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

[puzzlingly]

「Everybody needs help... Heh, he sometimes still needs to hear it, figures.」

What about you, what's your story?

「You're a good guy so far, please keep being a good guy. He tries to help him anyway, at least removing as much foam as he can from the path. It's losing its fluffiness, that's good.」

[imhisaunt]

My story isn't very exciting, I'm afraid. But, hmmm, let's see... [Its only fair of him to share after he was asking Atem all those questions]

I grew up in Brooklyn then I went to the war with the rest of the boys and when I came back I moved to Queens. That's pretty much the long and short of it.

[He finally gets a hold of the mop and holds it up in victory as if it were excalibur]

There we are!

[puzzlingly]

Well done!

「Here, good sir, you've earned another thumbs up.」

A New Yorker. Is it as neat as they say it is?

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar wastes no time in getting started with the mop, talking as he works]

Well there are lots of nice things about New York, bridges and parks and museums.... But perhaps I'm not the best person to ask. You see I've not ever gotten to travel very much away from New York.

[He takes a moment's pause in pushing one mountain of foam into another]

You should really ask Harlan. He would be able to tell you all kinds of things about New York. He's very smart, you know.

[puzzlingly]

「Atem, meanwhile, just stares at the other work, he would help but... how?」

Hmm, yeah. I've talked to him. I might ask.

「Talking, texting... same thing. But he wants to know about Delrmar, not about Harlan! It takes Atem a moment to speak again, making a few calculations in his mind.」

So you... fought in the war?

「Which one, though? It's not like he paid too much attention during his little host's classes, to be honest.」

[imhisaunt]

[You don't want to know about Harlan? Sounds fake but ok.]

Mmhm. All the boys my age did. [Though when he says 'boys' he means it more generally for 'anyone who went up for the draft' which had been anyone between the ages of 26 and 45. Delmar had been 34. So not so much a 'boy' so to speak, but as a young man who had never strayed farther than Jersey in his entire life, he might as well have been]

My battalion went to France and Italy to fight the Germans.

[puzzlingly]

「He wants to know alright! But it's Delmar's time!」

Why?

[imhisaunt]

Why were we fighting the Germans?

[It's an instinctive reaction for him to be surprised that someone doesn't know. The war had been so all-encompassing at the time that it still had its claws sunk deep into the world even 23 years later. It had been worked into the marrow of everyone he knew. But Delmar's sense of reason follows quickly enough to remind him that this young man does not share that same history.

He straightens, mop in a resting position between his hands]

They were hurting a lot of people. People who couldn't defend themselves.

[puzzlingly]

And you defended them.

「That's pretty much all he needs to know. Why he got involved, had he been forced, had he volunteered himself. And in the end, he's glad he didn't specify. There is his answer. He is a good man indeed.

He approaches to him and attempts to take the mop from him.」

Can you teach me how to do it?

「Delmar did his duty to the world already, this useless Pharaoh needs to learn how to mop his own messes, man. 」

[imhisaunt]

Well, I hope so.

[It didn't feel so simple at the time and seems less simple the older he gets.]

Eventually the war ended, we managed to save a lot of them. Though I'm afraid there were also a lot we couldn't save.

[There's a sad, distant expression that passes across his face before he raises his eyebrows in surprise.]

Teach you how to do this? Well-um-well sure if you want

[He awkwardly hands over the mop]

Well you start by gripping it just here [He points to the specific areas of the handle] And then you sort of do this motion

[Delmar air mops to demonstrate]

[puzzlingly]

There will always be some sacrifices to be made... for a better good, they would say.

「It will never be easy, but trying is good enough.

But, yeah right, moping. He does as told, albeit a little clumsy but he does seem to put the effort. Ah... manual work, this is so not for him, but, sure whatever, he's stuck here for now.

He looks up at Delmar for approval. Is this okay, gramps?」

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar gives an encouraging grin]

Yes, very good! You are a very quick learner.

[He would have said that even if you had fallen flat on your face, Atem, but in Delmar's defense he still would have meant it because trying is the first and most important step!]

So... [Falters] ....what...what war were you a part of? Why were you fighting?

[puzzlingly]

「That question earns Delmar a scrutinizing stare, but he keeps moping after as he ponders how to reply. The sudden weight of the years seem to reflect on those apparently young eyes as he thinks about it. He looks awfully tired for such a young man.

