CAMPUS WIDE EVENT: SNOWED IN PART II - BLIZZARD

[intercom_voice]

[Starting late that night on the 18th and continuing on throughout the rest of the day, the wind and snow howls, beating against the side of the building as it covers everything in several feet of white.

The lights flicker dangerously, and around noon is when the power finally goes. Those within the building are left in a cold-blue darkness and even the smallest comforts of warmth. Any standing water, and anything with a high water content, ices over within hours.]

((ooc: this blizzard lasts the 19th only, but feel free to backtag! There will be one final post on the 21st to signal the snow melting / closing of the event. Not that this isn't as bad as the blackout event. You can still see what's in front of you, but it is relatively dark inside.))

Comments

[obeytherod]

[He could handle the weather before, but this? No, he's freezing. Malik's thrown on his usual jacket and long-sleeved shirt that he's been wearing this winter, but on top of that he's now donning a knit hat, leather gloves, and a scarf that covers everything but his eyes.

...Hopefully nobody will recognize him as he hurries down the halls to search some rooms for anything they can use as spare warmth. Apparently the weather was affecting his ability to summon, as much as it was anything else.

Besides, he didn't have any monsters that would help. Lava Golem was a little too much.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Haaah... I hate weather like this...

[Bakura's irritability is only growing the more this weather grows. And with the heat having gone off, what comfort he has from his higher tolerance is little at best. But if he lets Ryou handle it, they'll probably get sick or something... what a pain.

Huddled up under the blankets with Anubis, he shares what warmth he has with the poor thing. Even his dislike of being openly kind outweighs the need for it. Malik would probably kill him if the dog died of the cold, after all. And he did feel bad for it.

Hearing the door open, he calls out.]

Malik. In here!

[obeytherod]

B-bakura...!

[Malik makes a beeline for the bedroom, bothering only to take off his shoes as he climbs into the bed and huddles up with his boyfriend and his dog.]

It's freezing out there! ...How's Anubis?

[He pulls his messenger bag off his shoulders and dumps a few items onto the bed.]

I found some, ah...dog clothes.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Bakura's hardly visible beneath the pile of blankets, and even so, he's shivering. But if he's handling it this badly, Anubis is probably handling it worse. It's typical that Malik's first concern should be for the dog, but Bakura doesn't bother to reprimand him for it.]

He's not handling the cold well. Not surprising. It's just as cold in here, after all. Tch, what kind of shoddy people run this place?!

[obeytherod]

[Not wanting to pull Anubis out of the blanket and back into the cold, he shoves the small puppy-sized woolen vest at Bakura.]

Here. Put this on him.

[While he's at it, he pulls out a thick quilt which barely fit in his bag to begin with.] I found this for us...

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Bakura takes it without a word, disappearing under the blankets. From the dim glow visible through them, it appears he's using the Ring to see what he's doing. If the dog hadn't been so cold, he'd probably have had more trouble... but with him in this state, it's not hard.]

Done. Doesn't that feel better, Anubis?

[...the muffled words are barely audible before he remembers he's under the blankets and resurfaces.]

It's a good find...

[obeytherod]

[Anubis' tail gives a tired wag in response--that would be a "yes".]

It fits? Good, I wasn't sure.

[Malik throws the quilt over himself and scoots closer to the two of them, offering to share his warmth.]

You don't think this cold is going to last much longer, do you? It sounds violent outside...

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Reaching out with shaking fingers, he draws Malik closer. This is better. With Malik and the duvet, it feels at least a little more tolerable.]

I doubt it... violent storms rarely last long. But in a place like this, who can tell?

[obeytherod]

[Malik was more than willing to curl up even closer to the two of them. It was only his stubbornness that had him forcing tolerance to this weather, but the few bits of skin he'd left exposed were numb and dry from the cold.

Had he taken off his scarf, he would have been able to see his breath in the halls.]

We've already been snowed in for days... [He reaches his hand out to soothingly pet Anubis. His poor puppy... If he died from this weather, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.]

We need to get some water... It's all frozen.

[fluffydeathdealer]

That'll be a problem... It's not safe to start a fire indoors, so with the power off, we don't have a way to melt it.

[Maybe if it's just the top of the water that's frozen they can break it... but if it's become entirely solid, that's a problem. Tch, what to do?]

[obeytherod]

Do you have any monsters that might work? All I have is Ra and Lava Golem, and both would be overkill.

[Malik shifts to make room for himself so he can lay down on his side. Once he's comfortable he uses his free arm he scoots Anubis up to his chest.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...monsters, no. But...

[Reluctantly, he leaves the relative comfort of the bed, drawing the hood of the warm hoodie he'd picked up earlier over his head and tugging his scarf over his mouth. Among the cards he'd never bothered using... he's reluctant, but it's becoming necessary. The problem is where to use it so the flames won't set off the fire alarms. Even if they're brief... they could be problematic.

But thinking about it... flames controlled by magic were unlikely to start a fire. It was probably for the best to try that.

Malik had never seen him using spell cards before... oh well. Drawing the card Final Flame from among the junk cards hidden in his secret stash, he held it in his hand. A card that damages the opponent by fire... it would do. It was weak enough to be controlled even in this state.]

...this will do. I can probably use this to defrost the water pipes long enough to get water out. And keep it from freezing over again too.

