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? Then using these still calls on something, huh?

[helpusduelist]

It calls on magic, yes. That's a reason why not everyone can learn to duel like this. But it's something more akin to... say, starting a campfire. You're still "calling on" fire, but the fire is just energy of a sort, isn't it?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Starting a campfire... Of course!]

I get it! 'Nothing can come from nothing', right? The energy is always there, but it needs direction to become something else.

[helpusduelist]

Exactly! Monsters are monsters, but the effects of spells and traps are simply directed energy. There's no need to ask permission because there's no sentience or feelings, but they are still important, so they should be treated as such regardless.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Ahh, I see! That makes a lot of sense. It's kind of fascinating, though, to think about it.

[helpusduelist]

Is it? Why is that so?

[His answer is honestly curious.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Even if magic exists, which it does, it's a rare property. People don't have the knowledge or power to access it, after all. But as much as people dismiss magic as being something out of fairy tales, it's just as logical and rule-bound as anything else.

[helpusduelist]

Everything has to obey the laws it's bound with. It just so happens that different things are bound with different laws. Is magic seen as some "whatever you please" wish in this time?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Un. People believe magic is a fairy tale that will grant any wish or desire. They consider magic something for children to believe in, that only weak-minded people or those without much knowledge of the world would dream of.

[helpusduelist]

...Amusing, since it's the exact opposite. Children with magic would be terrifying, for if they didn't hurt themselves, they'd hurt everyone around them. It's a rare talent and a firm mind that can control it; far from a plaything for young ones.

[He probably sounds like an old man, but really.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

That's right! But people have been turning all the old stories into sugar-sweet 'fairy stories' for years now, so anything magical is made out to be basically wishes that only kids could believe in. They don't tell stories with morals any more, you know? Everything's set out like "and then the prince and the princess lived happily ever after"!

[Ryou sounds almost stern.]

[helpusduelist]

[That gets a laugh.]

While those stories certainly aren't bad, on occasion, to glorify all magic like that is dangerous. I suppose I should be thankful it's died out, in that case.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It's not bad, but I think, if magic was still a thing, they'd never have done it.

But that makes it even worse that there's actually magic at home too, even if it's confined to just a rare few people.

[helpusduelist]

Mmm, I suppose so.

[He doesn't really have much of an opinion on the rarity, but he does reach over to comfortingly pat Ryou's hand with a smile.]

Perhaps I should see if I can remember any little tales or stories from my childhood.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Ryou seems soothed, at least.]

Eh, really? That'd be kind of interesting.

[helpusduelist]

[Good. His smile widens some and he sits back, still watching the organization.]

I'll see what I can find, or see if Jack knows any. There might be some books with them too.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yeah! That sounds really fascinating, Father. I want to know all I can about your time.

[He has the cards he definitely isn't using set up in neat piles to avoid mixing with the rest.]

[helpusduelist]

[He'll clear those definitely nots out of the way still, particularly for that avoiding thing.]

I'm happy to share it. It's a bit... comforting to be able to talk about home like this.

[fluffydeathdealer]

If I go back, I'd like to know a lot more about it than I do. Even if I don't, it's interesting, you know? I like learning about it.

Do you remember the night I fell asleep on the couch with you and woke up with Jack?

[helpusduelist]

Understandable. But I'm glad you find it interesting regardless.

[Hm?]

I remember some of it... why?

[fluffydeathdealer]

I dreamt about it, that night. I... get nightmares a lot. But I didn't get them at all that night.

[One more card selected.]

I don't know if it was your presence, or the things you filled my head with... but either way, there was no room for them.

[helpusduelist]

[Oh, Ryou... Henry gently reaches over, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder comfortingly.]

I'm glad. Perhaps, if I can fill your mind with more of those stories, there won't ever be room.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He draws in a slow breath, closing his eyes and relaxing a little.]

I hope so. I don't ever want those images in my head again.

[helpusduelist]

I'll find everything I can for it. At worst, I can ask Dharc or Lyna to try to stay by your side as you sleep. I don't know if it would help... but seeing as I can't be the one to do so, it would be something, I think.

[fluffydeathdealer]

I don't think Malik-kun would be too happy with that, since he gets nightmares too. [Awkwarrrd.] I usually comfort him in his sleep, so...

[He fidgets a little.]

One of my friends offered to let me sleep over sometimes, but I feel guilty. It's such a simple thing to be bothered by after all these weeks.