#evil priestess and angry war general <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[mrmillipede]

Lol some kokosara doodles but I made them look like actual proper women :3 (sorta)

I’m not a massive genshin fan but I ljke the guys in it

[flameofchaos]

Whispers in the Dark - The Slayers Fanfic

A word or two from me: 

the main ship: Xellos x Lina Inverse . Necessary warnings will be included in the beginning of every chapter.

Special thanks for @naiokiara for being my Beta <3 and @wicked-game-black-butler for being my spiritual support <3

Prelude

Somewhere in the Beginning of Ages.

The Darkness moved in the astral dimension, forming, gathering and… slowly splitting. The Greater Beast Zelas Metallium, one of five the most powerful subordinates of the Dark Lord Shabranigdo was already tired, but her efforts weren't over yet. 

The Sea of Chaos had created them, Mazoku, and Zelas could only follow the need The Lord of Nightmares filled them up with: destruction. 

The material world existed, giving them pain, annoying, burning their astral beings. It had to be destroyed. It had to be changed into ashes all together with the Mazoku, and melted back to the Sea of Chaos. They needed more Monsters to achieve that. The World was huge. 

The Five Lords of Shabranigdo instinctively understood what to do. Four of them created each two cruel children: a General who would lead their army of darkness and a Priest who would lead mortals to their doom. 

Zelas Metallium had another idea. Why divide your own power so much, when you can create one perfect servant? A General and Priest at once, her only and the most perfect child.

The Darkness moved again like a snake around the smaller, weaker one. The part of her. The arm with which she was going to crush the world.

Wake up, my Xellos. Wake up and spread destruction for me, so we can be one again and return to the Mother of Chaos. We have to die and the World will die with us.

The smaller blackness was twirling faster and faster, taking the form of a tornado created from evil astral power.

His first form, but not his last. 

Xellos took his first “breath” and his newborn, still fragile mind was filled with the first feelings: hatred and frustration.

 He shouldn’t exist. He wanted to die at the moment he became alive. The newborn Mazoku trembled in suffering, his thoughts clinging more to his “mother”, not wanting to divide from her. Zelas showed him a vision of the World: living creatures there, their aim, and… she left him alone.

The twirling dark tornado scowled in the emptiness of the astral dimension.

Chapter 1

Present time. The Outer Lands after Hellmaster Phibrizzo's death.

The sorceress reached for another plate filled with a tasty-smelling meal, practically taking it from right under the nose of her comrade, a swordmaster, which caused his growl of disappointment. The gingerhead witch answered with her own look, full of lighting as a threat. 

What could she do? The fried shrimp in pasta at this inn was delicious. She wasn’t going to share it with anyone. Not even Gourry.

The last few days had been complicated and the plot twists of unplanned (or more or less planned by their new “friend” Filia ul Copt, the Priestess of Light) accidents led them into those lands outside the Barrier, where almost no one knew real magic, and had mixed them, adventurers, into a prophecy about the end of the world.

Again, others expected Lina to be a hero.

No vacation for me from dealing with Monsters, she thought, a little tired, but happy that on their way to the Flare Dragon King’s Temple, they had found such a cosy place to eat and rest tonight.

Zelgadis was resting on the other chair, drowned into a book he’d found in the library. He was always focused on his search for a cure for the curse of his chimeric appearance. Amelia also was somewhere near, probably teaching simple people about justice and law.

It was so comfortable at the inn now. Even a bard was performing, telling about legends and heroes. Lina was listening with one ear, though. Often she had opportunities to look at “legends” from definitely too close for her taste, and she knew too well that being a hero was overrated. 

Tasty food and cosy beds were the only things that could reward Lina’s suffering.

“We shouldn’t stay here,” complained Filia, approaching their table. “The night is bright. We can continue our journey! The prophecy clearly said! We will be doomed soon!”

Lina Inverse gave the blonde woman a rather gloomy look, chewing shrimp. The priestess and her notions for a mission. For sure it was Filia’s first time rescuing the world.

