#kiyoshi kogami

[kcuf-ad]

The more I think about Ryoken, Kiyoshi and Mirai (Ryoken's mom), I feel sad.

I do have a way of showing that no matter what, his two parents will always be at his side in a shape of a card. A new card.

[lavenderr-starrs]

Yugioh fans have our critics and debates but we can all agree on this

[number-1-kuaidul-fanboy]

These spot the difference games are getting difficult

[sirdurbe]

*takes a drag from my cigarette* lightning and ryoken were supposed to be narrative foils, you guys. two sides of the same coin. ryoken wanted to make dr. kogami's vision of what the future should be happen and lightning wanted to prevent and defy it. at first they were each motivated to protect their own, but eventually they were willing to sacrifice the people who weren't just their allies, but their family. ryoken was determined to walk the path his father designed for him; lightning was determined to surpass the limits dr. kogami saw in them. but ultimately neither of them could escape him entirely, and when they finally clashed, they both lost. literally it was all right there and it wasn't even especially subtle.

but noooooooo, what if lightning was just born evil and professor child torture had a point 🤪 and what if his fellow child-torturing assistants suddenly had the moral high ground because Kidnapping And Tormenting Jin Was Only Okay When We Did It, And We Said We Were Sowwy. never mind the whole stupid retcon of lightning tormenting jin during the lost incident anyway, it had literally been established that the ignis weren't born until after the kids had been freed and all the data collected. ugh ugh ugh. i gotta do all the work around here, don't i

[calm-artic]

Title: Masques and Martyrs

Chapters: 16/16

Rating: Explicit

Relationships: Fujiki Yuusaku/Revolver | Kougami Ryouken, Ai | Ignis/Flame

Summary: Special Agent Fujiki Yusaku listens as his partner Special Agent Homura Takeru is killed in the early hours of the night. They were currently investigating a string of murders and disappearances which connect to a Lost Incident twenty years ago. His handler, Kusanagi Shoichi assigns him a new partner: Special Agent Ai. Thanks to Takeru, they have their first solid suspect: Kogami. As the investigation progresses, Yusaku notices that Ai isn't a normal partner and is hiding a lot of secrets.

[merryfortune]

Spectre the Friendly Ghost

Written for Respectfulshipping Week 2024

Prompt: Dragon | Ghost

Title: Spectre the Friendly Ghost

Ship: Respectfulshipping | Ryoken/Spectre

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains 

Word Count: 3,287

Rating: T

Tags: Alternate Universe - Casper the Friendly Ghost

   Exorcists, GhostBusters, and a construction crew.

   They all tried and… they all failed.

   All they had to do was get rid of a ghost or four. 

   Surely that had to be easy. After all, ghosts don’t exist. Or at least that’s what Ryoken believes - or believed. Right up until he moved into a certain house in a certain place with his Father who was vehement that he would do what those before him had failed to do: exorcise the ghosts of this mansion.

   He wasn’t an exorcist, however, so he didn’t speak in tongues or prayers. Nor did he have the kooky technology of a Ghostbuster and he wasn’t about to go all demolition crew on this mansion either. No. Dr. Kiyoshi Kogami was a psychotherapist to the undead. Completely and utterly one of a kind - and out of his mind if you asked Ryoken.

   Until six months ago, his Father was a normal, sane man with a normal, sane job in the world of science. Then, his wife and Ryoken’s mother, passed away in an accident and he became obsessed. He began to believe in ghosts, in life on the other side and he was going to prove it.

   So far, all he had done was tatter his reputation and his relationship with his son. They were constantly in flux, moving all over the place, a media circus typically following because they wanted to know what the crazy ex-scientist was doing next! 

   Kiyoshi claimed he’d had successful clients and helped CBT ghosts to the other side but Ryoken wasn’t convinced. He hadn’t seen anything until right now.

   “Hi, I’m Spectre, it’s good to meet you!”

   Ryoken screamed. Then fainted. Then screamed again when he came to the ghost of a child was still hovering over him. 

   The most recent client that his Father had taken on was a woman who went by the alias of Queen. She had recently inherited a mansion through some obscure relative she hadn’t even known existed until she was notified that she was in the will. The mansion was old and abandoned but she wanted it cleaned up and when conventional methods hadn’t worked because of reported poltergeist-like activity, she called in yet more guns: Dr. Kogami and his son. 

   And now, out of all the cases they had seen so far which had been more busts than not, they had finally found a house which was well and truly haunted.

  The mansion certainly looked the part. Tall and intimidating, filled with antique furniture and cobwebs, on the edge of a cliff. It looked straight out of a Stephen King novel but it wasn’t until they’d gone inside when they realised it was abandoned. It was still very much lived in. Just by no one alive.

   Ryoken encountered Spectre in his room. Well, it was Ryoken’s room now but it had been Spectre’s up until he died. Kind of, considering he was still haunting it. Then, in the foyer, Ryoken’s Father encountered Spectre’s relatives: his two uncles and an aunt.

   “It’s good to meet you.” 

   Spectre didn’t look anything like the ghosts on television. He wasn’t all that person shaped for a start, nor was he a boo ghost with a bedsheet over his head, either. He was translucent, though, and his colouration reminded Ryoken of the halo behind the moon: the silver, whites, and blues which were shifting and eerie. He had massive porcelain doll-like eyes, too, which were completely soul devouring.

   Compared to his aunt and uncles, Spectre was sweet as pie. A little kid who just wanted to make friends. 

   His aunt and uncles were raising Hell for Ryoken’s father downstairs, taunting him that they knew someone who knew his wife. He tried not to take the bait and stay on task but where was the fun in that? Not when Dr. Kogami made for such a good chew toy. So it was apparent that they weren’t going to be convinced that positive self-talk would be good for them, that they should let go of their unfinished business and cross over to the other side. Though, they did find Kiyoshi amusing for trying. Looks like he was going to be in for the long haul for these three clients.

   Ryoken didn’t know if he was terrified or thrilled. He was fully on board with ghosts now, living in a house full of them. But he could see that the actual drudgery of dealing with them was wearing his Father down, too. 

   Then there was Spectre and whatever his deal was.

   He struck Ryoken as being a little bit younger than him. Two or three years, give or take. And he was infatuated with Ryoken, too, now that he had a playmate about the same age as him - and didn’t boss him around like his aunt and uncles, either.

