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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 9, 2010 22:59:57 GMT -5
Minato didn't get a response. And at that moment he became worried, and shoved the door open. Ryoji was on the floor, a hand on his face, and definitely in what appeared to be massive pain. But that wasn't the main thing that was concerning Minato. What was bothering him was the fact that Ryoji's form was flickering. Minato couldn't even get a glimpse of what the form was, and he could hardly make out Ryoji himself.
"RYOJI!" He ran over to Ryoji's side and crouched down by him. "H-Hey!"
And of course, Yuugi had started pounding on Minato's door at this point. Minato didn't want to leave Ryoji's side. "It's unlocked!" Minato yelled. He didn't indicate if he was okay or not.
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Souji had been in the middle of pulling on some real clothes when Atem had knocked on his door. After pulling his pants all the way on, Souji ran to the door. Something really did seem to be going on out there. Souji couldn't decide if he was grateful Izanagi had woken him up or not.
He pulled the door open and looked down at Atem. "What's going on? I heard yelling earlier..."
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By now, all of the noise upstairs had caught Naoto's attention. And by now she knew that ANY commotion upstairs meant bad news related to Minato/Ryoji/Souji/Izanagi.
"Kanji-kun, wake up! We need to go check on Minato-kun and Souji-sempai," Naoto yelled.
"I'm coming already!" Kanji yelled back. A few seconds later, he stumbled out into the living room, where he saw Naoto already dressed and putting on her shoes. "Oh, uh... coming!"
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 9, 2010 23:42:57 GMT -5
Ryoji was vaguely aware of someone rushing to his side. Of someone important, that he didn't want to be near him right now. He told his arm to move up and push the person away, but it wasn't cooperating. It lifted a bit and his fingers twitched a bit before it dropped down to his side. No, he couldn't split his focus. He was losing here.
At the edge of his consciousness(es?) he felt something like surprise laced with anger. He wasn't coherent enough to realize that Nyx was nothing short of shocked at how Ryoji was fighting her. Because it wasn't Death, it was Ryoji. And even though the glorified pile of human emotions wasn't aware of it, he had a chance to throw her off. All because of the teenager standing next to him. Death had been born from twelve shadows, but the actions of its former host had granted him access to two others.
Aeon and Duelist. Aeon, the same Arcana that the android girl had possessed. The ability to act on one's morales, to know right from wrong. Judgment by any other name. Duelist, an Arcana that existed in maybe 1% of the universes across the multiverse. Even alternate reality versions of the same person weren't likely to have the same Arcana, due to the very nature of the beast... she pulled back as the door to Minato's apartment was opening. Perhaps...
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"It's unlocked!"
Yuugi didn't need to be told twice. He practically tore the poor door off his hinges. The fact that he didn't was nothing short of small blessing considering doors in this world. He ran towards the back of the room, barely adjusting enough to avoid running into the ill placed couch.
The short teenager came into the room just as Ryoji's form stabilized. He was breathing heavily, but he didn't seem to have gained coherency yet. He was only slightly more than dimly aware of his surroundings. He wanted to be sure Nyx had pulled back her assault before he put his focus anywhere but keeping his form. His shirt was stuck to his chest from sweat, and a few beads were rolling down from his forehead.
"Ryoji-kun!?"
It could only be Death. Yuugi's eyes bounced between Minato and Ryoji several times. Ryoji looked like he'd just been in massive pain. He'd said Ryoji's name, but he wasn't sure what he could do now. Minato looked panicked. He stood there, looking awkward, suddenly wishing Atem was there.
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Atem glanced nervously towards Minato's apartment, "I think it's Ryoji."
He took a step back and made to head back to the door, which was now standing open. He doubted he needed to define the problem more. Ryoji, a nervous glance towards Minato's apartment, the fact that he wasn't with Yuugi, and an open door if Souji looked. Atem would be heading back without waiting for a confirmation if Souji didn't answer within seconds.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 0:14:19 GMT -5
Minato didn't move, even after Ryoji's form had finally stopped flickering. He wanted to make sure Ryoji was okay before he left his side. Something had happened with Nyx. The fact that this had happened right after Ryoji yelled something at Nyx involving him couldn't be a coincidence. Did... Nyx not approve of his feelings toward Ryoji or something? He supposed that was entirely possible.
"Ryoji, are you okay now?" Minato asked. He tried to not sound panicked as he spoke. The way Ryoji had been flickering, he obviously wasn't okay, but Minato supposed that was normal considering how close to the Fall they were and how much Ryoji was working to keep this form. Normally, there would be no Ryoji here. There would be nothing but that cruel winged version of Ryoji that would call Nyx to this world.
