synthneon | YGO PSL | ❝ shadows in the city, like a demon in the dark, come to tear us apart. ❞

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YGO PSL | ❝ shadows in the city, like a demon in the dark, come to tear us apart. ❞

			STARGAZING
		

( continued from here). it's time for sad duels and talking with dragon wife! )

[ It's so frustrating. Yugi feels as if his words can't pierce whatever dark cloud hangs over his other self. It sticks to him like wet clothes and he's unable to just rip them off. It's a side of Atem that Yugi has never seen before, and, part of him wonders if he really can help remove that shadow. He's unable to forgive himself for being human and having a moment of weakness. A moment with dire fallout and consequences, but, they overcame it. Dartz's soul is freed, the darkness beaten back for at least a little while, and they all lived to see it through.

Yugi can't think of more to ask for. He knows that his other self is looking for something or someone to tell him that it's alright in the end. Except, even if Atem hears it, will he believe it? Despite his constant reassurances and remarks, he can see how that shadow haunts the eyes of the usually confident spirit.

Well... Yugi isn't going to give up. He's going to keep trying to convince Atem and show him what he can.

It just might be something he can't do alone.

A determined look comes to his eyes and he is already walking past Atem. He isn't dismissing the older spirit or the look he gives him. Instead, he's pulling on his school jacket. He looks back at Atem, knowing it looks a little ridiculous that he has his jacket on over his pajamas and socks to top it off. It's as close as he's going to get to wearing slippers though.

Cultural habits never really die. ]

Come on, we're going. [ No room for debate in his tone. ] I can feel you want to ask me something. So, ask along the way.

[ They're going and that's final.

He just knows that if he tell Atem where they're going that he'll insist they don't. There will be a million reasons as to why they shouldn't, while ignoring the main reason they should. In Yugi's mind, there's one other person that can help him shake the shadow that hangs over his partner. She helped Atem when Yugi couldn't. Who else can he ask? ]

And don't think about backing out of whatever it is you want to ask me. I'll pester you the whole way there until you do.

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You act as if I've liked any of this since all this insanity started.

[ He hasn't - if she was wondering.

Some man named Seto saved her. The ironic naming convention hasn't escaped him. Of course, it isn't some man. He's very aware of the implications and unsaid words. Does he remember such a time? He would say no. There are scenes - flashes of the briefest of moments. The only thing he had that was close to a proper "memory" was what both he and Yugi saw during the clash at Battle City. ]

No. I haven't studied much on ancient magic.

[ His attention lies in how to advance technology, not learning what the past used to do. The scar on his arm stings at the thought of it. ]

So, go on. Educate me.

[ That actually makes her smile; not because she's laughing at him, but because she can at least imagine how hard this must all be for him. ]

If I told you that you could choose to turn away from all this, I would, but it wouldn't be true. [ And so she refrains from doing that. It seems that the past and present are too closely intertwined for that to even be possible. ]

I don't understand all of this myself, but as I understand it, you must have Ba to summon Ka. Ba is the energy needed to channel Ka, you see.

[ Again, she isn't sure how much she ought to tell him, that there's a fine balance between Ba and Ka, and if it gets disrupted, the consequences are dire. ]

[ It's definitely a challenge, but, Kaiba is never one to shy away from one. If he's really going to really ever triumph over Yugi, then he he needs to address all of this. Especially if the woman from his past will continue to be around him. He'd rather be in control of the situation then leave it all up to the whims of fate. ]

One is the tenacity to summon a monster, and the other is a monster itself. [ That isn't a hard thing to grasp. He turns to lean against the desk and cross his arms as he eyes her. ] How does that relate to you and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon?

[ His questions are direct, even pointed, but she doesn't mind them. She glances down at herself then, as if noting (not for the first time) that she's really not all that strong, at least not in the sense of being able to fend off an attacker or other form of danger. Kaiba may not understand the significance of that, but she plans to explain as best as she can. ]

I think- [ She pauses for a moment, wanting to collect her thoughts before she goes on. ] I think that I wanted to protect the people that I care about, and the White Dragon allowed me to do that. By calling the dragon, I could fight and be strong in a different sort of way.