“I fully understand it and  -- Don't touch this fillet, Gourry! It's mine! --  and I respect your sacred role, but… Filia… You are a golden dragon. We are just mortals. We are tired! How can we defeat all the evil the prophecy will throw at us if we are so exhausted?”

“One night here won’t change anything,” interrupted a familiar male voice. The adventurers turned their heads to see a man in a black travelling priest outfit sitting at the nearest table. Dark straight hair hanging a little below jaw level, in the light of the fireplace, seemed to shine with a violet tint, and characteristically half-closed eyes alarmed the group more than a bucket of cold water poured on their heads, because they were the only ones in the inn who knew that those eyelids were covering reptilian vertical pupils. “Better stay here and have some fun. And hush!!! Listen to this story. It’s a good one!"

Lina raised her eyebrows, focusing her attention on the bard's tale. It was about a girl who fell in love with a Mazoku who wanted her dead, but in the end the pure soul of the maiden had won and the evil creature loved her too, abandoning his dark paths.

“Oh my. I will cry.” The violet-haired priest rubbed his eyes in a gesture of being touched and clapped his hands. “Beautiful story!”

“But Mazoku can’t love, Xellos,” noted Gourry brilliantly, blinking in confusion.

“Oh, don’t ruin a great tale with facts, my friend. I adore fairytales. And tea. Mortals’ inventions never cease to amaze me.” The man sighed in delight and took a tiny sip from the cup.  “Anyway, hello! <3” An innocent smile brightened his sympathetic face, which made mortals treat him like one of themselves. 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU STINKY GARBAGE?” Filia finally recovered from the shock caused by the sudden appearance of a high-ranking Mazoku in the inn. Like always, her allergy to the greatest enemy of her race was stronger than anything.

“Oh my. Are you deaf? I’m greeting everyone. You too, my sweet Miss Filia.” Xellos’ smile became wider when he directed his next statement to the bard: “Please! Tell us another FAIRYTALE. Maybe now about the good manners of golden dragons of light?” 

Filia’s face became grey, then blue and finally red, when she realised that their group was  the center of attention for all the people gathered at the inn. The blonde priestess grunted, trying to calm down and not give that pathetic Monster a chance to humiliate her more. The dragon girl smiled politely at the violet-haired man and Lina thought that the priestess’ delicate face would crack into pieces from that forced expression at any moment.

“Oh, Xellos, what a… surprise! So nice to...ekhm... see you!” mumbled Filia.

“The feeling is mutual.” The Monster opened his eyes a little more to fix the pissed dragon lady with his mean amethyst irises.

“How is your... health?”

“Good, I can’t complain, thank you very much!” Exclaimed Xellos happily, his voice sweet like a poisoned chocolate.

Lina rubbed her temples. She had to part those two or soon the town would stand in flames. Like always.

Filia clenched her jaw and sat next to the sorceress as people in the inn returned again to their own business. Her beautiful blue eyes met Lina’s with a clear, angry message: Do something with him.

It wasn’t easy, though. Xellos' presence was a funny problem. Has anyone ever seen a chicken getting a hawk to just go away if it doesn’t want to? Chickens should sit quietly and pray that a hunter isn’t hungry. At least not at the moment. 

So the group should be happy that Xellos (for whatever reasons he has this time) was in a chatting and not killing mood, and Lina was very aware of it, praying that fate wouldn’t ever have them cross paths as strict enemies. Well, officially, they were. Mazoku desired to destroy the world. Humans desired to survive. But who says that they have to jump unprovoked at each other's throats? Especially when Xellos seemed to not be very friendly towards Valgaav. The former servant of Gaav was very thirsty for Lina's blood, as he wanted to avenge his master’s death.

As the saying goes: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Lina preferred to keep Xellos on her side, even if the alliance was fragile and temporary.

However, she could understand Filia’s feelings. Zelas Metallium's Priest had had a very significant role during the War of Monster’s Fall, more than a thousand years ago. Xellos murdered hundreds of golden dragons with just a wave of one finger. Maybe Filia was too young to remember that, but her superiors for sure described the massacre to her with details. 

