duel 2.「video」

[puzzlingly]

「Good morning, Hadriel. How's your day? Hopefully better than this guy's!

Said guy appears on the little screen of your devices, drenched and with semi covered in... what is that? Foam? (yes, yes, before you ask, that spiky hairdo is totally flatten and looking rather normal...)

Why you see, someone decided to finally do laundry.

Someone who never, in his whole life, had touched a washing machine... and never an alien looking one. Well, he had to at least try, Yugi made it look so easy (or his mom!)! Plus, getting new clothes from the stores at any opportunity given, can only be a good idea for so long before the pile starts... well, you know, pilling up!

And that's why you see on the background (and if you happen to be around)... this humongous amount of foam coming out from one of those new houses. The big one, btw, because this small guy needs all that space, sure...

Why didn't this thing come with instructions... HE'S A PRO AT READING INSTRUCTIONS!

Good Ra, help him...」

Hmm... I... 「 This is hard. 」 I seem to require some... assistance, here...

Thank you.

Comments

Re: [Video]

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar looks a bit bashful, unused to any type of gratitude but he keeps his smile]

Well alright then, I shall be over there as soon as I can.

[He's pretty sure he can find his way.]

[Video]

[puzzlingly]

「 See him giving him a thumbs up... yeah he just did that. 」

Re: [Video]

[imhisaunt]

[And Delmar will, so as not to be rude, awkwardly give one back before putting his phone away, packing up his satchel, and getting his coat.

He then makes his way to the address Atem has provided for him, knocking timidly when he gets to the door]

[puzzlingly]

「 The door is open, man! Because foam might as well made its way all over the ground floor, be careful with your shoes. Still the teen pokes his head from behind one particularly big fluffy soapy cloud. This is ridiculous... 」

Hey, 「 He lifts a hand in a kind of awkward greeting. 」 I'm, hmm, trying to get some of this stuff through the windows...

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar is timid as he steps inside. Oh god, it's even worse than he feared. Never mix the soaps, Atem.

Never. Mix. the Soaps.]

A-are you alright?

[First things first.]

You need to be careful, you could slip and fall on all of this.

[puzzlingly]

「He knows that now! At least he will not repeat it.」

I'm fine! I'm also very clean.

「Smirk, smirk... Look he needs to be positive. He needs to.」

Don't woooooo....--! [ Well, just as Delmar says that, his foot moves by its own, slipping on the floor! But absolutely nothing happens, he manages to keep balance and stop himself from falling and breaking something. He's so awfully thin, it could happen! ]

I'm good... You be careful.

「Not because he looks old or anything... Promise.」

[imhisaunt]

[The first comment actually makes Delmar laugh and chuckling he begins making his way through the minefield of suds.]

Don't you worry about me, I've certainly seen worse [A pause] ...well...not worse things with a washing mashing but certainly worse things than this.

[He stops and straightens]

Now. Where is the worst of it?

[puzzlingly]

The laundry room. 「 of course. he says as he jerks his head toward a room behind him and next to a bathroom. 」

The bedrooms are safe.

「 All six of them being in the first floor. Why on earth does he needs all this space for? Eh... it's spacious, the apartments seemed too small to him. 」

What could possibly be worse than a laundry accident.

「 His curiosity has been piqued, maybe a way to know a bit more about this stranger. As nice as he might seem, Atem needs to be careful around people. Especially after Lance's advice and his own personal history with... huh, psychopaths. No offense, Delmar, it comes with the title.」

[imhisaunt]

[A nod and Delmar is headed towards the laundry room, only casting a glance back over his shoulder to acknowledge Atem's question]

Oh well, something like a battlefield is much worse. I wish the war had been against a washing machine, that would have been better.

[He pokes his head into the laundry room]

Though certainly your washing machine is putting up a good fight

[puzzlingly]

Hmm. Same.

「 Wars... huh? How could this child even know anything about wars, really...」

Heh, I'll give it an A for effort.

[imhisaunt]

[He is about to ask if Atem has a mop available but the young man's comment belatedly clicks in Delmar's mind and he pauses, turning to look at him fully]

Were you in the war too? You're awfully young...

[Do they really recruit so young now?]

[puzzlingly]

「There it goes, not that he minds at all, it's not a secret after all. He does look over his shoulder, considering his answer anyway.」

I... actually lead it. Hmm. It's complicated.

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar's mouth hangs agape for a long moment. He wants to ask. An unfinished word dies in his throat as an awkward sound before he thinks better of it]

I-I'm sorry. That's none of my business to be asking about.

[But god help him he is a strange mixture of shocked, confused, and curious]

Um...do you have a mop?

[puzzlingly]

「Oh dear... he's sorry? A little?」

Ah, I think so? I don't know.

「He slides through the room and towards the kitchen, maybe it's there! Or maybe it's in the bathroom? Housekeeping, how do?」

...I don't mind you asking, by the way.

「It can be heard from the kitchen.」

[imhisaunt]

About the mop?

[Delmar asks in sincere misunderstanding]

[puzzlingly]

That too!

「Nope, it doesn't seem to be here. Maybe in the laundry room itself? There he goes sliding again! Easier than trying to stroll normally around, too soapy.」

[imhisaunt]

[His eyes follow the young man sliding about the hallways in awe]

Well, I do have a question....

[A moment to muster his courage before gesturing towards his own head]

...how did you get your hair to do that?

[puzzlingly]

「Oh, Delmar, you sweet man. That makes Atem laugh. Albeit, briefly, it feels good.」

It--it just does? I would show you pictures of me as a child but I'm afraid photographs weren't invented yet, and my family's portraits must be dust by now.

「Oh hey, HEY there is a mop behind the washing machine! Success!」

[imhisaunt]

Really?? That's amazing.

[He's never heard of such a thing: being born with pre-styled hair let alone being born with pre-styled hair as the result of genetic heritage]

So how long ago do you come from then? I know a lot of people come from much later than I do so I was beginning to think it was just me.

[puzzlingly]

「Oh no you should see him when he rolls out of bed, just as messy, but sticking up all the same.」

What do you mean?

「It's that bit he adds about himself that confuses him a little.」

[imhisaunt]

Oh. Well you said you came from before photography was invented. I am from much later than that but then I know a lot of people here come from even later than I do. Some of them come from 2017.

[Ok. By 'a lot of people' he essentially means the two people he talks to consistently - Harlan and Michael]

[puzzlingly]

「Given the very early reaction, Atem bites his lower lip before replying, he's not about to lie, but it may be a little too much.」

Assuming you mean you come from Earth. Originally I come from around 1200 B.C. Also, from the 20th century, though I spent less time there.

「Is that awfully confusing? He hopes not.」

[imhisaunt]

[Yeah no that's extremely straightforward and easy to comprehend. Except not]

You can be from both?

[Being from 1200 B.C. is already impressive, and he'll have questions about that eventually, but its miraculous to be from both the ancient past and the future.

Mind. Blown.]

Are you a time-traveler? I've read about them in books...

[puzzlingly]

If only! That'd be cool. No... I... Hmm, it may be something a little more simple, maybe.

「Here goes nothing.」

I died a long time ago, and when that happened, my spirit got sealed in an ancient item and many years later, I was released into the modern world. And then Hadriel happened.

「Oh, that sounds much better than what he's been dramatically explaining, he's getting the hang of this. Right?」

[imhisaunt]

Oh my. You have been through a lot.

[He's both fascinated and horrified]

You poor dear.

[Yup. He's doubling down on that.]