Joint Post! Like an Old Married Couple

[fluffydeathdealer]

[From just outside the jungle's trees, near the mountainside, some bickering can be heard:]

Here. It's probably fresher than you'd like, but it's all we have.
...I can't eat that, Bakura.
You don't have the option to be picky, Malik!
No...I really can't, you fool!
Tch... I can cook it a bit more, but we have to be careful, or the smoke from the fire will give us away!
Ughh...can't you find some fruit? Just look up.
Do you want to die? If someone finds you while I'm out looking for fruit, you'll have worse problems than having to eat meat.
But Bakura... [Malik sounds a bit like he might be ill.] My stomach...
O-oy! Hold on a little longer, okay? I'll see if I can find something close by. I'll stay within earshot, so if someone approaches, scream.
Just get a couple...I don't need that much.
Be quiet, you idiot. You need to eat something. [He chomps down on the meat Malik refused to eat.]
Well? I can't eat anything if you don't go get something!

((ooc: So! Tags will come from both Bakura and Malik. If we're going to tag you with both on a turn we'll put a "1/2" in the subject line, otherwise it's just one at a time. Also since the two of them are injured, we just ask that nobody with magic healing powers comes along to heal them up and stuff. Thanks!

Warnings for adult content in some threads.))

Comments

[helpusduelist]

...Whatever a human's actions in life, in death, we should always pray to unburden ourselves. Though I know not what God watches over him, I still offer a prayer where he cannot, that his God might forgive him of what he's done and take him to paradise rather than damn him to hell.

[obeytherod]

[Malik can hear Henry speaking. A prayer...for him? He can't fathom why.

But right now, he couldn't dwell on it. He was far too cold, the only tangible thing right now was that of the warmth of Bakura's hand, his face...

It was a small comfort that made his lips twitch and shake, his fingers reaching out with the last of their strength to graze his thigh. It was just what was closest, it was all he could reach...

Malik let out a soft sigh, his eyes glazing over. He didn't breath in again.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

Hell?

[His voice shook a little, though the usual sarcasm in it was gone. He could feel it.

Malik...]

You don't know anything about us, do you? An evil soul can never reach the afterlife... it will be consumed after judgement.

The afterlife is a gift for those whose hearts are not weighed down by sin.

The only way onto the boat of Ra... is to have a good life. There is no forgiveness for crimes.

Pray all you want... I don't care.

[Odd. Why did his eyes feel wet?]

[helpusduelist]

No, I do not know about you. But even so, I wish to help. Perhaps it will mean nothing, in the end... but perhaps intervention by one he wronged will change something. I do not know... and when it comes to it, I would rather waste my prayers and voice on uselessness than withhold them when they could have had a chance to help.

...His eyes, if you please.

[Henry bows his head again, continuing the prayer. The boat of "Ra..." then Ra had to be the name of their god. Tch... so it had been something like that that was summoned... Henry could believe it.]

...Have mercy upon his heart, oh great Ra, that it might be unburdened of the sin that it carries. Our sin is ever before us, no matter the one we pray to, ever weighing us down. Against you, he has only sinned, but burn that sin clean with flame that he might step into that boat. Thou requires truth, and thou makes it known to him secretly... so, now, let that truth be his salvation, let it purge that stain upon his soul and clean him that he be white as snow when it comes time for judgment. Let thou make him hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which hast been broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from his sins, and put out all his misdeeds. Give to him a clean heart, O Ra, and renew a right spirit within him. Cast him not away from thy presence, but welcome him. O, give him the comfort of thy help and thy blessing.

...Oh holy God, to whom this wayward child belongs... call to him, and welcome him... and forgive him of what he hath done.

With thy light divine, O Good One, illumine thou, I pray thee, this soul who come early unto thee with love: that he know thee, O God, the one who callest him forth from the gloom of sin.

To the holy and honourable arms of your servants deliver him...

For thou art the repose of his soul and of his body, and unto thee did he ascribe glory, to thee, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

[Softer again, with a finality to it...] Amen.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[Slowly, he moves his hand from Malik's hair to his eyes, closing them. He doesn't even have the words to argue.

Despite his dislike for the Gods, if it would help Malik, he didn't care. If it didn't, he didn't care. What had the Gods ever done for them, anyway?

He was reluctant to let go of Malik, but his arm was giving way. Slowly, he let him sink to the ground.

...even if Malik passed the tests, and the judgement... he was never going to meet him again. Evil souls were not allowed in that place. Even if he were to find his name and pass on... Most likely, his body had been torn to shreds to prevent that. Not that it was needed.