   They used him around the house more like a servant than a family member. Ryoken couldn’t believe that there was a personal connection between them. To him, it seemed more like a mishmash of people than not but hey. What did he know?

   The names of the aunt and uncles - Baira, Faust, and Genome - were carved into the heads of the western style beds, after all. Spectre didn’t even have that but he did seem like he had the rest of the house. He was free to float through it but he didn’t really, he preferred to keep to himself and his room.

   But he did have a special place.

   “Do you want to see it?”

   Spectre didn’t wait for an answer.

   Ryoken screamed as he was taken out through his window and up, up, and away. It was cold and windy but so beautiful, too. The ocean was a navy blue as it expanded endlessly out over the horizon and Ryoken could swear he could see over it from this turret in the corner of the mansion.

   They sat together on the edge, feet in the gutter, Ryoken’s bum on the tiling and got talking. About things, about life, and death, too.

   “Do you think she’s out there?” Ryoken asked. “My mother?”

   “Probably not… but that’s a good thing. It meant you and Dr. Kogami loved her so much, she didn’t need more time with you.”

   That was one way to look at grief. Spectre would know better than Ryoken, he was just a thirteen year old fleshie after all. Ryoken hugged his knees tighter.

   “So does that mean there was someone whom you didn’t get to love enough in life?” Ryoken asked. “Is that why you’re still here, as a ghost?”

   Spectre shrugged.

   Ryoken chewed his bottom lip. It felt gauche to ask yet appropriate at the same time. He glanced at Spectre.

   “Why are you a ghost? Like, um-”

   “How did I die?”

   Ryoken nodded.

   “I’m not sure either. I just remember that it was cold. Very cold… I don’t remember anything else aside from that. Not how old I was when I died, or if I had parents to miss me. Nothing…”

   “Oh… I’m sorry.” Ryoken replied.

   Seeing Spectre, the idea of Heaven, if that’s where his mother was at all, seemed a lot better than this post-death amnesia where he couldn’t stray too far from what tethered him materially. He couldn’t even remember why he was here. It was kind of a pity but he must have wanted to know too because the next day, Spectre invited Ryoken to explore more of the house.

  It was a big, big mansion - nigh labyrinthian - so there had to be a hint. A clue.  Somewhere he did not usually go and didn’t want to go which would elucidate more of why Spectre was a ghost at all.

   Ryoken agreed to help and it didn’t take them long to find something. They wanted to avoid Spectre’s relatives as well as Ryoken’s Father. They were all clumped together in the main rooms around the foyer for their so-called therapy sessions. So, Ryoken and Spectre went sneaking around upstairs and in the attic.

   Up there, they found a treasure trove. 

   No wonder Spectre didn’t typically hang out up there. It was full of precious memories and mementos from when she had been alive. Toys, clothes, and yes, even the newspaper article on how his untimely death drove his poor mother to madness and, allegedly, witchcraft. 

   Ryoken looked at Spectre as he absorbed what he could of the attic. The dust motes floated in the air, through musty windows with the battens hatched and boarded up. He had been dead for a long, long time and alive for just the blink of an eye really. It was a lot to take in, no wonder he had been subconsciously avoiding it.

   “I wanted to see my mother again…”

   Made sense.

   Except. She wasn’t here. Clearly, she was in that other place. Well away from the mansion and her son and their other relatives to had stayed.

   “She turned to witchcraft to… to… to find a way to bring me back to life.” 

   “But that’s impossible, right?” Ryoken asked but when Spectre turned around, he was grinning maniacally.

   Clearly, Ryoken ought to know better than to call something impossible. He changed his mind on the existence of ghosts pretty quickly upon arriving at this haunted mansion.

  “No, she found a way. I-In the basement, come with me. I remember now.”

   Just as quickly as the night before, Ryoken was taken for a ride. Spectre grabbed his hand and they raced through the house. They passed Ryoken’s Father and Spectre’s relatives on the way. Huh, weird, they were in a kind of good mood now, leaving the house, actually so they could do something together. Strange.

   Didn’t matter though. Especially since Spectre knew he was going to be up to no good, defying the conventions of life and death. With Ryoken in tow, of course. 

   Down in the basement, there were trap doors and other contraptions. It took them for a ride and then they arrived somewhere even further down than the basement.

   “Wow, what is this place?” Ryoken asked, his eyes wide as he took in the bizarre surroundings, deep in a cavern scented with salt water.

   “My mother’s laboratory.”

   Spectre raced off and Ryoken followed along. He looked over dusty tomes and cluttered desks. It was all left in such disarray, free to age over the decades, abandoned by all who had died over the years. 

   All except something at the heart of it. A set of potions embedded in wooden holders, just one and it glistened, shinier and redder than a ruby. Spectre pointed it out as though it wasn’t obvious from miles away.

   “This… This is the elixir of life my mother brewed.”

   Ryoken wolf-whistled, impressed.

   Spectre’s expression was frantic, excited, his eyes glittered then he spoke up again after hold this moment of relish which left Ryoken thunderstruck.

   “There’s enough for a one time go. One ghost to become human again. All you have to do is put it in the holder and I go into the chamber and then presto.” 

   It all sounded so simple when put like that but Ryoken glanced at the chamber that Spectre mentioned. It looked unsafe to say the least. A monstrosity of wood and metal, bolted and boarded up, like a zero gravity chamber before those were even conceived of as being a thing.

   “You can help me, right? I want to be human, again, just like you. We could go to school together and play games and-”

   Ryoken laughed. He smiled. Spectre sounded so excited, how could he possibly say no? His Mother designed it and it's not like he was going to get any deader. If it worked, it worked. If it didn’t? Spectre would be heartbroken but they could still hang out and play together, just like they had been before.

   “Alright, I’ll help.” Ryoken agreed.

   Spectre grinned and he dived into the chamber.

   Ryoken turned and he unlatched the glass potion from its wooden holder. His fingers grazed the surface and then he heard something. It made him jump out of his skin, it made him look up.

   “Father?” Ryoken exclaimed.

   His heart stopped.

   He knew it had been weird to see his Father in a good mood around his clients. They were so good at dragging him down, through the mud and draining the life out of him. Not to mention, he was nothing if not professional.

   “There was a little accident, kiddo.” 

   “It wasn’t our fault.” 

   “He did it to himself.”

