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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Feb 7, 2018 21:48:09 GMT -5
"й, ухнем! Эй, ухнем! Ещё разик, ещё да раз!>" Misha never despised cleanup duty, even though much of it was repetative, dirty, and sometimes even backbreaking. Though, she was never really subscribed to whatever philosophical drivel that the teachers were spouting regarding how keeping a clean room means a clean spirit or something. Instead, Misha was a bit more on the pragmatic side. A clean workplace means less accidents, less contamination, and more efficient work. However, even that notion seemed to be lost on the girl who was supposed to help Misha today. Not that it bothered the Russian so much. During the days, Misha was often busy either with school work or talking to someone regarding some matter, be it for academics, or light socializing, or counseling. Thus, times where she was on her own were cherished, and the Russian got a small chance to sing to herself in her mother's tongue. "<Эй, ухнем! Эй, ухнем! Ещё разик, ещё да раз!>" With the chalkboard cleaned, the last few items on the agenda was to take the trash out, lock up, and return the keys. Thankfully, it was just paper and a few wrappers, all easily fitting inside the lining bag despite the notable weight. With one last glance over her shoulder, Misha confirmed that all the requisite cleaning had been done and locked up. "<Разовьём мы берёзу, Разовьём мы кудряву! Ай-да, да ай-да, Aй-да, да ай-да...>" Slinging the garbage back over her shoulder, Misha continued to sing. There were still a few other students that loitered in the hallways, as most were either in the dorms or inside another classroom for club activities, and so the sound that seemed to dominate the hallways was a mix of Misha's soft singing and her footsteps. But as she rounded the cornered, another pairs of footsteps and a different song seemed to blend into the air. Misha turned her head to look behind her to see another student following behind her. Though the Russian knew that she had never met the girl before, there seemed to be something strangely...familiar.
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Feb 11, 2018 9:52:38 GMT -5
There was some film or other which had a line about 'taking out the trash'. Public service and mindfulness about your surroundings was something that Matylda was fairly comfortable with from childhood in Finland. After all it was a fairly progressive place and she was taught to always think about what she could do to help people around her. So all in all being asked to do some community service in cleaning up near the school wasn't a terrible thing for the Finn. Especially on a nice-ish day when they had pleasant weather to work in, it was a pretty nice deal!
On a day like this she could focus on a task rather than attempt to communicate with other girls, even though she was keen to make friends. Who'd want to be friends with the weird foreign girl who couldn't pronounce anything properly in their language? Maybe she could impress them with her work ethic and drive to improve their community! Or maybe she was just spending perfectly good time helping clean up trash with nothing else to show for it. In any case she ended up singing a bit to pass the time as she worked, defaulting to the English language tunes her favorite band performed in.
"Hard Rock Hallelujah! Demons and angels all in one have arrived!" she sang merrily in accented English as she followed a tall blonde girl.. wait, was she also singing? Well then! And it was in a language she understood immediately - Russian?!
Maybe this was a chance for a new friend.. or maybe she should just let the other girl initiate conversation. Might be safer. So for now she kept on with her Lordi, "Wings on my back/I got horns on my head/My fangs are sharp and my eyes are red..."
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Feb 13, 2018 20:41:04 GMT -5
s far as Misha was able to discern, English was not an uncommon language spoken in Fukui, due to the significant population of foreign students. English singing was rarer, but not unheard of, especially amongst the musicians that Misha knew. But this was a spectacle that was beyond the Russian's expectation, and it was enough to stop Misha in her tracks. English lyrics that spoke of angels and demons and a melody that was harsh and unforgiving. It was a wholly unfitting combination for a girl who attended a prestigious art school, even if she was possibly part of the Music Department. Grey eyes spotted the trash bag in the other's girl's hands, and the baker deduced that the odd girl's destination was the same as hers. Being far and away from the classroom meant that the Misha's 'solo performance' time was over, though the baker found herself in the mood for some company, so she waited for the other girl to catch up, smiling softly as she watched. "<My, my, have I taken the wrong turn and ended up in the Music Building?>" Misha asked once the other girl was about to pass her, resuming the trek to the dumpster, though the question was largely rhetorical. If this girl was singing in English, perhaps she was more comfortable with English, and so Misha matched her language. Though her pronunciation was spotless, there was still a trace of that Russian drawl. "<You have quite the eclectic choice of music, my friend. You are going to drop off the classroom trash, are you not? Come, walk with me.>"
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Feb 16, 2018 9:51:14 GMT -5
So far at Fukui Matylda's luck had been pretty darn impressive as far as finding people to speak to who didn't need her to use Japanese. Obviously Fue was a gimme since they were cousins who had a common language between them. Then the girl she'd been asked to pair with during a general studies course had spoken English! Now this girl whom was clearly of some kind of foreign ancestry was speaking in English as well. Not Matylda's strongest language but definitely one which was a far sight easier for the artist to communicate in than anything of Asian origin. What was peculiar about the girl who'd been singing was that her accent matched the language which had been sung in moments before. Rather than someone who just so happened to know a Russian song, this was a native speaker of Russian! Her cousin's accent was similar enough that Matylda instantly latched onto that presumption and decided to run with it. More than she could do while carrying a garbage bag with little idea where she was to take it for disposal.