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Souji blanched at Atem's comment, which had confirmed what he was thinking. But the fact that it was something related to Ryoji wasn't why he had gone pale like that. It was the combination of the events earlier that morning PLUS the fact that it had something to do with Ryoji.
"I think so too," Souji said. And then he broke off into a run toward Minato's apartment.
Oh god. Don't tell me what we did earlier triggered this, Souji thought.
I might have had something to do with it, Izanagi said.
You what?!
I continued observing the situation after you fell asleep. Nyx decided she didn't like me listening to her any more, and I teased her a bit before I left.
There was a bit of silence as Souji reached the door to Minato's apartment. He slowed down quite a bit as he walked in. "Hey, is everything okay in here?"
To Izanagi he said, About what?
I said I hoped that Ryoji and Minato's relationship went better than her relationship with Erebus.
Souji continued walking down toward the bedroom, but he didn't say anything to Izanagi for a few seconds. Finally, as he was able to see Ryoji as he walked into the door frame, he said, You are the stupidest god I have ever seen.
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 10, 2010 0:23:21 GMT -5
Atem took a step back to allow Souji past before chasing after. When Souji slowed down he made his way past, and as such was in the apartment before the silver haired teenager. Yuugi jerked his head up, but he looked pretty panicked. Atem glanced at Ryoji and Minato. Ryoji had expressed aversion to that kind of thing before, but he couldn't shake the fact Minato seemed a different kind of worried than a simple friend would be. He put his hands on Yuugi's shoulders in an attempt to reassure him, but he didn't say anything.
Ryoji's breathing slowed down, although it was still a bit heavy. He relaxed a bit, and slowly lowered his hand. He opened his eyes to respond to Minato and seemed surprised at the group that had gathered. He saw Souji and looked extremely worried for a moment. He turned back towards Minato.
"I'm... fine... for now. Souji-kun, that's you, correct...?"
Nyx made her presence felt by Izanagi. Souji would feel it as well if Izanagi allowed it, but she blocked it from Ryoji. She was glowering at the god. The rage from before had faded, but it was still quite there. Ryoji looked weak, even though he seemed to be talking fine. He didn't knwo why Nyx had pulled back, but he didn't think he would have lasted more than a minute more, at most...
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 1:13:20 GMT -5
Souji had jumped at the presence he suddenly felt. Something he was sure he wouldn't have had to feel if Izanagi hadn't chosen to let him feel it too. He decided Ryoji was more important for the moment. Ryoji had obviously been losing hold of himself. Minato wouldn't have looked as concerned as he did otherwise. Though there was definitely something going on between Minato and Ryoji, judging by the expression on Minato's face. And considering Izanagi's taunt before, that probably meant that they really were in love or whatever you wanted to call it. Souji was seriously starting to wonder if there was a straight person in this building at this point.
He nervously nodded. "Yeah, it's me, Ryoji. I've got Izanagi shut up, now, you don't have to worry about me. Worry about yourself."
Minato looked up at Souji, and Souji caught something like anger on his friend's face. Souji looked a little disheartened. Right. That morning.
"Is everything alright in here?"
Naoto and Kanji stepped through the door to the apartment, which had been left open due to the various people who had run through it in the past few minutes. After a moment, Naoto started leading the way to the bedroom. She stopped just outside the door frame, as Souji was still blocking it. Souji turned around to look at her and Kanji.
"Oh, sorry," Souji said. He moved to the side so that Naoto and Kanji could walk past.
Izanagi, on the other hand, was focused with Nyx. He was smirking. Come now, it was a joke, Nyx. I didn't mean for you to take it the way you did and nearly go rampaging around in your avatar's true form.
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 10, 2010 1:29:29 GMT -5
Ryoji looked disheartened at Souji's comment. Worry about himself? If Nyx tried that again, it wouldn't matter how much he worried about himself. Souji needed to be worried, because right now he doubted Nyx would care about his life in regards to Izanagi. Not that... dammit, not that it would matter. Especially if he lost himself to Death and Nyx. He noticed Minato's angry glare and looked away.
"It's a little crowded, you know...?"
It was a poor attempt at lightening the situation, but it wasn't inaccurate. Ryoji, Minato, Atem, Yuugi, Souji, Naoto, and Kanji made up more people than the apartment bedroom was designed for. By quite a bit. He pulled his shirt up a bit from where the sweat had made him stick. He couldn't get into another fight with Nyx.
It was not humorous. You are aware that if The Fall comes and you are not prepared, your avatar will die as well, correct? Oh, can you even leave his dimension without full access to your powers?
