Between My Brother and Me/Characters

The characters of both Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! collide as they try to fight a menace head on. However, their characteristics have changed for better or for worse.

Tropes related to the Chosen
"May: [from chapter 4, to Bandit Keith] "You'll lose to May, Pokemon Coordinator, and her deck of Dark Monsters!" Max: [from chapter 9, to Arkana] "And where I come from, this is called 'Hyper Beam!' Mokuba:"
 * Adaptational Badass: All three of them in this fanfic.
 * Badass: Let's see...
 * Badass Adorable: A 10 year old girl, and both a 7 and 12 year old boy who are very sweet, innocent, and can kick butt at Duel Monsters.
 * Badass Boast: Each one has a specific one tailored for them.


 * Badass Bookworm: Max, being the Prince of Wisdom and all. Can give you facts on Pokemon and still whup you with them.
 * Badass Damsel: May in the chapter "Wrath of a Goddess"
 * Badass Normal: May is seen as the most normal, seeing as Max uses magic to fight and Mokuba has a god to guide him.
 * Badass Pacifist: Mokuba in Chapter 24.
 * Badass Princess: May, Goddess of Joy, supposed Guardian of the Sea, all around butt kicker with Duel Monsters.
 * Little Miss Badass: May, ten years old, can make grown men chase her and she can still beat them.
 * Dark Is Not Evil: May uses Gravekeeper's and other Dark Monsters, Max has dark sorcerers and Mokuba  but see Neutral Good for details.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Max and Mokuba hold this, but May does it if needed.
 * Determinator: They pretty much won't back down from the bad guys.
 * Motif: Each Chosen has a different motif. May is about water, Max has his about stars, and Mokuba is about the Moon and light.
 * Neutral Good: They fight for the side of good, only going with the protagonists cause its their job as the "Guardians of the Pharaoh" to save the world.
 * Psychic Powers: May is an Empath, Max has some sort of Healing powers, and Mokuba channels a God's power in him.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni, Purple Oni: May's definite Red and Mokuba's Blue. Max is considered a Blue to May and a Red to Mokuba, however.
 * Reincarnation: May was a girl known as Hara, and Mokuba was Moka 5,000 years ago. We have no idea about Max though.
 * Split Personality: May and Mokuba carry this for different reasons. For Mokuba, it's because he's housing a powerful god in him. For May...
 * Took a Level In Badass: May can lead men older her on a wild goose chase using Duel Monster cards, Max can stand up against duelists 3 times his age, and Mokuba stands toe-to-toe with
 * Two Guys and a Girl: The team for the Chosen. There's no romance between them given that two of them are siblings.

May
"I have to save the Pharaoh because that's my destiny!"

The daughter of Petalburgh Gym Leader Norman, and Pokémon Coordinator, May is also given the title of 'Goddess of Joy', giving her abilities that  As the Goddess of Joy, her weapon is a sistrum which she uses to create music. In duels, she uses two decks: One is a Gravekeeper's Deck with added Earth Monsters, the other is a special deck she calls the 'Ancient Pharaoh's Deck', consisting the spirits of people she befriended years ago. She had an ancestor in Egypt 5,000 known as Hara, who was killed at an early age. Her special monster is Manaphy, Prince of the Sea.

Throughout the course of the story, she changes from happy girl to scarred child, then we add a VERY sadistic dark half and mix it together to form a strong but deeply damaged character.

- Associated Tropes:


 * Achey Scars: Oh May...
 * Action Girl: Let's make a short list of what she's done:
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: AVERTED with Raphael.
 * Amnesiac Lover: What Raphael seems to believe when she displays no 'memory' of being the Guardian of the Sea.
 * Awesome By Analysis: Her time as a Pokemon Coordinator makes her quick on her feet when it comes to strategies whether she's in a duel or not.
 * Bandage Babe: Is wrapped up in these
 * Boring Invincible Hero: Averted; she's lost 2 duels so far (one through surrender, the other a legitimate loss) and she has been attacked and left to die.
 * Born Lucky: The first card she used in a duel was Reasoning, and she uses it for future duels. Subverted in her draws
 * Brainy Brunette: She's come a long way since Petalburgh, and is capable of dueling against tougher foes.
 * Break the Cutie/ Kill the Cutie:
 * Catch a Falling Star:.
 * Combat Pragmatist: There's nothing that's said about using Pokemon to 1) cause distractions, 2) make quick get aways and 3) steal a Duel Monster Card that can be used to powerup a super beast.
 * Cry Into Chest:
 * The Empath: She walks into her opponent's shoes and uses it to help make them better. For some reason, it also includes the Swordsmen and Kaiba into this.
 * Which can lead into Fridge Brilliance. She's not siding over anyone; she's pretty much neutral when it comes to the protagonists and the antagonists. This is why she's able to see that Kaiba is not a total jerk; she had no bias on him.
 * However, she's not perfect. In chapter 17 she doesn't know how to help Mai with her words because she doesn't have anything else on Mai's past. Since no one told her about Mai's past--and Mai's certainly not telling--May doesn't have a complete picture on her. So unless she gets the complete picture of a person's life, May can't nor won't understand and she can't help those people.
 * Girl of My Dreams: She's this to Raphael...sort of.
 * Glass Cannon: When she uses her Gravekeeper's deck. Even if it's well structured its weakness is the use of Necrovalley, the low attack score and the majority of her monsters having the same attribute.
 * Heroic BSOD: For a while, she couldn't do much with  and it gave her time to think about what's happened.
 * The Heroine: This is her story even though the title states otherwise.
 * Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: If she's seen with either Raphael or Kaiba.
 * Improvised Weapon: Some people duel with Duel Monster cards, May uses their effects to make quick getaways.
 * Jack of All Trades: Whenever she uses her Ancient Pharaoh deck; it's pretty balanced with cards she uses for Special Summoning and retrieving.
 * Let's Get Dangerous: A cheerful girl who loves cute things, delicious food and Pokemon Contests standing toe to toe with motorcyclists, insane people and.
 * Magic Music: It's hinted with the card 'Song of Redemption' (though whether she knows about that particular song is unknown) and the latest chapter showed her singing
 * May-December Romance: This is one-sided on Raphael's side. Let's also remember that she is only 10, while Raphael can be in his early 20's at this point.
 * The Messiah: Her title is 'Goddess of Joy' and the focus has been shifted on how she will forgive the people who hurt her.
 * Mythology Gag: For this story, she's in Sapphire's outfit from {Pokemon Special}}.
 * No Escape but Down:
 * Not So Different: Even though she denies she's like Mai, they are pretty similar. First, they're shown to be quite haughty and over confident. Second, they've both received punishment and trauma with no one to help them. Lastly, they've both turned dark and had done evil things.
 * Actually it's subverted with May on that last one.
 * The Red Baron: She's known as the Goddess of Joy; it seems harmless but it doesn't make her less of a badass when she duels.
 * Scars Are Forever: Inverted, all the physical wounds will heal, but every memory has scarred her for life.
 * Take a Third Option: Chapter 17 gives her this: Either hand over the item that the Swordsmen are looking for, or don't and let her brother suffer what she has suffered. Her option?
 * Trauma Conga Line: It starts at chapter 17.
 * And it picks up from chapter 22.
 * Unstoppable Rage: First hinted at in Chapter 18, but then we see it full force in Chapter 21.
 * Unstoppable Rage: First hinted at in Chapter 18, but then we see it full force in Chapter 21.

Max
"My family...is always with me."

The younger brother of May, Max is the youngest of the three chosen. His title, "Prince of Wisdom" lets him have knowledge of Duel Monsters, while his weapon, a star topped wand, lets him shoot a flurry a stars at his opponent. He wields two decks: A Spell Counter deck and. His special monster is Jirachi, Wish Maker.

His character comes off as excited but recent events made him more worried and frightened about the aspects of the Great Leviathan's summoning. However, this doesn't stop him from dueling, or fighting for his friends.

- Associated Tropes:


 * Chekhov's Gun: The special tag he got from Norman?
 * Child Mage: While the Chosen are all adversed with Magic, he's the one specifically designed to be magic inclined, having a deck with a majority of spellcasters.
 * Frickin' Laser Beams: Jirachi and two words: Doom Desire. It's so bright that when he used it to defeat Arkana, everyone who was/wasn't watching had to cover their eyes!
 * Friend to All Living Things: He has three different types of Pokemon: a ghost (Shuppet/ ), a savage sloth (Vigoroth) and
 * Light'Em Up: He uses the power of the stars to fight. Also most of his monsters are Light Attribute.
 * Lucky Seven: Seven years old, seven stars in his crown and his partner Jirachi is known to wake up 7 days every 1,000 years.
 * Magic Wand: His star tipped wand.
 * Megane: He still keeps his glasses.
 * Mythology Gag: Jirachi in Duel Monster form has references to Pokemon; for example the Ritual Magic card is known as 'Millennium Comet', its defense is at 1000 and is at level 7 (referencing that it wakes up for 7 days once a Millennium), it has three abilities (referencing that it can grant up to three wishes in Pokemon Special) and its special ability is Doom Desire.
 * Shout-Out: His seven star crown might be a reference to Super Mario RPG with its seven stars.
 * Also, many of his magicians are based on many fictional and real-life Magicians. One of the most notable is Sorcerer's Assitant-Miey, which is a little girl version of Mickey Mouse from Sorcerer's Apprentice
 * Shout-Out: His seven star crown might be a reference to Super Mario RPG with its seven stars.
 * Also, many of his magicians are based on many fictional and real-life Magicians. One of the most notable is Sorcerer's Assitant-Miey, which is a little girl version of Mickey Mouse from Sorcerer's Apprentice