"<Oh, no.. I think this is definitely not the Music Building. If it was, then I'd be in the wrong place too,>" Matylda replied in English with a slightly nervous smile as she followed the older girl. Probably a safe bet that an older girl had been here longer and therefore would know better where you took stuff like this to dispose of it. Speaking of waste disposal, didn't they burn most things that could be burned here in this country? Just imagine it, a bit Olympic swimming pool sized pit full of burning.. things.. and a motley band of vampires, demons, harpies and other creatures of darkness cavorting around to a tune with a catchy baseline! Goodness that would be an awesome album cover or music video! Wait, the other girl had asked her a question, hadn't she?
Blushing a little at the realization that she'd zoned out, Matylda replied, "<It's the finest music in the world! Maybe.. apart from that other style that's so catchy.. but anyway, thanks for helping me out. I kind of volunteered to help without having any idea where to take the trash."
Then she decided she may as well test her assumptions about this girl. Matylda hesitated, nervously glanced around and then asked, in Russian, "/I heard you singing just a minute ago.. you're Russian, aren't you? It's rare to hear anyone speak this language so far from home./" As with Misha's English, Matylda's Russian was pronounced well but still bore the traces of her Finnish accent.
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Feb 18, 2018 15:50:49 GMT -5
uch blithe comments regarding music was enough to make Misha chuckle a little. Whatever songs this girl seemed to favor would likely be ones that Misha would find less enjoyable, but if it made the girl happy then the Russian had no complaints to bring up. With a nod and a smile, Misha acknowledged the girl's thanks and tried to match her walking speed as they walked down the hallways and towards the dumpsters. That the girl had volunteered without fully understanding what needed to be done was not entirely surprising, but rather the fact that whoever was supposed to help her today failed to tell her where to go, and that was assuming that she had a partner for the task instead of having someone bail on her. But what was the most surprising was the sudden switch to Russian. Indeed there was a sizable foreign student population, but it wasn't enough to prepare Misha for heading someone talk in her mother tongue. However, it seemed like the girl was much more comfortable in Russian, and so Misha decided to switch as well. "/With hair and eyes like mine, it would be a monumental task to try and pass off as a native Japanese, even with a Japanese name./" Misha said with a soft laugh. Though she spoke in Russian, the laugh was very much the Japanese 'ufufu' expected from a lady. "/Speaking of my name, Misha Shirayama, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Though Misha introduced herself in Russian, the pronunciation of her name was still Japanese. A turn of the corner found the pair heading down the last hallway and towards the doors to the outside. "/I was born on the banks of the Neva River, but I moved to Japan at a very young age. For all the looks and appearances...well, I would like to say I am Japanese by my mannerisms, but I suppose though the work of my cousin, there is still a bit from the motherland that I carry with me./" Misha turned to the other girl with a soft and charming smile as a cool wind seemed to greet them from the outside. "/And what about you, my friend? Your Russian is quite good, but I sense a little bit of the Baltic in your voice./" tag(s): Matylda Sudakov-Oka ━ words: 387 ━ notes: So blithe can mean indifferent. I meant to use the "joyous" definition
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Feb 25, 2018 7:57:25 GMT -5
This girl fascinated Matylda by her very existence. Of course she was quite aware that foreign-born students attended Fukui and were even possibly quite common there. Yet in many of her classes thus far the Finn had been the only obvious foreigner or even partial foreigner present. It made her all the more nervous about speaking up to try and get to know anyone - how many of them would know any of the languages she did? Apart from Japanese, which she was desperately trying to avoid speaking in lest any of the native born girls think she was butchering their language or simply just an awkward foreigner to tease about her accent. This was a golden opportunity - the girl indeed spoke fluent Russian but had a definitively Japanese demeanor. Truly someone with a foot in both worlds.. come to think of it, feet in two worlds was a great idea for some art. A demonic princess with one foot in the mortal realm and the other in a burning.. cave.. thing..
