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]

Humans will always have the desire to fight. Finding what appears to be a 'game' from Ancient Egypt... it's only natural to want to share it with the world. After all, magic is long forgotten. Nobody knows that this game was anything more than entertainment.

[He relaxes a little, at ease talking about the game.]

[helpusduelist]

Hmm.

[That's all he says to that, tilting the disk curiously.]

I would offer to "play" with you, then, if it were recreation... but I feel it would take some time for me to understand this.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It's fine. Borrow it and mess with it if you like. We can play together some time once you figure it out. I need to get another one before we can do that anyway.

But it might be entertaining, after all. I'm too easily bored to be satisfied with just the things here.

[helpusduelist]

Heh, are you sure about that? I'm afraid I might end up breaking it.

[Not intentionally, of course, but he is being handed something he's so very confused over.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

They're not that fragile. Unless you plan to stab it, it's probably pretty durable.

But if you're worried, then just make yourself at home and fiddle with it here. I'll help you if you get stuck.

[helpusduelist]

I'm almost afraid it would break the blade if I did.

[Henry nods at that, going to take a seat and start testing out his cards in it. Magic here, traps here... interesting, trigger it this way... And Dark goes here and makes everything all shadowy...

It's almost like he's back in his own home, messing with a new toy.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[And in a moment, it's as if it isn't Bakura watching him at all, but someone softer and gentler, watching with a happy smile.

Though it isn't that way at all.]

Having fun?

[helpusduelist]

Actually, quite a bit. This is an interesting object! I can see how it was made for recreation.

[If he notices the change, he doesn't react, a soft smile playing on his lips as he adjusts it a little.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

They used to use these bulky field boxes but thanks to Kaiba-kun, now you can use the holograms anywhere! Isn't it cool?

[Getting up, he goes over to watch.]

[helpusduelist]

[Henry's expression doesn't change, but he's a bit confused now. What is the Spirit doing?

...He'll play along for the moment.]

That is fairly impressive! It must be quite useful for many people, then, to just play around wherever they please.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It really is! But you know, we used to just use the cards on the table. So we could play even without the holograms. It was really fun! We used to play in the classroom all the time. Yugi-kun and Jounouchi-kun or Anzu-chan would just be playing on the desk. Yugi-kun won most of the time, but even knowing that, it never stopped being fun.

It's a game, after all, you know? Even if it's more serious now.

[helpusduelist]

Yes, I can understand that. It doesn't really matter whatever game you're playing... doing it with those you enjoy being around is the true fun of it, rather than winning or losing. Though I'm sure winning is nice at times.

[GAH WHAT DID HE JUST oh that's the field slot he opened, whoops. Hehehe...]

[fluffydeathdealer]

I don't think it matters too much if you win or lose, if it's a game for fun. Of course you should try to win, or else it's no fun for anyone, but if you lose, you just get better, and you still enjoyed it, right?

[He giggles a little at that. Cute... Henry's like a little kid with a toy. Which he actually is, in Bakura's eyes.]

I'm not exactly the best duelist, though. I have to build up more trust in my cards. But I'm going to get better.

I don't know how the disk does it, but it seems to recognize prompts, too. Like it'll stop mid-attack if you counter with a spell or something.

[helpusduelist]

Fascinating... maybe it can take commands similar to a living creature? To some degree, at least...

[Hm... just what are you after? The Dark Magician does seem to think this is the Spirit, but such an act...

...He'll take advantage of it for a gentle test. Let's see here.]

Forgive me Ryou, what is it that you wanted me to ask the Spirit? I seem to have forgotten.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It's computerized, so I wouldn't be surprised. But it must be pretty complex for something so small...

[Wait, what?

He pauses, taking as long as he dares to mull it over and skim what memories he can. The memory blocks and hidden information are completely missed as he does.]

...huh... I don't remember now, after all. Eheh, I guess it wasn't important after all.

[helpusduelist]

I suppose not. If you remember later, let me know and I'll pass it on.

[Inwardly, Henry's grinning like an idiot, but even if he didn't have a habit of keeping his thoughts off his face, it'd be lost in his toying around with this.]

The entire thing seems complex beyond me, quite frankly... it seems I just keep being amazed at how things are in this time.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Un, I will!