[ She hopes that makes sense. She isn't the most physically strong, but her connection with the dragon gives her strength and the ability to protect people, namely Seto, as she knew him in the past, and Kaiba as he is now. ]

[ The White Dragon allowed her to protect the people she cared about?

Kaiba falls silent as he thinks her statement over. So, the White Dragon was -- or is -- tied to her and the same of the reverse. It is a creature that responded to her need of protection. His eyes close as he tilts his head down. At some point she died in front of him, and then he was able to call forth the White Dragon. Which would mean that by calling on the creature, Kisara inevitably will appear. His affinity towards the dragon carried into his time now, and Kisara followed that to him? It sounds ludicrous and doesn't quite sound right.

There's still facts he is missing in all of this. ]

You died. [ A statement of cold truths. She died in his arms. Somehow, he finds part of him still hurts at that the fact. Still, he feels as if both of them can handle it. ] So, you're telling me, that even then, you can't unbind from the Blue-Eyes White Dragon?

[ Of course he gets right to the heart of the matter. He wouldn't be him if he didn't. When he makes that statement about her demise, she merely nods. It's an event that happened, and it's one that she'd do again in a second if she had to. ]

Yes, I did. [ It's then that she reaches for him so she can lightly touch his hand. If he wants to pull away, she understands. ] So it seems.

[ And just because she desires to understand where he's coming from, she asks: ]

Do you wish for that to be possible? [ It's difficult for her to imagine, but she wants to hear his thoughts on the subject. ]

[ Well, at least she isn't hung up on the fact she's dead. It seems that he is the one with unresolved emotional reactions. How unbecoming -- how unlike him. He crosses his arms as he listens to her. Her question makes him shrug slightly. ]

It is a question of logistics. Are you able to or not? Have you never thought of moving onto the afterlife? Otherwise you'll just be attached to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon for the rest of your existence. Is that something you want?

Or have you never bothered to think about something like that?

[ It isn't as though her death could be reversed because she expressed her displeasure because of it. There's other things she wishes to do besides rail about the apparent unfairness of her demise. And as far as his emotional reactions are concerned, she's the last person who would judge him for having them. He's only human, after all.

In response to his question, she shakes her head. ]

I don't believe that's possible. I'm not sure how a person would separate us, but I-

[ She presses her lips together then, knowing she has only one answer to the question of what she wants. ]

I have thought about it, but why would I want to move onto the afterlife?

[ Perhaps her understanding is incorrect, but part of her doesn't think so. ]

You're here. [ In her mind, that is reason enough. ]

[ His eyes narrow, but not in anger or annoyance. So, she remains here because he is. Which means the memories he has are truly his. He had fought the spirit of the Pharaoh in ancient times with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The vision he saw in Battle City was accurate, even if he had denied it for all to see. It also means the vision in which he saw her death was true. ]

So? What will you do once it is time for me to die? Find another reason to hang around with some hope I come back a third time?

[ He lets out a sigh. ] Kisara. As long as you're going to remain here? Then we need to discuss how we will operate from now on. Which means we come to an agreement that benefits both parties.

[ Putting it in the realm of business is the easiest way for him to take al of it in. He denies the occult at face value, but he would be an idiot to deny how it exists. Especially when it comes to the point of Yugi and the spirit in the Millennium Puzzle. Now, with how it is for Kisara and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

If he can't escape it? Then, he may as well make it useful to him. ]

[ She remains here because she still loves him, even if he's different from the man she knew from Egypt. But where there are differences, there are also similarities, such as his pointed way of speaking. It's something she loves about him, even if sometimes his words sting more than she cares to admit.

