#otherwise all of season 2 is moot and I refuse to believe that

[venatrixarts]

I have many feelings about this finale that I must process but can I just say, absolute beautiful tomfoolery that Liandrin is now 2-0 on “Nynaeve is self-blocked/won’t channel? AES SEDAI HATE THIS ONE TRICK-” *proceeds to attack Nynaeve*

Methods? Terrible. Results? Yes.

[lady-divine-writes]

For drabble list #2 Ineffable Husbands "When I'm with you, I'm home." Crowley to Zira.

Here you are. I hope you like it <3

Home (Rated PG13)

When Aziraphale notices Crowley eschew going back to his flat at the end of the night in favor of sleeping in his Bentley outside Aziraphale’s shop, Aziraphale braves a rainstorm to find out why. (1732 words)

Aziraphale hums happily as he removes a saucepan of milk from the stove and prepares his mug of cocoa – a plucky, rich, Bolivian blend he had smuggled into Soho a few decades earlier. The moment the milk hits the shredded chocolate, his entire bookshop smells sweeter, homier, cozier (if such a thing is possible).

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons spins on the gramophone - a rare original pressing he purchased from an estate sale longer ago than he cares to remember. Strains of Summer fill the air, the notes dancing off those long silenced violin strings evoking memories of warmth and whimsy; bright afternoons spent strolling through fragrant grass, feeding ducks at the pond, soaking in felicity in all its romantic forms.

Ironic since it’s currently hours before dawn in the middle of autumn, the sky black as fresh tar and raining buckets outside.

Aziraphale sets his mug of cocoa down on his desk and takes a peek out the closest window. Beneath the relentlessly beating spray, a Bentley sits, parked alone by the curb, a dark sentry guarding his storefront. Aziraphale sighs. It must be freezing outside! As the thought passes through his mind, a violent wind blows, pushing the rain sideways and making his glass panes shiver. The Bentley’s engine is off. Aziraphale can see that from here. Which means no heater. Even if Crowley has miracled the heater on, there has to be a chill.

Crowley doesn’t like the chill air. He dresses in layers and wool coats during the winter. But the last time Aziraphale saw him (roughly eight hours ago) he only had a thin button down and a satin jacket on – more style than substance in Aziraphale’s opinion.

Why is he out there? It’s three in the morning! Why isn’t he home, riding out the storm with a bottle of whiskey, lying beneath the thick comforter on his enormous bed? It sounds like the perfect way to spend a blustery evening like this to Aziraphale, who rarely likes to sleep.

A streak of lightning brightens the sky and Aziraphale sees him, his profile painting a stoic silhouette on the driver’s side window. He must be miserable, sitting upright in that cramped leather seat. Aziraphale would say he’s being ridiculous and stubborn, but he has no clue what about! Thunder pounds out a discordant rhythm overhead. A flash of lightning follows on its heels, then another boom of thunder immediately after that, indicating this storm is going nowhere.

If tonight is anything like last night and the night before, neither is Crowley.

And Aziraphale needs to find out why.

***

Knock-knock-knock.

“Mrrr …” Crowley stirs grumpily, squeezing his eyelids shut tight. He’s not asleep, just resting his eyes. The lightning overhead along with the raindrops reflecting the neon shop signs like a thousand liquid points of light are doing his head in. The pounding of the rain on the body of his car pings inside his ears like a twenty-gallon drum of tailor’s pins overturned on a rusted tin roof.

He couldn’t sleep even if he wanted to.

Knock-knock-knock.

A second disturbance but louder. Crowley refuses to open his eyes.

“Go … away …” he mumbles through his teeth, hoping his voice carries. He doesn’t have the energy to move more than that. It’s this blasted cold! He’d decided to let his body shut down naturally instead of wasting a miracle to get the heater running.

Didn’t need anyone downstairs knowing his whereabouts.

The cold would feel less mind-numbing if he turned into a snake, but he doesn’t like to do that too often.

KnockKnockKnock!

“I’m not drunk, officer,” he groans, fully prepared to shift his head into something hideous and tell the nosy cop, bothering him for the ninth time, where to stick it. “I told you, I’m catching a few zzz’s. I’m in no condition to drive,” he lies.

“It’s not a police officer, Crowley!” a voice shouts over the rain. “It’s me!”

Crowley’s eyes pop open. “Aziraphale?”

“Yes! Can I come in? I’m about to drown out here!”

“Oh. Right. Sorry ‘bout that.” Crowley reaches over and opens the door, wondering why Aziraphale didn’t do it himself. It was unlocked. But as Aziraphale climbs in, the rainwater avoiding his body as if he’s wrapped in an invisible slicker, Crowley sees that the angel’s arms are full, a large-ish picnic basket hugged to his chest.

“Am I taking you somewhere?” Crowley asks as he watches Aziraphale settle in with his basket. “It’s a bit early in the morning for a picnic. A smidge damp, too.”

“No, silly. I’ve brought you some provisions. I have a blanket …” Aziraphale pulls a tartan flannel out from inside his coat and spreads it over the demon’s lap without prompting. Then he rifles through his basket, naming off items as he presents them. “A Thermos of cocoa, a tin of biscuits, some finger sandwiches …” He lifts a bottle of amber liquid. “Rum?”

“That’s the ticket,” Crowley chuckles, reaching for the bottle. “Mighty nice of you. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Crowley unscrews the cap and takes a swig. “This is quite the spread you’ve assembled. What’s the occasion?”

