MINGLE: What's that in the sky? It's a bird, it's a plane--no, it's Malik up to his usual shit.

[obeytherod]

[For anybody awake mid-afternoon on the 22nd, outside or caring enough to look at their windows, they might notice a blinding light accompanied by the sudden appearance of a God.

It seems to be one hell of an escape attempt, the golden dragon's wings splayed wide as it sent forth a seemingly never ending stream of fire towards the sky. But something stopped it, an invisible wall of sorts, curling those flames back as if hitting the inside of glass dome. The great beast stops after awhile, starts again, and then disappears in the same bright flash from whence it came.

Pinpointing a location is hard, but whoever seems to have brought the creature about appears to have been at the cliff side behind the school. Of course, they were long gone by the time anybody got there... ]

((ooc: so, this is basically a reaction mingle, for anybody who's interested! since the event would be visible to anybody who cared to look. tag around with each other and so on~ Malik, Harriet, and Bakura won't be around the area anymore, but they still might tag around depending, and the odds are greater if it's a post-summoning starter, since they'll be back in the school a little while after.))

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

So if I mess up, it could probably manifest wrong and injure me...

[Despite the worrying thought, he feels oddly calm now that the flow of magic is there at all.]

Well, slow and steady wins the race.

[And it will be slow. The magic wrapping around him bonds to its form tediously slow. It's like he's knitting it into shape, carefully tracing magic with magic, piece by piece. Odd. It doesn't feel so cold now, this magic. It doesn't burn as badly as it did before, though those channels of magic within him still ache from their sudden opening.

If he hadn't befriended the monster first, it would have been much more hellish, he's sure. Step by step, little by little, the magic cloaks around him, wraps over him protectively.

And at last, he holds his hand up to his face, staring at the white sleeve coating his arm before curiously touching the helmet he's wearing. This is... not the weirdest-looking thing he's ever worn. He did possess Lady of Faith back then, after all. But it comes close. He looks like a cosplayer. It should feel odd, but it doesn't, beyond a faint tingling of magic.]

[helpusduelist]

[Henry opens his eyes when he feels the familiar presence of magic, looking over Ryou with a smile that's nothing short of a gleeful father. He nods, proudly, and holds a hand out to place lightly on Ryou's shoulder.]

You've done it.

[fluffydeathdealer]

This is amazing! Thank you for teaching me this.

[He smiles bright at Henry, filled with amazement. He'd never imagined being able to do anything like this before.

...his mind is kind of exhausted, though. More so than his body, which seems to be running high from the energy within it.]

[helpusduelist]

You're welcome. But for now, however your partner's energy makes you feel, just doing that must have worn you out. Your next lesson is simple: don't let the feeling of that magic cloud the judgement of your own body.

Release the armor for now and rest. If you push yourself too far, the toll will be on more than your mind.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Un. [He nods firmly, closing his eyes and focusing on dispersing the armor. It takes a few tries before he's back in his usual clothes and he sinks back to lie on the grass.]

My mind's like a cloud of fog right now...

[helpusduelist]

[Henry moves over to sit by him, letting his own armor fall and reaching out to lace his fingers through Ryou's hair affectionately.]

Rest. Once Bakura's turn is done, this is where we will stop for today. You've done well.

1/2

[fluffydeathdealer]

[He leans into the touch, murmuring contentedly, and nods. A little bit of an evil thought occurs to him and he tries something he hasn't tried before, but which he's sure he can do.

Without warning, he retreats to let Bakura into control.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...the fuck, host-?!

[Bakura stared open-mouthed at the spirit of the young boy. When the hell-

Tch, dammit, Sibyll, you had to encourage the boy to figure out the Ring's abilities, didn't you?]

[helpusduelist]

[Henry blinks a little at the curse, then laughs, amused at this turn of events. The petting that was paused in surprise continues now, as if he doesn't care it's Bakura in control.]

Getting some new tricks, Ryou?

1/2

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[Not that he's complaining, because this is nice and stupidly relaxing, but what the hell.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

He shouldn't be so surprised! He's the one that told Sibyll that I had the ability to use his powers, if I was willing to try and put the effort in to use them.

[Ryou's bright smile is totally innocent.]

[helpusduelist]

Well, it seems like you certainly have been!

[...Why is he doing this? Even as Henry's fingers continue to move, soft and gentle, reassuring and affectionate, his mind wanders to that question. Why? Bakura is an evil spirit... even if he has redeeming qualities, there are still very dark things at his core, and why he originally kept the secret away from him.

At one point, would an affection like this have been enough to change the flow of his fate? To direct him away from that path of sin, the inevitability of whatever hell or oblivion that called to him?

...Maybe. It was far too late for that, if so. He remembers what Bakura said, about not being able to enter the afterlife... and he has a feeling that whatever evil twists darkly at his core is something Bakura would never repent for.

And yet... he can't feel that this care is misplaced, or useless. Even if it's only a small comfort, even if only for this time the spirit remains, even if for such an evil creature... he can't bring himself to withdraw this affection.

Stone and ice may still be a part of his heart... but this place, and Ryou especially, have done wonders in making a lot of doors past it. His fingers continue, unhindered by the thoughts behind those unfocused eyes.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[It's clear that whatever reasons Henry has for it, Bakura doesn't exactly mind. His manner is something like that of a particularly wild cub that has decided not to bite or claw because it's too comfortable.

It's a change, if not as good a one as Henry's optimistic side hopes for. At the start, before he came here, he'd have treated such a gesture as a foolish attempt to soften him up. But the past few months have opened him up a little bit to his more human side. Malik may not be Henry's favourite person, but he's a stabilizer that holds Bakura firmly to his human side.

