Les Pages;

story; fireflies

2010-04-25T08:26:47Z

Written for a Japanese class. About a girl and a boy writing letters from space and earth.

When it’s midnight, the fireflies come out… hey, do you remember? When I opened my eyes, it was like you were there too. When I catch them the rest of them scatter.

It’s like the stars are moving in the sky.

One day, I’ll find a way to send these stars to you.

夜中になる時、ホタルが出て来る。ね、覚えてる？目を開けたら、まるで君がいたかのようだった。つかまえる、全部をまいてやる。

空に星が動いているみたい。

いつか、俺、君に星を送り方法を探すつもりだ。

Today on the satellite, it felt like fall. Is it fall where you are too? The moon seems colder at this distance. If I think of you, the weather doesn’t seem so depressing.

I found this today on my way to school.

Space is so empty, I wonder where it came from.

今日、衛星（えいせい）に秋のようだ。あなたのいる所も秋ですか？このぐらいから、月はちょっと冷たい。あなたを思っている時に、天気は暗く感じないの。

学校に行く時、これを見つけた。

宇宙はとてもむなしくて、これ、どこから来たのかな？

It’s been raining for a week so it’s definitely become fall. Every time I open my umbrella I think of how we used to walk together. Can it rain on the satellite? Sometimes I feel like the sun will never shine again.

But you used to love the smell, didn’t you?

I wish I could see you soon.

一週間ぐらい雨が降っているから、絶対に（ぜったいに）秋になった。傘（かさ）を開けるたびに、君を思い出す。衛星で雨が降ってるかな？時々、俺は太陽は二度と輝かないと思う。

君は雨の臭いが大好きだったかな？

すぐ会えたらいいのに。

Tonight, the city is covered in lights. It’s the first time that it’s ever looked pretty here. I stepped outside at midnight, but the stars look the same. The stars are more beautiful from Earth.

Afterward, I dreamt of you and the fireflies.

I hope you’re not too lonely.

今晩、都市は光でてらされている。初めて、こんなにきれいなのを見た。夜中に外で歩いたが、星は変わってなかった。地球から見た方が星はきれいだ。

後で、あなたとホタルの夢を見た。

君が寂しくないといいけど。

Today, I heard a voice that sounded like yours. I was at the edge of the water but when I looked around, you weren’t there. I brought the fireflies out to the edge of the dock and set them free.

They looked like they would meet you in space.

I wish you could have seen them.

今日、君の声を聞いたと思った。水ぎわにいて、回って見たけど君がいなかった。ドックの縁（ふち）でホタルを持って行って、逃（に）がした。

ホタルが宇宙で君と会うみたいだった。

ホタルを見れたら長かったのに。

I’ve become really homesick. When I read your words, I think of the grass on Earth. I miss the ocean and I miss you.

Today was the first day I was able to cry since leaving. If I see the ocean from up here, it just makes me cry more.

I wonder if I will ever like living here.

ホームシックになった。君の言葉を読めば、大地の草を思い出す。海が恋しくて、君と会いたい。

今日、去ってから初めて泣いてしまった。ここから海を見たら、もっと泣く。

いつかここに住む事が好きになるかなぁ。

essay; Maus

2010-04-25T08:18:35Z

The assignment in my Race & Ethnic Lit class was to take panels from the comic Maus and write them, but it had to be as descriptive and emotional as the comic portrayed.

