Gambit - Night Stalker Chapter 4
Aug. 26th, 2024 03:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Winter
---
Location: ES Studio
(Several minutes later, in the ES studio Knights base)
Tsukasa: Hello, I have returned.
Is everyone here? If so, I suggest we begin a strategy meeting to discuss the issue that Substitute President Aoba has informed me of.
We must consider what our next move against that detestable King Slayer shall be.
Arashi: Tsukasa-chaaan~? You sure you're not letting your anger get ahead of you again?
It happens sometimes, you know. You can be prone to tunnel vision.
Izumi: Seriously... I mean, come on, "Is everyone here?" Just look around and you'll see we're obviously not.
Tsukasa: H-Huh? Are the only ones here Narukami-senpai and Izumi-senpai—also known as "modelgumi"? [1]
I do believe I summoned all of Knights to discuss a few issues today.
Izumi: What's this "modelgumi" thing about? Don't just group us together like that.
Arashi: Oh, you've never heard of that before? Our fans like to categorize us like that.
There's also "tsukigumi", from Leo "Tsuki"-naga and Ri-"tsu" Sakuma, among others.
Izumi: Just a play on words? Why does everybody like to randomly lump us together and then act like they know all about us? Tooootally annoying!
Arashi: Hehe. To use a bit of an outdated expression: everybody's a critic.
Humans live their lives categorizing things and making judgments on what they think is right or wrong—this here is correct, but that there is not...
This here is good, but that there is bad—like that. I don't think people should hold on to something vague and undefined forever.
Izumi: I think I've heard that expression before, but wasn't it something more sexist, like "all men are critics"? [2]
Arashi: Yeah, it was. It was supposed to mean women aren't critics, because they'll just intrinsically understand and accept things that are vague.
But I have my doubts about that. Maybe it's due to how education and common sense have changed in recent years, but it's getting really hard to believe men and women have such drastic psychological differences.
Men are supposed to be logical beings, and women emotional beings? Isn't a sweeping generalization like that more prejudiced than anything else?
Tsukasa: While this is the sort of topic I'd expect from you, Narukami-senpai, might I ask what that has to do with our current situation?
Arashi: It has a lot to do with our situation, in fact. This is probably on the same topic as what you heard at the agency, but...
King Slayer's been going berserk recently.
Tsukasa: So it seems. It came as an utter shock to me, but what about you, my seniors? Did you notice any signs?
Arashi: Nothing comes in from overseas, really...
I heard some rumors of it here and there, but I never imagined it would turn into such a huge mess.
I'd thought some really zealous fans were just stubbornly rehashing old drama.
Tsukasa: You do happen upon that type sometimes—those who are particularly spiteful and will constantly bring up things that have already been resolved—
Izumi: Why are you looking at me while saying that?
Arashi: Hehe.
Really, we let our guard down, thinking it was all done with and resolved already.
We assumed that if the same issue cropped up again, we could deal with it easily in the same way we did before.
And so we let it be, and the problem swelled into something beyond our control.
Tsukasa: We had our hands full with other things that we needed or wanted to do... But because we prioritized those things, we failed to treat the illness early on, and now the symptoms have worsened.
Arashi: Well, more like we thought it'd been cured already, but were surprised to discover it's actually a chronic condition.
To make matters worse, this condition could turn fatal if we make the wrong move.
The main issue is the same as before:
Which is the "real" one—Knights or King Slayer?
Tsukasa: Would that not be us? No—it is the truth that we, Knights, are the originals!
After the previous incident, King Slayer themselves should have acknowledged this!
Arashi: Yeah, the truth is undeniable—or so it should be.
I'm sure you heard this at the agency as well, but the fervor around King Slayer these days burns a little hotter than you'd expect.
While we've been sitting in Japan, they are marketing to the world, so their fanbase and popularity actually slightly surpass ours.
So, what do you think that means for us?
Tsukasa: Wh-What would it mean for us?
Arashi: Numbers mean strength. The majority decides what is correct—that's what democracy is all about.
Let me give you an example. Imagine there's an apple here. No matter how you look at it, it's most definitely an apple.
But then, imagine that, besides us here, every single one of the other seven billion humans on earth starts calling that a fig.
What the majority sees as "common sense" will change what the correct answer is. No matter how much we try to insist it's an apple, we'll probably only be met with strange looks.
"What're you talking about? That's a fig." You see?
Tsukasa: ......
---
[1] I decided to leave this term untranslated as "modelgumi" (and likewise, "tsukigumi") as these terms are commonly used in fandom. "-gumi" (組, also pronounced "kumi") is an ending that means "group" or "set"--it functions the same way in nearly every name it appears in (e.g. the Shinsengumi). Japanese fans were really surprised to see these pair and group terms come up in canon as they are almost exclusively used unofficially, and have taken it to mean HapiEle stalks our tweets (lol)
⇒As a side note, "tsukigumi" literally means "moon set" as both Leo and Ritsu have the kanji for moon (月, "tsuki") in their names. In Ritsu's name, the pronunciation for "tsuki" is abbreviated to just "tsu".
⇒These pair names are generally used to refer to a platonic relationship. If you're specifically looking for romantic ships, you will find different terms!
⇒Other group/pair names for Knights you might see around: ousamagumi ("king pair") for Leo and Tsukasa, oujigumi ("prince pair") for Ritsu and Izumi, raihagumi or just raiha (short for "Lionheart") for Leo and Izumi ↑
[2] I can't find a source for this, so you'll just have to take Akira's word for it that it used to be sexist. Maybe it's in-universe-exclusive lore, who knows. ↑
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 3 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 5 >
---
Location: ES Studio
(Several minutes later, in the ES studio Knights base)
Tsukasa: Hello, I have returned.
