on but when I do, I use Old Spice. You'll know when your pumpkin magic is working when you've got witches smothering themselves all over you"

"Looks like I crashed in the wrong pumpkin patch."

"If I hear one more word of doom out of you, you will be getting much more than just dessert."

Hahah, yeah its just Vivi from FFIX casting doom day~ *sings* Doom Doom Doom Doom DoomdiDoomDoomm

Black mages are totally halloween approved! Jks, I'll change it to more halloween next round.

"Easy there miss, you can carve my pumpkin but don't carve my face or this awesome hat here."

 

I'll be honest, though, sometimes it feels that the discussions around Evangelion are just elaborate ways to come up with a excuse for an animator's oversight.

 

The director Hideki Anno is really brilliant in my books. It may seem like oversight to some people but its only because they are only aware of conscious decision making. Anno-san may not have conscious understood and planned all the details to the extent that we have deciphered but its more of a unconscious portrayal of message that he wanted to convey. The direction he took was like giving birth to something uncorporal but it exist in the mind.  He was able to convey those unconscious thougths in such a way  that it somehow connected with our mind in some way and we convey this message in our own language. To resonate with people to such depths and create such intricate connection patterns is one of the beauties of evangelion.

Oh wow the sudden announcement....Holy shit they are really milking the series. Not that I mind if its ufotableXD

Now I really look forward to UBW tv series DONE RIGHT, WOOT! ARCHAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Although I gotta admit, I personally prefer the Fate/Stay Night route because of that epilogue at the end of the game that makes the entire series complete. Saber best waifu.

I totally didnt' expect them to make a movie and a tv series....seeing how Heaven's Feel is the longest.... Its going to be one heck of a ride.

If they are doing it in parts just like Kara then I have no complains except the wait time between each....F*** I'm going to have to go through hours of sakura angst =_= if there isn't ample amount of loli Illlya I'm going to flip some tables.

Seriously,seeing all the animation now... Its like too good to be true.

I wonder whats the point of playing the game anymore..... except FATE HOLLOW ATARAXIA

My only complain is that they are focusing to much on the Fate franchise. There isn't enough exposure for other type moon works such as Tsukihime or Mahou Tsukai no Yoru.

MEZZO WHERE ARE YOUUU ; A :

I already put this somewhere else but I had to put this here for the GLORY OF ASUKAA!!!!! Look at that EVA-02 beserker mode :Q~~~~

WOOT! Drinks all around!
Deutschland!!!