ʏᴜɢɪ ᴍᴜᴛᴏᴜ ⌈武藤遊戯⌋ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
inheritedpuzzle) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synthneon2021-08-04 11:27 pm
inheritedpuzzle) wrote in synthneon2021-08-04 11:27 pm
Entry tags:
YGO PSL | ❝ because i now understand the meaning of the promise we exchanged. ❞
BEACH
🎵 ambient / mood music
( and now we just jump a whole bunch into the future. post-ceremonial duel by a year, but a year before dsod! probably will throw tie-ins with what's going on in kingsglaive, ho ho ho. )
[ Life moves forward.
Graduation came and went. Their adventures in the Memory World escalated to a resolution the soul of the Pharaoh had to reach. A duel to determine the fate of the Pharaoh... then the passing of his best friend. Their group went their separate ways and moved forward. They all keep in touch, just like Atem said they would. It's just not the same.
It feels like Yugi Muto is the only one that can't move on like the rest of them. He still lives with is Grandpa and his mother in the house attached to the game shop. He still helps out, knowing that his Grandpa won't be able to keep the shop open much longer. He is still in the same room, decorated the same. Except it's only him in the room and no ancient item strapped to his neck to give him company. He put away his cards and his deck until now. What is the point? There is nothing he really wanted out of tournaments -- he doesn't even want to be famous really.
Except, this is different. This tournament is Battle City V2. He feels obligated to participate in it. Not because he did in the first one, but, because he and his best friend earned the title of Duel King together. Yugi may not feel the need to duel in competitive spaces, but, it feels like it would be a disservice to what he and Atem achieved if he doesn't defend their title. Someone will eventually beat him and take that title; change is inevitable. He'll make it a fight though. Even if his heart isn't in the fight as much as it could be.
His eyes are tilted downwards as he looks over the messages on his phone. The group chat is filled with messages of well wishes and encouragement from his closest friends. They couldn't be there in person in Battle City V2. Joey has Serenity, Tristan has taken to touring Japan's northern islands, Anzu is in America, and Bakura is tied down working at the museum for his father. It still matters to him that they've all reached out to wish him on though. It's better than being alone entirely. His eyebrows lift at the notification that scrolls at the top.
I pray that you will find the outcome you look for in your tournament, Yugi-sama. Please, keep me informed of your time there. Best of wishes.
Yugi smiles faintly at the message. Lunafreya still lives in Japan, and still looks over him. She is the ones that sees him the most. He can tell she's changed since the Ceremonial Duel. They were the ones the most affected by the outcome of it, so maybe it makes sense they would be the ones to stay closet one another. Of course, she's still who she is, and she has to travel far away. He figures if she didn't have to then she would of come to Okinawa to support him.
Texts will have to do for now.
He's so preoccupied with his thoughts - even once he's put the phone away - that he isn't watching where he's going. It's all too late when he realizes he's bumped into someone by the second pair of shoes in his vision. Yugi takes a step back and raises his eyes to see who he has probably offended. ]
I'm-I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going.
no subject
She also imagines that it's not looking at the temple itself that's causing the expression he's currently wearing. She did just drop a bombshell of sorts on him, and she imagines he needs time to process that as well.
Naturally, she can't know about his history with the Pharaoh and how he defeated him at the end of everything, or the responsibility that seems to rest on his shoulders. But she can guess that something is weighing on him, and she wonders what that might be.
When he turns to look at her, she meets his gaze squarely, not looking away or blinking. ]
They are intertwined, and one ends where the other begins. [ She pauses to correct herself: ] It's more of a circular type of relationship rather than one with an ending and a beginning.
I suppose that you might think of it this way: the spirits are the Fayth and the Aeons are their physical manifestations. Within the realm of Duel Monsters, the Aeon is closest to what you are most familiar with.
no subject
[ Different terminology for different cultures. The spirit of the Duel Monster is inside their stone, and they just call the summoned creature something different. It's just like what the Egyptians did. Except it seems to be a part of their religion and culture here.