“I wanted to ask you a question, if you don’t mind.”

Crowley snorts. “You wanted to ask me a question? At three in the morning?”

“Well, you see, that’s part of it, yes.” Aziraphale opens the tin of biscuits and offers Crowley one. He picks a chocolate shortbread and sticks it in his mouth, devouring it without tasting it, Aziraphale suspects - unwilling to turn him down considering Aziraphale tromped out in the rain to give it to him. “What are you doing here? You’ve been out here the past few nights.”

“I’m keeping an eye on you,” Crowley says, covering up discomfort with another swig of rum.

“Why do you need to keep an eye on me? Is there something you’re not telling me? Something you heard from …?” Aziraphale doesn’t say it, letting his eyes finish his question by shooting a pointed glance downward.

“No,” Crowley assures him. “Not at all.”

“You needn’t worry about me so much, you know,” Aziraphale says, sighing with relief nonetheless. “I’m prepared for any possible attack. I have salt, a crucifix, a bucket of water under my desk, ready to be blessed at a moment��s notice. I even have a sword! Not my flaming sword, of course, but a serviceable piece of steel. I can take care of myself.”

“I know that.”

“So, you can go home, if you’d like.”

Crowley turns his head slightly to peer out the windshield. In the deadlock created between the too bright lights outside and the Stygian shadows inside, Aziraphale sees Crowley bite his lips together. “No. I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Crowley puts a hand on the steering wheel, curling his fingers around the pebbly surface and gripping hard, then releasing again. His pose suggests that he might actually turn the car on and drive off despite his protestations. Aziraphale would still be in the vehicle with him, but that’s a moot point. “My flat … it doesn’t feel like home to me. Not so much. Not anymore.”

“And your Bentley does?” Aziraphale teases, though right as he says it, he realizes it very well might.

“No.” Crowley swallows. “You.”

Aziraphale’s brows draw together as he attempts to wring meaning out of that short answer. “Me what?”

“It’s you, Aziraphale. Wherever you are, that feels like home to me. When I’m with you … I’m home.”

“Because I remind you of Heaven?” Aziraphale ventures. He doesn’t want to misunderstand Crowley. There have been too many misunderstandings during the course of their Arrangement, their friendship, and whatever this is trying to become.

“No, for Satan’s sake!” Crowley groans, frustration taking hold. “Because you’re you! You’re the only true friend I’ve ever had! And at some point over the past 6000 years, you became my guiding light. The only thing that matters to me in this pathetic Universe. I’m not here because I enjoy sitting in my car in the rain. I’m here because the farther I am from you, the unhappier I become. And contrary to popular opinion, I don’t enjoy being unhappy.”

“I … I never knew that,” Aziraphale says softly.

“Yeah, well …”

There’s something more to that sentence. Aziraphale knows there is. But regardless of what’s going on behind those yellow eyes of Crowley’s, he’s come to the conclusion that he’s said enough.

Pity because Aziraphale would love to hear more.

“I see,” Aziraphale says for lack of anything better. “Well, in that case, would you like to come inside? Get out of the cold?”

Crowley makes an eggy noise. “I don’t need you pitying me, angel.”

“I’m not pitying you. Believe it or not, I don’t quite relish being alone either.”

“Not,” Crowley replies.

“In fact,” Aziraphale continues, “there are a great many things I don’t enjoy doing alone.”

“You could have fooled me.” But Crowley decides to bite. Aziraphale obviously has something up his sleeve. As long as it’s not a card trick or a dead dove, he’s game to find out. “Like what?”

“Like reading …”

“Yeah, right! You forget all about me when you’re reading!”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t like having you around.”

“What else?”

“Drinking …”

Crowley’s mouth pulls down in a thoughtful frown. “All right. I’ll give you that one.”

“Sleeping …”

Crowley laughs. “You don’t sleep.”

“That’s because I don’t like to sleep alone.”

Crowley looks over at Aziraphale, disbelieving, as the angel’s clear blue eyes stare back.

Stare back hopefully.

Crowley doesn’t know what Aziraphale is getting at, but he’s not the type to give in when he’d rather say no. He’s invited Crowley into his bookshop dozens of times to talk and drink and otherwise socialize.

But invite him inside to sleep? Presumably together?

That intrigues Crowley … too much to say no.

“Maybe I should come inside then. It’s been a long night. You look like you might need your rest.”

Aziraphale smiles beneath the violet glow of the restaurant across the street, casting him a wily aura. “That would be a great help to me,” he says, repacking his picnic basket.

“I’m nothing if not helpful,” Crowley says, opening the door and exiting the car, bottle of rum in tow, while Aziraphale finishes up.

Aziraphale shakes his head. “Let’s not get too carried away, my dear.”

[loki-of-war]

On the future of TWD

(EDIT: Reposting due to a formatting error)

So I’ve seen a lot of people commenting and sharing their opinions lately on how Chandler’s departure will affect the show, if it will survive this hit or not, for how many seasons more will TWD run, etc, etc. And I decided, now that I’m thinking more rationally (I hope) and I’m able to form understandable sentences, to share my honest thoughts with you lovely people on this entire mess.

Which is as follows: I give the show a minimum lifespan of ten seasons (meaning, the show will end in two more seasons) and a maximum of twelve seasons in total. This is my verdict, feel free to disagree with me.

