capeandcowllogs | [Quazi-closed

Current Location: The park

[Quazi-closed | In progress]

WHO: Bakura, Soldier Blue [and if others want to start threads as well, please do. <3]
WHERE: The park
WHEN: Wednesday / same day as posted
SUMMARY: Bakura decides to go for a walk in the park after spending time in the museum and spots a familiar face.
FORMAT: Paragraph?

Bakura smiled happily as he wandered down the paths of the park, watching the general mill of people, children running and playing, bicyclists going by, people following pets who were more interested in each other than where they were supposed to go. It always amazed him, this large strip of country in the middle of a large city. If it weren't for the towering buildings ringing it, it would be easy to forget where he was.

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It was proving to be a day of meetings. Blue had already crossed paths with Desdemona and found a familiar spirit to converse with; it had been refreshing and...in ways, needed. He was becoming all too susceptible to withdrawl and doubt.

As he sat, another rest in that short and routine walk of his, he felt another familiar presence that brought his head up to attention, glancing down the walk path. The boy who had, for a few brief hours, given him his old strength back.

Bakura. That's right...

His face broke a small smile as he saw him draw closer, sitting straight and tilting his head at his coming.

Bakura blinked a moment before giving a wave and heading over. "Hello again, Blue-san!" he greeted in Japanese, smiling widely, rather happy to see a familiar face. "Mind if I join you?"

[[ooC: Worries about moving out with Misao, Yuugi being ported out and Yami Bakura warning him about Malik are all floating around in the back out his head where he's trying to ignore them if Blue wants to pick up on any of that]]

"Good afternoon, Bakura." Blue nodded his head slightly at the request. "Yes, I would like that."

He waited for the boy to situate himself, smiling placidly. "Are you well?"

Bakura smiled, smoothing his shirt down a little as he sat, leaning back on the bench. "Un!" he nodded. "Despite everything," he laughed, giving a small rueful smile. "How about you?"

His eyebrows furrowed a bit at 'despite everything'. The words seemed to trigger the brief suggestion of something lost, something ominous...but they were fleeting, and Blue had made it a habit of not prying into others' thoughts so freely. Instead of pressing and imposing on something that was not his business, Blue forced his smile to warm.

"I have managed," he said, adding, "despite everything."

Bakura nodded, giving a small smile. "It's not bothering you too much, is it? What you had me heal before, I mean?" he asked, turning to face his companion.

There was something almost... comforting about finding someone else who had similar hair to his own, as odd as it was. Not that Blue was as young as he looked, he knew, but it still didn't change the small bit of almost kinship just sharing the out of place colour seemed to suggest.

Blue gave a pensive hum, casting his gaze downward as he considered how to reply. He did not wish to disappoint Bakura, nor did he want to give him a false sense of his power. The latter was probably much more important than the former in the long run, especially if the boy wished to be more active with his abilities.

He looked back, keeping his tone neutral. "It was not so much a pain to heal as it was simply...a way to become a little more active. My body..." he hesitated, not really sure if he wanted to explain, but, "is reaching its limits, so what little I can do to keep myself from..."

He trailed off, looking away. It was not something he wanted to say and cause any undue concern for anyone.

Bakura gave a small nod, looking down a little. The fact that it hadn't lasted still weighed a little heavily on him. Maybe if he rolled better...

"I don't mind trying it more regularly, if you'd like," he offered. "I haven't hit the limit for how much I can do in a day yet, so it wouldn't be taking away from anyone else who would need healing."

He paused a moment as a thought occurred to him and his face lit up. "Oh! One of the things we figured out I can do is buffs, like increasing someone's defense and speed and things like that, and since things like that are designed to be long lasting, especially if they're cast right and if there's no battle or fighting or anything a turn seems to be a day, maybe something like that could help too?" he asked with a sudden rush of enthusiasm.

Blue's attention was brought back, looking back and watching him speak energetically. He couldn't admit he quite understood everything Bakura was saying, but he was speaking with honest optimism; it was enough to shift Blue's expression from doubt to curiosity.

"Do you believe that it could?" he asked carefully.

"It can't hurt to try!" Bakura smiled happily.

He gave a small, resolute nod. "I am in your hands, Bakura," he said.

Bakura gave a small smile, reaching into his pocket for his dice. He really and truly hoped that this would work... He wanted to help so strongly, it had to help his roll... right?

He looked down at his dice, rolling them in his palm a moment as he gathered his intent. He'd only done a buff when testing with Misao before, but he was sure it would work. And Misao had said the speed buff made her feel even more agile and able to react than she normally was, so if Blue just wanted to be more active...