Yugi gives a small sheepish shrug. ]
I've seen it before. Pegasus told us what inspired Duel Monsters.
[ More like they read his personal diary. Not that Yuna really needs to know how he and his friends went snooping around Duelist Kingdom. It probably doesn't really matter to her anyways. Egypt is half a world away and nothing would tie her to it except similarities. Ancient Egypt's culture and traditions died off thousands of years ago while hers are still breathing. ]
So, why do you do it? Summoning. People don't believe magic exists anymore. It looks like not many people come here outside of paying tribute to ... them. [ he nods politely to the statues around them. Are they previous summoners? ] Most duelists wouldn't believe anything you're saying.
no subject
[ She could never hope to be as well versed in Duel Monsters as he is, but she thinks she knows what he's referring to. ]
I suppose that all things have their similarities, and of course, things in life are far more connected than people like to believe. Your world and mine may have their differences, but they may not be as pronounced as one would imagine.
[ And that might be one reason why she's continuing to speak with him, because there might be some common ground between them, along with what she thinks is a need on his part to form other connections. ]
Did he? [ She's heard the name, of course, and she knows a little bit about him, but it's all secondhand information. ] What did he tell you, if I might ask?
[ It's true that ancient Egypt's culture and traditions are somewhat far removed from what she knows and how she lives, but that doesn't stop her from being curious. ]
Why? I was meant to do it. Raised to it, from when I was young, you might say.
[ She offers him a small smile. ]
As long as even the smallest handful believes, magic remains alive. And I still believe in it. [ In case there was any doubt about that.
A shadow briefly passes over her face, but it's gone as quickly as it came. ] Not many people visit here to pay their respects, but some still come when they are able.
[ Perhaps this place and its traditions and customs will one day cease to exist as time and people move forward and new advances and discoveries are made, but for now, Yuna intends to do her part to keep it alive. ] Most people don't believe anything I say.
[ Which is one reason why she doesn't approach people as she has with Yugi. In a way, it's something of a self-fulfilling prophecy: as time moves on and those who either live in or still believe in the temple and what it represents keep more and more to themselves, the more places like this fade out of the public's awareness. ]
I suppose that one day, this place will have been completely forgotten about.
no subject
[ Her culture has developed things differently, but, the premise is the same. He wonders then if there are more cultures that work like Yuna's. How many can still talk to the spirits without needing a card game? He is certain Lunafreya would like to meet Yuna based on that circumstance alone. Though, what's the point in that? He really doubts he'll see Yuna more as the tournament continues.
Then, a nod. ]
It was the prize for winning Duelist Kingdom. [ Not really. They are just details that don't really matter. Yugi takes a few steps forward to look up at one of the statues that crowns the pillars. A woman stretching her hand out to meet the man on the opposite pillar. ] He traveled to Egypt at one point. He found carvings of Duel Monsters from ancient times and surmised they must have used magic to summon them to duel with. It inspired him to make some of the monsters into cards... and then he made the card game.
[ His gaze drops as a sad smile takes his face then. It feels so long ago. Though, when he thinks about it? Duelist Kingdom was only four years ago. So much happened in that span of time.
Completely forgotten.
That part of what she says stings--it aches. He knows things are never really forgotten. Memories and traditions are in their hearts, and if they're lucky enough, it can be unlocked for others to share. He saw it first hand. The world may not know what Ancient Egypt was like... but he and his friends know. They were there in a way. They walked the streets, saw the people, learned the smells.
As long as someone finds a temple like this? The memories will go on and be restored some day. ]
Nothing is completely forgotten. Sometimes, it just takes someone else to bring the memories back to life. [ Yugi blinks once, twice, then looks back up at the statues. Then, he turns to look back at Yuna. ] It'd be disrespectful of me to not pay my respects while I'm here. So... how do I?
no subject
Do you?
[ In a way, she isn't surprised. Yugi strikes her as the perceptive type, as someone who can deduce things about people easily enough. And that perceptiveness most likely carries over to other things too. Of course, there's also the fact that their worlds really aren't all that different. The premise is very much the same.