Now onto explaining why I think this is so:

I can sort of see why old fans who left and people who have never liked Carl or feel lukewarm about him are happy this death is going to happen. But on the other side I'm thinking this kind of mentality is the reason why the show gets away with terrible decisions and why they keep making them over and over, declining in quality. I don't think it's right to condone mediocrity; this is from someone like me who has stayed on the TWD's side so far hoping they'd find the right footing at some point this season  (then, obviously, because why wouldn’t they, my patience and tolerance was rewarded with this haha). And as I mentioned in a previous comment I made on YT, no matter what the public's feelings for Carl are, they won't change the importance of his role in the plot and his fundamental connection to Rick (this latter element has an effect on the whole cast, for better or for worse).

But anyway, Carl's death is going to change the entire mood of the series from now on so it definitely will never be as it once was and I think because of that the story will slowly bleed out. I mean, Carl has been the greatest determinator for every single one of Rick's decisions the entire show, and not only that but what he symbolised as a character, the hope for a better future, is gone now. What do children, sons, daughters, symbolise in every universal story? The next generation, what comes after, that not everything is going to be screwed up forever; especially after seeing how unmerciful TWD's world has proven to be for children and having Carl be the only exception to this 'kids cannot survive this world' rule has sort of become a moot point thanks to the...current circumstances.

Rick's and Lori's speeches to Carl in seasons 2 and 3 respectively justify this way of thinking: that after everyone from their generation (the adults) dies, Carl will have to take the reins and move on. I refuse to believe any writer with common sense would write such important pieces of dialogue just because they felt like it, just because they're emotional words without any other kind of meaning behind them. That is just lazy and awful writing in my opinion. Why write these poignant moments only to have the kid killed long before the end of the series? Why write/do anything if those things are going to be ignored later down the line, nevermind that every piece in a story must connect with the others? Why bother teaching him this morality lessons if they're all going to go to waste anyway; if he will never have a character arc/storyline that is plot relevant where his morals are challenged? (Good on you, whoever made the call, for missing out on possible great storylines for Carl that would have improved viewing and the quality of the show). That doesn't make a bit of sense, unless that what they were looking for was to give the events leading up to his sudden death some twist of irony, and that'd be perfect and all, except that Carl dying was so not part of the plan (the improvisation is so obvious it hurts me in the balls I don't have) and even the way his death was set up was graceless-the bite- and not something one would expect from the same people who made/directed/wrote/produced Season 4. In other words, killing him was basically flipping off the idea of a future in the face, whether they meant to do that or not, and this is bound to turn the overall mood the series to a much grim and darker tone to an already heavy themed and toned series. Many people won't find themselves too content with that heavier tonal change, I think, if the ratings for season 7 are to be trusted.

Ignoring that the conclusion to this was having him die though,  I do have to say the actual set up in the mid season finale itself was beautiful and emotional (Chandler's acting was on point, he was the star of this episode), but the chain of actions leading up to it was lackluster. With lackluster I mean that he is a very important character that has literally been wasted for far too long; if you look at his progression throughout the seasons you'll realize he has not done much from a plot perspective despite being a main character. Therefore, his death feels unsatisfactory and empty because one can't help but feel that he hasn't nearly done as much as he should have. What he did to save his people in the mid season finale was amazing but it wasn't enough to make up for a notorious lack of screen time over full eight seasons, moreover if the motivations that drove him to that point, to that mentality, to that philosophy, don't make sense because his personality has made a one eighty from how he was the previous season with no type of prior explanation as to why that happened.

It may not seem like it but I'm actually a huge fan of angst and favorite-character-slaughter. I love when books, music, movies, videogames, series make me suffer (great examples of this are my undying love for Hannibal the tv show and that my favorite videogames are the ones directed by this one man, life destroyer actually, called Yoko Taro). Perhaps that is another reason why I'm being so critical with the choice to kill Carl (asides from the horrible decision-making and poor writing), because I love being hit in the feels in the best way possible, without holding back any punches, just go straight for the kill and make me cry like a newborn. However, I don't like tragedy when it's done for shock value, or when it's done simple-mindedly. If a favorite character of mine is going down, it has to make sense and they must have had filled out their purpose in the story, reached a state of character development we're all satisfied with so that when they die one can accept it and be happy despite the possible trauma that could ensue after (well, one can't exactly pin point when that happens, when enough is enough, but to have had the character embark on a lot of adventures even without them accomplishing their purpose, is enough to embrace their death). I guess what I'm trying to say with all this is that, while on one hand I would have preferred him outliving everybody else, if they were still so adamant on having him die at some point of the story (as if killing Carl had actually been part of a long term plan and not some last minute decision) they should have developed him first and foremost, and then assign him a proper death in later seasons, most preferably before the last season ends given that him dying before Rick is several different levels of wrong; if he wasn't such a huge part of Rick's character then fine, do it, but putting and end to him is equal to neutralizing Rick for literally years, which is time that both a comic and a tv show cannot afford, so to do it near the end of everything would be a better fit.

And, I don't know, even having Judith fill the void won't be of much help either, because we haven’t and we won't see her grow the same way we did Carl, her relationship with Rick will be vastly different, and so on. Probably this is just me but I'm not really attached to her; Judith so far is to me only a concept and not actually a person (yet). The fact that they keep changing the little baby girls who portray her doesn't really help, that gets me out of the story everytime. She just can't replace Carl, she might take his future storylines but it won't be the same. Besides, by the time she grows up, she’ll already be deep into this world, this is her normal life and probably by that time things will have changed.

