Did I Read.......Twisted Wonderland? ⁠(͡⁠°⁠‿⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

~ Messy-Haired Jade Leech ~

LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT’S ACE’S UNIQUE MAGIC

i was obsessed the first time i saw someone post leon on that stupid panda rocker but i was never able to find raw footage of it lol, so i decided to compile leon with all the playground interactions because i love him <3

CLAMP SCHOOL DETECTIVES CD DRAMA FILE 2 TRACK 2

I continue with part 2 of Suoh and Nagisa's stormy date here.

Part 1 is here

Link to listen to track 2 of File 2 >>CD Drama File 2 Track 2<<

Translate from Japanese, write story and translate to English: Mrsleestranger.

Suoh and Nagisa’s Turbulent Date (P2)

After Nokoru continued assigning new tasks, the trio split up to search for Alex in different areas, trying to prevent the penguin from getting into any danger. Suoh, however, had been waiting for this moment, and quickly rushed back to Nagisa, took her to the school aquarium. But his mind remained heavy with thoughts of this unintended mission. The soothing sounds of the water in the aquarium couldn’t relax him at all.

“I’ve checked the Wisteria Garden, the infirmary, the dormitory, Gamera Hall, and Emerald Ocean… It seems like Alex has been circling the school in a clockwise direction since escaping. If that’s the case, he should be nearing the aquarium area… Or maybe he’s heading toward the zoo, where Ijyuin is searching.”

Lost in thought, Suoh suddenly heard a soft voice calling him, gradually becoming clearer.

– Takamura-san? Takamura-san?

Suoh looked up, still in a daze, unable to fully escape his thoughts.

– Huh? Is something wrong?

Nagisa’s voice was filled with concern and a tinge of sadness:

– Did something happen? Ever since you returned from the student council room, you’ve been spacing out, and you don’t seem happy at all…

Suoh panicked, quickly denying it. He couldn’t let Nagisa think that he wasn’t happy being with her.

– Wha–!? N-No, that’s not it at all.

But it seemed that Nagisa sensed something was wrong, and she decided to be straightforward with him. She wanted to help, and also hoped they could enjoy their time together:

– If something is bothering you, please don’t hesitate to tell me.

Suoh was deeply moved. He straightened his face as if he were about to confess everything.

– I understand… In that case, Nagisa-san, would you like to…

– Yes?

Nagisa was both serious and eager, waiting to hear his thoughts. But Suoh, being the considerate guy he was, didn’t want her to run around the school with him on this wild mission. So, he quickly made up an excuse:

– Would you like something to drink?

– Huh?

Nagisa was confused. What’s spacing out got to do with the drink?

– Actually, running around so much has made my throat dry, so…

Nagisa was a little taken aback, but she quickly adjusted and accepted the situation as naturally as possible:

– Oh, I see. It is really hot today… So, shall we stop by the café terrace?

Suoh let out a quiet sigh of relief, glad he’d avoided a hard situation:

– Sure, but before that…

But as always, his nature was hard to change. He still had to check if his theory about Alex’s whereabouts was correct. So, without warning, he dashed off, surprising Nagisa.

– Takamura-san???

Suoh, running as he looked back, called out:

– I’m just going this way for a moment… to a place that’s off-limits to girls…

Nagisa, still shocked, blushed when she realized where he meant:

– Ah… the restroom…

– Please wait for me at the entrance. I’ll be right back!

– But…

Before she could stop him, Suoh had vanished down the hallway. Once out of sight, he stopped to catch his breath and whispered to himself:

“Sorry, Nagisa-san!”

Suoh didn’t have time to dwell on it. He ran straight toward the zoo. The loud sounds of the animals there drowned out his heavy breathing.

– Hufff huff… Where are Kaichou and Ijyuin?

As Suoh was catching his breath and looking around for his teammates, Akira’s voice called from a distance:

– Senpai! Senpaiii!!!