   One by one, they all spoke up. Genome. Then Baira. And then Faust last.

   Ryoken watched. He stared in anguish as his Father joined them. No longer alive, no longer flesh and blood like he but a ghost. Like the others. Strange, spectral figures who twisted and contorted what it meant to be human-like, in eerie shades of green, pink, and brown.

   “We were going to do it quick.”

   “Harpoon through the heart.”

   “He chose to break every bone instead.”

  Again, that same choir going down the line: Genome, Baira, and then Faust last. Then, together, in unison.

   “He fell to his death in a pit!”

   Ryoken flinched.

   He didn’t even so much as wince when Spectre had revealed the snippets of his own death but this? This felt just like when he heard his Mother had been in an accident. 

   “And I have never felt more alive!”

   Ryoken watched as his Father floated, looped and swirled through the air.

   “What are you even doing down here?”

   “I didn’t even know we had a down here!”

   “Where’s Spectre?”

   Sure enough, at Faust and company’s beck and call, Spectre was prompted. He drew himself out of the chamber and was just as slack jawed to see the new ghost in the mansion’s fold.

  “Dr. Kogami!”

   Spectre joined Ryoken at his side. Ryoken’s lower lip quivered but he was in such denial, he couldn’t shed any of the tears in the corner of his eye.

   Ryoken couldn’t bring himself to ask. Spectre didn’t want to say it. But they were both thinking it.

   “Are you sure it works?” Ryoken asked, his voice cracking.

   He knew that Spectre wanted to be his friend in life and living again but.

   He needed his Father.

   Spectre swallowed thickly. A bluish colour swished through him.

   “I’ll help. Anything for you, Ryoken.”

   Spectre jetted off and glared at his aunt and uncles. They tried to stop him but this was the first time he had ever glared daggers at them. Not so much as a word as he ripped Dr. Kogami from their sides, grabbing him and dragging him down, down, down into the chamber.

   Dr. Kogami rambled drunkenly. Ryoken put his hands over his ears. He ignored the cries and demands that he was being a partypooper from Baira, Faust, and Genome. He grit his teeth together and hoped that Spectre was right. That the magic potion his mother had made all those years ago did work.

   “Ready?”

   Ryoken wasn’t much use though. Spectre did most of the hard work as he surrendered the elixir to Dr. Kogami. Ryoken pushed aimlessly at a ship captain’s wheel and the machine came to life. It whirred and roared and when it finished, it made a ding like a laundry machine.

   Steam poured out of it and the door to it opened.

   A ghost had gone in but a ghost did not come out.

   “Huh? Where am I?” Dr. Kogami asked. “Ryoken?”

   Ryoken ran to his Father’s side and wrapped his arms around him tightly. Spectre hovered like, well, a ghost and disappeared just as quickly. His relatives booed and heckled but it had worked.

   That’s all that mattered.

   Ryoken, with his Father, staggered back up into the main part of the house. Dr. Kogami rambled about how… how… he still didn’t see his wife again. Ryoken was just glad to have his father still but poor Spectre.

   There was only enough to save one and Ryoken had seen how that cherry red elixir evaporated into the mechanism of the machine. No recipe to be seen amongst the dusty tomes.

   For the rest of the day, Spectre made himself sparse. He ignored his aunt and uncles’ demands to be “fed” so they could enjoy the farce of dinner and he ignored Ryoken’s plea to see him again.

   Ryoken felt awful but it was the right thing. For that, Spectre ought to be proud of his selflessness. His Father certainly appreciated it after his maligned fall. He didn’t say much about it. The same could not be said for either Baira, Faust, nor Genome, however.

   “Where is the brat?”

   “He’s never late.”

   “Wait, what’s that?”

   The dining room was conjoined to the main foyer which ws, typically, the dimmest part of the house as it was covered by the storeys above, surrounded by doors rather windows which was why it was mighty peculiar that any light would come through it. Especially one as bright and angelic as this one.

   Everyone ran inside, only to stop in their tracks.

   “Sorry for being late…” Spectre said. “I, um, I’m out of practise putting clothes on.” He sheepishly admitted.

   Ryoken couldn’t believe his eyes.

   He had always imagined Spectre as being a dorky little kid but he actually looked older than expected, with silver-grey hair and of course those big blue eyes which looked dollike. Especially from afar and he was all dolled up in a flowy villager shirt and neat, black trousers. 

   He descended down the stairs slowly. He wasn’t used to walking, either. Too used to zipping and floating about as a ghost.

   “How the hell-?”

   “Uh-uh, not hell. Heaven.” an Angel interjected.

   The voice came from further afar the stairwell’s main flight and Dr. Kogami couldn’t believe his ears, nor his eyes. He would know that voice and that appearance from anywhere.

   “My love.” he gasped.

   He raced up as he let Ryoken and Spectre congregate in the foyer, in the middle of the aged orange and brain tiles. Spectre made the excess fabric on his shirt’s sleeves twirl as he stopped Ryoken from following hot on his Father’s footsteps.

   “Not yet.” Spectre said. “I… I want your attention first, please, Ryoken.”

   “Oh, um, right, sorry, but - but that’s my Mother…?” Ryoken said, looking over and past Spectre’s shoulder impatiently before returning his attention to the human boy in front of him.

   Spectre nodded, “It is. She, um, helped me out. Like a fairy godmother.” Spectre said. “Turns out my aunt and uncles do know someone who knows someone who, um, knows her and she wanted to thank me for preventing your Father from well. Becoming a full-time ghost.”

   “Wow, really?” Ryoken’s eyes went wide.

   “Mmhm.” Spectre mumbled. “But only for one day.”

   “Like Cinderella.” Ryoken said. “Well, we’re going to have to make it worth it then.”

   “Yeah.” Spectre smiled.

   Ryoken quietened down and realised he had something he wanted to ask of Spectre, “So, um, what about your mother?” He asked in a tiny voice.

   Spectre laughed, “In heaven. I asked your mother that too. It, um, turns out they’re friends.”

   “No way.” Ryoken couldn’t believe the odds.

   “So, let’s enjoy our time together though? Please? I’m so… so…” Spectre’s eyes began to fill up with tears of gratitude, his whole body trembled. “I’m so excited to have any time at all with you because um… I have a crush on you!”