[The sink's metal, right... that should be fine.]

I'll be back in a minute. Unless you want to make use of the heat while it lasts. It won't be long.

[obeytherod]

[A spell card...?

Malik had never even thought of summoning one of those, and now he felt like a fool for not thinking of it sooner. Of course he won't let Bakura on to that. Instead he just gathers up Anubis, wrapping the pup tightly up in his new quilt as he rises to his feet after Bakura.

Even if it'll only last for a few minutes, maybe if they warm up they'll be able to retain some of the heat.]

Anubis needs it. And I wouldn't mind it either.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Opening the cupboard below the sink, he straightens up and focuses the fire spell on the metal sink. It's not powerful, but it's still draining; the initial casting is bad, but with the temperature being so low, he needs to keep it going. It takes a lot of his energy to do that. The flames heat the metal of the sink, sending the warmth down through the pipes, and forcing the water to melt. The reason why he opened the cupboard should become clear; the pipes are now giving off a lot of warmth and he beckons for Malik to come over and warm himself and Anubis beside them.

In these temperatures, it won't take long for the water to cool enough to drink, and only a couple of hours after that for it to freeze, so he keeps the card active for now, letting it sap his energy in exchange.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik watches with interest, shivering as he clutches Anubis in his arms. As soon as he's given the go-ahead, he settles down on the floor next to the open cupboard. Tucking his feet under his body, he faces the steaming pipe so the heat can wash over him and his puppy.

It was the biggest relief he'd felt in a long time. All the prickling numbness in his face and fingers was simply melting away. After a few minutes, Anubis nudges his nose at the blankets bundling him up and finally pokes his head out.

For once he doesn't bark, but settles his head back down outside the sheets and shuts his eyes. Underneath the blanket, Malik can feel the slight wag of his tail.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He knows his own limits, but even so, seeing Malik and Anubis in that better state, Bakura keeps the spell going longer than he should. By the time the flames are allowed to die down, he's in actual pain. It's like the channels of energy within him are scraped raw and he has to lean against the counter. Letting the card drop against the counter for support, he slumps there for a moment.]

Haaah... I need to practice using magic cards more often...

[Using spells like this was a rare thing for him. The heat from the pipes and the over-heated spell in his hand took away his own discomfort for now, but he's tireder than he should be for it.]

[obeytherod]

[Sensing Bakura's discomfort, Malik looks up from his cozy spot on the floor. Concern weaves its way into his words as he speaks, and he brings a hand up to comfortingly place it over Bakura's own.]

Are you okay? Come sit down with me and Anubis. It's nice and warm.

[devotedpawn]

[ Barnaby's been preparing for something like this. Ever since the school grounds opened, he's been hunting small game for food and keeping their lard to craft candles. It would have been a waste to do anything but.

The pawn is clutching a saucer filled with multiple candles in one hand, blankets from the dormitory folded over his other arm - only one candle is lit, the others are for when the main light becomes dangerously low. When he happens upon Malik, he's unable to mistake the frantic movements for anything other than desperation. ]

Here, ser. You have a more pressing need for it than this pawn.

[ The bite of the cold does not effect him quite the same way. He has chill bumps but he does not shiver and there is no shake to his voice as he extends the blanket towards the other person. ]

[obeytherod]

[As much as Malik wishes the reject the charity of this stranger, he's cold enough--and he knows that Anubis and Bakura are too--that his pride allows it.]

...Why are you giving this to me? [Even as he folds the blanket up and stuffs it into his bag, his eyes are narrowed with suspicion.]

[devotedpawn]

[ He gives the other a polite inclination of his head. ]

We exist to serve the Arisen; when we are unable to fulfill our purpose, we must tend to other tasks. When happened upon, you appeared cold and so this pawn sought to help.

[obeytherod]

[If he keeps calling himself a pawn, and Malik's going to find it hard to resist taking him up on that offer.]

Is that so? Thank you, then. But now I'm curious; who is this "Arisen"?

[devotedpawn]

The Arisen - 'tis the title given to those that have been chosen by the dragon. Their heart is taken from them and yet they continue to live; they cannot age and they are immune to things that commonly plague humans such as disease and poison.

[ He shifts the plate of candles into his other hand as he sticks out his right palm. A dull scar can be seen, forking in a manner similar to the bones seen in wings. ]

Our scars burn bright upon their coming. They are the only ones capable of felling the beast and so we pawns serve, follow.

[obeytherod]

... [Malik leans in with interest to get a better look at that scar. It was an interesting shape, if anything. It was intricate, much different from the simple slash of a blood oath he had across his own.]

The dragon... [He thinks to the Winged Dragon of Ra card sitting in his deck holder at his side, but he knew that wasn't it.

A thought occurs to him and his lips curve into a frown.]

Do you even know this "dragon"? Don't tell me you've just blindly dedicated yourself to someone you don't even know.

[devotedpawn]

[ Barnaby gives him a curt nod, bringing the candles back between both hands. ]

The Arisen that willed me to his realm sought an end to the dragon's terror. I fought alongside him, though it was for naught; - the Arisen fell. My purpose since then has been to honor his last request.

[obeytherod]

Oh? And what's his last request?

[Malik seems almost mockingly interested.]