kattobingu! : Everyone should watch ZEXAL. If you don't like it, get out. :(
kattobingu!
The general consensus of the inhabitants of the Saltwater Cave concerning Tsukumo Yuma – before the release of his show, that is – is relatively okay. Yuma is cute. He has an energetic spirit and a pure heart, and though his dueling prowess has yet to be determined, he's a nice kid. Thing is… his ability to stand up to the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise's name is still a concern (as it always is for a new protagonist), and the doubt is countered only by the absurdity that is Yuma's hair.
And then ZEXAL comes out.
Yusei shuts off the cable and Judai turns on the gaming console and none of them really say anything, since most of their comments were made throughout their watching. Atem is particularly interested in Astral's existence; Yugi finds Yuma's character charming; the show makes Yusei a little dizzy, because he doesn't think he's ever seen so many bright colors in one place at one time, but he's excited and plans to watch the rest of it live.
No one addresses the elephant in the room. That is, until –
"I'm gonna get the boss this time," Judai says, as his character moves through a set of impressively large doors. "Look out, boss! I'M POP FLYING!"
It pretty much all goes to hell after that.
Judai takes to inserting 'pop flying' into just about everything he says, and even comes up with an emoticon to go with it when he texts Johan and Sho, both of whom have no idea what he's talking about because they haven't even finished 5D's, never mind ZEXAL. Whenever he walks into a room with silent inhabitants he waits a few moments, looks away, and says it calmly, like he's mumbling to himself. Sometimes, he sneaks up to Yusei while he's working in the garage and whispers it in his ear.
Yusei jumps and threatens to call the cops next time Judai does that, but he can't really decide whether his heartbeat is so fast because he was scared shitless or if he's laughing too hard.
Compared to Judai, Atem prefers to be a purist, and refuses to use the phrase 'pop flying' or any of its other English translations. He sticks to the original: kattobingu, and while Judai wears the joke out fairly quickly, bringing it up at least five times a day, Atem is very precise when he strikes. He's a king, after all.
"Hey, Atem," calls Judai one day, trying his best to hold back his laughter when he sees the pharaoh walk by with a giant stuffed panda fastened securely in his arms, "What's up? You lose a bet or something?"
Atem scoffs, doesn't even bother to stop, and calls back, coolly, "Shut up, Judai. Your kattobingu is nothing compared to mine."
"You guys are kind of jerks," Yugi says, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I bet when he duels you, he'll bring it to ya."
Yusei's approach is a little stranger than the others.
"I'm naming him Bingo," announces Yusei, his poker face perfectly in place. He puts the fluff of fur previously in his arms on the floor and it purrs, nestles up against Judai's leg affectionately. It's warm and adorable and Judai wonders why they'd never thought of getting a cat before this.