So basically, not only in killing Carl they destroyed the image of a future, they have killed a foundational part of the essence that made The Walking Dead be The Walking Dead we all knew and loved, and that will never return. Also, allow me to point out that for those who think that The Walking Dead is about people dying whenever and wherever, and the cruel injustice that is life, I am not going to say that your interpretation is wrong but it is an incomplete one. The audience doesn’t watch TWD only to see tons of MC’s get murdered on a daily basis. Otherwise, why bother with investing time on a plot and just have them all killed at once. The soul of TWD is not about senseless killing and murder and tragedy and sadness. Simplifying it all to ‘this show is about the possibility of anybody dying/gore/zombies/etc’ is a great disservice to the show and the fans. Obviously, I am not neither the writer of the show or Robert Kirkman to claim to know to a T what the central theme of The Walking Dead is, and for full disclosure I have not read the comics. Nonetheless, basing my personal opinion on the tv show alone, I would like to think one of the core themes the show has explored and returns to time and time again is the topic in regards to the essence of human nature, and how in spite of apparent doom and the horrible circumstances we are forced to face, humans will always find the way to move forwards and stay strong, ergo, the message is a positive one, not a negative one, depressing, nihilistic one. And what better character to portray this versatility of human nature, this capacity for change, other than Carl Grimes, a child of transition, a child who was pulled out of his normal childhood and thrown right into the chaos of the apocalypse? A boy who has witnessed inhumane things, horrible things, has killed his mother, his second father figure, has done awful things himself, has always been toeing the line between right and wrong, cruel and kind, because of all the experiences he has had to process in a very short period of time? He was obligated to grow in a decaying world, watching his father and the ones surroundind him make mistakes, learning from them, evolving, seeing close ones die, starving, surviving insane experiences... If someone like that manages to grow in such a hostile environment and still remains true to himself and still has not lost faith in the world and humanity, and keeps close all the meaningful, important things his family and friends told him in the course of his entire life and not only that, but also applies them... What does that mean for you, to you? What does it mean for us? What does it say about human nature that hasn’t been told before or not quite in this manner?

Well, that is the point. I guess we will never get to find out in the Tv Show the answer to those questions. Regrettably.

If, and just if, the show manages to recover from this point onwards, I still have no idea how I'd feel about having the show thrive on the tails of throwing under the bus such a key character with no legitimate reasons behind the choice (don't even get me started on what they've done to poor Chandler). I'll still watch the show but I would be incredibly uncomfortable if that is how it turns out to be.

Finally, I apologize for any grammar mistakes or awkward phrasing you may find, it’s way too late to be doing such a long post and English is not my main language. Please don’t be afraid or feel awkward about replying to this post, even if it’s to hate on it. I really don’t mind having a long conversation about this topic with you all since I’ve literally been dying since Sunday night to discuss it.

Thank you so much for reading!

[hakureiryuu]

[1/31/2017 9:36:28 PM] Ryuu: OKAY SO ON A SCALE FROM ZERO TO ALL OF THEM HOW MANY SPOILERS DO Y'ALL WANT [1/31/2017 9:36:42 PM] Ben: For? [1/31/2017 9:36:44 PM] Rhia: ALL THE SPOILERS [1/31/2017 9:37:22 PM] Ben: Oh YGO movie [1/31/2017 9:37:23 PM] Ben: ok shoot [1/31/2017 9:48:01 PM] Ryuu: so it opens up with the fact that kaiba has built a goddamn space elevator