In her place Lina also wouldn’t be very fond of this particular Monster.

“Can I kindly ask you to leave us alone?” Tried again the Dragon Priestess, still with that fake politeness. “I’m reminding you again: I found Miss Lina first and she will help me to rescue the world!”

“And I’m asking again too: Do you really want to quarrel with me about who, you or me, has the most right to use Miss Lina for their own goals?” Xellos took another sip of tea.

“Hey, you both know I am here and I’m hearing you two, right?” The gingerhead sorceress slowly lost her patience. “What do you want, Xellos? Tell us and go away.”

“And should I abandon such a charming dragon lady’s company?” 

Now Lina could literally feel and share Filia’s need to wash that insolent smile off the Mazoku’s face with a fist.

“Maybe I’m just guarding you from another nasty trick of Valgaav’s? You want me around, Miss Lina.” He opened one reptilian eye to measure the sorceress.

The girl wanted to stand up and scream at him. Mostly because he was right. Xellos always found ways to trick them but it was much harder to trick him. It’s not that the Monster could read Lina’s thoughts, but like every Mazoku, he was an empath. The sorceress could almost feel his astral aura licking her emotions. Besides, maybe in his human form Xellos looked harmless, and sometimes he acted like a total dumbass to confuse people, but a fool was the last thing Lina would think him to be. 

In this situation where Valgaav was hunting on Lina, and Xellos was hunting on Valgaav, it was clear that the Monster wanted to talk about the alliance in detail. Well, maybe not in Filia's company.

Lina nodded without a word, agreeing to his unspoken invitation to the “negotiation table”, and the Monster Priest closed his eyes again, finishing his tea and standing up.

“Well, you’re right. We can’t stress our dear Filia so much. She could get wrinkles because of anger. See you soon then.”

“You little shi-” The blonde was ready to jump on her enemy's head, but Gourry quickly covered her mouth, reminding her that as a Servant of Light she should have more control about filthy words.

Lina blinked and then gave a shrug when she couldn't find Xellos. He had vanished as suddenly as he had appeared, so the sorceress opened the menu to order a dessert. Who knew how the rest of the evening would go, so something sweet should reward her with a cool shiver travelling down her spine, even as she thought about what she had agreed.

A lady shouldn't let a man into her room in the middle of night. Especially when that man is the essence of evil.

[janedrewfinally]

Sparkles! Dancing! Fight sequences! Which were also dancing! Not Really Japanese History! Shrine maidens! Sparkles! More dancing! In other words, “Wind over Yamatai-koku,” aka my first chance to see a live Takarazuka performance, followed by the revue “Sante!” (I cannot get this keyboard to do proper accent marks; sorry). (Several versions of this post were basically incoherent flailing) Now, the thing is, my Japanese language skills are… minimal. So I knew going in that this was not going to be something where, um, the intricacies of the plot would go completely over my head. So this is not so much a review as my impressions. But that’s okay, because I have a long history of watching things in languages that I don’t really understand and managing by virtue of keen observational skills, genre-saviness, and flat-out making stuff up!

Me (as the show starts): Okay, I’m seeing why people say to bring opera glasses, because I have awesome visibility but from very far away. Main Character Takehiko (played by Asumi Rio): *enters dramatically, dressed in white and blue with a long coat* Other assorted characters: *also enter dramatically, in white and beiges and some blues* All characters: *introductory singing and dancing* Other group of characters: *dash in dramatically, dressed in black with red accents, and start brandishing weapons* Me: Gosh, however will the audience be able to keep track of who the bad guys are?

Fortunately, the Taka-Wiki page has the official show summary, which is how I knew that we’re dealing with the kingdoms of Yamatai-koku (the good guys) and Kuna-koku (the bad guys). Takehiko, who is a warrior for Yamatai-kou, then goes into flashback mode… Young Takehiko: *runs from Kuna-koku warriors in a forest* Elderly Mentor Character, Clearly a Martial Arts Badass: Small child, why are you running away? Young Takehiko: *hides some more* Warriors from Kuna-Koku: *enter and attempt to fight Elderly Mentor Character* Elderly Mentor Character: Like that’s going to work; you didn’t even bring the main bad guy with you!