Hearing this, Suoh immediately rushed over to join them:

– Haa haa, sorry I’m late…

Nokoru, not interested in Suoh’s fatigue, jumped straight to the main issue:

– So, Suoh? How’s the aquarium?

– Haaa haaa, no sign of Alex there.

Nokoru began to get anxious. Penguins weren’t fast movers, so why hadn’t they found him yet?

– Hmmm… By now, Alex should’ve made its way near the university block…

Akira, equally worried, spoke up:

– He must have come here. After all, Alex’s mother is in this zoo, right? I bet he escaped to find her.

Nokoru, more calm and collected due to the additional information he had, replied:

– Akira, good guess, but you’re only half right.

Suoh quickly caught the key point in Nokoru’s words:

– Kaichou, do you know what Alex is actually looking for?

That’s when Nokoru revealed all the information he had gathered, along with his theory:

– Right, Alex is a penguin that was artificially hatched. During the egg incubation period, his mother got sick and passed away. So, the caretakers decided to hatch the egg artificially, and that’s how Alex was born.

Akira was taken aback by this information:

– So… what Alex is searching for is…?

Nokoru confirmed Akira’s assumption:

– Just as you guessed, Akira, Alex is looking for his mother.

– But Alex’s mother…

Akira felt a pang of sorrow when mentioning the sad part.

– Could it be… the imprinting effect?

Suoh blurted out, clearly excited by the mystery, even though he found the detective team a bit of a hassle at times. What a man of contradictions!

– As expected of Suoh! That’s it!

Akira wasn’t far behind, clearly understanding animals well enough to contribute:

– The imprinting effect… Is that when an animal believes the first thing it sees after birth is its mother?

Nokoru happily elaborated:

– That’s right. In Alex’s case, he probably sees the person who took care of him after he hatched as his ‘mother.’ Not to mention, Alex often cries at night, calling for his mother.

– So… does that mean Yamashina-san, the one who asked us to find Alex, is the one Alex is actually looking for?

Suoh quickly concluded, still unaware of the oddness of this reasoning until Nokoru explained further:

– Not her. The caretakers switch shifts every week, with two people per shift. In fact, every student in the kindergarten block has taken turns caring for Alex.

Akira, puzzled, asked:

– If that’s the case, why are we running around looking for him? Wouldn’t it be easier for Alex to just stay near his enclosure and meet his ‘mother’?

But Suoh thought more deeply:

– Not necessarily, Ijyuin. If Alex lingers near his enclosure, the zookeepers would just bring him back right away. But the chances of a penguin finding the exact person he’s looking for in such a large school campus are extremely low.

Akira finally understood and sighed:

– You’re right… I guess that means we have no choice but to keep searching everywhere.

Just then, Nokoru called out to Suoh:

– Suoh!

– Yes?

Nokoru paused, glancing at Suoh, still drenched in sweat, before changing the subject:

– Ah, never mind. But… hey—why are you always out of breath whenever we regroup? Is something wrong?

– No, nothing’s wrong…

Suoh was caught off guard, wondering how this topic suddenly shifted. Nokoru, ever the innocent or on purpose, smiled knowingly:

– Oh really? I thought you were sneaking off to go on a date with Miss Nagisa.

Suoh froze. The truth was so clear, but he didn’t dare say it out loud. He could only blame Nokoru’s keen intuition.

“So sharp… He just knows I’m caught, but why is his intuition so good when it comes to women?”

Thankfully, Akira, the angel of the group, immediately defended Suoh, raising his voice:

– Kaichou, Senpai is an honorable man! He would never do something like that!

Suoh felt a wave of guilt wash over him, but he could only silently repent in his heart: “Ijyuin, I’ve let you down…”

Nokoru, undeterred, continued with a teasing tone:

– Oh really? Well, there will surely be times when mission time and date time overlap. When that happens, don’t hesitate to speak up, okay? Our mission as the Clamp School Detectives is to bring happiness to women all over the world, so if we make any girl sad, then we’ve totally failed. Got it, Suoh? Akira?