In response, she just quietly shakes her head. ] When it's your time, that will also be when I depart from this world. [ It would be foolishness to remain in hopes that he somehow returns, especially since she's already lingered here as long as she has. ]

All right, then, let's discuss it. [ She doesn't have the same kind of business acumen that he does, given who she is and where she's from, but if this is how he wants to proceed, she'll comply. ]

I imagine that you already have some thoughts in mind.

Edited 2021-08-23 18:43 (UTC)

[ His eyes flicker to meet her gaze at that. When he departs from the world as well? Hm. So, she's only here because he was reborn. Why was that? Maybe it doesn't matter. What truly matters is the present. The past can't be changed. Those flashes of a previous life or emotions that seem to spring up now and then can be damned. ]

You've already stated your intentions of continuing to hover around me. [ Kaiba turns to look at her properly. ] I don't appreciate hovering. If you're going to be present then be present. Furthermore, if you're going to be here? I'd ask that you extend that watchful eye to Mokuba.

[ Then, a pause. ] What are your terms and conditions?

[ As to the why of it all, she doesn't know either. Perhaps she isn't the best person to ask about that, because her answer would be that she's here to be with him, and that when he finally goes to his rest, so does she. But that's just a guess on her part, not the truth. ]

All right, then I won't hover. [ Simple as that, at least in theory. ] And I can also do that. [ She only knows of his brother from what she's seen during the occasions she's made her appearances, but she already knows that her protective feelings for Kaiba could easily extend to Mokuba as well. ]

So businesslike. [ She can't help but smile, because she knows she doesn't think along the same lines as him. That might bother him on some level, but she isn't like him in that regard, so she hopes he'll be able to accept her as she is. ]

I don't think the same as you, Seto. I don't have any terms and conditions to suggest.

[ She knows he won't like that answer, but it's the only one she has. ]

[ The smile on her face makes him wonder. Not that her words aren't sincere or that she is lying. Instead, it's a smile similar to what he sees Yugi wear - the small one. Something brimming with sincerity but also mischief. ]

Of course it's businesslike. I'm a business man.

[ Was it any different three thousand years ago? Instead of a man of business he was a man of religion. Both hold the highest positions unbound by rules of government. Both were a way for the same soul to rise above the horrendous living conditions he was in as a child. Though, perhaps the life of a Priest was easier than being the son of Gozaburo Kaiba. Not that he remembers it. ]

We both know that's not entirely true, Kisara. [ A part of him remains that enjoys saying her name. Out loud, for the world to hear. Ws she a secret he kept? ] There's something you want from me, regardless of how kind of malicious it could be. If you're going to meet my demands then it's only fair that I meet yours.

[ One act for another. Fair, balanced, equal. Something tells him that it isn't something she'd be used to. ]

And I'm a girl that you saved from slavers.

[ She isn't pointing that out because she wants his pity or anything like that. He most likely doesn't even recall that was how they met. But while she had to do what she could just to survive, she's still just an ordinary girl who doesn't really have a lot of expectations or demands for anyone. And because of that, he's also right in thinking that she isn't used to being treated fairly or striking deals that are equal and balanced. ]

All I want from you, Seto, is for you to let me stay with you.

[ That's really the only demand she could possibly have, even though she already knows she doesn't have to even say it, because they both know that she's going to be staying for as long as she can. But he insisted, and so she just stated what is more or less the obvious. ]

[ ...slavers?

Kaiba's usual ice filled gaze seems to soften at that. No wonder she has been so loyal. Regardless of the time period, when one saves another from horrible circumstances, it creates that bond. He wonders then if he returned the notion. The flashes he has seen would suggest that he did... so what did she save him from? ]

Hmph. Well, you were going to do that without my approval anyways. I suppose for now, I'll continue to allow it.]

[ He's certain she can understand what he's saying without saying it. ]

[ As if she's guessed at what he's thinking, a warm smile crosses her face once more and she reaches out for him as though she wants to lightly place her hand against his face. She hesitates at the last minute, however, because she can't help but think that an affectionate, almost intimate touch won't be well received by him. ]

That's good. I'm glad to hear you say that.

