When Sane People Are Asleep
Title: When Sane People Are Asleep
What: Digimon Tamers fanfiction + graphics + fanmix (not necessary to the fic, but I had fun with it)
Rating: PG
Words: 4100 + more in the graphics
Summary: Letters between Jen and Ruki during the Lee family Christmas vacation to Hong Kong. Jen always ends up writing more, Ruki is bored in Shinjuku without him around, Ryo is annoying as always, and "I love you" is so much easier to say in writing. Established Jen/Ruki (I thought I'd let him get the girl for once), some hints at Jen/Ryo or Ryo/Ruki depending which eye you look out of. Written for 30_ways using theme #06 - vacation.
Notes: Highlight the black bars to read the text :) And this is going to take a few thank yous: To the With the Will Card Terminal for the Digimon card as always, Steve Webel @ Flickr.com for the Symphony of Lights photo, Getty Images for the package and the stock photo I mangled, Jupiter Images for what's inside, and, strangely enough, BBC for the card.
Alternate link: Fanfiction.net - without crossed/scribbled out bits, photos, or other graphics
Sample: What's a horde of cousins next to the people you saved the world with?
Dearest Ruri, love of my life with your spellbinding eyes and hair cascading like a waterfall of copper at 1083° Celsius, how can your mother call me unromantic now,
I hope you know we would both save so much more money if you’d only get on the computer and use e-mail like a sane person. I’m sure your grandmother could show you how. But I suppose it is fun getting mail. I hope you have as much fun trying to decipher my handwriting. Sorry. I know it’s terrible, Mom says I spend too much time on the computer. Like she can talk.
Um, Hong Kong is pretty much exactly like going to Tokyo city, except with more Cantonese and it’s quite a bit warmer and muggier. We’ve been spending a lot of time shopping, with the excuse that the malls are air-conditioned, but this excuse is useless at the markets. The girls have lots of new clothes, and I’ve found a few games I was after, and cheaper too, but frankly they’ll probably crash my computer.
It’s weird, they’ve got Digimon over here too, but they haven’t heard of the whole D-Reaper mess. Which is good, because it means Shuichon and I aren’t getting mobbed. They have a card stall in the market here, and I found some ridiculously rare cards, as in, not even Ryo has them, but they’re probably fakes.
Shuichon and I have been bringing around Lopmon and Terriermon and pretending they’re stuffed animals or backpacks. (Yeah, I’m getting too old for this, I’m getting a lot of weird looks.) Terriermon has been using this as an opportunity to practice his Cantonese (you know how he picks it up from me and Dad) which means I now apparently do ventriloquism. My cousins are very impressed and want to know how I do it.
Speaking of Terriermon, someone tried to steal him at the markets the other day. You wouldn’t believe how fast we had to get out of there before the owner of the stall his Petit Twister wrecked started asking questions.
I actually can’t think of anything else to say. There is only so much you can say about shopping. Wish you were here. Not to shop, clearly.
Jen,
Please never write anything like that again, it was a little disturbing. Anyway, Mom says you brought in science so it can’t be romantic.
Your handwriting isn’t that hard to read. It’s better than Takato’s at any rate, though has anyone ever told you you write like a girl? And why did you cross out the ‘your’ You do spend too much time on the computer, at least your mom has an excuse.
I wish you could have taken Mom to Hong Kong with you. She keeps saying I need more winter clothes, which is stupid. It sounds like she’d get along great with your mom and your sisters, I know she thinks Shuichon is ‘adorable’.
But I thought you should know that if you’re looking for your green jacket, it’s with me. Sorry.
If the fake cards are cheap, you could buy them anyway as a souvenir? But I wouldn’t run them through the D-Arc if I were you.
Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but you do look pretty weird carrying around a stuffed animal. I mean, we’re fifteen. Hopefully you grew out of that stage years ago.
I’d like to see your ventriloquism routine. What are your cousins like? I don’t have any, Mom’s an only child and Dad...
I guess you just landed with a popular Digimon for a partner. Has Shuichon had any problems with Lopmon?
Shinjuku’s kind of boring. without you here. Mom keeps dragging me shopping and now that I’ve got nothing better to do I actually have to go, I only end up buying Christmas presents though. Takato’s dad is trying to make Terriermon and Renamon bread, which is going...interestingly, I guess. And Juri's getting a lot better at Digimon.
If all you do in Hong Kong is shop, then I’m not interested. I’d rather have you back in Shinjuku.
Dear Ruki,
Tell your mother it’s nerdy love.
I have never been told that I write like a girl, but thank you for that observation, Terriermon now agrees with you and says there was always something fishy about my writing but he could never figure out what it was, and now he knows, thanks to you. He also says girlfriends are a lot more useful than he thought.
Everyone thinks Shaochung Shuichon’s adorable, it’s a fact of life. But really, Ru, it’s no wonder your mom’s saying you need more clothes if you’re wearing mine. I was wondering where that had gotten to.
Here’s one of the cards, we'll call it a pre-gift gift. Do you think it's counterfeit? It feels right.
I never went through the carrying-round-a-stuffed-animal stage, thank you very much; though I guess you could argue that I was such a psychologically retarded child that I only started it at thirteen.
Darn, I have got to stop giving you ammo you can use against me.
