|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 10, 2010 20:36:41 GMT -5
Yuugi looked up at Souji as he passed into the room and nodded. He pointed at the game table. When Atem stepped in, he frowned at the setup. The table was more prominently centered in the room than it had before. The display was that of Ancient Egypt. It was pretty faked, but it wasn't as if he suspected the original set up to be historically accurate. To his knowledge, though, there had never been an Ancient Egypt set up for Monster World. Well, this was formed by Bakura's mind...
"Jounouchi-kun, Atem, don't touch anything here. At least one place is a portal. I told you about it before. Naoto-kun," Yuugi had walked over to the far end of the table. There was a laptop set up there, the top open. He glanced at it a moment before looking up at Naoto again, "Can you use a computer?"
Anzu had chosen to stay near Souji. Jounouchi gave a dirty look towards Uzume. So she wasn't going to go in with them? After the recount the night before, he'd made his own decisions about Abel. He didn't trust the man, even if Yuugi did. Atem didn't seem to, and Jounouchi didn't much like Kaiba who Yuugi still trusted.
"Partner?"
"Atem, you're as good as this as I am, but I want to make sure we don't mess anything up. I can't think this would just be here for no reason. Plus, the screen is cracked."
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 10, 2010 21:14:18 GMT -5
(OOC: The particular laptop model: image.blog.livedoor.jp/ibs_hide/imgs/8/1/81ecbc55.jpgNot sure which model of PC-98 laptop this is, though.) Naoto nodded as Yuugi asked her if she could use a computer, and walked over to where he was standing. She looked down at the laptop set up. It was a PC-98, a kind of laptop Naoto hadn't seen since she was a child. She knew how to work one, but it was rather archaic compared to the laptops she usually saw. It fit with her theory that Yuugi was from a time further back than the one she and her friends came from, but the laptop put a timeframe on it. At least ten years, most likely more. "What do you need me to do?" Naoto asked. The computer obviously had some kind of important purpose to the game. Minato got it first. "It's Monster World, right? Someone has to be the DM." Meanwhile, outside the door, Uzume looked up. "...Another human's entered this side." |
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 10, 2010 21:33:20 GMT -5
Atem's eyes widened at the pieces Minato had put together, "Partner, wai-"
And then Uzume spoke up. Yuugi looked up with his hand in the air. He'd been about to point at something on the screen. Jounouchi jerked and looked behind towards the hall that lead to the bedroom. Anzu looked around and then loooked at Uzume.
"Who else could it be? Can't only Persona users enter?"
"Persona users and demons," Atem said, his voice flat, "I only know one other human that can enter. Uzume, are you sure its just a human?"
"Adachi-san shouldn't be straining himself!" Yuugi said, putting together the same pieces Atem had without the accusatory tone towards Uzume.
He said that, but if Adachi really cared for Bakura... it was something he or Atem would do for their friends. He'd actually done some probably insane stuff for his grandfather. Death-T and Duelist Kingdom had both happened because he'd had no other choice.
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 10, 2010 22:06:12 GMT -5
Uzume scowled as Atem spoke to her. "Yes, I'm sure it's just a human. If it was his majesty, I wouldn't be able to sense him at all, and if it was Nyarlathotep, I would have said it was a demon." She sounded a bit insulted as she said that.
"If it is Adachi, then that means that he's coming to help Bakura," Souji said. "Augh, he should have just stayed in the hospital..."
"He's getting closer. I'm not sure how, but whoever this is knows where he's going, and what he's doing," Uzume said. She assumed a defensive stance. She wasn't going to protect these humans, but she wasn't going to let herself get killed if this human turned out to be hostile.
Minato looked out into the hallway as he heard the door get shoved open.
"Ryou! Are you in here?"
Standing in the doorway was Adachi, and next to him was a familiar Persona to anyone who had fought him before. He was wearing mostly the same outfit as he usually did, the main differences being he'd opted to leave the suit jacket at home today and had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder where he'd been shot. He seemed to have recovered his gun, as it was holstered on his belt.
