† 007. [ video / action ANYWHERE / fourth wall ]

[harbringersoul]

[The video is shaky and poorly lit, an alley with nothing in it-- until what looks like deeper shadow moved by inches and becomes an elbow. Camera angle change to include half of a torso, hunched shoulders and bowed head, obviously Ys to those who know him. He's clenching something in his hands, it's shiny... a metal stick? No, it's scalpel, stolen

Comments

Action

[teagames]

[Don't look now, but there is a tall guy with a skull for a face in a black hood standing next to you out of nowhere, kid.]

[He's holding a box for the board game of Life.]

...Want to play?

Action

[harbringersoul]

[Ys' eye dart up and widen at the unexpected visage swimming in his blurry vision. His fingers tighten around the handle, limbs closing defensively in on himself; was this... Death? He almost laughs, almost, but the wall is too solid and cold behind him.]

Aren't we... already?

Action

[teagames]

[He just ogles at you for a while, Ys, before speaking again. The guy is just so bored in the afterlife- somebody has to play with him. 8I]

No...we are not. This is the first time I have asked you to play. We are not playing yet.

[He shakes the box, producing a rattling sound.]

Life is a good game. Do you want to play?

Action ...ys why so depressing ;;

[harbringersoul]

[It's ironic, Death asking someone who has had enough of life to play that game with him. Ys does laugh this time, chocked and fleeting; desolation almost over whelms him, and a surprising sharp of hope that is quickly blown out.]

... and if I lose?

[Would that be the end?]

[Action]

[harbringersoul]

[Ys tenses immediately, defensive and glaring, but... it's only Bakura. Harmless, his mind supplies, and he slumps more than hunches against the wall. Still, his hands keep the scalpel between hidden his knees. There is too much going on to throw caution to the wind, or even accept help that is offered when he never has before.]

I'm... fine.

[If his soft words can even be heard.]

[Action]

[harbringersoul]

[He's talking to the ground more than anything else.]

... leave.

[But if Bakura tries, a dratini will take the chance to leave Ys' side and herd help to his trainer.]

action;

[lc_songstress]

[ After seeing that video, Lacus went looking for Ys --- something was different though. Very different. But she didn't care. If Ys was in trouble or was going to get hurt, she couldn't just step back and wait for news. She is looking everywhere for him. All the alleys because that was the only clue he could find. ]

Ys! Ys, are you there!?

Ys, please ... answer?

action;

[harbringersoul]

[He hears a voice, faint and shrill. It is hard to focus on this world with senses unfocused and distant. Ys doesn't move, just curled tighter into himself now.

When she turns the next corner, she will find him.]

action;

[lc_songstress]

Ys ... there you are.

[ When she found him, she breathed a sigh of relief. He did not look hurt ... but he looked so quiet. She slowly walked closer, trying to read what Ys was feeling. But she couldn't. ]

You shouldn't stay here ...

[ She smiles and offers her hand to him. ]

Come with me?

[action]

[usedhealingwish]

[ Hey, Ys. Suddenly, someone else is here in the alleyway with you! A Madoka is standing at the end of the alley, aiming a somewhat fancy-looking with a pink glowing arrow that's lighting up the dark. She wasn't there earlier... and she's dressed very differently. That's the sort of outfit you'd see in a magical girl manga... ]

...Ys-kun? Is that you?

[ She lowers her weapon. Thank goodness she didn't fire right off the bat. ]

[action]

[harbringersoul]

...Madoka?

[She's different. Had she gone and returned again? She's not a threat; his fingers relax around his scalpel. His dratini murmurs soothingly in his ear, faint but an attempt at comfort. Ys doesn't move from his defensive position, knees pulls up against his chest and shoulders hunched, evaluating.]

You're carrying a bow.

[A pink bow. A pink bow with glowing arrows. Was this... even Johto any longer? Or, had the rules changed, and this, now, was normal.]

[action]

[usedhealingwish]

...ah! You don't have to be afraid of this, Ys-kun.

[ In a small pink flash, the bow and arrows disappear, making Madoka appear completely unarmed. She can have the weapons materialize again if she wants. She knows this probably looks really weird and she should probably explain herself... but she has to check on him first.

She jogs over to Ys and crouches down before him. ]

We should get you back to the center. You don't look so well... can you get up?

action

[themixedsky]

[ Xanxus didn't know how he got here, or where he was. Once again, of fucking course, he was in a strange place without any clue what was going on.

At least this time he has his guns. Turning into an alley however brings a familiar face, and a whole new paranoia setting for Xanxus.]

What are you doing here?

[Hi Ys, have a gun pointed right at you.

That is a logical greeting, yes it is.]

action

[harbringersoul]

[Between one day and the next Ys had woken from a hard sleep, bleary and shaken. Others mentioned returning to their world, losing memories and restarting the passage of time, but no one had said anything about finding a place almost as bad as Johto while there. Assassinations, kidnappings, a wash of memories that left his skin too tight and his body too small.

Where was his gun, his ring, his mobile? Only a scalpel and an weak body were with him to stare down the nozzle of that man's gun.]

I've been here... long enough.

[He'd never really gotten into the habit of calling him father.]

action

[themixedsky]

Too long. Have you even bothered to take care of yourself? Pathetic.

[He's moving closer and crouching down next to Ys, but the gun is always ready for any sudden movements. If Ys is anything like Xanxus remembers, the boy won't be unarmed in some way.

He also doesn't trust his 'son' to not attack him in a fever fit.]

Symptoms so far?