duel 9. video

[puzzlingly]

「There is this guy, finally showing his face on the network after like a month or so of chilling at Hope's temple. He smiles widely at the camera.」

Hey... What did I miss?

「How long has it even been...? Please don't say 3,000 years...」

Um, thanks for the umbrellas, by the way... to whoever did that. 「He pans the camera to the umbrella fort that someone made around him, it's got the most stylish umbrellas~

He manages to get out of there and then his face lights up like if it was Christmas Day.」

... Kaiba, guess what?! They are here! The Duel Disk pieces! You can finally put it together and stop being so moody! Thanks, Hope!

「He shows them to the camera as well, a bunch of electronic little pieces scattered here and there on Hope's altar, he picks up one gently and examines it, yep, he has no idea what it does. Any other day he would have just skipped this and go look for his friend privately, but this is way too cool to let it pass! Everyone has to know! Specially the moody part.」

Come on, come help me carry these so we can have that duel!


( ooc: coming out of meditative state will make this guy extra emotional to absolutely everything and might explode at the most stupid things, this will last a couple of days. take this is a blanket apology <3 )

Comments

[puzzlingly]

Well, it is not, so your point is null.

「He still pouts... maybe because he's right 」

And yet you're taking forever to get here.

[allthecards]

[Throw it in his face that he can't jet or helicopter across the islands.]

Did your coma erase the fact that traveling between islands takes time?

[puzzlingly]

Yeahhhh... it did not because I didn't know!

I didn't go out exploring at all before going through this so you could get the parts as soon as possible! So stop trying to blame me for stupid things and just hurry the hell up!

「Yeah it is not Kaiba's imagination, he's yelling louder than usual.」

Video / Action

[allthecards]

[He does pick up on the difference in normal tone. It's been a long time since Atem had sounded actually angry at him.

However conceding the point would take words, and it was better to just act. ]

Tceh. Just wait.

[Disconnects on the phone and focuses on getting to the temple. This would be the time for one of the near constant rainfall to start up again. He shows up eventually, slightly wet and under under one of the less ridiculous umbrellas.]

[puzzlingly]

「The moment Kaiba disconnects, Atem flinches — how dare him!? He can feel the anger filling him quickly, it nearly makes him toss the phone directly to a wall, but the thought of giving the CEO the satisfaction of telling him how much of a neanderthal he is when it comes to electronics actually stops him from it.

Atem waits instead, pacing angrily around the temple, muttering stuff like "stupid Kaiba" and "he's such ass" until he finally calms down. He goes wait for Kaiba at the entrance of the temple, an umbrella over his head and a massive pout in his face, but time keeps passing and he has to start wondering how far the islands are from each other. Perhaps he should have waited to do this, gather his bearings before enclosing himself in the temple — for a month, nonetheless — but, he was just so excited for this, just, to do something for Kaiba for once, after all, all he had done while in Hadriel was antagonize him and disappoint him.

The Pharaoh doesn't even notice the moment he puts down his umbrella in a rather defeated manner just a few after he sat down at the entrance steps, now overwhelmed with other feelings, inadequacy, sadness, even. He's not a good friend and the fact Kaiba hates him was enough proof. He had had told Atem before, and no matter what he did, they were never going to be friends. A few minutes later, it's clear to him that Kaiba will not get there, that he doesn't care, even after what he did for him — losing an entire month of his life, sure, it wasn't three millennia but...

And so when Kaiba finally gets to the temple, Atem is drenched to the bone, looking more like an abandoned kitten under the rain, basically, miserable. It takes the Pharaoh more than a moment to realize that Kaiba is there, getting closer, and when he does, it is like if he had never seen him before—

he sprung. Like a trap that had been awaiting release, he stands, his face showing way too much surprise and a quivering lip; it takes a second for a hesitant but relieved smile to take shape.」

You came...「What does that mean...?」 I thought... I thought you wouldn't... 「Why is this happening? He cannot help feeling so overwhelmed.」

[allthecards]

[ Kaiba had brooded (not pouted) the entire way to the other island. By the time he got there, he had worked it out that Atem had no reason to be actually upset with him. Kaiba hadn't asked him to put himself into a coma for a fucking month in tribute to some 'god.' That was all Atem. If he'd told him this idiotic plan, he could have talked him out of it. They could have found another way, or forced the 'gods' to give them what they needed.

