CAMPUS WIDE EVENT: THE LANGUAGE BARRIER REINSTATED

[intercom_voice]

[Today, something somewhere went wrong. On the evening on the 15th, any bilingual (or otherwise) knowledge granted by the Campus has simply...disappeared. At least for anybody walking by the North Wing.]

Tja ... det här kommer att lägga sordin på våra studier, är nu inte det?

[Translation: Well...this is going to put a damper on our studies, now isn't it?]

((ooc: So! For the next 5 days (the 15th~20th), your character officially only knows their native tongue. Aka, whatever language they primarily grew up with. They can no longer read, speak, or understand any other language but.

For fun you can even use Google Translate to show what your character is speaking at a glance! Don't worry, we all know it's probably gibberish :P

If you go the Google route, please be sure to put a translation at the bottom. If not, then please take care to specify what language your character is speaking in at the start of every thread.

If you have any questions, just head to the mod plurk or send this account a PM, but most importantly--have fun!))

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

I'm not afraid of you or him.

[No matter how foolish it sounded, it was true. Neither of them could permanently destroy him. They could only hurt him. And pain was something that was only frightening for a moment, when those pesky instincts kicked in, and easily dismissed.

The idea of striking Diabound is distasteful. His lip curls a little at the thought of it. But more distasteful is the joke the thief king made. Coward? Fright? How pathetic. He was beyond that kind of weakness. What sort of person did the thief king think he was?

He delays just long enough to hopefully make the thief king think he's given up, before lunging in to strike at him again. This time, he's relying on something more mundane. His instincts should tell him what way the thief king will dodge. They're the same, after all. And if they fail, he still has the Ring to tell him where he is...]

[stealshinies]

Giving up already?

[He chuckles, watching his Akh with narrowed eyes. As expected, he shares his tenacity and lunges again.]

I thought not! [Bakura easily dodges, and while he usually would have switched up his methods by now, he was under estimating his Akh and neglected it this time.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[The right-!

It's instinct more than the Ring that lets him follow. Whirling in the right direction, he avoids the thief king's retaliatory strike and kicks out at the thief king's stomach. It's nowhere near the most painful or practical target, but it's definitely the most accessible - and with the amount of strength behind it, he might be able to stun him briefly.]

[stealshinies]

[Bakura sees the kick coming, his eyes widen, and his arms jerks out to block the attack at the last second.

Well, the brunt of it. His Akh's kick still connect and it knocks some of the wind out of him as a result, causing the Thief King to stumble back a few steps.

...He can't believe he got hit! Bakura's lips twist in a malicious smile as his shoulders begin to shake with a laugh that hid his surprise.]

H-hahaha... Ahahaha! Doesn't it feel good, Akh?! I let you hit me--don't expect it to happen again!

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Oh, he saw that wide-eyed look. It was just for a second, but he threw the cocky bastard off balance. It's a rush of delight that makes his lips draw back in a malevolent smile. But he'll be kind and not press the issue. They both know he startled him. Why ruin things by putting the Thief King on edge?]

Heheh. Modern people are so easily taken down. How embarrassing! I forgot what it was like to deal with someone who actually knew how to handle himself.

I suppose I should thank you for showing me my error.

[His words are so thick with sarcasm you can probably taste it. And since the Thief King never said stop, he'll just try to follow up his kick with a punch. He wonders if the man's going to get serious like he threatened.]

[stealshinies]

[It's hard to tell if his Akh is buying it, but even if he isn't Bakura continues to play up to it.]

Hoh? Then how about a little dark--

[His words are cut off as he swiftly moves out of the way, this time pushing his foot down into the floor to start run--all while his hand is extended, fingers reaching around that white hair as it billows past.

If his Akh is moving forward, then he is moving backward in that respect.

And his hand, with that opposite momentum, grips the other's hair tight enough to bring him to sudden stop before Bakura tugs him back and uses his heel to stomp him into the ground.

Hopefully the worst he got was whiplash and not a broken neck.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[If it had been his host, his neck would possibly have been broken. As it is, Bakura is not only more durable, but also quicker to react. It isn't perfect, but it's enough that when he's tugged back, he's able to move with the momentum of being tugged back.

It still hurts like hell. He grits his teeth to try to silence himself, unwilling to show his pain beyond the initial unavoidable noise that slips out at impact. It takes him a moment to answer.]

Is that all you think about?

[Now he sees where he gets it from.]

Good move.

[If you pulled out any of his host's hair he'll fucking seal your soul in a rock, kid.]

[stealshinies]

[Bakura slides his foot off his Akh's chest and rests it flat on the floor. He lets his hair go as well as he straightens up, a few stray strands falling loose from his grip. Even more join them as he shakes off his hand.

Brushing his hands together with a sense of confidence and finality, he chuckles despite the slight shortness of breath that came with adrenaline.]

I told you, you're no match.

