#Mirai tsukumo

[yes-my-paladin]

do u think, as he grows up, Yuma will start to see Kazuma in a different light? I mean, he idolized his father so much, and the man was obviously a source of comfort for him. But as he gets older, do you think he'll wonder how things could've turned out if his dad (and mom too ig. Mirai wasn't exactly there a lot either) had provided that comfort...in person? How much more it could've helped to actually hear these encouraging words from Kazuma in the flesh rather than have to rely on memory the whole time?

Idk bc its not like Yuma was a military brat, his parents weren't bound by the govt to go overseas and serve the country....they were explorers. Idk how professional Kazuma and Mirai were in that field, if they did it as a career or just a hobby but if it was the latter....idrk how I would feel abt my own parents choosing a hobby over me.

And I mean this is just speculation and all but I'm just trying with the idea of this tiny spark of resentment popping up within Yuma as he gets older and starts thinking about just how alone he was and why that was. I don't think he'd come to hate his parents; I don't think Yuma is really capable of hating anyone. But I do think maybe he'd wish Kazuma and Mirai had done things differently, been there more for him and Akari.

[zexal-club]

I just had the greatest semi-crack idea.

Yu-Gi-Oh ZEXAL Genderbent!Keyshipping Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus AU

Fem!Yuma as Annika

Fem!Astral as Aidan

Kari as Brietta

Kazuma and Mirai as Annika and Brietta's parents

Vector as Wenlock

Baby Tiragon as Shiver

Enna as Queen Rayla

(Why make both Yuma and Astral girls instead of just Yuma being a girl like Annika or have them both stay guys? Because we need more mutually genderbent Keyshipping. Maybe I'll change it, though. We'll see.)

[scattered-irises]

Hello, my beloved stockholders. I’ve returned just in time for next quarter’s earnings report.

Which one are you

[gedascrown5768]

Ladies and gentlemen

The winner of who's best mom is.......

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

.

.

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🎉🎊 Yoko Sakaki 🎊🎉

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Thank you for all of your votes

[evilbalwan]

Title: The burden of knowledge

Category: F/M (but not really lol)

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal

Relationship: Tsukumo Kazuma/Tsukumo Mirai, Tsukumo Mirai & Tsukumo Akari & Tsukumo Yuuma

Additional tags: Horror, Experimental Style, Future Tense, There is something deeply wrong with Tsukumo Kazuma, You will find out what, Post-canon

Characters: Tsukumo family, Tsukumo Mirai, Tsukumo Yuuma, Tsukumo Akari, Tsukumo Kazuma

Language: English

Description:

There is a story Mirai will tell her children. It might be viewed as a sad one, as it is one untold ever before by a man, one that does not follow human logic and expectation. The tale will be about a man she used to think she understands well, the one named Tsukumo Kazuma.

[elemental-daddy-neos]

Round 4, Match 4

And here we are at the last match for now! Yuma's mother, or Shark's mother? Which one's gonna make it to match 6? It'll be interesting to see who you all vote for! Like always, check the readmore for the background info you need. Now on to the voting!

Let's start with Mirai: She's the mother of Yuma and Akari, and the wife of Kazuma. One half of an adventurer team, she and her husband explored a lot of ruins in their travels, and usually brought back souvenirs for Yuma, many of which can be seen in his room. Her first appearance is episode 1, right at the start of the show!

We mostly only see her in flashbacks, as she and Kazuma are missing when Zexal begins, but she's shown to be a very kind and doting woman to both of her kids. For plot reasons that are never explained during the show, she somehow ends up on a different planet with her husband (seriously how did they both get there), and spends the majority of the show on Astral world. It isn't until the very end that her and her husband are able to return to earth, and the first thing they do is go back to adventuring.

I'm not a parent or anything, but guys... After how last time ended, don't you wanna maybe stay home for a bit? Enjoy being with your family? You haven't seen your kids in ages, come on.

Oh well. At least Yuma seemed to love her.

Okay, now we're finally on to Mrs. Kamishiro. Sadly, there isn't a whole lot to talk about. The first time we Shark and Rio's parents is in episode 114 (41 in II), in a flashback of Shark's to the day he and his family were in a fatal car accident that killed all of them. He and Rio get to come back as Barians, but their parents aren't so lucky, and both of them die before he and his sister wake up.

The next we see of her is in another flashback Shark has, where he and Rio had been running around the living room because Rio had taken his cards and wouldn't give them back, and they end up knocking into a suit of armor (totally normal thing to have in your living room btw) that falls over. It Would have hit Rio, but Shark pushes her out of the way and takes the hit instead, leaving him with a scar on his shoulder that he still has to this day.

We see the parents come in, very concerned for their kids' safety, but neither of them are upset with either Shark or Rio. They don't get angry, they don't yell or chastise them, they're just happy they're okay, for the most part, and worried about getting Shark's wound bandaged.

Comfort first, then address the problem. I think that's a good parenting style.

[shifuto]

17/365

[kaiowut99]

"Yuma... When people grow up, they usually end up throwing away something that matters to them... But... don't you go and throw away... that power to believe in people, and that heart that never gives up... Don't you dare throw 'em away."

"Sh-Shark..."

"See, I would've liked to see the future you guys get going myself... but it doesn't look like I'll get to."

"Hey!"

"Kotori... Don't take your eyes off this idiot. Thanks, Yuma... Astral... My friends for life... I'm glad I got to have one last great duel with you two. Later..."