There had been many fights, some that he wouldn't even consider worth of mentioning. Why would he when the tremendous force they had ended on getting their hands on would obliterate their enemies almost without effort?

Heh... he really had been a ruthless King, hadn't he? For his people, for the safety of his country. It doesn't change that fact, however, even if it was the way things were done then.

And then there had been this big fight, the one he would consider as his personal war, even. One that in these modern times would sound ridiculous, going by Kaiba's scepticism. How do you explain you fought against the Darkness and won? That you saved the whole world from its destruction? History books do not keep records of that, only ancient, undiscovered tablets.

Let's go for the one he can explain. 」

Ancient ones that I doubt are recorded anywhere. Enemies would come knocking on our doors, always envious of what we had become, of the power we had.「It was true, as petty as it would sound.」 We fought for the glory of Egypt. For peace, for our right to... be.

「Ah, the irony, fighting for peace? It sounds so stupid. His father would agree, but...

There is some pride in his words, but doesn't sound entirely convinced about it. Next to Delmar's altruistic reasons, his seemed to lose their bright.」

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar's gaze holds Atem intently and he begins to worry that he should have stuck to his first instinct and never asked. War is a hard thing to talk about if you knew it from the inside. It never washes out, and it saddens Delmar to think that maybe he has reminded Atem of that brand of deeply aching memories that only war can leave behind.

When the young man answers, Delmar blinks slowly. Fighting for power and for peace does not sound too far afield from what they fight for now. Or in his now, at least]

Did you get peace?

[puzzlingly]

「Did they? He nods, slowly.」

I would like to think so.

[imhisaunt]

[A smile]

I am glad.

[Delmar then grabs for a rag to start trying to clean off the suds that have nested around the washer itself]

You must have seen so many amazing things [He can't help sounding a bit wistful and envious] I have always wanted to see Egypt. The pyramids...the Nile... it must be wonderful.

[He's seen a lot of pictures in books. Delmar is an avid reader and curious about anything and everything by nature.]

[puzzlingly]

「Bad memories aside, Atem welcomes and smiles at the ones Delmar's comment bring in.」

It was. It still is but I guess it's changed a lot.

「A beat.」

What stopped you?

[imhisaunt]

[He doesn't answer right away]

I guess fear. When I was young the world just seemed so big, and I've never been particularly smart or brave, so I suppose I always felt I wouldn't be able to...well...do anything.

[Delmar's smile turns sad. It hurts to think of all the things he should have done, could have done, if it had not been for his own fear that the world didn't want him there to begin with.

He turns his attention back to his cleaning]

And now I'm afraid I'm too old for any of that.

[puzzlingly]

「He listens to that and... wait, didn't he go to the war? DIdn't he do something absolutely crazy and brave?! Ah... he is that kind of person... The incredibly kind and a little insecure kind... Just like someone he knows.」

Old-- ?!

「Excuse him, he chuckles at that. He doesn't mean to be mean however. It is mostly surprising. If anything the old one here it's this kid. 」

Why, how old are you?

[imhisaunt]

I'm 63 years old

[Delmar pouts a little playfully then, catching on to what Atem is getting at]

But you haven't aged a day for thousands of years. This old body is much more worn out than yours

[There's a hint of mirth at the corners of Delmar's mouth as he says that. It's also a bit odd for him to say, because although it is true that his hair has long since gone silver, Delmar is markedly lean and fit for a man his age and has few wrinkles. He clearly takes care to look after himself.]

[puzzlingly]

Believe me, it's not as cool as it sounds.

「He keeps a gentle smile as he goes on.」

Delmar, the age of your vessel shouldn't matter. But your heart's, your spirit's. Besides, you seem pretty sturdy still!

[imhisaunt]

[He's not altogether sure what to make of his body being called 'his vessel', in fact the phrasing leaves him blinking dumbly for a moment before he chuckles softly]

Well, I like the sound of that.

[He can't say for sure how old his heart or his spirit is but he fancies they idea of it not being withered and grey]

That is a very beautiful sentiment, Atem.

[puzzlingly]

It's the truth, friend.

「Oh no, Delmar, you're screwed, buddy. You're a friend now. He gives him one last smile and he goes on with the moping.」