[1/31/2017 9:48:16 PM] Ryuu: because why wouldn't he [1/31/2017 9:49:20 PM] Ben: Right [1/31/2017 9:49:53 PM] Ryuu: I mean I guess the real thing to start with is, my circleverse fics no longer fit in canon, and I have a sad [1/31/2017 9:50:06 PM] Rhia: Aw [1/31/2017 9:50:09 PM] Ryuu: because this was an after-the-end kind of thing [1/31/2017 9:50:15 PM] Rhia: -nod- [1/31/2017 9:51:13 PM] Ryuu: and it did surprisingly well for itself!! several characters got completions to otherwise ignored story arcs. bakura for example. huge shit there. and a few nods to tea and joey. [1/31/2017 9:51:42 PM] Ryuu: mostly though, this movie was about kaiba's unquenchable hateboner for atem. [1/31/2017 9:51:50 PM] Rhia: WHEEEEE [1/31/2017 9:51:51 PM] Ryuu: like, jesus fucking Christ dude calm the fuck down [1/31/2017 9:52:47 PM] Ryuu: just. thank GOD for homestuck because without quadrants firmly in my head I would spend 3/4 of the movie clutching my skull and screaming internally MAKE THE FOE YAY STOOOOOOP hahahhaa [1/31/2017 9:53:08 PM] Rhia: -snigger- [1/31/2017 9:53:22 PM] Ryuu: the Japanese don't mess around with their spades okay? [1/31/2017 9:53:31 PM] Rhia: Nope [1/31/2017 9:54:40 PM] Ryuu: leading to weirdly poignant conversations between the pharaoh's moirail and kismesis that boil down to "dude he's dead let it go" "NO HE'S NOT FITE ME" [1/31/2017 9:55:12 PM] Rhia: oh my gaaaaaaaaaawd [1/31/2017 9:55:41 PM] Ryuu: seto kaiba. this fucker. [1/31/2017 9:55:58 PM] Ryuu: THIS FUCKER SCIENCES HIMSELF INTO THE AFTERLIFE FOR ONE LAST GO ROUND OKAY????! [1/31/2017 9:56:23 PM] Ben: flashbacks to YuYuHakishu and Kuwabara at Yuuske's funeral [1/31/2017 9:56:33 PM] Rhia: Yuuuuup [1/31/2017 10:00:34 PM] Ben: Seto Kaiba is the real protagonist. [1/31/2017 10:00:49 PM] Rhia: OMG KAIBA GIVE IT UP [1/31/2017 10:01:52 PM] Ryuu: SO ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT KAIBA'S EGO WAS LITERALLY TOO BIG FOR THIS STORY [1/31/2017 10:02:50 PM] Ryuu: and aside from parts of the ending there I felt like he was really pretty flandarized into exactly two character traits: his kismessitude with atem and his UNPARALELLED ABILITY TO MAKE A PUBLICITY STUNT [1/31/2017 10:03:51 PM] Ryuu: i had a rly good time with this movie! like i said, there were nods to incomplete character arcs. i appreciate bakura's trauma being FINALLY FUCKING ADDRESSED. [1/31/2017 10:04:35 PM] Rhia: YAY IT CHEERED YOU UP [1/31/2017 10:04:45 PM] Ryuu: even though his backstory was one among several rather noticeable retcons... another being shadi's entire. existence. :? [1/31/2017 10:06:04 PM] Rhia: Shadi is the schrodginer's cat of the YGO fandom [1/31/2017 10:06:29 PM] Ben: ... [1/31/2017 10:06:36 PM] Ben: Wait that's flanderizing Kaiba? [1/31/2017 10:06:45 PM] Ryuu: like. i get that he's some kind of force ghost in canon but there's no way he died THAT RECENTLY. and there's also no way he would not have talked to the villain of the movie in all the years since, given that shadi's death is the villain's motive. [1/31/2017 10:06:57 PM] Ryuu: KAIBA HAS AT LEAST A FEW MORE TRAITS TO HIM OKAY? XD [1/31/2017 10:07:31 PM] Ryuu: i mean i like to think of him as a stage hog, but not desperate. that's beneath him, y'know? [1/31/2017 10:08:21 PM] Ben: XD [1/31/2017 10:11:52 PM] Ryuu: but yeah this movie was nostalgic in other ways. it had that good ol' 4kids overdub, with bad puns and inserting extra dialogue where there was clearly silence in the original. but there were no visual edits except for making any actual visible text into English, which was nice. the voice acting was a return to its season 1 quality as well, not the lazy crap they devolved to by the end. [1/31/2017 10:12:14 PM] Rhia: ogood [1/31/2017 10:13:51 PM] Ryuu: okay u said ALL of the spoilers so [1/31/2017 10:17:55 PM] Ryuu: supposedly with atem's death a residual power would be awakened. this power at full force can completely reshape reality in the most vague and yet literal sense, and shadi, before his death, had spent his time giving this power to worthy children he came across. when the pharaoh finally died, they would reshape the world as they wished. shadi gave this power to kids because they would supposedly create a good, pure world, free of fear and hatred. and there was a lot of really good talk on that subject, if necessarily kind of clipped by the dub (it's a complex subject that you can't fit into x mouth movements too precisely, so i understand). it's basically yoda's fear -> anger -> hate -> suffering, paraphrased. [1/31/2017 10:20:17 PM] Ryuu: but shadi's lessons are cut short by bakura's retconned backstory, in which he received the ring as a damn 10 year old or something and murdered shadi with more power than he EVER displays in canon so shruuug haha. but this breeds fear/hate/all the