After defeating the warriors, the Elderly Mentor Character gets Young Takehiko to share his tragic backstory (his parents were murdered), and Young Takehiko asks to be made his apprentice.

We then get… sort of a training montage? It’s Young Takehiko trying to sneak up on his mentor with a fighting staff, indicating that some training has happened, except it doesn’t work, so, you know, not a LOT of training has happened.

Then there was more training/staff-fighting, and a quite clever shift out of flashback mode by virtue of having Young Takehiko go partly off-stage, so you just see the end of the staff, and then Regular Takehiko comes out.

Elderly Mentor Character: As part of my sage life advice, let me introduce you to Chekov’s Ordeal of Sticking Your Hand Into a Pot of Boiling Water or Possibly Snakes. Congratulations; your training is now complete! Let me give you this sword, and send you off to practice. I’m sure that I’ll be fine; it’s only three more days until I retire. Warriors from Kuna-Koku: *show up again for… some reason?* Elderly Mentor Character: Drat, I see that you’ve brought the main bad guy this time. *dies*

Takehiko, of course, is Distraught to find his murdered mentor, and dashes off into the woods. Meanwhile, a young woman named Mana is being escorted by warriors of Yamatai-koku, because she is either a) going to be trained as a miko, b) the super-special young woman who is/hears the “voice of the kami,” c) both? Basically it means that periodically she falls over into a spotlight and spouts off prophetic stuff, which is doubtless appropriately poetic. Of course, the bad guys show up and kill her escort, and Takehiko (who is still Distraught) runs in in time to injure and/or kill assorted bad guys who are not the main bad guy and rescue Mana. They have a Meet Cute interlude in the woods, she gives him one of her necklaces (it’s magatama, so it’s clearly a Meaningful Necklace- and no, I could not even slightly see that from the stage; it’s in the promotional pictures).

Then the rest of her escort (or another escort?) shows up, and she explains the situation, and they are So Enthused at Takehiko’s clear leading role status that they basically drag him off to make him a member of the Proud and Skillful Warriors of Yamatai-koku, including Mute Karate Guy, Leader Guy, and Spunky Arrow Girl (who doesn’t like Takehiko at all, in the sense that she yells at him a lot but can’t stop thinking about his hair).

Takehiko is super-enthused to have friends! I am super-enthused to recognize the word “nakama”! Yay!

Umm.. some amount of time passes, because Mana is one of the shrine maidens, under the head shrine priestess- there is ritual singing and graceful dancing and invocations, until the head priestess staggers (she is meant to be much older), and then recovers to name Mana as her successor (as near as I could figure, Mana was brought to the main shrine because she has/is the “voice of the kami,” but this seems to be the first time that it’s been clear that she’s supposed to become the new head priestess).

Mana: I will become the head priestess, and change my name to Himiko, because that’s the name of a major ruler/priestess in the earliest Chinese accounts of Japan! Lots of other kings (?): *politics, politics, politics* That One King Who Is Clearly Evil Because His Outfit Is Fanciest: I don’t like this new head priestess, because of Reasons.

One of the reasons is, I think, that Mana/Himiko is not from within the court; another is that there was an Evil Miko who got passed over, who is.. either the daughter of a different king and involved with the Clearly Evil King, or is the daughter of the Clearly Evil King (I think it was supposed to be the first option).

Takehiko: *sees Himiko in full voice-of-the-kami/head priestess regalia*: Wait.. that’s the girl I had the Meet Cute with! This is NOT what I thought she meant by us meeting again! I am lowercase-“d” distraught! His nakama: Shhh! Don’t let on that you know the head priestess; there are Rules about this! Elsewhere: *the main general of the bad guys plots to figure out a way to completely take over Yamatai-koku, supported by his king- and some really awesome scene changes, by the way; very impressive*

At this point, the plot consists of:

1) Takehiko is still in love with Mana, who is the new head priestess and therefore untouchable/unavailable. 2) That One King and the Evil Miko are plotting to get rid of Himiko. 3) The kingdom next door still wants to conquer Yamatai-koku.