– Yes, sir!

Akira answered loudly and clearly, while Suoh’s heart felt like it was bleeding: “Why are you only saying this now?”

After reminding them of the detective team’s motto, Nokoru’s spirits lifted, and he continued directing them on the mission:

– Alright, let’s keep searching. We need to find Alex, no matter what. Even though he’s a Humboldt penguin, walking around in this heat since morning without food could seriously affect his health.

– Looks like we’re running out of time.

Akira agreed, his sense of urgency rising.

– That’s right. Alex is definitely coming from the north, so we should start our search from the south and gradually move north. Even though there are only three of us, as long as we maintain steady communication, we’ll definitely find him.

"Steady communication?"

Normally, this would be an easy task for Suoh, but today… Suoh was sweating even more than usual. He had never felt life rush by this fast. Meanwhile, Nokoru didn’t seem to feel anything at all—in fact, he was bursting with fighting spirit.

– Alright, let’s keep searching!

———

At a café terrace, Suoh was sitting with Nagisa, enjoying some cake. Nagisa, ever gentle and thoughtful, softly asked Suoh what he thought about the food there:

– How’s the cake, Takamura-san?

Suoh immediately replied:

– It’s not too sweet, really delicious… cough cough cough…!

But before he could finish the compliment, he started choking and coughed nonstop. That’s what happens when you eat fast, talk fast, and don’t focus on what you’re doing. Kids, don’t follow his example!

Seeing Suoh coughing uncontrollably, Nagisa quickly handed him a glass of water:

– Are you alright? Here, drink some water!

Suoh took the glass and gulped it down, then sat back and tried to catch his breath. Nagisa saw that he was feeling better and gently scolded him:

– You’re eating too fast! And… you’re sweating a lot… If you need one, I have a handkerchief. Please use it!

Seriously, where in the world could you find a girlfriend this sweet, this thoughtful and this caring? Suoh, feeling both touched and guilty, reached out and took the handkerchief. But just as things were starting to get sweet... duty called again. A signal to regroup had come through.

At the next rendezvous point, amidst the lively noise of the crowd and the roar of elephants, Nokoru’s voice rang out:

– Suoh! Suoh!

Suoh gently landed in front of Nokoru and replied in haste:

– Kaichou!

– Did you find Alex, Suoh?

– No, from the northern area to here, there’s no sign of Alex.

Suoh answered seriously, but Nokoru stared at him and suddenly asked in surprise:

– Suoh, is that cream on your lips?

Startled, Suoh froze. He didn’t normally pay attention to his reflection, much less when he was running around like this. To cover it up, he had no choice but to make up something clearly ridiculous:

– Ah… that… lately my lips have been dry, so I’ve been using lip balm…

Nokoru looked even more confused—this explanation was stranger than seeing himself voluntarily doing student council paperwork.

– Oh… I see.

Suoh’s wild chase continued, and the next regrouping was with Akira. Amid the buzzing of cicadas came Akira’s cheerful voice:

– Senpai! Takamura-senpai!

Suoh hurried over, gasping for breath:

– Huff… huff… I… Ijyuin…

– How’s your side? I couldn’t find anything over here.

– Same here. Alright, let’s search farther north. Haaa, why is it so hot today… I’ve been sweating like crazy.

As he spoke between gasps, Suoh pulled out a handkerchief to wipe off his sweat. Akira didn’t comment on the sweat but instead focused all his attention on the handkerchief and innocently asked:

– Senpai, your handkerchief looks… kind of weird.

Suoh jumped—he almost forgot, it was Nagisa’s handkerchief! He hurried to cover it up:

– Eh? This…? This is my mom’s handkerchief. Yeah, that’s right, my mom’s. I must’ve grabbed it by mistake when I left in a rush this morning… ha ha ha ha…

That was definitely a guilty laugh, Suoh.