There was a brief worry which he quickly buried. It would work. There was no reason it shouldn't work. He wasn't going to start worrying again, not when something might depend on his will being strong enough to work.

He took a long, deep breath, calming himself, holding the dice tight in his palm. He could do this. It would work. He gave a small smile before tossing the dice into the air. "Speed up!"

The gentle glow that had appeared the first time Bakura had used his power returned briefly--it was always a curious thing. Magic? Maybe. But Blue had his own aura when his powers were being exerted in large amounts.

Either way, with the glow's passing there was...well, Blue was not sure. A moment lapsed as he held his breath, expecting something, but not sure of what. It was only when he exhaled and breathed in again did he notice the fatigue all but evaporating from his limbs.

He didn't waste time; Blue rose from the bench and stood, not slowly, not wavering for balance as usual. Maybe it was odd for onlookers to see someone look genuinely surprised and even excited for just standing, but...

"You are a marvel, Bakura," he said finally, turning and smiling at him.

The boy gave a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck with self-conscious embarrassment. "It worked?" he asked with a smile, getting to his feet as well.

"I do not yet know to what extent, but," Blue took careful steps, taking in a deep breath and finishing his thought on the exhale, "I feel as though I could fly for days without tiring."

A younger, less travelled Blue would have, perhaps just done so. But he turned to look back at Bakura, his tone returning to its more neutral state. "The effect feels stronger than the one before. I do not know whether that would be if you approached it differently, or if it is moreso just your gradual improvement with your powers. Perhaps it is both."

Bakura scooped his dice up, smile still on his face. "It was a different spell this time, for support instead of healing, so it might be because of that. It also may have been a better roll this time too!" he explained. "I don't remember what the number was last time... aaah, maybe I should be writing this down!" he laughed. "I'm really glad it helped!"

Part of him was brimming with curiosity at the comment about flying, but he didn't want to be rude and pry.

As a psychic, Blue picked up on that curiosity regardless. His expression warmed, tilting his head a little. "Is there something I could do for you in exchange for your help? I understand you simply wished to do the right thing, but I would still like to return the favor."

"Aah, I couldn't think of anything, really!" Bakura smiled. If anything, he'd just like to be friends, but how awkward would that sound? He gave a small, sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck. And he didn't want it to seem like there were any strings attached or ulterior motive. What sort of horrible person would that make him seem like?

"Then, perhaps it would be alright if you joined me for my walk?" Blue suggested, gesturing to the path with a hand. "Maybe it will be time enough for you to think of something."

"I'd be happy to!" Bakura smiled.

Blue mirrored the smile--it was hard not to, given the boy's general disposition. "Then, please," he hovered a hand by Bakura's shoulder, as if to urge him forward as he began to walk, letting the hand fall into pace before touching. There was no telling whether or not direct contact would have opened up his mind to Blue, so he did not take the risk of intruding.

"I am interested to hear about the world you are from," he said once he had set a pace. Not fast, nor staggeringly slow as usual. Just pleasant.

The younger of the pair easily took the hint and matched pace. "Aah, it's not too different than this, only it was 1998 when I was pulled here. Though the technology level is around the same, really!" he laughed. "Only a little different. There's not the big emphasis on games that Domino had."

He paused a moment, looking thoughtful. "Though really, with the tournaments being almost international and the game being American, I guess it was more of the world being more interested in Duel Monsters," he mused before giving a soft laugh. "It never seemed strange until I got here, really!"

Blue furrowed his brow just slightly as he considered. "I am not familiar with 'Domino' or those tournaments you mention. It is unique to your world?"

"Aah, un, I think so!" Bakura laughed, rubbing the back of his neck with mild embarrassment. "I know the game doesn't exist here, even though my deck came with me and there are a few others here from my same world that have theirs too. Domino doesn't exist here either, which just seems stranger, somehow. To find out that the place you've been living the past few years just doesn't exist..!" he laughed again, shaking his head a little with a smile.

The furrowed brow was followed by a slight frown, watching Bakura as he laughed awkwardly. 'Doesn't exist', he said--is that what he believed?

"Only here," Blue pressed, testing to be sure. "That does not make it any less real of your true home."

"Un!" Bakura nodded with a smile. "Though I don't know if I'd call Domino my true home anyway, I've only lived there a short while. Moved around so many times that even this just seems like one more move," he laughed. "But a better move than the ones before, I think, despite everything here. I left everything back home in a good situation, I think! Even though I'm not sure how Jounouchi-kun will pass his exams without my help," he smiled. "But I'm sure he'll pull through some how."

