#(the diaboys and other characters got sets too)

[yuikomorii]

// The outfit is pretty, but the face is so bad that it doesn’t even look like Yui. 💢

Besides, it’s eau de toilette, so international fans won’t be allowed to order it due to restrictions.

I’m sorry, but if you’re going to trace the faces from the cgs, at least make them just as cute as before—

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS Do-S Kyuuketsu VERSUS Ⅲ Animate Tokuten Drama CD ”Agricultural Management, the Vampire Way! ~When Disaster Strikes, a Storm Whips Up~”

Original title: ヴァンパイア的農村経営！ ～災いは嵐と共に～

Source: Diabolik Lovers VERSUS III Animate Tokuten CD

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Toriumi Kousuke, Katsuyuki Konishi, Midorikawa Hikaru, Kaji Yuki, Hirakawa Daisuke, Kondou Takashi, Takahiro Sakurai, Kimura Ryouhei, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Kishio Daisuke, Morikawa Toshiyuki, Morikubo Shoutari & Tomoaki Maeno

Translator’s note: Classic Ryoutei Academy coming up with the weirdest classes and assignments for their students. No wonder Karlheinz sponsors the school because the principal is just as bonkers as he is. Anyway, it was interesting to see characters like Reiji, Laito and Carla having to do physical labor out on the field. Meanwhile Yuma is just completely in his element. This assignment was made for him after all. I won’t spoil how the CD ends, but let’s all press F in the chat for our Diaboys.

*Thud thud* 

Subaru: …Ugh…Arghー Fuck! …Why am I here ploughin’ some damn field!? 

*Rustle* 

Laito: Ugh…That’s…my…line…! Ugh…! 

*Thud* 

Laito: Haah~ …Ahー God! I’m tired! 

Laito tosses his hoe away.

*Thud* 

Reiji: Hey, you two! No sleeping on the job! You have barely made any progress! …Laito, grab hold of that hoe at once!

Laito: Eeeh~? 

Reiji: Don’t ‘eeeh~?’ me! This is part of a special class, so I shall ensure that all of you take it seriously! 

Subaru: Che…I don’t give a damn if it’s for school or not…I can’t believe we’re forced to do this crap! Haah…I should have just skipped. 

Reiji: Subaru…I shall not allow for that. Did you not hear me earlier? This assignment has to be done all together as a team!

Laito: If we can submit a stellar report on our task afterwards, the school will give us some kind of reward, right? Not just any reward either, but we get to choose anything we want with nothing off-limits. However, the one condition is that each member of a team contributes.

Reiji: Yes, exactly. And there just happens to be a silverware set which I have been dying to get my hands on. Therefore, I must get an excellent grade at all costs!

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Ahー What a load of crap. …Anyway, they must be out of their minds if they think that this is a job for human labor. Don’t they have some kind of big or impressive machine which can get it done instead!? 

Reiji: This is part of class. What makes you think there would be a tractor available to us? The whole point of the exercise is to get it done through our own strength!

*Clap clap* 

Reiji: Well then, now grab hold of those hoes! As long as I am here to keep an eye on things, I shall not allow anyone to slack off!

Subaru: Che…Fuck off…

Laito: Aah~ …I’m really sick of this. I would have dipped a long time ago if it wasn’t for Bitch-chan being here as well. 

Subaru: Anyway, Reiji! If you’re that stuck up ‘bout everyone doin’ their part, then why don’t you go and call over all those fuckers who aren’t here right now!? 

Reiji: Hm…? Now that you mention it…I have not seen those three in a while. …Excuse me, you! Have you seen Yuma and the others, perhaps? 

You explain. 

Reiji: Ahー So Yuma and Azusa have gone fetch some fertilizer. 

Yuma: Oi, you guys! 

Reiji: If you speak of the Devil…

Yuma: We got the fertilizer. 

He puts the bag down on the floor. 

*Thud* 

Yuma: There ya go. This should do the trick, right? 

Azusa: Phew��Yuma…Where should I put my bag…? 

Yuma: Ah. You can just throw it onto the pile over here. …Thanks, Azusa. 

Azusa: Oh no…It was no big deal.

*Rustle* 

Yuma: I don’t like havin’ to work together with these fuckers, but I guess I have no other choice if I wanna get my hands on that sweet reward. …So, how much of the area have you plowed so far?

Yuma takes a look. 

Yuma: Aah!? You’ve barely made any progress!

Subaru: Oh shut up! The soil’s too damn hard, it’s no easy feat!

Laito: Yeah, exactly! My hands are so tired…

Yuma: God, you’re all such a bunch of weaklings…All you’ve done is some plowin’ and you’re already exhausted? Did you think agriculture was easy or somethin’!? 

You apologize.

Yuma: Nah, you don’t need to say sorry. From what I can tell, the area you and Mr. Know-It-All did has made the most progress. 

Azusa: Eve…Good work…

Reiji: Fufu…While I would never resort to doing physical labor under normal circumstances, my silverware is at stake this time. I am taking this very seriously. 

He turns towards his brothers.

Reiji: Laito, Subaru. How about the two of you step up your game as well and start taking this seriously? 

Laito: That’s easy for you to say…But this kind of work isn’t exactly my cup of tea. I mean, there’s bugs and such crawling around on the field as well, right?

Subaru: I mean, there’s only so much the four of us can accomplish, right? Look at how much ground we have to cover!

Azusa: Four? …Huh…? Now that you mention it…What happened to Carla-san? 

Reiji: We actually haven’t seen him in a while now. I assumed that he went with you two to go get fertilizer but…It seems like that wasn’t the case. 

Yuma: Yeah. It was only Azusa and I. 

Laito: Eeh~? Then maybe he’s sleeping on the job somewhere!? (imitates Carla’s tone) ‘Fieldwork is not the kind of job a respectable Founder such as myself would ever resort to’

Subaru: Haah!? That’s not fair, is it!? 

You mention something about a sound in the distance. 

Azusa: Eh? Eve…? What’s wrong? …You hear something? 

Azusa focuses on the sound. 

Azusa: You’re right. I can hear it too.

Reiji: What could it be? It sounds like the engine of some kind of machine? 

Yuma: …!! Shh, be quiet for a sec! …Ah! This is the sound of a tractor’s motor!

Laito: Hey…It seems to be steadily getting closer to us…!? 

Azusa: Ah! Eve! Watch out!

ー A tractor arrives. 

Carla: …Ugh. 

*Thud* 

Carla: You lot! Why are you here together, doing nothing? 

Subaru: …Excuse me!? That’s what I’d like to ask! Where did you get that thing!? …Actually, Reiji! Didn’t you tell us earlier that a tractor is off-limits because this is part of a class assignment!? 

Reiji: Yes…I was under that assumption. 

Carla: Hmph. I pulled some strings to have this one arranged especially for me. 

He steps towards the group. 

Carla: I do not care that this is part of a special extracurricular activity. Under normal circumstances, a Founder such as myself would never resort to this sort of work. However, I shall make an exception this one time. I have decided that for the sake of getting a new ham stand, I am willing to dirty my very own hands!

Yuma: Your very own hands, you say? You’re usin’ a tractor tho.

Laito: Heeh…I didn’t think even Carla would be so desperate for the reward. 

Azusa: It’s unusual…for Carla-san to be this motivated…

Carla: You may run your mouths all you want. This is all to secure a high score and a new ham holder…You lot! Now that you are in my team, I shall not allow any of you to slack off. Get your tasks done without fail! Do you understand? 

Yuma: I mean, that was always my intention. It’s honestly like a dream come true to be able to work on the field as part of a school assignment. 

Azusa: I’ll try…my best too…

Reiji: It should go without saying that I shall do the same. I never slack off when it comes to school, no matter what the assignment may be!

*Rustle* 

Carla: Woman, what about you? 

You agree to doing your best as well. 

Carla: …Fufu. Well said. Allow me to praise you. …That leaves just you two. Hurry up and prove to me that you are prepared to face this challenge. 

Subaru: Che…Big words comin’ from the guy who showed up late. Pisses me off…

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Hah…But constantly bein’ nagged to work is annoyin’ too…Haahー Fine. Guess I have no other choice, so I’ll do it.

Laito: Hmm~ Well, I suppose I’ll do what I can without dirtying my clothes. 

Reiji: Well then, let us first divide the tasks. There’d be no point in having all five of us plow the field.

Yuma: Damn right. I mean, now that we have a tractor to work with, we can leave that task up to Carla. 

Azusa: What else…needs to be done…? 

Yuma: Ah, next would be creating ridges by raising the earth. Then plant the seeds and water them. Just like that.

Laito: The ridges are made with the help of an animal, right? I want to do that then. I’d like to avoid having to touch the soil directly if possible. 

Azusa: Then…I’d like to…be in the team planting the seeds…There’s a specific kind of vegetable I want to grow…

Yuma: In that case, feel free to use the fertilizer we carried here earlier. I got a really good kind. 

Azusa: Mmh…Thank you. 

Carla: I have something I want to grow as well. 

Reiji: In which case, I shall join Laito in creating the ridges. I am curious whether I will be able to elevate them to a new level. 

Carla: ーー Subaru. What shall you do? Hurry up and make up your mind. 

Subaru: Huh? …Ahー I…

Laito: Don’t you think Subaru should join the two guys planting seeds? He seems like the kind of guy who likes digging around the dirt. 

Subaru: Haah!? What kind of image do you have of me!? 

Yuma: That’s settled then. Well then…If we want to balance things out, I suppose I’d go into the ridges team. I mean, fine by me.

You ask what you should do. 

Reiji: You…Can we ask you to alternate between both groups and assist where you can?

ー You nod. 

Yuma: ‘Kay! Now hold out yer hands, mates!

Azusa: My hand…? Like this…? 

Reiji: Would this do? 

Subaru: Oi, whatcha gonna do? 

Carla: …

Laito: Yeah, yeah. …Come on, you too, Bitch-chan. 

*Rustle rustle* 

Yuma: Exactly. Now we all put them on top of each other like this. 

*Rustle* 

Yuma: ‘Kay! You’ve all got yer hands stacked on top of each other, right? Agriculture is all ‘bout good team work. I want to hear a loud ‘yeah’ at my signal, ‘kay?

