[Open] RNG Path

[note_atem]

Prophecy, fate, destiny- words of these caliber always seemed to be thrown around when Atem was involved. You'd gotten so used to hearing them now that he'd spent ten years entwined personally in your life. They just didn't seem important anymore. He'd stayed, he'd grown attached to you; whether that was destiny or not didn't matter anymore. This

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4. Because fate told me to take that number.

[whitewizardboy]

He could barely see a thing, let alone know where he was. It felt warm in here, oppressively warm. It was almost hard to breathe. However, he knew that there had to be some means of navigating darkness. After all, darkness can't exist without some form of light, right?

After a hour, he was about to give up. It was becoming hopeless in this dark, oppressive place where he couldn't even see his own hand in front of his face. Being almost blind nearly made him trip over something, a warm, huddled mass that he finally stopped and touched what was in front of him.

"S-sorry," he apologized, not knowing if he had tripped over a person or if he was talking to himself in the darkness. "Didn't see you down there...-" the texture of the hair, the way it was formed... and how soft it was... it... It couldn't be...

"A-atem-san? I-is that you?"

WHAT IS IT WITH YOU GUIZ AND FATE

[note_atem]

He stayed crouched and pushed back as far as he could into the corner that shouldn't have even been there in the first place. The figure that had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, was a great contrast to his eyes. Worse yet, was he really supposed to believe someone else was in here with him?

It seemed like it took a while for his eyes to even focus on Ryou's figure as he stared up. "What is your purpose?" His words were slow, unsure, and thick on his tongue as he tried speaking them.

BECAUSE FATE IS A MEAN BITCH. :/

[whitewizardboy]

"My purpose?" Ryou was confused by the question. "Atem-san, it's me: Ryou. Ryou Bakura? We were..." If it wasn't so dark, the pink on his face would have been obvious, "we were together for ten years... in Domino City. Don't you remember? Where you..." he paused, remembering a terrible hurt in his chest that he had felt when Atem had suddenly died. At first, he had thought it was the Ring suddenly reappearing to wreak havoc on the world again, but the only thing on his body at the time was the scars the Ring had left behind.

Now that he thought about it, the pains were all but gone now. Almost like a distant memory.

"Are you all right, Atem-san? ...You were in so much pain, last I saw you..."

THAT'S THE ONLY LESSON WORTH LEARNING IN YGO

[note_atem]

That name that kept being repeated to him was garbled. He couldn't really even get a hold of it- the person's voice was distorted every time he spoke it. It made him cringe, almost if the noise was painful for him to listen to.

The recall of events was even less pleasing to listen to. His hands went to his head as he ducked down into himself even more. "What do you want?" His voice had gone weaker. "What sort of test is this now?" He had only just escaped his chains, it must have been more punishment.

THAT AND CARD GAMES ARE SRS BIZNESS.

[whitewizardboy]

"I... I don't want anything. Just... seeing you again..." Those familiar pangs were starting again, his heart pounding with guilt and loneliness making him look more carefully at Atem.

The looked at that face, seeing serious distress made Ryou kneel down and take a hold of Atem's shoulders, trying to look him in the eye.

"It's no test. I'm not trying to hurt you, Atem-san. I... I just wanted to see you okay again." To stop that aching in his chest... to see Atem happy again. "If there's a way, then I will get you out of this horrible place. I promise."

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO LIFE

[note_atem]

He immediately recoiled as far back as he could go. Touch that wasn't meant for pain was extremely foreign. And still this person was recalling some event that they'd met up or been together or something of that nature. It was painful.

So it must have just been a punishment. "I don't know what you're talking about." He couldn't agree with it; even though most of the fight had been beaten out of him a long time ago he couldn't just blindly agree.

HAVING MONEY AND SCREWING RULES.

[whitewizardboy]

Ryou looked a little hurt at Atem moving away from him. Didn't he remember what had happened to him?