My ‘ventriloquism’ mostly consists of Terriermon insulting me and getting away with it, so it’s nothing you haven't seen before. But at least if I fail all my exams, I now have a career choice that doesn’t involve the phrase ‘do you want fries with that’ or the adult entertainment industry.
You could have some of my cousins if you like, I have rather a lot. The ones on Mom’s side are pretty much all in Osaka so you could have those ones for convenience's sake. Going on about my Hong Kong cousins is probably going to take up another page...
We spend the most time with Syaoran and Shengnan, they’re our age and they're twins. Syaoran does fencing or something so he carries a sword around almost everywhere, it’s a little creepy, and he doesn’t talk a lot either. But he plays Digimon as well (even if I have to keep translating my cards for him). Naturally he’s better than me. Not as good as you though.
Shengnan is one of those bubbly in-your-face types and she persists under the delusion that I’m writing you love letters and it’s adorable. I told her you’d kick my butt if I wrote you a love letter but she doesn’t listen. On the upside she does kung fu so I’ve been keeping fit over here. We spar a few times a week and she’s been taking me to her dojo. It’s a lot different to working with Cho-sensei.
Their little sister Meiling is six. I was hoping Shuichon had grown out of the whole Princess Prettypants thing (I mean, she’s ten) but no, she has introduced Mei-mei to its joys. Mei-mei loves Terriermon, but the weird thing is, Terriermon seems to be just as taken with her.
Fei is eighteen, and apparently she was on TV earlier this year on a talent show called Super Girl. She sings, and she didn’t get all that far on the show but she got a record deal out of it so she’s been shoving her album at us. Once she found out I had a girlfriend she gave me another copy. I know you hate pop music but I feel kind of obliged to give it to you because she’s family. You could throw it at Ryo. Not literally.
Miki loves having a Cantopopstar for an older sister. She’s sixteen, and she's determined to go to university in America so she’s teaching herself English with music and TV. Maybe you could write to her?
Hai reminds me of my first impression of Takato, but at age twelve. You know, kind of little and awkward, but all heart. He’s always sitting around writing in a notebook and watching everything. I don’t know what he's writing. His older sister Xue spends all her time txting. Kaohun’s the oldest in their family, twenty or something, and he’s doing sports science at college so he and Rinchei are getting on fantastically.
Zhang is really into film, she carries a video camera around everywhere and keeps popping up in everyone’s faces with it, it’s kind of scary when she just suddenly appears like Renamon or something. (she’s ten) Jun is thirteen and he’s really into everything Digimon, which is a little weird. I can just imagine the look on his face if we told him Shuichon and I are Tamers and Terriermon and Lopmon are real. On the other hand, I can actually beat him at the card game, which is a nice change.
Leo’s the oldest, he’s Jaarin’s age so when they’re not sitting around plotting (did I tell you Jaarin’s engaged?) he’s taking us around the smaller islands on his boat. He loves sailing, bought a boat with his own money and everything, but his parents think it’s stupid, so he’s using us as an excuse to get out on the water more, and it’s pretty cool. He’s been making me help him. Apparently I’ll make a great sailor some day. Which is great, because, you know, we live so close to the sea.
I never knew I’d be able to write so much about my eight cousins in Hong Kong. They’d be honored if they could read Japanese.
The biggest problem Shuichon’s had with Lopmon, I think, would be Jun telling her Lopmon’s a stupid Digimon so why does she have him as a backpack and Shuichon shooting her mouth off about the Devas and the Sovereigns. I keep reminding her not to talk about the digital world but does she listen? But no one’s tried to steal Lopmon.
Speaking of Christmas presents, I found a place here that sells entire series of VCDs a lot cheaper than in Tokyo, and I checked, they are in Japanese, so is there any particular series you’d like or should I just get you Slayers? Also, I have no idea what to get Ryo, seeing as I’ve relinquished Fei’s album to you. I wasn’t entirely joking about throwing it at him. Saves you having to buy him anything, also it gives you an excellent opportunity to mock his taste in music.
Pity Juri’s getting better at Digimon. I used to be able to beat her.
Terriermon says he can’t wait to get back home and try the Terriermon bread.
Man, it’s getting late. Tonight Zhang dragged us out to the Avenue of Stars (kind of a Hong Kong Hollywood Walk of Fame) to watch A Symphony of Lights, this musical light show on every night for twenty minutes. We’d seen it through the windows before but this was our first time to see it in person. I have to say, it was pretty amazing, and I’m especially amazed that it hasn’t given anyone a seizure. Zhang let me print out one of my terrible photos for you. This will probably show you exactly why I usually leave the artsy stuff to Takato.
My arm feels like it’s about to fall off, so I’ll stop here. Miss you.
Jen,
I’m full of good observations.
Well, I never did get my black jacket back from Juri, or that blue one I threw off when we went back into Shinjuku, and you did leave it in my room last time you came over. If Hong Kong is so much warmer than Shinjuku then surely it’s not like you need it over there.
I had Ryo look at your Agnimon card and he says it’s fake. Actually he’s still here and reading over my shoulder so I’ll let him write:
Yeah, yeah. I’m reclaiming the pen. Takato threw a Christmas party yesterday and Ryo and Monodramon came up from Kitakyushu for it. Since you’re out of town they’re staying in our guest house. Or are meant to be, anyway. Ryo snuck back in once Mom and Grandma were in bed.