Subaru: Haah!? You really think I’m gonna do that lame shit!? 

Yuma: Ya guys! We’re gonna make a great field together!

Everyone: Yeah…!

*TIMESKIP*

You approach the group in charge of the ridges.

Reiji: Oh dear, you. Have you come to help out here first? Thank you very much. 

Yuma: Well then, Sow. Hold this rope and stand there. We’re gonna trace this line to make the ridges. 

*Rustle* 

Reiji: Well then, I suppose we should get started soon. …Ugh…Ugh…

*Thud thud* 

Reiji: Thanks to Carla softening up the soil with the tractor, the hoe digs right in. …Hah!...Hah!

*Thud thud* 

Yuma: I’ll even it out later, so for now ya can just make lil’ piles.

Laito: …As to be expected of Yuma-kun, it looks like you were made to hold one of those hoes in your hands. 

Yuma: Ya think so? Well, I do this at home all the time after all. 

Laito: Eeh~? Every day? I wouldn’t be able to keep up with that. Working on the field is not only exhausting but it gets you all dirty as well. I honestly fail to see what’s so fun about digging around the earth like this. …Say, you agree with me, don’t you, Bitch-chan? ーー I mean, maybe if there was a chance to dig up some kind of treasure. 

You suddenly scream out.

Laito: What’s wrong, Bitch-chan? Why the panic? 

You explain. 

Laito: Huh? Right at my feet? 

*Rustle* 

Laito: …Uwah! A-An earthworm…!

Reiji: Excuse me, Laito! Why are you fooling around? Take your job seriously!

Laito: I-I’m not fooling around…! More importantly, an earthworm popped up…!

Yuma: Ah? An earthworm? Now where is that lil’ bugger? 

Laito: O-Over there! At your feet! Uu…It’s wriggling around…I’m feeling sick to my stomach… 

Yuma: God, you’re makin’ way too much of a fuss over a lil’ earthworm. You should expect this much when out on the field, no? 

You step back.

Yuma: Ah…? Why are you pissin’ yer pants as well? Ya just grab them like this andー

*Rustle* 

Laito: Eek! Hey, Yuma-kun! Stay away from me…!!

Yuma: There ya go. 

He throws it away. 

*Rustle* 

Yuma: Happy now?

Laito: Phew…I thought I was going to have a heart attack. 

Reiji: Good grief…How pathetic, making such a fuss over a single bug. 

Yuma: My thoughts exactly…

Laito: You two just don’t understand! Just how disgusting those creepy crawlers truly are! Aah…Just the thought of them wriggling around gives me goosebumps…

Laito loses consciousness. 

Laito: Uu…Nn…

*Rustle* 

Reiji: Dear god. I cannot believe he passed out over something like this. I feel ashamed as his brother. Haah…

*Rustle*

Reiji: Come on, you. Let us ignore Laito for now and get back to work. 

You seem worried.

Reiji: No need to be concerned. I am sure he will regain consciousness in no time. …Yuma, let us continue. 

Yuma: Yeah. …Come on, Sow. Hold the rope straight.

*Rustle* 

Yuma: Ugh…

*Thud* 

Reiji: Ugh…

*Thud*

Yuma: Still, I didn’t think you’d join this team. Ya seem like the type of dude who wouldn’t wanna work up a sweat.

Reiji: Like I mentioned before, I would not usually resort to physical labor. I happen to be more skilled at using my brains rather than my muscles after all. However…I got a little curious. 

Yuma: Curious? 

Reiji: The vegetables you drop off at our place every so often…They far exceed the ones sold at any store in terms of flavor. I came to the conclusion if you managed to raise such high-quality products in a small vegetable garden, then what would we be capable of growing in our own garden? While we do grow a couple of herbs, we have never grown our own vegetables before. 

Yuma: Heh. Why not give it a try? I wouldn’t mind givin’ ya some pointers. From which fertilizer to choose to how to use the different tools involved, all of it. 

Reiji: Fufu…That sounds very promising. I would love to have you teach me someday. 

*Thud* 

Yuma: Woah…We’ve made some great progress while talkin’. 

Reiji: Yes. It went smoother than I expected. Perhaps we can thank the guy who made a huge fuss and then proceeded to faint on us.

Laito: Uu…Uu…Earthworm…I can’t…~~~

Reiji: Haah…

*Rustle* 

Reiji: You, go ahead and call Subaru and the others. They can already start planting seeds in the ridges we’ve created so far.

You nod. 

Yuma: We’re countin’ on ya!

You run off.

*TIMESKIP*

You approach the other group. 

Azusa: Hm….Ah! Eve!

Subaru: Oh? Are Reiji and the others done already? 

ー You explain. 

Azusa: So we can start planting seeds? …Perfect timing…I just decided what I want to grow…

You show interest.

Azusa: Me? You seeーー I’ve decided to plant chili pepper seeds. Yuma arranged these for me. They’re from the Demon World so they should grow quicker…than normal ones…I’ll let you try some of them…once they’ve been harvested, okay? Fufu… 

ーー Speaking of which…Subaru-san, which seeds did you choose…?

Subaru: Ah? Me…Iーー …It doesn’t really matter, does it? Anyway, let’s go plant them already!

Azusa: Oh…Ah, yeah. Good idea. …Let’s go together, Eve. 

You walk back towards the field together. 

*TIMESKIP*

Azusa: …Ridges have already been made over here. Yuma and the others made them…Well then, I suppose we can plant the seeds here. 

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Hm? Oi, wait. Is that Carla over there? He seems to be crouched down…What is that guy up to? 

Azusa: Ah…You’re right. 

You approach Carla. 

Carla: …Hm? So you lot have come to plant your seeds as well? 

Subaru: ‘As well’, you say? So you planted something as well? 

Carla: Yes, I just finished planting almonds and cashews. 

Subaru: Hah? …By the way, what’s the pink thing sticking out from the ground? 

Carla: This…? Isn’t that obvious? It’s cured ham. 

Subaru: Haah!? What is that doin’ iside the soil!? 

Carla: I mean, the vegetables need proper fertilizer to be able to grow into their optimal form, correct? That is why I decided to bury ham of the finest quality alongside them!

*Rustle* 

Carla: I believe this will allow me to grow the finest of nuts. Fufu… ーー However, I have already planted plenty of them, yet none have sprouted so far. Is something still missing, perhaps? 

Subaru: No…Rather than somethin’ missin’…I think this is a whole different issue. 

Azusa: Ah! Carla-san…Did you already water them? 

Carla: Water? …No, not yet. Hah! I see. So water is the solution, huh? ーー Oi, Subaru! Go and get me water!

Subaru: Again, this makes no sense! Why do I have to do that!? Anyway, there’s no way they’ll grow like that!

Carla: Kuh…Excuse me? They will not?

You try to explain to Carla. 

Subaru: Haah…Just like she said, you have to start with the seeds or it won’t work. 

Carla: …! …No…I refuse to give up…I am positive they will grow…!

Azusa: Carla-san, please don’t feel down…Right! Why don’t we plant some chili pepper seeds together? 

Carla: Chili pepper, you say? Hah! Ridiculous…!

Azusa: Please don’t be like that. Come on? …Eve, you should join us as well. Let’s plant them together. …Here’s a shovel for you. 

*Rustle* 

You thank him. 

Azusa: Mmh. You’re welcome. Here’s yours, Subaru-san. 

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Ah…Yeah…

Azusa: Let’s see…I suppose we can plant them around here? 

*Rustle rustle* 

Azusa: First you create a small hole…

He pours the seeds inside. 

Azusa: And then you add the seeds before closing it up again…

*Rustle rustle* 

Carla: Hmph!

Subaru: Well…I guess this should do? 

They continue planting seeds. 

Azusa: Mmh! You’re all doing a great job! Now we just…

*Tap tap* 

Azusa: Please turn out delicious…

*Tap tap* 

Azusa: Please turn out delicious…

Carla: Haah…What has that guy been mumbling about this whole time? 

Subaru: For some reason, it comes off as really creepy when comin’ from you…

Azusa: Eh? I’m just doing what Yuma always does. When you plant sands…While praying for them to turn out delicious…They actually will, you see…?

Subaru: For real? 

You ask Subaru which vegetables he will grow.

Subaru: Ah? …L-Like I said, that’s none of your business, is it!? 

Azusa: But I’m curious as well…

You agree.

Subaru: …Ugh. …Haahー Fine…Cherry tomatoes. 

Azusa: Cherry…tomatoes…

Subaru: What’s with that face!? Why do you seem so obviously surprised!? …They seemed the easiest to grow according to the manual so that’s why I chose them! Got a problem with that, huh!? 

Azusa: No…Not at all. Well then, here you go. 

*Rustle* 

Azusa: You can have this, okay? 

*Thud* 

Subaru: …Ah. What is this? A name tag?

Azusa: Yeah…I also got this from Yuma but…You should give your plant a name and put that beside it.

Subaru: Let me see… ‘Subaru-san’s tomatoes’? Doesn’t it seem like a grave of some sorts now?

Azusa: Eh? You think so? 

Carla: Hmph! You enjoy crawling into a coffin as a hobby, do you not? This is barely any different. 

Subaru: …!? A-Are you makin’ fun of me!? 

Carla: I am not. I am simply stating the truth. 

Subaru: Like I saidーー 

The other group approaches them. 

Reiji: Oh dear, why the ruckus? 

Azusa: Ah…Reiji-san…Yuma and Laito-san as well…

Laito: Hey there, Bitch-chan~! Haven’t seen you since earlier. 

You ask if he’s alright now. 

Laito: Mmh! I’m back in tip-top shape! Although…I’d rather stay clear from soil for a while.

Yuma: Look, ya guys can fight all ya want, but have ya finished plantin’ the seeds yet?

You nod.

Yuma: Hah? That doesn’t sound very convincin’...But…Oh! They’re already sproutin’! I guess seeds from the Demon World really are on a different level! If they keep growin’ like this, we might just be able to harvest them tomorrow!