Anja takes Vladek’s hand in hers and the two move together, as Vladek continues to talk about his father. His hand presses against the small of her back and they move in time with the dimmed lights, the slow music; a dull murmur of horns, the blues of suits and dresses as each couple swirls around each other, playing into the croons of jazz around them. There’s a soft sound of piano, the whine of accordion wheezing in and out through the triumphant horns, playing jazzed up melodies and romantic ambience as if accenting each step of their dance. For a moment, Vladek imagines it’s only the two of them dancing. “Late that night, father rode…” Anja hears him continue and both of them realize that the words are unimportant, he’s talking for the sake of communication, and all the real feeling is behind each pivot of his heels and each movement the two of them make together. A few more steps, one-two, one-two, before they both believe that they’re alone. His eyes watch hers and he moves her with him, his eyes are on the pearls on her neck, the slender arms at his shoulders, his hand and hers, their slow movement across the dance floor. He continues to relay his story to her and she listens to the music behind him, her mind not on the words, but on his facial features as he speaks them. The environment is in every syllable he utters. They sway again, arms outstretched slightly but she’s still staring at his face, and even as he proceeds through his anecdote, his attention is completely on her. They keep in step, the two of them following each note of music that purrs from the stage, spinning them together. Anja has never been so happy. Vladek turns and she follows, her feet quickly matching his own movements. They dip and waltz their way through conversation, empty in that neither of them are paying attention to anything but the other, even as Vladek tells his story he forgets the words as they leave his mouth, tumbling out and drowning in the horn’s solo. “Take all our troubles with it!” Anja catches words at chance moments, she notices his broad shoulders, the dashing figure he makes in the suit, the shape of his hand around hers. Vladek’s story continues, he explains the return of his father’s pillow, how he couldn’t sit for the remainder of the war, he speaks simply without much point. Anja hears every word in his last sentence. Vladek’s voice is entertained, he ends the sentence with a higher tone, making the last sentence seem more like a humorous outcome rather than the end of a memory. Anja moves closer, wrapping her arms around Vladek’s neck, he moves his arms to her shoulder blades, feeling the curves of each bone under her polka-dotted dress. She smiles, Vladek imagines that he’s never seen her as happy as she is in this moment. Her face is close to his and he bends down to meet her nose halfway between them. “I love you, Vladek.”

Based on these panels.

fanfic; USUK - 6760 miles

2010-04-25T08:13:49Z

This is probably retarded. B:

Title: 6760 miles
Pairing: USUK
Word Count: 1,722
Summary: Alfred flies home from Japan.

It was, hands down, the longest flight Alfred had ever been on. He was exaggerating a little, of course, because visiting Japan always took between 11-14 hours depending on conditions. But after the first fifteen minutes the person in front of him, having the emergency exit row, felt it absolutely necessary to recline their chair into his knees making his already limited leg room all the more cramped. After watching Bride Wars twice, Underworld once, he prayed his DS would last the rest of the trip, it was only, what? Another 8 hours? Out of luck and out of distractions, Alfred had no choice but to concentrate wholly on how he couldn't sleep and how he could no longer feel his knees.

Alfred grinds his teeth and watches the tiny plane on the screen in front of him tell him where on the planet he is. It feels like the plane hasn't moved, like they've been suspended in a strange obscure hell where he has to sit for hours crunched into a tiny seat wishing he was back in New York and with no iPod battery. He gives the person's seat in front of him a quick shove with his knees but, with no response, goes back to staring angrily at the nothing out his window.

The text -email, because his phone didn't work in Japan- said "What time do expect to be back?" As if Arthur had cared at all. The signature was his full name, making the email sound painfully formal. It would be most convenient if you would inform me of your time of arrival. Signed, Arthur Kirkland. Maybe he should've been less annoyed but he'd been in customs for over an hour and Arthur sending a formal request of his touch down time was frustrating. Alfred had closed the message in annoyance, the charms he'd bought while he was visiting Kiku ringing irritably as he chucked the phone back in his bag. The Japanese families around him stared at him awkwardly.

It wasn't until he was boarding the plane, suddenly relieved he wasn't standing in the baggage check line or the customs line or any line that would only lead to more waiting that he wrote Arthur back: "Around midnight" he didn't bother to sign it.

Of course the view outside the window was a whole lot of nothing, they literally sailed through a white expanse of cloud, no sky, no sun, Alfred thought he would go crazy. Thoughts strayed to Arthur who would, if anything, left a message on his machine saying to call him to make sure he'd gotten home safe. Like he'd call! He wasn't a kid anymore!

But even after the formal email and Alfred's annoyed and short response, he couldn't help why Arthur cared at all. Unless he was taking the first flight to New York, an 8 hour flight, and waiting for him at his, locked, home...he didn't see why it mattered. Alfred spends the rest of the flight trying -and failing- to sleep and watching his travel progress on the screen in front of him.

There's a layover in DC. A five. Hour. Layover. Alfred gets off the plane and wishes he was just...home. Although he appreciates the English that fills the air around him, the familiar smells and the announcements of departures in arrivals. Alfred spends another hour in customs only to come out on the other side and find that his flight's been cancelled. He wants to cry, was this a joke? He prayed for a camera crew to come out from one of the gates and laugh in his face. Even he'd appreciate that! He rummages through his backpack to find his phone and, pulling it out with an added air of triumph turns it on.