But thanks to Akira’s innocence, he believed his senpai completely. To keep Suoh from feeling awkward, he even laughed along. In the end, the two of them stood there laughing loudly and oddly in the middle of the street.

– Ha ha ha ha!

– A ha ha ha ha!

------

Suoh later returned to his date. He and Nagisa were now at the amusement park, surrounded by the cheers and laughter of people enjoying the games. It was noisy, yet Suoh’s mind was completely absorbed in searching for Alex.

“The only place left to search is this amusement park. Alex has to be somewhere around here… somewhere…”

- Takamura-san! What should we play first?

Nagisa’s voice pulled him back to reality. Suoh thought for a moment, then replied:

- Let’s see… Ah, I know. How about we start with the Ferris wheel? Once we’re up there, we can decide what to try next!

- That sounds great!

“If I can get a high vantage point, maybe I’ll be able to spot Alex somewhere down below…”

As expected of a top student's thinking, combining a romantic date with serious work. But Suoh, if Nagisa finds out what you’re plotting, you might be in trouble.

Meanwhile, little penguin Alex was still wandering around looking for something. He seemed exhausted and kept calling out “Ga Ga Ga!!!” non-stop.

Suoh climbed into the Ferris wheel cabin first and extended his hand to help Nagisa up.

- Be careful getting in. Here, take my hand!

Nagisa shyly placed her hand in his and stepped into the cabin.

- Thank you!

Once they were seated, the cabin door shut with a loud creak, signaling that the ride was about to start moving.

Suddenly, Alex cried out loudly—“Na na ga ga…”—as if calling for Nagisa. Then he bolted straight toward the Ferris wheel’s platform. When he reached one of the cabins, he began hopping up and down, flailing around, which drew the attention of a staff.

- What the…? Why is there a penguin here?

Alex paid no mind to the confused female staff. He just kept squawking “Gaa gaa gaa” as if to say, “Let me on!”

- Aaa! No way! You can’t ride the Ferris wheel like that—

But before she could stop him, the little penguin darted into an open cabin and rode up with the door open, still squawking “Gaa gaa gaa” anxiously. The Ferris wheel continued to turn, and the staff member shouted in panic from below:

- Oh no! Stop!

Up in the sky, Suoh and Nagisa sat in their cabin, admiring the sunset. Enchanted by the beautiful scene, Nagisa exclaimed:

- It’s so beautiful!

Even in his exhaustion and rush, Suoh showed he had a romantic soul beneath that stoic exterior:

- It’s strange, isn’t it? The sun at daytime and the sunset are the same size, but the sunset always looks so much bigger.

- You’re right.

Nagisa fully agreed with him. Honestly, even if Suoh had said the sunset looked smaller, she probably wouldn’t have argued. Ah, young love…

Taking advantage of the fact that Nagisa was looking out the window, enchanted by the sunset, Suoh also turned to look out—but he was scanning the area below. He continued his mental calculations, determined to find Alex and bring the mission to a close. Two people, same view, totally different thoughts—what a turbulent date.

“I have to find Alex before the sun goes down... Where could he be? Where on earth is he?”

Just as he was searching, Suoh spotted two familiar figures.

“Isn’t that… Kaichou and Ijyuin? Oh no… If they see me here…”

You see, "Sneaking around at night will catch up to you someday", "A needle hidden in a sack will eventually poke through", "You can’t wrap fire in paper"… So many proverbs apply here—I, your narrator, am absolutely thrilled to finally bring you to this moment.

But before Suoh could even start worrying about being discovered, something else unexpected happened. A loud squawk startled both him and Nagisa.

- Gaa gaa gaa!!!

Suoh was confused. They were in a cabin high up in the air—how could a cry sound that close?

- Huh? What was that sound…?

But Nagisa pointed right away, answering his question.

- Ta… Takamura-san! Look at that cabin over there!