Matylda managed to snap out of the thoughts before they consumed her too much to respond to Misha's statements. This meant she was ready to nod in response to the girl's self-assessment, having just had those sorts of thoughts herself. And that birthplace was actually somewhat familiar to her as well! Matylda smiled a little more as she responded, "<So you were born in Peter's city then? I've been there a few times, it's a fascinating place with plenty of locations fit for art!>"
She shifted the trash she was carrying into one hand so that she could gesture toward the distance. Even though the places she was thinking of at the time were so far in the distance the motion did little good. That chill reminded her of the sorts of weather she'd have experienced back home, which had in turn taught her to bundle up a bit unless it was late spring or summer. She was glad she had her thermal tights on today - otherwise her legs would've gotten really chilly just then! Her eyes were playful as suddenly words leaped into her mind that would make her own introduction far more interesting than simply answering the question.
"<I hail from the great northern realm in which trolls and demons dwell! The gateway to arctic mystery and origin of the coming Arockalypse..>" Matylda began with such conviction that she sounded as if she genuinely believed in each and every syllable. Then realizing where she was she lowered her hand and blushed a tiny bit, "<So I'm from Finland originally. My dad's a Japanese professor and we moved here so he could work at a university near Tokyo. I'm Matylda Sudakov-Oka, first year art student.>"
After she took a couple more steps she looked over at the blonde girl and asked, "<Say, you won't mention my little outburst to anyone, will you? It's kind of a habit I'm trying to break. It's hard enough fitting in with a class of entirely Japanese girls..>"
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Mar 5, 2018 19:49:11 GMT -5
A Finn. A rather long and needlessly descriptive way of saying it. Still, that was a nice change of pace. And to hear another nickname for St. Petersburg and to know well the various art institutions brought up a mix of emotions. On one hand, Misha was very sympathetic to Matylda's desire to fit into a Japanese setting, but at the same time was loathe to completely leave behind her Russian heritage and was happy to have someone she could relate to from the Baltic. The Russian was not considered a foreign student by any means, and yet... But Misha's concentration was interrupted by Matylda's request, and a gentle smile washed over her face to conceal the worries inside. "<Do not worry, Sudakov-san, I understand your desire to fit in. I shall not say a word,>" Misha replied. Again, though she spoke in Russian, there was that little awkward shift as she added the '-san'. "<Or would you prefer to be called 'Matylda'? I am not sure what your classmates call you, though I suppose in the end, I am fine with almost any means you wish to be referred to,>" Misha explained. The sudden chill greeted the pair as they stepped outside the building. Though Misha did not mind the cold and would not be surprised if a Finn had similar . Heels pivoted smartly as they turned the corner, where a waft refuse greeted them. Thankfully, the dumpster wasn't too far away. "<If you have moved into Tokyo, then perhaps you are nearby where I am too. Are you one of the 26 wards, or are you in one of the outer cities like myself?>" Misha asked as she handily threw her back over the top with ease. "<If you are in Tokyo during breaks or the weekends, you are free to visit me, just tell me so.>" tag(s): @matylda ━ words: 314 ━ notes:
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Mar 8, 2018 9:25:07 GMT -5
As immediately as the older girl confirmed there wouldn't be another soul informed about the outburst, Matylda visibly relaxed. Thank goodness she'd run into someone able to take her silly outbursts in stride! If it'd been someone less understanding she might have been in for a really long year to come. Interestingly the older girl did actually seem to mix some of her Japanese sensibilities with the Russian conversation they were having. Sure it was a little strange hearing the honorific dropped into the middle of Russian sounds, but she found it charming in a way. The chill that awaited them outside the building was far less charming, though. Even as someone from a country in the arctic, she was still as susceptible to winter chills as anyone.
It didn't take them long to reach the dumpster, at least! Matylda's bag of refuse soon joined Misha's thanks to an energetic toss by the Finn which got the job done with relative ease. During the whole ordeal of disposing of the trash she had done her utmost not to breathe in through the nose if it could at all be helped. Even so some of the stench of the trash in that dumpster got to her, causing the girl to grumble a bit in her native language. Probably this would be the most unpleasant part of their whole day - nothing she could think of was even remotely as bad as this. As soon as the trash was put away she stepped back a couple of steps and took in a deep breath.. which had that stench intertwined with it! Unable to prevent it she coughed a little as the trash smell got into her nostrils. A moment later she managed to get it under control.
