Choices (Rei no Kaado)

[mugenginga]

Atem frowned. If Minato was in any mental and motivational state to look at him, he'd realize he wasn't upset. The former Pharaoh was not known for wearing pity, but he had it. A lot of concern, as well. He wasn't the type to wonder if he'd been like this after losing his Partner. He knew he had been, at least among his friends. No wonder Anzu had been acting the way she had. He turned away and took a step forward.

"I can't speak for the others, but I won't stop you if you want to spend the day in your apartment," Atem stated, continuing for the stairs without waiting for a futher response.

----------

Teddie nodded. They could go, but he'd ran out of ideas for what they could do. Maybe Sensei knew. Thinking about it, it was getting a lot chillier. The group kind of needed new outfits. His thoughts caused him to possibly confuse those around him by looking down at his shirt. Silk got really cold, and it tended to cling a bit. He jumped a bit when he heard Yuugi's voice.

"Oh, they're up!" Yuugi observed, attempting to hide his depression behind a veil of overenthusiasm, "...morning Naoto-kun, Kanji-kun.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato took a moment to respond as Atem began to walk away. He'd looked up as Atem said he wouldn't stop him. Atem wasn't trying to convince him otherwise, or cheer him up, or anything like that. Minato finally got a smile out, but it was pained.

"Atem... thanks," Minato said.

-----------------

Souji nodded greeting to Naoto and Kanji as he saw them as well. Naoto and Kanji both turned toward Souji.

"Good morning, sempai, Yuugi-kun," Naoto stated.

"Mornin'," Kanji said. Neither of them were bringing up the subject of Ryoji quite yet.

[mugenginga]

Atem didn't slow down or even twitch. The angle meant Minato couldn't see it, but the former Pharaoh allowed himself a slight grin. It was more bitter than anything else. Maybe Minato couldn't see it. His Partner was better at the inspirational speech thing, at least when it came to emotions. In an actual fight, Atem could handle. Emotions and depression, not so much. But the fact remained that he was acting almost exactly like he had been.

The world needed to be grateful there was no one Minato could blame. Atem's expression went pained for a moment. His emotions coupled with how Dooma had been fucking with the Ka of the cards had nearly cost Haga his life. In fact, had Anzu not been there he couldn't guarantee it wouldn't have. He could have overloaded the green haired teenager's mind, he could have knocked him off the train, any number of things. And Anzu had been terrified, he must have looked quite the monster. He didn't look back at Minato even once as he reached the stairs and headed down them. Minato didn't need someone jabbering his ear off about things not being his fault right now, he wouldn't listen anyways.

----------

Which lead to a pretty large awkward silence. Yuugi had nodded in response to the return greetings. Teddie looked between Sensei and Yuugi and then Naoto and Kanji. He began to fidget due to the heavy air after a few moments. Yuugi opened his mouth a few times, but everything he could think of sounded idiotic. It remained that way until Atem turned the corner on the bottom floor. The former Pharaoh stopped and glanced up the stairs for a minute before walking over quickly.

"You'll only make him feel worse," he said quietly. It was rather admonishing.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato waited for Atem to head down the stairs before walking toward them himself. He reached the second floor landing as Atem had reached the first floor's, and he headed back to his apartment. He seemed a lot less depressed than he had earlier, but he was certainly still there. He really didn't need to see any of the others right now. They'd just make him feel worse.

He headed back to his apartment and pulled the door open. He headed back in fairly silently and resumed his position on the couch.

There had to be something he could do about Ryoji. He got the feeling if he waited until the full moon, there wouldn't be much he could do. Nyx Avatar certainly hadn't been willing to listen before. But would he even be there? Hell, would he even be able to make it up to the top? Before, the fog had certainly obstructed him a fair amount and kept him from making it to the top of Tartarus.

But there had to be something. Ryoji wasn't all gone, he knew that. He could try to get through to Ryoji... or die trying. Not like they weren't all going to die soon anyways.

----------------

Souji looked away as Atem spoke. It looked like Atem had finished up with whatever he was saying to Minato. And the fact that Minato wasn't coming down with him meant that Minato obviously wasn't feeling much better.

"...Yeah," Souji agreed. He looked to the side. "...It's my fault. Not Minato's. I'm the one who let Ryoji go."