The last sentence she had spoken only to Izanagi (and Souji if he transferred the sense to him) was a full taunt. Perhaps Souji was more Shadow than human. It was true she did not wish harm on any of her children, but Souji was also at least part human. The ties of the Shadows to humans meant they would die with the humans when a dimension ended. And for all her taunting, if this Dimension ended it would do little good for Izanagi to flee. She knew the lynchpin status of the Island. Most of the multiverse would be wiped out if this one world was.
Yuugi was about to apologize for crowding. He was still really worried, but they did need to clear out of the bedroom. Ryoji looked liked he needed a bit of space as well. That was when a high pitched been came from his pocket. Yuugi jumped, and Atem looked down.
"Is that your COMP?"
Yuugi blinked. Right, it was. He carried the thing because he didn't have a cellphone. It allowed him to contact the others via text messaging. But "the others" were all here. So none of them could have texted him. He thought for a moment, and his eyes widened. He said nothing as he tore the gold DS-like device out of his pocket and flipped it open.
One new message. From... from... Yuugi's eyes widened. From ABEL.
"Partner...?"
".......It's..."
Atem looked over at the screen. His eyes narrowed. Abel, "Read it."
Ryoji had stopped trying to get up. He hadn't had much success, anyhow. It was still crowded, and he felt weak. Now he looked up at Atem and Yuugi, who were both rather focused on the DS in Yuugi's hands. No, not quite. There was a symbol on the top that didn't match the DS system. Oh, a COMP. Junpei had owned one if he remembered right. Did Yuugi's home world have the same kind of system? What bothered him was Yuugi's arms were shaking as he moved the buttons around.
"........It's... It's really K1-kun..."
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 1:44:53 GMT -5
Souji hadn't said anything about Ryoji's comment about how crowded this room was. In fact, neither he nor Minato had said anything until Yuugi's COMP had beeped. At that moment, more than quite a few people's attentions had been drawn to the sound of the beep. Souji stayed quiet as Yuugi read the message, and grew concerned as Yuugi's hands had begun shaking as he read the message. And then Yuugi let it drop.
"K1? He's back already?" Minato asked.
"...I doubt he's K1 anymore," Souji said. "Remember? Half of the COMP's functions stopped working right after he left. He's probably some demon now."
"What did the message say?" Naoto asked. This seemed like a sore topic for Minato and Souji, Souji especially for some reason.
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 10, 2010 1:59:42 GMT -5
Ryoji glanced at Minato, "Is't K1-san that person from before? Looked like he could be Minato's brother?"
Yuugi nodded, but it seemed more to be polite than an actual answer. K1, the person who had left so suddenly. Who K2 had been following around since being rescued. Naoya's cousin. His friend, even if Atem didn't seem to think it was a good idea to maintain that friendship. The COMP's functions had shut down, which meant he had probably succeeded in becoming the King of Bel. Like Souji had said. He couldn't accept that he was some kind of demon, but that didn't change...
"Partner, steady!"
Yuugi realized his legs had been trying to give out. Atem swung one hand down to catch the COMP Yuugi had almost dropped and supported the shorter teen with his other. He'd known Yuugi had been depressed when K1 left, but now... it was worry and something else. Fear? Well, it wasn't like either of them had had what one could call good relationships with things like demons. Yuugi had had a Kobold contracted to him via the COMP, but he doubted that's what Yuugi was thinking of.
"You don't have to go, Partner."
Atem was aware all eyes were on him, and that only he and Yuugi had read the message. 'we await you at the its'. Atem couldn't help but feel that seemed more a demand than a request, a thought that made him upset. Even if K1 had become a King, Yuugi was a friend. Ryoji glanced at Minato, wondering what he hadn't realized had gone on between the two. He'd only seen them for one night, and they'd seemed pretty distant. It seemed Yuugi and K1 had been fighting, and then they'd vanished. What was going on...?
"I'm fine, Atem. And I do," he looked up at Naoto, "Sorry about that, I just never expected to hear from him again. He said he's at the ITS. K2-kun and Naoya-san are probably there too," he shook his head, "No one else has to come if they don't want to, but I want to talk to him..."
"Partner, for all we know its been years for him..."
"I don't care!" Yuugi put a bit of force behind it, "Maybe they couldn't get a chance to come back until now? Atem, I know you don't like him, but he was under a lot of stress. You don't have to come either..."
"Don't be stupid, Partner. I just don't want to see you hurt."
Yuugi looked away and picked his way out of the bedroom. His size helped. Atem looked after him and frowned before turning to Souji, "He's right, none of you have to come. I'm requesting you do, at least those of you that knew K1. I'm worried about how this meeting is going to go."