[itsana004]

Sometimes I wonder why did Akari take Journalism as a career out of all the other professions

Maybe she was just good at writing events surrounding her, but I like to think there is a deeper meaning behind that. She must have noticed there was so much misinformation being spread and much coverage in the media

One day they were watching TV of a news reporter covering about the sudden disappearence of her father Kazuma Tsukumo since he was a well known adventurer, but of course Dr. Faker's misdeeds are never to be published as well as Mr. Heartland's, they are never investigated properly. Haru and Mirai knew that Dr. Faker was behind it, this prompted her mother Mirai to find the truth for herself only to disappear right afterwards in order to find him in the hopes to bring him back with her one day - this could have been a trigger for Akari, due to all the misinformation and coverage in the mainstream she and Yuma lost her mother, their only parent without knowing anything about the circumstances behind it - her father didn't receive justice and her mother dissapered because of poor reporting - people didn't give much thought either and instead found Kazuma to be a reckless amateur adventurer who lost his life in one of his adventures and made fun of it probably as well, this pissed off everyone in the Tsukumo family

Honest journalism must have become a persuit for her then, she won't be like those corporate journalists serving the purposes of the government, if any news arose of her parents, the truth could not be hidden from her like back then, she's the journalist now.

[the-perverse-library]

Massive Muse List

The following are just all the characters/series I would be happy to RP/answer asks about.

DC + Marvel Comics/Cartoons/Movies Just... all of them, because even if it's a deep cut I don't know, I can still research them on Google.

Brand New Animal Pink Flamingos, Michuru Kagemori

Monster Hunter Tsukino

Lilo and Stitch Experiment 624 (Angel), Nani, Lilo, Grand Councilwoman, Mertle, Experiment 123 (Carmen), Experiment 610 (Witch), Gantu

Dragon Ball Z Gohan, Chi-Chi, Videl, Krillen, Android 18, Bulma, Pan, Trunks, Fem!Trunks, Caulifla, Kale, Android 21, Cheelai, Broly, Dr. Arinsu, Erasa, Mai, Galena, Lagss, Maron, Piccolo, Fem! Android 17, Chronoa

Naruto/Boruto Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuuga, Naruto Uzumaki, Chouji Akemichi, Rock Lee, Kiba Inazuka, Fem! Orochimaru, Tsunade, Fem! Naruto, Sarada Uchiha, Chou-Chou Akemichi, Boruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuuga, Ten-Ten, Young! Chiyo, Konan, Anko, Kurenai, Tayuya, Karin, Ino Yamanaka, Mei Terumi, Karui, Yugao Uzuki, Hanabi Hyuuga, Tsume Inazuka, Samui, Might Guy, Moegi Kazamatsuri, Mirai Sarutobi, Jiraiya

The World Ends with You [TWEWY] Sho Minamimoto, Uzuki Yashiro, Mitsuki Konshi, Beat, Neku, Coco Atarashi, Koki Kariya, Fem! Yodai Higashizawa, Shiki Misaki, Nagi Usui, Shoka Sakurane

Bleach Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime, Rangiku Matsumoto, Chad, Soi Fon, Uryuu Ishida, Rukia Kuchiki, Yoruichi Shihouin, Retsu Unohana, Nemu Kurotsuchi, Tier Harribel, Nel Tu, Grimmjow, Isane Kotestu, Kukaku Shiba, Tatsuki Arisawa, Cyan Sung-sun, Emilou Apacci, Kirio Hikifune, Franceska Mila Rose

One Piece Nami, Nico Robin, Nefertari Vivi, Jewelry Bonney, Boa Hancock, Sanji, Perona, Usopp, Monkey D Luffy, Stussy, Alvida, Fem! Buggy/Buggy, Boa Marigold, Boa Sandersonia, Gerd, Hina, Koby, Jango, Carrot,

Totally Spies! Sam, Alex, Clover

Nintendo All of their games... just all of them

Star vs The Forces of Evil Star Butterfly, Jackie Lyn Thomas, Moon Butterfly, Eclipsa, Toffee, Marco Diaz, Hekapoo, Ingrid Bloomgren, Mrs Liao, Mime Girl

Steven Universe Steven Universe, Greg Universe, Connie Maheswaran, Priyanka Maheswaran, Amethyst, Garnet, Pearl, Jasper, Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli, Peridot, Sadie, Lars

TMNT Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, April, Casey Jones, Kirai, Beebop, Rocksteady

Ben 10 Ben Tennyson, Kevin Levin, Gwen Tennyson, Aliens, Julie Yamamoto, Eunice, Future Gwen, Kai Green, Charmcaster, Frightwig, Myaxx,

Yu-Gi-Oh [OG, GX, 5Ds] Yugi Moto, Yami, Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Tea Gardner, Mai Valentine, Syrus Truesdale, Jaiden Yuki, Chumley Huffington, Alexis Rhodes, Blair Flannigan, Fonda Fontaine, Camula, Missy, Bastion Misawa, Chazz Princeton, Seiko, Miss Dorothy, Tania, Carly Carmine, Akiza Izinski, Jack Atlas, Angela Raines, Misty Tredwell, Duel Spirits

Mortal Kombat Kitana, Mileena, Casssie Cage, Sonya Blade, Scorpion, D'Vorah, Jade, Khameleon, Frost, Nitara, Skarlet,

My Hero Academia Izuku Midoriya, Ochako Uraraka, Tsuyu Asui, Momo Yaoyorozu, Denki Kaminari, Fem! Minoru Mineta [Minerva Mineta], Mina Ashido, Kyoka Jirou, Nemuri Kayama, Thirteen, Manami Aiba, Danjuro Tobita, Itsuka Kendo, Ibara Shiozaki, Kinoko Komori, Pony Tsunotori, Jurota Shishida, Mei Hatsume, Himiko Toga, Rumi Usagiyama, Inko Midoriya