Is everyone here? If so, I suggest we begin a strategy meeting to discuss the issue that Substitute President Aoba has informed me of.
We must consider what our next move against that detestable King Slayer shall be.
Arashi: Tsukasa-chaaan~? You sure you're not letting your anger get ahead of you again?
It happens sometimes, you know. You can be prone to tunnel vision.
Izumi: Seriously... I mean, come on, "Is everyone here?" Just look around and you'll see we're obviously not.
Tsukasa: H-Huh? Are the only ones here Narukami-senpai and Izumi-senpai—also known as "modelgumi"? [1]
I do believe I summoned all of Knights to discuss a few issues today.
Izumi: What's this "modelgumi" thing about? Don't just group us together like that.
Arashi: Oh, you've never heard of that before? Our fans like to categorize us like that.
There's also "tsukigumi", from Leo "Tsuki"-naga and Ri-"tsu" Sakuma, among others.
Izumi: Just a play on words? Why does everybody like to randomly lump us together and then act like they know all about us? Tooootally annoying!
Arashi: Hehe. To use a bit of an outdated expression: everybody's a critic.
Humans live their lives categorizing things and making judgments on what they think is right or wrong—this here is correct, but that there is not...
This here is good, but that there is bad—like that. I don't think people should hold on to something vague and undefined forever.
Izumi: I think I've heard that expression before, but wasn't it something more sexist, like "all men are critics"? [2]
Arashi: Yeah, it was. It was supposed to mean women aren't critics, because they'll just intrinsically understand and accept things that are vague.
But I have my doubts about that. Maybe it's due to how education and common sense have changed in recent years, but it's getting really hard to believe men and women have such drastic psychological differences.
Men are supposed to be logical beings, and women emotional beings? Isn't a sweeping generalization like that more prejudiced than anything else?
Tsukasa: While this is the sort of topic I'd expect from you, Narukami-senpai, might I ask what that has to do with our current situation?
Arashi: It has a lot to do with our situation, in fact. This is probably on the same topic as what you heard at the agency, but...
King Slayer's been going berserk recently.
Tsukasa: So it seems. It came as an utter shock to me, but what about you, my seniors? Did you notice any signs?
Arashi: Nothing comes in from overseas, really...
I heard some rumors of it here and there, but I never imagined it would turn into such a huge mess.
I'd thought some really zealous fans were just stubbornly rehashing old drama.
Tsukasa: You do happen upon that type sometimes—those who are particularly spiteful and will constantly bring up things that have already been resolved—
Izumi: Why are you looking at me while saying that?
Arashi: Hehe.
Really, we let our guard down, thinking it was all done with and resolved already.
We assumed that if the same issue cropped up again, we could deal with it easily in the same way we did before.
And so we let it be, and the problem swelled into something beyond our control.
Tsukasa: We had our hands full with other things that we needed or wanted to do... But because we prioritized those things, we failed to treat the illness early on, and now the symptoms have worsened.
Arashi: Well, more like we thought it'd been cured already, but were surprised to discover it's actually a chronic condition.
To make matters worse, this condition could turn fatal if we make the wrong move.
The main issue is the same as before:
Which is the "real" one—Knights or King Slayer?
Tsukasa: Would that not be us? No—it is the truth that we, Knights, are the originals!
After the previous incident, King Slayer themselves should have acknowledged this!
Arashi: Yeah, the truth is undeniable—or so it should be.
I'm sure you heard this at the agency as well, but the fervor around King Slayer these days burns a little hotter than you'd expect.
While we've been sitting in Japan, they are marketing to the world, so their fanbase and popularity actually slightly surpass ours.
So, what do you think that means for us?
Tsukasa: Wh-What would it mean for us?
Arashi: Numbers mean strength. The majority decides what is correct—that's what democracy is all about.
Let me give you an example. Imagine there's an apple here. No matter how you look at it, it's most definitely an apple.
But then, imagine that, besides us here, every single one of the other seven billion humans on earth starts calling that a fig.
What the majority sees as "common sense" will change what the correct answer is. No matter how much we try to insist it's an apple, we'll probably only be met with strange looks.
"What're you talking about? That's a fig." You see?
Tsukasa: ......
---
[1] I decided to leave this term untranslated as "modelgumi" (and likewise, "tsukigumi") as these terms are commonly used in fandom. "-gumi" (組, also pronounced "kumi") is an ending that means "group" or "set"--it functions the same way in nearly every name it appears in (e.g. the Shinsengumi). Japanese fans were really surprised to see these pair and group terms come up in canon as they are almost exclusively used unofficially, and have taken it to mean HapiEle stalks our tweets (lol)
⇒As a side note, "tsukigumi" literally means "moon set" as both Leo and Ritsu have the kanji for moon (月, "tsuki") in their names. In Ritsu's name, the pronunciation for "tsuki" is abbreviated to just "tsu".
⇒These pair names are generally used to refer to a platonic relationship. If you're specifically looking for romantic ships, you will find different terms!
⇒Other group/pair names for Knights you might see around: ousamagumi ("king pair") for Leo and Tsukasa, oujigumi ("prince pair") for Ritsu and Izumi, raihagumi or just raiha (short for "Lionheart") for Leo and Izumi ↑
[2] I can't find a source for this, so you'll just have to take Akira's word for it that it used to be sexist. Maybe it's in-universe-exclusive lore, who knows. ↑
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 3 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 5 >