His heart was evil enough that he would never reach the land of the Two Fields even if he wanted to. At last, he spoke, once Henry had fallen silent.]

Senebti, Malik...

[helpusduelist]

[Henry isn't sure what that means, but he doesn't question it, simply letting Malik rest on the grass.

He turns his head to the side, raising his voice so that Jack can hear it.]

Gather what you can find, and quickly. We have no holy ground here... the best we can offer Rosenkreuz is that his body is returned to God.

[He looks back to Bakura.]

...Would a pyre help Malik? Or should his body be untouched?

1/2

[fluffydeathdealer]

...leave it. He can't pass onto the afterlife if his body isn't intact.

[dontknowjack]

[Without a word, he nods and obediently sets to work gathering wood for a pyre. It feels a little ironic...

Considering the method of death.]

[helpusduelist]

[Perhaps so, but things must be finished. He nods to Bakura, standing and leaving him with Malik's body as he goes to look at Rosenkreuz's. Eleanor is in hysterics and Harriet has her hands full trying to deal with that, so it falls on him to do this.

...Though Rosenkreuz had never been his soldier, or perhaps even a friend, he feels a bitter pang in his heart.

Pushing it aside, he arranges what's left of the body, scouting out enough stones to surround it and control the spread of the flames. A borrowing of an Aqua monster from Eleanor (more like it coming to his hand at the request, its master too gone for the moment) and he's ready once Jack brings the tinder.]

[dontknowjack]

[Setting the tinder down, Jack rests his hand on his king's arm, looking at him in silent concern. Death seems to follow Henry around, it seems. The question is unspoke, said with his eyes.

Are you alright?]

[helpusduelist]

[Henry looks up at the touch, and when Jack silently asks the question, his only reply is to drop the mask for a moment.

Exhaustion, pain, sorrow, all weigh on him heavily. It's only because Jack's original death took all his tears that he doesn't shed any now, even if only in sympathy, but this is a weight that he knew was his to bear from childhood, and one he will not shirk, no matter how crushing it may be to him.

All he can do... is ask for someone to help him bear it for a short time.

While the wood is set up, Henry begins murmuring the rites in their original form, starting the long prayer as he and Jack ensure everything is properly arranged. The fire is lit, the tinder ensuring it's fed long enough for what's left of Rosenkreuz's body to be consumed in it. And as the last bit disappears, as the pyre burns down to the grass, Henry's voice, pained but strong, echos the last sentence.]

For thou art the repose of our souls and of our bodies, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

[He feels exhausted. His legs just want to give out and he just wants to let everything go and slip into oblivion for a short while, and the slight sway he has even while finishing the prayer shows it quite clearly.]

[dontknowjack]

[Help him bear it, he will. He supports Henry both physically and mentally, arranging everything he can to ease the toll on Henry. Seeing the noticable weakness in his body at the end, he offers his arm as support for his King.

The tiredness, the suffering... Henry doesn't deserve any of it. Right now... he would do pretty much anything to ease this pain for him. But all he can do is to be here. It feels pretty paltry.

He may not have liked Rosenkreuz, but for Henry to lose someone else was just cruel.]

[helpusduelist]

[The king steadies himself on Jack, breathing softly to try to regain his bearing. His everything hurts, his head is swimming, but there's a pressing matter that must be seen to.

The dead are honored. Now it was time to attend to the living.

Henry goes over to where Malik is, removing his cloak. A look at Bakura is all he gives, then he gently lays it over the young Egyptian's body, rising to his feet again and managing to avoid swaying.]

Bakura. There's one thing we must see to... then we can separate.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[By now, Bakura had finally released the liveless corpse of his only friend, letting it sink to the ground. He didn't so much as blink at Henry's gesture, though it confused him. Why honor your enemies so much? It didn't make sense.]

What is it?

[His voice is more curt than usual.]

[helpusduelist]

First, we should move this to inside.

[Over his shoulder, without turning his head:]

Jack, take Malik's body. Wrap my cloak around it if necessary.

[He speaks again, before Bakura can interrupt.]

I know you do not want me touching the body of your partner, and so I won't. You do not have the strength to carry him, either. So unless you wish to conduct what's left out here in our current states where we can be easily ambushed again, then one with your face should be acceptable enough for now.

[It's kind of a question, though it's phrased like a statement.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[...

He nods slowly, stepping back and letting Jack gather the body. To his credit, the man with his face handles Malik with a surprising gentleness, wrapping him in the cloak before picking him up.