Hazbin Hotel/Helluvaboss Charlie Morningstar, Lute, Millie, Moxxie, Loona, Imps

RWBY Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, Fem! Lie Ren, Jaune Arc, Cinder, Salem, Winter Schnee, Raven Branwen, Willow Schnee, Neopolitan, Fem! Roman Torchwick, Emerald Sustrai, Glynda Goodwitch, Fem! Professor Port, Lil Miss Malachite, Grimmified characters

Sonic Sonic, Shadow, Amy Rose, Tails, Maria, Rouge the Bat, Blaze the Cat, Silver, Sally Acorn, Tangle, Whisper, Surge, Kitsunami

Jujutsu Kaisen Yuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, Mei Mei, Yuki Tsukumo, Shoko Iierri, Maki Zenin, Aoi Todo

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Frieren, Fern, Stark, Himmel, Flamme, Aura, Lawine, Kanne, Ubel, Laufen, Qual

Dungeon Meshi Marcille, Chilchuc, Laios, Izutsumi, Namari, Fem!Kabru, Leed, Tade, Thistle, Canaries, Monsters

Avatar ATLA/LOK Aang, Sokka, Katara, Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko, Azula, Toph, Suki, June, Yue, Smellerbee, Jin, Asami Sato, Korra, Bolin, Izumi, Suyin, Lin, Kya

The Incredibles Bob Parr, Helen Parr, Dash Parr, Violet Parr, Mirage

Hi-Fi Rush Chai, Peppermint, Korsica, Rekka, Kale

Power Rangers Any of them

Fairly Odd Parents Trixie, Vicki, Wanda, Mrs Turner, Britney Britney, Carly, Mrs Claus, Blonda, Dr Phyllis Fancyfree, Golden Locks/Hair Razor, Crimson Chin, Veronica, Tootie, Spatula Woman, Star and Twinkle, AJ, Chester, Mrs James

Dexter's Laboratory Dexter, Dee Dee, Dexter's Mum, Agent Honeydew, The Justice Friends, Candi, Katka, Neighbour Lady, Mom-Droid, Miss Babcock, Mom's Rival

Star Wars Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, Asajj Ventress, Princess Leia, Barriss Offee, Captain Phasma, Rey

Sym-bionic Titan Lance, Ilana, Octus, Kimmy Mysner, Kristin, Driving Instructor, Barbara, Maribel

Generator Rex Rex Salazar, Squid, Circe, Rebecca Holiday, Breach, Noah Nixon, Claire Bowman, Cricket, Biowulf, Valentina

Samurai Jack Jack, Ashi, Scotsman's daughters, Princess Mira, Queen Krystle

OnePunch Man Saitama, Genos, Tatsumaki, Fubuki, Mosquito Girl, Do-S, Psykos, Mizuki, Asami, Natalie Ver 9, Raptora, Reptora, Shadow Ring, Tanktop Girl, Mumen Rider, Twin Tail, Wavygyaza, Lin-Lin, Lily, Maiko Plasma, Pink Hornet, Monsters

Goddess of Victory: Nikke Elegg

My Little Pony Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Spike, Fluttershy, Rarity, Chrysalis, Discord, Princess Luna, Zecora

Shantae Shantae, Rotty-Tops, Monsters, Sky, Risky Boots, Empress Siren, Seven Sirens

Tomo-Chan is a Girl Tomo Aizawa, Carol Olsten, Misuzu Goudou, Junichirou Kubota, Akemi Aizawa, Ferris Olsten, Misaki Goundou, Kousuke Misaki

Monster Musume Miia, Rachnera, Lala, Centorea, Papi, Suu, Kuruko Smith, Cathyl, Abul, Sekmeti, Zombina, Doppel, Tionishia, Polt, Curie Drakulya, Leechi, Moskii, Kii, Kino

Doki Doki Literature Club Monika, Sayori, Yuri, Natsuki

Plus sized elf Elfuda, Ino Akiho, Mero, Medesa, Satero, Kusahanada, Kuroeda, Raika, Oeda, Oga, Oku, Gonda, Naoe Tomoatsu

Fairy Tail Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, Gajeel Redfox, Brandish μ, Mirajane Strauss, Levy McGarden,

[moonlit-orchid]

Consider this: Zexal COUSINS AU

An AU where there's no alien war drama or war destroying, instead the Arclights, Tenjous, and Tsukumos are cousins, including Astral aka Asuma/Apis, who was a cousin but got taken in by his aunt Mirai and her family because, uh, well, let's not talk about that part.

The cousins group in the following groups:

The Older Sibling Squad: Akari, Chris, and Kaito. They hang out all the time to complain about how much of a SCAM adulting is, and how annoying their siblings are and how come the parents let the baby cousins do whatever they want???

The family's Babies: Michael, Asuma, Yuma, and Haruto. Have been considered the babies since forever, despite the fact that Michael, the eldest, is 15. They are always together and inseparable. If you pick on one, chances are the others are right there to kick your ass. They are spoilt rotten by their families, and go wherever they please, simply because they slip under the radar.

The family disappointments: Thomas. Usually Asuma's cousin, Mitsu, is also in this group. As to be expected, these two, who never interact outside family events, like to gang up on the family babies. They're the ones telling scary stories that their younger cousins are really much too young to listen to, and have pulled innumerable pranks on everyone. Mitsu knows something about Asuma, however, and in spite of the latter's seemingly indifferent attitude to him, Asuma seems to have a genuine fear to him and his father, Don.

