#he's OUR supreme kai!!!

[chronic-shinposter]

i know it's still too early to say, but i hope daima really gives other characters (shin) (listen it's my account name) some love. i have been ranting about how shin is a great character since, *checks notes*, forever, and with how little he is in z and super you would think he's a main character with how i don't shut up about him. my friends have luckily not broken contact with me despite this character flaw of mine

y'all... seeing him on that dinosaur with goku in the little daima poster... i really wish i could quantify to my friends exactly how out of the blue it is and how perfect of a choice it is. i really hope that shin will get to shine in the story. really if they treat him like they did in the manga ver of the goku black arc i will be overjoyed

p.s. if you haven't read the manga and you love shin you really should read that arc. he gets shit done and it's like the only time goku listens to him ever

[hi-there-buddies]

I have this idea in my mind that Supreme Kai (our “Shin”) is stronger than all the other universe’s Supreme Kais because Beerus was so monumentally bad at his job that Shin basically had to take up the role of destroyer when everything went to shit.

As far as we know, beings like Majin Buu didn’t exist in any of the other universes (he might have existed in universe 6 but it doesn’t look like it. Maybe Champa actually did his job or he was just never created)

Idk, I just think it would be really interesting to see the power levels/fighting power of all the Kais. We know Beerus is one of the strongest destroyers; maybe Shin is one of the strongest Kais?

[isabeauwolf]

Okay peeps, I'm curious.... if you woke up and your top 4 current anime crushes and fixations were in the in your room how would you react?

Yes, they would be reverse isakai'd with their powers and all.

Here's mine

I would be a blushing mess

No doubt all of them would be confused that I know who they all are after I said their full names or villain alias'.

Plus Law and Kai would see my merch of them. On top of me wearing both my LawLu shirt and Monsterhaul hoodie X///////x

Try not to freak out and have a full blown fangirl mode activate.

Try to convince Kai that he's in a world that's quirkless and all of them that they are fiction characters in our world?

Pff, the hell would Law and Kai reaction knowing that my daughter knows them with how much I fangirl about them. She at least knows who Dabi is, about his quirk and his burns.

Would Geto and Dabi be chill about the whole thing? Or glare at me.

God forbid, if Kai and Touya saw my fanfics and spicy, smut I wrote between them and my oc Mary X/////////x Not to mention what's on my computer.

Of course, I'm overthinking. How can I not?!

What about you guys? I wanna hear your answers, please?

@fanofflames @slayfics @m3gumibear @angelblueflame @cherry-queens-blog @supreme-burrito @staitc-rj

[lockpickingliar]

Ouma Kokichi (Gemini) on DICE

Everybody and their dog knows that if there's one thing a Kokichi cares about more than anything, it's DICE. It's almost universally accepted that it's like a family to him. It's where he belongs.

My DICE is no different, but I'll have you know I've never seen those hooligans pictured in my motive video in my life. Not in the game, at least. My motive video was very different. For starters, we had sixteen member, not ten. I'm sure it doesn't take much to realize what that implies for me.

We were all DICE. I can finally say that now.

I was the only one who remembered, as some cruel way to twist the knife. They changed things about all of us to make us unpalatable to one another. Made my tendency to lie a compulsion that made sure no one would believe me if I managed to tell them.

And I tried to tell them.

I told Kay that I knew her point blank once, before she died. But then the conversation meandered on and I tripped over my own compulsion and backpedaled. Yeah of course I knew her, we met just the other day when we all woke up here.

A lie.

I tried a different approach. I tried to re-recruit her. That didn't go much better. She didn't trust me, for obvious reasons, and easily turned down my offer because I couldn't stomach any more truth than that it was a secret organization. How suspicious.

It's not her fault, though. She didn't remember, and they changed us. They made it so no one would accept me as a leader. Isn't that ironic? Their former supreme leader, now shunned and demonized despite his best efforts to keep everything from falling apart.

Kay and Ran were super close, like siblings, y'know.

Rumi and Ryo were practically married.

Kiyo and Ten loved to discuss gender philosophy together. An painted them during a chat, once.

Go and Miu liked to bond over a joint.

Kai and I...

Well, every good leader needs a second in command.

We were all one big group. A family. Maybe a polycule if you wanna call it that, although everyone had one or two people they were particularly close with.

As you can imagine, we didn't sign up for Danganronpa. I'm not sure such a franchise even exists. It was probably just a cover to confuse us, or hell, maybe that's not how it ended at all. I wouldn't know. I'm dead now.

I do have a pretty good idea of who might've orchestrated it, though, just based on the mocking facsimile they made as our so-called "backstory plot".

A group aiming for the stars to make the world a better place...? Well, we did have Project Stargazer in the works. I wonder who might've had a vested interest in ensuring its failure?

We were a group with direction. We had a goal, and projects to reach that goal that we were working tirelessly toward. A post-tragedy world is a pretty scary place. In the midst of so much chaos that the Tragedy caused, only one organization had the power and resources to take on the task of reconstruction, which is all well and good.

Not so much years after the fact, when everything is still controlled by them.

If you want something rebuilt, you better hope they're in agreement, or you'll never get the assistance. They have their own agenda, and they take full advantage of their reputation as the sole saviors of the world.

Even better that they have the Ultimate Hope on their side to sway the public's opinion of them.

Have you figured out who I'm talking about yet?

I've gathered that in fandom, the common consensus is that the Future Foundation is a force of good. I'm sure that's the common consensus among the public back home, too.

I'm in the minority, and that's why I founded DICE in the first place. This might just be me, but I think it's kind of shady for a single organization to have a global monopoly on the reconstruction of the world. The people should have a choice between multiple, so that everyone's bases are covered and we don't fall into the trap of reforming the world into a single ideal that overlooks those in need.

DICE was gunning to be that alternative.

We were small, but that made it easier to fly under the radar. Ran, Kiyo, and Go would go on expeditions to other countries, searching for survivors, helping to rebuild in underdeveloped places that Future Foundation overlooked, and cataloging the regrowth of ecosystems--bug life in particular.

Kay, Himi, and An were our public outreach team, using the arts to sway the public in a subtle way. Maki would often accompany them for protection.

Rumi, Ryo, Ten, and Tsu were our intel team, with Rumi working as a maid for so many important people, Ryo and Ten in the sports sphere making connections at sporting events, and Tsu who could infiltrate directly with her cosplaying skills all snooping around to gather intel about whatever Future Foundation may be up to. They would report back to Shu, who was good at keeping tabs on things like that with his detective skills.

Miu and Kiibo--who was built by Miu herself, not whoever the fuck Ibadashi is--were the biggest contributors to keeping our HQ functional, redeveloping surrounding areas in no-man's land, as well as developing the tech for Project Stargazer, which I spearheaded, but Kai as the Ultimate Astronaut had the most directive power.

See, we were gonna start another space race. A post-tragedy rendition of who could get back to space first. To raise global morale and put us on the map as a direct competitor to Future Foundation that people could lean on for reconstruction. That was our goal, to break Future Foundation's monopoly on was stays and what goes, what's hope and what's despair.

And they didn't like that. They didn't like it one bit.

I don't know how they found out about us. I can imagine it had something to do with another project of ours--Project Defect--but one way or another they did, and that was when they came for us.

I imagine it pretty closely parallels what they called the "Ultimate Hunt" in their fun little fantasy story.

We were captured, changed, and plunked into a killing game where no one remembered how close they were.

Shu's confidence was erased, making him a meek shell of himself.

Himi was turned into an infuriating layabout who actually believed and insisted that her magic was real--once a mere running joke we all shared.

Maki reduced to a recluse and a killing machine, all her work to overcome her trauma from having her care for others trained out of her eradicated.

Kay's optimism was turned toxic and her memories twisted. "Piano Freak", a fun little jab we gave her (we ALL had a mean but fun-spirited nickname like this), turned into a foundational point of bullying and torment.

All the work Ran did to learn to manage his personal symptoms of chronic boredom, risk-taking, struggling to connect with others, and anger were stripped from him, leaving him desperate for intrigue and unable to look to anyone to support.

Rumi's devotion to the great good was poisoned, and she didn't even realize that it was the love of her life that she sacrificed for a faulty memory of being prime minister.

Ryo died thinking he had no one, even though he was surrounded by people he used to know and care for, and who all cared for him.

An was made into a caricature of her own culture, something she used to hold so dear to her as the last surviving member of her people.

Ten's trauma was used against her to make her into an intolerable bigot and strip her of the nuance she used to believe was so important.

Kiyo's sister's memory was outright bastardized to turn him into a serial killer, all his devotion to maintaining her shrine in his room reduced to a mere fetish.

Go's upbringing mocked and spat in the face of his intelligence, robbing him of the communication skills and eloquence he learned from Kiyo on their travels together.

Miu's care and dedication to her work was usurped to inflate her self-importance to unhealthy levels without anyone feeling like she'd earned it.

Kiibo reduced to a dense bucket of bolts with his learning capabilities drastically reduced--not to mention that he likely had to undergo constant brainwashing from the signals he received from the dumb antenna they added to his head.

Tsu... who they ironically turned against us from the start as a spy of their own, completely tricked into assisting with their entire scheme to tear us apart.

And Kai... My dear, sweet, intelligent Kai, second in command and love of my life, Ultimate Astronaut and project director for our most ambitious plan... turned into a brazen, narrow-minded bully and made to hate me and everything I stood for until it was too late.....

I don't blame them. I don't blame any of them, because they changed them. They couldn't help it if that was the reality they remembered. Nothing I said would have made a difference, either coming out as a lie or taken as a lie because they changed me, too. Made me into a liar who couldn't stop lying even when it mattered.

And so it was the end for us. We tore ourselves apart. Hook, line, and sinker, and even if there was nothing I could do to stop them, that doesn't make it feel any less like a failure to me. A failure to bring DICE--my family--back together before I had to watch them kill each other.

There was a point where I gave up. Figured a mass death would be best, to put us all out of our misery. I'll never forgive myself for using Go and Miu the way I did to accomplish that, just to fail yet again.

And then I died failing.

I don't know if there are any survivors, like in the game. I don't know if I want to know. If there are, I'm not sure I want to see them. I don't want them to know, don't want them to realize the horrors of what they just went through. That most of their family is gone.

But at the same time...

I miss them. I miss everyone, and I desperately want my family back.

DICE is finished, but I don't want it to be.

[tytarax]

This gave me brutal Luffy and Hancock vibes lol

fem reader

Zamasu gazed out over the peaceful landscapes of the 10th universe from the Sacred World of the Kais. He found solace in the serenity and order he dedicated his existence to maintaining. Beside him stood Y/N, the Destroyer of their universe.

Despite her formidable title and immense power, Y/N had a heart deeply entwined with Zamasu's. They shared a sense of duty and a profound connection that surpassed the usual boundaries between a Supreme Kai and a Destroyer.

Things that shouldn't be allowed

"Zamasu," Y/N spoke softly, "you've been standing here for hours. Are you worried about something?" Zamasu turned, his green skin glistening softly under the light. "Just contemplating the balance we strive to maintain. The universe is at peace, but I cannot shake off the feeling of an approaching storm."

Oh, Zamasu, always so poetical...

Y/N stepped closer, her presence being a comforting shield around Zamasu. "Whatever comes our way, I'll make sure to handle it. You don't have to worry."

Despite being an excellent supreme kai, Y/N was aware of his thoughts toward the mortal races, and the problems that Zamasu's way of thinking could bring.

A few days passed, and a small incident occurred in which Zamasu killed a mortal in self-defense, something that Y/N did not give importance to, however… someone else found out.

The Grand Priest, Daishinkan, summoned Y/N to discuss recent concerns. She arrived at Zeno's Palace, the grand hall echoing with silence as she approached the central dais.

"Y/N, welcome," Daishinkan greeted, his serene demeanor masking the gravity of the situation. "There have been concerns raised about Zamasu's views on mortals."

Y/N knew what he was talking about, still, she asked, "Concerns? With Zamasu?" She continued without letting him answer. "With all due respect, Grand Priest, Zamasu's dedication to maintaining balance in our universe is unparalleled. His concerns about mortals stem from a desire to protect and preserve the cosmos, not to harm."

Daishinkan nodded, but his eyes held a trace of doubt. "While I understand your perspective, Y/N, it is essential to ensure that such thoughts do not lead to actions that could disrupt the harmony we strive to maintain. For example, an incident that took place a few days ago… I'm sure you heard about it."

Y/N's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, I heard about it. Zamasu acted in self-defense. The mortal was threatening against him, and Zamasu's actions were necessary to preserve peace."

"Nonetheless," Daishinkan replied, "such incidents can raise concerns about a Supreme Kai's intentions. It is crucial to address these concerns to prevent any potential misunderstandings."

"I assure you, Daishinkan," Y/N started, "his intentions are to uphold the peace and balance of the universe. He has no desire to cause chaos or destruction. Zamasu has my full support and trust. I'm sure we will ensure our universe remains in harmony just as the gods should"

The Grand Priest studied her for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I trust you will keep these concerns in mind and continue to work towards the greater good."

---

"Wait... you're not in trouble because of me, right?" Zamasu asked in a worried tone. Y/N turned to him. "Don't let this bother you. I know your heart, Zamasu. You are dedicated to your duty, and I will always stand by you."

As night fell on the Sacred World of the Kais, Y/N and Zamasu sat together, watching the stars twinkle in the sky. The tranquility of the moment wrapped around them like a warm blanket, a stark contrast to the earlier tension.