   Ryoken blushed. He couldn’t say he was surprised by the confession but he nodded. He wasn’t sure how, if it could work, but for now. Ryoken took Spectre’s hand and that was enough to feel like they were flying on cloud nine.

[intothevrains]

here it is. the legendary kiyoshi kogami coma analysis ive been bothering several discords with. possibly also just a Part One 

prefacing this with a general content warning. this will cover topics including a lot of medical jargon, including a whole lot of brain injury talk. i also want to mention i am not at all a doctor and this is merely a product of much research: please feel free to add on or ask any questions, even provide corrections where you see fit. please ask about sources and ill provide, one is just an essay paper that’s downloaded onto my computer.

three main topics i want to cover:

coma patients in general (and how it relates to kiyoshi)

a general very messy analysis of link vrains and its functionality

kiyoshi kogami & lightning

first things first; coma patients & similar have four states of consciousness, those being minimal consciousness, coma, vegetative state, and brain death. patients can also go between the first three states, but as far as i am aware there is no coming back from brain death, depending on definition (brain stem death and specific parts of the brain dying are different and vary in danger, AFAIK). 

i believe kiyoshi is in a minimally conscious state, or was, likely even going between a minimally conscious state and a coma, however never into a vegetative state. I also don’t believe he’s braindead as he is still functional, and here’s why;

first off, i’ll provide a definition of a minimally conscious state; “The minimally conscious state is a condition of severely altered consciousness in which minimal but definite behavioral evidence of self or environmental awareness is demonstrated.” 

minimally conscious patients are shown to respond to external stimuli, even possessing the ability to answer questions through brain activity. more on that; the study conducted that discovered this state of consciousness found that many patients in a minimally conscious state could respond to yes/no questions, even control parts of their body at will instead of only on reflex, like a coma patient would. the way that patients would respond to yes or no questions would be through spiking their brain activity. an example: someone asks the patient a question such as “is your name [name]?” and the patient would respond by thinking very hard of something, thereby spiking brain activity and declaring a “yes”. a no would be concluded by the patient not thinking of anything.

all of this has to be done with MRI scans which... ryoken just has in his home, apparently. I mean, have you seen the care setup he has for his father? 

...yeah. a lot.

keep in mind, different reasons for brain damage happening also factor into how severe a conscious state is impaired. a stroke inflicted coma may put you into a minimally conscious state, whereas severe brain damage would put you into a coma, or worse. this relates to something i’ll cover in a bit. a complete (sort of) list of things that are common factors of comas: Severe head injuries, brain infections, brain damage from lack of oxygen, drug overdose, stroke, chemical imbalances due to illness, such as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). keep in mind severe head injuries and brain damage. 

anyways, this leaves a good segue into how exactly link VRAINS works. as things are at the moment any possibility or ability to plug ones mind into a computer or even import a HUMAN brain into a computer is basically impossible. for example... putting a nematode brain into a computer is the only thing thats been done, and even that took an insane amount of technology (nematode brains have 20K neurons, humans have a billions). link vrains is basically impossible, but i’m just going to go ahead and ignore that and put together what i can. 

the only way a fraction of a human brain could be in a computer is through a host server that uses quantum computing which is..... fine for soltech but the kogamis? having a quantum computer? a device that requires temperatures a bit above absolute zero to work? No, almost certainly not. (soltech which is almost certainly founded by and supported by billionaires because its only billionaires and millionaires for the most part funding studies dedicated to putting brains in computers and thats for immortality's sake, by the way)

so, soltech uses quantum computing and a whole lot of nonsense im not smart enough to put together for vrains to work. but what about kiyoshi? well, kiyoshi only actually has an avatar in vrains, meaning its not actually himself. the lieutenants created an AI replica of kiyoshi, which asks kiyoshi commands throughout the series... or, maybe it only did at the start. this is where my theories start to converge; is kiyoshi in a minimally conscious state throughout vrains season one, or in a coma? was an AI developed on his input before the series began and did he fall into a coma afterwards, or is he always in a minimally conscious state? almost like his "input" (basal, subconscious IDEAS of direction) goes through a translator to become his speech/avatar movement. 

i think the only fully human detail about vrains kiyoshi is that he transmits the actual kiyoshi's vitals and responds to them. ie cant manifest after his body dies. and then even that could be fake, there couldve been a separate little string of data that just shut him down if those vitals ever dipped too low. 

there’s also something frustrating that is like a worm on my mind: using this information the kiyoshi that we see in vrains may be very inaccurate to how he actually is. he may be an AI build off of input from the lieutenants and ryoken, but that may not completely mirror how he actually was as a person. yes/no commands from kiyoshi himself can only do so much as well. it certainly leaves a lot to be considered. maybe he’s more of an ai than consciousness data of a person and exists as a moral compass/guiding figure for ryoken who felt guilty about his father's death, because at the end of the day, ryoken was 100% the one calling the shots for the hanoi and kiyoshi's seen multiple times just totally deferring to revolver and doing stuff on the side for him instead of really leading the charge

kinda like that trope of people making ai that closely resemble deceased people and are ALMOST the same thing but Not Exactly

also, kiyoshis in vrains avatar takes on the same appearance of the one he had 10 years ago. this could or couldnt have implications, who knows. i dont know.

and finally.... kiyoshi and lightning. lightning is an interesting case in himself i want to eventually infodump about BUT i want to talk about their relationship for a moment or how they relate to each other. or, just how lightning put him into a coma in the first place. same with miyu. 

its never fully covered in vrains how much the ignis can interact with the real world, but im assuming to a very basic degree they can be touched and interacted with. i also want to bring back three possible coma causes that’re most common that i brought up earlier: Severe head injuries, stroke, and brain damage from lack of oxygen. any of these are possible, but i believe a stroke is the most likely. a stroke can be caused by an irregular heartbeat... it very well could’ve been lightning just electrocuting a specific part of him to force him into a coma. that’s just the best of what i can come up with with my extremely limited data on lightnings abilities and general ignis weirdness. my friends and i have come up with a lot of theories on this particular facet of kiyoshi and lightning and as much as it pains me, i might have to just chalk it up to ignis weirdness i dont know how to explain.

... i know the whole “it was probably electricity that caused a stroke that put him into a coma” argument becomes almost immediately null if you bring up that miyu came out of her coma after lightning died but, hey, i’m doing my best here.

anyways thanks for reading. thats all... i will return soon with more. please let me know thoughts and theories or anything i missed im dying to talk about vrains with people

[incorrect-vrains-quotes]

Dr Kogami: Sometimes, you got to expect the unexpected.