rest in the antagonist's heart, and he begins to misuse the power once it comes into play. [1/31/2017 10:23:42 PM] Rhia: Which would explain all the stuff from the later series. [1/31/2017 10:27:53 PM] Rhia: ....That line was supposed to be earlier. Thanks Skype [1/31/2017 10:28:31 PM] Ryuu: well, no. because, for no reason, if the pharaoh ever returns, the power would be negated. which brings us back to kaiba. [1/31/2017 10:31:38 PM] Ryuu: and. y'know. his hateboner's quest to bring the pharaoh back. kinda throw's a wrench in whatever plans this kid might have for his powers. [1/31/2017 10:32:31 PM] Ryuu: so he's like, okay 2 possibilities here. i could stop kaiba from digging up the items and putting the puzzle back together, or i could kill yugi and make the whole thing moot anyway. [1/31/2017 10:32:40 PM] Ryuu: he chooses the latter ^^U [1/31/2017 10:33:35 PM] Ben: Naturally [1/31/2017 10:34:54 PM | Edited 10:34:58 PM] Ryuu: many shenanigans ensue, including some handwavey bullshit involving how magic and technology interact. literally handwaved. like, "oh, that happened, i don't care why." [1/31/2017 10:36:19 PM] Ben: Any magic sufficiently analyzed? :P [1/31/2017 10:36:51 PM] Ryuu: apparently, since i repeat, KAIBA SCIENCES HIMSELF INTO THE AFTERLIFE [1/31/2017 10:37:09 PM] Ben: I really want that YGO/DBZ crossover now. [1/31/2017 10:37:17 PM] Ben: Kaiba and Vegeta would get along like a house on fire. [1/31/2017 10:37:18 PM] Ben: EGO [1/31/2017 10:37:22 PM] Ben: EGO EVERYWHERE [1/31/2017 10:38:09 PM] Ryuu: one of my earliest fics was like that, only with kaiba and sesshomaru from inuyasha. only the punchline was that it was less explosive than expected xD [1/31/2017 10:38:20 PM] Ben: XD [1/31/2017 10:38:22 PM] Ben: Like [1/31/2017 10:38:34 PM] Ben: I like to think that Kaiba is Vegeta's ego with Bulma's brilliance [1/31/2017 10:38:53 PM] Ben: Mabye YGO takes place AFTER DBZ and Kaiba is Trunk's little brother? XD [1/31/2017 10:39:30 PM] Rhia: PFFFFFFFF [1/31/2017 10:40:00 PM] Ryuu: that's the other thing i think is a bit flandarized about kaiba, and yet even i have to admit it's pretty accurate - he keeps losing because he's so goddamn predictable. [1/31/2017 10:41:22 PM] Ryuu: THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT COST HIM THE WIN AT BATTLE CITY: HE SAID LET'S HAVE A SUDDEN DEATH ROUND, DRAW WHATEVER HAND OF CARDS YOU WANT TO USE. and he lost because he picked the cards that let him get the blue eyes ultimate dragon, and yami picked a hand that would negate exactly that. if he did something different just this ONCE... [1/31/2017 10:41:28 PM] Ryuu: i mean [1/31/2017 10:41:34 PM] Ryuu: it's for effect, y'know? it's for his ego. [1/31/2017 10:42:15 PM] Rhia: It's like when Bri is going for the super-dramatic effect. "Because she can, because it's Rule of Cool." Kaiba's BEWD is because Rule of Kaiba. [1/31/2017 10:42:21 PM] Ryuu: in his duel with ishizu the whole plot is that he ALMOST fell prey to that, because his plan for ego purposes was to use obelisk against her, but went against predictability FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE and chose blue eyes. [1/31/2017 10:42:28 PM] Ryuu: BUT FOR SOME REASON HE DID NOT LEARN FROM THIS [1/31/2017 10:43:02 PM] Rhia: It could be said that Kaiba is a tragic character and therefore will never learn to fix his flaws. [1/31/2017 10:44:03 PM] Ryuu: yeah let's go with that. i even kind of believe it. i'd like for it to be at least addressed in canon though, even if it can't be fixed. i just don't want it to be a plot device again. it's old. [1/31/2017 10:44:23 PM] Ryuu: god TOO MUCH KAIBA IN THIS MOVIE [1/31/2017 10:44:43 PM] Ryuu: HIS EGO WAS SO HUGE THEY HAD TO TRIM DOWN TO JUST ONE REFERENCE TO THE HEART OF THE CARDS SO IT WOULD EVEN FIT [1/31/2017 10:44:57 PM] Rhia: LOL [1/31/2017 10:45:06 PM] Ryuu: but yeah where was i [1/31/2017 10:45:54 PM] Ryuu: so through shenanigans the puzzle is almost completed but for a few stolen pieces. yugi, through more shenanigans, gets his hands on them, then puts the puzzle together to make a point. [1/31/2017 10:46:48 PM] Ryuu: literally everyone in the story is all like putting the puzzle back together would bring atem back but yugi basically waves it in their faces like Y'ALL. THIS IS A PIECE OF METAL. HE'S NOT IN THERE. HE IS DEAD. CALM DOWN. [1/31/2017 10:46:56 PM] Ryuu: and then everyone refuses to calm down XD [1/31/2017 10:47:06 PM] Rhia: -snrk- [1/31/2017 10:47:13 PM] Rhia: Yugi the only one with his act together. [1/31/2017 10:47:23 PM] Ryuu: HE SO HAS HIS ACT TOGETHER THO [1/31/2017 10:47:39 PM] Ryuu: LIKE HIS DESIGN IS ABOUT THE HALFWAY POINT BETWEEN HIS SHOW SELF AND YAMI [1/31/2017 10:47:49 PM] Ryuu: WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW I PICTURED HIM IN MY FIC IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE [1/31/2017 10:47:55 PM] Rhia: XDDD [1/31/2017 10:49:07 PM] Ryuu: like he's taller and has slightly pointer eyes and has his "do no harm" FULLY UPGRADED to "do no harm but take no shit" IT'S WONDERFUL [1/31/2017 10:49:19 PM] Rhia: 8D [1/31/2017 10:50:05 PM] Ryuu: and he wants to design board games when he grows up like YES I ACCEPT THIS HEADCANON [1/31/2017 10:50:28 PM] Ben: Because FUCK has he had his fill of the bullshit that comes with card games [1/31/2017 10:50:36 PM] Ryuu: i imagine XD [1/31/2017 10:50:42 PM] Ryuu: joey hasn't though. wants to go pro. [1/31/2017 10:50:47 PM] Rhia: YUGI BEING SO DONE WITH EVERYONE [1/31/2017 10:50:54 PM] Rhia: AND CHEERING JOEY ON THE SIDELINES [1/31/2017 10:50:59 PM] Ryuu: YAS [1/31/2017 10:51:44 PM] Ben: Reminds me of Vanguard. In the Vanguard G series the old protagonist shows up once. Sees the other new progtagonist...and keeps walking. [1/31/2017 10:52:04 PM] Ben: Like "OH HELL NO I'VE DONE MY TIME GOOD LUCK SUCKER YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN WITH THIS GENERATION OF BULLSHIT" [1/31/2017 10:52:16 PM] Rhia: LOOOOOL [1/31/2017 10:52:26 PM] Ryuu: OMGGGGGG [1/31/2017 10:55:08 PM] Ryuu: but ye i was very happy that dead is dead? because that's the sole problem i have with 99% of after the end ygo fics: they can't find a plot without bring atem back to life, which i find oddly disrespectful. [1/31/2017 10:55:26 PM] Rhia: LET THE MAN REST MOTHERFUCKER [1/31/2017 10:55:29 PM] Ben: I was actually going to do that in one of my own fics. [1/31/2017 10:55:47 PM] Rhia: Now if he's doing stuff from the afterlife, that's a different set up. [1/31/2017 10:56:38 PM] Ben: Basically.  Basically my fic had Necromancer bad guys trying to do True Ressurection. [1/31/2017 10:56:58 PM] Ben: Yami didn't like that so he sent a deck to a girl of Fallen Heroes, or dead characters from fiction. [1/31/2017 10:57:23 PM] Ben: He refused to come himself in card form though. Until the very end, which was the form of a card that banished all cards from the grave yard. [1/31/2017 10:57:30 PM] Ben: Then the deck vanished. [1/31/2017 10:57:38 PM] Ben: "OK, WE CLEANED THIS SHIT UP NOW GET BACK INTO THE AFTERLIFE" [1/31/2017 10:58:51 PM] Ryuu: that is.... KIIIINDA what happens actually. because due to yet more shenanigans, the ring possesses the villain, and ring corruption + infinite power = the end of the world as we know it. [1/31/2017 11:00:08 PM] Ryuu: so naturally dueling the weird monster that results happens (because this is ygo we're talking about here). and some more foe yay pining happens. and then it's just yugi about to pass out from shadowgame biz and GIANT COLUMN OF LIGHT hey look who it is. [1/31/2017 11:00:24 PM] Rhia: WOOOOOOOO [1/31/2017 11:00:37 PM] Ryuu: and as much as i would have loved that he not appear at all [1/31/2017 11:00:51 PM] Ryuu: they reached a middle ground by keeping him completely silent. [1/31/2017 11:01:01 PM] Rhia: Nice. [1/31/2017 11:01:43 PM] Ryuu: i'm not sure if he even actually dueled when he arrived so much as dispersed the shadowgame entirely. [1/31/2017 11:02:08 PM] Ryuu: also, mahaad. like i am a ridiculous mahaad fangirl and i don't know why. all i know is that i SQUEE whenever he's onscreen XD [1/31/2017 11:02:17 PM | Edited 11:02:16 PM] Rhia: SAAAAAAME [1/31/2017 11:02:29 PM] Rhia: It's because he's a giant fucking sweetheart. [1/31/2017 11:02:35 PM] Rhia: Have you read his story in the manga? [1/31/2017 11:02:40 PM] Ryuu: yeeeeee [1/31/2017 11:02:49 PM] Rhia: GIANT BAB [1/31/2017 11:03:13 PM] Ryuu: i headcanon that he had an on/off thing with isis and she was pregnant with his bab when he died, thereby starting the line of tombkeepers. [1/31/2017 11:03:25 PM] Rhia: Fuck. [1/31/2017 11:03:28 PM] Rhia: Sharing that now. [1/31/2017 11:03:44 PM] Ryuu: LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BEFORE-THE-BEGINNING FANFIC [1/31/2017 11:03:46 PM] Ryuu: LATER [1/31/2017 11:03:58 PM] Ben: Weren't the tombkeepers a thing BEFORE mahaad? [1/31/2017 11:04:03 PM] Ben: Because Theif King Bakura? [1/31/2017 11:04:13 PM] Ryuu: nope, only after the pharaoh died (the first time) [1/31/2017 11:04:22 PM] Ben: I could've sworn in the manga [1/31/2017 11:04:29 PM] Rhia: The tombkeepers were specifically guarding Atem's tomb. [1/31/2017 11:04:31 PM] Ben: millennium world arc? [1/31/2017 11:04:31 PM] Ben: Oh wait shit envermind [1/31/2017 11:04:33 PM] Ben: I'm thinking Village of Kul Elna [1/31/2017 11:05:18 PM] Ryuu: so yeah atem does a total deus ex machina [1/31/2017 11:05:37 PM] Ryuu: because of that convenient rule that if he shows up in this world again, the megapower or whatever is gone. [1/31/2017 11:06:43 PM] Ryuu: and like yugi said in the beginning of the movie that he would have liked a