[He takes a seat beside Henry, watching him with apparent happiness.]

I was there for the first use of the prototypes. They were a lot more unwieldy and kind of silly-looking, but it was amazing to see it for the first time. I even got to hold one of them while Jounouchi-kun figured it out! ...well actually he sort of shoved half of it at me because he couldn't get the bit on his wrist on otherwise.

[helpusduelist]

I can feel his pain. It took the Spirit a couple of minutes to actually tell me how to put this one on.

[Henry laughs a bit sheepishly, shaking his head.]

I felt like a young child being patiently explained something obvious by his teacher. It's easy now that I understand it, but before, it seemed about as possible as walking to the sky.

[fluffydeathdealer]

But isn't it natural to be confused? It's not like you've ever seen anything like it before, right, Henry?

[A telling sign. He didn't even know 'that'.]

Jounouchi-kun couldn't get it on easily either. Kaiba-kun just insulted him for it though.

[helpusduelist]

[...Heh. Good boy, Ryou. He's proud of you.]

That's certainly true enough. And from what little I saw of Kaiba, that seems about fitting. I feel a bit sorry for Rosenkreuz; he's always so proud of his family line, and yet the one he meets here is... less than graceful.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

Kaiba-kun's a good person, but... he doesn't care for anything but himself and Mokuba-kun. He's not a bad person; he'll help people, if curtly... but he's really cold-hearted. It's like a mask to shut out anything that might get close. He's really smart, and kind of powerful, but it's like he's afraid of letting other people in.

Or maybe he just doesn't want them in his heart. He thinks 'meaningless' things like politeness or fun or anything like that are just... unnecessary.

[A soft sigh. If it weren't for those tells, it might be impossible to tell those two apart without outside knowledge.]

[helpusduelist]

[Indeed it would, but the tells are plenty. As it is, Henry stops playing with the duel disk, shifting to wrap an arm around around Bakura's shoulders and petting his hair a little.]

Some people are like that, unfortunately. Some pain in their past has taken a part of their soul and they can't find it in themselves to open to anyone but those who are already close.

[There's a hint of familiarity in that voice. Henry certainly knows what it is to keep people at a distance, though his attitude is polite rather than cruel.]

If you say that he's good... then all I can feel for him is pity.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He starts internally more than he does outside, though 'Ryou' looks over at Henry as if surprised. What the hell is with this informality...? He'd seen the two of them together before, but they seemed a lot less... close. Draw away, or stay? Which is more suspicious? He isn't sure.

He leans into it, closing his eyes after a moment. Even if he's found out, there's something in that touch that's appealing.]

I'm sure of it. Kaiba-kun shows warmth to only one person, but I've seen that warmth in him. He's callous and cold, and treats everyone as if they're beneath him save that person, but there's hints of kindness there too. He won't forgive people who pick on the weak, even if he'll deride them until they're no longer able to stand it. And I think... in his own way, he's kind of trying to spur people on. He doesn't want people to break. He just wants them to stop being weak. I think Kaiba-kun hates weakness most of all.

But it's all conjecture at this point. Kaiba won't admit to anything easily.

[helpusduelist]

While his goal is certainly admirable, the way he goes about it is unfortunate. It's true that some people need a rival or talking down to be motivated to become strong, but there are others who respond better to a firm hand or a soft encouragement. For such people, harsh snarling will only make them feel it isn't worth it, or that they're somehow in a spot they cannot ever be stronger.

[He continues the petting lightly, as if he hasn't a care in the world and didn't notice the surprise. It's a gentle, affectionate touch, like a parent trying to soothe a fussy child.]

Hopefully, someone can show him that eventually.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[How calming... he doesn't remember anyone acting like this around him before. Even Malik's touches to his hair, and those of Karasu, were different. Not so soothing. Not so peaceful. It's harder to keep up his act when he feels like this.]

I think... Kaiba-kun sees everyone in the same way as himself. He's spurred on by rivalry, so he doesn't see why other people wouldn't.

He thinks I'm hopeless, you know? Because I'm always polite and willing to do what people tell me, within reason. I don't see why I shouldn't. But he says that people don't deserve consideration or politeness, because respect is earned, and shouldn't be offered to people who haven't earned it.