[EFFECT ROOM] Dresses for the Dressing Room!

[noisycircus]

[Welcome to Lapin Angelique! Everyone who enters this room will suddenly find themselves wearing a Gothic Lolita Dress. They may also have other gothic accessories such as tiny little hats, frilly parasols, vampire capes, or spooky plushies.

Bizarre things will happen if you try to take off the clothes. Maybe it will just be downright impossible, they're stuck to your body. Maybe you'll start to FEEL GOTH and the BLACKNESS OF YOUR HEART compels you to put the clothes back on. Maybe you start taking off the clothes, only to find that doing so causes you to slowly morph into a bunny until you put them back on (or until you're a bunny. But was that REALLY worth it?) It's all up to fate!

Either way, these dresses are probably staying on, at least until the effect wears off. Which could be anything from a couple hours to the rest of the day.]

Comments

[moderndaydragon]

[That's what she gets for being on time. She makes a mental note to be tardy as she leans against the wall, closing her eyes and just trying to block out the sound and ignore him, letting her mind wander to various, happier things as she temporarily checks out.]

[stealshinies]

[Before she knows it, Bakura's done, not bothering to clean his hands with anything but his tongue and some disheveled sheet as he comes over to meet her.]

I hope you're ready. This test will be much harder than the last.

[moderndaydragon]

[His voice manages to at least get her out of her daydreaming, though she gives him a somewhat wary look.]

What makes you say that?

this thread now dates 11/02 so things match up

[stealshinies]

[Since his Ba failed to do his bidding earlier, Karasu might come in some handy now.]

It takes a certain level of deftness...but we'll see! You might actually be able to do it, if you use that song of yours.

[Bakura gestures vaguely.]

I want you to steal something from a "Malik Ishtar". He'd never suspect anything from a pretty girl like you, right?

[It's hard to tell if that last line is sarcastic or not, given his usual attitude.]

[moderndaydragon]

No.

[The reply is almost immediate and she's giving him a flat look.]

[stealshinies]

No? Why not?! [He can't do it himself, that's the problem. He needs to convince somebody...] You can test your stealthiness this way--you precise control over your own body!

[moderndaydragon]

Before you get all stabby, let me say one thing: if it were a different situation, I would gladly do it, and I wouldn't even make you expend a favor on it. Seeing Malik get comeuppance like that would've been so incredibly satisfying.

[...she sighs, just sounding tired.]

But it's not a different situation. The situation it is is that Malik is someone Bakura-kun -- the one not you -- cares about. He cares about Malik deeply.

So I won't do anything to him. I won't protect him, hell no, but I won't actively do anything to him. I won't hurt Bakura like that.

[stealshinies]

[He cares deeply about Malik? Ahh, Akh, what lies you've been stringing!]

H-hahaha! What has he been telling you? I already knew they lived together, but this is new! Their arrangements are the only reason I prefer not to do it. But you must be naive if you think that I--future self or not--would care about anybody like that!

That boy is useful to him as a tool...and I'm sure he's using him for more than just his goals, given their living situation. [Bakura raises his hands, shrugging casually.] I don't particularly chase after sex, but if the opportunity presented itself...I would have taken in that boy too! Why not, right? Pleasure is pleasure.

[moderndaydragon]

[Okay ug, she knew that but she didn't need it confirmed. Gaaah.]

Yeah, well... you'll forgive me if I take anything you say with a grain of salt. You haven't given me much reason to trust you, what with the constant threats of a fate worse than death or hurting me.

[stealshinies]

Whatever, the lesson still stands! [He sweeps his hand out to point at her.] I want you to steal the Rod from Malik Ishtar!

[moderndaydragon]

Give me one good reason why I should, after what I said.

[stealshinies]

Because it belongs to me! And what you said means nothing--"Malik Ishtar" is nothing more than a tool to my future self. If your only reservations were out of some want of not wanting to hurt my Akh's precious feelings, then you can throw those away. After all, all you'll manage to do slightly irk him. And he won't even know it was you.

[moderndaydragon]

[Sigh.]

You know what? Fine. He tried to kill me, so I guess it's what he deserves. But if I bring the Rod back, it counts as a favor. Note I said "if I bring it back." Even you can agree to that, right?

[stealshinies]

[That would leave him at...what? Two more favours? Two more favours for two more items. He supposes he's not directly teaching her this time either, so he can let the defiant suggestion slide.]

I can agree to that, but the favour only gets counted if you succeed.