"D-don't you remember? We... were at home and you just suddenly.. froze up a-and... your heart stopped..." It still haunted him, seeing Atem's prone figure on the ground, his eyes wide and lifeless with his skin growing cold.

"What do you remember? Can... can you remember anything? Us? Domino? ... Yuugi and the others?"

GTFO KAIBA

[note_atem]

His hands moved up to thread through his hair but stopped about midway. These things this person was recalling sounded wonderful. A place and people that knew him? Somewhere he belonged?

It was only because of that that it hurt all the more. His hands gripped at the multi-colored strands they'd become entangled in. "What is it you want me to say?!" His voice was shaking. "I don't have anything! I don't have any memories!" Was that what this game was? Getting him to admit his life here?

NEVAR. /smirk

[whitewizardboy]

Ryou froze, taking in what he had said. Atem... didn't have any memories?

When and where were they, if Atem didn't have his memories? The boy froze up more as he came to the only realization that was plausible for Atem not having his memories.

They were in the past... in the Puzzle! No wonder he couldn't find an exit, there really wasn't one. And the Atem he knew from his time didn't exist yet... Most likely for a few years at least.

"E-easy, Atem-san. You... you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I... I understand completely. I won't force you to try to remember anymore." Not worth recalling what wasn't there to begin with, right?

But you're Ryou not Kaiba :|

[note_atem]

Such blatant acceptance without a backlash confused him. He was waiting for the punchline, whether it be emotional, mental, or physical damage that was dealt to him. Having the other just say that it was okay and that he understood was a new concept to him.

It ended up having him stare up at the other, maybe waiting for the joke to reach its end at some point. He just stared. "...what is your purpose?" Was he supposed to fall into the trap of warmth and understanding only to have it taken away from him at some point? That seemed plausible...

He has a bad habit of hijacking thread titles. /and he's the other half of my favorite ship. :p

[whitewizardboy]

If he was going to be taken away, Ryou knew that he wasn't going to be taken away willingly. He had lost Atem once. He wasn't going to let it happen again.

"I guess... my purpose would be to help you. You're my friend." Well, a bit more than friends, but no need to overcrowd him with things he was supposed to know. Baby steps right now. The next moment, he held out his hand.

"And as a friend, I want to help you. You don't have to be alone in this place anymore, Atem-san."

harumph

[note_atem]

He stared at that hand as if it were some sort of monstrosity in front of him. He didn't understand it. He wasn't sure if he even wanted it, much less if he should trust it so suddenly. Yet there was a big part of him that was empty and craved some sort of affection.

What this person was saying was too good to be true. Hadn't he learned his lessons by now?

The hand was ignored for the moment as he still stared up at the other. "This word you keep repeating..." Whatever it was it was getting troublesome. "...stop using it." A weak command, afraid that if he tried to give orders the fires of hell would open back up on him. But he couldn't let it go on much longer.

Harumph to you too. :/

[whitewizardboy]

He waited a few more moments, letting his hand hang in the open air before finally just pulling it away, figuring Atem wasn't going to take his hand anyway.

However, whichever word was bothering him, Ryou didn't know.

"What word? .... The things I can only remember repeating is... friend and... your name, Atem-san." Wait... was that the one that was bothering him? Atem didn't have his memories still... his name was probably one thing he didn't remember.

"I... I can call you something else, if your name bothers you..."

[note_atem]

"My name?" His voice went soft as he tried to examine the possibility that he had a name. Would it be? Could it be? ...no. It was a noiseless thing this man was uttering. Aside that...

"I don't have a name." As far as he knew he didn't deserve one, either.

[whitewizardboy]

"That's not true. You do have a name. Everyone has a name. Else they wouldn't exist without one. It's... it's who you are."

But if being called by his name hurt him that much...

"If you want, I can call you Spirit... or even Yami, since that's what the others called you... from what I heard." Not exactly counted as part of the group, but he did hear things.