"Zamasu," Y/N began, her voice soft and filled with affection, "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always protect you. Your ideals and dreams are important to me."

Zamasu turned to face Y/N, his eyes reflecting the starlight. "And I cherish you for that, Lady Y/N..." Y/N leaned in closer, giving the first step knowing Zamasu was a bit shy, and she gave him a peck on the lips. To which he was left in shock and a blushing mess.

Zamasu's heart swelled with emotion. "I... I've been wanting to... to say this for a while now... I really like you... lady Y/N." Y/N giggled at Zamasu's awkward confession, "I love you too, Zamasu."

I think you are my only vulnerability

Masterpost

DBS Masterlist

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x40 - The Four Heavenly Kings of the Mountain of Evil! Dark Masters / Enter the Dark Masters

Previously on Digimon Adventure: The Chosen Children discovered Vamdemon's ultimate weakness: Forceful, repeated nut shots. After wailing on his vulnerable point until he fell over and died, they bid farewell to their loved ones and fucked off via rainbow magic without explaining anything to most of their confused, scared parents.

It's cool, they'll be back in like a minute. Thanks, time dilation!

The Four Heavenly Kings are a quartet of Buddhist devas who preside over the cardinal directions. They're kind of a big deal in Buddhist mythology and they come up a lot in Japanese pop culture. Anime and video games love the Four Heavenly Kings.

They're the Kais and the Supreme Kais in Dragon Ball. They're the Saint Beasts in Yu Yu Hakusho. The Elite Four in Pokemon. The Four Giants that must be rescued in Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. They're all over the place.

Notably, despite being called "kings", they are rarely the top of the hierarchy and typically serve a single master who stands above them all. The Heavenly Kings bend their knees to Taishakuten, supreme ruler over all devas. He governs from the peak of a great mountain at the center of all directions.

So where you find Four Heavenly Kings in media, you will often find a supreme lord of the center who sits above them. (Though not necessarily always; Yu Yu Hakusho, for instance, omitted that part.)

Digimon, too, has its Four Heavenly Kings. In fact, like Dragon Ball, it has multiple sets - with the penultimate villains of Adventure 01 being a corrupt and evil version of the concept, which is also not uncommon with Heavenly King portrayals.

They were not the first to come up with "Four Heavenly Kings BUT EVIL" and they will not be the last. Heavenly King references are a fun and easy way to fill in the top-dog super-elite enforcers for your primary bad guy.

So, without further adieu, we open this episode on the introduction of the titular Dark Masters, who govern four of the five traditional elements: Water, wood, metal, and slapstick comedy.

Spoiling their names a bit but I'm not gonna spend this whole scene calling them Clown Bro and Gatling Puppet. Piemon, pronounced "Pee-eh-mon" and not "Pie-mon", kicks us off. He's secretly monitoring the humans back in Japan, observing the Chosen Children preparing to return.

He's doing this through the truly ingenious method of pointing a giant-ass telescope at the reality tear in the sky and looking at Japan with his eyes.

Piemon: Those fools wear masks of fear, waiting in futility for peace to return. Such a wonderful sight to behold! MetalSeadramon: (bursts from the water) This is stupid! We should attack! Pinochimon: Their flow of time moves differently from ours. We should take our time and pick them off one by one. Like him! Mugendramon: (silent, but for heavy breathing)

The camera slowly pans up Mugendramon's metal body. I'm not 100% certain on what Pinochimon is suggesting here, but I think he wants to use Mugendramon's cannons to, like, shoot up into the sky rifts and snipe humans while they're frozen in the glacially-moving time of the other world.

A horrifying thought. We should probably close those rifts.

The dub understood the assignment with Piedmon.

Piedmon: Hahaha! Those bit players are frozen with stage fright! Hopelessly waiting for the moment they'll be saved! And yet, there's an unseen twist to the plot! MetalSeadramon: I say we cut to the punchline and go straight for the action! Puppetmon: Oh please, that would be boring! I want to play this drama to the hilt! Let's pull out all the stops and give 'em what they paid for.

Piedmon's voice is basically perfect. He's being performed as an overenthusiastic virtuoso. For Puppetmon, they go a different direction; Pinocchimon is voiced like a young boy, while Puppetmon has this scratchy sneering voice like a little weasel man.

Far from the bestial roar of the original, the dub's MetalSeadramon sounds like a twenty-something young man with a southern twang in his voice. Interesting choice. That could get annoying or be hilarious. We'll see where that goes.

Machinedramon does not get to breathe heavily into the mic because they cut the part of Pinocchimon's line that calls him out and puts attention on him. So now the camera pans over him for no apparent reason while Puppetmon is talking.

Depending on whether my understanding is right, I could see them changing his line because holy shit that's violent and dark or because they, like me, weren't exactly sure what he was saying. Might be censorship, might be "Huh?"

Piemon: The Chosen Children will return soon. Our boredom is at its end. Now! Let us leave the dressing room! The stage curtains are rising!

Spotlights shine on each of the Dark Masters to punctuate his words.

Piemon: The title is: The End of the Chosen Children!

In the dub, Piedmon continues off of Puppetmon's changed line.

Piedmon: I'm in complete agreement! A quick victory would be a letdown. The DigiDestined will be on Spiral Mountain soon; We must rehearse before they get here. It will be their FINAL PERFORMANCE!!!

As a silence-breaker, he introduces them each individually to the audience when the spotlights come in.

Piedmon: MetalSeadramon! Puppetmon! And Machinedramon! I present to you the downfall of the DigiDestined!

The dub's front-loading a lot of proper nouns, though they never have a chance to name Piedmon. They even name-drop Spiral Mountain early.

While the Dark Masters make their plans, the children arrive in the Digital World and take stock of their surroundings.

Taichi: Are we back? Mimi: I think so.... Koushiro: We should be. Takeru: Is it night-time? Yamato: Looks like.

Sora looks up and suddenly lets out a shriek.

Sora: EHHHHH!?!? EVERYONE, LOOK!!!

Looking up into the sky above, they can see the island of Hokkaido floating in the sky above, as if the blue sky were the ocean. Hokkaido is one of the biggest parts of Japan, so this is very much like looking up and seeing Texas distantly floating upside-down in the air.

Group: WHUUUUUUH!?!? Taichi: H-HOKKAIDO!?!? Yamato: IS THAT EARTH!?!? Koushiro: We're able to see Earth from here, the same way we could see the DIgimon World from Earth earlier.

Poor Koushiro having to explain the obvious to his shocked colleagues. Sitting there like, "Come on, guys. We already know this is happening."

As a small microaggression towards my kid, Taichi's uncertainty and Mimi's confirmation is flip-flopped in the dub so that Tai's certain and Mimi's confused.

Tai: Well, it looks like we're back. Mimi: Back where? in the Digital World? Izzy: That's affirmative. T.K.: It's dark. Matt: Yeah! It's kind of weird!

The resulting line doesn't make a lot of sense. Where do you think we went back to, Mimi? The McDonalds we bullied Joe at? Not to be outdone, however, Matt promptly forgets how night works to take the pressure off of Mimi's dumb question. XD

I think they all have cosmic jet-lag.

Sora does not shriek when she notices the sky.

Sora: HEY!!! LOOK UP THERE!!! Group: WHUUUUUUH!?!? Tai: Talk about weird! Matt: Could that be Earth!? Izzy: It's merely speculation but it seems to be a reasonable facsimile. We see Earth from here like we saw the Digital World from Earth.

They cut the regional reference to Hokkaido which I actually think was a bad call. Japanese kids could reasonably recognize that island in the sky but Americans have no idea what they're looking at. It just looks like an ink blot.

So when the kids are like, "IS THAT EARTH!?!?"

Like.

Is it? Doesn't look like Earth to me. That is a weird dark shape in the clouds, not a planet. This is a confusing moment in the dub.

This might have been a good time to have, say, Joe chime in with a line like "I recognize that island; It's one of the biggest islands in Japan!" That way, the kids watching would understand what they're supposed to be seeing, because it is not clear at a glance with zero comprehension of Japanese geography.

Suddenly, Jou hears something rustling around in the brush.

Jou: Hm? Gomamon? What are you doing down there, Gomamon?

He walks over to where the sound's coming from, sifting through the grass. Gomamon pops out of Jou's duffel bag nearby.

Gomamon: Jou! I'm over here! Jou: Eh? Then who's this--GYAAAAAGH!!!

Chuumon erupts from the grass, attacking Jou and clawing at his face while screaming in a panic. The ground shifts, opening up a chasm beneath Jou, and Chuumon leaps away to safety.

Gomamon: JOU!!!

Jou grabs onto the newly created cliffside for dear life.

In the dub:

Joe: Hm? Gomamon? Hey, where are you? (Joe follows the sound, but Gomamon pops out of Joe's duffel) Gomamon: Joe, I've been snoozing over here! Joe: Huh? Oh, well we'll just save the world without you then-- (Joe gets attacked, then falls off a cliff) Gomamon: JOE!!! Joe: Wh-whoa! ...I didn't need this.

Again, weird scripting choice here. They replace his last line with a snarky gag, but visually Joe returns his attention to the spot he was investigating (and gets attacked for it) without indicating why he's still poking around that patch of grass.

Joe's understated whine of a silence-breaker is fantastic, though. He's so used to peril at this point that his reaction to falling off a cliff is basically a stone-faced, "Really. Okay." XD

Koromon, Tsunomon, Mochimon, Tokomon, and Pyocomon all take Jou getting attacked as encouragement to evolve into their Child-stages, ending their recovery periods. Plotmon remains Plotmon and Palmon trips, falling on her face in a funny moment in the middle of the dramatic charge.

Agumon, Gabumon, Patamon, and Palmon all move in on the attacker in the grass, but Hikari calls out.

Hikari: STOP!!!

Approaching the grass, Hikari crouches down and gently, softly addresses the terrified Digimon hiding in it.

Hikari: Don't be scared. You don't have to be scared. I'm not going to hurt you. You can come out.

Trembling in fear, Chuumon slowly emerges from the grass, then collapses in front of the kids.

Palmon: It's Chuumon! Mimi: You're right! That's Chuumon from File Island! (Chuumon opens his eyes at the sound of their voices.) Chuumon: Mimi-chan? Palmon?

We briefly flash back on better, or at least less despondent days, when Scumon and Chuumon met Mimi way back when.

Chuumon: I'm glad... you came back....

That's all Chuumon manages to get out before passing out.

In the dub:

Kari: HOLD ON!!! (Kari approaches the grass and crouches down) Kari: Come out! You're among friends. We won't hurt you. Don't be afraid. (Chuumon emerges) Palmon: Oh my goodness! It's Chuumon! Mimi: He looks terrible; What he needs is a complete makeover. (Chuumon opens his eyes at the sound of their voices.) Chuumon: Mimi? Palmon? (Brief flashback of meeting Mimi) Mimi (V.O.): Something bad happened. Sukamon and Chuumon used to be inseparable! (Flashback ends) Chuumon: I'm so glad you came back to save us....

They remove the part where Mimi ID's Chuumon as specifically the one from File Island, which is kind of important because there was a separate Scumon and Chuumon among PicoDevimon's shitty recruits earlier. Then again, the dub might not know those are different Digimon, given the confusion they had about Kuwagamon "following us from File Island" during the Etemon arc.

It's fine, though, because the flashback that follows does the job anyway. Plus she still calls them out in her silence-breaking flashback narration, so nothing is lost by the replacement of this line with a signature Mimi Quip.

It's actually Kari's dialogue that I take issue with. Not for the lines she says but the tone of voice. Rather than the soft, gentle tones that the original uses, she talks to Chuumon in her normal speaking voice. It's a small thing but it dampens the emotional impact of the moment and its demonstration of Hikari's sensitive empathy.

It doesn't ruin the scene, though; It just means the tone of the moment isn't as strong as it would otherwise be.

Suddenly Jou calls out, reminding everyone that he's still dangling off a cliff.

Jou: HEEEEEY SOMEONE HELP!!! Gomamon: Oops, I forgot!

Gomamon bounds over to the edge of the cliff to help Jou, only to be stymied by his biological limitations.

Gomamon: Waugh!? Jou: Gomamon, give me your hand! I can't climb back up on my own! Gomamon: (looks down at his flipper) Now, when you say to give you my 'hand'....

This is a callback to the Unimon episode way back on File Island; Jou's first spotlight episode. There, he'd ribbed Gomamon for offering to lend a "hand".

Taichi and Yamato arrive, looking at the ravine beyond Jou.

Taichi: This is...! Yamato: AH! Taichi: Jou, climb back up!

Jou briefly looks down, seeing that the ravine is deep beneath him, and shrieks. He scrambles to pull himself up, while Taichi and Yamato grab him and help pull him back onto the grass.

Jou: Help me! Yamato: Come on, hurry! Taichi: Grab on!

Once Jou's safely back on the ground, the three boys look into the deepening ravine, watching chunks of the landscape crumble and fall into it.

Yamato: What is happening here...?

In the dub:

Joe: Would somebody mind helping me!? Gomamon: Whoops, I forgot all about ya! (Gomamon runs over to Joe) Joe: You forgot. I'm hanging here by my elbows and you're off in la-la land! Gomamon: (looks down at his flipper) Gee, I wonder what it's like to have elbows? (Tai and Matt arrive) Tai: Joe!? Figures. Matt: Huh!? Tai: Hey, quit fooling around! (Joe looks down and shrieks; The boys pull him up.) Joe: Just help me, will ya!? Matt: Work with us! (Matt looks at the collapsing landscape) Matt: What's happening!? Everything's gone wacko!

