duel 4. ( video ) If my armor breaks I'll fuse it back together

[puzzlingly]

「Atem comes up on the screen, looking more than exhausted, with big bags under his usually fiery eye(s), the Millennium Eye in his left socket, however, keeping its cold, golden appearance, imperturbable as ever. He does not look at the screen then he starts speaking, his normal eye, empty, as he looks at something else. A someone, in fact, but he will not show Kain's body on the feed, however, it would be terribly disrespectful.」

My friends, my comrades, hear me out–! 「He starts, his voice nearly broken, but starts taking strength after a few words.」 Most of you don't know me, but I already think of you as my friends, as my family! We all are, in the end, in this together! Together, until the very end, until we are victorious.

「He finally looks at the screen, a little fire showing in his eyes at last, his words firmer, passionate as he goes on.」

And I assure you, we will be, because I believe in every one of you!

I know it hurts, I know it's hard, that this is not your fight, but they've made it so! You will rest your tired bones and your tired souls when they are all gone. We will mourn those who haven't been returned to us when the time comes. Because–they will be back.

You have fought for yourselves, for those you love, for a future that has yet to come, for Hope and the hope in your heart.

And that's why I come to you today, to plead you to give me your hope, your rage and your sadness, the love for those you're fighting for — give me everything you've got and let us give one last stand! Only one more, I promise you — send the Null this message, let them know that we are not going down! Not today, not ever! Because we are in this together!

Just a little more, my friends... It will be over, soon.

「That's it, that is all he says, one last look at Kain's body before him and he brings the feed to an end.」


( private: Law )

... Tell me you're still alive...

「Unlike his previous message to the whole Network in which he seemed to gather strength as he went on, he looks absolutely crushed.

Why Law, though? Why not Delmar, why not Lup or even Bakura, why not the rest of his friends? Because Atem has witnessed two of the strongest men he's ever known, die right in front of him...」

Comments

[Not Here]

[imhisaunt]

[There's a high cost to keeping one's heart open. To keeping oneself gentle and loving despite everything. Every loss hits you with its full horrific force and you start to feel like you'll never know how to breathe again without crying, without your throat closing in an angry, burning rejection of the very air trying to reach your lungs.

Where he sits, red face buried behind his hands, Delmar has no words of his own. Only voices at the back of his mind. Michael's and Harlan's. Words of friendship. Reassurance.

A single hand reaches out to weakly clutch the foot of the bear Harlan had given him.

Today Delmar just wants to curl into a ball and live within his memories of his friends.]

[private]

[hot_mes]

[if he's over-long in responding it's because he was asleep - for once]

Of course I am.

[it seems like only audio at first, but that's because he's got his hand over the phone. It peels away to show that he's in his apartment - at least, that sure is his flag still on the wall, even if there's a hole next to it.]

[private]

[puzzlingly]

「There is a moment in which there is only feed noise, Atem staring into the screen and then he lets out a silent breath he didn't realize he had been holding followed a rather short, a little strangled:」

--good.

[private]

[hot_mes]

[keep it together, pharaoh]

Nice speech. Guess you really are a king.

[private]

[puzzlingly]

It was not-- Shut up.

「Rude.」

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Quietly. ] We are in this together, as you say. And we will either win it or all die together.

[ Seeing the Eye. ] What the hell is that thing doing in your head?

[puzzlingly]

「Not as quietly:」 Curufin, I am not letting anyone else die, I am not!...

「Oh, hadn't you seen his lovely new eye?」

The Eye? Just an old thing... Don't worry about it.

[so_dark_a_road]

All you can do is your best. Who died? [ Because Atem's cry from the heart doesn't sound general, but personal. ]

[ Nope! Not since the Dreamwalker episode. But in the dream, Atem didn't have the Eye, the old priest did. It gifted its wearer with the alarming power of summoning a person's ka to emerge. ]

An old thing, right. [ A snicker that is reminiscent of the bandit Curufn in the dream. ] Now what would you want with that ancient relic, Atem? Will it give you the power to embarrass a Null by showing it its own soul?

[puzzlingly]

... A friend, Kain.

「The a bit of surprised look as he drives a hand over the Eye.」

... Oh, you remember the Items... I forgot. It just... it's... 「He shakes his head.」 I was never able to see into them, I don't know if they'd have souls or not. I don't think they would.