Ryoken: *slpas him * Did you expect that, bitch?

[celepom]

“Insight”

Was talking with @stardustupinlights about an AU of theirs and I came up with this bit and felt the need to draw it.

I’ll just be over here beating the "Kiyoshi Kogami was a terrible parent on top of being a garbage human" drum for the rest of my life.

Ko-Fi | Commissions | DeviantART | Tumblr Art Tag | Puzzle Peaches

[kcuf-ad]

Kiyoshi: Son, that was insane.

Ryoken: Father, have you lost your touch?

Kiyoshi: No son, I did not expect you to crack those codes.

Ryoken:...

Kiyoshi:...

Both of them: Begin to laugh

Ryoken: Anyway, I am off to do a genocide.

Kiyoshi: Yea no, have fun.

Ryoken: MASS EXTERMINATION! Logs into the Cyberse

[taxguy314]

# Blame Kiyoshi Kogami

[lost-incident-kid]

Dr Kogami: Jesus died for our sins so you better sin really hard every day else he died for nothing

[pastelshadowrealm]

Babe I need the yuai headcanons POSTHASTE forget spoilers forget everything I need them

Can do for ya darlin!!

Okay so as ya local fusion scum, Ai offering Yusaku a chance at converting his conscious to data and becoming one with Ai made me lose my marbles in excitement. 

Yusaku noting that they would both stop existing and become someone new just amped that excitement to max so without further ado!! Some Yuai headcanons for ya :’3

1. He’s amnesiac and doesn’t remember existing as either Ai or Yusaku. He has access to their values and ideals, but he is a brand new AI.

2. He comes into existence at the end of Yusaku’s natural lifespan. Similarly to how Kogami transferred his conscious into VRAINS,Yusaku does the same out of love for Ai and making sure he’s never alone.

3. He inherits Ai’s friendly disposition and Yusaku’s belief in bonds and is basically a friend magnet, which is excellent cause he comes into existence terrified of being alone.

4. He really doesn’t feel alone, he actually feels complete in some odd way. Two halves melded perfectly together, but terror grips at him of losing this sensation.

5. His Link VRAINS sense is unparalleled, not even Bohman could match him in terms of being plugged into the network.

6. This uh. This kinda leads him into uncovering a cleaning AI’s data stashed away in a dream like state. Clever and compassionate, he goes about finding ways to stabilize this AI’s program so he can wake him up.

7. And that’s how Yuai manages to get himself one whole Roboppi babey!!

8. Holy Ra he loves Roboppi, this bright goofy kid brother is exactly what the ol bond engine needed.

9. Bops is full of stories, even tho, “I was only smart for a little while,” his stories twist something in Yuai’s heart that’s bittersweet.

10. Bops and him don’t immediately put two and two together, and he’s actually content not having a past because he’s never really thought about it. It isn’t until later on when he starts to wonder how he came to be.

11. He’s the definition of a bleeding heart, kid will help damn near anyone in Links VRAINS who asks for it. This has gotten him into some tricky spots, but he’s an excellent duelist if it comes to that and most of the time it doesn’t cause he’s just too damn nice.

12. Speaking of, he probably runs Yusaku’s Cyberse deck.

13. Which is about when he starts to wonder why users in Link VRAINS keep calling him the second coming of some old hero named Playmaker. This character hadn’t been active in many years, and there were new heroes to take his place but. It bothers him a bit. He isn’t this Playmaker guy.

14. These new heroes possibly becoming the team he comes to hang out with whenever they’re logged in, as he’s excellent at aiding them in missions with his Link Sense.

15. Appearance wise, he takes Ai’s colors and matches them to Playmaker’s hairstyle. But his eyes are an ever shifting gradient of green to gold to in between.

16. Shit I could go on and on but final one here, but his suit colors are black, purple, and yellow trim. Plus his sick cape, Bops says the cape is cool so he’s keeping it.

[merryfortune]

The Treasure Hunt and the Freedom to Pursue Our Treasures

Written for Respectfulshipping Week 2024

Prompt: Free Day

Title: The Treasure Hunt and the Freedom to Pursue Our Treasures

Ship: Respectfulshipping | Ryoken/Spectre

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains 

Word Count: 3,794

Rating: T

Tags: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Kogami Kiyoshi’s A+ Parenting, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Hopeful Ending, Love Confessions, Running Away Together

   More often than not, Ryoken felt ungrateful.

   But he wanted more than being his father’s doll.

   Do this, say that, wear this, learn that. It was a constant barrage of activity: all to hone him into the perfect heir to the Kogami legacy but it was just too much. Especially as Ryoken felt as though he were failing to meet expectations, let alone meeting them or heaven forbid, exceeding them.

   And that was all he yearned to do. To exceed his Father’s expectations and make him proud. That’s all he wanted but all he got was far, far less. Far worse, even.

   His Father’s eyes were always stone grey when Ryoken fumbled. A quiet fury behind the stern expression as Ryoken misspoke, got less than expected on a test, fumbled his bows. It could be the tiniest thing and Ryoken would feel the ramifications of such a mistake like an earthquake.

   Every violin lesson, every calligraphy lesson, it all felt like a waste on Ryoken. His Father could invest the last coin in Ryoken, to cultivate him into an adult worthy of the Kogami name, but it didn’t seem worth it. Tradition was tradition, however, so there was one last thing to impart upon Ryoken in order to at least place him in the mould of the illustrious Kogami name and the legacy that entailed.

   They were the dragon tamers, after all.

   Spoken of animatedly and with awe far and wide, in every corner of Paldea. 

   Every species of Dragon Type Pokemon, Kiyoshi had brought it under heel without issue. Ryoken wanted to do the same.

   “Here. I have chosen this one for you.” his Father told Ryoken on the morning of his tenth birthday.

   “Thank you, Father.” Ryoken smiled and he accepted the gift of a shiny, red and white PokeBall.

   This was it. The final frontier. It was here, accepting this PokeBall, that Ryoken wanted to believe that he could redeem himself from being a disappointing disgrace to his Father. He would become the strongest Dragon Type specialist in all the region. No… The world!