Laito: Then why don’t we take a break? The sky is looking gray as well…

Reiji: You are right. It has been cloudy for a while now. Well then, how about we go rest up inside that cabin for a bit?

You all start walking towards the cabin. 

*TIMESKIP*

A storm rages outside.

Laito: It’s really pouring down…

Azusa: There’s even thunder…

*CRASH*

Reiji: I have to admit…The weather does make me rather worried about the seeds we planted earlier. They only just sprouted after all. 

Yuma: Yeah. Young sprouts aren’t well resistant to the rain or strong gusts of wind yet. Perhaps we should have put a few support pillars ‘round the plants to protect them. At this rate, they’ll end up gettin’ washed away by the rain. 

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Haah!? Then what ‘bout our assignment!? I’m not startin’ over from scratch again!

Carla: I agree. My new ham holder is at stake here. I shall not waste this opportunity. 

Reiji: Calm down, both of you. My silverware set depends on it as well, so I refuse to give up already. That being said, haste makes for waste, remember? 

*CRASH*

Laito: But…I don’t think we have much time to waste? The storm’s really picking up outside. 

Subaru: …! Tsk…Oi, Yuma! How do those pillars work? 

Yuma: …!? Don’t tell me…You’re thinkin’ of goin’ out there in this weather!? 

Subaru: What other choice do I have!? I put in all that effort to plant those seeds!  It’d be such a shame…To let my tomatoes go to waste before even gettin’ a chance to harvest them. 

Azusa: But…If you were to step outside right now…Wouldn’t you put yourself at risk as well? 

Subaru: I don’t give a damn ‘bout that! …Somebody has to go, right!? Get out of my way! I’ll go…!

*Thud* 

Yuma: Wait, Subaru! You won’t be able to do anythin’ by yourself! I’ll come with you. 

Azusa: Mmh. I’ll tag along as well. I want those chilli pepper seeds which we all planted together…To have a chance to grow…

Reiji: Haah…I suppose I have no other choice. I am not thrilled about having to go out during a rainstorm, but I shall come as well. 

You offer to join them as well. 

Reiji: No, you should wait here. It is dangerous outside after all. 

Yuma: Let’s get goin’ then…!

They run outside. 

Laito: Ahーah. They actually went outside. 

Carla: Hah! They can build a fort around it all they want, it will all be in vain if you do not tackle the root of the issue. 

You point out that the weather is the main problem. 

Carla: Yes. Exactly. In other words, this weather. 

Laito: Nfu~ That being said…There’s not much we can do about the weather, is there? 

Carla: No, I know a way. I could offset the storm with my magic. 

Laito: Eeh? You can do that? 

Carla: Who do you think I am? I am Tsukinami Carla, King of Founders! ーー Woman, step out of the way. I shall blow this storm away with my powers. Fufufu…Ahahaha! The ham holder is as good as mine!

Carla begins charging up an attack. 

Carla: Haah…

Laito: …Wow! This magic is impressive. I guess I should have expected as much from a Founder…? 

Carla: Aaaah!!!

*CRASH*

*BOOM*

Laito: Coff..coff…Bitch-chan…Are you alright? 

Carla: Hmph! That was a piece of cake for someone of my caliber. 

Yuma: Magic sure is somethin’ else! But I’m glad! Now our veggies are saーー Wait. Aaaaah…!!

Azusa: Oh…They had already sprouted as well…But now they’re all…gone. 

Subaru: …Oi! You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!? How!? 

Reiji: Could it be…Was Carla’s attack simply too powerful…He ended up destroying the whole field in the process? 

Laito: Aahー

Carla: …A-Ahem…You should be grateful to me for getting rid of that terrible storm, at least.

Subaru: S…So in the end we’re back at square one anyway!? 

ーー THE END ーー

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

Diabolik Lovers Survey 2019 Results

Thank you to everyone who took part and helped to promote the survey. Overall there were 74 responses, which is only 3 less than last year and I was really happy about that. Without further ado, onto the results:

Question 1. Who is your favorite DL character?

1 - Shu Sakamaki (11 votes) (1st in CL poll, joint 5th in 2018 survey) 2 - Reiji Sakamaki (9 votes) (9th in CL poll, 4th in 2018 survey) 3 - Ayato Sakamaki (7 votes) (2nd in CL poll, 7th in 2018 survey) 4 - Subaru Sakamaki (6 votes) (3rd in CL poll, joint 2nd in 2018 survey)    4 - Carla Tsukinami (6 votes) (11th in CL poll, joint 2nd in 2018 survey)    6 - Kanato Sakamaki (5 votes) (6th in CL poll, joint 8th in 2018 survey)   6 - Ruki Mukami (5 votes)  (4th in CL poll, 14th in 2018 survey) 6 - Kou Mukami (5 votes)  (5th in CL poll, joint 8th in 2018 survey) 6 - Yuma Mukami (5 votes)  (10th in CL poll, joint 12th in 2018 survey) 10 - Laito Sakamaki (4 votes)  (8th in CL poll, 1st in 2018 survey) 11 - Shin Tsukinami (3 votes)  (14th in CL poll, joint 5th in 2018 survey) 11 - Kino (3 votes)  (13th in CL poll, joint 12th in 2018 survey) 13 - Azusa Mukami (2 votes)  (12th in CL poll, joint 8th in 2018 survey) Note: 2 people said they didn’t have a favorite character and 1 person skipped the question. None of the other characters received any votes (including Yui, who came 7th in the CL poll, which was a bit of a surprise to me). Rejet didn’t give the exact number of votes for each character in the official CL poll, so I can’t compare the vote percentages, however we can look at them compared to last year’s survey.

I was very surprised to see Laito drop so far down the ranking (although I was not surprised to see Shu take first place).

In terms of why these results are different to last time, while it’s true some people’s favorite character has changed, there have also been some newcomers to the fandom since my last survey.

The rest of the results are under the cut.

Question 2. Who is your least favorite diaboy?

1- Kanato Sakamaki 29 votes (1st in 2018 poll) 2- I do not have a least favorite diaboy 14 votes (2nd option in 2018 poll) 3- Kino 8 votes (5th in 2018 poll) 4- Ayato Sakamaki 5 votes (joint 9th in 2018 poll) 5- Kou Mukami 4 votes (joint 6th in 2018 poll)) 6- Reiji Sakamaki 3 votes (joint 9th in 2018 poll) 6- Ruki Mukami 3 votes (8th in 2018 poll) 6- Shin Tsukinami 3 votes (4th in 2018 poll) 9- Laito Sakamaki 2 votes  (joint 6th in 2018 poll) 10- Yuma Mukami 1 vote (no votes in 2018 poll) 10- Azusa Mukami 1 vote (no votes in 2018 poll) Subaru, Shuu (11th in 2018 survey) and Carla (3rd in 2018 survey) all received no votes and one person skipped this question.

The results for this question weren’t too dissimilar to last time in terms that Kanato, by far, got the largest number of votes. I will admit he’s my least favorite but I do wonder why that’s true for so many people. It was nice to see the Tsukinami brothers receive fewer votes on this question compared to last time but I was a little surprised that Carla got none at all considering some of the things he does in DF.

Question 3. What is your favorite type of DL media?

1- The games 31 votes (1st in 2018 survey) 2- The drama CDs 23 votes (2nd in 2018 survey) 3- The character songs 9 votes (5th in 2018 survey) 4- The merch (e.g. plushies, badges, straps etc) 5 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 5- The anime 4 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 6- The manga 2 votes (5th in 2018 survey)

As before, the games proved to be the most popular form of DL media, with the drama CDs taking second place.

Question 4. If you have played and/or read translations for the games, which is your favorite?

1- Dark Fate 19 votes (1st in 2018 survey) 2- Haunted Dark Bridal 17 votes (2nd in 2018 survey) 3- More Blood 13 votes (3rd in 2018 survey) 4- Chaos Lineage 5 votes  5- Lost Eden 4 votes (4th in 2018 survey) 6- Lunatic Parade 3 votes (5th in 2018 survey) 7- Vandead Carnival 1 vote (6th in 2018 survey) 13 people said that they hadn’t played/read translations for the games or didn’t know. I’ve excluded this data when making the pie chart as that’s what I did with the last survey.

HDB and DF remain the most popular games. I was surprised to see CL do better than LE (although it’s possible that this is due to CL being released more recently). I will say from personal experience that although I’ve only just started playing CL (and have been avoiding spoilers for months so I have no idea what the rest of the game is like) that I’ve been having a lot of fun with it and while I enjoyed LE, it’s definitely true that some of the routes were better quality than others.

Question 5. If you have listened to and/or read translations of the drama CDs, which set of CDs includes your favorite?

1- Bloody Bouquet 15 votes (1st in 2018 survey) 2- Para-Selene 9 votes (2nd in 2018 survey) 3- The original do-S vampire CDs 8 votes (joint 9th in 2018 survey) 4- Bonus CDs 6 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 5- More Blood do-S Vampire CDs 4 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 5- Versus II 4 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 5- Zero 4 votes (joint 6th in 2018 survey) 8- Versus III 3 votes (joint 6th in 2018 survey) 8- Lost Eden 3 votes (no votes in 2018 survey) 9- Chaos Lineage 3 votes (13th in 2018 survey) 9- Versus I 1 vote (3.28%)  (joint 9th in 2018 survey) 9- Born to Die 1 vote (3.28%) The Dark Fate, Eternal Blood and Versus IV CDs did not receive any votes. 13 people said that they hadn’t listened to/read translations for the drama CDs or other. Again, I excluded this data when making the pie chart as that’s what I did last time.

I was in no way surprised that the Bloody Bouquet CDs are still the fan favorite, with the Para-Selene CDs (my own personal favorite) coming in second. It seems the fandom still prefers the more emotional CDs. Given this trend, I suspect the Born to Die CDs would have done a lot better if they featured all of the boys.

Question 6. What would you most like to see if Rejet continues making new DL content?

1- Season 3 of the anime 28 votes (1st in 2018 survey) 2- Another game after Chaos Lineage 18 votes (2nd in 2018 survey) 3- More drama CDs 11 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 3- More character songs 11 votes (joint 3rd in 2018 survey) 5- I am not concerned with any new DL media 3 votes (5th in 2018 survey) 6- Other 2 votes (5th in 2018 survey) Note: 1 person skipped this question.

