[Thread] Light Is Not Good

[black_not_white]

Characters: OU Yuuki Judai, AU Manjoume Jun. Also, a spectator thread will be set up once the duel starts - a note will be put here once it's up. Spectator Thread is Here
Where: the Empty Lot
When: Shortly after this post
Summary: Manjoume asks Judai to check to see if what Johan noticed was real or not. Then they play a card game. Because that

Comments

[hero_of_dark]

Although he certainly enjoyed taking his time when time didn't quite matter as much, Juudai hoped he hadn't made Manjoume wait for too long. He did say he'd go there right away, and that wasn't a lie -- but he wasn't in a huge hurry to get there, as he hadn't made it seem urgent. So, carrying his duel disk on his arm, he walked over to the empty lot where Manjoume had said he'd be waiting.

"Hey," he greeted simply, "what's up? You needed to talk to me about something?"

[black_not_white]

"Yeah," he said, giving a small wave as greeting.

It took him a moment to say anything more. How was he supposed to ask this? Not to mention that it felt pointless and stupid to ask to begin with - he'd gotten rid of it, after all, he knew he had, there was no way he hadn't...

He took a deep breath in and started, "I've told you, about what's going on back home, where I come from, and what's happened there."

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai waited patiently, giving Manjoume time to say what he needed to say, since, knowing him in any world, pride was definitely a bit of an obstacle in the matter. Once he came out with it, Juudai nodded, managing a weak, if pained, smile. It was hard for him to wrap his head around, the events of this Manjoume's world.

"Yes. I know the gist of it from both you and the younger Asuka." He gave Manjoume a slight gesture to continue, since that line alone was not quite enough for him to figure out what he wanted from him on his own.

[black_not_white]

It was another moment before he found the ability to continue, but he did. "I've told you that... that when the Light had me, I got it out of me on my own. And I know that I did. But..."

Another pause to take another breath. "I met Johan, on the roof, the other afternoon. Your roommate, the one who the other you had kidnapped that one time. And..."

And yet another pause as he struggled to manage to actually say it. "He said that he could see more of the Light around me, through his Ruby Carbuncle's tail. And even though I know I got rid of it..."

He closed his eyes briefly, his fist clenching slightly out of how difficult it was to ask what needed to be asked. Why did he have to do this, this was pointless, it was gone, there was no way it wasn't gone...

No, the question should have been why couldn't he do this and prove that he was right rather than just assuming?

"You would... be able to look and tell for sure if there was any of it left, right?"

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai eyed Manjoume analytically, as though looking for the aura of the Light himself, albeit with only the unaided eye. He smiled again, a little more visibly this time, but still thin.

"Yeah, I could. I did it for Ling once for a similar reason. So... as long as you're willing, I can try. But..."

He trailed off for a moment, and then decided to just spit out what he was thinking. "...But this is the Light, so no matter how small an amount it may be that may remain in your mind, it will probably try most anything to keep its natural enemy from purging it. So... I can't guarantee for sure it won't be completely risk-free, knowing what sort of force we're talking about. I'll try to keep it from pulling anything funny if you're sure about it, though."

[black_not_white]

"Then do it," was Manjoume's response - unlike the rest of the conversation, the reply came immediately, albeit with a voice that was cracking ever-so-slightly from the strain of suppressing his fear. "If it really is there, then even if you don't go in now, it'll show itself eventually, and then what?" He pulled his duel disk out of his coat and set it on the ground next to him. "If it does anything here... well, a duel usually fixes that kind of thing. If it's left be, it could come out when no one can duel it, and then it'd cause more problems."

Like if it came out when he was with Asuka. He'd promised her brother that he'd protect her, but how could he protect her from that which was inside of himself? Not to mention that finding the final key in such a state would only be giving it to the enemy...

He looked straight at Judai. "Please, just do it."

[hero_of_dark]

He really did have a point. Considering the state of the version of himself from Manjoume's world, Juudai didn't want to think about the consequences of what could happen in that sort of situation. Meeting his friend's hazel gaze unhesitatingly, he nodded.

"...Point. Alright, I'll do it. It is better than letting it sit unchecked."

He took a few steps towards Manjoume until they were a short distance apart, and furrowed his brow a bit along with the telltale eye color change, both of which indicated he was about to enter his mind. He was trying to make it as predictable as possible to lessen the shock and discomfort of having another presence in your mind, something he'd never quite experienced himself but of which he'd seen the effects of. Not to mention he had no idea how Manjoume's mind in particular was holding up, or how fragile or sturdy it was at the moment.

[black_not_white]

Manjoume tried to keep himself calm, much as such a thing was difficult to do so, with the state of his mind as it was coupled with his dislike of anyone going in there, ever since that bastard had essentially done so. But (and he would only say this about this version) he trusted this Judai, and because of this, and because it was what was needed, he would do his best to stay calm and let him do what he had to do.

He shouldn't have to do this, he didn't have to do this, there was no point to it, he knew it wasn't there...

