By doozy!! (my god here she goes again)

Throughout the show Carmen Sandiego, I always found that the interactions between Shadowsan and Lady Dokuso had suggested a deeper, more personal connection than just simple professional rivalry. While the show never does explicitly confirm a romantic history, the tone of their fights, their ability to anticipate each other’s moves, and even those throwaway dialogues all point towards a shared past that to me, reads very much like exes who ended on bad terms.

Okay so a few warnings about this:

1-I added all the ships I could find. If there is any missing, let me know and I'll add later.

2-This is my opinion and it isn't meant to be offensive to anyone. You can agree or disagree and it's totally fine. If you wanna do your own rankings, I would love to read it.

3-It's a long post that I've been writing for weeks. I made revisions but if something passed through me and you guys notice, you can tell me.

1-Red Crackle:

Is that even a surprise to anyone? Red Crackle is my whole life and owns my entire soul lol. But jokes aside, these two are just so linked and have a foundation not even time and space can separate. Even when they're apart by circunstances, they meet again. They always comeback to one another. Duane Capizzi said in this interview Carmen and Gray "will definitely meet again":

https://youtu.be/PIjX9rGvUmk?si=4paV3k7alKrt-B4f

And I haven't seen other interviews yet but in this specific interview the person just says Duane said Carmen doesn't see Gray in a flirty light and brushes it off asking about Carulia. Then Duane just talks more about Julia's character and then says, "if it's there, it's intentional" which indicates, from what I got, that the double meaning is there, you can choose how you see and interpret it. They could have made the carulia interactions more clear and chose not to do so on purpose. So I imagine the same thing applies to Red Crackle, Carmivy, Jeantonio, etc. The show ended so now is up to us to interpretate with what we have. Even if Duane, and the whole crew of the show overall, ship something, we can ship something different. As the show is not romance focused, we can choose from what we have. And no way there's no people who ship Red Crackle among the show staff. Michael Goldsmith(Gray's voice actor) seemed to ship. This guy seems to as well(not sure tho) considering the way he directed the holy trinity of Red Crackle episodes:

Gray's character is fundamental for Carmen to be the person she is. Can you picture Carmen jumping from the plane with El Topo, Le Chevre or Tigress? She trusted only Gray enough to do that. Without him she wouldn't have jumped, and would not realize what V.I.L.E. truly is about. And if so, a lot later, maybe too late. And at the end, they could have chosen Devineaux, Zari, Julia, or even Ivy to save Carmen with the A.C.M.E. machine. I think it would be kinda nice if it were Ivy so she would have an interaction with evil Carmen, like Zack had at the ferris wheel, and would impress A.C.M.E. instead of just randomly joining it with Zack out of nowhere at the end. But I'm glad it was Gray and then Shadowsan finished the job. The thing that gets to me is that she looks to the crackle rod on the floor and screams:"Gray!". The person she always prioritized the safety of the most was "dead", by her. Then she asks what has she done and I think here she could have also shown some concern for Devineaux and Julia. Specially Julia. Because Devineaux was there, standing, and depending on the impact of the thing that fell on her head, she could have died. And she seemed to faint under a curtain that also could kill her by asphyxiation if she didn't wake up on time. But the only thing she cared about was Gray. She could have remembered on screen she hurt other people too by seeing the crackle rod, but she only remembered Gray and I was like:"But what about Julia? Aren't you worried about her? Carmen is not gonna care about her at all? Really?" "That's it? That's the ending?" I believe that if there was no red crackle shipper there, the show would be a lot different. Gray's character wouldn't be so important as it was if that was the case. Speaking of which, I want a red crackle week because I never participated in one and I want to write an AU about what would have happened if Gray decided do join Team Red on the train to Paris and on the Himalayans and red crackle week is the perfect excuse for that. Also one if Carmen decided to go back to V.I.L.E. on the train to Paris to destroy them from the inside. If we have a Red Crackle Week it could be in December with a Christmas-themed vibe, @redcrackle-week ? Christmas is my favorite holiday and Red Crackle is one of my favorite ships, perfect combination.

2-Carmivy:

Again, no surprises. I've got nothing to say about this two that I haven't said before. They are so in love and they have my heart. I'll never understand why they are so underrated, they deserve more appreciation.