Did I mention he’s annoying. But you knew that already. Just like I’d known for ages you were psychologically retarded.
I never knew one could write so much about family. Shengnan sounds scary, as does Zhang, though it was nice of her to let you print that photo, it’s not as bad as you think.
Okay, Ryo’s gone to bed now, thank god. I did end up throwing Fei’s CD at his head, by the bye, thanks for that, it was a free Christmas present and projectile weapon in one. He was all “why, thank you! Ruki, you do care! merry Christmas to you too!” so I told him to shut up and go to bed already.
What’s Miki’s address? Maybe I’ll write to her if I have nothing better to do.
I can see you being good on the water, actually. You should get a boat and then we can go sailing on Tokyo Bay. just the two of us. But no, you didn’t tell me Jaarin got engaged! Shigeru, right? Has she told your mom yet?
You and Shuichon should tell Jun about the D-Reaper! That’d show him! I mean, it popped up in America and stuff too, didn’t it? I’m sure there’s still video footage on the Internet somewhere! How dare he call Lopmon stupid?
I’d LOVE Slayers, thanks! Random idea for Ryo: I’ve seen him reading Jaarin’s doujinshi, but I don’t think he’s caught on that she’s your sister, so why not get him a signed copy? Cheap, easy, and will probably amuse Jaarin too.
That party I mentioned before. Takato, Juri, ’kazu, Kenta, and even Ryo and all the Digimon were there, it was just you and Shuichon missing. Oh, okay, and Ai and Mako, though Juri tried to bring them along (these holidays she started babysitting them, it’s a small world after all). It was fun and all, but it just wasn’t the same without you. For various reasons.
Anyway. Like you I have taken to writing at night when sane people are asleep. I wonder if you’re still awake in Hong Kong. Stupid time zones. It’s weird, not having you in town. I can’t just txt you when I can’t sleep and have you reply straight away. You should have gone on roaming.
Okay, if I write any more it’s going to come out sappy and you’ll laugh, so I’ll shut up now.
Dear Ruri,
I would never laugh at you for being sappy.
Please excuse me as I go dump Terriermon with Shuichon, Lopmon, and Mei-mei.
Okay, that’s better.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS IS WEIRD. I was worried I was going soft and if I brought it up you’d just laugh at me. Insomnia never used to be so lonely. I can’t really walk around the hotel room so I keep reaching for my phone, but it’s not there, so you’re not, and am I glad Shengnan can’t read this. I’m so used to seeing you at least every three days and now it’s been two weeks...
I just remembered: I had a dream about you last night. Oh great, now I sound like Takato. Well, we were on the beach at Odaiba and it was snowing, and you were eating icecream. Finishing it, actually, but it was some good-looking icecream so I asked you if I could have some (as soon as I woke up and could form coherent sentences I said “why would I ask to share food with Ruki, especially food as unhygienic to share as icecream, even in a dream; I know Ruki hates sharing food” and Dad was like, “Jian, who are you talking to?”). You gave me this sexy evil little smirk and said, “Sorry, it’s all gone” so I went “What a shame, I really wanted to taste it” and kissed you. And then you turned into Ryo I can’t remember what happened after that.
It’s too bad about the fake card. Maybe I’ll get some anyway for the Wild Ones. I mean, Takato slashed that card Hirokazu made him once and it worked fine, so I don’t see the harm in using counterfeit cards. After all, it’s all about belief, and I take pride in my pirating heritage.
I can’t believe we missed the party! Though I suppose you couldn’t really have waited until we get back; a Christmas party after Christmas is just lame. Was there mistletoe involved? Did Kenta try to sing again? Did Ryo do his Gackt impression on the karaoke, or did he go for Utada Hikaru this time?
The other bit of paper in here is a letter in English from Miki, her address is on there. (She also thinks it’s insane that you don’t use the computer. See, it’s not just me and Ryo!) If you do write back, please be nice, she’s family.
Please, I’m only decent at sailing because Leo explains things well. But if you’re keen, then you can buy the boat.
Yeah, Jaarin and Shigeru are engaged. Mom thinks Shigeru’s a bad influence (he mentioned having an ex-boyfriend once and Mom freaked) so Jaarin’s planning on telling her once she’s back at school (read: outside of Mom’s jurisdiction).
That would be a fun conversation. “Jun, shut up about Lopmon being lame for a sec and watch him evolve to Perfect, would you. Now watch me and my ‘stuffed animal’ evolve into a giant robotic dog half the size of Ap Lei Chau. Did I mention we’re Tamers and we helped save the world a year ago?” I’m sure he’d take that well.
Thanks for the idea! You were right, Jaarin loved it, she’s been sitting around going “I’M FAMOUS!” every five minutes. I think I’ll have to throw a party to give everyone their presents when we get back, it’ll make up for missing Takato’s party and I’ll save on postage.
This is probably kind of stupid, but I’ve been thinking (yes, it hurt): It’d be nice to wake up next to you again, but not in the digital world or in school. I’d like to stay with you overnight without having to save Kurumon or the world the next morning. Okay, now you’re just going to roll your eyes at me and say it won’t happen until one of us moves out or something. Never mind, forget I said anything.