How are they related? The three fathers, Kazuma, Faker, and Byron are all brothers, Kazuma being the youngest and technically the half brother, although full Japanese, and they each are the parents of Yuma and Akari, Kaito and Haruto, and Michael and Christopher and Thomas,respectively.

Asuma, meanwhile, is technically related only to Yuma, from his mother's side, Ena, who is Mirai's sister. Mitsu is his cousin from his mysterious father's side, as Don and Asuma's father were/are brothers. Nobody knows what happened to Asuma's father and mother, or where they are, except for the adults and older siblings squad. The rest are too young to remember, although Yuma has dreams of glass shattering, and crying, when they went to get burgers when he was four. He can't remember a time before Asuma was living with them. Asuma also has suffered from nightmares for most of his life, although he never explains them.

...this was supposed to be a fun cousins au why did i give Astral angst again whats wrong with me

Who are the Barians? They're the assortment of cousins you see once a year and had no idea you were related to them. Except Shark and Rio. They're second cousins, and they go to the Baby Cousin's middle school.

[zexal-club]

The Disastrous Life of Tsukumo Y

Basically, Yu-Gi-Oh ZEXAL as The Disastrous Life of Saiki K

Yuma as Saiki

Tori/Kotori as Teruhashi

Tetsuo/Bronk as Nendo

Caswell/Takashi as Hairo

Nelson/Fuya as Kaidou

Shark as Kuboyasu

Kazuma as Kuniharu and Mirai as Kurumi

Why am I making Yuma Saiki instead of Astral? Because I'm a nutjob. Also, since Yuma is on the receiving end of snark and insults and canon, I think he deserves to dish out some snark and dissing of his own.

@yukii0nna @bakawitch @bibookdemon @fair-night-starry-tears

[scattered-irises]

The Stage was the Castle Hope in Astral

Chapter 3 of OOParts Iron Maiden and the Dreamy Prince is the last wholesome wholesome chapter. Please read it after chapter two for the full fairytale wedding experience.

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 4242

Characters: Michael Arclight, Yuma Tsukumo

Pairing: Michael Arclight/Yuma Tsukumo

Warnings: Mentions of past Arclight weirdness, arranged marriage

Summary: Michael has the fairytale wedding of his dreams. Afterwards, he and Yuma talk about their dreams for the future.

  Another rain of flower petals greeted him as he entered the cathedral. A looming figure of the Astral god, the Emperor Hope, watched over the altar. Compared to the joyous salutations of the throne room, the cathedral was silent. Courtiers continued to greet him with smiles, but they were more restrained. Flower girls dressed in flowing silks threw even more flower petals at his feet. Michael began to walk down the long walkway, a boyish figure awaiting him at the end. 

  His heart filled with joy upon seeing Yuma’s merry red eyes and grin. He wore a suit of red, bright against the white backdrop of the cathedral. A crown of white Astran lilies perched on his head, matching Michael’s own flower crown. He could fly down the flower-strewn path if the flower girls hadn’t dictated the pace of the ceremony. Run into Yuma’s arms and tell him what a dream-come-true Astral was. And yet, with the very little etiquette lessons he was steeped in, he forces himself to match the even gait of the flower girls. 

  “You all look so beautiful,” he whispered. 

  One of the younger girls turned back and stuck out her tongue. 

  Such cheek. Children of Barian were never this joyous. Even the village children seemed dour. His own upbringing alongside his brothers were guided by their father’s stern hand. When he had lost himself to his arcane studies, their imposing tutor had taken Tron’s place. Even Thomas, with all of his eccentricities, appeared doused in the presence of their tutor.

  “Doctor Starfruit,” as he and Thomas secretly called him, had gnarled fingers and a beak-like nose. His hair had never appeared brushed and stuck out like the angles of a starfruit. His clothes were alway black and ill-fit his hunched figure. A sharp rap on the head was his signature move for sleepy students, quickly shaking Christopher out of the habit. 

  Even though Thomas answered Doctor Starfruit’s questions through his puppets and Christopher mumbled his responses over pieces of flesh, the fear the man instilled into them long remained. 

  Scanning the crowd of courtiers, there were no Doctor Starfruit-like figures in the audience. Everyone was fresh-faced and wearing their most colorful clothes. 

  The priest at the head of the altar outstretched his arms in welcome, his silvery sleeves stretching to the floor. His wizened expression and curiously braided eyebrows were filled with kindness. He gave Michael a brief nod and Michael nodded back. 

  As the flower girls emptied their baskets at the foot of the altar, Michael turned to face Yuma. Immediately, his betrothed beamed. Michael stilled for a few moments, taken by Yuma’s charm. His skin appeared to be kissed by the sun and his hair touched by flame. Despite that, he possessed the same gentle expression as his mother. Although the miniature he had been gifted of Yuma was skilled, it was nothing compared to real life. No amount of talent could capture such effervescent brightness.

  “We are here today to celebrate the union between enemy lines!” declared the priest. “One from the Kingdom of Barian and one from the Kingdom of Astral. Both are of noble lineage, House Arclight of Barian’s great mages and House Tsukumo of Astral’s greatest generals. Rejoice!” 

  Polite applause rose from the audience. Michael caught Queen Mirai’s eye in the front row. The queen beamed, a prideful expression on her face. 

  “May their unity upon many others bring peace to our kingdoms,” said the priest to greater applause. “The war has taken far too many noble souls.” 