[mugenginga]

Atem didn't look pleased with what Souji said. Teddie hung his head as well. It wasn't just Souji's fault. He'd stepped to the side too. Yuugi looked saddened as Souji tried to put the blame on himself. Atem stepped forward.

"Souji-kun, what happened to Ryoji? No, not just that. Maybe you should start from the beginning. Minato-kun talked to you more than any of us about the events before he came to the Island. We can't help if we don't know all the information."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji sighed. He felt a bit put on the spot. But it was a reasonable question.

"Minato never told me much about Ryoji, but alright. You already know what Minato told you. Ryoji showed up at his school as this transfer student and he and Minato became friends. And apparently one of Minato's friends, Aigis, attacked Ryoji and forced him to remember his true self," Souji explained. "He tried to get Minato's group to kill him so they wouldn't remember the Dark Hour and would die in peace. If I understand right, he made the same offer to Minato a few times here on the Island too. Back then, Ryoji apparently came back to Minato's dorm on New Years Eve, the day he'd apparently turn into a form that would call Nyx to the world. I don't think he was really trying to hold on in a human form back then."

Souji crossed his arms. "You should know some of the rest. Minato's group ended up fighting what Ryoji became on top of Tartarus a month after that, on the day of the Fall. Based on some of my own... experiences, I doubt there was much Ryoji there, though. It was probably all Nyx by that point.

"Last night was different from what Minato had told me, though. I don't know what all happened. I woke up and found out that Minato had an argument with Ryoji because Ryoji had decided to leave that night. So Teddie and I went to Minato's apartment, and got there as Ryoji was getting to ready to leave. And I... just let him go. Eventually Minato followed after him, to try to convince him not to do this one last time, but... he got there too late," Souji closed his eyes. "I think he watched Ryoji turn into that form. He just looked utterly broken by the time he got back to the apartments."

[mugenginga]

Atem listened. He was pretty clear he was being careful about it to, processing every word Souji said. Yuugi listened as well, and near the end something seemed to click. Teddie looked a bit confused, but he did seem to be paying attention. Atem looked about ready to say something, but Yuugi spoke first.

"Wait, doesn't that mean he would have taken that form you keep talking about anyhow?" He winced as several people looked at him, "I-I mean, it it happened both times... Maybe you couldn't stop him? You know, I'm not saying we can't still save him. I can't accept that. But maybe he would have taken that form no matter what you did?"

"Partner's right. Souji-kun, don't you think he would have shifted even if you'd forcibly detained him? I still don't know much about that form, but... you said Minato-kun watched him shift. It's possible he left when he did because he knew it was coming and he didn't want his friends to see," Atem let out an irritated sigh, "I'm not saying he should have 'let' himself go, but its possible... he might only be able to fight it there. Minato-kun says it'll probably happen the next full moon. I intend to go there to try and stop it. We're guaranteed dead if we don't try, correct?"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji considered Yuugi and Atem's words. Possibly. Based on what Minato had said, it sounded like Ryoji was leaving early, though. Or maybe, thinking back, he was leaving late. Ryoji had been trying to hold on to his human form as long as possible. So maybe he'd gone past the day he was supposed to turn into that thing. Maybe he'd been supposed to shift the moment he awakened, but he didn't.

"Yeah. We're dead either way. I'm planning on going too," Souji said. Ryoji said that another seal wouldn't work. That fighting it wouldn't work. Well, maybe he couldn't try to make the seal, but he could fight back. And he could try to reach Ryoji. There had to be some way to save him. He'd come back as Ryoji, dammit. There had to be a reason for that beyond Ryoji having fully become Nyx's avatar thanks to Minato.

"Like I said before, sempai. I'm still gonna fight too," Kanji said. Naoto nodded.

"...Thanks guys."

It hadn't been Souji that had spoken. It had been Minato. He was walking down the stairs, still wearing that scarf. But he looked a little more cheered up. He'd left his apartment after sitting there for a moment, and he'd been sitting up at the top of the stairs listening to them. He finally had decided to go downstairs.

[mugenginga]

Atem, for half a second at most, looked relieved. Most of the group might actually catch it. Naoto and Souji because they were that observant, and Yuugi did catch it due to his emotional attachment to Atem. He turned towards Minato and nodded, a very faint smile the remainder of his relief. Yuugi seemed a lot more relieved. He gave a far wider smile. Teddie beamed as well.

"Hey, anyone have money? It's getting colder outside, right? Shouldn't we go shopping?"