We did more touristy stuff today and went to the Hong Kong Museum of History. I LOVED IT. If it wasn’t for the fact that it’s in Hong Kong I would have moved in, I’m sure I would have been able to set up a tent somewhere unobtrusive. It had all these Oh, wait, I just remembered you don’t like history. Sorry, I’ll stop boring you with museum stories.
Watch your mailbox and if you’ve been a good girl this year you may just get something...
Love,
Jen,
What do you mean ‘if I’ve been a good girl’?
download zip
I don't care if a one-liner is a waste of a stamp, WHY DID YOU GET ME AN IPOD?
Ruuuuuuukiiiiiii,
Because I wanted to. And because I thought you might like it - I always see you carrying that old Discman everywhere and I thought an iPod might save you having to bring a stack of CDs too. And because I wanted to get you something special, but I didn’t want to give it to you in person in case you threw it in my face or everyone else felt rejected or something.
You don’t already have one, do you?
Or you’re anti-Apple and you hate it?
Oh, nuts.
Merry Christmas anyway?
Your Jen
Jen,
Don’t be an idiot. IT’S PERFECT. You just didn’t have to spend so much money on me. I mean, an iPod AND Slayers? Aren’t iPods expensive? You’re spoiling me! Not to mention my present is going to look pathetic. And I was going to wait till you get back to give you your Christmas present so now I feel bad.
I didn’t even notice the whole three months thing. Thanks for that. Good CD, especially for someone who doesn’t even understand it. Maybe I’ll sing for you when you get back. Any special requests?
It’s Christmas today, so Mom, Grandma, and Renamon all say merry Christmas back. After last year’s big ‘we beat the D-Reaper in time for Christmas’ bash, we’re having a quiet Christmas this year, just the four of us. It’s only Renamon’s first Christmas. We went to church (okay, except Renamon), opened presents (Mom got me a new jacket and some okay clothes, Grandma gave me some books - more of that detective stuff you got me into, except in English otherwise I’d lend them to you), even Renamon has a few gifts, Grandma made lunch, and now Mom’s putting on a fashion show with all the new clothes she’s gotten. You can see why I’m opting to write to you instead.
That dream sounds ridiculous but now I feel like ice cream. Thanks a lot. What’s with being on Odaiba? Have you been watching too much Digimon Adventure lately, but in Cantonese?
There was definitely mistletoe involved. especially with Ryo. Kenta unfortunately did try to sing again, I had to steal the mic to get him to stop (haha, you missed me sing). Actually, Ryo did a rather impressive impersonation of hitomi, I think Kenta taped it though so you might still get to see it.
I still think you should tell your stupid cousin about being Tamers, if only for the look on his face. If you do then please send photos.
I’d like to wake up next to you too. Just a warning though, I’m not a morning person, Renamon can attest to that. Seriously, I don’t play nicely until at least eight in the morning.
Don’t you dare move into a museum. I’d never see you again, or if I did you’d be blabbing on about the great achievements of Belgium in the fifteenth century or something.
Merry Christmas! Tell that to Terriermon and Shuichon and Lopmon as well.
One more week...
Love,
Dear Ruki (I’m too grateful to turn you into a diamond),
YOU HAD ME WORRIED THERE. If only you used e-mail once in a while I wouldn’t have spent the week telling everyone in earshot “SHE HATES MY PRESENT”. Honestly, don’t worry about the money, this is Hong Kong, it was cheap. Oops, that came out wrong. Anyway, you’re worth it. And I’m sure I’ll love whatever you’ve gotten me.
Um, I dunno, I don’t really listen to much music (which is why I had to make Miki help me with the CD). Takato said something about you writing your own song...?
We spent Christmas with the family, first time with the lot of us together (except our two cousins in New York) since I was...five? Having this many people around means we’ve had to buy a lot of presents, but on the upside it means you get a lot of presents as well. Lots of Digimon cards (all legitimate, I checked, but in Chinese so I won’t really be able to trade any off), clothes, VCDs (Jun and Zhang’s family gave me the second half of Digimon Adventure 02, haha, unfortunately in English so you’ll have to watch it with me), A NINTENDO DS!! I love Hong Kong’s electronics market.
Oh, Shuichon got you a present as well but Mom didn’t want to pay for more postage and I wasn’t going to let her put it in my package so you’ll get it when we’re back.
Believe me, you have no idea how ridiculous that dream was. And actually I haven’t been watching Digimon lately, Japanese or Cantonese, but didn’t I tell you? I was born on Odaiba, moved to Shinjuku at the start of junior high when Mom got a better job here. I can’t believe you didn’t know.
I clearly missed a great party.
On Christmas day Shuichon got so fed up with Jun she did try to tell him about being Tamers, even though Dad told us not to. I had to go in and say she was making it all up you know how kids are, she didn’t talk to me for three hours, not until Dad had a chat to her.
Ruki, you don’t play nicely at any time of the day.
Just kidding. Besides, I like how you don’t play nicely.
Belgium, Ruki? BELGIUM? Come on, if I had to pick a European country it’d be Switzerland. Hold the pacifist jokes, they make great chocolate, watches, and knives.
By the time you read this, I’ll be back in Shinjuku! I can’t wait to see you again.