He walked around the apartment for a moment before seeing Uzume at the end of the hallway in front of an open door. Adachi glared at her, and Magatsu Izanagi held out its spear, keeping it trained on Uzume.
"I'm in a hurry, so get out of my way," Adachi snarled. "And while you're at it, tell me where Seta's little group is."
"They're right behind me, playing with a bunch of lead dolls," Uzume stated. Adachi blinked as Uzume moved out of the way. Adachi walked past her, Magatsu Izanagi following close behind.
"...Adachi, why are you here?" Souji turned toward the still obviously injured man.
"I have to help Bakura. I'm the one who got him into this mess," Adachi said. The manifestation of Izanagi behind him didn't seem to reflect that same opinion. Really, it still looked rather hostile.
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 10, 2010 22:42:50 GMT -5
Not just people who'd fought him before. Yuugi found himself planting his feet and swallowing over the entity next to Adachi. Atem did nothing short of glare at it. Adachi was here for a good reason. He did not like the man, but he had to respect what he was willing to do to make up for his mistake, who he was trying to save. Jounouchi wasn't giving such a "kind" gaze as Atem. He was outright glaring, and his fists were clenched. Anzu was giving nervous looks between the group and Adachi. Adachi was trying to rescue Bakura, right? So he couldn't be that bad, right?
"Adachi-san, you shouldn't be here!" Yuugi sounded only concerned, "Your shoulder is hurt! We can rescue Bakura-kun!"
"If you're going to insist on staying here, stay out of our way," Atem stated, "Partner is trying to figure out the quickest way through this World. Bakura's Shadow seems to have a system set up to avoid people getting close to him."
"A-Adachi-san, Yuugi's right. You can trust him, he'll save Bakura-kun!" Anzu stated.
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 11, 2010 0:01:30 GMT -5
"Even if you can rescue him!" Adachi said. "This is all my fault! If I don't do this, I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I did to Ryou-kun. Just please, let me help!"
Souji looked over at Kanji and Naoto. All three of them seemed unsure if Adachi should come along. All three of them had more than ample reason to distrust Adachi, but on the other hand, he had been caring for Bakura certainly long enough. Minato was still glaring at Adachi. The man reminded him a bit too much of Ikutsuki for his tastes. Nice guy personality on top, really an evil bastard underneath. He just couldn't trust Adachi.
"If it's my shoulder that's keeping you from letting me help, then forget about it! I'm fine! I went to the hospital and they got the bullet out, and it's fine!" Adachi said. He looked and sounded desperate. Finally, he stopped talking and looked down.
"...Look. I know you probably don't trust me at all. I've done a lot of shitty things in the past, things I'm not proud of. I've given you all ample reason not to trust me before," Adachi said, still looking down. "Just... trust me for today. I won't bother you guys any more after this. I just want to help Bakura."
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 11, 2010 0:17:57 GMT -5
Jounouchi felt that. The guy sounded broken. He blamed himself, as he should, but... Jounouchi's fists loosened a bit and he looked away with an annoyed expression. Hadn't Malik just been doing it for his family? Hadn't he gotten his actions royally screwed up along the way? But it was hard to hate the man at the moment. Kinda like how it had been hard to hate Kaiba when it came out he'd been trying to help Mokuba.
Anzu looked depressed at the direction the conversation had taken. It was a lot like how Atem had acted about Yuugi. She'd never gotten the full details from anyone about that situation. Atem had played an evil card and had lost Yuugi. Jounouchi and Honda had seen the end of the battle, but... she was taking a step forward when she saw Yuugi moving past. He walked up until he was about a foot from Adachi and looked the man in the eyes. Atem had summoned his Persona card at some point or another. It probably wouldn't do much against the Persona behind Adachi, but at least it could be a shield...
Yuugi's expression wasn't harsh per se. But it was... mature. It held all the sympathy that Yuugi could but was also very mature. Atem was watching carefully, Jounouchi was trying to convince himself the guy was a bastard, and Anzu's eyes were wide. That expression was exactly what Atem had often expressed on Yuugi's body back when they were still sharing one. And then, in a flash, it was gone. He was back to looking like the kid half his age, and there was a caring smile.