"<We're not quite well off enough to be able to afford the wards, so we're on the outside looking in. Just up near Saitama prefecture actually,>" Matylda responded once she'd been able to get her breathing back to normal, "<And.. wait, visit you? You really mean that? Like.. no strings attached, just come over and listen to some fun music while doing nothing of particular importance? Or.. whatever else it is that girls our ages.. roughly our ages.. do for entertainment?>"
She blushed a little as she awkwardly said, "<Sorry, I'm still new to everything.. Japan.. talking to classmates.. friends.. it's all kind of been a lot to take in. And not a metal fan or acquaintance in sight..>"
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Mar 12, 2018 22:38:13 GMT -5
The smell of refuse was one that Misha still had a hard time deal with, even after all the times she had been tasked to clean up the shop. Though her face hid her disgust, her feet were far more honest, and by the time Matylda had thrown her bag over the threshold, Misha had already skittered away back to the door and waited at a distance. However, the sound of coughing had the Russian concerned, and a chill breeze reminded her of the still biting grip winter still had. Gracefully, Misha walked back to Matylda and rested a hand on the other girls back. It was in one way meant to comfort her after coughs, and one way a means of gently pushing Matylda back into the warmer hallways. "<Well, if you are near Saitama, then you are bit on the other side of the Tokyo Metropolis, compared to myself. We're down in the center of Hachiouji, just outside the Shin-Hachiouji station.>" Misha explained as she led the way from behind. "<Granted, I am sure the Shirayama Bakery would be happy with another patron, but I personally would enjoy another friend at my side.>” Misha paused as she opened the door with her free hand, where a weak warmth met the two of them, which quickly enveloped the pair as the door closed behind with a soft click. "<Where was I? Ah yes. Well, besides perhaps "karaoke"...I'm not sure if there's a Russian equivalent for that, I would think that the girls here would spend their time similarly to the ones abroad. Shopping, chatting, listening to music, and so on. In any case, I think you'll fit in with a litte bit more time.>" Misha looked down the hallway and back to Matylda. "<Still cold? I think I am in the mood for a bit of a warm drink from the vending machines. What about you?>"
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Mar 18, 2018 9:02:18 GMT -5
The Finn hadn't expected the hand on her back, so she jumped a little when she felt it there. For her the message was clear enough, though, and she went back inside the building as quickly as her feet could carry her without leaving Misha behind. Didn't want to lose track of the only person besides her cousin she could speak Russian! Though their families were on different sides of Tokyo it might be neat to visit this bakery which the taller girl spoke of. Dozens of baked delicacies just waiting for an inquisitive mind to see them! Imagine the amazing tastes which must be contained within, everything from simple loaves of bread to honeyed toast! All of it beckoning a small Baltic girl with their scrumptiously taunting sweetness. Oh, and Misha was offering to be her friend!
That realization made the Finnish girl blush as she walked down the hallway with her new companion. Considering how weirdly the other girls had looked at her in classes to this point it was a welcome change of pace. Someone who wanted to talk to her, didn't think that her singing was all that weird and wasn't hesitant to offer friendship... was rare. Slowly her surprised expression evolved into a tiny contented smile, the thought having become fact it seemed. Her pace quickened as she followed along toward the vending machines, from which warmth would come and grant her relief from the chills of outdoors.