Love,
What: Digimon Tamers fanfiction + graphics + fanmix (not necessary to the fic, but I had fun with it)
Rating: PG
Words: 4100 + more in the graphics
Summary: Letters between Jen and Ruki during the Lee family Christmas vacation to Hong Kong. Jen always ends up writing more, Ruki is bored in Shinjuku without him around, Ryo is annoying as always, and "I love you" is so much easier to say in writing. Established Jen/Ruki (I thought I'd let him get the girl for once), some hints at Jen/Ryo or Ryo/Ruki depending which eye you look out of. Written for 30_ways using theme #06 - vacation.
Notes: Highlight the black bars to read the text :) And this is going to take a few thank yous: To the With the Will Card Terminal for the Digimon card as always, Steve Webel @ Flickr.com for the Symphony of Lights photo, Getty Images for the package and the stock photo I mangled, Jupiter Images for what's inside, and, strangely enough, BBC for the card.
Alternate link: Fanfiction.net - without crossed/scribbled out bits, photos, or other graphics
Sample: What's a horde of cousins next to the people you saved the world with?
Dearest Ruri, love of my life with your spellbinding eyes and hair cascading like a waterfall of copper at 1083° Celsius, how can your mother call me unromantic now,
I hope you know we would both save so much more money if you’d only get on the computer and use e-mail like a sane person. I’m sure your grandmother could show you how. But I suppose it is fun getting mail. I hope you have as much fun trying to decipher my handwriting. Sorry. I know it’s terrible, Mom says I spend too much time on the computer. Like she can talk.
Um, Hong Kong is pretty much exactly like going to Tokyo city, except with more Cantonese and it’s quite a bit warmer and muggier. We’ve been spending a lot of time shopping, with the excuse that the malls are air-conditioned, but this excuse is useless at the markets. The girls have lots of new clothes, and I’ve found a few games I was after, and cheaper too, but frankly they’ll probably crash my computer.
It’s weird, they’ve got Digimon over here too, but they haven’t heard of the whole D-Reaper mess. Which is good, because it means Shuichon and I aren’t getting mobbed. They have a card stall in the market here, and I found some ridiculously rare cards, as in, not even Ryo has them, but they’re probably fakes.
Shuichon and I have been bringing around Lopmon and Terriermon and pretending they’re stuffed animals or backpacks. (Yeah, I’m getting too old for this, I’m getting a lot of weird looks.) Terriermon has been using this as an opportunity to practice his Cantonese (you know how he picks it up from me and Dad) which means I now apparently do ventriloquism. My cousins are very impressed and want to know how I do it.
Speaking of Terriermon, someone tried to steal him at the markets the other day. You wouldn’t believe how fast we had to get out of there before the owner of the stall his Petit Twister wrecked started asking questions.
I actually can’t think of anything else to say. There is only so much you can say about shopping. Wish you were here. Not to shop, clearly.
Jen,
Please never write anything like that again, it was a little disturbing. Anyway, Mom says you brought in science so it can’t be romantic.
Your handwriting isn’t that hard to read. It’s better than Takato’s at any rate, though has anyone ever told you you write like a girl? And why did you cross out the ‘your’ You do spend too much time on the computer, at least your mom has an excuse.
I wish you could have taken Mom to Hong Kong with you. She keeps saying I need more winter clothes, which is stupid. It sounds like she’d get along great with your mom and your sisters, I know she thinks Shuichon is ‘adorable’.
But I thought you should know that if you’re looking for your green jacket, it’s with me. Sorry.
If the fake cards are cheap, you could buy them anyway as a souvenir? But I wouldn’t run them through the D-Arc if I were you.
Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but you do look pretty weird carrying around a stuffed animal. I mean, we’re fifteen. Hopefully you grew out of that stage years ago.
I’d like to see your ventriloquism routine. What are your cousins like? I don’t have any, Mom’s an only child and Dad...
I guess you just landed with a popular Digimon for a partner. Has Shuichon had any problems with Lopmon?
Shinjuku’s kind of boring. without you here. Mom keeps dragging me shopping and now that I’ve got nothing better to do I actually have to go, I only end up buying Christmas presents though. Takato’s dad is trying to make Terriermon and Renamon bread, which is going...interestingly, I guess. And Juri's getting a lot better at Digimon.
If all you do in Hong Kong is shop, then I’m not interested. I’d rather have you back in Shinjuku.
Dear Ruki,
Tell your mother it’s nerdy love.
I have never been told that I write like a girl, but thank you for that observation, Terriermon now agrees with you and says there was always something fishy about my writing but he could never figure out what it was, and now he knows, thanks to you. He also says girlfriends are a lot more useful than he thought.
Everyone thinks Shaochung Shuichon’s adorable, it’s a fact of life. But really, Ru, it’s no wonder your mom’s saying you need more clothes if you’re wearing mine. I was wondering where that had gotten to.
Here’s one of the cards, we'll call it a pre-gift gift. Do you think it's counterfeit? It feels right.
I never went through the carrying-round-a-stuffed-animal stage, thank you very much; though I guess you could argue that I was such a psychologically retarded child that I only started it at thirteen.
Darn, I have got to stop giving you ammo you can use against me.