The "hand" bit is replaced with Gomamon getting distracted by a non sequitur. Tai's dialogue is rewritten to be mean to Joe.

While everyone's dealing with Jou and Chuumon, Koushiro tries to contact Gennai.

Tentomon: Have you found Gennai-han? Koushiro: No, I haven't been able to get through.

Meanwhile, Mimi cradles Chuumon in her lap while the group gathers around him.

Palmon: He looks a lot less scared after seeing your face, Mimi. Piyomon: He must have been running on pure adrenaline. Sora: The poor thing.

Chuumon wakes up in Mimi's lap.

Mimi: Chuumon? Chuumon: Mimi-chan? You're really Mimi-chan! Mimi: That's right. What happened to you? Chuumon: (silently flinches away from the question) Palmon: Where's your pal Scumon? Chuumon: He's... He's dead!

Making that admission, Chuumon starts bawling. We cut to a flashback of Scumon and Chuumon living carefree lives on File Island.

Chuumon (V.O.): After Mimi-chan and the others left File Island, we spent our days peacefully like usual. Then, one day out of nowhere....

A huge earthquake rips through the island. Scumon and Chuumon run for their lives, but Scumon falls into a massive chasm that opens up. Chuumon calls after him, but a wave of darkness ushers up from the chasm, blowing him away.

Chuumon (V.O.): The powers of darkness enveloped the world. Then, to make it easier for darkness to rule, they reshaped the entire world....

In media, it's generally agreed that if you don't see a body, the character's going to come back. Digimon don't leave bodies behind, however, so just take my assurance that there's no trick here.

Scumon is actually dead. We will not see him again until 02, after he's had a chance to reincarnate at Primary Village. He was one of probably many casualties unluckily caught up in the Dark Masters' upheaval of the landscape.

In the dub:

Tentomon: Are you trying to get a hold of Gennai? Izzy: Well, I'm not playing Solitaire! (Cut to the kids gathered around Chuumon in Mimi's lap) Palmon: Chuumon's a mess! I wonder what happened to him. Biyomon: Well, whatever it was, it wasn't very pretty! Sora: Poor thing! (Chuumon wakes up) Mimi: Ah! Chuumon! Chuumon: Mimi.... I wasn't dreaming; It's really you after all! Mimi: Poor thing. Why don't you tell Mimi all about it?

I had issues earlier with Kari's voice but Mimi's tone here is perfect. I love the way she uses her own name as an emotional prybar to get Chuumon to open up, having recognized the unique influence she has in this moment.

Palmon: What happened to your friend Sukamon? Chuumon: I-I... I'm afraid I lost him.... (Chuumon starts bawling and goes into flashback) Chuumon (V.O.): After you guys left File Island, Sukamon and I went on with life as usual. You know, eating, eating, and more eating! When suddenly.... (The chasm rips apart File Island and Sukamon falls into the darkness below) Chuumon: I never saw him again! A powerful evil force took over the land, causing all kinds of bad things to happen! Then it rebuilt the Digital World so it would be easier to conquer! I've been hiding ever since.

The dub doesn't directly state that Sukamon's dead, but they don't unwrite his death either. They leave Sukamon's fate up in the air.

The kids have some questions about that last thing Chuumon mentioned.

Taichi: They reshaped the world? Koushiro: Into what?

Cut to an ambiguous length of time later; The sun's risen, so they must have been traveling a while to get here. Still carried in Mimi's arms, Chuumon shows the kids to the base of a colossal, twisting landmass composed of various biomes streaked up from the earth below.

Chuumon: Some places here or there are ruins of what they used to be, but most of it has been twisted up into that mountain. It's called Spiral Mountain.

Like many proper nouns in the Digital World, the name "Spiral Mountain" is in English.

Yamato: Spiral Mountain? Joe: I can't believe the Digimon World has changed so much....

Yeah, the Dark Masters reshaped the world into their own literally twisted version of the compass center Shumisen; The great mountain at the center of the universe upon which sits the heaven of the devas.

In the dub:

Tai: You mean the Digital World is completely changed from what it was? Izzy: How is it different? (Chuumon shows them to Spiral Mountain) Chuumon: Everything's been discombobulated and taken apart! The Digital World has been relocated way up there! It's called Spiral Mountain! There's nothing left here of the old world except some ruins! Matt: So you're saying it's all up there. Huh. Joe: Color me cynical but nothing surprises me about this place.

"The Digital World has been relocated way up there" is an awkward way to explain this. The Digital World hasn't been relocated; It's been reshaped, with most of its geographic mass twisted up into Spiral Mountain.

We are, right now, standing in the Digital World. We're just in the scant non-mountain bits that were left over.

As an aside, I like Joe's parting quip at the end of this exchange. XD

Taichi has more questions for the traumatized Chuumon.

Taichi: What happened to the other Digimon? Like Leomon? Chuumon: I don't know. But I've heard that everyone who's gone against them has been destroyed.... Sora: Against who? Chuumon: (hushed whisper) ...the Dark Masters....

The phrase "Dark Masters" is also in English.

Taichi: So then we have to fight these Dark Masters. Chuumon: FIGHT!?!? YOU'LL NEVER WIN!!! NEVER EVER!!! Taichi: Hey, we brought down Vamdemon! Mimi: It will be okay! As long as all eight of the Chosen Children are together, we can save the world!

Mimi's trying so hard to reassure Chuumon, but the very thought of these kids trying to resist the Dark Masters chills him to his bones.

In the dub:

Tai: Where did all the other Digimon go? Are they up there too? Where's Leomon? Chuumon: I don't know. But from what I've been told, they'll destroy anything that tries to get in their way! Sora: Who will? Chuumon: Who? The Dark Masters! Tai: Well, they couldn't be too much tougher than anybody else we've wrestled with before. Chuumon: No way! They'll beat the pants right off of you! Tai: We got rid of Myotismon, so we can get rid of them too! Mimi: Don't worry about it. As long as the eight of us are together, we'll keep those big bullies away from you!

This whole exchange is semantically very different, particularly when Chuumon gets in a pissing contest with Tai about how tough the Dark Masters are rather than panicking and screaming. But it's all lateral changes, I think. Same ideas expressed differently, nothing objectionable or especially noteworthy.

Suddenly, a deep, bestial laugh fills the air around the kids.

MetalSeadramon: HUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! CHOSEN CHILDREN!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!!!

The ground in front of them explodes into smoke and debris, then MetalSeadramon's titanic body erupts upwards from the smoke.

Chuumon: IT'S METALSEADRAMON!!!

Alright! Go ahead, Taichi. Go fight him. We'll wait here. :P

(In seriousness, Taichi's assessment was fair. The Dark Masters are each on the same level as VenomVamdemon. Chuumon has a different frame of reference because Ultimate-stage Digimon are so rare and mythical as to basically be unheard of.)

In any case, it's time for MetalSeadramon's rundown. He's an Ultimate-stage Data-type Cyborg Digimon; The Data Ultimate for the Deep Savers evolution tree, evolved from MegaSeadramon.

Narrator: MetalSeadramon. An Ultimate-stage Digimon whose entire body is covered in Chrome Digizoid, the strongest metal. He boasts colossal power and tremendous speed.

"Chrome Digizoid" is English. Well, Digizoid is a made-up word, but "Chrome" is English and Digizoid is English-like.

The kids run for it. MetalSeadramon moves quickly, swooping through the woods and smashing through the group. Though he fails to get a solid hit on anyone, he sends the kids tumbling to the ground in his wake.

Yamato: (trying to get up; pained) How can he move so fast with a body that huge!?

Over in the dub:

MetalSeadramon: HEEEHEHEHAHAHA!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, DIGIDESTINED!!! (MetalSeadramon erupts from the ground) Chuumon: OH NO, IT'S METALSEADRAMON!!! Chuumon: (rundown) This guy is one real hard nose! And I mean hard nose! Take my advice: This is one train that you would rather miss. (MetalSeadramon attacks, knocking the kids down) Matt: (trying to get up; pained) Okay, if that's the way you want it, we can play rough too!

Another instance of the dub swapping out dialogue to make the kids look stronger and more battle-hungry.

Chuumon's diegetic rundown sucks. The original rundown gives salient explanations for why MetalSeadramon is a force to be reckoned with. Dub Chuumon just says "He's really tough, trust me."

Getting up, the kids and their Partner Digimon prepare to fight back.

Taichi: Let's go, Agumon! Agumon: Got it! Yamato: Gabumon! Sora: I'm counting on you, Piyomon!

All eight Partner Digimon evolve to their Adult forms to throw down with MetalSeadramon.

It does not go well.

In fact, it goes tremendously unwell. Fighting him at -2 stages was a terrible idea.

Tailmon does manage to jerk aside before he can fucking eat her but they're still losing this fight badly. And embarrassing themselves in front of Chuumon who was already convinced the kids were screwed.

In the dub:

Tai: Let's go, Agumon! Agumon: Gotcha! Matt: Now it's our turn!

Sora's line gets snubbed. Rude.

Love the confidence on Matt, though. "Now it's OUR turn!" exclaimed while basically whipping out a switchblade to face down a gatling gun.

The dub makes minor edits to MetalSeadramon's brutal beatdown. The shot where his tail slams into Togemon is cut down; We see her go flying but we don't see the hit that threw her.

Dub Angemon inexplicably calls his Hand of Fate attack while getting bodied like the rest. They got to do their stock animation attacks and then get bodied, but he didn't get to do a stock animation attack first so I guess he got jealous.

Similarly, when Gatomon lunges at MetalSeadramon's face and immediately has regrets, she calls Lightning Paw in the dub. The original Tailmon was just... trying to tackle him in the face. Which is a terrible idea, so having her at least call an attack there makes sense.

Flying overhead, MegaSeadramon makes victory loopies in the sky.

Takeru: ANGEMON!!! Hikari: Tailmon.... MetalSeadramon: HUHAHAHAHA!!! As if you could win against me! Mimi: Why is this happening!? It's eight against one! (Koushiro suddenly looks up from his laptop with alarm) Koushiro: MetalSeadramon is an Ultimate-stage Digimon! Adult-stages can't win against him no matter how many there are! Taichi: He's Ultimate-stage!? Jou: Why does our first opponent have to be such a powerful one!? MetalSeadramon: You're finished. ULTIMATE STREAM!!!

MetalSeadramon's Ultimate Stream fires from the cannon on his nose, annihilating the landscape around the Chosen Children in a massive energy explosion. The eight Partner Digimon all wrap themselves around their partnered children to shield them from the blast.

Seriously, though, I said it for dub Matt earlier but I'll say it again here. You gotta love the sheer cockiness. Riding high on their victory against Vamdemon, they thought they could stroll in here, throw a few Meteor Wings and Mega Flames around, and the Dark Masters would roll over and die for them.

They thought VenomVamdemon was as bad as it gets. They were not prepared for more Ultimate Digimon.

In the dub:

T.K.: Angemon! Kari: Oh no! MetalSeadramon: (loopies) YOU SHOULD KNOW YOUR POWERS AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH!!! Mimi: How come he's beating us so badly!? (Izzy suddenly looks up from his laptop with alarm) Izzy: Ah! It's because he's a Mega Digimon, and even eight Champions can't overtake one Mega! He's stronger than all of us combined! Tai: Then we're lost without more power! Joe: Ever notice we're always in the wrong place at just the wrong time? MetalSeadramon: Now it's time to take one nasty ride!

Dub MetalSeadramon does not call his attack.

We go to commercial following MetalSeadramon's attack and come back to the kids recovering in a dark place.

Angemon: (cradling Takeru) Takeru, are you hurt? Takeru: I'm okay. Thank you, Angemon.

Angemon nods, but then they hear a low, bestial growling. Angemon whips his head around. There's something out there in the mists that he can't make out. He sets down Takeru and picks up his Holy Rod.

Takeru: What is it? Angemon: There's something here. I'll go take a look.

In the dub:

Angemon: (cradling T.K.) T.K., are you alright? T.K.: I thought I was broken, but I guess I must be okay!

The dub frequently misses sound cues for plot points that are strictly auditory, but they do capture the bestial growling that sets off Angemon here. Points for that.

T.K.: What's the matter? Angemon: Wait. I'll be back.

Angemon takes to the air, trying to scout ahead. In the distance, a metallic whirring sound revs up, and two bolts of light begin to glow in the mist.

Then they fire.

Before he knows what hit him, Angemon's pummeled by twin cannon shots.

Takeru: ANGEMON!!!

Regressing into Patamon, he flops helplessly across the grass, landing in front of Takeru.

Takeru: Patamon! Patamon, hang in there!

Mugendramon wheels forward out of the mist. And I do mean wheels; He doesn't actually walk, but rolls forward motionlessly like his feet have roller skates under them or something.

He roars aggressively, saying nothing. Koushiro checks his laptop, bringing us into our second Dark Master rundown.

Mugendramon is an Ultimate-stage Virus-type Machine Digimon. The Virus Ultimate from Metal Empire, completing the set with WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. His name is derived from the Japanese word mugen, meaning infinite, and of course dramon/dragon. Mugendramon is the Infinite Dragon.

Koushiro: (laptop) Ah! That's another Ultimate-stage Digimon! Narrator: Mugendramon. An Ultimate-stage Digimon who wields unbelievable power. His special attack is Mugen Cannon.