"Of course," Yuugi held his hand in front of himself and his Persona card appeared in a flash of blue flame. He crushed it and Nefertum materialized beneath him. He turned towards the Persona and indicated Adachi with his head, "Nefertum, Diarahan."
Atem looked mildly surprised. Yuugi had stated he was pretty sure his Persona had learned a new skill, but he had put the pieces together. A healing spell. Nefertum held out its hands and the staff floated in the air. A large amount of white light gathered at the tip and as if light were shining through the loop at the top of the ankh, it hit Adachi. There was a little bit of his wound exposed from under the bandage, but it was gone and there would be no damage remaining.
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 11, 2010 1:14:01 GMT -5
Adachi blinked as Yuugi used Diarahan on him. Suddenly, he realized what spell that was and tore the bandage on his arm off. The wound on his shoulder was gone. It was like it had never been there at all; there wasn't even a scar.
"...Thanks," Adachi said.
Naoto was still watching Adachi carefully, even after after the others had seemed to let down their guards a bit.
"How did you find us? You don't have any glasses like we do, so even if you just walked here, it would have been going by chance," Naoto said.
"I dunno. I jumped in, and it just kind of felt like I was being drawn here, y'know?" Adachi said. "I really wasn't thinking when I jumped in, and I just went where my feet took me."
Naoto narrowed her gaze, but she went back over to the laptop. Uzume was watching Adachi still as well, but she was having to be more careful about it. That Persona was still watching her, and she doubted it would have any problems with killing her.
"Souji, it might be better if you take Adachi with your group," Minato said. Souji groaned.
"...Yeah, I know," Souji said. He'd been thinking the same thing, too. What was bothering him at the moment was more Magatsu Izanagi. There was something off about that Persona, something he couldn't put his finger on... and it wasn't the fact that it was obviously evil or covered in blood. He wasn't going to consult Izanagi about it, though. It wasn't like the god had spoken to him since that outburst earlier, so maybe he was staying quiet for once.
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 11, 2010 12:29:15 GMT -5
Yuugi just smiled again at the thanks. The short teenager turned back around as Nefertum vanished and trotted back to the computer. He was of the belief people could change. He knew about what Adachi had done before. Two women, Souji had said. But everything else he knew about the man could be explained. He didn't know a lot of details about the events in Souji's world. He knew Adachi had used that unsettling Persona of his to get the Puzzle and effectively throw Atem into the TV World. He'd been terrified though, hadn't he?
Atem wasn't nearly as relaxed about the situation. As far as he was concerned, Adachi hadn't shown signs of changing. Bakura was just an exception. He kept his eyes fixed on both Adachi and Magatsu Izanagi. He still held the card for Temu. In his pocket, he also had a hand on Black Magician, which he had made sure was on top of his deck earlier. He trusted the man about as far as he could throw him. He'd protect Bakura, he had no doubt, but he'd also kill them the instant he felt they were in the way.
Anzu looked relieved. She let out a sigh of breath and turned back towards where Yuugi had gone. Jounouchi was watching Atem's actions, and had seemed to relax as a result as well. He'd not really thought about it too much before, but it was almost like Yuugi and Atem were halves of the same whole. They really were the strongest together. He looked towards Yuugi. The short teenager was pointing at the laptop and talking to Naoto.
"I realized before that there's probably more than one way through the board, when it seemed to loop through the market place. I think most of the routes would get to the same place, but we can't waste time guessing. Also, it's possible some lead to dead ends or traps. I'm not overly familiar with tabletop RPGs, but Bakura-kun at least used to be."
"There should be hints here, like what would be read to players. It's possible the solution is on the computer as well, but with the way games are set up and the power of Bakura's Shadow, I don't think we should look for it. Its really possible that the entire world would collapse. I'm really the most worried about the 'campaign'. It was probably designed by Bakura's subconscious to be unwinnable."