My ‘ventriloquism’ mostly consists of Terriermon insulting me and getting away with it, so it’s nothing you haven't seen before. But at least if I fail all my exams, I now have a career choice that doesn’t involve the phrase ‘do you want fries with that’ or the adult entertainment industry.
You could have some of my cousins if you like, I have rather a lot. The ones on Mom’s side are pretty much all in Osaka so you could have those ones for convenience's sake. Going on about my Hong Kong cousins is probably going to take up another page...
We spend the most time with Syaoran and Shengnan, they’re our age and they're twins. Syaoran does fencing or something so he carries a sword around almost everywhere, it’s a little creepy, and he doesn’t talk a lot either. But he plays Digimon as well (even if I have to keep translating my cards for him). Naturally he’s better than me. Not as good as you though.
Shengnan is one of those bubbly in-your-face types and she persists under the delusion that I’m writing you love letters and it’s adorable. I told her you’d kick my butt if I wrote you a love letter but she doesn’t listen. On the upside she does kung fu so I’ve been keeping fit over here. We spar a few times a week and she’s been taking me to her dojo. It’s a lot different to working with Cho-sensei.
Their little sister Meiling is six. I was hoping Shuichon had grown out of the whole Princess Prettypants thing (I mean, she’s ten) but no, she has introduced Mei-mei to its joys. Mei-mei loves Terriermon, but the weird thing is, Terriermon seems to be just as taken with her.
Fei is eighteen, and apparently she was on TV earlier this year on a talent show called Super Girl. She sings, and she didn’t get all that far on the show but she got a record deal out of it so she’s been shoving her album at us. Once she found out I had a girlfriend she gave me another copy. I know you hate pop music but I feel kind of obliged to give it to you because she’s family. You could throw it at Ryo. Not literally.
Miki loves having a Cantopopstar for an older sister. She’s sixteen, and she's determined to go to university in America so she’s teaching herself English with music and TV. Maybe you could write to her?
Hai reminds me of my first impression of Takato, but at age twelve. You know, kind of little and awkward, but all heart. He’s always sitting around writing in a notebook and watching everything. I don’t know what he's writing. His older sister Xue spends all her time txting. Kaohun’s the oldest in their family, twenty or something, and he’s doing sports science at college so he and Rinchei are getting on fantastically.
Zhang is really into film, she carries a video camera around everywhere and keeps popping up in everyone’s faces with it, it’s kind of scary when she just suddenly appears like Renamon or something. (she’s ten) Jun is thirteen and he’s really into everything Digimon, which is a little weird. I can just imagine the look on his face if we told him Shuichon and I are Tamers and Terriermon and Lopmon are real. On the other hand, I can actually beat him at the card game, which is a nice change.
Leo’s the oldest, he’s Jaarin’s age so when they’re not sitting around plotting (did I tell you Jaarin’s engaged?) he’s taking us around the smaller islands on his boat. He loves sailing, bought a boat with his own money and everything, but his parents think it’s stupid, so he’s using us as an excuse to get out on the water more, and it’s pretty cool. He’s been making me help him. Apparently I’ll make a great sailor some day. Which is great, because, you know, we live so close to the sea.
I never knew I’d be able to write so much about my eight cousins in Hong Kong. They’d be honored if they could read Japanese.
The biggest problem Shuichon’s had with Lopmon, I think, would be Jun telling her Lopmon’s a stupid Digimon so why does she have him as a backpack and Shuichon shooting her mouth off about the Devas and the Sovereigns. I keep reminding her not to talk about the digital world but does she listen? But no one’s tried to steal Lopmon.
Speaking of Christmas presents, I found a place here that sells entire series of VCDs a lot cheaper than in Tokyo, and I checked, they are in Japanese, so is there any particular series you’d like or should I just get you Slayers? Also, I have no idea what to get Ryo, seeing as I’ve relinquished Fei’s album to you. I wasn’t entirely joking about throwing it at him. Saves you having to buy him anything, also it gives you an excellent opportunity to mock his taste in music.
Pity Juri’s getting better at Digimon. I used to be able to beat her.
Terriermon says he can’t wait to get back home and try the Terriermon bread.
Man, it’s getting late. Tonight Zhang dragged us out to the Avenue of Stars (kind of a Hong Kong Hollywood Walk of Fame) to watch A Symphony of Lights, this musical light show on every night for twenty minutes. We’d seen it through the windows before but this was our first time to see it in person. I have to say, it was pretty amazing, and I’m especially amazed that it hasn’t given anyone a seizure. Zhang let me print out one of my terrible photos for you. This will probably show you exactly why I usually leave the artsy stuff to Takato.
My arm feels like it’s about to fall off, so I’ll stop here. Miss you.
Jen,
I’m full of good observations.
Well, I never did get my black jacket back from Juri, or that blue one I threw off when we went back into Shinjuku, and you did leave it in my room last time you came over. If Hong Kong is so much warmer than Shinjuku then surely it’s not like you need it over there.
I had Ryo look at your Agnimon card and he says it’s fake. Actually he’s still here and reading over my shoulder so I’ll let him write:
Yeah, yeah. I’m reclaiming the pen. Takato threw a Christmas party yesterday and Ryo and Monodramon came up from Kitakyushu for it. Since you’re out of town they’re staying in our guest house. Or are meant to be, anyway. Ryo snuck back in once Mom and Grandma were in bed.
