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Post by mugenginga on Dec 24, 2009 5:14:01 GMT -5
Ryoji blinked, "Uh, just zoning out. It's a bit early in the morning for me."
"Then you are out for a reason, correct?" She glanced behind her, "Oh my, don't tell me you're going there."
"I know it's fake, but it's just-"
"Fortune telling is not fake, nor are prophecies and destiny. One merely has to have the gift or skills necessary to get a proper reading."
"...you don't think it's fake?"
Hiimitsu looked up, "Of course not. Oh, I've been rude. My name is Motomeru Himitsu, and I run a shop with various curiosities."
Ryoji took a step back to allow her the room to bow. He felt rather nervous for some reason, "M-Mochizuki Ryoji."
"If I may impose, would you be interested in coming to my shop? I do have tarot decks."
"I'd ra-wait, what? How did you-"
"I already informed you. Fortune telling is not fake."
Ryoji was past nervous and onto freaked. Still, the woman seemed to have something going for her. If she had powers relating to prophecy, she might be the better choice for buying a deck from. He believed in tarot, after all. It was still possible she was scamming him, but he'd go along with it for now.
"Alright. Where is your store?"
Himitsu pointed down the alley, "Over there. I had just left, but I can make time for a potential customer."
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And it was time. Anpu stood up, continuing with his lack of noise. He pulled out the deck of cards and picked out his preferred Ka. He threw the card towards the door, giving an order as the card melted into light and Diabound appeared behind a man who had just turned from setting a ceramic cup in the sink. The cup hit the floor and Diabound vanished as the man whirled around.
"What the hell!!?"
"Sir?" A woman ran over to where the cup had fallen.
Anpu shot forward. The focus was on the cup and only two people were in the room right now. He had dropped just over an eighth of the vial into a cupped hand. He quickly tipped the hand and the liquid splashed into the open cup of coffee. The man and woman exchanged a few calm words before she turned back around.
The woman hesitated when she saw what looked like a flash of white. Anpu narrowed his eyes as she took a step towards him. He slipped a bit further into the crevice. She took another step, and he realized he was going to have to abandon things here. There was a chance Souji wouldn't drink the coffee if he thought something was up.
"Jenny, hurry up!"
But then the woman stopped. She had turned at the shout. She shook her head, muttering about jumping at shadows before popping a lid onto the coffee and coming out of the kitchen. She put the cup in front of Souji. It had one of those barely functionable cardboard grips around it.
"We apologize for the wait, sir. And don't worry about the noise, one of our trainees managed to drop a ceramic cup. Please enjoy."
Anpu waited until the man had scooped up the broken cup before quickly slipping behind him and out the back door. He headed to the edge of the alley and waited. There would be some bustle in the shop when Souji lost movement. The alternative was that he'd leave with the cup. Anpu would trail him then. Souji wouldn't be able to object to anything he said once the drug took full effect, and he needed that for the next stage in his plan.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Dec 24, 2009 5:32:53 GMT -5
Souji thanked the woman and took the cup. He took a small sip of the coffee as he headed out of the shop. He had gotten a bad feeling when he heard the cup drop, and to be honest, he didn't feel like staying in there much longer to begin with. He needed to head back to his apartment anyway; he hadn't told Teddie he was going out.
Souji took another sip of the coffee, this time a longer one. Okay, so this stuff tasted pretty good.
Do you like it? Souji asked.
Something's wrong. Izanagi answered back.
What? Souji had been in the middle of another sip of the coffee when Izanagi answered him.
Your movements, they're growing sluggish, and you stumbled on a couple steps back there.
What are you... Souji suddenly realized that Izanagi was right. His limbs were feeling numb, and they were getting more so by the moment. Oh, shit!
Whatever Anpu had been planning, they'd walked right into it. Somehow or another, he'd managed to get whatever that poison stuff he'd been asking Adachi about into Souji's coffee. And Souji had already drunk half the cup.
Souji suddenly felt himself hit the ground, and hard too. He had been unable to adjust himself so that he caught himself with an arm or something like that when he fell. His coffee splattered all over the pavement, and had he been able to, Souji would have winced from where the coffee splattered onto his face. He couldn't move at all. He was aware of what was going on around him, but he couldn't move.