Angemon took two shots from the Infinite Dragon's Infinite Cannon. It's a wonder he's even alive.

Over in the dub:

T.K.: ANGEMON!!! (Angemon reverts to Patamon and flops on the ground) T.K.: Oh no! Poor Patamon! (Machinedramon emerges) Izzy: (laptop) Ah! Be prepared for another Mega Digimon! Izzy: (rundown) He's called Machinedramon. This metallic mutant can blow out a Digimon just like a birthday candle!

The original rundown for this wasn't exactly super explanatory. It just said "Fucker strong." Izzy says the same but in the weirdest way possible. He's trying to make a quip out of it but, sorry Izzy, they can't all be winners.

Everybody Super-Evolves to face Mugendramon, except Angemon who is still slacking. Once in their Perfect stages, they have a plan. The plan is "Get him".

Not a great plan. Taichi endorses it because of course he does.

Taichi: Get him! Beat him up! Hikari: But we can't win.... Taichi: Eh?

Rushing Mugendramon in a mob, the Digimon try in vain to close distance. Mugendramon kicks back, enjoys his firing position, and mows them all down in a barrage of Mugen Cannon fire. This was a terrible plan of attack.

In the dub:

Tai: Come on, guys! Show him what you're made of! Kari: Hope they're made of something strong enough! Tai: Huh!?

Kari seems more onboard with this plan than Hikari was, though still more realistic than Tai about their chances.

Mugendramon keeps up the assault. One of his shots hits Angewomon, knocking her out of the sky. Hikari tries to catch her but her tiny child body gets crushed under Angewomon's larger bulk.

Good effort, Hikari. Eyes were a little bigger than your arms, though.

Mugendramon's assault destroys the landscape beneath the kids, and they fall deeper into the dark place. Then they gradually drift to a stop, still floating in the air.

Koushiro: We stopped. Mimi: Where are we? What's going on?

Mimi's question goes unanswered as more pressing priorities emerge. WereGarurumon suddenly, out of nowhere, throws a punch at Garudamon and clocks her across the face. Garudamon recovers and comes back with a right hook.

Yamato: What are you doing, WereGarurumon!? Sora: Stop it, Garudamon! You're on the same side!

Garudamon and WereGarurumon continue fistfighting.

Garudamon: I'm not doing it on purpose! WereGarurumon: My body... It's moving by itself! Sora: (confused) Your body's moving by itself?

An unseen force suddenly jerks Sora's arms up into an odd pose. Cut to Jou, hanging from Zudomon's horn, who's jogging in place.

Jou: W-What's going on!?

In the dub, Mimi makes a salient point about their odd predicament.

Izzy: We stopped! Mimi: I can't complain. It's sure a lot better than falling on our heads. (Digimon start fighting) Matt: Hey, can't you two take a break for one minute!? Sora: Yeah, come on! We're all supposed to be on the same side! Garudamon: I can't control it! WereGarurumon: That's right! Our bodies are doing this all by themselves! Sora: (skeptically) All by themselves, huh? OH! (arm pose) Joe: (forced to jog in place) I've always hated any form of exercise; What's happening to me!?

Dub Sora straight-up doesn't believe them when they explain they're being controlled. XD

It's Koushiro who finally notices the thin strings connected to each of them.

Koushiro: Ah! There are strings attached to us! We're being controlled! Pinochimon: Hehehehe... You finally figured it out. Koushiro: Who are you!? Pinochimon: Why don't you use your special little computer to find out? Here.

Using Koushiro's strings, Pinochimon manipulates him into typing at his computer to pull up Pinochimon's profile. Pinochimon is an Ultimate-stage Virus-type Puppet Digimon. He's the Virus Ultimate from the Wind Guardians line, sharing space with Piyomon and Palmon's evolutionary paths. His name and design are obviously based on Pinocchio.

Koushiro: Ah! He's Ultimate-stage! Narrator: Pinochimon. An Ultimate Digimon who places Number One in awful personalities! His special attack is Bullet Hammer.

Number One with a bullet, you say? A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it?

Gotta love the gradual decline in the these rundowns.

MetalSeadramon - He's ultra fast and powerful not to mention gigantic! Plus his armor is made from the strongest metal in the Digital World! Mugendramon - He's unbelievably powerful. So powerful, you guys. Pinochimon - ...he's very mean.

At this point, Piemon's rundown will just be "Piemon. (long silence) What a dick!"

The dub changes Pinochimon's name to Puppetmon.

Izzy: We've become string puppets! And someone's operating us! Puppetmon: (mocking) Hah hahaha hah! Well, aren't we a little smarty pants!? Izzy: Who are you!? Puppetmon: Wanna know? How about if I help you look up my profile on your special computer? Watch! (Puppetmon manipulates Izzy into typing) Izzy: (gasp) He's also a Mega Digimon! Izzy: (rundown) Puppetmon has a controlling personality and a rotten temper! Get him mad and he'll bop you with his hammer!

He'll probably shoot you with his hammer, actually, but the dub may be trying to avoid saying "Bullet Hammer". Though you can still clearly see that the head of his hammer is the cylinder of a revolver.

Snerk. Good, uh... good luck with that, dub team. I cannot wait 'til we get to his episode.

Upon meeting Pinochimon, Mimi wants to file a complaint.

Mimi: (furious) Again!? Why do these Ultimate-stage Digimon keep appearing one after another!? Lilimon: Mimi.... Pinochimon: Now, fly to the Last Stage!

Pinochimon yanks the kids' strings, sending them flying through the void. Then he addresses the Digimon left behind.

Pinochimon: You guys should hurry after them. BULLET HAMMER!!!

The revolver cylinder on his hammer fires off like a minigun, spraying the Partner Digimon and knocking them all out of their Perfect forms. Most regress to their baby forms, save for Agumon, Gabumon, and Tailmon as usual.

In the dub, Mimi's complaint to the management turns into her firing off a fantastic Mimi Quip.

Mimi: If you have to hit something, you should bop yourself for how you look in that stupid helmet! Lillymon: MIMI!?!?

Savage. Even Lillymon's shocked by Mimi's ferocity.

Puppetmon: I'm gonna have to let you go for now! (Puppetmon sends the kids away) Puppetmon: But I promise to destroy you! PUPPET PUMMEL!!!

Though they censor out the name of Pinochimon's Bullet Hammer, the footage of it firing remains unedited.

The children wake up at a Greco-Roman coliseum, groaning in pain. Based on the surrounding area, we seem to be in the desert from the Etemon arc, or what it's become in the reconfigured world.

A jovial clown balancing on a ball rolls out onto the stage.

Clown: Hello, good children! I'm here today to tell you all a funny story!

The clown holds up crudely-drawn crayon pictures to illustrate his story.

Clown: A long, long time ago, there were eight Chosen Children and their Digimon. The Eight Children and their Digimon were foolish enough to climb Spiral Mountain, where they all met a tragic fate at the hands of the Dark Masters. The end. Takeru: (angry) What was that!? That wasn't funny at all! Clown: I just told you what sort of destiny awaits you. You should be grateful. ^_^

Poor Takeru totally fumbled his Sense Motive check when the random clown arrived. XD He was actually expecting to be entertained. Did not catch the vibe of this conversation at all.

In the dub:

Clown: Well, hello there, boys and girls! And welcome! Today, I'm going to tell you an amazing story! (The clown holds out his crayon sketches) Clown: Once upon a time, there was eight DigiDestined. They went with their Digimon companions to try to save the world. The children and their Digimon discovered that in order for them to do it, they had to climb up to the top of Spiral Mountain. But to their dismay, the Dark Masters defeated them. So sad! T.K.: Hey, Clowny! Nobody's laughing at your story! Clown: Oh dear, I'm so sorry. Did I happen to mention the story is true? I wanted to give you a preview of the plot!

Pretty faithful, I'd say.

Suddenly, the clown's guise fades away and reveals him to be Piemon.

Piemon leaps to the top of a nearby column, laughing as he goes. From here, we go into our final rundown for the Dark Masters.

Piemon is an Ultimate-stage Virus-type Demon Person Digimon. Fittingly, he's the Virus Ultimate of the Nightmare Soldiers and the original Ultimate evolution for Vamdemon, as well as Phantomon.

Yes, over the course of this show the kids have had to fight their way through the entire Nightmare Soldiers evolution branch of Devimon -> Vamdemon -> Piemon while also taking a break to punch it out with Monkey Elvis.

As I mentioned before, Piemon's name is not "Pie-mon". It's pronounced Pee-eh-mon, because it's a reference to the comedic character Pierrot from traditional European pantomime performances.

His dub name Piedmon, however, is "Pied-mon", a reference to clowns being hit with pies. This is because the dub didn't trust American nine-year-olds to be familiar with Victorian-Era European Mime Lore. XD

Mimi: Wha--!? Chuumon: WAAAAAUGH!!! IT'S PIEMON!!! Narrator: Piemon. A phantasmal Ultimate-stage Digimon who comes and goes unexpectedly. His true nature is shrouded in mystery.

What a dick!

No, like MetalSeadramon, that is a pretty solid infodump. It tells us to expect Piemon to be a walking WTF.

To summarize what we've learned here: MetalSeadramon is huge, fast, and invulnerable. Mugendramon is unbelievably powerful. Pinochimon is unpleasant at parties. And Piemon has bizarre and esoteric abilities.

This all serves to set up the conflicts to come. Yes, even Pinochimon.

Over in the dub:

Piedmon: Hahahahahaha! Fools! Mimi: (gasp) Chuumon: AHHHHHHHHHH!!! IT'S PIEDMON!!! Chuumon: (rundown) He's a Mega Phantom Digimon of the worst kind! You never know what he's going to look like next!

This is the closest a Dark Master rundown gets to relaying the original information. Good job, Chuumon.

Just once, can we run into a Phantom Digimon of the best kind? Where's Ghost of Christmas Presentmon? That guy seems like he'd be fun to hang out with.

Finally, Taichi and Yamato are at their wit's end with all these Ultimate Digimon and decide to match power with power.

Taichi: We won't lose to you guys! Agumon! Yamato: Gabumon, I'm counting on you!

Agumon and Gabumon Warp-Evolve to face Piemon Ultimate to Ultimate.

Taichi: Go, WarGreymon! Show him what we're made of! Yamato: MetalGarurumon! Take him down and save the world!

WarGreymon leads with Gaia Force. Piemon sidesteps the attack. MetalGarurumon follows up with Cocytus Breath, but Piemon breaks out one of his swords and slices through the slushie onslaught.

In the dub, Tai kicks us off with a retort to Piedmon's story earlier.

Tai: Well, I think your plot needs a few rewrites! Agumon! Matt: Gabumon, you can do it! (Warp evolutions) Tai: Yeah! Let him know we mean business, WarGreymon! Matt: MetalGarurumon! Teach that joker a lesson he'll never forget!

Pretty snappy comeback for Tai there, especially to a thespian like Pie(d)mon. It's one thing to call him a dick but shit-talking his craft is really throwing down the gauntlet.

Too bad about those whiffed attacks, though.

After maneuvering through the pair's offense, Piemon comes back with his own signature move: Trump Sword.

It's sword-throwing. He throws swords.

Direct hits on WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon score instant KOs, reverting them back to Agumon and Gabumon.

Jou: I-It can't be! Sora: We can't win even with two Ultimates on our side? Mimi: He's just an Ultimate too, right? Piemon: Even though we are on the same level, you have only recently acquired your new power. You're mistaken if you think that is all it takes to win. Agumon: (pained) I'm sorry, Taichi....

Piemon was able to outfight WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon simultaneously, not because he's stronger than them but because he has much more experience in the Ultimate state. As a natural Ultimate who achieved this level the hard way, by rising through the ranks of Perfect and Ultimate evolution, he simply has them outmatched in skill and experience.

From there, Piemon goes on to give his team their formal introductions, despite Koushiro having already identified each of them. He's a showman; Let him have this moment.

Piemon: Permit me now to introduce the members that make up the Dark Masters. MetalSeadramon! (MetalSeadramon explodes from the ground, roaring) Piemon: Mugendramon! (Mugendramon smashes through columns to enter the coliseum, also roaring) Piemon: Pinochimon! (Pinochimon just sort of appears) Pinochimon: Personally, I wish I could have had some more fun with you. Piemon: And myself, Piemon. (Piemon remains a dick.) Piemon: Time flies in the blink of an eye when you're having fun. Now then. Who should die first?

In the dub:

Joe: This is bad news. Sora: Even two Mega Digimon couldn't put him down! That's really bad news! Mimi: Not to mention he's a fashion disaster! Piedmon: Your two Megas are newly Digivolved. How can you expect them to compete against an experienced and, might I boast, superior Digimon? Agumon: (pained) Tai... Sorry....

Mimi's question is replaced with a Mimi Quip. Fortunately, Piedmon still delivers the important information anyway and we get a Mimi Quip out of it so it's cool.

Piedmon: Please permit me to present my fellow actors in this captivating and charming comedy of errors! MetalSeadramon! (MetalSeadramon explodes from the ground, roaring) Piedmon: Machinedramon! (Machinedramon smashes through columns to enter the coliseum, also roaring) Piedmon: Puppetmon! (Puppetmon just sort of appears) Puppetmon: You thought you were through with me, but I wanted to have some more fun! Piedmon: And myself, Piedmon. (Such a dick.) Piedmon: We'd like to begin by asking for audience volunteers. Who would like to be the first to be destroyed? Oh come now, don't tell me you have stage fright!