At one point, I think that the village maidens (not to be confused with the shrine maidens) straight-up invented sake, and there was a big celebration.

It gets attacked by the kingdom next door, obviously.

Having realized that Takehiko is pining for the head priestess, the Evil Miko pretends that Himiko had sent for him, in order to set the two of them up with Standard Accusations of Lost Honor/Virtue. They do get to have an emotional reunion and a lovely duet first, so there’s that?

Council of Kings: *sings angrily about the state of things today, when head priestesses can just sing duets with handsome young men and expect there will not be dire consequences*

(I think that one of the things that’s also going on is that Takehiko’s position is also affected by the fact that he also wasn’t originally local, but I’m not 100% on that)

Council of Kings: We demand that you prove that you are not guilty through the use of Chekov’s Ordeal of Sticking Your Hand into a Pot of Boiling Water or Possibly Snakes! Takehiko: … seriously? Well, okay, then!

He passes the ordeal, but then!!!! Himiko is ordered to channel the voice of the kami… and can’t!

Council of Kings: *more angry singing* (with a side of confusion, because it’s really weird that Takehiko passed the ordeal, but Himiko no longer gets prophetic)

Evil Miko: *goes to the bad guys in the kingdom next door and tells them about Himiko, hoping to be rewarded* Bad guys: *lock up Evil Miko, and plan to attack* Evil Miko: I don’t understand how my cunning plan failed…

Takehiko goes to talk to Himiko/Mana, saying that since she no longer has/is the voice of the kami, there’s no reason they can’t run away together! More duets! Of course, as they are heading out, she falls over poetically into the spotlight and sounds a warning about the imminent attack.

I… think that the kings either aren’t there, or aren’t listening to a disgraced head priestess, or are too far away?? Anyway, Takehiko heads out to fend off the attack on his own (heroically), but ends up taking his nakama with him.

Um. They all die? So that’s a thing that happens.

The final duel between Takehiko and the main guy amongst the bad guys ends dramatically, with Takehiko being wounded, and the bad guy taking longer to collapse (but then he totally dies… um… I am not sure what happens to the other kingdom or the king or… welll, the war?).

Takehiko seems like he’s dead, but then!!! The spirits of his assorted nakama appear in spotlights and give him a pep talk.

Meanwhile, the Council of Kings is still skeptical about Himiko’s actually having her abilities back, even when Takehiko shows up.

Himiko: I predict an eclipse! Council of Kings: We are very skeptical and don’t believe you and WHY IS THE SKY ALL DARK WHERE DID THE SUN GO?

(I am PRETTY SURE that the swirly lights and other effects were meant to be an eclipse)

Everybody panics about the eclipse, until finally light starts appearing again.

Himiko and Takehiko meet for a final scene in the woods, where… um… I think that the general tenor of the dialoge was that they know they can’t run away together, because they have responsibilities, but then they ended by dancing together in a swirl of cherry blossom petals, so I don’t know if he was leaving, or he was staying, or what exactly the ending note was).

The review, “Sante,” was all about wine and the dreams you have when drinking in Paris (or the dreams you have about Paris while drinking)- it was tons of fun! Can totally see the reasons for being down on the ground floor, because there was a lot of “and now we are going to dance in the aisles,” and the first row had the plastic wine glasses that Asumi Rio actually went and clinked her glass with during one number.

I’m not quite sure if all Takarazuka reviews are required to have at least one number where everybody has those crazy flamenco costume sleeve ruffles (side note: has Takarazuka ever performed “Cuban Pete,” because, that would be amaaaazing), but that was in there…. also a super-cute French chefs number, and a really emotional vocal solo about lost love (side note again: has Takarazuka ever performed “I Won’t Send Roses”?).