「Sorry Curufin, he's not capable of joking right now.」

Private; voice

[filmthenight]

[Yea, don't think for a second that Tatara doesn't notice that look at something else, the exhaustion, that empty eye, the breaking voice. And, with that speech, Tatara thinks he can place together fairly well that this poor little guy has lost someone. So he's going to send this privately.]

That was a very admirable speech, very passionate. I'm sure it will help everyone get through this.

[A brief pause.]

Although, if you don't mind me asking so, how are you doing?

Private; voice

[puzzlingly]

「Atem hadn't really thought about the implications of what he simply had to say, he spoke from the heart, that was all, but this person says it might help, it gives him a little hope.」

I'm fine.

「He has to be, even though he hadn't moved from the spot where his friend died.」

Private; voice

[filmthenight]

[There's a very gentle smile in Tatara's tone, meant to be more soothing than anything else.]

I see. Well, that's at least something.

But, you know... it's okay, too, if you aren't alright. Being strong all the time doesn't mean being unbreakable. You're allowed to hurt, too. I think, if you feel pain, you shouldn't feel like you have to hide it.

Sometimes... getting your strength from others will make you even stronger in the end, that's what I think.

I know the clinic has its hands full right now, but if you feel like coming in for a break, I can make you something warm to drink. If only so you can catch your breath.

[That's the guise, at least, to help Atem come in for a little while. He's certainly not going to pester the other man to say or do anything he doesn't want to. But, if he can even bring him some ease, then that's something.]

Private; voice

[puzzlingly]

...

「Atem listens and... well, it sure makes him pause for a moment, his thoughts, what he's doing — he bites his lower lip when he feels his throat shut, he swallows, hard. There is nothing he wouldn't wish to do more than rest and forget for a moment. But he doesn't have time for this.」

I can't. Not yet. You better keep your hands free for someone who really needs it.

video;

[lemontree]

[ Dany listens, smiles faintly to herself. Thinks about her own experiences thus far in Hadriel and beyond, and what Atem has told her over time.

When she appears over the feed, she dips her chin in acknowledgment. ]

Well said. I am with you.

video;

[puzzlingly]

Daenerys. 「He's so glad to see her safe.」 Thank you.

video;

[lemontree]

I've done nothing worth thanking. I thought it would be better, if the Null could return us, but - clearly, they are our enemies. We must stand together in the face of their senseless violence.

[ She will not stand by and see her friends fall. ]

video;

[puzzlingly]

「He gives her a brief nod but then he looks away (at Kain).」

There is nothing else I would love more than returning home... I-- I've waited for so long. But this is not the way.

video;

[restinglichface]

Baller speech.

[Lup doesn't exactly look her best, cut up and bruised with a shirt still covered in too much blood, but she grins at Atem through the phone anyway.]

Didn't know rallying the troops was one of your hobbies, kid.

video;

[puzzlingly]

「Hey... It takes him a moment but her own grin makes him give her one smirk. Not one of his best, but he tries.」

What can I say...? I guess old habits die hard.

「He does notice how awful she looks tho. Eh, why keep it on introspection?」

You look awful.

[restinglichface]

Fuck off, I look as hot as ever.

[She certainly doesn't, but let a girl live, atem.]

Stayin' out of trouble? Or that weirdo eye thing proof you're gettin' deep into shit?

[puzzlingly]

Yeah, sure you do.

Hey, it's the sole thing that's been keeping me alive. 「Don't shame his weirdo Eye like that! It'll cry」 Can't say the same for others...

「It's very hard to keep the smirk when faced with that.」

[video]

[fadeling]

[This is not a very good video--it mostly shows the cave's ceiling and a lot of steam, but at least the voice is recognizable? Maybe one day Cole will actually learn how to use these things...]

It's more than nothing but less than something. The whispers weave more worries when they have to be thought. Hope is hard right now.

[video]

[puzzlingly]

「what dis... Oh... Okay that voice, he knows is by heart now.」

Hope is all we have left right now, Cole.

「He's not sure if he means the so called god or... not.」

Re: [video]

[fadeling]

[Sorry, bro, he's bad at technology]

I know. But it's too small to see sometimes. Now it sighs, soft and sad. People hurt and can't be helped.

[Pause]

They're trying.

[video]

[puzzlingly]

I know... I am... I want to think I am. Are you? Are you trying? Are you okay?