chance to say what he needed to say, so i knew there was always a chance of him showing up. but all they do is stare meaningfully at each other for a bit, and then he's gone and everyone's happy. [1/31/2017 11:07:18 PM] Ryuu: which, i was also pleased with, because i would argue very strongly that they said everything that could be said through their duel at the end. the manga version had some fairly transparent subtext. [1/31/2017 11:07:27 PM] Ben: It always does [1/31/2017 11:07:31 PM] Ben: Manga>anime [1/31/2017 11:07:55 PM] Ryuu: well i love the anime too. but i like sort of mashing them together in my head when i put together what i'm considering canon for fanfic purposes. [1/31/2017 11:08:02 PM] Ryuu: SPEAKING OF MANGA THERE WERE SO MANY CAMEOS [1/31/2017 11:08:04 PM] Ben: Fair [1/31/2017 11:08:19 PM] Ryuu: DUKE'S FATHER WAS THERE OKAY. THE GUY WHO DIED IN A FIRE AFTER TRYING TO MURDER YUGI. [1/31/2017 11:11:48 PM] Ryuu: but yeah with the power gone the antagonist has nothing except the family which had been trying to get him off this path of darkness for years now so they all get to be kids again and grow up in the world we've got. [1/31/2017 11:12:01 PM] Ben: D'aw [1/31/2017 11:12:56 PM] Ryuu: appropriately, this movie was about moving on from loss and grief. if the world had real quadrants and no queerbaiting i'd call this an excellent addition. [1/31/2017 11:13:25 PM] Rhia: As it is, it just pulled you out of a shitty mood, so I call it worth it. [1/31/2017 11:13:46 PM] Ryuu: yeees, tis what i needed. <3 [1/31/2017 11:14:14 PM] Ryuu: also the main kids all graduate highschool and tea goes off to some kind of juliard analogue with a full ride. hooray! [1/31/2017 11:14:21 PM] Rhia: Wooo! [1/31/2017 11:14:35 PM] Ryuu: and kaiba sciences himself into THE FUCKING AFTERLIFE. [1/31/2017 11:14:37 PM] Ryuu: the end. [1/31/2017 11:14:42 PM] Rhia: Pfffffffff [1/31/2017 11:14:49 PM] Ryuu: i will never get over that [1/31/2017 11:14:50 PM] Ryuu: just [1/31/2017 11:14:53 PM] Ryuu: this fucker [1/31/2017 11:14:55 PM] Rhia: This movie, alt title: Kaiba plz. [1/31/2017 11:15:30 PM] Ben: Just when you got done saving the world, relaxing in the afterlife, your pokemon are almost unconscious [1/31/2017 11:15:33 PM] Ben: who should show up [1/31/2017 11:15:35 PM] Ben: but gary [1/31/2017 11:15:36 PM] Ben: fucking [1/31/2017 11:15:37 PM] Ben: kaiba [1/31/2017 11:15:46 PM] Rhia: -SNORT- [1/31/2017 11:16:19 PM] Ryuu: the entire theater was laughing their asses off when he pulled this i shit you not [1/31/2017 11:16:30 PM] Rhia: Man [1/31/2017 11:16:35 PM] Ryuu: HE'S WEARING THIS TRON OUTFIT OKAY [1/31/2017 11:16:43 PM] Ryuu: IN SOME KIND OF SPACE POD AT THE TOP OF HIS SPACE ELEVATOR [1/31/2017 11:17:00 PM] Ryuu: HE AIMS IT DOWN, PRESUMABLY TO HIT 88MPH OR SOMETHING [1/31/2017 11:17:11 PM] Rhia: PFFFFFFFFFFFF [1/31/2017 11:17:13 PM] Ryuu: SHOOTS FOR EARTH IN HIS FUCKING SPACE ROCKET INSIDE THE SPACE ELEVATOR [1/31/2017 11:17:18 PM] Rhia: Leave Doc Brown out of this [1/31/2017 11:17:35 PM] Ryuu: AND THEN SUDDENLY HE'S IN ANCIENT EGYPT, STILL IN HIS TRON OUTFIT [1/31/2017 11:17:54 PM] Ryuu: HE WALKS STRAIGHT INTO THE PALACE, STANDS BEFORE THE PHARAOH, WHO LOOKS AT HIM [1/31/2017 11:17:58 PM] Ryuu: AND SMIRKS [1/31/2017 11:18:04 PM] Ryuu: CUT TO BLACK, ROLL CREDITS [1/31/2017 11:18:17 PM] Ryuu: GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY [1/31/2017 11:18:29 PM] Rhia: 8D [1/31/2017 11:18:55 PM] Rhia: Ben can you illegally download this for me when it makes an appearance? I need to see what the hullabaloo is about [1/31/2017 11:19:06 PM] Ben: Will do [1/31/2017 11:19:10 PM] Rhia: Ta [1/31/2017 11:21:44 PM] Ryuu: oh, i'm gonna call mokuba genderfluid from now on. just cuz. ^^ [1/31/2017 11:21:52 PM] Rhia: Eeee [1/31/2017 11:22:25 PM] Ryuu: not that his growing bishiness is in any way out of the ordinary for Japanese masculinity [1/31/2017 11:22:31 PM] Ryuu: i just think it would be cool [1/31/2017 11:22:41 PM] Ben: I'm sorry [1/31/2017 11:22:46 PM] Ryuu: and i like to picture seto asking his sibling's pronouns every morning :D [1/31/2017 11:22:54 PM] Ben: but isn't the term Japanese masculinity self-contradictory? [1/31/2017 11:22:57 PM] Ben: badum-tish [1/31/2017 11:23:08 PM] Ryuu: -double pistols and a wink- [1/31/2017 11:23:27 PM] Rhia: Imagine Kaiba donating to SHITLOADS of charities for LGTBQA because Mokuba. [1/31/2017 11:23:40 PM] Rhia: And biting heads off anyone who dares give them stinkeye [1/31/2017 11:24:44 PM] Ryuu: yes. this is the kind of headcanon that makes my day. using kaiba's assholery and penchant for drama for the forces of good. [1/31/2017 11:26:13 PM] Ryuu: "did i just hear you misgender my sister?" [1/31/2017 11:26:35 PM] Rhia: -person recants or dies by BEWD- [1/31/2017 11:26:47 PM] Ryuu: -dies of happy-