No lie, I am loving the dub performance for Piedmon. They understood the assignment.

Piemon's eyes scan the group before falling on Mimi.

The moment she realizes he's looking at her, Mimi bursts out into tears, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs.

Mimi: No... NO!!! I'M JUST AN ORDINARY GRADE SCHOOL STUDENT!!! WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO DIE HERE!?!? Sora: (gently) Mimi-chan.... Mimi: I WANTED TO DRESS UP IN FASHIONABLE CLOTHES AND EAT MORE YUMMY THINGS AND GO ON A TRIP ABROAD AND-- Piedmon: Your whining is starting to hurt my ears! I'm going to start with you.

Just like that, Piemon gets target lock.

Mimi melts down in both versions, but the dub's meltdown is a bit different.

Mimi: I didn't even want to go to camp in the first place! I just wanted to go to the mall! Can't somebody else save this silly world besides me!? Sora: (surprised) Mimi!? Mimi: I want to be a normal kid and not have any big responsibilities! I mean, come on, is that too much to ask!? It's not fair! Piedmon: Ack! Your incessant whining is getting on my nerves! You will be the first one to go!

Original Mimi's meltdown is about the unfairness of having to die at such a young age with so much of her life still ahead of her. Dub Mimi's meltdown is about how much she doesn't want to be a child soldier which is valid but contextually off.

It feels like the dub team is trying to fill in a Mimi meltdown from scratch to avoid going as dark as the original subject matter. They do a fair job; It doesn't feel like it came out of nowhere. But lines like "Can't someone else save the world?" and "I don't want responsibilities!" still seem divorced from the specific grim predicament she's actually in right now.

Having made up his mind Piemon swiftly draws a hidden dagger from his sleeve and tosses it at Mimi.

Without hesitation, Chuumon leaps out of Mimi's arms, taking Piemon's knife to his chest. Chuumon falls prone on the ground, the knife disintegrating as quickly as it appeared. Weeping, Mimi scoops him back up in her arms.

Mimi: Chuumon! You have to hold on! Chuumon: Mimi-chan... When I reincarnate... Go on a date with me.... Mimi: CHUUMON!!!

With that utterly inappropriate yet entirely in-character bit of emotional blackmail, Chuumon disintegrates into pixels and joins his friend Scumon in death.

(So far as we know, she does not honor his last request, nor should she.)

The dub cuts the shot where the knife plunges into Chuumon, but keeps the shot of Chuumon falling to the ground with the knife stabbed into him.

Mimi: Chuumon! Speak to me, you poor thing! Chuumon: Mimi... It's time for me... to be deleted.... Mimi: CHUUMON!!!

His last request doesn't make it in; No surprise there. But they pull no punches about the fact that Chuumon definitely and without question died violently.

Someone, however, is not impressed by Chuumon's sacrifice.

Piemon: What a stupid Digimon. There's no reason to protect each other when you're all going to die here anyway. Taichi: We won't let you get away with this! Dark Masters: (all laugh together) Piemon: So, who's next?

Before he can pick his next target, another old friend suddenly cuts in.

Piccolomon's Pit Bomb does no damage whatsoever but flashbangs the Dark Masters, allowing him to make off with the Chosen Children. He carries them to safety within a cloaked invisibility sphere.

Takeru: Piccolomon! We were hoping to see you again! Piccolomon: So was I pi! Koushiro: You were able to reach us by creating a barrier that the enemy couldn't see? Piccolomon: That's right pi! Taichi: Piccolomon, we made it this way believing that as long as the eight of us were together, we could save both worlds. But-- Piccolomon: It's true that the eight of you are together pi but that alone isn't enough to win pi. Sora: What are we missing? Jou: Tell us! Piccolomon: (somberly) Unfortunately, we don't have time for that pi.

A wave of energy suddenly hits the barrier. What little time Piccolomon's trick bought them has run its course.

In the dub:

Piedmon: Chuumon was a fool!

The dub inserts a commercial break after Chuumon's death, then we return and watch him die again.

Mimi: T_T Oh, Chuumon! Piedmon: So, now that he's out of the way, who would like to be the next one to make their grand exit? Tai: Piedmon, you're gonna be washed up when we're through with you! Dark Masters: (all laugh together) Piedmon: Be my guest. Piximon: PIT BOMB!!! (Piximon takes the kids and bails) T.K.: Hey, Piximon! Perfect timing! Piximon: I missed ya! Izzy: Prodigious! You cleverly used a barrier to avoid detection. Piximon: I sure did! Tai: But you said it was possible to save the planet if the eight of us were all together! How come it's not happening, huh? What's up, Piximon!? Piximon: The truth is, being together is not enough. There's something else that you need to do to beat 'em. Sora: How are we going to find out if you won't help? Joe: Yeah, enough riddles! Piximon: This is something you will discover on your own.

The dub's gotten its wires crossed about the plot again. Piximon never said anything about the eight of them; His episode was well behind us when the Eighth Child plot point was introduced. Tai's beef should, as always, be with Gennai.

In the original, Piccolomon's like "Look you need more than just being physically present but I don't have time to explain because we are seconds away from getting murdered."

Piximon, on the other hand, is being cryptic for funsies.

Pursuing Piccolomon's invisibility shimmer, the Dark Masters gain ground. There is no escape.

MetalSeadramon: Found you. Piccolomon: I'm going to stop them pi! Make your way to Spiral Mountain while I hold them off pi! Yamato: You're going to stop them!? They're all Ultimate-stage! Piccolomon: I know that pi! Even if I can't win, I can still put up a fight pi! Taichi: I'll fight with you! Piccolomon: ARE YOU STUPID!? You're the last hope for the world pi!

MetalSeadramon hits Piccolomon's barrier with a direct shot from his Ultimate Stream. Piccolomon waits and lets the barrier absorb MetalSeadramon's shot, then emerges to fight the Dark Masters.

Piccolomon: I'm sure you can find pi what you're missing! When you do, you'll be unstoppable pi! Now go, Chosen Children!

Piccolomon smacks the barrier with his spear, sending it flying off much faster than before.

In the dub:

MetalSeadramon: Aha! Here you are! Eheheheheheha! Piximon: I'll try to stop them. Meanwhile, make a run for it and climb to the top of Spiral Mountain. But you better move it! Matt: You can't stop them! They're all Mega Digimon! Piximon: I know I can't win, but I should be able to distract them long enough for you to get away! Tai: I'll stay with you! Piximon: No way! Besides, we need you on Spiral Mountain; We're counting on you to beat 'em!

Though MetalSeadramon's nose beam went unnamed last time he used it, this time he calls the attack.

MetalSeadramon: RIVER OF POWER!!! (MetalSeadramon blasts the barrier bubble) Piximon: (emerges) Please go now. You have a very important task ahead of you. Once you succeed, no one will ever be able to stop you again. I know you will make me proud of you!

Strong parting words for what will be their final meeting.

As an aside, I love the name "River of Power". That is a fantastic "not-touching-you" name-like to Ultimate Stream. Well punned.

Sad that we lose Piccolomon calling Taichi a moron to his face. "I'm gonna sacrifice myself for you." "And I'll help you do--" "NO."

No sooner has Piccolomon sent the Children away than he hears Piemon call out to him.

Piemon: Piccolomon, is it? Do you honestly believe that you, a Perfect-stage, could win against us? Piccolomon: Say whatever you want pi!

From the barrier bubble, the children see a bright flash of light illuminate the coliseum once more.

Hikari: Piccolomon is dead. Narrator: After paying a heavy sacrifice, the children finally arrive at Spiral Mountain. But their fight with the Dark Masters has only just begun.

Boy, what a fun and joyous final adventure we've embarked on!

The dub changes things up here. They add some silence breakers as the bubble flies away.

Matt: He's stronger than he looks! Gabumon: He'll have to be!

Then they cut straight to the final shot of everyone watching from the barrier.

Kari: Do you think it's possible he can do it? Gabumon: I don't know, Kari! I hope so!

From there, we cut back to Piximon confronting the Dark Masters.

Piximon: Rrrgh! Piedmon: How can such a powerless Digimon even think about defeating us, hmm!? Piximon: Just call me a crazy little Digimon! Narrator: Will Piximon hold off the Dark Masters long enough for the DigiDestined to reach Spiral Mountain? Watch the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.

The explosion that indicated Piximon's death has been cut, as has the shot of the kids' bubble arriving at Spiral Mountain. But don't worry, they're planning to remix the shit out of this last scene at the start of the next episode. We'll see what became of Piximon; You just got to wait a week with hope and anticipation in your heart before coming back to watch him brutally die.

Weird choice but okay.

Assessment: I remembered this arc being dark but I forgot how quickly it gets dark. Remember the "goofy" harassers from File Island THEY FUCKING DIED. But don't worry, the virtuous trainer who helped Taichi figure his shit out is here and he ALSO FUCKING DIED.

To set the tone, this episode is a bloodbath right out of the starting gate. They want you to know that nobody outside our core eight is safe anymore. This is war and people are going to die.

The dub keeps up and handles itself pretty well. It even manages to keep up with the darkening tone using euphemistic language but refraining from talking around the deaths happening onscreen. Yes, that includes Piximon's, even if they did kick it out to next episode.

Even down to the execution scene, there's none of that "Capture them, put them in a cage!" stuff that previous arcs would have employed. "Who would like to make their grand exit?" is flowery but unambiguous in its meaning, especially after explicitly killing someone onscreen.

We're in for a fucking ride.

[dracocheesecake]

First Date

Based on an idea inspired by @tranquilskies2

(I deviated a little)

Life, awareness, existence- he had been brought back from oblivion, his soul and body gathered and renewed…and he didn't even have a second to enjoy the sheer bliss of it, before he was drained, defeated, and shoved into a tiny cage, by an even tinier opponent. 

Needless to say, General Kai was already regretting this second chance at existing. He groaned, then slowly tried to move his limbs into a less cramped position- not easy, with the bars on every side, and his body still being as weak as it was. 

Oh, but no, he didn’t even get a chance to try to get comfortable: soon a bunch of those lizards with spears surrounded his cage, moving it onto a cart of some sort (only after a lot a jostling- the heavy metal and his own significant weight made sure of that, a massive burden for such thin limbs). They loaded him on, then rolled him to some other part of the…wherever he was. Palace? Prison? 

Kai peeked from between the bars of his cage, trying to see what was going on- but he seemed to be the only one being transported. He furrowed his brow. 

“Hey, where are we going?” He demanded. “Why am I being moved?” 

No response from his guards. Well, he had expected that; still annoying, though. He huffed and grabbed the bars as best as he could. 

“Hey, what are you- HEY!” 

The door of his cage was opened, and he was dumped into a large room. Kai landed on the hard floor with a grunt. Pain like pins and needles shocked his recently- revived nervous system. That was why he was too slow to escape before they removed the cage and closed the heavy door behind him, leaving him for the moment alone. Kai laid as he was, trying to calculate how he might be able to sit up without too much pain. 

It didn’t work out, so he decided to stay as he was, a pathetic lump on the floor. There was no telling how long he remained like that, until some feeling and ability to move came back to his limbs, and he was finally able to sit up and observe his surroundings. The room he was in was large, dome-shaped, with an entrance behind him and an exit before him- but both blocked up by round sliding doors- too heavy for him to move in this state; but even if he could, opening either wouldn’t lead to escape; too many guards, and he hadn’t his power. 

But why had he been moved here from his cage? Separated from the others? Why not anyone else?- He was puzzling this over when the door behind him opened again, and four more guards entered, one of which carried a pile of fine silks, carefully folded. He placed it down in front of Kai while the other three surrounded him with spears; Kai thought about how lucky they were, that he couldn’t take their chi. 

“Our Supreme Mistress wishes you to wear this,” the iguana before him said with a flourish of his arm. Kai raised his brows. 

“Who?” 

“The Chameleon,” all four said, and then two of the guards behind him pushed him down until his face was nearly to the floor while the third put handcuffs on him. 

“What are you-?!” 

Next thing he knew, the robes were on him, and now four little birds were in the room with all sorts of implements in fine boxes and on silk cushions. Before he could process exactly what was happening, his hair was being brushed, some sort of rice powder was applied to his face, something else to his lips, his eyes- and there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

Then he was up on his feet, being shoved towards the exit door with the points of many spears digging into the skin of his back; not that he feared them. He was immortal, so what were spears to someone who had been ripped from the Spirit Realm and back again twice already? 

The other door rolled aside. He went through, the cuffs were removed, and then the guards left the room, closing the door again behind them. Kai shouted a curse at them in mongolian, then turned to squint suspiciously at the rest of the room bathed in the lantern light. A long, low table was laid out- almost too low for him, or most people. On it was a banquet fit for an emperor, an array of fine foods piled high on exquisite platters, all on a table cloth of fine yellow silk. Red paper lanterns carefully lit the scene; but it wasn't just the dim lighting that made it hard for Kai to see his host. 

Fortunately, the way the table was laid out made it so his eye was forced to follow a pathway towards the far end, where she sat on a silk cushion: the tiny sorceress, his jailer, the Chameleon. 

Damn the unfair size advantage; if he had had any of his power left, he would have rushed at her and drained her instantly of every drop of chi and wore her as an amulet for the rest of time- but at the moment, it was all he could do to remain standing, and keep his shaking legs from betraying his weakness. So he had to content himself with sitting contemptuously across from her (and not collapsing into place). 