1/3

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Bakura's gaze flickers to them, a slight flare of irritation in his eyes. That fool... His cockiness was one thing. The fact that he'd damaged his host's hair was another. Both of them together were enough to make rage churn inside of him. Reaching out a hand, he catches one of the strands mid-fall.]

Is that so?

2/3

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Bastard. His gaze darkened. Bastard, bastard, bastard, who the fuck did he think he was?! The more he thought about it, the more infuriated he got. Who was the one with the experience here? With the power? Who was the one this child of a man had been begging for power? Who was the one who'd struggled for millennia towards the power he sought, when this man was impatient after only a few years? Who was the one who was going to open the door to the other world?

And that fool thought he was superior to him?]

I think you might want to reconsider that thought...

3/3

[fluffydeathdealer]

[If it had been just one or the other, the arrogance or the hair, maybe he'd have been less angry. But both together was rubbing him the wrong way, especially when he was in pain.

The Ring begins to glow suddenly as he sits up, a strange smile on his lips. So that's how it is, then? he muses, focusing. The Ring wasn't as good as some of the other Items at fucking with heads, but it had a few tricks of its own. And the thief king may have the Eye, but what he doesn't have is the use of it. It's not in him, after all. That means he doesn't have the protection of it... which means he can bypass a few rules.

Especially since his own darkness is currently residing within him.

He's not cruel enough to play with the thief king's worst memories, but he can surely make a point of what a dumb thing to say that was.

The world changes. Not in reality, of course, but in the thief king's head, it's close enough. The corridor melts away, day replaced by the darkness of night. The air is like ice, bitterly cold and almost painful to breathe. It tastes unpleasant, oddly bitter.

All around are the silent forms of stone monoliths and walls, forming a tight and narrow maze that seems almost designed to inspire claustrophobia. If the thief king reaches out, his hand will barely have to move in order to touch the walls, smooth save for the occasional ridge where words have been carved into the stone. It's barely wide enough to move. The spirit could have managed it with ease, but the larger thief king would surely have more difficulty.

Bakura is nowhere in sight.

The rough dirt of the ground below trembles slightly, indenting as something tries to push up out of it. It's hard to spot. Push. Push.

And then the claw-like hand of a demonic monster rises out of it to grab his bare leg.]

[stealshinies]

[Before he can even respond, the world around him changes. As the darkness comes his vision is engulfed, his eyes unable to adjust fast enough to keep himself from being blinded. Bakura tenses, looking quickly to either side of him as he tries to inspect his new surroundings with a perturbed look.

This was just an illusion, right? The way everything had melted away, just before he couldn't see anymore...

Don't remind yourself. The thought is quickly forced out before it can fester.

He touches the stone, feeling the indentations and figuring out they're words, but the meaning--of why they were there, of where he even was--was lost on him. Instead Bakura focuses down on the sound of dirt shifting below his feet, and as he lifts one foot up to stomp down on it in paranoia, the other is grabbed by something.]

Aaaghh!

[The whole thing sets him off balance. Bakura twists away, and the confined space has him knocking his elbow painfully into a wall before he sends himself tumbling back onto the dirt with a grunt.

A hand rising from the ground--the spirit of Kul Elna, surely, but it still attacked him! Reaching back for his dagger, he doesn't hesitate to lean forward and impale it straight through.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Hearing that shriek is hilarious to the spirit, who sits back and watches as he weaves the illusion. The thief king's movements are so very irrational... But very amusing.

A mist seems to be settling in slowly. It snakes around his legs, filling the floor of the maze with dim grey. Somewhere nearby, something is scraping against the stone as it moves.

The hand twitches, spasms as it's run through, claws striking uselessly against the metal with harsh sounds that hurt the ear. And then it simply pushes forward, the knife driving through it further as it tries to seize the hand holding the dagger's hilt.]

[stealshinies]

[His eyes are starting to adjust now, and he can see clearly that it's not one of Kul Elna's.]

Grr--! Akh, cut it out! [Knowing better than to let go of his dagger, he yanks it out of the hand's palm and scrambles to his feet as fast as he can in the given space.

Hearing that harsh scraping, he starts to skulk away from it.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[The mist rises slowly. The creature's hand slams into the ground, using it to get enough force to pull itself out. Under the mist, it's nothing more than a misshapen hulk of blackness. That scraping noise comes closer, echoing now, so it's hard to tell which way it's coming from.

And as the thief king moves away, a voice echoes in the maze.]

What's wrong, Bakura?

[The words come from up above, where the illusion of Bakura is sitting atop one of the monoliths. Arms folded over his chest, he rests one leg on top of the other, looking down at him. Despite the distance, the words are easily audible. There's an odd sort of echo to them, however. A distortion that leaves the voice difficult to recognize, sounding more unnatural.]

Realizing your folly?

[stealshinies]

[Bakura's already too far away from the hand now to bother looking back at it. For now he'll just keep moving to find a way out of this maze.