Then there was a climactic number that was either an epic battle between the forces of Good and Evil, or an epic battle between the forces of Riesling and Burgundy (the winner seemed to be Asumi Rio playing the role of a very flamboyantly pink Moscato?).

Cast: *proceeds to do a dramatic number involving those stairs* Me: How is that nobody ever messes up on the stairs? I would totally fall down if I even tried. Asumi Rio: *immediately almost misses a move on the steps* Me: ACK NO FORGET I SAID ANYTHING NO QUESTIONS HERE Afterwards, I had to dash to the train station (and also I was not quite sure where the grand exit location was, which I probably should have sussed out earlier if I wanted to stick around for any of that.

[the-cryptographer]

FEBRUARY MARCH CHALLENGE!!!

Yay! I did the thing! Below the cut you can find some silly answers and silly ms paint artwork~ It’s been forever since I’ve drawn and even more forever since I’ve drawn anime, so everything sucks but be kind, okay~

1. Favourite Character

This guy!!! I remember liking him immediately when I first watched in gradeschool, so he’s a longtime fave. I wish I remembered the basis for my affinity all those years ago, but it’s been lost to the tides of time. Now I kind of think about how his character works on two levels for me:

(1) On a kind of surface level, he’s just really fun to watch. His voice and his dialogue. The comedic expressions. The stupid accent in the dub. He’s temperamental and hammy. And, unlike a lot of the other characters, when he’s upset or unhappy, he’s generally driven towards being more active rather than being more passive - so instead of introspective scenes where he’s retreating into himself, you get all these scenes where he goes out and starts doing really dumb shit. He’s one of the few characters I pretty much universally enjoy watching for the theatrical value.

(2) And on a kind of deeper level, I just find him really inspirational. He’s far from a flawless character - there are so many ways he acts recklessly and makes mistakes, so many ways he can be grating and even cruel, and so many things he’s really not that good at. But he’s just so resilient and determined and such an aggressively good friend to Yuugi. I think especially with all the darker subtext in the manga, you can see the really bad places he’s come from, and how he’s been met with so much failure along the way - but he’s made it so far~ I wish we could all fall and get back on our feet as easily as Jounouchi.

2. Runner Up Character

Put-upon Egyptian Cult Leader!! Who I don’t believe I talk about enough.

He’s an exciting villain, imo!! He puts Yuugi & co in a lot of tight spots, and in a lot of ways didn’t seem to leave the story on the same page as them, but he comes through his arc just devastatingly sympathetic in my mind. I think it’s easy to sympathise with the way he’s at war with himself and his lot in life.

There’s kind of a lot of exciting attributes collected around him too - mind control and alternate personalities, Tomb Keeper politics and Rare Hunter politics, an uneasy partnership with the big bad of the series, and a really poorly established relationship with his brother Rishid that switches between master-subordinate, patient-caretaker, and older-and-younger siblings.

On a personal level though, I appreciate the way he’s willful and clever and lazy and manipulative and NEVER STOPS LYING. I appreciate how much he fights and loses hope and is renewed in his fight against his more insane tendencies. I appreciate that he doesn’t seem to develop genuine fondness for the protags so much as come to realise they’re his way out of this mess and pragmatically follow through on it. And I appreciate how he’s revealed to be fiercely caring towards his siblings in spite of all faults. And it feels so real and tender and angry and human, I even temporarily forget how awful he’s been mere hours before.

Admittedly, I don’t exactly have a clear picture of his fanon existence and what I’d like from it. Especially since I’m not super into the thiefship scene. I’d kind of like to read more about him though. Especially about him and his siblings, or him and Ryou, or him and Yuugi.

3. Favourite Protagonist

Cutie baby~

I guess... Yuugi and I... are maybe... kind of... alike? I’m like a tall, shitty version of him, lmao.

He is a passive pacifist sweetheart with too much self-doubt in his heart and too much porn under his mattress. I like how he grows into himself in the series and learns to be more assertive - but remains the calm, friendly, and trusting person he always was.