Mokuba Kaiba
"I am who I choose to be, and I choose to be Mokuba Kaiba, the reincarnation of Moka, the Vessel of Khonsu and the Defender of the King!"

The younger brother of famous CEO Seto Kaiba, Mokuba is the last to gain his powers and title 'Defender of the King'. He uses a curved blade as a weapon which is somehow powered by his emotions. He is also a Vessel (a person who hosts spirits) of the Moon God Khonsu as his ancestor before him. His deck is known as the Celestial Spirits, using monsters based on constellations to fight. He sees May and Max not only as his friends, but also family.

His character has changed into a person to end useless fighting with a hint of lots of guilt in his mind, but it doesn't stop him from doing amazing stuff and trying to sacrifice himself to save his friends and family.

- Associated Tropes:

"Mokuba:"
 * A Day in the Limelight: Chapter 24 lampshades it with the title but doesn't hinder the fact that it's his time to shine.
 * Battle Aura: Sometimes glows white when fused with Khonsu.
 * Evil Costume Switch: He started with a white tunic when he was with Khonsu..
 * It's All My Fault: Blames himself for May's condition.
 * Mind Control Eyes: Can be confused with Prophet Eyes when Khonsu takes control but he gains these
 * My Name is Mokuba Kaiba: Says this
 * It's All My Fault: Blames himself for May's condition.
 * Mind Control Eyes: Can be confused with Prophet Eyes when Khonsu takes control but he gains these
 * My Name is Mokuba Kaiba: Says this


 * Prophet Eyes: Whenever he gets pissed off, Khonsu takes control and his eyes glow white.
 * Senseless Sacrifice:
 * Sharing a Body: Khonsu houses inside Mokuba's soul although he sometimes returns to his Duel Monster card when not needed. Justified as Khonsu states that most of his powers have been sealed off.
 * Soul Power: When he combines with Khonsu his powers improve.
 * Soul Power: When he combines with Khonsu his powers improve.

Tropes Associated with Paradius

 * Curb Stomp Battle: They each give their own versions. Examples are:
 * Raphael: Guardian Eatos absorbing monsters from the opponent's graveyard to decimate them.
 * Valon: Using his Armor Cards' effects to inflict damage.
 * Alister:
 * Mai: Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation with six Harpie Ladies
 * Arkana: Either using Dark Eradicator Warlock
 * Those Two Bad Guys: Marius and Maria are pretty much there for Pokemon battles and nothing more.
 * Those Two Bad Guys: Marius and Maria are pretty much there for Pokemon battles and nothing more.
 * Those Two Bad Guys: Marius and Maria are pretty much there for Pokemon battles and nothing more.
 * Those Two Bad Guys: Marius and Maria are pretty much there for Pokemon battles and nothing more.

Raphael
"You're my Guardian of the Sea...You mean everything to me..."

The leader of the Orichalcos Swordsmen and the most loyal to Dartz. While he still leads his loyalty to the Guardians, he also is having conflict with memories unknown to him 5,000 years ago. All he knows is that there was the "Guardian of the Sea", and that her affections were for the Pharaoh and not him. These memories now fuel him to take May for answers (no matter how many times she denies it, he won't believe her) by any means necessary. This has caused a lot of tension between him and the other Swordsmen, as they don't share his point of view about his savior.

While he still keeps his honorable traits, he's also stepped into very deep horizons with this relationship he's trying to develop.