Atem broke eye contact with Adachi for a moment and took a few steps back. His new position put him well inside the bedroom. He confirmed the position of Naoto and Yuugi before speaking again. He was almost smiling, and in fact might have been if Adachi wasn't there.
"Partner's right. Bakura doesn't think he can be rescued. But it doesn't mean the situation is. Dark Bakura, the original spirit in the Ring, also designed his campaign to be unwinnable. I have a feeling he was using Bakura's knowledge of the game to do it, as well, in combination with overpowering the boss to the player characters."
Yuugi nodded and looked towards Naoto, "I'm sorry, I'm talking way too much aren't I? What I'm trying to say is there should be paragraphs to read on here somewhere. It looks like it still works despite the cracked screen..."
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 11, 2010 21:22:42 GMT -5
Naoto listened to everything Yuugi and Atem brought up regarding the world. She couldn't claim to know all that much about tabletop games, but their statements allowed her to fill in a few more holes. It was entirely possible and likely that the campaign was unwinnable. However, there would still have to be a way to Bakura in there somewhere. That was the possibility she was counting on.
Naoto sat down in front of the laptop and switched it on. "It appears it still works... once it boots up, I'll search for any files that may help us."
Souji was still keeping an eye on Magatsu Izanagi. The creepy part was, it was keeping an eye on him, too. With those creepy bright yellow eyes of its. Slowly the Persona turned its head so that it had direct eye contact with Souji. Souji felt something like a bolt of electricity move through his body, and jumped.
"A-Adachi! Can't you put that thing away?!" Souji yelled. Adachi glared at Souji.
"I don't think you quite realize this, but it hurts me to summon my Persona. I don't get the easy way like you kids do with your cards," Adachi growled. "Besides, I can't see in this world. It's easier for me to use my Persona to see."
What on earth is wrong with that thing... it feels like it's staring into my soul... Izanagi, that thing's another aspect of you, right? Souji asked. He frowned. No response...
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 11, 2010 23:03:58 GMT -5
Atem looked at Souji as he yelled. At Souji, not at his eyes or towards him. After a moment of that he followed Souji's eyes to where he was staring. Or where he was being stared at from. That was rather intense, and while even his own Persona had regarded those of others before...
Atem crushed his Persona card, and Temu appeared. Jounouchi blinked at how similar what was floating above Atem was to what Yuugi had summoned. He rolled his eyes at it. Darker grey, different outfit, but the similarity was almost comical when you considered how much the former Pharaoh and Yuugi looked alike. He pulled his glasses off his face and his vision was immediately flooded with fog. He could feel an ache trying to drill its way into his temples through his eyes, as if he had pushed them down too long.
"Hey, Atem-kun! What are you doing?" Jounouchi said.
Yuugi looked up as Jounouchi addressed Atem. He blinked in surprise as the Egyptian teenager slipped past the few people in his way. He had one hand on the wall to help guide himself. This created another problem with Adachi's story. How the man could see as well as he could... did it have to do with the strength of his Persona. He held out his glasses as soon as he was close enough to Adachi for him to grab them.
"There doesn't seem to be anything dangerous in the immediate area. You can put your Persona away for now. Seeing shouldn't be a problem if you have these," Atem indicated the glasses as he continued to speak, "If you want to help Bakura, then you have to realize we work as a team. That doesn't involve putting the others more on edge than your presence already does."
On Naoto's end of things, the computer had come up very quickly. There was only one folder visible on the desktop. The name was written out in katakana, but it was clear the meaning was Monster World Campaign. If she opened it up, there would be a lot of folders. However, only one wasn't password protected. It appeared to be a text based file and the name was also in katakana. Properly read, it said Introduction.
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 12, 2010 0:54:35 GMT -5
Adachi glared at Atem as he spoke, but he still took the glasses and put them on anyways. As he put on the glasses, Magatsu Izanagi looked back toward Souji again, and even though Souji had looked away, their eyes met for a brief moment. Again that unpleasant electric feeling, but for that brief moment, Souji didn't see Magatsu Izanagi standing there. What he saw was a human standing in the Persona's place, covered in blood and smirking. Said human had an all too familiar head of silver hair...