This result is pretty much the same as before. Personally I’m not convinced we’ll ever get a third season of the anime but I would love to be proven wrong. We already know we’re getting some more drama CDs, with the first More, More Blood CD being released today (technically yesterday in Japan). I do wonder how much more DL media we’re going to get, as I’m not sure any other otome series has quite managed to have the same number of games DL has, but my experience in Japan has shown me that there certainly still seems to be a market for it.

Question 7. How long have you been interested in DL?

1- More than 4 years but less than 6 years 26 votes  2- More than 2 years but less than 4 years 25 votes  3- Over 6 years 11 votes  3- More than 1 year but less than 2 years 4 votes  5- More than 6 months but less than 1 year 3 votes 6- Up to 6 months 3 votes Note: 2 people said they couldn’t remember how long they’d been interested in DL for and no one who took part had been interested in DL for less than 1 month. 

It seems most people have been interested in the series for between 2 - 6 years. I do wonder whether a number of people got into the series around the release of the More Blood anime (which was a little over 4 years ago), Regardless it seems that a lot of us have been in diahell for rather a long time.

Question 8. If you answered the survey I did last year, have any of your choices changed since then?

Note: Multiple options could be selected here and 5 people skipped this question.

- My favorite character has changed: 7 votes - My least favorite diaboy has changed: 9 votes - My favorite DL game has changed: 3 votes - My favorite drama CD has changed: 9 votes 41 people said none of these things had changed within the last year, while 5 people said they got into DL less than 1 year ago.

I mostly asked this question so that if there were any drastic changes between the results of this survey and last year’s, then I’d be able to tell whether it was because people’s opinions had changed or whether there were simply different people answering the questions. As one might expect, it seems to be a combination of the two.

Question 9. Out of the following things released within the last year, which has been your favorite?

1- Chaos Lineage 18 votes 2- The Death Parade merch/illustrations 13 votes 3- The remaining Zero CDs 8 votes 3- The Dark Wonderland merch/illustrations 8 votes 3- The Absolute Zero merch/illustrations 8 votes 6-  The Born to Die drama CDs 6 votes 6- The Blood Affair merch/illustrations 6 votes 8- I’m not interested in DL anymore so I haven’t kept up with new releases 4 votes 8- Other 3 votes

I was very pleased to CL come out on top here given that it was the release Rejet must have invested the most time and money in. I will say I was surprised by just how many people said one the merch sets was their favorite release of the past year over CL or one of the drama CDs where the boys actually interact with you/Yui. 

And that’s all for my Diabolik Lovers 2019 survey. Thank you again to everyone who voted, if you want to check out my post on last year’s results, it can be found here. I’d be interested to know your thoughts on the results of this survey, was there anything that surprised you?

[diabolikdrabbles]

I'm honestly losing interest in dl because now it feels like I can't even enjoy character development without being made to feel like I never read or educated myself on their true sadistic natures. -_- I got a rant today about those minature versions of the vampires and how they are making people think that that's how the boys are. Srsly, wtf.

I set aside my economics textbook to answer this question because I think it’s important to address this properly. This turned out kind of long, but I think this is an issue that many western DL fans need to understand too.

I’m sorry to hear that you are losing interest in such a complex and rich series filled with dark twists and situations. I completely understand where you are coming from and why you are frustrated with the fandom, but do not give up, my friend! Diabolik Lovers was obviously a series meant for teenagers 16+. They even label it under that warning when they release their games in Japan. In a recent event held for the DL: Lost Eden game, Midorikawa Hikaru (Ayato’s voice actor) even remarked that this isn’t the first otome game you should play as a newbie. (He said this when a fan wrote that she started playing the game at the age of 12.) I’m sure many fans understand that this isn’t any ordinary or cute otome game like Mystic Messenger or Harvest Moon because look at all the crap we hear about or read from the translations! This game doesn’t screw around or give us the happy endings that most of us want in real life. Diabolik Lovers is grim, horrifying, insane, and filled with never-ending angst. Nearly all of the Sakamaki brothers personally killed their own mothers! Not exactly for those who dream of “happily ever after” endings. 

The diaboys portrayed by the fandom can be VERY DILUTED compared to what they actually are in the games, and I think the issue is that many of us have never played any of the games to get a feel or taste of what the real!diaboys are truly like. This can be due to the fact that we can’t buy the games overseas, we can’t read/speak Japanese, it’s not released in English so we rely on translations only, etc. I will admit that this fandom doesn’t always have a good grasp at what the boys are like or what’s going on in each game, but I would hope that we wouldn’t warp the diaboys to have them fit into our own ideal images for them. It’s just dumb and unrealistic. (Even I still struggle writing for a few of them on this blog because of what little I know about them!) 

As for the trendy Pocket!Diaboys that we’ve been seeing around Tumblr, I do think it is the fans’ responsibility to realize that it’s just a cute concept made to entertain Tumblr users and DL fans because for once, these pocket!vampires are not as intimidating or scary as the real diaboys from the games. I personally enjoy seeing them around Tumblr. They’ve been lowered to a pet standard because it’s fun to imagine them as adorable little vampires that we can interact with without fearing for our lives. (I say this because I’m sure that as much as we love our favorite diaboy, we wouldn’t last 24 hours with them. I know I wouldn’t last a good seven hours segment with Ayato, and I love that Sakamaki to death too.) However, the pocket!vampires’ cookie-cut personalities and cute appearances should not fool the fans. The fans need to be able to distinguish the difference between the pocket!vampires and the real!diaboys. Otherwise, I say let stupid be stupid. Can’t help them there with that.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If people truly think that the pocket!vampires are what the real!diaboys are like, I’d laugh in their face because of the ridiculous claim. They obviously haven’t seen, read, or analyze the series well enough to know the truth because the pocket!vampires only have a fragment of what the real!diaboys are like. Not everything was revealed in one small pocket!vampire’s body.

Don’t feel discouraged by the stupidity of some people in this fandom. You’ll find idiots everywhere you go in this world, so don’t let them stop you. If you believe that you have a firm grasp of the real!diaboys’ sadistic natures and personalities, I wouldn’t be worried. Stick to your own guns. You can still enjoy this fandom and ignore what most of the other dumb fans are saying/claiming. Personally, I haven’t had any encounters with dumb fans YET, but I still find myself enjoying each personal character development of each character in the series, and I think you should continue to do so too.

I know my stuff and I’ll stand by my facts. I suggest that you and other people who have these same issues do the same. Stay strong in this fandom and don’t be afraid to bite back either. Feel free to send me another ask. I can answer it privately as well.

-Admin Yuuzuki

[mythicamagic]

Diabolik Fairy Tales - Chapter 4

AU - The Diabolik Lovers re-imagined as fairy tale characters. Each chapter will feature a different diaboy, as their dark natures become entwined with the original macabre fairy tales of the past. Includes smut with a nameless heroine (slight reader insert)

Rated M               Trailer is here          (you can read all my fics here on fanfiction.net or Ao3)

Chapter 1 - Yuma Mukami                            Chapter 2 - Shuu Sakamaki

Chapter 3 - Kanato Sakamaki                       Chapter 4 - Ayato Sakamaki

Chapter 5 - Ruki Mukami                                  Chapter 6 - Laito Sakamaki

Chapter 7 - Azusa Mukami                              Chapter 8 - Reiji Sakamaki

Chapter 9 - Kou Mukami                            Chapter 10 - Subaru Sakamaki (end)

Special thanks to @fyeahdialovers for this one. I owe you big time for all your editing help and Ayato advice ^^

Hair like Ribbon ~

An announcement had been made, by the king himself, regarding the fate of the land he'd ruled over for more than thirty years. Subjects had flocked to the courtyard. Peasants mixed with nobles. All desperately shoved to the front of the crowd, straining to hear the news. Once the last word was uttered, gossip spread like wildfire.

For reasons not divulged, the king would be abdicating the throne early, passing it down to one of his six sons. The kingdom had been expected to fall into the hands of the eldest, so this news shocked many in the lower rings. For the upper-class, it came as no surprise, considering Prince Shuu's infamous lethargy. Yet the conditions that the princes had to meet, in order to be selected, gave everyone pause.

The six sons would have to leave the castle and search for a priceless treasure. It would be paramount to any other held within the royal treasury. Whoever brought back the 'best' object, would gain the crown.

People interpreted this in many ways. Perhaps a dragon egg would win? Or a rare spell? Maybe even a captured magical creature.

Prince Ayato was practically bursting with joy. This was the chance he'd been waiting for his whole life. It was a simple task, cut and dry, and for once he was actually thankful to his bastard of a father. Why the fool had done it made little sense, but he wasn't going to complain. Suspicions be damned, he was winning this thing.

As the third in line for the throne, yet eldest of the triplets, he'd always been pulled in different directions for where his place should be. But now he had an answer to everything, and competition was something he excelled at.

Grinning viciously, he mounted his horse and set off into the remote wilds of his father's kingdom.

He'd never had a chance to prove himself in such a clear way before, so he didn't think much of riding all day and night in search of a spectacular find. Of course, he would have to bring something cool back, worthy of himself. He thought briefly of his brothers, and the conversation he'd shared with Laito.

"Let me guess, the buzzkill is gonna search for a lame plant of some kind." He'd sneered, eyes on his older brother, who was pouring over maps some distance away.

Laito had laughed lowly. "I wouldn't underestimate him, Ayato. I've heard delicious little details of what he got up to with the Mage's Dark Magic book."

"Tch." Ayato leaned back, frowning over his own map.

"How about you?" Laito's eyes had gleamed with interest.

"Like I'm gonna say. What if you steal my great idea?"

"I'm wounded that you would think so low of me, brother. Especially since I won't be participating in this farce. It'll be more fun to watch you all struggle."

Ayato frowned to himself as he urged his horse on. He didn't want to be manipulated by his father, but this was the easiest way to get what he wanted. And why wouldn't someone want the crown? Well, Ayato hardly cared what motivations his brothers had. He needed to win, that was all.

After dismounting, he cursed foully, complaining over saddle sores.