  Yuma offered Michael his hands. Quickly, Michael grabbed them. They were reassuringly warm. 

  “You look amazing,” whispered Yuma. 

  Heat filled Michael’s cheeks and he stopped himself from looking away. Yuma’s eyes burned with tender passion as Michael’s heart soared. How could he have been so lucky? His father could have betrothed him to a cold widow or a cruel tyrant. Instead, he had been presented with a lovely youth close to his age. 

  “You do as well,” said Michael. 

  Yuma grinned and it felt as if all of the candles in the room had dimmed. Never had he seen such a bright smile before. The boy must have been blessed by the Emperor Hope himself. Gazing up at the deity, Michael felt a wave of reassurance fill his chest. There was nothing heathen-like about this foreign god. In his strong arms he held twin blades. According to the books he had read, Emperor Hope could also furnish an impenetrable shield if needed. 

  Looking back at Yuma, Michael straightened his posture. He would protect that smile. He would become his prince’s sword and shield if needed. 

  “...Under orders from the Great Dragon, Emperor Hope sought to protect Man, for Man was small and weak. The Great Hope shielded Man from wicked influences like the pariah Don Thousand and the Black Mist,” recited the priest.

  At the mention of the Barian gods, Michael stiffened. Ever since Emperor Durbe ascended the Barian throne, Astral’s forces had seemed to grow even more fervent. Their emperor was a devout worshiper of the Barian gods, his palace rumored to be filled with religious artifacts. 

  The first time he had seen the emperor, he had been in the midst of a pilgrimage. Tron had offered him shelter from the rain. Clutching his father’s hand, Michael gazed up at the bespectacled man in awe. Could such a plainly dressed man truly be the great ruler of Barian? All Durbe had worn was a roughspun pair of trousers and a shirt dyed black. His boots were worn and covered in mud. Around his neck, a pendant featuring Don Thousand’s lotus hung, the only item of true value on his body. The emperor had knelt down before him and touched his forehead. His breath had smelled of coriander. 

  “ May Black Mist guide you, little one, ” he had intoned in a voice like whispering reeds. 

  His gray eyes had radiated kindness and his hand was warm. He ate very little and never commented on the behaviors of Michael’s brothers. How could such a man and his gods be considered evil? 

  Don Thousand stood for the creativity and soul of man, protecting them from oppression. Black Mist, his son, protected wayward youths and encouraged cleverness. Anything they had done to the old gods had been necessitated by self defense. Man could not be protected by Emperor Hope forever. 

  And what about Astral’s own emperor, Eliphas? Everyone knew that he was an extravagant man who commanded absolute respect. Never seen without a retinue or his golden helm, the emperor of Astral always seemed to flaunt his country’s wealth. 

  Noticing Michael’s discomfort, Yuma squeezed his hands and gave him an awkward smile. 

  “Traditions are traditions,” he breathed. 

  Michael gave him a brief nod and waited for the sermon to end. 

  As the priest droned on about the virtues of hope and obedience, he felt himself rebelling at the words. Exploring the unknown moved humanity ahead. Change brought forth progress. A refusal to accept the gods’ rules allowed Man to think on his own. He thought back to his father’s resurrected rat. 

  One could not bring back the dead. 

  And yet he did. 

  At the cost of his sanity and body, hissed a voice in Michael’s head. 

  Michael swallowed. Right. These new gods of order and hope were his gods now. This was his new home and kingdom. He would be obedient. He would be meek. He would allow Emperor Hope to shield him with his iron wings. 

  “And now, beneath the Great Hope’s watchful eyes, I pronounce you as one. Your souls have ranked up, ever closer to Utopia,” declared the priest. 

  A triumphant roar washed over the audience as Yuma pulled Michael into a chaste kiss. More flower petals fell from the sky. 

  They were quickly led to the banquet hall, where a sumptuous feast awaited them. Greenery of all shapes and sizes. Meat roasted to perfection. So many plates and names he didn’t know the names of. There was even a peacock edged with gold leaf. 

  “It’s just like you said…!” gasped Michael. “There’s no —”

  Yuma gave him a conspiratorial wink and dragged him towards the head of the table. They were quickly surrounded by a bevy of excited courtiers. 

  “Is Barian truly as miserable as they say?”

  “Did you truly feast on the blood of angels and eat from the skulls of traitors?”

  Yuma laughed at the courtiers’ questions, quickly waving them off. 

  “As you can see, Michael has normal human teeth just like us! And his hands are even more lily-white than some of yours!” boasted Yuma. 

  Shrinking at the attention, a wave of relief filled Michael’s chest as Yuma expertly parried the courtiers’ questions. He had to set a good example for his people, especially if there was so much ignorance about his culture. Yes, Barian at times could be miserable, but it had its wonderful moments too! 

  “Did I ever tell you about the harvest festivals we have?” asked Michael over the din of the courtiers. 

  Yuma quickly shook his head and proceeded to yank a turkey leg from a large platter.

  “No! Tell me!” he said, taking a large bite out of the leg afterwards. 

  “It’s quite the occasion! My people paint all kinds of things on their harvest crops. Faces, animals, scenes from legends…anything! It’s a way for them to pray for a good harvest. Once, there was this beautiful rendition of the moon floating over a river. Pine trees surrounded the lake and there was a howling wolf at the shore. It was painted on a beautiful white pumpkin—the largest I had ever seen…”

  It’s then that Michael realizes that all of the courtiers had silenced. They gazed at him with curious expressions, the food on their plates ignored. Heat filled Michael’s cheeks. 