Relief. Blue's smile reappeared slightly, letting the boy talk as much as he wished. It was comforting, not unlike the young men and women of the Shangri-La were; bleakness was harder to come by around them. This was proving to be quite similar.

"I am glad for you," he remarked after enough silence had passed, "that you have managed alright for yourself. A lot happens here quite suddenly, and many would not keep a bright outlook for too long."

"I was lucky, some of my friends were already here," Bakura smiled. "Having someone familiar when you get to a new place, even if it's someone you haven't gotten to know that well makes a huge difference! And most everyone here's been nice and patient with my awkwardness," he laughed, looking briefly embarrassed.

"As long as I have my friends, I can get through anything," he continued with an almost bittersweet smile, eyes slightly distant as he unconsciously went to touch the faded puncture scar the back of his left hand. The moment only lasted briefly before he shook it off, giving a warm smile again. "That's why I'm really glad I can heal here, so I can help support my friends the same they've supported me!"

Blue's mind flickered to Jomy for a moment. Perhaps it was the same for him. Had Blue not been here already...

Melancholy drifted into the atmosphere, bringing Blue's attenion back to watching Bakura's expressions as he spoke. There was more to him than one would think. It planted a seed of concern, though it had nothing yet to take root in.

"You have a good heart," Blue remarked softly. "Your friends are very fortunate to have you."

Bakura gave a soft, embarrassed laugh, looking down with a small smile, feeling warm inside at the compliment. "Thank you..."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "So what's your world like? If you don't mind me asking," he smiled, looking over at his companion.

Another pause passed, though much longer than the previous as Blue mulled it over against the sound of their footfalls. It was always a balancing act when speaking of the reality he came from; he did not want to bring down the mood, nor did he want to give the impression that he was hiding things intentionally. Perhaps being brief would suffice.

"It is a good deal older than this one," he began mildly. "The technology is advanced enough that mankind has spread across the galaxy and colonized several planets. It is unified by a computerized government that keeps order over all aspects of life." His face instinctively grew sullen. "It is based on Terra--ah, the 'Earth' of that reality..."

Aah, one of those types of places. Like a scifi quazi-utopia that hid the dystopia underneath it until the main character--

Bakura gave a small, rueful smile, chastising himself silently for thinking of someone's home in terms of a scifi book or RPG scenario. It had to be more complex than that, just for the fact that it was someone's reality!

But the look on Blue's face seemed to back up the theory...

"Aah, that sounds really interesting!" he smiled. "Being able to go into space and explore and things like that!"

Blue forced himself to return the smile for Bakura's sake, saying no more on the subject. It would be too easy to drift into that dark state of mind thinking about the state of his reality; the Shangri-La and the dozens of refugees that were in his care. And unless what Optimus had said about time stopping when one left...they were fending for themselves against the government. The guilt would never leave him.

They turned the corner in silence, but not for too long. Blue had gotten the sense that the quiet might make Bakura think he had done something wrong, when he was simply making conversation. So, softly, Blue said, "This house here," gesturing to the one several yards ahead, "is where I stay. You are welcome any time you like."

And indeed Bakura was starting to worry a little. Sometimes he was rather good at catching that smile that people showed when they were putting on a good face for others. He had practiced his own enough times that made it easy to recognize it in others.

But that also meant he wasn't going to push the issue since it was obviously something Blue didn't want to talk about.

His eyes followed the gesture and he gave a smile. "Aaah, that close to the park? That's great!" he exclaimed, looking almost self-consciously happy at the open invitation as it was given. "Thank you!" he smiled. "Aah, I'd give you a return invitation, but I'm currently staying at a friend's place...it'd probably be a bit rude to do something like that and not check with him first... He's not really that good with other people, I think," he laughed, startled to feel embarrassed with himself as he realized he was rambling. Sometimes he wasn't very good with conversations!

Blue shook his head a little. "I would not impose on you or your friends," he replied. "I merely wished to offer a place on the chance that you may need it for one reason or the other. As unpredictable as this city is, it is good to at least know that you can have a roof over your head."

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[Quazi-closed | In progress]

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[One of these years I will find a picture where he has a soft smile @_@]

*can pretend

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Leaving the result of the roll in your hands. :)

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[Sorry for the short reply @_@]

LMAO it's okay *touches reply gently

And as if to make up for the short post before, he rambles. :)

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