Duel 002: Peaceful Days! The Fluffiest Training Montage Commences

[fluffydeathdealer]

[It's a bit of a pain, being in a school with no teachers.

Ryou Bakura isn't the type of kid who really likes being too active; he's about on the level of most ordinary teenagers. But after being laid up for so long with the burns to his arms and leg, not only is he extremely restless, but he's sure even his metabolism won't hold up much longer, with the amount he eats. That's why, after checking to see that Henry isn't home to take him up on that training offer, he's decided to try treating this like school and taking an hour or so to do his very own gym class, all by himself. It'd be easier with teachers, but... he doesn't have a choice right now.

Most kids probably would just take the break and be lazy, but right now, Ryou's working hard. Apart from the occasional break, he can be found pretty easily in the east wing, dressed in gym clothes and doing everything from running laps on the track field to climbing ropes.

...though that last one is more like 'falling off ropes'. Stupid mats... they don't cushion that fall at all. Hopefully nobody's dumb enough to stand below him.]

Ow...

[Time for a banana and some water, he thinks.]

Ah, I'm so tired...

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

Eh-?! I didn't say you could do that! Why the hell would you just suddenly decide to do that?!

[Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit-]

[obeytherod]

[As he heads into the hall, Malik twitches his side of the conversation to telepathy.]

I've been slowly worming my way into Harriet's conscious. She's been stubborn though, and I don't want to move things too quickly... For now, I've tempted her with promises of the Rod's power curing her friends' mental anguish

...And I've put a piece of myself inside her. I'm thinking I could use her to either help me gain the power I need to summon Ra...or I could use her body to do it myself.

It'll be awhile before that happens though, so I need to keep practicing...

[fluffydeathdealer]

Bastard, you know how I feel about being used by you! After what Ra nearly did to me, you think I'm going to help you summon it?!

[And being in contact with him like this puts him at risk of encountering that other Malik, too...]

Like hell my Ring will help with this! Find another source of power, Malik!

[obeytherod]

Calm down. [He pauses, actually glancing down at the Ring to frown.]

I'm doing this for the both of us. I think Ra could help us escape.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Kh... [He grits his teeth, trying to force back the urge to just wrench control away from Malik and rip Ra to pieces, smiting or no smiting.]

Explain! You have two minutes, or else I'm taking control.

[obeytherod]

... [Obediently, Malik bows his head to the Ring as he explains.]

The monster we used last time was recalled as soon as we hit the edge of the island, so we know there's some sort of barrier keeping us back.

Ra is no ordering monster, though. It's a God...if anything can break through that barrier, it would be one of the three God cards. Ra's inferno should be able to burn a hole clean through it.

[He trails off into a muted enthusiasm.] We're so close to freedom, Bakura, I can practically taste it.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He's silent for a moment, mulling it over. It's a good theory. If any creature can break it, it would be that one... a creature so powerful as that.

But the price on Malik's body might be high. Failure might destroy him utterly. Or worse... send him back into that manic, cruel persona, no longer able to return. He has to handle this carefully.

Malik can't be allowed to just try something like this wildly.]

Then...

Let me be the one to summon it. I can handle the strain better than you, I'm sure.

[And if it goes wild, it won't be Malik who endures that pain of death again.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik blinks at that, finding the suggestion ridiculous at best. Bakura, summon Ra...

He may have more magical prowess than him, but it was more than that.]

Not just anybody can summon Ra, Bakura. You have to be chosen by the cards, too.

[The only reason he though Harriet might be able to do it is because he'd be using her body, and even if she failed and was smitten...he wouldn't care.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

I know that!

[He snaps the words out thoughtlessly, knowing they make little sense and not caring. If Malik wasn't careful, this could backfire horribly for all of them.]

I might be able to use your soul fragment as a link, but even with that, it'd be difficult... if not impossible. But the strain of summoning a God might be enough to rend you apart.

[obeytherod]

My other half could do it. [His words are firm, albeit a bit defensive. Bakura didn't have any faith in him, did he?]

If he could do it to try and kill people I care about, then I can do it to protect them.

[Obviously this was more than just about him or Bakura. Malik needed to get back for Rishid and Isis...and the rest of their clan.

He had unfinished business.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Not even a little. He has to bite back the insults bubbling up on his tongue. Softly, softly... If Malik wants to rely on his power like a weak child, even if it feeds that other him... he'll have to take the precautions himself.]