Did I mention he’s annoying. But you knew that already. Just like I’d known for ages you were psychologically retarded.
I never knew one could write so much about family. Shengnan sounds scary, as does Zhang, though it was nice of her to let you print that photo, it’s not as bad as you think.
Okay, Ryo’s gone to bed now, thank god. I did end up throwing Fei’s CD at his head, by the bye, thanks for that, it was a free Christmas present and projectile weapon in one. He was all “why, thank you! Ruki, you do care! merry Christmas to you too!” so I told him to shut up and go to bed already.
What’s Miki’s address? Maybe I’ll write to her if I have nothing better to do.
I can see you being good on the water, actually. You should get a boat and then we can go sailing on Tokyo Bay. just the two of us. But no, you didn’t tell me Jaarin got engaged! Shigeru, right? Has she told your mom yet?
You and Shuichon should tell Jun about the D-Reaper! That’d show him! I mean, it popped up in America and stuff too, didn’t it? I’m sure there’s still video footage on the Internet somewhere! How dare he call Lopmon stupid?
I’d LOVE Slayers, thanks! Random idea for Ryo: I’ve seen him reading Jaarin’s doujinshi, but I don’t think he’s caught on that she’s your sister, so why not get him a signed copy? Cheap, easy, and will probably amuse Jaarin too.
That party I mentioned before. Takato, Juri, ’kazu, Kenta, and even Ryo and all the Digimon were there, it was just you and Shuichon missing. Oh, okay, and Ai and Mako, though Juri tried to bring them along (these holidays she started babysitting them, it’s a small world after all). It was fun and all, but it just wasn’t the same without you. For various reasons.
Anyway. Like you I have taken to writing at night when sane people are asleep. I wonder if you’re still awake in Hong Kong. Stupid time zones. It’s weird, not having you in town. I can’t just txt you when I can’t sleep and have you reply straight away. You should have gone on roaming.
Okay, if I write any more it’s going to come out sappy and you’ll laugh, so I’ll shut up now.
Dear Ruri,
I would never laugh at you for being sappy.
Please excuse me as I go dump Terriermon with Shuichon, Lopmon, and Mei-mei.
Okay, that’s better.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS IS WEIRD. I was worried I was going soft and if I brought it up you’d just laugh at me. Insomnia never used to be so lonely. I can’t really walk around the hotel room so I keep reaching for my phone, but it’s not there, so you’re not, and am I glad Shengnan can’t read this. I’m so used to seeing you at least every three days and now it’s been two weeks...
I just remembered: I had a dream about you last night. Oh great, now I sound like Takato. Well, we were on the beach at Odaiba and it was snowing, and you were eating icecream. Finishing it, actually, but it was some good-looking icecream so I asked you if I could have some (as soon as I woke up and could form coherent sentences I said “why would I ask to share food with Ruki, especially food as unhygienic to share as icecream, even in a dream; I know Ruki hates sharing food” and Dad was like, “Jian, who are you talking to?”). You gave me this sexy evil little smirk and said, “Sorry, it’s all gone” so I went “What a shame, I really wanted to taste it” and kissed you. And then you turned into Ryo I can’t remember what happened after that.
It’s too bad about the fake card. Maybe I’ll get some anyway for the Wild Ones. I mean, Takato slashed that card Hirokazu made him once and it worked fine, so I don’t see the harm in using counterfeit cards. After all, it’s all about belief, and I take pride in my pirating heritage.
I can’t believe we missed the party! Though I suppose you couldn’t really have waited until we get back; a Christmas party after Christmas is just lame. Was there mistletoe involved? Did Kenta try to sing again? Did Ryo do his Gackt impression on the karaoke, or did he go for Utada Hikaru this time?
The other bit of paper in here is a letter in English from Miki, her address is on there. (She also thinks it’s insane that you don’t use the computer. See, it’s not just me and Ryo!) If you do write back, please be nice, she’s family.
Please, I’m only decent at sailing because Leo explains things well. But if you’re keen, then you can buy the boat.
Yeah, Jaarin and Shigeru are engaged. Mom thinks Shigeru’s a bad influence (he mentioned having an ex-boyfriend once and Mom freaked) so Jaarin’s planning on telling her once she’s back at school (read: outside of Mom’s jurisdiction).
That would be a fun conversation. “Jun, shut up about Lopmon being lame for a sec and watch him evolve to Perfect, would you. Now watch me and my ‘stuffed animal’ evolve into a giant robotic dog half the size of Ap Lei Chau. Did I mention we’re Tamers and we helped save the world a year ago?” I’m sure he’d take that well.
Thanks for the idea! You were right, Jaarin loved it, she’s been sitting around going “I’M FAMOUS!” every five minutes. I think I’ll have to throw a party to give everyone their presents when we get back, it’ll make up for missing Takato’s party and I’ll save on postage.
This is probably kind of stupid, but I’ve been thinking (yes, it hurt): It’d be nice to wake up next to you again, but not in the digital world or in school. I’d like to stay with you overnight without having to save Kurumon or the world the next morning. Okay, now you’re just going to roll your eyes at me and say it won’t happen until one of us moves out or something. Never mind, forget I said anything.