She listens carefully as Yugi begins talking about how Duel Monsters was created, finding it more than a little fascinating to hear how its creator was inspired by elements from another culture. ]
That must have taken some time for him to do. [ She smiles. ] Time, dedication, and determination, I imagine.
[ But then her smile turns just a little bit sad. ] Yes, you're right, but what happens when everyone who had those memories has- has passed on? Stories can be passed down, of course, but even stories become faded over time, don't they?
[ She shrugs her shoulders. ] I suppose even then, that's better than not remembering the stories at all. [ She watches as Yugi looks at the statues, and her smile, happier now, returns. ]
That would be very nice, yes. Here, let me show you what to do.
[ First, she points to a sort of trough containing water with a ladle standing nearby. She proceeds to pour a little of the water on each hand, and then with her left hand, she brings some of the water up to her lips. And once that's done, she pours more of the water onto her left hand to rinse it. With the water that remains, she allows it to run down the handle of the ladle before she sets it down and nods at Yugi, as if to say that it's his turn now. ]
no subject
I think it did... but when you're really inspired to do something? Time doesn't really matter.
[ His smile remains sad at her question. ] There was no one who remembered the duel monster carvings and what they meant... yet, Pegasus found them anyways. Nothing really stays lost forever.
[ Yugi follows after her and watches each step. He raises his hands and mimics what she does at first to make sure that he has done it right. Once Yuna has finished, Yugi takes her place and follows through. It's close enough to Shinto that he can do it easily enough. He just hopes the former summoners see he means well and it isn't just to make them happy. ]
no subject
I agree. [ And she can relate to that. Becoming a summoner was something she felt inspired to do, and although it took some time to achieve, the time itself didn't seem to matter. ] I absolutely agree with that.
[ Rather than insist that she's certain summoners and their way of life, and this very temple, will eventually fade into mere memory, she just nods and smiles a little sadly in return. ]
Very good. Now you may approach any one of the four statues that you see here and say a prayer or put forward a request, or merely bow and pay your respects. Either way, you might find yourself receiving a blessing or another gift.
[ She folds her hands in front of her then, so that she might follow her own instructions and pay her respects to the likenesses of the gods of both past and present. It's something she does twice a day upon entering and leaving, but she does it once more for Yugi's benefit. ]
no subject
Some bounds might not last for eternity.
Yugi snaps out of his thoughts the moment Yuna starts instructing him again. He raises his eyes to the four statues that stand around the temple, then the two statues that loom over head. Eventually, he does settle on one statue. Little known to him that it is the statue of High Summoner Braska, Yuna's father. He simply can feel there's something special about that particular statue. Everyone seems to regard it more than the others.
He makes his way over to stand in front of it. A prayer. He's not sure any of the four departed souls that might be listening could find a way to grant his request. One more time to talk with the person he called 'the other me' for so long. Just the chance to tell him what their friendship and bond meant to him... stead of a wordless good-bye that he gave. A chance to apologize for separating him from the person he loved and all their friends. It was Yugi's duty as the holder of the Millennium Puzzle. He had to do it. As time has gone by, he's only had the feeling of remorse and regret build up.
Yugi closes his eyes and simply bows to the particular statue he has stopped in front of. He can't ask for what he wants. It's impossible, and, Atem resides in an afterlife they surely don't share. It'll be enough to show Yuna he respects her customs.
And, of course, replace her shaved ice.
He returns to standing even if his eyes are cast downwards. ]
You said you can summon duel monsters from a stone you have here.
[ Yugi reaches into his deck holder and pulls out the set of cards he ha. Most of them are his own. Only one or two remain in the deck from Atem. It feels wrong to use the cards the Pharaoh relied on without him here. He looks at the cards in his hands, remembering the first time he met Lunafreya. Not that he expects Yuna to summon someone from his deck. He just wonders if she can tell the different spirits inside and sense their thoughts and feelings.
He holds his deck out for her to take. ]
Do any of mine stand out?