[ "Relieved" is more accurate, but she leaves that unsaid. And part of her is still prepared to try and come up with some sort of terms and conditions that might satisfy him, as if he might still insist on her making herself clear on that score. ]

So, what happens now? [ Part of her knows a little about what he does during his day to day, but there's still so much that she doesn't know. ]

Do you have anything you need to do? Are you able to sleep at all?

[ Because it's late, of course, and she imagines that even he needs to sleep, at least a little. ]

[ His gaze snaps to her hand, but he doesn't move to stop her. Kaiba is certain that she acts as she wills and would only stop if she thought his reasoning was sound. Despite the fact she comes off as timid? He can tell there's a strength behind her eyes that pushes her forward. Why else would she remain bound to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon for thousands of years?

He gives a small laugh, something more along to a confident huff of air. His arms cross in front of him in the chair and he leans back. ]

I work. [ A nod to the screens around him. KaibaCorp is an international company that runs twenty-four seven. There's a reason he stopped going to high school. ] Technology doesn't stop to sleep and neither do I. Not when there are things out there that can take mine and Mokuba's dream away at any moment.

[ Dartz and his ridiculous god might be gone. Pegasus is no longer a threat, and neither are those that tried to steal his company. It's always something that tries to stop him. Even Yugi and the soul that resides in that Puzzle. ]

Or try to find new strategies to defeat Yugi.

[ ... a pathetic existence it must look like. Work, barely any sleep, and an obsession on beating a singular being. ]

[ She might not have all the business acumen that he does, but part of her surmises that even if she was able to, and she put aside that timid demeanor, he might view anything else as a challenge. Not that she thinks of that as a bad thing, because there's also a part of her that wants to be on the same page as him: not necessarily an equal, but someone who does more than timidly nod and smile and go along with every request when the time is right for such a thing. ]

Then I suppose it's a good thing that I don't need to sleep. [ She gives him a smile then, one that's noticeably wider than others she's given him previously. ] Or are you more interested in doing your work alone when all is quiet? [ She can understand having a need for that as well, and she'll respect that, of course. ]

So that is the main force that drives you? [ Her tone is neutral, as is her expression, but she doesn't hesitate to ask that question either. ] What happens when you've achieved your goal?

[ She doesn't doubt that he'll find something else to pursue, but until he does, she wonders if he'll flounder a bit. ]

[ He already sees her as someone on his level. She understands him, when some few do, and she has decided to stay with him for thousands of years. She is not afraid to state her mind or ask what may make him uncomfortable. Was this how it was in Ancient Egypt? Part of him balks at the idea he is even accepting the fact he existed three thousand years ago. However, too many things line up for him to deny it to himself or even to Kisara.

Her being here is enough of a testament to that.

The second question is what silences him. He frowns and looks out the window as his expression becomes reflective. There will always be something after the dream he and Mokuba desire becomes true. Changing the world is something to be done one step at a time. That is something that Yugi -- both of them -- has made him see, regardless of if he wants to admit it or not. As for the other goal... ]

I can finally let it all go once I've beaten him.

[ If only he really knew what it was. He once thought that beating the Pharaoh would mean he could rise above his past and all the troubles it bore. He had put all of that on that man alone, as if the Pharaoh represented it all. Kaiba was quickly torn down and proven wrong in Battle City. Once again what he viewed as his understanding of life was shattered by his greatest rival.

So... why does he feel he must beat the Pharaoh? What does it achieve, really? Why is that drive so embedded in him? What happens when he finally wins and surpasses that spirit? ]

Kisara. [ His gaze remains forward even if his tone has softened. ] There is a tablet in the Domino Museum. One that dates back thousands of years that shows Yugi and I dueling... with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the Dark Magician. Ishizu believed it was telling of how we would battle again.