  “U-uhm…w-we—the villagers—they also put candles in their hollowed squashes and display them as a way to entice Black Mist to guide their children.”

  “Isn’t that god of yours evil?” asked a young woman. 

  Michael met her eyes and straightened his shoulders. 

  “Black Mist is the guide of lost souls. He protects lost children and returns them home, wherever that may be,” replied Michael. “As a child himself, he likes sweets and plays pranks on his elders.”

  “Didn’t Black Mist steal Emperor Hope’s sword once?” asked another noble. 

  The nobles stirred, beginning to glance at Michael with suspicion. 

  “I believe all children are mischievous at heart,” said Michael as he was served soup. “Weren’t you also mischievous at that age?”

  The man blushed and then gave Michael a small grin. 

  “Why, yes. I stole the head priest’s hat and hid it in the stables,” he recalled with a chuckle. 

  “I do hope he found it!” said Michael. 

  “He did! And I had to muck out the stables for half a year!” 

  Laughter filled the banquet hall, soon giving way to easy conversation. 

  “They love you, see?” whispered Yuma. 

  Michael took a sip of his soup and smiled. The soft flesh of the fish melding with the herbs was nothing like the soups at home. He reached for a piece of turkey, only to find that his arms were too short. Quickly, Yuma leaned over the table, cut off a piece and placed it on Michael’s plate. 

  “Thank you,” said Michael. 

  “Don’t worry about it! This is really good!” said Yuma through a mouthful of food. 

  “It is!” agrees Michael after his first bite. 

  He had always adhered to a simple diet. He never wanted to bother the frightened chefs back at home. He had settled for lightly seasoned meats and tasteless vegetables for who knew how long. Now, faced with an array of expertly seasoned foods and plates as far as the eye could see, it was almost too much. 

  “Do you eat like this every night…?” breathed Michael after he finished his soup. 

  He reached for a strange purple fruit as Yuma quirked a grin. 

  “It’s only slightly less grand on normal nights,” he drawled. 

  Lights filled Michael’s eyes. He bit into the fruit and was met with a tart sweetness. The pale flesh of the fruit compared to its purple skin piqued his interest. Quickly finishing it, he waved over a server for some salad. He tried a little bit of everything, from meats he had never tried before to more unusually colored fruits. They all tasted fresh and new to him, refreshing compared to the earthy tastes of his usual fare. 

  “If I died right now, I would be happy,” he said, leaning back in his seat after he had eaten his fill. 

  Yuma furrowed his brows in mock worry. 

  “But then you wouldn’t be able to try our cake!” he said. 

  “Cake…?” echoed Michael, following Yuma’s gaze. 

  A beautiful creation decorated with fruits and flowers entered the room. Small sparklers burned at the top of the towering confection. The cake was split in half, one side dark and decorated with Barian roses while the other half was white and bedecked with Astral lilies. Michael’s mouth watered at the sight, his heart fluttering at the thought of eating it. 

  When he was served a slice, he slowly sunk his fork into the dark cake. 

  “What? You’ve never had a cake before?” asked Yuma through a mouthful. 

  “Not this nice I haven’t!” said Michael. 

  Barian’s cakes were small, barely-sweet affairs. If the chefs were feeling particularly generous, he got one for breakfast. 

  “I’ll have a cake ordered for your birthday as delicious as this one every year!” resolved Yuma. 

  With his husband’s promise buoying him, Michael bit into the cake. Immediately, he was hit by the rich chocolate. The cake melted in his mouth, leaving sugar dancing on his tongue. He quickly finished it, gazing at Yuma with bright eyes. If he could only have one meal for the rest of his life, it would be this. 

  “You got a little bit on you!” said Yuma as he playfully swiped a piece away from Michael’s mouth. 

  Michael blushed and smiled. 

  “Do you promise I can have a cake like this every birthday?” he whispered.

  Yuma eagerly nodded. 

  “I can teach you to make one too!” he added. 

  “Oh, I would love that!” 

  Looking around at the reveling courtiers, Yuma gave Michael a sly grin. 

  “How about we sneak out and go to my room for the night?” he said.

  Michael grabbed Yuma’s hand. 

  “That would be lovely,” he said, growing suddenly weary of the bright lights and overlapping voices. 

  “Then let’s go!” said Yuma as he pulled Michael out of his seat and toward the doors.

  As they walked through the halls, he found himself falling in step with Yuma. His husband began whistling a tune, his eyes gazing out at the night sky. 

  “With the treaty in process���do you think your father will be home soon?” asked Michael.

  Joy sparked Yuma’s eyes.

  “I hope so! I’m sure he’d love you!” he said. “And I’m sure my mother does as well!”

  “Your mother is very beautiful,” said Michael. “And very kind.”

  Yuma beamed. 

  “I’m so glad you like her!”

  They walked in peaceful silence for a few moments, their footsteps echoing across the halls. A beautiful tapestry soon caught Michael’s eyes. He paused, gazing at the battle depicted. Emperor Hope was brandishing his silvery swords, pointing them at Don Thousand in his secondary form. Flames surrounded the gods. Meteors fell from the sky. With his masked visage and towering figure, Michael had to agree that his god appeared quite demonic. 

  Seldom did Don Thousand appear in this frightful form. Only when he needed to defend his people did he don his obsidian armor and ride off into battle. At home, he was usually depicted as a deity who slept on lotus blossoms. His benevolent smile and gentle eyes made him seem good-natured and kind. 

  Often, Michael had prayed to him for inspiration. 