He'd heard rumor about a rare stone, located deep within the Eastern Forest. Alchemists had coveted it for some time, yet were unable to find any trace of it. That probably had something to do with its location, as the forest was infamous for trapping weary travelers within its many twists and turns.

A part of him longed for a servant to order around, but pride demanded that he brave the woods alone. Subaru had also set out by himself, with nothing but his fists and the clothes on his back.

Ayato snorted, swinging his sword through the dense undergrowth that blocked his way. He tugged his horse forward, gripping the reins tightly. It pulled against his hold, becoming more skittish and frightened the deeper they went into the forest.

"Oi, don't go wussing out on me. You belong to a great prince, have some pride! It's gonna reflect badly on me if you get all jittery from a bunch of twigs."

His horse continued to yank at the reins. Ayato rolled his eyes, glancing at the sky and feeling some of the sleep he'd put off start to creep into his tired body. He wasn't one for camping, though the idea of roughing it on his own had initially been exciting. Yet now that the situation was in front of him, Ayato wished that he'd stopped by a peasant's house before entering the forest, demanding shelter.

With night descending quickly, he made a fire and grabbed the half organised pack from his horse, sitting down on the grass heavily. He'd been walking through the Eastern Forest for some time now, with no trace of the rare stone anywhere. It was meant to be found in a glade, and could grant a person some kind of immense power. He wasn't worried though, he'd find it soon enough. Ayato rubbed his head, wearied as he took a swig from his water pouch.

He'd be happy just for a bed right then, or a hot meal. The leftovers in his pack had been eaten a little too quickly.

Just as he was about to settle in for the night, a rustle caught his attention. He sat up, thinking he's seen something in the shadows up ahead, a figure flitting through the trees. Quickly rising, he staggered from headrush, before grabbing his sword. He then glared at his horse.

"You better be here when I get back." He warned, before turning and running after the figure.

As he ran, knocking the bushes aside and roughly scraping his shoulder against a tree, he thought to himself that the figure must've been a hermit.

When the stranger came into view, just barely visible from the dimly lit sky, Ayato stopped, crouching low. He squinted as the figure's hood drew back to reveal an old hag, aged and haggard. She kept walking, and Ayato followed, curious.

His feet eventually stopped dead. Green eyes slid up to stare at a tall tower. It was made of aged white bricks, and stretched up into the darkening sky, standing alone among the trees.

A flash of memory resounded in his mind, that of building blocks piled high, but Ayato shook the thought away furiously. He crept closer, watching as the hag walked to the base of the tower which had no entrance, calling up to the high window:

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

To his surprise, a large fall of hair, twisted into a braid, swung down from the tower's only window. The hair was impossibly long, hitting the floor and pooling into a heap.

The old hag grabbed the braid and used one of the many ties adorning the locks as a foothold. Ayato stared, amazed as the hair began to slide up. He heard grunting, and the sound of something turning up above, like a crank, as the hag ascended into the air. She rose up to the tower window, before disappearing from sight.

Ayato stood there for a long while. Minutes slipped by, and as they did, his lips curled up at the edges, spreading wider to reveal teeth.

Some time after the hag descended, walking off into the gloom of the forest, he stood below the tower window. Reiterating the words that had caused the hair to fall, satisfaction puffed up inside him as it fell down into heap at his feet.

Mimicking what the hag had done, he was surprised to find that the hair was soft and sleek in his hands. He gripped the strands tight as the hair slid up, grunts of effort reaching his ears and the sound of a crack drawing closer. He glanced below at the ground, refusing to acknowledge the way sweat pricked the back of his neck, and instead focusing on the adrenaline that pumped through his veins.

The girl's eyes flew wide and disbelieving at the image of a stranger climbing through her window. Instead of wrinkles, or frail, weathered bones beneath a sweeping cloak, there was a lithe, athletic build, smooth skin, and a bright shock of red hair.

This person was a man. She'd never laid eyes on one before, but had heard plenty, as the old woman had a penchant for seizing every opportunity to gripe about them.

His lips curled up, and a pleasant voice rang out. "Yo." He said nonchalantly.

She blinked, heart stuttering with fear as she stared uncertainly. "U-um, hello?"

He leaped down from the window, before standing tall. "The name's Ayato Sakamaki."

Amazed, she stuttered, before introducing herself. The man's keen green eyes swept down her figure with interest. He then stepped forward and put his hands on his hips, sizing up her home. "So what's the story with this place; You live here?"

"Y-yes. Sorry but, I'm not sure you should be here. Does my mother know about this?" She glanced uncertainly at the window.

"Huh? I can go wherever I please. You happen to be talking to a Crown Prince." He jabbed a thumb at his chest, smirking as her eyes widened. Cherished memories spent pouring over fairy tales warmed her heart, and when she looked at him again, it was with a new light that went completely ignored by him. "Anyway, the tower doesn't really matter. What's the deal with your hair?"

Her eyes dropped to the fall of locks that were spun around the room, hanging from the rafters and wrapped around her bed posts like a monstrous snake. "Oh...I've never been allowed to cut it, or go outside." She fiddled with a piece of it, tucking the strand behind her ear. She shouldn't have been answering a stranger's questions, but if he was a prince then it felt only natural to.

"Ha? Seriously?"

When she nodded, he grinned, moving uncomfortably close. His green eyes were alight with something indiscernible but intense. She felt like shrinking under that keen stare, but having endured her mother for years, her feet remained firmly rooted in place."You've never been outside?"

"I was brought here when I was twelve. But my mother...she told me to forget about everything that came before then."

"Heh, and how much do you know about the world? Not much, I'm guessing." Prince Ayato peered at her. "Hmm, maybe if the hair thing isn't impressive enough, I can sell you as 'The Airhead Girl.''

"Sell?!" She sputtered.

"Figure of speech. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep you close when we leave." He waved off her concern dismissively, as if batting a fly.

Her eyes shot wide. "But I barely know you, and I-I can't! I'm not even supposed to be talking with you."

He laughed, sounding young and carefree. It was so fresh and new she couldn't help but be drawn in by it. "Yeah, and your keeper has done a fine job of hiding you away. Really, I applaud them. But-" He bent close to her face, his scent filling her nose. It was spicy, overwhelming, and yet, somewhat inviting. "If you cared about that, you'd have obeyed them and not said a word to me when I climbed in, right? But you've been nothing but chatty. I think you wanna leave. You want to know what you're missing out on."

Her hands fretted at her sides, and she wet her lips, heart leaping when his eyes followed the action. His voice dropped, looking down at her hungrily. "I have a pretty good idea of why your guardian chose to lock you away."

She frowned, "You do? Why?"

Something in his laugh mirrored that of her mother's. Cruel and low. "Ahh...you're gonna be tons of fun." He leaned away, smiling to himself.

The girl didn't know what to make of his words, and stood lost in thought for a moment.

"Would you like a drink?" She suddenly blurted, remembering the manners an etiquette book had taught her.

He rose a brow, blinking in confusion, before shrugging.

Though she would loathe to admit it to her mother, in fear of punishment, the girl had allowed the prince to stay for the night. He'd slept in a tangle of limbs on her bed, having claimed it earlier as the most comfortable surface, and therefore, the only surface he would be sleeping on.

She'd acquiesced, but had stayed awake longer than he had. His snores were loud at first, but after turning over, he'd quieted into hushed breaths, frowning in his sleep. She knew this because she'd stayed attuned to him throughout the night. Without realizing it, she'd watched him from her position on the sofa, wondering about everything beyond the tower.

"When I win, I get the throne!" He'd bragged, before sobering and staring at her. "You'll definitely be the key to victory."

"Oh I don't know...is long hair really that impressive?"

"If I say so, then it is! I've stepped on it five times already. You'll win me the crown for sure, and then I'll-" He seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment. "I'll cast that guy into the streets, or better yet, kill him. Heh, I wonder which would hurt more?"

She didn't mind helping him achieve his goal of being crowned King, but the anxiety of leaving the tower kept her from sharing his enthusiasm. When sunlight began to peak in from her only window, the girl rose. She hesitated by her bed, gazing down at the prince with a small smile.

Another person in her home, whether or not it was a noisy one, was something she couldn't help but be enraptured by. Mother never slept in the tower. She couldn't remember seeing another person so unguarded, or hearing their breathing fall so quiet.

She made him breakfast and woke him up with a careful nudge to his leg. She didn't complain when he ate half of her meal in retaliation for waking him. As she cleared the plates away however, panic was starting to creep into her hands, making them shake.

She didn't want him to leave. To be left alone again after one night of company felt sickening.

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

The girl turned, eyes wide as she stared at the tower window. "She's back." Her throat became dry, and she quickly looked at the prince.

"Heh, so what are you gonna do now?" He asked, utterly calm, not worried in the slightest.

The need to escape had always been there, lurking in the back of her mind. Some days it was pitched into a low hum, barely noticeable, but today, it sang in her veins. A longing for freedom. For wide open spaces, where she could breath in fresh air and talk with people, to live like they did.

She became aware of the prince's proximity, as he drew close to her from behind. ""Hey, don't you feel lucky I found you?"

"Yes." She whispered, moving her hair over her shoulder and sliding it into the pulley system automatically.

"That luck will have been useless if you stay, but at least nothing will change, right?"

His words opened a cavern in her heart, her stomach twisting like the fall of her hair as it plummeted to the ground. There was a tug, signalling her guardian had stepped on.

She began to pull, barely feeling the strain of her muscles from years of her practiced art. Nothing will change.

Horror numbed her fingers, making her hands freeze mid-pull.

"Rapunzel? What's going on?" Came a disgruntled voice, confused as to why she'd stopped.

The girl inched forward, until she stood overlooking the edge of the tower, staring right into the eyes of her mother. Realization slowly dawned on the hag's face as she held onto the hair, swinging in the slight breeze.

"R-rapunzel? Why are you looking at me like that? Pull me up. Now."

She swallowed. "I know my parents were foolish people, and what happened between you was a 'fair' exchange. But...but why did you keep me up here for so long, mother? Why must I always be alone?"