I saw us duel in the past. Both of us saw it. You and me against him and his Magician. [ He turns to face her properly. ] Why were we dueling?

[ No, she certainly isn't afraid to speak her mind, but at the same time, she'll always view him as someone with greater status than her. In another life, he was a priest, and then Pharaoh, while all she's ever been is a simple village girl who just happens to have an affinity with a dragon. That hardly gives her status or the right to anything.

But he hasn't sent her away yet, so that's what she's decided to hold onto for the time being. ]

But will that be enough for you? [ That's something he'll have to address when he crosses that bridge. ] And will you finally be able to rest?

[ A man like him needs goals and objectives to focus on. What will he focus on after he's reached his goal of beating the Pharaoh? ]

I see. [ A part of her wondered if they would ever have this conversation. ] I believe that you and the Pharaoh were dueling because-

[ Here, she hesitates, because part of her feels like she shouldn't presume to speculate about what he was feeling or thinking. ]

You were angry, that much I know. [ It doesn't wholly answer the question, but she's still piecing together how best to respond. ] You didn't want to be used anymore. [ And as far as she can tell, he had been used quite a bit by the people around him, but not always from a place of maliciousness. The Pharaoh was good; Seto's father was not. That's the main difference for her. ]

I'll never rest. [ He holds his gaze with hers, unwavering, unbreaking. ] There is something Mokuba and I need to achieve and I won't stop until that's done.

Will it be enough? Hm. [ At that he folds his arms and thinks. Maybe once he's finally beaten Yugi -- the Pharaoh -- the need that claws down from his very soul will be put at ease. The need to prove himself worthy of the world and his place in it. ] Maybe.

[ The few pieces she shares puts a context to light. Feeling used by Yugi - either of them - isn't necessarily a new feeling. Even more so when it comes to his departed adopted father. It seems like some things were bound to repeat regardless of the time span between them. ]

I'm guessing I wasn't successful in winning against him then.

Never? [ She eyes him then, not sharply, but with a mixture of concern and an unspoken interest in helping him with whatever goals may drive him. ] But that something could be achieved with time, couldn't it? And then won't you be able to finally find your rest?

[ That's all she really wants for him, if she's being honest. He pushes himself so hard and with such determination, and while she understands that and even respects it, surely he must be tired, whether he'll admit to that or not. ]

I suppose that depends on how you define winning. [ One can lose a fight and still achieve a sort of victory, especially if "winning" isn't the ultimate or only goal. And in Seto's case, Kisara believes all of his goals are multi-layered and not only about winning. ]

You certainly unsettled him, I think. [ The confrontation was rather unexpected, or so it seemed from Kisara's perspective. And the differences between "inevitable" and "unexpected" might be minute, but they're still significant enough in her eyes. Seto and the Pharaoh might have been heading for that confrontation all along, but the twists and turns of it might not have been entirely foreseen by anyone. ]

Politics change and so does the ability to do business with it. You make plans and then you have to remake plans. [ He pauses and glances back at her. Kaiba has never really stopped since his plan to get himself and Mokuba adopted. He doesn't really know how. ] What does resting achieve?

[ An eyebrow raises at her statement. "Winning" and how you define it? Isn't that simply towering over them in simple defeat? That's how he feels every time Yugi and the Other Yugi win. They lord over him with their speeches about friendship and connectivity. As if somehow their friends really made it so they could win. ]

What did unsettling him do?

I can hardly say I know the politics you speak of. [ At least, she couldn't ever hope to be as knowledgeable as he seems to be. ] Resting does just that: you have the chance to rest, to regain your energy and sometimes even clearer thoughts.

[ But then she can't help but smile. She thought that he, of all people, would know the benefits of unsettling one's opponent. ]

You moved in a way that surprised him, that left an opening for you to move, if you chose to.

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YGO PSL | ❝ shadows in the city, like a demon in the dark, come to tear us apart. ❞

/handwaves for psl w/e w/e

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