  “Akari?” called Queen Mirai’s distant voice. 

  Michael turned toward the sound. A door was slightly parted, Mirai’s silhouette stretched across the floor. 

  “Yes, mother?” replied Akari.

  He saw Mirai’s silhouette remove her gloves and toss them to the floor. 

  “Tell Eri to burn these gloves as soon as possible,” she ordered. 

  A chill ran up Michael’s spine. She must have stained them during the banquet. He slowly walked toward Yuma, trying to push the disgust in Mirai’s voice out of his mind. 

  Did women regularly burn their gloves after staining them? 

  Or was it only because she had touched him?

  Burn them. Such cruelty. Such venom in that voice. It was almost like how the villagers spoke about his family. 

  It couldn’t be the same woman who had embraced him and treated him like her own. It couldn’t be. There had to be an explanation. 

  “Yuma…?” asked Michael as they approached his room. 

  “Yeah?” asked Yuma as he unlocked the doors.

  “Does your mother regularly burn her gloves?”

  “Eh…? I…don’t know. Is that a thing Barian women do?” asked Yuma as he threw open the doors. 

  Michael’s worries were immediately dissipated by the sight of Yuma’s room. Artifacts upon artifacts filled the prince’s room. A homey smell emanated from the walls, starlight filtering in through the ceiling. Yuma opened his closet and tossed Michael some pajamas. He grabbed his own pair and began to change. He hung his flower crown haphazardly on the corner of his closet. 

  Walking behind a screen, Michael followed suit. Yuma’s clothes smelled like him, a mixture of incense and freshly cut wood. He held the pajamas up to his nose, breathing them in. If he could keep a bottle of this with him forever…

  He heard Yuma jumping into bed, the wooden frame creaking in protest. Quickly tossing his borrowed clothes on and hanging his flower crown on the corner of the screen, Michael ran out to meet him. 

  “Not bad!” said Yuma with a grin.

  Heat filled Michael’s cheeks. 

  “Thank you,” he said. 

  Hesitantly, he sat on the bed. It was as soft as his own, his body sinking into its soft folds. He wondered what the mattress was filled with. Looking up at the walls, he noticed that a few traditional Barian masks hung from them. There was Phecda, guardian of merchants. Alioth of the sunset. Merak of the warriors. Megrez, the maiden of marriage. He couldn’t help but think of the countless protagonists who had prayed to her in the face of an unwanted marriage. 

  “I always read that arranged marriages were loveless,” sighed Michael. 

  Yuma shrugged. 

  “I like you alot,” he said.

  Michael laid down next to Yuma and held his outstretched hand. 

  “Me too,” said Michael. 

  A moment of silence filled the room. Yuma let out a sigh. 

  “I can’t wait for my father to return,” he said. 

  Michael closed his eyes. He wished he could feel the same for his own father. 

  “I haven’t seen him in more than five years,” added Yuma. 

  “The way you wrote about him in the letters made you seem very close,” noted Michael. 

  “Yeah, you could put it that way,” murmured Yuma, a distant look in his eyes. 

  More silence. Michael used to despise such moments. It used to be overwhelming, a void he was surrounded by. His home was always silent. The emptiness that followed after an unanswered question always clung to his skin in sticky bits. The silence of the night felt as if the world had stopped and he would be trapped in the darkness forever. Now, it felt reassuring. 

  “After the war is over, will you take me to see the mountains as you promised me in your first letter?” asked Michael after a few breaths. 

  Yuma turned to Michael, tenderness filling his expression.

  “You still remember that?” he asked.

  “I’ve never forgotten,” replied Michael. 

  Yuma curls in on himself, heat filling his cheeks. 

  “I was nine at the time!” he protested.

  “And I loved you then,” said Michael. 

  “I thought you were too old,” said Yuma. 

  “Eleven isn’t old!” laughed Michael. 

  “To a nine year old, you seemed like an adult!”

  “I was not!”

  When he was told that he was to be married off to some child in a distant kingdom, he had run away and sobbed. No matter how much he had begged his father to reconsider, he remained adamant. 

  “Politics are an ugly game we all must play,” said his father as Michael hugged his legs. 

  Reluctantly, he had slunk off to read Yuma’s letters. They had seemed so silly at first, describing blue skies and the pranks he had played on his sister. Despite that, he felt a twinge of jealousy for Yuma’s easygoing letters. When did he ever get to play pranks on his brothers?

  The letters continued, one after another. Boating trips. Hunting trips. All of the treasures his father found throughout his battles. And then, slowly, he fell in love with Yuma’s earnestness. He dreamed of Astral’s blue skies and sunny shorelines. He imagined climbing mountains alongside the adventurous boy. 

  They could be happy together, couldn’t they?

  “You were my first friend,” murmured Michael. 

  Yuma glanced at Michael, surprise filling his expression. 

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Unlike the imaginary friends he made from his novels, Yuma was real. He was out there somewhere and one day, Michael would be able to hold his hand and talk to him. 

  “You didn’t even see my face until last year though,” said Yuma. 

  “I have a good imagination,” replied Michael.

  Messy black and red hair. Too-large red eyes. A perky button nose. Some chipped teeth. Freckles. An outfit that was always torn somewhere. In Michael’s imagination, Yuma had been a royal ragamuffin. 

  “Well…do I look like what you imagined?” Yuma ventured. 

  Michael quirked a smile.

  “Even better. Your teeth aren’t chipped for one.”

  Yuma let out a small laugh, warming Michael’s heart. In fact, he was just perfect. Michael could cup Yuma’s face in his hands and gently kiss his perfections forever.  