Suoh turned to look and immediately shouted:

- A!

It seemed Alex had realized he’d finally caught the attention of the person he was looking for, and began squawking even more desperately:

- Gaa gaa gaa!!!

Suoh and Nagisa both cried out in surprise:

- Alex!

Then they turned to each other in complete shock:

- Ehh???

Suoh quickly asked:

- You know Alex, Nagisa-san?

Nagisa was just as surprised and immediately asked back:

- Why do you know Alex, Takamura-san?

Right then, Alex let out a terrified “Gyaaa!!!” that snapped them back to the present. Nagisa screamed in fear as she saw that Alex was about to fall from the cabin with the open door.

Down below, people were in a panic at the scene unfolding above.

“What’s going on?”

“What happened?”

“Look over there!”

Akira, quick-eyed as ever, was the first to realize:

- Kaichou! Look! Isn’t that…

Nokoru nodded quickly, his voice betraying his worry.

- Yes, that’s Alex.

- But the cabin door is open… If Alex keeps inching forward like that, he’s going to fall! If he drops from that height…

Akira was too terrified to even imagine what would happen.

Just then, Nokoru spotted some familiar figures in a nearby cabin.

- Huh? The two people in that cabin look like…

At that moment, Suoh opened the door of his cabin. Wind rushed in, forcing him to raise an arm to shield his eyes as he tried to see clearly. The roar of the wind mixed with the anxious cries of the people below, making everything even more chaotic. But Suoh focused only on one thing—Alex’s safety. The penguin stumbled dangerously near the open door, finally realizing just how dire his situation was, squeaking in panic: “A a a a!”

Nagisa, utterly distraught, could only shout his name in fear:

- Alexxx!!!

Suoh swiftly drew a shuriken. A sharp sound rang out. “This might be a bit rough, but forgive me, Alex!"

With that thought, Suoh yelled and hurled the shuriken with precision. It sliced through the air and struck the door latch of Alex’s cabin, slamming it shut instantly.

Crisis averted.

Once Suoh, Nagisa, and Alex were safely back on the ground, Nokoru and Ijyuin rushed over to meet them.

Alex ran straight into Nagisa’s arms, chirping happily: “Nyaa ngan nga ngaa…” Nagisa couldn’t hold back anymore—she hugged him tightly with a sigh of relief.

- Alex… Thank goodness you’re safe…

Akira blinked in surprise.

- So Nagisa-san is the mother Alex’s been looking for?

Nokoru quickly explained:

- That’s right. It’s quite the coincidence—Miss Nagisa was actually the caretaker on duty at the animal center the day Alex was born. Since she was the first person Alex saw when he opened his eyes, he believes she’s his mother.

After all that, Suoh had completely forgotten he was supposed to be hiding the fact that he was on a date. He calmly said:

- Anyway, I’m just glad Alex is safe.

Nokoru nodded in agreement:

- That was a close call! I'm impressed, you're amazing as always, Suoh. Your shuriken throw was incredible—curving perfectly to hit the door latch and shut it… But wait, weren’t you supposed to be searching for Alex? Why were you riding the Ferris wheel with Miss Nagisa?

Nokoru’s voice clearly held a teasing tone—he smelled gossip. But Suoh, flustered and guilty, didn’t pick up on it. He was just now realizing the awkwardness of the situation and stammered, unable to come up with a good excuse.

- Uh… Well… That’s…

But Nagisa quickly jumped in with a flurry of words, as if she’d prepared this explanation ages ago:

- I was the one who invited Takamura-san to ride the Ferris wheel, Imonoyama Kaichou. The sunset was so beautiful… I just thought it would be even more breathtaking from the top… I’m really sorry.

Of course, Nokoru had no intention of scolding either of them. He immediately softened his tone to reassure her:

- No, no. I see. So that’s what happened. I though... well, never mind. Please don’t worry about it.