   His heart fluttered as Ryoken felt the weight and curiosity. What was it? What was it, he wondered. A Dratini, a wyrm whose fate to flight would be as grand and fitting as his own fate to inherit his family’s legacy? Or would it be a Gible? A tiny land shark who would grow into proper fangs and claws, dominating all in battle?

   Or maybe it would be…

   Dreepy.

   Ryoken felt his hopes dashed as he opened the PokeBall and his starter Pokemon was revealed to him a jagged flash of silver. A creepy crybaby Pokemon whose dual typing was Dragon and Ghost. Not exactly a hopeful message, Ryoken would think so once again, he felt ungrateful.

   Dreepy’s big yellow eyes confused, as though sensing Ryoken was disappointed to meet it. It's just those eyes. That Pokemon. It all carried a message to Ryoken. That his Father had adjusted expectations since he had shown no promise in any other tradition of the Kogami Family and that things weren’t going to change.

   “When the school year begins anew for the year,” his Father continued, his voice droning and emotionless, “you will join Uva Academy and study there. When the headmaster decides, you too, will become part of the cohort to find your treasure.”

   “Thank you, Father.” Ryoken mumbled.

   He returned Dreepy to its PokeBall.

   Ryoken felt quietly excited again. At least at boarding school, he would be away from his Father’s iron fist. There was that to look forward to. He hoped when he returned, despite the burden of inadequacy that he felt, Ryoken might be half the Trainer that his Father wanted from him.

   Over the course of the next few days, Ryoken did his best to bond with his Dreepy. It was a boy and had a hardy nature, Dreepy wanted Ryoken to depend on him as a partner and in due time, they began to coordinate so when they arrived at Uva Academy, they actually made quite the mark. They swept through a lot of battles, even against Trainers who have had partners for far longer than Ryoken.

   Maybe that was a sign of things to come.

   But Ryoken wasn’t the only student in his class who had a part Ghost type, he realised.

   There was another boy, too. About his age, actually, or maybe two years younger. Ryoken wasn’t actually sure since he wasn’t exactly Mr. Popularity or a chatterbox for that matter, he kept to himself, his drawings, and his partner Pokemon which was a Phantump.

   When Ryoken asked about him, the obvious pariah in an otherwise tight knit cohort of mixed aged, co-ed students, Ryoken was frozen out. He didn’t really get why though. They were all Class 1-A, they should act like it. Be friends and all that jazz but it seemed that there was a pecking order everywhere and whilst Ryoken had made a favourable first day impression this boy - Spectre - had not.

   Yet Ryoken found himself trying to get closer anyways. Even though he was plenty popular, especially compared to the artsy-fartsy loner. Of which, Ryoken heard plenty of rumours about.

   “He considers that Phantump his brother.”

   “He just stares at people, it’s creepy! And rude!”

   “He gave himself his own nickname, that’s so lame.”

   And the complaints just piled up there as every now and again, he did pick fights or disobey the teachers. It seemed that there were plenty of things about him amiss. Apparently. But it just made Ryoken all the more curious about him.

   A fateful afternoon occurred maybe a month into the first term when Ryoken finally found the stones inside of him to go and say hi to this classmate.

   It was a rainy day so everyone was stuck inside. Most people were slacking off their recess in the cafeteria, eating more than they would have or doing research in the library. As a result, the patio out the back which looked out onto the quadrangle was very empty since it made a big risk of getting wet. The downpour was speeding fast down and over the gutters, hitting the grass and cement. 

   It was exactly on that edge that Spectre was absorbed in drawing the rainy garden scene. So, Ryoken slipped out and got closer. He wasn’t even noticed by Spectre until he spoke up, clearing his throat.

   “Hey, how’s it going? I, um, notice you’ve got a really steady hand for painting. My Dad makes me do calligraphy lessons and I’m rubbish at them, think you can help?” Ryoken asked. All his words and excuse for saying hi bursting out of his mouth in one go.

   Spectre was scared out of his skin by this introduction.

   He looked Ryoken up and down.

   “You want to do what with me?” he exclaimed, blue eyes wide and gosh, what big and blue eyes they were. Ryoken had never known until now��

   “I want to practise holding a brush with you. You seem really good at it so…” Ryoken shrugged.

   Spectre pouted. His brows furrowed together as he warily mulled over Ryoken’s request. He seemed - rightfully - dubious that a student as liked as Ryoken was talking to him and trying to establish good terms. After all, Ryoken was at the top of all the report cards and rankings, he was regarded well by their mutual peers and seemed to run in really different circles and yet.

   Here Ryoken was and he offered up some materials to practise calligraphy. Paper, a brush, ink. Ryoken smiled. He was willing to get his hands dirty and so, Spectre softened. He made room for Ryoken and begrudgingly, they began to get along well.

   Really well.

   So well in fact that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, actually.

   They were like chalk and cheese. Ryoken was sociable and friendly, Spectre was grumpy more often than not. Ryoken was good at battles and mathematics but Spectre was at the bottom of every tourney but did well in creative classes. It was an odd pairing and even one that Ryoken’s other friends tried to discourage but Ryoken was firm.

   Spectre was interesting and off-beat but that’s what he liked about him. He wanted to be friends. Ryoken wanted to get to know him and he did. He could confirm.

   Yes, Spectre did, in fact, consider his Phantump to be his brother. Though it was not for some quirky reason.

   It had found him alone in the forest as an abandoned baby. Maybe a couple more days, he would have become the living myth that dead children become Phantump but this Phantump rescued him from that alleged fate. It led an orphanage worker to his location and she brought Spectre into the fold of institutionalised care.

   Yes, Spectre did, in fact, stare a lot. He was creepy and he was rude. He couldn’t help himself. 

   He didn’t have that innate tact or social grace other people had, so he threw himself into studying the other in some attempt to assimilate it. It didn’t work but at least it helped with his art. He loved drawing landscapes best of all but his time spent studying others wasn’t in vain as he could do realism and caricature off the cuff ever so easily.

   And finally, yes, Spectre gave himself his own nickname. Oh boo hoo. He had a favourite Pokemon type and it was so personal to him, he wanted to honour it with a nickname. Ryoken genuinely respected that. If given the chance, he would go by Revolver because it sounded cool. So props to Spectre for not just taking that chance but forging the opportunity altogether.