  “Hey, why don’t you tell me another of your stories?” asked Yuma, excitement filling his face. 

  “What stories?” asked Michael, raising a brow. 

  “You know. Of your life in Barian.”

  Michael pursed his lips. What was there to tell that he hadn’t told through his letters? He will never tell of the true nature of Thomas’ puppets. He will never talk about Christopher’s specialized diet and habit of collecting corpses. Most importantly, he will never talk about his father’s wretched body and cursed experiments. No mentions of loneliness. No mentions of the rats. No mentions of the jeering villagers when they had found out he had snuck out to join their harvest festival. 

  They had tossed tomatoes at him and cursed his bloodline. With fiery torches and stakes, they had chased him through the woods…

  No, he will never dredge up such sad memories again. 

  “Ah, well…”

  Oh. He knew one. 

  “Once Thomas attempted to make a puppet from a fish that lived in the Barian sea,” recounted Michael. 

  It was an ugly, blind creature with slippery scales and a multitude of thin long teeth. Thomas had dispatched it with a rock while he sang a sea shanty. Then, he had strung it up with sticks and twine. When it was complete, he had talked through it while flicking his lips back and forth with a finger. Michael had to admit, it did sound like a fish. 

  “It didn’t last for too long. Christopher sat on it and screamed like I had never heard him scream before,” he continued.  

  Yuma let out a laugh. 

  Christopher proceeded to savagely rip apart the fish with his bare teeth while Thomas wailed. 

  “My brother always checks his seat before sitting down now.”

  “Tell me another,” prompted Yuma. 

  Michael leaned back and tapped his chin. 

  “Ah…Christopher once fell in love with the court librarian’s daughter. He left her all sorts of awkward gifts.”

  Locks of his own hair, gathered from his baths. Ashes from cremated prisoners. Dead beetles arranged to spell out her name, FLORA. 

  “Eventually, he gathered up the courage to speak to her. She was quite frightened by his appearance and ran away the first few times.” 

  With Michael’s help, he had arranged the two to meet in the library. He remembered bribing the girl with chocolates he had received for his birthday. 

  “When he finally succeeded, he found that they liked reading the same books.”

  Books on the stars. Books on the celestial spheres. Things far, far away from the gloom of Barian. 

  Yes, his brother hadn’t always been such a taciturn cannibal. 

  “He wanted to marry her only after a week of meeting her. My father forbade it. Eventually, she married an alchemist from the neighboring village.” 

  Christopher had refused to come out of his dungeons for days afterwards. To this day, Michael suspected that his father had married Flora off. Regardless, his brother had never been the same. He spoke less, grunted more and distanced himself from his brothers. Before, Christopher had occasionally read books to Michael. He could even be convinced to speak to him if the topic was interesting enough. 

  Once Flora was sent away, the semblance of warmth in his brother had vanished. 

  A twinge filled Michael’s heart. He wondered if his brother would ever love again. 

  “Has anything like that happened to you?” he asked softly.

  A soft snore answered Michael. Turning to Yuma, Michael let out a small laugh at his husband’s sleeping face. The resolve to protect him strengthened. He would fight to the death if it meant Yuma could continue sleeping like this. Carefree, brilliant and curious…he had to preserve such innocence. Giving Yuma one last look, Michael closed his eyes and allowed Yuma’s snores to send him to sleep. 

<<Previous chapter

[gedascrown5768]

Now only 3 moms left but only one can be best mom

🔥 Final round 🔥

[evilbalwan]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think I might finally understand how Kazuma Tsukumo is working in Zexal world!

I believe all of us can agree that Yuma's dad is quite a convenient deus ex machima; in our world, he's just a tool to make the plot easier for screenwriters sometimes, BUT

THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME

So I started thinking and thinking and came to the realization; Kazuma seems ominous. What other being in Zexal seems ominous too?

... DOOR OF DESTINY

Who is the first person to get Emperor's Key to then give it to Yuma???

KAZUMA

Let's dig deeper. Humans, as their nature dictates, perceive time in a linear way - from the past, through the present, to the future. We don't know the future, but we know it holds multiple possibilities. It doesn't seem to be a case in Zexal, despite what Yuma says about choosing fate, Door of Destiny and Kazuma seem always to be aware of what or when will happen. "Cause precedes effect. Effect leads to cause. The future is fixed exactly the same way as the past", Door of Destiny only needed to take necessary steps. It needed a tool. A partner, maybe. A slave.

That tool is Kazuma; either through being exposed to the Astral world or some other way, he too started thinking in such a way. He could take necessary steps, visiting Barians ruins, leaving coins there, he no longer understands the world through the human way, but rather, Door of Destiny's way.

Yuma destroying Door of Destiny during his last duel with Astral was an act of kindness, in a way. Only through that Yuma could save himself from predetermination.

My fanfic about that if you want =D

If you interested in more:

This could explain Don Thousand's nihilism: for most of the Zexal, he's stuck in Chaos form (the one that interacts with Vector the most), thus he doesn't have the full knowledge. But, once he becomes Zexal again (I'm conviced Don is original Zexal, I mean his duel vs Mizael here), he remembers Door of Destiny and that he is destined to fail.

Kazuma, especially outside of flashbacks, seems pretty indifferent when it comes to his own family, if he knows everything about their lives, how their existence will look like, does he really have to 'care'?

Mirai is stuck in a pretty much horror scenario, her husband is no longer who he was, he looks at her and sees her birth - yet, she stays.