It turns off again.

There was no way. Alfred fights the urge to chuck the phone at a nearby attendant -one who had given him lip when he asked about the cancellation in the first place. He rushes, totally not panicked, to a nearby pay phone. Finding his wallet he realizes he's forgotten one crucial stop on his way through customs.

Currency exchange.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Alfred yells at the pay phone, fishing through yen in hopes that he'd find at least one quarter... and dials Arthur collect.

Arthur answers irritably, "You'd better have a proper reason for charging me." He says and accepts the charges, and Alfred cries jumbled and panicked phrases into Arthur's ear. Arthur understands 'no change' and 'cancelled flight' and puts the pieces together. Alfred can hear Arthur chuckle through the receiver and does not see the humor in the situation. He whines considerably less after Arthur informs him that they called him when they couldn't reach Alfred and that they'd rerouted him, his bags had already gone ahead.

Alfred whimpers a relieved "Thank you…" into the phone and hangs up just in time to hear Arthur's goodbye.

It sounded like a low and begrudging, I can't wait to see you. Alfred picks up the phone again just to frown at it, he was probably just imagining things. All the lines and waiting and things that had gone wrong were probably just getting to him. He runs to his gate.

Another long plane ride and Alfred prays nothing goes wrong, hopes that his streak of bad luck doesn't take the plane down in flames or-

"Sorry sir, the flight's closed." He turns sharply to the woman at the counter giving him a look that says Oh, just try me, I've been standing here for hours. He hears a voice that sounds familiar say something about it being unfair and that some of them had been here on time. The woman at the counter continues to yell at everyone in line and Alfred returns to the pay phone.

He wishes he could say he didn't cry, but after a day of traveling and thinking he'd get home he finds himself stuck in his own capital. He can't decide if he's more mortified about crying to Arthur over the phone or crying in public. It's a little bit of both. Arthur does his best to say the right thing but Alfred can't hear him over his own distressed voice.

A hand touches his shoulder and Alfred jumps.

"Oh, America…" It's a thick European accent, "I did not mean to startle you." He smiles and Alfred suddenly recognizes the tilt of the head and calm smile through blurry eyes.

Francis. He tells England he'll call him later and hangs up.

"You are so distressed, cher." Francis says and Alfred notices that he looks tired and a little more irritated than he normally sees him, "Let's get this sorted out, hm?" Alfred follows Francis reluctantly.

"What're you doing here, France?" Alfred says while they wait in yet another line, they'll both have to spend the night in Washington D.C. Francis gives Alfred a mildly offended look but shrugs it off and flips his hair slightly, albeit a little sluggishly. Francis' charm seems to be a little lacking tonight, Alfred notes.

"I had a, ah, meeting." He replies stumbling over the English word for meeting. Alfred wonders vaguely if by 'meeting' Francis really means 'lay.'

"Don't give me that look." Francis continues and Alfred snaps out of his thoughts, "I was on my way back to Paris." He finishes and Francis motions to the desk. "Go ahead, America, I'll wait."

Alfred reroutes his flight and Francis informs him that they'll be flying together, he had a layover in JFK. Alfred is somewhat relieved that Francis is there to accompany him. Especially because he seems too tired to be his usual self. Alfred's elated that he doesn't have to bother fending off Francis' advances tonight. It's the first time in his life that Alfred's actually thought of Francis as the "older brother" he was always going on about and not just a perverted sex-addict with weird taste in food.

The two touch down in New York and Francis kisses Alfred on both cheeks as they part ways. Francis is back to his old self and Alfred slaps his hand as he moves in to touch him. Francis waves with a sing-song Adieu! And disappears from sight.

He knows better than to run. Alfred's never been so happy to see his own flag and the familiar ads and shops that line the airport, he's winded quickly but ignores it as he reaches a sign that says Baggage Claim and points him in the right direction. Alfred's not sure he's ever run so fast in his life.

