[Event] It couldn't last forever.

[helpusduelist]

[The lights going out had certainly surprised Henry, but he had been prepared for such a thing. He didn't fully understand the "electricity" that this place seemed to have, and thus, lacking that understanding, he had decided to prepare in case it disappeared.

Just like it had now.

Candles in that old-style holder and lit, Henry at least had some visibility despite the pressing darkness. Making sure to store away the others (at least after making sure Eleanor and Jack had ones themselves) he's started off into the Campus, looking for anyone lost in this darkness to help them find their way back to their dorms, or wherever else it was they wanted to go.]

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

...tch...

It hurts, that's all. Cold aggravates burns.

[It takes a lot of effort to admit that. Vulnerability isn't something he likes to confess to, and usually he'd just keep denying it. But right now, he really does feel a bit too rough to cover it up.

...if he throws it back, it'll go into the fire. That jerk! Just for that, he's going to curl up in the cape and enjoy the warmth. Take that, Henry!]

[helpusduelist]

[Oh no, Bakura did exactly what he wanted! How horrible!]

Then all the more reason for you to use it than me, hm?

[Henry frowns suddenly, noting a weird pressure in the bag on his belt. He reaches down, digging for the unknown feeling of whatever had been placed there, pulling it to see in the light of the fire... what it...

He hears Wynn burst out giggling in his head and guesses where they came from, glancing over at Bakura with a raised eyebrow.]

Fond of makeup, then?

[fluffydeathdealer]

...eh?

[He sits up suddenly, staying wrapped up and looking confused. For a moment he doesn't remember what the hell Henry's talking about before he starts and checks his pockets.]

When the hell did you take those?

[helpusduelist]

I didn't. It seems Wynn found them herself and decided to put them in my pockets when I wasn't looking.

[Henry examines it a bit more, curiously.]

It seems a bit bright for you. Not quite your color.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Oi! It's not mine! Some guy gave me it for losing a game.

[He scoffs. It really is too bright for him.]

I've never bothered with anything other than eyeliner for a long time.

[helpusduelist]

I might see if Harriet or Eleanor want it, then. If you really have no interest in it... I think they could find it interesting.

[He's teasing, really. He's not going to keep something his monsters lifted.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Heheh. From what I experienced while I was in Eleanor's body, they have plenty of their own. Those women can turn those things into instruments of torture.

[He may be exaggerating, but... well.]

[helpusduelist]

It was your own fault for putting your mind where it didn't belong.

[While it's still joking, there's a threatening undertone in there. Don't do that again, Bakura. They really were not happy with it.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Oy, oy... I got punished for it enough. I'd almost consider the manicure worse than the attack by Ra.

[That one's definitely exaggerating, but he can't surpress a shudder.]

Besides, I was reclaiming what belongs to me.

[helpusduelist]

That's between you, Malik, and Rosenkreuz. I was careful to keep my hands out of those things as best as I could and I have no intention of getting involved with any of that at all.

[There's a trace of disgust in Henry's voice, despite his best attempt to keep it out. He does not like those things and if they never get into the Roses' hands again, he will be perfectly happy.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Heheh... I told you, didn't I? I don't care what you guys do as long as you keep your hands off of what's mine.

The Items... and Malik...

[Smirk.]

...are both mine. As long as you maintain that choice of non-involvement, I won't have any reason to get mad.

[helpusduelist]

By all means, keep all of it. I certainly have no desire to have any of those.

[He lays back down, glancing at the makeup and just putting it over above his head before closing his eyes again.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Hoh...? Heheh. Then I shall do so.

I don't care what you do about the makeup. Keep it, or throw it in the fire, for all I care.

That game was little more than entertainent, and nothing of value came out of it.

[helpusduelist]

[A half-grunt is all that Bakura get for that, Henry not really caring about the makeup anymore. His mood's been soured by the thought of the Items and he doesn't seem inclined to pick up the teasing tone to barb back again.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He lets him rest for a while this time, just enjoying the warmth. It dims the pain and for a moment he finds himself almost drifting off before he jerks himself awake suddenly.]