"I-its for your own safety! Come now dear, you know the world of men is dangerous. Let me up and we can enjoy a nice brew together-"

"I don't care, mother." Her voice wavered. She tensed as Ayato chose that moment to lean around her. The heat of his chest pressing against her back sent butterflies scattering in her stomach.

He laughed, judging the distance between the hag and the ground with a grin. "That's quite a drop, huh?"

The hag's eyes snapped wide, mouth falling open. "F-foolish child! What have you done, inviting the company of a man into your midsts?"

"I don't care. Whatever dangers there are, I would rather face them. Better that than enduring one more day stuck in this- this prison!" The girl yelled, her fingers trembling.

"Stupid, ungrateful child! How dare y-"

Rapunzel's eyes widened as her grip slackened. Never in all her years had her grip failed. And yet she watched with a numb sort of fascination as the threads of hair passed through her fingers. The hag screamed. Slack hair was still clutched tight in her gnarled hands, fluttering like a kite's tail as she fell to the earth.

A sickening thud broke the spell.

The girl stared, breaths coming in short, gasping pants. She'd let go. She'd...killed Mother.

"Whoa, dropped like a stone, didn't she?" He glanced at her, before seeing her expression and sighing. "Well, come on. Don't wanna hang around here forever." Ayato muttered, grabbing her loose hair that hung over the side, pulling it back up like a rope.

He made no comment on the broken ends, most likely torn off by the Mother's hand. Instead, he stepped inside the tower, gathering the strands into an incredibly large bundle and stuffing them inside a sack. The girl stood frozen in the window, staring down at the body that lay below.

"Oi!" His voice was suddenly close to her ear, and she jumped, quickly staggering back from the edge and bumping into him. He shoved the sack into her arms and gestured behind him.

"Do you need anything else, or can we get a move on?"

She glanced dazedly around the suddenly too small room. It was packed near to bursting with fairy-tales and little knickknacks that had amused her for years. Her first pictures hung on the wall, some of handprints that she'd smeared onto paper as a toddler.

Instead of giving her comfort, the childish possessions now disturbed her more than anything. The need to leave, and never lay eyes on them again rose like bile in her throat.

She turned to him, desperate for assurance. "Once I win you the crown, what will happen to me afterwards?"

Ayato blinked, before smirking, eyes unreadable. "Let me worry about that."

His cryptic answer did nothing to inspire trust, but she nodded, uncertainty clinging to her like a second skin. "I don't need anything. Let's go, please."

After setting her feet on solid ground, the girl had once fantasized that she would enjoy it, celebrate it like a momentous feat. But in reality, she'd quickly made light of it in favor of moving as quickly away from the broken body of her mother as soon as possible.

Ayato remained unruffled as he strode forward, leading the way through the forest and away from the lonely tower. Rapunzel glanced behind her just once before it was lost from sight.

As they walked, she remained silent, lost in memories. The story of how she'd been traded as a baby in exchange for vegetables had been recited to her ever since she was young. While she knew that her mothe- captor, hadn't loved her, she'd still felt a degree of affection for the old woman.

Ayato's boisterous laughter startled her from her heavy thoughts.

"So you decided to stick around, huh? Knew you'd make the right choice."

She glanced up, stopping dead at the sight of a large animal. "I-is that a horse?"

Ayato patted the steed, grinning. "Sure is. Ah, you never seen one before?"

"I don't remember, but I've seen pictures in my books." Her arms tightened around the sack in her hands. The horse towered over her in height.

"Ohh, then you know all about them then, huh? Like the fact that they like to bite people's hands off?"

She blinked, gaze snapping to his deadly serious features. "Huh?"

"Oh yeah, they love to nibble on delicate young ladies hands the most. When prisoners are executed at the castle, we make sure to save the hands for the horses."

"K-keep it away!" She backed away when he drew close, grabbing her around the waist. She struggled for a moment, feeling herself being lifted into the air.

Ayato set her on the horse, lifting himself up and sitting down in the saddle in front of her. "Heh, don't fuss, idiot. Here you can hold on to me." He grabbed her arms and placed them around his waist, leering at her. "Make sure to grab on real tight-ack! Not that tight!"

After loosening her hold, he clicked his tongue. The horse started forward, quickening from a walk to a trot. When her hands made fists in his shirt, he laughed, and urged the beast on, until they were galloping through the trees at a breakneck speed. The girl kept a firm hold of the sack under her arm, though large strands of hair escaped and blew out into the wind, lashing behind them.

She pressed her face against his shoulder blades, feeling the air chill her bones. Yet she was grateful for the trembling of her shoulders, the bite of cold on her nose. Eventually the forest opened out into farmlands, and she drank in everything with starved eyes.

Ayato smirked to himself as her chest pressed against his back, feeling her racing heartbeat.

Both were hardly aware of the time that passed before the castle came into view. Her arms tightened around his waist as they rode through the main gate. She looked around them wearily, staring at the strangers that haggled their wares.

The prince glanced up at the castle by chance, setting eyes on a certain figure. Immediately, his good mood scattered. Karlheinz stood on the topmost balcony of the castle, overlooking the bustle of the courtyard. Ayato tensed, limbs turning rigid when those patronizing eyes turned their sights on him.

The girl patted his side lightly, "Who is that man?" She asked innocently.

Ayato kept his gaze upward. "You just keep your eyes on me. Don't concern yourself with anyone else. Got it?"

"Y-yes."

Karl Heinz's eyes slipped past him to the girl, and Ayato swiftly turned the horse, heading towards the stables. Something hung low and heavy in the pit of his stomach.

"What do you mean: You have to present me?"

"Just what I said! Geeze, don't you listen when people talk? I have to show what treasure I brought back for this ceremony thing."

There wasn't anything she could say when he'd already explained the reason she'd been welcomed into the castle. Then I really am like some sort of object…

Ayato sighed and tugged on a strand of her hair. She winced just as he grinned sharply. "I took care of you didn't I? You should show me a little gratitude."

The girl nodded quickly. "I am grateful you helped me escape the tower, more than you'll ever know."

He frowned down at her, as if puzzling over her answer. Finally, he loosened his regal clothing, tugging the material out until it was comfortable and scruffy. "Hm, as you should be." Once he was satisfied. he grabbed her by the arm and tugged her out onto the waiting stage.

The ceremony had been held before a large crowd. Each of the brothers had stood, presenting their finds to the kingdom, all the participants seeming annoyed. Putting on a show wasn't in their tastes, though Ayato certainly enjoyed the attention from the crowd. When it was his turn, he bid her to wave, and the girl smiled shyly, standing a bit behind him.

Ultimately, his confidence grew on her, to the point that she felt herself straighten up, engaging in bouts of eye contact. It felt so alien, to be around so many after being alone for so long, but his presence was assuring.

After the ceremony, Karlheinz announced that the winner would be selected the following day. Ayato griped and nagged, trudging along to dinner without noticing the girl trailing behind him.

She sat still during the feast, her eyes flitting from one guest to the next, before finding someone bent close to her face. "Oh~ Who's this?" A pleasant voice asked, his green eyes, though darker, struck a familiar chord with her.

"Are you one of Ayato's brothers?" She hadn't been able to see or interact with them during the ceremony, having stayed glued to Ayato's side.

"How cute, you refer to him without a title! Fufu, have you gone that far already?"

Although clueless, she was beginning to understand the gist of his words from the blush painting his cheeks. "H-how far?" The question slipped out without her consent.

"Oh you know~" The man drew closer, making her shrink back in her seat. "All the way." He purred, eyes raking down her form.

"Oi, Laito! Buzz off already, she's mine."

Laito chuckled, but none the less moved away, smiling at Ayato. "So Reiji brings back a rare gem of necromancy, Subaru coughs up an old artifact, and you bring back... a girl, is that right brother?"

Ayato grumbled in his seat. "She's not a normal girl, she has the longest hair ever. Besides I wasn't about to waste my time in a forest looking for some dumb rocks."

"I don't blame you. A woman is worth far more than any other treasure, and has a thousand other uses." Laito was saying, but it went mostly unheard.

The girl wasn't paying attention any more. Her eyes had risen from the feast, connecting by chance with that of the King's. Though he sat at the end of the long, ornate table, he stared at her with a fixated heat that bridged the distance. She felt stifled under that gaze.

His pale lips tilted up, the slight wrinkles under his eyes creasing.

She found herself replaying that single moment in her head, long after dinner had ended and she'd retired to her bed. Before sleeping, she locked the door of her room, not understanding where the need had arisen from.

Despite public expectation, the announcement that followed the ceremony a day later dubbed the eldest triplet the winner.

Several people went bust, having bet good money on Reiji winning the crown. Some expressed pity that the youngest hadn't won, having participated in order to have a say over his mother's welfare.

The girl had been happy, thinking that she'd managed to be useful. As for Ayato himself, he'd been in a daze ever since. She wished she could spend some time with him, but court officials had been prepping him for the coronation, making it difficult to get close.

Since then, she'd mostly been spending time in her room. Shut off again.

The insidious sensation of eyes had hung on her skin like sticky vapor ever since the dinner on that first day. Though she hadn't seen the king since then, she was constantly alert, uncertain of what had been in those eyes, or why they frightened her so. They made her unable to face going outside her room alone.

On one particular day however, those fears were realized. "The King has…requested an audience with me?"

An aged servant waited outside her door. "Yes dear."

She hesitated. "I don't understand, what for?"

"Why, for your company of course." Seeing the girl's furrowed brow deepen, the older woman leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. "This is a big opportunity for you! Many a fine woman has longed to be in the position you're in now. His Highness tends to the needs of his lovers exceptionally well. Even better than his wives."

A dull pang echoed in her heart. "Lovers…"

The maid left her standing alone in the hallway, mind turning impossibly fast. A tingling feeling on the nape of her neck pricked into a harsh bite, alerting her to eyes once more.

Her gaze locked with Ayato's.

Quiet, tense energy coiled inside her. She wanted to speak, to break the horrible silence. He had never looked at her like that before, or felt so remote and distant.

Her lips parted. "Ayato." Why did her voice shake? Was she guilty of something?

The prince stared at her a moment longer, before stalking forward.