And most importantly, it confirmed what they'd been thinking. Anpu had been targeting him.
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Post by mugenginga on Dec 24, 2009 5:50:19 GMT -5
There was a shout from a man. It wasn't Bakura. Souji would hear footsteps running towards him. Some man he had never met came into his field of view and waved his hand in front of Souji's face. He asked if Souji was alright, and then told him he was going to call an ambulance.
"Souji-kun!" That was Anpu's voice.
"Do you know this man?"
"Yes, he's a friend! He's got this condition! Listen, you have to get me a ride to the Izanami Shrine in Bonsai Village!" Anpu sounded panicked. Really, it was only Souji's knowledge of the man that would make him seem anything but.
"Shouldn't we get him to a ho-"
"They can't do anything for him!" Anpu sounded in hysterics. There was a scuffling sound, and it was quite possible Anpu was forcing tears out by the way his voice was wavering, "He is going to die if we don't get him to the Shrine! The miko there has this thing she does for him, I don't know what it is! Just call them, now! I'll keep an eye on him so hurry up!"
"A-all right!"
It sounded like the man took a few footsteps away. Anpu leaned down so Souji could see him evne though he couldn't move his eyes. He glanced towards the man he had been "panicking" at and gave a smirk.
"I hope you understand there is no hard feelings, Souji-kun. Or should I say Izanagi-sama? I don't know what you did to piss Izanami off, but business is business," Anpu reached forward and wiped Souji's face. All the silver haired teenager would feel was slight pressure. He'd have a pretty good burn from that. His tone as he continued was mocking, "It's really nothing personal. Don't hold a grudge, alright?"
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Himitsu and Ryoji had reached the shop. The sign said they were closed, but she had just said she had stepped out. She pulled out a key and unlocked the door, stepping to the side to let Ryoji go in first. The teenager had been hitting on her earlier, but she had gotten to the point of creeping him out. Still, she seemed the right choice for this. He had to keep telling himself that, because he also felt like getting the hell away.
"Eriol-san, could you get the lights?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Dec 24, 2009 6:04:45 GMT -5
Souji wished he could move right now, because the only thing he wanted to do right now was strangle that bastard Anpu. So that was it. He'd made some kind of deal with Izanami, and Souji was a bargaining chip of some sorts. Which meant that Izanami had probably agreed to do something to Atem. Most likely kill him.
Souji didn't know how long he was going to be like this. Even if the poison started wearing off, he was sure Anpu had some way to restrain him so he couldn't escape after this. At the very least, the amount Anpu had given him would keep him paralyzed until after they reached Bonsai Village.
Bastard.
There's nothing we can do about this now. We will just have to see what Izanami wants and go from there.
Why the hell didn't you tell me you sensed him coming?!
Because I didn't. If I had known the keeper of that object was inside that coffee shop, I would have warned you immediately.
Don't hold a grudge. Souji would stop holding a grudge when he was dead. Souji hadn't thought it was possible, but this guy actually pissed him off more than Adachi. Because at least Adachi realized this guy was bad news.
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Eriol turned his head when he heard the door open. Someone he didn't recognize and Himitsu had stepped through the door. Eriol nodded at Himitsu's request and moved over to the light switch, which he flipped on.
Since he'd started working at Himitsu's shop, Eriol had gotten several repair jobs that now made it less apparent he wasn't exactly human. While his more wooden movements would still be a big clue, he had gotten all of his limbs repainted recently so that they resembled human skin. Not only that, but he had an eyepatch over the entire left side of his face, covering up the massive hole there. Though, the large wind up key in his back was still a massive clue that he wasn't exactly human.
"My name is Eriol," Eriol stated. He bowed. "Pleased to meet you. Please don't steal anything."
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Post by mugenginga on Dec 24, 2009 6:24:01 GMT -5
At the Void City police station, a phone rang. A woman behind the counter picked it up, "Hello, this is Vo-"
"Listen, there's this teen who suddenly locked up and fell down! He's got a friend here who says they need a ride to the Izanami Shrine in Bonsai Village! Apparently the shrine maiden there is the only one that can handle his condition! The teenager has silver hair and his name is Souji. His friend's around the same age and has long white hair. Please, you have to send someone!"
"Calm down, sir! What is your location?"