But when he hears and then turns to see his Akh, he stops dead in his tracks.]

Tch...are you always this much of a sore loser?!

[He barks back with a cruel laugh, leering up at the image of his Akh. Once he's finish he hunches down again to continue sneaking away from that ominous scraping.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Sore loser? I don't care about the fight, Thief King Bakura. Pain is nothing! But you made a couple of mistakes that I can't forgive so easily.

[His expression remains unchanging. That arrogant fool... Mocking him even now? An unearthly howl splits the air, the ground beginning to tremble around them as something thunders in the distance. The rain begins to pour down in a fierce torrent of coldness. Lightning flashes in the sky.

Hidden under the mist, the hole the beast had made lies in the thief king's path. Is he going in a circle? Of course he is. Otherwise he'd be walking into walls in reality. Altering perception of direction is a pain...]

For one thing, you shouldn't have ripped out my hair.

[With those words, Bakura disappears, offering a casual middle finger as a farewell.]

[stealshinies]

...This is about your fucking hai--Aauh!

[Suddenly, as he sets his foot down ahead of him, it slips against the hole there and twists his ankle. His pride and his skills as a thief keep him from falling by catching himself on one of the nearby tombstones.

Unfortunately, even that won't take away the sharp sting of pain now stretching up his ankle. He grits his teeth and grunts, refusing to show weakness despite himself.]

You bastard... Laugh now, but I'll get you back for this.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Actually, it's more the fact that you had the nerve to act superior to me. But the hair definitely didn't help matters. I'm very protective of my host's hair.

[The casual address comes from behind him, where Bakura is now leaning against the wall.]

If you ask nicely, maybe I'll let you out...

[If he turns hostile, however, he's going to get a bit of a shock, since the illusion of Bakura isn't even remotely solid. The wall, on the other hand, is.]

[stealshinies]

[Bakura lets his Akh talk a moment, the hair of his neck standing on end as he realizes where he's standing now.

Sure, sure...let him think he'll be amicable a moment, and then--!

Swinging around with his hands drawn into a tight fist, Bakura swings straight for his Akh's smug face. Instead, his fist hits the solid wall, letting out a nasty crunch as a result.]

Gaahh!

[He jerks his now-shaking hand back, holding it close to his chest as his other hand hovers tentatively over it. Red hot pain was coursing through his fingers, and that coupled with the pain in his ankle made it nearly impossible to stand.

...So he casually props himself up against the wall like he meant to do it, but the heavy breathing is enough of a give away.]

H-heh...hahaha... [It fucking hurt! He was going to kill this asshole!]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Idiot... Do you think I'd really be here with you in that sort of mood? I'm not that much of a fool.

[Oh well. If the thief king wants to make things difficult... Though the injury was certainly a concerning one. He didn't want to piss him off too badly. And if he'd seriously hurt himself, that'd be a problem on that front.]

You alright? That sounded bad!

[...it's next to impossible for him to sound sympathetic, isn't it? Especially when there's a slight smirk on his lips.]

[stealshinies]

I'm fine! [He growls out the words, moving his hand back down to his side as if it were fine. Something was off though, his fingers were tense and held in a curled position. They were still shaking, bruised, and already beginning to look hot and swollen.]

But you're getting on my nerves, Akh!

everything from the pre-fight argument onwards now takes place on the 9th of march

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[Oh he didn't. Did he? He has to check, the illusion zoning out for a moment while the real Bakura stares. Oh goddamn.]

Huh. You hit the actual wall.

[Now he's in trouble, he suspects. The pain in the thief king's ankle just vanishes - after all, there was nothing for him to trip on in reality. But he can't do anything about the hand.

Ugh, he doesn't want to drop the illusion while the thief king's injured and angry, but what the hell... he can put him to sleep and drag him to the nurse if he has to. Reluctantly, he lets the illusion fade.]

[stealshinies]

[The pain fading from his ankle just barely registers--the Thief King's adrenaline was already pumping enough to dull the pain had it remained. His sights were set on his Akh, his eyes ablaze with fury and bloodlust. He wanted fucking revenge!

Not even bothering to answer, he uses his uninjured hand to grab his Akh by the collar so he can tug him forward and growl in his face through teeth clenched in a wicked smile.]

H-heh heh... That's right. But this time--I won't miss!

[He throws him to the ground.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[As he expected, the idiot was too focused on his revenge and not at all on fixing his fucking hand. Bakura grits his teeth and debates trying to force him to sleep, like he'd planned. Reluctantly, he comes to the conclusion that it's a bad move. The thief king's pissed off enough. If he doesn't get to vent that rage, he'll just keep building it up. Better to let him get it out now.

He's really not looking forward to this, but letting Ryou handle it would probably look bad, right?]

Oi. I didn't make you-

[Before he can finish, the thief king just throws him. Hitting the floor knocks the wind out of him, momentarily driving away further thoughts of how to get out of it.]

Kh-!