Suoh was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected someone as shy and quiet as Nagisa to think so quickly and cover for him. He looked at her with gratitude and affection.

- Nagisa-san…

But then she whispered playfully:

- Consider that was my way of thanking you for saving Alex. But next time, if you had work with detective team, you could've just said so... As punishment for keeping secrets from me, you have to go on another date with me tomorrow! Fufufufu!

She giggled after teasing him, and Suoh could only reply with a bashful grin:

- Y... Yes!

This is a sign for you to go have a snack

I love general Lilia I’ve been thinking about this guy for a good while now.

One thing I don't often see people talk about in Steven Universe.

In the series most of Stevens powers come from a need to protect those around him. His shield, his bubble, healing spit/tears, all designed, and come from the desire to, protect those around him. With the exception of his floating which comes from a sense of joy and happiness.

In Future his new powers stem from a subconscious need to protect himself, instead of a need to protect others. He's dealing with a lot and his powers are reacting in an explosive way to keep him safe. Super speed to escape a dangerous situation, explosive screams to throw the threat away from him, and panels, thicker and stronger than his shield and bubble, to shield him from the perceived threat.

Which then makes me wonder, since Pink on Homeworld was known for destructive "temper tantrums" how often she must've felt so unsafe, scared and unhappy that her powers reacted the way Stevens do in Future.

When she became Rose Quartz she felt confident, comfortable and more safe as Rose than as Pink. She had a strong desire to protect the Earth and the Crystal Gems, developing her powers into the ones we see most in the show.

Jade's candy distribution system

I'd like to know Grim's story! What's his past? Does he have any connection to Yuu? Or any connection to Disney? Do we have any theories about him? Oh, Yuurei, please tell me!

Hello hello! Thank you for this question! 🐱

There is much we do not know about Grim, and just as much that he does not know about himself!

Grim says that he does not remember his family and he doesn't seem to know where he came from or how it is that he arrived at NRC, reacting with surprise at how remote the island is, which asks how he got there (and from where).

He is also constantly surprising the other characters with how little he knows about Twisted Wonderland itself, being unfamiliar with basic information like major holidays, major historical figures, popular sports, blot, many foods, and even the Great Seven.

Lilia: "How could someone in this world have truly never heard of Halloween?"

Grim remembers wearing his ribbon and being called "Grim the digger" back home, but there have been no clues about what that "home" is or was.

“I remember wakin’ up hungry and alone. It was real cold. I was waitin’ out there for someone to come get me for ages. What happened after that again? It’s all so foggy…”

Grim also remembers being hungry, cold and alone, and we have heard about creatures who are hungry, cold and alone before--Tartarus' phantoms 👀

Other curiosities are: 1. STYX is unable to fully analyze Grim because of a curse/blessing he is under 2. STYX is fairly certain he is a direbeast combined with another, unknown animal 3. There are creatures known to disguise themselves as direbeasts to escape detection: phantoms 👀

Idia explains that Grim's blot accumulation is impossible for STYX to determine:

"Grim's numbers go haywire every time I try to get a precise blot accumulation reading. One moment they spike into the red zone....like a subject that's gone full Phantom."

And there is at least one theory that ties in to how we technically do not know how it is that original-Ortho died: he was killed by an escapee from Tartarus, but Idia says that, when he woke up, "Ortho was gone."

And at least one of the phantoms we see wake up Tartarus demands to be fed flesh. Was original-Ortho eaten by a phantom? And was that phantom Grim?

We do not know 🐱

As for Disney connections, the same theory above guesses that Grim was possibly based on Dinah from Alice in Wonderland, with the escaped phantom that killed Ortho potentially being from the Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired Queendom of Roses.

And then the oft-repeated theory that Grim in his phantom form, confronting the characters in a destroyed Mirror Chamber, was one of the first things the game showed us 👀

But still all conjecture at this time!

So this is love~ mm-mm-mmh-mmm~

Aglow