- Associated Tropes:


 * All Abusers Are Male: To May he is.
 * Ax Crazy: He respects his monsters, but he'll be the first to
 * Blonde Guys Are Evil: He was noble in the original series, but now he's crossing lines.
 * Cassandra Truth: Inverted. In his eyes he's seen the Guardian of the Sea, but no one believes him at all. Plus the person he thinks is the Guardian of the Sea is constantly telling him that she isn't, but it's still not known whether it's true or not.
 * Crazy Jealous Guy: Whether it's Ancient Egypt or not, Raphael's had jealousy on the Pharaoh.
 * Entitled to Have You: States that he's the only one to have May cause of their past.
 * Green-Eyed Monster: Along with his jealousy, he also is this literally and figuratively; his eyes become corrupted with the Orichalcos and becomes a REAL green eyed monster!
 * Knife Nut: Used his knife to do many things:
 * Love Before First Sight: Inverted with May; he's fallen in love with someone who he sees in flashbacks and believes that's really said person. It doesn't help that both 'Guardian of the Sea' and May are dressed in blue.
 * Love Makes You Crazy: Does it ever.
 * Love Makes You Evil: This too.
 * May-December Romance: One-sided but lots of squick involved.
 * Reincarnation: His ancestor was known as Rael, who has a connection with May's own.
 * Slasher Smile: The looks he gives to May can send shivers down spines.
 * Stalker with a Crush: His ancestor was one too; his ancestor was 14 when he met up with May's (at age 7)

Alister
"What made you think that you had a chance against me in the first place? If you can't even defeat me, then there's even less of a chance for you to defeat Master Dartz."

What started off as a man who wants revenge on the CEO of Kaiba Corp. changes into a man of intense violence. He won't stop in the demise of Seto Kaiba; he'll go after children to satiate his own hunger. As if that wasn't bad enough, it's not that he's going after them, it's the way he decides to destroy them.

With this we keep a rather stable bad guy into a utter beast who doesn't mind destroying his opponents with Duel Monster Superweapons.

- Associated Tropes:


 * Cooldown Hug: Given this by
 * For the Evulz: When you compare him to Valon and Raphael, he really doesn't have any other motive to beat May up
 * Irony: Considering the fact that he's supposed to bring peace to the world, it's somewhat ironic that he lost the duel in chapter 24 with two cards from both him and his opponent of contrasting viewpoints.
 * To explain, Alister has a super monster powered up even more that he decides to attack directly; what he didn't expect was Mokuba pulling out a card that represented what he wanted to bring: Peace. Then Mokuba attacks him directly with a monster that doesn't attack him, but rather hugs him.
 * Karmic Death: Subverted on the death part.
 * There Is No Kill Like Overkill:
 * Would Hurt a Child: If May wasn't enough, he wouldn't mind hurting her brother and chapter 24 gave him his duel with Mokuba.

Valon
"Have you actually suffered like any of us?"

The third of the Swordsmen, Valon's role hardly changed...until chapter 17 came about. Now he only cares in getting the head of the person who took away the person he loved, and doesn't care how he pummels them...he'll get there and he'll do something about it.

He's lost most of his love to fight and now would rather destroy the person who made his life miserable.

- Associated Tropes:


 * Butt Monkey: Only in chapter 17; he got the more humiliating ends of the stick when May escaped from him.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: He did at least 90% of the torture to May.
 * Demoted to Extra: Despite having a HUGE role in chapters 17 and 18, he didn't get a lot of screen time than Raphael or Alister. This is ironic since he actually had more development than Alister in the original series.
 * Kick the Dog: Wanna figure out how much of a jerk he's become?
 * Morality Pet: Mai was pretty much keeping him from
 * Revenge Before Reason: His whole attitude after
 * Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He is shown to have a fear of fire in this version; which goes into Fridge Horror when you realize that he's been

Mai Valentine
"You don't control my life, I do."

The only female member of Paradius, Mai has barely changed from her original goals. This also brings in factor for May, cause she has no idea what's been bugging her. Mai also has hatred for anyone comparing her to the Coordinator

- Associated Tropes:


 * Berserk Button:
 * Broken Bird: Still has this.
 * Cat Fight: The center of chapter 17, Wrath of a Goddess.
 * Hoist By Her Own Petard:
 * Kick the Dog:

Arkana
"I hope you're ready, the curtain's about to fall on your dueling career!"

Haven't been seen since Battle City, Arkana returns to retrieve his beloved Katherine just like before. While his style of dueling hasn't changed when first seen

- Associated Tropes:


 * Kick the Dog:
 * Let's Get Dangerous:
 * Oh Crap:
 * Would Hurt a Child: His first opponent is Max, a 7 year old kid, and he doesn't mind at all.