Her heart thundered in her chest as his hand slammed onto the wall beside her. "Oi…that just now." He finally spoke, hair spilling into his eyes. When he looked up, the locks parted, revealing sharp, glaring green. Somehow, they burned with an inner light.

"You didn't invite it. Did you? His interest." His usual jovial tone had been replaced with one that made her tremble. When she didn't answer, he leaned forward until their foreheads pressed together. The act elicited no warmth or happiness. Her skull ached from being pressed back into the hard surface of the wall behind her.

"You didn't do anything while I wasn't looking, right? Because if you did, nothing will save you." There was a deadly promise in his voice. Hot breath fanned over her lips.

"I wouldn't do that!" She yelled, but words didn't seem to reach him.

She broke the barrier of touch and grabbed his shirt. "Ayato, I don't want to go, please- don't make me! I don't understand what it is he wants from me."

His fingers snapped over hers, crushing them under his larger hands as he pried them off himself. "He wants to fuck you! Why else would he call you to his room?" He spat, the harsh words striking a chord within her. Hadn't Ayato said she belonged to him?"

"W-what? But-but"

"Damn it, stop blubbering." He sneered and backed away slightly, muttering to himself. "That fucking bastard…"

"Ayato, can't you stop this? You're King now aren't you?" She soothed her voice from a less confrontational one, but he seemed too lost in his own frustration to be calmed.

"Not yet I'm not! Shit. He knows I can't do anything to stop him until after the coronation. That's why he's doing this now." He ran a hand through disheveled red locks.

"Please, I don't want this-"

His gaze snapped to hers. "Like he gives a crap what you want."

Her head bowed forward. Hopelessness threatened to overwhelm her. "I won't…"

"Ha?"

Her body was strung tight, her fists shaking at her sides. "I refuse to let him touch me." She jolted roughly in his hold, twisting out of reach and disappearing down the hall before he had a chance to stop her.

Ayato grit his teeth, kicking the wall and feeling a dull thrum race up his leg from the impact.

The building blocks stacked impossibly high flashed in his minds eye. They tilted precariously, threatening to fall.

He wouldn't stand for it. She was his! The bastard knew that, but he just wanted to fuck with him, as always.

Just like that bitch…

"Do you want to go back to the bottom of the lake, Ayato?"

His mind refused to quiet throughout the rest of the day. When guests began to filter in for the informal banquet, he barely noticed.

The girl didn't show up to the feast. Her absence drilled into his thoughts. Come to think of it, when was that special meeting between her and his old man taking place?

His back snapped straight. Was she with him already?

He sucked in a sharp breath, the glass in his hand drawing his attention. The water trembled, as if something was shaking the ground. Like a force was coming no one could stop. Yeah, that was him wasn't it? He wasn't a kid anymore, he could- he could-

"I have no need of you, if you're utterly worthless to me."

Ayato stifled a phantom choke, trying to ignore the sensation of water filling his lungs. This was bullshit. He wasn't doing this, not now.

Why did he still feel like this when he'd finally achieved something of worth? He'd be crowned king soon! The hell was he doing, thinking of these things again?

But a flash of his father's face made the taste of victory turn sickly sour. No, there was no victory if that bastard was still breathing. What's more, he was thinking of satisfying himself inside that girl, the one he'd claimed as his own…

Ayato set down the glass, hands balling into fists. Don't underestimate me, old man. It pisses me off.

Laito glanced away from his conversation with a beautiful brunette to look at his brother, but Ayato had vanished.

Everything lay calm and still that morning. Not a ripple disturbed the motionless surface of the nearby lake. Sunlight blazed, scaling the walls of the castle and bathing every surface in a gentle glow. The kingdom's flag fluttered atop the massive structure.

Further down, stray strands of hair gently swayed in the breeze. The rest of the locks were twisted into a heavy fall, thrown over the side of the King's balcony.

And there, swinging lightly, hung the body of Karlheinz.

A guard who'd been on patrol all night, glanced up by chance whilst walking through the main courtyard. At first, disbelief had severed any action from his brain, but the moment the light hit the body in such a way that it highlighted the king's blank expression, the guard sprung into action.

Chaos descended on the kingdom in the form of frantic footfalls, yells, cries of alarm, thinking that an assassin had killed their king. It was only after the initial terror had subsided that attention was paid to the hair wrapped around his neck.

All blame immediately focused on the girl named Rapunzel.

Officials within the court hushed this information, wanting to handle the situation delicately. Several of them made their way to the throne room, panic quickening their steps.

When the door was cast open, the men stopped, taking in the image before them.

Prince Ayato comfortably lounged on the intricately carved throne, his leg thrown over the armrest. The murderer of the king sat happily on his lap, utterly clueless to their entrance. Ayato held her close, his gaze slanting up to meet the officials who stared at the couple in horror.

"What's with you?"

One man began, his voice shaking. "Y-your Highness, it pains me to say this with such little decorum but-"

"Your father, the former King, has been murdered." Interrupted another.

The girl on his lap glanced at them, her fingers threading in Ayato's loose shirt. He regarded them snidely, eyes filled with boredom. "Really?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We also have reason to believe that the girl with you has-"

"Heh, The King is Dead, Long live the King, right?" Ayato interrupted, moving his leg down and straightening in his seat.

Several of the officials looked at him with shock. "W-what?"

Other's kept a level gaze, expecting this reaction.

Ayato's hand slid up the girl's side, passing her ribs to caress the back of her neck. "This girl isn't someone the kingdom should worry about. She's mine. So I'll do what I want with her." His fingers tangled in her hair, tightening his grip on the cut locks.

Unflinching green eyes challenged any of them to protest.

The court officials didn't dare say a word. Speculation spread throughout the interior of the castle. Noblemen and guards felt they knew the truth, but none were certain in what really happened, save for the five brothers who stood on the sidelines, watching Ayato's coronation.

"It's as if he's carrying the murder weapon around with him. Does he have no tact?" Reiji frowned as Ayato stood close to the girl, the heavy crown adorning his head.

Kanato's nodded dazedly. "I wonder why he doesn't get rid of her?"

The crowd assembled cheered for their new king, the roar of shouts drowning out Laito's quiet chuckle. "I hope your building blocks don't tip over, Ayato. Be sure to mind them carefully."

Slim fingers twirled short strands around absentmindedly. The girl read on, various notes adorning her desk, all regarding the kingdom's welfare and upkeep. Days once spent idle in the tower were now crammed full of study, meetings and research. Yet Rapunzel had never been happier.

Her mind absorbed the information like a sponge. Her love of books had made her useful in attending to things within the kingdom that Ayato didn't have an interest in.

Turning a page, her heart clenched, fingers freezing. Karlheinz's handwriting stared back at her.

She slowly, carefully, shut the book. Another reason of why she drowned herself in work began to crack the surface of her placid expression.

"Dear, the King requests an audience with you." A kind voice called out.

The girl jumped, weaving through nightmares in order to focus on the old maid. "A-Ayato needs me?"

All it took was a single nod, and she was already rising, clearing away her things. When she found that he awaited her in his quarters, she took a steadying breath, trying not to think of that night.

Yet with every step she took, her past self shadowed her footsteps. She could see herself walking to Karlheinz's bedchamber, like a lost lamb going to the slaughter. She'd entered, found him waiting inside, that kind, false smile on pale lips-

"Enter." A voice called, snapping her out of her daze.

Realizing she hadn't knocked, and was instead loitering outside his room, the girl quickly opened the door. Ayato stood by the window, arms crossed.

"You're late."

She rose a brow. "I wasn't aware we had plans?"

He released a sigh before grabbing the curtain, slowly sliding it shut. "You know what I mean. You've kept me waiting long enough."

When he drew in close, enough for her to heart to flutter, she stepped back. "Waiting for...what?"

His lips turned down into a frown. Grabbing her roughly by the arms, air rushed out of her lungs as she fell back onto the bed with a thud. He stood in-between her legs, shoving a knee between her thighs and prying them apart.

"Don't play innocent. You should thank my generosity. If it weren't for me, you'd have been exec-"

"Please don't remind me of it!" She wailed, gripping his forearms and squeezing her eyes shut.

A squeak escaped from her when his lips collided against her mouth. His tongue slid past her lips the moment she gave in, and he moaned as he tasted her deeply. The girl clung to him, feeling his muscles shift as he pushed her deeper into the mattress. Something nudged insistently against her, and she gasped, pulling back from their kiss.

"I'll burn any trace of him away." He said solemnly.

A hush fell over them. Their breaths intermingled. Ayato's gaze slid to her chest, which rapidly rose and fell with each pant. She knew now what that gaze meant, and her stomach fluttered. Spending the better part of her childhood with only fairy tale books, her knowledge about the intimacies shared in bed were limited and naturally, her curiosity took over when she'd come across certain books in the library.

But this wasn't like how they'd described it in the books. He shed her clothes and impatiently waited as she attempted to strip him, growling when she took longer than he wanted. Once his bare skin touched hers, her body flamed alight. A wetness and tightening need swelled inside her core. Instinctively, she rocked her hips against his, desperate to relieve the ache.

It was clumsy and rough at first. Teeth knocked, blunt nails scratched, biting into skin harshly, before hard fingers thrust and prodded their way into places that had her back arching.

"Heh, that's not a bad face you're making, it's actually kind of arousing." He murmured, voice muffled as he retracted his tongue from between her thighs.

He shifted above her, and she closed her eyes, a furious blush spread over her face. She could hear his pants, could feel his fingers press over her skin, and when his hands lifted her thighs so her legs could wrap around him, a noise escaped her throat. That prodding that she felt earlier returned, only this time, it felt hotter and more real.

When he slid inside her, her eyes opened on reflex, and she tensed, expecting it to hurt, but he just smirked at her. His fingers only had to press against her sex to be coated in her fluids. "Can't pretend you're not enjoying it now, huh?"

And then he began to move. The sensation of him thrusting inside her built the ache in her core, until it consumed her entire body. Her fingers slid into his red hair, feeling its softness soak with sweat as he grunted and moved.

As the ache inside her curled her toes, white hot heat coxed her higher, and higher- until ravenous, soul splitting pleasure drowned out all thought.