The Chameleon smiled. “About time you showed up. I almost worried that my guards were too incompetent to bring you from one room into another. Did you put up a fight?” 

The last part was said with a light note of mockery that made Kai snort. He picked up the pair of chopsticks laying by his plate and started stuffing his mouth full of dumplings- he wasn't hungry, as a Spirit Warrior he had no need to eat, but she seemed the type to be annoyed at bad table etiquette. 

“I wish. You're all just lucky that I don't have my strength right now,” he said between mouthfuls, “because if I did-” 

The Chameleon arched her brows and placed a delicate, frail little hand on her thin chest, as if scandalized. 

“Now, General Kai! No need to be so hostile! Especially towards the one who saved your soul from the depths of oblivion- but I understand, all the same: you're used to draining others of their power, so I suppose it only makes sense that you'd be a little sour, now that someone has drained you.” 

Kai swallowed. “Well there's a good question: what exactly did you ‘drain’ me of? That wasn't just chi.” He looked at his arms, holding them out in front of him and flexing them a little, rolling and stretching his wrists; they still felt as weak as cooked noodles, even now. He grimaced. 

She laughed with a lilt with lightning in it, something loud and powerful, and Kai found he liked it. He had always respected power, and strength, and she had both- despite her diminutive size. 

The realization disturbed him. He probed the feeling a little, trying to decide what it really was; maybe his mind was still hazy after the draining. 

She propped her elbows up on the table and folded her hands neatly in front of her, with as much elegance as an empress. Then she laid her little pointed chin on her bony fingers. Kai thought she looked delicate, like the finest porcelain dishes; but the grin that spread over her face and the manic gleam in her eye wasn't so. It bespoke the true nature hiding under the fragile surface: an insatiable demonic hunger for power, an evil that could barely be contained in such a tiny vessel. 

“Oh, no, not quite, but similar. I was inspired by you,” she said. 

That made Kai perk up. His ego, so recently and constantly wounded, began to heal. Still, he managed to sound only casually interested. 

“Oh?” 

Her manic grin widened. Kai thought her face was going to split in half- but it was cute to him, in a strange way.  “Oh, yes. I've kept close tabs on the Dragon Warrior's history- and Grandmaster Oogway's, even more so. No self-respecting, supposed ‘kung fu fanatic’ wouldn’t. And obviously, that meant knowing a little of your history, too.” 

Kai picked up his porcelain cup and swirled the rice wine around in it. He drained the tiny cup in one sip, then picked up the decanter itself and took a long swill. He belched. 

“So what? You're a fan or something? What do you want? My autograph?” A smirk pulled at the corner of his lip, though in truth, there was a sense of genuine excitement behind the thought: finally, after all of these centuries, some recognition! 

“Hm. No,” she said. “Not quite.” 

Well, there went his hopes, shattering into pieces to stab his ego again. He grit his teeth, leaning back insouciantly. 

“I'm more of a Tai Lung fan, really,” she continued, “but you were still a source of inspiration. You know: ‘collecting’ masters of kung fu from both realms, using their skills for yourself?” 

Kai narrowed his eyes. The pieces were coming together. He lowered the decanter. 

“...You took my skills.” 

“And some other things, too,” she said. 

“Like what?” 

“A sorceress never reveals her secrets,” she answered, smooth as the fine silk she wore. 

Kai set his jaw. He respected it, in a way, but her response made him uneasy- she in her entirety made him uneasy- but that response, the cool, almost joking way in which she so casually spoke about her magic, draining him and others of their power and strength- it was something else; and the worst part was, it made him like her even more. He swallowed another mouthful of dumplings loudly. 

“But I inspired this ‘secret’ of yours.” He leaned an elbow on the table, enjoying the brief twitch of her eyelid as he did so. He tried to look and sound less uncomfortable than he was. He glanced up at the ceiling, stroking his beard in thought. 

“I think I can figure this out: it does involve chi, obviously, that much is certain. You couldn't do it otherwise, and live- as a mortal, at least. Also the ‘collecting’ of previous and current masters-” 

“With some exceptions, involving the Dragon Warrior's foes,” the Chameleon supplemented. 

Kai nodded and gestured to her. “The peacock, I noticed that much. A means of hitting his psyche, I assume?” 

“Your assumption is correct,” she said. 

Kai nodded at this with an appreciative hum. “An underhanded strategy, but I respect it. The battle is one of the mind, first. The panda isn't as stupid and weak as he looks, though: I know from personal experience.” 

“I actually wanted to speak to you about that- you know, get some pointers before I face off against him and all,” she said. 

Kai swished the rice wine around in the decanter. “Well, first of all: don't underestimate him for a second.” 

“Obviously. That's why I summoned you and the others.” 

He snorted again. “Oh, well I guess you think you're going to do better,” he said disdainfully. 

“Well, only after learning from the Best,” she said. “I did go over the records- eyewitness accounts I've gleaned in disguise, journalist reports, what have you- and I find it hard to believe that the panda beating you wasn't just dumb luck.” 

That made Kai pause. His eyes were still on the decanter, but his ear flickered in her direction, as is saying ‘go on’. 

“I mean, General Kai? Beaten by a silly, fat panda who spent one minute learning to master chi and just understands it instantly? Versus a Master of the art?” The Chameleon scoffed. “Ridiculous.” 

Kai grunted. “I always thought so, myself. He had an unfair advantage, what with all of the other pandas backing him up. I actually came this close to having him in my own collection, but nooo- then he starts glowing- because of all of the pandas giving him their chi, where they learned that all of a sudden I don't know- breaks out of my jade, and then boom! Fight over.” 

He slammed the decanter down, steam puffing from his nostrils. The Chameleon watched him, her eyes sparkling, claws digging into the table with rapt excitement. 

“Really? What happened- tell me everything,” she said. 

That was all she needed to say: the floodgates opened, and Kai found himself spilling out every detail, sparing nothing as he vented his tale of woe and humiliation (with proper editing, of course- he had to save some of his image). He knew he shouldn't tell her too much- but he couldn’t help himself. The way she listened with rapt attention and interest, the way she added exclamations of sympathy now and again, was such that his pride could not resist giving in. 

“-Then he pulls the Wuxi Finger Hold trick again- on himself this time, grabbing me along with him- and it works! Taking me and him back to the Spirit Realm-” 

“What?! After it didn't work on you? That's so stupid that it's almost genius!” 

Kai snorted. “I know, right? And then, like I said, I started beating him, and almost had him on my belt before he just suddenly broke free-” 

“At just the right moment, too.” 

“Exactly. And then he made himself a chi dragon of some sort- with an outfit change and everything-” 

The Chameleon scoffed. “Cliché!” 

Kai laughed. “Right! And if that wasn't bad enough…” he cleared his throat a bit, hesitant in his embarrassment at the memory of his defeat. “...he uses said dragon to slurp up one of my blades like a noodle…” 

“No,” she gasped in disbelief. 

Kai nodded. “Yeah,” he said, “and that's not even the most humiliating part: one of my chains ended up wrapped around my ankle, and he dragged me through the Spirit Realm, sending me crashing through every rock island along the way-” 

Suddenly the sorceress bristled and slammed her thin fist into the table. “How dare he!” 

To his surprise, she actually got up and began to pace on her end of the table, rushing back and forth, shaking her head and hissing and rambling from under her breath, between clenched teeth. 

“Has he no propriety?! The supposed successor of Grandmaster Oogway the Magnificent, and he doesn't even pretend to have any sort of modesty or respect for his opponents, by honoring them with a graceful defeat! No, makes a show of it! A- a joke! How dare he?! How dare he?! How dare he?! That foolish-” 

She hissed and whispered frantically to herself for a moment, and the histrionics made Kai chuckle. “Don't pop a blood vessel, squirt,” he said, though he truly felt flattered that she should be so offended on his behalf. 

The sorceress seemed to collect herself again and resumed her seat, her face smoothing over any emotion like magic. 

“I apologize. I just can't believe that you were forced to face such indignities. I would have thought that the student of Master Shifu, mentored by Grandmaster Oogway himself-” 

“Oh, no, Oogway was like that, too,” Kai said. He felt his jaw clench, and it took effort to get the words out. “Oogway was always a gloating show-off who couldn't spare his enemies their dignity. So really, the panda's a perfect fit to fill that shell.” 

The Chameleon chuckled. Kai liked the sound of it. “He'll need to lay off the dumplings before he'll be able to squeeze into it.” 

Kai laughed, spitting out his drink. She laughed. Again, he felt that strange surge of liking warm in his chest, and he found himself powerless against it; could it be some sort of magic of hers, manipulating him?- But he didn't really feel enchanted. And as the dinner went on and their conversation turned towards other things- namely Kai's previous exploits in the Spirit Realm, and his battles and achievements- he found he liked her more and more. 

He didn't know how long they had been talking and laughing- only that eventually he noticed the candles in the lanterns were burning down. wn. Maybe a few hours had passed, though it hadn’t felt like it. Kai hadn’t had a conversation that good in centuries, not since he and Oogway were still friends. 

Nonetheless, though, it came to an end; maybe she was tired, or, as he supposed, had more pressing business to attend to, because soon the door behind him opened again, admitting his guard. Kai stood, offering no resistance. 

“Well, I guess this means dinner’s come to an end,” he said, bowing to her- a polite nothing, really, just a formality. 

“Unfortunately,” she agreed. “I’m expecting a certain guest of honor soon, and I have much work to do to prepare before then- other interviews, traps to lay, masters to collect- but it has been wonderful to speak with you.” 

“Same here,” Kai admitted. The Chameleon chuckled. 

“I will have to arrange another dinner with you before I face the Dragon Warrior. I am going to need more advice on how to combat that ‘panda style’ of his. And once again, I have to say I am sorry you suffered such humiliation at his paws. Perhaps I can avenge your honor, General.” 

Kai felt his face flush- he liked the way she said that: ‘general’, one of his titles. He knew he had been used, of course, he knew he was going back in that cage now that dinner was over, another piece in her collection, perhaps for all of eternity, if she really did beat the panda…but all the same, even knowing that, Kai couldn’t help but think that he would like to talk to her again. 

“We’ll see,” he said, and turned and left with the guards behind him.

[muses-of-the-memory]

"Man, the lull period between patrols is boring...I wonder if there's anyone willing to spar with me around here?"

As he's looking around, He notices Trunks walking around Conton City, and floats over to approach him.

"Hey Trunks! How's it going?"

The Future Trunks, son of both the Saiyan Prince Vegeta and Bulma Briefs of Capsule Corp from the future, and assistant to the Supreme Kai of Time in Conton City was coming back from patrolling with his partner, the Time Hero.

He then sees the Earthling Time Patroller floating over to him. "Oh, hey there. Everything's fine. I just got back with my partner from our Time Patrol." He responded.

@paragonsoflight

[cuttyclowngirl]

Daima Ep.2 (Spoilers) review/theories

•Shenron is a troll and basically confirmed he considers the z fighters & co his homies, so no Evil Third Eye (Tertian Oculus) for King Gohma... Yet. Also, at least King Gohma won't stoop to baby k*lling, though kidnapping is still bad. It's extra motivation for our protags though.

•Neva thankfully can't spam kidnapping/reviving D balls. At least not Earth's D balls. Neva also won't just hand over his D balls to anyone no matter what who they are it seems. Tamagami's look like they'll put up a good fight.

•Always wondered what was under Popo's turban. Kinda cute. He kept his cool, probably assuming Goku & crew can help. Chi-Chi & Bulma react exactly as expected. I hope kid Roshi doesn't get too weird about this. Also, proof that Goten & Trunks were born to be best friends.

•Bulma's staff members have great designs. Hope they get fanart. And Bulma taking advantage of Kibito's teleportation is a classic Toriyama bit.

•So Namekians were free spirited demons who migrated out of the demon realm, leaving Neva alone with his responsibilities. (As stated by Piccolo who never had a reason to bring him up till now.) Other demons had done so as well, until it became forbidden without permission. Not even "Kai-Kai" can teleport you into the demon realm. Goku & crew definitely don't have permission, which will lead to trouble.

•Thank goodness being turned into kids is actually affecting the Z-fighters and their not just going "Oh well!" Y'know?

•BLOOD! YIPPEE! NYOIBO! HOORAY! NIMBUS! WOO - oh...

•Thank goodness the pointy ears thing was cleared up so early, cuz some people were immediately becoming annoyingly dismissive out of confusion.

•Shin's (Supreme Kai) ship (beaten up during G & V's fight with K Buu) definitely ties into the collective backstory of him & his siblings. Flashbacks ahead, for sure.

•Confirmation that the 3 demon worlds have their own rulers beneath the Supreme King of the entire realm. (Toriyama was so jrpg story-pilled.) The opening featured who is likely former Supreme King Abura(Dabura's father). We'll probably get a specific flashback showing how the Tertian Oculus was lost. Looks like it appears 43 seconds into the opening. Metal design confirmed.

•While the feathers in the intro and outro are likely tributing Toriyama-sensei, I can't help but wonder if the feathers coincidentally also belong to a new creature that will help Goku in a major way. Perhaps the demon realm equivalent to Toki-Toki? There's also the shots with focus on water in the intro. I suspect they hint at the Namekian's original demon Homeland.