This was all Atem's stupidity, and Kaiba had every reason to be pissed off at the third disappearing act delaying their duel.

He was ready with a long speech to that affect as he stomped up to the temple, but as always Atem ruined his best laid plans.]

...

[He had never seen his rival look so...dejected. It was weird. Instead of delivering his speech, he turned his head sharply to the side and changed the subject.]

Couldn't find an umbrella?

[puzzlingly]

「As Kaiba looks away, Atem seems to drill his eyes on him instead. The apparent rejection he showed seems to dissipate and no he cannot help but look at his friend with more than a amiable demeanor. He's honestly just plain happy (all sudden...) that Kiaba did get there, after everything. For him, or the disk, he doesn't know, but he's there and that's all that matters now.」

Ah...

「When he stood, he dropped the umbrella he had been carrying, quickly, he goes pick it up, put it once again over his head with a bit of a relaxed smirk, it doesn't matter that he's already drenched. Apparently Kaiba's presence is enough for now.」

Got more in there.

「Whatever anger that had been there before is pretty much gone too.」

Are you going to stand there all day?

[allthecards]

[First they were fighting (which was mostly normal, though a little more venomous than usual), then he was sad, now he was happy. He stares down his nose at him, his confusion looking more like distaste.]

I know. I saw. Everyone saw the ridiculous fort.

[He walks past Atem into the temple as if he knows where he's going.]

Tceh, you better not have gotten the parts wet.

[puzzlingly]

I didn't touch them. They are too important for me to ruin them.

「There, that's him accepting he's not good at that. That much he can give.

He follows Kaiba inside. The temple is quite simple anyway, there is nothing in there and further ahead there is the altar with the pieces. They are way too many for Atem to know if they are complete or not but they should be.

Giving him the time he might need, Atem looks at him expectantly, he's not sure for what exactly, maybe... some approval.」

Will they work?

[allthecards]

[Kaiba finds the altar easily enough, and stops short at the out of place electronics. As much as he had wanted this to work, he wasn't certain that it would. But there it was, proof that the 'gods' could provide when properly motivated.]

Yes.

[Said solemnly with the beginning of a evil shit eating grin.]

[puzzlingly]

「Atem can see that grin and he couldn't feel prouder. It flutters warmly in his chest and makes him give Kaiba the widest grin he can pull of (he cannot give him any other at the moment), everything was worth it. Everything.」

Come on, then! Let's get this thing started!

「He hasn't felt like this... since the time he actually had to duel Kaiba in the Battle City finals. Sure, things then weren't exactly perfect then, with Marik's evil doings, but even for a moment, he allowed himself to enjoy their encounter and Kaiba was everything he could have ever asked in an opponent. Hewas, after all, one of the best duelists Atem had ever had the honor of meeting and even more so, triumph over.」

[allthecards]

It still needs to be put together.

[The rebuke was so mild, it could barely be called that. He was excited, wasn't able to admit it by smiling like a loon.]

A day. Then we duel.

[He looked back over his shoulder, and raised an eyebrow] Think you can keep from disappearing for that long?

[puzzlingly]

A day only? That's actually impressive.

「If only Kaiba would have kept is mouth shut, however. The smile fades slightly, giving way to some confusion.」

... What do you mean?

[allthecards]

Of course it is. ['Actually' impressive? Of course it's impressive. Everything about the duel disk is impressive.]

I mean, don't disappear again. Stay awake, corporeal, and on this island. Think you can handle that?

[puzzlingly]

「The confusion is now surprise, and it takes Atem a little moment to respond to that. He's not sure what to say, even though all of what Kaiba says makes perfect sense.」

... I will try. Actually, I... I wanted to see you put it together, if you'd let me.

[allthecards]

You...want to watch?

[He can't think of why Atem would be interested. It's not like he would understand, or be able to make his own or repair it later.]

I'm not going to explain what I'm doing. I didn't promise a training camp.

[puzzlingly]

「If Kaiba were to voice his thoughts, maybe even Atem would agree, but that wasn't the point.」

That's fine. I just wanna see how you do it.

「He just wants to spend time with his friend too.」

[allthecards]

[He still doesn't get it, but he can't think of a reason against it. It'll be easier to keep him from disappearing again if nothing else.]

Do what you want. Just don't get in the way.

[puzzlingly]

I will not.

「He so will.」

Where do you wanna go now?

「The lab? His home? Atem's?」