Standing near his carousel, arms folded and looking anxiously at his watch is Arthur. He looks up and worriedly looks around and Alfred holds back a yell before booking it toward him. As he gets closer, Alfred launches himself into the other man, giving Arthur enough time to let out a very dignified yelp before being hit full force by a slightly overweight American.

Alfred can't stop himself from pulling Arthur's face into his own in a somewhat awkward and forceful kiss. Arthur pushes at his chest until Alfred lets go, their lips part noisily and the people around them give them disapproving looks or continue about their business. Alfred's never been so happy to see Arthur in his life.

"I suppose I should know better… letting you travel by yourself." Arthur says disapprovingly, face a deep red, as he turns away from Alfred and Alfred leans in and smiles.

"Did you miss me?" He puts his hands in his pockets.

"O-Of course not." He tugs Alfred downward by the collar of his jacket, pushes his bangs out of the way and kisses him on the forehead.

"Welcome back." Arthur says in Japanese. He'd called Kiku and asked what he should say to Alfred when he gets back and although Kiku hadn't really given him a straight answer, he'd mentioned that this was standard for people returning home.

Alfred laughs in response and after a while says, "Your accent's so bad." Arthur knows Alfred's can't be any better. He makes an indignant grunt when Alfred wraps his arms enthusiastically around him.

"I missed you, Arthur." He says and Arthur can hear the smile in his voice.

"I missed you too."

poetry; Ise

2010-04-25T08:11:54Z

So for an assignment like two semesters ago, I had to write in the style of a famous Japanese poet so I wrote this:

On Seeing the Shrine at Ise

   The shrine stands for one
Who illuminates heaven
   Flowers bloom on hills
On paths to distant cities
   Among the rocks and grasses
As blossoms surround
   The walls protecting her shrine
The sun returns to
   The Grand Shrine at Ise
Springtime brings air, pure and clean
   Waters once clouded
Now flow free beside the walls
   And with the winter frost
The surrounding trees seem to
   Ceaselessly raise their branches
When the autumn comes
   The mist lowers onto rooftops
Settling on rivers
   That continually flow
Sun enshrines the outer walls
   Recreating leaves
Rebirth of beauty
   Like the return to heaven
People from Ise arrive
To seek light’s salvation.

Envoy
   The birds from branches
Sing along the outer walls
   And bring with their songs
The revival of nature
The creation brought by spring.

The whole thing is a giant choka written in the style of Yamabe no Akahito. With the envoy being a classical Japanese tanka.

Good story, it's about Amaterasu.

lespages @ 2010-01-14T15:36:00

2010-01-14T20:36:27Z

#01 - Ring	#02 - Hero	#03 - Memory	#04 - Box	#05 - Run
#06 - Hurricane	#07 - Wings	#08 - Cold	#09 - Red	#10 - Drink
#11 - Midnight	#12 - Temptation	#13 - View	#14 - Music	#15 - Silk
#16 - Cover	#17 - Promise	#18 - Dream	#19 - Candle	#20 - Talent
#21 - Silence	#22 - Journey	#23 - Fire	#24 - Strength	#25 - Mask
#26 - Ice	#27 - Fall	#28 - Forgotten	#29 - Dance	#30 - Body
#31 - Sacred	#32 - Farewells	#33 - World	#34 - Formal	#35 - Fever
#36 - Laugh	#37 - Lies	#38 - Forever	#39 - Overwhelmed	#40 - Whisper
#41 - Wait	#42 - Talk	#43 - Search	#44 - Hope	#45 - Eclipse
#46 - Gravity	#47 - Highway	#48 - Unknown	#49 - Lock	#50 - Breathe

1 sentence set Gamma from here.

lespages @ 2010-01-10T23:01:00

2010-01-11T03:59:41Z

I thought I'd start with this...

001.	Lively	002.	Remorseful	003.	Dismiss	004.	Heavy	005.	Forward
006.	Prowl	007.	Cut	008.	Compromise	009.	Impulse	010.	Hush
011.	Morals	012.	Engage	013.	Voice	014.	Awkward	015.	Lower
016.	Plead	017.	Caring	018.	Believe	019.	Found	020.	Shield
021.	Open	022.	Tactile	023.	Journey	024.	Scowl	025.	Hero
026.	Writer's Choice	027.	Writer's Choice	028.	Writer's Choice	029.	Writer's Choice	030.	Writer's Choice

Found here.