•Theory : Dr Arinsu is clearly manipulative and was mentioned to have already visited Earth, probably collecting all sorts of Intel. My theory is that she's manipulating Glorio, Panzy, and the 3rd world King to get rid of King Gohma, while also tricking Goku & crew into collecting Neva's D balls to obtain the Tertian Oculus/becoming Demon Queen. Explains why Glorio seems to know too much. The whole "the 3rd demon world King told me." Thing doesn't necessarily explain why Glorio already knew about the current situation. Glorio said "I was given the request in secret to come get you." A little convenient, yeah?

•I teared up at the OP & ED.

[ga-yuu]

~PROLOGUE~

------Welcome.

This is a world where everyone's dreams come true.

Now, what dreams shall we have?

For instance, a dream about eating the best food in the world.

...........

Oscar: "Delicious!!"

Everyone else: *gasps*

Oscar: "The magical sight that induces intense hunger, the exquisite texture that makes you ecstatic..."

Oscar: "The taste of the ingredients, the selected supreme flavours come together in your mouth and harmonizes with each other."

Oscar: "Truly....a gastronomic festival packed with all the delicacies from around the world!"

Oscar: "....This is what the ultimate ingredients and an ultimate chef can do. My dream of what looks like the ultimate gastronomic experience has now been fulfilled."

Cui: "Yayyhhh...!!! I did it! I did it! I finally got it!"

Kuchen: "Hahaha. You did it Cui. Who knew it would turn out so good, right?"

Rissh: "Mm....Cui nii-san is the best! He's the coolest! Also Kuchen is a genius!"

Oscar: "We have taken over gastronomy of the world. Gastronomy Guild has become the ultimate gourmet guild."

Oscar: "Everyone, please continue to work hard without being complacent. All for the sake of gastronomy----"

Kuchen, Cui, Rissh: "Yes sir!"

........

Or a dream of getting rich in casinos.

........

Seven: "........"

Ymir: "So...?"

Seven: "............"

Victor: "Oh my gosh! I'm getting so excited!!! I'm dying!!"

Seven: "........"

Ren: "Get'em, Seven!"

Camus: "6 - 4, Player wins."

Victor and Ren: "He did it!!!!!!!"

Ymir: *whistles~*

Victor: "I can't believe it! He won 10 BILLION gold!!"

Ren: "Hahaha...that's such a ridiculous amount of money...I can't stop laughing.."

Camus: "Next game. Bet please."

Seven: "........"

Camus: "Do you wish to continue? or do you want to withdraw? It's already enough to last you several lifetimes."

Seven: ".......Don't be silly."

Seven: "10 billion gold. I'll bet the whole amount."

Ymir, Victor and Ren: *gasps*

Camus: "Fufu....I see."

........

Or a common everyday dream.

........

Kai: "That's-what-I'm-saying. Mine is bigger! Mine is the biggest one!"

Zion: "Are your eyes for decoration? Clearly, mine is bigger than yours."

Ghee: "Ahaha...both of yours pumpkins are big enough....it's a draw, so I guess you guys...can stop...fighting?"

Kai: "I won the giant pumpkin contest."

Zion: *sighs* "First you forced me to compete with you, you lose and now you're whining. Seeing you being delusional makes me want to cry."

Kai: "Are you asking for a fight, you bastard!?"

Ghee: "G-Guys..can you HEAR ME~....!?"

Est: "Both of you are amazing! You've exceeded my expectations. Fufu..You have a great nose as a teacher."

Ghee: "Please teacher...don't laugh at this time..."

Est: "It's fine. They say 'the more we fight, the more we care' right?"

Kai and Zion: "I'll....keep fighting you!"

Ghee: "Fufu...it seems so."

...........

This world is full of dreams.

"No.."

This world is full of white hope.

"No...that's strange."

Why do you think so, seeing all this happiness?

"Because in this world..."

"They are not..."

...........

??: "....Emma."

??: "Hey, can you hear me!? Stay strong!"

Kuro: "Ah! Can you see me, Emma?"

Emma: "Was I....dreaming?"

Kuro: "Were you having a nightmare? But then again..."

Noah: "The scene happening in front of me right now is also a nightmare."

Itsuki: "Eden..."

Grandflare: "Eden! Why...?"

Kuro: "Eden is trying to make his dream come true. But...that's the same for us."

Rouge: "Yes yes. Everyone is so selfish, huh?"

Kuro: "Yeah. For each other's selfish dreams..."

Kuro: "Let's give it our all! Eden!"

..........

....

........

Kuro: ".......I'll make it happen, I promise."

Kuro: "Even if you disappear from this world."

Eden: "Heh. I see."

Eden: "Then....come at me."

...........

The world is full of shining dreams.

Sometimes, we seek it and know the pain of not getting it.

So what? I'm never gonna let go of your hand.

Let's go, to fulfil our precious dreams.

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers CHAOS LINEAGE ー Subaru [01]

ー The scene starts in the dungeon of the Violet Manor

Subaru: Aah? Why me?

Yui: ( Uu, his glare gives me cold shivers...But this guy, for some reasonーー )

You seemed like a nice person so...

Subaru: Hah? I think you’re gettin’ the wrong idea here. Fuck off... Besides, I don’t wanna have to bother watchin’ over you!

Yui: B-But we agreed that I would choose one person...

Subaru: Che, what a pain.

...Fine, I just gotta do it, right!? But don’t cause trouble for me, ‘kay?

Yui: O-Okay. Thank you very much.

( He actually accepted it. Sure, he might seem scary on the outside, but strangely enough, he strikes me as a kind person. )

( I’m not sure why I feel that way though... )

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: Nn...Where am I...?

( Ah...Right. The manor’s dungeon...I must have fallen asleep. )

Monologue

After waking up at the Church,

I was taken to the Violet Manor.

Once locked away in the dungeon,

they told me to choose someone to watch over me, so I picked Subaru-san.

While he may seem scary at first glance,

I feel as if he has a gentle side to him as well.

With that in mind,

I asked him to be in charge of supervising me, butーー

Subaru: What? You’re awake?

Yui: ...! Yes, I woke up.

( I wonder if he kept an eye on me the whole time while I was asleep as well? I didn’t notice at all. )

( Also, is he upset or something? He seems to be in a really foul mood. )

( At first he struck me as a kind guy for some reason, but perhaps that was a misunderstanding on my part...? )

Subaru: What’s your problem? You’re so annoyin’. Don’t just watch me in silence. If you’ve got somethin’ to say, spit it out!

Yui: W-Well...My bad.

( He said I should say what’s on my mind so...I guess I’ll ask? )

Uhm, how long will I have to stay in this cell?

Subaru: Like I know. That’s up to Carla to decide.

Yui: ( In other words, there’s no telling when I’ll be able to get out? )

Excuse me! Can’t you ask him to let me out?

Subaru: Are you dumb? Hell no.

Sure, you might be the ‘legendary Eve’ who is necessary for someone to become the next Supreme Overlord, but I bet you think you’re oh-so special, don’t you?

That arrogance of yours pisses me the hell off.

Yui: ...Ugh.

( I guess it’s no use after all...Seems like I only made him even more mad. )

Subaru: Che. Thanks for ruinin’ my mood even more.

I want to just isolate myself in my room, and as if that isn’t bad enough, I’m here havin’ to look after some chick instead.

Yui: I-I’m sorry...

Subaru: Aah!? Too fuckin’ late to apologize now!

Yui: Eek...!

Subaru: The way you flinch like that pisses me off too. You’re the one who chose me for this job, remember? 

Are you havin’ regrets now or somethin’!?

*Thud*

Yui: Kyaah!?

( H-He dented the iron bars with his foot...I was wrong to think he’s a nice guy. He’s incredibly rough around the edges...! )

Subaru: Fuck! This anger has made me thirsty...

...Oi, come here for a sec.

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: Hurry up. Walk up to the bars.

Yui: Ah, s-sure...

( Who knows what he’ll do if I refuse....I have no other choice but to obey. )

ー Yui approaches the iron bars

Yui: I-Is this okay?

Subaru: ...You actually came? What a dumb woman you are.

Yui: Eh?

Subaru: Everyone at this manor is a Vampire. Myself included.

Yui: Y-Yes...

( I wonder what he means with that? )

Subaru: I can tell by the look on your face that you don’t get it at all. ...It’s that ignorance which will come biting you in the ass. Like this!

*Clang*

*Rustle*

Yui: Kyaah!?

*Rustle*

Yui: L-Let me go, please! What on earth are you...!?

Subaru: I’m tryin’ to teach you that you don’t understand your own position. From a Vampire’s point of view, humans are our food.

Maybe you were hopin’ to get treated like some damn Princess ‘cause you’re the legendary Eve but...

I’ll remind you that as long as you’re down here, you’re nothin’ but mere prey.

Yui: N-No way!

*Rustle*

Subaru: Come on, I’ll suck from your shoulder. It might hurt if you don’t keep still. Nn...Nnh...

ー Subaru bites her

Yui: ...Ah.

( He’s sucking my blood...His fangs are sinking into my shoulder...! )

( Is this what he meant by ‘prey’? Am I going to spend the rest of my days locked up down here as these people feed off my blood? )

( No, I don’t want that...! )

Stop! Let me go, please!

*Rustle* 

Subaru: Oi, don’t thrash ‘bout! Didn’t I tell you to keep still!?

Anyway, the fuck’s up with this blood...? It’s way more sweet than I thought.

Damnit, I just wanted to scare you a lil’ by bitin’ you but I can’t stop...! ...Nn...

Yui: ...Kuh...

( These fangs...This pain...For some reason, it feels nostalgic to me. Do I know this sensation...? )

( Why? How...? )

Subaru: Nn...Hah...Nnh...

Yui: Aah...!

ー Yui starts growing dizzy

Yui: ( The place where he bit is burning...The heat’s rising to my head andーー )

ー She experiences flashbacks of her past memories

Yui: Wha...?

( What...? Where is...that place I saw just now? )

ー Yui has another flashback

Yui: ( Uu...! ...What are these images...? )

( I know...this house. It’s a very nostalgic place but... )

( Uu, kuh...It’s like something is stirring up my mind... )

*Riiiing*

Yui: Ah...Aah...

...I...I...

Subaru: Haah...What’s wrong? Is somethin’ the matter?

Yui: That place...

It is the home, we must return to...

Subaru: ...Haah?

ー Yui regains her memories

Yui: Aah...! Aaaaaaah!!!

*WOOSH*

ー The screen temporarily fades to white

Yui: ( A bunch of different images and information...are swirling inside my head at once... )

( Right...I am, we areーー )

Uu...Kuh...

Subaru: Oi!? What has gotten into you all of a sudden!? Whatcha screamin’ for!?

Yui: ...No, I am not the legendary Eve.

I’m...Yui...

Subaru: ...Haah?

Yui: ( Right...I remembered everything. )

( I moved into the Sakamaki manor and met Subaru-kunーー Then we eventually started dating. )

( I could have sworn I was there before I suddenly awoke at the Church. Where is this place? )

( Why did I...forget who I am? )

( It’s not just me either. Everyone is acting strange. )

Subaru: What’s with that dumb look on your face...? Did you lose your mind ‘cause I sucked a bit of your blood?

Yui: No, I haven’t. I remembered everything, that’s all...

How could I forget about something so important...?

Hey, Subaru-kun! What is going on? Where are we!?

Subaru: Haah? 

Yui: Why are Carla-san and the others at the same manor...? Do the Tsukinami brothers own these lands?

Subaru: Oh shut up...What nonsense do you keep spoutin’?

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: Did you forget overnight? Carla is my older brother. Why would it be strange for him to live here?

Yui: No way...

( Carla-san is his older brother? There’s just no... )

( But they did introduce themselves like that yesterday. What is going on? )

R-Right. Where is Ayato-kun? And Kanato-kun...You remember your own brothers, don’t you?

Subaru: My brothers? Those dudes from the Orange House?

Hah! The fuck are you sayin’? They’re the enemy!

Yui: No way...

*Thud* 

Yui: T-Then, what about me!? Do you know who I am!?

Subaru: You’re Eve, right? The woman needed to become the Supreme Overlord of this place. I haven’t forgotten that.

Yui: No, that’s not what I meant...

( We’re a couple, Subaru-kun. ...Sakamaki Subaru-kun. )

Selection

→ Tell him that you are dating (♡)

Yui: ( I wonder if he’ll remember if I tell him the truth...? )

Hey, Subaru-kun. We’re dating, you know.

Subaru: ...Haah? You’ve been spoutin’ nothin’ but bullcrap this one time, but that one beats all.

Are you sayin’ that sorta stuff ‘cause you wanna get outta here and regain your freedom?

I won’t let you out of your cell, even if you keep on talkin’ out of your ass.

In the end, you’ll just get chased ‘round by those other guys if you make it out of here.

Then I’d argue that you’re still better off down here.

→ Tell him that you know each other (🖤)

Yui: ( Subaru-kun sees me as a stranger...? )

( His memories are jumbled up after all... )

( Even if he can’t recall that we’re lovers, I wish he would remember me somewhere deep downーー ) 

Subaru-kun. We didn’t meet for the first time yesterday.

We’ve known each other...for a very long time.

Subaru: Che...Why are you makin’ all of this crap up?

I met you for the first time yesterday. Now cut the crap or you’ll be in for a world of pain.

Yui: ( I guess he won’t believe me after all... )

Subaru: ...Do you want to get outta here so badly?

Even if you somehow were to escape this manor, you’ll just be caught by one of the other guys. You really are an idiot.