Atem didn't wait for a response before heading out after Yuugi. The shorter teen had pulled the COMP up again. The message he wrote would probably come off as a bit bitter. Maybe it was, but he really did want to see them again. He didn't know the story behind the username change, but the fact that K1 had returned meant that maybe things could be fixed. He hit send before closing the COMP. He knew Atem was behind him, but he didn't look back. Atem didn't like K1, but Yuugi knew he couldn't leave the teenager hanging...
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 2:21:15 GMT -5
Souji didn't really like the sound of this. For those that had seen K1 during the time after he had defeated Belphegor, he had obviously changed for the worse. And that was before K1 had become king. But Souji didn't want Yuugi and Atem to go by themselves, no matter how much he now disliked K1.
"I'm going too," Souji said, and he followed after Yuugi and Atem. He was also glad to get out of Minato's apartment. He knew Minato was mad about something, or at least upset or something. The fact that Souji's name had audibly come up around Minato during that incident earlier hadn't been helping. Souji just felt nervous sitting in that room.
Kanji and Naoto followed as well, but Minato stayed. He was still more worried about Ryoji.
"Can you stand?" Minato asked Ryoji. Which was a stupid question, Minato realized. What did he think Ryoji had been trying to do, waddle?
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 10, 2010 2:27:31 GMT -5
Ryoji didn't answer, because he wasn't sure. He put his hand in Minato's and tried to use the teen as a sort of boost to get him up. Thankfully, whether be reflex or desire, Minato's hand complied and between that and the wall Ryoji was able to get to his feet. He still looked a little unsteady. He was curious about K1, but then again...
"I don't think I'm going anywhere for a while..." he said.
Great way to make him not worry about you, there... he muttered to himself mentally.
His hand was still clasped around Minato's. He realized that and let go. After he positioned himself against the wall better, anyhow. Nyx had reacted poorly to the comment about Erebus. Was that what she had been trying to say? Then what the hell? Was she trying to screw him over because of her own broken heart? He sighed, still feeling her lingering anger. Now wasn't the time to ask that, and he didn't think getting her angry again would be a wise move.
She had said it was by her own "kindness" he was still there. Right now, he believed that. But there was something else. He wasn't sure he was her avatar anymore. Just some poor sap linked to the entity that was. Did that mean he could fight it somehow? Like when he had taken his true form by choice, and Bakura had clearly been fighting to maintain dominance? He didn't know, but he felt rather tired now. And a bit chilled, as the sweat on his shirt had finally cooled down.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 2:54:14 GMT -5
Minato still looked concerned as Ryoji went on, which was not aided by what Ryoji said after he pulled himself to his feet. He sighed as he saw how tired Ryoji looked. What had happened earlier had greatly exhausted Ryoji. Ryoji looked about as tired as Souji had been.
"Ryoji, you look exhausted. Why don't you go ahead and go back to sleep?" Minato asked.
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Post by mugenginga on Jan 10, 2010 3:00:12 GMT -5
Nyx...?
Do as he suggested. I admit surprise that you are even speaking to me.
Ryoji didn't respond to her. He wasn't checking if she was there because he wanted to speak to her. He was rather pissed for what she had tried to do there. But he'd wanted to see if he'd be allowed to sleep. Things were going to be tense there for a while. Forever, possibly, as The Fall was still hanging over the groups' heads. He saw the concern in Minato's eyes and nodded.
"...right. Thanks, Minato."
He didn't bother mentioning the couch again. He did, however, slip the tops of his suspenders past his shoulders and take the shirt off. The gathering sweat had grown uncomfortable. It wasn't like Minato hadn't seen him in boxers before. He almost smiled as he remembered the hot springs. They'd managed to avoid getting caught by Mitsuru-tachi, but he and Junpei had both passed out from the heat. Still, the worry that was looming over his head prevented him from reaching a smile. He threw the shirt on the floor and got into the bed.
"Minato, I'm sorry..."
He'd said it quietly because he wasn't sure he'd wanted Minato to hear. He hoped the other teenager wouldn't ask him to repeat himself. Or tell him he didn't need to be. He closed his eyes as he said it in hopes it would transmit some kind of silent message. He was sorry, for everything. Right now he was also very exhausted. He'd be asleep within minutes if Minato let him be.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jan 10, 2010 3:10:11 GMT -5
Minato had caught the comment, but it was on his way out the door as Ryoji climbed into bed that Minato had heard it. He really didn't want to reply to it this time, though. Maybe the moment had just passed, or maybe he just felt too depressed. Or a combo of both. He didn't know. Things had just hit depressed all over again.
He sighed and landed on the couch. Nothing to do now, really, except wait for Yuugi and everyone else to get back. He wasn't tired enough to sleep, didn't feel like watching TV, didn't feel like listening to music... he was now wondering how he'd gotten by living by himself before. It was nice to have someone else in the house.
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