<"I could really go for some corn potage if the machine's got any. Nothing warms me up like a can of sweet corn soup fresh from the interior machinations of a.. um.. machine. It's kind of cool to think that in a way it's served up by a robot.. well, not really, but.. nevermind,"> Matylda replied as she blushed a bit more, the sudden friendship having thrown her off, <"You really think other girls will want to be friends with me? I mean, my Japanese is terrible.. and so few girls here know the majesty and power of Metal. But I guess I do have two friends now. One's my cousin.. and the other is you!">
She was beaming with happiness as they approached the vending machine, <"This might sound a little weird coming from a Finn, but.. um.. do you have any suggestions for fighting off chills like we got back there? These skirts aren't exactly the best defense against them.">
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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PLAYED BY Fuyu
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Mar 23, 2018 10:16:34 GMT -5
Matylda's little jump did not go unnoticed, and Misha took note of that figuring that despite being foreign, Matylda was still as reticent towards contact as the Japanese were. However, they were at least out of the cold and Matylda was amenable to staying around a little longer and chatting. Misha could sympathize with the struggles of a foreign student, and though the possibility that they would never meet again remained, the Russian was resolved to at least provide a little cheer with what time she knew she had. "Come along, my friend, let's see what soups are available." Misha replied, gesturing for Matylda to follow. She waited for Matylda to be at her side before leading the way. As they made their way down the halls, Misha gave her advice. "If I was to advise, I would say, don't force yourself to blend in. With the caveat being that sometimes there are certain traits that ought that one aught to never have, it is better to be yourself. If you put on a mask, it is the mask that people will fall in love in, not you." Misha turned her head to look to Matylda. "I must admit, your choice of music genre is one that is not shared by the majority of the student body, thought one of Music Department students is more likely to have similar tastes." Nestled into the wall was a row of vending machines of wildly varying shapes and colours. Misha introduced them with a flourish before pointing towards the machine that dispensed soups before walking towards another machine. Today's choice of drink for the Russian was hot chocolate, which was quickly dispensed. Cup in hand, Misha returned to Matylda. "As for the cold, well, Fukui is surprisingly lax with its uniform. For starters, the cardigan is a good thing to keep handy. The skirt, well, I do use a longer skirt, and I would definitely like to think it helps with at least preventing the wind from having too much of an effect. But if I were to nominate an MVP, I would say...it is the socks. A good pair of insulated thigh-highs would help. Don't for for the hose or the likes." Misha explained, before offering to pay for Matylda's food.
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Apr 1, 2018 16:33:55 GMT -5
The Finn was naturally cautious of anything relating to social interactions with people, especially those who were around her own age. For her the experiences that the elder girl had had would be invaluable advice for navigating the strange world of a Japanese school. At the same time she wasn't sure that unleashing her full metal nature would win her any friends. An accent combined with the sort of imagery she created was already enough to make girls think she wasn't worth dealing with. Or at least get really weird looks! There was some hope in the advice that the Russian was able to give though. It was quite a fleeting hope really, but at least she had something to cling to in the face of all her doubts.
<"You really think there might be someone else who likes metal in the music department? The ones I've met seem to be more of classical musicians, unfortunately.. but I guess most girls our age aren't into metal or anything similar,"> Matylda asked as she sipped her delicious corn soup, comforted by its warmth and the surprisingly pleasant company she'd happened into. At the offer of paying for her food, Matylda bowed her head and blushed a bit before insisting she could pay for her own.
<"Wait, there's a cardigan available for the school uniform? How on earth did I miss that? There didn't seem to be any in the shop when I went in to get my uniform," >the Finn added with a genuinely surprised look on her face, <"But insulated tall socks sounds like the kind of thing that would be the most comfortable. There aren't any special rules about what color of socks are acceptable at school are there?">
As she spoke, she was already imagining the sorts of super tall socks that she might be able to get for her uniform. Those types with horizontal striping would be quite nice for adding a bit of flair to the uniform! Lacy things or ribbon adornments were a little more feminine than she normally went, but they wouldn't necessarily be out of place. Depending on what a store had in stock she might have a good range of options for staying warm! Matylda was smiling at the imagined warmth and comfort that they would give her paired with a longer skirt, though the soup certainly played a role in warming her up.
Matylda thought of something else - Misha had mentioned family living near Tokyo. If that was the case then maybe she had relatives living closer than the capital. Maybe they could all get together and have an outing of the north European girls! She looked to Misha and with big hopeful eyes inquired, "<Say, senpai, do you have any family in Fukui? I've got a cousin in the school, but other than that everyone's in Saitama.">
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Apr 5, 2018 19:38:26 GMT -5
Misha quietly sipped on her hot chocolate as she listened to Matylda with a relaxed smile on the Russian's face. It was true that a lot of the girls in the music department had a much more classical bent; Misha's very own cousin was one of them. There were a few who were more into Rock music, as far as Misha had gleaned, but Metal was a genre that seemed to be confined to the Finn. The question of the cardigan was one that Misha could not answer either, though it may have been due to her bypassing the shop and directly requesting parts of the uniform; the extremely long dress skirt that Misha had wasn't exactly standard. But the question of socks was one that Misha could answer. "The rules regarding the socks are rather lax, compared to most schools, though I suppose that is a low bar to set," Misha replied, a hint of humour in her tone. "Generally speaking, I think it boiled down to most anything goes, so long as it properly covers up or doesn't break any other rules regarding insignia or messages. From what I understand, the founder believed that, as an art school, trying to make things too rigid would be detrimental to creativity." Whether or not that rang true was something Misha really had no means of determining. Even in middle school, where her uniform was more strict, her friends and family found their own ways to inject their own individuality. The next question ended up being a little more...problematic. The Kitamura family was already convoluted enough without Misha in it, and the Russian paused, looking into her cup of hot chocolate with a frown as she tried to find the best way to word things. "...Well, my family situation is a little complicated. I have a first cousin and a second cousin here in Fukui. The rest of my first cousins are in Tokyo, two families in Hachiouji City and one in Hino City. Then one family all the way in California," Misha explained, adding after an awkward pause, "I...I don't...haven't really seen the Russian side of my family."