"I'm just outside the coffee shop near the apartments!"
The woman put the phone down, covering the receiver, "We need a patrol car at that little cafe near the occult shop next to the apartments! It's an emergency case and they need a ride to the Izanami Shrine!" She put the phone back to her ear, "We'll have someone out there in five minutes, tops. Stay there until we arrive!"
"T-thank you!"
The woman hung up the phone. Someone had rushed up to her and asked her the details, "Tell the chief it's a kid with silver hair named Souji and some unnamed kid with long white hair. He sounded very panicked, and he implied even if the hospital were up they could do nothing."
The man ran off to deliver the details.
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"A police car will be here in five minutes on the outside. Are you sure he's going to be okay!?"
Souji would see annoyanced spread on Anpu's face as the man said police car. It quickly faded to a concerned nod. His expression here almost made him look like Bakura. It was a good thing the two personalities had such different ways of speaking. Anpu was still tossing "oresama" and "kisama" around as he spoke.
"I-I think so! Thank you, I really don't know how to thank you!"
Shit. I heard him use Souji's name. Which means it'll probably be Adachi sent here. Well, if its him I can give a full explanation of what's going on.
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Ryoji took a step back as he saw Eriol. It was a polite... thing, but it was possible the doll(?) creeped him out more than Himitsu. She had gone to a counter and reached into an empty drawer. She reached to the back and put her hands around something. What she pulled back out was a leather case. On the front was stamped a two toned mask design. She held it out to Ryoji.
"This seems the best choice for you. Please, feel free to look through it. And do not ignore Eriol, he is as much a person as you.. you are..."
It was a good thing Ryoji had taken the box and opened it. Himitsu was facepalming. She hadn't meant to make such a deadpan joke. But it had come out as such and it had been painful even to her. Ryoji was looking through the cards. The designs seemed rather familiar, as did the stamp on the front. However, he noticed one card that was out of place. It had an "M" for a numeral and the design made him think of Yuugi's Pendant and Bakura's Ring.
What was even stranger is some voice in the back of the head told him he knew that Arcana.
Duelist.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Dec 24, 2009 6:41:07 GMT -5
About five minutes later, a patrol car pulled up next to the two well people and the one paralyzed one. Out stepped not Adachi, but Takahashi.
"Ah, Seta-san... I figured it was you. There aren't that many silver haired boys named Souji out there, after all," Takahashi said. He turned to Anpu. "And you're that friend of his, Bakura-san. The one who's been staying at Adachi's place." Takahashi shook his head disapprovingly. "I told him he'd get cursed if he wasn't careful. Just get him into the car, I'll get you both there in no time."
Souji didn't like where this was going. Shit. I would have preferred Adachi over this guy. He couldn't see Takahashi, but he sure as hell could hear him.
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Eriol smiled at Ryoji. That's right, Eriol was human, just like this boy.
...Who was this person anyway? Eriol thumped the side of his head a couple times, and something rattled. Finally, after about another minute, he went back to dusting. Despite his ability to normally be able to pick out when there was something off with someone, he couldn't pick out anything strange with Ryoji. So he probably was human.
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Post by mugenginga on Dec 24, 2009 11:14:51 GMT -5
Anpu looked up. That had been unexpected, but he knew the man from around at the festival. He really didn't like the man. He knew it was probably because he doubted he'd manipulate well. He nodded quickly at Takahashi and crouched down, putting Souji's arm over his shoulder and standing up.
Souji's body offered no resistance. Once again, it wasn't that he was totally numb. The sensation was something like a wallop of novacaine at the dentist's office. It did mean he was more dragged than walked, and while his feet were on the ground he'd hardly feel them. Anpu was having significant trouble with it. Finally, he conceded the point.
"He's completely numb, and I really don't know how much time we have! He's never collapsed like this so far from the shrine before!" He looked like the person attempting to be angry when overwhelmed with grief, "Dammit, he's supposed to do the treatment she gave him. You got stubborn again, didn't you Souji-kun...? Please, can you help me in the back?"
There was one thing that would probably bother Takahashi. Considering Adachi's mouth, he'd probably mentioned how polite Bakura was. Even if he hadn't, the station had remarked over it. Anpu was still using his normal way of speaking in terms of informality. That, and the hunk of gold hanging from around his neck. He'd now seen two kids with something like that, and both of them had borne an Egyptian style eye.