3-Jeantonio:

It's almost a crime that they aren't first place, but they were so close. They are like, the only ship the whole entire fandom agrees it's canon and I got mad respect for them for being able to unite the shipers because everyone likes them and wants to protect them(specially El Topo). They were clearly dating and were romantic boyfriends and I would do pretty much almost anything for them.

4-Cleobellum:

The same thing with Jeantonio, they are just a little bit lower because they don't have the general consent and less moments but to me they are a married couple.

5-Chasari/Zarineaux:

I think they would be the greatest girlboss and malewife ever. Devineaux is a dumbass but he would be Zari's dumbass. The little they interacted I could tell they would be an amazing couple. I just can see it. I can picture all their interactions perfectly in my head. When Zari fell into his arms, and the way Devineaux held her. Zari telling Devineaux not to be in her way and slowly getting softer to him with time, like, they would be such a good storyline. I wanted them together so badly so they deserve this place at my top 5.

6-Chasulia:

These two are a little bit lower because I'm not sure about them. At the start, they are a definite no. But after the fourth season Devineaux was prasing Julia the way she deserves to be praised and treating her better, redeeming for his past actions towards her and actually listening to her. He admited that he was wrong with Julia and did better. They are such adorable dorks together and while I love them as a platonic ship, I feel like they could also work romantically. It would be an interesting plot. I feel like most people think romance and friendship can't coexist but it can and it should. These two combined are one of the factors that make a good and healthy relationship and I feel like Devineaux and Julia have potential to be that way. I would like to know more about their Interpol days like why they were partnered together and how did they got to Carmen Sandiego, etc. So because of their wholesome platonic relationship that may or may not be affected my romance, they are a little bit lower but they are amazing and I love them.

7-CarChase:

This one, I did not expect to be this high up. First, the ship name is just as funny as "Red Crackle". Carmen and Devineaux did have quite a few number of car chases. Second, I'm aware that they have a 12 years age gap but I have a pretty high tolerance for age gaps. While I would rather not have an age gap too big for romantic relationships, 17 years age gap or less I don't mind. It bothers me a little, but it's not that big of a deal. If it's 18 years or more, it bothers me because I go like:"They could be their dad/mom." I just think they would be so funny together. The idea of them is surprisingly good. It makes me laugh when I think of Coach Brunt calling him handsome and Carmen being so done and after maybe going like:"He ain't ugly"(Carmen Sandiego is that kind of show that the animation is so pretty nothing and no one is ugly). And Carmen not wanting to see Devineaux because it's "really not a good time" and then seeying him even more to the point she doesn't mind it and even starts appreciating it. They would be a hell of enemies to friends to lovers story. They interact more than Carulia, but not as much as Chasulia so seventh place sounds about right for them. Not my favorite but I approve.

8-SpinTrap/FlyKick:

I don't know what their official ship name is but they are assigned partners and that, by V.I.L.E. standards, for me, usually means they make out. I wanted more development for both of their characters, which we don't know much about, so eighth place sounds nice. They clearly work well together and have a great harmony so I would say they are a cheaper version of Red Crackle. Like: "Kid:Mom, I want Red Crackle. Mom:We have Red Crackle at home." And they are the Red Crackle at home in question. Still, it works. Of course they are nothing compared to Red Crackle, but they still work. In the, idk three times we saw Spin Kick and Flytrap, you can tell they have the chemestry to convince people they are a romantic couple so this place is well deserved for them.

9-Dokusan:

No, you haven't read wrong, it means Shadowsan and Lady Dokuso. Just hear me out:I can picture it perfectly:They meet at V.I.L.E. academy, they fall in love, they start dating. But then, Shadowsan is promoted to a member of the faculty, a position Lady Dokuso also wanted, but she was happy for her boyfriend anyway. Then, it ends up not working out a faculty member dating a mere operative and then they break up but still love each other, but their relationship was full of ups and downs and they are both bitter and salty about it. Then, Shadowsan backfires V.I.L.E. and joins Team Red and Lady Dokuso can finally have a chance as a faculty member but at the cost of destroying Shadowsan. The drama, the angst, the complexity of loving each other but being different and being in two sides that can't collide or meet in the middle. If you stop to think about it, they are basically a toxic version of Red Crackle that went wrong(Yes, I use Red Crackle as a parameter to measure other couples because they are the standard). So why are they so high up? Because a sad ending love story can also work. Representativity matters and tragic love stories deserve to have some spotlight sometimes.