That may not be a particularly good human side, but it's still better than the alternative. The darkness within him is tempered by that affection he holds. It's what keeps him the most in check. Without the true darkness he seeks to infect him, drive him further towards his demonic side, his soul is wild and uncontrolled, save for those few he feels fond of.

He never will repent... But the comforting gesture is well given. And he's grateful for it, considering what a low mood he was in.]

Heh... Keep doing that and I might go to sleep.

[helpusduelist]

Heh... I don't intend to take back my offer. If you feel the desire to sleep, then sleep. We can pick up the lessons later.

[Optimism... if he could hear that, he would laugh coldly. That thing was devoured long ago, drowned in the blood of people he once considered friends and family. Though the part of him that somehow clings to innocence does like to stir those thoughts in times like this, the reality etched in his heart is always enough to crush them.

Perhaps it's sad, with such a cycle... but many things are.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

No, I might as well try. We have unlimited time, it's true... but I'd rather get the hard part out of the way.

[Especially after this morning. He has more reasons that just his love of power for this. If Malik does go out of control, he wants to have some way to counter him.]

But thanks. You're a pretty soothing presence sometimes.

[helpusduelist]

I'm surprised. I'd think someone like me would be an irritating presence, to you.

[Still, he removes his hand, moving to sit across from Bakura again.]

1/3

[fluffydeathdealer]

I said 'sometimes', didn't I? [He grins, lifting his hands in surrender.] You can be a pain, but then, most people can. I can think of far more irritating people.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[But it's time to get serious... Taking hold of the card and leaving Ryou's spirit to chat with Henry, he sits back, staring at it thoughtfully. Communicating with the spirits was not something he did often... or at all, really. Monsters were just tools, after all. Why would he bother communicating?

But if this involves their agreement, no wonder it's harder. He stares at the card thoughtfully, fixated by the picture on it. How to speak to it...? He's good at manipulating, but this will be dangerous if the monster doesn't respond favourably. He barely seems to try before something seems to go wrong.

It's like the monster's trying to make contact, and the moment he adds his own attempt to it, a mental connection is forged. His head feels heavy and it's like he's going dizzy. For a moment he feels unnerved. What is this?! It shouldn't be this easy to speak to it.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[A feeling of warmth floods him, soothing his disconcertion, and he relaxes almost at once. Closing his eyes, he shuts out both of the others, reaching out a mental hand to the spirit. It's like a child reaching out to its parent. Almost enough to make him laugh. He's no child... but those feelings don't go away. Wordlessly, he slumps to lie on the ground.

Who are you...? Why do I feel like I know you? he asks quietly, and receives only those warm feelings wrapping around him in response. Protective... this warmth is...? But this is absurd. He can tell this is a spirit born of hatred. The feeling emanates from it as easily as he feels its sickening light. Why is it so warm towards him? It's a being of purity and a being of hatred. Two conflicting sides. A twisted mess that should not feel so comfortable as to play with him so easily. It shouldn't even exist. He can tell that much. It's... unnatural.

Something was wrong here. Can't you speak? he wonders, and the answer returns in feelings rather than words. Something seems to be coiling around his spirit protectively, foregoing the contact of words. A feeling that can only be called 'agreement'. Tch... so there will be no answer there. If it can't speak, how will he know-?

I need your power... will you lend it to me?

The demand comes clumsily, spilling into his mind from a stray thought. He mentally slaps himself for being so clumsy as to just blurt it out, but there's no anger in response. Something else surges, however. A possessiveness. Protectiveness. Devotion.

What the hell is this card?]

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

I need to find out where the fuck she got this card.

[helpusduelist]

Bakura?

[Without his deck leader armor, Henry couldn't sense much himself, but the Charmers had suddenly seemed to be unnerved, hiding in his deck from something they could see.

It's not a good sign.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...It made the connection on its own. I barely had to lower my mental walls and it was in my mind.

[Bakura's unnerved himself, though it's hard to explain why. He doesn't sense a threat from it. Quite the opposite, really. But it's unnerving him somehow. Like something out-of-place is trying to fit in where it shouldn't.]

[helpusduelist]

It -- what?!

[He sits up straighter, confusion and alarm on his face. It made a connection... on its own? That wasn't something many monsters he could think of did. Even the Dark Magician -- Mahad -- hadn't done that, because there were just so many things that could go wrong with it. The human was always the more fragile, so if the monster controlled the connection...!

...If it had been anyone but Bakura, he's afraid to think of what would have happened. He takes a breath in, slowly.]

I think... it would be best that you see about strengthening your connection with it before you try to manifest that armor. If it's that eager, then it could easily make something go wrong.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yeah. You don't have to tell me twice.

[Henry's reaction only serves to tighten the discomforting realization that something is very wrong here. What the hell is it? Why is it so eager? He lets out a shaking breath, opening his eyes again.

It's flooding his mind, in a way. He can't feel anything else but its presence. It's like it's making itself at home. Keh, what the hell...?]

This duel monster... I can't hear it, but I can feel it.

[helpusduelist]

That part is not unnatural... there are some of them that don't or can't speak, and instead communicate with emotions and feelings. But ones that start the connection, I've never heard of it like that! There are some that, when the duelist tries to make a connection, were so eager for it that their feelings came through, but humans are so fragile... a sudden, unexpected link controlled by the monster could end in death -- or worse -- for the human trying to call on them!

[He looks at the card suspiciously, warily.]

...Please, be careful. If something goes wrong the damage may very well be irreversible.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Henry had never heard of a connection started this way? That was worrying. He can't even sit up right now. It's difficult to focus on speaking, never mind anything else. Everything he has is going into keeping his senses. But there's no feeling of hostility from it. There's almost a feeling of completion, like a jigsaw puzzle being put together with the wrong parts being forced into place.]

I'll do what I can to keep it from causing damage, but I've never had something inside my mind like this. Especially something this... clingy.