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Ryoji looked over to Eriol and shook his head, "Yeah, I'm sorry. We don't have living dolls back in my world. Motomeru-san, where did you get this?"
"I don't really know. I'm sorry for such a poor answer, but I get oddities from many worlds."
"Yeah, but about this," Ryoji held up the card he had been looking at, "I don't think this is common. Do you know what this is?"
"Of course I do. I sell nothing without full knowledge of what it is. Are you interested?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Dec 24, 2009 12:35:08 GMT -5
Takahashi walked over to Souji and put his other arm around his own shoulder. He was a bit taller than Anpu, so Souji wasn't dragging on the ground so much. He helped Anpu get Souji over to the car before speaking again.
"'Oresama', eh? So worried about your friend you're slipping into your true way of speaking, perhaps?" Takahashi asked. He took another glance at the large hunk of gold hanging from Anpu's neck, and then went back to the matter at hand. "Alright, let's get him in the car. If what's going on with Seta-san here needs that miko so badly, then we'll need to hurry, eh, Bakura-san?"
...I think he's catching on. Damn if he's actually going to do anything about it, though. And he's still dragging me, Souji thought to himself. This is so weird... I'm still going to strangle Anpu if I ever get out of this.
If he got out of this. Souji had decided by this point that Izanami was a crazy stalker who wouldn't stop until she had him all to herself. Fine, he could play that way. She couldn't keep him paralyzed forever, after all. And someone would eventually notice he was gone. If Izanami thought that no one would come after him once he disappeared, she didn't know his friends well enough.
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Post by mugenginga on Dec 24, 2009 12:56:27 GMT -5
Anpu looked up at Takahashi as he poked his fun. He made sure his expression was nothing but concern, as if the comment hadn't registered. He noticed the repeated glances to the Ring, but made no indication as such. He'd had to face a choice when it had been Takahashi who showed up. Shift into Bakura mode and face the confusion of the man that had made the phonecall and subsequent observartions by Takahashi or keep with how he was speaking and deal with this observation. If he hadn't been so busy patting himself on the back, he would have shifted when he ran over to Souji.
This man was different than those he had run into so far on the Island. The Pharaoh, Souji, and Naoto were all observant. Even Adachi was, operating under the guise of the law without following it. Takahashi, however, struck him as the type who knew all the right loopholes. It meant the less he said, the better. He had a feeling Takahashi at least suspected all the right things. He got into the other side of the car.
He placed the seatbelt over Souji, "Please hurry! It'll be okay, Souji-kun. I'm here!"
He grabbed Souji's hand and gave it a squeeze. Even if Takahashi suspected things, Anpu had no intention of dropping his facade. He was well aware of Souji's complete rage at the moment, and would have allowed himself another smirk had it been anyone other than Takahashi.
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Ryoji looked down at the card again before placing it back in the box and closing it, "This is an awfully nice set. I really don't know if I can afford it."
"It's 1000 yen," Himitsu stated. In truth, it was worth more. Few worlds even reacted to the Duelist Arcana. She had acquired it to no cost. But she couldn't just give it away. She did run a business, and that could arouse suspicion.
Ryoji's eyes widened, but he nodded. He put it on the counter and pulled out his wallet.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Dec 24, 2009 13:12:00 GMT -5
Eat shit and die, Souji growled in his head. It had been his own fault for not watching his back better. He had known Anpu was targeting him, but he hadn't been being more careful.
Takahashi stepped into the driver's seat of the car and started it back up again. Souji still wasn't really moving, which concerned Takahashi a bit, but what was concerning him even more was the fact that "Bakura" had said that Souji had some treatment that he got from the miko running the shrine. Takahashi, on the other hand, had been right there while Souji confronted "Mana" the first time. If your life was in someone's hands, it didn't make sense to get all pissed at them.
Takahashi knew that Bakura was lying to him. Well, this was what he had Adachi for. He had seen Adachi acting oddly the day before, and if Takahashi knew how to do anything, it was how to get Adachi to have one of his "whoops, said too much" moments. He knew exactly what to do when he got back to the station after dropping these two off.
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