10-PaperTiger:

oooo ship list here we go

Okay so i am a multishipper but its only really for sapphics lol

Some Dokuson for you lovelies bcoz I can see that yall are slowly falling down the Dokusan hole like me, and I’m convinced they had a thing once.

- Lady Dokuso was the more affectionate one in the relationship

- There was no PDA at all, but it was super cute in private. Lady Dokuso tried to initiate hand holding out in public once, but Shadowsan never returned the gesture, so that was that

- They would find every excuse to visit each other in their rooms

- Cuddling was a thing, A HUGE THING. With Lady Dokuso usually being big spoon and Shadowsan not complaining cause her heartbeat was calming and matched his when she wasn’t in action

- Shadowsan often found his black overalls or trenches in Lady Dokuso’s room. He grumbled about it, but secretly found it cute that Lady Dokuso loved his clothes so much

- Lady Dokuso found his scent (which I imagine to be like mint tea) very calming

- Dates were usually capers

- If not capers, they would just chill and drink green tea

- Shadowsan sometimes made origami pieces that reminded him of her, but he never showed them to her

- Lady Dokuso learnt how to make origami stars just to impress him

- Shadowsan smiled the most around her

- Shadowsan looked forward to her back hugs

- DAILY MAKEOUTS. PERIODT.

- No pet names

- forehead kisses and hand kisses

- Good luck kisses before capers

THE BREAKUP (COZ I JUST WANTED ANGST):

- Lady Dokuso was absolutely shattered when she learnt of Shadowsan’s betrayal

- She cursed him every night and she couldn’t do capers for several months

- When she did get back in the game, she thought she’d be revenge thirsty and more motivated than ever to take Carmen and Shdowsan out, but oh how wrong she was

- She still felt her heart flutter when they bantered, and she went easy on him despite his betrayal

- Shadowsan was very happy that he’d be able to repent for his mistakes, but his heart still beats for Lady Dokuso

- It was hard to forget her, but he pulled himself together

- He knows that she goes easy on him during foiled capers, and he’s grateful yet guilty about that

- He still makes those origami pieces

CHAPTER ONE:

Pairing: Lady Dokuso x Shadowsan

Warnings: Slight nsfw ( no smut), swearing

~~~~

Lady Dokuso walked inside her luxurious apartment with plastic grocery bags occupying her two hands. Her hair was tied up in a usual tight bun, and she was dressed casually in a dark emerald green blouse with high waisted jeans, and doc martens in black.

It had been a month since Carmen Sandiego had brought down VILE, leaving the woman and her ex colleagues jobless. Lady Dokuso could only hope that one day VILE would once again rise, till then, she had to fend for herself by robbing banks, pickpocketing, and scamming gullible individuals.

She was bitter about the fact that she was no longer a part of the world’s greatest, richest criminal organization, but on the other hand, she hadn’t been to her home in Tokyo for countless years, and it did feel refreshing to be back.

Just as she was about to sort out her groceries, a very shocking sight met her eyes, and she thought she was hallucinating for a split second….

“Shadowsan?” she asked, flabbergasted. The taller, older male was sitting on her huge, bed sized gray sofa with his usual scowl on his face. He was dressed in a black trench coat, and as always, he was scarily silent.

“Lady Dokuso”, Shadowsan replied. His cold eyes were fixated on the woman’s figure. Of course, she was confused and pissed off seeing him in her favorite apartment, but she did her best not to show it. She took her black sunglasses off to get a better look at Shadowsan. She crossed her arms, and glared at the man.

“What are you doing here, you traitor? How dare you trespass inside my  apartment?” she seethed. Shadowsan sighed before answering her question.

“Hello, Sana, it’s been a while”.

~~~~

The silence inside Lady Dokuso’s living room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Both of them had so much they needed and wanted to say, but now that they were face to face with each other, they really didn’t know how to word things.