Mn...

[Dammit, why is heat so satisfying?]

Oy, Henry. Tell me about that kid from before.

[helpusduelist]

[Henry isn't quite drifting off, but he's drifting into his own thoughts. Much like when his mood has gotten foul before, it's going back to his time with the Lancastrians and the war, among other such dark thoughts. If Bakura could see the stirring anger underneath that frown...

The request snaps him out of it and he blinks, glancing over.]

What kid?

[fluffydeathdealer]

The one that trespassed on my soul.

[The joke is barely made, even though Henry won't get it. He stretches out on the ground. Really, he's not sure it's even worth discussing, but he doesn't want to sleep. He's like a fussy child avoiding bedtime.]

Well, it doesn't matter. I think I've outstayed my welcome... I'll let my host take over for a while if you'd like.

[helpusduelist]

[Trespassed... ah! Dharc. Even if Bakura says it doesn't matter, Henry speaks musingly, almost to himself as much as to the teen.]

To be honest, I'm not sure I know anything that could help. I found the Charmers' cards in the decks from that one machine. They seemed like they would be useful to have around so I talked with their spirits for a bit and they were more than happy to come help me. I dismissed some of my other creatures to return to their home and summoned theirs properly into their cards.

[It's only now he glances over.]

I certainly wouldn't disagree with that, but you're welcome to stay as long as you please. It isn't as if this is a proper, allied encampment I can throw you out of or anything.

[fluffydeathdealer]

'Into the cards?'

[That... sounds impossible.

It sounds like a permanent summoning from the world of darkness to the real world. If that were the case, then the spirits would always be with him.

But...

That meant-]

EH?! You mean they're always summoned?!

[helpusduelist]

Hrm?

[Henry glances over again, confused. Why does he sound so surprised?]

They aren't physically summoned unless we let them tap into our energy, but their spirits are permanently transferred into the cards we carry unless the card is destroyed or the duelist dismisses them, in which case their soul returns home.

Why?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Why...? How-?

What is this guy?! he thinks to himself, staring at Henry as if he's looking at a particularly dangerous ghost.]

Don't bullshit me! You can't possibly have that kind of power!

[helpusduelist]

...?

[Henry sits up fully, shifting one leg up to drape his arm over his knee.]

I assure you, that is how I was taught and how all of the duelists of my time operate. It does take time and effort to bring the spirits of the monsters you need to your cards, but it's hardly impossible.

....

Bakura... you didn't really think my Charmers were manifesting from their home, did you?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Of course I did! That's how every duelist does it! You can't manifest a creature from the other world into the human world for that long a time! It's not possible! It's absurd! Even developing the power to summon them for a short time should have wrecked your bodies to the point of needing massive amounts of time to recover!

[His voice is honestly rather freaked out. To manifest spirits like that... what the hell kind of magic do these people use?!]

[helpusduelist]

[In response to Bakura's freaking out, Henry just simply looks utterly confused and lost. He shakes his head a little, trying to figure out how to explain this.]

We don't manifest them here constantly. You saw it yourself; Eria and Hiita were just in spiritual forms and could not affect anything at all, only create illusions. That's because, without tapping into my energy, that's the most they can manifest themselves, and in order to use my energy I have to be in Deck Leader form; there's no way to summon them without that fusion.

I truly have no idea what you want me to say. That is how it is. If you're really certain that it's impossible, I can lend you one of my cards to examine to prove it yourself?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Even manifesting the spirit forms shouldn't be doable... the gate between worlds has been closed! The only way Malik and I were able to do it was because we are already contaminated by darkness from that world.

[Could there be a leak in the barriers where Henry was from? He shakes his head, reaching into his pockets to retrieve the card Henry lent to him as part of their deal. Closing his eyes, he focuses on it, feeling it out. There's something like distress from the card, but he lets it go after a moment.]

Incredible...

[His hand is shaking.]

This power... Where could it have come from? Even I can't pull the souls of my monsters into this world for long periods without pulling the world itself with it.