We did more touristy stuff today and went to the Hong Kong Museum of History. I LOVED IT. If it wasn’t for the fact that it’s in Hong Kong I would have moved in, I’m sure I would have been able to set up a tent somewhere unobtrusive. It had all these Oh, wait, I just remembered you don’t like history. Sorry, I’ll stop boring you with museum stories.
Watch your mailbox and if you’ve been a good girl this year you may just get something...
Love,
Jen,
What do you mean ‘if I’ve been a good girl’?
download zip
I don't care if a one-liner is a waste of a stamp, WHY DID YOU GET ME AN IPOD?
Ruuuuuuukiiiiiii,
Because I wanted to. And because I thought you might like it - I always see you carrying that old Discman everywhere and I thought an iPod might save you having to bring a stack of CDs too. And because I wanted to get you something special, but I didn’t want to give it to you in person in case you threw it in my face or everyone else felt rejected or something.
You don’t already have one, do you?
Or you’re anti-Apple and you hate it?
Oh, nuts.
Merry Christmas anyway?
Your Jen
Jen,
Don’t be an idiot. IT’S PERFECT. You just didn’t have to spend so much money on me. I mean, an iPod AND Slayers? Aren’t iPods expensive? You’re spoiling me! Not to mention my present is going to look pathetic. And I was going to wait till you get back to give you your Christmas present so now I feel bad.
I didn’t even notice the whole three months thing. Thanks for that. Good CD, especially for someone who doesn’t even understand it. Maybe I’ll sing for you when you get back. Any special requests?
It’s Christmas today, so Mom, Grandma, and Renamon all say merry Christmas back. After last year’s big ‘we beat the D-Reaper in time for Christmas’ bash, we’re having a quiet Christmas this year, just the four of us. It’s only Renamon’s first Christmas. We went to church (okay, except Renamon), opened presents (Mom got me a new jacket and some okay clothes, Grandma gave me some books - more of that detective stuff you got me into, except in English otherwise I’d lend them to you), even Renamon has a few gifts, Grandma made lunch, and now Mom’s putting on a fashion show with all the new clothes she’s gotten. You can see why I’m opting to write to you instead.
That dream sounds ridiculous but now I feel like ice cream. Thanks a lot. What’s with being on Odaiba? Have you been watching too much Digimon Adventure lately, but in Cantonese?
There was definitely mistletoe involved. especially with Ryo. Kenta unfortunately did try to sing again, I had to steal the mic to get him to stop (haha, you missed me sing). Actually, Ryo did a rather impressive impersonation of hitomi, I think Kenta taped it though so you might still get to see it.
I still think you should tell your stupid cousin about being Tamers, if only for the look on his face. If you do then please send photos.
I’d like to wake up next to you too. Just a warning though, I’m not a morning person, Renamon can attest to that. Seriously, I don’t play nicely until at least eight in the morning.
Don’t you dare move into a museum. I’d never see you again, or if I did you’d be blabbing on about the great achievements of Belgium in the fifteenth century or something.
Merry Christmas! Tell that to Terriermon and Shuichon and Lopmon as well.
One more week...
Love,
Dear Ruki (I’m too grateful to turn you into a diamond),
YOU HAD ME WORRIED THERE. If only you used e-mail once in a while I wouldn’t have spent the week telling everyone in earshot “SHE HATES MY PRESENT”. Honestly, don’t worry about the money, this is Hong Kong, it was cheap. Oops, that came out wrong. Anyway, you’re worth it. And I’m sure I’ll love whatever you’ve gotten me.
Um, I dunno, I don’t really listen to much music (which is why I had to make Miki help me with the CD). Takato said something about you writing your own song...?
We spent Christmas with the family, first time with the lot of us together (except our two cousins in New York) since I was...five? Having this many people around means we’ve had to buy a lot of presents, but on the upside it means you get a lot of presents as well. Lots of Digimon cards (all legitimate, I checked, but in Chinese so I won’t really be able to trade any off), clothes, VCDs (Jun and Zhang’s family gave me the second half of Digimon Adventure 02, haha, unfortunately in English so you’ll have to watch it with me), A NINTENDO DS!! I love Hong Kong’s electronics market.
Oh, Shuichon got you a present as well but Mom didn’t want to pay for more postage and I wasn’t going to let her put it in my package so you’ll get it when we’re back.
Believe me, you have no idea how ridiculous that dream was. And actually I haven’t been watching Digimon lately, Japanese or Cantonese, but didn’t I tell you? I was born on Odaiba, moved to Shinjuku at the start of junior high when Mom got a better job here. I can’t believe you didn’t know.
I clearly missed a great party.
On Christmas day Shuichon got so fed up with Jun she did try to tell him about being Tamers, even though Dad told us not to. I had to go in and say she was making it all up you know how kids are, she didn’t talk to me for three hours, not until Dad had a chat to her.
Ruki, you don’t play nicely at any time of the day.
Just kidding. Besides, I like how you don’t play nicely.
Belgium, Ruki? BELGIUM? Come on, if I had to pick a European country it’d be Switzerland. Hold the pacifist jokes, they make great chocolate, watches, and knives.
By the time you read this, I’ll be back in Shinjuku! I can’t wait to see you again.
Love,