4. Favourite Villain

I guess this would be Malik again? Who even counts as a villain in ygo? All of them get redeemed.

I’m just gonna say Kaiba. Kaiba’s tried to kill enough of the protags to be a villain, lol. He’s weaseled his way into a central role in the series tho~ Mr. Popular~

I think I’ve talked quite a bit about why I like Kaiba - but he’s just so damaged and so weak and so strong. He builds death theme parks and shuts down weapons production. Compared to us average humans, he’s more capable of doing good and more capable of doing evil both. Also I project onto him like a mofo.

5. Favourite Yami

I guess this would also be Malik again - Malik’s disturbing split personality.

Naw, tho~ My new favourite Yami is Yami!Isis. All bow down to the cold, all-seeing Priestess.

6. Favourite Series

Season Zero. Or idk, I still have to watch Season Zero but I love manga Season Zero so I assume. Um, the manga? Or am I just supposed to say DM? I still haven’t gotten to watching GX at length but I will.

7. Favourite Arc

Season Zero

A different game every week. Mundane school life in Japan spiced up with pyromania. lots of character focus. Thug life. But I already kind of answered this for the last question.

Maybe Duellist Kingdom?

I like the duels in DK a lot - I know they didn’t follow the rules, but they’re kind of snappy and satisfying. And it has a lot of my favourite Seto moments and Mai moments. And I like the straightforwardness in the arc’s setup, the goals of the characters, and how it built up to the finals. I feel like there’s not a dull moment building up to the confrontation with Pegasus from the meeting with Seto before the castle - the way Atem lost to Seto, and then Seto getting his soul pilfered, and Tristan and the others climbing around the castle, and the Atem-Mai and Jou-Keith duels were some of the better ones in the series.

But my cracky id loves DOMA?

It’s stupid and I know it’s stupid. But the silly villains. REAL MONSTERS. Mai having PTSD complications. Roadtrip in the USA. All the polarshipping. stfu - I can like DOMA if I want to like DOMA.

8+9. Favourite Quote & Runner Up Quote

I am so bad at remembering quotes. I mean, you can’t beat the Yuujou pun, I guess.

I suppose I like the speech Anzu gave Kaiba during DK, about the chip of life, and how Yuugi saved him. I don’t like Anzu’s speech in the dub, but for some reason Kaiba snapping back at her What do you have? with ‘I have all that I need!’ has really stuck with me - I have no idea why(??) But I even used that line in a fic.

I also like when Jounouchi goes on the date with Fake-Virtual-World!Mai. “Anywhere’s fine, so long as it’s with you.” Aww~

I’m not sure any of these are my favourite favourite, but I liked them all.

10. Funniest Moment of the Series

When Kaiba dropped a key into the ocean and somehow Jounouchi didn’t die, lmao

Okay, for reals tho, I’m not sure. But it was funny when Jounouchi almost fell off the balcony in Duellist Kingdom. And the potato song. And when Jounouchi called Kaiba on the phone and Otogi did the Kaiba imitation during DOMA. And when Kaiba and Mai got into a street race - NEVER FORGET!

11. Scariest Moment of the Series

OMG. When Bakura as Honda confronted Yuugi about giving up his wish, and Yuugi tearfully admits his wish was to have friends. Raw. Terrifying. I died.

Okay, again for reals. I guess that’s my admission that the series never managed to make me really fear for the characters. There are times when I scare myself thinking about how empty Kaiba must feel at times though.

12. Favourite Moment Overall

*plays Mystical Refpanel* “Jounouchi-kun… Daisuki da.”

13. Runner Up Moment

Mai giving Jounouchi the entry card during DK.

Mai’s so elegant. But, geez, this must have taken a lot out of her. She just lost her own duel - was just crying herself - has never really had friends before by her own admission. She does this with such seeming ease but she’s really putting herself out on a line here - and Jounouchi probably even doesn’t understand that - but he does all the right things anyhow <3

Yes all my favourite moments are people being nice to Jounouchi - shut up!