That vision only lasted for a brief moment, and then the Persona disappeared altogether, Adachi having unsummoned it like Atem had ordered him to.
"Wow, it's so much clearer with these on," Adachi said in amazement. "I wish I had some of these."
"Yeah, shut up, Adachi," Kanji growled.
Naoto had looked up as Atem summoned his Persona. There was something strange with Adachi's Persona. While she'd only directly encountered it once, Naoto could tell that the level of autonomy it was currently expressing was strange. Not only that, but Souji had seemed a bit freaked out just before Adachi unsummoned the being.
She returned to focusing on the screen. Seeing that there was only one folder to access, she entered the relevant command and opened the folder up. There were several folders inside the main folder, but all of them except one were password protected. And while if she put some effort at it she could probably hack the password protected ones open, first she needed to check the one labeled "Introduction." She inputted the key command to open it up.
Okay, Izanagi... I'm really starting to get freaked out... Souji said. Again, no response... Souji was starting to get worried, but the possibility that Izanagi was ignoring him wasn't lost on him. He had been rather harsh with Izanagi that morning.
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 12, 2010 1:32:22 GMT -5
That was all that was in the message Naoto had opened. However, quite possibly before anyone could even finish reading the thing, part of the board seemed to shimmer. Jounouchi was busy focusing on Atem, who had walked away from Adachi and leaning against the wall, his temple to his head. The Egyptian teenager looked like he needed to rest. Anzu was looking towards Naoto and Yuugi, and not directly at the board. Yuugi, however, was looking at the board, and jumped a little as the shimmer occurred.
In the market place area of the board, roughly where the group had teleported through before, appeared ten figures. The area was exposed from the board being adjusted before. Each of the ten figures looked like a lead model of the group. Yuugi found himself shuddering a bit. It was a bit eerie of a reflection of the past for comfort. However, the figures were wearing the clothes they were wearing. They were all there. Souji, Minato, Naoto, Kanji, Atem, Yuugi, Jounouchi, Anzu, Adachi, and even Uzume. Yuugi looked up towards the group and held out his hands, his palms showing.
"Don't touch them! We can't be sure it won't teleport us again!"
"What should we do then, Yuugi?"
"I think we're supposed to..." Yuugi glanced back at the screen, "Play. Make a decision based on what's written here."
|
|
|
|
Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Jun 12, 2010 2:25:51 GMT -5
Minato walked a little closer to the board as the shimmer occurred. He blinked at the lead figurines that had materialized. It was more than a tad creepy how detailed they were. There was even one for Uzume, and she was staying out of all of this.
"Alright, so we're in the marketplace. I guess we should ask around or something, then," Minato said.
Souji, who was still working through the freakout Magatsu Izanagi had given him, shrugged. "I suppose so. I never really played video games of any kind, much less tabletop RPGs."
Minato blinked and shrugged. Kanji, on the other hand, was just staring dumbfounded down at the board.
"So, uh... now what?" Kanji asked. "Do we just ask some random dude where Bakura is or somethin'?"
Adachi was just plain lost.
|
|
|
|
Post by mugenginga on Jun 12, 2010 16:13:29 GMT -5
"I-I guess..." Yuugi said.
"Yo, Bakura! You're running this thing, aren't you?"
"Jounouchi-kun!" Anzu stated.
Atem rubbed his forehead again and looked up. The fog was horrible, and each second got worse. His gaze turned to Adachi again. There was no small amount of suspicion. Adachi had something else going for him if he's just "wandered" to the right place. Especially in this fog, which was worse then he'd ever seen it. After a moment of staring at Adachi, he turned to the door to the room and the table.
"You'll want to talk to beggars and the like. They know more about what goes on in cities than most officials."
"Atem-kun, are you going to be okay without those glasses...?"
"So we'll look for a beggar..." Yuugi muttered. He was clearly more concerned about Atem as well.
As soon as Yuugi said that, another folder opened up on the screen. Naoto didn't have to do anything, the mouse didn't even jump. There was a new paragraph.
|
|