Without the barriers of her mind, memories came rushing in.

She saw it all. The way her body had shaken violently, throwing off Karl's hands before he'd been able to do anything more than kiss her. Wrong, all wrong! Her mind had screamed. Fairy tales lining the walls of the tower bled into her vision. Those stories had become her sole comfort in her isolation. To the point that they'd become her obsession.

When a prince had stepped through her window, she'd felt a thin veil of relief and peace wash over her. It'd been perfect. He was the same as her books by association of his title. She'd implicitly trusted him without needing any other reason.

So then, when had the situation turned so sour? Why did a King embrace her? Only a prince was supposed to have her.

The rest was a red haze. She recalled her fingers wrapping around his neck, squeezing and squeezing as panic surged through her bloodstream. In another flash, they were struggling on the floor, her hair wound around his neck.

Then the voice of Ayato had startled her, his green eyes wide. Karlheinz had been coughing, retching on the floor, gasping for air.

She dimly remembered Ayato's voice calming her as they'd manoeuvred the king over to the balcony. And then...

Strands of hair had twisted into a rope, strung tight around his neck as it gave a sickening snap. His head had lolled to the side, eyes glazed and vacant.

Ayato had brushed his fingers through her hair afterwards, muttering incoherent things as he'd cut her locks free with bloody scissors. Everything else was a blur, except for the few words that he echoed now, locked inside her and panting torn, ragged breaths.

"You're mine. And mine alone."

[yuikomorii]

I remembered your DiaBoys as kpop artists memes and came to this conclusion:

Ayato is the Wonyoung of DL definitely and I don’t need to elaborate why. Like come on it’s obvious‼️ Shu is Yujin because popular but not very impactful and Subaru is Liz because a lot of his ‘stans’ aren’t actually his stans but only use his name to compare him to others and trash on other diaboys (not cool bro)

// This is low-key so accurate—😭😭

Shu is 100% the Yujin of DL. The stans are mostly chill and nice. I even think he got the friendliest stans in the Japanese DL fandom because I’ve never seen any of them say anything rude or bad and they’re always supportive of other characters. He got some token stans in the Western fandom too, but it’s the WESTERN FANDOM after all, where a bunch of people are toxic therefore I’m disappointed but not surprised. Also, I consider Yujin very impactful even if she’s not on Wonyoung’s level.

Most people who have Subaru as their number one bias are actually really sweet and unproblematic but I don’t get why he got so many token stans?? However, that is essentially the reason he is the Liz of DL. Token stans are the worst since they constantly whine about everything instead of supporting their faves or, even worse, they set them up. I swear, I've heard so many people say things like, "Liz was more popular than Wonyoung during Eleven and Love Dive era, but Starship dyed her hair black because they knew she would steal Wonyoung's hype," and that was so stupid because 1) maybe the hair color was her choice and 2) obviously she seemed more popular than Wonyoung, taking into account that people were too busy hating and degrading Wony in all possible ways for wearing a pink dress in the Eleven MV and showing FaVoRiTiSm. Don't get me wrong, Liz is very talented and beautiful, but I'll only say this in general: If your bias only gets to shine or appear favored when the most famous member is experiencing their hate phase, then hate to break it to you, but your bias is not actually the most popular, but rather the second choice OR their "fans" contributed to the most successful person's hatred in order to uplift your fav. That isn't anything you should be proud of.

When it comes to Ayato, that comparison fits him so much as well. You'll attract a lot of haters when you're well-known, pretty, and talked-about since those people view you as a threat because of their own insecurities. I stand up for Wonyoung, and it baffles me how so many people discredit or dislike her. They try to pull the "Wonyoung isn't the 4th gen IT girl, she wasn't even the most popular in IZ*ONE" card when it's not 2018–2020 anymore, and she has always been loved even before joining IVE, so recently she gained a loooot of new fans because of her visuals, endearing personality, and impact. What is even that difficult to comprehend?

Ayato’s situation also reminds me of how Jennie is treated. Not only due to the “outshining” and favoritism allegations, but also because people are always harsher and show less empathy when it comes to her. She is also unfairly judged as a result of double standards and misinfo. Additionally, a lot of people make her mistakes and bad moments go viral rather than highlighting all of the incredible performances she gave or her good deeds.

We got it, these are fictional characters but there are a lot of individuals who will find comfort in them and seeing people hate or spread lies about something that brings them joy (despite not being written as notably worthy of that treatment) will only hurt those fans and if you get satisfaction out of it then congratulations, you’re a terrible person. Real people having to deal with hate is ten times worse, especially given the likelihood that they will see the offensive posts.

In conclusion, don’t be a mean bitch. Only weak, insecure, and unlovable people behave that way.

[yuikomorii]

I’m not really an Ayato stan (still really like him tho) but I can completely understand why Ayato stans are disappointed in Lost Eden. I don’t think any of us would like our fav Diaboy to be put in Ayato’s situation and this might only be my opinion but I believe Ayato’s route is the best in the game. I think he is the only one who really grew throughout the route and really became serious and mature. Obviously, I felt bad for him but his route was well-written (even if it seemed he had no exit anymore) in comparison to his brothers’ routes. I suppose all of us got way too used to the soft routes where power of friendship and love defeat all evil or solve everything but at the end of the day, this franchise is called “Diabolik Lovers” so I feel like their behavior in Ayato’s route is the most canon one. None of them is supposed to be a good brother or person, they’re all sadists who killed previous sacrificial brides and as seen in the original game, there is no Diaboy who’s a saint and who didn’t hurt Yui. So, every time they appear so sweet and kind in their own or other routes, it’s just for fanservice or the writer of choice just softened them up for the plot. I know that many of you wanted Ayato to have a route where to be loved by the family as well but at least you guys got character development and relationship development with Yui which is something most visible in his case :’D

// I’m feeling exposed because I truly got way too used to soft routes JSJSJ

But I understand what you mean; after all, DL was about sadistic vampires, which set it apart from your average otome game in the early 2010s. I'm not a fan of horror or dark themes, which is why Ayato's LE route didn't appeal to me. I just want everyone to be happy and loved, but yeah, that's not the most realistic scenario in the DL universe. As you mentioned, this is most likely due to overlooking the premise and becoming accustomed to the "love conquers all" trope. It was refreshing to see that the power of love doesn’t always triumph over all odds and that you must pay for your mistakes, but I wish Ayato hadn't been the only one who had to go through that, you know? I don't like seeing any of the characters suffer, but if you're going to make a character learn from his mistakes, why not make everyone else do it? Some Sakamakis had it so easy that LE barely benefited them at all because they had almost no development. I can’t complain about the romance, taking account that Ayayui stans always stay winning and I must confess that I love how Yui was more active in Ayato’s route than in the other ones.

I guess Lost Eden is like a double-edged sword; depending on how each individual interprets it, it may have both pleasant and unpleasant effects.

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

My spoiler filled thoughts and ramblings on Shin’s DL Zero are below the cut.

Quick disclaimer: my Japanese comprehension is not great so if I’ve gotten something wrong then I apologise.

Anyway let’s get down to business. The CD starts with you waking up in an art gallery with Shin after fainting. I vaguely wondered why you would faint before the drama CD had even started but didn’t dwell on it too much as I was just excited for date time with Shin before portrait!Shin appeared and things got serious. The first track carries on, everything seems fine, there were a couple of moments that seemed a little off to me but I put it down to me being too used to Shin’s other drama CDs as it’s been so long since I’ve listened to new Shin content. At the end you hear something and go to investigate. I thought ‘ooohhh here comes portrait!Shin’ but then Shin’s voice goes weird right at the end of his last line and I was like what o_O In the next track, you open a door to find Shin and it’s revealed that the Shin you were with in track 1 is actually portrait!Shin. I couldn’t believe it, he had me almost completely fooled. Maybe I’m just dumb idk (when track 2 started I thought my iPod had glitched and jumped to the next track because you suddenly hear Shin sounding pained). There’s also a flashback in this scene to when portrait!Shin first appeared and that’s why you fainted in the first place. Portrait!Shin appears, Shin seems to get knocked unconscious. And portrait!Shin sucks your blood and cuts your clothes open with a sword. He carries you out of the room, sealing Shin inside, and takes you to another part of the gallery and more menacing behavior ensues. Shin breaks free and stops portrait!Shin from harassing you by hurling a sword at him. The two them have a sword fight but it’s hard to deal damage on portrait!Shin because he’s not really alive in the first place. It turns out that portrait!Shin can control all of the swords in the museum so you and Shin make a run for it.  Shin’s injured and there’s a super nice scene with the two of you together. If I understood correctly, he drinks some of your blood to regain some of his powers.  Portrait!Shin reappears and threatens you with his dozens of swords. Shin only has one but says that’s enough. The swords go flying at Shin and he manages to deflect/dodge them (I really want a visual of this because it sounds amazing). Shin then uses his power to blast portrait!Shin and defeat him.  The last track is just a short piece with Shin after the events of the art gallery.

Two final thoughts before I finish this long ramble: -When portrait!Shin was pretending to be Shin, what happened to his clothes? This may sound weird but the portrait!diaboys have sprites with established outfits and I feel like a full outfit change would be a pretty big giveaway that portrait!Shin was not in fact Shin. It might have been covered in the dialogue and I just missed it due to poor comprehension but still. -I thought I would really like portrait!Shin, as I reasoned he would be just like Shin was at the start of DF. Although I do love his sweeter side, I also adore scary Shin. But oh boy was I wrong! I’d forgotten how stupidly protective I get over my favorite characters when it comes to canon material (as anyone who’s read my rant on a certain event in Carla’s LE route would know). The second portrait!Shin blasted the real Shin, I got really upset. I then spent the rest of the track, which I think was supposed to be fanservicey, feeling mad XD I was sooo satisfied when Shin defeated him at the end.

Overall I really liked it. It’s different to the other DL CDs because Zero is the first set where there’s an active villain in the CD and it mean there’s a lot more action than there is in most of the other CDs I’ve listened to. Also I didn’t think it was possible for me to like Shin anymore than I already did but that scene after you flee from portrait!Shin (♥ω♥*) I love him so damn much.