Tch... I guess I don't have a choice in this. But I won't prevent you from using the Ring's power to try.

However...

If it begins to have adverse effects on you, I'll force control whether you like it or not! Fight all you like, but that's the price you pay for relying on my power!

[obeytherod]

That's fine. I don't want that other half taking over again either.

[As calmly as he says it, there's still a hint of fear in his voice. As if something happened with "him" more recently.

Malik starts to move down the hall again, out towards the roof.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...?

What's wrong, Malik? Your voice sounds odd...

[Is it just the memory? He can't tell. Still, that relieves him and he relaxes, curling up inside the Ring like a child in a blanketfort.]

[obeytherod]

[He doesn't want to tell Bakura what happened, because he was doubtless that then he'd lose his chance to use the Ring.]

Nothing. I just want to get back home. He was never a problem then. I didn't even know...

[fluffydeathdealer]

Oh? I'm not surprised, somehow. But it's possible that being around your family lessened the strain on your mind. You've been through hell here, after all... and you're quite young for such a burden.

[Bakura sounds almost... parental. Like he's talking from the perspective of someone with years beyond him. Which he is. It's probably a little creepy coming from him, as serious as he's trying to be.

[obeytherod]

You could say that about my whole life. It's not going to change anything.

[The bitterness in his voice is palpable. Malik didn't talk about his past often, but when he did it seemed to be nothing but negativity.]

The only thing that will is killing the Pharaoh, and collecting the God Cards. Then I'll gain the title of Pharaoh...and I'll be able to free my clan from the burden of being Tombkeepers, and then my other half won't have anything to feed on anymore.

[fluffydeathdealer]

'Title of Pharaoh'...?

[That's the first he's heard of that. But if that's the case... if Malik can somehow 'claim' that, not that he believes it, he might not even need Yugi. Because if Malik has the cards... he might be able to access the tablet, if he can claim the Pharaoh's title or power in a manner that the magic will accept. But it's just a fairy tale...]

[obeytherod]

That's right, and all the power that comes with it. The one who holds those cards is acknowledged as the Pharaoh.

[Malik turns, heading into the stairwell.]

I was so close to having all three...now I'm back down to one. But I'm not worried. Out of the three Gods, Ra is the most formidable.

1/2

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

That's right... those markings on your back show those cards. And those monsters would of course be most loyal to 'him'...

[If it's possible... is there really a way to open up Kul Elna's secrets without Yugi?]

2/2

[fluffydeathdealer]

H-h...heh... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Interesting! Maybe your plans aren't as flawed as I thought! If you can do that, even that other half of yours will surely disappear!

Listen, Malik! I'll get those cards for you, one way or the other! Hahahaha!

[obeytherod]

If you ever thought they were flawed, it's merely because you didn't understand them.

[His mood has lifted, obvious by the confident little chuckle that escapes his lips. Malik was starting to sound more like...Malik.]

Just remember, once the cards have been claimed, the only way for my ownership over them to be acknowledged is for me to win them back in a duel.

Or, you know...they could just be handed over.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Heh heh... Malik! You're surprising me a lot, it seems.

But you know, I have nearly three thousand years of experience on the frailties of humanity. If they can't be won, I'll make sure they give them over to you...

...even if it's the last thing they're able to do.

[obeytherod]

Hmhmhm...good, Bakura.

[His lips pull into a harsh smirk.]

Then it seems we have a plan.

[Pushing the door open to the roof, the rush of air blows his hair back. It was nice and cool out today...which was perfect.

Malik walks over to take a seat near the far side of the roof, setting his deck down at his side.]

Last time I was up here, I managed to get...something.

[fluffydeathdealer]

'Something'? Then you came that close? Or do you mean something unnatural came through?

[Bakura sounds amused. But he's feeling uncomfortable too. Being this close to Malik... his one relief is that that guy hasn't come out to play.]

[obeytherod]

I don't know. I never saw Ra summoned myself, remember? I only know what you told me.

[Malik plucks three low level monsters out from his deck and sets them down in front of him.]

There's really only one way to find out. [Breathing in a calming breath, Malik takes his time to summon the monsters one at a time. He's definitely improved since the last time he used his powers in front of Bakura, Ring or no Ring.]