Which was why there shouldn't be a problem with doing this, because if there was nothing to find, then nothing would have to happen, and not doing it would simply be a coward's way out.

He recalled his lessons with Mahaado, in meditation, and though he pointedly didn't slip into it completely, he did visualize a deck, and started to draw cards, as he usually did. Even while not trying to meditate, it still helped him to calm himself at least reasonably.

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai's eyes flickered and darted around involuntarily as he wandered around Manjoume's mind as unobtrusively as possible, checking every last fold and crevasse for any signs of the Light, since he knew when it wanted to hide, it could hide pretty damn well.

It took a seemingly long moment of searching (although it had really only been about sixty seconds, more or less) before Juudai saw a flash of something bright in the center of his vision for a single instant, and he froze, quickly turning back to the portion of Manjoume's mind he'd been giving a thorough scanning. As if to warn it not to try and hide from him, he sent a light surge of darkness in the direction it came from, allowing it to spread and cover a wider range in order to test what was there. If there was anything resembling the Light there, it wouldn't like that at all, he knew as its natural parallel.

[black_not_white]

With a sound almost akin to that which would be made by some kind of malevolent rodent, It hissed as the wave of Darkness came close to where It hid. It dispised the Darkness, but even moreso did It hate the fact that the Darkness knew that It was there.

But It would not give up this child without a fight, and It dove deeper into the mind It inhabited, seemingly intent on running. For now, at least.

And outside of his mind, Manjoume winced, a sudden sharp headache having developed out of nowhere.

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai frowned. So Johan wasn't just seeing things. Not that he doubted it, but it was difficult to say for certain unless he saw it himself. But now that he was certain it existed, he wondered if he should pull out and tell Manjoume, or if he should keep going and try to pursue it with the intent on purging it completely.

With a moment of hesitation, he chose the latter, figuring that's what Manjoume wanted him to do. He followed it through the metaphorical labyrinth of Manjoume's mind, sending pulses out to try and drive it out from its new hiding place. Ultimately, he wanted to corner it, but it was difficult to do when the Light was so unpredictable and would do practically anything as a last-ditch effort to keep its vanquishing force away from itself.

[black_not_white]

It continued to flee from the pulses of Darkness, turning in seemingly random directions at times, as though in hope of confusing or shaking off Its pursuer. Though, in truth, It knew that It would be cornered soon, and when It was, It would be nullified. After all, It was only one tiny piece of the Light, and not at full strength at that, being pursued by the full power of the Darkness of Creation.

But there was one thing that It had not yet tried, and therefore Its seemingly random turning lead close to a specific place - the least protected area of Its host's mind, a fragile place, easy to shatter if not treaded in carefully, from where It was certain It be able to mostly take control of the child's body again (not fully, as It wasn't at full strength, but mostly).

Meanwhile, on the outside, that headache was worsening, and Manjoume was starting to feel vaguely sick - which he took as a bad sign.

[hero_of_dark]

Although he was by no means familiar with Manjoume's mind, Juudai could tell it was looking for something it could use against him. And he also knew he had to stop it before that happened, because it could probably take Manjoume effectively hostage if it found what it needed to do so

[black_not_white]

"I'm trying..." he managed to respond, though it was in a low, pained tone. It was becoming difficult to think, at this point, as though there was something running around in his head and providing a constant distraction from any thoughts that tried to form.

And perhaps that was the case, but It didn't particularly care about anything except Its own survival, at this point.

It could sense the wave of Darkness coming towards It, and in an effort to prolong Its survival... well, It could not be described by physical descriptions, in such a metaphorical place as the mind, but using the metaphor that likened It to a rodent of some kind, It leapt out of the way at the last second in order to avoid the Darkness, leaving It mostly intact as the wave vanished.

Though, It still hissed in pain as, to continue with the rodent metaphor, Its tail of sorts was not so lucky as to make it out of the way, being singed by the Darkness' touch.

[hero_of_dark]

There was little point in continuing to fire at it, both for Manjoume's protection and for the fact that it would probably continue to dodge anything he could safely throw at it. Juudai cursed to himself, for all he could do was continue to chase until what seemed inevitable at this rate occurred. He had a feeling, though, it wouldn't be too much longer.

What could he say to Manjoume, though? That he was about to be possessed? That would just unnerve him further. All he could do was let it happen at this point and be there when it did to try and force it out the hard way. The last thing he needed was for another White Thunder to emerge from the depths of his mind, but it seemed there was just no choice right now.

[black_not_white]

It, too, understood that they were at a stalemate - the Darkness would not harm It for fear of harming the child, but It was nowhere near powerful enough to defeat Gentle Darkness incarnate. But It had one final chance for survival, even if It would have preferred to refrain from using this tactic until Its strength had fully returned.

And therefore, when It reached where It needed to reach, It used all of Its power.

All of Manjoume's muscles tensed at that moment - though he would have supressed any scream of pain that might have wanted to come out (he still had some pride, after all), there was no physical way for him to make any sound if he had wanted to. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and his head was splitting with pain