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Apr 11, 2018 19:12:29 GMT -5
The Gods of Metal.. or maybe just coincidence or luck.. had conspired to deliver unto their disciple a lady who was knowledgeable about the school's inner workings. Someone who wasn't even her cousin yet spoke a familiar language. Matylda sipped at her soup with eager eyes laser focused on Misha as the blonde spoke about uniforms and her family. Surprisingly (to Matylda anyway) the girl's family was very far flung around the world with members living all about Japan and even America! That place had always been a bit of a fairy tale for the Finnish girl, on account of it being the home of spiritual ancestors to the best Metal in the world. Also the place where, she assumed, disco had come from. A place to visit full of mystery and music, but nowhere that she had ever dreamed of setting foot herself.
For her it was particularly fascinating that someone from generally the same part of the world as her should end up also in the same general part of the world that Matylda's family had moved to. Of all the people in all the world, their families had ended up doing very similar things insofar as their choice of country of residence went. Tokyo was quite a ways from Fukui, too, so it had to be nice and reassuring that there were cousins for both of them here at the same school. Content in the similarities they shared she sipped at her soup a bit more - and it was too much too fast, the soup too hot still. Matylda jerked her head away from the can and yelped, then quickly blushed at having been caught off guard by soup.
"Oh, I see," Matylda finally nodded once she'd gotten herself out of the awkwardness that was the surprise soup attack. Holding the can at waist height she suddenly thought of something, "Wait, so if you haven't seen your Russian family.. then.. you're not all Russian? Oh! Of course... Shirayama.. hehehe.."
That blush was back again as she looked away, "Sorry, I was just so happy to meet someone I could talk to without embarrassment that I didn't even think about it... even though I'm an Oka.. well, Sudakov-Oka.. but still. I really ought to pay more attention.."
Still looking down at her feet, she asked further, "Shirayama-senpai, I need to ask a favor.. I kind of need to practice my Japanese, but I'm always really afraid that my pronunciation will be awful. Is it okay to practice with you a bit? I think you might understand if I have a bit of an accent.."
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Apr 16, 2018 21:10:11 GMT -5
Matylda's comment on not being 'all Russian' stung more than Misha expected it to. There was no easy way to explain Misha's adoption into the Shirayama family without potentially revealing unsavory details. But that was probably for the best, to act like her cousin Cyrus, who truly was half-Japanese, half-Russian. And by Matylda's revelation of her family name, she seemed to have a Japanese parent with her as well. Normally, Misha would be a little more curious, but the maelstrom that was kicked off inside her set her mind hurtling down a single track in order to keep composure. Misha hid her conflicting feelings by finishing what was left of her hot chocolate. "Well, my cousin in America is Half-Russian, though I suppose that doesn't count for much. The rest of my Russian family...well, I moved to Japan when I was very young, so I don't remember meeting much of them, and...we just haven't had a good opportunity to go to Russia," Misha explained, looking down the hallway. She couldn't frown, but she couldn't smile either. "Based on what brother Kiril says, it's probably not a good idea to go back at the moment. Though...it hasn't been a good idea for a long while." Misha turned to face Matylda again. "I suppose that explains why I'm here and not in St. Petersburg. Anyways." Misha held her hand out over a nearby recycling bin and let go of her cup before approaching Matylda again. "I'd be more than happy to practice Japanese with you, Matylda. And I know of a very good way to do so. However..." An amused grin spread across Misha's face as she trailed off. "Now, often times, literature and art is one of the best ways to immerse oneself in the language. Audio Dramas, manga, music, those work well. But, that's something you can do on your own. Now, there are a few cafes I do visit every now and then, and I think it'd be beneficial if you came along with me, but I must declare one caveat." A soft 'ufufu' escaped Misha's lips before she revealed the catch. "My family will also likely join us, and will be quite interested in speaking with you as well. In Japanese, of course. Mashiro-chan does know Russian, but Yumeko-chan's other European language is German."