Yui: ( Subaru-kun wouldn’t joke around about something like this... )

( He truly does not does doubt the fact that he is Subaru from the Violet Manor. )

( Could it be that his memories have been altered, just like mine were up till now? And those of the others’ too. )

( I wonder what we’ve gotten ourselves caught up in...? )

Subaru: ...Why do you look mortified?

Aah, I guess it makes sense to be in shock after havin’ your blood sucked for the first time ever. You’ve only got your own carelessness to blame though.

Yui: ( No, that wasn’t the first time. He’s drank my blood so many times. )

( But right now, I’m mere food in this eyes, not his girlfriend or anything even remotely close to that... )

( Almost as if we’re back to square one...That just can’t be. )

Subaru: Oi, don’t be tearin’ up now. The other guys will get the wrong idea.

*Thud*

ー Kou approaches them

Kou: Hey there~! Getting along just fine? You guysー ...Wait. Woah, what’s with the heavy atmosphere?

Azusa: Eve...Looks as if she’s about to cry. Did something...happen?

Yui: ( Kou-kun, Azusa-kun... )

Kou: Ah! You were picking on her, weren’t you!?

Azusa: You mustn’t...Subaru. You have to take good care of Eve...

Subaru: Don’t be makin’ assumptions! I’m not a lil’ kid!

Anyway, why are you guys here? 

Kou: Ah, right! Carla-kun’s asking for you. There’s something he wants to talk about, apparently.

Subaru: Carla does?

Azusa: Yes...That’s why we’ve come to get the two of you...

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: ...She’s coming as well?

Yui: ( Subaru-kun’s glaring at me. I guess he’s suspicious of me after I said all those strange things... )

Subaru: I don’t mind lettin’ her out of her cell, but don’t blame me when she makes a run for it!

She’s willing to go as far as to lie just to escape this place after all.

Yui: ( I never lied though... )

Azusa: Don’t worry...We’ll help out as well, so let’s go while keeping a close eye on her, so she doesn’t escape... 

Subaru: Lock her up, then let her out. Stop changin’ your damn mind every five seconds.

Kou: Go complain to Carla-kun about that. It’s not our fault.

Azusa: ...Carla is the eldest son of the Violet House, so we only do as he says...

Yui: ( Kou-kun and Azusa-kun don’t seem doubtful of the current family make-up either... )

( Even though Carla-san is a Founder, so there’s no way he’d be related to Vampires. )

( I wonder how this happened...? )

Subaru: ...God, what a drag. Oi, Eve! Get outta your cell. Don’t cause me trouble, ‘kay?

Yui: ( Does the problem lie with everyone else? Or maybe I’m the issue...? I don’t know, Subaru-kun! )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[switchbrainedholylime]

The Ghost King meets the King of Limes

@hua-cheng-silver-wrath

To be the best, learn from the best. That was something Zomu knew that as a martial artist since working with Master Roshi all those years ago when he was no older than twelve, now he knew it as the supreme kai, aka the ruling god, Universe 7.

So why not pay a visit to Universe 1's supreme kai, Anato, the universe lauded as the highest and mightiest of all, with the most lush diverse ecosystems, vast amounts of species, and most importantly (in Zomu's mind at least) strong martial artists.

The problem? Anato told him to, and this is an exact quote, "Stop wasting my time and screw off to your backwoods, barbaric universe! You're going to sully mine with your dirty hands. Get out, you uncouth lime!" Before the other kai promptly tossing piping hot tea onto Zomu's lap.

Of course, this didn't deter our heroic Saiyan-turned-kai Zomu as he could always go about exploring each planet on his own to find inspiration for new species blueprints to create in his own, much smaller universe.

After all, one of Universe 7's best planets, Namek, had just gone through another famine. Their fields were already rendered infertile by a certain fungus, and they were now destined to have another poor harvest next year. They needed a more hardy crop if they wanted to survive. And if Universe 1 was so great, they've got to have a fungus-proof crop there, right?

Well, based on the poverty seen in the rural towns...that wasn't the case. Zomu had seen that the people of this world were VERY religious; they had statues of the gods of this planet everywhere. There were those made of gold and filled with flowers, and there were much smaller, more modest temples as well.

Zomu picked through some of the plants in a field near a rundown temple made of wood.

First he assumed the people of this tiny village didn't have the funds for a fancy temple, but there were nicer ones nearby. He paid it no thought, really.

"Let's see...we have this, this is the same kinda plant that went back on Namek...er, this won't do....oh! This is new! I've never seen this kind!" Zomu plucked a unique strain of radish out of the ground. He then took a bite out of it. He happily chomped on it while talking with his mouth full, "It's a little bitter, but I think it'll do--"

Zomu then swallowed his food quickly. He sensed a massive, powerful qi nearby. He dusted himself off and turned around to face whatever the source of it was.

[cc-dbz-skw]

Pan Judged Spar [Piccolo & Zomu]

cc-dbz-skw “It’s amusing that you declined to become the next Guardian of the Earth when Kami offered you the job, and now you’re a Supreme Kai,” Piccolo commented as he approached Zomu. “I overheard your talk with Gohan, you want to spar, with Pan being the judge, right?”

@switchbrainedholylime answered:

"Yeah, it's sorta...what's the fancy word that Gohan's students use...'ironic'? Yeah, ironic!" Zomu nodded fervently as he felt more confident in understanding literary devices. "Yeah, I'm up to spar with you! Is lil' Pan ready?"

"Hmph, to think you would best me in vocabulary like this one day," Piccolo commented with a chuckle. Hopefully, Zomu will not start speaking more formally like a Supreme Kai too.

"Yeah!" Gohan answered as he flew over with Pan. "Pan will be judging, but I want to see this for myself too!"

"Well then follow me, I'll lead you all to an island where we can have our battle without worrying about the surroundings." The Namek then flew ahead, leading them to a deserted island, perfect for them to go all out.

"Alright, do you want to set any rules?" PIccolo asked as he landed, trying to address Zomu by name but wasn't too sure about the preference. "By the way, what do we call you now by name?"

[arsenalgbt]

Declan’s searching for Kai’s favorite Supreme jumper when he comes across it.  At least twenty varying sizes and configurations of dildos and plugs stored neatly in a plastic bin, hidden away behind a pile of sleep shirts and joggers. Some knotted, some battery powered, some sparkly and curved with extra girth at the tip. 

HELLOOOOOOOOOOO alpha!kai getting the bitching by declan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! go leave a kudos and comment there. eye swear either it's arsenal RPF or football RPF in general... so stinky........ leave a kudos at least......... the kudos button is literally RIGHT THERE................. it baffles me when ao3 users bookmark my works but they don't even leave a kudos LOL plssssssssss it's the least you can do as a reader. i can say this because i write AND read ya feel me teehee LEAVE A KUDOS ON THE FIC YOU ENJOY :D

[fandom-trash-xl]

EPISODE 1: CONSPIRACY

Hello, hello! Welcome back to weekly Dragon Ball commentary- feels good to say that, these posts were my roots on this website.

I would like to thank a friend for sharing their Crunchyroll and to apologize in advance to my roommate who has already caught me mid-ramblings- sorry, bestie, this is going to last several more Fridays.

Anyway, onto our very first episode of Dragon Ball Daima!

Firstly, an amazing "welcome back to Dragon Ball" recap. Since the Power Pole is due to make its comeback, I'm not surprised that they didn't forget to include a reference to the series roots in OG Dragon Ball- and the fade to them growing up AAAAHHH MY HEART

"Saiyans are known for appearing youthful for longer"- OH YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW

And speaking of recapping, we're introduced to the silly little demon clown guy, Gomah, and Shin's out-of-nowhere brother, Degesu, as they do an abridged Mystery Science Theater of the Buu Arc. Apparently, all powerful Demon Not-Kais still rely on pen and paper to take notes.

With no one left to oppose him after the disposal of the Majins and Dabura, Gomah's the king of the Demon Realm. And turns out Shin also has an out-of-nowhere sister too, Dr. Arinsu. Wonder why she has the God of Destruction gold collar? Might be relevant, might just be jewelry.

It's looking like I may have to finally dip my toes in the Xenoverse lore... we're getting suspiciously close to Towa territory.

However, Goku and his friends pose a threat to Gomah's power- because of course they do, it's Goku and friends- so we need a way to nerf them in the way that's not an evil wish. So, let's turn them into kids! GT BUT ON PURPOSE!

The Demon Realm has their own Dragon Balls created by a senile Namekian they picked up off the street, but they're guarded by these figures called the Tagamis- safe bet that they'll be fighting the Tagamis later.

We have a confirmed timeline placement! It's not long after the Buu Saga and Trunks is turning nine. Gohan is conveniently off studying... why the exclusion? We don't know yet.

And now for the two casual lore drop points that I proceeded to ramble about because my roommate had just walked in:

Saiyans get growth spurts at 15

I guess this was a casual excusing of Goten and Trunks still being short in Super and it sort of lines up with Goku in original DB. He grew slightly, but I guess he was a late bloomer because he was still rather petite at the King Piccolo fight where (not counting Minus) he was 16.

But, Gohan! He had a decent amount of height at 11 in the Cell Saga. Perhaps he got a little more of the Ox King genetics than Goten did.

Goku then proceeds to slander Vegeta's height and- "He's right behind me, isn't he?"

THE SECOND POTARA RETCON

Yep, it happened again. We went from "Potara fusion is permanent, we don't know what happened with Vegito" to "Potara fusion is permanent for Supreme Kais, but if it's two mortals, it's a hour" to, now, "it was Buu's stomach acid the whole time!"

So, instead of using the Dragon Balls to separate like in Super, Kibito Kai just had Buu eat them and spit them out.

I guess this helps confirm that Daima's running on its own track and won't lead into Super. Does this mean we have three separate canons now? I'm okay with this. At least this means my fanfics are safe.

Also, looking a bit pale there, Kibito.

Back to the plot:

Seems that all of the Namekians were originally from the Demon Realm! The Demon Gang can tell because of the pointy ears- I'm getting Owl House flashbacks.

Then what does that mean for Mr. Popo?

The old Namekian magnetizes all the Dragon Balls to the lookout- because of course he can- then reactivates them from their stone state- because of course he can.

Shenron's not dealing with any monkey's paws today and he's not going to guess like Ultimate Shenron did in GT- you're going to want to input all the settings you want for your turn people into kids wish. The adult gang are all first graders and the kids are now babies.

THE WISH HITS RIGHT AT THE END OF THE EPISODE

We'll have to deal with the fallout of this next episode. Hope someone fills Gohan in.

---

Feel free to send asks- I'll screenshot them if there's spoilers so I can put the question under a Keep Reading break if need be- or have a discussion in the replies.

Otherwise, stay tuned for more of my ramblings next Friday!

[cboffshore]

Both Djinn and Oni are seen as evil in the show but they don’t necessarily have to be. I wonder if there’s a Dragon-adjacent species in the Realms? If I squint, you can put Arin who’s Oni-coded with Lloyd’s old helmet or whatever with Nya and Sora with…whoever. But she’s Dragon-coded, AND Creation coded to Arin’s hypothetical Destruction. If I squint really hard I swear you can give Arin a character arc with Nya there’s gotta be more than just them not having any real powers at the start of the show.

I feel like my certified big brain bestie @nyaskitten would also enjoy this ask (and probably with WAY more coherence than me) so I'm inviting them to the party as well.

Before Raine shows up, here's my handful of assorted thoughts about this ask (under the cut for DRS1 spoilers:)

Regarding the Oni-Djinn-Dragon spectrum you imply and that I am about to run away with: what if the djinn are actually the MIDPOINT of that hypothetical range? I'm suggesting this because our sample size for djinn is so small right now (in order of appearance we ONLY have Jackass Supreme, Mr. Expo-Dump-And-Die, and Arrakore (who I do not yet have a funny summarizing nickname for because he's got like ten minutes of screentime under his belt), which isn't enough for me to extrapolate from) and we really don't have a TON of information to suggest that they lean one way or another as a collective. (Obviously if we get a montage of a bunch of resurrected djinn proving that Arrakore is the outlier by, I dunno, committing grand tax fraud or something, THEN we can make an overall assumption.) They do, however, display visual indicators of both Oni and Dragon - Nadakhan's finale evil magic ball things are destruction purple and Arrakore's magic manifests as bright creation gold - and generally otherworldly powers, although we don't know how universal they are. Nadakhan is the only one we ever see using most of the non wish-granting abilities like shapeshifting and teleportation (that reminds me, I still need to get that magic gatekeeping theory out!), but I'd assume that that early Skybound line where all Kai knows of djinn is that they're "sneaky and have great power" probably means this isn't a one-off thing. Anyway, back on track - I do agree that the djinn lean towards the Oni side given what little we've seen so far, but that evidence field is so small that any hint of Dragon coding in there could tip it. And Arrakore might not have done much yet, but I do think he's contributing to the Dragon side and dragging their alignment closer to the middle of the scale.

Regarding the Arin thing: I fully agree that Arin could have a killer connection with Nya right now, but I actually like that his arc is a bit disconnected from the rest of the team at the moment! Ninjago has always had a funky problem of shoving protagonists into relationships straight off the bat, whether that be romantic or not, so it's interesting that Arin's a bit emotionally isolated. He's very much trying to sort himself out, which isn't something I really remember getting in the first fifteen seasons. I feel like that's going to be a huge part of season 2 and I'm really curious to see how it's handled! Too curious to speculate, really, but that might change later, and I do love what you're going for here.

That was kind of a mess, but I hope it made some sense! Thanks for the ask!