...it's like looking at a mirror. Only far more troubling. He doesn't even want to watch, though he forces himself to. This is his fault, after all.

But, inside? He's injured, exhausted, and emotionally drained.]

Fine. I don't care.

[helpusduelist]

[Giving a soft look and nod to Harriet, Henry leads the way inside, saying nothing.

Their dorm is not a place for their enemies, however dead. And there has been enough tonight that Henry wants all of this out of the way so he can bathe the smell of woodfire and blood off him then collapse for a good half a day. As such, he picks a random dorm, indicating for Jack to lay the body on the couch before turning to Bakura.

When his hand comes away from his armor, the Millennium Eye is between two fingers, while Ra is held between two others.

Henry says nothing, waiting to let Bakura get out whatever curses or snaps he wants before he begins.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[It's too bad he can't find the energy even to swear right now. The shock of his injuries, coupled with this strange emotional turmoil, is starting to kick in.]

What do you plan to do with those?

[helpusduelist]

Enough is enough, Bakura. Surely you must see that too.

For the sake of this blood feud -- this feud with our descendants, not us! -- for the sake of this hatred, now we both have lost someone we cared for, even if far from dear friends.

Enough is enough. There does not need to be any more fighting, any more bloodshed, any more hatred.

[Henry takes a slow breath, closing his eyes briefly. He feels so drained, he can't even be bothered to keep his exhaustion out of his voice.]

No more fighting. No more hatred. No more bloodshed, no more controlling, no more feud with us. Nothing. Everything that has happened since this began is wiped away, left by the roadside, and this entire war is stopped here and now for good.

I return these to you, and all of this is wiped clean.

Can we come to that agreement?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Bakura listens in silence.

Truthfully, he had never cared about them. It was entertaining, even if it had poor consequences, but he had never borne them hatred. Even at the start... the hatred had all been on Malik's side.

He had borne it with his usual careless opportunism, relishing in the entertainment of it all. And now it had ended like this.

It was one of them that had killed Malik... wasn't that worthy of hatred? But it was an act of fear and anger... and he had expected Malik to die from the start of this, from the moment the other Malik first appeared. No, the only one he bears anger togethers in this is himself.

In the end, it worked out better for him, didn't it?]

...the Rod too. Malik promised it to me. If you can agree to that... Then I'll agree to your terms.

[He can't hold back the tiredness in his own voice.]

[helpusduelist]

The Rod is on his person, or outside if it was dropped. I did not take it, nor would I want to keep it. These things have only brought suffering to us, and good riddance to them.

[He places Ra and the Eye on the table, holding his arms out for Bakura to see. There's no possible place he could hide it.]

Consider it done, then. This war is over... though I mourn the cost it took to bring it that way.

[And without a further word he strides out, pushing open the door to disappear into the hallway.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[And just like that, everyone was gone. He reaches out to take the Items, feeling their familiarity. The Eye... and then the Rod, from Malik's person.

...He had what he wanted.

The Eye's weight rested comfortably in his pocket. The Rod's heaviness was held in his aching hand. Even Ra resided in his pocket once more, though it was a pocket that was barely intact thanks to the same creature.

Three of seven Items were on his person. One of three God Cards. He was alive, despite the pain.

So why didn't it feel good?

After three thousand years, he was well on the way to the victory he'd been searching for.

So why did it hurt?

He didn't understand it at all. What was this odd pain in his chest? There was only questions now. Questions and should-haves and self-loathing.

And endless, endless time.]

[dontknowjack]

[Jack knew enough not to interfere. He simply followed his King to the dorm, keeping up with his pace as best he could. His arm was there if he needed it. If not... he was still there too. Though he was quiet, his mind was racing over the events of the day.

Once they were inside the dorm safely, only then did he turn to Henry and speak.]

...You should rest.

[helpusduelist]

I want to bathe, first. I'm going to have enough trouble without the stink of blood and smoke.

[Even now, Henry's strides are much less certain, almost to the point of swaying, but he stubbornly goes for the bathroom, leaving a trail of bloody handprints along the wall as he occasionally holds his hand out to steady himself.]

[dontknowjack]

[Henry's temper rarely snapped out like that, but Jack understood it better than others would. Henry was exhausted, drained physically and emotionally, trapped in another world, had his sleep cut short and finally had to cremate his... well. Not friend.

Still, the trail of handprints makes him frown, as does Henry's condition. Without a word about Henry's mood, he strides over to gather Henry in his arms, picking him up and carrying him towards the bathroom to spare both Henry and the walls.]

Forgive my rudeness, Majesty.