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on May 7, 2018 12:50:01 GMT -5
The thought of not being in touch with your Russian relatives wasn't all that alien to Matylda, really. Sure she had Russian relatives in general - more cousins than she was ever likely to meet in a single lifetime to be honest. Their families didn't talk very much, though, and Matylda hadn't ever been party to why that was other than 'it's difficult'. Since her mother didn't say any more than that she hadn't really ever thought to inquire further; she had Fue and her twin aunties in Japan, so that was enough. America still seemed like a far-off distant dreamland full of wide open spaces and ostentatious shows of wealth of course, as well as being a secondary hotbed for metal. Maybe she could get more details about what America was like from Misha at some point!
"Wait, wait.. are you saying that we should visit cafes or meet your family for me to practice Japanese? People who've lived here a long time... but... they speak Russian as well?!" Matylda wasn't sure she could believe the offer at hand - the chance to practice speaking this strange language with people who'd understand her difficulties in it. Around them her odd pronunciation wouldn't even be noticeable, let alone be out of place. Not that Finnish and Russian pronunciations were all that similar themselves, but that wasn't the point. Here was an avenue to improve herself without the stress of Japanese girls judging her ever syllable!
She tapped the side of her soup can as she continued, "That doesn't sound bad at all, actually. I mean they probably would be more understanding of how I say things in Japanese than the other Japanese girls I keep meeting. And if we have the option to fall back on Russian I think I'll be able to manage a little bit better speaking to them."
Once she'd finished and tossed out her can, she looked to Misha in deep thought before asking, "So do you consider yourself Russian or Japanese? I'm kind of in a weird spot because my mom's Finnish, my dad's Japanese and my.. other.. dad is Russian. I think. Mom doesn't talk about him a whole lot.."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Fuyu
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Post by Misha Shirayama on May 13, 2018 18:02:00 GMT -5
Misha was surprised at how well Matylda was taking the offer. Mashiro could definitely use a few more friends to talk to and was not likely to rebuff this kind of offer, so there was benefit to all parties involved. With a smile, Misha gave an acknowledging nod to confirm and answer all the details that Matylda was thinking of. The wheels of fate were to be set in motion, all Misha had to do now was coordinate a few little things. But before all of that can a question that was rather troublesome. It was a question that Misha had asked herself before and ended up trying to push away every time she had thought of it. Perhaps now was a good time as any to give a proper answer. Or at least try. "To be quite honest, that is quite a difficult question for myself to answer." Misha said, sighing softly. She did her best to retain a smile. "My birth parents were both Russians, and I was born in Saint Petersberg. But I was sent to Tokyo when I was three, en route to America to live with my aunt." Misha took a deep breath, shaking slightly. "But...in the end, I had to stay in Tokyo, living with my aunt's sister. My parents now, though still family, are both Japanese. I barely remember remember Petrov and Ekaterina. My memories are of Tsubasa and Haru and Haruna, and the bakery in Hachiouji City. So perhaps that's the question - is who I am a function of the parents who birthed me or the parents who raised me? Would it be better to say I am 'both', to call-myself Russo-Japanese? If I returned to Baltic, I would only look the part." Misha paused before looking into Matylda's eyes. "What do you think?"
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Jul 12, 2018 18:14:37 GMT -5
It was a fairly tough question to answer when it came to choosing how to identify oneself. In truth Misha's background was maybe less complex than the Finnish girl's, but still anything but simple on its own. To have been born in one country to parents both from that country only to then grow up in a second country with such a different culture and language would have been quite trying. Matylda's face scrunched up as she pondered the question that'd been turned back on her. Her own adjustment to Japan was still perilous; she didn't dare open her mouth to speak even a word of Japanese lest a local give her a lecture on defiling their language with her accent. Where it came to social cues she was still learning new things every day since she'd grown up in a much different (and colder) place than this. Born in Finland to a Russian and Finnish parent, moved to Japan with a new Japanese parent in place of the Finn. All in all her Finnish parent hadn't been that much of an influence on her life save for the fact of where she'd spent her early years; did that make her one thing, another thing or something entirely new? When she finally got herself through that mess of a thought process she visibly relaxed, leaning back a bit as the stress of thought left her.
"I guess I think it's really complicated," Matylda responded with a light sigh, "For you, I think saying that you're Japanese makes more sense than saying that you're Russian. If you grow up somewhere, speak that language the best and do things the way that that culture does them, then you're more from that place than somewhere you happened to be be born. For me it's even more confusing since I was born in Finland, but my Finnish dad wasn't around and mom married new dad when I was pretty young. They're Russian and Japanese, but I grew up in Finland.. and my first language is Finnish.. so does that make me a Finn anyway? Or am I kind of part Japanese because of my dad? Er.. my current dad. It's weird."
