Snakes and Earrings

Ever heard of a split tongue?

What's that? Like when it's forked?

Yeah, like a snake or a lizard.

People can have that done too, y'know.

Wow.

Want to try "body modification"?

Mind if I come?

Hey.

I meant on my stomach.

Sorry... my timing was off.

If you can't do it right,

use a condom.

Hey there...

Ama, long time no see.

This is Shiba-san. It's his store.

My girlfriend...

Oh, yeah?

You scored a cute one.

We want to get her tongue pierced.

Do bimbo's do that?

I'm not a bimbo.

She even mentioned

having it split.

Stick your tongue out.

Quite thin. Shouldn't hurt too much.

But at Korean restaurants

tongue's as tough as tripe.

Is it okay to make holes

in something that hard?

Good question, sister.

It's worse than doing your ears.

Think about it...

Making a big hole, it'll hurt.

Shiba-san, please don't scare her.

Lui, don't worry.

I went through it okay.

What are you talking about?

You practically fainted.

Whatever... Come on back.

Classic irezumi tattoos...

Maybe I'll get one.

Sit down.

Rinse your mouth.

Thanks.

Further out...

Hold it there.

Where do you want it?

Here we go.

Show me.

Good job.

It's in straight. Perfect position.

Right. Great?

Lui-chan, is it?

You're good with pain.

They say women bear this stuff best.

When it's the tongue... the genitals...

soft membranes...

some people faint, y'know.

Shiba-san, what do you think

of split tongues?

Split tongues?

Not like piercings and tattoos...

it's changing body shape.

An interesting idea

but nothing I want to try.

Modifying our form

is a right reserved for god alone.

If you were god, what kind of people

would you create?

I wouldn't change our shape.

I'd just create idiot people.

As stupid as chickens.

So they'd never figure out

the existence of god.

Would you show me your

tattoo designs sometime?

Sure.

Call me if you like.

About piercing or whatever.

Whenever you want.

I owe you for my tongue.

Forget it.

Looking at you

brings out the sadist in me.

I'm a masochist so

I must emit that vibe.

I want to push needles in here.

Isn't that verging on "savage"?

I guess it is.

You know the English word, "savage"?

When it comes to cruelty

I got a wide vocabulary.

Hey, hands off another man's girl.

I'm just checking her skin.

For when it takes the needle.

There's something twisted

about this guy's smile.

No way. Oh my god...

It looks really painful.

What's got into you?

Why a tongue stud? It's not as if

you like rock or the Harajuku look.

But I got to know this punk

the other day.

Maybe he influenced me

or something...

What kind of guy?

He's punk-looking but inside

he's kind of new-age.

Doesn't make sense.

What do you think of irezumi?

You mean a tattoo? They're okay.

Butterflies, roses... cute.

No. More like, dragons, ukiyoe...

the not-so-cute stuff.

What's up with you?

The punk told you to get it done?

You going out with him?

Lui, don't tell me he brainwashed you.

Brainwashed...

Maybe that's it.

I want to follow through and

discover why I'm so turned on by this

so my mind's fixated

on getting my tongue split.

Hey Maki, want to meet him?

Here he is.

Are you joking?

The red-headed monkey.

I'm terrified...

Hello.

Sorry, I look so scary.

No worries. Maybe a little.

This is Ama.

I'm Ama. Nice to meet you.

This is Maki.

You're the new-age guy

she told me about.

Walking with you,

everyone gets out of the way.

You're right. No-one hits on us.

No tissue-pack flyers, either.

So I come in handy?

A really useful guy.

Here we go.

It's really cool.

So you pierce your tongue,

then gradually enlarge the hole...

then thread it with string

until it splits...

Lui, you're going to do that?

Yeah, we're gonna be a pair.

Lui, do your eyebrow and lip

so we'll be identical.

No way. I just want a split tongue

and irezumi, that's all.

Please don't turn her into

too much of a punk.

She and I pledged a lifelong

bimbo alliance.

I didn't. And I'm not a bimbo.

You are a bimbo.

Stop it.

Maki, you can take your drink.

Not really.

How come I had to pay?

It was fun anyhow...

To celebrate our new acquaintance.

'Cause we're worth it, right?

Why are you on our turf?

What's with the piercings?

Where you going, honey?

Is that your boyfriend?

I doubt it.

Mind him, he's got VD.

Best to wait 'til he's cured.

Hang with us.

Ama, stop it!

I'm sorry.

Forgive me.

I'm really sorry.

Maki, get out of here, quick!

I'll see you around.

That's enough... for chrissakes.

The cops are coming.

What've you done, you jerk.

I got revenge for you.

Why would I want that?

It's proof of my love.

That's not proof.

Not in this country, anyway.

Sorry?

I can't control myself.

I think I'm the gentle type but...

once I get my blood up

I got to see it through

until the guy's dead.

Ama, you're an adult now.

Kill someone and you go to jail.

You know that?

Actually, I'm still a minor.

Don't be stupid.

It's true.

When we met you said you were 24.

'Cause I figured that's how old you were.

I didn't want you thinking I was a kid.

In which case, how old are you?

I'm still underage.

No way! For real? Honest?

That makes me so happy.

We both look old for our age.

Ama, what's your real name?

Amano? Suama?

"Suama"? There's no such name.

Ama is short for Amadeus.

First name is Deus and last Ama.

Like Zeus. Cool?

If you don't want to tell me, that's okay.

It's the truth. What about you?

Me? I bet you think

it's Louis XIVth, right?

Actually, it's "Louis Vuitton".

Really? A woman

of expensive tastes.

- Time for my feed.

- Get lost.

Choosing a dragon?

I guess so.

Is this the one Ama got?

Yeah.

Same design but a little different.

He doesn't know, right?

That you're here.

No, he doesn't.

Don't tell him I gave you

my cell number.

Hey, is Ama...

You want to know about him?

Forget it.

Maybe I don't want to know.

Yeah?

What? What is it?

Closing shop for an important client.

Y'know, in truth, I'm really torn.

A tattoo is for life, right?

If I do it, I want

the best design there is.

Basically, there's no going back.

In my case though,

if I grow my hair, it's hidden.

That's not your only one, right?

Want to see?

Inoshikacho...

I like traditional card designs.

What's this?

A kylin.

This one

is my favorite of them all.

It's a sacred creature.

It neither tramples on

nor consumes other living things.

Like it's a god amid the animal world.

That's what I want.

This was done

by a top-class tattooist.

He burned himself to death

clutching this design.

Make use of the sacred kylin lightly,

you may end up cursed.

It's what I want.

Shiba-san, please.

Design it for me, at least.

Alright, then...

Great. Thank you, Shiba-san.

I'll sketch out a design first.

Any requests for the background?

This...

I want you to combine it

with Ama's dragon.

Something about that size

done on my back.

How much will that cost?

One f***.

That'll be enough?

Strip off.

You're skinny.

Put on weight later,

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