Yuugi gave a nervous laugh, "I'm actually running a bit low, myself..."

"I doubt this Island requires much in the way of job references," Atem said, noting that at least several people were looking at him, "And it's not like there's anything to interfere."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji and Naoto did catch Atem's look of relief, though Kanji missed it, as usual. Minato made it to the bottom of the stairs just as Teddie asked if any of them had any money so they could go clothes shopping. The ensuing conversation had been a rather welcome change of topic.

"I'm starting to run low myself... I heard that coffee shop's hiring, though," Souji said. "I've been thinking of applying there." If only so I don't have to keep shelving out money for Izanagi's coffee habit every day.

"Kanji-kun and I have been working part-time at a supermarket near here. It would seem that all of those times that Yosuke-sempai made us help out at Junes is good training," Naoto said. "Though I agree. We do need winter clothes."

Minato nodded. Well, at least he felt warm. If only because he was wearing something he needed to return to someone as soon as possible.

[mugenginga]

"I've never had a job, though. I mean, Anzu had several," Yuugi looked a little nervous, but it seemed of a lighthearted sort, "I never knew a person could write with ketchup before that..."

Atem smiled a bit at Yuugi's memory. It was good he remembered that aspect of the fast food place. Not the blacking out part. He wasn't really capable of remembering the incident with the convict, and it was for the best. He chuckled a bit himself.

"Well, the only 'job' I've ever had was hereditary. Besides, wasn't it you who said I'd have to go to school?" He looked towards Souji, "We could probably ask there, too."

Yuugi paled, "I'm... not sure you should be let near a kitchen, Atem..."

Rather humorous all by itself. Very humorous considering Yuugi was the only one that had suffered Atem's inability to cook. The mood had certainly taken a roller coaster hike into better, though.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato blinked as Yuugi said that Atem shouldn't be let near a kitchen. He blinked, thinking back to some of Yuugi's own cooking. "Come on, Yuugi, it can't be any worse than your own cooking. I still don't think I've completely recovered from that experience."

Souji looked over toward Minato. "How bad was it?"

Minato grimaced. "It wasn't too bad. Really." He, of course, was only saying that because Yuugi was right there. The salt content had been rather high, though. Minato had thought he was going to puke.

Souji shrugged and turned toward Atem. "In any case, that should work." He looked back toward Minato. "What about you?"

He shrugged. "I could make envelopes or something..."

[mugenginga]

Yuugi looked embarassed. Atem smiled at the exchange.

"It was just something I'd never made before... besides, Atem screwed up ramen. With instructions." Yuugi said.

Atem glared at him, but it was blindingly obvious it contained no malice, "At least I never had to cook, Partner. What's that lecture you gave me about being seventeen and belonging in school? You're the one that should have been paying attention in home ec."

"And who could observe from the Puzzle anytime they wanted?" Yuugi jabbed back.

Atem gave a mischevious smirk accompanied by a shrug, "Excuse me for respecting your privacy."

"Um, I'm sure there's more you can do, Minato-kun! Naoto-kun, Kanji-kun, do they need a mascot there? It was fun at Junes!"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Naoto thought about that. "I'm not really sure, Teddie. I think we might have an opening for that, though."

"Well, there ain't a lot of supermarkets that have cute mascots like that. There's probably an opening for him," Kanji said.

"Okay, Atem, you have to admit screwing up ramen's pretty bad," Souji admitted. Minato smiled. Despite the definitely much more relaxed mood of everyone, he was still being rather quiet.

[mugenginga]

Teddie beamed at Kanji's compliment. Yuugi glanced towards Minato. He was really trying hard, but he could tell the blue haired teenager was still depressed. Well, of course he was. He talked about fighting, but he knew better than any of them the odds against things. And even if they stopped the Fall, what was the guarantee Ryoji would come back? Or that Minato would even survive?

Atem gave a look of mock annoyance. Well, almost. Some if seemed possibly genuine, "I had a throne to train for and a country to run. Besides, even if I had expressed an interest in cooking, I doubt any one would have had anything to do with it," a slightly bitter smile of nostalgia surfaced, "Mahaad would have probably had a heart attack at the mere suggestion."

"Minato-kun, maybe you can come with Kanji-kun, Naoto-kun, and I? Sensei, you're taking Atem-kun and Yuugi-kun to the coffee shop, right?"