The artist shrugged it off and switched up gears, "I think if anyone I've met here would understand, it'd be my cousin Fue.. and maybe you too.. anyway, I'm more worried about what the drawing teacher will think of my artwork. The portfolio my mom sent for my application didn't have my typical type of drawing.. and I wonder if they're going to be surprised or shocked.. heh.." To emphasize her point she pulled out her phone, pulled up a recent work (a bear wearing a peaked cap and snarling while water skiing over a green liquid that looked like it could be acid or something; a skeletal hand reached out from the liquid toward the viewer) and showed it to Misha, "Stuff like this is my normal style.."
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Happiness exists, and it is edible. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Fuyu
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Post by Misha Shirayama on Jul 13, 2018 23:02:29 GMT -5
Matylda's words were rather comforting. It was an odd feeling, that Matylda was likely right regarding this manner. Still, as much as Haru and Tsubasa had raised her, Misha still held dear the principles that Petrov and Ekaterina left behind, even if it was through the stories and heirlooms that Cyrus had to pass onto her. The baker felt no ill will over the fact that her biological parents sent her away. After all, it was to protect her, and yet to call herself Japanese, Misha felt like it was throwing away the efforts of her biological parents. And of course, having her father's platinum blonde hair made all attempts to pass off as Japanese very difficult. But any time to mull over it was cut off by Matylda detailing her own interesting family situation. Finnish, Russian, and taken in by a Japanese father, with the other being better off not existing as far as Matylda needed to be concerned. Misha wouldn't say that Matylda was Japanese, but by that metric, Haru and Tsubsa wouldn't make herself Japanese, at least not alone. Still, Misha had a better answer to her question now. Satisfied, Misha nodded and looked out the window, where the sun was setting rapidly. As Matylda continued to tell her story, Misha gestured for the other girl to follow, pivoting in place and walking down the hallway towards the dorms. Fue. That was a familiar name, if only through her cousin Mashiro. The only two points that the baker knew of was that this 'Fue' was named after a dessert and that it would be a good idea to meet her due her being a food photographer. A small world it seems. Misha smiled at that notion, turning her head to Matylda as she took out her phone. "Oh...oh my..." Misha had to giggle at the scene shown on the phone. "Ah...quite an electic scene my friend. I can see how some may not enjoy such...viseral imagery. That said...I wonder...is this all metaphorical, or...?"
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Post by Matylda Sudakov-Oka on Jul 22, 2018 14:29:34 GMT -5
Even if no one else thought that the scenery Matylda sketched was enjoyable, the Finn always put pride into what she created with pencil and paper. Of course she'd been getting some urges to expand her repertoire beyond exclusively metal yet wasn't sure what direction that was going to take her. Something related to disco - that nefariously catchy music - would be interesting in concept but she'd probably be too scared to show it to anyone. Besides, what drawing couldn't be improved through the addition of some carefully placed nightmare monsters? She was curious how the older blonde would react to her work, and it was hardly disappointing. A laugh rather than a wince was acceptable any day of the week! There was just one thing that made her a little confounded - the question at the end. In fact she titled her head to the side questioningly as she tried to gather what Misha was getting at with the nature of that inquiry.
"Meta-phroical? Eh?" she repeated in confusion with saucer-wide eyes, "Not really.. it's more like I sometimes just sit around and while I'm working on other things, I get an idea for a picture in my head. If I don't get a pencil and start working on it quickly, that picture might be gone for all eternity and never be seen again by human eyes. Or human's mind's eyes.. whatever. So even if I'm in class sometimes I need to start sketching it out so that the idea is on paper for more detail later. So really this is just kind of what I thought one time and it was really neat so I had to jump on it."
With a sage nod, she swiped away at the screen showing several more sketches of similar style. The surfing skeletal Roman soldier with a giant flying dinosaur flying after him. A hacksaw wielding kappa standing in front of broken down vending machines, one of which belched out fire for some unseen reason. And then, though she'd forgotten it, the sketch of a classmate at her former school - unique in its complete normality, great care obviously taken in sketching out little details of the girl's hair, clothing and face. Since she wasn't fully paying attention to the screen, but rather Misha's reaction, Matylda didn't realize she'd tipped her hand.
"See, all pretty neat for inspirations on the spot!" Matylda boasted proudly as they neared the dorm building.
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