Other runner up moments are Rishid’s speech to Malik at the end of Battle City. Kaiba sacrificing Obelisk to summon the Blue Eyes during his duel with Isis. And I also like the very end of Duellist Kindgom and how Mai gets last minute invited on the helicopter ride. Which leads nicely into the next question.

14. Favourite Romantic Ship

Mai/Jounouchi/Kaiba.

Mai and Jounouchi are my favourite proto-romance in the series. Jounouchi and Kaiba are my favourite duo in the series for interesting and revealing character moments. All together they make the greatest ship of bad decisions ever invented.

15. Favourite Platonic Ship

There aren’t many things I only ship platonically. And for things I ship romantically and platonically – there are a ton. But shout-out goes to MaiKai for being the platonic bros of my OTP. I told you - NEVER FORGET that time they got into a street race.

I feel like there’s a lot to work with here though. High society. Introversion and the desire for isolation. Rigidity vs flexibility. Maturity and competence vs pettiness and complete and utter stupidity. Mai beta testing Legendary Heroes. Mai giving Kaiba ‘grown-up’ advice. Learning to trust. They will be drinking buddies. They must become drinking buddies.

16. Runner Up Ship

Honda & Otogi & Serenity.

I like them taking the train together in the manga, but it’s mostly an anime ship. I enjoy watching Otogi and Honda fighting each other for Serenity’s attention and getting completely wrapped up in each other in the process, lol. There’s a level of transparency to it that I find amusing. And it’s sweet the way they all move in to cover each others’ backs during the duel with Oota. They have their missteps, but it makes things feel rewarding when they come through for each other in the end. And, lol, this moment-

In the context of a romantic ship, Honda’s so romantically idealistic and Serenity’s so naively unindulgent - they’re both very stubborn in their own way, but I feel like Otogi is capable of bringing in the realism to mediate that situation. I think my headcanons are heavily influenced by this writer’s work. Even outside of a romantic context though, I want them to be an adventurous trio of friends, lol. I hope they all grow up and manage it in the future~

17. Another Runner Up Ship

Second runner up could be so many things, but this stands out as something I want to see more of - and also have a drawing:

Mai & Vivian.

Okay. But seriously. I want Great Wall of China fataleshipping adventures. I want them to be super catty friends. Please give me more of Mai postcanon female friends and femslash.

18. Favourite Monster

Dark Necrofear!

I talked about most of the cards in this post, but I’ll refresh your memory. (I haven’t made it far in Reshef, but Duel Links has left me feeling more or less the same regarding favourite cards.)

19. Runner Up Monster

REMEMBER WHEN KISARA WAS A CARD~

AU where Kisara is the Happy Queen of the Duel Monsters parallel universe, and Kaibaman is her dimension hopping servant.

20. Favourite Spell

One of these two.

21. Favourite Trap

Hahaha. Fuck Kaiba >:(

22. Design Your Own Character

No. I drew Asuka from GX instead.

23. Design Your Own Monster

I’ll do it one of these days~ But not today~

24. Favourite DSoD Moment

Idk, when Yuugi told Kaiba off? When Otogi and his dad showed up? When Jounouchi wrote his initials on his Duel Disk? When Honda and Yuugi rode a motorcycle and went to save Jounouchi? When Jounouchi and Honda rode a bike to school?

WHEN KAIBA WATCHED YUUGI PUT TOGETHER THE LAST PIECES OF THE PUZZLE AND HIS FAAAAACE D:

25. Favourite New Character in DSoD

MANI! SO CUTE! SO SWEET! SO CRAZY WHEN HE PUTS ON THE RING!

But Shadi also gets points here for being different enough that I can imagine him as a new character.

26. Least Favourite New Character

Sera.

27. DSoD Could Have Done _____ Better

Lots of stuff but I’m not in the mood rn. I liked the film overall.

28. Favourite New Card From DSoD

REMEMBER WHEN MAHAAD WAS A CARD~

OMG! That’s the end of the meme! It took forever, right? But thank you if you read all this way <3