   Then by the inverse, Spectre learned plenty about Ryoken, too. Though Ryoken wasn’t sure there was much about him worth learning. It's not like he had accomplished any feat so far to impress his Father… 

   His music was out of tune. With a violin, anyway. The music teacher put a guitar in Ryoken’s hands once and it just fit his hand right. His calligraphy was still bad. Spectre outclassed him in that department but he was still doing his best. And Ryoken was uncontested when it came to battles. Dreepy very well may evolve any day now.

   It had been three years since Ryoken had first come to Uva Academy and since then, had become best of friends with Spectre and was considered an elite trainer. The school had taught him well but it was Spectre’s companionship which meant the most to him. Returning home without him every six weeks was bittersweet.

   So when they got the news they would both be a part of the Treasure Hunt, it was the best news ever.

   For the ceremonies, Ryoken’s Father was invited. A lot of parents were invited, actually, but Kogami Kiyoshi’s attendance was uniquely requested due to the prestige of the legacy that he was the patriarch of. He accepted, wanting to see if his son’s learning environment had been adequate after all these years. Uva’s legacy was even more storied than his own after all.

   Ryoken was nervous to have his two worlds collide, however. The self he was at school and the self he was at home… He realised now, as a thirteen year old full of angst and self-awareness, that they were two different people. 

   At the podium, on the stage, his Father spoke coldly and from the assembly, right next to him, Spectre stared coldly. He didn’t see a resemblance between Ryoken or his Father aside from name. Ryoken twitched as he did his best to stay still and look attentive.

   “Achieve well.” his Father concluded his speech to much applause.

   The rest of his speech had not been quite so frank, nor curt. He used a lot of big words and spoke to his ideals which he saw as stone cold truths. Some students fell asleep listening to him, others were rapt. 

   Afterwards, he came and said hello to his son, and his son’s friend.

   “Father, this is Spectre.” Ryoken said. He made a sweeping motion towards his friend with his hands/

   “Actual name?” his Father prompted Spectre.

   Spectre didn’t reply.

   So Ryoken did for him. “He doesn’t have one.”

   “Family members of note?” his Father asked next.

   Spectre still didn’t reply.

   “He’s an orphan.” Ryoken interpreted the silence on behalf of Spectre.

   He could be rebellious in front of adults but this was… different somehow. It made Ryoken shiver, put a rock in the pit of his gut. He elbowed Spectre and Spectre finally bowed in some acknowledgement of common courtesy but it was the tiniest angle, the smallest shift of his head forward. Utterly blink and you miss it.

   “Occupation?” Ryoken’s Father said and.

   Ah.

   That got a response. Spectre’s eyes keened.

   “Artist.” he said.

   “Foolish.” Ryoken’s Father admonished him. He turned his attention to his son, “I don’t like this associate for you.”

   “U-Understood.” Ryoken murmured.

   Spectre’s lips pursed together. He had a feeling.

   So did Ryoken, actually. Spectre was dirt poor with no capital behind him due to his family circumstances. He was on the cusp of growing up into the perfect rendition of the starving artist stereotype, too… Eccentric and rude. Off with the fairies. Creepy. He was all those things and more.

   Ryoken licked his lips and his heart skipped a beat, “Father,” he said, “we’ll be seeing you. For the Treasure Hunt, Spectre and I have teamed up.”

   “No.” his Father replied, cutting and unamused.

   “Yes.” Spectre said. “Ryoken is my best friend. I would do anything for him.” he was fierce. He meant it.

   “I will not have my son do foolish things. I don’t even consider the Treasure Hunt of much significance, its cultural importance unfounded.” Ryoken’s Father said.

   “I, um, want to collect all eight Gym Badges,” Ryoken piped up shyly, “and become a Trainer of your calibre.”

   “And what else?” his Father asked. “You must exceed me and your son will one day have to exceed you so give him big shoes to fill, or you fail all of us.”

   Ryoken simpered. He didn’t have a reply. He was thirteen! He didn’t even know if he wanted kids and the idea of them, well, for some reason he glanced at Spectre and that confirmed some vague hunch he had. It didn’t matter.

   “Go forth. I won’t keep you any longer and you. Boy.” his Father refused to acknowledge Spectre by his chosen name, I don’t want you leading my son astray.”

   “I won’t, sir.” Spectre murmured.

   His lack of proper enunciation wasn’t like him but Ryoken’s Father didn’t know that. Instead, he found it insulting and it got under his skin.

   Ryoken bowed - deeply, hands in front of him - and excused himself. He had to tap Spectre’s shoulder to get him to do the same and together, they both skulked off. Spectre was fuming but Ryoken had his tail between his legs. It was with shoulders up and heads hunched down as they less than triumphantly took their first steps into the Treasure Hunt.

   “I don’t like your dad.” Spectre announced when they were well out of earshot.

   They were on the outside of town now, on the route to Cortonda in the second area of the Southern Province. 

   “He’s just… stuffy.” Ryoken said.

   “But he makes me want to get stronger…” Spectre miserably said. “And I think I know how I want to start. I - I think its time to evolve Phantump.”

   Ryoken was surprised to hear but it was good to know there was some throb of rivalry deep within their friendship. It was one thing to get along smoothly but they weren’t going to become cream of the crop Trainers that.

   Spectre turned to face Ryoken, the sunset behind haloed him, as he extended his hand, PokeBall in the palm of it, “Will you help me? Phantump evolves by trade after all. A-And don’t worry,” Spectre added, nervous and sweaty on his brow, “Phantump and I were talking about this yesterday, in the dorms. He thinks it's time, too.”

   “I’d love to help.” Ryoken replied.

   And so, they did a little swap. Ryoken borrowed Phantump and Spectre borrowed Drakloak. The exchange, although brief, turned Phantump into Trevenant on the side of the road and with an evolution of their main partner Pokemon each under their belts, it felt like something changed, too. It wasn’t just evolution, it was a fresh start.

   Together, over the course of the next year, Ryoken fulfilled his goals and Spectre did his best to keep pace, also, and all whilst filling up his sketchbooks. The Treasure Hunt brought them closer together than ever before. Travelling together had its ups and downs, of course. Sometimes they argued but they always made up afterwards, either duking it out with a Pokemon battle or one of them deciding it was time to call it quits so they could share food or other resources. Most of the time, it was like a never-ending sleepover by night and a never-ending field trip by day. It was great.