[moderndaydragon]

That was what I was getting at. I may not like you, but I'm not going to be cheap on what I owe you.

I'll be back.

[stealshinies]

H-heh heh, just making sure we're clear, Karasu... I'll see you then.

[Without another word, he allows her to leave. He could have told her where Malik lived, but if she's so friendly with "Bakura-kun", chances are she already knew...

And if not, oh well, she'll just have to manage!]

[moderndaydragon]

[She does know where it is, in fact, but despite what she told the Thief King, she has no intention of carrying this request out.

Instead, when she finds the right dorm, she raps on the door loudly, hoping Malik is home.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik was home, and alone too. When he opens the door to peek out at Karasu he immediately narrows his eyes.

What the hell was this girl doing, just showing up at his dorm?!]

Bakura's not here. And don't try again later, either. [He moves to shut the door.]

[moderndaydragon]

I was looking for you, so that's fine.

[She moves her foot in to catch the door, preventing him from closing it.]

The other Bakura -- that Thief King -- is after your Millennium Rod. I don't know why, but it was enough that he was trying to get me to steal it from you.

I'd be careful. That man's dangerous and crazy. I should know, since he's attached to me and won't let go... and seems to get a kick out of threatening me. Who knows what he'd try doing to get it from you, or who he'd send after it if he can get favors in the right places.

...Just letting you know. That's all.

[She pulls her foot back, letting him slam the door on her if he wishes.]

[obeytherod]

[Except this time, Malik just opens the door wider, his eyes following suit as his lips draw into a concerned scowl. There were several questions running through his head, among other things.

Bakura had told the Thief King about him, he knows that much, but he said he's strung enough half-truths and lies to keep him at bay! This was bad...

But more importantly, he asks with confusion, and not a hint of his usual malice:]

...Why are you helping me? If the Rod is taken from me, that doesn't concern you at all.

[moderndaydragon]

...You tried to kill me. You certainly hate me. And it's because of that that I can't see Bakura-kun very often or do much with him, even if all I want is that friendship and absolutely nothing else. By all rights, I should hate you just as much, if not even more.

But... for some reason, I don't. And it has nothing to do with Bakura-kun's feelings on you at all. I just don't hate you, and I couldn't tell you why if you asked.

So, why?

[There's a pause, as if she genuinely has to think about it.]

Because even if I don't know what the Rod is, I know it's important to you somehow. If it didn't have at least some value, the Thief King wouldn't want it. And since that's the case, you deserved to be warned.

That's really all there is to it, I suppose.

[obeytherod]

...Feh. [His words are matter-of-fact if anything.] You're far too soft, you know that? I would criticize you for letting others walk all over you, but after you nearly killed me, I know that isn't entirely true.

[Even if you naively let Bakura manipulate you.]

Still...helping me after everything I've done to you. [He doesn't get it, but he'll take the warning to heart. But he'll do little else, as far as openingly allowing Bakura to hang around her.] I have another question, then, if you'll be willing.

Does he know where we live? We've already moved three times now, we're going to run out of options at this rate. This place is too small to keep running like this.

[moderndaydragon]

Yeah, I know I am. I should've just tossed the Thief King off a cliff the second time he threatened me, but I'm just too soft to do anything like that to someone. Abuse a dog enough and its tolerance becomes so high it doesn't resist, I suppose.

[She glances up, then nods.]

I don't know for sure, but since he tried to send me after you, I'd say it's a safe bet he probably does. You guys can take my room if you want; he doesn't know where that is and I can move into the dorm you were originally in. I don't have a lot to bring around and I was moving out of it anyway.

[obeytherod]

Even if you'd have tossed him off the cliff--and you really should have--there's a chance he might have come back. There's really no way to dispose of your enemies here, which is why it's so important we stay away from him.

[But he's saying too much now. Not that Karasu was any harm, and she obviously wasn't fond of the Thief King.

Malik waves a hand dismissively.]

Hmph. I'll have to see what Bakura wants to do. It's annoying, after all...we have some furniture to move.

Did he say anything useful?

[moderndaydragon]

Figures. Nothing can be that easy here.

I'd offer to help, but I'm sure you don't want that, so just tell me if you want to through a note or something and I'll leave the door unlocked.

Useful? No, but he's threatened to cut out my tongue a lot, so that's probably funny, I guess.

[Ug. She has no idea why she feels so gloomy and sarcastic right now. Maybe it's just Malik that puts her in this mood.]

Anyway... that's all I had to say. You don't have to worry about me; I don't plan on stealing anything from you.