Lady Dokuso walked over to her kitchen counter, and grabbed an orange juice box  from the carton. She offered it to Shadowsan with a cold expression on her face. “Juice?” she asked. She rolled her eyes at Shadowsan’s suspicious expression. “Oh, save it, Suhara! This is fresh from the carton, how the hell would I be able to poison it?” she shot at him. Shadowsan took the drink from her and began sipping tentatively on it as Lady Dokuso sat beside him on the sofa, carefully maintaining a slight distance between them before turning to him and breaking the silence yet again.

“So, what brings you to my Tokyo abode completely unannounced a month after VILE’S decline?” she asked.

“I came here to tie up loose ends, Sana”, he finally spoke. Lady Dokuso knew exactly what the man meant, but her pride stopped her from acknowledging it. “What loose ends are you talking about, Suhara? I haven’t the faintest idea of any loose ends between us”, she spat back at him coldly.

Shadowsan grumbled. “Don’t play dumb with me, Sana, you know exactly what I’m talking about. VILE’s decline doesn’t change what he had, and you know it. It’s about time we have a heart to heart conversation about everything that happened between us like mature adults'' he said, sternly.

Lady Dokuso merely glared at him in silence. “Well I mean there isn’t much to discuss, but let’s face the facts here so you leave me alone”, she began icily.

“We met at VILE, we fucked this one time and then this other time, and then almost every night after that. Several months passed, and my stupid, young heart developed romantic feelings for you, an older, more mature, more collected man. I confessed and you said you reciprocated my feelings. We dated for several years before you began to ignore me and invalidated my feelings” Lady Dokuso sighed before locking her angry eyes with Shadowsan’s darkening  ones. She sighed before continuing. “You began keeping secrets from me, and we argued frequently, and then we went to bed fuming, and eventually separately. I had enough of our tiring fights and those little games you played, so I confronted you about it and I tried to talk things out, but you just dumped me with no explanation” at this point Lady Dokuso was on the verge of shouting!

Shadowsan’s face remained stoic, but his narrowing eyes gave away the guilt that was eating away at him. “I asked you repeatedly where I went wrong. Where we went wrong! But all you could do was say sorry and then leave my room”, she continued. “AND THEN YOU LEFT VILE! YOU BETRAYED YOUR FAMILY AND JOINED SIDES WITH A PRACTICAL CHILD! YOU ABANDONED THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK YOU IN AND TREATED YOU LIKE THEIR OWN!” Lady Dokuso yelled at him, her face red from anger and pent up frustration.

Shadowsan exhaled heavily. He suddenly couldn’t make eye contact with her anymore.

“I was never meant for a life of crime, I realized that too late”, he started.

“Believe me when I say I loved you with every fibre in my body, Sana, cause it’s fucking true”. Lady Dokuso’s eyes widened slightly at the curse leaving her ex’s lips. He rarely did that.

“You may think I was just playing with you and using you to take my frustration out both verbally and sexually, but that is all bullshit, Sana. It’s bullshit”, he continued. “I left VILE because I wanted to start anew and repent. I wanted to fix all the horrible mistakes I made in my youth. I wanted to apologize to Hideo and Carmen, two people I have treated wrongly for far too long, and I’m in a great place right now. I’ve done all that I wanted to do, and all that necessary'', Shadowsan finished.

Lady Dokuso clenched her fist to calm herself down. She took a moment to let Shadowsan’s words sink in. Then, she met his gaze once more.

“So you’re back now after over 20 years a changed man, knowing that I am in no way a changed woman?” she inquired. “I came back after over 20 years because now is finally the appropriate time to get back in touch with you and discuss what went wrong with us in a civil manner with no competition, fight, or difference of allies, Sana. You are left practically jobless and I’m in a stable place right now, so it’s about time we get on decent terms with each other”, he corrected.

“All I know is you broke my heart and betrayed your family, Suhara”, she whispered loud enough for her words to be audible. “I regret doing that more than will ever be comprehensible”, Shadowsan whispered back.

“So you’re saying that you don’t have any lingering feelings for me, Sana?”

“Exactly, Suhara. Now get out! I’m busy and tired”

“Fine. I’ll leave for now. But first, you have to answer a question”

“And what would that question be?”