   And, best of all, they both have eight badges each to show for it.

   Ryoken breezed through the Gyms, collecting Dragon types in his wake to help out and Spectre did much the same, alternating between his two favourite types of Grass and Ghost but not shying away from Ground or Rock types, either. Ryoken had a couple of Psychic types and Steel types, also. It wasn’t a varied team but they were a big family in some ways.

   One Ryoken couldn’t wait to introduce to his Father. 

   He thought about all the cool and tough Pokemon that his Father had his beck and call. A mighty Dragonite, a ferocious Garchomp, and the viscous Braxcalliber. They were amazing, he recalled them all fondly and he thought the members of the species he could call his teammates could easily go toe to toe with his Father’s.

   But apparently not.

   It was… humbling, to say the least. Especially on the eve of Ryoken trying for championship. He wanted his Father’s approval first, Spectre watched from the wings, unsure of his place in the den of the Dragon Types that Ryoken had taken him “home” too. It wasn’t like any home he knew and he was ostracised his own orphanage but the forest clearing that he and Trevenant (previously Phantump) had enjoyed. It was the clear standard being warm and fun and loving.

   “The Gym Leaders are pushovers and your friend… He makes you soft.” Ryoken’s Father decided after the battle. “Keep training. Keep pushing yourself or else.”

   Ryoken felt humiliated outside in the arena of the Dragon Types, his childhood house looming behind it and a grand forest all around. He felt small in the scheme of it all. His six Pokemon all fainted. He was…

   He was never going to be good enough, Ryoken realised as he fought back tears. He had lost Pokemon battles before, half of them to Spectre, but this was way, way different. It tore him up inside and broke his heart.

   “Stop crying.” his Father scolded him and locked him out.

   The door to the mansion slammed shut.

   Spectre rushed to his side and he took Ryoken’s hand to comfort him.

   “I know i’m not an expert but… I don’t think that’s normal.” Spectre mumbled.

   “Me neither…” Ryoken replied.

   “Do you still want to challenge the Elite Four tomorrow?” Spectre asked.

   “I… I do.” Ryoken decided.

   “I’m glad.” Ryoken said.

   Spectre led him away from the Dragon Tamer’s headquarters. It wasn’t Ryoken’s house anymore and it certainly wasn’t his home, either. They camped in the outer ring of the mountains, making their way back to the Pokemon League.

   Though Ryoken didn’t spend a lot of time there either.

   He lost again but it was a cathartic loss. He’d actually made it all the way until he reached the Champion’s offer but the Champion. Wow. That was something else. He and his team were smashed but the end of it, Ryoken was smiling. He felt stronger for trying. Not weaker. Completely unlike the despair his Father induced in him upon his loss to him. 

   The Champion, afterwards, asked him something, “What did you get out of the Treasure Hunt?”

   Ryoken didn’t have a response. The treasure he had been chasing throughout the past year, it was more like trash to him now. He had wanted to be like his father, strong like him, meeting his expectations and exceeding them. Now he didn’t know what he wanted.

   He relayed the same thing to Spectre over dinner. But when he did, Ryoken had an epiphany. The starlight which shone over head of them was gentle and coaxed out secrets in the cool breeze/

   “Spectre,” Ryoken said, getting excited, “I’ve changed my mind. I think I know what my treasure is.”

   “Really? What do you think it is?” Spectre asked, matching Ryoken’s energy was warm and crackling. He looked up over the bowl of curry that he had made for himself and Ryoken.

   “My treasure is freedom and my treasure is… you.” Ryoken said. “I don’t want our adventure to ever end. I want to become a rockstar. What about you? What’s your treasure?”

   His heart skipped a beat. Spectre had always known what he wanted but he wanted to hear it again. Especially or just in case it had changed and Ryoken did have one singular tiny hope for how it might have changed.

   They both put away their meal. For now at least. Their Pokemon - Dragapualt and Trevenant - looked up curiously. They wanted to know as well, so they could best support their respective masters…

   “I want to become a successful artist.” Spectre said.

   “And I want to see you become a successful artist, too.” Ryoken said.

   “But I want to see you become a successful musician, too. I want our future to be our treasure, too.” Spectre said.

   Ryoken smiled. He was over the moon. That’s exactly what he wanted, too. The implication that their feelings were the same entwined them and thus, their hands naturally locked together with a hold. It was rock-solid and firm, fingers interlocked, palm to palm. Ryoken swallowed. He felt… bad but like good bad about turning his back on his Father and his family legacy but having seen how untethered Spectre was by how other people saw him, it inspired him. It would continue to inspire him.

   So Ryoken hoped that together, they would be happy. The open road, endless Pokemon battles, songs sung and drawings scribbled out, that was going to be their treasure, for sure and Ryoken hoped that it would be for a long, long time. 

[ruikamo]

vrainsweek 8

okay so the prompt is “ What if...?” with the question: What if Ryoken / Revolver never was able to save the children from the Lost incident? Thinking about this was kind of horrifying, since we really have no ide what kogami was going to do with the six children after he used them to develop the ignises. I mean it would be suspicious to just relese them, would’t it? Was he going to maybe erase their memories? Or just hold them as hostages for way longer? Or dispose of them ><? I thought that maybe Yusaku would duel Kogami for his freedom and get away that way... Also there really isn’t a good outcome for Ryoken is there? He’d always feel guilty whether he rescues the kids or his father :(

[darkzorua100]

Ai going after the KOH will not be easy. I don’t think he can force Revolver to do it either way, but how about bringing the man himself Kogami. If Ai can create back up data to himself and Roboppy, I don’t see why he can’t find some data remaining in LV. Bringing Kogami back as someone different who is willing to create the ignis again that will make the whole thing easier and possibly play a big part in Revolver’s character instead of being “ I know this the whole time“

Kogami was the one that started the whole “we must kill all the Ignis” philosophy to begin with so if Ai was able to bring him back, I don’t think he would be on board with trying to bring back the others and even if Ai rewrote his memories, I still think he would run tests on Ai and come to the same conclusion. For that matter, I don’t think he’s coming back. Ai could make a replica or transform in the guy maybe just to screw with Ryoken but I think Dr. Kogami has been dead for way to long now for there to be any data left of him to bring him back from the dead a second time. But who knows what Ai is fully capable of doing now, especially if he does gain control of SOL.